Chapter 381: Chapter 217: Mole Beast’s Change; Entering the Mountains
Cheng Zongyang nodded. "That’s about right. It was likely dropped when that Fiery Sun Bird first fell into Tianduan Mountain, and that monkey picked it up afterward."
"I’ll go get it." Hearing this, Zhou Hanchang immediately got up and went home.
"What’s this thing used for?" Cheng Guangshan asked curiously.
Cheng Zongyang found it difficult to explain that he would be selling it to the market hut, so he could only say:
"This is also a top-tier forging material. Because of that, some families and Commerce Associations from the outside world—even major ones—are buying it at high prices."
At this, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family, who was in charge of the Storehouse and village tasks, spoke up. "If that’s the case, I’ll post it as a task. That way, people will start looking for it."
Cheng Zongyang nodded. "That’s a good idea."
Soon, Zhou Hanchang returned with the item in hand.
He handed the stone to Cheng Zongyang, who began to inspect it. After a moment, he nodded and said, "It is indeed a Fire Spirit Stone, but its Fire Spirit Qi is gone. Still, it can be sold for a little money."
Everyone nodded upon hearing this. Cheng Guanghai said:
"Then let’s post it as a task. That way, people who go into the mountains can also keep an eye out. Zongyang just said these things usually fall into dirt pits, so it should be relatively easy to find them. As long as they search around the pits, they should be able to find some. We can add a reminder about that when we post the task."
Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family nodded. "Alright. I’ll write a sign as a reminder."
After delegating this task, Cheng Zongyang asked about minerals.
"I heard we found things like Copper Ore. Have we found any Gold and Silver Ore?"
Gold and silver were crucial for the expansion and development of his Wilderness World, and they were equally important for the development of the County Town.
Thus, the need for these two types of ore was very high. Of course, having things like copper and iron was fine, but in terms of value, it was better to search for Gold and Silver Ore.
Mining Copper and Iron Ore required too much manpower, and Cheng Family Village only had a population of four to five hundred. Forcing them to mine would be a form of torture, and it wouldn’t be very worthwhile.
"No." Cheng Guanghai shook his head. "We had the Mole Beast search near the gold-panning area before, but it found nothing. The Golden Sand must have been washed down and deposited by the river; there’s no fixed ore deposit. But now that the tunnel is basically complete, we can spare some time to search."
Cheng Zongyang then said, "Leave it to me. I have to go into the mountains for some other matters anyway, and they are extremely important for the family’s development. If I really discover something, our family will grow faster and stronger in the future."
Cheng Zongyang was also beginning to lay the groundwork for the things he would take out of the Wilderness World in the future, such as the Soul Gathering Stele and a source for their gold and silver needs.
Tianduan Mountain was massive; it wouldn’t be surprising if it held all sorts of strange things.
Hearing this, the others were puzzled. Zhou Hansong asked, "What matters? Is there some kind of treasure in the mountains?"
Cheng Zongyang shook his head. "There is a fog-covered region in Tianduan Mountain. Some of the things I brought back before were found at its edge.
There are many good things there, but it’s also quite dangerous. So, I’ve come back this time intending to take a look and see what I can bring out. I have a feeling the mountains are hiding a big secret."
No one doubted his explanation. For one, the things Cheng Zongyang had brought back before were indeed strange, such as the Beast Hide Scroll with the Immortal Ancestor’s Oath. And for another, there were the Geomagnetic Stones.
Coupled with this Fire Spirit Stone and the existence of that Demon Beast, they were all the more convinced.
"If it’s that dangerous, maybe you shouldn’t go for now. It won’t be too late to go after your strength has increased and you can take more people with you," Cheng Guanghai said with a frown.
They couldn’t understand the principles behind these strange things. If not for the fact that they hadn’t affected anyone in the village so far, how could they dare to use them?
Cheng Zongyang shook his head. "No, I have to hurry. Forces from the County Town have already moved in, and more and more people will arrive in the future.
To reap greater profits, besides normal commercial development, they will look to exploit the nearby Tianduan Mountain. Tianduan Mountain has too many resources. Even though it’s incredibly dangerous, that won’t stop them. This Fire Spirit Stone is one of their targets.
If things continue like this, even with the protection of the Geomagnetic Stones, Cheng Family Village won’t be able to stop Martial Artists of the Middle Third Grades or higher. It’s only a matter of time before we are discovered. That’s why we need to find a more powerful Defense."
Everyone fell silent once more.
"Sigh... It’s still because our strength is lacking. Otherwise, we wouldn’t always be putting you in this position," Cheng Guanghai lamented with a sigh.
Cheng Zongyang smiled. "It’s all for the family. We each have our own roles."
"Alright, then," Cheng Guanghai said. "You have to be careful."
Mrs. Zhou of the Cheng Family opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. She knew that her son was no longer just her son, but also the future Clan Leader of the Cheng Family. This was his responsibility.
After discussing these three matters, the group continued to chat about affairs in Tiantuan Village.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Cheng Zongyang rested well for three days, during which he got a general understanding of the village’s latest situation. He also inspected the condition of the Geomagnetic Stones protecting the village.
There were no major issues.
The current building materials were all made by the artisans from the engineering department, and with the abundance of raw materials in the mountains, there was no shortage whatsoever.
During these three days, he also reviewed the family registry and took stock of the number of signed Beast Hide Scrolls, getting a clear count in his head.
At the same time, he was also planning what he needed to do once he went into the mountains.
On the morning of the third day, Cheng Zongyang set out for the mountains alone with the Mole Beast, having it carry a large basket on its back.
This trip into the mountains was tentatively planned for seven days. During that time, he wanted the Mole Beast to search for Gold and Silver Ore.
