Greed

"Why has Daoist Ruan gone out again?!"

Qin Ming had never expected to come up empty-handed again.

Having experienced the changes brought by the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture, he was truly itching for the remaining techniques.

It seemed he could only wait a little longer.

Qin Ming browsed several other shops in the market, bought a Spirit Beast Pouch and some meat, then returned to the Shantytown.

The next day.

Qin Ming made breakfast with Golden Spirit Rice and Beast Meat.

He was just about to eat.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knocking sounded outside.

He peered through the crack in the door.

It was one of the nearby neighbors, someone he normally had little contact with.

Still, out of courtesy, Qin Ming welcomed him inside.

"Hehehe, I heard Fellow Daoist Qin became a First-rank Spirit Planter. I came especially to offer my congratulations!"

"A modest gift, just a small token. I hope you'll accept it."

As he spoke, the visitor handed Qin Ming a small bag of gifts.

Seeing how enthusiastic the man was, Qin Ming found it difficult to refuse. He could only thank him and accept it.

When the neighbor's gaze fell upon the dishes on Qin Ming's table, made with Beast Meat and Spirit Rice, unconcealable envy appeared on his face.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the man had effectively made his visit and took his leave.

After Qin Ming finished eating, he was just about to wash the dishes.

Knock, knock, knock!

The knocking sounded outside once more.

!!!

Qin Ming furrowed his brow and muttered, "What's going on today?!"

As usual, he peeked through the crack in the door.

It would have been better if he had not looked. The moment he did, he nearly jumped out of his skin!

Good heavens!

It was none other than his female neighbor, Li Yanli.

She was exquisitely dressed, with a small package in her hands as well.

Seeing her appearance, Qin Ming immediately relaxed.

Good, good. She's probably just here to visit.

Just socializing.

Not here for anything else.

After Li Yanli entered, she likewise congratulated Qin Ming. They chatted briefly before she left.

Her face had grown somewhat haggard lately. Though she had concealed it with rouge and powder, Qin Ming saw through it at a glance.

"It seems she still hasn't moved on from Fellow Daoist Long's death."

Having lost Fellow Daoist Long, her great protector.

Her days ahead would likely not be easy.

Qin Ming did not ask her to stay.

As Li Yanli left, she gave him only a resentful, sorrowful look.

Over the following days.

Quite a few nearby cultivators came by one after another, seeking to visit and build rapport.

Qin Ming found it rather troublesome.

He disliked this sort of social occasion the most.

Though their gifts were nothing valuable, Qin Ming could not very well reject their goodwill. He thanked every one of them in return.

On this day.

Qin Ming was sitting on a meditation cushion, cultivating.

The Message Talisman on him suddenly stirred.

He stopped cultivating, opened his eyes, and checked the message.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, are you free right now?"

"I happen to be passing near the market, but I have urgent business to attend to and don't have time to return home."

"This time, I won't be returning to the market for at least one or two years, perhaps even three to five."

"If you can come over, we can complete our transaction."

"Fellow Daoist Qin, don't worry. I happened to run into acquaintances from the Spirit Feather Sect Patrol, and we're together right now."

Qin Ming hesitated for a moment before sending a message.

"Where do we meet?"

"On the road east of the market."

"Alright, I'm coming."

After sending the Message Talisman, Qin Ming packed up a few things and left home.

As he passed the riverbank in the Shantytown.

Several middle-aged female cultivators were washing clothes.

When they saw Qin Ming, none of them greeted him.

Only after he had gone some distance did they cast sidelong glances and say sourly:

"Tch~ Isn't he just a First-rank Spirit Planter?"

"It's not as if he became a First-rank Alchemist."

"What's there to be so smug about!"

They spoke rather loudly. Qin Ming had not gone far, and every word reached his ears.

Qin Ming curled his lip and ignored them.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

Qin Ming arrived near the location Daoist Ruan had given him.

He did not reveal himself immediately, instead observing from afar for a while.

A cold wind brushed his face, and the wild grass swayed.

Both sides of the road were endless stretches of untamed grassland.

On the road not far away.

Several figures came into view.

Daoist Ruan was smiling as he chatted back and forth with two members of the Spirit Feather Sect Patrol.

Qin Ming focused his gaze.

He recognized both Spirit Feather Sect Patrol members.

They often patrolled the alleys of the Shantytown and were familiar faces.

"So it's them."

Only then did his doubts fade.

Qin Ming stepped out and walked straight toward them.

"Oh! Fellow Daoist Qin has arrived. Please wait a moment, you two."

"I have a small matter to handle. I'll be right back."

The moment Daoist Ruan spotted Qin Ming, his face lit up. He hurriedly gave the two Spirit Feather Sect patrolmen a cupped fist salute, then headed toward him.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, my apologies. I've had important matters to deal with recently and truly couldn't get away."

Daoist Ruan gave Qin Ming a cupped fist salute.

"It's fine. Daoist Ruan, you have the item with you, right?" Qin Ming forced a smile onto his face.

"Of course. By the way, Fellow Daoist Qin, your Beast Fang Rice has matured as well, hasn't it?" Expectation flashed in Daoist Ruan's eyes.

Qin Ming patted his Storage Bag and directly took out a small sack of Beast Fang Rice, exactly ten pounds.

He opened the bag and showed it to him.

The white Spirit Rice grains were the size of canine teeth, flushed red within and exuding a captivating fragrance.

"It truly is Beast Fang Rice, and its quality is quite good!"

An imperceptible glimmer of greed appeared in Daoist Ruan's eyes.

"May I ask, Fellow Daoist Qin, the Beast Fang Rice harvest should have been rather good, shouldn't it? More than just these ten pounds?"

At those words, Qin Ming frowned.

"Daoist Ruan, how much Beast Fang Rice I planted doesn't seem to have much to do with you, does it?"

"Hehehe, of course not. I was merely asking casually." Daoist Ruan smiled awkwardly.

With that, he took out the Beast Hide recording the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture from his Storage Bag.

One handed over the hide, the other handed over the rice.

The Beast Hide was in his hands.

After confirming there was no problem, Qin Ming was just about to breathe a faint sigh of relief.

"Something's wrong!"

The Bodyguard Qi coursing through the blood and vitality around him suddenly sensed an intense killing intent!

That information was transmitted straight into his mind with flawless precision.

Although Qin Ming had noticed something amiss.

He gave nothing away, still pretending to examine the Beast Hide scripture.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five.

There were no fewer than five streams of killing intent directed at him, silently closing in.

Three came from Daoist Ruan and the two Spirit Feather Sect Patrol cultivators.

The owners of the other two streams of killing intent had not even appeared yet.

In an instant.

Qin Ming understood the situation he was in.

Yet not a trace of panic showed on his face.

Daoist Ruan is at the fifth layer of the Qi Refining Mid Stage. Of the two Spirit Feather Sect patrolmen, one is at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, while the other is at the sixth.

As for the other two hiding in the shadows, Qin Ming could not sense their mana auras for the moment.

Very quickly.

Countless thoughts flashed through Qin Ming's mind.

In the span of only a few breaths.

A faint, barely perceptible ruthlessness flashed through Qin Ming's eyes.

He made his decision at once.