Chapter 435: The News of Gu Qing

Night fell, the moon hung bright and high.

Qin Ming lit a bonfire on the island and began roasting green Jiao meat; the flesh of a third-stage late-stage beast was a potent tonic for both beasts and cultivators alike.

He had utilized every single part of the Green-Faced Poisonous Jiao, leaving nothing wasted, extracting its full potential.

Of course, he didn't intend to roast it all—he kept some aside to use in pill-making.

As a third-stage late-stage semi-transformed great beast, the Green-Faced Poisonous Jiao 's precious flesh and ordinary blood were rare spiritual materials.

After all, cultivators capable of slaying such a powerful beast-lord were exceedingly rare.

Qin Ming then summoned Wu Jiang over.

"Today, I'm in a good mood—worthy of celebration. Pick some spirit fruits from the island and cook some beast meat to reward the spirit farmers under you."

With that, he pulled a pile of beast corpses from his storage pouch and tossed them to Wu Jiang.

These were low-stage beasts he'd happened upon and slain on his way back.

He had no use for them—better to let the spirit farmers enjoy a feast.

Wu Jiang gathered the beast corpses, smiled, and quickly thanked him: "Thank you, Island Master, for your generous gift!"

These beast meats still offered some benefit to low-stage cultivators in advancing their cultivation base.

More importantly, the island's spirit fruits—even he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, benefited immensely from them; they couldn't be bought anywhere outside.

Thus, he was overjoyed.

"Mm, go on."

Moments later, blazing bonfires lit up Wangyue Island; the spirit farmers below sang and danced, roasting beast meat, filled with lively energy.

At the entrance to Qin Ming's cave dwelling,

the Shitian Rat had already eagerly skewered chunks of the Green-Faced Poisonous Jiao 's precious flesh onto bamboo sticks, roasting them over charcoal, his small hands dexterously sprinkling seasonings as oil sizzled and dripped.

Instantly,

an exotic fragrance spread, assaulting the taste buds.

Beside him, the Xianshui Crocodile and the Silver-Winged Frost Bee stared hungrily as the Shitian Rat turned the meat skewers, drool pooling on the ground.

"Almost ready! We'll be eating Jiao meat any moment now!"

"Hahaha!"

"Never thought I'd have it this good."

"Brothers Two and Three, you've chosen the right master this time."

"This is just Jiao meat."

"Believe me, soon enough, eating true dragon flesh will be a matter of time. That's a legendary true spirit, after all."

"After eating it, won't we three just fly straight up?"

"Hahahaha!"

Qin Ming: "..."

He walked over and patted the Shitian Rat's head. "How did your mouth get so spoiled? Still dreaming of dragon meat?"

"Still asleep?"

The Shitian Rat shifted awkwardly, then handed Qin Ming the first batch of roasted green Jiao meat. "Hehe, Master, don't be angry—I was just talking, imagining the future."

Qin Ming took the roasted meat, sliced it skillfully, and divided it among his three spirit pets.

He cut off a blackened chunk of beast meat and handed it to the Shitian Rat.

"Here, this one's for you—you wanted to fly, didn't you?"

"This is dragon whip—a potent tonic. Eat up, strengthen your body."

The Shitian Rat: "..."

Then Qin Ming opened a jar of Yulin Wine and ate and drank.

Wangyue Island in the night now had the warmth of home.

After a full meal, the three spirit pets, bloated and satisfied, returned to their respective corners to digest and absorb the spiritual energy from the Jiao flesh.

The next day.

After completing his daily cultivation, Qin Ming prepared to use the remaining flesh and blood of the Green-Faced Poisonous Jiao to refine pills.

The pill he intended to refine this time was called the "Imperial Ultimate Pill."

As a third-stage high-grade spirit pill, it required flesh from a beast of third-stage late-stage or higher as its main ingredient, plus over a hundred rare auxiliary materials.

Fortunately, over the years, Qin Ming's reserves had steadily grown, and he'd gathered many third-stage spiritual materials from the cultivation world.

Combined with exchanges with the ancestral elders of several major sects, he'd barely managed to collect enough.

The Imperial Ultimate Pill could enhance Qin Ming's body refinement cultivation, supplying his daily cultivation needs.

This pill formula had been exchanged by Qin Ming with the Qingxuan Ancestor in return for Miechen Pills.

It was said to have been brought out by Yunxi Ancestor, the founding ancestor of the Xuanxi Valley, from the Lihuo Palace.

It was a relic of a Nascent Soul sect.

Next, Qin Ming studied the formula and began his pill-refining days.

During this time, the situation in the Southern Wastelands cultivation world continued to shift.

Qin Ming had sent Wu Jiang out to gather the latest news, which kept coming back.

First, the Lei Yuanzong, the Beasts' King Valley, the Canghai Xiancheng, and the Xuanxi Valley formed a coalition, mobilizing forces from various nations to launch a large-scale purge of the ghost plague.

Simultaneously, they marched on the Jin Kingdom, aiming to reclaim lost territories from the Six Demon Sects.

Without the beast tide to interfere, the four major powers quickly contained the spreading ghosts.

They reined the ghosts' activity back to the vicinity of the Taihu Ruins.

This granted the three kingdoms some breathing room to recover.

But the situation in the Jin Kingdom was less optimistic—the demonic forces stationed there exceeded the imagination of Nalan Xi and Qingxuan Ancestor.

For a time, the Jin Kingdom's situation fell into a stalemate.

Thus, after deliberation, the ancestral elders decided to prioritize eliminating the ghost plague in the Liang Kingdom, penetrating deep into the ruins to completely eradicate the ghosts within and prevent future threats.

"Aren't there rumors that a White Bone True Person dwells deep within the ruins?"

"How dare Qingxuan and the others take such a risk?"

Qin Ming sat beneath the spirit peach tree, pondering as he listened to Wu Jiang's report.

At this point, he spoke up.

Wu Jiang explained: "I heard from True Person Nalan that Qingxuan Ancestor has summoned help from the upper sect."

"The elder who came to congratulate you during your Jin Dan ceremony at Lihuo Palace."

"Oh?"

"That Elder Zhou Yu?"

"Jin Dan late-stage."

"Correct. Moreover, it's said another Elder, Jin Dan peak, will arrive, bringing a treasure that strongly suppresses ghost arts."

"Eliminating the White Bone True Person should be no problem."

Qin Ming nodded thoughtfully.

Yet he still held his own thoughts: the White Bone True Person, ten thousand years ago, had swept through Jin Dan cultivators with the Gouyu Jin Guang Mirror, even slaying Nascent Soul experts.

Though ten thousand years had passed, he had become a ghost cultivator and lost the Gouyu Jin Guang Mirror,

his power remained formidable—such an ancient demon would not be easily dealt with.

"Since Lihuo Palace brought a treasure that suppresses ghosts, I hope they succeed."

"I never expected Xuanxi Valley could truly summon Lihuo Palace's aid—perhaps the Taihu ghost plague can finally be quelled."

Three months later.

Within Qin Ming's cave dwelling, a celestial phenomenon of dragon and tiger clashing rose, spreading brilliant auroras that swirled and lingered.

He reached into the pill furnace and summoned forth a crimson pill, its aura glowing in his palm.

"Third-stage high-grade spirit pill—the Imperial Ultimate Pill—achieved!"

Qin Ming sealed the spirit pill into a jade vial and, leveraging this success, immediately began refining more without pause.

After consuming all the Green-Faced Poisonous Jiao 's flesh and blood, he refined a total of over twenty Imperial Ultimate Pills.

"Even within the Great Jin Imperial Dynasty's Nascent Soul sects, these pills require vast merit points to exchange for—and even then, they're not guaranteed."

"They are the ultimate treasure sought by Jin Dan cultivators specializing in body refinement."

The successful refinement of the Imperial Ultimate Pill meant Qin Ming had officially entered the realm of Grand Master of High-Grade Pill Refining.

Pill masters of this realm were likely fewer than a handful even in the Great Jin Imperial Dynasty.

Yet Qin Ming had no intention of publicizing this—he only wished to live quietly.

Afterwards,

Qin Ming swallowed an Imperial Ultimate Pill and resumed cultivating the "Heavenly Demon Body Refinement Strategy," steadily advancing his body refinement cultivation.

Three more days passed.

On this day, as Qin Ming was tending his spirit fields, Wu Jiang arrived, drenched in sweat.

"Island Master, urgent news has arrived from Jingxue Pavilion—and a letter for you."

But as he spoke, he hesitated, stumbling over his words.

Qin Ming set down his spirit hoe. "Just say it."

"Master Gu of Jingxue Pavilion returned to Canghai Xiancheng several days ago—but he was severely wounded and now lies unconscious, his life hanging in the balance."

It is said that the True Person of Canghai himself examined it and was at a loss.

"Huh?!"

Qin Ming, upon hearing this news, could not help but frown.

"Master Huangfu of Jingxue Pavilion has asked me to deliver a message, requesting that you go and take a look."

"Alright, I understand. Go about your business."

Then, Qin Ming released his spiritual sense to read the jade slip message.

(End of Chapter)