Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Chapter 570 Mineral Vein Secret Passage

The light swept across the spiritually desolate area on the western edge of Shuizhou, where the concentration of spiritual energy dropped sharply and then recovered before entering Liangzhou territory.

Li Yuan didn't return directly to Wulin Market, but instead stopped at Tianyue Market to replenish his spiritual materials and check on the market's current situation. The spiritual mist in the direction of the main peak of Tianyue Mountain Range had completely dissipated, leaving not even a trace, indicating that the spiritual energy of the spiritual veins had been completely drained.

It stayed for less than half a day, then transformed into a beam of light and flew towards Baihezhou.

The Lu family sent a message several days ago, stating that the surveying work on the third mineral vein was complete and they were waiting for Li Yuan to arrive and set up the formation. At the same time, the previously promised second batch of standard mineral vein probes should also be delivered.

The light passed through the Spirit-Severing Zone and entered Baihe Prefecture, landing on the outskirts of the valley where the Lu family was stationed.

Lu Ping waited at the entrance of the valley.

"Fellow Daoist Li, you've come at the right time. The survey report for the third mineral vein is out; the terrain is much more complex than the first two."

"Deliver the goods first."

Li Yuan took out the second batch of standard mineral vein probes from his personal space, twelve of them, and neatly stacked them in a wooden box.

Lu Ping inspected the quality of each item and looked satisfied.

"Lead the way."

The third mine is located about twenty miles northwest of the Lu family's residence, deeper into the heart of Baihe Prefecture than the previous two.

The terrain is indeed complex. The mountain where the mine is located is an isolated peak, surrounded by valleys on three sides, with only a narrow stone path leading to the foot of the mountain on the east side. The mine tunnel inside the mountain extends downwards in a spiral shape, and the excavation marks are older than the previous two locations. Some of the chisel marks on the mine walls are severely weathered, indicating that they are at least several hundred years old.

Lu Yang waited at the entrance of the mine tunnel.

"Fellow Daoist Li, the main vein of this mineral vein runs quite deep, with the core enrichment area about 120 zhang underground. The survey report marks several possible locations of the array points; please take a look."

Li Yuan took the jade slip containing the survey report and scanned it with his divine sense.

They then followed Lu Yang down the mine tunnel.

The innate perception of the pulse points activated automatically upon entering the mine. The structure of the veins appeared layer by layer in the consciousness: the direction of the main vein, the distribution of branch veins, the location and density gradient of the spirit ore enrichment areas—all were clearly discernible.

The locations of the array points marked in the survey report are generally reasonable, but the optimal location is not among them.

Li Yuan stopped when he reached a depth of about 110 zhang.

"Place the core of the formation here."

Lu Yang looked at the location and nodded after comparing it with the survey report.

"Fellow Daoist's judgment is more accurate than our survey team's."

After continuing down for a while, the mine tunnel widened into a natural cave at a depth of 120 zhang. The cave was about 20 zhang square, and its walls were embedded with a large number of dark brown spiritual ore veins, the surface of which gleamed with a dim spiritual light.

Several monks are mining ore in the cave.

Li Yuan's gaze swept over the vein patterns on the mine wall. The white permanent inscription of the mining tool resonance automatically took effect within the vein area, and the distribution and direction of the spirit ore emerged in his perception like veins.

As I approached the mine wall, I sensed fluctuations of green quality within a three-foot radius.

The source of the fluctuation was a piece of ore that was partially exposed on the mine wall.

The ore was about the size of a fist, dark brown with dark gold patterns. It was not much different in appearance from the ordinary ores around it, but its spiritual energy fluctuations were significantly stronger.

Li Yuan reached out and removed the ore from the mine wall.

The panel pops up the moment a finger touches it.

[Equipable item detected: Mystic Vein Ore]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Forging Vein (Green)]

[Effect: Increases spiritual energy stability by 20% when using ores to craft magical artifacts; slightly enhances the spiritual energy conduction efficiency of finished ore-based magical artifacts]

[Preview of Permanentization Requirements: Successfully craft several different types of magical artifacts using this type of ore as the main material (0/10)]

Green entry. The effect is related to the crafting of ore-based magical artifacts, which perfectly aligns with the Lu family's long-term cooperative direction.

"Clan Chief Lu, I'll take this ore."

Lu Yang glanced at the ore in Li Yuan's hand and did not hesitate.

"Fellow Daoist, please feel free to take it; it's just a piece of ore."

Li Yuan stored the ore in his personal space.

Then the formal formation began.

The array pattern carving knife landed at the array eye, 110 feet deep, and the array's celestial pivot began to operate. The core array pattern radiated outwards from the array eye, and spiritual energy loops were laid along the vein of the ore.

As the formation entered its middle stage, the instinctive perception of the Pulse Pivot suddenly gave an abnormal signal.

Directly below the formation's core.

The flow of spiritual energy is incorrect.

The spiritual energy in the vein should be evenly distributed along the main vein, but about two hundred feet directly below the array eye, the direction of the spiritual energy flow shows a slight deflection.

There is only one reason for the deflection of spiritual energy: the underlying rock strata are discontinuous.

Naturally formed discontinuous rock formations are usually fissures or caves, but the shape of the deflected spiritual energy is too regular and does not resemble a natural fissure.

Manual excavation.

About two hundred feet below, there is an abandoned passage that was dug by man.

Li Yuan's movements did not stop; the array pattern carving knife continued to fall on the rock surface, and the spiritual energy circulation was laid out according to the preset direction.

His complexion was normal.

The deployment lasted for most of the day.

The ore-guiding artifact was embedded in the center of the array eye and activated by the injection of spiritual power.

After confirming that the array was functioning normally, Li Yuan got up and walked up the mine tunnel.

Back at the Lu family home, Lu Yang provided the blueprints and materials for the second batch of magical artifacts.

All drawings and materials are in place.

The furnace in the weapon-refining room was lit.

The Blazing Sun Flame Technique was activated, with spiritual energy controlling the temperature. The materials for the first ore-cutting blade were put into the furnace, the main material being a dark-colored ore specializing in Baihe Prefecture, supplemented with common refining spirit metals. The spiritual energy infusion and shaping of the weapon-refining technique, both at the minor completion stage, were carried out simultaneously, resulting in extremely high efficiency.

A green-grade fluctuation was emitted upon touching the finger.

[Equipable item detected: Mine Wall Cutting Blade]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Ore Cutting (Green)]

[Effect: Increases spell damage against ore-type artifacts by 30%, and the spell has a slight penetration effect.]

[Permanentization Condition: Kill a Tier 2 monster that feeds on ore]

Li Yuan put the cutting knife aside and continued to forge the next item.

After all the magical artifacts were crafted, Li Yuan categorized and arranged the finished products.

After returning to the guest room assigned to them at the Lu family's residence, the stone gate was closed.

Li Yuan sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes to recall the spiritual energy deflection he had sensed deep within the third mineral vein that day.

There's no rush to explore the passage. Let's finish dealing with the formation and cooperation first, then find an opportunity to conduct a private survey.

Li Yuan put the items away and closed his eyes to cultivate.

Tomorrow I need to go back to the third mine to complete the final adjustments to the formation.

Once the debugging is complete, I'll find some time to go and check out that abandoned passage.