25: How was Chapter 25? Aren't I awesome?

"Where did you get that?"

foundation establishment pills are certainly not cheap.

Zhao Yi looked at Zhou Yan with displeasure on his face.

Had this woman not noticed his cultivation level?

"Aren't you surprised?"

"Wait, your cultivation level…"

Zhou Yan realized belatedly that Zhao Yi's cultivation level was actually above her own.

"Middle Stage? Late Stage?"

Zhao Yi lifted his head.

"Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!"

"You are at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?"

Zhao Yi did not notice the light in Zhou Yan's eyes when she said this.

"Wow!"

"You are too amazing! I like you so much!"

"Alright, alright, alright!"

"I know."

Zhao Yi hurriedly stopped Zhou Yan and changed the subject: "Do you want to go to the second level of the mine to dig for Spirit Stones?"

He was already exhausted from the commotion.

"Yes!"

"I'll go with you."

Zhou Yan hugged Zhao Yi and said without hesitation.

Zhao Yi...

He truly felt that having such a Dao Companion meant his life had no more regrets.

...

At the entrance of the second level of the mine.

When Zhou Mufa and Zhou Muyu saw Zhou Yan, their pupils constricted slightly, revealing a look of shock, but it flashed and vanished, attracting no one's attention.

"Senior Brother Zhou, this is my Dao Companion, Zhou Yan. She also wants to join your team. I wonder if that is a problem?"

"No problem. It just so happens that Junior Sister Chen has fallen, and we need a new person to join."

"Zhou Yan, right?"

"What a coincidence, you actually share my surname. Who knows, we might even share an ancestor!"

Zhou Muyu said with a smile, then teased,

"You kid are quite lucky."

Compared to female Cultivators like Mi Yao and Cai Qin, Zhou Yan's appearance was not outstanding, so naturally, she did not cause a huge sensation. Other Cultivators at most just took a few extra looks.

Of course, there were also those who felt disappointed, such as Hu Kun and Mi Yao.

Many Cultivators entered the second level of the mine one after another. When it was Zhao Yi's turn, trouble arose.

"Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

"You need to pay ten Medium Grade Spirit Stones."

Zhao Yi...

Even if he were sold right now, he wouldn't be able to scrape together ten Medium Grade Spirit Stones.

Zhou Muyu, who had already entered the mine, suddenly turned around and looked at Zhao Yi in disbelief.

"You broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?"

"I had a sudden epiphany."

Zhao Yi was also numb. He only thought about improving his cultivation, never imagining that increasing his cultivation would have such a drawback.

"A sudden epiphany?"

It would be strange if Zhou Muyu believed that. How long did he spend cultivating to reach the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?

Eighty years? Or ninety? He couldn't remember clearly anymore.

"Do you not have any Spirit Stones right now?"

"I'll pay for you first."

"Pay me back after you dig up some Spirit Stones."

Zhao Yi...

"How could I be so embarrassed?"

Zhou Muyu had already taken eleven Medium Grade Spirit Stones and placed them in the Formation Plate in front of Zhou Mufa.

"Senior Brother Zhou, this…"

"Why does a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation require an entry fee of ten Medium Grade Spirit Stones?"

"That is too expensive."

Zhou Muyu was still marveling at Zhao Yi's cultivation level and smiled upon hearing this: "My cultivation is at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

"Bai Chuanzhi's cultivation is also at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage."

"What does that mean?"

Zhao Yi seemed to understand something, but also seemed not to.

"Because with a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, one can protect oneself against Lesser Strange Demons, which means you have the qualifications to work alone."

Zhou Yan, who had been silent until now, spoke in a quiet voice that echoed in the mine.

"This Junior Sister is correct."

"So, Junior Brother Zhao, my team cannot accommodate a big Buddha like you."

Zhao Yi suddenly realized. No wonder Zhou Muyu took a cut of the Spirit Stones everyone dug every day.

"Eh, how do you know so much?"

Zhou Yan paused.

"How long have you been at the Lesser Strange Spirit Stone Mine? I've been at the mine for a long time, so naturally, I would know."

Zhou Muyu wanted to refute, but the words stuck in his throat.

After all, this was a matter between a Dao Companion, and saying too much would be counterproductive.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them arrived at the second level of the mine.

"Junior Brother Zhao, shall we part ways here?"

"Ah?"

"Oh!"

Zhao Yi wanted to say goodbye to Hu Kun, but with Zhou Yan by his side, he was afraid of causing unnecessary trouble, so he remained silent.

After Zhou Muyu left, Zhou Yan suddenly said: "You seem a bit disappointed."

"Let me guess, could it be that there is someone there you are reluctant to part with…"

Zhao Yi...

Damn, are female Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage this sensitive?

"Where did you get that idea?"

"Hurry up and dig for Spirit Stones."

"Eleven Medium Grade Spirit Stones, don't end up not even digging enough to cover the entry fee."

At this, Zhou Yan successfully shifted her attention.

"How could that be?"

"I believe in you!"

After saying this, Zhou Yan hugged Zhao Yi's arm and rubbed against it a few times. In the darkness, she provided Zhao Yi with both emotional value and some small benefits.

"What a temptress!"

The originally dark and long mine tunnel felt much shorter with Zhou Yan's company.

"It should be right here!"

Zhao Yi took a heavenly light stone out of his pink Storage Pouch.

The heavenly light stone instantly illuminated this branch of the mine.

Zhou Yan took out a Formation Plate, fiddled with it for a while, and then pinched a hand seal.

"Small Teleportation Array, set!"

Zhao Yi looked at the black circle with a diameter of one meter, which was bottomless.

"Be careful, this Small Teleportation Array is unstable. It is full of spatial turbulence. It is fine for disposing of rocks, but if a person falls in, they are dead for sure."

Zhao Yi...

He turned to look at Zhou Yan.

"You are quite skilled, aren't you?"

"Could it be that you have been to this second level of the mine before?"

"That is not right, didn't you say you just broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage?"

"No explanation?"

"You don't trust me?"

Zhou Yan's eyes instantly turned red.

"You were tossing me back and forth yesterday, and today you are doubting me?"

Zhao Yi...

"Damn, what kind of suggestive talk is that? I was just curious. Since you don't want to say, I won't ask."

"Hmph! That is more like it…"

"Dig for Spirit Stones, let me see your prowess. Is it really as impressive as you bragged?"

"Just you wait and see!"

Looking at this branch of the mine, Zhao Yi casually chose a northern mine wall.

"My cultivation has already broken through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. I wonder if the range of the Approximation Technique has increased?"

Glancing at Zhou Yan, who was setting up a new Formation, Zhao Yi pressed his entire body against the mine wall.

"Approximation Technique."

"Within ten meters."

Panic, the distance was too far.

Within five meters, no problem, but the distance was too close.

Six meters, also no problem.

Seven meters, panic.

Zhao Yi had a count in his heart. With his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, in this second level of the mine, the calculation distance of the Approximation Technique was six meters.

"Approximation Technique."

"Within six meters."

"The Great Dao is Simple, the approximation is natural. Numbers arise from the heart, and all things take form. Once a thought arises, heaven and earth become hazy; round up or down, the universe determines the fate."

"Approximation: Three Medium Grade Spirit Stones and ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Hmm?"

"What kind of luck is this?"

Knowing there were Spirit Stones here, Zhao Yi swung his hoe and started digging.

Bang, bang, bang~

The sound of the hoe entering the mountain rock echoed in the mine.

As the rocks fell, the System's notification sounded in Zhao Yi's ears.

【You dug up a Medium Grade Spirit Stone, experience points +100.】

"Yo, a lucky start!"

Zhao Yi dug the Medium Grade Spirit Stone out of the rock and tossed it in front of Zhou Yan.

"How about that? I'm impressive, right?"