Chapter 263: Dispute

The Five Elements Qi Spirit Peach is exceedingly rare; Huangfu Qi would never dare to privately consume it—this batch was specifically designated by Gu Tongshan and must be fully submitted to headquarters.

Gu Qingzhao once again marveled at Qin Ming's cultivation techniques for spiritual plants.

Even the spiritual planters from Shennong Valley were helpless with these delicate plants, yet Qin Ming cultivated them successfully as easily as eating and drinking.

Qin Daozhen truly gave me a pleasant surprise. With this transaction completed, the Spirit Peach trees now belong to you, Qin Daozhen," Gu Qingzhao said as she put away the Spirit Peaches, her heart overflowing with joy.

The value of this batch of Spirit Peaches was incalculable; she had never expected Qin Ming to cultivate so many in his very first harvest.

Originally, Gu Tongshan and she had anticipated a yield of five or six peaches at most—that was already the limit.

Yet the actual harvest far exceeded their expectations.

Amidst the clinking of cups and goblets, the group exchanged further intelligence, and Qin Ming learned many recent updates from Gu Qingzhao.

When the conversation wound down, Qin Ming asked: "I need a better spiritual beast bag—do you have any for sale?"

"I didn't expect Qin Daozhen to also dabble in beast taming," Gu Qingzhao said, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.

Qin Ming smiled. "I wouldn't call it mastery—just something I dabble in when I have free time on the island."

Gu Qingzhao smiled gently, then took out several Gao Jie spiritual beast bags from her storage pouch and placed them on the table.

"Demand for spiritual beast bags is low in Canghai Xiancheng, so our inventory is limited."

"Of the better ones available, these are the only ones—Qin Daozhen, see if any suit your needs."

Qin Ming picked up the bags, examined them, and finally chose a blue one—the interior space was several times larger than his current one, more than enough to hold his three spiritual beasts.

"I'll take this one. How many spirit stones?"

Gu Qingzhao smiled gently. "It's just one spiritual beast bag—I gift it to you, Qin Daozhen."

"You brought us so many Five Elements Qi Spirit Peaches—I don't even know how to repay you."

Hearing this, Qin Ming didn't refuse and stowed the bag away.

They exchanged words inside Jingxue Pavilion for half a day.

Having obtained what he needed, Qin Ming bid farewell to the group and left Jingxue Pavilion.

……

Half a cup of tea later.

He had just stepped off the main road, preparing to head to the core district's Dan Ding Pavilion to purchase materials, when he passed by the Feng family's talisman shop again.

He saw a crowd of cultivators gathered outside the shop, voices raised in commotion.

Qin Ming halted his steps and extended his spiritual sense to investigate.

But in the next instant, a familiar figure startled him.

"Why is Lu Wanjun here too?"

At the entrance of the Feng family's talisman shop, Feng family members were standing in confrontation with a group of sect cultivators.

Lu Wanjun appeared to be helping Feng Sihai defuse the situation.

The group of sect cultivators were not from Wei State—they wore the robes of Jin State's Spirit Sword Mountain.

Qin Ming had heard of this sect; it was a top-tier force in Jin State's cultivation world, with a False Core elder residing within.

He listened in secret for a while and understood the full context.

The incident began when a Qi Refining disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain spotted an item at a stall in the inner city, intending to score a bargain. But he lacked sufficient spirit stones, so he asked the vendor to hold it while he returned to Spirit Sword Mountain's base to borrow more.

Yet when he returned with the spirit stones, he found the item had already been snatched up by Feng Sihai at a higher price.

He confronted the vendor, who naturally insisted he sold to whoever paid first—leaving the disciple furious.

The disciple reported the matter to his sect. Initially, the Spirit Sword Mountain's Foundation Establishment cultivators didn't care—it was just a piece of junk, not worth making a fuss over.

But when the disciple described the item in detail, the situation changed instantly.

"Master Guan Mo, I once saw a spiritual pattern on this item identical to one described in an ancient text—it's likely a fragment of an ancient magic treasure!" "What?! An ancient magic treasure fragment? Are you certain?"

"I would never lie."

Learning it might be a magic treasure fragment, the Spirit Sword Mountain's Foundation Establishment cultivator could no longer remain passive.

And thus, the scene before them unfolded.

Leading the Spirit Sword Mountain group was a middle-aged man with a square face, a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator—the same "Master Guan Mo" mentioned by the Qi Refining disciple.

At this moment, he loomed over Feng Sihai with an intimidating aura: "You brat! Hand over the item, or consider the consequences."

"Otherwise, think carefully about what you're risking."

"A mere Qi Refining family—can you even guard such a treasure?"

"Will your clan spend their entire lives hiding within Canghai Xiancheng?"

As he spoke, Guan Mo unleashed the overwhelming spiritual pressure of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, attempting to force Feng Sihai into submission.

Feng Sihai, shaken by the Foundation Establishment pressure, turned pale and nearly collapsed, his back drenched in cold sweat.

Yet he gritted his teeth and refused to yield, hesitating whether to surrender the item.

Beside him, Lu Wanjun raised her hand and blocked the pressure, her face flushed with anger: "Spirit Sword Mountain Daozhen, trading within Canghai Xiancheng is always voluntary—forced buying and selling is forbidden!"

"You're merely a messenger from this Xiancheng—why meddle so much? Are you trying to undermine our sect's cooperation with the Xiancheng?" Guan Mo sneered, seeing Lu Wanjun was only Foundation Establishment early-stage—even a Canghai Xiancheng official, he gave her no respect.

"Besides, we didn't come here of our own accord—it was your Canghai True Person who begged for aid, and we responded."

"Consider the stakes carefully—is it worth risking everything for a mere Qi Refining family?"

"Besides, the item was already reserved by my disciple—he simply lacked spirit stones at the time."

"You—you!" Lu Wanjun was left speechless; her cultivation was far lower, and her face flushed red and white.

When Lu Liang was alive, she had never endured such humiliation. She remembered Lu Liang's words and often showed the Feng family kindness.

Yet now, this matter involved a foreign sect, making it far more complicated.

Seeing this, Guan Mo pressed further, coldly addressing Feng Sihai: "Brat, hand over the item, and I'll let this matter go—consider it never happened."

Clearly, he had no intention of paying the Feng family any spirit stones.

Feng Sihai sighed. As head of the family, he understood the stakes and was ready to pay to avoid disaster, abandoning the item.

He turned to Lu Wanjun with gratitude: "Lu Qianbei, you've already been kind to us. I won't make things harder for you."

Lu Wanjun's expression was complex; she sighed as well.

Feng Sihai then pulled from his storage pouch a rusted bronze mirror and prepared to hand it over.

Suddenly—

Qin Ming's spiritual sense swept over the mirror, and his face showed surprise.

'It really is a magic treasure fragment!'

'Could Feng Sihai be a born treasure-hunting prodigy?'

'First, his clan member found Primordial Qi Soil in a wild cave.'

'Now he snatches a magic treasure fragment—remarkable indeed!'

At that moment—

The King of Shitian Rat in his spiritual beast bag stirred, transmitting a startled thought to Qin Ming: 'This aura…'

'Master, this is serious! I can smell something incredibly powerful!'

……

(End of Chapter)