The tunnel of the mine was eerily quiet, with time slowly slipping by. Dick was fortunate—no further magibeasts appeared. After regaining much of his combat aura and magic power, he scavenged seventy or eighty pieces of magic gold from the walls.

"It seems magibeasts are indeed a type of magical beast," he mused. Of the three slain magibeasts, their bodies crumbled into stone, yet each left behind a magic crystal core—the source of their power in battle.

However, compared to regular magical beasts, magibeasts were far smaller, barely larger than Dick himself, and their combat prowess was significantly weaker than their counterparts of the same rank.

Magibeasts could travel freely through the stone walls, likely due to their stone-like bodies. Were they earth-elemental mutated magical beasts? Dick wasn’t sure.

The magic cores from the three magibeasts couldn’t be kept for himself; they served as proof of his mission's success and could be exchanged for family contribution points. These points were crucial—they allowed him to trade for the cultivation resources he needed within the family.

A level four magibeast’s core could be exchanged for ten points. Not bad. Earning thirty points from this trip was an unexpected gain for Dick.

Deciding not to delve deeper, Dick knew he wasn’t one to risk his life for more riches. He lingered in the mine until the eleventh day when a message talisman arrived—it was Guo Huai’s voice.

Dick responded with his own talisman, reporting his situation. He’d slain three magibeasts, a respectable enough result, surely.

Guo Huai, having tallied up the team’s progress, informed Dick they could return. It seemed all the magibeasts had been exterminated.

Good! Spending too long in the mines was a waste of time anyway.

“Dick, well done! You took down three, impressive!”

“I was just lucky. Guo Huai, all the magibeasts are dead?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Magibeasts are adept at hiding within the stone. Could any still be lurking?”

“Unlikely. Don’t forget, magibeasts also have a taste for devouring human cultivators of the same rank!” Guo Huai chuckled.

“Brother Guo, I heard that warriors can’t use spatial pouches?” Dick asked curiously, noticing that Guo Huai was indeed using one to store the spoils of battle.

“That’s in the Yan Kingdom. Their cultivation level is too low. Here in Seven Star Castle, we have spatial pouches compatible with combat aura. Nothing special.” Guo Huai spoke casually.

Fair enough. Low-level cultivation meant inferior equipment—easy to understand.

Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed overhead, as massive boulders rained down from above. One struck dangerously close to Dick, and though he dodged with all his might, fragments still struck his left arm.

Chaos erupted across the entire No. 6 magic gold mine, and the casualties were severe.

“Guo Huai!” Dick found Guo Huai, his body drenched in blood, far worse off than Dick. A boulder had crushed his lower half. Dick hurriedly pushed the rock aside—Guo Huai’s legs were mangled beyond recognition.

Acting swiftly, Dick applied magical healing ointment, managing to stabilize Guo Huai’s injuries for the time being.

Of the six family bloodline warriors, two had perished, and the remaining four were all injured. Dick had come out the least harmed.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

In the distance, the sound of explosions continued, and two figures descended from the sky, locked in magical combat.

Damn it! An earth-elemental high mage and a high-level fire warrior were locked in a fierce battle, turning the No. 6 magic gold island into a shattered battlefield.

Their avian spirit beasts couldn’t be summoned—the creatures were even more sensitive to danger.

It was Dick’s first time witnessing a battle between high-level cultivators. The mage was formidable, and the greatsword of the high-level warrior blazed with a sword light that extended one or two meters, flying out to strike from a distance… Not quite possible by normal standards, was it? In theory, a warrior’s combat aura could indeed be launched at a distance, but the power would be insufficient and the effort not worth it.

Dick’s heart pounded, fearing he’d be caught in the crossfire again.

Fortunately, the battle ended swiftly, with the mage falling to the warrior’s blade.

From a great distance, Dick could see the victorious warrior glance in his direction before collecting the fallen mage’s spoils and summoning his flying beast to depart.

High-level cultivators had no interest in lower-ranked fighters like Dick, nor did they care enough to silence witnesses.

“Kashyapa, an elder of the Tianshu family and an eighth-level mage, is dead,” Guo Huai said, recognizing the fallen mage as a member of Seven Star Castle. Damn! What kind of force dared to strike against them?

“Guo Huai, does Seven Star Castle have many enemies?” Dick inquired.

“Seven Star Castle’s influence lies mainly at sea, where the richest cultivation resources are found. The castle is strong, but its enemies are equally powerful. The knight we just saw was likely from Hong Fan Domain. Seven Star Castle and Hong Fan Domain have been at odds for years. Typically, these skirmishes involve low to mid-level fighters, but this time, high-level warriors and mages were involved.”

Guo Huai’s words hinted that something larger was brewing. High-level cultivators were rare and invaluable; they wouldn’t engage in battle, let alone fall, without serious cause.

As for the heavy casualties among the miners and guards on the No. 6 magic gold island, what could be done? They were unlucky. After all, the one who unleashed the meteor spell was a mage from the Tianshu family—technically, one of Seven Star Castle’s own.

With the mission complete, it was time to return. Of the six who came, two were dead—not entirely Guo Huai’s fault, just unfortunate.

Guo Huai’s legs were only temporarily treated by magical potions. Further treatment was needed back at the Yaoguang family to avoid lasting damage.

Becoming crippled would be a serious issue.

The mage’s main target had been the high-level warriors. The meteors that struck Dick’s group were scattered remnants, far weaker in power.

Upon returning to Yaoguang Mountain and completing the mission, Dick could feel the tense atmosphere looming over the mountain.

Three days later, Dick received word from Mentor Meng Qing. There hadn’t been a full-scale war yet, but Seven Star Castle’s Tianshu family had sent out an eighth-level warrior to settle the conflict in a single duel.

Though it was said to resolve the conflict, Meng Qing implied the grudge between the two great forces had only deepened. He warned Dick that future missions would likely see him clashing directly with Hong Fan Domain’s cultivators—fights to the death.

Very well. At least now he was mentally prepared. A life of constant battle was the fate of any cultivator. Whether one lived or died, who could say?

Ultimately, it was the high-level cultivators who decided the course of conflict. For someone like Dick, he was little more than cannon fodder.

Later, Dick headed to the coastal town, purchasing a small magic array. Magic gold couldn’t be used directly; only through a magic array could its energy be converted into usable magic for a mage.

Dick’s harvest from the No. 6 magic gold island had been substantial, and he’d acquired a fine magic array in exchange.

Back in his dwelling, he resumed his cultivation—after all, that was his priority.

A month passed, and another mission came. Dick had no choice but to go; the tense situation meant that every intermediate-level cultivator in the Yaoguang family had a monthly obligation to take on tasks.

This time, many warriors from Yaoguang Mountain were dispatched, led by the aloof white-haired Fischer. Not only the Yaoguang family but two other major families were also involved in the mission.

Over a hundred warriors gathered. On a certain island, Seven Star Castle’s mid-level warriors and those from Hong Fan Domain engaged in a chaotic battle. Fortunately, since they were all intermediate warriors, the fights were generally one-on-one. At least, in the beginning.

Were Hong Fan Domain’s warriors particularly formidable? Dick didn’t think so. His opponent was a level four warrior, with slightly higher cultivation than Dick, but Dick held a clear advantage in aura. In less than ten minutes, Dick had dealt with his adversary.

Damn it! He had barely finished with one opponent when two more rushed at him, making it two against one. Among them was an expert whose strength rivaled that of a fifth-level bloodline warrior. No honor at all.