Chapter 1953: Abnormalities Underground

"Killed a notable deity without leaving a trace," He Lingchuan said, stroking his chin. "This method is extraordinary."

Killing a deity is not as simple as killing a person. Moreover, the detection methods of deities are myriad; whoever the true culprit is, being able to evade the inspection of the Lingxu Holy Venerable means they are certainly no ordinary figure—without doubt, the Lingxu Holy Venerable will personally conduct the examination.

From this perspective, even the deities attending the Lingxu Holy Venerable are not safe; the rapid escalation of conflicts in the divine realm is evident.

"Furthermore, they have lost nearly a thousand Punishing Dragon Pillars, and now they crave this treasure desperately." If the Punishing Dragon Pillars are used to add fuel to the fire, the present moment is precisely the right opportunity.

"Then it's settled." Fang Canran said with a cheerful expression, "How much can you supply me?"

He inquired in a businessman's tone, but He Lingchuan understood that he was asking how many Punishing Dragon Pillars he could produce.

He Lingchuan made a gesture with six fingers.

"That much?" Fang Canran gasped, but immediately rejoiced: "Good, good, the more the better!"

"When can delivery be made?"

Seeing his anxious expression, He Lingchuan thought for a moment: "Three days."

As long as materials are sufficient, crafting Punishing Dragon Pillars is effortless for the experienced artisan of the Great Square Vessel.

"Three days later, I will see off Brother Fang."

……

This was not He Lingchuan's first time entering a mine shaft, but the Bai Ta mine cave is more than ten times as complex as the overturned sea's xuan crystal mine cave; it is a super-large, multi-layered, three-dimensionally intersecting labyrinth.

The village head called an old miner to guide them; the latter is a native townsman who has worked in the mines for over a decade, having escaped death several times from collapsed mine shafts.

Without such an experienced guide, no one would dare enter this mine cave.

The old miner said, the mine has a long history, having been abandoned several times; they persisted in prospecting everywhere, and only then did they rediscover the ore vein, which is why the interior is so exceptionally complex.

The air at the mine bottom is poorly ventilated, with a strong damp and moldy smell; some places require bending to pass through. He Lingchuan took out glowing spores to illuminate, and everyone followed the old miner for an hour, seeing only traces of excavation everywhere.

Several collapses have turned the mine passages into dead ends.

However, fine crystals began to appear on the walls, flashing under the glow of the spores, quite beautiful.

Luo Xie reached out and touched a few spots, then said: "Indeed, these are xuan crystal sprouts, usually growing from bottom to top, so deeper underground will have more."

He continued: "This place was originally underwater, likely due to geological changes or a shift in an underground river, and the water has drained away."

Under the glow of the spores, everyone saw the marks he pointed to on the stone surface—some bluish-gray, some grayish-white.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be shells embedded in the stone.

As they walked on, these traces increased; sometimes large stones still bore obvious water lines. However, the ground is dry, possibly confirming what Luo Xie said.

Suddenly, the path ahead was blocked.

The old miner stopped before a large pile of rubble, shook his head, and said: "It was still passable two days ago, but these two days it has collapsed!"

The mine passage was completely blocked; no one could pass.

He Lingchuan asked him: "How much farther?"

"After this pile of rubble, walk another hundred or so zhang, and you'll arrive."

He Lingchuan flipped his wrist, and a furry little squirrel was actually perched on his palm.

Alive, and still able to poke its head out.

Several people examined him up and down, but none discovered where he had previously hidden this living creature.

Luo Xie blurted out: "Earth Essence."

This is the Earth Essence brought by the heavenly demon into the overturned sea to probe the xuan crystal mine cave. After He Lingchuan and Liu Qingdao defeated the Mengyou God, it submitted to Zhu Xiuer. He Lingchuan came here to prospect for ore, so he borrowed the Earth Essence from Zhu Xiuer for use.

"I summoned you to investigate the distribution and reserves of xuan crystal in this cave." He Lingchuan pointed to Luo Xie and said to the little squirrel, "He needs to devise a mining plan; you must cooperate well with him."

The little squirrel nodded and prepared to descend, but He Lingchuan added another request: "From here going forward, there is a cave; please clear the path for me."

Thus, this little creature lay down at the collapsed site, lifted its tail, and burrowed into the sand and stone pile.

The blocking rocks and soil emitted a crackling sound, then, under the old miner's astonished gaze, began to deform, condensing from loose and formless into a large python, advancing along the mine passage deeper inward.

Everyone followed behind the sand python; whenever they encountered a collapse or excessive falling rocks, it would swallow them all, leaving behind a clean mine passage, not even a trace of fine sand remaining.

As the old miner said, just beyond this point, another hundred zhang ahead, there is an anomaly.

The stone wall had a large hole broken through; the old miner said, this is where they broke through while prospecting the ore vein, and the strange object lies inside.

Do not be deceived by the small size of the breach; upon squeezing inside, everyone discovered that beyond it lies a remarkably spacious subterranean palace!

It was likely originally a vast and hollow cavern, later transformed into a palace built upon the xuan crystal ore vein.

Throughout this subterranean palace, xuan crystals are embedded in the rock walls, their colors ranging from light green to deep blue, then to faint red.

There are also corals, of various forms and postures, beautiful and magnificent. The most splendid blood-red coral stands over a zhang tall, resembling a flourishing small tree.

Under the glow of the glowing spores, it resembles a crystal palace.

But He Lingchuan lowered his head and saw that the blood coral was not growing on the rock, but had been deliberately placed.

It appears the owner of this subterranean palace greatly favors corals, having deliberately collected so many. Know that Bai Ta Town is located in the center of the land, while corals only grow in the sea.

There are few traces of artificial excavation here; the reason this place is called a subterranean palace is because various stone lamps are scattered everywhere, each bearing a groove. Luo Xie touched one, full of curiosity: "What is this used for?"

"To hold night pearls." Fang Canran answered, "The original owner of this subterranean palace used night pearls for illumination."

That makes sense. Luo Xie did not ask, but then how do you know?

Fang Canran seemed to hear his thoughts: "I have handled several night pearl lamps before; they are relics from ancient immortals' cave dwellings, and they are very similar to this."

The old miner guided them: "Ahead, quick, look ahead!"

Everyone followed him around a natural giant pillar, then stared in stunned silence.

On the ground lay a complete skeleton, very long, at least two zhang from head to tail.

Weng Xing exclaimed: "A python? No!"

Indeed, it resembles a giant python, but it has four claws, the tips extremely sharp. This creature's forehead also bears horns, pointed and undivided.

"It's a flood dragon." Fang Canran approached to observe, then lightly tapped it twice with his hand, producing a sound like jade chimes: "This flood dragon has cultivation, but is not yet an adult. Hmm, the fatal wound is here."

On the rear of the flood dragon's skull are two holes, one large and one small, both circular; the large hole's diameter exceeds the width of a person's palm, the small hole's diameter is also three fingers wide; it is unknown what weapon caused this.

The old miner pointed toward the depths of the underground palace: "There's more inside—even bigger!"

The group continued forward and indeed found another four or five dragon skeletons, their manner of death largely the same, with wounds also basically identical.