Chapter Summaries

Wang Chen watched the Red Sleeve Workshop Singer Gathering at Lichun Courtyard as rival patrons battled over the leading singers, Xiao Qiao and Su Qing. Xiao Lian performed on the Jiaowei Qin, and Wang Chen decided to buy flower hairpins for her, leaving her performance underway.

• Guests at Lichun Courtyard threw flower hairpins to vote for the singers, with Xiao Qiao and Su Qing rising far above the rest.
• Little Gui Zi explained that Young Master Wang backed Su Qing while Fifth Young Master Wang supported Xiao Qiao to spite him.
• Young Master Wang and Fifth Young Master Wang traded insults, then stopped throwing hairpins, cooling the crowd and unsettling a singer onstage.
• Xiao Lian took the stage and impressed Wang Chen with her qin performance.
• Wang Chen gave Little Gui Zi Spirit Stones and told him to exchange them for flower hairpins for Xiao Lian.

Wang Chen backed Xiao Lian at the Singer Gathering, then confronted Lu Pengze after he mocked her scar. Wang Chen revealed that he was a West Sea Sect Inner Sect Disciple and threatened Lu Pengze with a fight to the death, leaving Lu scrambling to apologize.

• Wang Chen had Little Gui Zi cast flower pins for Xiao Lian, whose song had received no support from the audience.
• Lu Pengze mocked Xiao Lian’s ghost scar, and Wang Chen told him to leave if he found her disgusting.
• Lu Pengze challenged Wang Chen and taunted him as a low-status Exalted One, while Little Gui Zi urged Wang Chen to leave.
• Wang Chen revealed his West Sea Jade Inscription, identifying himself as a West Sea Sect Inner Sect Disciple.
• Wang Chen challenged Lu Pengze to a fight to the death, and Lu Pengze immediately tried to pass the insult off as a misunderstanding.

Wang Chen intervened to protect Xiao Lian from Lu Pengze’s insult, turning the Singer Gathering in her favor. He then secured Xiao Lian’s freedom and gave her the Courtesan Queen rewards, telling her to leave Lotus City with Little Gui Zi.

• Lu Pengze apologized to Wang Chen and promised him a banquet, then publicly apologized to Xiao Lian and slapped himself.
• Lu Pengze and the other guests showered Xiao Lian with hairpin flowers, making her the leading candidate for Courtesan Queen.
• Xiao Lian sang for Wang Chen as Lu Pengze quietly left, and Little Gui Zi kowtowed to Wang Chen in gratitude.
• Wang Chen summoned the head of Lichun Courtyard and Xiao Lian, burned Xiao Lian’s deed of sale, and accepted her Courtesan Queen rewards.
• Wang Chen gave the rewards to Xiao Lian and told her to leave Lotus City with Little Gui Zi.

Wang Chen gave Xiao Lian her Courtesan Queen prize and urged her and Little Gui Zi to leave Lotus City for their safety. After White Crane True Person summoned him, Wang Chen learned that the West Sea Sect would back him as an Inner Sect Disciple.

• Wang Chen returned the prize money to Xiao Lian and told her and Little Gui Zi to leave Lotus City before Lu Pengze’s allies could target them.
• Little Gui Zi understood Wang Chen’s plan to conceal the prize money’s true recipient and promised to take Xiao Lian away the next day.
• Lu Pengze endured a hundred strokes of family punishment, while his father decided to prepare a lavish gift and apologize to White Crane True Person.
• White Crane True Person summoned Wang Chen to the Southern Domain Palace and said he would not punish him for his actions at Lichun Courtyard.
• White Crane True Person told Wang Chen that West Sea Sect disciples could not be bullied, and Wang Chen realized he had a powerful backer.

Wang Chen asked White Crane True Person to cure Xiao Lian, settling the karmic bond between them, then waited in Lotus City for Southern Domain Palace’s Teleportation Array to open. After receiving an invitation to meet newly admitted West Sea Sect disciples from the Southern Region, he agreed to attend.

• White Crane True Person offered Wang Chen one request because of his karma with Yuan Shenkui, and Wang Chen asked him to treat Xiao Lian.
• White Crane True Person agreed to remove Xiao Lian’s ghostly birthmark for one hundred thousand spirit stones, and Wang Chen brought her and Little Gui Zi to the palace.
• White Crane True Person cured Xiao Lian, and she and Little Gui Zi thanked Wang Chen before leaving together.
• Wang Chen rented an underwater Cave Mansion in Lotus City and cultivated there for seven days.
• Wang Chen received Yang Kaifeng’s invitation to a gathering of newly admitted West Sea Sect disciples from the Southern Region and sent back his acceptance.

Wang Chen attended a gathering for newly inducted West Sea Sect disciples at Lotus Platform, where the other cultivators looked down on his humble background. As he enjoyed the feast, an arrogant young cultivator confronted him over a show of power at Lichun Courtyard.

• Wang Chen arrived at Lotus Platform and found the gathering filled with young Purple Mansion cultivators.
• Yang Kaifeng greeted Wang Chen, learned he came from Wancheng City, and seated him apart from the more prestigious circle.
• Wang Chen observed the gathering’s social divisions, then joined the others in a toast and sampled Lotus Platform’s immortal cuisine.
• An arrogant young cultivator confronted Wang Chen about his actions at Lichun Courtyard, drawing the attention of the room.

Wang Chen rebuffed Lu Pengfei’s challenge at Yang Kaifeng’s gathering by invoking Elder White Crane, then left without reconciling with Yang Kaifeng. Two days later, he joined a group of Purple Mansion cultivators at the Southern Domain Palace and was swept into a disorienting transport ritual as he prepared to leave Lotus City.

• Wang Chen exposed Lu Pengfei as an Outer Sect disciple and rebuked him for questioning an Inner Sect Disciple.
• Wang Chen invoked Elder White Crane, prompting Yang Kaifeng to make Lu Pengfei apologize and apologize himself.
• Wang Chen declined to hold a grudge but left the gathering, while Yang Kaifeng resumed the festivities.
• Wang Chen left Lotus Platform and walked through Lotus City before returning to the Southern Domain Palace two days later to depart.
• A palace cultivator gave the assembled Purple Mansion cultivators Pills to hold in their mouths, and a command sealed Wang Chen’s Mana and plunged him into chaos.

Wang Chen and the other newly admitted cultivators faced a newly imposed entrance trial at the West Sea Sect, where Zi Xiao True Person assigned each of them a task to complete within one month. Wang Chen drew a pursuit task targeting the Evil Cultivator Zhou Senzhi and was transported to Panshi to begin.

• Zi Xiao True Person announced that the new disciples had to pass an entrance trial or lose their sect status, and he struck down a cultivator who protested.
• Zi Xiao True Person presented separate task selections for Inner Sect and Outer Sect disciples and gave them one month to finish their chosen tasks.
• Wang Chen drew a task to capture or kill Zhou Senzhi, an Evil Cultivator recently spotted near Panshi, for a reward of Merit Points.
• Wang Chen considered how to find Zhou Senzhi without any local connections, then Zi Xiao True Person transported him to a bustling city street.

Wang Chen arrived in Myriad Spirit City for his West Sea Sect entry assessment and enlisted the help of Outer Sect disciple Zuo Xiaomo to learn about the region and track his target, Zhou Senzhi. After paying Dongming Residence for intelligence, Wang Chen left to pursue the Evil Cultivator.

• Wang Chen found himself in Myriad Spirit City and met Zuo Xiaomo, a West Sea Sect Outer Sect disciple who offered to show him around.
• Wang Chen told Zuo Xiaomo that he was a newly promoted Inner Sect Disciple on an entry assessment mission to find Zhou Senzhi.
• Zuo Xiaomo recommended that Wang Chen seek information from Dongming Residence, which specialized in intelligence and tracking.
• Zuo Xiaomo led Wang Chen to Dongming Residence and acted as his guarantor.
• Wang Chen paid one hundred thousand Spirit Stones for the latest intelligence related to Zhou Senzhi.

After receiving intelligence that the wanted Evil Cultivator Zhou Senzhi was likely hiding in Shangyang Village, Wang Chen disguised himself as a traveling merchant and set out to find him. He established a stall outside the village and watched the villagers while trading goods, leaving Zhou Senzhi’s whereabouts unconfirmed.

• Wang Chen paid Dongming Residence another fifty thousand Spirit Stones for information narrowing Zhou Senzhi’s likely location to Shangyang Village.
• Wang Chen traveled quickly from Myriad Spirit City and reached a plain near the village the following day.
• Wang Chen disguised himself as a traveling merchant and suppressed his cultivation before approaching Shangyang Village.
• Wang Chen set up a stall outside the village and attracted villagers with rice candy, goods, and talismans.
• Wang Chen traded with the villagers while using the Cave Truth Technique to observe his surroundings.

Wang Chen searched Shangyang Village for the Evil Cultivator Zhou Senzhi while posing as a traveling merchant, but his Cave Truth Technique revealed no trace of the target. After village toughs tried to rob him on his second visit, Wang Chen incapacitated and captured them before escaping.

• Wang Chen examined Shangyang Village's villagers with Cave Truth Technique but found no signs that they had contacted Zhou Senzhi.
• He traded goods, promised a child more Osmanthus Rice Candy, and left to visit nearby cities before returning four days later with villagers' commissioned items.
• Wang Chen again failed to detect anyone tainted by evil aura and considered secretly searching the village at night.
• After leaving the village, Wang Chen was surrounded by four local toughs who demanded fifty Spirit Stones as a toll.
• Wang Chen immobilized the four men, trapped them inside the Grand Mystic Mirage Dragon True Form Diagram, and escaped using Shrink Ground into Inch.

Wang Chen questioned four villagers, learned about two suspicious people in Shangyang Village, and disguised himself as the burly man to investigate Widow Sun. He knocked her unconscious after she panicked at his threat to have her home searched.

• Wang Chen released four villagers from the Grand Mystic Mirage Dragon True Form Diagram and interrogated them about Shangyang Village.
• The villagers identified Old Foreman and Widow Li as suspicious figures, though their reasons differed.
• Wang Chen sealed the villagers’ senses, took the burly man’s clothes, and transformed himself to look like him.
• Wang Chen returned to Shangyang Village in disguise and went to Widow Sun’s home.
• Widow Sun panicked when Wang Chen threatened to have her home searched, then pulled him inside.
• Wang Chen struck Widow Sun and knocked her unconscious.

Wang Chen captured and killed the Purple Mansion Evil Cultivator Zhou Senzhi in Shangyang Village, completing his mission. He returned to the West Sea Sect’s Inner Mountain Gate, where the Giant Turtle accepted his spirit fruits and agreed to let him enter.

• Wang Chen lured Zhou Senzhi out by pretending to be overcome with lust, then trapped him with the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil.
• Wang Chen recalled the net and killed Zhou Senzhi with a sword strike, collected his head as mission proof, and burned the corpse and Storage Bag.
• Wang Chen left the unconscious Widow Sun behind and flew back toward the West Sea Sect.
• Wang Chen reached the Inner Mountain Gate and asked the Giant Turtle guarding its entrance to let him pass.
• Wang Chen offered the Giant Turtle his stored spirit fruits, and it agreed to send him inside.

Wang Chen completed his assessment, entered the West Sea Sect as an Inner Sect Disciple, and learned that he had to earn Merit Points and join one of its nine branches to remain in the Inner Sect. Little Yi guided him toward West Sea Immortal City, where his new life in the sect would begin.

• Wang Chen presented Zhou Senzhi's head and his mission scroll to Zi Xiao True Person, who accepted him into the West Sea Sect.
• Wang Chen lit his Soul Lamp, heard the sect's Ten Precepts, and swore a Dao oath against betraying the sect.
• Wang Chen met the reception acolyte Yi Sixteen and asked what he should do after entering the Inner Sect.
• Yi Sixteen guided Wang Chen by immortal crane across the West Sea and explained the sect's islands, branches, and Inner Sect requirements.
• Wang Chen learned that he had to join one of the nine branches within three years and pay one Merit Point per day to stay in West Sea Immortal City.
• Yi Sixteen pointed out West Sea Immortal City ahead, and Wang Chen looked forward to arriving.

Wang Chen planned how to establish himself in West Sea City, join one of the Nine Branches, find the mysterious ferryman, and raise his cultivation enough to reach the upper realm. He used a teleportation array to visit Zuo Xiaomo in Myriad Spirit City, where he met Zuo Xiaomo’s sister, Zuo Xiaolan.

• Wang Chen reviewed his plans and concluded that he needed to settle into West Sea City, join a branch, find the ferryman, and reach at least mid Purple Mansion cultivation.
• Wang Chen received a Flying Sword letter from Zuo Xiaomo, replied, and traveled through the Teleportation Tower to Myriad Spirit City.
• Wang Chen met Zuo Xiaomo at a teahouse and was introduced to Zuo Xiaomo’s younger sister, Zuo Xiaolan, an Outer Sect disciple.
• Zuo Xiaolan greeted Wang Chen, then left after sitting with the two men for half a quarter-hour.

After Zuo Xiaolan left, Wang Chen grew closer to Zuo Xiaomo and learned more about the West Sea Sect and Myriad Spirit City. He then commissioned an expensive fire-and-thunder refinement of his Wind Thunder Sword, leaving after paying a large deposit.

• Zuo Xiaolan left, and Zuo Xiaomo apologized to Wang Chen for her indifferent attitude.
• Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo talked for hours, and their relationship grew closer over dinner.
• Wang Chen declined Zuo Xiaomo's invitation to the Ji Brothel and toured Myriad Spirit City at night.
• Wang Chen visited the Sword Shop and asked its proprietor to modify his Wind Thunder Sword to better suit his fire affinity.
• Wang Chen agreed to pay 2,500 Medium Spirit Stones for the refinement and a message Flying Sword, then paid half as a deposit.

Wang Chen surveyed Myriad Spirit City and found that fierce competition left little profit in talisman making, so he considered learning pill or artifact refinement. He retrieved his upgraded Wind Thunder Sword, which had become a powerful quasi-Magic Treasure, and bought an auxiliary Flying Sword after bargaining.

• Wang Chen learned that even the cheapest Magic Treasure Flying Sword cost ten thousand Medium Spirit Stones and realized his recent purchases had consumed nearly half his savings.
• Wang Chen researched shops and the Immortal Market, discovering that mass production and intense competition made talisman crafting poorly profitable.
• Wang Chen considered switching to pill refinement or artifact refinement but postponed deciding.
• Wang Chen retrieved his modified Wind Thunder Sword and found that its fire affinity had been added without weakening its wind and lightning powers.
• Wang Chen paid the remaining balance for the sword and bought a Tier 2 High-grade auxiliary Flying Sword for eighty-eight thousand Lower Spirit Stones.

Wang Chen absorbed Great Sun Purple Qi at dawn on Yunlan Peak and realized he was running short of the Purple Essence Pills needed to keep cultivating with it. He went to the Library Pavilion to claim his remaining free benefit and selected two Purple Mansion-tier spells, but the chapter ended before he revealed his choices.

• Wang Chen climbed Yunlan Peak, meditated, and absorbed a wisp of Great Sun Purple Qi as the sun rose.
• Wang Chen descended to his residence and found that only five of his Purple Essence Pills remained, while his Merit Points could buy at most seven more.
• Wang Chen decided to claim his free benefit at the Library Pavilion and went to the Dharma Transmission Department.
• Wang Chen searched the third floor of the Library Pavilion and selected two Purple Mansion-tier spells before returning to the first floor.

Wang Chen learned two new spells, then joined Zuo Xiaomo at Myriad Spirit City’s Immortal Market to see cultivators gamble on Ancient Sealed Jade. After one buyer uncovered a fortune in Medium Spirit Stones, the seller brought out another piece of jade.

• Wang Chen chose Mystic Fire Flying Crow and Primal Gengjin Finger, and the Elder of Inherited Teachings placed their Law Seeds in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Zuo Xiaomo summoned Wang Chen to the Immortal Market after hearing that someone was selling Ancient Sealed Jade.
• Zuo Xiaomo explained how cultivators bid on sealed jade without knowing what it contained, and Wang Chen agreed to accompany him to the stall.
• Zuo Xiaomo used Wang Chen’s West Sea Sect status to push through the crowd and secure a place near the stall.
• A cultivator won a piece of Ancient Sealed Jade for eight thousand Spirit Stones and opened it to reveal a large pile of Medium Spirit Stones.
• The seller brought out another piece of Ancient Sealed Jade as the crowd’s excitement grew.

Wang Chen outbid Zuo Qingcheng for an ancient Sealed Jade and stood up for Zuo Xiaomo in the Immortal Market. After Zuo Qingcheng challenged them over the Nine Dragon Underground Palace, Wang Chen and Zuo Xiaomo left to celebrate over a meal.

• Zuo Xiaomo bid up to fifty thousand spirit stones for an ancient Sealed Jade before Zuo Qingcheng arrived and began topping his bids by one hundred.
• Zuo Xiaomo raised his bid to sixty thousand, but Zuo Qingcheng countered at sixty thousand one hundred and taunted him.
• Wang Chen bid sixty-one thousand spirit stones, using Zuo Qingcheng's own words to rebuke him and prompting him to leave.
• Zuo Qingcheng asked whether Wang Chen was Zuo Xiaomo's Dao Guardian and challenged them to meet at the Nine Dragon Underground Palace.
• Wang Chen paid for the Sealed Jade himself, and he and Zuo Xiaomo agreed to drink at Thousand Mountain Pavilion.