When Qin Ming, along with another cultivator, passed through the dense Nether Mist and arrived at Four Winds Valley,

they discovered that quite a few cultivators had already gathered in the swamp, including some Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.

However, these cultivators no longer posed a threat to Qin Ming and could be easily eliminated with a wave of his hand.

Besides those adventurers who came seeking fortune, even cultivators from the Netherworld Sect were standing by in full force.

Within the swamp of the Four Winds Valley,

likely due to the recent gust of Nether Gust Wind, the surroundings, which were once so dark that one couldn’t see their own hand, became much clearer.

Qin Ming also noticed several familiar faces here—his four Nascent Soul Stage neighbors who lived near his cave mansion.

Yaochen and Shii Susu, along with the other two, noticed Qin Ming’s arrival and turned around to greet him:

"Fellow Daoist Lii, I didn’t expect you to come as well."

Qin Ming couldn’t help but curl his lips, thinking just how inconsiderate these new neighbors were.

Not too long ago, they were enjoying Nascent Soul Level Spirit Wine in his cave mansion, and now, with the emergence of Tier Five opportunity Demon Grain Spirit Rice, they didn’t even invite him...

Noticing this, Yaochen quickly turned his eyes around, fearing Qin Ming’s misunderstanding and unhappiness, and hurriedly explained, "Fellow Daoist Lii, don’t take it to heart. We had only recently returned from seeking an Ancient Secret Realm and happened to see the gathering here, so we just came to have a look."

"We didn’t expect to stumble upon the legendary ’Demon Grain Spirit Rice’ maturing; it certainly wasn’t intentional to not inform Fellow Daoist Lii."

"Given our neighborhood relations, we naturally think of Fellow Daoist Lii when there’s good fortune, haha."

Shii Susu, Luoo Jinghong, and Que Tianyin all nodded at Qin Ming in agreement.

Understanding this, Qin Ming immediately felt relieved: "Haha! It truly seems like a coincidence. I too came upon hearing some rumors, never expecting to meet you all."

Then,

Yaochen pointed to a direction in the swamp not far away and said, "Indeed, there are several stalks of Tier Five Demon Grain Spirit Rice growing there, and they are about to mature. However, there are numerous forces eyeing this Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object, not just us!"

"Besides the observing Loose Cultivators, there are also people from the Netherworld Sect and a few Nascent Soul True Monarchs from the Mist Concealment Loose Alliance... I fear that even when the Spirit Rice matures in a few days, it will be difficult for us to compete for it."

"Moreover, the Netherworld Sect has dispatched the Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator True Monarch Poison Dragon. He’s ruthless, and his divine techniques are extremely powerful. Obtaining the Demon Grain Spirit Rice under his nose is no simple task."

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming couldn’t help but ask, "If that’s the case, then why do so many Loose Cultivators and all of you still risk waiting here?"

At that moment,

before Yaochen could speak, the usually reticent Poison Cultivator Luoo Jinghong spoke first:

"Near such Tier Five Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects as the Demon Grain Spirit Rice, there is bound to be a powerful Demon Beast guarding it. The swamp is filled with poisonous fog, and even our Nascent Soul Stage Divine Thought cannot clearly explore the inside."

"Furthermore, the vicinity where the Demon Grain Spirit Rice grows has roots parasitized by Soul-Devouring Leeches, and the mud is filled with ’Nine Yin Marrow-Eroding Water’ accumulated over thousands of years, which can instantly kill even a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator upon contact."

"That’s precisely why so many cultivators are watching nearby, waiting to seize an opportunity amid the chaos."

Qin Ming nodded upon hearing this and then expanded his Divine Thought Power to gaze into the depths of the valley.

His Divine Thought, comparable to that of Late-stage Divinity Transformation, could see everything within hundreds of miles without much obstruction.

Everything within Four Winds Valley came into his view.

He saw a corpse-filled nook in the swamp where a few stalks of three-foot-tall Spirit Rice grew, surrounded by a green poisonous miasma, with a mass of extremely cold dark mud underneath. He sensed that even a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator would dissolve upon contact...

On those few stalks of Demon Grain Spirit Rice, each bore only nine large, round, dark-colored Spirit Rice, exuding a thick, astonishing aura of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Clearly, whether righteous or demonic cultivators, this Spirit Rice could be used to enhance cultivation...

During Qin Ming’s search with his powerful Divine Thought, he unexpectedly discovered something.

As Luoo Jinghong mentioned before, hidden beneath the swamp where the Demon Grain Spirit Rice grew lay a Great Demon.

However, separated by the unique Nether Mist of Thousand Mechanisms Marsh and the barrier of the Nine Yin Marrow-Eroding Water, even Qin Ming’s strong divine thought found it difficult to perceive clearly.

He became wary and immediately informed the four people in front of him: "Fellow Daoist Luoo is right. There’s a Great Demon hidden under the swamp ahead. It’s best if we keep our distance."

Upon hearing Qin Ming say this, Yaochen and the others were shocked and immediately suppressed their greed, retreating a distance to observe from afar.

After all, Qin Ming and Que Tianyin had the highest cultivation among them.

Several days later,

suddenly an outbreak of spiritual light illuminated the swamp above Four Winds Valley.

The original dark Spirit Rice on those few mysterious Demon Grain Spirit Rice suddenly emitted an extremely alluring aroma.

On each peanut-sized grain of dark Spirit Rice, three blood-red lines suddenly appeared. Through the transparent shell, one could vaguely see a skull-like dark gold core inside.

In an instant, these Tier Five Spirit Plants fully matured.

However, Qin Ming felt a vague sense of foreboding and secretly urged the four beside him, whose expressions were gradually becoming fervent, to remain clear-headed.

Yet the next moment, some cultivators nearby, unable to resist the temptation, recklessly rushed toward those Demon Grain Spirit Rice stalks.

"Tier Five Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, no one should dare compete with me!"

Several figures of Golden Core Stage Loose Cultivators dashed forward; yet before they could get close,

a powerful Spiritual Pressure suddenly descended upon them. Their eyes nearly burst, and their bodies swelled like balloons exploding, being crushed into misty blood by that force...

"Heh! Who would dare to covet such Spiritual Objects? Do they not comprehend what death means?"

As a mocking voice fell, a sinister-looking old man in a black robe slowly emerged.

It was the Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, True Monarch Poison Dragon, whom Yaochen had mentioned from the Netherworld Sect.

He was famously known in Qianji City, and his mastery of Black Water Demon Technique was said to approach the Realm of Great Perfection.

"Fellow Daoist Poison Dragon, you carry too heavy a karmic burden, sending souls scattering to the wind. Aren’t you afraid of future karma?"

Accompanying those words, a middle-aged cultivator holding a feather fan and dressed in scholarly attire also appeared from the Nether Mist, equally possessing Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation.

By his clothing, he was a Great Cultivator from the Mist Concealment Loose Alliance.

Witnessing the death of Loose Cultivators at the hands of True Monarch Poison Dragon, this alliance senior had no choice but to reveal himself.

"Hmph! Master Wuyang, you’d best mind your own business. Isn’t the Thousand Mechanism Poison Swamp the territory of our sect? Or does the Loose Alliance plan to rebel?"

"Or do you wish to exchange divine techniques with me?"

True Monarch Poison Dragon glared with malicious intent, full of Evil Qi.

Clearly, with so much at stake over the Tier Five Demon Grain Spirit Rice, he wasn’t willing to risk any accidents.

Not even finishing a sentence, he was ready to prove his point through a showdown.

And at that moment,

as the Netherworld Sect and the Loose Alliance’s two Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivators verbally sparred and tested each other,

suddenly,

the waters of the Dark Water Marsh below surged violently, followed by a pervasive surge of demonic qi.

The swamp water over a range of thousands of feet began to writhe, as if something colossal was about to emerge.

The next moment,

boom!

A massive black centipede, extending over a thousand feet in length, burst from the mire.

It emitted a frighteningly powerful aura of a Tier Five Demon Venerable!

True Monarch Poison Dragon from the Netherworld Sect and Master Wuyang of the Mist Concealment Loose Alliance were shocked to the core upon witnessing this.

Before they could escape, the Tier Five Centipede Demon Venerable unfurled three pairs of black wings and spewed a skyful of venom, instantly dissolving the two Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivators into nothingness...

Even their Nascent Souls couldn’t escape.