Chapter 519: A Massive Uproar

The four seasons changed; winter passed and spring arrived.

Time swiftly slipped by another few months.

Qin Ming devoted himself to cultivation, farming, and researching elixir formulas, his cultivation base steadily growing.

His life plant, the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, thrived under the nourishment of the Earthheart Spiritual Spring.

At the same time, the cultivation progress of the Emperor of Green Emperor's Wood Body also accelerated significantly.

The ten mu of spiritual crops on the Five Elements Mountain had grown to half their full height.

The dozen or so spiritual herbs previously destroyed by the little silver fox were all revived by Qin Ming using the 【Regeneration Spirit Seed】 entry.

Qin Ming gazed into the spiritual field, where the golden characters came into view.

【Name】: Dragon Scale Grass 【Entry】: Magic Power Source X5 (Maturity 56%) 【Name】: Dragon Scale Grass 【Entry】: Blood Qi Source X5 (Maturity 58%) 【Name】: Dragon Scale Grass 【Entry】: Quality Enhancement X5 (Maturity 57%) 【Name】: Star Mist Flower 【Entry】: Magic Power Source X5 (Maturity 55%) 【Name】: Star Mist Flower 【Entry】: Blood Qi Source X5 (Maturity 58%) 【Name】: Star Mist Flower 【Entry】: Leaf of Time and Space X5 (Maturity 59%) In another year, the spiritual crops in this field will be ready for harvest.

Meanwhile.

Aside from Qin Ming's ten mu of spiritual fields and the second-grade Spirit Resting Rice planted by Li Lan,

all the spiritual rice and herbs cultivated by the other dozen or so spiritual farmers had been harvested.

Jia Heyi arrived before Qin Ming with the first-quarter harvest statistics.

"Manager Lu, here is the harvest report from the outer hundred mu of spiritual fields. Please review."

"Fang Tooth Rice: fifty mu, total harvest fifty-six shi of spiritual rice."

"Jade Crystal Rice: twenty-five mu, total harvest fifteen shi of spiritual rice."

"The remaining thirty-five mu of fields yielded several second-grade spiritual herbs."

"After a year of cultivation and learning, four of the spiritual farmers have successfully advanced to second-grade low-grade spiritual cultivators; this year they may attempt planting more second-grade spiritual rice."

Jia Heyi had never expected that, in this first year of attempting to reclaim and farm the land, the harvest would be so abundant—far exceeding everyone's expectations.

The profits from just these hundred-plus mu of outer fields surpassed the total earnings he had made over many years running his shop in the Spirit Xu Marketplace.

Of course, this was thanks to "Manager Lu's" daily guidance to the spiritual farmers.

Otherwise, even with high-grade spiritual fields, crop yields could never have reached such heights.

"Hmm, not bad," Qin Ming said, flipping through the ledger he submitted, calm and composed.

Jia Heyi asked, "How would you like these spiritual rice handled?"

"And how much should we send back to headquarters?"

"Sell all the spiritual rice. Send half the spirit stones back to headquarters," Qin Ming said coolly.

The spirit stones used to purchase the fields were Qin Ming's own; naturally, he must gradually recoup them.

"Yes!" Jia Heyi bowed respectfully and withdrew after his report.

Under Qin Ming's tutelage, Li Lan's spiritual cultivation skills had made rapid progress, showing great potential to break through to third-grade spiritual master.

He planned to entrust Li Lan with the task of planting third-grade spiritual rice in the future, maximizing the value of this field.

Moreover, as Mirror Snow Pavilion's spiritual rice began selling externally, previously skeptical factions gradually changed their views.

Fang Tooth Rice and Jade Crystal Rice became extremely popular in the Spirit Xu Marketplace, with demand far outstripping supply.

Within the Ten Thousand Paths Trading Alliance.

Jin Han, the Elder, looked at the intelligence submitted by his subordinates and said with mild surprise: "I never expected Manager Lu to be a third-grade spiritual master. He's hidden himself well! No wonder he had the audacity to take on this territory."

He spoke, his eyes flickering, then ordered his subordinates: "Carry my command—initiate contact with Mirror Snow Pavilion."

"Yes!"

…

Several days later.

Qin Ming was tending to his spiritual fields when he suddenly received a message from Hua Tianxiong, saying he had urgent news to report in person.

He put down his farming tools and went to the agreed location to meet Hua Tianxiong privately.

In a secluded cave within a remote mountain range in the Southern Region: "Master!" Hua Tianxiong, belly bulging, bowed with a smile.

Qin Ming waved his hand. "Skip the formalities. Just speak."

Hua Tianxiong hurriedly said: "According to reliable intelligence, a fourth-grade transformed great demon has emerged in the Beast Roar Mountains."

"It is said to be of the fox clan—upon breakthrough, it went on a killing spree, annihilating several powerful demon clans with ruthless brutality."

"With such a major upheaval in the Beast Roar Mountains, no one knows whether the situation will spiral out of control—even the Nascent Soul ancestors of Li Huo Palace and Divine Path Mountain have been stirred."

"The upper echelons fear that if a demon saint-level beast invades Da Jin at this critical juncture, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"The two factions' leadership has reached consensus and is now discussing how to respond."

"Master, your spiritual fields lie near the Beast Roar Mountains—exercise caution."

Qin Ming nodded and replied coolly: "Understood. Do you have anything else?"

Hua Tianxiong was taken aback—Qin Ming showed no great reaction upon hearing this news.

This top-tier cultivation world intelligence had cost his Qianji Trading House considerable effort and cost to obtain.

At present, it was exclusive information, known only to a select few in power.

Hua Tianxiong had assumed Qin Ming would be utterly shocked upon hearing it. He had not expected the man to remain utterly calm, showing not even a flicker of surprise.

Hua Tianxiong chuckled awkwardly, then pulled out several spirit seeds and materials and handed them to Qin Ming: "Heh! Nothing else for now."

"These are the two third-grade spirit seeds I've gathered so far. As for the other several fourth-grade spiritual materials, they're simply too rare and hard to find—but I've already ordered my people to keep a close watch."

"As soon as there's news, I'll notify you immediately."

Qin Ming took the items and said: "Good. You've done well."

Receiving Qin Ming's approval, Hua Tianxiong finally relaxed.

Yet he remained puzzled—why did Qin Ming show no surprise at the news of the fourth-grade demon saint, as if he had known it all along?

"By the way, these two items were given to you by Grandmaster Su."

"He specifically instructed me to deliver them personally."

Hua Tianxiong withdrew two jade slips from his storage pouch and handed them to Qin Ming.

When Qin Ming received the message from Su Yuqing, he too had been astonished.

He had never imagined that Da Jin's Grandmaster of Alchemy would have such close ties with Qin Ming.

Su Yuqing's status in Da Jin was extraordinarily exalted.

The Su family, as one of the Four Golden Core clans, wielded influence far surpassing that of the Qianji Trading House.

Even Hua Tianxiong himself had never managed to meet Su Yuqing, a figure of such stature.

Thus, he felt his master was growing ever more mysterious.

Indeed, he seemed even more formidable than his other patron, Gan Elder of Li Huo Palace.

After a brief exchange, the two parted ways.

Qin Ming had already anticipated the ripple effects of Yue Lingyan's breakthrough to fourth-grade—so he was unsurprised.

Another half-month passed.

The news of another fourth-grade transformed demon saint emerging in the Beast Roar Mountains spread like thunder through the three cultivation realms, triggering a massive uproar.

After all, the breakthrough of any fourth-grade demon saint could reshape the cultivation world's balance.

Now, the top-tier combat strength within the Beast Roar Mountains had increased again.

Fourth-grade transformed great demons were already far stronger than their Nascent Soul counterparts; if their numbers now surpassed human Nascent Soul cultivators, the situation was clearly dire—hence the widespread concern was inevitable.

Qin Ming, however, was indifferent—he had Yue Lingyan as a powerful connection; even if the heavens collapsed, it would not touch him.

He returned to the Five Elements Mountain spiritual fields and retrieved the two jade slips sent by Su Yuqing.

(End of chapter)