Chapter Summaries

Zhou Ling studied first-order mid-grade engravings and tried drawing a Spirit Gathering Engraving, then reassured his parents that he could pay the apprenticeship gift for Instructor Fang himself. The next morning, he advanced to first-order mid-stage body refining through his Great Yang Fist practice.

• Zhou Ling studied the mid-grade engraving manual and drew a Spirit Gathering Engraving, but noticed its engraving nodes were too weak to support smooth Spiritual Power flow.
• Zhou Ling told Li Ru and Zhou Shan that Instructor Fang had given him the Azure Wind Sword Art, and his parents discussed saving for his future apprenticeship gift.
• Zhou Ling told his parents he earned enough at the Workshop to cover the gift, while Li Ru urged him to spend his earnings on his own cultivation.
• Zhou Ling practiced two sets of the Great Yang Fist and reached first-order mid-stage body refining.

Zhou Ling practiced the Azure Wind Sword Art and realized its demands on his body and spiritual power, then sought more work to earn Spirit Stones. He secured two First-Order Mid-Grade Magic Artifact orders through Master Lu, despite his limited success rate.

• Zhou Ling reflected on his parents’ slow cultivation and the need to earn Spirit Stones for their medicinal supplies.
• Zhou Ling practiced the Azure Wind Sword Art with a meat cleaver until exhaustion made him drop it, gaining proficiency and sword-control progress.
• Zhou Ling spent several days successfully engraving a First-Order Mid-Stage Spirit Gathering Engraving onto his Cloud Pattern Brush.
• Zhou Ling collected artifact blanks from Master Lu, bought a low-rank sword artifact blank, and paid seventeen Low-grade Spirit Stones for his purchases.
• Zhou Ling told Master Lu he had recently learned First-Order Mid-Grade Engravings, and Master Lu agreed to discuss two Myriad Treasures Pavilion orders with him, providing at most two artifact blanks.

Zhou Ling surprised his parents with a Crystal Jade Brewing Furnace that he had made and inscribed, and encouraged Li Ru to leave her restaurant job and brew wine at home. Li Ru agreed to test a few batches, while Zhou Ling left for the Dao Academy.

• Zhou Ling finished the Brewing Furnace and confirmed that it consumed little spiritual power when used.
• Zhou Ling presented the furnace to Li Ru and Zhou Shan, then revealed that he had inscribed its engraving himself.
• Li Ru and Zhou Shan celebrated Zhou Ling’s progress, and Zhou Ling urged Li Ru to brew wine at home instead of working at the restaurant.
• Zhou Ling explained the potential profits from brewing Black Run Rice Wine, and Li Ru agreed to buy ingredients and test a few batches.
• After breakfast, Zhou Ling headed to the Dao Academy.

Zhou Ling accepted Master Lu’s request to draw Void Origin Engravings on two Storage Pouches within seven days. Back home, he tasted Li Ru’s newly brewed Black Run Rice Spirit Wine and indirectly helped her realize the rice ratio needed adjustment.

• Zhou Ling visited the Lu Family Workshop, where Master Lu gave him two Storage Pouch vessels and warned him about the seven-day deadline and the cost of ruining them.
• Zhou Ling borrowed Master Lu’s Storage Pouch, studied its Void Origin Engraving with his talents, and formed a preliminary plan for drawing the fourteen-pattern inscription.
• Zhou Ling bought premium Black Run Rice Spirit Wine for Li Ru to use as a brewing reference and returned home.
• Zhou Ling tasted Li Ru’s Spirit Wine and analyzed the remaining ingredients, identifying the rice ratio as the main flaw.
• Zhou Ling mentioned the shopkeeper’s claim that the purchased wine used all new rice, prompting Li Ru to realize the rice ratio mattered before she rushed to prepare dinner.

Zhou Ling condensed a Spirit Flame after advancing the Spirit Flame Art to its second level, awakening the Qi-Eating Spirit Flame talent. With the flame helping him control spiritual energy, he drew the Void Origin Engraving much more easily and planned to spend the remaining six days improving his proficiency before engraving a Storage Pouch.

• Zhou Ling practiced drawing and analyzing the Void Origin Engraving through the night, refining his technique and restoring his spiritual power between attempts.
• Zhou Ling advanced the Spirit Flame Art to its second level, condensed a violet-blue Spirit Flame, and awakened the Qi-Eating Spirit Flame talent.
• Zhou Ling discovered that the Spirit Flame improved his cultivation and activated a Spiritual Acupoint, while the technique also gave him access to secret arts.
• Zhou Ling used the Spirit Flame’s assistance to draw a complete Void Origin Engraving quickly, with much less spiritual power than before.
• Zhou Ling decided to spend the next six days raising his engraving proficiency before attempting the Storage Pouch, while his Spirit Flame absorbed the scents of spirit rice and Spirit Wine.

Zhou Ling's family expanded its spirit-wine business while he completed a Storage Pouch for Master Lu and improved his engraving skills. Two months later, he reached minor mastery in the Azure Wind Sword Art and demonstrated sword control at a distance.

• Li Ru's spirit wine became popular among Rogue Cultivators, and she and Zhou Shan debated whether to rent a storefront.
• Zhou Ling succeeded in engraving a Storage Pouch, delivered it to Master Lu, and received Spirit Stones for his work.
• Over the following two months, Zhou Ling practiced the Azure Wind Sword Art until its first layer reached minor mastery.
• Zhou Ling used Sword Control to send his Fire Pattern Sword over a zhang away, pierce a wine jar, and return the sword to his hand.

Zhou Ling learned that his father had been badly injured by Demon Beasts and needed a Pulse Nurturing Pill to recover. He asked Physician Lin where he could buy one, leaving his father’s treatment unresolved.

• Yuan Hu told Zhou Ling he planned to leave the Dao Academy, and Zhou Ling offered him work at the shop he hoped to rent.
• Instructor Fang informed Zhou Ling that his father had been injured, so Zhou Ling and Yuan Hu rushed home.
• Chu Xing explained that Zhou Shan had been hurt while helping the Medicine Seeking Team retreat from two Late First-Tier Demon Beasts.
• Physician Lin treated Zhou Shan and said his damaged meridians required a Pulse Nurturing Pill, warning him not to use his blood qi.
• Zhou Ling asked Physician Lin where Pulse Nurturing Pills were sold.

Zhou Ling learned that his father needed a costly Pulse Nurturing Pill and sought help finding one. Wang Yu confirmed she could try refining it if Zhou Ling could obtain the rare Core Condensing Grass, leaving him to pursue the herb in the mountains.

• Physician Lin gave Zhou Shan Qi Nourishing Powder and told Zhou Ling to find a Pulse Nurturing Pill within a month, explaining that second-grade Alchemists and Core Condensing Grass were scarce.
• Chu Xing lent Zhou Ling five Spirit Stones and the gathered spirit herbs, and told him someone had found Core Condensing Grass in Nine Leaf Valley.
• Zhou Ling promised Li Ru he would find a way to get the pill and remembered that Wang Xin's mother, Wang Yu, was a second-grade Alchemist.
• Wang Xin told Zhou Ling that Wang Yu might be able to refine the pill, then left the Dao Academy early to speak with her mother.
• Wang Yu examined Zhou Shan and agreed to try refining the Pulse Nurturing Pill if Zhou Ling could find Core Condensing Grass, then gave Li Ru Qi Nourishing Pills.

Zhou Ling persuaded Chu Xing to let him join the Medicine Seeking Team to search for Core Condensing Grass, which his father needed to restore his meridians. As they prepared to enter the mountains, Zhou Ling gathered his weapons and relied on his growing cultivation and talents to face the danger ahead.

• Zhou Ling visited Chu Xing and asked to join the Medicine Seeking Team to search for Core Condensing Grass for his father.
• Chu Xing warned Zhou Ling that the mountains were dangerous but agreed to take him, planning to search Nine Leaf Valley while Zhou Ling stayed in the Outer Mountain.
• Zhou Ling returned home and inscribed six Thunder Fire Bead vessels without disturbing his parents.
• Three days later, Zhou Ling prepared to enter the mountains with his Thunder Fire Beads, Fire Pattern Sword, and improved sword-control and body-refinement skills.

Zhou Ling joined Chu Xing’s medicine-seeking team and traveled into Black Cloud Mountain’s Inner Mountain to search for Core Condensing Grass. His Mountain Treasure Hunt ability led him to gather a basket of spirit herbs, and he began refining a Fire Haze Grass at camp that night.

• Zhou Ling left home after telling Li Ru he knew where to find Core Condensing Grass, and he joined Chu Xing and the other medicine seekers on their journey to Black Cloud Mountain.
• At camp, Chu Xing assigned Zhou Ling to accompany him into the Inner Mountain, where Nine Leaf Valley lay and dangerous beasts roamed.
• Zhou Ling used Mountain Treasure Hunt to discover several spirit herbs and avoided two dangers as he and Chu Xing traveled south.
• By nightfall, Zhou Ling had filled a basket with spirit herbs, including a first-grade mid-rank Fire Haze Grass, while Chu Xing found little and decided Zhou Ling could search independently the next day.
• Zhou Ling returned to camp and used the Spirit Flame Art to refine and absorb the Fire Haze Grass’s medicinal power.

Zhou Ling refined Fire Haze Lotus medicinal power, condensed the meridians for his first secret technique, Palm Thunder, and practiced it before setting out alone to gather herbs. He continued toward Nine Leaf Valley, finding valuable spirit herbs while staying alert to danger from beasts and rogue cultivators.

• Zhou Ling refined the Fire Haze Lotus, activated a Spiritual Acupoint, and condensed the secret technique meridians for Palm Thunder.
• Zhou Ling tested Palm Thunder but could not sustain the flame and lightning because his cultivation was too low, then practiced the technique and absorbed fire-attributed spirit herbs.
• Zhou Ling left camp the next morning after Chu Xing assigned him the same route toward Nine Leaf Valley and warned him to be cautious.
• Zhou Ling traveled through the forest using the Light Body Technique and found and collected a thirty-year-old first-grade mid-rank Fire Haze Grass.
• Zhou Ling found and collected a forty-five-year-old first-grade high-rank Ink Essence Flower, a material for preparing Spirit Ink.

Zhou Ling skirted dangerous beasts in the Inner Mountain, then chose to hunt weaker animals to unlock the Beast Pressure talent and gain combat experience. With nine beasts killed and Nine Leaf Valley less than ten li away, he turned back toward Camp before nightfall.

• Zhou Ling avoided two fighting Blood Wolves and discovered the Beast Pressure talent, which required him to kill ten beasts.
• Zhou Ling used the Azure Wind Sword to kill a Black Feathered Eagle and stored its corpse to bring back for his father.
• Zhou Ling killed several more beasts with precise sword control, collected their vital essence, and refined Fire Haze Grass to recover his spiritual power.
• Zhou Ling killed a Black Clawed Ground Mouse, bringing his total to ten beasts and advancing the Beast Pressure progress to 10/100.
• Zhou Ling decided not to enter Nine Leaf Valley because it was already noon and returned toward Camp to avoid spending the night in the Wild Mountain.

After returning to camp, Zhou Ling absorbed the fire-attributed herbs he had gathered and advanced his Spirit Flame to the first grade. He tested its greater power by condensing Palm Thunder and drawing a seventeen-stroke inscription, then went to sleep before entering Nine Leaf Valley the next day.

• Zhou Ling returned to camp with a basket of spiritual herbs, reassured Chu Xing, and reflected on the dangers of entering the Inner Mountain.
• Zhou Ling absorbed eight fire-attributed spiritual herbs, raising his Spirit Flame to the first grade.
• Zhou Ling condensed Palm Thunder and felt the increased power of his Spirit Flame before dispersing it inside the tent.
• Zhou Ling used the First-Grade Spirit Flame to draw a seventeen-stroke inscription with little effort and limited spiritual power.
• Zhou Ling put away his inscription tools to preserve his strength for Nine Leaf Valley and went to sleep.

Zhou Ling entered the Inner Mountain to search for spirit herbs and discovered a Golden Sun Ginseng guarded by an injured Stone Rock Rat. After subduing the beast with [Beast Pressure] and [Lion's Roar], he fed it an Earth Green Flower, leaving the ginseng and the newly tamed rat within reach.

• Zhou Ling avoided stronger Demon Beasts in the Inner Mountain and collected several valuable Late First-Tier spirit herbs.
• Zhou Ling found a Golden Sun Ginseng near an injured mid first-tier Stone Rock Rat and chose to confront the beast.
• Zhou Ling struck the Stone Rock Rat with his Fire Pattern Sword, but the attack only gave it a shallow wound.
• Zhou Ling used [Beast Pressure] and [Lion's Roar] twice, suppressing the Stone Rock Rat until it submitted and formed a spiritual imprint.
• Zhou Ling gave the injured Stone Rock Rat an Earth Green Flower, which it eagerly ate.

Zhou Ling met He Zijian and He Lingyun in the Inner Mountain, sold them the Golden Sun Ginseng, and agreed to guide them to Nine Leaf Valley. The three set out together to find a juvenile Sun Yang Bird.

• Zhou Ling hid against a rock wall as He Zijian and He Lingyun approached, then sold them his Golden Sun Ginseng for sixty Spirit Stones.
• He Zijian offered Zhou Ling fifty Spirit Stones to guide them to Nine Leaf Valley, where they hoped to find a juvenile Sun Yang Bird.
• Zhou Ling agreed to lead them on foot and warned them that flying swords could attract Demon Beasts.
• He Lingyun mistook Zhou Ling for a Beast Tamer when she saw his Stone Rock Rat and gave him a Beast Essence Pill for its injury.
• Zhou Ling introduced himself to He Lingyun and He Zijian, then fed the pill to the Stone Rock Rat as they continued together.

Zhou Ling accompanied He Lingyun and He Zijian to Nine Leaf Valley, where they baited a Sun Yang Bird with Golden Sun Ginseng and prepared an array to capture it. The Late First-Tier bird arrived and was caught in the Spirit Binding Array as it reached for the bait.

• Zhou Ling traveled to Nine Leaf Valley with He Lingyun and He Zijian, learning that the siblings planned to capture Sun Yang Birds.
• He Lingyun identified an ancient tree frequented by the birds, and He Zijian set up a Spirit Binding Array nearby.
• He Lingyun baited the area with Golden Sun Ginseng and used a rune to conceal their auras while they waited.
• A Late First-Tier Sun Yang Bird arrived and cautiously descended toward the ginseng.
• He Zijian activated the array, sending a shining spiritual net down over the Sun Yang Bird.

He Zijian and He Lingyun battled the Sun Yang Bird to capture it, while Zhou Ling saved He Lingyun from a sudden attack by a Beast Flame. The Beast Flame escaped into the forest, and Zhou Ling sensed a faint connection to it in his Sea of Consciousness.

• The Sun Yang Bird broke He Zijian’s Magic Array and attacked the group, but He Lingyun used a Cold Soul Net Talisman to restrain it.
• He Zijian struck at the Sun Yang Bird while He Lingyun threw five more Cold Soul Net Talismans, weakening the bird enough for He Zijian to trap it again.
• A Beast Flame pierced through the restraints and shot toward He Lingyun, but Zhou Ling used [Lion's Roar] and [Beast Pressure] to halt it and drive it back.
• He Zijian attacked the Beast Flame with sword qi, but it slipped through and escaped into the forest after He Lingyun urged him to secure the Sun Yang Bird.
• He Zijian and He Lingyun thanked Zhou Ling for protecting He Lingyun, while Zhou Ling sensed a connection to the Beast Flame and wondered whether it had consciousness.

Zhou Ling learned that the Beast Flame was a rare Heaven and Earth Spirit Flame, then followed the spiritual imprint he had placed on it after helping He Lingyun and He Zijian capture the Sun Yang Bird. The Beast Flame flew toward him in response to his command, leaving Zhou Ling poised to try to subdue it.

• He Lingyun explained that the Beast Flame likely formed from a Sun Yang Bird's Demon Core merging with a Spirit Flame, while He Zijian lamented that it had escaped.
• He Lingyun subdued the exhausted Sun Yang Bird and stored it in a Beast Bag, then thanked Zhou Ling for helping capture it.
• He Zijian gave Zhou Ling the promised Spirit Stones and offered him support in Lingxia City before Zhou Ling departed to search for spirit medicine.
• Zhou Ling gathered more than a dozen spirit herbs while following the Beast Flame's direction and sensed his spiritual imprint on it growing stronger.
• Zhou Ling ordered the Beast Flame to come to him, and it flew out of the forest as [Beast Pressure] activated again.

Zhou Ling decided to refine the Beast Flame in Nine Leaf Valley rather than risk others discovering it, and the arduous process succeeded. He gained the Marrow Cleansing Root Refining talent, and the chapter ended with him feeling renewed after the flames tempered his body.

• The Stone Rock Rat brought Zhou Ling a Second-Tier Low-Grade Core Condensing Grass, and he decided to refine the Beast Flame where he was.
• Zhou Ling ordered the Stone Rock Rat to guard the surroundings, then used the Fire Refining Art to draw the Beast Flame into his body.
• As the flames burned through his meridians, Zhou Ling received Stronger from Adversity improvements and gained the Growth Talent, Marrow Cleansing Root Refining.
• Zhou Ling endured the pain as the Beast Flame flowed into his Qi Sea and fused with his flesh, drawing black impurities from his body.
• After more than a quarter of an hour, Zhou Ling successfully refined the Beast Flame and opened his eyes, feeling refreshed.

After refining Beast Flame, Zhou Ling advanced his cultivation, improved his spiritual power, and gained the [Marrow Cleansing Root Refining] talent. He tested his strengthened Palm Thunder, gathered more herbs, and returned to West Sunset Immortal City ahead of Chu Xing and the others.

• Zhou Ling discovered that Beast Flame had awakened five Spiritual Acupoints, enhanced his spiritual power, and granted him the [Marrow Cleansing Root Refining] talent.
• Zhou Ling effortlessly condensed Palm Thunder and destroyed a boulder with its increased power, using only about ten percent of his spiritual power.
• Zhou Ling left Nine Leaf Valley before nightfall and told Chu Xing about his return before going to his tent.
• Zhou Ling counted his Core Condensing Grass, other spirit herbs, and more than a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, then fed the Stone Rock Rat and warned it to stay in the Camp.
• Zhou Ling searched the mountains for several more days but found no additional Core Condensing Grass, then said farewell to Chu Xing and the others and returned to West Sunset Immortal City.