Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Chang'an realizes that the Tier 5 Spirit Vine in the Blood Crystal Secret Realm craved his Essence Blood, not his ordinary blood.
• He learns about various methods to avoid tribulation, including the mysterious Wujie Mountain.
• Li Chang'an discovers that Luo Hao holds a grudge against him and has developed killing intent.
• He learns about Luo Hao's powerful Clone Technique and seeks information on how to see through it.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an becomes more aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, particularly his need to improve his eye techniques and Insight Treasures.
• Ren Huan, despite his situation, remains honest and forthcoming with information.

Significant Themes

• The importance of connections and favors in cultivation.
• The power of luck and fate in cultivation and life.
• The dangers of underestimating opponents and the need for vigilance.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and Ren Huan engage in a lengthy Q&A session, with Li Chang'an seeking information and Ren Huan providing honest answers.
• Li Chang'an considers the implications of Luo Hao's grudge and plans to deal with him in the future.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an uses Song Yu’er’s Void Symbol to cage Ren Huan’s Blood Array Spirit Body Symbol. He briefly touches it, gaining substantial insights into the Way of Arrays—including bodily array engraving—before the symbol escapes and becomes too vigilant to touch again.
• After extracting the insights, Li Chang’an questions Ren Huan about a Green Wood Sword Fragment found in his belongings. Ren Huan says he discovered it in a Spirit Lake and learned that even a Tier 5 Artifact Refiner could not alter it. He also gives Li Chang’an a list of powerful prodigies who might possess the remaining fragments.
• With Ren Huan no longer useful, Li Chang’an manipulates him and Wei Yan into resuming their duel. He impersonates both men in messages, allowing the battle to continue while he stages events to make Wei Yan appear to be losing.
• As the Immortal Extermination Alliance is driven back, Wei Yan suddenly uses a Tier 5 attack to kill Ren Huan. The Nine Great Immortal Sects retaliate with overwhelming Tier 5 attacks, killing Wei Yan as well.
• Luo Hao stops the victors from pursuing the fleeing alliance, warning that Ren Huan’s mentor and Wei Yan’s imperial father are likely to arrive. Li Chang’an’s Puppet escapes unnoticed.
• Back in Hundred Battles Immortal City, Li Chang’an pretends to grieve Ren Huan’s death. Soon after, a tremendous shock in the distance signals the start of a battle between Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords.

Character developments

• Li Chang’an gains valuable array knowledge through calculated, covert manipulation. He remains composed and deceptive, even feigning grief for Ren Huan before his associates.
• Song Yu’er willingly lends Li Chang’an her Void Power, showing her trust and familiarity with his requests.
• Ren Huan cooperates fully and reflects on his failed hopes for advancement, but is ultimately killed after Li Chang’an has taken what he needed from him.
• Wei Yan refuses to accept defeat and uses a forbidden Tier 5 measure in the duel. His act provokes the enemy’s retaliation and costs him his life.
• Yao Lanqin sets aside her suspicions about Ren Huan when he is killed unfairly, joining the effort to avenge him.
• Luo Hao demonstrates caution and authority by preventing a pursuit that could escalate into a larger conflict.

Significant themes

• Deception and manipulation: Li Chang’an engineers the duel’s course and disguises his role in Ren Huan’s death.
• Ambition and its cost: Ren Huan’s and Wei Yan’s aspirations end in death amid political and military conflict.
• Appearances versus reality: The battlefield sees a fair duel and a grieving friend, while Li Chang’an secretly controls events.
• Escalation and restraint: Ren Huan’s death triggers revenge, but Luo Hao’s intervention prevents immediate further bloodshed.

Character interactions

• Li Chang’an relies on Song Yu’er’s cooperation to access the Void Power needed for his plan.
• Ren Huan answers Li Chang’an’s questions about the sword fragment and the likely holders of its counterparts.
• Li Chang’an controls the exchange between Ren Huan and Wei Yan, presenting their staged duel to both armies as genuine.
• The Nine Great Immortal Sects rally to avenge Ren Huan, while Luo Hao restrains them to avoid provoking the arriving Heavenly Lords.
• Yao Lanqin and others comfort Li Chang’an, unaware that he has concealed his involvement in Ren Huan’s fate.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A battle between Spirit Transformation cultivators (Luo Hao and the Great Wei Emperor) ends in a draw.
• Li Chang'an contacts Ren Huan and Wei Yan in the Soul Honoring Banner, asking them to write down their cultivation methods and spells.
• Li Chang'an learns about Tong Hu's whereabouts and decides not to act against him yet.
• Heavenly Lord Wansen arrives to preach the Dao, causing a stir among the Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Heavenly Lord Wansen announces his intention to take in Alchemy Dao disciples.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an: He continues to manipulate events from behind the scenes, showing his cunning and patience. He also feels an inexplicable discomfort around Heavenly Lord Wansen.
• Ren Huan and Wei Yan: They cooperate with Li Chang'an, providing him with information. They also express their concern for Tong Hu.
• Heavenly Lord Wansen: He reveals his intention to take in disciples, which could be a significant plot development.

Significant Themes

• The manipulation of events and people by Li Chang'an highlights the theme of power and control.
• The theme of longevity is reinforced as Li Chang'an seeks to extend his lifespan and Heavenly Lord Wansen seeks disciples to continue his Longevity Path.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an interacts with Ren Huan and Wei Yan, showing his ability to manipulate even powerful cultivators.
• Li Chang'an meets Li Xue'er again, and they agree to compete in Cold Wind Cave the next time it opens.
• Li Chang'an feels uncomfortable around Heavenly Lord Wansen, hinting at a possible connection between them.

Plot Points and Events

• Heavenly Lord Wansen, a Nascent Soul cultivator, seeks disciples among the alchemists present, with requirements of Nascent Soul cultivation, Tier 4 Alchemy Dao, and no other master or sect.
• Li Chang'an, meeting the criteria, refuses to take Wansen as his master due to a vague premonition of a life-and-death tribulation.
• Li Chang'an's refusal surprises everyone, and he uses his pursuit of Senior Dan Chenzi's alchemy insights as an excuse.
• Wansen takes two other alchemists, Xu Rui and Luo Wanyu, as disciples and leaves.
• Li Chang'an returns to Azure Mountain and researches Wansen's lineage, finding it unusual that many disciples' Soul Lamps are lit but they never appear.
• The Dragon Ox is about to break through to Tier 4 and asks Li Chang'an to open the Fire Cloud Secret Realm's Array.
• Li Chang'an takes the Dragon Ox to the Void Spirit Secret Realm for his breakthrough, which proceeds smoothly until the first lightning tribulation strike.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an: Refuses to take a master due to his pursuit of Senior Dan Chenzi and a premonition of danger. He is determined and resolute in his decisions.
• Heavenly Lord Wansen: Seeks disciples to extend his lifespan, showing a self-serving nature common among Nascent Soul cultivators in the Nine Great Immortal Sects.
• Dragon Ox: Confident in his ability to cross the Tier 4 Heavenly Tribulation, he asks Li Chang'an for help and enters the Void Spirit Secret Realm for his breakthrough.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of one's path and goals, even in the face of potential danger (Li Chang'an's refusal to take a master).
• The self-serving nature of some powerful cultivators (Wansen's desire to extend his lifespan using disciples).
• The consequences of one's actions and the potential backlash (Li Chang'an's refusal may lead to difficulties if he changes his mind in the future).

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an interacts with Heavenly Lord Wansen, refusing to take him as a master despite the potential benefits.
• Li Chang'an interacts with other alchemists, who try to persuade him to change his mind but ultimately accept his decision.
• Li Chang'an interacts with the Dragon Ox, helping him prepare for his Tier 4 breakthrough and accompanying him to the Void Spirit Secret Realm.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Dragon Ox successfully passes his Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, advancing to Tier 4.
• Li Chang'an learns about the Great Jin Ruins' lockdown and the Myriad Formation Sect's interest in the Dragon Horse.
• Li Chang'an discovers a mysterious Spiritual Poison in the tributes, undetectable by his current means.

Character Developments

• Dragon Ox gains confidence and strength after his advancement.
• Li Chang'an's concern for the Dragon Horse grows, and he's determined to help if possible.
• Li Chang'an's understanding of the Way of Arrays and void improves, allowing him to attempt carving formations inside a living being's body.

Significant Themes

• The power of Luck and its influence on Li Chang'an's cultivation.
• The struggle between cultivators and the forces of nature, as seen in Dragon Ox's tribulation.
• The consequences of cultivators' actions on their fate, as demonstrated by the potential fate of the cultivator who kills the Dragon Horse.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and Dragon Ox's friendship deepens as they discuss the Dragon Horse's situation.
• Li Chang'an shares cultivation guidance with Luo Yunshu, emphasizing the importance of connections.
• Li Chang'an's interaction with the Myriad Poison Gu highlights their master-apprentice bond and Li Chang'an's protective nature towards the Gu.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Li Chang'an invites Poison Master Huang to identify and remove a mixed poison in his array.
• The poison is identified as a Tier 4 High-grade mixed poison, created by an unknown poison-path grandmaster.
• Li Chang'an discovers that Luo Hao is involved in the poisoning and that the Pu Family might also be connected.
• Li Chang'an learns about the symptoms and treatment of the poison and buys two poison-path inheritances from Poison Master Huang.
• Li Chang'an receives news that the Pale Hand Bone in Fallen Immortal Valley is glowing, offering a chance to obtain a high-level eye technique, the Immortal Gazing Technique.
• Several Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords attempt to take the Pale Hand Bone but fail, including Senior Luo, Senior Xuefeng, Tian Ming, and Fu Sheng.
• Li Chang'an receives a message from Xu Fugui informing him of Mu Qiuyan's impending death.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an becomes more proactive in investigating the poisoning attempt on him and seeks to improve his abilities to counter Luo Hao.
• Mu Qiuyan accepts her impending death and reflects on her life, expressing gratitude to Li Chang'an for giving her a second home.

Significant Themes

• The dangers and subtlety of spiritual poisons, which can be formless, colorless, odorless, and undetectable by ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
• The power of ancient Immortal legacies and the challenges in obtaining them, as seen with the Pale Hand Bone in Fallen Immortal Valley.
• The theme of gratitude and the impact one person can have on another's life, as shown in Mu Qiuyan's final moments.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an interacts with Poison Master Huang, learning about the poison path and purchasing inheritances.
• Li Chang'an communicates with Li Xue'er, Yu Xiaosheng, Yao Shichen, Yao Lanqin, and Xu Fugui regarding the events at Fallen Immortal Valley and Mu Qiuyan's condition.
• Li Chang'an's Clone interacts with Mu Qiuyan, comforting her and listening to her final thoughts and gratitude.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Chang'an visits Mu Qiuyan's grave on Azure Mountain, reminiscing about their past.
• He meets with Xu Fugui, Chu Daniu, and Su Yuyan, discussing their experiences over the years.
• Li Chang'an's main body arrives at Fallen Immortal Valley, where he meets other cultivators seeking high-level spells.
• Hua Xue Heavenly Lord appears and attempts to take the Hand Bone but fails.
• Various Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords try to obtain spells from the Hand Bone, with mixed results.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an reflects on his past and the passage of time.
• Xu Fugui and Chu Daniu are aging and nearing the end of their lifespan.
• Su Yuyan remains youthful but has become more mature.
• Hua Xue Heavenly Lord's obsession with the Hand Bone is evident.
• Li Xue'er, Yao Shichen, and Yao Lanqin obtain true Heaven grade spells.

Significant Themes

• The passage of time and the loss of old friends.
• The pursuit of power and high-level spells at any cost.
• The role of Luck in obtaining opportunities.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and his friends reminisce about the past.
• Li Chang'an interacts with other cultivators at Fallen Immortal Valley, discussing their experiences and the Hand Bone's opportunity.
• Hua Xue Heavenly Lord's presence intimidates the other cultivators.
• Li Xue'er and Li Chang'an discuss the Hand Bone's opportunity and Li Chang'an's decision to try for it.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an enters the Hand Bone’s inner world to search among its lights for a Spell. He is briefly drawn into disturbing visions, but a mysterious Golden Light restores his awareness.
• He passes over lower-grade and perfect-grade Spells, searching for the attribute-free Immortal Gazing Technique. In the deepest reachable area, he finds it and obtains its Upper Volume, a powerful Spell beyond ordinary perfect grade.
• After acquiring it, Li Chang’an is drawn into vivid memories of a cultivator’s life. He realizes the experience is an attempted body seizure and resists when the Golden Light destroys the invading memories.
• A strange voice offers him immense power in exchange for his body. Li Chang’an withdraws his Spiritual Sense, but the Hand Bone grabs him. A third appearance of the Golden Light takes the form of a Golden Tortoise Shell, knocks the Hand Bone away, and lets him escape.
• Outside, the onlookers briefly share an illusion of the Hand Bone reaching for him. Li Chang’an dismisses it, concealing how close he came to death.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains focused on his goal and refuses to settle for a Spell he does not want. His composure helps him resist the body seizure, but the repeated Golden Light appearances reveal that he is facing extraordinary, escalating danger.
• Li Xue’er, who had hoped to compete with Li Chang’an, is impressed when he opens all five fingers of the Hand Bone—surpassing her own four. She recognizes that she has underestimated him again.
• Yao Shichen and Vast Sea True Lord connect Li Chang’an’s remarkable fortune to the exceptional treasures they found together in the Blood Crystal Secret Realm. They agree to keep that earlier discovery secret, fearing it could attract powerful cultivators’ attention.
• Li Chang’an reassures Li Xue’er that what she saw was an illusion, while privately hiding the Hand Bone’s attack and the Golden Light’s intervention.

Significant themes

• Fortune and recognition: The Hand Bone’s five opened fingers reveal Li Chang’an’s extraordinary luck, though its full extent remains hidden.
• Power and danger: The strongest Spells lie deeper in the Hand Bone, but seeking them exposes Li Chang’an to memory intrusion, attempted possession, and physical peril.
• Self-control and restraint: Li Chang’an’s caution—and his willingness to leave unreachable Spells alone—helps him survive.
• Hidden protection and mystery: The Golden Light repeatedly saves him, but its nature and connection to him remain unexplained.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• In Fallen Immortal Valley, a mysterious Hand Bone attempts to seize Li Chang’an’s body. Golden Light protects him, while the other cultivators experience only a brief illusion. Li Chang’an conceals what happened, claiming his illusion treasure broke when he tried to touch the Hand Bone again.
• The Hand Bone grants Li Chang’an the Immortal Gazing Technique, an exceptionally difficult Spell. To cultivate it efficiently, he needs at least a hundred drops of rare Moon Gazing Dew, which can also transform ordinary eyes into Acquired Precious Eyes.
• Li Chang’an secretly begins acquiring the Dew through Ning Qingliu and other contacts. He also decides to seek the Technique’s missing Lower Volume, possibly by approaching the Crown Prince of Great Wei.
• Using the false identity Lin Mu, Li Chang’an joins the Great Wei Imperial House as a Tier 4 Alchemy Guest Elder. He keeps a low profile for five years, refining pills and gradually building connections.
• Lin Mu befriends fellow Guest Elder Tong Hu, who confides that he misses the Myriad Formation Sect and his former master. Li Chang’an recognizes the irony: Tong Hu trusts him without knowing Lin Mu is Li Chang’an, the person behind the events that left Tong Hu unable to return.
• After gaining new insights into the void through Song Yu’er’s Void Symbol, Li Chang’an successfully repairs a second Teleportation Array in the Fire Cloud Secret Realm. Divination predicts good fortune in the Moon Gazing Secret Realm, so he sends a Tier 4 Puppet through first.
• The Puppet emerges in a primeval world beneath unusually bright moonlight. Li Chang’an realizes the apparent moon in the sky is actually an enormous eye.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains cautious and calculating: he hides his encounter with the Hand Bone, gathers resources discreetly, and uses a false identity to expand his influence in Great Wei. He is intrigued by the Hand Bone’s power and suspects it may be connected to the Ancient Wood Origin within him.
• Ning Qingliu supports Li Chang’an by obtaining Moon Gazing Dew from her Sect, though she can provide only a few drops at a time without attracting attention. Li Chang’an compensates her with top-grade Spirit Stones.
• Tong Hu reveals his lingering grief over leaving the Myriad Formation Sect and missing his master. He feels an inexplicable trust toward Lin Mu, while Li Chang’an maintains his cover despite knowing the truth behind their estrangement.
• The other cultivators at Fallen Immortal Valley accept Li Chang’an’s explanation and do not press him for details; Vast Sea True Lord and Yao Shichen help the conversation move on, respecting his privacy.

Significant themes

• Secrecy and trust: Li Chang’an’s survival depends on concealing his identity and discoveries, while genuine friendships form under incomplete or false knowledge.
• Ambition and self-determination: He rejects the possibility of another being taking over his body, insisting that his path to immortality is his own.
• Power, fortune, and hidden origins: The Hand Bone, Ancient Wood Origin, and impossible Teleportation Realms hint at forces and treasures beyond the known world.
• Patience and calculated risk: Li Chang’an builds influence slowly, gathers rare resources in small batches, and tests the Teleportation Array with a Puppet before risking himself.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an encounters a gigantic, lifeless eyeball hanging in the sky. Its lingering pressure overwhelms him; his Artifact Spirits judge its former owner to have been at least a powerful Tier 5 creature. Li decides to return for it only when he is stronger.
• He approaches a Human tribe and discovers that, unlike the outside world, it has an unusually high number of cultivators.
• The tribe’s cultivators perform a moonlit ritual, gathering precious Moon Gazing Dew in ordinary-looking stone bowls. Li investigates a bowl but cannot refine it. The tribe’s chief, Heiya Bonan, refuses to trade one, explaining that the bowls are essential to the tribe’s survival.
• Before Li can learn more, thousands of demon birds attack. Li uses his Beast Taming ability to stop them and make them submit, saving the tribe.
• Heiya mistakes Li for a “Moon Envoy,” a revered figure, and welcomes him into the Black Tooth Tribe. Through their conversation, Li learns about the world’s beliefs and cultivation system.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains cautious about the dangerous world but is curious and resourceful. He disguises himself, invents a tribal identity to gather information, and uses his Beast Taming ability to avert a disaster. He also begins to understand why locals interpret his powers as divine.
• Heiya Bonan, the tribe’s Golden Core chief, initially distrusts Li after he takes a Moon Gazing Bowl. His suspicion turns to awe and respect when Li commands the birds, and he then willingly shares the tribe’s history.
• The Black Tooth Tribe first views Li as a threatening stranger, then treats him with reverence after Heiya identifies him as a Moon Envoy.
• Li consults his Artifact Spirits about the eyeball; they warn him that the world is far more dangerous than the secret realms he has previously explored.

Significant themes and revelations

• Power and humility: Even a dead creature’s lingering presence can overwhelm Li, underscoring how outmatched he is in this world.
• Local belief versus reality: The tribe explains the world through legends of the Moon God, while Li interprets its phenomena through cultivation knowledge.
• Different paths to strength: This world’s people rely on awakening their bloodlines rather than Spirit Roots, formal cultivation methods, or the Hundred Arts. Those who can control Demonic Beasts are believed to be the Moon God’s envoys.
• Mystery of the world: The sky’s enormous eye, the Moon Gazing Bowls, and the world’s distinctive cultivation system suggest a deeper connection between the Moon God, the moon, and the people’s powers.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an learns that people in this world cultivate by awakening their bloodlines, becoming Tier 1 cultivators without needing Spirit Roots. The method has a lower ceiling than the outside world’s cultivation system, but the two paths can be combined.
• He decides to obtain a bloodline-awakening method and Moon Gazing Dew, which is needed for his longer-term cultivation goals.
• Heiya Bonan explains the tribal hierarchy: lower-grade tribes need a Tier 3 cultivator to survive; a Tier 4 cultivator makes a tribe middle-grade. Only two upper-grade tribes exist, each led by a Quasi-Tier 5 cultivator, and neither the Human, Monster, nor Alien Races are known to have reached true Tier 5.
• The Black Tooth Tribe is threatened by the stronger Purple Mountain Tribe, which has five Tier 3 cultivators and wants its Moon Gazing Bowl. Black Tooth must also pay one drop of Moon Gazing Dew each month to its overlord, or surrender people as war slaves.
• Li Chang’an agrees to help in exchange for Black Tooth’s bloodline-awakening method and all battle spoils. Heiya gives him the Moon Gazing Blood Burning Method.
• After studying it, Li Chang’an attempts the method under the Artifact Spirits’ watch. He awakens a previously unknown bloodline, briefly manifesting a powerful crimson-gold beastly phantom. His fire affinity and apparent recovery improve, though his Mana does not increase.
• The chapter ends as Li Chang’an cuts off his own arm to test that improved recovery.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an is strategic and transactional: he weighs the tribal crisis against his need for Moon Gazing Dew, secures the awakening method as part of his price, and begins planning how to acquire resources from other tribes. He is also curious about his ancestry and willing to experiment with a dangerous new cultivation path.
• Heiya Bonan is candid about his tribe’s weakness, tribute obligations, and looming danger. He appeals to Li Chang’an for help but is reluctant to spend scarce Moon Gazing Dew, then accepts Li’s terms.
• The Artifact Spirits watch over Li Chang’an during the experiment. They are startled by the phantom’s immense aura; the Sword Spirit suspects it relates to the crimson-gold Essence Blood Li Chang’an received from the Azure Wood Divine Pagoda.
• Li and Heiya’s relationship is cordial but shaped by negotiation: Heiya seeks protection, while Li treats assistance as a trade.

Significant themes

• Different paths to power: Bloodline cultivation and conventional cultivation have distinct limits, but can be combined.
• Power and survival: Tribal status depends on strength, while weaker groups face conquest or enslavement.
• Resource-driven conflict: Moon Gazing Dew sustains a tribute system and fuels wars between tribes.
• Caution and ambition: Li Chang’an plans to expand his power gradually, even while considering the vast rewards of dominating stronger tribes.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an’s severed arm rapidly begins regrowing, confirming that his recovery and physical strength have increased after an awakening. He concludes the change came not from his own bloodline, but from the Crimson Gold Blood given to him by the Azure Wood Divine Pagoda.
• The Sword Spirit identifies the blood’s apparition as resembling a Phoenix and suggests it may be Phoenix essence blood. Further awakenings could bring Li closer to the legendary power of nirvana. His attempt at a second awakening nearly overwhelms his body, so he stops and refines bloodline treasures to adapt.
• In the Moon Gazing Secret Realm, Li interrogates a Black Feather Falcon. He learns that many creatures advance through accumulated bloodline nourishment—and that humans and other races hunt and devour one another for power.
• The Falcon describes a world crowded with powerful races and numerous Quasi-fifth Rank beings. Li decides to unite humanity and then conquer the other races, gaining the realm’s resources to support his breakthrough to Spirit Transformation.
• The Black Tooth Tribe’s High Priest, Heiya Dongyu, reports that the Cold Wind Tribe will prevent war if the Black Tooth Tribe surrenders four hundred people. Heiya Bonan and the other tribespeople reject the costly bargain, trusting Li to help them face the Purple Mountain Tribe.
• Three days later, the Purple Mountain Tribe sends an ultimatum: submit or be destroyed.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an becomes more confident in the potential of the Phoenix blood, but learns that his body needs time and nourishment before it can withstand further awakenings. He also shifts from gathering resources to planning a conquest of the realm.
• The Sword Spirit helps interpret Li’s transformation and offers knowledge about Phoenixes and nirvana.
• The Black Feather Falcon, now serving Li, provides a candid account of the realm’s brutal food chain and political balance.
• Heiya Bonan puts his faith in Li and argues against sacrificing tribespeople for the Cold Wind Tribe’s protection.
• Heiya Dongyu is cautious and doubts that an outsider can be trusted. She favors the Cold Wind Tribe’s offer, but is overruled by Bonan and the tribe.
• Li silently overhears the elders’ private debate, choosing not to interfere while they decide their course.

Significant themes

• Power and inheritance: The source of a bloodline determines its potential, while Li’s Phoenix-like blood promises extraordinary growth.
• Predation and survival: Across the realm, races consume one another to strengthen themselves; power is inseparable from the struggle for resources.
• Trust versus security: The Black Tooth Tribe must choose between surrendering people for temporary protection and risking war with the support of an uncertain outsider.
• Ambition and conquest: Li sees the realm’s abundance—and its powerful inhabitants—as both a challenge and an opportunity.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• The Purple Mountain Tribe demands the Black Tooth Tribe's surrender, threatening war.
• Li Chang'an (Ancient Wood) refuses to back down and prepares for battle.
• The Purple Mountain Tribe reveals they have a Tier 3 Moon Envoy (Canglan Jun) and sends Demonic Beasts to attack.
• Li Chang'an easily subdues Canglan Jun and his Demonic Beasts, turning the tide of the battle.
• The Purple Mountain Tribe surrenders, and Li Chang'an takes them to their tribe to assess their situation.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an demonstrates his extraordinary Beast Taming abilities, revealing himself to be a Quasi Tier 4 Moon Envoy.
• Heiya Bonan gains confidence in Li Chang'an's abilities and is willing to fight alongside him.
• Heiya Dongyu becomes more trusting of Li Chang'an after seeing his power.
• Canglan Jun surrenders to Li Chang'an, revealing his tribe's history and his personal background.
• Zishan Yue, the chief of the Purple Mountain Tribe, surrenders after seeing Li Chang'an's power.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the struggle for survival among tribes.
• The importance of trust and keeping one's promises.
• The consequences of underestimating one's enemies.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and Heiya Bonan: Li Chang'an reassures Heiya Bonan of his confidence in winning the battle.
• Li Chang'an and Heiya Dongyu: Heiya Dongyu becomes more trusting of Li Chang'an after seeing his power.
• Li Chang'an and Canglan Jun: Li Chang'an subdues Canglan Jun and his Demonic Beasts, leading to Canglan Jun's surrender.
• Li Chang'an and Zishan Yue: Li Chang'an demands the Purple Mountain Tribe's surrender, and Zishan Yue complies.

Key plot points and events

• Li Chang’an reflects on the world’s legends that its natural features may be formed from the bodies of ancient gods. He wonders whether the Black Dragon Mountain Range might mark the remains of a powerful being, and grows cautious after considering that the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty may never have ruled the entire world.
• Zishan Yue brings him to the Purple Mountain Tribe, whose people accept their defeat and regard Li Chang’an as a godlike figure. Their faith flows to him, and he notes that this world produces unusually strong Power of Faith.
• Li Chang’an takes the Purple Mountain Tribe’s eight drops of Moon Gazing Dew and learns that the Cold Wind Tribe levies tribute according to each tribe’s Moon Gazing Bowls. He orders the Purple Mountain and Black Tooth Tribes to merge, then begins conquering nearby tribes.
• Although leaders warn that expansion could provoke the Cold Wind Tribe, Li Chang’an proceeds. Over ten years, more than a hundred small tribes submit or give up their Moon Gazing Dew. He gathers over three hundred drops.
• Li Chang’an begins cultivating the Immortal Gazing Technique. A single drop transforms his right eye into an acquired Precious Eye, allowing him to see through ordinary rock and detect a Spirit Stone inside.
• The conquered tribes unite as the Ancient Wood Tribe, now a major regional power with hundreds of Tier 3 experts. The Cold Wind Tribe responds by demanding five hundred drops of Moon Gazing Dew—more than the Ancient Wood Tribe possesses—raising the threat of conflict.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains calculating and ambitious, using his Quasi Tier 4 Moon Envoy status to expand his influence, collect resources, and cultivate. He also investigates Canglan Jun’s inherited ability to control Demonic Beasts, but finds no way to reproduce it.
• Zishan Yue accepts Li Chang’an’s authority and helps him understand tribal customs, legends, and tribute practices.
• Heiya Dongyu becomes intensely devoted to Li Chang’an after witnessing his strength. She bluntly proposes bearing his children; he rejects her, and she vows to win him over.
• Heiya Bonan and Canglan Jun support the growing coalition but caution Li Chang’an against provoking the Cold Wind Tribe. Bonan later faces the practical problem of the tribe’s impossible tribute demand.
• The defeated tribes’ leaders and people gradually adopt a shared identity as members of the Ancient Wood Tribe, while their reverence for Li Chang’an strengthens his religious influence.

Significant themes

• Faith as power: The people’s reverence generates a potent resource for Li Chang’an.
• Expansion and political risk: Conquest brings strength and resources, but threatens a clash with the established regional ruler.
• Myth and hidden history: Legends of divine remains—and uncertainty about Great Jin’s reach—suggest a world with dangerous, unexplored secrets.
• Cultivation through accumulated resources: Moon Gazing Dew turns conquest into tangible personal advancement, as Li Chang’an’s new Precious Eye demonstrates.
• Cultural contrast: The tribe’s direct, survival-focused customs clash with Li Chang’an’s more restrained expectations.

Plot and key events

• The Ancient Wood Tribe faces an ultimatum from the powerful Cold Wind Tribe: provide 500 drops of Moon Gazing Dew. Canglan Jun believes the demand is only a pretext for an inevitable attack, since the Cold Wind Tribe’s fourth-rank expert could destroy them regardless.
• The tribe’s leaders split over how to respond. Huiyan Yao urges them to meet the demand—even by sacrificing mortals—while Heiya Dongyu argues they should seek another tribe’s protection and provoke a conflict between their enemies.
• Li Chang’an remains focused on cultivating the Immortal Gazing Technique. He tells Heiya Bonan not to worry and claims he has a solution, but gives no details.
• Huiyan Yao, Caoshe Teng, and more than a hundred Tier 3 cultivators secretly decide to defect to the Cold Wind Tribe, believing Li Chang’an will abandon them. Zishan Yue refuses to join them, trusts Li Chang’an, and warns him of the plot. That night, over half the tribe’s Tier 3 cultivators leave. More than a hundred stay, and the mortals remain because they cannot survive alone.
• Li Chang’an completes the basics of the Immortal Gazing Technique using Moon Gazing Dew. It lets him see through the restrictions on an ancient jar, revealing quasi-fifth-rank talismans. The technique can also detect flaws in combat techniques.
• He tests this discovery against Dugu Ke’s newly developed Sword Dao domain, quickly finding and striking its weaknesses. He defeats the domain at once, then advises Dugu Ke to prepare more thoroughly before attempting to reach the Upper Realm.
• The Sword Spirit points out that Li Chang’an’s grasp of the Wood Element is weak for a Wood Spirit Root cultivator, making the Green Wood Sword costly to use. Li Chang’an accepts that he must improve.
• The chapter ends when Heiya Bonan reports that a Cold Wind Tribe envoy has arrived and specifically requests Li Chang’an.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an stays calm amid the crisis, prioritizes cultivation, and reveals a new ability that strengthens both his treasure-finding and combat skills. He also recognizes weaknesses in his own cultivation.
• Zishan Yue demonstrates loyalty by standing by Li Chang’an despite pressure and uncertainty. Li Chang’an gives him the option to leave, but Zishan Yue chooses to trust him.
• Huiyan Yao and Caoshe Teng turn against Li Chang’an, framing defection as the best chance to survive.
• Dugu Ke is surprised by how easily Li Chang’an defeats him, but accepts the lesson and resolves to build his strength instead of rushing toward the Upper Realm.
• Heiya Bonan is increasingly burdened by the tribe’s danger and political division, yet continues to seek Li Chang’an’s guidance.

Significant themes

• Fear, loyalty, and betrayal: The crisis fractures the tribe, separating those who trust Li Chang’an from those who choose self-preservation.
• Power and survival: The weaker cultivators believe submission is their only option, while Li Chang’an’s confidence rests on strength they do not understand.
• Hidden potential and mastery: The Immortal Gazing Technique proves useful beyond its apparent purpose, while Li Chang’an’s exchange with the Sword Spirit emphasizes that raw power must be matched by deep understanding.
• Patience and preparation: Dugu Ke is encouraged to temper his ambition and strengthen himself before entering a more dangerous world.

Key plot points and events

• A powerful envoy from the Cold Wind Tribe, Hanfeng Yan, orders the Ancient Wood Tribe to surrender its Moon Gazing Dew and Bowls and become a subordinate “war tribe.” Refusal means the Cold Wind chief will destroy them. Li Chang’an calmly tells his people to wait three days.
• Li Chang’an decides he needs more Moon Gazing Dew to advance his Immortal Gazing Technique and plans to target stronger, mid-sized tribes, beginning with the Cold Wind Tribe. He also recognizes that his Wood Element comprehension is lagging, but sets aside the idea of approaching Mu Xiaoqing for now.
• At the Myriad Formation Sect, Li Chang’an sells Void Spirit Jade, increasing his wealth, and learns that Yu Xiaosheng may have found a lead on the lower volume of the Immortal Gazing Technique.
• Li Chang’an joins Yu Xiaosheng at the Sect’s recruitment event, hoping to find an overlooked Spirit Body candidate. He finds none among the initial candidates, but later sees two Spirit Body youths reserved for the Nascent Soul Heavenly Lords.
• Luo Hao appears and gives Li Chang’an a Tier 4 spiritual medicine, pretending it is a gesture of gratitude. Li Chang’an checks it for poison and confirms it is safe, though he cannot determine whether Luo Hao is a clone.
• As the candidates are assigned masters, Li Chang’an notices a young girl with the Azure Wood Spirit Body. He assumes she will be claimed by a powerful cultivator—but she unexpectedly looks directly at him.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains outwardly composed under the Cold Wind Tribe’s threat while privately planning to turn the crisis into an opportunity. His cultivation priorities are clear: acquire dew, improve his technique, and pursue Azure Wood Heavenly Lord’s Legacy. At the recruitment event, he is also reminded of his past connection to Li Ping’an.
• Hanfeng Yan acts as a proud, uncompromising emissary, presenting submission or annihilation as the only options.
• Heiya Bonan and the Ancient Wood elders fear the tribe’s likely destruction and rely on Li Chang’an to protect them.
• Yu Xiaosheng continues to assist Li Chang’an with trading and research, and invites him to observe the Sect’s prospective disciples.
• Luo Hao and Li Chang’an exchange friendly words while concealing mutual suspicion: Luo Hao knows he poisoned Li Chang’an earlier, while Li Chang’an suspects him but accepts the medicine after checking it.
• Ning Qingliu appears much stronger than before and may be approaching the Nascent Soul Peak Stage, with a possible path toward Spirit Transformation.
• The Azure Wood Spirit Body girl shows an unexplained interest in Li Chang’an, hinting that their connection may not be as accidental as he assumes.

Significant themes

• Coercion and survival: The Cold Wind Tribe’s ultimatum shows how smaller tribes are trapped between immediate destruction and slow exploitation.
• Hidden intentions and deception: Li Chang’an and Luo Hao maintain a polite façade despite their underlying conflict; appearances also obscure whether Luo Hao is present in person or through a clone.
• Cultivation through opportunity: Li Chang’an pursues advancement through resources, strategic alliances, and his rare ability to perceive Spirit Body Symbols.
• Fate and unexpected bonds: Li Chang’an believes he is not destined to mentor the Azure Wood Spirit Body girl, but her sudden attention suggests otherwise.

Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Li Chang'an meets Ye Qingqiu, a Prodigy with an Azure Wood Spirit Body, at the Myriad Formation Sect's Prodigy Selection.
• Ye Qingqiu chooses Li Chang'an as her master over a Nascent Soul Heavenly Lord.
• Li Chang'an brings Ye Qingqiu back to Azure Mountain.
• Mu Chen, Li Chang'an's enemy from the Golden Core realm, forms his Nascent Soul and challenges Li Chang'an.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an shows kindness and patience towards Ye Qingqiu, deciding to teach her despite not taking her as a formal disciple.
• Mu Chen, now a Nascent Soul cultivator, seeks a battle with Li Chang'an.

Significant Themes

• The importance of choosing the right master for cultivation.
• The dangers and challenges of cultivation, as seen in Li Chang'an's hesitation to take a disciple due to his impending Great Tribulation.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and Ye Qingqiu form a master-disciple-like relationship, with Li Chang'an agreeing to teach her.
• Li Chang'an and Mu Chen maintain their enmity, with Mu Chen challenging Li Chang'an after forming his Nascent Soul.

Key events

• After Mu Chen publicly challenged him upon reaching Nascent Soul, Li Chang’an receives warnings from older cultivators to stay calm. His peers report that Mu Chen’s True Nascent Soul appears weak, while Mu Chen’s father, Mu Zheng, humbly offers three high-grade medicines as an apology. Li Chang’an ignores the offer and resolves to confront Mu Chen.
• Li Chang’an asks Ye Qingqiu why she wants him as her master. She says she feels an inexplicable kinship with him. This reminds him of Mu Xiaoqing’s similar response to his presence, strengthening his suspicion that his Ancient Wood Everlasting Method is connected to the Azure Wood Spirit Body.
• Ye Qingqiu recounts that her family’s escort agency was destroyed and she alone survived. She insists on taking revenge herself. Li Chang’an discovers she has an exceptional Earth-grade Spirit Root—close to Heavenly-grade—and supplies her with a powerful wood cultivation method, sword arts, protective treasures, and a Tier 4 Puppet, though he does not formally accept her as a disciple.
• Ye Qingqiu quickly reaches Qi Refining’s first layer. With Song Yu’er’s help in borrowing Void Power, Li Chang’an probes Ye Qingqiu’s Azure Wood Spirit Body. Its symbols yield profound Wood Element insights and a vision of a towering, possibly immortal figure, alternately resembling an ancient tree and a mighty cultivator. He ends the process when the Void Symbol resists.
• After seven days of meditation, Li Chang’an greatly deepens his Wood Element understanding and discovers a path based on withering and flourishing. He demonstrates it by making a flower bloom from a refined wooden sword. He theorizes that mastering this cycle could allow repeated rebirth—a form of “Minor Longevity”—and connects the idea to Heavenly Lord Kurong and his own past vision of an ancient tree reviving after destruction.
• Ye Qingqiu advances to the second layer of Qi Refining in seven days, and her Spirit Body begins to awaken. Her first innate spell heals her wounds, suggesting strong survival abilities. Li Chang’an guides both her and Song Yu’er and installs powerful formations around their residences.
• Mu Chen sends Li Chang’an a pointed invitation to his Nascent Soul ceremony, openly demanding his attendance. Li Chang’an destroys it without comment. At the ceremony, Mu Chen reveals his intention to kill Li Chang’an, echoing Li Chang’an’s earlier victory over Yellow Sand at a similar event.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an remains composed amid Mu Chen’s provocation, but focuses on nurturing Ye Qingqiu and protecting her and Song Yu’er. His exploration of the Spirit Body deepens his knowledge and gives him a new ambition: finding a route to longevity through rebirth.
• Ye Qingqiu moves from a survivor of tragedy to a promising cultivator. She displays extraordinary talent, gratitude toward Li Chang’an, a determined desire to avenge her family herself, and a healing ability that could keep her alive.
• Song Yu’er cooperates with Li Chang’an’s use of her Void Power and remains one of the two young cultivators he is determined to protect.
• Mu Chen grows increasingly confrontational, interpreting Li Chang’an’s silence as fear and preparing to make him a victim at his ceremony. His father, Mu Zheng, attempts to defuse the conflict with an apology and compensation, but Li Chang’an does not respond.

Significant themes

• Cultivation, talent, and responsibility: Li Chang’an invests heavily in promising juniors, while recognizing the risks and obligations attached to extraordinary gifts.
• Revenge and self-determination: Ye Qingqiu chooses to pursue vengeance herself rather than delegate it to Li Chang’an.
• Life, death, and renewal: Li Chang’an’s new insight frames decay and rebirth as a possible route to prolonged life, linking nature’s cycles with spiritual cultivation.
• Misjudgment and escalation: Mu Chen mistakes Li Chang’an’s silence for fear, turning an unresolved grievance into an impending confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• At Mu Chen’s Nascent Soul Formation ceremony, Mu Zheng urges his son to reconcile with Li Chang’an. Mu Chen refuses, confident that a treasure he found—especially six Peak Fourth Tier arrays—will let him kill Li.
• Li secretly examines the Vermillion Bird Sect’s powerful Water-Fire formation, identifies its weakness, and disables it before entering.
• Li arrives during the ceremony and overwhelms Mu Chen almost instantly. He kills Mu Chen and suppresses his Nascent Soul, ignoring Mu Zheng’s plea and offered treasures.
• The guests realize Mu Chen’s hidden arrays never had a chance to activate. The celebratory ceremony becomes a funeral, and the gathering concludes that Li is now among the strongest cultivators in Yuan and Zhao.
• Other cultivators urge White Tiger True Lord to apologize to Li, but he refuses and leaves. Li intercepts him on the way home, traps him with a Talisman Formation, and defeats him with the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Sword Formation.
• Instead of killing White Tiger, Li refines him into a puppet so he can study his awakened Spirit Body. Back in his cave, Li examines the Spirit Body Symbol but postpones touching it, lacking the Void Cage needed to safely gain insight.
• When Li briefly releases White Tiger’s control, White Tiger claims he has recognized Li as a descendant of Lin Fan.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Chang’an demonstrates overwhelming strength, exceptional array expertise, and careful preparation. He kills Mu Chen without hesitation but spares White Tiger for the potential knowledge his Spirit Body offers.
• Mu Chen is revealed to have suffered deeply from years of strain, nearly developing an Inner Demon before a One Heart Pill saved him. His newfound confidence turns into shock and defeat when Li disables his advantage and kills him.
• Mu Zheng tries to save Mu Chen and later blames himself for failing to guide his son, while acknowledging the tragedy of his death.
• White Tiger True Lord rejects advice to make peace and remains hostile, even regretting that he did not kill Li earlier. After being defeated and captured, he appears to identify Li’s connection to Lin Fan.
• The gathered cultivators, including Azure Dragon and Bright Cloud True Lord, try to prevent further conflict. Their fear and respect for Li deepen after witnessing his power; Cui Baiying also tries to persuade White Tiger to reconcile.

Significant themes

• Overconfidence versus preparation: Mu Chen trusts his powerful arrays, but Li’s superior knowledge and advance planning neutralize them before they can help.
• The consequences of grudges: Mu Chen’s refusal to reconcile ends in his death, while White Tiger’s stubbornness leads to capture and leaves his feud unresolved.
• Power and reputation: Li’s brief, decisive victories transform how the region’s cultivators judge his strength.
• Pragmatic cultivation: Li’s choice to preserve White Tiger reflects his interest in gaining insight into the Five Elements and preparing for future breakthroughs.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Chang'an's true identity as Lin Fan is revealed to White Tiger.
• White Tiger shares his method of awakening his Spirit Body through near-death experiences.
• Mu Chen's true role in Cui Baihong's death is revealed, and he learns that Li Chang'an manipulated him.
• Li Chang'an releases Mu Chen and interrogates him about his treasures, including a Ten-Thousand-Year Black Lotus Heart.
• Myriad Poison Gu successfully breaks through to the late Fourth Tier and helps Li Chang'an identify various Tier 4 High-grade Spiritual Poisons.
• Luo Hao is detected approaching Azure Mountain.

Character Developments

• Li Chang'an: Maintains his composure and strategic thinking, revealing his true identity only when necessary. He continues to gather information and resources to strengthen himself and his allies.
• White Tiger: Accepts his defeat and shares his Spirit Body awakening method with Li Chang'an. He shows remorse for his past actions and acknowledges Li Chang'an's prowess.
• Mu Chen: Struggles to accept the truth about Cui Baihong's death and the manipulation behind it. His pride is shattered, and he becomes despondent.
• Myriad Poison Gu: Successfully breaks through to the late Fourth Tier, enhancing its ability to identify and handle high-grade Spiritual Poisons.

Significant Themes

• The power of truth and acceptance, as seen in White Tiger's acknowledgment of Li Chang'an's strength and Mu Chen's struggle with the truth.
• The consequences of manipulation and deception, as experienced by Mu Chen.
• The importance of personal growth and self-awareness, demonstrated by Li Chang'an's continued development and White Tiger's acceptance of his fate.

Character Interactions

• Li Chang'an and White Tiger: Li Chang'an interrogates White Tiger, who willingly shares information about his Spirit Body awakening method. Their interaction shows Li Chang'an's strategic thinking and White Tiger's acceptance of his defeat.
• Li Chang'an and Mu Chen: Li Chang'an reveals the truth about Cui Baihong's death to Mu Chen, causing him to lose his composure and pride. Their interaction highlights the consequences of manipulation and deception.
• Li Chang'an and Myriad Poison Gu: Li Chang'an supports Myriad Poison Gu's breakthrough and helps it identify various high-grade Spiritual Poisons, strengthening their bond and the Gu worm's usefulness.