Elian continued to study the terrain, his brows furrowing as a hint of doubt appeared in his expression.
Noticing this, the Third Elder asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"This leyline seems somewhat unusual, but after careful observation, I haven't found anything definitive," Elian replied.
Chen Qinghao smiled lightly.
"The mysteries of formations lie in observing the great forces and creations of the heavens and earth. The intricacies of mountain and river formations are infinite. It's not surprising that you would sense something unusual."
Elian nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this leyline seemed familiar. It was as if he had encountered a similar leyline before.
"Familiar... wait, the Wood Essence leyline…"
A thought flashed through his mind, and his pupils slightly contracted. He recalled the Wood Essence leyline he had encountered at Tianxu Mountain. The mountain formation here bore some resemblance to that leyline.
However, there was a subtle difference: this mountain range emitted a faint trace of Metal Essence energy, so faint that even a Purple Mansion cultivator might overlook it unless they inspected it thoroughly.
"A Metal Essence leyline?"
"Or am I imagining things?"
Elian suppressed the thought. Even if his suspicion was correct, he currently lacked the means to pinpoint the leyline's precise location. And even if he could locate it, what could he do? The Chen family was not comparable to Tianxu Mountain. If there truly was a leyline here, the Chen family didn't have the strength to claim it.
If the leyline were discovered, it would only serve to benefit other powers, possibly bringing calamity to the Chen family. Even informing Jiang Linglong of its existence might be futile.
Tianxu Mountain was tens of thousands of miles away, and with the Beast Horde crisis approaching in less than twenty years, they were unlikely to divert their strength to secure such a remote location.
"Whether or not there's a leyline here, I'll suppress the matter for now. When the time is right, we can revisit it."
Having made up his mind, Elian turned to the others.
"Since we've secured the Black Iron mine, we need to establish our claim over this mountain."
"To ensure its safety, I'll stay here to oversee the area. Qinghao, I'll need you to return to Pingyang City and discuss arrangements with the elders."
Securing the Black Iron Mountain and developing the mine wouldn't be easy. First, a second-tier formation would need to be established to defend the mountain.
Additionally, the family would need to station a Foundation Establishment cultivator along with a dozen Qi Condensation cultivators to guard the site and begin cultivating spiritual fields on the mountain.
The mountain's spiritual energy could be put to good use. With the family's encouragement of population growth, the number of cultivators would increase in the coming decades. Qingyuan Mountain's spiritual energy might become insufficient, and this mountain could help alleviate the pressure.
Furthermore, mining the Black Iron vein would require substantial labor. Using cultivators for the task would hinder their cultivation progress, so ordinary laborers would need to be relocated to the area and a settlement established.
To make the mountain habitable for mortals, cultivators would need to clear out venomous creatures and beasts while leveling the terrain. Even with such tasks, one Foundation Establishment cultivator could accomplish more than a thousand mortals.
"Understood," Chen Qinghao replied decisively.
"I'll head back to Qingyuan Mountain at once."
Elian nodded.
"There's no rush to move laborers yet. The first priority is to set up a protective formation."
"Very well, I'll leave the mountain in your hands," Chen Qinghao said before transforming into a streak of light and flying away.
Once Chen Qinghao departed, Elian took stock of their spoils from the battle. He had killed the second-tier high-grade Gold-Eating Beast, obtaining a significant amount of Black Iron.
After estimating the haul, he realized that the Black Iron club alone could yield around 8,000 pounds of refined Black Iron. If the beast's corpse were refined with true fire, it could produce several thousand additional pounds of Black Iron.
The greatest prize, however, was the Gold-Eating Beast's demon core, which had absorbed and refined large amounts of Black Iron essence. This essence was of the highest quality, capable of greatly enhancing the Nine Deflection Bell, turning it into a top-tier second-grade defensive artifact.
"Once this matter is settled, I'll have the patriarch enhance the Nine Deflection Bell," Elian mused. The thought of possessing a second-tier top-grade defensive artifact to cover his final weakness filled him with excitement.
With a smile, Elian called Chen Nianfu to him. He had decided to give her the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The allocation of Foundation Establishment Pills within the family was determined by factors such as age, cultivation, contributions, qualifications, and talent. Balancing these considerations was crucial to ensuring fairness and maintaining unity.
A significant rule was that younger candidates under forty took precedence. A successful Foundation Establishment at that age provided additional opportunities for a Purple Mansion breakthrough later. However, candidates who had made exceptional contributions could also be prioritized.
Although Chen Niansu was a reasonable contender, Chen Nianfu's discovery of the Black Iron vein had far outstripped his contributions.
Chen Niansu's grandfather, Chen Changming, had died in the last Beast Horde at 120 years old, leaving behind 4,000 family contribution points. Over the years, Chen Niansu had spent a considerable portion, leaving just over 3,000 points.
These contributions, while substantial, were insufficient to directly purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill. The family's policy allowed members to accrue debt for such purchases. If a member failed in their Foundation Establishment, the debt would be written off posthumously, without burdening their descendants.
Such write-offs depleted the family's reserves and were treated as losses. In contrast, Chen Nianfu's contribution was immense. The Black Iron vein would yield nearly 1,000 spirit stones annually, providing the family with benefits worth tens of thousands over time.
The disparity in contributions made Chen Nianfu the clear choice. Her efforts would be rewarded, setting an example for others in the family.
Elian smiled and handed the pill to Chen Nianfu.
"I've decided to give you this Foundation Establishment Pill."
"But I'm only at the seventh stage of Qi Condensation," she replied, though her tone betrayed excitement.
"The pill's efficacy lasts only ten years. I can't take it yet."
"Originally, I intended to give it to Niansu. His ancestors contributed significantly to the family, leaving behind over 3,000 contribution points. However, your discovery of the Black Iron vein is an extraordinary achievement. It justifies the investment."
He handed her three spiritual peaches.
"After refining these, you'll reach the peak of Qi Condensation. With additional resources to temper your meridians, you'll be ready to attempt Foundation Establishment within a few years."
"Thank you," Chen Nianfu said, her voice trembling with gratitude.
"Don't celebrate yet," Elian cautioned, smiling.
"I'll guard this mountain for three years. If you succeed in Foundation Establishment, you'll be responsible for overseeing the Black Iron Mountain. Also, you must assist Niansu if he encounters difficulties."
Chen Nianfu nodded.
"I understand. But I worry Niansu won't accept this decision."
"For the family, you and Niansu are equally important. But your contributions far exceed his, making this the right choice," Elian reassured her.
"The Third Elder will address the matter with him personally."
Four days later, Chen Qinghao returned with a formation array.
"The Greenwood Earth Array?" Elian noted, frowning.
"It's from the Lin family. Could it have hidden contingencies?"
The Third Elder dismissed his concerns.
"Don't worry. The patriarch has thoroughly studied this array. Once reconfigured, there's no risk of hidden traps."
With the patriarch's assurance, Elian and the Third Elder worked together to set up the array. After three days of effort, the protective formation was complete, securing the mountain.
"With this formation, even other Foundation Establishment clans will think twice before making a move," Chen Qinghao remarked.
The Third Elder hesitated before adding, "I spoke to Niansu. I promised that his lineage would receive priority for the next Foundation Establishment Pill."
Elian nodded.
"That's fair, provided there's a suitable candidate."
Pleased with the resolution, the Third Elder returned to Qingyuan Mountain to oversee further arrangements for the Black Iron Mountain.
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D