"Mining?"

Yang Shengwu's expression turned strange; he doubted that mining could be related to any significant business.

"The Five Elements Sect has Black Essence Stone Mines and Green Luminous Stone Mines in the Great Wilderness. Only Loose Cultivators in the early stage of Qi Refinement would consider working in the mines. They labor for six hours a day, and after a month of hard work, they only end up with two or three Spirit Stones."

Mining was arduous work, toiling all day with hardly any respite, lest one face the taskmaster's whip. Furthermore, the mine stewards often embezzled, so miners feared they might not even receive two Spirit Stones...

Unless a Loose Cultivator had no other recourse, they would never consider becoming a miner.

If I go mining, I'm afraid it would be like walking into a trap...

Yang Shengwu was still on the Law Enforcement Office's blacklist; going to the mines would probably make the Five Elements Sect Cultivators laugh themselves to death.

He'd likely end up mining for free for a lifetime...

"Could Brother Jia have discovered a vein?"

"What kind of vein?"

Yang Shengwu quickly realized that Jia Ren's mention of mining wasn't about working for the Five Elements Sect but about excavating a vein he had discovered himself.

This was an opportunity to make a fortune!

Spirit Stones were still tied to veins.

The value of a vein depended entirely on the quality of the ore within.

If the ore was too poor, like the Blue Profound Rock that could only be used for building city walls and stone houses, yielding only a Fragmented Spirit Stone per hundred pounds, even hard labor wouldn't earn much.

If the ore was high quality, the situation was entirely different.

The more precious the ore, the higher its price. Scarce ores would even attract the interest of Sects.

"A Spirit Stone Vein! How great is that? A Spirit Stone Vein?!"

"Brother Jia, you're not joking? Is this really true?!"

Yang Shengwu mumbled a few words, standing rooted to the spot, then looked at Jia Ren with utter disbelief.

He never imagined it would be a Spirit Stone Vein.

A Spirit Stone Vein was the most superior type of vein. Apart from a few legendary ores, hardly any could compare.

A single Spirit Stone Vein was a bona fide gold mine!

High-quality ores were quite troublesome to handle. Selling rare ores in the Market could easily attract unwanted attention.

The Five Elements Sect was not foolish; seeing rare ores would make them suspect the discovery of a special vein, leading to a host of troubles.

Even if a large amount of precious ore was mined, selling it off posed the biggest problem.

A Spirit Stone Vein was completely different. Mined Spirit Stones could be used directly. Cut into regular-sized Spirit Stones, they could also flow easily into the market.

As long as one didn't directly reveal the Spirit Stone Vein or expose a large quantity of Spirit Stones, there was no need to worry about prying eyes.

Every Loose Cultivator knew the value of a Spirit Stone Vein.

The vast majority of Loose Cultivators entered the cultivation world dreaming of striking it rich. Foremost among these dreams were being accepted as a disciple by a Nascent Soul Stage grandmaster, marrying a prominent daughter of a major Sect, or discovering a Spirit Stone Vein, and thereby reaching the pinnacle of life.

This underscored the importance of a Spirit Stone Vein!

It was unquestionably the type of discovery Loose Cultivators hoped for most, bar none.

A typical cultivator who discovered a Spirit Stone Vein would keep it an absolute secret, quietly amassing wealth and not revealing it even to their closest kin.

This naturally led to Yang Shengwu's astonishment and doubt.

"Why would I deceive Brother Yang?" Jia Ren's expression became solemn as he reminded him, "The matter of the Spirit Stone Vein is of utmost importance. I've only told you, Brother Yang. Please, you must keep it a secret and not let it leak out."

A person would die for those who appreciate them!

Yang Shengwu looked at Jia Ren, his eyes filled with emotion. Such an opportunity for rapid advancement, and Jia Ren was willing to share it with him so easily...

The image of Jia Ren's father seemed to appear before his eyes, the two figures overlapping at that moment.

Yang Shengwu tried to suppress the smile on his face, his expression turning serious. He patted his chest and vowed, word by word, "I will absolutely not betray your trust! Even if it costs me my life, I won't leak a single word!"

"Aside from you, Yun Niang would never disclose it either!"

Since it concerned a Spirit Stone Vein, the matter was critical. The fewer people who knew, the safer it was.

Every discovered Spirit Stone Vein, regardless of size, would attract the attention of Sects.

Once families and Sects learned of a Spirit Stone Vein, they would spare no effort to obtain it.

All who knew would be eliminated to prevent future trouble!

Whether for his own safety or for Jia Ren's, Yang Shengwu had to ensure that news of the Spirit Stone Vein did not leak.

"I trust you, Brother Yang; otherwise, I wouldn't have told you."

"We'll make a fortune together in the future!"

Yang Shengwu struggled to wipe the smile off his face, but he just couldn't manage it.

He felt as if a wonderful future was beckoning to him.

"Haha, we'll make a fortune together!"

"Life's encounters are so wondrous. Just moments ago, I was worrying about future Spirit Stones. I feared that if a demon hunt went awry, I'd have to entrust my wife and children to Brother Jia's care. Now, the chance for prosperity is right before my eyes."

"The scale of the Spirit Stone Vein is unknown. From now on, mining the Spirit Stone Vein will be your responsibility."

"The acquired Spirit Stones will be split fifty-fifty."

The next priority was to excavate the Spirit Stone Vein, determine its size, and estimate the potential yield of Spirit Stones.

"One-tenth of the Spirit Stones would be enough for me, enough to ensure my family and I can cultivate without worry," Yang Shengwu quickly shook his head. The Spirit Stone Vein was discovered by Jia Ren. He was content to share in this wealth; one shouldn't be too greedy.

Contentment leads to lasting happiness.

"I'm entrusting the entire task of mining the Spirit Stone Vein to you. You'll bear the risks, so your share of the Spirit Stones cannot be small."

To maintain a stable partnership, it was essential to ensure stable benefits.

Since Jia Ren wasn't taking risks and was simply waiting in the Great Wilderness Market for the Spirit Stones, a reduction in his share of the profits was only natural.

Receiving too few Spirit Stones could upset the balance and potentially lead to complications.

Spirit Stones were important, but obtaining them securely was more so!

It was far better than leaving the Spirit Stone Vein untouched deep in the Great Wilderness, only to be discovered one day by another fortunate Loose Cultivator.

"That's too much..."

"It's settled then!"

"I'll give you the map. You should prepare in advance."

Jia Ren drew the map he had prepared and handed it to Yang Shengwu. He also passed over thirty Demon-Spotting Talismans, ten Evil Warding Talismans, and a pickaxe.

Since he had sought out Yang Shengwu, he had naturally come well-prepared.

"You'll need to venture deep into the Great Wilderness. Use the Demon-Spotting Talismans to avoid magical beasts."

Yang Shengwu nodded solemnly and accepted the items from Jia Ren.

The Demon-Spotting Talismans could be used both to find and avoid magical beasts. The primary goal was to mine the Spirit Stone Vein, minimizing risks as much as possible. The Evil Warding Talismans were for fending off bizarre demons, and the pickaxe was for mining—he was thoroughly prepared.

Yang Shengwu memorized the information on the map and then burned it.

Brothers in one life, with no next life to consider!

"Brother Jia places such trust in me; I can't let you down."

"Just wait for my good news! I'll see you here in seven days!"

Yang Shengwu beamed a bright smile at Jia Ren, then waved goodbye and stepped back into the Great Wilderness.

Compared to his return from the previous demon hunt, his steps were now much lighter.

Re-entering the Great Wilderness, his eyes shone with anticipation for the future.

His life's trajectory changed from this moment, heralding a new beginning.

「...」

"Spirit Stones really burn a hole in one's pocket!"

The fewer Spirit Stones one had, the faster they seemed to disappear.

Jia Ren bought five Spirit Enhancement Pills for cultivation, and his stash of Spirit Stones rapidly dwindled.

The Spirit Enhancement Pills, which once hadn't seemed too expensive, now felt exorbitantly so.

Fast cultivation speed?

That's all thanks to consuming a large quantity of elixirs.

But how many people could continually afford to take Spirit Enhancement Pills?

Never mind Loose Cultivators; even Sect disciples couldn't afford such extravagance.

It was only natural for Spirit Stones to be spent quickly.

"After consuming these five Spirit Enhancement Pills, breaking through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining shouldn't be an issue!"

Jia Ren estimated silently and joyfully returned to his dwelling with the elixirs.

He hung a "Do Not Disturb - In Cultivation" sign outside his stone house, activated the Solid as Golden Soup Formation, and entered a state of cultivation.

After swallowing one Spirit Enhancement Pill and completely absorbing its medicinal effects, Jia Ren took the second one.

In his Neishi state, the mist-like Spiritual Energy within him grew denser. The medicinal power swiftly converted into Spiritual Power, increasing his cultivation level.

The Proficiency Panel showed steady progress in his cultivation, and his strength advanced rapidly.

This feeling of directly witnessing one's cultivation level rise was delightful, almost intoxicating.

Absorbed in consuming elixirs and meditating, three days passed unknowingly.

His cultivation progress reached its peak, leading to a natural breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

"I've broken through!"

"My strength has advanced further; this calls for a celebration!"

Jia Ren considered going to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion for a celebratory meal, but then he thought of his increasingly empty Storage Bag and could only manage a rueful smile.

"I wonder how Yang Shengwu is doing. Hopefully, he returns smoothly in four days."

He deactivated the Solid as Golden Soup Formation. Replacing the depleted Spirit Stones in the Array Plate, his face showed a pained expression.

He took down the "Do Not Disturb" sign and didn't suppress his Spiritual Power Fluctuation, maintaining it at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

In the Cultivation World, strength commanded respect; the stronger one was, the more respect one garnered.

Acting weak to strike when strong—'playing the pig to eat the tiger'—might just attract unnecessary trouble.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Daoist Zhen!"

"This is a bottle of Qi Recovery Pills, a gift to celebrate your breakthrough."

The slightly plump Wang Fugui, who always seemed to be smiling like a Maitreya Buddha, saw Jia Ren emerge from seclusion. He approached with a grin and handed him a bottle of Spirit Revitalizing Pills as a congratulatory gift.

A bottle of ten Spirit Revitalizing Pills was worth thirty Spirit Stones.

Jia Ren wasn't particularly close to Wang Fugui, who had moved in over a month ago; they were merely acquaintances. The gift seemed overly generous.

"Brother Zhen, I felt an instant connection with you. Please, you must accept this," Wang Fugui insisted, his face beaming with enthusiasm.

There were a fair number of Late Stage Qi Refinement cultivators in the Inner City of the Great Wilderness, but they weren't plentiful, especially among Loose Cultivators.

The conflict between the Five Elements Sect and Thousand Beasts Mountain had caused much distress. Although Inner City Loose Cultivators were not forcefully conscripted, the city's lockdown combined with rising Spirit Rice prices had driven many to flee.

Reaching the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement already placed one among the top Loose Cultivators, so naturally, some wished to curry favor and befriend such a figure.

"In that case, I won't be polite!"

Jia Ren didn't mind befriending Wang Fugui. Another friend meant another connection.

If nothing else, he could at least obtain information through him.

He had been in secluded cultivation, so his knowledge of current events was inevitably outdated and inaccurate.

Wang Fugui's smile grew even wider when he saw Jia Ren accept the elixirs.

"Daoist Jia, I just received some news. Since you've been in seclusion recently, you definitely haven't heard about it."

Jia Ren didn't expect any particularly good news from the Great Wilderness Market, but he still pricked up his ears to listen.

"Master Zhang Laoguang of the Path of Charms is recruiting apprentices. This is an excellent opportunity to learn Talisman Crafting."

A Talisman Maker taking on apprentices?!

Jia Ren, initially indifferent, found his eyes brightening at this news.

Teaching Talisman Crafting?

What kind of impossibly generous person was this?!

If this was true, it was indeed a great opportunity to learn the art of Talisman Crafting.

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