After meeting up with Xiao Simeng, the two of them boarded her flying boat artifact together and left Ningzhou City.
“According to the map, that mine is located north of Ningzhou City. It should only take two hours of flight to reach it.”
Xiao Simeng operated the flying boat while speaking to Shucao with excitement.
“Mm, I hope everything goes smoothly.”
Shucao sat on the flying boat, gazing out at the sky, murmuring to herself.
“Shucao, you’re raising a death flag there. Generally speaking, saying lines like that before something happens almost guarantees that something unexpected will occur.”
Hearing Shucao’s words, An Qianhua quickly spoke up.
“What kind of weird logic is that?”
“I once knew a magical girl whose powers were related to fate. She specifically researched this kind of thing.”
Hearing that another magical girl had actually researched this, Shucao asked curiously,
“Did she really find any results?”
“She managed to get quite a bit of research funding to buy magical tools using this method. In the end, she brushed it all off with one sentence: ‘An arrogant army is bound to lose, but a sorrowful army is sure to win’…”
“Isn’t that just messing with people!”
“Ehehe.”
Hearing Shucao’s reaction, An Qianhua laughed and continued,
“However, based on actual cases, there is indeed some probability of such things happening. Some of the results from that magical girl’s abilities also pointed in that direction. So for a while, we would deliberately raise reverse flags before carrying out missions.”
“It sounds like it makes sense, but the more you think about it, the more off it feels…”
Shucao looked at Xiao Simeng’s back as she operated the flying boat at the front and suddenly asked,
“Simeng, what kind of clothes do you want to make?”
“Ah? Let me think. This young lady plans to refine it into an artifact similar to the outfit you’re wearing, Shucao.”
“An artifact, huh.”
Xiao Simeng turned her head to glance at Shucao and said,
“Mm. Although I can’t make something that can be stored away and put on directly like yours, refining a high-grade artifact should be no problem. Though this will be my first time refining an artifact, haha.”
She scratched her head and smiled awkwardly before continuing,
“I haven’t decided on the exact design yet, but the general style will probably be similar to your artifact outfit. After all, it’s the first time I’ve seen clothes designed like that, and this young lady really likes the style. So I want my first piece of equipment artifact to have a similar design as well.”
“In that case, I’ll help you with it when the time comes.”
Shucao felt that since the clothes were meant to be similar to magical girl outfits, An Qianhua—who had seen many of them—should understand them very well and would likely be able to give Xiao Simeng plenty of suggestions.
Hearing Shucao’s reply, Xiao Simeng immediately became delighted.
“Really? Last time when I made that outfit for you, I was only letting you watch. If we can design it together this time, it might be really fun.”
Shucao smiled without saying anything more and continued looking at the scenery outside the flying boat that kept rushing backward.
Some time later, the two of them arrived at the mine.
“We’re here.”
The flying boat descended straight to the bottom of the mine.
After the two got off, Xiao Simeng pointed at a mine tunnel leading underground and said,
“According to the information, that Sharp-Horned Demon Spider is deep inside a cavern after going down this tunnel. Several fellow cultivators have already gone missing while exploring the new vein, so we must proceed with caution.”
“Mm.”
Shucao nodded, then immediately replaced her clothes with her magical outfit and held her magic wand in her hand.
“Then let’s head out.”
Xiao Simeng took out a jade slip from her storage ring.
The route recorded inside was the one previously documented by the people who discovered the Sharp-Horned Demon Spider in the new vein.
After familiarizing herself with the route, she led Shucao into the mine tunnel.
Not long after entering the tunnel, the surroundings became pitch black.
Xiao Simeng quickly formed a ball of light in her hand using spiritual energy to illuminate the area.
“Shucao, don’t stray too far from me. It would be troublesome if we get separated.”
In the dimly lit tunnel, Xiao Simeng’s slightly trembling voice reached Shucao’s ears.
“Alright, alright. I’m right behind you.”
As she spoke, Shucao suddenly felt like teasing Xiao Simeng.
She extended her slender, soft finger and lightly poked the back of Xiao Simeng’s neck.
Kyaaaahhhhhhhh!
A strange, high-pitched scream echoed through the narrow mine tunnel.
“Wow, little Shucao, that was really mean of you. Who taught you that?”
An Qianhua couldn’t help but comment.
“I just suddenly felt like playing a prank. I didn’t expect such a big reaction.”
Shucao immediately apologized to the frightened Xiao Simeng.
“Sorry, I just suddenly wanted to prank you. I didn’t think you’d react so strongly.”
Hearing Shucao’s words, Xiao Simeng turned around to look at her.
Under the faint light, there were tears in her eyes as she puffed her cheeks and said somewhat angrily,
“Hmph. Shucao, you clearly knew I’m scared of the dark. Even if it’s a joke, you should pick the right time and place!”
“I’m really very sorry.”
“It better not happen again. And humph, this young lady will definitely get revenge. Remember that, Shucao.”
Xiao Simeng suddenly let out two sly laughs, then turned back around and continued walking deeper into the tunnel.
A short while later, the two arrived at a stone wall with a path roughly two people wide carved into it.
“This is the new path that some loose cultivators dug out leading to the new vein.”
Looking at the ordinary-looking stone wall in front of her, Shucao said,
“How did these people even think to dig a new tunnel here and just happen to find a new vein?”
“It seems one of them had a spirit-seeking beast. That kind of small beast can break through stone walls to find and eat spirit-containing ores. While they were exploring this tunnel that day, the spirit-seeking beast reacted to this wall. So they dug in this direction and found a cavern with a vein after breaking through. Unfortunately, that cavern happened to be the territory of the Sharp-Horned Demon Spider.”
“I see.”
The two entered the newly dug tunnel. Soon after, they arrived at a vast, dimly lit cavern.
Dark rock walls were embedded with ore emitting a faint blue glow, illuminating the large cavern slightly.
In the quiet cave, the sound of water droplets falling echoed, along with some faint rustling noises coming from unknown places.
The two walked up to the edge of a chasm. Looking down into the bottomless abyss, Xiao Simeng said,
“According to the information, that spider is down at the bottom of this chasm.”
She took out a bright yellow stone from her storage pouch and declared,
“Then, let the hunt begin.”