"Fourth Brother."
"What should we do next?"
Chen Shaohu turned slightly to face Chen Jichuan, only catching glimpses of his Fourth Brother through the corner of his eye. As he spoke, flames occasionally spat out from his mouth, creating an intimidating sight.
The fire is hard to control.
Chen Shaohu had just gained the ability of 'Fire Control' and was still unable to wield it freely in such a short time.
But having achieved this power, his mindset had already changed.
The initial shock had passed.
Excitement subsided.
Then came the thought of his narrow escape from death—burned by sores in his mouth, pus-filled wounds on his feet, or even immolated alive.
A deep hatred for the Black Prison and the Mine Supervisor surged unstoppable in his heart.
Six years of suppression, impossible to endure any longer.
The thirst for bloodshed was escalating!
Chen Jichuan felt the same.
Only—
He remained more composed.
"You've awakened your talent and can control fire now. That's great news."
Chen Jichuan looked at Chen Shaohu's side profile, his expression grave: "But right now, the top priority is to familiarize yourself with your ability as soon as possible. We must avoid exposing ourselves in front of Qian Lai and Black Armor. Secondly, the 'Black Prison' is controlled by the 'Wusheng Sect.' We don't know how many experts are hidden within, or if there are others like you. Caution is imperative."
The Black Prison had changed hands multiple times over the years.
When Chen Jichuan's family entered the Black Prison, it was already in its third year of turmoil. Then, four years ago, the Wusheng Sect seized control of the Black Prison. Rumor had it that the Wusheng Sect housed many figures at the Martial Saint level, quite formidable.
Setting aside their martial prowess—
Just by occupying the Black Prison and continuously extracting 'Iron-repellent Ore,' they had refined an unknown quantity of 'Iron-repellent' metal.
Even though this metal couldn't be used to forge swords or armor, crafting arrowheads and spear tips with it likely yielded countless weapons.
Without those 'Martial Saints' needing to act—
Under a barrage of thousands of arrows, Chen Shaohu's Fire Control ability wouldn't save him. Even if he could hide in a sea of flames, he'd meet certain death.
The Black Prison had only one exit.
It didn't produce food; even spices and essentials like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar had to be transported from outside. If they were careless and got trapped in the Black Prison, severed from their food supply, the two brothers would inevitably starve to death.
As the saying goes: "A journey of a hundred miles is only halfway at ninety."
Chen Shaohu had awakened his gift.
He himself gained recognition from the 'Dao Fruit.'
Facing such a promising future, a bright path ahead, being trapped in the Black Prison would lead to either starvation or death out of sheer frustration.
So—
He had to be extra alert.
"I understand."
Seeing his Fourth Brother's grave expression, Chen Shaohu nodded repeatedly: "Fourth Brother once said that most people, upon receiving their 'Golden Finger' or a fortuitous opportunity, experience a sudden surge in power. Because of arrogance fueled by this newfound power, they often attract numerous troubles and dangers… danger after danger. To avoid risk, one needs to be extra cautious, more restrained, and mustn't act recklessly due to a stroke of good luck."
Thinking of how his hatred had clouded his mind earlier—
Chen Shaohu silently reflected on himself.
Chen Jichuan heard him and visibly relaxed.
Suddenly gaining extraordinary abilities—
Power infused within him—
With a Fire Control ability that seemed like the descent of the Fire God, any person might lose themselves. On top of six years in the Black Prison and the half-month of living in the cavern, the ordeal had been truly unbearable.
Even for Chen Jichuan, enduring it was difficult, let alone for Chen Shaohu.
A desperate thirst for bloodshed was understandable.
But fortunately—
Years of relentless tutoring hadn't gone in vain. Through subtle influence, the results were finally visible. A gentle nudge from Chen Jichuan was enough for Chen Shaohu to calm down and regain control.
This was a good sign.
Being cautious leads to long-term survival.
Quietly accumulating wealth—
That's the true path.
...
"After awakening, I'm no longer afraid of the cavern's radiation."
"For me, this place is no longer a place of death but a genuine treasure trove."
Chen Jichuan sent Chen Shaohu off to familiarize himself with 'Fire Control,' while he himself took hold of the faded green Spirit Ore, his eyes gleaming with spiritual light—
[Name: Spirit Stone]
[Grade: Miscellaneous]
[Description: The 'Upper Heaven Palace' categorizes mundane Spirit Stones into four classes. Miscellaneous-grade Spirit Stones rank beneath the four classes, marking them as the lowest grade. The spiritual energy within is mixed and difficult to refine. Note: Once the spiritual energy in the Spirit Stone is fully refined, the stone becomes suitable material for crafting Magic Artifacts. Second Note: Spirit Stones are toxic; avoid letting mortals touch them as they may result in death.]
"It truly is a Spirit Stone."
Chen Jichuan held the cold, slightly weighty Spirit Stone, feeling no surprise.
He had suspected this earlier.
But hearing Feng Mo call these 'Spirit Ores' the source of radiation causing mutation among miners, he hadn't dared confirm it before.
After all—
He had never heard of Spirit Stones containing spiritual energy having such side effects.
Now it seemed—
It was mere conjecture; his reliance on prior knowledge led him astray. In truth, he had no real experience when it came to cultivation or Spirit Stones.
"I'll need to be more careful in the future."
Chen Jichuan quietly reminded himself.
Afterward—
As he gazed upon the Spirit Stone in his hand, thoughts of Source Power filled his mind.
"The flowering of the 'Dao Fruit' requires 1,000 points of Source Power."
"As of now—"
Chen Jichuan willed his mind and summoned his 'Immortal Record.'
Name: Chen Jichuan
Age: 18
Immortal-order: None
Official Position: None
Level: 0
Talent: Creation·Insight
Spell: None
Immortal Salary: 1
Source Power: 370
...
Chen Jichuan viewed his 'Immortal Record.'
After gaining recognition from the 'Dao Fruit,' he'd been recorded into the Immortal Register, officially becoming part of the Immortal rank, his name etched in the 'Upper Heaven Palace.' Yet Chen Jichuan didn't know what the 'Upper Heaven Palace' was or where it was located.
Even using the 'Dao Fruit' or 'Immortal Record' to sense its existence yielded no response.
Chen Jichuan simply ignored it.
Why bother troubling himself?
"370 points of Source Power."
Chen Jichuan calculated silently.
With his current 'Immortal Record,' 'Immortal-order,' and 'Level,' he earned 1 point of Source Power as a salary every ten days.
In this lifetime—
Eighteen years and three months, plus two days.
Total Source Power earned—
"666 points."
Chen Jichuan smiled to himself.
Over 600 points of Source Power, augmented by the absorption of Spirit Stones for another 80 points, should have totaled over 700. However, helping Chen Shaohu awaken consumed nearly 400 points.
Hence, the Source Power now stood at exactly 370.
"Still 630 points short."
Chen Jichuan pondered deeply.
Elsewhere, acquiring Source Power might be difficult, likely requiring patience to accumulate through meager Immortal Salary.
But here in the cavern—
Chen Jichuan had another method: "Talent; Spirit Stones."
With recognition from the 'Dao Fruit,' he gained one innate ability: Creation·Insight.
[Talent: Creation·Insight]
[Description: The first transformation of 'Creation'—'Insight,' reputed to perceive myriad realms, grasp the essence of all things, and discern space, time, and causality alike. Note: The efficacy of 'Insight' depends on cultivation level.]
"This is a strong talent."
To Chen Jichuan, this talent resembled identification skills or investigation abilities merged together, reminiscent of abilities like 'Identification Skill' and 'Investigation Skill' from online games in his previous life. However, 'Creation·Insight' was more potent and incredibly versatile.
But right now—
He prioritized enhancing his power.
To secure his survival, escape the Black Prison, and possibly break through it.
For example, Chen Shaohu's 'Fire Control' ability.
"Fire Control."
Chen Jichuan turned toward the depths of the cavern.
Bang!
Bang Bang Bang!
Deep inside the cavern, the air felt temperate. Flames burst intermittently, accompanied by muffled blasts.
Chen Shaohu was acquainting himself with his newfound ability.
Chen Jichuan's eyes gleamed faintly, his gaze landing upon Chen Shaohu.
With just one look, he saw through Chen Shaohu entirely.
Not only his hunched body beneath his quilted coat—
But deeper, to his organs and skeleton—
And even to his ethereal self, where dozens of fiery-red lines intertwined, forming an enigmatic figurative symbol neither entirely alphabetic nor wholly symbolic.
At first glance, the symbols seemed simple, but the more he observed, the more intricate they appeared.
Chen Jichuan steadied himself for closer inspection.
He used the 'Dao Fruit' to draw out thin silver threads, attempting to replicate the symbols.
Soon, however, he became somewhat overwhelmed. It wasn't that activating the talent was tiresome, but mimicking these symbols with Source Power required extensive effort, consuming vast energy.
"This won't work."
Chen Jichuan closed his eyes for a moment and redirected the Source Power back to the Green Lotus Jade Pendant: "I can perceive Shaohu's Fire Control talent with Insight, but simulating or acquiring that ability requires painstaking practice, leveraging my memory and effort."
It was akin to replication—
Yet more challenging, demanding utmost precision, zero tolerance for mistakes, lest everything collapse abruptly.
Moreover, Chen Jichuan lacked any theoretical foundation. Even though he could observe it through Insight, the absence of theory and system left him fumbling blindly.
Results were slow—
But despite the difficulty—
Chen Jichuan had no intention of giving up.
"On one hand, I'll invest time in replicating and emulating Shaohu's Fire Control talent."
"On the other, I'll continue searching for Spirit Stones to make the Dao Fruit bloom and unlock the first realm."
"Both must advance together."
Chen Jichuan felt an urgency.
It wasn't about wanting to escape Black Prison.
In fact—
With newfound hope from the Dao Fruit, he felt reassured and wasn't in a rush to leave. Instead, he recognized the cavern's Spirit Stone-rich environment as highly beneficial, preferring to stay longer.
Yet such wishes weren't entirely within his control.
With the current depletion rate of manpower in the mines, as workers either perished or got relocated, Chen Jichuan and Chen Shaohu would become increasingly conspicuous.
Once only the two of them remained, it would inevitably raise suspicions.
This timeline wasn't long.
Judging by present circumstances—
It could range from three to five months at most, or as few as ten to fifteen days before their presence was exposed.
...
"The time left to us is limited."
Chen Jichuan withdrew his gaze from Chen Shaohu.
Guarding the entrance, he paced cautiously to prevent anyone from barging in and spotting Chen Shaohu experimenting with fire manipulation.
Simultaneously—
He activated his eyes, meticulously examining the cavern floor, ceiling, and cliffside.
His spiritual light-infused vision revealed mostly ordinary sights.
But soon—
A faint smile crept onto Chen Jichuan's face.
He stepped forward with his iron shovel, approaching a partially exposed piece of Iron-repellent Ore, crouched down, then swung the shovel forcefully—
Clang!
The mineral shattered, revealing a plum-sized Spirit Stone.
Chen Jichuan grinned jubilantly, touching the stone as the familiar cool sensation infused him. In the Immortal Record, the Source Power count leaped and became '433.'
Spirit Stones vary in size, and the amount of spiritual energy within differs accordingly.
The previous Spirit Stone found by Chen Shaohu, roughly the size of a baby's fist, added 80 points of Source Power. This slightly smaller one contributed 63 points.
"63 Source Power."
Regardless of the amount, Chen Jichuan was delighted.
His empowered eyes could track spiritual energy fluctuations—
Turning a once-difficult search for Spirit Stones into a straightforward task. Whether large or small, they couldn't escape his sights and would inevitably end up in his possession.
...