Chapter 35

This day was overcast, with a heavy sky and low-hanging clouds. It was a sign of another heavy snowfall, the second since winter began. The aftermath of the previous heavy snowfall had just started to show, and it seemed that this winter would not be peaceful.

Under the cover of white snow, Longshou Plain was a vast expanse of white. Even the usually black Blackstone Mountain was draped in silver. At the foot of the mountain, a carriage was parked, surrounded by armored soldiers. Two men in brocade clothing were performing a mysterious ritual in front of the carriage.

The younger man sat cross-legged, his hands forming mysterious seals. Cold winds howled around him, lifting his robes and making his long hair fly behind him. His face was frozen blue, but his spirit was very excited. The older man watched from the side, unconsciously standing upwind to shield him from the biting cold.

Although Li Kuan was freezing, he could not resist the burning passion in his heart. Watching the progress bar move slowly upward, Li Kuan became anxious, wishing he could push it up with his hands. But he held back, knowing that this time it would definitely be a big success, with so much coal, it must yield a lot of energy points!

Time passed, and the progress bar reached the top. Li Kuan quickly checked the results: "What? How can it be so little? This doesn't make sense!" Li Kuan thought that the entire Blackstone Mountain was an open-pit coal mine, and absorbing it should yield several million energy points!

The coal in Blackstone Mountain was lignite, with a density of about 1.3 to 1.4, meaning one cubic meter weighed 1.3 to 1.4 tons. After absorption, it would yield about 130 energy points. Blackstone Mountain was not very tall, only about four to five meters high, equivalent to a two-story building. However, its base area was enormous, covering about 100 acres. Even if the coal only occupied half of it, it would still be about 30,000 square meters. Calculating this, the volume of coal should be over 150,000 cubic meters, yielding at least 20 million energy points. Li Kuan had been calculating this since he learned about the place, but the results were far below his expectations.

"How did it go?" Li Er asked. He didn't know how effective the secret technique of Li Kuan's master was, but from Li Kuan's expression, it seemed to have succeeded. However, now he looked as if he had failed.

"There was a problem!" Li Kuan himself was still confused, so how could he explain it to Li Er? It seemed he still didn't understand the system well enough. "I need to ask my teacher what happened!"

Li Kuan sat down again and called out to the system in his mind: "System, why did I absorb so few energy points? Did you embezzle them?"

"Host, please note that since the system recognized you as its master, everything is centered around you. Apart from not letting the natives know about the system's existence and not exchanging technology that exceeds the social productivity by 50 years, there are no other restrictions. Therefore, there is no embezzlement. For other functions, please explore them yourself or ask the system specifically." The system replied coldly.

"Then why did I only absorb a few hundred thousand energy points from Blackstone Mountain, which should have yielded over 20 million?" Li Kuan was puzzled.

"The system absorbs energy within a 50-meter radius, centered on the host. Energy carriers outside this range are not absorbed!" The system explained, resolving Li Kuan's confusion.

"Can the range be increased? For example, to encompass the entire Blackstone Mountain?" Li Kuan asked.

"Yes, but increasing the range requires energy points. The exact amount depends on the size of the expanded area." The system provided a human-like response and a pricing plan.

"This also costs, really... " Li Kuan was speechless. He had only used the system a couple of times, and it usually remained silent unless an energy carrier appeared. Even when he called it, it wouldn't respond unless there was an energy carrier. It was like a cow returning to the barn—completely awesome! So he didn't really understand it well.

"Then, what is the specific pricing plan? Calculate it based on the area unit of acres in the Tang Dynasty!" Li Kuan wanted to decide whether to absorb the energy gradually or spend some energy points to expand the area.

"For areas exceeding the fixed area, the cost is 5,000 points per acre for the first 10 acres, 10,000 points per acre for 10 to 100 acres, and 100,000 points per acre for over 100 acres." The system's response made Li Kuan feel a chill. The cost was manageable for a small area, but for a large area, it was like burning energy points.

After some thought, Blackstone Mountain was about 100 acres. Standing at the center, excluding the fixed area of about one acre, he would need to purchase an additional 99 acres, costing 940,000 energy points.

Determined, Li Kuan decided to buy it. After all, absorbing everything at once would yield several million energy points, and a few hundred thousand was still affordable. However, Li Kuan didn't realize that energy points came and went quickly. The system had no loopholes to exploit. Exchanging for physical items was fine, but system skills could burn through energy points faster than the world's richest person could spend money.

"Father, it seems we need to climb the mountain. My teacher said that because we are at the foot of the mountain, we haven't found the most suitable location. We need to go to the top and find the center of Blackstone Mountain!" Li Kuan stood up and said to Li Er.

"Alright! Since we've decided to trust your teacher, I'll accompany you!" Li Er said calmly.

The two began to climb the mountain. Li Er, as a general, was skilled and climbed as if on flat ground. Li Kuan, however, was weak. Although he had been practicing Yi Quan and taking some supplements, his body was still not strong enough to climb the snow-covered slope. He couldn't even make it halfway before his legs got stuck in the snow.

"Father, I really can't go on, let's rest a bit!" Li Kuan called for a break.

"You're still so weak. A little hill like this is already a challenge for you? If you were on the battlefield, you'd be the first to lose your head!" Li Er said, but he came to Li Kuan's side: "Come, let me carry you!"

Seeing Li Er squat in front of him, Li Kuan was surprised. He didn't expect Li Er to do this: "Father, isn't this inappropriate?"

"What's inappropriate about it? Who would dare to laugh at a father carrying his son? Get on, you're overthinking it!" Li Er laughed and scolded.

"Thinking about it, since Shao Hua left three years ago, I haven't had such a private moment with you! You used to love it when I carried you around the courtyard, saying it felt like riding a horse! I can't believe how much you've grown!" Li Er sighed. Over the years, he had been busy with military campaigns and neglected family matters. Even the most fair-minded person couldn't treat everyone equally, and with other distractions, Li Kuan, who had lost his mother, lived a rather lonely life.

It seemed that his son had become distant from him. Li Er couldn't remember when this started, but now, except for Li Lizhi, the other children were all timid around him. Li Kuan was a bit of an exception, but he was also more distant.

Li Er was trying to make up for it, to be a good father and care for his children. But with the country, there was no home without a country. As a member of the royal family, he had fought for the empire and couldn't give it up. So he took this opportunity to repair the fragile father-son relationship.

"Get on!" Li Er urged again.

"Okay!" Li Kuan complied and climbed onto Li Er's back. Li Er's back was broad, and the soft brocade robe was comfortable. Li Kuan felt very comfortable, hearing Li Er's strong heartbeat and feeling his warmth.

"Is this what a father feels like? Warm and strong!" Li Kuan wondered. Although he came from the future, his father had died early, and he couldn't remember what it felt like to be on his father's back. He had envied it as a child, but asking his mother only brought tears, so he never asked again.

He never imagined that after traveling through a thousand years to this strange world, he would fulfill his childhood wish and experience a father's warmth. The feeling of having a strong haven to rely on when you are vulnerable was truly wonderful. Li Kuan's lips twitched, and he lay on Li Er's back without speaking, savoring this indescribable feeling, knowing that such a moment might never come again.

Reaching the top, Li Kuan looked around. The surroundings were roughly the same, indicating that this was the center of Blackstone Mountain.

"This should be it! Father, please put me down!" Li Kuan said to Li Er. Li Er, carrying Li Kuan, didn't feel the weight and walked up the mountain easily, not even out of breath.

"Alright!" Li Er put Li Kuan down and stood to the side, shielding him from the cold wind, watching the small figure stomp his feet to warm up.

Li Kuan smiled at Li Er, and the handsome face he inherited from his mother made Li Er feel a sweet warmth. This boy was quite considerate.

"System, start! The area is 100 acres, and the required energy points will be deducted from the absorbed energy points!" Li Kuan thought.

"Host, please note that activating the energy point expansion function may cause some unpredictable phenomena. Do you want to block the visual perception of the surrounding natives?" The system reminded.

"No need!" Li Kuan was worried about not impressing Li Er and making him fully believe. These special phenomena were like a timely rain. After this, Li Er would no longer doubt his words. Li Kuan hoped the phenomena would be more shocking and powerful, ideally stunning Li Er completely!