Chapter 82

Yang Junshan had just arrived at the entrance of the Yang family residence when he coincidentally saw a middle-aged woman hurriedly walking in from outside. The woman seemed to have some urgent matter and did not notice Yang Junshan standing not far in front of her, and she directly bumped into him.

Yang Junshan quickly sidestepped to avoid the woman, but he also got a clear look at her face and exclaimed, "Auntie, it's you?"

The woman was taken aback by his words, stopped, turned her head to look at Yang Junshan, and her expression changed, her eyes showing a hint of panic. But she quickly recovered and smiled, her face full of surprise, "Oh, isn't this Little Shan? You've grown so much! Are you just back in Qingstone Town? It's a pity that your Uncle isn't at the garrison these past two days, otherwise you should have gone to see him!"

The woman then started talking rapidly, "Your father's last request to your Uncle has some progress. After all, they are brothers. This time, your Uncle went to the Heaven-Shaking Sect, and it was partly because of your matter! Your Uncle has been running around for your sake, and he's almost at the fourth level of the Martial Realm, and he's also an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect. This is family, you know. If it were someone else, do you think your Uncle would waste his precious cultivation time, which could lead to a breakthrough, to help others?"

This woman was Yang Junshan's Uncle's wife, Li, who was the wife of Yang Tianchen, an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect. Yang Junshan did not expect to meet her here.

From her words, Yang Junshan could sense a strong sense of distance. Moreover, from her panic when she saw him, it was clear that Li had some urgent matter to attend to at the old residence, and she probably didn't want anyone to see her. That's why she talked so much, as if trying to divert his attention.

Yang Junshan, feeling impatient, directly interrupted her, "Auntie, you're going back to the old residence, is there something?"

Li laughed dryly, "Nothing much, your Uncle isn't here, and I'm just feeling a bit bored at home, so I came back to the old residence to get some fresh air."

"Oh," Yang Junshan nodded, "Then I'll visit your Uncle in a couple of days when he returns!"

"Sure, sure!"

After returning to his uncle's house, Yang Junshan roughly recounted his experience at the old Yang family residence to Han Xiusheng. When Han Xiusheng heard about Lady Wang's attempt to transfer Yang Tangan back to Qingstone Town, he sneered, "She's dreaming. The Yang family's influence hasn't reached Mengyu County yet. Unless your father decides to quit, no one in the Yang family can move him from his position as the village chief."

Yang Junshan knew this, but when he mentioned that he had beaten his Uncle Yang Tianchou, Han Xiusheng was even more surprised. He didn't expect his nephew to be so capable, able to defeat Yang Tianchou, who had been at the fourth level for years, especially since Yang Tianchou was an adult and Yang Junshan was not yet fifteen.

"Good job, that scoundrel. Half of the Yang family's reputation has been ruined by him. Sigh, now only your father and you dare to discipline him."

Seeing the puzzled look on Yang Junshan's face, Han Xiusheng explained, "Your Uncle never interferes in family matters. After becoming an inner disciple of the Heaven-Shaking Sect, he focuses on advancing to the fourth level of the Martial Realm and flatters Lady Wang, so he wouldn't dare to scold her precious son. As for your Second Uncle Yang Tianlei, hehe, he once criticized your Twelfth Uncle's misconduct, but now he's probably in a difficult situation!"

Yang Junshan was moved, "Oh, I heard that Second Uncle is the village chief of Changhe Village in Changshi Town, which has the largest Chiyu iron mine in Chenyu County. As the village chief, he should be living a comfortable life!"

Han Xiusheng snorted, "You don't know the situation. The village chief of Changhe Village should have been your father, but he was squeezed out by Lady Wang and your Second Grandfather, and your Second Uncle became the village chief. The first two years, your Second Uncle was indeed very successful, but in the past two years, he has been too greedy, causing the villagers to complain. Because of the excessive mining of Chiyu iron, his focus is not on the cultivation of the village's spirit fields. After a massive locust disaster, the spirit grain yield in Changhe Village is only 20%!"

Han Xiusheng's face showed a hint of schadenfreude, "Chenyu County has many mines but few fields. Changhe Village is 70% mountains, 20% water, and 10% fields. In the past, even if the spirit grain yield was low, it could be exchanged for Chiyu iron. Now, people who buy Chiyu iron prefer to pay a high price in jade coins rather than exchange it for spirit grain. Even if you get more jade coins, can you really give everyone a jade coin every day for cultivation? The cultivators in the village can't maintain their cultivation, and it's said that some old cultivators have died due to the depletion of their cultivation, and many others have seen a decline in their cultivation. Your Second Uncle is now in a difficult position. If he can't turn things around, he might lose his position as village chief."

Yang Junshan, who was unaware of these matters, but knew from his previous life that Yang Tianlei indeed lost his position as the village chief of Changhe Village in the second year and was forced to return to Qingstone Town, looking quite embarrassed.

But Yang Junshan was still puzzled, "It shouldn't be that bad, after all, with the Chiyu iron mine, even if spirit grain is expensive, it shouldn't be impossible to get any at all?"

"The key is not the Chiyu iron mine, but that most of the Chiyu iron produced is sold at a low price to the Yang family."

Yang Junshan was shocked, "Sold to the Yang family? What does the Yang family need so much iron for?"

But then he thought, "That's not right. If it's sold to the Yang family, shouldn't the Yang family be making a fortune? But the Yang family doesn't seem to be thriving."

"Who knows? But I guess the Yang family is just a middleman."

Yang Junshan nodded, seeming to understand.

But at this moment, Han Xiusheng hesitated, his face showing some reluctance, but he still said, "There's one more thing that might require your Second Uncle's help."

Yang Junshan suddenly realized, "You mean the Chiyu iron?"

Han Xiusheng nodded, "Your father plans to use Chiyu iron for the magical artifact he's preparing for you. The best Chiyu iron in Mengyu County is in Changhe Village. In a couple of days, your father will send a letter to your Second Uncle, and you'll take the letter to Changhe Village to find your Second Uncle. He will arrange for you to enter the mine to mine the Chiyu iron."

Yang Junshan nodded, and Han Xiusheng, seeing that he didn't speak, thought he was unwilling to go, so he persuaded him, "After all, it's a matter of the previous generation's grudges. Your Second Uncle is a reasonable person and won't make things difficult for you. Besides, your father is willing to write a letter to your Second Uncle to get the Chiyu iron for you, so you can't let your father's efforts go to waste!"

——

At the same time, in a residence of the old Yang family in Qingstone Town, Yang Tianchou looked at his subordinates and shouted, "Speak, what have you found out? What is that kid doing in Qingstone Town this time?"

A young man of similar age stepped forward, "Twelfth Young Master, I got some information from Xiao Liù."

Yang Tianchou glanced at him, slightly restraining his arrogance, "Oh, it's Brother Wu. Is this related to my Second Brother? What did Xiao Liù say?"

The man smiled, "When Third Uncle, oh, Yang Tangan, returned to Qingstone Town last time, he asked Seventh Uncle-in-law to go to Changhe Village. Xiao Liù overheard their conversation. Yang Tangan's son is back in Qingstone Town to prepare for forging a magical artifact, and he needs Chiyu iron. Seventh Uncle-in-law went to plead for him."

Yang Tianchou, feeling jealous, said, "I don't even have a magical artifact, and that brat is only at the third level, but Yang Tangan is already paving the way for him? Does he really believe his son will definitely advance to the Martial Realm?"

Yang Tianchou turned and asked, "What did my Second Brother say? Did he agree?"

The man smiled, "My Second Brother-in-law wouldn't argue with a junior. But Xiao Liù said that my Second Brother-in-law told Seventh Uncle-in-law that this matter should be discussed directly with Yang Tangan, at least a letter should be sent. He said it's not right to pass messages through a third person for family matters."

Yang Tianchou sneered, "My Second Brother is forcing Third Uncle to bow to him! By the way, Brother Wu, did Xiao Liù say when that brat will go to Changhe Village? You are my Second Brother's brother-in-law, so you should keep an eye on him for me."

The man smiled, "Don't worry, Twelfth Young Master. I've already asked Xiao Liù to keep an eye on him. As soon as Yang Junshan goes to Changhe Village, the news will be sent to you."

Yang Tianchou clapped his hands and said, "Good, this time, that brat won't be able to forge his magical artifact, and Third Uncle will lose both his wife and his son!"

He then turned to the others and said, "Follow that kid closely these days, see where he goes. Forging a magical artifact is not a simple matter. Even if he has the main spirit material, he needs at least seven or eight other auxiliary spirit materials. That kid didn't come to Qingstone Town just for one or two spirit materials."

——

Han Xiusheng looked at the metal ball rolling in Yang Junshan's hand, still somewhat disbelieving. After carefully examining it, he exclaimed, "It really is Chiyu iron, and it looks very refined, with high purity. It's perfect for forging a magical artifact. Where did you get this treasure, and your father doesn't even know?"

Yang Junshan, feeling frustrated, said, "I don't know either. He even asked Seventh Uncle-in-law to find my Second Uncle!"

Han Xiusheng nodded, "That's best. Your Second Uncle wanted your father to write a letter, which was just to make things difficult for your father. Now, with this Chiyu iron, you don't need to go to Changhe Village."

The next day, Yang Junshan went to Qingstone Town's Qingtree Village with Han Xiusheng. Qingtree Village had a Mian soil mine, which produced a lower-grade spirit material called Mian soil, often used as a harmonizer in the forging of magical artifacts to help various spirit materials blend better and enhance their effects.

Han Xiusheng was in charge of the mine here. This time, he brought Yang Junshan to the mine to dig for Mian soil, and the Mian soil he obtained, after paying the majority to the mine, could be taken away in part until he accumulated enough.

First, Han Xiusheng took him to the village chief's house in Qingtree Village. The village chief, who was also the mine owner, smiled when he saw Han Xiusheng, "Xiusheng, where did you get the spirit grain? Your sister-in-law said it's getting harder to buy good spirit grain these days. The spirit grain in Chenyu County is not only expensive but also mixed with grass seeds and sand. It's said to be imported from outside Yu Prefecture. You must have some skills to get such high-quality spirit grain!"

Han Xiusheng quickly smiled, "Mine owner, about the matter we discussed yesterday..."

The mine owner glanced at Yang Junshan and smiled, "This is Yang Lao San's son? Yang Lao San was a decent person in Qingstone Town. Since he's his son, I'll give him some face, but..."

Han Xiusheng understood and immediately said, "Mine owner, rest assured, the boy knows the rules. Since your sister-in-law likes it, I still have five dou of spirit grain from my brother-in-law. I'll bring it to you tonight."

The mine owner waved his hand, "No need for so much, it's too much trouble..."

"It's the least I can do, the least I can do!"

That day, Yang Junshan took a pickaxe prepared by Han Xiusheng and a bamboo basket and went down into the Mian soil mine in Qingtree Village.

Qingtree Village, Mian soil mine, hehe, such a familiar name. He wondered where the treasure that caused the deaths of dozens of people in his previous life was waiting to be mined in the mine.

In his previous life, the treasure caused a huge uproar, and the news even reached Mengyu County. However, at that time, Yang Junshan was still practicing in Tushan Village, and although Yang Tangan had made some plans for him, they were not as solid or well-funded as in this life, and most of the plans had not been implemented.

The current priority was to quietly find the mine tunnel where the treasure was mined, and then figure out how to take the treasure out without anyone knowing.

The process of mining was also an excellent way to train one's physical body. Yang Tangan personally asked him to go down the mine, not only to prepare for the forging of his first magical artifact but also to train Yang Junshan.

Yang Junshan's task was to enter the mine every day, dig for the ore, crush it, screen it, and then carry the screened ore out of the mine. After paying 90% of the refined ore to the mine manager Han Xiusheng, he could take the remaining 10% away.

This remaining 10% of the refined ore would then go through processes such as crushing, grinding, soaking, filtering, and drying, before finally producing a small amount of Mian soil powder.

——

Another 4,000 words, don't be stingy with your favorites, red tickets, and clicks!

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