22: Chapter 22 Infrastructure Pain Points, Military Rewards

Past midnight, yet no one had left the Lords Mansion meeting hall.

Su Qingli's words, "We might be going bankrupt," were like a bucket of cold water, dousing the enthusiasm that had just risen due to the completion of the Ultimate Array Diagram.

Lu Changyuan's expression didn't change; he simply lifted his chin: "Speak."

Su Qingli suppressed her churning blood, pointing at the red-marked nodes on the array diagram. She spoke rapidly, yet without the slightest panic.

"If we only build a standard Low Grade Third Grade island protection Formation, given Blue Moon Island's current Foundation, and by squeezing the treasury, we could barely manage it. But such a Formation could stop ordinary sea bandits, not the Scarlet Beast Tide you mentioned."

"To truly withstand large-scale impacts for over three months, this island must accomplish at least three things."

"First, there cannot be only one Formation core; it must be layered and connected in parallel. Otherwise, if the main Formation core is smashed by high-grade Yao Beast, the entire island will collapse."

"Second, the Formation cannot just defend the exterior; it must also be able to draw back Spiritual Qi and protect the fields and granaries. Otherwise, the island will run out of food before the beast tide even breaks through."

"Third, we must reserve unified coordination spots for the heavy crossbows, fire talismans, caltrops, and irrigation canals. If the troops are troops, the Formation is the Formation, and the fields are the fields, they will only get in each other's way during wartime."

With every sentence she spoke, her charcoal pencil circled a Spiritual Qi convergence point on the array diagram.

"To accomplish these three things, just to complete the Materials for the main Formation, we are still short at least one hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"That's not even the most troublesome part."

Her fingertip paused, pointing at a line of small text next to the base of the north gate's main Formation.

"What we are truly in urgent need of is Star Sand."

The few people in the hall frowned in unison.

"This item is a Third Grade Formation-building material that can stabilize the Formation, conduct Spiritual Qi, and withstand Spiritual Pressure. Without it, your Ultimate Array Diagram can at most be drawn—it might look good, but it can't be implemented. Even if it were barely implemented, it couldn't withstand the repeated onslaught of the beast tide."

Lu Hu gasped: "We don't even have a single jin on the island?"

"None," Su Qingli shook her head. "Let alone Blue Moon Island, even if the nearby small islands emptied their treasuries, they couldn't scrape together much. Star Sand is inherently scarce; most of it is held by large merchant guilds, Sect, or large immortal cities."

As these words fell, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly grew heavier.

Blue Moon Island had just stabilized its situation by relying on the mineral vein, Spiritual Vein, and a round of shopping, but now, although the array diagram was good, they were faced with an even larger deficit. One hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones plus Third Grade Star Sand—this was not a sum that could be saved by penny-pinching.

Shi Jian stood to the side; he didn't understand all the Formation mechanisms, but he understood one thing.

The family Foundation the Young Lord had just built up was still far from enough.

Seeing everyone silent, Su Qingli continued instead, with no intention of sparing anyone's feelings.

"There is one more thing."

She turned to look at the six heavy armor-piercing crossbows placed against the wall.

"They can defend the city, but it's not enough."

Lu Hu knit his brows: "These are already the heavy weapons that can be bought in Tianxing Immortal City."

"They are sufficient to deal with ordinary Second Grade Yao Beast."

Su Qingli walked to one of the heavy crossbows, raising her hand to stroke the crossbow arm and the mechanism, as if touching a semi-finished product.

"But if we encounter thick-skinned, high-grade Yao Beast charging in groups, problems will all arise at once."

"First, there is enough penetration but insufficient cold energy; it cannot exert sustained suppression."

"Second, the bearing limit of the crossbow body is limited; after rapid firing, the Array Pattern will collapse due to heat."

"Third, this type of military-standard heavy crossbow was intentionally made stable to adapt to most terrains, but because of this, it has lost its specificity."

"In other words, it is usable, but not the best to use."

The hall fell silent again.

These heavy crossbows were clearly the heavy defensive weapons Lu Changyuan had just spent a large sum of money to bring back from the Immortal City, yet Su Qingli had only glanced at them a few times before picking out the most critical shortcomings one by one.

Lu Changyuan was not the least bit annoyed; instead, he looked up at her: "You mean, they can still be modified?"

Su Qingli did not answer immediately, but looked toward the other side of the hall at those few raw pieces of Mysterious Ice Jade that had been cut out and not yet truly put to use.

"If we only rely on existing Materials, it won't work."

"But if we incorporate the Mysterious Ice Jade, we might be able to try."

Upon hearing this, Lu Changyuan's eyes flickered.

The Mysterious Ice Jade mine was one of the first trump cards dug out by Blue Moon Island; it was extremely cold and had stable Spiritual Qi, but they had never found the most suitable application for it. If they just took it to exchange for Spirit Stone, it would certainly be valuable, but that way of selling would only solve an immediate need.

If it could truly be combined with the heavy defensive crossbows, the value would be completely different.

"Speak more specifically."

Su Qingli tapped the crossbow arm, the crossbow groove, and several load-bearing points at the rear.

"Mysterious Ice Jade is best suited for withstanding sustained Spiritual Pressure and can also lock in cold energy. If we cut the raw material into thin slices, embed them into the crossbow arm and the mechanism, and then add a layer of Spiritual Qi-conducting Array Pattern on the crossbow groove, there is a chance to press the cold energy in together at the moment the arrow is fired."

"In this way, the arrow will not only penetrate, but it can also freeze Qi, stagnate blood, and suppress protective spiritual light."

"If we then use fire talismans in conjunction with the crossbow arrows—first freezing and cracking the shield, then using the fire talisman to blast an opening—the power could be increased by at least one level."

By the time she said this, her voice was even faster than before; evidently, she had already started deducing it in her mind.

"But the problems are also significant."

"Mysterious Ice Jade is hard and brittle; if the cutting is even slightly off, the whole piece is ruined."

"If the Array Pattern are carved too shallowly, the cold energy cannot be locked in; if carved too deeply, the crossbow arm will crack first."

"And this isn't something that can be achieved by me drawing a diagram alone; we need Artifact Refining apprentices, craftsmen, and array-engravers to test it repeatedly, testing until their hands are worn raw."

Lu Hu couldn't help but ask: "What are the chances of success?"

"As of now, thirty percent."

Shi Jian's heart sank.

Thirty percent—it sounded almost like gambling.

But after Lu Changyuan heard this, he did not have the slightest hesitation. Instead, he slowly stood up, walked to the heavy crossbows, and raised his hand to press on the cold arm of one of them.

"Thirty percent is enough."

Everyone looked at him simultaneously.

Lu Changyuan swept his gaze across the hall full of armaments, array diagrams, and account books. His tone was calm, but it carried a sense of determination that sealed off all paths of retreat.

"Blue Moon Island does not have the qualification to wait for a hundred percent certainty right now."

"The beast tide will not give us an extra half a year just because we are short on money, Materials, or people."

"Since the Ultimate Array Diagram must be implemented and the heavy crossbows must be upgraded, then we will do both together."

As he said this, he suddenly turned to look at Shi Jian.

"Screen out everyone on the island who knows how to forge iron, carve, watch furnace fires, or follow diagrams to trace lines. Anyone with steady hands, keen eyes, and the ability to pull all-nighters—regardless of their background—is to enter the Workshop tonight."

"Yes!"

He looked at Lu Hu again.

"Clear out all the remaining Spirit Stone, raw Mysterious Ice Jade, blank Formation Plate, spiritual Materials, old crossbow arms, and spare crossbow strings from the treasury. Anyone who dares to hide anything will be dealt with according to military law."

"Understood, my Lord."

Finally, he looked at Su Qingli.

"You want people, I will give you people. You want Materials, I will give you Materials."

"You only need to do one thing: create the things that can keep Blue Moon Island alive."

Su Qingli was stunned for a moment.

She had originally thought that after proposing such a concept, she would likely first encounter a round of hesitation, weighing of options, and bargaining. After all, this meant burning money, burning Materials, and burning through the schedule, and it might not even succeed on the first try.

But Lu Changyuan didn't have a single word of hesitation.

He saw things more clearly than anyone, which is why he was even more aware that they could not skimp right now.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Dozens of Artifact Refining apprentices, craftsmen, and array-literate clerks who had been called in overnight were quickly brought into the front courtyard. Most of them were not fully dressed, clearly having been dragged straight out of bed, but when they saw the heavy crossbows in the courtyard, the array diagrams spread out in the hall, and Lu Changyuan standing in the main position, everyone subconsciously held their breath.

Lu Changyuan didn't waste words with them; he simply raised his hand and pointed to the heavy crossbows and the Mysterious Ice Jade beside them.

"Starting tonight, Blue Moon Island is opening a second Workshop."

"It will focus on two things."

"First, assist Chief Steward Su in pushing forward the island protection Formation."

"Second, modify the crossbows."

His gaze swept over everyone one by one.

"Anyone participating in the research and development of the island protection Formation and the new crossbows—as long as you produce real results, regardless of your background—will be credited for your contribution."

"For Artifact Refining apprentices, for every successful item, you will be rewarded with one hundred mu of fertile land."

"For craftsmen, for every successful item, your family will be exempted from three years of miscellaneous labor."

"For clerks, if you can keep the account books, Materials, processes, and personnel in order, after the success, each will be rewarded with spiritual rice and land deeds."

"If anyone can achieve the greatest merit regarding the Mysterious Ice Jade and the crossbow body Array Pattern, there will be additional heavy rewards."

The breathing of everyone in the courtyard suddenly became heavy.

One hundred mu of fertile land, three years of exemption from miscellaneous labor—this kind of reward, in the past, would have been enough to make most people risk their lives to strive for it.

But Lu Changyuan's next sentence was what truly ignited the fire in everyone's hearts.

He looked at Su Qingli; his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"If Chief Steward Su can successfully create this set of things, I will personally exchange for a Fourth Grade creation pill from the main lineage for you."

At this moment, even Su Qingli suddenly raised her head.

A Fourth Grade creation pill exchanged from the main lineage.

That was a precious treasure sufficient to truly repair Meridians and reverse hidden injuries to one's Foundation.

At the best time of her life, she had only seen a Medicinal Pill of this level from afar once. Now that her Meridians were completely severed and her path of cultivation was almost cut off, if there was anything that could allow her to resume that path, the Fourth Grade creation pill was the most realistic option.

Although not everyone in the courtyard necessarily knew the specific value of this Medicinal Pill, just by looking at Su Qingli's suddenly changed expression, they knew this reward was terrifyingly heavy.

Su Qingli was silent for a few breaths, then suddenly took a deep breath. Her spine, which had been slightly listless due to fatigue and blood loss, straightened bit by bit at this moment.

"Good."

She only said one word.

But as soon as this word was spoken, the crowd in the front courtyard, who had originally been a bit dazed and sleepy, suddenly seemed to have their spirits pulled together by a rope.

Because everyone had seen it.

That Formation Master who had just been bought back from the black market by the Young Lord was truly going to risk her life to do this.

If she dared to gamble, what did others have to fear in striving for it?

That night, on Blue Moon Island, there was no longer any place that could continue at the previous slow pace.

The second Workshop under the high ground was brightly lit; the sounds of hammering, material cutting, fire testing, and footsteps rang out in unison. Shi Jian led people to move Materials, record numbers, and adjust workstations; Lu Hu personally kept an eye on the treasury and armaments, guarding against any crossbow string or piece of Mysterious Ice Jade going missing; Su Qingli nailed herself to the long table, modifying the array diagram while trying to embed the Mysterious Ice Jade slices into the old crossbow arms, her whole person looking as if she had been set on fire.

Lu Changyuan walked back and forth between several construction sites and the Workshop. He didn't say much, only personally pushing forward every place that was stuck.

Some people needed rewards.

Some people needed pressure.

And for Blue Moon Island right now, what it lacked most was this kind of force where someone was watching and pushing forward every single link.

But no matter how much they pushed forward, a gap was, in the end, a gap.

When dawn was about to break, Lu Changyuan returned to the meeting hall; the table was already piled high with new budgets and material lists.

One hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a severe shortage of Star Sand; the Ultimate Array Diagram was only drawn out, and truly implementing it still felt like a gold-devouring beast.

He raised his hand to rub his brow, just about to have someone bring the maps of known forces and trade routes in the surrounding sea area, when inside his Sea of Consciousness, the heavenly secret jade slip, which had been silent, suddenly shook without any warning.

The next moment, golden light surged on the surface of the Jade Slip, shining brighter than any time before.

Lu Changyuan's gaze darkened, and his Divine Sense immediately sank into his Sea of Consciousness.

He saw the ancient Jade Slip hanging above his Sea of Consciousness slowly unfold, and strands of golden light, like moonlight, quickly condensed into three lines of small text. The most eye-catching line pointed straight like an arrow toward an area of reefs in the open sea northwest of Blue Moon Island.

That place was located on the high seas at the border between Blue Moon Island and Ironwood Island.

A cold glint flickered in the depths of Lu Changyuan's eyes.

"So that's how it is."

Lu Hu had just entered the door; seeing his unusual expression, he immediately asked: "Young Lord?"

Lu Changyuan raised his head, and the corners of his lips finally curled into an extremely faint smile.

"Spirit Stone and Star Sand have delivered themselves to our door."