Martial Saint through Reading

As soon as Jin Yu recovered some primordial qi, he formed a ring in his palm and retaliated by throwing it at the evil spirit, even if it didn’t have much effect.

This evil spirit, though it had devoured a lot of blood, had only barely reached Tier Three and couldn’t withstand Chu Ming’s relentless bombardment.

Not long after, the evil spirit’s aura became weak, leaving only a thumb-sized, obscure and cold mass.

”Master, let me!”

Seeing this, Jin Yu volunteered and hurled a primordial qi ring down, causing the mass to dissipate into smoke and vanish.

Along with its disappearance, the black mist that was engulfing the miners and guards outside also dissipated.

”It’s gone?”

A guard slumped to the ground, pale-faced, staring blankly at the sky.

The miners who survived by chance were even more terrified, their bodies still trembling uncontrollably, sweat like soybeans dripping from their foreheads.

...

Inside the cave.

After the evil spirit was destroyed, two things appeared where it had been: a pitch-black stone and a core-like object.

Excited, Jin Yu ran over and picked them up. ”Master, haha, a primordial qi object and a primordial artifact material.”

Chu Ming, in disguise, stood by without stepping forward to claim them, observing quietly.

Since this bald-headed Jin Yu mistook him for his master, the Bai You he saw at the Divine Mystery Bureau’s Black Tower that night, he decided to play along and extract some information.

Chu Ming saved Jin Yu at a critical moment to leave a living clue, hoping to inquire about more details regarding the evil object.

”Master, here.” Jin Yu handed over the items and then asked, ”Master, are you in disguise, wearing a mask... have you been secretly protecting me all this time?”

Chu Ming picked up the pitch-black stone, examining it closely.

As for the core, it contained pure primordial qi, similar to when he infused the white mist from his sea of consciousness into ordinary objects, making them into primordial qi objects.

But the pitch-black stone was different, holding it gave him a sense of mental control.

Not mental control, rather a control through primordial consciousness.

”This item...” Chu Ming feigned a contemplative look.

”Master, this stone is large enough to create a primordial artifact!”

Refining, a primordial artifact?

From this sentence, Chu Ming confirmed that Jin Yu referred to a primordial artifact, not primordial qi.

”Master, considering my flawless completion of the task, could you perhaps give me this material...” Jin Yu pleaded.

Flawless completion of the task?

Chu Ming’s lips twitched slightly.

Had he not intervened today, forget about the task, Jin Yu would have lost his life.

Such audacity, lying with eyes wide open.

”What do you want to refine?” Chu Ming asked calmly.

”A short sword, dagger, or short blade.” Hearing this, Jin Yu became exceptionally excited, ”Master, then I’ll be able to, like Senior Brother, control objects in the void and strike enemies from a thousand miles...no, five meters away.”

A thousand miles? Five meters?

Chu Ming’s eyes flickered, seemingly understanding what a primordial artifact was.

If nothing unexpected, the pitch-black stone in his palm could indeed be controlled by primordial consciousness, beyond the control of hands.

And the control distance depended on the range of primordial consciousness.

Normally, a primordial consciousness of a primordial qi warrior in the realm of Primordial Qi Introduction could only extend one or two meters away from the body, while those in the Primordial Qi Unity realm could reach three to five meters.

The Primordial Qi Liquid realm could extend ten to several dozen meters, and the Primordial Qi Lake realm even farther.

However, Chu Ming was different; his primordial consciousness was the Sword Gourd Spirit.

The Sword Gourd Spirit, supported by the sea of consciousness, had a range already extending five to six miles.

This meant the distance he could control the primordial artifact wasn’t just three or five meters, but an astonishing five to six miles!

And this distance would continue to expand as his sea of consciousness did.

”Once I reach the Primordial Qi Liquid realm, I can strike enemies ten meters away just like Senior Brother!”

Jin Yu fixed his gaze on the pitch-black stone, as if he had already seen himself wielding the primordial artifact impressively.

Chu Ming glanced at him and deftly stored away the pitch-black stone, saying, ”I’ll refine it for you when we get back.”

”Thank you, Master!” Jin Yu said joyfully.

Then he took out a primordial qi jade pendant from his arms and handed it over with the evil core. ”Master, I acquired this jade pendant by chance a few days ago.”

He’s quite filial.

Chu Ming looked at the bald-headed Jin Yu with a faint smile, ”My good disciple, Master will certainly create a magnificent primordial artifact for you.”

Saying this, he accepted the primordial qi jade pendant and the evil core.

Good disciple?

Master addressed me this way for the first time!

It must be because I contributed something valuable this time!

”Thank you, Master.” Jin Yu bowed in delight and asked, ”Master, shall we head back now?”

Head back?

Chu Ming shook his head, ”I still have matters to attend to; you go ahead.”

”...Alright.” Jin Yu bowed again and said, ”Then I’ll take my leave, Master.”

”Mm.”

Jin Yu left the mine first, and Meng Zhen approached him immediately.

”Divine Envoy Jin, that evil spirit...?”

”The evil spirit has been eradicated; the mine is no longer threatened.” Jin Yu puffed up his chest, looking as though he’d vanquished the spirit himself.

Then, surveying the surroundings, he asked, ”Where’s Chu Ming?”

”Chu Chief Clerk...” Meng Zhen pondered, ”He’s inspecting the damage at the mine.”

”Aren’t you going with him?” Jin Yu continued.

”Chu Chief Clerk asked me to wait here in case the Divine Envoy needed anything.”

”Haha, that fellow is thoughtful, not bad at all.” Jin Yu smiled with satisfaction, then put on the guise of a high strategist, saying, ”I’m returning to the Divine Mystery Bureau now, please relay to Chu Ming that we’ll meet again if fate allows.”

With that, Jin Yu gracefully leapt to a high point, casting an aloof glance before dashing into the distance.

Seeing Jin Yu go far, Meng Zhen hurried into the cave.

Not far in, a figure emerged slowly from within.

”Chu Chief Clerk?!” Meng Zhen instantly became alert.

”Mm.” Chu Ming nodded slightly. ”Let’s go, we’ll head out first.”

Meng Zhen followed silently as Chu Ming led them out of the mine.

”Chu Royal Attendant, Divine Envoy Jin has already left.”

”I know.” Taking advantage of the absence of people, Chu Ming changed his clothes and restored his original appearance.

Meanwhile, he dispersed the Sword Gourd Spirit to inspect the situation of the mine.

After a moment, Chu Ming frowned.

The casualties were severe.

More than half of the constables, guards, and Jingyan Guards were killed or injured, and five or six hundred miners were either wounded or dead.

Various facilities and buildings of the mine were collapsed and damaged, leaving only the second mine tunnel uncollapsed among the three major tunnels.

It can be said that the destruction caused by today’s battle far exceeded the previous mine tunnel collapse, rendering the entire mine about seventy to eighty percent ruined.

This is quite troublesome.

The serious damage to the mine means that Jingyan production will inevitably decline, and if that Fifth Prince takes advantage of this situation...

A chill flickered through Chu Ming’s brow.

Today’s events, on the surface, seem to be a raid by Blood Vine Castle, but in reality, it was an attack by the Blood Evil Sect.

Black Wind Stronghold... Blood Vine Castle... Refining the Internal Organs... Meridian Unlocking...

He raised his eyes to the distance, falling into contemplation.

Currently, there are several important matters to attend to.

The exotic beast three hundred meters underground in Mine Tunnel No. 1 needs to be quickly checked.

The exotic beast is full of treasures, and it must not be wasted.

Secondly, a trip to Blood Vine Castle is necessary; it should be destroyed if possible.

Lastly, there’s that piece of bloodstained cloth; whose blood is on it?

Chu Ming has met most of the officials in Xirong County, but none of their auras matches the blood on the cloth.

He plans to investigate at Xirong County’s first dock, Baiyun Pier.

”Commander Meng, let’s go rescue people first.”

After pondering for a moment, Chu Ming collected his thoughts.

Under the sensing of the Sword Gourd Spirit, the entire mine is currently in chaos.

Lv Jinhui, Song Yan, Lv Dong, and other officials have all died, and the Jingyan Guards and constables have suffered heavy casualties, leading some people to harbor sinister intentions.

Many miners took the opportunity to steal mine property, desecrate corpses, and even took Jingyan, a crime punishable by death.

Some took advantage of the chaos to seek revenge, killing to vent their anger.

The miners are innocent, but not all are faultless.

Human nature is indeed complex; some people are kind and honest, some are cunning and vicious, and some are indecisive.

This is highlighted vividly in the mine at this moment.

Next, Meng Zhen acted with thunderous momentum, binding and killing whoever necessary, showing no mercy.

Under the deterrence of this Ten Thousand Soldiers Commander, the mine slowly stabilized.

...

Half a day later.

In an open area of the mine.

The air was filled with the stench of blood, mingled with dust and gravel, lingering for a long time.

On the ground were rows of corpses, including those of miners, constables, and Jingyan Guards.

At the front, four corpses were placed separately.

Fifth-Grade Merit Officer Lv Jinhui, Sixth-Grade Captain Qiu Li, Sixth-Grade Salt Captain Song Yan, Seventh-Grade Prison Chief Lv Dong.

Lv Jinhui and Song Yan’s bodies were relatively intact, while Qiu Li and Lv Dong’s were like dried corpses, only recognizable by their uniforms and tokens.

Above, Chu Ming and Meng Zhen stood side by side.

”Lord Chu, Commander Meng, the statistics are ready.”

In front of them, three surviving Jingyan Guards knelt.

”Speak,” Meng Zhen’s voice was cold.

”A hundred and twenty-three constables were killed or injured, a hundred and five Jingyan Guards were killed or injured, and five hundred and sixty-five miners were killed or injured,” a Jingyan Guard reported tremblingly.

Meng Zhen looked at Chu Ming with a complex expression.

If it weren’t for the intervention of the Chu Royal Attendant today, we might have been completely wiped out, including myself.

Chu Ming nodded slightly at the words, speaking with authority, ”Has the County Government been informed?”

Although officials like the Merit Officer, Prison Chief, County Magistrate, and County Magistrate have died, there are still some eighth-grade and ninth-grade officials that need to be notified.

”They have been informed.”

”Hmm, ensure proper consolation and compensation, and I will personally supervise it.”

”Yes.”

”...”

...

The moon shines sparsely, and the mine is brightly lit.

The Jingyan Guard’s office.

”The person surnamed Lv is dead?”

Shen Yu seemed somewhat excited.

”Yes, he’s dead.” Chu Ming sat at the table writing something.

”Such joy, such joy indeed!”

”The dog relying on others, he died well, deserved it, deserved it!”

Lv Jinhui, relying on the Fifth Prince behind him, repeatedly disgusted people, and Shen Yu had long been displeased with him.

Chu Ming, however, remained calm, placing the pen down, and said to Shen Yu, ”Brother Shen, please send someone to procure the medicine according to this formula on the paper.”

Many people have been affected by the Medicine Maniac’s Soul-Catching Fragrance Powder; although not fatal, without detoxification, they will suffer from bodily pains for several days, delaying the mine’s recovery.

”What is this?” Shen Yu asked in confusion, taking the paper.

”It’s an antidote,” Meng Zhen replied first, staring at Shen Yu with a complex gaze, and said, ”Old Shen, did you know about the strength of Chu Chief Clerk’s Office all along?”

Hmm?

Shen Yu’s brows suddenly twitched.

What does this mean?

Could it be that Meng Zhen knows something?

”Old Shen, you really knew all along.” Meng Zhen’s expression turned serious; he had already found the answer from Shen Yu’s reaction and change of expression.

Shen Yu looked at Chu Ming with surprise and doubt.

Chu Ming rubbed his brow, somewhat helplessly saying, ”Brother Shen, Commander Meng is trustworthy.”

”Old Shen, I taught you how to practice martial arts, yet you kept it from me.”