It had been over a month since Teng Qingshan and the others arrived at the Iron Chain Mountain mining area.

Dusk was settling, the sky growing dim.

Torches were lit throughout the mining area, and in some places, bonfires crackled brightly. Large numbers of guards and Black Armored Army soldiers patrolled diligently. Teng Qingshan himself stood outside a spacious stone house within the Amethyst mining zone—this house was his residence on Iron Chain Mountain.

"Hiss, hiss!" The bonfire blazed fiercely.

Teng Qingshan held his Reincarnation Spear, immersed in practicing his spear techniques by the fire.

“That concept: putting oneself in a deadly situation to find a path to life! That state of mind bridging despair with a sliver of hope…” Teng Qingshan pondered. Over this past month, he had meticulously broken down and integrated the eighty-one moves of the Blazing Fire Spear Art, condensing them into five major states of intent, and had already forged four new spear techniques.

The first move: Silver Flowers in a Fiery Tree! This move was incredibly illusory and beautiful, easily confusing the enemy.

The second move: Pouring Oil on Fire! Teng Qingshan’s naming was pedestrian, but it was simple and clear, perfectly reflecting the move’s explosive power. As the technique manifested, power erupted instantly, just like adding oil to a blaze.

The third move: Plucking Chestnuts from the Fire! This move was utterly venomous, executed with lightning speed and utter silence.

The fourth move: Beacon Fires Scorching the Plains! This was a mass attack technique, immensely draining of strength, yet its destructive power was astonishing.

Now, only the fifth move remained. The intent behind this final move was somewhat similar to the Sorrowful Realm, yet subtly different.

"No, that’s not it!" Teng Qingshan shook his head slightly.

It had only taken him three days to create the 'Silver Flowers in a Fiery Tree.' But the further he progressed, the longer the time he spent. Truthfully, while these new moves possessed astonishing power, they still couldn't quite match 'Shadow Following Form,' 'Primal Chaos Qi,' or 'Poison Dragon Drill.' After all, Teng Qingshan had spent an immeasurable amount of time steeped in the Five Elements Fist techniques in his previous life.

In this life, it took him over a decade more to perfect those three moves.

They seemed simple, yet they represented a return to the source, possessing terrifying might.

However, the spear technique derived from the 'Cannon Fist' within the Five Elements Fist series remained elusive. Teng Qingshan sensed that as he simultaneously deconstructed and merged the Blazing Fire Spear Art, his comprehension of the Fire element was deepening, and the visualization of the spear technique derived from the Cannon Fist was becoming clearer in his mind.

In his past life, 'Tiger Cannon Fist' was one of Teng Qingshan’s ultimate skills. The derived spear technique from this should surpass even the 'Poison Dragon Drill' in potency.

But, one must eat one bite at a time.

He needed to complete the fifth move integrating the Blazing Fire Spear Art first. Otherwise, deriving the even more complex technique from the 'Cannon Fist' would be impossible.

"The Sorrowful Realm and the concept of finding life from death have a fundamental difference; that specific state of intent…" As Teng Qingshan was lost in thought, suddenly—

"Snap!"

Teng Qingshan turned his head. The bonfire beside him had dimmed considerably; some wood that had been burning for a while now held only a red ember, occasionally flaring then fading. Teng Qingshan casually grabbed two pieces of dry wood nearby and tossed them onto the embers. Instantly, the smoldering wood erupted into flame.

"Hm?"

The very second the red ember burst into flame, a flash of inspiration struck Teng Qingshan’s mind, and his eyes lit up!

"Yes!"

Teng Qingshan snatched up the Reincarnation Spear beside him and closed his eyes. His right hand gripped the shaft while his left grasped the body. He first pulled the shaft back, then thrust forward with fierce force. His internal energy flooded into the Reincarnation Spear, which shot forward at the target with terrifying speed.

At the point of maximum extension, the spearhead vibrated slightly.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Vortices of palpable force began to spin around the spearhead.

"Yes, this is the feeling!" Teng Qingshan was ecstatic. He immediately spun around and unleashed another thrust, aiming at the trunk of a large tree nearby.

"Boom!"

The spearhead pierced the trunk and erupted with a sound like an explosion. The tree, which would normally require two men to encircle, now bore a terrifying, gaping hole. Shards of wood scattered wildly. The massive tree visibly began to tremble, looking as if it might collapse at any moment. The Black Armored soldiers patrolling nearby jumped in shock, immediately adopting cautious stances.

"Everyone watch out, don't get crushed by that tree!" Teng Qingshan laughed heartily, then followed up with a powerful flying kick. The giant tree crashed down directly in front of him. The prepared Black Armored soldiers quickly cleared a path.

"My Lord has truly superb spear skills; he took down a tree that thick with one strike."

"Our Lord's spear techniques are unparalleled."

The soldiers began to offer their praises.

Teng Qingshan felt immense satisfaction, thinking: My flying knife technique, 'Sorrowful Blade,' only allows me to remotely detonate the knife blade. But that surge of internal energy just now, combined with my control over strength and mental guidance, actually generated that vortex of internal force. The explosive power of this spear thrust is quite significant! Hmm… I shall name this move 'The Fire Consumes, the Kindling Remains' (Huo Jin Xin Chuan)!

Teng Qingshan was extremely pleased with this move.

Among the five moves derived from integrating the Blazing Fire Spear Art, 'The Fire Consumes, the Kindling Remains' was the most potent.

"It’s a pity this move absolutely requires the use of 'internal energy' to achieve this effect; it cannot be accomplished with physical strength alone! However, with my current internal energy reserves, the power is already quite impressive." The visualization of the future spear technique derived from the 'Cannon Fist' became even clearer in Teng Qingshan's mind.

After spending over a month’s effort, he had finally forged these five moves.

Teng Qingshan was in excellent spirits. He immediately held the Reincarnation Spear and began his patrol within the Amethyst mining zone.

"My Lord!"

"My Lord!"

The Black Armored soldiers supervising the area immediately saluted upon seeing Teng Qingshan.

"Mm," Teng Qingshan nodded with a faint smile, glancing toward the mine shafts where some people were already emerging. "Is the mining done for today?"

"Yes, My Lord. The laborers from the tunnels are all coming out now," the Black Armored soldier replied respectfully.

Teng Qingshan smiled and walked toward the mine entrance. The ground around the mining area was deeply excavated, featuring some exceptionally deep shafts. Teng Qingshan followed one tunnel inward. Laborers were already streaming out, and upon seeing Teng Qingshan, they all bowed deeply in greeting.

These laborers were covered head to toe in dust and grime on their faces, hair, and clothing.

"Er Gou, how much amethyst did you dig up today?"

"Look, about this much, nail-sized! It’s the most I’ve found in a month! But it all has to be handed over; no matter how much we dig, it’s not ours."

"Look at mine—the amethyst dug up by eight people added together is only this little."

Teng Qingshan noticed the man speaking. In his palm were small particles of fragmented amethyst. Teng Qingshan frowned slightly and asked, "Why are the amethyst from eight people all in your possession?"

"My Lord," the man, startled to see Teng Qingshan, quickly bowed before explaining, "My brothers asked me to hand over their shares to the Black Armored guards all at once, just to make it easier for the soldiers."

"What is your name?" Teng Qingshan inquired.

The man answered nervously, "I... I am Wu Dagan!"

Teng Qingshan nodded, peered briefly into the mine shaft, and then turned back toward the exit. Not far outside the tunnel, two Black Armored soldiers sat at a table, collecting the amethyst dug up by each miner and recording the amounts.

Teng Qingshan nodded inwardly: According to the rules of the Guiyuan Sect, laborers in the Amethyst mining area are forbidden from having contact with miners from other zones. Furthermore, their living quarters are searched periodically. When they leave, their clothes are stripped, their hair is shaved, and they are issued new clothing, forcing them to exit completely nude. This is indeed to prevent anyone from smuggling amethyst!

The regulations for the Amethyst mining zone were far stricter than those for the other four mining areas.

To secretly steal amethyst here was harder than ascending to heaven.

"Brother Dagan, what did that Black Armored Lord say to you?" some laborers asked Wu Dagan.

"Nothing much," Wu Dagan replied casually, glancing at Teng Qingshan, who was walking further away. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, thinking: The day after tomorrow is the 28th of the third month! This is the final, crucial moment. I must be extra cautious and avoid drawing attention from these Black Armored soldiers! Otherwise, if I ruin Big Brother’s grand plan, it will be disastrous.

Wu Dagan then returned to his quarters.

...

Soon, the 28th of March arrived.

According to the rules of the Iron Chain Mountain mining area, laborers from the four major Gold mining zones were allowed to return home to visit family on the 28th of every month—only one day a month! However, the laborers in the Amethyst mining zone only had the opportunity to leave the area once a year.

On this day, in the early morning,

A faint mist permeated the air, making it feel quite refreshing. The laborers were in unusually high spirits today.

"Working tirelessly here day and night, I'm exhausted; even sleeping isn't comfortable. Finally, I can go home."

"Haha, miss your wife, eh?"

"Heh heh, sleeping on this cold wooden plank is nothing compared to holding your wife in bed at home."

The group of laborers chatted amongst themselves while lining up to undergo a 'body search' before they were permitted to leave the mining zone.

"Don't be foolish, every one of you! If even a speck of gold is discovered, the penalty is death!" shouted one of the Petty Guards' squad leaders. "Before the search, check yourselves thoroughly. Don't let anyone frame you; once we find it, nothing you say will matter."

A line of Petty Guards blocked the path, scrutinizing the queuing laborers. Specific guards were assigned to perform the body searches.

By custom, the body searches for laborers from the Gold mining zones were usually conducted by ordinary Petty Guards.

Only when searching laborers from the Amethyst mining zone were the Black Armored soldiers specifically tasked with the duty.

Just then, a stout, big man with a bushy black beard strode over.

"My Lord!" The Petty Guards immediately snapped to attention. The person approaching was the Captain of the Huafeng City Guard, whose status was second only to the City Lord. These low-ranking guards were naturally very respectful.

"Mm," Hu Tong swept his gaze over the queue of laborers and then barked at the Petty Guards, "Brothers, be thorough and meticulous. Search every single person; don't let anyone slip through."

"Rest assured, My Lord, they won't manage to carry away even a single piece of gold," one of the Guard leaders quickly said obsequiously.

"Mm," Hu Tong nodded.

He scanned the scene again carefully, then suddenly noticed a middle-aged man in a plain, patched robe walking about ten yards away. Hu Tong’s eyes immediately lit up.