51: Chapter 51: The Arms Line Project Initiation

The backyard of Hengchuan Peak, jokingly referred to as the "Mass Grave" by the Disciples, was actually a massive Scrapyard.

It was piled high with trash discarded by the Qingheng Sect over the years: broken Magical Artifact swords, Formation Flags that had exhausted their spiritual energy or even exploded, wooden Puppets missing arms and legs, and baskets of impure crushed Spirit Stone ore.

In the past, the only destination for these items was to be sold as scrap metal to Mortal blacksmith shops in exchange for a few bits of silver to treat everyone to a meal.

But today, Shen Xingzhou stood atop this mountain of trash, his eyes looking like those of a greedy miser staring at a mountain of gold and silver.

The wind blew, causing a clinking sound of metal colliding. To his ears, that wasn't noise; it was the bargaining chip for Hengchuan Peak's comeback.

"Start the project."

He ordered in a low voice, his fingers swiping through the air.

[New Project Initiated]

[Project Name:] Hengchuan Peak · Scrapyard Munitions Line (Pilot)

[Project Type:] Asset Reuse / Industrialized Logistics

[Core Objectives:]

Reduce equipment costs: Stop relying on external purchases and achieve "self-sufficiency."

Popularize survival equipment: Equip every low-Rank Disciple with at least one piece of standard equipment capable of saving their life.

Improve the combat baseline: Use firepower coverage to compensate for the lack of individual cultivation.

As this line of text locked into place in Shen Xingzhou's field of vision, the mountain of trash before him seemed to be wrapped in a layer of light blue data streams.

The originally chaotic scrap metal began to be disassembled and reorganized in his eyes.

It was no longer "a broken sword," but "recyclable material containing 80% fine iron and 3 residual spiritual pathways."

It was no longer "a pile of junk," but "an arsenal waiting to be assembled."

...

"Boss, your idea is crazy, but I like it."

Wen Xi walked over holding a thick stack of statistical charts, her skirt hem stained with a few spots of oil, though she didn't care at all.

She had been here for a whole day, holding a specially made spiritual energy probe, conducting a carpet-style classification of the pile of junk.

"According to your requirements, I've gone through everything that can be recycled."

Wen Xi pasted the chart onto a stone slab that had been temporarily cleared. "I originally thought this was just a hodgepodge, but the results automatically classified by the System... are quite interesting."

Following her operation, the System interface projected a clear table onto the stone slab.

[Standardized Parts List (V1.0) · Generation Complete]

[Class A: General Spiritual Energy Conduction Components]

General Spiritual Energy Wire: Inventory 127

* (Extracted from inside broken Magical Artifacts, can be re-soldered for connecting Formation patterns) *

Spirit Stone Slot Base: Inventory 85

* (Standardized size, fits 90% of Low Grade Magical Artifacts) *

[Class B: Protective Materials]

Standardized Armor Plate (Low Grade): Inventory 312

* (Smelted from damaged armor, uniformly polished into palm-sized hexagons, can be spliced) *

Puppet Joint Parts: Inventory 89

* (Universal bearings and connecting buckles, can be used to make simple exoskeletons) *

[Class C: Formation Foundation]

Formation Foundation Stone (Can be engraved): Inventory 204

* (Surface flatness has reached the standard, can be directly engraved with "Burst Talisman" or "Solidification Talisman") *

Shen Xingzhou nodded in satisfaction as he looked at this list.

This was "standardization."

In the past, cultivators manufacturing equipment emphasized "teaching students in accordance with their aptitude," with every sword being custom-made, which was time-consuming and laborious.

But in Shen Xingzhou's dictionary, there were only "universal parts" and "assembly lines."

As long as the wire specifications were uniform and the armor sizes consistent, even a Utility Disciple could assemble weapons like building blocks.

However, Wen Xi did not show the relaxed expression of "that's done" as usual.

She stood in front of that list, her brows locked in a frown, her fingertips repeatedly tracing the words "standardization."

"Boss, don't you think this is strange?"

Wen Xi suddenly spoke, a hint of doubt in her voice.

"The specifications of these parts... for example, the side length of this 'hexagonal armor plate,' and the interface diameter of the 'spiritual energy wire.'"

"When you disassemble them from this messy junk, they naturally fit together perfectly."

Shen Xingzhou was stunned for a moment: "Are you saying... coincidence?"

"There can't be this many coincidences."

Wen Xi shook her head, her eyes sharp. "I just tried mixing and assembling scrap from different years and found that the interfaces were actually universal. It's as if... someone had already set this 'standard' many years ago, and then the Magical Artifacts of the entire cultivation world unintentionally followed this standard."

Hum—!

The moment Wen Xi's voice fell, the System interface in Shen Xingzhou's field of vision flickered violently.

A line of gray, small text with a chain icon quietly appeared at the bottom of the [Standardized Parts List].

[System Note:]

This list template structure is highly similar to a "certain unknown historical version."

Logical residue detected: Industrialized Cultivation · Unified Production Standard.

[Query Attempt:]

Attempting to access old version database...

[Result:]

Insufficient permissions. Data has been physically erased or isolated in the depths of the "Ring of Judgment."

Wen Xi obviously couldn't see that line of small text, but she stated her conclusion based on intuition: "This structure doesn't look like something you came up with on the spur of the moment; it looks more like... a very mature System, perhaps even one that was deliberately erased, once existed on this land."

"Our current 'innovation' is actually 'archaeology'."

Shen Xingzhou's heart trembled violently.

Industrialized Cultivation?

Unified Production Standard?

If this System had once existed, why did it disappear? Was it because it touched upon certain interests, or because... the Heavenly Dao did not allow such an efficient existence?

"Whether it's archaeology or innovation, as long as it works, that's all that matters."

Shen Xingzhou suppressed the surging waves in his heart. He wasn't qualified to investigate those erased histories; he only wanted to let the Disciples before him survive the next week. "Since the parts are universal, it means we can set up an assembly line."

...

Half an hour later.

Rows of long stone tables were cleared in the open space of the Scrapyard.

This was Hengchuan Peak's first "assembly line."

Shen Xingzhou stood on high ground, watching the Disciples below who originally only knew how to hold swords or brooms, now clumsily but attentively fiddling with screws and parts.

Su Ciyao was even humming an unknown tune on the side, tossing a newly assembled "spiritual energy grenade" in her hand to play.

"All of you, be quick with your hands!"

Shen Xingzhou shouted, "From today on, there are only two types of people on Hengchuan Peak: those who can kill enemies on the front line, and those who can tighten screws in the rear. If you can't kill the enemy, you'd better tighten the screws better than anyone else!"

As his voice fell, the list on the stone wall refreshed again.

This time, it was no longer a simple [Performance Ranking], but a brand new [Assembly Efficiency Ranking].

[Assembly Efficiency Ranking (Trial Version)]

[Ranking Metrics:]

Units assembled per person per unit of time (UPH): Assesses hand speed and proficiency.

Pass rate: Whether the equipment can be detonated and whether it has defensive effects.

Rework rate: Control of scrap rate.

[Reward and Punishment Mechanism:]

Top three on the list: Priority to obtain new equipment trial rights and high performance bonus points.

Bottom three on the list: Overtime tonight to pick scrap metal in the Scrapyard until proficiency meets the standard.

"Look! My name is on it!"

A Utility Disciple, who usually had terrible swordsmanship but was as dexterous as an embroiderer, pointed at the list and cheered, "I finally made the list! I'm second place in assembly!"

In the past, he was a transparent person on Hengchuan Peak, destined to die unknown on the sacrificial list.

But now, he found that he could tighten screws faster than anyone else, which could be exchanged for points, which could be exchanged for survival.

At that moment, the light in his eyes was brighter than the spiritual light of those Magical Artifacts.

Shen Xingzhou looked at this bustling scene, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

This was the power of industrialization.

It turned cultivation from a "game for Geniuses" into a "way of survival for Mortals."

As long as you have a pair of hands, you can contribute to the battle, and you can survive.

However, beneath this seemingly prosperous appearance, in the System's interface, a line of cold records was quietly generating.

[Key Project Record Archived]

[Project Name: Hengchuan Peak · Munitions Line]

[Evaluation Rank: S Rank (Potential Source of Order Destruction)]

[Impact Prediction:]

If this project succeeds and is popularized:

Battle loss rate: Will be significantly reduced, threatening the stability of the "Sacrificial Mechanism."

Resource usage: Will upgrade from "scrap reuse" to "large-scale resource allocation."

External orders: May trigger covetousness and looting from within the Sect and even external forces.

[System Log Update:]

Host is attempting to change the underlying logic of war.

This behavior has been marked by [Deep Audit Perspective].

In a corner unseen by Shen Xingzhou, in the depths of that distant "Ring of Judgment," it was as if a pair of eyes saw, through this rudimentary assembly line, a trace of sparks belonging to "steel and gunpowder" that should not have appeared.

Although those sparks were faint, they were enough to start a prairie fire.