Chapter Summaries

Ji An took on heavy talisman-making duties as the sects expanded Crying Phoenix Peak and prepared to resist the Demon Catastrophe. A year later, his Crimson Cloud Pines and talisman business had grown, Du Huaiyuan was returning, and Ji An perfected the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell.

• Ye Changqing gave Ji An a large talisman-making assignment and Calming Incense, then described Crying Phoenix Peak’s growing population and defenses against Golden Core great demons.
• Ji An showed Ye Changqing his second-tier Crimson Cloud Pines and promised him ten jin of pine nuts each year.
• A year later, Ji An nurtured a sixth second-tier Crimson Cloud Pine while Crying Phoenix Peak’s cultivator population and demon-hunting campaign continued to expand.
• Ji An increased his talisman workload to prepare for a trade with martial uncle Wei and received Du Huaiyuan’s message announcing his return in three days.
• Ji An arranged a welcome meal for Du Huaiyuan, then cast the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell and advanced it to Great Perfection.

Ji An perfected the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell, prepared to gather materials for the Apricot Yellow Banner, and hosted Du Huaiyuan after his return from Crying Phoenix Mountain. Du Huaiyuan wagered that Ji An would have no more than one hundred second-rank Jade Leaf Mulberries in two months, while Ji An accepted with confidence in his cultivation.

• Ji An sensed the obscure aura in his perfected Thick Earth Return Origin Spell and later tested the spell across his mulberry fields, where it covered more ground while using less spiritual power.
• Ji An bought metal powders from Wei Songnian and arranged to attend upcoming Trade Fairs to seek materials for the Apricot Yellow Banner.
• Du Huaiyuan returned after refining more than five hundred Foundation Establishment Pills and complained that he would have to resume work in Crying Phoenix Mountain Immortal City after resting.
• Ji An told Du Huaiyuan that top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberries had appeared in his fields, and Du Huaiyuan wagered that fewer than one hundred second-rank mulberries would grow there within two months.
• Du Huaiyuan inspected the fields, saw only four top-grade mulberries, and confidently accepted the wager that he would brew the year's mulberry wine if he lost.

Ji An tended his spirit plants and attended Gao Qinggang’s trade fair with Wei Songnian, where he found a potential source of Nine Bends Yellow Earth. The chapter ended with Ji An proposing to pay Li Yuangong for it in Crimson Flame Iron and Crimson Cloud Pine seeds delivered over three years.

• Du Huaiyuan drank heavily at Ji An’s feast, so Ji An sent Huang Feihu to pilot him home safely.
• Ji An cultivated his Jade Leaf Mulberries and observed that his Fire Crystal Ant colony had grown to more than fifty thousand, with its queen nearing a breakthrough.
• Wei Songnian brought Ji An to Gao Qinggang’s trade fair, where Gao offered pills in exchange for old spirit medicines and Li Yuangong traded Dragon Blood Fruits for Fire Dragon Heart Refining Pills.
• Ji An failed to obtain anything he wanted during the early trades, while Wei Songnian acquired pills and a defensive dharma artifact.
• Ji An offered various goods in exchange for Mysterious Yellow Earth and Nine Bends Yellow Earth, and Li Yuangong offered half a jin of Nine Bends Yellow Earth for Crimson Flame Iron and pine seeds.
• Ji An proposed delivering the two thousand four hundred jin of Crimson Cloud Pine seeds over three years, and Li Yuangong asked whether Ji An had planted the Second-tier pines himself.

Ji An completed a trade for Nine Bends Yellow Earth, cultivated increasingly valuable spirit wood, and learned about restrictions on exchanging for cultivation resources. A month later, he revealed that his Jade Leaf Mulberry grove had far exceeded Du Huaiyuan’s expectations, just as their wager came due.

• Ji An agreed to trade Crimson Flame Iron with Li Yuangong for Nine Bends Yellow Earth, and Li Yuangong inspected Crimson Flame Peak before they completed the deal.
• Ji An invited Jiang Wanrong to pick leaves from his top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberries, and she planned to use them to raise spirit silkworms.
• Li Yuangong explained that Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators could not directly exchange for resources related to cultivation arts, and Ji An’s master assured him the sect could reserve higher-tier resources.
• Ji An attended three Trade Fairs with Wei Songnian and acquired two jin of Mysterious Yellow Earth while his Thick Earth Return Origin Spell improved the soil in his fields.
• Du Huaiyuan arrived to settle their wager, and Ji An revealed that he had cultivated 256 top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberries.

Ji An and Du Huaiyuan celebrated their successful harvest and brewed wine from top-grade Jade Leaf Mulberries, while Ji An traded with Mo Shan for Mysterious Yellow Earth. After the brewing work ended, Du Huaiyuan discovered that his Water Control Art had reached its ultimate limit.

• Du Huaiyuan accepted his loss in the mulberry-yield wager and agreed to brew wine from top-grade mulberries, while Ji An arranged for more workers and an underground cellar.
• As the harvest grew, Ji An sold Copper Pattern Mulberry Leaves to Mo Shan, who offered him half a jin of Mysterious Yellow Earth in exchange for Crimson Flame Iron.
• Ji An agreed to Mo Shan's barter and went to retrieve the Crimson Flame Iron from his cave abode.
• After more than a month of work, Du Huaiyuan finished brewing the mulberry wine and joined Ji An by the cold pool to catch dinner.
• Du Huaiyuan used the Water Control Art to catch Red Spotted Groupers with ease and revealed that he had raised the spell to its ultimate limit.

Ji An planted Purple Fire Gourd seeds, prepared new disciples to take over Huang Feihu’s duties, and expanded his pine nut wine production. After receiving the finished banner cloth from Liu Su Yun, he brought the materials to Zhao Lei, who agreed to forge his Apricot Yellow Banner and leave room for future upgrades.

• Ji An planted Purple Fire Gourd seeds in a Spirit Field fertilized with Fire Crystal Ant droppings and built a trellis for the vines.
• Huang Feihu introduced Huang Xuan and Li Cheng as prospective disciples, and Ji An arranged for them to learn the work at Crimson Flame Peak before Huang Feihu’s departure.
• Ji An arranged to brew forty thousand catties of top-grade pine nuts and three hundred catties of Grade 2 pine nuts into spiritual wine.
• Ji An received the completed banner cloth and a gift of Cloud Top Silver Bristle tea from Liu Su Yun, then told her about Crimson Flame Peak’s improved spiritual plant yields.
• Ji An brought Zhao Lei the materials needed to forge the Apricot Yellow Banner, and Zhao Lei agreed to have the spiritual artifact ready in three months with potential for future upgrades.

Ji An perfected the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art, improved its efficiency, and continued cultivating and extracting essence at Crimson Flame Peak. He told Ye Changqing about his spirit-plant holdings and his confidence in raising several varieties to mid-grade second tier, asking for the sect’s help when the fields were ready.

• Ji An used the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell and cultivated at Cold Pool, then refined spiritual essence to raise the Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art from mastery to great perfection.
• Ji An tested the improved rain spell over his spirit fields and found that it covered more ground while consuming less mana.
• Ji An extracted Gold and Fire essence at Crimson Flame Peak and continued cultivating with a Cloud Ganoderma Pill in his cave abode.
• Ye Changqing arrived to collect Ji An’s sect assignment, inspected his talismans and talisman soldiers, and transferred Contribution Points to his jade token.
• Ji An listed his spirit plants and expressed confidence that he could cultivate several kinds into mid-grade second-tier plants once the fields matured, asking Ye Changqing for the sect’s assistance.

Ji An received Sky Origin Pear and Dragon Blood Tree seeds from Ye Changqing, planted them on Crimson Flame Peak, and advanced his body refinement to Late Silver Armor. He then thinned his Purple Fire Gourd vines as he continued pursuing reliably top-grade gourds for the sect.

• Ye Changqing promised to report Ji An's Spirit Field upgrade plans and suggested supplying mulberry leaves to the Labor-Study Hall and Beast Taming Hall.
• Ye Changqing gave Ji An Sky Origin Pear seeds and a Dragon Blood Tree seed, which Ji An agreed to plant and share fruit from later.
• Ji An planted the Sky Origin Pear seeds beside the cold pool, where they quickly sprouted, and warned the Grey Feather Sand Goose not to eat them.
• Xia Yuhan brought red powder from the Fire Crystal Ant nest, and Ji An used it to fertilize and plant the Dragon Blood Tree seed.
• Ji An's body refinement reached Late Silver Armor, and he decided not to keep advancing that stage because of the cost of the required materials.
• Half a month later, Ji An kept two gourds on each Purple Fire Gourd vine and resolved to cultivate seeds that could reliably produce top-grade gourds for the sect.

Ji An tested the defensive power of the Apricot Yellow Banner and continued cultivating spirit plants on Crimson Flame Peak. Liu Yu returned after an unexpected breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage left him distressed about competing in a higher cultivation group.

• Ji An visited Zhao Lei, received the Apricot Yellow Banner, and learned how to control and refine it.
• Zhao Lei tested the banner’s defenses with his spirit tool, and Ji An found it could withstand attacks longer when planted in the ground.
• Ji An returned to Crimson Flame Peak and began refining the banner daily while his spirit woods, trees, and beast colonies continued to grow.
• Liu Yu arrived at Crimson Flame Peak and told Ji An that he had broken through during a fierce battle despite deliberately suppressing his cultivation.
• Ji An realized Liu Yu was upset because the breakthrough meant he would compete in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage group.

Ji An hosted Liu Yu, who declined to borrow his Apricot Yellow Banner and soon left for demon-hunting duties. Ye Changqing then brought Beast Taming Hall deputy hall master Li Minghui to inspect Crimson Flame Peak, where Ji An demonstrated his exceptional farming spells and secured her promise to recommend a nearby branch hall.

• Ji An offered Liu Yu his Apricot Yellow Banner for the competition, but Liu Yu declined and said he would leave the sect in three days.
• Ji An and Liu Yu shared a meal and discussed cultivation, spirit resources, and Liu Yu's plans before Liu Yu departed several days later.
• Ye Changqing introduced Li Minghui to Ji An, and she said she was considering establishing a Beast Taming Hall branch nearby to raise spirit silkworms and spirit beasts.
• Ji An showed Li Minghui Crimson Flame Peak's spirit plant fields and cast the Azure Wood Life Creation Art, which she recognized as reaching the Perfection level.
• Ji An cast the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell at its utmost extreme, prompting Li Minghui to promise to report the branch hall proposal to her hall master.
• Ji An demonstrated his Spring Breeze Rain Transformation Art, and Ye Changqing praised him as a Spirit Farmer born for the work.

Ji An showed Ye Changqing and Li Minghui the spirit plants and demonic creatures he cultivated on Crimson Flame Peak, and Li Minghui sold him a Blood Refining Pill for his Grey Feather Sand Goose. The tour ended underground, where the visitors admired Ji An’s four top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit Trees.

• Ji An invited Ye Changqing and Li Minghui to tour Crimson Flame Peak, and Li Minghui sold him a Blood Refining Pill that could help his Grey Feather Sand Goose break through to Foundation Establishment.
• Ji An showed them his second-tier Clear Spirit Bamboo, medicinal plants, and growing White Jade Bee colony, which could soon supply honey for the sect’s Jade Bee Pills.
• Ye Changqing tested a second-tier Crimson Cloud Pine with a flame spell, and Li Minghui inspected Ji An’s flourishing Fire Crystal Ant colony.
• Ji An showed the visitors his Purple Fire Gourds and explained his efforts to cultivate top-grade gourds, while Ye Changqing described how Falling Maple Valley cultivators used Fire Element techniques to nourish their plants.
• Ji An led Ye Changqing and Li Minghui underground to see four top-grade Earth Spirit Fruit Trees, and Li Minghui praised how well he had cultivated them.

Ji An planned soil-improvement experiments at Crimson Flame Peak while Li Minghui and Ye Changqing considered establishing a Beast Taming Hall branch nearby. Eight months later, Ji An’s cultivation and spirit-tree yields had advanced, and Golden Fur reported that the Earth Spirit Fruit Trees had flowered early.

• Ji An proposed using decaying Mysterious Sun Wood and other materials to enrich the Spirit Fields, then assigned Huang Xuan and Li Cheng to begin the experiments.
• Li Minghui and Ye Changqing discussed finding a top-grade Spirit Vein for a Beast Taming Hall branch and flew toward Green Bamboo Valley to inspect Jiang Wanrong’s location.
• Eight months later, Ji An sensed a bottleneck near the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and raised his Azure Wood Life Creation Art mastery from 94% to 96%.
• Ji An received Zeng Rui’s invitation to his third concubine-taking ceremony in half a year and told Fei Hu to prepare a gift and remind him to attend.
• Ji An continued drawing talismans, and Golden Fur told him that the Earth Spirit Fruit Trees had flowered half a year earlier than expected.

Ji An inspected his spirit plants and harvested fourteen Purple Fire Gourds, then arranged for Zhao Lei to refine gourds into magic tools. He left Zhao Lei’s workshop with the seeds and a promise to return for the tools in about a month.

• Ji An found that his method for cultivating Earth Spirit Fruit Trees had failed, promised Golden Fur eighteen fruits, and left the cavern.
• Ji An harvested fourteen Purple Fire Gourds, while his Fire Crystal Ant colony and spirit plants continued to grow well.
• Zhao Lei told Ji An that a cultivator gathering place near Crying Phoenix Peak had vanished without signs of battle, and the investigation had found no results.
• Ji An negotiated a price of seven hundred Spirit Stones per top-grade gourd but kept his three gourds and paid Zhao Lei to refine them into magic tools.
• Ji An sold Zhao Lei nine high-grade gourds and paid to have two refined as wine gourds, then collected the seeds and learned the tools would be ready in about a month.

Ji An cultivated Purple Fire Gourd seeds, helped the Grey Feather Sand Goose break through, and arranged a Jade Vine Fruit order through Jiang Wanrong. At a Patrol Guard Hall meeting, Zheng Yuan reported a settlement wiped out by Ghost Cultivators, and the three sects’ leaders discussed how to find them.

• Ji An refined and divided premium-grade Purple Fire Gourd seeds, planted them with Huang Xuan, and assigned different fertilizers to test their effects.
• Ji An gave the Grey Feather Sand Goose water-attributed herbs and a Blood Refining Pill, helping it break through before subduing it with his Foundation Establishment pressure.
• At Zeng Rui’s banquet, Jiang Wanrong asked Ji An to sell five hundred Jade Vine Fruits to her friend without a deposit, and Ji An agreed.
• At the Patrol Guard Hall, Zheng Yuan reported that Ghost Cultivators had wiped out a settlement of more than two hundred cultivators, including four Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
• Zheng Yuan, Lin Qiubai, and Cen Gaoyuan discussed the attack and the difficulty of determining whether it was connected to an earlier incident.

Ji An completed Crimson Flame Peak’s mulberry-wine production and, after months of cultivation, broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. He began arranging a celebration banquet, then noticed that the Azure Wood Life Creation Art had disappeared from the text in his mind.

• Ji An received five Purple Fire Gourds from Zhao Lei and gave Du Huaiyuan a high-grade wine gourd that could hold three thousand jin of spirit wine.
• After the mulberry harvest, Ji An and Du Huaiyuan celebrated a wine production of roughly three thousand jin of premium mulberry wine and twelve thousand jin of high-grade mulberry wine, readying Crimson Flame Peak to sell wine on a large scale.
• Half a year later, Ji An used a secret technique to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage without medicinal pills, four years and eight months after reaching the Third Layer.
• Ji An announced a banquet for around twenty friends and instructed Liang Qiu to prepare for forty guests; he also sent an invitation to Junior Brother Zeng.
• While waiting for breakfast, Ji An examined his dantian and discovered that the Azure Wood Life Creation Art had vanished from the text in his mind.

Ji An celebrated after reaching Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and advancing his Farming Spells to Great Perfection, then visited Ge Ying to thank her and learn about the cultivation realms ahead. When Ge Ying tested his understanding of the Five Elements, she discovered his cultivation method and spell mastery were far beyond what she expected.

• Ji An advanced the Azure Wood Life Creation Art to Great Perfection and celebrated with the Xia Yuhan sisters.
• Ji An visited Ge Ying, who praised his breakthrough and advised him to refine spiritual items to deepen his cultivation.
• Ge Ying outlined the stages of cultivation beyond Foundation Establishment and explained the sect’s lectures and rewards for reaching Foundation Establishment Late Stage before age one hundred.
• Ji An told Ge Ying he could perceive Jia Wood, Gui Water, and Ji Earth power while cultivating the Azure Wood Eternal Spring Art, astonishing her.
• Ge Ying took Ji An to a secluded pool to observe his cultivation and saw that his Thick Earth Return Origin Spell carried a profound aura she could not produce.

Ji An demonstrated his exceptional understanding of the Azure Mountain Eternal Verdant Art, and Ge Ying took him to the Treasure Pavilion to exchange for materials for his cultivation. After securing the materials, Ji An learned where to obtain Azure Dragon Wood seeds, while Ge Ying stayed behind to speak with Jia Yu.

• Ge Ying stopped Ji An's cultivation and praised his ability to draw in three kinds of spiritual opportunities, saying he could catch up with Liu Yu.
• Ge Ying accompanied Ji An to the Treasure Pavilion, where Jia Yu confirmed Ji An's rapid progress and learned that he needed wood, water, and earth spiritual materials.
• Ge Ying arranged a year's supply of Azure Dragon Wood, Green Maple Wood, Jade Water of Verdant Waves, and Mysterious Yellow Earth, covering the minor merits while Ji An paid the Contribution Points.
• Jia Yu brought out the materials, and Ji An said Crimson Flame Peak's Second-tier spirit plants could provide future resources and minor merits.
• Ge Ying advised Ji An to plant more Azure Dragon Wood, and he asked where to exchange for its seeds.
• Ge Ying directed Ji An to the Labor-Study Hall and remained behind with Jia Yu.

Ge Ying secured permission for Ji An to use her Identity Jade Token to exchange for spirit materials, while Jia Yu warned that demonic forces were growing active around Crying Phoenix Peak. Ji An learned new spells and obtained Azure Dragon Wood seeds as he continued developing his spirit-farming skills.

• Ge Ying asked Jia Yu about Ji An, then discussed the danger posed by Ghost Cultivators, Demon Cultivators, and Demonic Cultivators around Crying Phoenix Peak.
• Ge Ying told Jia Yu that Ji An could use her Identity Jade Token to exchange for spirit materials, and Jia Yu agreed.
• Ji An exchanged two thousand Contribution Points for Spring Return Art, Detoxification Art, Plants and Trees Become Soldiers, and Quicksand Art.
• While waiting for Ye Changqing, Ji An practiced his new spells and improved Entangle Art's mastery.
• Ji An asked Ye Changqing for Azure Dragon Wood seeds and Spiritual Peach Tree seeds, but Ye Changqing could only provide ten Azure Dragon Wood seeds for one thousand Contribution Points.

Ji An planted an Azure Dragon Wood sapling at Crimson Flame Peak and hosted a celebration after reaching the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. He later discussed the Earth Spirit Fruit harvest with Liu Su Yun, whose surprise at his spell mastery left him facing a warning about how other Spirit Farmers would react.

• Ji An nurtured an Azure Dragon Wood seed, cut down a Jade Leaf Mulberry, and planted the new spirit tree near the cold pond, where it quickly grew into a sapling.
• Ji An hosted fellow cultivators at Crimson Flame Peak to celebrate his breakthrough, and Liu Su Yun and Du Huaiyuan stayed behind after the gathering.
• Du Huaiyuan reported that the Crimson Cloud Pine cones were ready to harvest, while Ji An and Liu Su Yun arranged the sale and selection of Earth Spirit Fruits.
• Ji An cast the Thick Earth Return Origin Spell in the underground cavern, causing more than a dozen ripe Earth Spirit Fruits to fall as Golden Fur gathered them.
• Liu Su Yun realized Ji An had pushed his spell mastery far beyond what most Spirit Farmers could achieve and asked how they would react if they learned his level.

Ji An expanded his spirit-fruit business, prepared to sell Du Huaiyuan’s wine, and watched Liang Qiu and Huang Feihu attempt Foundation Establishment. Liang Qiu succeeded, but Huang Feihu failed after his divine sense was injured, leaving him to recover for several years.

• Liu Su Yun inspected Ji An’s new Spirit Vein Node, then bought Earth Spirit Fruit and spider silk from him, and Ji An gave her second-tier pine nuts as a gift.
• Ji An refined spiritual materials and found that Azure Dragon Wood suited his spiritual senses best, while Liang Qiu and Huang Feihu went to collect their Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Ji An and Du Huaiyuan arranged to invite Wei Songnian to help sell their spirit wine, which included six hundred jin of second-tier pine nut wine and thirty-six thousand jin of top-grade spirit wine.
• Liang Qiu and Huang Feihu began Foundation Establishment attempts at separate locations, while Ji An cultivated and tended the spirit trees overnight.
• Huang Xuan reported that Liang Qiu had succeeded and Huang Feihu had failed; Du Huaiyuan found that Huang Feihu’s injuries were not serious, but his divine sense needed years to recover.