Chapter Summaries

Qin Huaian shared his Supreme Purity Ascension Scripture insights with He Zhiping and Min Yingzhu, then prepared to enter seclusion and break through to the Golden Core Realm. Meanwhile, two young women from the Demon Race traveled from the Million Mountains toward Pingyang City on their clan elders’ orders.

• Chu Yu warned Shen Canglan that Demon Race cultivators might have reached the Void Refinement Realm, and Shen Canglan ordered more disciples to guard the Million Mountains’ outskirts.
• Qin Huaian explained his cultivation insights to He Zhiping and Min Yingzhu, who thanked him and offered their support.
• Qin Huaian returned to his cave residence, examined his Seed Space and collection of jade slips, then meditated to prepare for seclusion.
• Two young women traveled toward Pingyang City from the Million Mountains, expecting someone there to deliver their clan elders’ orders.

Qin Huaian began forming his Golden Core and completed the process with a lustrous golden core streaked with violet-gold radiance. After an unexplained streak of light entered the core, he sensed that something new had appeared inside it.

• Qin Huaian prepared his cultivation chamber with defensive and Spirit Gathering formations, then began compressing his spiritual power.
• After a month, Qin Huaian completed the first compression, turning his spiritual power pale gold, and continued with the more difficult second compression.
• Qin Huaian compressed the spiritual power into a pure-gold mass and took the Five Elements True Condensation Pill to help solidify his core.
• Lin Tianyu sensed Qin Huaian forming his core and placed a high-rank array around the cave abode, while Xie Qingchuan arrived and confirmed what was happening.
• Ten days later, Qin Huaian formed a golden core marked with wisps of violet-gold radiance, then saw a streak of light enter it and sensed something new within.

Qin Huaian completed his breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm after a sprout emerged inside his core, strengthening his body and divine sense. As the Number Seven Seed Space began upgrading, powerful cultivators gathered outside his cave after sensing the sprout’s ancient aura.

• Qin Huaian watched a sprout grow from the seed inside his Golden Core, and its ancient energy strengthened his meridians and merged into his core.
• Qin Huaian discovered he could change his Golden Core’s color at will and that his divine sense had reached the Manipulation stage, covering roughly fifty li.
• Qin Huaian calculated that he was thirty-five and the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect’s youngest Golden Core cultivator, then heard that Number Seven Seed Space would upgrade for seven days.
• Lin Tianyu sensed an ancient aura from Qin Huaian’s cave and suppressed it with the fifth-tier defensive formation.
• Nangong Yunzhao, Mu Qinghan, Xue Wujiang, and Shen Canglan arrived, and Lin Tianyu explained that Qin Huaian was forming his core while suggesting the aura might relate to his cultivation method.

Qin Huaian emerged after successfully forming his Golden Core and explained the ancient aura sensed by the sect’s elders by revealing a Five Elements True Condensation Pill. The elders questioned the pill’s ability to improve Golden Core quality, and Lin Tianyu asked Qin Huaian what quality his own core had reached.

• Nangong Yunzhao learned from Lin Tianyu that Qin Huaian had been in seclusion for over nine months attempting to form his core.
• Qin Huaian completed his Golden Core breakthrough, withdrew his formation, and discovered Lin Tianyu had protected his cave with a fifth-rank defensive formation.
• Shen Canglan and three Supreme Elders visited Qin Huaian after sensing an ancient aura, and Qin Huaian attributed it to rewards from the Foundation Establishment Inheritance Space.
• Qin Huaian revealed a Five Elements True Condensation Pill and said it could improve Golden Core quality, offering the remaining pill for his Senior Sister.
• The elders reacted with disbelief at the pill’s claimed effect, and Lin Tianyu asked Qin Huaian whether his Golden Core had reached pure gold.

Qin Huaian revealed that he had formed a Violet-Gold Core, astonishing the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect elders. After giving the pill he had used to Lin Tianyu for Min Yingzhu, he questioned why Violet-Gold Cores were considered so rare.

• Qin Huaian corrected Lin Tianyu and Shen Canglan, revealing that his golden core was Violet-Gold.
• Shen Canglan, Nangong Yunzhao, and the others reacted with disbelief, so Qin Huaian projected his core for them to inspect.
• Nangong Yunzhao told everyone to keep Qin Huaian's Violet-Gold Core secret, while Shen Canglan asked about the pill that could improve golden core quality.
• Lin Tianyu offered to compensate Qin Huaian for the pill, but Qin Huaian gave it to him as a gift for Min Yingzhu.
• Qin Huaian asked the elders why Violet-Gold Cores were so rare when Qingxu had said every core disciple of the Supreme Purity Sect could form one.

Nangong Yunzhao told Qin Huaian the legend of Fang Wuji, a Violet-Gold Core cultivator who rose to peak Spirit Transformation and later vanished. He also explained the dangers and mysteries of the Million Mountains and the Boundless Sea before Shen Canglan and the Grand Elders departed, leaving Qin Huaian to consolidate his realm.

• Nangong Yunzhao recounted how Fang Wuji formed a Core, destroyed a sect guarded by a Nascent Soul cultivator, and later reached peak Spirit Transformation before disappearing.
• Lin Tianyu advised Qin Huaian to stay true to his original heart, while Qin Huaian recognized his master's confidence and strength of mind.
• Nangong Yunzhao explained that the depths of the Million Mountains held perilous secret realms and formations, where surviving demons had fled after humanity nearly wiped them out.
• Nangong Yunzhao said the distant Boundless Sea was a silent Dead Domain where most explorers gained nothing and many never returned.
• Shen Canglan and the three Grand Elders told Qin Huaian to consolidate his realm, then departed.

After Qin Huaian condensed a Violet-Gold Core, he returned to his cave abode to stabilize his cultivation while the Seed Space continued upgrading. Meanwhile, Lin Tianyu and Xie Qingchuan investigated suspected trouble stirred up by the Origin Return Sect, and Qin Huaian prepared to resume deducing formations and talismans once the upgrade finished.

• Xie Qingchuan praised Qin Huaian for condensing a Violet-Gold Core, and Lin Tianyu told him to stabilize his realm and avoid leaving the sect for three years.
• Lin Tianyu and Xie Qingchuan discussed clashes among subordinate sects near the Origin Return Sect border and went to report the suspected provocation to the Sect Master.
• Qin Huaian examined the ancient-feeling sapling inside his Golden Core and cultivated with a Spirit Gathering Array while the Seed Space remained unavailable.
• Qin Huaian tried cultivating with high-grade spirit stones, found that they doubled his speed but were quickly consumed, and decided to wait before using more.
• Qin Huaian considered deducing fifth-rank formations and spirit talismans, and the Seed Space completed its upgrade seven days later.

Qin Huaian expanded his Seed Space, created another Mirror Body, and used the bodies to advance his cultivation arts, skills, and formations. After two years of cultivation and deduction, he noticed a defensive formation around Min Yingzhu’s cave and suspected she was about to break through.

• Qin Huaian constructed a third Mirror Body and discovered that soil had naturally formed on the expanded Floating Island, so he planted spirit herbs and watered them.
• Qin Huaian spent spirit stones to have a Mirror Body deduce the Supreme Purity Ascension Scripture and Free and Easy Wanderer, while assigning another to improve his formation mastery.
• Over the following seven months and then two years, Qin Huaian advanced his movement art, sword techniques, and formations as his spirit stones dwindled.
• Qin Huaian’s cultivation reached early Golden Core progress 26, and his Mirror Bodies became free for further cultivation.
• Qin Huaian sensed a defensive formation around Min Yingzhu’s cave dwelling and left his own cave to see whether she was preparing to break through.

Min Yingzhu successfully formed a violet-gold core, astonishing Lin Tianyu and Qin Huaian. After Qin Huaian demonstrated his mastery-level sword momentum, Lin Tianyu explained how sword aura could advance toward the Sword Domain and showed his disciples the technique.

• Qin Huaian visited Min Yingzhu's cave abode, where Lin Tianyu told him she was nearing the end of core formation.
• Min Yingzhu emerged after successfully forming a violet-gold core with help from Qin Huaian's Five Elements True Condensation Pill.
• Lin Tianyu celebrated both disciples' violet-gold cores and asked whether they had questions about cultivation.
• Qin Huaian demonstrated his mastery-level sword momentum, and Lin Tianyu praised his sword-path talent.
• Lin Tianyu explained that perfected sword aura could lead to the Sword Domain, then showed Qin Huaian and Min Yingzhu his recently comprehended domain.
• Qin Huaian asked whether the Sword Domain created a space of its own.

Lin Tianyu explained the Sword Domain and higher realms of sword cultivation to Qin Huaian, then described methods for speeding up cultivation beyond the Golden Core Realm. Qin Huaian left considering a better Spirit Gathering Array plate, since high-tier pills and spirit veins were impractical for now.

• Lin Tianyu gave Qin Huaian a jade slip containing his insights into the Sword Domain and promised Min Yingzhu one after she perfected her sword momentum.
• Lin Tianyu explained that Myriad Swords Return to the Sect was the legendary highest realm of the Sword Dao, attained only by the founding patriarch of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect.
• Qin Huaian asked how Golden Core cultivators could cultivate faster, and Lin Tianyu described Spirit Gathering Array plates, supreme-grade spirit stones, spirit veins, and high-tier medicinal pills.
• Lin Tianyu explained that cultivating on spirit veins damaged them and that seventh-tier pills were difficult to obtain because high-tier herbs and alchemists had dwindled.
• Qin Huaian and Min Yingzhu left Lin Tianyu and returned to their cave abodes, where Qin Huaian concluded that upgrading his fourth-rank Spirit Gathering Array plate was his most reliable option.

Qin Huaian visited the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect’s Trading Hall to sell the spoils he had collected during the Foundation Establishment inheritance trial and obtain resources for refining fifth-tier Spirit Gathering Array Disks. After his goods were valued at more than 2,075,000 Sect Contribution Points, he offered two Golden Condensation Pills for exchange.

• Qin Huaian gathered his acquired materials and treasures and traveled to the Trading Hall on Heavenly Capital Peak.
• Sect disciples recognized Qin Huaian and greeted him as Martial Uncle before he entered the Golden Core Realm side hall.
• Lan Kaifeng welcomed Qin Huaian, and two Foundation Establishment disciples cleared space for him to display his goods.
• Qin Huaian laid out his spirit herbs, materials, magic treasures, pills, and talismans, which the three Trading Hall cultivators inventoried at more than 2,075,000 Sect Contribution Points.
• Qin Huaian presented two Golden Condensation Pills for exchange, astonishing Lan Kaifeng and the two disciples.

Qin Huaian exchanged sect contributions for spirit stones and materials, refined a Fifth-Grade Spirit Gathering Array Disk, and completed the deduction of perfected Sword Momentum. Lin Tianyu then told him that the sect was sending him to oversee Donglai Market for five years.

• Qin Huaian bought refining materials with sect contributions, collected his reward for reaching the Golden Core Realm, and exchanged the points for 146,300 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Qin Huaian spent 12.8 million spirit stones to deduce Sword Momentum and set his Mirror Body to cultivate while he refined arrays in secret.
• Qin Huaian used the Crimson Ash Quicksand Flame to refine a Fifth-Grade Spirit Gathering Array Disk, raising the spiritual energy density in his cultivation room to about four times its original level.
• Three years later, Qin Huaian completed the deduction of perfected Sword Momentum and reached Golden Core Early Stage 58/100.
• Lin Tianyu told Qin Huaian that the sect had assigned him to oversee Donglai Market in the Jin Kingdom for five years.

Qin Huaian learned that he would oversee Donglai Market but could focus on cultivation, and Lin Tianyu gave him a defensive array disk and advice about staying safe. Lin Tianyu arranged for Xie Qingchuan to escort him there, but insisted that Xie return after Qin Huaian had settled in.

• Lin Tianyu explained that Qin Huaian would serve as the person in charge at Donglai Market, though he could leave routine management to the sect's established systems.
• Lin Tianyu told Qin Huaian to prioritize his strength and safety, gave him a fifth-tier defensive array disk, and urged him to ask the sect for help if needed.
• Qin Huaian accepted the array disk and flew to Heavenly Capital Peak to meet the sect leader senior brother and arrange his journey.
• Lin Tianyu summoned Xie Qingchuan and asked him to escort Qin Huaian to Donglai Market.
• Xie Qingchuan offered to protect Qin Huaian for all five years, but Lin Tianyu told him to return after Qin Huaian had settled in.

Qin Huaian left the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect to take up the post of overseer at Donglai Market, escorted by Xia Yufei and Xie Qingchuan. After learning about the rising resources and unrest among subordinate sects, he arrived at the market, where local cultivators came out to meet them.

• Shen Canglan appointed Qin Huaian as Donglai Market's temporary overseer and told him to learn about the market and surrounding forces.
• Xia Yufei accompanied Qin Huaian on the Flying Boat, and Xie Qingchuan joined them, secretly fulfilling Lin Tianyu's request to escort Qin Huaian.
• Xie Qingchuan warned Qin Huaian about threats on the journey and possible unrest as cultivation resources increased across the Cultivation World.
• Qin Huaian learned that spirit herbs and pills were becoming more plentiful, then used Old Lin's mask artifact to conceal his appearance and aura.
• Two days later, Qin Huaian and the others reached Donglai Market, where several cultivators flew out to greet Xie Qingchuan and Xia Yufei.

Qin Huaian arrived at Donglai Market to take up his five-year post as acting chief administrator and learned about the market’s personnel and resources. Xie Qingchuan explained that Cang Haoming’s cool manner was due to his past injury, leaving Qin Huaian resolved not to mind it unless it interfered with him.

• Xie Qingchuan introduced Qin Huaian to Cang Haoming and the officials of Donglai Market.
• Cang Haoming guided Qin Huaian and the others to the Market Administration headquarters, where officials briefed Qin Huaian on the market’s territory, mines, shops, and residents.
• Qin Huaian considered how the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect controlled the region’s best resources but remained unconcerned as long as his cultivation and duties were not disrupted.
• Xie Qingchuan told Qin Huaian that Cang Haoming had once been warm and loyal but became distant after a mission injury damaged his foundation.
• Qin Huaian accepted that Cang Haoming’s coldness was not personal and decided he would only object if Cang Haoming interfered with him.

Qin Huaian began deducing a Sword Domain and familiarized himself with Donglai Market after becoming its chief administrator. While disguising himself to explore the market, he heard that Rogue Cultivators had been disappearing outside the city and that bandit cultivators might be responsible.

• Qin Huaian spent 400,000 spirit stones to have his Mirror Body deduce a beginner-level Sword Domain in a month and a half, then cultivated with his true body.
• After seeing Xie Qingchuan off, Qin Huaian inspected Donglai Market with Yuan Wei and learned about its layout, shops, and the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's auction-based profits.
• Qin Huaian ended the tour, disguised himself as a bearded Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, and walked through the market's streets.
• Qin Huaian overheard two cultivators say Rogue Cultivators had been disappearing outside the city and that bandit cultivators might be behind it.
• Qin Huaian turned to the two cultivators and asked them to wait.

Qin Huaian investigated rumors of cultivators disappearing near Donglai Market, then visited the Hall of Myriad Treasures to buy Tier 5 artifact-refining materials for a killing array. After purchasing two materials, he arranged to return for the third and asked Shopkeeper Wu about selling array disks.

• Qin Huaian questioned two Qi Refining cultivators about missing cultivators and learned that some Foundation Establishment cultivators had also disappeared, mostly east and south of the market.
• Qin Huaian entered the Hall of Myriad Treasures and asked for Silver Astral Sand, Purple Essence Gold, and Azure Flame Stone.
• Shopkeeper Wu told Qin Huaian that two materials were in stock and that the Azure Flame Stone could be ready in half a month.
• Qin Huaian bought the two available materials for sixty high-grade spirit stones.
• Qin Huaian asked Shopkeeper Wu whether the Hall of Myriad Treasures bought array disks, and Shopkeeper Wu led him into a private room.

Qin Huaian sold two array disks, completed his entry-level Sword Domain comprehension, and optimized his Spirit Tempering Formula while continuing his cultivation. After more than half a year, he completed the Mastery-level Supreme Purity Ascension Scripture, and Cang Minghao and Yuan Wei arrived at his courtyard.

• Qin Huaian sold a third-tier defensive array disk and a fourth-tier Spirit Gathering Array Disk to Shopkeeper Wu for 75,000 mid-grade spirit stones.
• Qin Huaian returned to Donglai Market and completed his entry-level Sword Domain deduction, but learned that his divine sense was too weak to wield it.
• Qin Huaian spent 1,600,000 spirit stones to optimize the Spirit Tempering Formula to the Perfect level.
• Qin Huaian bought the fifth-tier Azure Flame Stone from Shopkeeper Wu for forty high-grade spirit stones.
• Qin Huaian absorbed the completed Mastery-level Supreme Purity Ascension Scripture, and Cang Minghao and Yuan Wei knocked on his courtyard gate.

After bandit cultivators killed several disciples and abducted mortal children near Donglai Market, Qin Huaian and Cang Minghao set out to track them toward the Boundless Sea. They requested aid from the sect and sent Yuan Wei to gather support from affiliated sects, then pursued the bandits by flying boat.

• Yuan Wei told Qin Huaian that cultivators had been disappearing near Donglai Market and that a raid on the bandits’ stronghold had revealed abducted cultivators and mortal children.
• Cang Minghao explained that a middle-stage Golden Core Realm bandit had overwhelmed him, forcing the group to retreat after several sect disciples died.
• Qin Huaian decided to pursue the bandits immediately and ordered Yuan Wei to seek help from nearby affiliated sects.
• Qin Huaian used the voice transmission formation to report the situation to the sect, then led Cang Minghao and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Realm disciples east.
• The group followed Cang Minghao’s tracking marks by flying boat and reached the shore of the Boundless Sea.

Qin Huaian and Cang Minghao confronted the cultivators who had abducted mortals and children near Donglai Market. After Qin Huaian killed their mid-stage Golden Core leader, he battled a late-stage Golden Core cultivator and sensed a protected cave on the island.

• Qin Huaian, Cang Minghao, and the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect cultivators reached the island and demanded that the abductors surrender their captives.
• The mid-stage Golden Core cultivator fled, but Qin Huaian caught and killed him with two sword strikes.
• Cang Minghao led the attack on the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators, who scattered and were hunted down by the sect cultivators.
• The abductors' late-stage Golden Core cultivator rushed out after his third brother's death, and Qin Huaian engaged him in battle.
• Qin Huaian pressed the late-stage cultivator toward the island's center and sensed a cave protected by a third-tier defensive formation.