At this point, Lu Ming's cultivation had already recovered, though Huang Tianbao and Big Yellow's had not.
This was likely because Lu Ming had only swallowed one of the pills...
After picking the Yousha Sect's spirit stone mine clean, they had simply killed the Yousha Sect disciples managing the mine and released the imprisoned mine slaves.
Then, they had headed to East Sea County to see if they could sniff out a few more black mines.
This way, they could make up for the losses they had suffered during their recent journey at sea.
Don't ask why they didn't just sell the demon beast corpses, the spiritual herbs they had gathered along the way, or the magical artifacts they had picked up...
The answer was simple: those were assets, and assets were assets. They had to recoup what they had spent.
Besides, the three of them were currently supporting two entire sects—the Qingshan Sect and the Heavenly Demon Sect.
They had a family to feed!
They just hadn't expected to run into Zhao Sandao and his crew in East Sea County right after leaving the Yousha Sect's mine.
Talk about a stroke of luck.
These fellows were bound to know the locations of other black spirit stone mines!
Hearing Zhao Sandao ask how they had escaped, Huang Tianbao said with a beaming smile, “We saw everyone else running, so we ran too...”
Hearing this answer, Zhao Sandao and his men were stunned.
What a brilliant answer. An ordinary person truly couldn't have come up with such a response.
It had been a completely pointless question.
It was already a miracle that these fools had managed to escape along with the crowd. How could they possibly know what had actually happened?
However, looking at Lu Ming and his companions, Zhao Sandao's eyes lit up. Since these three had run back on their own, couldn't he just sell them all over again...?
At this thought, a flash of greed crossed Zhao Sandao's eyes, and he exchanged a look with his subordinates.
“You three, why don't you come with us again...”
“Sure...”
Lu Ming and the others agreed without the slightest hesitation.
The spirit boat took to the skies once more.
Smoothly, the trio was sold once again.
After pocketing the spirit stones, Zhao Sandao and his men returned to East Sea County.
Just a few days after returning to East Sea County, they ran into Lu Ming and his companions yet again.
“Why are you still here?!” Zhao Sandao asked, a look of sheer terror on his face.
Lu Ming chuckled.
“We were mining spirit stones peacefully when a big shot suddenly appeared and broke our seals. He let us absorb spiritual energy, and once we got our strength back, we kept digging up spirit stones for him. When the spirit stones were all gone, the big shot left, and so did we...”
Hearing this, Zhao Sandao stared at them with deep suspicion. “Really?”
“Of course it's true! Why would we lie? Otherwise, how else would we be standing here right now...?” Lu Ming replied with a perfectly straight face.
Hearing this, Zhao Sandao couldn't help but marvel at the trio's sheer luck.
Most people sent to a black spirit stone mine would be worked to death. Yet, these three fools had somehow managed to survive and even get the chance to work in three different mines...
Soon after, Zhao Sandao brought Lu Ming and his companions to a spirit stone mine run by the Tiansheng Sect.
He sent them inside once more. Surely, these three would be worked to death this time!
...
When Zhao Sandao saw Lu Ming and the others yet again, he and his men were completely dumbfounded. Was their luck really that good, or was there something fishy going on?
“Fellow Daoist, where do you plan to sell us this time?”
Staring at Lu Ming's smile, Zhao Sandao's eyes flickered. He made up his mind right then and there—no more selling them.
These black spirit stone mines were being wiped out one after another. Something was definitely wrong.
For the sake of safety, he planned to lay low with his brothers for a while.
Besides, they had already made quite a fortune by selling Lu Ming and his companions over and over again.
“Just go,” Zhao Sandao said, waving them off.
Lu Ming was taken aback. This wouldn't do!
He felt like he hadn't made enough profit yet. Such a rare opportunity couldn't be wasted!
“Fellow Daoist, you should really sell us again!”
Hearing Lu Ming's words, Zhao Sandao stared at him, dumbfounded.
Was this guy actually addicted to mining?
He was showing mercy by letting them go, yet the guy was refusing to leave.
Just as he was about to chase Lu Ming away, his eyes caught the smile on Lu Ming's face.
Suddenly, his scalp went numb, and an icy chill rushed straight to his heart.
His eyes widened as a terrifying possibility flashed through his mind.
It seemed that every single one of those black spirit stone mines had been destroyed right after he sold Lu Ming and his crew to them.
Could it be... that they were the ones behind it?
At this thought, Zhao Sandao's face turned pale as a sheet. He spun on his heel and bolted.
As for his brothers, he couldn't care less about them now!
The only pity was that one of his brothers still owed him five spirit stones, which he probably would never get back now.
Seeing their leader suddenly run off, the others were left dazed, completely unable to comprehend why he was fleeing. But in the next instant, their vision blurred, and by the time they regained their bearings, they found their boss standing right back where he had started, right beside them.
What was going on? What had just happened?
When they looked at their boss again, his face was utterly bloodless, and his entire body was trembling violently. He looked as though his entire family had just died.
Thud!
Wait, right then, Zhao Sandao fell straight to his knees.
“Senior, spare my life!”
Thud, thud, thud...
The moment Zhao Sandao begged for mercy, his brothers finally caught on. Their eyes hadn't played tricks on them earlier; their boss had indeed tried to flee, only to be dragged right back. They never could have imagined that the people they had been selling to the black spirit stone mines were actually hidden powerhouses.
The onlookers in the street began to whisper and point, thoroughly confused by the scene.
None of them understood what was happening.
Those who recognized Zhao Sandao realized in an instant that the man had kicked a steel plate.
Lu Ming merely chuckled and casually retrieved a spirit boat.
“Get on.”
Hearing Lu Ming's command, Zhao Sandao and his crew boarded the spirit boat, despite their intense reluctance.
Over the following days, the black spirit stone mines throughout East Sea County suffered a devastating blow.
Virtually all of them were wiped out!
Even though some sects sent top experts to guard their mines, it was all in vain.
“Big shot, this is the Tiansheng Sect's spirit stone mine. They're a top-tier power in the Central Province. Are we really going to make a move on them?” Zhao Sandao asked as they hovered on the outskirts of a massive spirit stone mine.
Fearing that Lu Ming didn't understand the gravity of the situation, he made sure to explain the sect's background.
After all, Lu Ming and his two companions felt like complete outsiders.
He suspected that they were reclusive experts who had only recently descended from their mountain.
Otherwise, they wouldn't seem so clueless about the state of affairs in the Central Province at times.
Hearing that it was the Tiansheng Sect's mine, Big Yellow and Huang Tianbao both turned to look at Lu Ming.
This was the sect of Lu Ming's fiancée!
They would leave the decision entirely up to him.
Lu Ming waved his hand dismissively.
“They pride themselves on being a righteous sect, yet they secretly run a black spirit stone mine. Today, we shall take it over. Consider it ridding the world of an evil.”
Hearing Lu Ming's words, Zhao Sandao could only sigh in resignation.
He had only discovered this mine by accident, realizing it belonged to the Tiansheng Sect.
Seeing that Lu Ming didn't even put the Tiansheng Sect in his eyes, Zhao Sandao was filled with dread. Big brother, that's the Tiansheng Sect!
However, he didn't dare to voice his objections. Between dying right now and dying later after being caught by the Tiansheng Sect, he chose to die later...
Every extra second of life counted. Who knew if a miracle might happen?
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