Chapter 219: Rescue and Acquisition of Spirit Materials

In the blink of an eye.

Qin Ming flashed sideways and vanished from where he stood.

The Qingming sword qi slashed through the air; a streak of blue-green light cut across the demonic beast's body, sending limbs and severed parts flying in all directions.

Li Yuanqing aboard the Sanneng Lawship, seeing this, no longer watched from the sidelines. He pulled out a spiritual artifact blade, which transformed into a blue streak of light and entered the battlefield.

A crushing spiritual pressure of Foundation Establishment late stage descended upon the outskirts of the Immortal City like a tidal wave.

With the addition of Li Yuanqing, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the crisis of the beast tide outside Canghai Immortal City was instantly resolved.

The Sanneng Lawship also activated its spiritual-energy mega-cannon, targeting the horde of beasts below and unleashing a furious barrage.

An hour later.

Through the combined efforts of the group, the leading second-stage great beasts were all slain.

The lower-grade beasts outside the city, deprived of their leaders, scattered like birds and beasts.

Qin Ming made no effort to hide it—he collected the corpses of the several second-stage early beasts he had personally slain into his storage bag.

Lü Liang watched from the side, his face twitching, but dared not say a word.

If Qin Dao You hadn't come to rescue us, I'd be dead today.

Lü Liang's face was pale. He took out a pill and swallowed it, then scanned the surroundings, his gaze landing on his precious disciple.

Seeing she was unharmed, he let out a long, relieved breath.

"Thank you, Qin Dao You and Lord Li, for your rescue! This great favor I, Lü, will never forget!" Lü Liang bowed deeply to the two.

Qin Ming quickly stopped him. "Lü Dao You, there's no need for such formality."

"To slay demons and exterminate beasts—this is the duty of our cultivation sects!"

"To see Lü Dao You in peril, we must draw our swords and lend aid!"

As he spoke, Qin Ming's tone was righteous and resolute!

So much so that he almost believed himself: "Qin Dao You is truly noble and upright—not only a master of spirit plants and pills, but his sword cultivation is also devastatingly sharp!"

"I am truly in awe."

"It was thanks to Lü Dao You having drained most of the beasts' demonic energy that I could slay them so easily—mere trifles."

"Enough. Let the lower-level cultivators clean up the battlefield. Qin Dao You, this isn't a place for conversation."

"Please come to my humble abode."

Lü Liang gestured invitingly, then ordered his men to open the formation.

…

Core district of Canghai Immortal City.

After entering the city, Li Yuanqing hurried to find Canghai True Person, while Lü Liang also needed to report back, so the two parted from Qin Ming and headed toward Canghai Peak.

Qin Ming was led by Lü Wanjun to Lü Liang's villa.

She served Qin Ming spiritual tea, then stepped forward and bowed gracefully. "Wanjun thanks Senior Qin for saving me!"

"No need for such formalities. Since you've successfully established your Foundation, call me Qin Dao You," Qin Ming said, sipping his tea calmly.

Lü Wanjun, however, still seemed shaken from the battle—her usual lively energy gone, replaced by a hollow, drained demeanor.

"Lü Dao You, why don't you go restore your magic power first? I'll wait here just fine," Qin Ming said bluntly.

Lü Wanjun didn't insist. She had only just established her Foundation and had just survived such a brutal battle—she feared losing her hard-won realm.

After having servants bring fruits and snacks, she bid Qin Ming farewell and returned to her room to meditate and recover.

Qin Ming sat in the main hall, sipping spiritual tea, his fingers lightly tapping the table, lost in thought.

Half an hour later.

Lü Liang, seemingly finished his report, entered, dusty and weary.

"Ah! Qin Dao You! You wouldn't believe it—I was on duty guarding the city wall today."

"It was truly perilous. If you hadn't come, my disciple and I would've ended up as beast fodder." Lü Liang poured Qin Ming a fresh pot of spiritual tea and filled his cup, still trembling with relief.

Qin Ming frowned at this, voicing his concern: "Lü Dao You, has the beast tide situation really deteriorated to this extreme?"

Even a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Lü Liang nearly lost his life—its danger was plain to see.

"Correct. Originally, we thought only one third-stage beast king had emerged deep in Beiming Mountain Range, forcing other beast herds to migrate outward."

"But now, multiple exceptionally powerful third-stage beast kings have emerged simultaneously within Beiming Mountain Range."

"Coupled with excessive breeding of beasts deep in the range, this beast disaster is unprecedented in the entire history of Canghai Immortal City," Lü Liang replied solemnly.

"To be frank, Qin Dao You, in just these past few years, the city has endured hundreds of beast tide assaults."

"Among them, three separate times, three different third-stage beast kings personally led the charge. Even a weak spot in the western wall's formation was breached under a beast king's assault."

"Fortunately, the City Lord intervened and drove off that third-stage beast king—otherwise, Qin Dao You, you'd be burning paper offerings for me right now."

"Repairing the third-stage formation alone consumed countless resources and manpower, taking half a year to fully restore."

"…."

Qin Ming fell silent for a long time.

He hadn't expected Canghai Immortal City's situation to be this dire—constantly facing assaults from third-stage great beasts.

He finally understood: the city could never spare extra strength to deal with that third-stage Blood Curse Demon Vine.

Once Nanlan Xi, the Jin Dan elder, was gone, Canghai Immortal City could fall at any moment to the beast tide.

"By the way, a few years ago, the Feng family who came here with your letter—who are they to you? I've followed your instructions and settled them properly. The Feng family is now doing quite well within the inner city," Lü Liang suddenly asked.

Qin Ming replied: "I owe you great thanks for your help. They are descendants of an old friend. If you're willing, please lend them a hand—nothing more needed."

"Qin Dao You, you speak too modestly. This small favor is nothing. I only wondered if they needed extra care."

"Then I'll follow Qin Dao You 's wishes," Lü Liang smiled. Qin Ming had gathered information on the city's current state, then took his leave.

Leaving the core district, Qin Ming followed the main road to the Jingxue Pavilion in the inner city.

The first-floor restaurant was quiet, with only a few tables occupied by cultivators—nothing like its usual bustling scene.

With the beast tide erupting and resource prices soaring, fewer cultivators could afford to dine at upscale venues like the Jingxue Pavilion.

Liao the Shopkeeper, head down, was recording accounts at the front desk. Sensing someone enter, he forced a professional smile. "Welcome, Dao You, what would you like to order?"

He barely finished when he saw it was Qin Ming—his words tumbled into incoherence.

From shock to confusion, then to delight: "Qin Dao You! What are you doing here?!"

"Quickly, come in!"

"I'll notify the Pavilion Master at once—you won't believe how worried she's been over you!"

Liao's shout drew the attention of the diners. Who was this person that could make the Jingxue Pavilion's Master so anxious?

Upon seeing it was Qin Dao You, several recognized him and rose to greet him.

"Oh! It's Master Qin!"

"Senior Qin, greetings!"

"Qin Dao You, welcome!"

Qin Ming's reputation among these scattered cultivators remained excellent; their words were full of respect and admiration.

He smiled faintly and nodded in return, then followed Liao upstairs.

On the seventh-floor private room.

Gu Qingzhao, Huangfu Qi, and Long Yi came forward to greet him.

"Qin Dao You! What a rare surprise! I never expected you to come to Canghai Immortal City under these circumstances, hahaha!" Huangfu Qi, ever refined, smiled warmly.

Long Yi also smiled. "Qin Dao You, long time no see! When we evacuated Tianhe Market, things were so urgent we couldn't even notify you—alas!"

Qin Ming sensed her spiritual power—she had broken through to mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Clearly, the spiritual fire wine he'd given her had worked.

"Qin Dao You, how did you get here? The beast tide outside is perilous—was your journey safe?" Gu Qingzhao, in plain robes, her beautiful eyes bright with surprise and joy, asked.

"Fairly smooth. I came with the Sanneng Lawship, alongside Lord Li," Qin Ming replied warmly to each of their greetings.

The group then sat down.

They began to converse.

Gu Qingzhao stood first and handed Qin Ming a package. Her voice was clear and crisp: "These are the rare spirit materials you entrusted me to collect."

"I obtained them all a year ago, but the city went on lockdown to guard against beast tide raids. Even we can't leave Canghai Immortal City now."

"I was just worrying how to get them out—then you arrived."

Qin Ming took the package. Inside were all the spirit materials needed to cultivate his third-stage spirit plant, Sanjiang Huanhun Grass.

He stored them in his bag and thanked her: "Thank you, Gu Dao You."

"It's just a small token."

Qin Ming then took from his bag two strands of Daohua Spirit Fish and a jar of spiritual fire wine, presenting them to Gu Qingzhao.

Gu Qingzhao smiled faintly and accepted them.

"By the way, during the beast tide, I gathered plenty of beast materials and refined several batches of pills."

"I've entrusted them to Gu Dao You for sale."

As he spoke, Qin Ming waved his hand over the table—suddenly, over a dozen exquisite porcelain vials appeared.

The three across from him stared, dumbfounded.

A quick glance revealed most of the pills inside were second-stage spirit pills.

Gu Qingzhao's gaze lingered on the vials, then her slender hand gently lifted one, uncorked it—and instantly, a fragrance unlike any other second-stage pill filled the air.

"Good heavens!"

"Foundation Establishment Pill!"

"And two of them!"

Huangfu Qi leaned in for a closer look, even he was greatly surprised.

This Foundation Establishment Elixir was brought out in two pills at once.

Gu Qingzhao was also taken aback, raising his head to look at Qin Ming with puzzled confusion.

"Heh! These two were forged by me using demon cores."

"You should know the Lü Liang official from the Immortal City, right?"

"A few years ago, his precious disciple needed a Foundation Establishment Elixir to break through, and he happened to obtain a mid-stage second-rank wind-element demon core, entrusting me to refine it."

"At the time, four pills were produced; Lü Liang took two, and I still have two left."

"I have no use for them myself—better to exchange them for spirit stones."

Gu Qingzhao's face lit up with sudden understanding, then he smiled and said, "Oh—I see! This matter actually circulated in a small circle within the Immortal City back then."

"I never imagined it was you, Brother Qin, who refined them."

Qin Ming nodded; after all, these two Foundation Establishment Elixirs were leftovers from the batch Lü Liang had commissioned, and they held up to scrutiny.

Even the great powers and major sects could find no fault with them.

"By the way, if possible, could Brother Gu help me exchange them for top-grade spirit stones?"

……

(End of Chapter)