Chapter 111: The Spirit Crystal Mine and Boundary-Separating Bamboo

In the Chaos Space, everyone gathered together, with fine wine and delicacies piled up in the pavilion of Villa One.

Fang Keyin spoke first: "This trip to Pingdu City was quite successful. Junhuai's family vendetta has been avenged, and the Blood-Slaying Alliance has suffered heavy losses. This is inseparable from the meticulous planning of my grandson-in-law. Everyone wants to hear your plans for the next step. Junhuai, what is on your mind?"

Liu Junhuai replied: "I intend to go to Yanfu Palace. They were the ones who contributed the most to the Shen family's cause this time; we killed over twenty of their men, which likely means sixty percent of their core strength was committed to the Battle of Pingdu City. Uncle Wu will interrogate the prisoners of the Blood-Slaying Alliance at the Heavenly Mystery Sect. If any remnants of the Alliance are found in Yanfu Palace, we will have a just cause to act."

"Are you planning to establish a new sect on the foundation of Yanfu Palace?" Bian Yanshan asked. "Piaomiao Peak is a good location, but Yanfu Palace is backed by the Meteorite Mansion, a first-rate sect in the Mengze Kingdom. Their strength is many times greater than that of Yanfu Palace."

Liu Junhuai smiled and said: "So what? Pamo Ji is involved with the Blood-Slaying Alliance, and Cheng Kelei is also caught up in it. The Meteorite Mansion probably wants to avoid them at all costs. I intend to draw the Sect Alliance into this and operate under their banner. The Meteorite Mansion will have to swallow this bitter pill; otherwise, they would be acting against the broader movement of the entire Western Region to suppress the Blood-Slaying Alliance. That is a risk they dare not take."

Mo Sitong covered her mouth and laughed: "Junhuai has the Sect Alliance completely figured out. Not only did he exhaust his efforts to foster this alliance, but he also treats it as a shield whenever he needs one. I expect Sect Leader Xiao is still feeling delighted that you value their alliance so much."

"That is why his first move was so ingenious," Wu Yaohan remarked. "I remember when Junhuai first proposed that the Heavenly Mystery Sect should step into the muddy waters of these two tragedies, Brother Keyin and Brother Yanshan both looked grim. At the time, I expressed unconditional obedience. Junhuai, once the sect is established, you must not mistreat me, a founding father. You had better give me a position as Deputy Sect Leader!"

Fang Keyin sighed: "Indeed. When Junhuai first proposed getting involved in this mess, I was startled. It felt like pushing himself and those around him into a fire pit. Now I realize the boy had calculated how to borrow strength to strike back all along, and he borrowed this external power so skillfully that others are even grateful and expectant for him to use it. Alas, I am old; I lack the daring spirit of the youth!"

Mo Sitong said: "Grandfather, is this really the daring spirit of youth? Is there anyone his age who is this cunning? He is a freak!"

Bian Yanshan laughed: "I agree with that. Actually, I share Brother Yaohan's view. Ever since Jizhong returned from the Taifeng estate and recounted everything his second brother had done, I concluded that this boy was extraordinary. I told Jizhong to follow him from then on. Well? Was I wrong?"

Liu Junhuai said earnestly: "Actually, I just enjoy talking with all of you. Every time, I feel completely refreshed!"

Shen Duoduo added: "That goes without saying, Brother Junhuai. I also like hearing others flatter me!"

Mo Sitong affectionately stroked Shen Duoduo's head: "Then from now on, your Brother Junhuai shall flatter you every day!"

Shen Duoduo replied: "I wouldn't want that; it would hinder Brother Junhuai from accomplishing great things. My father said I must not hold him back!"

Bian Yanshan chuckled: "Oh? Our little Duoduo is becoming much more sensible."

Wu Bini, standing nearby, exposed her: "Not at all! She just wants Junhuai to establish a new sect so she can recruit some apprentices. She has been muttering about this for days."

"Hahaha!" The group burst into laughter.

***

Bian Jizhong recalled the purpose of the Blood-Slaying Alliance’s presence in Pingdu City and asked Liu Junhuai: "Is there any news regarding the mineral deposit the Blood-Slaying Alliance was eyeing in the Shen family's territory? We must find a way to secure it; it would be conducive to the development of the sect. We cannot possibly bring the entire sect here!"

Liu Junhuai took out the two items Shen Ao had left for him and passed them around for everyone to see.

The elders examined them one by one until the items reached Shen Yihuan, who recognized the location of the mine: "I know this place. My father took me there before Qianqian was born, when a group led by the old head of the Shen family visited this site." He pointed to a spot marked in red on the animal-skin map. "This is a canyon beneath a cliff, shrouded in miasma all year round. Further in, there is a vast forest of miasma, and everywhere are little green, foul-smelling streams. Because my father was a physician for the Shen family and needed to gather medicinal herbs, he went along. This is a corner of Heixiong Mountain. I remember the team was attacked by a giant black bear, and my father and I became separated from the group and ended up in this spot."

Liu Junhuai said joyfully: "Knowing the location is enough. Given the harsh environment, there must be mineral contamination. I wonder what precious ore it is that the Blood-Slaying Alliance would pay such a high price to seize."

Shen Yihuan said: "Do you remember the magnet-like ore your father gave you when you were a child? That was what I picked up."

Upon hearing this, Liu Junhuai was ecstatic. With a wave of his hand, the ore covered in fine cracks appeared in his palm. "Uncle Huan, is it this one?" Liu Junhuai asked eagerly.

Seeing Shen Yihuan nod, Liu Junhuai stood up abruptly, cheering and dancing with joy.

The others looked at him as if he were a monster, glancing at one another.

Wu Yaohan couldn't help but ask: "Junhuai, what is so precious about this ore?"

Liu Junhuai stopped and said: "This is spiritual crystal ore—the peripheral ore of a spiritual crystal mine. Only by finding this ore can one find the true crystal mines. We have struck gold this time!"

Fang Keyin stood up suddenly, his voice trembling: "What did you say, Junhuai? This is spiritual crystal ore? Hahaha, we have truly struck gold!"

Seeing Wu Yaohan's still-bewildered expression, Fang Keyin continued: "Spiritual crystals are things used in the Immortal Realm, just like the spiritual stones we use in our cultivation world. But the spiritual energy contained within a spiritual crystal is a hundred times that of a high-grade spiritual stone. And this is only low-grade spiritual crystal. Tell me, have we struck gold or not?"

Shen Duoduo turned the cracked ore over and over in her hands and said: "I don't see what's so precious about it. Isn't it just a rock?"

Liu Junhuai explained: "This is only the fringe ore. Spiritual crystals are also called true crystals. Only when this kind of stone-like peripheral ore appears is there a possibility of finding a true crystal mine."

Liu Qingman, however, said with a grave expression: "If such a true crystal mine exists, it will surely provoke the greed of the entire cultivation world. Even if we are powerful, we cannot withstand that. In that case, we will truly become the target of everyone."

Fang Keyin pondered for a moment and said: "Your grandmother's words are not exaggerated in the slightest. If the news leaks, it will cause a sensation even in the Immortal Realm. It seems we must be extremely cautious. If even a whisper of this spreads, it will bring disaster upon us!"

Bian Yanshan said: "Junhuai, what is the use of mining it now? We have this Chaos Space and no longer need spiritual crystals to cultivate. The moment a single spiritual crystal appears, the Blood-Slaying Alliance will suspect you. If they deliberately spread the news, it will bring disaster upon us just the same!"

***

Liu Junhuai paced back and forth, his mind racing. Those around him did not disturb him.

After a long while, Liu Junhuai felt as if a burden had been lifted and said: "It is indeed as you say. Since we do not need it for the time being, there is no need to dwell on it. However, I must extract all of it. Since it is something that would cause a sensation in the Immortal Realm, why should I leave it for others? Besides, we are not the only ones who know; at least a few people in the Shen family are aware of it. If someone were to force them to reveal it, I would regret it to my dying day! Rest assured, I will not use a single piece once it is extracted; I will simply find a place to seal it all away."

Bian Jizhong said: "I also agree with mining it first and sealing it away. It would be a pity to leave such good things behind!"

Bian Yanshan glared at Bian Jizhong: "Good things, indeed—but you have to be alive to use them! Sealing it away is fine, but the workload is enormous for just a few of us. However, Ah Jiu will be a great helper!"

Fang Keyin said: "Since Junhuai has decided, let us all go mining! I never thought the former palace master of the Juechen Palace would end up as a miner."

Liu Junhuai laughed: "Endure the hardship now, and you can enjoy yourself when we ascend to the Immortal Realm. But before I go to the Heiguanling Mountain range, I need to show my face at the Heavenly Mystery Sect and check on the interrogation results. After we finish our shift as miners, we will go and wipe out Yanfu Palace!"

As they chatted, the day passed. In the evening, Liu Junhuai took Mo Sitong to the Wanxiang Tower.

After discussing the outcome of the Pingdu City affair in detail with the old steward, the steward said: "The Tower Master is effectively standing in the light now. Fortunately, you have the Sect Alliance to shield you for the time being, and the Blood-Slaying Alliance will always have its reservations. This spiritual crystal mine must be excavated. I came from the Immortal Realm; without spiritual crystals, you will find it difficult to move an inch there."

Liu Junhuai nodded. The old steward’s train of thought always aligned with his own, making conversation much easier.

Remembering the jade box buried beneath Xi Nan-yu's bed, Liu Junhuai took it out and handed it to the old steward.

The old steward opened the jade box, carefully examined the bamboo leaf, sniffed it, and said: "Congratulations, Tower Master, for obtaining another treasure. This bamboo leaf has a great history. It is called the Boundary-Separating Bamboo. When the universe was in its primordial chaos, Pangu split the heavens and the earth, creating the world. The ancient Fire God Zhurong and the Water God Gonggong were at odds and agreed to a duel at Mount Buzhou, the pillar of the human world."

"The battle shook heaven and earth and ended with the Water God's defeat. However, Gonggong was proud and arrogant; he struck his head against the immortal Mount Buzhou. In an instant, heaven and earth trembled, the sky collapsed in the northwest, the earth sank in the southeast, and Mount Buzhou split in two. A giant hole appeared in the sky, the western part of the human world collapsed, and the structure of the three realms was formed."

"This Boundary-Separating Bamboo is the marker that separates the three realms, acting like a boundary stone. It is the only plant that survived in the chaos after Pangu split the heavens and the earth. This bamboo is filled with spiritual energy; after the three realms were formed, it grew naturally between the boundaries. It is impervious to wind, rain, snow, and fire—a true wonder of the world!"