Chapter 364: Nengyuanshikuang, Ranqingmo

"Damn, innate—does anyone really get born this strong?!"

The middle‑aged man wearing sunglasses took his glasses off and rubbed his cheek hard with his hand, "The gap in strength can be narrowed with hard work, but the gap in talent is a chasm that's hard to cross…"

The mature lady beside him smiled, "Today's really the right day—you not only saw Lu Jing General Star act, but also got to finish the exploration mission while lying down."

"Indeed, while lying down…"

The bald brute was still lying on the ground; with a slight push of one hand, his body instantly straightened.

"So, when the time comes, shall we withdraw?"

The mature lady brushed the mud off herself and asked lightly.

"Leaving like this would be too rude; how about we wait for Lu Jing General Star to return?"

The others looked thoughtful, raising their eyes toward the dense red mist in the distance.

Lu Jing has been deep inside for over half an hour; no one knows when he'll return.

Just then.

A tall silhouette vaguely emerged from the red mist.

The exploration squad members exchanged glances and slipped to hide behind a boulder.

Within Yuanxi, there were far too many humanoid monsters.

Soon, the figure passed through the red mist, walking toward their hiding spot.

"Stop hiding, come out."

A familiar youthful voice sounded.

"It's Lu Jing, sir!"

The bald brute peeked his head out, shouting with joy.

A tall, handsome young man was twirling a reddish‑orange ore in his hand.

Several of them stepped out from behind the stone.

"Sir, are you alright?"

The mature lady stepped forward, asking with concern.

Lu Jing gave her a casual glance, "Do I look like I have a problem?"

The mature lady was startled, then smiled awkwardly.

Just from the strength Lu Jing displayed, even against an unbeatable foe, fleeing would be easy.

"Do you recognize this kind of ore?"

Lu Jing scanned the group and lifted the reddish‑orange stone in his hand.

"It's an Energy Stone!"

"Isn't this thing used for making batteries?"

The bald brute pulled a communication device from his pocket, opened its back, and a glowing crystal was embedded inside.

"I've found a lot of these; they should be pretty valuable, right?"

Lu Jing's expression remained calm as he said lightly, "Roughly the size of a hill."

"Damn, a hill‑sized Nengyuanshikuang?!"

"Sir, sir! This thing is extremely valuable!"

Everyone gasped in amazement.

"Really? Anyone looking to get rich, follow me; I need you to help transport the ore out."

Lu Jing turned and headed back the way they came.

The exploration squad members lingered where they stood, looking at the distant blood‑colored mist with a hint of dread.

"So, shall we go?"

"Let's do it, Lu Jing sir certainly won't shortchange us!"

"With Lu Jing present, the safety issue should be guaranteed!"

"Missing such a lucrative chance would be a real pity…"

In the end, everyone followed Lu Jing, heading deeper into Yuanxi.

The lure of the Nengyuanshikuang ultimately outweighed Yuanxi's terror.

Thus, Lu Jing walked ahead at a leisurely pace, with a dozen or so wary figures trailing behind.

The party advanced about five kilometers before stopping at a stone wall.

Scattered on the ground around the wall were numerous exotic beast carcasses.

In the middle of the wall, a fissure opened, emitting a faint orange glow.

Lu Jing stepped forward and smashed the fissure with a fist.

Whirr—

The opening widened, and huge chunks of debris tumbled down.

The squad members craned their necks to look.

A dazzling field of Energy Stones appeared before everyone.

Behind the wall lay nothing but Energy Stones flashing orange light!

Everyone present held their breath.

They've long been entering the Cave, and are intimately familiar with this cave‑specific mineral.

"It really is a Nengyuanshikuang!"

"Look at the color; the purity must be high…"

The mature lady's expression turned excited; she reached out and touched the exposed Energy Stone, "Although this isn't as valuable as mythril, it's still a rare mineral—this amount could probably be exchanged for nearly a hundred million military credits!"

"Whoa, a hundred million military points?!"

The crowd was startled by the big sister's calculation.

"You can start mining now; storage rings, backpacks, or even using clothing to pack them are fine—bring as many as you can."

Lu Jing glanced at the excited few and said calmly: "I'll give you two hours; during that time I'll do my best to ensure your safety."

Then he added: "I'll take eighty percent of the Energy Stones we bring out, and you split the remaining twenty percent; no objections?"

"No objections, definitely none!"

The bald hulker rubbed his head, his eyes crinkling into a line of laughter.

"This Energy Stone mine was discovered by you, sir, so it rightfully belongs entirely to you."

"Indeed, sir, you giving us twenty percent is already a lot!"

The big sister also smiled and thanked them.

"Alright, then let's start; once the transport is done, you can just head back."

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone sprang into action.

Those with backpacks used their packs; those without simply stripped off their jackets and shirts to scoop up the Energy Stones.

Watching them work feverishly, Lu Jing didn't stay idle.

The Thousand-Blade Demon Sword unsheathed, periodically slashing the stone wall to widen the fissures, making it easier for the squad to bag and haul the stones.

"If only I'd known, I would have brought a few more bags!"

The sunglasses‑wearing man dumped the supplies and some gear from his backpack onto the ground, filling it with Energy Stones.

The items he brought weren't valuable, so he tossed them to free up space.

Two hours later, only Lu Jing remained at the stone wall.

All members of the exploration team had already withdrawn from Yuanxi.

This exploration mission exceeded expectations; not only did it penetrate deep into Yuanxi, it also brought out a large quantity of high‑value ore.

Lu Jing projected his spirit‑power field, contemplating the next direction to advance.

"Ranqingmo, you want to go find Lu Jing?!"

The Ran family's birthday banquet ended, and Ranqingmo was just about to head to the military district to look for Lu Jing when two suitors from other families blocked her.

Ranqingmo's eyes flickered, but she said nothing.

"Ranqingmo, don't worry about this; how about I ask my elders to propose to the Ran family, so we get to know each other, which would be a proper match—what do you think?"

The man walking to Ranqingmo's left appeared to be in his thirties, his face eager as he stared at her.

Before Ranqingmo could reply, the man on the right spoke up, cutting her off:

"Gongyuande, what nonsense are you spouting? Can you even use the term 'proper match'? If I recall correctly, you're nearly fifty this year—are you an old ox wanting fresh grass?"

Gongyuande's face darkened; he restrained the urge to strike and said coldly: "I'm asking Ranqingmo, you Liu family brat, why are you sticking your mouth where it doesn't belong?"