Longzang

Chapter 758 Using Local Materials
Accompanying the numerous Dao Foundation cultivators were five enormous Dao soldiers. Han Li and Jun Weizhi each led two Dao soldiers to search and advance to the flanks, while Dugu Cangqiong was assigned to strengthen the defense of the central stronghold and provide fire support when Wei Yuan retreated.

Upon entering the outer world, many Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately turned pale and trembled involuntarily.

This fragment of the world is of a very high level. Under the immense pressure of heaven and earth, even Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot maintain their own Dao power, which will continuously dissipate. If it weren't for the Heavenly Mystery Transformation Technique, which doubles everyone's strength, these Foundation Establishment cultivators would have exhausted their Dao power in just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

However, Wei Yuan had his reasons for bringing in so many Foundation Establishment cultivators.

As soon as they entered, they began digging and breaking up the soil and stones on the spot, piling them into square bricks. Then, the cultivators of the Fire Path Foundation began to forge them with Dao Fire, and a batch of earthen bricks was ready in about half an incense stick's time. Most of these earthen bricks were used to reinforce the central stronghold, and a small portion was used to build a small hut next to the teleportation portal.

Wei Yuan, along with three Dragon Guards, had already launched a surprise attack on the edge of the complex, eliminating four monsters and obtaining streams of profound energy. They then brought back the sand grains that the monsters had turned into.

In addition to the monster materials, Wei Yuan and the others also took a lot of metal items and returned them all.

At this time, the cultivators of the Metal Element Dao Foundation and the Fire Element Dao Foundation began to cooperate, melting and refining these metal parts into small hand warmers.

These furnaces, each no bigger than an apple, contained the most basic Heavenly Mechanism Transformation Formation, and each cultivator wore one on their waist. The furnaces burned with azure energy, a single wisp of which could burn for a long time. With these furnaces, these Foundation Establishment cultivators could replenish their energy at any time, no longer fearing the cold of the outer world, and their outdoor activity time was greatly extended.

A hand warmer was hung on each of the four walls of the hut. Upon entering, the cultivators would feel warm as spring, without needing to wear a hand warmer close to their bodies. The cultivators immediately crafted seven or eight small tables, each about three feet square, which filled the room completely.

Just as everything was ready, Wei Yuan returned from the complex with several Dragon Guards. He brought back a large number of metal parts, as well as many strange and unusual trinkets. However, due to their age, these items were severely damaged.

Once various items are brought back, they are placed on a table, where the cultivators immediately begin recording and analyzing them, primarily by meticulously compiling and recording data on all aspects of the items. When enough data has been accumulated, it is sent back to the mortal realm for further analysis.

The laws of this world are incompatible with the realities of human life; many things simply cannot be brought into the mortal realm. Wei Yuan tried several times, but the portal's energy consumption would increase dramatically, and it seemed likely that even if the portal were destroyed, many things still wouldn't be able to be brought in.

Only spiritual but intangible beings like blackbirds, and things of a near-Daoist status like Daoist Qi, can be brought back to the mortal world.

Therefore, Wei Yuan decided to settle down in this world during his exploration, establishing his research institute here to study various objects on the spot. This world is somewhat similar to the extraterrestrial world Xu Wenwu mentioned, which greatly interested Wei Yuan, as it provided direct samples for research on many things.

After several trips, Wei Yuan had cleared out more than a dozen buildings on the outer edge of the complex, killed dozens of monsters hidden inside, and obtained a total of three streams of profound energy.

At this time, the central stronghold had been initially completed, and a powerful flying sword spear was deployed at the main position, controlled by a Dharma Aspect warrior. All the flying swords in the spear were enhanced with azure energy. Each shot consumed a portion of the warrior's spiritual energy, but the power was greatly increased as a result. Just a dozen shots were enough to severely injure a late-stage Dharma Aspect monster. Combined with the suppression of other weapons, most monsters could not even get close to the defensive line.

Wei Yuan's target this time was a rather conspicuous building in the center of the complex. It was two stories high, square, with a bare surface, and a huge sign on the top floor. The sign had long been peeled off, and the words on it were no longer legible.

Holding his flying sword spear, Wei Yuan slowly approached the building. As he moved, a constant rustling sound emanated from the ground around him. Upon closer inspection, countless pixelated soldiers, each the size of a finger, could be seen swarming across the darkness like ants, searching every corner. The formation was currently Wei Yuan at the forefront, flanked by the Civil and Martial Dragon Guards, with Dragon Eagle bringing up the rear.

Once Wei Yuan encounters the enemy, he retreats while firing. The left and right Dragon Guards suppress the enemy with crossfire once they are sure that the flanks are safe, while the Dragon Eagle fires from its spot to cover Wei Yuan's retreat to their front.

Even the most powerful monster couldn't withstand the full-force attack of four Dharma Aspect cultivators for long; at most, it could only advance a hundred feet under the rain of swords. After all, each breath was equivalent to being struck dozens of times by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and in the blink of an eye, it would be bombarded thousands of times. This was an attack imbued with azure energy and human fortune, making its destructive power exceptionally obvious.

Wei Yuan took a step forward, and his toe suddenly kicked something. The thing flew forward as if startled, and landed with a crisp sound.

Suddenly, the trash in the corner scattered, and a monster the size of a small dog rushed out and ran away. Wei Yuan was much faster than it, and had already aimed at it, blasting it in two with a single shot.

Wei Yuan took two steps forward and picked up the object he had kicked. It was a flattened metal can. The metal was extremely thin and light, coated with a protective layer. Despite enduring so much time and corrosion, it was still intact, with a few characters and symbols remaining. Wei Yuan treasured it and carefully put the can away.

Wei Yuan quickly arrived at the building. The building was surrounded by an open plaza with piles of metal frames, arranged surprisingly neatly. Some of the metal frames even contained remnants of complex machinery.

As soon as Wei Yuan stepped into the plaza, the light of day returned, and he saw a little boy carrying something in his arms, carefully navigating through the ruins before entering the building. In the light, the building still retained its glass curtain wall, but there were several large holes deliberately smashed into the ground near the floor. The little boy carefully crawled through one of these holes.

Upon entering the building, beams of light pierced through the dilapidated roof and fell down, revealing collapsed shelves at the little boy's feet, their contents scattered all over the ground.

He quickly walked deeper into the building, and the beam of light disappeared. The goods that had been illuminated by the light were now covered with a thick layer of black ash.

Only a few metal frames remain of the shelf, and the shelves on top, made of some unknown material, have not survived the ravages of time.

Wei Yuan reached the edge of the wall, instinctively sensing that a fierce battle would ensue once he stepped inside. He was no longer the helpless figure he had been the first time he entered, and instead of being in a hurry, he bent down and picked up a few transparent fragments.

These are fragments left after the glass curtain wall shattered; many of them have miraculously survived to this day.

Wei Yuan collected dozens of fragments, intending to take them back for analysis. Glass itself was simple, but glass that could withstand the collapse of the apocalyptic world was anything but. Wei Yuan then returned, selecting two of the most intact-looking metal mechanical wreckage pieces in the plaza. He and Long Ying each took one and sent them back to the portal.

After Wei Yuan disappeared, a figure emerged from the building, silently watching the direction Wei Yuan had left in. Dark shadows continued to appear around it, growing in number and standing quietly in the empty lobby.

(End of this chapter)