Mortal: I have a gathering technique

Time flies, and another three months have passed.

That day, Fang Qing sealed off his cave dwelling and rode the Divine Wind Boat, forged from a black dragon, straight to the sect's main hall.

"Junior brother, you're quite busy, what brings you to this old Taoist's place?"

Before Fang Qing could even set foot in front of the palace gate, Zhong Lingdao warmly greeted him, his old face beaming like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Although Master Linghu did not announce the acceptance of disciples, Zhong Lingdao, as the sect leader, was well aware of it.

However, when he thought of the rumors circulating within the sect about this young valley master, a strange look flashed in Zhong Lingdao's eyes.

According to rumors, for some unknown reason, this young valley master suddenly developed an interest in the various arts of cultivation.

In the past two or three months, I have frequently invited disciples who are proficient in "alchemy, weapon crafting, talisman crafting, and array crafting" to discuss their skills.

However, apart from his ability in alchemy, this young valley master really has no talent in anything else.

Especially when it comes to drawing talismans, it is said that when he was discussing talisman drawing with an elder in the sect, he accidentally knocked the elder unconscious.

However, this young valley master was not stingy. Regardless of whether he gained anything or not, he rewarded the valley master with a sum of spirit stones afterward.

Because of this, he was nicknamed "the money-giving boy"!

At that moment, Fang Qing was unaware of Zhong Lingdao's thoughts. After entering the sect's main hall, he directly stated his purpose:

"To be honest, Senior Brother Sect Leader, I plan to travel around. I've come to you to ask for a 'patrol and supervision' assignment."

In Huangfeng Valley, Foundation Establishment disciples are not without tasks. They still need to perform duties such as opening the gate to recruit new members, patrolling the market, and supervising the mines.

However, these kinds of tasks, especially the latter two, are extremely lucrative, and ordinary Foundation Establishment disciples have no chance to receive them.

When Zhong Lingdao heard that Fang Qing wanted to take on this kind of work, his first thought was that this young valley master had spent too much money recently and was planning to make up for it from other sources.

Thinking of this, he stroked his goatee and chuckled, saying:

"That's easy. There just happens to be a mission to inspect the market and mines right now. If you don't mind the trouble, Junior Brother, why don't you go yourself?"

If the young master wants to take advantage of the situation, even if there are no such tasks in the sect, it doesn't stop him from making one up on the spot.

Fang Qing smiled slightly and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Then thank you very much, Senior Brother Sect Leader!"

He accepted these missions not to accept bribes, but for the ancient teleportation array beneath the spirit stone mine.

It should be noted that the major mines in the Yue Kingdom are not only protected by large formations, but also patrolled daily by Qi Refining Disciples.

Although these things pose no obstacle to Fang Qing, once the formation is broken, the disciples guarding the mine will definitely be able to detect it.

At that point, it will be difficult to control how things will develop.

Now that there is a legitimate opportunity to enter the mine, and even make some spirit stones, why sneak in secretly?

After receiving the mission token, Fang Qing bid farewell to Zhongling Road and headed straight for the Huangfeng Valley Market.

Although some of the shops in Huangfeng Valley Market were rented to affiliated families and independent cultivators, the remaining shops in good locations were all owned by the sect itself.

Upon arriving at the market, Fang Qing immediately displayed his token.

Then, accompanied by a Foundation Establishment deacon, they quickly inspected the business operations of each shop.

Finally, he left leisurely with a small bag of spirit stones.

……

More than a month later.

On a vast and boundless wasteland.

Fang Qing looked down from the air and gazed at a large canyon that stretched more than a hundred feet underground not far ahead.

"Judging from the terrain, this should be the spirit stone mine..."

Fang Qing pondered for a moment, then urged the Divine Wind Boat to land in the canyon.

Who goes there?

Because he had come openly and honestly, the disciples on guard immediately spotted Fang Qing and shouted his questions.

Fang Qing didn't say anything, but directly showed his mission token.

Upon seeing the token, the two Qi Refining disciples on guard immediately bowed and prostrated themselves in fear and trepidation.

"Junior Zhao Peng (Jin Hansong) pays respects to senior!"

After the ceremony, Zhao Peng, one of the Qi Refining disciples, quickly looked up and said:

"Please wait a moment, senior. I will go and inform Guard Wang right away."

After saying that, he turned around hurriedly and disappeared into a dark mine shaft behind him.

Fang Qing stood with his hands behind his back, glancing at the person who remained behind.

This person was dressed in brightly colored clothes, and it was obvious at a glance that he was a disciple of the Spirit Beast Mountain.

This spirit stone mine in the canyon is shared by seven sects and is usually guarded by a Foundation Establishment leader and more than ten Qi Refining disciples.

The number of Qi Refining disciples is shared among the seven sects, and the Foundation Establishment leaders are appointed by the seven sects in rotation.

Not long after Zhao Ming left, an elderly man with gray hair and beard walked out of the mine at a leisurely pace.

This old man was in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and the emblem of Tianque Fortress was embroidered on his chest.

He had been somewhat nonchalant at first, but upon seeing Fang Qing's cultivation level, his expression immediately tightened, and he quickened his pace.

"I am Wang Xuandu of Tianque Fortress. May I ask the esteemed name of this fellow Daoist from Huangfeng Valley?"

Fang Qing gave a curt bow with a nonchalant expression: "My name is Fang Qing, and I greet Guard Wang."

"So it's Fellow Daoist Fang! I've heard so much about you!"

Wang Xuandu smiled broadly, his enthusiasm tinged with a hint of flattery and envy:

"Fellow Daoist, you have already reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage at such a young age. Compared to you, I am truly ashamed."

Fang Qing waved his hand upon hearing this, saying, "Fellow Daoist Wang, you flatter me."

"You're too modest, fellow Daoist! Haha, please come in!"

Wang Xuandu shook his head and laughed. He saw that Fang Qing, though not very talkative, was quite easygoing, and he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

At that moment, while inviting Fang Qing to join the battle, he also took the initiative to talk to him about the patrolling fellow Daoists from other sects.

Wang Xuandu manages the spirit stone mine on behalf of Tianque Fortress. The other seven sects, not just Huangfeng Valley, will send their disciples to inspect the mine.

According to Wang Xuandu, Huangfeng Valley, represented by Fang Qing, arrived late this year.

Fang Qing smiled noncommittally, passed through the great formation, entered the mine, and after passing through a not-too-long passageway, arrived at a very spacious cavern.

The cave's dome is inlaid with seven or eight pieces of fluorite, which shimmer and illuminate the cave as brightly as day.

In the center of the cave is a stone table with a chessboard on it, half black and half white.

Wang Xuandu strode to the stone table, flicked his sleeve to collect all the chess pieces and chessboard pieces, and then invited Fang Qing to sit down.

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Xuandu accompanied Fang Qing on a stroll around the area.

Afterwards, he led Fang Qing to a resting cave, said goodbye and left, leaving Fang Qing free to do as he pleased.

This cave is not large; it contains only a cloud bed for meditation.

On the cloud bed was a gray storage bag. Fang Qing picked it up and found that it contained a thousand low-grade spirit stones.

He smiled and casually put it away.

This spirit stone mine has been operating for many years and has long established a set of rules. As long as it's not too outrageous, everyone tacitly lets it go.

What constitutes "excessive"?

For example, they might increase the number of miners without authorization and pocket the excess spirit stones.

As for slacking off during routine patrols, those are minor issues.

After all, this spirit stone mine is located in the heart of the Yue Kingdom. Who would dare to set their sights on this place?

After putting away his storage bag, Fang Qing turned and walked out of the stone chamber, randomly choosing a mine tunnel and entering it.

After walking for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, seeing that there was no one in front or behind him, he took out an earth-遁 talisman, crushed it, and his whole body turned into a yellow light and disappeared into the ground.

I'm currently reading Chapter 38, "Giving Away Money and Accumulating Wealth," and I'm completely engrossed in it.