Chapter 57: One Year's Harvest and Parting [Seeking Follow-Reads, Today and Tomorrow Are Crucial]

Huang Xishan clearly recognized this set of arrays.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, what item do you wish to use in exchange for this set of arrays?" he asked directly.

Lin Zixiao smiled slightly. "Any item of equal value or spirit stones will suffice."

"A set of Profound Yin Mother-and-Child Blades, mid-grade spiritual tools; do you think this can be exchanged?" After speaking, Huang Xishan patted his storage bag and took out seven flying blades, flashing with pale red crimson light, obviously of extraordinary quality at a glance.

A complete set of mid-grade spiritual tools? What kind of array is this exactly, that it is worth exchanging for a whole set of mid-grade spiritual tools?

The other few cultivators felt increasingly itching with desire the more they looked.

Finally.

Alchemist Yan could no longer hold back and was the first to speak up and ask: "Fellow Daoist Lin, what kind of array do you have in hand, what is its function, please explain it to us as well."

"This is the Yin-Yang Reversal Illusion Array, a set of mid-grade composite arrays; the exterior is an illusion array, while a killing array is hidden within. It is a rather niche array, almost non-existent on the market, unique to this one source." After Lin Zixiao introduced it in just a few short sentences, intense longing rose in the eyes of the crowd.

It is actually a composite array.

Qin Ming was also greatly interested in this, but he truly had nothing decent in his storage bag to exchange.

"May I ask Fellow Daoist Lin, what is the value of this set of arrays in spirit stones?" Qin Ming asked bluntly.

Lin Zixiao spoke indifferently: "At least eight hundred spirit stones are required."

Qin Ming looked at Huang Xishan's set of mid-grade spiritual tools; it should also be worth quite a lot.

"I offer twelve hundred spirit stones."

Just as Qin Ming was pondering, the Feng brothers spoke up again, making Huang Xishan's expression even uglier.

"This old man offers thirteen hundred spirit stones."

Alchemist Yan also joined the bidding.

In an instant, this set of Yin-Yang Reversal Illusion Arrays became a hot cake in everyone's eyes.

The exchange meeting site had turned into an auction.

"Besides this set of mid-grade spiritual tools, I will add another five hundred spirit stones." Huang Xishan seemed determined to obtain this array.

By raising the price to this level, it was somewhat overpriced.

After all, this was merely a set of mid-grade arrays; bidding any higher would exceed two thousand spirit stones.

Everyone looked at each other in dismay, falling into silence.

No one made any further bids.

Lin Zixiao was beaming with joy, seemingly very happy with this kind of scene.

Just as everyone thought this set of arrays would belong to the high-grade artifact refiner Huang Xishan.

A faint voice rang out.

"I offer two thousand spirit stones."

Hearing the voice, everyone looked over and saw that the bidder was actually Qin, a spirit farmer at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation.

He had been sitting there quietly without making a sound, yet once he bid, it crushed the entire field.

This price was sufficient to buy a set of ordinary high-grade arrays.

But Qin Ming had thought about it carefully.

This set of arrays would be of great use to him; if, within the array, he were to arrange the Thorn Technique using the Withered Blood Poisonous Vine spiritual seed he possessed.

Then it would be comparable to a triple composite array.

The array's power would increase significantly once again, not inferior even to a high-grade array.

This was also the reason he was willing to bid such a high price to purchase it.

With his decisive bid settling the matter.

No one else placed any more bids.

They all wore looks of astonishment, never expecting that this seemingly ordinary spirit planter at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation would actually be so wealthy.

In the end, Lin Zixiao's mid-grade Yin-Yang Reversal Illusion Array was pocketed by Qin Ming.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, it is your turn."

Qin Ming smiled, took a bag of spirit rice out of his storage bag, and then said: "Here are fifty jin of Beast-Tooth Rice; exchanges for equivalent spirit stones or items are both acceptable."

Although the price of spirit rice had dropped, rare spirit rice like Beast-Tooth Rice was still very popular.

"Ho! It is actually Beast-Tooth Rice; Fellow Daoist Qin truly lives up to being a mid-grade spirit planter, possessing such rare spirit rice," Alchemist Yan exclaimed in wonder. "This old man can offer one hundred spirit stones."

"I offer one hundred and forty spirit stones."

Subsequently.

The exchange meeting concluded.

Everyone returned to their own homes.

Qin Ming could also be considered to have gained something.

In the days that followed, Qin Ming began to cultivate bitterly, rarely leaving Qingyang Market again.

Time flew swiftly; another year passed.

Qin Ming spent his time between dull cultivation and farming.

The area surrounding Qingyang Market had also stabilized relatively; during this year, Golden Cloud Valley and Spirit Feather Gate conducted extensive searches for that group of bandits, causing considerable collateral damage to the nearby robber cultivators as well.

None dared to commit crimes against the wind during such a period.

The Golden Spirit Rice in Qin Ming's spiritual fields had already been harvested for two seasons.

Besides harvesting one 【Slight Magic Power】 attribute and one 【Quality Improvement】 attribute from the first season's harvest.

From the second and third seasons of Golden Spirit Rice, Qin Ming also harvested three 【Ripening】 attributes and two 【Slight Magic Power】 attributes.

The remaining entries in his Sea of Consciousness were: 【Ripening】 x5, 【Spirit Seed Regeneration】 x2, 【Quality Enhancement】 x1, 【Faint Magic Power】 x3. Under Qin Ming's diligent care, all three mu of Beast Fang Rice had become top-grade Beast Fang Rice, red and white in color.

Its value was incalculable.

Even Gu, the usually impassive Steward, came in person to Qin Ming's spirit field to inspect the spirit rice, full of praise for him.

Du Haifu also stood to the side, all smiles, saying:

"Fellow Daoist Qin, what you've grown this time is top-grade Beast Fang Rice. Even the sect's Spirit Plant Elder was alarmed."

"The sect has decided to exempt you from another ten percent of the spirit rice tax. From now on, Fellow Daoist Qin only needs to pay thirty-five percent in spirit rice tax."

On his normally stern and solemn face, Steward Gu also squeezed out a faint smile: "Little Qin, I wonder if you could part with some of the remaining top-grade Beast Fang Rice and sell a portion to this old man. This old man is willing to pay the market price."

"M-me too. Fellow Daoist Qin, I wonder if you could also sell a portion to me." Du Haifu hurriedly asked along.

Qin Ming replied awkwardly: "I've already signed an agreement with Gu Gezhu Gu of Juxuan Pavilion. If there's any left over, then I can sell a portion."

Upon hearing it was a transaction with Gu Gezhu Gu, the two could only give up helplessly.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I must also congratulate you. The upper-grade Mo Yan Cao and the top-grade spirit plant Seven-Leaf Yellow Ling in your two mu of herb field have all matured. The Steward in charge of records and registration has already reported it. Fellow Daoist Qin is now only one step away from becoming an upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi!"

"I heard this time the Inner Sect Elder will personally oversee the examination."

Du Haifu flattered him with a face full of smiles.

Qin Ming becoming an upper-grade Spirit Gu Zhishi was practically a done deal.

From now on, his status and standing were bound to rise with the tide.

Steward Gu would probably have to address him as an equal.

Precisely because of this reason, even though Steward Gu and Du Haifu were extremely envious of the top-grade Beast Fang Rice, they did not dare to exploit Qin Ming again.

The sect had given them the mission to try their best to persuade Qin Ming to plant more Beast Fang Rice in the future.

"Here, here, Fellow Daoist Qin, you rest. This kind of rough work, let me handle it." Just as Qin Ming was about to go harvest the three mu of Beast Fang Rice, Du Haifu snatched the spirit sickle from his hand and very enthusiastically began the harvest.

A short half a day later.

Du Haifu was bent over, sweating profusely.

The spirit rice stalks of top-grade Beast Fang Rice were extremely tough, requiring a bit of magic power to harvest.

He finished harvesting all the Beast Fang Rice.

Next came the weighing.

Du Haifu wiped the sweat from his brow, grinned, and took out a large dou magic artifact to begin weighing.

"Total harvest of top-grade Beast Fang Rice: twelve shi and eighty jin."

"Spirit rice tax due is thirty-five percent, that is, four hundred and forty-eight jin!"

After paying the spirit rice tax, Qin Ming still had a full eight hundred and thirty-two jin of top-grade Beast Fang Rice left!

Qin Ming thought to himself, if Gu Qingzhao were to find out, he'd probably go crazy with joy.

After Steward Gu and Du Haifu left with the people from Lingyu Sect.

Qin Ming sent another message talisman to Su Yuqing, asking him to come harvest the spirit herbs.

Three incense sticks' time later.

Su Yuqing arrived, taking his time.

"Brother Su, why so slow today?"

Su Yuqing smiled, "I was just packing up some things, wasn't I?"

Qin Ming frowned upon hearing this and asked: "Brother Su, are you really planning to leave Yunze Dahuang?"

"Mm, yes. Actually, I was just waiting for your spirit herbs to mature, otherwise I would have left some time ago." Su Yuqing paused, then nodded and said.

Qin Ming said nothing more upon hearing this.

Su Yuqing walked to the spirit herb field, saw the scene before him, and revealed a very pleasantly surprised expression. He harvested all the spirit herbs, took out a Mo Yan Cao and a Seven-Leaf Yellow Ling from among them, and handed them to Qin Ming: "This is the share you're owed."

Qin Ming took the spirit herbs, took out two jade boxes, and stored them properly.

"Brother Qin, all feasts must end in this world. Let us part ways here. I believe there will come a day we meet again. I won't go back to the shantytown area; I'll leave through the transmission array in Qingyang Market shortly."

Su Yuqing glanced at Qin Ming and said with a smile.

"Heh! But before I go, you must fulfill that promise you made me earlier."

……

(End of this chapter)