"Big bro, aren't we amazing? We dug out so many Immortal Stones, and even managed to boost our strength. This is honestly a great method!" Shadow looked at Evan Lin, excitement written all over his face.
"Boost your strength? How did you do that?" Evan Lin asked, glancing at the pile of ruined digging tools nearby, feeling even more puzzled.
"Those digging tools were way too flimsy. Goldfeathers and I broke them all in just one day, so we switched to our true forms and started clawing through the rock directly. Turns out our claws worked way better than your tools. Whenever we got tired, we'd just absorb the energy from the Immortal Stones we dug up, then get back to work. That's how both of us leveled up so much," Shadow explained.
"You can do that? That's just insane." Evan Lin laughed, never expecting these two would turn hard labor into a way to power up. No wonder they managed to dig out such a massive cave.
"How many Immortal Stones did you absorb? Even if they're just low-grade, the energy is still pretty decent—at least comparable to top-tier Starstones or even Star Crystals. Looks like this mine really is a good place for you two," Evan Lin said.
"We'd never touch those low-grade Immortal Stones! Goldfeathers and I only absorbed mid-grade ones. Too bad there aren't any high-grade stones here—otherwise, we'd have powered up even faster," Shadow replied dismissively, leaving Evan Lin so shocked his jaw could've fit a whole egg.
"You both absorbed mid-grade Immortal Stones? How many did you take in, exactly?" Evan Lin couldn't help asking. These two actually knew how to pick the good stuff... Could it be this so-called 'waste tunnel' isn't a waste at all, but actually loaded with Immortal Stones?
At that moment, Goldfeathers the vulture laughed, "Shadow's a total freak. I could only absorb the energy from five mid-grade Immortal Stones before I hit my limit, but this guy managed to take in over thirty before he was full. I have no idea how he does it—it's just crazy."
Evan Lin was even less calm now. There were just over a hundred low-grade Immortal Stones here, but these two had found nearly forty mid-grade ones. That was downright unbelievable—maybe this really was the richest vein in the mine.
Seeing the look of shock on Evan Lin's face, Goldfeathers said, "Boss, are you surprised we dug up so many mid-grade Immortal Stones? Honestly, we broke a ton of low-grade ones too—their hardness just isn't enough, so they shatter if you're not careful. There's a lot of crushed low-grade stones mixed in with the waste rock here."
"At first, it took us ages just to find any Immortal Stones. But the deeper we dug, the more stones popped up—and the more mid-grade ones showed up too. I think we've hit the main vein of the Immortal Stone lode," Goldfeathers said.
"Exactly, that's highly possible. For now, stop digging—wait until I've handed the Immortal Stones over to the guards before you continue. We can't let anyone else find out about this. This place is perfect for us to train, so keep it quiet!" Evan Lin ordered.
He picked up ten low-grade Immortal Stones from the ground and left the tunnel. When he came out, he saw the guard and the middle-aged mine master Nolan waiting quietly outside. Both men were surprised when Evan Lin appeared—did this guy really manage to dig up Immortal Stones?
Evan Lin caught the look in their eyes and walked up to them. The guard spoke first, "Finished with the Immortal Stone task? Show us what you've got."
His words were simple and direct, with a hint of contempt in his eyes. Evan Lin just smiled, "The digging tools you gave me were junk. Next time, I want double the tools—I guarantee I can dig out at least twenty Immortal Stones next month."
He then took out ten low-grade Immortal Stones from his storage ring. Both men were shocked—who would've thought this kid could actually dig up stones in a waste tunnel? If Nolan didn't know for sure that Evan Lin was a newly ascended cultivator, he'd have suspected the stones were brought in and passed off as mined on the spot.
The guard took the stones, checked them, and said, "You've completed your task. Keep up the good work and maybe you'll achieve even more. But the tools stay the same—mine rules can't change just for you."
Evan Lin was about to say something when Nolan, the mine master, spoke up: "You've done very well. You're allowed to cultivate inside the mine tunnels. I'll give you three months—if you can dig up thirty Immortal Stones in that time, your task is done. No matter how many you dig, you only need to hand in thirty; the rest you can keep for your own cultivation. Here, take this storage ring—it's got all the digging tools you'll need. I have high hopes for you, young man. Don't let me down."
Evan Lin kept his strength suppressed at the level of an ordinary Immortal, but this time Nolan didn't bother checking his realm—there was no need. If he found out Evan Lin was already mid Heavenly Immortal, he'd be utterly stunned.
Evan Lin accepted Nolan's storage ring and said, "Thank you, mine master. I'll get it done, don't worry." With that, he turned and went straight back into the tunnel without looking back.
Just then, Nolan turned to the guard and asked, "What do you think of him? Surprised he managed to dig up Immortal Stones in a waste tunnel?"
"Definitely surprised. How could there still be Immortal Stones in there? I still suspect those stones came from his own stash—should we go check the tunnel?" the guard asked.
"If it were anyone else, maybe I'd be suspicious, but with him I have no reason to doubt. He's a fresh ascendee to the Immortal Realm—where would he get Immortal Stones? Besides, he's not as simple as you think. In terms of combat power, he might not be weaker than you," Nolan replied.
"What? A fresh ascendee as strong as me? Are you saying he's at the Heavenly Immortal Realm? I don't buy it," the guard said.
"Right now, he's probably late-stage Earth Immortal. The kid's got monstrous talent—his future is limitless. This is the best time to build a good relationship with him," Nolan said.
The guard only nodded, but he didn't really agree. Anyone the mine master valued was a threat to his own position. Right now, in the Coldriver Mines, only Nolan outranked him; he absolutely couldn't let anyone threaten his status.
Evan Lin knew nothing about any of this. Right now, he had three months to break through to late-stage Heavenly Immortal—a goal well within reach. Once he made it, he'd finally be able to refine the Native-Soil Crystal and push his Earthshift art to the second tier. At that point, mining Immortal Stones in the Coldriver Mines would be effortless, and the whole hidden vein would basically belong to him...