Chapter Summaries

Lan Chang'an’s Core Formation Ceremony drew prominent guests, including Ling Feng and Li Hai, whose rivalry forced Lan Chang'an to answer a pointed question about their different paths to power. After the guests departed, Shen Bixin asked him to help her son, and Xing Peng warned Lan Chang'an that True Person Yellow Wolf was tied to Beast King Valley, a likely force behind the invasion near Feng Kingdom.

• Shen Bixin presented her son Song Xi to Lan Chang'an at the ceremony, and Lan Chang'an arranged seats for them beside True Person Hanyu.
• Ling Feng arrived uninvited to congratulate Lan Chang'an, followed by Li Hai, whose powerful demonic aura alarmed the guests.
• Ling Feng asked Lan Chang'an whether he agreed with Li Hai’s claim that Ling Feng relied too much on external objects, and Lan Chang'an replied that their future achievements would decide who was right.
• After the ceremony, Shen Bixin asked Lan Chang'an to take Song Xi as a disciple, and Lan Chang'an instead offered him a future opportunity to advance; Shen Bixin chose that option.
• Xing Peng told Lan Chang'an that True Person Yellow Wolf used a Beast King Valley mind-sensing technique and that Beast King Valley was likely leading the invasion near Feng Kingdom.

After becoming a guest elder of both merchant associations, Lan Chang'an returned to Autumn Wind Island and planned his next steps: dissolving and reforming his core, and finding a compatible body-refinement technique. Just as he settled on a mediocre backup, Xing Peng reported that Xiang Jinglong had reached Third-Order body refinement using a far superior technique.

• Lan Chang'an assessed the gifts from his Core Formation Ceremony, including soul-nurturing treasures from Liang Shaotian's eldest disciple, and considered what they suggested about Yan Donglai.
• Lan Chang'an became a nominal guest elder of the Five Blessings Merchant Association and the Snow Fox Merchant Association, helping the associations cooperate while True Person Hanyu privately admired him.
• Lan Chang'an told Xia Hongyu that he planned to leave Jing Kingdom, then returned to Autumn Wind Island and found that his True Core Evergreen Mana could not revive the withered Mystic Wood Gourd Vine.
• Lan Chang'an planned to dissolve and reform his core within several years and searched Jing Kingdom for a compatible Third-Order body-refinement technique, acquiring the Hundred Refinements Vajra and the incomplete Demon Dragon Tyrant Body as backups.
• Xing Peng told Lan Chang'an that Xiang Jinglong had emerged from life-and-death seclusion after advancing to Third-Order body refinement with the Earthly Baleful Heaven-Supporting Technique, and Lan Chang'an asked where Xiang Jinglong was and what was known about the technique.

After refining his first third-rank Puppet and preparing to leave Jing Kingdom, Lan Chang'an returned to Liang Kingdom and learned that war between the Six Demonic Sects and the surrounding cultivation forces was imminent. He headed toward the Xuemei Mountain Li Clan, an old acquaintance, as the conflict loomed.

• Lan Chang'an tested his new rat Puppet, refined third-rank Puppet Crystals, and learned that the Mystic Water Turtle had advanced to the middle second rank.
• Lan Chang'an arranged for Xing Peng to transfer to Liang Kingdom under a special mission, then left Autumn Wind Island without saying farewell to the Xia family.
• Crossing the border wasteland, Lan Chang'an killed the robber cultivator Nie Yuan, adopted his identity, and rested aboard a Jiuchen Merchant Association Spirit Ship before continuing on.
• After entering Liang Kingdom, Lan Chang'an learned that the Six Demonic Sects had reached the Yan Kingdom border and that Chu Tianfeng was rallying cultivators to oppose them.
• Lan Chang'an traveled toward the Xuemei Mountain Li Clan, whose clan head Li Congren had helped him cross into Jing Kingdom thirty years earlier.

Lan Chang'an returned to Liang Kingdom as a True Core cultivator, visited Zhou Qingxuan before dawn, and then reunited with the Xuemei Mountain Li Clan. As he settled in at the Li Clan and learned about its precarious mine, another True Core cultivator approached from the southeast.

• Li Congren and Wu Yue'e worried about the demonic invasion, rising disorder, and the danger facing their Chang'an Mine.
• The Earth Rock Rat appeared at Xuemei Mountain and took the Li Clan's Treasure Seeking Rat away, leaving Li Congren and Wu Yue'e to suspect it had grown even more powerful.
• Lan Chang'an met Zhou Qingxuan at the Beast Taming Zhou Family, but refused to remove the soul gu restriction or promise her a public relationship.
• Lan Chang'an flew to Xuemei Mountain at dawn, where Li Congren and Wu Yue'e welcomed him and learned that he had achieved True Core cultivation.
• Lan Chang'an heard how the Li Clan's Chang'an Mine faced pressure from the powerful Dongmen Family, then learned that Li Erqing still guarded Jade Moon Lake.
• The Earth Rock Rat led the exhausted Treasure Seeking Rat into the woods again, just as an aura at the True Core level approached from the southeast.

Lan Chang'an reunited with Zhang Tieshan, who invited him to join Golden Cloud Valley as a Guest Elder and offered insights on dissolving the core. After they arrived at the sect, Lan Chang'an learned Zhao Siyao had entered seclusion just as he hoped to see her.

• Zhang Tieshan arrived at Xuemei Mountain, congratulated Lan Chang'an on forming a True Core, and invited him to visit Golden Cloud Valley on the sect's behalf.
• Lan Chang'an considered Golden Cloud Valley's offer and agreed to travel there with Zhang Tieshan, who promised him insights on dissolving the core and revealed he had formed his True Core in Moon-Gazing Immortal City.
• Zhang Tieshan's Artifact Spirit recalled the Ancient Wood Evergreen Art and the legendary great cultivator Yan Donglai, but could not explain how Lan Chang'an practiced the art despite his limited Wood Spiritual Root.
• Clan Leader Dongmen visited Xuemei Mountain and backed down over the Chang'an Mine after learning two True Core cultivators were staying there.
• Golden Cloud Valley's sect master, True Person Xuanxiao, personally welcomed Lan Chang'an, who reflected on his return to the sect more than a century after failing its assessment.
• Zhao Tan'er greeted Lan Chang'an and told him that Zhao Siyao had entered seclusion that day, leaving him unable to see his old friend.

Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley as a True Core cultivator, discussed joining the sect and refining a magic treasure with Zhang Tieshan, and finally reunited with Zhao Siyao. He and Zhao Siyao set off to visit Li Erqing, while Zhao Siyao revealed that Fairy Shi had left an urgent message for Lan Chang'an.

• Lan Chang'an met Golden Cloud Valley's Grand Elder, shared his spirit-chef meal, and considered the offer to become a Guest Elder.
• Zhang Tieshan gave Lan Chang'an his core-transformation insights and discussed plans to refine a magic treasure from Thousand-Year Soul Nourishing Wood.
• Zhao Tan'er questioned Lan Chang'an about his feelings for Zhao Siyao, and Lan Chang'an explained why he would not marry while facing danger in the Cultivation World.
• Lan Chang'an asked Zhao Tan'er to arrange a meeting outside Golden Cloud Valley, where he reunited with Zhao Siyao and offered her the core-transformation method; Zhao Siyao declined.
• Lan Chang'an and Zhao Siyao decided to visit Li Erqing, and Zhao Siyao told Lan Chang'an that Fairy Shi had left an important message for him more than twenty years earlier.

Lan Chang'an returned to Liang Kingdom, reunited with old companions at Jade Moon Lake, and visited Wuqi Mountain, where he settled at Small Turtle Peak. Fairy Shi arrived and revealed that the ruins they had explored were once pursued by a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch’s avatar, leaving Lan Chang'an shaken by the discovery.

• Lan Chang'an and Zhao Siyao visited Jade Moon Lake, where Li Erqing and Mu Bingyun welcomed them and shared news of the Mu Family and Wuqi Mountain.
• Lan Chang'an met Mu Bingyun's son, Mu Changxiu, gave him a jade as a gift, and then departed with Zhao Siyao.
• Lan Chang'an reached Wuqi Mountain, reunited with Ye Fei and Qi Feng, and learned that Guan Qiaozhi and Lan Rou had died and been buried on Small Turtle Peak.
• Lan Chang'an stayed at Small Turtle Peak, guided Qi Feng in cultivation, and waited for Fairy Shi to arrive.
• Fairy Shi told Lan Chang'an that she had collapsed the ruins' ancient array and Treasure Vault Space, then revealed that a jade booklet said a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch's avatar had once pursued the Listen-to-the-Sea Pavilion refuge.

Lan Chang'an prepared to dissolve and re-form his core by repairing a powerful illusion formation, gathering intelligence, and making plans to travel. He arrived at Yellow Dragon Immortal City disguised as Lu Chi and applied to rent Yellow Dragon Mountain's Third-Order Spiritual Vein to form a Golden Core.

• Lan Chang'an and Fairy Shi discussed the mysterious Mystic Wood Gourd Vine and the ancient Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch, and Lan Chang'an resolved to research the vine further.
• Lan Chang'an persuaded Shi Manrong to repair and improve his Quasi-Fourth-Order Illusion Formation, and after their private encounter she agreed to do the work for fifteen thousand Spirit Stones including materials.
• Shi Manrong completed the formation, which became faster to deploy and stronger at concealing against divine sense, while Lan Chang'an received intelligence on Liang Kingdom's major powers from Xing Peng.
• Lan Chang'an rewarded Qi Feng with cultivation guidance, a compatible method, pills, and a defensive puppet before leaving Wuqi Mountain to gather materials and refine a magical treasure.
• Six months later, Lan Chang'an entered Yellow Dragon Immortal City disguised as the wanted cultivator Lu Chi, confirmed that few people recognized him, and applied to rent its Third-Order Spiritual Vein to form a Golden Core.

Lan Chang'an used core dissolution and reformation to improve his True Core, then disguised himself as Liu Qingyan to secure a cave abode in Five Lights City and form a stronger core. After forming a Midstream True Core, he planned a third and final transformation to pursue the Golden Core Realm.

• Lan Chang'an bribed True Person Wumu to expedite approval for a cave abode on Yellow Dragon Mountain, then dissolved his True Core and returned to the peak of the ninth Foundation Establishment level.
• Lan Chang'an healed the hidden injuries from core dissolution, reformed a stronger Downstream True Core, and left Yellow Dragon Immortal City for the Seven Nations Alliance.
• Lan Chang'an traveled to Five Lights City disguised as Liu Qingyan, passed identity verification, and gained access to a Third-Order Spiritual Vein cave abode.
• Lan Chang'an formed another True Core in Five Lights City, deceiving Deputy city lord Huang Chao, and achieved a Midstream True Core after his second core dissolution and reformation.
• Lan Chang'an decided to dissolve and reform his core one final time, using his Golden Core formation items in an attempt to reach the Golden Core Realm.

Lan Chang'an consolidated his midstream True Core, gathered intelligence for Liu Qingyan’s planned departure, and returned to Golden Cloud Valley to prepare for his final core transformation. There, he learned Zhao Siyao would be sent to the front and saw Zhang Tieshan’s design for a wood-element Nail-Head Arrow magical treasure.

• Fu Xuemei sensed signs of core formation near Five Lights City while traveling with Lord Green-Face, and reflected on her low-grade True Core and the circumstances that had made her his servant.
• Lan Chang'an assessed his midstream True Core, emerged from seclusion as Liu Qingyan, accepted visitors’ gifts, and obtained Fengyuan Kingdom intelligence from Huang Chao before departing north.
• Lan Chang'an returned to Bauhinia Immortal City, refined a defensive third-rank Turtle Puppet, and traveled to Golden Cloud Valley to meet Zhang Tieshan.
• Zhang Tieshan told Lan Chang'an that Zhao Siyao would join the front-line forces and described Beast King Valley’s invasion and its monster-beast tactics.
• Zhang Tieshan presented Lan Chang'an with a design for three wood-shafted Nail-Head Arrows that offered long-range, fast, penetrating attacks and a divine-soul strike.

Lan Chang'an obtained the Nail-Head Arrows and Soul Nourishing Bracelets from Zhang Tieshan, then became Golden Cloud Valley's Guest Elder and spent nearly two years cultivating in comfort. With his planned Golden Core transformation approaching, he set out to visit friends and buy supplies, while Sect Master of Golden Cloud warned him about Wujian Gate assassins nearby.

• Lan Chang'an and Zhang Tieshan settled on a design for three concealed Nail-Head Arrows and Soul Nourishing Bracelets, incorporating Lan Chang'an's Shadow Ghost Stone and other materials.
• While waiting for Zhang Tieshan to finish the artifacts, Lan Chang'an worked with Golden Cloud Valley, sparred with Zhao Tan'er, and gave her a Quasi-Third-Order Turtle Puppet containing hidden talismans for Zhao Siyao.
• Zhang Tieshan completed the artifacts, and Lan Chang'an accepted two Soul Nourishing Bracelets as payment before refining the three Nail-Head Arrows for himself.
• Lan Chang'an became Golden Cloud Valley's Guest Elder and spent nearly two years on its Third-Order Spiritual Vein, preparing for his next Golden Core transformation.
• Lan Chang'an notified Sect Master of Golden Cloud that he was leaving to visit friends and buy supplies, and Sect Master of Golden Cloud warned him that Wujian Gate had assassinated a Third-Order Alchemist nearby.

Lan Chang'an entered Moon-Gazing Immortal City under Nie Yuan’s identity, explored its core-forming facilities, and discovered that the Mystic Heaven gourd he had once possessed was an unformed supreme treasure. After witnessing one cultivator’s core formation fail, he chose a remote third-order cave abode to begin preparing for his own attempt.

• Lan Chang'an visited Yellow Dragon Immortal City, received war intelligence from Xing Peng, and learned that Wujian Gate was targeting key figures while seeking to sow discord within the Dao Defense Alliance.
• Using Nie Yuan’s identity, Lan Chang'an traveled toward Moon-Gazing Immortal City and killed three robber cultivators who ambushed him near the city.
• Lan Chang'an joined Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting on the journey to Moon-Gazing Immortal City, where both Zhu Yuting and another cultivator began forming cores.
• Lan Chang'an studied the city’s rules and found ancient records identifying his former Mystic Heaven gourd as an unformed Mystic Heaven supreme treasure.
• After one core-forming attempt collapsed and likely killed its cultivator, Lan Chang'an used his token to choose a remote third-order cave abode.

Lan Chang'an dissolved his true core three times, then began forming a new one as Zhu Yuting succeeded nearby. His Golden Core phenomenon grew to the scale of an Immortal Golden Core, and the chapter ended with him inspecting an unusual, fruit-shaped Evergreen Golden Core.

• Lan Chang'an completed his third Core Dissolution, restoring his injuries and preparing for his final assault.
• Zhu Yuting formed a True Core, while Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting noticed Lan Chang'an beginning his own core formation.
• Lan Chang'an's Spiritual Energy Cloud expanded beyond four li, leading Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting to suspect he was pursuing an Immortal Golden Core.
• A blue-robed recluse and Old Monster Xu discussed Lan Chang'an's formation and learned he was an elite cultivator who had fled Blazing Fire Palace.
• Lan Chang'an formed an Immortal Golden Core as five-colored spiritual light descended, then found that his Evergreen Golden Core was oval and gave off a tempting fruity fragrance.

After forming an Immortal Golden Core, Lan Chang'an discovered that the Evergreen Art’s Dao fruits could be devoured for lifespan, leaving him wary of other cultivators of the same art. He consolidated his cultivation, emerged under the alias Nie Yuan, and declined Zhu Yuting’s implied offer of a partnership while keeping her token as a possible route to Heng Kingdom.

• Lan Chang'an learned that Evergreen Art cultivators could devour one another’s Dao fruits for lifespan and resolved to hide his cultivation method while relying on the Nine Imprint Tablet and Mystic Heaven Relic for protection.
• Lan Chang'an finished consolidating his Golden Core, assessed his formation and disguise, and emerged from seclusion in Moon-Gazing Immortal City as Nie Yuan.
• Core Formation True Persons congratulated Lan Chang'an and offered gifts, while True Lord Hengshan sent him a friendly voice transmission based on a favor owed by True Person Lihuo.
• Granny Yan and Zhu Yuting invited Lan Chang'an to visit Heng Kingdom, but he declined their matchmaking proposal and accepted Zhu Yuting’s contact token as a possible refuge for the future.

Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley after safely hiding his Golden Core breakthrough, then began restoring the Mystic Heaven Gourd Vine with his Evergreen Secret Technique. After he confronted Xie Wuji over their broken spirit contract, Wujian Gate’s Altar Master Jueying ambushed and killed Xie Wuji.

• Lan Chang'an waited until Nascent Soul cultivators stopped watching him, escaped Moon-Gazing Immortal City in disguises, and returned to Golden Cloud Valley as Elder Lu.
• Lan Chang'an read letters from his acquaintances, chose not to reply to Xia Wenyue, and prepared an underground Stone Hall to cultivate the Mystic Heaven Gourd Vine.
• Lan Chang'an used his lifespan and Evergreen Secret Technique to restore the vine, discovering that the gourd embryo remained lifeless even as the vine slowly regained vitality.
• Xie Wuji visited Golden Cloud Valley to challenge Lan Chang'an over the broken spirit contract, and the two argued before Xie Wuji departed after their confrontation served his own scheme.
• Altar Master Jueying and two eerie shadows trapped Xie Wuji on his way back to Chen Kingdom, and Jueying pierced his chest with a scythe and killed him.

After Xie Wuji was killed by Wujian Gate, the Chen Kingdom Xie Clan accused Lan Chang'an of the murder, but Golden Cloud Valley protected him. Lan Chang'an learned who had framed him, resolved to remain in the valley, and watched Zhao Tan'er leave for the front as the Demonic Path invasion escalated.

• Lan Chang'an observed the Mystic Heaven Gourd Vine’s recovery, assigned the Mystic Water Turtle to watch its dying embryonic fruit, and continued cultivating and nurturing his Treasure Talismans.
• True Person Xuanxiao informed Lan Chang'an that Xie Wuji had died, and the Chen Kingdom Xie Clan had named Lan Chang'an a key suspect.
• Lan Chang'an learned from Xing Peng that Wujian Gate had assassinated Xie Wuji, then soul-searched Xing Peng and strengthened the Gu God Restriction in his Sea of Consciousness.
• A Late Core Formation elder of Xie Wuji’s clan demanded that Golden Cloud Valley hand Lan Chang'an over, but the Sect Master refused and Lan Chang'an stayed inside the valley.
• Zhao Tan'er set out for the battlefield, and the Demonic Path invasion erupted on a large scale.

Lan Chang'an refused to let the Chen Kingdom Xie Clan's bounty force him into seeking Xia Wenyue's help, reunited with Zhao Siyao, and pursued longevity pills and Crystal Condensation Pills. The chapter ended as Xing Peng brought intelligence about Blazing Fire Palace and Lan Chang'an asked whether he was ready to dissolve his core.

• Lan Chang'an learned the Chen Kingdom Xie Clan had placed a bounty on him and wrote to Xia Wenyue that he was safe within Golden Cloud Valley's sphere of influence.
• Zhao Siyao returned from the front, and Lan Chang'an treated her injured arm and heard about the war against the demonic path.
• Zhao Siyao went back to the front lines to look after Zhao Tan'er, while Lan Chang'an obtained a Second-Order Premium Longevity Pill and planned to trade Crystal Condensation Pills for a third-rank Longevity Pill.
• Lan Chang'an arranged for Elder Chen Dan to refine his Crystal Condensation Pill materials, received two genuine pills, and declined the Sect Master of Golden Cloud's offer to buy one.
• Xing Peng brought Lan Chang'an intelligence about Blazing Fire Palace's relocation and Wang Feng's Golden Core, and Lan Chang'an asked whether Xing Peng had completed preparations to dissolve his core.

Lan Chang'an helped Xing Peng dissolve his False Core, and Xing Peng later formed a Downstream True Core with his cousin’s support. After a decade of quiet cultivation, Lan Chang'an traveled under Nie Yuan’s identity to the Seven Nations Alliance, where he met Wang Feng and claimed he had easily killed True Person Luoyun.

• Lan Chang'an gave Xing Peng his core transformation insights and helped him dissolve his False Core, then warned him that the Gu God Restriction could not be broken nearby.
• Lan Chang'an concluded that Zhao Siyao was unlikely to benefit from dissolving her core, then returned to cultivating, crafting Treasure Talismans, and secretly gathering longevity pills and Puppet materials.
• Ten years passed as Lan Chang'an remained in Golden Cloud Valley; after reading a battle report about the Demonic Path invasion, he decided to travel to the Seven Nations Alliance and asked Xing Peng for a safe route.
• Xing Peng revealed that he had formed a Downstream True Core after dissolving his core, using a Genuine Crystal Condensation Pill and a spiritual object supplied by his cousin, the Stealth Shadow Helmsman.
• Lan Chang'an fused with his second-life Soul Shadow, traveled to the Seven Nations Alliance under Nie Yuan’s identity, and met Wang Feng in a ruined Stone Hall.
• Lan Chang'an told Wang Feng that he had killed True Person Luoyun alone, leaving Wang Feng shaken by the apparent gap between their strengths.

Lan Chang'an used Nie Yuan's identity to help Blazing Fire Palace weaken Star Pavilion, acquire a third-rank puppet, and advance toward rebuilding its mountain gate. After Blazing Fire Palace established itself in the Seven Nations Alliance, the Fourth Life's soul shadow was fully engraved into the Nine Imprint Tablet.

• Lan Chang'an, posing as Nie Yuan, promised Wang Feng three forms of assistance and sold Blazing Fire Palace a third-rank Python Puppet for forty thousand Spirit Stones.
• Lan Chang'an ambushed and killed a mid-stage Core Formation elder of Star Pavilion, escaped a pursuing peak Late Core Formation cultivator, and returned to Golden Cloud Valley.
• Blazing Fire Palace spread word that Nie Yuan was a powerful hidden Golden Core cultivator, causing Star Pavilion to withdraw from the contest for a quasi-fourth-rank Spiritual Vein.
• Blazing Fire Palace purchased a quasi-fourth-rank Spiritual Vein and began rebuilding its mountain gate, while Lan Chang'an's estrangement from the Fourth Life continued to fade.
• Lan Chang'an sensed the Fourth Life's soul shadow shed a wisp of smoke and become pure, vivid, and fully engraved into the Nine Imprint Tablet.

Lan Chang'an fulfilled Master Lihuo's last wish and used the Nine Imprint Tablet to awaken memories of his Fourth Life as a Nascent Soul True Lord. He gained Master Lihuo's cultivation knowledge and divination skills, while the tablet revealed that unlocking the Fifth Life would require ten Nascent Soul Spirit Bodies.

• Lan Chang'an considered the Nine Imprint Tablet's reincarnation methods and began his Fourth Life reincarnation in the underground Stone Hall of Yunlai Peak.
• Lan Chang'an awakened memories of Master Lihuo's long life, from joining Blazing Fire Palace to forming a Nascent Soul and later being ambushed and pursued before trying to seize Lan Chang'an's body.
• Lan Chang'an returned to reality with Master Lihuo's cultivation inheritances, learned the first four layers of the Red Sun Blood Transformation Escape, and gained third-order divination skills.
• Lan Chang'an divined great fortune from awakening his Nascent Soul Previous Life and explored the Nine Imprint Tablet's blank Fifth Life frame-seal.
• Lan Chang'an learned that opening the Fifth Life required ten Nascent Soul Spirit Bodies and decided to focus on digesting his gains and planning his path to the Nascent Soul Realm.