Chapter 78: Celebration [Please Follow for Next Chapter]

"Congratulations, Qin Ming, on ascending to High-Grade Spirit Gardener!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Qing smiled with delight, her red lips curving upward as she sincerely offered her congratulations.

Liao the Shopkeeper also chimed in, his voice trembling with excitement: "Congratulations, Qin Ming, on breaking through to High-Grade Spirit Gardener—your path to immortality has advanced further!"

Qin Ming’s rise to High-Grade Spirit Gardener clearly brought benefits to Juexuan Pavilion as well.

After all, Qin Ming was now closely allied with Juexuan Pavilion.

Liao the Shopkeeper couldn’t help but sigh.

Back then, this young man had to sneak in through the back door just to sell spirit rice.

Now, he was someone even Liao himself had to court and befriend.

High-Grade Spirit Gardeners were already rare among free cultivators.

Even within sects, their status ranked just below certain inner-disciple Elders and core disciples.

Moreover, once one became a High-Grade Spirit Gardener, they gained the right to apply independently for leasing spirit fields on second-rank spirit veins.

After all, cultivating Gao Jie spirit plants required more spiritual energy than first-rank veins could provide.

Qin Ming was also in high spirits: "Thank you both for waiting here. Later, I’ll treat you to a drink at Juexuan Pavilion."

Then,

In the presence of several Elders and Gu Qing, Qin Ming activated the third leaf of his Spirit Gardener identity plaque.

He officially became a High-Grade Spirit Gardener.

Qin Ming also continued renting the house in the shantytown that Su Yuqing had once occupied.

After finishing his affairs,

Qin Ming took his leave of Elder Zhuang and departed the Office Hall.

The four Elders sat inside the inner chamber, exchanging stunned glances.

"Wait, Elder Zhuang—how the hell did this kid pull this off?"

"Didn’t you soften up and let him slip through?"

"Bullshit! I didn’t expect this—I was caught off guard!"

"..."

"So what do we do now?"

"Leave it to fate—second-rank spirit plants aren’t easy to cultivate."

"All of you Elders know this well."

"If this boy finds another way to secure a slot and passes the Wood and Plant Illusion Trial..."

"Then I have nothing more to say."

Juexuan Pavilion.

As Qin Ming and Gu Qing reached the shop entrance,

they ran into an old acquaintance.

It was none other than their neighbor, Yan Danshi.

"Oh! Qin Ming! Long time no see—are you heading to Juexuan Pavilion for a drink?" Yan Danshi spotted Qin Ming from afar and came over to greet him.

When he drew closer and saw Gu Qing beside Qin Ming, he was slightly startled.

He knew well that Gu Qing’s background was far from ordinary.

Yan Danshi frequently bought and sold spirit materials at Juexuan Pavilion.

He naturally recognized the power behind her.

He quickly bowed to Gu Qing in greeting.

"Madam Gu, you know Qin Ming?"

Gu Qing gave a slight nod. "Yes. Qin Ming is a valued guest of our pavilion—he just ascended to High-Grade Spirit Gardener today."

Qin Ming also greeted Yan Danshi and invited him: "Yan Danshi, chance encounters are better than planned meetings—join us for a drink?"

Yan Danshi’s head went numb.

He froze for a long moment.

"What?"

"High-Grade Spirit Gardener?"

"So fast?"

Soon after, Liao the Shopkeeper ordered a lavish banquet set up in a private room.

At the table,

Yan Danshi’s face flushed red as he pulled out a simple wooden box from his storage bag and gently placed it before Qin Ming: "Today is a momentous day for you, Qin Ming—this is a small token of my congratulations."

Qin Ming, unwilling to refuse such goodwill, accepted the box and thanked him: "Thank you, Yan Danshi."

Then Yan Danshi raised his cup to toast Qin Ming.

"I’ve already sent word to several other neighbors—they should arrive shortly."

"Since this is such a joyous occasion for Qin Ming, we should celebrate together, hehe!"

Qin Ming was taken aback—he hadn’t expected Yan Danshi to invite others.

Beside him, Gu Qing suddenly asked: "Qin Ming, since everyone’s coming, why not invite Su Danshi as well?"

"Oh, Madam Gu, you don’t know—Su Brother left Yunze Wilds some time ago," Qin Ming explained.

Gu Qing’s beautiful eyes flickered with regret. "So Su Danshi has left..."

Beside them, Yan Danshi, cup still in hand, was utterly stunned. "Qin Ming—you know Su Danshi?"

"Know him? Qin Ming’s alchemy skills were personally guided by Su Danshi," Liao the Shopkeeper said with a smile.

Yan Danshi gaped. "Alchemy? Guided by Su Danshi?"

"Indeed. Qin Ming is not only a High-Grade Spirit Gardener—he is also a genuine Mid-Grade Alchemist," Liao explained.

Yan Danshi could no longer sit still.

"Qin Ming, you never told me you’re a Mid-Grade Alchemist!"

"Ah, I clearly underestimated you, Qin Ming."

Yan Danshi sighed, feeling his age—first there was the brilliant Su Yuqing, who became a High-Grade Alchemist while still young.

Now Qin Ming, so young, was already a Mid-Grade Alchemist.

"The younger generation is truly formidable!"

Soon after,

several of Qin Ming’s neighbors arrived.

Seeing Gu Qing herself accompanying him, they were all taken aback.

"Qin Ming, I never guessed you’d rise to High-Grade Spirit Gardener so quickly—congratulations!" Huang Xishan, the High-Grade Artificer from the Artifact Hall, offered his congratulations.

He then produced a finely crafted long wooden box as a gift and handed it to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming opened it slightly—inside was a meticulously made spirit hoe!

"Heh, I made this hoe years ago on a whim—it’s no worse than an ordinary Mid-Grade magic treasure. Now it’s perfect for you, Qin Ming."

Huang Xishan was clearly seeking favor—among the neighbors, only Qin Ming and he had reached the High-Grade level in the cultivation arts.

He now regarded Qin Ming as an equal.

The Feng Brothers arrived as well, offering their congratulations and gifts.

The two brothers gave Qin Ming a straightforward gift: a small bag containing two hundred spirit stones.

"Heh, Qin Ming, I never thought you’d have such an extraordinary talent for spirit gardening—in just a year, you’ve quietly leapt ahead of us all," Lin Zi said with a grin.

He then produced his own gift.

Lin Zi’s gift was a set of alarm arrays—quite useful to him.

Suddenly, the private room buzzed with lively chatter.

Qin Ming’s standing among the cultivators had changed completely.

Such a young High-Grade Spirit Gardener might soon ascend further—to become a Second-Rank Spirit Gardener.

If they waited until then, it would be too late to cultivate ties with this young man.

After three rounds of wine,

the celebration ended in a harmonious, joyful atmosphere.

Back at Qingliang Xiaozhu,

Qin Ming’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Almost there—only one step away from Second-Rank Spirit Gardener!"

(End of Chapter)