Chapter 330: Storm

The small marketplace on Qilin Island, though modest, was fully equipped with all essentials.

Qin Ming followed the three of them around, encountering many things nonexistent in the Southern Wilds Immortal Realm.

Besides various spirit minerals, the most abundant items here were materials from sea beasts; second-rank demon beast materials, rare in the Southern Wilds Immortal Realm, were found on nearly every few steps, displayed by hunting cultivators at their stalls.

Even Qin Ming couldn't resist purchasing some novel items he liked, as well as demon cores from sea beasts, for alchemical use.

Afterwards.

As Qin Ming was about to leave the stalls with Han Yuan and the others, heading toward the teleportation array.

A commotion suddenly arose on the stone path ahead of them.

The group drew closer and immediately frowned.

"My lord! These are my last reserves of spirit minerals—you can't take them all!"

"Otherwise, when will I ever gather enough spirit stones for the teleportation array?"

An old man in tattered clothing, by his appearance, was clearly a mine slave from the island.

He knelt on the ground, desperately pleading before a group of cultivators.

The lead cultivator was fat, dressed in a blue silk robe embroidered with gold thread and Bai Yu, his belly protruding, radiating authority as he idly twisted two large, polished walnuts in his hands.

Qin Ming's gaze, however, was drawn to those two walnuts; after careful observation, he silently thought: "These are third-rank superior Soul-Nourishing Walnuts!"

As a third-rank Spirit Plant Master, he naturally recognized the item.

The Soul-Nourishing Walnut, worn and handled over time, continuously nurtures and strengthens the spiritual soul of a Jin Dan cultivator; for ghost cultivators, it has immense efficacy in cultivating yin spirits and ghostly entities.

It is a rare third-rank spirit tree.

At the same time, he discerned the fat man's cultivation level: clearly early-stage Jin Dan.

One of his followers stepped forward and kicked the mine slave several times, shouting:

"Damn it! Get out of my way before I break your bones!"

"Hmph! You ungrateful wretches haven't paid stall fees for over two months."

"This is just interest. If next month's harvest is still this pitiful, you'll be digging mines on this island for the rest of your life."

With that, the group ignored the reactions of surrounding cultivators and walked away.

The fat cultivator in luxurious attire strode directly toward Qin Ming and the others.

Han Yuan and the others immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Disciples pay homage to Elder Hua!"

Qin Ming quickly imitated their posture and bowed as well.

The fat cultivator known as True Person Hua, still playing with the walnuts, lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at them, speaking in a detached tone:

"So it's you lot. Did you complete the Shang Alliance's task?"

Han Yuan, tense and respectful, replied: "Report to Elder Hua, the task is complete. We are preparing to return and submit our report."

"Hmm."

True Person Hua's gaze lingered for a moment on Liu Ye's plump figure, causing her face to instantly pale.

Then it settled on Qin Ming, and he asked curiously: "Who is this person?"

Qin Ming's heart tightened—he felt a massive spiritual sense sweep over him.

He quickly feigned sweat pouring down his face.

"Elder Hua, this is Lu Shopkeeper of Jingxue Pavilion, granted special permission by Li Huo Palace to conduct business in Da Jin," Gao Feng quickly interjected to rescue Qin Ming.

Upon hearing this, True Person Hua nodded, his expression shifting, then suddenly said:

"Since you have the Upper Sect's permission to trade, business is allowed—but foreign cultivators from the Southern Wilds must pay an additional two thousand mid-grade spirit stones to use this teleportation array."

At these words, not only Qin Ming, but even Han Yuan and the others beside him turned pale.

Han Yuan still forced himself to plead: "Elder Hua, Master Lu's journey to Da Jin is part of a deep cooperation with our Wanda Shang Alliance—could you perhaps make an exception?"

At these words, True Person Hua's motion of twisting the walnuts halted, and his Jin Dan spiritual pressure suddenly erupted.

It shook Han Yuan and the others, nearly knocking them off their feet.

Qin Ming internally sneered: "Who are you to teach me how to act?"

He hadn't expected a Jin Dan True Person to be so mercenary and lacking even a shred of high-cultivator dignity.

Qin Ming didn't want to reveal his strength upon arrival; he was about to produce spirit stones to appease the situation.

But then True Person Hua's fat, jowly face twisted into a lewd grin as he turned to Liu Ye and asked:

"This fair lady of the Wanda Shang Alliance—you're quite unfamiliar. Why not come to my cave tonight? I'll guide your cultivation."

Liu Ye trembled, her plump body shaking, her face instantly ashen, unable to utter a word in refusal.

Greed, lust, bullying the weak, and tyranny—all were laid bare in True Person Hua.

Qin Ming was utterly speechless—he hadn't imagined such a high-rank cultivator existed.

At that moment.

A squad of Li Huo Palace cultivators approached, led by a burly middle-aged man.

"Hua Tianxiong, what brings you here? Why didn't you notify me?"

The burly middle-aged man of Li Huo Palace arrived instantly, then, expressionless, told Qin Ming and the others: "You four, leave."

At these words.

Han Yuan and the others felt as if freed from a death sentence; they bowed hastily and fled the Heiyan Marketplace without looking back.

Only after they had gone far enough.

Qin Ming turned to Han Yuan and asked: "May I ask, Han Daoist—who exactly was that Elder Hua? Why—"

"Shh!"

Han Yuan cast a soundproofing barrier, then whispered: "It's understandable you didn't know, Master Lu."

"True Person Hua Tianxiong is the chairman of Qianji Merchant House, ranked among the top ten in the Shang Alliance, and holds a seat within the Alliance."

"We absolutely dare not offend him."

"Alas, speaking of this person's experiences, Fellow Daoist Qin, you might not even believe them."

"Hua Tianxiong was originally just a shop clerk, mediocre and accomplishing nothing, until one day he encountered a noble patron, which completely transformed his life."

"It is said that in his youth, through a strange twist of fate, he saved an elder of the Brother Li Huo Palace."

"From then on, things spiraled out of control; he soared to the heavens, and what defies heaven even more is that he awakened the legendary Thick Earth Cultivation Spirit Body."

"With an elder of the Brother Li Huo Palace as his backer, combined with this man's sharp mind and black heart, he established a vast commercial house within merely a hundred years."

"Furthermore, the exclusive rights to mine and operate Qilin Island were granted by the Brother Li Huo Palace to the Thousand Mechanisms Commercial House."

"This even includes the maintenance and repair of the teleportation array; the Thousand Mechanisms Commercial House receives a ten percent share of the profits every year."

"Alas, this is simply fate!"

Han Yuan sighed deeply.

After hearing this, Qin Ming also sighed with emotion, never expecting that this Hua Tianxiong possessed such luck.

It would not be an exaggeration to call it a life with an external cheat.

However, he had just secretly observed that the magic power within Hua Tianxiong's body was unstable, accumulated with pill toxin, and his foundation was shaky.

He estimated that the man must have consumed no small amount of spiritual pills and elixirs to forcibly raise his cultivation base.

In terms of actual combat prowess, he was likely only at the False Dan level; if he continued like this, the early stage of the Jin Dan would be the endpoint of his life, utterly wasting the cultivation talent of this innate Thick Earth Spirit Body.

This matter was merely a small interlude along the journey.

Subsequently, Qin Ming and the others arrived at the teleportation formation located within the mountain body of the island, and after paying five hundred medium-grade spiritual stones.

Hum~ All the formation runes within the cave lit up, and a beam of crimson radiance rained down from the sky, landing upon the group standing in the center of the formation.

The next moment.

With a swish, the figures of Qin Ming and the others vanished from their original spots.

(End of Chapter)