Chapter Summaries

Ji An planted the Enlightenment Tree seed, then agreed to refine the Three Yang Meridian-Opening Pill for True Person Zhenyue’s cousin, True Person Huayin. After two days of preparation and alchemy, he presented the pills, which Huayin confirmed were effective.

• Ji An planted the Enlightenment Tree seed near the Gathering Origin Tree and waited to see whether it would grow.
• Two years later, True Person Zhenyue brought his cousin True Person Huayin to Ji An, explaining that her icy immortal veins had worsened and asking him to refine pills.
• Ji An accepted five batches of medicinal ingredients and began preparing the Three Yang Meridian-Opening Pill formula in his small world.
• Ji An refined the ingredients, rested, and gradually improved his technique while attempting the pills.
• Ji An completed a pill bearing three patterns and later presented two bottles of pills to Zhenyue and Huayin.
• Huayin inspected the pills, felt the chill in her immortal veins ease, and declared them fine pills.

Ji An refined Three Yang Meridian-Opening Pills that eased True Person Huayin’s cold poison, then discussed cultivation and compensation with her and True Person Zhenyue. Huayin offered him six Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills in exchange for spiritual materials, and Ji An traded a Spiritual Peach and two Dragon Blood Fruits, though he could not refine the fruits without a suitable formula.

• True Person Huayin tested a Three Yang Meridian-Opening Pill and found that it melted the ice crystals in her immortal meridians and temporarily eased her suffering.
• True Person Zhenyue discussed Five Elements cultivation with Ji An, who revealed that he cultivated the Five Elements Cycle Scripture and learned that pursuing balance could make later breakthroughs exceptionally difficult.
• True Person Huayin emerged from the quiet room, praised the pills, and agreed that she and True Person Zhenyue would seek Ji An’s help with future commissions.
• Ji An asked for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills or other pills suitable for mid Golden Core cultivators, and True Person Huayin offered him her remaining six Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills.
• Ji An exchanged a third-tier mid-grade Spiritual Peach and two Dragon Blood Fruits for the pills, but said he lacked the formula to refine the fruits into medicine.

Ji An exchanged gifts and discussed the growing demon threat before asking Wan Jinrong about refining Azure Flame Purple Spirit Gourds into artifacts. When Ji An offered late Golden Core True Demon materials only for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills or their ingredients, Wan Jinrong wondered whether he had broken through.

• True Person Zhenyue accepted Ji An's Dragon Blood Fruits, invited him to a banquet, and reported that the Mist Mountain crisis remained under control.
• Lin Jiuxiao delivered eight sets of medicinal ingredients and sold more Spirit Cleansing Sand for Ji An as related prices rose.
• Ji An entered the Gourd World, checked his growing spiritual plants, and observed that his artifacts were easier to nurture with his strengthened Primordial Life Fire.
• Wan Jinrong explained that earthfire could maintain but not nurture artifacts, and warned Ji An about the dangers of using Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire to nurture them.
• Ji An agreed to sell Wan Jinrong a future Azure Flame Purple Spirit Gourd and offered late Golden Core True Demon materials in exchange for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills or their ingredients.
• Wan Jinrong asked Ji An whether he had broken through after hearing what he wanted in exchange.

Ji An sold Third Order Top-Grade bone materials to the Wan Clan for thirty-nine Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills. Wan Jinrong also gave him Yin Thunder Beads and a Demon-Breaking Golden Shuttle, while Ji An considered the cultivation technique he would need to break through to late Golden Core.

• Ji An offered Wan Jinrong his Third Order Top-Grade bone materials in exchange for pills, and they agreed to hold the deal for the Wan Clan.
• Wan Chenggang arrived at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, then went with Wan Jinrong to inspect Ji An’s materials.
• Wan Chenggang approved the materials, and Ji An completed the sale for thirty-nine Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills.
• Wan Jinrong gave Ji An two Third Order low-grade and two Third Order mid-grade Yin Thunder Beads, along with a Demon-Breaking Golden Shuttle as a congratulatory gift.
• Ji An worried that he might need a special secret art to advance to late Golden Core, but decided to postpone the problem until he reached the sixth layer.

Ji An cultivated for twenty-five years, advanced to the fifth layer of Golden Core, strengthened several spells, and raised the Gathering Origin Tree to third-tier High-Grade. As demonic mist spread around Mist Mountain, Lin Jiuxiao prepared to return to Western Continent, and Ji An gave him Fire Origin Pills for the sect.

• Ji An discussed the workings of Yin Thunder Beads with Wan Jinrong, then considered making explosive artifacts from Fire and Water Element spirit plants.
• Ji An cultivated beneath the Gathering Origin Tree for twenty-five years and broke through to the fifth layer of Golden Core.
• Ji An used Spiritual Potential to raise the Seal Spirit Art to full mastery, improve Gui Water Divine Thunder, and strengthen the Yimu Spirit Plundering Art.
• Ji An spent most of his accumulated Dao Resonance to upgrade the Gathering Origin Tree to third-tier High-Grade.
• Lin Jiuxiao told Ji An he would return to Western Continent aboard a Merchant Airship, and Ji An gave him more than four hundred and sixty Fire Origin Pills for the sect.

Ji An gave Lin Jiuxiao pills, talismans, formulas, and artifact-refining knowledge to bring back to their sect, and urged the sect to establish regular exchanges with the Central Continent. Later, Ji An visited Listening Wind Pavilion to seek powerful area attacks and faster flight spells, and True Person Guang Ji offered him two spells at a discount.

• Ji An gave Lin Jiuxiao Fire Origin Pills, other pills, talismans, cultivation formulas, and artifact-refining notes for the sect.
• Ji An urged Lin Jiuxiao to recommend regular exchanges with the Central Continent and the opening of sect shops there, and Lin Jiuxiao agreed to report his advice.
• After half a month, Ji An visited Listening Wind Pavilion and asked True Person Guang Ji for large-scale attack spells and acceleration-type flight spells.
• True Person Guang Ji explained the special effects of the Five Elements at the limits of mastery, then recommended the Earth Element spell Wrath of the Earth and the Fire Element spell Departing Fire Burns the Heavens.
• Ji An favored Departing Fire Burns the Heavens and negotiated its price; True Person Guang Ji offered either spell for one hundred ninety High-grade Spirit Stones or both for three hundred sixty.

Ji An bought three spells from True Person Guang Ji and learned that Nascent Soul spells and cultivation techniques could be obtained for Rank 4 resources. At the Certification Association, he reunited with True Person Feiyun and asked True Person Lieyang to recommend a pill to help his Azure Water Turtle advance to the Origin Seeking Stage.

• Ji An negotiated with True Person Guang Ji and bought Wrath of the Earth, Departing Fire Burns the Heavens, and Adamantine Firmness for five hundred High-grade Spirit Stones, with Mixed Gold Profound Armor included.
• Ji An asked whether Listening Wind Pavilion could sell Nascent Soul spells and cultivation techniques, and True Person Guang Ji explained that these required Rank 4 resources.
• Ji An met True Person Feiyun at the Certification Association, and they arranged for her to visit his cave abode at Black Stone Mountain three days later.
• Ji An asked True Person Lieyang about pills for his mutated Azure Water Turtle, and Lieyang said its ice attribute suggested Ice Chi bloodline.
• True Person Lieyang recommended the Gui Water Meridian Cleansing Pill to strengthen the Azure Water Turtle's bloodline and defense.

Ji An bought a Gui Water Meridian Cleansing Pill and used it to help Blue Shell advance its realm in the Gourd World. He then mastered Adamantine Firmness with the Stone Turtle’s aid.

• Ji An exchanged Contribution Points for a Gui Water Meridian Cleansing Pill, and True Person Lieyang explained that cultivators who performed well in Mist Mountain would not be conscripted again for a time.
• Ji An returned to the Gourd World, found Blue Shell in the pond, and fed it a small bite of a Sky Origin Pear before giving it the pill and more fruit.
• Blue Shell’s Demonic Power surged, and it advanced to a higher realm; Ji An told it to stabilize and guard the cave abode with Golden Fur the next day.
• Ji An drank Enlightenment Tea, studied Adamantine Firmness, and successfully cast the spell.
• Ji An used the Stone Turtle to raise Adamantine Firmness from Beginner 1% to Mastery 100%.

Ji An perfected Wrath of the Earth, advanced Departing Fire Burns the Heavens, and tested his new spells outside his cave. He then tended his small world's materials and spiritual plants while the Stone Turtle used Dao Rhyme to improve the Gathering Origin Tree.

• Ji An tested his Golden Light Art and found that his defenses could withstand attacks reaching the mid Golden Core level.
• Ji An tested Wrath of the Earth and Departing Fire Burns the Heavens, then used the Stone Turtle to raise Wrath of the Earth to Great Perfection and Departing Fire Burns the Heavens to 32%.
• Ji An combined Departing Fire Burns the Heavens with the Li Di Flame Light Banner and sent the banner's Fire Phoenix into the flames.
• Ji An stored a petrified bird wing for observation and processed Lightning Attracting Grass, Fire Coral crystals, and other materials for thunder pearl research.
• Ji An tended the spiritual plants across the small world's Spirit Fields and assessed the Golden Core Stage Crimson Gold Carp in the lava lake.
• Ji An ordered the Stone Turtle to preserve thirty points of each Dao Rhyme and spend the rest improving the Gathering Origin Tree, while he practiced the Immovable Wisdom King Art.

Ji An cultivated in his cave abode and struck a pill-refining deal with True Person Feiyun in exchange for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills. He also asked about the Five Elements Sect Ruins and learned that their valuable areas remained dangerous and might open sooner if demonic mist reached the Wan Hua Mountain Range.

• Ji An refined his body, cultivated with a Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pill, and absorbed spiritual energy from the Third-Order High-Grade Spirit Vein.
• True Person Feiyun praised Ji An's Spirit Plants and sampled his tea and pastries, while Ji An explained that his sect supplied his high-grade goods.
• True Person Feiyun proposed that her clan hire Ji An to refine Foundation Replenishing Pills and Golden Core Pills, and they signed an agreement exchanging his share of pills for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills.
• Ji An asked True Person Feiyun about the Five Elements Sect Ruins, and she warned that most valuables were gone while the remaining areas held dangerous monsters and might open early if demonic mist spread.

Ji An learned the Five Elements Sect Ruins would open early, then strengthened his ties with the Ge Clan through his alchemy and reunited with Han Yan in Central Continent. He helped her settle into a nearby cave abode and asked what she planned to do next.

• Ji An learned the Five Elements Sect Ruins would open ahead of schedule and planned to reach the Wan Hua Mountain Range in time to enter.
• True Person Tianfeng inspected Ji An’s pills and, impressed by his perfect success and premium rates for Golden Core Pills, agreed to seek deeper cooperation with him.
• Ji An hurried to meet True Lord Xuanmu and reunited with Han Yan, who had come to Central Continent on official business and brought him artifact-refining ideas from the sect.
• Ji An gave Han Yan a Third Order mid-grade Spiritual Peach to celebrate her Golden Core breakthrough, and they discussed the sect’s growing resources and plans for its cultivators to visit Central Continent.
• Ji An arranged for Han Yan to move into a nearby cave abode he had maintained, then asked her what she planned to do next.

Han Yan earned third-tier alchemist certification and agreed to help Ji An start a pill shop while taking a Vajra Pill commission. Ji An commissioned puppets from True Lord Xuanji, whose discovery of the sect’s rapidly cultivated spirit wood stirred his greed and prompted him to alert his Sect Master.

• Han Yan brought Crimson Flame Peak’s share of its output and fourth-tier Fire Element Spiritual Items to Ji An, then discussed the sect’s plans for the Five Elements Sect Ruins and a joint pill shop.
• Ji An and Han Yan visited the Certification Association, where Han Yan passed the third-tier one-star alchemist assessment and accepted an assignment to refine Vajra Pills.
• Ji An welcomed Han Yan with a feast, then used the Stone Turtle in the Gourd World to upgrade spirit woods and cultivate before returning to the immortal city.
• Ji An asked True Lord Xuanji of the Golden Puppet Pavilion to refine three high-grade Vajra Bodhi Trees into puppets, and they signed a five-year commission agreement.
• True Lord Xuanji became intensely interested in the sect’s ability to rapidly cultivate spirit materials and sent a secret report to his Sect Master.

Ji An arranged for Wan Jinrong to upgrade his Green Lotus Treasure Color Banner and Li Di Flame Light Banner, while the Golden Puppet Sect weighed whether to investigate a suspected treasure. After two months, both magic treasures reached third-tier mid-grade, and Ji An left Wan Jinrong with a gift of spiritual tea.

• Ji An brought Azure Dragon Wood to Wan Jinrong and agreed to stay while he reforged the Green Lotus Treasure Color Banner.
• Ji An discussed upgrading the Li Di Flame Light Banner, and Wan Jinrong offered to cover half the Phoenix Stone needed for the work.
• True Lord Xuan Ye told his subordinates to restrain True Lord Xuanji and investigate suspicions about a possible treasure before taking action.
• Two months later, Wan Jinrong completed the upgrades, though the Li Di Flame Light Banner's fiery divine intent exhausted him.
• Ji An thanked Wan Jinrong with Cloud Top Silver Bristle Tea and left the Myriad Treasure Tower.

Ji An arranged for Zhang Liangyu to find a suitable shop and suppliers for his planned pill business, then met Guanghan True Person to discuss her family’s shop and supply cooperation. She offered him a reduced rent if he trained an Alchemist, leaving Ji An to decide whether to accept the condition or pay above-market rent.

• Ji An asked Zhang Jun and Zhang Liangyu to find a two-story shop with a strong defensive formation and to connect him with suppliers of spirit fruit and old spirit herbs.
• Ji An offered to buy materials at five percent above market price and promised Zhang Liangyu rewards for successful introductions and a five-percent commission on customers he brought to the shop.
• A month later, Zhang Liangyu brought Guanghan True Person to Ji An’s cave dwelling after securing supply agreements with two other factions.
• Guanghan True Person offered her family’s shop and supply cooperation, but said Ji An would need to train a qualified Alchemist for fifty years of rent at eighty percent of the normal rate.
• Guanghan True Person said Ji An could refuse the training condition, but would then pay ten percent above the normal rent.

Ji An and Han Yan leased and opened the Crimson Flame Pavilion in the Central Continent, securing medicinal materials and planning their pill business. The shop began with little traffic, leaving Han Yan worried about how long it would take to build a reputation.

• Ji An negotiated with Guanghan True Person for the lease of Precious Pill Pavilion and agreed to guide her clan's alchemists in exchange for rent and medicinal materials.
• Ji An and Han Yan signed a fifty-year lease, and Ji An explained that the shop could serve as the sect's foothold in Central Continent.
• Ji An and Han Yan made Zhang Liangyu their contact and bought materials for around three hundred furnaces of pills.
• Ji An assigned Han Yan pill materials to refine, set the terms for sharing finished pills, and gave her a third-order middle-grade puppet for protection.
• Two months later, the Crimson Flame Pavilion opened on Jade Orchid Street, but few customers came, so Ji An reassured Han Yan that their reputation would spread.

Ji An arranged for Han Yan to cultivate while he and the Li siblings tended the shop, and Guanghan True Person tested the shop’s pills and found their effects unusually strong. She and True Person Guangping then negotiated deeper cooperation with Ji An, ending with the Li Clan offering regular supplies of pill materials.

• Ji An told Han Yan to cultivate in the quiet room and promised to guide Li Qingqiu and Li Qingshuang in pill refinement once a month.
• Guanghan True Person refined a Fire Origin Pill and found its efficacy at least thirty percent greater than usual.
• Guanghan True Person had her elders test pills from Ji An’s shop, and they found improved effects that they suspected came from Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire.
• Guanghan True Person and True Person Guangping met Ji An, who agreed to prioritize the Li Clan’s purchases but refused to sell pills on credit.
• True Person Guangping offered reliable supplies of materials for several types of pills, including future batches of Fire Origin Pill materials.

Ji An agreed to a new partnership with True Person Guangping and learned that powerful Pill Shop interests might threaten his business. He later commissioned Wan Jinrong to refine a Spirit-Nurturing Gourd, which was completed successfully, and arranged to obtain a Third Order water-element gourd.

• Ji An signed a new agreement with True Person Guangping, then heard from True Person Guangping and True Person Guanghan about the forces behind the Pill Shops and the danger of retaliation.
• Ji An returned to Black Stone Mountain, received a dark-red gourd from his puppet, and cultivated beneath the Gathering Origin Tree as more Azure Flame Purple Spirit Gourds ripened.
• Ji An brought two gourds to Wan Jinrong and asked him to refine one into a magic treasure for nurturing Crimson Cloud Pine spirit sand and enhancing its Bing Fire spirituality.
• Ji An asked Wan Jinrong to source a Third Order water-element gourd for nurturing spirit sand with Ren Water properties, agreeing to trade an Azure Flame Purple Spirit Gourd while keeping the spirit seeds.
• Wan Jinrong completed a Third Order mid-grade Spirit-Nurturing Gourd in half a month, and Ji An praised his work and invited him to celebrate over wine.

Ji An dealt with a shortage of pills at Crimson Flame Pavilion by arranging an Azure Dragon Wood sale and expanding the shop to sell talismans. After receiving the Spirit Stones, he learned more about Golden Puppet Pavilion’s defensive puppets and heard that mid Golden Core demonic cultivators had appeared.

• Ji An nurtured the Spirit-Nurturing Gourd near the Green Lotus Heart-Burning Fire and successfully refined two Thunder Pearls, with the first approaching third-tier mid-grade power.
• Han Yan told Ji An that spirit farmers had canceled herb deliveries and a sudden rush of customers had emptied Crimson Flame Pavilion’s pill stock.
• Ji An proposed selling talismans and arranging an Azure Dragon Wood sale, then went to Golden Puppet Pavilion to meet True Lord Xuanmu.
• True Lord Xuanmu bought Ji An’s spirit wood for 54,800 High-grade Spirit Stones and explained how Azure Dragon Wood defensive puppets worked.
• True Lord Xuanmu told Ji An that mid Golden Core demonic cultivators had appeared after only thirty years.

Ji An learned more about demonic cultivation and the True Demon Tribulation from True Lord Xuanmu, then discovered that Central Continent’s major Pill Shops were joining forces to deprive Crimson Flame Pavilion of ingredients. He and Han Yan planned how to keep the business running while Ji An prepared to seek supplies elsewhere and trade unused resources.

• Ji An asked True Lord Xuanmu about the future of demonic cultivators and the destruction of Skywater Sect, then exchanged cultivation insights with him.
• Ji An visited Cloud Sea Pharmacy and learned that its main ingredients for several pill recipes were unavailable, as the large Pill Shops coordinated to restrict Crimson Flame Pavilion’s supplies.
• Ji An bought limited materials for Fire Origin Pills and Azure Wave Treasure Light Pills and told Han Yan that the shop was being targeted by every large Pill Shop.
• Han Yan explained that Zhang Liangyu was seeking Talisman Crafters and had offered discounts to demon hunters who sold materials to Crimson Flame Pavilion.
• Ji An resolved to seek ingredients in other immortal cities if necessary and sorted unused Second Order resources into Storage Bags for future trade.

Ji An sought alchemy commissions from True Person Lieyang as Crimson Flame Pavilion faced pressure from rival shops, while True Person Guangping weighed whether to continue the Heron Mountain clan’s cooperation. Guangping visited the shop and, seeing its preparations and alchemy instruction, grew more confident in its prospects.

• Ji An gave Han Yan Storage Bags of talismans and resources to sell or arrange for others to handle, then went to the Certification Association seeking alchemy commissions.
• True Person Lieyang told Ji An that local powers had tried to restrict his commissions and offered limited support refining several kinds of pills for up to a year.
• Ji An accepted the terms and planned to make the requested pills flagship products while maintaining cooperation with True Person Feiyun’s family.
• Heron Mountain clan members urged True Person Guangping to end its cooperation with Crimson Flame Pavilion after rival shops threatened to stop buying their medicinal materials.
• True Person Guangping decided to inspect Crimson Flame Pavilion before choosing whether to risk twenty percent of the clan’s wealth to continue cooperating.
• At the shop, Li Qingqiu told Guangping that True Lord Xuanqing was teaching the clan members to refine Vermillion Bird Flame Grass Pills, and Guangping felt reassured by the shop’s preparations.