Chapter 1251: Quite Suspicious

"Can I try this shield now?" Ye Liuyun didn't know whether the shield had previously been infused with divine sense, so he dared not try it lightly.

"This shield hasn't been used yet. It was prepared for you. Go ahead and try it!" Ye Xiaotian laughed.

"All right." Ye Liuyun immediately infused a wisp of divine sense.

As soon as he infused divine sense, he discovered that the formation plate's formation had activated. Moreover, it recorded information on how to use the shield, which could be learned instantly.

The shield needs to be filled with spirit stones to conserve a martial cultivator's true essence.

Ye Liuyun filled it with spirit stones and then had his clone come out to test it.

The formation plate has a counterattack function. Ye Liuyun feared hurting his parents or Feng Wanru, so he didn't let them try it.

Thus the clone began trying to attack with various kinds of power.

Apart from bloodline pressure and divine soul power, Ye Liuyun could easily block all other attacks with the shield; he didn't even need to unleash his mysterious origin. All defense and counterattack came from the power of the formation driven by spirit stones.

The clone's experience was also synchronized to Ye Liuyun.

The rebound force is a one-to-one rebound. That is, however much force is used in an attack, that much force is rebounded back.

"The rebounding force has no amplification; it's a bit regrettable."

Ye Liuyun was satisfied with the shield's other functions, but felt this aspect was slightly lacking.

Ye Xiaotian also nodded and explained to Ye Liuyun: "This issue has also been considered by artifact refiners. But if we make it too powerful, the required time would be long, and the shield's materials would also need to be upgraded. Otherwise it couldn't withstand the pressure from the formation."

"In that case, we wouldn't be making ordinary shields but treasures! To mass-produce them, if everyone in the Artifact Refiner Alliance made shields, it would still take one or two years to meet your demanded quantity."

"Exactly!" Ye Liuyun also felt his request was somewhat excessive.

After all, it's ordinary equipment for ordinary soldiers. Having these functions is already quite good!

Ye Xiaotian also told Ye Liuyun: "The shield's defensive capability can at most withstand attacks from martial cultivators at the Earth Sovereign Realm. Stronger attacks, and the shield cannot bear them."

"Furthermore, if a martial cultivator at the mid-to-late Earth Sovereign attacks the shield, the shield's spirit stones will be consumed very quickly!"

Upon hearing that, Ye Liuyun summoned the unicorn again and had it attack the shield. The unicorn is a strength-type monster beast; although its realm hasn't yet reached the ninth level of Earth Sovereign, relying solely on strength, it's actually not much weaker.

The unicorn charged straight at the shield with full force. The shield's rebound flung it away, but it wasn't injured.

Likewise, the shield blocked that impact force.

Ye Liuyun then looked at the spirit stones; they had almost been depleted by one-third.

In other words, this shield, when facing a ninth-level Earth Sovereign expert, can block only three attacks.

The user needs to fight while replenishing spirit stones.

"Indeed, the consumption is huge!" Ye Liuyun also felt Ye Xiaotian was right.

However, he didn't raise the request further. Ordinary equipment capable of this level has already exceeded his expectations.

"Let's just do it this way!" Ye Liuyun finally confirmed.

"According to this design, the Artifact Refiner Alliance can provide a thousand shields per day. Since weapons and equipment are needed everywhere now, the Alliance has also assigned personnel to forge items for other dynasties' armies; it cannot allocate all its manpower to you. Do you think this pace works?" Ye Xiaotian asked.

"Hmm, I understand. The pace is fine. Besides, I'll have to trouble Father to deliver in batches every five or six days. If other supplies need to be transported at the same time, Zhuge Feiyu can arrange it together, so we don't have to wait until everything is finished to deliver all at once." Ye Liuyun added.

"I know. I'll definitely get it to your army as soon as possible!" Ye Xiaotian agreed, then took the shield from Ye Liuyun's hands.

And as soon as that shield reached his hands, the formation automatically failed.

This final test counts as completed.

Ye Xiaotian had no time to chat further with Ye Liuyun; grabbing the shield, he rushed straight to the Artifact Refiner Alliance.

Ye Liuyun was accompanying his mother when he had barely spoken a few words before receiving a voice transmission from Xia Tianqiong: "We've investigated everyone who went to Liang Xue's various chambers of commerce to purchase warships. Their backgrounds are all extremely clean, yet I find them highly suspicious!"

"Clean backgrounds aren't a good thing?" Ye Liuyun asked, puzzled.

"Would a normal person suddenly buy warships? Not just one or two for personal use, but however many they want. Moreover, where would an ordinary person get so many spirit stones? Who would be willing to spend that many spirit stones on warships?"

Xia Tianqiong analyzed: "Moreover, it's quite a coincidence that their warship purchases all occurred within about three days of each other! Liang Xue also finds it suspicious, which is why she had me investigate."

Ye Liuyun also realized the seriousness of the problem.

"Did Xue'er give the warships to them?" Ye Liuyun asked.

"If there's goods, why wouldn't they sell? However, they've already placed orders and paid deposits at the various chambers of commerce. They should still come to pick up the goods." Xia Tianqiong explained.

"Do the people under you suffice to round them all up?" Ye Liuyun asked again.

Xia Tianqiong replied: "That's definitely enough; their strength isn't strong, they're just keeping their identities well concealed!"

"However, we haven't yet uncovered who is directing them behind the scenes, nor their contact with the foreign tribe. If we act rashly, we might let the big fish behind them slip away!"

"But if we still can't find any information within three days, we'll have to deliver the warships. Liang Xue worries that once the warships are handed over, they'll never be recoverable."

Upon hearing that, Ye Liuyun also felt somewhat troubled.

Xia Tianqiong then said: "Aren't you able to perform a soul search? You could give it a try. However, it would require you to venture out of Yi Cheng. What do you think?"

"No problem! When am I not adventuring?" Ye Liuyun gladly agreed.

Thus he immediately returned to Yi Cheng to discuss countermeasures with Xia Tianqiong, Ling Shuang, Zhuge Feiyu, Liang Xue, and the others.

"I don't advise you to leave the city now!" Zhuge Feiyu said: "I think you're definitely being monitored by people sent by the foreign tribe!"

"No problem! If you're worried about that, then I wouldn't need to go out at all in the future!" Ye Liuyun also knew Zhuge Feiyu's concern was quite likely, but he also couldn't always be so cautious as to never go out.

"If even the freedom to go out is gone, he'd rather not be this prince."

"Well then, I'll secretly send a few Tianzun Realm martial cultivators to follow you!" Zhuge Feiyu said helplessly.

"No need." Ye Liuyun directly refused.

"If they resort to assassination, I have Xuanwu's protection, which is enough. If they want a group attack, I'm even less worried. Right now personnel are tight; there's no need to assign people to protect me!" Ye Liuyun said confidently.

Zhuge Feiyu could not win the argument against him, and in the end could only let him leave on his own.