novelraw Chapter 181 : Du Wanyi Emerges from Seclusion
Chapter 181 : Du Wanyi Emerges from Seclusion
Chapter 181: Du Wanyi Emerges from Seclusion
“Hm? Brother Piao, what do you mean by this?”
Ji Yuan was a little puzzled, but vaguely guessed the reason.
“Brother Ji should also know, the Demonic Path has been rather rampant lately, right?”
“I am aware of this.”
“So, the sect has been investigating this area quite thoroughly. For people like us, even those skirting the edges are no longer allowed. We’ve been ordered to rectify the situation again and again. This year has been better; last year, I even visited the Disciplinary Hall several times.”
“If it weren’t for the fact that my hands are truly clean, and I only like farming, Brother Ji probably wouldn’t be seeing me right now.”
Bai Piao sighed deeply.
“There’s actually such a matter.”
Ji Yuan was somewhat surprised, but felt it was reasonable. After all, back before he had even reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, his neighbors on both sides had already turned out to be Demonic Sect spies.
Not to mention a place like Everything Island, where all sorts mixed together—of course the sect would investigate thoroughly.
“In that case, as long as you’re fine, that’s what matters. Spirit Stones can always be earned again.”
“That’s how I see it too.” Bai Piao let out another sigh. “Now, my only thought is to stay alive. Everything else can be whatever.”
Ji Yuan nodded along.
“Alright, let’s not talk about these vexing matters.”
Bai Piao rubbed his face with both hands, as if wiping away the past. “Brother Ji, you’ve come today for this Profound Yin Earth, right? I don’t have much left—only five jin. If you need it, just take it… same price as before.”
Ji Yuan still needed this Profound Yin Earth for upgrading his Spiritual Field later. Being able to get some now was naturally something he wouldn’t miss.
Five jin of Profound Yin Earth cost Ji Yuan five Middle-Grade Spirit Stones.
For the current Ji Yuan, this price was nothing.
Once he put away the Profound Yin Earth, he asked, “Brother Piao, would you sell the method to cultivate this Profound Yin Earth?”
Upgrading the Spiritual Field required a total of twenty jin of Profound Yin Earth. Ji Yuan now had only five jin, still far from enough.
Bai Piao hesitated slightly at these words, but in the end, he gritted his teeth.
“Sell!”
If the sect wasn’t cracking down, Bai Piao might have thought twice.
After all, this was a hugely profitable business. Selling the recipe would not only mean losing a customer, but possibly gaining a competitor.
But with the sect suppressing him like this now, he didn’t dare keep this trade going.
Since that was the case, he might as well cash out whatever could be cashed out.
After some discussion, Ji Yuan bought the recipe for the Profound Yin Earth for twenty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones.
Having settled this matter, Ji Yuan then asked about the real purpose of his visit.
“I wonder if Brother Piao has something called Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust.”
“Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust?”
Bai Piao was a little surprised. “How did Brother Ji hear about that? It’s quite rare.”
Ji Yuan simply smiled without speaking.
Bai Piao didn’t press the question and shook his head. “That thing is too rare. I don’t have it.”
“Then does Brother Piao know where one might be found?” Ji Yuan asked curiously.
“This…”
Bai Piao seemed reluctant to say.
Ji Yuan tapped the table with his right hand, and a Middle-Grade Spirit Stone slid from his sleeve.
“Oh, Brother Piao, you dropped a Spirit Stone.”
With a smile, Ji Yuan raised his hand, and the Spirit Stone landed in Bai Piao’s palm.
“Brother Ji, this… Fine, just don’t ever say you heard this from me, no matter who asks.”
The Middle-Grade Spirit Stone pried open Bai Piao’s mouth.
“Brother Piao, rest assured, I know the rules of doing business.”
“Mm.”
Bai Piao put away the Spirit Stone and spoke plainly: “The Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust… it’s a Yin-Type Item… very Yin. Even most Demonic Cultivators can’t grow it.”
“Oh?”
Ji Yuan’s interest was piqued.
“It only grows on graves. And not just any graves—two graves of Foundation Establishment cultivators. And these corpses have specific requirements: they must be tortured to death, then cut into pieces and reassembled into two new corpses. In addition, Yang Talismans must be carved beneath their coffins, and they must be watered day and night with Yin blood…”
Ji Yuan listened quietly.
At first, when he heard it required two Foundation Establishment corpses, he thought it might still be doable.
But when he heard the rest… Damn it, what kind of Demonic Cultivator method was this?!
Could a human even come up with such a thing?
He listened to Bai Piao finish, then asked, “Does Brother Piao know anyone selling this?”
Bai Piao was silent for a moment before saying, “Brother Ji, do you remember that Black Coffin I sold you last time?”
“Of course I remember.”
“In the northwest corner of Great Love City, in Ghost-Seeking Pit, there are quite a few Demonic Cultivators hiding there. I’d guess they probably have Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust. Whether for cultivating demonic arts or refining Spiritual Artifacts, it’s an excellent material.”
“Ghost-Seeking Pit… Alright, I’ll remember it. Thank you, Brother Piao.”
Ji Yuan didn’t delve into Bai Piao’s background.
Whether Righteous Path or Demonic Path, as long as someone could help him, Ji Yuan considered them the right kind of people.
If they didn’t help him, and even tried to kill him… like Jian Zong, Ji Yuan considered them Demonic Path.
With the information on the Corrupt-Firefly Yin Locust, Ji Yuan left Bai Piao’s shop.
The item was rare—just like how reaching mid Foundation Establishment was required to upgrade the Chicken Coop—it was troublesome.
“Ghost-Seeking Pit… and it’s within the Joy Palace’s Great Love City territory.”
Ji Yuan rubbed his chin.
Going there himself was definitely out of the question.
Ji Yuan had no habit of taking risks, especially now with the Demonic Cultivators rampant… No, wait—Demonic Cultivators? Who in this world isn’t a Demonic Cultivator?
Ji Yuan felt that once he brought out the Yin Ghost Flag, with Yin energy billowing to the sky, who could say he wasn’t a Demonic Cultivator?
If it really came to it, disguising himself as one might actually be safer.
A Demonic Cultivator entering a demonic lair—it’d be like coming home.
But for now, Ji Yuan still didn’t plan to go himself. He thought he might be able to buy the item with money.
If something could be bought with Spirit Stones, then there was no need to risk his life.
But he’d have to find a Demonic Cultivator to help, and unfortunately, the ones he knew… Brother Hu Li had nearly been killed by him.
He’d have to find someone else.
And as for the Chicken Coop—well, Ji Yuan felt he’d already gotten by this long with a Level 2 Chicken Coop.
No reason to rush upgrading to Level 3 now.
Unless…
That three-colored Spiritual Egg was tempting enough to make him waver.
Otherwise, he’d just wait.
Having decided, Ji Yuan put the matter aside for the moment.
He then began searching on Everything Island for “Demon Core Liquid” used to cultivate demon beasts. This was originally created by the Beast Taming Sect specifically for raising Spirit Beasts and speeding their growth.
Over time, it spread, and even the Water Dragon Sect sold it.
The only problem was that supply was low and prices were high.
But generally, any cultivator who could afford to raise Spirit Beasts was a wealthy second-generation cultivator—people like Li Changhe—who didn’t mind the expense.
Ji Yuan, although having only a little money, still felt that under the current circumstances, he had to improve his strength quickly, so he didn’t care about the cost.
After visiting four or five beast shops, he finally found one selling Demon Core Liquid—but the price… was outrageously high.
When Ji Yuan inquired about Demon Core Liquid suitable for evolving a First-Tier demon beast to Second-Tier, the shopkeeper quoted two hundred Middle-Grade Spirit Stones—and it wasn’t even guaranteed to succeed, only to raise the chances.
When asked about the odds, they said it varied between twenty to fifty percent.
Which basically meant twenty percent.
At first, Ji Yuan was reluctant, but after converting it into the equivalent cost of Foundation Establishment Pills, he thought the price wasn’t too bad.
After some consideration, just as Ji Yuan was about to pay, a familiar voice suddenly sounded in his mind: “If Brother Ji is using it for a newly-advanced Second-Tier demon beast, then it’s fine. But if it’s for a demon beast above early Second-Tier, then I wouldn’t recommend it.”
“The Demon Core Liquid he’s selling has a small problem—it can let a First-Tier demon beast break through to Second-Tier, but after that, it will forever remain at early Second-Tier.”
“If you want Demon Core Liquid without such problems, you’ll have to go north to the Beast Taming Sect.”
Ji Yuan, who had already been taking out Spirit Stones, stopped when he heard this.
The Qi Refining stage cultivator on duty here saw Ji Yuan’s movement and tentatively called out, “Martial Uncle?”
Ji Yuan deliberately showed an embarrassed smile.
“I don’t have enough money.”
“That’s no problem. If Martial Uncle is willing to leave his name and identity, our shop can extend credit.” The female cultivator on duty smiled warmly.
“I’m not in the habit of buying on credit.”
Ji Yuan spread his hands. “I’ll have to come back in a couple of days when I’ve gathered enough Spirit Stones.”
“This junior will await your esteemed arrival.”
The female cultivator gave a slight bow in salute.
She showed no displeasure at all over Ji Yuan saying he didn’t have enough Spirit Stones.
After leaving the shop, Ji Yuan still seemed a little unwilling. He glanced back a few times before reluctantly leaving.
Once out of the area, Ji Yuan wandered around nearby as if looking for something else.
Finding nothing, he summoned his flying boat and left.
After departing from Everything Island, he headed south for a while before slowing the boat. Soon, a willow-leaf-shaped flying Spiritual Artifact came up from behind.
“Huh, Brother Liu, you’re here too.”
Ji Yuan said with surprise.
“Just passing by.”
“Then why not stop by my place?”
“Sure. It’s been a while since we met, so I’ll trouble you then.”
Liu Yuan smiled and clasped his hands toward Ji Yuan.
The two quickly agreed and headed south together, arriving at Ji Yuan’s Wuyou Island.
Ji Yuan first served tea to the Island Lord Liu Yuan, then sat down, still a little shaken. “If not for Brother Liu’s reminder today, I’d have spent money to cut off my future.”
This was Ji Yuan speaking his honest thoughts, because from the start, he hadn’t planned to use the Demon Core Liquid only on the Queen Bee.
He had even intended to use it on the Ice Flood Dragon to raise its strength to Second-Tier first.
If the results were good, he had considered buying more to see if he could break the Great Toad’s natural limit and promote it from a Second-Tier demon beast to a Third-Tier demon beast.
But who would have thought… that shop was selling this sort of thing.
Wasn’t this outright fraud?!
“This just shows Brother Ji is blessed by the heavens. By coincidence, I had business at Everything Island today too—if you’d gone at a different time, I wouldn’t have been able to help.”
Liu Yuan spread his hands with a smile.
“Enough said—Brother Liu, I will remember this favor.”
Ji Yuan nodded.
“Brother Ji is still so polite.”
“By the way, Brother Liu, who’s behind that shop, that you’d be so cautious?”
Ji Yuan couldn’t help but ask.
Earlier, when Liu Yuan transmitted his warning from a distance, that was one thing—but after Ji Yuan came out, Liu Yuan even sent a Messaging Talisman saying he’d follow and leave together after Ji Yuan was done.
Liu Yuan’s master was none other than the Great Elder of the Water Dragon Sect.
For him to be so careful…
And that Foundation Establishment cultivator selling counterfeit goods could still rent such a large shop in the most prime location of Everything Island…
It was enough to make Ji Yuan curious.
Liu Yuan pondered for a moment before speaking:
“Island Lord of Zhaoyang Island, Xiao Chengyi.”
“It’s him!”
Ji Yuan immediately understood upon hearing the name.
Now he knew why that person dared sell such things, and why he could open such a large shop.
It was because he had a master named Real Person Xuan Xiao.
Of course, disciples of the Water Dragon Sect habitually called him the Third Elder.
Xiao Chengyi was the second disciple of this Third Elder, Real Person Xuan Xiao.
Over ten years ago, he was already a late Foundation Establishment cultivator. By now, he was most likely at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
“No wonder.”
Ji Yuan had originally thought that if the opportunity arose, he’d set up the person behind the shop for a fall—after all, if not for Liu Yuan today, he would have been tricked.
Since it was Xiao Chengyi… well, he still had to set him up if he got the chance!
“As it is, many fellow sect members who suffer losses can do nothing about it. After all, there’s no real evidence. If you confront him, he can just say you failed to raise the beast properly, so it’s your own fault. As long as he refuses to admit it, there’s nothing you can do.”
Liu Yuan said with some annoyance, “I have a friend who suffered exactly like that. He had a Skyblue Python that could have reached late Second-Tier, but it was stuck forever at early Second-Tier.”
“Worse still, not knowing the cause, he thought he hadn’t invested enough resources and ended up wasting a lot more Spirit Stones on that python.”
“Truly hateful.”
Ji Yuan said in a low voice.
“But what can you do, when the man has such a powerful master?”
The two complained for a while but never mentioned revenge.
Ji Yuan didn’t plan to expose that thought—every extra person who knew meant an extra risk.
As for Liu Yuan, his lack of fire was because it wasn’t his own loss.
After some casual conversation, Ji Yuan thought about asking if Liu Yuan knew any Beast Taming Sect cultivators to help get genuine Demon Core Liquid.
But on second thought, he felt it best not to take that risk.
Whether it was the Spirit-Devouring Bee or the Ice Flood Dragon, raising them was a huge boost for Ji Yuan.
Even if the Beast Taming Sect’s Demon Core Liquid was reliable—what if it wasn’t?
Once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of ropes for ten years.
Better to wait a while longer.
“By the way, since Linhai City, have you received any other missions?” Ji Yuan asked curiously.
It had been over a year since they parted at Linhai City.
Normally, barring other events, the next mission should be coming soon.
“Not yet, but it shouldn’t be long. What about you?”
“I haven’t either.”
“Then I’d guess we’ll get the same mission again. I’ll be counting on Brother Ji’s help.” Liu Yuan clasped his hands with a smile.
“Mutual assistance, creating glory again.”
Ji Yuan chuckled.
He also noticed Liu Yuan’s cultivation was still mid Foundation Establishment, the same as a year ago, without a breakthrough.
But his flying boat had changed.
Other aspects of his strength had likely improved as well.
Ji Yuan also knew that Liu Yuan cultivated the Li Family’s Canglan Nine Tribulations Sword Manual, so his sword qi was extremely strong.
After agreeing to stay in touch, Liu Yuan took his leave.
Ji Yuan strolled around Wuyou Island; everything was as usual.
He then returned to Misty Island.
The Great Toad was still napping, and the Ice Flood Dragon was still darting around in the Yunyu Marshlands.
After cultivating for more than half a month, Ji Yuan finally received a Messaging Talisman from Du Wanyi.
She… had succeeded in Foundation Establishment!
But her voice seemed a little off, as if she were choking up.
Naturally, Ji Yuan thought something must be wrong, so he told her to come find him at Wuyou Island, while he himself hurried back there.
The two of them arrived almost one after the other.
When Ji Yuan saw Du Wanyi again, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, judging by his senses, everything seemed normal—there were no signs she had forced a breakthrough and caused serious internal injuries that would prevent her from ever making progress in cultivation again.
If that had happened, it would have been far too melodramatic.
“Second Sister, what’s the matter?”
After serving tea and sitting down, Ji Yuan immediately asked.
At the mention of this, Du Wanyi couldn’t help but sob a little. Fortunately, it was only a slight catch in her voice, and she soon recovered.
Most likely, she had already adjusted her mindset while stabilizing her cultivation earlier.
“This time I was able to break through entirely thanks to the last two Foundation Establishment Pills you gave me. Without those two extra pills, I… I fear I would never have reached Foundation Establishment in this lifetime.”
“Second Sister means you succeeded in Foundation Establishment after using twelve Foundation Establishment Pills?”
Ji Yuan had originally wanted to say “only,” but when the words reached his mouth, they turned into “after.”
“Mm.”
Du Wanyi dabbed at the tears at the corners of her eyes as she replied.
If that was the case, then it truly came down to fate… Even Ji Yuan couldn’t help feeling a bit emotional.
If she had lacked those last two pills, and failed after taking ten, then trying a second time in the future… she would have needed at least twenty Foundation Establishment Pills.
Who could possibly afford that?
Never mind that she was fighting alone.
Even a Golden Core family might not be able to sustain such costs.
“It’s alright, as long as you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, that’s what matters. Don’t think too much about it, Second Sister.”
Ji Yuan comforted her.
“Alright… I really am so grateful to you, Fourth Brother. Without you, I… I truly don’t know what I would have done.”
There was still some lingering fear in Du Wanyi’s voice.
To her, those two stalks of Millennium Illusory Spirit Grass brought out from the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven would never have yielded eight Foundation Establishment Pills without Ji Yuan’s help in refining them.
The other four pills had also been obtained with Ji Yuan’s help, so she knew full well that without him, she never could have succeeded.
“Who else would I help if not my Second Sister?”
Ji Yuan said with a smile.
“I, I…”
“Alright, Second Sister, go back and rest well. In a couple of days, you’ll have to meet the Sect Master Martial Uncle.”
“…”
Du Wanyi stayed on Wuyou Island for most of the day before leaving with her mind at ease.
Not long after she left, Dong Qian came over, asking if Du Wanyi had come out of seclusion—she said she had just seen a figure leaving that looked like her.
Ji Yuan said yes.
And so, on the third day afterward, a new island appeared to the west of Wuyou Island.
It was named “Tai’an Island.”
The name came from Tai’an District, where Du Wanyi was from, and she could be considered the first Foundation Establishment cultivator in Tai’an District since its founding.
Ji Yuan could now be said to be “embracing beauties on both sides.”
Only… he didn’t much like this lifestyle, since it made traveling to and from Misty Island less convenient—but he had no way to change it.
He couldn’t exactly tell people to leave.
Several months passed in the blink of an eye.
After a long rest, Ji Yuan finally received the sect’s second mission.
Moreover, when Real Person Xuan Shui sent the message, he added that this time, the mission was to guard… a Spirit Vein.
——