Chapter 26: Breakthrough
At first, Ji Yuan was still considering whether to buy a few more Green-Yellow Chickens or Semi-Spiritual Fish to bring back.
But now that the thought of breaking through had arisen, he couldn’t care about anything else.
Everything could wait until after the breakthrough.
When he arrived home, both neighboring houses were quiet.
Deng Yunliang had most likely gone to rest, and as for Lin Hu, Ji Yuan wasn’t sure if he had gone out to sea or had also gone to rest.
In any case, it was good that no one was loitering outside.
After returning home, Ji Yuan first fed the Green-Yellow Chickens and Semi-Spiritual Fish. After all, this breakthrough would take at least a day or two, and the creatures he was raising still needed to be cared for.
“Looks like I’ll have to start studying the art of puppetry in the future. Otherwise, if I ever have to travel far or enter seclusion for a long time, there won’t be anyone to take care of these things.”
As for keeping a monster beast, Ji Yuan didn’t dare think about that for now.
A truly intelligent monster beast would have to be at least at the sixth or seventh rank, or it might even be one of the legendary shape-shifting great demons.
Puppetry seemed far more reliable.
After finishing these tasks, Ji Yuan returned to his room—no, to the Talisman Room now.
In the past, he would have had to spend quite some time meditating to calm his mind. But now, with a casual motion, he pasted a Calm Mind Talisman on himself.
All settled.
With his mind calm, Ji Yuan took out the seven Spiritual Eggs he had obtained today to warm up for his breakthrough.
After a while, he finished consuming all the Spiritual Eggs.
Ji Yuan then focused his mind and took out Spirit Stones from his storage pouch. Without being stingy, he took out all fifty at once and arranged them around him.
Looking at the shining white ring of stones around him, Ji Yuan felt completely at ease.
With a flick of his hands, he grabbed two Spirit Stones in each hand.
Activating the Azure Sea Tide Technique once again, an unprecedentedly pure spiritual energy surged into his meridians.
Amidst the coolness, there was also a hint of moisture.
The spiritual energy flowed through his meridians and finally settled slowly in his dantian.
The cultivation at the Qi Refining Stage didn’t require any profound techniques.
It was merely a repetitive process of absorbing the free spiritual energy of the world and transforming external resources for personal use.
Compared to breaking through from the third to the fourth layer, breaking through from the fourth to the fifth had even fewer barriers. It was simply about letting things take their natural course.
As four Spirit Stones turned to dust and slipped from his hands, then another four, and another four…
Ji Yuan didn’t pay attention to how many stones he had absorbed. He only noticed that the light outside the window kept shifting—brightening and dimming, again and again.
This cycle repeated for two days, until the spirit stone powder on both sides of him had piled up into small mounds.
Finally, on the night of the third day, as moonlight squeezed through the window and spilled onto the edge of his bed, Ji Yuan, who had been sitting as still as an old pine tree, suddenly opened his eyes.
A sharp glint flashed through his eyes, and his aura momentarily surged before vanishing again.
Qi Refining Layer Five.
He had succeeded!
Ji Yuan let out a long breath of turbid air and finally understood why it was said that the disciples of Immortal Sects could reach the peak of Qi Refining at a young age.
The Qi Refining Stage was merely a process of accumulating spiritual energy.
With enough Spirit Stones, even he could break through twice in just two months, let alone those geniuses with dual or single spiritual roots.
At Qi Refining Layer Five, he could be considered a pillar of the community here in Zengtou Market.
After a brief moment of joy, Ji Yuan glanced around.
Of the fifty Spirit Stones, only six remained.
This single breakthrough had consumed a full forty-four Spirit Stones.
No wonder there were so few cultivators at the late Qi Refining Stage in Zengtou Market.
Not to mention reaching the late stage, even breaking through to Qi Refining Layer Six wasn’t something ordinary people could achieve.
Feeling the abundant spiritual energy in his dantian, Ji Yuan picked up four more Spirit Stones and began stabilizing his new cultivation level at Qi Refining Layer Five.
By the time he had completely refined the last six Spirit Stones, his cultivation had fully stabilized, and the sky outside had brightened.
He first washed up, then scattered all the Spirit Stone powder into the Pigsty.
After taking care of these chores, he went on to feed the fish and chickens again, collecting all the Spiritual Eggs from the past few days—twenty-one in total, confirming that this seclusion had lasted a full three days.
Ji Yuan no longer felt like consuming any more Spiritual Eggs for now. Instead, he planned to step outside for a walk.
However, just as he was pacing back and forth along the shoreline near his door, he saw a black-robed cultivator with a hooked nose walking toward him from the small road across the way.
This person… Ji Yuan naturally recognized him.
Pang Zhiyuan, a Qi Refining Layer Five cultivator who worked for the Water Dragon Sect. He could be considered a semi-official figure, as he was the one who usually collected the Immortal Residence Fee in this area on behalf of the sect.
He was the same person who had previously come to urge Ji Yuan for the Immortal Residence Fee.
But why was he here now? It didn’t seem like it was time to collect fees yet… Ji Yuan wondered as he watched Pang Zhiyuan walk past him.
“Chief Pang.”
Ji Yuan greeted him.
Pang Zhiyuan nodded, giving Ji Yuan an extra glance before showing a hint of surprise on his face.
“Mid-stage Qi Refining already?”
Now that Ji Yuan had reached Qi Refining Layer Five, his aura was naturally much denser.
Even if he tried to suppress it, the aura of a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator was still quite obvious.
“By luck.”
Ji Yuan cupped his hands slightly in acknowledgment.
So close… if I used my Deadly Needle to ambush him right now, I might be able to kill him instantly… Ji Yuan thought absentmindedly.
“Not bad, you didn’t bring shame to your father.”
Pang Zhiyuan nodded in approval, then turned toward the Lin family’s door next door and knocked heavily.
There was a clatter of noise from inside, and soon, the door opened.
It was Lin Hu who answered.
The moment he saw Pang Zhiyuan, his face turned pale.
“Ch-Chief Pang…”
“The Immortal Residence Fee you owed last month—pay it now. If you can’t pay today, pack up and get out of Zengtou Market.”
Ji Yuan felt a sense of déjà vu upon hearing these familiar words.
“N-No, Chief Pang, according to the rules, I can delay for a month, right? I promise I’ll make up for it next month. Please give me a few more days. I’m heading out to sea in a bit.”
Lin Hu clutched Pang Zhiyuan’s sleeve, begging bitterly, nearly kneeling.
“The rules have changed. From now on, no more delays on the Immortal Residence Fee.”
Pang Zhiyuan said coldly, “Hurry up. If you can’t pay, pack your things and leave.”
Hearing the commotion, Deng Yunliang also came out, folding his hands into his sleeves, looking on as if watching a show.
After all, he had already paid his Immortal Residence Fee last month.
None of this concerned him.
“T-There’s one here…”
A weak voice came from behind the door. It was Wu Qin.
Pang Zhiyuan grabbed it casually. “Still short two.”
Lin Hu turned his gaze toward Ji Yuan, hesitated briefly, then looked to Deng Yunliang.
“Old Deng, lend me… just two for now. I promise I’ll repay you next month.”
Deng Yunliang sneered. “Where would I get more Spirit Stones? I have none.”
“But didn’t you win a few last night?” Lin Hu’s eyes were filled with despair.
“Those are for me to win big tonight. Don’t even think about it.”
Deng Yunliang waved dismissively, uninterested in watching the show any longer, and turned to go back inside for more sleep.
Ji Yuan watched coldly.
He had once faced the same life-and-death choice as Lin Hu… Unconsciously, old memories surfaced in his mind.
Back when Ji Qingyun was still around, the Ji and Lin families had a good relationship.
They used to visit each other frequently, and whenever one family cooked something nice, they would share it with the other.
Ji Qingyun would even take Lin Youwei along when going out to sea.
The young Ji Yuan used to play with Lin Hu at home.
Lin Hu, being simple and honest, always followed behind Ji Yuan, calling him “Brother Ji.”
Thinking of this, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but sigh.
“I’ll cover it for him.”
Ji Yuan took two Spirit Stones from his sleeve and handed them over.
“You?”
Pang Zhiyuan glanced at him but didn’t say much. He used Telekinesis to take the stones and left.
He didn’t care who paid, as long as someone paid.
After Pang Zhiyuan left, Lin Hu stood at the door, facing the rising sun, looking at Ji Yuan. He felt that Ji Yuan seemed both very close and very far away now.
But without a doubt, Ji Yuan was standing in the sunlight.
Lin Hu opened his mouth, his throat trembling slightly.
“B-Brother Ji…”
“Stop gambling. Live your life properly.” Ji Yuan sighed, not mentioning repayment, and went back into his house.
“Alright! Brother Ji, you can rest assured!”
“I, Lin Hu, will never gamble again for the rest of my life!”
Lin Hu shouted, then bowed deeply toward Ji Yuan’s door.
Wiping his face, he packed up a few things and set off in a black-roofed boat toward the Yunyu Marshlands.
As for his original ebony magic boat… don’t ask, he lost it to gambling.
On the other side, Deng Yunliang watched the scene, wanting to say something, but held back.