“With just this bit of strength, you dare to act as rogue cultivators?” Qin Ming returned to his house in the shantytown.
He opened the retrieved storage bags and began searching through them.
Inside the storage bags of the two Spirit Feather Sect cultivators, there were over 500 spirit stones, two Low-Grade artifacts, one Mid-Grade artifact, a few Low-Grade talismans, and two Mid-Grade talismans.
One Mid-Grade Golden Dagger Talisman and one Mid-Grade Fire Cloud Talisman.
Neither of them even had the chance to use them before kicking the bucket.
The sole Mid-Grade artifact was that dark circular shield defensive artifact that Qin Ming had sent flying with a single spade strike.
A crack had split open across the circular shield; with a bit of repair, it could likely still be used.
Apart from these: There were five bottles of pills—besides two bottles of Qi-Nourishing Pills, the other three were all detoxification pills and the like.
The cultivation techniques and spell manuals the two practiced were inside as well.
Qin Ming had no use for them either.
The spirit stones inside the storage bags of the other three individuals added up to over 600 spirit stones in total.
The remainder consisted of three Low-Grade artifacts and some Low-Grade talismans.
From this single haul, he harvested over a thousand spirit stones in cash alone.
“As expected, murder and robbery bring a belt of gold!” Qin Ming exclaimed with emotion.
He stowed all the valuable items from the five individuals into his own storage bag.
As for the rest of their belongings, he burned them all with a single Fireball Technique.
Having completed all this: Only then did Qin Ming begin to ponder how these five individuals had managed to mix together.
Judging by what that bearded brute had said, Daoist Ruan likely sought them out later.
Coveting his Beast-Tooth Rice, he wanted to team up to plot against him.
Additionally: Among the members of the Spirit Feather Sect, there were actually those in close contact with rogue cultivators, which was somewhat terrifying to think about.
There were probably others hidden even deeper within the ranks.
However, as long as they didn’t come looking to trouble him, none of it was his concern.
For now, he only wanted to focus on farming diligently.
Had Qin Ming not broken through to the 5th Layer of Body Tempering, today would likely have been the day someone else inventoried his storage bag instead.
The outcome would have been completely reversed.
…
Two days later.
The atmosphere in the shantytown grew tense once more.
The sudden death of two patrol members from the Spirit Feather Sect caused quite a sensation.
This was an open provocation against the sect!
The Spirit Feather Sect began enforcing martial law and conducting thorough searches near the marketplace.
“These rogue cultivators are truly too brazen!” “Last time, they killed Daoist Long and dumped his corpse in the river channel to show off their power.” “This time, they actually launched a direct ambush to kill Spirit Feather Sect members.” “Simply audacious beyond measure!” “That’s right, it’s far too terrifying!” Listening to the discussions among the nearby residents in the alleyways, the corners of Qin Ming’s mouth twitched involuntarily.
He shouldered his spirit hoe and stepped out to work.
After tilling his own five mu of spirit fields, he tilled Alchemist Su’s three mu as well.
Afterward: Qin Ming collected the swarm of Four-Winged Frost Bees on the large tree into his spirit beast bag.
This swarm of bees: They would still be of great use whenever he planted spirit herbs in the future.
Using the Bee Control Art was extremely simple; after trying it just once, he basically grasped the knack of it.
Just as he finished his work, he received a transmission from Alchemist Su.
Informing Qin Ming that he was about to open his furnace to refine pills, he instructed Qin Ming to head over to his place.
Hearing this news, Qin Ming’s spirit jolted.
‘Finally going to start refining pills!’ Qin Ming hurriedly made his way to Alchemist Su’s courtyard.
Entering the house: Alchemist Su was already making preparations.
“This time, I intend to refine a Tier-One High-Grade pill—the Marrow-Washing Pill.” Even though Qin Ming had already guessed what kind of pill Alchemist Su was likely to refine: He couldn’t help but be moved at this moment.
‘Could it be that Alchemist Su is going to break through to become a High-Grade Alchemist today?’ ‘Then wouldn’t I be the sole witness?’ …
“Follow me.
I’ll take you to see something good.” “Hehehe!” With a smile across his face, Alchemist Su mysteriously gestured for him to keep up.
This smile instantly gave Qin Ming a wave of goosebumps.
Qin Ming followed Alchemist Su.
Accompanying him into the innermost room: Alchemist Su opened the room door.
Instantly, a scorching heat wave blasted straight into his face!
Qin Ming looked inside, yet the scene before him left him completely dumbfounded.
Inside the room—roughly twenty feet wide—stood a purple alchemy furnace.
Beside it were various workstations, with all sorts of vessels for extracting medicinal bases and formulating ingredients fully equipped.
What shocked him even more was: Beneath that purple alchemy furnace, it was actually connected directly to Earth-Vein Fire!
Though small, it possessed every necessary component.
This place was actually a complete, fully functional alchemy chamber!
Looking at Qin Ming’s shocked expression, Alchemist Su displayed an exceptionally triumphant look and said: “How about it?” “Who could have imagined that a subterranean fire vein was hidden right beneath this shantytown?” “I only discovered it by chance when passing through.” “This fire vein should be a hidden branch of Qingyang Marketplace’s Earth-Vein Fire.” “Building the entire alchemy chamber above the Leyline allows me to channel the Earth-Vein Fire to refine pills.” “Furthermore, by a stroke of pure coincidence, this exact spot is the only place in the entire shantytown capable of completely channeling the Earth-Vein Fire outward.” Qin Ming remained speechless for a long time.
Such a maneuver was actually possible?
Earth-Vein Fire was typically a resource controlled exclusively by sects.
Alchemist Su’s move could be said to be freeloading it entirely.
No wonder he, holding the status of a Mid-Grade Alchemist, would linger in the shantytown for several years.
“However, this method of refining pills with Earth-Vein Fire is only suitable for refining low-tier pills.” “To refine Tier-Two pills and above, one must use a cultivator’s own True Fire, or high-tier spiritual flames.” Listening to Alchemist Su’s words, Qin Ming clicked his tongue in secret awe.
Tier-One pills were considered merely “low-tier pills” to him?
He himself couldn’t even refine the basic pills of an alchemy apprentice yet.
Comparing his own setup to the alchemy configuration of others: Looking at Qin Ming’s own collection of absolute trash: The difference was far more than a hundred thousand miles apart.
It would be a miracle if he succeeded in refining anything.
‘Mm~ I must find a way to leech off Alchemist Su’s alchemy chamber.’ Qin Ming mused internally.
…
“Alright, I’m going to begin.” “Just watch from the side, and make sure not to disturb me.” “The discipline of alchemy is extraordinarily complex.” “Throughout the entire process, not a single trace of distraction is permitted; it must be completed in one single breath.” “Even the slightest fluctuation or a tiny operational error will impact the pill formation, causing the rate of producing waste pills to be extremely high.” Alchemist Su spoke with an exceptionally solemn expression.
Qin Ming nodded and quietly stood off to the side.
Alchemist Su opened the fire valve.
Boom!
Scorching flames erupted instantly from beneath the ground, causing the temperature inside the alchemy chamber to spike abruptly.
Immediately after: Alchemist Su brought out various spirit herbs and materials, beginning to extract the medicinal bases with practiced ease.
Holding his breath, Qin Ming widened his eyes.
He meticulously observed every single detail of Alchemist Su’s movements.
Gradually: He realized that the other party’s movements in extracting the medicinal bases were clearly a set of highly sophisticated refining techniques.
Very soon: Alchemist Su’s hand movements flowed like smooth water, exceptionally seamless.
In an instant: He completed the extraction of all the medicinal bases.
The medicinal bases extracted by Alchemist Su—whether in terms of quality or precision—were vastly superior to his own.
Moreover, it appeared exceptionally natural and effortless.
Alchemist Su cleared out all the useless medicinal dregs from the vessels.
Next came the formulation of ingredients.
This formulation for alchemy wasn’t simply mixing medicinal materials together.
Instead, it required precise measurement of the spirit herbs, permitting not the slightest error.
These two steps were the most time-consuming.
With a casual grab, Alchemist Su’s measurements were spot-on, perfectly precise.
When Qin Ming previously worked up to this step, it required more than half a day’s time.
Yet when Alchemist Su finished doing all this, less than fifteen minutes had elapsed…
This was the gap.
The next step was the main event.
Forming hand seals rapidly, Alchemist Su then gave the flames a gentle flick.
Those originally scorching and turbulent Earth-Veins Fire instantly ceased their swaying.
Immediately, they turned exceptionally submissive and gentle.
The red flames began heating the alchemy furnace evenly.
Qin Ming stared intently at Alchemist Su’s stunning fire-control seal technique, his heart instantly itching with unbearable excitement…