Pigsty Lv2

With the Ghost Island Master dead, the Formation Banner naturally became an ownerless object.

Ji Yuan snatched it up and refined it in an instant... As the Formation Banner trembled faintly, it finally acknowledged him as its master.

"Hmm?"

Once Ji Yuan clearly sensed the state of the Yin Ghost Banner, he was somewhat surprised. With a thought, two Black-Mist Ghost Heads immediately flew out of the Formation Banner and circled around him.

"There are actually still two Yin Ghosts inside this Yin Ghost Banner!"

Ji Yuan had not expected that. He had thought that after killing those two Yin Ghosts, the Yin Ghost Banner would only retain its function as a Formation Banner.

Now that the Yin Ghosts remained, it could still be used as a magic artifact.

Having obtained part of the Yin Ghost Sect's inheritance, Ji Yuan naturally knew that with these two Yin Ghosts, he had gained a Middle Qi Refining Stage helper out of thin air.

Just like when he had fought the Ghost Island Master earlier.

Both Yin Ghosts could directly bite onto that middle-stage flying sword.

After inspecting the Yin Ghosts, Ji Yuan immediately stored them back into the Formation Banner... There had been four Yin Ghosts in all. Who knew how many people the Ghost Island Master had harmed over the years?

What he had done could be considered ridding the people of a scourge.

Ji Yuan did not rush to test the effects of the Yin Ghost Formation. Instead, he first thoroughly refined the Black Wind Boat. Only after he could use it without the slightest obstruction did he plant the Yin Ghost Banner into the Reed Marsh. With a thought, black mist instantly spread through the area within a mile.

Previously, Ji Yuan had been inside the formation and could not distinguish directions.

But now that he controlled the Formation, he could see through every detail of it at a glance.

The Yin Ghost Formation by itself was actually an illusion formation. Ji Yuan had been trapped within it earlier; if not for the Red-Crowned Chicken Blood, he might still have been stuck inside.

But once the Yin Ghosts were added, the Yin Ghost Formation gained the effects of a killing formation.

Yin Ghosts could kill enemies through the Yin Ghost Formation like fish in water.

Its power could increase tremendously as well.

However, the consumption would also become enormous. Otherwise, the Ghost Island Master would have used this move to kill Ji Yuan just now.

But... weren't formations supposed to use Spirit Stones as their energy source? Why did this Yin Ghost Formation require his own spiritual energy to operate?

Ji Yuan reviewed the memories in his mind again and quickly learned the answer... The formation was incomplete too!

"Fuck!"

The fact that the Yin Ghost Formation could now be controlled using one's own spiritual power was only possible because the Ghost Island Master had tried to complete it himself.

If one said the Ghost Island Master lacked comprehension, he had managed to complete the formation himself.

But if one said he had comprehension, he had turned a formation operated by Spirit Stones into one that used his own spiritual energy... Who knew whether Ji Yuan had that kind of comprehension?

But even if he did not, it did not matter. When Ji Yuan returned this time, he would have to prepare a Dao Comprehension Chamber for himself.

With a lift of his hand, he stored away the Formation Banner. The black mist around him dispersed, and he leaped out of the Reed Marsh.

Just as he was about to fall into the water, the Black Wind Boat appeared beneath him. Ji Yuan slapped a Water-Repelling Talisman onto himself, leaned forward, and the Black Wind Boat plunged into the water, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Traveling underwater was as easy as walking on level ground.

Ji Yuan observed the underwater scenery of Cloud-Rain Marsh as he traveled, but before he had gone far, he spotted a Spirit Fish resting amid a patch of water grass.

Water Drop Finger, go!

He flicked his finger. The Coldblood Perch immediately sensed it, whipped its tail, and stirred up countless clouds of mud and sand.

"You still want to run?!"

Ji Yuan turned the boat around and gave chase. Before long, he looked at the Coldblood Perch inside his Storage Bag and could not help sighing.

It truly was a world where big fish ate small fish, where the strong remained strong.

For fishermen with Mid-Grade Spirit Vessels, catching fish in these waters was not much different from picking up Spirit Stones. But those Early Qi Refining fishermen had to toil and circle about painstakingly, all while risking their lives.

But then again, how many fishermen in all of Zengtou City possessed Mid-Grade Spirit Vessels?

After traveling underwater for an hour, Ji Yuan finally returned to the surface. He checked his bearings nearby, and once he confirmed his direction, he headed straight for... Sophora Shade Ward.

Though the Ghost Island Master had already been killed by him, Black Mist Island likely still held quite a few good things.

For example, Rotbone Flowers that had not yet been harvested, or materials for nurturing Yin Ghosts.

No one else knew the Ghost Island Master was dead yet. This was the perfect time to seize the treasures. If he waited for the news to spread, it would be too late.

Sophora Shade Ward was quite far away to begin with. Even though Ji Yuan hurried there and back without wasting a moment—

By the time he returned to Zengtou City, five days had already passed...

His harvest was plentiful: more than sixty Rotbone Flowers, along with a large bundle of Bone-Rot Flower Seeds.

And some filthy materials used to nurture Yin Ghosts.

There was nothing else. It had all been packed inside the Ghost Island Master's Storage Bag earlier.

It was evening. From afar, Ji Yuan narrowed his eyes and observed the shore near his home. Nothing had changed among the three households, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After being away for so long, what he had worried about most was the buildings at home.

Just as he came ashore and stored away the Spirit Vessel, before he could even open the courtyard gate, someone emerged from the neighboring Lin Family home.

"Brother Ji?!"

Seeing Ji Yuan return, Lin Hu was clearly overjoyed. He rubbed his hands excitedly. "Where have you been these past few days? You... It's wonderful that you're all right."

Being cared about always felt good.

Ji Yuan could tell that Lin Hu had truly been worried for his safety, not for any other reason.

"I took a trip to the deep-water area and got delayed a little." Ji Yuan smiled. "Everything at home's all right?"

"Nothing happened at home. Oh, right, someone came looking for you two days ago. He asked whether you were still buying Cold Iron Sand, but I sent him away."

With the Rotbone Flowers, the [Pigsty] could be upgraded. Ji Yuan planned to keep using the subsequent [Fish Pond] for now, so he certainly could not keep buying Cold Iron Sand. If he truly needed it, he would rather dig it up himself than risk buying it.

"Good. Sorry for the trouble."

Ji Yuan nodded and pushed open the gate to enter the courtyard.

Everything inside the courtyard was as before. He then activated the effects of the various buildings, and the rooms, which had gathered some dust, instantly became spotless and refreshed.

When he had left, he had only activated the effects of the [Chicken Coop] and turned off the rest.

So the Half-Spirit Fish naturally had not advanced. Only the [Chicken Coop]... When Ji Yuan opened its door and saw several thick layers of Spirit Eggs piled inside, he was delighted at first.

Then he instinctively dry-heaved.

Thirty a day. He had been gone for eight days—that was 240 Spirit Eggs. When the hell was he supposed to finish eating all of them?

If he were not worried about drawing attention, he would have wanted to take them all to Zengtou City and sell them in one go.

After collecting the Spirit Eggs, another layer of Spirit Soil had accumulated beneath the Chicken Coop. Ji Yuan gathered that as well. Then, despite the late hour, he could not be bothered to rest.

He went straight to the [Pigsty]. First, with a thought, he took out the Whitewater Flying Sword. After adjusting it to a suitable size, he carved a string of Filth-Expelling Runes across the Pigsty's gate.

After a while, Ji Yuan put away the flying sword and took a look.

Perfect!

Only then did he summon the panel.

[Pigsty: Lv2 (Upgradeable)]

[Spirit Effect: Produces half a tael of Blood Essence daily; enhanced effects on flesh and blood]

[Upgrade Requirements: Low-Grade Spirit Stone ×50, Rotbone Flower ×3, carve Filth-Expelling Runes (completed)]

After wandering about for so long, even brushing past the edge of life and death, Ji Yuan could finally upgrade the [Pigsty]. He had nothing to hesitate over.

With a thought from him, the entire Pigsty was enveloped in a faint red glow beneath the dusk.

The [Pigsty], which had been somewhat filthy with Spirit Pig droppings, became clean as new under the effects of the Filth-Expelling Runes.

Before Ji Yuan could inspect the effects of the level-three Pigsty, his gaze was drawn to the clump of Blood Essence that had appeared out of thin air inside the Pigsty and hovered in midair.