Regarding the "Chapter of Shadow Descension" component, Song Chi had devised multiple considerations for its usage.
First, the primary method was not meant for the Cang Qiong to be outfitted with since, after all, such components merely endowed flagships with external projection capabilities and strictly speaking, could not directly amplify a warship's combat power.
Based on this point, Song Chi thought about equipping it onto Wang Zhen's "Howling Wolf Roaring Tiger" or his grandfather's "Furious Battle Mad Lion", and then he himself would carry a Shadow Medal at all times. Thus, should the Cang Qiong encounter danger, as long as it was within the effective range of the projection component, he could effortlessly summon the projections of two Zhulu Warships for support.
He didn't expect them to directly extricate his own ship from entanglements, but at a minimum, they could alleviate some pressure for the Cang Qiong, or even cover its retreat.
Apart from this method, the second one would naturally involve the Cang Qiong being directly outfitted with the component.
This approach also had its advantages, with the most significant being the ability to combine the remote control of puppet soldier figurines to wage battles or explore from light-years away.
Imagine, first using the "Brainwave Remote Control System" component to imprint the soldier figurines, then equipping them with a Shadow Medal before deploying them light-years away using the "Winged Deployment Platform". Thereafter, activating the Shadow Medal to summon the Cang Qiong's projection to fight from afar.
This method, which placed the original in a zone of absolute safety and combined it with the remote projection warfare of puppet soldiers, perfectly matched Song Chi's cautious nature, making it an unbeatable combination.
In addition, this component could later play a significant role during the Yaohan Kingdom's expansionary war. If his father, mother, grandfather, Song Ting, and even Wang Zhen each had a Shadow Medal, it would greatly enhance everyone's safety.
Moreover, if coordinated with the use of the "Ruins Market Walking Rank", employing the Ruins Market as a hub, they could achieve instant replacement, which would be incredibly convenient.
The troublesome aspect, however, might be the need for Dark Energy Crystals to condense each Shadow Medal. Currently at level 0, the component required only a single low-level Dark Energy Crystal, but as the enhancement level increased, it might necessitate intermediate or even high-level Dark Energy Crystals.
The key issue is that such Dark Energy Crystals are not common, and their market value is expensive, which would become the greatest limitation to the use of this component.
Furthermore, another point is that the "Chapter of Shadow Descension" component is, after all, of Orange Quality. It couldn't arbitrarily project the abilities of Red, Silver, or even higher-quality components. Not to say that it couldn't project at all, but at least the effect would be substantially reduced.
In other words, a projection of the Cang Qiong condensed from this component, in addition to the intrinsic reduction to 60% of the original's combat power from being a projection, would also include the decrement from the projection component's effect. Taking everything into account, the combat power of such a projection wouldn't even reach half of the original's capabilities.
However, as for the latter point, Song Chi knew the Cang Qiong's combat power all too well. Even with just a fraction of it, it could still face Fourth Rank units.
The key was the Dark Energy Crystals. He would need to check if there were any in the clan's stockpile or he'd have to attempt to purchase them later in the Ruins Market.
As for whether to have the Cang Qiong use it directly or to later hand it over to the "Furious Battle Mad Lion" or "Howling Wolf Roaring Tiger", Song Chi had not yet decided.
Mainly because he currently lacked sufficient Titanium Crystals, even if he were to equip it, it would be difficult to enhance the level, so he simply put it aside for now.
In the depths of the palace in the Black Soil Kingdom.
As the kingdom's strongest Guardian and Enslaved Master, Song Chi naturally moved in and out of the palace at will.
Inside a large secret chamber deep within the palace, the Cang Qiong was quietly docked.
Within the Cang Qiong, Song Chi was seated cross-legged atop a Spectral Energy Cultivation Platform, eyes closed in visualization of the "Mythical Mech Projection Imprint Blueprint."
Compared to previously, his visualization efficiency was now markedly higher, as he had absorbed the Essence of Spiritual Origin.
The results were acceptable; the half-step Fifth Rank Essence of Spiritual Origin enabled him to gain two Divided Spirits, meaning his Spiritual Force had now reached the point where he could manage Twelve Uses with One Mind, and if he entered a Limit-breaking State, he could briefly achieve Thirteen Uses with One Mind.
The enhancement of his Spiritual Force naturally led to a further increase in visualization efficiency.
Half an hour later, he opened his eyes as a summons echoed from outside.
It was the first Duke of the Black Soil sending over a new batch of mineral resources.
Taking dozens of Storage Capsules from the other's hands, satisfaction was plain on Song Chi's face; after all, these simple capsules represented no less than millions of Floating Land Source points.
However, it wasn't long before his smile turned into a look of resignation.
After two months of mining, the Black Soil Kingdom's rare veins were far from exhausted, but it had largely moved past the easy harvesting stage. The upcoming phase would require a long-term slowdown in mining. While the returns would still be considerable, they would fall far short of the gains made over the past two months.
And there was no likelihood of another Starry Sea Oddity making up the lion's share of the yield.
Song Chi's initial idea was not at all what had come to pass; he had planned to take all the Strange Objects in the royal palace, then thoroughly scavenge the Duchy's rare mineral resources before moving on to the next Kingdom.
What left him helpless, though, was the fact that the Fifth Rank White Dragon Knight of the Zijing Flower Kingdom had made the circumstances of the Flame Giant public to the entire Holy Dragon Continent. As a result, the Fifth Rank Dragon Knights across the continent had all become active.