Chapter Summaries

True Person Guangping reaffirmed the Li Clan’s support for Ji An and the Crimson Flame Pavilion, whose pill business remained under pressure even as its talisman trade prospered. While traveling months later, Ji An survived an ambush by True Person Mingyue and pursued True Person Fengxia, who had just activated a defensive talisman.

• Li Qingqiu told True Person Guangping that Ji An had drawn the shop’s talismans himself and planned to expand into other trades, while Li Qingshuang praised his pill-making instruction.
• True Person Guangping pledged that the Li Clan would stand with Ji An, and Ji An welcomed his support as their discussion grew cordial.
• Half a year later, Ji An found the Crimson Flame Pavilion’s pill business still targeted and had to seek dwindling supplies of spirit herbs from nearby Immortal Cities.
• True Person Mingyue and True Person Fengxia ambushed Ji An, but his defenses turned aside their attacks and he killed Mingyue with Geng Metal Divine Thunder.
• Ji An released his spirit beasts to collect the remains and pursued Fengxia, who failed to persuade him to let her go and activated a talisman as a golden sword pierced toward her brow.

After two late Golden Core cultivators ambushed him, Ji An returned to Cloud Sea Immortal City and planned to stay within the protection of its grand formation. He opened the three attackers’ Void Stones and found a jade slip containing a Nascent Soul Pill formula, though its recorded refinement attempts had all failed.

• Ji An killed the two cultivators who ambushed him, collected their damaged Magic Treasures and Void Stone rings, and burned their corpses.
• Ji An returned early to Cloud Sea Immortal City, told Han Yan about the ambush, and decided not to travel beyond the city’s grand formation.
• Ji An gave Han Yan medicinal ingredients and arranged for Crimson Flame Pavilion to hold a Trade Fair in three months.
• Han Yan told Ji An that Li Qingshuang had mastered two pill formulas and would be replaced by other Li Clan members.
• Ji An bought Spirit Severing Insect fluid, dissolved the three Void Stones, and found a jade slip recording a Nascent Soul Pill formula after discovering that the attackers’ other possessions were mostly worthless.

Ji An identified a pill formula and enough ingredients to make Nascent Soul Pills, while refining a Spirit Nurturing Divine Fire Pill and strengthening ties with True Person Guangping and Guanghan True Person. After a Heavenly Secrets Tower investigator suspected True Person Mingyue had died, Ji An arrived at the Crimson Flame Pavilion to begin its Trade Fair.

• Ji An copied the Nascent Soul Pill refining insights, identified its ingredients, and stored away pills and herbs from his spoils.
• Ji An burned the female cultivator's corpse in his small world and used her ashes to nourish the Soul Nurturing Wood.
• Two months later, Ji An confirmed the crimson pills were Spirit Nurturing Divine Fire Pills and met True Person Guangping and Guanghan True Person to receive promised spiritual herbs.
• Ji An agreed that the shop's Trade Fair would accept pill-refining materials as payment, then joined the two guests for a drink.
• A Heavenly Secrets Tower investigator reviewed reports about the battle at Falling Phoenix Slope and suspected True Person Mingyue had met with an accident, raising the mission's risk level.
• A month later, Ji An reached the Crimson Flame Pavilion, ordered the doors closed, and prepared to start the Trade Fair early.

Ji An and Han Yan revealed the Green Lotus Heart-Burning Fire at a Trade Fair and exchanged pills for spirit herbs, easing their supply concerns while attracting cultivators seeking breakthroughs. Half a year later, True Person Moyun visited Ji An with spirit seeds and the Dark Night Soul Tempering Pill formula, leaving Ji An with new resources for strengthening his soul.

• Han Yan announced that Ji An's Green Lotus Heart-Burning Fire made the shop's pills more effective, and Ji An displayed the fire to justify the exchange prices.
• Ji An and Han Yan traded Foundation Replenishing Pills and Golden Core Pills for complete sets of materials, offered cave-abode rentals to Golden Core Pill buyers, and announced future Trade Fairs.
• Ji An gained seventy-two points of Dao Rhyme when a cultivator broke through to the Golden Core Stage in the Immortal City.
• True Person Moyun told Ji An that demonic cultivators were increasingly defending the Mist Mountain Range as the demonic mist expanded.
• True Person Moyun gave Ji An a Star Soul Tree seed, a Dark Night Tree seed, and the Dark Night Soul Tempering Pill formula, explaining that Immortal City pill-shop owners wanted to invite him to Dingxiang Pavilion.

Ji An met with managers of rival Pill Shops to negotiate how Crimson Flame Pavilion would operate in Cloud Sea Immortal City. He agreed to limit some of the shop’s pill sales for three years and secured help against cultivators who hoarded its pills.

• Ji An accepted the invitation to peace talks, set the meeting time, and planted the Star Soul Tree and Dark Night Tree in the Gourd World.
• Ji An reassured Han Yan that the rival shops’ willingness to negotiate was a good sign before they attended the meeting at Dingxiang Pavilion.
• True Person Changqing raised concerns about the Green Lotus Heart-Burning Fire and pressed Ji An to raise pill prices or reduce competition.
• After resisting pressure from Changqing and the other managers, Ji An agreed that Crimson Flame Pavilion would sell only three Origin Seeking pills after three years.
• Ji An and Changqing agreed to avoid friction, and Changqing offered to report pill hoarders to the Enforcement Squad.

Ji An arranged to refine Golden Core Pills for True Person Changqing in exchange for Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills, then exchanged his Contribution Points for the Spirit Nurturing Divine Fire Pill formula. After buying spiritual seeds and planting them in his small world, he began cultivating with the Five Elements Cycle Scripture.

• Ji An and True Person Changqing agreed that Ji An would refine two batches of Golden Core Pills in half a year and receive Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills for any surplus he sold.
• True Person Changqing told Ji An that Mo Yun had obtained Star Soul Tree seeds, prompting Ji An to choose the Spirit Nurturing Divine Fire Pill formula.
• Ji An exchanged nearly all his Contribution Points for the formula and bought twenty sets of spiritual seeds from Cloud Sea Pharmacy.
• Ji An planted the seeds in his small world and checked on the growing Star Soul Tree.
• Ji An began cultivating beneath the Soul Nurturing Wood, drawing Five Elements Spiritual Opportunity into his body and nourishing his Golden Core.

Ji An advanced his Immovable Wisdom King Art to the mid Golden Core level, then spent two years cultivating and refining pills. After Wan Jinrong broke through and agreed to forge a water-attribute auxiliary Magic Treasure for Ji An, he completed the third-tier mid-grade Ren Water Gourd.

• Ji An broke through to the mid Golden Core level in the Immovable Wisdom King Art and had the Stone Turtle raise three Vajra Bodhi Trees to third-tier High-Grade.
• Ji An spent two years cultivating and refining pills, then received a message announcing good news.
• Ji An congratulated Wan Jinrong on his breakthrough, and Wan Jinrong credited Wan Jinru’s advice with helping him overcome his cultivation worries.
• Ji An chose a purely auxiliary design for Wan Jinrong to refine from a third-tier low-grade Azure Sea Gourd, prioritizing its ability to nurture spiritual materials.
• Wan Jinrong completed the third-tier mid-grade Ren Water Gourd and presented it to Ji An.

Ji An received the Ren Water Gourd from Wan Jinrong, learned how to use it, and put it to work nurturing Essence of Ren Water and supporting his cultivation. After more than twenty years, he broke through to the sixth layer of Golden Core and began considering how to help Green Deer advance and improve his puppet.

• Wan Jinrong finished refining the Ren Water Gourd, accepted two jin of Blazing Flame Crystals as payment, and gave Ji An a jade slip explaining the artifact’s control formula and upkeep.
• Ji An charged the Ren Water Gourd with pond water, practiced the Immovable Wisdom King Art, and later used its materials to refine third-tier mid-grade Thunder Pearls.
• More than twenty years passed as Ji An cultivated in the Gourd World, where the swelling pressure on his Golden Core signaled a minor-realm bottleneck.
• Ji An broke through to the sixth layer of Golden Core, stabilized his cultivation, and received congratulations from Green Deer and his other companions.
• Ji An promised to find medicine to help Green Deer reach its next major realm and considered asking True Lord Xuanmu to fit wings to his puppet.

Ji An continued refining his body and adapting the Visualization Method while his cultivation reached the sixth layer of Golden Core. As Han Yan prepared to leave for Central Continent, she handed the shop over to him and collected a new puppet, then denied that her sect possessed third-tier High-Grade Vajra Bodhi Wood.

• Ji An practiced the Immovable Wisdom King Art, sensed that he was approaching its fourth realm, and continued cautiously cultivating his altered Visualization Method.
• Ji An told Han Yan he had reached the sixth layer Golden Core, and she expressed hope that he might eventually help the sect produce a Nascent Soul cultivator.
• Han Yan gave Ji An the shop accounts and warehouse token, while he provided her with Spirit Stones, pills, Thunder Pearls, seeds, and pill formulas for the sect.
• Han Yan collected a puppet with two Soul Stones from True Lord Xuanji, who asked to buy third-tier High-Grade Vajra Bodhi Wood.
• Han Yan denied that her sect had cultivated third-tier High-Grade Spirit Wood and said its best tree was the third-tier middle-grade Spiritual Peach Tree on Crimson Flame Peak.

True Lord Xuanji suspected Ji An possessed a valuable world fragment and secretly ordered surveillance so he could lure him out and seize it. Meanwhile, Ji An arranged to obtain a pill for his Green Deer and continued tending the spirit plants in his Gourd World, where the Soul Nurturing Wood reached Third Order Top-Grade and hundreds of Vajra Bodhi Trees flourished.

• True Lord Xuanji concluded that Ji An's Top-Grade Vajra Bodhi Wood came from a powerful world fragment, kept his suspicions from the sect, and ordered True Person Nanhua to watch Ji An and find a way to lure him out of the immortal city.
• Ji An asked True Person Lieyang about pills for a Wood Element demonic beast, chose a Profound Wood Life Essence Pill for his Green Deer, and paid the Contribution Points required to have one transferred.
• True Person Lieyang told Ji An that he would leave for headquarters in half a year, and Ji An congratulated him while learning that he would be invited to meet the incoming head of the Alchemy Department.
• Ji An harvested six mature third-tier Low-Grade Azure Dragon Wood plants and used the Azure Dragon Water Moon Art to nourish the Spirit Fields at Black Stone Mountain.
• In the Gourd World, Ji An's Soul Nurturing Wood advanced to Third Order Top-Grade, several other spirit plants continued developing, and he planted three Star Tree seeds.
• Ji An tended the plants on the white earth, where Five Hundred Vajra Bodhi Trees grew at different grades and promised future Geng Metal Divine Thunder Talismans.

Ji An tended the spiritual plants and creatures in his small world, then ordered the Stone Turtle to feed Dao rhyme to the Gathering Origin Tree. He left for the immortal city with his Puppet and arranged for a compact flying artifact with controls the Puppet could use.

• Ji An cultivated the water-, wood-, and fire-element fields, observed their growing spiritual plants and creatures, and planned to plant the Phoenix Perch Wood seeds once they matured.
• Ji An ordered the Stone Turtle to retain fifty points of each Dao rhyme and refine the rest to cultivate the Gathering Origin Tree, which remained unchanged after another hour.
• Ji An meditated beneath the Soul Nurturing Wood, and the Puppet quietly lit Sandalwood Soul Nourishing Incense for him.
• The next day, Ji An took the Puppet to the Golden Puppet Pavilion and asked True Lord Xuanmu to add wings so it could fly independently.
• The Puppet refused wings because it did not want to look like a bird, so True Lord Xuanmu suggested a custom flying artifact instead.
• Ji An paid True Lord Xuanmu two High-grade Spirit Stones to make a compact flying artifact and inscribe controls for its size, Water Control Art, and Fire Control Art.

Ji An commissioned Wan Jinrong to make a Top-Grade flying spirit tool for his puppet, then agreed to refine a secret pill for True Person Huayin’s worsening cold poison. He discovered the formula was for the Phoenix Nirvana Pill, a rare medicine that could increase the chance of forming a Nascent Soul by roughly ten percent.

• Ji An watched True Lord Xuanmu’s puppet demonstrate how it controlled an untainted spirit tool, then praised the puppet.
• Ji An commissioned Wan Jinrong to refine a cloud-shaped flying spirit tool that a puppet could control, and they agreed it would be ready in three days.
• Ji An returned to Crimson Flame Pavilion and learned from True Person Zhenyue that True Person Huayin’s cold poison had worsened and that she needed a new pill to continue cultivating.
• Ji An accepted Taixu Sect’s secrecy conditions, signed a contract, and swore a Great Dao Oath before True Person Zhenyue gave him the pill formula.
• Ji An discovered the formula was for the Phoenix Nirvana Pill, a third-tier Top-Grade pill that could raise the chance of forming a Nascent Soul by roughly ten percent.

Ji An refined the Phoenix Nirvana Pill with surprising ease, producing three pills on his first attempt and later giving True Person Zhenyue two of them. True Person Huayin began testing an ordinary-quality pill while Ji An considered the risks of relying on it for cultivation.

• Ji An accepted True Person Zhenyue’s pill formula, alchemy insights, and Calming Spirit Talismans, then returned to Black Stone Mountain to prepare for refinement.
• Ji An discovered that the Green Lotus Heart-Burning Fire prevented the Phoenix Fruit from causing the soul attacks described in the notes, and he easily refined the fruit into essence.
• Ji An refined the remaining ingredients and produced three Phoenix Nirvana Pills, including one premium-quality pill, before reviewing the process and sending True Person Zhenyue a message.
• Ji An gave True Person Zhenyue two pills and explained that he had enough leftover materials to make another if Zhenyue found five additional spirit plants.
• Ji An asked whether using the Phoenix Nirvana Pill repeatedly might weaken its benefit for Nascent Soul formation, and True Person Zhenyue said no one knew because no one had tested it.
• True Person Zhenyue brought an ordinary-quality pill to True Person Huayin, who swallowed it to compare its effects with the pill from her sect.

True Person Huayin’s cold poison was suppressed by Ji An’s pill, and True Monarch Zhenyue later broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm. Ji An received pills and news about spirit-banner crafting, then learned the replicas could begin as low-grade treasures and be improved over time.

• True Person Huayin emerged with her cold poison suppressed and thanked Ji An for refining the pill, while True Person Zhenyue offered compensation.
• Ji An asked about obtaining the Five Elements Cycle Scripture and having the Plain Cloud World Banner and Mysterious Origin Water Control Banner refined; True Person Zhenyue promised to inquire, and True Person Huayin confirmed the sect had the Plain Cloud World Banner method.
• True Person Zhenyue gave Ji An two Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills before leaving with True Person Huayin to return to the sect.
• Ji An collected his flying spirit artifact from Wan Jinrong, tested it with his puppet, and paid the refinement fee.
• A month later, True Person Huayin introduced her cousin as the newly ascended True Monarch Zhenyue, who reported that no sect refiner was currently skilled in making the Plain Cloud World Banner.
• True Monarch Zhenyue explained that the banner replica could first be refined as a third-order lower-grade treasure and raised in grade later; Ji An agreed and asked what materials were needed.

Ji An negotiated with Taixu Sect over materials, pills, and a cultivation method, then joined Yang Tieshan to refine the Plain Cloud World Banner. The banner awakened a spirit during its blood sacrifice and immediately bonded with Ji An.

• True Person Huayin gave Ji An a list of materials and waived his magic-treasure refining fee in exchange for future help refining Phoenix Nirvana Pills.
• True Monarch Zhenyue offered Ji An a method usable through the Golden Core ninth layer in exchange for fifty Phoenix Nirvana Pills, but Ji An balked at the terms.
• True Person Huayin gave Ji An materials for two batches of pills and twenty Purple Cloud Jade Ganoderma Pills as payment; Ji An later delivered four Phoenix Nirvana Pills, including three premium-quality pills.
• True Person Huayin introduced Ji An to Yang Tieshan, who agreed to refine the Plain Cloud World Banner for him.
• During the banner's blood sacrifice, Ji An's blood awakened its spirit, and the finished banner immediately circled and bonded with him.

Ji An tested the newly refined Plain Cloud World Banner, arranged supplies to strengthen it, and learned that Zhang Liangyu’s use of breakthrough pills had weakened his prospects for a major advancement. After receiving a premium Xuanmu Biochemical Pill, Ji An heard from True Person Feiyun that the Five Elements Sect Ruins had opened and prepared to travel there with her.

• Ji An thanked Yang Tieshan for refining the Plain Cloud World Banner, tested its destructive attacks at Black Stone Mountain, and began nourishing it with Primordial Life Fire.
• Ji An told Zhang Liangyu to buy White Tiger Roaring Wind Fiend and Killing Intent, then warned him that breakthrough pills had left toxins that could hinder his advancement to Origin Seeking.
• True Person Lieyang gave Ji An a premium Xuanmu Biochemical Pill from the Certification Association without requiring additional Contribution Points.
• Ji An planned to stay at Black Stone Mountain so Green Deer could attempt a breakthrough, but True Person Feiyun arrived with news that the Five Elements Sect Ruins had opened.
• Ji An and True Person Feiyun agreed to depart for the Wan Hua Mountain Range in three days, since the ruins would remain open for only a limited time.

Ji An prepared extensively for the dangerous Five Elements Sect Ruins, entrusted his shop to Wan Jinrong, and traded stored Spirit Fruits for pill ingredients and Stone Marrow. After traveling with True Person Feiyun to the Wan Hua Mountain Range, he received a map and planned to rest, gather information, and enter the ruins in a few days.

• Ji An instructed the Crimson Flame Pavilion manager to focus on talismans and sent him to Wan Jinrong for help if problems arose.
• Ji An explained to Wan Jinrong why he needed to search the Five Elements Sect Ruins, and Wan Jinrong warned him about its polluted Spirit Veins and Yin Demons.
• Ji An stocked up on talismans, Thunder Pearls, Stone Marrow, puppets, and other supplies before leaving for the ruins.
• Ji An traded Spirit Fruits with True Person Changqing for materials for five batches of pills and three hundred ten drops of Stone Marrow, then bought a defensive array.
• Ji An and True Person Feiyun traveled for over half a month and reached the Wan Hua Mountain Range.
• True Person Feiyun gave Ji An a map marked with forbidden areas where Nascent Soul-level demon lords had appeared, and Ji An decided to rest and gather information before entering the ruins.

Ji An entered the sealed Five Elements Sect relic to search for cultivation techniques, while True Lord Xuanji and True Person Changle followed him in with plans to kill him. Elsewhere, Han Yan discovered that Ji An had hidden a Nascent Soul Pill formula in a sealed Jade Slip, and Ji An began exploring the relic.

• True Person Feiyun explained the Demon-Sealing Formation and its dangers before Ji An found a weak point and entered the relic.
• True Lord Xuanji and True Person Changle waited near Ji An's entry point, then followed him inside to track and ambush him.
• Han Yan deciphered Ji An's hidden clue and opened the golden Jade Slip, revealing a Nascent Soul Pill formula.
• Ji An used a Spirit Cleansing Talisman to ease the relic's foul stench and began moving through its corrupted landscape.

Ji An navigated the energy-starved ruin, reached Xuanwu Mountain, and began investigating its remains while conserving his spiritual power. True Person Changle and True Lord Xuanji tracked the signs of his passage, leaving them on his trail as he rested near an ancient marker scarred by a powerful demon.

• Ji An used his puppets and magic treasures to scout the ruin, fought off attacking black cats, and located a lake in the northern region.
• Ji An avoided the lake’s Golden Core-level water monsters, crossed around it, and restored his depleted spiritual power with stone milk and Spirit Stones.
• True Person Changle and True Lord Xuanji entered the ruin to pursue Ji An, sent out miniature flying puppets, and found scorched Magic Beast remains that revealed his route.
• Ji An followed a stream up Xuanwu Mountain, defeated the Magic Beasts he encountered, and stopped to recover when his spiritual power again ran low.
• Ji An found a shattered boulder marked with the name Xuanwu and enormous claw marks, then ordered his guards to stand watch while he conserved his remaining resources.

Ji An climbed toward the ruins’ summit halls while adapting to the increased spiritual-power drain and refining his Geng Metal techniques. After rescuing no one, he fought and killed a materializing demon on Xuanwu Mountain, leaving him to claim its Yin Bead.

• Ji An discovered that spiritual power was being consumed unusually quickly in the ruins and decided to search the mountain-top inheritance halls, saving the forbidden regions for last.
• Ji An advanced his understanding of the Geng Metal arts, shifting between the Golden Light Art, the Geng Metal Spirit Severing Sword, and the Geng Metal Divine Thunder.
• Ji An encountered a cultivator fleeing a materializing demon with his unconscious partner, but the cultivator passed him by as the demon turned its attention to Ji An.
• Ji An used Wrath of the Earth to reveal the demon’s location and endured its Soul attack while striking it with Geng Metal Divine Thunder.
• Ji An coordinated the Li Di Flame Light Banner with consecutive Geng Metal Divine Thunder Talismans, and the Fire Phoenix burned the demon to ash.
• Ji An shouted for the demon’s Yin Bead as the Fire Phoenix swallowed it, then drew its flames back into itself.