Chapter Twenty-Eight: In Full Swing

The discovery of a large primordial vein mine brought both joy and anxiety to Yi Tian and his companions. With the aid of abundant primordial stones, their strength increased visibly day by day. Yet, if news of this massive mine were to leak, they would face utter annihilation.

A year passed, most of their time spent mining, but they had only obtained a few thousand low-grade primordial stones—a mere drop in the ocean compared to the mine’s vast reserves. The area they had mined was less than a ten-thousandth of the total mine. After deliberation, they decided to inform the tribal leaders of their discovery. Their mining speed was simply too slow; with the tribe’s manpower, daily output would become substantial. Even a ten percent share, given their contribution, would far exceed the earnings of their backbreaking efforts as miners.

Once the tribe began to mine the vein, they would no longer lack primordial stones. Why not let the leaders bear this enormous burden, as long as their share remained intact? Shamelessly, Yi Tian and his companions prepared to throw this weighty matter onto the chieftain and the elders, leaving them to wrestle with the headaches.

One day, when Chieftain Yi Du and the great leader Yi Ke learned of the discovery from Yi Kuang and Yi Hong, they were stunned, as if struck motionless, their hearts nearly stopping. After repeated confirmation, they convened all the elders for a secret discussion in the ancestral temple.

Soon after, the great leader Yi Ke and deputy leader Yi Zhen, together with Yi Hong and Yi Kuang, arrived at Peach Blossom Valley. The hundreds-of-feet-high cliffs posed a challenge even for these two high-ranking warriors. Previously, they would have had to descend using their weapons in relay, but having mastered the Feather Flight Technique, they easily reached the valley floor.

Entering the long fissure and the tunnel excavated for miles, they were rendered speechless. Clearly, these youngsters had been excavating for some time and had secretly concealed the existence of the large primordial vein mine.

Yi Ke and Yi Zhen entered the mine, where they saw primordial stones embedded in the walls, the energy inside nearly ten times richer than outside, and were overjoyed.

Boom!

Yi Ke struck the mountain wall before the mine, collapsing it by a yard. Amidst the falling debris, he found over twenty raw stones, nearly all of them primordial stones. This was already the periphery of the vein, where low-grade primordial stones could be found.

Yi Zhen also unearthed over a dozen primordial stones, his expression elated. This was indeed a primordial vein mine, and even after miles of excavation, they had not reached the core, confirming its scale as a large vein. Even a small primordial vein, once mined, would yield at least tens of thousands of primordial stones, enough to make their tribe the wealthiest power near Black Dragon City.

The great leader, Yi Ke, called Yi Tian, Yi Hong, and the others aside, instructing them to keep the secret, not to let anyone else know. Then he and Yi Zhen left the valley for the tribe to report to the chieftain and the elders.

Within the ancestral temple, the chieftain Yi Du, the eldest elders, and others awaited anxiously, unable to sit still. When Yi Ke and his group returned, confirming the existence of the vein, the leaders finally breathed a sigh of relief. According to Yi Ke, the vein was likely a large or medium one, causing both excitement and worry among the tribal leaders.

Once they possessed this primordial vein, the Yi tribe would swiftly become the preeminent power near Black Dragon City, ushering in a great leap for the entire tribe—even a resurgence for the Yi clan. Yet the leaders were deeply concerned; such a large vein was highly conspicuous. If discovered by other powers, the entire Yi tribe could be wiped out.

After a brief discussion, the tribal high command reached consensus. No matter what, they would not abandon the primordial vein—it was their greatest opportunity. Missing it would bring lifelong regret. As warriors and descendants of the divine archer Yi, they did not shrink from unknown dangers.

The chieftain decided to keep the matter strictly confidential, instructing the great leader to quietly strengthen the tribe’s vigilance against outsiders. The achievements of Yi Tian’s reincarnation squad were immense. Yi Tian returned and began negotiations with the tribal elders, demanding a thirty percent share. Of course, the chieftain and the elders refused. The two sides sparred for a long time, and Yi Tian finally secured a ten percent share for his squad—only after pounding the table and revealing his true strength to intimidate the elders did they agree to reward the reincarnation squad with ten percent.

Yi Tian was confident he could stand against any elder. His Pure Yang true energy was so refined that it nearly matched that of ninth-rank warriors, which made the chieftain and elders value him even more. They believed Yi Tian might one day lead the Yi tribe to glory. For this reason, the elders granted the reincarnation squad a ten percent share.

That day, the great leader, Yi Ke, assessed all the tribe’s warriors and selected over a hundred, quietly summoning them for a long-term mission lasting at least two years. These warriors returned to bid their families farewell. A few days later, the hundred-strong team, led by Yi Zhen, arrived at Peach Blossom Valley. Only then did these warriors learn their mission: to mine the primordial vein.

Yi Zhen addressed them: “During this period, you may not leave. You’ll take turns mining, and in your free time, you may use primordial stones to cultivate and grow stronger as quickly as possible!”

Upon hearing this, the warriors were overjoyed. The chance to freely use primordial stones meant their cultivation would soar, perhaps even allowing them to become high-ranking warriors one day. Many of them, limited by resources, usually progressed slowly, most remaining mid- or low-ranking warriors with little hope for breakthroughs. Now, with this opportunity before them, they were breathing heavily in excitement.

The tribe stationed over a hundred warriors at Peach Blossom Valley, strictly forbidding entry and exit. Yi Tian’s reincarnation squad was banished—they had traveled back and forth too often, risking exposure if someone followed them. Reluctantly, they abandoned their base.

Meanwhile, profound changes were quietly unfolding within the tribe. The chieftain and elders were rarely seen, immersed in seclusion and arduous cultivation, striving to reach the legendary Human Rank—walking on air, becoming formidable beings. The tribe began distributing primordial stones to warriors, strictly ordering them to keep the matter secret. With the existence of the large primordial vein, the entire Yi tribe was tightly guarded within yet relaxed outwardly.

Months passed. The primordial stones in Yi Tian’s hands finally multiplied. His Pure Yang technique absorbed energy at a terrifying rate, consuming three low-grade stones per day, most of the energy devoured by the Stellar Mud. Previously, with only his squad mining, daily output barely sufficed for his cultivation, and progress was slow. Now, with over a hundred people mining day and night, tens of thousands of stones were sent back each month, and he received thousands monthly. Even at full absorption, his stores grew steadily.

Meanwhile, his cultivation advanced rapidly. In just a few months, he had reached the peak of the sixth rank, consuming thousands of primordial stones. For any major power, this was a considerable sum.

With a sizeable stash, Yi Tian began contemplating entering Black Dragon City. The blood-patterned bow left by his father was no longer sufficient; this time, he intended to purchase a true divine bow to unleash his full strength.