Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 995 - 374: Meeting a Fellow Countryman in a Foreign Land!
Previously on Longevity through Upgrading Buildings...
The strategy involves incorporating oneself into the game, concealing Long-Ba within the Mountain of Mind and Heart, and then going alone to meet the Soul-Devouring Sovereign... Once they meet, releasing Long-Ba.
In the face of life or death, the Soul-Devouring Sovereign will undoubtedly make a decision.
However, if the plan is executed, it will involve exposing the secret of one’s Grotto Heaven Treasure, and it will definitely lead to a life-and-death escape afterward.
Moreover, it will be the kind involving running away together with Long-Ba.
But compared to this plan, a slightly safer option is having Long-Ba take Ji Yuan along to negotiate... one involving the Fountain of Eternal Youth and the other, the "Yin Transformation and Spirit Absorption Book."
Eith option is bound to entice the Soul-Devouring Sovereign.
Among these, Ji Yuan leans more toward using the "Yin Transformation and Spirit Absorption Book," because this Cultivation Technique has been fully inherited by him; he remembers by heart all the secret techniques recorded within, so keeping it any longer is of no use.
But the Fountain of Eternal Youth is different... such a thing.
Ji Yuan believes that even if he undergoes Divinity Transformation, possessing this item will still be very handy.
Long-Ba went out to gather information, and Ji Yuan could not use his Divine Sense to track and follow, so he could only silently await in mid-air. After about the time it takes for tea preparation, accompanied by scattered water droplets, his Junior Martial Uncle Long had returned.
"Got the information."
Long-Ba said casually, walking at ease: "It’s both good news and bad news."
"What’s the situation?"
Ji Yuan leaned slightly forward, curiously inquired.
"The Soul-Devouring Sovereign isn’t staying at the Cloud Cliff Temple; instead, he’s with Lady of Joy, residing at Luoyun Island overseas, claiming that the two have been engaging in Dual Cultivation there continuously."
Long-Ba explained.
"This..."
Ji Yuan’s mind instantly conjured a Geomancy Map of the extreme surroundings of Cloud Cliff Island, with Luoyun Island located directly east on the Endless Sea.
The good news is that the Soul-Devouring Sovereign is not at the Cloud Cliff Temple, otherwise, even meeting him would not be simple.
The bad news is that the Soul-Devouring Sovereign is with Lady of Joy.
With Long-Ba’s strength... it’s tricky.
"The hope lies in Lady of Joy not being on Luoyun Island, thus giving the two of us a chance to exploit the situation."
Ji Yuan transmitted his thoughts.
"I can create a diversion to lure them away with a plan but can only do it once... If Lady of Joy and the Soul-Devouring Sovereign both leave together, there’s nothing to be done, but if they do separate, that’s our opportunity."
Long-Ba thoughtfully replied.
"Uncle, are you certain?" Ji Yuan’s eyes lit up, if this were true, it would indeed be an unexpected delight.
In fact, it could be said that the situation is far smoother than Ji Yuan had imagined.
"Hmm, let’s go take a look first, if it doesn’t work, we’ll think of another method."
With that, Long-Ba vanished with Ji Yuan in a flash, leaving behind only a few scattered water droplets as they disappeared.
Luoyun Island’s location is northeast of South Cloud City.
About five days later, Ji Yuan reached the vicinity of Luoyun Island.
At this time, Long-Ba didn’t employ his Divine Sense for exploration; instead, they landed on an uninhabited deserted island, looking northward toward the distant Luoyun Island.
When Ji Yuan was still up in the air earlier, he had carefully observed Luoyun Island.
He understood why Lady of Joy would engage in Dual Cultivation with the Soul-Devouring Sovereign here.
Because this island, both above and below, is entirely the territory of the Joy Palace, even the banners on the island and passing Flying Boats aren’t the Cloud Cliff Temple, but the Joy Palace’s former emblem on the Cangluo Continent.
Seeing this scene brought a familiar sense of nostalgia to Ji Yuan.
"If Lady of Joy is on the island, I’ll undoubtedly be detected if I ascend to it. Do you have any ideas, if not suitable ones, I’ll cast a spell to see if I can lure them both out."
Long-Ba asked via transmitted thoughts.
Ji Yuan was contemplating whether to draw Long-Ba into the Mountain of Mind and Heart, but unable to make a decision, he said:
"Uncle, you should try casting a spell first. If you can draw them out, that would be excellent."
"Alright."
Long-Ba didn’t hesitate, flipping his left hand to reveal a Turtle Shell. He lifted it with his left hand, and with mana surging, intricate Array Patterns appeared above the Turtle Shell.
He fused the fingers of his right hand into a sword gesture, with Spiritual Light swirling around it, continuously painting and chanting over the Turtle Shell.
Ji Yuan dared not utter a word, just watching.
As the pace of Long-Ba’s drawing quickened, Ji Yuan soon discovered the Turtle Shell was gradually "growing."
It grew four limbs and developed a new head.
The Turtle Shell transformed into a living turtle.
Moreover, the head of the turtle evolved into... a dragon’s head, dragon-headed turtle body.
What is this?
A mythical beast — Ba Xia!
So this is Long-Ba’s true form?
His true form turned out to be the mythical beast Ba Xia?!!
Ji Yuan slowly turned his head, as if meeting this "Junior Martial Uncle Long" for the first time, if it were a typical Tier Four Demon Beast, honestly, it would be nothing special.
But if it’s Ba Xia, that’s a different story.
Tier Four Demon Beasts, upon growing to Tier Four, typically reach maturation.
But Ba Xia can completely continue to grow, achieving Tier Five, Tier Six, even Tier Seven Demon Beast status is possible!
As Ji Yuan was momentarily stunned by this revelation, Long-Ba completed the spell casting, tossing the life-likeness of Ba Xia into the Endless Sea.
Upon entering the water, Ba Xia instantly swam straight eastward with astonishing speed.
Initially, Ji Yuan couldn’t sense its aura, but after half an incense stick’s worth of time, Ji Yuan felt a strong pressure in the distant east.