Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 196: Who is Mining the Spirit Stone Vein

The Spirit Stones used by cultivators did not come out of the ground in neat, uniform rectangles. In nature, they were raw ore—large, irregular chunks of crystal embedded in rock.

The breathing of Wang Hao’s group grew heavy.

“A Spirit Stone vein?”

In the cultivation world, the value of rare metals fluctuated, but Spirit Stones were the universal currency. A mine like this was essentially a license to print money.

Wang Hao was excited too. He broke off another piece of ore and examined it. It was indeed raw spirit stone ore. Most pieces were pale green and wood-aligned; a little over twenty percent showed other colors.

The total reserves were unknown, but just from a cursory glance, there were dozens of Low-Grade raw ores exposed in this small cavern alone. Once processed, these rocks would be worth nearly a hundred Spirit Stones.

If Wang Hao simply smashed his way along the vein, he could potentially harvest thousands of Spirit Stones a day.

But mining was not simple. The rock around the ore was hard enough that breaking it required a second-tier magic tool.

However, cultivators had tools for this. Specialized mining picks could pry the raw stone from the bedrock, and even Tier 1 artifacts could do the job, albeit slowly. Mortal laborers, if equipped with the right tools and supervised by cultivators, could also do the heavy lifting. Without mortal labor, cultivators would work themselves to death trying to extract every stone.

“A spirit stone mine! The family is going to prosper!” one of the hunters exclaimed.

“But doesn’t the Qingyuan Sect forbid cultivation families from mining spirit stones?” another asked. “If we hide this and they find out, we could meet the same end as the Shen family of Wolf Mountain.”

“Report it and all we get is one Foundation Establishment Pill. Even a tiny mine can yield hundreds of thousands of low-grade spirit stones. Why should the family accept that bargain? The Qingyuan Sect has shut its gates. If we are careful, who will know?”

After the initial euphoria, the reality of the situation set in. They looked to Wang Hao for a decision.

Wang Hao was deep in thought.

Control over Spirit Stone veins was the prerogative of Golden Core sects. By controlling the supply of currency, a sect could manipulate the local economy like a central bank. Whether they mined it or hoarded it, they won.

The Leizhou Peninsula was a relatively undeveloped frontier. Thousands of years ago, the Qingyuan region was wild and untamed. Even today, few major veins had been discovered. The Qingyuan Sect controlled only four: one medium and three small mines.

A small vein typically held between one and three million Spirit Stones. A medium vein could hold up to ten million. On paper, the Qingyuan Sect was incredibly wealthy.

But extraction took time. Without drafting large numbers of cultivators, and instead using mortals with a few cultivators, a medium mine might yield only several tens of thousands of spirit stones a year. A small mine might not even yield ten thousand. Mines were worked over centuries.

Holding a mine did not mean its entire value could be spent at once.

The Blazing Heaven Sect and Infinite Palace held more spirit stone mines, yet were weaker than the Qingyuan Sect. Resources were the foundation, but people still determined success; without resources, success was harder.

Wang Hao wanted this mine.

If Wang Guang’an successfully formed his Golden Core, the Wang Clan would have the strength to hold this territory openly. If he failed, Wang Hao was confident he could reach the Golden Core stage himself within a few decades. Until then, secrecy was key.

This area was desolate. Few wandering cultivators passed by, and none had reason to investigate underground. Without the Double-Tailed Scorpion leading them here, the mine might have remained buried for years.

“Stop arguing. Fifth Brother, what do you think?” someone asked. Wang Hao answered gravely, “To refuse a gift from heaven invites misfortune. We discovered this spirit stone vein; we have no reason to surrender it.”

Wang Wenjiang and Wang Wenzhu smiled. Wang Wuxiang frowned.

“Think about it,” Wang Hao continued. “What restricts a family’s growth besides population?”

“Resources,” Wang Wenjiang answered immediately. “Without resources, we can’t train new disciples.”

“Exactly. This mine is critical for the Wang Clan’s future. Furthermore, Spirit Stone deposits usually sit atop Spirit Veins. Judging by the Qi leaking from the walls, there’s likely a Tier 2 High-Grade—or even Tier 3—Spirit Vein down here.”

Wang Hao pressed a hand to the wall and felt the energy leaking through its cracks. Both the mine and a possible third-tier spirit vein could help the Wang family prosper. He judged the gamble worthwhile.

Wang Hao knew too little about mining to estimate the reserves. He could ask Wang Longyou and the others later, but could not entrust the matter to outsiders. “For now, return to the family. Keep this secret even from other clan members. Do not boast about it.”

The juniors nodded solemnly, understanding the stakes.

Just as they moved to collect the scorpion carcass, Wang Hao froze.

He had opened his Wicked Map, as usual, to check for nearby demon beasts.

The map showed something unexpected.

A dense network of mining tunnels lay close to them.

Wang Hao’s blood ran cold. The Wang Clan wasn’t the first to find this vein.

“Stop!” Wang Hao whispered sharply. “Don’t move. Don’t make a sound.”

The group froze instantly, tension flooding the cavern. They exchanged glances, realizing the implication. Someone was already here.

Who?

The Qingyuan Sect would have no reason to hide its mine; the surrounding land would already be restricted.

Of the six families around Falling Phoenix Market, only the Liu and Tang families remained. Wang Hao suspected one of them.

Wang Hao sent a mental transmission: “Stay here. I’m going to investigate.”

Before they could respond, his figure blurred and merged into the stone wall using an Earth Escape technique.

Moments later, he emerged inside a tunnel. Tool marks on the walls confirmed that someone else had already begun mining.

He might have abandoned another kind of mineral rather than fight for it. A spirit stone mine, however, was part of the foundation of a Golden Core clan, and he would not surrender it lightly.

Concealing his aura, Wang Hao moved deeper into the tunnel.

At a junction he found five passages. He chose one that looked newly dug. Ore still embedded in its walls glowed in several colors, lighting the passage.

The Wicked Map showed terrain and demon beasts, but not cultivators. He had to investigate carefully.

He didn’t have to go far.

He stopped.

Ahead, his divine sense detected more than a dozen cultivators and several hundred mortals.