Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 769 - 323: Ji Celestial Venerable Upholds the Right Path

Ji Yuan remained in thought for a considerable period. Observing Ran Kui’s unwavering resolve, he finally let out a deep sigh.

"Senior Brother, why must you be so persistent?"

"Why persist..."

A wry smile touched Ran Kui’s lips as he shook his head. "Junior Brother, you joined our Sect later, so perhaps you are unaware of certain matters."

"What matters?"

Ji Yuan eagerly looked up at him.

With a smile, Ran Kui then commenced recounting his past journey to Ji Yuan.

"I cannot hold a candle to Second Junior Brother, who hails from a Cultivation Family, nor to Third Junior Sister, descended from mortal royalty. I, Ran Kui... originated from the Xi Kingdom in the Mortal Realm, from a place known as Huangliang Town."

...Xi Kingdom, I am familiar with the place.

Nevertheless, Ji Yuan refrained from interrupting Ran Kui, choosing instead to listen intently as his story unfolded.

"Upon my birth, a traveling scholar happened upon our town. Perceiving my considerably greater weight compared to other newborns, he bestowed upon me the name Kui. Life proceeded peacefully until I reached the age of ten. One day, an elderly Taoist priest arrived in our town, proclaiming himself an Immortal. He declared his intention to find disciples possessing Spirit Roots to impart his teachings."

"My parents, hearing of this fortuitous opportunity, naturally presented me for consideration."

"My sturdy build set me apart from other children, and I was consequently selected. However, the other two boys chosen were equally robust... It was then I sensed something was amiss."

"Indeed, while we were still within Huangliang Town, that old Taoist treated the three of us with exceptional kindness, as though we were his own disciples. Yet, once we departed the town and ventured into the forest... his demeanor shifted dramatically."

"He was a Demon Cultivator, on the verge of the end of his allotted lifespan."

"His visit to Huangliang Town was solely to procure young boys, whom he intended to use as blood slaves, to sustain his fading life with their fresh blood. The three of us had been chosen as his sacrificial offerings."

"One of the boys was completely drained of his life essence that very night, granting the demon merely a temporary reprieve. The other boy, consumed by terror that night, proposed we escape together the following day. I declined his offer, and he fled alone, only to be apprehended by the demon and also drained. In an instant, I was the sole survivor."

Ran Kui emitted another heavy sigh, lapsing into silence for a prolonged moment before continuing.

"I was gripped by fear at that time as well, yet the will to survive burned within me. I refused to meet the same fate as the other two, so I chose to take that Demon Cultivator as my master... Naturally, he did not formally accept me, but from that day forward, I dedicated myself to him with genuine service and reverence, treating him as if he were my true teacher."

"I harbored a faint hope that doing so might elicit some shred of compassion from him, but ultimately, that was merely a naive wish. A Demon Cultivator remains a Demon Cultivator; he continued to demand my blood every ten days, frequently subjected me to verbal abuse, and would physically punish me when he was in a tolerable mood – and even more severely when he was not."

Ran Kui offered a self-deprecating, bitter chuckle.

"Internally, I harbored immense resentment towards him, yet outwardly, my displays of respect grew increasingly pronounced. It was only much later that I comprehended he had been utilizing the very resentment I felt towards him as a means for his own cultivation... I had believed my facade was sufficiently convincing to deceive him."

"And then what transpired?" Ji Yuan felt compelled to inquire, noticing Ran Kui’s silence after concluding his account.

"Subsequently, I encountered our Master. She vanquished that Demon Cultivator and liberated me from that desolate existence, ushering me into a haven of peace."

Ran Kui recounted the harrowing events of his childhood with a placid demeanor, as if narrating a tale of another person's life.

Throughout the entire narrative, Ji Yuan posed only that single question. Furthermore, he held a deep conviction that Ran Kui’s account of the conclusion was incomplete.

There had to have been more to the relationship between him and that Demon Master.

Having heard Ran Kui’s story, Ji Yuan finally grasped the root of his senior brother’s profound animosity towards the Demon Dao.

He understood now why Ran Kui would risk his own life to eliminate Demon Cultivators.

He comprehended why even their own Master could not dissuade him.

It became clear why he would imperil himself to rescue Ye Chen and the others on this occasion.

Having endured such profound suffering himself, he was unwilling to allow others to experience the same torment.

Consequently, after listening, Ji Yuan made a silent, firm resolution.

He gently posed the question, "Senior Brother, do you possess any method to draw away the other Demon Cultivators situated near the Water Dragon Sect?"

If only Demon Cultivators from the Demon Prison were involved, without any other adversaries, Ji Yuan believed their chances of success would be remarkably high.

With his current capabilities, he could confront an early-stage Core Formation Demon Cultivator.

Even if an immediate kill proved unattainable, that Demon Cultivator would certainly be unable to sustain the confrontation for an extended duration.

Once his opponent was vanquished, assisting Ran Kui or Su Huimin would present no significant obstacle.

By then, dealing with those Demon Cultivators who practiced with adulterated pills would become considerably more manageable.

However, the success of this entire strategy depended entirely on Ran Kui's ability to draw away the other Demon Cultivators.

"To the north of the Water Dragon Sect, beyond the Starfall River, nestled within the Dongyu Mountain Range, lies a Spirit Vein that belongs to our Water Dragon Sect. Does that location ring a bell for you?"

"Naturally, I recall it. And nearby, there’s also East Corner Square, which stands as the most expansive marketplace along the Starfall River's banks."

"Indeed. Before our sect departed, we concealed a powerful explosive technique within the Dongyu Mountain Spirit Vein. Our Master entrusted this technique solely to me. When the opportune moment arrives, I can initiate the detonation of the Dongyu Mountain Spirit Vein. This action will undoubtedly lure all the Demon Cultivators in the vicinity of the Water Dragon Sect away, thereby presenting us with a crucial window for our assault."

Ran Kui finally unveiled his ultimate contingency.

Ji Yuan, in his mind, meticulously analyzed the viability of this audacious scheme.

Without a doubt, this approach held a high probability of success. Even if it didn't succeed in drawing away every single Core Formation stage Demon Cultivator, it was almost certain to divert the vast majority.

After all, the Water Dragon Sect in this particular region... to speak frankly, had already been thoroughly plundered by the three demonic sects—substantial treasures were unlikely to remain under their weak guard.

"If such a feat can be accomplished, then it is indeed a plan worth pursuing."