Chapter 458: Meeting an Old Friend in a Foreign Land [Thanks to Daoist Friend

Qin Ming immediately walked over.

A smile spread across his face as he greeted the youth in the green robe: "Fellow Daoist Cold Crow, you've arrived as well!"

Hearing that exceedingly familiar voice, the youth in the green robe standing before the market stall, with his back to Qin Ming, suddenly trembled! Without a word, he hastily set down the goods in his hands, pretended to have heard nothing, and prepared to slip away.

"Fellow Daoist Cold Crow, no need to rush off?"

"More than a decade has passed; it was not easy to meet again this time, so we must surely catch up on old times!"

Qin Ming's figure blurred for a moment; when he reappeared, he had already blocked the green-robed youth's path.

Elder Cold Crow looked at Qin Ming, awkwardly squeezing out a faint smile. "Oh! So it is Fellow Daoist Qin! What a coincidence!"

"I initially thought I had misheard; truly, I was most rude."

"No harm done; meeting an old friend in a foreign land is a joy. I wonder when Fellow Daoist Cold Crow arrived?" Qin Ming asked with a smile.

Elder Cold Crow replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes: "I only just arrived shortly ago; I didn't expect to run into Fellow Daoist Qin the moment I got here."

"Since a planned invitation is not as good as a chance encounter, why not stroll around together? Qin Mou will treat, and we can find a place for a small drink as well," Qin Ming proposed immediately.

Elder Cold Crow was his lucky star, so naturally, they needed to communicate thoroughly.

Perhaps the item he had struggled so hard to find could be obtained right from the other party's hands.

During the last Nascent Soul Grand Ceremony, even such a rare treasure as the Void Divine Stone had been given as a congratulatory gift.

The gift was truly heavy, and the sentiment even heavier, making him feel quite uneasy about it.

"Th-then alright, hehe," Elder Cold Crow agreed somewhat dejectedly.

Subsequently, the two began strolling and browsing together.

Truth be told, with Qin Ming following behind Elder Cold Crow, they consecutively acquired several rare spiritual materials.

All were spiritual herbs and plants that could be used to refine fourth-tier pills.

By then, he could grind attribute strips while refining pills to advance his cultivation, achieving both goals at once.

After browsing enough, Qin Ming and Elder Cold Crow ascended to a restaurant.

A Merfolk waiter in the shop, draped with a white towel, hurried over with a beaming face to greet them: "Two seniors, what would you like to order?"

"The dishes and wine of our Bao Yue Pavilion are famous throughout the East Sea; we have every delicacy from immortal estates available!"

Elder Cold Crow, looking composed and unhurried, took the menu, scanned ten lines at a glance, casually ordered a few dishes, and then added:

"Also, serve this seat two pots of your best spiritual wine."

He reasoned that since Qin Ming was treating, it would be a waste not to drink, so he might as well order all the most expensive items.

"Right away!" The waiter's eyebrows danced with joy as he happily agreed.

"Our establishment's Hundred Spirits Brew is a third-tier spiritual wine; it can slightly aid Jin Dan cultivation and possesses various effects for unblocking meridians. Would two seniors like some?"

"However, the price is somewhat steep, at one hundred and fifty medium-grade spiritual stones per pot..."

"Mm, since Fellow Daoist Qin is treating today, we will have this Hundred Spirits Brew; bring it up quickly," Elder Cold Crow said without even lifting his head.

Upon hearing this, the waiter was delighted once more.

It seemed these two customers were big spenders; the cost of this single meal could cover several tables downstairs.

But just as he was about to go downstairs to prepare, Qin Ming called out to stop him.

"Hold on, there is no need to serve the spiritual wine; just bring up the other dishes as ordered."

The waiter could only respond with an embarrassed smile before going down to prepare the order.

Before long, a table full of delicacies from immortal estates was carried upstairs.

Qin Ming waved away the services of the waiter and attendants: "That's enough; no one is to disturb us in this private room."

Only the two of them remained inside the private room.

Elder Cold Crow did not understand Qin Ming's maneuver, thinking secretly: Could it be that he is reluctant to spend even a few hundred spiritual stones?

"Could it be that Fellow Daoist Qin intends to treat this seat to your treasured Demon Flame Wine? That flavor is truly the most unforgettable spiritual wine and fine brew I have ever tasted in my life."

"That would be too embarrassing, hehe!"

Yet, seeing Qin Ming raise his hand to set up a barrier within the room, he then took a set of glazed jade cups from his storage bag, placed them on the table, and subsequently produced a pot of spiritual wine, saying with a smiling expression:

"Ordinary spiritual wine no longer appeals to Qin Mou, and Demon Flame Wine has long become outdated."

"Fellow Daoist Cold Crow, the wine Qin Mou wishes to treat you to today is my newly brewed 'Lingxi Jade Liquid'; it is a fourth-tier spiritual wine, and drinking it can even increase one's Nascent Soul stage magic power."

"Its main brewing ingredient is the fourth-tier demon core of that Nether Water Great Serpent, ground into fine powder, supplemented with other rare spiritual materials, and carefully aged and brewed over a great deal of time and effort."

"As for its taste, Qin Mou dare not claim it is unparalleled in the mortal world, but I believe it is worthy of ranking among the top three."

"If it were not for Fellow Daoist Cold Crow, Qin Mou would absolutely not be willing to take it out to share with anyone else."

"Ah? A Nascent Soul-level spiritual wine? Lingxi Jade Liquid?" Elder Cold Crow instantly froze in shock.

Even the chopsticks in his hand couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Immediately after, Qin Ming poured the spiritual wine from the pot for himself; waves of golden liquid slowly flowed out, instantly releasing an immersive fragrance of immortal brew that filled the air.

Astonishing spiritual energy emanated from the spiritual wine, shrouded in a faint layer of golden mist, appearing extremely miraculous.

Merely looking at it caused Elder Cold Crow's spirit to surge greatly.

He felt both shocked and secretly overjoyed.

As an old monster who had lived for so many years, Elder Cold Crow knew that if Qin Ming was willing to produce such an immortal brew, he must be seeking something.

Unsolicited kindness usually means mischief or theft~ Thus, smelling the aroma of the spiritual wine, he swallowed hard, then asked suspiciously: "Fellow Daoist Qin, do you have matters to discuss? You might as well speak directly; why incur such expense, hehehe!"

"Fellow Daoist Cold Crow, you are overthinking it; Qin Mou felt an instant kinship with you upon our first meeting, so can I not treat you to a drink?" Qin Ming said with a smiling expression.

"Come, Qin Mou toasts to you."

Having said this, Qin Ming raised the glazed cup in his hand.

"Then I shall not refuse your kind command; thank you for Fellow Daoist Qin's hospitality." Facing the temptation of Nascent Soul wine, Elder Cold Crow truly could not hold back; he simply toasted Qin Ming in return, then revealed a smile, took a deep sniff, and drained the cup in one gulp.

As the Lingxi Jade Liquid entered his throat, various flavors surged into his heart.

In an instant! Elder Cold Crow's eyes widened, revealing an expression of utter disbelief.

Immediately afterward, he felt as if floating among immortals, an aftertaste that was endless.

And most importantly, he could clearly feel that the Nascent Soul magic power within his body, which had shown no movement for decades, had suddenly displayed a slight sign of loosening! "Excellent wine!"

Elder Cold Crow's eyes shone with brilliant light as he praised simply and crudely.

"I never expected that besides cultivating spiritual plants, Fellow Daoist Qin is also deeply versed in the art of brewing; this one is truly immensely impressed."

"Such immortal brew is rarely heard of in this world~ truly nectar and jade liquid!"

"I am willing to declare this Lingxi Jade Liquid the number one spiritual wine in the human realm, with no second to it."

"Originally, this one thought Fellow Daoist Qin's previous words were somewhat exaggerated, but who would have thought you were being far too modest."

After drinking a cup of spiritual wine, Elder Cold Crow's gaze could no longer shift away from the wine pot in Qin Ming's hand. "Then have another cup," Qin Ming said with a faint smile.

Amidst the clinking of cups and crossing of chopsticks.

More than half a day passed. "Fellow Daoist Cold Crow... don't just drink wine, eat some dishes."

"Oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, yes, eat dishes, eat dishes."

After finishing a pot of Lingxi Jade Liquid, Elder Cold Crow's face was flushed, wishing he could leave immediately to refine this surging medicinal power.

But how could he have expected that after drinking, this fellow Qin Ming showed no redness in his face or racing in his heart, acting as if nothing had happened.

However, after this bout of tasting, more than half of Elder Cold Crow's soul had already been lured away by Qin Ming's spiritual wine.

Immediately, he asked with great eagerness: "Fellow Daoist Qin, do you have any surplus of this Lingxi Jade Liquid?"

"Could you trade some to me, hehehe!"

Qin Ming knew this old fellow had many good treasures in his vault; wasn't this exactly the sentence he had been waiting for? He smiled slightly, then set down the glazed cup and said: "Naturally, there is still some, but as Fellow Daoist Cold Crow knows, the main ingredients for this wine are too rare."

"This one naturally knows that; please tell me what items Fellow Daoist Qin requires," Elder Cold Crow said through gritted teeth.

He had already made up his mind; even if he had to bleed heavily today, he must get his hands on such immortal brew no matter what.

Qin Ming immediately asked: "Does Fellow Daoist Cold Crow possess any Azure Sky Spiritual Soil?"

"Azure Sky Spiritual Soil? Fellow Daoist Qin must intend to use this spiritual soil to cultivate fourth-tier spiritual plants, yes?" Upon hearing what Qin Ming needed, Elder Cold Crow couldn't help but pause in surprise.

Then a mysterious smile appeared on his face; he immediately took a purple-skinned gourd from his storage bag and handed it to Qin Ming, saying proudly: "I dare guarantee that such a rare fourth-tier mid-grade spiritual object as Azure Sky Spiritual Soil definitely cannot be found anywhere else."

"But coincidentally, this one has some here; originally, I planned to exchange it with other fellow daoists for items that enhance magic power at this Immortal Mansion Grand Meeting."

"I never expected that Fellow Daoist Qin would possess such spiritual wine as Lingxi Jade Liquid; naturally, I cannot miss this opportunity..."

"This gourd of Azure Sky Spiritual Soil was passed down by several generations of ancestors of this temple; it is about three square feet in size, which should be sufficient for Fellow Daoist Qin to cultivate spiritual seeds."

Qin Ming took the purple-skinned gourd from the other's hand and was instantly overjoyed.

He had only asked casually, never expecting that Elder Cold Crow actually possessed it.

But in the next moment.

Qin Ming's gaze fell once again upon the purple-skinned gourd in his hand, and his pupils suddenly contracted! He instantly felt that this gourd used to store the spiritual soil seemed to be quite a fine treasure itself.

"Isn't this a Spirit-Nurturing Gourd? Good heavens, actually using it to store mere spiritual soil; this old lad is truly incredibly generous," Yan Laomo transmitted, feeling utterly astonished. Qin Ming showed no emotion on his face and asked secretly: "Old Ghost, do you recognize this object?"

"Correct, this is a fourth-tier top-grade spiritual plant, the Spirit-Nurturing Gourd; a mature spiritual gourd can nurture a wisp of Primordial Yang Purple Qi, making it a main ingredient for refining Ascending Dragon Pills..."

"Hiss! Fourth-tier top-grade Ascending Dragon Pills?" Qin Ming secretly sucked in a cold breath, never expecting this object to have such a significant background.

However, he did not study it further at the moment; after pulling out the stopper, he swept his divine sense inside.

He saw that the space inside the gourd was quite large, quietly holding a pile of green spiritual soil, with wisps of dense spiritual qi circulating and flowing between the soil particles, the spiritual pressure overwhelming.

'It is indeed Azure Sky Spiritual Soil, and in such a large quantity...'

Qin Ming's heart instantly rejoiced; this Elder Cold Crow truly lived up to his name as the Daoist of Many Treasures; even the Penglai Sect did not have this spiritual soil, yet here he had such a huge pile of it.

Originally, he had thought that even after arriving at the Immortal Mansion Grand Meeting, he would need to go through great trouble before he could obtain the spiritual soil.

Who would have thought that on the very first day, it would be settled directly.

In this case, his plan to plant Blood Serpent Green Rice Wine could be moved up on the schedule.

Qin Ming was even wondering whether there was still any need for him to participate in the remainder of the grand meeting.

After all, his primary goal had already been achieved.

"It is indeed unmistakably Azure Sky Spiritual Soil; so how much spiritual wine does Fellow Daoist Cold Crow intend to exchange for it?" Qin Ming re-stoppered the lid and then asked.

Elder Cold Crow hesitated for a moment, then thick-skinnedly stated: "Well... one jar of Lingxi Jade Liquid, what does Fellow Daoist Qin think? Hehe!"

"Good heavens! Elder Cold Crow is truly asking for the moon; clearly, the value of my master's Lingxi Jade Liquid is far superior to your spiritual soil."

"After all, although Azure Sky Spiritual Soil is rare, if one does not know how to utilize it, it is ultimately a lifeless object."

"And setting aside the unparalleled taste of Lingxi Jade Liquid, it is a Nascent Soul spiritual wine capable of enhancing magic power; this single attribute makes it even more precious than those fourth-tier spiritual pills."

"Moreover, you just drank a whole pot for free."

"A full jar of Lingxi Jade Liquid; my master will absolutely not agree to that."

Shi Tian Shu was also anxious; if all this spiritual wine were traded away, what would it drink in the future?

Qin Ming smiled, sharing the same sentiment as Shi Tian Shu.

Upon hearing this, Elder Cold Crow's face turned green.

He secretly cursed: This stinking rat, actually ruining this one's good deed! Yet he could do nothing about it and could only pile on a smile again, saying:

"Hehe! Fellow Daoist Qin's spiritual pet speaks correctly; then let this one compromise a step; half a jar of Lingxi Jade Liquid should be acceptable, yes?"

Qin Ming pondered briefly, then straightforwardly nodded in agreement: "Then let it be as Fellow Daoist Cold Crow says."

Immediately, he took out half a jar of Lingxi Jade Liquid, handed it to the other party, and discreetly stored the purple-skinned gourd away.

The transaction completed, both parties were delighted.

The smile on Elder Cold Crow's face grew even broader, as if he had picked up a huge bargain.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food.

He bid farewell to Qin Ming, then directly opened a room within the restaurant to refine the medicinal power from the spiritual wine he had just consumed.

Two more days passed.

The Immortal Mansion Grand Gathering officially commenced at the center of Dragon Abyss Island.

This grand gathering shook the Eastern Sea Immortal Realm; its scope was vast, covering all major powers of the Eastern Sea and numerous sea races.

By the time Qin Ming and Elder Han Ya arrived at the venue, it was already packed with people; halls everywhere were decked with lanterns and festive decorations, freshly adorned, resembling a misty, ethereal realm of immortal spirits.

At this moment, mighty cultivators from all paths were also riding beams of light, arriving one after another.

Inside the circular plaza, booths belonging to the major powers of the Eastern Sea had long been set up, trading and selling rare treasures from immortal mansions.

Every spiritual object here was beyond comparison with those found outside.

"A third-tier magical treasure, the Demon-Slaying Dagger, forged as an imitation of the spiritual treasure Demon-Slaying Blade; it possesses an extremely potent suppressing effect against the demonic path. Crafted by Grandmaster Liao of the Ancient Sword Sect—fellow Daoists, come take a look!"

"A second-tier late-stage Demon-Hunting Hound bred by the Crystal Palace, specialized in dealing with various ghost-path cultivators and demonic creatures; only three thousand mid-grade spiritual stones."

"Good heavens, the Star Palace has even put up an Infant-Condensing spiritual object for sale."

"Three pills for forming a Jin Dan, produced by the Penglai Sect; sold to the highest bidder."

"The Eastern Sea Dragon Palace's specialty, the Three Yang True Water, offers immense assistance to demonic beasts breaking through to the Shapeshifting realm."

As for Qin Ming and his companion, they were invited into one of the halls.

Inside the vast and magnificent main hall, Nascent Soul stage cultivators had already filled every seat.

A rough glance showed about twenty of them, each exuding an unfathomable aura.

Among them were many Nascent Soul Qin Zhenjun who had traveled from afar, even from other Immortal Realms.

Qin Ming could be considered the sole representative of the Southern Wild Immortal Realm.

Thanks to fellow Daoist Shi Xiao Zi Wa for the donation of 15,000 bi! Thanks to fellow Daoist Handsome Big Huang for the donation of 100 bi! Thanks to fellow Daoist Reader160905010717325 for the donation of 100 bi! Thanks to all fellow Daoists for your strong support with votes! (End of chapter)