Chapter 16: Slaying Beasts for Tempering, Discovering a New Mine for Wealth
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“Good! Once you agree, there’s no turning back!”
Seeing that Yu Xian agreed, Liu Xue immediately finalized the matter, not giving him any chance to back out.
He raised his hand and took out a map. “Here, I’ve already marked the route for you. Just follow it. Once you reach the mountain, dig away. That mountain is rich in resources—it’ll definitely produce a good amount of refined ores!”
“Tsk tsk, kid, you’re gonna make a killing this trip. The new mines opening up there produce at least six refined spirit stones a month—sometimes even as many as eleven!”
Sun Bingcheng, standing by the side, nodded with a grin.
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you,” Liu Xue added. “For opening a new mine as a disciple, you have to pay three Blazing Sun Spirit Stones in the first month. If you can’t pay, don’t blame us for being heartless.”
He patted Yu Xian on the shoulder, a fake smile plastered on his face. “So, get moving. Quickly now.”
Yu Xian took the map, glanced at it, and nodded calmly. “Okay.”
With that, he turned around, grabbed his mining knife, and followed the route outlined on the map into the mountains.
“Heh, even if the brat escapes the wolf’s mouth, if he can’t pay three Blazing Sun Stones, he’s finished.”
Watching Yu Xian’s departing back, Liu Xue’s voice was full of smugness. “This move of mine—brilliant! A scheme within a scheme! Hahahaha!”
“Brilliant, brilliant. I gotta hand it to you, Old Liu.”
Sun Bingcheng gave a sly smile and raised his thumb. The two laughed in shared villainy.
…
Yu Xian made his way into the desolate mountain range.
This entire Blazing Sun Mining Region, spanning hundreds of miles, belonged to the Baiyun Sect. The mine’s reserves were abundant enough to last for several decades—maybe even a century.
Though over seventy mining sites had already been opened in the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma zones, more than ninety percent of the surrounding mountains were still untouched.
The map Liu Xue gave pointed to a mountain 130 miles away.
Yu Xian memorized the route and frowned.
Assigning him a newly opened mine was one thing—but why assign a location so far away?
There were plenty of unopened mines within thirty miles.
Besides, when had those two ever been so kind?
Yu Xian didn’t believe them at all.
Most likely, they were trying to harm him…
But Yu Xian wasn’t afraid. If they dared to come, he’d give them the same fate as Zhao Mulin and Old Zhang!
He already had his talisman treasure containing the Golden Light Slash spell gripped in his palm. His other hand was prepared with a basic spell technique, ready to unleash at any time.
Remaining cautious, Yu Xian continued on.
Though the terrain was desolate, with rocky hills and gravel plains, there were still scattered shrubs and hardy desert trees like poplars and salt cedars growing in shaded ravines and behind hillsides.
Small beasts darted between brambles and trees.
Though this wilderness seemed lifeless, it was in fact full of vitality.
Every movement within thirty meters was registered by Yu Xian’s senses. Even places he couldn’t see couldn’t escape his ears.
Before long, he had walked 110 miles. The mountain marked on the map was now right in front of him.
Yet the ambush he had been expecting hadn’t materialized.
“Was I overthinking it?”
Yu Xian muttered to himself.
Assuming the worst of others was often the most foolish thing one could do.
“Never mind. If I really did misjudge them, I’ll just give them some extra Blazing Sun Stones later to make up for it…”
He shook his head and continued forward—until he suddenly heard a faint wolf’s howl.
Yu Xian looked up toward the source, a mountain to the side. His brows furrowed. Did he mishear?
But then, the wolf’s howl rang out again—louder and much closer!
A terrifying figure emerged atop the mountain ridge.
It was a giant wolf, over ten feet long and four feet tall!
Its entire body burned with a faint flame, and its eyes glowed blood red. Standing on the peak, it stared down at Yu Xian, full of bloodlust!
A demonic beast—the Blazing Flame Wolf!
Yu Xian had trespassed into its territory. His strong cultivator aura had drawn its attention!
“So that’s it…”
Seeing the Blazing Flame Wolf, Yu Xian suddenly understood.
Liu Xue and Sun Bingcheng’s trap was this very beast.
A demonic beast with power nearing the late-stage Qi Condensation Realm!
Now understanding their scheme, Yu Xian began to rapidly form a basic spell seal in his hands.
Baiyun Sect Basic Spell – Wind Stride Technique!
He instantly leapt back!
“ROAR!!”
The Blazing Flame Wolf howled and rolled off the mountain like a fireball, charging straight at Yu Xian!
“Swift!”
With the spell completed, Yu Xian slapped his chest, and his speed suddenly surged—several times faster!
He stayed calm, eyes locked on the beast rushing toward him, hands forming spell seals—but not casting yet.
Since the age of eleven, he had been hunting wild beasts. He had never feared them.
This demonic beast, though stronger, was still just a beast to him.
Even with Wind Stride increasing his speed, he was still slower than the Blazing Flame Wolf.
The beast moved like thunder and flame, and in just a dozen heartbeats, it had closed the distance to one mile!
Yu Xian’s expression didn’t change as he quickly cast a spell.
“Go!”
Three icicles formed in the air and shot toward the wolf—followed by three more, and again!
Triple Ice Spike!
The spell wasn’t powerful, but its chilling nature was aggravating to the fire-attribute beast.
The icicles pelted its head, making it roar in fury. It hated the cold!
But if it dodged, its speed would drop—and it might not catch the human.
So after a short time, the Blazing Flame Wolf let out an enraged howl, stopped dodging, and charged through the weak spell attacks!
It would kill this human with one bite!
Yu Xian continued to retreat, now switching to a different spell: Water Serpent Technique!
A water snake, eight feet long and lifelike, formed and launched itself at the wolf!
The wolf thought it was another Ice Spike and didn’t dodge.
Sizzle!
The moment the water snake hit, it doused part of the flames on the wolf’s body.
That hurt.
The wolf screamed in pain and charged faster, madness in its eyes!
Yu Xian’s cold gaze lit up, his spell changing again as he shouted, “Earth Spike!”
Boom!
A stone spike shot out of the ground like a spear, over ten feet tall, aiming straight at the wolf’s vulnerable belly!
The water-based spells had driven the beast mad, lowering its awareness. This Earth Spike—this was the killing blow!
Wolves always had a weak belly. Yu Xian was sure.
Though demonic, the Blazing Flame Wolf had some intelligence. At the last second, it sensed the spike rising and twisted its body, dodging the vital area.
Still, Yu Xian had calculated well. The spike tore through its side, drawing a gory wound!
“Hm?”
Yu Xian’s sharp eyes caught it—he hadn’t expected the wolf to be so clever. But his hands were already moving, forming another spell.
And instead of retreating—he advanced!
The wolf was hurt. Not fatally, but badly.
And wolves, once seriously injured, often tried to run.
But Yu Xian wouldn’t let it escape!
“ROAR!!”
But he had underestimated the difference between a wild beast and a demonic beast.
Wild beasts fled when hurt—that was instinct.
Demonic beasts might flee from stronger foes—but not from someone weaker!
The Blazing Flame Wolf roared, blood pouring from its side—but it grew even more frenzied.
With a wide, bloody maw, it lunged straight at Yu Xian!
Yu Xian was shocked in his heart, but his hands remained steady!
In such a situation, if he panicked and made a mistake in the hand seal, then death was guaranteed!
“Fiery Jiao Technique!”
As the Flaming Wolf charged to within three meters of him—so close that Yu Xian could already smell its foul, bloody stench—he finally completed the hand seal, let out a loud shout, and struck forward!
A wave of blazing fire condensed out of thin air, forming a two-zhang-long fiery flood dragon. It was even larger than the Flaming Wolf, roaring ferociously as it crashed forward!
This was Yu Xian’s strongest spell so far, and he knew he no longer had time to cast another.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he let out a low growl and flipped his hand to draw a treasured sword—none other than the second-grade magic weapon he had obtained from Zhao Mulin.
Gripping the sword as if it were a hatchet, Yu Xian slashed forward with the might of splitting a mountain, aiming directly for the wolf’s head—just as he had years ago, when he braved the mountains alone to gather herbs and faced wild wolves with fearless resolve.
If he died here, what would happen to his bedridden mother!?
Boom!
The Fiery Jiao collided with the Flaming Wolf, erupting in sparks. Yu Xian’s most powerful spell forced the wolf’s skin to crack and bleed. It staggered, dazed.
Though it was wounded, it didn’t die—after all, it was comparable to a late-stage Qi Condensation beast. Its hide was thick, and its flesh tougher still.
This single spell—if struck on a human cultivator of the late or even peak Qi Condensation stage without defenses—would have been fatal.
“Die!”
Amidst the blazing inferno, a silhouette charged forward. It was Yu Xian, sword in hand, slashing along the wolf’s neck!
Splat!
Blood gushed skyward. That desperate strike didn’t completely sever the wolf’s head, but cut halfway through.
A major artery was severed, blood spraying like a pump. The Flaming Wolf let out a tragic howl before finally collapsing with a thud.
“Huff…”
Yu Xian exhaled slowly, calming his thundering heart.
If that blow hadn’t finished the beast, he’d be the one dead instead.
Though it was his first time fighting a monster beast, and his planning wasn’t bad, he hadn’t accounted for just how savage beasts could be.
But isn’t it precisely in life-or-death moments that a youth grows the fastest?
He pulled out his sword and, after a deep breath, began skinning the beast.
A second-tier Flaming Wolf—every part of it was a treasure.
The pelt could be used to make defensive magic items.
The flesh was a tonic, whether refined or roasted.
The bones could strengthen one’s own body.
But most valuable was the demon core in its chest.
Every monster beast had a demon core. The higher the beast’s tier, the more valuable the core.
Demon cores were prime ingredients for powerful elixirs, and even eating one raw granted substantial benefits.
Yu Xian quickly dismantled the beast, sorting the pelt, meat, bones, and the walnut-sized, fiery-red demon core into neat piles.
This single beast was worth no less than 800 low-grade spirit stones. The alchemy and smithing halls of White Cloud Sect would fight over it.
All things considered, even with the jade pendant’s guidance, mining didn’t seem to pay as quickly as beast hunting.
But then again, mining had no risk. With beast hunting… sometimes you didn’t know who was hunting whom.
Yu Xian shook his head, suppressing his thoughts. He’d hunt beasts later when his cultivation was higher. For now, he would obediently mine spirit ore and cultivate step by step.
Storing the pelt, meat, bones, and core, Yu Xian set off once more.
The mine was just ahead!
This remote mine had clearly never been touched. As soon as Yu Xian approached its base, the jade pendant on his chest began to heat up—his heart burned with excitement.
This mine’s resources were beyond imagination!
Without hesitation, he drew his mining knife and began digging.
Soon, he vanished into an eight-foot-wide cave.
Sunset to sunrise, day by day, ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the eleventh morning, a dusty figure emerged from the cave—grinning from ear to ear.
Both of Yu Xian’s storage bags were full!
Each of his low-grade storage bags could only hold a cubic zhang (about 3.3 meters in every direction).
One bag could store 400 Flame Sun Spirit Stones at most.
Factoring in the beast materials and other items inside, he had room for only 410 stones total.
In ten days, Yu Xian had mined 410+ Flame Sun Stones!
With no more room to store them, he decided to return and cash them in.
After half an hour, he arrived at the Flame Sun Mine dorms.
Though he’d been gone for ten days, the place was unchanged—except that far fewer disciples remained, most having left to prepare for the Great Outer Sect Selection in four months.
Yu Xian cleaned himself up and stepped onto the teleportation array, returning to the sect.
The outer sect had changed dramatically.
The once-crowded smithing hall was now nearly deserted. Disciples were immersed in cultivation, laser-focused on the upcoming selection.
Even the alchemy hall had few visitors—only those who came to grab pills quickly before returning to their closed-door training.
White Cloud Sect’s outer sect was selecting ten disciples to enter the inner sect. The tension was palpable—like a storm was coming.
But Yu Xian felt no pressure.
He’d never intended to compete, and without that stress, he leisurely made his way to the smithing hall.
The usual attendant, Li Youmao, was gone—clearly also preparing for the selection.
Instead, an average-looking, stocky middle-aged man sat at the counter, dozing off like a farmer.
But this was White Cloud Sect—how could he possibly be a mortal?
Yu Xian watched for a moment, then cleared his throat and respectfully called out:
“Senior?”
“Hmm? Huh?”
The man jolted, confused. “Who?”
“Senior, I wish to exchange spirit stones.”
Still respectful, Yu Xian explained, “With Flame Sun Spirit Stones. May I ask what rate your hall offers?”
“Flame Sun Stones? What grade? Let me see.”
The man barely reacted, uninterested. First-grade materials were hardly rare.
“Please take a look, Senior.”
Yu Xian took out one—its brilliant glow marking it as a top-grade Flame Sun Stone.
“Oh, it’s high quality. Not bad.”
The man’s eyes lit up slightly. “This kind I’ll take at 14 low-grade spirit stones each. Fixed price. If you don’t like it, find someone else.”
Yu Xian’s brow twitched—14? So previously, Xu Haoming and Li Youmao had scammed him, profiting 2 stones per piece. Those two damn merchants…
“Senior’s price is very fair,” Yu Xian said with a smile. “I accept.”
The middle-aged man, pleased with Yu Xian’s cooperative attitude, nodded and sipped his tea lazily.
“How many do you have? If it’s a lot, I don’t mind rounding up a little.”
Yu Xian smiled:
“To be honest, Senior, I only have a mere… 410 pieces.”
PFFT!
The man sprayed tea almost in Yu Xian’s face.
He nearly jumped up, eyes wide:
“How many did you say!?”
