Chapter Summaries

Su Shi'er questioned Mu Yingluo about her hidden lineage and Heavenly Capital, learning that an ancient book described it as a city beyond the Nine Heavens that guarded their star region. With the Dark Evil Formation still blocking their path to the heavens and much about Heavenly Capital unknown, they set out for the Sacred Spirit Cult to investigate.

• Su Shi'er asked Mu Yingluo which East Sea force she belonged to, but she refused to reveal her lineage.
• Su Shi'er pressed Mu Yingluo for information about Heavenly Capital, and she explained that her lineage's ancient book described it as a celestial city that guarded their star region from disasters.
• Mu Yingluo admitted she could not explain why Heavenly Capital had secretly abducted Nascent Soul cultivators, while Su Shi'er resolved to find a way to reach it.
• Mu Yingluo urged Su Shi'er to break the Dark Evil Formation and investigate other hidden lineages before attempting to reach Heavenly Capital.
• Su Shi'er set up an array in the village, then he and Mu Yingluo used Qi Refining Stage talismans and the Wind Riding Technique to head toward the Sacred Spirit Cult.

Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo investigated the Sacred Spirit Cult from within, questioning its use of mortals and the real purpose of the Hope Fire. Su Shi'er proposed exploiting the cult’s effort to improve the Nine Revolutions Pill to gain access to its secrets.

• Mu Yingluo and Su Shi'er surveyed the vast city surrounding the Sacred Spirit Cult’s headquarters and discussed how its influence had grown.
• Mu Yingluo questioned why the cult was gathering so many mortals, and Su Shi'er suspected their wish-power was being collected for an ulterior purpose.
• Mu Yingluo worried that their concealed Qi Refining Stage cultivation would keep them from the cult’s inner circle, but Su Shi'er told her to wait for an opportunity.
• Su Shi'er suggested that they approach the cult’s alchemy work, including its efforts to improve the Nine Revolutions Pill, to reach its core secrets.

Su Shi'er persuaded Mu Yingluo to try joining the Sacred Spirit Cult's Pill Hall, claiming he could reach the level needed to work with the Nine Revolutions Pill. They arrived as cultivators streamed out looking dejected, and Su Shi'er stopped one to ask what had happened.

• Su Shi'er told Mu Yingluo that his alchemy skills might let him come into contact with the Nine Revolutions Pill, though she doubted he had the time or experience to become a top-tier alchemist.
• Su Shi'er explained that joining the Pill Hall could help him obtain the fifth Nine Revolutions Pill, which might also help remove impurities from his true body.
• Mu Yingluo agreed to try joining the Pill Hall before its recruitment period ended.
• Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo saw a crowd gathered at the Pill Hall and learned that cultivators were eager to join for the contribution points.
• Su Shi'er stopped a dejected middle-aged female cultivator leaving the Pill Hall and offered her a low-grade Spirit Stone as he asked what had happened.

Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo entered the Medicinal Pill Hall despite being warned that its lower-realm alchemist quotas were full. There, Hu Yuanxi offered Elder Chu a rare Wind Lightning Essence Ganoderma for a quota, and Elder Chu was visibly tempted.

• A female cultivator told Su Shi'er that the Medicinal Pill Hall had no Qi Refining Stage or Foundation Establishment stage quotas, then took the low-grade Spirit Stone he offered her.
• Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo entered the Medicinal Pill Hall courtyard, where Elder Chu ordered the remaining applicants to leave.
• Hu Yuanxi presented Elder Chu with a Wind Lightning Essence Ganoderma and offered it in exchange for a Medicinal Pill Hall quota.
• The cultivators in the courtyard discussed the Ganoderma's rarity and value as Elder Chu regarded it with evident temptation.

Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo watched as Hu Yuanxi tried to bribe Elder Chu with a Wind Lightning Essence Ganoderma to gain entry to the Medicinal Pill Hall. Elder Chu rejected him and injured him, but Su Shi'er insisted their plan might still succeed and asked Mu Yingluo about treasures suited to Golden Pill Cultivators.

• Su Shi'er stopped Mu Yingluo from offering a treasure and watched Hu Yuanxi present the Wind Lightning Essence Ganoderma to Elder Chu.
• Elder Chu accused Hu Yuanxi of trying to bribe his way into the Medicinal Pill Hall and refused to accept the gift.
• Elder Chu struck Hu Yuanxi with an ice spike, warned him about the cult's rules, and ordered him to leave.
• Hu Yuanxi left injured, while the remaining cultivators stayed back and watched Elder Chu.
• Mu Yingluo told Su Shi'er that bribing Elder Chu would not work, but Su Shi'er said they still had options and asked whether she had a treasure for Golden Pill Cultivators.

Su Shi'er asked Mu Yingluo for a modest alchemy-related gift, then presented Elder Chu with an Alchemical Furnace under the pretense of congratulating him on his appointment. Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo left the Medicinal Pill Hall, while the onlookers were left wondering what his gesture meant.

• Su Shi'er rejected Mu Yingluo's offer of a High-grade Spirit Artifact and asked for an alchemy-related treasure instead.
• Mu Yingluo gave Su Shi'er a low-grade Spirit Artifact Alchemical Furnace and warned him that provoking Elder Chu could expose their identities.
• Su Shi'er approached Elder Chu, claimed he had once served as his alchemy attendant in Yellow Dragon Valley, and presented the furnace as a congratulatory gift.
• Su Shi'er left with Mu Yingluo after declaring that he had fulfilled his purpose, leaving the gathered cultivators puzzled by his actions.

Elder Chu accepted Su Shi'er's Pill Furnace and offered him a chance to join the Pill Hall if he passed an alchemy assessment. Su Shi'er answered Elder Chu's questions with impressive expertise, but Elder Chu paused before announcing his decision, leaving Su Shi'er uncertain.

• Elder Chu accepted Su Shi'er's Mid-grade Spirit Artifact Pill Furnace and offered him a possible Pill Hall position in return for their old connection.
• Su Shi'er agreed to be tested, and Elder Chu asked him about the three great essentials of the Golden Core.
• Su Shi'er answered Elder Chu's questions crisply, impressing him and the cultivators gathered nearby.
• Elder Chu grew increasingly satisfied with Su Shi'er's alchemy knowledge but withheld his decision, puzzling Su Shi'er.

Su Shi'er demonstrated an unexpectedly deep understanding of medicinal pill theory to Elder Chu and secured a core alchemist position in the Pill Hall under the name Su Baiyun. Elder Chu then turned solemn, leaving his reason for the change in expression unknown.

• Elder Chu asked Su Shi'er to explain the Four Symbols structure and said his answer would determine his treatment in the Pill Hall.
• Su Shi'er weighed the risks and explained how the Four Symbols, Eight Trigrams, and Five Elements related to Taiji Yin Yang and balance.
• Elder Chu listened in deep contemplation, then praised Su Shi'er's understanding despite his Qi Refining Stage Six cultivation.
• Su Shi'er claimed he had merely remembered teachings from an alchemy expert he once met, and Elder Chu accepted the explanation.
• Elder Chu gave Su Shi'er a core alchemist identity token inscribed with the name Su Baiyun.
• After Su Shi'er thanked him, Elder Chu's smile vanished and his expression turned stern.

Su Shi'er joined the Pill Hall as a Core Alchemist, and Elder Chu explained its ranks and advancement rules. With Mu Yingluo accepted temporarily as his alchemy attendant, Su Shi'er left to settle in and pursue his plan to obtain the Nine Revolutions Pill and uncover the Sacred Spirit Cult’s secrets.

• Elder Chu warned Su Shi'er to follow the Pill Hall’s rules and described its nine alchemist grades, monthly duties, and optional missions.
• Su Shi'er learned that alchemists below Grade Three could advance by completing ten higher-ranked Alchemy Missions, while Grade Four required Grade Three Special Tier and a yearly examination.
• Elder Chu agreed to let Mu Yingluo stay as Su Shi'er’s alchemy attendant and hinted that she might join the Pill Hall if Su Shi'er later brought him something valuable.
• Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo left the main courtyard for the neighboring one, while cultivators outside envied his success and discussed how he had won Elder Chu’s favor.
• Su Shi'er resolved to become a core figure in the Pill Hall, obtain the Nine Revolutions Pill, and learn more about the Sacred Spirit Cult.

Su Shi'er explained to Mu Yingluo how their plan to secure a place in the Medicinal Pill Hall was unlikely to fail, then revealed that she needed to obtain an official identity of her own. He proposed using Elder Chu’s invitation as a pretext to visit his cave dwelling, where they could arrange it privately.

• Mu Yingluo praised Su Shi'er for getting into the Medicinal Pill Hall, and he joked that her compliments might help him ascend to immortality.
• Su Shi'er explained why Elder Chu was unlikely to reject their scheme and why even the worst outcome would cost them little.
• Su Shi'er inspected his Medicinal Pill Hall token and found that it listed him as Special First Grade, but he declined to reveal his true alchemy level.
• Su Shi'er told Mu Yingluo to visit Elder Chu’s cave dwelling so she could secure an official role and move freely within the Medicinal Pill Hall.
• Mu Yingluo realized Elder Chu’s invitation could serve as a pretext for a private arrangement, and Su Shi'er entered the Medicinal Pill Hall courtyard.

Su Shi'er presented his Core Alchemist token at the Medicinal Pill Hall’s secondary residence, securing accommodations for himself and Mu Yingluo. As he learned about the privileges of Core Alchemists, he discovered they could accept more Alchemy Missions, use Alchemy Rooms for free, and access special pill-refining assignments.

• A middle-aged female cultivator recognized Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo at the entrance and hinted that they would need to pay to enter.
• Su Shi'er showed his Medicinal Pill Alchemist Token, and the woman was shocked to see that it identified him as a Core Alchemist.
• Su Shi'er said Mu Yingluo would stay as his alchemy attendant, and the woman agreed to accommodate them both.
• The woman explained that Core Alchemists could keep up to two attendants, accept up to ten missions without collateral, and use Alchemy Rooms for three free days each month.
• The woman told Su Shi'er that some special pill-refining missions were reserved for Core Alchemists, exciting him.

Su Shi'er learned that the Sacred Spirit Cult’s secret alchemy missions included studying the Nine Revolutions Pill and another task hidden in the cult’s depths. He resolved to raise his rank in the Pill Hall through alchemy missions, while remaining wary of Elder Chu’s reasons for granting him core status.

• Su Shi'er paid a middle-aged female cultivator for rumors about the Sacred Spirit Cult’s special alchemy missions, learning that one involved improving the Nine Revolutions Pill and another sent Core Alchemists into the cult’s depths, where they did not return.
• The female cultivator explained that special missions required Core Alchemist status and Grade Four rank, and described the different routes Qi Refining and higher-stage alchemists could take to join the core.
• Su Shi'er recognized that Core Alchemist status could help him access the Nine Revolutions Pill, but questioned why Elder Chu had given him a core token so readily.
• Su Shi'er handed the female cultivator his Pill Hall token and asked her to accept a batch of alchemy and medicine-refining missions so he could steadily improve his skill and rank.
• The female cultivator agreed to collect the missions and left with his token.

Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo agreed to lie low in the Sacred Spirit Cult for several years while improving their cultivation and alchemy ranks, then began their infiltration. Five years later, the Sacred Spirit Cult had secured its power while other factions struggled against the growing Evil Spirit Ghost Cultivators, and someone knocked at Su Shi'er's residence.

• Su Shi'er urged Mu Yingluo to avoid rash action and proposed they spend three to five years raising their cultivation and alchemy ranks before pursuing the Sacred Spirit Cult's secrets.
• Su Shi'er gave Mu Yingluo a route map to Elder Chu's cave dwelling, and Mu Yingluo left to secure a place as a non-core alchemist in the Medicinal Pill Hall.
• Mu Yingluo returned after one day with an alchemist's token, surprising the middle-aged female cultivator who had arranged Alchemy Missions for Su Shi'er.
• Over the next five years, the Yun Ge Sect fought the Evil Spirit Ghost Cultivators, Lin Wuyou purged opposition within the Demon Shadow Palace, and the Sacred Spirit Cult consolidated its power while contributing little to the fighting.
• Someone knocked at Su Shi'er's residence in the Medicinal Pill Hall.

Over five years, Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo became renowned alchemists in the Sacred Spirit Cult, and Ji Xun Jin brought Su Shi'er a private request from a mysterious Golden Core cultivator. The offered Fire Dragon Red Fruit made Su Shi'er suspect the request might involve his disciple Feng Fei, so he agreed to meet the concealed cultivator; as he left with Ji Xun Jin, a smiling figure approached them.

• Su Shi'er welcomed Ji Xun Jin and agreed they could address one another as equals after she had assisted him for five years.
• Ji Xun Jin explained that Su Shi'er and Mu Yingluo had risen to fame as fourth-grade and quasi-fourth-grade alchemists in the Sacred Spirit Cult.
• Ji Xun Jin relayed a Golden Core cultivator's request for a private meeting before revealing which Medicinal Pill they wanted refined.
• Su Shi'er initially decided to refuse, but changed his mind when Ji Xun Jin said the reward included a rare Fire Dragon Red Fruit.
• Su Shi'er wondered whether the concealed cultivator was connected to his disciple Feng Fei, agreed to meet them, and left with Ji Xun Jin.
• As Su Shi'er and Ji Xun Jin stepped outside, they saw a smiling figure approaching.

Elder Chu approached Su Shi'er with a special mission from the Sacred Spirit Cult, and Su Shi'er carefully agreed to hear more. The chapter ended with Elder Chu revealing that the mission concerned researching the legendary Nine Revolutions Pill.

• Elder Chu met Su Shi'er and Ji Xun Jin, pleased that Su Shi'er's rise as an alchemist had helped restore his standing in Medicinal Pill Hall.
• Elder Chu offered Su Shi'er a special mission, and Su Shi'er feigned reluctance before agreeing to participate.
• Su Shi'er sent Ji Xun Jin away so he could discuss the confidential mission with Elder Chu.
• As they walked toward Medicinal Pill Hall's main courtyard, Su Shi'er praised the Nine Revolutions Pill and asked if the mission concerned it.
• Elder Chu confirmed that the special mission was to research the Nine Revolutions Pill.

Su Shi'er followed Elder Chu through a concealed teleportation array to the Sacred Spirit Cult's chamber, where three Nascent Soul cultivators studied the Nine Revolutions Pill inside an ancient cauldron. The chapter left Su Shi'er listening as Du Ziwén described the Pill Hall's leading alchemy talents.

• Su Shi'er followed Elder Chu through a hidden Teleportation Array beneath the Pill Hall pavilion.
• Su Shi'er entered a vast chamber and concealed his reaction as several divine senses examined him.
• Su Shi'er saw the ancient three-legged cauldron and the Nine Revolutions Pill being studied by three Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Du Ziwén explained that Yin Qingxue was a fourth-grade alchemist who had once refined a quasi-fifth-grade spirit pill.
• Su Shi'er noticed seven Golden Pill Cultivators seated behind the three Nascent Soul cultivators.

Su Shi'er joined the alchemists gathered to study the Nine Revolutions Pill and learned that the last remaining pill was close to collapsing. Du Ziwén began explaining the crisis and the purpose of the gathering, leaving Su Shi'er asking how he could help.

• Su Shi'er recognized Yin Qingxue as the Golden Core alchemist who had refined a quasi-fifth-grade Spiritual Pill and wondered whether Yin Qingxue's Alchemy Dao surpassed his true body's.
• Blood Cloud Daoist questioned Su Shi'er's value, but Du Ziwén defended him as a fourth-grade alchemist with strong theoretical knowledge.
• Su Shi'er inferred that Blood Cloud Daoist had studied the Nine Revolutions Pill for a hundred years and might have joined the Sacred Spirit Cult under an agreement to continue comprehending it.
• Du Ziwén explained that four of the Nine Revolutions Pills had dissipated when the cauldron was opened, four more had been used at the Spirit Appeasement Assembly, and the sole remaining fifth-turn Spirit Pill was nearing collapse.
• Su Shi'er asked what he was expected to do to help comprehend the Nine Revolutions Pill.

Su Shi'er learned that the Sacred Spirit Cult was seeking substitute ingredients for the Nine Revolutions Pill, with only its two main ingredients still unknown. He began examining the pill through a crack in the great cauldron, hoping to find clues while considering how difficult it would be to take it.

• Du Ziwén explained that Blood Cloud Daoist had deduced substitutes for all but two of the Nine Revolutions Pill's ingredients, and that both remaining ingredients were likely main ingredients.
• Du Ziwén told Su Shi'er that he could examine the pill by transmitting Divine Sense through physical contact with the cauldron, and gave him three months to investigate alongside the cult's collected texts.
• Su Shi'er suspected that the gathered cultivators and Blood Cloud Daoist would make stealing the pill difficult, then approached the cauldron to inspect the fifth-turn Spirit Pill.
• Su Shi'er discovered that the cauldron was made of neither metal nor stone and used his Second Nascent Soul to send Divine Sense through its crack and into the vessel.

Su Shi'er investigated the fifth-turn Spirit Pill and read the records on the Nine Revolutions Pill with the others for three months. When the cultivators discussed possible ingredients, Blood Cloud Daoist rejected the idea that a cultivation-enhancing material could be the main ingredient, leaving the group to question its entire approach.

• Su Shi'er examined the hollow fifth-turn Spirit Pill, sensed a fleeting familiar aura, and could not identify it.
• Su Shi'er and the other cultivators read records about the Nine Revolutions Pill for three months.
• Du Ziwén invited the cultivators to share their analysis of the pill's ingredients.
• A Grey-Robed Cultivator proposed the Nine Heavens Bigu Flower as the main ingredient because it could greatly increase cultivation.
• Blood Cloud Daoist said the flower might replace the Ten Thousand Year Blood Essence but could not be the main ingredient, since the pill's main ingredient should not primarily raise cultivation.
• The cultivators fell silent, while Su Shi'er frowned and pondered the discussion.

Su Shi'er realized that a breakthrough pill needed to improve a cultivator’s state of mind, but Yin Qingxue voiced the insight first and proposed using Yellow Millet Flower to create a pill for Nascent Soul cultivators. The gathered alchemists praised Yin Qingxue’s reasoning and considered the possibility of helping more cultivators reach the Out of Body stage.

• Su Shi'er connected the Nine Revolutions Pill’s breakthrough effect to the need for a stronger state of mind and prepared to share his insight with Du Ziwén.
• Yin Qingxue stepped forward and argued that the Nine Revolutions Pill had to resolve a cultivator’s state-of-mind issues.
• Yin Qingxue described the legendary Thousand Year Dream and the rare fourth-grade Yellow Millet Flower, which could improve state-of-mind insight.
• Yin Qingxue proposed using Yellow Millet Flower with substitute herbs to refine a breakthrough pill for Nascent Soul cultivators.
• The gathered cultivators recognized the value of Yin Qingxue’s proposal and praised his alchemical knowledge.