What do you mean I'm a cultivator?-Chapter 20

The moment the disciples turned to flee, the cavern behind them erupted in chaos.

The massive jade mole let out an earsplitting screech, a sound so deep and resonant that Jiang Cheng felt it vibrate in his very bones. The walls trembled, loose rock dislodging from above and clattering around them.

Then, with a sickening crunch, the monster lunged forward, its jade plated body smashing through the cavern like a boulder rolling downhill.

A boulder coming to crush them, that is.

Jiang Cheng didn’t dare look back again. He could hear the monstrous thing gaining ground, its claws scraping against the stone with unnatural ease. It wasn’t running exactly. it was burrowing forward, tearing through the mine as if it were nothing more than loose sand, rocks thrown around by the force of its digging.

This was clearly the cause of it's instincts.

The mundane digging of moles, enhanced to incredible powers by Qi, moving rock like it was clay.

Monsters, unlike humans, and other cultivators, did not know things such as martial arts. Sure, that made them predicable at a certain level, but in exchange, their so called instinctual moves, were far stronger than typical cultivators could pull of at the same realm.

Fang Lin was already far ahead, her superior cultivation allowing her to outpace them, as she was the only one gaining ground.

The others, however, were struggling. Liu Wei and Zhang Kun ran side by side, their panicked breaths echoing through the tunnel. Li Mei’s spear clattered against the walls as she ran, her normally fluid movements now frantic.

The tunnel wasn’t built for a retreat like this. Wooden support beams, weakened by time and the moles’ constant digging, jutted out at odd angles. Some had already collapsed, leaving behind unstable piles of debris. The ground beneath them was uneven, small pits and cracks threatening to trip them up at every step.

A sudden rumbling behind them sent a fresh wave of terror through Jiang Cheng. He chanced another glance over his shoulder, and his heart nearly stopped.

The jade mole was only a few zhangs behind. Maybe four at most.

(thought i'd mention this, but one zhang is around 3 meters.)

It moved unlike anything he had ever seen, its massive claws sinking into the walls and pulling its bulk forward with unnatural speed. Its body was half embedded in the rock, phasing through it like a fish moving through water, leaving behind smooth, unnatural tunnels in its wake. Worse, its glowing jade eyes were locked onto them, filled with nothing but primal hunger.

Then it screeched again.

The force of the sound nearly knocked Jiang Cheng off balance. His vision blurred, his eardrums felt like they might burst, and for a split second, his legs almost gave out. But survival instincts kicked in, forcing him forward even as his mind reeled from the sheer force of the creature’s voice.

The tunnel ahead narrowed.

"Jump!" Fang Lin's voice rang out, filled with a healthy dose of fear.

Jiang Cheng's eyes widened. A broken support beam jutted out diagonally across the tunnel, its splintered edge barely holding up the weight of the ceiling above. There was no time to slow down.

Gritting his teeth, he bent his knees and pushed off the ground with everything he had. He soared over the beam, tucking in his legs to avoid getting caught. The moment his feet hit the ground, he rolled forward, barely avoiding a jagged outcrop of stone.

Behind him, Liu Wei wasn’t so lucky. His foot caught on a stray piece of debris, sending him tumbling forward with a grunt of pain.

Zhang Kun grabbed him mid-fall, yanking him up before he could be trampled.

"Move!" Zhang shouted, practically dragging his friend forward.

Then, with a deafening boom, the jade mole crashed through the beam.

The entire tunnel shook as the weakened support finally gave way. A cascade of splintered wood and loose rock came crashing down, forcing Jiang Cheng to dive to the side just as a boulder nearly the size of his torso smashed into the ground where he had been standing.

Dust filled the air, choking his lungs and stinging his eyes.

For a moment, Jiang Cheng dared to hope that the collapse had slowed the mole down. But then he saw it. Glowing jade colored eyes piercing through the dust cloud.

It hadn’t even slowed.

If anything, the destruction only seemed to make it angrier.

It let out another guttural screech, then lunged forward again, its claws striking sparks against the tunnel walls. Smaller jade moles scurried around it, their smaller forms weaving effortlessly through the rubble.

The high-pitched chittering of the lesser moles mixed with the half step foundation establishment mole, creating a chorus of nightmarish sounds that sent pure terror through Jiang Cheng’s veins.

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“We’re almost there!” Fang Lin called from ahead.

Jiang Cheng forced himself to focus. Up ahead, a sliver of dim light flickered through the tunnel. The exit.

Of course, the tunnel had partially collapsed further ahead, leaving behind a treacherous stretch of uneven, unstable rock. The ground was a jagged mess of loose stones and half-buried wooden beams.

There was no way to slow down.

"Keep going!" Li Mei shouted, her voice hoarse from screaming.

The first to reach the obstacle was Fang Lin. She didn’t hesitate.

Her body moved like liquid, jumping from rock to rock, never losing momentum, Clearly having learned a movement techinque.

Jiang Cheng followed, his breath ragged, his legs screaming in protest.

Behind him, Liu Wei and Zhang Kun weren’t faring as well.

Liu Wei, still limping from his earlier fall, struggled to maintain speed. His foot slipped on a loose stone, and this time, Zhang Kun wasn’t fast enough to catch him.

Liu Wei hit the ground hard, a pained gasp escaping his lips.

Jiang Cheng turned back just in time to see the jade mole close the distance.

"Liu Wei!" Zhang Kun reached for him.

But the moment Liu Wei looked up, the jade mole lunged.

Jiang Cheng barely had time to register the look of pure terror on Liu Wei’s face before the beast’s massive claws slashed downward.

A sickening crunch filled the air.

Liu Wei's body spasmed for a brief second, then went limp. His expression froze in an agonized, silent scream. His blood splattered across the walls, staining the jade-like mineral deposits in a horrifying crimson.

Zhang Kun let out a strangled cry but was forced to turn and run.

Jiang Cheng clenched his teeth, a mix of fear and relief clawing at his chest.

Sure, He had died, but thanks to his sacrifice, it bought them a second or two of time, as the mole tore into his body, fishing out his dantian, and gulping it down.

Another screech from the beast sent them sprinting the last few meters.

The exit was just ahead.

Li Mei was the first to break through, her form silhouetted against the dim light of the surface. Zhang Kun followed, passing Cheng just shy or reaching the exit, Now not slowed down by his injured friend.

Jiang Cheng pushed himself harder, his legs burning, his mind screaming at him to keep moving. And then, he was out.

The sudden rush of fresh air nearly made him collapse.

He stumbled forward, falling to his knees in the dirt, his chest heaving, as he tumbled forward on the rocky ground..

Fang Lin stood nearby, her hands clenched into fists, her face unreadable. Zhang Kun had collapsed onto his back, staring up at the sky as if he still couldn’t believe they had made it.

Li Mei was shaking. She didn't speak. Her usual smile gone completely.

Only four remained.

The mine behind them rumbled ominously, but the jade mole did not follow.

Jiang Cheng forced himself to look back.

The beast stood just inside the tunnel, its glowing jade eyes watching them. It let out one final, guttural growl—then slowly turned back, disappearing into the darkness of its domain, likely heading back to its nest.

The mine entrance shuddered once more before falling silent, as if the earth itself was settling after the trauma inflicted upon it.

Jiang Cheng remained on his knees, dirt smeared across his robes, lungs still burning from their desperate escape.

This was by far the most tired he had been. HE could feel his dantian. it was almost empty, as he had Used all the Qi he had during the escape.

This was weeks, months of gathering lost. It was a big blow to Jiang Cheng's confidence.

He believed that the road of cultivation would be smooth sailing, for the most part. Kill a few moles, get a reward or two, cultivate, and repeat until foundation establishment.

But this, was different. It was his very first real setback. And it made sure to let him know that most likely, this would not be the first one.

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In the distance, a figure approached at a hurried pace. It was the caravan leader, Deng bo, his normally calm demeanor replaced by wide-eyed terror. His footsteps faltered as he drew closer, gaze darting between the four survivors and the ominous mouth of the mine behind them.

"What... what happened in there?" Zhao's voice trembled. His hands shook visibly as he clutched his jade pendant. It was A simple protection charm etched with a low quality array, likely protection and a insignia of his rank within the merchant house.

Zhang Kun remained on his back, staring upward with vacant eyes, his chest heaving.

Li Mei had driven her spear into the ground and leaned against it, her knuckles white from gripping the shaft. Neither seemed capable of answering.

Fang Lin was the first to recover. She straightened her posture, though Jiang Cheng could see the subtle tremor in her shoulders, As she let out a deep breath.

"A jade mole." she said, her voice controlled despite her obvious exhaustion.

"Not just any jade mole. Half step Foundation Establishment. It's made a nest deep within the mine." She looked toward the others, her expression hardening. "We need to report this to the sect immediately."

Jiang Cheng pushed himself to his feet, brushing dirt from his robes. "Junior Wei is dead." Fang Lin spoke again, and Zhang Kun let out a deep sigh, likely trying not to break down from the loss of what might have been his best friend.

Merchant Zhao paled further. "Dead? But—"

"And so are the ones that didn't return with us."

She added, and kept speaking, likely trying to calm herself by controlling the situation.

"Listen carefully." Fang Lin cut him off. "That creature won't stay contained for long. It's already devouring spiritual energy, including the six other disciples we lost.

Once it fully breaks through to Foundation Establishment, it will expand its territory. Your mining operation is finished here."

Li Mei finally spoke, her voice hoarse. "We failed the mission...Didn't we, senior Fang?"

"The mission changed Junior." Fang Lin replied sharply.

"We were sent to investigate the collapse, And clear it.

Not to confront a monster of this caliber. Our priority now is to report back."

She turned to face all of them. "If we delay, not only will that beast break through, but we'll face punishment for failing to alert the sect to a threat of the deeper ores in the mine."

Jiang Cheng noticed the calculation in her eyes. Fang Lin wasn't just thinking about their safety. She was thinking about how this would affect her standing within the sect.

Most likely, failing to report something like this, probably killed any chances of her entering the inner sect, as she was the strongest, and responsibility would fall on her for failing to inform the sect.

"All of you. Gather As Much Qi as you Can. Junior Jiang, you'll be staying here. Make sure the miners do not do anything stupid."

"Yes, Senior sister." Jiang Cheng spoke, cupping his hands.

"And the body?" Li Mei asked quietly.

A heavy silence fell over the group. They all knew what had become of Liu Wei's remains, as well as the others.

"There is no body to recover." Fang Lin stated bluntly. "The beast consumed his dantian, and the little ones likely everything that remained. We'll report his sacrifice."

Deng bo backed away, making a warding gesture. "I'll... I'll gather my men. We will make sure nobody enters the mine."

He spoke, cupping his hands and bowing.

As he hurried off, Jiang Cheng looked toward the mine entrance once more. For a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of jade light deep within its depths, watching them. Waiting.

But more than likely, that was just paranoia speaking.

"We rest for a hour." Fang Lin commanded. "Then we move. The sect need to know what we've found."