The leader of this mission was Guo Huai, a fifth-level warrior. With no sixth-level warriors present, the task likely posed little danger.

This suited Dick just fine. It was his first family assignment, and he needed time to adjust.

Accompanying them were another fifth-level warrior and three fourth-level warriors, all bloodline fighters trained on Yaoguang Mountain. Dick knew them all, though not all were close.

Guo Huai took special care of Dick, explaining the mission and offering valuable advice along the way.

Their mount, a giant ostrich beast, soared toward the depths of the sea. Its large size allowed it to carry more passengers, though this time there were only six. The cabin on its back felt quite spacious.

It wasn’t strange for the Yaoguang family to own a Demonic Gold mine on a remote island. Even the modest Yan Kingdom had two seventh-level practitioners who held claim to a large mine. But then again, the Yaoguang family had the formidable backing of a ninth-level grand knight.

The ostrich beast flew for just over half an hour, suggesting the island wasn’t far.

The island itself was massive, stretching beyond Dick’s sight.

A fifth-level warrior oversaw Mine No. 6, though he wasn’t of Yaoguang’s bloodline. Who said the family didn’t have other fighters? There were several here, after all.

A low bloodline concentration and lesser regard from the family didn’t mean they didn’t exist. Dick’s first family tournament was proof—his opponents were all warriors from the Yaoguang family, even if they weren’t bloodline elites.

Of course, these ordinary fifth-level warriors were rather weak, unable to even match Dick, a fourth-level bloodline fighter.

“Tae Zhen, tell me about the Demonic Gold Beasts.”

“Yes, sir!” Tae Zhen, the leading fifth-level warrior, respectfully replied to Guo Huai. “Initial estimates suggest that there are no fewer than ten Demonic Gold Beasts in the mine, each with at least the strength of a fourth-level warrior. Four of our fourth-level defenders have already fallen. These beasts are too fast, giving us no chance to surround them.”

Understood. Just like the first-level beasts in the Demonic Beast Mountains. Though their combat strength wasn’t much, their ability to sense danger was remarkable. If you were either too strong or too weak in number, they would hide rather than show themselves.

The only way to lure them out was with a small, evenly matched group. Beasts considered warriors a feast, after all. Devouring a human practitioner would enhance their cultivation, making it quite the prize.

For the beasts and practitioners, they were both resources for each other.

Beasts ate humans, humans ate beasts—it was the natural order. Neither side could claim moral high ground, for both sought cultivation resources. Survival of the fittest was the only law.

The family had brought six bloodline warriors for a reason. There were six entrances to the mine, so they needed to split up. Too many people, and the beasts would stay hidden.

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Guo Huai, with good intentions, gave Dick a few more words of advice.

It was Dick’s first time seeing a Demonic Gold mine. The tunnels were vast, and the miners were already on leave, leaving the corridors eerily silent. Though he was still young, Dick had undergone life-and-death trials and was no novice.

Such missions came with risks, and many had perished before. Why? Demonic Gold Beasts could traverse through the mine’s rock formations, while humans could not. At any moment, these beasts could appear in the tunnels. Even with communication talismans, would help arrive in time?

Fortunately, most bloodline warriors had trained in advanced combat techniques, including footwork that allowed for swift evasions, increasing their chances of survival.

They had been walking through the tunnels for half an hour. If the beasts ambushed them here, rescue would be impossible.

Still, they had no choice but to continue.

The mission had a two-week time limit, so there was no need for Dick to rush.

As a third-level mage, Dick’s heightened spiritual perception made him highly sensitive to the valuable Demonic Gold.

There it was—Demonic Gold! Just what he needed for his cultivation. Without hesitation, Dick swung his dark battle blade, striking the stone wall with a loud crash.

Sure enough, several medium-grade Demonic Gold fragments appeared. What luck! These were worth a fortune in the capital. This truly was a cultivation haven, full of rich resources.

After roughly cutting through the rock, Dick secured thirteen pieces of medium-grade Demonic Gold into his spatial pouch.

He continued, remaining highly alert. Another stroke of his blade, and this time seven more pieces appeared.

Demonic Gold wasn’t aligned to any specific element, making it a universally valuable cultivation resource.

Dick cautiously explored the mine for three days without encountering a single Demonic Gold Beast. However, he did unearth a significant amount of medium-grade Demonic Gold. With such a haul, Dick would have enough resources for two years of cultivation. Given his jade pendant’s support, he didn’t rely heavily on magical cores or Demonic Gold, but the boost was still welcome.

As a third-level mage, cultivating mana was becoming increasingly difficult, so replenishing magical resources was essential.

Suddenly—he couldn’t believe it! Seventy or eighty pieces of medium-grade Demonic Gold! Dick could hardly contain his excitement. Demonic Gold wasn’t just a cultivation resource, but a valuable trading material in the coastal towns. Finally, he was rich!

“Humm...” A faint sound, nearly imperceptible, reached his ears. Even amidst the allure of the gold, Dick remained cautious, sensing something was amiss.

“Boom!” He dodged to the side, swinging his blade in a fierce arc.

A Demonic Gold Beast emerged! Its dark body blended into the shadows of the tunnel.

Damn! After days without any sign, three showed up at once.

After several exchanges, Dick turned and fled.

One of the beasts pounced, but as Dick retreated, he unleashed his battle blade, executing a move from the "Fiery Cloud Step" technique—a counterattack powered by the momentum of his rapid spin. His left hand drove a finely crafted short sword straight into the beast’s head.

“Phew!” Finally, after advancing to a mid-level warrior, Dick had mastered the “Counterattack with Momentum” technique, supported by his bloodline aura.

The battle had barely lasted half a minute before Dick swiftly dispatched the first beast. The pressure lessened considerably.

After a few more evasive maneuvers, a dozen small fireballs formed at Dick’s chest. Two fireballs led the charge as Dick’s aura surged, combining with the tidal force of his bloodline. His blade struck with overwhelming power, shattering the beast’s tough arm.

With another swift strike, the second Demonic Gold Beast fell. Dick then launched the remaining ten fireballs at the last beast, which had attempted to flee. The fireballs covered a wide area, cutting off its escape through the tunnel walls.

Though one of the fireballs didn’t cause much damage, it gave Dick the chance to close in.

He killed the third beast and collapsed to the ground, still on high alert. Who knew if more were lurking nearby?

Time—he needed time to recover his depleted battle energy. Though his mana was largely untouched, his battle energy had been drained. For now, that was still his primary strength.