Chapter Summaries

Wang Chen fought the wounded Crimson Earth Beast through the underground chambers he had prepared, using his strength and the tunnels to escape its attacks. He ambushed the beast as it returned to the surface and killed it with the Wind Thunder Sword.

• Wang Chen withdrew into the tunnels after wounding the Crimson Earth Beast, and the beast broke free of his stone shell and pursued him underground.
• Wang Chen smashed the beast's left forepaw with his fists when it clawed into the second chamber, then escaped into the tunnel leading to the third chamber as it sprayed corrosive gastric fluid.
• The injured Crimson Earth Beast gave up digging downward and slowly returned toward the surface through the tunnel.
• Wang Chen emerged through an escape tunnel and lay in ambush above the Cave Mansion entrance.
• Wang Chen killed the Crimson Earth Beast with the Wind Thunder Sword as it emerged, earning 1056 Human Virtue.

After killing two Crimson Earth Beasts, Wang Chen hurried toward Flying Immortal City and discovered that a massive beast calamity had begun. He watched the city’s outnumbered cultivators struggle against waves of ground and flying beasts, with its destruction seeming only a matter of time.

• Wang Chen stored the Tier 2 Crimson Earth Beast’s corpse, then used his Divine Sense and Wind Thunder Sword to kill a fleeing juvenile Crimson Earth Beast.
• Wang Chen gained 107 Human Virtue and checked that he had 978 Heavenly Merit, leaving him 22 points short of another attribute increase.
• Wang Chen hid in the forest as a vast flock of demonic birds flew toward Flying Immortal City, then continued toward the city.
• Wang Chen saw Flying Immortal City under attack from enormous hordes of demonic beasts and birds.
• Wang Chen observed Purple Mansion cultivators defending the city while Tier 2 Spirit Demons ambushed them and the seemingly endless beast reinforcements threatened to overwhelm the defenders.

Wang Chen watched Flying Immortal City nearly fall to a massive beast tide, but a fleet of Flying Ships arrived and turned the battle around. As the Demonic Beasts retreated, many headed directly toward Wang Chen.

• Wang Chen judged Flying Immortal City doomed and prepared to leave, worried that he would no longer find a party to cross the Jade Dragon Mountain Range with.
• A fleet of Flying Ships arrived from the east, bombarding the Demonic Beasts with fireballs and heavy crossbow bolts.
• The city’s cultivators rallied and counterattacked as the Flying Ships’ barriers withstood the demonic birds’ attacks.
• Flying Swords cut down the demonic birds, causing the beast horde’s air force to collapse and flee.
• The Flying Ships devastated the ground forces, forcing the Demonic Beasts to retreat toward Wang Chen.

Wang Chen returned to Flying Immortal City after the beast tide and learned that the White Tiger Sect had rescued the city and was collecting the dead and their belongings. He rented an inn room to wait for events to unfold, then saw the sect land its Flying Ships and distribute notices.

• Wang Chen emerged from a secret passage and returned to Flying Immortal City after the beast tide had receded.
• White Tiger Sect cultivators searched and cremated the dead, gathered Demonic Beast carcasses, and killed cultivators who tried to steal valuables.
• Flying Immortal City survivors debated whether to stay or leave and learned that the rescuers belonged to the White Tiger Sect.
• Wang Chen rented an inn room for five days rather than rebuild his destroyed Cave Mansion.
• The next day, the White Tiger Sect landed its twelve Flying Ships outside the city and distributed notices.

As the White Tiger Sect began rebuilding Flying Immortal City and compensating its displaced residents with new house deeds, Wang Chen bought more than a hundred deeds from cultivators eager to leave. He spent nearly all his available Spirit Stones, betting that property prices would rise once the city was rebuilt.

• The White Tiger Sect requisitioned every private house in Flying Immortal City and offered residents new deeds as compensation.
• An elderly cultivator offered his family’s four-fen deed for three hundred Spirit Stones, and Wang Chen bought it.
• Wang Chen announced that he would buy other residents’ deeds and purchased them for fifty percent above their base exchange value.
• News of Wang Chen’s offer spread through the tent camp, and he bought over a hundred deeds before nearly running out of Spirit Stones.
• Some cultivators changed their minds about selling, and Wang Chen inadvertently started a small property speculation syndicate.

Wang Chen witnessed the White Tiger Sect complete its takeover of Flying Immortal City, activate the city’s protection array, and rename it White Tiger City. As demand for housing deeds surged, Wang Chen refused to sell one cheaply to two cultivators who tried to pressure him.

• The White Tiger Sect finished rebuilding the city, then a Golden Core True Person activated its City Protection Array and the sect renamed it White Tiger City.
• Former Flying Immortal City residents prepared for a housing-lot drawing, while people who had sold their deeds regretted leaving as deed prices climbed.
• Other cultivators noticed Wang Chen’s many deeds and eyed his wealth covetously.
• Two Qi Condensation cultivators asked Wang Chen to sell them five deed shares, and he demanded one thousand Spirit Stones.
• When the tall cultivator called the price excessive, Wang Chen raised it to one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones, and the pair left angrily.

Wang Chen left the tent camp and lured a group of cultivators who meant to rob him into an ambush. He killed all seven, gathered enough Heavenly Merit to pass 1,000 points, and settled into a temporary Cave Mansion.

• Wang Chen ignored his neighbor’s warning, packed away his tent, and headed west.
• The tall, thin cultivator learned that Wang Chen had left and led six others after him, tracking him with a Qianji Worm.
• Wang Chen immobilized all seven pursuers with the Body Immobilization Technique, revealing his Purple Mansion cultivation, then killed them with the Wind Thunder Sword.
• Wang Chen collected the seven cultivators’ belongings and burned their corpses, bringing his Heavenly Merit to 1,021.
• Wang Chen avoided returning to the tent camp and dug a temporary Cave Mansion in a secluded spot.

Wang Chen improved his Comprehension, cultivated in enlightenment, and profited from White Tiger City's surging property prices. After selling most of his new deeds, he entered the White Tiger Sect's drawing and drew high-ranking lots for his remaining deeds.

• Wang Chen spent 1,000 Heavenly Merit to raise his Comprehension to 7 and entered a state of enlightenment while practicing the Innate Five Elements Technique.
• The Giant Whale brought new cultivators to White Tiger City, and the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce opened a branch, encouraging many newcomers to stay.
• Demand for new deeds surged as departing cultivators reconsidered leaving and newcomers bought property, driving prices higher.
• Wang Chen recognized the White Tiger Sect's strategy behind the property boom and sold most of his deeds for nearly a hundred thousand Spirit Stones in profit.
• Wang Chen reassured Cultivator Zhang that Boss Jia and his group had been dealt with, then joined the White Tiger Sect's drawing and received high-ranking lots for his three remaining deeds.

Wang Chen chose a shop and two homes in White Tiger City, then opened a talisman shop and invested its profits in learning to craft Tier 2 spirit talismans. After a quiet winter walk outside the city, he launched into the air with the Sky-Plundering Technique.

• Wang Chen selected a storefront near a main street and drew two residences in White Tiger City's southern district.
• The White Tiger Sect announced that White Tiger City and the surrounding hundred li were part of its mountain gate and that it would govern the land within a thousand li.
• Wang Chen renovated his storefront, opened the Dust Smoke Talisman Shop, and sold his own Tier 1 magic talismans in the mornings.
• Wang Chen spent his shop profits on Tier 2 spirit talisman materials and persisted despite frequent failures and heavy losses.
• After snow drove customers away, Wang Chen walked out of White Tiger City and suddenly took to the sky using the Sky-Plundering Technique.

Wang Chen began cultivating the Winter Sword of the Four Seasons Sword Technique and discovered how much more demanding it was than his previous sword art. After killing a demon fox that had watched him, he fled as a powerful two-tailed figure appeared in the forest.

• Wang Chen practiced the Winter Sword with the Wind Thunder Sword and gained his first point of experience in the technique.
• Wang Chen realized he would need to cultivate all four seasonal swords to fully master the Four Seasons Sword Technique.
• Wang Chen sensed a malicious presence and struck a snow fox with his flying sword.
• The dying demon fox unleashed an invisible attack, but Wang Chen evaded it and fled after releasing a Fire Crow to burn its corpse.
• A powerful ghostlike figure with two tails appeared in the mountain forest and howled.

Wang Chen escaped the Snow Fox's notice and spent the days before New Year in White Tiger City, where refugees and trade had made the city thrive. On New Year's Eve, he welcomed Xu Hongcai into his home and shared his lavish dinner with him.

• A Two-tailed Snow Fox blamed a human cultivator for Xiao Qi's death, while a Two-tailed Spotted Fox urged it to consult their old ancestor for help.
• Wang Chen sensed danger, abandoned the Snow Fox's corpse, and hurried back to White Tiger City.
• As refugees arrived and residents stayed in the city, White Tiger City's housing prices and business activity rose, and Wang Chen earned a modest profit selling Auspicious New Year Talismans.
• Wang Chen sold two houses and prepared an expensive New Year's Eve dinner for himself.
• Xu Hongcai arrived after being thrown out by Madam Lu, and Wang Chen invited him in to share the meal.

Wang Chen learned about the Mountain Crossing Society, which guided cultivators across the dangerous Jade Dragon Mountain Range, from Xu Hongcai. After passing the ferryman’s assessment, Wang Chen obtained a Mountain Crossing Token and secured a place in a future team.

• Xu Hongcai warned Wang Chen that crossing Jade Dragon Mountain was perilous and recommended joining the Mountain Crossing Society.
• Xu Hongcai offered to introduce Wang Chen to a ferryman, and Wang Chen revealed his Purple Mansion cultivation after Xu Hongcai quoted the fee for Qi Refining cultivators.
• Xu Hongcai promised to arrange a meeting, then returned on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month with news that the ferryman was ready to meet Wang Chen.
• Xu Hongcai introduced Wang Chen to the Mountain Crossing Society’s ferryman at Star Picking Pavilion, where Wang Chen demonstrated his cultivation and second-tier Wind Thunder Sword.
• The ferryman accepted Wang Chen and gave him a Mountain Crossing Token.

Wang Chen sold his Talisman Shop, spent much of his wealth on supplies and protective talismans, and joined the Mountain Crossing Society's expedition across Jade Dragon Mountain. The group survived a swarm of Fire Ants and continued deeper into the mountains, wary of further dangers.

• Wang Chen sold his shop, bought cultivation supplies, pills, and spirit talismans, and set out with roughly fifty thousand Spirit Stones remaining.
• Wang Chen joined the Mountain Crossing Society's expedition, received a Mountain-Quelling Rhinoceros, and rode north with three hundred cultivators under nine Purple Mansion ferrymen.
• The expedition camped for the night, and Wang Chen roasted fresh Demonic Beast meat beside his bonfire.
• The expedition traveled for several days without incident until its leader warned of approaching Fire Ants and ordered everyone to dismount and climb trees.
• Wang Chen stored his Mountain-Quelling Rhinoceros in a Spirit Beast Bag and sheltered in a tree as the Fire Ants devoured a wolf beast and swept past the group.
• After the Fire Ants disappeared, the cultivators retrieved their mounts, regrouped, and continued their journey more cautiously.

Wang Chen enjoyed a private hotpot in his tent during a storm until Li Yi'an joined him with a gift of spirit wine. As they shared food and drink, Wang Chen wondered why she treated him differently, but he chose not to ask.

• Wang Chen lit a charcoal stove in his Black Clam Tent and prepared a hotpot while the storm raged outside.
• Li Yi'an entered Wang Chen's tent and teased him for keeping the feast to himself.
• Li Yi'an offered Hundred Flower Brew in exchange for sharing the hotpot, and Wang Chen gave her a pair of chopsticks.
• Wang Chen and Li Yi'an ate hotpot and drank wine together.
• Wang Chen asked why Li Yi'an had approached him, but he dropped the question when she offered to tell him the truth or a lie.

Wang Chen drank and played dice with Li Yi'an, then faced resentment from the other cultivators after she visited his tent. On the ninth day in the Jade Dragon Mountain Range, the party negotiated passage past a boar-riding monster group, but a guide warned that powerful Evil Spirits had recently appeared.

• Wang Chen played Liar's Dice and drank with Li Yi'an, who teased him before leaving his tent.
• The other cultivators saw Li Yi'an visit Wang Chen and grew hostile, though the Mountain Crossing Society's rules prevented anyone from confronting him.
• On the ninth day in the mountains, more than a hundred wolf-headed riders on boars blocked the party's path.
• The leading guide negotiated with the monster chief by handing over a Storage Bag, and the group continued after the Boar Cavalry departed.
• The guide warned the party that Evil Spirits had recently appeared in the mountains and urged everyone to stay alert.

A mountain-crossing party was ambushed by a migrating tribe of Three-Eyed Stone Apes in the Jade Dragon Mountain Range. After the cultivators repelled the first assault, a powerful earth dragon charged into their Mountain Rhinoceros Formation, leaving them under a new, greater threat.

• Three hundred cultivators riding Mountain-Quelling Rhinoceroses formed a defensive formation against a barrage of stone spheres from the Three-Eyed Stone Apes.
• The cultivators counterattacked with spells, killing at least a hundred apes and forcing the survivors to retreat into the forest.
• The leading ferryman warned the party of an approaching threat, and the cultivators reinforced the Mountain Rhinoceros Formation with their mana.
• A massive earth dragon surged through the forest toward the party, revealing power beyond the Purple Mansion level.
• The earth dragon slammed into the Mountain Rhinoceros Formation, shaking heaven and earth.

A Golden Core Great Demon shattered the Mountain Rhinoceros Formation and devastated the mountain-crossing party, then left despite the ferrymen invoking the Jade Dragon Oath. As Three-Eyed Stone Apes attacked the weakened survivors, Wang Chen fought back with his Wind Thunder Sword, and the apes eventually retreated, though the party had not yet completed half its journey.

• A Golden Core Great Demon broke the Mountain Rhinoceros Formation, severely injuring Wang Chen and killing or wounding many cultivators.
• A ferryman accused the Great Demon of violating the Jade Dragon Oath, but the demon denied knowing about it and departed.
• The Three-Eyed Stone Apes returned, and the surviving ferrymen used their mountain-seal spirit artifacts to shield the party.
• Wang Chen recovered with a Healing Pill and killed Three-Eyed Stone Apes with his Wind Thunder Sword as the cultivators counterattacked.
• The Three-Eyed Stone Apes retreated after suffering heavy losses, while Wang Chen worried that the party still had much of the journey ahead.

After a devastating attack by a Great Demon left the mountain-crossing party with heavy casualties, Wang Chen questioned whether crossing Jade Dragon Mountain Range was worth the risk. Li Yi'an joined him for wine and revealed a secret cultivation method, leaving Wang Chen realizing she had seduced him.

• The party mourned thirty-nine dead and tended to more than a hundred injured after the Great Demon's attack.
• Senior Xu let the cultivators decide whether to continue through Jade Dragon Mountain Range or return, and they agreed to rest for three days first.
• Wang Chen drank alone in his tent and doubted whether crossing the mountains would lead him to the expert Changchun had mentioned.
• Li Yi'an joined Wang Chen, drank with him, and shared a stronger jar of Hundred Flower Brew.
• Li Yi'an kissed Wang Chen, explained the Primordial Yin Harmonization Secret Method, and sealed the tent with four Talismans.

Wang Chen and Li Yi'an became dao companions and improved their cultivation through three days of dual cultivation as the mountain-crossing party continued through Jade Dragon Mountain. Wang Chen then used Heavenly Merit to break through to the Indestructible Vajra realm, gaining greater physical strength.

• Wang Chen and Li Yi'an woke after their first night together, and Li Yi'an revealed that their Pure Yin and Pure Yang Physiques had helped her break through and had greatly improved his cultivation.
• Li Yi'an said she had chosen Wang Chen for the chance to advance and planned to leave him at the West Sea Spirit Domain, but Wang Chen insisted he would decide when their relationship ended.
• Wang Chen and Li Yi'an practiced the Primordial Yin Harmonization Secret Method in his tent for three days, then rejoined the mountain-crossing party as it continued onward.
• The party set out again after most injured cultivators recovered, while other cultivators grew envious of Wang Chen and Li Yi'an's relationship.
• On the twenty-first day in Jade Dragon Mountain, Wang Chen spent 1 point of Heavenly Merit to advance the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma to Level 5 and reach the Indestructible Vajra realm.

The procession reached the abandoned Mountain Lord Temple after a slow, dangerous trek through the Jade Dragon Mountain Range, and the ferrymen said the West Sea Spirit Domain was five days away. The group rested inside the temple under a defensive formation while Wang Chen and Li Yi'an prepared dinner together.

• Wang Chen reflected on the procession’s fear of another Great Demon attack and decided he would prioritize saving himself and Li Yi'an if danger returned.
• Li Yi'an told Wang Chen she had fled her sect to avoid being used as a cultivation furnace and had chosen him as her Dao companion to pursue greater strength.
• A ferryman announced that the procession had reached the Mountain Lord Temple and was only five days from the West Sea Spirit Domain.
• The three ferrymen searched the temple, found only small wild animals, and set up a defensive formation in the main hall.
• Wang Chen brought out his tent and cooking equipment, and Li Yi'an helped him prepare dinner.