Chapter Twenty-Eight: Advanced Spirit Rain Technique!

On the Spirit Feather Sect’s magical vessel.

Steward Gu’s expression grew cold, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Hmph!”

A formidable pressure swept over the crowd. The spirit farmers below, who had been grumbling and complaining, immediately fell silent, swallowing their anger.

“So you like to chatter, do you?”

“If anyone is unwilling to accept the increased taxes, step forward now.”

“The war camp is in need of many hands these days.”

Steward Gu’s gaze swept over the crowd. Seeing that no one dared to stand up, he finally ordered his men to pilot the vessel away.

…

Early April.

Spring breezes were gentle, and the air carried a hint of warmth.

Within the spirit fields.

Qin Ming was focused, practicing the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique.

He recalled carefully the sensation he’d had when using the special incantation, rehearsing it again and again.

At last!

A vast gray thundercloud appeared above the spirit fields on the hillside. The cloud spun in a vortex, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling at its heart.

Qin Ming’s face turned pale; half his internal spiritual energy was instantly drained. Had he not cultivated the Evergreen Art, his spiritual reserves—comparable to a fourth-stage Qi Refining cultivator and far beyond his peers—he’d never have managed to sustain such a wide area of thundercloud.

This time, Qin Ming didn’t deliberately restrict the rainfall’s range. Instead, he enveloped all eight acres of spirit fields.

Boom!

As thunder echoed, the spiritual energy within the ley line was drawn into the clouds as if a curtain had been lifted. The surrounding air’s spiritual energy was also instantly depleted.

Rain fell in torrents.

At that moment, the commotion in Qin Ming’s spirit fields could not go unnoticed. Nearby spirit farmers cast curious glances toward his plot.

“Why is there thunder?”

“The concentration of spiritual energy in this rainfall—could it be…”

“Isn’t that the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique?”

At last, an experienced spirit farmer blurted out the truth!

“Who is performing the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique?”

The farmers realized what was happening, their hearts filled with shock. They hadn’t seen this technique in years. Even within the Spirit Rain Sect, only a handful of high-level spirit cultivators could use it.

Whoosh!

A streak of light appeared in the sky near Qin Ming’s fields. It was Du Haifu, the overseer.

He stared, dumbfounded, at the immense thundercloud overhead, muttering, “I must report this to the sect—one of the spirit farmers can actually perform the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique.”

…

As the spirit rain continued to fall, the Gold Spirit Rice, Beast Fang Rice, Cold Smoke Grass, and Spirit Candle Fruit in the fields began to fervently absorb the spiritual energy.

The inscriptions in the eight-acre field gleamed brightly.

[Name]: Gold Spirit Rice [Inscription]: Weak spiritual power (Maturity 67%)

[Name]: Gold Spirit Rice [Inscription]: Weak spiritual power (Maturity 66%)

[Name]: Beast Fang Rice [Inscription]: Weak vital energy x5 (Maturity 17%)

[Name]: Beast Fang Rice [Inscription]: Accelerated maturation x5 (Maturity 19%)

[Name]: Cold Smoke Grass [Inscription]: Weak soul power x5 (Maturity 26%)

[Name]: Cold Smoke Grass [Inscription]: Accelerated maturation x5 (Maturity 23%)

[Name]: Spirit Candle Fruit [Inscription]: Regenerative spirit seed x3 (Maturity 27%)

The spirit rain lasted for a full incense stick’s time before stopping.

Qin Ming’s spiritual energy was exhausted. Face pale, he took out a Qi Restoration Pill and swallowed it, sitting down to recover.

Gradually, color returned to Qin Ming’s cheeks.

“Well done!”

“So it was you, Qin Ming!”

Old Cai came over, gesturing animatedly.

“Advanced Spirit Rain Technique! How did you manage to learn it?”

Qin Ming, having recovered, stood up and replied with an embarrassed smile, “It just happened by chance.”

“It was all a coincidence.”

Old Cai pursed his lips, grumbling, “Why are you so slippery with words? You could fry vegetables with all that oil!”

Qin Ming smiled knowingly. “I learned from you, didn’t I?”

“That’s called being tactful,” Old Cai retorted with a smirk.

…

Mastering the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique meant Qin Ming could now harvest double the output of spirit rice. Cultivating any spirit plants below Tier Two required this technique for irrigation.

Spirit farmers on the hillside came over to greet him and offer their congratulations.

However, Qin Ming himself felt it: though he could perform the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique, he lacked endurance.

“I still need to improve my spiritual cultivation.”

“No, I must buy a bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills from Su Yuqing!”

He still had more than seventeen hundred spirit stones left; it was time to spend some.

After finishing his chores, Qin Ming hurried to Su Yuqing’s house.

Knock, knock, knock!

He rapped on the door.

Moments later, Su Yuqing opened the door and welcomed him in.

Without wasting words, Qin Ming stated his purpose directly.

“Spirit Gathering Pills? Sure.”

“But, Fellow Qin, business is business—I won’t give you any special discount. The current market price applies.”

Su Yuqing smiled.

“That’s fine,” Qin Ming replied. “How much per bottle?”

“The price has risen to three hundred and fifty spirit stones per bottle. Each bottle contains five pills.”

Qin Ming gritted his teeth. “I’ll take two bottles.”

“Good!” Su Yuqing promptly took out two exquisite jade bottles from her storage pouch and handed them to him.

Qin Ming deftly counted out seven hundred spirit stones and completed the transaction.

“All right, I’ll be off now,” Qin Ming said, cupping his hands in farewell.

Su Yuqing replied warmly, “Won’t you stay for a drink?”

“No, I have things to do back home.”

Seeing this, Su Yuqing didn’t press him, escorting him to the door.

Back in his own room, Qin Ming sat cross-legged on his grass-woven mat.

He took out the two bottles of Spirit Gathering Pills, opened one, and a strange fragrance wafted out.

He casually poured out a pill; the green spirit pill was faintly wrapped in a layer of pill aura.

“Premium Spirit Gathering Pill!”

Now it was Qin Ming’s turn to be surprised.

‘Could Su Yuqing be…’

Qin Ming shook his head—he owed her another favor.

Since that was the case, he gladly accepted the premium pills.

He was not a man to fuss over such things. He would repay her when the opportunity arose.

Afterward, Qin Ming cleared his mind, swallowed the premium pill, and began his cultivation.

The medicinal power of the premium pill was twice that of a regular Spirit Gathering Pill and far easier to absorb.

Once ingested, it transformed instantly into a rich surge of energy.

Qin Ming activated the Evergreen Art, channeling his spiritual power along its established pathways, cycling endlessly.

He felt the powerful medicine suffuse his limbs and bones.

As time passed, the spiritual energy in his dantian grew stronger and stronger.

Over two hours later, Qin Ming had fully absorbed the pill’s essence.

He could clearly sense it: this premium pill, crafted by Su Yuqing herself, was worth several years of hard cultivation.

It was truly a bargain!

Taking advantage of the momentum, Qin Ming swallowed a second premium pill and resumed his meditative training.

He could faintly feel that his breakthrough to the middle stage of Qi Refining was not far off!