Chapter 30: The Mining Gamble

My first stop was the spiritual herb garden, where I intended to tend to the plants. However, the knowledge stored in my mind felt far too advanced, utterly incompatible with the low-grade spiritual herbs before me. It was as though I was severely overqualified for the task.

Next, I moved to the alchemy room. The techniques in my mind seemed simple enough at first glance, but upon attempting them, I quickly realized their complexity. Not only would I fail to earn spirit stones in the short term, but I’d likely squander all the spiritual herbs in the process.

Then came the third option…

And the fourth…

It wasn’t until I switched to the profession of a mining supervisor that something called ‘Yuantian’ in my mind seemed to offer an easier way to locate spirit stones.

Mining here was quite profitable. For ordinary spirit stones, only half needed to be handed over to the sect, with the remainder belonging to me and the miners. Since the miners only required mortal currency, this meant a staggering ninety-nine percent of the profits were mine.

Ye Xiaozi’s interest was immediately piqued, and she promptly decided to take on the role of mining supervisor.

That entire afternoon, Ye Xiaozi familiarized herself with the mining operations, intent on identifying areas with a higher concentration of spirit stones.

What she discovered was alarming. The area they were responsible for had essentially become a廢棄矿场 [abandoned mine]. Forget the average of one spirit stone every three days; even finding a low-grade spirit stone once a week seemed a struggle.

However, about a hundred meters away, within an unmined rock face, Ye Xiaozi sensed the presence of something valuable. Of course, this hinged on the knowledge within her mind proving accurate.

Yet, privately mining outside the designated area was strictly forbidden by the sect. Unless the mine supervisor approved it and the mining site signed off, no excavation was allowed. This put Ye Xiaozi in a difficult position.

Even after returning, her mind was preoccupied with how to address the situation the following day.

****

No sooner had I returned than I was invited—or rather, forcibly summoned—to a meeting by some Qi Condensation Layer 4 cultivators from another residential area. The meeting’s agenda was simple: they intended to forcibly appropriate a portion of the resources from us newcomers who hadn’t yet reached Qi Condensation Layer 4.

Ostensibly, the rules stated that seniors couldn’t bully newcomers. However, there was no explicit rule preventing newcomers from bullying other newcomers.

To secure more resources, those who had already advanced to Qi Condensation Layer 4 had long been prepared for such a move.

But Ye Xiaozi herself had been bullied before and naturally harbored no desire to trouble others or inflict her past suffering on them. Thus, she flatly refused, leading to an unproductive and unpleasant first negotiation.

****

That evening, I confided in Wang Xiaomei about the incident. She looked at me with great satisfaction, telling me I had grown up and hadn’t failed Senior Sister Bai or the Saintess’s life-saving grace. She urged me to continue on this path.

Wang Xiaomei’s words greatly encouraged me. ‘Yes!’ I thought. ‘It was because I was bullied that I received help from Senior Sister Wang and the Saintess. I must be a good girl and reassure Senior Sister Bai and the Saintess.’

After thanking Wang Xiaomei once more, I subtly inquired about the elixir from yesterday. Unfortunately, she still wouldn’t tell me. Perhaps the elixir truly had an illicit origin. Wang Xiaomei truly is my good sister.

I vowed never to let her down in this life. With my future course decided, I finally drifted off to sleep.

****

The next morning, I woke up bright and early. Today, I intended to report to the late-stage Qi Condensation Senior Sister overseeing the mining area. I wanted to request a change of location for extraction, specifically the spot I’d discovered yesterday, about a hundred meters from the current mining zone.

After working for two hours, I still hadn’t seen the District Head Senior Sister from the mine. This worried me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened to her.

It was another half-hour before the District Head Senior Sister finally returned. The moment she entered, her gaze fixed on me, and I felt as though her eyes held a hint of reluctance or other emotions. What could be going on?

As I pondered, the District Head called me over. After a brief look, she approached me directly. As expected of a District Head, this Senior Sister was not only taller than me but also much more generously endowed. As she stood beside me, I felt two soft mounds swaying before my eyes. ‘Wait, could it be that the District Head isn’t wearing…’ I mused.

Just as my thoughts drifted, she patted my shoulder, then spoke with a solemn expression: “Little Ye, you know that the spirit stone yield from our mining area has become increasingly scarce. Forget about mid-grade spirit stones and other rare ones; we haven’t seen any in a long time. Therefore, we’ve decided to move the mining area. Look over there…”

As she spoke, the District Head pointed in a direction, prompting Ye Xiaozi to look. At first, Ye Xiaozi was puzzled, but as her gaze landed on the spot, her eyes widened instantly. ‘Isn’t that the very place I planned to mine last night?’ she thought. She had been preparing to tell the District Head, but the District Head had directly pointed it out. ‘Could the District Head have already discovered it?’

“We plan to establish the new excavation point here. After all, spirit stones are hidden within rocks, and where rock resources are abundant, there should naturally be more spirit stones. Therefore, we’ve decided to dispatch you to begin mining there first to see if there are any spirit ores. If there are, you will have rendered a great service, and your rewards will be substantial. However, if the construction isn’t completed, or if there are significant flaws, you might face punishment.”

“That concludes my instructions. Now, make your choice. Do you wish to remain here, or do you want to take a gamble for yourself, for our future, and for our prospects? Rest assured, no matter your decision, I will support you.”

“I… I want to… take the gamble!” I clenched my fists tightly, feeling an intense surge of fervor and passion in that moment.

Ye Xiaozi had already intended to explore that area, and now, receiving the District Head’s approval, her joy knew no bounds. It also seemed the District Head herself was somewhat uncertain about this area, which was why she was seeking Ye Xiaozi’s opinion.

“Ah! R-really?”

With that thought, Ye Xiaozi nodded emphatically. “Yes! Just leave it to me. I promise to excavate even more spirit stones!”

“Very well, in that case, this glorious task is entrusted to you. We await your good news!” The District Head was somewhat surprised herself. She had initially planned to offer some incentives, but now it seemed even those benefits could be pocketed. How delightful!

And so, Ye Xiaozi led the mortals to the area a hundred meters away and began the new excavation.