Chapter 261: Sending the Message

Qin Ming wrote the internal information of the Beast Cry Mountains onto a jade slip.

He signed it at the bottom: Long Dao Ren.

His alias "Long Dao Ren" still carried some weight in the Wei Kingdom's cultivation world; since he once punched Du Gu Yang clear off Zijin Ridge, he had ranked among the top three in the Wei Kingdom's Foundation Establishment list.

Using his identity to transmit this message ensured higher credibility.

After finishing, Qin Ming called over the Devouring Rat.

The Devouring Rat was farming; upon hearing Qin Ming's command, it immediately dropped the Shen Nong hoe and ran over.

"Master, what do you need? Hehe!"

It was now living under someone else's roof, its posture extremely humble, yet it had adapted to its new role quickly.

Qin Ming glanced at its demeanor and nodded in satisfaction.

He then handed the jade slip to the Devouring Rat and said, "Go to Li Yuanqing, the leader of the Scatter Alliance, and secretly place this jade slip beside him."

"Huh? Who's Li Yuanqing? I don't know him?"

The Devouring Rat replied, puzzled.

"Go around Fengqi Island once, and you'll know who he is."

Qin Ming said calmly.

"Oh~ Easy task. I'm off then."

Given the Devouring Rat's ability to move freely across Wangyue Island without Qin Ming noticing, handling this task would be trivial.

But as the Devouring Rat took the jade slip, it paused—it could see through the jade slip's seals and directly perceived its contents.

Still, it pretended nothing was amiss, tucked it away, and left.

…

Qin Ming watched the Devouring Rat's retreating figure, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"Once this message spreads, it won't just shake the Wei Kingdom—Liang, Jin, and Wu Kingdoms, even the entire Southern Wasteland's cultivation world, will undergo earth-shattering changes."

…

Only half a day later, the Devouring Rat returned from outside.

"Master, it's done," the Devouring Rat reported, standing before Qin Ming.

Qin Ming asked, "So fast? You know what this message I sent out entails."

"Eh, whatever. I've sunk this low already—how much worse could it get? Tired. Just end it."

"Honestly, I'd be glad if the Green-Faced Poisonous Dragon died sooner—it'd be a contribution to the Beast Cry Mountains," the Devouring Rat replied with utter apathy.

"Any other tasks for me? If not, I'm going back to work."

Qin Ming: "..."

…

Fengqi Island.

Inside the cave dwelling of the leader of the Seventy-Two Islands Scatter Alliance.

Li Yuanqing rose from his bed, preparing to attend to official duties.

Since taking up the position of leader, he had been buried in trivial matters, visibly aging.

Li Yuanqing stepped to the window ledge, about to open it for fresh air, when his peripheral vision suddenly caught something on the table.

In the next instant, he instinctively froze in shock—someone had secretly entered his room and placed a jade slip, and he hadn't noticed a thing! Moments later, as leader of the alliance, Li Yuanqing quickly regained his composure.

He pondered briefly, then picked up the jade slip and immersed his spiritual sense into it.

After reading its contents, his face turned drastically pale.

Li Yuanqing absorbed the information, standing frozen for the duration of a full teacup's steeping time, then carefully tucked the jade slip away and hurried out, commanding his subordinates: "Quickly summon the Elders and Deputy Leaders. Also, prepare a magic vessel for Canghai Xiancheng."

"Yes!"

…

One day later.

Li Yuanqing delivered the message to several Jin Dan elders in Canghai Xiancheng.

Instantly, Canghai Xiancheng, still recovering from the recent beast tide, became tense once more.

Not long after.

News of the Beast Cry Mountains reached several major powers within the four kingdoms of the Southern Wasteland's cultivation world. The cultivation realm seemed to be brewing a greater storm.

Meanwhile, Qin Ming, the one who had sent this message, was leisurely watching the Devouring Rat farm.

Honestly, this rodent beast was surprisingly skilled at farming—perhaps due to its experience as a third-rank beast king.

Outside the main peak, dozens of acres of spirit fields had appeared, meticulously tended, planted with some Beast Tooth Rice and low-grade spirit herbs. The Devouring Rat's spirit-planting skills had finally taken root.

…

Two years passed in a flash.

Outside, the beast tide erupted again, just as Qin Ming had predicted, growing fiercer and spiraling out of control.

During this time, Qin Ming never left his island, cultivating and farming steadily; his magic power had advanced steadily, drawing significantly closer to Foundation Establishment completion.

The Beast Tooth Rice and spirit herbs planted by the Devouring Rat had fully matured. Qin Ming harvested them, then gave it seeds of second-rank spirit rice to continue planting.

"Sigh~ So now I'm just a farming tool, huh?"

"What a terrible master!"

The Devouring Rat reluctantly took the spirit seeds, about to return to the fields and dig, when Qin Ming called out, "Wait."

The Devouring Rat assumed another task awaited.

Instead, Qin Ming pulled out a pale yellow spirit fruit and tossed it to the Devouring Rat.

The Devouring Rat caught it, stared, and its expression exploded with excitement: "Spirit-Transforming Beast Fruit!!!"

"You've performed well lately. This is your reward," Qin Ming said calmly.

The Devouring Rat grinned broadly: "Thank you, Master!"

"You earned it. Go on."

The Devouring Rat then clutched the Spirit-Transforming Beast Fruit and went to restore its cultivation.

Half a day later, a surge of beast aura erupted from the spirit fields.

After consuming the Spirit-Transforming Beast Fruit, the Devouring Rat's cultivation had recovered to the mid-stage of second rank; another such fruit would likely restore it to second-rank peak.

But Qin Ming had no intention of restoring it fully yet.

"Let it taste a little sweetness first."

"Mix kindness with authority, slowly tame it."

At that moment.

Boom!

A commotion arose beneath Qin Ming's life-spirit plant, Yin-Yang Mystic Vine.

Above Lingdao Island, a spiritual energy vortex began to gather, pouring into the beehive.

Qin Ming looked up at the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine.

"Silver Wing has slept for two years—finally ready to break through?"

As spiritual energy continued flooding in, half a day later, a joyful buzzing echoed from within the beehive.

A massive aura suddenly erupted.

Thus, Silver Wing Frost Bee ascended to second-rank late-stage great beast.

Its silver six wings underwent another transformation, now adorned with black-and-white interwoven spiritual patterns like those of the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, radiating an arcane aura.

"Ohoho, you've broken through? Congratulations!"

The Devouring Rat, hoe on shoulder, ambled over, grinning at Silver Wing Frost Bee.

Though Silver Wing Frost Bee had long known of the Devouring Rat King's existence, it still showed wary eyes.

"Don't be tense—we're allies now."

"You might need each other's help soon."

Silver Wing Frost Bee's flight speed increased another notch.

At full speed, it could now match the speed of a Jin Dan cultivator.

Additionally, Silver Wing Frost Bee had gained a second innate bloodline technique.

Besides "Soul-Annihilating Poison Stinger."

Its tail now bore a chilling, ethereal poison stinger, radiating subtle, arcane power—the legendary "Time Poison!" (End of Chapter)