Chapter 255: The First Level 4 Building
Inside the cave.
After deploying the Star Swirl Cloud Barrier Formation, Ji Yuan first took out the giant boulder he had found at the volcanic crater from his Storage Pouch.
“Bang—”
The giant boulder landed on the ground with a dull thud.
Ji Yuan squatted down and reached out to touch the pitch-black boulder. It felt slightly warm.
‘I wonder what exactly is hidden inside.’
Judging by its appearance alone, Ji Yuan naturally couldn't tell anything. Even his Divine Sense couldn't detect anything. Since that was the case, there was only one method left.
Flowing Frost Flying Sword, out!
With a thought, the flying sword transformed into a streak of white light and swept across the boulder, instantly shaving off one layer.
Beneath the black stone was still black stone. That meant he hadn't cut deeply enough. Gritting his teeth, Ji Yuan directly transformed the flying sword into a three-foot azure blade and slashed toward one corner of the black stone.
“Clang—”
The flying sword penetrated half a foot into the stone before immediately being rebounded.
“Hm?”
Ji Yuan instantly became alert.
His Flowing Frost Flying Sword was already a Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact. If even it was repelled, just how hard was the thing hidden inside the stone?
Now that he knew he wouldn't accidentally damage whatever was inside, Ji Yuan no longer held back. With a thought, he controlled the flying sword to repeatedly cut and sweep across the stone. Before long, he had shaved away the outer layer, revealing what lay within.
A stone encased within a stone.
The stone inside—or rather, the immortal material—was no longer black. It stood half the height of a person, its exterior crystal clear, with molten fire flowing within. It was exceptionally beautiful.
Even if it wasn't used for artifact refinement, merely placing this mineral inside a cave dwelling would already make for an exquisite decoration.
...However, this looked like a Third-Tier Fire Marrow Crystal!
This thing was incredibly valuable. A piece this large would be worth at least 800 to 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
‘I've really made a fortune this time!’
Whether he used it for refining artifacts himself later or auctioned it off, it would be an excellent treasure.
“Put it away, put it away!”
Ji Yuan hurriedly stored it inside his Storage Pouch.
As for what came next...
After sweeping the entire island with his Divine Sense and confirming there were no problems, Ji Yuan made his way to the lowest cave.
From his Storage Pouch, he took out the fence, straw, and stone feeding trough he had prepared in advance.
There wasn't a butcher selling Spirit Pigs on Ice-Fire Island, so he couldn't construct a true 【Pig Pen】. He could only resort to this alternative.
Although using substitutes had succeeded before, Ji Yuan still prepared everything meticulously just to be safe.
Once everything had been arranged, he pasted a sheet of white paper with the words “Pig Pen” written on it onto the wall before finally looking upward.
Floating above the cave was a line of tiny words visible only to him.
【Pig Pen: Lv.3】
Ji Yuan then summoned the panel.
【Pig Pen: Lv.4 (Upgradeable)】
Since that was the case, what was there to wait for?
Ji Yuan took out everything he had prepared beforehand and placed them one by one on the ground.
Six hundred freshly produced Spirit Stones from the 【Spirit Vein】, two Third-Tier Water and Fire Attribute Demon Beast Cores obtained through his trade with Li Changhe.
Five jin of Fire Vein Spiritual Marrow obtained from the Ice-Fire Elder, along with three backbones of the Three-Eyed Dark Beast.
Finally, there was one Taiyi Azure Light Talisman personally drawn by Hua Yaoyue.
After arranging everything, Ji Yuan looked at the Level 4 【Pig Pen】's building effects.
【Effect 1: Spirit Pigs develop Blood Patterns. Consuming them greatly enhances Body Tempering effects. Produces one liang of “Mysterious Yang Blood Amber” each month. Spirit Pigs have a certain chance of producing “Crimson Yang Bone” (an item of purest Yang).】
【Effect 2 (Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yang): Upon upgrading the Pig Pen, an ancient projection shall appear, containing the mysteries of the 《Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yang》.】
Naturally, the effect Ji Yuan valued most was Effect 2—【Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yang】. He simply didn't know whether he could comprehend the entire cultivation technique in a single attempt.
“Pig Pen, upgrade!”
With a thought from Ji Yuan, every item laid out before him instantly turned into ashes. The ground split open, several streams of magma surged upward, accompanied by deafening rumbles.
Even the entire island shook violently as though an earthquake had struck.
“Not good!”
Ji Yuan hurriedly disabled the building's visual effects.
All movement immediately ceased, and the entire 【Pig Pen】returned to its plain and unremarkable appearance.
Only after the upgrade was completed...
The floating words above changed to 【Pig Pen: Lv.4】.
However, before Ji Yuan could summon the panel to inspect the Level 5 【Pig Pen】's building effects...
He discovered that the scenery before him...
Had changed.
Only moments ago, Ji Yuan had been standing inside the dark cave. Yet in the blink of an eye, the world around him gradually transformed.
A blazing sun slowly appeared overhead, its scorching rays making his skin burn.
Sandstorms raged across the sky, while the ground stretched endlessly as a barren desert wasteland.
‘Where is this?’
‘Is this the place where I'm supposed to comprehend the 《Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yang》?’
Ji Yuan couldn't help thinking so.
He looked around. After confirming that he was indeed no longer inside the cave, he cautiously took several steps forward. Everything remained calm. Nothing unusual happened.
Then...
How was he supposed to comprehend it?
The surroundings were nothing but endless desert.
There wasn't a single living person.
Nor any other living creature.
Feeling helpless, Ji Yuan was just about to summon his flying boat and ascend into the air to take a look when he suddenly realized that...
He couldn't use his spiritual energy at all.
Not only that...
Even the Storage Pouch at his waist had disappeared.
He clenched his fists and tested his body.
Fortunately...
His physical body remained.
‘So in this place meant for comprehending Body Tempering cultivation techniques, spiritual energy can't be used. Only the physical body can be relied upon?’
Ji Yuan bent his knees before explosively exerting force.
“Boom—”
His full strength erupted. The ground immediately exploded with a thunderous boom, and his body shot into the sky like an arrow released from a bow, instantly soaring dozens of feet upward.
Ji Yuan immediately surveyed the surroundings.
As far as the eye could see...
Everything was an endless expanse of yellow.
Nothing but desert.
There was nothing else.
Then how was he supposed to comprehend anything?
Walk forward?
But no matter how far he looked, it was still nothing but endless sand.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ji Yuan landed back on the ground. His legs sank deep into the loose sand.
Just as he was about to pull them free, he discovered something grabbing his legs...
It was a pair of shriveled hands.
In an instant, those shriveled hands exerted tremendous force, dragging Ji Yuan straight underground. By the time his waist had already sunk beneath the surface, he suddenly reacted and grabbed onto a nearby rocky outcrop with both hands.
“Hah—”
Ji Yuan let out a low roar as both arms exploded with force.
His arms visibly swelled before the naked eye. Ever since his days as a blacksmith, he had never truly fought using his full strength.
Today...
He finally unleashed everything.
His body was gradually pulled upward, along with the thing buried beneath the earth.
Little by little, Ji Yuan's legs emerged from the sand once more.
Then his knees.
The instant his knees broke through the surface, he lunged forward, his entire body exploding with force as he pulled himself completely free from the ground in one powerful motion.
Along with...
The monster beneath the earth.
Before he even had time to turn around and inspect it, the hand gripping his right ankle suddenly released.
Realizing something was wrong, Ji Yuan immediately kicked backward.
“Bang!”
Foot and hand collided.
His kick barely intercepted the strike, but an overwhelming force surged through his leg.
‘This thing isn't right!’
Only after blocking that attack did Ji Yuan finally have the chance to turn around.
At last, he saw the monster's true appearance.
It was...
A dried corpse.
Who knew how many years it had been buried underground? Every trace of moisture had long since vanished. Its yellowish-brown skin clung tightly to its bones, making it resemble a gaunt ghost.
Seeing that the dried corpse was about to attack again, Ji Yuan reacted instantly. He quickly grabbed a loose stone from the rocky ground, clenched it in his hand, and hurled it forward.
“Boom!”
The stone exploded against the dried corpse's forehead. The tremendous impact forced its head backward, causing its left hand to loosen.
Ji Yuan immediately dashed forward, finally breaking free from the corpse's grasp.
However, the moment he stood up...
He saw more identical dried corpses emerging from the surrounding sands.
Including the one already fighting him...
There were ten in total!
Ji Yuan couldn't help drawing in a deep breath.
His physique had already reached Foundation Establishment. Yet judging from their brief exchange just now, the dried corpse's strength was no weaker than his own.
Which meant...
This dried corpse also possessed Foundation Establishment-level physical strength.
Ten Foundation Establishment-level dried corpses...
Were these really his opponents?
‘Fuck your mother!’
Ji Yuan's mind exploded with that curse.
To comprehend the 《Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yang》...
He had to kill ten Foundation Establishment-level dried corpses.
What kind of insane trial was this?
Wasn't this simply asking him to die?!
For a moment, Ji Yuan seriously wondered whether dying inside this 【Pig Pen】would also mean dying in reality.
If he died here...
Then he wouldn't become a peerless powerhouse who emerged from the 【Pig Pen】.
He'd become a pathetic fool who died inside a pigsty.