Chapter Summaries

Zhang Lingshan advanced to Silver Rank Alchemist, improved his partnership with Huoran, and cultivated on the Fourth Layer until the Myriad Techniques True Scripture reached the brink of a breakthrough. After taking a Low-grade Immortal Spirit Pill, he began breaking through to True Immortal using the Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art.

• Zhang Lingshan refined Pseudo Immortal Spirit Pills for three months, then spent more than half a year mastering the Third Layer's other pills and advancing to Silver Rank Alchemist.
• Wei Zhongqian congratulated Zhang Lingshan, explained the value of Pure Lotus Pills, and encouraged him to demand more Merit Points from Huoran.
• Huoran doubled Zhang Lingshan's share to one million Merit Points per furnace and began sharing alchemy and Immortal Realm knowledge with him.
• Zhang Lingshan returned to the Fourth Layer and refined Low-grade Immortal Spirit Pills until the Myriad Techniques True Scripture reached 9 Rang 9,000 Zhi out of 10 Rang.
• Zhang Lingshan took a Low-grade Immortal Spirit Pill and began his breakthrough to True Immortal by circulating the Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art.

Zhang Lingshan secretly reached the True Immortal realm through the Myriad Techniques True Scripture, then chose to slow his progress while refining pills and studying the Alchemy Pavilion’s monitoring arrays. Huoran invited him to a Small Exchange Meeting and gloated over Zhang Lingshan’s choice of the Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art, believing the inferior method would hinder him for years.

• Zhang Lingshan concealed his breakthrough to the True Immortal realm by making it appear that his Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art breakthrough had failed.
• Zhang Lingshan decided to pursue Gold Rank alchemist promotion at a steady pace, exchange for Water Jade Crystals, and use spare Divine Consciousness to study the Monitoring Array Patterns.
• Huoran invited Zhang Lingshan to a Small Exchange Meeting and explained that he needed a Storage Ring to trade his accumulated pills.
• Zhang Lingshan revealed that he had only twenty million Merit Points left and had exchanged for the Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art.
• Huoran feigned regret over Zhang Lingshan’s choice while inwardly gloating that the method would slow Zhang Lingshan’s cultivation and protect Huoran’s standing as the only Pure Lotus Pill alchemist.

Zhang Lingshan bought an expensive Storage Ring, repaid his loan by refining pills, and learned to draw the Monitoring Array Patterns in the Alchemy Pavilion walls. While the City Lord plotted to negotiate for part of the Anning Army’s ascension jurisdiction, Zhang Lingshan finally bypassed the array and observed alchemy in the neighboring room.

• Huoran lent Zhang Lingshan seventy million Merit Points so he could exchange for a Storage Ring, and Zhang Lingshan bought one after finishing a round of alchemy.
• Zhang Lingshan spent most of the next month studying the Monitoring Array Patterns and learned to reproduce their shapes, though he had not mastered them.
• The City Lord assigned Hu Jing to negotiate with the Anning Army for part of its Mortal Realm ascension jurisdiction in exchange for help meeting the Spirit Rice quota.
• Yu Shaoqing refused Hu Jing’s invitation to drink and told him to seek information from his subordinate Lin Bai while he investigated the Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills.
• Zhang Lingshan finally bypassed the Monitoring Array Pattern and used his Divine Consciousness to watch three alchemists refining pills in the next room.

Zhang Lingshan attended Huoran’s Small Exchange Meeting, impressed the Gold Rank alchemists with a full batch of Water Cloud Pills, and learned from their techniques. After exchanging pills and refining his cultivation resources, he discovered that mid-grade Immortal Spirit Pills gave him far less experience as a True Immortal and resolved to master the Fourth Layer’s alchemy techniques so he could advance to Gold Rank.

• Huoran introduced Zhang Lingshan to four alchemists, who changed their attitude toward him after learning of his rapid rise to Silver Rank and his role in refining Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills.
• Zhang Lingshan exchanged his leftover pills for mid-grade Immortal Spirit Pills, then refined a full batch of fifteen Water Cloud Pills to begin the alchemy exchange.
• The muscular-faced alchemist and the others each demonstrated their own pill-refining techniques, producing full batches while Zhang Lingshan watched and learned.
• After the meeting, Zhang Lingshan refined the Immortal Spirit Pills and found that each gave him less than 100 zhi, far below what they had provided before he reached the True Immortal realm.
• Zhang Lingshan concluded that high-grade Immortal Spirit Pills would be more effective and resolved to learn the Fourth Layer alchemists’ techniques to reach Gold Rank.

Zhang Lingshan discovered the Gold Liquid Pill’s hidden danger and suspected Yuanwai Zhao was targeting him and Huoran over their Pure Lotus Pill skills. When Zhao launched a suicidal attack, Zhang fought to hold him off until Wei Zhongqian could arrive, but Zhao sacrificed his body to strengthen the golden beam.

• Zhang Lingshan realized Gold Liquid Pills could eventually drain a user’s Water Element Spiritual Root, though he believed his Mystic Ice Tree and other resources could protect him.
• Zhang Lingshan advanced to Gold Token Alchemist, then noticed Yuanwai Zhao secretly watching him and later exchanged for more Gold Liquid Pills.
• Zhang Lingshan deduced that Yuanwai Zhao was likely acting for someone who wanted to eliminate him and Huoran, and set out to report the plot to Wei Zhongqian.
• Yuanwai Zhao ambushed Zhang Lingshan with a golden beam aimed at destroying his Dantian, and Zhang defended himself with Water Element Immortal Spiritual Power.
• Zhang Lingshan chewed Water Jade Crystals and flame crystals to reinforce his defense while waiting for Wei Zhongqian, but Zhao sacrificed his body to make the golden beam stronger.

After Zhao Xian’s killing move nearly destroyed Zhang Lingshan, the Pavilion Master ordered Wei Zhongqian to take Zhang Lingshan and Huoran out of the Alchemy Pavilion to plant Spirit Rice, while Zhang Lingshan tried to recover from his grave injuries. The chapter left Wei Zhongqian preparing to depart with the two alchemists, uncertain of the Pavilion Master’s motives.

• Wei Zhongqian used healing pills to keep Zhang Lingshan alive, while guards arrived and Wei Zhongqian went to report the attack.
• Wei Zhongqian told the Pavilion Master that Zhao Xian had attacked Zhang Lingshan and explained how Zhang Lingshan survived.
• The Pavilion Master ordered Wei Zhongqian to leave his steward post, take Zhang Lingshan into hiding, and seek a way to restore his Water Element Spiritual Root.
• The Pavilion Master also ordered Wei Zhongqian to take Huoran and both injured alchemists to plant Spirit Rice instead of refining Pure Lotus Pills.
• Wei Zhongqian returned to the Fifth Layer and told Zhang Lingshan and Huoran that they had to leave the Alchemy Pavilion.

Wei Zhongqian took the injured Zhang Lingshan and Huoran from the Alchemy Pavilion to the Water Field Domain, where they were assigned to plant spirit rice while the Pavilion investigated possible traitors. The paddy-field steward sent them to Area D to start, leaving Zhang Lingshan to accept his exile and plan to learn about spirit rice.

• Wei Zhongqian accused Huoran of being responsible for Zhao Xian’s attack and ordered him to carry Zhang Lingshan to the Water Field Domain.
• Huoran panicked at the thought of planting spirit rice, but calmed down after Wei Zhongqian explained that they were only hiding there until the Alchemy Pavilion’s traitors were found.
• Zhang Lingshan suspected the Alchemy Pavilion had abandoned him because of his injuries, then decided to use his time in the fields to learn about spirit rice and patiently cultivate.
• The paddy-field steward explained the four field areas and refused Wei Zhongqian’s request for Area B, saying the newcomers first had to practice in Area D.
• Wei Zhongqian accepted a remote Area D paddy field, while the steward privately mocked the group and resolved to keep them from moving to Area C soon.

Zhang Lingshan mastered an unconventional method for raising Spirit Rice seedlings and tending the fields, but his first three harvests produced only empty husks. While searching nearby fields for answers, he unexpectedly encountered someone who recognized him and celebrated his exile.

• Wei Zhongqian and Huoran hid in their houses instead of working, while Zhang Lingshan studied the planting Jade Slip and began raising Spirit Rice seeds.
• Zhang Lingshan used his Ice Fire Pool and Five Elements Rules to combine seed preparation, fertilization, and field care into efficient methods.
• After two months, Zhang Lingshan transplanted and tended his seedlings, but his Spirit Rice grew only empty husks.
• Huoran mocked Zhang Lingshan's failed crop, while Zhang Lingshan decided to observe how other workers cultivated their fields.
• Zhang Lingshan spotted an acquaintance, who recognized him and shouted that he had been exiled too.

Zhang Lingshan learned from Gu Nanxiang that spirit rice needed blood and Life Essence to produce full grains, then discovered that a stalk of Empty Shell Spirit Rice had grown Mid-Grade Spirit Rice after absorbing his blood. He began investigating how the transformation worked and tasted one grain raw.

• Zhang Lingshan traded Gu Nanxiang a Low-grade Immortal Spirit Pill for her explanation that blood fertilized spirit rice through its Life Essence.
• Zhang Lingshan realized that observing how spirit rice converted Life Essence might help him comprehend the Rule of Life.
• Zhang Lingshan dripped blood onto one Empty Shell Spirit Rice stalk and watched as it slowly absorbed the blood and released a faint, intermittent aura.
• Huoran and Wei Zhongqian discussed their continued assignment to the fields, while Gu Nanxiang taunted Huoran and he walked away.
• Zhang Lingshan saw that the stalk had produced rice grains of Mid-Grade quality, then peeled off one grain and ate it raw.

Zhang Lingshan discovered he could cook Mid-Grade Spirit Rice in his Pouch Space and secretly ate it, strengthening his Soul Tree and helping the Violet Qi Golden Silkworm absorb its fragrance. He kept his cultivation inconspicuous while trading his Low-Grade Spirit Rice Meal with Wei Zhongqian, until a sudden crash came from Huoran's room.

• Zhang Lingshan used the Ice Fire Pool's power to cook a grain of Spirit Rice, then had Zhang Zixin and the others steam another grain in the Heaven and Earth Furnace.
• Zhang Lingshan and the others ate the cooked rice, and the Violet Qi Golden Silkworm began absorbing its fragrance while Zhang Lingshan's Soul Tree grew stronger.
• Zhang Lingshan continued cultivating mostly Empty Shell Spirit Rice and had Gu Nanxiang help him produce one mu of Low-Grade Spirit Rice without drawing attention.
• Zhang Lingshan exchanged his Low-Grade Spirit Rice Meal with Wei Zhongqian for Divine Thought Crystals and other materials, and they continued their mutually beneficial arrangement.
• A thud sounded from Huoran's room.

Wei Zhongqian discovered that Huoran’s Water Element Spiritual Root had been crippled by addictive Gold Liquid Pills made by Zhao Xian, and Chief Huang blamed Wei Zhongqian for the loss. Wei Cuicui took charge of the paddy fields, whipped Wei Zhongqian and Huoran for neglecting the land, and praised Zhang Lingshan for tending his field well.

• Wei Zhongqian found Huoran injured and learned that his Water Element Spiritual Root had been crippled, while Zhang Lingshan and the Water Field Steward came to investigate.
• Zhang Lingshan found a Gold Liquid Pill, and Wei Zhongqian realized Huoran had secretly taken Zhao Xian’s pills.
• Chief Huang identified an addictive ingredient in the pill, explained that it had consumed Huoran’s Water Element Spiritual Root, and kicked Huoran into a paddy field.
• Chief Huang ordered Wei Zhongqian to remain and grow Top-Grade Spirit Rice, saying it could restore Huoran’s and Zhang Lingshan’s roots.
• After Chief Huang left, Wei Cuicui introduced herself, whipped Wei Zhongqian for neglecting the fields, and then lashed Huoran.
• Wei Cuicui praised Zhang Lingshan for tending his mu of land well.

Wei Cuicui appointed Zhang Lingshan to lead Huoran and Wei Zhongqian, and Zhang took both of their Storage Rings while making them learn to farm. After qualifying for Area C on his own, he found that advancing to Area B required much higher yields and began weighing ways to nourish the soil without exhausting his resources.

• Wei Cuicui made Zhang Lingshan responsible for Huoran and Wei Zhongqian, gave him a whip, and ordered him to lead them toward Area C and eventually Area B.
• Zhang Lingshan confiscated Huoran’s and Wei Zhongqian’s Storage Rings, promised Wei Zhongqian daily Spirit Rice Meal, and made Huoran wait half a month before starting farm training.
• After half a year of instruction, Huoran and Wei Zhongqian managed to grow spirit rice, and over the next two years they gradually improved their planting yields.
• Zhang Lingshan qualified for Area C by planting five hundred jin of Low-Grade Spirit Rice one hundred times in a row, without waiting for the slower Huoran and Wei Zhongqian.
• Zhang Lingshan learned that Area C required one thousand jin per planting to advance to Area B and considered testing his own blood as fertilizer so he could save rice for Blood Nourishing Pills.

Zhang Lingshan advanced his Immortal Divine Sense, allowing him to comprehend Life Essence and begin transforming his body into an Immortal Spiritual Body. He discovered he could absorb Life Essence from Mid-Grade Spirit Rice while leaving the harvest at Low-Grade, letting him grow stronger without attracting attention.

• Zhang Lingshan kept farming discreetly in Area C, returned Wei Zhongqian’s Storage Ring, and offered Huoran a ring in exchange for his saved Spirit Rice, but Huoran refused.
• After another half year, Wei Zhongqian was promoted to Area C, and Zhang Lingshan used his progress as a reference while continuing to farm and study Life Essence.
• Zhang Lingshan’s Immortal Divine Sense broke through to Level Six, and he adjusted to the heightened perception before sensing the milky-white Life Essence released by Spirit Rice.
• Zhang Lingshan used Energy Points to raise Life Essence to Entry Level and then Minor Accomplishment, which began transforming his body and revealed the Immortal Spiritual Body on his Panel.
• Zhang Lingshan found that absorbing Life Essence did not improve his Mid-Grade Spirit Rice, so he began growing it for its Life Essence while ensuring the mature harvest remained Low-Grade Spirit Rice.

Zhang Lingshan advanced to Area B and secretly used Life Essence to cultivate High-Grade Spirit Rice, strengthening his body while Wei Zhongqian and Huoran pursued rice that could restore their Water Element Spiritual Roots. The chapter ended with Wei Zhongqian and Huoran pledging to grow High-Grade Spirit Rice for Zhang Lingshan if he would help them recover and return to the Alchemy Pavilion.

• Huoran traded all the Spirit Rice he had accumulated for his Storage Ring, and Zhang Lingshan used some of the rice to obtain Blood Nourishing Pills, whose effects he exploited to strengthen his Immortal Divine Sense and nourish his fields with blood.
• Over the next three years, Zhang Lingshan raised his Immortal Spiritual Body to one percent progress as Wei Zhongqian repeatedly grew Mid-Grade Spirit Rice and earned promotion to Area B.
• Zhang Lingshan advanced to Area B six months later and used improved seedlings and fresh blood to cultivate High-Grade Spirit Rice, absorbing its Life Essence and secretly giving some stalks to Zhang Zixin to cook.
• After another five years, Wei Zhongqian advanced to Area A and eventually gave Huoran a bowl of High-Grade Spirit Rice; Huoran sensed it could help restore his Water Element Spiritual Root but estimated he would need at least a thousand bowls.
• Wei Zhongqian gave Zhang Lingshan a bowl of High-Grade Spirit Rice, and Zhang Lingshan claimed it could restore his damaged Water Element Spiritual Root within ten thousand bowls.
• Wei Zhongqian and Huoran promised to grow High-Grade Spirit Rice for Zhang Lingshan and asked him to help restore Huoran's Water Element Spiritual Root afterward.

Zhang Lingshan restored his Water Element Spiritual Root, secretly absorbed Cultivation Methods from people in Areas A and B, and advanced his Immortal Divine Sense to Level Seven. After he finally restored Huoran’s Water Element Spiritual Root, Chief Huang arrived to take them back to the Alchemy Pavilion and promised Wei Zhongqian a chance to break through to Mysterious Immortal.

• Zhang Lingshan advanced to Area A, cultivated Spirit Rice to absorb Life Essence, and accepted Spirit Stones from Huoran in exchange for restoring his Water Element Spiritual Root.
• After consuming High-Grade Spirit Rice Meal, Zhang Lingshan restored his own Water Element Spiritual Root and began restoring Huoran’s, using the process to obtain Huoran’s Taiyi True Water Art.
• Zhang Lingshan burned his physical body to raise his Immortal Divine Sense to Level Seven, then secretly copied the Cultivation Methods of people in Areas A and B to strengthen the Myriad Techniques True Scripture.
• Zhang Lingshan completed Huoran’s Water Element Spiritual Root restoration, and Wei Zhongqian contacted his superior through his Alchemy Pavilion Identification Token.
• Chief Huang arrived, said the Alchemy Pavilion had resumed Pure Lotus Pill production, and promised Wei Zhongqian a slot to break through to Mysterious Immortal.

Zhang Lingshan advanced to Jade Token Alchemist, but the Alchemy Pavilion immediately ordered him to resume refining Pure Lotus Pills under stricter conditions. As he entered the Sixth Layer’s Alchemy Hall with Huoran and other workers, he realized his new status meant even heavier labor.

• Zhang Lingshan refined Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills alone, increasing his output from six to ten and earning an Identity Jade Token.
• Zhang Lingshan spent his Merit Points on Divine Thought Crystals and concluded that he would need to leave the Alchemy Pavilion to gain real freedom and wealth.
• Wei Zhongqian told Zhang Lingshan that he had to lead the Pure Lotus Pill production and could requisition all water-element Fire Workers, including Huoran.
• Wei Zhongqian required every pill Zhang Lingshan produced to be mid-grade or better, threatening him with compensation for any low-grade pills.
• Zhang Lingshan entered the Sixth Layer’s Alchemy Hall and discovered that its ten Secondary Furnaces purified medicinal liquid for Jade Token Alchemists.
• Huoran and six other people entered the Alchemy Hall.

Zhang Lingshan led the Fire Workers in refining more than two thousand Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills, while privately resolving not to deliberately produce a High-grade pill until he knew whether the Alchemy Pavilion would honor its promise. After the workers received a single drop of Immortal Spirit Liquid each, Zhang Lingshan discovered Wei Zhongqian had kept most of the supply and planned to steal it later.

• Wei Zhongqian assigned Zhang Lingshan six Water Element Fire Workers and ordered the group to produce at least two thousand Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills within a month.
• Zhang Lingshan increased his pill-refining speed with the Fire Workers' help and decided he would not intentionally refine a High-grade Pure Lotus Pill because he distrusted the Alchemy Pavilion's promise of a Mysterious Immortal advancement quota.
• The group produced more than two thousand four hundred Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills in a month, and Wei Zhongqian ordered them to rest for five days before raising the next quota to three thousand.
• Wei Zhongqian rewarded each person with one drop of Immortal Spirit Liquid, and Zhang Lingshan secretly found more than thirty drops in Wei Zhongqian's Storage Ring.
• Zhang Lingshan resolved to improve his Art of Remote Extraction and eventually empty Wei Zhongqian's Storage Ring.

Zhang Lingshan and the exhausted Fire Boys were pushed to produce ever larger batches of Pure Lotus Pills, until the Alchemy Pavilion ordered them to attempt High-grade Pure Lotus Pills. Wei Zhongqian privately pressed Zhang Lingshan to reveal whether he could succeed and warned that the order was a death sentence, leaving Zhang Lingshan wondering what had happened.

• Wei Zhongqian gave Zhang Lingshan an extra drop of Immortal Spirit Liquid after Zhang requested more, and Zhang swallowed both drops he had received.
• The Fire Boys completed a quota of three thousand pills, then were ordered to produce three thousand five hundred Mid-grade Pure Lotus Pills in the next round.
• After the next grueling round, Wei Zhongqian announced that they had to attempt High-grade Pure Lotus Pills, while the higher-ups would grant Zhang Lingshan a Mysterious Immortal slot only if he succeeded.
• Zhang Lingshan asked for more Immortal Spirit Liquid for the exhausted Fire Boys, knowing Wei Zhongqian had hidden five bottles in his ring.
• Wei Zhongqian privately asked Zhang Lingshan whether he could refine a High-grade Pure Lotus Pill and warned that the higher-ups had issued a death order; Zhang asked whether something had happened.

Zhang Lingshan consumed the Immortal Spirit Liquid meant for the Fire Boys and prepared to refine a High-grade Pure Lotus Pill, while Wei Zhongqian promised a breakthrough quota if he succeeded. His repeated attempts failed despite consuming more of Wei Zhongqian’s reserves, but the chapter ended with a faint medicinal fragrance lingering around the furnace, suggesting the latest pill had succeeded.

• Wei Zhongqian told Zhang Lingshan that refining a High-grade Pure Lotus Pill was their only chance to survive and offered him the Immortal Spirit Liquid gathered for the group.
• Zhang Lingshan swallowed all eighteen drops, filled the experience value of his Myriad Techniques True Scripture, and chose not to break through yet.
• Zhang Lingshan dismissed the other Fire Boys, leaving Huoran to assist him with the pill refinement.
• Zhang Lingshan’s first attempt failed and left him injured, so Wei Zhongqian gave him bottles of Immortal Spirit Liquid to recover and try again.
• Zhang Lingshan failed twice more, and Wei Zhongqian told him that only ten days remained.
• Zhang Lingshan began another refinement, and a faint medicinal fragrance lingered around the furnace.

Zhang Lingshan was summoned to the Alchemy Pavilion Master’s hidden room, where he learned that her half-scorched master intended to use his Water Element Spiritual Root and Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art to heal herself. Trapped and unable to refuse, he chose to cooperate while trying to limit the harm to himself.

• Zhang Lingshan successfully refined four High-grade Pure Lotus Pills, and Wei Zhongqian delivered them to the Pavilion Master before leaving to advance to Mysterious Immortal.
• The Pavilion Master presented the pills to her hidden master, who demanded that Zhang Lingshan be brought in to help recover from her Scorched Rock Transformation.
• The Pavilion Master argued that Zhang Lingshan should be preserved as a valuable alchemist, but her master insisted on using his Water Element Spiritual Root and promised to arrange spirit rice and a Mysterious Immortal slot afterward.
• The Pavilion Master brought Zhang Lingshan into the hidden room, where he saw the withered old woman and realized that he might need to escape using Single Page.
• The old woman ordered Zhang Lingshan to circulate the Profound Sea Condensing Wave Art to heal her, and he agreed to cooperate rather than let her forcibly control his body.