Chapter Summaries

Lan Chang'an advanced his Body Refinement Art to the sixth layer while Guan Qiaozhi remained away, sending letters about her travels and a new spiritual-rooted youth she had taken under her guidance. News of a major cultivation war between Yan and Feng Kingdoms unsettled Lan Chang'an, while Shi Manrong’s fragmentary memories revived his suspicions about an ancient ruin.

• Lan Chang'an reached the sixth layer of the Body Refinement Art at age one hundred and ten and found that few cultivators below False Core could threaten him without trump cards.
• Lan Chang'an read letters from Li Erqing and Mu Bingyun: Mu Congren had reached Foundation Establishment, while Guan Qiaozhi had visited her birthplace and the Raging River Gang.
• Guan Qiaozhi reported that she had become the immortal guide of a spiritual-rooted youth from Lan Chang'an’s adoptive family, and Lan Chang'an accepted her decision.
• Lan Chang'an learned from Shi Manrong that Yan Kingdom had allied with Chen Kingdom and invaded Feng Kingdom, whose territory included a coveted mid-grade fourth-rank Spiritual Vein.
• Shi Manrong recalled fragments about an ancient ruin and hinted that she had mentioned it to Lan Chang'an before, leaving him unsure whether her memory loss was genuine.

Lan Chang'an visited Jade Moon Lake for Mu Xiuyun’s funeral and Mu Congren’s Foundation Establishment ceremony, where he reunited with Li Erqing and Mu Bingyun. He recognized that the Mu Family’s crowded spiritual vein and competing interests could lead to conflict, but left without becoming involved.

• Lan Chang'an arrived after Mu Xiuyun’s simple funeral and paid his respects at her grave, then also visited Mu Yunfei’s grave.
• Lan Chang'an reunited with Li Erqing and met Mu Congren, who had recently established his foundation; Li Erqing invited him to stay for the ceremony.
• Mu Bingyun privately asked Lan Chang'an for guidance on the Mu Family’s divisions and recalled her peaceful years on Small Turtle Peak.
• Lan Chang'an noticed that Moon Heart Island’s spiritual vein was strained by its cultivators and saw the family’s resource dispute as a possible future danger.
• At Mu Congren’s Foundation Establishment ceremony, Zhao Tan'er teased Lin Lu and urged Lan Chang'an to pursue Zhao Siyao.
• Lan Chang'an declined to intervene in the Mu Family’s internal affairs, bid farewell to Li Erqing and Mu Congren, and left.

Half a month later, Lan Chang'an refused Zhao Tan'er's attempts to match him with Zhao Siyao and focused on his cultivation and alchemy. Li Erqing sought his advice about the Mu Family's growing internal tensions, while Guan Qiaozhi's letter introduced Qi Feng; the chapter left Lan Chang'an planning a trip to Liaoyuan Immortal City as his cultivation advanced.

• Zhao Tan'er urged Lan Chang'an to surprise Zhao Siyao at the lantern festival, but he declined and shut himself in his cave abode.
• Lan Chang'an received letters from Guan Qiaozhi and Li Erqing, learning about Qi Feng's cultivation and the Mu Family's expanding clan and mounting internal conflict.
• Li Erqing visited Lan Chang'an for advice, explaining that Mu Congren had taken his direct line to a remote region to expand outward and ease pressure at Jade Moon Lake.
• Lan Chang'an gave Li Erqing Dao-protecting supplies and agreed with his plan to preserve the Mu Family while preparing for Mu Congren's branch to establish itself independently later.
• Lan Chang'an advanced his cultivation and stabilized his Second-Order alchemy, then considered visiting Liaoyuan Immortal City to buy materials and other rare items.

Lan Chang'an and Ye Fei treated the severely injured Miss Shen after Jiang Yechen brought her to Wuqi Mountain, while Lan Chang'an concealed his deeper healing ability. The chapter ended with Xiang Jinglong revealing that he had captured Lin Ye and extracted clues about Alchemist Hua’s death.

• The Mystic Water Turtle showed signs of an imminent breakthrough, and Lan Chang'an calmed it and decided to keep its advancement from attracting attention at Wuqi Mountain.
• Jiang Yechen brought the unconscious Miss Shen to Small Pill Peak and asked Ye Fei to treat her after Robber Cultivators had badly injured her.
• Ye Fei enlisted Lan Chang'an to stabilize Miss Shen’s damaged organs while he repaired her heart meridians, and their treatment improved her condition.
• Jiang Yechen identified one attacker as possibly Xiang Jinglong, while Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong agreed to strengthen Wuqi Mountain’s defenses.
• After leaving Wuqi Mountain, Xiang Jinglong told his companions that he had captured Lin Ye and tortured him for clues about Alchemist Hua’s death.

Lan Chang'an visited Liaoyuan Immortal City under a disguised identity to buy rare cultivation materials and attend its annual auction. He acquired several supplies and began bidding on Golden Core auxiliary herbs.

• Xiang Jinglong denied that Wuqi Mountain had been powerful enough to kill Alchemist Hua and vowed to investigate the culprit after forming a Pseudo-Core.
• Jiang Yechen brought Shen Bixin to thank Lan Chang'an, and Shen bought Second-Order Talismans from him using her Tengxing Chamber of Commerce connections.
• Lan Chang'an considered Jiang Yechen and Shen Bixin's abilities and backgrounds, then left Wuqi Mountain a year later for Liaoyuan Immortal City.
• Lan Chang'an entered the city disguised as a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator and bought puppet and talisman materials, Spirit Bamboo, a Longevity Pill, and Youth Preservation Pill ingredients.
• Lan Chang'an attended the Blazing Fire Hall auction, won a stalk of Third-Order Bitter Clear Bamboo, and joined the bidding for Golden Core auxiliary herbs.

Lan Chang'an bought intelligence on Yellow Dragon Mountain and prepared to secretly obstruct Fu Xuemei’s path to forming a core, while his Mystic Water Turtle advanced to the second order. The chapter ended with Lan Chang'an encountering Xiang Jinglong, who had just become a Pseudo-Core, and receiving a few Spirit Stones from him.

• He Yuanwu revealed himself while buying the Fire Essence Date for Fu Xuemei, and Lan Chang'an considered secretly hindering her Golden Core breakthrough.
• Lan Chang'an bought Wuqi Grass at the auction and purchased Grade B intelligence on Yellow Dragon Mountain from the Heavenly Knowledge Pavilion.
• Lan Chang'an learned that Yellow Dragon Mountain faced several powerful enemies and that Xiang Jinglong held a grudge against it, while his own name was absent from the report.
• The Mystic Water Turtle advanced to the second order, demonstrating strong defense, concealment, and healing abilities.
• Xiang Jinglong emerged as a newly advanced Pseudo-Core, and Lan Chang'an congratulated him and accepted several Middle-Grade Spirit Stones.

Lan Chang'an returned from Liaoyuan Immortal City, strengthened his resources and abilities, and reached his hundredth year of cultivation while planning for a Golden Core opportunity. A letter from Zhao Siyao then reported that Chu Tianfeng had defeated two Nascent Soul True Lords in the neighboring cultivation war.

• Lan Chang'an accepted Xiang Jinglong's Spirit Stones without being recognized, then reviewed his purchases and gains from Liaoyuan Immortal City.
• Lan Chang'an returned to Wuqi Mountain, adjusted Small Turtle Peak's spiritual energy formation, and took a Second-Order Longevity Pill that extended his lifespan by eleven years.
• Lan Chang'an crafted Treasure Talismans and repeatedly practiced puppet-making until he completed a Second-Order High-Grade Leopard-Headed Puppet.
• The Earth Rock Rat advanced to Foundation Establishment Late Stage, while Lan Chang'an continued to improve his strength and reflected on his hundred years of cultivation.
• Lan Chang'an received letters from Guan Qiaozhi and Zhao Siyao, and learned that Chu Tianfeng had defeated Golden Sun Sect's two Nascent Soul True Lords.

As tensions around Yellow Dragon Immortal City worsened, Lan Chang'an monitored Yellow Dragon Mountain’s weakening position and considered interfering with Fu Xuemei’s Core Formation opportunity. Shen Bixin arrived at Small Turtle Peak with a request, leaving Lan Chang'an poised to hear what she wanted.

• Lan Chang'an learned that war in the neighboring Cultivation World and rising demand had driven up talisman prices, while conflict around Yellow Dragon Immortal City escalated.
• Zheng Wugong visited Lan Chang'an with Zheng Sheng and reported that Yellow Dragon Mountain was clashing with the Mo Clan and Hengchuan Chamber of Commerce, while Ji Yifeng had been gravely wounded.
• Lan Chang'an learned that the Blazing Fire Hall had poached Yellow Dragon Mountain’s third-rank alchemist, further obstructing its plan to refine a Crystal Condensation Pill.
• Lan Chang'an continued waiting for a chance to obstruct Fu Xuemei, wary of acting before True Person Yellow Dragon was tied down.
• Shen Bixin arrived at Small Turtle Peak accompanied by a hidden Foundation Establishment Late Stage protector and asked Lan Chang'an for help.

Lan Chang'an sold talismans to Shen Bixin and learned that True Person Yellow Dragon had been weakened after defeating Daoist Sanhu. As forces gathered against Yellow Dragon Immortal City, Lan Chang'an concealed his whereabouts while a plain-looking young man left the Heavenly Knowledge Pavilion.

• Lan Chang'an sold Shen Bixin over ten thousand Spirit Stones' worth of talismans, including rare Restriction-Breaking Talismans, and she later met with Shi Manrong and Ye Fei.
• Shen Bixin reported that Daoist Sanhu had challenged True Person Yellow Dragon, who accepted the challenge and defeated him in a quarter of an hour.
• Lan Chang'an concluded that True Person Yellow Dragon was far below his former strength and that hostile forces would likely act within half a year, giving him a rare chance to pursue a Core Formation opportunity.
• Three months later, the Mo Clan and Hengchuan Chamber of Commerce gathered cultivators and several Core Formation True Persons against Yellow Dragon Immortal City.
• Small Turtle Peak announced its talismans had sold out and Lan Chang'an had secluded himself, while he secretly used an Illusion Truth Talisman to hide his true whereabouts.
• A month later, a plain-looking Foundation Establishment Late Stage young man walked out of the Heavenly Knowledge Pavilion in Liaoyuan Immortal City.

Lan Chang'an returned to Yellow Dragon Immortal City as hostile forces gathered to attack Yellow Dragon Mountain, where Fu Xuemei prepared to attempt Core Formation. The chapter ended with Fu Dong choosing to stay by his sister’s side as she entered seclusion, confident that her chances of success had improved.

• Lan Chang'an used Heavenly Knowledge Pavilion’s intelligence to assess Yellow Dragon Mountain’s strength and learned that Fu Xuemei had reached the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment.
• Lan Chang'an arrived at Yellow Dragon Immortal City disguised as an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator and learned that the Mo Clan and Hengchuan Chamber of Commerce were gathering against Yellow Dragon Mountain.
• Lan Chang'an revisited Water Moon Residence and remembered Du Wei and Puppeteer Sang as he reflected on how the city and its people had changed.
• Core Formation auras erupted near Yellow Dragon Mountain, where Daoist Wantie, Mo Weixing, and other forces attacked its mountain-protecting formation.
• Xiang Jinglong reported a hidden passage near the city, and Mo Weixing directed him to investigate it after the True Persons considered its possible purpose.
• Fu Dong reunited with Fu Xuemei and resolved to guard her as she prepared to attempt Core Formation; Fu Xuemei entered the Secret Chamber with confidence in her chances.

Lan Chang'an watched Fu Xuemei’s attempt to form a core while the Anti-Yellow Dragon Alliance battered Yellow Dragon Mountain’s defensive array. Though he decided against infiltrating the alliance to break the array himself, he sold it a quasi–third-order Restriction-Breaking Treasure Talisman, leaving the attackers with a potent weapon as Fu Xuemei’s breakthrough appeared doubtful.

• Lan Chang'an sensed Fu Xuemei’s core-forming attempt and judged that its signs suggested her preparations were incomplete.
• The Anti-Yellow Dragon Alliance used special arrays and Restriction Breaking Talismans to damage Yellow Dragon Mountain’s mountain-protecting array.
• True Person Yellow Dragon and two other Core Formation True Persons emerged to fight the attackers’ four Core Formation cultivators, tying down both sides’ top fighters.
• Lan Chang'an approached Yellow Dragon Mountain to observe Fu Xuemei’s breakthrough, suspected she might fail to form a True Core, and abandoned a plan to break the array himself.
• Lan Chang'an sold a disguised quasi–third-order Restriction-Breaking Treasure Talisman to the alliance, and a stationed Pseudo-Core True Person welcomed it as a possible way to breach the damaged array.

Lan Chang'an's talisman helped the Anti-Yellow Dragon Mountain Alliance break the mountain's protective array as He Yuanwu betrayed the sect and attacked Fu Xuemei's cave. True Person Yellow Dragon unleashed his hidden strength and killed Mo Weixing, while the failed Core Formation in the cave revealed that Junior Brother Cheng had been posing as Fu Xuemei; He Yuanwu then searched for the missing Little Junior Sister.

• Lan Chang'an arranged for a quasi–third-rank Restriction-Breaking Talisman to reach Formation Master Cao, who used it to help collapse one side of Yellow Dragon Mountain's protective array.
• He Yuanwu attacked Ji Yifeng and Fu Dong, declaring his resentment over being denied a full Core Formation opportunity and forcing his way toward Fu Xuemei's cave.
• Daoist Wantie ordered the alliance to break the array, and Formation Master Cao's talisman struck a weak node and triggered the collapse of one side of the Mountain-Protecting Array.
• True Person Yellow Dragon used secret medicine to restore his strength, then joined forces with the Earth Dragon Beast to kill Mo Weixing and attack another early Core Formation cultivator.
• Lan Chang'an withdrew after sensing Mo Weixing's death and seeing the Core Formation phenomenon collapse, uncertain whether Fu Xuemei had failed or had never been the one forming her core.
• He Yuanwu broke into the cave and found Junior Brother Cheng, who revealed that his Core Formation had failed and that Fu Xuemei was elsewhere; He Yuanwu spared him and asked where she had gone.

He Yuanwu tried to force Junior Brother Cheng to reveal Fu Xuemei’s whereabouts, but the wounded Earth Dragon Beast and Cheng’s counterattack disrupted his plans. After Blazing Fire Palace brokered a halt to the fighting, Lan Chang'an saw the pursuit shift toward Liaoyuan Immortal City, where Fu Xuemei might be attempting Core Formation.

• Junior Brother Cheng told He Yuanwu that Fu Xuemei had escaped through a hidden passage and taken the Crystal Condensation Pill, while He Yuanwu searched Cheng’s Storage Bag and threatened Fu Dong.
• The Earth Dragon Beast burst into the cave abode and attacked He Yuanwu, allowing Junior Brother Cheng to strike him with a Purple Lightning Spear and escape underground with Fu Dong.
• Ji Yifeng blocked He Yuanwu as the Earth Dragon Beast fought several Pseudo-Core cultivators nearby.
• Lan Chang'an watched a True Person from Blazing Fire Palace intervene, after which the Core Formation cultivators stopped fighting and agreed not to interfere personally in the search for Fu Xuemei.
• Lan Chang'an saw Pseudo-Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators head toward Liaoyuan Immortal City and suspected Fu Xuemei might be attempting Core Formation there.

Lan Chang'an encountered a pursuit involving surviving members of Yellow Dragon Mountain and stayed out of it until True Person White Silk appeared to protect Fu Dong and Junior Brother Cheng. As Xiang Jinglong and He Yuanwu joined the hunt, Junior Brother Cheng sacrificed himself to let Fu Dong escape into the Black Mist Mountain Range with a hidden Storage Bag for his sister.

• Lan Chang'an spotted three Foundation Establishment cultivators pursuing the injured Fu Dong and Junior Brother Cheng, but continued flying without helping.
• True Person White Silk ambushed the pursuers, then fought Xiang Jinglong while Junior Brother Cheng and Fu Dong fled.
• Xiang Jinglong sent the blue-robed middle-aged man after the fugitives, and He Yuanwu arrived to join the confrontation with True Person White Silk.
• The blue-robed middle-aged man caught up with Junior Brother Cheng and Fu Dong and slowly wore them down as they retreated.
• Junior Brother Cheng gave Fu Dong a miniature Storage Bag to deliver to his sister, then turned back to hold off their pursuer while Fu Dong escaped into the Black Mist Mountain Range.

Lan Chang'an, disguised as Junior Brother Cheng, rescued Fu Dong and obtained Cheng Kangping's hidden pouch, which contained an inferior Crystal Condensation Pill and his final instructions. As True Person White Silk arrived injured, Lan Chang'an remained close to Fu Dong to watch how the conflict over core formation would unfold.

• Cheng Kangping killed the blue-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator but died from his wounds, and Lan Chang'an collected both corpses and their belongings.
• Xiang Jinglong arrived at the battlefield and found the blue-robed cultivator dead with no valuables left behind.
• Lan Chang'an found Fu Dong surrounded by demonic wolves and drove them off by releasing Foundation Establishment Late Stage spiritual pressure.
• Fu Dong told Lan Chang'an he suspected he liked Fu Xuemei, and Lan Chang'an accepted the hidden pouch Fu Dong returned to him.
• Lan Chang'an discovered that the pouch held an inferior Crystal Condensation Pill and two Jade Cylinders, including Cheng Kangping's final arrangements for Fu Xuemei.
• True Person White Silk arrived in the Black Mist Mountain Range, injured and with her aura in disorder.

Lan Chang'an disguised as Junior Brother Cheng helped True Person White Silk rescue Fu Dong and reach Fu Xuemei's hidden core-formation site. As Fu Xuemei began forming her Golden Core, two False Cores arrived, and Lan Chang'an was left to guard the Stone Hall and Fu Dong.

• True Person White Silk found Lan Chang'an and Fu Dong, gave them healing medicine, and piloted them through the Black Mist Mountain Range.
• White Silk brought Lan Chang'an and Fu Dong to a concealed basin where Lan Chang'an recognized the hidden spiritual vein as Fu Xuemei's core-formation site.
• Fu Xuemei reunited with Fu Dong, chose to form her core immediately, and entered the Stone Hall to begin.
• Half a month later, Fu Xuemei's Golden Core phenomenon drew Xiang Jinglong and He Yuanwu toward the basin.
• White Silk flew out to hold off the two False Cores and gave Lan Chang'an the Formation Token, ordering him to protect the Stone Hall and Fu Dong.

Lan Chang'an withdrew from the fight over Fu Xuemei’s core formation, then negotiated an exchange with her inside the Stone Hall. He left with her genuine Crystal Condensation Pill as True Person White Silk struggled to hold off the two Pseudo-Core True Persons.

• True Person White Silk used a secret art to unleash a powerful sword attack and tie down He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong.
• Fu Xuemei gave Lan Chang'an a Talisman Treasure and sent Fu Dong protective talismans and a puppet, but Lan Chang'an then accepted He Yuanwu’s reasoning and announced he would leave.
• Fu Xuemei privately pleaded with Lan Chang'an to help protect her breakthrough, offering to fulfill his old request, but he refused and proposed exchanging his inferior Crystal Condensation Pill for her genuine one.
• As True Person White Silk began to falter, Fu Xuemei invited Lan Chang'an into the Stone Hall and traded him the genuine pill, trusting him to help within his abilities.
• Lan Chang'an accepted the genuine Crystal Condensation Pill and wished Fu Xuemei success, while she said the exchange settled any grievance between them.

Lan Chang'an helped True Person White Silk hold off two Pseudo-Core True Persons while Fu Xuemei condensed her core, after trading Fu Xuemei a genuine Crystal Condensation Pill. He left Xiang Jinglong badly wounded with a coordinated attack, but the fight continued as Fu Xuemei still needed days to complete her breakthrough.

• Lan Chang'an traded Fu Xuemei a genuine Crystal Condensation Pill and explained that their exchange settled what they owed each other.
• Lan Chang'an took control of Fu Dong's puppet and used it to harass Xiang Jinglong while assisting True Person White Silk in defending the Stone Hall.
• Fu Dong gave Lan Chang'an a quasi-third-order offensive talisman as the two Pseudo-Core True Persons continued pressing the defenders.
• Lan Chang'an deliberately let Xiang Jinglong destroy the puppet, then struck him with the talisman and Fu Xuemei's Purple Pearl Talisman Treasure.
• True Person White Silk wounded Xiang Jinglong while he was distracted, and Lan Chang'an withdrew the talisman treasure after the attackers regrouped.

Lan Chang'an and True Person White Silk defended Fu Xuemei's Core formation against He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong until Ji Yifeng arrived and drove the attackers away. Lan Chang'an then slipped away, and Fu Xuemei emerged with a core whose aura suggested a bottom-tier True Core.

• Lan Chang'an used talisman treasures and talismans to help True Person White Silk repel He Yuanwu and Xiang Jinglong, while Fu Xuemei continued forming her core inside the Stone Hall.
• As the defenders exhausted their resources and the formation broke, Xiang Jinglong's worsening injuries slowed the attackers and left both sides in a standoff.
• Ji Yifeng arrived, prompting Xiang Jinglong and He Yuanwu to retreat; Ji Yifeng then collapsed from depleted vital energy and an old wound.
• Lan Chang'an returned True Person White Silk's Needle-Shaped Talisman Treasure, then left to hunt and did not return, while True Person White Silk suspected he had slipped away.
• A day later, Fu Xuemei completed her breakthrough, and Ji Yifeng and True Person White Silk sensed that she had formed what was likely a bottom-tier True Core.

Lan Chang'an returned toward Wuqi Mountain after witnessing Fu Xuemei's successful but low-quality Golden Core formation and concealing his identities. He discovered Xiang Jinglong had arrived at Small Pill Peak, where the injured Pseudo-Core True Person summoned Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong to meet him.

• Lan Chang'an judged Fu Xuemei's newly formed True Core to be barely within the lowest tier and left the Black Mist Mountain Range.
• On his journey back, Lan Chang'an changed his appearance and identity, then noticed Xiang Jinglong flying openly toward Wuqi Mountain.
• Xiang Jinglong visited Ye Fei on Small Pill Peak to obtain injury medicine, food, drink, and entertainment.
• Lan Chang'an returned to Small Turtle Peak, received Ye Fei's invitation, and consulted with Shi Manrong about Xiang Jinglong.
• Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong visited Xiang Jinglong, who welcomed Shi Manrong and recognized Lan Chang'an as Young Friend Lu.