Chapter 34: Mid-Grade Spirit-Gu Zhishi

Qingyang Market.

Daoist Qin once again arrived at the Lingyu Sect's Hall of Affairs.

This time, the mid-grade spirit-plant knowledge examination was more formal than the first.

Inside a sealed, private room.

Only Qin Ming and the three examiners seated across from him.

The examiners in charge of this assessment were three genuine first-rank upper-grade spirit-plant masters of the Lingyu Sect.

All three examiners were already quite old — all of them elders.

As they looked at Qin Ming, they could not help but feel a hint of admiration.

They had heard long before that among the spirit-farmers there was a young man with exceptionally high spirit-plant talent.

In the space of just one year, he had once again grown mid-grade spirit plants.

Even the most difficult Advanced Spirit Rain Art had been mastered by him to proficiency.

The key was his youth — youth meant limitless possibility.

The bald-headed elder seated at the far left was the first to pose a question:

"Which other spirit plant cannot be planted together with the first-rank mid-grade spirit plant Blazing Fire Grass?"

Qin Ming thought for a moment, then immediately answered: "Earth Pear Fruit."

"Earth Pear Fruit will drain away large amounts of fire-attribute spiritual energy from the surroundings, causing the Blazing Fire Grass to suffer from insufficient nutrients."

"Correct." The bald-headed elder smiled faintly, a look of admiration surfacing in his eyes.

The question he had posed was rather obscure; he had not expected the other party to answer it so quickly.

And to be able to analyze the reason as well — that was quite rare.

Immediately after, the next examiner began to pose questions.

"What are the requirements for the growing environment of Purple Sunflower?"

……

As question and answer alternated, time slowly passed.

Qin Ming basically answered every question with ease; the few he hesitated on were answered after only a brief moment of thought.

After the question-and-answer session ended.

An examination on the identification of spirit plants and spirit seeds was also conducted.

Two hours later.

The examination ended.

All three examiners unanimously gave a top-grade evaluation.

"The young are truly formidable."

"Keep working hard — the future holds great promise."

After passing the examination, the Lingyu Sect's steward added another magic-power seal stamp onto Qin Ming's spirit-plant master identity plate.

The second leaf on the back of the spirit-plant master identity plate was lit up.

It also marked that Qin Ming had officially become a first-rank mid-grade spirit-plant master.

His status and standing had risen another great notch.

Qin Ming stroked the plate as he left the Hall of Affairs, his heart suddenly filled with a thousand emotions.

Three years ago, he had still been a low-level spirit-farmer worrying over being unable to pay his spirit-rice tax in full.

Now, even the upper-grade spirit-plant masters within the Lingyu Sect had to look upon him with respect.

The status of a mid-grade spirit-plant master, no matter where one went, would earn recognition.

After leaving the Hall of Affairs.

Qin Ming followed the main road straight toward the Ruan family compound.

A short while later.

He had arrived before the gates of the compound.

Qin Ming gazed at this courtyard and drew in a deep breath.

In the past, he would not have dared to even imagine it.

That one day he would be able to move into such an impressive, independent courtyard.

Qin Ming looked at the two characters "Ruan Family" on the big red-lacquered gate.

The scene of Daoist Ruan opening the door for him the very first time was still vivid before his eyes.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion, and the door plaque instantly dropped down.

"From now on, it'll be called the Qin Residence."

A smile appeared on Qin Ming's face, and he nodded in satisfaction.

He took out the wooden token in his hand and opened the compound's restrictive formation; from this day forth, only he could come and go freely here.

Afterwards.

Qin Ming went in and walked around, familiarizing himself with the environment inside the large courtyard.

The inside had already been completely cleared out, saving him the trouble of cleaning.

The entire compound not only had a concealing formation that blocked outside investigation.

It had also been fitted with a spirit-gathering formation, connected to the second-rank spiritual vein of Qingyang Market.

Its spiritual energy was abundant — simply not something the shantytown or the houses outside could compare to.

The higher the cultivation of a cultivator, the higher their requirements for the spiritual-energy cultivation environment. Most important of all was safety, which was countless times greater than in the shantytown.

Killings and robberies would not occur here every day.

After all.

Qin Ming had now become mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, and was very likely to become a target of bandit cultivators.

Unlike before, when as a low-level Spirit Farmer he was penniless and bare-bones — bandit cultivators would shed tears at the sight. After Qin Ming walked a circle, he turned and stepped out of the courtyard gate.

He planned to move in tomorrow.

The next day.

Qin Ming, at the cost of a meal of wine at Juxuan Pavilion, called on Cai Laojiu to help him move his things.

"What? What did you say?!"

"You're moving to live inside the market district?"

When Cai Laojiu learned of this news, the whole man froze on the spot, unable to calm down for a long time.

Still, he could think it through.

These past few years, this kid Qin Ming had progressed at flying speed, and had long since flung them old Spirit Farmers far behind him.

Having become mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, moving to live inside the market district was nothing strange.

Qin Ming was a somewhat nostalgic person; some of the larger objects he couldn't bear to throw away, and his storage bag couldn't fit them either.

He and Cai Laojiu busied themselves for an entire morning.

They packed a whole large horse-cart full.

At departure.

Qin Ming looked back once at that shabby little house, laden with his memories.

Then, with resolute eyes, he turned his body.

……

The two walked with light steps, driving the horse-cart along the lane outward.

Passing by the shantytown district's river channel.

Cultivators living nearby heard the commotion and, one after another, came out and gathered together.

"Fellow Daoist Qin"

"Cai Laojiu"

"What are you two up to?"

The few middle-aged female cultivators who often washed clothes in the river channel glanced at the horse-cart loaded with big and small bundles.

They couldn't help but ask in puzzlement: "Eh? Fellow Daoist Qin, didn't you become a first-grade low-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi?"

"Although the rent in the shantytown district is a bit pricier than in previous years, it shouldn't come to moving away, right?"

Other cultivators, hearing this, couldn't help but ask along: "Fellow Daoist Qin, the shantytown district hasn't been very peaceful lately — if you've got a good place, let us in on it too, Gao Ang."

Qin Ming hadn't yet had a chance to speak.

Cai Laojiu driving the cart beside him couldn't hold back any longer: "Brother Qin successfully advanced to mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi yesterday; now he's moving to a large courtyard inside the market district to live."

When the words fell.

The surrounding air went quiet.

Gaze after gaze, filled with surprise, astonishment, and incomprehension, gathered on Qin Ming.

The few middle-aged female cultivators washing clothes didn't even notice the garments in their hands being washed away by the river water.

Mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi? Moving to an independent large courtyard inside the market district? Was this real? A string of information kept battering everyone's brains.

Qin Ming smiled lightly and explained reservedly: "A few days ago I was fortunate enough to receive the aid of a senior, and luckily obtained a quota."

Whoosh! Accompanying Qin Ming's light-voiced admission.

In an instant, the gazes that had just been surprised and astonished promptly turned into envy and jealousy, along with a trace of reverence.

The status of a mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi, compared with them loose-cultivator Spirit Farmers, was a whole notch higher — they couldn't be mentioned in the same breath.

No wonder Qin Ming could afford the steep rent inside the market district.

An independent large courtyard inside Qingyang Market District.

Setting everything else aside, just the one condition of being guarded by a second-grade defensive formation was already enough to make these day-to-day-uncertain loose cultivators green with envy.

Let alone the fact that inside there was also a second-grade spirit vein and a spirit-gathering formation covering the entire courtyard.

Cultivating in it would yield twice the result with half the effort.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Qin!"

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Qin on his promotion to mid-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi! Truly a model and example among us Spirit Farmers."

"Fellow Daoist Qin has deep blessed connections and broad connections!"

In an instant.

On the road by the river channel, other cultivators heard the news and, one after another, came hurrying over upon hearing it.

The cultivators kept offering Qin Ming flattery and congratulations.

One cultivator with sharp eyes, very shrewdly, cut in to ask: "Fellow Daoist Qin, I wonder if you need to recruit a steward to tend the courtyard — would I suit?"

Cai Laojiu on the cart, hearing this, instantly flared up in fury and cursed: "Damn it! I haven't even gotten a turn yet?! Where does that leave you?!"

PS: Thanks to 'Da Si Nong Niu Lao Zhi' for the recommendation ticket.

(End of this chapter)