Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 256 The First Level 4 Building [10,000-word update, please vote!]

Inside the cave.

After Ji Yuan released the Star Cloud Barrier Array, he first took out the boulder he had found in the crater from his storage bag.

"boom--"

The boulder was thrown to the ground with a dull thud.

Ji Yuan squatted down and reached out to touch the dark rock; it was slightly warm.

I wonder what's hidden in here.

Ji Yuan couldn't tell anything from his appearance alone, nor could he detect anything with his divine sense. In that case, he would have to resort to the last resort.

Frost-Flowing Flying Sword, unleash!

With a thought, his flying sword transformed into a streak of white light and swept across, instantly shearing off a layer from the boulder.

Beneath the black stone was still black stone, meaning that too little had been removed. Ji Yuan made a tough decision and transformed the flying sword into a three-foot-long green blade, slashing at a corner of the black stone.

"bite--"

The flying sword was bounced off the stone immediately after it had penetrated half a foot into it.

"Um?"

Ji Yuan instantly perked up.

His Frost Flowing Sword is a mid-grade spiritual weapon, yet it could still be deflected. Just how hard must the thing hidden inside the stone be?

Knowing he wouldn't damage what was inside, Ji Yuan wasn't worried anymore. He mentally activated his flying sword, slicing and sweeping back and forth, quickly removing the surface stone of the boulder and revealing its true form.

Stone encased in stone.

The stone inside... or rather, the magical material, was finally no longer black. It was half a person tall, transparent on the outside, with lava flowing inside, and it was quite a sight to behold.

Even if this ore isn't used for refining weapons, it would be extremely beautiful to simply place inside a cave.

...But this thing looks like a third-tier Fire Marrow Crystal!

This thing isn't cheap; such a big piece is worth at least 800 or 1000 mid-grade spirit stones.

"This is like finding a fortune!"

This is a wonderful item; whether Ji Yuan uses it to refine weapons later or auctions it off, it's excellent.

"Pack it up, pack it up!"

Ji Yuan quickly put it into his storage bag.

As for what happened next... Ji Yuan swept his divine sense across the entire island, and after confirming that there were no problems, he went to a cave at the very bottom.

He took out the prepared fence, straw, and stone ditch for feeding the pigs from the storage bag.

There are no butchers selling spirit pigs on Icefire Island, so a proper "pigsty" cannot be built. Therefore, this is the only option left.

Although OEM manufacturing could be successful in the early years, Jiyuan made ample preparations to ensure a safer approach.

After he had put everything away, he pasted a piece of white paper with the words "pigsty" written on it on the wall, and finally looked up.

A line of small characters, visible only to him, floated above the cave.

[Pigpen: lv3]

Ji Yuan then brought up the control panel again and took a look.

Pigpen: lv4 (upgradeable)

If that's the case, then what are we waiting for?

Ji Yuan took out the items he had prepared beforehand and placed them on the ground.

The 600 brand-new spirit stones produced by the [Spirit Vein], and the two third-tier demon cores with water and fire attributes obtained from trading with Li Changhe.

The five catties of Fire Vein Spirit Marrow obtained from the trade with the Ice and Fire Elder, plus three spines of the Three-Eyed Dark Beast.

Finally, there's a Taiyi Azure Light Talisman that Hua Yaoyue drew herself.

After arranging everything, Ji Yuan took a look at the spiritual effects of the level 4 [Pigpen].

[Effect 1: The spirit pig develops blood patterns, enhancing the body-strengthening effect when consumed; it produces 1 tael of "Mysterious Yang Blood Amber" per month; the spirit pig has a certain chance of giving birth to "Crimson Yang Bone" (an extremely yang and powerful substance).]

[Effect 2 (Nine Revolutions of Profound Yang): During the upgrade of the pigsty, an ancient projection will appear, containing the secrets of the "Nine Revolutions of Profound Yang".]

Ji Yuan's favorite is naturally the Spirit Effect 2 [Nine Revolutions Profound Yang], but he doesn't know if he can comprehend this technique in one go.

"The pigsty needs an upgrade!"

With a thought, everything on the ground in front of Ji Yuan turned to ashes. Then the ground cracked open, and several streams of magma surged out, accompanied by a series of booming sounds.

The entire island was trembling violently, as if an earth dragon had turned over.

"not good!"

Ji Yuan quickly shut down the building's exterior.

All noise disappeared, and the entire pigsty returned to its ordinary appearance.

Until the upgrade is complete.

The small text above his head changed to "[Pigpen: lv4]", but Ji Yuan didn't have time to bring up the panel to check the effects of the level 5 "[Pigpen]".

He then realized that the scene before him had changed.

Ji Yuan was initially in this dark cave, but in the blink of an eye, he found that the scene in front of him was gradually changing.

A blazing sun gradually appeared overhead, its rays making my skin feel scorching. Sandstorms raged everywhere, and the ground was a vast, desolate Gobi desert.

Where am I?

"Is this the place to comprehend the Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique?"

Ji Yuan couldn't help but think this way.

He looked around to make sure he was not in the cave, then tried to take a few steps forward. Everything was fine, and nothing seemed amiss.

How should one comprehend this?

All around was desert; there were no living people or other creatures in sight.

Helpless, Ji Yuan was about to summon his flying boat to take off and see what was happening when he discovered that he couldn't use his spiritual energy at all. Not only that, but even his storage bag at his waist was gone.

He clenched his fists and tested them; thankfully, his body was still intact.

"So, in this place where one understands the body cultivation technique, one can't use spiritual energy, only physical strength?"

Ji Yuan tried bending his legs, then suddenly exerted force and leaped into the air.

"boom--"

He exerted all his strength, and the ground immediately roared. Then, his figure shot up like an arrow, instantly rising to a height of over ten feet.

Ji Yuan immediately looked around, and all he could see was a hazy yellow expanse.

Yellow sandy land.

There is nothing else.

How do we understand this?

Should we keep moving forward?

But further ahead, it was also just yellow sand.

As soon as the thought flashed through Ji Yuan's mind, his body fell to the ground, his legs sinking deep into the yellow sand.

Just as he was thinking of pulling his legs out, he found that his legs seemed to be held by something... It was a pair of withered hands.

In an instant, those withered hands exerted force, and Ji Yuan's body was pulled straight into the ground. Seeing that his waist and below were all underground, he suddenly realized what was happening and grabbed the Gobi Desert beside him with both hands.

"drink--"

Ji Yuan gave a low shout and suddenly exerted force with both hands.

His arms began to swell at a visible speed. He had never used his full strength when he was forging iron in the past, but today he finally used his full strength.

The body was being pulled out little by little, along with the things underground.

Gradually, Ji Yuan's legs climbed out of the ground again, followed by his knees.

Just as his knees broke the surface, he knelt forward, exerted force with his body, and pulled himself out of the ground in one go.

He also pulled the monster from underground out of the ground.

Before he could turn around to look, the hand that was gripping his right ankle suddenly let go.

Ji Yuan realized he was in the wrong and quickly kicked backward.

"boom--"

Hands and feet collided.

Ji Yuan's kick blocked the hand, and a tremendous force came from his foot... Something's not right!

After blocking the attack, Ji Yuan had a chance to look back.

He finally saw the monster's true form; it was a dried-up corpse.

It was unclear how long it had been buried underground; its body was completely dehydrated, and its yellowish-brown skin clung to its bones, making it look like a ghastly ghost.

Seeing that the dried corpse was about to make another move, Ji Yuan reacted quickly, immediately slapping a piece of gravel off the Gobi Desert, holding it in his hand, and throwing it out.

"Bang—"

The rubble exploded on the mummified corpse's forehead, and the immense inertia caused the corpse to lean back, its left hand slipping away.

Ji Yuan leaped forward, finally breaking free from the control of the dried corpse.

But as he stood up, he discovered that there were identical dried corpses in the yellow sand in the distance. Including the ones he had fought with earlier, there were a total of... ten!

Upon seeing this, Ji Yuan couldn't help but take a deep breath. He had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage, but judging from their recent exchange, the power of this dried corpse was no weaker than his.

This means that this dried corpse also has the strength of the Foundation Establishment stage. So, there are a total of ten dried corpses with the Foundation Establishment stage... Are these my opponents?

"Fuck your mother!"

Ji Yuan's mind was buzzing, and the curse word exploded in his heart.

To comprehend the Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique, one must kill ten corpses with foundation-building physiques. Is that something a human could do?

This is absolutely deadly!

For a moment, Ji Yuan was already considering whether dying in this "pigsty" would lead to the same death in reality.

If I were to die here... then I wouldn't be the peerless powerhouse who emerged from the "pigsty," but rather a coward who dies in the "pigsty."

As the thought flashed through his mind, Ji Yuan looked around and saw that the ten dried corpses had stepped forward and formed a loose encirclement, trapping him in the middle.

Before they even clashed, Ji Yuan was already carefully examining them.

The sunken eye sockets flickered with eerie green flames, and when it moved, it made a faint "clucking" friction sound, as if the bones were rubbing together. Its skin and flesh were withered like weathered leather, but strange muscle lines occasionally bulged between its limbs.

They were naked, their exposed bodies emanating a dark brown aura that clung to their joints, and the oppressive aura they exuded was almost identical to that of Ji Yuan—ten corpses with the same physique at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Moreover, judging from the brief exchange just now, any one of these ten corpses could barely match him in a one-on-one fight, and now that they've joined forces, it's probably a matter of life and death!

Ji Yuan's breathing became heavy, and the veins on his arms bulged like coiled dragons, his muscles bulging to their limit.

The Iron Hammer Island Master once said that the realm of physical foundation building is far beyond the reach of fancy spells—it is the pure power that mortals obtain by striking their flesh with hundreds of hammer blows, tempering their bones and refining their blood…

Of course, the same applies to the physical foundation building obtained by eating spirit pigs.

In any case, they are all at the Foundation Establishment stage of physical strength.

Just like now, a ring of scarlet blood energy rose up around Ji Yuan with a "hum," flickering and swirling like flames, enveloping him within it.

This blood and qi is not an illusion, but an external manifestation of blood and qi being pushed to their extreme.

It was scorching hot, like a furnace, causing the surrounding air to distort and the sand and dust to be pushed three feet away, forming a blood-red mist.

His blood contained the masculine strength he had honed over many years of blacksmithing; every strand of it was as heavy as a thousand pounds. Wherever he passed, the sand hissed and crackled, as if it had been branded with a hot iron.

"Hehe..."

In the distance, the dried corpse that had been kicked away had gotten up. No blood flowed from the shattered stone on its forehead, leaving only a shriveled depression.

The ten dried corpses suddenly froze, all looking over as the eerie green ghostly flames locked onto Ji Yuan.

The next moment, they will all be activated simultaneously!

There were no fancy techniques, only pure, violent combat.

Three mummified corpses attacked from the front, their figures moving like arrows released from a bow, leaving trails of afterimages on the sand.

The lead mummy unleashed its fists and claws, tearing through the air with a "whoosh" sound, aiming straight for Ji Yuan's face. The other two mages, one on the left and one on the right, swept across his waist and abdomen, while the other tackled his lower limbs.

With all his might unleashed, his fists whipped up waves of yellow sand, mixed with malevolent aura and ghostly howls, his momentum unstoppable.

Ji Yuan let out a low roar, his scarlet blood surged, and he pulled his right fist back, gathering momentum like a bow.

He poured all the power of his physical foundation into his fist, and the fist shone with a red light, actually condensing into a solid fist aura!

"boom--"

A head-on collision! Fists and claws collided, and the explosion was deafening.

Ji Yuan's fist slammed into the dried corpse's chest, the sound of bones cracking was clearly audible, the dried corpse's chest collapsed, and dry bones scattered everywhere; but the opponent's claw wind also tore through the flesh of his arm, leaving three deep claw marks that revealed the bone, blood spurted out and soaked into the sand.

Despite the excruciating pain, Ji Yuan did not back down. He kicked out with his left leg like lightning, the crimson blood sweeping across the ground like a whip, and "crack" broke the knee of another mummified corpse.

Just as they were averting a direct crisis, a sandstorm erupted behind them.

Two more mummified corpses emerged from the ground!

They emerged silently from the ground, one claw reaching for Ji Yuan's lower back, while the other clawed upwards towards his ankle.

Ji Yuan reacted incredibly quickly; the extraordinary perception granted by his physical foundation made his spine tighten.

His body spun rapidly like a top, surrounded by a protective aura of blood. He swept his elbows back, smashing the attacker away with two loud "bangs".

The crimson blood on the elbow, like a red-hot branding iron, struck the dried corpse, eliciting a burnt, foul stench.

But the claws that were reaching for his ankles had already gripped firmly, and the dried corpse pulled with tremendous force, causing Ji Yuan's left leg to buckle and he to kneel on the ground.

Ji Yuan roared in pain, his eyes flashing with ferocity.

The crimson blood energy around him suddenly condensed into a vortex of blood mist, swirling wildly like a storm.

"You want to fuck your father, huh?!"

Ji Yuan recalled the hammer technique taught by the Iron Hammer Island Master, a hammer that could be used to forge weapons and also to kill enemies!

His joints cracked and popped, his muscle fibers tightened like steel strings, and his arms, shoulders, back, and spine swelled like a primordial beast. His blood and qi transformed into a crimson tornado, lifting him half a foot off the ground.

With a powerful punch, carrying immense force, the dried corpse beneath his feet was sent flying, crashing into the distant Gobi Desert. A loud "bang" resounded, the rocks shattered, and the dried corpse became stuck in the crevice, unable to move.

The aftershocks spread, creating a dust storm that seemed to make the entire Gobi Desert tremble.

But just as he stood up, two dark figures flashed past to his side.

Two more mummified corpses pounced, one grabbing the throat and neck, the other kneeling and pressing against the heart.

Before Ji Yuan could dodge, his throat was instantly gripped by a withered arm, and a feeling of suffocation overwhelmed him!

The mutilated corpse's fingertips, radiating a malevolent aura, burrowed into his neck like venomous snakes, aiming to crush his throat. The knee strike to his chest with a soft crack, leaving a fissure in his ribs. The excruciating pain nearly made him faint.

Ji Yuan's pupils were bloodshot, and he had only one thought in his mind—to fight for his life.

If it's a fight to the death, then we'll fight to the death!

Not taking a gamble means certain death, taking a gamble offers a chance of survival.

Ji Yuan suddenly raised his arms and wrapped them around the dried corpse that was strangling his throat. Scarlet blood gushed from his pores like thousands of needles.

"Pfft pfft pfft".

Blood mist pierced through the body, the dried corpse's head and chest cavity were riddled with holes, and the eerie green ghost fire was extinguished.

At the same time, Ji Yuan ignored the pain in his ribs, thrust his knee into his chest, and swung his right fist in a fierce smash, shattering the lumbar vertebrae of the mummified corpse with a "crack".

Blood and flesh flew everywhere, the sandy ground stained with the dried bones of the corpse and Ji Yuan's bright red blood foam.

Before he could catch his breath, Ji Yuan felt the ground tremble!

The previously fallen mummified corpses were not completely dead. The remaining five burrowed into the sand, like vicious sharks swimming on the seabed, lying in ambush from all sides, with shadows swirling beneath the sand.

"not good!"

Ji Yuan forced himself to calm down. Although his crimson blood energy had dimmed by three points, it was still circulating wildly. He stomped his foot hard on the ground, and his physical strength penetrated into the sand. With a "thud," the shockwave blasted the sand dune apart.

A mummified corpse was jolted out, and just as it was about to pounce, Ji Yuan pounced on it like a tiger, his fists raining down like a storm!

At this moment, Ji Yuan felt as if he were refining a weapon.

"Bang bang bang..."

Seven punches in a row, each one landing squarely, making his blood boil.

The head of this mummified corpse was smashed into a pulp, and its bones shattered, but the price was... another mummified corpse appeared from the side, its sharp claws piercing through his abdomen.

"Holy shit!"

Ji Yuan screamed in agony, looking down to see a gash in his abdomen, his intestines nearly spilling out.

The scarlet blood energy contracted on its own to protect the wound, causing the fresh blood to hiss as it evaporated.

He slammed his palm down on the skull of the dried corpse, and with a "bang," the skull shattered. However, the force of the impact caused the rib wounds to crack even deeper.

Only three mummified corpses remained, but they were even more ferocious.

They seemed to be stimulated by Ji Yuan's blood and qi, their malevolent aura surged, and dark brown qi enveloped them like armor.

The lead creature roared and pounced, its movements as swift as a ghost, its claws flashing like shadows, instantly sealing off Ji Yuan's escape route. The other two attacked from the left and right, their fists and feet flying, targeting his severely injured lower body.

Ji Yuan's blood surged like boiling water, and the intense pain in his lower abdomen made him somewhat delirious.

His physique, which had just reached the Foundation Establishment stage, was on the verge of collapse. His scarlet blood energy had almost dissipated, leaving only a thin layer covering his body.

Looking at the three remaining desiccated corpses before him, he had only one thought in his mind: to survive!

I came here to comprehend the cultivation technique, not to throw my life away!

Ji Yuan neither dodged nor avoided, but confronted them head-on!

His left arm blocked the blocked claw shadows, while his right hand transformed into a claw that shot out like a dragon.

"Sizzle—"

Ji Yuan dug his right hand into the other's eye socket, his finger force penetrating to the bone. Before the dried corpse could even let out a miserable scream, Ji Yuan's blood energy erupted, and he crushed the ghost fire's eyeball!

He then twisted his waist, thrusting his right knee upwards, and smashed the mummified corpse's jaw with a "bang."

At the same time, the two corpses on the left and right attacked, one claw tearing his back flesh to the bone, and the other kicking his knee, causing his knee joint to snap back.

"puff--"

Ji Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood, his knees buckled, and he knelt on one knee.

His vision was bloodshot, and his body was covered in crisscrossing bloodstains like a spider web, with bone fragments exposed where they were deep. But he ignored his injuries and grabbed the ankle of the corpse that had kicked him in the knee.

With a low shout, he commanded, "Rise!"

Crimson blood surged into his arms, and his Foundation Establishment strength erupted wildly, lifting the dried corpse like a sandbag and slamming it down on the last figure rushing towards him!

"Boom!"

The two mummified corpses collided, their bones broken and tendons snapped.

The dried corpse's torso cracked open, releasing a murderous aura that scattered into charred fragments.

Ji Yuan pressed forward with all his might, his knees braced against the rubble, and his fists pounded down like heavy hammers!

"Knock knock knock..."

The immense force of the punch, mixed with blood and qi, smashed the last dried corpse's head into dust, sending dry bones flying into the sand and extinguishing the ghostly flames.

Finally, the sand dunes returned to their deathly silence.

The ten mummified corpses were completely shattered; some had heads rotten like melons, while others had broken bodies and limbs scattered. The black, murky aura dissipated with the wind, mixing into the vast yellow sand.

The Gobi Desert was left in ruins, with skeletons and remains scattered about. The bloodstains on Ji Yuan's body had been turned blackish-brown by the wind and sun.

Ji Yuan collapsed in a pool of blood, his body convulsing violently.

The extraordinary phenomenon of physical foundation building had long since dissipated, and the scarlet blood energy had vanished, leaving only a body covered in horrific injuries.

Both arms were fractured and twisted in multiple places, with muscles torn like rags. The right knee was bent backward, with bone spurs piercing through the flesh. Three ribs in the chest were broken and collapsed. Deep scratches on the abdomen and back revealed the internal organs, and blood was gushing out.

The neck was marked with purplish-black strangulation marks, the feeling of suffocation lingered, and sand and dust clung to the wound, causing excruciating pain as if a thousand ants were gnawing at the bone.

Lying on the sand, he gasped for breath, each breath accompanied by bloody foam, his eyes unfocused, his breath barely audible.

Just when Ji Yuan thought he was about to die, he suddenly realized that the blazing sun hanging in the sky was actually... a person!

That was a person sitting cross-legged in the heavens!

It radiated intense light, just like a real sun!

He sat in the sunlight, shining brightly. Ji Yuan couldn't see his face clearly at all, only that his body was incredibly tall and imposing.

Perhaps sensing Ji Yuan's gaze, the man slowly opened his eyes, lowered his head slightly, and looked down. Then, a voice as loud as a bell resounded throughout the land. He said:

"Though his foundation is weak and unstable, he is fearless and can barely pass on my mantle."

"go--"

After saying this, he raised his right hand and pointed at Ji Yuan in the distance. In an instant, a spark fell.

At first glance, it looked extremely small, but when it actually landed in front of Ji Yuan, the flame became enormous, completely enveloping him.

Ji Yuan felt as if he had fallen into warm water, and his broken body was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. But before he could enjoy the wonderful feeling of his injuries healing, a strange memory appeared in his mind.

Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique!

"The first transformation tempers the skin, allowing for the foundation of physical strength; the second transformation forges tendons, making one a match for the Golden Core cultivator; the third transformation results in a Golden Body and Profound Bones, enabling one to break through to the Nascent Soul stage; the fourth transformation burns the five internal organs, allowing one to challenge the Divine Transformation stage..."

Until the seventh stage of "Mysterious Yang Dao Body", one can physically kill a Mahayana cultivator.

After Ji Yuan finished processing this obscure memory, he was shocked but still somewhat curious.

Why does this "Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique" only have seven revolutions?

Moreover, the seventh stage of cultivation had just formed the Xuan Yang Dao Body when it was gone. Logically speaking, even if the Xuan Yang Dao Body was not just the beginning, it shouldn't be the end of this cultivation method, right?

There are at least eight and nine more revolutions to come...

If a seventh-stage cultivator can kill a Mahayana cultivator, then there's only one possibility left.

After the seventh transformation, one ascends to immortality; the eighth and ninth transformations circulate in... the Immortal Realm.

Upon realizing this, Ji Yuan subconsciously looked up at the sky—no, what he saw when he looked up was the stone wall above him.

"scare--"

Ji Yuan subconsciously stood up, only to realize that he had returned from that unknown yellow sandy land to the pigsty.

He subconsciously thought he was experiencing an illusion, but when he came to his senses and felt the unhealed injuries on his body, he realized... it wasn't an illusion.

What just happened was actually real!

Ji Yuan ripped open his robe and looked down at his abdomen. He saw that although the wound from the open abdomen had healed, the new skin was noticeably whiter than the surrounding flesh.

...What exactly is that place?

Why was I actually able to physically go there? Or was it a real "pigsty"?

Ji Yuan couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

Regardless of where that place is, or who the person who taught him the body cultivation technique was, he didn't care.

As long as I get the cultivation technique, that's fine.

It was a near-death experience.

After thinking it over, Ji Yuan walked out of the pigsty and sat down in the cave, continuing to review the obscure cultivation techniques in his mind.

That is, after understanding the first level of the Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique, "Skin Tempering," Ji Yuan finally understood why that person had said his foundation was weak and unstable.

...A physique built up by eating meat is indeed superficial.

If the skin-tempering method of the "Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique" is followed, then the strength of the body foundation building will be at least several times stronger than it is now!

That is to say, if he were to face those ten mummies again, he might still get injured, but the injuries would not be as severe.

"Fortunately, I'm only at the Foundation Establishment stage of my physical body, and haven't officially started the Skin Tempering process yet, nor have I switched cultivation techniques. Instead, I'm simply going with the flow and beginning to cultivate a proper physical cultivation technique."

According to the "Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique," in the vast and boundless path of body cultivation, Foundation Building is merely the beginning. However, in the Canglu Continent, Foundation Building is already a rare achievement, which shows just how vast this world truly is.

After reading "Skin Tempering Chapter" and "Tendon Forging Chapter", Ji Yuan temporarily stopped.

Because there was another important matter at hand, and that was to see what terrifying spiritual effects this level 5 [pigpen] had.

With this thought in mind, Ji Yuan first got up and returned to the pigpen, where he took this month's "Mysterious Yang Blood Amber".

It looks similar to amber, but it contains abundant Xuan Yang Qi and blood.

This thing is the best cultivation resource for "Nine Revolutions of Profound Yang".

Even the "Red Sun Bone" that the Spirit Pig can produce is the same.

It's a pity that spirit pigs can't be raised here. I can only go back and see if any of the spirit pigs that Tu Yue helped me raise have been born with Crimson Sun Bones.

After collecting the minimum living allowance, Ji Yuan turned off the building's effect and instead remotely activated the [Pigpen] on Worry-Free Island.

He brought up the control panel to take a look.

Pigpen: Level 5 (Cannot be upgraded)

[Effect 1: The spirit pig transforms into the Crimson Sun Blood Pig, whose blood can be refined into Crimson Sun Blood, which can aid in physical training when consumed.]

[Effect 2: Monthly production of 3 taels of "Mysterious Yang Blood Amber" and 3 taels of "Moistening Jade Fat", with an increased chance of obtaining Crimson Yang Bone.]

[Effect 3 (Black Fiend Demon Lord): Burns blood and energy to transform into the "Black Fiend Demon Lord," greatly enhancing one's physical strength.]

【升级条件：上品灵石×500；四阶水火土属性妖丹各一枚；土仙石×1枚；搬山猿猴尸体×1；太乙玄阳符×2，黑煞丹×1。（未达成）】

3 miraculous effects have appeared!

Following the level 3 [Spirit Vein], a second building with 3 spirit effects has finally appeared.

However, this 3-spirit-effect building is already a level 5 [Pigpen], and Ji Yuan glanced at the upgrade requirements and knew that there was no need to think about upgrading the [Pigpen] anytime soon.

Putting everything else aside, even a fourth-tier demon core is not something that can be easily obtained.

Let alone Ji Yuan himself, even Hua Yaoyue would find it extremely difficult to obtain a fourth-order demon core.

After all, these fourth-tier great demons... once they reach the middle stage of the fourth tier, they can undergo the tribulation of transformation and become human. Once they successfully pass through it, they can transform into human form.

Moreover, among cultivators of the same level, great demons can almost always overpower them.

Therefore, firstly, these fourth-tier demons are powerful and difficult to kill, and secondly, they are rare.

In places like Cangluo Continent, Ji Yuan had hardly ever heard of any fourth-tier great demons. These things were as rare as Nascent Soul cultivators among humans.

Now, just upgrading the [Pigpen] requires 3 fourth-tier demon cores.

difficult.

It's really difficult.

However, these three magical effects are worth the difficulty of the upgrade.

Effect 1: Even simply putting in an ordinary spirit pig can change its bloodline.

The second level of the Spirit Effect is a standard upgrade. The quantity of Xuan Yang Blood Amber has increased, and the panel has also restarted the "Run Yu Zhi" (a type of jade essence), which has also increased its production.

This means that the following part should be quite important.

After all, once a cultivator reaches the Golden Core stage, they mostly rely on their natal magic weapon when fighting. As for spells, unless they are extremely powerful secret techniques, ordinary spells are not enough to make a difference.

However, this natal magic weapon is extremely easy to damage, which makes "Runyuzhi" all the more precious.

If the third effect is... Black Demon Lord!

This spiritual effect can be categorized as a body cultivation secret technique. It's just unclear whether activating the spiritual effect will allow him to transform into the Black Fiend Demon Lord, or whether it will allow him to comprehend the cultivation technique... If it's the cultivation technique, Ji Yuan naturally hopes that the panel will allow him to "learn with one click".

Otherwise, it would be a hassle to learn it on your own.

I wonder how strong this "Black Fiend Demon Lord" is, but since he dares to call himself "Demon Lord," his strength must be considerable, right?

While upgrading the building, Ji Yuan noticed the "Taiyi Xuanyang Talisman".

Needless to say, this must be another inheritance talisman of the Taiyi Immortal Sect.

Ji Yuan didn't know if Hua Yaoyue could paint, so he planned to ask her after he returned this time.

Having narrowly escaped death, I obtained the cultivation technique and also witnessed the spiritual effects of this level 5 building.

Ji Yuan finally relaxed completely, and all he had to do now was continue his cultivation step by step.

Given time, I will surely become famous throughout the land!

Hmm... I hope the demonic cultivators don't attack too quickly.

After putting away the panel, Ji Yuan took out the 1 tael of Xuan Yang Blood Amber. Now that he had the body cultivation technique, he naturally had to try practicing it.

Holding this Xuan Yang Blood Amber in my hand, it felt as warm and smooth as jade.

The fastest way to refine this blood amber is... to eat it!

I swallowed a mouthful of blood-red amber; my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens!

After Ji Yuan swallowed it in one gulp, the blood amber immediately transformed into pure blood and qi, which spread throughout his body. At first, it was somewhat warm and gentle, but after a while, the blood and qi became extremely domineering.

The qi and blood were running rampant throughout Ji Yuan's body, so he quickly shut down the "Skin Tempering Chapter" of the Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique, guiding the qi and blood to begin tempering the skin of his entire body.

But in the blink of an eye.

Ji Yuan's originally fair skin turned bronze.

The blood and qi temper the skin, making it harder and harder with practice.

Once the physical body is refined to perfection, even ordinary spells cast by a Foundation Establishment cultivator will be unable to penetrate its defenses.

To put it bluntly, it's like tickling an itch.

After a while, the blood energy contained in the one or two Xuan Yang Blood Amber was completely refined. Ji Yuan then took out a Tempering Aperture Pearl and swallowed it, but compared to the others, the effect was somewhat weak.

Ultimately, it's not as useful as blood amber.

While taking Blood Amber to refine the body is the fastest and most effective method, this technique also includes a set of stance training exercises for body tempering.

The practice of stance training is divided into standing stance, sleeping stance, and walking stance. Among them, standing stance is the simplest, while walking stance is the most difficult.

Aside from these two methods of body tempering, the rest are some auxiliary methods, such as the lightning tempering that Ji Yuan experienced in the storm zone. This is also a method of body tempering, but it is extremely dangerous.

Places like storm zones... are uncontrollable.

Who knows when a bolt of purple lightning might strike? At that point, forget about body tempering, you might be finished.

Or perhaps there are other powerful body cultivators who help train and temper their bodies, but that would be even more difficult. In the Canglu Continent, Ji Yuan felt that there was probably no one who had gone further than him in the path of body cultivation.

After all, having cultivated for so long, Ji Yuan had never heard of any body cultivation tradition in the Canglu Continent.

After finishing his business here, Ji Yuan returned to find the Ice and Fire Elder and told him about his secluded cultivation outside.

They encountered the Fire Mage, the Ice and Fire Elder, so naturally he tried to persuade him to stay, but ultimately he didn't insist. Perhaps he preferred to be the local tyrant here all by himself.

After that, Ji Yuan returned to the isolated island and devoted himself to cultivation, no longer caring about anything else.

His retreat for spiritual practice mainly consisted of three aspects.

The first priority is naturally to open the [Enlightenment Chamber] and study the "Sword Canon," since one must reach the level of being able to condense the next flying sword before returning.

Secondly, one can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to enhance one's cultivation.

This is enough to activate the [Cave Abode] effect. He also discovered that after absorbing water spiritual energy into his dantian, it would automatically transform into ice spiritual energy.

To this end, Ji Yuan also took out the three-colored spirit eggs he had brought with him on this trip and continued to cultivate by eating eggs.

The last point, of course, is to build a strong physique.

One tael of Xuan Yang Blood Amber a month was definitely not enough, so Ji Yuan practiced stance training while secretly going to the storm zone several times to temper his body with the power of lightning there.

But ever since he was struck by purple lightning and nearly lost half his life, he hasn't been so reckless.

Although one's physique is strong, it is ultimately no match for the power of heaven and earth. It would be better to honestly practice stance training.

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

With his exceptional talent and a little help from the Enlightenment Room, Ji Yuan finally comprehended the Sword Canon to a sufficient level on an ordinary afternoon.

That's enough to condense the next flying sword.

This means that we can finally start our return journey.

He has been in seclusion for nearly a year.

After Ji Yuan finished packing everything up and turned off many of the building effects, he finally summoned the Wind Locust Flying Boat and left the unknown island.

He floated in mid-air, looking at the lingering mist, and after a moment of recollection, he headed straight for the western part of Icefire Island.

Before leaving, it was natural to say goodbye to the old man of ice and fire.

When he arrived at the valley, before he could even ask any questions, he saw a streak of light fly out and transform into the figure of a hunchbacked old man.

"Greetings, senior."

Ji Yuan bowed respectfully.

"Um."

The Old Man of Ice and Fire looked Ji Yuan up and down. "Going back?"

"Yes, it's been over a year since I left, and it's time to go back and report," Ji Yuan explained in a deep voice.

The old man of ice and fire nodded slightly. "Indeed, the war between good and evil has begun, and your Li family cannot remain uninvolved. You should indeed go back and do your part for your Li family."

Ji Yuan bowed again and rose, then hesitated before asking, "Senior, are you planning to stay on Icefire Island indefinitely?"

"You're asking me if I'll join the war, aren't you?"

"Ice and Fire Elder said calmly."

"That's...exactly."

"Are you asking on behalf of the Li family, or is it something you wanted to ask yourself?"

Ji Yuan was puzzled by these words, but still said, "This is what I wanted to ask myself."

The old man, Ice and Fire, stroked his beard and said, "In that case, you can speak to me as an elder and share some of your innermost thoughts."

"Yes."

...Judging from these words, the old man of ice and fire truly regarded me as a junior.

Ji Yuan listened attentively.

"Under the circumstances, no one can remain unaffected, especially someone as tall as me." The Ice and Fire Elder shook his head. "To be honest, the Six Sects Alliance has sent people over more than once recently, asking me to return to the mainland. Do you know why?"

Because they want you to take sides.

Ji Yuan wasn't stupid; he could naturally figure out the key points.

For years, the Ice and Fire Elder has lived alone overseas. This would have been fine under normal circumstances, but now that the war between good and evil has begun, Shang Dong naturally has to clear out the mountains and fields and make the great cultivators of each mountain choose sides.

If you stand up well, then you're one of us; if you don't stand up well... then don't blame us for being unreasonable.

But while you can think that way, you can't say it that way.

Ji Yuan replied, "Because of your great strength, Senior, our Six Sects Alliance needs your help."

The old man of ice and fire remained noncommittal, only chuckling, "I won't be staying on Ice and Fire Island for long. I will go to Shang Mountain then."

"The senior's righteousness is admirable."

"Go on, and when you get back, please give my regards to Li Gang. Tell him to practice more when he has time, because his own strength is the most important thing." The Ice and Fire Elder waved his hand, signaling Ji Yuan to take his leave.

"Yes, senior...take care."

Ji Yuan cupped his hands and stood up again, but the Ice and Fire Elder had already disappeared. He also summoned a flying boat and flew towards the north of Ice and Fire Island.

Currently, there are still two ships traveling between South Sea City and Icefire Island. After the Luo family's Whale Patrol Ship was destroyed, they dispatched a second giant magic ship, named "Crimson Light Ship".

I have been traveling back and forth between the two places for half a year now.

Ji Yuan had heard about this when he returned to the Ice and Fire Workshop.

Ji Yuan waited at the ferry crossing on Icefire Island for two days. When the Luo family's Crimson Light Boat arrived, he took out his boarding pass for the Whale Patrol Boat to board, which surprised the Luo family members on board.

After all, in their eyes, Ji Yuan, who could produce proof of the whale patrol boat's round trip, was practically a "remnant of the previous dynasty."

Of course, they didn't stop him; on the contrary, they gave Ji Yuan excellent service.

For example, the cabin where Ji Yuan is staying has been upgraded to the highest tier for free.

The journey there was perilous, but the return trip was safe and sound.

Ji Yuan returned to Nanhai City without incident, but just as he arrived, he heard something... The Nanhai City Auction was about to open in three days, and the auction had already suspended the acquisition of items for auction.

After hearing this, Ji Yuan said, "Huh???"

He still had the "Three-Piece Set for Catching Dragons" given to him by the Mourning Hermit in his storage bag; this thing could only fetch a high price here.

After thinking it over, Ji Yuan decided to go directly to the South China Sea Auction House.

Although there are rules, there will always be exceptions.

Ji Yuan felt that this "three-piece set for catching dragons" deserved to be considered an exception.

On his way to the auction house, Ji Yuan obtained a list of items to be auctioned from someone else.

As he continued looking, his gaze was quickly drawn to something.

"Item 78: 5 pieces of Dragon Bloodstone".

I'm updating 10,000 words a day and asking for monthly votes! I'm also recommending an older book; you can check it out if you're interested—it's one I wrote, haha.

(End of this chapter)