NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71:
Chapter 71:
At the site of the northern mines, spiritual energy surged skyward, accompanied by astonishing phenomena.
When Xiao Yang arrived, he was stunned by the sight before him.
The entire northern mining area had vanished, replaced by a massive, pitch-black chasm. Countless flashes of light flickered near the entrance of the abyss—visible spiritual energy of remarkable purity.
Rich, concentrated spiritual energy flowed out from the chasm, spreading in all directions. The spiritual energy density across the surrounding ten-thousand-mile radius was increasing at an alarming rate.
Xiao Yang was astonished.
At this rate, it wouldn’t take long for this area to transform into a blessed land of cultivation.
The Xiao family had narrowly escaped disaster. If Xiao Zhenshan and the others had not rescued the Xiao family members from the mines in time, Xiao Zhenhai and the others would have perished. The erupting spiritual energy had obliterated the entire mining area, leaving no chance of survival for those caught within.
From a distance, Xiao Yang noticed Qin Fei approaching a small stone hill. Qin Fei seemed to be heading toward Jiang Ting and the other junior disciples on the hill, but the enforcement elder, Lei Lie, was nowhere to be seen.
Qin Fei spotted Xiao Yang as well.
“Xiao Yang…” Qin Fei’s expression darkened.
He was deeply unwilling to accept this outcome. Truly, human plans were no match for the will of heaven.
Who could have predicted that the ground vein beneath the northern mines would suddenly be breached, causing a surge of spiritual energy and this miraculous phenomenon? Who could have anticipated that Gui Yijian would abandon his pursuit of Xiao Yang so abruptly?
Once again, Xiao Yang had escaped death.
Still, Qin Fei remained confident that his opportunities would come. His injuries from Lin Wangchuan’s earlier attack had healed, and he no longer moved like a crab. Though if he wished to fully restore his, ahem, functionality, his injuries would need to be rebroken and healed anew through specialized treatments.
Qin Fei flashed a taunting look at Xiao Yang, pointed toward the stone hill, and ascended it with a leap.
The area around the northern mines was now teeming with people. Cultivators from all directions had gathered, drawn by the remarkable spiritual energy emanating from the chasm.
On the stone hill, Jiang Ting, Song Qiang, and Lin Wangchuan stared in awe at the endless flow of spiritual energy surging from the chasm below.
Though tempted, no one dared venture into the abyss without understanding the risks. However, the surrounding spiritual energy was so dense that many cultivators simply sat down to meditate, absorbing it directly to refine their cultivation.
“Junior Brother, why are you only arriving now?” Second Senior Brother Zheng Fan asked, glancing at Qin Fei.
“Junior Brother, where did you run off to this morning? Didn’t I tell you not to wander off?” Jiang Ting approached, her tone scolding.
“And why isn’t your Void Mirror activated? Without it, how am I supposed to locate you immediately?” Jiang Ting added.
“When I heard the commotion earlier, I rushed out to investigate and got lost in the chaos. I forgot to activate my Void Mirror in my panic. Senior Sister, I won’t be so reckless again,” Qin Fei replied with a hint of feigned remorse.
“Don’t wander off again. It’s dangerous here,” Jiang Ting said, her tone softening.
“Then I’ll stay by Senior Sister’s side from now on. You have to protect me, okay?” Qin Fei said with a playful smile.
“Of course, I’ll protect you,” Jiang Ting replied with a smile.
“What a touching display of affection,” Xiao Yang remarked as he climbed the stone hill step by step.
Jiang Ting’s face turned cold at the sight of Xiao Yang. “What are you implying, Senior Brother? Is it wrong to care for my junior brother?”
“Who you care for is your business. It has nothing to do with me,” Xiao Yang replied indifferently.
“You… Hmph!” Jiang Ting turned her head away in frustration.
“Senior Brother!” The other disciples greeted Xiao Yang with respect.
“Holy Son, why are you only arriving now?” Lin Wangchuan asked with a smile as he approached.
“Are you all right, Senior Brother?” Song Qiang asked, noticing Xiao Yang’s somber expression. His gaze instinctively flicked toward Jiang Ting and Qin Fei, suspecting that their closeness had upset Xiao Yang.
“It’s nothing. My grandfather’s grave was just desecrated,” Xiao Yang said coldly, his gaze fixed on Qin Fei.
“What?”
Everyone was stunned.
“Someone desecrated Senior Brother’s grandfather’s grave? Senior Brother’s grandfather is also my adopted grandfather! Tell me who did it, and I’ll tear them to shreds!” Qin Fei said with a mocking smile as he looked at Xiao Yang.
The others were incensed.
“Defiling a grave… Such people are worse than beasts!” Song Qiang spat angrily.
“Junior Brother, wouldn’t you agree that those who desecrate graves are worse than pigs and dogs?” Xiao Yang’s cold gaze bore into Qin Fei.
“Senior Brother, why are you staring at Junior Brother? He didn’t desecrate your grandfather’s grave,” Jiang Ting said defensively, stepping in front of Qin Fei.
“Junior Brother, you still haven’t answered. Aren’t those people worse than pigs and dogs?” Xiao Yang pressed, his eyes burning with barely contained fury.
Now wasn’t the time. Killing Qin Fei outright would be too easy. Xiao Yang wanted Qin Fei to rise to the peak of his life before crushing him completely, plunging him into despair and madness, making him suffer the most excruciating torment imaginable.
“Senior Sister, have I somehow upset Senior Brother again?” Qin Fei said weakly, feigning innocence.
Xiao Yang inwardly sneered at Qin Fei’s act.
“Senior Brother, what are you trying to do?” Jiang Ting snapped, mistaking Xiao Yang’s anger for hostility toward Qin Fei.
“Those who desecrate graves deserve to die!” Xiao Yang said through gritted teeth.
“Yes, they do. But it has nothing to do with me!” Qin Fei exclaimed, putting on a frightened, pitiful expression.
“Senior Brother, if you keep this up, I’ll stop speaking to you entirely!” Jiang Ting said angrily, pointing at Xiao Yang. She was still resentful over the public slap he’d given her during the sect competition.
“SLAP!”
Without a word, Xiao Yang raised his hand and struck Jiang Ting again.
The group was stunned.
Senior Brother had slapped Junior Sister again?
For the second time?
“You hit me again!” Jiang Ting exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Jiang Ting’s voice choked as her eyes reddened with tears.
“Do you think you can point your finger at me and get away with it?” Xiao Yang said coldly.
Seeing Jiang Ting’s tear-streaked face, once enough to break his heart, now left him completely indifferent.
Qin Fei froze in disbelief.
“I’ve said it before—no one in this lifetime can bully or humiliate me again. Not even you. If you dare point your finger at me again, I’ll slap you every time.”
Xiao Yang was no longer lenient with Jiang Ting.
The woman he had once cherished like a treasure was now nothing more than mud beneath his feet.
“You…” Jiang Ting’s face burned with anger, shame, and humiliation.
“Senior Brother, it’s all my fault. Please don’t hit Junior Sister. If you must, take it out on me!” Qin Fei stepped forward, shielding Jiang Ting behind him with a resolute expression.
Xiao Yang nearly gagged at the sight.
What a touching display of sibling affection—protecting each other, so united, so loving!
“SLAP!”
Xiao Yang’s hand flew out, striking Qin Fei across the face with a resounding crack.
The slap was heavy, snapping Qin Fei’s head to the side. His left cheek swelled immediately, a perfect imprint of Xiao Yang’s fingers left behind.
Qin Fei was utterly stunned. He had never expected Xiao Yang to actually hit him.
The other disciples were equally shocked.
“You all saw it—he practically begged me to hit him. Who am I to refuse such a request?” Xiao Yang shrugged, his tone nonchalant.
Everyone was left speechless.
“Junior Brother, you’re bleeding…” Jiang Ting’s heart ached as she saw blood at the corner of Qin Fei’s mouth.
“Senior Sister, I don’t know what I did wrong. I know Senior Brother is grieving and furious over his ancestral grave being desecrated, but he shouldn’t take it out on me!” Qin Fei’s voice trembled as he played the victim, though a flicker of malice glinted in his eyes.
“I never said it was my ancestral grave,” Xiao Yang said coldly, casting a piercing glance at Qin Fei.
“Uh…” Qin Fei froze, his expression briefly twisting before he quickly masked it with his pitiful facade.
But Jiang Ting’s anger flared at Xiao Yang’s words.
“Senior Brother!” she shouted, clenching her fists and stepping toward him in fury.
“Junior Sister!” Ye Qingyao and Yun Qianxue quickly grabbed Jiang Ting, holding her back.
“Senior Brother, you should leave now,” Zheng Fan interjected, stepping forward to mediate.
Xiao Yang glanced at Zheng Fan, then at the fuming Jiang Ting.
Shaking his head, he turned and strode toward the enormous chasm ahead.
“Senior Brother, you can’t! The enforcement elder instructed us to wait here. He’s already gone inside!” Song Qiang exclaimed in alarm.
“You can wait for him if you like,” Xiao Yang replied without stopping.
As he neared the chasm, the surge of pure spiritual energy greeted him, filling his senses with clarity and vigor. The tension in his chest eased after slapping Jiang Ting and Qin Fei, but he had more important matters to focus on now.
He was here to claim something valuable.
Who would’ve thought such a pristine ground vein was hidden in these mountains?
Fools waiting for the enforcement elder would find the treasures already looted.
In his previous life, this ground vein’s discovery had drawn countless powerful figures, sparking fierce battles. The Guiyuan Martial Sect, the Soaring Sword Sect, and even the Demonic Sect had sent experts to compete for its riches. The Demonic Sect had exploited the chaos to sow discord among the major factions, eventually leading to widespread conflict in the northern territories.
As Xiao Yang entered the chasm, Qin Fei stood outside, clutching his swollen face, his expression venomous.
Xiao Yang, oh Xiao Yang… You reject heaven’s path and insist on barging into hell.
A sinister smile spread across Qin Fei’s face. Gui Yijian and even a Divine Martial Realm Demon Lord from the Demonic Sect had already entered the ground vein. Xiao Yang’s fate was sealed—death awaited him.
“What now?” Song Qiang asked nervously.
“What can we do? Senior Brother is the Holy Son. He doesn’t have to follow the enforcement elder’s orders. Are we to defy them ourselves?” Zheng Fan replied coolly.
“I hope he dies in there and never comes out,” Jiang Ting muttered angrily.
“Junior Sister, how can you say that?” Song Qiang frowned in disapproval.
“Hmph!” Jiang Ting scoffed, refusing to say more. Qin Fei’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He could already see that Jiang Ting’s resentment toward Xiao Yang had grown.
“Ha! You all can stay here and wait. I’m going in!” Lin Wangchuan laughed, leaping into the air and riding his sword toward the chasm.
“This…” The others were taken aback.
“Junior Brother Lin, wait for me!” Song Qiang gritted his teeth and followed suit, flying after Lin Wangchuan.
“They’ve all gone mad!” Lei Renjie fumed. “Disobeying the enforcement elder’s orders—unbelievable!”
“People have their own ambitions. If they want to take the risk, it’s their choice. Why get angry over it?” Zheng Fan said calmly.
“I suppose you’re right,” Lei Renjie replied, his anger subsiding slightly.
…
Inside the chasm, Xiao Yang stood on a protruding rock, gazing down into the depths. The air around him shimmered with dense spiritual energy, glowing faintly like fireflies. With each breath, the spiritual energy flowed into his body, revitalizing him.
This place was comparable to the most sacred cultivation grounds of any sect.
In his previous life, the treasures within this ground vein had drawn countless powerful individuals, only to be destroyed in the chaos caused by the Demonic Sect. The conflict had led to countless deaths, including a half-step Saint Martial Realm expert from the Soaring Sword Sect.
“What are you two doing here?” Xiao Yang asked as Lin Wangchuan and Song Qiang approached.
“The others were too scared to enter, but I figured it would be fun to follow you, Senior Brother!” Lin Wangchuan said, his eyes wandering curiously around the cavern.
“What about you?” Xiao Yang asked Song Qiang.
“With more people, we can watch each other’s backs,” Song Qiang replied.
“Very well. Dragon’s den or tiger’s lair, we’ll face it together as brothers,” Xiao Yang said, patting their shoulders before leaping off the rock and flying deeper into the chasm on his sword.
“Wait for me, Senior Brother!” Lin Wangchuan called, quickly following him.
Song Qiang hesitated briefly, then gritted his teeth and leaped after them, his sword carrying him into the depths alongside Xiao Yang and Lin Wangchuan. Together, they descended into the mysteries of the ground vein.