Chapter Summaries

Lu Yang entered Celestial Court disguised as Minghe and claimed to be a refugee fleeing Immortal Pivot, hoping to learn Celestial Court’s cultivation methods. Banshan accepted him and offered him a loan, leaving Lu Yang suspicious that Celestial Court was not what he expected.

• Lu Yang sensed that Celestial Court’s Five Elements cultivation differed from Immortal Pivot’s but could complement it, and planned to use his Merely a Teacher talent to gain insights through disciples.
• Banshan, Celestial Court’s Realm Inspection Envoy, met Lu Yang outside Celestial Court and asked why he had come.
• Lu Yang introduced himself as Minghe and claimed Immortal Pivot Fiend had seized and attacked his former Jietian, forcing him to flee.
• Banshan believed Lu Yang’s story after he showed fear of Immortal Pivot and revealed a trace of sword aura, then escorted him into Celestial Court.
• A Xuan light scanned Lu Yang without exposing him, and Banshan offered him a Great Dao Immortal Talisman as a loan with twenty percent interest.

Lu Yang examined the Great Dao Immortal Talisman and learned that the Celestial Court’s currency and social order were built around Immortal Venerable Greater Yin’s power. Banshan explained the Celestial Court’s nine layers before bringing Lu Yang to Alliance Might, headquarters of the Heretical Path Alliance, where Lu Yang was now a member.

• Lu Yang activated the Great Dao Immortal Talisman merely by looking at its user agreement and learned its rules and grades.
• Lu Yang realized that the talisman’s value came from Immortal Venerable Greater Yin’s authority and that ten million Heretical Talismans was a modest sum for True Lords.
• Banshan explained that the Celestial Court was built in nine layers, with mortals and Qi Refining cultivators at the bottom, sects in the middle, the Heaven and Earth Immortal Firm above them, and Immortal Venerable Greater Yin’s closed Dao field at the top.
• Banshan brought Lu Yang to Alliance Might and told him that he was now a member of the Heretical Path Alliance.

Lu Yang arrived in Alliance Might City with Banshan and was pressured by the Heretical Path Alliance to join. He exposed the predatory terms of their membership contract and refused to sign, leaving Banshan to threaten him with the incoming Tax Envoy.

• Lu Yang and Banshan descended into Alliance Might City, where six other Heretical True Lords confronted Lu Yang.
• Banshan claimed Lu Yang wanted to join the Heretical Path Alliance, and Lu Yang played along as the group surrounded him.
• Banshan presented Lu Yang with a membership contract that let the alliance borrow money in his name and gave it priority to buy his Fruit Position.
• Banshan threatened to accuse Lu Yang of being a fiend from the Immortal Pivot Sect if he refused to sign before the Tax Envoy arrived.
• Lu Yang refused to sign and insisted that the Tax Envoy investigate, leaving Banshan frustrated by his resistance.

Lu Yang registered as Minghe with the Celestial Court and learned that its rules required him to pay for everything, including cultivation and access to information. He left with a Celestial Court Pass and a huge debt, but welcomed the orderly system as a chance to thrive without surprise attacks.

• Banshan decided not to fight Lu Yang, and the seven Heretical True Lords left him in Alliance Might City.
• Chang Gui appeared as a Tax Immortal Official, registered Lu Yang under the name Minghe, and gave him a Celestial Court Pass.
• Chang Gui charged Lu Yang thirty-six thousand Heretical Talismans for his use of the Celestial Court, which he paid from Banshan's loan.
• Lu Yang discovered that the Celestial Court Pass offered books and an Immortal Talisman refining method at steep prices, and realized he would need to borrow to buy the method.
• Lu Yang concluded that the Celestial Court's rule-bound system made it a promising place to cultivate without ambushes.

Lu Yang took out a loan to obtain the Great Dao Immortal Talisman refining method and asked Patriarch Tingyou to study it. While seeking treasures to heal his injured companions, he learned how the Heretical Path Alliance’s patriarchs inherited Fruit Positions and realized its True Lords had been shaped by the Celestial Court’s financial system.

• Lu Yang borrowed money and gave the Immortal Talisman Refining Method to Patriarch Tingyou to study.
• Patriarch Tingyou hoped the Great Dao Immortal Talisman system might let him obtain an orthodox Fruit Position.
• Lu Yang went to Alliance Might City to seek treasures that could heal his injured Master, Suo Huan, and Empress Xiao.
• Banshan warned Lu Yang that borrowers who defaulted had been killed by Tax Immortal Officials and had their Fruit Positions confiscated.
• Banshan showed Lu Yang the Heretical Path Alliance’s Dao Mausoleum and explained how its patriarchs left their Fruit Positions to descendants.
• Lu Yang realized the Alliance’s True Lords had become dependent on the Celestial Court system and were more like mortals than cultivators.

Lu Yang quickly refined a high-quality Great Dao Immortal Talisman and proposed a deal to Banshan, who saw a chance to profit by adding it to the Heretical Path Alliance’s system. They agreed to cooperate, leaving Lu Yang imagining how wealth could help him rise in the Celestial Court and target Gangxing Budao True Lord.

• Lu Yang showed Banshan a newly refined Great Dao Immortal Talisman, astonishing him with how quickly he had mastered the method.
• Banshan realized the superior Carefree Talisman could threaten the alliance’s existing talismans, then saw a chance to bring it into the alliance’s system.
• Lu Yang proposed selling a limited supply of Carefree Talismans through the alliance in exchange for its support and access to resources.
• Banshan agreed to the plan while privately considering how the alliance could profit and avoid losses if the talisman’s inflated price collapsed.
• Lu Yang imagined using his future wealth to gain influence in the Celestial Court and pay its Immortal Lords to help kill Gangxing Budao True Lord.

Fang Yuan secretly promoted the Carefree Talisman and Righteous Dao education programs among factory workers on the first layer. Lu Yang explained to Banshan that he intended to turn the neglected lower-layer population into a market, warning that his campaign would eventually sweep across Celestial Court.

• Fang Yuan inhaled medicinal vapor outside Immortal Dao Pharmaceutical's factory, then held his breath to avoid owing payment for it.
• Factory employees discussed the Carefree Talisman's promise of appreciation and the Righteous Dao's job-training and ascension courses.
• Fang Yuan, the factory's human resources manager, reported to his superior that the promotional campaign was spreading successfully and anticipated a bonus.
• Lu Yang told Banshan that the first layer's mortals and Qi Refining cultivators were promising material for Celestial Court, despite being overlooked.
• Lu Yang called the campaign the primitive accumulation of capital and told Banshan that it would eventually sweep across Celestial Court.

Lu Yang’s Carefree Talisman promotion sparked a frenzy of speculation across the lower levels and the second level, culminating in a visible Image called Money above the Heretical Path Alliance. He suspected the Image was supported by a Fruit Position attained from emptiness and, after consulting Patriarch Tingyou, reconsidered whether Empty Attainment could occur beyond Foundation Establishment.

• Lu Yang’s promotion of Carefree Talismans and the Righteous Dao’s training program drove first-level cultivators to invest in the rising currency and seek passage to the second level.
• Carefree Talismans spread to the second level, where cultivators bought them as their exchange rate surged and the Heretical Path Alliance promoted them as a lasting opportunity.
• Banshan publicly endorsed the Carefree Talisman strategy, and a growing crowd poured into the Heretical Path Alliance to buy the talismans.
• Lu Yang emerged from seclusion and saw the crowd’s fervor form a True Lord-visible Image called Money above the Vault Sky.
• Lu Yang suspected that Money reflected a Fruit Position attained through Empty Attainment and asked Patriarch Tingyou to assess his theory.
• Patriarch Tingyou said the theory was plausible and noted that the Golden Core Middle Stage Dao-Seeking Immortal Method already carried aspects of Empty Attainment.

Lu Yang reasoned that Sky Soaring and Immortal Venerable Greater Yin had attained Fruit Positions through Empty Attainment, and resolved to seek a foundation of his own rather than rely on the Sword Dao. Meanwhile, the Carefree Talisman’s exchange rate surpassed 50, and Lu Yang turned his attention to cultivating an Orthodox True Lord.

• Lu Yang suspected that Sky Soaring had used another Fruit Position to reverse Chen Earth and added another grievance against him.
• Lu Yang decided to return the Sword Dao Fruit Position to True Person Demon-Sweeping because his master could use it better and it did not belong as Lu Yang’s foundation.
• The Carefree Talisman’s exchange rate against the Heretical Talisman passed 1:50, prompting celebration across the Heretical Path Alliance.
• Lu Yang and Banshan agreed that the alliance should issue more Carefree Talismans, while Banshan privately decided to buy more.
• The Righteous Dao expanded below the sixth layer of the Celestial Court as Lu Yang absorbed Daoist insights through his Teacher Exemplar talent.
• Lu Yang judged those insights insufficient and resolved to cultivate an Orthodox True Lord in the Celestial Court.

Lu Yang saw a way to use a purchasable Celestial Court Fruit Position to gain True Lord cultivation, while the Carefree Talisman’s success drew the attention of the upper-level Immortal Lords. They planned to manipulate its price for profit, and Qing Yang eagerly began investing, hoping to replace the dead Treading Flame.

• Lu Yang realized he could buy a Fruit Position briefly, make someone an orthodox True Lord, and use his Teacher Exemplar talent to absorb the corresponding cultivation.
• The Carefree Talisman surged in popularity and price across the Celestial Court’s lower layers, alarming the Immortal Lords on the Eighth Layer.
• Qing Yang lamented losses caused by Lesser Yin and Treading Flame’s deaths, then learned about the Carefree Talisman and judged that its rising price could be exploited.
• The Immortal Lords agreed to promote the Carefree Talisman, sell before publicly defeating its issuer to crash the price, and buy back at the bottom.
• Immortal Lord Du Xuan assigned Qing Yang to handle the scheme, and Qing Yang decided to invest heavily while hoping to take Treading Flame’s vacant position.

Two years after the Carefree Talisman boom began, Banshan ordered the Heretical Path Alliance to sell its holdings as Orthodox Immortal Lords drove prices higher. Meanwhile, Lu Yang’s experiments with Empty Attainment failed, so he decided to return to the Immortal Pivot and seek the Old Dragon Lord’s advice.

• Orthodox Immortal Lords entered the Carefree Talisman market, and Immortal Lord Qing Yang helped inflate its price further.
• Banshan warned the Heretical True Lords that the upper levels were preparing to harvest them and ordered the alliance to sell all its Carefree Talismans.
• Lu Yang and Patriarch Tingyou continued testing Empty Attainment, but their woven Images collapsed before forming a stable Fruit Position.
• Lu Yang suspected that Empty Attainment required five True Treasures, though he knew his theory needed verification.
• Lu Yang decided to return to the Immortal Pivot and ask the unsupported Old Dragon Lord about Empty Attainment.

Lu Yang returned to Jiangxi by possessing Xiao Shan and asked the Old Dragon Lord about Empty Attainment and Golden Core perfection. After learning that relying on multiple Fruit Positions could foreclose the path to perfection, he discovered the method originated with the Sacred Sect.

• Lu Yang heard Xiao Shan's thoughts, praised his loyalty, and used Puppet on Strings to possess him so he could return to Jiangxi.
• Lu Yang entered the Dragon Palace and told the Old Dragon Lord how the Pure Land and Gangxing Budao True Lord had ambushed him Beyond Heaven.
• Lu Yang asked about Empty Attainment, and the Old Dragon Lord confirmed that it required five True Treasures.
• The Old Dragon Lord explained that Golden Core perfection meant using an Empty Attainment Fruit Position to swallow one's original Fruit Position and reclaim one's power.
• Lu Yang realized that Great True Lords supported by others' Fruit Positions had little chance of reaching perfection, and the Old Dragon Lord said the method came from the Sacred Sect.

Lu Yang realized the Sacred Sect Ancestor had sent him to Celestial Court to stir up trouble, while he watched the Carefree Talisman market approach its limits. Immortal Lord Qing Yang appeared above Alliance Might City to undermine the talisman and force a crash, and Lu Yang stepped out to face him.

• Lu Yang concluded that the Sacred Sect Ancestor had arranged for him to enter Celestial Court and considered using a disciple’s advancement to reach True Lord-level cultivation.
• Lu Yang saw the Carefree Talisman’s price growth slowing because most available capital had already been invested, and suspected upper-tier Immortal Lords were preparing to sell.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang arrived above Alliance Might City and demanded that Fellow Daoist Minghe accompany him to the sixth layer for an investigation.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang broadcast his arrival throughout Celestial Court, while Banshan and other cultivators warned that the Carefree Talisman was about to collapse.
• As panic and calls to sell spread, Lu Yang left his seclusion hall and faced Immortal Lord Qing Yang.

Lu Yang emerged from secluded cultivation and faced Immortal Lord Qing Yang, whose attack failed to injure him and sent the Carefree Talisman's price swinging. Lu Yang defeated Qing Yang with sword qi, while Qing Yang frantically tried to buy the Carefree Talisman as its price rose.

• Immortal Lord Qing Yang demanded that Lu Yang accompany him to the sixth layer for investigation, but Lu Yang refused, saying he had broken no rules.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang unleashed his dharma power over Alliance Might City and struck Lu Yang, causing the Carefree Talisman's price to plunge.
• Banshan and the other Heretical True Lords assumed Lu Yang and the Carefree Talisman were finished, but Lu Yang emerged unharmed.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang activated the Great Transformation Victory Cold Seal and attacked Lu Yang again, but Lu Yang remained unharmed.
• Lu Yang appeared before Immortal Lord Qing Yang and pierced his chest with sword qi after Qing Yang had exhausted his dharma power.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang took out his trading Jade Slip and tried to buy the Carefree Talisman as its price rose.

Lu Yang defeated Immortal Lord Qing Yang and announced that thirty million Carefree Talismans would be issued with the Image of Fruit Position, sending their price surging. He used the boom to strengthen his own power and secured Qing Yang’s help promoting the talisman in the upper levels of Celestial Court.

• Lu Yang defeated Immortal Lord Qing Yang, and the Carefree Talisman’s exchange rate rebounded toward 900.
• Lu Yang announced an additional thirty million Carefree Talismans, each bearing the Image of Fruit Position, stirring the Celestial Court and attracting the attention of Celestial Lords above the sixth level.
• Immortal Lord Qing Yang recognized the danger of the growing bubble but bought Carefree Talismans anyway, hoping to recover his losses before selling.
• The rising Image of Money enhanced Lu Yang’s combat power, letting him rival a third-rank True Lord.
• Lu Yang gave Qing Yang a one-million-face-value Carefree Talisman and asked him to promote it above; Qing Yang accepted and agreed.

Lu Yang finished restoring the Righteous Banner and revived Suo Huan, Empress Xiao, and True Person Demon-Sweeping, though Suo Huan still suffered from water-and-fire injuries. Lu Yang gave True Person Demon-Sweeping the Sword Dao Fruit Position, restoring him as a True Lord, and the two reaffirmed their bond.

• Lu Yang completed the Righteous Banner’s restoration with healing treasures, awakening Suo Huan, Empress Xiao, and True Person Demon-Sweeping.
• Suo Huan recovered from most of his sword injuries, while Lu Yang worried that only a Sun Immortal Lord could cure his water-and-fire calamity.
• Empress Xiao awoke after two years and thanked her decision to stand with Lu Yang, who promised to repay her sacrifice.
• True Person Demon-Sweeping awoke and, following Lu Yang’s instructions, merged with the Sword Dao Fruit Position.
• The Sword Dao Fruit Position restored True Person Demon-Sweeping’s True Lord status, and he thanked Lu Yang for remaking him.

Lu Yang explained to True Person Demon-Sweeping how he planned to crash the Carefree Talisman market and make the upper Immortal Lords bear the losses. Then Zhilei arrived to offer him leadership of the Heretical Path Alliance, mentioning its ancient Path-Opening Diagram.

• True Person Demon-Sweeping challenged Lu Yang over the harm the Carefree Talisman scheme could cause to lower cultivators, and Lu Yang insisted his targets were the wealthy Immortal Lords.
• Lu Yang revealed that he would issue one billion Carefree Talismans in batches to drive the price down and trigger a market collapse that would hit the upper-level hoarders.
• Zhilei visited Lu Yang and said Banshan had stepped down as alliance leader after poor market operations.
• Zhilei told Lu Yang that the Heretical Path Alliance had unanimously chosen him as its new leader, then described the alliance's ancient Path-Opening Diagram.

Lu Yang became the Heretical Path Alliance’s leader and discovered that its Path-Opening Diagram showed a Nascent Soul Dao Lord’s death creating the Celestial Court and its twenty-four Fruit Positions. He realized the diagram revealed a possible Weaving Method, but grew wary when Banshan said no one else had ever understood it.

• Lu Yang accepted Zhilei’s offer to lead the Heretical Path Alliance, and news of his appointment boosted the Heretical Talisman’s exchange rate.
• Lu Yang met the dejected former leader Banshan and asked to see the Path-Opening Diagram.
• The diagram showed a figure shouting “Chu Sheng” before dying, with his body transforming into the Celestial Court and giving rise to twenty-four Fruit Positions.
• Lu Yang recognized the scene as a Dao Lord’s death and realized its world-forming process could teach him how to weave Images.
• When Banshan said no one had ever comprehended the diagram, Lu Yang suspected that only he could see its hidden meaning and wondered whether the opportunity had been arranged for him.

Lu Yang took the Heretical Path Alliance’s Path-Opening Diagram and used the promise of Carefree Talisman market insights to draw its seven Heretical True Lords into his Righteous Banner. He left them transformed into Banner Spirits, pleased that his Righteous Dao had gained a wealth of talent.

• Lu Yang realized he could use the Hundred Lives Book to obtain a Fruit Position as an object without carrying its Karma into another life, then accepted Banshan’s request for Carefree Talisman market guidance in exchange for the Path-Opening Diagram.
• Lu Yang tested Merely a Teacher on the seven Heretical True Lords and concluded that he needed to personally guide and nurture one of them before the ability would recognize a master-disciple relationship.
• Lu Yang selected Wu Daoxuan, whose Inscribe Heaven Fruit Position had recorded the Path-Opening Diagram, and learned how Wu had lost money buying and selling Carefree Talismans.
• Lu Yang announced that he would share secret market information, then used the Righteous Banner and its Moral Cultivation wonder to persuade the Heretical True Lords to enter it.
• Lu Yang refined Wu Daoxuan and the other True Lords into Banner Spirits, delighted that his Righteous Dao now had abundant talent.

Immortal Lord Gu Ming and the other upper-level Immortal Lords tried to seize control of the Carefree Talisman market, driving out independent cultivators and planning to profit from a price surge. When True Lord Minghe’s alliance sought to borrow Carefree Talismans using Fruit Positions as collateral, Gu Ming decided to lend them the tokens so he could force prices down and trap Minghe in debt.

• Immortal Lord Gu Ming claimed that he controlled most Carefree Talismans and could make their price rise or fall, while the other Immortal Lords praised his progress toward Wealth Freedom.
• When the Carefree Talisman's price dipped, Gu Ming bought it back up, and the Immortal Lords learned that True Lord Minghe had announced another five million tokens.
• Gu Ming and the other Immortal Lords planned to push the price toward 999, drive independent cultivators from the market, and use their profits to recruit promising lower-level cultivators.
• True Lord Minghe's five million new Carefree Talismans triggered a sell-off, but heavy buying near 700 reversed the decline and persuaded many cultivators to buy again, even with borrowed money.
• Gu Ming learned that Heretical True Lords were offering Fruit Positions as collateral to borrow Carefree Talismans, and he ordered the Immortal Lords to lend them tokens so he could later crash the price and saddle Minghe with debt.