Powerful experts from major forces from all directions had been camping at Green Grass Prairie for days. They finally waited for the phenomenon to lift and the True Stone mine vein to emerge, only to find it completely empty inside. Who could endure this?
It was dug out!
Someone beat them here!
Various powerful experts all supported themselves against walls, their faces showing painful expressions.
From the remaining conditions in the mine pit, they had roughly estimated that a massive quantity of True Stone clusters must have existed here before.
“Who!”
Someone couldn’t control their emotions and roared, “Exactly who!”
The mine vein’s emergence created an enormous commotion.
Many powers and experts spent considerable money rushing here urgently, only to enter such a large mine vein and not see even a single True Stone—undoubtedly a heavy blow.
Count your blessings.
If Jun Changxiao hadn’t shut down the formation system in advance, forget about living True Stones—they’d probably have been blown up by now.
“Who else could it be!”
A powerful expert said coldly, “It must be the Lingyao Empress!”
The mine vein emerged right at her doorstep. The pavilion nearest the water gets the moonlight first. Anyone with a brain could figure it out.
Of course.
The experts who determined the Lingyao Empress had dug it out actually had a mentality of blaming someone, after all, with such a large mine vein beaten to by someone else, they must identify a person, even if they might be taking the fall.
“No wonder when the phenomenon rose, that woman didn’t appear. Turns out she had already dug out the mine vein and is probably secretly laughing at us right now!”
If the mine vein were still in the Jade Cauldron Mountain Range, various martial artists might not suspect the Lingyao Empress, but now it was right near the realm connection point—this was too easy to associate.
There was even a feeling of being toyed with!
“Go!”
“Let’s find her!”
Heavenly materials and earthly treasures going to the fated wasn’t wrong, but having a large True Stone mine vein completely excavated definitely made major forces unable to accept it. So everyone planned to find the Lingyao Empress and demand some travel expenses—otherwise this trip would definitely be wasted.
“Swish!”
“Swish!”
Streams of flowing light flew out from the mine vein, then suspended at the vortex connecting to the Lingyao Empress’s realm.
“What’s going on?”
“They’re not fighting over the mine vein?”
Bystanders were somewhat confused.
When a True Stone mine vein emerged, major sects inevitably had to fight to obtain mining rights. How come people just went in and flew out harmoniously?
“Wait? Why aren’t there True Stones in the mine vein?”
“Someone excavated it in advance?”
After powerful experts from major forces flew out, many people dared to release their spiritual sense into the mine pit. Seeing the empty interior, their facial expressions immediately became dazed.
Could it be…
The Lingyao Empress dug it out!
Why would bystanders think this? Because experts from various sects were all gathered at her doorstep.
“Buzz!”
Just at this moment, flowing light flickered at the vortex. The cloud-shrouded Lingyao Empress appeared out of thin air, her tone quite displeased as she said, “Rather than competing for the mine vein, what’s your intent in standing outside this Empress’s realm?”
Experts from various sects immediately became even angrier.
They felt this woman was deliberately humiliating them!
“Hmph.”
A powerful expert with a somewhat volatile temper said coldly, “You dug out all the True Stones from the mine vein. What are we supposed to fight over?”
“I dug them out?”
Because cloud and mist concealed her face, the Lingyao Empress’s appearance couldn’t be seen clearly. However, from her tone one could roughly guess she was probably somewhat confused right now.
Actually, before the mine vein emerged, she had thought it through carefully and finally decided to give up competing for it, because too many Dao-grade sects came. If things went wrong, she might offend them all.
Now look what happened.
She truly didn’t participate at all, yet they said she dug it out?
Framing? Setting her up?
“What?”
A Dao-grade sect high-ranking member said coldly, “You Lingyao Empress dare to do it but don’t dare admit it?”
“My apologies.”
The Lingyao Empress said, “This Empress didn’t dig the mine vein. Why should I admit it?” She paused, then said, “Even if I had dug it out, what could you all do about it?”
This tone—extremely domineering!
Actually, her meaning was that the mine vein was an ownerless thing. Even if she obtained it, were they planning to rob her?
However, experts from major sects unanimously determined that this woman had admitted it!
“Little girl.”
A certain sect’s high-ranking member said coldly, “Though you hold a position in the Realm Hall, don’t take yourself too seriously.”
“Someone who ascended from the lower realm a few thousand years ago managed to infiltrate the Realm Hall in such a short time—who knows what shameful methods she used,” someone beside him said disdainfully.
The Realm Hall had great deterrent power in the upper realm, but only toward lower-tier sects and rogue cultivators. Dao-grade sects didn’t take it seriously at all, unless the Ten Great Immortal Sects intervened—then they’d bow their heads.
“Women.”
“The methods for rising to power are just those, aren’t they?”
Someone sneered.
The Lingyao Empress’s tone turned icy, “You’ve all gone too far.”
A powerful expert said angrily, “You dug out the True Stone mine vein, deliberately released the heaven and earth phenomenon to attract us all here—what you did isn’t too far?”
Actually, they weren’t being unreasonable. If the mine vein had truly been found by someone else, they’d accept it. But you clearly already obtained it, yet still created a commotion making everyone rush over—weren’t you deliberately playing them for monkeys?
“Cut the crap!”
That impulsive expert said, “Hurry up and distribute some True Stones!”
The meaning of major sects was simple: since you deceived us into coming all this way, we absolutely won’t return empty-handed. At least give us three to five… eight to nine million True Stones!
They still underestimated this large mine vein. If they knew Jun Changxiao excavated ten billion, they’d definitely demand hundreds of millions on the spot. If they knew there was a True Stone Mother, they’d have already gone full power into battle.
“This Empress obtained no True Stones. How can I distribute them to you?”
The Lingyao Empress was truly depressed. If she’d obtained the mine vein, distributing some to them to avoid trouble would be fine. But she took nothing, knew nothing—how was she supposed to distribute anything?
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
Experts from major sects all released their cultivation bases, clearly using actions to tell this woman: if you don’t distribute True Stones, this matter isn’t over!
“Sect Master!”
At Eternal Sect, an intelligence officer said, “Powerful experts from various Dao-grade sects have fully released their cultivation. They may clash with the Lingyao Empress at any moment.”
Jun Changxiao’s right hand lifted the nearby wine glass, gently swaying the tea water inside, and smiled, “Comfortable.”
Although the scheme was somewhat low-level, judging from current results, it had already far exceeded expectations.
“That woman ultimately represents the Realm Hall. If she has a conflict with major sects, she’ll probably be scolded by her superiors. Maybe even lose her job.” The more Jun Changxiao thought about it, the more comfortable he felt.
“Sect Master!”
Just then, Jing Zhixiao, temporarily serving as an intelligence officer, said, “News from the front lines—a white-haired old woman suddenly appeared at the realm entrance!”
“Who?”
“Qingwei Zhenren!”
“Also here to rob the mine vein?”
Anyone worthy of the title Zhenren must be a peak Truth-Seeking Realm expert. Looks like things were escalating.
Wait!
If one day I also reach peak Truth-Seeking Realm level, what title should I adopt? Super Handsome Zhenren? Jun Handsome Zhenren?
“Dog Sheng Zhenren,” the system mocked.
“Scram!”
“Sect Master!”
Jing Zhixiao said, “It’s been confirmed—Qingwei Zhenren is the Lingyao Empress’s master!”
Jun Changxiao looked stunned, saying, “Didn’t expect that woman to have a peak Truth-Seeking Realm master. Indeed, can’t underestimate her.”
“Sect Master!”
Jing Zhixiao reported again, “After Qingwei Zhenren appeared, the situation changed. Powerful experts from various Dao sects have successively left Green Grass Prairie.”
“They didn’t fight?”
“No!”
“Did that woman pay them?”
“No!”
“…”
Jun Changxiao leaned back in his chair, looking completely defeated, “This seat’s carefully laid scheme was easily broken just because Qingwei Zhenren appeared?”
“Detestable!”
Dog Sheng tightly gripped the wine glass in frustrated concern.
However, the face reflected on it gradually became twisted, displaying a sinister smile, “Lingyao Empress, this is merely the first round. There will be many more schemes waiting for you.”
“Sigh.”
The system said helplessly, “Can’t tell anymore who’s the protagonist and who’s the villain.”
—