Chapter Summaries

He Song asked Xiao Qing to locate the consignor of the auction’s only cultivator Golden Core, intending to negotiate for it himself. Xiao Qing found the consignor, and He Song and Xiao Qing met him at his residence, where he introduced himself as Ghost-Faced True Monarch.

• Xiao Qing proposed handling auction arrangements for He Song and offered to find the person who had consigned the cultivator Golden Core.
• He Song told Xiao Qing to locate the consignor but said he would personally meet the likely Golden Core cultivator to avoid causing offense.
• Xiao Qing left to investigate and soon returned with the consignor’s residence location.
• He Song went to the residence with Xiao Qing, who announced their visit at the gate.
• The young man in black robes opened the manor and introduced himself as Ghost-Faced True Monarch, then led He Song and Xiao Qing into the reception hall.

Black Tortoise, the guest elder He Song, met Ghost-Faced True Monarch to negotiate for the cultivator’s Golden Core. Ghost-Faced True Monarch agreed to consider a sale and asked for an offer, leaving He Song’s initial bid of 150,000 mid-grade Spirit Stones awaiting a response.

• He Song introduced himself as Black Tortoise, a guest elder of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, and said he had important business with Ghost-Faced True Monarch.
• Ghost-Faced True Monarch guessed that He Song wanted the cultivator’s Golden Core, and He Song confirmed that he hoped to buy it for refining a treasure.
• He Song explained that a private sale would spare Ghost-Faced True Monarch the auction commission and the danger of attracting attention afterward.
• Ghost-Faced True Monarch said He Song’s personal visit showed sincerity and asked how much he would offer.
• He Song offered 150,000 mid-grade Spirit Stones, reasoning that the price avoided both auction fees and the risks of selling at auction.

He Song offered Ghost-Faced 150,000 middle-grade Spirit Stones for a cultivator’s Golden Core, and Ghost-Faced accepted without bargaining despite showing suspicious delight. Ghost-Faced produced the genuine Golden Core, leaving He Song poised to complete the exchange and use it to make another Golden Core puppet.

• He Song offered Ghost-Faced 150,000 middle-grade Spirit Stones, a price below the 160,000 fetched by a previous Golden Core at auction.
• Ghost-Faced showed unexpected delight, then claimed he would accept He Song’s offer and asked him to remember the favor.
• He Song agreed to the deal, presented a Storage Pouch containing the payment, and promised to help Ghost-Faced in the future if he could.
• Ghost-Faced took a cultivator’s Golden Core from his Storage Pouch and revealed it to He Song and Xiao Qing.
• He Song confirmed that the glowing Golden Core was genuine.

He Song completed his purchase of a cultivator's Golden Core from the Ghost-Faced True Monarch, but the seller's intense excitement over the payment made He Song and Xiao Qing suspect he was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator. After returning to his residence at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, He Song summoned a gold-armored guard in front of Xiao Qing.

• He Song inspected the Golden Core, confirmed it was genuine, and paid the Ghost-Faced True Monarch one hundred and fifty thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• The Ghost-Faced True Monarch reacted with conspicuous delight to the payment, leading He Song and Xiao Qing to suspect that he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator rather than a Golden Core True Lord.
• The Ghost-Faced True Monarch confirmed the payment and asked He Song to remember his earlier words; He Song offered conditional help and then took his leave with Xiao Qing.
• At his residence in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, He Song served Xiao Qing Golden Core spirit tea and summoned a gold-armored guard, surprising her.

He Song rewarded Xiao Qing for years of sending him information by giving her a second golden-armored guard and advising her on pursuing Golden Core. After sharing his breakthrough insights, he heard Xiao Qing suggest that the Ghost-Faced True Monarch might have been a Foundation Establishment cultivator rather than a Golden Core True Lord.

• He Song gave Xiao Qing a second golden-armored guard to recognize her continued help and improve her chances of gaining opportunities and reaching Golden Core.
• Xiao Qing thanked He Song and vowed to remember his kindness and strive for Golden Core.
• He Song urged Xiao Qing to stay cautious and explained how Congealed Golden Cores, Mixed Gold Spirit Fruits, and his own experience could aid her breakthrough.
• Xiao Qing asked whether the Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s identity was suspicious and proposed that he might have been a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He Song and Xiao Qing discussed Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s suspicious reaction to receiving 150,000 mid-grade Spirit Stones and concluded that he might be a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He Song rejected Xiao Qing’s suggestion to target him, suspecting Ghost-Faced True Monarch might be pretending to be weak to lure attackers, and decided to refine the Golden Core he had purchased.

• Xiao Qing pointed out that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had reacted strangely to the 150,000 mid-grade Spirit Stones and suggested he was likely a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had found a Golden Core cave dwelling.
• He Song recalled Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s behavior and agreed that his cultivation might be lower than he claimed, but reasoned that the man’s weakness could be a trap.
• He Song warned Xiao Qing against using Treasure Gathering Pavilion information to rob Ghost-Faced True Monarch, citing the risks of a failed attack and damage to their reputations.
• He Song sensed that Ghost-Faced True Monarch might be pretending to be weak to lure cultivators into attacking him.
• He Song decided to refine the purchased Golden Core in the Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array to remove any hidden tricks.

He Song warned Xiao Qing against trying to kill Ghost-Faced True Monarch, whose true cultivation might be far higher than it appeared, and she abandoned the plan. He Song then purged the hidden measures from Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s Golden Core with the Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array and prepared to buy materials for his fourth Golden Core puppet.

• He Song cautioned Xiao Qing that Ghost-Faced True Monarch might be a powerful Golden Core cultivator and that attacking him could be a trap.
• Xiao Qing apologized for letting greed guide her and promised not to target Treasure Gathering Pavilion clients for their treasures.
• He Song explained ways to seek opportunities and break formations discreetly before sending Xiao Qing away.
• He Song used the Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array to bombard Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s Golden Core for half a month, removing its unusual aura.
• He Song activated his White Jade Leaf for protection and tracking prevention, then planned to purchase materials for a Lunar Yin Puppet at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion in Yan Yun Prefecture.

He Song refined Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s stolen Golden Core into a Lunar Yin Puppet, cutting off the chance that Ghost-Faced True Monarch could use it to track him. After a month in seclusion, He Song emerged wondering what Ghost-Faced True Monarch had done while waiting.

• Xiao Qing told He Song that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had made conspicuous bids at Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s auction while posing as a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
• He Song suspected Ghost-Faced True Monarch was trying to lure him out, but remained wary and had no intention of attacking him.
• He Song asked Xiao Qing to gather the materials needed to refine a Lunar Yin Puppet, and she quickly delivered them from Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s vault.
• He Song spent a month refining the cultivator’s Golden Core into his fourth Lunar Yin Puppet, preventing Ghost-Faced True Monarch from using the core to trace him.
• He Song put away the puppet, deactivated the formations, and emerged from seclusion, wondering what had happened during the month.

After emerging from seclusion, He Song learned that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had stayed at his residence and then visited Treasure Gathering Pavilion seeking information about him. He concluded that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had been tracking a hidden measure in the Golden Core, and he and Xiao Qing discussed how to stay safe as Xiao Qing continued working at the pavilion.

• Xiao Qing told He Song that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had remained in seclusion since the auction, while several Foundation Establishment cultivators had been robbed and killed.
• He Song sent Xiao Qing to observe Treasure Gathering Pavilion and instructed her to deny knowing him if Ghost-Faced True Monarch asked about him.
• Ghost-Faced True Monarch visited the pavilion, bought treasures, and questioned Xiao Qing and other cultivators about He Song, but learned little.
• Xiao Qing reported the visit, and He Song concluded that Ghost-Faced True Monarch had lost his ability to sense the Golden Core after He Song refined it into a Lunar Yin Puppet.
• He Song warned Xiao Qing that Ghost-Faced True Monarch was dangerous, and she thanked him for preventing her from provoking him before they discussed ways to deal with the threat.

He Song helped Xiao Qing protect herself from Ghost-Faced True Monarch, then secretly left Yan Yun Prefecture while making his way toward the Cloud Province Capital. He found a hidden Yin-rich site in Golden Sun Province, established formations to refine his fourth Lunar Yin Puppet into a Golden Core puppet, and continued his journey as a mountain range came into view.

• He Song and Xiao Qing agreed that she would reinforce the impression that she was not close to him and pay Treasure Gathering Pavilion cultivators to keep their connection secret.
• Xiao Qing thanked He Song for his help, and He Song left his residence with its formation active to conceal his departure from Ghost-Faced True Monarch.
• He Song retrieved the Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array outside Yan Yun Prefecture and traveled northeast, searching for a Yin-rich site near the Cloud Province Capital.
• He Song found a hidden Yin-rich place in northern Golden Sun Province and set up formations to nurture his fourth Lunar Yin Puppet.
• He Song placed the Lunar Yin Puppet in the formations and resumed flying toward the Cloud Province Capital as a mountain range came into view.

He Song recognized the mountain gate as the Mountain-Character Lineage’s Thick Earth Sect and considered whether it held the inheritance of an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator. He left rather than confront Yan Shan True Monarch, but resolved that the sect might contain valuable Nascent Soul insights and treasures.

• He Song overheard two Thick Earth Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators discussing their shared family ties and their journey to seek opportunities.
• He Song realized the sect belonged to the Mountain-Character Lineage, which had settled on the western border after the Thick Earth Sect split.
• He Song recalled that the Mountain-Character Lineage’s ancestor had reached the Nascent Soul Realm and suspected the sect might still preserve that ancestor’s inheritance.
• He Song considered the possibility that the One Yang Sect had used Fayan Zhenjun to gain control of the Thick Earth Sect and its Nascent Soul secrets.
• He Song left the area because Yan Shan True Monarch guarded the sect, while keeping the Mountain-Character Lineage’s possible inheritance in mind.

He Song investigated the Thick Earth Sect’s history and discovered that its top-grade spiritual artifact, the Lianshan Seal, was no longer at its old mountain gate. After returning to Cloud Province and consulting True Monarch Luo Jing, he learned Yan Shan True Monarch’s age and judged that he would need to wait decades or longer before safely seeking the sect’s secrets.

• He Song reasoned that the Mountain-Character Lineage might still preserve information from its Nascent Soul ancestor and recalled that the Lianshan Seal had once given him six Foundation Establishment Pills without noticing his repeated exchanges.
• He Song searched the Thick Earth Sect’s mountain gate, saw that the Lianshan Seal was absent, and inferred that Fayan Zhenjun had taken it when the sect split.
• He Song considered secretly entering the sect but abandoned the plan because Yan Shan True Monarch could activate its formations and trap him.
• He Song traveled to Cloud Province and asked True Monarch Luo Jing how old Yan Shan True Monarch was.
• True Monarch Luo Jing told He Song that Yan Shan True Monarch was over 460 years old and had entered the Golden Core realm at just over 120.
• He Song estimated that Yan Shan True Monarch might have decades to nearly two hundred years left, and decided the Thick Earth Sect’s inherited knowledge was valuable but not indispensable.

He Song weighed how to obtain the Thick Earth Sect’s Nascent Soul inheritance without harming the sect, deciding to wait until Yan Shan True Monarch’s death and grow stronger first. He returned to his hidden cave abode, replanted his Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree, restored the cave, and left three Golden Core puppets to cultivate and guard it while considering Ghost-Faced True Monarch’s possible actions.

• He Song concluded that after Yan Shan True Monarch died, he could negotiate with the Thick Earth Sect’s new Golden Core rather than seize the ancestor’s inheritance by force.
• He Song chose to postpone planning until Yan Shan True Monarch was gone and focus on increasing his cultivation and strength.
• He Song returned to his hidden cave abode and replanted the Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree, which would bear its next fruit in a few decades.
• He Song restored the cave abode’s buildings and brought out three Golden Core puppets to cultivate and guard the place.
• He Song considered whether Ghost-Faced True Monarch might cause trouble at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, but believed Xiao Qing would not be endangered.

He Song revisited the memories of Silver Moon True Monarch to plan an expedition to the rare spirit land where the Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree had been found. As he pieced together details about its location and treasures, he suddenly realized something about the spirit land seemed wrong.

• He Song decided he would intervene if Ghost-Faced True Monarch targeted Xiao Qing, but set the matter aside for now.
• He Song recalled Thick Earth Sect’s division and listed investigating it as a future task.
• He Song remembered the spirit land Silver Moon True Monarch had once visited and decided his current strength and array knowledge might let him explore it.
• He Song learned from Silver Moon True Monarch’s memories that the spirit land lay in One Yang Sect’s core heartland and planned to travel there secretly.
• He Song reviewed Silver Moon True Monarch’s memories of the spirit land and suddenly sensed that something about it was amiss.

He Song examined Silver Moon True Monarch’s memories and concluded that a teleportation array had sent him to a carefully tended Spirit Land. He set out for Northern Sun Immortal Province to study the array, leaving a golden-armored guard in his residence to conceal his departure.

• He Song recognized the formation patterns in Silver Moon True Monarch’s memories as a teleportation array and planned to master it before seeking the Spirit Land.
• He Song decided to bring all three Golden Core puppets and prepared his residence for an extended absence.
• He Song placed a golden-armored guard in his quiet chamber and left behind his aura to make others think he was still cultivating.
• He Song escaped Treasure Gathering Pavilion and Cloud Province Capital using the Earth Escape Technique, then headed toward Northern Sun Immortal Province.
• He Song recalled that Silver Moon True Monarch had found the Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree near well-known ruins, though the Spirit Land had been some distance away.

He Song traveled to Northern Sun Immortal Province and prepared to enter the spiritual land where Silver Moon True Monarch had once found the Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree. Worried that Silver Moon’s treasures might reveal hidden ties and endanger him, He Song left them under layered protections and set Clear Wind to guard them before continuing onward.

• He Song considered whether Silver Moon True Monarch’s chance discovery of the spiritual land and its treasure might have involved unknown ties to Silver Moon or his ancestors.
• He Song reached Northern Sun Immortal Province, landed in an empty valley, and enclosed it with a Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array.
• He Song removed the artifacts, medicines, Mixed Gold Spirit Fruit Tree and fruit, and other items obtained from Silver Moon True Monarch, including a talisman refined from Silver Moon’s Golden Core.
• He Song decided to leave Clear Wind in the valley to guard the treasures while Mingyue and Idle Cloud remained with him.
• He Song left Spirit Stones and a tracking mark to protect and locate the cache, then gave Clear Wind the treasures and his Treasure Gathering Pavilion Guest Elder Token and ordered him to flee to the Northern Sun Prefectural Capital if the array fell.

He Song made plans for Clear Wind to seek safety at the main Treasure Gathering Pavilion in the Northern Sun Prefectural Capital, then traveled underground to investigate the teleportation array from Silver Moon True Monarch's memories. He found an unusual patch of soil a few hundred meters above him, suggesting he was close to the hidden array.

• He Song reasoned that the main Treasure Gathering Pavilion master would protect Clear Wind until He Song could retrieve him, and planned to thank the master in secret if needed.
• He Song gave Clear Wind a Storage Pouch, then used Earth Escape Technique to travel toward the teleportation array while concealing his identity and suppressing his aura to Perfect Foundation Establishment.
• He Song spent several days tunneling and set up a partially deployed Heavenly Dipper Divine Thunder Array as a concealed escape route several hundred li from his destination.
• He Song briefly searched the ruins of a destroyed sect but found no treasure and continued toward the array's location.
• He Song sensed the surroundings while ascending from deep underground and detected an unusual, half-eggshell-shaped region of soil a few hundred meters above him.

He Song cautiously investigated an underground anomaly and discovered an enclosure built from Hidden Rock Jade. He found a tiny crack and chose to probe beyond it with divine sense, leaving the contents and any danger inside unknown.

• He Song approached the anomaly underground while concealing his aura and stopped a hundred meters below it.
• He Song sensed a jade floor and determined that the enclosure was made from Hidden Rock Jade, a spirit ore that concealed itself from divine sense.
• He Song considered that a cultivator might be guarding the teleportation array and remained wary of what had happened to Silver Moon True Monarch.
• He Song found a tiny crack between pieces of Hidden Rock Jade and decided to investigate through it with divine sense rather than risk looking directly.

He Song used his divine sense to investigate a hidden space behind a wall of Hidden Rock Jade, where he found nine mysterious stone pillars surrounding a raised platform and disc. Convinced the place was extraordinary and possibly held the teleportation array, he approached a hidden door but remained cautious before entering.

• He Song pushed his divine sense through a tiny crack in the Hidden Rock Jade and discovered an enclosed underground space.
• He Song found massive stone pillars engraved with profound patterns and sensed spiritual energy within them.
• He Song discovered a circular platform and disc at the center, whose grooves and connected patterns made him suspect they were part of the teleportation array he sought.
• He Song explored the space and found nine stone pillars arranged around the platform and disc, but no trace of other cultivators.
• He Song located a hidden door near the crack and returned to it, choosing to inspect the area again before entering in person.

He Song cautiously inspected a hidden underground space, confirming that no cultivators were visible before entering it with his Golden Core puppet Mingyue. Inside, he found connected stone pillars, a platform, and a disk that might form the teleportation array he sought, and began preparing to investigate and activate them.

• He Song approached the fissure with the Earth Vein Spirit Pearl ready and carefully searched the space through the narrow opening.
• After seeing no cultivators, He Song opened the hidden door with his divine sense and sent Mingyue inside to check for danger.
• He Song entered the space and found nine stone pillars, a central platform, and a disk joined by intricate patterns.
• He Song summoned his Golden Core puppet Idle Cloud for protection and closed the hidden door to conceal the space while he investigated the objects.