Chapter 145: Advancement and Reward

Inside the Spirit Gu Zhishi Guild.

The two Spirit Plant Masters who had entered the plant illusion realm at the same time as Qin Ming had both already come out.

One of them had struck it lucky — his trial happened to be on a Spirit Plant subject that was his own forte, and he passed the lowest-difficulty trial, successfully advancing to a second-rank, upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi.

Even the people of the Spirit Gu Zhishi Guild were astonished, and one after another offered him their congratulations.

Guild Master Liu Guchang also wore a beaming smile as he made conversation with him, clearly intending to recruit him into the Guild.

But just at this moment.

The wooden array not far away suddenly trembled violently, and a beam of radiance shot up into the sky, condensing into a Spirit Plant that did not disperse.

This astonishing phenomenon — every person in Yunze Xiancheng saw this scene.

Liu Guchang's eyes went wide, as though he had seen a ghost.

"How—how is this possible?"

"Fellow Daoist Qin actually passed the Grade-A illusion realm trial."

"Not only that, he even triggered such a phenomenon."

"Why have I never seen such a thing before — could it be—"

"Such a display of power, I'm afraid it must be—"

"Fellow Daoist Qin must have cultivated an extraordinary Spirit Plant inside the illusion realm!"

"What?!"

As Liu Guchang's words fell, the surrounding Spirit Plant Masters stared up at the radiance in the sky, and an instant uproar broke out.

Their eyes were filled with shock.

On the streets and in the towers of Yunze Xiancheng, countless cultivators poked their heads out, gazing up at the sky with great curiosity, pointing and chattering.

"Wow, what's going on?"

"Looks like the phenomenon came from the Spirit Gu Zhishi Guild."

"Didn't they say there was a second-rank Spirit Gu Zhishi advancement trial these past two days?"

"Surely it can't be because of that?"

"A phenomenon like this — maybe someone grew a high-grade Spirit Plant."

"Is our Yunze Xiancheng about to produce an extraordinary, legendary Spirit Gu Zhishi?"

In the Jingxue Pavilion of the inner city, Gu Qingzhao also looked outward and murmured, "It couldn't be Fellow Daoist Qin, could it?"

"Such a display — I'm afraid it must be—" Shopkeeper Liao also stared blankly at the sky.

Although Qin Ming had not gone to Jingxue Pavilion first, after arriving in the city he had still sent them a transmission talisman.

Atop Canghai Peak, the very center of Yunze Xiancheng, inside a grand palace at its summit, a figure in a cyan Daoist robe sat on the main seat, gazing outward with deep eyes, and said in a tone of great surprise: "A third-rank Blazing Lotus of Rebirth — now that's interesting!"

"Looks like I'll have to meet him in person."

……

Inside the plant illusion realm.

Qin Ming stared in astonishment to find that he had actually been teleported back to the wooden hut where he had first appeared.

On the table in the middle of the hut sat a full half-bottle of Myriad Wood Mother Qi, and besides that, there was also placed an item he knew extremely well.

That was the spirit seed of a third-rank Spirit Plant — the Blazing Lotus of Rebirth!

And it was identical to the eight spirit seeds he had consumed inside the illusion realm.

"Could this also be the reward for completing this trial?!" The thought struck Qin Ming, and wild joy spread across his face! He raised a hand toward the Blazing Lotus of Rebirth's spirit seed, and with a wave, the lotus's spirit seed quietly appeared inside his storage pouch the next moment.

"Just as I thought! Hahaha!"

Qin Ming happily tucked away that half-bottle of Myriad Wood Mother Qi as well.

Then his figure blurred, and he was teleported out of the plant illusion realm.

The next moment.

Qin Ming reappeared outside the wooden array.

The instant he came out, he saw a great crowd of people staring at him with wide eyes, as though they had seen a ghost.

At the same time, he also noticed the anomaly coming from the wooden array behind him. Gazing up at the Spirit Plant image in the sky, he could not help but smile wryly: "Sigh, why is it so hard to keep a low profile?"

Qin Ming had not expected that completing a second-rank upper-grade Grade-A difficulty illusion realm would still produce a phenomenon.

On the wooden stele behind him, the records of all past trial attempts also began to appear.

Name: Qin Ming

Historical Record:

Second-rank lower-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, Grade-A difficulty illusion realm trial — Passed.

Second-rank middle-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, Grade-A difficulty illusion realm trial — Passed. Second-rank upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, Grade-A difficulty illusion realm trial — Passed.

Then a burst of green radiance erupted from within the wooden array and poured into Qin Ming's Spirit Gu Zhishi identity wooden tablet.

The back of the tablet flashed with light, and three Spirit Plant imprints appeared.

And directly above the three Spirit Plant imprints, a peculiar seal-script character appeared.

Signifying that Qin Ming had, from this moment on, advanced to a second-rank upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi.

Hiss~ Gazing at the characters on the stele, the Spirit Plant Masters present drew in a sharp breath.

"Master Qin, this—"

"He actually passed all Grade-A illusion realm trials!"

"Fellow Daoist Qin's attainment on the path of Spirit Plants has already reached a level no one can match—"

At this moment, Liu Guchang finally came back to his senses, and with an excited expression offered Qin Ming his congratulations: "Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Qin, on passing the trial and advancing to second-rank upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi!"

"Master Qin, forgive my boldness, but may I ask — what kind of Spirit Plant did you cultivate inside the Grade-A illusion realm?"

"Why has such a celestial phenomenon appeared?"

"Master Qin, will you take disciples?"

……

Some spirit planters, unable to restrain their curiosity any longer, spoke up one after another to ask.

Even Liu Guchang, the president of the Spirit Planter Guild, issued an invitation to him on the spot: "Fellow Daoist Qin, with your level of attainment in spirit planting, I fear there is no one your equal within the entire Wei State Immortal Realm at present."

"This old man wishes to invite you to join the Spirit Planter Guild."

"I wonder what your thoughts are on this?"

Qin Ming did not even think before directly refusing him.

Liu Guchang was filled with surprise and regret.

Just above the Spirit Planter Guild, a strange ripple suddenly surged, and from within it stepped out three stewards clad in water-patterned white robes of Yunze Xiancheng.

Upon seeing this scene, Qin Ming's pupils contracted sharply.

However, he knew this was the power of Yunze Xiancheng's third-tier great formation, which had merged with heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers; as long as one remained within the formation's scope, one could even casually teleport cultivators through empty space.

One of them, a middle-aged steward at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, flew down, landed before Qin Ming, cupped his hands in salute, and said, "Fellow Daoist Qin, True Person Canghai requests your presence!"

"Please, Fellow Daoist, move to Canghai Peak."

Everyone within the Spirit Planter Guild, upon hearing these words, was utterly shocked; to actually receive a personal summons from a Jin Dan old ancestor.

What did this signify? Qin Ming knew that with a Jin Dan True Person personally receiving him, he could not refuse and had no choice but to agree.

Moreover, True Person Canghai held extremely high prestige within the immortal city and enjoyed a fine reputation, serving as the spiritual leader of this city of rogue cultivators.

It was unlikely anything too unexpected would occur; it should be that the commotion he had just caused was considerable, and he had now entered the sight of the Jin Dan old ancestor.

Nevertheless, this was merely a matter of time.

……

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I will take you there."

The middle-aged steward reached out and placed a hand on Qin Ming's shoulder.

Immediately, under the guidance of the three Yunze Xiancheng stewards, Qin Ming felt a momentary blur before his eyes.

In an instant, when he opened his eyes again, he had already appeared atop the main peak of Canghai Peak.

A dense wave of heaven-and-earth spiritual energy rushed toward him, stimulating every meridian throughout Qin Ming's body.

"Such a concentration of spiritual energy."

"Truly worthy of being a top-grade third-tier spiritual vein!"

"Canghai Peak; this is truly a blessed land for cultivation!"

Sensing the environment atop the Canghai main peak, Qin Ming could not help but sigh with emotion.

Shortly after.

He followed behind that steward and arrived before a magnificent palace.

After the white-robed steward entered to report.

A short moment later, he returned and said respectfully to Qin Ming, "Fellow Daoist Qin, the True Person invites you into the hall for a discussion."

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming nodded, then strode inside.

To speak the truth.

Meeting a Jin Dan old ancestor for the first time, Qin Ming's heart felt a slight nervousness.

(End of Chapter)