Chapter 77: Heavy Rain Approaches

Upon receiving the news, Qin Ming couldn't help but furrow his brows.

Immediately, he sank into deep contemplation.

"I didn't expect it to happen so soon."

……

Mid-June.

Over the vast marshes of Cloud Desolation, dark clouds began to gather, seemingly brewing a violent storm.

Qingyang Market, Juxuan Pavilion.

Qin Ming sat by the windowsill, gazing outside, lost in thought.

"Hey! Have you heard?"

"Factions from all sides have searched everywhere, yet they still cannot find that final dragon-shaped token."

"I heard the elders say it is the most crucial one of all."

"It's truly strange; could someone have secretly hidden that token away?"

"Exactly; who knows which bastard is responsible, causing us to be stuck here waiting until we die."

"So what should we do?"

"We can't just keep idling like this forever!"

"There's no way; it's said that using forceful methods simply cannot break open that ancient ruin."

At the wine tables of Juxuan Pavilion, cultivators of all sorts constantly debated the current situation.

"Waiter, bill." After sitting for a short while, Qin Ming prepared to leave.

Hearing the call, Shopkeeper Liao immediately approached, a smile spreading across his face: "Fellow Daoist Qin, won't you stay a bit longer?"

"Mm, the weather is about to change; there are matters in the spirit fields that need attending to." Qin Ming rose, preparing to take out spirit stones to pay.

Shopkeeper Liao hurriedly stopped him, "Fellow Daoist Qin is being far too distant; nowadays you are an honored guest of this pavilion, so consider this mere meal my treat."

With that, Shopkeeper Liao warmly escorted Qin Ming out of the shop.

……

Outside Qingyang Market, within the second-tier spirit fields.

Suddenly, a strong wind swept through the sky, accompanied by a heavy downpour that blew the spirit crops every which way.

Inside the spirit fields, a group of spirit planters scrambled in panic, trying every method possible to save the spirit plants.

"What's going on?"

"Why has the protective formation within the spirit fields failed?"

"If this continues, this year's spirit crops will all be planted in vain!"

The spirit planters, anxious, began shouting one after another.

At this moment.

Qin Ming had just arrived at the spirit fields.

He too could not understand; the protective formation of the spirit fields, which had never encountered problems before.

How could it suddenly fail? In an instant! His vast divine sense detected someone secretly observing from nearby.

Behind a secluded patch of forest near the spirit fields.

Two Foundation Establishment elders of the Lingyu Sect were expressionlessly watching everything unfolding within the spirit fields.

One of them casually raised a hand, deploying a soundproofing barrier.

"Elder Gu, doing this, I'm afraid... seems somewhat inappropriate, doesn't it?" Elder Zhuang Xiran frowned, gazing into the spirit fields, hesitated for a moment, then spoke to the person beside him.

On Elder Gu's rigid face, devoid of any emotion, he replied coldly: "A mere spirit farmer; do you think I cannot handle him?"

"Full of rebellious bones, always thinking of escaping our sect's control; how could it be that easy?"

"Instead of thinking to submit to our sect, he chose to cooperate with the Mirror Jing Xue Ge."

"Since he cannot be used by us, then a dead end is his only path."

"When our sect initially conscripted cultivators from the cultivation families, the agreement signed stipulated a mandatory sixty-year term of corvée labor; not a single year can be deducted from his service."

"If he dares to run, we will take action against that boy's family!"

After Steward Gu broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, his temperament seemed to have changed drastically.

Back when he was still the spirit field steward, he could not accept that the low-level spirit farmers he had once casually exploited.

Unknowingly, had actually climbed to a status equal to his own, sitting on par with him.

But now things were different.

Steward Gu had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage; his status within the Lingyu Sect had undergone a huge leap, and his mindset had shifted once again.

When he was previously an outer sect steward, he had once approached Qin Ming to purchase top-grade beast-tooth rice.

Yet the other party, relying on the tiger skin of the Mirror Jing Xue Ge, flatly rejected him, showing him not the slightest face; this matter he still harbored resentment over.

"The other few elders within the sect share the same view; regardless of the method used, first prevent him from advancing to a second-tier spirit planter."

"Keep him here, farming the land for our sect for his entire life."

……

Qin Ming withdrew his divine sense.

That level of soundproofing barrier, under his powerful divine sense, was as good as non-existent.

After learning the truth, his face turned iron-green, and he clenched his fists tightly. "That old fellow Steward Gu has actually been fixated on me all along."

He hadn't expected the other party's scheming to be so deep; he had already begun calculating against him.

Exploiting him for so long was not enough for him.

He actually still wanted to tether him firmly within the Lingyu Sect, forcing him to farm the land for a lifetime.

A cold glint flashed in Qin Ming's eyes.

He had already formed a plan in his heart.

He formed a strange hand seal with his fingers and pointed it at the sky above his spiritual field.

The spiritual field within a five-mu radius was enveloped by a gray, misty barrier.

In an instant, all the heavy rain and wild wind seemed frozen in midair, unable to pour into his spiritual field.

"Luckily, this 【Wind-Stilling Art】 attribute refreshed in the medicinal herb field of my courtyard some time ago."

"Otherwise, I would have truly fallen for his trap."

In the distant forest.

Elder Gu widened his eyes, "Eh? How is this possible?"

"How does that brat also know such an obscure spell?" Zhuang Xiran was equally astonished.

"Enough, do not lose the big picture over a small matter."

"Let us discuss his affairs later."

"What is most urgent now is that we must find that dragon-shaped secret key before other sects do."

"Before Elder Yuwen breaks through to the Jin Dan stage, we absolutely must not startle the snake by beating the grass."

"We must do everything possible to maintain the current situation."

"Under no circumstances can any error occur."

Elder Zhuang Xiran said to him with a grave expression.

"Once we delay long enough for our sect to produce a Jin Dan Laozu, everything will be different."

Elder Gu distinguished between what was heavy and what was light; understanding the critical implications, he nodded in agreement.

However, his eyes flickered, as if he was pondering something.

Shortly after, the two no longer lingered and turned to leave.

A moment later.

Inside the spiritual field.

The protective formation that had just failed slowly rose again before long, blocking all the wild wind and sudden rain outside.

Qin Ming raised his head to gaze at the formation above, lost in thought.

He had heard the final conversation between Elder Gu and Zhuang Xiran crystal clear.

"What is going on with the Lingyu Sect?"

"Has it been repaired again?"

"Fortunately, there was no widespread disaster, and the losses are not great."

Qin Ming returned to the market.

He bought a small set of protective formations from Gu Qingzhao and arranged them separately around the spiritual field as a precaution.

He also secretly buried spiritual seeds imbued with the Thorn Art around the perimeter of the spiritual field; if any blind fool dared to scheme against his spiritual plants again, they would have only themselves to blame.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, starting next month, our pavilion will withdraw from Qingyang Market and temporarily return to Yunmeng Mountain."

"If the situation in Yunze Dahuang does not calm down anytime soon, our pavilion is very likely to withdraw from this place entirely."

"Taking this opportunity, I also wish to give Fellow Daoist Qin advance notice."

Gu Qingzhao said to Qin Ming with considerable solemnity.

"In that case, could Fellow Daoist Gu please deliver this item to Brother Su on my behalf?" Qin Ming took out a jade box and handed it to Gu Qingzhao.

Originally, he had planned to bring out this item after some time, but now that the Mirror Jing Xue Ge was unwilling to wade into these muddy waters.

He could only bring it out early.

Gu Qingzhao took the jade box, opened it slightly to look, and was so shocked that her starry eyes widened, "A second-grade Divine Spirit Fruit!"

Inside the jade box lay quietly five strange spiritual fruits the size of chicken eggs, their surfaces emitting a layer of misty spiritual qi.

"No, it is a top-grade spiritual fruit!"

Gu Qingzhao realized, staring blankly at Qin Ming, "Did Fellow Daoist Qin cultivate these?"

"Correct, this is what I promised Brother Su before he departed."

Gu Qingzhao closed and put away the jade box, pondered briefly, then asked with anticipation, "Fellow Daoist Qin's attainment in spiritual planting is truly rare; to think you have successfully cultivated even second-grade spiritual plants. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Qin has any extra Divine Spirit Fruits? Our pavilion can purchase them at a high price."

"I do indeed have some left in my possession, but I wish to exchange them for a different condition," Qin Ming pondered for a moment and said to Gu Qingzhao.

Hearing that there was hope, a trace of joy appeared between Gu Qingzhao's dark eyebrows, and she smiled slightly, saying, "I wonder what Fellow Daoist Qin desires?"

(End of Chapter)