Chapter Summaries

Shen Jingchuan and Xiao Mingshu traveled to Spirit Creek Market to sell goods and buy cultivation resources, but were summoned by Steward Wang soon after arriving. They met him at the market’s affairs hall, where he welcomed them with spiritual tea, leaving them unsure why he had called them there.

• Shen Jingchuan returned from Azure Cloud Stronghold, and Xiao Mingshu warned him that supplying the rebels violated the rules against interfering in mortal affairs.
• Shen Jingchuan cultivated with High-Grade Qi Gathering Pills and sensed that he was nearing a breakthrough to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
• Shen Jingchuan persuaded Xiao Mingshu to travel with him to the market, and Huan'er joined them in the four-wheeled carriage.
• After reaching Spirit Creek Market, Shen Jingchuan, Xiao Mingshu, and Huan'er encountered patrol officers who escorted Shen Jingchuan and Xiao Mingshu to meet Steward Wang Cheng'an.
• Wang Cheng'an greeted Shen Jingchuan and Xiao Mingshu in the market affairs hall and poured them spiritual tea.

Wang Cheng'an questioned Xiao Mingshu about the ambush outside Spirit Creek Market and learned that her party had survived it. He then arranged to buy watches and portable makeup mirrors from Shen Jingchuan for sale at other markets, leaving the deal ready for payment.

• Wang Cheng'an realized Zhou Meng had disappeared after Xiao Mingshu and her companions left the market, and suspected Zhou Meng had attacked them.
• Wang Cheng'an invited Xiao Mingshu and Shen Jingchuan to the stewards' hall and asked whether they had been ambushed; Xiao Mingshu confirmed it had happened and been dealt with.
• Wang Cheng'an asked whether Xiao Mingshu had brought more watches and portable makeup mirrors, then offered to buy two thousand of each at the market price.
• Shen Jingchuan agreed to the order and offered an extra two hundred of each item; Wang Cheng'an accepted the deal.
• Shen Jingchuan produced the goods from storage, and Wang Cheng'an called for Mr. Wu from the accounts office.

Shen Jingchuan and Xiao Mingshu found that sales of their durable goods were slowing as Spirit Creek Market approached saturation. Shen Jingchuan proposed opening a restaurant using the Shen Household’s special seasonings, but warned that they would need protection from powerful competitors, and he began to explain his plan.

• Mr. Wu confirmed that Wang Cheng'an had 2,200 timepieces and 2,200 makeup mirrors, and Shen Jingchuan accepted 8,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones in payment.
• Shen Jingchuan sold more timepieces, makeup mirrors, and makeup bags through the market’s shops, but noticed that merchants were buying less eagerly than before.
• Xiao Mingshu mistook Shen Jingchuan’s silence for disappointment about the slowing sales, and he told her he was thinking about promoting new products.
• Shen Jingchuan explained that the Shen Household’s cooking seasonings could help ordinary cooks make delicious food, then suggested opening a restaurant because meals were consumable.
• Xiao Mingshu grew excited about expanding the restaurant business, but Shen Jingchuan warned that their limited backing could leave them vulnerable to jealous competitors.
• Xiao Mingshu realized her Foundation Establishment ancestor and the Xiao Household might not be able to protect the venture, and Shen Jingchuan started to tell her his plan.

Shen Jingchuan invited Steward Wang to dinner and personally prepared eight dishes to showcase the Shen Household’s culinary skill. Wang Cheng’an tasted the red-braised pork and was visibly amazed, leaving the meal’s outcome to unfold.

• Shen Jingchuan arranged to use the inn’s kitchen and listed the ingredients he needed for the meal.
• Shen Jingchuan invited Wang Cheng’an to dinner and explained that the Shen Household had a unique culinary skill.
• Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er brought Wang Cheng’an and Mr. Wu to the inn that evening.
• Shen Jingchuan served eight dishes, and Mr. Wu was captivated by their aroma and appearance.
• Wang Cheng’an tasted the red-braised pork and widened his eyes in surprise.

Shen Jingchuan proposed opening a restaurant in Spirit Creek Market with Wang Cheng'an, explaining that the Shen Household would provide its unique seasonings and culinary training. Wang Cheng'an agreed in principle and offered premises on behalf of Spirit Creek Market, while clarifying that the market—not he personally—would be the partner.

• Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er watched as Shen Jingchuan shared a meal with Wang Cheng'an and Accountant Wu.
• After dinner, Wang Cheng'an asked Shen Jingchuan why he had invited him, and Shen Jingchuan proposed opening a restaurant in Spirit Creek Market.
• Shen Jingchuan explained that the Shen Household partnered with local businesses and supplied exclusive seasonings, training, and recipes.
• Wang Cheng'an became interested in the partnership and considered how its investment and ownership shares should be divided.
• Wang Cheng'an offered premises from Spirit Creek Market and said the market would be the partner because he was only its steward.

Shen Jingchuan agreed to partner with Wang Cheng'an on a restaurant, with the Shen Household receiving forty percent of the profits for providing its seasoning. After signing the contract, Shen Jingchuan left the market's staff to arrange the premises and renovations.

• Shen Jingchuan and Wang Cheng'an agreed to split the restaurant's profits sixty-forty, with the Shen Household taking forty percent, and Wang Cheng'an told Accountant Wu to prepare a contract.
• Shen Jingchuan saw Wang Cheng'an and Accountant Wu off, then promised Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er more food after they missed out on the meal.
• Shen Jingchuan cooked eight more dishes at the inn, gave two to the innkeeper, and served six to Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er.
• Shen Jingchuan explained that he had left out certain seasonings because they were unhealthy to eat regularly, and agreed to use them for an occasional meal at home.
• Shen Jingchuan signed the restaurant contract with Accountant Wu at the Stewards' Hall, and Accountant Wu began arranging the shop and renovations.

Shen Jingchuan sold upgraded loot, stocked up on pills and talismans, and learned of an upcoming market auction. He and Xiao Mingshu decided to delay their departure to attend, while Shen Jingchuan used a disguise to resell upgraded supplies for a large profit.

• Accountant Wu gave Shen Jingchuan a VIP invitation to the market auction, and Shen Jingchuan sold upgraded loot and bought pills and talismans around the market.
• Shen Jingchuan put the newly purchased pills and talismans into the Chaos Heaven and Earth Ring and fed the ring two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xiaohuan brought Shen Jingchuan to meet Xiao Mingshu, who said they could leave the next day after selling their goods and arranging restaurant renovations.
• Shen Jingchuan showed Xiao Mingshu the auction invitation, and they agreed to stay in the market for the auction.
• Shen Jingchuan disguised himself, upgraded his purchases, and sold them across the market, ending with over a hundred Mid-Grade Qi Gathering Pills, fifteen Mid-Grade Qi Condensing Pills, twenty Mid-Grade Mind-Calming Pills, assorted talismans, and more than twelve thousand Spirit Stones.

Shen Jingchuan received Xian'er's Wind-Controlling Instruction and returned to the inn after secretly upgrading valuable pills. He gave Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er some of the pills, leaving Xiao Mingshu emotional and worried about the risks he had taken.

• Shen Jingchuan hid at another inn, moved his purchases and Spirit Stones into the Chaos Heaven and Earth Ring, and asked Xian'er to upgrade them.
• Xian'er absorbed two thousand Spirit Stones and taught Shen Jingchuan the Wind-Controlling Instruction, which improved travel speed and reduced the Spiritual Power needed for sword flight.
• Shen Jingchuan comprehended the instruction, disguised himself, and returned to the Yuelai Inn after checking that no one was following him.
• Xiaohuan brought Shen Jingchuan to Xiao Mingshu, who had been worried about his day-long absence, and he promised to be more careful.
• Shen Jingchuan gave Xiao Mingshu two High-Grade Mind-Calming Pills, five High-Grade Qi Condensing Pills, and two High-Grade Qi Gathering Pills, then Xiao Mingshu recognized the rare pills and urged him not to risk himself for them.

Shen Jingchuan gave Huan'er and Xiao Mingshu precious pills before consulting Xian'er about his stalled cultivation. After refining his Divine Sense and consuming Qi Condensing Pills, he broke through the barrier between the Qi Refining Fourth and fifth Layers.

• Shen Jingchuan gave Huan'er a High-Grade Qi Gathering Pill and Xiao Mingshu five High-Grade Qi Condensing Pills, and they agreed to attend the auction together the next day.
• Shen Jingchuan deposited two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones in the Heaven and Earth Ring and told Xian'er that he was cautiously reselling upgraded pills.
• Xian'er explained that Shen Jingchuan needed to refine his Divine Sense to advance with the Five Elements Qi Refining Instruction, so he used High-Grade Mind-Calming Pills to strengthen it.
• Shen Jingchuan swallowed two High-Grade Qi Condensing Pills and drove his Spiritual Power against the barrier to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
• The barrier gave way as Shen Jingchuan broke through.

Shen Jingchuan broke through to Qi Refinement Fifth Layer, then disguised himself and sold upgraded pills and talismans to amass Spirit Stones before attending the auction. Accountant Wu warned him that someone had been watching the place where he was staying.

• Shen Jingchuan reached Qi Refinement Fifth Layer and stabilized his new cultivation with a High-Grade Qi Gathering Pill.
• Shen Jingchuan decided to sell more upgraded goods before the auction, disguising himself with the Heavenly Eye Peering into Truth Instruction.
• Shen Jingchuan repeatedly sold high-grade pills and talismans and bought mid-grade goods, accumulating more than twenty-three thousand Spirit Stones.
• Shen Jingchuan, Xiao Mingshu, and Huan'er went to the Drunken Immortal Tavern for the auction, where Accountant Wu escorted them to a private room.
• Accountant Wu quietly warned Shen Jingchuan that someone had set their sights on the place where he was staying.

Shen Jingchuan and Xiao Mingshu learned that a Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator and two others had taken an interest in them, so they decided to stay cautious and wait before leaving the market. As the auction began, Shen Jingchuan watched without bidding while the Frost Sword sold for 2,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

• Accountant Wu warned Shen Jingchuan that three people were watching him, including a dangerous Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator, and Shen Jingchuan thanked him with a High-Grade Qi Gathering Pill.
• Shen Jingchuan told Xiao Mingshu they should lie low in the market and revealed that he had broken through to Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
• Xiao Mingshu chose not to press Shen Jingchuan about his rapid progress or the Shen Household's hidden resources, and trusted him to handle the danger.
• The auction began, and Shen Jingchuan used the Heavenly Eye Peering into Truth Instruction to identify the auctioneer, surnamed Chen, as a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator.
• The auctioneer presented the Frost Sword, a supreme-grade Law Artifact, and a gray-robed old man won it with a bid of 2,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones while Shen Jingchuan sat out.

Shen Jingchuan stayed out of most of the auction until he noticed Xiao Mingshu wanted the Jade Water Heart-Protecting Pendant and bought it for her. After Xiao Mingshu thanked him, she teased him by offering Huan'er to him as a concubine.

• Shen Jingchuan passed on the auction lots, including a hundred-year-old Purple Origin Ganoderma, while Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er watched without bidding.
• The auctioneer presented the top-grade Jade Water Heart-Protecting Pendant, which could protect its wearer from a Foundation Establishment cultivator's full-force blow.
• Shen Jingchuan noticed Xiao Mingshu's interest and bid 2,600 Spirit Stones, winning the pendant for her.
• Xiao Mingshu thanked Shen Jingchuan, and he offered to buy Huan'er anything she wanted.
• Xiao Mingshu teased Huan'er and offered her to Shen Jingchuan as a concubine.

At the auction, Shen Jingchuan bought Xiao Mingshu a protective jade pendant while she teased him about marriage. When five rusted rings from High Antiquity ruins appeared, Xian'er sensed they were a fortuitous opportunity and urged him to bid on them.

• Xiao Mingshu and Shen Jingchuan teased each other about marrying, and she thanked him for his help.
• Shen Jingchuan paid for the Jade Water Heart-Protecting Pendant and gave it to Xiao Mingshu, who activated it and praised its protection.
• Xian'er revealed that she had recovered enough to sense the world outside Shen Jingchuan's ring and watched the auction with him.
• The auctioneer presented five rusted rings from High Antiquity ruins, explaining that their Spiritual Qi was exhausted and they appeared to be ordinary iron.
• Xian'er sensed something special about the five rings and told Shen Jingchuan to bid on them.

Shen Jingchuan bought a ruined artifact from a High Antiquity ruin for three thousand Spirit Stones after Xian'er sensed it suited a cultivator with a five spirit root. He stored the five rings until he could prepare enough Spirit Stones to upgrade them, then learned that Huan'er also had a five spirit root.

• Xian'er urged Shen Jingchuan to buy the ruined artifact, saying it might be a great opportunity for someone with a five spirit root.
• Shen Jingchuan outbid a burly artifact refiner and won the five rings for three thousand Spirit Stones.
• Xian'er warned Shen Jingchuan not to upgrade the rings until he had prepared enough Spirit Stones, so he stored them away.
• Shen Jingchuan told Xiao Mingshu he hoped to repair the artifact, while Huan'er encouraged him to succeed.
• Shen Jingchuan asked Huan'er about her spirit root, and she shyly admitted she had a five spirit root.

Shen Jingchuan avoided buying the auction’s conspicuous final lot, then traded pills and talismans before deciding that he, Xiao Mingshu, and Huan'er would stay in Spirit Creek Market and rent a cave abode. After moving into a spacious class A residence, Xiao Mingshu reflected that her life had been most prosperous since she came to Yuxi Prefecture to do business with him.

• Shen Jingchuan passed on the Cold Spring Sword at auction and later sold and bought pills and talismans around the market.
• Shen Jingchuan told Xiao Mingshu that they would stay in the market and rent a cave abode so their watcher might relax his surveillance.
• Shen Jingchuan, Xiao Mingshu, and Huan'er visited Accountant Wu and chose a spacious class A cave abode.
• Shen Jingchuan paid two hundred and forty Spirit Stones for a year’s rent and gave Accountant Wu a High-Grade Qi Gathering Pill.
• Xiao Mingshu chose a room and told Shen Jingchuan that doing business with him in Yuxi Prefecture had been the most prosperous time of her life.

Xiao Mingshu told Shen Jingchuan about her neglected upbringing, stalled cultivation, and the marriage alliance she refused, then explained why life in their new cave abode felt so comfortable. Huan'er returned with the cave abode document and food, and the three celebrated with Shen Jingchuan's cooking.

• Xiao Mingshu described how her low-ranking palace-maid mother died after giving birth to her and how the royal family overlooked her until she was found to have Three Spirit Roots.
• Xiao Mingshu explained that she had remained stuck at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, received little support from the royal family or the Azure Cloud Sect, and refused a marriage alliance proposed by the Qi Kingdom.
• Shen Jingchuan reassured Xiao Mingshu that things would improve now that she had him, and she blushed at his words.
• Huan'er returned with the completed cave abode document and ingredients she had bought with Xiao Mingshu's money, and Shen Jingchuan agreed to cook for them.
• Xiao Mingshu used a Cleaning Technique to tidy the cave abode while Huan'er prepared ingredients and Shen Jingchuan cooked six dishes and a soup.
• Huan'er noticed the food lacked the flavor enhancer Shen Jingchuan had called nasty, so he realized cultivators could refine it away and promised to add plenty next time.

Shen Jingchuan used thirty thousand Spirit Stones to begin repairing and upgrading his five metal rings, then spent the night cultivating while they remained enveloped in green light. In the morning, he gave Huan'er high-grade Gale Boots and more than twenty Qi Gathering Pills after learning she had reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, leaving her deeply moved.

• Shen Jingchuan transferred thirty thousand Spirit Stones and the five metal rings into the Heaven and Earth Ring, where Xian'er began repairing and upgrading them.
• Shen Jingchuan cultivated through the night and checked on the rings, which were still wrapped in green light by dawn.
• Shen Jingchuan gave Huan'er high-grade Gale Boots, and Xiao Mingshu encouraged her to accept them.
• Huan'er tried on the boots and told Shen Jingchuan she had reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
• Shen Jingchuan gave Huan'er two bottles containing over twenty Qi Gathering Pills, and Xiao Mingshu teased her about being so touched.

Xiao Mingshu teased Huan'er about her feelings for Young Master Shen and encouraged her to accept his gifts. Meanwhile, Wang Chongyue, Wang Chongming, and Zhou Li plotted to capture Shen Jingchuan and waited for him to leave the market; after a night of cultivation, Shen Jingchuan saw that the five rings in his Heaven and Earth Ring had finished being repaired.

• Xiao Mingshu reassured Huan'er that she could accept gifts from Young Master Shen, and Huan'er agreed.
• Wang Chongyue, Wang Chongming, and Zhou Li discussed Shen Jingchuan’s unusual trading and suspected he had a valuable secret.
• Wang Chongyue refused to attack Shen Jingchuan’s protected cave abode, and the three men decided to take turns watching for him to leave.
• Shen Jingchuan meditated through the night while the five rings in his Heaven and Earth Ring continued repairing.
• Shen Jingchuan saw the green light fade from the five rings and found their rust gone and their surfaces glowing warmly.

After the five rings shed their rust, Xian'er identified them as a rare growth-type Law Treasure suited to Shen Jingchuan’s Five Spirit Root and Five Elements Qi Refining Instruction. Shen Jingchuan named them the Five Elements Heaven and Earth Ring, bound them to himself, and learned that he could begin using them with Xian’er’s heaven-grade Five Elements Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation.

• Xian'er examined the restored five-colored rings and said they were built on the Great Dao of the Five Phases and suited Shen Jingchuan’s cultivation.
• Shen Jingchuan named the treasure the Five Elements Heaven and Earth Ring despite Xian'er pointing out its resemblance to the Chaos Heaven and Earth Ring.
• Xian'er explained that the rings were a growth-type Law Treasure that could advance with Shen Jingchuan if he bound and nurtured them as a life-bound treasure.
• Shen Jingchuan used his Essence Blood and Divine Sense to bind the rings, then summoned them into and out of his Dantian Qi Sea.
• Xian'er told Shen Jingchuan to practice the heaven-grade Five Elements Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation with the rings as substitutes for flying swords, and explained the grades of Cultivation Methods.

Xian'er taught Shen Jingchuan the heaven-grade Five Elements Immortal-Slaying Linked Formation and explained its strengths and limits. Shen practiced it with his five Heaven and Earth Rings, then told Xiao Mingshu and Huan'er that his Lineage had repaired the rings and given him a method to use them.

• Xian'er passed the formation’s mnemonics, circulation routes, and diagrams to Shen Jingchuan, who memorized the method and named it the Five Elements Immortal-Slaying Linked Formation.
• Xian'er explained that a heaven-grade Cultivation Method offered advantages at the same level and room to grow, but could not bridge a major cultivation realm by itself.
• Shen Jingchuan practiced guiding his five Heaven and Earth Rings through the formation and found that their shape made some sword techniques awkward to perform.
• Huan'er and Xiao Mingshu arrived and watched Shen complete the formation before he returned the rings to his Dantian.
• Shen Jingchuan told Xiao Mingshu that his Lineage had sent the repaired rings and taught him a simple method to use them, and Huan'er praised his display.