142: Chapter 142 Discussion on Formation, Clues to the Mineral Vein

The next morning, in the main hall of the Luoxia Sect.

Lin Yue sat in the main seat, with the three Star Gazing Emissaries from Star Track Pavilion on his left, and the three Immortal Masters Qing Luan, True Person Xuan Jian, and Cloud Crane from the Seven Star Alliance on his right.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn, filled with an invisible pressure.

"Everyone."

Lin Yue scanned the crowd and got straight to the point:

"The White Bone Demon Venerable will arrive within twenty-five days, and the deployment of the Star Dragon Evil-Breaking Grand Array is critically urgent. I have gathered you all today to finalize the Formation details and assign tasks."

He waved his hand, and a ray of starlight unfolded in the hall, transforming into a three-dimensional topographic map of the Luoxia Sect and the surrounding hundred li.

On the map, three hundred and sixty-five light points flickered, seventy-two of which were exceptionally bright.

"This array centers on the Luoxia Sect, covering an area of one hundred li. The outer 'Starlight Barrier' requires one hundred and eight nodes, the middle 'Dragon Roar Thunder Domain' requires one hundred and forty-four nodes, and the inner 'Star Dragon Evil-Breaking' core requires one hundred and thirteen nodes, totaling three hundred and sixty-five nodes."

"Among them, seventy-two crucial nodes require Cultivators above the Golden Core Stage to guard them. Currently, we have—"

Lin Yue paused, then reported their visible combat strength:

"I am at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, Fellow Daoist Star Dust is at the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, Fellow Daoists Qing Luan, True Person Xuan Jian, and Cloud Crane are at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, Fellow Daoists Xing Yun and Star Rain are at the Middle Golden Core Stage, and Fellow Daoist Star Radiance is at the Late Golden Core Stage. That totals eight, leaving a deficit of sixty-four."

"The gap is too large."

Immortal Master Qing Luan frowned deeply:

"Although the hundred Golden Core Cultivators brought by our Seven Star Alliance are all elites, if they are divided to guard sixty-four nodes, their strength will be too dispersed. Once a certain point is breached, the entire great Formation will be affected."

"Therefore, we need an 'alternative plan'."

Lin Yue pointed to the outer layer of the map:

"The one hundred and eight outer nodes can be replaced by 'Formation Puppets'. I have ordered the Artifact Refining Hall to rush the production of one hundred and eight third-tier 'Star Pattern Puppets'. Although they are not as flexible as an Immortal Master guarding them, they are sufficient to maintain basic operation."

"Formation Puppets?"

True Person Xuan Jian shook his head:

"Third-tier Puppets are like paper in Nascent Soul-level battles. If the White Bone Demon Army concentrates its forces to attack a certain point, they probably won't last even an incense stick's time."

"That's why we need support from the middle 'Dragon Roar Thunder Domain'."

Lin Yue pointed to the one hundred and forty-four light points in the middle layer:

"These nodes will deploy dragon roar cannons, at least three at each point, forming a cross-fire network. Once an outer layer point is attacked, the middle layer can immediately provide fire coverage, buying time for repairs."

"As for the inner core..."

He looked at Star Dust:

"We will have to rely on the Star Dust from the Star Track Pavilion. Deploying the 'Star Track Shifting Array' with Star Dust can transfer the load from damaged outer nodes to other nodes at critical moments, preventing a chain collapse."

Star Dust pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded:

"Theoretically, it's feasible. However, the consumption of Star Dust will be immense, and the burden on the Divine Soul of the Cultivator presiding over the Formation will be extremely heavy."

"I will preside over it."

Lin Yue said calmly:

"I have a star dragon nascent soul, and my control over the Power of the Stars far surpasses others at my stage. As long as the Materials are sufficient, maintaining it for twelve hours will not be a problem."

"Twelve hours..."

Immortal Master Cloud Crane stroked his beard and said:

"If the White Bone Demon Venerable comes, the battle will certainly not last twelve hours. Either he finishes it quickly, or we are quickly defeated. This amount of time is enough."

"In that case—"

Immortal Master Qing Luan looked at Lin Yue:

"Regarding Materials, how much more do we need?"

Lin Yue was silent for a moment, then uttered the number:

"starfall iron, still lacking five tons."

Silence fell in the hall.

Five tons of starfall iron—this could no longer be described as a 'shortage'.

It was an insurmountable chasm.

"Among the supplies brought by our Seven Star Alliance, there are two tons of star iron. Although not as pure as starfall iron, it can barely be used as a substitute."

Immortal Master Qing Luan was the first to speak:

"Additionally, I can send a message back to the Alliance to urgently allocate one ton from our inventory. But the remaining two tons..."

She looked at Star Dust.

Star Dust smiled bitterly and shook his head:

"The ten tons of starfall iron in the Star Track Pavilion are already most of our inventory. The rest is needed to maintain the operation of the City Protecting Great Formation, so we truly cannot spare any more."

"In other words, we still lack two tons."

Lin Yue tapped his finger on the table, his rhythm slow and heavy.

Two tons of starfall iron.

It didn't sound like much, but in the current Southern Territory, it was an immovable mountain.

"Perhaps..."

Star Radiance, who had been silent, suddenly spoke:

"I know a place that might have starfall iron."

"Oh?"

Everyone looked at her simultaneously.

"Falling Star Valley."

Star Radiance uttered these three words, and seeing the slight change in everyone's expressions, she continued:

"I've seen records in the Star Track Pavilion's ancient texts that in ancient times, fragments of stars fell in the Southern Territory, forming a Mineral Vein. However, the environment there is treacherous, and it's shrouded in 'Bewildering Star Mist,' so no one has dared to venture deep for thousands of years."

"But three years ago, I was ordered by the Pavilion to investigate unusual stellar activity in the Southern Territory. When I passed southwest of Burial Dragon Abyss, I vaguely sensed faint stellar fluctuations there. However, the mission was urgent at the time, so I didn't investigate further."

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Yue's eyes:

"Specific location?"

"About three thousand one hundred li southwest of Burial Dragon Abyss, there's a valley perpetually shrouded in gray mist. At the valley entrance are three mountain peaks arranged like the character 'Product', resembling inverted stars; that should be the place."

Star Radiance recalled:

"At the time, I wanted to approach and investigate, but a large number of 'Star Miasma Demons' suddenly surged out of the valley, forcing me to retreat."

"Star Miasma Demons..."

Lin Yue mused:

"These demons feed on the Power of the Stars. If Falling Star Valley truly has a starfall iron Mineral Vein, their gathering there would be reasonable."

"But there isn't enough time."

Immortal Master Qing Luan shook her head:

"A round trip of six thousand li, even if a Nascent Soul Cultivator flies at full speed, would take two days. Add to that finding the Mineral Vein and mining the Ore... twenty-five days is simply not enough."

"What if we don't fly?"

Lin Yue suddenly said.

"Don't fly?"

Everyone was stunned.

"Void Realm Teleportation."

Lin Yue looked at Star Dust:

"Can the Star Track Pavilion's Void Realm Crystals be used to construct a temporary teleportation array?"

"Yes."

Star Dust nodded, but then frowned:

"However, Void Realm Teleportation requires precise coordinates. Without an exact location, the teleportation deviation could be over a hundred li. In a dangerous place like Falling Star Valley, a hundred li deviation could very well lead directly into a death trap."

"I have the coordinates."

Lin Yue said calmly.

"You do?"

Star Dust was surprised.

"The star lords manual records the location of Falling Star Valley. Although it's ancient and the terrain may have changed, the general area won't be wrong."

Lin Yue didn't tell the whole truth.

The coordinates were actually deduced by Haotian based on the star lords manual, with an accuracy within ten li.

But this was already enough.

"Even so, mining is still a problem."

True Person Xuan Jian said in a deep voice:

"starfall iron Mineral Veins are buried deep underground, and mining requires a lot of manpower and time. Where do we find so many people?"

"What if..."

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Yue's eyes:

"The Mineral Vein has already been mined?"

"What?"

Everyone was astonished.

"The Black Lotus Cult has been active in the Southern Territory for a hundred years. If they had discovered Falling Star Valley long ago, they would certainly have already mined it."

Lin Yue analyzed:

"When Star Radiance passed by three years ago, she sensed stellar fluctuations, indicating that the Mineral Vein had not been completely depleted. However, Star Miasma Demons had already gathered in the valley, suggesting that mining activities might have ceased—perhaps they encountered some trouble, or perhaps their reserves were already sufficient."

"And no matter which possibility, there must be mining facilities left in the valley, and perhaps... even un-transported Ore."

Silence once again fell over the hall.

This conjecture was very bold.

But upon careful thought, it was quite reasonable.

"So Sect Master Lin means..."

Star Dust slowly said:

"We don't need to start mining from scratch, but merely find the Black Lotus Cult's mining site and take what's already there?"

"Precisely."

Lin Yue nodded:

"Moreover, if we can indeed find traces of the Black Lotus Cult's mining, it can also verify another conjecture—whether they truly control the Mineral Vein, and... to what extent."

"This matter carries extreme risk."

Immortal Master Qing Luan said solemnly:

"If Falling Star Valley is truly the Black Lotus Cult's source of Materials, it must be heavily guarded. Sending our people there would be like lambs entering a tiger's den."

"Therefore, we cannot send a large contingent."

Lin Yue had already planned:

"I will go personally."

"No!"

"Too dangerous!"

Star Radiance and Immortal Master Qing Luan exclaimed almost simultaneously.

"Sect Master Lin, you are the Sect Master of a Sect, and now even the core of the Southern Territory's defenses. If anything happens to you, the Luoxia Sect will fall into chaos, and the entire defensive line will collapse."

Immortal Master Qing Luan said earnestly:

"This matter is absolutely not permissible."

"Precisely because I am the Sect Master, I must go."

Lin Yue's gaze was firm:

"Only I here possess a star dragon nascent soul, giving me the strongest perception of the Power of the Stars and the highest efficiency in finding Mineral Veins. Moreover, I have the starfall sword and star armor for protection; even if I encounter a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, I am confident I can escape."

"As for the Sect..."

He looked outside the hall:

"With all of you guarding, with the City Protecting Great Formation, and with three thousand from the War Department—even if the White Bone Demon Venerable arrives personally, holding out for three days will not be a problem."

"Three days..."

Star Dust mused:

"One day for round-trip teleportation, one day for finding the Mineral Vein, one day for mining and transport... time should be enough, but..."

He looked at Lin Yue and said in a deep voice:

"Sect Master Lin, are you truly confident?"

"Seventy percent."

Lin Yue replied truthfully:

"If Fellow Daoist Star Radiance's perception is correct, the star lords manual's records are accurate, and Senior Haotian's deductions are correct—I have a seventy percent chance of finding the Ore and returning safely."

Seventy percent.

This was already a very high probability.

In the cultivation world, a fifty percent chance was worth a gamble.

"In that case..."

Star Dust and Immortal Master Qing Luan exchanged glances, then slowly nodded:

"We will guard this place and buy you three days."

"Thank you."

Lin Yue cupped his fists.

"When do we depart?" Star Radiance asked.

"Tonight at midnight."

Lin Yue looked out of the hall, his gaze passing through the myriad buildings towards the southwestern sky:

"Under the cover of night, go quickly and return quickly."

"I'll go with you."

Star Radiance suddenly said.

"Fellow Daoist Star Radiance..."

"Although my perception of stellar fluctuations is not as strong as yours, it is far beyond ordinary people. Moreover, I have been near Falling Star Valley before and am familiar with the terrain."

Star Radiance's tone was firm:

"One more person, one more certainty."

Lin Yue looked into her eyes, and after a long moment, nodded:

"Alright."

"Then..."

He took a deep breath:

"Tonight at midnight, we meet before the teleportation array."

Everyone dispersed, preparing themselves.

In the hall, only Lin Yue remained.

He walked to the window, gazing southwest.

There lay the Burial Dragon Abyss, the Falling Star Valley, and possibly the Black Lotus Cult's greatest secret.

"Haotian."

He called out in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Present."

"What are the deduction results?"

"Based on the location provided by Star Radiance, combined with the star lords manual, the coordinates of Falling Star Valley have been locked, with an error of no more than eight li. The teleportation array construction plan is complete, requiring twenty Void Realm Crystals."

"Additionally, in the memory fragments of the Black Lotus Cult captives, I found images suspected to be of a 'mine'—a valley, gray mist, dense mining tunnels, and... some kind of massive shadow."

Haotian paused:

"Master, there might be more than just Star Miasma Demons there."

"I understand."

Lin Yue's eyes were deep:

"But we must get the starfall iron."

"This trip..."

He clenched his fist:

"Must succeed."