Chapter 397: Future Plans

Qin Ming returned all the books and jade slips to their original places.

Even though he was already well-traveled and knowledgeable, his heart was now overflowing with excitement!

Such a vast collection of cultivation materials had been gathered over many years by Jiang Yuan, the Holy Son of the Blood Refinement Demon Sect, and even included inheritances from numerous individuals in the Human Realm.

"Compared to those spiritual treasures, the items on these bookshelves are the true priceless gems."

"This is a core legacy foundation comparable to that of a Soul Transformation sect."

"If I fully digest all the knowledge here, both my knowledge and vision will surpass those of cultivators from Nascent Soul sects."

"And I will also master several demonic path inheritances."

"It's a pity that Elder Cold Crow fled with the foundation of the Profound Clear Observatory; otherwise, if it had fallen into Jiang Yuan's hands, wouldn't that have just been another windfall for me?"

"Alas! Truly a pity."

Qin Ming thought this silently, filled with immense regret.

Besides this massive collection of books and materials, Qin Ming discovered many bottles and jars in another area.

Each was labeled with its contents and intended use.

Qin Ming opened several of the bottles to inspect them, and immediately, waves of extremely dense bloody killing qi rushed toward his face.

"What's stored inside these bottles is actually the essence blood of high-grade demonic beasts!"

"Not only that, but also the essence blood of high-grade demons from the Blood Universe Realm."

Qin Ming's expression brightened with excitement; if this was the case, perhaps his could advance another step.

So he picked up these bottles and examined them one by one, finally discovering within a lacquer-black jade bottle a vial containing the essence blood of a Tier 3 Peak Demon King.

"Tier 3 Peak realm, the essence blood of a Red-Eyed Eyed Tian Lin!"

Accompanying the dense blood qi, a demonic soul roared incessantly within; just by looking at it, Qin Ming knew this beast must have been an extraordinary existence from the Upper Realm.

"This Holy Son of the Demon Sect is truly a good person; knowing I lacked these treasures, he packaged them all and delivered them right to my door."

"With so many cultivation resources falling entirely into my hands, those Nascent Soul old monsters of the Blood Refinement Demon Sect probably wish they could eat me alive..."

"Fortunately, separated by the power of the realm barrier, those old monsters cannot descend."

"The only one I fear is that other Demon Sect Holy Maiden, but it seems that as long as I don't approach them, the blood ring curse mark on my body won't manifest."

"This woman could seriously injure even Elder Cold Crow; her strength is likely even greater than Jiang Yuan's, comparable to a true Nascent Soul cultivator, so it's best to stay far away from her."

After tidying these up, Qin Ming's gaze fell once again upon that wisp of "Lei Lei Yuanmo Qi."

"To activate this Lei Lei Yuanmo Bead, one probably needs to refine and control this wisp of demon qi; even with the strength of a Demon Sect Holy Son, it seems he had only refined one ten-thousandth of it."

"After all, this Lei Lei Yuanmo Bead is a fourth-tier or higher demonic treasure; even if the Holy Son's magic power was nearing the Nascent Soul level, forcibly activating it across realms would cause his magic power to dry up instantly."

"I'm afraid only by truly cultivating to the Nascent Soul realm can one unleash the maximum power and function of the Lei Lei Yuanmo Bead."

"However, to refine this wisp of Lei Lei Yuanmo Qi, one must necessarily cultivate a demonic technique..."

Qin Ming pondered for a while, then decided to set it aside for the time being.

"This is simply a takeoff in one go! This guy's treasures and resources are enough to supply my cultivation all the way to the Nascent Soul realm."

"Although I took some risks, it was worth it."

"This trip to travel in Great Jin was truly the right move."

Afterwards.

Qin Ming withdrew his divine sense from the Lei Lei Yuanmo Bead.

Nearby, the Shi Tian Shu climbed onto his shoulder, tiptoed gently, and massaged him while saying, "Ehehe! Master, look at that Demon Sect Holy Son's Jin Dan..."

Seeing its appearance, Qin Ming immediately knew what scheme it was hatching again.

"Don't worry, you won't be left out."

"In that , I saw a pill called 'Green Nether Huang Quan Pill'."

"Refining this pill requires grinding a cultivator's Jin Dan into fine powder, assisting it with dozens of other precious medicines and auxiliary materials, and undergoing the process for seven times seven, forty-nine days, before it can be completed."

"Furthermore, the medicinal power of the Green Nether Huang Quan Pill is determined by the tier of the cultivator's Jin Dan; the deeper the cultivation realm of the Jin Dan, the higher the grade of the pill when refined."

"This pill not only allows demonic cultivators to make great advances in their cultivation, but it also brings immense benefit to demonic beasts, offering a huge boost, hehehe!"

"Presumably, if we use this Demon Sect Holy Son's Jin Dan to refine the 'Green Nether Huang Quan Pill', its grade will naturally be quite high..."

"It's even possible to refine a legendary Tier 3 Top-Grade Spiritual Pill; anything is possible."

"After all, his cultivation had long reached the Jin Dan Peak realm, even progressing to the stage of nurturing a holy embryo..."

"The taste of refining with his Jin Dan is simply unimaginable in its deliciousness."

With a smile on his face, Qin Ming deliberately tried to coax the Shi Tian Shu.

Upon hearing this, the Shi Tian Shu could barely stop the drool from its mouth and fiercely sucked in some saliva.

"Green Nether Huang Quan Pill! This pill is excellent! Truly wonderful!"

"Ehehe! So when will Master refine it for us?"

The Yin Yi Shuangfeng and the Profound Water Crocodile were also shaking their heads and tails, rubbing vigorously against his trouser legs.

Obviously, they could no longer wait and were eager to get started.

"Alright, alright, stop rubbing; if you three behave well, I will naturally refine this Green Nether Huang Quan Pill for you."

Immediately, Qin Ming distributed some spiritual materials and pills to the three beasts as rewards, letting them go off to cultivate and play on their own.

After finishing the inventory of his gains, Qin Ming exited the Small Spirit Realm, walked out of the room, and prepared to inquire about the situation outside.

Huo Hu Xu Zi had caused a huge disturbance at the auction and fought with Elder Jin Han at the Five Elements Mountain Market.

He had nearly demolished half of the market.

Fortunately, since it was the property of the Mirror Jing Xue Ge, no major damage was incurred; only a few warehouses collapsed, so the impact was not significant.

After leaving the room, Qin Ming sought out Old Jia to understand the situation.

"Old Jia, how is the situation outside?"

Old Jia approached first, sighing repeatedly: "Alas! Shopkeeper, being able to keep this little life of ours this time is truly a stroke of immense fortune!"

"The Changfeng Merchant House next door, separated from us by just one street, was turned directly into dust under the aftermath of the battle between Jin Dan True Persons; not a single one of the thirty or so people inside survived—they all died within."

"For this old man to be alive and see Shopkeeper Lu again is simply a case of great fortune and a hardy fate!"

"Things outside have truly become a complete mess now."

"It is said that an extremely important Holy Son from the Demonic Sect fell within the Five Elements Mountain Range, causing a huge uproar throughout the Immortal Realm."

"On that day, Elder Jin led cultivators from the Dao-Upholding Alliance to pursue Huo Hu Xu Zi, only to encounter an ambush by the Demonic Path, resulting in the entire force being wiped out."

"Only Elder Jin Han managed to escape by a fluke, though he suffered severe injuries and his life or death remains unknown."

"This old man has heard that this matter even alarmed the Nascent Soul Old Ancestors of both the Wan Dao Merchant Alliance and the Li Fire Palace."

Qin Ming pondered briefly, then asked with an unchanged expression: "Then do you know exactly who it was that stepped forward to kill that Demonic Sect Holy Son?"

"This old man does not know that; however, according to intelligence returned to our pavilion, those people from the Demonic Sect were apparently preparing to ambush the Cold Crow Upper Person of the Profound Clear View at the time."

"It was only because Huo Hu Xu Zi snatched the finale auction item, the Star Sea Divine Vine, that he accidentally stumbled upon the Demonic Path."

"There is also another matter: President Hua of the Thousand Mechanisms Merchant House was also being pursued by Huo Hu Xu Zi at the time, yet he returned to the headquarters without a single scratch."

"This President Hua is truly someone beyond comprehension."

"Time and again, he has faced perilous situations."

Old Jia answered slowly.

"Mm, Old Jia, you have done well; nowadays, the Five Elements Mountain region is already in a time of many troubles."

"In my view, we should shift the development focus of our pavilion toward the Central Prefecture as soon as possible."

"In the near future, this place is likely to welcome an even greater chaos," Qin Ming said gravely.

Old Jia was stunned; their Mirror Jing Xue Ge had struggled so hard to establish a branch in the Five Elements Mountain Market City, and now, after such a short time, were they to move again?

"Shopkeeper Lu, if we do this... will we have to abandon the spiritual fields as well?"

Operating the Five Elements Mountain spiritual fields for so long had brought them considerable profits.

Even so, he now clearly respected Qin Ming's opinion immensely and dared not harbor any other thoughts.

"Mm, I am speaking of advance planning; as for the spiritual fields here, after a few years when the Jade Emperor Spiritual Rice planted by Li Lan matures and is harvested, we can transfer them to other powers and still make a profit from it." "As for the Central Prefecture side, I will speak with the Wan Dao Merchant Alliance to arrange for a shop space to be allocated within the Li Tian Immortal City."

In just a few words, Qin Ming had already settled the future direction of development.

Upon hearing that 'Shopkeeper Lu' already had a retreat plan in place, Old Jia's face also broke into a joyful expression, and he hurriedly agreed.

"Yes! I strictly follow Shopkeeper Lu's instructions."

"Mm, go attend to your duties; I will summon you if there is anything."

Meanwhile, on the other side, deep within the Five Elements Mountain Range.

Inside a hidden mountain body, upon a black stone plaza, the green-robed youth sitting cross-legged in the center had magic power surging relentlessly across his body.

As time passed, his aura began to climb continuously.

Boom! Suddenly.

A vast, boundless wave of magic power rippled out within the karst cave space.

The heavenly and earthly spiritual qi nearby, like a giant whale sucking in water, rushed forward one after another, flooding into the green-robed youth's body.

Had Qin Ming been present at this location, he would have been startled to discover that the demonic light and black qi coiled atop the Cold Crow Upper Person's Nascent Soul had already vanished without a trace.

At this moment, the injuries suffered by the Cold Crow Upper Person's primordial spirit had also completely healed.

In an instant.

Ripples stirred within the space, and a terrifying spiritual pressure emanated from the green-robed youth!

He opened his eyes, deep as an abyss, slowly rose to his feet, and left the woven grass cushion he had been sitting on.

"Hahaha! The pills given by that young man surnamed Lu indeed possessed ample medicinal power! They allowed this Yunxi Laozu to recover from all injuries in such a short time."

Because normally speaking, for a Nascent Soul True Person to be injured, it is difficult to recover without several decades, let alone injuries to the Nascent Soul primordial spirit.

It is not uncommon for it to require a hundred years or more.

"Congratulations to the Grand Elder on your recovery! On the restoration of your cultivation!"

Bai Yuhan and Elder Luo Xi, who were guarding outside, heard the commotion and hurriedly entered, performing a great bow and proclaiming this.

A long-lost smile also appeared on the Cold Crow Upper Person's delicate face: "It is still too early to say my cultivation has fully recovered; after all, this body is one regained through possession, and it will still require some time."

"However, my Nascent Soul stage cultivation has recovered to about seventy percent, and some of my previous divine abilities and methods can now be used again."

Hearing this, Bai Yuhan said joyfully: "Then this disciple congratulates the Grand Elder on soon returning to your peak and leading us to rise again!"

"Mm, that goes without saying; Yuhan, Elder Luo, the two of you have performed very well and contributed most greatly to this achievement; this Yunxi Laozu will certainly bestow rewards."

"Additionally, take these tokens and transmit this Yunxi Laozu's decree to recall the core disciples under our sect and prepare for the major events to come."

As the Cold Crow Upper Person spoke, he flicked his finger, sending two ancient tokens and some rewarded spiritual items to the two of them.

Bai Yuhan accepted the items, his expression extremely agitated: "Please rest assured, Cold Crow Grand Elder!"

"To reshape the glory of the Profound Clear View is a duty we cannot shirk!"

"Mm." The Cold Crow Upper Person nodded in satisfaction.

"There is one more matter I must inform you both of: retaking the Great Zhou Profound Clear View is not something that can be accomplished overnight."

"This Yunxi Laozu has already decided to join the Dao-Upholding Alliance, and we will jointly resist the invasion of the Demonic Path."

"Yes!" Bai Yuhan and Luo Xi bowed and agreed.

"Very well, if there are no other matters, you two may withdraw first to attend to your tasks."

However, Bai Yuhan and Luo Xi exchanged a glance, then said: "Reporting back to the Grand Elder, this disciple has one more matter to report to you!"

"In the past few days, while you were healing and recovering your cultivation, we did not dare to disturb your quiet cultivation."

"Speak," the Cold Crow Upper Person said lightly.

"It's just that... some time ago, a riot broke out in the Five Elements Mountain Market. It is said that the Holy Son of the Blood Refinement Demonic Sect perished in that battle." After Bai Yuhan finished speaking, he cautiously observed the Yunxi Laozu's reaction.

The moment the words left his mouth.

"What?!"

Han Ya Shangren's eyes snapped wide open!

"Say that again?"

"What exactly happened?"

Upon hearing this news, his entire state of mind fluctuated.

Others might not be clear about that Demonic Sect Holy Son's capabilities, but Han Ya Shangren had personally crossed blades with those two, the Holy Son and the Holy Maiden.

That Blood Refinement Demonic Sect's Holy Son, Jiang Yuan, possessed an extremely troublesome fourth-rank Demonic Bead, which had once given him quite a headache.

Immediately, Bai Yuhan reported the events of the recent past to Han Ya Shangren in full detail, holding nothing back.

"I didn't expect the Blood Refinement Demonic Sect's Holy Son to actually die; for us, this is rather good news."

"With only one Demonic Path Holy Maiden remaining, the difficulty of this Yunxi Laozu's plan to reclaim our sect grounds has decreased considerably."

"I wonder which mighty figure made the move..."

Han Ya Shangren narrowed his eyes slightly, myriad thoughts swirling in his mind.

"It seems there is still some old fellow lurking within these Five Elements Mountains; truly too insidious. You all must be extra cautious in your future actions."

"Yes!" Bai Yuhan replied.

Han Ya Shangren's eyes revealed a cold light as he spoke grimly: "Hehehe! Since one has died, once this old man recovers his cultivation, I will definitely avenge the grievance of that day!"

Immediately, he seemed to recall something else.

Thus, he asked the two of them:

"By the way, do you know where that Shopkeeper Lu is currently located?"

"That little fellow actually took advantage of this Yunxi Laozu being heavily injured, jacking up the price and making exorbitant demands, successively exchanging for two fourth-rank spiritual items."

"Other things could be let slide, but the Five Elements Spiritual Ginseng is incomparably precious, far beyond ordinary fourth-rank spiritual materials; even our own sect possesses only two stalks, not enough for our own use, so how could it be so easily taken?"

"Although he did save this Yunxi Laozu's life, this behavior is truly too detestable!"

"This Yunxi Laozu must personally go find him to settle this account."

Recalling the situation of that day, Han Ya Shangren's mind involuntarily brought forth the image of 'Shopkeeper Lu's' impervious face.

He also remembered how the other party had forcibly exchanged away the Five Elements Spiritual Ginseng from him; having wandered the Immortal Realm for a thousand years, Han Ya Shangren had never before encountered anyone daring to act so boldly.

Times have changed; now that he is restoring his former glory, naturally he must personally visit the man's door to have a word or two.

Hearing this, Bai Yuhan's face showed an awkward expression as he stammered in reply: "Reporting to Yunxi Laozu, Shopkeeper Lu purchased a plot of spiritual farmland at Five Elements Mountain."

"He has been there all along."

"Very well, this Yunxi Laozu understands."

Within the Five Elements Mountain spiritual farmland, vitality brimmed everywhere.

After returning to the spiritual farmland, Qin Ming inspected the growth of all the spiritual plants; it was quite satisfactory.

The spiritual farmers of the Mirror Jing Xue Ge all bowed respectfully upon seeing him.

Li Lan was also sweating profusely, currently employing the Great Five Elements Spiritual Rain Technique to irrigate the Jade Emperor Spiritual Rice.

The third-rank Jade Emperor Spiritual Rice had already grown into a vast expanse of emerald-green bamboo-like forest.

After exchanging a few words of greeting and guidance with Li Lan.

Qin Ming went to tend to his ten mu of Sky Net Fruit.

Just then.

The Shi Tian Shu ran back from outside, its face brimming with excitement as it said to Qin Ming: "Master, someone wants to see you, hehehe!"

(End of Chapter)