Chapter 253: Peak of Foundation Establishment
Qin Ming put away the jade slip and silently pondered his subsequent plans.
'Now that I have the pill formula, this alias of Yu Changqing can essentially be discarded.'
'However, it must appear natural; I cannot let Profound Stream Valley detect anything amiss.'
'The State of Liang is rich in cultivation resources; it would be better to gather all the spiritual materials needed to refine the Jin Dan before returning to the State of Wei.'
'I already possess the spiritual seeds of the two most difficult main ingredients: the Fire-Bathing Golden Lotus and the Nether-Returning True Yin Flower. According to the pill formula, I still lack thirty-four auxiliary materials, including over a dozen third-tier spiritual materials.'
'Besides that, the location of the Hidden Gouyu Jin Guang Mirror's artifact spirit recorded in the Bronze Mirror can now be investigated.'
'However, the beast tide has begun again during this period; I shall remain stationary and observe for now.'
After some deliberation, Qin Ming had finalized his plans for the near future.
During this time, his cultivation had not lagged; with the boost of the Ancient Wood Evergreen Body, even while situated on a mere second-tier upper-grade spiritual vein, he stood on the verge of breaking through to the peak of Foundation Establishment.
Time flowed, spring departed and winter arrived.
It had been exactly one year since Qin Ming joined Profound Stream Valley.
The purple crystal rice and second-tier spiritual herbs within the jade bamboo forest had all matured.
On this day, it was also time for the Small Lingshan Spirit Herb Garden to deliver the Guest Elder mission results.
Qin Ming summoned Yan Ruyan, instructing her to harvest all the spiritual rice.
Under his guidance, this year's harvest of purple crystal spiritual rice was remarkable, totaling fully thirty-five dan.
Qin Ming himself gathered the second-tier spiritual herbs from in front of the wooden hut.
Incidentally, he harvested several 【Ripening】 attributes.
"Elder Yu, if there is nothing else, this junior will return to the Duties Hall to submit the mission."
Having finished harvesting the spiritual rice, Yan Ruyan felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted; after toiling for an entire year, she could finally claim the mission reward.
"Mm, wait." Qin Ming called out to her indifferently.
Hearing this, Yan Ruyan stood still; she did not know what else Elder Yu might want—could he be dissatisfied with her performance over the past year? Thinking of this, her heart involuntarily grew tense again.
But in the next moment.
Qin Ming took one dan from among those purple crystal spiritual rice grains, handed it to her, and said, "This is the fruit of your labor."
Yan Ruyan froze; she simply could not believe it.
She felt slightly moved; although this Elder Yu was somewhat unapproachable usually, he had indeed instructed her in many things.
Otherwise, given her level of spiritual planting skill, how could she possibly have successfully grown such a high yield of purple crystal spiritual rice?
In this regard, she held Elder Yu in great admiration.
Yan Ruyan respectfully accepted the purple crystal spiritual rice, bit her red lips, and bowed deeply in gratitude: "This junior thanks Elder Yu for the bestowal!"
"This is what you deserve; alright, you may go," Qin Ming said indifferently.
At the peak of Small Lingshan.
Qin Ming, carrying the spiritual rice and spiritual herbs, prepared to go to the Spirit Herb Garden Duties Hall to report his completion.
He had barely reached the halfway point when he saw the portly Di Shan, protruding his large belly, walking toward him.
Di Shan's face was ruddy; it seemed this year's harvest was good. He asked Qin Ming, "Fellow Daoist Yu, was your harvest decent? Is it enough to complete the sect's mission?"
"So-so," Qin Ming replied coolly.
Di Shan said with slight pride, "Ahem! This old man harvested only thirty dan of spiritual rice, twelve second-tier lower-grade spiritual herbs, and one superior-quality second-tier middle-grade spiritual herb."
"Completing the Guest Elder mission should be more than sufficient, hehe!"
Qin Ming paid no attention to the other; the two entered the Spirit Herb Garden's main hall one after the other.
Many people were already waiting inside; seated at the head of the hall was Xu Zhanglao.
Once everyone had arrived, they began submitting their spiritual rice and spiritual plants one by one, with a dedicated duties officer in the Spirit Herb Garden responsible for registration.
After Di Shan submitted his mission and obtained over two thousand contribution points, he lifted his chin high at Qin Ming, quite proud.
After the preceding Guest Elders successively completed their submissions, it was finally Qin Ming's turn as the last one.
"Guest Elder Yu Changqing: thirty dan of purple crystal spiritual rice, sixteen second-tier lower-grade spiritual plants, and one supreme-quality second-tier middle-grade spiritual plant."
The duties officer in charge of registration slowly announced Qin Ming's harvest for the year before everyone.
Just this single spiritual plant immediately surpassed all the spiritual medicines submitted by the others combined.
Even Xu Zhanglao at the head, upon hearing of a supreme-quality second-tier middle-grade spiritual plant, rarely showed a satisfied expression.
"How is this possible?!"
Not far away, Di Shan widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.
He had clearly seen that old fellow 'Yu Changqing' fishing for three days and drying nets for two; how could he possibly cultivate a supreme-quality second-tier middle-grade spiritual herb? Could this old fellow have bought one to make up the numbers? Yet even that made no sense, because supreme-quality second-tier middle-grade spiritual plants commanded exorbitant prices, and it was even more impossible to engage in fraud right under the nose of Profound Stream Valley.
Di Shan felt utterly depressed for a moment, watching enviously as 'Yu Changqing' was rewarded by Xu Zhanglao with fully over five thousand contribution points, more than double his own.
Just at this moment.
Yu Changqing turned toward him and revealed a meaningful smile; Di Shan's face instantly became as colorful as an overturned sauce jar, utterly spectacular.
After the Guest Elders finished submitting their missions, Xu Zhanglao offered some words of encouragement to the crowd, then dismissed the gathering.
On his way back, Qin Ming had not expected Xu Zhanglao to be so generous, actually rewarding him with over five thousand contribution points at once.
"Over five thousand contribution points; since I will soon leave Profound Stream Valley, it would be a pity not to spend them."
Immediately, he flew toward Qianyuan Peak.
Upon arriving at the Duties Hall, it was still that middle-aged cultivator who attended to him. "Elder Yu, may I ask if you are here to issue a mission, or...?"
"I am here to exchange for cultivation resources; I wonder what items are available for exchange?" Qin Ming asked.
The middle-aged cultivator immediately took out a jade slip, handed it to him, and explained, "Different amounts of contribution points can exchange for different resources; please take a look."
Qin Ming immediately took the jade slip and began examining it.
Profound Stream Valley truly deserves its reputation as the Diyida Sect of Liang Kingdom; its foundation is exceptionally deep, and as long as one has enough contribution points, even items for forming a Golden Core and resources for establishing a Jin Dan can be exchanged.
However, such restricted resources not only require the status of a core disciple or higher, but the sect contribution points needed start at merely a million points.
Unless one has made tremendous contributions to Profound Stream Valley, the kind that earns a place in history, there is almost no point in even thinking about it.
After browsing through the jade slip once, Qin Ming's gaze landed on the resources exchangeable for five thousand contribution points.
A moment later, Qin Ming's eyes lit up as he took a fancy to one of the items.
"This one then, a single drop of Blazing Sun Spirit Milk."
The middle-aged cultivator from the Duties Hall responsible for reception paused upon hearing this, then kindly reminded, "Elder Yu, this Blazing Sun Spirit Milk is used to enhance the magic power of cultivators at the peak of Foundation Establishment; if one's cultivation is insufficient, it will scorch the meridians and produce the opposite effect."
"It matters not; this old man has other uses for it," Qin Ming said lightly.
"Uh, I see."
"Please wait a moment, Elder Yu; I will immediately send someone to retrieve it from the storage vault."
Subsequently, the middle-aged cultivator took Qin Ming's elder token and deducted five thousand contribution points.
Moments later, a person from the Duties Hall handed a jade-green bottle to Qin Ming.
Qin Ming put away the item and left the Duties Hall.
"This Elder Yu is truly generous! To be willing to spend so many contribution points at once," the middle-aged man murmured, watching the retreating figure of 'Elder Yu'.
Qin Ming was also quite surprised, not expecting to gain such a harvest.
"With this drop of spirit milk, I might be able to attempt breaking through to the peak of Foundation Establishment."
Half a month later.
Qin Ming casually accepted a patrol mission from the main peak and used the opportunity to leave Profound Stream Valley.
He mounted his Silver-Winged Frost Bee, headed straight for Moyuan Yunze Xiancheng, activated the True Demon Illusion to disguise himself as a rogue cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, rented a third-tier lower-grade spiritual pulse cave dwelling, and prepared to break through in secret.
Qin Ming released all three of his spirit pets to guard him during the process.
Immediately after, he took out that drop of Blazing Sun Spirit Milk, tilted his head back, and swallowed it in one gulp.
Boom! A scorching torrent exploded within his body.
With his physical strength being extraordinary compared to ordinary people, Qin Ming naturally had no fear of the spirit milk scorching his meridians.
He then circulated the
Before long, the green liquid magic power within Qin Ming's sea of qi and dantian began to circulate along its established path.
The silver runes formed by his Ancient Wood Evergreen Spirit Body appeared between his eyebrows.
Above the sky, a massive vortex of spiritual energy formed, rushing to pour into Qin Ming's body.
This spiritual energy from heaven and earth, through the transformation of his spirit body, all turned into pure green liquid magic power, merging into the sea of magic power.
This unusual phenomenon in heaven and earth naturally attracted the attention of cultivators in the nearby city.
"Look quickly! Someone is attempting to break through a realm."
"Judging by the scale of this spiritual energy, they must be breaking through to the peak of Foundation Establishment."
"Hiss! Is Moyuan Yunze Xiancheng about to gain another great cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment?"
"It seems so; I wonder which senior it is."
"Let's go pay a visit shortly."
The spiritual pulse environment in Moyuan Yunze Xiancheng is quite good; every year cultivators rent cave dwellings here to break through, so the local cultivators are not surprised by this.
However, those who can successfully break through to the peak of Foundation Establishment still constitute an extremely small minority.
While envying him, they could not help but discuss among themselves which family's Yunxi Laozu had obtained an opportunity to break through.
Inside the cave dwelling.
Boom! The sea of magic power within Qin Ming reached a critical point, then suddenly expanded by more than double.
A massive fluctuation of magic power suddenly descended upon the cave dwelling, resonating with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"Finally at the peak of Foundation Establishment!"
"This Blazing Sun Spirit Milk truly lives up to its reputation as a unique heavenly and earthly treasure of Profound Stream Valley!"
Qin Ming opened his eyes, black as ink, as two beams of greenish light gradually converged within them.
This time, his breakthrough to the peak of Foundation Establishment proceeded as smoothly as water finding its channel, with almost no bottleneck to speak of.
Feeling the profound magic power within his body, comparable to that of a Yunxi Laozu at the early stage of Jin Dan, Qin Ming was instantly overjoyed.
His lifespan had increased by another fifty years.
The radiation range of his divine sense also increased to a radius of one hundred li, comparable to a Yunxi Laozu at the mid-stage of Jin Dan.
Thus, Qin Ming was now only one step away from the Great Dao of Jin Dan.
"I have already obtained the formula for the Golden Core Pill; next, I can begin preparing for the formation of my core."
(End of Chapter)
End of Chapter
