Chapter 23

The incident of the Long ally’s death.

Like a layer of gloom, it hung over the shantytown, lingering for a long time without dispersing.

For several consecutive days, every household nearby kept their doors tightly shut; the alleys lost their former bustle, appearing cold and desolate.

At night, no one dared to step outside.

Although Lingyu Men increased patrol frequency, tenants still dared to venture out only in groups.

Qin Ming did the same, working in the spirit fields only with the others.

These days, the spirit fields were considerably safer than outside.

The reason was that, for these past days, Elder Gu had personally led disciples to patrol around the spirit fields.

Every three days, Elder Gu’s massive magic vessel would hover above the spirit fields for half a day.

This also eased Qin Ming’s mind considerably.

It seemed Lingyu Men did not want any more incidents in the spirit fields.

After all, this directly affected frontline battle camp supplies.

They had no choice but to take it seriously.

Inside the three-mu Yinning Flower spirit field.

Qin Ming had already used the ‘Ripen’ term.

Two days later.

Green seedlings sprouted.

Qin Ming, with a tense heart, gazed into the spirit field.

Three golden terms stood out clearly!

[Name]: Yinning Flower [Term]: Yu Feng Jue (Maturity 2%)

[Name]: Yinning Flower [Term]: Ripen X5 (Maturity 3%)

[Name]: Yinning Flower [Term]: Bloodline Reversion X1 (Maturity 1%)

“My god!”

Qin Ming stared in disbelief at the terms in the spirit field, only regaining his composure after a long while.

“What is true fortune!”

“Hahaha!”

“Straight to the soul!”

He laughed loudly inside the spirit field.

[Yu Feng Jue]: Spirit plant technique; when cast, it guides spirit bees to pollinate spirit plants.

[Bloodline Reversion]: After use, it causes the spirit plant to evolve into a previous-generation form.

Although the ‘Quality Upgrade’ term had not refreshed,

a far more potent one had appeared instead.

Qin Ming immediately pulled out a spirit plant book and opened it—the book was written by the legendary spirit plant master Shi Yenong, titled ‘Treatise on Rare Spirit Plants’.

It recorded not only a list of rare flowers and herbs in the cultivation world, but also detailed origins of many spirit herbs and plants.

Among them was information on Beast Tooth Rice.

The ancestor of Beast Tooth Rice was a Rank One Jipin spirit plant—

Blood Locust Rice!

Just a hair’s breadth away from reaching Rank Two spirit plant status!

One could imagine its rarity.

Blood Locust Rice, shaped like a bloodsucker, its grains red as blood, hence its name.

Its effect was simple and singular: consumption greatly enhances a cultivator’s blood qi. Caution: Avoid use if blood qi has not yet been condensed!

This spirit rice was not only the dream of body refinement cultivators, but also a sacred item for blood Dao cultivation techniques—rarely encountered, impossible to find.

According to the book, hundreds of years ago, Blood Locust Rice had already nearly vanished from the cultivation world.

Only in a few isolated, uninhabited regions could a few plants occasionally be found.

Blood Locust Rice required extremely harsh growing conditions, even more demanding than Beast Tooth Rice; it needed long-term irrigation with demonic beast blood and constant spiritual energy supply.

Its maturation period often took ten years.

The older the plant, the stronger its blood qi enhancement effect.

Qin Ming stood motionless, staring fixedly at the ‘Bloodline Reversion’ term, silently reflecting: ‘Su Danshi truly is my benefactor.’

Yet, he no longer had the ‘Ripen’ term and could only wait for the next season’s Jin Ling Rice to refresh.

…

Amid constant waiting.

Three months passed.

Qin Ming perhaps truly had fortune on his side.

Inside the Jin Ling Rice spirit field, he once again obtained a ‘Ripen’ term.

Now he only needed demonic beast blood.

“Where to get it?”

Qin Ming rested his chin, pondering endlessly as he paced back and forth in his room. ‘Hunting demonic beasts was out of the question.’

‘No risks at all.’

‘No impulsiveness whatsoever.’

After much thought, he decided to spend spirit stones to buy it.

Though expensive, if he could grow Blood Locust Rice, it would all be worth it.

Two days later.

From a meat shop in Qingyang Market that sold demonic beast meat, Qin Ming spent a full one hundred and fifty spirit stones to buy ten catties of Rank One demonic beast blood.

“Surely this will be enough?”

Next, he used the ‘Ripen’ term freshly obtained from the Jin Ling Rice field to secretly ripen the three Yinning Flowers bearing terms.

Instantly, Qin Ming’s spiritual sense gained three term leaves: two green, one blue.

“To trigger bloodline reversion—no wonder it’s a blue term,” Qin Ming marveled.

To ensure absolute safety,

Qin Ming went to Juxuan Pavilion and spent over a hundred spirit stones on a small concealment array from Shopkeeper Liao.

This time, he was going all-in—not just with spirit stones, but with terms too.

He planned to use the ‘Advanced Spirit Rain Technique’ as well.

Good steel must be used on the blade.

All preparations complete.

Qin Ming began by ripening the premium Beast Tooth Rice.

Once the batch of Beast Tooth Rice began sprouting, he applied the ‘Bloodline Reversion’ term.

Instantly,

the spirit plants before Qin Ming grew wildly; hundreds of eerie plants appeared before him.

And a golden term flashed into view: [Name]: Blood Locust Rice [Term]: Abundant Blood Qi (Maturity 30%)

The original rice leaves of the Beast Tooth Rice withered completely, replaced by slender bamboo-joint-like stalks bearing long, vermilion grains shaped like bloodsuckers.

Qin Ming pressed on, continuing to apply the ‘Ripen’ term.

Blood Locust Rice was truly a Rank One Jipin spirit plant.

Qin Ming had to use three ‘Ripen’ terms in succession before fully ripening this batch to ten years’ maturity.

Afterwards,

he used the ‘Advanced Spirit Rain Technique’ term, combining it with demonic beast blood to irrigate the Blood Locust Rice.

As soon as the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique activated, half his magic power was instantly drained.

“Indeed, this is a spirit plant technique only cultivators at mid-to-late Qi Refining can cast,” Qin Ming gritted his teeth and used two ‘Weak Magic Power’ terms in succession.

Boom!

A dark cloud gathered in midair, forming a vortex, lightning flashing and thunder roaring within.

This was still Qin Ming deliberately shrinking the spell’s range; outside, its power would have been far greater.

Fortunately, Shopkeeper Liao’s concealment array worked astonishingly well, completely hiding all activity within his courtyard.

Without deliberate probing by a high-level cultivator, its secrets were nearly impossible to detect.

With this, Qin Ming exhaled in relief, feeling much more at ease.

As soon as the Blood Locust Rice plants encountered the spirit rain formed by demonic beast blood, they began to writhe strangely, as if coming alive, frantically absorbing the blood.

A crimson mist clung to the Blood Locust Rice, swirling and refusing to dissipate.

Under the effect of the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique, spiritual energy in the surrounding air was instantly sucked dry, transforming into potent nourishment that fed the hundreds of spirit plants.

At the branching points of the Blood Locust Rice, new, bountiful spirit spikes emerged again!

Qin Ming also took the opportunity to absorb the rare experience of casting the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique.

His Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique was already flawless; now he was touching the threshold of the Advanced version.

His Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique was already extremely proficient; next, he would touch the threshold of the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique.

Less than half a month later.

Under Qin Ming’s tireless and meticulous watering.

The Blood Locust Rice had fully matured!

In Qin Ming’s spiritual sense, all entries were consumed except: Bee Control Technique—weak blood qi x2, abundant blood qi x1, harvested spiritual rice.

Qin Ming carefully erased and concealed all traces of planting in the courtyard.

This thing must not be discovered by anyone.

Having finished all this,

Qin Ming’s spiritual sense gazed at the Blood Locust Rice in his storage pouch, his heart thrumming with excitement.

He licked his lips and smiled faintly:

“Now, let me taste this legendary Blood Locust Rice—what does it truly taste like?”

(End of Chapter)