“Sounds about right.” Chen Feng nodded. Although no one had begun mining work on this mine before, Chen Feng did possess a certain amount of understanding towards it. For example, the ores that he had acquired in the past also contained some ordinary rocky materials and impurities, let alone these iron ores. The same held true for spirit stone mines.

After that, Chen Feng took a few more steps forward. Then, he picked up another fist-sized stone. As expected, this stone was considerably heavier compared to the previous stone. Sensing that, Chen Feng knew that the Mystic Iron content within this stone was much higher than the previous one.

This is an Iron Essence Grass, a type of medicinal herb that grows near mines. It is usable in the forging of magic treasures. Chen Feng stretched his hand to pull out a medicinal herb that had a completely metallic look. It looked as though it was made using metal. It felt heavy and Chen Feng was able to sense a thick iron essence within the Iron Essence Grass.

Looks like cultivators who practice metal-type magic techniques can also use this medicinal herb for their cultivation practice. Chen Feng’s palm exerted a suction force and the iron essence within the Iron Essence Grass was quickly absorbed away, causing the Iron Essence Grass to wither.

Are there only Iron Essence Grasses? As Chen Feng continued advancing, one Iron Essence Grass after another flew up from the ground and into Chen Feng’s hand. However, there was something that surprised and puzzled Chen Feng. While the number of medicinal herbs on the mountain was quite high, there was only one type of medicinal herbs: Iron Essence Grass.

“What is so surprising about that? This is a Mystic Iron mine. What else could grow here if not Iron Essence Grass? And why are you so slow? Just watch me?” Tower finally grew impatient. A massive vortex suddenly appeared before Chen Feng, sending a formidable suction force outward. Everywhere the force went, Iron Essence Grasses and Mystic Iron ores would be pulled over and sucked into the vortex. The herbal field within the Longevity Tower expanded. At the same time, Mystic Iron ores kept piling up within the tower to form a small mountain.

Bang!

Chen Feng waved his hand and a large astral sword flashed forward. A gully that was over 20 zhang long and several zhang deep appeared on the hard mountain. Shattered rocks and iron bits flew about. The gully exposed a Mystic Iron vein that was even harder than the mountain.

It truly is very hard. That attack earlier could have cleaved a normal earthen mountain, but it could only do this much against it. Whatever, I’ll let Tower handle this. Seeing the effect of his actions, Chen Feng decided not to do anything. His actions would be a clear waste of effort.

This place has a Mystic Iron mine. Given how good it is, this place will definitely be playing host to some yao beasts, no? Chen Feng rushed all the way up to the mountaintop in one breath. Then, he checked his surroundings.

Still, I managed to acquire so many Mystic Iron ores this time around. This means I now have the materials I need to craft some metal puppets. Yes. If I can craft some Mystic Iron puppets, I can use them as bodyguards in the future. They can even prove useful during critical situations. Chen Feng suddenly thought.

The Puppet Crafting Technique was not a particularly high-grade technique and the puppets crafted could only utilize physical attacks. However, Chen Feng knew that, with proper utilization, they could be used to great effect. For example, if a Mystic Iron puppet could approach a cultivator who had bad melee abilities, the puppet would likely be capable of killing the cultivator with just one punch.

“I will devour 90 % of the Mystic Iron here. I will leave 10 % for you,” Tower said.

“No problem!” Chen Feng replied smilingly.

Suddenly, Chen Feng’s body flashed to disappear before re-appearing somewhere over 10 metres away. There on the very spot that Chen Feng had occupied just moments ago was an ant. Black in colour, the ant was bigger than a human palm. A piece of hard ore that was on the ground there had broken into two neatly split pieces.

“Metalchomp Ant!”

Chen Feng was surprised. He had actually seen this creature back when he was in Demon Soul Valley. However, while they did possess roughly the same appearance, this ant had a somewhat different colour.

Chen Feng then recollected himself. These creatures devour metals. Since there was a Mystic Iron mine here, it was only normal for these Metalchomp Ants to appear here. Truth be told, this creature before him could not be considered a yao beast. Its individual strength was not particularly strong. However, the appearance of an entire swarm of these creatures would be a disaster. At any rate, they were social creatures.

Sou!

Failing to strike Chen Feng with its earlier attack, the Metalchomp Ant leapt, transforming into a black beam of light to shoot towards Chen Feng’s neck. Its sharp pincer shone with black light as it attempted to tear Chen Feng’s neck.

With a swing of his hand, Chen Feng grabbed the Metalchomp Ant. “A little something like you want to attack me?”

Caught by Chen Feng’s hand, the Metalchomp Ant ferociously bit Chen Feng’s finger. Seeing that, Chen Feng did not try to avoid getting bitten. Instead, he deliberately allowed the Metalchomp Ant to do so.

A drop of blood flowed down from Chen Feng’s finger, shocking Chen Feng. Not only was his fleshly body strong, he was also wearing the grade 9 Prized-tier body armour. Generally speaking, even your average Sky Human stage cultivator would be incapable of breaking Chen Feng’s defensive power. And yet, this Metalchomp Ant could actually create a wound on his finger with its bite. Seeing that shocked Chen Feng. This Metalchomp Ant was much stronger compared to the ones he had encountered back in Demon Soul Valley.

Chen Feng tightened his grip only to find that the Metalchomp Ant was seemingly made from Mystic Iron, incomparably hard. In the end, however, Chen Feng had still crushed it with his grip, effectively killing it.

“This is practically a clump of metal.” Seeing the deformed Metalchomp Ant in his hand, Chen Feng felt that it was no different from a piece of metal. Naturally, it was much tougher than ordinary steel.

“Metalchomp Ants feed on metals. The toughness of their bodies has long since exceeded that of ordinary metals. Although these Mystic Iron ores here are hard, they might not be as hard as this Metalchomp Ant’s body,” Tower said.

“Metalchomp Ants are social creatures. There won’t be just one of them here, right?” Chen Feng speculated.

The thought had only just flashed across Chen Feng’s mind when the hard ground before Chen Feng swelled up. It looked like a small mound rising upwards. However, Chen Feng knew that this was no mound. This was a highly tough Mystic Iron mine, after all.

Bang!

The hard ground erupted and Metalchomp Ants gushed out from the ground like a fountain, brandishing their pincers and limbs menacingly as they did. After emerging, they immediately initiated a swarm tactic, forming a black sea of ants to assault Chen Feng.

Chen Feng had planned on leaping away from them when three more spots on the ground erupted and countless Metalchomp Ants quickly rushed out to besiege Chen Feng.

“So many Metalchomp Ants! I must have entered a Metalchomp Ant’s nest. However, why did I not sense it earlier?” Although Chen Feng was feeling puzzled, he did not forget to defend himself from the incoming attacks.

His domain unfurled and the Metalchomp Ants pouncing upon Chen Feng were all thrown backwards. Some were smashed to pieces by Chen Feng’s domain power while others would be compressed to become clumps of metal.

However, what the Metalchomp Ants did next caused Chen Feng’s eyes to widen. After the Metalchomp Ants were knocked away, they continued to rush towards Chen Feng. However, they instead bit and tore the domain that Chen Feng had unleashed.

“These Metalchomp Ants hid themselves within the Mystic Iron mine, blending in with the surrounding metals. They are indeed difficult to detect,” Tower said.

“Don’t Metalchomp Ants only devour metals? How can they even devour my domain power?” Chen Feng asked.

“Whoever said that Metalchomp Ants could only devour metals? They were given the name Metalchomp Ant to convey the fact that these ants could eat metal, let alone other items. Some formidable Metalchomp Ants could devour almost everything. Naturally, that includes spiritual energy,” Tower explained.

“In other words, with enough Metalchomp Ants, they could even devour the whole world?” Chen Feng uttered in shock.

“Theoretically, it is possible. Rather, it has happened before.”

“That actually happened?” Chen Feng grew more shocked. Swiftly, he grasped and two Metalchomp Ants were caught in his grasp. With a grip, the two of them became two pieces of deformed metal.

The might of the Metalchomp Ants had exceeded Chen Feng’s expectations. He could clearly feel his domain power weakening constantly. It did not take long for several of the Metalchomp Ants to break through the domain and charge at him.

“Domain of Fire!”

Chen Feng sneered and his domain power transformed entirely into a domain of fire. At the same time, he released the Eight Trigrams Fire Sword and it flew around Chen Feng, slicing about without respite.

Fire counters metal!

After unleashing this move, all the Metalchomp Ants approaching Chen Feng were melted by the high temperature of the power of fire. Either that or sliced to pieces by the Eight Trigrams Fire Sword.

In just one breath’s worth of time, Chen Feng had killed tens of the Metalchomp Ants. However, even more Metalchomp Ants burst outwards. Seemingly unafraid of death, they advanced, swarming forward. Whenever one died, two more would take its place. More and more Metalchomp Ants surrounded Chen Feng and he became inundated by a sea of Metalchomp Ants.

Chen Feng understood that these social creatures were the least fearful of death. Like a pack of wolves, they would fearlessly charge forward in waves despite facing a difficult opponent. Even if it meant the death of thousands, they would continue on their single-minded pursuit of tearing their enemies to pieces.

“It’d be too much of a waste to kill so many Metalchomp Ants,” said Chen Feng, who then utilized the Longevity Tower’s power. He opened up a passageway and an overwhelming suction force sucked in the Metalchomp Ants into the Longevity Tower. Chen Feng created a special space within the first floor of the Longevity Tower and put all of them there. After that, he brought out some metal ores and tossed them into the space to serve as food for them.

“What, you want to keep these little guys? Why do you keep throwing everything into me?” Tower grew displeased.

“I wonder, will I be able to cultivate out a Metalchomp Ant up to the Yao King stage?” Chen Feng said smilingly.

Truth be told, Chen Feng was just joking. The reason he collected the Metalchomp Ants into the Longevity Tower was to save himself the trouble. A high number of cultivators had entered this pocket dimension. Thus, if there were good items, Chen Feng would have to move quickly to collect them to avoid any complications.

Chen Feng controlled the passageway, moving it here and there, specifically directing it towards places with plenty of Metalchomp Ants. A total of 10,000 Metalchomp Ants were thus sucked into the Longevity Tower and the Metalchomp Ants finally knew fear. One by one, they began fleeing. After the atmosphere of fear spread amongst them, all of the Metalchomp Ants instantly dispersed. Not a single one of them dared to approach Chen Feng again.

1 zhang = 3.333 m