Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 763 - 321: Cangluo Continent—Old Demon Qiu

Following the thought in his heart, Ji Yuan ascertained the number of Spirit-Devouring Bees requisite for forming the 'Spirit Devouring Armor'.

Should the Tier Three Bee King be included, the total count of Spirit-Devouring Bees needed amounts to 13,478.

Conversely, excluding the Bee King, the requirement escalates to a considerable 53,823 Spirit-Devouring Bees.

Furthermore, as his cultivation level ascends, the quantity of Spirit-Devouring Bees demanded will also rise, though this is not anticipated to be an issue, as their numbers are expected to grow in parallel.

However, for the present moment...

With a flick of his wrist, Ji Yuan directed the Bee King and a multitude of Spirit-Devouring Bees, which then coalesced into a dark golden luminescence that enveloped his body.

This golden light rapidly solidified upon his skin, forming a subtle layer of armor.

Spreading his arms in anticipation of the formation's completion, he cast his gaze towards the system panel.

[Spirit Effect 2 (Spirit Devouring Armor): Spirit-Devouring Bees possess the ability to transform into an armor, capable of absorbing all surrounding Spiritual Qi undetected by other cultivators.]

Beyond merely masking his aura, the Spirit Devouring Armor bestows formidable defensive capabilities when donned.

Given that it incorporates the Bee King, a creature classified as a Tier Three Demon Beast, the armor's defensive prowess would naturally be extraordinary.

A short while later, Ji Yuan, now clad in the Spirit Devouring Armor for the first time, observed his reflection, a sense of elation burgeoning within him.

"This Spirit Devouring Armor, when paired with my physique, renders me virtually invincible!"

"My previous concern was the inadequacy of equipment for my unique physique, but with this 'Spirit Devouring Armor' now at my disposal, what is there to fear?"

Ji Yuan’s eyes were fixed on the dark gold radiance emanating from the armor adorning his body.

A single word echoed in his mind:

Magnificent!

Yet, a tinge of regret surfaced – the possession of such potent armor was unaccompanied by a suitable weapon.

Regrettably, the Spirit Effect associated with the [Beehive] was limited to the 'Spirit Devouring Armor,' offering no offensive armaments.

Consequently, Ji Yuan's attention pivoted to another structure.

[Ant Nest]

The Ant Nest currently remains a Level 1 building. Its Level 2 Spirit Effect, 'Ten Thousand Ants Form a Group,' grants the ability to manifest as a colossal ant-like giant.

But what wonders would the Level 3 Spirit Effect of the [Ant Nest] unveil?

Could it, much like the [Beehive], conjure a powerful Divine Weapon for him? Such a weapon would perfectly complement the 'Spirit Devouring Armor,' creating a synergy for offense and defense, thereby diversifying his physique's combat capabilities.

The more Ji Yuan contemplated this possibility, the more plausible it appeared.

With this objective in mind, his immediate priority should be the cultivation and upgrading of the [Ant Nest].

The ultimate aim being its swift advancement to Level 3.

As the Spirit Devouring Armor was already equipped, it seemed a waste to remain idle. Thus, Ji Yuan exited his cave dwelling.

A streak of black light traversed the dense forest with utter silence, eventually alighting in a courtyard situated at the mountain's base.

The landing was completely undetected.

Within the courtyard, Hu Li was engrossed in perusing some historical documents, his entire focus seemingly absorbed by the text before him.

Ji Yuan descended slowly from the sky.

Drifting silently behind Hu Li.

It was the height of the noon hour.

Only when Ji Yuan's shadow fell upon the stone table, eclipsing the sunlight that illuminated Hu Li's reading material, did he sense an anomaly.

He froze. Ji Yuan could distinctly perceive that Hu Li had even ceased breathing.

In that instant, genuine fear gripped Hu Li.

Just as Ji Yuan anticipated Hu Li might employ some evasive or defensive maneuver.

Hu Li abruptly spun around and swiftly sank to his knees.

"Spare my life, Senior."

Initially, he had surmised the approaching presence to be Qiu Qianhai. However, upon turning and beholding the unfamiliar, armored figure whose face was obscured, his apprehension intensified.

"Senior, you... you are..."

Drawing upon past encounters, Hu Li now restrained himself from uttering more than necessary.

What if this imposing figure was merely another illusory trick orchestrated by Old Devil Qiu to instill fear in him?

Such a revelation would be catastrophic.

"It is I."

Having been detected, Ji Yuan saw no further need to maintain his disguise.

Extending his right hand, the armor dissolved into shimmering particles of golden light, dispersing and reforming into Spirit-Devouring Bees that retreated to Ji Yuan's right sleeve.

Even the Tier Three Bee King followed suit.

"Senior! It truly is you!"

Joy illuminated Hu Li's features. Without waiting for Ji Yuan to inquire further, he spontaneously offered his praise:

"Senior's methods are truly divine; you approached so close behind me, yet I detected no trace of your aura."

"With such formidable abilities at your command, Senior's strength must have surged immeasurably."

"Congratulations, Senior! Heartfelt congratulations!"

Hu Li executed a deep, respectful bow towards Ji Yuan.

"Enough, there is no need for such excessive flattery."

Ji Yuan gestured dismissively, then took a seat opposite Hu Li, casually picking up the book from the table.

"What has captured your attention so thoroughly?"

Having just sat down, Hu Li hesitated to do the same.

He trotted to Ji Yuan’s side, bowing low with a grin. "It's nothing much, just perusing some old records and unofficial histories."

"Oh?"

Ji Yuan activated his Divine Sense, and the records were indeed quite voluminous, primarily concerning the Shang Court.

"With the current interactions between the Cangluo Continent and the Jiyuan Continent, this junior desired to grasp certain matters from both sides, thus I gathered historical materials for study," Hu Li explained with haste.

"However, after extensive reading, I discovered that most of these are unofficial histories fabricated by later generations, making them hardly trustworthy."

"Just how outlandish are these unofficial histories?" Ji Yuan inquired, in a pleasant mood, with a smile rarely seen.

"For instance, one book claims the original Holy Lord couple of the Shang Court were a nephew marrying his brother's widow. It also states that the Manor Master of Mei Manor back then was actually the Holy Lord's mount."

"Ah, and wasn't there a Holy Mother in Shangxi recently? It's said all this was orchestrated by her. However, according to unofficial histories, this Holy Mother was merely a handmaid to the true Holy Mother back then..."