Chapter 118: The Lucky Stone

As the dust settled, a breathtaking scene gradually unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

On the long-ruined concrete ground, Ling Tian stood like an invincible war god, proud and unyielding in the center. The earth beneath his feet was cracked, radiating outward in a spiderweb pattern for five meters around him. His piercing gaze, sharp as blades, swept across the crowd.

Even Sun Yibin, the strongest among them, trembled under Ling Tian’s domineering stare, let alone the ordinary people.

Ling Tian had unleashed all his strength not only to test the limits of his power but also to establish an image of invincibility in everyone’s minds, deterring any thoughts of rebellion. As for Sun Yibin and the others, the stronger Ling Tian became, the more cohesive this newly formed team would be.

With his actions, Ling Tian sent a clear message to Sun Yibin and the others: give your all; I am your powerful backing.

Ling Tian was very pleased with the destructive force unleashed in this full-powered strike. He had harnessed the tremendous downward force, concentrating all his true energy into a single point before releasing it explosively. This was a masterful use of strength, skillfully blending technique and power to the utmost—a perfect demonstration of mid-level Qi cultivation.

Of course, the formidable destruction was partly owed to the hardness of the concrete floor. If it had been soil, its shock-absorbing qualities would have greatly diminished the impact.

Standing in the pit at the center of the fissure, Ling Tian glanced over the crowd, then quietly circulated his true energy to recover his breath. His previous all-out attack had nearly depleted his energy reserves. Yet, one thing brought him great relief: his body and meridians, tempered by the celestial fire, showed not the slightest discomfort.

Based on past experience, unleashing all true energy at once usually triggered a berserk state, causing varying degrees of damage, sometimes even collapse, to the meridians and body. That is why many cultivators only resort to such an all-out release in life-or-death situations. No one would willingly risk their body and meridians collapsing just to fight.

Using his divine sense, Ling Tian carefully examined himself and was astonished to discover that his meridians and body had reached a strength approaching that of Qi-level cultivators. This enhancement grew alongside his power, meaning that from now on he could train intensely without fear of overwhelming his body or meridians.

This would greatly accelerate his cultivation.

Furthermore, with his divine sense’s support, Ling Tian could now wield his power at will.

Gathering his mind, Ling Tian stabilized his remaining true energy, stepped out from the fissure, and arrogantly gazed down at Da Biao and the others, who had been utterly crushed.

More than a hundred people lay sprawled on the ground, none able to stand. Even the strongest, Da Biao, was prone, covered in wounds, his wolf-tooth club long since lost.

“You… you…” Da Biao’s eyes were filled with terror as he stared at Ling Tian. Having witnessed the entire frenzy of Ling Tian’s power firsthand, his last shred of confidence was utterly shattered. Compared to Ling Tian, he felt like a weak ant before a giant invincible warrior. Overwhelmed by the vast disparity in strength, Da Biao had completely collapsed mentally.

Ling Tian approached the table, took the teacup Zhao Ming handed him, and sipped contentedly before addressing the fat man, “Your men are too weak, utterly powerless before me.”

The fat man still stared blankly at Ling Tian, still stunned by Ling Tian’s earlier ferocity, utterly dumbfounded.

“The transfer agreement has been prepared. These people no longer have any value. Sun Yibin, it’s your turn,” Ling Tian said calmly.

The blood coursing through Sun Yibin’s chest still burned hot, his admiration for Ling Tian now transformed into worship — no, reverence.

“I’ll take care of it immediately,” Sun Yibin shouted, and the row of bodyguards began tying up the captured men like trash, dumping them in the northeast corner of the factory. Over a hundred people crammed together, grateful simply to be alive.

Sun Yibin personally led the interrogations, collecting evidence of these people’s atrocious deeds, taking photographs, and preparing everything for the police.

Due to the sheer number of prisoners, it took a full hour to complete.

Sun Yibin then approached Ling Tian, raising his voice: “Young Master Ling, it’s done.”

Ling Tian smiled slightly, pleased with Sun Yibin’s efficiency — exactly the kind of talent he wanted. “You can call the police now. Stay here and wait for them to handle the aftermath. I’ll head off with Zhao Ming first — I need to get him a new outfit and then treat him to a feast.”

In high spirits, Ling Tian intended to make up for Zhao Ming’s years of hardship. After all his suffering, it was finally time for sweetness.

Zhao Ming’s foreman put down his iron hammer, dusted off his grimy clothes, and respectfully approached Ling Tian. Honest and taciturn, the foreman was a simple man. But from Ling Tian’s display, it was clear he was a true heavyweight. The fat man and his gang were nothing but bullies who preyed on the honest.

Hence, the foreman regarded Ling Tian with deep respect.

“Mr. Ling, shall I take over the stone factory? Aren’t you worried I won’t manage it well?” the foreman asked cautiously, though his voice was steady.

Ling Tian smiled, “From now on, Zhao Ming and Sun Yibin will handle the business. You just focus on processing. I trust you can manage it well.”

“What if troublemakers come knocking?” the foreman raised his chief concern. Having worked over a decade in stone processing, his skills were beyond doubt, but he worried about people causing trouble. Being straightforward, he was unsure how to deal with such situations.

Ling Tian smiled faintly, “If anyone causes trouble, just pick up your hammer and beat them. Just don’t kill them. Once they’re subdued, hand them over to the police. Kindness invites exploitation; a docile horse is ridden on. That’s something Zhao Ming and I both believe: be upright and straightforward. If no one provokes you, you don’t provoke others. But if provoked, then don’t be polite.”

Sun Yibin laughed, “Young Master Ling, I’ll handle those trivial matters. I’ll get this place running smoothly as soon as possible.”

“The stone factory must be well managed—not only to make money but also to help me search for some unusual stones,” Ling Tian instructed. In truth, he cared little about profit. What interested him most were rare treasures. Since the factory processed stone, it had many channels that might help him find what he sought.

Sun Yibin pounded his chest confidently. “Young Master Ling, rest assured. With us here, the task will be perfectly accomplished.”

“I have no doubt. Now, come with me to see that strange stone,” Ling Tian said. With the matter settled, he could at last investigate the odd rock Zhao Ming had mentioned. His mind was filled with curiosity—what kind of stone could it be?

Zhao Ming opened the workshop door, revealing a massive white stone before Ling Tian. A narrow crack ran through its center, clearly left when Zhao Ming and the others had cut it. The stone’s edges were fully cut, leaving only the middle connected.

The crack was thin, the workshop poorly lit, yet through the gap, the stone seemed to shimmer with a black glow.

Zhao Ming and the foreman immediately stepped forward, operating the machinery to hammer the stone. Under the blows of the enormous iron hammer, fragments broke off. Previously, they had hesitated to shatter the stone out of frugality, but now, without such concerns, Zhao Ming and the foreman worked vigorously.

Within a minute, the massive stone had been reduced to the size of a table.

“Stop. I’ll handle the rest,” Ling Tian called out, worried Zhao Ming might damage the stone. He stepped forward, inserting his palm into the crack. With a powerful shake, the already fractured stone cleaved cleanly under his single palm.

As the stone toppled, Ling Tian extracted a fist-sized piece.

“What is this…” Ling Tian activated his divine sense, astonished to find the stone extraordinary. Though it contained impurities, it radiated an immense, boundless aura, resembling a deep, endless cosmos—another dimension with no discernible end. His heart leaped with joy.

This was a Ruyi Stone. Though it appeared ordinary, it contained a universe within and was the primary material for crafting Ruyi Rings. According to the jade slip records, Ruyi Rings could open another space capable of holding myriad items, allowing cultivators to carry their belongings conveniently.

“This is truly a treasure,” Ling Tian said, nearly speechless with excitement. With the Ruyi Stone, he could forge a Ruyi Ring—a portable storage space. Unfortunately, with his current strength, he could not yet refine the ring. At minimum, he needed to reach the Qi stage to forge a small Ruyi Ring.

The jade slip detailed that forging the Ruyi Ring was not difficult. It required molding the Ruyi Stone into ring form and then using divine sense to activate its spatial power. However, this process demanded strong divine sense; by current estimates, Ling Tian needed to reach the Qi stage.

“If other cultivators were here, they’d be fighting tooth and nail for this,” Ling Tian said excitedly, gazing at the Ruyi Stone in his hand. Though not extremely rare, Ruyi Stones were scarce. Even in the worlds described in the jade slip, only high-level cultivators possessed them. All the more so on Earth, where cultivation resources were limited.