Chapter 403: Jin Dan Perfection

Beneath the fourth-tier spiritual vein of the Five Elements Mountain lay the subterranean world.

Qin Ming and the Shi Tian Shu retracted their auras, directly entering the Small Xiao Lingjing to hide, secretly observing from the shadows.

Fixing his gaze, he saw that Seven Wonders Treasure Tree emitting a seven-colored luster, standing silently beneath the rock wall and radiating a profound aura.

A fourth-tier top-grade spiritual plant!

Even though this was not his first time seeing it, Qin Ming could not help but feel his heart surge with excitement.

At this moment, around the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree and the massive altar, cultivators from the Divine Dao Mountain and the Yin Demon Sect had gathered in full force.

Each one wore a tense expression, clearly indicating that today's event was of utmost importance.

There were even four or five descended demonic cultivators from the Blood Refining Demon Sect watching from the sidelines.

Considering he bore the 'Blood Ring Cursed Seal,' which would allow Blood Refining Demon Sect cultivators to detect him even within the Small Xiao Lingjing, Qin Ming had chosen to scout from over a hundred li away.

After the previous incident, he now understood.

This Blood Ring Cursed Seal could only activate and manifest within a certain range; Qin Ming had already realized this when he previously slain that Demonic Sect Saint Son.

Qin Ming released his divine sense, comparable to that of a Nascent Soul Qin Qin Zhenjun, bringing every movement within the subterranean world into his field of vision.

Beneath the fourth-tier spiritual vein.

Presiding over the sacrificial ritual were two late-stage Jin Dan elders.

The entire subterranean world was heavily guarded by cultivators from the Yin Demon Sect and the Divine Dao Mountain; not even a fly could slip through.

"Elder Wu, today's matter is no small affair; have you made all the necessary arrangements around the area?"

"We absolutely cannot afford another mistake."

"Otherwise, the two Laozu will not show us any mercy."

The late-stage Jin Dan elder of the Yin Demon Sect spoke to an oddly dressed Jin Dan cultivator from the Divine Dao Mountain beside him.

The elder addressed as Elder Wu was an old man covered in complex and bizarre tattoos, his eyes shining with sharp light and his skin dark as charcoal.

He merely replied indifferently, "Elder Yan, rest assured."

Silence fell over the air once more.

After a long while.

"It is not that I distrust Fellow Daoist Wu! However, your sect has truly been too careless, allowing the Li Li Huogong to plant a spy without even knowing it, thereby leaking such a critical matter."

"The Upper Sect flew into a Lei Ting rage over this," said the Yan-family elder of the Yin Demon Sect, his tone slightly dissatisfied.

Elder Wu of the Divine Dao Mountain, however, paid it no mind: "Several years have passed since the secret realm was discovered."

"Furthermore, the fourth-tier spiritual vein of the Five Elements Mountain is not exclusively occupied by our Divine Dao Mountain; the Li Li Huogong occupies the other half. Given how close we are, concealing the news for this long was already quite difficult."

"It is not as if we wished for such a situation; surely Elder Yan knows that the key to opening the secret realm hinges entirely upon this Seven Wonders Treasure Tree."

"Today's sacrificial ritual is of grave importance; our sect's Grand Elders will also arrive to personally take command."

"Therefore, Elder Yan need have no worries."

"Because even after the ritual concludes, it will take at least several years for the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree to bloom."

"So what if the Guardian Dao Alliance has taken notice? Even the Li Fire Shangren of the Li Li Huogong cannot bypass the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree and enter the secret realm directly."

As the two spoke.

The space within the subterranean world suddenly generated a violent fluctuation, followed by ripples spreading out like water waves.

Immediately afterward, from within the spatial ripples near the altar, an old man with chicken-skin and crane-hair slowly emerged, wearing a black profound robe, his eyes cloudy and sporting a hooked eagle nose.

Upon seeing this person appear, Qin Ming's eyes suddenly narrowed! 'A Nascent Soul Qin Qin Zhenjun!'

Thus, even while within the Small Xiao Lingjing, he circulated the Withered Wood Art to its utmost limit, making himself appear as nothingness.

With his current cultivation, the aura-concealing divine ability he employed was undetectable even to an old Nascent Soul monster.

The moment this black-robed old man appeared.

A massive spiritual pressure filled the entire space.

It caused all the cultivators near the altar to feel utterly terrified.

Even the two late-stage Jin Dan elders knelt on the ground, shouting, "We respectfully welcome Wan Gu Gu Shangren!!"

"Mm, all of you rise." Wan Gu Gu Shangren's gaze was sinister and hawk-like, his voice raspy like a broken gong echoing through the subterranean depths.

"Prepare to begin."

Immediately, the surrounding cultivators began busily arranging the matters related to the ritual.

On the dome of the subterranean world, an opening one chi in size had been punched through.

Moonlight from outside streamed down through the opening onto the altar.

Once the hour of Hai arrived.

The heavens, earth, and stars rotated through their cycles, and a blood moon hung high in the sky.

"The auspicious time has arrived; begin the ritual!"

Elder Yan of the Yin Demon Sect took out a large vat of cultivator essence blood and living souls, poured them into the altar, and then began performing the spell.

Seeing this, Qin Ming could not help but frown; just from the essence blood and living souls poured from that vat, one could imagine how many living beings these two sects had slaughtered. Subsequently, Elder Yan began casting a secret method to preside over the ritual.

Countless lost souls wailed as they fell into the stone platform at the very top of the altar.

Once the hour of Hai arrived, scarlet moonlight descended from the hole, landing upon the stone platform.

Then, seeing the timing was about right, Elder Yan bit through his tongue, spat out a cloud of blood mist, chanted incantations under his breath, and vigorously shook the gong-and-drum dharma treasure in his hand.

One by one, crimson and bizarre runes spiraled, interwove, and converged in mid-air.

Boom!!

In an instant, bursts of dense blood-red radiance erupted from the altar, converging toward that Seven Wonders Treasure Tree.

As the blood-colored radiance was injected, the green, unripe flower buds on the coral-like Seven Wonders Treasure Tree actually began to crack open at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"It's working!"

"The Soul-Burying Heaven-Blessing Art truly works!"

Elder Wu of Divine Dao Mountain spoke with trembling excitement.

Wan Gu Shangren, an ancient Nascent Soul monster observing from the side, also revealed a glint of sharp light within his sinister gaze.

Seeing the ritual succeed and prove effective on that Seven Wonders Treasure Tree, he nodded with great satisfaction, "Not bad, continue."

Half a day later.

Elder Yan of the Yin Demon Sect, having completed officiating the ritual, was exhausted, drenched in sweat, and pale-faced.

He walked down from above, bowed to Wan Gu Shangren, and said, "Senior Wan Gu, the ritual is complete, but waiting to accumulate enough moonlight to catalyze this treasure tree to bloom will likely require at least three more years."

Wan Gu Shangren nodded satisfactorily, "You two continue maintaining the ritual; once the matter is accomplished, this ancestor will naturally record a great merit for you."

"Thank you, Grand Elder, for your grace!" Elders Yan and his companion hurriedly bowed respectfully.

Subsequently, Wan Gu Shangren's figure dimmed and faded, vanishing completely from the underground world.

Those few disciples of the Blood Refining Demon Gate were also extremely excited, for with three years remaining, they still had just enough time before returning to the Upper Realm.

Beneath the spiritual vein, all returned to calm.

Seeing this, Qin Ming, accompanied by the Shi Tian Shu, retreated along the underground tunnel without leaving a trace.

"It seems that even with the ritual's support, the demonic path still requires three years to open this secret realm."

However, two years is still very fast for a cultivator.

"Master, that Qingyuan Sect secret realm is about to open; should we go in and scoop up some benefits? Hehe!" The Shi Tian Shu rubbed its small hands as it spoke.

Qin Ming slowly shook his head and stated decisively, "When the time comes and the secret realm opens, this place will surely become the center of a storm."

"I estimate that Nascent Soul sects like the Li Li Huogong, the Ten Thousand Dao Shang Alliance, and the Xuan Qing Observatory will certainly not stand by and watch Divine Dao Mountain and the Yin Demon Sect enjoy this ancient secret realm alone."

"There will inevitably be a bloody storm; I estimate even those ancient Nascent Soul monsters won't be able to sit still."

"Furthermore, the Great Black Heaven Demon Saint of the Demon Race is also eyeing it greedily, lurking in the shadows."

"Trying to snatch benefits from the hands of these people is no different than snatching food from a tiger's mouth; it is better not to contend with them."

"I have already gathered almost enough opportunities for my Nascent Soul formation; returning to plan for forming my Nascent Soul is the proper business."

Hearing this, the Shi Tian Shu's eyes lit up, and it immediately nodded hastily, saying, "Exactly, exactly! Master's great undertaking of forming the Nascent Soul is most important; once Master reaches the Nascent Soul realm, those old fellows will all be Master's defeated foes."

"Whatever you want will be easy to get; just handle it as you please!"

"Can you flatter me a bit less? Why is your little mouth so honeyed?" Qin Ming couldn't help but remark.

"Hehe! It's just that Master is truly too outstanding; I don't know how else to express the admiration in my heart."

Just then! Qin Ming's divine sense moved, and in an instant, he detected a slight anomaly.

Seeing this, the Shi Tian Shu, with intuitive understanding, shut its mouth.

Qin Ming suddenly expanded his vast divine sense outward, only to discover with surprise that dozens of miles away from this location...

... that black-feathered demon cultivator he had once drunk wine with at the Five Elements Mountain market was likewise secretly investigating the situation regarding the secret realm's opening.

The black-feathered demon cultivator was driving several pangolin demon beasts, also constructing a secret observation spot within the mountain body a hundred miles away from the secret realm.

'It seems this person has been plotting for a long time; what Yue Lingyan said was correct.'

'The mantis stalks the cicada while the oriole lurks behind; Divine Dao Mountain and the Yin Demon Sect have racked their brains to open the secret realm, yet several major powers under the Dao Protection Alliance are also eyeing it greedily.'

'Who would have thought that even the Demon Race would get involved.'

'Since ancient times, wealth and silk have moved the human heart!'

Qin Ming sighed silently, then quietly withdrew from the underground tunnel and returned to the spiritual field.

Since there were still three years remaining, after grasping this crucial piece of information, Qin Ming was not panicked in the least.

Within the Five Elements Mountain spiritual field, he cultivated according to his normal routine.

Half a month later.

Qin Ming suddenly received a message from Hua Tianxiong.

"Master, Pill King Su Danwang will host a Fourth-Stage Pill King celebration on the fifteenth of next month within the Su family estate at Dragon Court Lake."

"At that time, all prominent powers from every corner of the Great Jin Immortal Realm will attend; Alchemist Su specifically asked me to invite you to meet."

"Thanks to your blessing and this connection of yours, our Thousand Mechanisms Merchant House has also received an invitation letter, hehe."

"Mm, understood; help me convey to Brother Su that I will definitely attend when the time comes." A faint smile curved the corners of Qin Ming's mouth.

A Fourth-Stage Pill King is already a rare existence within the Immortal Realm.

Even if their cultivation is only at the Jin Dan stage, their status is equivalent to that of a Nascent Soul Qin Qin Zhenjun.

This is because the spiritual pills and elixirs required by most Nascent Soul True Lords can only be refined by a Fourth-Stage Pill King.

It can be said that Su Yuqing's current identity and status are completely different, having thoroughly reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm.

Even within Great Jin, Fourth-Stage alchemists can be counted on one hand.

For a Fourth-Stage Pill King to be born every few hundred years is considered burning high incense (a stroke of great luck).

And now, Su Yuqing, with the youthful appearance of being under two hundred years old, has achieved such success, immediately causing shockwaves throughout the Immortal Realm.

Qin Ming was sincerely happy for this person who was both teacher and friend to achieve such success, and naturally intended to go personally to offer congratulations.

"I must also prepare a congratulatory gift properly for the occasion."

Within the Small Xiao Lingjing.

Qin Ming sat in meditation beneath his natal spiritual plant, the Yin Yang Xuanteng, while the ethereal figure of the Green Emperor Wood Emperor Body manifested behind him.

He circulated the "Green Emperor Art" again and again; from the Yin Yang Xuanteng, streams of lush, dew-laden aura of time flowed continuously into his body.

At the location of his dantian sea of qi, his flawless Jin Dan and fleshly true pill emitted a charming radiance, rotating in alternation.

Whenever Qin Ming cultivated, the Shi Tian Shu, the Xuan Water Crocodile, and the Silver-Yin Yi Shuangfeng would rush over to lie beside him, quietly absorbing the overflowing essence of grass and trees.

For them, this lush essence was even more beneficial than the demon power gained through cultivation.

While transforming their innate bloodlines, it could also enhance cultivation progress and strengthen divine abilities.

Nowadays, every step of their advancement could be said to be closely linked to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming finished his daily cultivation and stopped work; the three beast pets also slowly woke up from their state of ecstatic bliss.

Suddenly.

The Shi Tian Shu squinted its eyes, nudged its sensitive nose, and couldn't help but say in surprise, "What is this smell?! This Grandpa seems to have smelled the scent of a treasure!"

"Wow! Such dense spiritual energy is truly astonishing! It must be a sign that some fierce goods are about to appear!"

The Profound Water Crocodile and Silver-Yin Yi Shuangfeng beside it, lacking the Shi Tian Shu's treasure-hunting divine ability, looked at it somewhat dumbfounded.

"Oh?" Seeing the Shi Tian Shu speak thus, Qin Ming immediately perked up.

He had planted many heavenly treasures and earthly jewels within the Small Xiao Lingjing; could it be that some high-grade spiritual plant had matured?

No!

Qin Ming's eyes suddenly brightened; he also sniffed his nose, detecting a faint yet rich, fragrant aroma of wine drifting over.

"Could it be..."

A look of great joy appeared on his face as he immediately looked down at the ground where he was sitting.

"Don't tell me that 'Demon Flame Wine' has finished fermenting and brewing?"

Immediately, he stood up and had the Shi Tian Shu dig open the soil layer beneath the Yang Xuanteng tree, revealing the jar of spiritual wine that Qin Ming had cellared long ago.

"Wow! This is truly too fragrant, isn't it?"

The Shi Tian Shu vigorously wiped its drool, its gaze fixed firmly upon the wine jar.

Qin Ming raised his hand and summoned; one jar of Demon Flame Wine immediately fell into his grasp.

He could confirm without a doubt that the strange fragrance just now had emanated from the wine jar.

Immediately, he slapped the wine jar, opening the seal lid.

Boom! A cluster of black flames suddenly erupted from the mouth of the wine jar, followed by an extremely unique, mellow fragrance of spiritual wine that drifted everywhere, filling the Small Xiao Lingjing.

Qin Ming gazed into the wine jar, seeing only that the spiritual wine inside was extremely clear, utterly free of impurities, resembling glazed jade liquid, intoxicating to the heart and brimming with spiritual energy.

Roar roar!

Within the spiritual wine, one could seemingly even see the illusory shadow of a green flood dragon roaming back and forth, truly extraordinarily mystical.

After the precipitation of time, the Demon Flame Wine had finally been fully brewed.

"Originally, after this wine was brewed, it still required ten years of precipitation to gather heavenly and earthly spiritual energy and accumulate the energy of years."

"I didn't expect that by burying it beneath the Yang Xuanteng, influenced by it, the cellaring time would actually be shortened by two years."

Smelling this soul-devastating aroma of spiritual wine, Qin Ming could not help but swallow several times.

Demon Flame Wine was a high-grade spiritual wine brewed using the late third-stage demon core of a Green-Faced Poisonous Flood Dragon as the main ingredient, supplemented by over a hundred kinds of rare spiritual materials.

Whether in taste or effect, it far surpassed the spiritual wines Qin Ming had brewed previously.

When consumed for the first time, this wine could assist a cultivator at the late Jin Dan stage to break through to the peak Jin Dan realm.

It could even refine the Jin Dan to a state of perfect fluency and unobstructed harmony! Qin Ming immediately took out a sea bowl, poured himself a large bowlful, where the glazed jade liquid flowed, accompanied by a layer of black flames rising from the exterior.

"This Demon Flame Wine truly lives up to its reputation!"

"Let me taste what kind of flavor it is."

Subsequently, Qin Ming lifted the sea bowl and drained it in one gulp!

Boom! First, a flavor that made one intoxicated surged down the throat and into the abdomen.

Immediately afterward, an immense and overwhelming scorching energy exploded within the qi sea and dantian.

Vast heavenly and earthly spiritual energy continuously began to strengthen Qin Ming's flawless Jin Dan.

Even his natal spiritual plant, the Yang Xuanteng, seemed to have sensed it, emitting a joyful aura and once again surging forth a current of years-energy that flowed into the spiritual entity behind Qin Ming.

The effects of the Demon Flame Wine completely erupted within his body.

The robust aura of magic power on Qin Ming's person began to climb continuously.

The Small Xiao Lingjing possessed the environment of a top-grade third-stage spiritual vein.

At this very moment, the surrounding spiritual energy, like a giant funnel filled with vigorous spiritual qi, as if encountering a long-lost relative, scrambled one after another to drill into Qin Ming's flawless Jin Dan.

After half a day had passed.

Boom! Crack! A vast and boundless aura echoed within the Small Xiao Lingjing, causing heaven and earth to resonate together.

Qin Ming's entire person resembled a verdant ancient tree that had weathered vicissitudes, standing eternally untoppled, emitting an aura of years akin to an evergreen ancient tree.

He opened his eyes, black as ink, between which a wisp of cyan-green light flashed.

"Finally succeeded, peak Jin Dan!"

(End of Chapter)