Chapter Summaries

Elder Zhao arrived and stopped Hang Jian after Li Shiming survived an ambush orchestrated by Ji Hongbo and Hang Yuqing. With Elder Su and Elder Ma present, the crisis ended with Ji Hongbo stripped of his Spiritual Root, Hang Jian taken for punishment, and Li Shiming preparing to continue traveling.

• Elder Zhao arrived, assessed the ambush, and demanded that Hang Jian compensate Li Shiming before returning to the Shu Mountain Sect for punishment.
• Li Shiming explained that Ji Hongbo and Hang Yuqing had plotted against him, and Elder Zhao gave Hang Jian’s Flying Sword Magical Treasure to Li Shiming as compensation.
• Elder Su and Elder Ma arrived, and Elder Su destroyed Ji Hongbo’s Spiritual Root so he could never cultivate again.
• Elder Su gave the Market to the three Golden Core cultivators who had helped protect Li Shiming, and they agreed to operate it.
• Li Shiming told his Masters he intended to keep traveling, and Elder Su agreed while Elder Ma urged him to use his escape talismans if needed.

Li Yuanba was ambushed by Lin Ping, Du Ke, Yu Piao, and their Foundation Establishment subordinates, who sought his Core Formation Resources. He destroyed Lin Ping’s insects and Du Ke’s Iron Corpses, then faced the attackers’ attempt to overwhelm him.

• Li Yuanba killed four Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage Demonic Cultivators who tried to delay him for Lin Ping.
• Lin Ping attacked with Iron Winged Smoke Cloud Insects, but Li Yuanba’s sword intent annihilated the swarm and forced Lin Ping to retreat.
• Du Ke and Yu Piao joined Lin Ping, and the three secretly stalled Li Yuanba while more than twenty Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators gathered around him.
• Li Yuanba attacked Du Ke’s group and used his sword intent’s supreme yang power to destroy all ten Iron Corpses, injuring Du Ke and his subordinates spiritually.
• Lin Ping and Yu Piao ordered the surrounding cultivators to attack Li Yuanba, fearing his growing strength.

Li Yuanba fought off an ambush by Demonic Cultivators and killed all but two who fled, including the True Inheritor Disciples Du Ke, Lin Ping, and Yu Piao. Word of his strength spread, making other Demonic Cultivators hesitate to pursue the Core Formation Resources he might be carrying.

• Yu Piao attacked Li Yuanba with twelve thin needle spiritual artifacts, but Li Yuanba used a Third Grade Sword Foundation to break their spirit marks and seize them.
• Li Yuanba killed Du Ke as he tried to escape, then slew six more Demonic Cultivators with his flying sword.
• Li Yuanba broke through the encirclement and killed the Demonic Cultivators who faltered and fled, while two Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivators escaped at the start.
• Lin Ping and Yu Piao split up, but Li Yuanba pursued and killed Lin Ping and his remaining followers before using Lotus Steps to catch and kill Yu Piao.
• Li Yuanba collected the spoils and corpses, while the two escaped cultivators spread news of his battle, causing other Demonic Cultivators to reconsider attacking him.

Li Shiming examined Ji Hongbo’s spoils and found a Heavenly Fragrance Enlightenment Pill that greatly improved his prospects of reaching Golden Core, while he remained short of materials to upgrade his Five Elements Qi Absorption Array. Meanwhile, Li Yuanba assessed a set of needle-shaped spiritual artifacts and the other spoils, then put the useful items away.

• Li Shiming searched Ji Hongbo’s Storage Bracelet and discovered more than five million Spirit Stones, fine provisions, and a Heavenly Fragrance Enlightenment Pill.
• Li Shiming recognized that the pill could significantly increase his chance of reaching Golden Core, but he still needed Third Grade Water Element and Wood Element materials to upgrade his Five Elements Qi Absorption Array.
• Li Shiming connected to IBMz15 to absorb its formation research and planned to accept Formation Knowledge as payment from cultivators seeking pills.
• Li Shiming considered studying artifact refining after reaching Grandmaster Alchemist, while Li Yuanba examined Yu Piao’s twelve needle-shaped spiritual artifacts made from Third Grade Metal.
• Li Yuanba decided the needles would be more useful to Li Shiming’s formations than to his own sword-based combat, then sorted and stored the remaining spoils.

Li Yuanba used a pass from Ju Chang Shop to leave Boundary Mountain Pass, while Li Shiming uncovered an ancient sect’s likely underwater location and studied its inheritance. After Li Yuanba sensed a Golden Core pursuer, he and Li Shiming discovered that the pass secretly contained a tracking formation.

• Li Yuanba identified and preserved a rare Youthful Countenance Flower before reaching Boundary Mountain City and obtaining a three-month pass through Ju Chang Shop.
• Li Yuanba passed through the righteous checkpoint, where Jue Neng Buddha recognized him, but escaped before Jue Neng Buddha and an Arhat could stop him.
• Li Shiming bought herbs for a Youthful Countenance Pill and used IBMz15 to locate the ancient Five Qi Sect’s site offshore from the Northern Shu Continent.
• Li Shiming examined the incomplete Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art and considered visiting the Five Qi Sect’s ruins.
• After Li Yuanba sensed a Golden Core cultivator approaching, he and Li Shiming discovered that the Wooden Pass had activated a hidden formation that transmitted his location.

Li Yuanba escaped Arhat Zhi Ming by using Lotus Steps, prompting Zhi Ming to suspect he was a reincarnated Bodhisattva and report the discovery to Thousand Leaves Temple. Li Shiming met his clone, exchanged resources with him, and began refining a Youthful Countenance Pill.

• Arhat Zhi Ming used the Wooden Pass’s positioning formation to catch up with Li Yuanba, but Li Yuanba escaped with Lotus Steps.
• Arhat Zhi Ming concluded that Li Yuanba might be a reincarnated Bodhisattva and informed Thousand Leaves Temple.
• Li Shiming used stealth and Lotus Steps to reach Li Yuanba, and Li Yuanba placed the Wooden Pass in Li Shiming’s Server Room Space.
• Li Yuanba gave Li Shiming Core Formation Resources, Foundation Establishment cultivator corpses, twelve needle-type Spiritual Artifacts, and a Youthful Countenance Flower in exchange for cultivation pills.
• Li Shiming placed the Youthful Countenance Flower in the Server Room Space and began refining a Youthful Countenance Pill, using the One in a Hundred Pill Division Art to double the pills forming in the furnace.

Li Shiming and Clone Li Yuanba took high-grade Youthful Countenance Pills before Li Shiming discovered that Honored One Hui Ke was searching for Li Yuanba. After Hui Ke broke Li Shiming’s formation and pressured him, Li Shiming revealed his status as a Shu Mountain Sect Alchemy True Disciple, and Old Ancestor Fan Ting intervened to demand an explanation.

• Li Shiming and Clone Li Yuanba swallowed high-grade Youthful Countenance Pills, which preserved Li Shiming’s youth and made Li Yuanba’s skin more delicate.
• Li Shiming saw Honored One Hui Ke with two Arhats through a Monitoring Probe, then concealed Li Yuanba in the Server Room Space.
• Honored One Hui Ke searched the area, found Li Shiming’s hidden formation, and broke it before confronting him.
• Li Shiming resisted Hui Ke’s pressure, showed his Identity Jade Disc, and identified himself as a Shu Mountain Sect Alchemy True Disciple.
• Old Ancestor Fan Ting warned Hui Ke that the Shu Mountain Sect would demand an explanation, prompting Hui Ke to apologize and offer compensation.
• Elder Su resolved to keep Li Shiming inside the sect when he returned.

After escaping Honored One Hui Ke’s scrutiny, Li Shiming traveled to the Thousand Illusions Sect to reunite with Yin Shilan. Their reunion was interrupted by Xiao Ke, whose attack Li Shiming repelled before Elder Zheng arrived to investigate.

• Honored One Hui Ke gave Li Shiming Third Grade Mysterious Mace Secret Iron as compensation, then ordered Arhat Zhi Ming to secretly monitor him.
• Li Shiming left for the Thousand Illusions Sect while Li Yuanba entered seclusion in the Server Room Space.
• Li Shiming sent Yin Shilan a message with a Flying Sword and reunited with her outside the mountain gate.
• Xiao Ke confronted Li Shiming over his closeness with Yin Shilan and attacked him with a flying sword.
• Li Shiming’s Central Palace Sword defeated Xiao Ke’s attack and wounded him, and Elder Zheng arrived to question the three cultivators.

Li Shiming and Yin Shilan shared Third Grade Spirit Tea, which triggered breakthroughs for both of them in Yin Shilan’s cultivation room. After reaching Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Li Shiming gave Yin Shilan ten Top Grade Shu Mountain Yellow Spirit Pills, while Liang Yexuan waited outside Yin Shilan’s cave dwelling, unaware that they had been cultivating inside.

• Li Shiming left the mountain gate with Yin Shilan after Elder Zheng recognized him and Xiao Ke remained trapped by the Lightning Sword Intent in his Spirit Lake.
• Yin Shilan brought Li Shiming to her mountain peak, where they brewed and drank his Third Grade Spirit Tea.
• The tea revealed Li Shiming’s cultivation near the peak of Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage and gave both him and Yin Shilan an opportunity to break through.
• Li Shiming carried Yin Shilan to her cultivation room, where they each began a breakthrough.
• Liang Yexuan arrived at Yin Shilan’s pavilion, found the empty jade cups, and waited outside Yin Shilan’s cave dwelling for an explanation.
• Li Shiming awoke at Foundation Establishment Late Stage and gave Yin Shilan ten Top Grade Shu Mountain Yellow Spirit Pills.

Li Shiming reunited with Yin Shilan, gave her rare pills and a spirit-forging technique, and agreed to sell Liang Yexuan a Youthful Countenance Pill for two Third Grade formation materials. Their visit was interrupted by Yin Shilan’s master, Master Luo, who arrived with another Golden Core cultivator and Xiao Ke, leaving Li Shiming to face the woman who had once underestimated him.

• Li Shiming gave Yin Shilan Top Grade and Advanced Shu Mountain Yellow Spirit Pills, then presented her with a Youthful Countenance Pill that renewed her skin and made her embrace him.
• Liang Yexuan arrived, noticed Yin Shilan’s changed appearance, and asked to buy a Youthful Countenance Pill; Li Shiming offered one in exchange for wood- and water-attribute Third Grade formation materials.
• Li Shiming gave Yin Shilan the Thousand Hammer Spirit Forging Art, and the two resumed spending time together until another message transmission interrupted them.
• Yin Shilan discovered that the visitor was her master, Master Luo, and opened the formation as Master Luo arrived with another Golden Core cultivator and Xiao Ke.
• Master Luo saw Li Shiming and reflected on how far he had risen since she had once judged his poor Spiritual Root Talent made him an unsuitable choice for the Thousand Illusions Sect.

Li Shiming reunited with Yin Shilan, removed the Sword Intent from Xiao Ke after securing a promise that Xiao Ke would leave her alone, and traded a Youthful Countenance Pill to Liang Yexuan for the final two Five Elements formation materials he needed. After Liang Yexuan revealed the pill to other cultivators, interest in Li Shiming spread through the Thousand Illusions Sect, and Master Luo rushed to find him but arrived too late.

• Master Luo discovered that Yin Shilan had reached Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage and that Li Shiming was close to becoming a Formation Master, then introduced Elder Niu and Xiao Ke to him.
• Elder Niu asked Li Shiming to remove the Sword Intent from Xiao Ke, and Li Shiming agreed after Elder Niu promised to keep Xiao Ke from harassing Yin Shilan.
• Liang Yexuan gave Li Shiming top-quality Wood and Water Attribute Third Grade Formation Materials, completing his set, and received a Youthful Countenance Pill in exchange.
• Liang Yexuan swallowed the pill, showed off its effects to her sisters, and left before Li Shiming could stop her from revealing the transaction.
• Li Shiming promised Yin Shilan they would become Dao companions at the Golden Core Stage, then left to avoid trouble as news of the Youthful Countenance Pill spread among the sect's female cultivators.
• Master Luo learned about the pill and hurried to Yin Shilan's mountain peak, but Li Shiming had already left.

After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Li Shiming claimed and refined the Iron Corpses in Elder Lu’s Space Ring, including Jue Tu Buddha’s corpse, which he named Killborn. He modified most of his Iron Corpses into Three-Headed Six-Armed forms and altered Killborn’s face, leaving them to grow stronger in the Refining Corpse Space.

• Li Shiming rested in a concealed Mountain Cave and adapted to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, considering his Five Elements Spiritual Power and the dangers posed by the Thousand Leaves Temple monks.
• Li Shiming refined Jue Tu Buddha’s corpse into a powerful Iron Corpse and named it Killborn.
• Li Shiming claimed the ten Peak Iron Corpses in the Refining Corpse Space, bringing his total to twelve Iron Corpses with Nezha and Killborn.
• Li Shiming used Clone Li Yuanba’s Sword Intent and the Third Grade Sword Foundation to modify the Iron Corpses into Three-Headed Six-Armed forms.
• Li Shiming changed Killborn’s appearance so the Thousand Leaves Temple could not identify it as Jue Tu Buddha.

Li Shiming baited Arhat Zhi Ming into breaking his formation, then used a life-saving talisman to make Thousand Leaves Temple’s attack appear undeniable and cut the temple off from his alchemy services. As the dispute strained relations between Thousand Leaves Temple and Shu Mountain Sect, Li Shiming secretly sent Clone Li Yuanba back to the Ten Thousand Mountains and traveled toward the Five Qi Sect’s ruins.

• Li Shiming waited inside his Temporary Cave Mansion until Arhat Zhi Ming broke the formation, then pretended to flee with the One Escape Ten Thousand Miles Talisman, leaving Zhi Ming convinced he had caused a serious incident.
• Li Shiming reported the attack to Shu Mountain Sect and told Cai Hong to remove all Thousand Leaves Temple alchemy missions from his list, prompting Zhi Yan Arhat and the temple’s leaders to worry about losing his high-quality pills.
• Shu Mountain Sect challenged Thousand Leaves Temple over Arhat Zhi Ming’s attack, while Old Ancestor Fan angrily demanded an explanation from Honored One Hui Ke.
• Li Shiming secretly crossed into the Border Zone and sent Clone Li Yuanba back toward the Boundary Mountain Pass, then returned to righteous-path territory and continued toward the Five Qi Sect’s ruins.

Li Shiming searched the seabed for the Five Qi Sect ruins and was ambushed by an ancient Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent. After defeating it, he excavated the silt and began uncovering remnants of the sect’s buildings.

• Li Shiming reached the location marked on the ancient map and searched the seabed, but his Divine Sense could not penetrate the deep silt.
• A Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent ambushed Li Shiming, and he identified its ability to evade Divine Sense and blend into its surroundings.
• Li Shiming used Water Thunder Clusters and the HouTu Shield Pearl to lure the serpent into an attack, then struck its vital point with the Third Grade Sword Foundation and killed it.
• Li Shiming collected the serpent’s corpse and discovered that its venom had nearly drained the HouTu Shield Pearl’s earth-attribute spiritual power.
• Li Shiming spent a day excavating the seabed and sensed artificially cut stones from structures buried beneath the silt.

Li Shiming explored the ancient sect Ruins, found the remains of a powerful cultivator, and recovered three Ancient Jade Slips. He bonded with the last Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent Serpent Egg and discovered that the third slip recorded the profound Five Elements Grand Dao.

• Li Shiming dug through the Ruins and crawled through a long, silt-filled passage into a freshwater Spirit Spring.
• Li Shiming found and stored the enormous, long-dead Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent, then explored the protected space beyond the water.
• Li Shiming entered a half-ruined room, found a skeleton and its Space Ring, and discovered that its contents had mostly lost their spirituality.
• Li Shiming read the first Ancient Jade Slip and found the complete Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art, which he could cultivate alongside the Nine Heavens Thunder Strike Art.
• Li Shiming learned from the Nine Shao Insect Scripture that the ancient cultivator had raised the Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpents and preserved their eggs to guard his remains.
• Li Shiming bonded with the remaining Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent Serpent Egg using his Essence Blood, then read the third Ancient Jade Slip and found the Five Elements Grand Dao.

Li Shiming returned from the seabed with the newly hatched Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent and reflected on the Five Elements Grand Dao before heading back to Shu Mountain Sect. Uncle-Master Zhao intercepted him and escorted him home, explaining that Thousand Leaves Temple was seeking him over suspicions that he had clues about a reincarnated Buddhist Sect senior.

• Li Shiming fed Spirit Pills to the Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent and found that it absorbed them quickly without harm.
• Li Shiming concluded that the Five Elements Grand Dao might become important at Golden Core or a higher realm, then stored the Ancient Jade Slips.
• Li Shiming contacted Elder Su and Elder Ma, then continued his cautious journey back toward the sect.
• Uncle-Master Zhao found Li Shiming and explained that he had come to protect him from Thousand Leaves Temple and escort him home.
• Elder Zhao told Li Shiming that Thousand Leaves Temple suspected him of knowing about a Buddhist Sect senior's reincarnation because of his connection to Lotus Steps.
• Li Shiming concealed the Spirit-Sealing Phantom Serpent in the Server Room Space while Elder Zhao urged him to become a Sword Cultivator on their flight back.

Li Shiming returned to Shu Mountain Sect and met Old Ancestor Fan, who learned that Li had secretly advanced to Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Old Ancestor Fan rewarded him for surviving the ambush and arranged new benefits, leaving Li with Golden Core-level resources and a stronger position in the sect.

• Li Shiming returned to Shu Mountain Sect and followed Elder Su to meet Old Ancestor Fan, who accepted Elder Su’s Spirit Wine and told Li to bring more good wine in the future.
• Old Ancestor Fan noticed that Li had advanced to Foundation Establishment Late Stage without telling Elder Su, and advised him that Shu Mountain Sect would tolerate his Fortuitous Encounters and secrets.
• Li explained that Third Grade Spirit Tea from Ji Hongbo’s Storage Bracelet had advanced his cultivation, and Old Ancestor Fan ordered Elder Ji’s side to provide a set of Core Formation Resources as compensation for the ambush.
• Old Ancestor Fan told Li that Shu Mountain Sect had secured him one chance to receive the Divine Eye Art inheritance from Thousand Leaves Temple, along with Contribution Points and three Buddha Light Ten Thousand Miles Talismans.
• Old Ancestor Fan upgraded the spiritual meridian at Li’s Sword Holding Peak to Golden Core Level, and Li returned to find the change already in place.

Li Shiming received Shopkeeper Lai of the Northern Shu Merchant Guild, who helped the Third Grade Wood Spirit Treasure Milk upgrade his Golden Lotus and discussed trading a Youthful Countenance Pill. The merchant guild made Li Shiming a Guest Elder, and he entrusted one pill to Shopkeeper Lai for promotion and a future trade for Spiritual Objects.

• Shopkeeper Lai visited Li Shiming at Sword Holding Peak and gave him Third Grade Wood Spirit Treasure Milk, which Li Shiming poured onto his Second Grade Golden Lotus, raising it to third grade.
• Li Shiming confirmed that he had reconciled with Thousand Leaves Temple and said he would trade one Youthful Countenance Pill for suitable Spiritual Objects rather than Spirit Stones.
• Shopkeeper Lai offered Li Shiming Guest Elder status in the Northern Shu Merchant Guild, and Li Shiming accepted the agreement and received three years of Golden Core resources.
• Li Shiming handed Shopkeeper Lai one Youthful Countenance Pill for the merchant guild to promote, asking to choose from the Spiritual Objects offered in exchange.

Li Shiming cultivated the Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art alongside the Nine Heavens Thunder Strike Art, strengthening his spiritual power and Crimson Sun Spiritual Fire until he felt ready to refine Third Grade Spirit Pills. At Elder Su’s monthly guidance session, he agreed to attempt refining Ye Jingxian’s Golden Core Formation pills.

• Li Shiming used IBMz15 to devise a safe way to cultivate the Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art and the Nine Heavens Thunder Strike Art simultaneously, producing more potent Five Elements Thunder Spiritual Power.
• Li Shiming moved the Third Grade Golden Lotus into his Cultivation Room and spent several months cultivating, refining Second Grade Spiritual Pills, and studying.
• Li Shiming’s Crimson Sun Spiritual Fire grew to the size of a fist, giving him confidence that he could attempt refining Third Grade Spirit Pills.
• Li Shiming met Ye Jingxian and his senior brothers at Sky Eye Peak, where he revealed that he intended to attempt refining Third Grade Spirit Pills.
• Ye Jingxian gave Li Shiming her Golden Core Formation resources and asked him to refine four pills for her once he was confident.
• Elder Su arrived and reprimanded Xu Chuan and Lu Shi for falling behind Li Shiming in cultivation.

Li Shiming showed Elder Su two damaged Top Grade Magical Treasures, offered Third Grade Spirit Fruits to his masters, and asked Elder Ma to teach him how to refine Third Grade Spirit Pills. After studying Elder Ma’s process, he refined three Advanced Grade Turtle Marrow Essence Enhancing Pills in the Server Room Space.

• Li Shiming asked Elder Su how to restore two magical treasures, and Elder Su said Golden Core Nourishment could restore their spirituality after Li Shiming reached Golden Core.
• Li Shiming presented Elder Su with Third Grade Spirit Fruits and gave his senior sister and senior brothers Second Grade Spirit Tea.
• Li Shiming visited Elder Ma, revealed his Crimson Sun Spiritual Fire, and asked to learn how to refine Third Grade Spirit Pills.
• Elder Ma demonstrated the refinement of Turtle Marrow Essence Enhancing Pills and gave Li Shiming two portions of turtle marrow to practice with.
• Li Shiming used the Three Revolutions Heavenly Treasure Furnace and IBMz15 in the Server Room Space to refine three Advanced Grade Turtle Marrow Essence Enhancing Pills.