Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao tested his newly refined Blazing Flame Spear, then processed a rent reduction certificate and ventured into the Ethereal Void wilderness to feed his Soul-Devouring Insects. After finding a defensive first-rank intermediate demonic beast, he prepared to test his talisman treasure against it.

• Wu Tao refined the Blazing Flame Spear, tested its power with the Wind and Thunder Form, and promised his hungry Soul-Devouring Insects a hunt the next day.
• Wu Tao visited the housing agency and received a rent reduction certificate based on his First-Rank Level 8 artifact refiner certificate.
• Wu Tao left Ethereal Void Cultivation City for the first time and traveled carefully into the wilderness while his Soul-Devouring Insects hunted wild beasts.
• Wu Tao spotted a tough-skinned first-rank intermediate demonic beast and activated a blue talisman treasure to test it.

Wu Tao tested the Azure Sky Golden Sea Talisman, then returned to a steady routine of hunting and cultivation in Ethereal Void Cultivation City. He began studying the array-breaking bead manual he had promised to refine for Zhou Yicheng.

• Wu Tao used the Azure Sky Golden Sea Talisman to destroy a Tier 1 Intermediate Demonic Beast, though he realized he had only unleashed power equivalent to his own full-strength strike.
• Wu Tao hunted demonic beasts during his first trip into the wilderness, returning after traveling one hundred and ten miles and killing twelve Tier 1 Intermediate and over twenty Tier 1 Low-Level Demonic Beasts.
• Wu Tao returned home, ate demonic beast meat, and cultivated with Chen Yao as they settled into a stable routine.
• Wu Tao took out the array-breaking magic tool manual he had agreed to refine for Zhou Yicheng and resolved to deliver the finished item to him.
• Wu Tao began studying the unfamiliar restriction rune for the array-breaking bead, eager to use the challenge to build his refining experience.

Wu Tao comprehended the formation-breaking restriction, refined Golden Gilded Robes for himself and Chen Yao, and began building connections in Ethereal Void Cultivation City while planning to open a shop. Three months later, he reviewed his progress as his reputation among rogue cultivator artifact refiners began to grow.

• Wu Tao spent fifteen days comprehending the formation-breaking restriction, refined two Golden Gilded Robes, and resumed practicing the restriction after it appeared on his personal status.
• Wu Tao planned to buy artifact-refining secret manuals, sell unneeded magic tools, and eventually open a shop staffed by a hired rogue cultivator.
• Wu Tao visited Zhang Ming, Zhou Shen, and Zhou Zhongguan to build relationships and learn about opportunities in Ethereal Void Cultivation City.
• Zhang Ming praised Wu Tao's artifact-refining talent and suggested he could work at the city's Artifact Refining Hall after advancing to first-rank level 9.
• Over three months, Wu Tao integrated into the city and became known among rogue cultivator artifact refiners as Han Fan, a first-rank level 8 refiner close to Zhang Ming.
• Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation and skills, including his formation-breaking restriction proficiency, which had reached 28%.

Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation and artifact-refining progress, then investigated opportunities to advance toward Tier 2 artifact refinement and kept searching for news about Foundation Establishment Pills. The chapter ended with him hearing that the Beast Taming Sect would auction a Foundation Establishment Pill in Beast Taming Cultivation City in one month.

• Wu Tao reviewed his progress: his Marrow Refining had reached eighty-eight percent, and he had practiced refining three Magic Tools and inscribing their Restrictions.
• Wu Tao considered how the Ethereal Void Sect recruited rogue cultivator artifact refiners and concluded he might obtain Earth Fire from Zhang Ming and a Tier 2 refinement manual from Zhou Zhongguan.
• Wu Tao visited a Cultivation Technique Pavilion, bought an insect book, and found no information about the Soul-Devouring Insect or the Strange Insect Treasure Codex.
• Wu Tao suspected that Five Spring Mountain had used the Strange Insect Treasure Codex listing as bait and was relieved that he had not attended the auction.
• Wu Tao went to a tavern to listen for Foundation Establishment Pill news and heard that the Beast Taming Sect would auction one in Beast Taming Cultivation City a month later.

Wu Tao learned that a Foundation Establishment Pill would be auctioned in Beast Taming Cultivation City in a month and decided to go, despite expecting fierce competition. Before leaving, he planned to make sure A-Yao would be safe.

• A grey-robed cultivator told the tavern crowd that a Foundation Establishment Pill would be auctioned in Beast Taming Cultivation City in a month.
• Rogue cultivators discussed routes to the auction, and Deacon Mo announced an extra Flying Void Boat would depart for Beast Taming Cultivation City in three days.
• Wu Tao left the tavern and decided he would travel to the auction, noting that he had accumulated four thousand five hundred mid-grade spirit stones.
• Wu Tao recalled that Qi Yong had won the previous Foundation Establishment Pill after a bloody contest and resolved to seize this one if necessary.
• Wu Tao considered preparations for the trip and decided he needed to ensure A-Yao's safety before leaving.

Wu Tao prepared to travel to Beast Taming Cultivation City to bid for a Foundation Establishment Pill, leaving Chen Yao protected at home. After boarding the Flying Void Boat, he began cultivating with Five Qi Pills during the ten-day journey.

• Wu Tao told Chen Yao he would leave in three days and gave her the Three Extremes Water and Fire Sword Formation to refine for her protection.
• Wu Tao bought supplies for Chen Yao, registered for the Flying Void Boat under an alias, and prepared for the journey while Chen Yao refined the formation.
• Chen Yao set up the formation at home, and Wu Tao gave her Qi Recovery Pills and Five Qi Pills before they spent the night together.
• Wu Tao said farewell to Chen Yao, boarded the Flying Void Boat, and found his room equipped with a Sound-Proofing and Anti-Peeping Array.
• Wu Tao dismissed the booklet’s tempting offerings and began cultivating with Five Qi Pills to advance toward Qi Refining perfection.

Wu Tao arrived in Beast Taming Cultivation City to compete for a Foundation Establishment Pill and secured bidding qualifications while hiding his identity. After returning to his inn to cultivate, he was poisoned by an intruder, but his hidden defenses attacked the thief.

• Wu Tao disembarked from the Flying Void Boat and found Beast Taming Cultivation City crowded with Qi Refining Layer 9 rogue cultivators awaiting the Foundation Establishment Pill auction.
• Wu Tao rented a remote inn and registered for the auction under an alias, proving he had ten high-grade spirit stones to obtain a bidding jade tablet.
• Wu Tao bought the Spirit Beast Auction's matching tiger robe and mask after learning that other bidders would wear the same disguise.
• Wu Tao returned to the inn, activated its protective formations, and hid the Soul-Devouring Insect and corpse puppet while he cultivated.
• An intruder poisoned Wu Tao with Immortal Crispy Poison and tried to rob him, but the Soul-Devouring Insect and corpse puppet attacked the masked cultivator.

Wu Tao survived an attack by a rogue cultivator who used Immortal Crispy Poison, then searched the attacker’s belongings and found a poison scroll and spells. He decided to learn the spells and turn the poison into Poison Explosion Beads as he prepared for the competition for Foundation Establishment Pills.

• Wu Tao’s corpse puppets and Soul-Devouring Insects killed the masked, black-robed Qi Cultivator after the poison temporarily paralyzed Wu Tao’s Spiritual Power and Divine Sense.
• Wu Tao dispelled the poison, cremated the attacker without touching him, and left the Storage Bag untouched until he could test it safely.
• Wu Tao used low-grade demonic beasts to check the Storage Bag and its contents, finding fifty High-Grade Spirit Stones, Magic Tools, Immortal Crispy Poison, and an incomplete poison scroll.
• Wu Tao discovered the attacker’s Spell Manual contained the Invisibility Technique and Wall-Passing Technique, which he planned to learn.
• Wu Tao decided to refine the Immortal Crispy Poison into Poison Explosion Beads and left the inn to buy the required Spiritual Materials.

Wu Tao prepared for the Foundation Establishment Pill Auction by concealing his identity and arrived at the Spirit Beast Auction with other masked Rogue Cultivators. The auction host revealed the pill and began bidding under the watch of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

• Wu Tao refined twenty poisonous and one hundred ordinary Poison Explosion Beads, then continued cultivating until his progress reached twenty-seven percent.
• Wu Tao disguised himself with a Tiger Magic Robe, Tiger Mask, and Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique before entering the Spirit Beast Auction.
• Wu Tao found the Main Hall filled with similarly disguised Rogue Cultivators, while Elder Zheng of the Beast Taming Sect watched over the auction as a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
• The auction host sold the earlier items and explained that successful bidders would be guided away to collect their purchases, prompting Rogue Cultivators to suspect the process could reveal the Foundation Establishment Pill's winner.
• The auction host displayed the Foundation Establishment Pill and opened bidding at ten High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Wu Tao won the Foundation Establishment Pill at the Spirit Beast Auction, but the auction house sent every bidder and non-bidder out together, leaving the rogue cultivators suspicious of one another. Across the street, Cao Guang revealed that the confusion was meant to provoke a slaughter, and a cultivator’s attempt to flee triggered the battle.

• Wu Tao bid fifty-five high-grade spirit stones and won the Foundation Establishment Pill.
• The auction house sent all the rogue cultivators through identical rooms and expelled them together so no one could identify the winner.
• Wu Tao left with the pill and realized the auction house’s plan had made every rogue cultivator look like a possible carrier.
• Cao Guang told Liang Yi and Dong Qiang that Uncle-Master Huang had arranged the confusion to kill rogue cultivators amid growing unrest linked to the Loose Cultivator Alliance.
• A rogue cultivator tried to fly away, someone accused him of carrying the Foundation Establishment Pill, and the crowd began fighting.

Wu Tao fought through the Foundation Establishment Pill chaos in Five Spring Mountain, killing several Rogue Cultivators while trying to escape. As Cao Guang observed the slaughter and explained the Beast Taming Sect’s strategy of offering Rogue Cultivators hope to keep them divided, he noticed something below and reacted with alarm.

• Wu Tao killed a Rogue Cultivator who ambushed him, took his Storage Bag, and tried to leave the chaotic streets.
• The Beast Taming Sect Patrol Squad surrounded the fighting Rogue Cultivators, collected four hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones from each, and allowed the battles to resume.
• Wu Tao paid the fee and headed for the Shanty Town, planning to disguise himself with the Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique.
• Three Rogue Cultivators in Tiger Magic Robes attacked Wu Tao, but he and his two Soul-Devouring Insects killed them and took their Storage Bags.
• Cao Guang told a companion that the Beast Taming Sect gave Rogue Cultivators a narrow hope of advancement to make them fight each other, then spotted something below and turned cold.

Cao Guang detected his two missing Soul-Devouring Insects and pursued Wu Tao into the Shanty Town with Dong Qiang, Liang Yi, and Yan Hua, planning to attack without warning. Wu Tao disguised himself as a low-level rogue cultivator, but both sides struck at nearly the same time, leaving their clash unresolved.

• Cao Guang sensed his two lost Soul-Devouring Insects among the rogue cultivators and asked Dong Qiang, Liang Yi, and Yan Hua to help reclaim them.
• Cao Guang warned Yan Hua not to underestimate their opponent and explained how the Seven Great Sects had restricted rogue cultivators’ access to power and resources.
• Cao Guang led the others into the Shanty Town, ordering them to attack Wu Tao immediately when they found him.
• Wu Tao reached the Shanty Town after defeating seven rogue cultivators, hid his tiger disguise, and used Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique to pose as a low-level rogue cultivator.
• Wu Tao recognized the four richly dressed cultivators as they passed him, then attacked Cao Guang with the Blazing Flame Spear as Cao Guang and the others struck back.

Wu Tao fought Cao Guang and three other great-sect disciples, recognizing Cao Guang as the man behind the earlier Soul-Devouring Insect ambush. The battle escalated as both sides unleashed their beasts, magic tools, corpse puppets, and nether souls, leaving Wu Tao locked in a dangerous fight.

• Wu Tao clashed with Cao Guang, Dong Qiang, Liang Yi, and Yan Hua as their magic tools, Soul-Devouring Insects, and beasts attacked him.
• Wu Tao recognized Cao Guang’s Soul-Devouring Insects and realized Cao Guang’s group had been behind the ambush on rogue cultivators in the west inner city.
• Cao Guang accused Wu Tao of scheming to take his insects and asked whether he belonged to the Azure Spirit Sect, while Wu Tao decided to kill him before the group could call for reinforcements.
• Wu Tao summoned two corpse puppets and his Soul-Gathering Banner, prompting Cao Guang to bring out another beast and order everyone to attack with full strength.
• Wu Tao swept aside Dong Qiang and Liang Yi’s magic tools, then drove his spear toward Yan Hua’s golden-necked tiger.

Wu Tao killed Yan Hua, Dong Qiang, Liang Yi, and Cao Guang after defeating their tamed beasts, but Cao Guang’s SOS talisman summoned Zheng Tonghai. The Foundation Establishment cultivator attacked Wu Tao, leaving him facing overwhelming Sword Radiance and a Tier 2 Demonic Beast.

• Wu Tao killed the Golden-Necked Tiger and drew Cao Guang’s seven Soul-Devouring Insects into his sea of consciousness, where Master Nail subdued them and destroyed Cao Guang’s Divine Sense attached to them.
• Wu Tao killed the Six-Winged Bumping Beetle and Cao Guang’s Wolf Demonic Beast, then struck down Yan Hua as Cao Guang activated a Warning Talisman.
• Cao Guang, Dong Qiang, and Liang Yi fled, but Wu Tao used the Blood Escape Technique to catch them and kill all three.
• Zheng Tonghai sensed the SOS Talisman, flew toward the Shanty Town, and saw Wu Tao kill Cao Guang.
• Zheng Tonghai attacked Wu Tao with Sword Radiance and a Tier 2 Demonic Beast, and Wu Tao realized he was outmatched by the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Wu Tao survived Zheng Tonghai’s devastating attack by disguising himself and hiding in the shanty town, where he prepared to heal before escaping Beast Taming Cultivation City. Zheng Tonghai failed to find him and realized he would face blame for the deaths of Cao Guang, Yan Hua, Dong Qiang, and Liang Yi.

• Zheng Tonghai’s spell sword radiance destroyed Wu Tao’s corpse puppets and defensive magic tools before blasting him through several houses, leaving him gravely wounded.
• Wu Tao escaped through the shanty town using Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique, then stayed motionless as Zheng Tonghai’s divine sense searched the area.
• Wu Tao paid a female cultivator for a room, knocked her unconscious, and hid there to heal his chest wound before planning to refine his damaged equipment and flee.
• Zheng Tonghai recalled the green falcon demonic beast and found Cao Guang’s corpse, then worried about answering for the four deaths.
• Zheng Tonghai searched the shanty town but could not detect Wu Tao’s altered aura.

After Zheng Tonghai and Yu Yue framed Wu Tao as a Devil Dao murderer, they gathered the Shanty Town’s rogue cultivators and prepared to kill them to force him out. Wu Tao revealed himself and escaped the city, while Yu Yue ordered the gathered cultivators massacred to protect the Beast Taming Sect’s reputation.

• Zheng Tonghai blamed the deaths of Cao Guang, Yan Hua, Liang Yi, and Dong Qiang on the Corpse-Digging Path and told Yu Yue the culprit was hiding in the Shanty Town.
• Yu Yue accepted Bai Songyan’s plan to fabricate an evil-spirit attack and gather the Shanty Town residents, while Zheng Tonghai prepared to kill them if Wu Tao did not appear.
• Wu Tao followed the Patrol Squad to the gathering point and initially evaded Zheng Tonghai’s Divine Sense, but revealed himself when Zheng Tonghai aimed his Sword Radiance at the crowd.
• Wu Tao escaped Beast Taming Cultivation City using the Blood Escape Technique after the Green Falcon tore off two of his ribs, and Zheng Tonghai pursued him.
• Yu Yue ordered the gathered rogue cultivators killed despite the culprit’s escape, and Bai Songyan declared that the Beast Taming Sect’s reputation had been preserved.

Wu Tao fled the Beast Taming Cultivation City with Zheng Tonghai and the Green Falcon pursuing him, while the Coffin Nail remained unresponsive. He burned his vital blood to escape, but Beast Taming Sect disciples and their demonic beasts blocked the city gate.

• Wu Tao escaped after the Green Falcon tore out two of his ribs, and he reclaimed the ribs as he fled.
• Wu Tao found that the Coffin Nail had erased Cao Guang’s Divine Sense from seven Soul-Devouring Insects, but the Coffin Nail did not answer his calls for help.
• Wu Tao concluded he could not rely on the Coffin Nail and focused on outrunning Zheng Tonghai and the Green Falcon beyond the reach of Zheng Tonghai’s attacks.
• Wu Tao burned more vital blood to accelerate toward the inner city gate, despite the danger of exhausting himself.
• Beast Taming Sect disciples and their demonic beasts formed an interception team at the gate and ordered Wu Tao to halt.

Wu Tao fought through the Beast Taming Sect interception and escaped the city, but Zheng Tonghai continued pursuing him into the wilderness. Wu Tao avoided drawing danger toward a team of adventurers as he struggled to outrun the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

• Wu Tao killed two Beast Taming Sect disciples and a Demonic Beast, then broke through the interception and fled the city.
• The Beast Taming Sect disciples compared Wu Tao to the Blood Dao Sect genius He Feixue, while Zheng Tonghai pursued him.
• The Patrol Squad let Wu Tao pass, and he flew into the wilderness, burning his blood essence to maintain his lead over Zheng Tonghai.
• Wu Tao sensed an adventurer team fighting a Demonic Beast and veered around them rather than leading Zheng Tonghai to their location.
• The adventurers realized a Foundation Establishment cultivator was chasing a Qi Refining cultivator and felt relieved that Wu Tao had not brought the danger to them.

Wu Tao fled deep into the wilderness and drew Zheng Tonghai and his Green Falcon into the territory of a Tier 2 Yellow Ape, hoping the beast would attack his pursuers. After Wu Tao escaped into the Yellow Ape clan’s cave, the Yellow Ape battled Zheng Tonghai and the Green Falcon, while Zheng Tonghai vowed to kill Wu Tao once the beast was dead.

• Wu Tao decided to lure Zheng Tonghai and the Green Falcon into a Tier 2 Demonic Beast’s territory, then continued fleeing deeper into the wilderness.
• Zheng Tonghai pursued Wu Tao a thousand li into the wilderness, determined to kill him despite the danger.
• A Tier 2 Yellow Ape released its aura, and Zheng Tonghai struck Wu Tao with Sword Radiance, sending him crashing into the forest.
• The Yellow Ape attacked the arriving Green Falcon while Wu Tao fought off Tier 1 Yellow Apes and spotted a natural Cave Abode.
• Wu Tao dashed into the cave as the Yellow Ape focused on Zheng Tonghai and the Green Falcon, suppressing the falcon in their battle.
• Zheng Tonghai supported the Green Falcon with ranged attacks and vowed to kill Wu Tao after defeating the Yellow Ape.

Wu Tao disguised himself as a Yellow Ape while the Second Tier Yellow Ape fought a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Beast Taming Sect. He ventured into the cave’s depths and found Earth Silver Profound Crystal Milk, a valuable material for his Dragon Spear Body Tempering Art.

• Wu Tao used his Nether Souls and Soul-Devouring Insects to hold back the First-Rank Yellow Apes without killing them, then reattached his ribs and began healing.
• Wu Tao captured a First-Rank intermediate Yellow Ape, copied its appearance and aura with his Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique, and wore its refined hide to complete the disguise.
• Wu Tao stayed inside the cave while the Second Tier Yellow Ape battled outside, then decided to search its territory for treasure.
• Wu Tao reached a cold pool in the cave’s depths and recognized the silver liquid there as Earth Silver Profound Crystal Milk.