prynovel Chapter 3 Earthworm Chisel
Chapter 3 Earthworm Chisel
The cellar was as cold and damp as if you were wearing a bikini and taking photos in Ningguta. The chill seeped into Yang Jin's body through the old cotton quilt.
"It's freezing to death!"
Fortunately, the "black plaster" that Shih Kin used on him had a miraculous effect. When applied to the wound, the continuous warmth made the wound on his left arm less painful, and it even felt a little numb and itchy.
Yang Jin wrapped himself even tighter in the quilt, and he began to miss the air conditioning, heating, and the soft, sweet little sister from his hometown.
The two whole-grain pancakes he had just eaten were churning in his stomach, preventing his weak body from becoming hungry and cold.
The flame of the oil lamp became the only two sources of heat in the damp air of the cellar, reminding him of the little girl selling nuclear bombs, which could kill everyone with him with a single blow.
"If the system had nuclear bombs for sale... or even just a gun, I wouldn't be hiding in a cellar to survive!"
"What a useless system! It's just a cauldron!"
"What use is a cauldron? You can't eat or drink from it."
"As for fusion... I haven't even fused yet, and I'm already dead!"
Yang Jin leaned back on the straw-covered plank bed, surrounded by birdsong and fragrant flowers. He was clearly very tired, but he just couldn't fall asleep.
The more I want to sleep, the more thoughts burst out of my head like a bursting salad dressing.
"Sun Yaozu...me! #you@#!"
He wondered how long Shi Gong's protection would allow him to survive? Would it be enough to heal his injuries? These injuries would take at least three to six months... Could he really hide in the cellar for that long?
Even if you manage to get through three months, you'll probably be driven crazy by the stress.
Become stronger.
We must become stronger as soon as possible.
I have a cheat code; once I become stronger, I can turn the tables and fuck Sun Yaozu.
His consciousness once again sank into his mind, communicating with the ancient, illusory image of the mountain cauldron.
[Master of the Cauldron: Yang Jin]
[Refining the Cauldron Spirit: Earth-Walking Marmoset (Gray) (Fusion Rate: 3.5%)]
[Earth's Essence: None]
[Mountain Favorability: None]
[Spiritual Talents: Weak Rock Skin (damage reduction), Basic Vibration Perception (3 zhang), Weak Stone Control (can affect the structure of rocks within 30 jin)]
[Evaluation: The Mountain-Walking Cauldron originates from the spirit of ancient mountains and can grant a glimmer of hope to the humblest of children.]
The integration rate increased from the initial 3% to 3.5%. This 0.5% increase seems to have been a slow growth that occurred after he escaped from the cliff, encountered Shi Jian, applied medicine to his wounds, and ate the cake.
This shows that as long as he tries to live... who isn't trying to live... he can increase the integration level!
But at this growth rate, before he reaches 100%, Sun Yaozu will dig him up and kill him; it's too slow.
We must speed things up!
Yang Jin searched for a long time but couldn't find the recharge acceleration option... This thing is definitely not a domestic product!
However, he grasped a key word.
The essence of the earth veins... According to the information from the mountain cauldron, that is the key to improving the fusion level and even enhancing the quality of the cauldron spirit.
So, here's the question: where can I buy such a wonderful thing as the essence of the earth veins?
Yang Jin's gaze involuntarily fell on the earthen wall on one side of the cellar.
When he first came down, he used a faint vibration perception to vaguely "sense" that behind that earthen wall, there was a larger cavity, and deep inside, there was a vibration like flowing water.
Master Shi had warned him that the area below led to an abandoned mine tunnel, and that he should not wander into it.
But now... a turtle that doesn't move is a turtle!
Yang Jin gently moved his left arm. After Shi Jian applied medicine and bandaged the wound, it was no longer as painful to move.
Although my body is still very weak, as if I've fought seven rounds... I should be able to move around normally.
He saw that the oil in the lamp still had enough to burn for a while.
More importantly, he is now so eager to become stronger and improve... His ambition is so great that even Qi Tongwei would have to give him a thumbs up.
"Just looking...not going into detail."
If there is any danger, call upon Stone God to save me.
He convinced himself.
He wrapped himself in a quilt, picked up an oil lamp, and stepped onto the cold, damp muddy ground, walking towards the earthen wall.
As I got closer, the vibration became more noticeable.
The earthen wall was thick, but he was certain there was a cavity behind it, and... near the ground, the vibration feedback had a faint "gap sensation".
"Was the mouth sealed by the Stone God?"
Yang Jin squatted down and examined it carefully.
In the dim light of the oil lamp, there was a slightly darker earthen wall with traces of sealing.
He reached out and gently touched it with his fingertips.
hum...
A strange sense of resonance traveled from my fingertips.
It wasn't hearing, but the sensation of vibration that created an extremely faint synchronization with something behind that earthen wall.
He thought to himself that this superpower was really cool, just like choosing a girl you clicked with.
He tried to activate his "weak rock manipulation" superpower, not to talk to the rocks, but to make the earthen wall in front of him soft.
After concentrating, imagine "the soil is about to soften~~~".
A warm, tingling sensation spread through my palm, and a faint yet incredibly real force seeped into the earthen wall.
He could "feel" that the soil particles in front of him had become more active and were starting to soften.
it works!
Although the effect was pitifully weak, at least it made it much easier for him to dunk!
Yang Jin's spirits lifted, and after searching around, he found a sharp shard of pottery in a corner of the cellar.
He used the tip of the pottery shard to dig at the spot he had just softened... dig... ah.
Dig a huge pit... and bury Sun Yaozu's entire family!
Plant Sun Yaozu's head... open Sun Yaozu's mother's!
......
The earthen walls, softened by the rock-controlling ability, were indeed easier to dig, and with Sun Yaozu's song playing, the more they dug, the more energetic they became.
The pottery shards scraped off large chunks of wet soil, quickly digging a shallow pit.
As Yang Jin dug and dug, the hollow behind him became clearer and clearer, like peeling off a soft girl's clothes, layer by layer, the more he peeled, the more excited he became... There was even a very faint, cool breeze with the smell of earth seeping out from the soil.
He dug out about the length of two wine bottles, and suddenly the tip of the ceramic shard was empty!
It's connected!?
A fist-sized, dark hole appeared on the earthen wall, and a cool breeze whistled into the cellar.
Yang Jin held up the oil lamp and peered into the cave by its light. Behind the cave was an irregular passage, as if it had been gnawed out by something, and it certainly didn't look like it was dug by a person.
The passage sloped downwards, barely wide enough for one person to crawl in. The cave walls looked damp, covered with slippery moss and a glistening slime.
"Want to go in?!"
"Just a little rubbing...not going in?"
Deep within the passage, darkness shone through, with only faint, deep-seated tremors reverberating in his head.
This is... the road leading to the abandoned mine shaft?!
But this passage looks like it was made by some kind of animal.
What is it? A badger? A pangolin? Or...?
Just as Yang Jin was concentrating on his observation, a soft "rustling" sound suddenly came from the depths of the passage, approaching rapidly from afar!
Yang Jin was startled and instinctively wanted to back away.
"What the hell!?"
Before he could react, a dark red shadow, as sharp as a file, suddenly emerged from the dark passage!
Immediately afterwards, a chilling creature wriggled into his line of sight.
The thing was about as thick as his arm and as long as a beer bottle. It was dark brown all over and covered with a layer of translucent, slippery mucus that reflected a chilling luster under the oil lamp.
It has no eyes, and at the front is a round mouthpart surrounded by a ring of constantly wriggling, dark red, file-like jaw teeth that make a faint "click" sound when opening and closing.
Its body is segmented, wriggling forward, looking like a giant earthworm, but its ferocious mouthparts and the faintly visible rock-like cuticle layer on its body make it look extremely strange.
"What the hell?!"
"Stone-carving earthworm!"
In an instant, Yang Jin's mind flashed back to the legends about it from the original owner's memories:
The strange beast that roams the mines deep in the Black Mountain feeds on rocks and minerals. Its teeth are sharp enough to grind iron and stone. It is not particularly fierce, but miners must avoid it immediately, because its appearance often means that the mine tunnel is about to collapse.
The rock-spinning earthworm was clearly startled by the sudden appearance of light and Yang Jin's boisterous nature. Its jaws around its mouthparts moved faster and faster, and it raised its head, swaying it slightly from side to side, like a cobra making a show of force.
It did not launch an attack immediately, but it also showed no intention of retreating.
Yang Jin stood frozen in place, truly not daring to move an inch.
"Try it and you die... Is it really necessary to be this unlucky?"
In his current state, he has absolutely no confidence in dealing with this monster he has never seen before, but which looks formidable.
The old man can still manage a 50/50 split; this guy's claim of 30/70 is just self-aggrandizement.
At this tense moment of confrontation, the phantom image of the mountain cauldron in my mind suddenly trembled on its own.
Electric toys?!
A faint yet profound and weighty aura emanated from Yang Jin and quietly spread outwards.
The fluctuations seemed to resonate with the earth beneath their feet.
The action of chiseling at the rock suddenly stopped.
Its raised head stared straight at Yang Jin, and the speed at which its jaws moved slowed down.
Yang Jin felt like he was being targeted by Sister Li for the first time.
Earthworm chiseling stone... Sister Li... you've time-traveled too?!
Of course, this possibility is too absurd.
He was more inclined to believe that his golden finger mountain cauldron played a role.
Immediately afterwards, Yang Jin was shocked to see that the ferocious "insect" actually lowered its head slightly, and the jaw teeth around its mouthparts also retracted a bit, making a gesture that was almost "submission" or "reverence".
It wasn't Sister Li, absolutely not... Sister Li was even on top!
How could one possibly submit to or revere oneself!
It's because of... the aura of the mountain cauldron!
It's confirmed.
Just because I don't have a cheat code doesn't mean I'm weak!
It's unclear whether it's the mountain spirit contained within the Mountain Cauldron or the Earth-Walking Marmoset Cauldron, but it seems to have a natural suppressive or attractive effect on this monster born from the earth's veins and growing on rocks.
A bold idea rose uncontrollably in Yang Jin's mind.
Blood Talisman Rule!
The information about the mountain cauldron mentions the ability to command the creatures of mountains and marshes!
He glanced at his newly bandaged left hand, gritted his teeth, and carefully untied the bandage with his right hand, revealing the wound that had stopped bleeding and was still covered with black plaster.
He pressed hard on the edge of the wound, and the not-yet-fully-healed wound oozed bright red blood again.
Yang Jin took a deep breath, recalling the guidance about the "blood talisman" in the information from the mountain cauldron, and slowly extended his blood-stained fingers toward the now quiet stone-carving earthworm.
The rock-splitting earthworm didn't dodge; instead, it crawled closer, bringing its head near.
My fingertips touched its wet, cool skin.
Surprisingly, it actually felt quite good...it reminded him of Durex's smooth and pleasurable lubricant...
Yang Jin shook his head violently, clearing his mind of any inappropriate or perverse thoughts. He concentrated all his energy and imagined the ancient rune in his sea of consciousness that represented "mountain domination," using his own blood as a guide and his will as a brush to slowly "outline" it on that smooth skin.
The blood droplets did not slide off the skin of the stone-carving earthworm; instead, they were absorbed and seeped in. Moreover, as Yang Jin traced the lines with his fingers, they left a faint but solidified blood-red trail.
The feeling was even clearer than the blood oath written by my high school deskmate to his crush.
The crimson trail meandered and twisted, gradually forming an ancient, simple rune that conveyed the weight of endless mountains—a variant of the character "岳" (Yue).
"That's great, bro!"
"This is the best I've ever written."
"If I had this skill before, I would definitely have scored over 60 in Chinese."
The moment the rune took shape, Yang Jin felt a "boom" in his head, as if a heavy, mountainous phantom had crashed into his consciousness!
A chaotic, ignorant, and weak will, filled with an extreme thirst for rocks and underground minerals, attempts to resist and struggle.
But this resistance was far weaker than imagined.
"Still trying to resist? The more you resist, the more excited I get."
"Stop struggling, you're mine now!"
In fact, the rock-digging earthworm has extremely low intelligence and basically acts on instinct.
The vast aura emanating from the mountain cauldron, along with Yang Jin's own unwavering (shameless) will to "rule," created an absolute suppression.
After only three or four breaths of resistance, the rock-splitting earthworm's will melted visibly, like ice crystals in a microwave oven, and it was successfully tamed.
The crimson runes completely disappeared beneath the calluses of the rock-carving earthworm.
At the same time, a new and crystal-clear spiritual connection was established in Yang Jin's sea of consciousness.
He could "sense" the presence of the rock-scarving earthworm, and even its feelings... its adaptation to the dark environment, its ability to distinguish the texture of rocks, its desire for underground minerals, and... its closeness and obedience to him, its "master".
"Wow...that's awesome!"
"That superpower is amazing!"
"If this could be used on humans, they'd be flying high!"
However, before Yang Jin could even feel happy, he felt his body sway, almost collapsing, and his face turned pale.
The consumption of drawing blood talismans and establishing spiritual connections clearly far exceeded his current physical capacity, amounting to more than ten times the spiritual energy consumed when breaking open the coffin.
But his eyes shone with an astonishing brilliance.
[Already commanding the mountain beast: Rock-Digging Earthworm (can evolve)]
[Can consume 100 points of Earth Essence to evolve the Rock-Digging Earthworm into the "Mountain-Piercing Earth Dragon"]
Information about the mountain cauldron surfaced at the opportune moment.
A rock-splitting earthworm... a mountain-piercing earth dragon? It needs 100 points of ley line essence to evolve? It seems the potential and value of this rock-splitting earthworm are even greater than I imagined!
Now, the once ferocious rock-carving earthworm lies docilely at Yang Jin's feet, its jaws gently rubbing against his trouser leg, conveying a simple and intimate emotion.
Yang Jin took a few breaths and slowly sat back down on the wooden bed.
Through that newly established mental link, he could transmit simple commands to the rock-carving earthworm: "Go back...check...it's safe..."
The stone-carving earthworm actually understood.
It wriggled its body and crawled back into the tunnel it had carved out, its figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the dark tunnel.
Yang Jin breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the cold earthen wall. Exhaustion overwhelmed him instantly, and this time he didn't force himself to stay awake; he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Before his consciousness faded, he could still sense the rock-carving earthworm moving through the passage through a mental connection.
The passage wound downwards, and was damp and narrow.
The earthworm that chisels the stone is as swift as a fish entering the water or a dragon entering the sea.
It can easily distinguish between solid and loose rock layers, avoiding potential landslide points.
Yang Jin shared its "vision".
The darkness in the mine tunnels was no longer an obstacle; the texture of the rocks, the water flowing through the crevices, the echoes from the underground cavities... all appeared in his mind in a blurry outline.
This passage indeed connects to a much wider space.
After about three minutes of drilling, the path ahead suddenly opened up.
A mine tunnel that was clearly man-made appeared in "Perception".
Rotten wooden frames, scattered rusted pickaxes, abandoned mine cart tracks... This is the abandoned mine road that Master Shi mentioned!
What made Yang Jin's heart race even faster was that, in the perception of the Stone-Carving Earthworm, deep in the mine, on certain rock walls, there was a faint "sweet" scent that it instinctively craved—it was a layer of rock rich in minerals, which seemed to contain "earth vein essence".
Yang Jin suppressed his urge to explore immediately and gave the rock-scarring earthworm the commands to "return" and "be on guard".
He's too tired right now and needs to rest.
He swears... even if Liu Yifei were right in front of him... it wouldn't stop him from sleeping!
Upon receiving the order, the rock-scarring earthworm obediently returned to the vicinity of its burrow and lay in wait, just like a loyal old dog.
After doing all this, Yang Jin finally relaxed, overwhelmed by exhaustion and drowsiness.
The oil lamp's flame had gone out sometime ago, and the cellar was once again plunged into darkness and silence.
But in Yang Jin's heart, a faint flame was ignited.
Rock-carving earth... mine tunnels... the essence of the earth's veins...
Sun Yaozu! I'll % you &*@!