Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Chicken Cage Level 1

The common semi-spiritual fish is usually valued in broken spirit stones, but these five semi-spiritual fish of Ji Yuan cost him 5 low-grade spirit stones.

Nothing else, just because he bought all “high-end goods.”

Once they evolve into spiritual fish, their value will be 15 spirit stones or more.

Cheap as it is to evolve, expensive as it is also to evolve, this [Fish Pond] doesn’t favor the weak, so naturally, you have to choose the good ones to raise.

The 3 green-yellow chickens were even more expensive, costing him a full 5 spirit stones.

After all, these green-yellow chickens are infused with a little spiritual qi, and besides being a great tonic, they can also lay spirit eggs.

Though the chances of laying spirit eggs are somewhat low.

Estimated to lay one every three days, and then perhaps 1 in 10 eggs will be a spirit egg.

But once laid, a single spirit egg is worth 5 broken spirit stones, two spirit eggs equal 1 low-grade spirit stone.

If more are laid, these green-yellow chickens will soon pay for themselves… or so said the loose cultivator selling the chickens.

He says this to everyone, but Ji Yuan believed it.

If he had enough spirit stones, he would have bought a few more because probability is something that applies to others.

For him… his probability is 100%.

Because the green-yellow chickens he raises lay a spirit egg every day!

After placing all the fish into the fish pond, Ji Yuan also put together a simple chicken cage in the backyard using wooden planks. As soon as he had finished putting the three green-yellow chickens inside, a line of text appeared above the chicken cage.

[Chicken Cage: lv0]

The conditions needed to upgrade the chicken cage are 2 low-grade spirit stones, exactly what Ji Yuan had left.

Along with 50 pounds of rice, which he also had at home.

Before the Foundation Establishment and Fasting, even peak Qi Refining cultivators need to eat grains, but most of them would take a Grain Avoidance Pill instead.

Looking at the two remaining low-grade spirit stones in his hand, Ji Yuan thought, these 18 stones haven’t even lasted half a day before being spent.

Spirit stones really don’t last long.

Ji Yuan shook his head, focused, and chose to upgrade the [Chicken Cage].

Watching the spirit stones in his hand turn to powder, the number behind the chicken cage changed from 0 to 1, and the conditions and spirit effects for upgrading the chicken cage to level 2 popped up on his panel.

[Chicken Cage lv2]

[Spirit Effect: Spiritual patterns on the claws can dig up a small amount of spiritual soil (1 qian daily), can temporarily control spiritual birds]

[Upgrade Conditions: Low-grade Spirit Stone ×50, Centennial Paulownia Wood for chicken cage (Not Achieved)]

Ji Yuan’s eyes lit up looking at the words on the panel.

This level 2 chicken cage can actually dig up spiritual soil!

This complements the [Spirit Field], if there were a spirit field paved with pure spiritual soil, coupled with the panel’s effects, Ji Yuan couldn’t even imagine how great the outcome would be.

Moreover, this temporary control of spiritual birds, isn’t this a method only the Beast Taming Sect has…

When it comes to that time, one would have to get a spirit beast-level chicken to raise, and at a critical moment, it could serve as a guard.

However, seeing the massive amount of spirit stones needed to upgrade the chicken cage, Ji Yuan felt some pressure.

There was no choice, but to take it slow.

After sorting out the [Chicken Cage] and [Fish Pond], it was almost dark. He used the little rice left at home to satiate his hunger, and then lay down to rest peacefully.

As soon as he lay down, he couldn’t help but think about his future path.

Currently, his cultivation is at Level 2 of Qi Cultivation, born with four spirit roots of Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire. In the Cultivation Realm, both four and five spirit roots are considered pseudo spirit roots.

It wasn’t much since all fishermen in Zengtou City are of pseudo spirit roots.

Some “prodigies” with all five spirit roots are still toiling hard in cultivation, so Ji Yuan having four spirit roots is considered fortunate.

As for those with two or three spirit roots, the true seeds of cultivation, they were long taken by the Water Dragon Sect to be cultivated as the backbone of the sect.

Single spirit roots, such heaven-defying things, have never appeared in Zengtou City.

The cultivation technique Ji Yuan is currently practicing is also this widespread”Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill” within Zengtou City.

A Water Element Technique, sounds overwhelmingly invincible by name but its actual effect is quite ordinary.

The only somewhat special effect is that cultivators practicing this technique experience a smoother flow of spiritual qi than those practicing other techniques… which is a feature common to all Water Element Techniques.

But then, which cultivator in Zengtou City doesn’t practice this”Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill”?

What is special becomes common, and thus no longer special.

The techniques known are pitifully few, with proficiency only in the most basic Water Ball Technique. The slightly more complex Water Arrow Technique is occasionally effective, occasionally not.

This can’t be helped; whenever the original owner had a bit of free time, he had to think about how to earn spirit stones, think about diving into the water, so there wasn’t much time to hone techniques.

Of course, it’s mainly because the cultivation level was too low.

At the second level of Qi Cultivation, a single Water Arrow Technique would deplete all the spiritual qi in the dantian.

Then recovering could take half a day.

Under the heavy pressure of Immortal Residence fees, none of the loose cultivators in the market could afford to think about so many things.

But now, it’s better; with level 1[Chicken Cage]and[Fish Pond]there, there’s no need to risk going underwater; just focus on cultivation.

The next morning.

As soon as Ji Yuan got up, he went to the backyard. Inside the fish pond were still those five semi-spiritual fish, which was expected since there’s no way they would advance every day.

The panel also said it was a certain probability, but who knows how much that probability is.

But for the chicken cage, after Ji Yuan drove the three hens out, he saw three spirit eggs radiating a gentle white glow.

He hurriedly picked them out, scattered several handfuls of rice for the green-yellow chickens, and rushed back inside.

With the spirit eggs in hand, of course, he should consume them while they’re still warm. He quickly cracked one, gulping down the spirit liquid inside. As it slid down his throat, feeling the pure spiritual qi, he immediately activated the “Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill”.

The cultivation technique ran smoothly, absorbing the spiritual qi provided by the spirit egg, channeling it through his meridians into his dantian.

In a while, after absorbing one completely, feeling the few wisps of spiritual qi added to his dantian, Ji Yuan felt a bit surprised.

The effect of this spirit egg was greater than he had anticipated!

Three spirit eggs might even help him break through to Level 3 of Qi Cultivation!

Ji Yuan dared not delay, after absorbing one he consumed another, until all three spirit eggs were absorbed, leaving his dantian with dozens of wisps of spiritual qi. However, it still felt slightly lacking.

He originally thought about absorbing scattered spiritual qi from the heavens and the earth, but who knows how long that might take.

His gaze suddenly fell upon the three spirit egg shells… not long after, the ground spirit egg shells were also gulped down by Ji Yuan.

At last, they transformed into thin spiritual qi, dispersing within his body.

The gaseous spiritual qi within Ji Yuan’s dantian reached its limit, as if breaking some kind of barrier, his aura finally became slightly stronger.

Level 3 of Qi Cultivation, achieved!

Ji Yuan let out a breath of impure air, feeling many of the hidden injuries within his body dissipating as well.

Then he spent another half-day stabilizing his cultivation; once fully settled at Level 3 of Qi Cultivation,

Although with this level in Zengtou City, he was still quite ordinary, at least now he could keep up with the main force.

Among the cultivators in Zengtou City, being at Level 3 of Qi Cultivation was still unremarkable, but at least it meant he could keep up with the main force.

Considering those with pseudo spirit roots like him, it was the best they could achieve, while talented individuals with dual or triple spirit roots had long been taken by the Water Dragon Sect as the backbone of the sect.

Single spirit roots, those unrivaled things, had never been seen before in Zengtou City.

The cultivation technique Ji Yuan was currently practicing is also this widely circulated “Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill” in Zengtou City.

It’s a water element cultivation technique, the name sounds unparalleled, but the actual effect is mediocre.

The only somewhat special effect is that the spiritual qi comes slightly more smoothly to cultivators practicing this technique than to those practicing other techniques… and that is the characteristic of all Water Element Techniques.

But then, which cultivator in Zengtou City doesn’t practice this “Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill”?

Being exceptional is no longer special when it becomes commonplace.

The spells he knew were pitifully few, with proficiency only in the most basic Water Ball Technique, while the slightly more complex Water Arrow Technique worked only sporadically.

This was unavoidable; the original owner of his body, whenever had a little time, had to think about how to earn more spirit stones and go underwater, leaving no time for refining spells.

Of course, the main reason was that his cultivation level was too low.

With a Level 2 Qi Cultivation, even a simple Water Arrow Technique would deplete all the spiritual qi within his dantian.

Then it would take half a day to recover.

Under the heavy pressure of Immortal Residence fees, the loose cultivators within the market couldn’t be bothered with much else.

Now, however, with a Level 1 [Chicken Cage] and [Fish Pond] in place, there’s no need to risk going underwater; just focus on cultivation.

The next morning.

As soon as Ji Yuan woke up, he went to the backyard. In the fish pond, there were still those five semi-spiritual fish from before, as one would expect, since they can’t evolve every day.

The panel also mentioned it was only a certain probability, but who knew what that probability was.

As for the chickens in the cage, once Ji Yuan drove the three hens out, he found three spirit eggs emitting a faint white light.

He quickly took them out, sprinkled a few handfuls of rice grains for the green-yellow chickens, and hurried back inside.

With the spirit eggs in his palm, Ji Yuan quickly extracted them and drank the spirit liquid within. As the pure spiritual qi descended into his body, he immediately activated the “Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill” to absorb the energy to his dantian.

For a while, after absorbing one, feeling the additional wisps of spiritual energy in his dantian, he realized his cultivation would probably break through to Level 3 of Qi Cultivation with these three spirit eggs!

Though he feared he might run out of time, after finishing one, he immediately proceeded to consume another, and when all three spirit eggs were absorbed, his dantian accumulated several wisps of spiritual qi, but it still felt like a small amount was lacking.

He originally thought about trying to absorb the heavenly and earthly qi to help, but then his gaze fell on the three remaining spirit egg shells… not long after, the powdered spirit egg shells were also ingested by Ji Yuan.

Finally, as those traces of thin spiritual qi from the ground spirit egg shell spread within his body, the gaseous spiritual qi in his dantian reached its limit and felt like it was breaking through a certain barrier – his energy finally became a little stronger.

He then spent another half-day stabilizing his cultivation; once completely settled at Level 3 Qi Cultivation, he finally stood up.

In Zengtou City’s cultivation realm, this level of cultivation is still quite ordinary, but at least he could keep up with the majority now.

Among the cultivators in Zengtou City, those at Level 3 of Qi Cultivation were numerous, but thanks to the pseudo spirit root talent, it was the best one could achieve unless they obtained spirit stones for further breakthroughs.

But with spirit stones barely covering housing rent, where could one find so many spirit stones?

The original owner didn’t quite understand, but now Ji Yuan realized that the Immortal Residence fee was just the Water Dragon Sect’s way of supporting small-scale self-sufficiency.

With the cultivation breakthrough achieved, Ji Yuan practiced his Water Arrow Technique in the backyard again.

The Water Ball Technique is of little use; it can’t even kill a spirit fish, the truly reliable one is the Water Arrow Technique.

By the time evening arrived, after a day of hard training, Ji was planning to take a rest when Old Man Huang knocked on his door.

Upon seeing Ji Yuan, he cheerfully asked:

“Ji boy, do you need a wife?”