At first, Ji Yuan was still contemplating whether to buy several more Qinghuang chickens or half Spirit Fish to take back.
But now with the thoughts of a breakthrough rising, he couldn't bother with anything else and decided to wait until after the breakthrough.
When he got home, both neighboring houses were quiet. Deng Yunliang was most likely resting, and as for Lin Hu, he might have set sail or also gone to rest.
In any case, it's fine as long as no one is lingering at the door.
After Ji Yuan returned home, he fed the Qinghuang chickens and half Spirit Fish some food first. After all, this breakthrough would take at least one or two days, and these living things needed some care.
"It seems I need to look into the Puppet path in the future. Otherwise, if I ever go on a long trip or enter a prolonged seclusion, no one will take care of these things."
As for raising a demon beast by himself, Ji Yuan currently didn't dare to think about it too much.
Such intelligent demon beasts would at least be at the level of a sixth or seventh-tier great demon, or even possibly those legendary shape-shifted great demons.
The Puppet path is more reliable.
Once he was done with everything, Ji Yuan returned to the room... no, it's now the Talisman Room.
If it were before, he would have definitely meditated for a while to calm his heart. But now, he casually pasted a Calm Heart Talisman on himself.
Everything was ready.
With his thoughts calm, Ji Yuan took out the seven Spirit Eggs he got today to warm up for the breakthrough in cultivation.
After a while, the Spirit Eggs were consumed.
Ji Yuan then, with a thought, took out Spirit Stones from the Storage Bag, taking out a full fifty all at once without holding back, placing them around him.
Seeing this ring of white Spirit Stones, Ji Yuan's heart was at ease.
With a casual gesture, he held two Spirit Stones in each hand and activated the "Jade Sea Tide Generation Skill" within him, instantly infusing his meridians with a surge of unprecedentedly pure Spiritual Qi.
Amidst the coolness, there was a hint of fluidity.
The Spiritual Qi traveled through the meridians and finally settled slowly into the Dantian.
The cultivation during the Qi Cultivation Stage didn't involve any profound mysteries, it was just about continuously absorbing the free-roaming Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth and turning external material into personal use.
Moreover, for advancing from the third layer to the fourth layer.
From the fourth layer to the fifth layer, there was even less of a barrier, it's just a matter of the water flowing when the stream forms.
With four Spirit Stones turning to dust and slipping from Ji Yuan's hands, four more followed four more and then another four...
Ji Yuan didn't pay attention to how many Spirit Stones he had absorbed, only knowing that outside the window the light grew bright and then dark, on and off repeatedly.
Two days passed in this manner, with a small mound of Spirit Stone powder piled on both sides of Ji Yuan.
Finally, on the night of the third day, as the moonlight spilled through the window and over the edge of the bed, Ji Yuan, who originally sat like an old pine, suddenly opened his eyes.
A sharp light flashed in his eyes, his aura appeared and then vanished.
Fifth layer of Qi Cultivation.
Success!
Ji Yuan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and finally understood why it's said that young disciples of the immortal family can easily reach the peak of Qi Cultivation Stage at a young age.
This Qi Cultivation Stage is merely a process of accumulating Spiritual Qi.
If you have enough Spirit Stones, you'd be able to break through twice within just two short months, let alone the geniuses with Dual Spirit Roots or a Single Spirit Root.
Being at the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation should be considered a mainstay in Zengtou City.
After a brief moment of joy, Ji Yuan glanced around; out of the original 50 Spirit Stones, only 6 remained.
The breakthrough consumed a total of 44 Spirit Stones.
No wonder why there are so few at the late stage of Qi Cultivation in Zengtou City; not to mention the later stage, even breaking through to the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation isn't something an average person can achieve.
Feeling the abundant Spiritual Qi within his Dantian, Ji Yuan immediately picked up another four Spirit Stones to stabilize his cultivation at the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation.
Until the remaining six Spirit Stones were once again refined, his cultivation was thoroughly stabilized, and it was already bright outside.
First, he changed and washed then spread the powdered Spirit Stones over the pigsty.
After finishing these tasks, he then began to feed the fish and chickens while also collecting the Spirit Eggs from the past few days. A total of 21, indicating this seclusion lasted for three whole days.
For now, Ji Yuan didn't have the appetite for Spirit Eggs and decided to go for a walk outside the door.
Just as he was pacing back and forth along the riverbank at the doorway, he saw a man in black with a hooked nose coming up the little path opposite.
He naturally recognized the person.
Pang Zhiyuan, with cultivation at the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation, specifically works for the Water Dragon Sect, making him somewhat of an official figure. The Immortal Residence dues for their area are usually collected by him.
The one who urged Ji Yuan for the Immortal Residence dues back then was precisely him.
But why has he come now, and at this time, as it seems it's not yet the time to collect Immortal Residence dues...Ji Yuan wondered inwardly, watching as he passed by.
"Head Pang."
Ji Yuan greeted him.
The latter nodded, giving Ji Yuan a second glance, his expression slightly surprised.
"Mid-stage Qi Cultivation?"
Now that Ji Yuan had reached the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation, his aura was naturally more profound; even if deliberately restrained, the mid-stage Qi Cultivation aura was quite evident.
"Just fortunate."
Ji Yuan slightly cupped his hands.
This close, if I use my Lethal Needle, a sneak attack should instantly kill him...Ji Yuan thought idly.
"Not bad, you didn't disgrace your father."
Pang Zhiyuan nodded, then turned to the doorway of the Lin residence next door, and gave the door a heavy knock.
Amidst chaotic sounds inside, the door soon opened.
Lin Hu opened the door, and at a glance, he turned ashen-faced, "Head...Head Pang."
"The Immortal Residence fee from last month needs to be paid; if it's not paid today, leave Zengtou City."
Ji Yuan listened to these familiar words, somewhat lost in thought.
"No, Head Pang, according to the rules, can't it be delayed a month? I'll definitely make it up by next month, just give a few more days, I'll set sail soon."
Lin Hu clutched Pang Zhiyuan's sleeve, begging bitterly, almost ready to kneel.
"The rules have changed; from now on, Immortal Residence fees can no longer be deferred."
Pang Zhiyuan said coldly, "Hurry up, if not paid, pack up and leave."
At this point, Deng Yunliang next door, hearing the commotion, also stepped out, his hands tucked in his sleeves, looking like a bystander.
Anyway, he had paid last month's Immortal Residence fee.
It's none of his business.
"Well, here's one."
A soft voice from Wu Qin came from behind the door.
Pang Zhiyuan casually took it, "Still two short."
Lin Hu shifted his gaze to Ji Yuan; after a moment of hesitation, he turned instead to Deng Yunliang.
"Old Deng, lend a hand, please. I just need two more Spirit Stones."
Deng Yunliang chuckled, "I don't have any more Spirit Stones, none."
"No, didn't you say you won a few last night?"
Desperation reflected in Lin Hu's eyes as he spoke.
"Those are for me to win back tonight, so don't think about it."
Deng Yunliang waved him off, not even intending to continue watching the scene, ready to go back inside.
Watching this scene, Ji Yuan hesitated for a moment.
When it came to this life-or-death decision, he couldn't help but recall faint memories long since gone.
There was a time when Ji Qingyun and Lin Youwei were in close terms, the Ji Family and the Lin Family often interacted, and if one household cooked something, they would share it with each other. When Ji Qingyun went sailing, he would even call Lin Youwei along.
At this thought, Ji Yuan couldn't help but heave a sigh.
"I'll lend it to him."
"You?"
Pang Zhiyuan glanced over, took the Spirit Stones with his Artifact Manipulation Technique without saying much more.
Lin Hu looked at Ji Yuan standing at the door, his silhouette against the rising sun, and he couldn't help but feel both close and distant at the same time.
He opened his mouth, a tremor in his voice.
"Brother Ji… Brother Ji."
"Don't gamble anymore, just focus on getting by."
"Alright, don't worry, Brother Ji!"
"I, Lin Hu, will never gamble again in this lifetime!"
Lin Hu wiped his face, went back inside, packed a few things, and set off to the Cloud Rain Marsh on a small black boat.
Deng Yunliang watched the scene and hesitated to speak.