Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng chooses Silver Horn Mountain, located seven hundred miles from Jinyun Peak, as his new residence rather than living at the sect’s crowded central peak or in one of its six cities.
• The mountain is quiet, covered in Silver Horn Trees, and contains a small medicinal garden belonging to the Sunset Glow Sect.
• The sect transfers control of the medicinal garden to Lu Qingfeng as a gesture of goodwill toward him as a skilled alchemist and artifact refiner.
• Lu Qingfeng establishes a complete cave abode with rooms for cultivation, alchemy, artifact refinement, and living quarters for Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu.
• Lu Qingyu chooses to remain with Lu Qingfeng on Silver Horn Mountain, while Lu Qingshan stays at Jinyun Peak to formally cultivate within the sect.
• Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu emotionally accept Silver Horn Mountain as their new home and the beginning of their settled life in the cultivation world.
• The next morning, Wang Yuan, the medicinal garden’s former steward, visits and pays respects to Lu Qingfeng. He learns that he now serves Lu Qingfeng rather than the sect.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates his preference for privacy and carefully considers the best environment for cultivation. His decision to remain apart from Lu Qingshan also reflects his desire for Qingshan to grow independently within the sect.
• Lu Qingyu reveals her strong attachment to her brother and reluctance to separate from him. Settling on Silver Horn Mountain gives her emotional security after their long journey.
• Lu Qingshan begins a more independent stage of cultivation at Jinyun Peak, creating physical and emotional distance from his siblings for the sake of his development.
• Wang Yuan is introduced as a cautious, practical sect steward. Having failed to reach Foundation Establishment before the age of forty, he now occupies a modest position and must adjust to working under Lu Qingfeng.

Significant Themes

• Finding a home and belonging: Silver Horn Mountain becomes the Lu siblings’ first true home since leaving the Shangyang Kingdom.
• Independence versus family unity: Lu Qingyu remains beside Lu Qingfeng, while Lu Qingshan separates from them to pursue his own growth.
• The structure and benefits of sect life: The chapter explains how sects distribute responsibilities among cultivators specializing in combat, alchemy, artifact refinement, and administration.
• Mutual dependence: Unlike independent cultivators, sect members exchange skills, resources, protection, and labor.
• Status and opportunity in cultivation society: Even unsuccessful cultivators such as Wang Yuan can maintain a stable life through sect positions, while a breakthrough could dramatically transform their status.
• Political goodwill and recognition: The medicinal garden transfer reflects the sect’s effort to build a favorable relationship with Lu Qingfeng and retain his services.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu share a reflective conversation atop Silver Horn Mountain, acknowledging its importance as their new home.
• Lu Qingfeng internally reflects on Lu Qingshan’s separation, believing distance may help him mature and progress more quickly.
• Lu Qingfeng receives Wang Yuan respectfully but makes clear that Wang Yuan’s role has changed: he now serves Lu Qingfeng as the new owner of the medicinal garden.
• Wang Yuan treats Lu Qingfeng with great deference because of Lu Qingfeng’s position as a guest elder and his superior cultivation and skills.

Chapter Summary: “Medicine Garden, Second Update—Please Subscribe!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng formally inspects the medicine garden on Silver Horn Mountain with Steward Wang Yuan, who has recently submitted himself to Lu’s authority.
• Wang Yuan explains the garden’s layout:
  • Common herbs for low- and mid-grade pills.
  • More valuable herbs for high- and top-grade pills.
  • A central area containing four types of first-order spirit herbs, carefully protected because they are essential for top-grade pills.
• Lu Qingfeng realizes the garden cannot meet his long-term needs. He must support Qing Shan and Qing Yu, stockpile top-grade pills, and soon prepare Foundation Establishment Pills, which require second- and third-order spirit herbs.
• The garden’s gray-robed mission disciples pay respects to Lu, but he dismisses the formalities and allows them to return to work.
• Lu asks Wang Yuan how to obtain large quantities of spirit herbs. Wang explains that the sect can:
  • Supply ordinary herbs through its own garden or the Procurement Hall.
  • Post missions for rare herbs, with Lu paying in Spirit Stones or pills.
• Lu is pleased by the resources and convenience provided by sect life, contrasting it with the dangers and difficulties of operating as a wandering cultivator.
• He decides to rely on Wang Yuan for mundane affairs but refrains from immediately rewarding or fully trusting him, intending to judge his loyalty over time.
• The chapter ends abruptly when the cries of several second-order demon birds are heard overhead. Wang Yuan notices them approaching and becomes alarmed.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng: Demonstrates his practical, strategic nature. He recognizes the value of the sect’s resources, plans ahead for his own and his companions’ cultivation, and begins delegating administrative work. Although he sees Wang Yuan’s usefulness, he remains cautious and does not blindly trust him.
• Wang Yuan: Shows political awareness and adaptability by quickly pledging loyalty to Lu. He is eager to gain Lu’s favor and views serving him as a chance to improve his own position. His long experience in the sect makes him knowledgeable about resources and procedures.
• Qing Shan and Qing Yu: Do not appear directly, but their heavy pill requirements strongly influence Lu’s decisions and future planning.

Significant Themes

• Strategic alliances and cautious trust: Lu accepts Wang Yuan’s service because it is useful, but plans to evaluate his character gradually.
• Advantages of institutional power: Membership in the Sunset Glow Sect gives Lu access to herbs, missions, procurement networks, and protection unavailable to most wandering cultivators.
• Preparation and resource management: Lu’s cultivation progress requires long-term planning, especially because higher-level pills demand increasingly rare materials.
• Delegation and authority: Lu begins shifting from personally handling every task to managing servants and sect resources through trusted subordinates.
• Hidden danger beneath routine affairs: The peaceful inspection of the medicine garden is interrupted by the arrival of demon birds, suggesting an imminent conflict or crisis.

Character Interactions

• Wang Yuan respectfully guides Lu through the garden and explains the sect’s methods for obtaining medicinal resources.
• Lu treats Wang Yuan kindly but maintains a clear hierarchy, acknowledging his usefulness without granting immediate rewards.
• The mission disciples show respect to Lu as an elder; he dismisses their ceremony, reinforcing his relatively approachable manner.
• Wang Yuan’s attitude shifts between confident service and nervous uncertainty as he worries about Lu’s judgment.
• Their developing master-subordinate relationship forms the chapter’s central interpersonal dynamic before the demon birds appear.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• While Lu Qingfeng visits Silver Horn Mountain’s herb garden, several spirit birds suddenly appear overhead, causing Wang Yuan and the disciples to fear a demon-beast attack.
• Lu Qingfeng reveals that the birds are his companions and summons them down. The seven birds—Cinnabar Bird, Luan Bird, Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle, Five-Colored Bird, White Crane, Wild Goose, and Divine Cat Owl—gather affectionately around him.
• He feeds them valuable spirit pills, astonishing Wang Yuan and reinforcing the impression that Lu Qingfeng is a wealthy and skilled alchemist.
• Lu Qingfeng explains that he subdued and cultivated the birds to use them in the Seven-Bird Minor Evolution Numerology, rather than for their combat strength. After years of feeding, all seven have reached the second tier, while the White Crane and Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle are nearing the third tier.
• He asks Wang Yuan to care for the birds and inform the sect’s demon-beast handlers not to attack them. Wang Yuan readily agrees.
• After inspecting the herb garden, Lu Qingfeng returns to his cave. The garden will help supply medicinal herbs, but he identifies obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill as his most urgent concern.
• He recognizes that the pill requires rare third- and second-tier spirit herbs, which may be difficult even for the Sunset Glow Sect to obtain. Since he has only recently reached the sixth layer of the True Qi Realm, he decides to focus on cultivation for now.
• Lu Qingfeng consumes Qi-Gathering Pills and begins refining True Qi through his three cultivation arts: the Luofu Sword Canon, Twelve Capital Demon God Art, and Iron Tempering Body.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates greater wealth, influence, and preparation than others realize. His ability to cultivate and control seven rare spirit birds highlights his unusual methods and resources.
• His experience from the game continues to give him a major advantage: he has already comprehended his cultivation arts deeply, allowing him to focus entirely on refining True Qi in the real world without suffering the bottlenecks faced by ordinary cultivators.
• Wang Yuan shifts from alarm and readiness to fight into admiration and obedience. He becomes increasingly convinced that Lu Qingfeng is an accomplished alchemist and powerful elder.
• The disciples in the herb garden also gain a sense of Lu Qingfeng’s extraordinary status through their awe at the spirit birds and spirit pills.

Significant Themes

• Preparation and long-term planning: Lu Qingfeng’s cultivation of the spirit birds and concern over the Foundation Establishment Pill show his habit of preparing well before future breakthroughs.
• Knowledge as an advantage: His game experience allows him to bypass the comprehension difficulties that trap most cultivators, compensating for his poor root bone.
• Resources and cultivation: Pills, herbs, and rare materials are essential to advancement, making access to resources as important as talent.
• Control through cultivation: Lu Qingfeng uses both rewards and discipline to tame the spirit birds, reflecting his practical and strategic approach.
• The tortoise-and-hare contrast: Though Lu Qingfeng’s natural talent is weak, his patience, understanding, and accumulated knowledge let him advance steadily and avoid stagnation.

Character Interactions

• Wang Yuan initially prepares to defend the garden from what he believes are hostile demon beasts.
• Lu Qingfeng calmly reassures him, calls down the birds, and explains their purpose.
• Wang Yuan identifies each bird and reacts with growing amazement as he watches them accept Lu Qingfeng’s spirit pills.
• Lu Qingfeng entrusts Wang Yuan with the birds’ safety, creating a practical working relationship between the elder and the enforcer.
• The chapter ends with Lu Qingfeng alone in meditation, sword qi manifesting around him as he begins another stage of intensive cultivation.

Chapter Summary: “Low Profile, Fourth Update—Please Subscribe!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng completes the Iron Tempering Body, tempering his physical form through repeated refinement until his body becomes extremely durable.
• He continues cultivating three powerful methods simultaneously:
  • Luofu Sword Canon, which produces sharp, destructive Sword Qi.
  • Iron Tempering Body, focused on physical defense and resistance.
  • Twelve Capital Demon God Art, which strengthens his body, Qi, and spirit through the manifestation of Demon Gods.
• The Demon God Zhurong, associated with fire, absorbs the poisonous residue from pills and grows stronger. This allows Lu Qingfeng to refine top-grade Qi-Gathering Pills far faster and more safely than ordinary cultivators.
• Lu Qingfeng divides his time between reality and the game. In reality, he cultivates on Silver Horn Mountain. In the game, he travels, gathers resources, analyzes techniques, and tempers himself through experience.
• He improves the second layer of the Deriving the Dharma function, using it to study Pills, Magical Artifacts, beast corpses, and other materials. He reduces his focus on alchemy and Artifact Refining, since his existing Fourth-Tier mastery is already sufficient for his current needs.
• Lu Qingfeng establishes a reputation within the Sunset Glow Sect by quietly supplying high-quality Pills and Magical Artifacts. Their excellent quality and reasonable prices make them highly sought after.
• He relies on Wang Yuan, the steward of Silver Horn Mountain, to handle most dealings with the sect, allowing Lu Qingfeng to maintain his secluded lifestyle while Wang Yuan’s status rises.
• He continues gathering resources through the game and through the Sunset Glow Sect. His Spider Puppets mine the Weeping Marsh, but Spirit Stones and high-level materials remain scarce.
• Lu Qingfeng begins seeking materials to refine stronger Puppets, especially Tiger Demon Puppets, which could give him overwhelming strength in the Gathering Cloud Mountains.
• He also gathers materials for the Seven Fiends Banner, a powerful artifact that can become nearly unbeatable within the Foundation Establishment Stage once its seven ghost spirits are fully refined.
• The chapter ends by recalling Lu Qingfeng’s preparations in the Shangyang Kingdom, where he created three Patriarch statues for the Azure Origin Sword Sect to collect incense offerings.

Character Development

• Lu Qingfeng’s cultivation advances significantly, particularly in body tempering and the refinement of his True Qi.
• His three cultivation methods complement one another: the Sword Canon handles pill poison, the Demon God Art consumes it, and the Iron Tempering Body grants powerful physical defense.
• He becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. Rather than relying on the protection of the Sunset Glow Sect, he prioritizes building his own strength, resources, Puppets, and magical trump cards.
• His philosophy of maintaining a low profile becomes central to his conduct. He avoids unnecessary conflict, rarely leaves Silver Horn Mountain, and lets his products and steward speak for him.
• Although his social presence is minimal, his influence within the sect grows steadily through the quality of his goods.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng’s primary interaction is with the Sunset Glow Sect, whose Elders and Sect Master are intrigued by his extreme seclusion.
• Sect Elders occasionally visit Silver Horn Mountain to establish relations with him, while Wang Yuan handles routine negotiations and resource exchanges.
• The sect’s disciples and Elders increasingly seek Lu Qingfeng’s Pills and Magical Artifacts, strengthening his position within the sect.
• Lu Qingfeng maintains indirect relations with rogue cultivators through the sale of his products in markets controlled by the Sunset Glow Sect.
• His relationship with the sect remains cooperative but cautious: he accepts its fairness while refusing to depend entirely on it for protection.

Significant Themes

• Strength through preparation: Lu Qingfeng continually accumulates resources, artifacts, techniques, and Puppets rather than relying on a single source of power.
• Seclusion and patience: His ability to endure boredom and remain hidden distinguishes him from ordinary young cultivators.
• Self-reliance and distrust: Even while benefiting from the Sunset Glow Sect, he understands that survival ultimately depends on his own abilities.
• Efficiency and specialization: He stops pursuing every possible skill equally and concentrates on the methods and resources most useful for his current advancement.
• Low-profile influence: Lu Qingfeng gains power and status without openly seeking attention, allowing his products and results to build his reputation for him.

Chapter Summary: “Three Years Later”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Over three years, Lu Qingfeng continued refining materials in the Weeping Marsh and produced nine additional items.
• The Azure Origin Sword Sect expanded rapidly under a steady supply of Pills, producing many True Qi Realm cultivators and becoming the undisputed dominant force in the Shangyang Kingdom.
• The sect established branch halls in three commanderies and opened the Patriarchs’ Hall to public worship. Offerings from twelve statues of Lu Qingfeng’s Patriarch greatly exceeded those from Wind-Support Mountain.
• By refining incense offerings into Heavenly Silver, Lu Qingfeng gained an extremely valuable resource—roughly equivalent to the annual output of a medium-sized Spirit Stone mine. Heavenly Silver could strengthen the Dutian Demon God, nurture ghostly beings, empower Magical Artifacts, and improve Pills and artifacts.
• Because some materials for the Seven Fiends Banner were still missing, Lu Qingfeng focused on refining the Dutian Demon God. After arriving at the Sunset Glow Sect, he was finally able to begin crafting the Magical Artifact.
• Meanwhile, Lu Qingfeng continued cultivating, refining Pills, crafting artifacts, and playing Great Wilderness. Another three years passed.
• The Sunset Glow Sect hosted its triennial disciple recruitment and internal competition. Thousands attempted the entrance trials, but fewer than one in a hundred succeeded. The sect generally accepted only thirty to fifty promising disciples.
• The internal competition rewarded outstanding disciples with Pills and Magical Artifacts and allowed newcomers to witness the power of Immortal Dao techniques.
• Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingyu, and Lu Qing Shan prepared to attend the competition at Debate Peak.

Character Development

• Lu Qingfeng became increasingly powerful and resourceful, building a major incense-based wealth system through the Azure Origin Sword Sect while advancing his cultivation, artifact refinement, and beast-taming efforts.
• Lu Qingyu grew into a graceful and sociable young woman. Unlike her reclusive brother, she frequently traveled around the Gathering Cloud Mountains on the White Crane and developed relationships with Sunset Glow Sect disciples. Lu Qingfeng was pleased that she was not isolated, though he had prepared numerous safeguards for her.
• Lu Qing Shan reached the Third Layer of the True Qi Realm, narrowly surpassing Qing Yu. Thanks to the Luofu Sword Canon, superior cultivation methods, and Lu Qingfeng’s guidance, he was overwhelmingly stronger than ordinary Sunset Glow Sect disciples and expected to dominate the competition.
• Lu Qingfeng tamed and raised several powerful birds for transportation and for the Seven-Bird Minor Evolution Numerology. The Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle and White Crane advanced to the third rank and became excellent mounts.

Significant Themes

• Power through organization and influence: The Azure Origin Sword Sect’s expansion shows how Lu Qingfeng’s influence has moved beyond personal cultivation into institutional and religious power.
• Incense and faith as resources: Public worship becomes a major source of wealth, demonstrating the practical value of reputation, devotion, and divine symbolism.
• Advantage of superior inheritance: Lu Qing Shan and Qing Yu greatly outperform local disciples because they possess better cultivation methods, Arts, and guidance than the Sunset Glow Sect can provide.
• Family protection and freedom: Lu Qingfeng balances protecting Qing Yu with allowing her to form friendships and experience life independently.
• Preparation and long-term planning: His cultivation, artifact-making, beast-taming, and collection of materials all support larger future goals, including the Seven Fiends Banner and Seven-Bird Minor Evolution Numerology.

Character Interactions

• Qing Yu jokes that Qing Shan will “steal the show” at the competition because of his superior cultivation, while also accusing him of liking to show off.
• Lu Qingfeng lightly teases Qing Yu about Qing Shan’s lead in cultivation, but reassures her and recognizes the siblings’ rivalry fondly.
• Qing Yu’s excitement at seeing the White Crane reveals her close bond with the mount. She immediately rides it toward the competition.
• Lu Qingfeng travels with Qing Yu on the Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle, and the siblings head together toward Debate Peak, where the Sunset Glow Sect’s internal competition will take place.

Chapter Summary: “Debate Peak”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Debate Peak fills with disciples for the Sunset Glow Sect’s triennial competition, where True Qi Realm disciples battle using spells and compete for prestigious rewards.
• Lu Qingshan arrives with his close friends Zhang Ye, Qian Yunhai, and Feng Bai. The group discusses likely prizes and the strongest competitors.
• The disciples speculate about rewards from the elders, especially Lu Qingfeng, the renowned second-rank Alchemist and Artifact Refiner of Silver Horn Mountain.
• Qian Yunhai asks Lu Qingshan for information about Lu Qingfeng’s prizes, but Lu Qingshan admits he has no idea because he has not recently visited Silver Horn Mountain.
• More than a thousand disciples and deacons gather as they await the sect master and elders.
• Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu make a dramatic entrance riding their third-rank spiritual beasts: Lu Qingfeng on an Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle and Lu Qingyu on a White Crane.
• Their arrival causes excitement throughout the sect. The disciples admire their status, mounts, and exceptional cultivation resources.
• Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu take their places on the viewing platform. Lu Qingfeng tells Lu Qingyu to go find their second brother while he waits for the competition to begin.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingshan: Presented as a respected but comparatively modest disciple at the third level of the True Qi Realm. He maintains strong friendships within the sect and has a close relationship with his elder brother, Lu Qingfeng.
• Zhang Ye: A longtime disciple at the sixth level of the True Qi Realm who is attempting to break through to the seventh. He is shown as one of Lu Qingshan’s trusted companions.
• Qian Yunhai: Friendly and curious, especially about the valuable prizes Lu Qingfeng may provide. His playful attempt to obtain “inside information” highlights his familiarity with Lu Qingshan.
• Feng Bai: The strongest member of the group at the ninth level of the True Qi Realm and one of the competition’s favorites.
• Lu Qingfeng: His reputation has grown greatly over the past two years. His abilities in alchemy and artifact refining, along with his powerful third-rank spirit beasts, have earned him respect comparable to that given to senior sect leaders.
• Lu Qingyu: Shown as eager and enthusiastic about the competition. Her appearance and third-rank White Crane attract considerable attention from the disciples.

Significant Themes

• Competition and ambition: The sect competition offers disciples the chance to gain fame, rewards, and recognition.
• Status and reputation: Lu Qingfeng’s achievements and resources have made him an almost legendary figure within the sect.
• Cultivation hierarchy: Differences in realm, age, talent, and access to Pills, Magical Artifacts, and spirit beasts shape how characters are viewed.
• Friendship and loyalty: Lu Qingshan’s close-knit group reflects the importance of dependable companions in sect life.
• Public image versus personal character: Although Lu Qingfeng is mysterious and highly respected, his relaxed interactions with Lu Qingyu suggest a more familiar and approachable side.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingshan casually discusses the competition with Zhang Ye, Qian Yunhai, and Feng Bai, showing their comfortable friendship.
• Qian Yunhai teasingly pressures Lu Qingshan for information about Lu Qingfeng’s prizes, but Lu Qingshan honestly says he does not know.
• The disciples collectively react with awe and admiration to Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu’s arrival.
• Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu exchange lighthearted remarks about arriving too early, revealing their sibling closeness. Lu Qingfeng then directs Lu Qingyu to meet their second brother while he remains on the viewing platform.

Plot points and events

• At the Sunset Glow Sect’s ceremony, Lu Qingfeng accepts that Lu Qingyu cannot officially attend because she is not a sect disciple or elder. Qingyu spots Lu Qingshan among the disciples and jumps down to join him.
• While waiting for the Sect Master and elders, Lu Qingfeng enters the Primordial World to cultivate. Three years pass in reality, corresponding to three hundred years in the game.
• After defeating Demon King Hunshan, Lu Qingfeng analyzes the Longevity Pill and the Black-Veined Golden-Spot Butterfly’s corpse. The analysis yields the Longevity Pill formula, an insect-focused cultivation method, and two powerful divine abilities: the defensive Taiyin Calamity-Crossing Robe and the destructive Great Sun Nirvana Divine Light.
• To acquire the Robe, Lu Qingfeng deliberately spends experience to regress from the Spirit Void Fusion Realm, then cultivates through the Heart Movement and Divine Silence realms again. Because his mind is already advanced, this takes far less time than before. He repeats the process twelve times, earning over one hundred million experience points.
• He spends those points on previously unavailable demonic methods, the butterfly-derived abilities and cultivation method, and further analysis and enhancement of magical artifacts and pills. He raises the Luofu Sword Canon and the Twelve Dutian Demon God Method to Profound Grade. The Luofu Sword Canon now supports cultivation up to the Celestial Immortal realm and greatly strengthens his True Essence and spellcasting.

Character development

• Lu Qingfeng remains patient and strategic: he respects sect protocol rather than forcing Qingyu’s attendance, and accepts slower, safer cultivation rather than risking qi deviation for a few years’ gain. His repeated cultivation and method enhancements show his willingness to exploit the game system methodically to build power.
• Lu Qingyu appears confident and eager to connect with her brother, showing no nervousness before the gathered disciples.
• Lu Qingshan is present among the sect’s disciples, though his role in this excerpt is mainly to be the person Qingyu seeks out.

Significant themes

• Experience points and cultivation as a resource economy: Lu Qingfeng trades cultivation progress for experience, then reinvests it in abilities and stronger methods.
• Patience versus reckless advancement: He chooses to stabilize his foundation rather than pursue the fastest possible progress.
• Knowledge and analysis as power: Studying rare creatures and items lets him acquire techniques that would otherwise be difficult to obtain.
• The value of high-level cultivation methods: Advancing the Luofu Sword Canon to Profound Grade represents not merely stronger techniques but access to a higher realm of cultivation.

Character interactions

• Lu Qingfeng and Qingyu differ over her attendance, but he gently upholds the sect’s rules rather than using his status to override them.
• Qingyu scans the disciples and joins Qingshan, while Lu Qingfeng deliberately lets his siblings mingle with others, believing such contact will help them mature.

Chapter Summary: “A Strong Showing, in Eighth Place—Please Subscribe!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After three hundred years of cultivation and practice in the Great Wilderness, Lu Qingshan significantly strengthens his techniques and Divine Abilities.
• He upgrades the Twelve Capital Demon God Art to the Mysterious Tier, greatly increasing the power of the Zhu Rong Demon God and its Zhu Rong Divine Flame to a level approaching a Divine Ability.
• The art’s growing demonic nature makes it increasingly dangerous, as losing control could allow demonic thoughts to corrupt Lu Qingshan. However, his repeated experience with the Spirit Void Heart Stirring and Divine Silence realms has strengthened his mentality, allowing him to suppress the danger.
• His Luofu Sword Canon and Twelve Capital Demon God Art become his two Mysterious Tier techniques. He leaves Iron Tempering Body at Orthodox Grade because further improvement would cost too much experience and is unnecessary for now.
• Despite his powerful foundation, Lu Qingshan’s cultivation level stagnates. At age 758 in his eighth life, he remains unable to form a core and accepts that he will need to try again in his next life.
• His long practice gives him mastery of numerous High-Grade Arts, Transcendent Arts, and Divine Abilities, making his combat style extremely versatile and difficult for opponents to predict.
• Returning to reality, Lu Qingshan attends the Sunset Glow Sect’s Debate Peak contest. The sect master, Zhou Yuan, and the elders arrive shortly afterward.
• The elders apologize for making him wait, explaining that they had forgotten to tell him that elders normally arrive later than the disciples.
• Because Lu Qingshan is both a Second-Rank Alchemist and Second-Rank Artifact Refiner, the sect’s leaders treat him with considerable respect. Zhou Yuan invites him to sit beside him in the most honored position rather than at the end of the platform.
• The disciples notice Lu Qingshan’s elevated status and begin discussing his influence. His siblings, Lu Qingyu and Lu Qingfeng, react with pride and, in Lu Qingfeng’s case, some envy and determination to earn similar recognition.
• The contest moves toward the announcement of the rewards prepared by the elders, beginning with the relatively junior Elder Yue Miaoyin.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingshan becomes increasingly formidable through patience, accumulated practice, and mastery of many techniques, even though his cultivation realm remains stalled. His experience also gives him confidence in controlling the demonic risks of his art.
• Lu Qingfeng admires his elder brother but recognizes the gap between them. His envy is portrayed as motivational rather than hostile, encouraging him to improve himself.
• Lu Qingyu takes pride in her brother’s reputation and is pleased by the respect he receives.
• Zhou Yuan and the sect elders show that they regard Lu Qingshan as an important asset to the sect, particularly because of his rare combination of alchemy and artifact-refining skills.
• Yue Miaoyin is presented as the newest and least financially established elder, prompting Zhou Yuan to ask her about her contest rewards first in order to avoid embarrassing her.

Significant Themes

• Strength beyond cultivation realm: Although Lu Qingshan’s cultivation has barely advanced, his techniques, experience, and breadth of abilities have made him exceptionally powerful.
• The danger of power: The stronger his Demon God Art becomes, the greater the risk of demonic corruption, emphasizing the need for discipline and mental fortitude.
• Accumulation and perseverance: Lu Qingshan’s mastery comes from centuries of relentless practice rather than rapid breakthroughs.
• Recognition and status: The sect’s treatment of Lu Qingshan demonstrates how skill, rarity, and practical value can earn respect and authority.
• Family admiration and ambition: Lu Qingyu’s pride and Lu Qingfeng’s mixed admiration and envy highlight how Lu Qingshan’s achievements affect those close to him.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingshan respectfully exchanges greetings with Zhou Yuan and the elders.
• The elders apologize for the misunderstanding about the contest schedule, while Lu Qingshan eases the tension by explaining that he came early because Lu Qingyu encouraged him.
• Zhou Yuan personally invites Lu Qingshan to sit beside him, and the other elders support the decision.
• The disciples comment on Lu Qingshan’s honored position, while Lu Qingyu proudly listens and Lu Qingfeng reflects on his own shortcomings.
• Zhou Yuan begins organizing the contest rewards by asking Yue Miaoyin what she has prepared.

Chapter Summary: “The Ninth Big Gesture, Please Subscribe!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sunset Glow Sect’s Debate Peak competition begins with the elders presenting prizes for the participating Postnatal Realm disciples.
• Yue Miaoyin, recently returned after sixty years away and newly advanced to the Foundation Establishment Stage, offers a piece of Cold Jade obtained by killing a second-rank Cold Carp in the Weeping Marsh. The jade can calm the mind and aid Postnatal Realm cultivation.
• The other elders present pills, talisman artifacts, and treasures. Grand Elders Zhang Cheng, Mo Han, and Gu Qin offer especially valuable first-rank pills and top-grade talisman artifacts.
• Lu Qingfeng makes the most astonishing offering: the Seven Fiends Banner, a Magical Artifact containing seven protectors at the peak of the True Qi Realm. He explains that careful refinement might raise the protectors to the Foundation Establishment level.
• His gift causes an uproar among the disciples and embarrasses Sect Master Zhou Yuan, who jokes that Lu Qingfeng has made everyone else look stingy.
• To preserve his dignity, Zhou Yuan contributes the Purple Radiance Pearl, a first-rank defensive Magical Artifact that can protect its user from all but a Foundation Establishment expert.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Yuan explaining that the prizes will be ranked according to value and distributed among the competition’s top-ranked disciples rather than awarded entirely to one person.

Character Developments

• Yue Miaoyin is shown as modest and considerate. Though her Cold Jade is less valuable than the gifts offered by senior elders, it is well suited to the younger disciples and reflects her recent experiences in the dangerous Weeping Marsh.
• Lu Qingfeng establishes himself as extraordinarily generous and powerful. His Seven Fiends Banner demonstrates both his skill as an artifact refiner and his desire to make a memorable impression at his first Debate Peak competition.
• Zhou Yuan reveals a humorous, good-natured side while also showing how much he values his reputation as sect master. His decision to give away the Purple Radiance Pearl is costly but allows him to match Lu Qingfeng’s gesture.
• Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu react quietly to Lu Qingfeng’s offering, suggesting they understand or suspect more about the banner than the other disciples do.
• Gu Qin and Mei Qingyan contribute to the lighthearted atmosphere by teasing Zhou Yuan and highlighting the significance of his gift.

Significant Themes

• Generosity and reputation: The elders’ offerings are not only prizes but also public demonstrations of status, wealth, and regard for the sect’s younger generation.
• Competition and hierarchy: The value of each gift reflects the standing and abilities of its donor, while the ranking system reinforces the sect’s formal structure.
• Hidden strength: Lu Qingfeng’s apparently casual gift reveals resources and abilities far beyond what the disciples expected.
• Mentorship and investment in the younger generation: Although the elders compete playfully over the value of their offerings, their gifts ultimately support the disciples’ cultivation and future success.
• Tradition versus disruption: The traditional ceremony proceeds as usual, but Lu Qingfeng’s extraordinary offering changes the atmosphere and raises the standard for everyone else.

Character Interactions

• The disciples speculate about Yue Miaoyin’s background, her relationship with Lu Qingfeng, and the value of her gift.
• Yue Lingxi questions whether Lu Qingfeng’s offering is excessively precious, showing concern over the scale of his generosity.
• Zhou Yuan jokingly complains that Lu Qingfeng has made the other elders’ offerings look inadequate.
• Gu Qin joins in teasing Zhou Yuan, while Lu Qingfeng responds politely and acknowledges her.
• Mei Qingyan publicly jokes about Zhou Yuan’s reluctance to part with the Purple Radiance Pearl, prompting laughter from the elders.
• The friendly banter among the senior figures contrasts with the disciples’ excitement and awe at seeing rare treasures displayed.

Plot points and events

• The Sunset Glow Sect finalizes the minor competition’s rankings: the Seven Baleful Banner takes first place, Zhou Yuan’s Purple Radiance Pearl second, and Yue Miaoyin’s Cold Carp Cold Jade eleventh. The sect master announces the prizes, including magical weapons, spirit stones, and pills.
• The sect’s three-yearly competition begins, drawing 302 eligible True Qi Realm disciples. Eight Foundation Establishment elders oversee the fighting platforms, while other elders watch for promising disciples to take as True Disciples.
• Lu Qingshan advances through four rounds with increasingly formidable opponents. He defeats each with little difficulty, culminating in a victory over Zhou Chu, a ninth-layer True Qi Realm True Disciple and championship favorite.
• Lu Qingshan reaches the final as a surprise contender, drawing widespread attention. The passage ends before the final match takes place.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Qingshan’s performance reveals exceptional skill despite his cultivation being only at the third layer of the True Qi Realm. His precise Sword Qi and unusual Wind-Riding Art carry him through the tournament.
• Lu Qingfeng confidently predicts that his younger brother will take first place. When Zhou Yuan praises Lu Qingshan’s strength, Lu Qingfeng dismisses his cultivation as modest but emphasizes how effective his spellwork is.
• Zhou Yuan grows impressed as he watches Lu Qingshan win round after round, and realizes Lu Qingfeng’s confidence in his brother may explain why he created the Seven Baleful Banner.

Significant themes

• Skill versus cultivation: Lu Qingshan’s spell mastery lets him overcome opponents with much higher cultivation.
• Fortune and competition: The random matchups can eliminate strong disciples early; the text treats luck as part of the cultivation path.
• Mentorship and sect advancement: The competition is not only about ranking disciples but also gives elders a chance to choose apprentices, forging bonds that can rival family ties.

The Hundred Herb Garden — Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingshan defeats Zhou Chu decisively in the Sunset Glow Sect’s competition, using the Luofu Sword Qi and an enhanced Wind-Control Technique. His victory demonstrates that he is far more powerful than ordinary True Qi Realm cultivators.
• Zhou Chu’s master, Mei Jiancheng, responds graciously, thanking Lu Qingfeng on Zhou Chu’s behalf and acknowledging the defeat without resentment.
• Over the seven-day competition, Lu Qingshan defeats numerous competitors and wins first place. His reputation changes from being known merely as Lu Qingfeng’s younger brother to being recognized as a formidable cultivator in his own right.
• His victory also causes the sect’s elders to reconsider Lu Qingfeng, wondering whether the seemingly unassuming elder possesses abilities beyond alchemy and artifact refining.
• After the competition, Lu Qingfeng meets Sect Master Zhou Yuan at Vast View Terrace to discuss the Hundred Herb Garden.
• Zhou Yuan explains the garden’s history, entrance requirements, time limits, levels, and restrictions. It appears once every twelve years and allows only a limited number of Foundation Establishment cultivators and Houtian disciples to enter.
• The garden contains vast quantities of First-, Second-, and Third-Rank Spiritual Medicines. Its resources were instrumental in helping the Sunset Glow Sect establish itself in the Gathering Cloud Mountains.
• The upper level also contains the Yang-Restoring Fruit Tree, which produces only twelve fruits every thirty-six years. Each fruit can extend the lifespan of cultivators below the Golden Core Stage by ten years, making them extraordinarily valuable.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingshan gains independence and recognition. His tournament victory proves that his strength is not merely inherited from or dependent on his association with Lu Qingfeng.
• Lu Qingfeng attracts increased attention because of his brother’s accomplishments. Others begin to suspect that his true abilities may extend far beyond his known professions as an alchemist and artifact refiner.
• Zhou Chu suffers a major defeat but is portrayed as capable of learning from it. Mei Jiancheng believes the setback may encourage him to cultivate more seriously.
• Mei Jiancheng is shown to be magnanimous and fair-minded, accepting Zhou Chu’s loss without hostility.
• Zhou Yuan reveals his knowledge of the Hundred Herb Garden and his personal history with it, including having entered it when he was still at the True Qi Realm.

Significant Themes

• Recognition through personal achievement: Lu Qingshan moves out of his brother’s shadow by proving himself publicly.
• Hidden strength and reputation: The chapter emphasizes how little people may know about seemingly modest cultivators such as Lu Qingfeng.
• Scarcity and competition: The limited entrance slots, time restrictions, rare medicines, and Yang-Restoring Fruits guarantee fierce competition among the Four Sects.
• Lifespan and cultivation: The Yang-Restoring Fruit highlights the importance of time in cultivation and the lengths cultivators may go to extend their lives and pursue advancement.
• Mentorship and growth: Zhou Chu’s defeat is framed as a potential turning point that may push him toward greater discipline.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng and Mei Jiancheng exchange respectful words after the competition, establishing mutual courtesy rather than rivalry.
• Lu Qingshan’s victory indirectly improves Lu Qingfeng’s standing, linking the brothers’ reputations.
• Lu Qingfeng and Zhou Yuan meet privately as equals in a strategic discussion about the Hundred Herb Garden.
• Zhou Yuan’s explanation gives Lu Qingfeng crucial information about the garden and the Yang-Restoring Fruit, which immediately interests him because he recognizes its potential connection to a pill formula.

Chapter Summary: “The Yang-Restoring Fruit!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng learns from Zhou Yuan that the Hundred Herb Garden contains the extremely valuable Yang-Restoring Fruit, a spirit fruit capable of extending a cultivator’s lifespan.
• The upper level of the Hundred Herb Garden contains nine Yang-Restoring Fruit Trees. Every twelve years, three trees produce fruit, yielding thirty-six fruits each time the realm opens.
• The garden is not controlled solely by the Four Sects of Gathering Cloud. Three major factions compete within it:
  • The

Four Sects of Gathering Cloud

• The

Three Primordial Demon Sect

• The

Six Veins of the Heavenly Sun

• Each faction has its own entrance and internal divisions, meaning cultivators must contend with rival sects, demons, fiends, and even competition within their broader alliance.
• The Four Sects possess seventy-two True Qi Realm and sixteen Foundation Establishment slots. The Sunset Glow Sect receives eighteen True Qi Realm positions, including one for Lu Qingshan because of his victory in the recent minor competition.
• Zhou Yuan realizes that Lu Qingfeng prepared the Seven Fiends Banner specifically to protect Lu Qingshan in the Hundred Herb Garden. Lu Qingfeng confirms this, explaining that he chose to award it through the competition rather than hand it over directly.
• Zhou Yuan praises Lu Qingshan’s prospects and believes the Seven Fiends Banner will greatly strengthen the Sunset Glow Sect’s group. Lu Qingfeng remains modest and warns that Qingshan still lacks experience.
• Zhou Yuan then asks why Lu Qingfeng has come, realizing that his purpose cannot simply be to protect or withdraw his younger brother from the expedition.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng is shown as deeply concerned for Lu Qingshan’s safety but also committed to allowing him to grow independently. Rather than sheltering him, he equips him with powerful protection while respecting his autonomy.
• Lu Qingshan is characterized as self-reliant and determined to escape his elder brother’s shadow. He rarely visits Lu Qingfeng and instead works hard on sect missions to earn resources and prove himself.
• Zhou Yuan is revealed to be perceptive and politically aware. He correctly infers Lu Qingfeng’s motives concerning the Seven Fiends Banner and tries to assess Qingshan’s strength and Lu Qingfeng’s intentions.
• Lu Qingfeng’s support for Qingshan contrasts with his more protective relationship with Qing Yu, highlighting the different personalities of his siblings and his ability to adapt his guidance accordingly.

Significant Themes

• Lifespan and desperation: The Yang-Restoring Fruit is valuable because dying cultivators may risk everything for even ten additional years of life.
• Competition and factional conflict: The Hundred Herb Garden is a dangerous arena where sects, demon factions, and individual cultivators compete for limited treasures.
• Independence versus protection: Lu Qingfeng protects Qingshan without controlling him, recognizing that true cultivation requires personal struggle and self-reliance.
• Strategic preparation: The Seven Fiends Banner represents careful planning for future danger and demonstrates Lu Qingfeng’s willingness to invest heavily in his family’s survival.
• Political secrecy: The Four Sects conceal information about the Yang-Restoring Fruit because its existence could attract desperate cultivators and destabilize the balance of power.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng and Zhou Yuan discuss the Hundred Herb Garden, the Yang-Restoring Fruit, and the distribution of entry slots.
• Zhou Yuan indirectly praises and probes Lu Qingshan’s abilities, while Lu Qingfeng responds cautiously and avoids allowing Qingshan to become overconfident or overburdened by expectations.
• Their conversation also reveals mutual understanding: Zhou Yuan recognizes Lu Qingfeng’s careful planning, while Lu Qingfeng remains diplomatic about the Sunset Glow Sect’s hopes for Qingshan.
• The chapter ends with Zhou Yuan questioning Lu Qingfeng’s true reason for visiting, setting up a reveal about his interests in the Hundred Herb Garden.

Chapter Summary: “Aiming to Enter the Hundred Herb Garden”

Plot and key events

Lu Qingfeng meets Zhou Yuan to discuss entering the Hundred Herb Garden, a dangerous secret realm that opens every twelve years and contains rare spirit herbs, including the Yang-Restoring Fruit and ingredients needed for Foundation Establishment Pills. Lu Qingfeng openly asks Zhou Yuan for permission to participate. Zhou Yuan initially assumes Lu wants the sect to reserve herbs for him, but becomes alarmed when Lu insists on entering personally.

Conflict over the expedition

Zhou Yuan warns that the Hundred Herb Garden is protected by powerful arrays and restrictions and is likely to contain fierce struggles among the Four Sects of Gathering Cloud, demonkind, and the Demon Sect. Foundation Establishment cultivators have repeatedly died there, including Yue Miaoyin’s father, Yue Changchun. Zhou believes Lu’s expertise lies in alchemy and artifact refining rather than array mastery or combat, and he urges Lu to remain behind while other sect members search for herbs.

Lu Qingfeng’s motivations

Lu refuses because relying on the sect may not secure the specific second- and third-tier spirit herbs required for Foundation Establishment Pills. These ingredients are scarce in the Gathering Cloud Mountains, and missing the opportunity would force him to wait another twelve years or search farther afield. The Yang-Restoring Fruit, which can extend life by ten years and is also an important alchemical ingredient, gives him an additional reason to go. Lu believes entering himself is the safest way to obtain what he, Qing Shan, and Qing Yu need.

Character development and interactions

Zhou Yuan acts as a cautious and responsible sect master, emphasizing the expedition’s dangers and trying sincerely to protect Lu. Lu Qingfeng displays determination, confidence, and strategic foresight, insisting that he values his life but cannot afford to leave his future supplies to chance. Their conversation also reveals the growing mystery surrounding Lu’s true strength.

Revelation about Lu’s cultivation

Unable to detect Lu’s cultivation despite using his usual judgment, Zhou Yuan asks directly about his level. Lu explains that he is only at the Foundation-Building Condensation Realm and that his unusual cultivation method makes his True Essence appear mist-like. In reality, his mastery of the Transcendent-Grade Aura Concealment Technique hides his cultivation even from much stronger practitioners, suggesting that Zhou Yuan greatly underestimates his abilities.

Significant themes

The chapter focuses on risk versus necessity, preparation for future cultivation, and the value of personally securing scarce resources. It also emphasizes hidden strength and mistaken first impressions: Lu’s public reputation as an alchemist and artifact refiner conceals his actual capabilities, while Zhou’s concern reflects how dangerous the Hundred Herb Garden truly is.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng convinces Sect Master Zhou Yuan that he has personally experienced the Foundation-Building Condensation Realm by explaining its cultivation principles in remarkable detail. Zhou Yuan remains suspicious but concludes only that Lu Qingfeng’s cultivation may be higher than it appears.
• Zhou Yuan tells Lu Qingfeng that he must consult the sect’s three Grand Elders before giving him a final answer in three days.
• Lu Qingfeng returns to Silver Horn Mountain on a Third-Tier Iron-Feathered Flying Eagle and resumes preparing for the Hundred Herb Garden, which will open in one month.
• His cultivation has advanced from the Sixth Layer to the late Eighth Layer of the True Qi Realm over three years, thanks to relentless cultivation and a supply of high-grade pills from Sunset Glow Sect.
• Lu Qingfeng plans to enter the Hundred Herb Garden for two reasons: to protect his younger brother Lu Qingshan and to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, which he urgently needs because of his poor Spiritual Root.
• He reflects on the limitations imposed by Spiritual Roots. Although he, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu all possess extremely poor Spiritual Roots, improving them is essentially impossible with ordinary means.
• Lu Qingyu has reached the Third Layer of the True Qi Realm, while Lu Qingshan reached that level two months earlier. Qing Yu works hard to catch up, but Qingshan’s superior Spiritual Root and greater life experience give him a clear advantage.
• Lu Qingfeng concludes that he cannot solve Qing Yu’s long-term cultivation problems immediately and instead focuses on strengthening himself, gathering longevity-enhancing resources, and preparing for the Hundred Herb Garden.
• He decides to study Array Restrictions, since the garden’s medicinal herbs are protected by formations. Though he lacks extensive experience, he believes the formations are designed for Postnatal and Foundation Establishment Cultivators and should be manageable.
• In a private meeting, the three Grand Elders and Zhou Yuan discuss Lu Qingfeng’s request. Mei Qingyan angrily rejects the idea of allowing him to enter, but Yue Lingxi recognizes that Lu Qingfeng is determined and highly confident. She concludes that the sect will likely have to let him accompany them.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates exceptional knowledge, foresight, and strategic planning. He successfully conceals his true cultivation while presenting himself as someone experienced in Foundation Establishment.
• He also reveals increasing concern for his siblings’ futures, especially Qing Yu’s slow cultivation progress and poor Spiritual Root.
• Lu Qingyu is shown to be diligent and competitive, striving to surpass Lu Qingshan despite her disadvantages.
• Lu Qingshan continues to pull ahead because of his better Spiritual Root and the practical experience that has improved his state of mind.
• Zhou Yuan becomes more cautious and contemplative regarding Lu Qingfeng, recognizing that his abilities and background are difficult to judge.
• Mei Qingyan is characterized as hot-tempered and openly opposed to Lu Qingfeng’s proposal.
• Yue Lingxi displays calm judgment and political insight, understanding that Lu Qingfeng’s strength and determination make opposition impractical.

Significant Themes

• The limitations of innate talent: Spiritual Roots determine cultivation potential, and even extraordinary effort cannot easily overcome a poor foundation.
• Effort versus destiny: Qing Yu’s diligence contrasts with Qingshan’s natural advantage, raising questions about how far hard work can compensate for inborn limitations.
• Concealed strength and deception: Lu Qingfeng’s game-derived knowledge allows him to appear far more advanced and experienced than he truly is.
• Preparation and foresight: Rather than relying solely on strength, Lu Qingfeng prepares by studying formations, refining artifacts, and practicing abilities in both reality and the game.
• Family responsibility: Lu Qingfeng’s plans are motivated not only by his own advancement but also by his desire to protect and support his siblings.
• Institutional caution versus individual confidence: The sect elders hesitate to approve Lu Qingfeng’s plan, while Lu Qingfeng’s confidence and power gradually force them to accommodate him.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng and Zhou Yuan have a respectful but cautious conversation, with Lu Qingfeng persuading the Sect Master through his detailed cultivation knowledge.
• Lu Qingfeng’s relationship with Qing Yu is defined by guidance and concern, while Qing Yu’s rivalry with Qingshan motivates her intense cultivation.
• Zhou Yuan presents Lu Qingfeng’s proposal to the three Grand Elders, leading to disagreement.
• Mei Qingyan immediately objects, Zhou Yuan attempts to moderate him, and Yue Lingxi evaluates the situation pragmatically.
• The elders ultimately recognize that Lu Qingfeng’s firm attitude and confidence make it difficult to exclude him from the Hundred Herb Garden expedition.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sunset Glow Sect’s leadership discusses whether to grant Lu Qingfeng a place in the Hundred Herb Garden.
• Yue Lingxi, Zhou Yuan, and eventually Mei Qingyan agree that refusing Lu Qingfeng could push him toward another sect. Although they believe he is unlikely to defect, they worry that his determined nature could damage their relationship with the Sunset Glow Sect.
• Yue Lingxi offers to personally protect Lu Qingfeng in the Hundred Herb Garden, even at the cost of her life. The matter is settled, and Lu Qingfeng soon receives confirmation that he has obtained the entry opportunity.
• The narrative then shifts to Shangyang Kingdom, where the Azure Origin Sword Sect has flourished during the ten years since the three Azure Origin Patriarchs—Lu Qingfeng, Lu Qingshan, and Lu Qingyu—departed.
• The sect now controls three commanderies, possesses over ten thousand disciples, and has more than one hundred True Qi Realm cultivators. Zhang Bo, Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, Xie Di, and Han Baiyun are its strongest younger disciples, all having reached the fourth level of the True Qi Realm.
• The five learn about the newly established Weeping Marsh Trial. Success will allow them to cross into the Biyang Lake cultivation world, while failure will return them to Shangyang Kingdom. They may try again only after reaching the ninth level of the True Qi Realm; a second failure will permanently end their prospects.
• The group debates whether to attempt the trial immediately or cultivate further. Ma Wenju and Xie Di argue for waiting until they are stronger, while Han Baiyun points out that limited Pills and unfamiliarity with alchemy, artifact refining, and talisman-making may make further advancement difficult.

Character Developments

• Yue Lingxi reveals her deep loyalty to the Sunset Glow Sect and her willingness to sacrifice herself for its future. Nearing the end of her lifespan and lacking hope of advancing, she views protecting Lu Qingfeng as a final contribution to the sect.
• Zhou Yuan supports Yue Lingxi’s pragmatic judgment and recognizes Lu Qingfeng’s potential value.
• Mei Qingyan initially reacts emotionally but quickly understands the political danger of losing Lu Qingfeng and accepts the decision.
• Lu Qingfeng gains access to the Hundred Herb Garden, avoiding the need to negotiate with other sects.
• The Azure Origin Sword Sect’s disciples have grown rapidly due to excellent innate talent, diligent cultivation, Pills, favorable training conditions, and guidance left by the three Patriarchs.
• Zhang Bo demonstrates leadership and responsibility by organizing the discussion of the Weeping Marsh Trial.
• Ma Wenju emerges as cautious and analytical, emphasizing the importance of improving their cultivation before risking their only opportunity.
• Xie Di supports Ma Wenju’s practical strategy.
• Han Baiyun provides a counterargument, stressing that the shortage of Pills and the difficulty of learning new auxiliary arts may make waiting just as dangerous.

Significant Themes

• Sacrifice for the sect: Yue Lingxi’s readiness to die protecting Lu Qingfeng reflects the older generation’s devotion and desire to secure the sect’s future.
• Pragmatism and long-term strategy: The Sunset Glow Sect chooses to accommodate Lu Qingfeng rather than risk losing a valuable ally, while the younger Azure Origin disciples carefully weigh immediate opportunity against future preparation.
• Generational transition: Yue Lingxi represents an aging generation nearing its end, whereas Lu Qingfeng and the younger disciples symbolize the sects’ future growth.
• Opportunity versus risk: The Hundred Herb Garden and Weeping Marsh Trial both offer advancement but carry serious dangers and irreversible consequences.
• Resource limitations and unequal environments: Shangyang Kingdom’s lack of Pills, opponents, and cultivation resources contrasts with the broader Biyang Lake cultivation world, making escape from the kingdom both desirable and difficult.

Character Interactions

• Yue Lingxi, Zhou Yuan, Mei Qingyan, and Sui Hanshan share a solemn discussion about Lu Qingfeng’s future and Yue Lingxi’s willingness to protect him. Their grief shows their longstanding bond as survivors from the era of the Sunset Glow Patriarch.
• Lu Qingfeng benefits from the leaders’ decision but does not directly participate in the debate.
• Zhang Bo leads Ma Wenju, Xie Tian, Xie Di, and Han Baiyun in considering the trial.
• Ma Wenju’s cautious proposal is supported by Xie Di, while Han Baiyun challenges it by highlighting the practical difficulties of improving without sufficient Pills or established expertise in auxiliary arts.

Chapter Sixteen Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Qingfeng observes a secret meeting in the Azure Origin Sword Sect through the Heaven-Peering Earth-Reading Method, watching Zhang Bo and his four sons discuss preparations for the Weeping Marsh trial.
• He reflects on the method’s origins. Originally the Thousand-Mile Reflection Art, Lu Qingfeng enhanced and fused it with other divination techniques, creating a powerful detection art capable of observing events tens of thousands of miles away.
• Lu Qingfeng reevaluates the purpose of the Azure Origin Sword Sect after learning about the Hundred Herb Garden. Rather than using the sect merely to gather incense from the Shangyang Kingdom, he plans to turn it into a network of scouts, allies, and talent throughout the cultivation world.
• His strategy is to select disciples with exceptional aptitude and character, guide them through the Weeping Marsh, and distribute them across the Three Mountains and Nine Rivers cultivation world. They could discover hidden treasures and opportunities on his behalf.
• He also plans for the sect to expand the Shangyang Kingdom’s territory, increase its population, gather more incense, develop new lands, and provide greater opportunities to train and test disciples.
• Lu Qingfeng sends the sect techniques for alchemy, talisman-making, and artifact refining. The Azure Origin Sword Sect will now have to become more self-sufficient instead of relying on him to provide pills directly.
• The harsher cultivation environment will help the sect select its most talented and reliable members. Loyalty will be tested through recruitment records, personal conduct, and the Weeping Marsh trial.

Character Development

• Lu Qingfeng becomes more strategic and farsighted. He shifts from treating the Azure Origin Sword Sect as a local institution into building it into a long-term cultivation network and a source of intelligence.
• His understanding of resource gathering also develops. Rather than personally searching for treasures, he intends to rely on trained disciples scattered across the world.
• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates a pragmatic but calculated approach to loyalty, believing that gratitude, shared interests, and the advantages of remaining within the sect will naturally encourage devotion.
• Zhang Bo and his four sons are shown preparing for the Weeping Marsh trial, though their individual personalities and decisions remain secondary to Lu Qingfeng’s observations.

Significant Themes

• Long-term planning and indirect power: Lu Qingfeng seeks influence through institutions and disciples rather than acting alone.
• Resource scarcity and cultivation: His limited aptitude and the needs of Qing Shan and Qing Yu force him to develop efficient ways to locate and acquire opportunities.
• Talent cultivation and selection: Hardship, moral testing, and practical training are used to identify disciples worthy of entering the wider cultivation world.
• Loyalty through mutual benefit: The chapter suggests that loyalty is strongest when emotional gratitude and personal advantage reinforce each other.
• Expansion and development: Growing the Shangyang Kingdom’s territory and population serves both political and spiritual purposes by increasing the sect’s strength and incense income.

Character Interactions

• Lu Qingfeng does not directly participate in Zhang Bo’s meeting but closely studies the interactions among Zhang Bo and his four sons to understand their plans.
• Through a puppet, Lu Qingfeng communicates new cultivation and crafting methods to the Azure Origin Sword Sect, changing the sect’s relationship with him from dependence to guided self-sufficiency.
• His future relationship with the sect is presented as mutually beneficial: the disciples gain access to immortality and the wider cultivation world, while Lu Qingfeng gains allies, intelligence, resources, and expanded influence.

Plot points and events

• Lu Qingfeng calculates that reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment in reality will take roughly seventy to eighty years. The Hundred Herbs Garden should supply enough spirit medicines to support his cultivation until then, while the Azure Origin Sword Sect’s disciples establish themselves in the wider cultivation world.
• He worries that distant branches of the sect will lose cohesion if they are treated only as sources of information. To keep them loyal, he plans to provide tangible benefits: cultivation methods, pills, magical artifacts, and opportunities earned through merit.
• Inspired by the “Main God Space” idea from his previous life, Lu Qingfeng imagines a sect-wide system in which disciples undertake missions and exchange merit for rewards. He wants it to combine shared interests with the warmth of a sect, rather than the cold competition of the fictional model. He identifies teleportation formations and restrictions as possible ways to manage supplies and rewards.
• Eight years pass in the game, equivalent to a month in reality. Lu Qingfeng and Lu Qingyu arrive at Bowang Platform to prepare for entry into the Hundred Herbs Garden.
• Lu Qingfeng checks Lu Qingshan’s progress refining the Seven Baleful Banner: Qingshan has refined four of its nine restriction layers in a month. Lu Qingfeng tells him to arrange a meeting point with Qingyu inside the garden, where entrants are scattered and face dangers from demons, demonic sects, and rival sects.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Qingfeng shows himself to be both strategic and cautious. He recognizes that loyalty requires ongoing rewards, not merely past favors, and begins designing a system to unite the sect across great distances.
• Lu Qingshan is diligent and progressing with his magical artifact, though the task is difficult given his cultivation level. He respectfully follows his elder brother’s instructions.
• Lu Qingyu is eager and excited about the expedition, especially the prospect of finding spirit stones. Lu Qingfeng gently cautions her not to overreach.
• Sunset Glow Sect elders and disciples welcome Lu Qingfeng and Qingyu at Bowang Platform, establishing the formal, respectful atmosphere before the expedition.

Significant themes

• Leadership and loyalty: Organizations endure through mutual benefit and trust, not by treating people as disposable tools.
• Rewards and merit: Lu Qingfeng plans to bind the sect together through a structured exchange of service for practical benefits.
• Preparation amid danger: The Hundred Herbs Garden offers valuable resources, but random entry locations and hostile factions make planning and caution essential.
• Long-term ambition: Lu Qingfeng is balancing decades of personal cultivation with the broader project of building a united, far-reaching sect.

Chapter 18 Summary — “Please Subscribe!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Sunset Glow Sect’s group gathers at Vast View Terrace to enter the Hundred Herb Garden.
• Sect Master Zhou Yuan and the Grand Elders arrive, completing the expedition party.
• Mei Qingyan worries that Lu Qingfeng, an important ally and a second-grade Alchemist and Artifact Refiner, may be endangered in the Garden. Lu Qingfeng refuses to withdraw, assuring her that he has strong methods of preserving his life.
• Grand Elder Yue Lingxi declares that she will protect Lu Qingfeng. She will lead the expedition because she is the strongest cultivator entering.
• The expedition’s four Foundation Establishment members are confirmed:
  • Yue Lingxi, a Foundation-Building Body-Tempering expert
  • Mei Jiancheng, a Foundation-Building Origin-Nurturing elder
  • Lu Qingfeng, entering at the Condensation Realm level
  • Yue Miaoyin, a newly appointed elder at the Qi-Guiding Realm
• Eighteen True Qi Realm disciples will also enter, including Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu. Lu Qingyu secured a place after insisting on accompanying her brothers, and Lu Qingfeng prepared protective trump cards for her.
• The group’s objective is to compete with the three other Gathering Cloud sects, the demon race, and the Devil Sect for spirit medicines and the valuable Yang-Restoring Fruit.
• The four sects maintain an uneasy alliance. Their forces wait outside the Garden to protect the harvested medicines and guard against betrayal or attacks by rival sects.
• The expedition travels more than 2,300 li toward the Garden’s entrance using the Sunset Glow Sect’s Curly-Crested Pelicans and other spirit mounts.
• Lu Qingyu mocks the Pelicans for being ugly and slow, while Lu Qingfeng explains that successfully raising such spirit birds is itself a valuable achievement.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates confidence and determination by refusing to avoid the dangerous expedition. His importance to the sect is emphasized through his rare alchemy and artifact-refining abilities.
• Yue Lingxi takes on a protective and leadership role, personally guaranteeing Lu Qingfeng’s safety and leading the Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Mei Qingyan reveals her concern for Lu Qingfeng and the Sunset Glow Sect’s relationship with him, showing that she considers him a valuable ally.
• Lu Qingyu becomes more independent and adventurous, insisting on gaining experience alongside her brothers. Her combat ability and preparedness are recognized as strong for the True Qi Realm.
• Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingyu’s sibling bond is reinforced by their decision to enter the dangerous Garden together, with Lu Qingfeng actively looking after both of them.

Significant Themes

• Risk versus opportunity: The Hundred Herb Garden offers rare medicines and the Yang-Restoring Fruit, but entering it exposes cultivators to enormous danger.
• Mutual distrust beneath cooperation: The four sects cooperate only because none can conquer the Garden alone; all remain prepared for betrayal and conflict.
• Preserving strength: The Sunset Glow Sect carefully rotates its Foundation Establishment elders to gain experience without risking the destruction of its entire upper-level force.
• Value beyond combat: Lu Qingfeng’s alchemy and artifact-refining skills make him important despite his limited reputation as a fighter, while the Curly-Crested Pelicans demonstrate that usefulness does not depend on appearance or combat power.
• Family and protection: Lu Qingfeng’s preparation for Lu Qingyu and Yue Lingxi’s promise to protect him highlight the importance of bonds and mutual responsibility.

Character Interactions

• Mei Qingyan urges Lu Qingfeng to reconsider entering, but he politely declines.
• Yue Lingxi intervenes, assuring Mei Qingyan that she will defend Lu Qingfeng.
• Lu Qingyu complains to Lu Qingfeng about the Curly-Crested Pelicans’ appearance and speed.
• Lu Qingfeng responds patiently, explaining the difficulty and rarity of raising spirit birds.
• The chapter ends with the sect’s expedition departing for the Hundred Herb Garden under heavy preparation and guarded optimism.

Chapter Summary: “Roaring Wind Cliff: Four Sects of Gathering Cloud!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qing Yu assumes that beast taming and spirit-bird domestication are simple because of her brother’s abilities, but the chapter explains that such techniques are rare and difficult. The Sunset Glow Sect’s ability to domesticate Curly-Crested Pelicans is exceptional among the Gathering Cloud sects.
• Lu Qingfeng, Qing Shan, Qing Yu, and the Sunset Glow Sect travel to Roaring Wind Cliff, the dangerous, wind-swept location where the entrance to the Hundred Herb Garden is found.
• The other three major sects have already arrived:
  • Red Rainbow Gate, led by Sect Master Yang Bufan
  • Golden Waves Sect, led by Jin Jiuxiao
  • Demon-Slaying Fortress, led by Feng Yun
• Together with the Sunset Glow Sect, these form the Four Sects of Gathering Cloud. Though they maintain outward civility, they compete intensely over territory, resources, disciples, and influence.
• Lu Qingfeng observes the three sects, assesses their leaders and disciples, and identifies potential threats using his insight and past experience.
• Supreme Elder Yue Lingxi privately warns Lu Qingfeng to remain close to her inside the Hundred Herb Garden, since the other three sects appear to have been targeting the Sunset Glow Sect for the past two years.
• Lu Qingfeng accepts her warning and consults her about the other sects, combining her knowledge with his own investigations.
• Yang Bufan approaches Lu Qingfeng and showers him with exaggerated praise for his alchemy and Artifact Refining skills. Lu Qingfeng responds politely but immediately recognizes that Yang’s friendliness likely conceals ulterior motives.

Character Developments

• Lu Qingfeng demonstrates his deep understanding of human nature, sect politics, and danger. Although he does not seek conflict, he remains highly cautious and refuses to trust others easily.
• His confidence and composure create an unusual presence. Even Yang Bufan, who outranks him in cultivation and status, feels subtly overawed during their exchange.
• Qing Yu is shown to be inexperienced in judging the difficulty of advanced cultivation arts because of her brother’s unusual abilities.
• Yue Lingxi reveals her concern for Lu Qingfeng and the Sunset Glow Sect. Her long experience and knowledge of the region make her an important source of strategic information.
• Yang Bufan appears warm and straightforward, but the narration reveals him to be calculating and skilled in deception. His flattering behavior toward Lu Qingfeng is likely politically motivated.
• The leaders of the other sects are characterized through their attitudes: Jin Jiuxiao is domineering and aloof, while Feng Yun is cold, silent, and intimidating.

Significant Themes

• Cultivation as struggle: Resources are limited, so conflict and competition are unavoidable, even among supposedly allied immortal sects.
• Hidden motives beneath civility: The four sects preserve a surface-level peace while harboring rivalries and political calculations.
• Prudence and distrust: Lu Qingfeng’s survival depends on observing others carefully and never abandoning his vigilance.
• Power beyond cultivation level: Lu Qingfeng’s knowledge, accomplishments, and presence allow him to command respect despite being younger and apparently lower in status than Yang Bufan.
• The universality of conflict: Lu Qingfeng reflects that no place in the cultivation world is entirely peaceful; whether among sects, demonic forces, or internal factions, everyone must struggle for resources and advancement.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Yuan and Yang Bufan exchange cordial greetings despite their sects’ underlying rivalry. Both conceal their true thoughts behind polite behavior.
• Yue Lingxi secretly warns Lu Qingfeng about possible attacks from the other sects, establishing trust and cooperation between them.
• Yang Bufan publicly praises Lu Qingfeng and attempts to make a favorable impression, while privately assessing him and likely probing his character and abilities.
• Lu Qingfeng remains courteous but emotionally detached, accepting Yang’s compliments without being deceived by them.

Key plot points and events

• At Windhowl Cliff, Scarlet Rainbow Sect leader Yang Bufan openly tries to recruit Lu Qingfeng, praising him and invoking Elder Jue Ming’s interest in his artifact-refining skills. Lu gives a noncommittal response, while Zhou Yuan calls out the poaching attempt.
• With two days remaining before the Hundred Herbs Garden opens, Lu enters the game to cultivate. There, after centuries of study, he uses the Seven Birds Lesser Evolving Numerology to investigate the danger closing around him.
• His divination reveals that the Dutian Blazing Fire Divine Banners—an exceptionally powerful set of artifacts—have exposed clues to his identity. Several immortal sects are tracking him, with the Luofu Sword Sect closest to uncovering his origins and past reincarnations.
• Lu concludes that he cannot safely remain in the Chiyan Realm or keep reincarnating there. He decides to leave and flies away with the Ironwing Flying Eagle, taking the banners with him.
• At Luofu Mountain, a visitor arrives to repay a past favor. The newly appointed peak master, a Primordial Spirit cultivator, breaks the restriction on the visitor’s storage pouch and is surprised by what he finds.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Qingfeng remains outwardly composed and modest but reveals his immense skill: he is secretly a fourth-tier artifact refiner and a highly capable diviner. His calculations force him to abandon a realm where he has built up many opportunities and connections.
• Yang Bufan displays political tact and ambition by attempting to recruit Lu in public, while Zhou Yuan defends the Sunset Glow Sect’s interests by objecting. Lu avoids committing to either side.
• The Luofu Sword Sect shifts from a distant presence to an imminent threat as its investigation nearly reaches Lu’s identity. The final scene hints that Lu’s past favor—or the treasures he has sent—may reconnect him with the sect.

Significant themes

• Cause, effect, and fate: Lu’s past actions leave traces that powerful divination can follow across time and reincarnations.
• Power and exposure: The banners give Lu extraordinary strength, but possessing and using them makes concealment increasingly difficult.
• The cost of opportunity: Lu must give up the Chiyan Realm’s prospects to protect himself from the sects pursuing him.
• Restraint and concealment: Despite his true abilities, Lu has deliberately hidden his strength, but even advanced concealment cannot defeat the greatest forces in the realm.