Chapter 311: Chapter 153: Lin Xuankong’s First Exploration into the Demon Lair, the Shape-shifting Demon Monkey and the Earth Dragon Great Demon
Prefect Li of Great Marsh Prefecture was drinking with Jiang Haiyan, the Yin Talisman Sect Leader. Upon hearing Prefect Huang’s words, Prefect Li’s expression subtly changed. After a brief consideration, he put down his wine cup. "Prefect Huang is indeed correct! However, the Refining Method for Magical Artifacts in the Central Divine Dynasty has always been a closely guarded secret. Although we have many Artifact Refiners in Great Xia, none have ever managed to learn the Artifact Refining Technique of the Central Divine Dynasty! Now, a piece of Battle Armor comparable to Magical Artifacts has appeared, but that Conical Hat Guest keeps his identity hidden... If he could make the Refining Method of that Battle Armor public, the national power of Great Xia could multiply several times over in just a few years!"
Upon hearing this, Prefect Huang frowned and sighed. "Prefect Li, the Conical Hat Guest comes from Great Marsh Prefecture. If you can find him, obtain his Battle Armor Refining Method, and present it to our Third Princess, it would be an extraordinary achievement. You might even be rewarded with a few Thick Earth Treasure Elixirs!"
Not far away, Lin Xuankong, who overheard the conversation, couldn’t help but shake his head slightly. The Refining Method for the Ruyi Battle Armor isn’t mine... Miss Xiao has always harbored deep resentment towards the Great Xia Royal Family; how could she possibly pass the Battle Armor’s Refining Method to them? Moreover, even if I were to publicize the Battle Armor’s Refining Method, without Miss Xiao’s talent in Artifact Refining, how could other Artifact Refiners in Great Xia possibly forge Battle Armor with the same power as the Ruyi Battle Armor? The path of Artifact Refining relies more on talent than Martial Cultivation. Even my Artifact Refining skills are far inferior to Miss Xiao’s... The Third Princess’s desire to obtain the Ruyi Battle Armor’s Refining Method and mass-produce it is nothing but a pipe dream! As for me, after this banquet, once I’ve secretly given the Jade Particles to the Third Princess, I should find Miss Xiao to refine an Initial Tier Immortal Artifact! The power of that Initial Tier Immortal Artifact is vastly greater than any so-called Magical Artifact or the Ruyi Battle Armor!
After the banquet had lasted for three hours, Third Princess Xiaoo Ying’Er gathered many Tier Seven and Tier Eight powerhouses into the conference hall to discuss the recapture of the two medicinal production sites and the Thick Earth and Geng Metal Ore Veins in the Sealing Demon Mountain Range.
As a Steward of the Yin Talisman Sect, Lin Xuankong, a ’mere Tier Three cultivator,’ naturally wasn’t qualified to enter the conference hall. However, with his Eight Gates Celestial Eye, he didn’t need to be inside to learn of their discussions; he listened in clearly while eating Demon Flesh.
In the conference hall, after considerable discussion among the powerhouses, the Third Princess finalized the plan.
First, within ten days, General Wang Linghui of Prince Yu’s Mansion would organize Tier Five, Tier Six, and Tier Seven powerhouses to practice the simplified Battle Array of Prince Yu’s Mansion. Once these powerhouses, gathered from various prefectures, could cooperate seamlessly and form the simplified King Yu Battle Array, the offensive would begin. As for the tens of thousands of Tier Two, Tier Three, and Tier Four cultivators accompanying them, they would form dozens of Simplified Battle Arrays, led by Yu Jiansheng. Additionally, the Yin Talisman Sect, Black Tiger Gang, Huang Family, and Guo Family forces would also form Simplified Battle Arrays under Yu Jiansheng’s command.
Second, the primary goal of this war was to occupy the peaks surrounding the Thick Earth and Geng Metal Ore Veins and establish a Five Elements Array to control them. The first and second medicinal production sites were indeed extremely important, being crucial sources of Nine Revolutions Qi Replenishing Soup for Great Marsh Prefecture. However, for Tier Six, Tier Seven, and Tier Eight powerhouses, the effects of the Nine Revolutions Qi Replenishing Soup could be entirely substituted by Demon Flesh. Any powerhouse wishing to advance from Tier Six to Tier Seven, or from Tier Seven to Tier Eight, could not bypass Thick Earth Spiritual Objects and Geng Metal Spiritual Objects. Thus, the plan devised by these Tier Seven and Tier Eight powerhouses naturally prioritized the ore veins.
Third, powerhouses from Prince Dong’s Mansion and Prince Qi’s Mansion would be dispatched to first scout the areas around the Thick Earth and Geng Metal Ore Veins. The specific battle strategy would then be determined based on the demon army’s deployment.
Once all matters were discussed, Yang Luofeng from Prince Dong’s Mansion cupped his hands towards Third Princess Xiaoo Ying’Er, who was in the seat of honor, and said, "Third Princess, I, Luofeng, am willing to take the lead and be the first to depart for scouting the vicinity of the Thick Earth Ore Vein!"
Third Princess Xiaoo Ying’Er nodded slightly, retrieved three Thick Earth Spirit Elixirs from her Ghost Frog Pouch, and said, "General Yang, this war against the Sealing Demon Mountain Range involves several Great Demons and countless other demons within the Range and even the Boundaryless Mountain. This war is crucial to the Great Xia Dynasty and will affect my father’s deployment of forces to quell demonic calamities across various regions! In warfare, reconnaissance and understanding the enemy are paramount. General Yang, if you can thoroughly investigate the demon army’s deployment near the ore veins, it will be pivotal to the outcome of this war. These three Thick Earth Treasure Elixirs will then be yours!"
Hearing this, delight flashed in Yang Luofeng’s eyes, though his expression remained solemn. He immediately cupped his hands. "Rest assured, Third Princess. I, Luofeng, will thoroughly scout the area!"
The other Tier Seven and Tier Eight powerhouses present gazed at the three Thick Earth Treasure Elixirs in the Third Princess’s hands, a flicker of eagerness in their eyes. In their view, Thick Earth Treasure Elixirs were even more precious than Thick Earth Spiritual Objects; each Treasure Elixir was refined from Spiritual Objects but offered a much higher chance of advancing one’s cultivation.
A moment later, Yang Luofeng took to the air with an Early Tier Eight cultivator and four Late Tier Seven cultivators, heading towards the Sealing Demon Mountain Range.
From a corner, Lin Xuankong secretly activated his Demon Reflected Pupils. A faint red gleam flashed out, instantly landing on Yang Luofeng. This red light was distinct in Lin Xuankong’s vision, yet not a single one of the numerous powerhouses at the banquet perceived it.