### Chapter 27: Bad News

Inside the auction hall, the atmosphere reached its peak as the Marrow Cleansing Pills were brought out.

After several rounds of intense bidding, each pill was sold for a staggering 4,500 spirit stones to three late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Even Gu Qingzhao, who rarely showed emotion, couldn't help but smile faintly.

She exchanged a few words with Su Yuqing in the private room before leaving to handle the aftermath.

Once the auction concluded, Qin Ming and Su Yuqing took their leave.

This experience made Qin Ming even more eager to master alchemy.

Su Yuqing had earned tens of thousands of spirit stones from this auction alone, after deducting the auction house's fees.

'Next time, I must succeed in refining pills!' Qin Ming silently vowed.

"Brother Su, didn't you say that if I helped you grow spirit plants this year, you'd grant me a favor?" Qin Ming hesitated before continuing, "I was wondering... if I could borrow your alchemy room to practice refining pills."

The request was somewhat presumptuous, as it involved intruding on Su Yuqing's personal space.

Su Yuqing was taken aback but then chuckled. "Brother Qin, you really won't give up until you've hit a wall, will you? Let me be honest with you. Alchemy relies heavily on talent, and the most crucial factor is the cultivator's spiritual strength. During the refining process, you need to multitask constantly. Controlling the flame and merging medicinal essences require immense spiritual power. Without it, you'll struggle to make progress. Talent determines your ceiling in alchemy. Without it, you're just wasting time."

Hearing this, Qin Ming's eyes lit up. Spiritual strength could be improved, and for him, that meant working harder in the fields!

"I still want to give it a try. If I don't make any progress by the end of the year, I'll give up," Qin Ming said firmly.

"Alright then. Since I promised you, I'll keep my word. You can use the alchemy room whenever I'm not using it. Besides... I won't be staying here much longer," Su Yuqing said, gazing into the distance.

Qin Ming was overjoyed. 'I'll get to make use of the underground fire vein for free!'

As they spoke, a massive shadow loomed over the Green Sun Market.

Qin Ming looked up in surprise and saw a colossal flying boat, over a hundred feet long, entering his field of vision.

The boat had three layers of exquisitely crafted buildings, and including the cabins, it likely had thousands of rooms.

The enormous vessel, resembling a primordial beast, exuded an imposing aura, showcasing the might of a major sect.

Instantly, all the cultivators in the market noticed the spectacle and looked up in awe. Qin Ming, however, remained calm, as he had already learned about this from Manager Liao.

"Look! It's the Spirit Feather Sect's Abyss-Crossing Flying Boat! Is something big about to happen?" someone exclaimed.

Su Yuqing also gazed upward, deep in thought.

The Abyss-Crossing Flying Boat docked near the market, and a steady stream of people began disembarking.

Leading the group were five Foundation Establishment elders, followed by four inner disciples dressed in blue robes with golden embroidery.

Each of them radiated the aura of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

"Even the core disciples have been mobilized. Something major is definitely about to happen in the Green Sun Market. What's going on?" The cultivators in the market grew restless and anxious.

Qin Ming's expression turned serious as he pondered the situation.

Three days after the arrival of the Spirit Feather Sect's elite cultivators, another massive flying boat, no less impressive than the first, docked near the Green Sun Market.

The banner of the Golden Cloud Valley fluttered in the wind. The boat was filled with elite cultivators dressed in red robes.

After their arrival, the Golden Cloud Valley cultivators began setting up camp near the market.

In no time, the number of cultivators in the Green Sun Market skyrocketed, and the place became overcrowded. Even the shantytown's houses were fully rented out.

Soon after, the Spirit Feather Sect and Golden Cloud Valley jointly announced the formation of an alliance.

They planned to establish an "Immortal City of Cloud Marsh" at Five Peaks Mountain, located five hundred miles from the Green Sun Market. The news caused an uproar, and discussions spread like wildfire.

Qin Ming sat alone in his room, contemplating his future plans.

With the shantytown now packed with all sorts of cultivators, the place had become a chaotic mix of people.

Despite the Spirit Feather Sect's patrols, it was impossible to manage such a large crowd. Incidents of murder and theft were bound to increase.

Although Qin Ming was confident in his ability to handle mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, the thought of Fellow Daoist Long, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, being found dead in the river filled him with a sense of impending danger.

Qin Ming began cooking Blood Locust Rice and, following the instructions in the beast-hide manual, started practicing the sixth layer of the *Hundred Treasures Glazed Sutra*. By the time he finished his cultivation session late at night, his blood and qi energy had grown significantly stronger.

"No, I need to move into the market," Qin Ming thought. He immediately sent a communication talisman to Manager Liao, asking if there was any way to secure a rental spot inside the market.

Manager Liao quickly replied, "Fellow Daoist Qin, you're aware of the current situation. The prices for housing in the market have skyrocketed.

Unless the allied forces of the Spirit Feather Sect and Golden Cloud Valley complete the construction of the Immortal City, there won't be any available space for the time being.

However, I recently heard from the Spirit Feather Sect that Fellow Daoist Ruan's family visited the administration hall to report that his soul lamp had gone out.

His remaining family members couldn't afford the rent for their courtyard and have already canceled their lease.

The spot for the Ruan family's courtyard is now vacant. I'll look into whether we can secure it for you."

Qin Ming couldn't help but smirk. 'What a coincidence. I was the one who sent Fellow Daoist Ruan on his way. This is a stroke of luck.'

By mid-April, Qin Ming was working in the fields when the flying boat of Elder Gu arrived overhead.

Supervisor Du Haifu accompanied him.

After gathering all the spirit farmers, Elder Gu announced in a stern, emotionless tone, "Due to the urgent situation at the frontlines, the sect has sent a large number of reinforcements. Until the Immortal City of Cloud Marsh is completed, the spirit rice tax for all spirit farmers will be increased by an additional ten percent."

The announcement caused an uproar among the spirit farmers.

"What? Another increase? That makes it an eighty percent tax! How are we supposed to survive?"

Cai Laojiu, standing next to Qin Ming, wore a look of despair. "Ah, Fellow Daoist Qin, what are we going to do?"

Qin Ming frowned. Although his tax had been halved, this new increase meant his tax would now be forty-five percent.

He couldn't help but think, 'They're cutting the grass before it's even fully grown!'

(End of Chapter)

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