Chapter Summaries

Song Qingming intervened when he found Fu Sanshan surrounded by Zhao Family cultivators on Song Family territory, then escorted Fu to Funiu Mountain after Fu offered him a Spirit Stone. Fu was shocked when Song revealed his strength by taking out a Level 2 Flying Sword.

• Song Qingming found Fu Sanshan fighting three Zhao Family cultivators, who accused Fu of stealing a Spirit Wine formula he said they had tried to buy from him.
• Song Qingming identified himself as a Song Family cultivator and ordered the Zhao Family group to leave their territory; the Zhao elder let them pass but later wondered whether Song had bluffed about his generation.
• Fu Sanshan asked Song Qingming to introduce him to someone at Funiu Mountain so he could sell his secret formula, and quietly gave Song a Low-grade Spirit Stone.
• Song Qingming accepted the Spirit Stone and agreed to take Fu Sanshan to Funiu Mountain.
• Song Qingming summoned a Level 2 Flying Sword and invited Fu aboard, leaving Fu stunned by the display.

Song Qingming brought Fu Sanshan to Funiu Mountain to discuss his spirit wine formula, bought it, and arranged for the Song Family to help improve it. He also assigned a Foundation Establishment Pill to Song Yuan Li, but his cultivation was interrupted when Huang Sibao arrived seeking a meeting.

• Song Qingming examined Fu Sanshan's spirit wine formula and proposed that he stay with the Song Family while they supplied materials to help perfect it.
• Fu Sanshan agreed to remain at Funiu Mountain, and Song Qingming paid him six hundred Spirit Stones for the formula.
• Song Qingming instructed Song Qingsi to arrange for family cultivators to learn brewing and support Fu Sanshan's work, while Song Qingyu agreed not to pursue the Zhao Family over the incident.
• Song Qingming announced that he would give the Foundation Establishment Pill he obtained at the Carefree Sect to Song Yuan Li, and the family elders agreed.
• Song Qingming resumed secluded cultivation, but Song Qingyu summoned him after Huang Sibao arrived and insisted on meeting him.

Song Qingming and Huang Sibao settled a dispute involving Zhao Family cultivators, then discussed another matter in private. Months later, Song Yuanli successfully established his Foundation and became the Song Family’s third Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

• Huang Sibao brought three Zhao Family cultivators to apologize for offending Song Qingming, but Song Qingming said the matter was already settled and let them go.
• Song Qingming asked after Huang Shengyue, and Huang Sibao confirmed that she had reached Foundation Establishment Layer 7 three years earlier.
• Huang Sibao told Song Qingming he had another matter to discuss, and Song Qingming cleared the Council Hall so they could speak privately.
• Song Qingming and Song Qingyu prepared Song Yuanli for Foundation Establishment and gave him a Foundation Establishment Pill before he entered seclusion.
• Song Yuanli emerged less than three months later after successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, becoming the Song Family’s third Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
• Song Qingyu presented Song Yuanli with a Grade 2 Low-grade blue flying sword as a congratulatory gift.

Song Qingming celebrated Song Yuanli’s Foundation Establishment and named him the Song Family’s new Grand Elder, but the family’s celebrations were overshadowed by the deaths of its elders. Song Qingshi died before the ceremony, and Song Qingming later went to Qinghe Market after learning that Shi Chun had also passed away.

• Song Qingyu and Song Qingming gave Song Yuanli a Level 2 Flying Sword and a Golden Silk Ring, and Song Qingming appointed him Grand Elder and approved a Foundation Establishment celebration.
• Song Yuantong reported that Song Qingshi had collapsed, and Song Qingming used the family’s sole Duyuan Pill to revive him temporarily.
• Song Qingshi regained consciousness, spoke with Song Qingming and Song Qingrui about the family and their hopes for Qingming’s future, then died more than half a month later before Song Yuanli’s ceremony.
• Song Qingming learned that Shi Chun had died suddenly at home and went alone to Qinghe Market.

After Shi Chun’s death, Song Qingming arranged for Feng Wanli to inherit his secret work for the Song Family and asked Song Xinhu to oversee the connection. Their discussion was interrupted when someone entered the private room.

• Song Qingming paid his respects at Shi Chun’s funeral and met Feng Wanli and Wang Fu at Shi Chun’s hidden courtyard.
• Song Qingming assigned Feng Wanli to take over Shi Chun’s marketplace affairs and promised him a future position as a Song Family Guest Elder.
• Feng Wanli reported that the Huang Family had twice tried to visit Senior Huang’s cave mansion without meeting her.
• Song Qingming told Feng Wanli that Shi Chun’s family would move to Funiu Mountain after the funeral.
• Song Qingming informed Song Xinhu about Shi Chun’s secret duties and asked him to maintain contact with Feng Wanli while discreetly monitoring him.
• Someone pushed open the private room door while Song Qingming and Song Xinhu were talking.

Song Qingming invited Huang Siyuan to return to Funiu Mountain and publicly attend the Song Family’s celebration as his Dao companion. After Song Yuanli’s Foundation Establishment ceremony strengthened the family’s standing, Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan ended the night together in his cave abode.

• Song Qingming told Huang Siyuan that the Song Family would hold a Foundation Establishment celebration for Song Yuanli and invited her to attend with him.
• Half a month later, Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan watched the Song Family prepare for the celebration at Funiu Mountain.
• Song Qingming welcomed the guests alongside Huang Siyuan, and ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators gathered on the ceremonial platform as Song Yuanli celebrated his breakthrough.
• Song Qingming thanked the guests and hosted a feast that continued into the night, then saw Huang Sibao off after they discussed wine and the Dao.
• Song Qingming stopped Huang Siyuan from leaving his cave abode and told her he did not want to cultivate that night before pulling her into his arms.

After learning that Aunt Yuan had died, Huang Siyuan returned to Taiyuan Mountain with Song Qingming to attend her funeral. The next morning, she visited her father Huang Xianchen’s grave, where the chapter ended with her reflecting on how the Huang Family had restored his tomb.

• Song Qingyu gave Huang Siyuan a letter from the Huang Family announcing Aunt Yuan’s death and asking her to return to Taiyuan Mountain.
• Huang Siyuan told Song Qingming she wanted to attend Aunt Yuan’s funeral, and he offered to accompany her.
• Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan arrived at Taiyuan Mountain, where Huang Mengde greeted them and Huang Shengyue welcomed them to the elaborate funeral.
• After attending Aunt Yuan’s funeral, Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan stayed overnight at Taiyuan Mountain.
• Huang Siyuan visited Huang Xianchen’s grave with Song Qingming and remarked that the Huang Family had made his tomb more ornate than before.

After visiting Huang Xianchen’s grave, Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan were intercepted by a masked cultivator on their way home and fought him in the sky. Song Qingming wounded the stranger and Huang Siyuan destroyed his Green Smoke Tiger, but the masked cultivator trapped Song Qingming inside a White Mist formation.

• Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan paid their respects to Huang Xianchen, then left Taiyuan Mountain for the Song Family’s territory.
• A Green Robe Figure wearing a Golden Mask blocked their path and ignored Song Qingming’s attempts to speak with him.
• Huang Siyuan attacked the Green Robe Figure, who countered with a Green Smoke Tiger and a powerful Golden Mirror.
• Song Qingming joined the fight and used his Invisible Light Needles to pierce the Green Robe Figure’s defenses, wounding him as Huang Siyuan destroyed the tiger.
• The Green Robe Figure opened a White Scroll that formed a ring and engulfed Song Qingming in White Mist; Song Qingming flew through the mist but still saw nothing but white.

Song Qingming discovered that the Green Robe Figure had trapped him inside an illusion, but an Azure Light Barrier-Breaking Talisman let him see through it. The figure revealed that Feng He had sent him a choice of two treasures to aid his core formation, and Song Qingming chose the Crimson Essence Jade Stone.

• Song Qingming used an Azure Light Barrier-Breaking Talisman to pierce the illusion and prepare to escape the Green Robe Figure's painting prison.
• The Green Robe Figure put away his Golden Jade Ruler, claimed he meant no harm, and said an old friend had sent Song Qingming a promised gift.
• The Green Robe Figure revealed a Level 3 Demonic Beast inner core and a Crimson Essence Jade Stone, telling Song Qingming he could choose only one.
• Song Qingming realized the old friend was Feng He, who had promised years earlier to help him form his core.
• Despite the Green Robe Figure warning that the inner core offered better odds, Song Qingming firmly chose the Crimson Essence Jade Stone.

Song Qingming received a Crimson Essence Jade Stone from a mysterious Green Robe Figure, whom he suspected was Feng He, and spent the next decade rebuilding his strength and growing closer to Huang Siyuan. After restoring his Conceal Origin Art, he prepared for another attempt at core formation and approved expanding the Song Family’s Artifact Refining Pavilion.

• The Green Robe Figure gave Song Qingming a Crimson Essence Jade Stone and advised him not to lose heart if his next core-formation attempt failed.
• Song Qingming suspected the departing Green Robe Figure was Feng He, while Huang Siyuan reunited with him and the two returned to Funiu Mountain.
• Song Qingming and Huang Siyuan grew closer as they traveled together, and another ten years passed.
• Song Qingming emerged from seclusion after restoring his Conceal Origin Art to its peak and became ready to prepare for core formation again.
• Song Qingming approved allocating Spirit Stones to expand the Song Family’s Artifact Refining Pavilion for Song Xinde.

Song Qingming reviewed the Song Family’s growth and new sources of income while learning that the Lu and Li Families had resumed their feud. He urged Song Yuanli to mediate again and told Song Qingyu to keep watch for trouble as the Demonic Beast Turmoil approached.

• The Song Family expanded its cultivator population, cultivated spirit veins and Spirit Fields, gained affiliated families, and developed a profitable Spirit Wine business with Fu Sanshan’s help.
• Song Qingyu told Song Qingming that the Lu and Li Families had clashed near the Zhong Family of Pingliang Mountain, with casualties on both sides.
• The chapter explained that Li Chengyue’s Foundation Establishment had turned the Li Family into a new major clan, and its disputes with the Lu Family had repeatedly destabilized Qinghe County.
• Song Qingming asked Song Qingyu to have Song Yuanli speak with Feng De and invite the Lu and Li Families to negotiate at Qinghe Market.
• Song Qingming told Song Qingyu to have Song Xintang watch foreign Rogue Cultivators for Bandit Cultivators, and praised Xintang’s growing intelligence network.

Song Qingming prepared to leave Funiu Mountain and attempt Core Formation again before the Northern Frontier Demonic Beast Turmoil. After entrusting his family’s safety to Huang Siyuan and Song Qingyu, he set out for the Carefree Sect, determined to reach the Golden Core Realm.

• Huang Siyuan told Song Qingming that refining Demonic Beast Essence Souls had advanced her Soul-Devouring Art, and he warned her to keep the technique secret.
• Song Qingming told Huang Siyuan he planned to seek a Jade Dust Pill and attempt Core Formation, and gave her a Barrier Breaking Pill for her cultivation breakthrough.
• Song Qingming told Song Qingyu he would attempt Core Formation even if he could not obtain a Jade Dust Pill, and entrusted her with a rare White Crane Puppet Beast to protect the family.
• Song Qingming left Funiu Mountain and headed toward the Carefree Sect, resolved to attempt the Golden Core Realm again.

Song Qingming visited the Carefree Sect to obtain a Jade Dust Pill for his impending Golden Core attempt. He traded a Grade 3 Spirit Medicine for the pill and received a Demon-Expelling and Evil-Suppressing Talisman from Chu Fengping before leaving the sect.

• Song Xinyu told Song Qingming that two Jade Dust Pills remained in the Merit Pavilion but that the family lacked enough Merit Points to obtain one.
• Song Qingming presented a Grade 3 Spirit Medicine at the Merit Pavilion, and Zhao Yiping took it to Chu Fengping for appraisal.
• Chu Fengping recognized Song Qingming from the Sword Trial Tournament on Tuoyun Mountain and agreed to exchange the Jade Dust Pill for the medicine.
• Chu Fengping gave Song Qingming a Demon-Expelling and Evil-Suppressing Talisman as an additional aid for forming a core.
• Chu Fengping told Zhao Yiping that he had given Song Qingming the talisman because he sensed Song Qingming had good fortune, then spoke of Lin Yu Tian's repeated failures at core formation.
• Song Qingming left the Carefree Sect with the Jade Dust Pill and talisman.

Song Qingming traveled to a hidden cave in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range to make another attempt at Core Formation, relying on its Spirit Spring Eye to purify his Mana. After preparing the site and consuming a Spiritual Fruit Fire Phoenix had sent, he completed its refinement and prepared to enter secluded cultivation.

• Song Qingming reached the concealed cave abode and deflected Azure Luan's fiery attacks before identifying himself and offering her pastries and Spirit Wine.
• Song Qingming inspected the Spirit Spring Eye and chose the cave for Core Formation because its pure Spiritual Energy could help purify his Mana.
• Song Qingming arranged for Azure Luan to guard the cave, then learned that Fire Phoenix had sent him a Spiritual Fruit to aid his breakthrough.
• Song Qingming swallowed the fruit and, drawing on his earlier experience, refined it within less than a month, absorbing most of its spiritual power.

Song Qingming purified his Mana and condensed it into a Dharma Core during his secluded Core Formation attempt. As he began tempering it toward a true Golden Core, the Azure Luan Demon King sensed the breakthrough’s unusual signs outside his cave.

• Song Qingming replenished his Mana with Thousand Year Spirit Milk and the Incomplete Map, then spent two years purifying his origin Mana with the Spirit Spring Eye’s help.
• Song Qingming swallowed a Jade Dust Pill and condensed his liquid core essence into a golden Dharma Core.
• Song Qingming used the Mana stored through the Conceal Origin Art to compress the Dharma Core until it had taken shape by seventy or eighty percent.
• The Azure Luan Demon King sensed Spiritual Energy rushing toward Song Qingming’s sealed cave and drove away nearby Low-grade Demonic Beasts.
• The Azure Luan Demon King watched the clouds gathering above the pool and wondered whether Song Qingming would succeed in forming his Core.

Song Qingming successfully completed his core formation and stabilized his cultivation as a Golden Core cultivator. After Long Feng returned a Spatial Magic Tool entrusted to Fire Phoenix, Song Qingming found that its contents were missing.

• Song Qingming used a Crimson Essence Jade Stone and Thousand Year Spirit Milk to stabilize and temper his newly condensed Golden Core.
• Azure Luan fought a stronger one-horned bull demon that threatened the Pool Bottom Cave Mansion, while Fire Phoenix watched and allowed the battle to continue.
• Song Qingming completed the Tempering Golden Core step and entered the Golden Core Realm as the Heaven and Earth Phenomenon dispersed.
• Two years later, Song Qingming emerged after stabilizing his cultivation and learned that Azure Luan and Long Feng had guarded him during his breakthrough.
• Long Feng gave Song Qingming the green jade pendant containing the Spatial Magic Tool, but Song Qingming discovered that its contents were gone.

After forming his Golden Core, Song Qingming refined the Green Willow Sword and considered the cultivation method and spiritual site he would need next. He left his cave and, finding the region empty of cultivators, learned from a group of Rogue Cultivators that the Northern Frontier Demonic Beast Turmoil might be near.

• Song Qingming discovered the Green Willow Sword in the jade pendant Fire Phoenix returned and began refining the Grade 3 Magic Treasure.
• Song Qingming found no Golden Core techniques in the Jade Profound Scripture, but a new line appeared: “Jade Profound Mountain, Void Palace.”
• After nearly a month, Song Qingming finished refining the Green Willow Sword and flew out of the Pool Bottom Cave Mansion.
• Song Qingming flew south through the Floating Cloud Mountain Range and encountered five Rogue Cultivators fighting two high-grade Level 1 Demonic Beasts.
• Song Qingming killed the two beasts in one strike, then told the Rogue Cultivators he would give them the corpses if they answered one question.

Song Qingming returned from seclusion as a Golden Core cultivator and learned that rumors about his breakthrough had sparked a demonic beast migration, though the Northern Frontier turmoil had not yet begun. At Funiu Mountain, Song Qingyu faced worsening finances and renewed conflict between the Lu and Li families while awaiting a meeting arranged by the Huang Family.

• Song Qingming questioned Hu Yu and the demon-hunting party, learned that beasts had fled south after rumors of a Golden Core beast near the Bai Shui River, and left them more than a hundred Spirit Stones.
• Song Qingming passed near Guiyun Marketplace, where a gray-robed cultivator recognized his Golden Core-level speed and hurried to report the unfamiliar senior to Martial Uncle Lu.
• Song Qingming reached human-controlled lands and realized his seclusion had been mistaken for a demonic beast advancing into a Demon King; he was relieved that the Northern Frontier turmoil had not yet arrived.
• Song Qingyu heard that the Song Family’s revenues had declined amid growing unrest and the Lu and Li families’ continued hostility.
• Huang Siyuan told Song Qingyu that Sibo had persuaded Saint Moon Old Ancestor and arranged a meeting in Qinghe Market to address the feud, while Song Qingyu worried that the Huang Family might be behind it.

Li Mufeng dealt with the Carefree Sect’s growing military threats while investigating an unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator traveling through Wei State. The stranger, Song Qingming, returned to Funiu Mountain, where the Song Family recognized him as their Clan Leader.

• Lu Boyang learned that an unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator had passed Chiyan Mountain and ordered Liu Yuan to describe the sighting.
• Li Mufeng gave Yao Ganshu a Snow Lotus Pill and reassured him after his failed Nascent Soul attempts, then prepared the sect for the approaching Demonic Beast Turmoil.
• Li Mufeng ordered the Carefree Sect to watch for the unfamiliar cultivator and investigate Jiangling Commandery, while delaying Iron Immortal Fortress’s request for aid.
• Song Qingming traveled from Guiyun Marketplace to Qinghe County and arrived beneath Funiu Mountain.
• The Song Family cultivators recognized Song Qingming and greeted him as their Clan Leader.

Song Qingming returned to Funiu Mountain after forming his Golden Core and learned that the Lu and Li Families’ feud was disrupting Qinghe County. He went to Qinghe Market to intervene, where the gathered mediators had just heard that Senior Song had arrived.

• Song Qingming reached Funiu Mountain, praised the guards, and confirmed his Golden Core breakthrough to Huang Siyuan and the Song Family elders.
• Huang Siyuan told Song Qingming that Song Qingyu and Huang Sibao were trying to mediate the conflict between the Lu and Li Families at Qinghe Market.
• Song Qingming agreed to help resolve the feud and left for Qinghe Market, deciding there was no need to hide his Golden Core status.
• At the market Council Hall, Lu Xingde demanded a Soul Contract while Li Chengyue refused, and the mediators failed to reconcile them.
• A Law Enforcement Team cultivator announced that Senior Song had arrived, leaving Song Qingyu and the others wondering which Song he meant.