Chapter 166: Visitors from the Upper Echelons

The matter of the two spirit beasts came to an end.

Qin Ming settled his mind and began a new round of farming.

Within the original three mu of spirit fields, he once again planted Spirit-Perching Rice and raised floral spirit fish.

As for the seeds of the tier-three spirit plant, the Three-Cinnabar Reanimation Grass, which he had successfully bid for at the Thousand Leaves Spirit Island trading assembly, they required several specific spiritual materials to grow properly.

What was particularly unusual was that this spirit plant did not grow in ordinary spirit soil, but exclusively upon a type of rock known as "Demon-Corpse Magic Stone."

This variety of magic stone was a fossil formed from the remains of high-tier fierce beasts that had perished several millennia ago, making it exceptionally rare.

It could occasionally be found in certain secluded regions deep within the Beast-Roaring Mountain Range, and rogue cultivators in the Vast Sea Immortal City had once acquired some in the past.

"The two fellows have nearly recovered, and I currently have a stockpile of demon ape flesh and blood. Perhaps it can be refined into high-tier spirit pills that enhance vital blood, which can be used to improve my body-refinement cultivation."

"Perhaps the core region of Vast Sea Immortal City has such pill recipes for sale."

"The spiritual materials required to cultivate the tier-three Three-Cinnabar Reanimation Grass also need to be hunted down."

"It seems that no matter what, I must make a personal trip to Vast Sea Immortal City."

After tending to the spirit fields, Qin Ming stood by the edge of the plots, leaning on a spirit hoe with one hand while holding a Dragon Blood Divine Fruit in the other, munching on it like an ordinary piece of fruit as he pondered his future cultivation plans alone.

Three days later.

Qin Ming gave a few instructions to Wu Jiang, then took two jars of Spirit Fire Wine, summoned the Silver-Winged Frost Bee, mounted it, and departed from Moon-Gazing Island.

After breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, the Silver-Winged Frost Bee’s ultimate flight speed had surpassed that of cultivators at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment, and even exceeded most avian spirit beasts renowned for their velocity.

Compared to the speed of that mid-Foundation Establishment gale beast from before, it was several times faster.

Qin Ming wore a look of excitement, feeling the scenery beneath him rapidly recede. After a journey of soaring through the wind and lightning, this time it took him a little over an hour to arrive at Vast Sea Immortal City.

In the airspace outside the immortal city, he retrieved the Silver-Winged Frost Bee into its spirit beast pouch.

Then, he restrained his mana aura down to the early Foundation Establishment stage before descending toward the city gates.

At the gates of Vast Sea Immortal City, dazzling streaks of flying escape lights intersected, various mounts and carriages shuttled back and forth, and the streams of cultivators and merchant caravans entering and leaving were as dense as weaving fabric and bustling with activity.

Ever since the various upheavals in the Spirit-Perching archipelago's cultivation world, the popularity and foot traffic here had instead become even more flourishing.

As expected of the premier major city for rogue cultivators located at the intersection of the four nations.

Just like usual, Qin Ming intended to line up orderly to enter the immortal city.

At that moment.

Nearby cultivators were the first to notice a Foundation Establishment grandmaster descending and tactfully stepped aside to make way.

Following closely behind, sharp-eyed cultivators recognized Qin Ming.

"Oh! Senior Qin!"

"Master Qin has arrived!"

"Quickly look, it's Island Master Qin of the Spirit-Perching archipelago."

"Senior Qin, please go ahead!"

"What? Senior Qin, the spirit-planting master of Moon-Gazing Island, has come to the immortal city!"

"..."

In an instant, the reverent gazes of the surrounding cultivators all converged upon Qin Ming. The crowd of cultivators in front parted like a receding tide, respectfully clearing a path for him.

Qin Ming smiled and exchanged greetings with the surrounding cultivators; when traveling abroad, it was always best to harbor goodwill toward others.

He did not carry the airs of a lofty grandmaster, and generally speaking, his reputation in Vast Sea Immortal City was quite favorable nowadays.

"Senior Qin, when do you plan to fire up your cauldron to refine Foundation Establishment Pills again?"

"Indeed, indeed! We rogue cultivators have been looking forward to it all this time!"

Qin Ming responded with a smile as before: "Next time for sure, next time for sure!"

Items like the Foundation Establishment Pill touched upon the core interests of major sects, so he could not blatantly refine and sell them on a large scale.

In his storage bag, he still had one ordinary-quality Foundation Establishment Pill and one premium Foundation Establishment Pill remaining.

Upon entering the immortal city, the bustling commercial shops lining the streets stood shoulder to shoulder, maintaining their explosive business while the ceaseless shouting of peddlers echoed endlessly.

As for the discussions regarding Qin Ming's past rise to fame, with the passage of time, they had gradually been replaced by other news.

For instance, some rogue cultivator had accidentally stumbled into an ancient cultivator's abandoned dwelling somewhere, obtained a supreme legacy, and skyrocketed to prominence.

Or perhaps a certain rogue cultivator had hunted a Foundation Establishment grand beast in the Beast-Roaring Mountain Range, becoming famous in a single battle and fortunately acquiring a beast core.

Several powerful, long-established cultivators had met with misfortune while exploring a secret realm and perished entirely.

Some heaven-defying spirit treasure had appeared somewhere, provoking bloody clashes and fierce competition among major factions.

Even a secluded grandmaster at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment, who had hidden from the world, suddenly emerged and directly challenged a pseudo-core ancestor, successfully defeating them.

Listening to these latest news items from the cultivation world, Qin Ming could not help but feel a deep sense of emotion.

"Truly formidable! Defeating a pseudo-core with Foundation Establishment cultivation—he is probably no less impressive than proud prodigies like Wei Wuya, right?"

He slowed his pace along the way, lingering for an extra half-day to probe into the numerous changes that had occurred in the cultivation world recently.

In the outer districts of Vast Sea Immortal City, all sorts of shady characters and rogue cultivators from every walk of life intermingled, and petty rumors were naturally most abundant here.

Only after this did Qin Ming leisurely make his way to the Mirror-Snow Pavilion located in the inner city.

Gu Qingshao and Shopkeeper Liao, having received the message sent by Qin Ming, had already been waiting outside the shop entrance for quite some time.

Following the main thoroughfare all the way to the vicinity of the Mirror-Snow Pavilion, Qin Ming spotted from afar that, besides Gu Qingshao and Shopkeeper Liao, a middle-aged cultivator clad in green robes had been added to their side.

Even someone as formidable as Huangfu Qi stood respectfully behind him.

Not only were the several Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Mirror-Snow Pavilion extremely flattering and awe-struck by this person, but the rogue cultivators passing by nearby also immediately revealed looks of utter shock upon catching sight of the middle-aged man.

Qin Ming also perceived the cultivation realm of the middle-aged man—he was shockingly a grandmaster at the Great Circle of Foundation Establishment!

Yet judging from the way he conversed with Gu Qingshao, he appeared to be an extremely close relative.

As Qin Ming drew closer, Gu Qingshao, dressed in a simple yet elegant green dress, brightened her beautiful eyes and immediately introduced him with enthusiasm: "Fellow Daoist Qin, this is my second uncle, Gu Tongshan, who is also the principal person in charge of the Mirror-Snow Pavilion's capital headquarters in the Wei State cultivation world."

Hearing this, Qin Ming dared not show any discourtesy. He hurriedly stepped forward, cupped his fists toward Gu Tongshan, and said, "Greetings, Senior Gu!"

"What virtues or abilities does Qin possess that I would dare trouble Senior Gu to wait here for me?"

Gu Tongshan possessed a tall stature and an immensely profound gaze, with short facial hair and a cultivation aura of exceptional density, clearly surpassing ordinary Foundation Establishment grandmasters.

"Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Qin need not be so constrained. With Fellow Daoist Qin's capabilities, you may address me as an equal."

"I happened to arrive at Vast Sea Immortal City and wished to witness with my own eyes the recently renowned young talent. Upon seeing you today, Fellow Daoist Qin is indeed ethereal and untainted by mortal dust, truly living up to the name of a master!" Gu Tongshan's voice was resonant and full of vigor as he let out a hearty laugh.

He spoke the truth without deliberate flattery; Qin Ming now carried the aura of an ancient tree, his temperament vastly different from before.

He possessed a quality of enduring through the trials of time, much like a verdant ancient tree.

A smile surfaced on Qin Ming's face as he modestly replied, "Fellow Daoist Gu flatters me too much. They are merely superficial reputations not worth mentioning."

Subsequently, under the escort of the group, Qin Ming followed them into a private chamber of the Mirror-Snow Pavilion.

As he walked, Qin Ming pondered inwardly.

'Could the arrival of a major figure like Gu Tongshan truly be a coincidence as he claimed? I'm afraid he came specifically for me instead...'