novelzi Chapter 29 - The Substandard Yuan Stone Mine
Chapter 29 - The Substandard Yuan Stone Mine
Chapter 29: The Substandard Yuan Stone Mine
After discussing the Mist-Shadow Cloaks, Luo Xiangluo produced an object resembling a broken piece of jade and handed it to Wu Yuan.
“This was mentioned in the intelligence report. One of our scouts was severely injured retrieving it, but he insisted on bringing it back.”
“With this, along with Madam Cheng’s miniature activation array, even ordinary scouts can use the cloaks on a large scale, no cultivation required.”
“I see.” Wu Yuan examined the object carefully, clearly fascinated. Still, he asked, “Is the scout in critical condition?”
“We requested low-grade healing pills from the relay station. After taking them, he’s out of danger.”
Luo Xiangluo was pleased that Wu Yuan hadn’t let greed cloud his judgment. His concern for his subordinates proved his success wasn’t just luck.
“I never expected to find something like this near Redleaf Cliff.” Wu Yuan sighed in amazement.
Yet he was puzzled. This, too, was absent from his dream memories of the area.
“Neither did I,” Luo Xiangluo admitted. “A substandard yuan stone mine, right under our noses.”
“If only it were a grade higher…” Wu Yuan couldn’t help but wish for more.
“Master is insatiable! This is already a tremendous fortune. Merchant Huan Su roamed the wilderness for seventy years and never found a single substandard mine.”
“True enough.” Wu Yuan chuckled. “This intelligence is a major achievement. Reward everyone involved. Once the Rain-Piercing Tower is complete, the rewards will be distributed—especially for the injured scout. I’ll give him a chance to change his fate.”
“Thank you, Master. But the real credit goes to Madam Cheng. Without her cloaks, this discovery would’ve been impossible. So, I have a small request…”
“Speak.”
“Madam Cheng wishes to meet you.”
Wu Yuan frowned. Madam Cheng was talented, but even though she was now under his command, he doubted her loyalty.
Moreover, as a recent widow, her request likely came with an agenda—perhaps even a plea for freedom. He wasn’t sure how to respond.
“We’ll discuss that later.” He deftly changed the subject. “Right now, I need to inspect that mine. You’re coming with me.”
“Are you
Wu Yuan was intrigued but prioritized the mine. Unless it was on the way, he wouldn’t detour.
Beyond the stream lay a forest of towering stone pillars, overgrown with weeds and shrubs. Humanoid demons and deadly insects lurked within.
Past this area, they reached the mine’s location.
“A cave?” Wu Yuan was surprised.
The cavern, a thousand zhang wide and a hundred tall, stood just two li from the mountain range—still geologically linked.
A strange expression crossed his face. In his dream memories, this cave appeared only on old maps. It wasn’t near any major routes, so he’d never visited it in his early years.
By the time he’d passed through a century later, it had been destroyed in a cataclysmic battle—one whose cause remained unknown.
“Could it have been over this mine?” he wondered.