Around the Qingfeng Sect's spirit ore mine, the master and disciple duo quietly lay in wait.

Li Yingling cautiously lifted her head to observe the situation below, her gaze fixed worriedly on her junior brother as she asked, "Master, isn't it too risky for junior brother to do this?"

"In theory, you're in more danger than he is."

Hearing this, Li Yingling looked at her master with slight confusion.

Chu Xingchen had his reasons for saying so. Li Xingtian was currently carrying a protective talisman that could withstand attacks from the Core Formation Stage, along with two teleportation talismans.

If anything went wrong, Li Xingtian would be the fastest to escape. So, purely in terms of danger, Li Yingling was in a more precarious position.

At this moment, Li Xingtian was disguised as a miner, blending into the mine.

Just as Li Xingtian had speculated, the core disciples of the Qingfeng Sect wouldn't bother to seriously compare the number of ants in the mine.

Having actually mined for a few years, Li Xingtian was familiar with the place and his disguise was quite seamless.

He was pushing a cart, his gaze scanning everyone he passed.

He was searching for Ning Qianqian's father.

In the ruined temple, Chu Xingchen had already sketched a portrait of Ning Qianqian's father based on her description, and she had confirmed its accuracy.

So as long as Ning Qianqian's father was still alive in this mine, there wouldn't be any issue of not recognizing him.

Chu Xingchen relaxed slightly, seeing that the backup plan wouldn't be needed for now.

Now, they just had to wait for Li Xingtian's signal.

Ning Qianqian, having no cultivation level, would be a distraction to bring along, so it was more suitable to leave her in the ruined temple.

Thus, only the three of them were involved in this operation.

Li Xingtian acted as the observer, carefully monitoring the mine and locating Ning Qianqian's father.

Chu Xingchen was the attacker, who would strike the spirit stone warehouse guarded by the Golden Core cultivator and draw everyone's attention to cover their retreat.

Li Yingling was the backup, ready to step in if any unexpected situations arose.

Moreover, if everything went smoothly, Li Xingtian had an ultimate plan!

Destroy this damned mine and free everyone inside.

Although Chu Xingchen wasn't optimistic about this plan, and releasing all these people might not be a good idea.

The Qingfeng Sect would surely track them down and interrogate them.

However, Li Xingtian argued that staying there meant certain death, and attempting to escape was their only chance at survival. He was merely providing them with a way out, and those who didn't want to run could choose not to.

Chu Xingchen suggested a more direct approach: once they were strong enough, they would simply destroy the Qingfeng Sect.

Li Xingtian didn't oppose his master's decision, though he hesitated before nodding in agreement.

It seemed Li Xingtian himself wasn't confident in his plan.

In any case, all plans depended on Li Xingtian's signal.

Once the action started, they would decide based on the situation, and there was a chance they might not even find Ning Qianqian's father.

——————

Pushing this broken cart to transport spirit ore again was something Li Xingtian truly despised.

Especially this route, from the mine entrance, even after all these years and having experienced more dangerous secret realms.

Stepping onto it again, his heart couldn't remain calm.

At this moment, only one thought occupied Li Xingtian's mind—after reaching the Nascent Soul stage in his past life, he should have wiped out the Qingfeng Sect immediately!

The trauma this damned mine caused Li Xingtian was no less than that inflicted by the evil female cultivator!

Li Xingtian kept his head down, quickly scanning the workers outside transporting and breaking stones, but he didn't spot Ning Qianqian's father.

Most likely, he was inside the mine, and Li Xingtian needed to find a chance to sneak in.

Li Xingtian glanced subtly in his master's direction and discreetly made a hand gesture.

After a brief wait, a sharp sword cry echoed from afar.

Three Qingfeng Sect disciples, who were chatting nearby, suddenly turned their heads towards the source of the sound.

Two of them quickly got up and rushed towards the direction of the sword cry.

The remaining one rang the large bell in the center of the mine.

The clanging sound rapidly spread.

Many miners stopped their work, their numb faces showing a hint of panic. They didn't understand what was happening, but it was unlikely to be anything good.

The noise quickly filled the valley.

The crowd began to stir, unconsciously gathering together, and Li Xingtian decisively blended in.

Soon, two Qingfeng Sect disciples came running from afar.

They were on guard outside, and when the bell rang, they swiftly headed this way.

They quickly surveyed the surroundings, suppressing the somewhat restless crowd.

Meanwhile, a Qingfeng Sect disciple emerged from the mine, followed by a group of miners.

His sharp gaze swept over the panicked crowd, and he shouted sternly, "Everyone, line up according to your shifts!"

With this command, the previously agitated crowd quickly calmed down and began finding their positions.

Li Xingtian's gaze swiftly scanned the emerging crowd and soon spotted Ning Qianqian's father.

He was almost unrecognizably thin, and if not for his Qi Refining cultivation, he might not have survived.

But at least he was alive.

Li Xingtian then glanced slightly towards the warehouse, waiting to see if the Golden Core cultivator inside would appear.

This person was the key to determining how far their plan could go.

A quarter of an hour later, the two Qingfeng Sect disciples who went to investigate returned together, declaring the area safe and lifting the alarm.

Li Xingtian quickly blended into the group of miners, and under the Qingfeng Sect disciples' arrangement, began moving towards the mine.

However, the anticipated Golden Core cultivator did not appear.

"I'm heading back to the sect to report to the Sect Master and elders. Stay vigilant."

An older Qingfeng Sect disciple took charge, saying, "This is a critical time, and no matter what, we must keep the mine running smoothly. Everyone, stay alert!"

The other Qingfeng Sect disciples quickly bowed and saluted, "Yes, senior brother!"

Having successfully blended in with the mining crowd, Li Xingtian followed the group inside, then swiftly approached Ning Qianqian's father, discreetly slipping the token Ning Qianqian had brought into Ning Kun's hand.

In the dimly lit mine, Ning Kun's gaze locked onto Li Xingtian, clutching the cloth with a burlap-like texture tightly in his hand.

Li Xingtian didn't look at him, only whispered, "Qianqian."

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Ning Kun's eyes lit up, but then his expression changed dramatically, and he hurriedly asked, "She..."

Before he could finish, Li Xingtian raised a hand to interrupt, his gaze sweeping over him, "No matter what, stick close to me later!"

"What are you doing? Hurry up!"

The Qingfeng Sect disciple supervising them quickly urged, "If you don't meet the quota, you won't even get to sleep!"

Li Xingtian didn't respond to Ning Kun, instead quickly picking up a discarded pickaxe and moving forward.

After about ten steps, there was a corner.

At the corner, the faint yellow candlelight flickered.

Li Xingtian looked at the candlelight, his heart suddenly skipping a beat, a chill running up his spine.

A deeply unsettling feeling instantly spread through his mind.

This mine... something feels off. In his past life, there was no such situation when he was mining here.

He quickly grasped the Thousand-Mile Teleportation Talisman given by his master.

Cautiously, he followed the crowd around the corner.

What met his eyes was not a mine waiting to be excavated.

But an extremely eerie and terrifying scene.