Chapter Summaries

Li Qianqing found seventy-two grains of Sky's End Sand at the Southern Sea Region's World's End and returned to Changqing Mountain to prepare a spatial channel. He left the chapter ready to help Li Tongyun and Li Zhongcong construct the quasi-fifth-order spiritual array that would serve as the channel's switch.

• Yu Mingli shared his difficulties advancing to Mid-Stage Spirit Transformation, and Li Qianqing encouraged him to try ascending to the Spirit Realm before the two parted.
• After four years of searching, Li Qianqing found Sky's End Sand and used his Power of Heaven and Earth and Flame Dragon Pearl to collect seventy-two grains.
• Li Qianqing carried the heavy Sky's End Sand back to Changqing Mountain in less than six years, then summoned Li Tongyun and Li Zhongcong to begin preparations for a spatial channel.
• Li Tongyun and Li Zhongcong adjusted spiritual energy at five locations and spent nearly half a year arranging five small spiritual arrays.
• Li Qianqing prepared to assist the two Formation Masters with the final quasi-fifth-order spiritual array, using his Power of Heaven and Earth whenever they needed it.

Li Qianqing completed the Mortal Realm half of a Space Channel, using Sky's End Sand, the Li God Wood, and the Power of Heaven and Earth to stabilize it against spatial lightning and storms. He prepared a glowing piece of Li God Wood to take to the Spirit Realm so the other half of the channel could be connected.

• Li Qianqing used seventy-two grains of Sky's End Sand to create the preliminary Space Channel as Li Xunting, Li Qiuben, and Li Tongxin watched from above the Outer Cloud Layer.
• Li Qianqing stabilized the channel with auxiliary spiritual materials, then used the Li God Wood's roots to draw Space Lightning Storms into the Sky's End Sand.
• Li Qianqing guided the Space Storm along a pattern formed by the Essence of Wind, reducing the danger around the channel.
• After half a day, Li Qianqing withdrew his control and confirmed that the Space Channel remained stable.
• Li Qianqing took a glowing piece of Li God Wood from beneath the Li God Wood, intending to use it in the Spirit Realm to locate the channel's other half.

Li Qianqing completed the grand array that controlled the Space Channel, then prepared the Li Clan for his upcoming ascension to the Spirit Realm. The clan appointed Li Xunting as Acting Clan Head while Li Qianqing retained the title, and the strange beam over Changqing Mountain quickly ceased to concern other forces.

• Li Qianqing activated the grand array at Changqing Mountain, briefly opened the Space Channel, and confirmed that the array could now switch it on and off.
• Li Qianqing handed the core array disk to Li Xunting and explained that he would need to gather Heavenly Thunder Wood, Earth Profound Wind, and Chaos Spirit Mud in the Spirit Realm to build the other half of the channel.
• At the clan’s final core meeting before his departure, Li Qianqing announced he would ascend at the beginning of the next month and proposed that Li Xunting take over as clan head.
• Li Xunting refused the clan-head title, and the clan’s core leaders agreed that she should serve as Acting Clan Head while Li Qianqing remained clan head.
• Li Qianqing discussed the clan’s future development and succession plans, while news of the beam at Changqing Mountain spread among other forces and soon faded without causing wider trouble.

Li Qianqing ascended from the Mortal Expanse Realm to the Sweeping Spirit Realm and met Liao Zhiyi, a Cloud Soaring Sect disciple assigned to receive ascenders. After learning about the region and the fate of earlier ascenders, Li Qianqing faced Liao Zhiyi’s invitation to join the sect.

• Li Qianqing left Changqing Mountain and entered the Space Channel at the node linking the Mortal Expanse Realm to the Sweeping Spirit Realm.
• Li Qianqing navigated the Space Channel safely and arrived in the Sweeping Spirit Realm’s Thousand Wind Region Eastern Domain.
• Liao Zhiyi appeared, introduced himself as a Cloud Soaring Sect disciple, and explained the local world and sects to Li Qianqing.
• Li Qianqing asked about other ascenders from the Mortal Expanse Realm, and Liao Zhiyi said one had joined Cloud Soaring Sect six thousand years earlier but died before reaching Late-Stage Spirit Transformation.
• Liao Zhiyi asked Li Qianqing whether he would join Cloud Soaring Sect.

Li Qianqing rejected joining Cloud Soaring Sect and traveled to Nanmo City to register as a Fifth-Order Alchemist at the Pill Hall. The chapter left him about to attempt the assessment using the low-grade Clarity Enlightenment Pill, with Elder Wu Tianyou offering its formula for free if he passed on his first try.

• Li Qianqing refused Liao Zhiyi's invitation to join Cloud Soaring Sect and accepted his map of the Eastern Domain.
• Li Qianqing traveled through Yingjing City to Nanmo City, where he rented a cave residence and familiarized himself with the city.
• Li Qianqing went to the Nanmo City Pill Hall Branch to take the Fifth-Order Alchemist assessment without proof of Fourth-Order status.
• Wu Tianyou met Li Qianqing and presented four fifth-order low-grade pills for him to choose from for the assessment.
• Li Qianqing chose the low-grade Clarity Enlightenment Pill, which he had never refined, and Wu Tianyou offered him its formula for free if he passed on his first attempt.

Li Qianqing passed the Pill Hall’s Fifth-Order Alchemist assessment by refining five Low-Grade Clarity Enlightenment Pills and joined the organization. After setting his alchemy services and settling into a high-grade cave abode in Nanmo City, he waited for his first client.

• Wu Tianyou reviewed Li Qianqing’s records and confirmed that he had ascended from the Mortal Expanse Realm without prior experience refining Low-Grade Clarity Enlightenment Pills.
• Li Qianqing absorbed the pill formula and refined a furnace of five Low-Grade Clarity Enlightenment Pills, keeping three and presenting two for the assessment.
• Wu Tianyou verified the pills, praised Li Qianqing’s talent, and helped him complete the procedures to become a Fifth-Order Alchemist of the Pill Hall.
• Li Qianqing activated his identity token, set his alchemy rewards and accepted pill-refining tasks before leaving the Pill Hall.
• Li Qianqing rented a high-grade cave abode in Nanmo City and continued cultivating his mastery of the Power of Heaven and Earth.
• Half a month later, Li Qianqing received his first alchemy business.

Lu Lingfeng commissioned Li Qianqing to refine Spirit Ginseng Pills and used the opportunity to build a relationship between the Lu Clan and the newly ascended alchemist. Li Qianqing finished the two furnaces and prepared to hand over the six pills owed to the Pill Hall.

• Lu Lingfeng chose Li Qianqing to refine two furnaces of Spirit Ginseng Pills and paid the fees and materials through the Nanmo City Pill Hall Branch.
• Li Qianqing met Lu Lingfeng at the Pill Hall, and they discussed the Thousand Wind Region and the Lu Clan as they walked together.
• Li Qianqing welcomed referrals for alchemy work, while Lu Lingfeng offered the Lu Clan's help and left hoping to earn Li Qianqing's favor.
• Li Qianqing refined the two furnaces over two months, producing eleven Spirit Ginseng Pills, keeping five and preparing to hand in the remaining six.

After learning that the Leng Clan possessed Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Wood, Li Qianqing traveled to its ancestral land to negotiate for a piece. The Leng Family Ancestor agreed to consider a trade and asked what Li Qianqing could offer.

• Lu Lingfeng told Li Qianqing that the Leng Clan possessed Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Wood and provided information about the clan.
• Li Qianqing decided to visit the Leng Clan and traveled to its ancestral land, where he introduced himself as a Fifth-Order Alchemist.
• Leng Hanwen welcomed Li Qianqing and brought him to the reception hall, where the Mid-Stage Spirit Transformation Leng Family Ancestor was waiting.
• Li Qianqing asked to obtain a piece of Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Wood, and the Leng Family Ancestor asked what he could offer in exchange.

Li Qianqing agreed to refine three furnaces of Hundred Herbs Pills for the Leng Family in exchange for a Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Wood, while Leng Hanwen and the Leng Family Ancestor disagreed over whether to befriend him and make the trade. Three and a half months later, Li Qianqing returned to the Leng Family Ancestral Land having met the pill-yield condition.

• The Leng Family Ancestor proposed that Li Qianqing refine three furnaces of Hundred Herbs Pills and produce twelve pills to earn a Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Wood, but Leng Hanwen reduced the condition to eleven.
• Li Qianqing accepted the deal, took the pill materials, and returned to Nanmo City to refine them.
• After Li Qianqing left, Leng Hanwen urged the Leng Family Ancestor to befriend him, but the Ancestor rejected the idea and insisted that the wood was too valuable to trade away.
• Leng Hanwen argued that the Leng Family had two Fifth-Order Heavenly Thunder Woods and could spare one, while the Ancestor maintained that the transaction would ultimately be settled in spirit stones.
• Three and a half months later, Li Qianqing returned to the Leng Family Ancestral Land after meeting the pill-yield condition.

Li Qianqing completed his trade with the Leng Family by refining eleven Hundred Herbs Pills for a fifth-order Heavenly Thunder Wood, despite the Leng Family Ancestor’s distrust. Afterward, Leng Hanwen revealed that he had news about the Earth Profound Wind Li Qianqing still needed.

• Li Qianqing gave Leng Hanwen eleven Hundred Herbs Pills from three furnaces, meeting the trade condition.
• Leng Hanwen invited Li Qianqing into the Heavenly Thunder Wood planting area, where Li sensed an unusual aura but left with him when the Leng Family Ancestor arrived.
• The Leng Family Ancestor required the pills to be verified, and a family alchemist confirmed they were made by one person within half a year.
• The Leng Family Ancestor accepted the trade, and Leng Hanwen brought Li Qianqing a fifth-order Heavenly Thunder Wood.
• Li Qianqing told Leng Hanwen he still needed Earth Profound Wind and Chaos Spirit Mud, and Leng Hanwen said he had news about Earth Profound Wind.

Li Qianqing traveled into Spirit Race territory seeking the place where he had found Blazing Flame Essence Stone in his previous life. A Late-Stage Spirit Transformation Spirit Race being found him and offered to become the Artifact Spirit of his Natal Magic Treasure, but refused to explain the Spirit Race’s special protection.

• Leng Hanwen told Li Qianqing that a friend would offer Earth Profound Wind at a Spirit Transformation cultivator trade fair in twenty-seven years, and Li Qianqing decided to attend with Leng Hanwen.
• Li Qianqing left Nanmo City after his cave abode lease expired and traveled for nearly four years into Spirit Race territory.
• Li Qianqing carefully avoided Spirit Race settlements, but a Late-Stage Spirit Transformation Spirit Race being detected him and called him out of hiding.
• The Spirit Race being said he had sought Li Qianqing to become the Artifact Spirit of his Natal Magic Treasure.
• Li Qianqing asked why the Spirit Race being had chosen him and how he had found him, but the being only revealed that the Spirit Race had special protection it could not explain to outsiders.

Li Qianqing accepted Fire Spirit Fly as the Artifact Spirit of his Flame Dragon Pearl and learned that Fire Spirit Fly was a rare Child of the Spirit Race drawn to the Mysterious Pearl. Fire Spirit Fly revealed the pearl belonged to the Sweeping Spirit Realm but could not identify it, and his unusual cultivation aid proved useless because Li Qianqing already grasped the Power of Heaven and Earth at a level comparable to his own.

• Li Qianqing brought Fire Spirit Fly into the Flame Dragon Pearl, and Fire Spirit Fly cooperated until he became its Artifact Spirit in half a month.
• Fire Spirit Fly recognized the Mysterious Pearl as the object that had attracted him, but he could not explain what it was beyond saying it came from the Sweeping Spirit Realm rather than the Immortal Realm.
• Fire Spirit Fly told Li Qianqing he was a Child of the Spirit Race, an extremely rare being whose allure to the Spirit Race grew as he advanced and made him vulnerable to capture.
• Fire Spirit Fly explained that he could help Li Qianqing cultivate by improving his grasp of the Power of Heaven and Earth, then discovered Li Qianqing already matched his own understanding.

Li Qianqing found Blazing Flame Essence Stone and Crimson Fire Copper Jade in Spirit Race territory, then returned to Nanmo City with Fire Spirit Fly. He began refining the Flame Dragon Pearl with the three pieces of Crimson Fire Copper Jade.

• Li Qianqing showed Fire Spirit Fly the Mysterious Pearl, then set out to search for Blazing Flame Essence Stone.
• Li Qianqing found a piece of Blazing Flame Essence Stone in the red rock land and stored it away.
• Fire Spirit Fly guided Li Qianqing deeper into Spirit Race territory, where he used Enter Dream to incapacitate a Mid-Stage Spirit Transformation Spirit Race member who blocked his path.
• Li Qianqing found three pieces of Crimson Fire Copper Jade in a Crimson Fire Copper Mine and escaped Spirit Race territory without killing anyone.
• Li Qianqing returned to Nanmo City after an eight-and-a-half-year trip and began refining the Flame Dragon Pearl with Fire Spirit Fly's help.

After becoming an Honorary Steward of the Pill Hall Branch, Li Qianqing refused an invitation to join the Pill Hall and traveled with the Leng family to a trade fair. On the road, Pu Yan’en ambushed Li Qianqing and Leng Hanwen, trapping Leng Hanwen while focusing his attention on Li Qianqing.

• Li Qianqing finished refining the Flame Dragon Pearl, then built his reputation in Nanmo City by refining pills and improving his grasp of the Power of Heaven and Earth to seventy-three percent.
• Wu Tianyou awarded Li Qianqing the status of Honorary Steward after his Contribution Points exceeded ten thousand and invited him to join the Pill Hall, but Li Qianqing declined because he planned to establish his own force.
• Li Qianqing traveled to the Leng Family Ancestral Land, where Leng Hanwen warned him to be cautious around Pu Yan’en, a Late-Stage Spirit Transformation cultivator accompanying them at the Leng Family Ancestor’s request.
• Li Qianqing, Leng Hanwen, and Pu Yan’en set out for the trade fair, and ten days later Pu Yan’en used two azure covers to trap Leng Hanwen and attack Li Qianqing.
• Li Qianqing dodged the attack, while Leng Hanwen found himself unable to mobilize the Power of Heaven and Earth inside the cover; Pu Yan’en demanded that Li Qianqing leave or reveal whether he intended to save Leng Hanwen.

Li Qianqing saved Leng Hanwen by killing Pu Yan'en, a Late-Stage Spirit Transformation cultivator, then asked Leng Hanwen to help him collect spirit veins. They reached the trade fair, where Leng Hanwen introduced Li Qianqing to Wang Mengfei, who possessed the Earth Profound Wind he wanted.

• Li Qianqing ignored Leng Hanwen’s warning to flee and killed Pu Yan'en with a divine-sense attack followed by a powerful flame.
• Leng Hanwen thanked Li Qianqing and promised to give his ancestor a different account of the battle.
• Li Qianqing asked Leng Hanwen to collect spirit veins for him, and Leng Hanwen agreed to use a Spirit Vein Map.
• Li Qianqing and Leng Hanwen traveled safely for ten days and arrived at the independent Cultivator Market hosting the trade fair.
• Leng Hanwen introduced Li Qianqing to Wang Mengfei and explained that Li Qianqing wanted to trade for her Earth Profound Wind.

Li Qianqing traded for Wang Mengfei’s Earth Profound Wind and obtained Ink Profound Azure Ice at the exchange meeting, then asked about Chaos Spirit Mud. Number Nine Cultivator offered him information he claimed was eighty percent reliable in exchange for spirit stones.

• Li Qianqing traded a Blazing Flame Essence Stone and 1,750 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to Wang Mengfei for a complete portion of Earth Profound Wind.
• Li Qianqing, Wang Mengfei, and Leng Hanwen attended Qu Chengyi’s masked exchange meeting, where cultivators began offering items for trade.
• Li Qianqing traded three Spirit Ginseng Pills and 100 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to Number Seventeen Cultivator for genuine Fifth-Order Low Grade Ink Profound Azure Ice.
• Wang Mengfei offered three magic treasures, trading two of them after no one offered Blazing Flame Essence Stone.
• Li Qianqing asked the attendees for Chaos Spirit Mud or reliable information about it, and Number Nine Cultivator offered information he rated eight parts true for 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Li Qianqing learned that Chaos Spirit Mud might be a reward in a Void Refinement predecessor’s trial ruins and met Yao Yuntao, the cultivator selling a key to enter them. After discovering Yao was also an ascended cultivator and an accomplished Formation Master, Li Qianqing agreed to seek his help and learned that the ruins would open in forty-five years.

• Li Qianqing bought information from the Ninth Cultivator that Chaos Spirit Mud might be among the rewards in a Formation Master’s ruins, and that a key was required to enter.
• After the trade fair ended, Li Qianqing left Leng Hanwen at a teahouse and followed the Ninth Cultivator’s directions to meet him.
• Li Qianqing recognized the Ninth Cultivator as Yao Yuntao, learned that he had ascended from the Fanlan Realm, and explained his plan to open a Space Channel to the Mortal Expanse Realm.
• Yao Yuntao revealed that he was a Late-Stage Spirit Transformation Array Formation Grandmaster and offered to help Li Qianqing with formations.
• Yao Yuntao showed Li Qianqing a key to the Ancestor Ruins, explained that they would next open in forty-five years, and offered the key for ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Yao Yuntao revealed that he had two keys and said he was selling one cheaply because he wanted to make a friend.

Li Qianqing bought a key to the Ancestor Ruins and arranged to attend its trial with Yao Yuntao in forty-five years, hoping to obtain Chaos Spirit Mud. After Leng Hanwen reported that Li Qianqing had helped kill Pu Yan'en, the chapter ended with Liao Zhiyi arriving to receive another cultivator who had just ascended from the Mortal Expanse Realm.

• Li Qianqing bought the Ancestor Ruins key from Yao Yuntao and agreed to meet him for the trial in forty-five years.
• Li Qianqing returned to Leng Hanwen, then accompanied him to the Leng Family ancestral land before continuing toward Nanmo City.
• Leng Hanwen told the Leng Family Ancestor that Pu Yan'en had attacked him and that Li Qianqing and he had killed Pu Yan'en.
• The Leng Family Ancestor reflected on his conduct and urged Leng Hanwen to maintain a good relationship with Li Qianqing.
• Liao Zhiyi sensed an ascension at the Mortal Expanse Realm's Space Node and hurried over to greet the newly arrived cultivator.

Long Ling ascended to the Sweeping Spirit Realm, learned about Cloud Soaring Sect from Liao Zhiyi, and refused to join it. Years later, Li Qianqing continued advancing his alchemy and comprehension of the Power of Heaven and Earth before traveling to meet Yao Yuntao.

• Liao Zhiyi received Long Ling after her Early-Stage Spirit Transformation ascension and told her about the Sweeping Spirit Realm and Cloud Soaring Sect.
• Long Ling learned that Li Qianqing had ascended before her and refused Liao Zhiyi's invitation to join Cloud Soaring Sect.
• Li Qianqing decided not to seek out Long Ling, expecting their relationship to develop naturally, and continued his cultivation and alchemy work.
• After twenty-six autumns and winters, Li Qianqing updated his Pill Hall alchemist status, with his mastery of the Power of Heaven and Earth reaching seventy-seven percent.
• Li Qianqing contacted Yao Yuntao, traveled to their old meeting place, and met him after thirty-two days.
• Yao Yuntao remarked on Li Qianqing's growing reputation in Nanmo City, and Li Qianqing noted that Yao Yuntao could gain greater renown as a Late-Stage Spirit Transformation Array Formation Grandmaster.

Li Qianqing and Yao Yuntao waited for the Ancestor Ruins to manifest, then entered through the blue halo after an Early-Stage Void Refinement cultivator named Nan Dongchen arrived. Inside, Li Qianqing landed alone and found a message directing him to begin the Early-Stage Spirit Transformation test, but he paused to inspect his surroundings first.

• Li Qianqing and Yao Yuntao waited at the ruins as more Spirit Transformation cultivators arrived, including Nan Dongchen, an Early-Stage Void Refinement cultivator Li Qianqing remembered would later betray the Human Race.
• The Ancestor Ruins rose from the sand, revealing a blue entrance halo that admitted cultivators carrying crescent-shaped white stone keys.
• Nan Dongchen and the other cultivators entered the ruins, followed by Yao Yuntao and Li Qianqing, who expected the entrance to sort them by cultivation level.
• Li Qianqing fell through darkness into a separate area, where his key floated away and illuminated his surroundings as the ruins sank beneath the sand outside.
• Li Qianqing read the instruction to step onto a central stone platform to begin the Early-Stage Spirit Transformation test, but he first searched for other clues.