Recaps

After Fang Shu declined Qin Min’s invitation to an elite gathering, he used the hall’s stores to advance his Long-Tongue Sword and refined a Second-Tribulation Breath-Holding Insect. He secretly left Guling Town for Lead Mountain Mine, where he disappeared from the other miners and followed Cheng the Jar’s vein map beneath a long-abandoned vein.

• Fang Shu refused Qin Min’s invitation to the gathering, rebuked her familiar address, and left as Hua Xiaqing praised Qin Min.
• Fang Shu selected Hundred-Spirit Refined Artifact Oil from the underground vault and later used it to advance his Long-Tongue Sword to the Second Tribulation.
• Fang Shu told Second Uncle Yu Le about his breakthrough and asked him to keep it quiet, then tested the sword and prepared to search Lead Mountain Mine for Purple Lead Mica Milk.
• Fang Shu refined a Second-Tribulation Breath-Holding Insect, disguised himself, and slipped out of Guling Town among a group of miners.
• Fang Shu worked at Lead Mountain Mine while changing tunnels in search of ore, then secretly followed Cheng the Jar’s vein map beneath a vein abandoned for ten years.

Fang Shu navigated the abandoned mine and dug through a deliberately collapsed passage, reaching a cavern containing a large supply of Purple Lead Mica Milk. As he entered, a freezing chill and a strong bloody stench warned him that danger might be waiting.

• Fang Shu disguised himself as a gray fox and followed Cheng the Jar's map through the dark, twisting mine for two days.
• Fang Shu found four skeletons at the mapped dead end and realized they might be Cheng the Jar's companions who had searched for treasure.
• Fang Shu discovered the passage had been deliberately collapsed and decided to dig through it with his Long-Tongue Sword.
• After several exhausting days of excavation, Fang Shu broke through into a cavern lit by blue phosphorescent stalactites and spotted pools of Purple Lead Mica Milk.
• Fang Shu entered the cavern, where a piercing chill and a rusty, bloody stench immediately alarmed him.

Fang Shu discovered that the blue-lit cavern was saturated with Metal-Stone Poison, which could aid gu refinement but harm his cultivation if he used it recklessly. After protecting himself with leadstone armor, he collected Purple Lead Mica Milk and prepared to leave, but the Tagalong Insect became strangely fixated on a crack in the rocks.

• Fang Shu recognized the cavern’s rusty stench and other symptoms as signs of Metal-Stone Poison, then sealed its entrance with lead-bearing stone to stop the poison from spreading.
• He realized the poison could help refine gu but warned himself not to use it to accelerate his own cultivation, since doing so could shorten his lifespan and damage his foundation.
• Fang Shu covered his mouth and nose with wet cloth, fashioned armor from leadstone, and entered the cavern to search for the poison-bearing ore.
• He found that the cavern walls and stalactites contained Metal-Stone Poison while the Purple Lead Mica Milk could neutralize it, then filled two waterskins with the precious medicine.
• As Fang Shu turned to leave, the Tagalong Insect crawled out of his armor, staggered across the cavern, and tried to burrow into a crack in the rocks.

Fang Shu uncovered a hidden ritual altar in the toxic cavern and found that its core was a Lead Essence Poison Pearl, a rare treasure that might be a magic treasure embryo. After sealing it in Purple Lead Mica Milk, he began polishing it with his qi and blood, confirming that it could readily accommodate them.

• Fang Shu dug beneath the Tagalong Insect and exposed a ritual altar covered in secret script.
• He cut apart the altar and found a black bead that intensified the poison of metal and stone throughout the cave.
• Fang Shu sealed the bead in Purple Lead Mica Milk, reducing the cave’s toxic fumes, and traced the cavern’s half-natural, half-artificial origins to an array.
• He recognized the bead as Lead Essence Poison Sand and suspected its unusually refined form was a magic treasure embryo.
• Fang Shu hid the pearl in the waterskin and polished it with his qi and blood, discovering that it accepted them with almost no resistance.

Fang Shu mastered the Lead-Essence Treasure Pearl and discovered how it gathered Metal-Stone Poison and infused his attacks, spells, talismans, and gu insects with poison. While clearing the abandoned cave, he found a dying message that appeared to belong to Dou Sufu’s husband and uncovered a booklet that astonished him.

• Fang Shu bonded with the Lead-Essence Treasure Pearl and used it to gather Metal-Stone Poison from the cave before releasing the poison back into the surroundings.
• Fang Shu tested the pearl’s effects and learned it could poison his spells, gu insects, talismans, and physical attacks, though some effects weakened or failed.
• Fang Shu prepared to leave and destroyed traces of the abandoned altar, then discovered several corpses that had been killed by Metal-Stone Poison.
• Fang Shu read a damaged final message mentioning Sufu repeatedly and suspected the corpse belonged to Dou Sufu’s husband, but decided not to reveal the site to her.
• Fang Shu tried to bury the corpse, but its bones shattered and a fragile booklet fell from its chest; reading it left him astonished.

After discovering Hu’s geomancy book, Fang Shu learned how the Hu Family’s search for its ancestor’s inheritance had led to Hu’s death and found clues that Lead Mountain Mine held Dragon Qi and Gold-Seeking Insects. He buried Hu, surveyed the mountain at dawn, and identified a likely site to investigate.

• Fang Shu read Hu’s book and learned that Hu had used the Dragon-Seeking Gold-Finding Art to seek his ancestor’s treasure, but died after discovering a Treasure-Gathering Formation.
• Fang Shu learned from Hu’s testament that the Hu Family descended from an Immortal Sect formation master who had searched Lead Mountain for a dragon vein and left an inheritance behind.
• Fang Shu realized that the Gold-Seeking Insects in the mine were also called Dragon-Seeking Gold-Finding Insects and could indicate the presence of Dragon Qi and a dragon vein.
• Fang Shu buried Hu’s remains, searched the cavern for more clues, and returned to the surface after cleaning up his traces.
• Fang Shu surveyed Lead Mountain at dawn, inferred seven possible formation-point sites, and chose one promising location to investigate.

Fang Shu decided to delay investigating Cao's mine until he could verify the treasure book's clues and strengthen his cultivation. Back in Guling Town, he learned more about Dou Sufu's missing husband, Hu, and the feelings she still held for him before putting her to sleep and letting her rest.

• Fang Shu turned away from Cao's mine and returned to Guling Town, resolving to research the dragon qi and prepare before seeking the Gold-Seeking Insect.
• Fang Shu went to the courtyard house, where Dou Sufu served him food and told him her husband Hu had promised to bring her to live in a tiled house.
• Fang Shu's questions revealed that Hu had claimed Immortal Sect ancestry and used feng shui tricks to deceive wealthy people, lending support to the Hu Family Treasure Book.
• Dou Sufu became drunk and mistook Fang Shu for Hu, lamenting that he had left her waiting alone in the market.
• Fang Shu used a Sleepy Insect to put Dou Sufu to sleep, carried her to bed, and closed the shop so she could rest.

Dou Sufu woke refreshed after Fang Shu left her a Sleepy Insect, while Fang Shu trained and gathered news about Lead Mountain Mine. The Solitary Hall Master chose Fang Shu to represent the Solitary Gu Hall in a hired fight for Seven Fragrance Tower, but Qin Min challenged him to prove his strength first.

• Dou Sufu fed the Sleepy Insect a drop of blood, refined it, and enjoyed controlling it after finding it with Fang Shu's note and meal money.
• Fang Shu returned to the Solitary Gu Hall, trained with Purple Lead Mica Milk, and sought information about Lead Mountain Mine.
• The Solitary Hall Master summoned the disciples and explained that the hall needed someone to answer a hired fight challenge from Seven Fragrance Tower.
• The Solitary Hall Master selected Fang Shu because of his connection to Seven Fragrance Tower, and the disciples realized he had likely reached the second tribulation.
• Qin Min asked the Solitary Hall Master to let her test Fang Shu's magical power, warning that he might be too weak to represent the hall.

Fang Shu and Qin Min tested their strength in a fierce sparring match, and Qin Min appeared to win while secretly suffering worse injuries than he did. Fang Shu left encouraged by what he learned about spirit-rooted cultivators and began preparing for the hired fighting ahead.

• Hall Master Du tried to persuade Qin Min to yield the hired fighting bout to Fang Shu, but Fang Shu accepted her challenge to spar instead.
• Qin Min and Fang Shu collided with their vitality and blood, and Qin Min withdrew first after three breaths, appearing to have gained the upper hand.
• Hall Master Du ended the sparring match and told Fang Shu to rest for several days before the hired fighting.
• Fang Shu reflected that Qin Min's spirit root gave her an early advantage but did not place her beyond his reach, then returned to his room to recover and prepare.
• After the hall emptied, Qin Min revealed that the collision had badly injured her and admitted Fang Shu might have possessed an even more dangerous power.

Fang Shu went to Seven Fragrance Tower to represent Solitary Gu Hall in a spell battle, while Hall Master Du sent Qin Min and Du Yu'er to watch. Seven Fragrance Tower's family expected Qin Min, but Fang Shu remained calm as their chosen opponent took the platform and waited for him to act.

• Fang Shu refined his remaining Purple Lead Mica Milk, bringing his Second Tribulation cultivation to 50.1%, then left to fulfill his appointment at Seven Fragrance Tower.
• Hall Master Du ordered Qin Min to lead Solitary Gu Hall disciples to watch Fang Shu's spell battle, and sent Du Yu'er along as a safeguard.
• Fang Shu arrived at Seven Fragrance Tower alone, surprising the mistress and her daughters, who had expected Qin Min to fight.
• Qin Min arrived with Solitary Gu Hall disciples and took a seat among the spectators instead of replacing Fang Shu.
• A younger man from Seven Fragrance Tower's group stepped onto the battle platform while Fang Shu sat calmly and let him wait.

Fang Shu fought Luo Erlang in a lending-fists bout and used his Poison Method to cripple him after a fierce exchange. Luo Erlang collapsed on the platform, leaving Fang Shu the victor.

• Luo Dalang sent his younger brother Luo Erlang to fight Fang Shu, who ignored the crowd and prepared himself before taking the stage.
• Fang Shu and Luo Erlang fought across the platform’s pillars, with Fang Shu wielding his Long-Tongue Sword while Luo Erlang attacked with his iron-hard ape arms.
• Luo Erlang smashed most of the remaining stumps to force Fang Shu into a direct confrontation.
• As Luo Erlang charged, Fang Shu’s poison erupted in his body, making him spit black blood and lose his strength.
• Fang Shu struck Luo Erlang’s chest acupoints with his sword, and Luo Erlang collapsed as the onlookers recognized Fang Shu’s Poison Method had decided the bout.

Fang Shu defeated Luo Erlang in a duel, but Luo Erlang died after Luo Dalang secretly drove the poison through his body with a fierce medicine. Luo Dalang revealed his Three-Tribulation cultivation and attacked Fang Shu, who beheaded him with one sword strike.

• Fang Shu defeated Luo Erlang and urged Luo Dalang to treat his brother's poisoning.
• The merchant association head proposed more duels, but Fang Shu refused to fight again.
• Luo Erlang died after Luo Dalang fed him a fierce medicine that worsened the poison.
• Luo Dalang revealed himself as a Three-Tribulation Immortal and charged Fang Shu, accusing him of killing Luo Erlang.
• Fang Shu evaded Luo Dalang's attack and beheaded him with a single sword strike.

Fang Shu killed the newly advanced Third Tribulation Immortal Luo Dalang with a single sword strike, shocking the tavern and making him a rising figure in Guling Town. As the Solitary Gu Hall disciples began handling the aftermath, Fang Shu sat calmly meditating and restoring his strength.

• Fang Shu used the Long-Tongue Sword and Flame Blade Art to cleave through Luo Dalang and kill him, despite the cost to his qi and blood.
• Xiang Xingwu regretted missing an earlier chance to reconcile with Fang Shu, while Qin Min suspected Hall Master Du was promoting him as a rival.
• The tavern patrons erupted in amazement, praising Fang Shu's composure and debating his tactics as he watched the merchant guild owner and the others warily.
• Li Hou'er, Du Yu'er, and the other Solitary Gu Hall disciples checked on Fang Shu, and Du Yu'er began discussing the incident with the Seven Fragrance Tower Master and the merchant guild owner.
• A Solitary Gu Hall disciple left to summon Hall Master Du, while Fang Shu sat cross-legged beside Li Hou'er and meditated to recover.

After defeating Luo Dalang, Fang Shu recovered and continued cultivating while the Hall Mistress of Solitary Gu Hall handled the aftermath. He rejected the mistress of Seven Fragrance Tower’s lavish gifts and offer of patronage, then returned to the hall as officials uncovered that the hired fighters had been wearing disguises.

• Fang Shu regulated his breathing and refined his cultivation, raising his progress to fifty-two percent.
• The Hall Mistress of Solitary Gu Hall told Fang Shu she would handle the investigation, and market-district officials questioned witnesses.
• The mistress of Seven Fragrance Tower offered Fang Shu fifty thousand talisman coins, Peach Blossom Vintage, patronage, and the service of her daughters, but Fang Shu declined and left.
• The officials discovered that the corpses identified as Luo Dalang and Luo Erlang wore human-skin disguises, making Seven Fragrance Tower’s role in hiring them suspicious.
• Fang Shu returned to the hall, excused himself from his fellow disciples, and resumed cultivating in a quiet chamber.

Fang Shu reflected on his gains from the spell battle and resolved to avoid further fights, while Hall Master Du confined Qin Min after rebuking her for her arrogance and ingratitude. As Qin Min left with Du Yu'er, Hall Master Du decided to put more trust in another disciple.

• Fang Shu saw that his cultivation had risen to 54% after the battle and decided to focus on cultivation rather than risk more fights.
• Du Yu'er delivered Hall Master Du's summons, and Fang Shu planned to visit after completing his day's cultivation.
• Qin Min complained that Hall Master Du was holding her back, and Hall Master Du rebuked her for her arrogance and for failing to thank Fang Shu for saving her from the Luo brothers.
• Hall Master Du ordered Du Yu'er to take Qin Min back to her room and keep her in seclusion until the Immortal Sect's disciples arrived to choose candidates.
• After Du Yu'er and Qin Min left, Hall Master Du regretted her judgment of Qin Min and decided it was time to value another disciple more.

Fang Shu received three three-tribulation treasures from the Hall Master, who revealed that Luo Dalang had been a disguised pawn targeting Solitary Gu Hall and warned Fang Shu to avoid contests before the immortal sect selection. After a year and three months of cultivation, Fang Shu refined three kinds of three-tribulation Gu and advanced his second-tribulation cultivation to 72%, leaving him poised to approach the third tribulation.

• The Hall Master gave Fang Shu a Purple-Gold Black-Patterned Insect Jar, a White Jade Blood Cocoon, and the Three-Insect Essence-Nourishing Paste Formula as compensation and a reward.
• The Hall Master revealed that the Luo brothers had disguised themselves, and that Luo Dalang had secretly raised his cultivation to the third tribulation to target Fang Shu and Qin Min.
• The Hall Master ordered Fang Shu not to fight or spar before the immortal sect selection, and Fang Shu agreed.
• Fang Shu learned that Qin Min had been ordered into confinement, then returned to his room and began refining the Insect Jar.
• Over the following months, Fang Shu refined third-tribulation Breath-Holding, Sleepy, and Tagalong Insects and advanced his second-tribulation cultivation to 72%.

Fang Shu left the Solitary Gu Hall to search Lead Mountain Mine for the Hu Family inheritance and a Gold-Seeking Insect. After infiltrating the Cao mine, he disguised a Tagalong Insect with Gold-Seeking Insect scent and appearance, then began using it as bait to lure the real treasure insect.

• Fang Shu visited Yu Le in the Solitary Gu Hall, where Yu Le warned him that Qin Min had stopped receiving meals and might be entering deep seclusion to break through to the Third Tribulation.
• Fang Shu left the hall, changed his appearance in the market district, and took a roundabout route to Lead Mountain Mine.
• Fang Shu disguised himself as a miner and spent several days gathering rumors about medicinal herbs and Gold-Seeking Insects in the Cao mine.
• Fang Shu sealed off a secluded tunnel and used Gold-Seeking Insect droppings and medicinal ingredients to coat a Tagalong Insect, making it look and smell like a treasure insect.
• Fang Shu carried the disguised Tagalong Insect around the mine, hoping to lure a real Gold-Seeking Insect into approaching it.

Fang Shu used the Tagalong Insect to lure a Gold-Seeking Insect out of the mine, then learned it resembled a mature Dragon Corpse Beetle. After the Sleepy Insect struck it, the Gold-Seeking Insect fled into the rock wall, leaving Fang Shu eager to continue.

• Fang Shu spotted his former boat companion Tian Tianquan begging for wine dregs and realized he had become a mine slave.
• The Tagalong Insect detected a fresh trail, and Fang Shu found Gold-Seeking Insect droppings in cracks in the mine tunnel.
• Fang Shu spent several days hidden in the tunnel, using the Tagalong Insect to lure the Gold-Seeking Insect from its hiding place.
• Fang Shu recognized the insect's beetle-like form as resembling a mature Dragon Corpse Beetle and wondered whether a flood dragon's remains were nearby.
• Fang Shu released the Sleepy Insect, which struck the Gold-Seeking Insect and left it dazed; the insect fled into the rock wall.

Fang Shu tracked the Gold-Seeking Insect to a hidden spiritual treasure acupoint and used a Tagalong Insect and wine-blood to induce it to lay an egg. He refined the egg into a natal gu egg and placed it inside his brow to nourish it.

• Fang Shu followed the Gold-Seeking Insect through the mine with Tagalong Insects and found it sleeping among spirit ore in a hidden treasure acupoint.
• Fang Shu captured the sleeping insect intact and prepared a stone gu basin with binding threads and talisman flags.
• Fang Shu placed the Gold-Seeking Insect and a painted Tagalong Insect in the basin, then used wine-blood and an incantation to make the Gold-Seeking Insect lay an egg.
• Fang Shu refined the resulting golden egg into a natal gu egg, cut open his brow, and placed it inside his body to incubate.

Fang Shu refined a Gold-Seeking Insect into his natal artifact embryo and discovered its powers of transformation and perception. The insect revealed spiritual qi, metallic qi, and a distant treasure light, leaving Fang Shu poised to investigate another possible fortune.

• Fang Shu suppressed the Gold-Seeking Insect Egg and spent three days and nights replacing its spirituality with his own through qi and blood.
• Fang Shu helped the egg hatch and restrained the larva until it settled at the center of his forehead as a natal artifact embryo.
• Fang Shu learned that Gold-Seeking Insects could absorb traits from what they devoured, transform through molting, and adapt to different environments.
• Fang Shu considered ways to develop the insect's transformative ability and concluded that it could be useful as his natal gu.
• Fang Shu used the insect to perceive spiritual qi, metallic qi, and surrounding terrain with a sense resembling Divine Soul.
• Fang Shu spotted faint treasure light in the distance and wondered whether another good fortune awaited him.

Fang Shu followed a hidden treasure light through the mine and infiltrated a cavern guarded by demons. He discovered a dangerous cavern filled with poisonous blue moss and corpses, where an untouched pool of superior treasure medicine lay beneath the moss.

• Fang Shu finished nurturing his natal insect embryo, gathered the Gold-Seeking Insect’s accumulated wealth, and followed the treasure light.
• Fang Shu found the light blocked by boulders and used Tagalong Insects to locate a route around them without disturbing the concealment.
• Fang Shu observed the demon overseers’ routines and slipped into their tunnel during a shift change using the Three-Calamity Breath-Holding Insect.
• Fang Shu entered a cavern filled with blue moss, floating poisonous powder, and piles of dead miners.
• Fang Shu uncovered a damaged array at the cavern’s center and found an untouched pool of jade-blue treasure medicine beneath the moss.

Fang Shu seized a good taisui from the medicine cave, then hid as Mine Master Cao and the wolf-demon fought over the missing treasure herb. He killed them both and turned his attention to the rest of the mine.

• Fang Shu identified the cave’s herb as nourishing flesh ganoderma, took it, and watched the poisonous moss wither and spread powder through the cave.
• Fang Shu hid among the bones with the taisui sealed away as Mine Master Cao and the wolf-demon entered and accused each other of stealing it.
• The wolf-demon revealed it had used the treasure herb to reach the Second Tribulation and gained the upper hand in its fight with Cao.
• Fang Shu sprang from hiding and killed the wolf-demon with his Long-Tongue Sword, then rejected Cao’s offer of riches and a share of the mine by killing him too.
• Fang Shu considered how easily the pair had fallen and turned his attention from the treasure cave to the entire mine.

After killing Mine Owner Cao, Fang Shu found a Storage Bag and escaped the mine by slaughtering demons and sparking a miners' revolt. The uprising spread across Lead Mountain, engulfing more than ten mines in chaos.

• Fang Shu looted the wolf-like demon and Mine Owner Cao, discovering a Storage Bag on Mine Owner Cao that he could partly activate with his vital blood.
• Fang Shu left the corpses behind and fought his way out of the mine tunnel, killing the demons he encountered.
• Fang Shu urged the miners and mine slaves to kill the demons, then cut the slaves' shackles and sparked a riot.
• Fang Shu looted Mine Owner Cao's residence and scattered money, ore, and spirit stones among the miners, intensifying the revolt.
• The uprising spread to more than ten mines as nearby mine owners lit beacon fires and feared unrest spreading through their own workers.

After escaping Lead Mountain, Fang Shu hid in the Monster Market, refined the Long-Tongue Sword into a Third-Calamity artifact, and returned to the Solitary Gu Hall to cultivate toward his own breakthrough. As the mine owners struggled to investigate the uprising, a deathly pale stranger arrived at Lead Mountain, drawn by its death qi and resentment.

• Fang Shu fled Lead Mountain for the Monster Market, where he exchanged his goods, changed his appearance, and took shelter in an official quiet room.
• Fang Shu refined the Long-Tongue Sword until it gained three restrictions and became a Third-Calamity artifact.
• Fang Shu dealt with the wolf monster's Black Tickets, returned to the Solitary Gu Hall, and began long-term secluded cultivation to complete his Second Calamity and undergo the Third Calamity.
• The mine owners suppressed the Lead Mountain riot but found the Cao family's mine stripped of monsters and were left with few clues about the cause.
• A deathly pale stranger arrived at Lead Mountain in a paper sedan chair, attracted by the death qi and resentment, and recognized the mine as belonging beneath the Five Viscera Temple.

Fang Shu completed the Second Tribulation realm and prepared to seek support from Hall Master Du before attempting the next tribulation. Meanwhile, a pale-faced man secretly began refining Dao soldiers in the Cao mine, and the mine's unrest faded from public concern.

• A pale-faced man entered Lead Mountain Mine, hid in the White Bone Medicine Grotto, and gathered death qi and corpse qi to refine Dao soldiers.
• The mine owners and market town reinforcements suppressed further resistance, seized the miners' and mine slaves' possessions, and absorbed the Cao mine into the other mines.
• Fang Shu's vat shattered during his secluded cultivation, but he restrained the mercury medicine with his qi and blood and completed the Second Tribulation realm.
• Fang Shu checked the Dao Register and saw that his chance of surviving the tribulation had reached 78%.
• Fang Shu learned that Qin Min had become a Third Tribulation immortal and received support from the hall, then went to the discussion hall to report his progress and demand his own support.