Chapter 295: Seeking a Location to Undergo the Tribulation

Several days later, Qin Ming returned to Wangyue Island.

The first thing he did upon returning was to cast the Great Five Elements Art to summon spiritual rain for his spirit plants.

Subsequently, he arrived before the cave of the Profound Water Crocodile.

Qin Ming sensed the aura of the sleeping Profound Water Crocodile; it seemed to have reached the brink of breakthrough.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, this second brother is taking so long to brew up a breakthrough to the third-tier realm."

"Back in my day, after sleeping for over half a year, I immediately faced the Lei Jie."

"I think this kid is in trouble!"

The Shi Tian Shu remarked critically from the side.

Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn't help but frown; he had invested no small amount of resources to cultivate these two spirit pets.

Not to mention those rare second-tier spiritual materials and third-tier Spirit-Transforming Demon Fruits from the outside world, which he basically fed them as daily meals, not even sparing Golden Cores from Jin Dan cultivators.

If even this couldn't trigger a breakthrough, wouldn't he have suffered a massive loss?

"I think you just haven't worked hard enough? Still having the energy to speak sarcastically."

Qin Ming suddenly kicked the Shi Tian Shu.

"Uh-heh, I was just saying that second brother and third brother possess superior aptitude; breaking through to the third tier is only natural! A certainty! They will achieve great things in the future! Great things indeed!"

It rubbed its buttocks with its hands, then let out an awkward dry laugh and immediately changed its tune.

Qin Ming stroked his chin and pondered for a moment; he had no intention of letting the Profound Water Crocodile and Silver Wing break through on Wangyue Island.

Otherwise, having two third-tier Demon Kings breaking through consecutively here would truly be shocking.

Wouldn't that stir up the entire Southern Wild Immortal Realm once again? He was already famous enough and didn't wish to be pushed to the forefront of attention again.

If this continued, I'm afraid those major sects would no longer be able to sit idle.

"The breakthroughs of the Profound Water Crocodile and Silver Wing are imminent."

"I must find a place for them to undergo their Lei Jie."

Then Qin Ming remembered something, turned his head, and asked the Shi Tian Shu: "Where exactly in the Beast Roar Mountain Range did you break through back then?"

"Eh-heh-heh, don't I possess a treasure-hunting bloodline constitution? Finding a third-tier spiritual vein was a piece of cake for me."

"Only I know that location."

As the Shi Tian Shu spoke, it suddenly realized something, so it asked: "Could it be that Master plans to let second brother and third brother break through in the Beast Roar Mountain Range?"

"Exactly so." Qin Ming nodded noncommittally.

The Shi Tian Shu's eyes rolled around; after thinking for a moment, it said, "That is naturally no problem."

"Inside my old lair, there happens to be a third-tier spiritual vein that can support their breakthrough."

Amidst the waiting, another three months passed in the blink of an eye.

Qin Ming was cultivating inside his cave dwelling when his heart suddenly stirred; a message from the Profound Water Crocodile arrived—it was ready to break through to the third tier.

"Finally about to take this step, huh?"

"I hope it doesn't disappoint me."

Qin Ming slowly opened his pitch-black eyes and said calmly.

He ended his cultivation, stood up, and walked outside, where he saw the Profound Water Crocodile already waiting; its aura had condensed to the peak of the second tier, approaching the third.

Now only one final step remained before it could break through into a third-tier Demon King.

"Good! My painstaking efforts in cultivation were not in vain."

Qin Ming immediately stored the Profound Water Crocodile into his spirit beast bag.

Just at this moment.

The Silver Wing Yin Yi Shuangfeng also flew out from the beehive; after consuming the Golden Core, its aura had similarly climbed to the brink of breakthrough, and it too sent a message to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming's face lit up with joy, and he immediately took it along as well.

Subsequently.

His consciousness communicated with his innate spirit plant, the Yang Xuanteng.

The next instant, the towering black giant tree instantly transformed into a mass of pitch-black ink, coiling around his arm.

Having done this.

Qin Ming then went to the spirit field and used a freshly refreshed 【Ripen】 trait to accelerate the maturation of those dozen or so third-tier Jade Emperor Spirit Rice plants.

He intended to ripen these spirit plants to obtain the spirit seeds to take with him.

In an instant.

The dozen or so emerald-green Jade Emperor Spirit Rice plants, resembling bamboo, shot up joint by joint, emitting a unique fragrance of spirit rice.

Qin Ming walked over, tapped on one of the jade bamboo stalks, and immediately heard the sound of spirit rice rolling inside.

Then the corner of his mouth curved into a smile; "It seems they are ripe."

A wisp of bloody rigid qi appeared in his hand, slicing an opening into the emerald-green bamboo stalk.

Rustle! Spiritual energy overflowed, and a small pile of emerald-like spirit rice rolled out from the opening; the Jade Emperor Spirit Rice grains were fully twice as large as ordinary spirit rice.

Crystal clear, resembling individual pieces of jadeite.

Qin Ming immediately took out a jade box and collected these precious third-tier spirit rice grains.

Next.

He followed the same method, slicing open the remaining dozen or so spirit rice plants to harvest all the Jade Emperor Spirit Rice inside.

After harvesting this Jade Emperor Spirit Rice, Qin Ming discovered that its yield was extremely limited; finishing these dozen or so spirit plants produced a total of less than two jin of spirit rice, barely enough for him to eat one or two meals—"This is only reasonable; after all, the higher-grade something is, the scarcer its quantity."

However, once he stored these spirit rice seeds, he would be able to plant them to produce a sufficient quantity of Jade Emperor Spirit Rice.

Enough to satisfy his daily cultivation needs during the Jin Dan period.

Having done all this, Qin Ming summoned Wu Jiang over.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, I plan to go out and travel recently; it might be for a few years, or perhaps even as long as ten-plus years, who knows."

"During my absence, I must trouble you to look after the Lingdao."

"If there are any problems you cannot resolve, feel free to seek out Fellow Daoist Nalan Xi of Yunze Xiancheng; I will have already spoken to her about it."

Hearing this, Wu Jiang was momentarily stunned, yet he also understood that with the Island Master's cultivation having reached the Jin Dan realm, there was nowhere under the vast heavens he could not go.

He would definitely have to go out and travel to seek higher opportunities.

"Island Master, please rest assured; I will handle everything on the island properly."

"By the time you return, the Lingdao will only have developed even better."

"With your words, I am at ease." Qin Ming nodded, then took out two bottles of pills and handed them over.

"These are two bottles of Yuan-Increasing Pills; they will help you advance your cultivation in the early Foundation Establishment stage."

"Although your age is already considerable, you should not stop here; if possible, you could attempt to break through to the subsequent realms."

Wu Jiang accepted the pills with trembling hands, saying, "Thank you, Island Master, for bestowing these pills; I will keep your teachings in mind and strive to break through to the mid Foundation Establishment stage."

"Mm, there is nothing else; go attend to your duties."

"Yes!"

... Qin Ming flew up above the Lingdao, looking around Wangyue Island.

"Unknowingly, I never expected to have cultivated and lived on this island for over one jiazi."

"Time flies so quickly."

Subsequently, he transformed into a streak of cyan rainbow light and flew out beyond the island.

More than half an hour later.

Qin Ming arrived at Yunze Xiancheng.

The guards at the entrance, seeing a Jin Dan True Person descend, and moreover it was True Person Wangyue, immediately excitedly activated the protective formation and bowed respectfully, proclaiming:

"Greetings, True Person Wangyue!"

The cultivators coming and going at the city gate also saw this legendary figure and could not help but reveal expressions of worship and awe.

Qin Ming nodded slightly in response, then entered Yunze Xiancheng and headed straight for the main peak of Canghai.

"Fellow Daoist Qin has traveled from afar, yet you did not notify me in advance." Nalan Xi flew out from within the main peak to welcome him.

A faint smile appeared on Qin Ming's face. "Hehe, Qin Mou has some matters to request of Fellow Daoist Nalan, so I came in haste."

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Qin, please come inside to talk." Nalan Xi also felt quite surprised, never expecting there would be a time when Qin Ming needed her help.

Yet such an opportunity was something she eagerly sought; having this dual Grandmaster owe her a favor was a matter of guaranteed profit with no loss.

"No need; Qin Mou is preparing to go out and travel. Although Wu Jiang manages Wangyue Island for me, for some matters he cannot handle, I ask Fellow Daoist Nalan to look after them for me."

Having said this, Qin Ming took out a jade bottle and handed it to the other party.

"Inside is one Dust-Extinguishing Pill; consider it my remuneration for entrusting Fellow Daoist Nalan, hehe."

Hearing this, although Nalan Xi was extremely tempted by the Dust-Extinguishing Pill, she still opened her mouth to say, "Fellow Daoist Qin speaking like this makes us seem like strangers."

"It is merely a trivial matter; I will definitely look after it for you, so there is no need for such a heavy gift."

Qin Ming still insisted, "I am going on a distant journey and do not know when I shall return; Fellow Daoist Nalan, please do not decline."

Seeing him speak thus.

Nalan Xi hesitated for a moment before finally accepting the jade bottle; she cupped her fists toward Qin Ming and said, "Then I thank Fellow Daoist Qin."

"Speaking of which, if I were not entangled by affairs within the Immortal City, unable to leave for even a moment, I would also wish to go out and travel just like Fellow Daoist Qin."

"Perhaps even go to the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty to seek opportunities for Nascent Soul condensation."

"Sometimes, being in such a position, even when one's cultivation has reached this level, one is still unable to act according to one's own will!"

"Then I wish Fellow Daoist Qin an ever-green Immortal Dao; I hope that the next time I see Fellow Daoist Qin, your cultivation will have advanced greatly once more."

Qin Ming smiled faintly, also cupped his fists, and said to Nalan Xi, "Then I thank Fellow Daoist Nalan for your auspicious words."

Subsequently, after exchanging a few pleasantries with Nalan Xi, he took his leave and departed from Yunze Xiancheng.

After leaving the Immortal City, Qin Ming flew in the direction of the Beast Cry Mountain Range.

"Shi Tian Shu, are you sure you haven't gotten the direction wrong?"

A voice came from the spirit beast bag, belonging to the Shi Tian Shu: "Rest assured, Master, it is absolutely correct."

"My old lair has excellent concealment, hehe!"

The Beast Cry Mountain Range was boundless; calling it the Dashan of a hundred thousand was no exaggeration.

Next, Qin Ming entered the depths of the Beast Cry Mountain Range, following the Shi Tian Shu's directions.

Half a day later.

Qin Ming passed through a mountain ravine filled with miasma and arrived before a valley where spiritual energy gathered beautifully.

"This is the place!"

Qin Ming released the Shi Tian Shu; it ran ahead, leading Qin Ming into the valley.

The moment he stepped inside, he could clearly feel rich spiritual energy rushing toward his face.

"It is indeed a third-rank lower-grade spiritual vein."

"It is also sufficient for the Black Water Crocodile and Silver Wing to use for their breakthroughs."

The Shi Tian Shu, familiar with the path, led Qin Ming to a waterfall a thousand zhang high.

Pointing behind the waterfall, it said, "Master, that place behind is where I used to cultivate."

"Mm, not bad; I didn't expect you knew how to enjoy life so well? A Water Curtain Cave?" Qin Ming looked at the magnificent and strange scenery within the valley and nodded as he spoke.

The Shi Tian Shu said modestly, "Cough! It is just a humble room, merely a humble room."

Subsequently, Qin Ming released the Black Water Crocodile.

The moment its massive body appeared, it sensed the spiritual energy from the outside world.

The Profound Water Crocodile glanced back at Qin Ming, immediately signaling him to prepare for the breakthrough.

Qin Ming nodded, taking the Shi Tian Shu far away from the valley to quietly observe the Profound Water Crocodile from a distance.

Two days later.

A vortex of black spiritual energy, funnel-shaped, churned and gathered wildly above the canyon, pouring into the Profound Water Crocodile at the valley's center.

Several more days passed.

The auspicious clouds of spiritual energy in the sky expanded to a range of ten li, nearly enveloping the entire canyon.

Boom! In an instant.

The spiritual energy within the whole valley was drained in a flash, all of it pouring into the Profound Water Crocodile's body.

A kingly aura belonging to a third-rank Demon King radiated from it, causing the surrounding low-rank demonic beasts to tremble with fear, frozen in place.

"Here it comes, the most critical step!"

Watching from the distant perimeter, the Shi Tian Shu also secretly held its breath for the Profound Water Crocodile.

Rumble-rumble! Accompanied by soul-shaking thunder, a mass of oppressive dark tribulation clouds instantly twisted into formation above the valley.

An aura capable of destroying heaven and earth brewed and surged within the cloud layer.

A demonic beast's third-rank Lei Jie is the hardest trial to survive; the power of the Lei Jie is also terrifying beyond measure.

Of those who can survive such heavenly punishment and transform into a Demon King, fewer than one in ten succeed.

The Profound Water Crocodile raised its head to gaze at the firmament, its vertical pupils emitting unwavering resolve! Boom! Crack! A thick pillar of purple lightning, flickering with countless arcs, crossed the distance between heaven and earth, instantly striking the Profound Water Crocodile.

Upon the Profound Water's scales and armor, a layer of blue electric light likewise flashed, coursing over its entire body.

With its own incredibly hard armor, it forcibly withstood this strike of Lei Jie.

Even so, the Profound Water Crocodile's body was battered until its skin split and flesh tore, constantly oozing fresh blood.

"No way? This fierce?"

Watching from afar, Qin Ming also raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't expected the Lei Jie for a demonic beast breaking through to Demon King to be so terrifying; it was nearly half as powerful as his own Divine Punishment Lightning Tribulation back then.

Boom-crack-crack! Heavenly tribulation lightning continuously fell from the sky, and a terrifying celestial phenomenon descended upon the Beast Cry Mountain Range.

(End of chapter)