Facing this pressure, Jiang Chen did not retreat.

For now, the mid-stage of Qi Condensation could indeed withstand it.

There was pressure, but it wasn’t that great.

It hadn’t reached an unbearable level.

As he walked, a sign appeared ahead.

On it were four large characters: [Earth Vein Level 1].

He hadn’t expected to be this deep in and still only be at Earth Vein Level 1.

After some thought, Jiang Chen took out the communication talisman from his small storage pouch.

He originally intended to communicate with Jin Man again.

But the signal wasn’t very good.

Several consecutive attempts ended in failure.

“Forget it, we’ll talk after I finish tending to it.” Jiang Chen put the communication talisman away again.

Then, he continued down the passageway.

Soon, he reached Earth Vein Level 10.

And this wasn’t calculated from ground level, but after descending into the deep pit.

Meaning the actual depth was definitely more than 1000 meters.

The heavy pressure had already caused Jiang Chen to break into a slight sweat.

But fortunately, he wasn’t at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.

He was at the late stage of Qi Condensation.

He had more spiritual power to support him.

Upon reaching Earth Vein Level 10, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

It was no longer a dim passageway.

But a vast underground world.

Jiang Chen continued forward, stepping onto a plank walkway along a cliff edge.

A single step to the left would send him plummeting into a bottomless abyss, meeting his end by falling to his death.

Only by sticking close to the cold rock wall on the right could he ensure his safety.

Strangely, this underground world wasn’t pitch black.

Instead, it shimmered with multicolored light.

Jiang Chen could barely make out the scene in the distance.

Undulating mineral veins stretched out like slumbering earth dragons.

Some were white dragons.

Some were yellow dragons.

The parts exposed above ground were at least several hundred zhang in length.

From time to time, wisps of yellow mist drifted out from corners.

If one listened carefully, ding-ding-dang-dang sounds could be heard from deep within.

“This… is the Earth Vein?” Jiang Chen felt a strong visual impact.

This was completely different from what he had imagined for the “Earth Vein”.

He had thought it would be one mining tunnel after another.

He never expected it to be a scene like this.

A full minute passed before he snapped out of his astonishment.

Then he continued down along the plank walkway.

Finally arriving at his destination.

But by now, the pressure was incredibly heavy.

With every step he took, a clear footprint was left on the ground.

Panting heavily, Jiang Chen took out the communication talisman again.

Soon, its surface began to flicker with light.

Following its guidance, he arrived before a rock wall.

At first glance, there was nothing there.

When Jiang Chen approached, it rumbled open with a boom.

Instantly, a spacious interior space came into view.

If he wasn’t mistaken, this should be Jin Man’s cave dwelling.

If the other party stayed here every day, it meant enduring immense pressure constantly.

Any other spiritual root wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

One could only say, as expected of an Earth spiritual root; it truly had some capability.

Jiang Chen’s gaze swept around and found the target he needed to tend to on the other side of the cave dwelling.

There was a spring mouth there.

What bubbled up from it wasn’t spring water, but earth qi.

They continuously surged upward and then rippled outward.

Gradually transforming into an earthen-yellow lotus flower.

“Does this count as a spirit plant?” With this doubt in mind, Jiang Chen sat down cross-legged and released his own spiritual power.

As is well known, different spiritual roots absorb different types of spiritual energy.

Therefore, the spiritual power within one’s body also possesses different attributes.

Jiang Chen had a Wood spiritual root and circulated Wood spiritual power.

When released, it shimmered with a faint cyan light.

When infused into the Earth Lotus, its original earthen-yellow color began to fade.

It gradually transformed into a cyan lotus flower, radiating dazzling spiritual light.

At this moment, Jiang Chen discovered with surprise that the aura released by the Earth Lotus had already shifted from Earth to Wood.

On one side was Wood spiritual power.

On the other side was earth qi from the land.

Not only did they not repel each other; instead, they gradually fused together bit by bit.

Gradually, it transformed from its original gaseous state into something more substantial.

But next, no matter how much more of his own Wood spiritual power Jiang Chen infused into it, there was no further change beyond that point.

It seemed this was as far as tending could go.

Or perhaps it had reached its current threshold.

Then, he slowly reduced his infusion of Wood spiritual power.

Finally cutting it off completely.

However, the Earth Lotus still maintained its cyan lotus state, showing no signs of reverting back.

As if it had already solidified into this form.

“It should be fine.” Jiang Chen got up from the ground.

He did not linger.

He didn’t even glance at anything around him.

He walked directly toward the exit of the cave dwelling.

The moment he stepped out, the cave entrance immediately closed shut.

Seamlessly tight, as if it had never opened.

One shichen later, Jiang Chen returned to the bottom of the pit shaft.

Once out, the heavy pressure covering his body instantly lessened by more than half.

He felt as if a great burden had been lifted off him.

Shan Fei asked with a half-smile: “Finished?”

Jiang Chen looked down at himself: “Why haven’t I turned yellow?”

Shan Fei shrugged: “You haven’t awakened an Earth spiritual root, so you cannot bear earth qi within you.”

Jiang Chen suddenly understood.

So that’s why those disciples with Earth spiritual roots had yellowish skin tones.

It was because their bodies bore earth qi within them, that’s why they were like that.

“If there’s nothing else, you should hurry back up.” Shan Fei urged him on.

He took out Jin Man’s communication talisman again.

Infusing a wisp of spiritual power into it.

Sure enough, the signal here wasn’t affected.

“I’ve finished tending to the Earth Lotus.”

Jiang Chen wasn’t someone who would just endure taking a loss silently.

From Spirit Farm to Earth Vein, then going down and back up again.

Each trip consumed two shichen, which is four hours.

If that were all:

Then what difference would there be between him and an overworked beast of burden?

“Adding payment is fine.”

Upon hearing this, Jin Man wasn’t surprised at all; he didn’t even seem to care.

The Earth Lotus in its gaseous state isn’t actually a spirit plant at all.

Only after infusing it with spiritual power of different attributes does it materialize solidly.

It transforms into various forms like Cyan Lotus, Fire Lotus, Water Lotus, etc.

The price for a single plant is currently 50 Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

Converted to Low-grade Spirit Stones, that’s a full five thousand pieces!

But that’s not all; this is also one of the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills!

If refined into pills, the price increases fivefold!

One pill would cost 250 Mid-grade Spirit Stones!

Therefore, he wasn’t afraid of the other party asking for more money; after all, he stood to profit anyway!

Of course, cultivating this Earth Lotus isn’t simple either!

Just forming its shape takes three years; almost every day requires irrigation with one’s own Earth spiritual power!

Only when it takes on a lotus form in its gaseous state can transformation begin!

However, what Jiang Chen said next completely dumbfounded him!