Chapter Summaries

After Lu Xuan revealed that he had reached Core Formation Completion, Ge Pu and Huo Liner congratulated him and discussed his prospects of advancing to Nascent Soul. Huo Liner planned to join the Sword Sect’s expedition to seize an Unknown Grotto-heaven, while Lu Xuan declined to go for now because of his duties on Still True Sword Peak.

• Yuan Rong praised Lu Xuan for supporting Still True Sword Peak and left with the Sword Talismans and Spirit Brew.
• News of Lu Xuan’s Core Formation Completion spread across the sword peak, and disciples came to congratulate him.
• Ge Pu and Huo Liner discussed Lu Xuan’s rapid cultivation and agreed that staying within the Sword Sect was a sound way to avoid dangerous pursuits.
• Ge Pu said he intended to enter Secluded Cultivation to attempt a breakthrough to Late Stage Core Formation.
• Huo Liner explained that the Sword Sect was assembling cultivators to occupy an Unknown Grotto-heaven, an Ancient Battlefield filled with dangers and unexplored ruins.
• Lu Xuan declined to join the expedition because he had tasks from the Sword Peak and wished Ge Pu, Huo Liner, and the other disciples success.

As the Sword Sect sent a vast force to conquer an Unknown Grotto-heaven, Lu Xuan stayed behind to tend his Spirit Plants and harvested two valuable treasures from mature Fifth Grade Sword Grasses. He finally induced a mutated Thousand Thunder Sword Grass spirit seed, which could grow into an Innate Sword Weapon with power approaching a Fifth Grade Flying Sword.

• The Sword Sect dispatched twelve Seventh Grade Giant Sword Boats and a large force of cultivators to conquer the Unknown Grotto-heaven, leaving the sect unusually quiet.
• Lu Xuan harvested a mature Fifth Grade Light Splitting Shadowing Sword Grass and obtained a Sixth Grade Primal Crystal Sword Embryo from its Light Orb.
• Lu Xuan harvested a mature Fifth Grade White Bone Killing Sword Grass and obtained a second Profound Cave Sword Tablet from its Light Orb.
• At Heart Sword Lake, Lu Xuan planted more than twenty Silver White Sword Grass spirit seeds in an effort to induce a mutated Thousand Thunder Sword Grass.
• Lu Xuan found a mutated Fourth Grade Thousand Thunder Sword Grass spirit seed that needed thunder-glow sword qi and could mature into an Innate Sword Weapon with power nearing a Fifth Grade Flying Sword.

Lu Xuan cultivated his spirit plants and beasts while waiting for his Mutated Thousand Thunder Sword Grass to grow, then harvested a Seventh Grade Zhou Tian Star Fighting Sword from a mature Star Shifting Sun Changing Sword Grass. The chapter left him with a powerful new sword and continued preparations to cultivate Primal Spirit Ginseng in batches.

• Lu Xuan stored two Mutated Spirit Seeds, then used the Seven Kill Sword and Thunder Sound Sword Qi to stimulate the Ancient Sword Sheath before leaving more seeds at Heart Sword Lake.
• Half a year later, Lu Xuan watched Thunder Dragon Howl fight the White Jade Sky Supporting Ape and noted that the rare beast was nearing its complete form.
• Lu Xuan harvested five mature Fifth Grade sword grasses and exchanged their rewards for twenty more Fifth Grade sword grass seeds.
• Lu Xuan inspected the two growing Mutated Thousand Thunder Sword Grasses and carefully monitored seven Primal Spirit Ginsengs as they condensed seeds.
• Two months later, Lu Xuan harvested the mature Sixth Grade Star Shifting Sun Changing Sword Grass and received the Seventh Grade Zhou Tian Star Fighting Sword.

Lu Xuan obtained a seventh-grade Zhou Tian Star Fighting Sword and continued teaching Sword Talismans while learning about the Unknown Grotto-heaven campaign. Three days later, Chen Bingxue of Hundred Crafts Sword Peak visited to ask Lu Xuan to investigate abnormal behavior among the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs.

• Lu Xuan harvested a sixth-grade Star Shifting Sun Changing Sword Grass and received a seventh-grade Zhou Tian Star Fighting Sword from its light orb.
• Lu Xuan hosted a Sword Talisman exchange meeting, and Ye Lingkong told him the Sword Master was searching for Nascent Soul Formation Spirit Objects for him.
• Ye Lingkong reported casualties and progress in the campaign to conquer the Unknown Grotto-heaven, while Lu Xuan pretended to regret not joining it.
• Three days later, Chen Bingxue asked Lu Xuan to help find the cause of the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs’ abnormal reactions.

Lu Xuan investigated why the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs had become aggressive and discovered that Corpse Fiend Qi from ancient swords was affecting them. He identified a Buddhist Treasure as the way to clear the qi and restore them, though the chapter ended before he tried the cure.

• Chen Bingxue explained that the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs had grown aggressive and asked Lu Xuan to investigate.
• Lu Xuan and Chen Bingxue met Xu Wenbai at Hundred Crafts Sword Peak, where the restrained Sword Xuan Hedgehogs were still behaving violently.
• Lu Xuan examined a Sword Xuan Hedgehog and found faint black threads at the bases of its sword blades.
• Lu Xuan fed a Fourth Grade Thousand Thunder Sword Grass to the creature and discovered that Corpse Fiend Qi from damaged ancient swords was driving the hedgehogs mad.
• Lu Xuan learned that a high-rank Buddhist Treasure could clear the Corpse Fiend Qi and remove the hedgehogs' Killing Intent.

Lu Xuan traced the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs’ aggression to Corpse Fiend Qi absorbed from ancient Flying Swords and recommended treating them with a high-grade Buddhist treasure. A Seventh Grade relic began fading the black lines on the hedgehogs’ blades, and Chen Bingxue sealed them away for continued treatment.

• Lu Xuan asked Xu Wenbai whether the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs had been fed broken Flying Swords from the Unknown Grotto-heaven, and Xu Wenbai confirmed they had.
• Lu Xuan explained that Corpse Fiend Qi from the ancient battlefield had combined with the hedgehogs’ killing intent, causing their temperaments to change and making them attack disciples.
• Lu Xuan recommended purifying the hedgehogs with a high-grade Buddhist treasure and then keeping them sealed while the remaining Killing Intent was gradually removed.
• Chen Bingxue sent for a Buddhist treasure, and Xu Wenbai gave Lu Xuan a Communication Talisman and promised him a favor if the treatment worked.
• A Bronze Mechanical Bird delivered a Seventh Grade relic borrowed by the Hundred Crafts Sword Master, and Chen Bingxue placed it near the hedgehogs’ blackened blades.
• Xu Wenbai noticed the black lines fading, and Chen Bingxue sealed the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs in the Stone Cave for continued treatment.

After helping Hundred Crafts Sword Peak cure its Sword Xuan Hedgehogs, Lu Xuan received a visit from Xu Wenbai, who brought gifts and a cultivation commission. The chapter ended with Lu Xuan accepting a Sword Tempering House and being offered payment to raise six Dark Steel Wood seedlings.

• Chen Bingxue thanked Lu Xuan for identifying and resolving the Corpse Fiend Qi affecting the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs, and said Xu Wenbai would visit him later.
• Lu Xuan discovered two more Mutated Spirit Seeds among his Thousand Thunder Sword Grass seeds and harvested twenty-six Spirit Seeds from seven Primal Spirit Ginseng.
• Xu Wenbai visited Lu Xuan and reported that the Sword Xuan Hedgehogs had nearly recovered.
• Xu Wenbai presented Lu Xuan with a Sword Tempering House, which could purify and strengthen Sword Qi around his Sword Grass.
• Xu Wenbai offered Lu Xuan six Sixth Grade Dark Steel Wood seedlings to cultivate and paid him two thousand Sword Seals upfront.

Lu Xuan planted six Dark Steel Wood seedlings for Hundred Crafts Sword Peak and later met with Huo Liner and Ge Pu to hear about the Unknown Grotto-heaven. On his way home, he met the Sword Xuan Hedgehog and realized its many blades might make it a perfect match for the Perverted Sword Sheath.

• Lu Xuan accepted Xu Wenbai's commission to cultivate six Dark Steel Wood seedlings and received two thousand Sword Seals.
• Lu Xuan planted the seedlings in his Spirit Field and used the Sword Tempering House to create a sword-qi growing ground for his sword grasses.
• Two months later, Lu Xuan visited Huo Liner and Ge Pu, who discussed Huo Liner's experiences in the Unknown Grotto-heaven.
• Lu Xuan encountered the recovered Sword Xuan Hedgehog, fed it sword grass, and discovered it could provide Gold-Iron sand and stone.
• Lu Xuan thought the Sword Xuan Hedgehog's many blades could suit the Perverted Sword Sheath, making the creature tremble uneasily.

Lu Xuan continued tending his sword grass and spirit ginseng before Sword Master Hai Zhen visited and gave him a rare treasure to aid his future Nascent Soul breakthrough. The chapter ended with Lu Xuan accepting the Thunder Marsh Divine Sand and being urged to advance soon.

• Lu Xuan fed sword grass to the Sword Xuan Hedgehog and returned to his Cave Mansion to enrich the Spirit Soil with gold-iron gravel.
• Lu Xuan inspected the sword grass growing inside the Sword Tempering Houses and noted that their Sword Qi had grown denser and purer.
• After three months, Lu Xuan found that twenty-six Primal Spirit Ginseng plants had sprouted and carefully cultivated them.
• Sword Master Hai Zhen visited Lu Xuan, praised his Core Formation Completion breakthrough, and said he would help him advance to Nascent Soul.
• Sword Master Hai Zhen gave Lu Xuan a Bright Yellow Gourd containing three taels of Thunder Marsh Divine Sand to help him withstand tribulation lightning.
• Lu Xuan accepted the gourd, and Sword Master Hai Zhen urged him to advance to Nascent Soul soon.

Lu Xuan received Sword Master Hai Zhen’s guidance and promise of protection for his future Nascent Soul breakthrough, then returned to the Defective Grotto-heaven to harvest its Light Orb rewards. There, the Void Cicada Wood molted into a Fourth Grade Spirit Plant and yielded an incomplete Celestial Cicada Spirit Leaf.

• Sword Master Hai Zhen explained the stages and dangers of Nascent Soul Formation and promised to personally protect Lu Xuan when he broke through.
• After Jian Hai Zhen departed, Lu Xuan examined the Thunder Marsh Divine Sand he had received and considered the Nascent Soul Formation treasures he had gathered.
• Lu Xuan traveled to the Defective Grotto-heaven, checked that the surroundings were safe, and found that the Void Cicada Wood had entered its fourth molting stage.
• Lu Xuan used the Divine Wood Azure Kettle’s Vegetation Spiritual Energy to hasten the Void Cicada Wood’s molt, causing a White Light Orb to appear.
• Lu Xuan opened the Light Orb and obtained an incomplete Celestial Cicada Spirit Leaf, a treasure that could conceal auras and block probing, divination, and magical arts.

Lu Xuan used the Heavenly Cicada Six Transformations to restore the incomplete Celestial Cicada Spirit Leaf’s concealment ability, then matured the Ze Water Palace and obtained the seventh-grade Primal Unity True Water. He continued tending the rare spirit plants in the Defective Grotto-heaven, while hoping to gather the treasures needed to create a Personal Space.

• Lu Xuan used the Heavenly Cicada Six Transformations to restore the Celestial Cicada Spirit Leaf and tested its concealment ability.
• Lu Xuan fed Primal Chaos Tree Sap to the nearly mature Ze Water Palace and waited for it to mature.
• Lu Xuan harvested the Ze Water Palace’s light orb and obtained the seventh-grade treasure Primal Unity True Water.
• Lu Xuan stored the Primal Unity True Water and reflected that gathering the eight Exotic Treasures could let him refine an ownerless grotto-heaven into a Personal Space.
• Lu Xuan inspected and nurtured the Light Hong Immortal Feather, Twin White Lotus, Incense Offering Myriad Tree, Flawless Spirit Wood, and newly sprouted Crossing Calamity Flower.

Lu Xuan secured the Defective Grotto-heaven with a Seventh Grade sword formation, then tested it against a powerful Star Beast. After ripening the Spirit Marvelous Soul Nourishing Tea, he obtained the Seventh Grade God Stealing Jade.

• Lu Xuan set up the Seventh Grade Zhou Tian Star Fighting Sword Formation around the Defective Grotto-heaven.
• After two months of cultivating his Spirit Plants, Lu Xuan traveled to the Thousand Treasure True River and caught five spirit fish, but did not find Shi Zichen there.
• Lu Xuan led a powerful Sixth Grade Star Beast into the Black Mist, where the sword formation swiftly killed it.
• Lu Xuan used two drops of Primal Chaos Tree Sap to ripen the Spirit Marvelous Soul Nourishing Tea and harvested its leaves.
• Lu Xuan received the Seventh Grade God Stealing Jade, which could temper cultivators' Spiritual Sense into Divine Sense and return it to them.

Lu Xuan harvested the God Stealing Jade and Spirit Marvelous Soul Nourishing Tea, then accelerated the growth of the Eightfold Palace’s Si Fire Palace. Its Light Orb gave him the Seventh Grade Dou Shuai Fire, bringing him halfway toward the treasures needed to refine his Defective Grotto-heaven into a Personal Space.

• Lu Xuan stored the God Stealing Jade and ate one Spirit Marvelous Soul Nourishing Tea leaf, finding that the tea tree could likely yield several more harvests.
• Lu Xuan examined the fourth layer of the Eightfold Palace and identified it as the Si Fire Palace, which needed pure fire-element treasures to grow.
• Lu Xuan used Taiyi Pure Yang True Fire, Vegetation Spiritual Energy, and six drops of Primal Chaos Tree Sap to ripen the Si Fire Palace.
• Lu Xuan harvested the Si Fire Palace’s Light Orb and obtained the Seventh Grade Dou Shuai Fire, which could help refine an ownerless grotto-heaven into a Personal Space.
• Lu Xuan noted that he had collected four of the eight required treasures and considered how he might cultivate the remaining yin, yang, space, and time palaces.

Lu Xuan returned to Thunder Fire Star Cave, where he reunited with his guarded Cave Mansion and old friends. At the gathering, he learned that Lei Zheng had gone missing after entering a dangerous Secret Realm on the seventh layer of Fengyuan Star Cave.

• Lu Xuan returned to Thunder Fire Star Cave and learned from Chen Yin that the guards had watched over his Cave Mansion.
• Lu Xuan entered the Cave Mansion, reunited with the Thunder Ghost, Grass Puppet, Dazzling Fire Flood Dragon, and other Spirit Beasts, and prepared to harvest Light Orbs.
• Qi Wuheng arrived, and Lu Xuan invited him inside for drinks.
• Guo Bingqiu, Ye Xuanyin, and other old acquaintances joined Lu Xuan, and they exchanged news from Li Yang Domain and asked about his life in the Sword Sect.
• Lu Xuan asked about Lei Zheng, and Guo Bingqiu explained that Lei Zheng had gone missing after entering a dangerous Secret Realm on the seventh layer of Fengyuan Star Cave.

After his guests left, Lu Xuan harvested mature Spirit Plants in his Cave Mansion and received a Supreme Fisherman Set and a Spirit-Sealing Jade Box from their light orbs. He continued harvesting Hidden Essence Grass for Foundation Establishment Pills and other rewards.

• Lu Xuan saw off his guests, then pulled up the mature Cloud Splitting Bamboo and received a Sixth Grade Supreme Fisherman Set.
• Lu Xuan harvested one of his two mature Jade Wutong trees and received a Sixth Grade Spirit-Sealing Jade Box.
• Lu Xuan left the other Jade Wutong standing for Seed Condensation and hurried to the next Spirit Field.
• Lu Xuan harvested mature Hidden Essence Grass, collecting Foundation Establishment Pills and seeking Spirit Gathering Grass Orbs.

Lu Xuan harvested the mature Spirit Plants in Thunder Fire Star Cave, collecting Spirit Fruits and Lotus Seeds along with a wealth of Treasures and cultivation rewards. He continued through the fields, finishing with the Pure Yang Golden Lotuses and reflecting that the vast harvest had become tiring.

• Lu Xuan harvested Bewitching Peaches, Water and Fire Spirit Fruits, and hundreds of Thunderstorm Lotus Seeds, then gained Evil-Exterminating Spirit Thunder, Thunder Extreme Escape Talismans, Thunder Evil Pellets, and Thunder Control insights from the light orbs.
• He harvested most of the mature Ice Firefly Grass, gaining more than sixty years of cultivation rewards and Treasures to replenish the Star Plucking Tower shop.
• Lu Xuan harvested eight Five Elements Illusion Fruits and obtained the complete Heavenly Illusion Restriction Art, Five Elements Pill Formula experience, and four Grand Five Elements Annihilation Array Array Plates.
• He harvested ten Pure Yang Golden Lotuses, gaining Taiyi Pure Yang True Fire, Heart Flame Wine, and experience that advanced his mastery of the wine formula.
• After completing the many harvests, Lu Xuan remarked that gathering Treasures had finally begun to feel tiring.

Lu Xuan tended his remaining spirit plants, harvested Azure Wood Spirit Thunder Liquid, and prepared to condense more seeds after his recent harvest. He reconnected with Daoist Mu and then encountered Hong Qinghai, who appeared to have a grievance to share.

• Lu Xuan fed demon beast souls to the Myriad Manifestation Grass and a strange insect to the Spirit Cage, then checked the nearly mature Star Fruits and Crimson Flame Plums.
• Lu Xuan collected more than twenty clusters of Azure Wood Spirit Thunder Liquid and assessed the Azure Dragon Wood’s progress toward maturity.
• Lu Xuan planned to condense seeds for several spirit plants and spent three days cultivating divine abilities and secret arts from Light Orbs.
• Daoist Mu visited Lu Xuan, discussed the chamber of commerce’s need for high-grade spirit plants, and urged him to restock his shop’s Fourth Grade and Fifth Grade Spirit Brew.
• After Lu Xuan saw Daoist Mu off, Hong Qinghai appeared at the Cave Mansion entrance and greeted him with a trace of grievance.

Lu Xuan reunited with Hong Qinghai, rewarded him for managing Star Plucking Tower, and learned that the shop’s recruited staff had proven reliable. While tending his Spirit Seeds, Lu Xuan harvested two Crimson Flame Plums and obtained a Heavenly Flame Essence and one Qian Yuan Fire Cloud Needle, leaving him with a valuable new artifact set to sell.

• Lu Xuan welcomed Hong Qinghai to his cave mansion, gave him a Rank 5 Primal Spirit Pill, and promised to replenish the shop’s treasures and collect its Spirit Stones.
• Hong Qinghai reported that the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators working at the shop were trustworthy and had become competent at handling business.
• Lu Xuan spent the next few months condensing and planting Spirit Seeds while he remained at his cave mansion.
• Lu Xuan harvested two mature Crimson Flame Plums and obtained a Sixth Grade Heavenly Flame Essence from one White Light Orb.
• Lu Xuan obtained one Fifth Grade Qian Yuan Fire Cloud Needle from the other orb and decided he would sell it because he already owned the Seventh Grade Yin Yang Yuan Magnetic Divine Needle.

Lu Xuan considered how to gather enough treasures and spirit seeds for another auction, then visited the Sea Pavilion Merchant Guild, where the artifact spirit offered him two kinds of True Spirit Essence Blood for cultivating the Nine True Spirit Leaf. The chapter ended with Lu Xuan revealing that he also possessed a drop of True Dragon Essence Blood.

• Lu Xuan inspected his Crimson Flame Plums, tasted one, and considered holding another auction to acquire rare spirit seeds.
• Lu Xuan traveled to Star Plucking Tower, left treasures and pills with Hong Qinghai, and visited the Sea Pavilion Merchant Guild.
• Daoist Mu explained that Mu Qinghe managed the branch because the Mu Family had secured the post partly to gain favor with Lu Xuan.
• The artifact spirit summoned Lu Xuan and gave him Heavenly Phoenix and Mystic Tortoise Essence Blood to help cultivate the Nine True Spirit Leaf.
• Lu Xuan offered the artifact spirit a drop of True Dragon Essence Blood that he had obtained by chance.

Lu Xuan offered the Treasure Pagoda Artifact Spirit True Dragon Essence Blood and secured ownership of the Defective Grotto-heaven in exchange for cultivating the Nine True Spirit Leaf. The artifact spirit also entrusted him with three Seventh Grade Fangcun Wood Spirit Seeds, promising him one mature tree as a reward.

• Lu Xuan showed the Treasure Pagoda Artifact Spirit a drop of True Dragon Essence Blood, which it said would help cultivate the Nine True Spirit Leaf.
• Lu Xuan asked to receive the Defective Grotto-heaven as his own, promising to cultivate the Nine True Spirit Leaf and seek another kind of True Spirit Essence Blood.
• The Treasure Pagoda Artifact Spirit agreed to give Lu Xuan the Defective Grotto-heaven outright, provided he kept his promise to collect True Spirit Essence Blood.
• The artifact spirit gave Lu Xuan three Seventh Grade Fangcun Wood Spirit Seeds and warned him that they could distort space and slip into the void if left unattended.
• The artifact spirit promised Lu Xuan one mature Fangcun Wood if he successfully cultivated the three seeds.