Free Web NovelChapter 41: Chapter 41: Settlement of the Iron-Claw Mine
The return light from Floor 3 was not calm.
Unlike the clear white light of a normal floor exit, this one carried a deep red metallic glow. It felt heavy, like molten iron cooling around the body. When Qin Yuheng opened his eyes, he was once again standing on the return platform inside the Heavenly Gate Tower entrance hall, but the sensation of the mine’s heartbeat still echoed faintly in his bones.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Qin Mo was the first to move.
He took one step forward, looked at the smooth stone floor beneath his feet, then slowly exhaled.
"Flat ground," he said. "Beautiful. Stable. Underappreciated."
Qin Lian removed her Clear Breath Mining Mask and checked the tear across her sleeve. Her face was pale from exhaustion, but her eyes remained sharp.
Qin Yuchen looked toward Qin Yuheng. "Everyone returned."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
That mattered more than any reward.
The academy staff near the return platform immediately noticed the unusual red glow and stepped forward with a recording crystal. Han Shuren was present as well, arms folded, his stern expression turning sharper when he saw the state of the team.
Dust covered all four of them. Qin Mo’s robe was torn in three places. Qin Lian had small cuts along one arm from flying stone fragments. Qin Yuchen’s shoulder guard was cracked. Qin Yuheng’s cloak was ripped near the hem, and his sword still carried traces of dark red ore dust.
Han Shuren frowned.
"Collapse?"
"Partial," Qin Yuheng answered. "We avoided severe damage."
The academy staff checked the evaluation crystal.
A series of messages appeared above the platform.
[Floor 3: Iron-Claw Mine]
[Main Mission: Mine 20 Iron Blood Ores and reach exit tunnel — Completed.]
[Side Mission: Defeat 10 Iron-Claw Mine Beasts — Completed.]
[Side Mission: Collect 5 Pure Iron Blood Crystals — Incomplete. 4 / 5 collected.]
[Side Mission: Avoid severe collapse damage — Completed.]
[Hidden Objective: Iron Blood Heart Vein confirmed.]
[Hidden Material acquired.]
[Team Survival: All members alive.]
[Emergency Withdrawal: None.]
[Final Evaluation: SS]
The hall stirred.
"Another SS?"
"Qin Yuheng’s team again?"
"They confirmed the abnormal vein?"
"Iron Blood Heart Vein? Isn’t that rare?"
"Floor 1 SSS, Floor 2 SS, Floor 3 SS... this team is insane."
Qin Mo looked at the evaluation and sighed.
"SS again. We missed one crystal."
Qin Lian said calmly, "We also avoided being buried."
"That was my favorite part."
The reward panel appeared.
[SS Evaluation Rewards]
EXP +700
Tower Coins x5,000
A Grade Iron-Claw Mine Chest x1
C Grade Iron Blood Ore Bundle x1
C Grade Strength Fruit x2
C Grade Constitution Fruit x2
B Grade Iron-Claw Gauntlets x1
B Grade Skill Book: Iron Claw Break x1
B Grade Mine Stabilizing Stone x1
Another message followed.
[Hidden Objective Reward]
A Grade Iron Blood Heart Vein Report Credit
Academy Merit Points +300
B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal x1 recognized as hidden material.
Additional academy reward pending review.
Qin Yuheng’s eyes moved slightly.
The Tower had recognized the B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal, but it had not taken it away. That meant the material remained his, while the confirmation itself counted for academy merit.
Good.
Yu Qingmei’s assistant quickly approached, clearly already informed that Qin Yuheng’s team had returned.
"Qin Yuheng, Vice Principal Yu requests a report after medical inspection."
Qin Mo immediately raised his hand.
"Medical inspection first. Report later. Preferably much later."
Han Shuren glanced at him.
"You can complain after treatment."
"That is generous, Instructor."
The academy healers checked the team. Compared with Floor 2, their injuries were lighter but their exhaustion was heavy. The mine’s pressure, dust, and constant danger had drained them. Qin Mo needed mana recovery. Qin Lian required cleaning for several cuts. Qin Yuchen’s shoulder had deep bruising from blocking a mine beast. Qin Yuheng’s body was mostly unharmed, but his legs showed strain from repeated Thunder Shadow Flash use during the escape.
The healer looked at him with a familiar expression.
"You again."
Qin Yuheng remained polite. "Thank you for your work."
"You use movement skills too aggressively. Your muscles are strong, but tendons and meridians need recovery too."
"I will rest."
Qin Mo muttered, "He says that."
The healer pointed at Qin Mo. "Make sure he does."
Qin Mo brightened. "Gladly."
After treatment, Qin Yuheng met Yu Qingmei in a side chamber with Han Shuren present. A recording crystal floated above the table.
Yu Qingmei’s expression was serious.
"Describe the abnormality."
Qin Yuheng gave a clear report.
He explained the heartbeat, the stronger ore veins, the patrol beasts, the hidden cavity, the Iron Blood Heart Vein, and the sleeping Iron-Claw Mine Lord. He did not exaggerate, nor did he reveal anything about Primordial Origin Evolution.
When he described extracting a small outer crystal, Yu Qingmei’s eyes sharpened.
"You took material from the vein?"
"One outer crystal. We retreated immediately after the Earth Pulse Warning Stone reacted."
Han Shuren frowned.
"Risky."
"Yes," Qin Yuheng said. "But controlled. We did not engage the Mine Lord."
Yu Qingmei studied him.
"Why take the crystal?"
"Visual confirmation can be questioned. Material proof confirms vein quality and abnormal state."
That answer was practical.
Yu Qingmei did not criticize further. ƒreewebɳovel.com
"Show the crystal."
Qin Yuheng had expected this.
He took out a small fragment chipped from the outer edge of the B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal, not the entire crystal. Before returning, he had carefully separated a tiny piece for report purposes.
The assistant collected it with a tool and placed it into a detection tray.
The tray lit up red-gold.
Yu Qingmei’s expression changed slightly.
"True heart vein material."
Han Shuren looked at Qin Yuheng. "You were right to retreat. A Level 18 guardian with a heart vein nest is beyond your current team."
Qin Yuheng nodded. "I understand."
Yu Qingmei said, "The academy will seal standard access to that Floor 3 instance temporarily and send a higher-level investigation team. Your team will receive additional merit after verification."
"Thank you, Vice Principal."
Before dismissing him, Yu Qingmei added, "Your team has advanced quickly. Too quickly, perhaps. The academy will not stop talented students from rising, but I advise a recovery period before Floor 4."
Qin Yuheng understood the warning.
Not a threat.
A reminder.
"I will arrange rest and training."
"Good."
That night, after returning to the Qin Estate, Qin Yuheng entered his room and activated the privacy formation.
He took out the A Grade Iron-Claw Mine Chest.
It was black-red, heavy, and covered in claw-like iron patterns.
The hidden panel appeared.
[A Grade Iron-Claw Mine Chest]
[Type: Floor 3 SS Evaluation Reward]
[Eligible for Primordial Origin Evolution.]
[Please select evolution direction.]
1. Quantity Multiplication
2. Quality Enhancement
Qin Yuheng selected the obvious path.
"Quality Enhancement."
The chest trembled.
The iron patterns brightened and reshaped into deep gold-red vein lines.
[Evolution successful.]
[A Grade Iron-Claw Mine Chest]
↓
[SS Grade Iron Blood Heart Mine Chest]
[Open?]
"Open."
The chest dissolved into red-gold light.
[Obtained:]
[SS Grade Iron Blood Heart Marrow x1]
[S Grade Skill Book: Blood-Iron Thunder Refinement Art x1]
[S Grade Iron Blood War Armor Blueprint x1]
[A Grade Earth Pulse Formation Core x1]
[A Grade Pure Iron Blood Crystal Bundle x1]
Qin Yuheng’s eyes deepened.
Blueprint.
Formation core.
Marrow.
Crystal bundle.
This was exactly the type of reward that could strengthen a family foundation.
He inspected the blueprint.
[S Grade Iron Blood War Armor Blueprint]
[Type: Forging blueprint]
[Effect: Allows creation of battle armor with high physical defense, blood-metal reinforcement, and shock absorption.]
[Requirement: Skilled blacksmith, Iron Blood materials, formation support.]
[Eligible for Evolution.]
He did not evolve it immediately.
If enhanced, it might become too difficult to craft with current materials. But if he waited until the Qin family’s hidden blacksmith assessed it, he could choose better.
Next, the Earth Pulse Formation Core.
[A Grade Earth Pulse Formation Core]
[Type: Formation material]
[Effect: Detects ground movement, stabilizes small defensive areas, strengthens mine/earth-related formations.]
[Eligible for Evolution.]
This could help the Qin Estate’s defenses or Qin Mo’s formation training.
Finally, the Iron Blood Heart Marrow.
[SS Grade Iron Blood Heart Marrow]
[Type: Rare body tempering and forging treasure]
[Effect: Strengthens bones, blood, muscles, weapon-bearing physique, and metal-energy compatibility.]
[Eligible for Evolution.]
SS grade already.
Qin Yuheng did not dare use it rashly.
This was too strong for most early climbers.
He stored everything in the hidden inventory layer.
Then he took out the B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal they had extracted from the vein.
His panel appeared.
[B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal]
[Hidden vein material.]
[Eligible for Primordial Origin Evolution.]
This time, he hesitated.
Quality Enhancement could create a high-grade treasure.
Quantity Multiplication could give the Qin family many B-grade hidden vein crystals.
For forging family equipment, quantity mattered.
But because the original was only one crystal, multiplying it might create enough material to begin upgrading weapons for the Qin younger generation and perhaps a small portion of the guards.
He chose Quantity Multiplication.
[Quantity Multiplication selected.]
[B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal x1]
↓
[B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystal x8,000]
Qin Yuheng silently looked at the number.
Eight thousand B-grade hidden vein crystals.
Enough to shake a city if exposed.
He immediately moved most into the hidden storage layer and separated a small portion for believable use.
This was the first time he truly felt the strategic terror of Quantity Multiplication.
One stolen crystal from a hidden vein had become a clan-level resource reserve.
If used properly, the Qin family’s equipment foundation would change.
If exposed, it would bring disaster.
The next morning, Qin Yuheng brought only twelve B Grade Iron Blood Heart Crystals to Qin Wanshan.
Even that made the old man’s expression change.
"Yuheng," Qin Wanshan said slowly, "how many did you truly gain?"
Qin Yuheng was silent for a moment.
"Enough that we must use them carefully."
Qin Wanshan stared at him.
Then he laughed softly.
It was not an old man’s laugh.
It was the laugh of a hidden mountain finally hearing thunder beneath the earth.
"Good," Qin Wanshan said. "Then it is time to call the blacksmith."
