Chapter 20: The Fiery Pit

Thirty spirit stones a year.
Three hundred in ten years.
Three thousand in a hundred years.
Thirty thousand in a thousand years.
In other words, if He Song’s income never increased, he would have to till the fields for a thousand years just to save up thirty thousand spirit stones.
And that’s on the condition that he neither eats nor drinks, spends nothing on cultivation, nor uses a single spirit stone for socializing.
A thousand years… By then, even wildflowers would have withered.
Though his lifespan was endless, it was not meant to be squandered so recklessly.
He Song banished the thought as soon as it arose and continued listening to the conversation.
“Now, the Thick Earth Sect is recruiting itinerant cultivators for mining. Anyone who spends a month digging can earn thirty spirit stones as wages.”
With Wei Fan’s words, the two who had already been surprised widened their eyes even further.
Thirty spirit stones a month? That’s three hundred and sixty in a year!
Such an income…
It was far higher than anything earned by an internal spirit farmer of a celestial market.
He Song, as an internal spirit farmer, worked himself to the bone all year for only a hundred and fifty spirit stones.
After paying rent, he was left with only thirty spirit stones for his own use.
Yet now,
Any itinerant cultivator could go mine and earn three hundred and sixty spirit stones in a single year.
As long as they didn’t rent a room in the celestial market, all that income was theirs to freely use.
The difference between thirty and three hundred and sixty spirit stones was more than tenfold!
Calculating thus, He Song found that his annual thirty spirit stones suddenly seemed worthless.
He toiled for a year to earn thirty, while an itinerant cultivator could make the same in just a month.
The disparity was as vast as heaven and earth.
By that logic, going to the nearby Red Spirit Gold Mine was like picking up spirit stones with a sack!
“It’s a pity they’re only recruiting itinerant cultivators. People like us—internal cultivators of the celestial market—aren’t even allowed in,” Wei Fan, seeing their interest, poured cold water on their hopes.
He sipped his tea and went on,
“Don’t even think about leaving the celestial market. It’s easy to leave, but returning is as hard as ascending to heaven. Once you become an itinerant cultivator, you’ll never have the stability you enjoy now.”
At these words, Meng Guan, who had been tempted, snatched up his teacup, furrowed his brow, and drained it in one gulp.

He Song kept his composure, saying nothing.
But in his heart, he had already made his decision.
The Thick Earth Sect was hiring itinerant miners at thirty spirit stones a month, which clearly meant the mine was of enormous value and they wanted it excavated quickly.
As for dangers lurking in the mine, that was beyond He Song’s knowledge.
Having lived through an era of overwhelming information in his previous life, He Song had learned to be cautious.
Such high wages for miners—there had to be a catch.
Moreover, the sect only recruited itinerant cultivators and not internal market personnel—a curious choice indeed.
Zhu Mountain Celestial Market was very close to the mine; if they truly wanted quick excavation, wouldn’t their own people be more trustworthy?
Since they insisted on hiring only outsiders…
Any trace of greed in He Song’s eyes vanished completely.
He would not go near that mine!
He set his mind to it, feeling a weight lift from his heart.
It was true: miners could earn more spirit stones, but only if they lived to spend them.
While one’s eyes might be set on the handsome wages, others’ eyes could be on your life.
He Song knew full well what mattered most.
As an immortal, his greatest advantage was his endless years.
If he risked his life for mere cultivation resources like other cultivators, he would be a poor excuse for an immortal.
Others fought to the death over resources because their lives were short and not fighting meant perishing.
But he was different—he had eternity.
He poured a cup of tea for Meng Guan and pushed it gently before him.
At this moment,
Meng Guan’s face was wrinkled with age and inner conflict.
He had been stuck at the mid-stage of Qi Refining for so long that even his own mentality had grown old, making his appearance reflect his state.
But now,
A chance to earn a large amount of spirit stones was right in front of him.
To seize it, however, he would have to forsake his status as an internal cultivator and become an itinerant one for life.
That was a price he could never accept.

The gap between internal cultivators of the celestial market and itinerant cultivators was truly immense.
The mortality rate for itinerant cultivators was constantly high.
If an itinerant cultivator was wronged or killed, no one would avenge them.
Their status was so low that anyone could trample them.
Their resources were meager and hard to come by.
But as an internal cultivator, none of these issues existed.
One could cultivate in peace.
Receive resources on a set schedule, monthly or annually.
If wronged, friends would avenge you.
Within the market, your status was high, lording over itinerant cultivators.
Such a stark contrast left Meng Guan torn between earning more spirit stones and giving up his identity as an internal cultivator.
That was the source of his present struggle.
“Old Meng, don’t dwell on it. Let’s save our spirit stones patiently. When the time comes, we’ll visit Azure Cliffs Celestial City together and buy you a Breaking Pill,” Wei Fan said softly, seeing Meng Guan’s turmoil.
“Wei is right. Let’s save up slowly. Who knows, you might break through on your own before we’ve saved enough,” He Song added, offering comfort.
Meng Guan was, in truth, He Song’s guide in the world of cultivation.
If not for Meng Guan casually giving his predecessor a book on Spirit Planting Techniques, He Song would have started his journey as an itinerant cultivator.
Life for an itinerant was far harder than that of a spirit farmer.
Breaking through to the third layer of Qi Refining within five years would have been impossible.
Even reaching the second layer in five years would be in doubt.
Not to mention the countless dangers an itinerant must face—dangers He Song had never encountered.
For this, Meng Guan had done him a great favor, though the man himself was unaware.
But He Song would always remember.
In cultivation, keeping one’s heart free of guilt was essential.
Watching Meng Guan on the verge of leaping into the fire pit of the mines, He Song knew he had to dissuade him, so long as it didn’t harm his own interests.
Mining might bring great profit,
But it might cost one’s life.
And it meant giving up one’s internal position.
Such a terrible price, only to leap into disaster—
If he didn’t say something, simply stood by and watched Meng Guan jump into the pit, He Song knew he would never forgive himself.