Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Lightning Strike

The moonlight tonight is not beautiful, hiding in the thick clouds like a beautiful lady.

Ji Yuan hasn’t learned any night vision spells, so he can only rely on the weak night vision ability of the early Qi cultivation stage to carefully observe in this fish pond.

He initially bought 5 half spirit fish, and now after raising them for nearly ten days, they’ve noticeably grown larger.

Even if they haven’t turned into spirit fish, selling them as half spirit fish could still earn him one or two Spirit Stones.

Just relying on the +20% growth speed effect of this fish pond, he can support Ji Yuan’s rent.

And now… after watching for a long time, Ji Yuan finally knows which half spirit fish has evolved.

Scale Stone Spot.

Half spirit fish Scale Stone Spot.

It has now evolved into a spirit fish – Stone Armor Spot!

The stone armor on the surface of this Stone Armor Spot is invaluable as a natural material for crafting defensive magical artifacts, and the more intact it is, the higher its selling price in the fish market.

If managed without damaging any piece of stone armor, selling it could fetch around 18 Spirit Stones!

Those glistening Spirit Stones… at this thought, Ji Yuan lost all sleepiness and simply cultivated by the fish pond for half the night.

Until the next early morning at dawn, Ji Yuan looked at the Stone Armor Spot in the fish pond, which seemed to be covered in stones, and raised his hand to summon a water arrow.

To kill this spirit fish without damaging the stone armor, the only method is to shoot a water arrow through its eye, damaging its brain and thus killing it.

In the vast Cloud Rain Marsh, this task would require cultivators above the fifth or sixth Qi cultivation level, who are proficient in the “Artifact Manipulation Technique” and have mastered magical artifacts.

But unfortunately, Ji Yuan is not in the Cloud Rain Marsh; he is by his small fish pond, where this Stone Armor Spot has nowhere to escape.

Additionally, since Ji Yuan is casting spells from the shore, there isn’t even the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Qi in the water.

A water arrow shot out with a faint “hiss” sound.

The Stone Armor Spot twitched, splashing water everywhere, and then sank to the bottom, while the other 4 half spirit fish were greatly frightened.

Ji Yuan dragged the spirit fish ashore; the other 4 half spirit fish were also quite large now.

He plans to raise them for another three or four days; if they still don’t evolve, he’ll have to sell them, else their meat will become old and sell for a lower price.

But in any case, today he must sell this Stone Armor Spot first.

Taking advantage of the early hours, he left home to find no one else up, not even the Lin Family. He quickly returned to send the Stone Armor Spot’s body to the water compartment of his black awning boat.

Then he took today’s three Spirit Eggs, preparing to find a small island in the Cloud Rain Marsh to refine them.

But when he came out again, he saw that Lin Youwei and his wife were already up and preparing to set sail. Unlike Ji Yuan’s small black awning boat, they had a fishing boat equipped with a magical artifact.

Although it’s just a basic magical artifact, it’s very convenient to use, with fast speeds, and it doesn’t require manual rowing.

Middle-grade fishing boats can even enter water, moving swiftly and freely.

Among the fishermen in Zengtou City at the mid-phase of Qi cultivation, most have a magical artifact fishing boat.

Ji Yuan’s family used to have one too.

“Why are you up so early, Ji Yuan?”

Lin Youwei looked at Ji Yuan, who was up early to set sail, and thought about his Lin Hu, who was still asleep, feeling a bit frustrated.

Zhou Ling went home to wake others.

“Uncle Lin is also up quite early.”

Ji Yuan didn’t say anything offensive, just smiled, and sailed away. But before he had rowed even half a mile, Lin Youwei and his wife, piloting their magical artifact fishing boat, caught up with him.

Their boat sped past Ji Yuan, even stirring up some waves, causing Ji Yuan’s black awning boat to sway slightly.

Watching their backs, Ji Yuan wasn’t envious.

There was a time when he too had to work tirelessly for survival, but now… he found a nearby reed grove, tied up the boat, and started his day of egg-eating.

After days of egg-eating, Ji Yuan noticed some details.

For instance, sprinkling a bit of fine salt in the eggs improved their taste.

Perhaps as his livelihood improves in the future, he could fry or scramble eggs, and wouldn’t have to eat the tasteless egg shells anymore… Ji Yuan dreamed, and around eleven in the morning, he set sail to the fish market.

He had been out for quite some time, and there was no need to wait until the afternoon.

When he reached Zengtou City’s fish market, he found it empty and carried the massive Stone Armor Spot ashore.

Unexpectedly, just as he put the Stone Armor Spot in the fish basket, he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Ji boy, you’ve got… another spirit fish?! And it’s a Stone Armor Spot?”

Damn it, why is this old man here… Ji Yuan cursed internally and turned around, spotting the bald, toothless Old Man Huang.

He was holding a half spirit fish, preserved using fishing techniques.

“It’s not just any Stone Armor Spot; it’s an undamaged one without a single broken scale.”

A duty cultivator from the Water Dragon Sect rarely spoke, yet now he did.

Upon his words, all nearby fishermen turned to look at the spirit fish in amazement.

Stone Armor Spots aren’t rare, but finding one with undamaged stone armor is extraordinary.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan internally cursed, realizing his greed had led to this situation. He should have damaged a few scales to avoid selling it at a lower price.

Now it had become a moment of showboating.

“Quite capable, young man.”

“Isn’t this the Ji family kid? Probably early Qi cultivation stage; he couldn’t have caught this fish, could he?”

“…”

The situation was escalating… Ji Yuan quickly smiled and said: “It’s indeed not caught by me; my master caught this spirit fish and entrusted me, being busy with cultivation breakthroughs, to sell it.”

At this point, Ji Yuan had no other choice.

He could only conjure a tiger skin for himself.

“So you’ve taken a master, huh? No wonder you’ve been disappearing frequently, tell us which senior it is…”

Old Man Huang asked promptly.

The ability to kill a spirit fish like this indicated a cultivator of at least the sixth Qi cultivation level, possibly even late Qi stage.

“Master doesn’t allow me to say.”

Ji Yuan apologized with a smile, receiving… 20 Spirit Stones???

This was the highest possible price for an early-stage spirit fish, beyond which would require mid-stage spirit fish.

“Thank you, brother!”

Ji Yuan put away the Spirit Stones and cupped his fists in thanks to the duty cultivator before hastily leaving the place

While he left, Old Man Huang’s gaze remained on him, with a hint of regret or contemplation.

Unaware, Ji Yuan hurried to Zengtou City and immediately found a Talisman shop.

Spending 12 low-grade Spirit Stones, a hefty amount, he purchased a middle-grade Thunder Strike Talisman.

This middle-grade Thunder Strike Talisman, once used, was equivalent to the full force of a sixth Qi-level cultivator’s strike, currently his best life-saving asset.

Can’t afford more expensive ones, and cheaper ones are ineffective.

With this, if a tribulation cultivator targeted him, he’d at least have a chance to resist.

This was long planned by Ji Yuan; while cultivation is vital, life is more so, and he knows well the priorities.

With the remaining 8 Spirit Stones, he spent 5 to buy 3 green-yellow chickens.

The chicken seller was the same cultivator from last time, recognizing Ji Yuan, and jokingly asked:

“Fellow cultivator, how are my chickens? Do they lay lots of eggs?”

Ji Yuan paused and simply replied.

“Their meat is quite delicious.”

Chicken cultivator: “…”

The last 3 Spirit Stones were used to buy another 3 half spirit fish.