"You wait here. I'll go get the Crystal-Powered Shovels and energy crystals." Ballock said, before sprinting away.
"You should bring all the crystals!" Blood shouted after him.
He peered into the hollow once more, contemplating whether to widen it further, granting more room for excavation. Though digging with an energy shovel would be arduous, they had no choice but to endure.
He enveloped his spear in a crimson aura, the radiance and force far surpassing what he had once been capable of.
Swoosh...
In a sudden burst, he leapt nearly two meters into the air and unleashed a piercing strike aimed precisely at the aperture.
Bang...
An even louder noise echoed through the surrounding, turning several heads in his direction, but he ignored their stares.
Blood relentlessly struck at the surrounding stone, and after several blows, the hollow grew noticeably deeper. When it had widened enough for three or four people to enter without feeling cramped, he finally stopped.
From here on, the excavation would be far easier.
Crystal-powered tools consumed energy crystals of any grade to function. Take the energy shovel, for instance: without a crystal, it would remain inert. Once activated, it depletes the crystal's energy until nothing remained, unless it was shut down manually.
The task would have been far simpler if he had been able to summon the miners, but his family allotted only a scant handful of energy crystals each month, which wouldn't be enough.
At the thought of dwindling resources, he rested his hand against his pocket and felt the beast crystal he had claimed. It was far too precious to be left in his spatial ring. His younger sister often rummaged through it whenever she visited his room, since he rarely wore the ring except during hunts.
In contrast to energy crystals, beast crystals couldn't be drained to power tools in the same manner. Instead, they were forged into weapons, intricate machinery, enchanted rings, and other artifacts.
Beast crystals held immense value wherever one traveled.
Energy crystals, on the other hand, were essential for cultivation, elevating one's stage through the Heaven and Earth energy contained within them.
Blood still possessed a few energy crystals which they could use. He sat at the edge of the pit, his legs dangling in, and waited patiently for Ballock's return.
___
Maria froze where she stood as Blood finished demonstrating his strength. It was worth noting that he had never studied any cultivation skill, yet the energy he released was baffling. By all appearances, that surge should have belonged to a ninth-stage cultivator of the Iron Realm.
What unsettled her most was the fact that Blood had clearly been at the sixth stage only moments earlier. They had just spoken—how could he suddenly harness the power of someone three stages higher?
Only the most gifted prodigies of their generation could achieve such a feat. Her son had leapt across three stages in a single display of force, though she knew that true combat would tell a different story.
Blood had not yet mastered any cultivation arts or techniques. His combat prowess remained weak. He could unleash vast energy, but without refined skill or technique, defeating an opponent of equal stage would be a daunting challenge.
In truth, even someone at a lower stage might overcome him under such circumstances.
Maria herself could cross two stages at best, and for that she had been praised. But what of one who could leap three? A sudden realization struck her—the restriction she had placed upon him wasn't required. Talents such as his were meant to roam freely; if they were left idle, they would only rust, becoming easy prey, sitting ducks for hunters.
She decided to have a proper conversation with him later that evening. It seemed her order would be rescinded sooner than expected. Truthfully, she would never have been so stern—going so far as to announce it to the guards—if not for the way Blood had inflamed her anxiety.
___
Unaware of his mother's deductions, Blood remained outside, watching the neck of the woods, when he sensed someone approaching from behind. He tilted his head and saw Ballock.
Blood sat upright and waited until Ballock drew closer. With a sweep of his hands, two shovel-like tools materialized, accompanied by a pouch and a... dustbin, the latter hooked by a chain to an adjustable carrier.
The Crystal-Powered Shovel resembled an ordinary one, but at the tip of its broad blade protruded jagged claws, clearly designed to make excavation easier. Once activated, the tool would dig on its own, while the wielder would guide its direction and emptied the contents into the dustbin.
The carrier, prepared beforehand, would then hoist the dustbin upward and release the gathered particles at any point within its reach.
"I used your spatial ring to save time." Ballock admitted with a flushed face as he crouched down to fill the shovels.
Blood shook his head. "Do you think I expected you to carry them with your hands?"
Spatial rings were the most convenient means of transporting items, though not everyone possessed one. Instead, spatial pouches were far more common, widely recognized, and easier to purchase.
For ordinary people, owning a spatial ring was perilous. If spotted by chance, they would instantly become targets, so one had to conceal it carefully for fear of being robbed.
A spatial ring was also a sign of influence, a symbol of members from powerful sects and groups. Rumors had it that such rings could be distributed freely or even purchased, but the higher authorities restricted them, now used as an object of status.
Blood filled the second Crystal-Powered Shovel, set the carrier's direction, and then leapt into the pit alongside Ballock to begin their excavation. The crystals were only sufficient to fuel a single round for each tool, and each contained a hundred slots, the same as the carrier.
These crystals were the last of his reserve.
___
Maria watched her son digging into the field but gave little heed. With the restriction still in place, his choices were narrowed regardless, and it seemed this was the best he could do for now.
But whatever task they pursued, his expression clearly showed—the crystals wouldn't be enough.
She prayed it would come to that. A plan began to take shape in her mind…
___
Meanwhile...
The Sand-Scale Forest had been thrown into a state of frenzy. It was evident in the way crowds—both groups and lone wanderers—rushed in and out of the many entrances around its borders.
At first, the commotion had been small. But when people began emerging with treasures—rare plants, glittering minerals, and most astonishingly, new and unknown ores, alongside mutated flora, beasts, and other luxurious items beyond recognition—the forest's reputation soared.
Concerns quickly gave way to desire, doubts were blotted out, and soon the forest grew increasingly saturated with people. For some, it was a living miracle; for others, a cruel misfortune.
This peculiar phenomenon became a golden opportunity for blacksmiths, alchemists, and other factions. Merchants, mercenaries, and hunters alike flocked to its edges.
Likewise, were the old geezers whose bones and senses had endured the years with little change, rose suddenly from their long states of seclusion.
They had been unable to leave the city before, bound by matters of sect or faction. If they strayed too far or for too long, their clans risked oppression—or at worst, annihilation.
Their tradition was that they select promising talents from among their ranks and send them to stronger groups, where cultivation could advance further. In return, those individuals were expected to support their sect or faction. Yet often, such chosen ones never returned.
Thus, the elders who remained behind to safeguard their people never allowed an opportunity to slip past them. And now, this phenomenon was unfolding even within their own city.
Beyond rare treasures, there was another lure that couldn't be ignored—life expectancy itself.
___
Merchants and groups of other professions, including cultivators, had set up canvases and booths a few hundred meters outside the forest. Rare treasures were being unearthed within, and the atmosphere quickly grew boisterous as thousands camped around its perimeter—numbers growing more intensely with each passing day.
Inns soon sprang up to serve cultivators entering and exiting the forest. Some were loosely guarded, while others bristled with heavy protection, depending on the wealth and influence behind them.
It was, without doubt, an opportunity.
Yet was there ever an opportunity without responsibility?