Arc 8The Immortal Shade Revealed

Li Xiuchang uncovered the Sand River Sect’s crimes, helped reseal the Blood Fiend Old Demon, and developed his cultivation while investigating the Immortal Shade with his Senior Brothers. As Chu Ya’s public confession to Xia Siyun ended in rejection, Li Xiuchang learned that the emotional thread between them had grown stronger.

  • Chen Changsheng and Li Xiuchang exposed the Sand River Sect’s bandit cultivation, explored a cave dwelling, and pursued the Blood Infant’s master toward Ox Horn Ridge.
  • Li Xiuchang destroyed the Yin Altar’s guardians, joined Chen Changsheng in confronting the Blood Fiend Old Demon, and helped reseal him before returning to the Immortal Dust Sect.
  • Li Xiuchang refined the Soul Slicing Saber, strengthened his Second Diamond Core and malevolent spirits, and advanced his body cultivation while handling sect duties.
  • Li Xiuchang investigated the mysterious residents of Eastern Geng District with Steady, learned formation-breaking, and discovered that the Immortal Shade was expanding and threatening the realm.
  • Lu Yang explained the layered worlds and the search for refuge beyond the Immortal Shade, then began teaching Li Xiuchang to brew immortal wine.
  • Li Xiuchang’s Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle emerged from its pupa and chose the name Golden Horn, while Li Xiuchang’s Dao seed transformed into the Heart of Myriad Daos.
  • Li Xiuchang delivered Chu Ya’s requested flowers and watched Chu Ya publicly confess to Xia Siyun, who rejected him.
  • Li Xiuchang tried to comfort Chu Ya, who told him that the emotional thread between them had grown thicker after Xia Siyun’s rejection.
Chapters 177–201 Vol. 2 Read

Ch. 177The Death of the Diviner

Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng captured Sand River Sect bandits and learned that the sect secretly operated as bandit cultivators. As Elder Wu tried to divine the identity of their attacker, his divination killed him.

  • Li Xiuchang collected the defeated bandits’ Storage Bags while Pu Hua and the bald cultivator sealed their Cultivation Levels and confined them in a Beast Taming Bag.
  • Chen Changsheng trapped the remaining bandits in a Fourth-Tier Killing Formation, killed all but their Core Formation leader, and captured the survivor.
  • Li Xiuchang tortured the Core Formation cultivator, who emerged nearly dead, but Chen Changsheng revived him and secured his confession by threatening to return him to Li Xiuchang.
  • The Core Formation cultivator revealed that he belonged to the Sand River Sect, a sect that secretly practiced bandit cultivation under the protection of its Diviner Elder.
  • Elder Wu attempted to divine the culprit’s identity for the Sand River Sect Master, but he died when he forced the calculation.

Ch. 178Cave Dwelling Trap, Spirit Transformation Demon Cultivator

Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng helped Pu Hua and the others explore a demon cultivator’s cave dwelling, uncovering a blood-sacrifice trap that had been feeding a Blood Infant. After Chen Changsheng captured the infant, he sensed its Spirit Transformation owner near Ox Horn Ridge and planned to track him down.

  • Chen Changsheng advised Pu Hua to report the Sand River Sect’s crimes to an Immortal Dust Sect disciple at Ox Horn Ridge and told him not to mention Li Xiuchang or Chen Changsheng.
  • Chen Changsheng used a Golden Core Tribulation Cultivator as a blood sacrifice to break the cave dwelling’s barrier, then entered its main room with the others.
  • Li Xiuchang deduced that the cave dwelling’s modest treasures were bait designed to induce explorers to perform repeated blood sacrifices for the owner.
  • Chen Changsheng opened the Pill Room, Armory, and Library, finding only modest treasures, then broke the formation sealing the Cultivation Room.
  • A Blood Infant burst from the Cultivation Room, and Chen Changsheng caught it and identified it as an external-incarnation tool cultivated by a Spirit Transformation demon cultivator.
  • Chen Changsheng assured Pu Hua and the others that he would erase their traces, then sensed the demon cultivator near Ox Horn Ridge and resolved to pursue him.

Ch. 179The Steady Tortoise

After leaving the cave dwelling, Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng changed their plans and hurried to Ox Horn Ridge to pursue several leads. There, Chen Changsheng recognized a mysterious demonic beast as his runaway tortoise Steady, while Li Xiuchang followed Tang Yan toward a hidden Yin Altar.

  • Pu Hua and the others refused the treasures from the cave dwelling and agreed to report Sand River Sect’s crimes at Ox Horn Ridge.
  • Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng decided to head straight to Ox Horn Ridge to investigate the Yin Altar, meet Pu Hua, track a Blood Demonic Path cultivator, and hunt demons.
  • At Ox Horn Ridge, Li Xiuchang heard about a speedy demonic beast that had destroyed formations, and Chen Changsheng realized it was his runaway tortoise Steady.
  • Li Xiuchang released Tang Yan and had him lead the way to the Yin Altar while Chen Changsheng concealed himself nearby.
  • Tang Yan pointed out a pile of stones as the Yin Altar’s entrance, but Li Xiuchang could not detect it with his Spiritual Sense.

Ch. 180Don't Provoke That Turtle!

Li Xiuchang uncovered an abandoned Demon Sect stronghold, let Tang Yan and Fan Liang advance to the Third Tier, then killed them and fed their souls to his other Yin Souls. As he and Senior Brother Chen Changsheng prepared to investigate the Demon Sealing Land, its seal broke, and the sects ordered everyone to flee Ox Horn Ridge and avoid a dangerous green demonic beast.

  • Li Xiuchang and Tang Yan entered the hidden stronghold and discovered a Yin Altar containing Fierce Ghosts in a Soul Pillar.
  • Tang Yan and Fan Liang secretly devoured Yin Souls and used Gloomy Chill Flowers to break through to the Third Tier, but the Soul Taming Seal still bound them.
  • Li Xiuchang destroyed Tang Yan and Fan Liang, collected their souls in the Rainbow Soul Banner, and captured the Fierce Ghosts from the shattered Soul Pillar.
  • Senior Brother Chen Changsheng suggested the Demon Sealing Land might be near the Blood Infant's Spirit Transformation-stage master, and he and Li Xiuchang set out to investigate.
  • An alarm announced that the Demon Sealing Land's seal had broken and warned everyone to flee Ox Horn Ridge and avoid an unidentified green demonic beast; Senior Brother Chen Changsheng accidentally crushed the Blood Infant.

Ch. 181When Parents Are Beating Their Kids, Don't Butt In

Li Xiuchang accompanied Chen Changsheng to the Demon Sealing Land, where they found the mysterious turtle fighting demonic cultivators. Chen Changsheng captured the turtle but was teleported away, leaving Li Xiuchang to accept the turtle’s offer to teach him a spell in exchange for helping it escape.

  • Chen Changsheng and Li Xiuchang disguised themselves and arrived at the Demon Sealing Land, where demonic cultivators were fleeing and a green, shell-less turtle was surrounded by others.
  • The demonic cultivators attacked the turtle, but its greasy green shield stopped them; Chen Changsheng flew in to capture it.
  • The turtle escaped into the Demon Sealing Land, but Chen Changsheng pulled it back and bound it with seals before killing the demonic cultivators who praised him.
  • The turtle broke free and struck Chen Changsheng with “Send Enemy a Thousand Miles,” teleporting him away.
  • The turtle offered Li Xiuchang the demonic cultivators’ Storage Bags and promised to teach him the spell if he used it to help the turtle escape; Li Xiuchang accepted.

Ch. 182The Golden Core Is My Second-Hardest Body Part (6k, Two-in-One)

Li Xiuchang used the Little Tortoise’s secret art to master “Send Enemy a Thousand Miles” and sent it away, then fought the Blood Flower Sect Demonic Cultivators who tried to seize its Storage Bags. He endured their attacks and lured two Nascent Soul Cultivators into striking range, where he killed the Catfish Demonic Cultivator and faced Crimson Dew Fairy.

  • The Little Tortoise imparted “Send Enemy a Thousand Miles” to Li Xiuchang, who used it to send the Little Tortoise away.
  • More than a dozen Blood Flower Sect Demonic Cultivators surrounded Li Xiuchang to seize the Storage Bags he had collected.
  • Li Xiuchang revealed his Mid Golden Core Cultivation Level, then killed two Golden Core Demonic Cultivators with his body cultivation and Fourth-grade puppets.
  • Li Xiuchang’s Diamond Barrier and Little Diamond Bees repelled the Demonic Cultivators, prompting several Golden Core Cultivators to flee toward the Demon Sealing Land, where a blood-colored hand grabbed them.
  • Li Xiuchang pretended to run out of mana and exposed his disguised Second Diamond Core, drawing the Catfish Demonic Cultivator close as Crimson Dew Fairy broke his barrier.
  • The Catfish Demonic Cultivator failed to damage Li Xiuchang’s Diamond Core, and Li Xiuchang smashed his head with a punch.

Ch. 183Senior Brother Xiuchang, Nicely Done!

Li Xiuchang defeated the demonic cultivators at Ox Horn Ridge and discovered that his teleportation spell had returned Wunwun to its shell in the Eastern Geng District. When Blood Fiend Old Demon emerged from the Demon Sealing Land, Chen Changsheng swiftly knocked him back inside and reinforced the seal.

  • Li Xiuchang killed the Catfish Demonic Cultivator, blocked Blood Dew Fairy's ambush, and pursued her until Chen Changsheng captured her Nascent Soul.
  • Li Xiuchang sealed the Catfish Demonic Cultivator's ghostly soul in the Rainbow Soul Banner and collected the demonic cultivators' belongings.
  • Chen Changsheng praised Li Xiuchang for helping capture Wunwun, and Li Xiuchang learned that his spell had sent the turtle back into its own shell in the Eastern Geng District.
  • Blood Fiend Old Demon emerged from the Demon Sealing Land and demanded that Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng bow to him.
  • Chen Changsheng struck Blood Fiend Old Demon back into the Demon Sealing Land, put Blood Dew Fairy's Nascent Soul inside, and added another sealing formation.

Ch. 184You Just Tell Me Whether You Want Me Dead!

After Chen Changsheng resealed the Blood Fiend Old Demon, Li Xiuchang waited near Ox Horn Ridge with him for Pu Hua, who changed course toward the Immortal Dust Sect. Meanwhile, Duanmu Huai investigated the unknown force behind the resealing and asked a divination grandmaster for help, only to learn the task could cost him his life.

  • Chen Changsheng and Li Xiuchang left Ox Horn Ridge after resealing the Blood Fiend Old Demon, while elders from the Four Great Immortal Sects arrived and found the demon sealed again.
  • Duanmu Huai inspected the superior new formation, learned that a mysterious demonic beast might have caused earlier incidents at the Immortal Dust Sect, and decided to seek a divination.
  • Li Xiuchang and Chen Changsheng waited for Pu Hua, reinforced the Catfish Demonic Cultivator's Yin Soul, and helped their other Yin Souls and Wolf Souls grow stronger.
  • After Pu Hua changed direction toward the Immortal Dust Sect, Chen Changsheng took Li Xiuchang to meet him on the road.
  • Duanmu Huai summoned Old Jing, who warned that helping with the divination could get him killed, so Duanmu Huai told him to leave.

Ch. 185Natal Magic Treasure Obtained

Li Xiuchang reported Sand River Sect’s crimes to the Immortal Dust Sect, then managed his household and discovered that Netherfrost Fruits could strengthen Yin Souls. He collected his Natal Magic Treasure from Zhang Wanzhi and combined it with his Bone Slicing Saber, leaving him eager to finish refining it.

  • Li Xiuchang rescued the Pu Hua brothers from a robber and learned about Sand River Sect’s affairs before returning to the Immortal Dust Sect with Chen Changsheng.
  • Li Xiuchang reported Sand River Sect to the sect, turned in missions, and tended to his household, businesses, and medicine fields.
  • Li Xiuchang discovered that Netherfrost Fruits could be absorbed by Yin Souls and strengthen them more effectively than Gloomy Chill Flowers.
  • Li Xiuchang collected his spirit-body Natal Magic Treasure from Zhang Wanzhi and named it the Soul Slicing Saber.
  • Li Xiuchang embedded the Soul Slicing Saber’s core into his Bone Slicing Saber and planned to complete its refinement.

Ch. 186Li Xiuchang's Forty-Meter Saber

Li Xiuchang completed the Soul Slicing Saber as his Natal Magic Treasure, then enlarged its crystal core and discovered it could form an enormous energy blade. After finding no suitable material for his second Natal Magic Treasure among the demonic cultivators’ spoils, he considered turning his Second Diamond Core into a Great Seal Magic Treasure.

  • Li Xiuchang completed the Soul Slicing Saber’s final refinement and established a Natal Magic Treasure connection with it.
  • Li Xiuchang enlarged the Soul Slicing Saber’s crystal core by three inches, causing its energy blade to reach about forty meters while leaving it a Low-grade Magic Treasure.
  • Li Xiuchang tested the saber in his room and the medicinal fields, then learned to control its size and returned it to his dantian.
  • Li Xiuchang searched nearly thirty Storage Bags taken from demonic cultivators but found no suitable primary material for his planned Great Seal Magic Treasure.
  • Li Xiuchang considered using his Second Diamond Core as the primary material or directly shaping it into a Great Seal Magic Treasure.

Ch. 187Mass Ghost Gathering Event

Li Xiuchang fused Thousand Jun Stone into his Second Diamond Core, turning it into an immensely heavy, precisely target-locking weapon, then fed his malevolent spirit employees Netherfrost Fruit Spirit Liquid to raise their cultivation. The chapter ended with Wang Long arriving at the Smoked Spirit Meat Production Base and discovering that its workers had become far stronger than he was.

  • Li Xiuchang used the Energy Importation Method to fuse Thousand Jun Stone into the Second Diamond Core until it became saturated and many times heavier.
  • Li Xiuchang tested the Second Diamond Core with the Target Locking Seal, using it to hit a leaf with pinpoint accuracy.
  • Li Xiuchang sold some spoils from the Demonic Dao cultivators through several channels and kept the difficult-to-sell items in his Storage Bag.
  • Li Xiuchang gathered his malevolent spirit employees and repeatedly fed them Netherfrost Fruit Spirit Liquid until they could absorb no more.
  • Paw Patrol, Su Qingchun, and the malevolent spirit wolf king reached the Mid Third Grade, while the other malevolent spirits also advanced.
  • Wang Long returned to the Smoked Spirit Meat Production Base and was stunned to find that its weakest malevolent spirits were Late First Order and many had surpassed his cultivation.

Ch. 188A New Neighbor in Eastern Geng District

Li Xiuchang welcomed Lu Yang as a new neighbor in Eastern Geng District and grew suspicious that he, like the other neighbors, was a powerful figure hiding his identity. After improving his Body Cultivation Level, Li Xiuchang heard that Chu Ya had met his true love and wanted him to grow nearly a thousand spirit flowers of each grade from First-grade to Fourth-grade.

  • Immortal Dust Sect resolved the Sand River Sect's robbery-cultivation case, and Li Xiuchang received enough Contribution Points to offer to repay Chu Ya, who told him to hold onto them for now.
  • Li Xiuchang met the newly initiated disciple Lu Yang at Number Thirteen, Eastern Geng District, and suspected that Lu Yang knew Zhang Wanzhi and concealed his true strength.
  • Li Xiuchang found Lu Yang's residence meticulously organized and learned that he planned to specialize in Immortal Brewing Arts.
  • Li Xiuchang resumed practicing his crafts and taking Mixed Double Mud, eventually advancing his Body Cultivation Level to Late Third-grade.
  • Chu Ya asked Li Xiuchang to grow nine hundred and ninety-nine spirit flowers of every grade from First-grade to Fourth-grade, explaining that he had met his true love.

Ch. 189Turtle Mouth Leaks Secrets

Li Xiuchang accepted Chu Ya’s enormous order for Spirit Flowers while his Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetles pupated. He then reconciled with Wenwen, hoping to learn about the mysterious Senior Brothers, and discovered the turtle had been born in the Immortal Dust Sect.

  • Chu Ya told Li Xiuchang about his infatuation with an unnamed Registered Female Disciple and ordered nearly four thousand Spirit Flowers for his planned confession.
  • Li Xiuchang planted the flowers, and his Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle larvae completed pupation in a giant, metal-like pupa.
  • Li Xiuchang encountered Wenwen, whose clone had been returned after escaping, and took the angry turtle to Number Eighteen in the Eastern Geng District.
  • Li Xiuchang explained the escape mishap and proposed that Wenwen teach him formation-breaking so they could attempt to rescue the turtle’s true body.
  • Wenwen told Li Xiuchang that he had been born in the Immortal Dust Sect and had spent most of his thousand years there.

Ch. 190The Senior Brothers of Eastern Geng District Spanning Two Thousand Years

Li Xiuchang studied Eastern Geng District’s records and concluded that its mysterious senior residents had spent over two thousand years changing identities and pretending to die of old age. He suspected they were a group of six, including an unknown Senior Sister, and the chapter ended with Wang Long telling him that Senior Brother Chu Ya had been ambushed with a frying pan.

  • Steady agreed to teach Li Xiuchang formations and revealed that Chen Changsheng had lived in Eastern Geng District No. 32 a thousand years earlier.
  • Li Xiuchang obtained five thousand years of Eastern Geng District records through Wang Long and found that the district’s occupancy began declining more than two thousand years ago.
  • Li Xiuchang noticed that No. 32 had mostly been occupied by people surnamed Chen and No. 1 by people surnamed Zhang, leading him to suspect the senior brothers had used aliases and staged their deaths.
  • Li Xiuchang inferred that six mysterious residents, five men and one woman, had repeatedly entered and left Eastern Geng District, creating the rumor of a curse.
  • Li Xiuchang destroyed the records and told Wang Long he was studying the curse; Wang Long then reported that Chu Ya had recently been ambushed in the sect by someone wielding a frying pan.

Ch. 191What Have I Done to Deserve My Senior Brothers' Favor?

After returning to the sect, Li Xiuchang strengthened his Soul Slicing Saber and learned from Steady that the senior brothers' gathering might be connected to the Immortal Shade. As he and Steady agreed to investigate, Li Xiuchang wondered why the senior brothers had welcomed and helped him when other Eastern Geng District newcomers had been driven away.

  • Chu Ya was attacked a second time, and the sect's investigation failed to find the attacker.
  • Li Xiuchang fused Spirit-Infused Gold into his Soul Slicing Saber, speeding up its absorption of magical power, and found that it also absorbed white mist in his Second Dantian.
  • Li Xiuchang took Steady outside the Eastern Geng District and asked him about the neighboring senior brothers and their companions.
  • Steady told Li Xiuchang that Gui Wuyan had once said the group's gathering was connected to the Immortal Shade.
  • Li Xiuchang agreed to investigate the senior brothers' purpose with Steady and wondered why they had treated him differently from previous newcomers.

Ch. 192Blood Refining Mastery!

Li Xiuchang and Steadily agreed to investigate the Immortal Dust Sect’s past while Steadily taught him formation arts and a demon beast shrinking spell. After four years and eight months in the sect, Li Xiuchang reached Peak Third-grade Body Cultivation and prepared to pursue the Fourth-grade breakthrough.

  • Li Xiuchang and Steadily divided up their research, and Li Xiuchang recognized Senior Brother Lu Yang and his wife as the Preaching Ranking aliases “Fairy, You Aid My Cultivation” and “Fairy, I Aid Your Cultivation.”
  • Steadily taught Li Xiuchang how to break formations through its Dao-Transmission Secret Technique, though it did not teach him how to set them up.
  • Steadily gave Li Xiuchang the Turtle Mimicry Technique, which let demon beasts shrink to the size of a small turtle while increasing their physical defense.
  • Over the next four years and eight months, Li Xiuchang studied formation arts and books about the Immortal Shade Realm, eventually reaching second-grade formation skill.
  • Li Xiuchang’s Body Cultivation reached Peak Third-grade through Blood Refining Mastery, and he set his sights on breaking through to Fourth-grade and mastering Manifest Dharma Form.

Ch. 193Body Cultivation at Fourth Grade, Manifest Dharma Form!

Li Xiuchang broke through to Fourth-grade Body Cultivation, tested his three Manifest Dharma Form transformations, and advanced his Qi Refining cultivation to Late Golden Core. After hearing that Senior Brother Chu Ya had been attacked for a third time, he suspected Senior Brother Lu Yang might be responsible and wondered whether Chu Ya was pursuing Lu Yang’s hidden Dao Companion.

  • Li Xiuchang spent 60 cun of Length Value to break through to Fourth-grade Body Cultivation and found that he would need to improve his arts to build more Length Value for further advancement.
  • Li Xiuchang tested his Manifest Dharma Form and discovered that his Vajra form boosted his overall abilities, his Mind Monkey form greatly increased his strength, and his Will Horse form gave him peerless speed.
  • Li Xiuchang added three cun of Length Value to his golden core, reaching Late Golden Core, and learned that the Soul Slicing Saber might become a Mid-grade Magic Treasure when he Formed Nascent Soul.
  • Senior Brother Wang Long told Li Xiuchang that Senior Brother Chu Ya had been attacked for the third time, despite the elders’ investigation and a divination grandmaster’s efforts.
  • Li Xiuchang suspected Senior Brother Lu Yang might be the attacker and wondered if Chu Ya was pursuing Lu Yang’s Dao Companion, then took Wenwen outside to investigate.

Ch. 194The Sixth Senior Sister

Li Xiuchang brought Chu Ya to meet Xia Siyun, hoping to help his senior brother advance their relationship while Wengweng searched for his Aunt Dan. Xia Siyun recognized Li Xiuchang and Wengweng, revealed she knew about him from Lu Yang, and left their connection unresolved.

  • Li Xiuchang persuaded Chu Ya to leave his home and formally introduce himself to Xia Siyun, despite the danger of another attack.
  • Chu Ya invited Xia Siyun to admire flowers, but she declined because of her duties and left after a brief conversation.
  • Wengweng recognized Xia Siyun as his Aunt Dan and secretly called out to her, prompting her to glance at Li Xiuchang's pocket.
  • Xia Siyun stopped Li Xiuchang after Chu Ya left, identified him, and drew Wengweng out of his pocket.
  • Xia Siyun threatened to refine Wengweng into a pill if he called her Auntie again, then said Lu Yang had praised Li Xiuchang's cooking and talent.

Ch. 195The Secret of the Immortal Shade (Two-in-One)

Li Xiuchang investigated the history of Immortal Shade, learned more about his senior brothers, and began studying Spirit Chef Arts under Lu Yang. Lu Yang revealed that Immortal Shade was expanding ever faster and might eventually cover the entire realm.

  • Xia Siyun confirmed that Lu Yang admired Li Xiuchang’s inventive dishes, and Li Xiuchang decided to seek Lu Yang’s cooking instruction.
  • Chu Ya was attacked for the fourth time, prompting him to ask the Immortal Dust Sect’s Grand Elder to help catch the assailant.
  • Li Xiuchang reviewed records about Immortal Shade and shared clues about Zhang Wanzhi and Chen Changsheng with Steady.
  • Lu Yang taught Li Xiuchang to improve Snail Noodles, creating a dish so foul that it overwhelmed Li Xiuchang and knocked Steady unconscious.
  • Li Xiuchang asked Lu Yang why orthodox cultivators kept exploring Immortal Shade, and Lu Yang disclosed that it was expanding at an accelerating rate and could eventually cover the realm.

Ch. 196Steamed Basket World (Two-in-One)

Li Xiuchang learned that the Immortal Shade threatened to consume the cultivation world and that cultivators were searching for other worlds as a refuge. Lu Yang revealed that the worlds were layered like a steamed basket, leaving Li Xiuchang confronting how little he knew about ascension and the structure of reality.

  • Lu Yang explained that the Immortal Shade had been expanding for a million years, and the Righteous Path had found no way to stop it.
  • Lu Yang told Li Xiuchang that some cultivators were seeking other worlds as a refuge, then postponed explaining further until the next day.
  • After Li Xiuchang left, Zhang Wanzhi, Chen Changsheng, Mo Tu, Lu Yang, and Xia Siyun discussed how much to reveal to him and agreed to tell him more and eventually take him to a lower realm.
  • The next morning, Lu Yang used grains of wheat to show Li Xiuchang that the Immortal Shade Realm was one of several worlds in a layered structure, with multiple worlds above and below it.
  • Lu Yang explained that ascenders from lower realms arrived at the Dao Integration Stage and could be captured by the Four Great Immortal Sects, prompting Li Xiuchang to question what becoming an immortal meant.

Ch. 197The Dangerous Chef and the Immortal Brew Master

Li Xiuchang learned from Lu Yang that the Immortal Shade Realm was one of many worlds near the top of a layered cosmos, and that moving between worlds offered a possible escape from the expanding immortal shade. Lu Yang then taught him immortal brewing, and the two developed a vicious second-grade weapon wine called “Immortal Bone Burning.”

  • Lu Yang explained that upper and lower realms did not necessarily differ in spiritual energy or resources, and that the Immortal Shade Realm’s immortal shade made it unusual.
  • Li Xiuchang learned that people could reach other worlds on the Immortal Shade Realm’s layer by ascending from different lower realms, though exploring those worlds was dangerous and return routes were uncertain.
  • Lu Yang reassured Li Xiuchang that the Immortal Shade Realm was strong and near the top layers, then began teaching him to brew immortal wine.
  • Lu Yang introduced tool-type immortal wine and proposed developing a weaker version of his deadly “Immortal Bone Burning.”
  • Li Xiuchang and Lu Yang combined increasingly dangerous ingredients and ideas, scrapped their first attempt, and spent two days developing a second-grade version.
  • Lu Yang praised Li Xiuchang as a kindred spirit and invited him to return to develop more spiritual delicacies.

Ch. 198Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle's Metamorphosis

In his fifth year at the Immortal Dust Sect, Li Xiuchang watched his Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle complete its metamorphosis into a Third-tier Spirit Beast. The beetle revealed that it ate metal and Beast King Bone Powder, and Li Xiuchang began planning its training and a name for it.

  • Li Xiuchang planted a Netherfrost Grass seed enlarged with six inches of length, hoping it would grow into a Fourth-grade Netherfrost Tree for his Malevolent Spirits.
  • The Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle broke out of its pupa and completed its metamorphosis, reaching the middle stage of the Third Tier.
  • Li Xiuchang sensed that the beetle regarded him as its master and communicated with him through Spiritual Sense.
  • The beetle rejected wood, grass, and meat, then eagerly ate ore and three Low-grade Natal Magic Treasures.
  • The beetle asked for Beast King Bone Powder, so Li Xiuchang gave it a ton and transmitted the Turtle Mimicry Technique for it to study.
  • Li Xiuchang began considering what to name the Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle.

Ch. 199Joyous Occasions One After Another, Length Surpasses Five Hundred!

Li Xiuchang celebrated Golden Horn’s adulthood, the formation of his Heart of Myriad Daos, and rapid advances in his arts, pushing his Length Value past five hundred. After handling business at Danxiang Tower, he considered preparing for the Nascent Soul Realm and realized he first needed to ask his Senior Brothers for the next cultivation method of Charcoal Burning Skill.

  • Li Xiuchang offered the Golden Halberd Unicorn Beetle several names, and it chose Golden Horn after he suggested saving King Golden Horn for when it became a demon king.
  • Li Xiuchang’s Dao seed transformed into the Heart of Myriad Daos, strengthening his Equalizer Dao enough to let him cut through Fourth-grade metal with the Bone Slicing Saber.
  • Li Xiuchang advanced in several arts under his Senior Brothers’ instruction, while his Alchemy Dao remained stalled because Xia Siyun had not moved into Eastern Geng District.
  • Li Xiuchang gained more than two hundred inches in length, bringing his total Length Value past five hundred.
  • Li Xiuchang visited Smoked Meat Ghost Factory and Danxiang Tower, where he continued handling business connected to the expanding Four Immortals Merchant Alliance.
  • Li Xiuchang considered how to form his Nascent Soul and decided he needed to ask his Senior Brothers for the Nascent Soul Realm cultivation method of Charcoal Burning Skill.

Ch. 200The Spirit Flowers in the Herb Garden Have Bloomed—Someone's About to Get Beaten Up

Li Xiuchang delivered nearly four thousand Spirit Flowers to Chu Ya, who planned a grand confession to Xia Siyun with his family ancestor guarding him. After warning Lu Yang, Li Xiuchang studied Nascent Soul formation and worried about how to shatter his exceptionally hard Diamond Core; the next morning, he hurried out to watch Chu Ya’s spectacle.

  • Li Xiuchang arranged to buy other cultivators’ Natal Magic Treasures as building materials and posted advice on the Preaching Ranking while studying Nascent Soul formation.
  • After the Fourth-grade Spirit Flowers bloomed, Li Xiuchang harvested and delivered them to Chu Ya, who said his family ancestor would help catch the thief who had attacked him.
  • Chu Ya announced he would make a public confession to Xia Siyun the next day, and Li Xiuchang warned Lu Yang that a Grand Elder would be protecting him.
  • Li Xiuchang studied Nascent Soul formation and considered how to shatter his Diamond Core without damaging his Dantian.
  • Wang Long invited Li Xiuchang to watch Chu Ya’s confession, and Wengweng told him to bring the turtle along.

Ch. 201The Spectacular Confession

Li Xiuchang watched Senior Brother Chu Ya stage an extravagant confession to Xia Siyun while keeping an eye out for Senior Brother Lu Yang’s planned attack. Xia Siyun rejected Chu Ya, but Chu Ya discovered that the emotional thread between them had grown stronger instead of snapping.

  • Li Xiuchang met Wang Long and Pang Yuanfu at the outer sect plaza, where Pang Yuanfu described earning Contribution Points through rainmaking missions and achieving Foundation Establishment.
  • Senior Brother Chu Ya arrived with a ninety-nine-person procession of Talisman Masters, and Li Xiuchang suspected the Grand Elder of the Chu Family was secretly protecting him.
  • The procession reached Xia Siyun’s residence, where Chu Ya presented flowers and confessed to her before a crowd of disciples and rogue cultivators.
  • Xia Siyun rejected Chu Ya and told him not to visit her again, leaving him visibly devastated.
  • Li Xiuchang tried to comfort Chu Ya, who revealed that the emotional thread between them had grown thicker rather than breaking after the rejection.
Arc 8 of 20