Chapter 607: Jin Dan Perfect

Beneath the Five Elements Mountain's fourth-rank spiritual vein, the underground world.

Qin Ming and the Devouring Sky Rat suppressed their spiritual aura and directly entered the Small Spirit Realm to hide, observing secretly from the shadows.

He fixed his gaze and saw the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree, radiating seven-colored light, standing silently beneath the rock wall, exuding an arcane aura.

Fourth-rank supreme spiritual plant!

Even though he had seen it before, Qin Ming could not help but feel his spirit stir.

Around the great altar near the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree, disciples of the Yin Demon Sect and the Divine Path Mountain had gathered in full force.

Each of them wore tense expressions, clearly aware that today was of utmost importance.

Even four or five Blood Refining Devil Gate's descent demons were watching from the sidelines.

Qin Ming, mindful of the Blood Ring Curse Seal on his body—even within the Small Spirit Realm—it could still be detected by the Blood Refining Devil Gate's demons, so he probed from a hundred li away.

After the previous incident, he had understood.

The Blood Ring Curse Seal could only activate and manifest within a certain distance; when he slew that devil sect's holy heir, he had already sensed this.

Qin Ming unleashed a spiritual sense rivaling that of a Nascent Soul True Person, capturing every movement within the underground world.

Beneath the fourth-rank spiritual vein.

The two elders presiding over the ritual were both Gao Jie cultivators.

The entire underground world had been heavily guarded by disciples of the Yin Demon Sect and the Divine Path Mountain, not even a fly able to slip through.

"Elder Wu, today's matter is no triviality—have you secured the surroundings?"

"We absolutely cannot afford another mistake."

"Otherwise, the two Ancestors will not spare us."

The Yin Demon Sect's Gao Jie elder spoke to a companion from the Divine Path Mountain, dressed in peculiar attire.

The elder called Wu was covered in intricate, eerie tattoos, his eyes gleaming sharply, his skin pitch-black.

He replied simply: "Elder Yan, rest assured."

Silence returned to the air.

Long moments passed.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Elder Wu! Your sect has been utterly careless—you didn't even know the Li Huo Palace planted a spy among you, and you leaked this vital secret!"

"The Upper Sect was furious over this," said the Yin Demon Sect's Elder Yan, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

The Divine Path Mountain's Elder Wu remained unmoved: "Since the secret realm's discovery, years have already passed."

"Moreover, the Four-Rank Spiritual Vein of the Five Elements Mountain is not solely held by your Divine Path Mountain—the Li Huo Palace holds the other half. With us so close, hiding this secret for so long has already been remarkable."

"We never wished for this situation either. You, Elder Yan, surely know the key to opening the secret realm lies entirely with this Seven Wonders Treasure Tree."

"Today's ritual is of critical importance—our Supreme Elder will personally oversee it."

"So, Elder Yan, you may rest easy."

"For even after the ritual, it will take at least several years before the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree blooms."

"So what if the Wei Dao Alliance notices? Even the Li Huo Patriarch cannot bypass the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree to enter the secret realm directly."

As they spoke,

the space of the underground world suddenly trembled violently, then rippled like water.

From within the rippling void near the altar, an ancient, wrinkled elder slowly emerged, clad in a black xuan robe, his eyes clouded, his nose hooked like an eagle's.

Qin Ming's eyes narrowed sharply upon seeing him: 'Nascent Soul True Person!'

Even within the Small Spirit Realm, he pushed the withered-tree technique to its limit, becoming as insubstantial as air.

With his current cultivation, his concealment technique could not be detected even by Nascent Soul elders.

The moment the black-robed elder appeared,

a massive spiritual pressure filled the entire space.

All disciples near the altar were struck with terror.

Even the two Gao Jie elders knelt on the ground: "Welcome, Wan Gu the Immortal!"

"Hmm. Rise," said Wan Gu the Immortal, his voice gravelly and sinister, echoing through the underground.

"Begin."

Immediately, the disciples around began urgently preparing the ritual.

A one-foot-wide hole was blasted into the underground ceiling.

Moonlight poured through the opening onto the altar.

At the hour of Hai,

the celestial stars revolved, and a blood-red moon hung high.

"The auspicious hour has arrived—begin the ritual!"

Elder Yan of the Yin Demon Sect pulled forth a large vat of cultivator essence and souls, pouring it onto the altar, then began performing the ritual.

Qin Ming frowned—just from the essence and souls poured out, he could imagine how many lives these two sects had slaughtered. Then Elder Yan activated a secret technique to preside over the ritual.

Countless wailing spirits fell into the stone platform atop the altar.

At the hour of Hai, crimson moonlight descended through the hole, striking the stone platform.

Seeing the moment was right, Elder Yan bit his tongue and spat a cloud of blood mist, chanting incantations as his ritual gong and drum trembled violently.

A series of crimson, eerie runes spiraled and wove together in midair.

DONG!!

Instantly, thick crimson light erupted from the altar, converging upon the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree.

As the crimson light flowed in, the unopened buds on the coral-like tree began splitting open at visibly rapid speed.

"It's working!"

"The Soul-Burying Invocation to Heaven truly works!"

Elder Wu of the Divine Path Mountain exclaimed excitedly.

Wan Gu the Immortal, watching from the side, his gaze dark and piercing, revealed a glint of approval.

Seeing the ritual succeed and affect the Seven Wonders Treasure Tree, he nodded in satisfaction: "Good. Continue."

Half a day later,

the Yin Demon Sect's Elder Yan, having completed the ritual, was drenched in sweat, his face pale.

He descended and bowed to Wan Gu the Immortal: "Immortal Wan Gu, the ritual is complete. But to accumulate enough moonlight to coax this tree into bloom will take at least three years."

Wan Gu the Immortal nodded in satisfaction: "Continue maintaining the ritual. When the task is accomplished, I shall grant you great merit."

"Thank you, Supreme Elder!" Elder Yan and the other bowed deeply.

Then Wan Gu the Immortal's figure faded and vanished entirely from the underground world.

The Blood Refining Devil Gate's disciples were ecstatic—three years was just enough time before their return to the Upper Realm.

Peace returned beneath the spiritual vein.

Qin Ming, with the Devouring Sky Rat, slipped away silently through the tunnel.

"So even with the ritual, it will take three years for the devil sects to open this secret realm."

Yet two years is swift for cultivators.

"Master, the Qing Yuan Sect's secret realm is about to open—should we go in and grab some benefits? Hehe!" The Devouring Sky Rat rubbed his tiny hands.

Qin Ming slowly shook his head, firm: "When the secret realm opens, this place will become the epicenter of a storm."

"The Li Huo Palace, the Wan Dao Trading Alliance, the Xuan Qing Temple—all Nascent Soul sects—will not stand idly by while the Divine Path Mountain and Yin Demon Sect monopolize this ancient secret realm."

"Bloodshed is inevitable. Even Nascent Soul elders will be unable to stay out of it."

"And the demon beast clan's Great Black Heaven Demon Saint is also watching, lurking in the shadows."

"Snatching benefits from these people is like stealing from a tiger's mouth—better not compete with them."

"I've gathered nearly all the conditions for my Nascent Soul breakthrough. Returning to plan my breakthrough is the priority."

The Devouring Sky Rat's eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly: "Absolutely right, Master! Your Nascent Soul breakthrough is paramount. Once you become a Nascent Soul, those elders will be your defeated underlings."

"What you want will be yours for the taking—just reach out and claim it!"

"Can you stop flattering me so much? Your mouth's as sweet as honey," Qin Ming said.

"Hehe! It's just that you're so outstanding, I don't know how else to express my admiration!"

At that moment, Qin Ming's spiritual sense stirred—he sensed something unusual.

The Devouring Sky Rat instantly fell silent, sensing the shift.

Qin Ming suddenly expanded his vast spiritual sense—and was stunned to discover, dozens of li away,

the black-feathered demon beast cultivator he had once drunk with in the Five Elements Mountain market was also secretly probing the secret realm's opening.

The black-feathered demon beast had commanded several pangolin beasts to construct a hidden observation post within the mountain, a hundred li from the secret realm.

"So this one has been planning for a long time. Yue Lingyan was right."

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware the oriole waits behind—the Divine Path Mountain and Yin Demon Sect strain to open the realm, while the Wei Dao Alliance's major forces lurk like predators."

"Yet even the demon beast clan has joined in."

"As always, wealth stirs the heart."

Qin Ming sighed inwardly, then silently withdrew from the tunnel and returned to the spirit fields.

…

With three years still remaining, Qin Ming, now in possession of this crucial information, felt no urgency.

Within the Five Elements Mountain spirit fields, he maintained his normal cultivation routine.

Half a month later.

Qin Ming suddenly received a message from Hua Tianxiong.

"Master, Su Dandanwang will host a Fourth-Grade Alchemist Celebration on the fifteenth of next month at the Su family's Dragon Court Lake estate."

"All major forces in the Great Jin cultivation world will attend; Su Danshi specifically asked me to invite you to join him."

"Thanks to your connection, our Qianji Trading Society also received an invitation. Hehe."

"Hmm, understood. Tell Brother Su I'll be there," Qin Ming said, a faint smile curling his lips.

In the cultivation world, a Fourth-Grade Alchemist was a rarity.

Even if one's cultivation base was only Golden Core, their status equaled that of a Nascent Soul True Person.

Because most Nascent Soul True Persons required elixirs only a Fourth-Grade Alchemist could brew.

Su Yuqing's current status and position had fundamentally changed—he stood firmly at the pinnacle of the cultivation world.

Even in Great Jin, the number of Fourth-Grade Alchemists could be counted on one hand.

To produce even one Fourth-Grade Alchemist every few centuries was considered a stroke of divine fortune.

Yet now, Su Yuqing, still under two hundred years old, had achieved this—and the cultivation world was shaken.

This man, both mentor and friend, had reached such heights; Qin Ming was genuinely delighted and naturally intended to attend in person to offer his congratulations.

"I must prepare a worthy gift for the occasion."

Within the Minor Spirit Realm.

Qin Ming sat in meditation beneath his life-spirit plant, Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, its shadow of the Green Emperor Wood Sovereign body hovering behind him.

He repeatedly channeled the Green Emperor Scripture; waves of lush, verdant temporal energy flowed continuously from the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine into his body.

In his dantian sea, the flawless Golden Core and his physical True Core emitted a mesmerizing glow, alternating in operation.

The Devouring Sky Rat, the Mystic Water Crocodile, and the Silver-Winged Frost Bee each came to lie quietly beside him during his cultivation, absorbing the spilled plant essence.

For them, this verdant essence was even more beneficial than the demonic power they gained through cultivation.

It simultaneously enhanced their innate bloodline and accelerated their cultivation advancement, strengthening their abilities.

Every step of their advancement was now intimately tied to Qin Ming's own progress.

After completing his daily cultivation, the three beast companions slowly awakened from their blissful, almost transcendent state.

Suddenly—

The Devouring Sky Rat squinted, sniffed with its sensitive nose, and exclaimed in surprise: "What's this smell?! This Great Master has caught the scent of treasure!"

"Wow! Such intense spiritual energy—it must mean something powerful is about to emerge!"

The Mystic Water Crocodile and Silver-Winged Frost Bee, lacking the Devouring Sky Rat's treasure-detecting ability, stared at it blankly.

"Oh?" Qin Ming, hearing this, immediately perked up.

He had planted many rare treasures within the Minor Spirit Realm—could one of the high-grade spirit plants have matured?

No!

Qin Ming's gaze suddenly sharpened; he inhaled deeply, and a faint, rich aroma of wine drifted through the air.

"Could it be—"

His face lit up with joy as he looked down at the ground beneath him.

"Could the 'Demon Flame Wine' have finally fermented?"

He rose at once, ordering the Devouring Sky Rat to dig through the soil beneath the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, revealing the spirit wine jars Qin Ming had buried.

"Wow! This is unbelievably fragrant!"

The Devouring Sky Rat wiped drool from its mouth, eyes fixed on the jars.

Qin Ming gestured with his hand; one jar of Demon Flame Wine floated into his grasp.

He had no doubt—the strange fragrance had come from within the jar.

He tapped the jar's lid, breaking the seal.

Boom! A cluster of black flame burst from the jar's mouth, followed by an intensely unique, intoxicating wine aroma that filled the entire Minor Spirit Realm.

Qin Ming peered inside—the spirit wine was crystal-clear, utterly pure, like liquid jade, intoxicating and brimming with spiritual energy.

Roar!

Within the wine, a faint blue dragon's shadow could be seen gliding back and forth—extraordinarily divine.

After years of aging, the Demon Flame Wine had fully matured.

"Originally, this wine required ten years of aging to gather heavenly-spiritual energy and accumulate temporal power."

"I never expected burying it beneath the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine would shorten the aging time by two years."

Breathing in the soul-sapping aroma of the spirit wine, Qin Ming couldn't help swallowing several times.

Demon Flame Wine was brewed with the late Stage Three demonic core of a Green-Faced Poisonous Dragon as its main ingredient, blended with over a hundred rare spirit materials.

Both its flavor and effects far surpassed any spirit wine Qin Ming had brewed before.

The first time one drank it, it could help a Golden Core late-stage cultivator break through to Golden Core Perfection.

It could even refine the Golden Core into a flawless, seamless state! Qin Ming immediately took out a large sea bowl, poured himself a full bowl—the liquid jade flowed, wreathed in a thin layer of black flame.

"The Demon Flame Wine lives up to its reputation!"

"Let me taste what it's truly like."

Qin Ming lifted the bowl and drank it all in one gulp!

Boom! First came a flavor so intoxicating it flooded his throat and sank into his belly.

Then, a vast, scorching energy exploded within his dantian sea.

Vast amounts of heavenly-spiritual energy surged, swelling his flawless Golden Core.

Even his life-spirit plant, the Yin-Yang Mystic Vine, seemed to sense it, emitting a joyful pulse and releasing another wave of temporal energy into the spirit body behind Qin Ming.

The effects of the Demon Flame Wine erupted fully within him.

Qin Ming's powerful magic power surged higher and higher.

The Minor Spirit Realm contained a Stage Three supreme spirit vein.

At this moment, the surrounding spiritual energy formed a colossal funnel, brimming with vitality—as if recognizing kin—rushing eagerly into Qin Ming's flawless Golden Core.

Half a day later—

Boom! Crack! A vast, boundless aura echoed through the Minor Spirit Realm, resonating with heaven and earth.

Qin Ming stood like an ancient, weathered verdant tree, eternal and unyielding, radiating the timeless aura of everlasting wood.

He opened his ink-black eyes; a streak of emerald-green light flashed through his pupils.

"Finally—Golden Core Perfection!"

…

(End of Chapter)