Chapter Seven: The Visit of Fellow Daoist Long
Qin Ming pondered silently. It seemed that the connections behind Manager Liao were anything but ordinary; after all, he could get wind of such high-level matters within cultivation sects ahead of time. Building a good relationship with him might not be a bad idea.
“Thank you for letting me know, Manager Liao.”
“Is there anything else?” Qin Ming asked.
A faint smile played on Manager Liao’s lips as he looked at Qin Ming with a meaningful glint in his eyes. “Heh, Fellow Daoist Qin, you really do keep a low profile!”
“I have an unseemly request—when your beast fang rice matures in two years, would you be willing to sell some to my shop? We can purchase it at a price ten percent higher than market value.”
Qin Ming was startled. It had only been a few days, yet the other party already knew this much.
“Manager Liao, you are truly resourceful; even the little matters in my spiritual fields cannot escape your notice.” Qin Ming did not agree immediately. “I have indeed planted beast fang rice, but I can’t guarantee that it will mature and be harvested in two years.”
So, Manager Liao had just paid him in spirit stones at the increased price for spiritual rice, while also sharing valuable news about the Lingyu Sect. In reality, he wanted to use the price of an extra twenty or thirty spirit stones to secure exclusive rights to Qin Ming’s “beast fang rice.”
No wonder he’s a seasoned businessman!
“Of course, if Fellow Daoist Qin has any other conditions, we can certainly discuss them,” Manager Liao observed Qin Ming’s expression carefully and promptly poured him some tea. “You are young, yet already so accomplished in the art of spiritual planting. Clearly, you are gifted. I’m sure the harvest of beast fang rice is all but assured.”
“Does your shop have any body-tempering techniques for sale?” Qin Ming asked, changing the subject after a moment’s thought.
Manager Liao understood instantly and brought out several body-tempering manuals, introducing them one by one:
“Ninefold Rebirth Art—top-tier body-tempering technique, can be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment stage, pure yang and unyielding, priced at three thousand spirit stones.”
Qin Ming pursed his lips, thinking to himself, “The technique is good, but the price is outrageous.”
“Ming King’s Tempering Method—can open 270 acupoints throughout the body, condensing true energy, high-grade body-tempering technique, priced at one thousand spirit stones.”
“Vajra Essence Forging Art—mid-grade body-tempering technique, can be mastered in thirty years, priced at five hundred spirit stones...”
...
Manager Liao spoke until his mouth was dry, took a sip of tea, and continued, “Heavenly Fiend Demon Summoning Canon, eighty spirit stones...”
“Wait!” Qin Ming interrupted. “Manager, please tell me more about this technique.”
“Heavenly Fiend Demon Summoning Canon, hmm... this one sounds good! The name alone radiates positivity. I’ll take it!”
Manager Liao: “...”
Qin Ming pondered for a while, then made a firm decision.
“This is a demonic technique—anyone who practices it will become a target for elimination,” Manager Liao said.
“And yet, you’re selling it to me?”
“Sorry, I brought out the wrong one.”
“...”
An hour later.
Qin Ming left the Juxuan Pavilion.
The techniques in Manager Liao’s collection were either far beyond Qin Ming’s current means, or would take decades to show significant results.
There was simply no path forward...
Qin Ming could only look on helplessly.
But in the end, Manager Liao pointed him toward a promising opportunity.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, there’s a Ruan family in the eastern quarter of Qingyang Market. Their family has fallen on hard times, but they have a body-tempering technique handed down through the generations.
“I once offered a hundred spirit stones for it, but Fellow Daoist Ruan refused to sell unless I included some pills or medicines to boost vitality and blood.
“I didn’t think it was worth it.
“Perhaps you could try your luck there.
“But don’t get your hopes too high.”
The implication was clear: with the prospect of Qin Ming’s successful beast fang rice, perhaps an offer of some as a sweetener might sway the Ruan family.
In exchange for this bit of information, Qin Ming also agreed to sell a portion of the future beast fang rice harvest to Juxuan Pavilion.
The deal was struck.
Both parties were satisfied.
...
As soon as he stepped out of the shop,
He ran into a large patrol team from the Lingyu Sect, hurrying out of the market, looking fully mobilized and imposing.
Qin Ming casually asked a bystander drawn by the commotion, “Fellow Daoist, do you know what’s going on?”
“Seems like they’re heading out to hunt demonic beasts,” the bystander replied. “But don’t worry, our market is very safe. Even a Foundation Establishment stage beast couldn’t break through the second-tier protective array. Just don’t wander off too far.”
Qin Ming nodded thoughtfully.
Following Manager Liao’s directions, he made his way to the Ruan residence in the eastern quarter.
But when he arrived, the gates were tightly shut.
A cultivator living nearby told him that Fellow Daoist Ruan was away on business and wouldn’t return for another three or four months.
Qin Ming could only sigh and resolve to try again later...
...
Back in the shanty district.
Evening.
Inside his modest house, Qin Ming was preparing dinner, his mind elsewhere.
The inner market of Qingyang was indeed quite safe, but the protective array’s coverage didn’t extend to their shanty town!
Knock, knock, knock!
A sudden knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.
Qin Ming opened the door cautiously.
To his surprise, it was Fellow Daoist Long—a rare visitor indeed!
“Fellow Daoist Qin, I heard your spiritual rice yield and quality are quite good. I’d like to buy some from you,” Long said, getting straight to the point.
Qin Ming considered for a moment, forcing a smile. “Yes, the recent harvest has been decent, but most of it has already been sold.”
Long frowned slightly but remained courteous. “How much do you still have? I’ll buy all of it at market price.”
“Fellow Daoist Long, I’ve heard that the price of spiritual rice in the market is expected to rise by about fifty percent in the next couple of days...” Qin Ming hesitated.
He didn’t want to offend this late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, but he also had no intention of being taken advantage of.
Long was clearly taken aback, scrutinizing Qin Ming anew. Very few people knew about the price hike; only a small circle of late-stage cultivators and a handful of powerful factions had the information.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, you’re well informed.”
“In that case, I’ll buy at the higher price. How does that sound?” Long said decisively.
Qin Ming nodded in agreement. “I have about fifty jin left. That’s all I can spare this season.”
After the deal, Long left in a hurry.
Qin Ming had no wish to truly offend him—after all, the surrounding alleys were under Long’s protection.
“Sigh, even late-stage Qi Refining cultivators are preparing for what’s to come. A storm is truly brewing.”
“The rise in spiritual rice prices is good for me, but it also means the environment is becoming more dangerous.”
...
After a meal of spiritual rice, Qin Ming entered his bedroom, sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion atop his bed, and began to circulate the Evergreen Art.
He still had two “Trace of Mana” entries left in his sea of consciousness.
“Tonight is the night!”
With a single thought, one of the “Trace of Mana” entries vanished.
Mana surged from his dantian, coursing through his body in cycles, constantly cleansing and widening his meridians.
At last!
Boom!
When the mana in his dantian reached a critical point, it was as if a membrane had been pierced.
“Qi Refining, third layer!”
The fluctuation of mana in Qin Ming’s body rose a notch.
“Whew—” Qin Ming exhaled deeply.
“How many years has it been? Finally, I’m no longer imprisoned at the second layer of Qi Refining.”
He could not help but marvel at how much he had changed in just over a year.
“If I continue to develop steadily, Foundation Establishment might not be impossible.”
Feeling the Evergreen Spirit Power in his dantian, now more than doubled in strength, Qin Ming was elated but kept his excitement in check. “The third layer is still unstable. I must keep improving my strength.”
“The world of cultivation is ever-shifting. At the bottom of the Qi Refining stage, we’re nothing but cannon fodder. Only at Foundation Establishment can one truly stand on their own. My fate must be in my own hands.”
For now, he was still under the roof of others, with countless inconveniences.
At any moment, he could be swept up in the sect’s power struggles, helpless to resist.
To be freed from the Lingyu Sect’s forced labor and regain his freedom, he had to fulfill one of three conditions:
The first was to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.
The second, to master any cultivation-related craft to the second tier.
The third, to hand over any Foundation Establishment resource.
He knew he needed to work towards these three goals.
Next up—
Breaking through from the third to the fourth layer of Qi Refining would be a true test.
The fourth layer marked the entry into mid-stage Qi Refining for a cultivator—the first real bottleneck in cultivation, far more challenging than his recent advancement.
...
Ten days later.
News of drastic price increases for spiritual rice, meat, and other daily necessities had spread among most cultivators in both Qingyang Market and the surrounding shanty district.
The prices of spiritual tools, pills, and talismans also began to soar.
Ever since Qin Ming started cultivating “beast fang rice,” Supervisor Du Haifu’s patrols of his plots became more and more frequent.
With unrest brewing, Du had even posted extra guards around the fields.
In recent days, Qin Ming’s time was divided between casting intermediate Rainfall spells to enrich his fields and immersing himself in the study of spiritual planting.
He also continued his search for a suitable body-tempering technique.
His beast fang rice had yet to mature—there was no rushing that.
...
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
In the spiritual fields.
Perhaps Qin Ming’s luck had run dry during this period; in the second season’s four mu of golden spiritual rice, he reaped only two “Trace of Mana” entries.
Fortunately, after breaking through to the third layer of Qi Refining, his mana had doubled, so he no longer found himself running out of energy when casting the intermediate Rainfall spell.
This season’s golden spiritual rice harvest also hit a new record, exceeding nine shi.
This time, after paying his rice tax, Qin Ming didn’t rush to sell the rest.
Instead, he kept a larger portion in reserve, just in case.
Manager Liao wanted to buy more during the price surge, but Qin Ming had already prepared a suitable excuse, telling him about Fellow Daoist Long’s prior purchase.
Recently, the price of spiritual rice in the market had soared, rising over sixty percent.
Qin Ming made a tidy profit.
For the first time, the spirit stones in his storage pouch broke the 150-mark.
He bought a low-grade Golden Light talisman and a low-grade Azure Spirit Sword from Manager Liao, spending twenty-five spirit stones.
“These days, you can’t go without some defensive equipment.”