Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao limited Green Leaf Boat production to protect his Mystic Origin Artifact Refinement Technique while Yu Hai organized advance registrations and the shop’s reputation spread across West Inner City. After receiving visits from fellow Rogue Cultivator Artifact Refiners, Wu Tao welcomed senior Wu Daoruan into his Artifact Refining Room, where Wu Daoruan praised his talent.

• Wu Tao decided to refine no more than eight Green Leaf Boats a month and had Yu Hai collect deposits to reserve them.
• Yu Hai sold the available reservations quickly, and word of the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop and Li Mo’s skill spread through West Inner City.
• More than sixty Rogue Cultivators ordered Green Leaf Boats, while Artifact Refiners began visiting Wu Tao for guidance.
• Yu Hai announced that Wu Daoruan had arrived, and Wu Tao greeted the senior and showed him his Artifact Refining Room.
• Wu Daoruan surveyed the tidy room and praised Wu Tao for refining the Green Leaf Boat so quickly.

Wu Tao thanked Wu Daoruan for holding back during their Black Market bidding and gave him a Green Leaf Boat, which Wu Daoruan praised as evidence of Wu Tao’s skill. Wu Daoruan advised him to host a Dao Discussion Conference to handle the attention his fame had brought, and Wu Tao began arranging one with a recommended organizer.

• Wu Tao realized Wu Daoruan had been the other bidder at the Black Market and offered him a Green Leaf Boat in thanks.
• Wu Daoruan inspected Wu Tao’s Green Leaf Boat, praised his refining technique, and predicted he would become a first-rank level 9 artifact refiner.
• Wu Daoruan suggested Wu Tao host a Dao Discussion Conference to share artifact refining knowledge and reduce the burden of social obligations.
• Wu Daoruan offered to introduce an organizer, and Wu Tao agreed to the recommendation.
• Li Cheng visited Wu Tao that afternoon and assured him he would organize the Dao Discussion Conference well.

Wu Tao arranged a Dao Discussion Conference with Li Cheng, and its announcement drew eager artifact refiners to his shop. After closing the shop for half a month, Wu Tao and Chen Yao visited Gu Mingsheng and Li Feiyao, where they met Zhou Yicheng, who considered asking Wu Tao to refine a magic tool.

• Wu Tao and Li Cheng agreed to hold a one-day Dao Discussion Conference in half a month, set fees, signed a contract, and paid a deposit.
• News that Li Mo would explain artifact refining and demonstrate a Green Leaf Boat spread through West Inner City, drawing artifact refiners to buy out Wu Tao’s shop inventory.
• Wu Tao closed the shop for half a month, and Yu Hai arranged to help Li Cheng organize the conference and learn from the work.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao visited Gu Mingsheng and Li Feiyao, where Gu introduced his longtime friend Zhou Yicheng to Wu Tao.
• Zhou Yicheng decided to find a chance to ask Wu Tao about refining a magic tool.

Wu Tao met Gu Mingsheng’s friend Zhou Yicheng, learned about Purple Gold Cultivation City, and later prepared for the Artifact Refining Dao Discussion Conference. He arrived at the venue early, where Li Cheng welcomed him and rogue cultivator artifact refiners greeted him.

• Wu Tao asked Zhou Yicheng about Purple Gold Cultivation City, and Zhou explained that it was about half the size of Five Spirits Cultivation City but similar in structure.
• Wu Tao visited Gu Mingsheng’s home, chatted with Gu Mingsheng and Zhou Yicheng, and played with Gu An while Chen Yao helped prepare lunch.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao returned home, where Chen Yao cooked more Monster Meat so Wu Tao could eat his fill.
• For the following half month, Yu Hai collected two Green Leaf Boats from Wu Tao every seven days and reported on preparations for the conference.
• On the day of the Artifact Refining Dao Discussion Conference, Yu Hai escorted Wu Tao to the venue, where Li Cheng welcomed him and rogue cultivator artifact refiners greeted him.

Wu Tao held a Dao Discussion Conference for hundreds of Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners, sharing his knowledge and demonstrating how to refine a Green Leaf Boat. After the exhausting gathering ended, he saw Wu Daoruan off and left the cleanup to Yu Hai and Li Cheng.

• Wu Tao entered the packed Main Hall and greeted the attending Artifact Refiners, who were surprised to learn he had advanced from First-Rank Level 5 to First-Rank Level 8 in only a few years.
• Wu Daoruan arrived to support Wu Tao, and Li Cheng announced that he would also share his artifact-refining knowledge.
• Wu Tao explained artifact-refining techniques for two shichen while the attendees took notes and Wu Daoruan listened closely.
• After a one-shichen break, Wu Daoruan spoke, then Wu Tao resumed his explanations, answered questions, and demonstrated refining a Green Leaf Boat.
• At the beginning of the Hour of the Boar, Wu Tao saw Wu Daoruan off and left Yu Hai and Li Cheng to handle the closing work before returning home.

Wu Tao settled into a steady routine of cultivation and artifact refining after reopening his shop, earning substantial Spirit Stones from the Dao Discussion Conference. Half a year later, he had advanced his cultivation and restriction practice, though engraving the Golden Gilded Robe’s complex restrictions still challenged him.

• Wu Tao reopened the Magic Tool Shop, paid Li Cheng the remaining fee for organizing the Dao Discussion Conference, and received one thousand five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones in proceeds.
• Wu Tao rewarded Yu Hai with one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and moved the shop to No. 8 Tranquility Street, where it gained a Tea Room and larger workspaces.
• Over the next half year, Wu Tao cultivated regularly, practiced the Blazing Flame Spear and Golden Gilded Robe restrictions, and grew familiar with Zhou Yicheng, who visited monthly.
• Wu Tao failed another attempt to engrave the Golden Gilded Robe’s restriction runes, then checked his status and saw his cultivation and skills had progressed.

Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation gains and plans as he approached the ninth level of Qi Refining, then joined Chen Yao to practice the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture. Meanwhile, Zhou Yicheng arrived in the West Inner City and planned to ask Wu Tao to refine an array-breaking bead.

• Wu Tao reviewed his status, noting his progress in cultivation, artifact refining, and secret techniques, and estimated he needed about seven and a half months to reach the ninth level of Qi refining.
• Wu Tao resolved to cherish his peaceful cultivation before pursuing Foundation Establishment and joined Chen Yao in practicing the Azure Spirit Sword Scripture.
• Zhou Yicheng reassured Huang Ying that Artifact Master Li Mo could be trusted, while she urged him to ask only for the array-breaking bead.
• Zhou Yicheng went to the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop, where Yu Hai was minding the shop and diligently cultivating between customers.

Zhou Yicheng asked Wu Tao to forge an exclusive Array-Breaking Bead, a rare magic tool passed down in his family. After signing a contract and handing over the secret manual, Zhou Yicheng learned that Wu Tao found the bead’s restrictions far beyond his current skill.

• Yu Hai greeted Zhou Yicheng at the Mystic Origin Magic Tool Shop and went to fetch Wu Tao from the cultivation room.
• Wu Tao welcomed Zhou Yicheng, and they drank tea while catching up.
• Zhou Yicheng asked Wu Tao to forge an Array-Breaking Bead exclusively for him and offered to pay the refining fee.
• Wu Tao agreed to forge it if Zhou Yicheng allowed him to use the bead as well, and they signed a contract.
• Zhou Yicheng gave Wu Tao a family secret manual, and Wu Tao realized the Array-Breaking Bead was too profound for his current First-Rank Level 8 skill.

Wu Tao agreed to refine Zhou Yicheng’s Array-Breaking Bead, estimating that it would take three to five years, then studied its manual and considered his cultivation goals. After the Coffin Nail struck his divine sense with painful black ripples, Wu Tao discovered that his range had shortened by fifty meters but his divine sense had become more concentrated.

• Wu Tao told Zhou Yicheng that he could refine the Array-Breaking Bead, though it would take several years, and Zhou left pleased.
• Zhou Yicheng told Huang Ying that Artifact Master Li had agreed to refine the bead, and they discussed whether to guard against him.
• Wu Tao studied the bead’s secret manual and decided to work toward mastering his combat style and tempering his divine sense.
• Wu Tao repeatedly probed the Coffin Nail for a method to condense his divine sense, and it answered with black ripples that caused him intense pain.
• Wu Tao found that his divine sense’s range had decreased by fifty meters but that it had become more concentrated.

Wu Tao discovered that Master Nail could temper his Divine Sense, helping him seek to surpass the Qi Refining Stage’s ten-mile limit, and planned his next steps in cultivation. At dinner with Gu Mingsheng, Zhou Yicheng, and their companions, Wu Tao asked Zhou Yicheng to procure four spirit medicines for him.

• Wu Tao recovered from Master Nail’s Divine Sense tempering and found that his Divine Sense had grown by one meter.
• Wu Tao decided to restore his Divine Sense to its ten-mile limit between tempering sessions and devote an extra hour to cultivating two Dragon Spear Technique moves.
• Wu Tao remembered that Zhou Yicheng dealt in medicinal herbs and prepared a list of four spirit medicines to ask him to procure.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao visited Gu Mingsheng’s home for dinner, where they met Zhou Yicheng and his Dao Companion, Huang Ying.
• Wu Tao asked Zhou Yicheng to procure Sky Star Flower, Seven Remainder Grass, Black Jade Paste, and Purple Heart Grass, and Zhou Yicheng agreed.

Wu Tao prepared marrow-refining medicine and practiced his Dragon Spear Technique while promising Chen Yao a better magic tool. After ten days, he perfected the Fire Sweep and Wind and Thunder forms and discovered that they had awakened a momentum like spear intent.

• Wu Tao and Chen Yao thanked Zhou Yicheng for resolving the spiritual-herb matter at Gu Mingsheng's home, then returned to cultivate.
• Chen Yao asked Wu Tao to make a Clear Heart Jade Pendant for Gu An, and Wu Tao promised her a better-looking magic tool of her own.
• Wu Tao disguised himself to buy marrow-refining herbs, then brewed them and used the medicinal liquid to temper his body while practicing restrictions.
• Over ten days, Wu Tao practiced the Fire Sweep and Wind and Thunder forms until both reached Grandmaster Perfection.
• Wu Tao realized that the perfected spear forms carried a momentum like spear intent that strengthened his resolve when he used them.

Wu Tao reached Grandmaster Perfection in the Dragon Spear Technique, gaining Spear Intent that strengthened his attacks, and continued his cultivation while gathering rare herbs for Marrow Refining. After finishing the torso’s bone marrow, he entered the spinal dragon stage and received another delivery of spiritual herbs from Zhou Yicheng.

• Wu Tao manifested Spear Intent through his body and tested the Dragon Spear Technique with a finger, producing a piercing attack and sonic boom.
• Wu Tao devoted the time freed from practicing perfected forms to tempering his divine sense, practicing the Sanyang Technique, and advancing Marrow Refining.
• Zhou Yicheng brought Wu Tao four kinds of spiritual herbs, and Wu Tao asked him to keep searching for more.
• Wu Tao advanced to sixty-seven percent Marrow Refining, then to seventy percent a month later, completing the torso’s bone marrow and beginning the spinal dragon stage.
• Zhou Yicheng delivered additional Star Star Flowers, Seven Remainder Grass, Black Jade Paste, and Purple Heart Grass, increasing Wu Tao’s stores of all four herbs.

Wu Tao refined medicinal liquid to temper his spinal marrow and continued strengthening his divine sense with Master Nail. After six and a half months of steady cultivation, he broke through to Qi Refining Layer 9.

• Wu Tao extracted twenty-two drops of medicinal liquid from four spiritual herbs and decided to ask Zhou Yicheng to acquire more by raising the price.
• Wu Tao used a drop of the liquid to temper his spinal marrow, then endured another divine sense hammering from Master Nail.
• Wu Tao continued tempering his spinal marrow, practicing spells and restrictions, and cultivating his Sanyang Technique as the increased herb supply supported twenty sessions a month.
• Six and a half months later, Wu Tao found his Sanyang Technique at 99% progress and prepared to break through to Qi Refining Layer 9.
• Wu Tao refined four Purple Spirit Pills, seized his breakthrough opportunity, and successfully reached Qi Refining Layer 9.

Wu Tao reached Qi Refining Layer 9 and began planning to acquire Foundation Establishment Pills while evaluating his cultivation and lifespan. He shared his breakthrough with Chen Yao, leaving the two ready to continue their daily sword practice.

• Wu Tao reached Qi Refining Layer 9 and recognized that he needed to prepare for the scarce and expensive Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Wu Tao checked his Personal Status and discovered that his lifespan had increased by ten years, bringing it to 129 years.
• Wu Tao reviewed his progress in cultivation and artifact refinement, noting that he needed to save Spirit Stones and expected to become a First-Rank Level 9 Artifact Refiner soon.
• Wu Tao went to the Cultivation Room, revealed his Qi Refining Layer 9 aura to Chen Yao, and told her he had broken through.

Wu Tao tested his Qi Refining Layer 9 strength in the wild, defeating lower-tier demonic beasts with basic spells before finding a Tier 1 Advanced Demonic Beast. He prepared for a direct fight without relying on his trump cards, and the chapter ended as they clashed in a contest of momentum.

• Wu Tao used the Fireball Technique to kill a Tier 1 Intermediate Demonic Beast and ate it.
• He continued hunting, collecting over a dozen Tier 1 Elementary Demonic Beasts and nine Tier 1 Intermediate Demonic Beasts before reaching a depth of 120 miles.
• The Soul-Devouring Insect found a Tier 1 Advanced Demonic Beast, and Wu Tao set up the Three Extremes Water and Fire Sword Formation as a precaution.
• Wu Tao confronted the beast and, despite declaring he would fight it one-on-one, surrounded it with nether souls, blocked its escape with corpse puppets, and kept the Soul-Devouring Insect nearby.
• Wu Tao took up the Wind and Thunder Spear as the beast charged, and his Spear Intent collided with its fierce aura.

Wu Tao tested his strength against a Tier 1 Advanced Demonic Beast and killed it with his Wind and Thunder Spear, deciding he was invincible within the Qi Refining Stage. He then considered pushing farther into the wilderness and set his sights on a Vermilion Fruit Tree marked on an old map.

• Wu Tao used his Azure Shadow Flying Sword and Black Profound Shield to overwhelm the beast while gauging his strength.
• When the beast tried to flee, Wu Tao used the Blood Escape Technique to cut off its path and killed it with the Wind and Thunder Spear.
• Wu Tao processed the beast’s valuable remains and left, resolving not to provoke other cultivators despite his confidence.
• Wu Tao examined a tattered map marking a Vermilion Fruit Tree in a canyon two hundred miles farther into the wilderness.

Wu Tao searched a hidden valley for the Vermilion Fruit Tree and discovered that one apparent fruit was actually a disguised Snake Demonic Beast. He killed the beast by exploiting its ambush, leaving five real Vermilion Fruits for him to harvest.

• Wu Tao followed the female cultivator's map to the valley, using the Soul-Devouring Insect to scout ahead and killing three Tier 1 Intermediate Demonic Beasts along the way.
• Wu Tao found six apparent Vermilion Fruits on the tree and human remains beneath it, but sensed no Demonic Beast nearby.
• The Soul-Devouring Insect detected a Snake Demonic Beast concealed among the fruits, revealing that only five were real Vermilion Fruits.
• Wu Tao pretended to reach for the disguised beast, then struck it with the Wind and Thunder Spear while the Soul-Devouring Insect attacked its Divine Soul.
• Wu Tao shattered the Snake Demonic Beast's seven inches and killed it.

Wu Tao collected vermilion fruits, killed four adventurers who tried to rob him, and returned home with the spoils. He gave Chen Yao a fruit and helped her break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining.

• Wu Tao picked five vermilion fruits after the snake demonic beast died and noticed four cultivators approaching on green leaf boats.
• The adventurers demanded the fruits and attacked Wu Tao, who killed all four with his spear and flying sword.
• Wu Tao collected the adventurers' belongings and the demonic beast's corpse, then returned home.
• Wu Tao gave Chen Yao a vermilion fruit and helped her refine its spiritual power.
• Chen Yao broke through to the fifth level of Qi Refining and continued refining the fruit's power to consolidate her cultivation.

Wu Tao refined a Vermilion Fruit, found it added little to his cultivation, and decided to save the remaining fruits for Chen Yao while he prepared a new sword. A month later, his artifact-refining technique had reached Grandmaster level, and he successfully inscribed two advanced Restrictions.

• Chen Yao reached the Fifth Level of Qi Refining after refining a Vermilion Fruit, while Wu Tao began sorting the monster meat he had collected.
• Wu Tao refined a Vermilion Fruit and saw his Qi Refining Layer 9 progress rise by only three percent, so he decided to leave the remaining fruits for Chen Yao.
• Wu Tao refined Zhou Du's Spell Sword, discovered its Metal Reinforcement and Geng Metal Restrictions, and named it the Geng Metal Sword.
• After another month of cultivation, Wu Tao's Mystic Origin Artifact Refinement Technique and Bone-Shifting and Shape-Changing Technique reached Grandmaster level.
• Wu Tao inscribed the Blazing Flame Spear Restriction and Golden Gilded Robe Restriction without difficulty.

Wu Tao inscribed his first first-rank level 9 restriction and set out to obtain materials so he could refine his first tier 2 artifacts. The chapter ended with him waiting at Lin Xinquan’s spirit material shop.

• Wu Tao presented his first-rank level 9 restriction boards to Chen Shan’s spirit tablet and reflected on his master and Senior Wu Daoruan.
• Wu Tao told Chen Yao he had to visit Lin Xinquan’s shop, then left her to practice alone.
• Wu Tao considered Yu Hai’s value as a trusted manager and thought about helping him improve his cultivation when possible.
• Loose cultivator artifact refiners on Prosperous Splendor Street greeted Wu Tao respectfully as Master Li because of his reputation and success teaching artifact refinement.
• Wu Tao arrived at Lin Xinquan’s shop to arrange the first-rank level 9 spiritual materials needed for the Blazing Flame Spear and Golden Gilded Robe, and waited while Lin handled account books.