Chapter Summaries

Xu Changqing harvested his Grade-Two Spirit Field, discovering that a Fire Spirit Sweet Potato and a Frost Cabbage had mutated with opposing elemental attributes. After harvesting them, he opened the Frost Cabbage and found a blue-white Ice Soul Pearl.

• Xu Changqing harvested the spirit plants and gained two mutated vegetables: a fire-attributed sweet potato and an ice-attributed cabbage.
• He collected 13,532 days of lifespan, bringing his remaining lifespan to 706 years, and his Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice reserves to 10,250 jin.
• Xu Changqing decided to spend the time until New Year experimenting with Mutated Spirit Rice and resting from his demanding work.
• He used the Green Lotus Creation Art to peel apart the Frost Cabbage and revealed a fingernail-sized Ice Soul Pearl inside.

Xu Changqing found an Ice Soul Pearl inside a Frost Cabbage, then replanted the cabbage in Stone Mountain to see whether it could keep growing and produce another pearl. After tending to the Mutated Mother Rice and replacing the Breath-Hiding Formation’s spirit stone, he returned home and noticed that the Poplar Tree had grown taller and larger.

• Xu Changqing removed the Ice Soul Pearl from the Frost Cabbage, reshaped the cabbage with Wood Spiritual Power, and replanted it in the Spirit Fields to test whether it could recover.
• Xu Changqing moved the Frost Cabbage into Stone Mountain, where he replanted it beside the Mutated Mother Rice and harvested the rice’s nine ears.
• Xu Changqing replaced the Low-Grade Spirit Stone in the Breath-Hiding Formation, emerged from the cave, and blocked the entrance again.
• Xu Changqing told Fortress to stop patrolling the Spirit Fields for a few days and do other chores or rest.
• Fortress went to the Poplar Tree, and Xu Changqing noticed that its trunk had grown taller and larger.

Xu Changqing investigated the poplar tree’s strange winter growth and suspected it had changed after Fortress arrived, then contacted Han Xin to arrange a stronger privacy formation. The chapter ended with Xu Changqing offering one thousand jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine to cover the remaining cost of a Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation.

• Xu Changqing sensed dense Wood Qi in the poplar tree and found its winter buds and healed scars unusual, but detected no harmful change.
• Xu Changqing considered whether Fortress had caused the poplar tree’s transformation and decided he might ask Chu Qiu or study Puppet Arts.
• Xu Changqing contacted Han Xin and asked her to set up another formation for his expanded Spirit Fields.
• Han Xin recommended the near earth-tier Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation, which cost three hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xu Changqing said he could pay one hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and offered one thousand jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine for the rest.

Xu Changqing arranged for Han Xin to install a formation in his second Grade-Two Spirit Field, paying her with Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine. After the Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation was activated, it made the field appear completely filled with Golden Crow Vines.

• Xu Changqing agreed to repay Han Xin for the formation in monthly installments of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine.
• Han Xin arrived in her Ink-Colored Flying Shuttle, noticed Xu Changqing had three mu of Spirit Fields, and agreed to install the formation in the second field.
• Han Xin traded the formation work for fifty jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine and surveyed the field, noticing that the Poplar Tree had changed its feng shui.
• Xu Changqing helped Han Xin adjust the terrain and water channel as they installed the formation, placing its formation eye beside the channel.
• Han Xin activated the Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation, and Xu Changqing saw through the Fire Crow's Shared Vision that the one hundred Golden Crow Vines appeared to fill the entire field.

Xu Changqing used Han Xin’s Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation to conceal his Mutated Mother Rice, then secretly transplanted it and planted a field of mutated rice seedlings. After confirming the formation hid the crop, he studied a fire spell and finished ripening the field for the night.

• Han Xin returned the 150 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and promised one year of reinforcement and repairs for the formation, if she had time.
• Xu Changqing waited until night, removed the Mutated Mother Rice from Stone Mountain, and transplanted it at the center of his second mu of Grade-Two Spirit Field.
• He planted 1,080 mutated rice seedlings, using seeds from the first batch near the Mother Rice and Mutated Child Rice seedlings farther away.
• Xu Changqing set up the portable Breath-Hiding Formation and confirmed through the Fire Crow’s Shared Vision that the Mirror Flower Water Moon Formation concealed the rice.
• He studied Blazing Sun Finger while drinking, then used the Companion Green Lotus to finish that night’s ripening.

Xu Changqing hired Han Su to replace his cramped wooden home with a spacious two-story stone house, and Han Su completed the work over three days. After Han Su left, Xu Changqing concluded that he had failed to detect the secret of the second mu of Spirit Fields.

• Xu Changqing asked Han Su to renovate his house, and Han Su recommended building a stone house instead of an earthen one.
• Xu Changqing dismantled the wooden house and planned a two-story home with two underground levels, telling Han Su to take stone from the left side of Stone Mountain to keep him away from its hidden entrance.
• Han Su built the stone house by himself, completing the foundation, walls, and roof first so Xu Changqing would have shelter at night.
• After three days, Xu Changqing paid Han Su with Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice, Spirit Rice Wine, and a Flying Paper Crane, while Han Su returned thirty Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Han Su tested the Flying Paper Crane and departed, and Xu Changqing reflected that Han Su had noticed nothing unusual about the second mu of Spirit Fields despite staying nearby for three days.

Xu Changqing brought Yu Caiqing the ingredients for refining the Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill and chose to receive payment only if she succeeded. Yu Caiqing began preparations in the Earthfire Zone and allowed him to return on the seventh day to watch the refinement.

• Xu Changqing improved his stone house, organized his books, and continued studying the Blazing Sun Finger.
• Yu Caiqing contacted Xu Changqing and asked him to bring the ingredients for the Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill to the Alchemy Tower.
• Xu Changqing prepared food for Wangwang and the Pearl Chicken, then traveled safely to Yu Caiqing's alchemy room in the Earthfire Zone.
• Xu Changqing gave Yu Caiqing the Scarlet Yang Ginseng, Golden Crow Vine, Profound Yin Ganoderma, and Moonlight Grass she needed for the pill.
• Xu Changqing chose to receive a Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill if Yu Caiqing succeeded, and she agreed to let him watch the refinement on its seventh day.

Xu Changqing went to the Rogue Cultivator Market early to buy Spirit Rice and trade wine with Sun Peng before his upcoming commitments. Their trade began with Xu Changqing delivering a large batch of goods, and Sun Peng revealed that his father had sold the previous batch of wine for 7,500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

• Xu Changqing checked his Spirit Fields, prepared meals for Wangwang and the Pearl Chicken, and flew to Foundry Peak.
• Xu Changqing watched Li Sancai fight on Arena Number Seven, then continued on to Dongqing City.
• Xu Changqing checked Spirit Rice prices, bought one thousand jin of quality-grade Second-Grade Spirit Rice, and contacted Sun Peng.
• Sun Peng hurried to meet Xu Changqing at the Awaiting Spring teahouse and explained that Sun Rong had taken over the wine shop.
• Xu Changqing handed Sun Peng five hundred jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice and two thousand jin of Fine-Quality Spirit Rice Wine, and Sun Peng learned that the previous five hundred jin of wine had sold for 7,500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Xu Changqing settled his share of the Rogue Cultivator Market profits with Sun Peng, then began shopping for furniture and decorations. After inspecting the goods at Spiritual Wood Residence, he headed to Artisan Workshop to compare prices before deciding what to buy.

• Sun Peng gave Xu Changqing 45 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and showed him detailed sales records for their wine business.
• Xu Changqing confirmed the accounts and calculated that his rice and wine sales had earned him 50 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones at a cost of less than five.
• Xu Changqing visited Spiritual Wood Residence and inspected its wooden furniture and decorations.
• Xu Changqing tried the Nanmu Bed, liked its comfort, but considered its price of 15 Low-Grade Spirit Stones too high to accept without bargaining.
• Xu Changqing let the attendant seek a discount and crossed the street to Artisan Workshop to compare its goods.

Xu Changqing bought household furnishings and daily necessities, then visited Jade Cauldron Studio to find alchemy and artifact-refining equipment. He showed interest in the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron after learning its price and benefits.

• Xu Changqing accepted a ten-percent discount at Spiritual Wood Residence and bought furnishings and daily necessities from there and Myriad Treasures Pavilion for twenty-nine Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xu Changqing stored his purchases in the Jade-Green Gourd and headed to Jade Cauldron Studio to acquire alchemy and artifact-refining equipment.
• A receptionist at Jade Cauldron Studio showed Xu Changqing the first-floor equipment, but he dismissed it as too ordinary and asked to see better goods.
• On the second floor, Xu Changqing learned that the Mystic Ice Spirit Furnace increased alchemy success by ten percent and medicinal efficacy by twenty percent.
• The receptionist introduced the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron, which increased success by twenty percent and efficacy by thirty percent, and Xu Changqing approved of its seven Mid-Grade Spirit Stone price.

Xu Changqing bought alchemy and artifact-refining equipment at Jade Cauldron Studio, then visited the Fragrant Invitation Pavilion and learned that its new courtesans included people displaced by a change in power. Back at the Dongting Immortal Sect, he watched Li Sancai defeat a Fire Spiritual Root opponent and recognized the second level of the Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art.

• Xu Changqing chose the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron and entry-level artifact-refining equipment, molds, and manuals, spending eleven Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and fifty-two Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xu Changqing visited the Fragrant Invitation Pavilion, chose Yue'er, and learned that she had once been a commandery princess before a change of throne and the destruction of factions brought the new courtesans there.
• Xu Changqing returned to the Dongting Immortal Sect the next day and saw Li Sancai fighting a Fire Spiritual Root cultivator in the arena.
• Li Sancai used thorny vines to bind and defeat his opponent despite being burned and disadvantaged by their attributes.
• Xu Changqing watched from a corner and identified Li Sancai's technique as the second level of the Wood-Spirit Entanglement Art.

Xu Changqing settled into his newly renovated home, learned the Foundation Pill formula, and raised it to Masterful Tier. He traveled to Red Maple Valley Market to buy ingredients for refining pills and artifacts.

• Xu Changqing returned home, arranged his new furnishings and equipment, and celebrated the move with a meal and wine.
• Xu Changqing mastered the Foundation Pill formula and used seven years of lifespan to raise it to Masterful Tier.
• Xu Changqing decided to keep the strongest Foundation Pills for himself and sell ordinary ones, then headed to Red Maple Valley Market to buy ingredients.
• Xu Changqing arrived at the crowded market and bought the materials he needed from the relevant factions and workshops.

Xu Changqing refined his first Foundation Pills in the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron, carefully following each step while focusing on quality over quantity. After sealing the cauldron to compress the medicinal liquid and remove impurities, he divided the finished mixture into two portions.

• Xu Changqing heated the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron and refined iron sand, Scarlet-Flame Grass, Greenwood Vine, Cold-Pool Water, and Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice into a mixture.
• Xu Changqing stirred in the powdered iron sand and waited as the liquid reduced and its impurities were removed.
• Xu Changqing used the [Nine-Flame Profound Art] to supply Fire Spiritual Power when the cauldron’s temperature fell, then sealed the cauldron as the medicinal liquid congealed.
• Xu Changqing kept the cauldron sealed until its pressure peaked, then lifted the lid and let the compressed heat escape.
• Xu Changqing drew away the remaining fire energy and divided the finished medicinal liquid into two portions.

Xu Changqing completed two Supreme-Grade Foundation Pills and stored them for next spring, then watched the first snow of the season blanket his Spirit Fields. The next morning, he checked his winter crops and went to collect eggs from the Pearl Chickens.

• Xu Changqing refined two Supreme-Grade Foundation Pills, cleaned his equipment, and stored the pills in the Jade-Green Gourd for next spring.
• Xu Changqing fed the five Fire Crows Spirit Rice and Fire Spiritual Power before sleet and snow began falling overnight.
• Xu Changqing stored the Fire Crows' Fire Spirit Liquid, went to sleep, and woke to find the Spirit Fields covered in snow.
• Xu Changqing used the [Nine-Flame Profound Art] to keep out the cold, checked the Mutated Spirit Rice, and placed the Companion Green Lotus.
• Xu Changqing went to the chicken coop to collect eggs while the Pearl Chickens braced themselves for his familiar reach.

Xu Changqing forged a sickle and unlocked Forging Skill, then spent five years of lifespan to raise it to Masterful Hand. He suspected a first successful spirit-artifact refinement might unlock Artifact Refining Skill and turned his attention to the Common Spirit-Artifact Mold.

• Xu Changqing entered the second basement level and decided to try forging a simple sickle.
• He melted iron, skimmed off impurities, poured the molten metal into a mold, hammered the blade, and quenched it in Cold-Pool Water.
• Xu Changqing inspected the finished sickle and discovered that his Forging Skill had reached Initiation.
• He spent five years of lifespan to raise Forging Skill to Masterful Hand and gained abilities that reduced material loss and improved the chance of high-quality results and special effects.
• Xu Changqing wondered why Alchemy Skill had not appeared despite his successful pill refining, then focused on the Common Spirit-Artifact Mold to test whether artifact refining could grant him a skill.

Xu Changqing failed to refine a Greenwood Needle and realized he needed to learn rune-depicting techniques before trying again. After Bai Ling'er recommended books at Water-Control Pavilion, he flew there and encountered a snow-covered fisherman who proudly claimed he had lasted the longest despite catching nothing.

• Xu Changqing's third attempt to refine a Greenwood Needle failed when he applied too much force while carving its rune.
• Xu Changqing concluded he needed to master rune-depicting techniques and recognized that lacking a Metal Spiritual Root made artifact refinement difficult.
• Xu Changqing contacted Bai Ling'er, who recommended three books on runes and invited him to Water-Control Pavilion to see the Ten-Thousand Fish Formation.
• Xu Changqing prepared dinner and roasted sweet potatoes, then flew through the snowy evening toward Water-Control Pavilion.
• Xu Changqing spotted a fisherman covered in snow and learned that he had caught no fish but was proud to have held out until the end.

Xu Changqing arrived at the Water-Control Pavilion and learned that Mo Cha had thrashed Lan Tian, stirring anger among the pavilion’s disciples. He saw Lan Tian’s injuries and lingering fear, while Bai Ling'er said she had always found him hypocritical.

• A disciple told the fishing old man that Mo Cha had gone to Beast Spirit Valley to challenge Chu Qiu, and the old man left to intervene.
• Xu Changqing saw Black Lake’s Ten-Thousand Fish Formation activate but could not imprint its mysterious runes.
• Bai Ling'er met Xu Changqing and told him Mo Cha had beaten Lan Tian, the Water-Control Pavilion’s top official disciple.
• Xu Changqing followed Bai Ling'er into the pavilion, where disciples angrily discussed Lan Tian’s defeat.
• Xu Changqing found Lan Tian badly injured and learned from Bai Ling'er that she considered him hypocritical.

Xu Changqing received rune books annotated by Bai Xiaotian and studied them at home while avoiding the turmoil around Mo Cha's challenges. When the day of his appointment with Senior Sister Yu arrived, he prepared a lavish meal and flew to the Earthfire Zone.

• Bai Ling'er introduced Xu Changqing to her father, Bai Xiaotian, who gave him several annotated books about runes.
• Xu Changqing left the Water-Control Pavilion after learning that Lan Tian was injured and that Mo Cha might challenge disciples at Beast Spirit Valley.
• Xu Changqing tried to contact Chu Qiu but received no response, so he returned home rather than get involved in the challenges.
• Xu Changqing read Bai Xiaotian's annotated rune books and became absorbed in their contents.
• On the day of his appointment with Senior Sister Yu, Xu Changqing prepared Spirit Cuisine and flew toward the Earthfire Zone on Big-Leaf Grass.

Xu Changqing visited Yu Caiqing in her alchemy room and brought her Spirit Cuisine, but her attempt to refine a Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill failed when the Dark Nether Cauldron exploded. Yu Caiqing explained that her mutated Spiritual Roots disrupted the balance, then bought Xu Changqing’s Ice Soul Pearl, leaving him to answer her question about where his home was.

• Xu Changqing entered Yu Caiqing’s alchemy room and found her exhausted after refining pills for six days and nights.
• Xu Changqing offered Yu Caiqing six Spirit Cuisine dishes, but she continued refining the Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill without resting.
• The Dark Nether Cauldron erupted, and Xu Changqing carried Yu Caiqing out as the alchemy room froze and the cauldron was destroyed.
• Yu Caiqing told Xu Changqing that her Ice-Water Spirit Root suppressed her Fire Spirit Root and caused the pill refinement to fail.
• Xu Changqing offered Yu Caiqing his Ice Soul Pearl, and she paid him five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for it.
• Yu Caiqing called Xu Changqing her lucky star and asked him where his home was.

Xu Changqing harvested his mature Mutated Spirit Rice and planned how to use his three spirit fields. He then tried refining a Greenwood Needle again and succeeded in carving its Windbreaking Pattern, initiating his Artifact Refining Skill.

• Xu Changqing harvested 1,080 stalks of Mutated Child Rice, gaining twenty-nine years of lifespan, and left the Mutated Mother Rice intact for its Double Yield effect.
• Xu Changqing decided to resume planting after the New Year, assigning his three spirit fields to Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice, Mutated Spirit Rice, and fruits, vegetables, and cooking ingredients.
• Xu Changqing entered the artifact refining room and began refining a Greenwood Needle using Chi Huos, molten iron, and Greenwood Vine.
• Xu Changqing carved the Windbreaking Pattern into the Greenwood Needle, which trembled and hummed as his status panel showed that his Artifact Refining Skill had reached Initiation.