Chapter 54: Private Cultivation in the Mine

The situation inside Hongshan Mine took Ji You by surprise.

There were not only miners here, but also women and children—some worked in the mine, some lived here with their husbands, and others had rushed in before the xiezhong surged out of Qiling.

The hundreds of miners inside the mine, seeing Ji You enter with a sword, radiating killing intent, all huddled nervously in the corners.

Among them was a man who seemed to be a supervisor or foreman, named Luo You, a forty-year-old man who stood in front of the others.

To his surprise, he was a private cultivator; from the spiritual energy fluctuations, he had already awakened his spirit for several days.

Besides him, several other men hidden in the shadows also emitted spiritual energy fluctuations.

Hongshan Mine was one of the largest spirit stone mines in the entire Qingyun Realm, supplying one-third of the spirit stones consumed by cultivators.

Because of its abundant spiritual energy, many miners could sense their innate primordial spirit constantly surging within them.

But since private cultivation was a capital offense, most dared not attempt it.

Now, it seemed they had resorted to desperate measures in their despair.

“Immortal… Immortal Lord, what do you want?”

“We’re trapped, and… we have a little food left.”

This man, bold enough to be my chief, Ji You mused, still thinking about his own bandit stronghold.

Seeing the man remain silent, Luo You glanced at his pregnant wife hiding behind him: “We still have some spirit stones we’ve mined—we can give them all to you…”

Food was for survival; spirit stones were the hope of cultivation and escape—give them up, and death was certain.

But what else could they do?

To an immortal, miners were expendable—when the miasma cleared, they’d simply bring in another batch.

“Do you… want to leave?”

Luo You looked up, startled.

Ji You had come here to save them, but now he suddenly didn’t know what to do.

If they were merely ordinary miners, getting them out would be simple—but now that they were private cultivators, they faced the same choice Ji You had once faced.

At this moment, Luo You didn’t know what the immortal before him intended, and his heart trembled with fear, unsure how to answer.

Ji You spoke again: “Do you know that private cultivation is a capital offense?”

Luo You fell to his knees with a thud: “We’ve already made peace with death—we only beg Immortal Lord, grant us time to send our wives and children away.”

Ji You understood.

They knew private cultivation meant death—they had already accepted their fate.

After awakening their spirits, they likely intended to protect their families and flee, believing even death among the xiezhong would be a worthy end.

But now a new problem arose: if they were merely a group of strong men—even if all were commoners—if they could keep up, perhaps most could be saved.

But now there were children and pregnant women—this was a dead end.

Ji You turned to Yuanchen: “Ask your question first.”

Yuanchen nodded, pulling out a robe from his personal gourd.

Unlike the robes of Tian Shu Academy, this one was entirely yellow, with red collars, and faintly embroidered on the back was a three-legged round furnace.

“Have you seen six people wearing this kind of clothing appear here?”

Luo You glanced: “No… never seen them.”

Yuanchen shook the robe again, growing anxious: “Look again carefully—perhaps they merely passed through, or were being escorted.”

“We truly haven’t seen them.”

“What about on New Year’s Day? Did any strange people come near here? Like xiezhong—covered in miasma?”

Luo You thought long and hard: “On New Year’s Day, a flood of xiezhong suddenly burst from the mountains, killing the mine guards—we hid here and saw nothing.”

Yu Danzong needed a sealed, stable environment to refine elixirs; to Yuanchen, the mine was an ideal location.

But seeing everyone shake their heads, he couldn’t help but feel despair.

Ji You clapped Yuanchen on the shoulder: “Let’s go—we’ve asked everything we needed. I’ll see you out of Beisha Town.”

Yuanchen shook his head violently: “My sister must have come here—if she’s not here, she must have been taken into the mountains.”

“You don’t need to risk your life over a guess. I bet you ran away from home? I suggest you return, explain things to your family, plan carefully, and find trustworthy Upper Realm experts before acting.”

“I don’t even know if my sister is alive—how can I go back?”

“Since they’re capturing alchemists to reform elixirs, your sister won’t be in immediate danger.”

“Really?”

Ji You tapped his head: “This thing… can sometimes be quite useful.”

As he spoke, he pinched his green jade gourd—spirit light flared, and a pile of food materialized, piling up like a small hill.

Luo You stared at the sight, panicked, unsure what to do.

“I came to save you, but now I see I can’t.”

“Keep cultivating—perhaps you’ll still find a sliver of hope. When you escape, head east. If you’re lucky, you won’t encounter disciples of any immortal sects.”

“This food was taken from Beisha Town’s granary before I came—it’s abandoned now, enough to last you a while.”

Ji You pulled out two silver taels from his robe, reluctant: “I was paid to rescue you—someone’s mother or wife still remembers you—but since I couldn’t save you, I won’t take the money.”

Yuanchen stared at him for a long time, then pinched his fingers—before him appeared a square box.

Inside were the elixirs he’d brought, meant as payment to seek help from other immortal sects.

Now the trail had gone cold, the elixirs were useless.

But he didn’t explain how to use them—just pushed the box toward the miners, then walked silently to the door.

“They came… and went into the mountains.”

“?”

Luo You’s wife, staring at the food, silver, and elixir box, suddenly spoke as they turned to leave: “Those in that robe—they were taken into the mountains, escorted by people in hooded cloaks.”

Luo You turned to his wife, fell silent, but made no move to stop her.

Yuanchen stood frozen, then turned to Ji You: “Ji Brother, a thousand taels—gold!”

“I’m only a Lower Realm cultivator—I can’t go.”

“I’ll give everything I have—just to save my sister.”

Luo You looked up, hesitated, then spoke: “If you’re going into the mountains, take the mine tunnel—it’s shorter. Hongshan Mine has a tunnel leading into the mountain.”

Ji You stared at the simple-minded miner, thinking: Are you and Yuanchen in cahoots?

Why is it so hard just to become a bandit?

Yuanchen looked up at Ji You: “My sister is very beautiful…”

“I don’t care—I’ve seen the most beautiful.”

“Then as a subordinate is fine too…”

Ji You stared at him in disbelief: “Have you asked your sister?”

Yuanchen slumped: “Life is all that matters—everything else is trivial compared to life and death…”

“Add another thousand taels—my stronghold needs startup capital.”

“Deal!”

Ji You turned to Luo You: “Can you tell me everything you know about Qiling? Some details might help us.”

Luo You looked at his silent wife, then sighed: “Over the years, people have often come and gone in the mountains—we dared only watch from afar, never follow. The only thing we know is they didn’t just take those in that robe—they took many cultivators from immortal sects too.”

Luo You’s wife added: “And infants.”

Ji You turned to her: “What?”

“For the past three years, infants have cried every day from within the mountains. Someone from the mine once followed the sound—and never returned.”

Hearing this, Ji You froze.

Kuangcheng was searching for missing infants, and traced clues from the Yanxing Post Station records—Ji You had asked in Beisha Town, but everyone claimed ignorance.

He thought the trail had gone cold—yet here it was, reconnected.

(End of Chapter)