With the silver delivered and their points collected it was time to depart. Lin Liqin pulled Ku Wang Xiaobo aside, “Jia Ying looks like she wants some more time with Zemin, so we'll travel with them through the mines. Why don't you take the carriage back?” Ku Wang Xiaobo agreed, interacting with his cousins in such a casual way was still awkward for him and he didn't wish to prolong the experience.
After seeing Ku Wang Xiaobo off Lin Liqin rejoined the rest on the platform as they prepared to head down into the mine. As the lift began its decent Ku Yu Zhengzhong suggested, “How about a friendly race back to Fort Grendel? I'm sure there is a bonus for the first team to finish, not to mention first dibs on items from the point store.”
“That sounds like fun. Care to join me, Qin?” Tsubame asked with a bright smile.
“How could I decline an invitation from such a beautiful woman?” Lin Liqin asked in return. Tsubame rolled her eyes in response, but that didn't stop her from taking his arm when he offered it. Speaking over his shoulder, Lin Liqin added, “Little miss, why don't you and Zemin sit this one out?”
Ku Qin Zemin snuck a glance at Ming Jia Ying as she hid her blushing face against his chest before responding, “We're going to take our time. When we reach the first floor let me check with my teammates to see if they want to join you before you start.”
“That's fine with me,” Ku Yu Zhengzhong agreed while the others nodded along. He turned to Ku Xue, “Well cousin, will you be joining us?”
“I'm not in any rush, I'll just go at my own pace,” Ku Xue answered.
The lift lurched as it cleared the final distance, coming to a stop at the first level of the mine. Ku Qin Zemin and Ku Yu Zhengzhong both approached the men they had waiting and invited them to join in the race. The five guards that had joined Ku Qin Zemin via the point store's reassignment voucher initially declined when they heard he wouldn't be participating, wishing to accompany him, but he instead ordered them to guard the elevator to prevent any other teams from completing their mission. Once they determined who would be joining in on the fun Ku Xue gave them a countdown before they all took off, playfully pushing each other as they attempted to pass one another in the tight passageways.
“There were some interesting natural crystal formations on the fifth floor. If you're interested I could guide you,” Ku Qin Zemin offered as he turned his attention back to his fiance.
Ming Jia Ying smiled at the suggestion as she sent out several pulses through the ground. “I'd love to see the crystals. Before that though we should make a quick stop on the fourth floor. It looks like the remaining teams are down there trying to dig up some extra silver. We really should let them know they're just wasting their time.”
“It's the polite thing to do,” Ku Qin Zemin stated matter of factly as a devious smile played at his lips.
Ku Xue was standing just a bit away from the couple while he'd been observing the floor where Ming Jia Ying's pulse had passed. “You two make quite the pair,” he said absentmindedly without lifting his gaze before releasing a pulse of his own.
“And you are quite the monster, trying to copy a technique you've only seen a handful of times,” Ming Jia Ying jokingly chided.
“Actually, he's the Ku Clan's lazy genius,” Ku Qin Zemin added knowing that the old nickname no longer bothered his cousin now that he'd decided to take his cultivation seriously.
Ku Xue ignored their comments and shook his head, “It's just a cheap imitation. Once the Chi travels beyond the area I can see I quickly lose all sense of it. I'm not sure how you're using it to scout ahead. It is very mystical.”
“The basis of the technique is my mother's signature move. She's currently living in the capital. After the tournament I'll introduce you. My friends and I have to move on soon, but if you make a good impression maybe she'll give you a few pointers. If you manage to learn her technique I'll explain how to use it for scouting through your Encyclopedia page,” Ming Jia Ying offered out of consideration for Ku Wei. She knew how important it was to him that his brother stay safe and the easiest way to do that was to increase his strength.
The three walked together for a while before Ku Xue bid them farewell at a fork in the tunnel. As they started making their way down to the second level Ming Jia Ying couldn't help but giggle. Ku Qin Zemin gave her a questioning look, “Care to let me in on the joke?”
As she tried to speak all her fiance could make out between bouts of laughter was, “...go at his own pace...”
“What does this have to do with Cousin Xue? Oh... that is delightfully underhanded,” Ku Qin Zemin said as he began to chuckle as well. He finally realized that they had left Ku Xue on the first floor. They were heading down to the second just like the others that had raced off before them. From here they would need to head down to at least the third floor where they would have to navigate a maze of tunnels to reach the other side of the mine or continue down to the fifth floor where the crossing was much easier. Ku Xue on the other hand was headed for the cave in separating the first floor. If he could successfully carve a path through with his earth techniques it would drastically reduce the distance he needed to travel. The more Ku Qin Zemin thought about it the harder he laughed until he could barely stammer, “...they are racing for second place...”
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The two continued to laugh as they made their way hand in hand down to the third floor. The sound reached the remaining teams that were trying to mine a little extra silver on the fourth floor, the echo of it through the chambers of the mine was distorting the sound and lending it a dreadful quality that caused their hairs to stand on end.
As they approached the entrance to the fourth floor they could hear the repetitive sound of pickaxes chipping away at the walls in some nearby corridor. “We'll take the second left and the first team will be around the bend. The next team is far enough away that we shouldn't have to worry about them,” Ming Jia Ying said in steady hushed tones as she took the lead.
Obviously, there were no deep grievances between them and the other teams, this was supposed to be a friendly competition after all. The plan was to handle this first group quickly and quietly so as not to alert the other teams. As the turned the corner and approached the bend they could hear conversation, but couldn't make out the words. Peeking around the bend revealed the standard three man team. Ming Jia Ying was fairly confident they didn't have an earth cultivator based on their reliance on the picks to excavate the silver.
Confident she wouldn't be discovered Ming Jia Ying began to mobilize her Chi and make subtle changes to the ground beneath the three. She silently pointed out a small hole that had appeared at Ku Qin Zemin's feet and motioned for him to fill it with water. Through his Chi he discovered that she'd created a small pocket under the other team as he filled it with water. When he motioned back that he was done she sent a small wind blade around the bend where it cut into the handle of one of their picks causing its head to snap off as it hit the wall a moment later.
The pick head stuck in the ground where it fell. Water began bubbling up, making the floor a mucky mess. While the pick user stared at the broken handle dumbfoundedly one of his teammates mused, “It must have hit an underground spring.”
The other member disagreed, “How can there be a spring? There is another floor below us.”
Before they had time to debate it further Ku Qin Zemin made his move. The pool of water gathering at their feet suddenly produced tendrils that whipped at their legs causing them to stumble. Ming Jia Ying followed suit. The moister made the earth more pliable, with a quick circulation of her Chi the ground formed muddy chains that bound the three's arms and legs. Ku Qin Zemin recalled the water causing the chains to quickly dry and harden, leaving the other team little hope of escape.
As Ming Jia Ying was preparing to try and convince them to obediently surrender so she could undo the chains a gust of wind stirred up the corridor. The strange current of air removed their opponents' badges and gently placed them in her hand. Her and her partner turned around to find the source of the breeze, a middle aged man in a pristine uniform. They immediately identified him as one of the proctors for tournament and gave slight bows. The proctor returned a brief nod before motioning for them to move along as he stated, “I'll ensure any eliminated teams are returned to Fort Grendel safely.”
Ming Jia Ying had been unable to detect the proctor and made a mental note to mention it to Tomo as they returned to the main pathway through floor four. The next team was a ways down and on the right. The issue was that the two teams after that seemed to be working together and were just around the corner. It wouldn't take much to alert them to what was happening next door.
Reaching the corridor with the next team they noticed that it was a long straightaway with no way for them to approach unseen. Additionally, this team had an earth cultivator with them and Ming Jia Ying doubted she could manipulate the ground beneath his feet without him noticing. She relayed her worries to Ku Qin Zemin, but he gave her one of his signature smiles in return. “We can use the fact he'll notice to our advantage,” he said. She was instantly reminded that her grandfather had wanted her to learn feints from Ku Qin Zemin and now seemed like as good a time as any.
Under Ku Qin Zemin's directions she targeted the member furthest in the back with an earthen pillar. The technique caused a column of earth to rush up and collide with the target. The earth cultivator noticed but not in time to warn his teammate who took the pillar on the chin and was unceremoniously knocked out. Now both the earth cultivator and his remaining teammate were looking the wrong way as they rushed in from the rear.
Ming Jia Ying released another earthen pillar targeting the earth cultivator this time. He jumped back, laughing, “Did you think that would...” but before he could finish his sentence Ku Qin Zemin released a jet of water that hit the back of his head and caused him to face-plant into the stone column before him.
After losing his two teammates the third member finally turned to face them in time to see a jet of water headed his way as well. Noticing a flash of light in the remaining opponents hand Ming Jia Ying acted on instinct and erected a wall of earth in front of Ku Qin Zemin. He ran into it face first and got a bloody nose for the trouble, but it was better than the arc of lightning that followed the stream of water into the other side. Fortunately, the lightning cultivator was now soaked and accidentally electrocuted himself when he tried to release his next bolt.
Unfortunately, the crack of the lightning had alerted the remaining two teams and Ming Jia Ying could sense them coming to investigate as she helped Ku Qin Zemin stem the flow of blood from his nose. He noticed her worried expression and guessed the problem with a nasally voice due to his plugged nostrils, “They're on their way, aren't they?”
Ming Jia Ying just nodded in response. Ku Qin Zemin quickly ran through all the info he'd memorized about the remaining teams. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “One of the teams is all fire users,” he said gleefully as he scrambled to the other side of the earth wall. “How good is your control over the wind elements?” he asked as he started draining all the moister from the environment.
“Wind and water are lagging behind earth a bit, but they are far ahead of fire and ice,” she admitted candidly, putting all of her cards on the table.
Ku Qin Zemin smiled once again. “That will do nicely,” he said before instructing her start slashing the nearby support beams with wind blades.
As the enemy teams began making their way down the corridor all they could see were several stone protrusions blocking their view. They had to proceed slowly as their opponents could be hiding around any corner. Suddenly, two stone walls sprang up on either side of the group. There was no lamp in this section so the three fire users created small balls of flame to light the area. They didn't have any earth cultivators, but a water cultivator and an ice cultivator working together would make short work of the wall before them. Unfortunately, before they could get to work a sudden breeze whipped up the large amount of sawdust gathered on the floor and carried it into the fire cultivators flames. The resulting explosion was enough to render the remaining two teams unconscious.
Ming Jia Ying lowered the first wall, revealing that the opponents were largely fine, but the fire cultivators were all missing their eyebrows. As the second wall came down the proctor was there once again. Seeing that they had already collected the badges he gave them a simple nod before going about his business.
As they continued down to the fifth floor Ming Jia Ying asked, “How'd you know the sawdust would react like that?”
“One of the Qin Province's sawmills was damaged last year when one of the workers thought it'd be faster to clean up with his fire techniques than a broom. It was not.”
The two finally arrived at the location with the crystals Ku Qin Zemin had mentioned. Silently, he produced a fruit pastry from his pocket. It had been carefully wrapped in a cloth, but had been crushed at some point during their little adventure on the fourth floor. Despite its looks it was still incredibly tasty and the two were all smiles as they sat under the twinkling lights of the crystals.
Two hours later they returned to the surface and the safety of Fort Grendel. As the fiances exited the lift together while holding hands Lin Liqin and Tsubame moved to welcome them back, but were quickly overtaken by Ku Shen who was shouting, “What are you doing with Zemin, Yingying?”