Nine Yang Sword Saint

Ningning continued, “There used to be a lot of Devil Silver ore in this mine, but it has been exhausted after decades of mining. A large number of gold-type beasts have since either been killed or left, leaving behind some extremely weak gold-type beasts that rely on the residue of Devil Silver ore to sustain their lives.”

Then, this would be the ideal place to hunt for gold-type beasts.

Ximen Ningning said, “That abandoned mine is very deep, and there are winding paths that are dozens of miles long. Yet, there should be more than a few dozen gold-type beasts in there, and their distribution is very sparse. As long as you don’t go too deep, there shouldn’t be much danger.”

Based on what Ximen Ningning said, this place should almost be the perfect place for Yang Dingtian to hunt gold-type beasts by himself.

“Is this abandoned mine far away?” Yang Dingtian asked.

“Not far away. It’s 800 miles northwest of Cloud Sky City,” Ximen Ningning answered. “However, the only problem is that this abandoned mine belongs to the Northwest Qin family. Outsiders cannot enter, and if we got caught entering, there will be a lot of trouble, especially for you.”

The Northwest Qin family could be said to be the life-or-death enemy of Cloud Sky City. The fight between these two parties has never stopped. After Ximen Wuya’s passing, the Northwest Qin family even revealed their conspiracy to take over Cloud Sky City.

At the moment, this abandoned Devil Silver Ore Mine was located in Northwest Qin family territory.

“Northwest Qin City is over three thousand miles away from us, but this abandoned ore mine that is only 800 miles away is also part of their territory. Their territory is actually this big?” Yang Dingtian asked in shock.

“Of course, their territory is over 3000 miles across. Our Cloud Sky City has been in decline for too long, while the Northwest Qin family has been strong for centuries, which is why their territory is two to three times the size of ours. Our Cloud Sky City has only managed to expand over 1000 miles as everything else has already been absorbed by the Northwest Qin family.”

If so, this abandoned ore mine that seemed to be the perfect place for Yang Dingtian to hunt for gold-type beasts was also a danger to him. Northwest Qin family was currently eyeing Cloud Sky City, and their young master was interested in Yanyan. Thus, they must hold extreme hatred towards Yang Dingtian.

“Is the ore mine being guarded all the time? Is it a Northwest Qin family restricted area?” asked Yang Dingtian.

“That’s not the case. The ore mine has been abandoned for many years, and no one cares. But, that place is located on the border separating our territories. There are often many secret alarms set up,” said Ximen Ningning.

Putting all of that aside, Yang Dingtian asked, “Sister Ningning, the Northwest Mainland is fiery. How could there be an ice-type beast? You said that there were also ice-type beasts in the abandoned ore mine. How is that possible?”

“I was also shocked and curious as this should be impossible,” Ningning mused. “My talking bird told me that it heard that ice-type beasts appeared in this area around a month ago. At that time, a huge earthquake occurred in the abandoned Devil Silver Ore Mine and opened up a huge gap within. A bunch of unfreezing water emerged, which then formed a small pond. The water is colder than ice but will never freeze. In this unfreezing pond, few ice-type beasts have taken up residence.

“Does it mean that these few ice-type beasts are the only of their kind in the Northwest Mainland?” Yang Dingtian asked.

Ximen Ningning replied, “You can say that.”

“No matter how dangerous it is, I must definitely go then.” Yang Dingtian asked in his heart, “Master, what is the average temperature of the unfreezing water?”

“According to the calculations used in your world, it should be approximately negative eighty degrees celsius,” Dongfang Niemie answered. “Those without eight-rank Yang-type Xuan veins will not be able to withstand it. But, it is really strange. How is it possible for unfreezing water to emerge there? This is obviously a fire-nature Mainland.”

Dongfang Niemie’s tone expressed not only shock but also anxiety.

“Is unfreezing water very rare?” asked Yang Dingtian.

“It is extremely rare in a fire-nature Mainland, so much so that it is almost impossible for it to form, unless….” Dongfang Niemie continued excitedly,” Unless somewhere deep down in the ground, some sort of extremely high-heat-energy material formed. Over centuries or millennia, it absorbed the heat energy from its surroundings, causing the water around it to become colder and colder. Even so, the water couldn’t freeze into ice due to some extraordinary reasons. Hence, unfreezing water.”

Yang Dingtian’s heart trembled, and he suddenly thought of a possibility. Then, he trembled and asked, “Master, what devours a lot of heat energy as it forms? Could it be…?”

Yang Dingtian thought of Bloody Black Gold as he wanted to make a soul sword and needed a lot of that material. It was almost the most difficult thing for a genius to find. What’s more, the forging of a soul sword required a lot of Bloody Black Gold.

“There are many things that need to swallow up a lot of heat, but there are only a few that are capable of swallowing such a large amount that unfreezing water is formed. One of them is… Bloody Black Gold, but this possibility is still extremely small. There is a higher probability that it is some kind of fire gem or fire ore.”

Yang Dingtian asked in his heart, “Why is the probability of it being Bloody Black Gold so low?”

Dongfang Niemie answered, “Because the formation of unfreezing water proves that there is an extremely large ore vein. You would never find such a large vein of Bloody Black Gold. The largest Bloody Black Gold ore vein that I’ve ever seen only contained over forty pieces. The largest Bloody Black Gold ore vein that I’ve heard about only had 99 pieces.”

Yang Dingtian reined in his excitement. Whether or not there was Bloody Black Gold beneath the unfreezing pond, he still had to go to this abandoned ore mine.

“Sister Ningning, are many people aware of this matter?” Yang Dingtian asked. “About the existence of ice-type beasts and the unfreezing water that emerged inside the abandoned ore mine?”

“There shouldn’t be. At least, no one should realize it in the short term,” she answered.

“Then, I’ve decided to go to the abandoned ore mine,” Yang Dingtian declared.

Ningning stared at Yang Dingtian for some time before nodding. “I will go with you to help you avoid all of the Northwest Qin family’s hidden alarms.”

“Okay!” he agreed.

“You sleep first then. I’ll prepare some things, and we’ll depart early in the morning tomorrow.”

**************

In the morning, Yang Dingtian and Ximen Ningning flew to the west towards the abandoned ore mine on top of a Floating Ray. Though it was carrying two people and lots of other things, the Floating Ray was still light and agile. It flew quickly and steadily through the air.

“Little Tian, have you heard of Qin Shaobai?” Ximen Ningning suddenly asked.

Yang Dingtian’s heart jumped as he remembered that he had killed Yang Qi.

“I’ve heard of him before,” Yang Dingtian replied. “He is the third son of the Qin family’s Lord and is Qin Huaiyu’s younger brother.”

After hearing the hostile way Yang Dingtian spoke about “Qin Huaiyu”, Ningning couldn’t help but laugh. He sounded hostile because this Qin Huaiyu was here to get Yanyan to be his wife.

“Correct, but apart from Qin Shaobai being the third son of the Qin family, he has another identity,” Ximen Ningning continued. “He is Yang Yan Elder’s grandson. When foster father went and wiped out the opposing forces of the Yang family, Yang Yan Elder betrothed Yang Shishi, his daughter, to the Qin Family Lord as his second wife.”

“At first, Qin Shaobai had no useful direct relation. But, a few days ago, the Qin Family Lord divorced Yang Shishi and also banished Qin Shaobai from the Northwest Qin Family. Qin Shaobai changed his name to Shaobai and is about to arrive at Cloud Sky City. Do you know what this means?”

“Qin Shaobai is coming back to fight for the position of Cloud Sky City Lord,” Yang Dingtian answered.

Seeing his calm expression, Ningning was a little shocked. “That’s right, Qin Shaobai is back to seize the position of Cloud Sky City Lord. Internally, he has the support of Yang Yan Elder. Externally, he has the support of the Northwest Qin Family, which is why he will be your greatest competitor in the fight for the position of Cloud Sky City Lord.”

“What is his cultivation?” asked Yang Dingtian.

“Eight Star Xuan Warrior,” Ximen Ningning answered. “And he is merely seventeen years old.”

Yang Dingtian asked, “How does he compare to Yanyan’s cultivation five years ago?”

“A little weaker,” Ximen Ningning answered. “Yanyan has the greatest Xuan Vein talent in Cloud Sky City in centuries. If it were not for that incident that happened five years ago, there is a high possibility that she would have become the first female Lord of Cloud Sky City.”

Yang Dingtian pondered for a moment. “What actually happened five years ago?”

“Yanyan didn’t tell you?”

Yang Dingtian shook his head. “She didn’t say, but every time I mentioned that incident, her expression showed her pain. An excruciating pain.”

“That is her deepest wound and is the biggest knot in her heart. Since she didn’t tell you yet, it means that you haven’t melted her heart. Wait till you’ve managed to win her heart, and she will tell you all about that incident. As such, I don’t have the right to tell you. If you want to know, win her heart and get her to personally tell you.”

Ximen Ningning sighed lightly. “These past few years, Yanyan behaved arrogantly and rudely on purpose to show that she’s happy. However, during these five years, she has never been truly happy as that incident had hurt her way too deeply. Without unraveling this knot, she will never be truly happy again. To cure the wound in her heart, to make her truly happy again, I believe it all depends on you, Little Tian!”

Yang Dingtian nodded.

“It will be a good opportunity in five days.” Ximen Ningning laughed. “I have no idea what way you will use to break through, but I believe that you will definitely be able to do it. As long as you do it, all of your conflicts with her will be corrected. Your determination will be deeply imprinted in her heart. At that time, she will regard you as a strong elite, and the distance you’ll need to walk to enter her heart will be shortened!”

Yang Dingtian laughed. “Sister Ningning, you look like you really know a lot about relationships.”

Ningning blushed and lowered her head. “I’m already twenty-eight years old.”

“Then, why haven’t you gotten married? Could it be that no one has ever been able to move your heart?” Yang Dingtian couldn’t help but ask. However, he regretted it a little after the words came out.