Chapter 19: Earth Flesh

“Is this the Earth Flesh?” Xu Lian asked curiously, looking at the fleshy substance growing out of the cracks in the stone. It looked similar to a lump of fatty meat, almost like the “meat twai,” he thought, unsure of what purpose it might serve. “What do they need this for up above?”

Han Du shook his head. “This is a spiritual object for cultivators, something ordinary people like us can’t understand. All I know is that no amount of silver can buy it. I’ve heard that it requires a certain type of stone imbued with spiritual energy to obtain such things.”

The two of them stood guard, holding sharp knives and not daring to take their eyes off the prize. If word got out and the Earth Flesh was stolen, they would be held responsible. They were cautious, knowing what was at stake.

Fortunately, the news was kept under wraps and nothing untoward happened. Less than half an hour later, a white figure flitted through the trees and soon appeared in front of them.

It was a white fox.

Han Du’s expression grew serious, and he bowed hurriedly. “I greet the Quarry Patrol Inspector, my lord.”

Xu Lian followed suit and bowed as well, though in his heart, he was still unsure if this was the same white fox he had encountered before. After all, identifying animals was just as difficult as identifying humans.

The white fox’s voice was clear and crisp. “Dig it up.”

Han Du was about to start digging when Xu Lian suddenly stopped him. “Wait.”

Han Du’s expression changed. What was Xu Lian doing?

The white fox stopped and looked at Xu Lian with a strange look.

Xu Lian explained, “I have a question. If a white fox passes in front of me, and after waiting a while, another white fox passes by, how can I be sure it’s the same one?”

Based on this fox’s voice, lively eyes, and refined posture, it resembled the one he had encountered before. But he couldn’t be entirely certain.

Han Du frowned. “Brother Xu, are you trying to get yourself killed? Questioning the quarry patrol inspector?”

Xu Lian hastily bowed to the fox again. “Please don’t take offense, my lord. I just want to be sure. If an impostor takes the Earth Flesh, I’ll be held responsible. My life and livelihood are at stake, so I can’t afford to take any chances.”

The white fox looked at him with approval. “Good, I see I didn’t misjudge you. You’re cautious and capable.”

Han Du was stunned. Far from being angry, the quarry patrol inspector seemed to appreciate Xu Lian’s thoroughness.

The fox spoke again. “You need not worry about the imitation. Green Bamboo Town is under the Yi Sect’s jurisdiction, and no one would dare to impersonate me. Even if someone were to steal the Earth Flesh, you would not be held responsible. If they were able to impersonate me, their strength would be far greater than yours. The Yi Sect would never blame you.”

The Yi Sect controlled Green Bamboo Town?

Xu Lian’s gaze flickered. From this, he realized that the Yi Sect was the true power in Green Bamboo Town, not the Night Patrol or the three wealthy families.

Now that he understood, he quickly said, “I understand, my lord.”

He and Han Du worked together to carefully extract the earth flesh from the stone crevice, wrapping it in the cloth and presenting it to the white fox.

The fox nimbly tied the cloth into a bundle, standing up and balancing it on its back like a child with a large backpack.

Xu Lian couldn’t help but worry about the little creature. The earth flesh was heavy and the fox was so small, but he quickly dismissed his worries. A fox that could speak and perform such tasks was no ordinary animal.

Just as the fox turned to leave, it paused and looked back at Xu Lian. “They want to increase the production of Earth Flesh and plan to open some new quarries. I will appoint you to manage one of them. Do a good job.”

Xu Lian bowed deeply. “Thank you for the opportunity, my lord.”

Without another word, the white fox disappeared into the trees, vanishing as quickly as it had arrived.

Han Du wiped the sweat from his brow. “Brother Xu, you scared me!”

Xu Lian smiled. “Brother Han, there’s no need to be so tense in front of the quarry patrol inspector. They’re not unreasonable.”

Remembering his previous encounter with the white fox, Xu Lian knew that the Quarry Patrol Inspector wasn’t quick to anger, so he had dared to voice his doubts about the fox’s identity.

Han Du chuckled bitterly. “The quarry patrol inspector is a cultivator from the Yi Sect. They could crush me with a flick of their claws. I don’t dare challenge them.”

Speaking of cultivators, Xu Lian was reminded of the snake tendons he had in his grain bag. He planned to upgrade soon to increase his strength.

Han Du smiled. “Congratulations, Brother Xu. You’re already in charge of a quarry.”

“Although I’ve only been with Brother Han for a few days, I’m truly grateful for your supervision. I’m going to miss this mine,” Xu Lian replied.

He asked Han Du for advice on how to run a quarry.

Han Du had the kitchen send over some food and wine, and the two of them chatted as they ate.

Han Du shared his experience. “The most important thing is the blood sacrifice. As long as the blood sacrifice is done properly, everything else doesn’t matter. To put it bluntly, we managers are like local emperors of the mine. We can take anyone’s woman, order anyone’s death, and take as much wealth and grain as we want. The higher-ups don’t care about money, they only care about the earth’s flesh.”

Xu Lian felt a headache coming on. Was he really going to have to prepare a “death list” like Han Du? Create accidents now and then, kill workers, and complete blood sacrifices? Was this really the work of a human?

Even though he wasn’t a saint, Xu Lian couldn’t stomach the thought of such brutal, heartless actions.

Xu Lian’s mind was in turmoil. He knew that if he didn’t carry out the blood sacrifices, he would be held accountable by the higher-ups. They would replace him with someone who was willing to do whatever it took, even if it meant taking innocent lives. The pressure was immense.

It felt like he was being forced to kill.

As Xu Lian pondered this dilemma, one of Han Du’s trusted overseers rode in at a fast pace, drenched in sweat.

“Did the quarry patrol inspector pass by?” the overseer asked, obviously out of breath.

Han Du smiled and poured the man a bowl of wine, tossing him a piece of meat as a reward. “Yes, the quarry patrol inspector came by, took the earth meat, and left.”

Xu Lian quickly calculated the time. The white fox must have taken the Earth Flesh and left at least a while ago, but the overseer who had ridden in quickly to report had just returned. This showed that the fox’s speed far exceeded that of the fastest horse.

The three of them chatted briefly, and as night approached, they all began to prepare to leave. There was still some unfinished food and drink on the table, which Xu Lian and the overseer divided between them. Han Du, who had served as an manager for many years and had accumulated wealth, didn’t care about such trifles.

Once Xu Lian was alone, he rode his horse to a secluded spot. There, he prepared to focus on improving his strength.

[Adding Snake Tendon, advancement successful]

Just like when he added the oxhide earlier, the snake tendon turned to ash. Immediately, Xu Lian felt a rush of warmth spreading through his body, and his muscles seemed to strengthen. It felt as if explosive energy was coursing through his veins. Unable to resist, he punched with all his might at a tree trunk the size of a bowl. The trunk snapped with a loud “crack” and broke in half.

It felt amazing!

[Name: Xu Lian]

[Level: Muscle Refining Stage]

[Skills: None]

[Equipment: Sharp Knife]

After reviewing his updated stats, Xu Lian, now filled with vigor, mounted his horse and rode off toward home, eager to test his newfound strength and prepare for the challenges ahead.