Chapter 718: Chishan Abounds in Gold

The slave master Ji He named Zhao Fangji and Jiang Mingtian, which confirmed to Li Yi that he had not come for nothing.

Li Yi then asked further: "Are both of them still alive?"

"They are still alive," said slave master Ji He. "But the rules of the Lord of Chishan cannot be broken. If Great Yi wishes to rescue them, he must be prepared to incur the Lord of Chishan's wrath."

Li Yi said: "Do not worry—I am not afraid of the Lord of Chishan. Can you lead me to my two friends?"

Slave master Ji He glanced around, then said: "Too many people are traveling together. I can only take you alone; if there are more, I cannot conceal it."

Li Yi immediately said: "Fine—only me."

He then turned to the others: "Please wait inside the city. I will accompany this slave master."

"Great Yi, be careful," said Lord Nanshan, stroking his beard.

"I am going to conduct trade; Great Yi need not concern himself with me," said Merchant Mistress Heng with a smile, then rode her Shan Yi straight into Chishan City.

"Master, if there is battle, call me," said Long Yu seriously. He and Qiu Niu did not enter the city, but waited at a corner outside.

Seeing this, Li Yi said nothing more and followed the slave master named Ji He toward the massive crimson-gold mountain.

As a slave trader who regularly brought slaves into the mountains, Ji He knew the area intimately.

The mountain guards did not even question them; they assumed Li Yi was Ji He's bodyguard and let them pass through the layers of defenses without hindrance, arriving at the foot of the mountain rich in purple gold.

Many slaves worked here, wielding bronze iron hammers to smash rocks and dig for crimson gold. Any slave who did not work hard was brutally whipped with whips woven from animal hides by overseers.

A single lash left slaves with split skin and flowing blood, writhing in agony on the ground.

Due to the crimson gold, the mountain was perpetually hot; every slave was black and emaciated, while only overseers and mountain guards appeared strong and robust—so one could tell at a glance who was a slave.

This was also why no slave had ever escaped Chishan Mountain.

A squad leader noticed Li Yi beside Ji He and realized Li Yi was a rare divine-blooded warrior.

The streaks of silver lightning on his body stood out like totems.

This unusual sight prompted the squad leader to question him.

After all, a divine-blooded warrior's strength was immense; if he intended to act, few could stop him.

Slave master Ji He's eyes darted and he said: "This is Great Yi, a divine-blooded warrior from Shenmu City. He wishes to enter Chishan Mountain to search for traces of the Divine Blood. Will you let us pass?"

"Another one seeking the Divine Blood?" The squad leader's suspicions vanished, and he laughed. "There is only crimson gold here, no Divine Blood. He'll waste his time."

"Legends say places that nurture crimson gold are where the Divine Blood once flowed. Bathed in divine blood, one gains a body rivaling a god's," Ji He grinned. "That legend alone drives every divine-blooded warrior mad."

"I heard even the mountain lord has searched for the Divine Blood, hasn't he?"

The squad leader's gaze flickered, and he smiled: "Every divine-blooded warrior who comes here believes himself favored by heaven, destined to find the legendary Divine Blood. Then I won't stop you—but what payment will you offer this time?"

He looked at Li Yi.

Clearly, this was not the first time. Ji He had previously brought other divine-blooded warriors into Chishan Mountain to seek the Divine Blood.

So Li Yi was neither the first nor the last.

Precisely because of this perfect excuse, Ji He had the confidence to bring Li Yi in; bringing others would have raised suspicion.

Li Yi said: "What kind of payment do you want?"

The squad leader circled Li Yi, then tapped the crimson-feathered purple-gold armor on his body and grinned: "I want this armor. If you give it to me, I'll let you enter Chishan Mountain and give you a chance to seek the legendary Divine Blood."

Few things could move a squad leader, but this crimson-feathered purple-gold armor was exquisitely crafted—the most beautiful armor he had ever seen, worthy of collection.

Moreover, he could feel it was not merely ornamental; it possessed extraordinary power.

"Fine. I give you this armor," Li Yi said calmly, then removed the crimson-feathered purple-gold armor and handed it to the squad leader.

The squad leader accepted it with great delight, caressing the divine armor lovingly.

"Now can we enter the mountain?" said slave master Ji He.

The squad leader's eyes scanned Li Yi again, searching for other valuables—but Li Yi now carried nothing except the Five Elements Bracelet in his hand.

A five-colored bracelet meant nothing to a warrior.

Li Yi frowned. He sensed the squad leader had no intention of letting him go, still seeking to extract more from him. In the wilderness, such betrayal disgusted him—he had broken his promise.

Seeing Li Yi had nothing else of value, the squad leader finally said: "Go in. But you must exit before sunset, or you'll remain in the mountain forever—as a slave."

Slave master Ji He was startled: "That's not what we agreed on. Last time, the divine-blooded warrior I brought was allowed to stay half a year."

"If you wish to stay longer, you may pay more," the squad leader said heavily.

His words were clearly meant for Li Yi.

One crimson-feathered purple-gold armor was not enough to satisfy this squad leader's greed.

"I will exit before sunset," Li Yi replied, accepting the harsh condition without offering more.

The squad leader stared at Li Yi: "Though you are a divine-blooded warrior, this is the domain of a Lord. Do not dare challenge his authority—or you will die here."

Clearly, this squad leader was not merely greedy. From Li Yi's calm tone, he sensed a killing intent, and so he issued a serious warning.

Li Yi glanced at him, said nothing, and strode forward toward the mountain ahead.

Slave master Ji He dared not get entangled in such trouble; he only hoped to fulfill his promise to Xiu Xiang and help Great Yi find his companions.

Once the two had gone far enough, Ji He lowered his voice to warn: "Great Yi, that squad leader sensed your threat, so he kept provoking you, hoping you'd lose control and strike first—then he could summon the mountain guards against you. He's extremely shrewd. Be careful. Luckily you held back; otherwise, you'd have been in danger just now."

"I noticed," said Li Yi.

Not everyone in this world was a muscle-bound brute; some had sharp minds.

The squad leader's position as overseer was no accident.

With the squad leader gone, the path ahead was unobstructed. Nearby overseers paid no attention to Li Yi and slave master Ji He; they cared only for the black, emaciated slaves. As long as one was not a slave, they didn't even glance.

Unless Li Yi caused trouble here.

The slaves swung their hammers, smashing rocks to extract crimson gold.

Li Yi saw a massive rock shattered by a tall slave; shards flew, revealing a piece of crimson gold the size of a washbasin—worth at least ten thousand taels if cut and refined.

As soon as the crimson gold appeared, other thin slaves hurried over, picked it up, and placed it into baskets on their backs to carry to designated storage areas.

Li Yi followed the direction in which the slaves carried the crimson gold.

There stood a stone warehouse.

It must be filled with priceless crimson gold.

"I really want to steal it," Li Yi thought inwardly.

The inherent evil nature of Earthlings surfaced again.

Just as every person passing a bank might briefly imagine robbing it.

"Great Yi, the people you seek are not here—they're deep in the mountain," said slave master Ji He, sensing Li Yi's thoughts, and immediately led him away.

After all, seeing so much crimson gold, no one could remain unmoved.

Following the slave master's direction,

Li Yi saw a mine tunnel leading deep into the mountain.

Many slaves entered and exited along that tunnel, their baskets laden not only with crimson gold but also with azure gold, jade, and other treasures.

(End of Chapter)