Mirror Snow Pavilion

Inside the Spirit Feather Sect's Hall of Affairs.

The atmosphere in the air had grown somewhat tense.

Jiang Kun glanced at Qin Ming and saw that he was dressed like a Spirit Farmer.

He did not take him seriously in the slightest.

Qin Ming's expression immediately turned unpleasant at his words.

The people before him were all Late Qi Refining cultivators with powerful auras.

If he let his blood rush to his head, the consequences were easy to imagine.

At this moment, the Immortal Cultivation World's law of the jungle was laid bare in all its brutal glory.

Qin Ming bit his lip, hesitating over whether to hand it over.

But Jiang Kun had already snatched the jade plaque from the steward in charge of registration.

Qin Ming was startled and was just about to speak.

Yet after Jiang Kun seized the jade plaque, his gaze fixed on the words upon it, and his expression shifted repeatedly.

A rare trace of wariness appeared on his arrogant face.

Jiang Kun then looked up at Qin Ming and coldly asked, "This is something from Mirror Snow Pavilion? Did Gu Qingzhao give it to you?"

Qin Ming had just been about to reply.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you're here as well?"

Another person walked in from outside the Hall of Affairs.

"That's right. This 'Mirror' plaque was bestowed upon Fellow Daoist Qin by our Pavilion Master."

"If Young Master Jiang intends to take it, you should consider the consequences."

Everyone turned at the sound.

Manager Liao of Juxuan Pavilion had entered with two attendants.

Qin Ming was somewhat surprised as well.

Manager Liao's words were exceedingly forceful. He seemed not the least bit intimidated by these inner disciples of the Spirit Feather Sect.

What exactly is this Mirror Snow Pavilion Jiang Kun mentioned?

Qin Ming wondered to himself.

After entering, Manager Liao greeted Qin Ming with a smile.

Jiang Kun and the others wore uncertain expressions.

Only a moment later.

Jiang Kun casually tossed the jade plaque onto the counter.

"Hmph! Consider yourself lucky, brat!"

His gaze lingered on Qin Ming for a moment before he led his people away.

Qin Ming watched Jiang Kun and the others depart, his eyes icy as he had already entered them into his little notebook.

Just wait until I've developed further.

Don't ever fall into my hands.

Then.

He walked over and gave Manager Liao a cupped fist salute, saying gratefully, "Thank you, Manager Liao, for helping me out of this predicament."

Manager Liao waved his hand. "No need for courtesy, Fellow Daoist Qin. It was all for the sake of our Pavilion Master."

"First register your rental eligibility, Fellow Daoist Qin."

"We can chat after we finish our business. I happen to have some matters to handle at the Hall of Affairs as well."

Qin Ming nodded at this.

Half an incense stick later.

Qin Ming had completed his registration at the Hall of Affairs and paid a full year's rent—four hundred Spirit Stones in total.

After settling everything, Qin Ming had only a little over three hundred Spirit Stones left in his Storage Bag.

"They really don't last," Qin Ming muttered, touching his shriveled Spirit Stone pouch.

Still, being able to rent a house within the market was worth it.

Qin Ming had visited the Ruan Family Estate himself.

Compared to his house in the Shantytown, the homes there were fully four or five times larger.

They were extremely spacious.

Moreover, this place was covered by an array that blocked cultivators' probing, making it more convenient for him to plant and use Accelerated Growth on Spirit Plants.

Most importantly, Qingyang Market was protected by a Second-Order Array, making it far safer than outside.

Once Qin Ming had handled everything, the stone weighing on his heart finally fell to the ground.

He could now cultivate with peace of mind.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, leave a spiritual-sense mark on this wooden plaque. The array will remember your aura, and from then on, no one but you will be able to enter the courtyard." The cultivator from the Hall of Affairs handed Qin Ming a purple wooden plaque.

"Many thanks, Steward."

Qin Ming accepted the wooden plaque, feeling a little excited.

"Oh, right. There is still some time before the rent expires for those members of the Ruan Family."

"At the end of October, Fellow Daoist Qin may lift the house's restrictions and move in," the Hall of Affairs cultivator instructed.

Qin Ming nodded in acknowledgment.

After that, he did not leave immediately.

Instead, he waited outside the Spirit Feather Sect's Hall of Affairs for Manager Liao.

He had a few questions he wished to ask him.

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

Manager Liao finished handling his matters and came out.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, how about we return to my shop and talk over tea?" Manager Liao asked with a smile.

Qin Ming declined. "No need. I simply wanted to ask Manager Liao something."

"Please do."

Qin Ming took out the jade plaque Gu Qingzhao had given him and asked, "Isn't your establishment called Juxuan Pavilion? Why did I hear Jiang Kun say this was something from Mirror Snow Pavilion?"

Manager Liao smiled faintly, as though he had long expected this question, and explained,

"Since Fellow Daoist Qin has already formed a close partnership with our pavilion and earned our Pavilion Master's favor."

"Then there is no harm in telling you."

"The force behind Juxuan Pavilion is Mirror Snow Pavilion."

"Mirror Snow Pavilion has been passed down for a thousand years, from ancient times until today. Its business spans the entire Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm. Juxuan Pavilion is merely a small branch in Qingyang Market."

"Though it cannot be considered some superpower."

"It is still not something a sect like the Spirit Feather Sect can casually squeeze and mold."

After Manager Liao finished speaking, he watched Qin Ming's reaction.

Although Qin Ming had anticipated from the beginning that Juxuan Pavilion's backing was far from simple.

He had not expected its connections to run so deep.

"So that's how it is. Thank you for informing me, Manager Liao." Qin Ming gave a cupped fist salute.

"You're too polite, Fellow Daoist Qin. If we continue our cooperation, you would have learned sooner or later anyway." Manager Liao stopped at that point and did not reveal any further information.

Afterward.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries before bidding each other farewell.

Inside a house in the Shantytown.

Qin Ming cooked an entire pot of Blood Locust Rice and ate it.

Then he resumed cultivating the Hundred Treasures Glazed Scripture.

Boom!

The Vital Energy Force within his body began to surge wildly!

Bolstered by the Blood Locust Rice's immense infusion of vital energy.

Qin Ming's aura steadily rose.

In the past.

He had only dared to eat a single bowl of Blood Locust Rice.

Previously, his physical body could not withstand such an enormous influx of vital energy.

But times had changed.

He had cultivated his vital energy until it was like flowing mercury.

He could now endure even greater enhancements of vital energy.

Now, every time Qin Ming cultivated, he could completely absorb and digest an entire pot of Blood Locust Rice.

Two hours later.

His cultivation ended.

Qin Ming slowly opened his eyes.

He could feel that the Vital Energy Force within his body had increased by another two-thirds.

"The sixth level of body refinement is close as well."

In mid-June.

The third season of Golden Spirit Rice sprouted.

Qin Ming returned to the Spirit Field to inspect it.

Three glittering golden affixes refreshed once more, appearing in his field of vision.

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Faint Mana (Maturity 5%)

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Quality Enhancement (Maturity 6%)

Name: Golden Spirit Rice
Affix: Quality Enhancement (Maturity 5%)

Qin Ming's eyes lit up as he looked at the affixes!

Two Quality Enhancement affixes had appeared at once within the Golden Spirit Rice's Spirit Field.

This was simply incredible!

Excitement gradually stirred within him.

"If I enhance the quality of the Blood Locust Rice two more times, wouldn't I be able to harvest Supreme-Grade Blood Locust Rice?"