Chapter 150: Exposure and Recruitment from All Sides

When Qin Ming spoke these words.

They instantly clashed with the atmosphere of the room, making him seem utterly out of place.

"Wait!"

At that moment.

Before the three leaders of the Free Alliance could speak, Yu Wanhao of BiCang Island stood up and coldly confronted Qin Ming: "Such a major event has occurred in the spiritual energy Archipelago—every island has united as one, yet your Moonwatch Island wants to retreat? What is the meaning of this?"

"Could it be you're in league with the perpetrators—or the Zhao family?"

The burly middle-aged man of the Free Alliance also instantly stepped forward, blocking Qin Ming's path.

Yu Wanhao was extremely aggressive, utterly unreasonable, slapping a heavy accusation onto Qin Ming's head without hesitation.

"Master Yu, you may eat whatever you like, but don't speak recklessly."

"You have no proof—don't point fingers at me," Qin Ming replied expressionlessly.

In his words, he gave not the slightest respect to this Foundation Establishment elder.

To be honest, he had just extended his spiritual sense to scan the room—among all these cultivators, only Huo Qianqiu, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, posed even a slight pressure on him.

The others, including the newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator Yu Wanhao, were all weak.

He wasn't even as strong as Luo Rong, who had been instantly slain by Qin Ming's poison flame.

Qin Ming merely didn't want unnecessary trouble—he didn't mean to conceal his true strength forever.

Besides, his Foundation Establishment breakthrough couldn't be hidden much longer anyway.

Yu Wanhao was furious—he never expected a mere Qi Refining upstart to dare speak disrespectfully and defy him.

In the cultivation world, hierarchy and rank were absolute—how could he act so brazenly?!

"Hmph! What an ungrateful little brat."

"I've heard you've dared oppose my Yu family before—today, I'll teach you a lesson so you remember your place."

Boom! As Yu Wanhao spoke, he fully unleashed his Foundation Establishment magic power, causing everyone present to recoil in shock.

They hadn't expected Qin Ming to be so disrespectful toward a full Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Yu Wanhao summoned his magic power and reached out—his powerful Foundation Establishment aura locked onto Qin Ming, striking with lightning speed.

His gaze was sinister, his attack ruthless, leaving no room for mercy.

The burly middle-aged man standing before Qin Ming immediately stepped back several paces, clearly eager to watch the show.

The three Foundation Establishment leaders seated above exchanged glances but made no move to intervene.

The Yu family's cultivators, seeing their ancestral elder about to display his might and teach the intruder a lesson, were thrilled—finally, vengeance.

Their expressions glowed with excitement.

Qin Ming's face remained calm, his gaze sharpening.

He no longer concealed his cultivation—his overwhelming magic power, equivalent to mid-Foundation Establishment, erupted violently! Boom! A far greater Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure suddenly descended upon the hall.

Its might surpassed Yu Wanhao's by more than several times over.

The nearby Qi Refining cultivators were thrown to the ground, scrambling in panic.

Qin Ming's eyes grew cold; he formed a hand seal— instantly, a massive wooden spike over a zhang long coalesced in midair, radiating terrifying energy.

The surrounding Free Alliance cultivators trembled in terror at the sheer force of the technique.

He pointed his finger—the wooden spike became a brilliant emerald rainbow, piercing through space to strike Yu Wanhao head-on.

Shhh! Yu Wanhao, caught utterly off-guard by the sudden turn, wore an expression of shock and disbelief.

He simply couldn't fathom how a Qi Refining late-stage cultivator had just transformed into a Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself.

Seeing the terrifying technique hurtling toward him,

Yu Wanhao hastily switched from offense to defense, summoning a yellowish earth magic shield to encase his body.

Boom! The wooden spike vanished in an instant—a thunderous explosion rocked the hall! A figure flew backward, slamming into the wall and smashing a gaping hole, dust billowing instantly.

Yu Wanhao, who had moments ago been so arrogant, lay motionless in the crater, alive or dead, unknown.

Even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were vast differences! The density and quantity of their magic liquids were on entirely different levels.

Whoa! "F-F-Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

The cultivators of the spiritual energy Archipelago were stunned.

The three Free Alliance Foundation Establishment leaders above also showed expressions of profound shock—this sudden turn exceeded their expectations.

Li Yuanqing was inwardly astonished.

One strike, instantly crippling a peer Foundation Establishment cultivator—was this the power of a Spirit Planter?

Even Huo Qianqiu stared at Qin Ming, his gaze shifting uncertainly, lost in thought.

The Yu family had expected their ancestral elder to display his Foundation Establishment might before all the island lords.

Yet the situation reversed instantly—their ancestral elder had been slammed into the wall.

Yu Pinghai and Yu Tao stared blankly, faces pale, hearts filled with dread.

Their legs trembled uncontrollably.

They never imagined this plain-looking Free cultivator had quietly broken through to Foundation Establishment.

And his strength clearly wasn't on the same level as their ancestral elder's.

Then,

Qin Ming's gaze slowly settled on the burly middle-aged man of the Free Alliance, his tone icy: "You? You think you can stop me?"

The burly man broke into cold sweat, inwardly cursing his luck.

He never imagined the pseudo-spirit-root Free cultivator he had once looked down upon had now become a Foundation Establishment elder.

"S-sorry, Elder Qin, I—"

Before the burly man could finish speaking,

Qin Ming raised his hand and slashed out a gust of divine wind!

The burly man felt as if his throat had been crushed—he froze, pupils shrinking, face ashen!

Boom! At the critical moment, Huo Qianqiu acted—he raised his hand, and a small green-gold shield spun into existence, instantly expanding to shield the burly man, barely deflecting the attack.

The burly man had just barely saved his life and was about to exhale in relief—

Pah! Huo Qianqiu slapped him across the face—the burly man spat blood and flew far away.

Having done this,

Huo Qianqiu turned back and bowed to Qin Ming.

"I didn't know Elder Qin had already advanced to Foundation Establishment—ignorance is no excuse. I beg you to spare his life—I will punish him on your behalf."

Qin Ming's expression remained calm: "Master Huo, may I leave now?"

"Of course. Since Elder Qin has no wish to join the Free Alliance, your comings and goings are entirely your own."

"Also, congratulations on your Foundation Establishment breakthrough. Once matters here are settled, I will personally visit your island."

Qin Ming nodded—he still owed some respect to a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator—and returned the bow: "Then I shall await your arrival on my island."

He called for Wu Jiang, and together they walked out of the hall, escorted by the awe-filled gazes of all present.

Wu Jiang was exhilarated, glowing with pride—he never expected Qin Daoist, who had only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment, to be so powerful.

Not only had he crippled Yu Wanhao with a single technique,

but even Huo, a mid-Foundation Establishment leader, had shown him deference.

As Qin Ming and Wu Jiang departed,

the hall erupted into chaos.

"I never expected the Lord of Moonwatch Island had broken through to Foundation Establishment!"

"Oh! Now that you mention it, wasn't it Elder Qin who cultivated the spiritual energy Rice half a year ago?"

"Many cultivators tried to visit Moonwatch Island for rice then—all turned away, never even seeing him."

"So he's a second-rank mid-grade Spirit Planter—no wonder he succeeded in Foundation Establishment."

"The Yu family is just unlucky—they became a Foundation Establishment clan only to step on an iron board."

"Unlucky? No—they were just too arrogant! Elder Qin taught them a well-deserved lesson—I've long despised them."

"This'll be good entertainment."

"In two days, my Xiao Ye Island will pay a visit to Moonwatch Island to cultivate goodwill with Elder Qin."

…

After the meeting,

the three leaders of the Seventy-Two Islands Free Alliance sat in a quiet chamber.

Li Yuanqing spoke first, deeply moved: "I never expected this young man to be so extraordinary. When he seized the island in the Duel for the Isles, overpowering all rivals and driving back Zhao Chanzhen of the Zhao family, I still remember it vividly."

"Now he's become a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you and me."

Master Huo, hands behind his back, gazed out the window and nodded: "Indeed—Elder Qin's strength is surely far deeper than it appears. If we truly fought, I'd be lucky to hold my own against him."

The ancient, wrinkled old woman stared in disbelief: "How is that possible? He's only just broken through to Foundation Establishment!"

"."

"By the way—what do we do about the Yu family?"

"We planned to use Yu Wanhao as a pawn, but he's been crippled by Elder Qin—this is fate."

"The Yu family is no longer a threat—deal with them after the matter is settled."

"Hurry and prepare for what comes next."

Two days later,

The news that the Lord of Moonwatch Island had broken through to Foundation Establishment and displayed overwhelming might at the Free Alliance's headquarters on Fengqi Island spread everywhere.

Even in the sanctuary of hermits, Canghai Xiancheng, the news spread like wildfire.

Here, every hermit who successfully achieves Foundation Establishment becomes a topic of lively discussion and intense focus.

For the countless hermits in the city, it is a great source of inspiration.

Jingxue Pavilion.

Gu Qingzhao received this news the very day it happened.

But lately she has been occupied with affairs within the pavilion and could not leave.

One day.

Her beautiful eyes sparkled with joy as she instructed Shopkeeper Liao: "Prepare some substantial gifts. In a while, I will visit Daoist Qin on Wangyue Island."

Shopkeeper Liao replied in affirmation, then added with envy: "Who would have thought? Things change, people change—Daoist Qin truly is extraordinary. Without notice, he has reached this level."

…

On Wangyue Island.

Qin Ming assigned Wu Jiang and his wife to handle the arrangements for visiting cultivators.

"My news of Foundation Establishment has spread these past few days; many will come to pay respects. I dislike commotion—accept the greeting tablets from ordinary factions, nothing more."

"If you encounter someone you cannot refuse, I will receive them personally."

Wu Jiang patted his chest and assured him: "Daoist Qin, rest easy. I've lived among the spiritual energy Archipelago for thirty years—I know every small and large faction here. I'll handle this perfectly."

Serving as a host for a Foundation Establishment cultivator is something ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would beg for.

After all, it also signifies a close connection with this Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, the two of them rent their residence on Wangyue Island.

In the following days,

nearby Lingdao factions gradually came to Wangyue Island to deliver their greeting tablets.

Wu Jiang and his wife handled the matter well, organizing everything neatly.

Occasionally, larger factions came to visit, and Qin Ming personally received each one.

Huo, the leader of the Seventy-Two Island Hermit Alliance, and two others came and stayed for half a day on the island.

Several days passed.

Those who were coming had mostly arrived.

One day.

Qin Ming had finally found some peace and was tending to his spirit fields.

Wu Jiang arrived with a strange expression and reported: "Daoist Qin, the Zhao family—one of the Seven Major Powers—has come to pay respects."

"What should we do about this?"

Upon hearing this,

Qin Ming paused his work, frowning slightly: "Why did the Zhao family come too?"

"Do you know who specifically from the Zhao family is here?"

Wu Jiang replied honestly: "It's Zhao Wuji, the eldest son, and the ninth son, Zhao Chanzhen."

Qin Ming knew that since the Zhao family had come, he could not simply turn them away—that would be too hard on Wu Jiang.

So,

he said calmly: "Alright, invite the two Zhao young masters in."

Moments later,

a composed young man, along with Zhao Chanzhen, whom Qin Ming had met before, arrived at the guest pavilion on Wangyue Island, guided by Wu Jiang.

Seeing them arrive, Qin Ming smiled warmly and bowed: "My apologies for not greeting you sooner. Please come inside and have some spirit tea."

Qin Ming glanced briefly at the two.

Zhao Wuji's cultivation base was at Foundation Establishment mid-stage, yet his actual strength was clearly among the strongest in this realm—Qin Ming found it hard to gauge him fully.

Zhao Chanzhen had also broken through to Foundation Establishment early stage; years ago, when he competed for the spirit island, he was already at Qi Refining peak.

Given his talent and the Zhao family's resources, Foundation Establishment was no great challenge for him.

"Congratulations, Daoist Qin, on achieving Foundation Establishment and advancing further on the Immortal Path."

"A small token of respect."

With that, Zhao Chanzhen smiled faintly and handed Qin Ming an exquisite jade box.

Just from the packaging, it was clear the contents were valuable.

Qin Ming accepted the jade box without opening it, concealing his expression as he put it away.

Zhao Chanzhen then introduced Qin Ming: "This is my elder brother, Zhao Wuji."

"Daoist Zhao."

"Daoist Qin."

They exchanged greetings.

As guests, Qin Ming brewed a pot of Jushen tea for them.

The Jushen tea, steeped in spirit spring water, exuded a faint spiritual aura, its fragrance filling the elegant chamber.

Zhao Wuji and the other drank just one sip, and immediately felt spiritual energy coursing through their bodies, gently nourishing their spiritual sense—utterly refreshing and invigorating.

"Excellent tea!"

"No wonder it's Jushen tea—Daoist Qin, could you sell me some of the leaves?"

Qin Ming smiled slightly: "Daoist Zhao, you jest."

He then took out a small box of Jushen tea and presented it to them as a return gift.

Afterward,

the three began casual conversation.

"It's hard to believe—so many years have passed since we first met on this island."

"Back then, during our battle, I was truly startled by your Yin Thunder Substances! Hahaha!" Zhao Chanzhen teased.

He subtly sought to draw closer to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming replied humbly: "Heh, I only succeeded because Daoist Zhao was so generous—if not for you, I never could have become island master."

Years ago, had Zhao Chanzhen not intervened, Qin Ming could never have secured Wangyue Island at such a low cost.

After chatting for a while,

sensing the moment was right,

Zhao Wuji gracefully extended an olive branch, offering exceptionally generous terms.

A second-rank mid-grade spirit cultivator, plus second-rank master alchemist—any major faction would grant such a person the status and treatment of an inner sect Elder.

Especially now that Qin Ming had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Qin Ming naturally could not accept.

He politely declined Zhao's recruitment.

Just as he had with the Seventy-Two Island Hermit Alliance, he wished to avoid involvement in their conflict and clearly declared his neutral stance.

Before arriving, Zhao's two young masters had already thoroughly understood Qin Ming's connection to Jingxue Pavilion.

They never truly expected to recruit him.

Their visit was mainly to gauge Qin Ming's attitude.

After half a day of exchange,

the two Zhao young masters took their leave.

…

(End of Chapter)