Chapter Summaries

Chu Mu attended a Foundation Establishment cultivators’ exchange fair at Skywind Pavilion, hoping to trade for items he needed. After surveying several offers, he presented an Azure Wolf Puppet and sought a complete First-to-Second Order Alchemy inheritance or high-grade spiritual materials; the fair’s response to his offer remained unknown.

• Chu Mu entered Skywind Pavilion’s Foundation Establishment-only exchange fair and took a seat among the arriving cultivators.
• The gray-robed Righteous Path Alliance guest official offered Alchemical Pills in exchange for aged Spirit Herbs or Second Order Alchemy knowledge, and cultivators traded until the pills were gone.
• Several cultivators presented items, including a Thousand Soul Banner and a Red Cloud Miasma Spirit Artifact, whose owner sought rare Heavenly Spirit Wood.
• Chu Mu watched the exchanges but held back when the offers did not tempt him.
• Chu Mu displayed his Second Order Low-Grade Azure Wolf Puppet and described its combat abilities and self-detonation function.
• Chu Mu offered the Azure Wolf Puppet in exchange for a complete First-to-Second Order Alchemy inheritance or Second Order High-Grade spiritual materials and above.

At an Exchange Fair, Chu Mu attracted attention by offering to customize a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Pill Furnace and agreed to trade his Azure Wolf Puppet to Ji Ming. Ji Ming later showed him a recipe for a Pill Furnace Magic Treasure embryo that could raise the chance of Core Formation by thirty percent, but Chu Mu refused to refine it with only one set of rare materials.

• Chu Mu told the Exchange Fair that he could customize a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Pill Furnace with an eighty percent success rate, and Ji Ming agreed to trade for the Azure Wolf Puppet.
• Zhu Zhang introduced himself to Chu Mu and explained that the Righteous Path Alliance offered Spirit Veins as rewards to Rogue Cultivators who earned enough contribution points.
• Zhu Zhang asked Chu Mu about making a shield from Hundred-Year Cold Iron, and Chu Mu described materials that could help produce a High-Grade Spirit Artifact.
• Ji Ming revealed that he was a first-rank guest minister of the Righteous Path Alliance and asked Chu Mu to swear secrecy before showing him a Pill Furnace recipe tied to the Azure Wood Cloud Pill Art.
• Chu Mu learned that the Pill Furnace could become a Lifebound Magic Treasure and raise the chance of Core Formation by thirty percent, but refused to refine it with only one set of materials.
• Chu Mu kept his agreement to trade the Azure Wolf Puppet to Ji Ming, then left the side hall after exchanging contact methods.

Chu Mu studied the Alchemy inheritance he had obtained from Ji Ming and decided to pursue the ingredients and equipment needed to refine Gong Palace Pills. After clarifying the favorable artifact-refining terms available to internal disciples, he accepted another mission from Xie Hui and asked him to keep gathering materials and rune Weapon Manuals.

• Chu Mu spent nearly ten days studying Ji Ming's Alchemy inheritance, then reviewed his Spirit Herbs and found he had only three of the ten ingredients required for the improved Gong Palace Pill formula.
• Chu Mu searched the Contribution Treasure Trove for the seven missing Spirit Herbs and discovered that his recent artifact-refining work had earned him more than six thousand Contribution Points.
• Chu Mu examined an artifact-refining mission's penalties and questioned whether Xie Hui received different terms as an internal disciple.
• Xie Hui explained that internal disciples bore only half the losses if their finished products reached at least half the materials received, and Chu Mu accepted the explanation.
• Chu Mu took another batch of materials and rune Weapon Manuals from Xie Hui, told him to keep collecting them, and arranged to meet him at Yuelai Inn in one month.

Chu Mu refined dozens of Dharma Artifacts and exchanged them for spirit materials, while considering his freedom as a Rogue Cultivator and the value of an ancient furnace formula. At the Contribution Hall, Xie Nan praised Chu Mu for easing the Alliance’s front-line supply crisis and revealed that other Artifact Refiners had been amazed by his work.

• Chu Mu realized his latest batch of materials contained fewer artifacts and no Spirit Artifacts, and reflected that his demonstrated skills could attract recruitment offers.
• Chu Mu recalled the Azure Jade Spirit Nurturing Furnace formula and regretted that refining it with Spiritual Radiance could have saved valuable materials.
• Chu Mu effortlessly refined dozens of Dharma Artifacts, drafted part of a pill furnace formula, and searched the Contribution Treasure Trove for the Gong Palace Pill’s missing herbs.
• Chu Mu received sound transmissions, then went to the Contribution Hall and exchanged items for 5,865 Contribution Points.
• Xie Nan introduced himself as an External Affairs Elder and explained that Chu Mu’s previous batch had relieved the Alliance’s strained front-line logistics, earning praise from fellow Artifact Refiners.

Chu Mu received preferential treatment from the Righteous Path Alliance but declined offers to become a Guest Elder or join the sect, then accepted a custom shield commission from Zhu Zhang. He decided to remain in Water Sky Market, judging that the ongoing Battle of Jingmen posed no immediate major danger there.

• Xie Nan gave Chu Mu a token granting benefits for Artifact Refiners and offered him contracts to become a second-grade Guest Elder or join the Righteous Path Alliance, but Chu Mu refused both because he wanted to remain unrestricted.
• Chu Mu returned to the inn and met Zhu Zhang, who asked him to make a custom High-Grade Spiritual Artifact shield using Frost Stone and Hundred-Year Cold Iron.
• Chu Mu examined Zhu Zhang's requirements, prepared an Artifact Refining formula, and projected the shield's appearance while explaining its design.
• Chu Mu agreed to charge Zhu Zhang one thousand contribution points and required extra main and auxiliary materials, which Zhu Zhang accepted before leaving with the formula.
• Chu Mu considered the resources and connections his Artifact Refining work could bring, then judged that Water Sky Market would remain relatively safe despite the Battle of Jingmen and chose to stay there.

After settling into a spacious Rank B residence in Water Sky Market, Chu Mu focused on cultivation, alchemy, and artifact refinement while building a modest reputation and network. He began tackling Xie Nan’s complex commission for a Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Dharma Robe with a Mana Storage effect, and started the refinement after six days of preparation.

• Chu Mu entered his Rank B residence, found a tranquil bamboo forest and Thatched Cottage within, and asked Xie Hui to collect refined Dharma Artifacts and search for two Spirit Herbs.
• Chu Mu set aside Foundation Establishment cultivation and focused on Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and saber-arts cultivation while his artifact-refining reputation grew.
• Chu Mu hosted Foundation Establishment cultivators at his residence, strengthening connections with Xie Nan, Xie Hui, Zhu Zhang, and other fellow cultivators.
• After the gathering, Chu Mu examined the materials Xie Nan had supplied for a Wood Attribute Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Dharma Robe that needed a Mana Storage effect.
• Chu Mu considered the difficulty of creating a storage site compatible with a cultivator’s unique Mana, then began refining the Dharma Robe after six days of preparation.

Chu Mu completed a custom Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Dharma Robe for Xie Nan and attended the Exchange Fair with him, where cultivators showed Chu Mu growing respect and goodwill. After the fair, Ji Ming’s concubine summoned Chu Mu to meet her master in the rear hall, leaving him unsure of the reason.

• Chu Mu finished refining a pale-green Dharma Robe and gathered his remaining spirit materials, enough to make another.
• Chu Mu worried that he still knew little about Bloodline transplantation and planned to seek knowledge while using two giant wolves as experimental subjects.
• Chu Mu delivered the Dharma Robe to Xie Nan at the Contribution Hall, and Xie Nan praised Chu Mu’s Artifact Refining skill.
• Chu Mu accompanied Xie Nan to Skywind Pavilion’s Exchange Fair, where cultivators greeted and complimented him and a damaged Second Order High Grade City Protection Array drew attention.
• After the Exchange Fair, Ji Ming’s concubine asked Chu Mu to meet Ji Ming in the rear hall, and Chu Mu agreed.

Chu Mu met Ji Ming, who offered a bloodline-transplantation manual in exchange for refining a precious pill-furnace Magic Treasure prototype. While preparing for the task, Chu Mu unlocked the Golden Core chapter of the Great Sun True Scripture and considered joining it with his Divine Soul Blade, then began the difficult refinement.

• Ji Ming asked Chu Mu to refine his Lifebound Magic Treasure prototype and offered a secret manual on Demon Beast bloodlines as payment, with a deeper alchemy inheritance if the refinement succeeded.
• Chu Mu admitted he had around a seventy percent chance of success, accepted three months to study the task, and entered Ji Ming's Artifact Refining room.
• Chu Mu spent more than half a month analyzing the pill furnace's formula and the rare spirit materials required to make it.
• Chu Mu broke through the barrier to the Golden Core chapter of the Great Sun True Scripture and learned of its Great Sun Golden Wheel Lifebound Magic Treasure.
• Chu Mu considered fusing the Divine Soul Blade with the Great Sun True Scripture, but set the idea aside because its required spirit materials were beyond his reach.
• Chu Mu studied the pill-furnace materials and formula until the Earth Fire Platform finally ignited in the latter half of the second month.

Chu Mu completed a Magic Treasure Prototype pill furnace for Ji Ming and received an Alchemy Manual and a Bloodline Explanation in return. After learning more about Bloodline Cultivation and catching up on his commissions and messages, he began studying the inheritance with Wangcai’s stalled cultivation in mind.

• Chu Mu finished refining his Lifebound Magic Treasure prototype pill furnace after realizing it needed to preserve its materials’ potential for future growth.
• Ji Ming received the pill furnace and paid Chu Mu with an Alchemy Manual and a Bloodline Explanation, advising him to seek knowledge of Bloodline Cultivation in the south.
• Ji Ming explained that the Hanhai Chen Family excelled at Bloodline Cultivation and that Gu Insect techniques in the southwest might share similarities with it.
• Chu Mu visited Xie Hui’s shop, collected spiritual materials and accumulated commissions, and read messages including Xu Yuan’s reports from the front lines.
• Chu Mu completed his outstanding artifact-refining commissions and turned his attention to the Bloodline Explanation, thinking of Wangcai’s long-stalled progress.

Chu Mu tested bloodline transplantation on a giant wolf before using the Adamantine Wolf Bloodline to transform Wangcai in a dangerous ritual. Three days later, Wangcai remained asleep, but Chu Mu sensed a powerful fluctuation and realized it might be breaking through.

• Chu Mu successfully transplanted a low-grade bloodline into a giant wolf and observed its physical and instinctive changes for over a month.
• Worried about how a stronger bloodline might affect Wangcai, Chu Mu decided to give it the chance to transform and killed the experimental giant wolf.
• Chu Mu prepared a Bloodline Transplant Array and began using the Adamantine Wolf Bloodline to transform Wangcai, while the wolf endured intense pain and erosion.
• Wangcai survived the transformation and emerged with metallic fur, hard claws, and powerful energy surging within its body.
• On the third day of Wangcai's recovery, Chu Mu sensed a powerful fluctuation and suspected that it was breaking through.

Wangcai began a long breakthrough and bloodline metamorphosis while Chu Mu learned that Xu Yuan might be near death after a front-line camp fell. After hearing the news, Chu Mu rushed toward the front-line main camp to find out what had happened.

• Chu Mu flooded the courtyard with spiritual energy as Wangcai abruptly began breaking through and transforming after its bloodline transplant.
• After several days passed safely, Chu Mu learned that the Spirit Herbs he needed could be exchanged for at the front-line Contribution Hall and waited for Xu Yuan’s reply.
• Xia Yu arrived with Xu Yuan’s Life Soul Lamp, whose flame was nearly extinguished, and begged Chu Mu to save him.
• Xie Nan told Chu Mu that a camp behind the front-line main camp had fallen to a surprise attack by the Longevity Sect and that Xu Yuan had been working there.
• Chu Mu considered his combat resources and rushed toward the front-line main camp in the direction of Jingmen.

Chu Mu traveled to the Frontline Base and reviewed surveillance footage of the attack on A-3 Spirit Field Camp, where he recognized Zhao Hong among the attackers. Determined to kill Zhao Hong and eliminate his family, Chu Mu asked Xie Ming to find Zhao Hong and recruit cultivators with High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts as payment.

• Xie Ming and Xie Xin escorted Chu Mu into the Frontline Base after recognizing him as the renowned Artifact Refining master.
• Xie Ming arranged for Chu Mu to view the surviving surveillance recording from A-3 Spirit Field Camp.
• The recording showed Li Gui and Longevity Sect cultivators attacking the camp, and Chu Mu recognized Zhao Hong among those besieging Elder Niu.
• Chu Mu concealed his anger, then asked Xie Ming to locate Zhao Hong and gather cultivators for a promised High-Grade Spiritual Artifact each.
• Chu Mu left calmly, determined to kill Zhao Hong and eradicate his family at the root.

Zhao Hong captured Xu Yuan and planned to use him as bait to lure Chu Mu into a trap at Huiming Valley. Chu Mu learned of the scheme, assembled eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators, and led them toward the outpost to rescue his friend and kill Zhao Hong.

• Zhao Hong told several cultivators that Xu Yuan was Chu Mu's brother and offered them Contribution Points and the spoils to help set a trap for Chu Mu.
• Xie Ming reported that eighteen Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered secretly and confirmed Zhao Hong was at the Longevity Sect outpost in Huiming Valley.
• Chu Mu promised the cultivators Spirit Artifact rewards, showed them the outpost's location, and asked them to protect his friend while annihilating Zhao Hong's allies.
• Chu Mu and the eighteen cultivators left Jingmen City for Huiming Valley, prompting rumors of a major operation to spread through the city.
• Zhao Hong tortured Xu Yuan and boasted that he had released news to lure Chu Mu into an ambush by eight Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Chu Mu arrived at the Longevity Sect outpost with nineteen Foundation Establishment allies and four Azure Wolf Puppets, overwhelming Zhao Hong’s forces and rescuing the badly injured Xu Yuan. After defeating and crippling Zhao Hong, Chu Mu extracted his Divine Soul and searched his memories before the outpost fell into ruin.

• Nineteen Foundation Establishment cultivators and four Azure Wolf Puppets broke the outpost’s formation and attacked the Longevity Sect forces.
• Chu Mu descended into the camp and found Xu Yuan alive, while Zhao Hong tried to strike the injured man.
• Chu Mu and the encircling attackers forced Zhao Hong to retreat, allowing Chu Mu to pull Xu Yuan to safety.
• Chu Mu helped overwhelm Zhao Hong, crippled his cultivation, bound him, and extracted his Divine Soul.
• Chu Mu searched Zhao Hong’s memories and learned that Zhao Hong had organized the assault to lure him out and kill him.
• The allied forces destroyed the outpost, and its Foundation Establishment defenders fell amid the fighting.

After helping destroy the Longevity Sect's Outpost Camp, Chu Mu dealt with the aftermath and considered how the Righteous Path Alliance's Spirit Vein policy drew Rogue Cultivators into the war. At a stall in Jingmen City, he recognized the face of an injured middle-aged man as strangely familiar.

• Chu Mu and the Foundation Establishment Cultivators left the ruined Outpost Camp, while the attack's news spread through Jingmen City and the sects.
• Longevity Sect reinforcements examined the camp's surveillance recordings and learned that Zhao Hong's revenge plot had led to the deaths of eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including Zhao Hong himself.
• Chu Mu gave Xu Yuan a Sound Transmission Token, promised to seek a way to treat his Divine Soul injuries, and went to the Contribution Hall to exchange materials.
• Chu Mu reflected on how the Righteous Path Alliance's Spirit Vein Exchange Edict attracted Rogue Cultivators and bound them to the alliance.
• After completing his exchange, Chu Mu browsed the stalls outside the Contribution Hall and recognized the face of an injured middle-aged man.

Chu Mu recognized Old Li’s former partner and learned that Old Li had left for his hometown in Changzhou after parting ways with him. As Chu Mu’s reputation spread through Jingmen City, he prepared to fulfill his remaining obligations and deal with any threats that might arise again.

• Chu Mu recognized the stallholder as the man he had seen beside Old Li in Nanshan Town and asked him about Old Li.
• The man said he had parted ways with Old Li after they sold stolen mine materials, and that Old Li planned to return to his hometown in Changzhou.
• Chu Mu gave the man several bottles of pills and warned him to keep their conversation secret.
• After Chu Mu left, a nearby stall owner told the man that Chu Mu had slain eight Longevity Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators, and news of Chu Mu spread through Jingmen City and the front lines.
• Chu Mu considered his front-line mission nearly complete but resolved to eliminate the possibility of further trouble by striking back himself.

After months in Jingmen City, Chu Mu completed a crimson Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact pill furnace and began refining Gong Palace Pills while considering Xu Yuan’s prospects for cultivation through bloodline techniques. He measured the pills’ benefits against his slow progress and turned back to the last two payments he owed.

• Chu Mu finished refining a crimson Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact pill furnace as Xu Yuan emerged fully healed.
• Chu Mu gave Xu Yuan the Longevity Turtle Spirit Art and an Azure Wolf Puppet, then sent him to Water Sky Market to watch over Wangcai.
• Chu Mu used the new furnace to refine eight Gong Palace Pills, including two with One Pill Pattern.
• Chu Mu swallowed a Gong Palace Pill and found it advanced his Great Sun True Scripture by about fifty points, roughly a year of painstaking cultivation.
• Chu Mu reviewed his Light Screen Panel and reflected on how cultivation aptitude separated ordinary cultivators from those with Heaven Heavenly Spiritual Roots.
• Chu Mu checked his outstanding obligations and found that only a puppet and a Dharma Robe remained to be delivered.

Chu Mu demonstrated his Cloud Mist Ranger puppet to Xie Ming, then agreed to join the Righteous Path Alliance’s Weapon Hall as a hired artifact refiner. Xie Cangfeng showed him the Weapon Hall’s large-scale workshops and explained that the Hall Master, a Golden Core True Person, had praised his talent.

• Chu Mu showed Xie Ming and his brother how the Cloud Mist Ranger changed between mist and solid forms, and Xie Ming warned him that the Longevity Sect had raised the bounty on him to thirty thousand Contribution Points.
• Xie Ming asked Chu Mu to help the Righteous Path Alliance’s Weapon Hall, and Chu Mu agreed after weighing the favor he owed against the risks of serving on the Jingmen Front.
• Xie Ming introduced Chu Mu to Xie Cangfeng, the Weapon Hall’s Vice Hall Master, and Chu Mu signed a contract for hired cooperation.
• Xie Cangfeng showed Chu Mu the Weapon Hall’s busy workshop, where groups of specialized Artifact Refiners worked together on war implements and puppetry devices.
• Xie Cangfeng told Chu Mu that the Hall Master had praised his talent, making Chu Mu uneasy about attracting the attention of a Golden Core True Person.

A month after joining the Righteous Path Alliance’s Weapon Hall, Chu Mu traveled to Outpost Camp Number Twelve to help rebuild it after a Longevity Sect attack. As construction began, he took charge of the artifact-refining work and noticed the talent of his attendant, Xie Ning.

• Chu Mu and an Alliance team arrived at the ruined Outpost Camp Number Twelve, where he was assigned to handle its Artifact Refining.
• Xie Ning gave Chu Mu the camp’s Array Restriction layout, and he reviewed it as the Flying Boat descended.
• Chu Mu greeted Xu Chao and met the camp’s other Foundation Establishment cultivators, including members of the Xie Family and Rogue Cultivators.
• The cultivators began clearing the wreckage and rebuilding the camp’s walls, arrays, monitoring systems, and defenses.
• Chu Mu oversaw the work of thirty-eight Artifact Refiners, most of whom had limited skills, and recognized Xie Ning’s exceptional talent and Earthly Spiritual Root aptitude.

Chu Mu helped restore the Outpost Camp, refined Gong Palace Pills, and traded for materials while deciding to search for Old Li once his work was done. After discussing modifications to Sun Donghong’s Puppet Battle Armor, Chu Mu realized he had enough materials to begin refining his Second Order mid-stage Ranger Puppet.

• Chu Mu guided Xie Ning in properly installing the Earth Fire Cannon and continued helping repair the Outpost Camp over the following days.
• Chu Mu refined six furnaces of Gong Palace Pills, producing thirteen pill-patterned pills, including two with Two Pill Patterns, and reflected on stabilizing his cultivation and removing Alchemical Poison.
• Chu Mu decided to search for Old Li in Changzhou after finishing his current obligations, while Xu Yuan’s messages reported that Wangcai’s transformation was still ongoing.
• Sun Donghong traded Chu Mu a Spirit Herb, a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Divine Soul, and Second Order Spirit Materials for three thousand Contribution Points, then asked him to modify his Puppet Battle Armor.
• Chu Mu agreed to add a restraint-type ranged attack if Sun Donghong found a thorny Second Order Wood Attribute Spirit Material, then noticed he had enough materials to refine a Second Order mid-stage Ranger Puppet.