Chapter 160: Manager Xiao, Anomaly Detected in the Spirit Mine

Chapter 160 – Manager Xiao, Anomaly Detected in the Spirit Mine

The envoy sent to investigate this time was still Du Mingjie, who arrived at Qingyang Mountain early the next morning.

He also brought four thousand spirit stones as compensation for the lost Yan Jingshi.

Frankly, Xiao Chen hadn’t expected the item to be worth such a high price.

Later, he learned that the sect master of the Spirit Origin Sect had deliberately doubled the payment.

Alongside this, Du Mingjie presented double the usual number of Spirit Beast Core Tokens and a specially crafted Sect Token.

Once his current garrison duty concluded, Xiao Chen could return to the Spirit Origin Sect with the Sect Token and officially become a Demon-Slaying Guard.

The token also granted him access to the sect’s warehouse to claim a Spirit Herb for cultivation enhancement.

Naturally, this was excellent news—no cultivator would ever complain about acquiring more Spirit Herbs.

Additionally, Du Mingjie carried several invitation letters from various clans.

Following White Bone Gate’s defeat, Xiao Chen’s mastery of escape techniques had become widely known.

As a result, numerous families had sent advance invitations, requesting his attendance at tea banquets and wine gatherings after he became a Demon-Slaying Guard.

Even the Qiu family had specially invited him to participate in the Lishan Zhu Yun at the end of February.

Reportedly, this event would focus on a competition of escape techniques, drawing many Foundation-Building cultivators from Hezhou who specialized in such arts to exchange insights.

Moreover, the annual champion would receive Liuyun Dew, a spiritual elixir that greatly benefited the cultivation of escape techniques.

Xiao Chen carefully stored the Sect Token and invitation letters before resuming his cultivation.

Thanks to consuming two Zijin Spirit Sands daily, his progress had accelerated dramatically.

Each day, he felt a new improvement in his control over the Zongdi Jinguang technique, and his speed had visibly increased.

Truth be told, such rapid advancement was intoxicating.

Especially the sensation of clearly feeling himself growing stronger day by day, which had even begun to fascinate Xiao Chen.

Midway through, Xiao Chen met with the vice president of the Huidong Merchant Guild through Chang Shunping—a bearded elder.

Originally, this vice president had come to demand explanations from Xiao Chen.

Over the past six months, the Huidong Merchant Guild had recruited many solitary Foundation-Building cultivators, including Open-Air Stall Zhang.

However, upon learning that Xiao Chen had eliminated the demonic cultivators from White Bone Gate, he abruptly changed his stance.

The guild had no desire to antagonize this rising escape-technique expert over a minor figure like Open-Air Stall Zhang.

Instead, they invited him to attend the Lantern Festival banquet on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Naturally, Xiao Chen declined outright—he had no interest in watching fireworks.

With the time saved, why not cultivate his escape techniques instead?

However, this peaceful period lasted only eleven days.

On the Sixteenth Day of the First Lunar Month—just a day after the Lantern Festival—hordes of demonic cultivators returned, advancing toward Luoyan Mountain.

Simultaneously, numerous other groups of demonic cultivators bypassed Luoyan Mountain entirely, heading straight for its rear.

This behavior was highly suspicious, as if the Divine Flame Cult had already accepted Luoyan Mountain’s impending fall.

The Spirit Origin Sect immediately issued warnings, and several Golden Core Zhenren arrived personally to reinforce Luoyan Mountain.

During this time, they considered various possibilities after analyzing the divination results.

Yet no one could decipher the Divine Flame Cult’s true intentions.

Upon receiving the alert, Xiao Chen felt equally perplexed.

He was no longer the clueless newcomer—he had gradually learned much about Hezhou.

For instance, the Divine Flame Cult had previously avoided large-scale invasions due to fears of losing their retreat routes.

Luoyan Mountain contained two second-tier spirit veins, protected by a third-tier defensive formation spanning dozens of miles, deployed by the Spirit Origin Sect.

Attempting to breach the formation head-on would trap even Golden Core Zhenren within the sect’s territory.

Thus, the enemy needed to dismantle the formation directly to remove this barrier.

However, discussing this matter left Xiao Chen somewhat speechless.

According to his sources, the war had lasted over a year, yet the Golden Core Zhenren from both sides had clashed fewer than ten times.

So far, not a single Golden Core Zhenren had sustained injuries.

Even more absurdly, these encounters were brief—the longest lasting merely a quarter of an hour.

Afterward, Divine Flame Cult’s Qian Hong Zhenren would retreat voluntarily, and Yu Sha Zhenren never pursued.

The battles were nothing more than symbolic gestures.

In short, for over a year, the conflict had been sustained primarily by Foundation-Building cultivators clashing, while countless lower-tier cultivators became cannon fodder.

Even some Foundation-Building Initial Stage cultivators from the Divine Flame Cult seemed to serve as expendable forces.

Xiao Chen could partially deduce the reasons.

For one, self-preservation.

Reaching Golden Core cultivation was arduous, so cultivators were naturally reluctant to risk their lives recklessly.

Another factor was mutual caution.

If one sect suffered heavy losses fighting the Divine Flame Cult, it might become a target itself after the heretics were defeated.

Even if the Spirit Origin Sect lost countless Foundation-Building cultivators, its influence would merely wane.

But if a Golden Core Zhenren perished, the border with Wan Hua Valley would likely be redrawn entirely.

Yet strangely, no Golden Core Zhenren seemed willing to eliminate the Foundation-Building demonic cultivators infiltrating the Spirit Origin Sect’s territory.

This left Xiao Chen puzzled.

Could there be another hidden reason restricting the Golden Core Zhenren from acting?

Unfortunately, no one could answer this question for now.

In the following days, incomplete frontline reports indicated that at least forty Foundation-Building demonic cultivators and hundreds of lower-tier ones had breached Luoyan Mountain, flooding into the Spirit Origin Sect’s heartland.

Qingyang County’s threat level was even upgraded from a border region to a high-risk area.

“This is pure misinformation—there are no demonic cultivators in Qingyang at all,” Xiao Chen muttered, staring at the alert bulletin.

The situation seemed contradictory. Five full days had passed since the invasion began.

Many regions within the Spirit Origin Sect had suffered attacks of varying severity.

Yet within Qingyang County’s borders, not a single demonic cultivator had appeared.

Initially, Chang Shunping had stayed hidden inside his defensive formation at home, fearing for his safety.

But after five days of complete tranquility, Qingyang remained eerily calm.

It was as if those hundreds of reported demonic cultivators had never existed.

In truth, the Divine Flame Cult had long learned of Xiao Chen’s demonstrated strength.

Before this invasion, they had specifically marked Qingyang County as a high-risk zone on their maps, warning weaker demonic cultivators to avoid the area.

The unexpected turn left Xiao Chen feeling slightly disappointed—he had hoped for some hands-on training and a chance to earn points.

But reality proved that waiting idly for opportunities led nowhere.

Encountering three demonic cultivators earlier had already been a rare stroke of luck. Such events wouldn’t recur often.

To accumulate points, one needed to take initiative as a Demon-Slaying Guard.

“Manager Xiao, there’s an anomaly detected inside the spirit mine.”

On the twenty-third day of the first lunar month, a team leader at the Great Perfection cultivation stage rushed over to report: “A worker was burned by sudden fiery energy during excavation.”

“We’ve halted digging in that tunnel, but the fiery energy seems to be spreading outward.”

Xiao Chen paused for a breath, recalling his role as Qingyang Spirit Mine’s manager—a title he’d nearly forgotten since arriving here. He hadn’t been involved in mining operations at all since his arrival.

He asked directly, “How were incidents like this handled previously?”

When uncertain, it was best to follow established precedents.

The team leader shook his head. “This… this has never happened before.”

Xiao Chen frowned as he stood up. “How many are injured? What’s their condition?”

After a hesitation, the leader replied, “Nine with minor injuries, two critically wounded.”

“That many?”

Xiao Chen’s expression darkened. This wasn’t trivial—nearly ten percent of the mine’s workforce.

“The incident occurred without warning,” the leader explained. “We rushed in immediately upon discovery, but arrived slightly too late.”

“For now, other tunnels remain unaffected. I’ll lead the excavation teams to ensure this month’s quota isn’t compromised.”

Xiao Chen’s frown deepened. “If an anomaly is detected, why continue operations?”

“Evacuate all workers from other tunnels immediately. Halt all excavation until the cause is identified.”

He strode toward the suspended tunnel. “I’ll investigate inside. You don’t need to follow.”

Even standing at the tunnel’s mouth, Xiao Chen could feel the surging fiery energy. Though faint at the entrance, conditions deeper inside were unpredictable.

He chose to enter alone—better to avoid distractions rescuing others if danger arose.

Compared to the Yan Chi Secret Realm’s caverns, Qingyang Spirit Mine’s tunnels were narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk abreast, with some sections squeezing to single-file passages.

This was due to the surrounding Huangluo Rock, a dense mineral naturally resistant to spiritual energy. Qingyang Stone embedded within this rock was notoriously difficult to extract, making wide tunnels nearly impossible.

As Xiao Chen ventured deeper, the fiery energy thickened.

Before reaching the core, the intensity had already reached levels capable of scalding cultivators at the Late Lian Qi stage.

When he finally discerned fallen mining picks and fresh excavation marks, the fiery energy’s density rivaled the Yan Chi Secret Realm’s depths.

No wonder injuries occurred—back when Lihuo Sect ventured into Yan Chi, they’d carefully selected disciples resistant to fiery energy.

“Qingyang Stone shouldn’t emit fiery energy,” Xiao Chen muttered, running a hand over the Huangluo Rock.

Fiery tendrils surged through his fingertips, only to be instantly absorbed by his Nahuuo Talisman.

“So the mining triggered this.”

The evidence pointed to an object containing fiery energy being unearthed during excavation.

Xiao Chen’s pulse quickened. From his storage bag, he retrieved a Superior-grade Flying Sword, repurposing it as a digging tool.

Clang!

But then again, whether this situation had a clear cause before its effect—or vice versa—was hard to say.

If not for these natural Formation Patterns, celestial treasures like these would’ve been completely exhausted by previous generations. Who could’ve preserved them intact until today?

The remaining treasures must’ve possessed the ability to block spiritual senses, allowing them to remain hidden across centuries.

“Let’s see what kind of treasure this is,” Xiao Chen muttered, carefully slicing open a watermelon-shaped huangluo rock with his Flying Sword.

Instantly, all the yin energy within condensed, revealing a stone egg the size of a duck egg.

“Hmm? What’s this now?”

Xiao Chen had expected a celestial treasure, but instead found a yao beast egg. He picked it up, channeling a thread of mana to inspect it.

Not only was it a yao beast egg, but one embodying the rare yin-containing-yang essence. Even more surprising, he sensed a powerful vitality pulsing from within.

This meant it could hatch into a yao beast if cultivated properly.

“Still, raising a yao beast isn’t as important as my own cultivation.”

Without hesitation, Xiao Chen pocketed the egg and returned to the cave entrance where the team leader waited.

“Manager Xiao, you’re finally out! I—”

Xiao Chen raised a hand to cut him off. “The problem’s resolved. Arrange for the injured cultivators to rest and recover—no need for them to work until they’re healed. As for the Qingyang Stone production shortfall, I’ll take responsibility.”

With that, he mounted his sword and flew to the Chang family’s Qingyang County residence to borrow a pill furnace.

Chang Shunping welcomed him warmly, offering his family’s finest furnace and clearing the area to ensure no interruptions.

Xiao Chen didn’t bother with formalities. He immediately began refining the Triple Revolving Xuan Yuan Pill.

He’d already gathered all auxiliary ingredients, and with the [Pill Forging Master’s Heart], no extra preparations were needed.

His only “preparation” was a full five-hour nap—he’d been digging nonstop for two days and nights, leaving him exhausted.

After waking naturally, he fired up the furnace, tossing the yao beast egg into the flames without hesitation.

Six hours passed in a flash. As the spirit flame died, a faint, exotic fragrance wafted out—like winter plum blossoms mingling with summer’s scorching winds.

Opening the furnace, two gray spirit pills the size of walnuts lay nestled inside.

Indeed, the Triple Revolving Xuan Yuan Pill required not only rare ingredients but yielded only two pills per batch.

Luckily, Xiao Chen’s [Buy One Get One Free] perk had already granted him an extra pair stored in his jade vial.

“Pity I can’t take more. Otherwise, I’d just pop two now and skip the cultivation grind.”

Pocketing the pills, he exhaled slowly. With these, he could advance a full cultivation stage.

Not that he’d use them immediately. As a Foundation Building Seventh Stage cultivator, he’d likely breakthrough to Eighth Layer within half a month.

After stabilizing his realm, taking the pill would propel him directly to Ninth Stage. Then, refining mana and consolidating his foundation would follow naturally.

Xiao Chen still had eight bottles of Guyuan Pills gifted by the Saint Child. If all went well, he could reach Foundation Building Peak before the end of February.

Finding the yin-containing-yang Spirit Herb in the mine had been a pleasant surprise. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he secured the pills.

Thanks to the Heavenly Path Foundation Building, reaching Peak was inevitable—but the sooner, the better.

It wasn’t just about mana capacity; it was about comprehending the Five Elements Dao to prepare for Core Formation.

Though cultivation manuals described the process vaguely, the specifics would only reveal themselves upon reaching Peak.

“Ah, Cultivator Xiao, finally out!”

Chang Shunping greeted him at the pill room door, face etched with anxiety. He handed Xiao Chen a Spirit Origin Sect alert notice.

Behind him, Chang family members gathered in the courtyard, watching with hopeful eyes. The atmosphere felt oddly tense.

The notice warned of demonic cultivators using Soul Severing Needles. Xiao Chen skimmed it. “What’s the issue?”

Chang Shunping explained, “The cultivator wielding the Soul Severing Needle is one of Divine Flame Cult’s Four Great Wanderers. Since three days ago, at least fourteen Foundation Building cultivators have fallen victim—countless lower cultivators too.”

Fourteen Foundation Building cultivators? Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected.

He’d provided the Soul Severing Needle’s blueprints to Spirit Origin Sect months ago. By now, they should’ve devised countermeasures.

Secret techniques thrived on secrecy—once exposed, they became easy to counter. Even standard cultivation manuals, once leaked, left vulnerabilities.

Yet Spirit Origin Sect still hadn’t cracked it? Xiao Chen couldn’t help but sigh.

Still, he had no solutions. His experience was limited to basic yellow-rank manuals—earth-tier and above were beyond him.

Pocketing the notice, he reassured Chang, “Don’t worry. If those demons dare attack Qingyang, leave them to me.”

But Chang’s face remained grim. “Cultivator Xiao, I beg you—may my family and I relocate to the spirit mine temporarily? We’ve prepared all supplies and won’t trouble you.”

His clansmen knelt, eyes pleading. Clearly, the news had terrified them.

Xiao Chen waved a hand, lifting them with spiritual force. “Fellow Cultivator Chang, you overstate it. A small matter—go ahead.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end