The area opened up by the Spirit Feather Sect in the Yunze Wilderness is located at the heart of the southwestern region of the Southern Wilderness Cultivation Realm, a place rarely visited by people.
The winter here is exceptionally cold.
If Qin Ming hadn't crossed over to the Cultivation Realm, he wouldn't have known that cultivators could also be afraid of the cold.
They also need to eat, drink, and take care of other necessities.
At 3:00 a.m., a light snow began to fall over the shantytown.
The alley was very desolate, with only a few sparrows foraging in the trash piles.
After the onset of winter, the spirit fields enter a brief two-month rest period.
The next season's spirit rice will be sown before the Qingming Festival; otherwise, encountering frosty winds will result in a higher rate of empty husks.
Despite the cold, this chill brings a sense of security.
The change of seasons reminds Qin Ming that the warmth of early spring is drawing near again.
Qin Ming was clearing the snow at his doorstep.
Creaaak!
The wooden door of his neighbor Li Yanli opened with a sound.
She came out wearing a peach blossom pink jacket, exuding a charming grace, a unique rouge scent wafting from her, carrying a wooden basin to dump out her washing water.
"Good morning, Fellow Daoist Li."
Seeing her come out, Qin Ming showed a slight smile and greeted her.
"Good morning, Fellow Daoist Qin, you are indeed a diligent person!" Li Yanli said with a faint smile.
"I heard from others that the yield of Fellow Daoist Qin's spirit rice last season was quite impressive. You must have sold quite a lot of spirit stones, right?"
"Haha, it was mainly good luck."
After exchanging greetings, Qin Ming was about to head back inside.
But his female neighbor called out to stop him: "Please wait, Fellow Daoist Qin."
Li Yanli's face showed a hint of shyness as she spoke, somewhat embarrassed: "In the past few days, I've been quite noisy over here, disturbing your rest. If you don't mind, would you like to come into my house? I can offer you a free one-time service."
"Ah, this..."
Qin Ming was taken aback, his face turning red in an instant.
Truth be told, as a young, vigorous man, how could he withstand such a test of human nature?
'Isn't it too soon for the warmth of spring to arrive?' he thought.
'Or is the economic environment just that bad?'
'Doing morning exercises this early in the morning!'
'Stay calm, stay calm!'
It's likely that this woman's not craving his life, but rather the spirit stones in his pocket.
Qin Ming's Dao heart began to waver again.
Suddenly.
A powerful image of Fellow Daoist Long, a Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer cultivator, flashed in his mind.
'Can't afford to provoke, can't afford to provoke... better let this pass.'
Qin Ming quickly calmed down.
"Uh... thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist, but I've been having some back pain these past few days from turning the soil in the spirit fields."
With that, he hurried back inside without another word.
"Ah, charming skeletons, disturbing my Dao heart!"
Qin Ming quickly washed his face and, while lost in thought.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
There was a knocking sound at the door.
'Could it be? Is someone delivering themselves to my doorstep?' he wondered.
'Such a tempting thing, quite enticing!'
'If that's the case, then... I'll have to face it head-on!'
Qin Ming opened the door, only to find Cai the Ninth.
He glanced around to confirm there was no one else, then casually said,
"Why is it you?"
Cai the Ninth, carrying two packages, initially had a cheerful expression which froze upon hearing this, leaving him stunned.
He glanced around and became displeased.
"Seriously, I've been wondering, why can't it be me?"
"I brought you a pot of sweet potato liquor I brewed myself, out of goodwill."
"Fine, then I'm leaving." Cai the Ninth turned to leave.
Qin Ming immediately apologized, "Hey, hey, hey, that's not what I meant. Come in and have a seat."
Only then did Cai the Ninth hand over the pot of liquor to Qin Ming, speaking in an irritated tone, "Sit for what?"
"You don't even know there's a new neighbor nearby?"
Qin Ming took the liquor with a puzzled look on his face.
"New neighbor?"
Seeing his expression, Cai the Ninth realized that this guy must have been cooped up indoors for too long, leaving him out of touch with the news.
He sighed, pointing at Qin Ming, "Ah, I don't even know what to say about you."
"A few days ago, a new cultivator moved into the alley, a genuine alchemist!"
"Alchemist?"
Within the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, the art of pills, tools, symbols, and formations stand out.
For cultivators, pills are extremely important cultivation resources.
Whether it's for daily cultivation or breaking through bottlenecks, curing illnesses, healing injuries, prolonging life, enhancing youth, and so on.
There's always a need to seek out an alchemist.
Building a good relationship might prove useful one day.
"But... how could a person like an Alchemist move to the shantytown?" Qin Ming wondered somewhat puzzled.
After all, studying Alchemy is truly a burning Spirit Stone endeavor. Cultivating an Alchemist, regardless of how good the talent is, requires a large amount of spiritual materials. That's something only large sects can afford.
Smaller sects simply can't afford it.
"He should be just an ordinary Alchemist who hasn't advanced to a tier, right?"
"I heard it's just a temporary residence for a year. The specific reasons haven't been disclosed!"
"Hurry and prepare some gifts, we'll go together to visit and get familiar." Cai the Ninth urged impatiently.
"So you just gave me a bottle of wine along the way? I'm only benefiting from the presence of that Alchemist." Qin Ming was speechless.
In a short while.
The two walked across several alleys.
Arrived in front of a house, Cai the Ninth knocked on the door.
After a moment.
The wooden door opened from inside.
A young man in his twenties, dressed in white, appeared in front, at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer.
Qin Ming and his companion didn't expect him to be so young.
"Having heard of an Alchemist Fellow Daoist moving in, the two of us have come to pay a visit, to get familiar since we'll be neighbors, hehe." Cai the Ninth said casually.
After exchanging pleasantries and introducing themselves.
The two presented the gifts they had.
Qin Ming gave five pounds of Spirit Rice, Cai the Ninth had Spirit Rice as well as a bottle of his self-brewed wine.
"A small token, not much of a courtesy."
The young man in white accepted the gifts, stepped aside, and invited the two inside.
"Please, Fellow Daoists, don't be too formal."
"I am Su Yuqing, here's a little something." The young man in white took out two ordinary jade bottles.
Handed them to the two respectively.
Qin Ming politely accepted the jade bottle and glanced at it briefly.
Inside was a Qi Recovery Pill for the Qi Cultivation Stage, to help cultivators swiftly regain mana.
Low-grade Qi Recovery Pills are priced at five Spirit Stones per pill.
Indeed, Alchemists are extravagant with their gifts.
In contrast, Qin Ming and Cai the Ninth exchanged glances, feeling somewhat awkward.
Compared to the other's return gift, their Spirit Rice seemed somewhat inadequate.
'Feels like we just came to freeload on pills.'
Fortunately, Master Su didn't mind.
"I am indeed an Alchemist, having just recently advanced to a Tier One Middle-Grade Alchemist, out for some fresh air." Master Su spoke with a hint of pride.
Alchemists hold esteemed positions. Even if they are just ordinary, not yet tiered Alchemy Apprentices, being able to concoct some basic pills would provide a considerable Spirit Stone income.
Not to mention being a Tier One Middle-Grade Alchemist, such cultivators are welcomed guests in any force.
Moreover, with Master Su being so young, he surely possesses outstanding talent in Alchemy, likely to continue progressing.
Limitless potential, a promising future.
Such individuals are often targets for recruitment by major forces.
Not something small figures like Qin Ming and Cai the Ninth could get acquainted with easily.
Destiny and social positioning are simply on different levels.
"So, Master Su is indeed a Tier One Middle-Grade Alchemist."
"Our apologies!"
"Please pardon our earlier intrusion."
Cai the Ninth and Qin Ming quickly bowed.
Master Su sat calmly in the chair, sipped some tea, looking quite self-satisfied.
Waved off casually at the two.
Just then.
Someone else walked in from outside, making the three turn to look.
It was actually Fellow Daoist Long who had also arrived.
Master Su rose to greet him.
Fellow Daoist Long respectfully cupped his hands.
After greeting, Fellow Daoist Long, in front of Qin Ming and his companion, handed two jade boxes to Master Su as a visiting gift.
"A Tier One Mid-Stage Demon Beast Core, along with Xuanling Grass!" A smile appeared on Master Su's face.
He patted his storage pouch, retrieved an exquisite jade bottle, and handed it to Fellow Daoist Long as a return gift.
"Two Spirit Gathering Pills."
"They can increase Qi Cultivation Stage cultivation and are effective for later-stage cultivators as well."
After that, Fellow Daoist Long and Master Su started to enthusiastically chat.
Completely ignoring the presence of Qin Ming and Cai the Ninth...
...
A little while later.
Qin Ming and Cai the Ninth said their goodbyes and left, both showing somewhat displeased expressions.
"It was too presumptuous."
"Why didn't you tell me before coming that Master Su is so young? And a Middle-Grade Alchemist?"
"How was I to know?"
"Don't call me next time for such matters."
...