Fairy, Please Forgive Me, I Never Meant to Impersonate Your Husband

Chapter 34: Tier-Four Blue Jade Ore

The Firefly Dream Cave was two to three hundred meters wide and stretched five to six li in depth, its overall shape resembling a long serpent.

As Wu Yuan walked through, he saw that the excavation of Black Jade Soil had been halted—his own prior order.

In truth, there was still plenty of Black Jade Soil left in the corners, at least tens of thousands of cubic meters’ worth, primarily because the underground deposits were thick.

Not far away, over a dozen couriers, led by Heitou and Cai Xiaohu, were gathering Black Pearl Rice.

So far, they had collected an additional 500,000 jin of Black Pearl Rice.

The only limiting factor had been the weaving of straw bags for storage, but that issue had been resolved. Many enslaved women in the wooden fort were now dedicated to weaving them.

Their total harvest had now reached one million jin, roughly one-tenth of the estimated available yield.

As for the ten thousand Tier-Two low-grade mutated spirit herbs, the “Golden Flame Grass,” growing deep inside the cave—they remained untouched on the stone walls.

Wu Yuan’s gaze swept over the Golden Flame Grass in the lower areas before settling on an empty spot in the left corner.

At first glance, it appeared to be nothing but ordinary rock, but he knew a hidden path lay there—a natural mining tunnel leading to the location where he dreamed of establishing his territory.

Before upgrading the relay station, he hadn’t dared to consider exploiting this tunnel, nor had he entertained any fantasies of being the first to claim territory. He knew all too well the risks involved in establishing a domain in the Tianyuan World.

Without meticulous planning, even if he seized land first, he would never hold onto it.

His dreams were filled with countless memories of such failures—so many that they were beyond counting. Many had lost everything because of recklessness.

Those bloody lessons had made him especially cautious about taking that step.

But now, with the relay station upgraded and the Firefly Dream Cave’s entrance completely concealed behind it, he felt confident. It was the perfect time to begin building his domain.

He summoned Heitou and Cai Xiaohu, instructing them to halt the Black Pearl Rice harvest and bring everyone to the empty spot.

“Dig here, straight ahead for ten zhang,” he ordered, gesturing at the stone wall and marking a semicircle over ten meters in diameter.

Cai Xiaohu quickly responded, “Boss, if we have proper stone-cutting tools and sharp elemental weapons, we can finish this in a day.”

Wu Yuan nodded. “Go to Cai Yu. She’ll provide whatever tools you need.”

“Yes, Boss!”

Cai Xiaohu immediately rushed toward the cave entrance—only with Wu Yuan’s permission could he leave the Firefly Dream Cave.

Of course, Cai Xiaohu wasn’t eager to escape the cave. Rather, he felt the weight of responsibility after being entrusted with a task by his master and was determined to prove himself.

He had heard how rapidly the relay station was evolving, growing more formidable by the day.

Thanks to his connection with Cai Yu, he could steadily climb the ranks. But if he didn’t work hard, he would eventually stagnate, no matter how high he rose.

Soon, he would face fierce competition—some rivals might even have stronger backing than his ties to Cai Yu. That sense of urgency drove him to seize every opportunity to impress.

From that moment on, Wu Yuan spent the entire day inside the Firefly Dream Cave.

While practicing martial arts to adapt to his rapidly enhanced physique, he watched as Cai Xiaohu returned with excavation tools and began chiseling into the stone wall.

When they encountered stubborn sections, they used elemental weapons to break through.

The tunnel visibly extended inward, while baskets of excavated rocks were carried out and dumped nearby.

After most of the day had passed, Cai Xiaohu finally emerged, excitedly reporting that they had broken through into a natural mining tunnel.

Wu Yuan immediately ceased his training, joy spreading across his face.

“Good work!”

He patted Cai Xiaohu’s shoulder, then—guided by the young man—grabbed a torch and entered the tunnel.

The hastily dug passage was rough and uneven, far from aesthetically pleasing, but Wu Yuan didn’t mind.

Almost immediately after entering, he saw that the walls a hundred paces ahead had become smooth and polished, emitting a faint blue glow that dispelled the darkness and provided clear visibility.

Wu Yuan inwardly cheered: This is the Blue Path leading to the land of my dreams! To think it would belong to me in this life.

He was so exhilarated that, had his couriers not been present, he might have lost his composure entirely.

“Boss, this blue light suggests there might be ore here,” said Cai Xiaohu, who had trained as a mining apprentice. He pointed at the shimmering tunnel walls.

“Then what kind of ore do you think this is?” Wu Yuan asked with a smile, testing him.

For now, he remained at the junction between the excavated tunnel and the natural passage, not yet stepping forward.

“I’ve never seen this kind before, but—” Cai Xiaohu frowned in thought. “I think I’ve heard someone mention it.”

“I believe in you,” Wu Yuan said, patting his shoulder again. “You’re still an apprentice. With more experience, you’ll recognize it.”

Though Cai Xiaohu didn’t know, Wu Yuan did.

He also knew that the powdered remnants of this very ore had contributed to the vast deposits of Black Jade Soil in the Firefly Dream Cave.

This was Blue Jade Ore—a renowned Tier-Four mineral.

It had extensive applications in alchemy, artifact forging, and formation arrays.

In remote border towns, Blue Jade Ore was virtually nonexistent. Only in prosperous cities and major trade hubs could it be found.

For now, Wu Yuan had no intention of mining this highly valuable resource.

First, he didn’t need to. He had already amassed considerable wealth and had no urgent need to trade Blue Jade for more.

Second, he couldn’t. Mining it required sufficient strength. Without it, the ore wouldn’t be a treasure trove but a magnet for disaster.

Third, he lacked the means. Blue Jade was delicate. Without a high-level mining master overseeing operations—providing expertise and specialized tools—the extraction process would result in massive losses.

A yield of one usable piece per ten mined would be considered excellent. One per hundred was the norm. The most likely outcome would be vast quantities of fragments and dust.

The natural tunnel was smooth, with only accumulated ore dust as an obstacle.

After admiring the Blue Jade Ore right before him, Wu Yuan and his group pressed forward.

To protect their master, Cai Xiaohu took the lead.

They walked for over two hours without reaching the tunnel’s end, knowing only that they were moving horizontally through the belly of Red Leaf Cliff.

Had Wu Yuan not insisted, the couriers would have turned back long ago.

Only after traveling roughly thirty li did a different light appear ahead—distinct from the blue glow.

“There’s an exit up ahead!” one of the couriers exclaimed excitedly.

Ads by PubRev

After so long in the oppressive tunnel, even the faintest glimpse of daylight was enough to lift their spirits.

Sure enough, before long, they emerged from the natural passage into a fog-shrouded basin surrounded by mountains.