Immortality Start with Farming - chapter 769 (Patreon)

Chapter 769: The Insect Demon’s Designs, Farming and Cultivation

For the current Qin Ming, the arrival of the Insect Demon Yin Lingzi only added a minor disturbance and posed no significant threat.

Sensing that the tides of the cultivation world were about to shift once more, a sense of urgency naturally arose within him.

After all, even ancient monsters of sects at the Void Refinement stage had fallen to the jaws of insects.

And within that ancient Insect Valley, there actually existed vicious insects that even mighty Integration-stage cultivators could not handle.

…

Time flowed on.

Thirty years passed quietly.

The days of cultivation went by swiftly. Compared to Qin Ming’s immense lifespan, it was little more than the blink of an eye.

On this day, inside a stone pavilion atop Little Turtle Peak’s main summit.

Qin Ming was playing chess with Daoist Xuanguan from the Alchemy Pavilion of Celestial Star City and Master Kongzhi.

A stick of sixth-grade Spiritual Incense burned on a nearby table.

It had been crafted by Qin Ming using Dragon Saliva Agarwood Divine Timber as the main ingredient, supplemented by dozens of rare high-grade spiritual materials. Those materials had all been gathered from Celestial Star City’s treasury; nowhere else could have assembled such a collection.

For Void Refinement cultivators, this incense strengthened the soul and helped resist and suppress heart demons.

Moreover, there was even a slight chance of achieving enlightenment while inhaling its fragrance. It was an exceptionally rare sixth-grade incense.

Even a tiny segment could be exchanged for a considerable amount of Immortal Jade, and it still might not be available for purchase.

Only a few sticks had ever appeared at major domain-level auctions in Celestial Star City.

Even Daoist Xuanguan and Master Kongzhi could not stop praising Qin Ming’s incense.

“Hahaha! Divine Lord Li’s place is truly the most comfortable.”

“We arrived at exactly the right time. Just as this sixth-grade incense was completed. We’ve really benefited from your good fortune, Divine Lord Li.”

“Amitabha. Divine Lord Li is truly detached from worldly affairs. Even this humble monk cannot help but envy such a life.”

Over the years, Qin Ming had become quite close to the two of them.

They often gathered to discuss alchemy and cultivation.

“You flatter me, fellow Daoists. Given your status and position in Celestial Star City, what resources are beyond your reach?”

Qin Ming placed a white stone and smiled faintly.

At that moment—

Smack!

Master Kongzhi made his move and then asked, “I’ve heard that old fellow Yin Lingzi of the Heavenly River Sect has been seeking opportunities to harm you in secret. Is that true?”

“Thank you for your concern, Master Kongzhi. There have indeed been some unpleasant dealings between us, but I have my own plans. There is no need for you to worry,” Qin Ming replied calmly.

Daoist Xuanguan sat nearby watching the game. Breathing in the wisps of white vapor rising from the sixth-grade incense, he seemed to sink into a state of enlightenment.

Only after a long while did he return to his senses. It appeared that a bottleneck in his cultivation had been resolved, and a smile spread across his face.

“Divine Lord Li’s incense is truly miraculous. Its effects surpass even many pills and medicines.”

“In just a brief moment, my soul has strengthened noticeably. Calling it divine incense would not be an exaggeration.”

Then he seemed to remember something and continued:

“By the way, I’ve heard that things have begun to descend into complete chaos among the demon race. The shadow of the devil race has appeared as well. Once that large Immortal Mansion secret realm emerges, another bloody storm will surely follow.”

“We finally enjoyed a period of stability, yet troubled times are already approaching again.”

Qin Ming nodded.

“There’s no need to worry too much, Daoist Xuanguan. Fortunately, that Immortal Mansion secret realm lies within demon territory. It is separated from the human race by countless miles. If chaos erupts, the demons will suffer first.”

“Still, I wonder what has become of the Insect Valley in the Crimsonwater Wasteland?”

Daoist Xuanguan replied, “From what I’ve heard, the Heavenly River Sect has completely taken control of the place and intends to jointly develop it with the sects of the middle and lower regions.”

“Numerous high-grade mineral resources have been discovered there. The reserves of Scarlet-Patterned Gold Essence alone are astonishing.”

“However, whenever they speak of joint development, the Heavenly River Sect usually means sending smaller sects in first as cannon fodder. Only after others have borne the losses will they step in and reap the benefits.”

Qin Ming showed a trace of surprise.

“Oh? Wasn’t it previously said that there were vicious insects in the ancient Insect Valley that even Integration-stage experts feared?”

“That’s correct. But for some unknown reason, that fierce insect seems to have retreated back into the insect tunnel. That gave the Heavenly River Sect an opportunity.” Daoist Xuanguan nodded. “Over the next several decades, the Heavenly River Sect will certainly exploit the valley extensively to further strengthen itself.”

“I also heard that Yin Lingzi has been promoted to Grand Elder and now oversees all matters concerning the Insect Valley.”

“That is one reason we came today—to give you advance notice.”

“He cultivates an unconventional insect path, and his demonic cultivation has reached a remarkable level. If he obtains another opportunity within the Insect Valley, advancing to the peak of Void Refinement is highly possible.”

“So if he truly sets his sights on you, Divine Lord Li, dealing with him will not be easy.”

“Perhaps you could ask the Grand Commander to mediate.”

“If that fails, this old monk could ask my master...”

Master Kongzhi’s master was naturally Master Shen Yin, the Integration-stage powerhouse who guarded Celestial Star City.

But such a favor was one Qin Ming absolutely could not afford to owe.

Hearing the sincere concern of the two men, Qin Ming could not help but feel moved.

It reminded him that he had not been wrong to befriend them. The scenes of the three great alchemy masters refining pills together still remained vivid in his memory.

Setting down his chess piece, he said:

“There is no need to trouble yourselves over this matter. I can handle it myself.”

Daoist Xuanguan and Master Kongzhi exchanged glances and asked no further questions.

Neither had expected Qin Ming to treat the Insect Demon Yin Lingzi with such indifference, as though the matter had nothing to do with him.

For the following several days,

the group burned incense, brewed tea, played chess, and discussed alchemical arts.

Their days were leisurely and carefree.

However, during these exchanges with the two sixth-grade Alchemy Gods, Qin Ming discovered that neither of them knew anything about the soul-seeding alchemy method.

They had never even heard of it.

Even Daoist Xuanguan, a sixth-grade upper-rank Alchemy God, was entirely unfamiliar with such a technique.

This left Qin Ming even more astonished by Su Yuqing’s alchemical talent.

No wonder he had been noticed by someone like Daoist Lu Yun and accepted as his final disciple.

Qin Ming did not mention the Void Spirit Seed Alchemy Art.

After all, it was Su Yuqing’s own creation and had only been taught to Qin Ming.

Daoist Xuanguan and Master Kongzhi remained at Little Turtle Peak for over half a month.

Only because affairs in Celestial Star City required their attention did they reluctantly bid farewell.

…

After seeing them off, Qin Ming returned to the Small Spirit Realm.

He headed directly to the Immortal Heritage Field halfway up the mountain.

Recently, the Devour-Spirit Rat had barely left the spiritual field.

The reason for its enthusiasm was simple.

Under Qin Ming’s accelerated cultivation, the Spirit-Summoning Demon Fruit was about to ripen once again.

And this time, seven or eight sixth-grade supreme-quality fruits had appeared.

The Devour-Spirit Rat was counting on them to advance its cultivation.

Fortunately, Qin Ming had exchanged for several types of sixth-grade demon blood containing True Spirit bloodlines from Celestial Star City’s treasury.

After decades of careful nourishment, the Spirit-Summoning Demon Fruit had received abundant nutrients.

“Master, you’re here! Hehe!” The Devour-Spirit Rat immediately ran over with an ingratiating grin.

Xiao Qing followed closely behind.

It did not care whether the fruits were ripe or not. Although it could now transform into a body twelve thousand zhang long, it was still in its juvenile stage.

Even with intelligence, it retained a childlike temperament.

Qin Ming rubbed its head and said to the Devour-Spirit Rat:

“You’ve worked diligently all these years. Since you’ve been waiting so eagerly, I’ll grant your wish.”

He then walked toward the Spirit-Summoning Demon Fruit plant.

The two-foot-tall demon plant bore eight heart-shaped fruits that radiated strange demonic energy.

“But Master, the fruits haven’t ripened yet,” the Devour-Spirit Rat hurriedly said.

Qin Ming smiled.

A phantom spiritual plant appeared behind him.

As he reached out with one hand, emerald Four Seasons Divine Light carrying the power of time flowed into the fruits.

Immediately, the fruits underwent visible changes.

At last, the phenomenon accompanying their maturation manifested within the Small Spirit Realm.

Since cultivating the Indestructible Immortal Body and mastering the Eternal Green Emperor Scripture, Qin Ming’s Evergreen Mana had become even more effective.

Besides its powerful healing properties, the Four Seasons Divine Light now possessed greatly enhanced growth-accelerating effects.

“They’re ripe!”

The Devour-Spirit Rat and Xiao Qing stared in stunned amazement before bursting into excitement.

Using Divine Sense, Qin Ming formed a pair of scissors and harvested all eight crimson fruits.

At that instant,

he obtained another Heavenly Demon Qi trait and another Time Flies trait.

Taking out a specially made jade box, he stored the fruits away.

Then he handed four of them to the Devour-Spirit Rat.

The rat accepted them with a grin so wide its mouth nearly split.

“Thank you for the reward, Master! You’re giving me this many?”

“What are you thinking?” Qin Ming replied. “Take two to Lan Bing. The other two are yours.”

The Devour-Spirit Rat laughed.

“Two is more than enough for me!”

With that, it vanished in a flash, heading toward Lan Bing’s cultivation cave.

Xiao Qing remained behind, staring eagerly at Qin Ming, drool gathering at the corner of its mouth.

Qin Ming patted its head.

He then distributed one fruit each to Xiao Qing, the Blackwater Crocodile Demon King, and the Little Silver Fox.

The final fruit he kept for himself.

As for the Silver-Winged Frostbees and the swarm of spirit bees, after devouring the eggs within the Void Insect Nest, decades had passed without any visible change.

Their auras continued to rise, and they constantly shed their shells.

Beneath the Yama Immortal Vine, layers of gold-and-silver insect husks had piled up.

Qin Ming simply ground all of those husks, along with the eggshells recovered from the Void Insect Nest, into fine powder.

The eggshells contained a unique essence of the Great Dao, making them an exceptionally valuable fertilizer.

They would undoubtedly prove useful for cultivating spirit plants in the future.

After the fruits ripened,

the Devour-Spirit Rat and the others all entered seclusion to cultivate.

Only Xiao Qing and Tian Ling’er remained in the Small Spirit Realm.

Tian Ling’er had always been diligent, helping Qin Ming care for the high-grade spirit plants.

The Profoundspirit Immortal Peach Tree now bore twelve green peaches shrouded in immortal aura.

At a glance, they were clearly extraordinary.

The golden traits above them shifted accordingly:

[Name]: Profoundspirit Immortal Peach [Trait]: Void Refinement Mana ×5 (Maturity 60%)

[Name]: Profoundspirit Immortal Peach [Trait]: Time Flies ×5 (Maturity 62%)

[Name]: Profoundspirit Immortal Peach [Trait]: Long Life and Prosperity ×1 (Maturity 61%)

For decades, Qin Ming had repeatedly used Four Seasons Divine Light and growth-acceleration traits to nurture these sixth-grade upper-rank immortal peaches.

Only after several rounds had they reached this stage.

They were simply too precious.

From flowering to fruiting, they matured only once every ten thousand years.

Their growth cycle was extraordinarily slow.

Qin Ming immediately consumed the newly obtained Time Flies trait, increasing their maturity to over seventy percent.

Before long, he would finally be able to taste one of the rarest spirit peaches in the Spirit Realm.

Afterward,

he visited a nearby field and tended several stalks of Taiyi Void Origin Rice.

The sixth-grade spiritual rice already bore plump ears covered in mysterious Dao patterns.

Streams of Void Spirit Qi were continuously drawn from spatial fissures below and absorbed by the spirit soil, nourishing the rice.

Its growth was flourishing.

After finishing with the spirit plants,

Qin Ming went beneath the Yama Immortal Vine and retrieved several jars of Void Heaven Moon-Inviting Wine from the cellar for moonlight tempering.

This batch had been brewed from Demon General Tu Luo’s demon core.

It was a genuine late sixth-grade demon core.

Among demon cultivators, Tu Luo had been considered exceptionally powerful.

Therefore, the newly brewed Void Heaven Moon-Inviting Wine would undoubtedly be several times more effective than previous batches.

Over decades of diligent farming and cultivation, combined with his newly acquired Indestructible Immortal Body, Qin Ming’s cultivation had advanced rapidly.

He was already not far from breaking through to the middle stage of Void Refinement.

He had progressed roughly one-third of the way.

This was largely thanks to the tremendous cultivation resources he had accumulated while quietly developing Little Turtle Peak near Celestial Star City.

The turmoil in Yellow Springs Devouring Abyss and the journey into the Netherworld had not only granted him Qingdi’s inheritance but had also enriched him immensely.

As a cultivation environment, Little Turtle Peak enjoyed the protection of a major human city and was relatively safe and stable.

Though disturbances occasionally arose, they were insignificant to Qin Ming.

As long as the threat was below the Integration stage, it hardly mattered.

…

The following days passed peacefully.

Little Turtle Peak finally regained its tranquility.

Without the noisy Devour-Spirit Rat causing trouble all day, Xiao Qing had no one to play with and seemed quite lonely.

Since Qin Ming refused to let it go outside, it spent its days listless and bored.

Fortunately,

after half a month passed,

the Little Silver Fox and the Blackwater Crocodile Demon King both successfully advanced to the late fifth grade after consuming the fruits.

Neither could quite believe it.

However, Qin Ming noticed that after repeated consumption, the Spirit-Summoning Demon Fruit’s effects had diminished significantly.

They were nowhere near as potent as the first time.

Even so, the purity and concentration of their True Spirit bloodlines had surpassed eighty percent.

Even among True Spirit clans, such pure bloodlines would be revered as sacred inheritance beasts.

…

On this day,

Qin Ming was inside the Small Spirit Realm feeding spirit fish to Xiao Qing.

Having transformed into a star-blue whale-kun roughly a zhang long, Xiao Qing swam joyfully through the spirit lake.

Who could have imagined that this calf-sized little fellow would become a colossal creature over ten thousand zhang long after transforming, with battle power approaching the late Void Refinement stage?

A late Void Refinement cultivator might well be smashed to pieces by a single charge.

At that moment,

the Little Silver Fox approached and said respectfully,

“Master, Baili Hui has returned to the mountain. He says he has urgent business and wishes to see you.”

“Mm.”

Qin Ming handed her the spirit fish and let her continue feeding Xiao Qing.

Then he left the Small Spirit Realm.

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