Chapter 750: Descendants of Old Friends

Within the Small Spirit Realm.

On the grassland, four giant beast corpses were neatly arranged.

Aside from the essence blood of Gengchi Mojiao, which Qin Ming had given to the Demon Nascent Soul, all other corpses retained their essence blood.

A fourth-stage dragon’s entire body is invaluable; its parts are all high-grade spiritual materials in the cultivation world, rare and hard to come by.

They are useful for alchemy, artifact forging, array formation, and talisman crafting alike.

“Hehehe! What a perfect family, all lying together.” The Devouring Rat grinned excitedly, rubbing his plump white hands.

Qin Ming glanced at him—he knew full well what this fellow was up to. But right now, the Devouring Rat’s ability to produce Dark Xuan Stone was immensely useful to him.

The Dark Xuan Stone had all been used up; he needed to prepare some in reserve.

Qin Ming immediately tossed the Blue Lizard King’s core and another fourth-stage early-stage dragon’s core to the Devouring Rat.

“Since swallowing Nascent Souls lets you produce Dark Xuan Stone, swallowing fourth-stage dragon cores should work too. Show me what you’re capable of.”

“Thank you, Master, for this generous gift!” The Devouring Rat seized the cores, his little face nearly splitting with joy.

He promptly went off to find a place to assimilate the two cores.

For some reason, since the Devouring Rat had advanced to fourth-stage and achieved human form.

He had become increasingly wasteful; even after swallowing several Nascent Souls, his cultivation had only increased slightly, with no other significant changes.

A normal human-form giant beast, upon consuming this many Nascent Souls, would have seen a major leap in cultivation.

After all, human and demonic Nascent Souls were roughly equivalent to dragon cores—essence of a cultivator’s entire being, and equally potent nourishment for beastkind.

‘Could it be he eats and excretes the same amount, completing a cycle?’

Qin Ming couldn’t help but form this strange thought.

Then.

Qin Ming collected the essence blood from the other three dragons.

He kept the vial of essence blood belonging to Prince Xuan Ce—he was born of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, truly of the sea clan’s royal bloodline, carrying ancient true spirit blood, possibly useful in the future.

Or perhaps to further strengthen the Demon Nascent Soul.

Qin Ming then took a portion from the other two vials and walked to his field where he cultivated Blood Dragon Green Rice.

He formed a hand seal and pointed, pouring the essence blood onto the Azure Spirit Soil.

As the fourth-stage dragon essence blood flowed in, the dozen or so Blood Dragon Green Rice plants seemed to gain immense benefit, emitting waves of ecstatic emotion.

They then began to grow wildly; visible strands of crimson dragon essence surged upward from their roots, saturating the entire plants, deepening the crimson veins within their green stalks.

The plump green spiritual rice ears bent the entire plants under their weight.

This was the benefit of irrigating with fourth-stage dragon blood; though cultivating Blood Dragon Green Rice only required third-stage snake-dragon essence blood.

Qin Ming had gone all out, determined to push this batch of fourth-stage mid-grade spiritual rice to its absolute limit.

In his vision, two entries appeared, shifting: 【Name】: Blood Dragon Green Rice 【Trait】: Yuan Ying Magic Power ×5 (Maturity 85%) 【Name】: Blood Dragon Green Rice 【Trait】: Time Flies ×5 (Maturity 82%) “Almost there. It’ll mature soon.”

“After irrigating with these dragon bloods, it should be ready for harvest.”

Qin Ming stared at the Blood Dragon Green Rice, eyes filled with anticipation.

Then.

He gathered the dragon corpses and exited the Small Spirit Realm in good spirits.

After completing all this, Qin Ming prepared to leave Canghai Xiancheng and return to Wangyue Island.

But as he passed through the core district, he happened to catch sight of a familiar face.

He slowed his steps.

Within the Lu Family Courtyard.

A beautiful woman, displaying late Qi Refining cultivation, was leading her two children and several clan members in ancestral worship at the family shrine.

“Grateful for ancestral blessings, allowing us to still benefit from the Xiancheng’s protection.”

Above the shrine hung two portraits: the old acquaintances Qin Ming had met long ago, Lu Liang and Lu Wanjun. After all clan members departed, the young woman remained alone to tidy the incense.

She gazed at the portraits, as if recalling something, her expression filled with sorrow.

Unaware that a figure had silently appeared within the shrine.

She wiped away a tear, staring at the portraits, then turned to leave the shrine.

But as she turned, she saw an ordinary-looking young man gazing calmly at the portraits.

She sensed not a trace of magic power from him—as if he were a common mortal.

Yet when she clearly saw Qin Ming’s face, she instantly recognized him.

Wasn’t this the famed Wangyue Zhenjun of the Southern Wastelands? Shocked, she immediately knelt to bow: “Disciple Lu Cui’er bows before the Wangyue Zhenjun!”

Qin Ming waved his hand, lifting her up: “No need for such formalities.”

“I didn’t know Lu Wanjun had passed away. When did she die? Who are you to her?”

In the one and only correct version!

“Respected Senior, I am Lu Cui’er. The portrait is of my mother. Decades ago, during the demonic calamity, she went to rescue my father and was killed alongside him by a horde of demonic cultivators.” As she spoke, grief overwhelmed her, and fresh tears welled.

“Alas! I never thought this woman, too, could not escape fate.” Qin Ming sighed.

He had closed his eyes in seclusion for months, sometimes years.

Many things outside had escaped his attention.

“Lu Liang and Lu Wanjun were both old acquaintances of mine. As their only descendant, I ought to offer you some care. Do you have any wishes?” Qin Ming gazed at the portraits and spoke calmly.

Lu Cui’er trembled, her expression filled with excitement—who could remain calm before the opportunity granted by a Nascent Soul True Person?

After hesitating long, she ventured cautiously: “Zhenjun Senior… I have a son and daughter. Could you… please take a look at them?”

“No need. When I entered, I already examined them. Their cultivation talent is quite ordinary—not suited to join my sect.”

“But if you wish, I can send them to Wangyue Island as spirit farmers. Though they won’t attain immortality, they’ll live a safe life.”

“Thank you, Zhenjun Senior, for your grace. I dare not hope for more,” Lu Cui’er quickly bowed deeply.

But when she rose again, Qin Ming’s figure was gone.

Only on the nearby table did she notice a newly placed exquisite jade vial.

She hurried forward, opened it, and a strange medicinal fragrance filled the air. Inside lay a brilliant blue spirit pill, radiating a thick pill aura.

“Foundation Establishment Pill!!” Lu Cui’er clapped her hand over her mouth, frozen in stunned silence.

After leaving the Lu family, Qin Ming also stopped by the Feng family’s talisman shop in the outer district.

He learned Feng Sihai had long since passed away from old age decades ago—everything was now changed beyond recognition.

“The sea turns to mulberry fields; time flies swiftly. Many old acquaintances have departed.”

Qin Ming sighed, then mounted his Lingxiao Bao Nian and returned to Wangyue Island.

Meanwhile.

During this time, Qin Ming received another favorable report from Mo Lingwei.

That Fang Han, the direct disciple of the late third-stage Alchemy Master Gongsun Yang of Liang Kingdom’s Xuanxi Valley, had recently successfully ascended to the rank of third-stage Alchemy Master.

He became the youngest Alchemy Master in the history of the Southern Wastelands since Qin Ming.

His cultivation had also broken through to Golden Core, meaning Xuanxi Valley now had a worthy successor.

Qin Ming had once met the young man several times; he never imagined so much time had passed that he could now shoulder the entire sect’s future.

The Xuan Yu Ancestor’s lifespan was likely nearing its end.

He immediately attached a third-stage alchemy manual and instructed Mo Lingwei to attend the Golden Core ceremony on his behalf.

After all, Qin Ming himself had once visited Xuanxi Valley to “borrow” the Golden Core Pill formula when he sought to break through to Golden Core—now, this karmic debt was finally settled.

(End of Chapter)