Chapter 549: Shocking Reactions Across the Realm

Qin Ming, before leaving, sent Hua Tianxiong to a safe place.

He warned him: "Stay hidden in the Wan Dao Alliance. After all, the Shen Dao Mountain and the Wan Dao Alliance are now at odds—Shen Dao Mountain will almost certainly trace you."

"But the Wan Dao Alliance will protect you, and so will Li Huo Palace."

Hua Tianxiong hurriedly replied: "Yes, Master, rest assured. Once I return, I'll stay out of sight—my safety shouldn't be an issue. Shen Dao Mountain wouldn't dare attack the Wan Dao Alliance's headquarters, would they?"

Qin Ming nodded, then pulled a storage bag from his robe and handed it to Hua Tianxiong. "Take these items and deliver them to Su Yuqing."

"Yes, Master!" Hua Tianxiong took it, glanced inside, and immediately widened his eyes—the bag was filled with the rarest, top-tier spiritual materials.

Qin Ming had sent Su Yuqing three portions of materials needed to refine the Divine Wood Pill; with her skill, she would surely be able to craft it soon.

He owed Su Yuqing a favor, and he knew the ways of human relations must be properly settled.

Hua Tianxiong tucked the storage bag away and was about to take his leave.

"Wait." Qin Ming called out to stop him.

Hua Tianxiong froze, bowing respectfully: "What further orders, Master?"

Qin Ming's hand shimmered, revealing a delicate jade vial, which he tossed to Hua Tianxiong. "This is for you."

"Thank you, Master!" Hua Tianxiong looked stunned.

He had always assumed he was controlled by Qin Ming's black talisman, forced to fight and die for him, bearing the blame without complaint—and never dared to hope for anything more.

His only goal had been survival.

He never imagined he'd one day be granted a spiritual pill.

Hua Tianxiong carefully uncorked the vial—a potent, invigorating pill aroma instantly filled his nostrils.

"This—"

"Could this be…?"

"Correct. It's the Divine Wood Pill." Qin Ming spoke calmly.

As the head of Qianji Trading House, he knew value—this ancient pill, capable of helping mid- to late-stage Golden Core cultivators break through bottlenecks, could be refined in Da Jin only by a Grand Alchemist of the Pill Dao.

There were fewer than five such individuals in the entire realm.

Last time, Su Yuqing's Dust-Extinguishing Pill sold for an astronomical price at the Wu Fu Auction House.

And the Dust-Extinguishing Pill, a pill for mid-stage Golden Core cultivators, was nearly impossible to buy with spirit stones alone—only a few ever surfaced at major auctions.

The value of this Divine Wood Pill was thus self-evident.

The Divine Wood Pill was a higher-grade pill than the Dust-Extinguishing Pill.

Hua Tianxiong had been stuck at Golden Core early stage for a long time; with this pill, he had every confidence his cultivation would advance further.

"Don't neglect your cultivation while running your trading house."

"Don't waste your Wu Earth Spirit Body talent."

"Spend time practicing more spells and divine arts."

"Yes, yes, yes—I'll improve my cultivation the moment I return!" Hua Tianxiong said awkwardly, realizing himself that as a Golden Core cultivator, he was all show and no substance—only good at intimidating lower-level cultivators.

"Alright. Report to me immediately if anything happens."

Qin Ming spoke, then vanished without delay, his form blurring into a streak of green light that disappeared into the horizon.

…

At first,

the deaths of Yun Yangzi and the Nascent Soul seed Wen Yuliang from Shen Dao Mountain were secretly suppressed by the sect.

But paper can't forever wrap fire.

Days later, word spread that two renowned Golden Core masters of Da Jin's cultivation world had perished.

A single stone stirred a thousand waves—all factions were shaken, each curious: who had slain these two Golden Core masters?

Only someone of extraordinary power could eliminate a Nascent Soul seed.

Moreover, the Shen Dao Mountain's Nascent Soul True Person, Wan Gu, had issued a threat: whoever was responsible, no matter who they were, would have their soul extracted and spirit refined!

Even a Nascent Soul True Person would face death without mercy—Wan Gu was infamous for holding grudges.

Shen Dao Mountain also offered a massive bounty for any information leading to the killer.

Hua Tianxiong of the Wan Dao Alliance was listed as the prime suspect, since Shen Dao Mountain's men had vanished while pursuing him.

The Wan Dao Alliance, upon learning two high-ranking Golden Core masters of Shen Dao Mountain had died, was overjoyed.

They praised Hua Tianxiong and placed him under heavy protection.

Since Hua Tianxiong had received Qin Ming's Divine Wood Pill, he silently shouldered the blame.

All factions now reevaluated the head of Qianji Trading House.

They felt this man was not as weak as the world claimed—he had become, subtly, a mysterious powerhouse.

After all, last time, Tian Laomo and others from the Yin Demon Sect had chased him—and he simply vanished. It was hard not to speculate.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Da Jin's cultivation world grew again strangely tense.

The three major factions secretly clashed, with open and covert struggles breaking out.

…

After returning to the Five Elements Mountain spirit fields, Qin Ming saw the Shi Tian Rat sprinting over, shrunk to a small size, and leapt onto his shoulder. "Master, do you know what I dug up?"

"We're going to get rich this time!"

The Shi Tian Rat wore a smug, proud expression, deliberately teasing Qin Ming.

"Did you find the secret realm Shen Dao Mountain discovered?" Qin Ming frowned.

Now it was the Shi Tian Rat's turn to be surprised. "Master, how did you know there's a secret realm underground?"

"Not just a secret realm—was there also a Seven-Miracle Treasure Tree?" Qin Ming's lips curled into a wry smile.

"Huh? You knew all this already?!" The Shi Tian Rat was utterly astonished.

It had been planning to keep it a secret.

It then communicated with the Silver-Winged Frost Bee and the Xuan Shui Crocodile, discovering that the second and third had eaten their fill and were sound asleep.

Qin Ming then recounted the entire sequence of events to the Shi Tian Rat.

"Aww, why didn't I get to be part of this?" The Shi Tian Rat stared enviously at the second and third, who had both gained rewards.

Qin Ming smiled faintly. "Didn't you just get the Five Elements Flag magic treasure? It's far stronger than theirs."

"By the way, describe in detail what you saw."

The Shi Tian Rat immediately gave Qin Ming a full account of what it had witnessed beneath the earth.

Then, after thinking, it asked: "Master, should we… sneak in secretly, steal the Treasure Tree, and plunder the secret realm? Hehehe!"

"The only powerful cultivator down there seems to be an old man at Golden Core peak. With your strength, he shouldn't be a threat."

"Even the entrance is guarded by such high-grade spiritual plants—what treasures must lie inside?"

"The other main ingredients you need for your Nascent Soul Pill might also be there."

Qin Ming's expression remained calm. He rested his chin in thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No—for now, we can't touch this place. Shen Dao Mountain will surely station heavy troops there, and perhaps even a Nascent Soul elder is hiding in wait, hoping we'll take the bait."

"Besides, I suspect this news, once revealed, will immediately trigger a struggle between the Wan Dao Alliance and Li Huo Palace. Caution is best."

"Even if there's treasure, you need to be alive to claim it!"

"Let's wait and observe for now."

Though Qin Ming no longer feared any Golden Core cultivator, he still kept his distance from Nascent Soul elders.

He had little interest in secret realms—even with a Seven-Miracle Treasure Tree, the risk wasn't worth it.

"Master is absolutely right! Hehe!"

Then Qin Ming gave the Shi Tian Rat another Emperor Beast Pill, and it happily went off to cultivate, satisfied.

(End of Chapter)