Gu Ningyun adjusted her breathing for a moment and began detoxifying the second batch of wounded.
Having recovered slightly from her injuries, Tang Mengyu gathered the uninjured disciples.
Half of the disciples spread out around the perimeter to keep watch, while the other half used spirit energy to carry the wounded to the treatment area.
She also assigned two people to take over the task of handing out pills from Meng Junxi.
These yellow-rank pills intended for Qi Refining cultivators mostly came from Wen Xuan, with a small portion provided by Meng Junxi.
Only an alchemist like Wen Xuan could produce so many pills all at once.
Anyone else would likely have had to send a message to the Mission Office, requesting them to report to Alchemy Peak for reinforcements.
According to the rules of Sect Precepts · Mission Hall · Mission Office:
Casualties resulting from collective sect missions, including medical expenses and condolences for the deceased, were to be reimbursed by the Mission Office.
Compared to the yield of the Gold-Scale Sand Mine, this handful of pills and the detoxification fee for 《Zongjiao》 were a mere drop in the bucket that the Mission Office wouldn't bat an eye at.
With someone maintaining order and managing logistics, Gu Ningyun and Wen Xuan breathed a genuine sigh of relief, able to focus single-mindedly on detoxifying the injured.
Meanwhile, Meng Junxi ventured down into the mine shaft to explore the passages Wu Wen had not yet visited.
The division of labor among the four had already been agreed upon on the way.
Gu Ningyun and Wen Xuan would remain outside to treat the wounded, Meng Junxi would provide backup, and Wu Wen would enter the mine shaft first to investigate the situation.
Wu Wen would leave markers in the mine shafts she had already explored.
Six shichen passed. All the wounded present were fully detoxified, and most had taken Return-to-Spring Pills and recovered completely.
Gu Ningyun sat cross-legged in meditation to recover her spirit energy.
In her sea of consciousness, her miniature primordial spirit sat cross-legged at the center of the Green Wood Lotus Platform.
The lotus platform rotated slowly, generating an endless stream of divine sense that accelerated the replenishing of her completely drained sea of consciousness.
Wen Xuan called Tang Mengyu over. "Junior Sister Tang, the situation inside the mine shaft is uncertain. Take them back first.
"Once the hidden danger here is resolved, we will restart the mining mission."
"Most of those Gold-Sand Ants are rank-one demon beasts, which Qi Refining cultivators can deal with by joining forces.
"Earlier in the mine shaft, they swarmed us all at once, catching us off guard, which was why we were injured."
Tang Mengyu had other thoughts. "Deputy Pavilion Master, many of us have already recovered from our injuries.
"The Gold-Sand Ants are numerous, and two pairs of hands cannot fight off four. Why not let us stay behind to help?"
The surrounding disciples who had recovered also looked over with eager gazes.
If they stayed, firstly, they could contribute to rescuing their trapped sect mates from the mine shaft as soon as possible.
Among those trapped were many with whom they had close relationships.
Secondly, for handyman disciples, an opportunity for experiential training with Foundation Establishment cultivators backing them up was extremely rare, and they truly did not want to miss it.
Thirdly, based on their understanding of their fellow disciples' character, if they contributed to besieging and exterminating the Gold-Sand Ants, they would certainly receive a share when the Pavilion Masters distributed the spoils later.
Wen Xuan looked around, having roughly guessed everyone's thoughts.
She did not give a definitive answer. "We'll speak again after Senior Sister Wu and Senior Brother Meng come back up."
She had sent a message to both of them earlier to inform them of the situation above, so they should be coming up soon.
Sure enough, not long after Gu Ningyun finished adjusting her breathing, Wu Wen and Meng Junxi emerged one after another, bringing up more than ten wounded disciples.
Gu Ningyun and Wen Xuan teamed up once more to detoxify these thirty-odd people.
While the detoxification was underway, Wu Wen and Meng Junxi inspected the condition of the disciples on site, letting out a sigh of relief.
The look in their eyes as they turned to Gu Ningyun and Wen Xuan held a touch of admiration.
They had also learned about the disciples' request to participate in the crusade against the Gold-Sand Ants.
After patiently waiting for Gu Ningyun and Wen Xuan to finish detoxifying everyone, Wu Wen finally said, "Why don't we have the middle- and low-stage Qi Refining disciples stay outside as backup, while the high-stage Qi Refining disciples follow us down into the mine?"
Such an arrangement was feasible.
Originally, Tang Mengyu was the only deacon present, with a cultivation at Qi Refining level twelve.
Just now, Wu Wen had rescued another deacon from Daigu Pavilion named Lu Song, whose cultivation was likewise at Qi Refining level twelve.
Gu Ningyun detoxifying the wounded, along with Wu Wen and Meng Junxi exploring the mine shafts, had consumed a considerable amount of spirit energy.
The three sat cross-legged to meditate and recover their condition.
Wen Xuan had Tang Mengyu gather all the handyman disciples. Including Tang Mengyu and Lu Song, there were 139 people in total.
There were eight people at Qi Refining level nine and ten.
As for those at level eleven and twelve, they had long since passed the assessment to become outer sect disciples and would not appear here.
In Xiaoyao's External Sect, Abode Masters and deacons were normally selected from among outer sect disciples under standard circumstances.
The outer sect disciples referred to here meant those who had been promoted from handyman disciples.
Formal disciples like Gu Ningyun's group—who cultivated ridiculously fast and ascended to the Inner Sect absurdly quick—were special cases.
Tang Mengyu and Lu Song were naturally outer sect disciples as well.
Gu Ningyun did not know the situation over at Daigu Pavilion.
She only knew that in Songyue Pavilion—or rather, among all the pavilions under the twelve outer peaks—the layouts were mostly similar.
Half of the area was allocated to the Abode Masters and deacons of the pavilion.
The other half was allocated to newly joined formal disciples.
The two areas had separate mountain gates established to facilitate travel.
At the intersection of the two areas, woods and fences were built for separation.
And in the center of these woods and fences stood a complex of halls—the Pavilion Master's administrative office.
The two Pavilion Masters managed affairs from the hall; turning left allowed them to coordinate with the Abode Masters and deacons, while turning right allowed them to nurture newcomers.
Tang Mengyu belonged to her Songyue Pavilion, so she naturally resided in the left area, within the Cloud Residence belonging to her as an outer sect disciple.
Returning to the present.
These eight people, together with Tang Mengyu, formed a group of nine.
Led by Tang Mengyu, they would follow the four of them down into the mine.
The remaining 130 people were divided into 10 groups of 13.
Each group was assigned a cultivator at Qi Refining level seven or eight to serve as group leader.
These ten groups were commanded by Daigu Pavilion's deacon, Lu Song.
Once the grouping was finished, Wen Xuan inspected the mine vein's distribution map and instructed Lu Song.
She asked him to assign two groups to stay on alert slightly further away from the mine shaft entrance.
The remaining eight groups were deployed around the perimeter of the eight mine veins, encircling the mining area.
First, to patrol and prevent outsiders from accidentally wandering in; second, to search and see if the Gold-Sand Ants had dug any additional openings out of the mine veins.
Since the four of them had come, they naturally intended to wipe out all of these demon beasts in one fell swoop.
If they released the tiger back into the mountains and left behind hidden dangers, how could they allow handyman disciples to mine here in the future?
One shichen later, everyone's condition was restored, and Lu Song had deployed his personnel into position.
With Wu Wen in the lead, Gu Ningyun's group of three in the middle, and Tang Mengyu leading her people behind, they headed into the mine shaft.
Right after stepping into the mine shaft, three separate mine passages appeared.
Tang Mengyu's brows knitted slightly. "Behind these three mine passages are countless forks.
"I can contact some of the trapped junior brothers and sisters, but even with their descriptions, finding them won't be easy."
Wu Wen patted her waist and released a tiny blue bee.
"Niece Tang, may I borrow your identity jade token?"
The little bee hovered briefly over Tang Mengyu's green jade token.
It then flew past the waists of the other eight disciples, hovering for a moment beside each of their yellow identity jade tokens before returning to Wu Wen's open palm.
"This is a Seeking-Scent Bee,"
Wu Wen said. "The primary material of a Xiaoyao disciple's identity jade token includes Rank-Consuming Stone.
"The Seeking-Scent Bee can use the unique scent of yellow and green Rank-Consuming Stones to locate trapped disciples."
Seeing her holding the Seeking-Scent Bee without moving, Gu Ningyun asked, "Senior Sister Wu, do you have any misgivings?"
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