I Outworked the Entire Cultivation World-Chapter 67 - 57: Settling Scores After the Autumn Harvest
Emerging back from the path she came, she returned to the initial mine tunnel.
Jiang Yuebai discovered that most of the nearby mine tunnels were abandoned, with broken bamboo baskets and piles of stones, as well as some skeletons, with no living people around.
Over the years, she had explored downward from the other side of the valley, but had never been to this side.
In Yeh Lianyi’s tunnel, the leaf marks on the mountain wall had been chiselled away, and the spiritual stone mine had been thoroughly excavated.
"Who’s there?"
Hearing a noise behind her, Jiang Yuebai turned around and saw someone peering with a torch in hand. She narrowed her eyes and smiled.
"Peng Sanyang, do you still recognize me?"
A much older Peng Sanyang, covered in filth, couldn’t see Jiang Yuebai’s face clearly and shone the torchlight on her face.
Once he saw her clearly, he froze for a moment before becoming tremendously shocked and quickly turned to flee.
He managed only two steps before Jiang Yuebai, like a ghost, was already blocking his way, with a blade poised across his neck, the full might of the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer spilling out.
Five years ago, both Peng Sanyang and Jiang Yuebai were at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer.
Five years later, Peng Sanyang was at Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, while Jiang Yuebai had reached Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer.
The murderous aura honed from countless battles among blade mountains and blood seas made Peng Sanyang tremble all over as he fell to his knees with a thud.
"Spare me, junior. I’m just a miner lookout, I don’t know anything, and I haven’t offended you. Please don’t kill me."
Jiang Yuebai had seen a few people like Peng Sanyang—those who lacked skills, had no hope of leaving the mine, and resorted to running errands for various mining teams to earn a living.
"Where are Fann Mazi and Yeh Lianyi?"
Four years ago, it was through Yeh Lianyi that those three learned of her presence in that tunnel, searched several times, and decided to dig it open.
Peng Sanyang replied tremblingly, "In another mining area."
"Lead the way!"
"Huh?"
Jiang Yuebai pressed the blade, and a terrified Peng Sanyang scrambled to his feet to lead the way, constantly glancing back at Jiang Yuebai.
No matter what, he couldn’t believe the god of death-like girl before him was once the little girl he could bully at will five years ago.
The murderous aura surrounding her was more terrifying than those desperadoes in the deepest cave.
Following Peng Sanyang through several twists and turns, Jiang Yuebai found that almost the entire underground mine had been exhausted, with few new mineral spots found in areas she previously visited.
"Why are there fewer people?" Jiang Yuebai asked.
Peng Sanyang replied, "Junior, you may not know, but the Yin Mountain Mine has been excavated for a hundred years, and the deposits are long depleted. In recent years, without new finds, many have been relocated to other places to excavate spiritual ore points."
"But I heard that not only are the mines controlled by the Heavenly Interence Sect depleted, but other Sects’ mines are also nearly exhausted. Manager Cui complained that headquarters cut monthly salaries, and major sects are discussing whether to reopen the Lost Secret Realm to find new veins."
"Lost Secret Realm?"
"Yes, it’s said that in ancient times, the Earth Spiritual Realm and Heavenly Spirit Realm weren’t separate worlds. Something happened that split them, leaving many Cave Heaven Blessed Lands and famous mountains as Lost Secret Realms."
Jiang Yuebai asked no more questions and continued downward, walking for about half an hour before Peng Sanyang suddenly stopped.
"Walk a bit further down, past five mine tunnels, and you’ll see Yeh Lianyi’s mark. There’s been a black-faced god of death in the tunnels below, killing people and beasts alike. The nearby mining teams are almost wiped out, so I dare not go down."
Jiang Yuebai rubbed her nose and said, "Don’t worry, with me, you won’t die."
Peng Sanyang refused to move, so Jiang Yuebai gave him a fierce look and unsheathed her long blade. Peng Sanyang swallowed his saliva and obediently led the way.
Standing before the mine tunnel, Jiang Yuebai finally saw the familiar leaf mark and heard clanging sounds deeper inside.
"Wait here. Try running, and see what happens."
Jiang Yuebai entered the mine tunnel alone while Peng Sanyang, warily surveying his surroundings, inwardly sneered.
Fann Mazi and Yeh Lianyi were now Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer cultivators, with three subordinates all at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, one of the stronger teams at Yin Mountain Mine, unafraid of the black-faced god and daring enough to mine.
She’s going in alone; she must have a death wish.
Thinking this, Peng Sanyang couldn’t resist his curiosity and stealthily followed a bit to see how Jiang Yuebai would die.
"Who’s there? Stand still. Get any closer, and we won’t be polite!"
Three male cultivators stationed outside spotted Jiang Yuebai approaching and shouted harshly, wielding their iron pickaxes.
Jiang Yuebai kept walking without stopping, the three men exchanged glances.
Before the three had a chance to act, Jiang Yuebai’s eyes flashed with a cold light, and she suddenly drew her blade.
Zheng!
The sound of the blade rang out, and a silver flash split the air.
Jiang Yuebai appeared behind the three men, leisurely pulling out the wine gourd at her waist and taking a sip, her sharp gaze landing on Fann Mazi and Yeh Lianyi further inside.
Thunk!
The three men collapsed heavily to the ground, blood flowing everywhere, as Peng Sanyang screamed in shock and fled in terror.
Fann Mazi and Yeh Lianyi were horrified after seeing the mutilated bodies behind Jiang Yuebai, unable to believe their eyes.
Three cultivators at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer were cut down just like that?
Yeh Lianyi’s pupils narrowed violently, and she redirected her gaze onto Jiang Yuebai, "It’s you!"
Jiang Yuebai glanced at the chipped blade in her hand and looked up.
"It’s rare that Sister Lianyi still remembers me. I came today to retrieve what you took from me."
Fann Mazi erupted in anger, "You’re courting death!"
Yeh Lianyi retreated cautiously as Fann Mazi slapped his waist and summoned the Copper Bell Magic Treasure. It buzzed and shot forth with overwhelming force.
The bell sound was particularly loud in the mine tunnel, disrupting Divine Sense Spiritual Energy, and was always Fann Mazi’s weapon of choice.
Jiang Yuebai’s expression was indifferent, unaffected by the bell’s clamor; to her, who heard thunder daily, the bell’s sound was rather pleasing.
The gourd hung, Jiang Yuebai struck swiftly, holding the blade in both hands, slashing at the Copper Bell.
Buzz!
The bell fell, the blade broke.
Jiang Yuebai was annoyed, it was her last blade.
"Daring to show up with a broken blade?"
Fann Mazi laughed heartily, pulling out two butcher knives from his waist and attacking, while Yeh Lianyi formed a spell with both hands, turning the ground beneath Jiang Yuebai’s feet into quicksand in a flash.
Throwing out a handful of Thorn Seeds, Jiang Yuebai flung out the Earth Escape Talisman with two fingers.
Vines wildly danced, the chill intensified, entangling Fann Mazi, leaving his double knives whirling in empty space, while Jiang Yuebai had vanished from the spot.
Yeh Lianyi kicked off the wall, flipping to avoid the thorns, scanning the surroundings with her Divine Sense.
A black shadow suddenly appeared behind, spear shadows wavered, overlapping waves.
Yeh Lianyi turned pale with fright, as ten flying knives shot out from her waist, colliding with the spear waves, sparking like fireworks.
Fann Mazi broke free from the thorns, sweeping away the frost with flames, teaming with Yeh Lianyi to face the spear, throwing talismans and magic treasures into the air, causing loud explosions.
Jiang Yuebai remained unfazed, moving like a ghost, her spear striking like rushing thunder.
As the storm battered them into retreat, Jiang Yuebai always predicted their moves, completely suppressing them.
Rocks broke and flew, as the mine tunnel threatened to collapse, Jiang Yuebai using an Escape Talisman to flash behind them, striking with her spear.
Yeh Lianyi yanked Fann Mazi towards her.
Puchi!
The spear pierced through the heart, Fann Mazi’s eyes bulging, dead on the spot.
Yeh Lianyi’s eyes widened in horror, blood surged up her throat as the spear penetrated Fann Mazi’s body, deeply impaling her chest.
Jiang Yuebai withdrew the spear, Fire Thorns shot upward, binding Yeh Lianyi tightly, thorns piercing her skin, fire poison attacking her heart, making her cry out in pain as she fell.
Tilting her head back to drink a sip of Aged Cold Clear, Jiang Yuebai wiped her mouth, feeling invigorated.
Jiang Yuebai stood proudly with her spear, "I have a thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, ten bottles of Fasting Pills, ten Nine-Grade Magical Artifacts, and five hundred Nine-Grade Talismans in my storage bag, return them to me."
Hearing this, Yeh Lianyi was infuriated, struggling and shouting.
"It’s not that much, only a hundred Spirit Stones, five bottles of Fasting Pills, and one Nine-Grade Magical Artifact!"
Jiang Yuebai made a fist, the Fire Thorns suddenly tightened, causing Yeh Lianyi to cry out and beg for mercy.
"Take whatever you want, take it all. If I hadn’t spared your life back then, you wouldn’t be here today!"
Jiang Yuebai scratched her eyebrow, "That’s not right, sister. It’s like I’m walking down the road, you come and break my leg, then give me a crutch, saying I can’t live without you, expecting gratitude. Do you think I’m a fool?"
"You!" Yeh Lianyi’s eyes turned vicious, suddenly lunging at Jiang Yuebai.
The Cold Jade Bean Pod at Jiang Yuebai’s waist flashed, releasing Ice Needles, striking Yeh Lianyi’s brow, leaving a single red dot as she fell at Jiang Yuebai’s feet, dying with unfulfilled eyes.
"Little Green, collect the souls!"
Jiang Yuebai smoothed the Cold Jade Bean Pod, as Little Green flew out from her Sea of Consciousness, happily dancing among the corpses, gathering and refining the souls.
Jiang Yuebai retrieved the storage bags from several people, carefully searching, and pulled another storage bag from each of Yeh Lianyi’s boots.
The two storage bags contained nearly a hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, over five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, likely her savings over the years, intended for her share to leave the mine.
Leaving the tunnel, Peng Sanyang’s face was ashen.
Jiang Yuebai lowered her gaze, using the Dust Cleaning Technique to wipe the blood off her body, "The black-faced murderous god you mentioned is me."
Peng Sanyang collapsed to the ground, trembling like a sieve, hurriedly offering up his storage bag with both hands, "This is all I have, please spare my life, senior."
"Hmm, get up and lead the way, I want to leave." Jiang Yuebai put away the storage bag.
"Yes, yes, I’ll lead the way, I’ll lead the way right now." Peng Sanyang scrambled, not daring to delay.
Finally leaving the cave, coming back to daylight.
Jiang Yuebai took a deep breath of fresh air under the clear blue sky, feeling a sense of freedom, yearning to soar straight to the heavens.
"Oh! My little ancestor, you really are alive!"
The mine’s steward, Cui Sheng, seeing Jiang Yuebai, was overwhelmed with excitement, rushing over.
"Do you know how many people have come looking for you over the years?"
