Chapter 8: Frenzied Howl Monkey

Late October, the autumn chill deepened.

A crisp autumn wind drifted in.

A layer of dry leaves had accumulated in the hills and woods; when the wind blew, they spun upward and scattered wildly, covering the winding path that sloped up to the mountaintop.

But they also concealed several unusual marks along the path…

The third-season spiritual rice had already formed spiritual rice panicles.

Another month, and the harvest would come.

Everyone had gradually forgotten the earlier turmoil.

On the slope, hundreds of acres of golden spiritual fields were filled with the busy figures of spiritual farmers.

The yield of this final season of spiritual rice was self-evidently crucial to these spiritual farmers.

With harvest imminent, the spiritual farmers dared not slacken for a moment, almost all of them staying day and night in the fields.

Never leaving their side.

In Qin Ming's third-season Golden Spirit Rice field, only one term had spawned: "Weak Magic Power."

His desire to rapidly mature the "Beast Tooth Rice" had also come to nothing.

He gazed at the four terms within his Beast Tooth Rice field, his eyes burning with envy.

【Name】: Beast Tooth Rice 【Term】: Advanced Spirit Rain Art x5 (Maturity 28%)

【Name】: Beast Tooth Rice 【Term】: Quality Enhancement x1 (Maturity 26%)

【Name】: Beast Tooth Rice 【Term】: Accelerated Maturation x5 (Maturity 33%)

Moreover, news of his successful cultivation of Beast Tooth Rice spread like wildfire; some in the marketplace had begun paying attention to the condition of his single acre.

He could only wait patiently.

Currently, his mental sea held three "Weak Magic Power" terms.

Qin Ming was in the field, casting the Spirit Rain Art to summon rain.

He heard footsteps approaching from behind.

He grew alert.

Immediately he ended the spell and turned around.

A young cultivator in a white robe appeared in his sight, carrying a small bamboo basket on his back.

"It's Su Danshi."

"What is he doing here?"

As Qin Ming wondered.

Su Danshi walked straight toward him and said bluntly: "Brother Qin, I heard you succeeded in cultivating Beast Tooth Rice?"

Qin Ming quickly bowed to Su Danshi and replied humbly: "Lucky success."

"Brother Qin, no need to be so formal—I've come here for the companion product of Beast Tooth Rice: Crimson Spirit Dew."

Qin Ming heard this for the first time and was greatly surprised.

Su Danshi explained: "Crimson Spirit Dew is a relatively obscure alchemical auxiliary material, used to harmonize medicinal properties; few know of it."

Saying this,

Su Danshi walked around the Beast Tooth Rice field and began observing closely.

He circled the field once, chin in hand, lost in thought.

Long moments passed.

Su Danshi turned to Qin Ming and exclaimed in admiration: "Brother Qin, to be honest, your cultivation of Beast Tooth Rice has exceeded my expectations—the final quality won't be poor. It seems you have a unique planting secret."

Qin Ming felt a quiet pang inside: I have no secret formula—but I do have one secret I cannot speak of.

Su Danshi gently parted the leaves at the top of one Beast Tooth Rice plant.

He waved his hand, signaling Qin Ming to come closer.

As Qin Ming leaned in, he saw, indeed, a single drop of crimson, blood-like dew nestled at the leaf's base.

"So this is Crimson Spirit Dew."

Qin Ming realized suddenly.

Had Su Danshi not mentioned it, he would never have known—the spiritual plant manual recorded nothing of it.

"Harvesting this Crimson Spirit Dew has no effect on the plant itself."

"It happens to be useful in my alchemy."

"Brother Qin, may I collect some?"

"I'll pay ten spirit stones."

Su Danshi asked calmly.

"Brother Su, you're joking—if this spirit dew is useful to you, take as much as you need."

Qin Ming would never let him pay spirit stones; forming a connection with such a promising alchemist was exactly what he desired.

Besides, he had previously received a Qi-Replenishing Pill from him for free—this was the perfect chance to return the favor.

"If that's the case, I won't refuse." Su Danshi said, pulling out a jade-green porcelain vial and preparing to collect the Crimson Spirit Dew.

Rustle-rustle!

Swish-swish-swish-swish! The tree canopies around them began trembling violently—as if some beast was leaping through the woods, heading straight for the hundreds of acres of spiritual fields!

Su Danshi, hearing the noise, immediately halted his action.

"What's happening?"

Qin Ming's expression changed; he instinctively pulled out a Jin Guang protective talisman, his brow furrowed with a sense of dread.

The spiritual farmers on the mountain also noticed the unusual disturbance around them.

They stopped what they were doing one after another.

Suddenly!

Before they could react.

"Squeak— squeak— squeak—"

One piercing shriek after another echoed through the spirit fields on the hillside.

Several dozen monkeys, their bodies covered in sickly, grotesque fur, leapt out of the woods in an instant! A few of the demon beasts among them gave off an especially powerful aura.

Clearly first-stage mid-phase demon beasts! "Not good! It's the Howling Frenzy Monkeys!" Alchemist Su seemed to recognize these demon beasts.

He slapped his storage pouch, and a set of formation flags appeared in his hand. He immediately formed a hand seal and hurled them onto the ground.

A pale-blue light barrier, two zhang in radius, instantly appeared beneath their feet and enveloped him.

Alchemist Su shouted at Qin Ming in an extremely rapid voice: "The Jin Guang talisman is useless, get in here, quick!"

Qin Ming heard this without a moment's hesitation and immediately stepped inside the barrier's range.

At once, the sounds outside were cut off completely.

Qin Ming hurriedly looked toward the nearby spirit fields.

Wherever his gaze reached, the Howling Frenzy Monkeys kept shrieking, and arc-shaped sound waves spread outward from the monkeys' mouths in every direction.

He saw that any low-level spirit farmer struck by the sound waves would instantly turn red-eyed, face contorted, looking as if they had gone mad.

They actually began attacking and slaughtering each other!

In an instant.

The spirit fields were thrown into total chaos, and a great deal of unripened spirit rice was ruined, scattered across the ground.

A mid Qi Refining spirit farmer had just tried to summon his flying sword to escape, when the sound waves interrupted his casting and he dropped straight down from midair.

Whoosh! A Howling Frenzy Monkey, a size larger than the rest of the pack, leapt up from within the spirit fields!

Its movements were lightning fast! In a flash it seized that spirit farmer, bared crimson fangs, and bit clean through his neck in one bite.

Bright red blood gushed out!

On that spirit farmer's face, the look of terror remained even in death.

"Squeak— squeak— squeak—"

The sharp, piercing howls echoed through the mountains.

Qin Ming watched the bloody, brutal scene, his scalp tingling all over.

His heart pounding wildly, he did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately wanted to cut and run.

Spirit rice could be replanted if lost, but if his life was gone, then truly nothing would be left.

But he abruptly halted his steps, thought it through carefully, and figured: 'If I leave the range of Alchemist Su's formation now, I'll definitely take a hit, and my end won't be any better than that spirit farmer's.'

For a moment he wavered, unable to decide.

Qin Ming turned his head and saw that although Alchemist Su's complexion was not great, he had not lost his composure too badly.

'Could it be that he's very confident in his own formation?'

More than a few thoughts flashed through his mind.

His expression was somewhat complicated.

"No need to panic, my formation can hold those beasts off for a while," Alchemist Su said, clearly having read Qin Ming's thoughts.

"These are Howling Frenzy Monkeys. Their strongest attack is the sound wave from their mouths—it can captivate the heart and soul, extremely bizarre, and very hard to guard against."

"If we stall for a bit, the people from Lingyu Gate should be able to send reinforcements very soon."

His words had just fallen.

Seven or eight Howling Frenzy Monkeys began to bunch together and, incredibly, charged straight at the two of them in a pincer formation!

Among them was even that very first-stage mid-phase Howling Frenzy Monkey that had just bitten the spirit farmer to death.

Eight of them coming at once?

At this, even Alchemist Su's face changed.

Qin Ming watched as those Howling Frenzy Monkeys rampaged through the spirit fields without the slightest restraint.

They were about to reach his spirit field in moments.

Qin Ming immediately slapped his storage pouch, a glint of resolve flashing in his eyes.

A small copper bell spun out and floated into his hand.

Qin Ming formed a hand seal, and the small bell magic treasure instantly transformed into a great bell, fixed in midair before him.

It was none other than the Beast-Driving Art!

"Competing with your lungs, are we? Let's see who's louder!"

(End of chapter)