The search ran for about five shichen before it ended.
The vein, the caves, the miners' village — all had been combed over several times, top to bottom, with nothing to show for it.
"Master Huineng, it seems the thing isn't here..."
Overseer Wu cupped his hands: "The vein has been idle a full day now. If this drags on, I fear I'll have trouble answering to those above."
Huineng was expressionless. After a good while, he gave a faint smile:
"I've put Benefactor Wu in a difficult spot. Since the thing isn't here, this humble monk will take his leave first."
"Master Huineng, I'll see you back to the city."
Constable Chief Lin said.
Soon Constable Chief Lin led his men and left the miners' village with Huineng.
"No mining tonight either. Go and rest, all of you."
Overseer Wu ordered.
Seeing this, the miners could only trudge off, crestfallen.
A whole day of searching, not a hair found, no ore mined; today they couldn't even earn back the cost of a meal.
Once all the miners had left, Overseer Wu looked to Steward Niu:
"Steward Niu, seal off Cave No. 1 for now. No one is to enter. Find a fast runner to make a trip to the Shanhe Sect — tell them there's been trouble at the Fire Crystal Ore vein."
"Overseer Wu, what's happened?"
Steward Niu started slightly.
"This matter is rather weighty. Best we don't get tangled too deep in it."
Overseer Wu patted Steward Niu on the shoulder.
Steward Niu thought at once of Huineng — could it be...
He didn't dare think further, and promptly sent several fleet-footed vein guards off to the Shanhe Sect.
That night, Yang Ling went on cultivating the Vajra Wisdom King Art in his hut.
Once he'd gathered his 5 experience and confirmed there'd be no more gain, he went to sleep.
The next day.
"The vein's closed off?"
"What's going on?"
"They say it's shut down for a few days."
The miners' village was abuzz.
It should have been time to mine, yet all the miners were kept in the village.
"Uncle Wang, what's the matter? Why won't they let us into the vein?"
Yang Ling looked around, spotted Uncle Wang, and quickly stepped up to ask.
"Something's happened."
Uncle Wang's expression was grave; he pulled Yang Ling aside:
"I heard Cave No. 1 has been sealed — no one's allowed in. It very likely has to do with that Bitter Enlightenment Temple master from yesterday."
"Cave No. 1's been sealed?"
Yang Ling felt a slight chill.
This probably had nothing to do with the Vajra Wisdom King Art.
Most likely, Fifth Brother's crew's bodies had been found...
"Yang Ling."
Zhang Wei called from not far off.
"Uncle Wang, I'll take my leave."
Yang Ling said.
"Go on, go on."
Uncle Wang waved a hand and fell to whispering with a few other old miners.
Finding a quiet corner, Yang Ling looked Zhang Wei over:
"Zhang Wei, what scheme are you cooking up this time?"
"While I was mining, I dug up a martial art by chance."
Zhang Wei said slowly: "You should know what that means."
"What martial art?"
Yang Ling narrowed his eyes: "Mining can turn up something like that?"
He paused, then said, alarmed: "It's not that Buddhist tome from Bitter Enlightenment Temple, is it? If you want to die, go die alone — I want no part of it!"
"Keep your voice down! Don't get us both killed!"
Zhang Wei looked around in fright, and only relaxed once he saw no one nearby. He said quietly:
"Yang Ling, if I had that Buddhist tome, I'd have turned it in for silver long ago. Why would I come to you?"
"Then what is it?"
Yang Ling said mildly: "Since you want to sell it to me, quit being coy — take it out and let me see."
"I'm not that stupid."
Zhang Wei said coldly: "I've hidden it where no one can find it. Even if you go out now and say I have a martial art, no one will believe you."
"Then this deal of ours is off."
Yang Ling shook his head lightly: "I don't trust you, you don't trust me. Best we each go our own way."
With that he made as if to leave.
"Mountain-Crushing Fist."
Zhang Wei said earnestly: "This fist art is called the Mountain-Crushing Fist!"
A fist art?
Yang Ling's mind stirred.
His strength now was high.
And he had the Vajra Wisdom King Art.
He simply had no means of fighting an enemy.
"If you have a martial art, why not cultivate it yourself?"
Yang Ling studied Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei mused: "You might not know — cultivating martial arts in 「Divine Realm」 requires a threshold. The Mountain-Crushing Fist's threshold is high: 8 Strength. I only have 4; I can't cultivate it yet."
"What Strength attribute!?"
Yang Ling said, feigning surprise: "You can see your own attributes!?"
"So it's true — it seems only a Martial Artist can see his own attributes."
Zhang Wei studied Yang Ling a while, then smiled:
"The truth is I'm already a Martial Artist, so I can see my own attribute panel. My Strength is 4, my Agility is 3, my Spirit is 1."
"Your Agility is clearly 5."
Yang Ling grumbled inwardly, then said gravely:
"You can really see the attribute panel? What data is on it? This might be the key to understanding 「Divine Realm」."
"Why would I lie? Once you cultivate the Mountain-Crushing Fist, you'll see your own panel too."
Zhang Wei: "I'm not like you, hiding things. I'm a very honest man. From what I've observed of you, the reason you mine so fast — besides practice making perfect — is that your Strength must be quite high. Cultivate the Mountain-Crushing Fist, and you'll become a Martial Artist right away."
"Enough talk. Where's the Mountain-Crushing Fist?"
Yang Ling said in a low voice.
"Five taels of silver. Give me five taels, and I'll give you the Mountain-Crushing Fist."
Zhang Wei said.
"He's desperate to leave this place — he's guilty, afraid Zhang Hao's affair will drag him in."
Yang Ling thought to himself. He was quite curious how this fellow had gotten hold of Zhang Hao's martial art.
Because he was also surnamed Zhang?
That made no sense.
"I do have five taels of silver."
Yang Ling said slowly.
A flash of delight crossed Zhang Wei's eyes.
"But I inspect the goods first. In a deal like this it's cash on delivery — I won't pay you first."
Yang Ling said.
Zhang Wei fell silent a good while, then said slowly:
"Fine. I'll come to you tonight."
With that, he turned and left.
The sun set; night deepened to the hour of Zi.
The miners' village was all but deserted.
Zhang Wei quietly came to Yang Ling's door:
"Open up."
Yang Ling opened the door, and Zhang Wei squeezed nimbly inside.
"This is the Mountain-Crushing Fist."
Zhang Wei drew an ancient tome from his robes.
Yang Ling took a look, and a line of information surfaced before his eyes:
「Mountain-Crushing Fist — unranked art」
"Same as the Black Tiger Fist — both unranked."
Yang Ling didn't scorn it. Once he'd confirmed it really was a martial art, he took out five taels of silver and set it on the table.
Zhang Wei set down the Mountain-Crushing Fist, then took the five taels.
The deal done, he visibly relaxed, then smiled:
"I'll be off. Congratulations on becoming a Martial Artist."
After Zhang Wei left, Yang Ling picked up the Mountain-Crushing Fist.
The system seemed to judge it already belonged to Yang Ling, so new information surfaced:
「Mountain-Crushing Fist — cultivation threshold: Strength 8, Spirit 3」
「Threshold met」
「Comprehend it?」
"That dog Zhang Wei — he never said there was a Spirit threshold. So that's how he meant to screw me."
Yang Ling was so angry he laughed.
Good thing his Spirit was 10.
Otherwise he'd have lost five taels of silver for nothing this time.
Clearly the man had already guessed Spirit was extremely hard to raise.
At his level of 1 Spirit, even if his Strength later reached 8, he'd never comprehend the Mountain-Crushing Fist.
"Comprehend."
Yang Ling chose to comprehend it at once.
The martial art in his hand turned to flowing light and sank into his body.
A warmth bloomed, and once more memories of the Mountain-Crushing Fist filled Yang Ling's mind.