"The 52nd subgrade mana stone vein has been established."
Lize's calm voice echoed softly in the study.
"The apprentices dispatched across the continent have located 73 leyline nodes. Among these, only 52 meet the energy density required to cultivate subgrade mana stone veins. If nothing changes, this represents the upper limit for the continent."
Su Nan inquired, "What about their scale?"
"One small, two medium, and the remaining are large."
"The widespread adoption of sub-magitech will take time. Initially, the output of one small and two medium veins should suffice. Once the large veins mature and production surges, it will align perfectly with the technological explosion."
Su Nan nodded with satisfaction before asking, "And the transmission network project?"
"That's progressing a bit slower."
Lize swiped her hand through the air, conjuring a holographic map of the Starlight Continent. The map lit up with numerous interconnected points, forming an intricate web.
Beside it appeared a map of the subterranean world. This map, however, showed only a few central points, with the rest blank.
"The surface transmission network is complete. We're currently focusing on constructing the underground network."
"How long will it take to finish?"
"With the subgrade mana stone vein project now concluded, we can reallocate manpower to the transmission network, easing the personnel shortage. At the current pace, it will take another 60 to 70 years."
Su Nan frowned slightly.
If this projection held true, the entire transmission network would require over a century to complete.
But he understood the constraints. At any given time, only around a thousand apprentices could work on the teleportation array tasks—a mere drop in the ocean compared to the vastness of the Starlight Continent.
"This will likely improve," Su Nan noted. "The Academy's enrollment has been steadily increasing, so the available workforce for the project will grow. It may not even take 60 years."
Lize suddenly raised another topic.
"Speaking of which, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"Go ahead."
"Do you remember the star core you obtained in Fallen Star City?"
Su Nan nodded.
He had studied the star core after acquiring it and concluded that it functioned as an energy source, roughly equivalent to a medium-scale Elemental Pool.
To most wizards, a star core would be a priceless treasure. But Su Nan, with his ability to synthesize large-scale Elemental Pools, saw little value in it.
He had eventually handed the star core to Lize, who requested it for an experiment.
"I used the star core to create a magical device, which we've named the Eye of the Star. The prototype is currently in use at Starlight Academy, gathering experimental data."
She gestured, and a document floated toward Su Nan.
Opening it, Su Nan's interest grew as he read.
The Eye of the Star was fascinating—able to detect and record energy particle fluctuations above a certain threshold, making it an ideal tool for monitoring supernatural activity.
"Was this designed by the Starfall Society?"
"Yes."
"Can its detection range be expanded?"
Lize hesitated. "To maintain precision, its maximum range is a circular area with a 300-kilometer diameter. Beyond that, the accuracy of energy particle detection diminishes."
A 300-kilometer radius…
Su Nan frowned.
That would barely cover a city—not nearly enough to monitor the vast Starlight Continent. It felt like a waste of a resource as potent as the star core.
But before he could dismiss it entirely, he glanced at Lize and noticed her subtle expression.
"You have more to propose, don't you? Let's hear it."
Lize smiled faintly and explained, "With just one star core, the Eye of the Star's range is limited. But if we combine it with multiple sub-star cores, we can establish a network to extend its coverage."
"Sub-star cores?"
"They're secondary energy cores, less potent than a full star core. But when used in conjunction, they resonate with the star core, amplifying its capabilities."
A holographic image of a smaller crystal sphere appeared in the air.
"While the star core was exclusive to the councilors of the Starfall Society, all regular members could craft sub-star cores. They lack the star core's energy particle detection abilities but can significantly enhance the star core when paired."
"How much of an enhancement are we talking about?"
"With around 200 sub-star cores, the range can be increased tenfold."
"Three thousand kilometers?" Su Nan shook his head. "That's still not enough—it won't even cover the Southeastern Region."
Lize sighed, amused. "Don't tell me you want to cover the entire continent?"
To her surprise, Su Nan nodded.
"Precisely."
Seeing he was serious, Lize frowned. "Sub-star cores have a diminishing return on amplification. Beyond 200 cores, the enhancement barely increases. The theoretical maximum is a twelvefold range. Beyond that, even with more cores, there's no further improvement."
"What if, instead of quantity, we focused on quality?"
Lize hesitated, then answered, "In theory, it's possible. But the resources and effort required to improve the sub-star cores would be astronomical."
"That's my problem to solve."
Seeing Su Nan's confidence, Lize was intrigued. He wasn't one to make reckless claims, so he likely had a solid plan.
---
Taking the sub-star core design from Lize, Su Nan returned to his laboratory and summoned Tower Spirit 2, his recently crafted experimental assistant.
"Tower Spirit 2, scan the sub-star core design."
[Command received. Scanning… Scan complete.]
"Prepare the necessary materials."
[Command received. Materials required: 138 types. 133 available in inventory. Locating alternatives for the remaining 5…]
Tower Spirit 2's Mental Library and analytical capabilities made it an invaluable asset for experiments. With its assistance, Su Nan synthesized five substitute materials within two months and began crafting the sub-star cores.
The sub-star cores were relatively simple to produce for someone of Su Nan's caliber.
Once he had crafted several, Su Nan began using his synthesis ability.
The results were promising—the synthesized cores exhibited significantly improved performance.
After five rounds of synthesis, he had a refined sub-star core that was far superior to the originals.
When Su Nan presented the refined core to Lize, her usual composure wavered.
"You… actually improved it?"
Carefully examining the core, she confirmed that its functionality had indeed been enhanced.
"How did you do this in just over a month?" Lize's astonishment was palpable.
"Does this improvement meet your expectations, or should I keep refining it?" Su Nan asked.
Still reeling, Lize eventually replied, "We need to test it to see its real potential."
Testing confirmed the refined cores could extend the Eye of the Star's range to over 7,000 kilometers—enough to cover the Southeastern Region.
"Well?" Lize raised an eyebrow. "Satisfied now?"
Su Nan remained contemplative.
While the result was impressive, it wasn't the comprehensive solution he envisioned.
To monitor the entire continent, he needed either a second star core or a way to transform sub-star cores into star cores.
"Sub-star cores and star cores resonate with each other, which means they share some fundamental properties. If I can modify the sub-star cores to mimic even a fraction of the star core's capabilities, I might achieve my goal."
Sharing his thoughts with Lize, Su Nan enlisted her assistance for the next pha
se of experimentation.
Though skeptical, Lize agreed.
"Fine. But I expect results."
Her curiosity about Su Nan's seemingly boundless ingenuity only deepened.
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