Chapter 52: Questions and Sudden Changes

Inside the Enlightenment Truth Hall.

The myriad cultivators spoke one after another, actively answering Elder Zhuang Xiran's questions.

"Planting spiritual crops is about seizing the essence of heaven and earth, holding the creation of all things in one's hands; its joy is endless."

……

After answering for a long while.

Zhuang Xiran's gaze swept past the crowd, and he casually pointed, saying, "That cultivator over there, stand up and answer."

Qin Ming was listening with great relish and had no intention of speaking.

Seeing Elder Zhuang pointing in his direction, he couldn't help but look left and right.

Yet he discovered that the gazes of all the cultivators had gathered entirely upon him.

Qin Ming suddenly realized.

Elder Zhuang Xiran was clearly pointing at him.

Qin Ming instantly froze; being stared at by so many people gave him an uneasy, strange feeling.

How could it be such a coincidence? Yet he was not the least bit flustered; calmly and composedly, he rose from his chair, thought briefly, and said, "The Dao of spiritual planting requires familiarity with the various habits of the crops, control over spiritual rain, weeding and pest removal, and daily interaction with spiritual fields and soil."

"It is simply plowing fields and farming."

As soon as his words fell.

A trace of silence hung in the air.

Hearing this answer, the expressions of the cultivators present began to crack, and bursts of suppressed laughter erupted.

Yet some cultivators nodded, seemingly approving of his statement.

"Hehe, you may sit down."

Just then, a rare smile appeared on Elder Zhuang Xiran's face.

This left all the cultivators present stunned, completely baffled, like a Monk trying to scratch his head in confusion.

"Actually, what he said is not without merit; this path of spiritual planting is, in truth, no different from farming."

"It is just that—"

"Ordinary mortals plant grains and miscellaneous crops, using them as the source of their livelihood."

"We cultivators farm to transform the harvest into provisions for our path of cultivation."

……

Just as Qin Ming was about to sit down.

He noticed a cultivator to his front-left staring fixedly at him.

Qin Ming looked up, their eyes met, and he instantly felt terrible.

It was actually Jiang Kun! 'This bastard, what business does he have crashing a spiritual planter's lecture?'

In an instant, Qin Ming's nerves tightened, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

The four subordinates sent by Jiang Kun had already been disposed of by him, with bodies and traces destroyed.

Could the other party have guessed it was him?

Or perhaps there were still reservations.

Thinking of this.

Qin Ming sat back down on his chair.

At the same time.

Jiang Kun, sitting in front, likewise knitted his brows tightly, his expression shifting between gloom and uncertainty.

Although he harbored a sliver of suspicion.

No matter how he imagined it, he could not link the deaths of four Qi Refining mid-to-late stage experts to a spiritual farmer.

"Hmm, once the lecture ends, I will test this lad."

Having made up his mind, Jiang Kun glanced at Qin Ming, then turned his head to look forward again.

Qin Ming's heart instantly gave a 'thump,' filled with a bad premonition.

Peace returned to the hall.

Elder Zhuang Xiran began lecturing on the Dao of spiritual planting.

Although Qin Ming's mental state was slightly disturbed by Jiang Kun's appearance, he did not pay it too much heed.

He listened attentively to the lecture given by Elder Zhuang, this second-tier spiritual planter.

After listening to the entire session.

The more Qin Ming listened, the more he sighed with emotion, having gained greatly.

Elder Zhuang's profound attainment in spiritual planting captivated the cultivators present, leaving them spellbound.

The public lecture lasted a full day.

Finally, Elder Zhuang Xiran also answered some questions from the spiritual planters present.

"Very well, today's spiritual planting lecture ends here."

"There is still part of the lecture content for tonight." "Tomorrow, this old man will examine you all."

"You may stay overnight at the Guest Reception Courtyard."

"However, the upcoming examination is limited to spiritual planters of mid-grade quality and above; the rest of you may disperse."

Having said this, Zhuang Xiran rose and departed.

The cultivators inside the Enlightenment Truth Hall also departed one after another.

Qin Ming also planned to slip away immediately.

But just as his foot stepped out of the hall door.

A familiar voice came from behind him.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, don't be in such a hurry to leave!"

Qin Ming turned around and, sure enough, it was Jiang Kun.

Jiang Kun's narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Qin Ming, asking coldly, "My useless junior brother, Chen Ziang, was killed and his body destroyed in the hills behind the spirit fields."

"I wonder, Fellow Daoist Qin, what your thoughts are on this matter?"

Having said this, he fixed his gaze tightly on Qin Ming, observing his reaction.

Hearing this, Qin Ming's face showed surprise, and he exclaimed in shock, "Ah? Could such a thing have happened?"

Jiang Kun stared at Qin Ming and continued to press, "You truly don't know? I heard that before something happened to Junior Brother Chen, he went to find you."

"That's right; one day, Senior Brother Chen did come to discuss the possibility of joining your pavilion with me."

"After that, I haven't seen him for several days."

"Then I wonder where this jade talisman in Fellow Daoist Qin's hand came from," Jiang Kun continued to ask.

"This jade talisman of mine was gifted by Pavilion Master Gu; if you don't believe me, Senior Brother Jiang can go ask her himself," Qin Ming said, telling the lie without his face flushing or his heart racing.

In any case, Jiang Kun and the Mirror Snow Pavilion were deadly enemies, so he likely couldn't possibly go confront Gu Qingzhao.

Qin Ming spoke confidently without changing his expression.

He paused for a moment, then suddenly changed his tone to ask, "Surely Senior Brother Jiang doesn't suspect a spirit farmer like me?"

Jiang Kun's gaze drifted uncertainly; after pondering for a while, he suddenly broke into a smile and said, "Heh, how could that be?"

"I just had a few small uncertainties in my heart and was asking casually."

Hearing this, Qin Ming gave a forced smile, cupped his hands toward the other, and said, "Since there is nothing else, I shall take my leave first."

He was certain that the other party held not a shred of evidence and was merely suspicious.

Furthermore, they wouldn't dare act openly against him within the Spirit Feather Sect.

Immediately, Qin Ming followed the other spirit planters into the adjacent Reception Courtyard to rest briefly and enjoy some tea and dinner snacks.

After Qin Ming left.

A cultivator standing beside Jiang Kun stepped forward and asked, "Senior Brother Jiang, what should we do? Should we..."

"No rush... let's wait and see for now."

"Elder Zhuang's affairs are important these past two days; don't cause any trouble."

"Even if we make a move, it cannot be done within the sect."

"I too have been puzzling over this endlessly; just how did those four people, including Junior Brother Chen, disappear?"

"You keep a close watch on this kid for now; after tomorrow's business with my senior uncle is settled, we'll make a decision."

Jiang Kun instructed with a gloomy expression.

"Yes!"

While drinking, Qin Ming pondered over what had just occurred.

He already had a plan in mind.

One hour later.

The lecture resumed.

This time, the number of spirit planters remaining in the hall had decreased by two-thirds.

Only about a hundred cultivators remained.

Qin Ming scanned the hall and discovered that Jiang Kun had not come either.

Not long after.

Elder Zhuang Xiran walked into the hall once again.

He looked at the cultivators present, nodded, and began lecturing again.

Just at that moment.

Boom!

Just as Elder Zhuang was halfway through his lecture, a tremendous roar that shook the earth and mountains erupted from outside!

It startled the cultivators present, throwing their minds into panic for a moment.

(End of Chapter)