Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 26 Breakthrough

At first, Ji Yuan was thinking about whether to buy a few more green-yellow chickens or half-spirit fish to take back.

Now that the thought of breaking through had arisen, he couldn't care about anything else; he would deal with everything else after the breakthrough.

When they arrived home, both neighbors were quiet. Deng Yunliang had probably gone to rest, and as for Lin Hu, it was unclear whether he had gone out on a boat or had also gone to rest.

As long as no one is standing at the door, that's fine.

After Ji Yuan arrived home, he first fed the green-yellow chicken and the half-spirit fish some food. After all, this breakthrough would take at least a day or two, and these animals he raised needed to be taken care of.

"It seems I'll have to work with puppets from now on. Otherwise, if I go on a long trip or go into seclusion for an extended period, there will be no one to take care of these things."

As for raising a demon himself, Ji Yuan doesn't dare to think about it right now.

Such a sentient demon must be at least a sixth or seventh-level demon, or even a legendary transformed demon.

Puppetry is still a more reliable option.

After finishing his work, Ji Yuan returned to his room... no, now it's the talisman room.

If it were before, he would have needed to meditate for a long time to calm himself down, but now, he casually stuck a calming talisman on his body.

Everything is settled.

Once his mind calmed down, Ji Yuan took out the seven spirit eggs he had collected that day to warm up for his breakthrough in cultivation.

After a while, the spirit egg was swallowed.

Ji Yuan had a thought and took out spirit stones from his storage bag. He wasn't stingy and took out a full fifty of them, placing them around him.

Looking at the white surroundings around him, Ji Yuan felt much more at ease.

With a casual gesture, he grasped two spirit stones in each hand, and then activated the "Azure Sea Tide Technique" within his body. Instantly, an unprecedented surge of pure spiritual energy flowed into his meridians.

It was cool yet slightly moist.

The spiritual energy circulates through the meridians and finally slowly sinks into the dantian.

There's no particular method to cultivating during the Qi Refining stage; it's simply about constantly absorbing the free spiritual energy between heaven and earth and transforming external things for one's own use.

Moreover, compared to entering from three to four floors.

There's practically no barrier to entering the fifth floor from the fourth; it's simply a matter of letting things flow naturally.

As the four spirit stones turned to dust and slipped from Ji Yuan's hand, four more, then four more, then four more, then four more...

Ji Yuan didn't pay attention to how many spirit stones he had absorbed; he only knew that the light outside the window had flickered on and off.

This went on for two days, until the spirit stone powder on both sides of Ji Yuan had piled up into a small mound.

Finally, on the third night, as the moonlight shone through the window onto the edge of the bed, Ji Yuan, who had been sitting as still as an old pine tree, suddenly opened his eyes.

A glint flashed in his eyes, and his aura appeared and then disappeared.

Fifth level of Qi Refining.

Become!

Ji Yuan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. He finally understood why those immortal disciples could reach the peak of Qi Refining at such a young age.

The Qi Refining stage is simply a process of accumulating spiritual energy.

If someone has enough spirit stones, they can break through to the next realm twice in just two months, let alone those geniuses with dual or single spirit roots.

At the fifth level of Qi Refining, he could be considered a pillar of strength in Zengtou City.

After a brief moment of joy, Ji Yuan glanced around and realized that of the original 50 spirit stones, only 6 remained.

A single breakthrough cost a full 44 spirit stones.

No wonder there are so few late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in Zengtou City. Let alone the late stage, even breaking through to the sixth level of Qi Refining is not something that ordinary people can do.

Ji Yuan sensed the abundant spiritual energy in his dantian, and then picked up four spirit stones to stabilize his Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation.

After refining the six spirit stones once more, his cultivation was completely stabilized, and the sky outside began to brighten.

He first changed and washed the pigs, then spread the spirit stone powder inside the pigsty.

After finishing all that, he started feeding the fish and chickens, and also collected all the spirit eggs he had collected over the past few days. There were 21 in total, indicating that this seclusion had lasted a full three days.

Ji Yuan temporarily lost interest in eating the spirit eggs and instead prepared to go for a walk outside.

Just as he was pacing back and forth on the bank, he saw a black-clad monk with a hooked nose walking towards him on the opposite path.

Ji Yuan naturally recognized this person.

Pang Zhiyuan, with a cultivation level of the fifth level of Qi Refining, works specifically for the Water Dragon Sect, so he can be considered a semi-official. He usually collects the immortal residence fees for Ji Yuan and his group.

The person who urged Ji Yuanxian to pay the fee for the residence was also him.

But why did he come, and at this time? It doesn't seem like it's time to collect the Immortal Abode Fee yet... Ji Yuan muttered to himself as he watched him walk past.

"Big head".

Ji Yuan greeted him.

The latter nodded, glanced at Ji Yuan again, and then looked slightly surprised.

"Mid-stage Qi Refining?"

Ji Yuan is now at the fifth level of Qi Refining, so his aura is naturally much deeper. Even if he tries to suppress it, his aura as a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator is still quite obvious.

"By sheer luck."

Ji Yuan bowed slightly.

"He's so close. If I use my Deadly Needle, I should be able to kill him instantly with a sneak attack..." Ji Yuan thought listlessly.

"Not bad, you didn't embarrass your father."

Pang Zhiyuan nodded, then went to the door of the Lin family next door and knocked heavily on the door.

A jumble of noises came from inside the room, and soon the door opened.

The moment Lin Hu opened the door, he was so frightened by just one glance that he turned pale. "Pang...Pang Tou."

"The Xianju fee you owed last month is due. If you can't pay it today, you're out of Zengtou City."

Ji Yuan listened to these familiar words, slightly lost in thought.

"No, no, Pangtou, according to the rules, we can delay for a month, right? I'll definitely make it up next month. Please give me a few more days. I'll be setting sail soon."

Lin Hu grabbed Pang Zhiyuan's sleeve, pleading desperately, almost kneeling down.

"The rules have changed; from now on, the Immortal Abode Fee can no longer be delayed."

Pang Zhiyuan said coldly, "Hurry up, or pack your things and get out."

Hearing the noise, Deng Yunliang from next door also came out, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking like he was watching a commotion.

Anyway, he paid his celestial residence fee in full last month.

It's none of his business.

"This...this one."

Wu Qin's soft voice came from behind the door.

Pang Zhiyuan casually grabbed one, "Two more are needed."

Lin Hu shifted his gaze to Ji Yuan, but after a moment's hesitation, he looked at Deng Yunliang instead.

"Old Deng, lend me some... lend me two first, I'll definitely pay you back next month."

Deng Yunliang scoffed, "I don't have any more spirit stones. I don't have any."

"No, didn't you win a few last night?" Lin Hu's eyes revealed a sense of despair.

"That's what I'm saving to try and win back my losses tonight, so don't even think about it."

Deng Yunliang waved his hand, deciding not to watch the show anymore and preparing to go back and catch up on some sleep.

Ji Yuan watched coldly. Once upon a time, he, like Lin Hu, faced this life-or-death choice... As he was about to leave, some long-forgotten memories subconsciously surfaced in his mind.

That was when Ji Qingyun was still alive, and the relationship between the Ji family and the Lin family was quite good.

They often visited each other, and if one family prepared something to eat, they would share it with each other. Even when Ji Qingyun went out on a boat, he would invite Lin Youwei to come along.

Ji Yuan, who stayed at home, played with Lin Hu. Lin Hu was honest and simple by nature, and always followed behind Ji Yuan, calling him "Brother Ji" repeatedly.

Upon realizing this, Ji Yuan couldn't help but sigh.

"I'll pay for him."

Ji Yuan took out two spirit stones from his sleeve and handed them over.

"you?"

Pang Zhiyuan glanced at it, said nothing more, and used his artifact manipulation technique to take the spirit stone and leave.

He doesn't care who pays, as long as someone pays.

Pang Zhiyuan left. Lin Hu looked at Ji Yuan standing at the door with his back to the rising sun. He felt that Brother Ji was very close to him now, yet also very far away.

But without a doubt, he was standing in the sunlight.

Lin Hu opened his mouth, and a trembling sound came from his throat.

"Brother Ji... Brother Ji."

"Stop gambling, just live your own life." Ji Yuan sighed, didn't say anything about whether he would pay it back, and went into the house.

"Okay, Brother Ji, don't worry!"

"I, Lin Hu, will never gamble again in my life!"

Lin Hu shouted, and before leaving, he bowed deeply towards Ji Yuan's door.

He wiped his face, went back to tidy up a bit, and then set off for Yunyuze in his small awning boat.

As for the original ebony ship... don't ask, the answer is it's all gone.

On the other side, Deng Yunliang watched this scene, wanting to say something but holding back.

(End of this chapter)