The Spirit Mine flashed with an alluring radiance, resembling a colossal gemstone embedded in the earth.
"We hit the jackpot!" Jiang Ye rubbed his hands together, practically itching to rush forward and hug the glowing treasure.
Before he could even take a step, a faint golden halo rippled across the surface of the Spirit Mine like a massive protective shield.
Refusing to believe it, Jiang Ye reached out to probe it, but the moment his fingertip touched the halo, a powerful force bounced him right back.
"Ouch, what the heck!" He clutched his finger and let out a weird yelp, "This thing is electrified!"
No sooner had his voice trailed off than a furry figure darted out from the cave behind the Spirit Mine, moving with lightning speed.
"What on earth is that!" Startled, Jiang Ye instinctively ducked behind Yè Shūlí.
Appearing before them was a small, snow-white beast about the size of an oversized cat, with a single golden horn upon its forehead. A pair of emerald-green eyes stared at them vigilantly as it emitted a low growl.
"It must be the Spirit Beast guarding the Spirit Mine." Yè Shūlí recognized the creature at once, a bad premonition sinking in her heart.
According to cliché, a fierce battle should follow next.
Yet before she could even ready herself for combat, Jiang Ye suddenly leaped out from behind her and began performing a comical dance at the Guardian Beast.
One moment he mimicked a monkey scratching an itch, the next he imitated a duck waddling, all the while chanting, "Little white cat, little white cat, we're all good friends..."
Yè Shūlí: "???" What kind of bizarre maneuver was this?
The Guardian Beast was also stunned, its emerald eyes filled with confusion. Its attack posture came to a halt as it tilted its head and stared at Jiang Ye, looking as though it were watching an idiot.
Yè Shūlí pressed a hand to her forehead, and taking advantage of the beast being distracted by Jiang Ye, she began closely observing the environment around the Spirit Mine.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, her gaze locking onto an inconspicuous patch of grass near the cave entrance...
"Jiang Ye," Yè Shūlí lowered her voice, "keep going, don't stop!" Seizing the moment while the Guardian Beast remained captivated by Jiang Ye's mesmerizing dance, Yè Shūlí moved with lightning speed and quickly harvested a few stalks of the unremarkable herbs.
The herb was called Soul-Entrancing Herb. Though it had little effect on humans, it possessed a peculiar attraction for Spirit Beasts.
She remembered reading in some ancient text that this grass was an absolute favorite of certain Spirit Beasts, rivaling the effect of catnip on felines.
"Eat this, kitty cat!" Yè Shūlí tossed the Soul-Entrancing Herb far into the distance.
The herb traced a graceful arc through the air, releasing a faint, refreshing fragrance.
The beast took the bait instantly. Its emerald eyes were drawn to the Soul-Entrancing Herb in an instant, and as if fitted with an autopilot, it trotted off happily in pursuit of the flying herb.
"Woohoo! We're flying!" Only then did Jiang Ye stop his eyesore of a dance, letting out a long breath. "Līlī, your trick is seriously top-tier!"
The two quickly entered the cave.
Inside, Spirit Crystals flashed like stars fallen to the mortal realm.
"So many Spirit Crystals! It's blinding my dog eyes!" Jiang Ye exaggeratedly shouted, immediately launching into a frantic harvesting spree.
Yè Shūlí joined the collection effort as well. Though thrilled inside, she maintained her aloof demeanor on the outside.
Just as the two were busy at work, a rough voice shattered the cave's tranquility: "Hand over the Spirit Crystals!" A burly, fierce-looking man blocked the cave entrance—none other than the rogue cultivator Wáng Měng.
He stared greedily at the glowing Spirit Crystals Yè Shūlí had just harvested, practically drooling.
"Little girl, be smart and hand them over obediently, and this granddaddy might spare you some physical pain!"
"You? You think you're worthy?" Yè Shūlí sneered, glancing at him with utter contempt.
The Spirit Crystal in her hand spun nimbly at her fingertips like a provocation.
"If you won't drink a toast, you'll be forced to drink a forfeit!" Wáng Měng roared, brandishing his massive saber as he lunged straight at Yè Shūlí.
Seeing this, a seductive smile curved the corner of Jiang Ye's lips, and his figure flashed...
"Kid, get lost! Don't get in the way!"
With a flash, Jiang Ye stepped up to meet Wáng Měng's attack.
Despite looking thick-limbed and strong as an ox, Wáng Měng found himself repeatedly forced back by Jiang Ye after just a few exchanges.
"Damn, this brute is actually pretty strong!" Jiang Ye complained internally while nimbly dodging Wáng Měng's onslaught.
Though Wáng Měng's attacks were fierce, they were completely devoid of method, resembling a berserk beast that only knew how to charge blindly.
While appearing to be outmatched, Jiang Ye's eyes darted around slyly, as if hatching some mischievous scheme.
Suddenly, Jiang Ye's foot slipped. Faking a direct hit from Wáng Měng, he stumbled backward, landing right beside a narrow crevice in the Spirit Mine.
Moving with lightning speed, he squeezed right through.
"Huh? Where'd he go?" Taken aback, Wáng Měng walked up to the crevice, only to find his bulky physique completely unable to fit inside.
"Kid, if you've got guts, come out!" Wáng Měng roared furiously at the gap, but could only glare helplessly.
Seeing this, the surrounding rogue cultivators began jeering: "Ha, this kid is pretty slick!"
"Wáng Měng, looks like you're having quite the day!"
"Wáng Měng, are you even capable of anything?"
Taking advantage of Wáng Měng's momentary distraction, Yè Shūlí sneered as she snuck up behind him, picked up a stone, and smashed it hard against the back of his head.
"Ouch!" Letting out a miserable cry, Wáng Měng pitched forward and collapsed to the ground.
At the sight of this, Jiang Ye darted out from the crevice and retrieved the Spirit Crystals Wáng Měng had snatched.
"Līlī, nicely done!" He gave Yè Shūlí a thumbs-up.
"With that pathetic skill, you dare come out robbing? Absolutely laughable." Yè Shūlí cast a disdainful glance at Wáng Měng, who lay wailing on the ground, and tucked the Spirit Crystals away.
"Līlī, let's keep going!" Jiang Ye rubbed his hands excitedly, eager to resume gathering more resources.
"Wait..." Yè Shūlí suddenly sensed something amiss. The ground beneath them seemed to be trembling slightly...
"Something doesn't feel right..."
"Damn it! Is there an earthquake?!" Jiang Ye let out a panicked yelp, covering his head as he scrambled blindly.
Chunks of rock rained down from the ceiling, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Yè Shūlí, however, remained exceptionally calm. Her gaze swept rapidly across her surroundings as her brain worked at lightning speed, analyzing the structure of the mine shaft.
Back when they first came in, she had noticed an inconspicuous gap in the cave. Judging by the airflow and the terrain's gradient, it was highly likely a hidden passageway.
"Don't panic! Follow me!" Yè Shūlí grabbed Jiang Ye by the collar and hauled him along toward the route etched in her memory.
"Līlī, are you sure about this? It's pitch black here, don't lead us into a dead end!" Jiang Ye complained while running behind her.
"Stop nagging! Trust me!" Yè Shūlí snapped back impatiently.
The two shuttled through the narrow mine shaft while falling rocks grew increasingly dense overhead, threatening to bury them alive at any second.
"Līlī, I feel like I'm suffocating!" A tremor laced Jiang Ye's voice.
At the eleventh hour, Yè Shūlí finally located the hidden passageway.
Without hesitation, she pulled Jiang Ye inside with her.
The passage was narrow, deep, and pitch black.
Not long after entering, a flicker of light suddenly appeared ahead.
Elation washed over them, prompting them to quicken their pace.
However, when they stepped out of the passageway and beheld the scene before them, they froze instantly.
The exit of the channel led directly to a spacious cavern.
At the center of the cavern sat a mountain of Spirit Crystals, radiating a dazzling glow.
An elderly man with white hair stood with his back to them, hands clasped behind his back, seemingly admiring the magnificent sight.
"Ahem..." Yè Shūlí gave a light cough, shattering the silence of the cavern.
The old man slowly turned around, revealing a face covered in wrinkles.
He looked at the Spirit Crystals in Yè Shūlí and Jiang Ye's hands, a glint of greed flashing across his turbid eyes.
"You youngsters have decent luck." The old man spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and deep. "However, I'll graciously take these Spirit Crystals off your hands." This old man was none other than Elder Sūn, who oversaw mining affairs for the local sect.
Yè Shūlí and Jiang Ye exchanged glances, each seeing a trace of solemnity in the other's eyes.
"Old man..." Yè Shūlí smiled faintly, though her expression carried an imperceptible chill. "You're dreaming..."