Chapter 79: Fame in the Market

Qingliang Xiaozhu.

Morning light spilled down, a gentle breeze stirred.

Qin Ming flipped through the gifts given by his neighbors yesterday, unable to help but sigh.

“Cultivation is all about human relationships and social graces!”

In the future, whenever any of these cultivators breaks through, he’ll have to repay the favor.

He put away the gifts and stopped thinking further, then rose and stepped out of the room.

He strolled to the courtyard and headed straight for the corner.

Buzzzzzzz~

After some time, the honeycomb hanging from the Deadblood Poison Vine had grown a full circle larger.

Qin Ming drew closer and peered in, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

“Why have these Four-Winged Frost Bees become so agitated?”

He calmed his spirit and used the Bee-Driving Spell to communicate with the queen—but was stunned to discover she had fallen into a deep sleep, seemingly undergoing a breakthrough! Qin Ming’s spirit sharpened; he casually seized one frost bee and examined it closely.

On the body of each Four-Winged Frost Bee, several purple stripes had appeared.

All the frost bees had grown significantly larger—they were undergoing a collective transformation!

This native hive from Yunze Great Wilderness was about to ascend to a Rank-One Spirit Insect! “How did they suddenly breakthrough?” Qin Ming was both startled and delighted.

“Could it be related to the three demonic flowers on the Deadblood Poison Vine?”

After carefully verifying repeatedly, he confirmed the hive’s transformation was caused by the purple demonic flowers.

The reason was that the purple stripes on the bees matched almost exactly the patterns on the purple demonic flowers.

The queen at the hive’s center had grown to the size of a fist; she had clearly gained immense benefits, her aura now fully upgraded to a Rank-One Low-Grade Spirit Insect.

Qin Ming thought for a moment, then activated two [Ripen] entries, ripening the three purple demonic flowers to full bloom.

A rich, enticing fragrance instantly filled the entire courtyard.

Buzzzzzz~ The spirit bees grew even more excited!

Qin Ming did not rush to fully ripen the Deadblood Poison Vine’s flowers—he wanted to wait a few days and observe how the spirit bees would change further.

“Didn’t expect such an unexpected gain.”

…

Noon.

Qin Ming stepped out of the courtyard and walked along the streets of Qingyang Market.

He intended to rent the spirit fields on the Rank-Two Spirit Vein.

On the main road.

Around him, in the shops, several familiar cultivators greeted him warmly.

“Comrade Qin, congratulations! At such a young age, you’ve achieved Rank-One Superior Herbalist status!”

“Congratulations, Comrade Qin! You’re a model for all of us lone cultivators!”

“Comrade Qin, congratulations!”

Every long-term resident of Qingyang Market offered their felicitations.

Passersby and cultivators alike fixed their gazes on Qin Ming.

Even those unfamiliar with him began asking questions.

“Excuse me, shopkeeper, who is that cultivator? Is he very powerful?”

“You don’t know?”

“Yesterday, one young cultivator from a clan, serving as a spirit farmer in Lingyu Sect, quietly pulled off a stunning comeback and ascended to Rank-One Superior Herbalist!”

“That farmer is Comrade Qin Ming!”

“From now on, his status will soar—he has boundless potential on the Immortal Path!”

“And it’s said Comrade Qin is close friends with Grand Alchemist Su Yuqing—he’s not only a Rank-One Superior Herbalist, but also a Rank-Middle Alchemist!”

“If not for yesterday’s celebration banquet at Juxuan Pavilion, none of us would have known!”

“It’s rare for us lone cultivators to produce someone like this.”

“Comrade Qin is a role model among spirit farmers—a lowly spirit farmer who climbed step by step to Rank-One Superior Herbalist is truly inspiring! I plan to visit him in a few days.”

…

As Qin Ming stepped out, cultivators kept approaching him with praise and congratulations, one after another.

He was thoroughly embarrassed.

“This isn’t good. People fear fame, pigs fear growing fat. If I draw the attention of bandit cultivators, I’m doomed.”

“Sigh! I shouldn’t have thrown that party!”

Qin Ming inwardly regretted it deeply.

First, he went to find the overseer Du Haifu and terminated his lease on the eight mu of Rank-One Spirit Fields.

“Ah—I never expected, Comrade Qin! I heard from the sect elders that you actually passed such a difficult examination!”

“Your reputation isn’t just spreading through Qingyang Market—it’s caused a small stir even within Lingyu Sect! Hahaha!”

Though his spiritual roots were mediocre, at only twenty-some years old and now a Rank-One Superior Herbalist, he was undeniably a young cultivator with potential.

Hearing this, Qin Ming sighed again inwardly.

He couldn’t even stay low-key anymore.

But his goal was Rank-Two Herbalist—he’d have to take this step eventually.

He then completed the lease termination procedures with Du Haifu.

“Comrade Qin, as a Rank-One Superior Herbalist, you’re now eligible to rent Rank-Two Spirit Fields.”

“Just go to the Executive Hall to handle it.”

“Comrade Qin, don’t forget the folks back on our mountain—come visit often, hahaha!”

Du Haifu’s fat face beamed with flattery, smiling like a Maitreya Buddha.

His inner feelings were mixed.

From now on, Qin Ming would no longer be under his jurisdiction.

After bidding farewell to Du Haifu,

Qin Ming arrived at the Executive Hall and stated his purpose.

The Lingyu Sect official in charge of Rank-Two Spirit Fields greeted him warmly and explained:

“Comrade Qin, the Rank-Two Spirit Fields lie in the eastern region near Qingyang Market, divided into four grades—Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding—based on proximity to the spirit vein’s core. Rank-Two Spirit Fields are rare, totaling only about a hundred mu.”

“Jia-grade fields have the optimal soil conditions and spiritual energy concentration; besides paying grain taxes, each mu requires three hundred spirit stones annually.”

“Yi-grade fields are next best—two hundred spirit stones per mu annually.”

“Bing-grade fields require one hundred fifty spirit stones per mu annually; Ding-grade fields require one hundred spirit stones per mu annually.”

Qin Ming pondered briefly, then decided: “I’ll rent five mu of Jia-grade fields.”

The official’s smile widened at once.

“Of course, Comrade Qin—I’ll process it immediately.”

Qin Ming handed over one thousand five hundred spirit stones to the official.

The Lingyu Sect official swiftly completed the lease procedures.

“Comrade Qin, here is your Spirit Field Lease Token—keep it safe.”

Qin Ming took the token and took his leave from the Executive Hall.

He was eager to see firsthand what these Rank-Two Spirit Fields were like.

Two incense sticks’ time later,

Qin Ming arrived at the Rank-Two Spirit Fields east of the market.

Before him stretched a scene of clear springs, verdant forests, serene and exquisite landscapes—a world apart.

Especially, the spiritual energy here was thick; Qin Ming inhaled deeply and instantly felt refreshed and serene.

All the plants cultivated in these fields were Rank-One Superior or higher.

Moreover, teams of late Qi Refining cultivators from the Lingyu Sect patrolled the fields all day.

Yet after walking around, he had yet to spot any Rank-Two spirit plants being grown.

Qin Ming reached his rented five mu of Jia-grade fields.

The fields had already been meticulously tended—ready for him to plant.

He crouched down, scooped up a handful of the spirit soil, and examined it closely.

The soil was exceptionally fertile, perfect for growing high-grade spirit plants.

Qin Ming thought for a moment and had already decided which spirit plants to grow.

Still, he planned to visit Juxuan Pavilion to purchase some spirit seeds.

(End of Chapter)