127: Chapter 127 Ancient Starry Road, Qualification Trial

The mining operation in Starfall Canyon proceeded more smoothly than expected.

Under Lin Ye's precise positioning, the mining team discovered a high-quality star iron Ore vein thirty meters underground in the rocky area. The vein was distributed in a belt-like pattern, with an average grade of 12%, far exceeding the 5-8% of conventional mining sites.

Under the protection of Dr. Ailin's space stabilization device, the threat of Astral Wanderers was minimized. Once those monsters, skilled in spatial Spells, entered the stabilized area, their teleportation abilities were suppressed, leaving them reliant on physical attacks, which Su Qingyue's ice Spells happened to counter perfectly.

In two hours of operation, the mining team collected over fifteen hundred kilograms of raw star iron Ore. After preliminary screening and refining, they obtained approximately nine hundred kilograms of qualified metal ingots with a purity of 85%.

This output not only met the requirements for the first prototype but could also support the manufacturing of three to four subsequent mechas.

More importantly, deep within the vein, they also discovered associated "Star Brilliance Stones"—a material rarer than star iron used for manufacturing energy cores. Although there were only a few dozen kilograms, it was of immense value.

When the fully-laden team returned to Chaos Valley, they were greeted with a hero's welcome.

Zhao Wuji looked at the mountain of metal ingots, so excited he nearly jumped: "Enough! It's completely enough! All the Materials needed for the first prototype are now gathered!"

Chen Hao, even more impatient, began directing the workers to transport the star iron to the smelting workshop, preparing for refining and processing.

Dr. Ailin, meanwhile, took various Ore samples back to the laboratory for analysis. She developed a profound interest in the geological structure of Starfall Canyon, believing deeper secrets might be hidden there.

Lin Ye stood before the main hall, watching all this, yet his heart felt little joy.

The star iron issue was resolved, but the Mecha Workshop was only one aspect of the Heavenly Court's development. The Ten Thousand Races Covenant, the Dark Turmoil, the Fusion of the game and reality... these greater challenges still lay ahead.

Furthermore, he had a faint premonition—cooperation with the Eternal Star Domain would not be so simple.

"Lin Ye."

Qin Ruoxue's voice came from behind him.

She walked over quickly, holding a Jade Slip, her expression even more serious than usual.

"There is important intelligence."

The two entered the study on the third floor of the main hall, and Qin Ruoxue activated a soundproofing barrier.

"It's about the Ancient Star Road." She handed the Jade Slip to Lin Ye. "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion's intelligence network discovered some hidden information while organizing the data provided by the Eternal Star Domain."

Lin Ye took the Jade Slip and immersed his Divine Sense into it.

Recorded in the Jade Slip was a detailed analysis report regarding the "Ancient Star Road Access Mechanism."

The core conclusion of the report was clear: to officially open the Ancient Star Road, one needed to collect three [star tokens].

The star tokens were not items issued by the System, but special objects hidden throughout the game world. They had no fixed form; they could be tokens, gems, scrolls, or even a specific segment of code.

The only commonality was that each star token contained faint "Star Road Coordinates." Only by combining all three could a stable portal to the Ancient Star Road be activated.

"Three star tokens..." Lin Ye murmured to himself.

He recalled the Eternal Star Domain's data regarding "irregular entrances." Those temporary spatial rifts could indeed enter the peripheral areas of the Ancient Star Road, but the risk was extremely high, and they could only access a limited range.

To truly set foot on the Ancient Star Road, explore its core regions, and obtain the greatest opportunities, one had to pass through a regular entrance.

And a regular entrance required star tokens.

"We have already grasped a clue for one star token," Qin Ruoxue continued.

She tapped the Jade Slip, projecting a map of the Big Dipper Star Field. In the center of the map, a red marker was flashing.

"Purple Mountain."

Purple Mountain.

These two words made Lin Ye's pupils constrict slightly.

He naturally knew this place—one of the Dao arenas of the Ruthless Emperor, where her past self was buried. In his past life, Purple Mountain was an Advanced map that only opened in the Middle Stage of the game, containing not only clues to the Ruthless Emperor's Legacy but also various rare Materials and ancient secrets.

But now, only four months since the game's launch, Purple Mountain should still be in a closed state.

"The peripheral areas of Purple Mountain opened three months ago," Qin Ruoxue said, as if seeing through Lin Ye's thoughts. "But the core area is still shrouded in mist and requires special conditions to enter."

"And according to the intelligence, the first star token is in the 'Valley of Buried Soldiers' on the outskirts of Purple Mountain."

The Valley of Buried Soldiers, one of the three great danger zones on the outskirts of Purple Mountain.

Legend says it was the place where the Ruthless Emperor buried her enemies' weapons while campaigning across the world in her youth. Countless damaged Magic Treasures, broken weapons, and shattered armor were discarded haphazardly in the valley. Over the long years, some weapons birthed a faint spirituality, while others were tainted by an ominous aura.

The environment there was harsh, the space was chaotic, and... it was occupied by an Archaic Race player faction, the 'Shi Clan Tribe'.

"Shi Clan Tribe..." Lin Ye's brow furrowed slightly.

Archaic Race players were a special group within covering the heavens era.

When creating characters, they chose the "Archaic Race" Bloodline. Their initial attributes were higher than human players, and they had unique racial talents, but they also faced certain restrictions—for instance, they couldn't accept certain human-exclusive quests or legacies, and their reputation in human main cities increased more slowly.

The Shi Clan was a branch of the Archaic Race, known for their powerful physical bodies and immense strength. Their players often chose warrior or tank classes, specializing in melee with extremely high defense.

Lin Ye had heard of this Shi Clan Tribe in his past life. They had occupied several resource points on the outskirts of Purple Mountain early on. Later, they suffered heavy losses during the Dark Turmoil, but their leader, 'Stone Emperor,' survived and eventually broke through to the Quasi-Emperor Realm in the late game, becoming a regional hegemon.

"How many people does the Shi Clan Tribe have now? What is their strength?" Lin Ye asked.

Qin Ruoxue pulled up detailed data: "According to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's reconnaissance, the Shi Clan Tribe currently has over three hundred core members and more than two thousand peripheral members. The leader, 'Stone Emperor,' is Level 58 and possesses the 'Steadfast Rock Sacred Physique' (a special Archaic Race Physique that increases defense by 100% and earth-type Spell resistance by 50%)."

"There are three deputy leaders, all between Level 55 and 57. One of them, named 'Yan Xin,' is a rare 'Leyline Geomancer' who can manipulate terrain and set traps, making him very difficult to deal with."

"They have occupied the Valley of Buried Soldiers for two months, establishing a simple camp and defensive fortifications there. Their goal is to collect 'Remnant Weapon Essence' from the valley—a spiritual substance remaining in broken weapons used to enhance equipment or Cultivate special techniques."

"And the star token..." Qin Ruoxue paused, "According to intelligence, the star token might have been treated as some kind of 'sacrificial vessel' by the Shi Clan Tribe, enshrined in the center of their camp. This is because they discovered the token can absorb moonlight and emits a strange starlight at night."

A sacrificial vessel enshrined in the center of the camp.

This meant that to obtain the star token, one had to break through the Shi Clan Tribe's defenses head-on and seize their holy object under the guard of hundreds of Archaic Race players.

The difficulty was extremely high.

"Are there other ways to obtain it?" Lin Ye pondered. "Like trading? Or infiltration?"

"The possibility of trading is very low." Qin Ruoxue shook her head. "The Shi Clan Tribe values that token highly, considering it 'guidance from the ancestors.' They have even built a small altar around the token, and clansmen go to worship it every day."

"Infiltration..." She pulled up the topographical map and camp layout of the Valley of Buried Soldiers. "The Shi Clan Tribe's defenses are very tight. There are watchtowers around the camp, sensing Formations on the ground, and flying mounts patrolling the air. Furthermore, Archaic Race players naturally have high perception resistance against stealth-type Spells, so conventional sneaking methods will be less effective."

Lin Ye looked at the detailed camp layout in the projection, his mind racing.

A direct assault wouldn't work; the Shi Clan Tribe had numerical superiority and held the geographical advantage. Although the Heavenly Court was not weak now, launching an expedition to Purple Mountain to fight a siege on enemy territory offered little chance of success and would result in heavy losses.

Trading wouldn't work; the Shi Clan Tribe treated that token as a holy object and wouldn't sell it.

Infiltration was difficult, but not entirely impossible.

The key lay in how to bypass those defensive measures? How to deal with the Archaic Race's perception resistance? How to retreat safely after succeeding?

"We need more detailed intelligence," Lin Ye finally said. "The Shi Clan Tribe's patrol patterns, shift times, weaknesses in their defensive Formations, the internal layout of the camp... all these details must be clarified."

"Additionally, we need to deeply study the Archaic Race's racial characteristics, skill Systems, and combat styles. Only by knowing ourselves and the enemy can we formulate an effective plan."

Qin Ruoxue nodded: "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion is already stepping up collection. But our people's activities in Purple Mountain are restricted; the Shi Clan Tribe is very wary of strange players, and anyone approaching the Valley of Buried Soldiers will be questioned or even driven away."

"Then let's change the method," Lin Ye said. "We won't use human players for reconnaissance."

"Not human players?" Qin Ruoxue was stunned. "Then use..."

Her gaze fell on Lin Ye, and she suddenly understood something.

"You plan to go personally?"

"Not me." Lin Ye shook his head. "It's Shi Potian."

Shi Potian, the Tyrant Body.

Although he wasn't of the Archaic Race, the Tyrant Body and the Shi Clan both belonged to the 'powerful Physical Body' type, sharing similarities in certain traits. With a little disguise, he might be able to blend in.

Furthermore, Shi Potian had been cultivating the [Tyrant Body Cultivation Method] recently, and his aura was becoming increasingly thick, bearing some resemblance to the 'primordial aura' of the Archaic Race.

"But Shi Potian's appearance..." Qin Ruoxue hesitated. "Shi Clan players are mostly tall with rough skin, some even having stone-like textures on their bodies. Although Shi Potian is strong, his appearance is still that of a standard human."

"Appearance can be changed." Lin Ye took a box from his Storage Ring and opened it.

Inside the box lay a mask as thin as a cicada's wing.

[Thousand Illusions Mask (Replica)]

[Type: Special Item]

[Quality: Epic]

[Description: A simplified version replicated from the legendary item 'Thousand Illusions Mask,' capable of changing the wearer's facial features and some physical characteristics.]

[Effects:]

[1. Can freely adjust facial features, skin color, and age characteristics (Adjustment range: ±30%)]

[2. Can simulate three preset racial characteristics (Human Race, Yao Race, Archaic Race - Shi Clan)]

[3. Can mask a portion of the wearer's aura fluctuations (Masking effect: 40%)]

[Duration: 24 hours (requires recharging afterward)]

[Recharge Requirement: For every 24 hours of use, consumes 100 Low-Grade Spirit Stones]

This was an item Lin Ye had happened to bid on at an auction in God City previously. He thought it might be useful then and bought it; he hadn't expected it to actually come in handy now.

"Thousand Illusions Mask..." Qin Ruoxue's eyes lit up. "With this, it's indeed possible to deceive the eyes of the Shi Clan players. But what about the aura? Shi Potian's Tyrant Body aura and the Shi Clan's primordial aura can still be distinguished if one senses carefully."

"That's why this is needed." Lin Ye took out another small vial.

Inside the vial were a few drops of dark red blood, flowing slowly and emitting an ancient, heavy aura that seemed to come from the primordial era.

[Shi Clan Essence Blood (Diluted)]

[Type: Bloodline Material]

[Quality: Rare]

[Description: Essence blood extracted from Shi Clan players, diluted and processed, can be used to temporarily simulate the Shi Clan aura.]

[Effect: After application to the body, it can emit aura fluctuations similar to Shi Clan players for 6 hours.]

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

[Note: This effect can be detected by high-Rank detection Spells, and its effectiveness is reduced against real Shi Clan players.]

This was a trophy obtained by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion during a previous mission and had been stored in the warehouse.

The mask changes appearance, and the blood essence simulates aura.

Coupled with Shi Potian's own Tyrant Physique, infiltrating the Shi Clan Tribe's camp might actually be feasible.

"But the risk is still very high," Qin Ruoxue analyzed calmly. "If he is exposed, Shi Potian will be surrounded. The Valley of Buried Soldiers is over three thousand li away from Chaos Valley; we won't be able to provide support in time."

"That is why we need a meticulous plan and support," Lin Ye said. "Besides, Shi Potian is not going alone."

He looked at Qin Ruoxue, "Select three Heavenly Secret Pavilion members who are best at stealth and reconnaissance to assist Shi Potian. Their mission is not to fight, but to gather intelligence, plan escape routes, and prepare extraction points."

"Shi Potian's mission is also not to forcibly seize the star token, but to confirm its exact location, the guard situation, and... whether there are other ways to obtain it."

Sometimes, the most direct seizure is not the best choice.

If we can obtain the star token through other means without alerting the Shi Clan Tribe, that would be the best strategy.

"I understand," Qin Ruoxue nodded. "I will go and prepare now."

"Wait," Lin Ye called out to her. "Are there any leads regarding the other two star tokens for the Ancient Star Road?"

This was the most critical question.

Even if we get the one in Purple Mountain, we still need the other two to open the Ancient Star Road.

Qin Ruoxue pulled up the data again: "According to vague information provided by the Eternal Star Domain, the second star token might appear at an auction in the 'Eternal Star Domain'. However, the specific time, location, and auction conditions are still uncertain."

"The third one..." She paused, "There is very little intelligence. Only in an ancient star map was it mentioned that 'star token Three is hidden in the Bloodline Trial Grounds'. As for where this 'Bloodline Trial Grounds' refers to, we currently have no clue."

Three star tokens: the first is in Purple Mountain, occupied by the Shi Clan Tribe; the second might appear at an auction in the Eternal Star Domain; the third's whereabouts are unknown, known only to be related to the 'Bloodline Trial'.

The difficulty of collecting them is even higher than expected.

"Let's focus on resolving the first one first," Lin Ye decided. "For the other two, have the intelligence network continue gathering information. Especially the auction in the Eternal Star Domain; that is something we might be able to obtain through normal channels, so it needs special attention."

"Understood."

After Qin Ruoxue left, Lin Ye stood alone by the window, looking at the Chaos Valley outside.

From the direction of the Mecha Workshop came bursts of mechanical roaring; that was the sound of the production line starting its test run. According to the plan, the first star brilliance type i test machine would be assembled in ten days.

The shortage of star iron had been solved, but new challenges had arrived.

Ancient Star Road, star token, Archaic Race, Shi Clan Tribe...

These words intertwined in his mind, sketching out a broader and more dangerous future landscape.

But he did not retreat.

Reborn into this life, it was inherently a Heaven-Defying journey. If he feared even these challenges, how could he talk about changing the future, or Solely Deciding the Ages?

"Lin Ye."

The study door was pushed open again; this time, it was Shi Potian who entered.

This Tyrant Physique youth clearly already knew about the mission; his eyes burned with Battle Intent, but his expression was calm.

"Sister Qin told me," he said directly. "I will go to Purple Mountain."

Lin Ye looked at him, "Do you know the risks?"

"I know," Shi Potian nodded. "I might be exposed, might be besieged, might not come back."

"Then why go?"

"Because it is needed," Shi Potian's answer was simple. "The Heavenly Court needs the star token, needs to open the Ancient Star Road. And I am the most suitable person for this mission."

He paused, then added, "Besides, I also want to see just how strong the so-called Archaic Race and the so-called Shi Clan are. Tyrant Physique versus Rock Saint Physique—just thinking about it is interesting."

This was indeed Shi Potian's personality—combative, but not reckless; eager for challenges, but not underestimating the enemy.

Lin Ye patted his shoulder, "Prepare yourself, we depart in three days. Over these three days, Qin Ruoxue will give you special training, teaching you how to disguise yourself, how to handle interrogation, and how to evacuate quickly if exposed."

"Also—" Lin Ye took out a few items from his Storage Ring.

One was the [blood emperor essence blood] previously seized from the Vampire Council. Although there was only one drop, at a critical moment, it could stimulate the potential of his Tyrant Physique, allowing him to explode with combat power far exceeding his usual level in a short time.

One was a [Void Evasion Talisman], which could instantly teleport him to a preset location within three kilometers; it was a Sharp Weapon for saving one's life.

There was also a bottle of [Invisibility Potion]. After drinking it, one could enter a completely invisible state for thirty seconds; during this time, one could not attack, and movement speed would be reduced by 50%.

"Take these with you," Lin Ye said. "The core of the mission is reconnaissance, not combat. But if you truly encounter danger, saving your life comes first."

Shi Potian took these items and nodded solemnly, "I understand."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, the Mecha Workshop in Chaos Valley made Breakthrough progress—the skeleton of the first star brilliance type i mecha had been assembled, the energy core was installed, and the control System was being debugged.

According to Dr. Ailin's estimation, in another seven days, this mecha would be able to undergo its first ground test.

Meanwhile, under Qin Ruoxue's special training, Shi Potian quickly mastered the techniques of disguise and stealth. The method of using the Thousand Illusions Mask, the timing of applying the Shi Clan blood essence, and a basic understanding of the Shi Clan language and customs... all of these were ingrained into his instincts during the high-intensity training.

At dawn on the third day, the time to depart arrived.

Outside the East Gate of Chaos Valley, a five-man team had assembled.

Shi Potian put on the Thousand Illusions Mask; his facial contours became rugged, his skin took on a stone-like grayish-white color, and several rock textures even appeared on his forehead. He applied the Shi Clan blood essence, and a faint aura of the primordial era emanated from him, making him look exactly like a real Shi Clan warrior.

The other four were elites of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion; they disguised themselves as a small merchant caravan, intending to approach the Valley of Buried Soldiers under the guise of "trade" to provide peripheral support for Shi Potian.

"Remember," Lin Ye instructed one last time. "Your mission is reconnaissance, not combat. After confirming the location and guard situation of the star token, evacuate immediately; do not create unnecessary complications."

"Understood!" the five replied in unison.

"Set off."

The team left Chaos Valley, heading towards Purple Mountain, and disappeared into the morning mist.

Lin Ye stood in place, watching them go.

Su Qingyue walked to his side and asked softly, "Are you worried?"

"A little," Lin Ye did not deny it. "Shi Potian is strong, but this mission is too dangerous. The Shi Clan Tribe being able to gain a foothold in Purple Mountain is definitely not due to luck."

"But he will succeed," Su Qingyue's tone was very certain. "Because he is Shi Potian, the Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall of the Heavenly Court, and your brother."

Brother.

This word stirred Lin Ye's heart.

Yes, in this life, he was no longer alone. He had Su Qingyue, Shi Potian, Zhao Wuji, Chen Hao, Qin Ruoxue, and the entire Heavenly Court.

These people were by his side, trusting him, supporting him, and fighting alongside him.

This feeling was something he had never experienced in his past life.

"Let's go back," Lin Ye turned around. "We also have our work to do."

The Mecha Workshop needed him, the affairs of the Ten Thousand Races Covenant needed him, and the development plan of the Heavenly Court needed him.

Meanwhile, in Purple Mountain, over three thousand li away.

In the Valley of Buried Soldiers, within the camp of the Shi Clan Tribe, a secret ritual was taking place.

On the altar in the center of the camp, a palm-sized, entirely silver-white token, with its surface engraved with star patterns, was slowly rotating under the moonlight.

With every rotation, the token absorbed a wisp of moonlight and then emitted a soft star brilliance. That star brilliance enveloped the entire altar, causing faint silver patterns to appear on the stone ground around the altar.

Before the altar, the leader of the Shi Clan Tribe, "Shi Huang", knelt on the ground, holding a dark red Ore in his hands.

Inside the Ore, liquid-like flames could be vaguely seen flowing.

[Earth Core Flame Marrow]

[Type: Heaven And Earth Treasure]

[Quality: Legendary Grade]

[Description: The essence of flames nurtured deep within the Earth's core, containing massive fire-attribute energy and the power of the earth.]

[Effect: Can be directly absorbed and refined to significantly increase fire and earth attribute cultivation; it can also be used as Artifact Refining material to forge dual fire and earth attribute Magic Treasures.]

This was a treasure that the Shi Clan Tribe had obtained from a volcanic Secret Realm at a huge cost.

And now, Shi Huang was going to sacrifice it to the token on the altar.

Because according to the interpretation of an ancient shaman in the tribe, this "sacred object bestowed by the Star God" needed to absorb enough earth essence and star power to be fully activated.

And once activated, it would guide the Shi Clan to find the legendary "Star God Legacy".

That was the Dao tradition of an ancient Star God; it was said that if cultivated to the extreme, one could transform into a star and become eternal and undying.

Shi Huang believed that this was the Opportunity for the Shi Clan to rise.

"O great Star God..."

He prayed in a low voice and placed the Earth Core Flame Marrow on the altar.

The token sensed the aura of the earth essence, and its rotation speed suddenly accelerated. The star brilliance became brighter, and a faint phantom of a star map even condensed in the air.

The flame energy within the Earth Core Flame Marrow was absorbed by the token bit by bit. The dark red Ore gradually turned grayish-white and finally turned into powder, drifting away with the wind.

And the star patterns on the token lit up by one-third.

Two more essences were needed—Sun Essence, Moon Brilliance.

Once all three essences were gathered, the token would be fully activated, and the coordinates of the Star God Legacy would appear.

Shi Huang stood up, looking at the token on the altar, his eyes burning with fervent light.

"Pass down the order," he said to his subordinate beside him. "Increase the search efforts to find leads on the Sun Essence and Moon Brilliance. No matter the cost, they must be found!"

"Yes!"

The order was passed down, and the entire Shi Clan Tribe was mobilized.

And what they did not know was that at this moment, in the shadows on the outskirts of the camp, a figure disguised as a Shi Clan warrior was quietly watching all of this.

Shi Potian.

He had infiltrated the camp for two hours, and relying on the disguise of the Thousand Illusions Mask and the Shi Clan blood essence, he had successfully mixed into a patrol team.

And now, he had seen the star token with his own eyes, witnessed Shi Huang's sacrificial ritual, and heard the secret about the "Star God Legacy".

The star token... was not just a key to open the Ancient Star Road.

It itself was also related to the Legacy of an ancient Star God.

This discovery made Shi Potian's heartbeat quicken a little.

He needed to send this intelligence back as soon as possible.

But just at this moment—

The star token on the altar suddenly let out a slight hum.

An invisible ripple spread out from the altar as the center.

The ripple swept across the camp, swept across every Shi Clan warrior, and also swept across... the disguised Shi Potian.

Shi Potian felt that the drop of [blood emperor essence blood] in his bosom suddenly became slightly hot.

And before the altar, Shi Huang suddenly turned his head, his gaze like lightning, sweeping towards the direction where Shi Potian was located.

"There is the aura of an alien race!"

Oh no!

Alarm bells rang in Shi Potian's heart.

That star token had the ability to sense non-Shi Clan Bloodlines!

Exposed!