Longevity: Start by refreshing your entries through farming.

Chapter 944 Returning to the Herb Garden
Inside Hantan Cave.

Two more years have passed.

During this time, Qin Ming used the Four Seasons Divine Light Divine Power, along with the sixth-order healing pill he had refined, the 'Three Talents Returning to Origin Pill,' to gradually awaken and restore Mu Qingyin's soul.

The cave was filled with a vibrant, verdant glow, like tassels disappearing into the center.

Inside the ice coffin, Mu Qingyin's originally bloodless face gradually regained its rosy hue.

His closed eyes began to move, and then he became fully awake.

"Uh"

She didn't know how many years she had been asleep, and seemed a little unaccustomed to the real world as she slowly opened her eyes.

As her blurred vision gradually cleared, she saw not her Daoist partner, Lü Lu, but a strange young cultivator.
Mu Qingyin had never seen this man before, and when she looked around the cave, she couldn't find Lü Lu anywhere, which made her very puzzled.

"Master, she's alive!" The Devouring Rat said, pointing to the woman in the coffin as soon as it saw Mu Qingyin wake up.

Qin Ming said to Mu Qingyin, "You're awake? Although your primordial spirit has been reborn, your cultivation level has dropped back to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm during these years of slumber. You need to recuperate for a period of time and then use a seventh-order talisman to recover to your previous level."

After Mu Qingyin woke up, she asked blankly, "Seventh-tier talisman... Thank you for saving me, senior. Who are you?"

She naturally knew that Qin Ming had saved her, but a seventh-tier talisman was already beyond her comprehension.
Qin Ming immediately explained what had happened to her: "Fellow Daoist Lü Lu and I are friends."

He then recounted in detail the whole story of how Lü Lu saved her and the deal she made with him.

Half a day later.

When Mu Qingyin heard that Lü Lu had betrayed the human race and fallen into the demonic path to save her, ultimately perishing, she couldn't help but shed tears and feel secretly grieved.
Qin Ming knew that she was also having a hard time accepting it, so he could only wait for her to get through it on her own.

So she was left alone for several days.

Feeling that it was about time, Qin Ming went in and said to her, "Fellow Daoist Lü Lu went to great lengths to save you. You should cultivate diligently in the future. As for fate, everyone has their own destiny. I believe that he would be gratified to see you safe and sound in heaven."

"Alright, my agreement with Brother Lü is now complete. I will soon be returning to the human race. This place is located in the demon territory of the Heavenly Ridge Mountains. What are your plans for the future?"

Mu Qingyin was still immersed in grief, and she was quite bewildered when she heard Qin Ming's words.

Her primordial spirit was injured and she slept for a thousand years. Her only close relative also passed away, and she had nowhere to settle in the cultivation world.

"How about this, why don't you come back to the Human Race's Tianyuan Domain with me first, and stay in Beidou Immortal City for the time being? Anyway, you still need a seventh-tier 'Ten Thousand Trees Rejuvenation Talisman,' which only one of my friends, Li, knows how to make." Qin Ming suggested immediately when he saw that she hadn't adapted yet.

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingyin quickly stood up and said, "Qingyin has already received great kindness from Senior Li, how can I possibly ask for this legendary seventh-tier sacred talisman?"

"I am afraid I can never repay the kindness of my benefactor in this lifetime."

Qin Ming waved his hand and said, "When Brother Lü made the agreement with me, the price he paid was more than enough to compensate for my actions this time. You don't need to do that."

What he said wasn't wrong. If it weren't for the information provided by Lü Lu and the stone talisman that opened the Soul Clan ruins, he would never have been able to enter the Soul Palace and obtain such a great opportunity before those Nascent Soul stage monsters.

Compared to all of this, saving her life, plus a seventh-tier talisman, is just a drop in the ocean.

It should be noted that Qin Ming has obtained the opportunity to combine with others this time.

After listening to Qin Ming's suggestion, Mu Qingyin, not one to feign sincerity, nodded gently in agreement.

"Then let's do as Senior Li says."

Qin Ming nodded in satisfaction. He could also see that Mu Qingyin's temperament and cultivation were far beyond those of ordinary female cultivators, which saved him a lot of trouble.

Next.

After Qin Ming had Mu Qingyin tidy up, he took her away from the long-dormant Cold Pool Cave.

Half a year later.

After some twists and turns, Qin Ming finally returned to the Tianyuan Domain and then settled Mu Qingyin in the Beidou Immortal City.

She used to be a talisman master, and she opened a talisman shop and settled down in the city.

With her cultivation level, she is capable of supporting herself.

“Miss Qingyin, I am in the medicine garden of Lingmiao Sect, not far from Beidou Immortal City. If you have any urgent matters, you can contact me or send someone to deliver a message.”

"However, just like Brother Lü back then, I've been secretly cultivating in the Lingmiao Sect. It's best not to let outsiders know about our affair. As for the Myriad Trees Rejuvenation Talisman that can restore your cultivation, I'll give it to you when I get my hands on it."

Before leaving, Qin Ming made sure to give her some instructions.

Mu Qingyin once again expressed her gratitude to Qin Ming, bowed deeply to him and said, "Senior Li, rest assured, I will definitely keep my mouth shut."

With his business nearly settled, Qin Ming didn't rush to leave Beidou Immortal City. Instead, he explored various parts of the city to gather intelligence on the recent developments in the cultivation world.

As he expected, rumors of the deaths of the Fire Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect and the Spirit Origin Ancestor of the Lingmiao Sect have been circulating quietly over the past few years.

Taiyi Sect is alright. As the number one sect in Tianyuan Domain, it has three Grandmaster Ancestors at the Integration Realm. Even if one Ancestor falls, there are still two other Ancestors to support it.

But the Lingmiao Sect is different. Once their only Nascent Soul Ancestor falls, their fate is predictable.

The Tianyuan Domain is now rife with undercurrents, and a new storm is brewing. Even in Beidou Immortal City, there are many more outside cultivators coming to join the fun.

"Hey, have you heard? The Lingmiao Sect has been in complete chaos lately. I think it's highly likely that Ancestor Lingyuan's soul lamp has truly gone out."

"Shh, you can't just say things like that. There have been plenty of rumors and misinformation circulating in the cultivation world over the years. A hundred years ago, there was a rumor that the Spirit Origin Ancestor had died of exhaustion, but he's still alive and well."

"If a Grandmaster at the Integration Stage hears this, he won't even know how he died."

“But I have relatives who cultivate in the Taiyi Sect. There is also a turbulent situation in their sect. It seems that the Fire Element Ancestor has really perished.”

"Huh? It's really true? That's going to be interesting. Our Tianyuan Domain is probably going to be in chaos. If the Lingmiao Sect really doesn't have a Nascent Soul Ancestor to hold down the fort, it's bound to be doomed. Many forces are eyeing the territory and resources they control."

"Putting everything else aside, the Taiyi Sect and the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts definitely won't sit idly by."

"Alas! Our human race is now facing a great calamity from alien races. The situation on the front lines is not optimistic, and I didn't expect that internal instability is also beginning to emerge!"

"Not only that, I heard that the demon race's pillar of strength, the 'White Ape Demon General,' was originally stationed at the front line, but he disappeared without a trace a few years ago. Could this be related to that?"

"With him gone, the demon army has already crossed the Tianji Mountains. It's estimated that it won't be long before our Tianyuan Domain also faces a demon invasion."

"This is indeed a calamity that only occurs once every few hundred thousand years. It's a time of great turmoil! I wonder if we rogue cultivators can survive in such chaos."

Inside the restaurant, many cultivators were discussing the current chaos in the cultivation world.

Qin Ming had gathered enough information and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. He had gained a slight understanding of the current situation. However, he still planned to seek more detailed intelligence from Jin Guizi.

Subsequently.

He rode the Lingxiao Imperial Carriage back towards the Lingmiao Sect.

Qin Ming also had to keep his promise to Ancestor Lingyuan.

However, it's not appropriate for him to reveal his identity before advancing to the Fusion stage. Now that he's returned to the sect, he'll begin preparing for his attempt to reach the Fusion stage.

Several days later, Qin Ming returned to the Lingmiao Sect in the Floating Cloud Mountains, then reported to the Hall of Affairs and handed over his mission.

However, Qin Ming could clearly sense that the atmosphere within the sect was indeed not quite right, appearing particularly dull and tense.

Clearly, the disciples within these sects had heard some rumors about it.

Even Qin Ming's return to the sect involved a series of rigorous interrogations.

To prevent a recurrence of infiltration incidents like Lü Lu's.

After completing the formalities, he flew directly back to the herb garden.

However, before Qin Ming could leave, he saw a familiar person on the white jade square outside the main peak. It was Zhao Xuan from Qinglu Peak.

When Qin Ming saw her again, she seemed preoccupied, absentmindedly browsing the task wall.

She didn't even notice Qin Ming walking right in front of her.

However, Qin Ming still took the initiative to greet her: "Senior Sister Zhao".

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuan snapped out of her daze, turned around, and saw that it was Qin Ming. A rare, faint smile appeared on her pretty face as she said with great surprise:

"Junior Brother Li! When did you return to the sect? I thought you had disappeared!"

Qin Ming smiled slightly and said, "I just finished my sect mission and returned to the sect today. I didn't expect to run into Senior Sister Zhao here."

Zhao Xuan rarely ran into Qin Ming, an old acquaintance, so she immediately pulled him aside to talk in an attic.

"Alas, Junior Brother Li, you've come back at the worst possible time," Zhao Xuan said with a sigh after carefully setting up an isolation barrier.

"I fear a great upheaval is imminent for our Lingmiao Sect."

Qin Ming wasn't too surprised to hear her say that. As the personal disciple of the Qinglu Peak Master, she must have already learned about the passing of the Lingyuan Ancestor from her master.

As expected, Qin Ming learned a lot about the inner workings of the sect's upper echelons from her.

The Lingmiao Sect was relatively united; after the nine peak masters learned that the Lingyuan Ancestor's natal spirit lamp had been extinguished, they did not make a fuss about it.

They knew that as long as the news of Lingyuan Ancestor's death was not made public, the other two major sects would not dare to take action against Lingmiao Sect.

However, as time goes by, the truth will eventually come out.

Therefore, the pressure on the upper echelons of the sect has actually reached its peak.

Without the stabilizing force of Ancestor Lingyuan, even the nine peak masters, who are at least at the late stage of the Void Refinement realm, would not be able to withstand the situation ahead.

Even if only one of the combined-level ancestors comes out to bluff, the result can be found out.

Zhao Xuan, the sect's prodigy of Qinglu Peak, had already sealed her fate. Qin Ming could tell from her tone that she was determined to live and die with the Lingmiao Sect.

Therefore, she has had many worries in recent years, mainly about matters within the sect. Her master, Qing Luzi, is also not as leisurely as before, and is extremely busy.

After exchanging a few words with her, Qin Ming bid her farewell and returned to his own Cui Xu Yuan.

The herb garden remained largely unaffected by the external disturbances, just as it always had.

Many outer sect cultivators were busy performing their respective duties.

For them, it had no bearing on the rise and fall of sects, and matters of the upper echelons were still too distant.

Within Cui Xu Garden, the years since Qin Ming left have not changed much; it remains a vibrant and lively place.

The main thing is that he cultivates spiritual plants from various sects, which is not difficult for him now.

He released the Devouring Sky Rat, the Little Silver Fox, and Tian Ling'er, sending them to tend the spirit herb field, while he himself went into his cave to continue pondering the formula for the Dao Integration Pill.

Now everything is ready except for the final step: refining this elixir.

However, in order to be prepared for any eventuality, Qin Ming planned to accelerate the ripening of all these rare spiritual herbs and grow several batches.

Secondly, there were the two tentacles severed from the creatures of the Shadow Realm. These two tentacles contained a fragment of the Shadow Law and a fragment of the Time Law.

This is even rarer than the miraculous object of time, the sands of time.

Leaving aside the Law of Shadow, if Qin Ming could extract the fragments of the Law of Time, he would be able to comprehend the Law of Time from them, which would be an immense opportunity.

At the time, the Succubus Star probably didn't even notice a spirit of this caliber, as she was in a hurry to escape; otherwise, Qin Ming wouldn't have had a chance.

It was also thanks to the presence of the old monster Qingyang that he did not miss such an opportunity.

The old demon Qingyang then taught him the secret method of refining the gray tentacles and extracting fragments of laws from them.

However, this process is extremely lengthy and cannot be completed overnight; it will take at least ten years.

After understanding the situation outside, Qin Ming also began to speed up the refining of the tentacles; otherwise, before he could break through to the Integration Stage, the Lingmiao Sect would be wiped out.
Frost Shadow of the Soul Clan also seemed to have received a great inheritance in the Soul Clan ruins. Her fortune was not much worse than Qin Ming's. She also settled down there and devoted herself to cultivation.

She also solemnly told the Devouring Rat that she would inherit the legacy of the ancient ancestors, work hard to cultivate, break through the realm as soon as possible, find the lost clansmen in the spirit world, and restore the glory of the Soul Clan.

Upon hearing this, the Devouring Rat nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. I'll have my master move all your clansmen into the Desolate Realm as well, so that you can be reunited. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Actually, it was trying to fool the other party. If the Soul Clan joined, the power of incense and faith in this world would increase significantly, and Qin Ming's natal spirit plant, the Black Vine, would also be able to grow faster.

However, they never saw the Soul Clan migrate in.

Suddenly.

Qin Ming's natal spiritual plant, the Yanfu Immortal Vine, has undergone another transformation!
Amidst the jet-black vines, countless incense offerings and prayers coalesced, bursting forth with golden and silver runes, and at the top of the tree canopy, a unique gray fruit appeared.

(End of this chapter)