Chapter Summaries

Lin Chang'an traded Beast Spirit Pills with Huang Shaohai, who revealed that Black Turtle Lu True Person had returned injured and intended to help Su Miaoyin achieve Core Formation. The chapter ended with Huang Shaohai hinting that the two major sects may have agreed to help her.

• Lin Chang'an discussed spirit-beast care and medicinal principles with Zhou Bingyun, who left when Huang Shaohai arrived.
• Huang Shaohai confronted Lin Chang'an about exchanging a Foundation Establishment Pill for a Beast Spirit Pill and demanded an exchange for an inferior pill.
• Lin Chang'an agreed to the exchange rather than risk a fight with Huang Shaohai.
• Huang Shaohai revealed that Black Turtle Lu True Person had been injured overseas and returned to arrange Core Formation for his illegitimate daughter, Su Miaoyin.
• Huang Shaohai suggested the two major sects had agreed to help Su Miaoyin achieve Core Formation, then left with the genuine Beast Spirit Pill.

Lin Chang'an prepared for the possibility that Black Turtle Lu True Person's injury would destabilize Celestial Mystery City, while improving his alchemy and selling talismans to Zhou Bingyun. The chapter ended with a panicked report that the Zhou Family and Lin Chang'an and Er Niu were in trouble.

• Lin Chang'an saw through Huang Shaohai's attempt to unsettle him and decided to prepare for the possibility that True Person Lu had been seriously injured.
• Five months later, rumors spread that Black Turtle Lu True Person had been injured while hunting two Third-tier Monster Beasts in the Monster Sea Abyss.
• Lin Chang'an refined eighteen pills and advanced his First-Rank Alchemy skill enough to make Mid-grade pills.
• Zhou Bingyun visited Lin Chang'an, cared for his Green-Horned Ox, and bought Second-Rank talismans for the Zhou Family.
• A panicked visitor reported that the Zhou Family was in trouble and that Lin Chang'an and Er Niu had also run into trouble.

Lin Chang'an learned that the Zhou Family's Wind-Cry Bird chick had been stolen by Huang Yuntian and Huang Shaohai, who posed as Cultivator Bandits. He left wary of the Huang Family's influence and the power struggle surrounding True Person Lu, while the Zhou Family Head weighed its next move.

• Lin Chang'an and Zhou Bingyun arrived at the Zhou Family grounds and found Zhou Tieshan and other cultivators injured after their mission in the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.
• Li Erniu told Lin Chang'an that the Rank-Breaking Pill advice had helped him survive the attack, and Lin Chang'an sensed Huang Shaohai's spiritual power in Er Niu's wounds.
• Zhou Renmao told Lin Chang'an that the Zhou Family had lost a Wind-Cry Bird chick after months of preparation, and Lin Chang'an suspected Huang Shaohai was involved.
• Lin Chang'an left while considering the Huang Family's growing strength and its possible role in the conflict surrounding True Person Lu.
• Zhou Tieshan revealed that the attackers were Huang Yuntian and Huang Shaohai, but Zhou Renmao warned him to keep quiet because the Zhou Family could not challenge the Huang Family.

Lin Chang'an improved his alchemy and prepared for Celestial Mystery City's upcoming Auction as unrest spread through Yue Kingdom. He Yan and Old Ghost plotted to seize the Auction's Third-tier Demon Core, while He Yan revealed that the Foundation Establishment Pill hidden in his grandfather's grave had vanished.

• Lin Chang'an refined high-grade first-rank pills, reached a new alchemy milestone, and began preparing for the Auction half a year away.
• Zhou Bingyun brought Lin Chang'an a copy of the Zhou Family's Spirit Beast Compendium and discussed the Phoenix Cry Bird and Cultivator Bandits.
• He Yan and Old Ghost discussed their mission to obtain the Third-tier Demon Core at True Person Lu's Auction and said Protector Xiang would arrive with Core Formation materials.
• He Yan told Old Ghost that the Foundation Establishment Pill he had planned to retrieve from his grandfather's grave was missing, and Old Ghost laughed at his misfortune.

Lin Chang'an visited the Zhou Family to obtain a Premium Beast Spirit Pill for the Green-Horned Ox's impending breakthrough. He left with a plan to gather more auxiliary materials and strengthen himself before the Auction six months later.

• Lin Chang'an surveyed the growing crowds in Celestial Mystery City and considered how a spirit pet could bolster his strength.
• Lin Chang'an visited the Zhou Family and asked Zhou Renmao for a Beast Spirit Pill.
• Zhou Renmao apologized for the Zhou Family's earlier leak and exchanged a Premium Beast Spirit Pill for Lin Chang'an's inferior pill and several Second-Rank Talismans.
• Lin Chang'an returned to the Market and planned to acquire more breakthrough materials for the Green-Horned Ox.
• Lin Chang'an resolved to prioritize the Green-Horned Ox's advancement and save for a Supreme-Grade Magical Tool before the Auction.

Lin Chang'an traded Foundation Establishment grasses for two Heavenly Spirit Fruits and prepared the Green-Horned Ox for a breakthrough. The ox advanced to the second tier, revealing a mist that blocked spiritual sense, while Lin Chang'an discovered his Spirit Eye could see through it and turned to strengthening his Green Bamboo Sword.

• Lin Chang'an traded Rainbow Dress Grass and Spirit Protection Grass to a bamboo-hatted cultivator for two Heavenly Spirit Fruits.
• Lin Chang'an fed the Green-Horned Ox Spirit Grass, Spirit-Feeding Pills, Spirit Spring water, two Heavenly Spirit Fruits, and a Beast Spirit Pill before setting up an array for its breakthrough.
• The Green-Horned Ox thrashed inside the array as it consumed the breakthrough materials and released mist that obscured spiritual sense.
• Lin Chang'an used his Spirit Eye to see through the mist and watched the Green-Horned Ox break through to the second tier.
• Lin Chang'an recognized that the ox's advancement strengthened him and prepared his Green Bamboo Sword and Iron-Backed Demon Mantis materials to improve the sword.

Lin Chang'an arranged to upgrade his magical tools and planned to earn Spirit Stones for the coming Auction as unrest gathered around Celestial Mystery City. True Person Lu revealed that his injury and the rumors about Su Miaoyin’s Core Formation were a ruse to draw out hostile cultivators, while he secretly prepared his daughter for a safer breakthrough.

• Lin Chang'an commissioned an upgrade to his Green Bamboo Sword and a separate defensive tool, then decided to focus on earning Spirit Stones with Second-Rank Talismans.
• Zhou Bingyun visited Lin Chang'an, discussed the Zhou Family’s betrayal by a clan member, and warned that outsiders were gathering in Celestial Mystery City over rumors of True Person Lu’s injury and a Core Formation Spirit Item.
• Wu Yan and Song Tingfeng reported that hostile cultivators had arrived and proposed moving Su Miaoyin’s Core Formation plans to Abyss City, but True Person Lu refused.
• After his disciples left, Su Miaoyin recognized that True Person Lu had feigned injury and spread rumors to lure out enemies.
• True Person Lu told Su Miaoyin to refine her spirit pill and advance her Spiritual Root before attempting Core Formation, while concealing that he had reached Core Formation Peak.

Lin Chang'an upgraded his Green Bamboo Sword and developed a powerful new spell, Blood Spirit Thorn, by exploiting his Self-Healing Body to withstand its severe backlash. He resumed cultivating and selling talismans in Celestial Mystery City, where the chapter ended with an angry voice challenging Lu the Turtle after his return from the Monster Sea Abyss.

• Lin Chang'an fused the Iron-Backed Demon Mantis's forelimbs into a Supreme-Grade Green Bamboo Sword and made azure armor for the Green-Horned Ox.
• Lin Chang'an realized Wood Spirit Thorn had lost its effectiveness at Foundation Establishment and began experimenting with extreme compression and rotation.
• Lin Chang'an used his Self-Healing Body to endure the spell's injuries and transformed Wood Spirit Thorn into the blood-red Blood Spirit Thorn.
• Lin Chang'an pierced a Low-Grade Second-Rank Diamond Talisman's Golden Bell defense with Blood Spirit Thorn and concluded it could threaten even Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators.
• Lin Chang'an returned to cultivating and drawing talismans, which sold well as outside cultivators arrived in Celestial Mystery City.
• An angry voice called out to Lu the Turtle, demanding that he come out and fight after returning from the Monster Sea Abyss.

Zheng Centipede challenged Black Turtle Lu True Person in Celestial Mystery City, and Lu defeated him with the overwhelming strength of his Black Water Turtle. After witnessing the battle, Lin Chang'an resolved to grow stronger alongside his loyal Green-Horned Ox.

• Zheng Centipede arrived outside Celestial Mystery City and called out Lu the Turtle to fight.
• True Person Lu rode his Black Water Turtle out to meet Zheng Centipede, and their Golden Core cultivators and Third-Tier spirit pets clashed.
• Lin Chang'an watched the battle and realized how insignificant a Foundation Establishment cultivator was beside Golden Core powerhouses.
• The Huang-surnamed Li Fire Palace cultivator and a Mystic Sound Pavilion cultivator suspected Lu was badly injured and resolved not to let one of his disciples inherit the Black Water Turtle.
• True Person Lu drove Zheng Centipede away, prompting cheers from the Rogue Cultivators in Celestial Mystery City.
• Lin Chang'an vowed to reach Lu's level one day and comforted the frightened Green-Horned Ox.

Lin Chang'an prepared for the coming auction while earning Spirit Stones through talisman-making, then reunited with the unlucky Rogue Cultivator Chen Qing, who had become his new neighbor in Celestial Mystery City. Their conversation left Lin Chang'an learning about the dangers of fleeing to other countries and the distant Ten Thousand Demon Sea.

• Lin Chang'an used his Self-Healing Body to increase his talisman-making and pill-refining output, bringing him close to a thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones for the auction.
• Chen Qing moved into a neighboring Cave Abode with his grandson, Chen Wen, and greeted Lin Chang'an when the latter's formation opened.
• Lin Chang'an and Chen Qing recognized each other as old acquaintances who had both endured troubled Foundation Establishment attempts.
• Chen Qing told Lin Chang'an that he had brought his family and Lineage to Celestial Mystery City and joined True Person Lu's domain rather than keep fleeing.
• Chen Qing explained that neighboring nations were also dangerous for outsiders, and told Lin Chang'an about cultivators traveling to the Ten Thousand Demon Sea for its resources and opportunities for Core Formation.

As the auction approached, Lin Chang'an prepared for trouble in Celestial Mystery City and encountered the imposing Huang family delegation from the Li Fire Palace. He learned that Huang Tianxiao planned to disrupt True Person Lu's disciple's core formation, while Lin Chang'an noticed Huang Shaohai appeared injured and considered exploiting a future opportunity.

• Lin Chang'an went to the Gathering Immortal Pavilion, where Shen Lie said Qingqing had taken the children home and promised to return there if danger arose.
• Huang Tianxiao arrived in Celestial Mystery City in a carriage pulled by three second-tier monster beasts, with Huang Shaohai serving as his guide.
• Huang Tianxiao warned Huang Shaohai not to interfere with his mission, while privately planning with the Li Fire Palace to join the Mystic Sound Pavilion and disrupt True Person Lu's disciple's core formation.
• Lin Chang'an recognized Huang Shaohai and noticed that his aura suggested he was injured, so he considered taking advantage if a chance arose.

Lin Chang'an attended a major auction in Celestial Mystery City while studying Li Fire Palace's Huang Family dominance and waiting for a combat-enhancing Spirit Tool. The auction advanced through valuable treasures, and the chapter ended as Flying Needle-type magical tools—his target—came up for bidding.

• Lin Chang'an reviewed intelligence showing that the Huang Family controlled Li Fire Palace through its leadership and marriage alliances, and he thought about Yun Yao's recent rise to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
• Wu Yan, Su Miaoyin, and Song Tingfeng arrived as True Person Lu's disciples, drawing the auction hall's attention, while Huang Tianxiao showed interest in Su Miaoyin.
• The Bountiful Joy Auction began with a Qi Condensation Pill and progressed through high-grade treasures and Foundation Establishment Pills as Lin Chang'an waited in his private room.
• Lin Chang'an considered but passed on bidding for a Divine Wind Boat, deciding that a tool for combat mattered more than escape while he lived in Celestial Mystery City.
• The auctioneer introduced Flying Needle-type magical tools, and Lin Chang'an recognized that his target had finally arrived.

Lin Chang'an won the single Gilded Needle at the auction, then received a Ten Thousand Herb Classic that could strengthen his alchemy foundations. He left the auction with his new treasures and hoped Celestial Mystery City would remain safe long enough for him to advance his cultivation.

• Lin Chang'an passed on a set of thirteen Shadow-Escaping Needles because his divine sense was too weak to control them.
• Lin Chang'an bid one thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones for the single Gilded Needle, which was especially effective against protective spirit radiance.
• Lin Chang'an accepted delivery of the Gilded Needle and decided to remain in the auction until it ended to avoid drawing the attention of Cultivator Bandits.
• Li Fire Palace bought the finale treasure, a supreme material for refining a Magic Treasure.
• The auction organizers gave Lin Chang'an a Ten Thousand Herb Classic for spending over one thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• Lin Chang'an resolved to use the book to improve his alchemy knowledge and hoped Celestial Mystery City would remain secure until he reached Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

After the Auction, Lin Chang'an resumed cultivation in Celestial Mystery City as a rush of cultivators attempted Foundation Establishment. He reflected on longevity and the passage of time, while his friends Li Erniu and Shen Lie saw how the years had changed them compared with him.

• Lin Chang'an returned to his cave abode with the Green Bamboo Sword, the Gilded Needle, and the Green-Horned Ox, then resumed cultivation, talisman drawing, and secretly practicing Alchemy.
• Celestial Mystery City filled with cultivators seeking Foundation Establishment, and Lin Chang'an watched their breakthroughs and failures as he considered his own age and long lifespan.
• Lin Chang'an fed the Green-Horned Ox Spirit Grass and reflected on how the ox might help him remember their years together.
• Shen Lie and Li Erniu told Lin Chang'an that the Auction had helped nearly a hundred cultivators achieve Foundation Establishment, and Lin Chang'an warned them to be careful after the final Auction.
• Lin Chang'an, Li Erniu, and Shen Lie shared drinks, while Li Erniu and Shen Lie felt melancholy at how unchanged Lin Chang'an looked beside their aging appearances.

Lin Chang'an advanced his Firebird Technique and alchemy by studying talisman-making and alchemical insights brought to Celestial Mystery City’s thriving Market. After buying spirit plants from Zhou Bingyun, he reflected on how cultivation and family shaped the lives of those around him, then accepted his own path.

• Celestial Mystery City's auction and Market drew cultivators and rare resources from across neighboring kingdoms, creating new opportunities for Lin Chang'an.
• Lin Chang'an mastered the Firebird Technique and found that his talisman-making knowledge helped him learn the spell quickly.
• Lin Chang'an collected alchemy notes from different kingdoms, advancing his alchemical skill and hoping to reach the second tier within a year or two.
• Lin Chang'an considered True Person Lu's fortune and the possibility of cleansing his poor Spiritual Root aptitude, but concluded that such opportunities remained out of reach.
• Lin Chang'an bought spirit plants and fruits from Zhou Bingyun, then saw Zhou Yifan visit the shop and reflected on the younger generation and the changing years.
• Lin Chang'an recognized that he had his own happiness and left the Market with a smile.

Lin Chang'an sold his pills and talismans in Celestial Mystery City before noticing Huang Shaohai secretly moving about in disguise. He discovered Huang Shaohai had planted Array Disks around the city, collected them, and left with a valuable haul.

• Lin Chang'an refined a batch of first-rank pills and gathered his pills and second-rank talismans to sell before the third Auction.
• Disguised as several different cultivators, Lin Chang'an sold his goods through the Gathering Immortal Pavilion, the Zhou Family's shop, and Er Niu's shop.
• While browsing the Market, Lin Chang'an recognized Huang Shaohai's spiritual power aura beneath a disguise and followed him toward Tianxuan Peak.
• Lin Chang'an used his Spirit Eye to spot an Array Disk buried along Huang Shaohai's route and realized Huang Shaohai had placed more around the city.
• Lin Chang'an changed identities repeatedly to retrace Huang Shaohai's path and collected all the buried Array Disks.

Lin Chang'an discovered that Huang Shaohai had hidden three Third-Tier Array Disks and decided to sell them, along with information about the plot, to the Bountiful Joy Auction House. Disguised as a Fengdu Kingdom cultivator, he brought the disks to Elder Feng, who summoned his young mistress to inspect them.

• Lin Chang'an recognized the Array Disks as material above the Second Tier and suspected they were part of a plot against True Person Lu's disciple.
• After hearing that True Person Lu would meet with the Golden Core Elders of the Two Major Sects, Lin Chang'an decided to sell the disks and reveal what he knew to the Bountiful Joy Auction House.
• The next day, Lin Chang'an disguised himself as a burly cultivator from Fengdu Kingdom and visited the auction house.
• Elder Feng identified the three disks as Third-Order Array Disks and called his young mistress, who was proficient in formations, to examine them.

Lin Chang'an traded three Array Disks for five bottles of Third-Order Spirit Liquid, while Su Miaoyin recognized the disks as belonging to the Mysterious Yin Demonic Sect’s Blood Spirit Great Array. He returned to his Cave Abode and planned how to use the Spirit Liquid before nourishing his Life-Bound Spirit Plant.

• Lin Chang'an disguised himself as Hu and traded three Array Disks to Su Miaoyin for five bottles of Third-Order Spirit Liquid after telling her he had found them buried near Celestial Mystery City’s Spirit Veins.
• Lin Chang'an changed disguises and identities repeatedly as he left Bountiful Joy Auction House and returned to his Cave Abode.
• Su Miaoyin told Elder Feng that the Array Disks came from the Mysterious Yin Demonic Sect’s Blood Spirit Great Array and suggested that a larger conflict was beginning.
• Lin Chang'an set aside one bottle of Spirit Liquid for the Spirit Eye, one for cultivation, and three for his Life-Bound Spirit Plant, then began refining the plant.

Lin Chang'an used Advanced Spirit Liquid to revive his Life-Bound Spirit Plant and discovered that its recovery was strengthening his Divine Sense. After learning that Celestial Mystery City had ordered its cultivators to guard assigned areas before the third Auction, he agreed to join Chen Qing on the mission.

• Lin Chang'an fed his Withered Leaf of the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine three bottles of Advanced Spirit Liquid, reviving it and receiving a boost to his Divine Sense.
• Lin Chang'an saved the remaining Spirit Liquid for cultivation and his Spirit Eye, then raised his Spirit Eye proficiency with two drops.
• Chen Qing told Lin Chang'an that True Person Lu had ordered Celestial Mystery City's Guest Elders and retainers to guard designated areas before the third Auction.
• Chen Qing explained that cultivators would leave mana marks on a Soul-Linking Technique Disk and could earn access to valuable cultivation resources for their service.
• Lin Chang'an was tempted by the offered Second-Rank Talisman Master Insights and agreed to travel with Chen Qing so they could guard neighboring areas.

Lin Chang'an joined the effort to keep Celestial Mystery City orderly ahead of the auction and studied talisman insights while overseeing his district. Meanwhile, Old Ghost revealed that the Mystic Yin Divine Sect planned to protect True Person Lu’s disciple during his Core Formation to prevent Mystic Sound Pavilion from being isolated.

• True Person Lu ordered Foundation Establishment cultivators to oversee Celestial Mystery City and announced harsh punishment and rewards for dealing with troublemakers.
• Lin Chang'an claimed an Identity Jade Token and talisman insights, then joined Chen Qing in overseeing a district of the city.
• Lin Chang'an visited Gathering Immortal Pavilion, where Shen Lie welcomed him and Chen Qing praised his diligence; studying the Jade Slip increased Lin Chang'an’s Second-Rank Talisman Master proficiency.
• Old Ghost told the Mystic Yin Divine Sect cultivators that Li Fire Palace had sold out a Mystic Sound Pavilion Golden Core Elder, prompting Li Fire Palace and Divine Sword Sect to prepare to join forces against Mystic Sound Pavilion.
• Old Ghost announced that the Mystic Yin Divine Sect would protect True Person Lu’s disciple as he formed his core, while He Yan recognized that the Divine Cult wanted to keep the three great sects fighting.