Chapter Summaries

Li Qianqing discussed the Zhao Country Royal Family’s growing attention toward the Li Clan and urged Li Qianyin to attempt Core Formation, but she chose to wait until her lifespan was nearly over. Meanwhile, Niu Qifei’s covert investigation of the Li Clan stalled, and Li Changfeng arrived at his door, leaving him afraid his mission had been exposed.

• Li Qianqing told Li Lilong to watch the Zhao Country Royal Family and warned that the Li Clan would retaliate if its people were sent to Xiangshui again.
• After the clan meeting, Li Qianqing asked Li Qianyin to form her core, but she said she would wait until her lifespan was nearly over.
• Li Lilong told Li Qianyin that he hoped she would not regret her choice, and she replied that she would not regret it if he did not regret his own.
• Niu Qifei struggled to gather useful information about the Li Clan in Tongyang County because local cultivators spoke highly of the clan and might report suspicious behavior.
• When Li Changfeng came to see him, Niu Qifei feared the Li Clan had discovered his investigation.

Li Changfeng interrogated Niu Qifei, a Zhao Country Royal Family spy, and sent him back with a warning to focus on Heaven Harmony Sect. Zhao Tiandong killed Niu Qifei for failing his mission, and a year and a half later Li Xunting prepared to attempt core formation again.

• Li Changfeng cut off Niu Qifei's arm, questioned him about the Zhao Country Royal Family, and learned he had uncovered no useful information.
• Li Changfeng released Niu Qifei after telling him to warn the Zhao Country Royal Family to focus on Heaven Harmony Sect, and Niu Qifei paid his rent before leaving.
• Niu Qifei reported to Zhao Tiandong, who blamed him for returning without useful information and killed him.
• A year and a half later, Li Qianqing and Li Xunting stood outside her cave residence as she prepared to enter seclusion and form her core again.

Li Xunting emerged from seclusion having succeeded in Core Formation, while Li Lilong entered Death Seclusion with little hope of forming his own core. The chapter ended as the cold energy from Li Xunting’s breakthrough spread across Changqing Mountain and Li Qianqing told Li Xingsheng that she had succeeded.

• Li Xunting entered seclusion to form her core after speaking with Li Qianqing, who believed she had a good chance of succeeding.
• Li Qianqing considered the Zhao Country Royal Family’s likely response to the Li Family’s growth and continued cultivating Extinguishing Spirit Three Absolutes.
• Li Lilong told Li Qianqing he was entering Death Seclusion to attempt Core Formation, and said he did not regret his past decision.
• Li Qianqing reflected on the Li Family’s future and hoped to build its strength with more Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators.
• Cold energy spread across Changqing Mountain, and Li Qianqing recognized it as a sign that Li Xunting had succeeded in Core Formation.
• Li Xingsheng arrived with Shu Shu, and Li Qianqing confirmed that the Core Formation had succeeded.

Li Xunting successfully formed her core, giving the Li Family three Core Formation cultivators, and Li Qianqing rewarded her with a cultivation art suited to her Ice Spiritual Body. The news spread through Xiangshui Prefecture, where cultivators began ranking the Li Family alongside the kingdom’s strongest powers.

• Li Xingsheng and Li Qingqing discussed the family’s future Core Formation candidates as Li Xunting’s breakthrough caused a dramatic change in the weather.
• Li Xunting emerged from seclusion with her Ice Spiritual Body’s potential excavation at sixty percent, and Li Qianqing congratulated her on successfully forming her core.
• Li Qianqing gave Li Xunting the Star Spirit Ice Sea Art, a powerful cultivation art spanning the Core Formation and Nascent Soul realms and suited to her physique.
• Li Qianqing escorted Li Xunting to a new cave residence, then began revising his plans for the family’s development.
• News of Li Xunting’s breakthrough spread across Xiangshui Prefecture, and cultivators began placing the Li Family among the One Royal Family and Four Sects.

After Li Xunting formed her core, Shen Xingyuan and the Shen family Ancestor discussed negotiating with the Li family to secure a fallback if Heaven Harmony Sect fell. The Zhao Country Royal Family also debated how to contain the Li family, leaving Zhao Wuming tasked with persuading Clear Wind Valley to help after Heaven Harmony Sect was destroyed.

• Shen Xingyuan learned that Li Xunting had formed her core and warned the Shen family Ancestor that the Li family had become a greater threat.
• Shen Xingyuan proposed conceding benefits and negotiating with the Li family, and the Shen family Ancestor agreed to wait four or five years before approaching them.
• The Zhao Country Royal Family convened to discuss the Li family's rise and decided to let it develop for now while planning to suppress it after Heaven Harmony Sect fell.
• Zhao Longyin assigned Zhao Wuming to visit Clear Wind Valley after Heaven Harmony Sect's destruction and persuade it to help deal with the Li family.

At Li Xunting’s core formation banquet, Yan Xuewei shared Clear Wind Valley’s plans to attack the Heaven Harmony Sect and urged the Li Clan to act against the New Moon Shen Clan soon. Meanwhile, a spiritual-root test revealed that nine-year-old Li Zhonghao was the Li Clan’s first Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator, and Li Qianqing welcomed him to Changqing Mountain.

• Li Qianqing and Yan Xuewei discussed her coming attempt to reach Mid-Stage Core Formation, Clear Wind Valley’s plan to deal with the Heaven Harmony Sect, and the chance for the Li Clan to move against the New Moon Shen Clan within five years.
• Yan Xuewei told Li Qianqing that Zuoqiu Lipeng still had feelings for Li Xunting, and Li Qianqing revealed that he could contend with a Late Stage Core Formation cultivator.
• Li Zhonghao’s parents brought him to the Li Fu Town spiritual-root test, where Li Changxin confirmed that the nine-year-old had a Heavenly Spiritual Root.
• Li Changxin informed Li Qianqing, who ordered the news kept discreet and brought Li Zhonghao to Changqing Mountain.
• Li Qianqing welcomed Li Zhonghao as the Li Clan’s first Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator and recognized his exceptional prospects for Foundation Establishment and Core Formation.

Li Qianqing trained Li Zhonghao, the clan’s first Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator, whose cultivation advanced rapidly over two years. As Li Qianqing waited for Li Lilong’s death seclusion to end, Shen Zhongtian arrived to ask that the Li Clan spare the New Moon Shen Clan after Heaven Harmony Sect fell.

• Li Qianqing kept Li Zhonghao’s Heavenly Spiritual Root secret from outsiders and began teaching him about cultivation and his responsibility to the Li Clan.
• Li Zhonghao learned that he had a single earth-attribute Spiritual Root and promised to work hard; he mastered the Qi Induction Art in one day and reached Qi Refining Fifth Layer by age eleven.
• Li Qianqing visited Li Lilong’s cave after four years of death seclusion, then returned to find Li Qiujing had brought word that Shen Zhongtian wanted an audience.
• Shen Zhongtian met Li Qianqing and discovered that he had reached Mid-Stage Core Formation.
• Shen Zhongtian asked Li Qianqing not to attack the New Moon Shen Clan after Heaven Harmony Sect was destroyed, arguing that the Zhao Country Royal Family would stay out of the conflict and could threaten the Li Clan’s rise.

Li Qianqing negotiated a postwar agreement with Shen Zhongtian, securing three spirit-vein lands for the Li Clan after Heaven Harmony Sect fell. A year later, Feng Xicheng successfully reached Late Stage Core Formation, setting Yan Xuewei up to become Clear Wind Valley's next master.

• Shen Zhongtian offered the Li Clan Qi Long Peak and two neighboring spirit-vein lands, and Li Qianqing agreed to accept them after Heaven Harmony Sect was destroyed.
• Shen Zhongtian returned to the Shen Clan and explained the agreement to Shen Xingyuan, who learned the Li Clan would refrain from attacking them.
• Li Qianqing considered shifting the Li Clan's strategy toward expanding its mortal population and cultivating more clan members.
• Four months into Feng Xicheng's seclusion, Yan Xuewei sensed that he had successfully broken through to Late Stage Core Formation.
• Feng Xicheng told Yan Xuewei she was his chosen successor as Clear Wind Valley Master, and she said she had adapted to handling the valley's affairs.

Li Zhonghao completed his three-year guidance period by reaching Late-Stage Qi Refining, while Li Qianqing received news of Yan Xuewei’s rise to Clear Wind Valley Master and the coming war against Heaven Harmony Sect. The chapter leaves Ma Xuanzong considering whether the Ma Family could become a subordinate force of the Li Family after learning that the New Moon Shen Clan had already made peace with them.

• Li Zhonghao broke through to Late-Stage Qi Refining and completed his final lesson with Li Qianqing, who set him the goal of reaching Foundation Establishment before age twenty.
• Li Qianqing learned that Yan Xuewei would become Clear Wind Valley’s new Master, then moved Li Zhonghao into a cave abode reserved for Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivators.
• Li Qianqing reflected on Li Lilong’s death, which left no cultivators of the Li Generation and reduced the family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators from fifteen to fourteen.
• Yan Xuewei informed Li Qianqing that the three sects planned to launch a decisive attack on Heaven Harmony Sect the following month, while the New Moon Shen Clan had agreed to give the Li Family three spirit vein lands.
• Ma Xuanzong asked Li Changmeng when the Li Family would attack the New Moon Shen Clan, and Li Changmeng revealed that the Shen Clan had already negotiated peace with them.
• After hearing the news, Ma Xuanzong considered whether the Ma Family could become a subordinate force of the Li Family.

Ma Xuanzong and the Weishui Chen Clan explored becoming affiliated forces of the Li Clan, but Li Changmeng declined the Ma Family’s proposal. As the three sects began their decisive assault on Heaven Harmony Sect, the Li Clan took over the New Moon Shen Clan’s three spirit-vein lands, leaving Li Changmeng in charge of its affairs in New Moon Prefecture.

• Ma Xuanzong asked Li Changmeng to make the Ma Family an affiliated force of the Li Clan, but Li Changmeng refused to trouble Yan Xuewei over the yearly offerings.
• The Weishui Chen Clan visited Changlin Mountain seeking to help the Li Clan, then departed after Li Changmeng explained the situation.
• The Zhao Country Royal Family stayed out of the conflict, and the Heaven Harmony Sect Master’s appeal to join forces against it failed when Feng Xicheng ordered the attack.
• Shen Xingyuan ignored requests for aid and arranged for the Li Clan to take possession of the Shen Clan’s three spirit-vein lands.
• Li Changmeng arrived at Qi Long Peak with twenty Li Clan cultivators, accepted the Shen Clan’s handover, and kept the name Qi Long Peak as a gesture of goodwill.

News of Heaven Harmony Sect’s destruction spread, while the Shen Clan and Zhao Country Royal Family assessed the new balance of power and the Li Clan’s growing influence. At Changqing Mountain, Li Qianqing expected the royal family to move against the Li Clan within forty years, and received a Sound Transmission Talisman from Seventeenth Uncle.

• Cultivators discussed Heaven Harmony Sect’s destruction, the death of a Water Cloud Gate Core Formation elder, and how New Moon Shen Clan avoided fighting by reaching an agreement with Xiangshui Li Clan.
• Shen Xingyuan and the Shen Clan Ancestor reviewed the losses among Heaven Harmony Sect’s affiliated forces and agreed to stay wary of the Li Clan without provoking it.
• Zhao Wengang told the Zhao Country Royal Family that the Li Clan had gained three spirit vein lands from the Shen Clan and had suffered no losses; Zhao Wuming planned to visit Clear Wind Valley and warn Yan Xuewei about the Li Clan.
• Li Qianqing told Li Xunting that the Zhao Country Royal Family would likely wait before acting against the Li Clan, estimating it might move within forty years.
• Li Xunting discussed how much stronger she expected to become after mastering Rank 5 Spirit Arts, and a Sound Transmission Talisman from Seventeenth Uncle appeared before Li Qianqing.

Li Xingsheng and Shu Shu discovered a Medium Metal Spirit Ore, but Li Qianqing ordered them to mark its location and leave it unmined for now. Zhao Wuming failed to persuade Yan Xuewei to join the Zhao Country Royal Family in suppressing the Li Clan, and Yan Xuewei arranged to meet Li Qianqing early the following year.

• Li Xingsheng reported the discovery of a Medium Metal Spirit Ore to Li Qianqing, who judged that the Zhao Country Royal Family would make mining it difficult.
• Li Qianqing told Li Xingsheng to mark the ore’s location and leave it for a later time, promising to find Shu Shu some Third-Order Metal Ore.
• Zhao Wuming visited Yan Xuewei at Clear Wind Valley and asked her to join the Zhao Country Royal Family in suppressing the Li Clan.
• Yan Xuewei refused, pointing out that the Li Clan had expanded outward rather than against Clear Wind Valley’s interests, and Zhao Wuming left without securing her support.
• Yan Xuewei sent Li Qianqing a Sound Transmission Talisman and proposed meeting him early the following year to discuss the matter in detail.

Li Qianqing met Yan Xuewei and discussed the Zhao Country Royal Family’s likely plans and Clear Wind Valley’s stance toward the Li clan. He revealed the Azure Cloud Realm’s Nascent Soul opportunity and gave Yan Xuewei cultivation pills, then their conversation was interrupted by news that someone had formed their core.

• Yan Xuewei met Li Qianqing at a forest hut and discussed the Zhao Country Royal Family’s possible pressure on the Li clan and Clear Wind Valley’s internal factions.
• Li Qianqing declined Yan Xuewei’s offer of help, saying the Li clan could handle the situation and that Clear Wind Valley’s neutrality was already enough.
• Li Qianqing told Yan Xuewei about the Azure Cloud Realm in Da Ming Country, its Azure Cloud Tokens, and its opportunity to break through to Nascent Soul.
• Li Qianqing gave Yan Xuewei three pills for Mid-Stage Core Formation cultivators and told her to strengthen her cultivation before entering the realm.
• Li Qianqing disclosed that the Li clan had a cultivator with a Flora Body and a Heavenly Spiritual Root, leaving Yan Xuewei stunned.
• Yan Xuewei sensed spiritual energy fluctuations from Clear Wind Valley, and Li Qianqing announced that someone had formed their core.

Yan Xuewei told Li Qianqing that Zuoqiu Lipeng had successfully formed his core and would become Clear Wind Valley’s Third Elder, then agreed to ask Li Qianqing to go easy on him in a duel. Four years later, Li Zhonghao began Foundation Establishment, while Li Qingdong bought intelligence about a Core Formation Spiritual Object in Gaonan Prefecture.

• Yan Xuewei identified Zuoqiu Lipeng as Clear Wind Valley’s newly advanced Core Formation cultivator and said his feelings for Li Xunting could benefit the Li Clan.
• Yan Xuewei congratulated Zuoqiu Lipeng and agreed to ask Li Qianqing to go easy on him in their coming duel.
• Four years later, Li Zhonghao reached Qi Refining Ninth Layer Peak at nineteen, and Li Qianqing brought him to begin Foundation Establishment.
• One month later, Li Zhonghao successfully established his foundation, becoming the Li Clan’s sixteenth Foundation Establishment cultivator.
• In Gaonan Prefecture, Li Qingdong haggled with Old Wu and bought intelligence about a Core Formation Spiritual Object for one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Li Qianqing learned that the Core Formation Spiritual Object Mystic Talisman Wood would appear at Jade Lotus Island Lake in Fan Yang Country and traveled there to investigate. He learned that it would emerge in 129 days and that three portions would be available, while the rival forces seeking it remained to be revealed.

• Li Qingdong bought intelligence about Mystic Talisman Wood in Fan Yang Country and transmitted it to the clan head, Li Qianqing.
• Li Qianqing decided the spiritual object could suit Li Qiuben and left Changqing Mountain, appointing Li Xunting Acting Clan Head during his absence.
• Li Qianqing crossed the Nether River and reached Tian Yuan Prefecture, where he sought information from the Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion.
• The white-haired old man told Li Qianqing that Mystic Talisman Wood would appear at Jade Lotus Island Lake in 129 days and consisted of three portions.

Li Qianqing learned that the Mystic Talisman Wood would draw Core Formation cultivators from across Tian Yuan Prefecture and planned to pursue all three sections. Five Peaks Palace’s Liu Mingjuan arrived at its Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion branch and decided her force would take two sections, while the Hua Family prepared for the coming contest.

• Li Qianqing reviewed the information he had bought and concluded that Five Peaks Palace might send a Core Formation cultivator to claim the Mystic Talisman Wood, then decided to wait until its appearance drew near before acting.
• Liu Mingjuan visited the Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion branch and learned that five Core Formation cultivators had already inquired about the Mystic Talisman Wood.
• Liu Mingjuan decided that Five Peaks Palace would take two of the three sections and leave the last for the other contenders to fight over.
• The Hua Family Patriarch and Hua Wuque discussed the growing number of Core Formation cultivators seeking the Mystic Talisman Wood and the Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion’s role in spreading the news.
• The Hua Family Patriarch told Hua Wuque to watch Taiji Mountain and the other Core Formation cultivators at Jade Lotus Island Lake, while ignoring the Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Li Qianqing, disguised as Hu, went to Jade Lotus Island as the Mystic Talisman Wood neared birth and spoke with Yan Shangzhi, who expected to watch rather than compete. The gathering of Core Formation cultivators ended in a tense standoff when Liu Mingjuan, a Late Stage Core Formation cultivator and palace master of Five Peaks Palace, arrived.

• Li Qianqing arrived on Jade Lotus Island disguised as a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator and introduced himself to Yan Shangzhi as Hu.
• Yan Shangzhi warned Li Qianqing that Early and Mid-Stage Core Formation cultivators had come for the Mystic Talisman Wood, but Li Qianqing continued toward the island's center.
• Hua Wuque and a Taiji Mountain cultivator argued as Core Formation cultivators arrived, including three Mid-Stage cultivators among the ten gathered.
• Three green sprouts emerged as the Mystic Talisman Wood neared birth, and Li Qianqing and Yan Shangzhi watched from closer to the center.
• Liu Mingjuan appeared above the island, and the Core Formation cultivators hesitated because she was a powerful palace master of Five Peaks Palace.

Li Qianqing used a divine sense secret technique to put the cultivators on Jade Lotus Island into dreams and took all three sections of Mystic Talisman Wood. After the others awoke, Liu Mingjuan blamed Purple Mountain City, while Yan Shangzhi realized that Li Qianqing had been behind the theft; Liu Mingjuan then visited Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion to ask Old Xu to investigate someone.

• Liu Mingjuan arrived at Jade Lotus Island, claimed two sections of Mystic Talisman Wood for Five Peaks Palace, and left one for the other cultivators to contest.
• Li Qianqing used Bewitching Heart to draw the island's cultivators into dreams, took all three sections of Mystic Talisman Wood, and fled.
• Liu Mingjuan awoke, recognized that a Nascent Soul cultivator had used a divine sense secret technique, and told the other Core Formation cultivators that the culprit was from Purple Mountain City.
• After the cultivators woke, Hua Wuque briefly attacked the Taiji Mountain cultivator, while Yan Shangzhi inferred that Li Qianqing had taken the Mystic Talisman Wood and kept the secret to himself.
• Liu Mingjuan visited Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion and asked Old Xu to help investigate someone.

Li Qianqing returned with three portions of Mystic Talisman Wood, strengthening the Li Clan’s prospects as it prepared for conflict with the Zhao Country Royal Family. Li Qiuben reached Foundation Establishment Peak and received a portion of Mystic Talisman Wood to prepare for core formation, while Zhao Wengang began questioning Zhao Tiandong about the Li Clan.

• Liu Mingjuan showed the Knowledge Inquiry Pavilion’s white-haired old man a phantom of Li Qianqing and asked him to report any similar cultivator he encountered.
• Li Qianqing returned to Changqing Mountain with three portions of Mystic Talisman Wood, showed them to Li Xunting, and learned that nothing major had happened during his absence.
• Three years later, Li Qiuben reached Foundation Establishment Peak, and Li Qianqing gave him Mystic Talisman Wood to aid his core formation preparations.
• Li Qiuben asked when Changqing Mountain could develop a Third-Order High Grade Spiritual Field, and Li Qianqing said it could happen within ten years.
• Zhao Wengang summoned Zhao Tiandong and asked whether the Li Clan had killed the people sent to Xiangshui Prefecture.

Zhao Wengang tasked Zhao Tiandong with gathering intelligence on the Li Clan rather than attacking them directly, while Zuoqiu Lipeng visited Changqing Mountain to ask Li Qianqing for a duel connected to his pursuit of Li Xunting. Li Qianqing refused to hold back and suggested Zuoqiu Lipeng had another path to take.

• Zhao Wengang told Zhao Tiandong that the Zhao Country Royal Family could not yet move directly against the Li Clan and ordered him to gather information in Xiangshui Prefecture.
• Zhao Tiandong accepted the assignment and privately resolved to find his own moment to surprise the royal elders.
• Zuoqiu Lipeng arrived at Changqing Mountain and was escorted by Li Xunchen to meet Li Qianqing.
• Zuoqiu Lipeng asked Li Qianqing to duel him and admitted he had requested that Li Qianqing hold back because he could not otherwise win.
• Li Qianqing said he would not hold back and told Zuoqiu Lipeng that he still had another path.