Starting My Immortal Life by Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 96: Risking Life? Not a Chance

After emerging from seclusion, Ji Yuan inquired with Wen Lin and the others about any significant events that had occurred recently in the Yunyu Marshlands.

As expected, there were none.

Since that was the case, it was time to prepare and investigate the opportunity that Qiu Qianhai had mentioned.

Regardless of whether he could obtain it, he needed to first check if the inheritance still existed.

After all, a second-tier demon beast was equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Ji Yuan stroked his chin, pacing back and forth in the main hall.

Second-tier demon beasts were formidable, but as long as they weren't flying types, they weren't too threatening.

Only third-tier demon beasts possessed the ability to fly.

As long as it wasn't a flying demon beast, it would remain confined to the island.

Ji Yuan had a flying boat, so unless he descended to confront it directly, there shouldn't be any issues.

Moreover, Ji Yuan had reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement and possessed various techniques and the Yin Ghost Formation.

Even if he faced a second-tier demon beast head-on, he wasn't without a fighting chance.

Typically, Qi Refinement cultivators who were slain by second-tier demon beasts encountered them unexpectedly and were unprepared, leading to instant death.

However, those who were prepared and deliberately avoided confrontation generally remained unharmed.

Some Qi Refinement peak cultivators, adept at combat and escape, even had the capability to slay second-tier demon beasts.

According to Qiu Qianhai's letter, the second-tier demon beast on the island was a toad. Such creatures shouldn't be capable of flight, right?

At most, it might leap high into the air.

As long as Ji Yuan didn't get too close, there shouldn't be any problems.

Thinking this way, Ji Yuan couldn't help but admire Qiu Qianhai's grandfather.

At most, he was at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement back then, yet he dared to venture deep into the Yunyu Marshlands.

Not only did he venture deep, but he also dared to explore an island known to harbor a second-tier demon beast in search of treasures.

Ji Yuan felt that the title "King of Adventurers" was well-deserved for him.

Suddenly, Ji Yuan found himself understanding Qiu Qianhai's reckless nature—it was hereditary.

Compared to his grandfather, Qiu Qianhai was actually quite cautious.

With this realization, Ji Yuan clasped his hands together.

Regardless of whether he could obtain the inheritance, it was best to check if it still existed. If it did, he could prevent future regrets. If it didn't, he could stop thinking about it.

As for talismans, after more than a year of accumulation,

Ji Yuan's high-grade talismans were no longer counted individually but by stacks.

For instance, a stack of Water Escape Talismans, two stacks of Golden Seal Talismans—a stack being 50 talismans.

Thanks to the building effects, Ji Yuan sold many talismans but saved even more.

He always believed that while spirit stones were important, his life was more so.

Talismans were crucial weapons during battles!

They could be used to exhaust the opponent in the early stages and serve as restraints at critical moments.

For example, during his battle with the demonic cultivator, Ji Yuan relied on a high-grade Demon Suppression Talisman to secure an opportunity to escape.

Ji Yuan had long become a first-tier high-grade talisman master, so he had no shortage of talismans for combat.

His magical artifacts remained the same—six high-grade artifacts.

For regular battles, he had the Qingfu Flying Sword and the Hundred Fish Shield.

If forced into close combat, he had the Water-Dividing Dragon Spear.

For escape, he had the Thunder Falcon Boat.

For surprise attacks and lethal strikes, he had the Spiritual Water Needle.

The high-grade artifact, the Mirage Mirror, gifted by Elder Xu, could be used for support. Its effect was similar to Ji Yuan's "Mirror Overlay" spell, capable of projecting illusions to confuse the opponent.

With a complete set of magical artifacts, he was well-prepared for battles against Qi Refinement cultivators.

He also had an ample supply of pills, including high-grade Spirit Recovery Pills and Vitality Pills.

He still had two Water Thunder Bombs.

With these resources, not only could he scout the path, but even taking down that second-tier demon beast shouldn't be too difficult.

With Tu Yue taking care of things at home, Ji Yuan had no worries.

After giving Tu Yue some instructions, Ji Yuan informed Wen Lin next door that he would be away for a few days. If anyone came looking for him, they should wait until he returned.

This was because, recently, Du Wanyi had been frequently visiting Ji Yuan without any particular reason.

Ever since Yao Jingfeng left for the Water Dragon Sect without saying goodbye, Du Wanyi seemed afraid that Ji Yuan would abandon her as well.

Therefore, she visited more often, even if there was no specific reason. She would use the excuse of discussing cultivation techniques to

come and meet him.

Wen Lin readily agreed and reminded Ji Yuan to be cautious.

Before long, the Thunder Falcon Boat ascended into the sky, carrying Ji Yuan straight into the depths of the Yunyu Marshlands.

According to the map drawn by Qiu Qianhai, the island was at least half a day's journey from the nearest Huaiyin Market. Traveling from Zengtou Market would take over a day.

This estimation was based on Ji Yuan having a flying boat.

The more he thought about it, the more Ji Yuan admired Qiu Qianhai's grandfather!

What kind of people were these!

The King of Navigation in the Yunyu Marshlands?

Qiu Qianhai had estimated that Ji Yuan had a flying boat, but he hadn't accounted for its speed.

A day later, Ji Yuan had already arrived near the location depicted on the map. He piloted the flying boat, hovering closely to the clouds.

At the slightest sign of disturbance, he would dive into the clouds to escape.

Compared to the shallow waters of the Yunyu Marshlands, looking down at this deep-water area revealed a vast expanse of dark blue, almost black.

The depth of the water here was unknown, making it unsurprising that second-tier demon beasts resided here.

About ten miles to the northwest, the lake water was no longer visible.

All that could be seen was a vast expanse of white mist.

In the distance, the mist met the sky, with only a few island peaks occasionally protruding through the fog.

"This is indeed a good place—if I could occupy an island here as a cave dwelling, that would be even better."

The Water Dragon Sect wasn't exactly peaceful, especially with their early selection process and using rogue cultivators as cannon fodder, which left Ji Yuan with a poor impression of the sect.

If they could use rogue cultivators as cannon fodder to protect their disciples now,

then in the future, would they use disciples as cannon fodder to protect Foundation Establishment cultivators?

It was acceptable to temporarily join this sect to enhance his strength, but Ji Yuan had already subconsciously started looking for an exit strategy.

He took out the map again.

Qiu Qianhai had drawn an island with a bald mountain as a reference point.

Once he found that bald island, he needed to circle southeast past two islands. Upon seeing an island with a cliff, that would be his destination.

And the second-tier movement technique suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators was located at the bottom of that cliff.

Ji Yuan circled along the cloud line for half a day.

By midday, when the scorching sun had dispelled some of the mist, the bald mountain finally emerged from the fog.

He first summoned the Hundred Fish Shield to protect himself, then activated a high-grade Iron Wall Talisman on his hand.

The Qingfu Flying Sword was also summoned, disguised as a willow leaf resting on his shoulder.

Only then did he maneuver the Thunder Falcon Boat into a dive.

Upon approaching the bald mountain, Ji Yuan didn’t act hastily.

He first circled around several times to ensure there were no second-tier demon beasts within the surrounding mist and waters before descending further into the fog with his flying boat.

The mist—was thick!

His visible range was less than half of what it was previously.

At most, he could see about a hundred meters ahead, and even that was cloaked in a hazy blur, making everything appear indistinct.

Damn, this place was certainly peculiar—it was truly safe, yet equally dangerous.

Ji Yuan remained on high alert, wary of the surrounding islands and the waters below his feet.

Ordinarily, no cultivators would venture into such a place. So long as one could endure the local demon beasts, there would be no issues hiding here.

Suddenly, Ji Yuan stopped instantly, simultaneously lifting the Thunder Falcon Boat a dozen meters upwards.

Only then did he dare to look down.

There, under the surface of the lake, was a massive black shadow, easily over a dozen zhang long, gliding leisurely forward. Its slow, unhurried pace gave off an air of calm.

Such a massive serpent demon!

Most likely, it was a second-tier demon beast.

This was Ji Yuan’s first encounter with such a creature, and he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Fortunately, the water blocked his aura, so the serpent didn’t detect him.

After waiting for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the serpent disappeared into the deep waters, allowing Ji Yuan to move on.

He advanced cautiously, stopping and retreating at the slightest disturbance, often darting back outside the mist like he might flee entirely.

After nearly half an hour, he finally found the island depicted on the map.

From a distance, Ji Yuan observed that the island was lush with trees.

It had only one mountain peak, and the cliff face was clearly visible, making it easy to identify.

But where was the toad?

Ji Yuan deliberately piloted the flying boat around the area, inspecting as he went, but he never saw any sign of the toad.

Eventually, Ji Yuan came to a halt on the northwest side, directly opposite the cliff.

He squinted his eyes to see, but the dense forest obscured everything.

He couldn’t tell if the inherited technique Qiu Qianhai’s grandfather mentioned was still there—it was likely etched onto the cliff face.

But again—where was the toad?

Could it be that the opportunity here had already been claimed and even the toad slain?

If that were the case, he’d have no choice but to accept the loss and look elsewhere.

Ji Yuan was just pondering this when, suddenly, a mound of earth bulged at the base of the cliff directly ahead.

Before he could react, a crimson tongue shot out from the mound, aimed straight at his flying boat.

“Shit—!”

Ji Yuan quickly veered the flying boat to the side, narrowly dodging the strike.

He then rapidly ascended with the flying boat until he neared the cloud layer, letting out a slight sigh of relief.

He had just caught a glimpse—the tongue’s reach was limited to the height where he had previously hovered.

Now that he was near the cloud line, unless the toad could fly, there was no way it could reach him.

Within moments, the toad, which had been buried underground, fully emerged.

Ji Yuan had caught a glimpse of it during his retreat, committing its appearance to memory.

It lay crouched on the ground, standing over ten meters tall. Its entire body was a grayish-black, and its back was covered in similar-colored lumps.

Each lump appeared to be encrusted with a layer of stony debris. But what caught Ji Yuan’s attention the most was its enormous mouth—so wide it seemed to split its head in half, and the head itself was already large, making the creature look even more bizarre.

Ji Yuan, looking down from above, furrowed his brow with a hint of suspicion.

A Big-Mouth Devouring Toad?

If it truly was that creature, then this entire battle might be avoidable.

As Ji Yuan contemplated, the toad flicked its tongue several more times. But even when it stretched to its utmost, though it managed to pierce the mist, it still fell short by nearly a hundred zhang.

Ji Yuan remained completely still, while the toad appeared to grow increasingly agitated. It opened its mouth and lashed its tongue a few more times. When that proved futile, it leapt with a loud boom, shaking the ground.

Its body shot upward, clearing several dozen meters, crashing through numerous trees. It continued leaping relentlessly with a clear goal—it was trying to climb the mountain!

It wanted to reach the top of the cliff to launch another attack on Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan clearly understood its intention, yet he didn’t move.

He wanted to confirm whether this creature truly was the Big-Mouth Devouring Toad. If it was—then he had more ideas in mind.

Before long, the toad finally reached the top of the cliff.

Once more, it extended its tongue, seemingly trying to devour Ji Yuan. But it still fell short by twenty to thirty zhang.

The toad appeared frantic.

It finally stopped flicking its tongue and instead closed its mouth, puffing up its throat and making constant "gugu" sounds.

‘Here it comes!’

Ji Yuan’s thoughts stirred.

Sure enough, the toad suddenly opened its massive mouth, releasing an immense suction force.

The mist near the cliff’s summit was immediately drawn into its gaping maw.

As expected!

This damn thing was indeed the Big-Mouth Devouring Toad!

If so, then things just got easier.

There would be no need for a fight—he could likely claim this opportunity without injury!

With that thought, Ji Yuan pulled out a Spiritual Pig leg from his storage pouch, lowered the flying boat slightly, and tossed it far toward the toad.

The leg hadn’t even made it halfway when the toad had already extended its tongue and snatched it into its mouth, swallowing it in a single gulp.

Just like that.

"Hmm?!!"

The Big-Mouth Devouring Toad froze on the spot. It stopped using its suction ability, and as the surrounding mist slowly returned, a clarity emerged in its eyes.