Chapter 82: Ji Yuan's "Death", Ji Yuan's Breakthrough
Qiu Qianhai seemed to have had a dream, yet it also felt like it wasn't a dream.
Just as he was about to be killed by Old Blind Qin, he suddenly heard a loud shout from outside the house, followed by the entire stone house being overturned by a massive sword.
Ji Yuan had arrived.
It seemed that whenever he faced a life-and-death crisis, Ji Yuan would appear, each time descending like a divine weapon from the heavens.
It was the same during the storm years ago, and again when he encountered Old Dog Lin.
But this time, "You shouldn't have come!"
Qiu Qianhai wanted to resist but was utterly powerless to rise, only able to watch helplessly as Ji Yuan protected him behind his back.
Holding his sword in one hand, Ji Yuan said without turning his head, "Whether I come or not is up to me."
Then, Qiu Qianhai watched as he and Old Blind Qin engaged in a fierce battle.
Flying boats soared into the sky, flying swords swept across, and the sounds of talismans exploding echoed.
Soon.
Qiu Qianhai watched as Ji Yuan was struck down into the Qingbo Market.
Understandably so, for although Ji Yuan was strong, was Old Blind Qin any weaker?
To have cultivated to the tenth level of Qi Refinement in the Yunyu Marshlands, his methods couldn't be simple.
A battle between someone at the seventh level of Qi Refinement and someone at the tenth level left little suspense.
Thus, Qiu Qianhai could only watch as Ji Yuan was repeatedly knocked into the water, yet each time he surged back up, shielding him.
Blood spewed from his mouth continuously.
In no time, Ji Yuan's body resembled a withered leaf in the wind, a tattered lotus in the rain.
"Courting death!"
Old Blind Qin roared angrily, casually throwing out three talismans, instantly summoning three massive swords that descended from the sky.
Golden light surged wildly from Ji Yuan's body, barely blocking the three giant swords, but he couldn't withstand Old Blind Qin's flying sword artifact.
Dozens of small flying swords swept back and forth, breaking through Ji Yuan's protective golden light in an instant, all embedding into his chest.
Seeing Ji Yuan's body suddenly stiffen, four words flashed through Qiu Qianhai's mind.
"Ten Thousand Swords Piercing the Heart!"
"—"
Old Blind Qin made a gesture, and all the flying swords retracted, finally merging into one, once again hovering beside him.
Ji Yuan's aura vanished, his body leaning backward, ultimately collapsing beside Qiu Qianhai.
His chest was soaked in blood, with blood oozing from his seven orifices.
He was smiling, yet also seemed to be crying, but his eyes were filled with bitterness and helplessness.
"Old—Old Qiu, I'm sorry."
Ji Yuan forced a grin, "This time, I couldn't save you—"
"Poof—"
Before Ji Yuan could finish speaking, the flying sword struck again.
Qiu Qianhai watched helplessly as Ji Yuan's neck was severed by the flying sword, blood gushing out, splattering on the wall, but more so on Qiu Qianhai's chest and cheeks.
In the darkest moment.
Qiu Qianhai forgot what emotions he was feeling; he only felt his mind go blank, yet it seemed entirely filled with Ji Yuan's figure.
He had been rescued by Ji Yuan when injured and unconscious, the two had killed Liu the Leper together, dug Cold Iron Sand at the bottom of the Qingbo Market, and broke through together in Jingde Workshop. In the end... Ji Yuan died before him—
A loud explosion echoed in Qiu Qianhai's mind, a pain as if it had exploded.
He groaned and lost consciousness.
The gray misty figure looked at the finally unconscious Qiu Qianhai and let out a satisfied laugh.
He seemed very happy, but his laughter made Old Blind Qin uneasy.
"Se—Senior."
Old Blind Qin respectfully knelt on the ground and called out.
The gray misty figure seemed not to hear, casually beckoning, causing a skeleton to emerge from Old Blind Qin's storage pouch.
Looking at his own skeleton, he sneered, "A treasure that even Golden Core cultivators would fight over, yet you used it to scare some first-level little demons. Hmph, serves you right for being useless."
"Sen—"
Old Blind Qin suddenly looked up, only to see the gray misty figure lowering his head to look at him.
In the gray eye sockets, two green flames burned and flickered.
Their eyes met, and Old Blind Qin turned pale with fright, his body leaning back, eventually falling to the ground.
Because, in those green flames, he saw a sea of blood and mountains of corpses!
He saw an entire city slaughtered, countless corpses piled throughout the city, the walls built with blood, and inside the walls, countless human limbs—the city walls were constructed from human bodies!
Seeing this hellish scene, Old Blind Qin was so terrified that he lost his composure, and finally, unable to catch his breath—
Already at the end of his lifespan, he let out a muffled groan—and died.
The dignified ancestor of the Qin family, a tenth-level Qi Refinement cultivator, and the leader of the Yunyu Marshlands Alliance.
Just died of fright.
"Useless."
The gray misty figure sneered, looking disdainfully at Old Blind Qin's body. His body suddenly ignited with green flames, turning to ashes in the blink of an eye.
"Hmph, still more comfortable sleeping in my own body."
The gray misty figure muttered to himself, then walked into the black skeleton before him.
In no time, the gray mist was entirely absorbed by the black bones, and he let out a satisfied moan.
He raised his left hand, grasping the floating finger bone in the air.
This finger bone was the missing segment of his right index finger. He picked it up and gently placed it back, instantly restoring the skeleton completely.
The green flames in his eye sockets suddenly flickered.
"Good wife, I hope you and my good disciple are doing well upon my return."
The black skeleton looked around, "Hmph, a dragon-rearing land formed by gathering the mountain and water fortunes of Jishang Mountain and the Falling Star River. Shangting really went all out."
Then he looked down at the still sleeping Qiu Qianhai.
"You are the peerless genius I cultivated over three generations in this dragon-rearing land. You must strive hard, young man."
"Let's go, let's go, I'll take you back first."
With that, the black skeleton looked around, finally removing a rib from his left side.
With a soft "pop," the entire skeleton trembled slightly.
He snapped his left fingers again, igniting green flames between his index finger and thumb, and held the rib in his right hand over the flame to ignite it.
Watching his burning rib, he sighed deeply, finally throwing it to the ground.
As soon as the rib touched the ground, the flames suddenly intensified, eventually forming a blazing bonfire.
"Cangluo is too small, Shangting is nowhere to be found, better not to come—"
With a soft chant, the skeleton dragged the unconscious Qiu Qianhai into the green bonfire, then disappeared, and the bonfire extinguished itself...
"Ji Yuan!!!"
Qiu Qianhai shouted, suddenly sitting up, only to find himself in a stone chamber.
Opposite him stood a skeleton.
Without a word, Qiu Qianhai summoned his Crescent Moon Scimitar and slashed horizontally.
The scimitar struck the skeleton... and broke!
The black skeleton slowly turned around, looking at the now-awake Qiu Qianhai, and let out a gentle laugh from its throat, "My good disciple, could it be that you also wish to kill your master?"
"If you do, I shall send you to meet your friend."
"If not, I shall teach you—how to seek revenge!"
Qiu Qianhai looked at his broken magical weapon, then at the talking black skeleton before him. Without hesitation, he knelt down and bowed, loudly saying:
"Master above, please accept your disciple's bow!"
The black skeleton stepped forward and gently patted Qiu Qianhai's head, "Good disciple."
Qiu Qianhai shivered and looked up to ask, "Mas—Master, what is this place? Wasn't I at the Qingbo Market?"
"This place,”
The black skeleton stood with hands behind its back and slowly said, "This place."
"This is a paradise for the chaotic and a hell for the orderly. Everyone here believes in one truth—that might makes right. Yet, countless strong individuals also aspire to rewrite this chaotic land and establish a new order."
"Here, there are heroes who have rebuilt themselves after death, and prodigies who established their foundation in a single day. Of course,"
The black skeleton suddenly appeared before Qiu Qianhai, green flames flickering in its eye sockets.
"There are also people like you and me."
"But, but Master, you still haven't told me where this is?"
"This is the Land of Extreme Abyss!"
Steam Community
"Also known as Extreme Abyss Island."
"Of course, if you're asking on a larger scale, it's the Three Thousand Boats on the Endless Sea, each ferrying people across."
***
After enduring the height of summer and reaping the bountiful autumn, the season had turned to deep winter.
Ji Yuan felt that this year had passed swiftly.
Having reached the late stage of Qi Refining, as long as he didn't cause trouble, few things in the Yunyu Marshlands could disturb him.
Over the past half year, except for trips to Zengtou Market, he spent the rest of his time cultivating at home.
He didn't step out of his main gate or even his courtyard.
Not only did he avoid seeking trouble, but even when some late-stage Qi Refining cultivators came to him with matters, he politely declined.
Even for tasks like slaying demons and seizing treasures, which were known to be profitable, Ji Yuan refrained from participating.
He didn't even actively inquire about Qiu Qianhai's affairs. Instead, Cripple Li visited twice, asking Ji Yuan if he had any news.
Days passed by like this.
The fish in Ji Yuan's [Fish Pond] were replaced repeatedly.
As for his neighbors, Wu Qin was about to give birth, so Lin Hu hadn't gone out to sea in recent days and stayed home to care for her.
During this period, Lin Hu approached Ji Yuan twice.
The first time, he hoped Ji Yuan would become his child's godfather.
After Ji Yuan declined, Lin Hu changed his request, saying he wasn't well-read and hoped Ji Yuan could name his child.
Ji Yuan again declined, citing his limited education, and instead suggested he consult Wen Lin next door.
After all, Wen Lin was indeed a well-educated gentleman, a fact both Ji Yuan and Lin Hu recognized.
As for what name Wen Lin eventually chose, Ji Yuan didn't ask further, because after a year of pill consumption and cultivation with spirit stones, he had finally reached the brink of a breakthrough.
Advancing from the seventh to the eighth layer of Qi Refining wasn't even considered a minor bottleneck.
Therefore, Ji Yuan didn't prepare valuable items like mid-grade spirit stones.
On a clear and sunny morning, Ji Yuan isolated all sounds, arranged two hundred spirit stones around him, and began his breakthrough using the effects of his [Cave Dwelling].
He held two spirit stones in each hand and activated the "Azure Sea Tide Technique" within his body. The spiritual energy from the stones was quickly absorbed, flowing through his meridians and finally converging in his dantian.
It became part of his dan cloud.
This cycle repeated continuously, and with the [Cave Dwelling] increasing nighttime spiritual energy concentration by 30%,
Under such conditions, Ji Yuan still spent nearly ten days, absorbing close to 500 low-grade spirit stones.
Only then did his cultivation advance from the seventh to the eighth layer of Qi Refining.
Ji Yuan had always cultivated steadily, so there were no dangers; everything progressed naturally.
After breaking through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining, he spent another three to four days stabilizing his cultivation before ending his seclusion.
The first thing he did upon exiting was to urgently slaughter the two mid-stage first-tier spiritual fish in his [Fish Pond].
Both had advanced during his seclusion. If not killed promptly, they would not only compete with each other but also encroach upon the living space of other spiritual fish.
After dealing with the spiritual fish, he, as usual, extracted Crest blood from the three Red-Crested roosters and collected ten spiritual eggs.
After finishing these tasks, he set off on his flying boat to Zengtou Market.
When he arrived at the Fish Market, even before landing, the nearby fishermen made way for him, with some already greeting him.
"Senior Ji, long time no see."
"Haven't seen you in a few days, Senior Ji, you seem even younger."
"Still as elegant as ever, Brother Ji!"
...
Hearing these voices, Ji Yuan smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
He felt that when one lacked strength, everyone seemed hostile; even selling fish at the market required caution.
Now that he had strength, everyone appeared friendly.
So, ultimately, one must enhance their strength.
"Fellow Daoist Ji, I was wondering why you hadn't been around lately—"
The on-duty cultivator from the Water Dragon Sect greeted Ji Yuan familiarly.
He also noticed the change in Ji Yuan's aura but didn't point it out.
"Just a stroke of luck."
Ji Yuan replied modestly with a smile.
After selling the spiritual fish, he didn't visit other places.
Upon returning to his lakeside cottage, even before landing, he noticed that Lin Hu's courtyard was bustling.
Not only was Lin Hu present, but the entire Wen family was also there.
Ji Yuan guessed what was happening. After some thought, he landed in Lin Hu's courtyard.
Before he could put away his flying boat, he heard Lin Hu excitedly shout:
"Brother Ji, I'm a father now!"
"I, Lin Hu, have a daughter!"
"Well, congratulations to you."
Ji Yuan sincerely smiled.
Lin Hu, still very excited, conversed with the Wen family, mostly seeking Wen Lin's advice on child-rearing.
Before long, the midwife came out. Lin Hu hurried forward, first giving her three spirit stones as a birthing fee, then entering the house together.
The midwife, aware of Lin Hu's family situation—having no parents—gave extensive instructions on how to care for the baby and Wu Qin.
Seeing that there was nothing more to do, Ji Yuan and the Wen family didn't stay to intrude.
A year later, Wen Ling’er had grown a year older. Her once chubby body had slimmed down and grown taller.
Even her temperament seemed more gentle, no longer as boisterous as before.
At least she no longer rushed to Ji Yuan asking for hugs.
But her habit of asking Ji Yuan for food remained.
Just like now, although Zhao Yuechan kept pulling her back, she always tilted her head around her mother's thigh, making faces at Ji Yuan.
Wen Lin chatted cheerfully with Ji Yuan.
"Brother Ji, do you know what's happening with the Water Dragon Sect? The price of pills is changing almost daily."
"It seems they're still having friction with the Joyous Palace. The exact reason hasn't been disclosed yet. But with pill prices fluctuating daily, Brother Wen, you must be profiting handsomely."
Ji Yuan replied with a smile.
Wen Lin was an alchemist; the more expensive the pills, the more he earned.
"Not at all, not at all. Brother Ji's talismans have also increased in price recently."
Wen Lin quickly responded with a laugh.
"It's manageable."
Over the past year, Ji Yuan indeed earned a lot of spirit stones by drawing talismans.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have mastered mid-grade first-tier talismans so quickly.
Arriving at Ji Yuan's doorstep, Wen Lin paused slightly, watching Zhao Yuechan and her daughter enter the house.
"Brother Wen, is there something else?"
Ji Yuan looked at him and asked.