Chapter 443: Advancement

Two years later.

Within the Small Xiao Lingjing, thanks to Qin Ming's years of planting and management, the landscape was now vibrant with life and lush with greenery.

A hundred flowers bloomed together, competing in splendor.

Rare spiritual plants, seldom seen in the outside world, were scattered everywhere, resembling an immortal herb garden and possessing the layout of a blessed grotto-heaven.

He had again smashed over ten thousand high-grade spirit stones to feed the Spirit Marrow Tai Sui, raising the spirit vein within the Small Xiao Lingjing to the fourth-rank middle-grade level.

Compared to when he first obtained this blessed land, the changes were earth-shattering.

Especially that 'Seven Wonders Treasure Tree' with fifth-rank potential; using the attributes refreshed over these past few years, Qin Ming had further accelerated its growth, bringing it to a height of three inches where it radiated a shimmering treasure light.

Among all the spiritual plants, aside from his innate spiritual plant, none were as miraculous as this one.

With a casual finger point into the air, Qin Ming cast the Great Five Elements Spiritual Rain Technique, regularly irrigating the spiritual crops in the spirit fields with falling rain.

Now, cast with his Nascent Soul cultivation, the Great Five Elements Technique could completely cover the entire Small Xiao Lingjing.

It could be said that with a wave of his hand he turned clouds and summoned rain; if ordinary mortals witnessed it, they would mistake it for an immortal distributing clouds and rain.

The Shi Tian Shu was busy in the herb fields, helping Qin Ming clear weeds, catch pests, drive away harms, and tend to the spiritual plants.

It was extremely diligent.

Before the spiritual rain could fall within three inches of its body, it was blocked by a surge of demonic power, unable to touch it.

Over these years, while tending the spirit fields, the Shi Tian Shu had also painstakingly studied and cultivated, refining its third-rank perfect cultivation to an extremely harmonious state.

Once fully prepared, it would be able to take the final step and become a true shape-shifting great demon.

Most of the precious flesh from that fourth-rank Blood-Scaled Demon Python had gone into the bellies of these three spiritual beasts, transforming into resources for cultivation.

Such treatment was something even the demonic beasts in the Beast Cry Mountain Range, fighting to the death, could never enjoy.

Qin Ming had also attempted to transmit the demonic clan's 'Heavenly Demon Form Refining Strategy' to the Shi Tian Shu for cultivation.

Regrettably, even though the Shi Tian Shu desperately gorged itself and frantically supplemented its qi and blood with spiritual materials, it could never enter the door of this technique.

This truly made the Shi Tian Shu quite depressed: "Sigh! The demonic clan's sacred canon is simply too difficult."

Within the spirit fields.

The innate spiritual plant, Yang Xuanteng, grew vigorously; between its branches, clouds and mist swirled and obscured, as if hiding endless years and universe.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz~ Teams of Yin Yi Shuangfeng busily worked; under the influence of Yang Xuanteng, after experiencing more than two hundred years of time, they had all mutated and advanced into third-rank low-grade spiritual insects.

They simply stopped growing in size, all becoming silver bees, with faint golden spiritual patterns flickering on their bodies.

Qin Ming had searched through various spiritual insect classics but could find no record of similar spiritual insects.

Ever since he moved this colony of ordinary bees onto his innate spiritual plant, he had hardly paid them any attention.

At most, he had cultivated the queen bee, the 'Silver-Winged Frost Bee,' never expecting that one day, under the influence of Xuanteng, these ordinary bees would change so drastically, undergoing constant metamorphosis.

Furthermore, upon careful observation, he believed this colony of spiritual bees was far from reaching its limit and was merely in its juvenile stage.

As the innate spiritual plant Yang Xuanteng continued to grow, they would continue to advance.

The Silver-Winged Frost Bee was also just one step away from advancing to the third-rank perfect stage.

The Shi Tian Shu and the Profound Water Crocodile, these two beasts, would occasionally beg the queen bee for spiritual honey to eat and drink, living lives that could not be more comfortable.

After finishing the spiritual rain, Qin Ming approached Yang Xuanteng.

During these two years, he had periodically used the Four Seasons Divine Light to accelerate the fermentation and settling of the spiritual wine, and now the timing was ripe.

He retrieved a jar of 'Lingxi Jade Liquid' from beneath the tree.

"According to the 'Wine Immortal Divine Formula,' this Lingxi Jade Liquid is so precious that even if offered to immortals, they would not trade for it; it can be called true nectar and immortal brew."

"Rarely heard of in the mortal world."

"It is even several times better than Nascent Soul pills, capable of increasing and strengthening one's Nascent Soul magic power cultivation."

"Having spent so much time, and using the special demon core of a fourth-rank Nether-Water Great Snake as the main ingredient ground into fine powder, supplemented with Red Sun Deer Antler, top-grade Queen Bee Spiritual Pulp, and dozens of precious spiritual materials, only then was this wine brewed."

"Something worthy of being called nectar and jade liquid should, I imagine, not disappoint me too much."

Qin Ming hugged the wine jar, paced to the lakeside, and took out a set of exquisite wine vessels, extremely particular.

"Fine wine naturally requires fine cups."

"I didn't expect the Old Fiend of Western You to also have this taste, actually collecting so many wine vessels."

These glass cups and vessels were all scavenged from Qin Zhenjun's storage bag.

Upon hearing the commotion, the Shi Tian Shu had long since sniffed its way over, trotting all the way to Qin Ming's front, putting on a smiling face to ask: "Ehehe! Master, is this the Lingxi Jade Liquid you've always talked about?"

However, Qin Ming's next words poured a basin of cold water over its head.

"It is indeed this jade brew, but don't even think about it right now; Lingxi Jade Liquid is a fourth-rank spiritual wine, its medicinal power even more domineering than that demon python meat, specifically used to increase Nascent Soul magic power."

"With your current cultivation, forcibly drinking this wine would likely produce the opposite effect; the spiritual energy would burst your meridians."

"You should go down and work hard at cultivation; wait until you break through to the fourth-rank Demon Saint before we talk about it; anyway, there are still over ten jars of spiritual wine left."

"I'll first savor a bit for you, hehe!"

Seeing its anxious appearance, Qin Ming found it quite amusing and patted its shoulder to comfort it.

The Shi Tian Shu's expression collapsed in great disappointment, but then it immediately said: "Then let me pour the wine for you, Master; if I can't drink it, surely smelling the aroma is allowed?"

Qin Ming smiled faintly and said to it: "Fill my cup!"

The Shi Tian Shu immediately climbed onto the stone table and lifted the seal cover.

Hum~ A golden-yellow misty light diffused from within the wine jar; the immortal brew, like jade liquid and golden waves, emitted an alluring fragrance.

Astonishing spiritual energy overflowed and spread everywhere.

Glug glug glug~ The Shi Tian Shu swallowed saliva wildly; clearly holding the nectar and jade liquid in its arms yet unable to drink it, it felt truly unbearable, scratching at its heart and clawing at its liver.

It hugged the wine jar and carefully poured the spiritual wine into the glass jade goblet before Qin Ming.

"Master, please taste the spiritual wine, hehe."

"Mm." Qin Ming lifted the glass goblet, looking serene and self-assured, quite satisfied with the Shi Tian Shu's attitude of service.

Shortly after.

Boom! The spiritual wine entered his throat, transforming into an extremely pure and hot current of spiritual power that surged through his four limbs and hundred bones, releasing itself within Qin Ming's body.

He felt as if he were immersed in a hot spring, surrounded by rising mist and vapor, with flavors changing in countless ways, beyond description.

"Just after drinking the Lingxi Jade Liquid, the turbid qi throughout my body was cleansed away; it truly deserves to be called a spiritual brew from an immortal abode."

The Nascent Soul sitting cross-legged above Qin Ming's Purple Palace was also greatly invigorated in spirit, awakening from its meditative state on the spiritual platform.

The Nascent Soul revealed an expression of excitement, opened its mouth and inhaled, absorbing all the medicinal potency within the spiritual liquid in an instant.

Qin Ming immediately felt the magic power of the Nascent Soul within his body begin to grow steadily.

Inside the Blood Pagoda spiritual treasure.

"Sigh! I can't watch this anymore, I can't watch this anymore!" Yan Laomo, watching Qin Ming taste the spiritual wine and immortal brew while drooling, pounded his chest and stamped his feet as he sighed. To think, he too had once been deeply versed in such matters.

Thus, after drinking the Lingxi Jade Liquid, Qin Ming began to circulate the "Green Emperor Art" to cultivate.

Vast amounts of spiritual qi rushed into his body strand by strand, jostling to be first.

Even with Qin Ming's current constitution, after consecutively drinking half a jar of the spiritual wine, he began to feel intoxicated.

He then instructed Shi Tian Shu to store the spiritual wine properly and began a closed-door cultivation session to refine and assimilate its medicinal potency.

Several months later.

Qin Ming awakened from his cultivation, emitting an aura of ancient wood and vicissitudes from his entire body.

Beside him, three spiritual pets still lay prone, cultivating alongside him.

"The Lingxi Jade Liquid truly lives up to its reputation!"

Sensing the Nascent Soul's magic power within his body continuously becoming more refined and powerful, a trace of excitement appeared in Qin Ming's eyes.

It was unknown how many times faster this was compared to his usual cultivation.

During this period, he also consumed and refined the Qingxu Pill that Long Mu Zhenjun had gifted him.

His cultivation base increased yet another notch.

"If I continue cultivating at this speed, reaching the mid-Nascent Soul stage is merely a matter of time."

"This Lingxi Jade Liquid is even effective for cultivators at the mid-Nascent Soul stage; no wonder those old monsters outside would fight to the death over it?"

"I fear it won't even take a hundred years before my cultivation advances another step, reaching the mid-Nascent Soul stage."

The Nascent Soul on Qin Ming's Purple Palace spiritual platform also became several degrees more condensed and substantial.

Once one reaches the Nascent Soul stage, lifespan is immense; it is very normal to be stuck at the early Nascent Soul stage for hundreds of years without making any progress.

The closed-door cultivation session ended.

Qin Ming exited the Small Xiao Lingjing and contacted Hua Tianxiong via the black talisman.

"Hua Tianxiong, how have matters been handled on your end?"

"Prepare to leave Great Jin and head to the East Sea."

Upon hearing this, Hua Tianxiong said, "Master, you have exited seclusion?"

"Matters on my end are all settled."

For the past two years, Qin Ming had been gathering intelligence on the Descending Realm within Great Jin; fortunately, likely influenced by the fall of Qishang Mojun, the Blood Refining Sect's offensive had weakened considerably.

More than ten of the void anomalies distributed across various regions had also been cleared by the Dao-Upholding Alliance, allowing them to catch their breath.

For this journey, Qin Ming did not disguise himself but appeared in his true form.

After all, since he intended to gather heavenly treasures and earthly materials of the Nascent Soul stage, he would mostly be dealing with fellow Nascent Soul cultivators.

Sitting atop the Lingxiao Imperial Palanquin, Hua Tianxiong gazed at the scenery rapidly receding below, wearing an expression of deep emotion.

He never expected that one day he would leave Great Jin, where he had worked hard to build his foundations for more than half his life.

The Thousand Mechanisms Merchant House under Hua Tianxiong had also been relocated to the Southern Wilderness, and those who needed to be dismissed had been dismissed.

The Lingxiao Imperial Palanquin traveled at great speed; after five days of flight, Qin Ming and the other arrived at the Black Sea region.

Immediately afterward, they reached Little Guidao, which fell under the jurisdiction of the East Sea Immortal Realm.

The journey from the Black Sea to the East Sea Immortal Realm was incredibly long; although Qin Ming, with his Nascent Soul stage cultivation, could cross it directly, being unfamiliar with the people and terrain, he could easily get lost even with a sea chart for guidance.

Qin Ming suddenly thought of someone and planned to take that person's ship to the East Sea Immortal Realm.

That person was Shi Jin of the Black Sail Pirate Group.

This man had spent years making a living on the seas, so he naturally knew all sorts of strange tales and events regarding the East Sea Immortal Realm inside out.

With him guiding the way, they could avoid many detours.

It was also Hua Tianxiong's first time arriving at such a distant sea region; standing on the barren Little Guidao, he looked around in all directions.

The next moment.

Qin Ming took out a black spiritual conch, spoke a few words into it, and then struck a spell seal.

A strange spiritual light emitted from the spiritual conch and vanished into the horizon in an instant.

Immediately after.

The two waited on Little Guidao for several days.

During this period, no other cultivators came to this desolate, uninhabited island to board a ship.

Only the two of them were present, showing just how sparsely populated this place was.

Before long, a black dot gradually appeared in their line of sight, and the silhouette of the Black Sail gradually emerged on the horizon.

On board the Black Sail.

The pirate chief Shi Jin stood at the bow, exuding a rough, bandit-like aura, frowning as he gazed at Little Guidao from afar.

Standing beside him was his son, Shi Tianming, who looked like a thin monkey.

Shi Tianming squatted at the bow, wearing a straw hat on his head, and turned to ask Shi Jin, "Old dad, why are there only two people?"

"Didn't you say the message was sent by that senior who once took our ship to the Southern Wilderness and saved our lives?"

A look of puzzlement appeared on Shi Jin's face as he pondered and said, "Hmm, I don't know; let's go over and take a look first. Tell your crew to perk up." Shi Jin tapped his pipe stem against the bow.

"Got it!"

Half an incense stick later.

The Black Sail slowly docked at the shore of Little Guidao.

Shi Jin leaped down onto the island.

He saw that one of the cultivators, a Bai Pang man with a large belly, actually possessed a cultivation level at the mid-stage of the Jin Dan.

This immediately sent a chill through his heart, making him secretly wary.

Then he shifted his gaze to the young cultivator standing beside him, who looked ordinary, yet this person did not emit even a trace of magic power aura; at first glance, he seemed just like a mortal.

Yet the feeling he gave off carried an inexplicable sense of heart-throbbing dread.

Moreover, in the demeanor and attitude of that Bai Pang cultivator, there was a subtle hint that he took his cues solely from the young cultivator.

Seeing this situation, even he, a sea bandit who had roamed the oceans for many years, displayed an expression of shock and uncertainty.

He immediately stepped forward, bowed to the two of them, and lowered his stance to ask, "May I ask what relationship you two have with Senior Lu? And why did you use the Myriad Spirit Conch I gave him to summon me here?"

(End of Chapter)