Seconds later, there was a terribly ugly package in his hands, a purplish ore that seemed to radiate warmth just by coming close to it wrapped by many layers of film. But by now, its size has already shrunken to half of what it was.

“What was that? That felt really good just now,” Leaf asked, her face still flushed from the experience, as though she had just stepped out of a hot shower or a relaxing spa.

For a girl, even one who had a luxurious background, the feeling of such enjoyment is nearly addictive.

“That… that’s a Mud Stone,” a nearby miner exclaimed with trembling voice, the clothes he wore was covered in soot and dirt, but his skin was strangely clean and refreshed with a sheen of healthy blush.

“A Mud Stone? That sounds worthless,” Calculus laughed.

“You’re wrong, young sir. The Mud Stone is one of the most expensive and sought-after commodities that can only be found in two mines of Saint Empire. And our mine that is the primary one could only produce a handful each year. Most of the extracted Mud Stone is found dried up in its own stone egg or lost during the excavation process.”

“A Mud Stone!!” Snow, Leaf, Flora and Fauna, the four girls, and a few others in the class exclaimed.

Such a treasure is something only found in a princess’ bathroom.

“Why is it expensive?”

“Not only expensive, but there also are so many people placing orders for it. The wait list is already two centuries long now,” the miner said.

Leaf did not wait for him to continue and excitedly explained, “It is something that can exfoliate and re-energise the skin. Not only that, it removes all the impurities!”

“My aunt had the privilege to use it once,” said Snow, and immediately all the girls gave her their full attention, even the other females in the group, “She looked younger by at least ten years!”

“OHHHHHHHHH!”

“Just a small opening in a jade box that contains a Mud Stone for one second and it will smoothen your skin. I heard that the mineral blast penetrates deeply into you and excites your dormant Ki. Your cultivation, from the outwards, will temporarily increase!

When cultivation improves, one will revert to their optimal age. Your skin will become soft like a babe’s, and glow radiantly!”

“But… It’s only temporary?” Some of the girls that heard this were disappointed.

“Of course, but its effects wouldn’t revert immediately, and probably last for years. Even if you become young for only a moment, but your exterior… your skin has already become beautiful and wrinkle-free! Isn’t this a priceless treasure?”

“Wow!! That… That’s totally incredible!”

Though Alan has lost half of his Mud Stone, he still rather happily imagined, “Hehehe! How many dates will I get in school?”

Truly, the spirit ores found in the Troll caves are incredible thanks to the Origin of the Land.

On the other hand, Edward, Alucard, Leaf, Flora and Fauna did not find much they could boast about, but the ores found in the Cave Trolls’ lair are still at a higher-quality than most of the other students. The similarity does not end there, what the group found are also limited to earth, metal or lightning elements.

Because the Origin of the Land disperses an abundance of Earth elements in the area, other elements were brought in, making the place into a spirit ore farm. The Earth Ki created Metal Elements and their Ores, and when there is a heavy amount of Metal Elements around, the Lightning Elements will gather.

If more time is given, the Water elements should appear next, giving birth to Wood, then Fire, Wind, and finally Frost, completing the cycle of creation and natural elements.

After everyone is done, Kairos’ stone egg is the final piece. Its massive size ensured that it held the most attention of everyone.

Many miners delicately helped Kairos remove the hard limestone surface. Such a large task is unreasonable for a single student to finish. Moreover, there is a good chance that this would be most significant spirit ore found in recent years, no one dares to risk it for a trainee to practice.

Even Er Tian asked Kairos to hold back and let the others break open his find. His grading for the deshelling technique will be left for the next round.

At the side, the instructor secretly whispered to Kairos, “You sure you want us to crack it open? The quality of ores that your group had discovered is all rather high. It will be very dangerous if a treasure like the Gold Heartstone is found in this size. I advise you to open it in private instead.”

“No, instructor. This is the rise of the Snowdrifts; we will begin our advance in this place. Please watch it carefully.”

In the past, all they had done was holding back. Without belonging to a faction, and without a powerful fighting force, the Snowdrifts could only play their cards safely until they grow into a formidable group.

However, taking small steps will hinder their group’s growth like a malnourished child.

This time, with the Dark Gods house’s support in the open and Emperor Galahad in the dark, they will change their stance. Not only Saint Empire, but the rest of Gaia will soon know the existence of this group called Snowdrifts.

The work on the giant stone egg’s shell proceeded slowly as expected. Every movement the miners made was exceedingly delicate, and whenever a small piece of limestone was chipped off, everyone held their breath.

They were careful to ensure that there is not even a shake that could damage the item contained within.

Granted, it could be holding a useless piece of ore or even worthless rocks within, but the size promises a possibility of the grandest treasure that no one can deny.

While the rest are still absorbed with the possibility of uncovering the motherlode, Kairos stood nearby expressionless. As the owner of the item, he was instead the most composed. In fact, he was the only one unruffled as he quietly observed the others.

Nearby, Alan quietly asked, “What do you think it contains? What kind of ore will have such a huge shell?”

“A Shit Stone?” said Jim.

“Ahh… hahaha!”

“Ehehehe!”

“A giant shit stone.”

“Ahahaha!”

“Like your Mud Stone, just more… tremendous” snickered Edward.

“The shit storm ore?”

“BWAHAHAHA!”

While everyone else was serious, the three thoroughly enjoyed themselves. In fact, they hoped that it would be something useless within. The look on Kairos’ face at that time would be priceless, and Calculus will most likely be so overjoyed he could transcend and fly off into the sky. Granted, he will crash headfirst into the cavern ceiling first.

Kairos rolled his eyes at them with practised efficiency then turned his attention elsewhere.

With the exception of his three brothers, even his friends look at him differently now. Though they said Kairos deserved the biggest stone egg, it is impossible not to feel a thing now. Especially since they didn’t expect the find to be the largest for decades.

Snow and Leaf are still taking it well since they had sworn fealty to Kairos. Instead, they had a look that said, “As expected!”

The chosen one of the primordial dragon is not just for show. Even his luck is far more potent than others!

Alucard, on the other hand, frowned for a second – evidently pissed off at himself for the surging jealousy he felt – but he quickly recovered. His feelings are natural, but he made a choice between friendship and greed and picked the former causing Kairos to nod privately in appreciation.

The two girls in the Dracula team: Flora and Fauna, held their heads low but their eyes stared intensely at the deshelling process. Especially the former, as the blacksmith family’s heir, she could not hide the interest on her face. At least, they were unpretentious.

Calculus – as expected – was filled to the brim with envy, but there is little he could do. He could only convince himself that there could be nothing within the stone egg.

Kairos, of course, could tell otherwise, from the tug he felt in his heart, that this carriage-sized stone egg contains a treasure not much weaker than the Origin of the Land.

If the latter item is the father of spirit ores, then the former is its most delighted son.

A spirit ore among spirit ores.

Finally, with bated breath, a crack revealed a silvery glow.

“There really is a spirit ore within!”

“What is it? What ore glows silver?!”

“Maybe a Rhodium Titan Ore? That would be the thing to see! And such a size, my goodness!”

“Might be a Platinum Ghost Stone? It certainly shines beautifully.”

“Quick, it is leaking!”

“No, no, it isn’t. It is emitting pure, refined energy.”

“Quick, let's break it out! My god, just what is this?”

The spirit ore proved to be a stable compound that did not lose its potency even though it is continuously emitting strong, refined waves of energies. Those holding on to transparent sheets breathed out a sigh of relief.

The others stared at it wide-eyed, but unable to determine what it is exactly.

A few moments later, when it is completely extracted, a large metallic material unlike anything they had seen so far is in the middle of the mining centre.

By now, the bustling had attracted even the shopkeepers and experienced appraisers over.

The ore is not silver as they supposed. It gave off a pure, brilliant light that changes colour depends on dust particles in its environment.

The energy it releases, is likewise, complicated.

“What element is this? How odd. It’s very pure, very, very refined, but unlike anything I’ve felt before.”

“Is it… an ore of transcending element?”

All that beheld it was speechless at the spectacle. Many knowledgeable men took out large books from their Time-space rings and began checking for its identity. Even Snow are stumped for a moment. Then, a hidden memory surfaced, and her face turned into a look of absolute astonishment.

“T…this… this ore!” She cried out.

Snow turned to Kairos and started whispering in his ears, “This is a Chaos stone. The CF Ninety-Eight. Lesser known as a Kaleforneam. S…such a size… It's unbelievable! The only other copy found was a relic left from the Immortal Realm and only the size of a pinky!”

“That sounds impressive. What does it do?” Kairos asked, as calm as ever. Though he does not know what the ore is, the result was within his predictions.

“This ore is incredible… The Chaos Element is also known as the All-Element, and it can draw in every attribute of Heavenly Energy and refine it within itself. When you’re cultivating besides it, the ore can produce for you a very pure and concentrated amount of whichever element you wish.

The amount of energy that could be refined depends on the size of the CF Ninety-Eight. With such a large amount, you can use this even in the Heavenly Realm!”

“Hey, look,” A miner exclaimed from the opposite side of Kairos, “Doesn’t it look like a throne from this angle?”

“Ah, now that you mentioned it, there is a small indent fit for a person to sit on. Truly, it is like the most grandeur throne fit for a supreme heavenly emperor to sit on!”

“I just wonder what ore this is… Even before we cracked it open, it is already giving off powerful energy, yet it does not decay. A true treasure.”

In the end, not everyone is like Snow; even the appraisers could not identify it and give it a price. Of course, it is because Snow came from a family of historians that she could possess such information. But it is also fortunate that the Autumn Blossom Family produced an incredible genius like her who can claim to be a walking encyclopaedia.

The existence of CF Ninety-Eight is far too unknown. Nevertheless, it did not stop many people offering Kairos to sell to them. Those that cannot make the purchase decision ran back to inform their employers or family heads. And even grand merchants who hold riches equal to high nobles generously bided.

However, after hearing Snow’s information, Kairos did not find anyone who offered enough and promptly store the Kaleforneam throne away.

Moreover, he already has an idea for such an item. An ore that refines Heavenly Energy would make one’s cultivation process shorten by half, and it is especially useful for Vouno who could not refine any energy in his Dantian.

There is a good reason why it is considered a treasure even for the celestials; the ore could take in a thousand strands of energy and refine it into one, pure and concentrated part. Such refining efficiency is ten, or even a hundred times better than the average cultivator.

Although turning a thousand parts into one does not further improve the cultivation speed, its high-efficiency means that ten or a hundred times more people could cultivate around the CF Ninety-Eight at one go without depleting the Heavenly Energies around. Coupled with his Crystal Valve training circle, it will support much more cultivators at once and could now be opened to those that had earned his trust.

No doubt, eyes from all over the world will be on the Snowdrifts from now on.

Having cracked opened all the stones, the students found less useable ores than expected. The average amount of ore each person extract could only make two copies of swords or a piece of armour. If this is the case for such a good year, then, how did the previous year students manage to find enough crafting materials?

But this question they had in mind was answered shortly after by Er Tian, “Ahem, now comes the most exciting part of our lesson. I’m sure that many of you had already found out about this from your seniors and must be rearing to go! I hope you brought enough money, if not, or if you somehow did not know about this, then you can borrow from me.

Of course, the rates will be in my benefit. Every copper you borrow, you must repay, and I won’t even charge you interest, but, leave behind a fifth of whatever you find from the stone eggs,” then he added almost bashfully, “Aren’t I’m such a good person!”

The students collectively rolled their eyes at him.

After declaring that with a loud voice, the instructor brought everyone towards the stone gambling shops. They are to find whatever material they need from this place.

“Oh, yeah, before you start. You will be judged by your ability to sift through the rocks and find the ores. It is very difficult, takes years of experience and a lot of luck, and even then, it is impossible to tell for sure. I’ll say, finding about one spirit ore in three stone eggs will be pretty good.

And one in a hundred ores being high-grade would be good enough for now.

Then Er Tian shamelessly suggested with a bit of mischief in his eyes, “Since everyone already has enough crafting material, and our stores hold enough spares, why don't we set up a competition to spice things up?

We can compete amongst ourselves on who can find the highest quality spirit ores within those white beauties, and the winner takes all!

Of course, since skill and experience could only estimate the presence of spirit ore in a stone egg, and luck determines the grade of spirit ore within, I will be joining you all!”

The students moaned, and even the stoic Kairos shuddered. Gamblers sure are dangerous.