Chapter Summaries

Su Miao handed down punishments for several disciples, then took a break from Farm Teachings’ exhausting business with food brought by Tongtian. When she checked the sect’s disciple roster, the total number left her stunned.

• Su Miao ordered penalties for Mu Qing, two North Plains Branch disciples, and an East Sea Branch Personal Disciple, while Granny Yan praised her mercy.
• Su Miao dismissed the External Affairs Hall Master and other Hall Masters as Tongtian arrived with roast chicken and wine.
• Tongtian urged Su Miao to eat and rest after she realized she had worked all day.
• Su Miao searched the Jade Slips for Farm Teachings’ total disciple count and froze at the number.

Su Miao discovered that Farm Teachings had one hundred quintillion Outer Disciples and feared she could not manage or support them. Tongtian reassured her that its enormous membership reflected the path she had opened to ordinary beings, while leaving her to face the sect’s growing administrative burden.

• Tongtian and Su Miao read the Jade Slip and struggled to comprehend the number of Farm Teachings' Outer Disciples.
• Tongtian realized Su Miao was worried about the cost of feeding and cultivating so many Disciples.
• Su Miao explained that Farm Teachings’ rapid expansion had overwhelmed its rules and leadership, leaving unresolved matters to pile up for her.
• Tongtian told Su Miao that she did not have to manage everything alone and could delegate to the sect’s Elders, Hall Masters, and Branch Altar Chief Officers.
• Su Miao asked what Farm Teachings had become, and Tongtian explained that she had given ordinary living beings a path to cultivate and avoid a miserable fate.

Su Miao returned to her study and began reviewing Farm Teachings’ enormous backlog of reports, gaining a clearer sense of the sect’s people and operations. She resolved disputes, approved aid and policies, and started standardizing procedures before noticing strange matters in the records.

• Su Miao reflected on the ordinary disciples and elders behind the reports, then left Tongtian to return to work.
• She found three large stacks of Jade Slips waiting in her spotless study and reviewed Farm Teachings’ disciple numbers and ranks.
• Su Miao asked Lushu whether the Golden Immortals who had joined as Outer Disciples had come willingly, and he explained that many stayed to compete for Contribution Points.
• She approved responses to disputes and emergencies involving the East Desolation, West Sea, and North Plains Branches.
• Su Miao began creating standardized procedures for branch applications, disciple disputes, and resource requests, then noticed strange matters in the records.

Su Miao reviewed Farm Teachings’ proposals and decided to establish clear Rules so its people could manage the organization instead of relying on her alone. Tongtian agreed to help by lecturing the Disciples, while a planned pilgrimage of Human Race juniors threatened to add to Su Miao’s workload.

• Su Miao reviewed the Jade Slips, rejected a proposal to circulate Merit Coins, and approved a trial Artifact Identification Office.
• Lushu told Su Miao that Human Race branches were selecting outstanding juniors to make a pilgrimage to the Ancestral Land.
• Tongtian brought Su Miao steamed buns and asked about her progress.
• Su Miao told Tongtian she planned to set Rules for Contribution Points, resource allocation, and accepting and teaching Disciples.
• Tongtian agreed to give lectures on the Dao to Farm Teachings’ Disciples.

Tongtian toured the lively Yaoguang Realm, then interrupted a Scripture Hall lecture to teach the disciples through demonstrations with Sword Qi. He dismissed the scripture lesson and announced that he would teach something practical using an ordinary willow branch.

• Tongtian visited the Spirit Plant Hall and advised disciples on caring for a Seven Star Begonia.
• At the Artifact Forging Hall, Tongtian correctly judged how long a Red Fire Sand billet needed to remain in the furnace.
• Tongtian listened to True Person Xuan's lecture, called it dull, and took over the class.
• Tongtian used Sword Qi to demonstrate stillness, chaos, and collapse, leaving True Person Xuan unable to resume his lecture.
• Tongtian declared that they would discuss something practical and presented a willow branch to the confused disciples.

Tongtian taught the Farm Teachings disciples that the Sword Dao progressed from form to spirit to Dao, and that every path could lead to the Great Dao. He then began practical instruction by criticizing the sword practitioners’ weapons and techniques before demonstrating the power of the Dark Thin Youth’s worn woodcutter’s knife.

• Tongtian used four thrusts with a willow branch to explain form, spirit, and Dao, making a flower bloom at its tip.
• Tongtian told the disciples that swordsmanship, farming, and pill refining were different manifestations of the Dao, then called the sword practitioners forward.
• Tongtian criticized the disciples’ weapons and techniques, telling one disciple he was unsuited for swordsmanship.
• Tongtian swung the Dark Thin Youth’s chipped woodcutter’s knife and precisely cut strands of hair without injuring the disciples in the front row.
• Tongtian invited anyone who felt their weapon or Cultivation Method was inadequate to come up.

Tongtian taught the Farm Teachings Disciples practical martial techniques, then showed nonhuman disciples how their natural forms could guide their own fighting styles. After an afternoon of instruction and petting transformed disciples, he agreed to teach again the next day while Su Miao returned to the Scripture Repository.

• Tongtian instructed dozens of Disciples in their weapon techniques and led them to the Martial Arts Arena to demonstrate speed, precision, and ruthlessness with a sword.
• Tongtian showed a Plant Spirit disciple how her Moonlight Grass form could wield a leaf as a sword, then advised a Slender Dog disciple to use his teeth, claws, and speed.
• Nonhuman Disciples transformed into their true forms to receive pets from Tongtian, turning the Martial Arts Arena into a crowded gathering of fluffy creatures.
• True Person Xuan watched the unusually engaged Disciples and understood why the Saint Master had sent Tongtian to Farm Teachings.
• Su Miao met Tongtian after his lesson and told him she would keep studying in the Scripture Repository; Tongtian agreed to teach the Disciples again the next day.

Su Miao visited the greatly expanded Scripture Repository and discovered that Farm Teachings Disciples had filled it with an enormous collection of writings, including unusual field guides and carefully detailed records. She learned that the seventh floor remained unsorted and explored the fifth floor’s maze of geographical and local knowledge.

• Su Miao entered the expanded Scripture Repository and saw Disciples studying and transcribing Jade Slips among its extensive shelves.
• Su Miao examined newly collected writings, paid ten Contribution Points to watch a recording of a cultivator dancing after eating improperly prepared Sour Pulp Fish, and laughed.
• Wen Shou Zhuo introduced himself as the Scripture Repository steward and explained the floors’ organization and the backlog of unsorted Jade Slips on the seventh floor.
• Su Miao asked Wen Shou Zhuo to take her to the fifth floor, where she explored its maze of categorized cubbies.
• Su Miao read a detailed Wind Wolf entry describing its traits, weaknesses, and suggested ways to repel or fight it.

Su Miao explored the Scripture Repository’s sixth floor and learned how Disciples’ practical illustrated guides earned Contribution Points for their authors. She found an especially detailed, resentful guide to the Northern Darkness Ice Abyss and continued browsing the Repository’s unusual records.

• Su Miao read practical guides about Fierce Beasts and learned that Disciples wrote them from firsthand experience.
• Wen Shou Zhuo explained that guide authors earned Contribution Points from reviews and received a share whenever readers viewed their work.
• Wen Shou Zhuo said the reward system had encouraged Disciples to write more detailed guides, and described the vast collection in the Fierce Beasts Section.
• Su Miao read a Northern Darkness Ice Abyss survival guide by “Number One on the Kunpeng Blacklist,” which included patrol advice, resource locations, and guesses about Kunpeng’s schedule.
• Su Miao saw that the guide had earned its author more than ninety thousand Contribution Points and continued browsing the sixth floor, finding a guide about reclaiming a Dharma Treasure borrowed by the Wu Race.

Su Miao explored the Scripture Repository’s practical guides and Grudge Record Zone, then decided to turn the repository into a living market for exchanging knowledge. When Wen Shou Zhuo mentioned a backlog of records about new spiritual plants, Su Miao became eager to investigate what the disciples had cultivated.

• Su Miao read guides on reclaiming treasures from the Wu Race and examined grudge records that tracked both revenge and useful resources.
• Su Miao concluded that the Human Race survived through practical knowledge and told Wen Shou Zhuo to let disciples help organize the Jade Slips for Contribution Points.
• Su Miao proposed Premium and Rookie Sections, bounties for requested guides, useful and useless votes, and tips for authors.
• Su Miao ordered Wen Shou Zhuo to make the Scripture Repository a Knowledge Market and promised to request more Contribution Points for it.
• Wen Shou Zhuo explained that the seventh floor held a vast backlog of records about spiritual plants created or discovered by disciples, and Su Miao became eager to see what they had grown.

Su Miao explored the seventh floor of the Scripture Pavilion, where she learned that eighteen million jade slips recorded newly cultivated spiritual plants. She reviewed several useful and unusual crops and asked about the disciple who created Golden Radish.

• Wen Shou Zhuo explained that a Space Array had expanded the seventh floor to hold more than eighteen million jade slips.
• Su Miao chose to browse the Edible Category and learned that the collection cataloged new spiritual plants by their effects, year, and region.
• Su Miao examined Night Glow Rice, which helped light fields and had been planted across much of the Southern Border.
• Su Miao viewed Fuzzy Strawberry, whose effects made a rabbit grow a huge coat of fur, and learned it appealed to fur-sparse demons and Human Race female cultivators.
• Su Miao learned that Milk Fruit was widely used as nourishing food for children and that Golden Radish was popular with Human Race children.
• Su Miao asked whether Jin Man Cang, the Golden Radish cultivator, had earned many Contribution Points.

Su Miao explored the Scripture Repository’s records of unusual Spirit Plantings and discovered a Meat Tree that produced edible meat without killing animals. Impressed, she asked Wen Shou Zhuo to take her to the Spirit Plant Garden to see one in person.

• Wen Shou Zhuo showed Su Miao Jin Man Cang’s cultivation record and explained how the Seed Verification Bureau tested Spirit Planting submissions.
• Su Miao read about bizarre Spirit Plantings, including a Rainbow Fart Flower whose fragrance made people praise one another and helped negotiations.
• Su Miao found the Meat Tree Cultivation Log, which described how an anonymous cultivator created a tree that grew edible meat after twelve thousand years of experiments.
• Wen Shou Zhuo explained that the sect’s Dining Hall used Meat Tree produce, which tasted good and helped replenish blood and qi.
• Su Miao asked Wen Shou Zhuo to take her to the Spirit Plant Garden to see the Meat Tree.

Su Miao toured the Spirit Plant Garden, saw the disciples’ inventive work and learned how much they valued it, then began drafting regulations for a Spirit Plant Innovation Fund. The Phoenix race’s visiting card arrived at the Myriad Manifestations Hall.

• Wen Shou Zhuo led Su Miao to the Spirit Plant Garden, where Qing He showed her the hall’s cultivation projects and a fresh harvest from the Meat Trees.
• Qing He showed Su Miao dangerous experimental seeds, and Su Miao ordered them securely sealed.
• Qing He explained how the disciples found happiness and purpose in their work, while Xue Rong tearfully celebrated finally saving enough Contribution Points to buy Moonlight Essence Gold.
• Su Miao returned to the Myriad Manifestations Hall and began writing detailed regulations for a Spirit Plant Innovation Fund.
• Lushu brought Su Miao a visiting card from the Phoenix race.

Su Miao received the Phoenix race’s lavish invitation and agreed to meet them in the Yaoguang Realm, while allowing them to choose a convenient date. Tongtian advised her to screen the Phoenix visitors carefully and offered to help judge them when they arrived.

• Su Miao read the Phoenix race’s invitation and its extensive list of gifts, including a wisp of Southern Bright Leaving Fire Origin.
• Lushu reported that the Phoenix race faced unstable Earth Veins near the Immortal Volcano and possible designs from Di Jun.
• Su Miao accepted the Phoenix race’s visit in the Yaoguang Realm and told Lushu to let them come whenever convenient after giving three to five days’ notice.
• Su Miao considered whether the Kirin race might also seek the Farm Teachings as the Tribulation approached.
• Tongtian encouraged Su Miao to accept the Phoenix visitors despite their Karmic Debt, while warning her to screen applicants carefully.
• Tongtian offered to help Su Miao judge the Phoenix visitors when they arrived.

The Phoenix race’s elders prepared Kong Xuan and Golden-Winged Great Peng for a visit to Fairy Miao Heng and the Shangqing Saint, hoping to secure their future through Farm Teachings. After learning the Immortal Volcano would fail within Three Great Epochs, Dapeng took the mission seriously.

• The Great Elder announced that Fairy Miao Heng had agreed to meet the Phoenix race, and the elders decided Kong Xuan and Golden-Winged Great Peng would attend.
• Kong Xuan and the Great Elder drilled Dapeng in transforming and bowing properly, striking him with a fiery tail feather until his form improved.
• The Great Elder warned the youths that the Immortal Volcano would lose control within Three Great Epochs, threatening the elders and the entire race.
• The Great Elder told Kong Xuan and Dapeng that the Phoenix race needed them to enter Farm Teachings and secure its future.
• Dapeng stopped dismissing the visit and said he understood after the Great Elder compared him to the three Dragon race members already in Farm Teachings.

The Phoenix race put Kong Xuan and Dapeng through intensive training before sending them to seek entry into Farm Teachings, hoping to reduce their Karmic Debt. After a final set of instructions, the brothers prepared to depart, uncertain whether Farm Teachings could save their clan.

• The Elders taught Kong Xuan and Dapeng how to show sincerity, respect, and composure, and prepared an extensive gift list for Farm Teachings.
• The Great Elder put the brothers through seven days of etiquette drills, rehearsed responses, and tests of their composure.
• Dapeng questioned the need to humble himself, but Kong Xuan reminded him that their clan faced a bleak future under its Karmic Debt, and Dapeng resumed training.
• The Great Elder gave the brothers final instructions and told them to leave the next morning, asking Kong Xuan to keep Dapeng in check.
• As they left the hall, Dapeng asked whether Farm Teachings could dissolve Karmic Debt, and Kong Xuan said they would find out when they arrived.

The Holy City welcomed Human Race pilgrims from across the Prehistoric World as they gathered to pay respects to their Saint Master. While Su Miao continued clearing a backlog of Jade Slips, Tongtian brought her food from the city, and she wondered whether he had caused trouble during his outing.

• The Yan Tribe arrived at the Holy City, checked in with their Jade Tablet, and settled at the Welcoming Saint Inn while waiting to request an audience with the Saint Master.
• Lushu marveled at Su Miao's speed as she reviewed urgent Jade Slips and organized the remaining cases.
• Su Miao finished another Jade Slip review and prepared to leave Myriad Manifestations Hall.
• Tongtian arrived with food from the Holy City and piled it on Su Miao's desk.
• Su Miao tasted the food, then asked Tongtian whether he had caused trouble during his trip down the mountain.

Tongtian told Su Miao that life among ordinary people and disciples had eased the emptiness he felt as a Saint. After she explained the responsibilities of taking disciples, he abandoned the idea of accepting any.

• Tongtian admitted he had casually advised several people while disguised as a young rogue cultivator, and Su Miao warned him that his guidance could frighten them.
• Tongtian shared Malt Sugar with Su Miao and explained that the lively people, disciples, and food outside Kunlun made him feel alive.
• Tongtian noticed Su Miao had grown thinner, then joked about the disciples molting and said he spent time away to spare them embarrassment.
• Tongtian asked whether taking disciples would mean approving Jade Slips all day, and Su Miao listed the many duties a master had to fulfill.
• Remembering the effort it had taken to teach Su Miao, Tongtian decided not to take any disciples, leaving Su Miao stunned.

Tongtian reassured Su Miao that he would not take another disciple, then told her many Humans had arrived on pilgrimage to the Farm Teachings. On Kunlun, Yuanshi worried that Su Miao was overworked, but Laozi urged him to trust her, and Yuanshi stayed to play another game.

• Tongtian teased Su Miao about taking another disciple, then said he was content with their life and would discuss disciples later.
• Tongtian told Su Miao that Humans from many tribes had arrived on pilgrimage and suggested they bring practical gifts for the Farm Teachings.
• Su Miao remembered that she would personally preside over the Farm Teachings' Disciple Assessment and Promotion Ceremony in three months.
• Yuanshi watched Tongtian and Su Miao through a water screen and grew angry that Su Miao was handling so much sect work alone.
• Laozi explained that Tongtian helped Su Miao relax and watched over the Human Race, then urged Yuanshi to trust her.
• Yuanshi decided to stay in Kunlun and play another game of chess with Laozi.

Su Miao presided over Farm Teachings' annual promotion assessments, which ran smoothly across written and martial examinations. As the team competition began, Tongtian identified the silver-haired leader of an unusual team as the first Innate E'mei Beast.

• Su Miao and Tongtian attended the assessment ceremony as a million disciples greeted them.
• Granny Yan opened the assessments, and the written exam tested disciples' knowledge through simulated spirit plants and Earth Vein questions.
• Su Miao watched the martial exam and praised a Spiritual Plant Hall disciple who defeated her opponent with coordinated spells.
• Five Human Disciples faced a mixed team in the Team Illusionary Realm Competition.
• Tongtian told Su Miao that the mixed team's silver-haired leader was an Innate E'mei Beast who loved lying and had Earth Immortal cultivation.