Chapter 1

"Haha—"

Wu Tao woke up from a nightmare, his hands supporting him on the hard wooden bed. His mouth was wide open, as if he were a drowning man who had just been saved, gasping for air. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, splashing onto the hard wooden bed, making a low, muffled sound in the dark, cramped room.

That nightmare, he seemed to be in endless darkness, overwhelmed by panic and fear. Suddenly, an indescribable terror came from the darkness... devouring everything, including him.

"Cough, cough..."

Gradually recovering, he began to cough violently, his whole body trembling as if he were about to cough up his lungs.

After a while, Wu Tao calmed down.

At this moment, the sound of miners talking came from outside.

"It's the hour of Yin."

Wu Tao thought to himself, pulled back the quilt, and got out of bed. "Sigh," he drew in a sharp breath, only to realize that his thin shirt was soaked with cold sweat. Leaving the warmth of the quilt, the bone-chilling air felt like cold water drenching his entire body.

He quickly wrapped himself in the quilt again, trembling as he fumbled for the oil lamp and the flint. With a blow, the light from the flint brought him a bit of comfort.

The flame, like a bean, dispelled the darkness of the miner's single room.

He pulled the quilt tighter around himself, hunched on the bed, and picked up a bronze mirror from the table. In the mirror, a gaunt face appeared, the black mark on his forehead seeming to have spread a bit more than yesterday. Putting down the mirror, Wu Tao stared blankly at the flickering flame, and before he knew it, he felt two warm streams slide down his cheeks.

"Damn, why did I end up here?"

Wu Tao wiped his tears randomly, feeling utterly hopeless.

A day ago, he was one of the countless 996 workers on Blue Star, from a rural background, alone in a big city, working diligently, thirty-two years old, finally earning a monthly salary of 13,000, buying a house in full in his hometown county, and saving up 100,000 for the dowry, enough to marry his girlfriend who worked at a convenience store and earned 3,000 a month, a match made in heaven.

Victory was in sight, the game was almost over, just one more step to go, but why did he end up here?

"Damn, what did I do wrong to deserve this punishment?"

Wu Tao felt a strong sense of injustice.

After absorbing the memories of the original host, Wu Tao knew the situation of this body with the same name. It could be described as "terrible, on the brink of death." Although he was a cultivator, he was at the bottom of the cultivation world, a mere Loose Cultivator with only the second level of the Qi Condensation stage.

A Loose Cultivator, without background or high cultivation, in a cultivation world filled with demons and evil spirits, could hardly control his own life.

Not to mention cultivation resources.

Places with spiritual energy and resources were all occupied by major cultivation sects.

Therefore, Loose Cultivators like him mostly worked for major cultivation sects, earning meager spirit stones to support their daily lives and cultivation.

The original host was digging in a spirit stone mine under the Qingling Sect, getting up at the hour of Yin every day to go down the mine, and finishing work at the hour of Hai. Completing the monthly task in this way, he would earn three low-grade spirit stones. If the task was not completed, he would be docked spirit stones.

One spirit stone for rent, one for living expenses, leaving only one spirit stone for cultivation.

If he wanted to buy a magical weapon, a good cultivation technique, or a cultivation partner... forget it, he was advised to go to bed early every day.

The original host was twenty-five years old, having worked in the mine for ten years, and had only cultivated to the second level of Qi Condensation. At this rate, he might never reach the later stages of Qi Condensation.

In dire straits, many years ago, the original host decided to learn a skill to escape this predicament.

Therefore, he saved for over a year, absorbing only the meager spiritual energy in the air, and finally saved up twelve low-grade spirit stones, buying a basic book on alchemy, hoping to become an alchemist revered by cultivation sects.

Even if he only learned the basics, it would be enough to make a living and avoid spending his entire life in the mine.

Dreams are sexy, reality is bony.

For many years, the original host couldn't even carve a first-level restriction, indicating that he had no talent for alchemy. The dream of becoming an alchemist seemed even more distant than immortality.

But a more immediate accident occurred.

Three days ago, the original host was attacked by evil spirits in the mine, and the yin evil energy was spreading in his body. At this rate, if he didn't get treatment, he would die within three months.

As for why the original host died early, allowing Wu Tao to be reborn in his body, that was unknown.

Actually, this level of evil spirit could be cleared with a mid-level first-grade Evil-Dispelling Talisman, but the original host, having spent his spirit stones on learning alchemy, couldn't afford to buy the talisman.

A mid-level first-grade Evil-Dispelling Talisman cost twenty low-grade spirit stones.

He was still fifteen short.

"How can I change this situation?" Wu Tao sighed, feeling even worse than in his previous life, at least then he didn't have to worry about his life.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"According to the 'Miner Regulations' signed with the mine, being attacked by evil spirits while working in the mine is considered a work injury. If reported, the spirit stones to buy the Evil-Dispelling Talisman can be provided." Wu Tao remembered that the original host had already reported to the mine manager, and the approval process should have been completed after three days.

Thinking of this, Wu Tao got dressed, opened the door, and saw no miners outside, as they had all gone down the mine. He tightened his collar and walked towards the manager's residence, the flames in the firepots on both sides of the mountain path flickering.

Soon, he arrived at the manager's residence.

Wang Manager's courtyard was bathed in the faint moonlight, and the house was dark. He suddenly realized that Wang Manager, unlike the miners, would get up at the hour of Chen.

Indeed, people, regardless of the world, have their highs and lows.

Wu Tao stood outside Wang Manager's courtyard, waiting.

Time passed slowly, initially a thin line of light, gradually expanding like the eyelids of a sleeping person, opening to reveal the dawn.

The sun shone on Wu Tao's face, and the black mark on his forehead seemed to twist in the sunlight. At this moment, he perked up his ears, standing straight, and listened to the faint voices coming from the courtyard.

The male voice was Wang Manager's, and there were two female voices, coquettish and scolding, seemingly blaming Wang Manager for not resting during the day.

It was well known that Wang Manager kept two young women in the mine to take care of his daily needs.

Wu Tao couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion, thinking of his previous life, where he had worked hard to save for a down payment and dowry, but had never even entered the door, while her previous boyfriends could come and go freely with just some cheap sweet talk.

The original host was twenty-five, a virgin.

Two tragic lives!

Who else?

"From today, Master Ji's diary will be my life motto." Wu Tao secretly vowed, determined not to act on his own in this life.

After waiting for about three quarters of an hour, the door opened, and Wang Manager came out, startled to see Wu Tao. He sternly asked, "Which area are you from? Why aren't you down the mine early in the morning? If you don't complete your task, you'll be docked spirit stones."

"Manager, I am Wu Tao, a miner from Area Three. Three days ago, I was attacked by evil spirits in the mine. I have already reported it to you, and I came today to ask if the report has been approved," Wu Tao quickly bowed and smiled obsequiously, explaining in detail.

Wang Manager, dressed in fine silk, was fat. Hearing the explanation, he softened his stern expression and glanced at Wu Tao. "It's you. Follow me."

Wu Tao immediately followed Wang Manager to his office, where he handed over a piece of paper. Wu Tao took it and was furious when he saw it was a voluntary contract for leaving the mine.

Suppressing his anger, Wu Tao smiled like a grandson at Wang Manager, forcing a smile. "Manager, did you take the wrong one? I was attacked by evil spirits in the mine, and I reported it as a work injury..."

Wang Manager interrupted Wu Tao coldly, "Wu Tao, I didn't take the wrong one. You are now affected by evil spirits and can no longer work in the mine. Leaving the mine is your best choice. Sign this voluntary contract, and you will still get the spirit stones for this half month."

"As for your work injury report, the Qingling Sect's General Affairs Hall has not approved it. This is the best choice I can make for you."

"Impossible!" Concerned about his life, Wu Tao tried to argue, "According to the 'Miner Regulations,' the Qingling Sect's General Affairs Hall cannot not approve it."

Wang Manager snorted, "What? Are you going to appeal to the General Affairs Hall?"

This cold snort made Wu Tao completely calm down. He stared at Wang Manager, understanding the threat in his expression.

Wang Manager had taken his work injury compensation for himself.

He dared to do this because he was connected to the General Affairs Hall and was not afraid of Wu Tao's appeal. Even if the appeal was successful, the General Affairs Hall would not make much effort for a mere miner, and would delay the process. When it was time to act, Wang Manager would claim he had no spirit stones, and the General Affairs Hall would require Wu Tao to provide evidence of Wang Manager's spirit stones.

Wang Manager was the manager of the mine, and Wu Tao, a lowly miner, had no way to provide such evidence.

Wu Tao had experienced this several times in his previous life.

Seeing Wu Tao's silence, Wang Manager chuckled, "Wu Tao, sign it."

Wu Tao knew he had to sign, facing a Qi Condensation later-stage cultivator, he had no ability to resist.

What could he do, no matter how unwilling?

Thinking of this, he took the brush, signed his name, and stamped his fingerprint.

"Manager, I've signed it. Can I have the spirit stones for this half month now?" In his current situation, half a spirit stone was better than nothing.

Wang Manager looked at the signed contract with satisfaction and coldly said, "Wu Tao, you haven't been down the mine for three days, causing great loss to the mine. It's already kind of me not to hold you responsible for the loss. You still want spirit stones?"

"You?" Wu Tao clenched his fists, wanting to punch that disgusting pig face, but his mature and rational side kept him from acting.

"Get out!"

Wang Manager waved his sleeve.

Wu Tao gritted his teeth, his face expressionless, gave Wang Manager one last look, and left without a word.

"Loose Cultivator, a dog-like thing." Watching Wu Tao's miserable back, Wang Manager sneered.

...