Chapter 231: Harvest

After spending a little more than half a day in Lü Liang.

Qin Ming was also about to return, so he took his leave from Lü Liang and asked him to activate the formation to let him pass.

"Qin Dao You, don't forget your spirit wine," Lü Liang said, noticing Qin Ming had not taken the jar of Spirit Fire Wine from the table.

Qin Ming smiled. "I've been troubling you too often; this jar of spirit wine is just a small token of my appreciation."

"How can that be?" Lü Liang hesitated.

"No need to refuse, Lü Dao You. I have plenty of spirit wine on my island; one jar won't make a difference."

Lü Liang then bowed and accepted with a smile. "Then thank you, Qin Dao You."

This Spirit Fire Wine was a great tonic for his precious disciple Lu Wanjun; to say he wasn't tempted would be a lie.

Afterwards.

Qin Ming then visited nearby shops and purchased materials for crafting high-grade golems.

Then, accompanied by Lü Liang, he left Canghai Xiancheng.

After exiting the immortal city, Qin Ming summoned Silverwing Frost Bees and sped back to Wangyue Island like a gust of wind.

Upon returning to the island.

Qin Ming was just about to enter his cave dwelling to cultivate.

When he received a message talisman from Wu Jiang, which he promptly opened.

"Qin Dao You, I saw you've returned today. Please come to my house by the lake for a chat."

Qin Ming muttered under his breath: "What's Wu Jiang up to now?"

He then stepped down off the island.

When Qin Ming entered the lakeside wooden house, he found Wu Jiang and his wife busy preparing an entire table of dishes.

Wu Jiang wore a smile of harvest joy, carrying a pot of Five-Color Spirit Rice, its aroma irresistible.

Seeing Qin Ming arrive, he quickly set down the pot and invited him to sit and eat.

"Qin Dao You, sit, sit, sit!"

"Go ahead and eat."

"Just two more dishes left—they'll be ready soon."

After putting down his things, Wu Jiang took out a storage bag and handed it to Qin Ming with a smile.

"Qin Dao You, here's the spirit rice tax from the past two years for the leased spirit fields. Have a look."

"One hundred and fifty shi of Jin Ling Rice, twenty shi of Beast Tooth Rice, and five shi of Five-Color Spirit Rice."

"Originally, we agreed to pay three-tenths of the harvest as rent."

"But the spirit vein here on Wangyue Island has changed dramatically—our Wu family's spirit fields have all had bountiful harvests!"

"After discussing with my clan, we'll now pay four-tenths of the harvest as rent."

"Hehehe! Qin Dao You, what do you think?"

Wu Jiang was sharp-witted and knew such a place as Wangyue Island simply didn't exist elsewhere in the Spirit Qi Archipelago.

The island was protected by a third-rank formation, rich in spiritual energy, accelerating cultivation and yielding abundant harvests.

He understood the need to remember one's source, so he naturally wanted to give Qin Dao You more spirit rice.

"Hmm. Wu Dao You, you've done well. Keep it up!"

Qin Ming smiled as he took the spirit rice and stored it away, then patted Wu Jiang on the shoulder.

It felt good to reap benefits without effort—having the Wu family farm his land ensured none of his spirit fields lay idle.

Meanwhile, Qin Ming himself did nothing yet reaped a large harvest of spirit rice, which he could later sell to Jingxue Pavilion for a substantial sum of spirit stones.

Under Wu Jiang's leadership, the Wu family's spirit farmers had greatly improved their cultivation techniques, producing high-quality spirit rice.

Inside the wooden house.

A full table of dishes, cooked with demonic beast meat and refined spirit ingredients, paired with Five-Color Spirit Rice, whetted the appetite. Mu Ruyin's cooking was exceptional.

Qin Ming ate heartily, while Wu Jiang and his father Wu Hanyuan repeatedly toasted and praised him.

In the Wu family's residential area, bonfires had been lit and barbecues set up.

A group of spirit farmers danced and sang around the fire, drinking heavily and feasting on meat, celebrating the harvest.

The Xianshui Crocodile, who had been napping at the lake's bottom, smelled the food and slowly crawled onto the island, where Wu family members fed him several whole roasted lambs.

He now lay not far from the Wu family, leisurely eating roasted meat at the table.

After three rounds of wine, the meal was nearly finished.

Wu Jiang seemed to have something he wanted to say but hesitated, the words on his tongue yet unspoken.

"Wu Dao You, just speak your mind," Qin Ming noticed his unease.

Even Mu Ruyin gave him a sharp glare; Wu Jiang finally forced a smile and said to Qin Ming:

"Hehehe! Qin Dao You, it's like this."

"Wangfeng and Wangyue have been granted leave from Lei Yuanzong to visit home—it may be within one or two months."

"I wonder… would Qin Dao You allow them to enter the island?"

Wu Jiang was unsure because his children had now joined Lei Yuanzong.

He knew Qin Dao You had little regard for sects, so he needed to seek permission from the island's master.

Qin Ming thought it was something serious, hence Wu Jiang's caution; he replied calmly: "I thought it was something big. So they're returning after their training? Of course they can come. I haven't seen them in a long time—they must be grown up by now."

"They can return whenever they like."

As soon as Qin Ming spoke.

Wu Jiang and his wife were overjoyed—they had feared the island's transformation might make Qin Ming object.

…

Time passed slowly.

Qin Ming resumed his routine of farming and cultivation.

In his spare time, he studied golem arts; after persistent practice, he was close to upgrading the two second-rank-low Turtle Golems to second-rank-mid.

In addition, he refined Yu Xuan Pills.

After several attempts, Qin Ming successfully produced two bottles of second-rank-high spirit pill: Yu Xuan Pills.

He deliberately kept a portion of the spirit materials and used the 【Regenerate Spirit Seed】 term to revive and cultivate all the hardest-to-find herbs in the formula—including Seven-Leaf Yin Fungus—in his herb garden.

The other materials were easily procurable in the immortal city.

Thus, when he later advanced to late-stage, he would never lack pills to enhance his magic power.

Inside the cave dwelling.

Qin Ming took a Yu Xuan Pill and swallowed it.

Instantly, pure medicinal power surged like a vast flood, circulating through his meridians in a full heavenly cycle.

He immediately activated the Ancient Wood Longevity Technique, guiding and refining the medicinal force.

Several hours later.

Qin Ming's magic power aura surged sharply—he was now only one step away from breaking through to late-stage.

He slowly opened his eyes, feeling the liquid magic power in his lake of power had increased significantly.

"The Yu Xuan Pill truly is extraordinary. I wonder how many more such formulas exist in Xuánxī Valley."

"But refining Yu Xuan Pills is no easy task—only Master Gong Sun Yang could likely produce them; other pill masters probably couldn't."

"Otherwise, Xuánxī Valley wouldn't sell this pill's formula to outsiders."

(End of Chapter)