Chapter 170: The Mine Tunnel
The spirit ore in this mine was enough for the demon hunters to live comfortably for ten years. Yet, if it fell into the hands of the Qian Family, they would grow stronger and, in turn, use that strength to oppress the demon hunters.
Though the spirit ore was important, the matter of the escape tunnel took precedence.
After all, the mine tunnel determined whether everyone could retreat safely. Elder Yu could distinguish which was the heavier and which was the lighter matter.
He thus ordered everyone to focus on digging the mine tunnel first. A few days later, when it was finally complete, and their escape route was secured, the demon hunters turned back to mining the spirit ore.
Elder Yu's stinginess was put to full use. Every day, he wandered the mine, scraping bits of ore from the walls with his fingers and stowing them away in his storage pouch.
As Elder Yu put it, every piece that could be mined should be mined. Not a single speck was to be left for the Qian Family, he would strip the mine clean, meat and soup alike, so that even if the Qians licked the bowl, they wouldn't taste a drop!
Mo Hua looked on in deep admiration.
He had only suggested doing things thoroughly, yet Elder Yu had gone far beyond his imagination. Truly worthy of the title of Elder Yu. Mo Hua learned much from him.
However, the commotion caused by the digging of the tunnel did not escape the notice of the Qian Family cultivators.
Qian Hong quickly discerned Elder Yu's intent and ordered his men to keep watch around Great Black Mountain, seeking any sign of the demon hunters.
Excavating a tunnel was not a quiet affair.
Before long, the Qian Family did indeed discover traces of their activity.
At the edge of a pit was a cave entrance, its perimeter scattered with rubble and its opening clumsily camouflaged with grass and branches.
Qian Hong sneered inwardly. "Yu Changlin, Yu Changlin… burrowing like a rat, and in the end, you'll still end up in my grasp."
He had his men monitor the place. Yet, after several days, no demon hunter emerged.
Frowning, he ordered Qian Zhuang to take a team and investigate.
Qian Zhuang led a few cultivators into the pit, proceeding with great caution.
The tunnel was dark and damp, surrounded by loose stones, clearly newly dug.
They searched for quite some time but found nothing. No demon hunters, no traces of anyone.
Just as Qian Zhuang was puzzling over it, one of his men noticed a patch of stone wall that was lighter in color. Tapping it produced a hollow sound, indicating it was thin.
The Qian cultivators exchanged excited looks.
That meant there was an empty space beyond the wall—likely a passage—and this stone barrier was just a disguise.
The demon hunters must be hiding behind it!
Qian Zhuang led his men forward and struck the wall with all their might.
The wall collapsed, dust billowed everywhere.
When the dust cleared, what they saw was an enormous eye, the size of a bronze bell, its vertical pupil gleaming blood-red.
Qian Zhuang gasped sharply.
That was no demon hunter, it was a late-stage First-grade adult beast!
The beast's eye glimmered with confusion, fury, and bloodthirsty delight.
Confusion—because intruders had invaded its lair.
Fury—because its slumber had been disturbed.
Delight—because a meal had walked right in after it woke!
In the cramped tunnel, the beast hunted, and the Qian cultivators fled in terror.
When Qian Zhuang finally stumbled back to Qian Hong, his condition was pitiful.
Though severely injured, he was at least whole. The others were not so lucky, many had lost limbs, and several had been permanently "buried" in that pit, resting within the beast's stomach.
Even Qian Hong's usually composed face could no longer maintain calm.
Despite his deep scheming nature, his fury was uncontrollable. He gritted his teeth and spat, "Yu Changlin, you old fox! Digging a fake tunnel beside a beast's den to deceive me, too deceitful!"
The Qian disciples all bowed their heads, not daring to speak.
After a while, another disciple came to report: they had found another mine tunnel.
Qian Hong's eye twitched violently, his mind filled with doubt.
This one could be real… or it could be another of Yu Changlin's traps.
Still, having found it, he could not ignore it.
He sent more disciples to investigate, warning them to beware of lurking beasts.
As he feared, the tunnel did contain a beast.
The cultivators sent to explore came back... but not all of them.
Again, there were missing limbs, and again, several lives were lost.
Even with precautions, their efforts were meaningless before such beasts.
The tunnels connected directly to the beasts' dens. In the narrow, dim passages, cultivators were hampered, while the monsters moved freely, like fish in water.
Even experienced demon hunters required open ground, careful coordination, and the combined strength of many to slay such creatures.
The Qian Family cultivators were no demon hunters. In these confined tunnels, they were merely food.
Their desperate struggle was nothing more than the prelude to the beast's meal.
Qian Hong's blood surged. He wanted to curse Yu Changlin to the heavens, but for the dignity of a family head, he swallowed his rage, though his heart churned with unrest.
In the following days, the Qian Family discovered two more tunnels. Yet Qian Hong no longer dared to send anyone down.
He could not afford to risk more lives.
At last, he understood, Yu Changlin was a seasoned demon hunter who had spent his life in Great Black Mountain. He knew its terrain and the behavior of its beasts far better than Qian Hong ever could.
To find the true tunnel among his decoys was a fool's dream.
And each mistake cost lives, a price Qian Hong could not pay.
He might be the head of the Qian Family, but that position was not guaranteed to remain his.
His face grew dark, his brow furrowed deeply.
Qian Zhongxuan, observing nearby, could not help but sneer inwardly. So now Qian Hong finally understood what kind of man Yu Changlin was?
In truth, he rather enjoyed Qian Hong's misfortune.
The more Qian Hong failed in this operation, the less glaring Qian Zhongxuan's own failures would appear.
Conversely, if Qian Hong succeeded, Qian Zhongxuan's defeat would look even worse by comparison.
Qian Zhuang, watching him, immediately understood his thoughts and found them quite agreeable.
"If the Family Head fails, Elder Qian's loss won't matter much. And since Elder Qian has already failed, my own mistakes seem trivial… But if both the Family Head and Elder Qian fail together, then my failure is nothing at all!"
With that comforting logic, Qian Zhuang felt much better. Even the bleeding wounds on his body seemed to ache less.
Since the demon hunters' escape tunnel could not be found and ambushing them was impossible, the Qian Family had no choice but to launch a direct assault, break the formations and smash through the stone walls.
There were seven or eight mine entrances. The Qian cultivators split into teams, advancing simultaneously, intent on breaking them all open.
Once the paths were cleared, their superior numbers and supplies would easily overwhelm the exhausted demon hunters.
For several days, the Qian Family hammered relentlessly, day and night.
Qian Hong's expression remained calm, but inwardly he was burning with anxiety.
He knew that if Yu Changlin completed the mining and escaped, everything he had worked for would be ruined.
Then, with a thunderous crash, another wall collapsed.
Behind it, just as Qian Hong expected, lay yet another wall... and a third formation etched upon it.
A surge of fury nearly burst from his skull. He wanted nothing more than to tear the formation master limb from limb.
Yet there was nothing he could do. With a long breath and a bitter wave of his hand, he ordered coldly,
"Keep digging."
(End of Chapter)