Chapter 121: The Ancient Tree Remains Evergreen-Immortality: Unlocking New Abilities Through Farming(An old man with silver hair engages in lively conversation, laughter flowing effortlessly from his lips.)

Gu Qingzhao spent an entire day with Qin Ming. By the time they finished their conversation, most matters had been settled.

As she prepared to leave, she retrieved a jade slip and a small parcel from her storage bag, handing them to Qin Ming. "Fellow Daoist Qin, these are the letter and items that Master Alchemist Su entrusted our pavilion to deliver to you."

Qin Ming looked surprised as he accepted the items. He immersed his divine sense into the jade slip to read it.

"Brother Qin, I hope this letter finds you well. I have recently been researching an ancient pill—the Second-Tier Superior Jade Brilliance Pill. It is said that this pill can reshape the physical body and strengthen one's marrow and bones. However, I lack its primary ingredient: the Second-Tier Peak-Grade spiritual plant, 'Jade Brilliance Spirit Lotus Root.' It is truly hard to come by. I have only managed to acquire some seeds; I would like to ask you to cultivate them. Given your expertise in spiritual botany, I trust this will not be a difficult task for you."

"In exchange, I am willing to share the formula and brewing method for the Jade Brilliance Pill with you."

"Furthermore, I have touched the threshold of becoming a Third-Tier Alchemist. If you have the opportunity, do come to the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty to visit me, and we shall drink and converse again."

After reading this, Qin Ming could not help but shake his head and smile. The final sentence still carried a heavy trace of Su Yuqing’s characteristic arrogance. To think that Su Yuqing had already begun researching ancient pill formulas.

Recalling something, he took out a blank jade slip and wrote a reply. He mainly updated her on his recent situation, taking care to highlight his success in refining peak-grade Foundation Establishment Pills. He also sought her advice regarding pill formulas that could be crafted from Mist Illusion Mushrooms, as well as high-tier spirit-feeding pills that could help spirit beasts improve their cultivation and strength. Since he had a connection with such a prominent alchemist, he might as well make good use of it.

Afterward, Qin Ming thought for a moment and added one hundred pounds of Spirit-Perch Rice, two Rice-Flower Spirit Fish, and ten pounds of Spirit-Gathering Tea, asking Gu Qingzhao to send them along with his letter to Su Yuqing.

"Fellow Daoist Qin is truly generous," Gu Qingzhao remarked with a playful smile as she accepted the goods. Qin Ming laughed and gifted two additional canisters of Spirit-Gathering Tea and two more Rice-Flower Spirit Fish to Gu Qingzhao and her companion.

Once the visit concluded, Qin Ming saw Gu Qingzhao and her companion off as they departed Moon-Watching Island.

***

In the days that followed, Qin Ming returned to his life of farming and cultivation. He had originally expected that second-tier superior and peak-grade seeds would be difficult to obtain, yet through a series of coincidences, he had managed to acquire two types of second-tier peak-grade spiritual plants.

Qin Ming selected a prime piece of spiritual soil near the spiritual spring beneath the main peak of Moon-Watching Island. He excavated a spiritual pond and planted the Jade Brilliance Spirit Lotus seeds. As for the Mist Illusion Mushrooms, they required wood that had rotted after being infused with second-tier spiritual energy. Fortunately, he had kept the branches from when he previously grew Second-Tier Divine Origin Fruit and Red-Silver Hemp.

After treating them with spiritual spring water, he processed them into second-tier rotten wood. He then used his divine sense to transplant the spore seeds stored within the Profound Yin Black Wood onto the prepared logs. Since Mist Illusion Mushrooms release hallucinogenic vapors while growing, Qin Ming moved all the logs to the back mountain. There were over a hundred such logs; he would decide how to proceed once the mushrooms matured.

With the logs in place, Qin Ming raised a hand toward the sky, and a massive blue thundercloud gathered above. Guided by his hand seals, the spiritual energy from the second-tier spiritual vein surged into the cloud like a veil. This time, the energy was distinctly different from the colorful spiritual energy he usually manipulated with the Advanced Spirit Rain Art; it appeared as a pure, deep blue.

This was the "Great Five Elements Art," the latest spiritual botany technique he had mastered after utilizing a "trait." It allowed him to summon rain infused with specific elemental spiritual energy based on the needs of different plants, significantly increasing their growth efficiency. This technique was unique to him; even within specialized spiritual botany sects, such advanced arts were unheard of. Since Mist Illusion Mushrooms had a high demand for water-type spiritual energy, Qin Ming drew more of it from the vein.

Soon, thunder rumbled within the clouds, and a hazy blue spiritual rain began to fall, nourishing the hundred-plus logs. After finishing this, he tended to the three acres of spiritual water fields and replanted the Spirit-Perch Rice, as both the rice and the Rice-Flower Spirit Fish were essential for boosting his current level of mana cultivation.

Qin Ming later made a trip to the Spirit Botanist Guild in the Tianhe Market to record his progress with the supervisor in charge of assessments. When the old botanist saw that Qin Ming was already preparing to challenge the rank of Second-Tier Superior Spirit Botanist after only a few years, the look in his eyes was filled with awe and respect. In the entire cultivation world of the Wei Kingdom, Second-Tier Superior Spirit Botanists could be counted on one hand.

Qin Ming, however, cared little for such superficial fame; his focus remained on the "Mother Qi of Ten Thousand Woods" within the Vegetation Illusion Realm. With most of his spiritual plants settled, he planned to grow more high-tier varieties should he manage to find their seeds.

Life returned to its quiet, rhythmic pace of farming, alchemy, cultivation, and beast-taming.

One day, Qin Ming sat cross-legged beneath his life-bound spiritual plant, the Longevity Vine, practicing the "Ancient Wood Longevity Technique." The Profound Water Crocodile lay quietly beside him, greedily absorbing the wood essence that overflowed while Qin Ming cultivated. Qin Ming had discovered this only recently: the beast grew significantly faster absorbing this essence than it did even when fed spirit-feeding pills. It was truly a testament to its Earth-grade bloodline talent.

The aura emanating from the Profound Water Crocodile had become increasingly fierce, and during this period, its massive body had grown to seven or eight zhang in length. It had become the undisputed overlord of Moon-Watching Lake; with its formidable defensive capabilities and immense strength, few spirit beasts dared to challenge it. Since it began guarding the perimeter, no aquatic beasts had dared to approach the island.

Several hours later, Qin Ming emerged from his meditative state. He patted the head of the Profound Water Crocodile, which was still absorbing the wood essence, and said, "Hurry up and advance to a second-tier great demon, or all these good things I’ve fed you will have gone to waste." The crocodile seemed to understand, shaking its head and tail enthusiastically.

Just then, perhaps influenced by Qin Ming’s recent breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage, the surface of the Longevity Vine began to shimmer with purple spiritual patterns. A purple rune emerged from the vine and merged into Qin Ming's body. A green rune lit up on his forehead, and his "Supreme Wood Dharma Body" manifested behind him of its own accord.

A torrent of information surged into his mind: "Spirit Body Advancement: Ancient Wood Evergreen Body!"

A cultivation method for a spirit body far more profound than the Supreme Wood Dharma Body appeared in his consciousness. To cultivate the "Ancient Wood Evergreen Body," one needed to absorb dozens of times more wood essence and the power of time compared to the previous state. However, once fully mastered, one would possess an acquired spirit body comparable to "Heavenly Spiritual Root" aptitude. The cultivation mantras for the "Ancient Wood Evergreen Body" also slowly emerged in the subsequent chapters of the "Ancient Wood Longevity Technique."

Qin Ming opened his eyes, a look of immense excitement on his face.

"Once I master the 'Ancient Wood Evergreen Body,' the Golden Core stage is within reach!"

Beside him, the Profound Water Crocodile seemed to sense the change in its master and grew excited as well.