Chapter 262: Return to the Earth Vein
It had been a year since Jiang Chen last visited the Earth Vein mines.
To his surprise, the gatekeeper was still the same man: Shan Fei. The burly cultivator with the hawk-like gaze and muscles carved from granite hadn’t changed a bit. He stood at his post like a fixture of the landscape, eternal and unmoving.
“Halt!” Shan Fei boomed, stepping forward to block the path. “Flying is prohibited near the entrance! State your business—”
His voice died in his throat. His eyes snagged on the token hanging at Jiang Chen’s waist.
The aggression vanished instantly. His posture shifted from intimidation to deference, his expression softening into a mask of polite confusion.
“Spirit Nurturing Envoy?” Shan Fei stammered.
Jiang Chen chuckled, steering his Giant Leaf to a landing. “You haven’t changed, Shan Fei. Still judging people by their accessories.”
Shan Fei blinked, searching his memory. “Uh… do we know each other, my Lord?”
“We’ve met a few times,” Jiang Chen said, not bothering to elaborate. “You left an impression.”
Shan Fei watched him walk past, utterly bewildered. I know a Spirit Nurturing Envoy? Since when? Who is he? He scratched his head, watching the figure disappear into the tunnels, a mix of pride and confusion swirling in his chest.With his cultivation now at the late Foundation Establishment stage, Jiang Chen moved through the tunnels with frightening speed. A journey that once took 30 minutes now took 10.
He descended past the upper levels, ignoring the sea of yellow-clad Earth Spirit Root disciples toiling in the rock. He knew exactly where Tie Zhu lived.
“That’s a Spirit Nurturing Envoy!”
“What’s a plant master doing down here?”
“He’s the same rank as a Mine Manager!”
The whispers followed him like a wake. In the Earth Vein hierarchy, the Abyss Lord reigned supreme, followed by the Formation Head, the general Managers, and finally the Mine Managers. A Spirit Nurturing Envoy was a rare sight in these depths—a creature of the sun walking in the dark.
Tie Zhu lived on the eighth level. As a cultivator at the peak of Qi Condensation, he could withstand the ambient pressure, but just barely.
As Jiang Chen approached the quarters, a violent, wet coughing fit echoed from inside. It sounded like someone was trying to expel their own lungs.
He paused. Tie Zhu wasn’t alone.
“Manager,” Tie Zhu rasped, his voice thin and reedy. “Has the poison fire reached my organs?”
A deeper, calmer voice replied. “Don’t panic. The sect will arrange treatment. I’ve already sent a runner to the 40th level to fetch Underground Ice Spring Water.”
“I don’t want to die,” Tie Zhu wheezed. “I’m still young… cough…”
“Rest,” the voice soothed, though it lacked warmth. “You were injured in the formal competition. The sect takes care of its own.”
“Unfortunately,” Jiang Chen said loudly, stepping into the doorway, “my brother can’t wait that long.”
Inside the cramped stone Chamber, Manager Yang Zhenyue turned slowly. He didn’t look surprised. “You’ve been listening for a while. Took you long enough to come in.”
Jiang Chen smiled and pushed the door fully open.
“Senior Brother Jiang!” Tie Zhu cried out, attempting to sit up before collapsing back onto the pillows. His Face was a mask of gray ash, his lips cracked and bleeding.
If forced to choose between the sect and Jiang Chen, Tie Zhu would choose Jiang in a heartbeat. Trust was a currency harder to earn than Spirit Stones, and Jiang Chen had paid in full over the years.
Manager Yang narrowed his eyes, scanning the newcomer. His gaze landed on the token. “A Spirit Nurturing Envoy?”
“Manager Yang,” Jiang Chen said, bowing politely. “Long time no see.”
“Have we met?”
“I broke through to Foundation Establishment on the 38th level,” Jiang Chen reminded him. “You and Han Xin were there.”
Recognition dawned on Yang Zhenyue’s Face. “Ah. The farmer. I remember now. You’ve climbed high in a short time. From a loose cultivator to an Envoy… impressive.”
“Spirit Envoy?” Tie Zhu stared at Jiang Chen, shock temporarily overriding his pain. He still remembered Jiang as the owner of a five-acre Spirit Farm, not a high-ranking official.
“What is an Envoy doing in the mines?” Yang asked.
“He’s my friend,” Jiang Chen said simply, walking to the bedside. “And I’m here to cure him.”
He retrieved the bottle of Ice Heart Jade Pot Wine. Even sealed, the bottle radiated a chill that dropped the Chamber temperature by several degrees. Frost began to creep across the stone table where he set it down.
Yang Zhenyue’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that… Ice Heart Wine?”
“It is.”
“Well,” Yang said, a wry smile touching his lips. “That certainly beats spring water. Tie Zhu, you have powerful friends.”
He moved toward the door. “I won’t interfere. Save him quickly.”
“Farewell, Manager,” Tie Zhu gasped.
Once the door clicked shut, Jiang Chen turned back to the bed. “This is worse than I thought.”
Tie Zhu looked like a charcoal briquette burning from the inside out. Waves of heat rolled off his skin, smelling of sulfur and sickness.
“I thought rest would fix it,” Tie Zhu whispered. “But this morning… I woke up burning.”
“Drink this,” Jiang Chen ordered, uncorking the wine. “It will extinguish the fire poison instantly.”
Tie Zhu took the bottle with trembling hands. “Senior Brother… thank you. Coming all this way…”
“We’ve been partners for five years,” Jiang Chen said softly. “I’m not going to watch you burn to death.”