26: Chapter 26 Brothers Project

After walking to a remote, deserted valley where only the sound of the wind swept by, Yuwen Jinran finally stopped.

He turned to look at Yuwen Jinyuan, his expression grave, and said, "Brother Yuan, in this Sect, every word and action must be cautious."

"Although Steward Wu has a poor attitude, he is, after all, a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage, and his Divine Sense detection range is no less than ten zhang."

"He holds considerable power at the Mining Site, and for now, I cannot do anything to him."

Yuwen Jinyuan scratched his head, his face showing a hint of regret, but even more so, frustration: "Brother, I know I was wrong, but I just can't swallow this! We have always been the ones collecting protection fees from others, yet now we've been bitten back by that brat."

Yuwen Jinran said calmly, "In this Cultivation world, strength is always respected. Let's set aside that stubborn old fellow for now."

"We don't need to get angry with him. Once I focus on my efforts to Cultivate and improve my strength, I will then settle the score with him."

Changing the subject, his expression grew even more grave: "However, the Sect has long had a rule that Cultivators above the Qi Refinement Stage may not enter the Mining Site at will."

"I originally intended to go see that Miner myself, to let him know that you have a Cultivator for a brother, and to abolish that absurd rule of four hundred Spirit Stones, but unfortunately, I cannot enter the Mining Site."

Yuwen Jinyuan asked, "Brother, we can't just let the matter of paying him four hundred Spirit Stones every month slide, right? How is that any different from cutting off our own flesh?"

Yuwen Jinran looked at him with a heavy gaze and raised his hand to signal him to calm down: "Of course we can't let it slide. Although these four hundred Spirit Stones are not much, it is a matter of face."

"If this person is not dealt with, and we let him flaunt the Spirit Stones we 'tribute' to him around the Mining Site, others will surely follow suit."

"By then, never mind collecting protection fees, it will be a question of whether we can even maintain a foothold in the Mining Site."

"Just speaking of that Miner, daring to pull teeth from a tiger's mouth and even setting a rule of four hundred Spirit Stones per month—I cannot swallow this anger."

"Besides, we cannot openly cause a death."

He paused, his voice dropping lower, "A year ago, two gangs wanted to kill each other over territory, and they ended up being killed in one move by Steward Wu."

"Therefore, to deal with that brat, we must use cunning, not brute force."

Yuwen Jinyuan grew anxious and leaned forward half a step, "This is only the first month and he's already extorted four hundred from us. The longer this drags on, the more we'll have to pay?"

Yuwen Jinran's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Don't rush. We need to think of a way to make him disappear without anyone noticing, and let him know that our pair of brothers is not to be trifled with!"

"It's just..." He furrowed his brows, his tone adding a touch of helplessness, "I can't think of a foolproof plan for the moment."

"Brother Yuan, you go and secretly monitor him; you must keep a close eye on him."

"Figure out his background in The Mine and whether he has any weak points. Once we find a flaw, we will..."

He did not continue, only making a pinching gesture.

Yuwen Jinyuan's eyes instantly turned sharp, and he nodded vigorously: "Brother, rest assured! Leave it to me! I will definitely make him spit out everything he has eaten!"

Yuwen Jinran frowned slightly and instructed: "Brother Yuan, you still have the sound transmission talisman I left you, right?"

"Once you discover his handle, notify me immediately, and we will think of a way from there."

"Be careful in everything. If the situation is not good, do not try to be a hero."

Yuwen Jinyuan grinned and patted his chest: "Brother, you can put your heart at ease! I'll keep it in mind!"

The two discussed in low voices for a while longer, and only left after the sky turned dark.