Chapter 45: Space-Time Leaf!

He returned to the Cool Cottage.

Qin Ming shut the door and his heart surged with excitement.

He never expected the Great Completion-level Blood Burning Blade Art to be so overwhelmingly powerful!

Qin Ming now had a clear understanding of his own strength.

His mindset had also undergone some transformation.

He was no longer afraid of late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators; except for a few exceptionally strong late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, he could easily protect himself.

Finally, he no longer had to live in constant fear like at the beginning, when he was only at Qi Refinement Stage Two and utterly weak.

His decision to pursue Body Refinement had been quite wise.

Qin Ming walked into the meditation chamber.

He took out all four of their storage bags.

Immediately, a dazzling array of artifacts, spirit stones, talismans, and pills scattered across the floor.

Qin Ming counted his haul.

The richest was clearly Chen Ziang—he must have been used to seizing things by force, as his storage bag contained not only that superior-grade golden greatsword artifact, but many other valuable items.

Two mid-grade artifacts, a vial of Gathering Spirit Pills, several low-grade pills, and two superior-grade attack talismans.

Most striking was the ten mid-grade spirit stones inside, plus over two thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Simply from Chen Ziang alone, he had over three thousand spirit stones—no wonder he was a wealthy scion, dripping with wealth.

Qin Ming then checked the other three storage bags; their combined spirit stones amounted to less than half of Chen Ziang's.

Altogether, just over one thousand two hundred.

The rest were various spells, cultivation techniques, pills, and the like.

Qin Ming happily collected everything into his own storage bag.

His previously flat spirit stone pouch instantly swelled—counting the ten mid-grade spirit stones, it now held a full four thousand three hundred!

Four kills in one go—his fortunes soared.

Of course, the two Mo Yan Cao and seven-leaf Huang Ling he had accelerated in his spirit field were also extremely valuable.

But he planned to keep the two spirit plants for now, to use when refining superior-grade spirit pills.

After tidying up these items.

Qin Ming's gaze fixed on the three blood droplets formed after the Thorn Spell had been cast.

He furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment.

This stuff could only be fed to the withered blood poison vine.

Qin Ming picked up the blood droplets and went out to the courtyard.

He tossed them toward the withered blood poison vine in the corner.

The moment the blood droplets hit the ground, the black vines surged forward like sharks scenting blood, ravenously devouring them.

Moments later.

The withered blood poison vine slowly began to undergo an incredible transformation! First, its vines grew slightly taller and thicker.

Second, cracks appeared along its surface, and three new purple, alluring flower buds bloomed on the main stem.

Immediately, a golden term appeared in Qin Ming's vision: 【Name】 Withered Blood Poison Vine 【Term】: Space-Time Leaf x5 (Maturity 1%)

【Space-Time Leaf】: When used, it can rapidly mature a high-grade spirit plant to a hundred-year age; this effect is stackable!

"Holy shit! It evolved! The mature term's upgraded version!"

"Hahaha!"

"Chen, you died a worthy death!"

Qin Ming stared at the term, his emotions surging with excitement.

What did a hundred-year spirit plant mean? In the Immortal Realm, the moment one appeared, it would be fought over to the last drop—such precious materials were almost always controlled by major sects and powerful factions.

For example, one of the three main ingredients for refining Foundation Establishment Pills, Jade Marrow Fungus, required over three hundred years of potency to form a successful pill.

And such three-hundred-year-old Jade Marrow Fungus could not be artificially cultivated—it grew only in a few secret realms jointly controlled by sects and powers.

Since major sects monopolized this main ingredient, even if a cultivator outside the sects possessed the Foundation Establishment Pill formula, he could never refine the pill.

Of course, besides these three main ingredients, over thirty other auxiliary spirit herbs were needed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, each one exceedingly rare.

But their potency requirements weren't as strict.

Qin Ming suppressed his excitement.

"This withered blood poison vine must be extraordinary—it's even generated the 【Space-Time Leaf】 term, something so heavenly."

"But to fully mature these two purple flowers, I'll likely need at least five 【Mature】 terms."

"Right now, I only have two 【Mature】 terms left in my mind sea—I'll have to see if the next season of Golden Spirit Rice delivers."

Qin Ming stared at the withered blood poison vine before him, feeling it grow ever more mysterious.

It could absorb a cultivator's essence and soul to nourish itself and grow rapidly.

Its growth speed was even approaching that of the 【Mature】 term.

"Will I have to collect others' essence and souls to feed this spirit plant?" Qin Ming unconsciously formed this bizarre thought.

He immediately shook his head.

He discarded the idea. Then,

he cast the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique upon the withered blood poison vine.

He returned to the room.

Qin Ming took out a jade talisman from his storage bag, inscribed with the seal character "Zhuang."

He stared at the talisman, his brow slightly furrowed.

According to Chen Ziang, to advance to second-rank Spirit Planter, one must enter the plant illusion realm to complete the trial.

And these crucial recommendation slots are entirely controlled by the sect's elders.

Sigh, I wonder if just carrying this jade token will let me attend Elder Zhuang's public lecture.

Qin Ming immediately extended his spiritual sense to examine the jade token.

Long silence.

Qin Ming withdrew his spiritual sense from the jade token.

A strange expression appeared on his face.

Inside the jade token was a message left by Elder Zhuang Xiran, forged with his Foundation Establishment spiritual power.

It roughly said that he would give a public Spirit Planting lecture within the Spirit Feather Sect in half a month.

Any cultivator holding this jade token, regardless of origin, may enter and attend—only the token matters, not the person.

Those who obtain this token are destined.

"What a 'destined' one!"

"I love this kind of personality!"

Qin Ming smiled, relieved—he had been worried that bringing this jade token to the lecture might expose him.

If the jade tokens were randomly distributed, it wouldn't matter.

"If so, in half a month, I'll go see for myself what a high-rank Spirit Planter of the Spirit Feather Sect is like."

…

The sun sank low.

Qin Ming boiled and ate a pot of Supreme Blood Locust Rice, then began practicing the Hundred Treasures Glass Sutra.

Three hours later.

Qin Ming finished his cultivation, silently pondering for a moment.

He sank his mind into stillness, preparing to expend 【Abundant Soul Power】 ×5 to further enhance his soul force.

Recall that last time, expending ten faint soul forces had increased his soul force by more than double.

This time, it was the stronger 【Abundant Soul Power】.

Qin Ming activated his will and expended one term-leaf.

Boom! Qin Ming's vision went black; he nearly fainted.

The soul force within his mind erupted violently!

He felt a power surging rapidly within his very soul, agony and tearing pain flooding his mind.

Crack! A sound like shattering glass echoed from deep within his mind.

Then.

Qin Ming's eyes widened, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Huhuh~

His chest rose and fell heavily as he gasped for breath.

Qin Ming clearly felt his soul force had surged upward dramatically.

Next,

he repeated the process, expending the remaining four 【Abundant Soul Power】 term-leaves.

Deep night.

After using all five 【Abundant Soul Power】 term-leaves,

Qin Ming's soul force reached an unprecedented height.

Compared to before, it had grown five to six times stronger.

Even his spiritual sense had been strengthened to an unbelievable degree.

Qin Ming's current spiritual sense strength now rivaled that of a Qi Condensation realm cultivator at the peak—just one step away from transforming into the Divine Perception unique to Foundation Establishment.

"Elder Zhuang's lecture won't begin for another half month."

"What if…"

"I wait until I complete the ten-day mastery of the Blood Burning Knife Art?"

"Then go see Su Yuqing and try refining a mid-grade Spirit Pill?"

Qin Ming sat quietly on his cushion, murmuring to himself.

…

(End of Chapter)