Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 739 - 315: Exotic Insect vs. Exotic Insect

"How could it be? My admiration for the Hundred Insects Old Immortal is as endless as this Starfall River."

Hu Li stated with utmost sincerity.

"Oh."

Ji Yuan responded nonchalantly, "What a coincidence, I have a life-and-death feud with this Hundred Insects Old Immortal. Since you admire him so much... then you shall die."

The moment he uttered those words, a flying sword materialized beside Ji Yuan.

Hu Li’s countenance instantly darkened, as black as the bottom of a pot.

Yet, the flying sword remained still, its tip pointed directly at him—an unspoken demand for him to confess.

Was there any other option but to speak his mind?

"Junior... well, junior is indeed eyeing that inheritance."

Hu Li confessed, his demeanor one of utter defeat.

A cold sneer escaped Ji Yuan as he retrieved the flying sword.

With a demon cultivator like Hu Li, Ji Yuan could easily discern the schemes he was concocting.

"So, did you intend for him to accept you as a disciple, or were you planning to usurp his position by killing him?"

Ji Yuan inquired, a flicker of interest in his eyes.

Now that everything was out in the open, Hu Li saw no reason to conceal his true intentions. "Initially, I had hoped the old demon would take me under his wing as a disciple. However, after interacting with him, I discovered his extreme distrustfulness, making discipleship virtually impossible."

"Furthermore, this situation seems to be intricately linked to his former disciple."

"What makes you say that?"

Ji Yuan questioned, intrigued.

"Not long ago, I encountered a fellow cultivator from Shangxi in Peony City. She informed me that the Hundred Insects Old Immortal once had a disciple whom he treated with great kindness."

"But who could have foreseen that this disciple also harbored ambitions for his inheritance? The Hundred Insects Old Immortal was betrayed by his disciple, which caused his cultivation to stagnate, halting any further progress."

As Hu Li recounted the tale, he sighed and shook his head.

"As for killing him... junior is merely in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, while the old demon has already reached the early stage of Core Formation. How could I possibly defeat him?"

"Presently, I find myself trapped in this predicament, unable to extricate myself. Only by toiling day and night for the old demon, and only when he is in a rare good mood, would he reluctantly bestow some cultivation materials upon me."

"Is this predicament not of your own making?"

Ji Yuan chuckled, "Is it not a consequence of your own avarice?"

"The path you choose, brother, you must walk it to its end, even if forced to crawl."

Upon hearing this, Hu Li gritted his teeth and immediately performed a deep kowtow to Ji Yuan.

"If senior intends to target the Hundred Insects Old Immortal, junior is willing to serve as an inside informant!"

"I am not greedy."

Ji Yuan shook his head.

Hu Li’s heart sank midway upon hearing this declaration.

Ji Yuan spoke the truth; confronting an early-stage Core Formation cultivator for an inheritance was a perilous endeavor.

Especially this particular early-stage Core Formation cultivator, whose techniques were so formidable that even cultivators in the late stage showed him deference.

Such an adversary was not someone Ji Yuan intended to provoke.

As for the Spirit-Devouring Bee, Ji Yuan currently possessed them, and after being enhanced by the "No Poison, No Bee" spirit effect, they were considered upgraded versions.

While curiosity was piqued, the risk involved in pursuing this matter was not worth it.

"Very well, you too, since you have now joined his ranks, simply dedicate yourself to your duties diligently; perhaps one day, you will be accepted as a disciple."

"Constantly harboring thoughts of betraying one's master is not a virtuous habit."

"I am departing."

With those words, Ji Yuan strode forward, his form swiftly ascending into the air. Just as he was about to leave, he seemed to recall something and subsequently inquired about the location of the Hundred Insects Old Immortal’s cave mansion from Hu Li.

Afterward, he ascended into the sky and departed.

Meanwhile, Hu Li bid him farewell, no longer holding out hope for Elder Qiu to take action against the old demon. His sole wish was for Elder Qiu to return his talisman treasure!

Regrettably, he never dared to voice this request until the very end.

But soon, a worrying thought crossed his mind... what if Qiu Qianhai, lacking any sense of martial virtue, were to reveal their recent conversation to the old demon? Would that not spell his doom?

Fleeing... was also not a viable option. The old demon had poisoned him, and without timely administration of the antidote, he would surely perish.

Forget it, with death looming from all sides, it was best to first check on matters back home.

This Old Demon Qiu should not know the location of the Hundred Insects Old Immortal’s cave mansion. Even if he found it, it would take considerable time. As long as I can return first, I can defend myself even if he arrives.

With this line of reasoning, Hu Li hastily gathered the immortal talismans he had placed around before making his exit.

Meanwhile, after Ji Yuan departed from that location, he shed his transformed guise and proceeded to another area within the city.

The primary reason he dared not take unnecessary risks stemmed from another critical factor.

That is, Hu Li could not be trusted.

Fate is indeed an intricate tapestry.

One might perish and never comprehend why if destiny is treated as absolute certainty.

"Ah, welcome, esteemed senior."

Upon entering the humble shop, Ji Yuan's countenance grew grim, his voice resonating with a deeper timbre.

"So, have the immortal materials I requested arrived?"

This modest establishment was brought to his attention by a demon cultivator encountered previously, rumored to stock a select few immortal materials.

However, the prices were known to be exorbitant.

Furthermore, should one require other specific items, inquiries could be made here.

If the shop possessed them, the proprietor would then state their price.

Ji Yuan had ventured here with the mere hope of discovering something fortuitous.

To his surprise, he had actually located a desired item.

"Indeed, fellow cultivator, please follow me so we may verify the quality."

The masked demon cultivator spoke, proceeding to secure the shop's entrance before revealing a concealed passage descending into the earth.

Even though Ji Yuan had visited this place before, and even if he hadn't, the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator presented no genuine threat to him.

This was particularly true given their proximity.

He descended into the subterranean area, recognizing the surroundings immediately.