Chapter Summaries

Zhou Ling’s family celebrated the profits from a large Spirit Wine order, while he continued cultivating and preparing for his assessment. In the [Simulated Illusion Realm], his Observation and Analysis talents advanced, letting him anticipate the Sun Yang Bird’s attack and wound it before it escaped.

• Zhou Shan returned with seventeen Low-grade Spirit Stones and fifty Broken Spirit from the Spirit Wine sale, and said Shopkeeper Zhao had asked about Zhou Ling’s connection to He Zijian.
• Li Ru and Zhou Shan discussed saving the sale’s proceeds, including five Spirit Stones for Zhou Ling’s future Dao Academy expenses.
• Zhou Ling traveled to Maple Leaf Mountain over the next few days to cultivate, prepare for the First-grade Technician Assessment, refine Soul Imprints, and train in the [Simulated Illusion Realm].
• Zhou Ling’s [Basic Observation] and [Basic Analysis] advanced to Intermediate Observation and Intermediate Analysis while he faced the Sun Yang Bird.
• Zhou Ling anticipated the Sun Yang Bird’s fireball attack, dodged it, and struck its back with the Fire Gang Sword, wounding it and driving it away.

Zhou Ling learned the Sunbird Fire Melting Technique and discovered that it could absorb the Green Lotus Fire Seed’s aura, but he decided to wait until the technique improved before attempting fusion. He spent the Lingxia Festival exploring the crowded Market Street with Wang Xin, while Wang Yu told him that True Haze Cold Spring would be auctioned.

• Zhou Ling gained the beginner-level Sunbird Fire Melting Technique and found that it improved as it absorbed the Green Lotus Fire Seed’s aura.
• Zhou Ling put away the Green Lotus Fire Seed, deciding to strengthen his technique and seek the Blood Lotus Fire Melting Pill and True Haze Cold Spring before trying to fuse it.
• Zhou Ling visited Wang Xin and learned from Wang Yu that True Haze Cold Spring would be auctioned, though she had not found any Blood Lotus.
• Zhou Ling and Wang Xin celebrated the Lingxia Festival by shopping, eating, and watching the crowded Market Street festivities.
• Wang Xin and Zhou Ling listened to a storyteller recount Patriarch Lingxia’s victory over the Black Cloud Mountain Beast Tide, then continued browsing and looked for lunch.

Zhou Ling intervened when Li Yinfeng’s men beat Yuan Hu and Xu Jiu over a dispute involving the Spirit Wine supplied to Four Seasons Tower. After Zhou Ling knocked two attackers down, Li Yinfeng’s uncle arrived and demanded to know who had hurt them.

• Aunt Xu told Zhou Ling that Yuan Hu had been beaten, and Zhou Ling rushed to help while Wang Xin waited behind.
• Zhou Ling used Lion’s Roar to stun the youths attacking Yuan Hu, then sent two of them flying with his Great Yang Fist.
• Li Yinfeng ordered the remaining youths to attack Zhou Ling, but they hesitated after seeing their companions injured.
• Yuan Hu explained that Li Yinfeng’s men had knocked him down and beaten him while he was delivering Spirit Wine to Four Seasons Tower.
• Li Yinfeng’s Third Uncle arrived, treated the injured youths, and demanded that the culprit step forward; Zhou Ling admitted he had done it.

Zhou Ling faced Old Third Li after injuring the Wu family brothers, and used his combat experience and talents to counter the older cultivator’s attack. The confrontation remained unresolved as Old Third Li prepared to continue fighting and someone ordered them to stop.

• Old Third Li demanded Zhou Ling be handed over, but Xu Jiu stood in his way and warned him about the Medicine Seeking Team.
• Old Third Li blasted Xu Jiu aside and punched toward Zhou Ling, who studied the Black Fiend Fist and evaded its attack.
• Zhou Ling counterpunched Old Third Li and sent him flying, though Old Third Li’s high-grade defensive dharma robe absorbed much of the blow.
• Zhou Ling told Xu Jiu to step back while Old Third Li renewed his threat, but a stern voice suddenly ordered them to stop.

Zhou Ling resolved the conflict with the Li Family with He Zijian’s help and learned that finishing the black robe could earn him a path into the Heavenly Crafts Division. He left the meal with plans to expand his family’s Spirit Wine business and improve his prospects and safety.

• He Zijian intervened when Li Mu and Li Yinfeng’s men attacked Zhou Ling’s group, ordered the Li Family to pay one hundred Spirit Stones, and handed the compensation to Zhou Ling for Yuan Hu.
• Zhou Ling took Yuan Hu and Xu Jiu to Physician Lin for treatment, then joined He Zijian at Four Seasons Tower for a meal.
• He Zijian promised to ask his uncle-in-law to help Zhou Ling enter the Heavenly Crafts Division if Zhou Ling finished inscribing the black robe and passed the upcoming Technique Master examination.
• Zhou Ling gave He Zijian two jars of Spirit Wine, and He Zijian offered to introduce the wine to the He Family’s other restaurants.
• After He Zijian suggested hiring additional brewers, Zhou Ling eagerly asked him about establishing a Wine Workshop and obtaining the necessary permits.

Zhou Ling returned safely after confronting the Li Family and reassured his parents that He Zijian would help protect their Spirit Wine business, allowing them to plan an expansion. He then inscribed two mystic robes and the Wine Workshop hired Chen Yan to brew ordinary Spirit Wine.

• Zhou Shan and Li Ru worried that Zhou Ling had been hurt by Old Third Li, but Zhou Ling returned unharmed and reassured them.
• Zhou Ling told his parents that He Zijian would take a ten percent share in the Wine Workshop and that other He Family restaurants might buy their Spirit Wine, so they began planning to expand.
• Zhou Ling spent the following nights inscribing Soul Seals and successfully finished two mystic robes after three days.
• Li Ru hired Chen Yan, a former Dao Academy acquaintance, to brew ordinary Spirit Wine, easing Li Ru's workload after the family approved Chen Yan's batches.

Zhou Ling visited Steward Qin and joined the Heavenly Crafts Division as an ordinary Soul Seal Guard after successfully inscribing two soul seals on black robes. He left with ten more robes to inscribe, a Primordial Void Seal, and benefits, then headed to Maple Leaf Mountain to cultivate.

• Zhou Ling showed Steward Qin the two black robes he had inscribed, and Steward Qin approved both soul seals.
• Steward Qin offered Zhou Ling a position in the Soul Seal Guard division, and Zhou Ling accepted while explaining that his studies might limit his attendance.
• Steward Qin gave Zhou Ling ten black robes to inscribe within the month and presented him with a Primordial Void Seal as his official identity symbol.
• An attendant led Zhou Ling through the joining procedures and explained his monthly pay, pills, and access to materials and inscription techniques.
• Zhou Ling collected his robes and pills, learned the division's rules, and left for Maple Leaf Mountain.

Zhou Ling celebrated becoming a Heavenly Crafts Guard with Zi Ling and Wang Xin, and learned that Zi Ling had entered a realm domain to catch a second-grade Blood Scale Fish. The three shared a hot pot, and Zi Ling sent Zhou Ling home with some fish for his parents.

• Zhou Ling told Wang Xin that he had become a Heavenly Crafts Guard, and she asked what gift to bring to his family's celebration.
• Zi Ling vanished and returned with a second-grade Blood Scale Fish, which Zhou Ling and Wang Xin learned she had caught in a realm domain.
• Zi Ling explained that realm-domain passages were controlled by major powers and that development was generally for Late Qi Condensation cultivators and above.
• Zhou Ling prepared the Blood Scale Fish for hot pot, and Zi Ling told him to take some home for his parents.
• Zhou Ling, Wang Xin, and Zi Ling ate the fish hot pot together.

After Zhou Ling became a Heavenly Crafts Guard, his parents celebrated his achievement and shared Blood Scale Fish with him. He advanced his cultivation, resolved to seek the Green Lotus Fire Seed in Fire Crow Valley, and helped prepare a gathering to celebrate.

• Li Ru and Zhou Shan rejoiced that Zhou Ling had become a Heavenly Crafts Guard, and Zhou Ling promised his mother he would pass the Six Great Daoist Academies Assessment.
• Zhou Ling gave his parents Blood Scale Fish from his master, and Li Ru decided to serve it to the family rather than risk attracting trouble by sharing it with guests.
• After eating the fish, Zhou Ling opened two Spiritual Acupoints, bringing his total to forty-six, but worried he would not reach the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining before the June assessment.
• Zhou Ling decided to enter Fire Crow Valley in Black Cloud Mountain to seek Blood Lotus and improve quickly by fusing the Green Lotus Fire Seed.
• The next morning, Zhou Shan prepared a celebration with help from Yuan Hu and Chen Yan, while Zhou Ling invited Master Lu and Instructor Fang.

The Zhou family celebrated Zhou Ling’s appointment as a Heavenly Crafts Guard, and Wang Yu gave him True Haze Cold Spring and information about the Six Great Daoist Academies Assessment. After reviewing the competitors, Zhou Ling resolved to prepare for the assessment and find a chance to make Li Yinfeng pay for hurting Yuan Hu.

• Li Ru hosted a crowded celebration for Zhou Ling, while neighbors and guests congratulated the family and discussed his future.
• Instructor Fang, Master Lu, Wang Yu, and Wang Xin attended the feast, and Wang Yu later gave Zhou Ling a bottle of True Haze Cold Spring.
• Wang Yu explained that Zhou Ling needed strong results in both the Technique Assessment and combat round, and gave him a Jade Slip detailing the top ten disciples.
• Zhou Ling absorbed the spirit spring’s aura, then studied the Jade Slip and learned that Li Yinfeng ranked eighth and was nearing the Eighth Layer of Qi Condensation.
• Zhou Ling recalled Li Yinfeng’s attack on Yuan Hu and planned to practice against Black Fiend Fist in the Illusion Simulation.

Zhou Ling advanced to the Seventh Layer of Body Refining after simulating a battle with Li Mu and gained the new talent [Restore as Before]. Five days later, he arrived at the Southern Academy to take the First-Rank Artifact Refiner assessment, leaving his anxious parents behind as he was led to the examination platform.

• Zhou Ling studied Li Mu's Black Fiend Fist in an illusion, clashed with its poisoned force, and used his Fire Gang Sword to wound Li Mu before the simulation ended.
• The simulation's accumulated gains brought Zhou Ling to the Seventh Layer of Body Refining, and he tested his newly enhanced strength and defense.
• Zhou Ling restored some of his depleted spiritual power and divine sense with the Primordial Void Seal, unlocking the [Restore as Before] talent.
• Over the next five days, Zhou Ling cultivated and drew mysterious robes while his home's formations increased the spiritual qi concentration.
• On March 9, Zhou Ling traveled with Zhou Shan and Li Ru to the Southern Academy for Technique Master Day and spotted Wang Xin and Wang Yu at the pill assessment platform.
• Heavenly Crafts Division Assistants verified Zhou Ling's information and led him to the Artifact Refiner assessment platform as his parents watched anxiously.

Zhou Ling took the First-Rank Artifact Refiner examination, repaired a damaged Wood Cloud Engraving with exceptional speed, and drew Lu Yunxi’s attention. After receiving Grade A marks from the judges for his repair, he prepared to practice the Golden Fire Engraving before attempting it on the furnace.

• Steward Qin explained the three examination rounds and privately urged Zhou Ling to impress Heavenly Crafts Division inspector Lu Yunxi.
• When the examination began, Golden Fire Earth Fire strengthened Zhou Ling’s Spirit Flame and helped him form a metal-attributed meridian circulation.
• Zhou Ling quickly completed the theory test and used his insight to identify and repair the Wood Cloud Engraving’s damaged node.
• Steward Qin confirmed the repair, and Lu Yunxi inspected it before recording a Grade A score for Zhou Ling alongside the other judges.
• Zhou Ling prepared to draw the Golden Fire Engraving, planning to practice on Spirit Paper first because he had only one attempt on the furnace.

Zhou Ling used his Five Elements Spirit Flame to complete the Golden Fire Engraving and passed the first-grade Inscription Master examination with a Grade A result. He left the examination square with his delighted parents, while Lu Yunxi took a special interest in his talent.

• Zhou Ling used his Five Elements Spirit Flame to draw the nineteen-pattern Golden Fire Engraving, astonishing Lu Yunxi, Steward Qin, and the Mysterious Robed Elder.
• As he worked on the engraving, Zhou Ling’s Precise Control reached Third Order and became the Meticulous Precision talent, reducing his consumption and improving his control.
• Zhou Ling completed the Golden Fire Engraving and received Grade A evaluations from all three judges, passing the first-grade Inscription Master examination.
• Steward Qin told Zhou Ling to collect his certification jade token from the Heavenly Crafts Division, and Lu Yunxi watched him leave with renewed interest.
• Zhou Ling told Li Ru and Zhou Shan that he had passed, and the family left the examination square together.

After becoming a first-grade Inscription Master, Zhou Ling learned that admission to Xuanyuan Daoist Academy would require top results in the upcoming assessments. He tested his strengthened Five Elements Spirit Flame in an illusion and discovered that it greatly increased Palm Thunder's power, though he could use the technique only twice before exhausting his flame.

• Wang Yu brought Wang Xin to celebrate their assessment results with Zhou Ling and his family, and they discussed the Six Great Daoist Academies and the requirements for applying to Xuanyuan Daoist Academy.
• Wang Yu explained that Xuanyuan Daoist Academy had only two recruitment slots in Lingxia Immortal City, requiring applicants to place first or second in the Technique Assessment and within the top eight in combat.
• After Wang Yu and Wang Xin left, Zhou Ling cultivated the Five Elements Qian Yuan True Art and realized that his Five Elements Spirit Flame was stronger and more efficient than before.
• Zhou Ling entered an illusion, concealed himself from a Late First-Tier Black Fur Wolf, and tested his improved Palm Thunder by striking it with three bolts at a time.
• Zhou Ling killed the Black Fur Wolf with two volleys of Palm Thunder, then withdrew from the illusion after nearly exhausting his Five Elements Spirit Flame.

Zhou Ling advanced his cultivation and Inscription skills while preparing to search Black Cloud Mountain for Blood Lotus. He Zijian invited him to accompany He Lingyun on a mountain trial, giving Zhou Ling a chance to enter the mountains without worrying his parents.

• Zhou Ling joined the Heavenly Crafts Division after passing the first-grade Inscription Master assessment, and Steward Qin added him to its assessment list.
• A month later, Zhou Ling had activated forty-seven Spiritual Acupoints and planned to search Blood Crow Valley for Blood Lotus before attempting to fuse the Green Lotus Fire Seed.
• Zhou Shan told Zhou Ling that He Zijian had arranged for the He Family's other restaurants to buy their Spirit Wine, greatly increasing the Wine Workshop's orders.
• Zhou Shan said He Zijian had invited Zhou Ling to accompany him and He Lingyun into Black Cloud Mountain, where He Lingyun would undergo a trial for the Six Great Daoist Academies Assessment.
• Zhou Ling met He Zijian at the Mysterious Court Division, learned about He Lingyun's trial, and agreed to set out with them in three days.

Zhou Ling bought and tested a Flying Bird Puppet, then joined He Zijian and He Lingyun on a patrol into Black Cloud Mountain. Near Blood Crow Valley, He Lingyun and the Sun Yang Bird battled a Silver Claw Ape while Zhou Ling searched for spirit herbs and prepared to look for a Blood Lotus.

• Zhou Ling bought a damaged First-grade High-tier Flying Bird Puppet for twenty-two Spirit Stones and quickly learned to control it.
• Zhou Ling tested the puppet in Illusion Simulation, confirmed its speed could help him escape the Sun Yang Bird and Blood Crows, and noted that it consumed many Spirit Stones.
• He Zijian flew Zhou Ling and He Lingyun into Black Cloud Mountain on a Second-Tier Spirit Boat, and the group chose the route toward Blood Crow Valley.
• Zhou Ling led the group through the misty Inner Mountain, finding numerous spirit herbs, including a Tier 2 Ink Blood Grass, while seeking the Blood Lotus.
• He Lingyun and the Sun Yang Bird attacked a Late First-Tier Silver Claw Ape as He Zijian watched and Zhou Ling observed near Blood Crow Valley.

Zhou Ling, He Zijian, and He Lingyun defeated a Silver Claw Ape before encountering three bandit cultivators in Black Cloud Mountain. After the bandits withdrew, Zhou Ling learned that He Zijian already had the Blood Lotus he needed, though the group still planned to patrol Blood Crow Valley.

• He Lingyun and the Sun Yang Bird worked together to kill a Late First-Tier Silver Claw Ape, and Zhou Ling took its corpse after the He siblings declined it.
• Three Late Qi Condensation bandit cultivators approached, but they turned away after He Zijian identified himself as a Mysterious Court Guard.
• Zhou Ling warned He Zijian that the men were still nearby, while He Lingyun urged the group to stay cautious.
• Zhou Ling said he needed to search Blood Crow Valley for a Blood Lotus and suggested that the He siblings wait outside.
• He Zijian revealed he already had a Blood Lotus and agreed to trade it for spirit herbs or Dharma robes, but proposed that they patrol the valley anyway.

Zhou Ling and the He siblings reached Blood Crow Valley, where Zhou Ling picked a Blood Lotus and triggered an attack from a Blood Crow flock. After weakening the flock and its Late First-Tier Golden Fire Crow, Zhou Ling subdued the Golden Fire Crow and branded it with a spiritual imprint.

• He Lingyun rested after fighting several Demon Beasts, and He Zijian set up a concealed defensive array for the group to camp overnight.
• Zhou Ling cultivated with spirit herbs, improving his Five Elements Spirit Flame, before the group continued to Blood Crow Valley the next day.
• The Stone Rock Rat led Zhou Ling to a Blood Lotus near a Blood Crow nest, and Zhou Ling picked it without initially disturbing the flock.
• The Blood Crows swarmed the He siblings and the Sun Yang Bird, and He Zijian and the Sun Yang Bird fought back as the flock grew larger.
• Zhou Ling threw six Thunder Fire Balls at the Blood Crows, then used Lion's Roar and Beast Pressure to defeat the remaining birds and subdue the Golden Fire Crow.

After Zhou Ling helped defeat the Blood Crows, three bandit cultivators ambushed him and the He siblings. Zhou Ling and He Zijian killed the attackers, leaving the siblings newly impressed by Zhou Ling’s strength.

• Zhou Ling warned He Zijian and He Lingyun that the Blood Crows had likely been deliberately startled, and Crisis Reaction detected three bandits nearby.
• Three rogue cultivators attacked the group and demanded their valuables, while Scar ordered his companions to kill Zhou Ling and He Lingyun.
• Zhou Ling used Thunder Fire Balls to kill Third, then pursued and killed Second with the Fire Gang Sword.
• He Zijian unleashed his Thunder Sword Art and killed Scar, wiping out all three bandits.
• He Zijian and He Lingyun praised and admired Zhou Ling’s combat strength.

After returning from the mountains, Zhou Ling received his share of the bandit cultivators’ spoils and discovered the high-grade Essence Puppetry Art among them. He decided to study puppetry when time allowed and resumed cultivating with Fire Haze Grass.

• He Zijian credited Zhou Ling with Contribution Value for killing the bandits, split the Storage Pouches with him, and promised to bring him the Blood Lotus in exchange for two armor robes.
• Zhou Ling returned home, reassured Li Ru that he was safe, and kept the bandit encounter to himself.
• Zhou Ling sorted the herbs and demon beast corpses he had collected, checked on the sleeping Golden Fire Crow, and planned to give the Blood Lotus to Aunt Wang.
• Zhou Ling opened a bandit cultivator’s Storage Pouch and found Spirit Stones, herbs, artifacts, pills, runes, and Jade Slips containing the Essence Puppetry Art and Lightning Saber Art.
• After studying the Essence Puppetry Art, Zhou Ling considered learning it with the Silver Claw Ape and Gale Wolf corpses he possessed, then cultivated the Five Elements Dry Yang True Art with Fire Haze Grass.