NCCnovel Chapter 260 The Great Master of Netherworld Patterns
Chapter 260 The Great Master of Netherworld Patterns
I've gathered most of the information I needed.
Sun Wukong grinned at Zhao Tiezhu:
"Thanks, foreman. I have a general idea of the situation now, I'm off!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wukong headed in the direction of the mine that Zhao Tiezhu had pointed out!
......
The eighteenth level of hell, the deep mining area.
Sun Wukong carried the specially made underworld pickaxe he had received at the entrance of the mine.
This pickaxe was forged from the spines of ferocious beasts that the ancestral witches had eaten, and it is extremely strong.
Wukong walked down a sloping mine tunnel, the surrounding rock walls gleaming with a grayish-white metallic sheen.
That was the exposed part of the Netherworld Ore, which was extremely hard and could not be penetrated by ordinary tools.
"New guy? Come over here!"
An old ghost saw Wukong enter and waved to him, calling out...
At this moment, seven or eight undead miners had gathered around him, each with a formidable aura, and all seemed capable of exchanging blows with Wukong.
Of course, those who can get here are basically those whose cultivation is about to reach perfection.
The batch of ghosts waiting to have their pure ghost energy and concentrated spiritual power harvested!
However, without their knowledge, at least they have hope and are happy now that they are mining!
When it comes to reincarnation, it's uncertain, since debts incurred in one's previous life must be repaid!
"My name is Wei Kun, and I'm the leader of your team." Old Ghost Wei Kun pointed to the mine shaft behind him.
"Our mission today is to mine the 'Netherworld Crystal Core' from this vein."
This thing is embedded deep in the rock strata; you have to break through thirty feet of rock to find it.
Be careful, everyone, and stay alert. The recoil from the Netherworld Rock Layer can shatter your soul.
Don't end up losing your soul instead of finding any ore.
"If it shatters me, I'm not responsible; you're just unlucky!"
Upon hearing this, all the departed souls nodded in agreement.
Sun Wukong didn't speak, his eyes darting around as he observed his surroundings.
This was a habit he developed in the previous levels of hell—to ensure the safety of his surroundings and prevent ghosts from launching sneak attacks!
He kept weighing the pickaxe in his hand, feeling that it wasn't as comfortable as the stick he had picked up.
"Then let's get started!" Old Ghost Wei Kun commanded.
Upon receiving the order, the ghosts immediately dispersed, and soon the sound of hammering picks filled the mine.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
As soon as the first pickaxe struck, Sun Wukong sensed that the ore was indeed extraordinary.
With his cultivation at the mid-stage of the Great Luo realm, this swing of the pickaxe only sent up a few sparks, leaving only a faint white mark on the rock wall.
"..."
Before he could even wonder, the recoil surged like a tidal wave, making his hands go numb and his head spin a little!
"Hahaha!" The ghosts around him noticed his movement and immediately burst into laughter, their laughter eerie and sinister!
"Hey kid, you're new here, aren't you?! Don't use brute force."
A nearby ghost, while mocking him, kindly offered a reminder.
"The rock strata here are soft but not hard, so you have to dig along its texture."
Do you see those subtle streaks of light on the rock face? Those are the traces left by the flow of ghostly energy.
That's where the rock is most vulnerable. Follow the trajectory with your pickaxe, and make sure you don't go to the wrong spot; it'll make things much easier.
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong activated his Golden Eyes of Truth and focused his gaze. Sure enough, he discovered a very faint, ghostly light flowing across the surface of the grayish-white rock wall.
He then adjusted his angle and, following the trajectory of the blow, swung his pickaxe down with a sudden burst.
"Snap!"
This time, a thin crack appeared in the rock wall!
"Hey! Not bad!"
"It's rare to see a newcomer achieve a kill on the first try!" the ghost laughed.
"I think you have good talent, keep up the good work."
Mining is a minor matter; the key is that this place is extremely beneficial for cultivation, so don't be easily eliminated!
Sun Wukong became interested upon hearing this:
"How so?"
"You'll figure it out yourself eventually!"
These patterns are not simple patterns; you just need to observe them carefully when you dig!
I can't tell you anything else! Saying too much will only harm you!
Hearing this, Sun Wukong felt a warmth in his heart and murmured:
"This ghost is actually quite nice! It actually told me so much."
I thought the eighteen levels of hell were for the most heinous criminals!
The spirit, hearing the monkey's mutterings, was not angry; instead, it laughed and said:
"Although I committed many bad deeds in my life, they were all out of necessity."
In this vast and untamed world, if you don't compete and fight, you'll get nothing.
If you don't kill them, they'll turn around and kill you!
But things are different now. Now I just want to be a good ghost!
After saying this, the ghost ignored Wukong and went back to mining as if it had remembered something from the past.
Upon hearing this, Wukong suddenly realized that mining... might be the true essence of cultivation in the eighteen levels of hell.
It is not about fighting or killing, but about observing the most essential Tao in the most basic and repetitive labor, which can cultivate both the body and the mind!
"Thanks, buddy ghost."
Sun Wukong sincerely thanked him, though he received no further response.
He didn't mind and began his mining training.
......
In the days that followed, Sun Wukong became completely immersed in mining.
He doesn't care about speed or the amount of mining, since no one will rush him anyway.
Before each swing of his pickaxe, Wukong carefully observed the patterns and comprehended the Daoist principles within them, while also frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy to enhance his own strength.
At first, he just thought the patterns were strange and couldn't figure out anything. It was really just like mining, mainly to improve his physical strength.
Gradually, he was able to discern the fundamental elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth from the patterns.
Later on, he could even perceive the interplay of wind, thunder, light, darkness, and time and space...
A hundred years later,
With a single swing of his pickaxe, Wukong could follow the grain of the rock, causing the entire rock layer to unfold naturally like flower petals, revealing the Netherworld Crystal Core deep within.
This smoothness is like striking obsidian with a specially made hammer—it's incredibly satisfying!
Such efficiency naturally left Wei Kun, the leader of Wukong's team, dumbfounded.
"You little rascal, you used to deal with ores a lot, right? You picked it up so quickly!"
Wei Kun couldn't help but ask.
Sun Wukong grinned upon hearing this:
"This is my first time mining, but I guess I deal with 'ore' quite often!"
Wukong didn't explain further; he couldn't very well tell the other party...
Is it because I was born from a stone that I'm familiar with stones?
"Tsk tsk tsk! Is this your first time mining?!"
"Your talent is truly remarkable."
Wei Kun couldn't help but reminisce about the past with emotion.
"I've been digging here for ten thousand years, exploring and experimenting for so many years, to reach your level and become a squad leader!"
"It's true what they say, even ghosts are more infuriating than ghosts!"
Young man, do you have some special skill or technique at your disposal?
Tell me what you have to say, and I'll give you a share of the harvest!
"No," Sun Wukong replied honestly.
"I just feel... these patterns are very familiar."
I feel like I've seen this somewhere before.
He genuinely felt a sense of familiarity, not just because his true form was a Chaos Immortal Stone.
Furthermore, it is because the Daoist principles contained in these patterns are essentially similar to the two sacred powers within his body.
The essence of the sword intent that reaches the heavens is to break—to break free from constraints and to cut through all obstacles.
The essence of guiding the two people's aspirations is to gather, to unite their beliefs, and to shape an order that conforms to their Western values.
The patterns on these ghostly rocks perfectly correspond to the evolutionary process from nothing to something, from one to ten thousand.
After all, this Netherworld was created based on the earth and rooted in chaos, making it inherently extraordinary.
Even the stones of this world can be of great benefit if one can glean even a little insight from them.
Wukong mining here is essentially observing the true meaning of creation within the chaos.
……
A thousand years later,
Sun Wukong has become a master of pattern analysis in the deep mining areas.
The spirits of the dead often come to him with rocks they can't dig out, seeking his advice.
With the help of his penetrating golden eyes, he could always spot the key patterns at a glance and point out the angle and force with which the opponent should strike with the pickaxe.