Chapter Summaries

Ji An learned that the sects were preparing to seize Crying Phoenix Peak and might conscript him into a major battle against demonic beast clans. He agreed to strengthen his defenses and make more talismans while the attack was still years away.

• Ji An told Ye Changqing that he had recently advanced to the Third Layer of Foundation Establishment, and Ye Changqing praised his cultivation and Spiritual Apricots.
• Ye Changqing explained that the sects’ advance had stalled at Evil Wolf Valley and Crying Phoenix Peak because the Golden Feathered Eagle Clan had joined the wolf demons against them.
• Ji An inferred that the sects planned to seize Crying Phoenix Peak’s high-grade second-tier Spirit Vein and establish a market city to draw independent cultivators.
• Ye Changqing warned that the attack could provoke powerful Demon Kings and said Ji An was likely to be conscripted, advising him to prepare defensive tools and strengthen his combat ability.
• Ji An exchanged his completed Explosive Flame Talismans for Contribution Points, accepted materials for another order of talismans, and learned he had accumulated 380,000 Contribution Points.

Ji An weighed when to reveal Crimson Flame Peak’s secret to the sect, prepared for his companions’ coming departures, and visited his master with a gift. At Sky Ascension Peak, he chose the costly Molten Gold Jade Bone Body to strengthen himself as the Demon Catastrophe approached.

• Ye Changqing visited Ji An, who hosted him for a meal and learned that the sect’s Spirit Vein cultivation was nearing completion.
• Ji An decided to sound out his master before reporting Crimson Flame Peak’s secret, and he killed Golden Longhorn Beetles damaging a Moon-Eating Tree.
• Liang Qiu and Huang Feihu told Ji An they planned to attempt Foundation Establishment after receiving their pills, and Ji An asked them to recommend reliable replacements after the year ended.
• Ji An harvested thirty-six Spiritual Apricots, told Huang Feihu and Liang Qiu to keep the formation sealed while he was away, and set out for Condensing Emerald Cliff to visit his master.
• At Sky Ascension Peak, Ji An asked for a body-refining method and chose the Molten Gold Jade Bone Body, which cost thirty thousand Contribution Points.

Ji An acquired a valuable talisman-making legacy and visited Ye Changqing before finally returning to see his master, Ge Ying, after ten years away. Ge Ying showed him Condensing Emerald Cliff’s hidden Spiritual Peach Trees, where Ji An presented rare metals that prompted her to question how he had obtained them.

• Ji An exchanged Contribution Points for the Azure Sun Talisman Strategy and several Miscellaneous Records of Cultivation jade slips.
• Ji An brought roasted pine nuts to Ye Changqing, and they discussed the looming Demon Catastrophe and the old cultivators preparing to fight.
• Ji An visited Ge Ying, apologized for staying away, and offered her Spiritual Apricots as they reminisced about how he became her disciple.
• Ge Ying took Ji An into the concealed medicinal garden and showed him Condensing Emerald Cliff’s Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach Tree and its surroundings.
• Ji An gave Ge Ying a gift of Grade 2 high-grade Heavenly Profound Vermilion Gold and Grade 2 top-grade Star-Marked Gold, and she asked whether he had committed a grave matter to obtain them.

Ji An confessed to Ge Ying that he had hidden spiritual items from Crimson Flame Peak’s eruptions for ten years, and agreed to report them to the sect despite the possible punishment. After receiving an Enforcement Hall message ordering every peak and hall to activate its formations in three days, he showed Ge Ying his cultivation work and perfected Farming Spells, leaving her astonished by his skill.

• Ji An told Ge Ying that he had kept spiritual items from Crimson Flame Peak’s eruptions and accepted her warning that concealing them could cost him his position as a core disciple or send him to the mines.
• Ge Ying explained that the eruptions would likely subside as the sect’s Spirit Vein stabilized, and Ji An said he would report his gains to the sect and accept the consequences.
• Ge Ying discussed the aging Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach and suggested that Ji An might eventually take over responsibility for Condensing Emerald Cliff.
• After receiving a Golden Message Sword from the sect, Ge Ying asked when Crimson Flame Peak would erupt again and told Ji An they would return the next day.
• At Crimson Flame Peak, Ji An read an Enforcement Hall order directing every peak and hall to activate its formations and guard its gates in three days.
• Ji An showed Ge Ying around the peak and cast the Azure Wood Life Creation Art, Thick Earth Return Origin Spell, and Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art at perfected level, shocking her with his mastery.

Ge Ying decided to conceal Ji An’s role in Crimson Flame Peak’s eruption for now, taking its high-grade spiritual items to submit to the sect if the peak stopped erupting. After spending the night discussing cultivation with Ji An, she returned to prepare for the Spirit Vein’s advancement, while Ji An hid some of his remaining items.

• Ge Ying reconsidered how to handle the eruption after seeing Ji An’s cultivation and learning he had harmonized his aura with two Crimson Cloud Pines.
• Ge Ying told Ji An not to report the eruption yet and instructed him to hand over his high-grade and top-grade Second-tier materials for safekeeping.
• Ji An gave Ge Ying the sealed boxes of spiritual items, and she explained that submitting them later could benefit the sect and earn him Contribution Points and merit.
• Ge Ying and Ji An discussed cultivation and the sect’s situation through the night before she left to protect the Spiritual Peaches during the Spirit Vein’s advancement.
• After Ge Ying departed with jars of spirit wine, Ji An returned to his cave abode and hid more Second-tier spiritual items in the medicinal field.

Lin Qiubai, Zhu Xiangrong, and Jia Yu gathered at Crimson Flame Peak to search for spiritual items expected from the sect’s Spirit Vein eruption, and Ji An hosted them before it began. As the eruption sent spiritual activity surging across the area, the Stone Turtle in Ji An’s dantian reacted with longing and revealed increased Dao Resonance values.

• Lin Qiubai took Ge Luoying and Li Haoran to Crimson Flame Peak, where they joined Zhu Xiangrong and Jia Yu to seek spiritual items from the coming eruption.
• Ji An studied the Molten Gold Jade Bone Body and prepared a list of Metal Element Spiritual Items he planned to buy when their prices fell.
• Lin Qiubai and the others visited Ji An, explained the expected eruption, and accepted his hospitality at the cold pool.
• At the hour of Chen the next day, Crimson Flame Peak erupted, and the cultivators split up to search for spiritual items.
• Ji An felt the ground shake as spiritual activity surged, and the Stone Turtle revealed Dao Resonance values of Metal 0.2, Water 0.1, Wood 0.1, Fire 0.3, and Earth 0.1.

Ji An experienced the Dao resonance during Crimson Flame Peak’s eruption as the Golden Spirit Sect’s main Spirit Vein advanced to Low-grade Third-tier. After collecting spiritual materials and receiving repaired formation disks from Jia Yu and Zhu Xiangrong, he began restoring the defenses around his cave abode.

• As Crimson Flame Peak erupted, Ji An sensed traces of Dao laws while the spiritual energy upheaval destroyed the Inverted Five Elements Array.
• Jia Yu praised Ji An’s comprehension and sent him to search the area for spiritual materials with his Spirit Seeking Rat, Golden Fur.
• Ji An checked the Stone Turtle and found his Dao Resonance values had increased, while the sect’s Spirit Vein advanced and the region’s spiritual energy grew denser.
• Jia Yu and Zhu Xiangrong exchanged high-grade materials with the gathered cultivators, and Ji An handed in his harvest for more than twelve thousand Contribution Points and six minor merits.
• Jia Yu and Zhu Xiangrong repaired the damaged Inverted Five Elements Array disks, then departed with their groups.
• Ji An summoned his flying shuttle and went to rebury the repaired array disks at the locations Jia Yu had marked.

Ji An repaired the formation at Crimson Flame Peak, managed the damage caused by the spirit vein’s advancement, and used Dao Rhyme to raise several Dao Seeds to low-grade. More than four months later, the Earth Lung Fire Vein still had not erupted, and Ji An regretted letting greed draw him into concealing the spiritual treasures.

• Ji An activated the repaired formation, searched the lava with Golden Fur, and found a small chunk of black iron ore.
• Ji An discovered that the Earth Lung Fire Mouth’s sealing formation had failed, called Huang Feihu and another cultivator back, and ordered new formations and help clearing fallen spirit trees.
• The sect announced that mandatory handovers of spiritual items were canceled and exchanges were temporarily suspended after the spirit vein’s successful advancement.
• Ji An refined Dao Rhyme, raising his Geng Metal, Gui Water, Fire, and Jitu Dao Seeds to low-grade while the Jia Wood Dao Seed remained unchanged.
• Ji An studied the Azure Sun Talisman Strategy and considered making talisman disks and talisman soldiers.
• After more than four months without another eruption, Ji An reflected that greed had put him in a disadvantageous position, while he and the Chen Clan Members kept the spiritual treasures secret.

Ye Changqing’s survey of Crimson Flame Peak revealed new Spirit Vein Nodes and expanded Spirit Fields, while Ji An asked the sect to reduce his pine-nut quota after the vein’s advancement damaged his trees. The chapter ended with Ji An demonstrating his new Talisman Disk to Wei Songnian, who immediately asked how many he could produce each month.

• Ye Changqing and the Labor-Study Hall team arrived to survey Crimson Flame Peak after the Spirit Vein advanced, and Ji An learned that the sect had reduced his pine-nut quota to half.
• After three days, Ye Changqing reported three new nearby Spirit Vein Nodes and more than fifteen hundred mu of additional Spirit Fields, which Ji An agreed to contract.
• At Red Copper Mountain, Chen Xingzhou told Chen Xingyun that the Chen Clan had abandoned its plan to assassinate Ji An inside the Golden Spirit Sect, and Chen Xingyun urged him to persuade the Clan Head to cut ties with Crimson Flame Peak.
• Wei Songnian arrived at Crimson Flame Peak as a new Foundation Establishment cultivator and chose a neighboring valley for his cave dwelling.
• Ji An demonstrated a Talisman Disk loaded with Explosive Flame Talismans, and Wei Songnian asked how many disks Ji An could make in a month.

Ji An arranged for Wei Songnian to gather materials for his body-refining method, then visited Red Copper Mountain to commission a defensive Spirit Tool for the coming Demon Catastrophe. Zhao Lei proposed an Earth-element Apricot Yellow Banner, though Ji An’s current cultivation might limit how long he could wield it.

• Ji An agreed to sell Wei Songnian his Explosive Flame Talismans and asked him to gather fifty sets of spiritual materials for three thousand Spirit Stones.
• Wei Songnian planned to visit his family estate and Azure Cloud Immortal City, while Ji An gave him three talisman arrays to sell.
• After half a month, Ji An saw that his Crimson Cloud Pines had advanced to Grade 1 Top-Grade and traveled to Red Copper Mountain.
• Ji An asked Zhang Yuanshan to help him obtain a defensive Spirit Tool, and Zhang Yuanshan summoned Zhao Lei, a more accomplished artifact refiner.
• Zhao Lei recognized Ji An from the Crimson Flame Peak eruption and offered to refine an Apricot Yellow Banner that gathered Wu Ji Earth, warning that Ji An might struggle to wield it for long.

Ji An and Zhang Yuanshan tested Zhao Lei’s defensive Apricot Yellow Banner, and Ji An decided to commission one of his own. Zhao Lei took him to Silkworm Cave to meet Liu Su Yun, who told him that the Golden Spotted Spider silk needed for the banner would not be available for more than ten years.

• Zhao Lei demonstrated how the Apricot Yellow Banner’s protective light resisted attacks from Zhang Yuanshan’s Dharma tools and Ji An’s Explosive Fireballs.
• Zhao Lei planted the banner in the earth and explained how it drew energy from earth veins, then let Ji An and Zhang Yuanshan attack it again.
• Ji An asked Zhao Lei to refine a similar defensive spirit tool, received a list of required materials, and asked for an introduction to Liu Su Yun.
• Zhao Lei and Ji An visited Liu Su Yun at Silkworm Cave, where she explained that her Golden Spotted Spider needed more than ten years to recover before it could produce silk.

Ji An demonstrated his mastery of the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell and offered to cultivate Liu Su Yun’s Earth Spirit Fruit Trees so her Golden Spotted Spider could recover its vitality sooner. Liu Su Yun agreed to move most of the trees to Ji An’s cave and discussed rewards for their growth, while Ji An asked what she would offer if they reached Low-grade Second-tier.

• Ji An used the Azure Wood Life Creation Art to revive Liu Su Yun’s silver willow, then offered to help with the Golden Spotted Spider’s recovery.
• Liu Su Yun explained that the spider needed Earth Spirit Fruit, and Ji An accompanied her and Zhao Lei to inspect her trees in a mountain cavern.
• Ji An cast the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell over the five trees, impressing Liu Su Yun with its abundant Earth Element Qi and precise control.
• Ji An proposed cultivating the trees at his cave, and Liu Su Yun agreed to transplant all but the top-grade tree and trade him a set quantity of fruit for her priority access to the surplus.
• Liu Su Yun offered spider silk as a reward if the trees advanced in grade, and Ji An asked what she would offer if they reached Low-grade Second-tier.

Ji An transplanted four Earth Spirit Fruit Trees and reached an agreement with Liu Su Yun to cultivate valuable spirit trees for the sect. After learning which varieties the Beast Taming Hall needed, he returned to Crimson Flame Peak and began preparing his new spirit fields for planting.

• Ji An raised his Seal Spirit Art to Proficient, then agreed to transplant Liu Su Yun's Grade 2 Low-tier Earth Spirit Fruit Trees for forty-five thousand Contribution Points and fifty major merits.
• Zhao Lei excavated the trees, and Ji An carefully sealed their roots before the three signed an agreement witnessed by Zhao Lei.
• Ji An asked Liu Su Yun which spirit tree varieties the sect needed, and she recommended Bronze Pattern Mulberry and Jade Leaf Mulberry while recording other in-demand varieties on a jade slip.
• Ji An returned to Crimson Flame Peak and settled the four Earth Spirit Fruit Trees in a newly excavated cave, where Golden Fur bit one tree before Ji An warned it not to eat them.
• Ji An told Huang Feihu to equip and seal the cave, then ordered him to arrange workers so they could plant the newly added spirit fields in a few days.

Ji An planned a large-scale spirit-planting operation to build Crimson Flame Peak’s industry chain, securing saplings and seeds with Ye Changqing’s help. After planting them and tending the new growth, he prepared for an intensive half month of cultivation and care.

• Ji An discussed finding replacements for Liang Qiu and Huang Feihu, then traveled to the Labor-Study Hall to ask Ye Changqing for spirit-tree saplings and seeds.
• Ye Changqing arranged the cuttings, gathered helpers, and accompanied Ji An to collect the materials, which they transported to Crimson Flame Peak.
• Ji An, Huang Feihu, Liang Qiu, and Golden Fur planted the cuttings and seeds, and Ji An used his wood and rain spells to nourish them.
• Five days later, Ji An saw that the planting had taken root and ordered Huang Feihu to use Wood Origin Pearls to cultivate the Jade Leaf Mulberries near the cold pond.
• Ji An prepared to spend the next half month tending the plants daily and refining pills or absorbing Spirit Stones to replenish his Dharma power.

Ji An sought Ge Ying’s advice on accelerating the growth of his spirit trees and received a Five Directions Spirit Gathering Art, then arranged to raise Fire Crystal Ants and commissioned a high-tier defensive dharma artifact. He returned to Crimson Flame Peak with the ant order underway and the artifact expected in two or three months.

• Ji An visited Ge Ying and asked how to accelerate the growth of Copper Pattern Mulberries and Earth Spirit Fruit Trees; she gave him a Five Directions Spirit Gathering Art for extracting Five Elements Essence.
• Ge Ying advised Ji An to raise Fire Crystal Ants beneath his Crimson Cloud Pines so they could gather pollen and produce pine honey.
• Ji An ordered a Fire Crystal Ant Queen, its cultivation secret method, and five hundred ordinary Fire Crystal Ants from the Beast Taming Hall, to be collected in one month.
• Ji An visited Zhang Yuanshan and asked him to refine a high-tier defensive Earth Element Pearl that would not hinder his movement.
• Ji An paid a little over one thousand Spirit Stones for the Earth Element Pearl, which Zhang Yuanshan said would be ready in two or three months.

Ji An sought Li Lingyu’s help with pills for Golden Fur’s breakthrough and his own cultivation, then arranged to obtain rare materials through Wei Songnian. Back at Crimson Flame Peak, he began tempering his skin with the Molten Gold Jade Bone Body.

• Ji An visited Li Lingyu, who agreed to refine a breakthrough pill for Golden Fur and gave him a Cloud Ganoderma Pill to test; it worked well enough to support his cultivation, and she offered him credit for future purchases.
• Ji An bought sixty Cloud Ganoderma Pills and explained that leasing more than a thousand mu of Spirit Fields had strained his finances.
• Ji An resumed an intensive routine of cultivation, study, fieldwork, and practicing the Five Directions Spirit Gathering Art to extract Metal Element Essence.
• Wei Songnian delivered the spiritual items Ji An had requested and agreed to search Azure Cloud Immortal City for additional materials, especially Golden Spotted Spider Silk.
• Ji An prepared medicinal mud and completed his first round of skin tempering, then rested briefly and began another round.

Ji An discovered that his Wood Element Dao Seeds had advanced, improving his cultivation and making him optimistic about reaching the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. He cultivated his body, gathered Metal Element Essence for his mulberry experiments, and discussed expanding a spirit-wine business with Du Huaiyuan.

• Ji An found that his All Things Born and Minor Cloud and Rain Art Dao Seeds had reached low-grade, and he observed them resonating as he cultivated.
• Ji An nourished the Crimson Cloud Pines, tempered his skin with medicinal paste, and refined the Five Directions Spirit Gathering Art while gathering over forty bottles of Metal Element Essence.
• Ji An used Metal Element Essence on the Copper Pattern Mulberry experimental fields and scattered golden light over another field to compare the results.
• Du Huaiyuan brought fifty jars of medicinal wine for storage, and Ji An explained that martial uncle Jia Yu had consumed some of the wine already in the cold pool.
• Ji An proposed that he and Du Huaiyuan brew wine from future Jade Leaf Mulberry harvests, and Du Huaiyuan eagerly agreed to improve his mulberry wine formulas.

Ji An prepared a wine workshop, continued cultivating, and welcomed Li Lingyu, who brought pills to help Golden Fur advance. Golden Fur successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, while Li Lingyu also witnessed Ji An’s rare insight into his cultivation art.

• Du Huaiyuan proposed building a wine workshop, drew up its plans, and Ji An agreed to begin construction the next day.
• Ji An refined a Cloud Ganoderma Pill and continued accumulating cultivation in his cave abode.
• Li Lingyu delivered two pills for Golden Fur’s breakthrough and paid Ji An a visit at Crimson Flame Peak.
• Li Lingyu witnessed Ji An cultivate amid the Clear Bamboo Grove, where he displayed a trace of the divine intent of his cultivation art.
• Ji An and Li Lingyu brought Golden Fur underground and gave it the pills and a medicinal catalyst.
• Golden Fur’s Demonic Power surged past the threshold, and it successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Ji An trained Golden Fur after the rat grew stronger, collected and settled a Fire Crystal Ant colony, and planted two Spiritual Peach seeds from Ge Ying. He then prepared to assess two Spirit Chefs as his sect assignment approached.

• Golden Fur showed off its stronger earth-based abilities, and Ji An used the Beast Taming Token to discipline it after it acted rebelliously.
• Ji An collected a Fire Crystal Ant queen and a thousand ants, establishing a blood contract with the queen.
• Ge Ying praised Ji An’s cultivation-art comprehension and gave him two seeds from a Grade 2 Top-tier Spiritual Peach.
• Ji An settled the Fire Crystal Ant colony in a rock crevice and planted the peach seeds near the Spiritual Apricot Tree, where they sprouted two days later.
• Ji An drew Explosive Flame Talismans for his sect assignment, then agreed to have Liang Qiu’s two selected Spirit Chefs cook dishes for assessment.

Ji An welcomed new helpers and neighbors to Crimson Flame Peak, where he discussed Spirit Food, farming, and trade. Zhang Yuanshan delivered Ji An’s Earth Spirit Pearl and warned that the sect was preparing a major operation that might require Ji An to serve.

• Ji An approved Xia Yuhan and Xia Yulian’s cooking and accepted them as helpers, while Liang Qiu gave Ji An his Spirit Chef and fish-raising insights before preparing to leave.
• Ji An hosted Wei Songnian, Jiang Wanrong, and Zeng Rui, who admired his rapidly grown spirit trees and shared details about their work.
• Ji An agreed to supply Jiang Wanrong with high-grade Jade Leaf Mulberry leaves and offer her leaves for introducing other buyers.
• Zhang Yuanshan delivered the completed Earth Spirit Pearl, and Ji An tested that it did not interfere with his spells.
• Zhang Yuanshan told Ji An that the sect was preparing a major operation and advised him to prepare combat supplies in case he was drafted.