42: Chapter 42 One Kill

"True Monarch must be joking. Since I've come down to mine, how could I dare hope for a peaceful end?"

Ye Qingyang paused.

"I almost forgot you're a Death Cultivator."

"Oh, you were the one preaching at Reverse Cultivation Peak last time, right?"

"Indeed!"

After saying that, Ye Qingyang's figure vanished.

"Is it really okay to reject True Monarch Qingyang like that?"

"He is, after all, the True Monarch overseeing the Lesser Strange Spirit Stone Mine, the highest-ranking Cultivator here."

Mi Yao said worriedly.

"I don't care~"

"Anyway, the purple strange crystal stone cannot be sold!"

"Ugh..."

Zhou Yan opened her mouth and spat out a large mouthful of clotted blood.

"Zhao Yi, let's get out of here quickly."

"Are you injured?"

Zhao Yi helped Zhou Yan up.

"Mm!"

Zhou Yan's face was pale, and her aura was chaotic.

"Then let's head out first."

Zhao Yi made his decision.

Along the way, Zhao Yi was on edge, thinking Ye Qingyang might cause trouble in secret, but they reached the exit of the third layer of the mine cave safely.

"Zhao Yi, I need to enter seclusion to heal."

As soon as they reached the cultivation room, Zhou Yan sent Zhao Yi away.

Looking at the 'In Seclusion' sign, Zhao Yi was dumbfounded.

"Want to come over to my place for a bit?"

A strange light flickered in Mi Yao's eyes.

Zhao Yi...

How would he dare?

If Zhou Yan found out, wouldn't she chop him up?

"Forget it."

"Healing won't take long; I'll just walk around for a bit."

Outside the cultivation room, the crowd was bustling.

"Strange, I don't recall Zhou Yan having any healing Medicinal Pills on her."

Zhao Yi felt something was off.

"Whatever, forget about her."

"I'll find a place to check my attribute panel. Once Zhou Yan is healed, I'll go into seclusion to Breakthrough to the Middle Golden Core Stage."

From Early Stage Golden Core to Middle Golden Core Stage in less than two months—Zhao Yi just wanted to ask, who else could do that?

After walking just a few steps, Bai Yunping's large face suddenly appeared in front of Zhao Yi.

Now, Bai Yunping looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot.

"Was it you?"

"Was it you?"

He grabbed Zhao Yi by the collar.

"Did you steal my treasure hoe?"

"What treasure hoe?"

"Immortal Master Bai, I don't know anything about any treasure hoe."

When he gave Bai Yunping the great sumeru treasure hoe, Zhao Yi had intended to set him up.

Of course, he couldn't admit it now.

"Impossible, you must have stolen my treasure hoe."

"Give it back to me quickly."

What Zhao Yi didn't know was that this move of his had struck Bai Yunping right where it hurt most.

Bai Yunping was a paranoid person with very high standards; he looked down on ordinary people and things, but once he set his sights on something, he had to have it.

It was because of this obsession that he had been stuck at the Early Stage Golden Core for over seven hundred years.

"Immortal Master Bai, Fellow Daoist Bai, what treasure hoe?"

"I really don't know."

On the street, many Cultivators had already moved far away.

Are you kidding? These were two Golden Core True Persons; if they started fighting, it would be bad to get caught in the crossfire.

"You?"

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Bai Yunping almost couldn't help but strike, but seeing Zhao Yi's half-smiling expression, he restrained himself.

"What a pity."

Watching Bai Yunping's retreating back, Zhao Yi said regretfully.

He was regretting that Bai Yunping didn't attack him in the street.

Back at the Cultivation Academy, Zhao Yi had heard that Sky-Blue Stone and Flying Star Technique were a perfect match. He was planning to use Bai Yunping for practice, but he didn't expect Bai Yunping to back down.

"Sigh! I've really become arrogant, actually thinking about using a Golden Core True Person to practice my Spells..."

...

【Miner: Zhao Yi】

【Cultivation: Early Stage Golden Core (Can be upgraded)】

【experience points: 204/100】

【Reward: Immovable Void Technique.】

Tianhe Tower.

Looking at the System panel, Zhao Yi didn't feel any joy. Instead, he felt uneasy, as if something important was lost.

"What happened?"

Zhao Yi was already at the Golden Core level; he wouldn't have a sudden premonition for no reason.

"Could something have gone wrong with Zhou Yan?"

As soon as this thought appeared, Zhao Yi's heart felt like it was growing weeds. He quickly ran back to the cultivation room at the mine.

The 'In Seclusion' sign outside the cultivation room had vanished.

Zhao Yi performed a hand seal.

"Open!"

After entering the cultivation room, Zhao Yi was stunned.

The cultivation room, which was originally packed, now only had a single prayer mat.

On the prayer mat lay a piece of white paper with three words written on it.

I'm sorry.

Zhao Yi recognized it at a glance; it was Zhou Yan's handwriting.

"What does this mean?"

The beauty has gone, but her warmth remains.

"Oh no!"

Zhao Yi scanned the cultivation room; truly, nothing was left.

"My Spirit Stones..."

Aside from a piece of Sky-Blue Stone and a few hundred purple gold coins, all his other Spirit Stones were with Zhou Yan.

Money Bank.

Zhao Yi gave a string of numbers.

"How many Spirit Stones are left inside?"

"Sorry, this account has been closed."

Zhao Yi clutched his chest and took a few steps back.

Five words echoed in his mind:

He was swindled of money!

"Damn it, no one said there was fraud in the cultivation world."

"No! The Spirit Stones might just be incidental; her target should be the purple strange crystal stone."

Recalling Zhou Yan's unusual reaction after digging up the purple strange crystal stone, Zhao Yi realized that her target all along might have been the purple strange crystal stone.

"I'm such a fool. After that First Night, I should have been on guard."

Zhao Yi felt unspeakable regret. Now, let alone paying back the Spirit Stones to the Cultivation Academy, he couldn't even afford to go down to the Lesser Strange Spirit Stone Mine.

Night,

Zhao Yi sat alone in the cultivation room, with several jars of jingyue wine beside him.

As the saying goes, it's not the wine that intoxicates, but the person who intoxicates themselves. This was roughly Zhao Yi's current state.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Where is Senior Sister Zhou?"

"When do you plan to go down the mine again?"

Mi Yao, dressed in her finest, walked in with a distinct, refreshing fragrance.

"She's gone~"

"Ran off with my Spirit Stones!"

Zhao Yi reeked of alcohol; it was unclear if he was truly drunk.

"Oh my!"

"Senior Brother Zhao, are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk, you're kidding me?"

"I am a Golden Core True Person; how could I be drunk?"

Zhao Yi felt an unspeakable frustration in his heart. He was wobbling, unable to even stand steadily.

"Senior Brother Zhao, be careful!"

Mi Yao quickly stepped forward to support Zhao Yi.

"She left!"

"She just left without a word!"

"Heh, if she really wanted something, would I not have given it to her?"

"What does leaving like this without saying goodbye mean?"

Zhao Yi's head was dizzy,

He smelled that refreshing fragrance again.

"Today, the scent on you is very special."

"Is it?"

"I prepared it specifically."

Mi Yao twirled around, and accidentally...

Zhao Yi...

So dazzling.

"Senior Brother Zhao, if you want to..."

"I'm willing."

Gulp.

This was the sound of Zhao Yi swallowing his saliva.

Looking at Mi Yao, he steeled his heart. Since you could leave, don't blame me for being unfaithful.

"Junior Sister Mi..."

"It hurts..."

Mi Yao said in a delicate, coquettish voice, making Zhao Yi lose his mind.

After the world turned upside down,

Zhao Yi lay on the ground like a dead pig, motionless.

Mi Yao stood up with a cold sneer, no longer looking pure. Her cultivation base soared from the Foundation Establishment Early Stage all the way up,

Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, Late Stage,

Then, like a hot knife through butter, she directly reached the Early Stage Golden Core.

"Achieving Golden Core without a Lightning Tribulation... the Nine Beauties Wedding Garment Art is indeed the world's number one evil technique. It was worth my twenty years of waiting."