Eternal Life: Starting with Refreshing the Farmland

The death of Fellow Daoist Long cast a dark shadow over the slum district, lingering for a long time.

For several days, the nearby households kept their doors tightly shut. The once lively alleys were now eerily quiet, devoid of their usual hustle and bustle.

At night, no one dared to venture outside.

Although the Spirit Feather Sect had increased patrols, residents still only ventured out in groups for safety.

Qin Ming was no exception. Even when working in the spirit fields, he made sure to go with others.

During this time, the spirit fields became safer than the outside world.

The reason was that Elder Gu, a high-ranking official of the sect, had personally led his disciples to patrol the area around the fields.

Every three days, Elder Gu's massive flying vessel would hover above the fields for half a day.

This brought Qin Ming some peace of mind.

It seemed the Spirit Feather Sect didn't want any more incidents in the spirit fields, as they were crucial for supplying the frontlines.

They couldn't afford to be careless.

---

In the three acres of Frostbloom Flower fields, Qin Ming had already used the "Growth Acceleration" fragment.

Two days later, emerald-green sprouts emerged.

With a mix of nervousness and anticipation, Qin Ming gazed at the fields.

Three golden fragments appeared before his eyes:

- **Name**: Frostbloom Flower 

 **Fragment**: Bee Control Technique (Maturity: 2%) 

- **Name**: Frostbloom Flower 

 **Fragment**: Growth Acceleration x5 (Maturity: 3%) 

- **Name**: Frostbloom Flower 

 **Fragment**: Ancestral Bloodline Reversion x1 (Maturity: 1%) 

"What in the world?!" Qin Ming stared at the fragments in disbelief, taking a long time to process what he was seeing.

"This is what you call true luck!"

"Hahaha!"

"A perfect strike!"

He laughed heartily in the middle of the fields.

- **Bee Control Technique**: A spirit plant spell that allows the user to guide spirit bees to pollinate plants. 

- **Ancestral Bloodline Reversion**: When used, it can evolve a spirit plant into a more ancient and powerful form.

Although the "Quality Upgrade" fragment hadn't appeared, something even more extraordinary had taken its place.

Qin Ming immediately pulled out a book on spirit plants, written by the legendary spirit plant master, Shi Yenong, titled *Records of Rare Spirit Plants*.

The book not only documented rare and exotic plants in the cultivation world but also provided detailed accounts of their origins and uses.

One entry caught Qin Ming's attention: the ancestor of Spirit Tusk Rice.

The ancestor of Spirit Tusk Rice was a top-tier first-grade spirit plant—**Blood Leech Rice**!

It was just one step away from being a second-grade spirit plant, highlighting its rarity.

Blood Leech Rice, named for its blood-red color and leech-like appearance, had a single, remarkable effect:

When consumed, it greatly enhances a cultivator's vitality! However, those who haven't refined their vitality should use it with caution.

This spirit rice was not only a dream treasure for body-refining cultivators but also a holy item for those practicing blood-based cultivation techniques. It was exceedingly rare.

According to the book, Blood Leech Rice had nearly gone extinct in the cultivation world centuries ago. Only a few isolated regions occasionally yielded a handful of plants.

The growth conditions for Blood Leech Rice were extremely demanding, even more so than Spirit Tusk Rice.

It required regular irrigation with demon beast blood and an abundance of spiritual energy.

Its maturation period often took ten years.

The older the plant, the more potent its vitality-enhancing effects.

Qin Ming stared at the "Ancestral Bloodline Reversion" fragment, lost in thought. 'Alchemist Su truly is my benefactor,' he mused.

However, without any "Growth Acceleration" fragments left, he would have to wait for the next batch of Golden Spirit Rice to mature.

---

After months of anxious waiting, Qin Ming's luck seemed to hold.

In the Golden Spirit Rice fields, he obtained another "Growth Acceleration" fragment.

Now, the only thing missing was demon beast blood.

"Where can I get it?" Qin Ming pondered, pacing back and forth in his room.

'Hunting demon beasts is out of the question.'

'I can't afford to take such risks.'

'I need to play it safe.'

After much deliberation, he decided to purchase the blood with spirit stones.

Although it would be expensive, it would be worth it if he could cultivate Blood Leech Rice.

Two days later, Qin Ming spent one hundred and fifty spirit stones at a demon beast meat shop in Brightsun Market to buy ten pounds of first-grade demon beast blood.

"This should be enough," he thought.

Next, he used the "Growth Acceleration" fragment from the Golden Spirit Rice fields to secretly accelerate the growth of the three Frostbloom Flowers with special fragments.

Instantly, Qin Ming's consciousness gained two green and one blue fragment leaves.

"To think a blue fragment can trigger an ancestral reversion in a spirit plant. Truly remarkable," Qin Ming marveled.

To ensure everything went smoothly, Qin Ming visited the Gathering Pavilion and spent over a hundred spirit stones on a small concealment array from Shopkeeper Liao.

This time, he was going all in—not just with spirit stones but also with his fragments.

He even decided to use the "Advanced Spirit Rain Technique."

After all, the best resources should be used where they matter most.

With everything prepared, Qin Ming began by accelerating the growth of the premium Spirit Tusk Rice.

Once the rice began to sprout, he applied the "Ancestral Bloodline Reversion" fragment.

In an instant, the plants before him began to grow wildly. Hundreds of eerie, blood-red plants emerged, and a golden fragment appeared:

- **Name**: Blood Leech Rice 

 **Fragment**: Abundant Vitality (Maturity: 30%) 

The original leaves of the Spirit Tusk Rice withered away, replaced by slender, bamboo-like stalks bearing long, blood-red grains resembling leeches.

Qin Ming pressed on, using three "Growth Acceleration" fragments to fully mature the Blood Leech Rice to a ten-year level.

Then, he used the "Advanced Spirit Rain Technique" fragment, combining it with the demon beast blood to irrigate the plants.

The moment he activated the technique, Qin Ming felt a significant drain on his spiritual energy.

"No wonder this technique is only suitable for mid to late-stage Qi Refining cultivators," Qin Ming muttered, gritting his teeth as he used two "Weak Spiritual Power" fragments to replenish his energy.

**Boom!**

A dark cloud gathered above, forming a swirling vortex filled with flashes of lightning.

Qin Ming had deliberately limited the range of the spell. If he hadn't, the effects would have been far more noticeable.

Fortunately, the concealment array he purchased from Shopkeeper Liao worked exceptionally well, hiding all activity within his courtyard.

Unless a high-level cultivator specifically investigated, no one would detect anything unusual.

This allowed Qin Ming to relax a little.

The Blood Leech Rice plants reacted strangely to the blood-infused rain, writhing as if alive and greedily absorbing the blood.

A crimson mist began to emanate from the rice, swirling around the plants.

Under the effects of the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique, the surrounding spiritual energy was drained, transforming into potent nourishment for the hundreds of plants.

The Blood Leech Rice even began to produce additional clusters of grains!

Qin Ming took the opportunity to immerse himself in the rare experience of casting the Advanced Spirit Rain Technique.

His mastery of the Intermediate Spirit Rain Technique was already flawless, and now he was on the verge of breaking through to the advanced level.

---

After half a month of tireless care and irrigation, the Blood Leech Rice was fully matured.

The only fragments remaining in Qin Ming's consciousness were:

- Bee Control Technique 

- Weak Vitality x2 

- Abundant Vitality x1 

After harvesting the rice, Qin Ming carefully erased all traces of cultivation in his courtyard.

This treasure couldn't afford to be discovered.

With everything done, Qin Ming gazed at the Blood Leech Rice in his storage pouch, his heart racing with excitement.

He licked his lips and smiled faintly.

"Now, let's see what this legendary Blood Leech Rice tastes like."

(End of Chapter)

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