Chapter 63 A Golden Opportunity? Or a Trap?
The island that contains those three mines was a bit far from Black Pear City, infested with rough coral beaches.
Now, one might think why would rough coral beaches be a problem for flying boats? It\'s because they don\'t use flying boats to transport ores. Because a flying boat consumes too many spirit stones at once.
Besides, the island Ming Yuexin spoke doesn\'t even produce that many ores. So, it\'s simply investing money on a losing bet.
" The Coral Island, You want it?"
" Yes."
Lan Xiao pondered as he looked at Long Ming who was standing behind Ming Yuexin. He completely covered his facial expression as he stood like the guard of Ming Yuexin. He also used his Shadow Dragon Breathing method to conceal his aura, to not make Lan Xiao wary. Lan Xiao didn\'t give him much attention as he looked at Ming Yuexin.
" Very well, After I give that island to you, Lan Family won\'t pay the remuneration for breaking the contract."
" Very well." Ming Yuexin spoke.
" The second statement, The contract will activate tomorrow. However, you still need to send a letter to the main sect."
" Haha, Since you have agreed, I guess the main sect should have the same intentions." Lan Xiao laughed. After all, he won\'t believe that the disciples of Four Seasons Valley would make such a crucial decision by themselves.
He dropped his blood on the contract as it shone with a faint light. Lan Xiao made a copy of it while Ming Yuexin took the original with her.
" Since Miss Ming came here, you should enjoy the hospitality of the Lan Family."
" No, thanks. I am tired and I need to go back."
Ming Yuexin spoke as she turned around and left. Long Ming also left with her. Long Ming walked behind Ming Yuexin as he looked around. Suddenly he saw An Lu\'an from a distance as he winked at her.
An Lu\'an was expressionless, as she was deep into her thoughts.
After both of them left, Lan Xiao\'s smile vanished as he snapped his fingers.
" Yes, Patriarch Lan."
" Keep an eye on them."
" As you wish."
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As they reached the Sea Breeze Inn, Ming Yuexin turned around and pinned Long Ming against the wall.
" Do you understand what we are doing right now? We took such a big decision yet we didn\'t inform any of the sect elders!"
" What will happen if we lose the remaining portions of Deep Sea Iron?!"
Ming Yuexin\'s voice was cold as she looked at Long Ming. Long Ming could feel boundless pressure from her as if his heart was being pierced by a sharp sword.
" Calm down, Sister Ming, You must listen to me first."
Ming Yuexin looked at Long Ming as she let him go. Long Ming\'s expression didn\'t flinch as he looked at Ming Yuexin. " Do you think the meager amount of Deep Sea Iron they are selling us at such a high price is amount to something? Even if we lose that, it might be better for our sect!"
" However, If my plan succeeds…What should I say?" Long Ming grinned. " Maybe…We might take over the Black Pearl City?"
" Wh-What? What are you saying?"
Long Ming chuckled as he looked at her. " How many servant disciples of Four Seasons Valley here?"
" Probably around one hundred?"
" Gather them and tell them we are going to mine tomorrow." Long Ming chuckled.
" Besides, What do you think about a legend? The ancestors of Four Seasons Valley left a treasure trove in Black Pearl City for future generations?"
Ming Yuexin was stunned again. " Well, It\'s not like there aren\'t any. But after searching all possible locations, none seemed to have been found. So, people only took it as a rumor."
" Ah, This makes things even easier." Long Ming chuckled. Suddenly, he waved his hands as a globe of metal appeared.
" Here, Sister Ming. Please get on the work."
Long Ming chuckled as he looked at Ming Yuexin. " Sister Ming, I know it\'s hard to believe my plans. However, I hope you can trust me."
" For now, I have a small task for you." Long Ming chuckled as he threw a chunk of metal at her.
Ming Yuexin held the metal ore, but her eyes widened in shock when she realized what it was.
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Two days later, a man hurried to the Lan Family manor.
" Patriarch Lan! This is an urgent matter!"
" Hmm? What happened?" Lan Xiao was sitting in the elder hall as the man bowed before him.
" Patriarch, Look what I found from a merchant…" He took out a small chunk of metal and showed it to Lan Xiao. " This is Azure Mirthil Ore."
" What?! Azure Mirthil?!" Everyone there became shocked. Even Lan Xiao almost lept from his seat.
An elder hurried as he checked the metal. " Patriarch, This is…really Azure Mirthil ore."
14:04
An elder hurried as he checked the metal. " Patriarch, This is…really Azure Mirthil ore."
" Damn it, recently, I heard 1KG of Azure Mirthil almost got sold at 100 Million mid grade spirit stones."
" Could it be? An Azure Mirthil Mine got discovered?"
Lan Xiao thought of something as his expression changed. " Hurry up and check if this thing came from Four Seasons Valley. They recently took the Coral Island…Could it be…"
Hours passed as they returned with the mined debris of Coral Island which was excavated by Four Seasons Valley. After hours of refinement, they did get very fine chunks of Azure Mirthil.
" Damn it! How dare they swindle us! They took our golden mines right in front of our eyes."
" Fuck!"
Lan Xiao trembled in rage when he heard that news. \' No wonder they picked Coral Island. But we already turned inside out of that island. But why we never got the Azure Mirthil Mine?"
\'Could it be a trap? No, Azure Mirthil is too precious to be wasted like that.\' Lan Xiao thought inwardly.
\' I must receive all the information regarding Four Seasons Valley\'s mining right now!" He gave orders. " Also, Suppress this matter at all costs. No one must know about this!"
Another day passed.
" Patriarch, This is a weird news but…Four Seasons Valley isn\'t using its mined ores at all. It was as if, they are trying to find something in mines, but not the ores."
Patriarch Lan was stupefied when he heard the news. Not taking the ore? Trying to find something? What the hell are they trying to do?
" However, I have purchased all their excavated materials using one million mid grade stones. As a result, we wielded 100 grams of Azure Mirthil."
" So, You telling they don\'t know that the mine contains Azure Mirthil?" Lan Xiao narrowed his eyes. The informer shook his head. " Apparently, they trying to find a treasure trove left behind by their ancestors. However, they were simply unsuccessful."
Hunting for treasure should take less time than mining the ores. Moreover, Azure Mirthil is notoriously hard to extract and convert into pure ores. There was a good chance that Four Seasons Valley might have missed this fact.
\' Calculating the proportion of debris and refined ores, the Azure Mirthil ore vein should be quite a big vein. Also, there is no way Four Season Valley will squander such resources.\' Lan Xiao thought inwardly. He felt something was wrong, but he couldn\'t put his hands on it.
But after refining a few batches, The yield of Azure Mirthil increased to 500 grams. And after that, Lan Xiao could no longer sit still.
" Call Ming Yuexin right now. I wish to speak with her right now!"
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" Young Master Long, You are surely playing very hard." An Lu\'an gently sipped the tea as she looked at Long Ming.
Long Ming sat before her as he was painting again. The atmosphere was serene in the Autumn Pool Pavilion.
" Rather than playing hard, I am trying to kill the chicken with a borrowed knife."
" Is that so?" An Lu\'an\'s chin rested on her fist as she glanced at Long Ming. It has been three days and they have been meeting regularly.
" Five Early stages Harmonization Realm Elders, Ten Primordial Spirit Realm Fighters, and more than two dozen of Golden Core Realm soldiers. Do you think you can handle them all alone without the main sect\'s support?"
" Not in a fair fight, Of course." Long Ming grinned. " Although I have a good chance of winning, It will increase if you support me, Miss An."
"And in return, I would give you something you would like." Long Ming smiled.
" Freedom from this shitty married life and the title of concubine without suffering a single bit."
An Lu\'an glanced at Long Ming as a light smile appeared.
" I am listening."
" Two things. I wish you to only do two things." Long Ming paused his painting as he looked at An Lu\'an. " At the appropriate time, Show this tattered scroll to Patriarch Lan. And the second thing, Just tell me before they make any big moves."
" Betraying my family, Ah."
" Betrayal?" Long Ming laughed lightly. " I think you should rephrase it as Saving Lan Family in a hard way."
The sole reason Four Seasons Valley couldn\'t take direct action against Lan Family is that- First, They don\'t have a solid reason to attack an aristocratic family who controls such a big city.
Second, The moment they will attack, the hostile forces will jump in and surround Four Seasons Valley, putting the last straw that will break the camel\'s back.
Therefore, they got forced to negotiate, which will lessen the casualty. But of course, Long Ming had other plans.
" Very well, I will think about your proposal." An Lu\'an merely smiled.
Long Ming chuckled as he looked at An Lu\'an. " I wonder if you like my painting? Hopefully, It\'s not too eye pricking."
" If this painting is bad, then the other painter might just splash colors on their canvas." An Lu\'an giggled. " However, Why do you always make my figure so abstract? Why don\'t you draw my portrait completely?"
" It\'s because I usually don\'t draw women\'s figures. Or should I say, I can\'t?"
" Why? I would like to hear more about such a peculiar flaw."
" Taste." Long Ming chuckled. "As you can only get intoxicated after drinking the best wine, I can only draw a woman\'s figure only after I thoroughly feel it."
An Lu\'an raised her eyebrows as she looked at Long Ming with a stunned expression. She understood what Long Ming meant. Long Ming stood silently as he looked at her with an ambiguous expression.
He poured a cup of wine and passed it to An Lu\'an.
But unknown to her, He dropped a drop of his blood in it.