Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Father and Son Reunited

As the group approached the main gate of Dragon Tiger Mountain, two disciples stepped out to block their path. Upon learning they were here to purchase Spirit Stones, one disciple returned to the sect to report, while the other asked them sourly, ”Here to buy Spirit Stones? You know the rules, right?”

Cai Yunji nodded, unfazed by the disciple’s disrespect. She gestured to the people behind her and said, ”We understand the rules. These are the alchemists I’ve brought.”

The disciple from Dragon Tiger Mountain glanced disdainfully at Ye Qingchen’s group, gave an impatient nod, and promptly ignored them.

Dragon Tiger Mountain was a Two-Star Sect, and because it was the source of Spirit Stones, its members were particularly arrogant. After all, Spirit Stones were in short supply. If you didn’t like their attitude, you were free to take your business elsewhere. They never had trouble selling their wares.

Of course, this attitude was reserved for smaller clients. When it came to truly large customers, Dragon Tiger Mountain was much more courteous.

Cai Yunji, knowing this all too well, said, ”Please be so kind as to report that we wish to purchase fifty million Low-grade Spirit Stones.”

The Dragon Tiger Mountain disciple’s jaw dropped. Stunned by her words, he stammered, ”F-Fifty million? P-Please wait a moment! I’ll go get our manager right away!”

With that, the disciple turned and dashed back toward the sect.

Ye Qingchen curled his lip and muttered, ”So money really does talk. The moment they hear a big customer has arrived, their attitude does a complete one-eighty.”

Cai Yunji smiled. ”That’s to be expected,” she told Ye Qingchen. ”After all, even for Dragon Tiger Mountain, an order of fifty million Low-grade Spirit Stones is a sale that might only come along once every few years.”

They chatted for a while longer before several figures emerged from the sect. The man in the lead was tall and thin, with a sallow, waxen complexion. His eyes were especially striking. They held a gloomy light that immediately told you he was not an easy person to get along with.

The middle-aged man walked up to Cai Yunji and looked her up and down before nodding. ”I am Fei Hu, the Third in Command of Dragon Tiger Mountain. You wish to purchase fifty million Spirit Stones?”

Cai Yunji bowed respectfully. ”That is correct. When can you make the delivery?”

Fei Hu waved his hand dismissively, his gaze shifting to Ye Qingchen and the others. ”Since you know the rules and have brought your alchemists, you will first treat the mine slaves. Once that is done, I will naturally arrange for your delivery.”

Finished, Fei Hu turned to the disciples behind him. ”Tell them to bring the mine slaves to the plaza.”

Fei Hu then led Cai Yunji’s group into Dragon Tiger Mountain, stopping once they reached the main plaza. The plaza was vast, easily over ten thousand square meters. It was surrounded by all sorts of statues, which kept it from feeling empty.

Fei Hu had the alchemists Cai Yunji brought find places to sit, and Ye Qingchen, of course, was one of them.

Before long, Ye Qingchen saw groups of mine slaves shuffling into the plaza. Most of them were stooped over and emaciated, their clothes little more than rags. Through the rips and holes in their fabric, gruesome wounds were visible.

Ye Qingchen quickly activated his Dual Pupil Martial Soul, scanning the crowd for any sign of his father. After a thorough search, he felt a pang of disappointment. However, while he hadn’t found his father, he did sense a familiar aura.

Ever since Ba Hu had been injured by Ye Qingchen, he had been stewing in anger back at the sect. He had only wanted to lead his brothers out to make some extra money but had ended up running into someone he couldn’t handle. Not only did he fail to get what he wanted, he even got injured himself.

Just now, Ba Hu had heard someone came to the sect to buy Spirit Stones, so he headed straight for the plaza. It was common practice for merchants purchasing Spirit Stones to bring their own alchemists, who would then be tasked with treating the mine slaves in the plaza. Why pass up a free treatment?

As luck would have it, Ba Hu ended up in the line for Ye Qingchen.

Ba Hu shoved aside the mine slave in front of him and plopped down before Ye Qingchen. ”Take a look at me! Dammit, what rotten luck!”

Ba Hu was still cursing when he looked up and realized the person sitting across from him was none other than Ye Qingchen—the very man who had injured him. He was momentarily stunned.

Ye Qingchen recognized Ba Hu too, but since his only goal was to find his father, he didn’t cause a scene. He pretended not to know him and simply began the treatment.

Ba Hu sneered inwardly. You brat. You injured me, and now you have to treat me obediently. Just you wait until you leave Dragon Tiger Mountain. I’ll show you what I’ll do to you!

After Ba Hu left, it was finally the mine slaves’ turn.

Ye Qingchen noticed that after living in the dark, damp mines for so long, most of the slaves had contracted various illnesses. Furthermore, years of contact with the raw ore meant they had all been afflicted with ’ore poison’ to some degree. This so-called ore poison was a mutation that occurred when Spiritual Energy leaking from the ore during mining mixed with the surrounding gloomy, dark energies.

In order to maintain Spirit Stone production without bearing the cost of treatment, Dragon Tiger Mountain had a strict rule: any merchant buying Spirit Stones had to bring their own alchemists to detoxify the slaves. This saved them money, improved efficiency, and supposedly motivated the mine slaves to work harder.

Looking at the mine slaves before him, Ye Qingchen frowned. He thought of his own father, sold into slavery here for ten long years. He had endured this same suffering for a decade. The thought made his heart ache.

Ye Qingchen shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. He began to fully concentrate on treating and detoxifying the slaves.

Time passed slowly. They had arrived in the morning, but now it was nearly evening, and most of the mine slaves had been treated. But to Ye Qingchen’s growing disappointment, he still hadn’t seen his father.

A dull ache settled in his heart. Could it be that Father has already...

He didn’t dare let himself finish the thought.

”Excuse me, sir. Could you please take a look at me?”

A voice, polite and well-mannered—completely unlike the other mine slaves’—interrupted Ye Qingchen’s thoughts. He looked up to see a middle-aged mine slave with dark, tanned skin standing before him. The man’s aura was extremely chaotic, a clear sign that the Fire Poison in his body had reached a severe stage.

Ye Qingchen stared at the man, slightly stunned.

Then, his pupils contracted violently.

Even though so many years had passed, Ye Qingchen recognized him in an instant. The man standing before him was his father, Ye Changqing!

Fighting back the storm of emotions in his heart, Ye Qingchen gestured for his father to sit down. He knew that if he revealed their connection now, rescuing his father would become infinitely more difficult.