Chapter 367: The Shi Tian Shu

After several days of fermentation, a tantalizing aroma of spiritual liquor spread throughout the Small Spirit Realm.

It continuously assaulted the taste buds, drawing all three of Qin Ming's spiritual familiars over.

The Shi Tian Shu drooled at the mouth, gazing longingly at the wine vats on the ground, swallowed hard, and asked: "So fragrant! Master, what are you brewing?"

Qin Ming smirked, grinning mysteriously at them: "This is the legendary Demon Flame Wine. They say its flavor surpasses the celestial nectar of the Immortal Palace—even a god wouldn't trade it for his throne, hehe!"

"Huh?!"

"Really? Does such a divine brew truly exist in this world?"

"Hehe! Master, could you let me take just a tiny sip first?"

The Shi Tian Shu, driven wild by Qin Ming's words, could no longer contain itself; it rubbed its tiny paws and asked.

Qin Ming glared at it: "What are you thinking? This spiritual liquor has just been brewed—it needs to be aged for ten years until all the spiritual ingredients fully ferment and merge before it can be drunk."

"Drinking it now would be a waste of heaven's gifts."

The Shi Tian Shu finally understood. "Hehe, so that's how it is. What a shame! Hey! We still have to wait ten years?"

"Rushing won't help you eat hot tofu. You need to temper that impatience of yours."

"Here's something for you to do instead."

Qin Ming pondered briefly, then spoke to the Shi Tian Shu.

Upon hearing another task was coming, the Shi Tian Shu's face twisted with bitterness—every time Qin Ming said this before, it meant either farming or patrolling the mountains at night.

It was truly too much for a third-stage mid-tier beast king like itself.

"Master, what task are you assigning me this time?"

"Well, earlier, those two Jin Dan elders from the Shendao Sect wanted to buy our spiritual farmland, right?"

"I suspect the Shendao Mountain is almost certainly after the spiritual vein beneath."

"Even though I don't expect any high-grade spiritual ore beneath this plot, I still need to investigate just in case."

"Now that all the crops in the farmland have been harvested, you won't need to patrol the mountains for a while."

"You're a rodent, aren't you? You're good at burrowing. Dig down and scout the condition beneath this spiritual vein. Report to me immediately if you find anything."

"But be careful—I still have big plans for these two hundred mu of farmland. Try not to damage the underground spiritual vein."

Upon hearing it was about digging and probing underground, the Shi Tian Shu's expression immediately relaxed.

It immediately patted its chest and assured: "A trivial matter. Don't worry, Master—I'm the expert at this."

Then the Shi Tian Shu picked up its steel fork and set off to do its task.

Qin Ming, meanwhile, stored all ten-plus jars of Demon Flame Wine beneath his life-spirit plant, Yang Xuanteng.

……

After finishing this, he began pondering what spiritual plants to grow in the farmland next year.

After all, the resources of the Immortal Realm of Da Jin were far richer than those of the Southern Wastelands, and high-grade spiritual plant seeds were relatively easier to obtain.

The spiritual energy Rice planted in Li Lan's farmland had already been sold by Old Jia at the Spirit Market, earning a massive profit.

Because spiritual energy Rice, a second-grade spiritual rice, was a specialty of the spiritual energy Archipelago—Da Jin had no such rice.

When the Jingxue Pavilion first began selling it, many cultivators were skeptical and观望.

After all, it was their first time buying; they didn't know whether the imported rice lived up to Jingxue Pavilion's claims.

But once several Foundation Establishment cultivators bought small amounts, tried them at home, and became hooked, demand exploded.

spiritual energy Rice sold out instantly, and the Jingxue Pavilion's reputation surged again.

Not only that, but Li Lan himself began attracting attention from various factions—many even secretly offered high prices to poach him, all of which Li Lan politely refused.

Meanwhile,

After a period of cultivation, aided by Qin Ming's planting expertise,

Li Lan had successfully grown seedlings of third-grade Jade Emperor Spiritual Rice, and in a few more days, full-scale planting could begin.

Only then would these two hundred mu of fourth-grade branch spiritual farmland be truly put to optimal use.

One day,

After finishing his work in the farmland, Li Lan greeted Qin Ming, packed his things, and prepared to return home to the Spirit Market.

As a third-grade low-rank Spiritual Cultivation Master, the Jingxue Pavilion naturally did not skimp on his treatment.

Not only had they provided him with a villa in the best-located, most spiritually rich area of the Spirit Market, but they also granted him a substantial monthly stipend.

Of course, for the next thirty years, all third-grade spiritual rice he cultivated belonged to "Shopkeeper Lu."

Fortunately, Shopkeeper Lu's terms were lenient: aside from growing third-grade spiritual rice, he could use spare time—without affecting the rice's growth—to cultivate his own third-grade spiritual plants and continue learning and improving.

Li Lan was in excellent spirits—he understood that all he had now was thanks to Shopkeeper Lu, so he politely declined every overture from other factions.

Moreover, he had promised Shopkeeper Lu.

Now, as a third-grade Spiritual Cultivation Master, wherever he went in the Immortal Realm of Da Jin, he was treated as an honored guest by any faction.

It had fundamentally changed the status and identity of this cultivator who had risen from the bottom.

He now received respect he had never known before.

At the meat shop, Li Lan spent a considerable sum of spiritual stones to buy a hind leg of a second-grade high-quality spiritual deer beast, planning to celebrate his harvest with his wife and children.

This was a precious delicacy, highly beneficial even to a Foundation Establishment cultivator like himself.

With a smile on his face, carrying the beast meat and drinks, he returned home to find his beautiful wife and two young children eagerly rushing to greet him.

"Oh! Look at you—made spiritual stones and still don't know how to save them. You come home and buy such expensive spiritual meat." Li Lan's wife took the deer meat and lightly scolded him.

Li Lan still grinned: "Things are getting better, aren't they? It's not like we eat this every day. Today calls for celebration—go cook the meat well."

"They say this spiritual deer meat has tremendous benefits for… that sort of thing."

"After I till the fields all day, I can still till them at night! Let me properly reward you, hehe!"

"What are you saying? The kids are right here!" The woman blushed, pinched Li Lan's waist hard, and took the children into the kitchen to cook.

Li Lan was about to return indoors to change clothes when she heard a knock at the door.

Knock knock knock! "May I ask if Master Li is at home?"

Li Lan walked over and opened the courtyard gate, revealing an elderly man in a blue robe, at the Jin Dan stage.

She quickly bowed deeply and said, "Disciple Li Lan, greetings to Elder Zou!"

The visitor was none other than Zou Pinghai, a senior elder of the Shang Alliance, whom Qin Ming had once met briefly at the Yu Feng Tower.

"Hahaha! Master Li, no need to be so formal—you're young, yet truly outstanding!"

"Working at the Jingxue Pavilion is a waste of your talent—your botanical gifts are being squandered!"

"Hohoho!"

Li Lan froze at these words, and she already guessed the visitor's purpose.

……

(End of Chapter)