In the vast desert sea, two Shatuo Beasts were frantically galloping under the urging of the riders on their backs.
About a dozen miles ahead of them in the desert, a raised thin line was speeding deeper into the desert at a pace faster than a galloping horse.
The thin line undulated, swayed east and west, and did not move completely in a straight line. Yet, no matter how it turned, the two Shatuo Beasts behind it could always change direction and catch up in time.
Even when the thin line stopped extending, the riders on the backs of the two Shatuo Beasts would timely rein in their mounts and stop to rest and wait, only setting off again when the thin line reappeared and stretched forward.
The sun was very harsh, and the Shatuo Beast's back was extremely bumpy. For Zhouyang, who was experiencing galloping on a camel beast in the desert for the first time, this feeling was extremely uncomfortable.
Fortunately for him, the strong physique of a cultivator allowed him not to vomit on the spot despite not having eaten a grain of rice in the past ten days. However, the feeling as if his internal organs were shifting nearly made him cry out several times.
Looking ahead, Elder Zhou Quan, also riding a camel beast and galloping all the way, stood firmly on the camel back, seemingly unfazed by any bumps.
If an elder over a hundred years old could remain so calm, how could Zhouyang, a young man of twenty, dare to make a sound?
There was no choice; he could only grit his teeth and persevere, already hating that runaway Gold-Eating Rat.
If it weren't for the plan to accomplish the "Mouse Returns to Nest" successfully, he wouldn't be suffering like this; he would have slaughtered the heavily injured Gold-Eating Rat at the Refined Iron Ore Vein.
After chasing for most of the day and covering several hundred miles, Zhouyang, already pale-faced from the camel-back ride, finally saw Elder Zhou Quan reining in the Shatuo Beast and stopping ahead.
"Phew! We've finally arrived?"
He pulled the reins to stop his mount, and, once exhausted, he leaped off the camel's back, collapsing heavily onto the sand, gasping for breath, panting so heavily that he could barely catch his breath, looking extremely disheveled.
"Hehehe, Xiao Jiu, you're finally struggling, huh? I thought you could handle anything!"
Elder Zhou Quan walked over to him, relaxed, looking at his disheveled state and laughing heartily, his face full of teasing expression.
"Huff! I'm already like this, Third Grandpa, please don't tease me anymore. Let me rest well first!"
Zhouyang rolled his eyes, facing the elder's teasing, he could only bitterly smile and wave his hand, unwilling to move.
Seeing this, the elder's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. That creature most likely has reached the location. I'll go ahead to investigate, you rest here and wait for my return."
"Third Grandpa, please be careful."
Zhouyang nodded, not opposed to the elder's decision to act alone.
The Gold-Eating Rat had been severely injured by them and after running hundreds of miles, it was no longer a threat to the well-conditioned Elder Zhou Quan. He really didn't worry about his safety.
Now, he only feared that their assumptions were wrong, or that the discovered ore vein wasn't worth mining, which would be a huge disappointment.
Next, Zhouyang was engulfed by a sense of gain and loss.
At times hoping to discover a valuable ore vein this time, allowing the clan and himself to make a fortune.
At others, fearing that he had made a wasted trip, not only wasting energy but also causing the deaths of dozens of mortal miners.
In this mindset of gain and loss, he almost counted the passing time by the second, almost unable to resist following to find the ahead-of-him Elder Zhou Quan several times.
After nearly half an hour of waiting in agony, Elder Zhou Quan finally returned amidst his hopeful anticipation.
"How is it? Third Grandpa, how did your scouting go? Did you find traces of the ore vein?"
He couldn't wait to approach the elder, looking at him with a face full of expectation, repeatedly asking about the situation.
"Found it. We're in luck, there's a Red Flame Iron Ore Vein ahead."
Elder Zhou Quan, not playing coy, directly revealed his discovery.
"That's great!"
Zhouyang clapped his hands excitedly, almost jumping up with joy.
Red Flame Iron, like Refined Iron, is also a Tier One Spiritual Gold. However, Red Flame Iron is suitable for refining fire-attribute magical artifacts. Many Tier Two fire-attribute magical artifacts will incorporate Red Flame Iron as auxiliary material. Therefore, in terms of value, Red Flame Iron is one or two points higher than Refined Iron.
The Refined Iron mine at Cyan Ping Mountain of the Zhou Family can generate 500 low-grade Spirit Stones in pure profit annually. If the Red Flame Iron Ore Vein is properly mined, the profit will undoubtedly not be lower than this amount. At that time, Zhouyang and Elder Zhou Quan, as the discoverers, would each receive several dozen low-grade Spirit Stones in dividends every year.
Several dozen a year, several hundred in ten years, year after year, it amounts to a massive sum.
Now that he was about to get such a huge amount of Spirit Stones for free, how could Zhouyang not be excited?
"Xiao Jiu, don't be too happy just yet. I haven't finished speaking!"
Elder Zhou Quan looked at Zhouyang, who was so delighted he was about to jump up, opened his mouth, and lowered his voice, "It's true that the Red Flame Iron Ore Vein has been discovered, but besides the Gold-Eating Rat, this vein also hosts a large number of Poisonous Fire Scorpion demon beasts, at least several hundred in number. There are dozens of Tier Two Poisonous Fire Scorpions, and it's uncertain if there's an even more powerful Poison Fire Scorpion King!"
What?
Zhouyang's expression changed, shocked by the elder's news.
Poisonous Fire Scorpions are also a common desert demon beast in the Boundless Desert Sea. This kind of demon beast exists in both Tier One and Tier Two. Tier One Poisonous Fire Scorpions merely have fire poison in their scorpion needles. As long as one is careful not to be stung, an Innate Cultivator can easily kill them.
However, as soon as a Poisonous Fire Scorpion advances to Tier Two, it immediately gains the "Poison Fire Bomb" spell, capable of spitting fire bombs to attack enemies from afar. If pushed to desperation, it can even shoot the needle from its tail at the enemy, with a power equivalent to a Tier Two Flying Needle Spiritual Artifact, and it contains strong fire poison.
Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators below Late-Stage struck by such a scorpion needle, unless they quickly take a specially made Tier Two Antitoxic Elixir, will not last fifteen minutes before being engulfed in fire poison, dying without a corpse.
But this isn't the most terrifying part. The most terrifying is that when the population of poisonous fire scorpions reaches several hundred or a thousand, there is a certain probability of evolving into a Tier Three Poison Fire Scorpion King equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.
The Poison Fire Scorpion King belongs to a Tier Three Lower Grade demon beast. However, with the aid of a swarm, it is more troublesome than many Tier Three Middle Grade demon beasts. Even Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators do not dare to assert victory easily against it.
"Indeed, the Poisonous Fire Scorpions like heat and have a habit of devouring fire attribute spirit ores to strengthen themselves. With Red Flame Iron being a fire attribute Spiritual Gold, it is no surprise it attracts them to propagate and settle here."
Zhouyang recalled reading about Poisonous Fire Scorpions in the "Desert Demon Beast Illustration" book and immediately believed Elder Zhou Quan's words.
However, as he thought of these things, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he suddenly remembered something more important. He widened his eyes and exclaimed at Elder Zhou Quan:
"Third Grandfather, the Poison Fire Scorpion King is a Tier Three demon beast. Unlike Tier One and Tier Two demon beasts, a Tier Three demon beast must occupy a Spirit Vein like us cultivators to continue progressing. If there truly is a Poison Fire Scorpion King here, wouldn't it mean there is a natural Tier Three Spiritual Vein beneath the Red Flame Iron Ore Vein?"
"Yes, you are indeed perceptive. It was only after discovering the Poisonous Fire Scorpion swarm that I thought of this much later."
The elder nods approvingly, appreciating Zhouyang's keen insight.
Most Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators recoil in fear upon hearing the name Poison Fire Scorpion King, having no mind for such thoughts.
Even he, as a Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator who has lived for over a hundred years, was terrified when he first saw the overwhelming swarm, not thinking of this.
It was only after retreating to a safe zone and calming down that, due to his profession as a Beast Tamer, he thought of this point.
Zhouyang didn't care about the elder's praise, having heard similar compliments many times over the years and having developed an immunity.
He was more concerned with what the two of them should do next, so he couldn't help but ask the elder, "What do you plan to do next, Grandfather? Should we go back directly and invite the Old Clan Leader to personally come and investigate, or should we take the risk to find out first and then report to the Old Clan Leader?"
"What do you think? I'd like to hear your opinion." Elder Zhou Quan responded with a question instead, using it to test Zhouyang.
Seeing this, Zhouyang furrowed his brows and began to think deeply.
After quietly pondering for about half an hour, he suddenly lifted his head and said firmly while looking at the elder, "If you ask my opinion, Third Grandfather, it's this: let's not worry about whether there is a Poison Fire Scorpion King or not. Let's first deal with that big rat. We can't let the miners of our Zhou Family die in vain, nor can we let this half-month's wait yield no real gains at all."
In the end, he still felt guilty about the miners who died in vain and wanted to do something for them. Even if he couldn't bring them back to life, he at least wanted to avenge them.
Fortunately, this time Elder Zhou Quan didn't oppose his proposal.
"Very well, let's follow your lead. We will go and destroy that beast's den and skin it to comfort the spirits of those deceased miners in the heavens!" The elder nodded slightly, agreeing to Zhouyang's proposal.
Thereupon, the two immediately found a safe, wind-sheltered place to settle the two Camel Beasts, and then guided by Elder Zhou Quan sensing the specific location of the "Blood Spirit Mark," they headed straight toward the den of the elusive Gold-Eating Rat.