Chapter 95: Long Time No See, Brother Qin

“Did I mess up?”

Qin Ming stood frozen in place.

“No!”

He sank his mind slightly and sensed—the black vine had slipped beneath the earth.

It seemed rather mischievous.

“It can shift its form at will, infiltrating everywhere.”

“Truly unbelievable!”

Qin Ming immediately communicated with the black vine, commanding it to emerge.

In an instant.

Vast, sky-covering black vines burst from the ground like tentacles bristling with black eyes.

All of them gazed happily toward Qin Ming.

Qin Ming was dumbfounded—this life-spirit plant, upon reaching maturity, required an astonishingly long time.

These five [Temporal Leaf] entries had only caused it to grow a negligible fraction beyond its juvenile stage.

“Five hundred years, and it’s still just a seedling.”

Qin Ming couldn’t help but gasp.

Blood pearls, however, accelerated the black vine’s evolution far more effectively.

Yet this also allowed Qin Ming to enter the introductory level of the [Ancient Tree Longevity Art].

But there remained a considerable gap before achieving the preliminary [Supreme Wood Body] spiritual form.

He estimated that only with more blood pearls could he accelerate its advancement.

Qin Ming now not only saw a dramatic increase in his affinity for plants.

His understanding of wood-elemental spells had also improved slightly.

The [Ancient Tree Longevity Art] was merely a method to cultivate a spiritual body—it did not directly enhance cultivation base.

Only once the spiritual body was fully formed would its effects become significant.

Shh! Qin Ming casually formed a basic spell—Wood Arrow Technique.

Boom! The power of the Wood Arrow Technique had strengthened somewhat.

“I’ve gained deeper insights into the Thorn Whip Technique as well.”

Qin Ming pondered for a moment, deciding that if he got the chance later, he’d still find an optimal growing environment for this life-spirit plant.

After all, places rich in spiritual energy benefited spirit plants far more.

…

Next,

Qin Ming returned to his cultivation chamber.

He activated the villa’s formation seals and entered seclusion mode.

He tapped into the [Magic Power Crystal] entry and began a new round of cultivation.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Qin Ming consumed all five [Magic Power Crystal] entry leaves.

On this day, a powerful surge of magic power surged within the Cool Cottage, resonating with heaven and earth.

Even the villa’s isolation formation failed to conceal this aura.

“Qi Refining late stage?”

“Didn’t expect someone nearby to break through to Qi Refining seventh level.”

“Seems like it’s Qin Ming’s courtyard.”

“Qin Ming? It’s him?”

“No wonder—he’s a top-grade spirit cultivator; his cultivation base advances so swiftly.”

All nearby neighbors sensed this aura.

Many cultivators turned their gazes toward Qin Ming’s courtyard.

“Twenty-seven years old, Qi Refining seventh level!”

Qin Ming slowly opened his eyes, feeling the surging Changchun magic power within him, overflowing with joy.

“I wonder if those old bastards in the family ever imagined this?”

“With my mere four-element pseudo-spiritual roots, I’ve reached this point.”

Qin Ming’s heart felt utterly exhilarated.

Qi Refining seventh level marked his entry into the late stage of Qi Refining.

After years of accumulated buildup,

the magic power within him—already far exceeding that of peers—had surged several times over, now rivaling Qi Refining peak.

Combined with his body refinement, both now advanced to late stage, Qin Ming’s combat capabilities had multiplied manyfold.

Qi Refining seventh level, while merely an inner sect disciple in a sect,

placed him among the upper-middle ranks in a Foundation Establishment family.

If the family learned of this, they’d surely be stunned. Qin Ming stopped thinking further and began regulating his breath to stabilize his realm.

…

On this day,

Qin Ming went to his spirit field to tend the spirit plants.

The three mu of five-color rice and two mu of crimson-silver yellow hemp were growing exceptionally well, thriving vigorously.

When the crimson-silver yellow hemp first grew tall, its wood-scent had drawn a swarm of pests—a kind of black, thread-like spirit insect that clung like a parasite to his spirit plants.

Later, Qin Ming summoned his four-winged Frost Bees and eradicated them utterly.

Since Qin Ming began cultivating the [Ancient Tree Longevity Art], his affinity for plants had strengthened.

He now felt even more harmonious with the spirit plants in his fields.

He could even faintly sense which plant was unwell and which needed more fertilizer.

Qin Ming was carefully loosening the spirit soil with a spirit hoe.

Boom! “Intruder!”

A signal talisman bearing the emblem of the Spirit Feather Sect exploded in midair above the spirit field!

Immediately after,

a patrol squad from the Spirit Feather Sect flew overhead.

Even a Foundation Establishment Elder had arrived.

Qin Ming’s expression changed; he looked upward ahead.

Within the vast spirit field, dark clouds loomed, filled with screams and cries of terror.

“Run! It’s a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator!”

“Quickly send for sect reinforcements!”

Above the spirit field,

a man cloaked in black robes hovered in midair, radiating terrifying magic power.

The moment Qin Ming saw him, his heart lurched—he felt extreme danger.

Without hesitation, he turned to flee.

But at that moment,

the dark clouds on the horizon began swirling and gathering as if guided by a will, encircling the man within.

Spirit Feather Sect’s Qi Refining disciples, panicked, touched the black clouds and instantly let out piercing screams.

They were torn apart by the gales blowing from within the clouds.

“Second-rank confinement array!”

Even the Spirit Feather Sect’s Foundation Establishment Elder paled.

The black-robed man casually waved his hand, and a black streak of energy slashed forth.

The arriving Spirit Feather Sect disciples and field guards were instantly cut to pieces.

“Stop!”

“I didn’t expect you to have such audacity.”

“Daring to wreak havoc within the Spirit Feather Sect’s controlled territory!”

Seeing his disciples slaughtered so brutally, the Spirit Feather Sect Elder grew frantic.

He formed a spell in his hand and launched it toward the opponent.

The black-robed cultivator sneered, his demonic aura surging as he slashed a black streak of energy toward the Spirit Feather Sect Elder—BOOM! CRASH! The two Foundation Establishment masters’ spells collided in midair with a thunderous roar.

Yet,

the black-robed cultivator’s black streak, after shattering the Spirit Feather Sect Elder’s spell, did not lose momentum.

It slammed hard into the Elder’s chest—“Ahh!”

The Foundation Establishment Elder’s chest erupted in a gush of blood; his aura instantly withered.

He staggered and fell to the ground.

The two sides exchanged only one blow—and the outcome was decided.

The Spirit Feather Sect Elder, grievously wounded by a single strike, turned pale and cried out: “No! You—you’re one of the five demonic cultivators who attacked Elder Zhuang’s herb garden!”

"Hmph! Annoying!"

The black-robed man extended a pure, jade-white hand, clenching it in midair, summoning a black blade of several zhang in length.

He flicked his wrist toward the Foundation Establishment elder on the ground.

Dark radiance flashed, piercing through empty space.

The black blade struck with lightning speed, splitting him cleanly in two.

From start to finish,

the Foundation Establishment elder had not even a moment to react.

Their cultivation levels were utterly incomparable.

Qin Ming’s heart pounded wildly; cold sweat drenched his back.

What should he do? There was nowhere to flee now.

A few breaths later,

the black-robed cultivator had slaughtered every last member of the Lingyu Sect.

Only then did he float leisurely toward Qin Ming.

'So his target was me all along.'

Qin Ming pulled the purple leaf of the [Spell Replication] from his storage pouch and gripped it tightly.

The black-robed cultivator arrived in an instant, halting not far from Qin Ming.

But his next move left Qin Ming stunned.

He reached up, removed his black robe, revealing a face Qin Ming knew all too well—and grinned at him. "Long time no see, Brother Qin!"

Thank you, friend 'Momo Wuyun,' for the 1000 Qidian coins donation! Deeply grateful! Also thanks to all friends who voted for recommendations and monthly tickets! (End of chapter)