Immortality begins with upgrading buildings

Chapter 39, Second Floor

Blood in semen, it's unbelievable that it appeared in this way.

Ji Yuan's first reaction was that this truly was a world of cultivation... He casually made a move and retrieved the blood essence.

Half an ounce of blood essence, no bigger than a billiard ball, still feels slightly warm when held in the hand.

Even if this stuff isn't refined into a pill, simply swallowing it would probably have an excellent healing effect.

If he were to sell it, this half-ounce of blood essence would be worth 10 spirit stones. Ji Yuan was indeed planning to sell it, but not now. He planned to stock up on more before going, so as not to go too often and attract attention.

Ji Yuan examined it for a while, then took out a jade box and put it away.

He looked at the panel, where the effects and upgrade requirements of the level 3 [Pigpen] were already displayed.

[Pigpen: LV3]

[Effective properties: Produces 1 tael of Jade Fat per month; after slaughtering a spirit pig, its heart will always yield a "Tempering Pearl"]

[Upgrade Requirements: 50 Medium-Grade Spirit Stones, 5 Jin of Earth Core Lava, Refine a Qi and Blood Pill (Not yet achieved)]

Jade-Nourishing Oil?

Ji Yuan had never seen it before, but he had heard people talk about it at the Treasure Pavilion. It was a treasure that could be used to repair cracks in magic artifacts and even magic weapons!

If a magical artifact is damaged in a battle, you can either nurture it with your own spiritual power or find a weapon refiner to help you repair it.

It's too slow to recover on your own, and it's too troublesome to find a weapon refiner. Going back and forth would also cost a lot more spirit stones.

Often, the repairs and maintenance are enough to buy a new magic weapon.

However, the wonderful substance Runyuzhi can perfectly solve these two problems. Its only drawback is that the output is a bit low, only one ounce per month and one pound per ten months.

The second miraculous effect is the "Qianqiao Pearl," which Ji Yuan has never heard of.

However, judging from the effects of level 1 and level 2 [Pigpen], plus the name, it should still be related to body refinement?

Even if it isn't, it should still be a good thing for nourishing acupoints.

Overall, the level 3 [Pigpen] is very effective, but the upgrade conditions are a bit difficult. Not to mention the required spirit stones and lava from the earth's core, there's also the final step of refining the Qi and Blood Pill... It seems that in addition to the side job of talisman master, I'll also need to start a side job as an alchemist.

Very well, consider this preparation for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill in advance.

Ji Yuan, lost in thought, got up, stretched, and then glanced at the red-crested chicken, which had mostly recovered.

Hmm... I'll come back in a few days to get some rooster comb blood.

Having already experienced the wonders of this thing, Ji Yuan naturally wouldn't let it go.

He then went to wash up and change into clean clothes. That night, unusually, he didn't cultivate. Instead, he gave up the 20% boost in spiritual energy and simply lay down on his small bed.

As he drifted off to sleep, Ji Yuan was also reviewing the life-or-death struggle.

In short, it all boils down to one sentence: it's a battle of wits, a battle of resources and tactics!

The White Water Flying Sword, capable of withstanding the Yin Ghost Banner; the Water Drop Finger, capable of strangling Yin Ghosts; the Rooster Comb Blood, capable of breaking through formations; the Water Escape Talisman, used for escaping; and the Demon Suppression Talisman, used to suppress the Ghost Island Lord.

In addition, there's the final, deadly needle.

With so many methods at his disposal, if he were to lack even one, Ji Yuan might very well become the drowned ghost of Yun Yuze.

If there's any shortcoming, it's the lack of offensive methods. The "Water Drop Finger" alone is no longer enough to sustain a battle between mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

So after I sell the items at the Treasure Pavilion tomorrow and make some profit, I'll have to buy the second layer of "Water Drop Finger" and see if there are any other suitable spells.

While pondering, Ji Yuan drifted off to sleep.

……

at the same time.

On the waters outside Black Mist Island, near Huaiyinfang, two Buddhist flying boats are moored.

A man and a woman were standing on the airship.

If Ji Yuan were here, he would recognize that the woman standing on the flying boat was the same peach-blossom-eyed female cultivator he had seen at shop number 18 last time.

"The black mist... has dissipated."

The female cultivator looked at the famous Black Mist Island in front of her and said with a slight surprise.

"Yes, that old ghost is dead."

Dressed in a long black robe, Yao Jingfeng crossed his arms, a slight smile in his eyes. "That kid from Zengtou City, he seems to be only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, right?"

Du Wanyi turned to look at him. "You mean, he killed Old Ghost?"

"Um."

Yao Jingfeng nodded, without explaining how he knew.

But since he said it, Du Wanyi believed him.

"Who would have thought that the Ghost Island Lord, who possessed array formations, would die at the hands of an unknown nobody?"

"Don't worry, someone with such skills can't be unknown. We'll probably find out his name very soon."

Yao Jingfeng sighed, "Not to mention the world, even in our small Yunyuze, geniuses are as numerous as carp crossing a river."

Du Wanyi wholeheartedly agreed, "To have this level of strength at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, becoming a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator is practically a certainty. Should we invite him in now?"

"There's no rush. Let's wait until he reaches the later stages. Besides, he's from Zengtou City after all. If we intervene rashly, it might displease Blind Qin."

"Then we can wait a little longer..."

After Du Wanyi finished speaking, she turned to Yao Jingfeng and asked, "You should be able to join the Water Dragon Sect next year, right? Has Senior Brother Huang made the arrangements for you?"

Speaking of this, Yao Jingfeng rarely smiled. "Don't worry, we all came from Yunyuze, so we'll definitely take care of each other."

That would be best.

Du Wanyi nodded slightly.

……

The next morning, Ji Yuan, who got up early, collected the spirit eggs for the day, along with the blood essence worth 10 spirit stones, and then sailed to Zengtou City.

He first sold the Coldblood Bass he had caught along the way at the fish market, earning a small profit of 18 spirit stones.

He then went to Baibaolou, as only Baibaolou could handle the supplies he needed to sell that day.

He first went to the magic artifact area, and under the watchful eyes of the Water Dragon Sect's on-duty cultivators, took out the magic boat that Wei Caishan had obtained.

"20 spirit stones." The cultivator on duty glanced at it casually.

Ji Yuan then took out the white boat from which he had erased the mark. Only then did the cultivator on duty take it more seriously. After examining it closely, he gave an estimate: "27 spirit stones."

Although both are low-grade magic ships, Ji Yuan's white boat is a full 7 spirit stones more expensive.

"make a deal."

Just as the on-duty cultivator was about to pay with spirit stones, Ji Yuan took out the tattered robe of the Ghost Island Lord, along with his protective skull token.

"Um?"

The appearance of these two items clearly indicates murder and robbery.

So the cultivator on duty took a closer look at Ji Yuan, especially after seeing Ji Yuan's appearance and age, and said with interest, "He's quite ruthless."

"If you work hard, you still have a chance to become our junior brother."

"Thank you for the compliment, senior." Ji Yuan bowed respectfully.

"76 spirit stones in total, will you sell?"

After the on-duty monks had checked everything, they gave Ji Yuan the final price.

"Sell!"

Ji Yuan had no questions about the price. After selling all the goods, he originally thought of selling the unnecessary pills and talismans as well. But then he thought that he didn't need the money right now, so it was better to keep them for later, since he might need them sometime.

He finally arrived at the spellcasting area, where the same white-haired old cultivator from last time was on duty.

But he clearly didn't remember Ji Yuan. He glanced up at her, then lowered his head again. "What do you want?"

Ji Yuan stepped forward and smiled slightly, "May I ask, senior, do you possess the second level of the 'Water Drop Finger'?"

"The Water Drop Finger, the second layer?!"

Both titles were familiar, but they were quite unusual when put together. The white-haired cultivator thought for a moment and realized that he had been working at the Treasure Pavilion for over a decade, but he had never heard anyone ask for the second level of the Water Drop Finger.

He then sat up straight and carefully examined Ji Yuan. After a while, he remembered what he had done, then clapped his hands and laughed:

"So it was you, kid."

(End of this chapter)