I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World

Chapter 62: Chapter 52: Yin Mountain Mine

The western frontier of the Central Plains Land, Yin Mountain Mine.

The thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the world was plunged into darkness.

The bone-chilling wind swept up furious sand and waves, violently striking the Great Array Barrier covering Yin Mountain.

The vast Yin Mountain stretched for thousands of miles, with dragon-like lightning spanning the sky, the vegetation on the mountain sparse.

Hong Tao, with Jiang Yuebai, exchanged tokens and stepped into the mine’s barrier. The raging wind suddenly ceased, leaving only a bone-chilling cold, and the sound of rolling carts and the clanging of iron pickaxes.

Shaking off the yellow sand from his clothes, Hong Tao glanced at the laborers outside the mine carrying stones. Suddenly, he released his Foundation Establishment pressure and kicked out at a passing laborer.

”People from the Inner Affairs Hall have come, get your steward out here to see me!”

Jiang Yuebai frowned, as Hong Tao was usually kind and reasonable, she had never seen him act so arrogantly and aggressively.

The emaciated laborer rolled twice, spotted the token on Hong Tao, and fearfully went to report. The surrounding miners avoided, observing from afar.

”Oh my, I was wondering why the magpie kept chirping this morning, turns out it’s because the steward from the Inner Affairs Hall has arrived.”

Manager Cui Sheng, slightly overweight, hurried over with a nod and a bow, glanced briefly at Jiang Yuebai, and smiled ingratiatingly: ”I wonder what brings the esteemed steward to Yin Mountain Mine?”

Hong Tao pushed Jiang Yuebai to his side, adopting an arrogant demeanor, and said loudly: ”I’m here to deliver someone to you. This is a disciple favored by a Golden Core Master of the Inner Sect, temporarily avoiding some trouble here at Yin Mountain Mine for two years until the Master finishes dealing with it.”

Hong Tao’s words were ambiguous, and many around could hear it.

Jiang Yuebai pondered for a moment, instantly gaining insight and feeling deeply grateful to Hong Tao.

Cui Sheng, being cunning, knew that if no name of the Golden Core Master was mentioned, being implicated and sent here indicated that she wasn’t an important figure.

But he couldn’t ignore it completely, after all, it’s a Golden Core Master, and having Hong Tao, the Foundation Establishment steward, personally deliver someone meant she had some connections within the sect.

Understanding the situation, Cui Sheng grinned and said: ”Got it. I’ll definitely arrange a better mine shaft for this... this Junior Sister. The steward can rest assured.”

Hong Tao responded casually, Jiang Yuebai handed over a storage bag with both hands.

”Thank you so much, Senior Brother, for the arrangement, and please accept this as a small token of gratitude.”

Cui Sheng looked at Hong Tao, who was watching elsewhere. He chuckled and accepted the storage bag, finding a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones inside, smiling brightly.

”Oh, Junior Sister, no need to be so polite.”

Hong Tao said: ”Coming here is just in time to inspect for the Inner Affairs Hall. Lead the way.”

Cui Sheng understood Hong Tao’s meaning, hurriedly made a gesture of invitation, and took him and Jiang Yuebai around to inspect, letting everyone see Jiang Yuebai’s ’backing.’

The various areas of the mine were similar, nothing much to see.

Those below Qi Cultivation Third Layer worked outside carrying earth and rocks and opening new mine shafts. Only those at Qi Cultivation Third Layer and above could mine inside the shafts.

Every day the quota was a hundred pieces of Low-Grade Spirit Stones, with one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone covering three days’ quota.

The date of entering the mine was recorded, as long as one could hold on, staying inside for one or two years without coming out was fine, as long as they settle the quota upon exit.

If it’s not enough, they stay to work the remaining days to make up for it.

”...Master Xuan Cheng, who guards Yin Mountain Mine, remains in the deepest part of the mine closed in cultivation, rarely coming out. This is the center of the Great Array of Yin Mountain Mine. Junior Sister, please deposit a drop of blood into it.”

Jiang Yuebai looked at the ferocious Kui Ox stone sculpture at the center of the mine, applied blood from her fingertip on the sculpture, immediately feeling her Divine Soul being oppressed and bound.

Lightning streaked through the sky, and the Great Array Barrier flickered.

Cui Sheng said: ”Don’t worry, Junior Sister. Although this array is powerful, as long as you don’t run around or escape, it’s designed to protect the mine and prevent us from being harmed by outside beasts or petty thieves. When you’re done with your work, the restriction naturally dissolves.”

Jiang Yuebai nodded, seeing beneath the sculpture a tablet, densely covered with names, with some disappearing and being replaced by new ones.

”What’s this?” Jiang Yuebai asked.

Before Cui Sheng could speak, Hong Tao explained: ”Being in the mine for two years without coming out is considered missing, your name will appear on the tablet. If not out in five years, the name will be erased, equivalent to losing the protection of the array.”

Cui Sheng nodded, ”Yes, not coming out in five years, if dead, it’s understandable. But if you’re not dead, you’d be struck by the array upon exit. So, Junior Sister, don’t stay in the mine too long. If the array kills you, even Master Xuan Cheng can’t help.”

Cui Sheng then showed Jiang Yuebai where to eat and rest, giving her two mining pickaxes, fire sticks, and ten small lamp talismans.

Finally, Cui Sheng led Hong Tao and Jiang Yuebai to a mine entrance.

”Junior Sister, you’ve been traveling, wouldn’t you rather rest and eat a bit before going into the mine?”

Jiang Yuebai shook her head, ”Thank Manager Cui for the kindness, but I’m curious about the mining and eager to go down quickly.”

Cui Sheng thought to himself about her child-like curiosity but didn’t stop her.

”This Jiachou Mine is currently one of the richest veins in the entire Yin Mountain Mine. As long as you find a good mining spot, meeting the daily quota of a hundred shouldn’t be a problem. Just remember, there are sometimes mountain-boring beasts frequenting the underground. They mostly roam in groups, very dangerous to confront alone. Be careful when you dig, Junior Sister.”

”Thank you, Manager Cui.”

”Here is the ’Fierce Thunder Body Refining Technique,’ usually each person needs to buy one themselves. Today, being fated with Junior Sister, I gift you a copy.”

Cui Sheng handed Jiang Yuebai a book. She accepted it with both hands, eyes filled with curiosity.

Cui Sheng explained: ”Though the mine has abundant Spiritual Energy, it’s adjacent to the Ancient Thunder Marsh where Thunder Elemental Power is enriched in the Spiritual Energy. Lingering in the body can damage meridians and Dantian, requiring additional cultivation techniques to absorb the Thunder Elemental Power. This body refining technique is given to each cultivator here, to enhance physical strength and power, allowing them to mine more efficiently, achieving multiple benefits.”

Hong Tao said: ”It’s a very common Nine-Grade Body Refining Cultivation Technique, quite suitable for this place.”

Jiang Yuebai thanked Cui Sheng again.

”You there, Old Peng, lead Junior Sister Jiang down the mine, and warn Fann Mazi not to cause trouble!”

Jiang Yuebai looked at Hong Tao, who nodded.

”Take care, I’ll come back to get you in two years.”

Jiang Yuebai nodded, following the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer male cultivator summoned by Cui Sheng into the dark cave, stepping onto an unknown path.

Peng Sanyang grabbed a torch and walked in front, secretly observing Jiang Yuebai as he went along, envying her for having Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer at a young age.

Despite his envy, he secretly mocked her in his heart; no matter how skilled she was, she’d been punished to be here, who knows she might be forgotten in two years, dead in some corner of the mine, and nobody would know.

Thinking this, Peng Sanyang’s steps became quicker.

Jiang Yuebai trotted behind him, the mine inside was pitch black, with many pathways. Each time she caught up to ask about where a path led, Peng Sanyang would just snicker without telling her, twisting and turning, delving deeper.

Descending several levels, perhaps a few hundred feet deep, the mine shaft was narrow, the air tight and suffocating, like drowning underwater, with pressure on the chest making it hard to breathe.

The torchlight barely illuminated, Jiang Yuebai had completely forgotten the way she came.

She saw no signs of the Spiritual Stone Mine, just scattered remnants embedded in the rock walls, subtly glistening.

”Where exactly are you taking me?”

Jiang Yuebai shouted, spotting a leaf pattern carved into a shaft wall nearby, the imbued Spiritual Energy shimmering like stars in the darkness.

Peng Sanyang didn’t respond, Jiang Yuebai stopped.

”I’m not going any further, I’ll mine here.”

She headed towards the nearby mine, soon seeing clusters of crystals imbedded into the rock, colorful and shining as Spiritual Stone Mine.

Jiang Yuebai reached out to touch, Peng Sanyang rushed over yelling in panic.

”No touching, no touching, that’s Yeh Lianyi’s mine!”

Jiang Yuebai withdrew her hand and turned, Peng Sanyang frightened, attempting to pull her away.

”Who dares to touch my mine?”

A blue-robed woman emerged from the darkness, carrying a mining pickaxe with a fierce gleam in her eye, followed by three male cultivators.

The leading burly male cultivator, with triangular eyes and a face full of pockmarks, placed his arm around the female cultivator’s shoulder and spat to the side.

”Where’d this little girl come from, thrown down here as a snack for me?”

Jeering laughter echoed, the two male cultivators behind the pockmarked-faced man looked at Jiang Yuebai with malicious interest.

In front, a man and a woman had Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer cultivation, with two followers at Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer. One of the followers held a bloody arm.