Chapter Summaries

Zhang Qingyuan easily defeated his puppet and revealed strength that shocked Zhao Yuanyang, who suspected Zhang had surpassed him. When Jin Tiefeng was overwhelmed by a Ninth Stage Mid-phase puppet, Zhang Qingyuan intervened just as the puppet was about to finish him.

• Zhang Qingyuan knocked back Zhao Yuanyang’s puppet with a single sword strike, leaving Zhao Yuanyang astonished by his strength.
• Zhao Yuanyang recalled Zhang Qingyuan’s earlier victory and wondered whether he had already become stronger than him.
• Jin Tiefeng called for Zhang Qingyuan’s help while the Ninth Stage Mid-phase puppet battered him and broke his Glazed Golden Body.
• The puppet struck Jin Tiefeng into a wall, leaving him helpless as it rushed in for another attack.
• Zhang Qingyuan used Three Waves Covering the Sea to blast the puppet away and smash it into a wall.

Zhang Qingyuan used his strength and Spirit Sense to defeat the puppets guarding the cavern and claim their power stones. After the battle, the group divided the spoils, leaving Zhang Qingyuan with eleven Mid-grade Spirit Stones and six damaged puppets.

• Zhang Qingyuan smashed a Ninth Stage Mid-phase puppet, found its core with his Spirit Sense, and pulled out its Mid-grade Spirit Stone.
• Jin Tiefeng and Zhao Yuanyang recognized Zhang Qingyuan's strength after he defeated the puppet and joined the battle to help eliminate the remaining puppets.
• Zhang Qingyuan destroyed the remaining puppets over the next quarter of an hour and collected their Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• Zhang Qingyuan and the others divided the twenty-two Mid-grade Spirit Stones, with Zhang Qingyuan taking eleven and receiving all six damaged puppets.

After sharing the spoils from the Puppet battle, Zhang Qingyuan and the group entered a hidden Cave Dwelling and discovered a Blood Dragon Fruit Tree and the remains of a true Human Tier Alchemist. The chapter leaves Zhang Qingyuan examining valuable Alchemy Jade Slips from an Alchemist far beyond his own apprentice-level skill.

• Zhang Qingyuan rejoiced over his share of eleven Mid-grade Spirit Stones and the damaged Puppets as the group rested and recovered.
• Wu Qin checked the Stone Gate for hidden arrays, and the group broke it open to enter a spacious underground chamber.
• Li Qishang recognized the crimson tree in the chamber as a rare Blood Dragon Fruit Tree, and the group cautiously searched the Cave Dwelling before approaching it.
• The group found valuable items, including Alchemy Jade Slips, and learned that the Cave Dwelling's owner had been a Human Tier Alchemist at the True Essence Realm.
• Zhang Qingyuan considered how his Mid Tier Alchemy compared to the true Alchemist's formidable skill, realizing that he was still only an Alchemist Apprentice.

After uncovering a rich alchemy legacy and rare pills, Zhang Qingyuan and the others were rescued from the cave abode by Zhao Yuanyang’s Third Uncle as the Ma Family ambushed them. A True Essence Realm attack shattered their escape, and they fled with the enemy pursuing them.

• Zhang Qingyuan and the others discovered dozens of Pill Recipes, alchemy insights, valuable pills, and three Blood Dragon Fruits in the cave abode.
• As the group debated how to divide the most valuable items, Zhao Yuanyang’s Third Uncle arrived and warned them that the Ma Family had found their trail.
• Zhao Yuanyang’s Third Uncle carried the group out of the cave abode, but a True Essence Realm cultivator’s sword strike forced him to shield them with his Golden Bell Magic Tool.
• The Golden Bell Magic Tool cracked under the attack, and Zhao Yuanyang’s Third Uncle fled with the group as an enemy called after Daoist friend Jingping.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others fled while Zhao Jingping battled Ma Zha Quan, a True Essence Realm cultivator seeking revenge on the Zhao Family. After Zhao Jingping sent them ahead to safety, the group continued toward the Cloud Water Sect's territory, with Zhao Yuanyang apologizing for drawing them into the danger.

• Ma Zha Quan damaged Zhao Jingping's Golden Bell and attacked him while declaring his intent to kill the Zhao Family members.
• Zhao Jingping warned Zhao Yuanyang and the Cloud Water Sect disciples to flee, then stayed behind to hold off Ma Zha Quan.
• Zhao Jingping used his power to send the group away as Ma Yingyuan caught up and the two cultivators resumed their battle.
• Zhao Yuanyang apologized to the group, and Tian Renzhou, Zhang Qingyuan, and the others reassured him that they understood.
• The group flew toward the outskirts of the wilderness and the Cloud Water Sect's territory.

Zhang Qingyuan and the Cloud Water Sect disciples fled after Ma Yingyuan attacked them, but a second group of enemies blocked their escape. As the attackers closed in, Zhao Yuanyang activated a golden Talisman that bound the enemy leaders in golden chains.

• Zhao Jingping fought Ma Yingyuan and gained the upper hand, while Ma Yingyuan revealed that his attack had been a diversion to target Zhao Yuanyang.
• Zhang Qingyuan sensed that trouble lay ahead and led the group to flee, suspecting Ma Yingyuan had arranged additional support.
• Zhang Qingyuan discovered three enemies blocking the path, including a Half-step True Essence Realm cultivator, while more cultivators sealed the route behind them.
• Zhao Yuanyang activated a golden Talisman just before the Half-step True Essence Realm cultivator's attack landed, binding him and the two late ninth stage cultivators beside him in golden chains.

Zhao Yuanyang used a golden-chain talisman and a powerful jade talisman to kill two attackers and severely injure their green-robed Half-step True Essence Realm leader. Zhang Qingyuan confronted the injured leader while his companions fought the cultivators blocking their retreat, turning the ambush into a chance to escape.

• Golden Chains restrained the three attackers, and Zhao Yuanyang's Golden Light Shield blocked the green-robed cultivator's strike at the cost of a precious Jade Pendant.
• Zhao Yuanyang unleashed a Jade Talisman attack that killed the two late ninth-stage cultivators and left the green-robed cultivator severely injured and missing an arm.
• The green-robed cultivator ordered the cultivators behind Zhang Qingyuan's group to attack, and they charged despite their hesitation.
• Zhang Qingyuan blocked the green-robed cultivator's strike with Overturning Sea Threefold Wave and recognized that his injuries might make him beatable.
• Zhang Qingyuan told his companions to handle the rear attackers and charged the green-robed cultivator as the battle erupted.

Zhang Qingyuan exploited the green-robed cultivator’s severe injuries and overwhelmed him with a relentless assault. The battle turned in Zhang Qingyuan’s allies’ favor, while the green-robed cultivator’s humiliation and rage grew.

• Zhang Qingyuan rushed the wounded green-robed cultivator and struck with Heavenly Eagle Hand.
• The green-robed cultivator blocked the attack with his remaining True Essence, but the impact worsened his injuries and sent him falling.
• Zhang Qingyuan followed with a barrage of punches from the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist, leaving the green-robed cultivator unable to fight back.
• Zhao Yuanyang, Jin Tiefeng, and the others rallied and held off their opponents to give Zhang Qingyuan time.
• The green-robed cultivator fumed over his humiliation, and Zhang Qingyuan slammed Collapsing Mountain into his chest.

Zhang Qingyuan drove the severely injured green-robed cultivator into retreat, then joined Zhao Yuanyang, Jin Tiefeng, and Yu Qianyang against the remaining enemies. The group continued their escape by defeating the late ninth-stage cultivator, whom a sudden sword light threatened to finish off.

• Zhang Qingyuan struck the green-robed cultivator with the final move of the Nine Refinements Bone Forging Fist, worsening his injuries.
• The green-robed cultivator threatened Zhang Qingyuan, then unleashed his power to flee; Zhang Qingyuan chose not to pursue him.
• A remaining late ninth-stage enemy called the battle a misunderstanding, but Zhao Yuanyang, Jin Tiefeng, and Yu Qianyang pressed their attack.
• Zhang Qingyuan struck the late ninth-stage cultivator with Overturning Sea Threefold Wave, smashing him into a crater.
• The wounded enemy roared from the pit as a Heaven-Piercing Sword Light surged toward him.

After the group returned safely to Cloud Water Sect territory, Zhang Qingyuan reviewed the spoils from the dangerous expedition and chose a Blood Dragon Fruit as his share. With valuable Alchemy knowledge, rare cultivation materials, and Spirit Stones in hand, he could focus on cultivating in the Inner Sect for a long time.

• Zhang Qingyuan killed the late ninth stage cultivator, and the group pursued and wiped out the remaining attackers before leaving with their spoils.
• Zhang Qingyuan and the others returned to Cloud Water Sect territory, where Zhao Jingping reported that Ma Yingyuan had escaped and seemed to have ties with the Vast Sea Sect.
• Zhao Yuanyang gave up his claim to the harvest distribution, and Zhang Qingyuan became first to choose, taking a Blood Dragon Fruit over the True Transformation Pill.
• Zhang Qingyuan traded three depleted Mid-grade Spirit Stones with Tian Renzhou for a Spirit Enhancing Pill.
• Zhang Qingyuan received Flood Dragon Ginseng and over a hundred Spirit Stones from the attackers' spoils, then counted his expedition gains and planned to cultivate in the Inner Sect.

After the Ruined Cave Abode expedition, Zhao Yuanyang resolved to focus on cultivation after seeing Zhang Qingyuan’s strength surpass his own. Zhang Qingyuan began refining the Blood Dragon Fruit, enduring intense pain as its medicinal power strengthened his body.

• Zhao Jingping told Zhao Yuanyang to stay in the sect while the Zhao Family faced uncertainty involving the Ma Family remnants and the Vast Sea Sect.
• Zhao Yuanyang admitted that Zhang Qingyuan’s strength had made him realize he had neglected cultivation, and he vowed to improve his own strength.
• Zhao Jingping praised Zhao Yuanyang’s new resolve and encouraged him to aim for the True Essence Realm and the Human Ranking.
• After several days of preparation, Zhang Qingyuan ate the Blood Dragon Fruit and began refining its medicinal power in his Cave Dwelling.
• The fruit’s scorching power spread through Zhang Qingyuan’s meridians, causing intense pain while visibly strengthening his flesh and blood.

After refining the Blood Dragon Fruit, Zhang Qingyuan gained a stronger physique and improved cultivation aptitude, then spent a month cultivating and studying alchemy. He prepared to begin refining pills while continuing his cultivation.

• Zhang Qingyuan absorbed the Blood Dragon Fruit’s medicinal power, strengthening his blood qi, physical strength, meridians, and spiritual energy affinity.
• Zhang Qingyuan considered learning body refinement but decided to keep his focus on cultivation for now.
• Zhang Qingyuan secluded himself for a month, steadily advancing toward the Ninth Stage Early Peak while studying alchemy knowledge from a True Essence Realm senior.
• Zhang Qingyuan gained insight into several Intermediate Pill Recipes and bought the materials needed to refine one.
• Zhang Qingyuan began refining pills to improve his alchemy while advancing his cultivation.

Zhang Qingyuan spent two months refining an Intermediate Pill and using the Proficiency Panel to improve his alchemy, spiritual sense, and cultivation. He reached the Ninth Stage Early Peak and judged that his strength had grown enough to defeat two versions of himself from before entering the Cave Abode Ruins.

• Zhang Qingyuan studied and successfully refined an Intermediate Pill Recipe, then used the Proficiency Panel to steadily raise his success rate.
• Zhang Qingyuan increased his Alchemy proficiency to over eighty points and stopped refining the pill when it no longer offered much improvement.
• Zhang Qingyuan studied the Alchemist’s Jade Slips, improving his spiritual sense and his control over it.
• Zhang Qingyuan refined the Blood Dragon Fruit’s remaining medicinal power and advanced to the Ninth Stage Early Peak.
• Zhang Qingyuan assessed his progress and concluded that he could defeat two versions of himself from before entering the Cave Abode Ruins.

After selling the pills he had refined to improve his Alchemy proficiency, Zhang Qingyuan learned why no one wanted the six damaged puppets from the cave abode ruin. He sold them to Hundred Treasures Pavilion for three Mid-grade Spirit Stones and left with the transaction complete.

• Zhang Qingyuan sold his pills at the Inner Sect Marketplace for 637 Spirit Stones, earning over three hundred after costs.
• Zhang Qingyuan went to Hundred Treasures Pavilion to sell the six damaged puppets he had been unable to find a buyer for.
• Zhang Qingyuan learned that removing the puppets’ Spirit Stones had caused their battle instincts to dissipate, so restarting them required scarce puppet masters and powerful Divine Souls.
• Zhang Qingyuan negotiated with Hundred Treasures Pavilion and received three Mid-grade Spirit Stones for the six puppets.

Zhang Qingyuan refined increasingly difficult pills until he used a Spirit Enhancing Pill to break through to Advanced Alchemist. He then entered seclusion and advanced to the Ninth Stage Mid-phase.

• Zhang Qingyuan traded Essence of Gui Water with Qian Sen for Spirit Materials and exchanged knowledge about planting Spiritual Medicines and alchemy.
• Zhang Qingyuan spent months cultivating and refining difficult Intermediate pills, raising his Alchemy proficiency to ninety-nine before hitting a bottleneck.
• Zhang Qingyuan swallowed the Spirit Enhancing Pill he had exchanged from Tian Renzhou, increasing his Spiritual Sense and advancing his Alchemy to Advanced.
• Zhang Qingyuan sensed that his cultivation was ready to break through, then entered seclusion with a Mid-grade Spirit Stone.
• After a month of cultivation, Zhang Qingyuan advanced to the Ninth Stage Mid-phase.

After reaching the Ninth Stage Mid-phase and stabilizing his cultivation, Zhang Qingyuan assessed his greatly improved combat strength and planned to refine Gui Water Pills to advance further before the year-end competition. He left his cave dwelling to exchange Contribution Points for the pill recipe.

• Zhang Qingyuan judged that his strength could contend with Ninth Stage Perfection cultivators after improvements to his Blood Qi Foundation, Spiritual Sense, spirit essence, and control.
• Zhang Qingyuan anticipated securing at least third place and challenging for first or second in the Year-end Small Competition in three months.
• Zhang Qingyuan spent more than ten days stabilizing his realm and mastering his increased strength.
• Zhang Qingyuan decided to refine Gui Water Pills from the Essence of Gui Water to assist his cultivation and strengthen his One Origin Gui Water Scripture.
• Zhang Qingyuan left his cave dwelling and rode to the Inner Affairs Hall to exchange Contribution Points for the Gui Water Pill recipe.

Zhang Qingyuan met Shen Hongzhou at the Inner Affairs Hall while exchanging for the Gui Water Pill recipe, and they discussed visiting Dean Liu after he emerged from seclusion. As Zhang Qingyuan left, Shen Hongzhou reflected on how far his former fellow disciple had surpassed him.

• Zhang Qingyuan greeted Shen Hongzhou, who praised his rapid progress and lamented that he could not catch up.
• Shen Hongzhou told Zhang Qingyuan that Dean Liu was nearing the end of his seclusion and suggested that their former classmates visit him together.
• Zhang Qingyuan agreed to the visit, then exchanged for the Gui Water Pill recipe while Shen Hongzhou returned to his companions.
• Shen Hongzhou told his companions about Zhang Qingyuan's rise from an overlooked Outer Sect Disciple to a powerful Ninth Stage cultivator.
• Shen Hongzhou recalled the battles that had marked Zhang Qingyuan's ascent and felt conflicted as he watched him leave.

Zhang Qingyuan acquired the Gui Water Pill recipe and prepared to refine it, but discovered that he needed a Magic Tool-level Alchemy Furnace. Lin Yan agreed to make one if Zhang Qingyuan found two expensive materials, then suggested seeking them through a Cloud Water Sect task.

• Shen Hongzhou sensed Zhang Qingyuan's overwhelming strength, abandoned his thoughts of surpassing him, and resolved to cultivate harder.
• Zhang Qingyuan spent 150,000 Sect Contribution Points to obtain the Gui Water Pill recipe from the Internal Affairs Hall.
• Zhang Qingyuan studied the recipe and realized his ordinary Alchemy Furnace could not meet its purity requirements.
• Zhang Qingyuan asked Lin Yan to refine a Magic Tool-level Alchemy Furnace, and Lin Yan requested Crimson Flame True Gold and White Porcelain Three Yin Earth.
• After learning the materials cost seven to eight Mid-grade Spirit Stones, Zhang Qingyuan declined to buy them and heard Lin Yan suggest posting a task through Cloud Water Sect's Outer Sect.

After Lin Yan suggested a cheaper way to obtain the materials for an alchemy furnace, Zhang Qingyuan went to the Inner Affairs Hall and suffered a sudden crisis of faith in cultivation. He overcame the inner demon by deciding that he cultivated to grow stronger and witness a wider world, then entered the hall with renewed resolve.

• Zhang Qingyuan accepted Lin Yan's suggestion because he could not afford the main materials or a complete Magic Tool-grade Alchemy Furnace.
• Zhang Qingyuan went to the Inner Affairs Hall to post a mission and reflected on how his status had changed since he was an Outer Sect disciple.
• Zhang Qingyuan began questioning the purpose of cultivation, and his accumulated alienation from the world triggered a Tribulation of the Inner Demon.
• Zhang Qingyuan reaffirmed that he wanted to become stronger, see more of the world, and perhaps reach the legendary realm of Immortals.
• Zhang Qingyuan stepped into the Inner Affairs Hall as an invisible shackle broke within his heart.

After overcoming his inner demon, Zhang Qingyuan strengthened his resolve, issued a task seeking two rare spirit materials, and improved his cultivation and combat control. A month later, he set out to meet someone with information, while an old man and his grandson Biyun traveled to the city to contact him and secure the Xu Family’s future.

• Zhang Qingyuan issued a task through the Internal Affairs Hall for information about Crimson Flame True Gold and White Porcelain Three Yin Earth, offering ten thousand Contribution Points for accurate leads.
• Zhang Qingyuan spent a month cultivating, stabilizing his Ninth Stage Mid-phase realm, improving his alchemy, and increasing his combat strength through finer control of Spirit Essence.
• After learning that someone had responded to his task, Zhang Qingyuan prepared to meet the contact at the agreed location.
• An old man warned his grandson Biyun not to offend the Cloud Water Sect Inner Sect Disciple they were going to meet, explaining that the Xu Family’s future depended on making a good impression.
• The old man and Biyun entered the city and activated a Messaging Talisman to contact Zhang Qingyuan.