Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Gambler

[Talisman Room lv2]

[Spirit Effect: Tier One Talisman success rate +40%, Tier Two Talisman success rate +20%, Tier Three Talisman success rate +5%, automatically acquires “Transformation Talisman”]

[Upgrade Conditions: Mid-grade Spirit Stones ×20, Mica Crystal Cluster ×10 jin (approx. 5 kg), Red Marrow Thunder Jade ×1, successfully paint a set of Five Elements Talismans (not achieved)]

Ji Yuan looked at the text that popped up on the panel and blinked.

He even thought he was reading it wrong for a moment.

He didn’t recognize the latter things like Mica Crystal Cluster and Red Marrow Thunder Jade, but he did know the first one, 20… Mid-grade Spirit Stones!

If converted into Low-grade Spirit Stones, that would be 2000 pieces, right?

Just with one glance, Ji Yuan knew that before advancing to the Foundation Establishment, he shouldn’t think about upgrading the [Talisman Room].

It makes sense; Tier One Talismans are used at the Qi Cultivation Stage, and Tier Two Talismans are mostly used in the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Now, this Level 2 Talisman Room can already increase the success rate of Tier Two Talismans by 20%.

So, needing Foundation Establishment to upgrade the Level 2 Talisman Room is reasonable.

“Phew—”

“No worries, this Level 1 Talisman Room is enough for me to reign in the Qi Cultivation Stage.”

Seeing the success rate increased by 20%, Ji Yuan once again entered a mode of arduous training.

Since he learned he didn’t need a Talisman Brush for Spirit Awakening, Ji Yuan’s success rate at painting the Calm Heart Talisman greatly increased. Right off the bat, he could steadily achieve two out of three.

But he just made two, and then posted one on himself to calm down and not waste it anymore.

The reason is simple; this Calm Heart Talisman… doesn’t make money.

Ji Yuan had already targeted it before he started; the most profitable Tier One Talisman in Zengtou City was the Water-Resistant Talisman!

This item is needed by every Fisherman setting out to sea.

After all, as long as you get into the water, you need the Water-Resistant Talisman. Even a few people who know the Water Avoidance Technique rarely use it because every bit of Spiritual Qi is extremely precious underwater.

The price of this Water-Resistant Talisman is also not low, selling for two Spirit Stones each.

So, in the following days, besides going to Zengtou City to buy some Talisman Paper, Ji Yuan didn’t go anywhere else and focused solely on Talismans.

Whenever his Spiritual Qi ran dry, he started eating eggs to recover.

Fortunately, he had enough Spirit Eggs, and seven or eight a day were enough for his consumption.

Moreover, not even two days later, a second Spirit Dolphin he raised matured, and besides eating eggs, he also undertook the “hard job” of eating Spirit Dolphin meat.

Though the Spiritual Qi contained in this Spirit Dolphin meat was small, it’s better than nothing.

Ji Yuan stewed some and grilled some, keeping them in his room.

Whenever he got tired of painting Talismans, he would eat some, and whenever he got too hot from eating, he would stop to continue painting Talismans.

Repeating this process, he soon created his first Water-Resistant Talisman.

In the Level 1 [Talisman Room], as long as he succeeded once, the success rate for subsequent ones would automatically increase by 20%, making it much easier to succeed with the second one.

As sheet after sheet of Cyan Hemp Talisman Paper disappeared, sheet after sheet of Water-Resistant Talismans appeared.

Ji Yuan finally saw the light of victory… oh no, the dawn of breaking even!

The purchase of Talisman Brushes and Talisman Ink had cost him nearly 30 pieces of Spirit Stones before, and to break even, he needed at least 20 pieces of Water-Resistant Talismans.

Fortunately, the last time Ji Yuan went to Zengtou City, he bought 100 sheets of Cyan Hemp Talisman Paper.

Even if his own success rate was close to zero, relying solely on the success rate of the [Talisman Room] would be enough for him to break even.

In the blink of an eye, three more days had passed.

In those three days, even half a Spirit Fish had advanced to become a Spirit Fish, yet Ji Yuan had no time to process it.

Until he finished using the last sheet of Talisman Paper, he looked at the packed Storage Bag with a total of 32 Water-Resistant Talismans, and finally leaned back, collapsing on the ground.

There was nothing else; it had been really exhausting this period.

Every day, besides cultivation and eating, was endless Talisman painting.

Even resting was just a quick nap before getting back to work.

True Immortal Cultivation.

But the efforts of these days did yield results. The biggest gain was the thick stack of Spirit Stones… oh no, Talismans in the Storage Bag.

Next to that was Ji Yuan’s substantial improvement in micromanaging Spiritual Qi.

Painting Talismans requires injecting Spiritual Power into the Talisman Brush, and releasing it from the fine tip. Without a delicate grasp of Spiritual Power, it couldn’t be done.

In other words, when engaging in Magical Combat with others again.

Whether executing spells or manipulating Magical Artifacts, Ji Yuan could perform more precise operations.

Following that, body tempering; after several days of eating meat, although only half a Spirit Dolphin was consumed, Ji Yuan felt his physique had become much stronger.

The most noticeable feeling was that his skin became significantly more resilient.

Though it still couldn’t withstand something as abnormal as a Water Drop Finger, ordinary Water Ball Techniques hardly did much damage to him anymore.

Gaining strength is always wonderful, so Ji Yuan fell into a delightful slumber amidst this delight.

When he awoke again, it was already the morning of the next day.

Feeling refreshed, Ji Yuan tidied himself up, collected seven Spirit Eggs for the day, and on top of that, slaughtered a Spirit Fish.

Once he was all sorted and about to depart for Zengtou City, he suddenly heard a quarrel next door from the Lin family.

Having stayed at home for five or six days, Ji Yuan didn’t know what had happened.

But, given that the two houses were just a wall apart, plus Lin Hu and Wu Qin were arguing in the courtyard.

Even if Ji Yuan didn’t want to listen, he understood it clearly.

It turned out Deng Yunliang had been going to Zengtou City every night before, all to the gambling den, and somehow he ended up taking Lin Hu as well.

The first night Lin Hu went there he won, and winning got him addicted.

Fishing couldn’t compare to gambling for quick and easy money.

However, in the days that followed, Lin Hu began losing every day, practically about to lose all his assets yet still claimed he could turn things around.

Wu Qin, having no choice, started quarreling with him.

But Ji Yuan didn’t want to meddle in other people’s family affairs.

Just as he was about to open the door, though, he saw a middle-aged man sitting at the entrance of the courtyard next door, sighing longingly.

As soon as Ji Yuan was visible, Deng Yunliang stood excitedly, forcing a smile, “Ji… Daoist Ji, are you going out?”

“Yes.”

Ji Yuan nodded indifferently.

Deng Yunliang seemed not to notice, rubbing his hands, “There’s a matter… I wish to discuss with Daoist Ji. Might I have a moment?”

“Whatever it is, say it when I return.”

Knowing Deng Yunliang was a gambling addict, Ji Yuan no longer wanted any involvement with him.

Gamblers aren’t worth pity wherever they are.

“Could you, by any chance, lend me some Spirit Stones, just three would do. I need to pay this month’s Immortal Residence fees; I promise I’ll repay you with five Spirit Stones next month, how about it? Five Spirit Stones!”

Deng Yunliang held up five fingers.

“I have none.”

Ji Yuan jumped aboard the White Boat, and Deng Yunliang made a move to follow.

Ji Yuan sharply spun around, casting a cold glance with his mid-Qi Cultivation Stage aura, scaring Deng Yunliang to the point of paling, stepping back several times before stopping.

“Sorry for disturbing,”

Deng Yunliang finally awakened, clasped his hands toward Ji Yuan, and exhaled a long breath.

Ji Yuan didn’t pay any more attention to him, piloting the boat to Zengtou City on his own.

And he wasn’t worried; if Deng Yunliang had any sense, that would be good.

If not… the Cloud Rain Marsh grandpas were known for eating people.