117: Chapter 115: Come In, Can’t Get Out!

(First Update) 117: Chapter 115: Come In, Can’t Get Out!

(First Update) “Hmph, Qu Zhanqian, you’re lucky to be alive this time!”

Having chased him to the outside of the mine, Ye Zhen watched Qu Zhanqian, who was tottering as he flew away, and clenched his fist in frustration.

Ye Zhen had wanted to take advantage of Qu Zhanqian’s serious injuries to kill him, but he couldn’t fly.

Ye Zhen was never merciful to his enemies.

Ye Zhen could never have imagined that his first encounter with Qu Zhanqian, number one on the Heavenly List, would be under such circumstances.

Qu Zhanqian was indeed alert; he began to flee far away the moment he was severely wounded.

Otherwise, if the distance had been right, Ye Zhen would not have hesitated to bestow another Profound Ice Sword Light Talisman from Liao Feibai upon him.

After some thought, Ye Zhen felt that since Fifth Elder Hong Banjiang had sent his second disciple Qu Zhanqian to kill him, it was unlikely that he would send True Inheritor Fan Chuyu.

This mine was safe before reinforcements from the Che Family could arrive.

However, for the Che Family back in Shihe City to organize a counterattack, it would take at least three to four days at the fastest.

On the way here, it had taken Ye Zhen and his group two and a half days.

And those Che Family clan members who had luckily escaped half a day ago would take at least two days to rush back to Shihe City.

If the Che Family were to organize martial artists to come over, even the most elite martial artist squad would need a day and a half.

In other words, Ye Zhen had three days of safety to make use of.

Back in the mine, Fast Sword Cao Bufan was staring at the severed arm left by Qu Zhanqian and the mine that was almost completely frozen into an ice cave by the Profound Ice Sword Light Talisman, dumbfounded.

He was clearly shocked by the commotion here.

“Old Cao, start mining the Spirit Crystals quickly.

We need to leave this mine within two days at most,” Ye Zhen explained briefly before getting straight to the point.

Cao Bufan was startled, then immediately said, “Alright!” and his figure flashed like lightning towards another mining tunnel.

Neither Ye Zhen nor Cao Bufan had ever thought about fully monopolizing this Spirit Crystal vein; it was simply impossible.

Without the presence of a peak Spirit Transformation Realm or even a Soul Sea Realm expert, a revealed Spirit Crystal vein simply couldn’t be protected.

Although they couldn’t monopolize this Spirit Crystal vein, with some hard work to mine more Spirit Crystals, what they gathered might be more than what others could earn in several years or even more than a decade.

After two days of frantic mining without sleep, Cao Bufan and Ye Zhen, who now looked almost like wild men, met up.

“Old Cao, how many have you mined?” Ye Zhen asked.

“Not much, close to three thousand pieces.

Just short of twenty percent more and I’ll be able to fill up my Storage Bracelet.

How about you?”

“Heh, a bit more than you, nearly four thousand pieces.

I’ve just filled up my Storage Bracelet.”

Counting the earnings from the first half of the day, these two sleepless days had brought in a considerable harvest, almost filling up another Storage Bracelet that Ye Zhen kept as a spare.

Before, having a one cubic meter Storage Bracelet that could carry a large amount of items seemed amazing, but now he realized it was too small.

If it weren’t for the spare Storage Bracelet in Ye Zhen’s hand, these Low Grade Spirit Crystals would have had to be packed and taken away.

“Four thousand pieces?

How could you possibly mine a thousand more than me?

These past two days, I haven’t closed my eyes for a moment except when meditating to restore my True Yuan,” Cao Bufan exclaimed in surprise.

“You think I’ve been sleeping?

I have this!” Ye Zhen shook the Sky Crystal Sword in his hand.

After chatting for a few moments, the expression on Cao Bufan’s face suddenly turned bitter, “To simply give up on a Spirit Crystal vein with such good yield, handing it over to the Che Family who tried to harm us, I really can’t reconcile with it!”

“Hand it over?”

Ye Zhen snorted coldly, “Old Cao, who told you we’re going to hand over this Spirit Crystal vein?

Hmph, I want those who know the location of this Spirit Crystal vein to come here but not be able to leave!”

Che Tiejun had discovered this Spirit Crystal vein and had actually tried to silence them.

Ye Zhen certainly wouldn’t let the Che Family have it.

Similarly, Qu Zhanqian who had come to kill him had also discovered this Spirit Crystal vein.

The lure of a Spirit Crystal vein was not only fatally attractive to individual martial artists.

For a large sect like Qiyun Sect, a Spirit Crystal vein also played an extremely important role and was almost a guarantee of the sect’s strength.

Ye Zhen was certain that after Qu Zhanqian recovered from his injuries, he would definitely return to this mine to seize the Spirit Crystal vein.

Whether it would be Qu Zhanqian alone or with several others, that was hard to say.

“Oh?

What are we going to do?

Tell me quickly, I’ll listen to you!” Cao Bufan said.

“Alright, Old Cao, we have half a day to set up, then half a day to escape from here.”

After some instructions, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan began to set up rapidly.

Firstly, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan mined the two pits of this Spirit Crystal vein widely, exposing many Low Grade Spirit Crystals to the surface, and started to slowly release a very steady, subtle wave of Spiritual Power.

Secondly, to strengthen the wave of Spiritual Power emanating from the Low Grade Spirit Crystals and to attract powerful Monster Beasts…

Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan mined out dozens of Low Grade Spirit Crystals and deliberately threw them into the tunnels.

Every dozen meters or so inside the tunnels, they dropped one Low Grade Spirit Crystal.

Lastly, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan processed all the corpses of the Monster Beasts they had killed in the mine.

The lightest corpses were dismembered into dozens of pieces.

The innards, full of the scent of blood, were spread all over by Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan, creating a grisly scene.

Especially the corpse of the Middle-grade Earth Level Monster Beast, the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger, was meticulously divided by Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan and scattered throughout three tunnels.

Since these Monster Beasts had been dead for nearly three days and their blood had already coagulated, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan even poured water over them to help the scent of blood spread more quickly.

For a time, blood qi soared to the heavens throughout the mine tunnel.

Three hours later, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan had changed into clean clothes, covered the stench of blood with fragrances, and quickly left in a different direction.

Before leaving, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan also slaughtered over a dozen low-level monster beasts that were attracted by the blood scent of the corpses outside the mine tunnel, deliberately splashing the beasts’ blood all over the ground.

For a time, a radius of a hundred miles centered around this mine tunnel was fermenting with restlessness due to the thick scent of blood.

The constant yet faint spiritual power fluctuations emitted by the spirit crystals in the mine even made some powerful monster beasts within hundreds of miles restless.

Sniffing wildly, a succession of powerful monster beasts of various grades, lured by the faint spiritual power waves, charged towards the direction of the mine tunnel from all directions.

Spirit crystals were treasures not only for human martial artists but also for monster beasts.

The Che Family’s reinforcements arrived half a day earlier than Ye Zhen had estimated.

An hour after Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan had left, the ancestor of the Che Family, who was said to be severely injured by a monster beast, arrived at the mouth of the mine tunnel with the two remaining elders of the Che Family.

Facing the dozens of corpses of Che Family clan members outside the mine tunnel, they let out a mournful howl but did not bother to collect the bodies, instead they hurried into the mine.

It must be said, the deceased Che Tiejun was a competent master.

When he discovered the spirit crystal vein inside the mine, he sent a trusted individual to send a message to the family members in Shihe City, urging the ancestor to bring reinforcements quickly.

That’s why the Che Family’s reinforcements arrived half a day earlier than Ye Zhen had estimated.

The ancestor of the Che Family, leading the two Che Family elders, rushed into the depths of the mine and, unsurprisingly, discovered the spirit crystal vein at the deepest part of the mine.

But immediately after, a growl from a monster beast sounded, and one beast also charged into the deepest part of the mine.

One beast, two beasts, ten beasts…

Before long, the last of the Che Family’s elites perished under an endless assault of monster beasts, falling victim to the trap deliberately arranged by Ye Zhen.

Two days later, Qu Zhanqian of the Qiyun Sect’s Heavenly List, having recovered from his injuries and with an empty sleeve flapping, entered a mine tunnel with a complicated expression of hatred and greed on his face.

Whether it was to seek vengeance on Ye Zhen or for the spirit crystal vein here, he had to make this trip.

However, shortly after entering the mine, Qu Zhanqian fled in terror, as if a young wife being wildly chased by a lecher.

But the situation was more or less the same.

Behind Qu Zhanqian, two middle-grade Earth Level monster beasts furiously pursued him.

As Qu Zhanqian leapt into the air, one of the beasts looked up and spat out a dark light, nearly blasting him out of the sky.

“Ah…

damn it, Ye Zhen!

You son of a bitch, too vicious, too vicious…” Escaping, Qu Zhanqian’s face was extremely twisted with immense anger.

Because from that horrifying scene he witnessed, he might never have a chance with this spirit crystal vein again, even if he brought his master Hong Banjiang over, the odds were slim.

The deepest part of the mine had been dug up by the beasts into a mess, with terrifying monster beasts’ nests densely scattered up and down.

When Qu Zhanqian rushed in, those monster beasts were slowly enjoying the abundant spiritual power inside the spirit crystals, either clutching or nudging them.

At a glance, the lowest grade among them were middle-grade Earth Level monster beasts, and there was even an upper-grade Earth Level beast.

As Qu Zhanqian made his frantic escape, Ye Zhen and Cao Bufan had already left the Yin Mountain Range and arrived at Pingjiang Town, two hundred miles from Shihe City.

After shaking off the dust of their journey, the two were feasting in a small tavern.

“Brother Ye, this time, I really owe you one!

If it weren’t for you, I’d have lost my life three or four times over!”

Cao Bufan raised a bowl of liquor and drained it, “Brother, no more words needed, it’s all in the drink!

In the future, if you need me, shout and I’ll be there, rain or shine, no questions asked!”

With a fiery gulp of the strong spirit, Ye Zhen likewise drained his bowl in one gulp, feeling the drink blaze a fiery trail down his throat, a sensation that was extremely invigorating.

“No need to speak, it’s all in the drink.

If it wasn’t for older brother this time, I’m afraid I would have been done for too.

Older brother, what plans do you have for the future?”

“Plans?

I’m thinking of finding a place to go into seclusion.

With so many gains, I need to quickly transform them into strength.

Once my cultivation improves, some matters will become simpler.”

After a satisfying meal, Ye Zhen bid Cao Bufan farewell and returned to the tavern, slowly savoring his wine and observing the outside from the window; he had important matters to attend to in Pingjiang Town.

Suddenly, the idle chat of several guests at the adjacent table caught Ye Zhen’s attention.

“Have you heard?

The mining tycoon Che Family of Shihe City was wiped out overnight by the Hu Family of the same city.

All the males were sent to the mines, and the fate of the women and children was also quite grim.”

“How is that possible?

The Che Family isn’t something that the Hu Family can erase.”

“Who says it’s not possible?

It’s said that after all the Che Family’s experts died outside, the Hu Family dared to make a move.

Alas, the people of the Che Family are now in dire straits, especially the women and children…”

“Hmph, dire straits my ass, it’s karma!

The year before last, when the Che Family’s mine collapsed and over two hundred miners died, the Che Family didn’t compensate a single child, and they even drove out the orphans of the miners who came asking for compensation.

I heard they even beat some to death…”

“Rich but unkind, they got what they deserved…”

…

Hearing this, the last bit of burden in Ye Zhen’s heart also vanished; the ways of heaven cycle, karma inevitable!

Suddenly, outside the tavern, a woman dressed in green clothes with a graceful and voluptuous figure, holding a Green Wandering Umbrella, slowly walked by.

Ye Zhen’s expression stirred, and he quickly followed after her.

(To be continued.

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