Little Yuan Valley Mine.

In the Quiet Chamber, Lü Zhong sat cross-legged.

Spiritual Light flickered around his body as he formed a series of Technique Mantras.

A gray Treasure Bead spun rapidly before him, continuously drawing threads of pure Soul Power from several light orbs that circled it like planets. After being purified and converged by the Sacrificial Artifact, the energy finally ignited into a pale, flower-shaped flame.

The Earth Wood Spirit Ring hovered above the flame, emitting translucent ripples. Faintly, it seemed to give off a feeling of joyous cheering.

’Looks like I was on the right track. The Sacrificial Spirit Technique can indeed enhance the Spirit Ring’s Spiritual Attribute,’ Lü Zhong thought to himself as he watched the scene.

However, the rate at which this technique increased the Spiritual Attribute was painstakingly slow, like a tortoise’s crawl.

Since he had begun the sacrificial process, he had spent over two years on it, including a full year just during his station at the Little Yuan Valley Mine. Only today had the Spirit Ring’s Spiritual Attribute begun to manifest.

’I wonder how long it will take for it to complete its Metamorphosis...’

After muttering to himself, Lü Zhong stopped what he was doing, put his things away in his Storage Bag, and turned to leave.

Today, it was his turn to patrol again.

In the year he had been stationed here, the mine had not suffered many attacks—on average, about once a month. It seemed the other side was also just going through the motions. As a result, an entire year had passed without a single High-tier Disciple from either side dying. The only casualties were low-level disciples and the recruited Loose Cultivators from the bottom rungs.

Lately, those Loose Cultivators had clearly become less compliant than before.

However, there was no need to worry about these hired cultivators rebelling. After all, they had all sworn poisonous oaths and signed contracts. Although there were ways to circumvent both, the cost was extraordinarily high, and it was unlikely the two sects would use such methods on minor figures.

Leaving the hidden stone room he had built for himself, Lü Zhong passed through intersecting, cobweb-covered mine tunnels before arriving at the Central Square, where the mine’s two main paths crossed.

By custom, the patrol teams gathered here before setting out on their mission.

Someone was already waiting in the square. Upon seeing him, the person immediately approached.

"Senior Brother Lü, thank you for saving me last time!" a young man wearing a Jade Crown said, clasping his hands with a grateful expression.

Lü Zhong thought for a moment before recalling the incident from half a month ago.

The young man’s name was Xiao Changyuan. He came from a Cultivation Clan and was currently at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

On the day of the attack, while repelling the invading cultivators, Lü Zhong had happened to rescue Xiao Changyuan from an ambush, saving his junior brother from the fate of becoming their side’s first disciple to die in battle.

"It was nothing..." Lü Zhong said calmly.

"It may have been a small matter to you, Senior Brother, but to me, you saved my life. If you don’t mind, after today’s patrol, this humble junior brother would like to host you at my residence!"

After a moment’s thought, Lü Zhong agreed.

He was always alone, which could make him seem too aloof. He needed to socialize occasionally.

"By the way, Senior Brother, do you have any Golden Light Talismans on you?" Xiao Changyuan asked, his face full of hope.

He hadn’t really thought about it during peacetime, but once the fighting started, he realized how fortunate it was to have a Talisman Maker who could create Golden Light Talismans around.

The Golden Light Talismans issued by the Sect had been used up months ago.

If it weren’t for Lü Zhong’s Golden Light Talismans last time, Xiao Changyuan felt he would have died in the ambush long before any rescue could arrive. That was why he wanted to stock up on more Golden Light Talismans now that he’d run into Lü Zhong.

Given the current trend, heaven knew how long the war would last.

"How many do you need?" Hearing that business had come knocking, a smile touched Lü Zhong’s face.

The start of a war was always a great opportunity for a Talisman Maker to get rich.

With everyone stuck in the Little Yuan Valley Mine and cut off from the outside world, he was the only one who could provide Golden Light Talismans. As a result, the price of a single Talisman had already soared to fifteen spirit stones.

"Senior Brother, could you spare me ten?" Xiao Changyuan asked, a little nervously.

More and more people had been buying talismans from Lü Zhong recently, so he was worried that Lü Zhong might be reluctant to sell.

"...Alright," Lü Zhong agreed, pretending to think it over.

He didn’t agree immediately for a subtle reason: he didn’t want people to think that Golden Light Talismans were readily available at any time.

"Senior Brother Lü, I’ll take five too."

Just then, a charming Female Cultivator walked over. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lü Zhong, and she called out quickly.

"Ah, Junior Sister Bao. Of course."

Lü Zhong accepted their Spirit Stones and handed over the Golden Light Talismans.

At the edge of the square, the hired cultivators watched this exchange, their faces filled with longing. Those who had enough Spirit Stones to spare grit their teeth and came forward to buy one or two, hoping to add another layer of protection to their lives.

As for the hired cultivators who couldn’t afford them, they could only clutch the Arrow Avoidance Talismans in their robes and constantly remind themselves to be careful.

Soon, the teams were assembled and set off.

The ones responsible for the patrol today were Lü Zhong, Xiao Changyuan, and Bao Danhong.

According to the plan, they each had to lead their respective teams along the patrol route, circling the mine’s perimeter to prevent any enemy cultivators from sneaking in undetected.

If they discovered any enemies, they were also responsible for attacking and driving them away.

Fortunately, it was another uneventful day.

When Lü Zhong led his team back to the mine, he found that everyone in Xiao Changyuan’s group was injured. Their once full team was now missing three people. They had clearly run into cultivators from the Golden Rainbow Sect or the Luoyun Sect.

Xiao Changyuan looked thoroughly shaken. Seeing Lü Zhong approach, he said with relief, "It’s a good thing I bought those ten Golden Light Talismans from you, Senior Brother! Otherwise, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have made it back!"

Footsteps sounded as Bao Danhong’s team also returned, their condition equally poor.

Seeing this, Lü Zhong realized he had just been lucky not to run into any trouble.