Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 208 Miners
The Maojing mine is hidden in a desolate mountain area, surrounded by natural barriers, making it exceptionally secluded.

Nevertheless, in order to transport the precious Maojing ore out, the Li family spared no effort in expending manpower and resources to carve out a muddy path in this rugged land, wide enough for two horses to ride side by side.

Lai Xiaojun struggled to push the two-wheeled mining cart, which was fully loaded with ore, slowly moving forward on the muddy road.

Beside him, other miners were also struggling to push their mine carts, occasionally uttering complaints and curses.

The dirt road was riddled with deep ruts from the heavy mining carts, like scars on the earth.

These ruts became the tracks that miners had to follow when pushing their carts.

If you don't follow these tracks, the minecart will slip in the mud and waste more energy; but if you follow the tracks, the wheels will sink deeper and deeper, making it even more difficult to push the minecart.

"If only the roads to Xixiang City could be repaired."

Someone let out a heavy sigh.

"I would be perfectly content if the road in Xixiang City were the same as that in Xulong Township, let alone Xixiang City."

Another person, panting heavily, described the gravel road in Xulong Township to the others.

But in fact, the miners around, except for Lai Xiaojun, were all from Xulong Township. They had already compared the roads in the two places and were too lazy to join the discussion. Instead, they silently pushed the mine carts.

"Brother Xu, since you have the opportunity to move to Xulong Township, why did you apply for this job as a miner?"

Lai Xiaojun asked in confusion, explaining that he and Brother Xu were both refugees from the Pushui River basin who were forced to leave their homes due to famine and were relocated to Danggui Mountain by Bailumen.

Although the Li family took them in, they did not allow them to live an easy life.

Most people were assigned to Changtai Township to reclaim wasteland, while a small number were relocated to Xulong Township to become miners.

Not long after, the Li family converted some of the refugees who had been clearing land into miners, and Lai Xiaojun was one of them.

He worked in the mines of Xulong Township for less than six months before being transferred to Daishan.

The miners here live an extremely hard life, working day and night in the mines. The so-called rest they get in exchange for a month of hard work is nothing more than carrying ore on muddy roads.

Lai Xiaojun endured all of this in order to obtain household registration in Changtai Township and give his family a stable future.

Therefore, he was curious about Brother Xu's choice.

As far as he knew, Brother Xu had settled down and established himself in Xulong Township with his blacksmithing skills. He was even rewarded with a two-courtyard house by the Li family for his merit in making farm tools.

In Lai Xiaojun's view, Brother Xu had no reason to endure the hardships of miners.

Xu Jin looked around and whispered, "Brother Lai, don't be afraid to admit it, I'm here to pursue a destiny of immortality."

"Immortal fate?"

Lai Xiaojun was stunned and at a loss for what to do.

Seeing this, Xu Jin explained, "You may not know, but I have spiritual roots. However, I came from a poor family and no one helped me test my spiritual roots. It wasn't until I was thirty years old that I discovered my aptitude by chance."

"But at this time, neither the White Dew Sect nor any other sect was willing to take me in."

"I spent another ten years in mediocrity, and finally encountered a locust plague, which led me to Danggui Mountain."

“The Li family is not harsh on outsiders like us. If I were content to be a blacksmith, I could indeed live out my days in peace in Xulong Township. But I am not content with that. I also want to try cultivating the Dao and know what the world of immortal masters is like.”

"To be honest, my wife didn't agree with me coming to Daishan. I came here after breaking with my family."

Upon hearing this, Lai Xiaojun was greatly shocked. He never expected that Brother Xu would be willing to leave his hometown and abandon his wife and children in order to cultivate immortality.

But then he couldn't help but ask, "If I come to Mount Dai, will I become a celestial master?"

Xu Jin shook his head: "It's just a possibility. The ore mined in Daishan is all from the immortals and is to be transported back to the Li family for smelting. It is fundamentally different from the ore in Xulong Township."

"I've heard that immortal mines often contain not only a single type of ore, but also associated spiritual minerals and other rare minerals. If I can mine some and offer it to the Li family, they will surely reward me. At that time, I don't ask to join the Li family, I only ask for a method to enter the Dao."

"But I haven't heard of anyone digging up any other ores."

Lai Xiaojun hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. While the immortal master was certainly good, mortals also had their own lives. He couldn't understand why Brother Xu would abandon the good life of the mortal world and choose to come to the mine and live a dirty life.

Xu Jin sighed, sensing Lai Xiaojun's bewilderment.

Hasn't he himself regretted it in the dead of night?

But once a path in life is chosen, it's like spilled water—it can't be taken back.

He had already paid too high a price in pursuit of the path in his heart, and there was no turning back. The two continued to work in silence, the mine cart leaving deep tracks on the muddy road, as if they were the trajectory of their fate, heavy and irreversible.

Suddenly, a cry of surprise came from ahead: "Look, there are so many wild geese in the sky!"

"What wild goose? That's a celestial master!"

Xu Jin's expression changed, and his voice became urgent and excited.

In his pursuit of immortality, he sought out many immortal masters and developed a keen perception of the temperament and aura of celestial beings.

"They seem to have flown towards the mine."

Lai Xiaojun's voice carried a hint of uncertainty as his gaze followed the mysterious figures in the sky.

"not good!"

Xu Jin suddenly realized something, and his face turned pale instantly.

It was not unusual for these immortal masters to fly to the mine; the immortal masters of the Li family frequently traveled between the mine and their family.

Just a few days ago, the mine had increased its security, supposedly to prevent thieves from coveting it, and now a group of strangers, far outnumbering the mine's immortal masters, has appeared.

"It's the enemy! Notify the mine immediately!"

Xu Jin blurted out the words almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

His voice carried a hint of urgency; if he could warn the Li family, it would undoubtedly be a great achievement.

But he quickly realized what was happening and hissed, "Wait a minute, let's keep going without getting caught."

"Ah? Okay."

Lai Xiaojun and the other miners were very confused, but in their confusion, they had already obeyed Xu Jin's words and quickly resumed their work, trying their best to make it seem as if nothing had happened.

Once the figures of those immortal masters had completely disappeared from sight, Xu Jin suddenly pulled out a signal rocket he carried with him from his pocket.

His movements were slightly flustered, but he eventually ignited the rocket and launched it into the sky.

Suddenly, a burst of dazzling colorful fireworks lit up the sky.

It is extremely eye-catching.
-
"Elder Li, it seems we've been discovered."

Ao Sheng's voice carried a hint of anxiety; there was no doubt that he had already noticed the fireworks rising behind him.

"The Li family even sent signal rockets to the mortals transporting the ore. It seems that this attack on the mine will not be an easy task."

Li Dong's expression was serious; mortals and cultivators have always been clearly distinguished.

The fact that the Li family chose to use ordinary people as their eyes and ears suggests that they had taken precautions beforehand.

Ao Sheng glanced at Li Dong, his dissatisfaction rising again: "I just suggested that we should deal with these mortals who transport the ore first."

"If you kill them, how can you be sure the Li family won't receive the news immediately?"

Li Dong sneered: "If you care, go back and kill them now. We, the Moving Mountain Sect, can take over the Maojing Mine."

"you"

Ao Sheng was furious and wanted to leave immediately, but he couldn't abandon the sect's mission, so he had no choice but to swallow his anger.

Given his status as an inner disciple of the Soul Suppressing Sect, he actually held a higher position than an elder of the Mountain Moving Sect.

In fact, most people in the Moving Mountain Sect were also trying to curry favor with him.

But Li Dong is different. He has already established his foundation, and his cultivation alone can suppress him completely.

Although the Soul Suppressing Sect could mobilize the Mountain Moving Sect, it had to take into account Li Dong's wishes.

Li Dong's cultivation level and influence give him enough leverage to rebel against the Moving Mountain Sect at any time, or even join the hostile Shengyi Sect, which is something the Soul Suppressing Sect is unwilling to see.

Therefore, even though he harbored many grievances against Li Dong, Ao Sheng had no choice but to suppress his emotions.

He cannot let a momentary impulse affect the success or failure of the entire operation.

(End of this chapter)