Chapter 213: Tending Logistics

The moment the formation was completed.

A mysterious spiritual energy surged across Wangyue Island, resonating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

From then on, Wangyue Island took on the appearance of a true large island.

"This third-rank mid-grade formation of Lei Yuanzong is truly worth every bit of its cost! Excellent, excellent!" Qin Ming gazed up at the formation above, smiling faintly with his hands behind his back.

The Wu family members also noticed this phenomenon, gazing in awe at the massive tortoise-shell-shaped light curtain above the sky.

"Alas! I never thought, after living so long, I'd finally experience the protection of a third-rank formation with my own eyes—this life is well spent, hahaha!" Wu Family Patriarch Wu Hanyuan sighed.

Wu Jiang chuckled and said, "How's that, Father? Wasn't my choice right all along?"

"If I hadn't stubbornly ventured into Yunhuang Great Swamp, I wouldn't have met Brother Qin."

"Back then, I saw with sharp eyes that Brother Qin was no ordinary man—he was destined to soar one day. Look at Wangyue Island now: not only has the spiritual vein improved, but we've even set up a third-rank mid-grade formation."

"Even Fengqi Island, the headquarters of the Scatter Alliance, can't compare to this place anymore, hehehe!"

"Hmm, since you were a child, I always knew you'd amount to something."

"From now on, Wangyue Island is truly impregnable."

…

Two days later.

Qin Ming was seated in his cave, cultivating.

Suddenly!

He sharply opened his eyes.

Above Wangyue Island, demonic winds swept across.

Dozens of black demonic birds circled in the clouds above; three or four carried the aura of early second-rank, the rest mid- to late first-rank.

The Wu family members also sensed these terrifying demonic beasts. As mere Qi Refining cultivators, even with the third-rank formation's protection, they still showed fear in their eyes at the prospect of a true beast tide.

"Don't panic. These are just stray beasts passing through—likely trying to slip past the Scatter Alliance's defenses and enter the spiritual energy Archipelago."

Qin Ming looked up, his expression calm. "They're nothing."

The Xianshui Crocodile and Silver-Winged Frost Bees below had been eager to strike, but Qin Ming ordered them to hold back.

If we killed these birds and drew a larger beast clan, turning Wangyue Island into a battlefield—that would be disastrous.

Sure enough, the demonic beasts circled for half a day, unable to penetrate the pink mist below, and dared not approach.

They then continued flying southward.

Three months after the beast tide erupted.

Shadows of demonic beasts began appearing along the outer edges of the spiritual energy Archipelago.

…

Signs of the beast tide had actually appeared years ago.

When Lü Liang still commanded the reconnaissance unit, he had already noticed frequent disturbances among the beasts of Beiming Mountain Range.

Then came the revenge campaign by the Reincarnated Demon Monkey clan against the spiritual energy Archipelago, fully igniting the conflict between demonic beasts and human cultivators.

Qin Ming learned from Long Yi of Jingxue Pavilion that the scale of this beast tide would surpass even his wildest expectations.

For instance, Canghai Xiancheng and major sects across the cultivation world had issued countless missions, calling their disciples and free cultivators to the frontlines to hunt demonic beasts.

Many hunters seeking to profit from beast materials had also flooded the scene.

Besides defending the frontlines and hunting beasts, rear-line cultivators were using beast materials to craft talismans, elixirs, magic treasures, and other cultivation arts—and they too would receive higher pay than usual.

Though Qin Ming preferred to remain secluded and had no intention of fighting beasts on the front, after negotiating with the Scatter Alliance, he agreed to occasionally produce battlefield elixirs.

This was his way of contributing to the spiritual energy Archipelago's cultivation world.

After all, if the beasts truly seized the spiritual energy Archipelago, he'd be left stranded on a lone island.

…

Two more months passed.

News arrived from the front: this beast tide was no ordinary threat—Canghai Market Town and several Foundation Establishment spiritual islands had been overrun and swallowed by the tide.

The market prices for talismans, elixirs, magic treasures, formations, and spirit rice had all surged continuously.

Especially healing and survival-related supplies: prices had risen over tenfold from normal levels and still couldn't meet demand.

Qin Ming's remaining stock of Jin Ling Rice, Beast Tooth Rice, Five-Color Rice, and a small amount of spiritual energy Rice had been rapidly depleted, with part sold to the Scatter Alliance.

Fortunately, the Wu family farmed on Wangyue Island, so their spirit rice reserves remained substantial.

In addition, Qin Ming used the beast materials provided by the Scatter Alliance to craft numerous healing elixirs and a few second-rank spirit pills, then sold them all to the Alliance.

He hadn't expected that the beast tide would make this reclusive free cultivator rich beyond his dreams.

The intensity of the beast tide far exceeded the Scatter Alliance's highest estimates; within months, their elixir reserves were nearly exhausted.

In the face of such a cataclysm, even the most isolated cultivators could not remain untouched.

Even the bitter rivals Lei Yuanzong and Lingyu Men had to lay down their arms, temporarily setting aside their grudges to address the beast tide first.

One day.

Qin Ming was about to tend his spirit fields when his transmission talisman activated.

He opened it and found the Scatter Alliance's Seventy-Two Islands faction had come again to purchase elixirs.

He put down his spirit hoe and flew out of Wangyue Island.

Several Scatter Alliance magic vessels hovered nearby.

Seeing Qin Ming emerge, a gray-robed elder on the flagship hurried over. He was mid-Foundation Establishment, yet bowed respectfully to Qin Ming. "Brother Qin, the frontlines are dire. I'm forced to trouble you once more to craft another batch of spirit elixirs."

This gray-robed elder was Zhou Ping, one of the Scatter Alliance's newly promoted Elders.

"Brother Zhou, no need for formalities. I've just finished crafting several batches of Huichun Pills, Fuyuan Pills, and Genxue Pills—I was about to send Wu Jiang to deliver them to you, and you've arrived just in time." Qin Ming smiled faintly, tapped his storage bag, and pulled out dozens of vials of elixirs—combat, recovery, and survival types all present.

Zhou Ping's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Brother Qin! It's a great fortune for the spiritual energy Archipelago to have a cultivator like you—a master of both alchemy and spirit cultivation!"

"Without you, we'd have to detour all the way to Canghai Xiancheng—enduring perilous beast threats, wasting time and effort, and stretching our supply lines."

"You don't know how many other Xianchengs have fallen, their people slaughtered, because they couldn't get timely emergency supplies—terrible, terrible!"

"Brother Zhou, no need to thank me. I'm merely offering my humble efforts." Qin Ming waved his hand. Zhou Ping collected the elixirs, then took a thick pouch of spirit stones from his storage bag and handed it to Qin Ming. "Brother Qin, please check—do these spirit stones suffice?"

Qin Ming took the pouch, sensed its contents briefly, smiled faintly, and tucked it away without even looking.

"These spirit stones are more than sufficient."

The Scatter Alliance was indeed sincere—this single batch paid him over two hundred mid-grade spirit stones, equivalent to over twenty thousand low-grade ones.

Then Zhou Ping handed Qin Ming a pile of beast flesh and blood materials, requesting he craft more elixirs when he had time.

"Brother Qin, I have urgent duties—the frontlines are dire. I must return immediately. No time to linger." Zhou Ping bowed.

"Mm."

Suddenly!

As Qin Ming was about to bid farewell to Zhou Ping and the others, his spiritual sense flared—he detected over a hundred demonic birds sweeping toward them from ten li away.

These beasts had clearly been stalking Zhou Ping's fleet, hiding among the clouds, utterly concealed.

The leader was a beast with a wingspan of seven or eight zhang, its wings wreathed in silver lightning—clearly a late second-rank Lei Peng.

"Don't move!" Qin Ming frowned sharply and shouted to stop Zhou Ping and the others.

Zhou Ping's face flickered with confusion, then he forced a smile. "Brother Qin, is there another matter?"

"Order your men to prepare for battle immediately!"

"A flock of flying demonic beasts is approaching—clearly targeting you." Qin Ming spoke urgently, his expression grave.

"Huh?" Zhou Ping froze in shock.

He immediately extended his spiritual sense—but found not a single trace of demonic beasts.

Yet Brother Qin would never joke about something like this. Could his spiritual sense surpass even my mid-Foundation Establishment level? Though alchemists often had stronger spiritual senses, Brother Qin's was absurdly powerful.

There was no time for speculation. Zhou Ping instantly flew back to the ship and roared with magic power: "Beast attack! They're arriving! Prepare for battle now!"

Instantly,

The cultivators aboard the three magic vessels, on command, began loading spirit stones into their spirit cannons.

The higher-level combat cultivators rushed to the bow, drawing out their magic treasures, ready to clash with the beasts.

"Ah!"

Qin Ming watched their posture and couldn't help shaking his head.

Most of the cultivators on these vessels were Qi Refining; even counting Zhou Ping, there were only three Foundation Establishment fighters—hardly enough to even dent the late second-rank Lei Peng.

Soon, within half a teacup's time,

A dark swarm of demonic beasts surged from the distant sky, demonic aura rising like a storm, dense as a black cloud crushing down upon them.

The Scatter Alliance cultivators paled at the sight.

When Zhou Ping sensed the presence of the Lei Peng,

His face turned ashen, his heart plummeting.

Yet as a Scatter Alliance Elder, he kept his composure, swiftly organizing his troops.

"Brother Qin, retreat to the island immediately—we'll hold here!" Zhou Ping sent a transmission to Qin Ming.

The scattered alliance fleet engaged the attacking beasts, and suddenly, colorful spells burst forth over Wangyue Lake.

The Scatter Alliance fleet clashed with the attacking beasts—suddenly, colorful spells exploded across the sky above Wangyue Lake.

"Jiu!" A sudden gale howled. After thunder and lightning flashed, a massive Lei Peng appeared directly above the vessels, its silver lightning-wreathed wings spreading wide, blotting out the sky.

Simultaneously,

The crushing pressure of a late second-rank demon beast descended!

The spirit cannons' blasts struck the Lei Peng like tickles—it shimmered with silver arcs and effortlessly deflected every spell.

Behind it, its offspring let out piercing screeches and dove down en masse, swiftly devouring all the flesh and blood.

"Damn! It's a late-stage Stage Two great beast!"

"We're done!"

"!!!"

The cultivators on the magic vessel, seeing this, each wore gloomy, despairing faces, sighing endlessly.

Qin Ming knew these scattered alliance members had no chance against the beasts; he thought to himself: "Fine, I'm short on alchemical materials anyway—this Lei Peng's flesh will do."

Immediately, he shifted his intent and contacted Xianshui Eel.

"You lump! Get out and work—this Lei Peng's beast core is yours."

ROAR! Just as the scattered alliance members were plunged into despair, a colossal roar echoed across heaven and earth.

SPLASH!

Everyone's attention snapped toward it—only to see a monstrous crocodile beast, twenty zhang in length, erupting from the depths of Wangyue Lake, churning up towering waves and radiating an even more terrifying aura.

The scattered alliance members were terrified. "How is there another great beast beneath?!"

They immediately tried to swing their cannons toward Xianshui Eel.

Qin Ming quickly stopped them. "Brother Zhou, this Xianshui Eel is my spiritual pet—it's here to lend you a hand."

"Huh?"

"Oh oh oh!"

"Stop firing! This is Brother Qin's spiritual pet—it's here to help us!"

…

Xianshui Eel's vertical pupils glowed cold and emotionless, locked onto the late-stage Stage Two Lei Peng.

It drooled helplessly.

Then it let out a thunderous roar to the sky, whipped its body, and lunged at the Lei Peng!

(End of Chapter)