"Whelp, you dare to ridicule this venerable one? Today I shall let you witness the true might of I, your elder!" With that, the monster lunged at Evan Lin. Evan saw that the monster's arm resembled a withered bone, utterly devoid of flesh, only a thin layer of skin stretched over it—an image of pure eeriness.
Evan Lin was keenly aware that this monster’s strength far surpassed his own. Even though the mine’s restrictions made unleashing grand techniques impossible, he didn’t need to think twice to know the consequences of being caught. He swiftly retreated, dodging the strike, and said, “If you wish to draw attention, then by all means, try. I imagine after bearing disgrace and hiding in here for so many years, you’d hardly want to be exposed in a single instant, would you?”
The monster stopped and glanced at Evan Lin in the distance. "Who exactly are you, and why did you show up in this mine? You should know this is a waste tunnel—there aren't any Immortal Stones here at all."
"You say there’s nothing here and expect me to believe it? I say there must be a rich vein of Immortal Stones hidden within—only because of your presence do others mistake this for a waste tunnel. Anyone who entered was slain by you, am I wrong? Are you trying to hoard all the Immortal Stones for yourself?" Evan Lin retorted, feeling vexed by the monster’s raspy voice.
The monster paused for a long moment before replying, "Whether there are Immortal Stones or not, you’ll learn if you dig. If you are willing to agree to one condition, this venerable one shall spare your life. With your Earth Immortal cultivation, you are but an ant before me—I could end you in a single move. Just now, I merely wished to test your nerve and reaction."
Evan Lin sensed an opportunity—this old monster’s identity was no doubt extraordinary, and there had to be a story behind it. He replied, “I know you’re formidable, and I can see you have your own bitter reasons. What condition do you want me to accept? If I can do it, perhaps I’ll help you. But what benefit can you offer me in return? I never help others without benefit. Though your cultivation is higher, this young master is not afraid of you.”
"Ignorant child, you truly do not know the meaning of fear! Never has anyone dared speak to this venerable one in such a manner. Believe it or not, I could obliterate you here and now, body and soul alike!" The monster’s anger flared at Evan Lin’s words.
“Go ahead and try. Do you truly think this young master fears you? You have no other choice. After waiting here for centuries, you finally encounter someone like me—would you really let this opportunity slip away? Stop deceiving yourself, I’ve seen through these tricks countless times. If you have demands, speak them quickly. I don’t have endless patience for games.” Evan Lin replied with composure, clearly unfazed by the monster.
All the while, Evan Lin had already sent his Divine Sense sweeping through the mine’s rock and soil structure. Many areas were impossibly hard, but some remained loose enough. With his current mastery of the Earthshift art, he could merge into the earth itself—escape wouldn’t be difficult unless the monster locked him in a personal spatial domain and struck before he could resonate with the elemental particles. Otherwise, he was confident he could get away.
The monster seemed ready to erupt in fury, but ultimately suppressed it and said, "Do you know who this venerable one is, or why I have been reduced to such a state?"
"I don't know yet, but I'm sure you'll tell me. I'm pretty confident about that. I bet you're closely tied to the Coldriver Mines, and you ended up like this because you were betrayed by someone close. Am I right?" Evan Lin said, all the while ready to use his Earthshift art at any moment.
"You are perceptive. I am the original master of the Coldriver Mines, and it was betrayal that cast me into this abyss. The one who betrayed me was none other than the Lord of Coldriver City—once my sworn brother. If I cannot avenge this enmity, I shall never know peace!" the monster declared.
Evan Lin was a bit shocked—he hadn't expected the old guy to have such a background. "Why did he betray you? Weren't you sworn brothers? Was it all about profit?"
“Precisely. Hundreds of years ago, a supreme-grade Immortal Stone appeared in the Coldriver Mines. Supreme-grade Immortal Stones are treasures beyond compare in the Immortal Realm—strengthening one’s cultivation devours Immortal Essence at a terrifying rate. Why do so many remain weak? Simply because they lack enough Immortal Essence to absorb, and their own aptitude is mediocre—they’re doomed to mediocrity.
But if you're strong, your need for Immortal Stones is even greater—and you want higher grades too. The fact that the Coldriver Mines produced a supreme-grade Immortal Stone proves this isn't some small-time vein. If you could find the true core of the lode, you might even get Immortal Crystals. The boost you'd get from such precious Immortal Stones is obvious.
With that, you'd be able to enter the core cities of the Martial Spirit Dominion. That's where the Immortal Realm is truly prosperous—the place every Immortal dreams of reaching. And it was because of that supreme-grade Immortal Stone that the Lord of Coldriver City turned on me."
In raw strength, I was no match for him. But in cunning and treachery, he is truly a fearsome character. After we acquired the supreme-grade Immortal Stone, we immediately erased all witnesses in that section of the mine—only the two of us remained privy to the secret.
Little did I know he coveted the entire vein for himself. He used Helljudge Powder—a poison of unspeakable cruelty—against me. If not for my formidable cultivation, I would have perished long ago. All these years, I have clung to life, awaiting the day I can reclaim justice with my own hands.” The elder spoke slowly, leaving Evan Lin stunned.
Helljudge Powder—a name Evan Lin had never even heard of. "Why don't you leave? How could you survive in this mine for hundreds of years? Are you scared of him, or is there some restriction? And that tunnel where you found the supreme-grade Immortal Stone—hasn't he already dug it out by now? I haven't heard of anything like that turning up again." Evan Lin asked, genuinely curious about the old man's story.
"Since I'm the mine master here, I know the difference between the Immortal Stones in this place. If I'm right, the real treasures should be buried deep underground—maybe five or even dozens of li below. Up here, the best you can find are high-grade stones at most.
And Helljudge Powder is vicious beyond compare—it corrodes flesh and bone. Only in this shadowed, sunless cavern can the poison be suppressed. For centuries, I have forced out the toxin daily, yet progress is pitifully slow. Now, my life’s flame is nearly spent—should I step outside, the sunlight of the Immortal Realm would claim my life before anything else.” the elder said.
Evan Lin finally understood—the old guy was actually on the verge of death, so he wasn't much of a threat anymore. "Senior, what was your original cultivation realm? And what exactly do you want me to do? You're not asking me to go kill the Lord of Coldriver City, are you? With my current strength, that's just impossible."
"Once, I possessed late-stage Golden Immortal cultivation. If I had obtained a few supreme-grade Immortal Stones, breaking through to Da Luo Golden Immortal would have been a trifling matter! Yet to fall prey to a base villain’s schemes—this venerable one cannot die in peace!" the elder uttered bitterly, his voice thick with unwillingness.