A gust of wind whipped up stardust, which struck the star-iron armor with a soft, rustling sound. Halfway through the journey, the atmosphere subtly shifted.
Bai Feng stopped deliberately making things difficult for Xiao Chen. Instead, he slowed his pace and walked alongside him. The arrogance on his face faded considerably, and his tone softened: "Brother Xiao looks unfamiliar. Have you just arrived in the Chaotic Star Belt?"
Xiao Chen glanced at him. Although Bai Feng was arrogant, he was not stupid. His probing earlier had clearly made him realize that he was not an ordinary rogue cultivator.
The rules in the cultivation world have always been straightforward—if you have enough strength, you will naturally earn respect.
"Yeah, just arrived," Xiao Chen replied casually.
Bai Feng smiled and said straightforwardly, "I apologize for my rudeness earlier, Brother Xiao. It's really hard to gain a foothold in this Chaotic Star Zone without some strength. I can see that although Brother Xiao's cultivation level is not high, his aura is steady, so he must have some extraordinary abilities."
His words were half a test and half a gesture of goodwill. Having spent so much time in the Chaotic Star Belt, he knew better than anyone that the more ordinary a rogue cultivator seemed, the more likely they were to be hiding deadly moves. There was no need to make enemies for the sake of momentary pride.
Xiao Chen remained noncommittal, then asked, "Are the three major families evenly matched in Wufeng City?"
"I suppose so." When the family was mentioned, Bai Feng's face became more solemn. "The Bai family, the Shi family, and the Tang family have been standing as a three-way balance of power for almost a hundred years. Each family wants to surpass the other two, but every time they are about to succeed, the other two always join forces to suppress them."
He pointed to Shi Meng, the young man from the Shi family in front of him, and then glanced at Tang Ling, the young woman from the Tang family on his right: "That guy Shi Meng has superhuman strength and amazing talent in physical cultivation; Tang Ling is proficient in formations, and her 'Star Locking Formation' can trap and kill people in the late stage of the Dao Proving Realm. They are both like me, and they are the key people the family is cultivating. They will take over the family in the future."
Xiao Chen understood. The balance of power in a tripartite balance is the most fragile; any slight change could disrupt the situation.
"The strange phenomena in the mine..." Xiao Chen changed the subject.
“That’s the key.” Bai Feng lowered his voice, a hint of eagerness flashing in his eyes. “If it really is a treasure, whichever family it falls into might be able to break the balance.”
He paused for a moment, then explained, "In the best-case scenario, we might be able to find the 'Star Source Crystal'—a treasure that comes with Star Marrow Iron, which can directly nourish the soul. If our clan's patriarch were to use it, it might help him break through to a higher realm!"
"But Star Origin Crystals are rare; it depends on luck."
"Even if we can't find Star Origin Crystals, finding some high-grade spiritual herbs and ancient ores will be enough to boost the family's strength."
Bai Feng added, his tone full of anticipation, "So this time, all three families have gone all out, not only sending us juniors, but also inviting many independent cultivators—more manpower means more hope and more security."
Xiao Chen looked at the back of the group and saw several unfamiliar faces. Their auras were all at the mid-stage of the Dao Proving Realm. Perhaps some of them were hiding. They were obviously rogue cultivators who had accepted the mission, but he hadn't noticed them before.
At this moment, Bai Yiluo also walked over, her moon-white gauze dress fluttering gently in the strong wind. She looked at Xiao Chen with gentle eyes and said, "Mr. Xiao, my brother has troubled you a lot."
Bai Feng chuckled and didn't refute.
Bai Yiluo said softly, "Actually, this mission was something my father insisted on issuing. I originally felt that the mines were dangerous, and we shouldn't involve too many outsiders..."
Her voice lowered, tinged with helplessness: "But my father said that the more people there are, the greater the chance of finding the treasure, and the more confident we are in dealing with unexpected situations. After all, no one knows what lies deep within the mine, what if..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Xiao Chen understood. Although the three major families were in competition, they were also afraid that there were dangers deep in the mine that they couldn't handle. So they invited the rogue cultivators to explore the way and share the risks.
“Miss Bai is kind-hearted,” Xiao Chen said. Although this young woman was born into a prominent family, she doesn’t have much scheming about her, which is rare.
Bai Yilu smiled faintly: "I just feel that there is no need to let unrelated people lose their lives in vain. If Mr. Xiao feels it is dangerous, it is not too late to withdraw now. The Bai family will pay half of the reward according to the rules."
"No need," Xiao Chen shook his head. "Since I've accepted the mission, I will complete it."
He looked at the increasingly clear mine entrance in the distance. The entrance was pitch black, as if it had a suction force, and even the gale seemed to swirl around it.
"It's just ahead."
Shi Meng, the young man from the Shi family, suddenly spoke up, his voice deep and muffled, gripping the short axe in his hand even tighter. "My father said that the mine collapsed once before, and the structure inside is complex, with star beasts dwelling there. It's best not to separate once you go in."
Tang Ling, the young girl from the Tang family, played with the bell, its crisp sound spreading in the wind: "Who wants to be in a group with you? I don't want to be dragged down by a brute like you."
Despite his verbal sparring, he slowed down, clearly acquiescing to the suggestion of "not separating."
Spending more time with the people from the three major families will give you a better understanding of the mine's situation. As long as they don't cause trouble, forming a team is fine.
The team quickly arrived at the mine entrance.
The cave entrance was about ten zhang wide, with sharp stones scattered along its edges. The darkness extending inside could be vaguely seen, and a cold wind mixed with the smell of rust and fish blew out of the cave, sending chills down one's spine.
Shi Meng stepped forward, took out several "illumination beads" from his storage bag, and activated them with his spiritual power. The beads emitted a pale light, illuminating the area near the cave entrance: "I'll go scout ahead!"
"etc.
Tang Ling suddenly stopped him, tossing the bell in her hand to the ground. The bell instantly transformed into dozens of silver threads, forming a simple warning array at the cave entrance. "Set up an array first, just in case anything attacks from behind."
Bai Feng gave a signal to the guards behind him, and they immediately dispersed to guard the area around the cave entrance. The elder, who was at the peak of the Dao Inquiry realm, stood on the outermost edge, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
Bai Yiluo took out several talismans from her storage bag and handed them to Xiao Chen and Shi Tou: "These are 'evil-repelling talismans.' There may be evil things deep in the mine, so they might come in handy."
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