Qin Ming left the Mist Immortal Tower.

Then he followed the main road in the city, preparing to return to the cave mansion at Black Obsidian Peak.

However, he saw a large crowd bustling ahead, with hundreds of loose cultivators filling the White Jade Square in the center of Qianji City.

After observing, he noticed that the center of White Jade Square was lined up neatly with rows of pills.

Over a hundred cultivators wearing the Netherworld Sect’s attire were selling these pills to the loose cultivators.

Among the crowd, whispers floated into Qin Ming’s ears.

"Sigh! The Netherworld Sect is really black-hearted, the price of Detoxification Pills keeps rising..."

"Exactly! How many times has it gone up this year? It’s completely like stripping people to the bones!"

"A bottle of Low-Tier Detoxification Pills is almost a hundred Spirit Stones, and those High-Tier Detoxification Pills require Middle-Grade Spirit Stones for trade..."

"Hmph! The Netherworld Sect has clearly seen that many are going to mine at the Red Flame Wilderness, so they raised the price."

"At this rate, how much poisonous ore must be mined to afford a single bottle?"

"Not having any isn’t an option... sigh!"

"Senior from the Netherworld Sect, could you make the pills cheaper? Recent expenses are really unbearable."

"Get lost! If you can’t buy, then wait for death!"

"..."

Qin Ming frowned as he saw this scene, pondering in his heart.

’So it’s the Netherworld Sect, once again harvesting Spirit Stones from loose cultivators...’

’Could it be that they’ve found something in the Red Flame Wilderness?’

’It shouldn’t be, right? The most valuable Thunder Magnetic Divine Mountain in the ring-shaped mountain range has already been moved by me...’

’The rest should only be scraps left over...’

However, he wasn’t particularly interested in the entanglements of interests between sects and loose cultivators.

Qin Ming was about to walk around them when a dwarf elder squeezed out from the bustling crowd, wearing a melon-skin cap and holding a newly purchased bottle of Detoxification Pills.

The person was Baili Hui.

Baili Hui gasped for breath as he extricated himself from the crowd. When he looked up, he saw Qin Ming.

His expression immediately lit up, showing excitement, and he ran over: "Elder Lii, what brings you here?"

"I just finished some business and happened to pass by. How have you been recently?" Qin Ming showed a slight smile upon seeing him.

Baili Hui, with a flattering smile, said: "Thanks to Elder Lii’s blessing, I’ve been doing quite well recently. I’ve heard many fellow Daoists headed to the Red Flame Wilderness obtained great opportunities, and even low-tier cultivators soared through the ranks."

"I’ve also bought some Detoxification Pills, planning to try my luck. Seeing those around me one by one rising to prominence makes me really envious... hehe!"

Qin Ming smiled and immediately took out a bottle of Detoxification Pills he personally refined from his storage pouch and casually tossed it to Baili Hui:

"Good luck then."

Baili Hui caught the pill, his face beaming with appreciation: "Thank you, Elder Lii, for the gift!"

He had personally experienced how Elder Lii’s Detoxification Pills were much better than those high-tier Detoxification Pills of the Netherworld Sect...

"With so much time passed, why are cultivators going to the Red Flame Wilderness for gold mining increasing instead of decreasing?" Qin Ming glanced at the loose cultivator crowd and couldn’t help but ask.

Baili Hui immediately whispered: "It’s said that the Netherworld Sect found something good in the Red Flame Wilderness, but no one knows exactly what it is."

"The Netherworld Sect is extremely tight-lipped this time, not a single piece of information has been revealed. It’s rumored that even the Netherworld Sect doesn’t know, probably worried that it will have to be handed over again upon discovery."

"Meanwhile, the Netherworld Sect is also quite envious. Not long ago, led by Venerable Nine Yin, they not only pressured the Netherworld Sect to hand over the spiritual object they’ve unearthed but also offered high prices to recruit cultivators to mine spiritual ore in the area occupied by the Netherworld Sect... Mainly because they seem short-handed; they’ve already recruited several batches of loose cultivators."

After a brief meeting with Qin Ming, Baili Hui took his leave and boarded the Dharma Ship from Qianji City to the Red Flame Wilderness.

...

Shortly after Qin Ming left.

In the top-floor box of the Hidden Immortal Tower, Nine Profound Ascendant, who had already left, returned and stood respectfully before Vice Alliance Leader Zuo.

"Alliance Leader Zuo, is Fellow Daoist Lii considering joining us as well?"

"I have tried to recruit this child multiple times, but he has no interest in joining any faction. Given that he can cultivate Tier Five Demon Grain Spirit Rice, his disposition is quite unique, favoring independence. If he had joined our alliance, he would have been a rare talent." Vice Alliance Leader Zuo stood by the window, looking out with profound eyes.

"A Tier Five Spirit Plant Master... In the Void Refining Level Netherworld Sect, there are only one or two such individuals."

Nine Profound Ascendant felt a chill in his heart, not expecting his low-profile neighbor to have silently advanced to a Tier Five Spirit Plant Master...

In this Qianji Immortal City, such a rare profession can’t be found elsewhere.

"Hehe! Alliance Leader Zuo, I have been neighbors with Fellow Daoist Lii for many years. Why not... let me try to persuade him? Perhaps he might agree." Nine Profound Ascendant said.

Vice Alliance Leader Zuo squinted his eyes and immediately said: "Very well, you act as the broker. If the child agrees, that will be great. Once our alliance’s plans begin, Qianji City will no longer exist. If he remains uncooperative, the rare high-tier Spirit Plants on Black Obsidian Peak will be my pleasure..."

"Communicate with him appropriately and then stop."

Nine Profound Ascendant agreed immediately upon hearing this.

Following that, Vice Alliance Leader Zuo casually tossed a bulging Spirit Stone Bag to him.

...

...

Qin Ming had just chatted with Baili Hui on the way.

Not long after.

He transformed into a cyan streak, about to land near Black Obsidian Peak.

But in the next moment.

With a thought, Qin Ming witnessed a white streak flash instantly, blocking his way.

The Escape Light dispersed, revealing Nine Profound Ascendant’s figure.

He cupped his hands towards Qin Ming, smiling as he said: "Hehe! Fellow Daoist Lii, please stay!"

"Hello, Fellow Daoist Nine Profound, is there something else?" Qin Ming halted and returned the courtesy.

Nine Profound Ascendant cautiously glanced around, then raised his hand to set a barrier before awkwardly laughing and saying:

"I hope today’s events remain between us, hehe."

Qin Ming couldn’t help but find it odd that this old fellow actually had a sense of shame?

He immediately said: "Fellow Daoist Nine Profound, you jest. We are both diligent cultivators, occasionally enjoying a little pleasure is nothing to be surprised about, especially when many fellow Daoists have plenty of wives and Dao companions..."

Nine Profound Ascendant was relieved to hear this, and immediately began talking about another matter:

"What I have to say next, to Fellow Daoist Lii, is quite confidential... I hope it won’t spread."

Qin Ming nodded in agreement.

He also wanted to see what medicine this old fellow was selling in his gourd.

"To be honest, the reason I have achieved this accomplishment today, my cultivation progressing rapidly, is all thanks to Vice Alliance Leader Zuo."

"I have also deeply cooperated with the Loose Alliance, helping them in Talisman Making, hence earning a considerable Spirit Stone income."

"Fellow Daoist Lii’s Path of Spiritual Plants has reached the Tier Five Realm, and the Alliance Leader values you highly. Your future will only be more promising with ample resource supply. Why not join the Loose Alliance?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming pondered silently, this person’s behavior was quite suspicious, not expecting him to have such deep ties with the Loose Alliance...

Previously, they, as neighbors, had never mentioned this during small gatherings and resource exchanges...

It seems the Thousand Mechanism Poison Swamp is becoming deeper.

So, Qin Ming casually tested: "Since Fellow Daoist Nine Profound’s Talisman Dao has reached the Tier Four High-Grade realm, why rely on others?"

"Wouldn’t selling talismans you make yourself earn plenty of Spirit Stones too?"

Nine Profound Ascendant replied: "Fellow Daoist Lii, you may not know, but the reason my Talisman Dao skills have improved so quickly is entirely thanks to Vice Alliance Leader Zuo, not only gaining Tier Five Talisman Dao inheritance but also receiving a ’Spirit Source Talisman Seed’..."

...