Chapter 55: Production Line!
Within Tiangong Island, inside the mountain body of Chaotian Peak.
Inside a massive Underground Karst Palace.
The Underground Karst Palace was extremely spacious, a hundred meters in both length and width.
At the center of the palace lay a strange object roughly ten meters long and two meters wide.
If any of Lu Qingyang’s old-world acquaintances were present, they would certainly discover that this object looked exactly like an assembly line machine tool!
It even had a conveyor belt on top!
“This conveyor belt made from the sinew and hide of a Foundation Establishment bull demon really is好用.”
“So many years and not a single wrinkle.”
Lu Qingyang stepped forward, looking at his own handiwork and sighing in admiration.
After many attempts over the years and consuming numerous spirit ores, he had finally developed this automated artifact-refining assembly line.
Not only could it refine artifacts, it could also refine puppets. With some adjustments, it could even refine pills.
Except, this assembly line was not truly automated in the truest sense…
Lu Qingyang released a pile of Tier-Two Spirit Ore from his Storage Ring and placed it on the conveyor belt.
Then he waved his right hand, sending out a strand of spiritual power into the assembly line’s power chamber.
Igniting the high-grade spirit stones inside.
“Boom…”
The gears of the conveyor belt began to turn slowly, transporting the spirit ore into a furnace-shaped object ahead.
At the same time, spirit stones poured into the power chamber.
A faint vibration came from within the furnace-shaped object, as if something was about to awaken.
“Buzz buzz buzz…”
“Buzz buzz buzz…”
As the spirit stones continued to output, wisps of Deep-Sea Blue Flame rose from the bottom of the furnace-shaped object.
Lu Qingyang didn’t blink, staring intently at those flames.
This Deep-Sea Blue Flame was discovered on Tiangong Island.
Though it was only a Tier-One exotic flame, it was still extremely rare.
In the Vast Sea City, even the seed of this Deep-Sea Blue Flame would sell for at least a thousand high-grade spirit stones!
This flame was precisely the key to Lu Qingyang being able to refine this assembly line.
Gradually, the furnace-shaped object turned red and emitted a scorching heat.
As the temperature rose, the spirit ore being slowly transported inside began to melt, turning into liquid.
“Huff~ huff~ huff~”
As the temperature grew higher.
The conveyor belt turned once more.
Transporting that lump of liquid to a series of Dharma Artifact mechanical arms.
“Crack! Crack! Crack!”
The Dharma Artifact mechanical arms rapidly cut, slicing that lump of liquid into small pieces.
Then each Dharma Artifact mechanical arm began shaping them individually.
After a long while, piece after piece of brand-new, still steaming puppet components appeared on the belt.
Immediately after, the belt turned again, transporting these components into the final object.
And that final object was, remarkably, a jade slip!
This jade slip had long ago been inscribed with formations by Lu Qingyang.
At this moment, like a program in a computer, after being activated by spirit stones, the formations on the jade slip instantly activated.
“Buzz buzz buzz.”
The jade slip began to vibrate, and patterns started to appear on its surface.
Accompanied by a flash of formation fluctuations, those puppet components unexpectedly floated up slowly.
Under the effect of the formation, they slowly assembled together.
“A Levitation Formation, plus an Illusion-Painting Formation. As long as the Illusion-Painting Formation’s patterns are replaced with the puppet’s form, it can assemble itself.”
“I have to say, this idea of mine is simply too ingenious.”
Looking at the brand-new Tier-Two Puppet slowly landing, Lu Qingyang allowed himself a rare moment of pride.
In truth, if this assembly line were to spread to the outside world, the entire Vast Sea City would likely be thrown into a huge commotion!
So, no wonder Lu Qingyang was proud.
“However… this still takes too long.”
“And I have to come over every day to operate it. It’s still too troublesome.”
Lu Qingyang calculated the time. A full twelve hours had already passed.
Thinking of this, he no longer hesitated and took out the sect-guarding treasure he had obtained from the Simulation.
A cube-like object floated quietly in the void.
It was precisely the legendary sect-guarding treasure of the Heavenly Craft Sect: Heavenly Craft Opens Things.
“This object, just what is its wondrous use?”
Lu Qingyang reached out and touched the cube-like object, feeling the infinite spiritual mechanism contained within.
His mind stirred, and a trace of spiritual power surged from his fingertip.
Drilling into Heavenly Craft Opens Things.
“Click click click!”
The surface of Heavenly Craft Opens Things immediately lit up.
Auras of mystery, vastness, antiquity, vicissitude, and mystery were released from its surface.
“This…”
Lu Qingyang’s pupils widened slightly!
He saw that the Heavenly Craft Opens Things, originally like a cube, had unfolded in an instant!
Transforming into a circular wheel-like existence.
On the surface of that wheel were densely packed countless tiny Runes.
There was also a layer of pale blue light flickering.
“This object… is somewhat mysterious.”
“It seems to be a fusion of several objects and formations…”
“If one really considers it, this object is actually more like a puppet.”
“That’s right, it’s a mutated puppet!”
An expression of surprise appeared on Lu Qingyang’s face as he murmured to himself.
Then he no longer hesitated, attempting to refine this miraculous Heavenly Craft Opens Things.
Half a month later.
Inside the palace, Lu Qingyang slowly opened his eyes.
Before him, Heavenly Craft Opens Things floated quietly like a tamed pet.
“So that’s what it is. This Heavenly Craft Opens Things has eighty-one kinds of artifact-refining formations engraved on it.”
“Some of these formations I’ve never even seen before.”
“And the materials used for this object are truly rare. As expected of a Tier-Four Dharma Artifact, it actually uses Tier-Four Spirit Ore Heavenly Crystal Flame as its main material.”
“With this, the power of artifacts refined with its assistance will surge several times over!”
Lu Qingyang’s eyes bloomed with brilliance.
He could hardly wait to use this Heavenly Craft Opens Things to refine an artifact!
No, perhaps he really could refine a Spirit Artifact!
“But what should I refine, a flying sword?”
“Or a cauldron, bell, umbrella, seal?”
Lu Qingyang frowned in deep thought.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck his mind.
“Got it!”
“I’ll refine this!”
Lu Qingyang set his eyes on Heavenly Craft Opens Things.
That’s right, what Lu Qingyang intended to refine was precisely this Heavenly Craft Opens Things!
“If I can refine this object into a Spirit Artifact, then the artifact spirit can naturally oversee artifact refining.”
“In the future, my assembly line can achieve truly automated production!”
“By then…”
Lu Qingyang’s eyes were full of excitement and anticipation.
“Swoosh~”
Thinking of this, Lu Qingyang rose and flew out of the palace.
Refining a Tier-Four Dharma Artifact again required full preparation.
He had to see whether the Chaotian Sect’s current foundation could support him in refining a Tier-Four Dharma Artifact!
In the Chaotian Peak Great Hall, Lu Qingyang summoned Old Huang.
“Old Huang, how many spirit stones do we have now?”
“Reporting to the Sect Master, thanks to the assistance of the Production Puppet the year before last, we excavated three more spirit mines on the island.”
“Adding the original one, the four spirit mines now yield an annual output equivalent to about seven hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones.”
“After deducting sect expenses, the current stock is roughly nine hundred thousand spirit stones.”
“How much are the sect expenses per year?”
“For all disciples, plus your artifact refining and puppet needs, roughly… four hundred thousand or so.”
Hearing the number Old Huang reported, Lu Qingyang frowned.
So the sect’s annual surplus was only three hundred thousand spirit stones.
After all these years, they had saved up less than a million spirit stones?
“Forget it, ninety is ninety. Old Huang, pass on my order. Of the sect’s stock of low-grade spirit stones, half is to be exchanged in the Vast Sea City for high-grade spirit stones.”
“The other half… is to be entirely spent on purchasing high-grade spirit ore. Here is the supply list. If we can’t afford Tier-Five, then buying Tier-Four will do!”