Chapter Eighty-Four: Digging Deep Underground (5/5)

As a senior figure in the Immortal Market, Wei Fan had access to sources of information far beyond what He Song could hope to match.

If He Song wanted more intelligence, he could only place his hopes on Wei Fan for the time being.

Yet even as he said those words, a decision had already taken shape in his heart.

At this moment, even though the Immortal Market was guarded by a Foundation Establishment expert, and was safer by countless degrees than the world outside, He Song still, after a moment’s thought, decided to leave himself a path of retreat.

Whether Wei Fan could bring him useful news or not.

Whether Master Chengshan would stand and fight for the Immortal Market if crisis truly struck.

In short, as the outside world gradually began to descend into chaos, He Song’s first priority was to ensure his own safety.

As for the others, among He Song’s friends in the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market, only Wei Fan and Zhao Lin remained. Everyone else had already gone to the Azure Origin Immortal City.

For example, his neighbor Lin Cong, or the old man Meng Guan: when they transmitted their messages to He Song, both said they had settled down in the Immortal City.

Since they could establish themselves there, there was naturally no need for He Song to worry.

Helping his friends when he could do so without affecting himself, He Song was of course willing.

Just as Wei Fan had once stood guard before He Song and sheltered him when he was unable to protect himself.

But if it would affect his own interests, or if others required help, then he was sorry.

Everything had to be considered from the standpoint of He Song’s own safety.

If he truly could not help a friend, or if forcing himself to help would endanger him, then He Song could only plead helplessness.

At worst, when his own strength grew stronger in the future, he would avenge his friend then.

In any case, given enough time, He Song’s power would certainly continue to rise.

Still, chances were he would not encounter such a situation.

Because whether it was Wei Fan or Zhao Lin, both were stronger than He Song at present.

If they ever found themselves unable to protect even themselves and sought help, He Song likely would not be able to aid them.

“All right. Since you’ve said as much, I’ll keep an eye out for news in that direction. If there’s any disturbance at all, I’ll make sure to tell you ahead of time.”

Seeing He Song’s expression suddenly grow solemn, Wei Fan paused for a moment before quickly agreeing.

He knew that his friend really was a bit overcautious in daily life.

But since He Song had already spoken, and it was only a matter of keeping an ear to the ground, nothing serious at all, he was still very willing to help.

From that day on, He Song added one more task to his daily routine besides studying the introductory volume of talisman doctrine and cultivating.

Digging.

Because this world contained earth-escape techniques, as well as ground-shaking arts specifically meant to counter those who moved beneath the earth, He Song could not be certain that, should his suspicion prove true and the great power behind the demonic cultivators send a Foundation Establishment expert to attack the Immortal Market, he would actually be able to escape underground with earth-escape.

But He Song did not dare gamble on it.

Since this world possessed earth-escape techniques and ground-shaking arts designed to target the underground, could a Foundation Establishment expert’s divine sense also penetrate the earth and search below?

If, while fleeing, he were suddenly locked onto by a Foundation Establishment expert’s divine sense—

He would likely die without even a burial place.

For the sake of his life, He Song felt it would be far more prudent to dig a deep tunnel beneath his room as a retreat.

It was not that he did not want to simply leave the Immortal Market and avoid a possible Foundation Establishment assault that way.

But the truth was, nothing was certain yet. He Song did not know whether his guess would come true.

If the day ever came when it did, and he still had not managed to run in time, then having a tunnel here would at least make him somewhat safer.

With limited information and no way to judge whether his speculation was right or wrong, He Song also could not guarantee that he would have time to flee.

But if definite news arrived, or if there were truly signs of an approaching storm, He Song would leave at once, rather than placing his hopes on the tunnel saving his life.

The reason he dug it was merely to prepare for contingencies.

It was only one possible path of retreat.

Careful, yes, but that did not mean the tunnel would necessarily ever be used.

The hole He Song dug was rather special.

It was not the kind of shaft that went straight down.

From above, inside the quiet chamber of He Song’s house, even the floor remained intact.

From the ground downward for several meters, everything was solid.

Earth-escape.

With He Song’s current fifth-level Qi Refinement cultivation, at the limit of his ability he could descend about five meters underground, then travel through the earth at extremely high speed.

For a late Qi Refinement cultivator, He Song estimated that the limit should be around ten meters underground.

When digging, He Song first used earth-escape to go five meters down.

Only when he felt he could no longer descend any further did he use his storage bag to collect the soil around him.

The storage bag had already been emptied by He Song. There was nothing inside; he had set it aside specifically for carrying soil.

Thus, after removing one bag’s worth of earth, a hollow large enough for a person to crouch within appeared some five meters belowground.

So long as He Song curled his body, he could barely make himself dwell in that hollow.

After that came the continued excavation.

Dig while also filling in the soil above his head.

He made sure the earth overhead was always packed tightly.

Only after going dozens of meters underground and carving out a space the size of a room, then stocking it with food and other supplies, would the work be considered complete.

With such a cave in place, if the day ever came when he was truly trapped inside the Immortal Market, he could use earth-escape to descend five meters underground, then, just as he had while digging, continue downward while filling in the soil above him.

Once he reached the room-sized chamber he had carved out, he could then set up formations there.

In that case, even if a Foundation Establishment expert used divine sense to scan the area, it was doubtful they would detect anything dozens of meters underground.

After all, the earth below would all have been filled in by his own hands; it would appear to be nothing more than ordinary strata, with not the slightest flaw.

As for Qi Refinement cultivators searching for him, they would be even less likely to find He Song.

Who would think that He Song, merely to save his life, would dig a tunnel dozens of meters deep to hide in?

Even if demonic cultivators came, they would only return empty-handed.

Still, while digging, He Song could not help feeling a little disdain for his storage bag.

It was far too small.

It could not even hold much soil, and the earth he dug out had to be ferried away over and over again by hand.

Fortunately, with earth-escape at his disposal, making several extra trips was no great matter.

The digging project lasted more than ten days.

After more than ten days, the tunnel was fully finished, and He Song no longer paid it any mind.

The cave was only a precaution, a retreat he had left for himself out of caution.

If matters turned unfavorable, he would certainly flee if he could.

The end.