Chapter Summaries

Cheng Buzheng browsed the third floor of the Myriad Techniques Pavilion and purchased two formation diagrams and a rare concealment technique. He left with 661 Contribution Points and the Heaven-Human Perception-Severing Method.

• Cheng Buzheng encountered a Nascent Soul True Lord guarding the third floor and respectfully browsed its costly Jade Slips.
• Cheng Buzheng returned to the second floor, bought two formation diagrams and a Treasure Art, and paid 189 Contribution Points.
• Cheng Buzheng discovered that his Treasure Art was the Heaven-Human Perception-Severing Method, a rare technique that concealed his presence from others.
• Cheng Buzheng left the Myriad Techniques Pavilion with 661 Contribution Points remaining.

Cheng Buzheng deduced middle-grade formulas for the Bipolar Pill and Spirit-Increasing Pill, then bought ingredients and returned to Xuanli Island. After crafting three Second-order Middle-grade puppets, he prepared to send them toward the island under different appearances and levels of Spirit Pressure.

• Cheng Buzheng used Spirit Stones to deduce perfected middle-grade Alchemical Formulas for the Bipolar Pill and Spirit-Increasing Pill, then bought one batch of ingredients for each.
• Cheng Buzheng returned to Xuanli Island, confirmed with City Lord Kong that there had been no major attacks, and rented an Artifact Refining Chamber.
• Three months later, Cheng Buzheng completed three Second-order Middle-grade puppets, each powered by an upper-grade Deep Sea Spirit Pearl.
• Cheng Buzheng went deep beneath the sea and changed his appearance, while Puppet No. 3 took his likeness and Puppet No. 1 and Puppet No. 2 adopted disguises.
• Cheng Buzheng and the three puppets split into four streaks of light and flew toward Xuanli Island.

Over twenty years, Cheng Buzheng advanced his cultivation, saved Spirit Stones, and deduced a safer Teleportation Array Disk diagram while preparing to gather its crafting materials. The chapter ends with Hu Niu receiving a message that left him pale and rushing away from a gathering at the Spirit Source Academy.

• Cheng Buzheng absorbed eight pieces of Spirit Heart Ore to complete his Heart Spirit Treasure Eye, then resumed cultivating with a Spirit-Increasing Pill.
• Over the next twenty years, Cheng Buzheng advanced toward the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and saved more than two thousand Spirit Stones through pill refining and hunting.
• Cheng Buzheng used his Spirit Stones to deduce a Second-order High-grade (Peak) Teleportation Array Diagram that let its disk determine a general direction, and he gathered materials through Honor Point exchanges.
• Cheng Buzheng continued collecting Contribution Points on visits to Xuanfeng Island, leaving 2361 points unused.
• Hu Niu received a message on a Jade Talisman, turned deathly pale, and flew away from his gathering without saying goodbye.

Hu Niu alerted Cheng Buzheng that two unknown Second-order Demonic Beasts had attacked the Treasure Ship carrying all the spiritual goods he had purchased. Cheng Buzheng rushed to the ship, killed both beasts, and left the cargo safe.

• Hu Niu told Cheng Buzheng that the Treasure Ship was under attack and carried all his purchased Spirit Medicines and Spirit Materials.
• Cheng Buzheng took Hu Niu's Sound Transmission Talisman and flew toward the Treasure Ship, while No. 1 Puppet and No. 2 Puppet stopped refining pills and followed.
• Cheng Buzheng found two horned, lion-headed Demonic Beasts firing lightning at the Treasure Ship as it fled beneath its protective Light Screen.
• Cheng Buzheng positioned himself between the Treasure Ship and the beasts, while his concealed puppets took positions around them.
• Cheng Buzheng blocked the beasts' attacks and killed them with two Flood Dragons formed from countless sword shadows.

Cheng Buzheng boarded the Treasure Ship and learned about its operation, costs, and the dangers of travel through the Outer Sea. The ship reached Xuanli Island, and Cheng Buzheng flew toward Xuanli City.

• The Treasure Ship's crew welcomed Cheng Buzheng as Garrison Commander, and the captain led him to the core control room.
• The captain demonstrated the ship's controls by destroying a first-tier Desolate Beast in their path.
• Cheng Buzheng asked about the ship's earnings and learned that avoiding a second-tier Demonic Beast usually meant a profitable trip, though this voyage's losses had erased years of profits.
• The captain explained the dangers low-level cultivators faced in the Outer Sea and how the Treasure Ship helped them travel safely.
• The Treasure Ship arrived above a plaza outside Xuanli City, and Cheng Buzheng flew toward the city.

The Tong Family's Clan Head explained to Tong Li how the family planned to steal a Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core and use the Garrison Commander to deal with the beasts. The plan depended on Tong Lei's choice between joining a sect and helping the family establish itself as a cultivation family.

• Tong Li worried that Tong Zhong and the other covert guards had not returned, but the Clan Head insisted they were loyal and the plan was proceeding as expected.
• The Clan Head revealed that Tong Zhong and the guards would use two second-order talismans to steal the dead Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core and hide it in Soul-Restricting Stone.
• The Clan Head planned for the guards to lure the pursuing Thunder-Scaled Lions toward the Treasure Ship, prompting the Garrison Commander to fight them for the valuable spiritual goods aboard.
• Tong Li thanked the Clan Head for seeking the Inner Core for Tong Lei, while the Clan Head said the family's future depended on securing a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
• Tong Li said Tong Lei was still deciding whether to join a sect or support the family, and he suspected the Clan Head might give the Inner Core to the Thunder Roar Beast if Tong Lei declined.

Tong Zhong returned to the Tong Family with the Thunder-Scaled Lion’s Inner Core, but a mysterious cultivator killed the family’s Patriarch and Tong Li before Cheng Buzheng intervened. Cheng Buzheng defeated the attacker outside Xuanli City and warned the city’s cultivators to obey the Immortal Alliance’s rules.

• The Tong Family Patriarch and Tong Li learned that Tong Zhong’s companions had perished, then received the Inner Core from him.
• A mysterious old-man-like cultivator killed Tong Zhong, took the Inner Core, and slew the Tong Family Patriarch and Tong Li.
• Cheng Buzheng sensed the disturbance, confronted the mysterious cultivator, and pursued him outside Xuanli City.
• Cheng Buzheng defeated and killed the Foundation Establishment cultivator as residents praised their Garrison Commander.
• Cheng Buzheng returned above Xuanli City, warned its cultivators against violating the Immortal Alliance’s ban, and departed.

Cheng Buzheng discovered and bound an Exotic Beast Egg while inspecting the Tong Family’s seized treasures, then reviewed how he had planned the family’s downfall and considered the threat posed by Tong Lei. The chapter left him examining a Jade Slip containing information and a gestation formula for Thunder Roar Beasts.

• Cheng Buzheng found an Exotic Beast Egg among the Tong Family’s treasures and used nine drops of blood to bind it before placing it on a Jade Bed.
• Cheng Buzheng stored the three Inner Cores of the Second-Order Thunder-Scaled Lions and recalled how their unusual behavior had led him to investigate the Tong Family.
• Cheng Buzheng explained that he had staged the battle in Xuanli City to justify taking the Tong Family’s treasures and to mislead Tong Lei, whom he feared might become a powerful cultivator.
• Cheng Buzheng inspected the Tong Family’s remaining hoard, finding Spirit Materials, Magic Tools, a Desolate Beast carcass, and a Foundation Establishment cultivation method.
• Cheng Buzheng examined a Jade Slip containing information about Thunder Roar Beasts and a formula to accelerate their gestation.

Cheng Buzheng prepared an incubation potion for the Exotic Beast Egg and cared for it through three years of seclusion. The egg hatched into a Thunder Roar Beast, which he named Little Roar, and it began cultivating beside him.

• Cheng Buzheng checked the incubation formula, brewed the potion, and submerged the Exotic Beast Egg in it once a month.
• Cheng Buzheng entered seclusion while rumors of his victory over a Foundation Establishment evil cultivator spread across the islands under Huanqiu City's jurisdiction.
• Three years later, Cheng Buzheng encouraged the Thunder Roar Beast as it cracked and broke open its eggshell.
• The newborn Thunder Roar Beast ate its shell, bonded with Cheng Buzheng, and fell asleep in his arms.
• Cheng Buzheng named the beast Little Roar, then resumed cultivating as it instinctively absorbed spiritual energy beside him.

Tong Lei learned that the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core had likely gone to the garrison cultivator on Xuanli Island and decided to stop delaying his sect entry. Meanwhile, Cheng Buzheng watched Little Roar advance to a First-order Mid-grade Exotic Beast and rewarded it with pills.

• Gu Zhu told Tong Lei the rumors about the garrison cultivator killing evil cultivators on Xuanli Island and likely obtaining the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core.
• Tong Lei considered accepting True Person Ji's terms to become Dao companions with Ji Qingxia so True Person Ji might help him obtain the Inner Core, but he set the idea aside.
• Tong Lei decided to join the sect at its station in Xuanfeng City, no longer waiting for his family to secure the Inner Core.
• Cheng Buzheng watched Little Roar complete its advancement into a First-order Mid-grade Exotic Beast.
• Cheng Buzheng gave Little Roar two Qi Gathering Pills to celebrate its advancement.

Tong Lei returned to Xuanli City with Ji Qingxia and her grandfather, True Person Ji, to claim the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core. Cheng Buzheng’s puppet faced the Golden Core cultivator, while Tong Lei and Ji Qingxia thanked him for avenging the Tong Family.

• True Person Ji brought Tong Lei and Ji Qingxia to Xuanli City aboard a Flying Boat and demanded to meet the cultivator guarding it.
• Cheng Buzheng sent No. 3 Puppet to meet True Person Ji, who asked whether Cheng had the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core.
• True Person Ji pulled Tong Lei from the Flying Boat and identified him as the man whose family Cheng had avenged.
• Ji Qingxia flew to Tong Lei’s side and checked that he was unharmed, revealing her closeness to him.
• Tong Lei and Ji Qingxia bowed to Cheng Buzheng and thanked him for avenging the Tong Family.

Cheng Buzheng traded the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core to True Person Ji for pills after recognizing he could not safely refuse the Golden Core cultivator. Tong Lei secured Ji Qingxia's support and sold the Tong Family's properties to the Spirit Source Academy, leaving Cheng Buzheng uneasy that he had helped strengthen a rival.

• Cheng Buzheng accepted True Person Ji's offer to exchange a bottle of pills for the Thunder-Scaled Lion's Inner Core.
• True Person Ji warned Tong Lei not to waste Ji Qingxia's devotion, and Tong Lei promised to treat her well.
• Cheng Buzheng brought True Person Ji the Inner Core, and True Person Ji gave him the bottle of pills.
• Tong Lei sold the Tong Family's properties to the Spirit Source Academy while True Person Ji watched.
• True Person Ji, Tong Lei, and Ji Qingxia left Xuanli City aboard a Cyan Flying Boat, and Cheng Buzheng flew toward the Earth Fire Chamber regretting the deal.

Cheng Buzheng used the Spirit Materials he had gathered to refine a Teleportation Array Disk, completing it successfully on his first attempt. After tempering and carefully cooling the disk, he brought the years-long project to completion.

• Cheng Buzheng flew to Xuanli Island to refine the Teleportation Array Disk.
• Cheng Buzheng heated the Purple Essence Furnace and purified the Spirit Materials he had collected.
• Cheng Buzheng fused the material essences into a round disk over eight days.
• Cheng Buzheng inscribed the Teleportation Treasure Restriction, Teleportation Array Patterns, and auxiliary patterns onto the disk.
• Cheng Buzheng tempered the disk for three days, removed it from the furnace, and cooled it with a strange wind.

Cheng Buzheng completed a Teleportation Array Disk and returned to his cave mansion, where Jiang Fugui visited him and praised the rumors of his strength. The two shared wine and talked, with Jiang Fugui lamenting that he had not found a spirit beast worth raising.

• Cheng Buzheng retrieved the finished Teleportation Array Disk from the Earth Fire Chamber and left Xuanli City.
• Jiang Fugui arrived at Cheng Buzheng's Back Mountain Forbidden Area and sent him a crimson Sound Transmission Talisman.
• Cheng Buzheng welcomed Jiang Fugui and dismissed the rumors about his killing an evil cultivator as exaggerated.
• Little Roar avoided Jiang Fugui despite his offer of a Spirit Beast Pill, and Jiang Fugui gave the bottle to Cheng Buzheng.
• Jiang Fugui explained that he had come to enjoy a change of scenery, and Cheng Buzheng poured him Spirit Wine.

Cheng Buzheng declined Jiang Fugui’s invitation to settle in Liuming City but agreed to attend the Ten Thousand Treasures Assembly with him in three years using Jiang’s token. After Jiang left, Cheng returned to cultivating with Little Roar beside him.

• Jiang Fugui invited Cheng Buzheng to join him in Liuming City after their guarding assignments, but Cheng said he had not decided what to do.
• Jiang told Cheng about the Ten Thousand Treasures Assembly in Sea Suppressing Immortal City and offered to bring him with an Identity Token that waived the deposit.
• Cheng accepted Jiang’s invitation to attend the assembly with him in three years.
• After drinking together for three days, Cheng urged Jiang to sober up before leaving, and Jiang expelled the alcohol from his body and departed.
• Cheng returned to his Cave Mansion, gave Little Roar a Spirit Beast Pill, and began cultivating while Little Roar rested beside him.

Two years after Cheng Buzheng’s rise to prominence, Liu Xiang and Yu Qi discussed a devastating Hui Gold Snake attack on Manxing Island while guarding a Monitoring Tower on Xuanli Island. The tower’s Warning Ruler signaled an approaching high-grade threat, and cultivators began fleeing toward Xuanli City, trusting Cheng Buzheng to protect them.

• Yu Qi asked Liu Xiang to sell him Water Spirit Turtle shell, and Liu Xiang agreed to consider it after their tower-guarding assignment at market price.
• Yu Qi told Liu Xiang that a swarm of Hui Gold Snakes had devastated Manxing Island and killed its Garrison Commander before help arrived.
• Liu Xiang and Yu Qi worried that Xuanli Island might face a similar attack, then reassured each other that the snakes usually struck and withdrew.
• The Warning Ruler atop the Monitoring Tower flashed intensely, indicating that at least a Second-order High-grade Demonic Beast or Desolate Beast was approaching.
• Liu Xiang and Yu Qi activated the alarm and fled toward Xuanli City as warning pillars appeared across Xuanli Island and cultivators streamed toward the city for protection from Cheng Buzheng.

Cheng Buzheng halted alchemy and positioned himself and three puppets around Xuanli Island after receiving an alert about an approaching Demonic Beast horde. He recognized the approaching army as Hui Gold Snakes, including two powerful leaders, and prepared for battle as they closed in.

• Cheng Buzheng stopped refining pills and sent himself and three puppets to guard Xuanli Island from four directions.
• Cheng Buzheng waited at the southern shore while the island's cultivators sheltered inside Xuanli Immortal City.
• Cheng Buzheng sensed a large Demonic Beast horde approaching, including two peak Second-order High-grade beasts and seven other Second-order beasts.
• Golden serpents surged from the sea, and Cheng Buzheng recognized them as Hui Gold Snakes responsible for destroying Manxing Island.
• Cheng Buzheng realized the Hui Gold Snakes had likely come to prey on cultivators and watched their two leaders close in as battle approached.

Cheng Buzheng fought a horde of Hui Gold Snakes with the help of three puppets, killing the lesser serpents and ultimately defeating their cunning two-headed leader. The battle ended with the snake’s heads severed, while the First-order snakes had fled toward Xuanli City.

• Cheng Buzheng confirmed the horde consisted of Hui Gold Snakes and used his three puppets and layered shields to withstand their corrosive attacks.
• Cheng Buzheng suppressed the snakes with the Mysterious Nether Chisel and killed four Second-order Low-grade Hui Gold Snakes with grey Slashing Blades, then killed another with Soul Thunder Slash.
• The two peak Second-order High-grade Hui Gold Snakes joined around their wounds and fought as a Double-headed Hui Gold Snake, while Cheng Buzheng and his puppets split up to attack it and the two Second-order Middle-grade snakes.
• The Double-headed Hui Gold Snake sent the First-order snakes toward Xuanli City, but Cheng Buzheng ignored them and trapped the serpent beneath two golden glazed bowls while he and No. 3 Puppet killed the two Middle-grade snakes.
• The Double-headed Hui Gold Snake broke free and tried to flee, but Cheng Buzheng and his puppets surrounded it, battered its scales, and severed both heads.

Cheng Buzheng harvested Hui Gold Snakes and helped Xuanli City repel a massive attack before returning to his Cave Mansion. He fed Little Roar and resumed cultivating as he waited for a chance to reach Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

• Cheng Buzheng collected the surviving Hui Gold Snakes after defeating the group on Xuanli Island, then flew toward Xuanli City.
• Cheng Buzheng killed Hui Gold Snakes attacking the city barrier until his storage bags filled, after which the cultivators of the Immortal Cities chased the fleeing beasts.
• The battle ended at dawn, and the resulting abundance of First-order Demonic Beasts lowered their purchase price in Xuanli City for the next month while the Spirit Source Academy profited.
• Cheng Buzheng returned to his Cave Mansion and gave Little Roar both a Hui Gold Snake and a Qi Gathering Pill.
• Cheng Buzheng began his daily cultivation, honing his magical power, body, and soul while waiting for a breakthrough opportunity.

Cheng Buzheng used the Spirit Stones Hu Niu brought to refine his Soul Puppetry Art, alchemical formulas, and Treasure Arts. He ended the chapter having mastered all 365 Treasure Restrictions and Array Patterns, with 740 Spiritual Power Value remaining.

• Hu Niu delivered the Spirit Stones from sales and the Spirit Mines Cheng Buzheng had requested while Cheng Buzheng refined pills.
• Cheng Buzheng absorbed the Spirit Stones and advanced the Soul Puppetry Art to Second-order High-grade (Ultimate).
• Cheng Buzheng deduced Ultimate versions of the Bipolar Pill and Spirit-Increasing Pill formulas, each of which required three additional Spirit Medicines.
• Cheng Buzheng advanced his Treasure Arts, spending nearly 27,000 Spiritual Power Value on deductions.
• Cheng Buzheng deduced the remaining Treasure Restrictions and mastered all 365 Treasure Restrictions and Array Patterns.