Once they heard his bellow, the miners in the cave poured out.
To be honest, it was difficult to mine Blazing Thunder Crystals. Although it was known as a Blazing Thunder Crystal vein, there was still a lot of normal rock in the region. Only one crystal appeared amidst countless rocks, and only one Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul would appear amidst countless crystals, so the crystal soul was extremely precious. Only two souls had been found in such a gigantic mine.
The legendary prodigy from Yuanling City had arrived. The miners finally had a chance to rest, so they looked happy. Their eyes were filled with reverence when they saw the fairy-like Li Ziling, though there was also a hint of greed.
The people of the lower levels of society dreamt of having a girl like her.
“Is that Miss Ziling of the Dawn Trading Alliance? She’s as pretty as a fairy.”
“Don’t speak like that! Be careful, or your head will be gone. Do you think you have the right to talk about Miss Ziling?”
Li Ziling’s face did not change despite hearing conversations like this. She had become sick of praises like that after so many years.
She looked at the dirty miners coldly. The iciness in her eyes made their scalps go numb.
After a while, the mines were basically empty, though before that, one of the emissaries gave her a map of the mines. She studied it for a while, memorizing the location of the crystal soul.
“This Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul is much deeper than the one I used. It was only three hundred meters deep last time, I think? This time, we’ll have to walk six hundred meters into the mines,” she said mildly.
“The Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul is extremely rare; it is impossible for two to appear in the same location. The Blazing Thunder Crystals and the crystal soul are closely related. It is the energy radiating from the crystal soul that turns regular stone into Blazing Thunder Crystals …” explained one of the emissaries.
Long Chen listened to every word they uttered.
“Six hundred meters deep …” He made some calculations privately, now with a rough idea of its location.
After chatting with the emissaries for a little, Li Ziling pursed her pink lips and called Li Qingling over before entering the cave.
Long Chen’s guess was correct. The Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul had indeed been prepared for Li Qingling.
His head still resembled a pig’s head as he had just been beaten up by Mo Xiaolang, so he looked comical. Many people kept pointing and talking about him along the way. Being an arrogant person, he obviously could not swallow his anger. As he followed Li Ziling into the mines, all he thought about was finding Long Chen and Mo Xiaolang in Fire Thunder Town after he merged with the crystal soul. At the very least, he had to kill them.
Never in my life has anyone dared to slap me in the face! You two have a death wish! Li Qingling thought to himself as he walked.
“Qingling, you said just now that it was two teenagers that beat you up? And they looked like they were roughly your age?” asked Li Qingling, who was walking ahead.
“Yeah! I don’t know where those two brats came from. Their cultivation is decent, though they only got a chance to hit me because I was careless,” answered Li Qingling.
“You’re almost as strong as Dongfang Tianchen and the rest from the Lingwu family. However, they have Earth-tier weapons, so you are no match for them. The two attackers aren’t from the four inner families, so I’m guessing they’re Long Chen and Mo Xiaolang. They have been the recent hot topic of Yuanling City.” There was a cold flash in her eyes when she mentioned their names.
“It was them? How could they be so strong?” Li Qingling had also heard their names a few times. Long Chen was ranked lower than himself on the Potential Ranking Board.
“Mo Xiaolang is indeed a strong opponent. However, the representatives of the Lingwu family aren’t that strong. Our main enemy is Yan Danqing of the Beast Soul Palace. Once you have merged with the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul, you will be strong enough to help me face him. That is why we must succeed,” said Li Ziling with furrowed brows.
“I understand.” His older sister went on ahead, her beautiful figure swaying as she walked. Li Qingling’s eyes were fixed on her bottom, and he took a few gulps.
Once I merge with the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul and attain the late Heavenly Core Realm, I shall be the number one prodigy of Yuanling City. Once that happens, pretty girls on my sister’s level will all jump into my arms!
Six hundred meters.
Based on their speed when they entered the mine, Li Ziling and Li Qingling would need about fifteen minutes to arrive. Seven minutes after they disappeared inside, Long Chen smirked and patted Mo Xiaolang, saying, “The five emissaries did not follow them. That is a good thing. The two siblings are probably halfway there already, so they won’t be able to hear the fighting outside. I will rush in, and you’ll help me block off the entrance. Don’t let anyone in, and at the same time, do your best to suppress the noise level. Is that alright?”
“I understand. Big Brother, go get the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul and leave the rest to me. With me here, I guarantee the duo won’t hear anything from outside.” This was Mo Xiaolang’s first time doing such an exciting thing, so he was clearly thrilled.
“That’s good, but be careful. The five late Heavenly Core Realm emissaries also have a thousand blue-armored guards with them. And they’re all decent fighters!” reminded Long Chen.
“The mouth of the cave isn’t large. If I stand there, it will be very effective in blocking them out. Don’t worry. If I can’t take it anymore, I can call for you, right?” Mo Xiaolang said solemnly.
Long Chen thought for a moment and agreed. Mo Xiaolang’s true capabilities were far from what he could see right now. That was why he nodded and gave him a look for them to act now.
At this moment, the five emissaries were sitting in a pavilion, drinking tea and chatting away. The blue-armored guards were guarding the mine tightly.
“Everyone, do you think the Dawn Trading Alliance stands a huge chance in the Mayor’s Battle?”
“That’s difficult to say. The Dawn Trading Alliance will rely on Ziling and Qingling. The Beast Soul Palace only has one person, Yan Danqing, while the Lingwu family doesn’t have anyone outstanding other than Mo Xiaolang from one of the outer families. Everything is unpredictable right now.”
“I heard that Mo Xiaolang has just stepped into the late Heavenly Core Realm, and also recently got the Heavenly Wolf Dagger. He isn’t as strong as Miss Ziling, who merged with the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul a long time ago. I’m speechless that he is ranked above her on the Potential Ranking Board.”
“I agree. The only person stronger than her in Yuanling City is Yan Danqing, who has the Peak Essence Beast’s Beast Soul. That brat has been at the late Heavenly Core Realm for a while. I think he will be her largest obstacle at the ancient ruins.”
While they were chatting casually, they suddenly heard a few cries. Several blue-armored guards flew in the air, and when they landed, half of their faces were swollen and they rolled on the ground in agony.
“What’s going on?” The five emissaries were shocked and jumped from their seats. When they looked up, they saw two teenagers sprinting towards the mouth of the cave. By then, they had already beaten up many guards and were approaching the mines.
“Brats! This is the Dawn Trading Alliance’s territory! This is trespassing; do you have a death wish?” one of them yelled sternly. While they tried to scare the duo, they were sprinting madly towards them.
“Idiots. My brother shall greet you all well.” Long Chen laughed, then he accelerated and rushed into the cave. Mo Xiaolang, to everyone’s surprise, stood at the mouth of the cave and turned around, staring at the emissaries mildly.
“These two teenagers seem to be the brats that Young Master Li Qingling described. How bold of them to attack the Dawn Trading Alliance! They must have a death wish. Brothers, let’s kill the brat!”
“Yes! We must kill them! Don’t let them disturb Miss Ziling and delay her efforts!”
The five of them formed a row and closed in on Long Chen and Mo Xiaolang, though only Mo Xiaolang greeted them. He stood at the mouth of the cave without a hint of fear on his face, as if the five emissaries were just five dogs.
I’ll play with you while my Big Brother gets the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul. I haven’t sparred to my heart’s content for a very long time, so you guys will be my punching bags for now. The Qi of a late Heavenly Core Realm cultivator exploded from his body as he blocked the path of the five people so Long Chen could pull a larger distance between them.
Long Chen trusted Mo Xiaolang to keep them occupied.
Xiaolang said that the girl will be temporarily weak after she suppresses the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul. She’ll only have Li Qingling with her, so it won’t be impossible for me to snatch the crystal soul from them. If I really want to shine at the ancient ruins and win the Immortal Guard position, I must take this risk.
Risks had to be taken in order to achieve great things. This was a concept as old as time.
Li Qingling and Li Ziling walked six hundred meters, but Long Chen ran. After about ten breaths, he had already covered three hundred meters and could no longer hear the commotion outside. He could faintly feel the temperature increasing with hints of lightning appearing in the air. Faint flames covered the cave’s walls.
When he could faintly hear the duo’s conversation and sense their auras, he slowed down. Wrapping the bottom of his feet with Qi, he slowly crept nearer. Li Ziling’s fragrance lingered in the air, so Long Chen easily found his way through the caves.
At that point, he could clearly hear their conversation.
After a while, the chatter ended, but he heard what sounded like low exhales. Lightning crackled in the air, and Long Chen guessed that they had reached the crystal soul. He crept up carefully and indeed, he found himself in a circular cave. Li Qingling was watching anxiously while Li Ziling suppressed the legendary Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul in the center.