I attained sainthood through alchemy on the cliff.

Chapter 27 Hidden Fangs

Earth Vein Chalcedony!

Wait a minute, Yang Jin suddenly remembered that the earth vein spring in the cave where he discovered the Demon Ape Viewing the Mountain Map... could it be earth vein jade marrow?

He shook his head, thinking it was unlikely. After all, most of the earth vein spring water had been converted into earth vein essence, so the points were not many and definitely not enough to drive the three major martial arts schools crazy.

That earth vein spring is definitely not jade marrow; at most, it can be considered spiritual liquid.

Li Feng's voice rang out again, lowered in volume but even more chilling: "The location of that precious light is a naturally formed, enormous cavern. The entrance is narrow, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. But inside… I caught a quick glimpse with my 'Blood Eyes of Truth,' and besides the dense swarms of fire centipedes, there were at least three auras no weaker than the 'Mysterious Yin Earth Lizard' from before! One of them, obscure and chilling, gave me the feeling… it might even have reached the 'Spirit Rank'!"

A brief silence fell over the room after he said this.

The Realm of Refining Dirty Objects!

That's already top-tier combat power in Qing Shi Town. The masters of the three major martial arts schools are only at the peak of the Bone Refining Realm!

A guardian beast that may have reached the spirit level, plus at least two helpers that are no weaker than the Xuan Yin Earth Lizard, and a huge number of Earth Fire Centipedes... This cave is simply a dragon's den and a tiger's lair!

"With just our current numbers, forcing our way in would be suicide," Shi Yue said in a deep voice. "We must immediately relay the exact situation back to the Master so he can make a decision: send more experts with valuable treasures!"

"Excellent!" Liu Wuying interjected, "And we must act quickly! The appearance of the precious light indicates that the 'Earth Vein Jade Marrow' is about to mature, or is close to maturing! Such a rare treasure will inevitably exhibit extraordinary phenomena upon maturity, which cannot be concealed! If we delay any longer, even the county government, and perhaps more distant forces, will be alerted!"

"The three families have sent their own messages, but on this matter, I suggest we set aside our differences for now." Li Feng's voice carried a hint of decisiveness. "The underground cave is extremely dangerous, and no single family can conquer it alone. Why don't we join forces to clear the obstacles first? As for how to distribute the 'Earth Vein Jade Marrow'... we'll discuss that with the three masters once we have it! Our immediate priority is to suppress the news, clean up any traces, stabilize Black Mountain Pass, and simultaneously mobilize our forces!"

"Can!"

"That's how it should be!"

A quick agreement was reached after a brief discussion.

Next, arrangements were made for specific communication, deployment, and continued monitoring of the cave entrance.

Yang Jin slowly opened his eyes, his back slightly damp with cold sweat.

It wasn't out of fear, but out of extreme shock and the overwhelming, uncontrollable ambition that followed!

Earth Vein Jade Marrow! A top-tier precious medicine that can enhance one's physical constitution!

There are at least three powerful mythical beasts guarding it!

The three major martial arts schools are about to send even stronger forces to compete for the title!

The situation was more dangerous and more... tempting than he had anticipated!

The water is muddy enough.

And at the center of this murky pool lies the earth's jade marrow!

If he could take advantage of the chaos during the bloody battle between the three martial arts schools and the guardian beasts, even just a tiny bit of jade essence would be a transformative opportunity for him!

The risks and opportunities are both unimaginably great!

He immediately connected with the command and ordered Atu to quietly evacuate from below Sun's residence and hide deeper into the back mountain.

"how?"

Chen Shan had somehow walked up to him and asked in a low voice, clearly noticing his strange behavior earlier.

Yang Jin took a deep breath and briefly and clearly told Chen Shan about his secret eavesdropping on the three secret talks.

After listening, Chen Shan remained silent for a long time, his withered fingers lightly tapping the table, his eyes flashing with a glint of light: "Earth Vein Jade Marrow... No wonder, no wonder... So the rumors are true. This item does indeed have the miraculous effect of cleansing the marrow and improving one's constitution, and it is of great benefit to martial artists in the Bone Refining and Body Refining realms. It is only natural that the guardian beasts are so powerful."

He looked at Yang Jin: "You want to get involved?"

Yang Jin nodded without hesitation, his eyes burning with unwavering determination: "I must avenge Shi Gong, but I need strength even more. This Earth Vein Jade Marrow is a tremendous opportunity. The three martial arts schools and the guardian beast horde are bound to have a fierce and bloody battle, and that is our chance."

"Opportunity? It could also be your burial ground." Chen Shan sneered. "A spirit-level beast, plus reinforcements from three martial arts schools—any one of them could crush you like an ant."

"I know," Yang Jin said calmly. "So, we can't just take it by force; we have to outsmart them, we have to be the 'oriole' hiding deep inside. And we have an advantage they don't—A-Tu!"

Chen Shan's eyes flickered: "You mean...?"

"Although there are many Fire Centipedes, Atu is a subterranean creature, and after exploring the mines multiple times, its adaptability to complex terrain and its ability to conceal itself far surpass that of human martial artists." Yang Jin's thoughts became increasingly clear. "We can have Atu, starting now, avoid the main activity paths of the three martial arts schools and powerful alien beasts, and find a passage from the edge of the area that leads quietly to the vicinity of that cave, as hidden as possible! It doesn't need to be too large, just enough for Atu to pass through, and perhaps even for me if necessary!"

"Open up a 'secret passage' in advance?" Chen Shan pondered. "The idea is good. But the area around the cave will inevitably be heavily monitored by strange beasts and martial arts schools. If we are not careful, A-Tu will be discovered and killed."

"So it takes time, patience, and even more so, A-Tu's caution and its instincts underground," Yang Jin said. "We're not in a rush. It takes time for the three martial arts schools to mobilize their forces, and even more time to plan their attack. We'll use this time to let A-Tu, like the most patient miner, dig, explore, and excavate little by little, silently. Even if in the end we can only dig to the vicinity of the cave and obtain some peripheral information, or... when the battle is at its most intense and everyone's attention is drawn, to seize a trace of jade essence that might be leaking out from some unexpected corner, that would be a success!"

Looking at the bright-eyed, clear-thinking young man before him, Chen Shan seemed to see himself back then, equally unwilling to accept his fate and daring to take risks.

He nodded slowly.

"We can give it a try. But A-Tu's safety must be our top priority. If anything goes wrong, abandon the mission immediately. Also, we can't stand idly by." A sharp glint flashed in Chen Shan's eyes. "Before the reinforcements from the three major martial arts schools arrive, their forces will be relatively weak, and their attention will be most focused on the front lines. Perhaps... we can make some other preparations."

"What does Uncle Chen mean?"

"The Sun family." Chen Shan uttered two words, his tone calm yet chilling. "That little bastard Sun Yaozu is still alive and well. Don't you want to take advantage of the chaos to collect some interest on Shi Jian's grudge? Besides, the Sun family has been entrenched here for many years. They probably know more about the terrain of Black Mountain, the changes in the mine tunnels, and even some unknown hidden paths than we think. They might be hiding something useful in their house..."

Yang Jin's pupils contracted slightly, and the long-suppressed fire of hatred in his chest ignited once more.

Taking advantage of the chaos to seize the chalcedony is a long-term strategy that concerns the future.

While the three major martial arts schools are preoccupied with other matters, dealing with the Sun family and collecting their blood debts is an obsession that must be accomplished at present!

"I understand." Yang Jin clenched his fist, his voice low and firm. "The matter of the jade marrow will be handled secretly by Atu. As for the Sun family... we need an opportunity, an opportunity when they are most relaxed and least guarded."

"It'll be soon." Chen Shan looked towards the Sun family mansion, a cold smile curving his lips. "When news of reinforcements from the three major martial arts schools arrives, when all their thoughts are focused on that earth vein jade marrow... that will be the time for our opportunity."

As night deepened, the blacksmith's shop was plunged into darkness.

But in the boy's eyes gleamed a light more intense than the furnace fire. An invisible net began to be quietly woven. One side led to a peerless opportunity that might exist deep underground, while the other pointed to the mansion of his blood-stained enemy.

A storm is brewing, and fangs are hidden.