Chapter Summaries

Fang Qing successfully established his Foundation and briefly attempted to forge a Dao Foundation, but stopped after meeting an impassable barrier. He received his sect benefits from acting sect leader Linghu Zhong and secured a cave abode suited to building a Spirit Pool.

• Fang Qing used the Iceheart Meridian-Guarding Pill and the Dao-Born Pearl to pass the Foundation Establishment Three Passes, reaching Foundation Establishment and extending his Spiritual Sense to about thirty-three zhang.
• Fang Qing tried to establish his Dao Foundation but encountered no path forward, suffered a minor injury, and ended the attempt before wasting his Foundation Establishment Pill.
• Two disciples congratulated Fang Qing, and he rewarded them with mid-grade spirit stones; he also spoke privately to the injured Qin Ruxue as she left her cave abode.
• Fang Qing went to Vast Sea Hall, where acting sect leader Linghu Zhong registered his Foundation Establishment and offered him the sect's standard rewards.
• Fang Qing requested a cave abode with a Second-Order water vein, and Linghu Zhong assigned him Dark Jade Cave, which already had a Second-Order Spirit Pool.

Fang Qing secured a Second-Order Spirit Pool, studied the Azure Sea Method, and moved into Dark Jade Cave, where he discovered a formula that could enhance the pool for alchemy. As he began converting his cultivation method, Qin Ruxue arrived after failing Foundation Establishment again, leaving her future uncertain.

• Linghu Zhong arranged for Fang Qing to receive a Second-Order Spirit Pool, access to the Heavenly Books Pavilion's sixth floor, and a future logistics assignment refining pills.
• Fang Qing studied the Azure Sea Method and its Foundation Establishment spells, while finding no information about the secret Outer Core method.
• Fang Qing moved into Dark Jade Cave and discovered Xiang Shaocen's Water-Fire Alchemy Formula, which could temporarily raise the cold spring's grade.
• Fang Qing began converting his cultivation method to the Azure Sea Method and estimated that the Dao-Born Pearl would speed up the process.
• Qin Ruxue visited Fang Qing after failing Foundation Establishment again, explaining that a surge of emotion had disrupted her breakthrough and that she planned to keep making formation tools until she could obtain another spiritual item.

Fang Qing bound Qin Ruxue to him as a Wisdom Consort and used the Great Sun Empowerment Secret Art to give her pseudo-Foundation Establishment strength. He held a small Foundation Establishment celebration, where Linghu Zhong arrived with a valuable gift and saw Qin Ruxue at his side.

• Fang Qing offered Qin Ruxue guaranteed Foundation Establishment in exchange for accepting a restriction, and she agreed to become his Wisdom Consort.
• Fang Qing empowered Qin Ruxue with Second-Order Body Refinement and a drop of Liquid Mana, giving her pseudo-Foundation Establishment strength that she would need him to replenish.
• Fang Qing suspected he could appoint only five Bright Sons and Wisdom Consorts, and told Qin Ruxue to study formations and arrange his modest Foundation Establishment celebration.
• Qin Ruxue welcomed Linghu Zhong to the gathering, and he sensed danger from her despite believing she remained at Qi Refinement.
• Linghu Zhong congratulated Fang Qing and gave him a second-order Jade Spirit Armor, while the guests mistook Qin Ruxue for Fang Qing's Dao companion.

A year after achieving Foundation Establishment, Fang Qing traveled with reinforcements to Little White Island, hoping to hunt sea beasts for materials to make cultivation pills while serving the Azure Sea Sect. After receiving orders to refine Yang Profound Pills, he studied the two stalled fronts and concluded that locating the Sea-Covering Turtle was key to the campaign.

• Fang Qing encouraged Qin Ruxue to take missions and earn another Foundation Establishment Pill while he considered how slowly his cultivation was progressing.
• Fang Qing reviewed the Water-Origin Pill recipe and battlefield intelligence about the Third-Order Sea-Covering Turtle as the warship carried him into Zhong Family waters.
• The Five-Tusk Warship docked at Little White Island, where Elder Myriad Treasures assigned Fang Qing to refine Yang Profound Pills using one of the island's hot springs.
• Fang Qing learned that the Azure Sea Sect was besieging Supreme White Island while the Sea-Covering Turtle attacked supply routes and Little White Island.
• Fang Qing concluded that the sect needed to locate the Sea-Covering Turtle, which avoided facing both Core Formation patriarchs at once and fled whenever danger arose.

Fang Qing supervised a large batch of Yang Profound Pills and planned to hunt the Moon-Worship Clam with Qin Ruxue. He left to pursue the clam, hoping to gain materials for his own cultivation while helping Qin Ruxue earn merit.

• Fang Qing reviewed the Great Sun True Interpretation and considered the risks surrounding the Sword Cultivator's Cave-Dwelling and Misty-Wave Blessed Land.
• Fang Qing assigned Hua Lingsu and the weakened Five Dragons Child tasks refining Yang Profound Pills, then completed the sect's alchemy assignment over half a month.
• Qin Ruxue told Fang Qing that she had learned the Moon-Worship Clam's general whereabouts and gave him an artifact fragment carrying traces of its demonic aura.
• Fang Qing proposed that he and Qin Ruxue accept a mission to kill the Moon-Worship Clam, seeking its pearl and other materials while helping her earn merit points.

Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue killed a Second-Order Moon-Worship Clam, and Fang Qing refined Water-Origin Pills that helped him condense another drop of Liquid Mana. Their progress was interrupted when flying demon beasts attacked Little White Island.

• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue trapped the Moon-Worship Clam in Qin Ruxue's formation and killed it with Gui Water Yin Thunder and Fang Qing's attacks.
• Fang Qing gave Qin Ruxue the clam shell as mission proof and kept its pearl and meat for refining and cultivation.
• Fang Qing refined three Water-Origin Pills with Hua Lingsu and the Five Dragons Child, producing two Prime Quality pills and one Inferior Quality pill.
• Fang Qing took a Prime Quality Water-Origin Pill and condensed another drop of Liquid Mana.
• Flying demon beasts attacked Little White Island, throwing the island into chaos.

Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue killed a Second-Order Blackwater Turtle, prompting its Third-Order Demon King parent to attack Little White Island. Linghu Jin drove the Sea-Covering Turtle away, and Fang Qing kept a shell fragment that could help him track it by divination.

• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue killed the trapped Blackwater Turtle, and Qin Ruxue discovered it had condensed a Second-Order Demon Core.
• Fang Qing's divination warned of mortal danger, so he and Qin Ruxue hurried back to Little White Island before the Sea-Covering Turtle attacked its protective formation.
• Elder Myriad Treasures ordered the island's cultivators to defend the formation, and Fang Qing supplied it with Liquid Mana while secretly conserving most of his reserves.
• Linghu Jin arrived and wounded the Sea-Covering Turtle, then used a Dharma treasure to counter its water dragons until it fled.
• Qin Ruxue gave Fang Qing a fragment from the Sea-Covering Turtle's shell, and he decided to use its demonic aura for divination while delaying any effort to kill the Demon King.

Qin Ruxue successfully established her foundation, while Fang Qing assessed his combat weaknesses and chose to refine a Myriad Souls Banner from demon-beast souls. A divination suggested that someone southwest of the Taibai Sea Region could help his banner reach great completion.

• Qin Ruxue established her foundation in a few days and told Fang Qing that she expected to become a Tier 2 Low-Grade Formation master.
• Fang Qing considered his lack of powerful combat methods and weighed pursuing a Dao Foundation, seeking a Talisman Treasure, or improving his artifacts.
• Fang Qing obtained the Myriad Souls Banner secret technique from Elder Myriad Treasures and learned that it could be refined using demon-beast bones, hides, and souls.
• Fang Qing discovered that banners of the same kind could devour and fuse with one another, then used Plum Blossom Divination to seek a shortcut.
• Fang Qing interpreted his hexagram as pointing to a helpful person southwest of the Taibai Sea Region who could help complete his soul banner.

Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue answered a sect distress signal and arrived as Zhong Family cultivators attacked an Azure Sea Sect spirit ship. Elder Heavenly Punishment revealed himself to confront Zhong Lingxiu, who unleashed a powerful talisman treasure, sending the elder and the ship’s cultivators fleeing.

• Fang Qing killed a Second-Order giant bonefish and used his soul-banner Spirit Artifact to capture its essence soul while Qin Ruxue assisted him.
• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue received a sect emergency distress signal, and Fang Qing used Plum Blossom Divination to decide they should go help.
• Zhong Lingxiu and Zhong Family cultivators besieged an Azure Sea Sect spirit ship after a spy sabotaged its defensive formation, while Cui Zhe fought Zhong Lingxiu and was defeated.
• Elder Heavenly Punishment revealed that he had been posing as a Qi Refinement disciple, then attacked the Zhong Family cultivators with his Purple Lightning Needles.
• Zhong Lingxiu produced an Ice-Soul Pearl Talisman Treasure, causing Elder Heavenly Punishment and the spirit ship’s cultivators to flee.

Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue joined Elder Heavenly Punishment’s battle against Zhong Lingxiu, helping drive the powerful Zhong Family patriarch away. Back on Little White Island, Fang Qing upgraded his soul banner with Hu Fan’s essence souls and received puppet remnants that could help him strengthen it further.

• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue found Hu Fan’s corpse and several dead Zhong Family cultivators, then followed the traces of battle to Elder Heavenly Punishment and Zhong Lingxiu fighting with Talisman Treasures.
• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue attacked Zhong Lingxiu with talismans and a spiritual sense technique, allowing Elder Heavenly Punishment to press his assault and force Zhong Lingxiu to retreat.
• Elder Heavenly Punishment explained that his Fire Origin Sword Talisman Treasure was nearly exhausted, then took the surviving cultivators back to the spirit ship and ordered their return to the sect.
• Fang Qing used the essence souls in Hu Fan’s Ten-Soul Banner to upgrade his own soul banner into a mid-grade Spirit Artifact.
• Qin Ruxue told Fang Qing that their rescue earned them two major merits and that Cui Zhe had left him a gift.
• Fang Qing recognized Cui Zhe’s gift as damaged Second-Order Puppet cores and realized they could help accelerate the growth of his Hundred-Soul Banner.

Seven years into the war, Fang Qing reached the peak of Foundation Establishment Early Stage and prepared to help the Azure Sea Sect locate the Sea-Covering Turtle after hearing of worsening losses. He secretly sent Qin Ruxue to deliver the turtle’s location to the sect, while considering how to use his concealed identity to advance his cultivation in Ancient Shu.

• Fang Qing reached the limit of twenty drops of liquid mana and decided he would need a Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill to overcome his bottleneck.
• Fang Qing reviewed his high-grade Hundred-Soul Banner, stored demon-beast materials, and other treasures accumulated over seven years of hunting.
• Qin Ruxue told Fang Qing that one of her senior sisters had died on the front lines, and he concluded that the war had reached a breaking point.
• Fang Qing used Plum Blossom Divination with the Sea-Covering Turtle’s remains to identify its hiding place and gave Qin Ruxue a jade slip and Mirage Pearl to deliver secretly to the sect.
• Fang Qing considered using the Mirage Pearl in Ancient Shu to conceal his aura while developing his Breath-Nourishing Dao cultivation.

Fang Qing joined the Azure Sea Sect’s decisive assault on Supreme White Island after Linghu Jin announced that the Sea-Covering Turtle had been slain. As the Zhong Family’s defenses collapsed and the battle began, Fang Qing found a concealed cavern that might contain Ice Soul Coldheart.

• Linghu Jin revealed the Sea-Covering Turtle’s head and explained that Ruan Zhixuan had helped him kill it through a surprise attack, then ordered the Azure Sea Sect to mobilize against the Great White Zhong Family.
• Zhong Xuanli told Zhong Lingxiu that the Zhong Family was facing destruction and sent him away with a sea chart and family resources to escape through a teleportation formation.
• The Azure Sea Sect attacked Supreme White Island, broke its Third-Order formation, and trapped many fleeing cultivators with a second lightning formation as the three Core Formation cultivators clashed.
• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue searched a Spirit Herb Garden, where Fang Qing’s demon souls gathered storage pouches before one was destroyed by a hidden restriction.
• Fang Qing broke the restriction with the Sea-Transforming Pearl and uncovered a cavern that Qin Ruxue identified as a possible entrance to the Zhong Family’s Ice Soul Cave.

Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue killed a Zhong Family cultivator in the Ice Soul Cave and took its treasures before the Azure Sea Sect defeated the Zhong Family and claimed supremacy over the Lesser Vast Sea. Back at Jade Island, Fang Qing avoided sect politics and prepared for his next trip to the Misty-Wave Blessed Land.

• Fang Qing and Qin Ruxue entered the Ice Soul Cave, where a Zhong Family Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator ambushed them, but they joined forces and killed him.
• Fang Qing found two Second-Order Ice Soul Coldhearts in the Third-Order Ice Soul Cold Spring and took them before heading with Qin Ruxue to sweep the herb garden.
• Ruan Zhixuan and Linghu Jin discussed the Zhong Family ancestor's death, the spoils of battle, and their plans for Linghu Jin to pursue Core Formation.
• Several months later, Fang Qing returned to Dark Jade Cave on Jade Island as the Azure Sea Sect became the undisputed overlord of the Lesser Vast Sea.
• Fang Qing told Qin Ruxue to support Cui Zhe in the Hall of Punishing Evil vote, then inventoried his resources and planned to seek the Winnowing Basket Water Dao Foundation spirit item in the Misty-Wave Blessed Land.

Fang Qing traded two Chariot Water Dao Foundation demon-beast materials to Pi Xiuyuan for the Pi Family’s Whale-Swallows-the-Sea Formula, learning more about the distant cultivation world and the approaching Misty-Wave Blessed Land. The chapter ended with Fang Qing and Pi Xiuyuan exchanging blows, as Fang Qing evaded Pi Xiuyuan’s wooden sword attack by turning into water.

• Xu Hei reported that the Pi Family might possess a Chariot Water Dao Foundation cultivation method, and Fang Qing decided to negotiate with them himself.
• Fang Qing visited Cangcui Mountain in disguise, where the Pi Family cultivators activated their grand formation before Pi Xiuyuan received him.
• Fang Qing offered fish scales and a turtle shell from Chariot Water Dao Foundation demon beasts, and Pi Xiuyuan agreed to trade them for the Pi Family’s Whale-Swallows-the-Sea Formula.
• Pi Xiuyuan explained that the formula came from the Vast Sea Sect and that the Misty-Wave Blessed Land might contain valuable Dao Foundation materials, artifacts, and cultivation methods.
• Fang Qing invited Pi Xiuyuan to exchange pointers, and Pi Xiuyuan’s wooden flying swords shattered Fang Qing’s Azure Sea Shield.
• Fang Qing turned into flowing water to evade the swords, surprising Pi Xiuyuan.

Fang Qing gauged his strength against an Ancient Shu Dao Foundation cultivator, obtained a Chariot Water cultivation method, and captured Murong Jiu for information about the Misty-Wave Blessed Land. Learning that two Tian siblings might be used to open the land, he grew wary and resolved not to enter it.

• Fang Qing sparred with Pi Xiuyuan, who dismissed his strength and mistook him for a Secret Treasury Domain agent; Pi Xiuyuan later warned his household against provoking him.
• Fang Qing studied the Whale-Swallows-the-Sea Formula and learned it required Long-Whale Bright-Moon Qi, which could be gathered in the Lesser Vast Sea.
• Fang Qing and Xu Hei ambushed Murong Jiu after a black market exchange, and Fang Qing used his spiritual sense to subdue him.
• Fang Qing compelled Murong Jiu to become his disciple and demanded his cultivation method, movement technique, and intelligence about the Misty-Wave Blessed Land.
• Murong Jiu revealed that the blessed land was hidden in Misty-Wave Lake and that two distant descendants of Misty-Wave Adept, siblings surnamed Tian, might be raised to Dao Foundation to open it.
• Fang Qing recognized the connection to Old Tian and decided he would not enter the Misty-Wave Blessed Land.

As Misty-Wave Blessed Land opened, the Purple Mansion cultivators entered after using the Tian siblings’ bloodshed to form a Sharp Edge Dao Foundation and unlock its gateway. Fang Qing stayed safely away, sending Murong Jiu inside to search while Xu Hei waited outside to buy spirit materials; Murong Jiu found an empty cave abode but discovered books that Fang Qing recognized as potentially useful pill-refining notes.

• The Purple Mansion cultivators watched as the female Tian sibling sacrificed herself, allowing her younger brother to form a Sharp Edge Dao Foundation and open Misty-Wave Blessed Land.
• Lord Pu, Cultivator Teng, the female cultivator, True Person Sanji, and other powerful cultivators entered the blessed land, while Xu Hei stayed outside to purchase Winnowing Basket Water Dao Foundation spirit materials.
• Fang Qing watched through the Dao-Born Pearl from his Jade-Green Grotto Abode and focused on Murong Jiu, whom he had sent into the blessed land.
• Murong Jiu killed a rival cultivator, took Geng Metal Ore, and searched a crude cave abode for treasure.
• Murong Jiu found Notes on Hairpin Flowers and Can Yuan Jottings, and Fang Qing memorized the pill-refining notes through their connection.

Fang Qing studied the Can Yuan Jottings and learned about ways to forge a Dao Foundation, then sent Murong Jiu to climb Sword-Hiding Peak in the Misty-Wave Blessed Land. When the Golden Origin Hall collapsed, Murong Jiu seized treasures and a Purple Mansion sword art, while the peak’s legendary sword emerged and Tian Jinchen began suffering a mysterious attack.

• Fang Qing learned from the pill manual about Dao Foundation Pills, compatible spiritual materials, and the risks and benefits of different methods of forming a Dao Foundation.
• Murong Jiu reached Sword-Hiding Peak and climbed until he was overwhelmed by the pressure and teleported to the Golden Origin Hall, where he received the Golden Origin Body cultivation method.
• The Golden Origin Hall collapsed, and Fang Qing controlled Murong Jiu to gather treasures, including a flying sword, Heavenly Wind Spirit Spring, and the Purple Mansion Heaven-Escaping Sword Art.
• Fang Qing noticed an unusual object at the hall’s formation base while Tian Jinchen, at the peak, began coughing up black blood that turned into insects.
• Tian Jinchen struck Sword-Hiding Peak, sweeping the climbers away, and the peak erupted with Sword Qi as the Misty-Wave Adept’s famous sword, Must Enjoy to the Full, appeared.

Fang Qing survived the backlash from Murong Jiu’s encounter with Stomach Earth divine nature and learned that the Blessed Land’s upheaval had caused a Purple Mansion cultivator’s death and widespread harm. He began reconsidering where to forge his Dao Foundation and received news of changes within the Azure Sea Sect.

• Murong Jiu saw the Stomach Earth divine nature and shattered into rubble, while Daoist Sanji and the Purple Mansion cultivators rushed toward Golden Origin Hall to seize it.
• Fang Qing suffered a near Dao Transformation backlash, recovered with the Dao-Born Pearl, and learned that Golden Cores could not be divined and that the Kitchen Lord had attained the Dao at the seat of Stomach Earth.
• Xu Hei fled Misty-Wave Lake as Purple Mansion cultivators fought and a Purple Mansion death caused a baleful celestial phenomenon that spread across the region.
• Xu Hei reached Heshui City and learned that the Zhang Family’s gifted heir had died when his Water Virtue Dao Foundation collapsed amid the baleful Earth Virtue qi.
• Fang Qing decided to consider forging his Dao Foundation on the Azure Sea Sect’s side, planned to study the Can Yuan Jottings and gather pill ingredients, and learned from Qin Ruxue that Cui Zhe had become master of the Hall of Punishing Evil.

Fang Qing learned that the Sea-Extinguishing Alliance was less of a threat than the Azure Sea Sect’s search for the missing Azure Sea Ancestor, and he discovered that the ancestor had founded the sect to pursue a secret realm. The chapter ended with Elder Tianding revealing that the realm held ancient treasures and pills capable of greatly increasing cultivation.

• Fang Qing heard that the remnants of the Zhong Family and the Heavenly Heart Chain Islands had formed the Sea-Extinguishing Alliance, and he wondered where Zhong Lingxiu had gone.
• At Cold Spring Peak, Fang Qing learned that Gong Susu had failed to establish her Foundation and refused her offer to become his concubine.
• Fang Qing visited Elder Tianding and exchanged a Water-Origin Pill for several Second-Order spirit medicines, discussing alchemy with him.
• Elder Tianding told Fang Qing that the Azure Sea Sect was letting the Sea-Extinguishing Alliance operate to draw out hidden enemies and investigate the Azure Sea Ancestor’s whereabouts.
• Elder Tianding revealed that the Azure Sea Ancestor had come to the Lesser Vast Sea seeking a secret realm filled with treasures and powerful pills.

Fang Qing refined two Minor Barrier-Breaking Pills and received the Long-Whale Bright-Moon Qi Qin Ruxue had gathered for him. After learning she had found no trace of the secret realm on Supreme White Island, he prepared to use a Prime Quality pill to break through to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

• Elder Tianding explained that the Azure Sea Sect suspected the secret realm lay near Heavenly Heart Island or Supreme White Island, beneath the foundations of the powers it had destroyed.
• Fang Qing refined two Minor Barrier-Breaking Pills over several months, one Prime Quality and one Inferior Quality, and decided to let them mature further to reduce their Pill Poison.
• Qin Ruxue returned to Dark Jade Cave with Long-Whale Bright-Moon Qi and told Fang Qing she had found no clue to the secret realm on Supreme White Island.
• Fang Qing checked on Xu Hei's unsuccessful search for Winnowing Basket Water-related spiritual items in Ancient Shu.
• Fang Qing took the Prime Quality Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill and prepared to advance to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.