Molting the Mortal Coil

The mine that caused the death of Lang Sheng!

This new body of his was only mediocre (basically like his old body), and he didn’t have any great status in the clan. That meant the only way he was going to get ahead was by having more resources. Uncle Zhang had already spent most of his favors years ago to allow Sage to be a cultivator, and his Uncle could only earn so much pull with the clan. That meant if he wanted resources, he was going to have to earn resources.

A week later, Sage felt he’d done enough preparations for an initial trip. He’d focused on reading the books related to the clan’s history and specifically mentions of any related to mining or weapon refining. He’d eventually found the old official names for them and even dug up a very generalized map of one of the back mines. Once the dinner had ended and the evening meditation was on the schedule, Sage grabbed a knapsack from underneath his mattress and snuck out of the house. Crossing the courtyard and leaping over the wall, he walked down the gravel path between Uncle’s house and others of the clan.

It wasn’t as if going out in the evening was forbidden in the clan, it’s just that he got hurt last time in the mines and Sage was sure that Uncle Zhang would stop him from going again. He didn’t have any memories of his first visit there, but given how much stronger Sage was in comparison to the original eight year Lang Sheng… he had a much higher chance of success. Not bothering to waste time, Sage just went directly to the area behind the Lang Clan. The Clan’s grounds were on the outskirts of Lionheart Town, up against the mountain range that the town was built next to. There was a small valley at the edge of clan territory which they referred to as the ‘Back Garden’. In addition, the Clan owned the adjacent mountains. The furthest one had a mine which was known as the ‘back mines’. It was the oldest of their mines and had been closed long ago due to the dangers involved.

The elders of the clan actually had a secret plan for the area. They were planning on letting it mature for a few more years before building it into their own version of a training ground. Sending people in to search for treasures and earn rewards. They’d closed it with fabrications of it being incredibly dangerous in order to keep people out and let the resources within age undisturbed. Sage knew nothing of this, instead he simply was too curious about just what sort of thing had killed the previous owner of his body. As he approached the entrance to the back mine he stopped as he saw a huge stone door, covered in strange marks and symbols, blocking the path.

Locked.

Sage frowned and then he reached into the front of his robes, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. It was a copy of the map for the mines that he’d found. It wasn’t incredibly detailed but it was something he thought was useful and spent time copying himself. He was looking for a second entrance and to confirm that this was in fact the mine he was looking for. Confirming it was the right place he grumbled at the sudden end to his first journey. About to fold up the map he stopped as he noticed something about the tunnels drawn. There was a tunnel that branched off to the left and nearly returned to the entrance. Looking over to the left of the entrance it looked like a set of huge pillaring rocks had sheared off and fallen to their side.

Curious, Sage went over towards the fallen rocks to take a closer look. Being careful not to fall into anything, he didn’t immediately notice anything. Not wanting to give up so easily, he climbed up a slope of scree and found a rock outcropping. There was an area of darkness between a few of the larger rocks, which upon investigation turned out to be a small hole. Too small for Sage to fit through, he started to get discourage before remembering his Iron Mantis! Calling forth the little guy from his Dantian, he sent the Mantis in with a thought, having him head inside and try to find a larger entrance.

Waiting a few minutes, he finally got an affirmative through his bond with the mantis. He imagined it’s what synesthesia was like. Getting one sense through a different sense, like hearing colors. It was like he felt images from what the Mantis saw, like pictures were rubbing against his skin yet he knew what the Mantis had seen somehow. It was super weird to get used to. Within the Chong Clan you have to quite quickly get used to having creepy sensations on your skin. Having a colony of ants walk over you was a popular kids game in the clan. Following the route the Mantis took, Sage guessed he had to climb up even higher and then he’d find a small chute that had opened up. His connection with the Mantis led him right to its position, the entrance to the Mine.

Taking a good look around to remember exactly where this entrance was, Sage then took out a rope from his knapsack and tied it around a nearby outcropping on a huge boulder. Making sure it was secure before he took out a fire starting kit and ignited a torch. It was pretty fun to use a flint and steel just like he’d seen in movies. The ropes and torches were one of the things he’d prepared for this exploration, having some guesses on what he’d need since he’d raided plenty of dungeons back on tabletops. His major regret was not being able to afford any magic tools, he was eager to see if they made retractable ten foot poles in this world. Torch in one hand and end of the rope in the other, he started carefully down the chute. The rope was looped around his waist and he controlled the free end with friction to restrain his descent.

The route in was like a stone slide, angled to the side and with a crack down the center. A massive rock had a huge crack on it and this crevice led right into the edge of one of the mine tunnels. It was actually just up the path from the caved in area he’d been at earlier which is why the Mantis could find it so quickly.

So far so good. It seems I’ve got my own private path into the mines now.

He didn’t even stop to think that he might just die in the caves, especially with nobody even knowing he’d gone here. Sage was far more concerned with seeing what sort of treasure this dungeon held. The chute was a bit rough and not that fast as he had to keep slowing the slide down to keep from falling into large bits of the crevice or bang into sharp outcroppings. Eventually he reached a pathway. A cave seeming to open up around him that was quite unnaturally shaped. The hall being quite rectangular from where the miners had stopped carving into the walls to form the tunnel. Not wanting to lose the point where he entered, Sage stopped to arrange some rocks into a circle around the rope hanging down from the side. He then took the rope and tied its end around a large rock making it a bit taut. Now with the rope in a place he’d have to trip over to miss, he cut off the other end of the rope and packed it back into his knapsack.

Starting down the mine tunnel deeper into the mine he stopped every few dozen feet and moved some rocks into an arrow pointing back the way he’d come. He also took out the map and referenced it anytime he had to make a turn. Things were pretty ordinary like any other closed down mine so far, so Sage started to get anxious.

Was there really nothing in this place? Wasn’t it like a dungeon? I have to fight monsters and that gives me treasure, right?

Suddenly, he noticed light coming from around the corner ahead. Slowing down and getting ready to retreat, Sage peeked around the corner and had to blink a few times in amazement. The light was caused by bioluminescent moss. Looking closely there were even green jade colored beetles working on the moss. Moving bits of it around spreading it on the walls of the cave. Even more beetles were pushing out bits of dirt and other things.

Are these guys farming the moss?