My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

A side room in the rear courtyard of the Guardian Station.

Liang Cheng was channeling his energy to help Lin Yue heal. An hour later, a bit of color finally returned to Lin Yue’s face. He leaned against the bed, gazing at the brightening sky outside the window, and remained silent for a long time.

"The Dongshan Mine is one of Lin Wu City’s largest mineral sources. The City Lord’s Mansion, the Martial Preparation Hall, the Qin Family’s Hundred Weapons Workshop... almost half of their ore comes from Dongshan Mine."

"My Lin Family was fortunate enough to flourish thanks to the Dongshan Mine. But eight years ago, everything started to change. That was when the Fire Worship Sect appeared."

"Back then, the Fire Worship Sect directly seized three hundred fifty-seven miners and performed a blood sacrifice deep inside Tunnel Three. I led men to investigate, but we found nothing."

Liang Cheng listened quietly. "And then?"

"And then?" Lin Yue gave a bitter smile. "Then, a letter appeared at the Lin Family’s gate. It said we could either cooperate, or they would kill someone every day until the Lin Family agreed."

"You chose to cooperate."

"No."

"I reported it to the Town Guardian before last. Then, ten people from my Lin Family died."

"After that, the same Town Guardian died of a strange illness. The City Lord’s Mansion came to investigate but found nothing. I was scared. From then on, the Lin Family bore a stained reputation, forced to skimp on the mine’s resources to support them."

"The City Lord’s Mansion sent people, the Martial Preparation Hall investigated the cases, and even powerful clans like the Qin Family pressured us for ore. But people kept dying, and the investigations went nowhere. The last Town Guardian couldn’t handle the situation and was transferred away. That’s when I understood. They weren’t here to solve the problem; they were here to carve up the mine for themselves."

"During that time, people died every day at the Dongshan Mine due to the investigations by the various powers from the City Lord’s Mansion. I thought the City Lord’s Mansion could change things, but in the end, it was always just more disappointment. It seemed like the City Lord’s Mansion itself had problems. What was I supposed to do?"

"I just want peace for the Dongshan Mine. But you really are different from the previous Town Guardians. You make me want to take a gamble, whether I mean to or not."

"Plus, you’re a True Inheritor from the Martial Arts Academy. That’s what really made me make up my mind."

He suddenly broke into a fit of violent coughing. Liang Cheng handed him a cup of water. "It seems you’ve learned the Fire Worship Sect’s Blood Erosion Force."

"A man has to have a few trump cards," Lin Yue said with a pained smile. "The Blood Erosion Force offers rapid progress. For all these years, I’ve had to endure the agony of my Meridians being eaten away by insects every night. But I always thought, ’Maybe I’ll be able to use it one day.’"

"And last night, you did."

Lin Yue took a deep breath. "Last night was the most peaceful night I’ve had in eight years. Town Guardian Liang, you truly are different from the ones before you."

"Without you, even if I had died fighting those three True Qi Realm masters yesterday, it would have been for nothing. But you must remember, the Fire Worship Sect is far more complex than this."

Silence fell over the side room.

After a long while, Liang Cheng finally spoke. "Patriarch Lin, how many people from the Fire Worship Sect are still at the Dongshan Mine? And where exactly is their stronghold?"

Lin Yue shook his head. "I don’t know anything. But there’s a secret passage deep inside Tunnel Three that leads to an even deeper underground fissure. I secretly investigated it once, but I found nothing."

"Instead, I angered the Fire Worship Sect. More miners died that day, and their deaths were horrific."

Just then, the sound of Zhao Yuan’s hurried footsteps came from outside the door. "Senior Brother! Someone from the Martial Arts Academy is here!"

"Who?"

"It’s Elder Huang! He came himself! He’s already in the front hall!"

Liang Cheng shot to his feet.

’Elder Huang came in person?’

...

「Dongshan Mine, the front hall of the Guardian Station.」

Elder Huang was still in the same dusty, old gray robe. He stood in the middle of the hall with his hands behind his back, squinting at a panoramic map of the Dongshan Mine hanging on the wall.

Hearing footsteps, he spoke without turning his head. "Kid, that stone you sent me is pretty interesting. Where did you find it?"

Liang Cheng hurried forward, pleasantly surprised. "Elder Huang, why did you come in person?"

Elder Huang’s small eyes glinted sharply. "I’ve been improving a Pill Formula recently. That stone of yours can nourish one’s Qi Blood, similar in effect to a Realm-Breaking Pill. However, the Qi Blood it provides is impure—it’s not from the Righteous Dao. It gave me some inspiration, so I came to have a look."

"Where did you find that thing?"

"In Tunnel Three of the Dongshan Mine. Shall I take you there now?"

"Lead the way."

...

「Meanwhile, fifty li outside the Dongshan Mine.」

A few ghastly green phosphorescent flames burned in the damp rock cave, illuminating the twisted, blood-colored Runes on the walls. The sole remaining Grey Robe Guardian knelt in the cave. His wounds had been cauterized with a red-hot iron, leaving them charred black, yet dark blood still seeped out.

Before him stood a dark red figure with its back to him.

"Lord Left Envoy," the Guardian’s voice trembled, "this subordinate failed in his duties. The altar was destroyed, and Second and Third Brother have both fallen."

The dark red figure slowly turned. Beneath the phosphorescent light, his Bronze Ghost Mask glinted coldly. "Explain exactly what happened."

The Guardian didn’t dare to raise his head as he recounted the events of last night in full detail: Lin Yue’s sudden betrayal, the explosion of the altar, and how he was the only one of the three to return.

"Liang Cheng? Him again?" The Left Envoy’s voice betrayed no emotion. "This True Inheritor from the Martial Arts Academy... he certainly is full of surprises."

"This subordinate is incompetent!" The Guardian slammed his forehead against the ground. "But that Liang Cheng is simply unnatural! He only just entered the True Qi Realm, but his combat power is immense. And that old dog Lin Yue, he secretly learned the Blood Erosion Force. We were all deceived by him!"

"However, after this subordinate detonated the altar, even if that Liang Cheng isn’t dead, he must be severely injured. As long as you make a move, my lord, the Dongshan Mine won’t fall into chaos."

A hint of amusement entered the Left Envoy’s voice. "Eight years ago, I thought Lin Yue had accepted his fate. I never expected him to be harboring a rebellious streak, biding his time for eight whole years."

"My lord, the altar has been destroyed. What are our next steps?"

"The plan is temporarily on hold."

The Guardian was shocked to hear this. "On hold? But the Sect Leader..."

The Left Envoy cut him off. "The sect has other, more important matters to attend to for now. Pass down the order: you are to bring all the marked miners from the mining camp to the depths of the fissure in stages. They will serve as reserves."

The Guardian shuddered. "All of them? That’s at least three hundred people. Won’t the commotion be too great?"