Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao decided to buy the black coffin after the coffin nail in his Sea of Divine Sense sent it a clear intent. He negotiated with the Demonic Cultivator, who lowered the price to eight hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

• Wu Tao set up a stall beside Lin Xinquan, who warned him to be careful when dealing with the Demonic Cultivator.
• Wu Tao watched Rogue Cultivators buy the Demonic Cultivator's Blood-Explosion Pills after learning their benefits and dangerous side effects.
• Wu Tao approached the Demonic Cultivator and asked whether the black coffin was for sale.
• The Demonic Cultivator explained that the coffin had been nurtured in a yin location for at least a hundred years and asked nine hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Wu Tao touched the coffin and endured its yin qi without harm, then asked the Demonic Cultivator to lower the price.
• The Demonic Cultivator offered the coffin for eight hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, surprising Wu Tao.

Wu Tao bought a coffin at the black market and returned home safely, while other cultivators mistook him for a dangerous Corpse-Digging Path cultivator. The next day, he brought the coffin into his cultivation room, where the coffin nail in his sea of consciousness emerged and began absorbing its yin qi.

• Wu Tao bought the coffin for fifty fewer mid-grade spirit stones than requested, and the black market cultivators assumed he was a devilish cultivator laying a trap.
• Lin Xinquan escorted Wu Tao out of the black market, gave him a black robe and mask, and explained that the Five Qi Pills for sale had been substandard.
• Wu Tao changed his appearance several times on the way home and returned safely, where Chen Yao praised him the next day.
• Wu Tao brought the coffin into his cultivation room and found it empty, then used his mental intent to signal the coffin nail in his sea of consciousness.
• The coffin nail flew out, pierced the coffin, and began absorbing its yin qi.

Wu Tao discovered that the coffin nail had absorbed the yin energy from the coffin and then used its power to remove the restrictions on a jade slip. He learned that the slip contained the Blood Escape Technique, leaving him confident that he could cultivate safely while gaining a way to flee or pursue enemies.

• Wu Tao burned the coffin after the coffin nail absorbed all its yin energy and ignored his attempts to communicate.
• Wu Tao continued wearing down the jade slip's restrictions, and the coffin nail suddenly released a black ray that removed them.
• Wu Tao carefully washed his hands, read the jade slip, and discovered it contained the Blood Escape Technique.
• Wu Tao recognized the technique's value alongside his existing combat abilities and resolved to cultivate with peace of mind.

After two months of disciplined cultivation, Wu Tao had mastered the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture and reviewed his progress, while deciding his slow body-tempering gains could not be rushed. Gu Mingsheng visited with Li Feiyao and Chen Yao, gave Wu Tao his wilderness notebook, and Wu Tao accepted it while planning to copy it before returning the original.

• Wu Tao practiced the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture and found he had advanced from beginner to mastery after two months.
• Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation progress, noting that Azure Spirit Pills had boosted his gains and that marrow refining was progressing slowly.
• Wu Tao left the cultivation room intending to speak with Chen Yao, who had recently reached the fourth level of Qi Refining.
• Gu Mingsheng told Wu Tao he was content with his life with Li Feiyao and hoped their child might pursue one of the four cultivation arts.
• Gu Mingsheng gave Wu Tao his notebook of safe and dangerous wilderness locations, and Wu Tao accepted it while planning to copy it and return the original.

Wu Tao hired a rogue cultivator to free Chen Yao to focus on cultivation, then ventured into the wilderness to feed the Soul-Eating Bug and test his body tempering art. After reading Gu Mingsheng’s notes and defeating a demonic beast, Wu Tao encountered a black-robed man.

• Wu Tao told Chen Yao to focus on cultivation and posted a notice seeking a Fifth Level of Qi Refining rogue cultivator to mind the shop.
• Wu Tao transformed his appearance and headed into the wilderness to feed the Soul-Eating Bug.
• Wu Tao tested his Bone Refining Realm strength against a first-rank intermediate Demonic Beast and heavily overpowered it.
• While the Soul-Eating Bug devoured the beast’s soul, Wu Tao read and memorized the dangerous locations in Gu Mingsheng’s wilderness notebook.
• A black-robed man appeared and stared at the demonic beast whose soul the Soul-Eating Bug had just devoured.

Wu Tao fought a Corpse-Digging Path cultivator who tried to turn him into a Corpse Puppet, using his Soul-Eating Bugs and formations to kill the man. After the battle, the Coffin Nail in Wu Tao’s mind reacted to the black coffins, and he wondered why it had not helped him sooner.

• Wu Tao prepared to defend himself when a black-robed cultivator appeared and demanded that he become a Corpse Puppet.
• The cultivator sent two Corpse Puppets to attack Wu Tao, while Wu Tao’s Soul-Eating Bugs entered the man’s brain and began devouring his Divine Soul.
• Wu Tao used the Blood Escape Technique to draw the pursuer toward his prepared formation.
• Wu Tao activated the Three Extremes Water and Fire Sword Formation, killing the black-robed cultivator and leaving his two Corpse Puppets without a master.
• Wu Tao found the man’s Storage Bag and two black coffins, then sensed the Coffin Nail in his mind react when he touched one.

Wu Tao defeated a demonic cultivator, collected his two corpse puppets, and returned to the city. He found Shopkeeper Yu’s Outer City shop closed because the Wuquan Mountain disciple backing it had died, then reunited with Shopkeeper Yu in the Inner City and asked about his plans.

• Wu Tao restrained the Coffin Nail, took the demonic cultivator’s Storage Bag, and stored the two corpse puppets in their coffins.
• Wu Tao left the battle site and returned to the Outer City without encountering another ambush.
• Wu Tao found Shopkeeper Yu’s spirit material shop closed and learned from a neighboring shopkeeper that it had shut three days earlier.
• Wu Tao returned to his magic tool shop and found Shopkeeper Yu waiting there.
• Shopkeeper Yu told Wu Tao that his backer, a Wuquan Mountain Disciple, had perished on a trial, forcing the spirit material shops to close.
• Wu Tao asked whether Shopkeeper Yu planned to stay in the Outer City or move to the Inner City.

Wu Tao accepted Shopkeeper Yu’s offer to join the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop, letting Chen Yao focus on cultivation. He then examined the dead Corpse-Digging Path cultivator’s belongings and realized he might use the Soul-Devouring Insects to control the corpse puppets.

• Shopkeeper Yu asked Wu Tao to hire him to mind the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop, and Wu Tao agreed out of gratitude and trust.
• Wu Tao signed a recruitment contract with Shopkeeper Yu, who refused a shopkeeper’s contract and higher compensation for now.
• Shopkeeper Yu joined the shop, freeing Chen Yao to concentrate on cultivation, and Wu Tao considered teaching her the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture.
• Wu Tao examined the Corpse-Digging Path cultivator’s journal and learned the two corpse puppets were the cultivator’s parents.
• Wu Tao found no corpse-control technique in the cultivator’s belongings, but recalled that the cultivator had identified his bugs as Soul-Devouring Insects and realized he could already control them.

Wu Tao used the coffin nail to gain control of two corpse puppets, then spent four months cultivating and improving his artifact shop. After reviewing his progress, he prepared to teach Chen Yao the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture and planned to forge an evil-warding robe.

• Wu Tao asked the coffin nail to control two corpse puppets, but it first absorbed the yin qi from their coffins and ignored him.
• The coffin nail sent black ripples toward the corpse puppets, allowing Wu Tao to control them with his divine sense.
• Wu Tao tested the puppets by having them pound his shoulders and sweep his cultivation room, then stored them in his storage bag.
• Over the next four months, Wu Tao cultivated while Chen Yao learned the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture and Shopkeeper Yu helped improve the shop's business.
• Wu Tao reviewed his progress, noted he had become a First-Rank Level 8 artifact refiner, and called A-Yao into the cultivation room for sword practice.

Wu Tao continued cultivating with Chen Yao and bought high-level spirit materials to refine an evil-warding magic robe. He began processing the materials at the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop.

• Wu Tao greeted Gu Mingsheng and Li Feiyao at the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop and met their infant son, Gu An.
• Wu Tao guided Chen Yao in cultivating the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture, and they promised to protect one another.
• Wu Tao visited Lin Xinquan to collect spirit materials and bought eight First-Rank Level 8 materials for an evil-warding magic robe.
• Wu Tao returned to the shop, restored his strength with a Purple Spirit Pill, and began processing the materials for the robe.

Wu Tao successfully refined his first First-Rank Level 8 Evil-Warding Magic Robe and made another for Chen Yao. He gave Chen Yao the second robe for protection and considered seeking manuals for more commonly used magic tools.

• Wu Tao refined a First-Rank Level 8 Evil-Warding Magic Robe on his first attempt and confirmed its restrictions worked smoothly.
• Wu Tao offered the robe before Master Chen Shan’s spirit tablet, then refined a second robe for Chen Yao.
• Wu Tao gave Chen Yao the second Evil-Warding Magic Robe, and she refined it and noted that its passive protection might limit its appeal to rogue cultivators.
• Wu Tao decided he still needed to acquire secret manuals for common First-Rank Level 8 magic tools.

Wu Daoruan refined a First-Rank Level 8 evil-warding magic robe and became one of the West Inner City’s leading rogue cultivator artifact refiners. Lin Xinquan confirmed his achievement and predicted he would soon gain recognition, while Wu Daoruan remained determined to cultivate and refine in peace.

• Wu Daoruan gave Yu Hai the newly refined robe and set its price at two hundred and thirty mid-grade spirit stones.
• Lin Xinquan visited the shop to check whether Wu Daoruan had successfully refined a First-Rank Level 8 magic tool, and Yu Hai showed him the robe.
• Lin Xinquan praised Wu Daoruan’s talent and congratulated him on becoming a First-Rank Level 8 artifact refiner.
• Lin Xinquan said Wu Daoruan would soon make a name for himself among West Inner City’s rogue cultivator artifact refiners.
• Wu Daoruan accepted that his advancement might draw attention but resolved to reject temptations and continue cultivating and refining steadily.

Wu Tao learned of a Black Market auction and met Wu Daoruan, who confirmed his status as a First-Rank Level 8 Artifact Refiner and invited him into the Inner City Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiner Association. Wu Tao accepted an honorary position but continued to reject prospective disciples.

• Lin Xinquan told Wu Tao that the Black Market would hold a Small Auction in half a month, where a Flying Magic Tool was expected to appear, and Wu Tao gifted him an Evil-Warding Magic Robe.
• News that the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop sold First-Rank Level 8 Evil-Warding Magic Robes spread among West Inner City's Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners.
• Wu Daoruan visited Wu Tao, praised his achievement, and lamented that his own remaining lifespan left him no hope of reaching First-Rank Level 9.
• Wu Daoruan explained that the Inner City Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiner Association imposed no obligations, and Wu Tao agreed to join as its Honorary President.
• Wu Tao rejected Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners who sought to become his disciples.

Wu Tao went into the wilderness to feed his Soul-Devouring Insects, where he encountered a Hundred-Poison Spider and killed it after it pursued him. He harvested its venom, shell, legs, and meat, then returned to the inner city, where Shopkeeper Feng greeted him as Hong Ru.

• Wu Tao reassured Chen Yao before leaving the magic tool shop in disguise and heading into the wilderness.
• Wu Tao practiced the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture’s sword controlling technique, then sent his Soul-Devouring Insects to hunt demonic beasts.
• A Hundred-Poison Spider killed the rogue cultivator Wu Tao had passed earlier and then chased Wu Tao.
• Wu Tao lured the spider into the Three Extremes Water and Fire Sword Formation and killed it with help from the Soul-Devouring Insects and his Azure Shadow Flying Sword.
• Wu Tao harvested the spider’s venom, shell, legs, and meat, then returned to the inner city, where Shopkeeper Feng called him Hong Ru.

Wu Tao sold Demonic Beast meat to Shopkeeper Feng, then discovered two Rogue Cultivators were following him. He ambushed Hu Ming and Chen Shuo in an alley and killed them with his Wind and Thunder Spear.

• Wu Tao sold one hundred pounds of Hundred-Poison Spider Monster Meat and other Demonic Beast meat to Shopkeeper Feng for one hundred and forty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Four Seventh-Level Qi Refining wilderness adventurers blamed Wu Tao for Shopkeeper Feng no longer buying their meat, and their leader ordered Hu Ming and Chen Shuo to follow him and attack if they found an opportunity.
• Wu Tao noticed he was being followed, confirmed Hu Ming and Chen Shuo were tailing him, and led them into a winding alley.
• Wu Tao concealed his aura and ambushed Hu Ming and Chen Shuo with two rapid Wind and Thunder Spear strikes, killing them.
• Wu Tao burned the bodies with two Fireball Techniques, collected their Storage Bags, and left the alley.

After killing two rogue cultivators who had followed his Hong Ru disguise, Wu Tao returned home and reassured Chen Yao about the dangers of hunting. He examined the cultivators’ belongings, ate Hundred-Poison Spider meat with Chen Yao, and the next day went to buy materials to refine the spider’s venom into one-time Magic Tools.

• Wu Tao concluded that two rogue cultivators had followed his Hong Ru disguise because his Demonic Beast Meat sales to Shopkeeper Feng threatened their business, then changed disguises before returning home.
• Wu Tao brought Chen Yao one hundred jin of Hundred-Poison Spider meat and reassured her that he had killed the Tier 1 Advanced Demonic Beast with his Three Extremes Water and Fire Sword Formation.
• Wu Tao searched the two rogue cultivators’ Storage Bags, kept the Purple Spirit Pills and ninety-eight Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and set aside five bottles of spider venom to refine into one-time Magic Tools.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao shared a meal of Demonic Beast Meat, and Wu Tao ate nearly all ten jin of the Hundred-Poison Spider meat.
• The next day, Wu Tao left the Magic Tool Shop to buy Spiritual Materials for refining the venom.

Wu Tao learned the Explosive Formation and refined Poison Explosion Beads from Hundred-Poison Spider venom, giving half of them to Chen Yao for protection. He then went with Lin Xinquan to the Black Market auction, where they obtained anonymous bidding tokens.

• Wu Tao bought a First-Rank Level 4 Explosive Formation diagram and spiritual materials for refining Poison Explosion Beads.
• Wu Tao quickly mastered the Explosive Formation and refined twenty Poison Explosion Beads from the Hundred-Poison Spider venom.
• Wu Tao gave ten Poison Explosion Beads to Chen Yao and explained how to use them for self-defense.
• Half a month later, Wu Tao left Chen Yao under the protection of an invisible Soul-Devouring Insect and met Lin Xinquan to attend the Black Market auction.
• Wu Tao and Lin Xinquan entered the Underground Auction House and received numbered tokens for discreet bidding.

Wu Tao attended a black market auction and acquired the Green Leaf Boat Crafting Manual, then spent seven and a half months studying and cultivating. He broke through to Qi Refining Layer 8, though he realized reaching Foundation Establishment by age thirty-one was unlikely.

• Wu Tao entered the black market auction with Lin Xinquan and bid 530 mid-grade spirit stones for the Green Leaf Boat Crafting Manual.
• Wu Daoruan recognized Wu Tao's bid and chose not to compete, allowing Wu Tao to win the manual.
• Wu Tao collected a copied transcript of the manual, thanked Lin Xinquan, and left the black market.
• Wu Tao studied the Green Leaf Boat Crafting Manual in his cultivation room and continued his steady routine for seven and a half months.
• Wu Tao broke through to Qi Refining Layer 8 and estimated that reaching Layer 9 would take about two years, delaying his goal of Foundation Establishment by age thirty-one.

After advancing to the eighth layer of Qi Refining, Wu Tao planned to prepare early for Foundation Establishment and decided to sell the magic tools taken from Zhou Du’s gang outside Five Spring Mountain’s jurisdiction. He spent time with Gu Mingsheng’s family, whose visit ended with Gu Mingsheng asking about the notebook he had lent Wu Tao.

• Wu Tao reflected on his extended lifespan, his future cultivation plans, and the difficulty of obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill.
• Wu Tao decided to sell Zhou Du and the other robbers’ magic tools in East City, where Five Spring Mountain had no jurisdiction.
• Wu Tao greeted Gu Mingsheng, Li Feiyao, and Gu An, who called him Uncle Li.
• Gu Mingsheng praised Wu Tao’s prospects, and Wu Tao assured him they would remain friends even if their positions in life changed.
• Gu Mingsheng asked Wu Tao whether his notebook had still been useful during his recent trip to the wilderness.

Wu Tao returned Gu Mingsheng’s wilderness notebook, then traveled to East City to sell magic tools while concealing the danger of his plans from Chen Yao. After renting a room in the shanty town and beginning to set up defenses, he found someone pounding on his door.

• Wu Tao offered Gu Mingsheng his original notebook, and Gu Mingsheng accepted it after Wu Tao explained that he had copied its contents.
• Wu Tao told Chen Yao he was going to East City to handle magic-tool business and asked her to wait three days if he did not return that evening.
• Wu Tao gave Yu Hai two Poison Explosion Beads to protect himself and the shop, then left for East City.
• Wu Tao rented a short-term room in the shanty town under the guise of a low-level rogue cultivator.
• Someone pounded on Wu Tao’s door before he had finished setting up his defensive formations, and Wu Tao went to answer it.