Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine

"To be honest, I was just as timid as you when I first left the Sect, afraid of all the dangers outside. But I’ve been out twice now and nothing dangerous happened at all. We were just scaring ourselves. You can relax!"

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister!"

On the surface, Jiang Xu was very grateful, but inwardly, he was grumbling.

’It’s not that I’m scared... But she said she didn’t run into any danger the first two times... Bad things happen in threes, right? Does that mean we’re bound to run into trouble this time?’

Jiang Xu had a bad feeling.

...

Yang Shu had been on edge for the past two days.

If you were to ask why?

It was because the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine was about to receive a few Inner Sect Disciples.

And he was the sole Outer Sect Steward of this Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

In the past, as the highest authority in this mining area, Yang Shu was naturally powerful and influential. He had always lorded over the place, living as he pleased.

But now, he paced anxiously in his spacious mansion, his hurried steps leading nowhere. He would stop from time to time, looking up at the fine rain falling from the eaves, his thoughts a tangled mess as beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

The culprits behind his current state were, without a doubt, the impending arrival of those Inner Sect Disciples.

Although Yang Shu’s Cultivation had reached the Qi Cultivation Late Stage, he didn’t dare to be the slightest bit disrespectful to the visiting Inner Sect Disciples.

For an externally assigned Steward like him, those Inner Sect Disciples were akin to imperial envoys.

’And if they find out about my little... situation...’

As he thought about it, Yang Shu’s heart trembled. He was panicked and uneasy.

’It’s all those damn bastards’ fault! Great, now the higher-ups have sent people down. This is going to be trouble!’

After wrestling with his thoughts for a long while, a vicious look flashed across Yang Shu’s face.

’I’ve got it! The Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine is located at the border between the Profound Origin Sect and the Celestial Blade Sect, a place already rife with conflict. All I need to do is pull a few strings and frame the Celestial Blade Sect, and this whole problem will be solved!’

With this in mind, a murderous glint flashed in Yang Shu’s eyes. He immediately flew out of his mansion on his Magical Artifact, heading into the distance.

He was heading in the direction of the Celestial Blade Sect!

...

「By evening.」

Jiang Xu and his group arrived at the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

Jiang Xu had assumed that since their group was here to investigate the disappearance of Outer Disciples, they should avoid making a grand entrance by landing directly in the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

Instead, they should have first circled the area a few times to confirm there were no ambushes, hidden sentries, or anyone from the Celestial Blade Sect.

Then, they should have secretly descended to observe the mine’s internal environment, making sure there were no enemies inside.

After that, they would covertly investigate the cause and effect of the disappearances.

By that point, they would have a decent grasp of the situation,

and only then would the group reveal themselves.

But to Jiang Xu’s surprise,

Yan Chunyu flew the Silver Moon Ship directly into the heart of the Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

There was no intention of being discreet whatsoever.

They swaggered in, clearly announcing—’I, an Inner Sect Disciple, have arrived! Come and greet me!’

...

The mine was situated amidst towering mountains and precipitous ridges, the terrain steep and the scenery desolate.

The surrounding peaks pierced the clouds, forming what seemed like an impenetrable barrier that isolated the mining area from the outside world.

Vegetation on the mountains was sparse. Most of the land had been excavated into pits, with exposed rock and mountains of abandoned slag.

The buildings in the mining area were simple and dilapidated, many of them being temporary shacks and workshops.

These structures swayed precariously in the mountain wind, looking as if they could collapse at any moment. The entire mine was filled with dust and smoke, and the air quality was extremely poor.

Due to the mining operations, the mountainsides were damaged. Large amounts of waste rock and slag had been dumped into the valleys, severely polluting the rivers and turning once-clear streams turbid.

The miners recruited for the mine were all Cultivators.

This was because only Cultivators could use Spiritual Pickaxes to pry loose the Primordial Magnet Ore and the hard rock surrounding it.

However, their Cultivation was only at the first or second layer of Qi Cultivation. They were all Loose Cultivators, barely strong enough to swing a Spiritual Pickaxe.

The benefit of recruiting only such Low-Level Cultivators as miners was twofold: first, with low Cultivation came low wages.

Second, low-Cultivation workers were easier to control and bully, making them less likely to cause unrest, which was safer for the management.

As for the Outer Disciples of the Profound Origin Sect, they were responsible for supervising the miners—in other words, they were the foremen.

The Outer Sect Steward, Yang Shu, was the head foreman, responsible for supervising the foremen.

... 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Stepping off the Silver Moon Ship, Jiang Xu was stunned by the harsh environment.

Even Yan Chunyu and the others frowned.

Just then, a hearty voice called out from nearby.

"Hahaha! Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, I am Yang Shu. Forgive me for not welcoming you from further away!"

Jiang Xu turned to look.

A burly, middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties, with a Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, came forward with a loud laugh.

He stood eight feet tall with a ramrod-straight back, broad shoulders, and a short, thick beard. His facial features were sharp, his skin slightly dark and weathered, making him look like a hard stone polished by the years.

Following behind this middle-aged man were four Outer Disciples at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer.

’Looks like this is the Outer Sect Steward in charge of this place.’

Jiang Xu thought to himself.

After getting off the Silver Moon Ship, Jiang Xu began observing everything in the surrounding Primordial Magnetic Ore Mine.

He first scanned the environment, then the number of Cultivators within the mine, their Cultivation levels, and how many there were at each level.

Jiang Xu’s Spiritual Eye Technique was incredibly sensitive; he could even see through buildings to detect the presence of Cultivators, the strength of their Cultivation, and whether they were concealing their true level.

After a quick scan, he found that there were indeed no ambushes. The only High-Level Cultivators were the Outer Disciples before them and the Outer Sect Steward named Yang Shu.

When Yan Chunyu saw Yang Shu coming to greet them, she merely gave a faint nod and did nothing more.

Yang Shu didn’t seem to mind. He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a formal salute, and then made an inviting gesture.

"Senior Sister Yan, you’ve all come a long way. I have prepared a humble banquet to welcome you. Would you do me the honor of joining me?"

Yan Chunyu glanced around with disdain, likely thinking there wouldn’t be anything good in a place like this, and said:

"That won’t be necessary. We are here solely for the matter of the missing Outer Disciples. Once this business is concluded, we will leave immediately. Just explain the situation to me directly."

But Yang Shu gave a wry smile and said:

"You truly put me in a difficult position. This matter isn’t something that can be explained in a moment or two. Moreover, six or seven days have already passed, and there are no clues.

If that weren’t the case, I would have solved it myself and there would have been no need to send for you, would there?

It’s already late. Please, come to the banquet first and let me explain everything in detail. We can discuss everything else tomorrow after you’ve eaten your fill, rested, and recovered your strength. It won’t be too late then!"