Chapter Summaries

Ji An uncovered a dormant metal-element spiritual seed inside the Metal Egg and planted it in his small world before preparing to leave the sect. He brought Qin Yan into the small world, where Qin Yan discovered that the place greatly accelerated his cultivation.

• Ji An pierced the Metal Egg’s shell with his divine sense, found a dormant seed containing stable Xin Metal power, and planted it in the white Spiritual Field using Yellow Emperor's Virtue Earth and White Emperor's Crystal Earth.
• Ji An summoned True Monarch Wuyue to cast farming spells over the new planting, then warned him to focus on cultivation and gave him six fourth-order low-grade Spirit Fruits.
• Ji An met Qin Yan before departing and offered him the choice of flying along or entering the small world; Qin Yan chose the small world.
• Ji An showed Qin Yan the Gathering Origin Tree and other treasures, explained how Spirit Farmers could raise a Spirit Field’s grade beyond its Spirit Vein, and instructed him not to damage anything.
• After Ji An left, Qin Yan meditated beneath the Gathering Origin Tree and found that the small world made his cultivation technique circulate faster and improved his mana refinement.

Ji An traveled east toward the Central Continent, testing his spirit treasures and stopping to rest in the Gourd World. He found that the spirit seed had sprouted, then turned back from a narrow passage between Spirit-Severing Lands to camp somewhere safer.

• Ji An flew more than eighty thousand li using his spirit treasures in rotation and reached the buffer region between the Western and Central Continents.
• Ji An set up camp, entered the Gourd World, assigned the spirit beasts to take turns keeping watch, and told Qin Yan that their journey to the Central Continent could take about a month.
• Qin Yan asked to break through to Aura Integration in the small world, but Ji An warned that its incomplete laws could weaken the tribulation while limiting future cultivation; Qin Yan decided against it.
• Ji An visited the Spiritual Field and discovered that the spirit seed had grown a sapling with a bronze trunk and two white leaves.
• Half a month later, Ji An turned back from a narrow passage flanked by Spirit-Severing Lands and searched for a safer place to camp.

Ji An crossed the Spirit-Severing Land, learning how rapidly it drained mana and spiritual resources, and prepared to push through a narrow stretch toward the Central Continent. He encountered True Monarch Pingtian, who warned him that Kong Wen of the Lotus Temple and several guardian Vajras were in pursuit.

• Ji An reviewed his map and described how the Spirit-Severing Land drained mana, spiritual stones, and spiritual plants while harboring powerful savage beasts.
• Ji An estimated that he would reach the Central Continent in roughly ten days and prepared Fried Fir Seeds and spiritual wine to replenish his mana during the crossing.
• Ji An inspected an unidentified spiritual plant, then cultivated and rested in his small world while Qin Yan studied preparations for reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
• Ji An resumed his journey at dawn, absorbed Morning Sun Purple Dew, and spent time visualizing Guanghan Palace before the White Tiger alerted him to an approaching cultivator.
• Ji An recognized True Monarch Pingtian and greeted him, but Pingtian warned that Kong Wen of the Lotus Temple and several guardian Vajras were pursuing him.

Ji An confronted Kong Wen and his two guardian Vajras after True Monarch Pingtian fled from the Buddhist pursuit. Ji An killed both Vajras and, as Pingtian returned to help, expanded his manifestation to join the struggle against Kong Wen’s Buddhist light.

• True Monarch Pingtian fled from Kong Wen and his two guardian Vajras, while Ji An chose to stand and fight.
• Kong Wen urged Ji An to bow and tried to convert him with a Buddhist vow, but Ji An attacked with the Five Elements Divine Mountain and his manifestation.
• Ji An’s silver swords killed both guardian Vajras, and he collected their corpses into his Void Stone.
• Kong Wen strengthened his Buddhist light to suppress Ji An’s manifestation as Ji An weighed whether to retreat.
• True Monarch Pingtian returned and attacked Kong Wen from behind, forcing him to contend with both cultivators’ manifestations.

Ji An and True Monarch Pingtian shattered Kongwen’s Buddhist light and killed him, though Kongwen vowed to return through reincarnation. After the battle, Ji An revealed his identity as Xuanqing, and True Monarch Pingtian told him that Wan Jinrong had survived and was preparing to enter the Nascent Soul Realm.

• Kongwen sacrificed his wooden fish’s stored prayer power to strengthen his Buddhist light as Ji An and True Monarch Pingtian struggled to break through it.
• Ji An unleashed Chaos Five Elements Thunder, steadily suppressing Kongwen’s Buddhist light until it shattered.
• Kongwen hurled his Vajra Axe at Ji An, but Ji An survived the attack and crushed Kongwen beneath the Five Elements Divine Mountain.
• Kongwen’s Soul Power perished, and he vowed to return through reincarnation; a novice at Lotus Temple announced that Monk King Kongwen had passed into nirvana.
• Ji An introduced himself to True Monarch Pingtian as Xuanqing, an old acquaintance from Black Wind Ridge Fortress, and explained that he had traveled from Western Continent.
• True Monarch Pingtian told Xuanqing that Wan Jinrong had survived the Great Tribulation and was preparing to break through into the Nascent Soul Realm.

Ji An and True Monarch Pingtian opened Kong Wen’s Summoning Bag, divided the spoils, and traveled toward Central Continent together. After reassuring Qin Yan that Ji An was safe, the chapter left Ji An declining Pingtian’s invitation to the Merchant Alliance headquarters until he had settled matters with the Taixu Sect.

• True Monarch Pingtian invited Ji An to witness Wan Jinrong’s planned breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm, and Ji An gladly accepted.
• Ji An and Pingtian opened Kong Wen’s Summoning Bag with the Great White Spirit Extinguishing Sword and found Buddhist belongings, spirit herbs, and spirit seeds, including a golden-patterned Fourth Order high-grade lotus seed.
• Ji An took the corpse to use as fertilizer, gave Pingtian wine and roasted spirit fir seeds, and received maps of the route between Central and Western Continent and of Central Continent.
• Ji An refined Kong Wen’s corpse into ashes and colorful relics while Pingtian told him about Central Continent.
• Qin Yan worried that Ji An had been gone for two days, but Big Yellow told him the blood contract showed Ji An was safe and explained that no one could cross the spatial barrier to contact him.
• After several days of travel, Ji An escorted Pingtian to the Merchant Alliance headquarters but declined to enter until he had settled matters with the Taixu Sect’s fellow Daoists.

Ji An returned to his small world, warned Qin Yan about the Buddhist Cultivators, and planted a mysterious golden-patterned lotus seed. After recovering from his battle, he identified and strengthened the Seven Luminaries Golden Branch, then rested.

• Ji An entered the small world, told Qin Yan about his encounter with Buddhist Cultivators, and warned him not to travel far from the immortal city.
• Ji An gave Qin Yan a copy of True Monarch Pingtian’s map to the Western Continent and planted a golden-patterned lotus seed beside the pond, where it sprouted.
• Ji An inspected his damaged Spiritual Treasures and used the Melting Gold Divine Fire Art to help them recover.
• Ji An recognized the spirit plant in the field as the Seven Luminaries Golden Branch and used the Stone Turtle to raise it to Third Order Top-Grade.
• Ji An buried bone ash from two guardian Vajras near the Seven Luminaries Golden Branch, then returned to the Gathering Origin Tree and fell asleep.

Ji An visited the Taixu Sect in Central Continent, where he reunited with True Monarch Zhenyue and True Monarch Huayin and revealed that he and True Monarch Pingtian had killed Kong Wen. He asked the sect to trade him the Phoenix Nirvana Pill recipe, and the two hosts agreed to consult the other True Lords and give him an answer the next day.

• Ji An buried the ashes of the Nascent Soul Layer Six guardian Vajra beside the Gathering Origin Tree, then traveled to the Taixu Sect’s Star Constellation Mountain Range.
• Ji An introduced himself to the Taixu Sect reception disciple as True Monarch Xuanqing of the Golden Spirit Sect and waited at Greeting Peak for True Monarch Zhenyue.
• True Monarch Zhenyue welcomed Ji An to Slanting Moon and Myriad Stars Cave, where True Monarch Huayin joined them and Ji An presented two jars of Jade Dew Golden Bud Tea.
• Ji An told True Monarch Huayin and True Monarch Zhenyue that he and True Monarch Pingtian had killed Kong Wen, then showed them Kong Wen’s Vajra Axe.
• Ji An asked whether the sects had plans to resist the growing Buddhist forces, and True Monarch Zhenyue said they were currently taking matters one step at a time.
• Ji An offered a Phoenix Nirvana Pill and asked to trade for its recipe, and True Monarch Huayin said the other True Lords would discuss his request and respond the next day.

Ji An stayed at Golden Spirit Sect while its leaders debated whether to sell Taixu Sect the Phoenix Nirvana Pill formula. True Monarch Chongxu agreed to verify Ji An’s account of Kong Wen’s death and would support the trade if it checked out, while True Monarch Wuchen required a stable exchange of Rank 4 resources.

• True Monarch Zhenyue learned that True Monarch Wuyue and Li Haoran had both reached Nascent Soul Layer 2, then escorted Ji An to Luanpeng Pavilion.
• Ji An weighed the chances of buying the pill formula, decided not to fret over the outcome, and cultivated quietly in the guest quarters.
• True Monarch Wuchen argued that Golden Spirit Sect should not sell its inherited pill formula, while True Monarch Huayin argued that strict terms could protect the sect’s market.
• True Monarch Zhenyue described Ji An’s rise, his killing of Kong Wen, and Golden Spirit Sect’s potential, and True Monarch Huayin offered Ji An’s tea as evidence of his value as a resource partner.
• True Monarch Chongxu said he would verify the report about Kong Wen with True Monarch Pingtian and would support the sale if it was true; True Monarch Wuchen said the trade required stable exchanges of Rank 4 resources.

Ji An negotiated a pill-recipe exchange and long-term trade agreement with Taixu Sect, then learned of a nearby Spirit Vein contaminated by demonic qi that he might purify for Profound Yellow Merit Qi. He planned to attend True Person Jinrong’s Nascent Soul breakthrough ceremony before heading to Diancui Mountain.

• Ji An agreed to exchange resources and a future supply of spiritual goods for Taixu Sect’s Phoenix Nirvana Pill recipe, with the trade schedule and terms settled in a strict agreement sworn to by Great Dao Oaths.
• Ji An told Taixu Sect’s True Monarchs that he had purified a contaminated Spirit Vein in Western Continent with his Great Perfection Virtuous Merit Spirit Nurturing Incantation and gained Profound Yellow Merit Qi.
• True Monarch Zhenyue told Ji An that Diancui Mountain, over six thousand li north, held the nearest contaminated land.
• Ji An said he would inspect the demonic vein, visit the Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance for True Person Jinrong’s Nascent Soul breakthrough ceremony, and then go to Diancui Mountain.

Ji An surveyed the demon-corrupted Diancui Mountain, killed a Golden Core seventh-layer White Bone Giant Bird, and collected its core and bones for study and fertilizer. He settled at a nearby Spirit Vein Node and planned to cleanse Diancui Mountain while preparing Qin Yan for a Nascent Soul breakthrough.

• Ji An flew over Diancui Mountain, recorded its terrain, and observed the twisted vegetation and malformed creatures still lingering in the demonic qi.
• A Golden Core seventh-layer White Bone Giant Bird attacked Ji An, who bound it, tore out its black heart-stone, and burned its bones into fertilizer.
• Ji An sealed the heart-stone in a jade box and continued his reconnaissance until sunset, then claimed a nearby cave with a First-tier Spirit Vein Node and killed the Foundation Establishment green snake inside.
• Ji An sent the Golden Feathered Eagle to guard the cave and told Qin Yan that the Taixu Sect had agreed to let their sect refine the Phoenix Nirvana Pill for its own disciples.
• Ji An planned to help Qin Yan seek a fourth-tier cave abode for his breakthrough and to refine two batches of Phoenix Nirvana Pills.
• Ji An compiled a three-dimensional map of Diancui Mountain, planned its cleansing, and began repairing his spiritual treasures before starting the work.

Ji An traveled to Ziyang Mountain to witness a ceremony and meet the leaders of Wanshou Villa and the Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance. There, he encountered True Lord Tianyan again and joined a Trade Fair where True Monarch Pingtian sought Demonic Iron Ore.

• Ji An nurtured his damaged spiritual treasures until they could all be deployed, then set out for the Cloud Sea Merchant Alliance headquarters.
• True Monarch Pingtian told Ji An that the Golden Puppet Sect had been devastated, its mountain gate breached and its Spirit Vein reduced in grade.
• True Monarch Pingtian introduced Ji An to True Monarch Yuanrong at Ziyang Mountain, where Yuanrong kept Wan Jinrong from meeting Ji An before his breakthrough.
• True Lord Tianyan recognized Ji An at the banquet and apologized for their previous encounter, while Ji An accepted his apology.
• True Monarch Pingtian proposed a Trade Fair, and the gathered True Lords agreed to exchange resources.
• True Monarch Pingtian offered to buy Demonic Iron Ore at the value of fourth-order low-grade Purple Crystal Copper Ore.

Ji An traded Demonic Iron Ore for spiritual resources and Longevity Peaches, then witnessed Wan Jinrong break through to the Nascent Soul Realm. As Ji An departed, True Lord Tianyan negotiated a trade with him involving the Golden Puppet Sect’s techniques, including the complete Thread Control Curse.

• True Monarch Pingtian traded resources for Demonic Iron Ore from True Monarch Zhenyue, True Lord Tianyan, Ji An, and other cultivators.
• Ji An exchanged ore for Water and Fire Element Spiritual Items, then traded Longevity Peaches and other goods for the Fourth Order Middle-Grade resources he needed.
• Wan Jinrong formed his Nascent Soul, drawing congratulations from the gathered cultivators.
• After the banquet, Ji An left with True Monarch Pingtian and True Lord Tianyan, who proposed trading Golden Puppet Sect techniques for resources to raise a Spirit Vein grade.
• Ji An agreed to discuss acquiring a fourth-tier defensive Puppet method and asked True Lord Tianyan to trade the complete Thread Control Curse; True Lord Tianyan agreed.

Ji An completed a trade with True Lord Tianyan for the Golden Puppet Sect’s puppet-refining methods and Thread Control Curse, then headed back toward Western Continent to gather resources. On the way, Monk King Jingyue identified Ji An as a suspect in Kongwen’s death and attacked him, leaving them poised for battle.

• Ji An swore an oath to keep the Thread Control Curse secret, agreed to coexist amicably with the Golden Puppet Sect, and promised to gather the resources needed for their trade.
• Ji An visited Qin Yan in the Gourd World, learned Qin Yan expected to break through to Nascent Soul within two to five months, and resumed his journey west.
• Monk King Jingyue used the Scrying Technique at the site of Kongwen’s death, saw a Five Elements spirit treasure, and collected soil stained with Buddha’s blood.
• Jingyue sensed a connection between Ji An and Kongwen’s death, then struck Ji An with the Five-Pronged Vajra Pestle.
• Ji An defended himself with the Five Elements Divine Mountain and his spirit treasures, resisted Jingyue’s attempt to convert him, and prepared to counterattack.

Ji An escaped Jingyue’s attacks in the Spirit-Severing Land and returned to his sect, where he warned its leaders about Buddhist mind-conversion and arranged resources to strengthen the sect. He left the meeting discussing a fourth-tier defensive formation, puppet techniques, and Qin Yan’s unexplained absence.

• Jingyue used Divine Feet and the Buddhist Lion’s Roar Skill to attack Ji An, but Ji An blocked the Vajra Pestle and retaliated with Chaos Five Elements Thunder.
• Ji An’s strongest spell missed when Jingyue vanished, so Ji An fled; Jingyue stopped pursuing and planned to alert the monk kings and investigate other continents.
• Ten days later, Ji An returned to the sect and told Li Haoran, Lin Jiuxiao, and Zhang Zeye about the Buddhist cultivators and the danger of their mind-twisting Dharma.
• Ji An urged the sect to speed up its fourth-tier defensive formation and promised Zhang Zeye extra Cloud Top Silver Bristle and spirit tea to support his work.
• Ji An gave Lin Jiuxiao jade slips containing materials needed by Golden Puppet Sect and puppet-refining methods, including a fourth-order low-grade Puppet design.
• Lin Jiuxiao asked why Qin Yan had not returned despite Ji An obtaining the pill formula.

Ji An discussed the Sect’s development and the limits on raising its Spirit Vein, then returned to his small world to tend its resources and restore the Fire Phoenix. The next morning, Zhang Yi arrived to count the supplies Ji An had prepared for the Sect.

• Ji An told Lin Jiuxiao and Zhang Zeye that Qin Yan was cultivating in the small world, while Zhang Zeye reported two promising Formation Hall disciples and received Ji An’s approval for their support.
• Lin Jiuxiao proposed strengthening the Beast Taming Hall, Formation Hall, and Puppet Hall before considering a Spirit Vein upgrade, while Ji An suspected the world itself could not support a fifth-tier Spirit Vein.
• Ji An returned to Crimson Flame Peak, absorbed Moon Dew, and then entered the small world to inspect its fields and warehouses and discuss Qin Yan’s future work upgrading spirit treasures.
• Ji An restored the Fire Phoenix’s injuries and promised to raise it to fourth-tier mid-grade first.
• Zhang Yi visited Ji An the next morning and began counting the supplies prepared for the Sect.

Ji An managed sect resources, advised Zhang Yi on cultivation, and continued his work in alchemy and training. After tempering his body with a Lightning Dragon Blood Fruit and the Blood Tempering Secret Method, he advanced the Immovable Wisdom King Art to Nascent Soul Middle Stage body-refiner strength, while Lin Lan arrived to pay her respects.

• Ji An reviewed the supply inventory, told Zhang Yi he no longer needed Fourth Order middle-grade Spiritual Items purchased, and advised her to cultivate a Five Elements spell as a specialty.
• Liu Yu, Li Lingyu, and Ji An’s three disciples visited him before he returned to secluded cultivation in the small world.
• Ji An refined five Phoenix Nirvana Pills, then sent True Monarch Wuyue to deliver them and collect his stored Spiritual Items.
• Ji An urged True Monarch Wuyue and Qin Yan to keep cultivating in case conflict with the Buddhist cultivators escalated.
• Ji An used a Lightning Dragon Blood Fruit and the Blood Tempering Secret Method to raise the Immovable Wisdom King Art to Nascent Soul Middle Stage body-refiner strength.
• The Golden Feathered Eagle returned to the small world and announced that Lin Lan had come to pay her respects.

Ji An tended his small world's spiritual plants, celebrated the Fusang Tree flowering again, and refined Sun Essence before traveling to Sunrise Peak for Yun Qianhe's Golden Core breakthrough. Yun Qianhe survived the tribulation and became a True Person, while the sect leaders began considering a dedicated mountain for future breakthroughs.

• Lin Lan told Ji An that Yun Qianhe had begun tempering his pill seed, and Ji An agreed to attend his breakthrough at Sunrise Peak.
• Ji An inspected his spiritual plants, discovered flowers on the Fusang Tree, and planted Pearl Blood Rice as an experimental crop.
• Ji An refined a drop of Sun Essence, then traveled with Lin Lan to Sunrise Peak and discussed choosing a separate mountain for routine Golden Core breakthroughs.
• Two days later, Yun Qianhe endured the Five Elements Thunder Tribulation and Taiyin Moon, becoming a True Person.
• Ji An congratulated the Formation Hall and gave Zhang Zeye a pound of third-tier Top-Grade Cloud Top Silver Bristle for Yun Qianhe.

Ji An helped Qin Yan prepare to form his Nascent Soul, then watched him face the thunder tribulation at Sunrise Peak. Qin Yan survived the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder and became a True Lord, while the Stone Turtle returned to Ji An with Pure Spiritual Qi.

• Ji An told Qin Yan how he had prepared for his own breakthrough and let him cultivate in the small world while he refined Soul Crystals and practiced the Thread Control Curse.
• Qin Yan told Ji An he was ready to attempt forming his Nascent Soul, and Ji An sent him out of the small world to exchange for a Phoenix Nirvana Pill.
• Seven days later, Ji An and the sect's cultivators gathered at Sunrise Peak as Qin Yan began his breakthrough beneath five-colored thunderclouds.
• Qin Yan endured the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder, and a jade plate appeared as the tribulation clouds dispersed, confirming his success.
• The Stone Turtle returned to Ji An's dantian and fed three mouthfuls of Pure Spiritual Qi to his Primordial Life Fire, causing it to flare brighter.

Liu Yu struggled to understand why his cultivation lagged behind his peers until Ji An identified gaps in his Five Elements practice and gave him a path forward. Meanwhile, the sect’s leaders discussed how to monitor Western Continent for Buddhist infiltration as the Dao-Buddhist conflict threatened to spread.

• Li Haoran and Ji An departed after Qin Yan’s breakthrough, leaving Liu Yu to wonder why he had fallen behind other cultivators.
• Li Lingyu told Liu Yu that comparing himself with others only disturbed his Dao Heart, and they later went their separate ways.
• Liu Yu explained his frustration to Ji An, who advised him to deepen his Fire Element understanding through a minor Three Talents cycle and then study Yin and Yang Change.
• Liu Yu realized he had focused too narrowly on Fire Element power and welcomed Ji An’s offer to guide Golden Core disciples in their cultivation paths.
• At Red Copper Mountain, Qin Yan, Ji An, Li Haoran, True Monarch Wuyue, and Lin Jiuxiao discussed the sect’s prosperity and the threat of Buddhist influence.
• Ji An proposed using inconspicuous bird puppets to monitor Western Continent, and Lin Jiuxiao agreed to issue the order to the Puppet Hall.