Rise of the Wang Clan: Starting with a Portable Farm

Chapter 201: Puppet Mining

After the three reached an agreement, Wang Longyou and Wang Yanzhao escorted Wang Hao to the door. “We have to trouble you again,” Wang Longyou said.

Wang Yanzhao had too much to do to leave, and Wang Longyou was going into seclusion. Taking the clansmen and puppets to the spirit stone mine fell to Wang Hao again.

His cultivation had already been delayed for so long that a few more days hardly mattered. He smiled. “We’re family. We’re all working for the clan.”

“Then gather the clansmen as soon as you can and pick up Wenyuan on the way,” Wang Yanzhao said. “Take Yanzhi to Ruojun Mountain as well. It cannot be left without a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

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

Wang Hao left the council hall and returned to his cave dwelling.

The next morning, seven Qi Refining clansmen stood before Wang Hao. Only Wang Wenzhu and Wang Wensheng knew about the spirit stone mine. He had told the others merely that they were going on a long journey and he needed their help. Their families knew nothing of it.

“Greetings, Fifth Brother!”

“Greetings, Fifth Uncle!”

Once all seven were ready, Wang Hao took them aboard his flying boat.

On the boat, Wang Wenzhu asked, “Fifth Brother, are we going to Ruojun Mountain?”

The others perked up, eager for details.

With no outsiders present, Wang Hao could tell them. “This is important. I kept it from you earlier in case word got out. We’ll pick up Wenyuan at Ruojun Mountain, then go to a spirit stone mine. You’re the first group assigned there.”

“What? A Spirit Stone Mine?”

“We’re… miners?”

The seven were variously delighted, shocked, and worried. None had imagined the clan owned a spirit stone mine, though even they knew how valuable one was.

Only Wang Wenzhu’s face fell. “Fifth Brother, do I have to go? I don’t want to be a miner.”

“Why? You’ve been there before. The spiritual energy is rich, so it’s a good place to cultivate.”

“But mining is so dull. I want to stay with the clan!” She would rather take on the more dangerous work of hunting demonic beasts than be shut up in one place.

“The clan leader and Third Granduncle sent you to temper your character,” Wang Hao said sharply. “It’s settled. Don’t bargain. You’re old enough to know what matters, and those of you entrusted with this secret should be ready to shoulder the clan’s burdens.”

Then he added, “Your clan contribution for this assignment will be doubled. Cultivate diligently for a few years, and the clan will select several of you to receive Foundation Establishment Pills.”

“Foundation Establishment Pills? Fifth Brother, do you mean it?” Wang Wenzhu asked, suddenly delighted.

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

“Then don’t worry, Fifth Brother. I’ll take good care of the clan’s mine!” Wenzhu’s worry turned to determination.

The others smiled too. All seven had decent aptitude; none could have reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining so young with poor spirit roots.

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

After giving them a few more instructions, Wang Hao flew to Ruojun Mountain to pick up Wang Wenyuan. Wenyuan knew more about the matter and took the change of post in stride; the mine had even richer spiritual energy.

Once everyone was aboard, Wang Hao explained the mine’s importance again. No one was to go out without cause, and all were to obey Wang Wenyuan, the Foundation Establishment elder in charge.

“You’re still young. The clan won’t keep you mining forever. You’ll likely rotate out after seven or eight years. This is a duty, but also an opportunity. Make the most of it and try to advance several levels. Understood?”

“Understood!”

They still wondered how they would find time to cultivate if they had to mine.

Wang Hao offered no explanation yet. Once they saw the puppet beasts at the mine, they would understand.

A little over a day later, they reached Rubble Slope. Wang Wenjiang, who had stayed to guard it, opened a gap in the formation for them.

The group entered one by one. The dense spiritual energy startled them; Wang Hao had spoken the truth.

When they saw large spirit stones embedded in the cave walls, they stood speechless for a long time.

At the mine, Wang Hao brought out a group of puppet beasts.

Now the clansmen understood: they would not have to do all the digging themselves. The puppets would mine while they guarded the site.

Pleased by their astonishment, Wang Hao explained, “You’ll guard the mine, direct the puppets, and replace their spirit stones.”

He pointed to a recess in a puppet’s belly. “The spirit stones go here. Each puppet needs two stones and can usually run for ten days.”

Mining consumed far less energy than combat. Wang Hao had modified the puppets so they could only mine, reducing wear as well.

“Once you give them an order, they’ll dig on their own. You won’t have to control them constantly.”

“So this won’t take away your cultivation time,” he said. The others looked pleased.

“You can also dig in person if you wish. As elsewhere in the clan, you keep one spirit stone for every ten you extract. Whether cultivation or extra spirit stones matter more is for you to decide.”

It was another test. Someone who neglected the clan’s work to cultivate was selfish; someone who worked so hard that cultivation suffered would not go far either.

They needed to divide their time sensibly and find a balance.

“Understood?”

“Understood!”

“Good. Wenzhu, you try.”

Wang Hao gave her control of one puppet beast and two low-grade spirit stones. She owned a puppet already and knew the controls, despite the difference between the two models. She inserted the stones into the recess in its belly and issued a command with her spiritual sense.

The puppet walked toward the rock wall.

It swung the magical implement in its hands and began to dig.

It worked no slower than a Qi Refining cultivator and, unlike a person, did not need to rest.

With all the puppets working, they could extract three or four pieces of raw ore a day, yielding at least thirty or forty low-grade spirit stones.

That came to about fifteen thousand stones a year. Running the puppets would cost a little over two thousand stones, and the clansmen’s wages and rewards also had to be paid. Wang Hao estimated the clan’s annual net profit at around ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.

That was a substantial return.

Seeing everyone eager to try, Wang Hao let them familiarize themselves with the puppets. Once they all knew how to control one, he said:

“The conditions here are a little rough, but the benefits are better than those offered to other clansmen. Don’t complain.”