These thoughts flowed freely through his mind. Luo Chen’s gaze landed on the spell section further down. His status panel had already been reorganized. The reason for the changes was that, over the past three years, he had finally reached the Beginner level of the second-tier spell Landslide. To distinguish between first- and second-tier spells, he had no choice but to reorganize the cluttered panel. It was only natural that Landslide had been at the Beginner level. After all, Luo Chen had already met all the foundational requirements long ago. The real question had been its power, and Luo Chen had already tested that himself. As things currently stood, Landslide was still slightly weaker than Solar Flare, the fully optimized and Perfected Mastery of his Fireball, and that was expected. Fireball had been the spell he’d devoted the most time and effort to, refining it through countless iterations until it had reached an unshakable peak. There was simply no room left for improvement. But Luo Chen wasn’t discouraged. What he valued in Landslide wasn’t its current power; it was its potential. This was a second-tier spell reputed to be among the most destructive of its rank, and he fully intended to continue cultivating it. One day, he wanted to see with his own eyes what that legendary second-tier spell truly looked like. What intrigued him even more, however, was another second-tier spell he had recently acquired, one with a very different focus. It had been a congratulatory gift from Wang Haichao at his Foundation Establishment Ceremony. And it was a remarkably valuable one! "Glazed Skyveil, one of the top-grade second-tier water-element defensive spells! "At minor mastery, it can shield the entire body, with a defensive strength comparable to a top-grade enchanted artifact. "Once brought to Proficient level, it can be deployed and withdrawn at will, and its defensive capabilities are not inferior to those of supreme-grade defensive enchanted artifacts. If cultivated to major mastery, once unleashed, it could shield an entire sky, and its might would rival that of a full-scale mountain-guarding formation!" Just hearing the spell’s description made its extraordinary value evident. It more than lived up to its title as one of the strongest defensive techniques of its rank. However, it was also a gift with hidden motives. The spell was extremely difficult to cultivate. One had to possess a considerable foundation in water-element spells just to begin practicing it. Furthermore, the spell consumed a staggering amount of spirit power. Just imagining the spirit power required to spread a veil across the sky must be utterly massive. If an ordinary cultivator received this technique, chances were nine out of ten they'd shelve it and forget about it. Compared to Glazed Skyveil, one might’ve been better off learning a more practical second-tier defensive spell. Whether it was the Ironclad Bastion of the earth element or the Coiled Dragon Stakes of the wood element, both were solid, reliable techniques. Even the fire element, known to be the worst at defense, had an excellent defensive spell called Sevenfold Ring of the Blazing Heavens When Luo Chen had optimized Fireball in the past, the inspiration he had for that ring of flame bore traces of Sevenfold Ring of the Blazing Heavens Besides, most Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely used spells in real combat. They primarily relied on enchanted artifacts when facing opponents. So under these circumstances, Wang Haichao’s decision to gift Luo Chen a notoriously hard-to-master spell seemed rather pointless. “After the Fu family battle and the clash on Xiao Huan Mountain, my reputation for spell mastery has already spread far and wide "Was he playing to my preferences? Or was he deliberately giving me something difficult, hoping it would bog down my cultivation speed?” Luo Chen chuckled wryly and shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood to dwell on it. All that mattered was, with his proficiency system, no spell was truly out of reach. So long as he had time, he would master it eventually. Wang Haichao had tossed meat buns to a dog [1], never expecting them back... Pui! With that, Luo Chen closed his status panel. Three years of arduous cultivation had passed, it was time to leave. His realm was now stabilized, and his Foundation Establishment combat techniques had been thoroughly honed during the three years. Next came the task of securing future cultivation resources. He had drained nearly all his savings just to break through to Foundation Establishment. If he didn’t gather more spirit stones soon, he wouldn’t even have the confidence to attend one of those fancy auctions where only the wealthy had a seat. And over these past three years, countless matters had piled up in the Luo Tian Society, waiting for him to take care of them. After casting Cleanse on himself, Luo Chen looked at the cave residence with a trace of reluctance. Three whole years… It had probably been the most austere period he’d endured since transmigration. And yet, he kind of missed it. Unfortunately, without Pang Renxiong’s secret technique to maintain it, this second-tier spirit land was slowly fading. His three years of cultivation had accelerated its demise. In just a few months, it would likely revert to being just another segment of the massive first-tier spirit vein under Fallen Phoenix Mountain. "A first-tier spirit vein!" Luo Chen’s eyes lit up instantly. "Such a vast first-tier spirit vein, didn’t that mean there could be an abundance of raw spirit stone ore hidden beneath it?" Raw spirit stone ore! Wherever a spirit vein existed, it would gradually form crystalline clusters of concentrated energy, much like raw spirit stone ore. These natural formations, treasured by cultivators across the realm, were known for their powerful affinity with the ambient qi of the world. Once born, these ores functioned like magnets, naturally drawing in the free-floating spirit energy between heaven and earth. As a result, the place where they were formed would only grow more spiritually abundant over time. With enough time, even a first-tier spirit vein had the chance to evolve into a second, third, or even fourth-tier spirit vein! Because of this incredible value, cultivators typically did everything in their power to protect these veins. Mining them was considered the gravest form of short-sightedness, destroying the foundation of future prosperity for fleeting gain. The moment raw spirit stone ore was extracted, its qi-attracting function mysteriously vanished. Even if it were returned to its original place, the connection would be broken. The vein would no longer grow, no longer thrive. However, a paradox naturally arose from this. The so-called “spirit stone,” praised as the universal currency of the cultivation world, was undeniably produced from raw spirit stone ore. Everything from their internal energy content to their crystalline composition pointed to this origin. So… where did all the spirit stones come from? Who in their right mind would willingly destroy their foundation? According to legends within the cultivation world, spirit stones primarily came from the five great sacred lands scattered across the five continents. Beneath them, the Nascent Soul sects of each domain would also be granted the methods to craft spirit stones. In other words, most spirit stones originated from the sacred lands and the major Nascent Soul sects. Cultivators speculated that the five sacred lands possessed miraculous techniques capable of extracting raw spirit stone ore in limited amounts without harming the quality of the vein. Luo Chen had once seen a piece of raw spirit stone ore himself. It was inside the spirit vein cavern beneath Crescent Moon Valley. Back then, he had refrained from extracting it, not because he lacked the strength, but because he didn’t wish to destroy the delicate balance of that miniature spirit vein. And as it turned out, that land had indeed contributed immensely to his current cultivation. Had he mined it back then, it would’ve been worth, at most, ten thousand low-grade spirit stones. And its true value lay in its ability to actively draw in ambient spirit energy. Moreover, there had been two more reasons not to mine it at the time. One, Luo Chen hadn’t known how to refine currency-grade spirit stones. Even if he did extract it, using it directly for cultivation would’ve been less efficient than properly refined pills. Second, Luo Chen had been too weak at the time. A large chunk of spirit stone couldn’t be easily divided without special methods. If he brought the whole thing out, it would surely draw unwanted attention. But now, he had resolved that second problem. ”I’ve got the strength and techniques now! "Even though I still can’t forge proper currency-grade spirit stones, I can seal pieces of the raw ore using spirit consciousness restrictions." Luo Chen pressed his lips together, eyes gleaming with excitement. Within Fallen Phoenix Mountain, there was bound to be an abundance of raw spirit stone ore below! There might even be some mid-grade ore hidden within, or perhaps even a few top-grade pieces! Items like these, whether used personally or traded away, would always find eager buyers. If he could extract some, wouldn’t that instantly solve the financial pinch he was in? There was nothing more to say. Let’s do this! Luo Chen immediately summoned his sword orb, which transformed into a streak of sword light, and began digging downward. Truth be told, he was quite experienced at mining! His previous life had involved a stint in the mines early on. Later, when Luo Chen first took the Spirit Passage pill, he had dreamt of a decade. Within that seemingly endless moment of memory, he had mined for a full ten years. So at the very least, he was a competent miner. The sword orb was forged from a rare material, its defining feature being its unmatched sharpness. Under Luo Chen’s control, it plunged deeper and deeper in no time. “It’s this way. No doubt! “I can feel it! A surge of unimaginably vast spirit energy, right below!” Luo Chen was brimming with excitement. This cave was already near the heart of the mountain, nestled just above the core of the spirit vein. With his Foundation Establishment techniques and the aid of the sword orb, he tunneled with incredible speed. Before long, a wave of incomparably pure spirit energy rushed up to greet him. With just one breath, Luo Chen felt his spirit jolt awake. “Could it be... top-grade spirit stones?!” His mouth hung open in disbelief, then slowly closed. His cheeks, flushed with anticipation, turned ghostly pale. The excitement that had surged in his heart plummeted into a deep abyss. Without a word, Luo Chen pulled back and retreated. His speed surpassed anything he had ever achieved in his life! In the blink of an eye, he became a streak of golden light, fleeing at full speed with the sword orb wrapped protectively around him! Beneath the cracks that had opened in the mine shaft, a massive and solid shadow slowly opened its eyes. Within those huge eyes swirled sorrow, regret, confusion, and a fury that would never fade, even for eternity. “In life, I was a hero among men. In death... a ghostly titan. Have I truly perished... I, Pang Renxiong?” Wasn't he already dead? How is he still alive? No... that's definitely a state of death, he's turned into a Ghost King! Just what kind of rage and unwillingness could cause someone to transform into a Ghost King in such a short time? Luo Chen didn’t know. He only knew there was one thing he had to do. Run! Run with everything he had! A Ghost King’s strength is on par with a Golden Core Adept! That was absolutely not something any Foundation Establishment cultivator could contend with. It might take just a flick of that being’s hand to end his life. Luo Chen had no intention of dying here, so he poured forth strength like never before, fleeing with all his might. Perfected Mastery Carefree Wind-Control! Pure spirit power enveloped him, merging him with the golden sword light, tearing through all obstacles as he fled without hesitation. At the same time, almost the very moment he fled, Fallen Phoenix Mountain began to quake. Massive torrents of ghostly energy surged up from the depths of the earth. An earth-shaking, sky-tearing aura descended once again upon the Dahe ghost city. An overwhelming presence spread in all directions. In the ghost city, all specters and ghouls, from Ghost Generals to mindless spirits, trembled uncontrollably and prostrated themselves. This ghostly abyss had been forged by the fall of three Ghost Kings. Hence, its lingering dread had never faded. Yet nothing had emerged in all these years. And the only reason was that a new Ghost King was being born. In a single breath, this silent ghostly abyss erupted into chaos!