Chapter Summaries

After returning to Luoxia Sect from the Mineral Deposit Competition, Qin Fengming and the other participants received extra pills and early access to the Pivot Pavilion’s second floor. Qin Fengming returned to his Cave Abode to plan his next steps, including refining stronger talismans and learning secret techniques.

• Qin Fengming returned safely to Luoxia Sect with the other disciples and found that his Cave Abode’s restrictions had remained intact.
• Qin Fengming attended the gathering at Cloud Gate Peak, where Sect Master Wang praised the competitors and announced four hundred additional Yellow Essence Pills as rewards.
• Martial Uncle Zhu gave Qin Fengming, Zeng Yi, and Lin Hao thirty Yellow Essence Pills and one Foundation Establishment Pill each, while distributing pills to the other disciples.
• Sect Master Wang granted the forty competitors permission to consult and borrow up to three classics from the Pivot Pavilion’s second floor for half a month.
• Qin Fengming returned to his Cave Abode and planned to refine high-level talismans and practice the Spirit Control Technique and Face Altering Technique, while questioning whether he could use the Pivot Pavilion’s advanced techniques.

Qin Fengming mastered the Spirit Driving Technique and Face Altering Technique, then traveled in disguise to Yellow Sparrow Mountain to seek talisman materials and sell his talismans. At Divine Talisman Hall, he asked the old man whether the shop would buy a batch of his intermediate-grade elementary talismans.

• Qin Fengming studied the Spirit Driving Technique and practiced its Spirit Control Art, but his attempts to control ordinary animals caused them to explode and die.
• Qin Fengming learned that the Spirit Control Art only worked on demonic beasts, then mastered the blood-acknowledgment method and the Face Altering Technique.
• After resting, Qin Fengming traveled to the Marketplace in disguise and arrived at Divine Talisman Hall, where the old man recognized his aura and noted that he had reached Qi Gathering Stage Nine.
• Qin Fengming asked the old man whether Divine Talisman Hall would purchase a batch of his intermediate-grade elementary talismans.

Qin Fengming sold 1,300 talismans to Divine Talisman Hall and arranged to buy materials for making more. After changing his appearance, he entered Divine Artifact Hall to look for a good spirit artifact.

• Qin Fengming sold 1,300 primary-grade mid-tier talismans to the old man at Divine Talisman Hall for ten spirit stones each.
• The old man gave Qin Fengming an extra five hundred spirit stones in thanks for helping fulfill a large order for a cultivation Lineage.
• Qin Fengming ordered talisman-making supplies and agreed to collect them the next morning after a shipment arrived.
• Qin Fengming changed his clothes and appearance in a secluded spot, then wandered through the Marketplace.
• Qin Fengming entered Divine Artifact Hall and asked a gray-robed attendant whether it sold good spirit artifacts.

Qin Fengming visited the Divine Artifact Hall to buy a spirit tool and examined a high-grade sword before asking to see something better. The manager brought out two top-grade spirit tools sold as a pair, and Qin Fengming was about to inspect them.

• Qin Fengming asked about spirit tools, surprising the hall’s young attendant, who led him upstairs to meet the manager.
• Qin Fengming told the manager he wanted a top-grade spirit tool and said its price was no issue.
• The manager presented the Purple Fire Meteor sword, but Qin Fengming asked whether the hall had anything better.
• The manager returned with two top-grade spirit tools, explaining that the offensive and defensive items had to be sold together.
• The manager opened both Jade Boxes, releasing brilliant light and powerful spiritual energy.

Qin Fengming purchased three spirit artifacts from the Divine Artifact Hall by trading talismans and negotiating the remaining balance. He left the hall with the Five Elements Ring, Yin Yang Pagoda, and Purple Fire Meteor Sword.

• Qin Fengming examined the Five Elements Ring and Yin Yang Pagoda as the middle-aged man in red explained their abilities and asked thirteen thousand spirit stones for the pair.
• Qin Fengming asked whether the hall would buy mid-rank talismans, then offered sixteen hundred of them at ten spirit stones each.
• The middle-aged man in red accepted the talismans, which were worth sixteen thousand spirit stones, and agreed to include the two spirit artifacts.
• Qin Fengming used the remaining value to purchase the Purple Fire Meteor Sword, originally priced at four thousand spirit stones.
• Qin Fengming stored all three spirit artifacts, declined to inspect the hall's other treasures, and left for an empty alley nearby.

Qin Fengming concealed his identity after trading talismans for three spirit artifacts, then bought supplies for refining high-tier talismans and returned to Luoxia Sect. He tested the artifacts and found them powerful but costly to use, leaving them as emergency weapons for now.

• A Foundation Establishment cultivator suggested investigating Qin Fengming, but the red-robed middle-aged man decided against it because he suspected Qin Fengming was connected to Old Man Golden Talisman.
• Qin Fengming changed his clothes and appearance, concealed his cultivation, and left the Marketplace for a secluded cave.
• Qin Fengming collected talisman materials from the Divine Talisman Hall, bought ten thousand sheets of special paper for high-tier talismans, and discussed refining techniques with the old man.
• Qin Fengming returned to Luoxia Sect, rested in his cave abode, and acknowledged the Five Elements Ring, Yin Yang Pagoda, and Purple Fire Meteor Sword with his blood.
• Qin Fengming tested the three spirit artifacts and discovered that they were exceptionally responsive and powerful but consumed a large amount of his spiritual power.

After seven months of refining beginner high-grade talismans, Qin Fengming produced more than three thousand and went to the Pivot Pavilion to use his permission to enter its second floor. He began searching its collection for cultivation methods and was surprised to find only low-grade texts.

• Qin Fengming spent seven months practicing and refining beginner high-grade talismans, eventually producing more than three thousand of various kinds.
• Qin Fengming went to the Pivot Pavilion, where the elder at the entrance recognized his permission from Sect Master Wang and allowed him onto the second floor.
• Qin Fengming entered the room marked “Cultivation Methods” and found that its small collection contained only low-grade cultivation methods.
• Qin Fengming wondered whether Luoxia Sect possessed any profound cultivation methods after seeing that the best text reached only early Core Formation.

Qin Fengming searched the Luoxia Sect’s library for useful cultivation knowledge and borrowed books on formations and the Qingyuan Continent. After studying them, he learned about the continent’s vast powers and became eager to test a Spirit Gathering Array with his mysterious gourd.

• Qin Fengming found mostly seniors’ reflections in the artifact refining, talisman crafting, alchemy, and formation rooms, but memorized the Yellow Essence Pill formula and borrowed basic formation books.
• Qin Fengming discovered the Anecdotes room and borrowed Travel Notes of the Qingyuan Continent along with two formation books, paying the old man fifteen spirit stones.
• Qin Fengming copied the books onto jade slips, returned the originals, and learned that the Qingyuan Continent held two vast empires, thirteen affiliated kingdoms, and powerful supreme sects.
• Qin Fengming studied the Spirit Gathering Array and wondered whether it could supply spiritual power to his mysterious gourd’s liquid.

Qin Fengming visited the Miraculous Formation Pavilion to buy formations that could conceal and restrain auras. He left with two formations and materials for refining more, after paying for them at the shop.

• Qin Fengming went to the Marketplace and asked the Miraculous Formation Pavilion about formations that could conceal and isolate auras.
• A shop assistant explained the Four Symbols Pure Spirit Formation and the Four Symbols Primordial Chaos Formation, including their concealment and trapping abilities and their prices.
• Qin Fengming bought one of each formation for a total of two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.
• Qin Fengming bought three hundred pieces of Level 1 demon beast hide and enough formation-disk material for two squares.
• The shop assistant put away Qin Fengming's payment without inspecting the Spirit Stones, leaving Qin Fengming puzzled.

Qin Fengming activated the Four Symbols Primordial Chaos Formation to conceal his Cave Abode, then began learning to refine formations so he could gain more ways to protect himself. After weeks of practice, he successfully made four Array Flags and a formation plate for a Spirit Gathering Array.

• The shop assistant explained how the Miraculous Formation Pavilion checked storage rings, and Qin Fengming returned to the Luoxia Sect.
• Qin Fengming installed the Four Symbols Primordial Chaos Formation around his Cave Abode and used its control token to activate it, hiding the Cave Abode from view.
• Qin Fengming restored his magical power and began studying formation refinement, hoping to prepare for a future journey beyond the sect.
• Qin Fengming practiced copying the Spirit Gathering Array runes for half a month, then used nearly two hundred pieces of beast hide to craft four Array Flags.
• Qin Fengming ruined more than twenty pieces of jade before successfully refining a formation plate.

Qin Fengming used a Spirit Gathering Array to fill his mysterious gourd with spiritual energy and suspected its liquid might raise cultivation. He tested a drop on a squirrel, which swelled and exploded, leaving him shocked by the liquid’s danger.

• Qin Fengming activated the Spirit Gathering Array and found that it rapidly drew spiritual energy into the gourd.
• The array stopped after consuming its two spirit stones, and Qin Fengming sensed that the gourd held more liquid.
• Qin Fengming wondered whether drinking the spiritual liquid could increase cultivation and decided to test it on an animal.
• Qin Fengming fed a drop of liquid to a squirrel, which swelled to twice its size and exploded.
• Qin Fengming blocked the flying remains with a barrier and stared in horror at the squirrel’s scattered limbs.

Qin Fengming tested the mysterious gourd’s liquid and discovered that it made talismans extraordinarily powerful, while ordinary animals exploded even after receiving a diluted dose. He kept the discovery secret and went to the Artifact Refining Hall to test whether the liquid could also enhance magic tools.

• Qin Fengming fed undiluted liquid to a wild boar, which swelled and exploded, then repeated the experiment with diluted liquid and saw another boar explode more slowly.
• Qin Fengming found that nearby plants showed no change and returned to his Cave Abode, where he decided to test the liquid in talisman-making and artifact refinement.
• Qin Fengming mixed the liquid with cinnabar and made a Fireball Talisman that shattered a huge boulder with a single blast.
• Qin Fengming infused a Wind Blade Talisman with the liquid and found that its attack carved deep cracks into a mountain wall, rivaling an ordinary spirit artifact.
• Qin Fengming resolved to keep the mutated talismans secret and hurried to the Artifact Refining Hall, where two familiar disciples greeted him.

Qin Fengming used the mysterious liquid to improve his refining, turning an ordinary magic tool into a top-grade magic tool and producing an even stronger spiritual tool for Liu and Li. After leaving the Artifact Refining Hall, he headed to the External Affairs Pavilion to buy more materials and make further use of the liquid.

• Qin Fengming visited the Artifact Refining Hall, learned that Martial Uncle Fei was away, and agreed to refine a top-grade magic tool for Liu and Li.
• Qin Fengming used Earthfire and the mysterious liquid to refine a mid-grade magic tool, which transformed into a fine top-grade magic tool.
• Qin Fengming spent nine days refining Liu and Li's materials while the two junior brothers waited anxiously outside.
• Qin Fengming emerged with a successful refinement and showed Liu and Li the finished purple magic tool.
• Qin Fengming left for the External Affairs Pavilion to purchase more materials after realizing his refinement had produced a mid-grade spiritual tool.

After refining a spirit artifact that needed neither rare materials nor spiritual-power tempering, Qin Fengming sought more supplies and a demon beast at the Marketplace. He attended an auction where a low-level demon beast was expected to be sold, and the bidding began with a rare Black Obsidian Crystal.

• Qin Fengming realized his newly refined spirit artifact had become one without rare materials or spiritual-power tempering, then rested and set out to purchase supplies.
• Qin Fengming bought talisman materials and enough artifact-refining materials for five top-grade magical artifacts, then learned an auction would offer a low-level demon beast and a formation set.
• Qin Fengming left the Marketplace and hid in a mountain cave behind the Four Symbols Pure Spirit Formation before returning in disguise on auction day.
• Elder You began the auction and presented a fist-sized Black Obsidian Crystal, opening the bidding at one hundred and thirty low-grade Spirit Stones.

At the auction, Qin Fengming waited through several lots until a Level 1 demon beast from the Scorching Sun Desert came up for sale. A determined yellow-faced middle-aged man won the beast for 290 Spirit Stones, leaving Qin Fengming without it.

• A cultivator bought the Black Obsidian Crystal for 280 Spirit Stones.
• A bamboo-hatted cultivator bought five Yellow Essence Pills for 430 Spirit Stones.
• Qin Fengming ignored several auction items while waiting for the formation and demon beast.
• Elder You presented a small red demon beast skilled at concealing itself, which no one in the hall could identify.
• A yellow-faced middle-aged man outbid another bidder and bought the demon beast for 290 Spirit Stones.

Elder You auctioned the Purple Gold Plum Blossom Dagger and the Eight-faced Fire Thunder Formation, drawing fierce bidding from cultivators. The yellow-faced middle-aged man won the formation for seven thousand five hundred Spirit Stones, leaving his identity unknown.

• Elder You introduced True Person Yunxia’s Purple Gold Plum Blossom Dagger, and Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators bid its price up to seven thousand eight hundred Spirit Stones.
• A cultivator identified the dagger’s buyer as the head of the Yue Household.
• Elder You presented the Eight-faced Fire Thunder Formation and described its ability to trap and attack powerful cultivators.
• The yellow-faced middle-aged man outbid the Fourth Elder of Juque Fort, who had been identified as Fort Master Wu’s younger brother.
• Elder You declared the yellow-faced middle-aged man the winner of the formation at seven thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.

After winning the Eight-faced Fire Thunder Formation at auction, Qin Fengming tried to evade the people monitoring him, but the Fourth Elder of Juque Fort tracked him down. The Fourth Elder demanded the formation, and Qin Fengming faced him and his two companions in a mountain valley.

• Qin Fengming collected the Eight-faced Fire Thunder Formation and went to the Immortal Guest Inn to wait before leaving the Marketplace at night.
• Qin Fengming changed his appearance and flew northwest, believing he had escaped the people watching him.
• The Fourth Elder of Juque Fort and two Qi Gathering cultivators pursued Qin Fengming, closing in despite his efforts to speed away.
• Qin Fengming descended into a remote mountain valley and waited for the pursuers, who landed and surrounded him.
• The Fourth Elder revealed that he had secretly marked Qin Fengming and demanded that he hand over the Eight-faced Fire Thunder Formation.

Qin Fengming ambushed the Juque Fort cultivators with talismans, killing the two Qi Gathering cultivators and battling the Fourth Elder. The Fourth Elder suspected Qin Fengming was connected to Old Man Golden Talisman and softened his approach, while Qin Fengming recognized the reason for his sudden question.

• Qin Fengming pretended to surrender his possessions, then transformed the objects he threw into fire serpents that killed Juque Fort's two Qi Gathering cultivators.
• Qin Fengming used Diamond Shields to defend himself while sending fire serpents against the Fourth Elder, who blocked them with his protective shield and spiritual artifact.
• Qin Fengming continued using talismans to wear down the Fourth Elder, who realized that the tactic reduced his advantage in spiritual power.
• The Fourth Elder wondered whether Qin Fengming was a descendant of Old Man Golden Talisman and asked about their relationship, offering to spare him if they were connected.
• Qin Fengming understood that the Fourth Elder feared retaliation from Old Man Golden Talisman, a powerful talisman master rumored to be nearing Core Formation.

Qin Fengming fought the Fourth Elder of Juque Fort, using a seemingly endless supply of talismans to bind the elder’s two spirit tools. The Fourth Elder threatened to outlast Qin Fengming’s spiritual sense, and Qin Fengming challenged him to see whose strength would fail first.

• The Fourth Elder attacked Qin Fengming with two spirit tools, while Qin Fengming used fire pythons and Diamond Shields to hold them off.
• Qin Fengming moved away from the Fourth Elder’s high-grade black snake spirit tool and sent fire pythons to restrain it.
• Qin Fengming reflected that the Fourth Elder’s two spirit tools showed the advantages of cultivation lineages.
• Qin Fengming taunted the Fourth Elder and repeatedly sent fresh talismans to bind his spirit tools.
• After half an hour, the Fourth Elder had destroyed hundreds of talismans and threatened to wait for Qin Fengming’s spiritual sense to run out.
• Qin Fengming challenged the Fourth Elder to see whether his spiritual sense or the elder’s magical power would be exhausted first.

Qin Fengming outlasted the Fourth Elder in a prolonged battle, then used talismans to trap and disarm him. The Fourth Elder ended the chapter bound and unable to use his magical power, while Qin Fengming collected his weapons.

• The Fourth Elder fought Qin Fengming for more than an hour, exhausting much of his magical power while Qin Fengming concealed his fatigue.
• Qin Fengming realized the Fourth Elder intended to flee and trapped him with three Immortal Binding Talismans.
• Qin Fengming kept the Fourth Elder’s spiritual weapons from returning with fire serpents and showed him hundreds of Immortal Binding Talismans.
• Qin Fengming sent hundreds of Fireball Talismans at the Fourth Elder, breaking his protective barrier and leaving him securely bound.
• Qin Fengming sealed the Fourth Elder’s magical power and collected his magic weapons and spiritual weapons.