The interior of the mine shaft was far more oppressive than Chen Ping had imagined.

The torchlight flickered with a dim, sickly yellow glow, illuminating only a fraction of the darkness.

The air was thick and foul, saturated with heavy dust and a unique, faintly nauseating odor that clung to the back of the throat.

Underfoot, the ground was a mess of slippery mud and scattered rocks. Overhead, jagged, protruding stones loomed like fangs, looking ready to collapse at any moment.

The clanging sounds of pickaxes striking rock echoed through the narrow tunnels. The noise was dull and monotonous, punctuated only by muffled coughs and the sound of labored breathing.

Chen Ping was issued a short-handled pickaxe and a crude wicker basket.

He was assigned to Tunnel Bing-Seven, a branch tunnel located deep within the mountain’s gut. The miners working there were all sallow and emaciated, with sunken eyes and numb, lifeless expressions.

No one spoke. Only the rhythmic strike of metal against stone filled the air.

Chen Ping found a spot where the ore vein seemed slightly more exposed and swung his pickaxe.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

The hard rock wall yielded only a single piece of rubble the size of a fingernail.

A tremendous recoil sent a numbing shock shooting up his arm.

The rock here was at least ten times harder than the boulders at the Back Mountain Stone Quarry!

Gritting his teeth, he swung the pickaxe again.

Once, twice…

Sweat soon soaked through his thin clothes, mixing with the pervasive dust to form a layer of sticky mud plastered against his skin.

With every breath, he felt tiny particles invading his nostrils and sinking deep into his throat, carrying a strange, icy sensation.

That peculiar mine odor seeped into his lungs with each inhalation.

After just half a day’s work, Chen Ping felt a tightness in his chest. His breathing became difficult, and a faint, throbbing headache set in.

This wasn’t mere exhaustion. It felt more like… a slow erosion of his body.

Ore Toxin!

The rumors were true.

The air in the Spirit Mine District contained a life-threatening poison.

The longer one stayed, and the deeper one dug, the more severe the poisoning became.

Over the next few days, this feeling grew increasingly pronounced.

Returning to his shack after work, he often felt dizzy. His vision blurred, his limbs felt weak, and a weight like a heavy stone pressed constantly on his chest.

Even the Spirit Rice and Wild Boar meat from his spatial pocket seemed unable to fully dispel this bone-deep fatigue and discomfort.

He forced himself to practice the Vitality Technique, but its effectiveness was greatly diminished by the toxin ravaging his system.

Chen Ping’s heart sank. He felt as if he had been stripped of his strength.

The bold aspirations of just days ago were being quickly worn away by the Ore Toxin.

He had to find a way.

Otherwise, forget about reaching one thousand pounds of Physical Strength; surviving three months in this hellhole would be a miracle.

Chen Ping began observing the miners around him with predatory focus.

During breaks, he sat silently in a corner, pricking up his ears to catch their whispers and complaints.

“Cough… cough… This damned place. Another two months here, and I’ll probably cough myself to death…”

“Save your breath. Focus on saving up enough Spirit Stones to trade for some Purifying Grass…”

“Easier said than done! A hundred pounds of ore for just two Spirit Stones! A single stalk of Purifying Grass costs five! That’s two and a half months of your life!”

“Still better than being poisoned outright… I hear that grass not only detoxifies but can also boost your strength by a lot…”

“Nonsense! You’d need to live long enough to save up first…”

Purifying Grass!

The name struck Chen Ping like a bolt of lightning in the darkness.

He inconspicuously moved closer to two old miners who were whispering. He offered them a small piece of dried Wild Boar meat he had prepared himself.

In this place, meat was a rare treat.

“Brothers,” Chen Ping said, feigning weakness and confusion in his voice. “I overheard you mention… Purifying Grass? What is that? Can it really cure the poison from this mine?”

One old miner gave him a wary look. He glanced at the dried meat in Chen Ping’s hand, hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.

“Young man, you’re new here? To become a permanent laborer at your age means you must have decent talent. But with talent like yours… it’s strange those Managers would let you work down here.”

The old miner sighed softly before continuing.

“You must know about Purifying Grass! It’s a special medicinal herb from the sect’s Medicine Hall, made to counter this mine poison. One stalk can expel most of the toxic Qi accumulated in your body. You’ll feel comfortable all over! I hear it’s very beneficial for us Mortals’ bodies; it can even increase strength quite a bit!”

“That amazing?” Chen Ping feigned surprise and longing. “Then… where can one get it? Is it expensive?”

“Expensive? It’s more than just expensive!”

The other old miner lowered his voice further, his tone filled with despair.

“You saw those Immortals from the outer sects? From what I’ve heard… five Spirit Stones per stalk! We break our backs for a month digging enough ore—a hundred pounds—just for two Spirit Stones! Five Spirit Stones… that’s over two months of your life thrown in, and it might still not be enough!”

Five Spirit Stones!

Chen Ping’s heart sank heavily.

That price was astronomical for miners like them.

“Isn’t there… any cheaper way?”

Chen Ping pressed on, unable to hide a trace of urgency in his voice. “For example… seeds? Grow it yourself?”

“Seeds?”

The first old miner snorted derisively, as if mocking Chen Ping’s naivety.

“Spirit herb seeds are treasures too! But… I hear Purifying Grass is considered the lowest-grade spirit herb in the eyes of Immortals. Its seeds aren’t as precious as the mature plants. The Immortals sell them too, at much cheaper prices—about one Spirit Stone per seed! I heard many disciples bought them before…”

He paused, shaking his head with another sigh.

“But what’s the use? They all got cheated! They give you seeds—but can you grow them? Spirit herb seeds need Spirit Fields! They need Qi nourishment! We Mortals haven’t even seen what a Spirit Field looks like. Buying a seed just to keep as a decoration? A complete waste of one Spirit Stone! Better off saving up for mature grass. Even though… sigh!”

The old miner spoke with heartfelt regret, as if he himself had fallen for this trick in the past.

One Spirit Stone per seed!

Pure elation instantly dispersed the tightness in Chen Ping’s chest.

His heart pounded violently against his ribs, as if trying to break free.

Spirit Fields? Qi?

His Jade Pendant space!

That small patch of land inside—the soil had an oddly warm, moist feel. The Spirit Grain planted there grew incredibly fast.

Could that place inside… be a Spirit Field?

Could it contain Qi?!

The thought spread through his mind like wildfire.

The Jade Pendant space was his greatest secret—and now, perhaps his only lifeline.

Suppressing the urge to jump up in excitement, he maintained an expression of bitterness and despair on his face as he thanked the two old miners.

In his heart, a crystal-clear plan had already formed.

Wages! He needed his wages! He absolutely had to receive this month’s wages!

One Spirit Stone!

He would buy one Purifying Grass seed!

And with that single seed… he would grow himself an entire future.

Just like back then, when he obtained that single Spirit Grain seed—it would save his life!