Chapter 249: Recruitment

Two months later.

"Hmm, if I hadn't heard from Su Yuqing that the formation of a Jin Dan is monopolized by the Li Fire Palace of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty..."

"... and that even the pill formula for forming a Jin Dan cannot be privately leaked, with only Profound Stream Valley possessing it in the entire Southern Wild Immortal Realm, I wouldn't have been forced to take this step."

"The reason why Jin Dan cultivators are so scarce is partly due to spiritual root talent, but also has a certain relationship with the monopoly on resources by those in higher positions."

"Because of this, the upper sect can easily control the Southern Wild Immortal Realm." Qin Ming sat alone within the jade bamboo forest, sipping spiritual tea, his mind filled with contemplation.

During these two months, just like the other Guest Elders, he had not revealed any unusual movements.

This was because his powerful divine sense could clearly detect that Profound Stream Valley still maintained some vigilance against these external Guest Elders.

They had already dispatched people to secretly monitor their every move; it was estimated that there was still a probationary period in place, and if anyone behaved abnormally, they would be taken down in an instant.

On this point, the thunderous methods of Profound Stream Valley, a top-tier sect, were beyond doubt.

Therefore, ever since moving to the Jade Bamboo Forest Valley, Qin Ming had spent his days holding a book on spiritual plants, pretending to study it meticulously.

Next door, Di Shan, immediately upon arriving at Mist Pine Ridge, went to Qianyuan Peak to post a mission, recruiting a batch of Qi Condensation disciples, and began busying himself with great fervor.

In just two short months, he had already planted dozens of mu of spiritual rice and spiritual herbs, all of which had sprouted.

Compared to Qin Ming's still barren Jade Bamboo Forest, the difference in strength was obvious.

That female disciple, Yan Ruyan, who had initially guided Qin Ming, passed by the Jade Bamboo Forest a few times with her fellow sect members.

Upon seeing that there was not a single blade of grass growing inside the valley, she couldn't help but complain to the senior and junior sisters beside her:

"Did you see that?"

"That's Elder Yu; not only is he stingy, but he also idles around all day. It looks like he won't be long before he's expelled from the sect."

"..."

On this day.

Di Shan, protruding his large belly and looking imposing, strode to the Jade Bamboo Forest, arrived in front of Qin Ming's dwelling, surveyed the surrounding environment, and said with a smile:

"Hehehe! Fellow Daoist Yu, do you really plan to spend your retirement here in Profound Stream Valley?"

"Two months have passed, and you still haven't started planting spiritual plants."

"Do you need this old man's help? I can charge fewer spirit stones, hahaha!"

Hearing this, Qin Ming said indifferently, "This old man has his own planting strategy; what concern is it of yours?"

"Hehe! Good!"

"Hmph! When the end of the year arrives and you fail to complete your mission, let's see if your mouth will still be so hard!" Seeing that 'Yu Changqing' was being so stubborn and unpleasant, Di Shan didn't bother speaking further with him; he snorted coldly and swept his sleeves away.

Qin Ming curled his lips, not caring about the other man in the slightest.

At the summit of Small Spirit Peak, within the spiritual herb garden.

Xu Zhanglao was fiddling with a spiritual plant in one hand while listening to a report from a cultivator beside him.

After a while.

Xu Zhanglao furrowed his brows and asked the person beside him, "Are you saying that currently, all these Guest Elders are behaving normally?"

"Except for Yu Changqing, have all the other Guest Elders already started planting spiritual plants?"

"Reporting to Xu Zhanglao, yes!"

The cultivator hesitated for a moment, then continued, "This subordinate will say something inappropriate, but two months have passed without seeing a single sign of movement from him."

"Could it be that this person is merely putting on a show, possesses no real ability, and snuck in?"

Xu Zhanglao stopped the movement of his hand, pondered slightly, and then said, "No, even if you gave him eight hundred guts, he wouldn't dare."

"Continue observing." "Yes!"

Inside the Jade Bamboo Forest Valley.

Qin Ming put down the book in his hand, stood up, and said, "It is about time."

"I still need to put on a show."

He immediately flew out of the valley, heading in the direction of Qianyuan Peak, the main peak of Profound Stream Valley.

As the core stronghold of Profound Stream Valley, Qianyuan Peak possessed a third-grade upper-tier spiritual vein cultivation environment and housed several departments holding significant power within the sect.

It was said that behind Qianyuan Peak, there was even a third-grade supreme-grade spiritual vein; as a forbidden ground of Profound Stream Valley, that was where the late-stage Jin Dan Supremacy Elder of the sect, 'Elder Qingxuan', cultivated.

Qianyuan Peak was majestic and imposing; countless immortal palaces and halls sat upon the peak, buildings stood in great numbers, and immortal mist drifted ethereally, making it resemble a fairyland on earth.

Qin Ming descended onto a Bai Yu plaza at the summit of the peak.

Here, various colorful lights of escape techniques shuttled back and forth, and disciples from all thirteen peaks of Profound Stream Valley came and went in a steady stream across the plaza.

This was the place where the sect posted and distributed missions; elders and disciples under the sect could all accept missions here, and upon completion, they would receive corresponding rewards and contribution points.

Qin Ming stepped into the Hall of Duties where missions were posted.

Inside, a middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator responsible for registration saw Qin Ming enter, and noting that he was a Guest Elder, immediately put on a smiling face and asked, "Does this Elder wish to post a mission?"

Qin Ming nodded and said indifferently, "Mm."

"I wish to recruit several disciples to farm in the Jade Bamboo Forest Valley, planting Purple Crystal Rice, for a duration of one year."

Hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator picked up his brush to record it, then asked, "May I ask how the Elder wishes to label the mission rewards?"

Qin Ming pondered for a moment; he had observed the mission board when he first arrived, so he then said, "One hundred sect contribution points, plus one hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones; disciples familiar with spiritual plant cultivation will be given priority."

The middle-aged cultivator paused in surprise upon hearing this, then immediately wrote in the register: 【Grade Ding Mission】, planting low-grade spiritual rice in Jade Bamboo Forest Valley for one year, 【Mission Reward】: one hundred contribution points, plus one hundred and fifty spirit stones.

Qin Ming intended to make the act complete; doing exactly as others did, recruiting some low-grade Qi Condensation disciples for farming was indeed necessary.

It was just that he did not have so much time to wait, so he added an extra one hundred contribution points to the mission rewards.

Sect contribution points in Profound Stream Valley were not easy to obtain and could be used to exchange for certain specific cultivation resources within the sect.

Such as cultivation techniques, magical treasures, pills, cultivation rooms, and so on.

After Qin Ming and this batch of Foundation Establishment cultivators became Qin Keqing and joined Profound Creek Valley, a thousand contribution points were issued at once on their Elder Tokens, available for allocation and use.

Once a Qin Keqing has served for a full year and completed the missions assigned by the sect, they will thereafter receive a stable two thousand contribution points every year.

After the missions were released, Qin Ming did not rush back to the Jade Bamboo Forest; instead, he flew toward Lingxiao Peak.

As one of the three main peaks of Profound Creek Valley, Lingxiao Peak is the location of the Sect's Dharma Transmission Hall, and the Dharma Transmission Pavilion is also established here.

Qin Ming intended to go to this place to search and inquire as well.

One incense stick later.

He landed on Lingxiao Peak and, following the stone slab mountain path, made his way all the way to a pavilion that resembled a palace of jade and precious stones.

"Floors one to three contain Qi Refining stage techniques; entry costs fifty contribution points per visit."

"Floors three to five contain Foundation Establishment stage techniques; entry costs one hundred contribution points per visit, with exchanging for techniques calculated separately."

"Entry to the floors above the fifth requires a special approval token from the Sect Master."

At the entrance of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion sat an old man in a green robe, who dozed off and spoke to Qin Ming in a feeble voice.

(End of Chapter)