77: Chapter 77 Final Preparations

The soul ferry boat hovered in the suffocating sky above the Ancient Battlefield Skeleton Canyon. Below, the churning grayish-black baleful energy writhed as if alive, and the massive skeletal remains looming within emitted a pressure that could freeze one's soul.

"Mas... Master, are we really going down there?" Zhang Hao swallowed hard, his voice dry. The low-level Bizarre Monsters under his command were huddled in a shivering mass; the absolute suppression from a higher life-form left them without even the courage to approach the edge.

Lin Chen didn't answer. His gaze was like a precision radar, scanning the depths of the canyon. The system interface expanded before his eyes, rapidly analyzing the ancient remains below that were radiating powerful energy fluctuations.

[Target: Ancient Dragon Race Skeletal Remains (Incomplete)]

[Status: Aggregation of resentment, retaining partial combat instincts]

[Energy Level: Peak Lord-tier]

[Risk: High. Forced contact may trigger a backlash from the residual Dragon Soul.]

[Subjugation/Utilization Suggestion: Requires a large amount of nether talismans for 'Purification' or 'Forced Contract'. Estimated cost: 5,000,000 nether talismans. Success rate: 40%.]

[Target: Ancient Giant Skeletal Remains (Half-body)]

[Status: Saturated with Earthen Power, the shell is nearly immortal]

[Energy Level: Early King-tier]

[Risk: Extremely High. Its residual will of fury may directly shatter an intruder's soul.]

[Subjugation/Utilization Suggestion: Requires an astronomical amount of nether talismans for 'Will Overwrite' or 'Shell Driving'. Estimated cost: 20,000,000 nether talismans. Success rate: 15%.]

[Target: Unknown Divine Bird Skeletal Remains (Wing portion)]

[Status: Corroded by strange baleful energy, undergoing unknowable mutation]

[Energy Level: ???]

[Risk: ???]

[Subjugation/Utilization Suggestion: Insufficient information, unable to evaluate. Strongly advised against contact.]

Scanning results flooded back one after another. They either required millions or even tens of millions of nether talismans, had pitifully low success rates, or involved unknown risks that even the system couldn't evaluate.

Zhang Hao watched from the side, his heart pounding. Just seeing the number of zeros behind those nether talisman costs made him dizzy. This wasn't looking for help; this was simply burning money! And with such low success rates!

"Master, this... the price is too high, and it's not even guaranteed to work..." he couldn't help but mutter softly.

Lin Chen's brow furrowed. He only had five days; he couldn't afford to waste time, and he certainly couldn't throw nether talismans away on such low-probability ventures. He had to find a more efficient and reliable method.

His gaze swept over the canyon again. Suddenly, he noticed that it wasn't completely silent among the remains. Some relatively weak "Baleful Spirits," condensed from the battlefield's energy and broken souls, drifted like ghosts between the massive bones, devouring one another. They had no reason, only instinct, but some of the stronger individuals emitted energy fluctuations that were not to be underestimated.

A thought flashed through Lin Chen's mind like a bolt of lightning.

Why must he subjugate these hard-to-control ancient remains?

Weren't these relatively "weak" but numerous Baleful Spirits perfect, ready-made materials that could be quickly "processed"?

He had the system, and he had nearly infinite "processing" capabilities!

"System," Lin Chen commanded in his mind, "scan all capturable 'Baleful Spirits' in the canyon, evaluate their energy attributes and transformation potential. Provide a mass capture and enhancement plan."

[Command received. Initiating wide-range spiritual entity scan...]

[Scan complete. A total of 1,347 units of eligible Baleful Spirits found. Energy attributes are primarily 'Slaughter', 'Resentment', 'Hard Shield', and 'Rapid Speed'.]

[Executable Plans:]

[Option 1: Mass capture and conversion into 'Soul-Burning Baleful Soldiers'. Consumes 5,000,000 nether talismans to create 500 units. Individual strength is roughly equal to a Yin Soldier Centurion, possesses self-destruct traits.]

[Option 2: Capture elite units for 'Baleful General Synthesis'. Consumes 8,000,000 nether talismans to synthesize 3 units. Strength is roughly equal to a Yin Soldier Commander, possesses special domain abilities.]

[Option 3 (Recommended): Targeted capture and execution of the 'Three-Phase God-Slaying Formation Base' modification plan. Screen for Baleful Spirits with 'God-Slaying', 'Boundary-Breaking', and 'Annihilation' potential. Consumes 12,000,000 nether talismans to modify 3 special array bases. When controlled by powerful individuals and activated simultaneously at a specific moment, they can unleash a combined strike far exceeding individual strength, specifically designed to break high-tier energy cores.]

Three-Phase God-Slaying Formation Base!

Lin Chen's eyes suddenly lit up! This was it!

This plan perfectly fit the requirement to "destroy three cores simultaneously"! He didn't need to find three independent top-tier combatants; he only needed to manufacture three special array bases and have people he trusted (like Bai Qi, Zhang Hao, or even himself by splitting his focus) control them. By activating them at the exact same moment, they could unleash the power to destroy the cores!

Moreover, compared to subjugating uncontrollable ancient remains, modifying these Baleful Spirits had a success rate of nearly one hundred percent! Although the cost was also high, the results were clear and controllable!

"Execute Option 3!" Lin Chen decided without hesitation.

[Command confirmed. Beginning the 'Three-Phase God-Slaying Formation Base' modification plan. Consuming 12,000,000 nether talismans.]

[Initiating large-scale capture program... Constructing modification workshop... Injecting power of laws...]

As twelve million nether talismans evaporated, the system's power descended with a roar!

Countless invisible chains of laws extended from the soul ferry boat like precise fishing nets, shooting down into the canyon and accurately entangling the Baleful Spirits with the required potential! Those spirits let out silent shrieks and struggled frantically, but against the absolute power of the system, they had no resistance. They were forcibly dragged up and cast into a modification furnace made of countless shimmering runes, temporarily constructed on the deck of the soul ferry boat!

Inside the furnace, the golden flames produced by the burning nether talismans reacted violently with the grayish-black energy of the Baleful Spirits, producing thunderous booms! Three distinct energy forms, all radiating destructive fluctuations, were being forcibly shaped, fused, and solidified!

Zhang Hao and his subordinates watched in stunned silence; this was a method akin to a miracle!

Meanwhile, Lin Chen wasn't idling. He ordered the soul ferry boat to cruise along the edge of the canyon, continuously absorbing the dissipating nether energy to offset the consumption of nether talismans. Although the absorption speed was far slower than the consumption for the modification, every little bit helped recover some resources.

Time passed minute by minute.

One day later.

"BOOM!!!"

The modification furnace let out a deafening roar, and the lid blasted into the sky!

Three streaks of light shot out from within, hovering in mid-air!

They were three objects of varying forms:

A blood-red triangular spear, seemingly condensed from countless thoughts of slaughter, its tip flashing with a cold light that could pierce through anything—the [god-slaying spear]!

An ink-black round shield with irregular edges like a shattered mirror, its surface flowing with the power of distorted space—the [boundary-breaking shield]!

A dark purple crystal that constantly collapsed and expanded, its interior seemingly containing the scene of a dying star—the [annihilation core]!

The three array bases emitted terrifying fluctuations that made the heart tremble. There was an invisible connection between them, their energies resonating with each other.

[Three-Phase God-Slaying Formation Base modification complete!]

[Status: Ready.]

[Usage Requirement: Must be controlled by three individuals with compatible energy attributes (or powerful soul fragments) and triggered within the same microsecond to unleash a 'God-Slaying Strike', dealing a devastating blow to high-tier energy cores.]

[Note: Upon activation, the array bases themselves will be completely annihilated.]

It was done!

Lin Chen looked at the three array bases radiating destructive auras, and his heart settled. The biggest weakness in his combat power had finally been addressed!

With a wave of his hand, he stowed the three array bases away.

"Return immediately!"

The soul ferry boat turned around, plunged into the gray mist, and sped toward the Fortress.

Now, the combat power issue was preliminary solved, but the gap in nether talismans was still massive. Of the one billion goal, he hadn't even gathered the pocket change yet.

Upon returning to the Fortress, Lin Chen immediately summoned Su Qingyu.

"How many usable reserves do we have? Including Director Zhao Yongfu's compensation, as well as the shipping fees and 'gifts' paid by other bases," Lin Chen asked directly.

Su Qingyu was already prepared and reported immediately, "After deducting daily maintenance, necessary reserves, and the twelve million you just spent, the nether talismans we can use are approximately... forty million."

Forty million. Compared to one billion, it was still an astronomical gap.

Lin Chen was silent for a moment, a flash of determination in his eyes.

He opened the system and brought up the communication interface for the Greedy Ghost.

Then, he sent over the coordinates of the Ancient Battlefield Skeleton Canyon, some of the scan data (with core secrets hidden), and a screenshot of the forty million nether talisman balance.

He attached a message:

"Discovered an SS-grade resource point, the 'Ancient Battlefield Skeleton Canyon', containing ancient remains and a suspected nether energy mineral vein. Coordinates as above. I lack the funds for independent development. Seeking cooperation or to sell partial intelligence/exploration rights. Interested?"

He was gambling. Gambling that the Greedy Ghost's interest in such an undeveloped top-tier resource point was far greater than its interest in one billion nether talismans in cash!

After the message was sent, Lin Chen closed his eyes, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest of his throne.

This was the fastest way he could think of to obtain a massive amount of funds, or... to directly trade for information.

Success or failure depended on this one move.

A few minutes later, though it felt like a century—

[Ding!]

The Greedy Ghost replied.