Qin Ming looked at the scene outside the wooden door.
He was utterly dumbfounded.
Outside the door.
A golden desert abruptly appeared in his line of sight.
...
Outside the illusion realm.
The elders of the Spirit Feather Sect were watching the direction of the wood array, discussing among themselves.
"What do you think, how many disciples will pass the trial and advance to Tier Two this time?"
"It’s hard to say, after all, even for the lowest difficulty Geng-level illusion realm, it’s always been a rarity."
"Lao Zhuang, your disciple went in once before, should be a sure thing this time, right?"
"Sigh, don’t bring up that useless thing."
"What do you think about that kid Qin Ming?" Elder Liu stroked his goatee, asking calmly.
Elder Zhuang frowned and pondered for a while, then confidently said, "In my opinion, as long as he doesn’t challenge the higher difficulty realms, the probability of passing the trial is very high."
Elder Gue beside him looked somewhat displeased upon hearing this.
"Although our Spirit Feather Sect’s highest record is said to be passing the Class A trials, none of our disciples have succeeded in recent years. I wonder if anyone could break the record this time."
As they spoke.
Time slowly passed by.
Half a day later.
A green light flickered near the wood array, and a figure appeared.
After coming out, that person’s face was full of depression, clearly indicating a failed trial.
"Sigh, I didn’t expect my first time to encounter the hardest Spirit Plant Heart Refining Path of the Geng-level illusion realm."
Before long, Spirit Plant Masters withdrew from the illusion realm one after another.
Until now, not a single Spirit Plant Master managed to pass the trial.
"This is too difficult. I had to test my Affinity for Plants and find the primordial mother spirit plant in an entire grassland."
"What does that count as? My realm required me to treat several unfamiliar Tier Two Spirit Plants within a set time limit."
...
Unwittingly.
More than half of the Spirit Plant Masters undergoing the illusion trial had already exited.
Still, no one passed.
At that moment.
A familiar figure withdrew from the illusion realm.
Everyone looked over, and it turned out to be Li Yan, the first to enter.
At this moment, he was visibly excited.
On a monument within the wood array behind him, a brilliance lit up, showing that Li Yan had passed the trial.
Grade E Difficulty Illusion Realm completed in three and a half hours.
The flow of time in the illusion realm differs from the outside world, making it feel like a year or two has passed inside.
Then, a glow descended onto the wood array, merging into Li Yan’s Spirit Plant Master identity plaque, where the three leaves at the back fused into one, gradually transforming into a Spirit Plant.
This signifies his successful advancement to a Tier Two Spirit Plant Master.
Li Yan expressed extreme joy, quickly stepping forward and bowing before Elder Zhuang Xiran, "Disciples didn’t disappoint the teacher’s expectations, I’ve passed this trial."
"Hmm, your ability to pass the Grade E Difficulty Trial is commendable, you now have a chance to compete for the top three and obtain a wisp of Mother Qi of Ten Thousand Woods." Elder Zhuang Xiran rarely showed a satisfied smile.
But next.
Two additional talented Spirit Plant Masters successfully passed the trial.
Moreover, they all surpassed D Class difficulty realms.
One of the Spirit Plant Masters even completed the B Class difficulty realm trial.
Li Yan’s heart sank, if one more Spirit Plant Master scores better than him, he would be out of the top three.
Another hour passed.
Most of the Spirit Plant Masters from the illusion realm had already come out.
So far, only four High-Grade Spirit Plant Masters passed the trial and advanced to Tier Two Spirit Plant Masters.
"It seems there’s only one left, right?"
"It’s Qin Ming, he hasn’t come out yet."
"Being in there for so long, probably failed, right?"
The Spirit Plant Masters on site began discussing.
Just then.
A streak of green light flashed, and Qin Ming’s figure emerged from below the wood array.
Just as everyone assumed he had failed.
The seven giant wooden tablets behind him all blazed with a divine radiance.
Displaying a striking line:
Class A Difficulty Trial Passed!
Completed in five hours.
In an instant, the air fell silent.
Spirit Feather Sect’s elders and the Spirit Plant Masters present were all stunned.
"Could it be a mistake?"
"He actually passed the Class A difficult trial?"
"This... almost broke our sect’s historical record."
"Unfortunately, missed it by just half an hour."
The Spirit Feather Sect elders exchanged glances, feeling as if they missed more than just a good disciple.
Thus, the top three of the Plant Illusion Realm Trials have been determined.
Qin Ming undoubtedly took the top spot.
He was filled with emotion, not expecting the Class A difficulty realm trial to require planting three different Spirit Plants in the desert.
From the start, he needed to select three suitable Spirit Seeds from hundreds of Tier Two Spirit Seeds for desert realm growth.
Making a single wrong selection would lead to immediate failure.
Fortunately, Qin Ming’s studies from the Spirit Plant Book hadn’t gone to waste.
After correctly selecting three Spirit Seeds from memory, he proceeded with planting and cultivation.
Initially wanting to test not relying on entries to pass the trial,
he soon realized he underestimated the difficulty of the Class A Realm trial.
Although he successfully planted two Tier Two Spirit Plants, little time remained until the trial ended.
For the last Spirit Plant, he’d used the [Ripening] entry.
This trial in the Class A realm felt as if two years had passed, further enhancing and deepening his understanding of Tier Two Spirit Plant growing experience.
After passing the trial, he also received rewards from the realm, obtaining a total of seven wisps of ’Mother Qi of Ten Thousand Woods’.
Li Yan stared intently at Qin Ming, filled with jealousy, yet restrained himself from showing it.
Elder Gue’s expression was very grim, his eyes flickering as if calculating something internally.
Elder Liu expressed a bit of satisfaction with a slight smile.
The Spirit Plant Masters present, looking at Qin Ming and the others who successfully advanced to Tier Two Spirit Masters, showed expressions of envy.
Inside, Qin Ming was overjoyed, as he had awaited this moment for too long.
Advancing to Tier Two Spirit Plant Master.
This meant from now on, he’d be exempt from Spirit Feather Sect’s labor duties and restore his freedom, unbound by the sect.
Suppressing his excitement, Qin Ming approached the group of Sprit Feather Sect elders and said directly, "Reporting to the elders, I have advanced to Tier Two Spirit Plant Master. Per sect regulations, I request the removal of the labor contract binding me."
His words left the Spirit Feather Sect elders speechless, as this was the rule set when the sect recruited cultivators initially.
Zhuang Xiran’s expression was conflicted, as he asked, "After our discussion, given your talent in Spirit Plant discipline, we hope you stay with us. We can remove your labor duties, and you may choose any elder to study under fully as you wish, would Friend Qin reconsider?"
"Thanks for the kind offer, Elder Zhuang, but my mind is made up," Qin Ming refused without hesitation.
Elder Liu sighed, "Ah, so be it."
"Elder Gue, bring out the labor contract roster."
Reluctantly, Elder Gue took out an ancient jade scroll, glanced at Qin Ming, then handed it to Elder Liu.
Elder Liu skimmed the labor roster and struck out Qin Ming’s name and the contract attached to it.
Mysteriously.
Qin Ming felt a formless shackle lifted from him.
"Friend Qin, congratulations on becoming a Tier Two Spirit Plant Master. You are now free from the sect’s labor duty, regaining your freedom."
"From now on, you are free to stay or leave at your will, with no ties to our sect."
Qin Ming was overwhelmed with emotion upon hearing this, quickly bowing to thank Elder Liu.
After all, this opportunity was indeed derived from Chen Qiaoling’s efforts.
Qin Ming already had plans for the future.
Intending not to linger any longer.
Thereafter.
Ignoring the others’ gazes.
He walked straight out of the Spirit Feather Sect’s mountain gate, took flight on the Spiritual Light Shuttle, heading towards Qingyang Market.