Chapter Fifty-Five: On Associated Ores

Zhang Sanfeng’s calm gaze swept over Huang Shidong and his companions, yet it left them feeling as if they had been dropped into the middle of the ocean despite being unable to swim. This sensation only began to fade once Zhang Sanfeng retracted his gaze.

Tang Yi observed the entire interaction, sighing inwardly. Whether in the cultivation world of Earth or here on the planet Menglan, it was undeniably a world where the strong were revered. Unfortunately, his current outward display of strength was too poor; those who did not know him would merely dismiss him as a novice. Yet, this was a deliberate choice. Hiding one's true strength was a lesson Tang Yi had learned from countless web novels, though it now seemed to be having the opposite effect. With this thought in mind, Tang Yi decided it was time to assert himself more forcefully.

"Master Huang, there is no need for such formalities. Let us make haste to the mineral vein," Tang Yi said to Huang Shidong. Huang Shidong glanced at Zhang Sanfeng, only to find the man devoid of any particular expression or movement, appearing entirely content to let Tang Yi take the lead. With no other choice, the three clan heads summoned three carriages. Once everyone was seated, the sound of hooves echoed through the air as the three carriages sped toward the West City Gate.

The carriages traveled at a brisk pace, reaching the mining camp in less than two hours. According to Huang Shidong, if Hua Ruoxue and her companions allowed their three spirit beasts to circle the mining perimeter and leave their scent, it would be enough to ensure that other magical beasts would not dare to easily encroach upon the area. After the group rested for a while in the camp, partaking in tea and refreshments, the three women had their spirit beasts—including the little white monkey—expand to their true, giant forms. They then mounted them to begin patrolling the vein. Tang Yi and Zhang Sanfeng remained at the camp to chat with the three clan heads. The vein was vast; for the three beasts to cover the entire perimeter individually would take at least two or three days. However, as Hua Ruoxue and the others were traveling and chatting together, it would take them over ten days. This meant Tang Yi and his group would be stationed at the camp for quite some time.

Three days later, the areas surrounding the camp were saturated with the potent scent of the three spirit beasts. These markers could only be detected by other magical beasts and were imperceptible to humans—with the exception of someone as exceptional as Tang Yi. On the morning of the fourth day, the entire party broke camp and moved to a secondary temporary base near the vein. That afternoon, Hua Ruoxue and the others resumed their patrol, seemingly tireless. This was because the vein was a source of magic stones, which often contained various associated minerals. One such mineral was a beautiful, emerald-like gemstone. Hua Ruoxue’s little white monkey seemed to be a natural-born treasure hunter; on the very first day, it had unearthed several of these stones, despite them being buried nearly two meters underground. Moreover, these gems often appeared alongside other precious stones, which kept the three women perpetually excited. They were naturally fond of such things, and the sense of achievement in finding them personally was their greatest motivation.

Tang Yi held a few of the gems Hua Ruoxue had given him, turning them over in his hand as he asked Huang Shidong, "Master Huang, are there many of these associated minerals?"

"These associated minerals are quite common, so they are relatively inexpensive. Why? Does Island Master Tang intend to go into this business?" Huang Shidong asked, guessing his intentions.

"Master Huang, Master Tai, Master Simpson, have you three considered that relying on our spirit beasts—or magical beasts, as you call them—to leave their scent here is merely a temporary fix, not a permanent solution? Our beasts cannot stay here forever. Once they leave, their scent will vanish completely within three months at most. Do you not wish to solve this once and for all, so you have no further worries?" Tang Yi did not answer Huang Shidong's question, choosing instead to pose one of his own.

"Er... we are certainly aware of that. However, as you know, this situation arose quite suddenly, and we have no prior experience, so we have no other options for the time being. But judging by your tone, Island Master Tang, you must have a solution. Please, speak plainly. If this problem can be resolved, the three of us will certainly reward you handsomely," Huang Shidong replied, catching the drift of Tang Yi’s words.

"It is, in truth, a rather simple method. This senior, Zhang Sanfeng, is the Grand Protector of our Xuan Island. His accomplishments in the study of formations are quite profound; the protective arrays on Xuan Island were all designed by him. I presume you all know something of Xuan Island by now?" Tang Yi said with a faint, enigmatic smile.

Huang Shidong and the others looked slightly awkward. Since the sudden emergence of the Xuan Island Fund Chamber of Commerce in Dongkou City, the ten great clans and major powers had naturally sent men to investigate the island’s origins and background.

The various powers of Dongkou City had sent scouts to verify if Xuan Island truly existed. While those who reached the island confirmed its reality, they also brought back reports that made the island seem even more mysterious—notably, the formations guarding it. While they would not take a person's life, no one could ever penetrate the beautiful complex of ancient buildings on the island. Whether you tried to enter from the sky or the underground, the end result was always the same: after wandering for a long time, you would find yourself right back where you started.

Huang Shidong, being the most seasoned, replied immediately, "I have indeed heard of the formations on Xuan Island. In that case, we must trouble Senior Zhang. May I ask how you charge for such an array?" He addressed Tang Yi directly, having grasped his temperament over the past three days: if Tang Yi brought something up, it was for sale, and he disliked beating around the bush—he preferred direct, straightforward negotiations.

Just yesterday, Tang Yi had finalized major deals with Tai Yunshan and Simpson Reed, the heads of the Tai and Simpson clans respectively, to provide them with a sufficient supply of the Yin-Yang stones they required. During their casual conversation yesterday, both men had mentioned that the import of Yin-Yang stones—a specialty from the Heavenly Stone Continent—had been dwindling, while prices had skyrocketed. Their clans owned industries dedicated to manufacturing armor and weaponry for the military. Half of the border defense forces of the Great Zhou Kingdom sourced their equipment from these two clans, as their products were not only hard but possessed great resilience. Though thirty percent more expensive than other suppliers, the quality was more than double that of their competitors.

The reason the Tai and Simpson clans’ equipment was of such high quality was that they fused a specific ratio of Yin-Yang stones into the metal during the forging process. These stones maximized the toughness of the steel. This fusion technique, along with the specific ratios, was a closely guarded secret of the two clans. However, over the past two years, the supply of Yin-Yang stones had suddenly begun to dry up.