Chapter Summaries

Li Yuanba captured three Heavenly Inquiry Sect intelligence agents who had infiltrated the Northern Shu Continent and learned that news of the Cave Heaven had leaked. The Six Great Sects delivered the captives to Jin Kai to secure his cooperation, while more agents were captured and the mission shifted to killing them; Li Yuanba returned to Boundary Mountain City and found the agents had enjoyed far greater cultivation resources than Golden Core cultivators of the Six Great Sects.

• Li Yuanba used the Drone Satellite System to track Heavenly Inquiry Sect agents, then captured Ren Xiao and two others with Lotus Steps and Mind Penetration.
• Li Yuanba handed the three captives to Old Ancestor Lu, who brought them before the Nascent Soul Ancestors for interrogation by Old Ancestor Lan.
• Old Ancestor Lan extracted the agents’ knowledge, confirming that information about the Cave Heaven had leaked, and the Six Great Sects sent them to Jin Kai to demonstrate their control and seek cooperation.
• Jin Kai searched the captives’ memories and recognized the Six Great Sects’ ability to locate specialized intelligence agents; over the following days, the sects captured more agents and changed the mission to killing them.
• Li Yuanba examined the three captives’ Space Rings in Boundary Mountain City and found that even ordinary Golden Core cultivators of Heavenly Inquiry Sect received far more cultivation resources than those of the Six Great Sects.

Li Yuanba gave Sword Old Ancestor a route map to the Eastern Qi Continent, then saw his Master depart for the Sword Intent Soaring Pavilion and entered seclusion on Soaring Peak. Meanwhile, Li Shiming met Old Ancestor Zuo, who asked him to discuss refining pills for the Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild.

• Li Yuanba used a Heavenly Inquiry Sect cultivator’s notes to compile a route map and showed it to Sword Old Ancestor, who planned to use it to return to the Sword Intent Soaring Pavilion.
• Sword Old Ancestor departed after giving Li Yuanba use of Soaring Peak for a hundred years, and Li Yuanba activated its Formations and announced his secluded cultivation.
• Old Ancestor Li urged Li Yuanba to cultivate toward the Nascent Soul stage, while Li Shiming mourned the loss of Sword Old Ancestor’s support for his clone.
• Li Shiming delivered a Fourth Grade High Level Spiritual Pill to Old Ancestor Ge, then received a visit from Old Ancestor Zuo.
• Old Ancestor Zuo asked Li Shiming to meet Old Ancestor Ren Xun and negotiate alchemy work for the Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild, whose request the Six Great Sects had agreed to prioritize.

Ancestor Ren Xun offered Li Shiming a place in the Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild, promising access to cultivation resources, and brought him ten Fourth Grade Spirit Medicines to refine. Li Shiming accepted Profound Earth Celestial Dew as payment and began testing its effect on his cultivation.

• Ancestor Ren Xun met Li Shiming privately and explained that Northern Shu Continent lacked the resources needed for Nascent Soul cultivators to advance further.
• Ancestor Ren Xun invited Li Shiming to join the Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild, but Li Shiming said he needed time to consider.
• Ancestor Ren Xun gave Li Shiming ten Fourth Grade Spirit Medicines and their pill formulas, along with a jade gourd containing thirty-six drops of Profound Earth Celestial Dew as payment.
• Li Shiming agreed to prioritize refining the ten batches of pills after learning that Profound Earth Celestial Dew could greatly accelerate Golden Core cultivation.
• Li Shiming asked Honored One Huijing to monitor him, swallowed a drop of Profound Earth Celestial Dew, and circulated the Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art as Spiritual Power began flowing through his body.

Li Shiming used the Profound Earth Celestial Dew to rapidly strengthen his cultivation during a year and a half of seclusion. Meanwhile, Old Ancestor Luo Wei used the Heavenly Inquiry Secret Technique to identify the Blessed Land’s inheritor and learned that it was Li Shiming.

• Li Shiming repeatedly consumed the Profound Earth Celestial Dew and cultivated the Five Rhymes Qi Refining Art, greatly increasing his strength over a year and a half.
• Old Ancestor Han Xiao reported that their investigation confirmed the Blessed Land had an inheritor, likely an exceptionally talented Golden Core cultivator.
• Old Ancestor Luo Wei decided to risk two hundred years of lifespan to use the Heavenly Inquiry Secret Technique to find the inheritor.
• The Heavenly Inquiry Pattern answered no when Luo Wei asked about You Xia and Sun Ao, then gave no answer when he asked about Li Yuanba.
• When Luo Wei asked whether Li Shiming had obtained the inheritance, the pattern answered yes, while Li Shiming sensed a mysterious gaze reaching into his cave dwelling.

Li Shiming realized Old Ancestor Luo Wei had discovered his Blessed Land Inheritance and fled the Shu Mountain Sect in disguise before Luo Wei could seize him. Luo Wei found the sect empty, then placated the Northern Shu Continent’s Nascent Soul Ancestors and offered valuable resources to lure Li Shiming into meeting him.

• Old Ancestor Luo Wei and Old Ancestor Han Xiao rushed inland, using false copies to evade pursuers as they headed for the Shu Mountain Sect.
• Li Shiming packed his valuables, disguised himself as his Silver Corpse, left the sect, and traveled toward a distant coast without contacting anyone.
• Old Ancestor Luo Wei broke the Shu Mountain Sect’s protective formation and searched for Li Shiming, but found that he had already escaped.
• Old Ancestor Fan and Elder Su found Li Shiming’s emptied Cave Dwelling and could not reach him through his Communication Token.
• Old Ancestor Jin Kai and the Northern Shu Continent’s Nascent Soul Ancestors intercepted Luo Wei, who claimed he had sought Li Shiming’s alchemy services.
• Old Ancestor Luo Wei apologized for breaking the formation and offered compensation plus a complete set of resources for Becoming Nascent Soul in exchange for Li Shiming’s services.

Li Shiming hid beneath the sea while the Six Great Sects searched for him, and the Vast Array Sect investigated Li Yuanba to learn his whereabouts. After failing to trace Li Shiming through a Communication Token, Old Ancestor Li imprisoned Li Yuanba as bait, leaving him bitterly disillusioned with the sect.

• Li Shiming monitored the search from an underwater Cave Dwelling and waited to learn the Six Great Sects’ attitude toward him.
• Old Ancestor Lu and Old Ancestor Li summoned Li Yuanba from seclusion and questioned him about Li Shiming.
• Old Ancestor Li used Li Yuanba’s Communication Token to try to contact Li Shiming, but the attempt failed.
• Old Ancestor Li proposed using Li Yuanba as bait to lure Li Shiming, and Old Ancestor Lu reluctantly agreed.
• Old Ancestor Li sealed Li Yuanba’s Golden Core and imprisoned him at Black Mountain, where Li Yuanba felt betrayed by the Vast Array Sect.

Li Yuanba used his Corpse Refinement State to escape Black Mountain after learning that the Vast Array Sect planned to cripple his cultivation. Old Ancestor Li discovered the escape too late, while Old Ancestor Lu realized the guards’ talk had driven Li Yuanba to flee.

• Li Yuanba and IBMz15 analyzed the prison and its formations, and Li Yuanba identified surveillance gaps despite being unable to remove Old Ancestor Li’s seal.
• Old Ancestor Ge reassured Yin Shilan that Li Shiming was likely safe, then arranged to protect her as news spread that Li Yuanba would be crippled and sent to Black Mountain Back Cliff.
• Li Yuanba overheard guards discussing his planned punishment and learned that the sect had publicized the threat to lure Li Shiming into a rescue.
• During a gap in surveillance, Li Yuanba entered his Corpse Refinement State, broke through his cell and Black Mountain’s formations, and escaped the Vast Array Sect.
• Old Ancestor Li found Li Yuanba missing and confronted the guards, while Old Ancestor Lu learned that the guards’ discussion had prompted Li Yuanba to escape.

Li Yuanba infiltrated the Vast Array Sect, broke into Old Ancestor Li’s Cave Dwelling, and emptied it before setting explosives and spreading a damaging medicinal powder. He escaped the mountain and confronted four of Old Ancestor Li’s disciples, publicly accusing them of trying to cripple him while his Master was away.

• Li Yuanba returned to Li Shiming, and Honored One Huijing destroyed Old Ancestor Li’s restriction inside him so his Golden Core and Spiritual Power could function freely.
• After confirming Old Ancestor Li and Old Ancestor Lu had left for Eternal Joy Island, Li Yuanba used a stolen Identity Jade Disc and his knowledge of the formations to enter the Vast Array Sect.
• Li Yuanba broke into Old Ancestor Li’s Cave Dwelling, collected its Spiritual Objects, planted TNT Explosives, and scattered medicinal powder that could damage the mountain’s Spirit Fields.
• Old Ancestor Li sensed the intrusion, contacted his disciples, and hurried back while Old Ancestor Lu stayed behind for the meeting.
• Li Yuanba left the sect and encountered four of Old Ancestor Li’s Golden Core Late Stage disciples, then loudly accused them of trying to cripple his cultivation while his Master was away.

Li Yuanba retaliated against the Vast Array Sect by killing four of Old Ancestor Li’s Golden Core disciples, then destroying Old Ancestor Li’s cave dwelling and mountain with explosives. Old Ancestor Li vowed to kill him, while Old Ancestor Lu learned of the attack and worried Li Yuanba would destroy the sect if he reached the Nascent Soul stage.

• Li Yuanba killed four Golden Core Late Stage cultivators at the Vast Array Sect’s mountain gate and declared he would return when he reached the Nascent Soul stage.
• Old Ancestor Li returned, collected his disciples’ bodies, and discovered death powder had ruined the spiritual plants and soil on Three Saints Peak.
• Old Ancestor Li entered his cave dwelling and triggered the TNT Explosives Li Yuanba had planted in the warehouse, destroying the cave dwelling, formation core, and mountaintop.
• Old Ancestor Li swore to kill Li Yuanba, knowing the destruction would become known throughout the Cultivation World.
• Old Ancestor Lu received news of the retaliation and considered finding Li Yuanba, but feared he could not catch him because of his Lotus Steps.

After reaching Golden Core Great Elder level, Li Shiming left the Northern Shu Continent with Clone Li Yuanba and Honored One Huijing to seek experience and cultivation resources. A message he had arranged reached Yin Shilan, but Old Ancestor Zhan traced it and led the Six Great Sects to the sea where Li Shiming had been hiding.

• Clone Li Yuanba returned with Old Ancestor Li's belongings, and Li Shiming took a Fourth Grade Rush Cushion and valuable resources while cultivating with the Profound Earth Celestial Dew.
• Li Shiming decided to leave the Northern Shu Continent because the Six Great Sects, Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild, and Heavenly Inquiry Sect were still searching for him, and he needed experience and more resources.
• Li Shiming and Clone Li Yuanba departed by sea aboard the Meteor Ink Boat, with Honored One Huijing controlling the vessel and displaying his Nascent Soul Stage aura.
• Ten days later, an Array Plate sent Li Shiming's message to Yin Shilan, who replied that she would wait for him.
• Old Ancestor Zhan intercepted the communication, located the area where Li Shiming had hidden, and gathered one Nascent Soul Old Ancestor from each of the Six Great Sects.
• The six Nascent Soul Old Ancestors found the underwater hiding place and prepared to search for Li Shiming.

Six Nascent Soul Ancestors found Li Shiming’s underwater Cave Dwelling abandoned and realized he had left the Northern Shu Continent’s reach, leaving the factions to argue over the Blessed Land Inheritance. Old Ancestor Han Xiao then revealed that Sword Old Ancestor had used the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s shipping route, raising the possibility that Li Shiming had escaped by the same route.

• Old Ancestor Zuo and Old Ancestor Lu argued over how their sects had driven Li Shiming away before the six Nascent Soul Ancestors descended to his underwater Cave Dwelling.
• Honored One Hui Ke and the others found the Cave Dwelling empty, with traces showing Li Shiming had left at least ten days earlier and a message telling Yin Shilan to wait for his return.
• Old Ancestor Luo Wei and the other Nascent Soul Ancestors from the Heavenly Travel Merchant Guild and Heavenly Inquiry Sect arrived, learned Li Shiming was gone, and demanded that the Northern Shu Ancestors continue searching.
• After the outside factions departed, Honored One Hui Ke and the other Northern Shu Ancestors regretted their treatment of Li Shiming, while Old Ancestor Lu feared Sword Old Ancestor’s reaction to the Vast Array Sect’s treatment of Li Yuanba.
• Old Ancestor Han Xiao told Old Ancestor Luo Wei that Sword Old Ancestor had left along the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s shipping route, leading them to suspect Li Shiming might have escaped the continent by the same route.

Li Shiming and Li Yuanba spotted Old Ancestor Han Xiao pursuing them across the sea, and Li Shiming set a trap with the Asura Drum and two formations. Honored One Huijing’s Nascent Soul Avatar gravely wounded Old Ancestor Han Xiao, who fled by releasing his injured Nascent Soul.

• Old Ancestor Luo Wei secretly placed a Positioning Mark on Old Ancestor Han Xiao before sending him to investigate the sea route toward the Northern Shu Continent.
• Li Shiming and Li Yuanba watched the sea from the Meteor Ink Boat until Li Shiming recognized Old Ancestor Han Xiao approaching and prepared an ambush with IBMz15’s battle plan.
• Li Shiming used the Asura Drum to daze Old Ancestor Han Xiao, who flew into the Heaven Dipper Four Aspects Array.
• Honored One Huijing emerged from the Sumeru Mustard Seed Formation and struck Old Ancestor Han Xiao with her Nascent Soul Avatar, destroying the formation disk and severely injuring his body and Nascent Soul.
• Old Ancestor Han Xiao released his injured Nascent Soul and glared at Honored One Huijing as he escaped the attack.

Li Shiming killed Old Ancestor Han Xiao with Honored One Huijing’s help, then claimed Han Xiao’s Far Sailing Boat and discovered its shipping route between the Eastern Qi Continent and the Northern Shu Continent. He continued across the ocean with Li Yuanba and Honored One Huijing, newly aware of the danger posed by powerful Nascent Soul cultivators.

• Li Shiming’s enhanced Devil Enters the Ear attack froze Old Ancestor Han Xiao’s wounded Nascent Soul long enough for Honored One Huijing to destroy it with the Fourth Grade Flame Sword.
• Li Shiming found Old Ancestor Luo Wei’s Positioning Mark on Han Xiao’s corpse, stored the corpse in the Server Room Space, and lamented the destruction of his Heavenly Dipper Four Aspects Array.
• Li Shiming reflected that Honored One Huijing could not reliably defeat powerful Nascent Soul cultivators and searched Han Xiao’s Mustard Seed Ring.
• Li Shiming claimed the Heavenly Inquiry Sect’s Far Sailing Boat and found its shipping route record for travel between the Eastern Qi Continent and the Northern Shu Continent.
• Li Shiming inspected Han Xiao’s Fourth Grade Thunder Hammer and realized Han Xiao had been a Nascent Soul Thunder Cultivator; he planned for Honored One Huijing to refine it and help him cultivate his Thunder Element technique.

Li Shiming harvested Old Ancestor Han Xiao’s treasures and adopted the Jade Purity Thunder Canon, then traveled for eleven months toward the Eastern Qi Continent. Near his destination, he watched a group of cultivators battle an Ice Crystal Beast, while Old Ancestor Luo Wei concluded Han Xiao had likely died.

• Li Shiming found Han Xiao’s Jade Purity Thunder Canon and cultivation notes, then switched his Thunder Element cultivation to the technique using lightning released by the Sky Strike Thunder Hammer.
• After two months without Han Xiao’s return, Old Ancestor Luo Wei sensed that his Positioning Mark could not be contacted and suspected Han Xiao had died, but he did not believe Li Shiming could have killed him.
• Li Shiming and Honored One Huijing traveled across the ocean for eleven months, and Li Shiming concealed Honored One Huijing before approaching the Eastern Qi Continent.
• Li Shiming spotted eight cultivators hunting a Third Grade Great Demon, the Ice Crystal Beast, and observed their Formation Master Yuan Xiao divert its Origin Cold Qi.
• Yuan Xi led the Golden Core cultivators in attacking the weakened Ice Crystal Beast, and his Flying Sword inflicted a deep wound nearly through its body.

Yuan Xi and Yuan Xiao faced two Ice Crystal Beasts at sea until Li Shiming arrived and killed them with lightning. After receiving a map and information about the Eastern Qi Continent from Yuan Xi, Li Shiming traveled with the father and son while learning about Yuan Xiao’s formation and the continent’s major powers.

• A second, stronger Ice Crystal Beast appeared and healed the first, forcing Yuan Xi’s group to retreat.
• Five of the six Golden Core Initial Stage cultivators were struck down as they fled, leaving Yuan Xi and Yuan Xiao trapped between the two beasts.
• Li Shiming arrived and killed both Ice Crystal Beasts with lightning, then accepted a continent map from Yuan Xi in exchange for protecting him and Yuan Xiao on their journey.
• Yuan Xi harvested the beasts’ valuable materials, while Li Shiming recognized flaws in Yuan Xiao’s Shifting Flower Trapping Beast Formation and left Yuan Xiao pondering his advice.
• Yuan Xi explained that the Eastern Qi Continent was dominated by the Tai Chu Sect, Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, Lotus Flower Temple, and Veiled Sun Sect.

Li Shiming reached the Eastern Qi Continent after crossing the open ocean and chose Mount Wu Qing as a base to gather resources for his future Nascent Soul advancement. He began arranging a long-term residence there and asked about the cost of a high-grade cave abode.

• Yuan Xi explained that the Heavenly Inquiry Sect was a second-tier sect because it lacked a Nascent Soul Late Stage great cultivator, while Li Shiming traveled with Yuan Xi and Yuan Xiao aboard their flying boat.
• Li Shiming killed several attacking Third Grade Great Demons, and Yuan Xi harvested their corpses as they learned that the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect’s Beast Luring Grand Formation drew demons into the area for hunting.
• After passing the formations and sailing for several more days, Li Shiming parted from Yuan Xi and Yuan Xiao, then flew onward while planning to earn resources through alchemy and pursue materials for Nascent Soul advancement.
• Li Shiming reached land and headed to Mount Wu Qing, attracted by its reputation as a major trading ground for independent cultivators and its abundant spiritual energy.
• Li Shiming requested a long-term token and a cave abode with dense spiritual energy, then asked the attendant how many spirit stones it would cost to rent the best available abode on the second level.

Li Shiming settled into a rented Cave Dwelling on Wuqing Mountain, where he discovered a hidden chamber containing a mysterious Treading Clouds jade token. After meeting his neighbor Wang Fan, he found a chance to connect with Eastern Qi Continent cultivators as a supposed alchemist.

• Li Shiming rented a Cave Dwelling for thirty years and found its spiritual energy unusually dense.
• Li Shiming discovered a concealed chamber in the utility room, survived its flying-needle trap, and took the Treading Clouds jade token, leaving a convincing replica behind.
• Li Shiming reinforced the Cave Dwelling, settled in with Li Yuanba and Honored One Huijing, and left Li Yuanba behind while taking Honored One Huijing with him.
• Wang Fan introduced himself as Li Shiming's Golden Core Late Stage neighbor, and Li Shiming used the false name Li Shizhen.
• Li Shiming told Wang Fan he knew alchemy, prompting Wang Fan to invite him to a cultivators' gathering and ask him to refine Spiritual Pills.

Li Shiming explored Wuqing Mountain’s Market, buying cultivation texts and studying the Eastern Qi Continent’s alchemy traditions. He left without the Fourth Grade pill furnace he wanted, aware that he needed to earn more Superior-Grade Spirit Stones.

• Li Shiming bought eight formation Jade Slips and sixty-five travel record Jade Slips at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.
• Li Shiming purchased a Nascent Soul-level Alchemy Inheritance from Pavilion Master Wei and had IBMz15 study its Demon Core pill-refining methods.
• Li Shiming asked Yu An about Nascent Soul advancement pills at Precious Pill Pavilion, then learned that such pills might appear at the five-year grand auction.
• Yu An offered Li Shiming a Fourth Grade Fire Phoenix Treasure Cauldron for five thousand Superior-Grade Spirit Stones or through a cooperation agreement, but Li Shiming declined.
• Li Shiming learned that cultivators generally did not exchange Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for Superior-Grade Spirit Stones.

Li Shiming attended a gathering of Golden Core Late Stage cultivators on Wuqing Mountain, where he revealed he was a Grandmaster Alchemist and accepted Wang Fan’s three Demon Cores for pill refinement. After refining all three, he produced pills of varied grades, and the cultivators gathered outside his Cave Dwelling to await the results.

• Li Shiming met seven Golden Core Late Stage cultivators at a gathering, and Wang Fan introduced him as a Grandmaster Alchemist.
• The cultivators exchanged warnings about the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, then Wang Fan paid Li Shiming three hundred Superior-Grade Spirit Stones to refine three Demon Cores.
• Li Shiming used IBMz15 and his alchemy methods to refine the Demon Cores into six pills each, including high-level pills and a batch of intermediate-grade pills.
• Li Shiming reserved the high-level pills from the final Demon Core for Clone Li Yuanba.
• Wang Fan, Pavilion Master Wei, Yu An, and the other cultivators waited outside Li Shiming’s Cave Dwelling for the pill results.

Li Shiming gave Wang Fan six Third Grade Intermediate Spirit Pills, impressing Wuqing Mountain’s cultivators with his alchemy. Old Ancestor Yu Songquan sent Li Shiming the Fire Phoenix Treasure Cauldron and arranged for him to refine Fourth Grade Spiritual Pills, leaving Li Shiming to prepare for the task.

• Li Shiming handed Wang Fan six Third Grade Intermediate Spirit Pills, and the other Golden Core Late Stage cultivators envied Wang Fan’s full-yield batch.
• Yu An told Old Ancestor Yu Songquan about Li Shiming’s skill, and Old Ancestor Yu ordered him to offer the Fire Phoenix Treasure Cauldron and request Fourth Grade pill refinement.
• Yu An delivered the Fire Phoenix Treasure Cauldron to Li Shiming, who accepted it while making clear he would leave Wuqing Mountain if he could join a top sect.
• Yu An gave Li Shiming a Fourth Grade Demon Core and a Clear Spirit Fruit as payment for refining Fourth Grade Spiritual Pills.
• Li Shiming accepted the task and told Yu An to return in twenty days.