Chapter Summaries

Liang Qu discovered that his rewards totaled eighteen Great Merits and investigated the mysterious Time Insect as a possible match for the Seasonal Long Qi in his Ze Cauldron. After learning its unpredictable effects, he decided to exchange for one.

• Eunuch Li told Liang Qu that the Sacred Emperor had rounded his previous year-end assessment reward up to ten Great Merits, bringing his total to thirteen.
• Eunuch Li reported that Liang Qu had earned five more Great Merits for arranging the sea merchant’s fixed trade with Pingyang, raising his total to eighteen.
• Liang Qu found the Time Insect in the Great Merit Exchange Ledger and went with Eunuch Li and the others to inspect the insects in Moon Gazing Tower.
• The keeper explained that Time Insects could accelerate Treasure Plant growth and might lengthen or shorten a divine power’s duration, but their effects were unpredictable.
• Liang Qu decided to exchange Great Merit for a Time Insect.

Liang Qu exchanged twelve Great Merits for a Golden Cocoon and six more for a Sun Moon Epiphyllum, then discovered the Golden Cocoon held a Time Insect that could weave Long Qi together. After a night of experiments, the Time Insect began combining all six strands of Long Qi, leaving the result still forming.

• Liang Qu exchanged twelve Great Merits for a Golden Cocoon and six for a Sun Moon Epiphyllum at Moon Gazing Tower.
• Liang Qu failed to subdue the Golden Cocoon with his blood, but Spring Seasonal Long Qi awakened the Time Insect inside it.
• Liang Qu fed the Time Insect Spring and Summer Sequence Long Qi and saw it weave them into a cocoon before the Ze Cauldron separated them again.
• Liang Qu released all four seasonal strands together, and the Time Insect wove them into a four-colored cocoon that began to fuse.
• Liang Qu repeatedly offered Heavenly Water Morning Dew alongside the Four Seasons Long Qi until the exhausted Time Insect finally incorporated it.
• Liang Qu watched the Time Insect weave all six strands of Long Qi together as their colors began to merge.

Liang Qu evolved Awei and the Mirage Worm, transforming the latter into a Little Mirage Dragon. The dragon gained new talents and became his strongest Water Beast, while its next growth required more Marsh Essence.

• Liang Qu secured the Time Insect's cocoon in a bamboo tube and evolved Awei into a Blue-armored Centipede.
• Liang Qu spent Marsh Essence to evolve the Mirage Worm into its fifth form, a white-armored Jade Worm.
• Liang Qu spent eighty thousand Marsh Essence to evolve the Mirage Worm into a Little Mirage Dragon.
• Liang Qu inspected the Little Mirage Dragon's new talents: Riding the Clouds and Mist, Turn Illusion into Reality, Playing Dead, Escape, and Dream Butterfly.
• Liang Qu learned that the Little Mirage Dragon needed another one hundred and twenty thousand Marsh Essence to grow.

Liang Qu tested the Mirage Worm’s newly acquired abilities, including creating powerful illusions and escaping, then prepared to explore Immortal Island Above the Clouds with Dream Butterfly. He told his senior brothers that he would attend the Shangxin Day sacrifice and bring back Great Demon meat.

• Little Mirage Dragon demonstrated Turn Illusion into Reality by creating a White Awei with roughly seventy to eighty percent of the original’s strength.
• Liang Qu tested the Mirage Worm’s Playing Dead and fleeing abilities, then planned to rest before using Dream Butterfly to reach the palace atop Immortal Island Above the Clouds.
• At dinner, Hu Qi reminded Liang Qu about court, and Liang Qu explained that he did not need to attend the regular session.
• Liang Qu told his senior brothers that Shangxin Day’s Heaven-Earth Grand Sacrifice would take place the day after tomorrow and promised to bring back Great Demon meat.
• Lu Gang and Xiang ChangSong marveled at the sacrifice, while everyone grew eager to taste Great Demon meat.

Liang Qu brought Third Prince, his newly transformed Mirage Dragon, to the Heaven and Earth sacrifice and showed it to the other officials. Their envy and curiosity grew as it demonstrated its illusion abilities, until an official sounded the whip to begin the ceremony.

• Liang Qu discovered that Little Mirage Dragon had conjured dragon horns, named it Third Prince, and took it with him to the Agriculture Altar.
• At the altar, Wang Chao told Liang Qu and Meng Qiang that his injured arm was growing back, though the process caused severe pain and itching.
• The gathered officials mistook Third Prince for an extraordinary dragon ornament before it came alive and climbed onto Liang Qu's shoulder.
• Liang Qu explained that Third Prince was a Mirage Clan creature that had transformed from a worm, then showed how it created mist and illusory dragons.
• An official from Honglu Temple cracked a whip, ending the officials' gathering and signaling the ceremony's start.

Liang Qu attended the Heaven-Earth Grand Sacrifice, received sixty jin of prime meat from three Great Demons, and shared it with his companions and Water Beasts. After the feast, he prepared to scout out the Immortal Island.

• Liang Qu watched the Sacred Emperor and officials perform the grand sacrifice, where three bound Great Demons were killed and offered to heaven.
• Honglu Temple officials distributed the cooked sacrificial meat, and Liang Qu received sixty jin of prime cuts because of his rank and title.
• Liang Qu returned home and shared the Great Demon meat with Xu Zishuai, Cao Rang, Xiang ChangSong, and the others.
• Ta Ta Kai fed the remaining dishes to the Water Beasts in the Accumulated Water Pond.
• At midnight, Liang Qu meditated, then set out with the Little Mirage Dragon to scout the Immortal Island.

Liang Qu and Little Mirage Dragon climbed the Immortal Island’s White Jade Stairway toward the summit, where they encountered two enormous Azure Jade Lions guarding the main hall. After defeating the lions, Liang Qu collected their Azure Mirage Qi, which could strengthen Little Mirage Dragon’s Turn Illusion into Reality ability.

• Liang Qu followed Little Mirage Dragon up the White Jade Stairway, staying close in case the island’s mist concealed an illusion.
• Liang Qu and Little Mirage Dragon reached the summit and found a vast white jade palace guarded by two Azure Jade Lions.
• The Azure Jade Lions attacked Little Mirage Dragon, and Liang Qu pulled it clear before fighting them with his water techniques.
• Little Mirage Dragon sent White Aweis to bore into the lions, but the beasts roared and counterattacked, briefly stunning Liang Qu and the dragon.
• Liang Qu kept his distance and battered the Azure Jade Lions with Water Guns until they fell and dissolved into azure qi.
• Liang Qu collected the two wisps of Azure Mirage Qi, and the Ze Cauldron recorded 10,000 Marsh Essence.

Liang Qu and Little Mirage Dragon explored Immortal Island Above the Clouds, where a Mirage Tiger attacked them and caused injuries that carried over into reality. They learned they could return to the island in ten days, and Xu Zishuai told Liang Qu about an upcoming Celestial Ship Merchant Guild auction.

• After Liang Qu defeated the Azure Jade Lions, Little Mirage Dragon ate their Azure Mirage Qi and gained five stronger Aweis.
• Liang Qu and Little Mirage Dragon entered the palace and found a vast expanse of mist; a Mirage Tiger appeared and attacked them.
• Liang Qu and Little Mirage Dragon awoke with injuries from the dream, and Liang Qu reasoned that the Mirage Tiger might leave a reward when defeated.
• Little Mirage Dragon indicated that they could return to Immortal Island in ten days and used mist to conceal its fallen scales.
• Xu Zishuai told Liang Qu that the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild in the Imperial Capital would hold an auction on the tenth of February.

Liang Qu received an invitation to the Imperial Capital’s Sky Shipping Auction and learned about its rare barter lots, including Heaven and Earth Long Qi and great medicines. While waiting for the auction, he evolved Fist, improved his Tian Wu Yu Mark, and cultivated with the Sun Moon Epiphyllum, but sensed something wrong in his dantian at dawn.

• Liang Qu received an invitation to attend the Sky Shipping Auction in a private room and learned that previous auctions had traded Heaven and Earth Long Qi for great medicines.
• Liang Qu used his accumulated essence to evolve Fist, leaving the Ze Cauldron empty as the Little Mirage Dragon gloated over its transformation.
• The Fat Catfish entered Accumulated Water Pond to search for a sunken ship, while Liang Qu chose not to stop it.
• Liang Qu fused Tiger Seed Aura into his Tian Wu Yu Mark and strengthened his control over clouds and mist.
• Liang Qu swallowed the Sun Moon Epiphyllum to cultivate the Dragon Tiger Golden Body, then noticed something amiss in his dantian at dawn.

Liang Qu discovered that his Golden Body could transform into a powerful golden ape, then traveled with Xu Zishuai and the others to the Imperial Capital for an auction. At the Sky Vessel Tower, he found Mermaid Silk selling in a frenzy and was approached by a young man in white.

• Liang Qu found that his Golden Body could become a golden ape, greatly increasing his strength and defense while consuming his stamina.
• Liang Qu left for the Imperial Capital with Xu Zishuai and wondered whether he would see Heaven and Earth Long Qi.
• Liang Qu arrived at the Imperial Capital's Sky Vessel Tower with the Little Mirage Dragon, drawing attention from the crowd.
• Liang Qu browsed the tower's shops, considered buying a Wither-Bloom Twin Lotus, and decided to wait for the auction.
• Liang Qu discovered Mermaid Silk selling rapidly as maids and servants crowded its shop.
• A young man in white approached Liang Qu and greeted him as Brother Liang.

Liang Qu accepted Lu Jia’s costly Wither-Bloom Twin Lotus after the two exchanged courtesies, then learned more about the Xu Family’s successful Mermaid Silk business. Lu Jia escorted Liang Qu and his companions to a private room for the Imperial Capital auction, where they watched a dance performed before the bidding began.

• Lu Jia introduced himself to Liang Qu as the son of the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild’s external chief steward and offered him a Wither-Bloom Twin Lotus as a gift.
• A servant attacked another servant, took a brocade case, left a Silver Note, and escaped through a window while the onlookers watched.
• Lu Jia explained how the Xu Family’s Mermaid Silk socks had become popular and difficult to buy, and Liang Qu reflected on his coming dividends.
• Lu Jia offered to help Liang Qu obtain Mermaid Silk, but Liang Qu declined and accepted Lu Jia’s invitation to the auction.
• Lu Jia led Liang Qu and his companions to their private room, where they watched eight dancers perform on a broad drum before the auction.

At an Imperial Capital auction, Lu Jia explained to Liang Qu how the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild helped silver circulate between commoners and martial cultivators, broadening access to Treasure Plants and strengthening Da Shun. The discussion ended as the auction began with Heavenly Dragon Gold offered for sale.

• Lu Gang shut the private-room window, and Xu Zishuai shared watermelon with Liang Qu, Xiang ChangSong, and the Third Prince.
• Liang Qu asked Lu Jia about the relationship between the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild and the court, and Lu Jia described their mutual support.
• Lu Jia explained how ancient Da Li separated cultivators from ordinary people, limiting the base that produced stronger martial societies.
• Lu Jia said the Merchant Guild circulated silver so commoners and the court could buy Treasure Plants, while elite exchanges still relied on barter.
• Hu Qi opened the window as the auctioneer announced Heavenly Dragon Gold, a Mystic Weapon Material, as the first item.

Liang Qu attended an Imperial Capital auction where rare treasures and even a mine were sold for enormous sums. The arrival of a dragon-blooded Great Demon, the Hoary Dragonet, drew his attention, and bidding began on its prized horn.

• Lu Jia explained that the auction's expensive opening lots were meant to warm up the crowd, then took his leave from Liang Qu.
• Liang Qu and his Senior Brothers examined the verified details of a Profound Water Iron Mine, which sold for one million eight hundred fifty thousand liang.
• The auctioneer unveiled the Hoary Dragonet, a remarkably intact Great Demon slain by Grandmaster Kou and Grandmaster Lin after it endured the Flesh and Blood Tribulation.
• Liang Qu learned that the Hoary Dragonet's body would be auctioned in separate parts, with buyers receiving Dragon Scale Armor blueprints or a pill-refining opportunity.
• Bidding began on the dragon horn at eighty thousand liang and quickly rose to one hundred eighty thousand, leaving Liang Qu doubtful that his three hundred twenty thousand liang would suffice.

At the dragon horn auction, Liang Qu failed to win the dragon horn or heart but secretly absorbed a strand of Dragon Seed Aura from the corpse. With Lu Jia’s help, he used his reputation to win the dragon whiskers for less than their likely market value, then bought some dragon scales and meat.

• Long E Ying, Lu Gang, and Xu Zishuai offered to pool money for Liang Qu, but he declined their help.
• Liang Qu used the Ze Cauldron to absorb one strand of Dragon Seed Aura from the dragon corpse.
• The dragon horn sold for six hundred eighty thousand taels and the dragon heart for five hundred seventy thousand, beyond Liang Qu’s means.
• Lu Jia explained how Liang Qu could have the auctioneer announce his name to discourage competing bids, and Liang Qu chose the dragon whiskers.
• After the auctioneer announced Liang Qu’s identity, he won the dragon whiskers for one hundred ninety-three thousand taels without serious competition.
• Liang Qu bought some dragon scales and meat for just over thirty thousand taels as the auction sold off the rest of the dragon demon.

At the Imperial Capital auction, Liang Qu and his companions enjoyed dragon and phoenix meat before the final lots revealed Startling Thunder Long Qi, a superior Heaven and Earth Long Qi. The auctioneer began taking bids, and a sixth-layer guest offered a Vast Sea Black Whale Pill.

• Liang Qu watched the auction of a Great Demon phoenix and recalled the high prices paid for its feathers.
• The auction house served dragon meat carpaccio and phoenix meat rolls to guests who had spent more than two hundred thousand taels, and Liang Qu and his companions ate them.
• Lu Gang explained to Xiang ChangSong why buyers valued fragments of Martial Saint Profound Weapons for their materials.
• A Great Martial Master presented a bronze cauldron containing Startling Thunder Long Qi, which the auctioneer described as superior Long Qi with lightning powers.
• A guest in a sixth-layer private room bid one Vast Sea Black Whale Pill for the Startling Thunder Long Qi.

Liang Qu bought dragon whiskers at the auction and learned about the Vast Sea Black Whale Pill and the expected return of the Sea Expedition Fleet. Lu Jia predicted that the fleet might trade in Pingyang Prefecture alongside the Sea Merchants, leaving Liang Qu and Lu Jia looking forward to meeting there in summer.

• Liang Qu paid 231,000 taels for two dragon whiskers and received a booklet describing pills made from them.
• Lu Jia explained that the Vast Sea Black Whale Pill was refined from an entire Black Whale Great Demon under a Martial Saint’s supervision.
• Lu Jia said the Sea Expedition Fleet was expected to return within a year or two and might bring new treasures through the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild.
• Lu Jia connected the fleet’s return to the planned Sea Merchant trade and suggested it might head directly to Pingyang Prefecture.
• Liang Qu and Lu Jia agreed that Liang Qu would show Lu Jia around Pingyang Prefecture if the summer trade went ahead.

Liang Qu tested how alchemy and storage affected the Marsh Essence in Treasure Fish, then chose to refine the Dragon Whiskers into Dragon Whisker Blood Pills. He arranged to collect the valuable pills himself the next day and received two Lantern Festival gifts.

• Liang Qu bought whole-refined and separately refined Treasure Fish pills from Cloud Hidden Pill Lodge and compared their Marsh Essence with freshly grilled fish.
• Liang Qu found that freshly refined pills retained nearly as much essence as cooked fish, but the essence in pills and cooked fish faded during storage, especially in separately refined pills.
• Liang Qu decided to refine the Dragon Whiskers into Dragon Whisker Blood Pills and bought the remaining ingredients from the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild.
• Liang Qu agreed to collect the pills himself the next day, and the Steward gave him two ivory flower lanterns for the Lantern Festival.

Liang Qu and his companions celebrated Lantern Festival in the Imperial Capital, where he watched the city’s extravagant festivities and checked on the Time Insect. He then collected the Dragon Whisker Blood Pill and swallowed it, gaining 173467 Marsh Essence.

• Liang Qu explored the Lantern Festival with Long Yao, Long Li, Long E Ying, and his companions as fireworks, dragon dances, and crowds filled the Imperial Capital.
• People on a painted boat recognized Liang Qu and warned one another not to provoke him because of his strength.
• Fat Catfish gambled in a Prize Toss contest beneath Dragon Ford Bridge and lost several fish, while Cannot Move drifted away in boredom.
• Liang Qu inspected the Time Insect and saw that Four Seasons Long Qi had nearly fused with Time Sequence, leaving Heavenly Water Morning Dew and Dead Wood Meeting Spring to merge.
• Liang Qu collected the Dragon Whisker Blood Pill from the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild and swallowed it, gaining 173467 Marsh Essence.

Liang Qu endured the Dragon Whisker Blood Pill’s fierce medicinal force and tempered his body, while Xu Zishuai marveled at his extraordinary capacity to absorb medicine. In the Imperial Capital, Zhu Zongwang and Huo Hongyuan heard that Liang Qu had become a Hunting Tiger Great Martial Master, then reacted to the news as a fight broke out aboard their boat.

• Liang Qu sealed his pores and circulated his cultivation method to contain the Dragon Whisker Blood Pill’s medicinal force and temper his flesh.
• Xu Zishuai sensed the turbulent aura from the Quiet Room and suspected Liang Qu possessed an enormous, possibly innate, cauldron constitution.
• Zhu Zongwang and Huo Hongyuan arrived in the Imperial Capital for the selection process and were approached by young men on a pleasure boat.
• A young man from the Qiong Province Liu Family praised Liang Qu as an eighteen-year-old Hunting Tiger Great Martial Master and described his defeat of a Northern Court prodigy.
• Zhu Zongwang confirmed that the famed Dragon Crossing the River was Liang Qu, released Huo Hongyuan, and an altercation began aboard the boat.

After advancing in the Hunting Tiger Realm, Liang Qu chose to cultivate the Dragon Tiger Golden Body Divine Power Seed. He learned that the Sacred Emperor had appointed him instructor for the Martial Examination’s strength category, with a Treasure Ship promised once the task was complete.

• Liang Qu used a Dragon Whisker Blood Pill and Marsh Essence to break through two layers, reaching the fifth and sixth layers of the Hunting Tiger Realm.
• Liang Qu decided to plant the Dragon Tiger Golden Body Divine Power Seed, reserving another slot for the River Lord, and began cultivating it.
• Liang Qu stopped his cultivation for the Lantern Festival and learned from Cao Rang that Eunuch Li had delivered the Sacred Emperor’s appointment.
• Liang Qu read the document and discovered he would oversee the Martial Examination’s strength category, where candidates lifted five Divine Power-bearing Bronze Pillars.
• Liang Qu welcomed the appointment because completing it would earn him a Treasure Ship before he returned to Pingyang Prefecture for an official post.