Chapter Summaries

Yang Zhengshan clashed with Lian Shengqian in Qingyu City, then returned safely to Lingxi Mountain while Yang Qinting began life as an outer sect disciple of the Xuanqing Sect. Back home, Yang Zhengshan received land deeds from Lu Jianghua and ordered an inquiry into whether the Qiu Family had survived the attack on the Martial Cultivator Market.

• Lian Shengqian insulted Yang Yanzhe and threatened Yang Zhengshan, but stopped when Yang Zhengshan reminded him they were on Xuanqing Sect territory.
• Yang Zhengshan left Qingyu City with his family, and Lian Shengqian failed to find him before returning to the Lian Family and ordering an investigation.
• Yang Qinting entered the Xuanqing Sect, received his outer sect supplies, and settled into a basic cave abode on Xijian Peak.
• Lu Jianghua sent Yang Zhengshan deeds to two market shops and three Spirit Fields as thanks and to secure his support for rebuilding the Martial Cultivator Market.
• Yang Zhengshan recognized one shop as the Qiu Family's Lingyan Casting Workshop and sent Wang Lei to learn whether the Qiu Family had any survivors.

Duan Qiaofeng and Ghost Woman prepared to target Lu Fusheng, who suspected Youyu Gate had sent an immortal cultivator after him and asked Lu Youning to summon Yang Zhengshan. Meanwhile, Yang Zhengshan protected Qiu Jin’s descendants and arranged for Yang Chengan to take over the Qiu Family’s casting workshop, while Yang Chengan and Yang Xiangheng grew closer as clan brothers.

• Duan Qiaofeng gave Ghost Woman a black jade box and told her to extract Lu Fusheng’s divine soul, while she reported that the Lu Family showed no unusual activity.
• Lu Fusheng suspected Duan Qiaofeng might be an immortal cultivator targeting him, so he sent Lu Youning to invite Yang Zhengshan to the city.
• Yang Zhengshan returned the Qiu Family’s shop to Qiu Jin’s granddaughter-in-law, promised to protect her and her son, and refused to take their artifact-casting manual.
• Yang Zhengshan gave the shop to Yang Chengan for his planned casting workshop and sent him to Nanxia County with Yang Xiangheng.
• Yang Chengan told Yang Xiangheng that they were clan brothers but that he had to use the surname Zhu, and the two became close on the journey.

Yang Zhengshan agreed to go to Prefecture City to protect the Lu Family, but before he arrived, Ghost Woman and Duan Qiaofeng unleashed a Ghost General there. Lu Fusheng fought the newly born Evil Ghost as the city descended into chaos, and Yang Zhengshan sensed the disaster from Tianbao County.

• Lu Youning asked Yang Zhengshan to go to Prefecture City and defend the Lu Family against a possible Immortal Cultivator, offering him Spirit Stones, and Yang Zhengshan agreed.
• Yang Zhengshan and Li Chang left for Prefecture City with Lu Youning but stopped in Tianbao County for the night.
• Ghost Woman released a Ghost General in Shanggu Prefecture City using a formation and forty-nine buried heads, while Duan Qiaofeng prepared to attack the city’s other defenders.
• Lu Fusheng confronted the Evil Ghost, but its Yin Sha Qi killed residents and servants as the city erupted into panic.
• Yang Zhengshan sensed the terrifying aura and flames from Tianbao County, and Lu Youning called to him that something had happened in Prefecture City.

Yang Zhengshan and Lu Youning raced to Shanggu Prefecture City, where Lu Fusheng fought a malicious ghost and Soul-Severing Blade attacked the city. As Lu You'an battled the attackers, Duan Qiaofeng confronted him with talismans and sent him crashing into the street.

• Yang Zhengshan and Lu Youning rode toward the prefecture city, then entered it and chose to fight the attackers rather than assist Lu Fusheng immediately.
• Yang Zhengshan identified the black-robed attackers as people from Soul-Severing Blade, and Lu Youning charged into the city with him.
• Lu You'an ordered Third Granduncle to escort clansmen toward Tianque City while he stayed behind to defend the Martial Cultivator Market.
• Lu You'an fought through the black-robed attackers and suspected a traitor had helped them enter the city.
• Duan Qiaofeng struck Lu You'an with an explosive talisman, then revealed his identity as Lu You'an struggled up from the burning street.

Yang Zhengshan used the Azure Gleam Sword to help Lu Youning kill Duan Qiaofeng, then went to assess Lu Fusheng’s battle with an Evil Ghost. After the sword barely affected the creature and Lu Fusheng’s powerful strike failed to keep it down, Yang Zhengshan prepared to use his Azure Flower Thunder Bead.

• Lu Youning arrived to help Lu You'an, but Duan Qiaofeng attacked him with explosive talismans and kept him at a distance.
• Yang Zhengshan launched the Azure Gleam Sword from hiding, pierced Duan Qiaofeng’s throat, and then broke through his defenses to kill him with Lu Youning’s help.
• Yang Zhengshan and Lu Youning stabilized Lu You'an’s injuries, and Yang Zhengshan left to check on Lu Fusheng’s fight against the Evil Ghost.
• Yang Zhengshan observed that the Evil Ghost was an energy body that could recover from Lu Fusheng’s attacks, while his Azure Gleam Sword only distracted it.
• Lu Fusheng struck the Evil Ghost’s head apart with Red Dragon Shakes the Mountain, but it quickly regenerated and released an even heavier tide of Yin Sha Qi.
• Yang Zhengshan decided to use his Azure Flower Thunder Bead, hoping its Yi Wood Divine Thunder power could break the Evil Ghost’s Yin energy.

Yang Zhengshan used the Azure Flower Thunder Bead to destroy the evil ghost attacking Lu Fusheng, then recovered a Ghost General Seal and a formation disk from the dry well. After the attack devastated the Prefecture City and the Lan Family, he chose to stay with the Lan Family to protect them and began examining Duan Qiaofeng's Storage Bag.

• Yang Zhengshan activated the Azure Flower Thunder Bead, and its Yi Wood Divine Thunder annihilated the evil ghost while Lu Fusheng supported him.
• Yang Zhengshan found a Ghost General Seal and an ancient formation disk beneath the dry well and stored both in the Spirit Source Land warehouse.
• Lu Fusheng left to deal with the remaining attackers as Soul-Severing Blade and Youyu Gate withdrew from the Prefecture City.
• Yang Zhengshan visited the badly weakened Lan Family and decided to stay there to protect them, asking Lan Mingchao to summon Lan Peng home.
• Yang Zhengshan took out Duan Qiaofeng's Storage Bag, eager to inspect it and learn more about talisman techniques.

Yang Zhengshan examined Duan Qiaofeng’s talisman supplies and received manuals, Spirit Stones, and a mysterious alchemy furnace from Lu Fusheng as thanks for helping the Lu Family. He secured a promise of an Ancient Relic Formation quota for a friend, then discovered that the furnace absorbed his spiritual sense and magic power without reacting, allowing him to refine them through repeated use.

• Yang Zhengshan tested Duan Qiaofeng’s explosive Talismans, judged their power, and sent the talisman-making materials to the Secret Technique Pavilion for study.
• Lu Fusheng thanked Yang Zhengshan for helping the Lu Family and gave him three thousand Spirit Stones, basic manuals on alchemy, formations, and artifact refining, and a mysterious alchemy furnace.
• Yang Zhengshan asked Lu Fusheng for an Ancient Relic Formation quota for a friend, and Lu Fusheng agreed.
• Yang Zhengshan returned to the Spirit Source Land and tried to refine the Bagua Furnace with his spiritual sense and magic power, but it showed no visible reaction despite absorbing them.
• Yang Zhengshan repeatedly replenished and poured his spiritual sense and magic power into the furnace, discovering that the process helped purify them even though the furnace remained unexplained.

Yang Zhengshan awakened the Golden Crow Eight Trigrams Furnace and discovered its Spirit of Artifact, a hungry Golden Crow that had once belonged to the Sun Dao Sect. The Golden Crow recognized Yang Zhengshan as the master of the cave heaven, while the Sun Dao Sect’s fate and the disappearance of its Sun Cave Heaven remained unexplained.

• After absorbing spiritual energy from the surrounding Spirit Fruit Trees and tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, the Alchemy Furnace expanded and its Golden Crow Spirit of Artifact awakened.
• The Golden Crow initially threatened Yang Zhengshan, but became deferential after realizing he was the master of the cave heaven.
• The Golden Crow revealed that the furnace was a mid-grade Spirit Treasure capable of using Solar True Fire, though it needed more spirit stones or magic power to demonstrate its ability.
• The Golden Crow identified itself as a Spirit of Artifact from the Sun Dao Sect and named True Lord Shengyang as its former master.
• Yang Zhengshan learned that the Golden Crow had been born in Sun Cave Heaven, which had vanished into the Great Void, and wondered what had become of the Sun Dao Sect.

Yang Zhengshan discovered that the Golden Crow Eight Trigrams Furnace could dramatically improve his alchemy and help him make Jade Marrow Pills in far greater quantities and quality. He returned to secluded cultivation with the furnace’s spirit, while Yu Qingyi gained renewed confidence in her future breakthrough.

• Yang Zhengshan learned that Golden Crow could control fire for alchemy and refine second-rank demonic beasts into pure spiritual energy pills, though it had no demonic cultivation methods.
• Golden Crow explained that it had acknowledged Yang Zhengshan because he was the lord of the grotto-heaven and hoped to become its sun by lodging within its source.
• At Flame Mountain, Yang Zhengshan and Golden Crow refined Jade Marrow Pills, producing hundreds at a time and raising the success rate to eighty percent, with high-grade pills making up forty percent.
• Yang Zhengshan told Yu Qingyi about the improved Jade Marrow Pills, and she said she was confident she could attempt a breakthrough within ten years.
• After Lan Peng returned, Yang Zhengshan left the Lan Family and stayed quietly at the Lu Mansion; the conflict between Youyu Gate and the Lingxiu Three Sects also eased into a standoff.
• Yang Zhengshan returned to Lingxi Mountain for secluded cultivation, replenished the Spirit Source Land after the furnace consumed spiritual energy, and accounted for its high alchemy costs.

Yang Zhengshan welcomed new spirit-aperture disciples, reunited with Zhou Lan and Lin Zhan, and urged Lin Zhan to resume cultivating. A year later, the Green Wolf King began a prolonged breakthrough, prompting Yang Zhengshan to learn that the wolf could later cultivate a Demon Cultivator technique.

• Yang Chengxu brought Liu Qingyuan, Cui Yang, and Ning Yun to the Spirit Source Land, and Yang Zhengshan arranged a marriage for Liu Qingyuan and took Cui Yang and Ning Yun as disciples.
• Zhou Lan and Lin Zhan visited Yang Zhengshan, who welcomed Zhou Lan and scolded Lin Zhan for neglecting cultivation before giving him a Storage Bag.
• Yang Zhengshan and his guests shared a banquet, and a year passed as he cultivated and taught his disciples.
• Yang Zhengshan went to Azure Wolf Mountain after hearing the Green Wolf King howl and watched him absorb spiritual energy through a painful breakthrough.
• Golden Crow explained that the Green Wolf King was advancing through his bloodline and would need to take human form to gain meridians, a dantian, and the ability to condense a Demon Core.

The Green Wolf King completed its breakthrough, but the Golden Crow burned it when it challenged Yang Zhengshan, forcing Yang to mediate between them and repair the injury. Over a year later, Yang learned the Three Great Sects would reopen the Ancient Relic Formation and arranged for Zhou Tianci to enter, despite Lu Fusheng warning that the opening might be a deadly trap for Youyu Gate.

• The Green Wolf King broke through to the second rank and challenged Yang Zhengshan for the position of wolf king.
• The Golden Crow attacked the Green Wolf King with Solar True Fire, spending the equivalent of five thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones and burning a patch of fur from its head.
• Yang Zhengshan stopped the Golden Crow, helped heal the Green Wolf King, and urged it to cultivate and avoid provoking the Golden Crow.
• Yang Zhengshan spent the following year cultivating and drew close to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.
• Lu Fusheng told Yang Zhengshan that the Three Great Sects would reopen the Ancient Relic Formation next year and offered the Lu Family's five slots.
• Yang Zhengshan said Zhou Tianci would enter with his Soul Seed Token, and Lu Fusheng warned that the opening was likely a deadly trap for Youyu Gate.

Yang Zhengshan entered the Ancient Relic Formation with Zhou Tianci through a Divine Soul Spirit Seed, then waited outside to witness the expected clash between Youyu Gate and the Lingxiu Three Sects. The battle erupted with more than twenty Martial God Realm experts, and Yang Zhengshan fled as its shockwaves spread before witnessing a massive sword strike collide with a black giant palm.

• Yang Zhengshan escorted Zhou Tianci to the Lu Family, then settled in Nameless Valley to watch the Ancient Relic Formation opening and the conflict he expected to follow.
• Zhou Tianci entered the Ancient Relic Formation, summoned Yang Zhengshan with the Jade Token, and learned that Red Gold Geng Essence could help him forge his Spirit Foundation.
• Yang Zhengshan returned to the Spirit Source Land while Zhou Tianci searched the relic formation, then came back to Nameless Valley on the day the formation reopened.
• Lan Peng and Lu Youning fled as Pang Yuanchen and other Youyu Gate experts appeared, and Duan Qingyun, Shanyuan, and Yuesu opened the battle against them.
• Yang Zhengshan fled the spreading shockwaves, then saw a golden sword-light dragon clash with a black giant palm.

Yang Zhengshan watched the Three Sects and Twelve Families fight Youyu Gate, then returned to the Ancient Relic Formation after the battle ended with Youyu Gate retreating. He began taking control of the formation and ordered his green wolves to kill any humans still inside.

• A Hidden Sword Mountain sword cultivator joined the battle and fought off two Youyu Gate immortal cultivators while a giant emerald umbrella protected the Martial God Realm fighters below.
• Lu Fusheng fought a Youyu Gate opponent, while Yang Zhengshan watched the battle and noticed Chu Lingxiao detect his hidden presence from far away.
• The daylong battle ended the next morning with Youyu Gate retreating; Yang Zhengshan estimated that at least four Martial God Realm experts had died.
• Yang Zhengshan used the Jade Token and Cave Heaven Portal to return to the Ancient Relic Formation after leaving the formation's entrance anchored to himself.
• Yang Zhengshan summoned eighteen green wolves, divided them into three teams, and ordered them to kill every human remaining in the formation.

Yang Zhengshan led the Dharma Protector Army into the Ancient Relic Formation to secure cultivation resources, beginning with the Mineral Vein Mine. After surveying its dangers, he summoned the Golden Crow and asked it to try communicating with the Golden Feather Fire Crows.

• Yang Zhengshan warned the five hundred bow-equipped Dharma Protector Army soldiers about the dangers of the relic formation and ordered them to prepare for the expedition.
• Yang Zhengshan chose the Mineral Vein Mine as the first target because Zhou Tianci needed resources to improve his chance of shaping his Golden Body.
• Yang Zhengshan descended into the mine, examined its tunnels and ruins, and encountered a Gold-Eating Rat at the bottom.
• Yang Zhengshan identified Golden Feather Fire Crows and Crystallized Demon Spiders as the main threats to clearing the mine, then summoned the Golden Crow as a possible way to deal with them.
• The Golden Crow agreed to try calling the Golden Feather Fire Crows after Yang Zhengshan promised it might gain a flock of underlings.

Yang Zhengshan used the Golden Crow and more than three hundred Golden Feather Fire Crows to clear the mine tunnels, then sent workers to secure the mines. He moved the lake into the Spirit Source Land through the Cave Heaven Portal, leaving its remaining aquatic Strange Beasts stranded in the mud.

• The Golden Crow summoned more than three hundred Golden Feather Fire Crows and led them to clear the mine tunnels, sparing the Spirit Amber Moths.
• Yang Zhengshan prepared caves on Flame Mountain for the fire crows, then moved them into the Spirit Source Land.
• Zhou Tianci and five hundred Dharma Protector Army soldiers entered the mines to remove dangers, and a thousand Innate Martial Artists arrived five days later to mine.
• Yang Zhengshan left Zhou Tianci and Yang Qinwu in charge of the mine and flew with Yu Qingyi to the lake.
• Yang Zhengshan opened the Cave Heaven Portal at the lakebed and drained the lake into the Spirit Source Land, carrying its water and aquatic creatures into the valley.
• Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi returned to the drained lake and found aquatic Strange Beasts stranded in the mud, where they would eventually die without water.

Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi searched the lakebed, found a precious portion of Mysterious Water, and gathered spiritual resources before organizing others to clear the relic. In the Dharma Transmission Hall, Yang Jizhen, Ma Qiuyan, Cui Yang, and Ning Yun each received cultivation methods, and Ning Yun’s unusual scripture left Yang Zhengshan pondering its difficult path.

• Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi collected spirit grasses, killed strange fish, and discovered a basin of Mysterious Water that benefited both their cultivation.
• Yang Zhengshan gathered water-attribute spiritual items for Spirit Source Land and sent An Yuxing, Wu Zheng, and soldiers to search the lakebed further.
• Yang Zhengshan assigned teams led by Liang Shengze, Qu Changkong, and Ding Qiu to clear strange beasts from the medicinal gardens and relic formation.
• Yang Zhengshan activated the Dharma Transmission Formation with Yang Jizhen, who received the Yi Wood Thunder Control Scripture and Yi Wood Azure Thunder Sword Formula.
• Ma Qiuyan received the Gui Water Nourishing Essence Scripture, Cui Yang received the Li Fire True Scripture, and Ning Yun received the Taiyin Moon Essence Heart Nourishing Scripture.
• Yang Zhengshan considered the benefits and demanding requirements of Ning Yun’s soul-focused cultivation method.

Yang Zhengshan organized the removal of the Ancient Relic Formation’s remaining resources, helped his disciples change cultivation methods, and broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. As he studied the Foundation Establishment Pill and practiced talisman drawing, Lian Shengqian learned Yang Zhengshan’s identity and renewed his desire for revenge.

• Yang Zhengshan returned with Ning Yun to the Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau and promised to guide her in cultivating the Taiyin Moon Essence Heart Nourishing Scripture.
• Yang Jizhen and the other disciples changed to their new cultivation methods, while the Clan Grand Hall divided the work of clearing and transporting the Ancient Relic Formation’s resources into four parts.
• The Formation Department opened a cave abode and found talisman-making manuals, giving the Spirit Source Land an inheritance for producing talismans.
• Yang Zhengshan used a High-grade Jade Marrow Pill to break through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, then began studying the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe and practicing talisman drawing.
• Lian Shengqian received a report identifying Yang Zhengshan as the ancestor of the Lingxi Yang Family and renewed his plans to take revenge for their past dispute.

Lian Shengqian set out to ruin Yang Zhengshan’s family, and his retaliation reached Yang Qinting at the Xuanqing Sect, where a Lian Family deacon reassigned him to exhausting work. Yang Qinting sought help from Li Benqing and wrote to Yang Zhengshan, leaving his new assignment unresolved.

• Lian Shengqian rejected the idea of killing Yang Zhengshan outright and sent out two letters to begin tormenting him and his clan.
• Yang Qinting cultivated to the fourth layer of the Postnatal Realm and went to the Medicinal Garden with Li Qianqian.
• Lian Shengyu used his position as a Hall of Hundred Crafts deacon to assign Yang Qinting to the Weapon Casting Workshop, disrupting his easy medicinal-garden work.
• Yang Qinting and Li Qianqian suspected the Lian Family was targeting him because of his family, and Yang Qinting asked Teacher Li for help.
• Li Benqing told Yang Qinting to return to tending the Purple-Green Vines, and Yang Qinting later wrote Yang Zhengshan about the incident.

The Joint Law Enforcement Squad punished the Lingxi Yang Family by ordering ten Innate Martial Artists to guard dangerous Anhu City and confiscating three hundred Spirit Stones. Yang Zhengshan decided to preserve the family, go to Anhu City, and first confront the Lian family, then rode the Green Wolf King toward Lian Family Town.

• The Joint Law Enforcement Squad accused the Lingxi Yang Family of evading its duties and ordered ten Innate Martial Artists to serve in Anhu City for ten years, while confiscating three hundred Spirit Stones.
• Wang Lei and Li Chang paid the Spirit Stones, and Lan Peng told them that the Lian Family had influenced the squad and that the Lu Family could offer little help.
• Yang Zhengshan received letters about the punishment and weighed whether to move the Lingxi Yang Family or send them to Anhu City, deciding that the family had to be preserved.
• Yang Zhengshan chose to deal with the Lian Family before going to Anhu City and enlisted the Green Wolf King to hold off the Lian family patriarch.
• Yang Zhengshan rode the Green Wolf King to Lian Family Town before dawn and prepared to confront the Lian family.

Yang Zhengshan took advantage of the Green Wolf King’s assault on the Lian family to rob the family’s hidden cellar and burn its ancestral hall. After rescuing the badly wounded wolf, he left it to recover in the Spirit Source Land while the Lian Family Old Ancestor returned to find the family disgraced.

• The Green Wolf King attacked the Lian Family Old Ancestor, who led the fight away from Lian Family Town while Yang Zhengshan slipped into the Lian estate.
• Yang Zhengshan killed four guards, broke into a hidden cellar, and transported its Spirit Stones and other treasures to the Spiritual Spring Mountain Plateau.
• Yang Zhengshan set the Lian Clan Ancestral Hall ablaze with earthfire and left the estate as the Lian Family Old Ancestor defeated the Green Wolf King.
• Yang Zhengshan appeared beside the fallen Green Wolf King and took it to the Spirit Source Land, leaving the Lian Family Old Ancestor unable to understand its disappearance.
• The Lian Family Old Ancestor returned to find the ancestral hall burning, then collapsed into coughing as his clansmen watched in fear.
• Yang Zhengshan treated the Green Wolf King’s severe injuries with pills and Healing Art, then told Dalang and Da Qing to keep watch while it recovered.