Chapter Summaries

Lan Chang'an examined contract options, then signed a lenient spirit contract with the Five Blessings Merchant Association using a disguised magic-power imprint. As the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s ship neared Jing Kingdom, a Demonic Cult force led by Xiang Jinglong and a Black Wind Savage Bull attacked another ship, then surrounded theirs and began searching it for suspicious Liang Kingdom cultivators.

• Fang Zhong failed Young Master Wang’s guard selection, joined the New Moon Merchant Association, and showed Lan Chang'an his binding spirit contract.
• Lan Chang'an verified his alchemy skills for Young Master Xia and signed a twenty-year contract with the Five Blessings Merchant Association, disguising his imprint with the Hundred Illusion Mask.
• Fang Zhong told Lan Chang'an that the Five Blessings Merchant Association was struggling, while Young Master Wang reassured Miss Wei that the Demonic Cult posed no threat.
• A Black Wind Savage Bull and Demonic Cult cultivators led by Xiang Jinglong destroyed another merchant ship and killed a wounded False Core cultivator from Blazing Fire Palace.
• Xiang Jinglong and another Demonic Cult False Core boarded the Jiuchen Merchant Association’s ship, opened its formation, and began searching every room for suspicious Liang Kingdom cultivators.

Lan Chang'an survived the demonic sect’s inspection of the Spirit Ship and watched its leaders pursue Young Master Wang, while the Hunchbacked Elder tried to buy him time. After reaching Jing Kingdom, Lan Chang'an obtained a Merchant Alliance identity token and chose to join the Five Blessings Merchant Association for the time being.

• Lan Chang'an paid three thousand Spirit Stones to pass the demonic sect’s inspection, while concealing his valuables and presenting himself as Wu Fan, a Rogue Cultivator.
• The demonic sect searched the Spirit Ship and took Miss Wei and several skilled Liang Kingdom cultivators as suspicious targets; Fang Zhong paid his ransom after Xiang Jinglong learned he was a wanted sect traitor.
• Xiang Jinglong’s group attacked Young Master Wang’s room, but Young Master Wang escaped with a Lesser Teleportation Talisman while the Hunchbacked Elder fought the Black Wind Savage Bull and fled toward Liang Kingdom.
• The Spirit Ship crossed a natural danger zone and reached Lonely Sun Immortal City, where Xia Mingqu helped Lan Chang'an pass the identity inspection and obtain a Merchant Alliance token.
• Lan Chang'an decided to honor his contract for now and join the Five Blessings Merchant Association as an Alchemist so he could cultivate in Jing Kingdom.

Lan Chang'an arrived at the Xia Clan grounds under the alias Wu Fan and secured Autumn Wind Island as his cultivation residence while agreeing to serve as an alchemist. After settling in and concealing his defenses, he began planning how to establish himself in Jing Kingdom and pursue his longer-term goals.

• Lan Chang'an traveled with Xia Mingqu to the Xia Clan grounds, where Xia Hongyu probed his claimed background and accepted him as a contracted Second-Order Alchemist.
• Lan Chang'an chose secluded Autumn Wind Island over a more spiritually rich site, and Xia Mingqu explained that Xia Wenyue had been allowed to stay there after her mother’s death.
• Lan Chang'an declined Xia Mingqu’s request to keep Xia Wenyue as his steward, and she reluctantly left the island after gathering her belongings.
• Lan Chang'an transferred and concealed his formation on Autumn Wind Island, settled his Mystic Water Turtle and Earth Rock Rat, and considered his plans for Jing Kingdom and the war in Liang Kingdom.
• After a peaceful first month, Lan Chang'an received the Xia Clan’s first batch of alchemy materials to begin refining ordinary Second-Order pills.

After three years serving the Xia Clan as an alchemist, Lan Chang'an reviewed intelligence that eased his worries about his past and the Ancient Ruins. He decided to leave Autumn Wind Island to plan for the Earth Rock Rat’s Golden Core advancement.

• Lan Chang'an refined three Heart-Calming Pills and reflected on how his alchemy had improved through regular practice for the Xia Clan.
• Xia Wenyue delivered intelligence from the Merchant Alliance, and Lan Chang'an found no sign that the Ancient Ruins’ secret or the Turtle Talisman Master had drawn wider attention.
• Lan Chang'an visited the hidden chamber beneath the deep pool and inspected the Mystic Wood Gourd Vine, which remained alive but showed no obvious growth.
• Lan Chang'an stored the gourd vine and decided to go out to plan for the Earth Rock Rat’s advancement, reasoning that three years had earned him the Xia Clan’s initial trust.
• The next morning, Lan Chang'an visited Xia Mingqu and stated his purpose.

Lan Chang'an traveled to Yunyan Immortal City after learning that its upcoming auction would feature a premium Longevity Pill, hoping to explore other cultivation resources as well. He hired local guides and recognized an injured young cultivator, Wang Feng, as someone familiar from his past.

• Lan Chang'an told Xia Mingqu that he planned to seek a Mystic Crow Pill or its main ingredient, and Xia Mingqu gave him a map of the Jing Kingdom Cultivation World.
• Lan Chang'an changed his destination to Yunyan Immortal City after hearing that an auction there would sell a premium Longevity Pill.
• Lan Chang'an entered Yunyan Immortal City and rented a private courtyard at Seek Immortal Mansion while considering purchases of Longevity Pills and Puppet materials.
• Lan Chang'an arranged for a local guide and discovered that Wang Feng had severe lingering injuries, an Earth Spiritual Root, and an aura he recognized.
• Lan Chang'an chose Wang Feng to accompany him around the immortal city.

Lan Chang'an explored Yunyan Immortal City with Wang Feng, gathered information and puppet materials, then approached the Snow Fox Merchant Association under a false identity to trade a lightning-attribute demon core. He left the merchant association’s elder convinced he was a Pseudo-Core True Person, awaiting the arrival of the station’s senior cultivator.

• Lan Chang'an recognized Wang Feng as the disguised Young Master Wang from the Spirit Ship and inferred that Wang Feng had been injured and was seeking contact with trustworthy Liang Kingdom cultivators.
• Lan Chang'an used Wang Feng as a guide to survey Yunyan Immortal City, buy Quasi-Third-Order puppet materials, and learn about the upcoming auction and its water-attribute demon core.
• Lan Chang'an learned that the Snow Fox Merchant Association dealt in demon beast materials and had an aged True Core Old Ancestor, then decided it could be a trading partner for his demon core.
• Lan Chang'an changed identities, visited the Snow Fox Merchant Association without Wang Feng, and showed Gao Songbai a lightning-attribute Third-Order demon core.
• Lan Chang'an revealed Pseudo-Core-level spiritual pressure, causing Gao Songbai to abandon his suspicions and summon the True Person overseeing the merchant association's station.

Disguised as the Pseudo-Core True Person Xiang, Lan Chang'an negotiated with True Person Hanyu to trade a rare third-order demon core for a Baleful Origin Pill, then attended Yunyan Immortal City's auction. He won a Premium Longevity Pill and returned to the inn, refusing the approaches of several interested forces.

• Lan Chang'an met True Person Hanyu and negotiated a deal: his third-order lightning-attribute demon core for one Baleful Origin Pill, with a High-Grade Magic Item left as a deposit.
• Lan Chang'an secretly observed the Snow Fox Merchant Association and confirmed that True Person Hanyu was arranging to obtain the pill.
• Lan Chang'an attended Yunyan Immortal City's auction as a VIP and learned that the Xia Clan's Xia Mingqu and Xia Yongzhong were also bidding on a Premium Longevity Pill.
• Lan Chang'an outbid Xia Mingqu and other competitors, winning the Second-Order Premium Longevity Pill for eight thousand Spirit Stones.
• Lan Chang'an returned to the Seek Immortal Mansion inn and refused visits from interested factions, including Xia Yongzhong and Xia Mingqu.

Lan Chang'an gained twenty-eight years of life from a Premium Longevity Pill, traded a demon core for a Baleful Origin Pill, and planned to help the Earth Rock Rat form its core. On his return to the Xia Clan, he intervened when two cultivators pursued Xia Shenglan, only to face Fang Zhong, who demanded that he stand aside.

• Lan Chang'an took a Premium Longevity Pill and extended his lifespan by twenty-eight years, bringing it to 497 years.
• Lan Chang'an traded a third-order lightning-attribute demon core to the Snow Fox Merchant Association for a Baleful Origin Pill, and learned of a special formation site for demonic beasts attempting core formation.
• Lan Chang'an decided to help the Earth Rock Rat form its core and gave Wang Feng Spirit Stones and a prescription to treat his cultivation injuries before leaving Yunyan Immortal City.
• Near Qingsha Bay, Lan Chang'an spotted two gray-robed cultivators chasing the injured Xia Shenglan and shielded her with a silver-shield magic item.
• Fang Zhong revealed himself and ordered Lan Chang'an to stand aside, threatening to spare his life only if he did so.

Lan Chang'an rescued Xia Shenglan from Fang Zhong, earned the Xia Clan’s favor, and prepared the Earth Rock Rat for core formation. After the rat revealed a Mysterious Yellow Crystal, it hinted that Lan Chang'an already possessed another suitable spiritual object, leaving him to realize what he had overlooked.

• Lan Chang'an deflected Fang Zhong’s Black Spear, causing it to kill Fang Zhong’s lean companion, then drove Fang Zhong off while protecting Xia Shenglan.
• Lan Chang'an treated Xia Shenglan, and Xia Yongzhong promised the Xia Clan would repay him for saving her.
• Lan Chang'an chose the Xia Clan’s Quasi-Third-Order Spiritual Vein as a likely core-condensation site for the Earth Rock Rat, but worried he could not find it a superior Golden Core spiritual object.
• Xia Shenglan visited Lan Chang'an and grew closer to him, then told Xia Wenyue that her marriage to Xin Zhijing was only an alliance between their families.
• The Earth Rock Rat emerged from seclusion ready for core formation, and Lan Chang'an gave it its formation items.
• The Earth Rock Rat revealed a Mysterious Yellow Crystal and gestured that Lan Chang'an had another suitable spiritual object, prompting him to realize he had overlooked one.

Lan Chang'an prepared the Earth Rock Rat to form a Golden Core at a remote demonized spiritual vein, using Five Elements Soil and the Snow Fox Merchant Association’s cultivation hall. As the Earth Rock Rat began condensing its core, Lan Chang'an considered the approaching opening of the Azure Underworld Secret Realm.

• Zhang Tieshan killed a Feng Kingdom True Core cultivator with help from his Spirit Treasure Fragment and planned to reform his core using Five Elements Soil.
• Lan Chang'an gave the Earth Rock Rat Five Elements Soil from the Mystic Wood Gourd Vine’s planter and decided to seek a secluded Golden Core formation site through the Snow Fox Merchant Association.
• Lan Chang'an refined a Quasi-Third-Order Heavy Armor Puppet, then left Autumn Wind Island with the Earth Rock Rat, Mystic Water Turtle, and Mystic Wood Gourd Vine.
• Lan Chang'an met True Person Hanyu at the Steel Fortress and obtained access to a special cultivation hall jointly controlled by the Snow Fox Merchant Association and the Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association.
• Lan Chang'an reinforced the cultivation hall’s protections, and the Earth Rock Rat began condensing its core as Lan Chang'an thought of the Azure Underworld Secret Realm opening again after fifty years.

Lan Chang'an’s Earth Rock Rat completed its breakthrough and formed an upper-tier True Core while a Third-Order bear demon approached the valley. True Person Huxiao tried to sabotage the breakthrough, but Lan Chang'an killed him, and the chapter ended with the Earth Rock Rat advancing into a powerful great demon.

• True Person Huxiao and True Person Hanyu watched the Earth Rock Rat’s core-formation phenomenon grow, and both realized it might form a True Core.
• Lan Chang'an used Five Elements Soil and Mysterious Yellow Crystal to help the Earth Rock Rat stabilize and raise the quality of its embryonic core toward the upper tier.
• A mid-Third-Order bear demon approached the valley as the core-formation phenomenon weakened the Third-Order grand array, and True Person Huxiao moved to strengthen it while secretly planning to disrupt the breakthrough.
• Lan Chang'an trapped True Person Huxiao in an illusion and killed him before he could sabotage the Earth Rock Rat’s formation.
• The bear demon remained outside the valley while the Earth Rock Rat completed its breakthrough and formed an upper-tier True Core, advancing into a Third-Order great demon.

The Earth Rock Rat advanced to Third-Order with a Half-Step Golden Core, while Lan Chang'an protected its breakthrough and confronted the merchant associations over True Person Huxiao's death. The Ten Thousand Beasts Merchant Association's old ancestor left with Huxiao's stripped belongings, still hoping to recruit Lan Chang'an.

• A Third-Order bear demon approached the valley to befriend the Earth Rock Rat, and True Person Hanyu congratulated Lan Chang'an on its breakthrough.
• Lan Chang'an searched True Person Huxiao's Storage Bag and recalled how he had used True Person Hanyu's distraction and a Treasure Talisman to kill him.
• Lan Chang'an examined the Earth Rock Rat's demon core and discovered its upper-tier True Core bore Golden Core Dao rhythm, making it a Half-Step Golden Core.
• True Person Guangjun and True Person Yellow Wolf arrived, and Lan Chang'an rejected Yellow Wolf's demand to investigate him while two great demons threatened the latter.
• Lan Chang'an returned Huxiao's Storage Bag and Spirit Pet Bag after removing their valuables, and True Person Yellow Wolf left Steel Fortress with his people.
• After leaving, True Person Yellow Wolf concluded Lan Chang'an was not truly allied with the Snow Fox Merchant Association and resolved to keep trying to recruit him.

After hiding the Earth Rock Rat’s successful core formation and settling into the Xia Clan, Lan Chang'an refused Xia Shenglan’s proposed marriage alliance and advanced openly to late-stage Foundation Establishment. As he left to gather supplies, Fang Zhong confronted him, claiming the New Moon Merchant Association had verified his identity as Lu.

• Lan Chang'an left the Snow Fox Merchant Association and took the Earth Rock Rat to meet a third-rank bear demon, which failed to recruit it.
• Lan Chang'an concealed the Earth Rock Rat’s core quality, returned to Autumn Wind Island, and spent nearly a year keeping the beast hidden while learning its strengthened abilities.
• Xia Yongzhong offered Lan Chang'an Xia Shenglan’s hand in marriage and a Foundation Establishment late stage Breakthrough Pill, but Lan Chang'an refused and revealed that he already had one.
• Lan Chang'an later revealed his late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and left Qingsha Bay to buy pills and materials.
• Fang Zhong confronted Lan Chang'an and said the New Moon Merchant Association had confirmed that he was Daoist Lu.

Lan Chang'an concealed his identity as he negotiated with rival merchant associations, extended his lifespan beyond five hundred years, and began refining Foundation Establishment Pills. The chapter ended with Xia Mingqu asking whether Alchemist Wu Fan knew a highly skilled Talisman Master who could help the Five Blessings Merchant Association.

• Fang Zhong revealed that he knew Lan Chang'an's true identity and tried to recruit him for the New Moon Merchant Association, but Lan Chang'an refused to leave Qingsha Bay.
• Lan Chang'an visited True Person Hanyu and spent ten days at her residence while the Snow Fox Merchant Association gathered Third-Order Beast Pills and Foundation Establishment Pill materials for him.
• Lan Chang'an bought a Second-Order Longevity Pill at auction, returned to Autumn Wind Island, and raised his lifespan to 502 years by swallowing it.
• Lan Chang'an used one set of materials to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill, producing two inferior pills and one ruined pill.
• Xia Mingqu told Lan Chang'an that war and fleeing cultivators had made trade routes dangerous, then asked whether Alchemist Wu Fan knew a skilled Talisman Master.

Lan Chang'an revealed his identity to the Xia Clan and became an offering, then discovered that Xia Wenyue’s recurring illness might stem from the rare Cold Soul Jade Marrow constitution. He left her unconscious but stable, having begun to investigate the dangerous secret behind her condition.

• Lan Chang'an met Xia Mingqu as himself, revealed his Mystic Water Turtle, and was recognized by Xia Shenglan as Wu Fan, the man who had saved her.
• Xia Hongyu burned Lan Chang'an’s spirit contract and appointed him a Xia Clan offering, granting him better provisions and promising to improve Autumn Wind Island’s Spiritual Vein.
• Lan Chang'an returned to his manor and noticed Xia Wenyue’s frail condition, but held back from examining her because she had previously refused his help.
• Two and a half years later, Xia Mingcheng reported that Xia Wenyue had fainted and remained unconscious, so Lan Chang'an examined her in the medicine room.
• Lan Chang'an used Evergreen Mana to ease Xia Wenyue’s accumulated cold energy, then sensed a separate chill in her bones and divine soul and suspected she possessed the rare Cold Soul Jade Marrow constitution.

Lan Chang'an discovered that Xia Wenyue likely possessed the Cold Soul Jade Marrow Innate Dao Body and agreed to treat her recurring illness while carefully withholding a cure at its root. After refining his first genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, he received a letter from Liang Kingdom, which was snatched by a small creature before Xia Wenyue could deliver it.

• Lan Chang'an inferred that Xia Wenyue's pale appearance, jade-like bones, and resistance to aging indicated the Cold Soul Jade Marrow constitution, then expelled her accumulated yin-cold energy.
• Over the following months, Xia Wenyue's illness returned and worsened, so she asked Lan Chang'an to cure her and offered to serve him in exchange.
• Lan Chang'an agreed to treat Xia Wenyue every two months but chose to ease her symptoms without curing the underlying illness while he observed her and the people around her.
• Lan Chang'an nurtured dozens of Treasure Talismans, then refined one genuine and one inferior Foundation Establishment Pill.
• While drinking with Lan Chang'an, Xia Wenyue asked what he might eventually take from her; his teasing remarks led her to offer to help him bathe, and he sent her away.
• A messenger delivered a letter from Liang Kingdom, but a small creature snatched it from Xia Wenyue and brought it to Lan Chang'an.

Lan Chang'an received a letter from Li Congren sharing news of his friends and family in Liang Kingdom, then replied that he would return someday. As he prepared to leave Qingsha Bay to buy medicine and research Xia Wenyue's condition, Yu Qin arrived seeking treatment and later accused him of misconduct, while he remained suspicious of her motives.

• Lan Chang'an read Li Congren's letter and learned that Li Erqing, Zhao Siyao, and the Mu Family were still alive despite the war, then sent Li Erqing an encouraging reply.
• Xia Hongyu left Qingsha Bay to oversee the Five Blessings Merchant Association's headquarters, and Lan Chang'an noted the merchant association's internal and external troubles.
• After Xia Wenyue reached Qi Refining Eighth Layer, Lan Chang'an planned an outing to buy Third-Order Beast Pills, sell inferior Foundation Establishment Pills, and research her Cold Soul Jade Marrow Innate Dao Body.
• Yu Qin asked Lan Chang'an for a prescription for uterine cold, and he detected a hidden ailment but found no clear reason for her visit.
• Yu Qin told Xia Mingqu that Lan Chang'an had taken advantage of her during the examination, and Xia Mingqu questioned her accusation before accepting her explanation.
• Lan Chang'an visited Xia Mingqu to give him a veiled warning, but found him and Yu Qin together and left without saying anything more.

Lan Chang'an learned the full potential of Xia Wenyue's Cold Soul Jade Marrow Dao Body and decided to take a long-term approach to protecting her future value. He also agreed to secretly guard a Snow Fox Merchant Association caravan before returning to Autumn Wind Island and asking the Earth Rock Rat about Yu Qin.

• Lan Chang'an bought a record of innate dao bodies and learned that Xia Wenyue's Cold Soul Jade Marrow could yield a resource that slightly increased the chance of reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, provided she reached mid-to-late Golden Core and willingly cooperated.
• Lan Chang'an sold two inferior Foundation Establishment Pills, bought puppet materials and Third-Order Beast Pills, and learned that True Person Hanyu was away from Yunyan Immortal City.
• True Person Hanyu returned and asked Lan Chang'an to secretly protect the Snow Fox Merchant Association's caravan traveling to Taifeng City; Lan Chang'an agreed to use the Earth Rock Rat and received a promise of three years' worth of beast pills.
• Lan Chang'an later collected several years' worth of Third-Order Beast Pills and returned to Autumn Wind Island.
• Lan Chang'an gave the Earth Rock Rat beast pills and asked whether anything unusual had happened with Yu Qin while he was away.

Lan Chang'an warned Xia Shenglan that Yu Qin might be plotting against the Xia Clan, and Xia Mingqu learned of the suspicion but proceeded with his breakthrough. Yu Qin poisoned Xia Mingqu and attacked him and Xia Shenglan, then fled, believing Lan Chang'an would not intervene in time.

• Lan Chang'an questioned the Earth Rock Rat about Yu Qin and learned she had prepared suspicious medicines but had not approached Xia Wenyue.
• Lan Chang'an met Xia Shenglan and warned her that Yu Qin might threaten the Xia Clan; Xia Shenglan passed the warning to Xia Mingqu, who revealed Yu Qin had accused Lan Chang'an of molesting her.
• Lan Chang'an learned that Xia Mingqu did not fully trust Yu Qin, then later visited Xia Shenglan and continued monitoring Yu Qin's contact with Xia Wenyue.
• Yu Qin poisoned Xia Mingqu during his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment Late Stage, causing his breakthrough to fail and leaving him and Xia Shenglan injured.
• Yu Qin confessed that her mixed medicine had triggered Xia Mingqu's Heart Barrier, threw a black bead into the Secret Chamber, and fled through the poisonous smoke while blaming Lan Chang'an for helping her obtain the herbs.

Yu Qin escaped the Xia Clan after sabotaging Xia Mingqu’s breakthrough, but Lan Chang'an’s Earth Rock Rat killed her and then ambushed Kou Sen, the New Moon Merchant Association vice chairman sent to meet her. Lan Chang'an learned of the killings from the Storage Bags and warned the Earth Rock Rat to destroy suspicious evidence in the future.

• Yu Qin used powerful talismans to flee the Xia Clan, while Xia Mingqu and Xia Shenglan pursued her and revealed that his apparent failed breakthrough had been a ruse to expose her poison plot.
• Yu Qin broke through the Clan Protection Array with a Quasi-Third-Order Restriction-Breaking Talisman and escaped before Lan Chang'an arrived.
• The Earth Rock Rat ambushed Yu Qin in the forest, devoured her, and erased the traces of her death.
• Kou Sen searched for Yu Qin, but the Earth Rock Rat attacked and killed him, then took his Storage Bag and some of his spoils.
• Lan Chang'an examined the Storage Bags, identified Kou Sen as the New Moon Merchant Association vice chairman, and advised the Earth Rock Rat to destroy suspicious items when cleaning up future kills.