Longevity through Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 1227: Chapter 422: Fairy Baihua and Miss Baihua_2

”...”

After Ji Yuan left that tower ship, he continued heading south. From then on, he began to see more and more cultivators, giving him a sense of finally returning to the mortal world.

Two days later, he began to see more and more islands, and he realized why this archipelago was called the Xingluo Archipelago.

Because indeed, the islands were scattered like stars.

His figure finally stopped above the clouds, looking down, he saw three massive islands beneath the cloud cover that appeared like continents.

Vast and boundless.

In Ji Yuan’s vision, he could only see three sky-reaching light pillars piercing the sky from the ground.

”According to the sea map, the nearest island to me is Sword Island, and the sect on it is naturally Heavenly Sword Sect. To the west is Cloud Rain Island, with Dan Ding Island being the farthest.”

”However, joining a sect is not urgent, I can completely understand everything clearly before making a decision.”

While contemplating, Ji Yuan’s figure dived down, directly entering Sword Island.

The Heavenly Sword Sect is located in the center of Sword Island, and the spot where Ji Yuan landed is in a large city on the northernmost part of Sword Island.

A Core Formation Cultivator descending from the sky naturally attracted the bows of many nearby cultivators.

Ji Yuan was long accustomed to this scene and didn’t pay much attention to it.

His divine sense swept through the entire city instantly, giving him the impression that indeed, there were quite a few sword-practicing cultivators.

With just a glance, Ji Yuan sensed subtle sword qi from many cultivators.

This indicated that these cultivators primarily practiced sword techniques.

”The City Lord is only at the late-stage Core Formation... It seems peak Core Formation is still rare.”

Ji Yuan’s divine sense examined the entire city, naturally learning about the City’s Lord’s situation.

However, upon further thought, it was still fine. In the past, the Water Dragon Sect... there wasn’t even a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, let alone a peak Core Formation one.

Thus, over the next few days, Ji Yuan strolled leisurely around the city.

He also took the opportunity to learn about the customs and practices of the Xingluo Archipelago.

And the conduct and demeanor of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

For instance, one of the things that left the deepest impression on Ji Yuan was a pair of loose cultivator Dao companions at the Qi Cultivation Stage selling spirit grass on the street.

They were selling some relatively worthless spirit grass.

The woman among the Dao companions seemed to fancy a magical artifact but, due to insufficient spirit stones, couldn’t obtain it, which made her a bit unhappy, and the man was coaxing her right in the street.

What he said was nothing more than how he might become an alchemist, or how he would do this and that in the future...

It was an ordinary situation, as ordinary as it could be.

But then a Heavenly Sword Sect disciple at the Qi Cultivation Stage happened to pass by and heard their conversation.

The result was a sentence from this Heavenly Sword Sect disciple that left a deep impression on Ji Yuan.

That Heavenly Sword Sect disciple, in a very disdainful tone, said:

”Those not even worthy of joining an Immortal Sect dare to speak of the future?”

”...”

All these details left Ji Yuan with the impression of the Heavenly Sword Sect as... high and mighty Immortal Sect disciples looking down on loose cultivators and disciples from other sects.

And this was the usual demeanor of major Immortal Sects.

Whether it was on the Cangluo Continent or the Jiyuan Continent, Ji Yuan had witnessed it.

So he just thought... well, I guess.

It was just that, for Ji Yuan, he didn’t have any fondness for it.

So after leaving Sword Island, Ji Yuan went to Dan Ding Island and wandered around a few times.

He focused on understanding the situation of the Dan Ding Sect.

He found that, in terms of how they treated loose cultivators, the Dan Ding Sect was indeed much better, without that aggressive demeanor.

Regardless of transactions, they were honest and fair.

But Ji Yuan discovered another issue—Dan Ding Sect’s cultivators... were very anxious.

They did everything in a hurry, even walking faster than other cultivators.

Moreover, it gave Ji Yuan a strangely familiar feeling.

Initially, this might seem inconsequential, but after Ji Yuan listened intently to the conversations among some disciples of the Dan Ding Sect, he realized things were not as they seemed.

For instance:

”Already tired? How many hours a day do you spend on alchemy? Senior Brother Wang from the neighboring peak spends eleven out of twelve hours a day on alchemy.”

”Alchemy won’t kill you, so work yourself to death at it! Without alchemy, without elixirs, how can you improve your cultivation?”

”If you don’t work hard on alchemy today, how can you enjoy future leisure on the mountain?”

”...”

All these conversations left Ji Yuan a bit speechless.

But soon he realized why the Dan Ding Sect felt familiar to him.

Because... internal competition!

Ji Yuan sensed a very intense feeling of internal competition among the Dan Ding Sect disciples.

Every disciple was striving hard for alchemy.

Core Formation Cultivators were pressuring Foundation Establishment cultivators, and Foundation Establishment cultivators were, in turn, pressuring Qi Cultivation cultivators.

So who did the Qi Cultivation cultivators pressure?

They pressured themselves, to make themselves into qualified workhorses.

Once Ji Yuan realized this, he immediately excluded the Dan Ding Sect from the Three Star Luo Sects.

Ji Yuan felt that while he worked hard in cultivation, he also knew how to relax occasionally. But if he truly joined the Dan Ding Sect, he wouldn’t have this freedom.

He could accept internal competition for himself, but he couldn’t accept others forcing it on him.

”Since that’s the case, only one sect is left... Cloud Rain Sect, which is reputed to be good, but in the end, I must see for myself to truly know.”

With this idea in mind, Ji Yuan left the Dan Ding Sect and set off for Cloud Rain Sect.

After about two days, when Ji Yuan felt he had already covered half the journey, he unexpectedly encountered another late-stage Core Formation cultivator in midair.