Chapter 121: The Affected Nerve
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“You came out!” Junior Leopard smiled oddly, glancing at Wang She’s back. “I thought you wouldn’t be coming out anymore!”
“If I don’t come out, where will you get your benefits?!” Wang She smiled coldly, throwing him a bag. “This is compensation for your hard work these few days.”
“This is…!” When Junior Leopard took the bag from him, he could feel its heaviness.
“They’re spiritual stones of Fire Attribute, all 19 of them!” Wang She said wryly, raising his head to look at Pei Zheng. He said to Junior Leopard, “Okay, boy, your mission is over. Are you going inside to have a look or leaving with me?”
“Of course I’ll leave with you. I’ve been starving for three days!” Relieved, Junior Leopard stood up. There was nothing about the underground fire vein that kept him there. He had planned on not going in anyway, especially since there was someone who he very much disliked inside.
So he followed after Wang She without hesitation. He gestured for Pei Zheng, who looked pale, to go in as he left. “I’m sorry, this senior. Help yourself!”
What he basically meant that he had done his job and Pei Zheng was free to go in if he wanted. Pei Zheng sighed as he watched Wang She and Junior Leopard’s retreating figures. He turned to look down at the entrance to the underground fire vein. It was emitting strange red light like it was the large mouth of a monster. He stared at the entrance for a while, before shaking his head and leaving stoutly.
The conversation between Junior Leopard and Wang She earlier made him feel uneasy. If he did not misunderstand them, there should be another person in the fire vein underground.
He did not have the mood to care who the person was, if Wang She brought him in, or the relationship between them. He had met too many accidents today. Besides, he had already made it here so he knew what was actually going on. Even he went back now, he would be able to explain it. The information he had received from the two persons earlier was enough for him to call it a day.
…
…
The atmosphere was somewhat depressing and strange.
This building was the branch of the Wu Family in Zhonghe Prefecture and also one of the few architectures left unransacked by the Sect of Flame.
As one of the four smelting families in Great Jin, the Wu Family enjoyed privileges not only in Great Jin, but also before the Sect of Flame.
Thus, except Supervisor Wu’s residence, all the Wu Family estates in Zhonghe Prefecture were safe. The storehouse filled with weapons was also untouched, safe and sound without losing even one kitchen knife.
There was a table in the hall. Some people were sitting around it, while others were standing.
They were Jin Nanqing, Zhou Zhengming, Little Lou, and the other three disciples who left with Junior Leopard.
“So, Zhou Bao has reached Level Three!”
The old man sitting at the table gave a light sigh, breaking the long and uncomfortable silence.
“Yes!” Jin Nanqing raised his head to look at the old man, a flash of helpless in his eyes. “I saw him breaking into Level Three from Level Two during the fight!”
“And he cleared the Punching Spirit!” The old man said quietly to himself, glancing at the other old man beside him. The latter was sipping the tea, looking leisurely and at peace. But he knew that old thing probably got excited about this event to even remember his name. He asked, “He saved you from the underground fire vein and then returned there. Are you sure he’s still alive?”
“His cultivation is already beyond our imagination. I don’t think the underground fire vein can defeat him!” Jin Nanqing said seriously, with the kind of conviction that surprised even himself.
The old man did not question any further and the hall fell into an uncomfortable silence once again.
It was the fifth day since Zhonghe City was captured. The underground fire vein was no longer a secret. None of the four smelting families could ignore such a big event. After all, no one knew better than them what it could bring them.
However, Zhonghe City was located in Qianzhou, too far away from Yunzhou. So it was difficult for the Wu Family to seek profit from the underground fire vein. Therefore, when they first learned this information, they were rather conflicted. Though they had no great hope, they still sent some elders to see if they could reap some profit out of it. They did not realize they had somehow gained a lead in this event until they arrived in the city. They owed this to the investigation task they sent in advance.
As an Inner Core disciple who had never left the sect, Junior Leopard won the first-class merit in the siege by being the first to break the city gate. He then entered the underground fire vein with Wang She from Tian Long Taoism and even saved the lives of other disciples. His experience seemed like something out of an unofficial novel. However the other disciples of the Wu family proved it true. Therefore they changed their minds and started making a new plan to get even more profit from the underground fire vein. But various news spread like wildfire before they could do anything.
Knowing the situation in the underground fire vein, the other three melting families would definitely not stand idly. With their geographical advantage, their elders and experts arrived in the city much earlier than the people from Wu Family. So they entered the fire vein earlier. That was why the Elders of Wu family, who had been happy earlier, received an even more unbelievable piece of news.
To everyone’s surprise, Junior Leopard was sitting in a narrow passageway to stop anyone from entering the underground fire vein. He did this because Wang She from Tian Long Taoism was wounded after defeating Prince Xiaoming from Sect of Flame and needed to heal himself in the geocentric fire vein. Nobody was allowed to disturb him or they will have to pay the price with their lives.
Before this news became known, everyone in Zhonghe Prefecture had heard that Prince Xiaoming from Sect of Flame broke into Level Nine and killed not only the people from Military Camp, but also Wang She, the leader of Tian Long Taoism in the underground fire vein.
This news was also ridiculous. It was not that easy to kill an expert on Level Eight. Even if Prince Xiaoming had indeed reached Level Nine, it was still not easy for him to kill Wang She.
Besides, it was said that Sect of Flame spread this news. Most people did not believe it because they thought it was just a way for the sect to hide their failure.
However the previous news was different. It came from Luo Family and Jian Family. When they heard people from Wu Family had arrived in the city, they even sent their people to determine the accuracy of the news. Based on the descriptions of the boy who stopped them, they were sure it was Junior Leopard. Now the two families had gone to General Li Yuan to accuse Wu Family of dominating the entire profit of the underground fire vein with cunning intentions.
This charge was of course groundless. Even if Wu Family did send Junior Leopard, at most he was trying to gain the biggest share of the profits for his Family. Only idiots would think of dominating the entire profits of the underground fire vein.
Thus Li Yuan gained a favorable impression of Junior Leopard and dismissed the charge without hesitation. He said that the underground fire vein was a property of the imperial court and belonged to Great Jin. He would not interfere before the imperial court demonstrated a clear stance or issue any commands.
The helpless two families began arguing back and forth with Wu Family. The elders could not bear the pressure so they chose to go to the fire vein and see for themselves. When they walked to the entrance to the fire vein, they saw a wounded Pei Zheng coming out of it. When he learned of their intentions, he smiled bitterly and told them what he saw and heard in the passage.
This way, Wu Family could rid of the accusation, since they all knew Zhou Bao was working under Wang She’s orders. Even if they were displeased, the two families would not dare to offend him.
Not to mention, it was shameful for a boy with Level Three cultivation to force an elder like him out of the passage and even wound him. Since he was destined to be humiliated in front of Wu Family, he might as well admit everything. There would be chances to redeem his pride in the future.
Most importantly, Junior Leopard and Wang She had already left the underground fire vein and there were no obstacles in the passageway. There was no better time to enter than now.
The Elders of Wu Family no longer had any interest in poking their noses into this business.
It had been over a month since Sect of Flame found the underground fire vein. After the sect’s extortion over such a long period, nothing valuable was left in the underground fire vein, except for spiritual stones of Fire Attribute.
If Pei Zheng was telling the truth, there should be basically no spiritual stones left as Wang She had given 19 of them to Junior Leopard at once. Even in the biggest underground fire vein found in Great Jin, there were only 57 spiritual stones of Fire Attribute. Considering the 19 stones Wang She had given away, including his own and those Sect of Flame had taken, one would be lucky to find even one or two if they go in right now. Since Wu Family had already gained the best part, they did not need to fight with the two families for unworthy benefits.
The biggest problem now was the lack of news about Junior Leopard and Wang She since leaving the cave yesterday.
This was the most important.
“Brother Xu, Zhou Bao is your disciple. What do you think?”
“What should I think?” Xu Yong smiled lightly. “He’s indeed my disciple, but he’s taken away by Chief Wang. Going by Pei Zheng’s words, Chief Wang wouldn’t hurt him. As to when he’ll return, it’ll certainly depend on Chief Wang’s mood.”