Niu Jiye and the others, amidst the panic of those people, unleashed a barrage of divine abilities and mystical arts, swiftly eliminating them.
Then, Niu Jiye informed the laborers who were working, that there was an antidote for the Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones. Most did not believe him.
Niu Jiye casually picked one person to test it on. That person, after absorbing the spirit stone, spat out a mouthful of black gas, then appeared refreshed and invigorated, as if a different person.
Everyone could tell at a glance that this was a complete cure!
And not like continuing to absorb Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones!
If one continued to absorb Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones, it would temporarily give a false impression of being much more energetic, and temporarily alleviate the pain. However, the gloom between their brows would never dissipate, and their faces and eyes could not be deceived; one could tell at a glance that they were still poisoned.
These people immediately demanded the antidote from Niu Jiye and the others.
Niu Jiye and the others patiently told them that due to the hasty uprising, they had not refined enough antidote.
Now, everyone needed to unite and collectively confront the demon guards in the mine, eliminating them all, so that their Mr. Mo could refine the antidote for everyone with his full attention.
At this, a single call garnered a thousand responses. The entire level of miners was mobilized, with some participating in persuading those on the next level!
Some participated in confronting the patrolling soldiers in the deep pit.
Mo Qi's figure continued to descend. As the levels gradually decreased, the air grew worse, perpetually filled with a foul stench that intensified with depth.
The miners, dazed and like walking corpses, were not particularly bothered by the smell. Their despair was greater than their will to live; with their spirits broken, everything around them became irrelevant.
Even if they were buried in a five-zhang high pile of garbage, they would not stir.
However, the overseers could not stand it. They wished to leave every moment, finding all sorts of excuses to escape: one moment saying they needed to go above for convenience, the next claiming to find someone, or that relatives had arrived.
In any normal circumstance, there were not many overseers who steadfastly remained at their posts.
On the other hand, the miners were exceptionally diligent. Regardless of whether anyone was supervising them, they worked with a tranquil heart, heads bowed.
At this point, Mo Qi arrived at the lowest level. The other three overseers merely glanced at him, said nothing, and turned their heads away.
Overseers on the lowest level also frequently relied on personal connections to swap with other overseers on higher levels, allowing themselves a breath of fresh air above. Therefore, it was not unusual to see unfamiliar overseers on this level.
They had grown accustomed to it.
Thus, they assumed Mo Qi was just another person swapped from above.
Mo Qi felt bewildered. He had prepared himself for a fight, only to find that no fight would occur.
He felt very disappointed!
Everything had not gone according to his plan, leaving him feeling hollow!
It was then that he remembered a very serious question: Who was Ye Zhixun?
What did he look like?
"Who is Ye Zhixun?" Mo Qi scanned the surroundings and asked directly.
The miners, with their numb expressions, ignored him.
However, one of the thinner overseers asked Mo Qi with a hint of curiosity, "Why are you looking for Ye Zhixun?"
Mo Qi's mind raced through countless thoughts: Why was he asking? Why him? Why didn't others ask? Why was he asking such a question? Why were these overseers not resistant to him at all…
"It's nothing. I heard he's very powerful, and I wanted to pee on his head. Hahaha…" Mo Qi laughed wildly.
As expected, these three people burst into laughter: "Why does everyone have that thought… Hahaha…"
The one who had asked the question pointed to a disheveled, ragged person behind him: "That's him. Come here… Hahaha, come here."
"Chichichichi!" With three piercing sounds, the three overseers collapsed onto the ground.
The miners merely glanced at Mo Qi before turning back to their work.
As for Ye Zhixun, he had not looked up throughout the entire ordeal, nor made any move to indicate he was disturbed. He continued to dig the earth with the shovel in his hand.
His hair was messy and tangled, obscuring his face.
The hand that dug the earth trembled slightly, but it did not affect his speed or strength. Dirt flew, and dust billowed. Amidst the swirling dust, he dug out stones one by one and placed them into the nearby basket.
He repeated the same action, as if it were the entirety of his life.
It seemed as though he was using this action to prove that he was still alive.
Mo Qi walked over and stood beside him: "You must be Senior Ye!"
Ye Zhixun paid him no mind, continuing to dig.
"Senior Ye, if there was an opportunity for you to regain your spirit, would you accept it?" Mo Qi said, looking at his back.
Ye Zhixun merely turned his head and gave him a faint glance. Mo Qi saw a gaunt face and a pair of listless eyes.
"Or rather, we all need you to regain your spirit. Everyone in this mine who has been poisoned by Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones, and countless other mines like this, need you to regain your spirit. Give yourself a chance, and give all of us a chance," Mo Qi said slowly.
As he spoke, he handed the spirit stone over.
At this moment, a cloud of mist floated up from the deep pit. Several figures stood atop the cloud, and their voices descended from above, echoing through the ages: "Fellow colleagues who have been poisoned by Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones, today is a glorious day. There is an antidote for the Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones, a true antidote, one that provides a permanent cure and never recurs. Let us stand tall and proud once more, let us hold our heads high as human beings again, let us return to the path towards our dreams. We need not endure suffering, need not cling to a precarious existence. Lift your heads again! Look at us; we have just taken the antidote."
"Please join us, stand by our side, pick up your weapons, and first eliminate the vermin that have been gnawing at our flesh."
Niu Jiye's impassioned speech immediately drew the attention of many.
Concurrently, another group descended from above, going to each level to spread the word and distribute the detoxifying spirit stones.
On each level, a fierce battle ensued. First, the overseers were eliminated, and then the miners were persuaded.
Gradually, more and more people emerged from various levels and joined Niu Jiye.
Ye Zhixun's dazed eyes brightened slightly. He then took the spirit stone from Mo Qi's hand and began to absorb it.
The narrative now shifts. Time goes back to an earlier point. Zhou Kuangcheng was still asleep when a soldier, He Jun, woke him: "Zhou Kuangcheng, the opportunity has arrived. That woman's toxicity has flared up."
Zhou Kuangcheng, disturbed from his sleep, was not angry at all. He immediately rolled over and got up, running to a small room on the second level.
Earlier, Cen Wantu had sent over a peerlessly beautiful woman, in exchange for one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones and one hundred thousand Sparrow Chip Spirit Stones.
Initially, Zhou Kuangcheng had cursed him for dreaming and being delusional.
But after Qiu Liniang opened the bag and let him take a look, he was stunned, and immediately made a decision: he would give Cen Wantu whatever he wanted.
After Qiu Liniang took all the spirit stones, she took out a small drum and handed it to Zhou Kuangcheng, winking and saying, "Little wild horse, not easy to tame. This might be useful."
Zhou Kuangcheng knew it was a drum for controlling gu, and his eyes narrowed. He took the small drum: "Liniang, you understand me well. Next time I come for delivery, I will give you even more spirit stones."
Qiu Liniang and Cen Wantu left with smiles.
Zhou Kuangcheng immediately closed the stone door, turned, and released Shui Han, his eyes filled with greed.
Unexpectedly, Shui Han, without a word, formed a hand seal and directed a giant ice sphere to spin towards Zhou Kuangcheng.
Ice swords, like a dense rain, splashed out, continuous and unending.
Zhou Kuangcheng's expression changed drastically. He pushed his hand forward, and a thick, invisible wall of qi suddenly emerged and moved forward.
The ice swords struck, dissolving into the qi wall, yet they shaved away at the qi wall inch by inch.
The qi wall gradually thinned.
The illusory sphere continued to roll forward, roaring like thunder.
Zhou Kuangcheng was greatly alarmed and began to strike the small drum with his hand.
Shui Han immediately seemed to be under a spell, collapsing to the ground, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain.
The sphere, deprived of its spiritual energy, gradually dissipated.
Zhou Kuangcheng stopped drumming, and Shui Han immediately prepared to strike him again.
Zhou Kuangcheng had no choice but to continue drumming, while retreating from the cave dwelling. He then exited and closed the stone door, activating the restrictions.
He then told He Jun to guard carefully, and to inform him immediately if she had a toxicity flare-up.
He went back to sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, He Jun came to wake him, informing him that the woman's toxicity had flared up!
When the toxicity flared up, she was at her most vulnerable. At that time, she would do whatever he asked, without any surprises!
This was the moment Zhou Kuangcheng had been waiting for!
He was extremely excited!
In his excitement, he casually killed He Jun.
Then, he immediately ran towards the stone room.
At this moment, soldiers blocked his path: "Zhou Kuangcheng, the Mine Chief wants you to lead troops down to transfer Ye Zhixun, or kill him."
At this time?
No, nothing could stop him now.
Zhou Kuangcheng's eyes turned red. He perfunctorily replied, "I understand. You may go down."
The soldier returned to report. Upon reaching the first level, he was killed by Huo Chengfeng.
Meanwhile, Mine Chief Lou had already fled.
After the soldier left, Zhou Kuangcheng still ran towards the small room.
When he opened the stone door, he saw Shui Han writhing on the ground like a puddle of mud, her fragrant skin like jade, her body soft and boneless.
She was muttering something in a low voice, her eyes bloodshot, filled with an infinite longing.
At this moment, Zhou Kuangcheng was also burning with desire. He lunged towards Shui Han without hesitation: "Beauty, if you yield to me, I will cure your poison."
Shui Han's entire body felt as if it were being bitten by insects, she knew not whether it was itching or pain, unable to scratch it away, unable to extinguish it, wishing for death rather than life.
However, her mind remained clear, and the pride ingrained in her bones still gnawed at her hope for relief from the pain.
Seeing Zhou Kuangcheng lunging at her, she gathered all her strength and formed a hand seal.
With a "chi" sound, an ice sword pierced Zhou Kuangcheng's glabella, exiting through the back of his head.
Zhou Kuangcheng's eyes widened in disbelief, and with a thud, he collapsed onto the ground.
He died without even a groan!