Chapter 20 - Newbie's Problem
"Hey you! Don't just stare around, say you, come here!" Shouted the overseer at the mouth of the cave. Yue Qianchou found out that the people in front of him already went inside, he hurriedly followed suit.
The overseer took a bronze mirror and pointed the mirror toward Yue Qianchou, it suddenly flashed a white light.
"Is this the artifact?" Yue Qianchou was still in doubt, the overseer pushed him forward into the mine, "Ragged dog! Next!"
Yue Qianchou heard the overseer's words behind him, and did not think much of it, he checked the situation of the mine. It was really dark, he had no idea where to dig spirit stone in this kind of environment. Slowly going further inside, the two eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, not long after, he heard several footsteps from the people. "Are they in the front?" Yue Qianchou was impressed they could run along in this kind of environment. The shaking head suddenly found that in front of him there was a hint of light.
"What is that?" Yue Qianchou stepped forward, the light became brighter and brighter, he found out that there were many complex spot-like light covered the walls, and even beneath his feet, as if walking on the starry night sky. Yue Qianchou observed very closely, there were actually fluorescent stones. this was obviously not an artificial installation, but a natural occurence in the cave. It also answered his question of how could they mine spirit stones in the cave without bringing any light source.
Standing in the cave with a few intersections, Yue Qianchou was wondering which side to go while the other miners rushed into each intersections. Although he didn't know why, but everyone were in such a hurry, there must be a reason. Thinking that, Yue Qianchou no longer hesitated and picked a random hole to quickly walked into.
The road went deeper from the surface, the more Yue Qianchou walked into the more he met with large and small intersections, like an intertwined spider web. he was anxious that he couldn't get out of the cave when he got too far. Yue Qianchou's face frowned, then shook his head. he laughed and scolded himself because of his stupidity, since the terrain was going downward, he just needed to find the higher ground to go out.
After passing many holes inside the cave, Yue Qianchou had been vaguely able to hear the sound of someone digging, he didn't know where to dig, decided to went into certain hole to follow the sound of digging.
"Ding.. Ding.. Ding.." Yue Qianchou turned a corner to follow the sound, not long after he met a guy, on the side there were already a bunch of low-grade spirit stones, among those there was at least a piece of mid-grade spirit stone. The miner was digging vigorously with his pickaxe.
"Oh! Yes, yes, this is a good place to mine," Yue Qianchou smiled enthusiastically, without further ado he put down the basket and looked around with pickaxe in his hand, he was ready to get started.
The 'Ding Ding' Sound suddenly stopped, Yue Qianchou turned around to look, the other miner was warily looking at himself, Yue Qianchou nodded with a smile, obviously he was not really welcomed here, he laughed with a bit embarrassed.
"Get out! I found this vein first!" Said the miner, the words were very unfriendly. Yue Qianchou was a bit on fire, he complained in his mind "Damn! Everyone is all miners here, why did you kick me away?" However, he couldn't see the other party's cultivation, apparently he was higher than his own Qi Condensation level five.
Ah! Although Yue Qianchou wasn't happy about it, but in order to steal some spirit stones, he decided to forget this incident. With a glance, he picked up the basket, turned his head and went away.
The next situation was exactly the same, each time Yue Qianchou arrived at a good spot with miner on it, they would always very bluntly claimed the spot, and drove him away. What made him discouraged the most was that almost everytime he tried to sense the other parties' cultivation base, they more or less higher than him.
Yue Qianchou finally understood why those people were in hurry when they entered the mine, they were afraid of their last discovery of spirit stone veins were claimed by other people, the first to arrive would take up the site.
With an angry face, Yue Qianchou decided to walk toward the deepest place he could find. He wondered how many years it took to dig the mine with such a long and many intersections, without knowing how many turns he took, he finally reached the end of the path.
"Damn it! Finally there is no one to drive Father away anymore!" Complained Yue Qianchou, he put down the basket and held the pickaxe with his hand, he couldn't help but became excited. The feeling in his imagination, as if he had already seen the spirit stone waving at him.
With both hands, he swung the pickaxe down, "Ding!"
"Shit!" Issued Yue Qianchou with a strange cry, the pickaxe was thrown to the side, he raised his two shaking numb hands and heaved a sigh. He remembered that all the working guys in the surrounding were so noisy. Ding.. Ding.. Ding.. The stones were as hard as an iron, he was too impatient.
Trying again, Yue Qianchou didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "So this is mining ah!" It was clear that the cave was located in the hard rocky mountain. He didn't know before coming here that the spirit stones were originated from this kind of place, not to mention that the spirit stones consumption by the Green Light Sect were tremendous, they were relying on these people here mining piece by piece. Although Yue Qianchou heard there were several spirit stone mines in other places, the miners here were treated badly.
Yue Qianchou hit an idea and injected true Qi into the pickaxe. Ding.. Ding . Ding.. Sure enough it was so much easier to dig. Feeling excited, Yue Qianchou dug through energetically.
It's good to be active in a job, but it's often the most painful thing to do so without gaining success. Yue Qianchou dug most of the day, not to mention a chunk of spirit stone, even a hair of it was not seen. The body circulated true Qi in such a continuous consumption, according to the present situation, he might die from overworking without gaining anything.
Yue Qianchou tried not to be reckless, he stopped his activity, and decided to figure out where the problem first.
Based on limited knowledge of mining from the past life, first of all, it was certain that things such as gold and other precious ores have veins and direction, Yue Qianchou believed the same goes for spirit stone, the fluorescent stones in the surrounding should be linked to the spirit stones in the mine.
This cobweb-like cave must have been dug out by the former miners, Yue Qianchou was at the end of the path, was the spot in front of him hinted that there was no spirit stone? It's hard to judge what he didn't understand. Looking for someone to ask, but the miners here would most likely ignored him, even drove him away. It's a headache!
"Shit! How could i be so stupid?" Yue Qianchou slapped his forehead in annoyance, Big Sister White's fox clan was an expert of the cave, should have went to ask her what wasn't understood. After careful checking of the surrounding to determine there was no one around, Yue Qianchou's body disappeared from the cave.
"Big Sister White, Help! Er..." Yue Qianchou, who had returned to his own turf, uttered a few shouts, but it came to a screeching halt. In front of him appeared a lushy forest, during which the bamboos were swaying, familiar melody were coming from the forest. If he wasn't seeing the chaotic purple fog at the edge of the surrounding, he would really doubted himself whether he had gone to the wrong place.
With a disbelief expression, Yue Qianchou went into the forest, an exquisite green bamboo house appeared in front of him, the style was very old-fashioned. Surrounding the bamboo house were bamboo fences, there was also a small bamboo pavilion, inside was the world-class beauty in a white snow robe singing accompanied by the zither melody, who else could it if not the White Fox?
Calming his heart, Yue Qianchou looked the surrounding again, a happy smile bloomed! Looking at the Big Sister's performance, he really had to admire, she was really engaged in art, and her aesthetic was superior to ordinary people.
The forest were lush of bamboo grooves, and the bamboo grooves were surrounding the house, a peaceful atmosphere. He did not expect that after throwing many things into this space, a few days later the place was already built by the White Fox, the layout was on point, pleasing to the eyes.
With a grin on his face, Yue Qianchou went closer. However, the White fox didn't even lift her head, with her Tribulation Crossing cultivation, she should have already sensed him. Yue Qianchou walked to the pavilion and shouted, "Big Sister White!"
Unexpectedly, the White Fox did not even care about him, still not moving her head. Yue Qianchou's heart fluttered, she was to have her own opinion, didn't know how to recruit her without provoking, this was not a good thing, he came here to ask her help.
Yue Qianchou went to sit on the side with all smiles on his face, he moved his way closer while dragging his feet still in the sitting position, "Ah! Who is this beautiful girl playing the zither? Beauty, young and very kind... Beauty, beauty, beauty......"
To tell the truth, this little brother invited her into this place, but for several days he disappeared again without even a news, let her out of the imprisonment but be trapped by the feeling, how could she didn't get angry. However, meeting this kind of thick-skinned face, she had no way to ignore it any longer, the calling of beauty, beauty, still wasn't finished.
The sound of the zither came to a halt, the White Fox lifted her slightly red face, angrily said, "You still remember to have me as your Big Sister? Don't come back if you have the ability...... .... Were you digging spirit stones?" The last sentence was because the pickaxe in Yue Qianchou's hands.
Yue Qianchou was surprised for a moment, the White Fox's words made him feeling a little strange, As if the wife was living alone at home, after a few days she finally reunited with the missing husband. The thought flashed over, Yue Qianchou evaded the question, he decided to explain from the beginning, "Big Sister is really virtuous, you could tell it in a glance... .... Then i got punished to do laborious task in the spirit stone mine." However, he concealed the innocence of Wu Baoru's matter. This feeling could be understood, no one is willing to put their own despicable side on the public.
Yue Qianchou told the White Fox with something to mind. Because he offended the Green Light Sect Leader, with his master no longer alive, He met the retaliation of Sect Leader and sent to the spirit stone mine to do hard work, if the task were not completed, he would face severe punishment.
"The dignified Sect Leader was actually narrow-minded," The White Fox frowned, then stared at the opposite party whose face was still all smiles, "You have the golden bead, if you wanted to escape the Green Light Sect no one would be able to stop you, are you coming to me to ask for help?"
"Haha! My big sister is wise, I haven't said but you already know," Laughed Yue Qianchou.
The White Fox was a bit dejected, from the pocket on her waist came out the 'Mountain Piercing Claws', it was thrown to Yue Qianchou.
Yue Qianchou hugged the gauntlets with a smile on his face and was about to stand up. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "I see that the Green Light Sect disciple scanned me with a bronze mirror at mouth of the cave, does Big Sister know what is it for?"
"A very common artifact, no big deal. If someone were to steal spiritual Qi or possessed spirit stone, it would be easy to get spotted. It is a widely used artifact in the spirit stone mine. Why are you asking this?" Asked the White Fox a little puzzled.
"Nothing, Big Sister, if i were to put the spirit stone inside the golden bead, could that artifact detect it?" Asked Yue Qianchou.
The White Fox shook her head while saying, "It would be found out inside the bag of holding. however, i'm sure it would be difficult to find it inside this golden bead."
"Oh" Yue Qianchou made a relieved expression, he nodded while saying, "I worried for nothing. Since it wouldn't be found out, then i'm relieved. Big Sis, i'll go first."
"Ah... You..." The White Fox stunned for a moment, a thought flashed her mind, "Damn! I'm afraid this little guy is planning to steal spirit stones. I just aided a bad deed," She came back to reality and about to stop Yue Qianchou, but the latter had already disappeared.