**Chapter 45: The Leaf of Time and Space!**

Back at the Cool Breeze Abode, 

Qin Ming closed the door behind him, his heart racing with excitement. 

He hadn't expected the mastery-level *Burning Blood Blade Technique* to be so overwhelmingly powerful! 

Qin Ming now had a clearer understanding of his own strength. 

His mindset had shifted as well. 

He no longer feared facing late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators.

Except for some exceptionally strong peak Qi Refinement cultivators, he was confident in his ability to protect himself. 

Finally, he didn't have to live in constant fear like when he was at the second layer of Qi Refinement, weak and vulnerable. 

Choosing the path of body cultivation had been a wise decision indeed. 

Qin Ming entered the meditation room. 

He took out the four storage pouches he had collected. 

A dazzling array of magical artifacts, spirit stones, talismans, and pills spilled out onto the floor. 

Qin Ming began tallying up his spoils. 

The richest haul came from Chen Zi'ang, who was evidently accustomed to plundering others.

In addition to the high-grade golden sword artifact, his storage pouch contained several other valuable items: 

- Two medium-grade magical artifacts 

- A bottle of Spirit Gathering Pills 

- Various low-grade pills 

- Two high-grade attack talismans 

Most eye-catching, however, were the ten medium-grade spirit stones and over two thousand low-grade spirit stones inside. 

This meant that Chen Zi'ang alone had over three thousand spirit stones—no wonder he was from a wealthy family, practically oozing riches. 

Qin Ming then checked the other three storage pouches.

Combined, their spirit stones didn't even amount to half of what Chen Zi'ang had—just over twelve hundred in total. 

The rest consisted of various spells, cultivation techniques, and pills. 

Qin Ming happily stashed everything into his own storage pouch. 

His previously flat bag of spirit stones bulged instantly. Including the ten medium-grade spirit stones, he now had a total of four thousand three hundred spirit stones! 

One encounter, four kills—his wealth skyrocketed. 

Of course, the two plants he had ripened earlier, Demon Flame Grass and Seven-Leaf Skullcap, were also incredibly valuable. 

But Qin Ming decided to hold onto them for now, planning to use them later to refine high-grade pills. 

After finishing the inventory, 

Qin Ming turned his attention to the three blood pearls left behind by the Thorn Technique. 

He furrowed his brow, deep in thought. 

These things seemed only suitable for feeding the Witherblood Poison Vine. 

Qin Ming picked up the blood pearls and went to the courtyard. 

He tossed them toward the corner where the Witherblood Poison Vine lay. 

As soon as the blood pearls hit the ground, the black vines reacted like sharks smelling blood, hungrily lunging toward them. 

Moments later, 

the Witherblood Poison Vine began undergoing an incredible transformation! 

First, the vines grew slightly taller and thicker. 

Then, cracks appeared on their surface, and three purple, eerie flower buds bloomed on the main branches. 

Suddenly, a golden entry appeared before Qin Ming's eyes: 

**Name**: Witherblood Poison Vine **Entry**: Time-Space Leaf x5 (1% maturity) 

**Time-Space Leaf**: When used, it can instantly age a high-grade spirit plant to a hundred years of growth. This effect is stackable! 

"Wow! It evolved! An upgraded version of the Ripening Entry!" 

"Hahaha!" 

"Daoist Chen, your death was not in vain!" 

Qin Ming stared at the entry, his heart pounding with excitement. 

What did it mean to have a hundred-year-old spirit plant? 

In the cultivation world, such plants would be snatched up the moment they appeared.

These precious materials were often monopolized by large sects and powerful factions. 

For example, one of the three main ingredients required to refine Foundation Establishment Pills was Jade Marrow Herb, which needed at least three hundred years of potency to be effective. 

And these three-hundred-year-old Jade Marrow Herbs couldn't be cultivated artificially—they only grew in a few secret realms controlled by the major sects. 

The monopoly on this ingredient by the powerful meant that even if wandering cultivators had the recipe for Foundation Establishment Pills, they couldn't possibly refine them. 

Of course, besides the three main ingredients, there were over thirty auxiliary herbs needed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, each one rare and valuable. 

They just didn't require as many years of potency. 

Qin Ming suppressed his excitement. 

"It seems this Witherblood Poison Vine is extraordinary—it even spawned the incredible entry, *Time-Space Leaf*." 

"But to fully ripen those two purple flowers, I'll probably need at least five *Ripening* entries." 

"For now, I only have two *Ripening* entries left in my consciousness. I'll have to see how productive the next season of Golden Spirit Rice will be." 

Qin Ming gazed at the Witherblood Poison Vine, finding it increasingly mysterious. 

It could absorb the essence and soul of cultivators, converting it into nutrients for rapid growth. 

Its growth rate was almost comparable to using *Ripening* entries. 

"Am I supposed to collect others' essences to feed this spirit plant in the future?" Qin Ming subconsciously entertained this strange thought. 

But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea. 

Next, 

he cast the *Advanced Spirit Rain Technique* on the Witherblood Poison Vine. 

Back in his room, 

Qin Ming took out a jade talisman engraved with the character "Zhuang" in seal script. 

He frowned slightly as he examined it. 

"According to Chen Zi'ang, to advance to a second-grade spirit planter, one must enter the Illusionary Woodland and complete a trial." 

"And these crucial recommendation slots are entirely controlled by the sect's elders." 

"Hmm, I wonder if holding just this talisman will allow me to attend Elder Zhuang's public lecture." 

Qin Ming extended his spiritual awareness to examine the jade talisman. 

After a long while, 

he withdrew his spiritual awareness, his face showing a peculiar expression. 

Inside the talisman, Elder Zhuang Xiran had left a message imbued with his Foundation Establishment-level spiritual energy. 

The gist of it was that he would hold a public lecture on spirit planting within the Spirit Feather Sect in half a month. 

Anyone holding this talisman, regardless of background, could attend. The talisman itself was the key, not the person. 

Those who possessed it were considered fated. 

"Interesting! So it's all about fate!" 

"I like this kind of personality!" 

Qin Ming smiled. He had been worried about the risk of exposure if he attended the lecture with this talisman. 

If the talismans were distributed randomly, then there was no issue. 

"In that case, I'll go check out the high-grade spirit planters of the Spirit Feather Sect in half a month." 

---

As the sun set in the west, 

Qin Ming cooked a pot of premium Blood Locust Rice and ate it before beginning his cultivation of the *Hundred Treasures Glazed Sutra*. 

Three hours later, 

Qin Ming finished his cultivation and sat quietly, deep in thought. 

He focused his mind, preparing to use the five *Abundant Soul Power* entries to further strengthen his soul force. 

Remembering that using ten *Weak Soul Power* entries had doubled his soul strength last time, 

and this time he had the stronger *Abundant Soul Power*, 

Qin Ming activated one of the entry leaves. 

*BAM!* 

Qin Ming's vision went black, and he nearly passed out. 

The soul force in his mind surged violently! 

He felt a power rapidly expanding deep within his soul, accompanied by an excruciating tearing sensation. 

*Crack!* 

It sounded like glass shattering deep within his mind. 

Qin Ming's eyes widened, and sweat dripped from his forehead. 

His chest heaved as he gasped for breath. 

Qin Ming clearly felt his soul grow significantly stronger. 

Next, 

he repeated the process, using the remaining four *Abundant Soul Power* entries. 

By深夜, 

after using all five *Abundant Soul Power* entries, 

Qin Ming's soul had reached an unprecedented height. 

Compared to before, it was now four or five times stronger. 

Even his spiritual awareness had been enhanced to an unimaginable degree. 

Qin Ming's spiritual awareness now rivaled that of a peak Qi Refinement cultivator, just one step away from evolving into the divine sense possessed by Foundation Establishment cultivators. 

"Elder Zhuang's lecture is still half a month away." 

"Maybe." 

"After completing the ten-day mastery of the *Burning Blood Blade Technique*," 

"I'll visit Su Yuqing and try refining some medium-grade pills." 

Qin Ming sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, muttering to himself. 

---

(End of Chapter) 

---