Starting My Immortal Life by Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 95: Breakthrough, Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!

“Do as I taught you before. Watch the house carefully. If any Spiritual Fish breaks through, kill it and store it in the storage pouch. Remember not to go to the front yard. If anyone comes, hide in the usual place.”

The usual place, naturally, referred to the bathroom.

Hiding in there, no ordinary person would pay attention to it.

Moreover, under normal circumstances, no one would dare intrude into Ji Yuan’s courtyard, who was already in the late stage of Qi Refining.

After giving instructions to Tu Yue, Ji Yuan saw her dazedly walk off to the backyard.

Only then did he raise his hand and throw out several talismans, sticking them to the doorway.

Although the cave dwelling already had a soundproofing effect, Ji Yuan still took multiple protective measures to avoid any disturbances.

Talismans like the Spirit-Isolating Talisman that blocked spiritual energy and the Safety Protection Talisman for safeguarding the house were all mid-grade talismans—not worth much, but practical.

The heavens and earth are vast, but breakthroughs come first!

After handling all this, Ji Yuan finally focused his thoughts and took out nearly five hundred low-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch, placing them around him. Then he began circulating the "Azure Sea Tide Technique".

Threads of spiritual energy from the surrounding stones began to seep into his body.

A breakthrough during the Qi Refining stage was mostly a matter of having enough spiritual energy, and everything else would naturally follow.

So the next step was simply to wait.

With the experience from previous breakthroughs, Ji Yuan estimated that even if five hundred stones weren’t quite enough, it wouldn’t fall short by much.

Breaking through from the eighth to the ninth layer of Qi Refining was still considered a minor breakthrough within the late stage.

Using low-grade spirit stones for this posed no issue.

However, when breaking from the late stage to the peak of Qi Refining, and from the peak to Foundation Establishment, mid-grade spirit stones would definitely be required.

The largest mountain range on the Cangluo Continent was called Shang Mountain. It lay at the center of the continent, running north to south, effectively splitting the entire landmass in two.

Two great rivers developed along the eastern and western slopes of Shang Mountain.

The western river was called Cangluo River, while the eastern one was the Falling Star River.

The Water Dragon Sect was one of the six great immortal sects in the eastern Shang region. Its base lay on the southern bank of the Falling Star River, amidst a vast expanse of islands in a boundless marshland.

Most of the Qi Refining disciples of the Water Dragon Sect lived and trained on an island called “Young Dragon Island”. A smaller group of disciples with talent in formations, talismans, alchemy, or artifact crafting resided on “Four Directions Island”.

Some who had become disciples of Foundation Establishment cultivators lived with their masters on various other outer islands.

In short, all sorts of arrangements existed.

At this moment, on Four Directions Island within the Water Dragon Sect—

Lu Wan, as usual, held a book of talisman scriptures in her left hand, while her right hand traced invisible shapes in the air.

Ever since joining the Water Dragon Sect, she had been completely relieved of pressure. Her personality had grown somewhat languid, and in her relaxed state, she even seemed more youthful and beautiful.

“Junior Sister Lu, someone’s looking for you outside.”

It was Mei Chen, also a disciple of Wu Wenbin, but one who had joined the Water Dragon Sect earlier, calling from outside the door.

“Coming.”

Lu Wan put down the book, rubbed her temples, and just as she reached the door, Mei Chen suddenly whispered,

“It’s those two from the Qin family.”

Lu Wan paused. “Got it.”

As she stepped out from the grand talisman hall, she saw the rather uneasy figures of Qin Long and He Laosan standing at the entrance.

Seeing Lu Wan emerge, both of them felt somewhat conflicted inside.

Back when Lu Wan was still in the Qin family, they had treated her harshly, bossing her around. But now that she had entered the Water Dragon Sect, even getting a meeting with her required going through connections.

Ordinary disciples of Four Directions Island wouldn’t have warranted such trouble, but Lu Wan’s talent—rumor had it that she had been sought after by several Foundation Establishment cultivators within just days of joining the sect.

But as for which cultivator she had ultimately apprenticed under, the two didn’t know.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lu.”

Though reluctant, Qin Long could only bow respectfully.

As for He Laosan, he had already greeted her when she stepped out.

“I wonder what brings Second Master Qin and Third Master He here today?” Lu Wan asked with a calm smile.

“No, no, Fellow Daoist Lu jests.”

Qin Long hurriedly waved his hands.

Yet Lu Wan’s smile remained genuine. “I’m not joking. Back then, when the Wu family forced me into a desperate situation, only the Qin family was willing to shelter me. That kindness, Lu Wan has never forgotten.”

Hearing this, Qin Long immediately felt much more at ease and visibly let out a long breath.

“I used to think the Water Dragon Sect was a peaceful haven, but only after joining did I realize our fellow villagers are the most reliable.”

“Indeed, Second Master Qin still hasn’t said what he needs from me?”

“If you think I, Lu Wan, can help, just speak frankly.”

Qin Long exchanged a glance with He Laosan before lowering his voice:

“We disciples who joined this batch of the Water Dragon Sect were all sent to Mount Liancheng to fight against the Joyous Palace. I’m sure Fellow Daoist Lu knows about that.”

“I do.”

Lu Wan had originally been slated to go as well, but thanks to her talent in talismans, she was retained on Four Directions Island, thus avoiding disaster.

“This time we returned with the flying boat that transports immortal supplies. We’re heading back soon. The one leading us is Fellow Daoist Zhou Wuyan, who I heard is affiliated with the Talisman Hall here on Four Directions Island. So, we were hoping Fellow Daoist Lu might put in a good word for us, so we can be assigned safer duties.”

Having said this, Qin Long and He Laosan both bowed deeply to Lu Wan.

“We beg this favor of Fellow Daoist Lu.”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about.”

Lu Wan’s smile remained relaxed, as though this were a trivial matter to her.

“Well then—”

“Don’t worry. Senior Brother Zhou and I are acquainted. This kind of favor should be no problem. I’ll write a letter for you to bring.”

Everything went surprisingly smoothly, to the point that Qin Long could hardly believe it.

Before they could even say much, Lu Wan had already gone back to write the letter.

Back in the talisman hall, Mei Chen quickly approached and asked what had happened. After hearing everything, she asked in disbelief:

“Junior Sister Lu, the Qin family’s scheming against you was well known. Are you really going to help them now?”

“Of course. Why not?”

Lu Wan’s expression remained unchanged.

Mei Chen then watched with her own eyes as Lu Wan finished writing the letter, the contents of which were entirely as stated—Qin Long and He Laosan were her fellow villagers and shared a good relationship with her. She asked Senior Brother Zhou Wuyan to look after them.

After writing it, Lu Wan returned to the entrance, deliberately letting the two read the letter’s contents before folding it and handing it to them personally.

Qin Long and He Laosan expressed their gratitude profusely, bowing deeply, almost to the point of kowtowing.

After all, at Mount Liancheng... to put it bluntly, your life wasn’t in your own hands, nor in the Joyous Palace’s. It was in the hands of your team leader.

If he gave you a safe and easy job, you’d be fine.

But if not... then it all depended on your own luck.

So Qin Long and He Laosan weren’t asking Lu Wan for a favor—they were begging for their lives!

Once they were gone, Lu Wan returned to the talisman hall and resumed reading, though her mind was no longer on the text.

Did she know Zhou Wuyan?

Of course she did—he was her direct senior under the same master.

But this Senior Brother Zhou had a difficult temperament—arrogant and self-centered—and he deeply resented Lu Wan for immediately drawing their master’s attention upon arrival.

Given that, how would he “look after” them based on her letter?

Most likely, he’d take extra care—by sending them straight to the most dangerous spots.

Why would Lu Wan do this?

One reason was what Mei Chen had just said—the Qin family didn’t protect her out of kindness.

They had made a deal with the Wu family.

Once she’d served the Qin family for three years, she was meant to die.

Lu Wan had seen through it all.

The Qin family’s intent had always been to drain her value before disposing of her.

People say a gentleman judges actions, not intent—but Lu Wan wasn’t a gentleman. She was a woman of narrow mind and sharp revenge.

Another reason had to do with Ji Yuan.

Back when Lu Song was still alive, he had once told her something: Ji Yuan’s father, Ji Qingyun, had been killed by Liu—together with Old Huang.

And Liu was one of the Qin family.

So in Lu Wan’s view, Ji Yuan’s parents were killed by the Qin family.

Naturally, she had to avenge him.

And for the current her, revenge was no longer difficult—just a letter would suffice.

So easy.

But just thinking of Ji Yuan made Lu Wan lose all interest in reading again. When she first joined the Water Dragon Sect, she’d worried why Ji Yuan hadn’t come.

But once she learned that new recruits would be sent to Mount Liancheng, she was relieved Ji Yuan hadn’t joined.

“One year—no, just over half a year now.”

Lu Wan murmured to herself.

In half a year, Ji Yuan would definitely join the Water Dragon Sect. In that case, she had to prepare a proper gift for him.

The deaths of Qin Long and He Laosan would do nicely.

As for what Lu Wan truly felt about Ji Yuan—even she didn’t know. She only remembered one thing:

When everyone in Zengtou Market saw her as a cursed snake, only Ji Yuan had given her a life-saving drop of Blood Essence.

To the then Lu Wan, what Ji Yuan gave her wasn’t just Blood Essence—it was the hope to live.

“Breaking through to the ninth layer of Qi Refining isn’t that hard after all.”

Three days after the breakthrough, Ji Yuan brushed off the dust from the spirit stones and stepped lightly out of the room. He looked at Tu Yue, who was obediently guarding the door.

“Clean up the room. Just dump the stone dust into the fish pond.”

“Oh right, let me see the storage pouch. Is it full yet?”

Tu Yue obediently removed the pouch from her waist and handed it to Ji Yuan with both hands.

Naturally, the pouch didn’t just contain the mid-stage first-tier Spiritual Fish harvested recently.

It also held Blood Essence and Spiritual Pigs from the Pigsty, Spiritual Soil and Spiritual Eggs from the Chicken Coop, and Water Essence Dew and Spiritual Fish from the Fish Pond.

Upon inspection, Ji Yuan found the five-faceted storage pouch nearly full.

Though most of the space was taken up by Spiritual Pigs and Fish, he estimated it would convert into around five to six hundred spirit stones.

The most valuable items, of course, were the Water Essence Dew and Blood Essence.

And all this was just half a month’s harvest—he couldn’t spend it all if he tried!