Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 593: Chapter 267: Parting Ways

“It was just a stroke of luck.”

If it were back when they first met, Ji Yuan wouldn’t have dared to take these things out.

But after knowing them for so long, they trusted Ji Yuan completely, and naturally, Ji Yuan also trusted them.

“Hmph, Ji Yuan, Ji Yuan, just hearing the name makes it clear that you’re quite lucky.”

After some casual conversation, Ran Kui reminded Yun Qianzai and Phoenix Peach, warning them not to be careless. This mission was different from the last one… The last was just for excitement, but this time, there might be danger.

Fortunately, all four of them present were no novices.

The journey was relatively relaxed, but as they neared Black Dragon Island, Yun Qianzai and Phoenix Peach became vigilant.

As the junior disciple, it was only natural for Ji Yuan to stand at the back of the group.

“That is Black Dragon Island.”

As soon as Ran Kui’s words fell, the tower ship descended, gradually piercing through the thick clouds, revealing a gigantic island in the sea before the four of them.

Among all the islands Ji Yuan had seen, Black Dragon Island was the second largest, right after Ice and Fire Island.

The island was sparsely forested, mostly covered in black rocks.

Its overall shape resembled Ji Yuan’s previous Mist Island, due to the cliff on the east side of the island’s tallest peak.

Just as the tower ship broke through the cloud layer, nearly ten beams of light rose from Black Dragon Island, surrounding the tower ship and transforming into small flying boats.

One middle-aged man in black clothes directly entered the tower ship, landing on the deck.

“The Sect Leader of Black Dragon Island, Li Yuan.”

Phoenix Peach explained to Ji Yuan via voice transmission.

“Brother Wu Dao, you’re finally here.” Li Yuan greeted with a sorrowful face, deeply bowing to Ran Kui afterward.

“Brother Li, there’s no need for that. Did something happen on the island again?”

Ran Kui stepped forward to help him up.

“Yes, sigh…”

Li Yuan stood up and greeted the three behind Ran Kui.

Ran Kui introduced them, but only by their titles, not their real names.

“Here’s the situation: After I returned from your sect, I learned that during my absence, another late-stage Foundation Establishment elder mysteriously disappeared, and since I came back, it’s as if that demon cultivator is deliberately provoking us. Nowadays, four to five Qi Cultivation Stage disciples disappear every day.”

Li Yuan explained rapidly.

“Realizing the seriousness, I ordered the Qi Cultivation Stage disciples to spend their nights in the main hall, but even so, with everyone watching, disciples still vanished into thin air.”

“Ha, that’s because Isle Master Tianshu hasn’t come yet.”

With outsiders present, Yun Qianzai returned to his aloof demeanor.

However, his remark left Li Yuan stunned for a moment, who quickly cupped his hands towards Yun Qianzai, cooperatively saying:

“With Fellow Daoist Tianshu here, we are surely ten times more secure.”

“No.”

Yun Qianzai slowly shook his head.

“Then…?”

Li Yuan frowned, puzzled.

“Not ’ten times more secure,’ but ’certain to succeed.’

Li Yuan: “…”

“Are all the remaining elders here now?” Ran Kui shifted the topic.

“Yes, there were originally fifteen elders, but now only thirteen remain. Two are guarding the Black Dragon Stone, and the others are here.”

Before Li Yuan responded, Ji Yuan had already sized up the surrounding Foundation Establishment cultivators accompanying them.

Among these eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators were one at the peak, three at the late stage, five at the mid-stage, and two at the early stage.

This group, even after losses, was considered a formidable force in the East Sea.

No wonder they could occupy the treasure land of Black Dragon Island.

Soon, the large flying boat landed on the open space in front of Black Dragon Island’s main hall.

Ran Kui put away the tower and the flying boat.

Li Yuan whispered a few words to a Foundation Establishment elder, who then left on a flying boat.

Ji Yuan, though standing at a distance, heard what Li Yuan said.

He instructed this elder to invite the two elders guarding the Black Dragon Stone over, saying the welcome banquet was about to start.

Afterward, Ji Yuan followed the group into the main hall.

Inside Black Dragon Hall on Black Dragon Island, a grand feast was already laid out, with five seats on the high platform, reserved for Black Dragon Island’s Island Master Li Yuan and the four distinguished guests from the Upper Sect.

Ji Yuan found it hard to decline and had to join them on the high platform.

No matter who looked at him, he returned their gaze with a smile.

But before long, even before his seat had warmed, a flying boat landed outside the main hall, and the elder who had left earlier rushed in, stumbling.

“Sect Leader, Sect Leader, something major happened!”

“What’s got you so panicked…” Before Li Yuan finished, something dawned on him, and he quickly stood up, urgently asking, “Elder Huang and Elder Zheng, where are they?!”

“They… they’ve disappeared.”

“What?”

Li Yuan’s face instantly turned grim, then stiffly turned to look at Ran Kui.

“Brother Wu Dao, you… you see, those two elders were both at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.”

Ran Kui slowly ate a piece of raw fish, then stood up, saying, “It seems that rascal really is audacious, not just consuming people but openly slapping our Water Dragon Sect’s face.”

“Brother Li, lead the way!”

After speaking, Ran Kui stepped down from the high platform, releasing his Fake Pill Realm cultivation, exerting a layer of pressure on everyone present.

“Those two elders were originally guarding the Black Dragon Stone and disappeared from there. Come, I’ll lead you there now, Brother Wu Dao.”

Li Yuan led the way.

Ran Kui followed closely behind.

Ji Yuan and the other two fell to the back, while the remaining elders exchanged glances, eventually choosing not to follow.

But just as they stepped out of the main hall, Ji Yuan received a voice transmission from Yun Qianzai.

“An elder I know sent me word that the four who vanished were all elders who traditionally opposed Li Yuan.”