Qin Ming stored all the spiritual materials for refining the Golden Core Formation Pill into his pouch.

"Elder Long, after deducting the deposit you paid earlier, you still need to pay twelve thousand eight hundred middle-grade spirit stones," Aunt Long said with a smile.

Qin Ming nodded, his expression unchanged.

The spirit stones he obtained from Linghu Yang and Elder Yane's storage pouches were enough to cover this expense.

For his current wealth, it was trivial.

Killing people and setting fires truly brings wealth...

Then, he handed over the remaining spirit stones to Aunt Long.

It was worth it to buy these tier three spiritual materials.

The transaction between both parties was successful.

Qin Ming's objective was accomplished, and he wasn't interested in joining the secret realm exploration.

So, he planned to return to Wei Country.

On the other side.

Huangfu Qii entered another private room where three or four cultivators were conversing.

Upon his entrance, everyone's eyes turned towards Huangfu Qii.

"Fellow Daoists, I've decided to cancel our plan temporarily."

His words immediately surprised everyone present.

"Brother Huangfu, did something happen?"

"Indeed, according to what I've learned, the Tai Lake ruins might not be that simple."

"Did that Fellow Daoist Long say something to you?"

"Did it make you back out?"

The cultivators in the room were equally astonished and questioned Huangfu Qii.

"Mm... According to Fellow Daoist Long, not only are there no opportunities within the Tai Lake ruins, but it might also be an extremely dangerous place."

"I choose to trust him this time."

"Ah, Fellow Daoist Huangfu, if you do not go and see for yourself, how would you know what's really there?"

"You shouldn't completely rely on what Long Daoist says."

"Perhaps he has other intentions?"

Huangfu Qii pondered for a long time.

He finally decided: "My fellow Daoists, I still choose to withdraw from this trip, I sincerely apologize."

"If you still decide to go to the Tai Lake ruins, you can make your own decisions."

"I've said all I needed to say."

The others had no choice but to accept his words.

"This..."

...

Ten days later.

Qin Ming set out on his journey back to Wei Country.

He arranged with Aunt Long to board a merchant ship from Mirror Snow Pavilion, traveling from Moyuan Immortal City to Wei Country.

As for Yu Changqing's disguise from Profound Creek Valley, he faked it as if he disappeared without a trace during a patrol mission.

A month passed.

After a tedious journey, Qin Ming finally returned to the Cultivation Realm of Wei Country.

As the Dharma Ship slowly entered Vast Sea Immortal City, Qin Ming stood at the bow, feeling a sense of surrealism.

Upon his return to Wei Country, he received news.

The Golden Core level forces of the four countries joined forces to explore the Tai Lake Secret Realm, using several Tier Three Forbidden-Breaking Talismans and Tier Three Array Master to dismantle and bypass most of the restrictions surrounding the lakebed ravine.

After all, even the Array Restriction of the White Bone King's Hall, which was Tier Three High-Grade in ancient times, had become flawed by the erosion of thousands of years.

Moreover, when Qin Ming had previously escaped, he broke open a gap near the White Bone King's Hall's restriction.

Cultivators from all sides had nearly reached where Qin Ming had previously arrived.

However, just when everyone thought they could enter the ruins to explore treasures and collect resources, a massive number of ghostly creatures awaited them instead.

This far exceeded the understanding of the cultivators.

Even deeper within the Tai Lake ruins, a Core Formation level ghost emerged, causing heavy casualties among the first batch of entering cultivators.

Only a few managed to escape alive.

Nevertheless, this only ignited further enthusiasm among cultivators to explore the ruins.

Because with the appearance of Core Formation ghosts, it further confirmed that the Tai Lake ruins might indeed hold Core Formation opportunities!

Yet as waves of cultivators ventured into the ruins and met their demise, without any decrease in the ghostly creatures, the major powers of various countries finally realized that this relic was not as simple as it seemed.

But by the time they realized, it was too late.

The seal restrictions of the White Bone King's Hall had been completely breached, releasing countless Yin Soul Ghosts from the lakebed into the surroundings of the Tai Lake area, expanding outward.

When the major Golden Core forces of the four countries attempted to reseal the breach, they found it impossible.

In Liang Country, a colossal "Netherworld Ghost Calamity" broke out, opening the gates to the underworld.

The severity of the calamity was such that even a stronghold like Profound Creek Valley, with its four Golden Core Ancestors, couldn't suppress it...

The ghost calamity spiraled out of control beyond the management of the major sects for a time.

"Alas, what a disaster!"

Qin Ming shook his head, knowing the ghost calamity they faced now was just an appetizer, and that more formidable threats awaited.

For instance, if the Golden Toad Ancestor or Master White Bone from the White Bone King's Hall, those ghostly figures from ancient times, were to awaken, it would be grave news for the entire Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm.

This filled Qin Ming with a sense of urgency.

"Only by enhancing my strength will I survive the upheavals to come."

"I must quickly break through to the Golden Core Stage."

The merchant ship from Mirror Snow Pavilion, after a long journey, finally arrived at Vast Sea Immortal City.

Qin Ming arrived at the Mirror Snow Pavilion in the Inner City and learned from Guu Qingzhao that later, Huangfu Qii did not follow other cultivators to venture into the Taihu ruins, which was quite a relief for him.

According to the news returned by the Mirror Snow Pavilion, those like Xiang Zehao who planned to accompany Huangfu Qii in exploring the Taihu ruins, although possessing Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation, without exception, all perished within the ruins.

As a result, Huangfu Qii owed Elder Long an enormous debt of gratitude, and every time he recalled this, he couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

If it weren't for Fellow Daoist Long's reminder at the time, he would likely have ended up like Xiang Zehao and others from the Divine Herbal Sect.

Upon returning to the Immortal City, Qin Ming also visited his old acquaintance, Lvu Wanjun, and seeing that she was not facing much difficulty in the Immortal City, he did not disturb her further.

Besides, Fengg Sihai from the Fengg Family probably consumed the Foundation Establishment Pill given by Qin Ming and successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. The Fengg Family also became renowned within the Vast Sea Immortal City as a Foundation Establishment Clan famous for their art in talisman crafting, marking their complete rise.

Qin Ming thus resolved a piece of karma.

Afterward, Qin Ming did not linger long in the Vast Sea Immortal City and directly returned to Wangyue Island.

"I haven't returned for two years, and nothing has changed much on the island."

Qin Ming returned to his original appearance, with a faint smile on his face, overlooking the entirety of Wangyue Island from the sky.

However, he noticed that the island's area had expanded by one-third compared to before due to the Innate Earth.

The Spiritual Peach Blossoms were blooming again, and countless Spirit Bees were collecting nectar.

The Spirit Farmers from the Wu Family were diligently working on the island, and upon seeing the return of Lord Island Master Qin Ming, they all paused their work to pay their respects to him.

Wu Jiang also brought Mu Ruyin along to greet Qin Ming.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, it's been over two years since we last met. Is everything well?" Qin Ming asked with a gentle smile.

Wu Jiang, showing traces of the passage of time on his face, hurriedly replied:

"Isle Master Qin, everything has been well on the island these past two years, rest assured."

"Mm, that's good." Qin Ming nodded with satisfaction.

It was evident that Wu Jiang was quite diligent; the Spirit Field on the periphery of Spirit Island had increased significantly, with other spirit plants also being planted and managed neatly.

After chatting with Wu Jiang for a while, Qin Ming returned to the main peak.

The first thing he did upon returning was to replant his Lifebound Spirit Plant, the Yin Yang Profound Vine.

The Yin Yang Profound Vine stretched itself and once again became a towering tree on Spirit Island, hiding itself.

Qin Ming took out the Golden Core Level Blood Pearl and the Fake Pill Stage Blood Pearl from his storage pouch, feeding them to his Lifebound Spirit Plant.

Swish, swish, swish!

Countless black vines danced, and after absorbing these two significant Blood Pearls, the Yin Yang Profound Vine grew taller.

Numerous silver runes spiraled around the spirit plant, and a vast Power of Time descended.

At the same time.

Qin Ming could clearly sense that the Wood Emperor Nail, planted using the Spirit Plant Seed Treasure, was instantly elevated to the level of a Tier Three Middle-Grade Treasure!

The cyan Wood Emperor Nail was wreathed with a strand of silver arc, exuding astonishing power.

These two mighty Blood Pearls provided his Lifebound Spirit Plant with thousands of years of Time Qi.

Not only did it grow significantly, but it also advanced the Wood Emperor Nail artifact.

Qin Ming immediately thought, and a Wood Emperor Nail appeared in his hand.

He held the treasure in his hand, examining it carefully, feeling delighted.

At that moment.

"Huh?!"

"Isn't this the Wood Emperor Nail?"

"No... how could this be?"

"Its level has been elevated!"

"And this mysterious black vine... its tier seems rather high."

The Artifact Spirit, Golden Spirit, inside Qin Ming's storage pouch, exclaimed incredulously.

"Oh? You know about the Wood Emperor Nail?" Qin Ming asked.

It was the first time he had heard the Artifact Spirit speak on its own, as it was usually very aloof.

Golden Spirit replied calmly, "Wood Emperor Nail... the refinement method for this item originates from Master White Bone from somewhere else."

"It comes from an ancient major sect, the Cyan Origin Sect."

"In my time, I have also refined a set, though not as many as you, only sixteen pieces."

"If you ever get your hands on Sun Essence Gold, you can incorporate it into the artifact for a new round of tempering."

"It could greatly enhance the exorcism power of the Wood Emperor Nail."

"It might even elevate the artifact level once more."

Qin Ming was somewhat familiar with Sun Essence Gold, knowing it to be a Tier Three Top-Grade Spiritual Material, an extremely rare existence even in the Ancient Cultivation Realm.

Not to mention in today's resource-scarce Cultivation Realm.

However, after hearing Golden Spirit's words, Qin Ming kept this matter in mind.

Should an opportunity arise in the future, he would pay attention to it.

He didn't expect that Master White Bone's closed-door disciple understood the Path of Artifact Refining.

Next.

Qin Ming found a cold location on the island and planted the Fengyou Ghost Jujube.

Also, he consumed an Entry of the Leaf of Space-Time to ripen it.

Three days later.

A solemn, three-foot jujube tree rose from the ground.

Qin Ming then buried the corpse of the Nether Abyss Demon and the Profound Iron Black Zombie under the Fengyou Jujube Tree as fertilizer before casting the Planting Evil Technique.

Strands of Yin Evil Qi flowed continuously from the ground into the branches and trunk of the jujube tree.

Next, he would wait for the ghost jujube to absorb the Yin Evil Qi from the ghostly corpses.

Every so often, he would cast the Planting Evil Technique on the jujube tree to expedite the gathering of Profound Evil Spirit Liquid by the ghost jujube.

Qin Ming's following plan was to find two locations of extreme Yin and extreme Yang to cultivate and ripen the Fire-Bathing Golden Lotus and Returning Nether True Yin Flower, the main materials for refining Golden Core Formation Pills.

The Land of Molten Fire, suitable for extreme yang, could be found on the main peak of the Vast Sea Immortal City, where a Tier Three High-Grade Fire Vein was available for rent.

As for the extreme yin place, Qin Ming had already chosen a site, deciding to head north of the Spirit Nest Islands to the extremely cold land for cultivation.

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