Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 290 Ji Yuan II: Entering the Demonic Realm [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

...This guy arrived even faster!

Admittedly, Ji Yuan thought he had arrived early enough. After all, as soon as the message was sent, he was taken out by the Ice and Fire Elder. Although the Ice and Fire Elder did not travel at full speed, the journey was still quite fast.

But he still couldn't outrun the demonic cultivator.

There are only two possibilities then: either he also has a powerful Golden Core cultivator behind him, which is why he can travel so fast.

Either it means... his hiding place is actually nearby.

Ji Yuan hoped it was the second reason, and he slowly turned around to look at the person behind him.

Surrounded by mountain peaks, some kind-hearted monk had built a pavilion for viewing the scenery.

Ji Yuan is currently in the very center of this pavilion, facing north.

The person behind him was a middle-aged man wearing a light yellow robe. He was handsome, but his eyes were sunken and his face was somewhat sallow.

Either he cultivated some kind of demonic art, or he was harmed by years of indulgence in wine and women.

Beside the middle-aged man was a delicate and beautiful woman. She had been holding onto the man's arm, but when she saw Ji Yuan turn around, she quickly let go, ran to Ji Yuan's side, put her arm around his arm, and whispered something.

"My husband."

...If I kill you, I'll still have to hear your wife call me "husband." I really didn't mean to.

Ji Yuan silently apologized to Huang Richeng, but nodded calmly on the surface, saying, "You've suffered these past few days."

Ji Yuan said this aloud, but inwardly he felt like gagging.

The man was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, while the woman was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Their cultivation levels are not as high as Ji Yuan's, so if they start fighting later, they will have to go all out.

A blush crept across the beautiful woman's face. Hiding behind her "husband," she said shyly, "No, Brother Liu Tian is very good to me."

"Haha, actually, when it comes to it, Brother Huang and I are truly kindred spirits."

Ji Yuan looked slightly embarrassed, then glanced around to make sure no one was watching before saying with relief, "I've brought the goods. What about what Brother Liu promised earlier?"

Liu Tian narrowed his eyes slightly and said telepathically, "Without this guy in hand, it's difficult for me to do anything for Brother Huang."

Ji Yuan hesitated.

He did indeed have those pills, but he was worried that once they were given away, they would never be returned, which would cause trouble.

After all, that was a full ten thousand Spirit Gathering Pills, which was no small amount even on Mount Shang.

Just as Ji Yuan hesitated, the voice transmission from the Ice and Fire Elder rang in his mind again, "What is this son of a bitch saying to you?"

"He wanted me to give him the pills first before he would be willing to let me into their branch."

"Then give it to him. According to the intelligence I've gathered, there is indeed a gathering place for demonic cultivators nearby. If you can find it, you'll have done a great service!"

No, I don't need such a great achievement.

If this hadn't happened to him, Ji Yuan really wouldn't have wanted to get involved in this mess.

There's no other way now.

"Alright then."

Ji Yuan took out a storage bag, hesitating to give it to Liu Tian, ​​but Liu Tian snatched it away without hesitation.

"Hey, you!"

Ji Yuan seemed to want to take it back, but Liu Tian glared at him, and he gave up.

The old man from Ice and Fire, who was watching the show from somewhere, took the opportunity to exclaim, "Tsk tsk tsk, boy Ji, your acting skills are really good. No wonder I didn't notice anything wrong with you back on Ice and Fire Island."

...Hehe, if you don't speak, no one will think you're mute.

"That's because you trust your juniors."

Ji Yuan still had to answer in his mind.

"good!"

Liu Tian's divine sense invaded the storage bag, and after a quick glance, he was overjoyed.

"I never expected it, Brother Huang, you actually managed to gather so many Spirit Gathering Pills."

"You still think I'm lying to you?" Ji Yuan's voice turned cold. "Alright, I've given you the things. Now it's your turn to keep your promise."

Liu Tian put the storage bag away with satisfaction. "Look, Brother Huang, you're in a hurry again."

Ji Yuan's face darkened.

"Do you know how much effort I put into getting this batch of pills? I suspect that the Ice and Fire Elder has even been eyeing me. If it weren't for... if it weren't for the connections I have, I would have been taken down long ago."

Liu Tian smiled, but in his heart he was thinking... If it weren't for the connections you have, would a good-for-nothing like you even think you could infiltrate our branch?

"Don't worry, Brother Huang, we will definitely take you away. The only question is, what about what's behind you...?"

As Liu Tian spoke, he glanced in the direction Ji Yuan had come from, and asked meaningfully, "Was there a tail?"

Ji Yuan scoffed upon hearing this.

"Besides the Demonic Path, who else do you think could accept me right now?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Tian's lips twitched slightly. "Heh, the way you put it, it makes it sound like our Demonic Path is some kind of shady place."

"Let's go, don't delay any longer. I didn't ask for leave before I left. If we linger any longer, it will be even more troublesome if they come looking for us."

Ji Yuan said in an impatient tone.

"hehe."

Liu Tian chuckled and didn't reply. Instead, he took out two communication talismans from his storage bag. He didn't hide them and activated them in front of Ji Yuan, saying a few words.

A moment later, the communication talisman lit up. After listening to the words inside, he nodded and said:

"Alright, since that's the case, let's go."

Ji Yuan guessed that he was trying to make sure that there was no dirt behind him.

So it seems there really is a base here.

As Ji Yuan turned around, he subtly withdrew his hand from the beautiful woman's bosom, and then released his divine sense, which spread freely outwards.

His cultivation has now reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. With the blessing of the Meditation Room and the nourishment of the Nine Palaces Soul Suppressing Scripture, his divine sense has completely crossed the threshold of the mid-stage of Golden Core.

Even so, he couldn't find any trace of those demonic cultivators in the vicinity.

Not only did he not discover the demonic cultivator, he also failed to detect the figure of the Ice and Fire Elder.

"senior?"

Ji Yuan tentatively called out in his own mind.

"Just keep walking."

Ji Yuan was relieved to hear the response from the Ice and Fire Elder. If the Ice and Fire Elder hadn't been with him, he might have run away on his own.

As for eradicating demonic strongholds... none of that is as important as my own life.

Then Liu Tian released one of his flying boats that looked like a dead tree, while Ji Yuan summoned Huang Richeng's boat again. Just as he was thinking about whether to pause for a while and wait for the woman to set off together, he saw the woman jump onto Liu Tian's flying boat very naturally, and she did so as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

...Huang Richeng, Huang Richeng, you really do have some talent.

While sighing inwardly, Ji Yuan also considered another possibility.

The reason Huang Richeng was able to connect with the demonic cultivators might be because this female cultivator acted as a go-between. If that's the case...

It's still uncertain who cheated on whom.

Ji Yuan pondered for a moment, then followed behind Liu Tian, ​​rising from Qingjing Mountain and continuing northward.

Just when Ji Yuan thought they would have to cross the Falling Star River to reach Shuibei, he saw Liu Tian make a hand seal to conceal his figure, and then transmit his voice, saying, "Follow me!"

After saying this, seeing that no one was around, he plummeted straight down from mid-air into the Falling Star River.

Ji Yuan was a step behind, still making hand seals, when the words of the Ice and Fire Elder echoed in his mind once more.

"Heh, so you were hiding in the Falling Star River. No wonder we didn't have a single clue. Kid, follow them. Today, we're going to pull off something big."

Ji Yuan understood after hearing this.

The demonic cultivators' stronghold here was actually inside the Falling Star River. The river itself could block divine sense detection and also eliminate their aura.

Therefore, even if these demonic cultivators are seen entering the Falling Star River, finding them is not so easy.

Ji Yuan remained silent this time.

He and Liu Tian landed in the Falling Star River almost one after the other. Perhaps because they used magic, not even a ripple was stirred up.

Because this place is located upstream of the Falling Star River, where the water is swift, Ji Yuan put a water-repelling talisman on himself after entering the water, which allowed him to see his surroundings clearly.

Even though this place is upstream, the water is still hundreds of meters deep.

The river water was clear, and without any divine sense to probe it, Ji Yuan saw two half-spirit fish in his field of vision... If he took them to Zengtou City, he could probably sell them for a low-grade spirit stone.

Fisherman Ji instinctively wanted to go back to his old profession.

Liu Tian, ​​with the woman by his side, stopped around him and transmitted his voice:

"There's a formation here. I'll take you through it in a bit. Remember, there won't be anyone to take you next time."

"it is good."

After Ji Yuan agreed, he saw Liu Tian make a few hand seals and then recite a few incantations. As his voice fell, the surrounding waters trembled, and as a streak of blue light flashed, huge bubbles appeared one after another.

"This is the third-tier formation, the 'Illusory Water Formation.' It has its own internal space, and the path to enter is different each time. I will only teach you this once, so watch carefully."

As Liu Tian spoke, he rushed into the first bubble, with Ji Yuan following closely behind.

Liu Tian then led the way, providing a detailed explanation as he went.

Ji Yuan discovered that when Liu Tian was still hesitant to speak, he was extremely wary of him. But now that he had agreed to take him under his wing, he was no longer wary and instead spoke in great detail, even giving the impression of being thorough in every aspect.

After a while, he and Liu Tian successfully passed through the formation and finally arrived at a cave on the north bank of the Falling Star River.

As soon as Ji Yuan arrived, he sensed the sinister aura emanating from the cave. This was... a demon's lair!

Moreover, when he crossed this formation earlier, he carefully examined it and found that the formation was indeed quite ingenious.

If you don't use a specific hand seal to activate the formation, you won't notice anything unusual even if you just pass by this door.

The effect was exactly as Liu Tian had described; the formation created its own space.

Ji Yuan called out in his mind, "Senior?"

"I'll stay outside. This third-tier formation is quite complex. If I force my way in, I might alert the enemy. You should go in and investigate to see if there are any Golden Core demonic cultivators inside."

Although the old man of ice and fire was still speaking, his voice sounded somewhat intermittent.

It's like... no signal.

"Let's go, Brother Huang. Now that you're here, you've practically stepped into our branch. From now on, you're one of us."

Liu Tian put his arm around the woman beside him and laughed loudly.

Ji Yuan's eyes revealed just the right amount of joy, and then he stepped into the demon's lair.

Before entering, Ji Yuan thought that this demon cave was just an ordinary cave with four or five demonic cultivators gathered inside. But when he actually released his divine sense to investigate, he realized how wrong he was.

This isn't some kind of demon's lair; it's practically a marketplace.

It has three levels: upper, middle, and lower. The lowest level is inhabited by a number of demonic cultivators in the Qi Refining stage. There are many cultivators in total, numbering around a hundred.

The middle level was inhabited by some Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivators, and their numbers were much smaller. Including Liu Tian and this woman who just came in, there were only twelve of them.

There's only one person on the upper level.

It was a one-armed man wrapped in a large black robe. Ji Yuan's divine sense had just touched him, and before he could even figure out his cultivation level, the man suddenly looked up in the direction of the cave.

Without saying a word, Ji Yuan withdrew his divine sense and walked behind Liu Tian, ​​pretending to be calm.

In less than a breath's time, a black light flew from ahead, landing in front of the three and transforming into the appearance of the one-armed man.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Liu Tian quickly bowed and clasped his hands in a salute.

"I have met the Divine Condor Master."

The woman, who was suspected to be Huang Richeng's Daoist partner, knelt down on the ground, not daring to raise her head at all.

Ji Yuan could not possibly kneel down. He simply cupped his hands in a slight gesture and, mimicking Liu Tian's manner, said, "Greetings, Divine Condor Master."

"You're Xuanxiao's illegitimate son?"

The Divine Condor Master glanced at Ji Yuan and frowned.

"Yes……"

Ji Yuan subtly revealed a hint of embarrassment.

"Does it have a tail?"

Master Shendiao turned his head to look in the direction of the door.

"Both No. 1 and No. 2 have been checked and there is no tail. These are the Spirit Gathering Pills that Huang Richeng offered, and they are all here."

Liu Tian presented the storage bag with both hands.

The Divine Condor Master took it with his only remaining left hand, glanced at it, and said, "Not bad."

After saying that, he walked straight through the two of them to the entrance of the cave.

Even without using his divine sense to investigate, Ji Yuan could guess that he was definitely using his divine sense to investigate the situation outside.

...The Ice and Fire Elder's spiritual sense is already at the peak of the Golden Core stage, so the Divine Condor Master shouldn't be that strong.

It's unclear whether this guy sneaked over from Shangxi or is a native demonic cultivator from Shangdong.

The Divine Condor Master had not returned, and Ji Yuan dared not make a move.

After waiting for about ten breaths, the Golden Core cultivator returned and casually instructed, "Take him to verify his identity. After it's over, bring him back to see me."

"Yes."

Liu Tian clasped his hands and bowed again.

Ji Yuan was confused, so he had no choice but to follow. However, judging from this, this group of demonic cultivators should be trustworthy, at least they did not have the intention to kill anyone.

With the instructions from this Golden Core cultivator, the rest was simple.

Ji Yuan followed Liu Tian to the middle level of the demon cave. He first received a set of spirit robes and a token to verify his identity. Then he lit his soul lamp in a cave. Finally, another Foundation Establishment cultivator registered his information, and the process was complete.

Ji Yuan was initially puzzled. Did joining the demonic sect branch mean that one didn't need to use any demonic methods, like controlling life?

But Liu Tian's words quickly dispelled Ji Yuan's doubts.

He said, "You've already been cursed with blood ties before, so we won't repeat it this time. Just light your soul lamp to go through the process."

"Alright, from now on, Brother Huang is one of us. Now that you have a legitimate identity, we'll have to take good care of you in the future."

At this moment, Liu Tian's voice was no longer gloomy; in fact, it sounded somewhat cheerful.

Ji Yuan had dealt with the demonic path before, and he knew that the demonic path in Shangdong was extremely disgusted with the righteous path, but treated its own people in the demonic path fairly well.

"Of course, I'm new here, so I'll have to rely on Brother Liu for help."

"Alright, there's plenty of time for casual conversation later. Let's take Brother Huang to see the Divine Condor Master first."

Liu Tian continued to lead the way, but the woman from before... had left alone after arriving at the middle level of this demon cave.

They didn't even say hello.

Moreover, ever since she heard the Condor Heroes say that Huang Richeng was one of their own, she has lost even more interest.

It seems that this woman was specifically there to recruit talent for the demonic path.

To get from the middle level to the upper level, you need to go through a circular staircase.

Upon arriving at this point, Liu Tian stopped, saying, "Brother Huang, you may proceed on your own."

"Um."

Ji Yuan took a deep breath before stepping onto the stairs and ascending the path until he reached the top of the demon cave.

There aren't many rooms or buildings here anymore; all that's left is a small courtyard.

Ji Yuan came up the steps and appeared at the entrance of the courtyard.

"Come in."

The voice of the Divine Condor Master came from inside. Ji Yuan bowed and agreed. After entering the house, he saw the Golden Core True Man again in the courtyard.

Inside the demon cave, the sun never shines; only the surrounding stone walls are inlaid with many luminous pearls, illuminating the place as if it were daytime.

"sit."

The Divine Condor Master casually pointed to the spot opposite him.

"Your subordinate dares not."

"Sit down when I tell you to."

"Yes."

Ji Yuan then dared to sit with half his buttocks on the chair, looking very restrained and frightened.

Looking at his expression, the Divine Condor Master sneered, "My cultivation is nowhere near as strong as your cheapskate father's. You're not afraid of your father, so why are you so terrified of me?"

"Because my father won't kill me, but you, sir, might."

Ji Yuan "Speaks the Truth".

"That's interesting."

The Divine Condor Master chuckled, flipped his right hand, and took out a blood-stained clasp from his storage bag, which was imbued with a familiar aura.

"Your bloodline curse has landed on this blood knot. If I were to break it even slightly, you would die instantly..."

Ji Yuan was so frightened that his face turned pale.

"But I'd rather return this blood token to you," the Divine Condor Master said, glancing at him.

With a deathly pale face, Ji Yuan forced a smile and asked, "What does Senior need me to do?"

"He's got some brains. Looks like he's not as bad as Liu Tian made him out to be."

The Divine Condor Master stood up, put away the blood clasp, paced back and forth a few times, and then took out a jade slip from his storage bag and placed it on the table.

"Give this to your father."

Ji Yuan seemed extremely frightened upon seeing this, and abruptly stood up. "No, senior! If he finds out I've joined the demonic path, he'll definitely kill me!"

The Divine Condor Master wasn't angry when he heard this; instead, he just smiled.

"If you don't give him this jade slip, how will you know if he's one of ours?"

"Or rather, are you one of us?"

As he spoke, he clapped his hands, and the tightly locked door behind him suddenly opened, revealing a familiar figure.

"I only have one question: how did you, Huang Richeng, come back from the dead?"

(End of this chapter)