296: Star Pivot Communication and Spiritual Vein Depletion

Yun Ying's decision to use the “Star Pivot Secret Talisman” to report directly to the Sky Patrol Bureau Headquarters was like a stone casting a thousand ripples, leaving the Zhenbei City high command both excited and apprehensive. The excitement stemmed from the possibility that attention and support from the General Bureau could fundamentally alleviate the Demonic Disaster in the wasteland; the apprehension came from the fact that this action would inevitably expose some of Zhenbei City's foundations, especially the existence of the jade marrow heart, making the risks unpredictable.

However, the situation was critical, leaving no room for further hesitation. Lin Shanhe and Peak Master Tianshu finally made the decision: cooperate fully and take the risk!

Three days later, at the Hour of Zi. The moon was hidden, stars were sparse, and all was silent.

At the core of the Donghua Mining Area, beside the Jade Marrow Heart Well entrance, which was shrouded by layers of Formation, the atmosphere was solemn and heavy. Peak Master Tianshu, Ling Yunzi, Peak Master Chiyang, Elder Mo, Elder Jiang, Lin Shanhe, and other core high-ranking officials were all present, protecting the four directions. Yun Ying, clad in the standard battle armor of the Sky Patrol Division, stood solemnly right in front of the well entrance, tightly gripping the ancient “Star Pivot Secret Talisman.”

Below the well entrance, the jade marrow spirit milk, which usually flowed warmly, had been guided and gathered in advance. A massive amount of pure spiritual energy, like a sleeping Dragon, lay quietly dormant under the restraint of the Formation, awaiting the earth-shattering moment.

“Begin,” Peak Master Tianshu said in a deep voice.

Elder Mo and Elder Xuanji simultaneously cast their Spell Seals. The “Nine Revolutions Spirit Nurturing Grand Array” surrounding the well entrance and the temporarily deployed “Gathering Origin Guiding Formation” burst into brilliant light, emitting a low hum. Deep within the well, the jade marrow heart seemed to sense something; its pulsation accelerated slightly, and the vital spiritual essence it emitted carried a trace of barely perceptible... vigilance and resistance.

Shi Lei stood not far away, hands tightly clenched, trying to soothe the jade marrow heart's emotions through Resonance.

Yun Ying took a deep breath, forced a drop of Essence Blood from her fingertip, and let it fall onto the Secret Talisman. She chanted incantations, the ancient and obscure syllables sounding as if they came from the depths of the starry sky. The Star Patterns on the Secret Talisman lit up one by one, emitting mysterious spatial fluctuations.

“Guide the Spiritual Qi!” Yun Ying cried out sharply!

Peak Master Tianshu and the others exerted their power simultaneously, controlling the Grand Array and guiding the vast, sea-like jade marrow spiritual energy, which surged like a breaking flood into the Secret Talisman held by Yun Ying!

Buzz—!!!

The Secret Talisman suddenly erupted with dazzling starlight, illuminating the entire mining area as bright as day! An indescribable, vast and majestic will seemed to awaken, penetrating layers of space and establishing contact with a remote and great existence in the ethereal realm!

Yun Ying's body trembled slightly, and her face instantly turned pale, clearly enduring immense pressure. She dared not slacken, concentrating her Divine Thought, turning the message regarding the Demonic Disaster in the Western Wasteland of the Beiyuan Realm, the traces of the Netherworld Path, the anomaly of the gate of the nine hells, and the plea for General Bureau support into an invisible stream of Divine Thought and injecting it into the Secret Talisman's starlight.

The entire process lasted for about ten breaths. Yet, these ten breaths felt incredibly long. A massive amount of jade marrow spiritual energy was frantically extracted; the water level in the well dropped at a visible rate, and even the Spiritual Light of the jade marrow heart itself dimmed slightly!

Finally, the Secret Talisman's starlight reached its peak, suddenly contracted inward, transforming into a tiny yet extremely condensed Star Ray that shot into the sky, instantly tearing through the night and vanishing at the edge of the horizon! As if it had never appeared.

The Secret Talisman turned into Flying Ash and drifted down from Yun Ying's fingers. Her body swayed, and she nearly collapsed, but Su Wan, standing nearby, quickly supported her.

“It's... successful...” Yun Ying said weakly, a hint of relief in her eyes.

Before the crowd could rejoice, they were horrified to discover that nearly seventy percent of the jade marrow spirit milk in the well had been consumed! The Spiritual Essence Fluctuations emitted by the jade marrow heart also became extremely faint, as if it had fallen into a deep slumber! The Spiritual Qi concentration in the entire mining area suddenly dropped by a Rank!

“The Spiritual Vein... is exhausted?!” Lu Zhu cried out in alarm, his face turning pale. This price far exceeded expectations!

“It's fine...” Elder Jiang forced himself to remain calm. After careful sensing, he said, “The jade marrow heart's Origin is not damaged, it is merely Spiritual Energy Overdraft, requiring a long time to recover. The spirit milk can also regenerate slowly, but in the near future... all high-level production and Cultivation that relies on the jade marrow's spiritual energy will likely need to be suspended.”

The news was like a bucket of cold water, casting a shadow over the hope that had just arisen. One of Zhenbei City's greatest foundations had temporarily fallen into dormancy.

“Misfortune and fortune are intertwined. Successful reporting makes it worthwhile!” Lin Shanhe suppressed the shock in his heart and decisively gave the order, “Effective immediately, suspend all non-essential high-grade Medicinal Pill and Magical Artifact Refinement. Prioritize guaranteeing the basic needs for city defense and civilian life. All Cultivators must endure this difficult period together!”

The order was quickly relayed, and the entire city entered “Energy-Saving Mode.” Although there was some panic, order did not break down thanks to efficient governance and established authority.

The following days were spent in anxious waiting and tightening resources.

After a brief rest, the demonic creatures in the west indeed launched another offensive. Although the scale was smaller than the last time, they were more troublesome. Instead of attempting a forceful assault or large-scale pollution, they broke up into small, Elite Demonic Creatures, constantly harassing the fortress and draining the garrison's energy and supplies. Although the expansion of the Demonic Land was slowed by various means, it was still stubbornly advancing inch by inch. Strange erosion at the Southern Fissure also occurred frequently, keeping the consumption of the Demon Purifying Array high.

The impact of resource shortages began to show. The supply of high-grade Medicinal Pill decreased, slowing the Cultivation speed of Cultivators; the output of new Magical Artifacts plummeted; even the transactions at the Mutual Trade Market were affected, and some popular goods began to run out of stock. The spies from Bibo Lake also seemed to have caught wind of something, as Maritime Harassment and minor actions showed signs of resurgence.

Captain of the Seventh Squad Qin Gang of the Sky Patrol Guard had clearly noticed the abnormal drop in Zhenbei City's Spiritual Qi concentration and inquired about it multiple times through subtle probing. Lin Shanhe managed to fend him off by claiming, “An experiment with a new Formation recently overdrafted the Spiritual Energy of the Earth Vein, requiring time for rest and recovery.” Although Qin Gang grew more suspicious, he had no concrete evidence and merely monitored the area more closely.

Just as the city was beset by internal and external difficulties and the atmosphere was oppressive, a turning point quietly arrived at dawn.

On this day, before dawn, the thoroughfare altar in Zhenbei City suddenly lit up without warning! Silver light shone brightly, and the spatial fluctuations were far more intense than ever before!

“Ultra-long-distance Spatial Transmission! Something is coming! Be on guard!” The Cultivator on Duty cried out in horror, immediately reporting it.

Peak Master Tianshu, Lin Shanhe, and the others rushed over immediately, their expressions grave. Was it a reply from the General Bureau? Or... some other Uninvited Guest?

The silver light gradually subsided. In the center of the altar, instead of the large contingent of people they expected, three objects hovered:

A palm-sized Jade Slip enveloped in starlight;

An ancient-looking long sword with a sheath carved full of Star Runes;

And a sealed Profound Ice Jade Box emitting a chilling aura.

Other than that, the place was empty.

“It's the General Bureau's ‘Star Sword Dispatch’ and... Material Delivery!” Yun Ying arrived, and upon seeing the Star Long Sword, her eyes showed surprise and reverence. “The Jade Slip should contain the reply and instructions. The Star Sword is a standard Magic Treasure of the Sky Patrol Guard, with extraordinary power. This Jade Box... I wonder what it contains.”

Peak Master Tianshu stepped forward, carefully took the Jade Slip, and submerged his Divine Sense into it. Everyone held their breath.

A moment later, Peak Master Tianshu opened his eyes, his expression complex—containing gravity, relief, and a hint of... doubt.

“The General Bureau has received the message,” he slowly began, his voice carrying throughout the area. “It is confirmed that the Demonic Disaster in the Western Wasteland of Northern Frontier is indeed related to the ‘Great Sacrifice of the Nine Hells Rebellion’ and Remnants of the Netherworld Path. The Rank has been raised to ‘Realm B-Class Threat.’”

“Order: Sky Envoy Yun Ying is to temporarily remain in Zhenbei City, assist in defense and monitoring, and maintain contact.”

“Order: Captain of the Seventh Squad Qin Gang of the Sky Patrol Guard is to lead his team to investigate the traces of the Netherworld Path main force and the altar core, reporting regularly.”

“Granted: One xuntian star sword, given to Yun Ying for self-defense and duty fulfillment.”

“Granted: One ‘Ten Thousand Year profound ice soul,’ to be placed at the Southern Fissure to temporarily reinforce the Seal, suppress the dispersion of Devilish Qi, and slow down the erosion.”

“Furthermore: The General Bureau has dispatched forces to reinforce the Beiyuan Realm, but matters are complex, and the main force will take time to arrive. We are ordered to hold fast and await support, and not to act rashly or aggressively.”

The message was brief and the support limited, but the attitude was clear—the General Bureau had given it high priority and begun action! The “Ten Thousand Year profound ice soul” was especially timely aid, solving the urgent crisis at the Southern Fissure!

“That's great!” Everyone sighed in relief upon hearing this, revealing long-absent smiles. Attention from the highest level was undoubtedly a Shot in the Arm.

Yun Ying stepped forward and accepted the “xuntian star sword.” When the blade was drawn three inches from the sheath, starlight flowed, and its sharpness was intimidating—it was clearly a Nascent Soul Rank Magic Treasure of extremely high quality! Her confidence greatly increased.

Qin Gang also received instructions transmitted through special channels. His expression was stern, and his gaze towards the Zhenbei City crowd became deeper, but he asked no further questions, merely cupping his hands and saying, “Since the General Bureau Commander has given the order, I, Qin, shall naturally comply. Effective immediately, I will lead my team deep into the Western Wasteland for reconnaissance. I request the necessary assistance from your city.”

“It is our duty.” Lin Shanhe nodded, but understood in his heart that Qin Gang's deep investigation was also unpredictable, bringing both fortune and misfortune to Zhenbei City.

The “Ten Thousand Year profound ice soul” was immediately sent to the Southern Front, where Elder Mo personally placed it at the core of the Fissure. The extreme cold Qi permeated the area, combining with the Demon Purifying Array, which indeed greatly suppressed the dispersion of Devilish Qi and the strange erosion. The pressure on the Southern Front instantly decreased.

However, Peak Master Tianshu subsequently informed Lin Shanhe and the others in the secret chamber of the deeper contents of the Jade Slip: “The General Bureau's reply also mentioned... that they sensed through a Secret Technique that the spiritual energy invoked during the transmission was Extremely Pure and Yang, far exceeding that of ordinary Earth Veins, and they inquired about the details... I replied with 'an Occasional Anomaly resulting from the combination of the Earth Origin Spirit Nurturing Formation and a Special Mineral Vein,' but the General Bureau seems... not to have fully believed it, as the reply contained the words ‘Thorough Investigation.’”

The stone that had just settled in everyone's hearts was lifted again. The General Bureau's attention was both protection and scrutiny. The secret of the jade marrow heart still hung like a sword over their heads.

“Since things have come to this, we can only cope with the changes by recovering our strength as quickly as possible,” Lin Shanhe said solemnly. “Before the General Bureau Reinforcements arrive, our city must possess the power to defend itself and even counterattack!”

Resources remained the biggest Bottleneck.

Just as everyone was worried about the slow recovery of the jade marrow heart, Shi Lei brought another astonishing piece of news.

When performing his daily, weak Resonance with the jade marrow heart, he sensed that although its Spiritual Fluctuation was weak, it seemed... to be undergoing some kind of Subtle Transformation? The intent it fed back was no longer just fatigue, but mixed with a hint of... desire? A desire for a specific kind of energy?

“It... it seems... really wants to ‘eat’... that shiny, very hard... stone...” Shi Lei struggled to describe, pointing in the direction of the Artifact Hall. “That... that kind of thing Martial Uncle Wei has been looking for recently...”

“void-emptiness stone?!” Wei Rong cried out involuntarily!

Everyone was stunned! The jade marrow heart desired void-emptiness stone?

“Could it be... that the energy of the void-emptiness stone can accelerate the recovery of the jade marrow heart? Or even... promote its evolution?” Elder Jiang's eyes burst with incredible light. “Ancient records state that certain Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Objects require stimulation from specific Divine Materials to break through, establish themselves anew, and ascend to a higher level! If that is truly the case...”

This speculation was too bold, yet it made people's hearts pound!

If the jade marrow heart could recover or even evolve because of the void-emptiness stone, its Power of Reciprocation would be immeasurable! Zhenbei City's predicament would be solved easily!

“Spare no effort, search for the void-emptiness stone!” Lin Shanhe gave the Death Order again without hesitation. “Raise the bounty through all channels! Master Sun, increase acquisition efforts in the Dark Market! Huo Chen, dispatch the Reconnaissance and Patrol Team to pay attention to all relevant clues!”

The fire of hope was ignited once more. The target pointed directly at the ethereal and hard-to-find “void-emptiness stone”!

At this moment, no one knew that far away, tens of thousands of miles away, in the Sky Patrol Inspectorate General Bureau in Zhongzhou, an assessment report regarding the “Abnormal Spiritual Energy Reaction in Zhenbei City of Northern Frontier” had been submitted to the desk of an old man whose hair and beard were white and whose eyes seemed capable of piercing the Void Realm.

The old man tapped the report lightly with his fingertip, his gaze crossing endless space, seeming to land upon that wasteland. He muttered softly, “Earth Origin Legacy? Special Mineral Vein? Interesting... I hope you all... do not make a mistake.”

The seeds of the storm had already been sown. Zhenbei City's future remained full of unknowns and challenges.