Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 122 [Kitchen] [Wine Cellar] and [Array Room] (Combined)

Ji Yuan's first priority was to upgrade the [Formation Room].

When he returned from the Water Dragon Sect, if he hadn't run out of spirit stones, he would have thought of bringing back one or two sets of formations.

One set of formations was used to conceal the Misty Island, while the other set was a standard killing formation used against enemies.

As for the Yin Ghost Array on his body, although it is a good thing, once it is taken out, it will inevitably take the life of the other party. Otherwise, he will be mistaken for a demonic cultivator in the territory of the Water Dragon Sect... Ji Yuan dares not gamble.

The reason for mentioning the kitchen is because it was back in Zengtou City.

He had already seen the effect of the building.

However, the Kitchen building's spiritual effect cannot enhance strength; it can only be used to satisfy one's appetite.

At the time, Ji Yuan felt that he hadn't reached the point where he needed to spend spirit stones and energy to satisfy his appetite, so he put the matter of upgrading the [Kitchen] on hold.

Now, Ji Yuan thinks it's worth a try.

After all, spiritual practice is a long and arduous journey, so one should at least make oneself comfortable; otherwise, what is the point of spiritual practice?

As for other buildings, you'll have to try them out yourself.

With this thought in mind, Ji Yuan first took out paper and pen, wrote the word "kitchen", and pasted it inside the small wooden house where he lived. After waiting for a while, the kitchen building did not appear above his head.

If that's the case, then we'll have to build a new house next to it.

As for the kitchen before... apart from the meal during last year's Chinese New Year, Ji Yuan rarely cooked. Even when he did cook, it was just a barbecue.

Building a house is something you don't need to do yourself, of course.

Ji Yuan called Tu Yue back from digging in the mountains and asked her to build a house there, while he went into the stone cave.

His [Talisman Room], [Alchemy Room], and [Enlightenment Room] are all here, and now he has to add a [Formation Room]. In the end, Ji Yuan remembered the unknown hammer technique he had learned.

He's even learned how to forge iron.

The weapon-refining room can be arranged somehow.

Whether you study architecture or not, architecture will always be a priority.

Ji Yuan then summoned the Azure Flying Sword and continued to break down the wall.

A superior flying sword can cut through stones as easily as cutting tofu. In addition, Ji Yuan's physique is now fully developed, so he can easily throw away even the stones he digs out.

It was thrown into the Yunyu Marsh and disappeared without a trace.

After working for half a day, he had dug out two new stone chambers.

He dug a very deep hole in the weapon-refining room, in particular.

Unlike the kitchen, which requires a dedicated building, Ji Yuan estimates that a stove will still need to be built after the house is completed, otherwise the panel probably still won't recognize it.

But for things like the [Array Room], it's not that complicated.

After Ji Yuan opened up the stone chamber, he used his flying sword to carve the three large characters "Array Chamber" on the stone wall, and the panel automatically refreshed successfully.

[Formation Room: lv0 (current)]

There are still writings left.

[Formation Room: lv1 (cannot be upgraded)]

[Effect: First-tier formation comprehension ability +20%, second-tier formation comprehension ability +5%]

[Upgrade Requirements: 10 low-grade spirit stones, 1 copy of "Introduction to Array Formation", and comprehension of the first-tier "Spirit Gathering Array" (not yet achieved)]

Ji Yuan glanced at the panel.

Both the efficacy of this [Array Room] and the upgrade requirements were within his expectations and not an exaggeration.

As for the upgrade requirements, he's only missing the "Spirit Gathering Array".

When I return to the sect next time, I will purchase a "Spirit Gathering Array" and then thoroughly understand it.

Although array formations are difficult, Ji Yuan has the Enlightenment Chamber, so this is not a problem for him.

The Yin Ghost Formation can serve as proof.

He then did the same thing again, carving the three characters "Refining Room" on the wall of the adjacent stone chamber.

The panel refreshed again.

[Weapon Refining Room: lv0 (current)]

-

[Weapon Refining Room: lv1 (Cannot be upgraded)]

[Effect: Success rate of magical artifacts +20%, success rate of spirit artifacts +5%]

[Upgrade Requirements: 10 low-grade spirit stones, 1 "Introduction to the Way of Weapons" manual, successfully forge a low-grade magic weapon flying sword (Not yet achieved)]

Waiting for Ji Yuan to see the effects of this weapon-refining room.

He then looked at the other level 1 [Talisman Room] and level 1 [Alchemy Room].

It was found that the level 1 effects of these four buildings were actually the same.

In that case, could these four buildings be combined together?

If they are combined, could they have some other special effects?

It's definitely not possible now, as there are both level 1 and level 0 buildings, so they can't be combined.

We can only try when all buildings are at the same level.

After taking care of the two buildings, Ji Yuan didn't rush to go out.

Tu Yue is building the house all by herself; it won't be finished anytime soon.

He then went to the alchemy room next door, refined several batches of high-grade spirit-gathering pills, and cultivated for the entire night.

Until the next morning.

Before Ji Yuan could go out, he heard a "quack quack quack" sound coming from outside.

Oh wow.

The giant toad has finally recovered.

Ji Yuan stepped out of the stone cave and indeed found the giant toad squatting obediently at the entrance.

Upon seeing Ji Yuan come out, it moved closer to him as a sign of affection.

Looking at it, now fully recovered, Ji Yuan sensed a strange aura emanating from it.

There was an air of dominance and tyranny about him.

In other words, it's commonly known as... the aura of a king.

"Are there any monsters around here that can defeat you?"

Ji Yuan guessed that the giant snake that had been killed might be the giant toad's final opponent.

There was also a mid-stage second-tier shrimp demon, but it was killed by this giant toad and used as food for Ji Yuan.

Hearing Ji Yuan's question, the big toad seemed to understand, but it excitedly began to croak.

When he got excited, he even raised his two front legs to gesture for fame.

It has a rather menacing, aggressive feel to it.

Looking at its appearance, Ji Yuan felt that he might need a building that could translate languages.

Otherwise, you really wouldn't understand what this giant toad was saying.

After the performance was over, Ji Yuan, who only had a vague understanding of the situation, guessed that the giant toad had been ambushed by the giant snake when it went out.

Otherwise, given the giant toad's jumping ability, the giant snake shouldn't have been able to catch up.

Moreover, once they reach the shore, the outcome is still uncertain.

After it finished its performance, Ji Yuan gestured and asked it if there were any monsters nearby that it couldn't defeat.

The giant toad finally understood, and then it proudly raised its head.

It made a "quack" sound.

He shook his head again.

Ji Yuan thought to himself, "No wonder."

From this perspective, it can be used to hunt down early-stage second-tier demonic beasts. Not only will there be no danger, but it can also collect demonic cores needed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills.

This way, I can save myself a lot of spirit stones.

But there's no rush now.

Ji Yuan went out and turned right, arriving in front of several other buildings. The open space that originally had only one small wooden house now had another wooden house.

He went inside and stuck the prepared "kitchen" note on the wall, but there was still no response.

It seems that we really need to provide some extra help.

After another half day, Tu Yue finally refreshed the interface after building a simple stove with mud and stones.

Kitchen: lv0 (upgradeable)

[Level 1: Enhancement: Increases the deliciousness of dishes by 20%.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 8 low-grade spirit stones, 5 catties of fine salt, and a total of 200 dishes prepared. (Completed)]

Unlike the previous buildings.

The kitchen was upgraded immediately after it was refreshed.

Ji Yuan remembered that when he was in Zengtou City, the kitchen building was always marked as unupgradeable. Now it seems that he probably didn't cook enough dishes back then.

As for its miraculous effect... it's simple and straightforward.

The idea is simply to make your own food more delicious, which might sound a bit far-fetched.

Fine, I'll just make a dish and try it after the upgrade.

With a single thought, the panel refreshes.

Kitchen: Level 1 (Cannot be upgraded)

[lv2: Spiritual Effect: Increases the deliciousness of dishes by 40%; restores a small amount of spiritual energy after consumption (the amount of spiritual energy depends on the quality of the dish); produces 1 jin of low-grade spiritual rice daily.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 66 low-grade spirit stones; 10 catties of meat from each of the following three types of monsters: flying, land, and aquatic; 500 dishes prepared cumulatively. (Not yet achieved)]

Starting with a level 2 kitchen, you can also receive welfare benefits.

And this minimum living allowance is made from Lingmi rice!

It seems that once the [Kitchen] reaches level 2, I can truly live a life of leisure and idleness.

No need to farm, no need to work, no need to do anything, and you still get food every day.

What a wonderful life.

By the way, with the help of the [Kitchen], my cooking skills have been further enhanced, which goes without saying.

After having a wonderful daydream in his mind for a while, Ji Yuan then asked Tu Yue to start the fire.

He thought he'd cook a dish to see if his culinary skills had really improved.

To ensure authenticity, he made the simplest dish—steamed fish.

They used a bass that wasn't even considered a semi-spirited fish.

This dish doesn't need to be stir-fried, so it doesn't require any special skills; it just needs to be steamed until cooked.

After putting it in the pot, Ji Yuan waited for about half an incense stick's time before taking it out of the pot. This time, as soon as he opened the lid, he smelled a rich aroma.

"Damn it, looks like I'm in for a treat from now on."

"I wonder which beautiful fairy will get it, sigh."

After indulging in fantasies for a while, Ji Yuan finished eating everything and then poured the bones into the big toad's mouth. It would eat anything, especially things Ji Yuan had prepared, which it liked even more.

After spending a few days on this misty island.

Ji Yuan took some time to return to the Water Dragon Sect. Firstly, he disposed of the corpse of the mid-stage second-tier demon beast, and secondly, he prepared to purchase several sets of formations.

The demon beasts were still dealt with at the Demon Suspension Shop of the Fire Phoenix Island Master, since everyone here knew that he had a Foundation Establishment stage master, so the handling of the beasts would not arouse suspicion.

Moreover, the corpse of this mid-stage second-tier demon beast... is very valuable!

Even without the head's poison glands and demon core, it still sold for 45 mid-grade spirit stones.

In this way, they also have the money to purchase the formation.

Since the Demon-Hanging Shop didn't sell formations, Ji Yuan had no choice but to go to the Treasure Pavilion.

One Tier 1 Spirit Gathering Array. This is the necessary array for upgrading the [Array Room], there's no way around it.

Yu Zheji bought another Tier 1 Fog Array to hide Fog Island.

Finally, he also bought a Tier 1 Rain Kill Formation to use against the enemy.

Of the four categories of alchemy, array, talisman, and artifact, array formations are not only the most difficult but also the most expensive. These three are all first-tier array formations, but they still cost Ji Yuan a full 30 mid-grade spirit stones to buy.

As expected, the poor man's talisman is a rich man's formation.

Among the four categories of alchemy, array, talisman, and artifact, talismans require the least investment and are the easiest to learn.

Even the most expensive first-tier high-grade talisman costs only about 30 low-grade spirit stones.

However, this formation is different; even a simple first-tier formation would cost around 10 mid-grade spirit stones.

This array formation is indeed not something that poor cultivators can afford to play with.

After buying these things, Ji Yuan went to Thousand Machine Island to take a look. He was thinking of seeing if there were any quests he could find and pick up some merit points.

Unexpectedly, after looking around, he actually found one.

It's not that I actually snagged a bargain, but rather that the task was marked, meaning it could be claimed repeatedly.

"【Level D Quest: Submit a jug of wine that I find delicious, whether it's spirit wine or ordinary wine is fine.】"

[Task Time: Unlimited]

[Task Reward: 100 Merit Points]

Ji Yuan guessed that it was some old drunkard who issued the task, and as for the requirement of "I think it tastes good", that was up to him.

If a true connoisseur of alcohol finds a drink he enjoys, he wouldn't hesitate to spend those 100 merit points.

Besides, it's just a pot of wine, it's not worth much.

Not to mention it could be just ordinary alcoholic beverages.

Ji Yuan wasn't an expert on wine, but he thought he could work on the architecture, like building a wine cellar, so he accepted the task and returned to Misty Island.

The time away was short, and since the big toad was also there, nothing unexpected happened.

After Ji Yuan landed, he released Tu Yue to clean up the mess.

He then cut several kilograms of pig meat and fed it to the giant toad.

After finishing with the others, I went to the Enlightenment Room.

Next, we need to study the formation. First, we need to study this level "Spirit Gathering Formation". After the [Formation Room] is upgraded to level 1, we can study this Mist Formation and set it up on the island.

Finally, one must comprehend the "Rain Killing Needle" technique before one can be considered truly accomplished.

Fortunately, there's no rush; I have plenty of time.

In addition, the Yin Ghosts in the Yin Ghost Formation also need to be upgraded. They had previously eaten two Yin Pills obtained from the demonic cultivator and were fortunate enough to be upgraded to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

After that, Ji Yuan would occasionally feed the ghost with yin objects. Although the ghost's strength improved, it was still somewhat slow.

Could I build a structure similar to a "corpse-raising ground" to nurture yin energy and enhance the strength of these yin ghosts?

Damn it, cultivation is so short. If only I could make one day feel like two.

No, two days might still not be enough... we have to treat each day like a hundred days.

Or maybe I should be bold and see if I can build a structure that alters the flow of time... No, even if I did trigger it, I probably wouldn't be able to upgrade it; I don't have that ability.

Cultivation, drawing talismans, refining elixirs, and now, comprehending formations has been added to the list.

Fortunately, with Tu Yue's help, Ji Yuan didn't rush her to continue cultivating the wasteland this time. The island was too big, and although she had cultivation, she could only dig a little soil in a year by herself.

"It seems it's time to consider getting a few more corpse puppets. Tu Yue is convenient to use, but it's still not enough."

"Moreover, this Corpse Puppet Technique seems to be incomplete... Logically speaking, Corpse Puppets should be able to enhance strength, just like Yin Ghosts."

Although Tu Yue was called back from the spirit field, she still dug in the soil.

Because Ji Yuan needed to cultivate, the task of digging the wine cellar fell to her.

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the Enlightenment Chamber, Ji Yuan, with his unparalleled talent, finally comprehended the "Spirit Gathering Array" and set it up in his cave.

With the support of the formation, the concentration of spiritual energy in the cave increased by another 20%.

Furthermore, with the added benefit of the [Cave Abode] architecture, the spiritual energy of the Cave Abode on Misty Island even surpasses that of the Hatchling Dragon Island.

The "Spirit Gathering Array" is complete.

This [Formation Room] can then be upgraded.

With Ji Yuan's command, the panel refreshed once again.

He looked up.

[Formation Room: lv1]

After the building upgrade is complete, Ji Yuan brings up the control panel.

[Formation Room: lv2 (cannot be upgraded)]

[Effect: First-tier formation comprehension +40%, second-tier formation comprehension +20%, third-tier formation comprehension +5%, automatically acquires the second-tier killing formation "Stardust Illusion Killing Formation"]

[Upgrade Requirements: 40 mid-grade spirit stones, 5 meteorites, 6 jin of Illusionary Spirit Sand; upgrade a Tier 1 formation to a Tier 2 formation (not yet achieved)]

The level 2 [Array Room] is fucking tempting!

Just like a level 3 cave dwelling, a level 3 cave dwelling can automatically generate a "Starry Cloud Barrier Array" for protection.

Now, a level 2 [Formation Room] can directly grant you a second-tier killing formation.

The upgrade conditions are a bit difficult; you have to upgrade a first-tier formation to a second-tier formation yourself… Ji Yuan thought about it carefully and realized that he would probably have to work on the “Yin Ghost Formation” in the end.

Firstly, I am most familiar with this formation.

Secondly, upgrading the Yin Ghost Array will not only allow you to modify the array patterns yourself, but it will also have some effect on improving the strength of the Yin Ghosts. Upgrading it should be relatively easier then.

After the array room is upgraded, it will be much easier to comprehend the "Mist Array".

After all, besides Ji Yuan's own talent, there is also a 20% bonus to building effects.

It took Ji Yuan ten days to fully comprehend the mist formation.

Having grasped the essence of the formation, he took the array plate of the Misty Array and found several suitable nodes on the island to place the array plate. After setting up each node, he then channeled the power of the formation to set up the array eye under a rock on the island.

As a result, with dozens of low-grade spirit stones buried, a mist immediately rose over the entire island.

Everything was shrouded in white mist, and the mist extending from this fog array blended with the fog in the area itself, the two merging together and actually enhancing the effect of the fog array.

Ji Yuan stood on the highest peak of the island, atop this precipice.

Normally, this place would emerge from the mist around noon, but not now. Moreover, the surrounding waters are also shrouded in mist.

He summoned the Thunder Falcon Boat, circled the area a few times, and then rose above the mist to investigate.

All I can say is... it's perfect!

With the support of this formation, even ordinary Qi Refining cultivators passing by wouldn't be able to detect the island's existence. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators... unless they repeatedly scan the area with their divine sense, they shouldn't be able to detect it either.

Having resolved the most important security issue, Ji Yuan returned to Misty Island.

Although the fog here can deceive others, it is ineffective against him, the master of the formation. He can even use it to tease the giant toad.

Finally, Ji Yuan spent another ten days or so, taking time to comprehend the "Rain Killing Formation".

Once this formation is activated, rain will begin to fall within a radius of ten miles.

And every single drop of rain can be used to kill the enemy.

It is suitable for dealing damage over a large area, and can also be used to restrain enemies and expose their weaknesses.

The effect was excellent.

If released on a rainy day, it can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

With the formation complete, Ji Yuan had accomplished a major task and finally had time to deal with the [wine cellar] that Tu Yue had dug up.

The wine cellar was also located inside Ji Yuan's cave. It was dug out by Tu Yue with the Qingfu Sword, one stroke at a time. However, what she dug out was not as aesthetically pleasing as what Ji Yuan dug out; it was full of pits and bumps.

But that doesn't matter, as long as I can put the wine in.

When Ji Yuan arrived at the wine cellar, he first put up a note, but there was no response, so he had no choice but to serve the wine.

As for wine, Ji Yuan didn't drink much, nor did he prepare much. He only got a few jars from the storage bag of that demonic cultivator when he killed him.

Even after taking out the three jars of old wine, the control panel still showed no reaction.

Could it be that this [wine cellar] doesn't count as a building?

That's unlikely. Even the Spirit Field is considered a building, so how could this wine cellar not be?

Could it be because I eat rice but drink very little alcohol?

Ji Yuan thought for a moment, then turned to look at the huge stone chamber. There were only three jars of wine inside. He guessed that there was too little wine, so the panel didn't think this place was a wine cellar.

If there are any more, I'll just have to buy them next time.

Just as Ji Yuan was putting away the three jars of wine and preparing to leave, a sudden inspiration struck him... Wine, a jar of wine is wine, but if I were to dilute this jar of wine with water, I could turn it into a hundred jars.

Are these hundred jars not wine?

At most, it's just a bit of lower quality, like diluted liquor.

Well, since I'm going to try it anyway, I might as well give it a shot.

Ji Yuan certainly didn't have that many wine jars, so he went to the other side of the island, cut down a few bamboo trees, and used the bamboo tubes to make bamboo tube wine.

Finally, after he spent half a day making dozens of bamboo tubes of wine and placing them in this stone chamber.

The panel has finally refreshed.

A new building has appeared.

A line of writing floated in the center of the stone chamber.

[Wine Cellar: lv0 (current)]

New buildings have also appeared on the panel.

Wine Cellar: Level 1 (Cannot be upgraded)

[Effect: Wines stored overnight become 20% more delicious, and the longer they are stored in the cellar, the more mellow and fragrant they become.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 10 low-grade spirit stones; 1 jar of each of the 3 types of spirit wine; 100 jars of wine stored in the wine cellar. (Not yet met)]

It looks pretty much the same as a kitchen.

One is to make the stir-fried dishes more delicious, and the other is to make the drinks more delicious.

It gets better and better with age.

The upgrade requirements aren't difficult. Spirit wine is available in Yunyuze Market. If you need 100 jars of wine, there are already 60 or 70 jars here. Just go and buy some more.

"Buy a few jars of spirit wine, let them sit for a few days, then take them to Thousand Machine Island to submit the quest and see if we can meet their requirements."

If that's possible, it would be another way to get something for free.

After leaving the wine cellar, Ji Yuan decided to make a trip to Heishuifang, which was nearby.

Go buy some wine and drinks, and also replenish some talismans and medicinal herbs. I spend all day refining elixirs and drawing talismans, reaping great rewards, but also consuming a lot of materials.

After being out for a day, Ji Yuan also bought some spirit pigs.

Now that his body refinement has reached its peak, his demand for this item has increased significantly, especially with the giant toad being a major consumer of spirit pigs.

With all the drinks brought back, the [Wine Cellar] naturally leveled up to level 1.

The level 2 [Wine Cellar] effect also popped up.

Wine Cellar: Level 2 (Cannot be upgraded)

[Effect: Increases the deliciousness of alcoholic beverages by 40%; slightly enhances cultivation effects upon consumption (the degree of effect depends on the quality of the alcoholic beverage); produces 1 tael of "Wishful Drink" daily.]

【升级条件：下品灵石×80；10种灵酒各10坛；青竹灵水×10斤；至少掌握1种灵酒的酿製方法。（未达成）】

Ji Yuan glanced at it and found that the only thing that could be considered novel was the "Wishful Drink" for the minimum living allowance.

The name sounds a bit strange; I wonder what the drink tastes like.

But ultimately it didn't have much of an effect on cultivation, so Ji Yuan didn't take it too seriously.

After finishing the building upgrade, he once again entered a state of cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year has passed.

In the past six months, Ji Yuanlian only returned to the Water Dragon Sect once, spending the rest of his time cultivating on this Misty Island.

In terms of talismans, Ji Yuan has mastered most of the first-tier high-grade talismans.

If it weren't for the lack of second-tier rune techniques, he would have already started trying to break through to the second-tier rune level.

Because they started relatively late in alchemy, they are somewhat lacking.

But Ji Yuan is also proficient in making things like Spirit Gathering Pills and Blood Qi Pills.

I reckon that once I accumulate some more experience, I'll be able to try refining the second-tier "Water Spirit Pill." At that point, I'll upgrade the [Alchemy Room] to level 2 and obtain the method for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.

When he returned to the Water Dragon Sect, he didn't forget to deliver the wine to Thousand Machine Island.

After submitting it, he didn't pay any more attention to it.

It's best to gain something from this, but it's okay if you don't.

is the day.

Ji Yuan summoned the panel again during his cultivation.

Currently, the [Enlightenment Room] is still at level 1, and whether it's advancing to the second-tier talisman or the second-tier pill, enlightenment will be required.

Therefore, upgrading the [Enlightenment Room] should be put on the agenda.

Enlightenment Room: lv2 (cannot be upgraded)

[Effect: Increases Comprehension boost to 20%. If you encounter a bottleneck, you will receive an additional 10% Comprehension bonus.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 20 Medium-Grade Spirit Stones, 3 Illusion Heart Flowers, 1 Pot of Earth Vein Essence (Not yet achieved)]

There are enough spirit stones. The Treasure Pavilion also sells things like Earth Vein Essence. I've never seen the Illusion Heart Flower before, but I can ask about it at the Treasure Pavilion.

The pigsty also needs an upgrade.

It takes at least a few years to build up one's magical power to the Foundation Establishment stage. It would be better to first try to build up one's physique to the point of being as strong as an iron man, so as to gain the combat power of the Foundation Establishment stage first.

Pigpen: LV3 (Cannot be upgraded)

[Effective properties: Produces 1 tael of Jade Fat per month; after slaughtering a spirit pig, its heart will always yield a "Tempering Pearl"]

[Upgrade Requirements: 40 Medium-grade Spirit Stones, 5 catties of Earth Core Lava, and the ability to refine a Qi and Blood Pill. (Not yet achieved)]

40 mid-grade spirit stones are a bit expensive, but it's not too bad. You should be able to buy them with lava from the Earth's core.

Ji Yuan can refine the Qi and Blood Pill himself.

If that's the case, then it's time to go back to the Water Dragon Sect and purchase upgrade materials for these two buildings.

I can also find out some news from the front lines. It's been almost a year since I joined the Water Dragon Sect, and I wonder how things are going on the front lines.

(End of this chapter)