Chapter 96: The Cloudbreak Mountains

The area surrounding Qingyang Mountain is desolate, with forests that look as if their life force has been drained, withered and barren. High up on the mountains, the vegetation is sparse, leaving vast stretches of land exposed to the sky. This barren landscape extends for several dozen miles.

However, upon reaching the Qingyang Spiritual Vein, a lush forest suddenly appears. The trees here are verdant and dripping with vitality; they are exceptionally tall and full of life, giving the entire mountain an air of vigor. Because the morning has just passed, the moisture on the ground has been evaporated by the rising sun, forming thick clouds and mist. The mist swirls around the mountain, enveloping the entire peak, which emerges faintly from the clouds, giving it an ethereal, immortal quality.

Passing through the dense mist, a large cave appears on the mountainside. Flying directly into the cave, the space suddenly opens up. The walls are embedded with a large number of spirit stones, illuminating the cavern as if it were broad daylight. A massive tunnel stretches deep into the ground, and from it, a cultivator flies upward. This cultivator is a Foundation Establishment master wearing the token of the Yellow Maple Valley. It seems he is the master in charge of managing this spirit vein.

"Brother Zhang, what brings you here? Does the Sect Master have any instructions?" The man walks up and asks, looking at Lin Yang, who is standing beside Elder Zhang. "And who is this fellow Daoist? Could Brother Zhang introduce us?"

"We are here because Master Lin requires two spirit veins to set up a formation, and the Ancestor has already given his consent," Elder Zhang says, turning to gesture toward Lin Yang. "This is Master Lin."

"So it is the Alchemy King, Master Lin! It is truly a great honor for Qingyang Mountain to have you here," the man says. "I wonder what kind of spirit vein Master Lin requires? I am not sure if our vein meets your requirements."

Lin Yang feels puzzled by the man's enthusiasm. If he were to claim this spirit vein, the person in charge would lose this lucrative position. Yet, the cultivator manages to appear genuinely pleased; his ability to endure is truly remarkable.

"It is fine, I will just observe," Lin Yang says. "I need to see if your terrain is suitable for setting up a formation."

After speaking, Lin Yang uses his divine sense to scan the terrain for several dozen miles around. After a quarter of an hour of searching, he finds no trace of the tunnel he is looking for. It seems this is not the place; the spirit veins here are quite concentrated, making it unlikely that he would find what he needs elsewhere. Furthermore, in the original records, the cave entrance was found within a spirit vein, and there are no such traces here.

The underground area has been continuously excavated, but the mining was done haphazardly. All the mine shafts are dense and interconnected like an anthill. There is almost no support structure; without the existence of this extraordinary world, surely no one could survive the consequences of such mining disasters.

"This place is not suitable," Lin Yang states after a careful search. "Besides, the mining here is a bit dangerous; if a collapse were to occur, I fear the disciples below would not survive."

"That is a pity," the Foundation Establishment master says, clearly relieved by Lin Yang's assessment. "As for the matter of the spirit vein, I will discuss it with the Sect Master. Would Master Lin care to come in as a guest?" He then prepares to signal his disciples to pour tea.

"No need, I must head to the next location," Lin Yang replies, departing immediately. He and Elder Zhang set off for the next site.

This location is 200 miles west of the Qingyang mountain range, nearing the border of the Yue Kingdom. The mountain range stands like a sharp blade dropped onto the earth. The towering peaks block the moisture from one side, leaving one side of the mountain a sea of clouds while the other basks in bright sunlight. It is precisely because this mountain range cuts off the clouds that it is called the Cloud-Severing Mountain Range.

The 200-mile journey takes only a quarter of an hour. Upon arrival, they begin their search. The mineral veins here are highly scattered—"a hammer here, a hammer there"—which is the reason for the low yield. This can be considered the least productive mine, producing only 40,000 to 50,000 spirit stones annually. It is also the oldest site, with a history spanning nearly 700 years. Legend has it that 700 years ago, a cultivator discovered an ancient ruin here, and that cultivator was a predecessor of the Yellow Maple Valley. Later, while searching the ruins, they discovered this spirit vein.

Lin Yang stands in the air, continuously probing with his divine sense. Because the veins here are so chaotic, it takes a full quarter of an hour to finish exploring the area. There are many ancient, long-forgotten cave entrances here.

"In the original text, there should be a Blood Spider cave here. These monsters would be able to descend into such a place, so this must be where the teleportation array is located," Lin Yang thinks. He searches carefully once more, penetrating the ground with his divine sense. Finally, in a dark area, his sense cannot penetrate further. Outside, there are many spider webs, with some extending from the tunnel.

"It seems this is the place." Lin Yang looks at the intersecting peaks and ridges. He realizes that by selecting four relatively positioned peaks and renovating them, he can arrange a massive rectangular formation that possesses both spiritual gathering and lethal combat properties.

Lin Yang descends from the sky and approaches Elder Zhang. "This place is suitable. I can set up a large spiritual gathering array here. I have decided on this spirit vein."

"Then I shall return to report to the Sect Master," Elder Zhang says, seeing that his task is complete.

"Go ahead, Elder Zhang, and please do trouble yourself to report to the Sect Master," Lin Yang replies.

"That is only natural. I shall take my leave now."

After Elder Zhang departs, Lin Yang flies down and spots a stout, chubby man. "What is your name, fellow Daoist?"

"My name is Jia Dexing. I would not dare to call myself a peer to a Master," the man says, his face oily and shining, standing before Lin Yang with a tremble.

"Very well. You must have heard what Elder Zhang and I were discussing," Lin Yang says, deciding to be direct.

"I heard, Master. I will go and call the disciples away immediately," the chubby Jia says. As he turns to leave, Lin Yang stops him.

"Wait, I have something else." Lin Yang waves his hand, and a virtual image appears before him—a diagram of the terrain.

"Is there something else, Master?" the chubby man asks, looking curiously at the map.

"Follow my instructions: have the disciples level these mountain tops and create circular platforms about a dozen feet wide," Lin Yang says, pointing to four specific peaks.

"Understood, Master! I will see to it at once." The chubby man memorizes the locations of the peaks and sets off to find the disciples to begin the leveling work.