Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 283: Chapter 166: [Beehive: Level 1]

“Alright…”

Ji Yuan, seemingly a bit embarrassed, said, “I just recently reached Foundation Establishment but haven’t yet acquired any Spiritual Artifacts. I’m afraid I’ll be a laughingstock for my senior brothers and sisters.”

Liu Yuan laughed and said, “Junior Brother, you’re overthinking it. We’ve all been through this. Just reaching Foundation Establishment has already exhausted all our Spirit Stones, leaving us with none to buy Spiritual Artifacts.”

Wu Nanchun also comforted him, saying, “No need to worry, Junior Brother. When we come out on duty… the sect is quite generous. After this duty in Lishui City, your salary will be enough to replace your Spiritual Artifact Flying Boat.”

“Oh?”

Ji Yuan was encountering this for the first time and asked, “Roughly how much could it be? Can you give me a hint, Sister?”

“There’s nothing that can’t be said about this.”

Wu Nanchun smiled and said, “When we’re stationed in the cities, usually it’s a rotation every three years… The situation in Lishui City before was a special case.”

“After three years, you should receive about 200 to almost 300.”

The 200 or more that Wu Nanchun referred to was, of course, in Mid-grade Spirit Stones.

Calculating it this way, it’s quite a lot, and this is just the fixed salary distributed by the sect.

Being stationed outside and guarding a city on behalf of the Water Dragon Sect can also bring some “unexpected gains,” so naturally, the income is even higher.

’No wonder some cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage are eager to go on duty and perform tasks for the sect. The earnings from these duties are much higher than going out to slay monsters on your own, and they’re not very dangerous either.’

’You get money and status.’

Ji Yuan thought quietly to himself.

Then, in his mind, he heard Wu Nanchun’s voice transmission, “Junior Brother Ji, if you encounter any problems upon reaching Lishui City, feel free to let me know.”

“Hmm?”

Ji Yuan was a bit surprised, but not entirely so.

Wu Nanchun sent another voice transmission, “Sect Leader Martial Uncle personally told me to take good care of you.”

“Then… thanks to Sister.”

In the end, he became a person with connections, sigh… Ji Yuan always despised people who relied on connections, but he felt it was acceptable if he became one himself.

With Master Xuan Shui’s words, even if Ji Yuan couldn’t gain many benefits,

at least he wouldn’t be bullied.

Otherwise, under a late-stage Foundation Establishment and a mid-stage Foundation Establishment, it would definitely be him, with his early-stage Foundation Establishment, doing all the work.

Following Wu Nanchun’s Top-grade Spiritual Artifact Flying Boat, the speed was much faster, and in just a day’s time, they had already arrived at Lishui City.

This made Ji Yuan think about giving his collection of Magical and Spiritual Artifacts a complete overhaul.

With his Talisman Painting and Alchemy skills, and even possessing over a dozen Foundation Establishment Pills, the last thing he lacked was Spirit Stones.

This marked Ji Yuan’s third visit to Lishui City, although the previous two visits were as a guest. This time, however, he came in the capacity of an owner.

When the three Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators arrived, the remaining cultivators from Water Dragon Sect, still on duty, came to pay their respects naturally.

Wu Nanchun didn’t seem like it was his first time serving as City Lord. His handling of matters was quick and decisive.

In less than a day, all issues were dealt with, and peace was restored to Lishui City.

Then came the distribution of tasks to Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan. Wu Nanchun took on most city matters himself, while city defense and garrison duty were assigned to Liu Yuan.

As for Ji Yuan… in Wu Nanchun’s words.

“Go wherever there’s work.”

Liu Yuan, having reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment and enjoying some reputation among Foundation Establishment disciples of the Water Dragon Sect, was naturally not naive. The implication of Wu Nanchun’s words was understood like this.

“If there’s no work anywhere, you don’t have to do anything.”

This clearly indicated that Ji Yuan was a Foundation Establishment disciple with a background.

Liu Yuan didn’t mind such matters and maintained a neutral stance.

Initially, Ji Yuan felt a bit awkward in the first few days, feeling that he had landed a huge favor, but after a few days, he embraced it… because he wanted to help, but there was nothing he could help with.

The handling of city affairs wasn’t something he could intervene in.

As many of them required decisions from the City Lord, if he interfered, it would imply seizing power.

Even Liu Yuan was not involved in these matters.

Ji Yuan realized, with just a little observation, that handling city affairs was actually a process of “monetizing authority,” a task traditionally overseen by the City Lord personally.

As for the defense and garrison, there was even less to handle.

Especially since Lishui City had just undergone a major cleanup, no reckless Loose Cultivators dared to cause trouble.

Even if disputes occasionally arose, the patrolling disciples from the Water Dragon Sect could handle them smoothly, leaving Liu Yuan with little to do.

Ji Yuan simply laid low, as all of this had nothing to do with him.

So, in the following half-year.

Aside from being on duty in Lishui City, Ji Yuan found time to visit several nearby cities.

To do what?

To attend auctions. Firstly, he sold a few Foundation Establishment Pills, and secondly, he thoroughly upgraded all of his Magical and Spiritual Artifacts.

For Ji Yuan, the most critical was the Flying Spiritual Artifact.

He spared no expense in purchasing a Top-grade Spiritual Artifact… according to the auction house’s introduction, when fully activated, it could rival the speed of a Golden Core Escape Light.

Ji Yuan clearly didn’t believe that, but he estimated it must be faster than the peak Foundation Establishment stage.

Of course, he usually dared not use it. This thing could only be used in true life-and-death situations, and even then, it must be combined with the Talisman Treasure “Escape Shuttle” to flee the battlefield before being used.

He also went on to purchase some other excellent treasures.

After all, he was a farmer cultivator… what he had in abundance were Spirit Stones.

Moreover, whenever Ji Yuan attended an auction, he used a “Transformation Talisman” and the “Concealing Breath Spell,” so no one discovered his true identity.

On the surface, he still appeared to be an unremarkable early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Even if he walked on the streets, he gave others the impression of being weak and helpless.

That day.

He requested leave from Wu Nanchun in advance and went north back to the sect, reaching Mist Island where he met the loyal Big Toad.

However, this time, Ji Yuan had no intention of playing with the Big Toad. He went straight to the west side of Mist Island, to a dense forest outside the Chaotic Burial Mound.

Even before getting close, he could already hear the buzzing sound coming from within the dense forest.

Once he got closer, he noticed the small text hovering above the forest.

[Beehive: lv1]

The “Insect Demon” cultivator that Ji Yuan had longed for had finally come into his possession.

Speaking of this [Beehive], it too was quite the serendipity.

It wasn’t something Ji Yuan bought at an auction, but rather something he encountered while leisurely strolling in Lishui City. He unexpectedly came across a peak Qi Cultivation cultivator who urgently needed Spirit Stones and was selling.

Selling a hive of “Spirit-Devouring Bees.”

Many Qi Cultivation cultivators were bidding, vying to purchase it.

Eventually, it was Ji Yuan who slightly revealed his cultivation, supplemented with overwhelming Spirit Stone reserves, that won the “Spirit-Devouring Bees” beehive.

Later, Ji Yuan brought it back to Mist Island and carefully cared for it for over a month before it recognized him as its master.

Which led to the development of the [Beehive] structure.

With this thought, Ji Yuan summoned the panel.