Chapter 354 352-Divine Crystal
Ethan's face also carried a smile as he showed a pleasantly surprised expression to the people around him.
Luther's expression shifted slightly when he saw Ethan enter.
He seemed to want to say something but held back. He even went as far as to hide his gaze, not wanting to draw suspicion towards Ethan.
Ethan caught Luther's fleeting look and breathed a sigh of relief internally. It seemed that Luther was indeed trapped here.
He admitted to himself that there was an element of gamble in his decision, but thankfully, it appeared to have paid off.
Ethan hesitated briefly, pondering how to initiate contact with Luther.
Herman clapped his hands and announced, "Let's pause for a moment, everyone. We haven't had a newcomer in a long time. Let's not scare him off."
"Levai, you take Ethan down and give him some guidance."
A burly man emerged from the crowd. Standing among them, Levai was like a towering mountain, radiating an unmatched strength and authority.
Over two meters tall, his muscles were tight and powerful, each one sculpted like chiseled stone.
His broad, upright shoulders gave off an aura of being insurmountable.
Levai, frequently working in the mines, had skin tanned to a dark hue, enhancing his intimidating presence.
His hair was neat and tidy, short and well-kept, lending him a sharp, efficient look.
As he walked, each step was steady and forceful, as if the ground itself trembled beneath him.
His presence exuded a powerful aura, causing those around him to instinctively make way, like a fierce beast ready to strike at any moment.
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly, calculating Levai's strength in his mind.
Regardless, Ethan was already filled with wariness towards Levai.
As Levai passed by Elida, she stretched out her hand, running her nails over the muscles of Levai's body, her face unable to suppress a flirtatious smile.
Herman chuckled lightly, saying, "Levai, don't be so stern. You're frightening our friend here."
It seemed as though Herman's voice had an effect. When Levai approached Ethan, his face broke into a smile in an instant.
This smile, like that of a ferocious beast suddenly taking on a tender and affectionate demeanor, created such a stark contrast that Ethan almost felt nauseous.
"Hello," Levai's voice buzzed, "I hope we can get along well."
Ethan, with a faint smile on his face, replied slowly, "I look forward to your guidance."
His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.
Was this Herman's way of detecting something amiss in him, or was this a routine process every newcomer had to go through?
At that moment, Herman spoke up loudly again:
"Alright, it's getting late. Let's head to the mines, hoping everyone has a good haul."
"Ohhh ohhh—"
"Woo woo—"
A chorus of feigned cheers erupted from the crowd, as if each person was genuinely looking forward to the day's yield.
Ethan followed the large troop, quickly entering into the mine.
The divine crystal mining mountain was unlike any other vein.
Typical veins involved digging holes, then either following the mountain's natural contours in a parallel fashion or slightly downward.
However, the divine crystal mining mountain was vertical, the mine shaft resembling a colossal pit.
This vast abyss was enormous, with spiral patterns resembling pathways etched upon its walls.
Descending along the spiral path, the dim light gradually brightened.
Ethan couldn't tell if they had reached the bottom of the mine, but there was a thick air of mystery, as if it were an entrance to another universe.
In this vast expanse of land, towering stone pillars stood like the pillars of the world, holding the stability of the entire pit.
Between these columns was an area shimmering with multicolored light.
The source of this illumination was the divine crystals, embedded around the stone pillars or suspended in space in various shapes and colors.
They radiated strong energy fluctuations, exuding an irresistible attraction.
These divine crystals shone like stars, as if the night sky's constellations had descended onto this mysterious land. Ethan was instantly mesmerized at first sight.
Individually, each divine crystal might not look extraordinary, but together in a sea of crystals, their collective brilliance was enough to dazzle and bewitch.
Levai spoke softly beside Ethan, "Those are the divine crystals, our targets for mining."
"How do I mine them?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Look there—" Levai pointed with his thick, carrot-like fingers toward the miners who had already started their work.
Their movements were swift, agile like monkeys, navigating between the pillars.
However, not every attempt was successful. Even when they failed, they didn't dare to linger, swinging away to seek the next opportunity.
"Mine them with... hands?" Ethan's mouth twitched in disbelief, his mind unable to fathom that extracting divine crystals lacked technical sophistication.
Levai, expressionless, stated blandly, "Yes, with hands. You use your energy to strike the divine crystals. If you can dislodge them, then you collect the divine crystal. That's how you obtain one."
"The most important thing is to never stay on the stone pillars for more than two or three seconds. If you do, you might get absorbed by the pillar and undergo crystallization. And then, nobody can save you."
Ethan's eyebrows arched in surprise.
No wonder the miners were moving so agilely between the pillars, each touch on a divine crystal as brief as a dragonfly skimming water.
So, such a secret lay hidden within.
Ethan looked around and soon spotted Luther in the crowd.
Luther was leaping through the air, but his gaze intermittently drifted towards Ethan. In the moment their eyes met, Luther subtly shook his head.
Ethan immediately abandoned the idea of using the Power of Soul for communication.
Now that he was in the mine, he needed to let Luther take the lead.
Every action should be initiated by Luther. If he acted rashly, he could easily disrupt Luther's plan.
Moreover, he was still unaware of the specific rules in this place.
If he accidentally violated any, the consequences could be disastrous.
Seeing Ethan looking around, Levai curiously followed his gaze, glancing around as well.
"Don't you want to give it a try?" he asked.
Ethan redirected his attention, rolling his shoulders as if gearing up for the challenge. "Of course, I do. I hope you can keep an eye on me, Levai."
Levai, with a smile that seemed both simple and sincere, replied, "No problem."
To conceal his true strength, Ethan acted a bit clumsier than usual.
He stomped on the ground, creating a gust of wind as he reached the stone pillar.
When he touched a divine crystal, he felt an extraordinary sensation.
It didn't feel like touching a stone, but rather a living entity.
This divine crystal conveyed a sense of being alive, sending a strange, moist, and sticky sensation through Ethan's hand.
Ethan exerted a bit more force, attempting to break off a piece of the divine crystal, but he failed.
As he had felt, the divine crystal on the pillar seemed to be part of a whole.
Trying to break off a piece was like fighting against the entire pillar itself – a feat of strength beyond Ethan's current capabilities.
Remembering Levai's warning about not lingering on the pillar for too long, Ethan quickly hopped back to Levai's side after his attempt.
"How did it go?" Levai asked, seeing Ethan return empty-handed but without any hint of blame.
"It's tough," Ethan said, frowning slightly in contemplation. "I feel that with my current strength, I might not be able to bring back even a single piece."
Levai broke into a grin, his teeth unusually white in the darkness:
"Don't worry, you'll be able to do it someday. Collecting divine crystals is a game of chance. Only those that are slightly loosened can be taken down."
"That's why we keep trying back and forth. Sometimes they return empty-handed too."
Ethan observed the miners and indeed, they seemed to face the same issue he had encountered.
The divine crystals were fused into a single mass, and one couldn't linger on the pillar for long.
They could only keep seeking opportunities, hoping to pry off a piece of divine crystal.
It was then that Ethan caught sight of Luther. Luther's mouth was moving silently: "Come closer..."
Ethan's eyes sparkled as he read the lips.
"Thanks, Levai," Ethan said, shifting his gaze away, "From here on, it's all up to me."
Levai nodded slightly, his voice deep and resonant, "No need to thank me. It's what I should do."
After speaking, Levai moved towards the pillars like a gorilla, clinging to them.
He grabbed a divine crystal, his arm muscles bulging instantly. A gorilla's arm phantom appeared behind him.
With a 'thud', a sound akin to shattering glass echoed from the pillar.
Levai held a piece of divine crystal in his hand, quickly returning to Ethan's side.
At that moment, the other miners' eyes lit up, and they suddenly rushed towards the pillars.
Ethan slightly raised his eyebrows, puzzled by their actions.
Levai, placing the divine crystal into the cloth bag at his waist, spoke with emphasis:
"This is why I told you there's no need to worry."
"I will actively disrupt the integrity of the divine crystal within the stone pillar. Though divine crystals possess a powerful self-healing ability, in that brief interval, you'll have more opportunities to try."
"It will be much easier for you to extract the divine crystal than doing it on your own."
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