Chapter Summaries

Luo Hong arrived at Crimson Sun Mountain to investigate its troubled mine and found the Li Family guards tense after recent attacks. He met the stewards, considered his growing distance from Li Xiaoqing, and inspected the miners and mining operation.

• Luo Hong learned from the Yellow-winged Bird that the two Demonic Cultivators he had been tracking were dead, apparently killed by newly arrived Cultivators.
• After flying for two days, Luo Hong reached Crimson Sun Mountain and met Li Mingyi, who explained the responsibilities of the three stewards and the urgent need to mine Crimson Sun Stone.
• Li Xiaoqing lamented that Luo Hong had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator and still regarded him as Senior Brother Luo, while Luo Hong resolved to explain his feelings to her soon.
• Luo Hong inspected the Mine Tunnel and observed the mortal miners working in the intense heat.
• Luo Hong met Li Mingli, who was laboring hard to break ore, making him seem unlikely to be a spy.

Luo Hong took charge of Crimson Sun Mountain, questioned its guards, and began investigating the suspicious attacks on the mine. After Yu Ying warned him about a powerful evil cultivator’s hammer, Luo Hong’s suspicions grew, while Li Mingyi put his new production rules into effect.

• Luo Hong questioned Li Mingyi and Li Mingli about the Crimson Sun Stone mine, then inspected Crimson Sun Mountain and settled into Yu Kun’s former residence.
• Li Xiaoqing visited Luo Hong with Li Xiaowan and Yu Ying, but Luo Hong turned aside her romantic confession and offered her a top-grade Magic Artifact before she ran out.
• Luo Hong shared wine with Yu Ying, who warned him that an evil cultivator wielding a Ghostly Great Hammer had shattered the guards’ formation and collapsed mine passages.
• Luo Hong wondered whether the hammer’s power could explain the attacks, while Li Mingyi instructed Li Mingli to follow Luo Hong’s Five Constant Principles and reorganize mine production.

Luo Hong assessed the limits of his combat abilities after reaching Foundation Establishment and planned ways to survive a possible attack by Demonic Cultivators. He concluded that the danger lay inside Crimson Sun Mountain and that clearing the mine passages would give him three years to prepare.

• Li Mingyi and Li Mingli told Madam Wen that Luo Hong had restored the Crimson Sun Stone supply, then declined her request to meet him because he was in seclusion.
• Luo Hong found that ordinary cultivation would raise his Mana Limit too slowly, so he decided to spend less time cultivating and more time researching.
• Luo Hong judged that his Dark Green Seed and Magic Artifacts no longer gave him a decisive advantage against Foundation Establishment cultivators, and sought a method capable of ending a fight with one blow.
• Luo Hong planned to nurture twelve major acupoints so he could cast Initial High Grade spells enhanced by Primordial Heavy Water, while recognizing that this would take time.
• Luo Hong inferred that the Demonic Cultivators were pursuing something inside Crimson Sun Mountain and would make no further moves until the mine passages were cleared, leaving him three years to prepare.
• Luo Hong reviewed his Bloody Trial spoils, noting that he had sold most of them and had not found the Azure Sky Yang Thunder he wanted.

Luo Hong spent three years studying an ancient text and developing three high-grade Functional Talismans while serving as Chief Steward of Crimson Sun Mountain. After he left for a trade fair, Li Mingli revealed his ties to the Demonic Flame Sect, whose agent ordered Ghost Hand to watch and kill Luo Hong if he returned to Yellow Maple Valley.

• Luo Hong completed the Twelve Acupoints, increasing his magic power by nearly thirty percent, and developed three kinds of high-grade Functional Talismans from the ancient text.
• Luo Hong realized Li Huayuan had not summoned him back after three years and suspected he was expected to remain at Crimson Sun Mountain until the matter there was resolved.
• After meeting with Li Mingyi and Li Mingli, Luo Hong left Crimson Sun Mountain and headed for Yellow Maple Valley.
• Li Mingli secretly met a Middle-aged Cultivator, who punished him for suggesting they act without the Young Master's approval.
• Li Mingli told the Middle-aged Cultivator that Luo Hong had gone to the once-in-a-decade Trade Fair, and the man ordered Ghost Hand to intercept and kill Luo Hong if he returned to Yellow Maple Valley.

Luo Hong secretly used a newly refined teleportation talisman to return to the Crimson Sun Mountain mine and crossed a sealed stone wall with a Spirit Soothing Talisman. He reached a smooth, apparently man-made passage beyond the miners’ excavations, where he continued deeper to investigate the Demonic Cultivators’ plans.

• At the Trade Fair, Luo Hong noticed a concealed watcher beneath the table of two Pure Void Sect Female Daoists and maintained his disguise by bidding heavily on Qi Refining Powder.
• After leaving the fair, Luo Hong returned to his inn, searched his room for the watcher, and used a Four Symbols Teleportation Talisman to travel to Crimson Sun Mountain.
• Luo Hong entered the mine with a second teleportation talisman ready, then used a Spirit Soothing Talisman to calm the violent fire-element spiritual energy around him.
• Luo Hong used Earth Evasion to pass through the stone wall separating him from the collapsed passage and reached the deepest part of the mine.
• Luo Hong found smooth rock walls with no signs of excavation and continued deeper into the mysterious passage.

Luo Hong discovered an Ancient Cultivator's Cave behind the damaged Bright Sun Flowing Fire Formation and used his Restriction Breaking Talisman to enter. After the cave's stone statues tested the book he offered, they welcomed him inside, where pure spiritual qi and Enlightenment Tea awaited.

• Luo Hong reasoned that Demonic Cultivators had weakened the formation by damaging Crimson Sun Mountain's earth veins and would soon break in, then used his Restriction Breaking Talisman to pass through its shield.
• Luo Hong confirmed that his Four Symbols Teleportation Talisman still worked and approached the black stone gates guarded by two Rakshasa statues.
• The Pestle-Holding Stone Statue repeated its invitation, while the Basin-Holding Stone Statue demanded payment in the form of a profound manual or secret art.
• Luo Hong offered his Luo Jun's Three Treasures Secret Record, and the Five Elements Divine Light judged it worthy as the Basin-Holding Stone Statue buckled under its weight.
• The statues welcomed Luo Hong as an honored guest, opened the gates, and called for Enlightenment Tea as pure spiritual qi poured out.

Luo Hong entered True Lord Wentian's cave, where a Maid Puppet began brewing Enlightenment Tea while he cultivated. Meanwhile, the Demonic Flame Sect exploited the damage to Crimson Sun Mountain's formation and prepared to break through to the cave.

• Luo Hong entered the Black Stone Gate, discovered the Enlightenment Tea tree and Maid Puppet, then waited for the tea while cultivating on the mountaintop.
• The tremors Luo Hong caused threw Crimson Sun Mountain into chaos, prompting the Li Family to investigate and the Demonic Flame Sect to reassess its plans.
• The Grim Youth ordered Xing Jiayou to use the Azure Sun Demonic Fire Banner to break the weakening formation, while Elder Mo attacked the Li Family to cover their operation.
• The Grim Youth and Xing Jiayou entered the mine passage with other Demonic Flame Sect cultivators and cleared the collapsed section to reach the Red Spiritual Shield.
• The Grim Youth revealed that the formation concealed True Lord Wentian's cave, and Xing Jiayou recognized the name's importance to the Demonic Flame Sect.

Demon Flame Young Master and Xing Jiayou breached the formation and entered True Lord Wentian’s cave abode to seek the Great Method of Taiyin Divine Light. Meanwhile, Luo Hong discovered that the tea had reached Spiritual Grade 24, obtained a restriction token from the Maid Puppet, and entered the Myriad Treasures Pagoda, where he found a catalogue and a Brocade Bag.

• Demon Flame Young Master persuaded Xing Jiayou to use the Azure Sun Demonic Fire Banner to melt a passage through the Red Spiritual Shield, though one demon cultivator was cut in two when the shield closed.
• Demon Flame Young Master offered the Great Sun Azure Demon Art to the Basin-Holding Stone Statue, which opened the Black Stone Gate and directed him to the middle level of Wentian Pavilion for the Great Method of Taiyin Divine Light.
• Luo Hong sensed the teapot’s Spirit Grade Manifestation and determined that the spiritual objects inside had reached Spiritual Grade 24 before the phenomenon ended.
• Luo Hong sealed one cup of Enlightenment Tea in a Secret Box, accepted a restriction token from the Maid Puppet, and used the token to leave the summit.
• Luo Hong avoided the restricted Medicine Garden and followed the token’s guidance into the Myriad Treasures Pagoda, where he received a catalogue of its former treasures and a Brocade Bag.

Luo Hong explored the Heavenly Inquiry Pavilion, obtained ancient formation knowledge, and discovered a dangerously restricted demonic art before being teleported out. His arrival triggered the collapse of Crimson Sun Mountain, leaving the Demon Flame Young Master injured and Elder Xing missing.

• Luo Hong named the enormous storage bag the Myriad Treasures Pouch and transferred his belongings into it.
• Luo Hong entered the Heavenly Inquiry Pavilion, exchanged for a Heaven-Piercing Spirit Treasure refinement method and a collection of ancient formations, then found the Great Sun Azure Demon Art protected by a deadly restriction.
• The Demon Flame Young Master’s group tried to exchange the Great Sun Azure Demon Art, but the jade slip vanished and the group was teleported outside with Luo Hong.
• Xing Jiayou failed to stop Luo Hong’s teleportation, and the Black Stone Ghost Generals opened the passage, causing the damaged formation to collapse and Crimson Sun Mountain to split apart.
• The Demon Flame Young Master escaped with a Minor Teleportation Talisman while Xing Jiayou remained behind, and the collapse killed many Demon Cultivators.
• The Demon Flame Young Master killed the twin Li Family cultivators with his Skeleton Head, then ordered Elder Mo to retrieve Xing Jiayou’s primordial spirit.

Luo Hong avoided returning to Crimson Sun Mountain, learned the stolen Great Sun Azure Demon Art belonged to the Demonic Flame Sect, and fought off the assassin Ghost Hand while arranging a way to clear himself of suspicion. He flew toward Yellow Maple Valley with a messenger, where Li Huayuan and Ancestor Linghu confronted him about Crimson Sun Mountain’s collapse.

• The Demon Flame Young Master sent Elder Mo to recover Xing Jiayou’s primordial spirit and anxiously waited for news.
• Luo Hong studied the Great Sun Azure Demon Art, realized the Demonic Flame Sect would pursue it, and decided not to return to Crimson Sun Mountain.
• Luo Hong pretended to discover Ghost Hand following him, then fought the assassin and forced him to flee after taking his severed arm and Blood Wheels.
• Luo Hong took the Li Family messenger toward Yellow Maple Valley and claimed Ghost Hand’s testimony could clear him of suspicion.
• Li Huayuan and Ancestor Linghu intercepted Luo Hong, and Li Huayuan demanded to know why he had left Crimson Sun Mountain, which had collapsed.

Luo Hong reported that a Demonic Flame Sect assassin had targeted Crimson Sun Mountain, and Ancestor Linghu investigated the ruined mine and hidden teleportation array. At the Demonic Flame Sect, Old Demon Qingyang punished Lu Lian over the lost demonic art and prepared for an impending war among the Six Demonic Sects.

• Luo Hong told Li Huayuan and Ancestor Linghu how he fought a Shadow Kill Squad cultivator, then presented the man's Blood Wheels and severed arm as evidence.
• Ancestor Linghu identified the assassin's techniques, flew to Crimson Sun Mountain, and found a destroyed teleportation array beneath a broken illusion formation.
• Li Huayuan rewarded Luo Hong with Meridian Opening Pills, while Luo Hong arranged for the messenger to stay with the Li Family disciples.
• Old Demon Qingyang crushed the captured primordial spirit, rebuked Lu Lian for losing the demonic art, and sent him to the Inner Demon Cave for three years.
• Old Demon Qingyang told his junior sister that Nascent Soul cultivators could have stolen the demonic art and discussed the Six Demonic Sects' preparations for war.

Luo Hong returned to Fanghua Garden, named his rapidly growing Golden Light Eagle Little Gold, and successfully refined Enlightenment Tea into tea wine that enhanced his understanding of formations. With the Six Demonic Sects’ invasion less than two years away, he decided to stop using Jade Dragon Wine to nourish the Blue Sphere and instead use it to advance his cultivation.

• Luo Hong returned to Fanghua Garden, learned that the estate’s wine business had prospered, and took a thousand jin of new Jade Dragon Wine into his gourd.
• Luo Hong found that the Golden Light Eagle had hatched and grown strong, named it Little Gold, and considered using the young Dan Zhu as consumables.
• Luo Hong arranged Spirit Wine around the Enlightenment Tea in the Jade Dragon Gourd and, after seven days, collected tea wine that improved his comprehension of formations.
• Luo Hong calculated that the Six Demonic Sects would invade the Yue Kingdom in less than two years and decided he needed to strengthen both his cultivation and divine sense.
• Luo Hong chose to suspend the Spirit Flood Dragon Secret Markings and use his remaining Jade Dragon Wine to pursue Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.

After two years of cultivating and studying formations, Luo Hong was summoned by Li Huayuan as the Six Demonic Sects’ war began. He avoided the deadliest battle by arranging to reinforce the Spirit Stone Mine where Han Li was stationed, while giving Liu Jing and Zhong Weiniang protective talismans before they departed for their own dangerous mission.

• Liu Jing and Zhong Weiniang visited Fanghua Garden, where Luo Hong gave them Spirit Tortoise Evasion Talismans and traded one to Liu Jing for his Sha Demon Bead and its controlling incantation.
• Luo Hong left for Green Wave Cave after receiving Li Huayuan’s summons, then traveled eight days to the Spirit Stone Mine where he had arranged to serve as a guard instead of joining the border battle.
• Xuan Le questioned Luo Hong’s identity and sent for Han Li to verify him.
• Han Li recognized Luo Hong through his Water Swallow spell, and Xuan Le welcomed him as a reinforcement.

Luo Hong traded with Han Li, broke through to Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, and prepared to use the demonic cultivators’ attack to find the Ancient Teleportation Array to the Chaotic Star Sea. When an elite force attacked the mine, he spotted a promising target among the enemy leaders and decided to strike.

• Luo Hong reassured Han Li about the war and traded Demon Beast Essence Souls and a Spirit Tortoise Evasion Talisman for Han Li’s Great Evolution Technique.
• Luo Hong broke through to Foundation Establishment Mid-stage while Han Li continued taking his sentry shifts.
• Luo Hong studied the Great Sun Azure Demon Art, learned the Six Harmonies Divine Needles, and prepared for his journey to the Chaotic Star Sea.
• Demonic cultivators from the Demonic Flame Sect and Heavenly Fiend Sect attacked the Spirit Stone Mine, and Xuan Le and Lü Tianmeng organized its defenders.
• Luo Hong and Han Li held back against their opponents while the battle unfolded, and Luo Hong decided to target the young woman leading the Demonic Flame Sect forces.

Luo Hong and Han Li survived the Spirit Stone Mine disaster, killed Xuan Le and the Blood Jade Spider, and divided the cavern’s treasures. Luo Hong then ambushed the Demonic Cultivators guarding the mine, captured Lian Feihua, and escaped with her by teleportation.

• Luo Hong slipped into the mine tunnel ahead of Han Li, while the Red-clad Maiden collapsed it with an Earth Shaking Talisman and trapped the cultivators inside.
• Han Li confronted Xuan Le in the cavern, and Luo Hong emerged from hiding to kill Xuan Le with the Dark Green Seed.
• Luo Hong and Han Li worked together to slay the Blood Jade Spider, then divided the corpse, Storage Bags, Great Teleportation Token, and Five-Colored Skeleton.
• Luo Hong left Han Li in the cavern, then used the Invisible Needle Talisman Treasure underground to kill two Heavenly Fiend Sect guards and seven Furious Flame Cultivators.
• Luo Hong blasted Lian Feihua’s defenses with a Dan Zhu, subdued her with a Soul Suppressing Talisman, and fled underground as the Yellow-robed Old Man pursued.
• Luo Hong used a Four Symbols Teleportation Talisman to vanish with Lian Feihua.

Luo Hong brought the captured Lian Feihua to the Yue Kingdom Imperial City and sought the Xiao family grandfather and grandson to help locate Qian Mulan, a general in the Imperial Guard. After drawing Old Man Xiao and his grandson to his table, Luo Hong offered Spirit Wine to persuade them to assist.

• The Yellow-robed Old Man failed to find Luo Hong and Lian Feihua, retreated with the surviving demon cultivators, and the Demonic Flame Sect later retaliated against Yue Kingdom's spirit mines and medicine gardens.
• Luo Hong discovered the Yin-Yang Two Qi Pouch on Lian Feihua, placed restrictions on her, healed her, and took her to Mist Mountain.
• Luo Hong learned that Qian Mulan, the Qian Family patriarch he needed to unseal a jade slip, had been transferred to the Imperial City as a general.
• Luo Hong went to the Leisure Cloud Restaurant, where he planned to find the Xiao family grandfather and grandson and leave Lian Feihua somewhere safe.
• Old Man Xiao and his grandson arrived at the restaurant, and Luo Hong used Lian Feihua's aura to draw them upstairs.
• Old Man Xiao initially refused to help Luo Hong find Qian Mulan, but Luo Hong offered Spirit Wine as payment for the information.

Luo Hong gained Old Man Xiao’s help locating General Qian and set out for the City East Camp with Xiao Cui’er, who pressed him about Foundation Establishment and the immortal path. After entering the camp, Luo Hong used Earth Evasion Technique to head toward its central tents.

• Luo Hong persuaded Old Man Xiao to help find the Young Female General, while Xiao Cui’er asked him about Yellow Maple Valley and the cultivation world.
• Qian Mulan learned that her two nephews had vanished after a mysterious black wind struck on their way back from the Palace Tournament, and she went to investigate.
• Old Man Xiao told Luo Hong that General Qian was stationed at the City East Camp, and Xiao Cui’er gave him a Tiger-Head Waist Token and accompanied him to the camp.
• On the way, Luo Hong and Xiao Cui’er passed a Rogue Cultivator who stole a Ghostfire Stone earring from a shopkeeper’s wife, but they did not intervene.
• Luo Hong entered the military camp with Xiao Cui’er’s token, sent his mortal escort away, and used Earth Evasion Technique to head toward the central tents.

Luo Hong tracked Xiao Cui'er to a hideout of Black Fiend Cult-affiliated Rogue Cultivators, where he uncovered the Ghost Spirit Sect's operations and fought a masked spear-wielder who turned out to be Qian Mulan. He showed her the jade slip and arranged to meet her at the military camp that night with his wife so she could unseal it.

• Luo Hong found a hidden cold aura in Qian Mulan's command tent and withdrew, then discovered that Yue San had abducted Xiao Cui'er.
• Luo Hong followed Yue San to a Daoist temple, where he learned that the Demon Cultivators were investigating spirit mines and Medicine Gardens and watching Moon Concealing Sect cultivators.
• Luo Hong killed Yue San and his two companions, rescued Xiao Cui'er, and identified the Soul-Bewitching Banner as a Ghost Spirit Sect tool.
• A masked spear-wielder emerged from the temple's teleportation passage and fought Luo Hong until he recognized her as Qian Mulan.
• Luo Hong revealed the jade slip to Qian Mulan, who agreed to unseal it when he brought his wife to the military camp that night.
• Luo Hong collected the three Rogue Cultivators' Storage Bags and prepared to leave with Xiao Cui'er.

Luo Hong and Xiao Cui'er dealt with evidence of the Rogue Cultivators’ deaths while Qian Mulan uncovered the Black Fiend Cult’s blood-sacrifice scheme and sought allies to rescue her nephews. At the General’s Tent, Lian Feihua presented her jade slip to Qian Mulan, but Yu Ruoxi appeared and attacked Luo Hong after learning he had established Foundation and married.

• Luo Hong demonstrated how he had killed the three Rogue Cultivators, then had Xiao Cui'er burn their corpses in exchange for the Soul-Bewitching Banner.
• Qian Mulan found a Black Fiend Cult hideout but failed to locate her nephews, and she told the White Clad Woman that the cult used Rogue Cultivators in blood sacrifices.
• Qian Mulan and the White Clad Woman discussed the demonic path’s involvement, and Qian Mulan arranged to meet Luo Hong and Lian Feihua with covert support from the White Clad Woman.
• Lian Feihua obtained Old Man Xiao’s qi-concealment incantation from his Daoist book, then she and Luo Hong went to meet Qian Mulan about the jade slip.
• Yu Ruoxi emerged in the General’s Tent and attacked Luo Hong after hearing that he had established Foundation and taken a wife, and Luo Hong blocked her sword with the Spirit Swallowing Shield.

Luo Hong entered the Imperial Palace to investigate the Blood Pool and search for Qian Mulan’s missing nephews, while the Black Fiend Cult and Ghost Spirit Sect prepared sacrifices in the palace. The chapter ended with Luo Hong studying the formation guarding the Blood Pool’s hidden entrance.

• Qian Mulan unsealed her father’s jade slip after Luo Hong agreed to investigate her missing nephews, and Yu Ruoxi gave him a Purple Light Sensing Bead for emergencies.
• Yan Shouyi cultivated using the Blood Pool, while Wu Jiuzhi and Daoist Qingwen planned to use him as a future sacrifice.
• Luo Hong infiltrated the Imperial Palace, used a controlled guard to learn its layout, and sneaked past a Qi Refining guard.
• Luo Hong found a secret passage near the Blood Pool, sensed several cultivators inside, and began deducing the formation that guarded the entrance.