Chapter 28: Greed

“How come this Brother Ruan is out again?!”

Qin Ming never expected he’d come again and find no one home.

Having experienced the changes brought by the Hundred Treasures Glass Scripture, he was utterly eager for the remaining techniques—looks like he’d just have to wait some more.

Qin Ming wandered through other shops in the marketplace, bought a spirit beast pouch and some meat, then returned to the shantytown.

The next day.

Qin Ming made breakfast with Golden Spirit Rice and demonic beast meat.

He was just about to eat.

Knock knock knock! A tapping came at the door.

He peered out through the door crack.

It was a neighbor from nearby—someone he rarely interacted with.

Still, out of politeness, Qin Ming let him in.

“Hehe, heard Brother Qin has become a Rank-One Spirit Planter! I’ve come specifically to offer my congratulations!”

“A small token, just a little gesture—please accept it.”

The visitor said this, then handed Qin Ming a small bag of gifts.

Seeing the man’s warmth, Qin Ming couldn’t refuse and thanked him, accepting the gift.

When the neighbor’s gaze fell upon Qin Ming’s table—the meal made of demonic beast meat and spirit rice—his face betrayed unmistakable envy.

After some light chatter, the man had fulfilled his social call and took his leave.

Qin Ming finished eating and was about to wash the dishes.

Knock knock knock! The door banged again.

!!!

Qin Ming frowned, muttering: “What’s going on today?!”

As usual, he glanced out through the door crack.

Better not to look—this time, he nearly jumped out of his skin! ‘Damn!’

It was his female neighbor, Li Yanli.

She was dressed elegantly, holding a small package in her hand.

Seeing her like this, Qin Ming exhaled in relief.

‘Good, good—she’s probably just here for a social visit.’

‘Just socializing.’

‘Not here for anything else.’

Li Yanli entered the house, offered her congratulations as well, chatted briefly, then left.

Her face had grown slightly haggard lately; though she’d applied rouge, Qin Ming saw through it at a glance.

“She still hasn’t recovered from Long’s death.”

Without Long as her powerful patron,

her future days would likely be hard.

Qin Ming didn’t try to stop her.

As Li Yanli left, she cast only one lingering, bitter, sorrowful glance.

In the days that followed,

a steady stream of nearby cultivators came by to pay social calls.

Qin Ming found it all exhausting.

He hated these kinds of social events most of all.

Though the gifts they brought weren’t valuable, he couldn’t refuse their goodwill—thanked each one in turn.

One day,

Qin Ming sat on a meditation cushion, cultivating.

His message talisman suddenly stirred.

He paused his cultivation, opened his eyes, and checked the message.

“Brother Qin, are you available now?”

“I’m passing by the marketplace, but I have urgent business to attend to—can’t go home.”

“This trip will take at least one or two years, possibly three to five, before I return to the marketplace.”

“If you’re free, come meet me—we can finish our transaction.”

“Brother Qin, don’t worry—I just happened to run into an acquaintance from the Spirit Feather Sect patrol team, and we’re together right now.”

Qin Ming hesitated a moment, then sent a reply.

“Where shall we meet?”

“On the road east of the marketplace.”

“Alright, I’m coming.”

After sending the message talisman, Qin Ming packed his things and stepped outside.

As he passed by the riverbank in the shantytown,

several middle-aged female cultivators were washing clothes.

They saw Qin Ming but didn’t greet him.

Only after he’d walked far enough did they glance sideways and sneer: “Pfft—so what? Just a Rank-One Spirit Planter?”

“Not even a Rank-One Alchemist. What’s there to be proud of?”

Her voice was loud enough that Qin Ming, though not far, heard every word.

Qin Ming curled his lip, ignoring her.

…

A moment later,

Qin Ming arrived near the location Ruan had given him.

He didn’t rush to show himself—first, he observed from a distance.

Cold wind brushed his face; wild grass swayed.

On both sides of the road stretched endless, barren wasteland.

Down the road, not far off,

several figures appeared in his sight.

Brother Ruan smiled warmly, chatting with two members of the Spirit Feather Sect patrol team.

Qin Ming squinted.

He recognized both patrolmen.

They often patrolled the alleys of the shantytown—they were familiar faces.

“So it’s them.”

His suspicions eased.

Qin Ming stepped forward, walking straight toward them.

“Oh! Brother Qin’s here! Gentlemen, please wait a moment.”

“I’ve got a small matter to handle—be right back.”

Seeing Qin Ming, Brother Ruan beamed, bowed politely to the two patrolmen, then hurried over.

“Brother Qin, sorry—I’ve been tied up with urgent matters and couldn’t get free.”

Brother Ruan bowed to Qin Ming.

“No problem. Did you bring the item with you?” Qin Ming forced a smile.

“Of course. By the way, Brother Qin—have your Beast Fang Rice crops matured yet?” Brother Ruan’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Qin Ming patted his storage pouch and pulled out a small bag of Beast Fang Rice—exactly ten catties.

He opened the bag for the other to see.

White spirit rice, sized like dog fangs, translucently red inside, exuding a captivating fragrance.

“Definitely Beast Fang Rice—excellent quality!”

A faint, almost imperceptible greed flickered in Brother Ruan’s eyes.

“May I ask, Brother Qin—your Beast Fang Rice harvest must be substantial? More than just these ten catties?”

Hearing this, Qin Ming frowned.

“Brother Ruan, how much Beast Fang Rice I grew doesn’t seem to concern you much, does it?”

“Hehe, of course not—I was just curious.” Brother Ruan chuckled awkwardly.

He then withdrew from his storage pouch the animal hide inscribed with the Hundred Treasures Glass Scripture.

They exchanged: one hand gave the hide, the other gave the rice.

The hide was in hand.

Qin Ming verified it was correct, and just as he began to relax slightly—

“Wrong!”

The garrison’s blood aura around him suddenly sensed a sharp, deadly killing intent—this information struck his mind with perfect clarity.

Though Qin Ming had noticed the anomaly—

Yet he showed no sign, continuing to pretend to browse the beast-skin scripture.

'One. Two. Three. Four. Five.'

There were five distinct killing intents aimed at him, silently converging toward his position.

Three of them came from Brother Ruan and the two cultivators from the Lingyu Gate patrol squad.

The two others emitting killing intent had not yet revealed themselves.

In an instant.

Qin Ming realized his current predicament.

Yet his face showed not a trace of panic.

'Brother Ruan is at Qi Refining Stage Five, and the two Lingyu Gate patrol cultivators are at Qi Refining Five and Six respectively.'

The two hidden figures, Qin Ming could not yet sense their magical energy.

Quickly.

Countless thoughts flashed through Qin’s mind.

In just a few breaths.

A faint, almost imperceptible ruthlessness flickered in Qin Ming’s eyes.

He made his decision at once.

(End of Chapter)