Chapter 7: Xu Qing

  No doubt, this has become a big question mark. However, Xiao Hong no longer has that much time to ponder over it. He glanced at the Time Seal and saw that it was already 8 o'clock. Obviously, if he didn't enter the mountain to collect medicine now, it would be difficult to return on time in the afternoon and miss the calm period of the fourth layer of the mine. As a result, today's plan would also be completely disrupted.

  "I'll figure it out later," Xiao Hong muttered to himself. He carefully placed the two magic beads in a small pocket of his undergarments and sealed the opening to prevent them from getting lost. After reorganizing his belongings, he hastily rushed out of the house and waited alone in the nearby mountain forest.

  This mountain forest is vast and almost wraps up half of the city of Taiwu.

  Standing on the mountain top, one can even faintly see the outline of Taiwu City, a square and regular big city with towering buildings in the center, dense and straight streets.

  The distance from the foot of the mountain to Dongcheng Quarry is about ten kilometers, which is not very far. There is a small town between them called Dongcheng Town.

  Some of the miners from Dongcheng Quarry came from there. At this moment, a wisp of smoke was rising from there.

  Such a scene, Xiao Hong had seen countless times, and didn't have much feeling, turned around and went down the mountain from another hillside, quickly walking deep into the forest, moving nimbly, his eyes constantly rotating in their sockets, carefully observing the nearby dangers and the needed herbs.

  In his mind, he kept thinking about the shape of the herbs he needed and the suitable environment for their growth, and then deliberately searched for them.

  Of course, with Xiao Hong's current abilities, he can only be active in the outer zone of the forest. As for the evil cave forest inside the forest, he doesn't dare to step into it half a step.

  Although precious herbs grow there, it is indeed a very dangerous place where powerful spiritual beasts live. Ordinary people entering it are equivalent to delivering food to the spiritual beasts.

  Only those who can control the battle tattoos of level three or above dare to enter in pairs, which is also why Sang Hongyun spent a lot of effort training a batch of elite medicine boys.

  Where there are precious herbs, there is often the existence of spiritual beasts. Where there are spiritual beasts, it undoubtedly means battle.

  At noon, Xiao Hong walked out of the forest, grasping the time just right. This was also a habit formed in the fourth layer of the mine, where time was almost calculated by the second.

  The medicine basket on his back was full of all sorts of strange herbs, and in his hands he held a lively green fish and a small bag of red fruit, which wasn't any herb but Xiao Hong's snack.

  Every time he enters the forest, Xiao Hong will bring out game, although there is a canteen in the quarry, but food is not free, and it's hard to see meat dishes.

  Saving one meal is a meal, this is also Xiao Hong's consistent style for his own medical treatment, every bit must be saved, although the days are bitter, but Xiao Hong firmly believes that as long as he can survive, everything will get better.

  Put the Qinglin fish with a thin vine still tied to it into a basin filled with clear water, put a small handful of red flower fruit in a small bowl on the desk, leave it for evening enjoyment, then eat the last two pieces of pine oil handle in the drawer, and change into a crane-mouthed shovel and wooden box, leaving the house.

  Although he still had eighteen gold coins in savings and his physical illness had been alleviated, Xiao Hongke did not want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor. He was very clear that there were many places where money would be spent in the future.

  Especially in the aspect of pattern making, materials and tools are all needed to be spent money on, this is also why most people can improve their riding skills, but why there aren't many people practicing riding skills.

  Whether it's weaving or riding, both are quite expensive. Practicing weaving requires a lot of materials for practice, and a lot of materials means a lot of money.

  The same goes for the control pattern, taking the most common light wing battle magic pattern as an example, one piece can be used 100 times, worth 50 silver coins, which is almost enough for a ordinary family to live for half a year.

  And the higher the driving force, the higher the magic pattern required, and the value is also higher.

  A year ago, in the auction house of Taiwu City, a shocking price was set for a Grade-A War Magic Pattern, which sold for 2,800 gold coins.

  Of course, the level of Yu Shi is still far away for Xiao Hong. For now, it's more practical for him to take things one step at a time and be down-to-earth.

  Upon arriving at the mine entrance, Xiao Hong didn't hesitate and nimbly entered it. He was very familiar with the path and quickly made his way through the tunnels until he reached the vicinity of the fourth level mine shaft entrance.

  However, at this moment, Xiao Hong found that Li Le was holding a brand new pickaxe, crying with a sad face, and desperately digging on the rocky wall.

  Seeing Xiao Hong walking quickly from afar, Li Le instantly put on a tearful face and pitifully said to Xiao Hong: "Brother Hong, save me."

  Li Le put on such an appearance, Xiao Hong didn't find it strange at all. Although the quarry had few restrictions on miners, with more work comes more pay and less work means less pay, no work means no pay. However, by the end of the month, they must complete their corresponding workload, otherwise, next month's wages will be calculated at 80%.

  This is also a way to urge miners, otherwise, if the miners collectively stop working, how can the quarry make money.

  Li Le's usual style is that at the beginning of the month, he has nothing to do and spends his days leisurely, but by the end of the month, he starts to panic, probably because his task quota is not fulfilled.

  "How much is left?" Looking at Li Le's appearance, Xiao Hong didn't ask what the matter was and directly went to the point.

  "This time it's a bit more, ten bucks." Li Le said with tears in her eyes.

  Xiao Hong didn't respond to anything, and instead turned around in place, his eyes scanning the surrounding rock formations with extreme meticulousness, observing the slightest changes. After about a minute, Xiao Hong slowly took a step forward and lightly tapped on a rock wall.

  With a "slap" sound, a point of deep red appeared on the rock wall, which was exactly the War Blood Stone, a cheap production material for Rider-class Magic Crests.

  However, in the eyes of miners, it is a treasure. The quarry has rules: one such stone can be exchanged for 10 low-quality white jade stones or three high-quality white jade stones. Of course, due to its extreme rarity, it is unrealistic to rely on it as a long-term source of income.

  Seeing a patch of crimson on the rock wall, Li Le's round and shiny eyes flashed with a hint of light. Without a doubt, Xiao Hong had solved all his problems with just one gentle touch.

  "Hong Ge, thank you so much! Your great kindness and virtue, I, Li Le, will never forget. " Li Le's eyes sparkled with a smile, her facial expressions changing at an incredible speed, that one face which made people want to kick it was now blooming like a flower.

  "Take this Bloodstone and use it to make up the number, the wages exchanged for it will be mine." Xiao Hong's expression remained unchanged as he spoke to Li Le, who nodded repeatedly in response, his face full of gratitude.

  Xiao Hong didn't say anything else, grasped one end of the rope and went straight down to the fourth floor. Then he started searching tirelessly for what he was looking for - crystal sandstone and high-quality white jade.

  For high-quality white jade, Xiao Hong has been searching for it and is already familiar with it. As for crystal sandstone, Xiao Hong had also discovered it when collecting white jade before, so it's not difficult to find it again.

  It was only two hours, and Xiao Hong was ready to leave. After all, it's different now, there's no need to be so desperate. He glanced at the six high-quality white jade rough stones in the wooden box, as well as a small handful of crystal sand about the size of a fingernail, and a faint smile appeared on Xiao Hong's face. The harvest was pretty good.

  Xiao Hong opened a hidden compartment in the wooden box, wrapped the crystal sandstone the size of a fingernail in a small piece of cloth, stuffed it inside, and then resealed the compartment.

  In Dongcheng Quarry, there is a clear rule that everything in the mine belongs to Dongcheng Quarry and all miners are not allowed to appropriate materials from the mine as their own.

  Of course, for this kind of inspection, it's not very strict either. As long as there are no major mistakes, that's fine. The reason is simple: white jade is not a rare thing.

  As for the relatively expensive crystal sandstone, unfortunately, the Dongcheng Quarry doesn't know yet if their mine has this kind of thing. Firstly, the reserves are not much, and secondly, from the fourth layer to now, there is only Xiao Hong, one living person left.

  Having settled everything, Xiao Hong left the mine without stopping for a moment.

  After exchanging wages for processing stone materials at the foot of the mountain, Xiao Hong sent the wooden box back home and walked to a pharmacy not far from the quarry without stopping.

  It was on the outskirts of Dongcheng Quarry, called Miaodan Medicine Hall, which not only sold various Dan medicines, herbal medicines and the lowest-grade medicine magic patterns, but also treated illnesses.

  Business is booming, the reason is that there are many miners here, and bumps and bruises are inevitable. Of course, the price of medical treatment is also quite expensive, a full one-third higher than the medical halls in Taiwu City.

  But there's no other way, this is the only medical institution around here. Either come and get slaughtered or resist.

  As soon as he pushed open the door and walked into the medical hall, a faint scent of herbal medicine wafted into Xiao Hong's nostrils. This was a small hall with a cargo rack facing him, on which were placed various kinds of medicinal pellets, most of which were for treating external injuries. In a prominent position, two Medicine Demon Patterns were also placed in exquisitely crafted wooden boxes, almost like exhibits.

  Because ordinary miners simply don't have the economic strength to use medicine with magic patterns that cost dozens of silver coins.

  On the right side of the hall, there were two more beds with patients moaning and groaning on them. They were local miners who had been injured by falling rocks.

  In another corner of the hall, in a small room separated by transparent glass, Xiao Hong could clearly see that Xu Qing was leaning against a delicate wooden chair, with a cigarette in his mouth and a cup of clear tea on the small wooden table in front of him. Beside him sat a slender and elegant woman.

  The owner of the pharmacy, Xu Nan, was carefully serving, and this Xu Nan is actually Xu Qing's younger brother. Now it's not surprising why there is only one pharmacy here, and the reason for the high price is also clear.

  Xu Qing is the master of the quarry, and can be considered a local tyrant. Other small pharmacies cannot open here, and are directly driven away. With his third-level martial arts skills, ordinary people are not his match, so no one dares to provoke him.

  As for miners, they are even more so, although the price is high, they can only get angry but dare not speak.