Chapter 97

Deep underground in Xieyue Valley, there's actually a place with such dense spiritual energy?

Luo Chen was very surprised, and then he seemed to realize something.

However, he didn't rush down to explore.

Instead, he went out first and showed his face in front of Gu Caiyi and the others to signal that he was fine.

He knew very well that if he really had any trouble, Mi Shuhua would definitely come to visit him.

At that time, his findings from the exploration would likely be exposed completely.

By evening, most of the cultivators in the Alchemy Hall had left, and the elixirs refined today had been specifically stored in the Elixir Cultivation Room.

Luo Chen greeted Gu Caiyi, saying he would be back late today as he wanted to try refining Jade Marrow Pills.

Gu Caiyi naturally had no objections.

Currently, the work of refining Jade Marrow Pills was being done entirely by Luo Chen alone.

The other medicine apprentices and fire workers were only at the stage of learning some of the techniques he had imparted.

After most of the Alchemy Hall cultivators had left, leaving only a team of guards, Luo Chen returned to the stone house.

"Let me see if this first-tier spirit vein branch below really exists!"

Lifting the stone slab, Luo Chen descended into the underground mine tunnel.

He chose a mine tunnel that extended downwards, released a small puppet, and followed closely behind.

"Is it blocked?"

"This path is also blocked, let's change to another mine tunnel."

"The direction seems to have deviated."

"It seems I must use some means!"

After being blocked at the end of a closed mine tunnel once again, Luo Chen realized that that place should not have been discovered by anyone yet.

Therefore, there was no direct mine tunnel.

If it were before, he would have needed to use magic tools to clear the way and dig the tunnel bit by bit.

But now, he happened to have another means.

Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm!

Surging spiritual power gushed out along his meridians.

As Luo Chen struck the ground with his palm, a dull thud suddenly sounded.

A large area of rubble exploded, and Luo Chen didn't dodge, letting the rubble hit his body.

Then, under the defensive light shield of his mid-grade magic robe, it fell with a rustle.

"It seems very deep!"

After sighing, Luo Chen continued to repeat this action.

One palm, one palm, and another palm!

Occasionally, he would encounter some star silver ore that hadn't been mined clean, and Luo Chen would use the Jade Blade magic tool to cut it away with difficulty.

During this process, the proficiency of the Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm also began to increase continuously.

"It is secular martial arts after all; the utilization of spiritual power is still a bit shallow."

"But this is also good; it doesn't consume that much spiritual power."

Luo Chen glanced at the attribute panel, watching the proficiency of the Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm increase continuously, and couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.

About an hour later, Luo Chen had to stop this action.

"Damn, why is it so deep!"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to break through today; I'll continue tomorrow!"

If he delayed any longer, it would be too late to go home.

Zhou Yuanli and Liu Qiang, the two bodyguards, were still waiting for him in Xieyue Valley.

Luo Chen didn't continue, turned around, and left this narrow mine tunnel.

Before leaving, he even used a huge rock to block the mine tunnel.

……

"Luo Chen went to the main altar to find me today?"

Mi Shuhua had just finished communicating with a newly moved-in Foundation Establishment cultivator when he heard Mi Junping's report.

He was very curious.

"What did that kid want with me?"

Mi Junping didn't like Luo Chen very much; the benefits the other party had obtained from the gang were truly too many.

And he still had an unsatisfied look.

Compared to the benefits he had received, the value he was currently creating for the Poshan Gang and the Mi family was still far from enough.

"Pfft, what could he want? He must be looking for more benefits from you again. That guy is simply insatiable!"

Seeing his daughter's appearance, Mi Shuhua couldn't help but frown.

His daughter was ultimately too narrow-minded.

She only cared about immediate gains and losses, unable to see the long-term benefits.

Compared to what he was paying now, the value Luo Chen could bring in the future was immeasurable!

And Mi Junping, in her early years, couldn't control herself, fell in love with a cultivator, and even had a child.

As a result, even though she had his full cultivation, she would never be able to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage in this lifetime.

Forcing Mi Shuhua to have no choice but to take the Foundation Establishment Pill he had obtained with great difficulty and use it as a reward.

The second generation of the Mi family had no talent!

Fortunately, among the children of the third generation, there were still a few worth sculpting.

After thinking for a moment, Mi Shuhua said, "Has Sister Mi Li returned home? Call her over; I want to ask about something."

Mi Junping didn't really like that daughter of hers.

It was because of that man and this daughter that she had no hope of advancing to Foundation Establishment.

But under the gaze of her Foundation Establishment father, she still had to go and find Sister Mi Li.

Before long, Mi Shuhua learned most of what Luo Chen had done in the Alchemy Hall today.

Promoted an old cultivator to be the head of the fire workers, kind-hearted?

That head went out with Luo Chen, and it was said that the other party was asking about cultivation realm questions; it seems Luo Chen had encountered confusion in his cultivation.

Hmm, in that case, the reason he was looking for him lay here.

"Hall Master Luo successfully refined a furnace of Jade Marrow Pills this afternoon," Sister Mi Li said softly.

"He is indeed very talented in alchemy; at the very least, the second and third generation clansmen of my Mi family are far inferior to him."

Mi Shuhua sighed.

"The refining process seemed to have some problems; Hall Master Luo's eyes were bleeding."

When he heard this news, Mi Shuhua couldn't sit still anymore.

"What's going on?"

That urgent, concerned expression was not fake at all.

Sister Mi Li pursed her lips, feeling a sense of sadness in her heart.

My own grandfather has never cared about me like this.

She managed to say, "Hall Master Luo said it was because he had been refining elixirs too much lately and had been using the Spirit Eye Technique constantly, leading to overuse of his eyes."

Mi Shuhua paced in the room with small steps, his brows tightly locked.

This was indeed a problem.

Although the Spirit Eye Technique is simple, it is actually a very dangerous one among low-tier spells.

It is said that in sects, elders teach disciples not to use it frequently.

For one, it's easy to offend high-tier cultivators.

For another, it's easy to damage one's own eyes.

I was ultimately too anxious!

Luo Chen is still just a child at the sixth layer of Qi Refining; making him refine elixirs every day will indeed hurt him.

I previously thought Mi Junping was narrow-minded, but now it seems I was also a bit short-sighted.

Who cultivates alchemists without starting from ten or a hundred years?

After thinking for a moment, Mi Shuhua took a jade bottle from his storage bag.

"Sister Mi Li, give this to Luo Chen tomorrow and instruct him to drip one drop into his eyes every time he finishes refining elixirs."

Mi Junping was shocked when she saw the jade bottle and couldn't help but blurt out.

"Dad, this is the Lubricating Pearl Liquid you got from the auction! Why give it to that kid!"

Mi Shuhua glanced at her and said coldly, "This item has no help for cultivation; I have no use for it, so why can't I give it to him?"

Mi Junping stammered, just muttering about how it must have cost quite a few spirit stones.

Sighing, Mi Shuhua ultimately couldn't help himself.

"Junping, be more magnanimous in how you conduct yourself. Recently, people have been reacting to me, saying you are too harsh on the cultivators in the gang, and the rewards that should be given to them are always reduced or even not issued."

"Dad, those loose cultivators don't deserve..."

"If this continues, the Mi family will lose the hearts of the people in the Poshan Gang."

"But with you, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, here, what does it matter if we lose the hearts of the people?"

"Then how long do you think I can live?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Mi Junping covered her mouth, and a terrifying thought emerged.

Is my father running out of lifespan?

Mi Shuhua shook his head, didn't explain further, and signaled for them to leave.

Sister Mi Li pulled her distraught mother away, clutching the jade bottle in her hand.

Under the moonlight, she glanced at the courtyard where Mi Shuhua was, feeling some panic in her heart.

In recent days, the Mi family, as a local Foundation Establishment family, also controlled the Poshan Gang from the outside, and their momentum was truly great.

Usually welcoming and sending off guests, it could be called flowers on brocade, fire cooking oil.

But if Mi Shuhua fell, what would the whole family become?

She didn't dare to continue thinking about it.

…….

…….

"Given to me by the Gang Leader?"

Before starting alchemy, Luo Chen curiously took the jade bottle.

Shaking it, the sound of rippling water echoed from inside.

Sister Mi Li said softly, "This is Lubricating Pearl Liquid. Hall Master, after you finish refining elixirs every day, you can drip a little into your eyes; it can effectively relieve eye fatigue."

Lubricating Pearl Liquid!

Hearing this name, Luo Chen froze for a moment.

This is good stuff!

The "Qingyuan Elixir Explanation" records this kind of spiritual medicine.

It has an excellent auxiliary effect for low-tier alchemists.

But ordinary alchemists rarely can afford it.

The reason is very simple: this spiritual liquid comes from the number one sect in the Jade Tripod Domain—the Jade Tripod Sword Sect!

As a sword cultivation sect, the Jade Tripod Sword Sect often excels in combat power and has nothing noteworthy in terms of elixirs.

But as a large sect, it is naturally impossible for them to be constrained by others in everything.

They also have alchemists they cultivate specifically to serve the Sword Sect.

Lubricating Pearl Liquid is a kind of spiritual medicine they developed.

Or rather, it's not Lubricating Pearl Liquid, but Clarity Liquid!

When sword cultivators face enemies, they use sword pellets as their means.

The method of controlling sword pellets relies primarily on spiritual sense.

But there are some enemies that spiritual sense alone cannot handle, and they need the help of ears and eyes.

Therefore, the alchemists of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect researched the spiritual medicine known as Clarity Liquid.

Long-term use will cause incredible changes in a sword cultivator's eyes—piercing through truth and falsehood, peeking through the void.

Clarity Liquid is a top-tier spiritual medicine, often supplied only to Foundation Establishment disciples and Core Formation masters.

But if a kind of elixir can only serve internal needs, it loses too much value.

So, Jade Tripod alchemists added and deleted medicinal herbs from it and researched the weakened version of Clarity Liquid: Lubricating Pearl Liquid.

This spiritual medicine is not only supplied to internal disciples but also sold externally.

The market is average, but the spirit stones earned can more or less compensate for the losses in refining Clarity Liquid.

Lubricating Pearl Liquid has no effect on high-tier cultivators, but for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators, the effect is very good.

Using it occasionally will relieve eye fatigue.

Long-term use allows cultivators to easily distinguish between Yin Qi, Turbid Qi, Sha Qi, and many other filthy energies.

It is said that because one of the main ingredients is the rare Yang Yang Yunhan-Smoke Pearl nurtured by the Yang Yang Yunhan-Smoke Shell, an Yin beast.

It is precisely because of this that it is named Lubricating Pearl Liquid.

Some formation masters often purchase this spiritual medicine in bulk.

Holding the jade bottle, Luo Chen was ecstatic in his heart.

He didn't have any eye fatigue at all.

As early as when his Spirit Eye Technique proficiency reached the perfect level, this shortcoming had already been resolved.

The bleeding eyes yesterday were caused by the Spirit Eye Technique upgrading to the Grandmaster level and taking root in his eyes.

But he naturally wouldn't push such good stuff away.

After all, this is Mi Shuhua's sincere heart!

"I didn't even take the initiative to fleece him, and he sent it to my door."

"Why didn't I meet such a good boss in my previous life?"

After sighing, Luo Chen happily accepted the medicine bottle.

He decided to use it when he had time; after all, the book said it was good for alchemists to use it often.

"What are you all standing there for? Burn the fire, refine the elixirs!"

Luo Chen shouted at the large group of people.

Everyone busied themselves one after another, and Gu Caiyi directed the medicine apprentices to transport medicinal herbs to the alchemy room.

Qu Hancheng, the new head of the fire workers, also assigned six fire workers to be stationed in each alchemy room.

Two cultivators were responsible for watching the fire; even if one had a problem, another could take over at any time.

Moreover, Luo Chen was wandering among them to ensure no mistakes were made.

…….

After eating, Luo Chen sat in the room.

He first checked the medicine bottle, and with his knowledge of elixirs, confirmed there were no problems, then dripped one drop into each of his two eyes.

After dripping, he blinked.

"It's cool and refreshing."

"Besides that, it doesn't seem to have any changes?"

"This eye drop has a big reputation, but it doesn't have an immediate effect."

Curling his lips, Luo Chen put the medicine bottle away.

It was Mi Shuhua's good intention anyway; I'll drip a drop now and then in the future!

Just this one bottle is enough for a month.

After putting away the medicine bottle, Luo Chen rubbed his hands and drilled into the mine tunnel.

Continue the Golden Miner game today!

Start digging!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Because he was deep underground, the sound caused by Luo Chen's Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm wouldn't reach Xieyue Valley.

Especially since he had blocked that narrow mine tunnel, it was even more foolproof.

An hour later, Luo Chen straightened his waist.

"It's really damn deep!"

"But it's about to be broken through; continue tonight!"

In the afternoon alchemy, Luo Chen truly put his heart into it.

Having taken so many benefits from Mi Shuhua, he had to let the other party see some results!

Otherwise, what if the other party never saw progress, became discouraged, and disbanded the Alchemy Hall? Where would he go to fleece them in the future?

It had to be said that he was used to a group of people doing the chores for him.

If he had to return to the life of processing medicinal herbs, watching the fire, and refining elixirs all by himself, he wouldn't be willing.

And even if he refined elixirs, he would still have to spend effort collecting and bottling them, and then go out to sell them himself.

Just thinking about it felt troublesome; how could it be as easy as it is now?

……

"Finally about to break through!"

Time had passed unknowingly, and it was already late at night.

He had told the two bodyguards that he would stay in the Alchemy Hall tonight, so no one should come to disturb him.

Luo Chen took a deep breath and struck down with the Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm, which had reached the proficiency level.

A palm print of pale green transparent spiritual energy suddenly emerged and then pressed down.

Pfft!

As if an eggshell had broken, that last layer of rock wall shattered completely.

Almost at the same time, a burst of dense spiritual energy gushed out.

Luo Chen was startled, and his already activated magic robe moved without wind to prevent any danger.

Very good, there were no accidents.

Luo Chen descended directly into the depths of the earth, looking around, and it was a cave two meters in diameter.

It was a bit cramped, but it was more than enough to accommodate Luo Chen.

His gaze wandered, and Luo Chen's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Spirit stones!"

He saw that on the floor of the cave, there was a piece of exposed crystalline ore, scattered with dots of silver light.

Those crystalline ores were clearly the prototype of spirit stones.

Calling them spirit stones is incorrect.

To be precise, these are spirit stone raw ores!

The spirit stones circulating in the cultivation world, whether in specification, size, or the spiritual energy contained within, are almost the same.

It is said that spirit stones are produced in spirit veins.

Large sects occupying spirit veins mine them and use unique methods to cut each piece of spirit stone raw ore into spirit stones of the same specification.

Then, they use spirit stones as currency to circulate in the cultivation world, purchasing and collecting resources from others.

The spiritual energy contained in those spirit stones is full of impurities and extremely violent.

So much so that ordinary cultivators cannot absorb it directly and can only use it as currency for trading.

Only cultivators of some large sects have both the methods to produce spirit stones and the means to extract pure spiritual energy from them.

Even if they are not in a place with a spirit vein, they can extract the spiritual energy from the spirit stones they carry to cultivate.

Luo Chen doesn't have such means, and the spirit stones he earns can only be used to buy expensive Qi-Nurturing Pills.

But now it's different!

In front of him is a natural spirit vein!

The spiritual energy emitted by the spirit stone raw ore in a natural spirit vein can be absorbed directly.

That is why major sects and forces establish their sects on spirit veins of various tiers.

Luo Chen now possesses such a spirit vein.

Although it is very small, it is just an insignificant branch of the first-tier spirit vein in Great River Market.

But it doesn't need to support many people's cultivation!

"Sure enough, my guess is correct!"

Luo Chen took a deep breath, feeling that the spiritual power all over his body had become active.

The spiritual power consumed by using the Mountain-Splitting and Monument-Breaking Palm to break through the ground today seemed to have recovered quite a bit.

"This place is not big, and the spirit stone raw ore contained is not much."

"But it is enough to support my cultivation for a period of time!"

Luo Chen didn't have the slightest thought of digging up the spirit stone raw ore to sell.

For one, he didn't have the means to produce standard spirit stones.

Even if he sold them to the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion and got a large sum of spirit stones, wouldn't he still have to buy elixirs for cultivation?

How much of a price difference would be generated in the middle of all that?

It would all be earned by those black-hearted profiteers.

Secondly, natural spirit stone raw ore is very much like a small spirit-gathering formation, which will naturally attract the free spiritual energy between heaven and earth to gather together.

The reason why those large sects establish their sects on spirit veins is also because as long as the spirit veins are not excessively mined, they can produce spirit stones again after being nurtured for a sufficiently long time.

Leaving this large piece of spirit stone raw ore can not only absorb the spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

It can even absorb part of the spiritual energy from the source of the spirit vein.

"I've fleeced Old Man Mi too much recently; I can stop a little."

"Fleeing the spirit vein of the Jade Tripod Sword Sect is always okay."

Thinking this, Luo Chen became happy.

But soon, he shook his head.

What do you mean by fleecing!

This clearly belonged to him in the first place.

After all, he paid rent in the inner city but didn't enjoy a real first-tier spirit vein.

That spiritual energy was all circled by major shops and even the Jade Tripod Sword Pavilion using formations.

What was left for ordinary residents like Luo Chen was just a tiny bit.

The spiritual energy concentration in this cave now belongs to a real first-tier spirit vein place!

Having figured this out, Luo Chen no longer had any moral shackles, although he didn't have any to begin with.

"Let me see how much spiritual power I can gain by cultivating the Everlasting Art in this kind of place!"

Sitting cross-legged, five hearts facing the sky, tongue against the roof of the mouth.

The Grandmaster-level Everlasting Art was already circulating.