Xuantian 1: Ancient Xuandongtian

Chapter 285 The Century-Old Plan for the Dry Well

When Qin Xi met Mu Hanchan,
Mu Hanchan has actually collapsed, or is close to collapsing.

He had placed too much emotion on Lin Mengge, from the two innocent years of his childhood, to the nearly seven years after the Demon Altar, the half-year of the Beast Hunting Group, the year of public training after joining the Yunyang Sect, the three or four years after becoming a disciple, and finally the two or three years of conflict and cold war.

The span is nearly eighteen years.

At this time, Mu Hanchan was only twenty-five years old.

Aside from his less clear consciousness before the age of five, it's no exaggeration to say that Lin Mengge was practically his entire emotional life.

You could say it was fate, and that doesn't seem wrong, since they've been together since they were little.

But if we insist on calling it fate, then is fate meant to make people suffer?
If the purpose is to cause people to suffer, then why cause them to suffer?

Mu Hanchan couldn't think of anything she had done wrong.

This logic and thought cannot be closed-looped and cannot be self-consistent.

Therefore, from his childhood, through his time in the martial arts world, through his teenage years, and into his youth, he has always firmly believed in the will of Heaven.
This has led to doubts from the middle-aged man at this time.

For the first time, he questioned the fairness of the Way of Heaven.

And this questioning subtly influenced his way of handling things.

This made him lose his gentle and warm nature, and he began to become domineering and cold-blooded.

1.
Moon Crow Courtyard, beside the dry well.

Mu Hanchan formed hand seals, held her breath, and concentrated her mind. Then, she gathered a large amount of high-quality, high-concentration spiritual energy at her fingertips and channeled it into the array's opening for nearly thirty breaths.

The formation was finally opened.

The formation set up at the wellhead is an early-stage fourth-order formation called the Netherworld Spirit Locking Formation.

This corresponds to the seventh level of Spirit Condensation to the middle stage of Spirit Core Formation.

Forcibly breaking through it would require reaching the Spirit Pill Realm.

Even the person who sets up the formation needs to expend a great deal of effort to open it. Just like Mu Hanchan, who needs to maintain a stable output of high-concentration, high-quality spiritual energy for thirty breaths.

After opening it, I noticed a fine sheen of sweat on my forehead.

The classification of formations is calculated as follows:

Level 3 to Level 9 of the Qi Condensation Formation = Rank 1 Formation.

Condensing Yuan Ninth Layer ~ Spirit Yuan Single Realm Perfection = Tier 2 Array.

The Spirit Origin Realm Perfection to the Sixth Layer of the Spirit Condensation Realm = a Tier 3 Array.

Spirit Condensation Level 7 to Mid-Stage Spirit Pill Realm = Rank 4 Formation.

The same applies to talismans and pills. For example, Mu Hanchan has a mid-stage fourth-tier fire talisman that he keeps hidden away.

"How is it? Is the spiritual energy here plentiful?"

Mu Hanchan looked at the lone soldier meditating cross-legged and asked softly.

"Yes, yes, plenty!"

The soldier's attitude changed drastically, as if he were a beggar who had suddenly been given a large meal and felt grateful.

"So, how many spirit stones were extracted in these three weeks?"

Mu Hanchan asked again, turning to the matter she cared about most.

"Replying to senior, it's 180... mid-grade spirit stones."

The soldier paused for a moment.

"I know you've never seen a mid-grade spirit stone before, but don't be shy. Here's what I'll do: I'll set a production quota for you."

Production capacity of 300 mid-grade spirit stones per month.

"Now that production capacity has met the target, you can cultivate as you please for the rest of the time, and use the spirit stones as you like, but don't touch what you already have."

"Three hundred yuan?"

The soldier hesitated.

"Don't worry, you can definitely do it, as long as you don't slack off and don't greedily pursue your own cultivation."

Actually, I'm doing this for your own good.
If you keep cultivating, you will eventually explode and die.

I found you a job so that it could help regulate your meridians and body. You know that yourself, right?

Do you feel any itching or swelling in your meridians? Or any distending pain in your lower abdomen?

Dan Bing thought for a moment and said, "That's true."

"This is because you've over-cultivated. If you don't want to die, do as I say."

Help me refine spirit stones, and you can use them as you please.

Are you satisfied with this salary?

"Very satisfied, very satisfied."

"I can do it," said the soldier.

So, Mu Hanchan rolled up 180 mid-grade spirit stones and put them into her Qiankun Yuan Bag.

"..."

Danbing looked at the scene and felt a pang of resentment as the fruits of his three weeks of hard work were taken away.

But then I thought, how many Grade 1 spirit stones could I possibly earn after a month of hard work in the mine?

That was only a first-grade spirit stone, not even a low-grade spirit stone.

And there are mid-grade spirit stones at the bottom of this dry well!

Ah ah ah ah ah!
This is a mid-grade spirit stone!

So, they could only remain silent.

Just as Mu Hanchan turned to leave, she suddenly asked, "I haven't explained things to Senior Song and Sheng Sheng yet. Will they be worried about me?"

"It's alright, I've already spoken to them and arranged for someone to take over your original job."

Mu Hanchan answered calmly.

"What should we do with these refined raw stones that have no spiritual power left?"

“There’s a hole deep inside, with lava hundreds of feet below. Just throw it down.”

Mu Hanchan then gave further instructions.

"Yes, senior."

After saying that, Mu Hanchan left.

After exiting the dry well, they sealed the formation again.

A closed formation only takes ten breaths to open, and as one's cultivation level increases, both opening and closing it will become faster and faster.

After sealing the formation, Mu Hanchan raised her head slightly, closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh of relief.

He then looked at the spirit stones in the Qiankun Yuan Bag and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

420 mid-grade spirit stones!
Converted to low-grade spirit stones, that's 6300!
He became rich again, and even richer than before.

On the way back, Mu Hanchan thought to herself, "Mine No. 325 has 37.5 mid-grade spirit stones in reserve."
Based on the mining efficiency, it should be almost completely mined out within 100 years.

That is roughly the time span of three generations of mortals.

Therefore, he also wants to refine it within a hundred years as much as possible.

Although it may seem like a short-sighted approach, it's unavoidable.

And this matter must never be known to a third person. If another person were placed in the dry well, then the two of them refining the material together would naturally be much faster.
But once they have some free time, they might try to find a way to deal with me.

Therefore, only one is placed there, so that he is engrossed in the cultivation and refining of spirit stones, leaving him no time to think.
Then, amidst anticipation, boredom, and excitement, I continue to do things for myself.

Of course, he will also experience loneliness.

But what is without a price?

Mu Hanchan didn't feel she owed Dan Bing anything. If the same conditions were offered to others, countless people would be eager to get in.

He merely deprived him of his right to choose.

...

2.
Two more months have passed.

After Qin Xi was transferred back, the mine's operations became exceptionally smooth.

This woman, around twenty years old,

He possesses extraordinary management skills, unlike Song Zhong's experience or Mu Hanchan's decisiveness.

It seems to be the kind of gentle, subtle influence.
Many problems are resolved subtly and gradually.

Mu Hanchan was very dissatisfied and asked Song Zhong, "What's wrong with you? Why was such a talented person assigned to Diling Lake?"

And you haven't mentioned it to me for two years?

Song Zhong noticed Mu Hanchan's displeasure and said, "It's my fault, but she agreed to it."
She doesn't like crowds.
I think she wanted to cultivate in seclusion and break through to the Spirit Origin Realm.

So they arranged for her to go there.

Furthermore,
As you know, before you came, the mining industry was struggling financially.
Sheng Sheng, Xu Bo, Jin Gui, and the others.

They are unwilling to lower their income and are indeed capable of doing the job.

Therefore, after weighing the interests of all parties,

This arrangement was just made.

Mu Hanchan frowned and said, "So, she's the only one willing to accept low pay in exchange for peace and quiet and less hassle?"

Yes, that's right.

"So what do you think of her financial acumen, and how well does she manage finances?"

Song Zhong's heart tightened, and he replied, "Her personal finances are definitely fine, but I don't know about her ability to manage finances."

She was very clever, but she never asked about the accounts or touched the ledgers.

Mu Hanchan noticed the change in Song Zhong's expression and said, "Mr. Song, don't be nervous. I was just asking casually. You are the backbone of the mine, and it's impossible to let a young woman replace you."

Song Zhong breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and said, "Then thank you, Lord Ku Ling Shi."

3.
A few days later, Mu Hanchan saw Qin Xi again.

Dressed in simple blue with a plain face and delicate hairpins, she exudes a refined and elegant beauty despite her simple attire.

"Why don't you take these spirit stones?"

Mu Hanchan said to Qin Xi and took out four or five mid-grade spirit stones.

"why?"

Qin Xi asked.

“You’ve done a lot these days, giving Shengsheng a much-needed break. Besides, I feel Mr. Song has treated you a little unfairly.”

"Whether it counts as being treated unfairly or not, I myself agree."

"Then why are you willing to do this? It's clearly unfair."

Mu Hanchan pressed for an answer.

"They are all male cultivators, and I am the only female cultivator. It will be inconvenient and could easily have a negative impact."

"What negative effects?"

Mu Hanchan pressed for more information.

"..."

When there is only one person of the opposite sex in a group, it will have a subtle influence.

In other words, if Qin Xi stayed far away,

Xu Bo, Jin Gui, and others can more easily unite and cooperate, which has nothing to do with personal will, but is driven by instinct.

Many men sometimes get into conflicts without even realizing where the problem lies, and then inexplicably become unhappy with their partner.

"Don't you have a Daoist partner?"

"Mu Hanchan asked."

"No."

Have they harassed you?

"No."

Qin Xi said, "I avoided it from the beginning, so they wouldn't have made a fool of themselves."

"Do you have any strict requirements for your Daoist partner? For example, height, cultivation level, family background, or something like that?"

Mu Hanchan asked naturally.

"neither."

"what is that?"

"The only requirement is that you are on the same wavelength as me."

"Then what does 'being on the same frequency' mean?"

"It's because it aligns with my perspective on things."

Qin Xi said.

Mu Hanchan immediately corrected, "What you're doing isn't called being on the same frequency, it's called being on the same dimension."

"What do you mean? How do you say it?"

"Being on the same frequency is a matter of how much to eat; being on the same dimension is a matter of whether to eat at all."

Having the same perspective means having the same direction, which is a matter of dimensionality.

To be precise,

What you're trying to say is: First, the line of sight is the same, meaning the direction is the same; second, given that they are in the same direction, their angles are similar.

It's like two people both liking spicy food; that's called having the same direction.

Do the two people specifically prefer mild, medium, or extra spicy?

This is called the angle proximity problem.

I say it's close because it can only be close, since it's rare for two people to have the exact same perspective.

Am I right in understanding this?

Qin Xi looked at Mu Hanchan in surprise and said, "Absolutely right, you broke it down in great detail."

I always thought that being compatible meant being on the same wavelength.

I never imagined that being on the same frequency meant first being on the same latitude, then being close in angle.

Mu Hanchan then asked, "Have you ever had a cultivation partner before?"