When it comes to cultivating immortality, it naturally starts with upgrading the herb garden.

"Drinking the stream water here can enhance your cultivation. Why don't you stay here and cultivate with me?"

"It's kind of lonely for me, a bear, to be left here all alone."

"Once I've reached Foundation Establishment and taken human form, let's roam the martial world together, shall we?"

Xiong Tian walked ahead, envisioning a bright future.

Song Chen didn't answer, but found Xiong Tian incredibly noisy.

At this moment, his mind was filled with the red cross on Cliff Island.

He wanted to see everything, no matter what it was.

Xiong Tian, ​​unable to see what was behind him, continued merrily:

"Then we'll roam the world, together known as the Two Immortals, you on top, me on the bottom—wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"When the time comes, I'll return home in glory, my Foundation Establishment cultivation level sure to open my eyes wide for my good-for-nothing father!"

"You have no idea, I was always ostracized in the bear group. No bear wanted to play with me, only my mom was very kind to me!"

Before they knew it, they were back in the cave where the stream had flowed, but the moonlight no longer shone into the cave, and the whole cave was pitch black.

Song Chen had no intention of going back the way he came. Instead, he summoned his flying boat and prepared to exit directly from the cave at the top.

Seeing that Song Chen was about to leave, Xiong Tian asked anxiously, "Where are you going? Aren't you staying here?"

Helpless, Song Chen replied, "No, I'm going to One Finger Island."

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tian panicked and quickly waded across the stream to Song Chen:

"Try this stream water; it's very helpful for cultivation! It's rare to find outside!"

"If all else fails, can I acknowledge you as my older brother from now on?"

Song Chen turned his head and said coldly, "I have something to do, I'm leaving now."

As soon as he finished speaking, he boarded the flying boat and emerged from the cave, flying far away towards the direction of One Finger Island.

Song Chen has a system and resources; only someone with a screw loose would cultivate with this bear demon.

Seeing Song Chen leave, Xiong Tian, ​​unable to fly, could only pace anxiously back and forth beside the cave entrance.

It flapped its wings twice toward the top, trying to take off, but only made a loud thud when it landed. Helpless, it could only stare blankly at the cave entrance.

......

Beneath the full radiance.

After flying for quite a while, Song Chen finally arrived at One Finger Island.

This island, as its name suggests, looks like a giant thumb lying in the water when viewed from above.

Song Chen landed on the tip of his thumb, which was the location of North Lane in the city, where the Zhang family mansion was situated.

It was already past midnight, but several guards at the mansion gate were still in high spirits.

"Who goes there? This is the Zhang family residence!"

A guard saw Song Chen and warned him.

He wasn't annoyed by these words; he simply took out his token, which represented his identity, and showed it to the other party for verification.

Upon seeing the token, the guard's demeanor immediately changed, and he bowed obsequiously:

"So you're a cultivator from another family. Please forgive my rudeness!"

Song Chen waved his hand, walked past the formation and went inside, also going around to the back of the mansion, where there was another room.

This time, the person sitting there was a middle-aged man who looked refined and cultured.

"What can I do for you?"

"Task docking".

He took out the jade slip used to accept the mission.

The man checked everything and, after confirming it was correct, asked, "Someone already contacted you. Are you traveling together?"

As Song Chen had predicted, Zhang Jiu had already arrived.

"Separate."

The middle-aged man glanced at Song Chen, casually stamped his seal, and took out two pieces of yellow paper, saying:

"West District Mine, here is the map and target portrait. Also, you need to find an inn to stay at during the mission, the cost can be reimbursed. After the mission is completed, you can go back or come here to coordinate."

Song Chen took the items and left immediately.

As dawn approached, he found a reasonably nice inn.

The shopkeeper was polite and didn't treat him badly just because he came in late at night. The waiter also warmly led him to his room.

"Please feel free to ask if you need anything, sir. Just give the word and I'll be right there!"

"You can go now!"

Song Chen closed the door, bolted it, pressed his back against the soft bed, and let out a deep sigh of relief.

After traveling all night, even he, who often stayed up all night to cultivate, was quite tired.

Just as Song Chen was about to close his eyes and rest, he vaguely heard conversations from the next room.

"How's the spirit mine in the West District doing?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! This must not be made public, what if the sect finds out..."

"I see......"

The conversation abruptly stopped, likely due to soundproofing measures, but the few words exchanged were still enough for Song Chen to imagine.

In the cultivation world, spirit ore is a strategic resource of the same type as spirit veins, but it is not as inexhaustible as spirit veins, yet it is still of great importance.

The Zhang family's failure to report the crime is a capital offense!

The Xu family knew but did not speak out, which is also a capital offense!

Song Chen was surprised.

He knew the matter was of great importance.

This is a major vulnerability that threatens the very foundation of both families!

If used properly, it can surely bring immeasurable benefits, and even news of Foundation Establishment!

At this point, Song Chen was wide awake, pondering the future until dawn.

The sun rises in the east.

The mission has begun.

Song Chen opened the window and left the inn, then closed the window from the outside, pretending that he had never left.

He was going to the western mining area to investigate the whereabouts of the Xu family.

Aunt Jiang requested that the help be given discreetly, and that Song Chen not take on too much responsibility and directly intervene; it was more of a safety net.

After passing through the bustling alleyways and traversing the forest, you'll arrive at the western mining area.

The mining area was bustling.

The sounds of metal and ore colliding echoed throughout the mine, as the monks worked day and night, going down in batches to dig continuously.

The cartloads of minerals encasing rocks were collected and gathered together by several cultivators at the third level of Qi Refining.

The Zhang family dared not make a fuss, fearing that news of the spirit mine would leak out, so they didn't even dare to send it to a cultivator in the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

This gave the Xu family the opportunity to seize it.

However, the Xu family did not dare to make a fuss, so they only sent a mid-stage cultivator.

Song Chen hid in the woods, observing the cultivators who were collecting minerals from a distance.

Staring intently.

If the Xu family wants to seize a large amount of mineral resources, they can only target these few cultivators.

Or perhaps they are hidden among the workers.

The latter is inefficient; if Song Chen were to do this, he would definitely choose the former.

Three poles in the sun.

No cultivators from the Xu family have appeared yet.

The first batch of minerals has already been transported back to Zhangjia.

Song Chen remained calm and composed, cultivating while keeping an eye on the other cultivators.

The sun shines brightly, and One Finger Island is hot and humid year-round.

Those Qi Refining Level 3 cultivators couldn't take it anymore.

Aren't you going to make a move yet?

Song Chen narrowed his eyes and remained motionless.

suddenly.

Just as the Zhang family cultivators who were collecting minerals were discussing the weather, four dark figures attacked them from different directions.

Song Chen could see it clearly, but those cultivators were not skilled enough to notice.

"Zhang Jiu must be among them."

He didn't make a move, but simply moved to a position where he could strike at any moment, with the Soul-Stealing Needle in his palm, ready to unleash a dirty trick at any time.

This is the best we can do to help secretly.

Sure enough, one of the dark figures darted out halfway and intercepted another dark figure.

A flash of white light, followed by wisps of blue light, and one person died instantly.

Of course, it wasn't Zhang Jiu who died, but the Xu family cultivator.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Jiu rushed towards another person without hesitation, and took down another one before his accomplice could react!

Song Chen frowned.

Do I need help?