Brother Hu was startled by Qian Duoduo, and he shook his head, not bothering to argue with Qian Duoduo. His nose sniffed the Spiritual Qi coming from the stone cave, taking deep breaths one after another.
After the spirit copper Ore appeared, it was as if a lid had been opened, and waves of increasingly dense Spiritual Qi drifted into the tent. Fortunately, it was underground and shielded by the tent, otherwise, the change in Spiritual Qi would have been easily detected by others.
A silver sword flashed and appeared in the tent, its tip holding a golden-yellow piece of Ore, which emitted a captivating glow in the fluorescent light.
Gold Ore! There really is gold Ore! Qian Duoduo's lips trembled uncontrollably a few times, and a scene of a golden expanse underground appeared in his mind—it was a world of gold Ore.
And he himself sat in the middle, guarding a cauldron, continuously refining Ore and crafting gold coins.
Behind him, gold coins were piled into a mountain and arranged into a river.
“So the Immortal Realm is right beneath our feet,” Qian Duoduo said, touching the hard, cold gold Ore with his warm fingertips.
Liu Boli's fingers danced, but he retorted, “Hmph, what's opened is Hell.”
“How could that be?” With gold coins, the Sect's entire situation could be greatly improved; how could it be called Hell?
Liu Boli turned to look at Qian Duoduo, “The Refining Spirit Sect might be happy, but other Sects definitely won't be. If a Sect War breaks out because of this mine, do you say it's the Immortal Realm or Hell?”
Whoosh, Qian Duoduo immediately felt a chill run through his entire body, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.
Qian Duoduo had heard from his Senior Brothers that a Sect War was a decisive battle between different Sects, a war of millions of people where you live or die, a never-ending conflict, and the result was often the annihilation of one Sect and the rise of another.
That mysterious, emaciated old man and the Mystic Sky Crocodile were very likely people from an enemy Sect.
The silver sword flew back into the tent, a piece of yellow-purplish Ore hanging from its tip, the Spiritual Qi on it almost solidifying into a crystal.
Oh, hao gold Ore! There really is hao gold Ore down here, hao gold Ore that is a hundred times more valuable than gold Ore! This small piece is enough to make one ecstatic and reach the peak of happiness, and enough to make one commit mistakes that lead to Jail.
Qian Duoduo's mouth hung open, unsure whether he should be happy or afraid.
“This Ore vein is mainly common gold, with a bit of hao gold.”
“How much is there?” Qian Duoduo asked the question he most wanted to know.
“About the same as what the Refining Spirit Sect currently possesses.”
The Refining Spirit Sect is a ten-thousand-year-old great Sect, possessing at least tens of billions. And this single gold Ore vein is worth that much. This time, he's struck it rich, really rich.
Liu Boli's expression was serious. After letting Qian Duoduo clearly see the hao gold Ore, he waved his finger, throwing the hao gold Ore back into the stone cave, and then placed the stones he had just taken out back into the stone cave one by one.
After re-blocking the entrance, the Spiritual Qi no longer leaked out, and Liu Boli slowly raised the tent.
Once on the ground, after putting away the tent, Qian Duoduo carefully observed his surroundings, firmly remembering the location of the stone cave.
After silently completing the third exploration mission and collecting over a thousand spiritual plants into the Golden Toad, they returned to the high ground outside the desert.
Sitting on a stone, Qian Duoduo's gaze pierced through the sand, staring blankly at the gold Ore underground.
That place was the Immortal Realm, but also Hell. Should he open it or not?
As the sand flowed, a thousand, ten thousand thoughts swirled in Qian Duoduo's mind.
According to the Refining Spirit Sect's rules, all mineral resources within the Sect belong to the Sect, and the discoverer can receive a reward of one-tenth of the mineral's value.
Discovering a gold Ore vein containing hao gold, the reward Qian Duoduo would receive would be enough to provide him with resources for several major Realm Cultivation without worry.
However, if this gold Ore vein caused a Sect War, then he himself would be the source of this war.
Under a Sect War, no one in the entire Sect could avoid fighting. Regardless of winning or losing, a group of Cultivators would die.
Perhaps it would be Wang Dahei, or Huang Guiren, or Cao Yueying...
If they won, it would be good, and the Refining Spirit Sect could grow stronger. If they lost, then nothing would be left. Meng Yuan Legion, the Gold Vault, the manor, all would turn into scorched earth.
Even Qian Duoduo himself would turn into a few dry bones, discarded in the wild grass.
Qian Duoduo gasped for breath, his body alternating between hot and cold.
Liu Boli lay in the Golden Toad, assuming a Cultivation posture. Brother Hu chewed on the Sand Rats he had caught, eating one after another.
“Whew, Liu Lao, what do you think I should do?” Unable to figure it out, Qian Duoduo asked in a hoarse voice.
“What should you do?”
“This... mine, should I tell the Sect about it?”
“You should, but...” Liu Boli paused. Qian Duoduo waited for a long time, but he didn't continue speaking.
“You said ‘but’. But what?” Qian Duoduo bent over and continued to ask.
Liu Boli opened his eyes and looked at Qian Duoduo from inside the Golden Toad, “You need to think carefully about how to tell them.”
“How to tell, does it make a difference?” Qian Duoduo didn't understand Liu Boli's words.
“Discovering a mineral deposit, especially a gold mine, can only be reported directly to the Sect Leader. Otherwise, changes are likely to occur in between.”
“Changes? What changes?” Qian Duoduo still didn't understand.
“This is an extraordinary merit. If it's reported layer by layer, it's inevitable that some people will harbor evil intentions. This merit might not be yours, and it could also bring you a fatal disaster. Furthermore, can you guarantee that among those who know this news, there are no spies? If there are spies who know there's a gold mine here, then before the Refining Spirit Sect can even start mining, a Sect War will be imminent.”
Liu Boli's words made Qian Duoduo tremble all over.
Qian Duoduo knew that he wasn't exaggerating.
In the Refining Spirit Sect, hadn't Qian Duoduo suffered enough setbacks?
The silent Jin Buhuan in the Golden Toad, wasn't he a living example?
The Immortal Cultivation World is also a demonic Cultivation world.
Discovering a gold mine is both an extraordinary merit and an extraordinary disaster. Keeping it secret can lead to extraordinary merit. Not keeping it secret will inevitably lead to extraordinary disaster.
“Master,” Qian Duoduo stood up solemnly and bowed to Liu Boli, even though he was in the Golden Toad, “Teach me—”
Liu Boli emerged from the Golden Toad, his eyes gleaming, stroking his beard, and slowly said, “It is both a misfortune and a blessing, and a blessing and a misfortune. How can we Cultivators fear misfortune? How can we avoid blessings! The matter of the gold mine, you cannot handle it alone, you must tell the Sect. As for how the Refining Spirit Sect deals with the gold mine, that is the Sect Leader of the Refining Spirit Sect's business; it depends on his courage and ability.”
“What do I do now?” Qian Duoduo nodded at each of Liu Boli's words, engraving every word into his heart.
“Now, you only need to submit your mission to the Sect and simultaneously say that you have made a significant discovery in the Phoenix Mountains. As for what kind of significant discovery it is, it is not convenient to reveal too much.”
“Tell them now? Should I wait?”
“With your Qi Condensation Level Five cultivation, what significant discovery could you possibly have? Saying it now will make people think that your significant discovery is nothing more than finding some spiritual plants or seeing some Spirit Beasts. Wait until you safely return to the Sect, then immediately find your Palace Lord Zhangzuo Dajiu and report this matter privately to the Sect Leader.”
Qian Duoduo understood Liu Boli's meaning. Release the news, deliberately lull the opponents, and then strike unexpectedly.
“Good.” Qian Duoduo calmed his emotions. After he was completely calm, he took out the Mission Hall's sound transmission Jade Slip and, with a slightly trembling voice, shouted, “Mengyuan Mountain, Outer Sect Disciple Jin Buhuan, has completed the Phoenix Mountains exploration mission. Additionally, there has been a significant discovery in the mountain range!”
After shouting, Qian Duoduo felt a huge weight lift from his heart. He made a funny face at Liu Boli, then put his arm around Brother Hu's neck, “We're going home! When you move into the manor, you'll definitely love it there.”
The sound transmission Jade Slip vibrated; the Mission Hall had replied.
Qian Duoduo opened the Jade Slip, and Jin Buque's Yin and Yang unbalanced voice came from within—
“Congratulations, younger brother, on completing the exploration mission! However, the higher-ups have just ordered you to Kongfang City to manage our Sect's spirit money shop. Within three years, you must increase its assets tenfold. Congratulations, younger brother, on receiving this important responsibility! This hall limits you to depart immediately, without delay! Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations!”