Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 346 Celebrating the Success of the Elixir! [10,000 words, seeking monthly votes]

"Is this... the Golden Core cultivation level?"

Ji Yuan sensed the fullness emanating from his dantian, and in the end, he also discovered that his perception of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth had deepened.

It's like... it used to be 720p, but now it's become 1080p?

I don't know if this description is accurate, but that's the general feeling.

Before leaving, Ji Yuan released his divine sense slightly, and soon he discovered that after his cultivation reached the Core Formation stage, not only had the range of his divine sense expanded, but even his perception of subtle details had become much stronger.

"It seems that my previous guess was correct. After the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain was shrunk to its smallest size, Core Formation cultivators could not detect my presence, but Nascent Soul cultivators should be able to see it. Their spiritual sense is far superior to that of Core Formation cultivators."

As for the extent of the divine sense's coverage after the Core Formation, Ji Yuan had no idea.

Anyway, it's definitely not a good idea to try this now that we're on this mountain in the western border.

If I see something I shouldn't, or if I attract the attention of a powerful cultivator, then I'll be in trouble.

After briefly experiencing the changes in his cultivation as he formed his core, Ji Yuan quickly used the remaining effects of the Core Essence Fruit to stabilize his cultivation.

At the same time, he also summoned many spirit stones from this [spiritual vein], spread them around his body, and began to absorb the pure spiritual energy inside to replenish his golden core.

"I remember Master saying that pills are divided into three grades. Most people's golden pills are just golden pills, but if they are purified, they can be transformed into blood pills, and blood pills can eventually be transformed into purple pills."

"Once the Golden Core transforms into the Purple Core, in terms of magical power alone, the magical power of a Purple Core cultivator can be five times higher than that of a Golden Core cultivator of the same level."

"As for how to purify the Golden Core, my master gave several methods, but I can only use one of them... the Four-Colored Spirit Egg."

"But these four-colored spirit eggs can only be produced by a level 4 [Chicken Coop]. There is a hard condition for upgrading the [Chicken Coop] to level 4, which is that one's cultivation must reach the Golden Core Realm. I have already achieved that. What I lack is the [Chicken Coop] made by the Soul-Eating Ghost Willow. In that case, after I come out of seclusion, I will have to start setting up this place."

After the thought crossed his mind, Ji Yuan continued to consolidate his cultivation.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Ji Yuan opened his eyes during his spiritual practice, and countless past events seemed to appear and disappear before his eyes.

He has now firmly established himself at the Core Formation stage, unless he encounters any major upheaval, such as having his dantian shattered by a powerful enemy or his meridians broken.

It's impossible for him to fall to a lower realm.

So Ji Yuan looked at the solid golden core in his dantian and was somewhat dazed.

Having lived two lives, in the previous life he ended his short life before he was even thirty years old, and in those thirty years... he went to school, worked, and actually didn't come into contact with many people and things.

It can only be said that they were barely used as fillers in this world, or like NPCs in a large-scale live-action game.

But what about this lifetime?

If we include the childhood experiences I didn't go through, I'm already sixty-six years old.

More than sixty years have passed, spanning two continents.

Ji Yuan had long since adapted to and integrated into this world, so when he looked back on his journey and, with the feeling of finally achieving the Golden Core stage, he was somewhat dazed.

Who could have imagined that a humble fisherman on the shore of Yunyu Marsh would eventually become a Golden Core cultivator?

Ji Yuan recalled the situation when the Water Dragon Sect recruited disciples in Yunyuze. At that time, it was mostly Qi Refining stage disciples in charge, but there was a Foundation Establishment cultivator who was piloting a flying magic weapon and floating in mid-air. Just the aura he exuded made the group of fishermen dare not look up.

The legendary Core Formation cultivator has vanished without a trace, though it is said that he is hiding deep within the Cloud Rain Marsh, specifically in charge of this matter.

But now?

Those who have reached the Foundation Establishment stage are like ants, while those who have reached the Golden Core stage can be called fellow Daoists.

Ji Yuan chuckled to himself, shook his head, then stood up, shaking off the spirit stone powder covering his body. He then casually made a hand seal, and his wide, cloud-patterned blue robe was clean again.

He first sensed his surroundings, and then a thought struck him.

"Bang—"

After a soft sound, he transformed into a streak of icy blue light, darting out from the [Spirit Vein] and finally landing in front of Tu Yue.

Looking at the still obedient corpse puppet in front of him, Ji Yuan felt as if he were seeing the path he had come from.

From the small house next to Yunyuze, Tu Yue stayed by his side, serving him tea and water, washing his clothes and massaging his back. Of course, most of the time she was still feeding the pigs and chickens.

Then came Misty Island and Worry-Free Island.

And the present-day Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.

She was the person who had been by his side the longest and accompanied him the longest... oh no, to be precise, she was a corpse, but what does it matter?

For Ji Yuan, this corpse puppet was far more useful than a human.

"Your master has finally achieved Core Formation! Aren't you going to congratulate him?"

In front of outsiders, Ji Yuan couldn't reveal his joy after achieving the Core Formation. Even when he came out of seclusion this time, he still had to use the "Breath Concealment Technique" passed down by Hua Yaoyue to pretend to be a pseudo-Core Formation cultivator who had not yet broken through.

Therefore, he could only vent his excitement in front of Tu Yue.

Unfortunately, Tu Yue doesn't have her own consciousness. Even when she speaks, Ji Yuan has to manipulate her to open her mouth. "Congratulations... Master, you have formed... Core Formation."

She can speak now, but unfortunately Ji Yuan doesn't have time to train her.

Otherwise, he wouldn't stutter so much when he speaks.

"Don't worry, once your master has cultivated diligently, he'll help you reach the Core Formation stage!"

In high spirits, Ji Yuan had already started making empty promises to Tu Yue. As for actually helping Tu Yue achieve the Core Formation... just thinking back to when he helped her establish her Foundation, he knew how difficult that would be.

Tu Yue was puzzled, but obediently handed over all the storage bags she was carrying.

He secluded himself for ten years, plus the three years he spent in the Fallen Immortal Valley.

Tu Yue is in charge of all the production of the [Spirit Vein].

Over the course of thirteen years, this level 3 [spiritual vein] produced 48 mid-grade spirit stones for Ji Yuan.

That's why Ji Yuan dared to make the bold statement that he wanted to buy the Void Stone.

He realized that after he formed his core and left, he would inevitably have some other expenses, so he took half of Tu Yue's spirit stones first. Of course, he had already taken them several times before.

Even so, he still managed to take away nearly 20 mid-grade spirit stones this time.

When he came out of Lingtai Fangcun Mountain and arrived at the secluded cave outside, everything was still the same.

He surveyed everything in the stone chamber, thinking that this was not the behavior of someone in seclusion. So, with a wave of his hand, he put the three rolls of sandalwood calming incense in the corner of the stone chamber, along with the two bottles of calming pills on the stone table, into his storage bag.

As he looked at the brand-new meditation cushion, he sensed that it actually had a calming effect!

The product is good.

Received.

Anyway, I've already paid for it myself.

Before leaving, he used his magic to make some adjustments, making it look like a failed breakthrough in cultivation. Then he put away the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain on the ground, took another step, and his aura plummeted. In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a genuine early-stage Core Formation cultivator into a fake Core Formation cultivator.

After confirming that there were no problems, he suppressed his excitement and pretended to be a distraught pseudo-core cultivator. He then piloted a flying boat away from the cave and headed straight for the main hall at the top of the mountain.

Each cultivator who emerges from seclusion receives a token to hand over their cave dwelling in the main hall atop the mountain, and settles the spirit stones spent on their seclusion.

When Ji Yuan came up, he discovered that all the cultivators on duty were actually like him—pseudo-core cultivators!

These seemingly high-ranking pseudo-core cultivators outside are reduced to doing tasks like collecting and distributing spirit stones inside the Black and White Temple.

Is this the essence of the Black and White Temple?

Of course, the people being received here are all pseudo-Core Formation cultivators. If a cultivator with too low a cultivation level were to be placed here, it would inevitably be suspected of being disrespectful.

That's understandable.

After Ji Yuan returned the token in his hand to the beautiful female cultivator in the pink dress, the female cultivator took it, first looked up at Ji Yuan in surprise, and then took out a storage bag.

"These are the spirit stones you had saved up earlier, please accept them."

This fake cultivator was not only beautiful, but also had a pleasant voice.

Ji Yuan intended to take it and leave, not wanting to linger, but after scanning the storage bag with his divine sense, he realized... something was wrong.

Not a single spirit stone was missing from this place.

Ji Yuan remembered that he had been given 30,000 spirit stones when he went into seclusion, and now that he had come out of seclusion... at least 8000 spirit stones should be deducted from his account.

How come not a single piece is missing?

"Fellow Daoist, is there some misunderstanding?"

Something was amiss. Ji Yuan wasn't going to be greedy for such a small gain; if something went wrong, it would be even more troublesome. So, without even putting it away, he immediately pointed to his storage bag and asked.

"No, a senior has already settled the rental fee for you."

The woman in the pink dress answered with a smile.

"Senior? Which senior...?"

Ji Yuan initially thought it would be Liu Yuan, or perhaps Mu Xueyao, but before he could finish asking, he saw a golden streak of light suddenly fly out from the depths of the hall, landing behind the female cultivator and transforming into a middle-aged man dressed in black and white robes.

Ji Yuan stared at him, momentarily stunned, but quickly came to her senses.

"Greetings, senior."

This person was the Core Formation cultivator who had previously helped him with his seclusion, so... it was he who paid the spirit stones for him?

After a moment's thought, Ji Yuan guessed that this person, who was neither related to him nor anyone else, was probably someone who had noticed the unusual phenomenon when he formed his core and whose identity had been revealed.

Fortunately, these are all minor issues.

Ji Yuan was surprised, but he was even more surprised by the warm wine.

He knew that the extraordinary phenomenon of Core Formation that had alarmed all the cultivators in the city was caused by this unknown man in blue robes. Such a spectacle, and the final act of suppressing the Core Formation phenomenon.

This clearly indicates a successful completion of the Core Formation process.

But why... is he still only at the Pseudo-Core Formation level?!

This doesn't make sense!

Ji Yuan noticed his surprise, and then a deep regret flashed in his eyes. His shoulders slumped, and he sighed, saying with pity:

"I made a crucial mistake; I failed at the final step of condensing the core. I can only try again next time."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, senior. I'll have to pay for the spirit stones myself."

Several thousand mid-grade spirit stones is not a small amount, even for a Core Formation cultivator, let alone a Core Formation early stage cultivator.

In the early stages of Core Formation, when refining one's natal magic weapon, spirit stones are in high demand.

Ji Yuan didn't want to owe this huge favor for nothing.

So after some refusals, Ji Yuan ended up paying for the spirit stones himself. But with Senior Wen's help, the final price was much cheaper, and Ji Yuan was only charged 6000 mid-grade spirit stones.

That's equivalent to a 40% discount.

Just as Ji Yuan was about to leave, the female cultivator in the pink dress seemed to have received some news. She paused slightly, but still smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, it seems you took the futon from our Western Territory Mountain Cave. That item... is chargeable."

Upon hearing this, Wen Jiu glanced at the woman and said calmly:

"Just hang up on me."

Before Ji Yuan could speak, Wen Jiu said first, "Fellow Daoist, there's no need to refuse such a small item."

Ji Yuan could naturally tell that this person intended to befriend him, and since he had already refused the kindness once, if he refused even this small thing, it would make him seem too heartless.

"In that case, thank you, senior."

Ji Yuan bowed to him, then thought for a moment and took out a brand new communication talisman from his storage bag. As he handed it over, he gently tapped it.

"This is my communication talisman. If you ever have any questions for me in the future, please feel free to send me a message."

He casually took the warm wine, but the initial enthusiasm on his face had vanished.

The process of forming the elixir is inherently a matter of initial effort followed by decline and eventual exhaustion.

Now, having failed on the very first attempt and fallen just before success, the prospect of forming the Golden Core again is incredibly difficult, perhaps even more so than ascending to heaven.

So what if a fake Core Formation cultivator is truly from Tingtao Li?

That's all there is to it.

But out of politeness, he accepted it anyway.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan summoned his flying boat, bowed, and left.

Just as he left the main hall on the mountaintop and Wen Jiu was about to leave as well, he suddenly noticed that a wisp of spiritual energy had dissipated from the communication talisman that he had carelessly discarded in his storage bag.

"That is..."

Wen Jiu stopped walking, and a look of shock suddenly appeared in his eyes beneath the iron armor.

"The magical power of a Core Formation stage cultivator!"

He turned around abruptly, but there was no sign of Li Changshou behind him.

A smile played on his lips beneath his armor, as he thought to himself, "Excellent, excellent. Such skill so early in his Core Formation, even I can't see through it. Truly interesting... and he's deliberately hiding it. If I hadn't agreed to the prayer mat at the last minute, he probably wouldn't have told me at all. Looks like today's trip was worthwhile!"

Wenjiu then looked at the communication talisman in his storage bag. "He has just formed his core and must have a lot to do. He won't be in the mood to talk much if I go now. It's better to wait until later."

He warmed the wine with the intention of making friends.

If it were Ji Yuan, wouldn't it be the same?

A Core Formation cultivator from the Black and White Temple offered an olive branch; he didn't look that old... As a newcomer, it's always good to have more friends.

After leaving the mountaintop, he landed in his flying boat and soon spotted two familiar figures among the many Core Formation cultivators.

Liu Yuan and Mu Xueyao.

They quickly came to greet him, but when they saw Ji Yuan, who was piloting the flying boat and looked listless, they were both incredulous.

Mu Xueyao was surprised that Ji Yuan hadn't actually broken through. It seemed that the one who had just broken through really wasn't him... But how could that be?

Liu Yuan's subconscious thought was, "Ji Yuan is so well prepared, how come he's already out of seclusion so quickly before even forming his core?"

Why don't you give it a try?

It's only been a year... that's a bit strange.

Ji Yuan looked at the two of them who came to greet him, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Next time... next time."

"Thank you both."

Without waiting for their reply, he steered his flying boat away.

Liu Yuan and Mu Xueyao quickly followed.

Seeing this, the remaining Core Formation cultivators only spoke up after Liu Yuan had left:

"See? I told you before, the process of forming a core isn't that simple."

"Indeed, many renowned pseudo-core cultivators have not yet succeeded. How can a mere unknown rogue cultivator hope to form a core in one fell swoop? It's too difficult, too difficult."

"I wonder which fellow Daoist caused that strange phenomenon earlier. I suppose that with the breakthrough and stabilization of his cultivation, it's about time he came out of seclusion."

"By the way, could it be that Li Changshou's failure to form his core was caused by that strange phenomenon?"

"No, this phenomenon of Core Formation is actually helpful for Core Formation. Even if he has truly sensed it, it will still benefit him. The fact that he hasn't formed his Core yet is simply because he lacks the talent."

"..."

Ji Yuan was unaware of the words spoken by the Core Formation cultivators behind him, but even if he had known, he would have felt fortunate.

That's a good thought. Ji Yuan was worried that they would target him.

He didn't speak. Liu Yuan and Mu Xueyao didn't dare to speak, fearing that he hadn't formed his core yet and that their words might upset him.

Especially Mu Xueyao, who didn't know where to begin in offering comfort. Could it be... that forming a core with a pseudo-spiritual root is really that difficult?

Or should we try harder next time?

Liu Yuan recalled Ji Yuan's personality back in the Canglu Continent, and he always felt that the guy was faking it.

But his expression didn't seem to be faking it.

Liu Yuan tried to find some clues from Ji Yuan, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't find any clues at all.

So they had no choice but to remain silent the whole way.

When the three of them returned to Ji Yuan's cave and passed through the formation, he noticed that Ji Yuan's listless aura had dissipated somewhat, and his dejected appearance was gone.

He looks much more energetic.

Especially when he stood under the peach tree, looking at the tree full of fruit.

"Brother Ji..."

Mu Xueyao also sensed the changes in Ji Yuan, so when she looked at the man in blue robes with his back to her, she couldn't help but call out softly.

Although Ji Yuan was still keeping his cultivation level under control, he could no longer contain his joy once the outsiders were gone.

Core Formation!

What an exciting thing this is!

After calming down for a moment and suppressing his excitement, he looked at the fist-sized pink summer peaches on the tree, picked two of the ripest ones, and turned around.

His aura changed slightly.

It was extremely natural for him to advance from the False Core stage to the Core Formation stage.

He presented the two freshly picked summer peaches with both hands, and said with a slight smile, "Thank you for your help, protectors. These are just a few small peaches, nothing special."

On the day the elixir is completed, I will present the new peaches to my old friends.

"..."

The Sword Master, who always claimed to be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, was drunk this time, and not just a little drunk.

Drunk, he leaned against the peach tree, holding a bottle of wine in one hand, one leg bent, and his hand on his knee, talking nonsense incessantly.

Ji Yuan also drank quite a bit, but thankfully he was still conscious.

He was worried that Liu Yuan, who was drunk, might say something he shouldn't.

For example, talking about things on the Canglu Continent... well, if we really talk about that... then we're pretty much doomed.

Fortunately, even when Liu Yuan was drunk, he knew what he should and shouldn't say.

On the contrary, Mu Xueyao, after getting drunk, kept punching and speaking in a dialect that Ji Yuan couldn't understand at all.

It can't even be considered a dialect anymore.

It's another language.

"I remember she said she came from the barren Northwest Sand Hell... She came to this Abyss Continent for two reasons: first, to find traces of that Old Demon Ji, and second, to seek revenge."

Ji Yuan had only a fleeting thought in his mind before he picked up the wine cup in his hand again.

Today is a joyous day, so don't worry too much.

"Come on, Brother Ji, let's have another drink."

Liu Yuan raised the wine jug in his hand and shouted loudly.

He was truly happy that Ji Yuan was able to form his core today.

The two of them came to this Abyss from Canglu, both wanting to be carefree rogue cultivators, but since they were rogue cultivators... a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator is hardly a rogue cultivator at all.

Only by forming the Golden Elixir can it be done.

Once one's cultivation reaches the Golden Core stage, one would be considered a prominent and influential figure anywhere in the Abyss Continent.

If you choose to leave, you can freely join any of the eight holy lands.

Even joining the Black and White Temple is just a matter of a word.

Golden Elixir Immortal.

They are extremely precious no matter where they are. Although the Black and White Temple is the number one power in the Extreme Abyss Continent, it will not complain about having too many Golden Core cultivators in its sect.

Therefore, once one has formed the Golden Core, one is truly a deity.

The world is vast, where can't we go?

Having successfully formed his core long ago, Liu Yuan now felt no regrets seeing his friend do the same. So, he prepared to do what he had longed to do for a long time: travel the entire Abyss Continent.

Thinking of this, he found it even harder to suppress his joy.

The celebratory banquet lasted for three days.

Although there were only three people, it was still a rare and joyful occasion for Ji Yuan.

If Liu Yuan hadn't come, and if he hadn't met Mu Xueyao, he probably would have had to celebrate alone.

So three days later, the Sword Master Jiu, who had promised to introduce Ji Yuan to new friends, finally left.

The rest of Ji Yuan and Mu Xueyao stayed at the entrance of the cave.

Mu Xueyao looked around and quickly thought of running away with her head down, but Ji Yuan had already called her back.

"When we discussed this last time, you said you would only tell me after I reached the Core Formation stage. Now that I have, if you still refuse to tell me, don't blame me for being impolite."

Standing under the peach tree, Ji Yuan looked at Mu Xueyao with a half-smile.

His eyes were hard to read.

Mu Xueyao reluctantly stopped and pouted, saying, "Brother Ji, you're so fierce."

"If he weren't so fierce, you would have already killed him back overseas, right?"

Ji Yuan said with a smile.

"Oh dear, didn't I say last time that I really mistook you for Old Demon Ji, which is why I rushed forward to acknowledge you? I didn't really intend to use you as a shield."

As Mu Xueyao spoke, she stepped forward and gently shook Ji Yuan's sleeve.

"Alright, sit down and let's talk."

Ji Yuan sat down at the stone table.

"OK."

Mu Xueyao quickly sat down next to him, her legs pressed tightly together, looking extremely obedient.

Actually, Ji Yuan had already laid it all out with Mu Xueyao a few years ago, but it wasn't so easy back then. Ji Yuan had set up the Reversal of Jianghu Formation in his cave, mobilized two third-tier Frost Dragons, and the Spirit Devouring Bees were ready to take action at any time. He had even mobilized the Spirit Platform Fangcun Mountain in his dantian.

Mu Xueyao knew he was an imposter, and Ji Yuan also knew that she knew he was an imposter.

That alone is enough.

The two had a very frank conversation, but they didn't reach any conclusions.

The main point is that Mu Xueyao made her attitude completely clear. She said that she completely trusted Ji Yuan, and even put on a posture of offering her neck for execution.

He said that if Ji Yuan could bring himself to do it, he could kill her at any time.

If she still doesn't believe it, she can hand over a wisp of her soul on the spot, and from then on be under Ji Yuan's control.

Ji Yuan actually accepted that wisp of divine soul back then; otherwise, he wouldn't have trusted her so much over the years.

"Tell me about it."

When Ji Yuan said this, he even made Mu Xueyao a cup of tea.

"Say it... alright, I... you... it's been ten years, Brother Ji, can't you see what I mean? I already said it last time, do I have to say it again?"

Mu Xueyao couldn't help but turn her face away, even her earlobes turned red.

"Cough cough."

Ji Yuan blushed, a rare occurrence for him. Mu Xueyao had indeed mentioned this matter four or five years ago when they confronted each other.

At the time, she said that she initially thought Ji Yuan was the Old Demon Ji, which was why she acted that way. But after arriving in Xijing City and spending many years together, she realized that the Brother Ji beside her was not the Old Demon Ji at all.

But when she came to her senses, she realized that the "Brother Ji" she had been living in her imagination was actually the "Brother Ji" standing right in front of her.

He is handsome and dashing, decisive and ruthless, meticulous in his planning, and most importantly, powerful.

If that's the case, then what else is there to say?

Just go with the flow.

That's why she was able to do all those things later on.

But Ji Yuan brought it up again today...

"I'm not asking you to talk about that, I just want to hear you talk about... revenge."

Ji Yuan hadn't yet formed his core, so he could only worry about himself in many things. Now that he has, things have to change a bit.

Over the years, Mu Xueyao has spared no effort in helping him, and in order to gain his trust, she was even willing to give up her own soul.

Regardless of their romantic relationship, Ji Yuan couldn't possibly ignore her situation just because she had gone to such lengths to help him.

When this matter was discussed last time, Mu Xueyao covered it up by mentioning the Core Formation.

Now that Ji Yuan has reached the Core Formation stage, we definitely need to get to the bottom of this.

If I can get revenge, then I'll do it anyway. If I'm not strong enough, then I'll cover it up for now.

But the prerequisite is that you have to know it yourself.

When this matter was brought up, Mu Xueyao lost her relaxed expression and became somewhat heavy.

After a long silence, she finally spoke: "I come from the Northwest Sand Prison, as you know, Brother Ji. I have two main grudges: one is the hatred for my parents and family, and the other is the hatred for the murder of my sister when I was on the run."

"The person who killed my sister is a force called the Yin Sha Sect in our Northwest Sand Prison. This is the information I have collected about the Yin Sha Sect over the years. Brother Ji, you can take a look first."

After Mu Xueyao finished speaking, she handed over a jade slip.

Ji Yuan took it and probed it with his divine sense. Soon, the information about the Yin Sha Sect entered Ji Yuan's mind.

In short, it's a demonic sect, without a trace of a righteous sect.

In terms of strength, the strongest is a sect leader in the late stage of Core Formation, there are three in the middle stage of Core Formation, and there are as many as eight in the early stage of Core Formation.

It's quite a force to be reckoned with.

"When are you planning to make your move?"

Ji Yuan put down the jade slip in his hand and asked.

Fortunately, although Mu Xueyao was eager for revenge, she still had the necessary caution. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to cultivate to the Core Formation stage as a rogue cultivator. So after a little consideration, she said, "To deal with a force like the Yin Sha Sect, the only way is to use brute force to annihilate it. Therefore, I will not consider taking action before I reach the late Core Formation stage."

"Alright, then Miss Mu, just call me when the time comes."

Ji Yuan felt that he had made his own efforts, plus the insignificant help from the panel.

When Mu Xueyao reaches the late stage of Core Formation, he should also have the cultivation level of the late stage of Core Formation.

With the addition of various methods, it should be possible to achieve near-invincibility among those of the same level, and annihilating a Yin Sha Sect should not be difficult.

"good!"

Mu Xueyao nodded vigorously. "Then I'll thank Brother Ji in advance."

"No need to be polite. As for the revenge for your parents..."

The fact that Mu Xueyao didn't mention this first means that this grudge is even harder to avenge and resolve.

Mu Xueyao looked at Ji Yuan and asked softly, "Brother Ji, do you know that we people in the Northwest Sand Prison are all called sinners?"

"A sinner? Why is that?"

"Moreover, my blond hair and blue eyes are the mark of a sinner. No matter how we cultivate ourselves, we cannot change the mark on us."

Mu Xueyao held a strand of golden hair in her hand, her expression slightly forlorn.

Before Ji Yuan could ask, she took the initiative to say, "I don't know the specifics, because it was too long ago. But when I was a child, I heard the elders in my clan say that a long, long time ago, there was a turmoil that swept across the entire Abyss Continent, which was started by our ancestors."

"Later, our ancestors failed and were banished to the Northwest Sand Hell, becoming sinners in the entire Abyss Continent. We are the descendants of sinners, and also sinners."

...And so it was again this upheaval that swept the world.

Ji Yuan had heard this saying before when he was with the Merfolk, and now he heard it from Mu Xueyao as well.

Moreover, Ji Yuan has collected and read a lot of historical materials over the years, but he has not seen any relevant descriptions.

It's as if... this real history has been deliberately erased.

Mu Xueyao continued, "So be it, I'm a sinner. I was born into that sand hell anyway, and I can't change that."

"At first everything was fine, but my parents told me that a hundred years ago, things suddenly changed. A group of elusive sand bandits appeared in the Sand Hell and started hunting down us sinners everywhere. My parents were killed by that group of sand bandits."

As Mu Xueyao spoke, her whole body trembled, and her fingernails dug deeply into her flesh.

Ji Yuan sighed and could only reach out and gently pat her back to comfort her.

"No...it's okay, I'm used to it."

Mu Xueyao quickly wiped away her tears, then let out a long breath to calm herself before continuing:

"Those sand bandits came here strangely. I investigated for a long time afterward and finally found a clue... Brother Ji, do you know who's supporting those sand bandits?"

"I don't know."

Ji Yuan was unaware of the power dynamics on the Abyss Continent.

"The Temple of Black and White".

"What?"

Ji Yuan was somewhat taken aback by the answer, but upon further reflection, he felt it made perfect sense.

"The Black and White Temple...why would we kill you?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it's related to that turmoil a long time ago, but I have no idea what it was."

Mu Xueyao gave a bitter laugh as she spoke, "I've given up on seeking revenge against the Black and White Temple. I only hope that one day I can kill those sand bandits who killed my parents."

"Um……"

Ji Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "To be on the safe side, we should wait until we have formed our Nascent Souls. Otherwise, even if we kill them, we won't be able to escape easily."

"Yes."

Mu Xueyao said frankly, "That's what I think too, so achieving Nascent Soul is my lifelong dream. I must achieve Nascent Soul and avenge my parents with my own hands!"

Only now did Ji Yuan feel that Mu Xueyao in front of him was more real; at least what she was showing now was her true feelings.

Of course, that includes some degree of affection for oneself.

But Ji Yuan believed that the most significant factor in her affection for him was his own abilities.

As for appearance and such, in the cultivation world, if you believed in that, you'd be dead fast enough.

"If I'm still alive then, just let me know."

"Brother Ji, you'll definitely live!"

Mu Xueyao nodded vigorously.

Ji Yuan smiled, then raised his right hand, pointing his index finger at Mu Xueyao's brow. A gray light flashed out and disappeared into it.

Mu Xueyao shuddered, but after realizing what was happening, her eyes lit up instantly.

Because she discovered that the wisp of soul that Ji Yuan returned... not only did not harm her, but actually strengthened her soul.

"Brother Ji, what you've done..."

Ji Yuan smiled; this was something he was discovering for the first time.

After he received Mu Xueyao's soul, he placed it in his sea of ​​consciousness, which naturally meant it was inside the Soul-Suppressing Bell.

Over time, he discovered that the Soul-Suppressing Bell not only strengthened his own soul, but also strengthened Mu Xueyao's wisp of soul.

Or perhaps it's the effect of the meditation room?

But regardless, it's good that it's improved. After taking someone's soul for so long, there has to be some compensation, right?

"I was lucky enough to get some good stuff, so I let you use it too."

As Ji Yuan spoke, he made a shushing gesture.

"Shhh."

"good!"

After discussing the matter, Mu Xueyao left and returned to her own cave.

Ji Yuan finally had some free time to study the Sword Canon for Core Formation stage cultivators.

In that case, the priority should be to forge nine complete flying swords first.

Having a sword blank alone is not enough.

However, to forge a flying sword, we still lack Purple Cloud Stones, so we can only upgrade the [Heavenly Crafting Workshop] first.

Upgrading the [Heavenly Crafting Workshop] currently requires one Mystic Ice Fire Lotus and two Nine Luminaries Stones.

There's been no news about the Mystic Ice Fire Lotus for now, but as for the Nine Luminaries Stone... perhaps we could ask Wenjiu from the Black and White Temple.

If he has connections, that would be best. If not, he can only look for opportunities to pick up a few Core Formation cultivators from the Black and White Temple.

In addition, there is the extremely rare Void Stone.

Two days ago, during the celebration, Mu Xueyao told Ji Yuan that she had already contacted the Zhou family of the Bone Nightmare Sect.

If a transaction were to take place now, she could make an appointment with the Zhou family to see if they could meet in this Western Border City.

This item would be of no use to Ji Yuan as it would be used to refine her own natal magic weapon, so she was sent to make contact to see if she could meet with the Zhou family as soon as possible.

In addition, Liu Yuan also made an appointment with Ji Yuan to introduce him to several Core Formation cultivators.

These are all his good friends in this Western City, and they are all decent people.

"If that's how you think about it, you'll still be busy for a while."

Ji Yuan muttered to himself.

He thought he should first meet Liu Yuan's friend and expand his social circle.

Moreover, Liu Yuan had been thinking about leaving for a long time. If it weren't for the fact that he was going to protect me when I formed my core, he probably would have been off wandering around somewhere long ago.

As for Wenjiu, we'll see when he contacts us.

Upon meeting the Zhou family... Ji Yuan planned to save his plans for last, so that he could be prepared to deal with any unexpected situations that might arise.

To Ji Yuan's surprise, before he could even leave the house, he received a message from Wen Jiu.

He first congratulated Ji Yuan, and then asked Ji Yuan if he was done with his work. If he was, he suggested that Ji Yuan come out and find a place to sit down.

There's nothing wrong with the plan itself.

So Wenjiu booked the location, and Jiyuan booked the time.

Two days later.

In the eastern part of Xijing City, in a restaurant called Yinxian Pavilion, Ji Yuan met Wen Jiu.

When he saw this Core Formation cultivator from the Black and White Temple again, he no longer felt that aloofness.

Dressed in casual clothes, he had a warm smile on his face and spoke with great enthusiasm.

"Come on, I haven't properly congratulated Brother Li yet. It was my poor eyesight that day that I failed to recognize Brother Li's true identity. Please don't blame me."

Wen Jiu stepped forward and said with a laugh.

Ji Yuan first cupped his hands in greeting, then naturally accepted the other party's words without addressing him as "fellow Daoist" again.

"Brother Wen, you're too kind."

"That's just my nature; I don't like to compete, so please don't blame me, Brother Wen."

"Brother Li, you're too kind. We've hit it off immediately, there's no question of blame between us."

After Wen Jiu finished speaking, he led Ji Yuan towards the head seat. After a lot of polite exchanges, Ji Yuan, the guest, finally sat in the head seat.

"Brother Li, you've probably never been to this Hidden Immortal Pavilion before, have you?"

"Oh, I am not from the Western Border City, and I have only been here for a short time, so I have never been here before."

Ji Yuan subtly revealed his identity.

"Brother Li is in for a treat today. The Hidden Immortal Pavilion has a delicious dish... You'll know once you try it."

Wen Jiu smiled and poured Ji Yuan a glass of spirit wine, then continued to ask casually:

"I wonder where Brother Li is from? Judging from your accent, it is indeed quite different."

"They came from the east."

Ji Yuan smiled, without saying much.

This is the far west, and Ji Yuan doesn't know much about it, so he went along with it and said that he came from the far east, which would solve the problem.

"The east is a wonderful place. I've always wanted to travel there, but unfortunately, I can't go because of my mission to the Black and White Temple."

Wenjiu shook his head and sighed.

Ji Yuan chuckled and said, "Brother Wen, that's going too far. The Black and White Temple is a place many people dream of joining but haven't had the chance to do yet."

"I wonder if Brother Li has the same idea? If so, I can certainly make some recommendations."

He warmed the wine and said casually.

(End of this chapter)