CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: ARE YOU SO POPULAR? (PART 4)

Just as Eagle Twenty-One was fuming, sudden exclamations echoed from inside the mine, "The Spirit Stone Vein... it’s broken!"

"It’s all been dug out! No more Spirit Stones, there’s only rock behind this layer!"

"Where should we dig next? It’s all rock..."

Since late last night until just this evening, three companions had been killed. Having witnessed the internal strife among the Ice-winged Eagles and the old king being replaced by a new one, the Flame Rats were utterly numb; they knew that even if their king had managed to escape, he couldn’t possibly come back to rescue them so quickly.

With the new Ice-winged Eagle leader’s bad temper, they wouldn’t live long anyway, so they might as well die sooner and be reborn.

Thus, when they discovered the thin layer of Spirit Stone Ore had been exhausted, revealing nothing but rock, they even felt a bit gleeful about it.

"What rocks? From where did these rocks in the Spirit Stone Vein come?" Eagle Twenty-One felt as if struck by lightning, his head buzzing as he pushed aside two subordinates and rushed to the deepest part of the mine.

As far as the eye could see, scattered ore of various sizes lay on the ground yet to be picked up, and the once Spirit Stone river-like vein was broken, surrounded by rock in all directions!

"No! Impossible, where’s my Spirit Stone Vein?" He lunged forward, frantically scratching the dust and grime with his wings, trying to find some glimmering ore emitting a misty glow between the rocks.

However, there was nothing.

"This isn’t real, this can’t be real!" Eagle Twenty-One’s eyes turned bloodshot as he went berserk, snatching the Mining Pickaxe from a rat spirit’s paw and madly striking the rock wall, but all that fell were stones and dirt—there wasn’t a trace of Spirit Stone anywhere.

The Ice-winged Eagles craned their necks to squeeze in and look.

"Truly unfortunate, it’s just a big clump of ore and not a vein at all."

"Indeed, I’ve never heard of a vein breaking off. This isn’t a vein at all, just a collection of ore that hasn’t yet formed a proper vein."

"Looks like we’ll have to find Mr. Jiang; without his guidance on the exact location, how long will it take to dig through all this rock?"

"Do you think the new king went to the gambling den when he went to the market last night and owes fifteen thousand Spirit Stones? Otherwise, why would the amount be so exact?"

"We’re really unfortunate. We were doing fine under the old king, and Mr. Jiang was helping us mine the ore. The king said he’d pay off the old debts and gradually mine to make us rich, but alas..."

......

There’s no use regretting now.

If they had stood up to support Yun Mo the King during the struggle last night, they wouldn’t be in this situation now. Unfortunately, one wrong step and every step goes wrong, and life under the wrong leader is hard.

"Hopefully, after being taught a lesson by reality, the new king will behave. If we courteously request Mr. Jiang’s assistance, we can still have good days guarding Lushan, but who knows what the new king did in the market? If the debts are too large, we’re doomed."

Amidst the extreme panic and disappointment, with his head buzzing, Eagle Twenty-One suddenly heard his subordinates’ indifferent remarks. Looking at the mine filled with rocks, he suddenly felt as if everything was a surreal dream.

"You still have the nerve to chat." He collapsed on the ground, pointing with his wing at his uninformed subordinates while laughing heartily, "Idiots! You’re all idiots!"

One, seeing him frantic and insane, thought it was due to the sudden loss of the Spirit Stone Vein, and approached softly, trying to placate him: "My King, it’s no big deal. If we just invite Mr. Jiang back, won’t it be fine? He only needs some wild fruits, send someone to take him to Swallow Valley at once."

"Yes! Yes, yes, there’s still time." Eagle Twenty-One, after realizing this, got up and flapped his wings as he roared, "Hurry up and find the blind man to look for Spirit Stones, or you’re all dead!"

The subordinate who came to flatter him couldn’t help but twitch his lips.

The new king really couldn’t hold the stage, lacking any composed demeanor of a Foundation Establishment expert; compared to the old king, he wasn’t much.

Feeling displeased, the Ice-winged Eagles played dumb, and none moved.

"You don’t understand my words, do you?" With volatile emotions, Eagle Twenty-One saw that these subordinates had no respect for the king, and he immediately calmed down.

After all, when the time comes, it won’t be him who dies.

He might as well capture more weak humans to mine; without subordinates to share the spoils, he could monopolize the entire mountain himself!

"By rights of the king’s order, we ought to obey, but my paw’s injured, moving is inconvenient." The flattering one extended his left paw for him to see, "It’s bleeding. If I don’t cultivate to heal it soon, it might leave sequelae;

your fight yesterday was too forceful, we were hit by the Flaming Feather Arrow, and our wings are all injured to some extent. Besides, it was always Eagle Fifty-Third who picked up Mr. Jiang, and we don’t know where he lives."

Now he thought of these subordinates as dead eagles, but the Spirit Stones still needed mining. Remembering that blind man with no spiritual energy fluctuations yet could accurately find Spirit Stone veins, Eagle Twenty-One squinted and spoke kindly: "I know you’ve been tough these past two days."

Taking out the Secret Technique Manual he had acquired from his Storage Bag, he beamed as he spoke: "The reason I haven’t distributed Spirit Stones for cultivation is because last night at the market, I acquired this treasure—a Profound Tier Intermediate Cultivation Technique!"

Upon hearing the word "Cultivation Technique," the eyes of all the Ice-winged Eagles brightened.

"I intended to test who is most loyal to me as the new king and select a confidant worthy of nurturing, but you truly disappointed me." Eagle Twenty-One used his wing to clutch the manual, hiding the words "Black Flame" while showing them the power it contained, "Furious Storm, this is the gift I prepared for my brethren, the Cultivation Technique manual most suited for our Ice-winged Eagle clan!"

Experiencing the unfamiliar yet powerful force, the Ice-winged Eagles craned their necks, their fervent gazes following the manual’s movements, each starting to curry favor with the new king.

"Talk is empty. I’m only looking for action," Eagle Twenty-One put away the cultivation book and assumed an authoritative stance, "Whoever can bring Mr. Jiang to me first will have the first opportunity to understand and learn the new cultivation technique."

He thought to himself that if he could find the blind man and detain him in Lushan, they’d go hungry if they couldn’t find the resources. The few remaining filthy rats could mine, and without their hindrance, he could monopolize all the Spirit Stones on the mountain. Sacrificing the experience of being a highly-revered king would be worth it.

Upon hearing this, a flock of Ice-winged Eagles scrambled out of the mine, eager to find Mr. Jiang first and gain the new king’s favor.

Thus, when Jiang Yuan arrived at Lushan with his disciple and contract pet, he witnessed an extremely lively "reception" scene.

"Mr. Jiang!" The one flying at the front nearly went crazy with joy, shouting, "I was the first to find Mr. Jiang!"

Another immediately swatted him down with its wing, flapping its wings while shouting, "Welcome, Mr. Jiang! Your grandeur graces... "

Before that sentence was finished, it was slapped down by another coming behind.

Bai Yunqi was dumbstruck, "Venerable Family, are you so well-connected?"

"They’re quite enthusiastic." Wan Mingchuan scratched his head and murmured, "Don’t hit a smiling face; how are we supposed to snatch the mine now?"