Chapter 535: The Sky-Devouring Rat

After several days of fermentation, a tantalizing aroma of spiritual wine filled the entire Small Spirit Realm.

It continuously assaulted the taste buds, drawing all three of Qin Ming's spiritual familiars closer.

The Sky-Devouring Rat drooled, gazing longingly at the wine vats on the ground, swallowed hard, and asked, "So fragrant! Master, what are you brewing?"

Qin Ming smirked, grinning mysteriously at them: "This is the legendary Flame Demon Wine. They say its flavor surpasses even the celestial nectar of the Immortal Palace—no god would trade it for his throne, hehe!"

"Huh?!"

"Really? Does such a divine brew truly exist?"

"Hehe! Master, could you let me take just a tiny sip?"

The Sky-Devouring Rat, tantalized by Qin Ming's words, could no longer contain itself; it rubbed its tiny paws and asked.

Qin Ming glared at it: "What are you thinking? This spiritual wine has just been brewed—it needs to be aged for ten years until all the spiritual ingredients fully ferment and blend before it can be drunk."

"Drinking it now would be a waste of heaven's gift."

The Sky-Devouring Rat finally understood. "Hehe, so that's why. That's a shame—so we have to wait ten years?"

"Rushing won't help you eat hot tofu. You need to temper that impatience."

"Here's something for you to do instead."

Qin Ming pondered briefly, then spoke to the Sky-Devouring Rat.

Upon hearing another task was coming, the Sky-Devouring Rat's face darkened slightly—every time Qin Ming said this before, it meant either farming or patrolling the mountains at night.

It was truly unbearable for a third-stage mid-tier beast king like itself.

"Master, what task are you assigning me this time?"

"Well, earlier, those two Jin Dan elders from the Divine Path Sect wanted to buy our spiritual farmland, right?"

"I suspect the Divine Path Mountain is after the spiritual vein beneath it."

"Even though I don't expect any high-grade spiritual ore beneath this plot, I still need to investigate just in case."

"Now that the crops in the farmland have all been harvested, you don't need to patrol the mountains anymore."

"You're a rat—aren't you good at digging? Dig tunnels to scout the condition beneath this spiritual vein and report back to me immediately if you find anything."

"But be careful—I still have big plans for these two hundred mu of farmland. Try not to damage the underground spiritual vein."

Upon hearing it was about digging and probing underground, the Sky-Devouring Rat's expression immediately relaxed.

It immediately patted its chest and assured: "A trivial matter. Don't worry, Master—I'm the best at this."

Then the Sky-Devouring Rat picked up its steel fork and set off.

Qin Ming, meanwhile, stored the dozen jars of Flame Demon Wine beneath his life-spirit plant, the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine.

……

After finishing that, he began pondering what spiritual plants to grow in the farmland next year.

After all, the resources of the Great Jin spiritual realm were far richer than those of the Southern Wastes, and high-grade spiritual plant seeds were relatively easier to obtain.

The Spirit Dwelling Rice planted in Li Lan's farmland had already been sold by Old Jia at the Spirit Xu Marketplace—clearly a massive profit.

As a second-grade spiritual rice, Spirit Dwelling Rice was a specialty of the Spirit Dwelling Isles and did not exist in Great Jin.

When the Mirror Snow Pavilion first began selling it, many cultivators were skeptical and Guanwang.

After all, it was their first time buying this foreign rice—they didn't know if its advertised effects were real.

But once several Foundation Establishment cultivators bought small quantities, tried it at home, and found it effective, demand exploded.

Spirit Dwelling Rice sold out instantly, and the Mirror Snow Pavilion's reputation surged again.

Not only that, but Li Lan himself began attracting attention from various factions—many even secretly offered high prices to poach him, all of which he politely refused.

Meanwhile,

After a period of cultivation, guided by Qin Ming's planting expertise,

Li Lan had successfully grown seedlings of third-grade Jade Emperor Spirit Rice, and in a few more days, he could begin full-scale planting.

Only then would these two hundred mu of fourth-grade branch spiritual farmland be truly utilized to their fullest.

One day,

After finishing his work in the farmland, Li Lan greeted Qin Ming, packed his things, and prepared to return home to the Spirit Xu Marketplace.

As a third-grade low-rank Spiritual Planter Master, the Mirror Snow Pavilion naturally treated him well.

They had provided him with a villa in the best-located, most spiritually rich area of the Spirit Xu Marketplace, and granted him a substantial monthly stipend.

Of course, for the next thirty years, all third-grade spirit rice he grew belonged to "Manager Lu."

But fortunately, Manager Lu's terms were lenient: aside from growing third-grade spirit rice, he could use spare time—without affecting the rice's growth—to cultivate his own third-grade spiritual plants and continue learning and improving.

Li Lan was in excellent spirits—he knew all this was thanks to Manager Lu, so he politely declined every faction's overtures.

Besides, he had promised Manager Lu.

Now, as a third-grade Spiritual Planter Master, wherever he went in the Great Jin spiritual realm, he was treated as an honored guest by any faction.

It had fundamentally changed the status and identity of this cultivator who had risen from the bottom.

He now received respect he had never known before.

At the meat shop, Li Lan spent a considerable amount of spirit stones to buy a hind leg of a second-grade superior spiritual deer beast, planning to celebrate his harvest with his wife and children.

This was a precious delicacy, beneficial even to Foundation Establishment cultivators like himself.

Smiling broadly, he carried the beast meat and alcohol home, where his beautiful wife and two young children rushed to greet him excitedly.

"Oh? You've made spirit stones and still don't know how to save them—buying such expensive spirit meat right away?" His wife took the deer leg, lightly scolded.

Li Lan still grinned: "Things are getting better, aren't they? It's not like we eat this every day—today's a celebration. Go cook the meat."

"They say this spiritual deer meat has tremendous effects on… that sort of thing."

"After working the fields all day, I can still work them at night! Let me properly reward you, hehe!"

"What are you saying? The kids are right here!" The woman blushed, pinched his waist hard, and took the children into the kitchen to cook.

Li Lan was about to return indoors to change clothes when he heard a knock at the door.

Knock knock knock! "Is Master Li home?"

Li Lan walked over and opened the gate, revealing an elderly man in a blue robe, Jin Dan realm.

He immediately bowed deeply: "Disciple Li Lan, greetings, Elder Zou!"

The visitor was none other than Elder Zou Pinghai of the Ten Thousand Dao Trading Alliance, whom Qin Ming had once met at the Wind Riding Pavilion.

"Hehe! Master Li, no need to be formal—you're young, and truly impressive!"

"Working at the Mirror Snow Pavilion is a waste of your spiritual planting talent!"

"Hehehe!"

Li Lan froze, already guessing the man's purpose.

……

(End of Chapter)