Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 168 Demonic Path Attacks the City! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

[Honeycomb: lv1]

[Effect: Bee colony reproduction speed +30%; Bee colony recovery speed +20%; Bee colony advancement probability +5%.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 50 low-grade spirit stones; breed one queen bee, reach a bee colony size of 1000; 1 golden beetle corpse. (Completed)]

The current [Beehouse] is already at level 1.

So that's what the current building effects are like... After all, none of the upgrade conditions are difficult for Ji Yuan right now.

Even that golden beetle was only a first-stage second-tier demon beast.

Ji Yuan only needs to spend a little spirit stone to successfully acquire it.

The next goal, naturally, is to upgrade this [beehive] to level 2.

[Honeycomb: Level 2 (Cannot be upgraded)]

[Effect 1: Bee colony reproduction speed +40%; Bee colony recovery speed +30%; Bee colony advancement probability +10%.]

[Effect 2 (No Poison, No Bees): When the bee swarm attacks, it inflicts the "Beeswax Corrosion" toxin, which can corrode the opponent's spiritual energy circulation, causing immense pain.]

[Upgrade Requirements: 100 mid-grade spirit stones; Queen bee cultivation level reaches Tier 2; Bee colony size reaches 10000; 2 mid-Tier 2 demon cores; 1 Bloodthirsty Poison Bee corpse. (Not yet achieved)]

The level 2 [Honeycomb] has two magical effects.

The first enhancement is still a standard upgrade.

The second effect is a mutation.

Normal Soul-Eating Bees are not poisonous. Their main function is to devour spiritual energy. For example, if the opponent uses some kind of magic to hide, the Soul-Eating Bees can be used to devour the opponent's spiritual energy and break through their defense.

However, a level 2 [Honeycomb] can make the Soul-Eating Bee poisonous. In this way, once the Soul-Eating Bee bites its opponent, it can be considered a death sentence.

The flow of spiritual energy was obstructed, and there was also physical pain.

With the two attacks overlapping, the opponents in the midst of the battle will inevitably reveal a weakness, at which point Ji Yuan can achieve a decisive victory and completely kill the opponent.

Currently, the [Honeycomb] is still at level 1, and the queen bee, who oversees the entire situation, is only at the late stage of Tier 1.

It's equivalent to a cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining.

As far as we know, this is still not helpful.

It's still in the development stage, but once the [beehive] reaches level 2, it will become a great help.

Ji Yuan will need to prepare another second-tier spirit beast bag specifically for storing these spirit-devouring bees.

As for the upgrade requirements, the queen bee's cultivation level has not yet reached the second tier, and the number of bees in the colony is only over 6000.

The second-stage mid-level demon core is available.

The Bloodthirsty Poison Bees were late-stage second-tier demonic beasts, which Ji Yuan hadn't expected. Fortunately, these poisonous bees acted alone and didn't swarm together.

Ji Yuan naturally wouldn't risk killing, so he had already issued a mission on "Thousand Machine Island" long ago.

They hired other senior brothers and sisters to kill them.

Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

Ji Yuan went back to check on things a while ago and found that three people had already accepted his task, but none of them had completed it yet.

It seems we'll have to wait a while longer.

Fortunately, these Soul-Eating Bees also need time to reproduce.

As for food... these Soul-Devouring Bees are easy to raise, but also difficult to raise, because they only need spirit stones to feed on.

The Spirit Devourer can reproduce and evolve simply by absorbing spiritual energy!

Another big spender.

Ji Yuan felt a pang of heartache every time she fed the animals, while also thinking to herself how lucky she was to know how to farm and had developed so many buildings.

Otherwise... perhaps only a second-generation immortal like Li Changhe could afford to raise him.

The rest could only watch and sigh.

After returning, Ji Yuan fed the Spirit-Devouring Bees again and took away the harvest from Tu Yue.

I took a slight detour to Forget-Worry Island to deliver wine.

Finally, Ji Yuan returned to Linshui City.

Although it's true that Linshui City is the same whether I'm there or not, I can't just wash my hands of it. I still have to handle things properly so that no one can find fault with me.

Moreover, it's good to have a city to garrison. If you stay on Misty Island to cultivate, you'll never encounter a building like the [Honeycomb].

"Brother Ji, here, here!"

Ji Yuan piloted the flying boat straight to the city lord's mansion in the middle, where the three Foundation Establishment cultivators lived. As Ji Yuan passed by the city wall, he heard a familiar shout.

His top-grade magical artifact, the Thunder Falcon Boat, circled around and landed on the city wall.

Ji Yuan currently possesses a total of three flying boats.

A top-grade magical artifact, the Thunder Falcon Boat, for daily use.

After all, according to Wu Nanchun, Ji Yuan would have to work here for three years before he would have enough spirit stones to replace his spirit weapon flying boat.

If something really happens, Ji Yuan will use his low-grade spiritual artifact-level flying boat.

That top-grade spiritual artifact-level flying boat... Ji Yuan only dared to admire it in the dead of night.

"Brother Ji, have you returned to your clan?"

Another Foundation Establishment cultivator, Liu Yuan, sat cross-legged on the city wall, sipping wine, and smiled at Ji Yuan.

Originally, his relationship with Ji Yuan was just ordinary, until Fang Jie came to see him and bumped into Ji Yuan again... With Fang Jie as the middleman, the two were introduced to each other.

In addition, Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan are both not fond of fighting, so they get along well.

Over time, the two became good friends.

"Yes, we left some things out to dry at home, and we need to go back and bring them in because it's about to rain."

Liu Yuan burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"Come on, drink mine."

Several years have passed, and Ji Yuan's [wine cellar] has produced quite a lot of spirit wine.

"Good, you've got a lot of good stuff."

Liu Yuan had already tasted Ji Yuan's wine, so upon hearing this, he immediately put the wine gourd back into his waistband.

The two then used invisibility magic to sit on the city wall, chatting and laughing.

As evening approached, a streak of light swept in from within the city and landed in front of them.

"Senior Sister Wu, want a drink?"

Ji Yuan then took out a flask of wine from his storage bag.

After spending time together, she found that Wu Nanchun had a good personality, and since Ji Yuan wouldn't take advantage of their relationship to "usurp" her power, she developed a good impression of Ji Yuan.

"I'll drink it next time."

Wu Nanchun's complexion was not very good.

Ji Yuan and the other person realized something was wrong, so they quickly put away the wine and used their spiritual energy to dispel the smell of alcohol from themselves.

"What's wrong?"

Liu Yuan asked softly.

"Let's talk about it when we get back."

A moment later, in the main hall of the city lord's mansion, Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan had both finished reading the jade slip that Wu Nanchun had handed over.

"This...the Lord of Qinghan Island actually dares to return to Linshui City?"

Not only Liu Yuan was skeptical, but Ji Yuan was also hesitant to believe it.

The Lord of Qinghan Island was the previous Lord of Linshui City. After the incident, the Water Dragon Sect's Enforcement Hall came to arrest him, but he immediately defected.

Even now, the Water Dragon Sect is still hunting him down.

But the jade slip that Wu Nanchun has given us now contains detailed records of Qinghan Island Master's whereabouts in Linshui City.

Neither Ji Yuan nor Liu Yuan asked Wu Nanchun how she obtained this information. Having controlled Linshui City for several months, and being a veteran Foundation Establishment cultivator within the sect, she naturally possessed considerable strength.

"I didn't expect it either; he really is fearless."

Wu Nanchun said, his eyes slightly narrowed.

"It's the darkest place under the lamp, after all, even those of us who saw the information didn't expect him to dare to return to Linshui City, let alone others who didn't know."

Ji Yuan also expressed his own feelings.

"indeed."

Wu Nanchun nodded slightly.

"So, what are you planning to do, Senior Sister Wu?"

Liu Yuan asked softly.

After finding clues about the other party, Wu Nanchun did not immediately inform the sect, but instead summoned the two of them, which most likely meant he had some ideas of his own.

Ji Yuan immediately thought of it, but didn't ask, giving Liu Yuan the opportunity to shine.

Wu Nanchun released his divine sense, enveloping the entire hall, before saying in a deep voice, "Now that the Lord of Qinghan Island has gone to Bibo Pool in the south, I plan to go and meet him, so I'll leave Linshui City to you for now."

"This... Senior Sister Wu, the Lord of Qinghan Island is, after all, only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, you..."

Liu Yuan said with some concern.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to give it a try. If I really can't take him down, I'll send a message to the people inside. Even if I can't take him down, I can still manage to stall him."

Wu Nanchun was confident that he could delay the killing without actually killing the target.

Moreover, she has been walking the line between life and death for many years, which is quite different from the pampered late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Qinghan Island Master!

"Okay, then Senior Sister Wu, please be careful."

Liu Yuan gave instructions.

"Hmm, since the Lord of Qinghan Island dared to return to Linshui City, he must have some kind of backing. Senior Sister Wu, you must not be careless."

Since it was a decision made by someone in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, Ji Yuan naturally couldn't persuade them otherwise; he could only offer a few words of advice.

"Don't worry, my two junior brothers."

Wu Nanchun chuckled, "We're all old guys, but we'll still know how to run if we can't win."

"Then I'll leave the city to my two junior brothers. Thank you for your help!"

After she finished speaking, she clasped her hands in a fist salute, then stepped out of the door and piloted the flying boat directly away from Linshui City.

Judging from her appearance, she must have been prepared all along; otherwise, she would never have left so decisively. In other words, regardless of whether Ji Yuan and the other person agreed or not, she was determined to go today.

After she left, Ji Yuan and the other person sat down in the main hall.

After a moment's thought, Liu Yuan said, "The reward offered by the sect for the Lord of Qinghan Island is too high. It's no wonder that Senior Sister Wu is tempted. In addition, she is on the verge of breaking through, so it's inevitable that she will need spirit stones and the like."

"indeed."

Ji Yuan put himself in Wu Nanchun's shoes and could understand his actions, but if it were him, he would never have taken that risk.

Ji Yuan knew that even if he discovered Qinghan Island Master's whereabouts, he was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage... so he would still report to the sect.

At worst, the reward is a bit less, but at least you don't have to put yourself in danger.

Just as he had just advised, the Lord of Qinghan Island must have some kind of backing to dare to return to Linshui City at this juncture, otherwise he would not have taken this risk.

"Moreover, it is said that a large portion of the resources that the Lord of Qinghan Island embezzled were not put back into the treasury. It is very likely that he hid them near Linshui City. I guess that Senior Sister Wu went there alone this time because she was after these treasures."

Liu Yuan revealed the truth.

After a moment's thought, Ji Yuan felt that this was the most likely possibility.

The sect's reward alone might not be enough to sway Wu Nanchun's mind, but adding the treasure of Qinghan Island Lord might change everything...

In the end, it is money that moves people's hearts.

"What, Brother Liu, are you also thinking of giving it a try?"

Ji Yuan asked with a smile.

Liu Yuan shrugged. "It's all a battle between late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. I, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, am not going to throw my life away."

As for Liu Yuan... Ji Yuan had learned a bit about him. He was born with the talent of an earth spirit root and successfully established his foundation in one fell swoop back then, without ever taking a single Foundation Establishment Pill.

Moreover, he was extremely skilled in swordsmanship, and among the mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Water Dragon Sect, his killing techniques were second to none.

With such strength and talent, there's no need for him to engage in risky cross-border battles. He should focus on improving his cultivation and overwhelming opponents with his superior realm.

"Alright, since Senior Sister Wu isn't here, we should just guard the city."

"I'll leave the City Lord's Mansion to Brother Ji; I'll go guard the city walls."

"it is good."

Since Wu Nanchun dared to leave the city lord's mansion, he must have already taken care of everything. So Ji Yuan only needs to stay here and deal with any unexpected matters.

For the city's defenses, which require some caution, it's best to leave them to Liu Yuan.

……

Linshui City is located by the river, which is called "Lihua River". Legend has it that someone planted a row of pear trees on the riverbank in the early years, but unfortunately, they were destroyed by a flood.

At present, at the bottom of the Pear Blossom River, in a dark room, six cultivators are sitting.

One of the men, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, took a sip of his drink and smiled slightly:

"First they embezzled the treasures, then they pretended to be demonic cultivators to cover it up, and now they're bringing in real demonic cultivators to raid the city. It's all a mix of truth and falsehood... Tsk, I have to say, Old Ghost Huai's methods are truly brilliant."

"What's even more amazing is that the Water Dragon Sect doesn't even know that Brother Qinghan is actually one of us in the demonic path."

A bald man next to him stroked his bald head and said with a smile.

"No."

The Lord of Qinghan Island put down his wine cup. "The Water Dragon Sect must have discovered that I am a demonic cultivator, otherwise they wouldn't have pursued me so fiercely."

"Remember, no matter what, never underestimate the foundation and strength of the six great immortal sects of Shangdong."

"Yes."

The other cultivators present quickly nodded in agreement.

Living in a righteous place, secretly cultivating the demonic path, and still managing to successfully establish a foundation... none of them are fools; on the contrary, each and every one of them is an exceptionally intelligent person.

Just then, a beam of light pierced through the door and transformed into the figure of a short man.

"Brother Qinghan, I just saw Wu Nanchun's flying boat heading south."

"Alright, then I should get going."

The Lord of Qinghan Island immediately stood up. "You must also remember to be careful. Although it is three people attacking one person, you must not be careless."

"Also, the raid on the city is a minor matter; we must find a way to locate clues about that thing."

He left after saying that.

The remaining six people exchanged glances, and finally a short-haired woman in an apricot-yellow dress spoke up: "According to previous intelligence, the people currently stationed in the city are Liu Yuan, who is in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and Ji Yuan, who has only recently established his Foundation Establishment."

"Liu Yuan's strength goes without saying; he's a formidable figure in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. When the time comes, Brother Tu, Brother Huang, and I will join forces to deal with him."

The other two demonic cultivators, both at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, responded.

This included the bald man.

The short-haired woman, Feng Xiuxiu, looked at the remaining three early Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivators and said in a deep voice, "Then Ji Yuan is in your hands... As for this person, we previously mobilized the people within the Water Dragon Sect to inquire about him, but whether it was during his Qi Refining stage or his Foundation Establishment stage, the information was extremely scarce."

"But this doesn't mean he lacks ability; it just means his ability is unknown to the public."

"We must be even more careful when facing an enemy like this, understand?"

"Hey, Sister Feng, don't worry. When it comes time to make a move, we'll definitely go all out," the short man who had just entered grinned.

"That's right. Even if the three of us gang up on him, the advantage still lies with him... We'll just have to rely on our own methods."

"Um."

Feng Xiuxiu finally looked at a purple-robed man sitting in the corner, softened her voice slightly, and said, "Fellow Daoist Hu, the matter of setting up the formation is entrusted to you."

Hearing his name called, Huli looked up and touched his chin.

"My second-tier formation can only be used to trap enemies. Liu Yuan's swordsmanship is too strong. I estimate that it will only take a few sword strikes to break through it. I estimate that it can only be used to deal with Ji Yuan at most."

"That's fine too. Ji Yuan isn't that old. It's highly unlikely that someone who has reached the Foundation Establishment stage at such a young age would also be skilled in formations. You should quickly join forces to take him down. I estimate that we'll need your support to surround and kill Liu Yuan."

"No problem, no problem."

After everyone finished speaking, Feng Xiuxiu gently clasped her hands together.

"Remember, that senior can only cover for us for half an hour. Once we make our move, we only have half an hour left. At that time, regardless of whether we have found any clues about that thing, we must escape westward. We must not be greedy for temporary gains."

"yes!"

"In that case, we'll make our move when it gets dark!"

"..."

As the sun began to set, Ji Yuan sat on the roof of the city lord's mansion, watching the golden sun set.

As before, if there was nothing else to do, he would sit here and watch the beautiful sunset over the Pear Blossom River, and today was no exception.

For Ji Yuan, this was just an ordinary day.

Until... a huge burst of fire blasted open a gap in the east city wall.

Almost instantly, Ji Yuan realized... an enemy attack!

The enemy still comes from within!

Because he knew about the city's protective formation, which was a second-tier defensive formation called the "Curved River Linjiang Formation." The formation's core was located on the east city wall.

The location of the explosion is, coincidentally, right on the city wall.

Enemy attack!

He was extremely familiar with the enemy's attacks inside Linshui City, and considering Wu Nanchun's departure at this time... needless to say, it was a diversionary tactic.

The method is simple, but extremely effective.

"It seems that the Lord of Qinghan Island really came prepared."

Ji Yuan summoned a low-grade spiritual artifact-level flying boat, which rose above the city lord's mansion.

In an instant, he saw huge flames rising in all four directions: east, west, south, and north. And no matter which direction it was, there was billowing black smoke and an overwhelming sense of gloom.

Ji Yuan heard Liu Yuan's voice transmission in his mind.

"Brother Ji, this time it really is a demonic cultivator attacking the city."

"I've already sent a message inside and taken action first. You can decide what to do!"

The words fell.

Ji Yuan then saw Liu Yuan make his move; this was the first time he had ever seen "Island Master Liu Yuan" take action... In the blink of an eye, he saw swords flashing all over the city.

Liu Yuan, who is in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, is indeed extremely powerful!

Ji Yuan watched this scene and silently stepped back a little, while at the same time his divine sense invaded the storage bag.

Hua Yaoyue, Sect Leader Xuan Shui Zhenren, Li Changhe, Feng Zhitao.

Ji Yuan activated the communication talismans of these four people with his divine sense, transmitting the message with a single thought; the message was extremely simple.

"I'm in Linshui City, and demonic cultivators are attacking the city!"

After sending the message, Ji Yuan released his divine sense and scanned all directions. He immediately discovered that a demonic cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage was attacking him from the east, south, and north.

Damn it, they're missing one person for every three... Ji Yuan wouldn't be stupid enough to go from the west.

In particular, when he scanned the three early Foundation Establishment stage cultivators with his divine sense, he discovered an old acquaintance among them.

With this thought in mind, he took a step forward.

"Brother Huli, you mustn't let me down."

With the activation of "Like a Shadow," Ji Yuan's figure instantly disappeared into the night.

Two years have passed since he reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and Ji Yuan has yet to make a move. He's curious about his current strength...

This is perfect, at least I can test the waters!

Requesting monthly votes

(End of this chapter)