Chapter 41: Jingxue Pavilion

The executive hall of Lingyu Gate.

The air in the room had grown thick and heavy.

Jiang Kun glanced at Qin Ming and saw he was dressed as a spirit farmer.

He paid him not the slightest heed.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming’s expression darkened instantly.

The men before him were all Qi Refining late-stage cultivators with formidable auras.

If he let his temper flare up now, the outcome was obvious.

The brutal reality of the cultivation world—strong preying on the weak—was laid bare here and now.

Qin Ming bit his lip, hesitating whether to hand it over.

Jiang Kun had already snatched the jade tablet from the registrar’s hands.

Seeing this, Qin Ming was startled and opened his mouth to speak.

But Jiang Kun, after seizing the tablet, stared at the characters on it, his face shifting through a dozen expressions.

Rarely, a flicker of caution appeared on his arrogant face.

Jiang Kun then raised his head and coldly asked Qin Ming: “This is an item from ‘Jingxue Pavilion’? Did Gu Qingzhao give it to you?”

Qin Ming was about to reply.

“Qin Daoist, you’re here too?”

Another person entered the executive hall.

“That’s right. This ‘Jing’ tablet was gifted to Qin Daoist by our Pavilion’s master.”

“If Young Master Jiang intends to take it, you’d better consider the consequences.”

Everyone turned to look.

There entered Liao the Shopkeeper of Juxuan Pavilion, accompanied by two clerks.

Qin Ming was also surprised.

Liao’s tone was firm, as if he held not the slightest fear of these inner-disciple cultivators of Lingyu Gate.

‘What exactly is this Jingxue Pavilion Jiang Kun mentioned?’

Qin Ming thought to himself.

After entering, Liao smiled and greeted Qin Ming.

Jiang Kun and his companions’ expressions darkened and brightened uncertainly.

Moments passed.

Jiang Kun casually tossed the jade tablet onto the counter.

“Hmph! You’re lucky this time, kid!”

Then his gaze lingered on Qin Ming for a moment before he left with his men.

Qin Ming watched the retreating figures of Jiang Kun and his group, his eyes cold, already etching their names into his little book.

‘When I reach the later stages.’

‘Don’t you dare fall into my hands.’

Immediately after,

he stepped forward, bowed to Liao the Shopkeeper, and thanked him: “Thank you, Liao Shopkeeper, for helping me out of this.”

Liao waved it off: “No need for thanks, Qin Daoist. This is all due to our Pavilion Master’s favor.”

“Qin Daoist, please register your tenancy first.”

“We can chat after we finish. I have some matters to handle here myself.”

Qin Ming nodded.

Half an incense stick later,

Qin Ming completed his registration in the executive hall and paid a year’s rent—four hundred spirit stones in total.

After this, his storage pouch held only three hundred spirit stones left.

“They don’t last long,” Qin Ming muttered, patting his empty pouch.

Still, renting a house inside the marketplace was worth it.

Qin Ming had visited the Ruan family compound before.

Compared to his shanty dwelling, it was five times larger.

The space was vast.

Moreover, it was shielded by a barrier that blocked cultivator spiritual sense.

This made it far more convenient for him to grow and accelerate spirit plants.

Most importantly, the marketplace was protected by a second-rank array—significantly safer than the outside.

After finishing his business, Qin Ming finally felt a weight lift from his chest.

He could now cultivate in peace.

“Qin Daoist, leave a trace of spiritual sense on this wooden tablet. The array will record your aura, and no one else may enter the courtyard after.” The executive hall cultivator handed Qin Ming a purple wooden tablet.

“Thank you, Executive Master.”

Qin Ming took the tablet, a quiet thrill rising within him.

“By the way, the Ruan family’s lease hasn’t expired yet.” “By the end of October, Qin Daoist, you may lift the sealing array and move in.”

The executive hall staff instructed.

Qin Ming nodded in agreement.

He did not leave immediately.

Instead, he waited outside the Lingyu Gate executive hall for Liao the Shopkeeper.

He had questions he wished to ask.

Half a cup of tea passed.

Liao the Shopkeeper finished his business and stepped out.

“Qin Daoist, why not come back to my shop for tea and chat?” Liao asked with a smile.

Qin Ming declined: “No, I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Please go ahead.”

Qin Ming pulled out the jade tablet Gu Qingzhao had given him and asked: “Your shop is called Juxuan Pavilion, yet Jiang Kun said this is an item from Jingxue Pavilion?”

Liao smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated the question, and explained: “Since Qin Daoist has already entered deep cooperation with our Pavilion and earned the Master’s favor,”

“I may as well tell you.”

“The force behind Juxuan Pavilion is Jingxue Pavilion.”

“Jingxue Pavilion has a thousand-year legacy, with business spanning the entire Southern Wasteland cultivation realm. Juxuan Pavilion is merely a tiny branch in Qingyang Marketplace.”

“It may not be a supreme power,”

“but it is not a sect like Lingyu Gate that can be casually manipulated.”

Liao watched Qin Ming’s reaction.

Qin Ming had suspected Juxuan Pavilion’s connections were not simple.

But he hadn’t expected them to be this vast.

“I see. Thank you for the explanation, Liao Shopkeeper,” Qin Ming bowed.

“Qin Daoist, no need for formalities. You’ll learn this eventually anyway,” Liao said, stopping there without revealing more.

Then,

the two exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.

…

In his shanty dwelling,

Qin Ming ate an entire pot of Blood Locust Rice.

He resumed cultivating the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture.

Boom! His blood qi surged wildly—amplified by the potent blood qi of the Blood Locust Rice.

Qin Ming’s aura steadily climbed higher.

In the past,

he dared eat only one bowl of Blood Locust Rice.

His body then could not withstand such a massive influx of blood qi.

But times had changed.

He had already refined his blood qi to the state of liquid mercury.

He could now endure far greater blood qi enhancement.

Now, each cultivation session allowed him to fully absorb and digest an entire pot of Blood Locust Rice.

Two hours later,

cultivation ended.

Qin Ming slowly opened his eyes.

He felt his blood qi had strengthened by two-thirds.

“Sixth layer of Body Refinement is near.”

Mid-June.

The third-season Jin Ling rice had sprouted.

Qin Ming returned to the spirit field to observe.

Three new golden terms appeared in his vision.

【Name】: Jin Ling Rice 【Term】: Minor Magic Power (Maturity 5%)

【Name】: Jin Ling Rice 【Term】: Quality Enhancement (Maturity 6%)

【Name】: Jin Ling Rice 【Term】: Quality Enhancement (Maturity 5%)

Qin Ming stared at the terms, his eyes gleaming.

Within the Jin Ling Rice field, two 【Quality Enhancement】 terms had suddenly spawned.

Amazing!

His heart began to swell with excitement.

“If I can raise the Blood Locust Rice’s quality two more times, won’t I harvest top-grade Blood Locust Rice?”

(End of Chapter)