Chapter Summaries

Ye Jingcheng observed Ye Xuefu refine a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills using an unfamiliar formula, then recorded and studied the recipe. After months of training and hunting at Sand Cloud Mountain, Ye Jingcheng sensed that the Crimson Flame Fox had broken through.

• Ye Jingcheng watched Ye Xuefu refine Foundation Establishment Pills with the Four Phases Furnace, using a Third Order Demon Core and a careful, step-by-step method.
• Ye Xuefu produced five intact Foundation Establishment Pills and one flawed pill, then gave Ye Jingcheng one of each.
• Ye Jingcheng recorded the unfamiliar formula on a jade slip and examined the pills before deciding to prepare for his own Foundation Establishment.
• Ye Xingyu announced that he would attempt Foundation Establishment, while Ye Jingcheng continued hunting and improved his ability to fight wooden spirit puppets.
• After spending a full year at Sand Cloud Mountain, Ye Jingcheng sensed that the Crimson Flame Fox had broken through.

Ye Jingcheng’s Crimson Flame Fox broke through to the Second Order, giving him access to powerful spiritual energy and raising his confidence in Foundation Establishment. After another month of training, he prepared a jade bottle and a jade slip in the Stone Chamber.

• Ye Xueliang warned Ye Jingcheng to guard the Crimson Flame Fox through its breakthrough and check their Blood Pact, while Ye Xuefu gave him a Heavenly Wisdom Pill.
• The Crimson Flame Fox reached the Second Order, gained the ability to create an illusion of itself with Twin Tails Illusion, and showed affection toward Ye Jingcheng.
• Ye Jingcheng discovered that the Beast Communication Mark could supply him with liquid Fire Attribute spiritual qi, which strengthened his Fireball Spell but strained his meridians.
• Ye Xuefu gave Ye Jingcheng a jade slip of Foundation Establishment precautions and advised him not to rush his breakthrough.
• Ye Jingcheng trained with the Crimson Flame Fox and hunted more effectively; after another month, he prepared a jade bottle and set down a jade slip in the Stone Chamber.

Ye Jingcheng began Foundation Establishment in seclusion and endured the strain of condensing a Four Aspects Spirit Platform. After overcoming illusions that nearly made him abandon his cultivation, he returned to the Stone Chamber and realized his Foundation Establishment had succeeded.

• Ye Jingcheng used the Spirit Gathering Array, Welcoming Spring Tea, Scarlet Flame Fox spiritual power, and a Foundation Establishment Pill to condense liquid spiritual power.
• Ye Jingcheng gradually formed a square Four Aspects Spirit Platform and began polishing its four Spirit Patterns as much of his liquid spiritual power was consumed.
• A Foundation Establishment illusion made Ye Jingcheng face Ye Haiyi's accusation that he had concealed a secret treasure, but he recognized the heart demon and dispelled it.
• Another illusion made Ye Jingcheng relive his childhood hunger and the Old Town Chief's kindness before bandits attacked; he regained clarity and destroyed the vision with a Fireball.
• Ye Jingcheng returned to the Stone Chamber, saw his intact Spirit Platform and flowing spiritual liquid, and confirmed that his Foundation Establishment had succeeded.

Ye Jingcheng completed his Foundation Establishment breakthrough, cultivated the Four Aspects Spirit Platform, and discovered his spiritual consciousness could reach eighty zhang. He left seclusion to find his Spirit Beasts thriving and received a meal prepared to stabilize his new cultivation, while Ye Xuefu planned to discuss family matters once Jingyu emerged.

• Ye Jingcheng inspected the Four Aspects Spirit Platform and learned its four aspects enabled secret techniques, while his spiritual consciousness expanded to eighty zhang.
• Ye Jingcheng took pills to stabilize his cultivation and left seclusion after another night.
• Ye Jingcheng found the Scarlet Flame Fox, Golden Scale Beast, and Jade Scale Snake waiting for him, and noticed the Golden Scale Beast had reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer while the Jade Scale Snake neared the second rank.
• Ye Xuefu, Ye Xueliang, and Ye Xingyu congratulated Ye Jingcheng, and Ye Xuefu suggested he train against all the Wooden Puppets while they waited for Jingyu.
• Ye Xingyu showed Ye Jingcheng the Antelope Spirit Meal and Spirit Wine that Ninth Grand Uncle had prepared as a reward and to stabilize his Foundation Establishment Spirit Platform.

Ye Jingcheng shared a meal with Ye Xingyu, learned more about his Golden Eyed Crow, and spent half a month stabilizing his cultivation before Ye Jingyu also reached Foundation Establishment. Ye Xuefu revealed secrets about the Ye Family’s hidden peaks and answered two questions, leaving Ye Jingcheng to ask the final one.

• Ye Jingcheng ate an Antelope Spirit Meal with Ye Xingyu, who explained how it stabilized Foundation Establishment cultivation.
• Ye Xingyu showed Ye Jingcheng his newly hatched Golden Eyed Crow, and Ye Jingcheng gave him Azure Spirit Pills and Red Ganoderma Pills.
• Ye Jingcheng spent half a month cultivating at the Qi and Blood Gate, while Ye Xingyu prepared to refine a Second Order Magic Item for him.
• Ye Jingyu emerged from seclusion having reached Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and the three men shared another spirit meal and Azure Wave Wine.
• Ye Xuefu explained that the Ye Family had at least two Purple Mansion Cultivators, six hidden peaks that raised Spirit Beasts, and that the hidden-peak cultivators had been removed from Lingyun Peak’s records.
• Ye Xuefu told Ye Jingyu that Ye Jingcheng’s great grandfather had begun breaking through to Purple Mansion and that an opportunity was near, then invited Ye Jingcheng to ask the third question.

Ye Xuefu explained why the Ye Family kept a low profile and described its search for new lands and cultivation regions. He assigned the newly established Foundation cultivators to their posts and arranged for Ye Jingcheng to continue training at Hidden Peak, leaving the family’s next steps unresolved.

• Ye Jingcheng asked Ye Xuefu about the Ye Family’s way forward, and Ye Xuefu explained the dangers of attracting the attention of powerful sects and families.
• Ye Xuefu said the family was investigating the Mo Family and searching ancient records for the Heavenly Sand and Ice Field Cultivation Worlds.
• Ye Jingyu and Ye Jingcheng chose to return to Lingyun Peak, while Ye Xingyu chose to remain at Hidden Peak to raise his Golden Eyed Crow and pursue artifact forging.
• Ye Xuefu gave Ye Jingcheng a Turtle Breath Concealing Qi Technique and told him to stay at Hidden Peak until his alchemy advanced further.
• Ye Xuefu and Ye Xueliang shared a meal and wine with the others and asked about the family’s marriages and mortal population.

Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu ambushed and killed a Second Order Black Water Python, obtaining its inner core before preparing to leave Mount Taihang. At their farewell meal, Ye Xuefu gave Ye Jingcheng a jade slip containing the Spirit Enhancement Method and urged both men to act decisively when necessary.

• Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu lured a Second Order Black Water Python with the Jade Ring Rat and used a formation, magic items, and spirit beasts to kill it.
• Ye Jingcheng found the python's inner core, stored it safely, and shared its meat with the Mottled Cloud Tiger and Scarlet Flame Fox.
• Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu returned to Sand Cloud Mountain and discussed dividing the python's valuable remains before returning borrowed equipment.
• Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu returned the borrowed magic items and formation flags to Ye Xueliang and Ye Xuefu at a farewell meal.
• Ye Xuefu advised Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu to remain true to themselves and be ruthless when necessary, then gave Ye Jingcheng a jade slip titled Spirit Enhancement Method.

Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu returned to Lingyun Peak, where Ye Xingliu rewarded their Foundation Establishment and warned them about rising tensions around Taihang Market. Ye Jingcheng left with a powerful new cauldron and a family plan to support his alchemy and cultivation.

• Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu returned to Lingyun Peak and followed Ye Xingliu’s summons to the Council Hall.
• Ye Xingliu praised them for reaching Foundation Establishment and gave Ye Jingyu a Black Wind Banner and Ye Jingcheng a Town Origin Cauldron.
• Ye Xingliu told them that the Chu Family had suffered repeated raids and that the Chen and Li Families were pressuring the Ye Family, while the sect ignored the turmoil.
• Ye Xingliu asked Ye Jingcheng to focus on refining spirit pills and promised to find Wood Attribute Spirit Beasts and supply Spirit Beast Meat for him.
• Ye Xingliu warned Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingyu to conceal their cultivation, and Ye Jingyu later suggested that Ye Jingcheng plant more Spirit Herbs in his courtyard.

After returning to Lingyun Peak, Ye Jingcheng tended his spirit field and released his spirit beasts. The Jade Scale Snake began advancing after eating the Black Water Python’s meat and demon core, and Ye Jingcheng prepared a room for its seclusion.

• Ye Jingyu gave Ye Jingcheng spirit tea and Poison Thorn Fruits before leaving, and he inspected the Spirit Field and activated its formation.
• Ye Jingcheng released the Jade Ring Rat and Five Poisons Bees, let the queen bee fight the other queens for dominance, harvested twelve jin of Spirit Honey, and infused the bees with Treasure Light.
• Ye Jingcheng infused the Welcoming Spring Tea trees and Green Stone Bamboo with Treasure Light, then returned to his courtyard and released the Scarlet Flame Fox, Golden Scale Beast, and Jade Scale Snake.
• Ye Jingcheng realized the glowing Jade Scale Snake was about to advance and gave it the Black Water Python’s corpse to eat after it cut the carcass into pieces.
• Ye Jingcheng gave the Jade Scale Snake Treasure Light, opened a room for its seclusion, and fed it the Black Water Python’s demon core; the snake’s soul power began to grow.

Ye Jingcheng practiced the Falling Flame Fire Feather secret art while waiting for the Jade Scale Snake to awaken, and he reflected on the need to strengthen himself after Foundation Establishment. At Stone Bamboo Forest, Ye Jingteng invited family members to join the Taiyi Sect, saying Foundation Establishment Pills were easier to obtain there, and his attention settled on Ye Jingcheng’s Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivation.

• Ye Jingcheng practiced Falling Flame Fire Feather with the Scarlet Flame Fox, but his fire feathers still lacked the secret art’s full form and power.
• Ye Jingli visited Ye Jingcheng and told him that Ye Jingteng had arrived and might be able to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingli went to Stone Bamboo Forest, where Ye Xingqun and Ye Jingteng welcomed them.
• Ye Jingcheng brewed Welcoming Spring Tea, impressing Ye Xingqun, Ye Jingteng, and Ye Jingli with its fragrance.
• Ye Jingteng said he had come to ask whether anyone in the family wanted to enter the Taiyi Sect, since Foundation Establishment Pills were easier to obtain there, and he focused on Ye Jingcheng’s Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivation.

Ye Jingteng warned the Ye Family that the Chen Family and Li Family might act against them, while trying to recruit Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingli into his plan to use the sect for family gain. After Ye Jingcheng declined, Ye Xingliu announced that he would leave to guard Jade Dragon Valley and entrusted the family’s affairs to Fourth Uncle as the family prepared for possible attacks.

• Ye Jingteng urged Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingli to join forces with him in the sect and help the Ye Family rise, but Ye Jingcheng refused.
• Ye Jingteng warned Ye Jingcheng and Ye Xingqun that the Chen Family and Li Family suspected the Ye Family’s ancestor was in secluded cultivation and might soon make a major move.
• Ye Jingteng gave Ye Jingcheng the Water Cloud Grass he had sought, and Ye Jingcheng paid him and shared a list of other Spirit Herbs he wanted to buy.
• Ye Xingqun taught Ye Jingcheng and Ye Jingli how to train Five Poisons Bees, and the three drank wine together as rain fell over the courtyard.
• Ye Xingliu summoned the family elders and told them he had to leave for Jade Dragon Valley, naming Fourth Uncle to manage family affairs while Ye Haiyi, Ye Jingcheng, and Ye Jingyu assisted.

Two black-robed cultivators hired the Mad Corpse Two Fiends to attack the Ye Family of Lingyun Peak while its defenses were weakened. As Lingyun Peak entered wartime readiness and Ye Xingliu departed for Jade Dragon Valley, Ye Jingcheng watched the preparations and the secluded Ye Haicheng.

• Two black-robed cultivators offered the Mad Corpse Two Fiends Blood Sesame and Formation Breaking Talismans to attack the Ye Family, then swore an oath that Taiyi Sect would not interfere.
• The Mad Corpse Two Fiends agreed to the deal, swore their own oath, and kept the two jade boxes left behind.
• Ye Jingcheng cultivated Poison Thorn Fruit, studied pill formulas, practiced Falling Flame Fire Feather, and maintained his daily regimen as he anticipated danger.
• Nine days later, Lingyun Peak opened its formation and Ye Xingliu departed for Jade Dragon Valley with Ye Family cultivators.
• Lingyun Peak entered wartime readiness, and Ye Xingliu briefly returned before heading back to Jade Dragon Valley; Ye Jingcheng watched the departure and looked toward Ye Haicheng's seclusion.

Ye Jingcheng prepared Lingyun Peak for a possible attack as days of strange rain concealed the enemy’s approach. When the Ye Family’s defenses were assaulted by a horde of Corpse Refiners, two hidden figures confirmed there were no other Foundation Building Cultivators and began breaking the formation.

• Ye Jingcheng sent Five Poisons Bees to scout the mountains, asked Ye Haiyun about the threat, and stationed the Jade Ring Rat outside his door while he waited through the rain.
• After two more days, an emergency defense order and nine warning bells alerted the Ye Family that Corpse Refiners had reached Lingyun Peak and killed many of its prepared Monster Beasts.
• Ye Haiyun ordered the Qi Refining Late Stage cultivators to hold off the First Order Corpse Refiners as the Ye Family’s cultivators and Monster Beasts joined the battle.
• The Blue-Eyed Hanging-Eye Tiger and Five-Colored Poison Lizard battled Second Order Corpse Refiners, but additional enemies—including a Second Order Mid Stage Corpse Refiner—threatened to overwhelm them.
• Ye Haiyun used the Mountain Protection Array to summon twelve Mountain Splitting Spirit Blades, cutting down First Order Corpse Refiners while several stronger enemies countered or escaped underground.
• Two figures approached from the shadows, confirmed that the Ye Family had no other Foundation Building Cultivators, and used a Formation Breaking Talisman against the formation.

The Ye Family fought the Mad Corpse Two Fiends after a Formation Breaking Talisman shattered Lingyun Peak’s protective formation. Ye Haiyun began rebuilding the array as the battle continued, while two black-robed men watched from the shadows and suspected Ye Xingliu of helping the Ye Family.

• A Formation Breaking Talisman shattered the Spirit Shield, and Heaven Fiend and Earth Fiend entered Lingyun Peak and destroyed more Formation Cores.
• Ye Haiyun counterattacked, but Heaven Fiend used a coffin token to bind his Fire Swords while Earth Fiend rushed him; Ye Jingyu intervened with a Mottled Cloud Tiger and a Hurricane Banner.
• Ye Jingcheng revealed the Twin-Tailed Scarlet Flame Fox and Town Origin Cauldron, fighting Heaven Fiend as Ye Haiyun began restoring the Mountain Protection Array.
• Outside the formation, the Ye Family’s cultivators and Monster Beasts gained the upper hand against three Second Order Corpse Refiners.
• Two black-robed men watching from the shadows blamed Ye Xingliu for secretly buying Foundation Establishment Pills and suspected the Ye Family possessed a treasure that produced Second Order Demon Beasts.

The Ye Family fought Earth Fiend and Heaven Fiend, killing Earth Fiend after trapping him in a formation and overwhelming him with coordinated attacks. Meanwhile, two intruders discovered that the Ye Family’s spirit vein had advanced and were trapped in a prairie illusion they could not break.

• Ye Haiyi destroyed the Black Spider Corpse with a Fire Explosion Talisman as the cultivators and Spirit Beasts battled the remaining corpse refiners.
• Earth Fiend used a secret art and broke through the formation, but Ye Haiyun trapped him in a new array while Ye Jingyu, Ye Jingcheng, and their Spirit Beasts attacked.
• Heaven Fiend’s black coffin absorbed false Fireballs, leaving Earth Fiend exposed to the real ones, and Earth Fiend was overwhelmed by the combined assault.
• Ye Jingcheng blocked Heaven Fiend’s Blood Saber with the Town Origin Cauldron and destroyed a hidden silver needle with Falling Flame Flying Feather.
• Two intruders noticed the Ye Family’s spirit vein had advanced and turned back after sensing danger near the Ancestral Hall.
• An endless prairie appeared around the fleeing intruders, and their Formation Breaking Talismans failed to dispel it.

Ye Jingcheng and the Ye Family defeated Heaven Fiend at Lingyun Peak, while mysterious figures pursued their own plans nearby. A Green Hair Corpse survived and vowed revenge against the Ye Family.

• Heaven Fiend failed to kill Ye Jingcheng, then tried to flee as the Ye Family and their demon beasts overwhelmed his forces.
• Ye Jingcheng used a drum to stop Heaven Fiend, and Lingyun Peak's restored formation killed him with its spirit blades and a long tongue.
• A hidden figure watched Lingyun Peak, withdrew, then returned briefly to check whether anyone was following him.
• An elderly figure concealed spirit eggs, spoke of the Sea Heaven Leech and the Mo Family, and told Old Turtle to protect Hai Cheng.
• A Green Hair Corpse drank a Lush Forest Pig's blood in a cave and vowed to settle its debt with the Ye Family.

Ye Jingcheng fought a Green Hair Corpse that wielded a hidden fu treasure, defeating it with help from his spirit beasts and the Soul Startling Drum. He survived with a shattered shoulder, while the Scarlet Flame Fox and Golden Scale Beast were badly wounded; a jade bracelet remained in the cave as a clue to the corpse refinement’s identity.

• The Green Hair Corpse attacked the Crimson Thousand Rat with Corpse Needles, but Ye Jingcheng and his spirit beasts forced it out of the cave and into a barrage of attacks.
• The Green Hair Corpse launched a fu treasure Corpse Spear, piercing the Golden Scale Beast and Scarlet Flame Fox before wounding Ye Jingcheng’s shoulder.
• Ye Jingcheng used the Soul Startling Drum to disrupt the corpse refinement and countered with his talismans, dharma artifacts, and the Scarlet Flame Fox’s Fireball Spells.
• Ye Jingcheng cut the Green Hair Corpse into pieces and had the Crimson Thousand Rat tear the remains apart, then burned the fragments to ensure it was dead.
• Ye Jingcheng treated the wounded spirit beasts with Treasure Light and discovered that only a jade bracelet remained deep in the cave.

The Ye Family divided the spoils from the battle and planned to confront the Li and Chen Families over the invasion. After recovering from his injuries, Ye Jingcheng tended to his Spirit Beasts and began binding a Storage Jade Bracelet.

• Ye Haiyi reported the Ye Family's losses and spoils, and Ye Haiyun ordered compensation for lost Spirit Beasts while letting Ye Jingyu and Ye Jingcheng each choose two Magic Items.
• Ye Haiyun sent Ye Jingyu to Taihang Market to report the invasion and challenge the Li and Chen Families to account for their Foundation Building Cultivators.
• Ye Jingyu chose the Shadowless Needle and Scarlet Blood Hook, leaving the Blackwood Coffin for Ye Jingcheng, and collected pills to treat himself and the Mottled Cloud Tiger.
• Ye Jingcheng recovered enough to leave his bed, used Treasure Light and pills to care for the Golden Scale Beast and Scarlet Flame Fox, and prepared them a nourishing meal.
• Ye Jingcheng took out the Storage Jade Bracelet and began binding it with his divine sense.

Ye Jingcheng searched the unlocked Storage Jade Bracelet and found a rare divine sense secret art, refined-corpse records, and a Celestial Corpse Token. He left with the Heavenly Soul Art secured and a clearer understanding of the Green Hair Corpse’s split souls.

• Ye Jingcheng examined the bracelet’s contents and took a second-tier ruler, escape talismans, and pills, including a crimson pill containing Burst Flower.
• Ye Jingcheng found the Heavenly Soul Art, which could cultivate an Earth Soul and strengthen divine sense, but lacked the method for condensing a Heavenly Soul.
• Ye Jingcheng realized that Heaven Fiend and Earth Fiend were split souls of the Green Hair Corpse and inferred that the corpse could create replacements by splitting its soul again.
• Ye Jingcheng read records on refined-corpse grades and the Celestial Corpse Sect Basic Corpse Control Art, including its corpse Blood Pacts.
• Ye Jingcheng found a Celestial Corpse Token among the remaining items.

Ye Jingcheng examined the treasures recovered from the Celestial Corpse Sect cultivator and reported his discoveries to the Ye Family elders, who praised his contribution and awarded him two Second Order Dharma Artifacts. He left with a Spirit Map the elders could not identify and learned that his Foundation Establishment allowed him to claim new family benefits.

• Ye Jingcheng found Spirit Stones, a Spirit Map, a talisman treasure, and an Azure Corpse Needle among the recovered items, while the unfinished corpses in the coffins proved worthless.
• Ye Jingcheng brought a token and secret-art jade slip to Ye Haiyun and Ye Haiyi, who identified the secret art as valuable and planned to have the family head assess it.
• Ye Haiyun and Ye Haiyi examined Ye Jingcheng's Spirit Map but could not identify its location, and Ye Jingcheng put it away.
• Ye Haiyun gave Ye Jingcheng the Blackwood Coffin and Blood Saber as his share of the spoils from defeating the Mad Corpse Two Fiends.
• Ye Haiyun told Ye Jingcheng that after reaching Foundation Establishment, he could move into a new courtyard, claim more Spirit Fields and arrays, issue family missions, and update his stipend and benefits.