Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao
chapter-521

The mineshaft was heavily surrounded by guards—not to stop people from entering, but to prevent people from escaping.

…After knowing what this place was, who would run in on their own accord? Every day, many people were detained and escorted here, temporarily staying here; after the previous group of miners died, the new bunch would obviously be sent down.

Those who refused to go down? Immediately beheaded!

Under the heavy pressure, even if they could only live for a few days, many people wanted to bet their luck—maybe they would be an exception and not die?

To prevent the escape of the miners who temporarily lived here, a tall wall was erected, piled up from heavy rocks; it definitely couldn't be dug through by normal people. It was like the great wall, reaching sixty five meters, and just as hard to leap over.

Moreover, guards patrolled underneath the tall wall; escaping was as hard as climbing the skies.

Of course, this was all with regards to normal people.

Ling Han and Hu Niu leapt up, arriving on the other side of the tall wall.

"Who are you guys?" a guard immediately asked as seven spears pointed towards them simultaneously.

"Let them in." Bo Wen Lin appeared. He stood on the tall wall in the distance. Once Ling Han entered the mineshaft, he would help along the way… the enemy wanted to suicide, so he obviously wouldn't mind giving it a push.

After all, he couldn't see through Ling Han, who gave him a sense of extreme danger. Thus, he didn't want to fend against Ling Han head on.

"Yes, Lord Bo!" the guards replied at once.

Their duty was to stop miners from escaping. Someone wanted to go in? No matter, they'd die the second day after coming out anyway.

Ling Han surveyed the area. Ahead was a large-scale mineshaft in the open, with interlocked adits unearthing downwards continuously, unfathomably deep. Even having dug so deep, water didn't come out from the bottom.

Looking from here, not even a single miner could be seen; apparently, they'd already entered the depths of the mineshaft.

Threads of crimson red gas rose up from within the mineshaft and stopped when they reached three to a thousand to two thousand meters up, forming a giant red cloud.

Hu Niu bared her teeth to reveal a fierce look, appearing quite anxious.

Ling Han didn't dare to be careless, yet took large strides towards the mineshaft. When Ling Han's figure disappeared at the edge of the mineshaft, Bo Wen Lin revealed a cold smile. Now Ling Han was dead for sure... unless he stayed inside the mineshaft his entire life.

But was he able not to eat and drink?

Ling Han entered the mining area. Underneath his feet was loosened soil. Crimson red soil wasn't a rare sight, but here it was ridiculously scarlet, as if dyed in blood. Especially when there was red gas rising continuously, appearing extremely eerie.

"I sense an ill omen," Ling Han said; this was based on pure instinct.

"Yes!" Hu Niu nodded emphatically.

The two continued to advance. They could fly physically, but didn't choose to do so. The soil and rocks here all gave Ling Han an extremely strange feeling. He picked up a few rocks and some soil to store it into the Black Tower, then took Hu Niu inside as well.

"Small Tower, can you see anything special about these things?" Ling Han asked.

Small Tower appeared and said, "Cursed soil. People who don't have a strong enough natal horoscope will die soon after contact."

"Cursed?" Ling Han was astounded, he had never heard of this type of power. Could it be that cursing someone to die was not just in speech, but could truly make someone die? And natal horoscope, what was that?

"Curse is also a type of power derived from the great dao. It's ceaseless and can manifest itself in various ways," Small Tower said leisurely.

"So I'm also affected by the curse now?" Ling Han asked.

"Yes, stepping on the cursed land, you obviously suffered from the curse, but your natal horoscope is very tough, so you won't die… at least you won't die from this amount. This level of cursed power is something I can easily neutralize," Small Tower said.

"And what's that natal horoscope?" Ling Han asked again.

Small Tower swayed a little and said, "Why do you have so many questions?"

"Ask when you don't know, this is a good habit," Ling Han said smilingly.

"Natal horoscope, destined at birth, is influencing your fate to a great degree," Small Tower said. "In your two lives, your natal horoscopes are the same, making it possible to fuse two souls, and not making it just a simple possession."

"Elaborate." Ling Han suddenly became interested.

"I don't have the interest to satisfy your curiosity!" Small Tower immediately became haughty. "Although there isn't much cursed power contained in the soil, to reach such a degree simply from it overflowing, a cursed tool or a person with special natal horoscope is definitely buried underneath the land, forming the cursed power."

"What about Hu NIu, would she be effected?" Ling Han asked again.

"This little girl's natal horoscope is too special. I can't see through her if I don't use the power of origin source," Small Tower said dully.

Ling Han finally dropped his worries and exited the Black Tower with Hu Niu, continuning onwards.

What Na Zhi Yan and Fire Emperor conspired... could it be for the cursed tool within the mining area? No one would steal dead people, unless it was the Thousand Corpse Sect.

The two treaded on slightly wet land and walked downwards. It was like a bowl—the further out, the wider it was, and the further in, the narrower it was. As they ventured deeper, the surroundings became dimmer, and if it weren't for Ling Han and Hu Niu's extraordinary eyesight, they'd probably be blind with open eyes.

However, going down another stretch of the road, the flicker of torches could be seen. In such darkness, one couldn't possibly mine ores after all.

Seeing Ling Han's carefree look, with a little girl on the side pulling on the hems of his clothes, a few miners revealed an expression of disbelief and began to doubt their eyes, wondering whether it was an illusion or not.

Ling Han's gaze swept by. He only saw that these people's faces were numb all over. After they entered here, they were equivalent to dead men, so who would still be composed?

"Food! Food!" When they saw the dried meat in Hu Niu's hands, their gazes lit up, as if they were travelers seeing an oasis in the desert. Rushing over, they looked like they were going to forcibly take it.

Ling Han was amused; a few normal people wanted to rob him and Hu Niu?

Hu NIu was most protective of her food, and immediately revealed a vicious glare—they dared to rob her food?

Ling Han pulled on Hu Niu and said with a smile, "Want food? Sure, but answer a few questions." He waved his finger and immediately left a deep mark on a rock, frightening the miners into an immediate halt.

Those people stared at the dried meat in Hu Niu's hands, drooling as they asked, "What do you want to know?"

"The situation here, tell me all you guys know."

Those people looked at each other and nodded, beginning to talk one after another.

They were sent here seven days ago and brought two days' worth of food and water into the mine. If they wanted to acquire more food, they could only do their best to mine ore, and use the ores to exchange for food; however, the ores were very rare here, so they all looked hungry as wolves, almost cannibalizing each other.

Ling Han found it strange and asked, "The people outside will actually replenish your food? How do they give it to you?"