Chapter 129

More than a month later.

In the spiritual energy rice seedbed, many tender green shoots had already emerged.

But.

Qin Ming's brow was knotted into a " Chuan " shape.

Because, under his powerful affinity for plants, he had detected that Zhepilingzhong had begun to sprout.

Yet most of them were in a withered, listless state.

Nearly on the brink of death—if no timely remedy was applied, most would die off.

Qin Ming immediately consulted several books on spiritual plants and discovered this was a rare affliction called "Suo Ling Zheng."

The texts recorded only its symptoms, not a cure.

Qin Ming now understood why spiritual energy rice was so difficult to cultivate—it likely succumbed to this illness during its seedling stage, making survival rare.

Just as Qin Ming was at a loss.

A flash of inspiration struck him.

The Wood-elemental Ancient Wood Longevity Art he cultivated contained the essence of plants and the pure, vital energy of heaven and earth, brimming with life and healing power.

Would it work on spiritual plants too?

Thinking this.

Qin Ming activated the Ancient Wood Longevity Art, and a green phantom of his Ultimate Wood Body appeared behind him.

Instantly, specks of plant essence flowed like a tassel, guided by Qin Ming, sinking into the withered seedlings.

In an instant.

In Qin Ming's spiritual sense, he received waves of joyful, vibrant feedback from the spiritual energy rice seedlings.

And they gradually regained their vitality.

"It's working!" Qin Ming's face lit up, and he increased the output of plant essence.

Under the continuous healing of the Longevity Art, all spiritual energy rice seedlings fully recovered their vigor.

And the "Suo Ling Zheng" was purged.

In the days that followed.

Under Qin Ming's relentless care, irrigating with the High-Level Spiritual Rain Technique.

He had successfully cultivated the spiritual energy rice seeds.

And the survival rate reached over ninety percent.

Before him, the seedbed had spawned three golden entries:

【Name】: spiritual energy Rice 【Term】: Magic Power Crystals ×5 (Maturity 1%)

【Name】: spiritual energy Rice 【Term】: Leaf of Time and Space ×5 (Maturity 1%)

【Name】: spiritual energy Rice 【Term】: Beast Taming Scripture (Maturity 1%)

The Beast Taming Scripture had spawned? It seems taming spiritual beasts must now be prioritized.

Afterwards.

He transplanted all the spiritual energy rice seedlings into the paddy fields.

Next, Qin Ming went to a nearby lake and caught dozens of spiritual fish, releasing them into the rice paddies.

But not the legendary Azure Dragon spiritual fish.

Only common, low-grade spiritual fish.

Qin Ming had previously tried to catch an Azure Dragon spiritual fish, but had never encountered one.

Since he couldn't catch the Azure Dragon fish, raising the rice-flower spiritual fish might be uniquely rewarding.

Having finished this.

Qin Ming then tended to the Shen Shen tea trees and the Purple Gold Bamboo spiritual fields.

In both spiritual plant fields, four new terms had spawned: 【Name】: Shen Shen Tea 【Term】: Soul Power Crystals ×5 (Maturity 5%)

【Name】: Shen Shen Tea 【Term】: Leaf of Time and Space ×5 (Maturity 6%)

【Name】: Purple Gold Bamboo 【Term】: Blood and Qi Crystals ×5 (Maturity 7%)

【Name】: Purple Gold Bamboo 【Term】: Leaf of Time and Space ×5 (Maturity 8%)

Qin Ming gazed at the lush green scene before him and nodded slightly.

He now had confidence.

With so many "Leaf of Time and Space" terms.

Even if he couldn't gather all three main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills, finding even one or two seedlings or seeds.

He could still accelerate their growth.

After tending to his spiritual fields, Qin Ming was about to enter his cave to cultivate, when the formation outside triggered a sensing ripple.

He released his spiritual sense to investigate and found it was Liao, the shopkeeper of Jing Xue Pavilion.

Qin Ming immediately lifted the formation's restrictions and welcomed him in.

As soon as he entered.

Liao's face, which had been smiling warmly, froze in shock.

"Brother Qin, what is this? Have you broken through again?"

Because Liao's spiritual sense probed Qin Ming's cultivation,

Only to collide like a head-on strike against a mountain—unable to gauge any depth.

"Lucky breakthrough." "Did you come because you've found news on the Foundation Establishment Pill ingredients?"

Qin Ming smiled faintly—he had already guessed Liao's purpose.

"Brother Qin, you truly conceal your true strength!"

"I never imagined you'd leave me so far behind—it's humbling."

"But given your expertise in alchemy and spiritual cultivation, reaching this point is only natural."

Liao first paid Qin Ming lavish praise, then continued:

"Indeed, under your request,

Our Sect Master mobilized every connection we could, and gradually gathered part of the ingredients: eighteen auxiliary materials and two main ones."

"But the two main ingredients are too young."

"They won't suffice for alchemy."

"Still, you specifically instructed us, so we collected them anyway."

"As for the Jade Marrow Fungus—the main ingredient—it grows only in a few secret realms controlled by major sects, completely monopolized; none can be found outside."

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming was overjoyed.

He hadn't expected Jing Xue Pavilion's efficiency to be so swift—they'd already secured two main ingredients.

"Please thank Gu Qing on my behalf. Keep searching for the rest."

"I'll find a way for the Jade Marrow Fungus too."

Afterwards.

Qin Ming invited Liao to sit in his cave.

But when Liao saw the living spiritual energy rice, Shen Shen tea, and Purple Gold Bamboo—second-rank middle-grade spiritual plants—

Flourishing before the cave entrance,

His heart surged with shock, his expression turning deeply strange.

After bidding Qin Ming farewell,

Liao immediately mounted his flying artifact and rushed back to report.

The news Liao brought had truly thrilled him.

Half the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pills had now been gathered.

The path to Foundation Establishment lay before him!...

Qin Ming's spirits soared, and he walked toward his life-spirit plant, ready to begin cultivation.

But he was startled to discover.

His entire colony of Four-Winged Frost Bees had undergone a radical transformation under the influence of the Longevity Vine.

The entire swarm's color had turned into interwoven purple and black patterns, strikingly similar to the purple runes on the Longevity Vine.

All had advanced to First-Rank Mid-Level spiritual insects.

Their stingers had all become Void Poison Stingers,

Resembling the thorns on the vine.

And the queen bee—this stunned Qin Ming.

Without his noticing, she had broken through to First-Rank Late Stage! Her body had grown larger still, and her wings had become six.

And on her forehead appeared a twisted purple rune.

She looked majestic and fearsome.

Qin Ming gestured, and the queen bee appeared before him.

He examined her closely and found she emitted the same mysterious aura as the black vine.

"Could it be that, under the Longevity Vine's influence, she's gained immunity to fire and water?" Qin Ming exclaimed in shock.

He then summoned a basic Fireball Technique and scorched the six-winged queen bee.

Immediately, he formed a basic fireball spell and scorched the six-winged queen bee.

As he had expected.

The queen bee did not dodge or retreat; the flames burned her body, yet she suffered not at all.

These spiritual bees clearly possessed a certain degree of spell-resistance.

But not to the terrifying extent of the Longlife Vine.

They showed not the slightest fear of second-rank spiritual flame.

Yet as time passed and they continued to develop, their spell-resistance might further enhance.

Qin Ming was about to return the queen bee to the hive.

Suddenly, his nose twitched.

A sweet, exotic fragrance entered his nostrils.

He immediately turned his gaze to the black hive, now one zhang in diameter.

Purple-black spiritual bees swarmed around it, buzzing busily.

Qin Ming widened his eyes.

"Could it be…"

"Could it be royal jelly?"

……

(End of Chapter)