Qin Ming pondered in his heart.
It seems that the connection behind Shopkeeper Liao is probably not ordinary; such matters related to the top echelons of sects in the Cultivation Realm can even be heard in advance.
Getting along well with him might not be a bad thing.
"Thank you, Shopkeeper Liao, for letting me know."
"Is there anything else?" Qin Ming asked.
Shopkeeper Liao flashed a smile and suddenly said meaningfully, "Haha, Fellow Daoist Qin is really quite low-key!"
"I have an inconvenient request; when the Beast Fang Rice matures in two years, could you sell a portion to our shop?"
"Our pavilion can purchase it at a price ten percent higher than the market rate."
Qin Ming was taken aback; it was only a few days, yet the other party even knew about this.
"Shopkeeper Liao is truly omnipotent; even the matters in the spirit fields can't be hidden from you." Qin Ming didn't immediately agree.
"The Beast Fang Rice seeds have indeed been planted, but I can't guarantee they will mature and be harvested in two years."
It turns out Shopkeeper Liao just paid him spirit stones based on the increased price of spirit rice and revealed so much information about the Spirit Feather Sect.
He actually wanted to use the cost of paying 20 or 30 extra spirit stones to directly buy out Qin Ming's 'Beast Fang Rice' channel.
No wonder he's a seasoned business person!
"Of course, if Fellow Daoist Qin has other conditions, they can naturally be negotiated!" Shopkeeper Liao watched Qin Ming's reaction and immediately poured him tea.
"Although Fellow Daoist Qin is young, he has such accomplishments in the spirit plants, surely endowed with unusual talent; harvesting the Beast Fang Rice is bound to be a sure success."
"I wonder if your pavilion sells body refining techniques." Qin Ming pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked.
Shopkeeper Liao naturally understood instantly.
He directly took out several body refining techniques and introduced them to Qin Ming one by one:
"The 'Nine Revolutions Rejuvenation Technique,' a top-tier body refining technique, can be cultivated all the way to the Foundation Establishment Stage; highly yang and rigid, priced at three thousand spirit stones."
Qin Ming pursed his lips, thinking to himself: 'The technique is good, but the price is quite daunting.'
"The 'Bright King Body Tempering Technique,' can open up 270 acupoints throughout the body, condense True Gang, a high-tier body refining technique, priced at one thousand spirit stones."
"The 'Vajra Forging Yuan Technique,' a middle-tier body refining technique, can achieve minor success in thirty years, priced at five hundred spirit stones..."
…
Shopkeeper Liao talked until his mouth was dry, took a sip of tea, and continued: "The 'Celestial Slayer Demon Summoning Scripture,' priced at eighty spirit stones..."
"Wait a moment!"
"Shopkeeper, please focus on introducing this technique."
"The 'Celestial Slayer Demon Summoning Scripture,' hmm... this technique is good!"
"It sounds very positive; I'll go with it!"
Shopkeeper Liao: "..."
Qin Ming pondered for a long while and made a resolute decision.
"This is a demonic cultivation technique; once cultivated, everyone will wish to exterminate you." Shopkeeper Liao replied.
"Then why are you selling it to me?"
"Sorry, I took out the wrong one."
"..."
An hour later.
Qin Ming left Juxuan Pavilion.
The techniques Shopkeeper Liao had were either completely unaffordable based on Qin Ming's current assets, or took decades to see results once cultivated.
No way to acquire techniques...
Qin Ming could only look on helplessly.
However, Shopkeeper Liao finally pointed him in the right direction.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, there is a Ruan Family in the eastern district of Qingyang Market; they have fallen on hard times, but their ancestors passed down a body refining technique."
"I once offered a hundred spirit stones to buy this technique, but that Fellow Daoist Ruan refused to sell unless some pills or herbs to enhance qi blood were added."
"I think it's not worth it."
"Maybe you could give it a try."
"But don't get your hopes up too high."
Implied by Shopkeeper Liao, Qin Ming had the Beast Fang Rice, which was about to succeed in cultivation; perhaps offering it might sway the other party.
As a return for this information, he agreed to sell a portion of Beast Fang Rice to Juxuan Pavilion when it matured.
The deal was concluded.
Both parties were delighted.
...
He had just left the shop.
When he encountered a large patrol team from the Spirit Feather Sect, rushing out of the market in a hurry.
They seemed ready for anything, exuding a powerful aura.
"Hello, Fellow Daoist, can you tell me what's happening?" Qin Ming casually asked a passerby who was watching the commotion.
"It seems they're going to kill a demon beast, right?"
"But don't worry, within our market, it's very safe, even a Foundation Establishment Stage demon beast can't break through the Tier Two defense array of the market."
"Fellow Daoist just needs not to wander around."
Qin Ming thought for a moment.
Then he followed Shopkeeper Liao's directions to the Ruan Family in the eastern district of the market.
But upon arrival, he found the gates of the Ruan Family tightly closed.
The cultivators living nearby told him that Fellow Daoist Ruan had gone to handle affairs and wouldn't be back for three or four months.
Qin Ming grudgingly decided to return at a later time...
...
Back in the shack district.
Evening.
Inside his dwelling, Qin Ming was preparing dinner.
Feeling somewhat distracted.
Qingyang Market indeed was quite safe, but the defense array didn't extend to their shack district!
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Just then, a series of knocks interrupted his thoughts.
Qin Ming vigilantly opened the door.
To his surprise, the visitor was Fellow Daoist Long.
Unexpected indeed; truly a rare guest!
"Fellow Daoist Qin, I heard the yield and quality of your spirit rice here are quite good, and I'd like to purchase some from you."
Fellow Daoist Long got straight to the point.
Qin Ming considered for a moment and forced a smile: "Indeed, the yield of spirit rice has been decent lately, but most of it has already been sold."
Fellow Daoist Long frowned slightly but maintained a polite demeanor: "How much spirit rice does Fellow Daoist Qin still have on hand? I'll buy as much as you have, all at market price."
"Fellow Daoist Long, I've heard that the price of spirit rice in the market is expected to rise by around fifty percent these days..." Qin Ming hesitated slightly.
Even though he didn't really want to offend the late-stage Qi Cultivator in front of him, he also didn't want to be taken advantage of for nothing.
Fellow Daoist Long was visibly taken aback.
He couldn't help but start to scrutinize Qin Ming. The news about the rise in Spirit Rice prices was known to very few.
Although it would be public knowledge in a few days, in Qingyang Market, it was only grasped by a small circle of late-stage Qi Cultivators and a few factions.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, you are quite well-informed."
"Since that's the case, how about I buy it at the increased price?" Fellow Daoist Long said simply.
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming nodded in agreement: "Currently, I have about fifty pounds in stock available for sale. I don't have more; you'll have to wait for the next season."
After trading the Spirit Rice,
Fellow Daoist Long hurriedly took his leave.
Qin Ming also didn't dare to truly offend the other party.
After all, the alleys nearby were all under his protection.
"Sigh, even late-stage Qi Cultivators are starting to prepare; it seems the situation is indeed changing."
"The increase in Spirit Rice prices is indeed a good thing for me."
"But it also means that the surrounding environment is becoming increasingly harsh."
...
Qin Ming had a meal of Spirit Rice.
He went to the bedroom, sat cross-legged on a mat on the bed, and began to run the Longevity Technique.
In his Sea of Consciousness, there were still two 'Weak Dharma Power' entries remaining.
"It will be today!"
With a thought, one 'Weak Dharma Power' entry disappeared.
The mana gushing from the Dantian began to circulate through the circulation over and over again.
Continuously washing and expanding the meridians.
Finally!
Boom!
When the mana within Qin Ming's Dantian accumulated to a critical point,
a thin membrane seemed to be torn apart.
"Qi Cultivation Third Layer!"
The mana fluctuation on Qin Ming's body increased by a notch.
"Phew~"
Qin Ming exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.
"How many years has it been; finally, no longer imprisoned at the Qi Cultivation Second Layer."
He couldn't help but reflect, realizing that in this brief year or so, he had undergone many changes.
'As long as I develop steadily, Foundation Establishment is not impossible.'
Qin Ming felt the Longevity Spiritual Power inside his Dantian, nearly doubled in size.
While joyful, he remained cautious: "The Qi Cultivation Third Layer is still unstable; I must quickly enhance my strength."
"In the ever-changing cultivation realm, those at the bottom of the Qi Cultivation Stage are like cannon fodder; only at the Foundation Establishment Stage can one barely stand, ultimately, one's fate must be in one's own hands."
Currently dependent on others, there are numerous inconveniences.
Also, one might be dragged into the vortex of sect disputes at any moment, helplessly.
To eliminate the conscription of the Spirit Feather Sect and regain freedom, only one of three conditions must be met.
First, breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Second, in any of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, advance to Tier Two.
Third, submit any Foundation Establishment resources.
He understood that he must strive towards these three directions.
Next,
The breakthrough from Qi Cultivation Third Layer to Fourth Layer.
For Qin Ming, this would be a massive test.
The Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer marks the cultivator's entry into the mid-stage Qi Cultivation.
It is the first significant bottleneck in cultivation.
It would be infinitely more challenging than when he just broke through to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer.
...
Ten days later,
In Qingyang Market and the surrounding shanty areas, most cultivators had heard the news of a significant price increase in Spirit Rice and meat, among other essential daily goods.
The prices of Spiritual Artifacts, pills, and talismans also started to rise.
Since Qin Ming grew 'Beast Fang Rice', overseer Du Haifu had gradually increased the frequency of his patrols around this Spirit Field.
Lately, with unrest, he even arranged for more personnel to patrol around the Spirit Field.
During this period, apart from deploying the Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique to increase the fertility of the Spirit Field,
Qin Ming was immersed in studying knowledge about Spirit Plants.
Additionally, he was searching for a suitable Body Refining Technique.
Qin Ming's 'Beast Fang Rice' had not yet matured, so he couldn't hurry.
...
In the blink of an eye,
three months passed.
Within the Spirit Field,
perhaps Qin Ming's luck had run out during this period.
In the second season's four acres of Golden Spirit Rice, he only harvested two 'Weak Dharma Power' entries.
Fortunately,
after Qin Ming broke through to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, his mana doubled, so he no longer faced the issue of mana running out when deploying the Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique.
The yield of the second season's Golden Spirit Rice set a new record, exceeding nine stones.
This time, after paying the Spirit Rice tax, Qin Ming didn't rush to sell it.
Instead, he kept a portion in reserve for later needs.
Shopkeeper Liao wanted to buy more during the price hike.
Qin Ming had already prepared an excuse.
He told him about Fellow Daoist Long buying Spirit Rice from him.
Recently, the price of Spirit Rice in the market had been soaring, increasing by more than sixty percent.
Qin Ming made a small fortune.
The Spirit Stones in his storage pouch exceeded one hundred and fifty for the first time.
He also bought a Low-Grade Golden Light Body Protection Talisman and a Low-Grade Magical Artifact Cyan Spirit Sword from Shopkeeper Liao, spending another twenty-five Spirit Stones.
"These days, it's necessary to equip some protective gear."