Recaps

Lin Xuan cultivated with the Lingyun Art and pills while the sects searched for the father and son he had killed. After a difficult breakthrough, he reached the Spirit Movement Late Stage.

• Lin Xuan heard from Zhao Ming that the major sects had failed to find any trace of the father and son, and focused on improving his strength.
• Lin Xuan began cultivating with the Lingyun Art, finding that its Great Circulation improved his cultivation but demanded far more effort than his old technique.
• Over a month, Lin Xuan advanced to the peak of the fourth layer while concealing his progress from the boys in the Waste Pill Room.
• Lin Xuan used pills to temper the spiritual power in his body and successfully broke through to the fifth layer and the Spirit Movement Late Stage.

Lin Xuan stabilized his fifth-layer cultivation and sought a way to conceal his rapid progress. After discovering that High-Grade Red Silk Grass could hide one’s cultivation, he gathered ordinary grass and prepared to test whether the Blue Light Spot could purify herbs.

• Lin Xuan continued cultivating with more Mid-Grade Marrow Cleansing Pills, improving his pill-purification success rate and stabilizing his fifth-layer realm.
• Worried that others would notice how quickly he had advanced, Lin Xuan searched the Library Pavilion for a way to conceal his cultivation.
• Lin Xuan learned from the Record of Hundred Herbs that only High-Grade Red Silk Grass could conceal cultivation, and that it was extremely rare.
• Lin Xuan exchanged a low-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill for a basket of Red Silk Grass from the herb garden.
• Back in the Waste Pill Room, Lin Xuan took a fresh stalk of Red Silk Grass and prepared to test whether the Blue Light Spot could purify medicinal herbs.

Lin Xuan experimented with purifying fresh Red Silk Grass and discovered that extracting its essence created a liquid that could conceal spiritual power. He left the experiment confident he had found a more effective way to hide his cultivation without hindering his abilities.

• Lin Xuan used his divine sense to guide Blue Light Spots into Red Silk Grass and pushed out its red substance, but the herb remained low-grade.
• Lin Xuan extracted the green essence from another Red Silk Grass, leaving the herb withered, and stored the fragrant liquid in a jade bottle.
• Lin Xuan drank a tiny sip of the liquid and observed it transform into gas that formed a sphere in his dantian.
• Lin Xuan found that the sphere could wrap around spiritual power without disrupting his control of it, while concealing that power from others.
• Lin Xuan concluded that the extracted essence hid cultivation more effectively than high-grade Red Silk Grass.

Lin Xuan refined Red Silk Grass into green liquid that let him conceal most of his cultivation, then spent months in seclusion advancing to the sixth level of the Spirit Movement Stage. After emerging with his cultivation hidden, he went out for a walk before beginning to learn the Spirit Control Technique.

• Lin Xuan discovered that the green liquid from Red Silk Grass let him conceal up to ninety percent of his spirit power without weakening his spells, and he refined the remaining herbs into three bottles.
• Lin Xuan learned that he needed to reach the sixth level of the Spirit Movement Stage before he could use the Spirit Control Technique, so he focused on strengthening his cultivation.
• Lin Xuan spent half a month refining pills, then repeatedly entered seclusion while pretending to be lazy and unnoticed by Zhao Ming and the other attendants.
• After three months of arduous cultivation, Lin Xuan mastered the sixth level of the art and recovered before leaving seclusion.
• Lin Xuan drank the green liquid and deliberately appeared listless, concealing his cultivation so thoroughly that he believed even Master Yunhe would mistake him for a first-level cultivator.
• Lin Xuan dismissed Zhao Ming and the other attendants and went outside to rest for a few days.

Lin Xuan attended a Foundation Establishment instructor’s lesson at the Young Eagle Pavilion and learned cultivation insights that could correct flaws in his practice. Later, he spotted Ye Tian gathering low-cultivation disciples on a mountain and hid to learn what they were planning.

• Lin Xuan took a front-row seat at the Young Eagle Pavilion, where Ye Tian greeted him warmly and invited him to a barbecue.
• Lin Xuan declined Ye Tian’s invitation and noticed Ye Tian approach another low-cultivation disciple after he left.
• A Foundation Establishment instructor taught the disciples cultivation insights that answered Lin Xuan’s questions about his technique.
• Lin Xuan left the pavilion and went to rest on a nearby mountain, where he sensed Ye Tian arriving with several young disciples.
• Lin Xuan hid in the bushes to watch Ye Tian and the disciples because he suspected their gathering concealed a scheme.

Lin Xuan watched as Ye Tian drugged three junior disciples with Forbidden Law Wine, intending to sacrifice them to complete his Hundred Soul Banner. The brothers and their companion were left helpless, while Lin Xuan chose not to intervene.

• Lin Xuan hid in the bushes and wondered why Ye Tian was acting warmly toward the Song Brothers and their tall, skinny companion.
• Ye Tian offered the three junior disciples medicinal wine, and Song Xiong, Song Hu, and the tall, skinny youth each drank from the gourd.
• Lin Xuan recognized that Ye Tian was setting a trap but decided not to interfere, recalling that the three had once bullied him.
• Song Xiong collapsed after drinking, and Song Hu and the tall, skinny youth soon lost their footing as well.
• The three discovered that Ye Tian's Forbidden Law Wine had sealed their spiritual power for three hours.
• Ye Tian revealed that he planned to sacrifice the three disciples to complete his Hundred Soul Banner, and they tried in vain to flee.

Lin Xuan learned that Ye Tian was a Demon Cultivator who planned to use three disciples’ souls to complete his Hundred Soul Banner. Hidden nearby, Lin Xuan resolved not to show mercy to others, while Ye Tian raised the banner to begin refining the captives.

• Lin Xuan recalled the dangers and cruel practices associated with Demon Cultivators after recognizing Ye Tian’s demon tool.
• Ye Tian told the Song Brothers and the tall, thin youth that he needed their essence souls to complete his Hundred Soul Banner.
• Ye Tian explained that he had chosen low-level disciples to avoid drawing the sect’s attention and because their weaker souls were safer to refine.
• Lin Xuan, concealed in the bushes, remembered that Ye Tian had once intended to target him and resolved to repay him later.
• The three captives begged Ye Tian to spare them and offered to help capture Lin Xuan and other disciples, but Lin Xuan’s sympathy for them disappeared.
• Ye Tian ignored the captives’ pleas, raised the Hundred Soul Banner, and prepared to refine their souls.

Ye Tian refined the Song Brothers’ souls into the Hundred Soul Banner and pursued Lin Xuan, who had witnessed the killings. Lin Xuan concealed himself underground, and as Ye Tian searched for him with the demonic artifact, Lin Xuan prepared to strike first.

• Ye Tian killed the Song Brothers, extracted their souls, and refined them into the Hundred Soul Banner.
• Lin Xuan chose to leave rather than attack Ye Tian, but Ye Tian sensed his presence and chased after him.
• Lin Xuan detected Ye Tian approaching, concealed his aura, and used a Quicksand Talisman to hide underground.
• Ye Tian lost track of Lin Xuan and spread black mist from the Hundred Soul Banner to search the area.
• Lin Xuan decided to strike first and raised his hand while remaining underground.

Lin Xuan ambushed Ye Tian with an Ice Needle Technique, but Ye Tian survived by using the Hundred Soul Banner. Both concealed their true cultivation and prepared stronger attacks, leaving the battle poised to escalate.

• Lin Xuan drank Red Silk Grass Green Liquid to conceal his cultivation, then attacked Ye Tian with hundreds of ice needles.
• Ye Tian used the Hundred Soul Banner to summon a White Bone Shield, which blocked the needles before shattering; he then destroyed Lin Xuan's Fire Bird Technique with a blood-red skull.
• Ye Tian mistook Lin Xuan's cultivation for the fourth layer, while Lin Xuan recognized that they were both at the sixth layer and remained wary of the Hundred Soul Banner.
• Ye Tian filled the area with an illusory Ghost Mist, but Lin Xuan resisted it and drew out a Beast Talisman.
• Lin Xuan began unsealing the Beast Talisman as Ye Tian withdrew the Ghost Mist and summoned several Fierce Ghosts from the Hundred Soul Banner.

Lin Xuan and Ye Tian battled with the Beast Soul Talisman and Hundred Soul Banner, but their summoned spirits became evenly matched. Ye Tian then brought out a Spirit Tool fire snake and sent it lunging at Lin Xuan.

• Ye Tian sent nine Fierce Ghosts from the Hundred Soul Banner to attack Lin Xuan.
• Lin Xuan activated the Beast Talisman, summoning an Iron-Armored Explosive Flame Tiger that destroyed two ghosts and drove back the rest.
• Ye Tian recalled the surviving ghosts and used the Hundred Soul Banner to form a massive blood-red skull that fought the tiger to a standstill.
• Ye Tian launched a Spirit Tool shaped like a blazing fire snake at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan pretended to be overwhelmed by Ye Tian’s treasures and superior cultivation while secretly setting a trap. He revealed a high-grade Spirit Tool and his true sixth-layer cultivation, leaving Ye Tian shocked and facing defeat.

• Lin Xuan used the mid-grade Gold Binding Rope against Ye Tian’s fire serpent while hiding his strength behind Red Silk Grass.
• Ye Tian believed Lin Xuan’s apparent fourth-layer cultivation would soon be exhausted and raised a Ghost Mist barrier with the Hundred Soul Banner.
• Lin Xuan feigned panic as Ye Tian taunted him and prepared to attack.
• Lin Xuan released a high-grade Spirit Tool whose pressure overwhelmed the fire serpent and Gold Binding Rope.
• Lin Xuan revealed his sixth-layer cultivation, and Ye Tian realized he had been lured into a trap.

Lin Xuan defeated Ye Tian, collected his treasures, and studied a demonic cultivation technique without choosing to practice it. After recovering from the battle, he began training in the Spirit Control Technique to use Spirit Tools more effectively.

• Lin Xuan killed Ye Tian with his flying sword, collected the Magic Banner, Storage Bag, and other items, and hid the body before returning to Floating Cloud Valley.
• Lin Xuan inspected Ye Tian's spoils and found Spirit Stones, Talismans, a blood-red Jade Slip, the Hundred Soul Banner, and a Fire Serpent Spirit Tool.
• Lin Xuan read the Jade Slip's demonic cultivation technique but rejected its dangerous shortcuts, deciding he might instead learn some of its Spells.
• Lin Xuan concluded the Hundred Soul Banner was only partially refined and considered trading away the Fire Serpent.
• After resting, Lin Xuan began practicing the Spirit Control Technique so he could wield Spirit Tools more effectively.

Lin Xuan struggled for a month to master Spirit Control Technique but made no progress, then discovered the Heavenly Demon Appearance Alteration Technique in a blood-red Jade Slip. The disguise spell could evade detection by cultivators far above his realm, but its short duration and need for a precious medicinal herb limited its use.

• Lin Xuan compared the Spirit Control Technique instructions in two intermediate cultivation methods and began practicing one of them.
• After more than a month of practice, Lin Xuan failed to make progress and decided he could not seek an elder's guidance without drawing attention to his hidden cultivation.
• Lin Xuan browsed spells in a blood-red Jade Slip and found the Heavenly Demon Appearance Alteration Technique.
• Lin Xuan learned the technique required only mid Spirit Movement Stage cultivation and could be detected only by someone two major realms above its caster.
• Lin Xuan discovered the technique lasted only one shichen, required six shichen of rest before reuse, and depended on consuming a precious medicinal herb.

Lin Xuan mastered the Heavenly Demon Appearance Alteration Technique and used purified Red Silk Grass to disguise himself as the dead elite disciple Ye Tian. He went to Floating Cloud Valley’s Elite Hall to seek guidance, where he encountered someone who recognized Ye Tian.

• Lin Xuan learned that top-grade Red Silk Grass could power the disguise technique and realized his purification ability made it useful to him.
• Lin Xuan mastered the technique, drank purified Red Silk Grass, and transformed his face, voice, height, and build to match Ye Tian.
• Lin Xuan decided to impersonate Ye Tian because the elite disciple could consult Foundation Establishment elders, and only a month had passed since Ye Tian disappeared.
• Lin Xuan entered the Elite Hall, wary that someone familiar with Ye Tian might expose him.
• A sturdy, square-faced cultivator greeted Lin Xuan as Junior Brother Ye, and Lin Xuan recognized him.

Lin Xuan impersonated Ye Tian to enter Floating Cloud Valley’s Elite Hall, relying on Ma Tianxiong to pass its identity Restrictions. He saw the sect’s elite disciples gathered to hear an elder impart the Dao, including two at the great perfection of the Spirit Movement Stage.

• Lin Xuan greeted Ma Tianxiong while imitating Ye Tian and learned that Ma had entered the Dao through martial arts.
• Lin Xuan claimed he had come to seek his master’s guidance about refining the Fire Serpent, and Ma Tianxiong invited him into the Elite Hall.
• Ma Tianxiong used his identity plaque to pass the hall’s Restrictions, allowing Lin Xuan to follow him inside.
• Lin Xuan and Ma Tianxiong reached a gathering of more than thirty elite disciples awaiting an elder’s lecture.
• Lin Xuan observed the gathered disciples’ cultivation levels, including a twelve-year-old at the peak of the middle Spirit Movement Stage and two disciples at great perfection.
• Lin Xuan sat in a corner, privately confident that he was stronger than the two leading disciples.

Lin Xuan attended Elder Li’s cultivation lesson and saw the celebrated Qin Yan arrive, whose beauty and reputation captivated the elite disciples. Elder Li began by answering disciples’ cultivation questions, giving Lin Xuan hope that the lesson would not drag on while he relied on the Disguise Technique.

• The disciples discussed Qin Yan’s exceptional talent and wondered why she had not arrived.
• Qin Yan entered the hall, ignored the elite disciples’ eager greetings, and walked past Lin Xuan as well.
• Lin Xuan observed that Qin Yan seemed fed up with the disciples’ persistent flattery.
• Elder Li arrived, sat down, and began answering disciples’ questions about problems in their cultivation.
• Lin Xuan realized that the disciples’ questions came before the lecture and felt relieved that the arrangement suited him.

Lin Xuan disguised as Ye Tian asked Elder Li how to overcome a bottleneck in the Spirit Control Technique and learned that Ginseng Essence could help. He left the Elite Hall safely, pleased that his Blue Star Sea could let him obtain Ginseng Essence from ordinary ginseng.

• Lin Xuan posed as Ye Tian and asked Elder Li for guidance on his stalled cultivation of the Spirit Control Technique.
• Elder Li examined Lin Xuan’s low-grade Fire Serpent Spirit Tool and said that sixth-level cultivators usually needed Foundation Establishment or a stroke of inspiration to master the technique.
• Elder Li revealed that consuming large amounts of Ginseng Essence could help cultivators break through the bottleneck.
• Lin Xuan realized his Blue Star Sea could purify younger ginseng to yield Ginseng Essence, though he pretended to be discouraged.
• Lin Xuan left the Elite Hall before his disguise’s time limit expired, and Ma Tianxiong offered him consolation.

Lin Xuan used Ginseng Essence Powder to master the Spirit Control Technique, then spent years cultivating until he reached Great Perfection in the Spirit Movement Stage. He ended the chapter at the highest level of the stage, despite having no Spirit Root.

• Lin Xuan disguised himself and traded Marrow Cleansing Pills for ordinary ginseng and Red Silk Grass.
• Lin Xuan purified the ginseng into Ginseng Essence Powder and found that it improved the quality of his spiritual power.
• Lin Xuan cultivated the Spirit Control Technique for ninety days, achieving minor mastery and gaining the ability to control Spirit Tools with ease.
• Lin Xuan secretly flew beyond the mountain gate on a Spirit Tool, then returned to secluded cultivation because his spiritual power was insufficient for sustained combat.
• After years of strenuous cultivation with spiritual medicines, Lin Xuan reached Great Perfection in the Spirit Movement Stage.

The Yan Family and Wang Family conflict escalated into a war of attrition between the alliances led by Floating Cloud Valley and Fire Spirit Sect. Lin Xuan learned that leaving his sect had become dangerous, but his repeated attempts to reach Foundation Establishment failed, leaving only one hope.

• The Yan Family and Wang Family accused each other over Yan Tianheng's disappearance, drawing their allied sects into a growing conflict.
• Floating Cloud Valley and Fire Spirit Sect began a war of attrition, hunting isolated cultivators while avoiding large-scale battles and attacks on their headquarters.
• Lin Xuan learned that his sect was involved and worried about the danger of traveling outside its protection.
• Lin Xuan repeatedly consumed high-grade Marrow Cleansing Pills and tried to achieve Foundation Establishment, including on the Heart Refining Path, but failed each time.
• Lin Xuan concluded that only one final hope remained for achieving Foundation Establishment.

Lin Xuan failed to purify any Top-Grade Marrow Cleansing Pills and could find no information about them, leaving him unsure how he could achieve Foundation Establishment without a Spirit Root. While disguised as Ye Tian, he encountered Ma Tianxiong, who revealed that Top-Grade Pills differed from other grades and even used different ingredients.

• Lin Xuan spent more than ten days testing nearly a thousand Top-Grade Marrow Cleansing Pills but failed to purify even one.
• Lin Xuan searched for records and questioned elders while disguised as Ye Tian, but learned that even the elders knew nothing about Top-Grade Pills.
• Lin Xuan continued cultivating with high-grade pills and Ginseng Essence Powder, strengthening his foundation and purifying his spiritual power.
• Lin Xuan disguised himself as Ye Tian to attend an elder's lecture and met Ma Tianxiong on the way.
• Ma Tianxiong told Lin Xuan that Top-Grade Pills differed from other grades and used somewhat different ingredients.

Ma Tianxiong told Lin Xuan that Top-Grade Pills required an Upper-Grade Pill and two rare spirit herbs, Silver Moon Flower and Flowing Firefly Grass. Lin Xuan learned the herbs grew in Stream Leap Ravine, but the ongoing war and identity-recognition spells made gathering them perilous, leaving his path to Foundation Establishment uncertain.

• Ma Tianxiong explained that Top-Grade Pills were made by refining an Upper-Grade Pill a second time with additional spirit herbs.
• Lin Xuan learned that Silver Moon Flower and Flowing Firefly Grass were required, and Ma Tianxiong said they grew in Stream Leap Ravine.
• Lin Xuan recognized that Stream Leap Ravine was dangerous and lay within the Fire Spirit Sect’s sphere of influence, making a trip there risky for an enemy disciple.
• Lin Xuan considered disguising himself as an independent cultivator to reach the ravine, but the warring alliances’ identity-recognition spells threatened to expose him.

Lin Xuan decided to travel to Stream Leap Ravine for spiritual herbs and first went to Daofu Mountain to obtain talismans for protection. He reached the allied sect and, posing as Ye Tian, impressed its guards with his cultivation.

• Lin Xuan weighed the dangers of traveling to Stream Leap Ravine but chose to go, planning to visit Daofu Mountain for talismans first.
• Lin Xuan packed his treasures, altered his appearance, and flew from Floating Cloud Valley to Daofu Mountain.
• Lin Xuan triggered Daofu Mountain’s warning Restriction and told two guards he was Ye Tian of Floating Cloud Valley.
• One guard used the Spirit Eye Technique to verify Lin Xuan’s identity and cultivation, then the guards eagerly offered their help after seeing his great-perfection Spirit Movement Stage cultivation.

Lin Xuan visited Daofu Mountain to buy talismans and learned that the monthly Talisman Fair might offer him a chance to obtain high-grade ones. Wang Xin told him that Elder Heaven Origin, Daofu Mountain’s strongest expert, was reputed to fight above his cultivation realm, leaving Lin Xuan astonished.

• Lin Xuan posed as Ye Tian, introduced himself as a customer, and asked two Daofu Mountain disciples to help him buy talismans.
• A disciple escorted Lin Xuan into the mountain and explained that the sect was holding its monthly Talisman Fair that day.
• Lin Xuan questioned the escort about Daofu Mountain and offered cultivation advice, prompting the young disciple to share more information.
• Lin Xuan asked whether he could buy high-grade talismans, and Wang Xin said that meeting Elder Heaven Origin might give him a chance.
• Wang Xin described Elder Heaven Origin as Daofu Mountain’s strongest expert, a Foundation Establishment cultivator reputed to challenge opponents at the Core Condensation Realm.

Lin Xuan learned that Elder Heaven Origin might sell high-grade Talismans at Daofu Mountain’s Talisman Fair, then entered the market to look for defensive Talismans. After passing on a Flight Talisman, he stopped at a stall whose owner said his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage master had made defensive Talismans.

• Wang Xin told Lin Xuan that Elder Heaven Origin sometimes attended the Talisman Fair and sold high-grade Talismans, though his appearances were unpredictable.
• Wang Xin opened the concealed entrance to the fair, gave Lin Xuan a waist token, and directed him to the Talisman market.
• Lin Xuan entered the busy market and searched mainly for defensive Talismans, avoiding low-grade and unsuitable mid-grade options.
• A young stall owner offered Lin Xuan a mid-grade Flight Talisman, but Lin Xuan declined because he could already fly using a Spirit Tool.
• The stall owner said his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage master had made Talismans, and Lin Xuan asked to see the defensive ones.

Lin Xuan bought three mid-grade defensive Talismans while preparing for the dangerous trip to Stream Leap Ravine. At the Talisman Fair, Liu Jing revealed low-grade Talismans that imitated the appearance and sound of powerful high-grade Spells, though their actual power remained low.

• Lin Xuan haggled with a young seller and bought three mid-grade defensive Talismans for twenty-one Spirit Stones.
• Lin Xuan searched the fair for more useful Talismans but found no high-grade ones or the expected Elder Heaven Origin Wang Xin.
• Liu Jing of Daofu Mountain loudly advertised low-grade Talismans comparable to high-grade Talismans and drew a crowd.
• Liu Jing activated an Ice Bullet Technique Talisman that appeared to unleash hundreds of Ice Needles, startling the crowd but leaving the tall, thin man unharmed.
• Liu Jing explained that his Talismans only imitated the visual and auditory effects of high-grade Spells, then displayed more examples.