Chapter Summaries

Wang Mu’s ability to cultivate prompted Luo Xuanshuang to strengthen the family’s control over the secret and bind Li Yuanhua to Wang Mu with a Master-Servant Contract. As the Ascension Convention continued, Wang Mu ordered aptitude-testing sites established in major cities across Heavenly Severing Island, bringing the tests closer to distant families.

• Luo Xuanshuang took Wang Mu’s blood to reforge his treasures and warned him to keep his cultivation abilities secret.
• Luo Xuanshuang confronted Li Yuanhua, made him form a Master-Servant Contract with Wang Mu, and ordered him to keep only Wang Mu’s portrait displayed.
• Wang Mu sensed Li Yuanhua’s new contract mark in his sea of consciousness and realized his mother had arranged it.
• Wang Mu learned that few people remained to be tested near the royal city because distant mortals could not reach it quickly.
• Wang Mu ordered testing sites established in major cities, and people across Heavenly Severing Island celebrated the news.

Wang Mu reviewed the Ascension Convention’s results and refused gifts from the sects that had benefited from it, telling them to repay him by cultivating their new disciples. As the sect leaders asked Li Yuanhua how they could show their gratitude, he told them that Wang Mu was not human.

• Li Yuanhua reported that more than four million people had been tested and over 147,000 had Spiritual Roots, including three with Supreme-Grade Spiritual Roots.
• Wang Mu agreed to extend aptitude testing to nearby islands after Li Yuanhua described their lords’ requests.
• The leaders of the Nine Yang Sect, Myriad Snow Pavilion, and Lunar Yin Sect arrived with gifts to thank Wang Mu for the talented recruits they had gained.
• Wang Mu refused the gifts and asked the sects to cultivate their disciples into people who could serve the common good.
• After escorting the sect leaders out, Li Yuanhua told them that Wang Mu was not human, startling Yang Juzi.

Li Yuanhua advised his followers to support Wang Mu by buying supplies from the Langya Merchant Association, while Nannan decided to create a cultivation technique suited to her poor aptitude. As news spread of Wang Mu’s aptitude-testing campaign, cultivators began flocking to the association, hoping their purchases would help him prepare for the Great Tribulation.

• Li Yuanhua persuaded Chu Youchang and the others to buy their needed supplies from the Langya Merchant Association and make sure the shopkeeper knew Wang Mu had inspired them.
• Nannan told Wang Mu that none of the techniques she had studied suited her poor aptitude, so she would create her own powerful technique without aptitude limits.
• Wang Mu encouraged Nannan, who refused to call him Older Brother because it reminded her of Sister.
• On a distant island, Lin Yan and his teacher discussed whether Wang Mu’s costly aptitude-testing campaign showed that his warnings about the Great Tribulation were genuine.
• Cultivators crowded into the Langya Merchant Association’s Daliang Royal City branch and asked whether Wang Mu would receive a share of their purchases.

Customers flocked to the Langya Merchant Association after learning that purchases there would benefit Young Master Wang, quickly buying nearly everything in the shop. The Penglai Merchant Association lost its customers, and its shopkeeper failed to lure them back because its sales would not give Young Master Wang a share.

• The Langya shopkeeper confirmed that the Langya Merchant Association was under Young Master Wang's authority, and customers rushed in to buy its goods in bulk.
• A second wave of Cultivators emptied the shop, while another group bought women's daoist robes after finding the men's styles and other stock sold out.
• The Penglai shopkeeper watched customers abandon his branch for the Langya shop, where Cultivators even fought over an ordinary bench and tried to buy the signboard.
• The Penglai shopkeeper invited the bench-seekers into his branch, but they rejected him when he said Young Master Wang would not get a share of their purchases.

Wang Mu oversaw Ascension Convention preparations across five major islands, insisting that testing sites be accessible to mortals and that every detail be corrected. He planned to expand the conventions across the Northern Region and beyond, while the local powers cooperated despite wondering why he was spending so much.

• Wang Mu arrived on Myriad Veneration Island, where Huang Xiao welcomed him and presented a list of proposed testing sites.
• Wang Mu rejected several locations, including Five Manor City, because mountains and a river made them difficult for mortals to reach, and he ordered Huang Xiao to choose better sites.
• Wang Mu left to inspect the conventions on the other islands, while Li Yuanhua warned Huang Xiao that Wang Mu was serious and the work must not be botched.
• Wang Mu visited Jade Pearl Island, Azure Cliff Island, and Star-Seizing Island, personally checking the testing locations and convention procedures.
• Wang Mu set his sights on expanding the Ascension Convention from the five islands across the Northern Region and beyond, as the Great Powers cooperated to benefit from the talented youths it uncovered.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Mu successfully holds another Ascension Convention on Tianjue Island, discovering nearly 500,000 cultivators with Spiritual Roots.
• The Langya Merchant Association experiences a significant increase in profits from Tianjue Island due to Wang Mu's actions.

Character Developments

• Wang Mu shows concern for his financial situation and decides to make preparations to earn money.
• Little Nannan continues to study cultivation techniques in the Liang Imperial Palace.
• Ren Pingsheng, a Chief Manager of the Langya Merchant Association, is initially upset about Wang Mu's spending but later understands the benefits of Wang Mu's actions on Tianjue Island.

Significant Themes

• The importance of reputation and goodwill in business, as demonstrated by Wang Mu's actions on Tianjue Island.
• The value of cultivators with Spiritual Roots and the competition among sects to recruit them.

Character Interactions

• Wang Mu and Little Nannan spend time together studying in the Liang Imperial Palace.
• Ren Pingsheng discusses Wang Mu's spending with other Chief Managers of the Langya Merchant Association, leading to a change in his perspective.
• Nalan Rongyun, the association's chairwoman, rewards Ren Pingsheng for his role in the increased profits from Tianjue Island.

Tang Qian learned that the girl he wanted dead was in the Great Liang Royal Palace with Wang Mu, but Shadow Sect demanded an enormous fee to assassinate her. Meanwhile, Wang Mu reviewed the Langya Merchant Association’s thriving business on Heavenly Severing Island and received Ren Pingsheng’s offer to hand over the guild master’s reward.

• Tang Qian told Qiu Shan Yue that Wang Mu’s actions had unexpectedly boosted the Langya Merchant Association’s business, then secretly contacted Shadow Sect.
• Shadow Sect reported that the girl Tang Qian sought had appeared at Heavenly Severing Island’s Ascension Convention and was likely hidden in the Great Liang Royal Palace.
• Shadow Sect quoted Tang Qian eighty million High-Grade Spirit Stones to kill the girl, and Tang Qian ended the conversation after cursing them.
• Tang Qian vented his anger on a puppet resembling Wang Mu, then contacted others about joining forces to bring down the Langya Merchant Association.
• Wang Mu praised Ren Pingsheng for the association’s success, and Ren offered him the reward from the guild master.

Ren Pingsheng visited Wang Mu on Heavenly Severing Island and learned that Wang Mu wanted to turn the Langya Merchant Association’s sudden profits into a lasting charity effort. After the association approved the plan, news of the Langya Charity Foundation’s launch drew wary rival merchants to investigate.

• Ren Pingsheng witnessed customers buying in a frenzy at Langya branches and realized Wang Mu’s influence, rather than the shopkeepers’ efforts, had driven the surge.
• Wang Mu warned Ren Pingsheng that the spending spree would be temporary and could breed resentment among customers pressured to follow the crowd.
• Wang Mu proposed establishing the Langya Charity Foundation, funded by donating one Spirit Stone for every hundred spent at Langya, to aid people affected by calamities.
• Ren Pingsheng returned to the merchant association to seek approval, then came back two days later with the plan approved.
• The Langya Merchant Association announced the foundation’s launch ceremony in Daliang Royal City, prompting rival merchant associations to gather and decide to investigate.

Wang Mu launched the Langya Charity Foundation at a ceremony attended by Nalan Rongyun and the Ten Chief Managers, pledging donations from the merchant association’s sales. As skeptics questioned the plan, he began honoring its supporters and announced the Sect Master of the Nine Yang Sect, True Person Yang Juzi.

• Nalan Rongyun and the Ten Chief Managers attended the foundation ceremony, alarming the rival merchant associations.
• Nalan Rongyun offered to have the chief managers dance or duel, but Wang Mu refused and said their presence was enough.
• Wang Mu announced that the Langya Merchant Association would donate one Spirit Stone for every hundred Spirit Stones customers spent to its new charity foundation.
• Shopkeepers from the Penglai Merchant Association and Si Hai Merchant Association doubted that charity would benefit the business or persuade cultivators to shop there.
• Wang Mu began presenting certificates of honor to the foundation’s supporters and introduced True Person Yang Juzi, Sect Master of the Nine Yang Sect.

At the Langya Charity Foundation’s founding ceremony, Wang Mu honored the top donors from three rival sects, turning their awards into a public spectacle. The sects’ rivalry drove their disciples to rush out and buy more from Langya branches, while the Three Great Merchant Associations watched in dismay.

• Wang Mu announced Yang Juzi of the Nine Yang Sect as the Merit List’s top donor, and Nalan Rongyun presented him with an award.
• Nalan Rongyun honored Chu Youchang of Myriad Snow Pavilion and Shui Ziliu of the Lunar Yin Sect as the second- and third-ranked donors.
• Wang Mu asked the three sect masters to speak, and each praised the foundation and promised further contributions.
• Disciples of the three rival sects argued over their rankings and rushed toward Langya branches to buy goods and raise their donations.
• The people from the Three Great Merchant Associations turned green as they watched the sects’ buying frenzy.

After the Langya Foundation’s successful inauguration, Wang Mu kept control of its affairs and took Nie Tingting on as an aide. Ren Pingsheng convinced her that Wang Mu was a capable strategist, and she saw him begin drafting the foundation’s development plan.

• The Penglai and Si Hai merchant associations’ shopkeepers withdrew to report Wang Mu’s moves to their superiors.
• The sects bought eagerly from Langya Branches across Heavenly Severing Island, competing for Merit List honors until the ceremony ended.
• Nalan Rongyun left the island and handed responsibility for the foundation to Wang Mu.
• Ren Pingsheng introduced Nie Tingting as Wang Mu’s new aide, then explained that Wang Mu’s ceremony arrangements had won the sects’ gratitude and revealed his business skill.
• Nie Tingting apologized for her prejudice, entered the hall, and found Wang Mu writing an Early Development Plan for the Langya Foundation.

Wang Mu planned to expand the Ascension Convention across the Northern Region, claiming it would gather wealth for the benefit of all. After Sea Demons devastated Changlan Island and left survivors without help, Flying Ships bearing the Langya Charity Foundation’s banners arrived to aid the disaster area.

• Wang Mu told Nie Tingting that the Ascension Convention would expand beyond the five nearby islands and be funded by wealth from across the world.
• Wang Mu wrote that he wanted to establish justice, protect ordinary people, preserve the sages’ teachings, and bring lasting peace, leaving Nie Tingting deeply moved.
• A massive wave carrying Sea Demons struck Changlan Island, shattered its formations, and flooded the island.
• After the Sea Demons were driven back, a young Cultivator searched the ruins for his sect members and begged for help when he found his Senior Brother gravely injured.
• Flying Ships arrived carrying banners from the Langya Charity Foundation and Daoist Friends of Heavenly Severing Island, promising to help the disaster survivors rebuild.

The Langya Charity Foundation rescued disaster victims across the Northern Region without accepting payment, surprising those they saved. Wang Xiaohu pursued the rescuers, while Lin Caiwei and more than a hundred Foundation members worked to free people trapped beneath a collapsed mountain.

• White-robed members of the Langya Charity Foundation treated Wang Xiaohu’s injured Senior Brother and rescued survivors from his sect, refusing any repayment.
• Wang Xiaohu learned the rescuers belonged to the Langya Charity Foundation and chased after them, moved by their willingness to help strangers.
• Foundation members shielded a stranded Rogue Cultivator from Sea Demons and refused the Storage Bag he offered as payment.
• Lin Caiwei used a giant iron pestle with more than a hundred Foundation members to loosen the collapsed mountain and rescue over a hundred trapped people.
• Onlookers learned that the Foundation had saved many people without taking payment and that Young Master Wang of the Langya Merchant Association was its Guild Master.

The Langya Charity Foundation rescued cultivators across Changlan Island, earning the gratitude of those it helped. On Autumn Leaf Island, Ye Shan discovered that his connection to the foundation made strangers treat him as a benefactor, and he left with fish soup and gifts for his Master.

• The Langya Charity Foundation delivered relief supplies and treated disaster victims on Changlan Island until its stewards were exhausted.
• A rescued cultivator learned that the foundation's relief funds came from donations by cultivators and sects on Heavenly Severing Island.
• Ye Shan and Zhou Yan visited Hundred Delicacies House, where the last serving of Autumn Leaf Fish Soup had already been sold.
• Chef Wu learned that Ye Shan came from Heavenly Severing Island and thanked him for the foundation's rescue of his brother on Changlan Island.
• Chef Wu offered Ye Shan three servings of fish soup, while other grateful diners apologized and offered him food and gifts.

After helping with disaster relief on Changlan Island, Jiang Xiaoqing experienced the respect people showed Foundation members and felt proud of his work. On Feixian Island, the Langya Branch directed a crowd eager to support the Foundation toward purchases, promising to allocate one percent of sales to charity.

• Jiang Xiaoqing asked a passing Cultivator for directions, and the man recognized his Langya Charity Foundation uniform and escorted him to a discounted Cave Mansion.
• Jiang Xiaoqing hung up his Foundation uniform and reflected that his exhausting relief work had made him proud to belong to the Foundation.
• People across the Qingyun Archipelago treated Foundation members and Cultivators from Heavenly Severing Island with respect because of the Foundation's rescue work.
• A crowd gathered outside the Langya Branch on Feixian Island, hoping to donate to the Foundation and earn a place on its Merit List.
• Shopkeeper Su explained that the Foundation would not accept direct donations and that the Langya Merchant Association would instead allocate one percent of purchases to it.
• The crowd accepted the arrangement and rushed into the Langya Branch to buy goods.

Wang Mu’s merit-donation strategy drew customers to the Langya Merchant Association and sparked a rivalry among wealthy young masters to fund shoppers’ purchases. Langya’s Qingyun Archipelago profits surged, while the rival merchant associations’ leaders received grim reports.

• Customers chose the Langya Merchant Association because purchases there earned merit through donations, leaving the Penglai, Si Hai, and Cloud Palace branches nearly deserted.
• The Langya Branch posted a merit list, and Young Master Yan paid for shoppers’ goods so their donations would count toward his ranking.
• The Liu Family’s young master joined the spending contest, and Young Master Yan answered by bringing out more chests of Spirit Stones.
• Nie Tingting reported the Qingyun Archipelago branches’ strong results to Wang Mu, who explained that cultivators were still driven by human nature and the desire to gain advantages.
• Ren Pingsheng discovered that three days of Qingyun Archipelago profits equaled the previous two months’ earnings and rushed to show the account sheet to the Guild Master.
• Tang Qian and the leaders of the Si Hai and Cloud Palace Merchant Associations read the latest intelligence with grim expressions.

Tang Qian met with the merchant association executives after Wang Mu’s Charity Foundation helped the Langya Merchant Association capture business across the Qingyun Archipelago. Gou Ansheng proposed that the rival associations create their own foundation by copying Langya’s Merit List while accepting direct donations, and Tang Qian approved the idea.

• Tang Qian angrily confronted the Penglai Merchant Association’s managers over Wang Mu’s repeated success against him.
• Gou Ansheng told Tang Qian that the rival associations could copy Langya’s Charity Foundation and attract donors with a Merit List and public relief efforts.
• The Cloud Palace Merchant Association representative worried that a foundation could waste money without earning it back.
• Tang Qian realized that Langya’s limited charity funding and purchase-based merit system could be replaced with direct donations.
• Gou Ansheng proposed that donors give money directly to the new foundation, while the associations concealed how much they actually spent on relief.

Tang Qian launched the Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation to rival Wang Mu’s charity, while Wang Mu chose to donate to it rather than openly retaliate. As Wang Mu accepted that conflict with Tang Qian was unavoidable, the system announced that Little Nannan had created the beginner version of the Heaven-Seizing Creation Technique.

• Tang Qian and the other merchant associations agreed to establish the Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation and hold its founding ceremony in ten days.
• The Three Great Merchant Associations promoted their foundation across the Northern Region, with Tang Qian claiming its charity was more generous than the Langya Foundation’s.
• Nie Tingting complained that the new foundation copied their work, but Wang Mu ordered her to donate ten thousand Spirit Stones to it.
• Wang Mu concluded that Tang Qian would not let their conflict end peacefully and decided he could no longer avoid the fight.
• The system informed Wang Mu that Little Nannan had created the beginner Heaven-Seizing Creation Technique, which could seize the luck and spirituality of low-grade objects to improve her cultivation.

The Three Great Merchant Associations held a lavish founding ceremony for the Penglai Cloud Sea Foundation, hoping to outshine Wang Mu’s Langya Foundation and attract generous donations. The ceremony stalled when Nie Tingting delivered only ten thousand Spirit Stones on Wang Mu’s behalf, prompting guests to suspect the donation was meant to undermine Tang Qian’s fundraising.

• The Three Great Merchant Associations held a grand founding ceremony on Heavenly Oracle Island, featuring the Twelve Golden Hairpins of Miaoyin Tower to impress guests and encourage donations.
• Qiu Shan Hong announced the foundation’s purpose, and Tang Qian began the donation ceremony as attendees volunteered large sums.
• Nie Tingting arrived with Langya Merchant Association representatives and presented a Storage Bag on Wang Mu’s behalf.
• Tang Qian inspected the bag and grew visibly displeased when Nie Tingting revealed it contained ten thousand Spirit Stones.
• Guests realized Wang Mu’s small donation might set a low benchmark for how much others should give.

Wang Mu used a small donation to disrupt the Three Great Merchant Associations’ fundraising ceremony, then claimed its valuable award and planned to use it to establish his charity foundation’s reputation. Qiu Shan Hong warned Tang Qian not to underestimate Wang Mu, while Wang Mu prepared to present the award as proof of his foundation’s recognized benevolence.

• After hearing that a large donation could be seen as openly opposing Wang Mu, the factions at the ceremony kept their contributions below ten thousand Spirit Stones.
• Wang Mu won the fundraising award, and Nie Tingting collected the Millennium Seaheart Jade stele engraved with “Boundless Merit” on his behalf.
• Tang Qian apologized to Qiu Shan Hong for ruining the ceremony, and Qiu Shan Hong warned him that Wang Mu might be more capable than they had assumed.
• Wang Mu admired the jade stele on Heavenly Severing Island and learned that his foundation’s headquarters in Daliang Royal City was nearly complete.
• Wang Mu ordered Nie Tingting to place the stele at the headquarters and copy it for future branches, claiming it would certify the foundation’s merit through the Four Great Merchant Associations.