Chapter 87

Qin Ming merely thought about it briefly.

He quickly dismissed the idea; Jin Dan True Persons are not easily encountered.

Yet, acquiring such a rare-tier term filled him with delight.

Qin Ming stored the two matured five-color rice plants and the two red-silver yellow hemp plants in his storage bag, then cleared all traces from the spirit field.

He then returned to the Cool Pavilion.

Inside the quiet chamber in the courtyard.

Qin Ming sat cross-legged on the cushion.

In the cultivation world, even if one remains ever cautious, when calamity or human disaster strikes, one still cannot always avoid it.

Only by enhancing one’s own strength can one walk farther on the Immortal Path.

He first ate a bowl of already-cooked supreme-grade blood locust rice and circulated his blood qi through several heavenly cycles.

Immediately, he activated one 【Blood Qi Crystal】 term.

Boom! Suddenly, terrifying blood qi poured down like a torrential downpour.

Qin Ming involuntarily let out a soft groan.

He swiftly activated the cultivation method of the 【Hundred Treasures Glass Sutra】 to refine the blood qi.

The blood qi contained within this 【Blood Qi Crystal】 far exceeded the boost provided by the blood locust rice.

Gradually.

The blood qi force within Qin Ming’s body, already extremely dense, reached its peak.

It began to undergo a qualitative transformation! Boom! Accompanied by a thunderous roar in Qin Ming’s mind.

His surrounding blood qi was compressed to its limit, and a new power was born within him.

Blood Qi transforms into True Gang!

The Glass Robe, previously formed from blood qi force.

At the instant he broke through the seventh layer of the 【Hundred Treasures Glass Sutra】, it too underwent a qualitative transformation.

It became the "Glass Armor," condensed from Blood Qi True Gang.

Its spell-resistance effect rose to an entirely new level; spells below Foundation Establishment could hardly pierce this armor.

Through the transformation of Blood Qi True Gang, Qin Ming’s physical strength and power were further greatly enhanced.

Having entered this realm, his current strength far surpassed peers of the same level, and even among Body Refinement experts at the peak, few could match him.

Qin Ming stood up excitedly, took out the supreme-grade magic treasure Qingming Sword, and summoned his magic power to try stabbing his own skin.

The Qingming Sword’s aura sliced across, yet he remained completely unharmed!

“Just my physical strength alone is already comparable to a supreme-grade defensive magic treasure!”

Enhanced by the protection of Blood Qi True Gang.

Now, even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could not touch him.

Having entered the late stage of Body Refinement, he could not claim invincibility in the marketplace, but self-preservation was more than assured.

With his strength greatly increased, Qin Ming felt the immense power within him and realized he was now utterly different from before.

A flash of sharp light passed through Qin Ming’s eyes; he clenched his fist, and a three-inch layer of Blood Qi True Gang emerged upon it.

A punch like this would be difficult for even a Qi Refining expert at the peak to withstand.

Qin Ming stabilized his new realm and began contemplating his next cultivation plan.

He had now mastered the seventh layer of the 【Hundred Treasures Glass Sutra】, transforming his Blood Qi into Blood Qi True Gang.

Beyond this, he must cultivate the sutra to its ninth-layer peak, reaching the state of True Gang projection.

At that time, solely through Body Refinement, he could rival a Foundation Establishment beginner.

In the days that followed.

Qin Ming consumed the remaining four 【Blood Qi Crystals】, and his Blood Qi True Gang surged again.

He was now halfway to breaking through the eighth layer of the 【Hundred Treasures Glass Sutra】.

He then used up the five 【Faint Lifespan】 terms.

Instantly.

An indescribable force of time descended upon Qin Ming from the unseen.

Qin Ming’s lifespan instantly increased by fifty years, and combined with the slight longevity-enhancing effect of his Changchun Gong, the total gain was substantial.

This meant he now possessed a lifespan of over one hundred and sixty years while still in Qi Refining. Time flows, seasons change—this is the rule of heaven and earth.

Such power was beyond the reach of even high-level cultivators.

The further one cultivates, the greater the desire for extended lifespan becomes.

Many cultivators fail precisely because of lifespan—they cannot break through before their limit arrives, and die with lifelong regret.

Elixirs that increase lifespan on the market are often unavailable regardless of price, and even then, the lifespan gain is extremely limited.

Qin Ming opened his eyes, felt the changes within, and rejoiced inwardly.

With such a long lifespan, he now had ample time to pursue higher realms.

Half a month later.

Qin Ming went again to Juxuan Pavilion to inquire of Gu Qingzhao for the latest news.

From her, he learned.

The news that Lingyu Gate and Jinyun Valley had gained great benefits in the Yunze Wilds had spread like wildfire throughout the Wei Kingdom.

Now, all sorts of demons and monsters were gathering at Qingyang Marketplace.

Not only had Bahuai Sect appeared, but other large cultivation families as strong as Lingyu Gate were also stepping forward.

Some smaller factions were still watching from the shadows, not yet revealing themselves.

In the cultivation world, a sect’s status and power tier.

Is not determined by how many spirit resources it controls, nor by the quality of its disciples, nor by the number of its mid-level cultivators.

It is determined solely by the cultivation realm of its strongest member.

For example, in the Wei Kingdom, Lingyu Gate, Jinyun Valley, Bahuai Sect, and others are merely second-tier sects.

Because their strongest cultivators are only False Core stage.

Therefore.

According to the information Gu Qingzhao revealed to Qin Ming, behind this turbulent situation, a greater power was likely at work.

Otherwise.

Lingyu Gate would never tolerate other factions freely intruding upon its territory.

Precisely because of this.

After seizing the third-rank spirit vein, Lingyu Gate and Jinyun Valley did not immediately turn on each other, but chose to cooperate quietly and grow rich together.

Yet, the number of recruited hermits was simply too great.

No matter how hard the two sects tried to keep it secret, they could not conceal it forever.

……

Leaving Juxuan Pavilion.

Qin Ming walked along the main road of Qingyang Marketplace.

Suddenly, a fierce argument erupted ahead.

He glanced from afar and saw a group of Bahuai Valley cultivators facing off against Jinyun Valley cultivators.

Both sides were clearly furious; had they not been restrained by the marketplace’s rules, they would have already drawn weapons.

Qin Ming ceased watching and quickened his pace to leave.

Returning to his courtyard.

He gave the medicinal herbs a spirit rain, then fed the four-winged frost bees with spirit-feeding pills.

He was just about to return to his cultivation.

Knock knock knock! Someone knocked on Qin Ming’s gate.

He went to look, then quickly opened the door.

The visitor was his neighbor, Feng Yuan, the elder of the Feng brothers.

He was covered in wounds, bandaged, his bald head marked with several horrifying scars, his right arm gone, his face ashen, and his spirit shattered.

“Feng… Feng Daoist, what happened?” Qin Ming hurriedly ushered him into the parlor, seated him, and poured him a cup of water.

Feng Yuan did not drink; he sat dazed for a while.

Then he looked at Qin Ming and whispered softly: “During the expedition to the ruins… Huang Daoist, Yan Daoist… and my brother Feng Fan… all perished…”

(End of Chapter)