Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 201: Puppet Mining

“It seems we must trouble you again,” Wang Longyou said, escorting Wang Hao to the door of the council hall.

Wang Yanzhao was buried in clan administration, and Wang Longyou was preparing for deep seclusion. The duty of transporting the clansmen and the puppets to the secret mine naturally fell to Wang Hao.

Wang Hao shrugged. “We’re family. There’s no need for formalities. Besides, my cultivation has been stalled for so long, a few more days won’t hurt.”

“Good. Don’t delay,” Wang Yanzhao instructed gravely. “Gather the team immediately. Pick up Wenyuan on the way, and drop off Yanzhi at Mount Ruojun. We cannot leave that stronghold unguarded.”

“Understood. I’ll give them a day to prepare. We leave tomorrow morning.”

Wang Hao left the peak and returned to his cave dwelling.

The next morning, seven young Qi Refining clansmen stood before Wang Hao. Among them, only Wang Wenzhu and Wang Wensheng knew the true destination. The others had been told it was a long-term mission requiring their assistance, and their families remained in the dark.

“Greetings, Fifth Brother!”

“Greetings, Fifth Uncle!”

Wang Hao nodded, inspecting their gear. Satisfied, he waved them onto the flying boat.

Once they were airborne, Wang Wenzhu leaned over, curiosity getting the better of her. “Fifth Brother, are we really just going to Mount Ruojun?”

The others perked up, eager for details.

Now that they were isolated in the sky, secrecy was no longer an issue. Wang Hao’s expression turned serious. “This matter is classified. I kept you in the dark to prevent leaks. We are picking up Elder Wenyuan at Mount Ruojun, and then we are heading to the Spirit Stone Mine. You are the first batch of mining cultivators.”

“What? A Spirit Stone Mine?”

“We’re… miners?”

The group erupted into a mix of shock, excitement, and apprehension. Even the youngest among them knew that a Spirit Stone Mine was a strategic resource of the highest order.

Only Wang Wenzhu’s face fell. She pouted, crossing her arms. “Fifth Brother, can I not go? I don’t want to be a miner. It sounds boring.”

“Why not?” Wang Hao teased. “You’ve been there. The Spiritual Qi is dense—perfect for your cultivation.”

“I’d rather stay at home! Or hunt demon beasts!” she complained. “Being stuck in a hole for years… I’ll go crazy.”

“Hmph. The Patriarch and Third Granduncle selected you specifically to temper that wild personality of yours,” Wang Hao scolded, though his tone softened slightly. “Stop bargaining. This is a command, not a request. You aren’t a child anymore, Wenzhu. You need to share the burden of the family.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before dropping the bait. “Besides, the Contribution Points for this mission are doubled. And if you perform well… in a few years, the family will select candidates from this group to receive Foundation Establishment Pills.”

“Foundation Establishment Pills?” Wang Wenzhu’s eyes snapped open, the boredom vanishing instantly. “Fifth Brother, are you serious?”

“When have I ever lied to you?” Wang Hao rolled his eyes.

“Okay then! Don’t worry, Fifth Brother! I will guard the mine with my life!” Wang Wenzhu declared, her posture straightening with sudden, mercenary resolve.

The other clansmen grinned. They were all talented—reaching the fifth layer of Qi Refining at their age proved their aptitude—but Foundation Establishment was a bottleneck that stumped 99% of cultivators. This was a golden ticket.

“That’s the spirit,” Wang Hao laughed. “When has the clan ever treated you unfairly?”

They stopped briefly at Mount Ruojun to pick up Wang Wenyuan. The Foundation Establishment elder was calm about the transfer; to him, it was just a change of office to a location with better Qi.

Once the team was fully assembled, Wang Hao reiterated the rules. No unauthorized exits. Absolute obedience to Elder Wenyuan.

“You are young,” Wang Hao addressed them. “The clan won’t bury you here forever. The rotation will be seven or eight years. Treat this as an opportunity. Seize the dense Qi and break through your bottlenecks. Understand?”

“Understood!”

Though they shouted in unison, confusion lingered in their eyes. If we’re mining all day, when will we have time to cultivate?

Wang Hao didn’t explain. They would understand soon enough.

A day later, they arrived at the Rocky Slope in Falling Phoenix Valley.

Wang Wenjiang opened the concealment array, and the group filed into the hidden tunnel.

Gasps echoed as they entered the main cavern. The density of the Spiritual Qi was staggering, far richer than the clan’s best meditation rooms. The sight of raw Spirit Stone ore glittering on the walls left them stunned.

Then, Wang Hao released the puppets.

Twenty hulking, wooden constructs materialized in the cavern. They stood silent and motionless, awaiting command.

The juniors stared, realization dawning on them. We aren’t the miners. We’re the overseers.

“Your task is to guard the perimeter and maintain these puppets,” Wang Hao explained, patting the chassis of a heavy-duty Ape Puppet. “You see this slot on the abdomen? That’s the fuel intake. Each puppet requires two Spirit Stones to operate for about ten days.”

He demonstrated, slotting two stones into the mechanism. The puppet’s eyes glowed with faint light.

“Since they’re only mining and not fighting, the energy consumption is low. Once you issue a command, they work autonomously. They don’t sleep, they don’t eat, and they don’t complain.”

Wang Hao turned to the group, smiling. “This means your cultivation time will not be impacted.”

The juniors beamed. This wasn’t hard labor; it was a vacation with pay.

“Of course,” Wang Hao added, “if you want to mine manually to earn extra, you can. The standard clan rule applies: keep one stone for every ten you dig. Whether you prioritize cultivation or wealth is up to you.”

This was a test. Those who ignored their duties to cultivate were selfish; those who ignored cultivation to chase money were shortsighted. Wang Hao wanted to see who could find the balance.

“Understood?”

“Understood!”

“Good. Wenzhu, you try.”

Wang Hao handed control of a puppet to her. She was already familiar with combat puppets, so the transition was seamless. She inserted the Spirit Stones and sent a mental command.

Thud. Thud.

The Ape Puppet marched to the wall, raised a pickaxe, and began to swing with rhythmic, tireless precision.

Clang! Clang!

It worked faster than a Qi Refining cultivator, and it would never stop.

With twenty puppets working around the clock, the daily yield would be three to four raw ore pieces, which could be refined into thirty to forty low-grade Spirit Stones. That was over 15,000 stones a year. Even after deducting fuel costs (around 2,000 stones) and salaries, the Wang Clan would net a profit of 10,000 low-grade Spirit Stones annually.

It was a massive, sustainable income stream.

Seeing the juniors eager to try, Wang Hao let them practice. Once everyone was comfortable with the controls, he gave a final nod.

“The living conditions here are simple, but the benefits are the best in the clan. Don’t let me hear any complaints.”