"Gao Changtian, what a coincidence!" Shang Guan Hong gave his greetings when he saw Gao Changtian.
"Shang Guan xiong, Wu shimei."
(TL note: xiong = bro
Gao Changtian gave a covered fist posture, showing his etiquette.
Shang Guan Hong chuckled while speaking to Wu Qingmei, "Wu shimei, did you see? In the outer sect, I'm afraid there isn't anyone who is more polite than Gao Changtian. Isn't he cute?"
Wu Qingmei gave a scoff.
This laugh was 'fatal', almost stunning both Shang Guan Hong and Gao Changtian.
A turnback smile from a beauty was enough to charm a hundred men.
Struggling to retrieve his vision, Shang Guan Hong noticed Gao Changtian's uncomfortable expression, he changed his topic, "Gao Changtian, I wonder who this is beside you? Someone who can walk beside you, surely isn't anyone simple."
Gao Changtian introduced, "This shidi is the recent hot topic of our outer sect, Li Fuchen."
Shang Guan Hong: "Li Fuchen, I have indeed heard of this name. If even I heard of your name, you are considered good."
Li Fuchen only laughed lightly and didn't say a word.
Wu Qingmei: "Is Li shidi and Guan Xue shimei related in any way? I heard both of you came from Yunwu City."
Li Fuchen replied: "We aren't related, we are merely from the same city."
"Oh? That doesn't seem to be the case. I heard from an odd job disciple that you and Guan Xue once had an engagement. Is that true?" Wu Qingmei didn't let off.
Li Fuchen: "That is a thing of the past now."
He guessed that Shen Tu Liang must be the one who disseminated this information and wanted to use this as a form of revenge.
Afterall, there were too many outer sect disciples that liked Guan Xue.
"You sure are lucky to get engaged with Guan Xue. But won't work with just luck and no potential. Along the long road of martial arts, if there is no support between partners, what qualifications do you have be together."
Shang Guan Hong persisted on about bone frames.
In his eyes, only those that were of 4 star bone frames could speak with him on equal grounds. Those that were below 4 star bone frames, were all ants.
Gao Changtian sided with Li Fuchen, "Li shidi isn't a regular individual. I believe in his potential."
"Keke, Gao Changtian, you sure like being the good man." Shang Guan Hong scoffed.
Wu Qingmei asked, "Li shidi, are really just a normal bone frame? Could it be that you have some secret?"
She didn't believe that a normal bone frame individual could raise his ability so drastically within a year. The quick-witted her determined that Li Fuchen must have some secrets.
Li Fuchen didn't look at either of the three and raised his head looking at the skies, "So what if I don't have any potential. As long as I am strong enough and progress fast enough."
Shang Guan Hong: "You seem like a rather optimistic person. Hopefully you can attain the Origin Realm before the age of 20. This hurdle is the biggest one for normal bone frame people."
After finishing his sentence, Shang Guan Hong spoke to Wu Qingmei, "Wu shimei, let's go."
Staying around Li Fuchen made him feel disgusted.
"Li shidi, don't mind it. This Shang Guan Hong's personality is rather arrogant." Gao Changtian comforted him.
Li Fuchen shook his head and laughed: "I have never minded how others thought of me."
The arrogance of the 10 Prodigies were well known, with the exception of Gao Changtian.
Actually, Gao Changtian had his own kind of arrogance too, but it was just that he didn't know about it.
Li Fuchen was also arrogant in some ways, but he couldn't be bothered to lower his level to argue with these people.
***
Bidding goodbye to Gao Changtian, Li Fuchen went back to his courtyard.
He wanted to try out the effects of the Dragon Tiger Pill.
Consuming one of the Dragon Tiger Pills, Li Fuchen meditated. Vigorous moves were constantly executed in his mind.
Without even much work, Li Fuchen's body was steaming and his veins began popping.
'The Dragon Tiger pill sure lives up to its name. The current effect is on par with 6 body tempering pills.'
With the Crimson Battle Form at completion, Li Fuchen tried consuming several body tempering pills and realised the effects were miniscule at best.
Now that he consumed the Dragon Tiger pill, it felt as though he consumed the body tempering pill when he had just started cultivating the Crimson Battle Form.
With 6 dragon tiger pills fully absorbed, Li Fuchen's Interception Form Dao had reached the second rank.
His physical strength had also advanced by another 5000 kg.
'The task to earn contribution points is a never ending path!'
Grudgingly, Li Fuchen ended up back at the ore mountains.
He intended to rely on his luck to find some high grade ores.
***
This time around, Li Fuchen didn't go to Kengqiang ore mountain, but arrived at Tonglu ore mountain instead.
When Tonglu ore mountain had yet to be abandoned, it was rich with low-tier, yellow class, Copper ore.
Among the Copper ores were the rare appearances of mid-tier, yellow class, Green Copper ore and the high-tier, yellow class, Red Copper ore.
Just like Kengqiang ore mountain, the Tonglu ore mountain was vast too. With a maze within, there were plenty of valleys and mining caves.
With every copper ore found, Li Fuchen would do a detailed sweep of its surroundings. Pressing on the floor or on the walls, using his qi and consciousness to explore within.
A pity, there was nothing.
"Huang Xiaoshan, hand over the Red Copper ore now, or you will suffer."
"Dream on! If you want the Red Copper ore, take it from my dead body!"
"You think I dare not?!"
In front of a mining cave, two outer sect disciples were in conflict.
And not far from the two of them was Red Copper ore the size of a basin.
Red Copper ore was worth 30 points per kilo and this piece was at least a hundred kilos.
"You guys continue…"
Passing by and seeing this scene, Li Fuchen's eyes brightened. Since Red Copper ore could be found in this cave, it held a high possibility that there were more Red Copper ore to be found hidden within.
Swoop
Li Fuchen flashed right into the cave
The two outer sect disciples started to form cold sweat. They could recognise Li Fuchen, and knew if Li Fuchen wanted to claim their Red Copper ore, they wouldn't be able to do anything.
Within the cave, it was dark and narrow, and the outside world was slowly being left behind by Li Fuchen.
Searching for ores was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Li Fuchen lifted a fire torch and searched slowly but thoroughly.
With every trace of ores, Li Fuchen would immediately project his qi and consciousness into the walls.
With the transformation of his soul spirit, Li Fuchen could extend the time he projected his consciousness. It was only 7.5 minutes at first, but it was now up to 15 minutes.
After a few breaths of rest, he could project his consciousness again. That went on for several times a day.
On the third day, Li Fuchen finally had some results. Deep within the wall, was a Green Copper ore the size of a skull.
"Much too small, not worth the time to dig."
A few dozen kilos of Green Copper ore was only a few hundred contribution points. Li Fuchen used to care about this much of points, but not anymore.
It was only until the tenth day, that Li Fuchen finally found a huge piece of Red Copper ore.
This piece of Red Copper ore was a few meters under the mine wall. With his consciousness, he estimated the ore to be the size of a water tank.
With the density of the Red Copper ore, this chunk was at least 3 to 4 thousand kilos.
That was at least 100,000 contribution points.
Without any hesitation, Li Fuchen poured his scarlet fire qi onto the shovel and began excavating the Red Copper ore.
1 hour later, Li Fuchen finally revealed the entire Red Copper ore.
'3800 kg, plus/minus 10 kg.'
Li Fuchen lifted the ore and instantly knew how much this chunk of Red Copper ore weighed.