Inside Wuzhen Hall.
The cultivators were all speaking, actively responding to Elder Zhuang Xiran’s questions.
"Cultivating spirit plants is to seize the essence of heaven and earth, to hold the transformation of all things in one’s hands, endlessly fascinating."
...
They answered for quite some time.
Elder Zhuang Xiran glanced past the crowd, casually pointed, and said: "That cultivator over there, stand up and answer."
Qin Ming was listening intently, not intending to say anything.
He noticed Elder Zhuang was pointing in his direction, and couldn’t help but look around.
But he found that all the cultivators’ eyes were now focused on him.
Qin Ming suddenly realized.
Elder Zhuang Xiran was clearly referring to him.
Qin Ming froze for a moment, being stared at by so many people, giving him a sense of discomfort.
How could it be such a coincidence?
However, he was not at all flustered, calmly and composedly stood up from his chair, thought for a moment, and said:
"The path of spiritual plants... requires familiarity with the various habits of crops, to master spiritual rain, weed and eradicate pests, and also to deal with spirit fields and spiritual soil daily."
"It’s just like farming."
As soon as he finished speaking.
The air seemed to carry a hint of silence.
The expressions of the cultivators present began to break into laughter, with some chuckling softly.
But there were also cultivators nodding, seemingly agreeing with his statement.
"Hehe, you may sit down."
At this moment, Elder Zhuang Xiran rarely showed a smile.
The cultivators present were all stunned, some completely baffled.
"Actually, what he said isn’t entirely wrong, the path of spirit plants is indeed no different from farming."
"It’s just—"
"Ordinary people grow grains as a source of sustenance for life."
"We cultivators farm to transform into resources on the path of cultivation."
...
Just as Qin Ming was about to sit down.
He noticed a cultivator in front of him, staring at him intently.
Qin Ming glanced up, their eyes met, and he felt a sudden unease.
It was Jiangg Kun!
’What is this bastard doing here, attending a spirit plant master’s lecture?’
In an instant, Qin Ming’s nerves tightened, and countless thoughts raced through his mind.
The four subordinates Jiangg Kun had sent had already been disposed of by him.
The other party couldn’t possibly guess it was him, could they?
Otherwise, there must be some concerns.
Thinking of this.
Qin Ming sat back down in his chair.
Meanwhile.
Jiangg Kun, sitting in front, had his brows tightly furrowed, his expression fluctuating.
Though he had some suspicions.
No matter how he imagined, he couldn’t link the death of four mid-to-late Qi cultivation cultivators with a spirit farmer.
"Hmm, after the lecture ends, I’ll go probe this kid."
Jiangg Kun made up his mind, glanced at Qin Ming, and turned back to look forward.
Qin Ming felt a sudden ominous premonition in his heart.
The hall returned to calm.
Elder Zhuang Xiran began to teach the path of spiritual plants.
Though Qin Ming was slightly disturbed by Jiangg Kun’s appearance, he didn’t overly mind.
Listening attentively to Elder Zhuang’s lecture, from a Tier Two Spirit Plant Master.
Attending the class for this session.
Qin Ming became increasingly astonished, gaining a lot from it.
Elder Zhuang’s mastery of spirit plants was so high that the cultivators present listened with fascination.
The public lecture lasted the entire day.
Finally, Elder Zhuang Xiran answered some questions from the spirit plant masters present.
"Alright, today’s spirit plant class will end here for now."
"There will be another part of the lecture tonight."
"Tomorrow, I will examine you all."
"You may temporarily lodge in the Guest Welcoming Garden for the night."
"But the upcoming exam content is limited to Middle-Grade and above spirit plant masters, the rest of you may disperse."
After Elder Zhuang’s words, he stood up and left.
The cultivators inside Wuzhen Hall also began to leave.
Qin Ming also planned to sneak away.
But just as one foot stepped out the hall door.
A familiar voice called from behind.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, don’t be in such a hurry to leave!"
Qin Ming turned around and saw, as expected, it was Jiangg Kun.
Jiangg Kun’s slanted phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, gazing at Qin Ming, coldly asked: "My incompetent Junior Brother Chen Ziang was found disposed of near the spirit field on the back hill."
"I wonder, what does Fellow Daoist Qin think about this?"
After speaking, his eyes locked onto Qin Ming, observing his reaction.
Qin Ming heard and showed a shocked expression, exclaiming: "Ah? Such a thing happened?"
Jiangg Kun continued to stare at Qin Ming, questioning further: "You really don’t know? I heard that before he had trouble, Junior Brother Chen went looking for you."
"Yes, Brother Chen did come to discuss considering joining your pavilion one day."
"After that, I haven’t seen him for several days."
"I wonder where Fellow Daoist Qin acquired the jade talisman?" Jiangg Kun continued to ask.
"This jade talisman was a gift from Pavilion Master Guu; you can ask her if you don’t believe me," Qin Ming said, lying without batting an eye.
Besides, Jiangg Kun and Mirror Snow Pavilion were deadlocked enemies, he probably wouldn’t confront Guu Qingzhao about it.
Qin Ming calmly spoke eloquently.
He paused for a moment, then suddenly asked: "Brother Jiangg, you wouldn’t suspect me, a spirit farmer, would you?"
Jiangg Kun’s eyes darted uncertainly, pondering for a while before suddenly breaking into a smile: "Hehe, how could I?"
"I was just a bit puzzled, simply asking."
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming forced a smile and cupped his hands: "Since there’s nothing else, then I shall bid farewell."
He was already certain that the other party had no evidence, merely suspicions.
Nor did he dare to act openly within Spirit Feather Sect.
Qin Ming then followed the other spirit plant masters to the adjacent Welcome Garden for a short rest and some refreshments.
After Qin Ming left.
A cultivator beside Jiangg Kun stepped forward to ask: "Brother Jiangg, what should we do? Should we..."
"No rush... let’s wait and see."
"Uncle Zhuang’s matter is important in these two days; no disturbances."
"If we make a move, it won’t be within the sect."
"I am still puzzled over how Junior Brother Chen and those four met their end."
"Keep a close watch on this kid for me, and once Uncle’s matters are dealt with tomorrow, then we’ll decide."
Jiangg Kun ordered with a somber face.
"Yes!"
...
While sipping a drink, Qin Ming contemplated what had just happened.
He had already formulated a plan.
An hour later.
The lecture started again.
This time, the number of spirit plant masters left in the hall had decreased by two-thirds.
Only about a hundred cultivators remained.
Qin Ming glanced around the hall and found that Jiangg Kun didn’t come.
Not long after.
Elder Zhuang Xiran reentered the hall.
He glanced at the cultivators present, nodded slightly, and resumed teaching.
At that moment.
Boom!
Just as Elder Zhuang was midway through his lecture, a massive rumbling erupted outside!
Startling the cultivators present, causing a temporary panic.