Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 431 - 416: Poor Mines

Zhou Leng said, "I’m not interested in competing with him, but if he initiates, there’s no need to be afraid."

Wang Boxiong looked Zhou Leng up and down and said, "Your aura is quite unique; I can’t discern your real strength. It’s soon to be August. By this time next year, can you, like Aiden, advance to Great Innate?"

Zhou Leng thought for a moment and replied, "If I can enter the Great Battlefield, there’s a chance. If not, it will be difficult."

Wang Boxiong said, "The Great Battlefield... I don’t recommend you go there. Firstly, it’s too dangerous. Secondly, your realm isn’t sufficient. Thirdly, the Battlefield Shield Order hasn’t been distributed externally and has been swallowed by major forces; this was confirmed one or two years ago."

"This item, less than fifty pieces were distributed across the entire Blue Star. Even the Martial Saint Sect couldn’t allocate one per family. The rarity is obvious. Except for the Giant Dragon and Giant races, other races have very few."

"The Youth Battle is always a topic every year. But for the Great Battlefield, there’s no information online; it’s never leaked."

Zhou Leng said, "Never leaked? That means they don’t consider us insiders. I’ll find a way myself."

"Complain less, act more," Wang Boxiong glanced at Zhou Leng and said, "I’ll keep an eye out for you. Maybe someone won’t use it or wants to trade it."

The two then talked about the Tree-man World. Upon learning that Zhao He had invited multiple times, Wang Boxiong said, "In this matter, listening to Chen Fenghu is right. The Zhao Family is different from us."

"I understand," Zhou Leng said.

"Understanding is good," Wang Boxiong stared into Zhou Leng’s eyes, slowly saying, "Recently, the situation is a bit tense. After you go to Innate Mountain, keep a low profile. During the Martial Arts assessment, hold back. When you prepare to advance to Grandmaster, ascend to the peak of Innate Mountain and advance to Grandmaster, shocking the realm."

"Okay. Also... I voluntarily applied to revoke the ordinary scholarship qualifications from the Martial Arts Hall and school, retaining only a few Innate-level qualifications."

"Oh?" Wang Boxiong glanced at Zhou Leng.

Zhou Leng said, "The Qi Blood Realm pill awards, I no longer consume them, and many others need them more than I do. Now that I’m Innate, competing with those who need them looks too greedy."

"Good." Wang Boxiong nodded.

The two talked for a long time. Near noon, Zhou Leng took his leave.

Walking through the campus, he was about to message Xu Qingjin to have lunch together when Xue Chengsong sent a message.

"Zhou Leng, something’s happened. If you return to Rucheng, contact me as soon as possible. After a period of dormancy, the forces behind Tian Wenhua and Chang Luan suspect it’s our Xue Family who acted, covertly probing, and have killed several of our experts. My father was also injured, clearly pushing us to give up the mines."

"The few mines we own have all ceased operations."

"Our family sought an Innate Master who holds shares in Xue’s, but the other party returned Xue’s shares, indicating they couldn’t help us. Because the ones who acted include a Bone Forger Innate and several ordinary Innates that all the Innates we know in the Xue family couldn’t withstand."

"See if you can contact their side and find a chance to negotiate. At worst, we can give up the mines owned by Tian Wenhua and Chang Luan at the time. The other party acting directly and applying pressure without negotiating is too ruthless."

"According to those Innate Masters, the other side thinks our Xue Family lacks a major backing and wants to take those few poor mines while squeezing our Xue Family."

Tian Wenhua is backed by Shuangjiao Company; behind Shuangjiao Company are the Demon Worship Sect and the Trup Family.

He was about to contact Jax through Martial Faith, which he added before, but thought again: what’s there to discuss with the Demon Worship Sect?

Zhou Leng replied to Xue Chengsong, "I’ll handle this. You help me investigate their detailed information, and I’ll negotiate with them."

"Huh? Their side is a Bone Forger Innate. You should definitely bring Martial Guard or Martial Arts Brigade Innates. Even though you’re the first in Rucheng’s Qi Blood, facing a Bone Forger Innate, there’s a big gap. We’re friends; I can’t set you up."

Zhou Leng remembered he hadn’t entered the Innate list and said, "I know. You just need to track their movements."

"Okay, I can definitely achieve that."

Zhou Leng accessed the intelligence system of Martial Guard, shared Wang Boxiong’s permissions, and quickly identified those trying to seize his mining sites.

They were middle-level members of Shuangjiao Company, affiliated with Fishman Sect, closely associated with Gong Futian and Tian Wenhua, primarily responsible for Shuangjiao Company’s external trade, occasionally involved in the Demon Worship Sect’s activities.

The Bone Forger Innate among them, named Liu Liang, is a relative of the Lou Family, by seniority, the brother-in-law of Lou Fei Qiong.

Zhou Leng perused their profiles, gently shaking his head.

The Lou Family is already so affluent, yet they still covet others’ poor mines.

The Xue Family’s wealth is just a drop in the bucket compared to the Lou Family.

After closely reviewing the intelligence on these people, Zhou Leng made a mental note to resolve this issue before heading to the Ice Snow Divine Sect.

In the meantime, Mountain and River Origin replied to a message.

"The Battlefield Shield Order, the Giant Race possesses many, but unfortunately, it was already allocated a few years ago."

"Our entire Mountain and River Tribe only received three pieces, and my piece was one my father fought hard to obtain. Remember during the Giant Trial, how a giant cursed me? My father offended too many for the Battlefield Shield Order."

"I will contact my father and the Royal Court Elder to see if we can secure one for you. But prepare yourself; it’s very difficult."

"It’s not just about allocation; importantly, the Great Battlefield holds immense symbolic significance for the Giant Race."

"It not only hides Giant heritage but also Giant Dragon heritage, and both are high-class heritages. My father exceeded his peers and ranked among the top ten of his generation, second only to the Gold Family’s Gold Celestial River, relying on a Giant heritage once obtained from the Great Battlefield."

"Think of more ways, and I’ll help you inquire more. If it doesn’t work, you might try the Giant Dragon side."

Zhou Leng thanked Mountain and River Origin, furrowing his brow slightly.

The difficulty of obtaining a Battlefield Shield Order far exceeded expectations.

He checked the time and sent a message to Xu Qingjin.

"I’m back, waiting for you at the small pavilion diagonally across from the cafeteria."

"I’m on my way!"

Before long, Xu Qingjin came jogging, slowing down as she neared the pavilion.

In a simple white dress and a refreshing ponytail, this attire, Zhou Leng had seen growing up.

"You seem different again," Xu Qingjin said with a cheerful smile, walking up to Zhou Leng and examining him closely.

"My Martial Arts Realm has improved, so there’s a bit of change, but it’s not much," Zhou Leng replied.

Xu Qingjin moved her nose slightly and said, "Your skin seems more radiant, and you have a plant-like fragrance on you."

Zhou Leng raised his arm and sniffed, not noticing it, probably the scent of the power of life.

"Do you have any classes this afternoon? I’m planning to go to the Martial Arts Mall to buy some stuff."

"No classes," Xu Qingjin said decisively.

"Come with me for a walk; I’m about to head to the Demon Spirit World."

"Leaving right after you got back?" Xu Qingjin asked.

"Let’s go, we’ll talk over lunch," Zhou Leng said, reaching out to hold Xu Qingjin’s hand and leading her towards the cafeteria.

"This is school," Xu Qingjin whispered, sneakily glancing at Zhou Leng.

Zhou Leng seemed not to hear her and continued to walk hand in hand, saying, "How’s the divine text study going?"

Xu Qingjin replied, "Not bad, just a bit difficult."

"Nothing much happening in Rucheng lately?"

"Not really, I heard the Demon Worship Sect has been causing trouble elsewhere and hasn’t really bothered Rucheng. How was your trip to the Tree-man World?"

"Pretty interesting..."

Zhou Leng started telling some non-dangerous stories but didn’t mention the Vigorous Root and Xiaoyong.

The two of them reached the cafeteria, got their food, and found a corner to sit down.

Zhou Leng used the microwave to heat up some high-energy food like magical beast meat and dragon meat, only getting one round of rice.

After finishing their meal, they left.

The cafeteria staff watched Zhou Leng’s back, feeling a sense of loss.

The Martial Saint of the cafeteria had fallen.

No, he had ascended.

Eating dragon meat in the cafeteria.

The two continued to chat as they walked.

Having not seen each other for many days, Xu Qingjin had also become a chatterbox.

"The pill Sister Nandidi gave me was really amazing, my skin’s much better," she said.

"I heard some Innate students from the Western Sea Martial Arts Academy weren’t satisfied and came to Ruda to spar with you. When they couldn’t find you, they left."

"Our high school teacher said, once you reach Innate, they’re going to invite you to share your growth experience at school."

"The teachers are complaining about the sudden drop in the number of new high school freshmen; there are fewer and fewer students."

"Hu Yi’s mother and sister still haven’t been found, and while quite a few women went missing before, now more men have gone missing recently..."

"I saw Feng Wenhao a few days ago. He’s still... talking nonsense. After greeting me... uh, he just left."

"Hmm? What did he say? He’s always like that with people he knows," Zhou Leng curiously asked.

Xu Qingjin replied, "Nothing much."

"If you won’t tell me, I’ll ask him myself."

Xu Qingjin said, "Nothing really, he told our classmates I’m your wife."

"Oh, well, he’s not wrong," Zhou Leng said.

"You’re just like him," Xu Qingjin glared playfully at Zhou Leng, squeezing the hand they were holding lightly.

Xu Qingjin took out a roll of a magic-infused exercise mat from her Magic Spirit Bag and said, "My senior brothers and sisters at the Divine Literature Academy took us to create decorative divine texts, and we earned some extra cash. With the money I’ve saved from participating in hunting activities this past year, I bought this for you. Don’t look down on it."

Zhou Leng paused, took it, and smiled, "Just what I needed, thank you, ’wife.’"

Xu Qingjin’s face turned a bright red and she said, "Don’t call me that."

Zhou Leng looked cheerfully at the magic-infused exercise mat. It wasn’t cheap, costing at least fifty or sixty thousand, likely all of Xu Qingjin’s savings.

"Are decorative divine texts pretty lucrative now?"

"It wasn’t before since Rucheng didn’t have a Divine Literature Academy, but now it’s different. Those rich people specifically look for our Divine Literature Academy at Ruda, and related design and decoration companies have been collaborating with us. I’m also the vice-president of the school’s Divine Literature Association, and they treat me like a Divine Text Master, even though I feel guilty about it. Whenever I work with them, I put on a black business suit and skirt, with black-rimmed glasses to look mature," Xu Qingjin said, laughing as she shared.

"Do many people like decorative divine texts?"

Xu Qingjin replied, "The divine text teacher said people used to believe in other things, and now they believe in divine texts. It’s pretension, and there’s no difference from ancient times to now. I’ve heard that a few Divine Text Experts can make millions, possibly tens of millions, just by adding some divine text to a company or mansion. Some academies in Xiongjing even have divine text design as a major."

"That’s the first time I’ve heard of this. You could really make a career out of it, start a decorative divine text studio, and I’ll find friends to get you some business," Zhou Leng proposed.

"Sure," Xu Qingjin agreed.

"Oh, by the way, I bought some small gifts in the Tree-man World."