Starting My Immortal Life by Upgrading Buildings

Chapter 94: Lu Wan Destroys the Wu Family

Indeed, Ji Yuan was quite pleased upon hearing this.

The selection would resume next year, which meant there was no need to wait another three years. His entire plan remained intact—he only needed to join during next year's selection.

“In that case, that’s good.”

After speaking, Ji Yuan looked up just in time to see streaks of flowing light sweeping across the sky from south to north.

After recruiting new members, the on-duty disciples of the Water Dragon Sect were now leading them back.

As always, the one leading was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Their aura was intense; even the trails left by their flying boats were far thicker than those of Qi Refinement cultivators—putting on a real show. Damn, they really loved to show off.

Looking up at them, Ji Yuan couldn’t help thinking to himself.

Most of those people were probably being sent straight to the front lines.

Who knew how many would return after the matter between the Water Dragon Sect and the Joyous Palace concluded?

“How many people from Zengtou Market joined the Water Dragon Sect?” Ji Yuan asked out of curiosity.

Wen Lin was an outsider. Although he had lived in Zengtou Market for several years, he still didn’t know as much as Lin Hu did.

“Qin Long from the Qin family and He Laosan both joined the Water Dragon Sect. Old Qin the blind didn’t show up, which basically confirmed that the old guy really is dead.”

People in Zengtou Market generally didn’t think highly of the Qin family.

“Oh? Both late-stage cultivators from the Qin family joined? Didn’t they leave anyone to watch over the house?”

That surprised Ji Yuan.

Without any late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators to support them, the Qin family would likely have a rough time in Zengtou Market.

Moreover, with both Qin Long and He Laosan gone, and being sent directly to the front lines, not only could they not take care of the family—they themselves would be like clay idols crossing a river, barely surviving.

Looking at it that way, he didn’t even need to lift a finger—the Qin family was doomed.

“They didn’t stay behind. They got into the Water Dragon Sect—who cares about the family?”

Wen Lin’s tone clearly carried a trace of resentment and mockery.

It did make sense.

Two years ago, when the Water Dragon Sect last held selections, Qin Long had tried his luck but failed. He barely escaped with his life.

Now that there was a chance to join without a test, of course he wouldn’t let it pass.

“What about the Wu family? If Wu Wenbin didn’t join, did even Wu Yan not go?” Ji Yuan asked, looking at Lin Hu with confusion.

At the mention of this, Lin Hu actually smiled. When he spoke again, even his voice carried a sense of emotion. “Something big happened to the Wu family. Ji-ge, you didn’t go watch the drama—what a pity.”

“Indeed, that drama was honestly quite satisfying to witness,” Wen Lin added, surprising Ji Yuan even more.

“Oh?”

“What kind of drama was it?” Ji Yuan couldn’t help but ask with a smile.

“The Wu family’s gone.”

Lin Hu summed it up in four simple words.

“Gone? Wu Wenbin is dead too?”

This news shocked not just Ji Yuan—even Du Wanyi couldn’t help but speak up.

“That’s right,” Lin Hu confirmed.

He had seen Du Wanyi a few times before, and upon hearing her speak, he hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting.

Before Ji Yuan could ask further, Lin Hu continued, “Lu Wan also joined the Water Dragon Sect—through the path of talismans. Not only that, she actually created a unique auxiliary talisman drawing method. With just mid-stage Qi Refinement, she managed to draw a late-stage Tier 1 talisman.”

“After joining the Water Dragon Sect, Lu Wan voluntarily offered this talisman method to the sect, asking for nothing in return—only that the Water Dragon Sect exterminate the entire Wu family.”

“The Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Water Dragon Sect agreed without hesitation. He killed the Wu father and son on the spot. The rest of the Wu family were also slaughtered by sect disciples.”

“This...”

Even Ji Yuan was stunned by the news.

He thought back to when Lu Wan had come to visit him.

At that time, she had already looked resolute, saying they’d meet again in the Water Dragon Sect.

Looking at it now, she must have already planned everything back then.

Or perhaps she had already invented that talisman method but waited for the right moment. She was ruthless—enduring hardships for revenge.

Now that she had joined the Water Dragon Sect, as long as she didn’t die on the front lines, she might earn quite a name for herself in the future.

No, with her talent, the Water Dragon Sect might not even send her to the front lines, Ji Yuan mused silently.

“Ji-ge, you have no idea—when Lu Wan finally got her revenge, the crowd erupted in cheers,” Lin Hu said with excitement.

He was clearly putting himself in Lu Wan’s shoes.

Understandably so—from Lu Wan’s perspective: resisting tyranny, bearing a deep grudge, enduring bitter hardships, and finally getting revenge.

Not to mention, she joined the Water Dragon Sect in the end.

It was the perfect revenge plot—immensely satisfying.

Especially for the lower-class fishermen of Zengtou Market, who naturally resented those in power.

Seeing the Wu family dead now only made it more satisfying.

“The Wu father and son really dug their own graves. If they had been more ruthless from the start and killed her outright, none of this would’ve happened later,” Wen Lin sighed. “But no—they had to save face, play the smiling tiger, act like some great Master Wu. Look at them now.”

“Perhaps it was fate.”

Ji Yuan didn’t say much more.

There wasn’t much else he could say.

“Mm.”

Wen Lin nodded and cupped his fists. “Are you heading out, Brother Ji? I won’t keep you then.”

Lin Hu and his family also cupped their hands and took their leave.

The selection had ended, and the Water Dragon Sect had taken the new disciples away.

That meant there should be no more issues in Yunyu Marshlands.

“Come, let’s go see Yao Jingfeng.”

With that, the two summoned their flying boats and headed straight to Huaiyin Lane.

Since Tai’an Lane was close to Zengtou Market, Du Wanyi had arrived quickly.

Ji Yuan figured that was why she had come to find him first before going to see Yao Jingfeng.

However, Huaiyin Lane was a bit far.

After a while, when Ji Yuan and Du Wanyi’s flying boats landed at Yao Jingfeng’s doorstep, they found the main gate tightly shut, looking as though no one was home.

Du Wanyi called out a few times, but there was no response. Instead, it drew out the neighbors.

“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Du.”

The one who came out was an elderly man with a clean and delicate appearance, wearing a slightly faded blue robe.

He bowed to Du Wanyi with great formality.

“Fellow Daoist Huang, do you know where Yao Jingfeng has gone?”

Not just Du Wanyi—even Ji Yuan had already begun to suspect something.

“Fellow Daoist Yao has already joined the Water Dragon Sect. What, Fellow Daoist Du didn’t go with him?”

The man surnamed Huang looked genuinely surprised, tugging at the beard on his chin as he spoke.

“No—he’s joined the Water Dragon Sect?”

For a moment, Du Wanyi could only force a smile. “Tha—thank you, Fellow Daoist Huang.”

“Fourth Brother, let’s go.”

After saying this, Du Wanyi summoned her flying boat again and rose into the sky.

Now that they knew Yao Jingfeng had joined the Water Dragon Sect, there was nothing more to say.

They didn’t fly far before landing on a small island near the shore.

“Looks like there really was no word sent back from the last meeting,” Ji Yuan sighed.

He didn’t know why—perhaps the matter had erupted suddenly, and with the Water Dragon Sect being so secretive, ordinary disciples had no way of knowing?

But Master Xu could.

It seemed he had some kind of connection within the Water Dragon Sect.

“Yes, definitely. If there had been news, Yao Jingfeng wouldn’t have jumped into the fire pit,” Du Wanyi said, her face dark with worry.

She had always been closest to Yao Jingfeng. Given how dire his prospects now were, it was only natural to be anxious.

But... worry was useless.

It wouldn’t change anything.

Let alone that Yao Jingfeng was already on the way to the Water Dragon Sect—even if he wasn’t, even if he were still at Huaiyin Lane, he couldn’t be called back now.

Though Ji Yuan wasn’t as close to Yao Jingfeng, they had entered the sect in the same year. He frowned and said, “Big Brother didn’t seem like the reckless type. Why... why couldn’t he see through all this?”

“You mean to say he wasn’t that foolish?” Du Wanyi stated bluntly.

Ji Yuan gave a soft “Mm.”

“Have you seen him at all since he was injured?”

“Well—he didn’t come to see me, and I didn’t visit him either.”

Ji Yuan spoke honestly.

Since sending Yao Jingfeng home, he hadn’t visited once.

And since Yao didn’t come looking, Ji Yuan hadn’t made the effort either.

He had been cultivating at home tirelessly, without the mind to bother with social calls.

“He was badly injured that time. It hurt his foundation—he likely has no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment now.”

Du Wanyi let out a long sigh.

With those words, Ji Yuan understood.

Yao Jingfeng had most likely seen that something was off with this recruitment. Yet even so, he had still chosen to join.

A man who knew he had no hope of Foundation Establishment... would refuse to accept it. Gambling everything made sense.

So he was betting!

Betting on that slim hope that joining the Water Dragon Sect might change his fate—betting that joining early might bring a turnaround.

“If... if the Water Dragon Sect had announced earlier that there would still be a selection next year, Yao Jingfeng probably wouldn’t have joined,” Du Wanyi said, gazing at the glimmering surface of the lake.

“Of course. He could’ve waited a year. But alas, the Water Dragon Sect doesn’t care for such things.”

Ji Yuan clasped his hands behind his back. “Once he reaches the front lines, we won’t even be able to contact him. There’s really nothing we can do. We’ll have to wait until we join the Water Dragon Sect next year to talk about it.”

Although he said so, in his heart he added another line:

“Assuming he makes it back alive from the front lines.”

“Mm, that’s all we can do now.”

After speaking, Du Wanyi turned to glance at Ji Yuan again.

She seemed to hesitate, deliberating for a moment, before finally saying, “Fourth Brother, if anything happens, we must work together on it.”

“Don’t worry, Second Sister. Of course we will.”

Ji Yuan smiled. He understood Du Wanyi’s thoughts.

The four of them had become three.

Now three had become two.

Any fewer, and they would all go their separate ways.

“Good.”

Du Wanyi let out a small sigh of relief.

Then the two parted and returned to their respective homes.

Ji Yuan also returned to his lakeside cottage in Zengtou Market.

Seeing that Ji Yuan hadn’t joined the Water Dragon Sect brought relief to the Lin and Wen families.

With a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator as their neighbor, even Pang Tou, the one who collected Immortal Residence Fees, acted much more polite—let alone any demonic cultivators.

They didn’t even dare approach.

Take Lin Hu, for example.

Though still only in the early stage of Qi Refinement, when he went into Zengtou Market, even many mid-stage Qi Refinement fishermen treated him like a brother.

After this incident, there was little consequence in Zengtou Market aside from more gossip.

And even that only lasted less than half a month.

Soon, the fishermen returned to their usual lives—fishing if they needed to fish, selling essence if they needed to sell essence.

Another four months passed.

During those four months, Ji Yuan became increasingly proficient in talisman crafting.

He had mastered nearly all the commonly used high-grade Tier 1 talismans.

Thanks to the Building Upgrade effects, not only had he sold many, but he also kept a good stockpile.

Through day-and-night cultivation, aided by medicine, he was on the verge of a breakthrough.

It was time to prepare for Tier 2 spells.

Initially, he had planned to return for that opportunity after joining the Water Dragon Sect. But with the current situation growing more uncertain, he feared that once he went to the Water Dragon Sect, things might spiral out of control.

So it was better to see if he could seize the opportunity early.

If he could, all the better. If not—at least he would have tried.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

That evening, just after he had asked Tu Yue to bring him a cup of tea, he suddenly sensed something strange in his dantian.

His cultivation seemed... about to break through!