Chapter 69: Questioning and Sudden Change

Inside the Wu Zhen Hall.

The cultivators spoke up one after another, eagerly answering Elder Zhuang Xiran’s questions.

“Cultivating spiritual plants is to seize the essence of heaven and earth, to control the transformation of all things—its joy is boundless.”

…

After answering for a long while.

Elder Zhuang Xiran’s gaze swept past the crowd, then casually pointed and said, “That cultivator over there, rise and answer.”

Qin Ming had been listening intently and had no intention of speaking.

He saw Elder Zhuang pointing in his direction, so he glanced left and right.

But he found every cultivator’s eyes fixed squarely on him.

Qin Ming suddenly realized.

Elder Zhuang Xiran was clearly pointing at him.

Qin Ming froze instantly, unnerved by the weight of so many stares.

How could it be so coincidental? Yet he remained calm, rising from his chair with composure, and after a brief pause, said: “Cultivating spiritual plants requires understanding the habits of the crops, controlling spiritual rain, weeding and eliminating pests, and daily interaction with spiritual fields and soil.”

“It’s just farming.”

His words fell.

A faint silence settled over the air.

The cultivators present, upon hearing this answer, struggled to keep their expressions composed, stifling chuckles.

Yet some cultivators nodded, seemingly approving of his words.

“Heh, sit down.”

At that moment, Elder Zhuang Xiran’s face broke into a rare smile.

This left everyone in the hall stunned, some utterly baffled.

“Actually, what he said isn’t without merit. The art of spiritual plant cultivation is no different from farming.”

“But—”

“Commoners farm staple crops to sustain their lives.”

“We cultivators farm to turn the harvest into fuel for our path to immortality.”

…

As Qin Ming was about to sit down.

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

Qin Ming looked up—their gazes met—and he instantly felt uneasy.

It was Jiang Kun! ‘This bastard, what’s he doing here at a spiritual plant lecture?’

Instantly, Qin Ming’s nerves tightened, his mind racing with thoughts.

The four subordinates Jiang Kun had sent had already been erased by him.

Could the man suspect him?

Or was he merely cautious?

Thinking this.

Qin Ming sat back down.

Meanwhile,

Jiang Kun, seated ahead, frowned deeply, his expression shifting between suspicion and uncertainty.

Though he harbored a trace of doubt,

no matter how he imagined it, he could not link the deaths of four mid- to late-Qi Refining cultivators to a mere farmhand.

“Hmm, after the lecture ends, I’ll test this brat.”

Jiang Kun made up his mind, shot Qin Ming a glance, then turned his head forward again.

Qin Ming’s heart lurched—he sensed something ominous.

The hall fell quiet again.

Elder Zhuang Xiran began teaching the art of spiritual plant cultivation.

Though Jiang Kun’s presence had disturbed Qin Ming’s composure, he paid it no further mind.

He listened intently to Elder Zhuang, a second-rank spiritual plant cultivator.

After the entire lesson,

Qin Ming grew increasingly awed, gaining much insight.

Elder Zhuang’s mastery of spiritual plant cultivation left the cultivators spellbound.

The public lecture lasted the entire day.

In the end, Elder Zhuang Xiran answered questions from the attending spiritual plant cultivators.

“That will be all for today’s spiritual plant lesson.”

“There will be more instruction tonight. Tomorrow, I will examine you all.”

“You may stay overnight at the Reception Courtyard.”

“But tomorrow’s examination will be limited to mid-grade and above spiritual plant cultivators—the rest may leave.”

With that, Elder Zhuang Xiran rose and departed.

The cultivators in the Wu Zhen Hall also began to leave.

Qin Ming planned to slip away quietly.

But as he stepped one foot out the door,

a familiar voice called from behind.

"Qin Dao you, don't rush off!"

Qin Ming turned—sure enough, it was Jiang Kun.

Jiang Kun’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Qin Ming and asked coldly: “My incompetent junior brother, Chen Ziang, was murdered and his body destroyed near the spiritual fields on the back mountain.”

"What are your thoughts on this, Qin Dao you?"

He fixed his gaze on Qin Ming, watching his reaction closely.

Qin Ming feigned shock, exclaiming: “What? This happened?”

Jiang Kun continued pressing: “You truly didn’t know? I heard Chen’s junior visited you just before his death.”

“That’s true—Senior Chen did come to me one day to discuss possibly joining your pavilion.”

“After that, I haven’t seen him for several days.”

“Then where did you get this jade token?” Jiang Kun pressed further.

“This jade token was given to me by Grandmaster Gu. You may ask her yourself if you don’t believe me,” Qin Ming lied without blinking.

Jiang Kun and the Mirror Snow Pavilion were sworn enemies—he’d never dare confront Gu Qingzhao.

Qin Ming spoke calmly, unshaken.

He paused, then suddenly asked: “You’re not suspecting me, a mere farmhand, are you?”

Jiang Kun’s eyes flickered, he thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “Heh, how could I?”

“I merely had a few questions, nothing more.”

Hearing this, Qin Ming gave a hollow, polite bow: “If there’s nothing else, then I’ll take my leave.”

He was certain—the man had no evidence, only suspicion.

He wouldn’t dare act openly within the Spirit Feather Sect.

Qin Ming then joined the other spiritual plant cultivators, entering the adjacent Reception Courtyard to rest, drink tea, and have dinner.

After Qin Ming left,

a cultivator beside Jiang Kun stepped forward and asked: “What should we do, Jiang Brother? Should we…?”

“Not yet. Wait and see.”

“Elder Zhuang’s matters are more important these two days—don’t cause trouble.”

“We can’t act inside the sect.”

“I still can’t figure out how Chen’s four men vanished.”

“Keep watching this brat. After Elder Zhuang’s affairs are settled tomorrow, we’ll decide.”

Jiang Kun ordered coldly.

“Yes!”

…

As Qin Ming drank, his mind churned over what had just happened.

He had already devised a plan.

An hour later,

the lecture resumed.

This time, two-thirds of the spiritual plant cultivators had left the hall.

Only about a hundred cultivators remained.

Qin Ming scanned the hall and noticed Jiang Kun wasn’t there.

Not long after,

Elder Zhuang Xiran re-entered the hall.

He glanced at the cultivators present, nodded, and resumed his lecture.

At that moment.

BOOM!

As Elder Xu was mid-lecture, a deafening, earth-shaking roar erupted outside!

The cultivators present were thrown into panic, their minds reeling.

(End of Chapter)