"Congratulations Fellow Daoist Qin on advancing to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master!"
Gu Qingzhao heard this, first was stunned for a moment, then her red lips raised a joyful smile, sincerely congratulating him.
Shopkeeper Liao was also at the side, with an excited expression, saying: "Congratulations Fellow Daoist Qin on breakthrough to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master, taking another step on the Immortal Path!"
Qin Ming becoming a High-Grade Spirit Plant Master naturally brings obvious benefits to Gathering Pavilion.
After all, currently Qin Ming and Gathering Pavilion have a close cooperative relationship.
Shopkeeper Liao also felt quite emotional.
Thinking back to those years, this young man sold Spirit Rice and had to sneak in through the back door.
Now, he has become a Cultivator that even Shopkeeper Liao wanted to befriend and curry favor with.
You must know that a High-Grade Spirit Plant Master is already an extremely rare existence among Loose Cultivators.
Even within a Sect, their status is only second to some Inner Sect Elders and Core Disciples.
Furthermore, once one becomes a High-Grade Spirit Plant Master, they are qualified to independently apply to lease Spirit Fields on Second-Order Spirit Veins.
After all, to plant High-Order Spirit Plants in the future, the spiritual energy of First-Tier Spirit Veins will no longer be sufficient.
Qin Ming was also in a good mood, "Thank you both Fellow Daoists for waiting, I'll treat you later, let's return to Gathering Pavilion and have a good drink."
Afterwards.
Qin Ming, witnessed by several Elders and Gu Qingzhao, lit up the third Attribute Leaf on his Spirit Plant Master Identity Token.
Officially became a High-Grade Spirit Plant Master.
Qin Ming also renewed the lease on Su Yuqing's house in the Slum Area.
After dealing with these matters.
Qin Ming bid farewell to Elder Zhuang and departed from the Hall of Affairs.
Four Elders sat in the Inner Hall, exchanging glances.
"Seriously, Elder Zhuang, how did this kid manage it?"
"You didn't go soft and let him pass, did you?"
"Bullshit! A miscalculation, even I didn't expect it."
"..."
"So, what's the next step?"
"Let's see how things go, after all, Second-Rank Spirit Plants are not so easy to grow."
"The other Elders should also understand this deeply."
"If this kid has other ways to obtain a Quota, and passes the Trial Assessment of the Flora Illusion Realm."
"Then I will have nothing more to say."
…
Gathering Pavilion.
Qin Ming and Gu Qingzhao had just arrived at the Store Entrance.
They were unexpectedly met by an old acquaintance.
It was none other than his Next Door neighbor, Pill Master Yan.
"Yo! Fellow Daoist Qin! Long time no see, are you heading to Gathering Pavilion for a drink?" Pill Master Yan, spotting Qin Ming from afar, walked over to greet him.
As he approached, he noticed that Gu Qingzhao was with Qin Ming, and was slightly surprised.
He knew very well that Gu Qingzhao's background was far from simple.
Pill Master Yan also frequently sold and purchased Spirit Materials needed for refining Pills at Gathering Pavilion.
Naturally, he recognized the force behind her.
He quickly greeted Gu Qingzhao.
"Pavilion Lord Gu, do you know Fellow Daoist Qin?"
Gu Qingzhao nodded slightly, "Indeed, Fellow Daoist Qin is an honored guest of our Pavilion, and today he just advanced to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master."
"Fellow Daoist Yan, a chance encounter is better than a planned invitation, would you like to join us for a drink upstairs?" Qin Ming greeted Pill Master Yan and invited him.
Pill Master Yan's mind went completely blank.
He was stunned for a moment.
"What?"
"High-Grade Spirit Plant Master?"
"So quickly?"
… Afterwards.
Shopkeeper Liao instructed someone to prepare a lavish feast in a Private Room.
At the Dining Table.
Pill Master Yan, face flushed with excitement, retrieved an antique wooden box from his Storage Bag and gently presented it to Qin Ming, "Today is Fellow Daoist Qin's auspicious day of breakthrough to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master, just a small token to express my well wishes."
Qin Ming couldn't refuse his kind gesture, accepted the wooden box, and thanked him, "Then I thank you, Pill Master Yan."
With that, Pill Master Yan raised his cup to Qin Ming.
"I've already sent Message Talismans to inform the other neighbors, they should be arriving shortly."
"Since today is Fellow Daoist Qin's joyous occasion of advancing to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master, we should all celebrate together, haha!"
Qin Ming was surprised, he hadn't expected Pill Master Yan to invite others as well.
Gu Qingzhao beside him suddenly asked, "Fellow Daoist Qin, since we're celebrating, why not invite Pill Master Su to join us?"
"Oh, Daoist Friend Gu, you might not know, but Brother Su left the Cloud Marsh Great Wilderness some time ago." Qin Ming explained upon hearing this.
A hint of regret flashed in Gu Qingzhao's beautiful eyes, "I didn't realize Pill Master Su had left."
Pill Master Yan, still holding his cup, was completely bewildered, "Fellow Daoist Qin, you know Pill Master Su as well?"
"Know him? It's more than that, Fellow Daoist Qin's Alchemy Technique was actually guided by Pill Master Su." Shopkeeper Liao said with a smile.
Pill Master Yan was astonished, "Alchemy Technique? Guided by Pill Master Su?"
"Indeed, Fellow Daoist Qin is not only a High-Grade Spirit Plant Master but also a genuine Mid-Grade Pill Refiner." Shopkeeper Liao explained.
Now Pill Master Yan could hardly stay seated.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, you never mentioned to me that you are also a Mid-Grade Alchemist."
"Ah, it seems I underestimated Fellow Daoist Qin."
Pill Master Yan lamented his age, first there was the incredibly talented Su Yuqing, who became a High-Grade Alchemist at such a young age.
Even Qin Ming is now also a Mid-Grade Alchemist, and still so young.
"The younger generation is indeed to be feared!"
After a while.
Several of Qin Ming's neighbors also arrived.
When everyone saw that Pavilion Lord Gu was personally hosting, they were all quite surprised.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, who would have thought! You've actually advanced to High-Grade Spirit Plant Master so quickly, congratulations!" Huang Xishan, the Upper-Grade Artifact Refiner from Treasure Crafting Hall, congratulated him.
He then presented Qin Ming with a delicately crafted long wooden box as a gift.
Qin Ming opened it slightly and saw that it was a beautifully crafted Spirit Hoe!
"Hehe, I originally crafted this Spirit Hoe on a whim years ago. It's no less capable than an ordinary Mid-Grade Magic Artifact, and now it's perfect as a gift for Fellow Daoist Qin."
Huang Xishan was clearly also trying to curry favor with him. Among the neighbors, only Qin Ming and he had reached the First-Order Upper-Grade Level in the Hundred Crafts of Cultivation.
They already regarded him as a Cultivator of the same standing.
Brothers Feng also arrived, offering their congratulations and gifts.
Brothers Feng's gift to Qin Ming was more straightforward: a small pouch of Spirit Stones, a generous two hundred Spirit Stones.
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Qin, who knew you were so talented in the Path of Spirit Plants! In just a year, you've already quietly surpassed us all." Lin Zixiao joked with a grin.
He then also presented his gift.
Lin Zixiao's gift was a Warning Formation set, quite useful for him.
For a while, the Private Room was filled with lively chatter.
Qin Ming's status in the eyes of the other Cultivators was now completely different.
Such a young High-Grade Spirit Plant Master was highly likely to advance further and become a Second-Rank Spirit Plant Master.
By then, it would be too late for them to try and befriend this young Spirit Plant Master.
After a few rounds of drinks.
The celebration banquet concluded in a harmonious and cheerful atmosphere.
…
Returning to Refreshing Abode.
Excitement sparkled in Qin Ming's eyes.
"Soon, just one step away from becoming a Second-Rank Spirit Plant Master!"
End of Chapter