Chapter Summaries

Shen Changchuan and Wu Tianhao rescued the Lineage’s Old Ancestor and Alchemist, earning Spirit Stones and an Alchemy Legacy. Back home, Shen Changchuan advanced his cultivation and began studying alchemy, then decided to move from practice drills to making pills for real.

• Shen Changchuan and Wu Tianhao returned the weakened Old Ancestor and First Order Alchemist to their Lineage, which rewarded them with two hundred thousand Spirit Stones and the Alchemy Legacy with several Pill Recipes.
• Shen Changchuan returned to his courtyard and planned to use Great Bay Village’s materials and markets to make pills and fund his cultivation.
• Shen Changchuan drank Monkey King Wine and took a True Essence Pill, advancing to the First Layer Late-stage of the Nascent Soul Stage overnight.
• After stabilizing his cultivation, Shen Changchuan studied the First Order Alchemy Legacy and raised his alchemy progress to 60% in a month.
• Shen Changchuan found that further progress through practice alone would be slow, so he decided to begin making pills in earnest.

Shen Changchuan spent six months practicing alchemy, raising First Order Alchemy to 85% and making substantial progress on three pills, but the expense and time required made him stop short of perfection. As the Tiannan Domain prepared for an expedition against the Nanyue Kingdom, he worried that his limited strength would not keep him safe in war.

• Shen Changchuan exchanged one hundred thousand Spirit Stones for spiritual herbs and began practicing the Qi Gathering Pill with his 60%-progress First Order Alchemy.
• Over six months, Shen Changchuan raised First Order Alchemy to 85% and the Qi Gathering Pill, Spirit Gathering Pill, and Azure Jade Pill to roughly 90%, 81%, and 70% progress.
• Shen Changchuan calculated his pill success rates at 75%, 68%, and 60%, and decided that time was too short to grind alchemy to 100%.
• The rulers of twelve cultivation cities sent envoys to the Dragon Firmament Sect, while three Spirit Wandering realm elders met with You Longzi.
• Shen Changchuan learned from Senior Brother Hong Yang that the Yuqing Immortal Sect had ordered the Tiannan Domain's forces to prepare for an expedition against the Nanyue Kingdom.
• Shen Changchuan worried that his Out of Body Stage First Layer strength would leave him in danger on the battlefield, especially if he encountered Deng Xin again.

With war approaching, Shen Changchuan focused on strengthening himself, arranged for his family to sell the pills he had refined, and met Guo Cheng, who offered him an extraordinary secret art inheritance in exchange for cultivation resources.

• Shen Changchuan worried that his Nascent Soul First Layer cultivation would not be enough to survive the coming war and resolved to use every moment to grow stronger.
• Shen Changchuan gave Han Qinhu his pills to sell through Great Bay Village and asked him to gather more materials, while noting that Han Qinhu and Han Dayong had advanced in cultivation.
• Shen Changchuan met Guo Cheng, who thanked him for saving his life, but Shen Changchuan prepared to dismiss him when he heard no important news.
• Guo Cheng offered Shen Changchuan an ancient Jade Slip containing a secret art inheritance and asked only for cultivation pills in exchange.
• Shen Changchuan examined the Jade Slip, recognized its value, and agreed to take it.

Guo Cheng received a fortune in pills from Shen Changchuan, while Shen examined a Gu Dao secret technique that promised rapid cultivation but might conceal a trap. After returning to his sect, Shen purified his restless spiritual power and began a breakthrough in secluded cultivation.

• Guo Cheng discovered that Shen Changchuan had given him pills worth more than ten thousand Spirit Stones, enough to support his cultivation to the Ninth Layer Qi Gathering.
• Shen Changchuan studied a fragment of the Ming Huan Gu Jing, which described refining the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu as a natal Gu to increase its master's cultivation speed.
• Shen Changchuan suspected the Gu technique could be a Devil Dao trap and decided to investigate Gu techniques and use his Progress Bar Panel before attempting it.
• Five days later, Shen Changchuan left Great Bay Village for his sect with Spirit Stones, medicinal herbs, and ordinary Gu-refining Dharma Gates, planning to return monthly to collect sales proceeds.
• After returning to the sect, Shen Changchuan tempered his mind, drank his remaining Monkey King Wine, and purged the restlessness from his spiritual power.
• Shen Changchuan swallowed a True Essence Pill and began cultivating in seclusion.

Shen Changchuan paused his cultivation to consolidate his foundation and planned to refine pills, settle accounts, and prepare for a breakthrough. At the Seven Absolute Sect, the Old Ancestor killed Ying Wuya, then implanted his memories into an Inner Sect disciple and declared him to be Ying Wuya.

• Shen Changchuan reached the peak of the Out of Body Stage First Layer, chose not to break through yet, and planned his next three months of cultivation and errands.
• Shen Changchuan remembered that he still needed information and decided to seek out Senior Brother Hong Yang.
• Ying Wuya begged the Seven Absolute Old Demon for mercy after You Longzi thwarted his mission, but the Old Ancestor drained and killed him.
• The Seven Absolute Old Demon inspected his sect members, selected an Inner Sect disciple, and implanted Ying Wuya's memories into him.
• The Inner Sect disciple awoke with Ying Wuya's face, and the Old Ancestor told him to cultivate back to his former realm as his chief disciple.

The Seven Absolute Old Demon considered abducting Shen Changchuan as a potential Demonic Seed before a mysterious visitor warned him that the Yuqing Sect was preparing to attack the Southern Yue Land. Over the next six months, Shen Changchuan strengthened his spells, cultivation, and resources, leaving him confident in his progress but still doubtful he could defeat Deng Xin.

• The Seven Absolute Old Demon remembered Shen Changchuan's talent and appearance from Ying Wuya's memories and marked him for special attention.
• A phantom visitor confronted the Seven Absolute Old Demon and warned him that the Yuqing Sect planned to make a move against the Southern Yue Land, likely targeting You Longzi first.
• Shen Changchuan completed a Second-tier defensive spell, tempered his cultivation, and broke through to the Out of Body Stage Second Layer.
• Shen Changchuan refined pills and sold them for Spirit Stones, completing more than seven hundred First-tier Spells and six Second-tier Spells while developing an idea for his Divine Ability Seed's next transformation.
• Shen Changchuan reached the peak of the early Second Layer and judged that he might be able to fight Deng Xin with his speed and Divine Ability, though he would probably lose.

Shen Changchuan assessed his strength against Deng Xin and grew more anxious as signs of an approaching war spread through the Tiannan Domain and Dragon Firmament Sect. He decided that mastering more Second-tier Spells would not help much and resolved to focus on raising his Cultivation Realm by trying to refine the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu.

• Shen Changchuan concluded that he would probably still lose to Deng Xin but took pride in how much stronger he had become over the past half year.
• Shen Changchuan recalled that major powers were stockpiling supplies, driving up prices and stirring rumors of a coming great battle.
• Shen Changchuan noted that Dragon Firmament Sect had recruited more disciples and added missions to infiltrate Nanyue Kingdom, while You Longzi's reassurance did little to ease his concern.
• Shen Changchuan decided that learning more Second-tier Spells would bring little improvement and that he should focus on raising his Cultivation Realm.
• Shen Changchuan resolved to try refining the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu and took out the Jade Slip Guo Cheng had given him.

Shen Changchuan concluded that his strength had reached a bottleneck and decided to pursue the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu to accelerate his cultivation, despite the rare materials and difficult refinement it required. After ending his seclusion, he found the Dragon Firmament Sect crowded with hurried, battle-worn disciples returning from missions in the Nanyue Kingdom.

• Shen Changchuan assessed his spells, Treasure Artifacts, and cultivation progress and concluded that only advancing his realm would substantially improve his strength.
• Shen Changchuan considered refining the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu, but recognized that his Gu Dao knowledge was limited and that the Second Order Top Grade Gu required extremely rare materials.
• Shen Changchuan resolved to gather the materials piece by piece and seek his Master's help only if necessary.
• Shen Changchuan put away the Jade Slip, left his secluded cultivation, and passed the busy External Affairs Hall.
• Shen Changchuan noticed wounded, tense disciples returning from missions in the Nanyue Kingdom as a chilling, murderous aura hung over the mountain gate.

Shen Changchuan continued his cultivation and pill business while visiting his family in Great Bay Village. There, he received a Gu Dao inheritance from Dragon Firmament Sect Outer Disciple Tang Yuncheng and agreed to meet him, though he remained wary of the convenient timing.

• Shen Changchuan went to Great Bay Village to gather resources and continue his cultivation plan while waiting for materials to refine the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu.
• He visited his relatives, saw that Han Qinhu and Han Yue'er were doing well, and gave Han Qinhu newly refined pills to sell.
• Han Qinhu told Shen Changchuan that Tang Yuncheng, an Outer Disciple of the Dragon Firmament Sect, had brought a Gu Dao inheritance and requested a meeting.
• Shen Changchuan examined the Jade Slip and learned from Han Qinhu that Tang Yuncheng had obtained it during a mission in Nanyue Kingdom.
• Suspecting Tang Yuncheng wanted to offer allegiance and seek support, Shen Changchuan agreed to meet him after accepting the inheritance.

Tang Yuncheng visited Shen Changchuan and described the dangers and fighting methods he had encountered in Nanyue Kingdom. Shen Changchuan learned more about the looming campaign and resolved to study Gu techniques to protect himself.

• Tang Yuncheng praised Shen Changchuan and recounted his mission in Nanyue Kingdom during their meeting.
• Shen Changchuan learned that Nanyue Kingdom's harsh climate, dangerous wilderness, demonic cultivators, and Gu techniques made the region perilous.
• Shen Changchuan recalled that You Longzi had spread the order to attack Nanyue Kingdom among the Yuqing Immortal Sect's subordinate forces, bringing the Tiannan Domain's major powers into the campaign.
• Shen Changchuan decided to study Gu techniques in case he had to fight deep in Nanyue Kingdom.

Shen Changchuan returned to Qing City and recognized Wang Xiaoer, a one-armed guide he had met years earlier. He paid Wang five Spirit Stones to show him the Black Market and tell him what had happened in his life, and they set off together.

• Shen Changchuan left Great Bay Village and flew to Qing City instead of returning directly to the sect.
• At the city gate, Shen Changchuan recognized the one-armed guide who had approached him on his first visit years earlier.
• Shen Changchuan gave Wang Xiaoer five Spirit Stones and asked him to accompany him and share his story.
• Wang Xiaoer told Shen Changchuan that he was a Qi Gathering First Level cultivator who had struggled to find work and needed a gang Big Brother's backing to serve as a guide.
• Shen Changchuan asked Wang Xiaoer to lead him to the Black Market before visiting the Myriad Spirits Pavilion.

Wang Xiaoer told Shen Changchuan about the dangers and hardships of working as a guide, including the family he hoped to support. Their conversation eased Shen Changchuan’s mind, and Wang Xiaoer led him to Qing City’s Black Market, where he warned him about its dangers.

• Wang Xiaoer explained that a vicious cultivator had pulverized his arm years earlier when he was guiding newcomers in Qing City.
• Wang Xiaoer told Shen Changchuan that he had a wife and son and hoped to save enough Spirit Stones for his son to attend Shushan Academy.
• Listening to Wang Xiaoer’s life story brought Shen Changchuan a sense of calm and a faint realization, though he stayed focused on his goal.
• Wang Xiaoer guided Shen Changchuan to Qing City’s hidden Black Market beneath the city.
• Wang Xiaoer warned Shen Changchuan that the Black Market sold both bargains and dangerous goods, and that Demonic Cultivators used secret arts to trap unsuspecting buyers.

Shen Changchuan bought Gu Dao secret techniques and Azure Jade Pill ingredients in Qing City’s Black Market, then arranged for Wang Xiaoer to search for more. After learning that Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade would be auctioned in three months, Shen Changchuan headed back to his sect.

• Wang Xiaoer warned Shen Changchuan about scams and hidden dangers in the Black Market as they browsed its stalls.
• Shen Changchuan bought all the Gu Dao secret technique inheritances he found and a batch of Azure Jade Pill ingredients.
• Wang Xiaoer offered to collect more Gu Dao secret techniques, and Shen Changchuan gave him funds, a Communication Talisman, and a Jade Talisman bearing his aura.
• Shen Changchuan visited the Myriad Spirits Pavilion, where its Branch Pavilion Master told him that Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade would be auctioned in the Pingcheng Domain in three months.
• Shen Changchuan left Qing City and returned to the sect.

Shen Changchuan spent two months preparing for a coming war and saving Spirit Stones for an auction, while the conflict between the Tiannan Domain and Nanyue Kingdom intensified. During that time, Wu Tianhao advanced to the Out of Body Stage Fourth Layer and Little Wind reached the Out of Body Stage, leaving Shen Changchuan aware that he would need to grow stronger before the fighting began.

• Shen Changchuan adjusted his cultivation plan to refine more pills, save Spirit Stones for the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade auction, and focus less on spell practice.
• Over the next two months, the Dragon Firmament Sect and other Tiannan Domain forces gathered intelligence and prepared for war as Nanyue Kingdom's Devil Cultivator factions strengthened their forces and infiltrated the domain.
• Wu Tianhao advanced to the Out of Body Stage Fourth Layer using a secret technique, and he told Shen Changchuan that fear from their past battle had driven him to accept future troubles for greater strength.
• Little Wind advanced to the Out of Body Stage after consuming Shen Changchuan's ruined and poor-quality pills, which he helped it refine with the Concentric Vision Technique.

With Shen Changchuan's help, Little Wind advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, strengthening its body and awakening a still-unclear Innate Spell. Shen Changchuan saved enough Spirit Stones to pursue the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade and set out for Fangxian City, studying Gu techniques on the journey.

• Little Wind absorbed the medicinal power and energy in useless and low-quality pills, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage and hardening its feathers and talons.
• Shen Changchuan discovered that Little Wind's bloodline seemed to be changing and learned it had awakened an Innate Spell it could not yet fully use.
• Over two months of refining Azure Jade Pills and trading through several channels, Shen Changchuan earned 270,000 Spirit Stones while studying spells and Gu Dao techniques.
• After refining another batch of Azure Jade Pills, Shen Changchuan accumulated 370,000 Spirit Stones and decided he had enough to bid for the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade.
• Shen Changchuan rode Little Wind from Great Bay Village toward Fangxian City in Pingcheng Domain, studying Gu techniques along the way until his First Order Gu Dao secret technique progress reached 32%.

Shen Changchuan weighed the cost of improving his Gu techniques as he traveled to Fangxian City for the Myriad Spirits Pavilion auction. While forces across the Tiannan Domain mobilized for war, he reached the prosperous city, bought study materials, and watched two Out of Body Stage prodigies clash.

• Shen Changchuan considered spending Spirit Stones and slowing his cultivation to raise his Gu technique enough to refine the Golden Wind Jade Dew Gu.
• Dragon Firmament Sect dispatched Wu Tianhao and other disciples to garrison Barbaric City as Devil Dao forces appeared on the front lines.
• The Tiannan City Shen Family, the Ancient Sword Sect, the Nangong Family, and other forces sent cultivators south, while Shen Changchuan entered the Pingcheng Domain and reached Fangxian City.
• Shen Changchuan bought foundational Second-tier Gu Technique knowledge and a Purple Gold Pills recipe, conserving his remaining Spirit Stones for the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade.
• Shen Changchuan watched a Rogue Cultivator and a Nanyang Sect prodigy, both at the Second Level of the Out of Body Stage, fight in Fangxian City's arena.

Shen Changchuan watched a battle in Fangxian City, assessed his strength, and refused a stranger’s invitation to join an association while he waited for the auction. At the auction, he successfully bought the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade and left with it.

• Shen Changchuan watched Mo Tianfeng and another cultivator battle, judged their strength, and learned that Mo Tianfeng’s younger brother Mo Lingfeng was the Nanyang Sect genius he had defeated years earlier.
• Shen Changchuan returned to his rented cave abode and waited for the auction, cultivating and studying Gu techniques and alchemy.
• Shi Miaoqing visited Shen Changchuan and invited him to join an association, but he refused and put up a sign asking visitors not to disturb him.
• Shen Changchuan attended the auction and bid on none of its items until the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade appeared.
• Shen Changchuan won the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Jade for two hundred and thirty thousand Spirit Stones, collected it, and left the auction.

After spending most of his remaining Spirit Stones in Fangxian City, Shen Changchuan left with new cultivation resources and an idea for industrializing Gu refinement. As he flew toward the Tiannan Domain, someone called out to him.

• Shen Changchuan bought Spirit Void Grass, Star Frost Flower, Second-tier Gu technique inheritance, and five Jade Dragon Pills, leaving only thirty thousand Spirit Stones.
• Shen Changchuan reassured himself that his strength and alchemy would help him earn back the Spirit Stones he had spent.
• Shen Changchuan left Fangxian City on Little Wind and reconsidered how to raise his Gu technique progress.
• Shen Changchuan conceived of mass-breeding Centipedes and repeatedly refining them into higher-grade Gu worms.
• Someone called to Shen Changchuan from ahead, making him alert.

Shen Changchuan was ambushed in midair by Shi Miaoqing and three accomplices who wanted to capture him and force him to make pills. As their attack closed around him, he unleashed Blazing Dragon Burning World to counter it.

• Shi Miaoqing caught up with Shen Changchuan, but he stopped Little Wind and exposed the hidden cultivators waiting to ambush him.
• A Bald Giant, a gaunt scholar, and a fat man emerged from hiding, joining Shi Miaoqing to surround Shen Changchuan.
• Shi Miaoqing and the men revealed that they had targeted Shen Changchuan for his Spirit Stones and his value as an Alchemist.
• The gaunt scholar attacked with Universe Sleeve, trapping Shen Changchuan in a crushing field of force.
• Shen Changchuan formed a hand seal and unleashed Blazing Dragon Burning World, filling the area with scorching flames.

Shen Changchuan’s Blazing Dragon Burning World spell broke the scholar’s Sleeve Universe technique, but the bald giant protected him with blood-colored Buddhist beads and ordered the others to surround Shen Changchuan. Shen Changchuan refused to surrender, and the bald giant prepared to attack him alone.

• Shen Changchuan’s flaming dragon tore through the scholar-like young man’s Sleeve Universe technique and charged at him.
• The bald giant blocked the dragon with his blood-colored Buddhist beads, then ordered the scholar, Shi Miaoqing, and the short, fat man to seal off Shen Changchuan’s escape routes.
• Shen Changchuan recognized that the others’ positions would also keep them from quickly helping the bald giant, while the bald giant urged him to join their group.
• Shen Changchuan refused, accusing the group of wanting to control him and make him refine pills for them.
• The bald giant vowed to cripple Shen Changchuan and unleashed his Out of Body Stage Fourth Layer aura as his Buddhist beads blazed with blood-colored light.