Chapter 2318 Difficult To Melt
Lin Mu's plight was understandable to the trio for they knew that the Null Iron Ore was never known to be an easy metal to manipulate.
"That will be tough… I've only ever heard of Null Iron Ore being refined through the use of Grand Furnace Arrays. One could very well use other skills to melt it, but the sustained heat needed is simply not viable for large quantities." Ziran said after hearing it.
"Yeah, if it is a Grand Furnace Array even the most simple one is not something that can be set up here." Daoist Chu who knew about them spoke. "Not only do they need a massive area to set up, they also need an Earth Fire Vein to work properly. You can very well substitute it with a Fire Elemental Crystals stockpile, but you will not have a sustained output, especially not one that reaches the temperatures needed for Null Iron Roe." He added after thinking for a bit.
What Lin Mu was trying to do was the same as putting an Iron Rod in a bamboo. While they might fit due to physical constraints, they wouldn't adhere to each other. It might be a snug fit that didn't allow the iron rod to move, but when enough force was applied, it would eventually be ejected or the bamboo tube would break apart.
While in the current case both the tube and the inner rod were metals, the difference in their properties made it almost the same.
"Hmm, have you thought of using another layer in between the two?" Crown Princess Shang suggested. "Another metal that might adhere to both and bring the same effect?" "That was one of the first few solutions I thought of," Lin Mu replied. "I even have the samples I made." He said before opening an iron trunk kept under the work bench.
~CREAK~
Upon opening, they could see at least eight different shafts inside it.
Lin Mu picked up one of them and showed them to the group.
"This… it has turned porous?" They could see the hundreds of tiny holes that had formed throughout the tube.
Lin Mu had already removed the cursed Null Iron Ore core from it as it was far too risky to leave it as it is, but the Alloy Tube was fine to keep outside since he would simply melt and reforge it.
"Yes." Lin Mu nodded his head. "I tried various kinds of metals and got some success too, but those metals cannot handle the curse and eventually it builds up to the point where the smoke from the Null Iron ore pours out by creating holes in the weak points of the tube. I've attempted at refining and tempering the Alloy tube more to reduce these weak points, but no matter what, the result is still the same. The pressure buildup from the curse is simply too high. The only way to stop that is to ensure direct contact between Null Iron ore and the Alloy Tube." He explained.
After hearing that, the group was at a loss at what could be done.
"This is indeed very perplexing," Ziran said in a disappointed tone. "I'd like to help more, but I'm afraid neither I nor anyone else is an Immortal Weapon Forger or Refiner." He stated.
"That's fine." Lin Mu shook his head, having known this already. "This is why I'm waiting for others to return. I intend to take their help."
They were a bit doubtful since they knew that no one among them was a forger or refiner, thus they didn't know what Lin Mu meant by his words.
"I don't mean to make use of their skills as refiners. I already know that won't work," Lin Mu clarified. "What I want is merely their power." He added.
It was at this point that it clicked for them.
"Little Shrubby?" Crown Princess Shang asked. "Yes." Lin Mu nodded his head. "His flames might just be enough to reach the temperature needed to melt the Null Iron Ore. Though I also intend to ask Crown Prince Feng Shun as his Lightning can also work, since it can reach very high temperatures too.
And I have a hunch that Lady Kang has a skill in her repertoire as well." He explained.
"If it is just heat you need, I might be able to help too." Crown Princess Shang offered. "Though I do not know if it'll be high enough. I might have Fire affinity, but I'm not as specialized in it as I am in the Wood Elemental." She added.
"That's fine. Every little bit helps." Lin Mu stated. "Besides, I have a method for multiple people to contribute to it." He said before waving his hand and pointing in the air.
~SHUA~
Upon his gesture, several formation channels appeared on the ground, along with pedestals made out of runes forming above them.
"Qi channeling formations, Qi absorbing formation array and a Qi igniting array." Daoist Chu recognized all of them. "This is a simplified furnace array." He muttered.
"Indeed." Lin Mu nodded his head.
"This might just work." Ziran said after seeing it. "One might not be able to do it alone, but with all of us contributing, the Qi output should be high enough to reach the same level. At least momentarily." He stated.
"I also have additional Immortal Qi stones as well as Flame Crystals of various kinds to supplement this." Lin Mu raised his hand. "And of course… A very generous supply of Magma." Searing hot energy rose from his arm and turned into liquid magma that floated in the air rather menacingly.
With such a setup, they all thought that it might work out. Of course, it all still needed to be tested, but they were keeping their hopes up.
"Hey, if it still doesn't work, we can always just redirect the Dual Yang Repulsing Array to it and blast it till it melts." Daoist Chu suggested another option. "Or turns to dust…"