Chapter Summaries

Xu Changqing learned about the previous owner of his plot and agreed to help a troubled prince pass the Spirit Fields assessment in exchange for substantial rewards. Yu Caiqing concluded that Li Sancai was using the arrangement to bring Xu Changqing and Li Lingbi together.

• Li Chun told Xu Changqing that the previous owner, Lan Xin, had died of old age and left a mortal family in Profound Heart City.
• Li Sancai explained that Li Lingbi wanted Xu Changqing to help a prince with Soul-Loss Syndrome pass the Spirit Fields assessment so he could join the Dongting Immortal Sect.
• Li Sancai offered Xu Changqing the prince’s Grade-Two Spirit Field, annual spirit-stone payments, and other benefits if he succeeded.
• Xu Changqing agreed to handle the assessment, and Li Sancai departed.
• Xu Changqing told Yu Caiqing about the arrangement, and she guessed that Li Sancai was matchmaking him with Li Lingbi.

Xu Changqing gathered investment funds and arranged for Lin An to seek out spirit farmers growing Yang-Pole Medicinal Materials, then agreed to brew Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine for Chu Qiu. After examining the recipe, Xu Changqing chose to spend a year of lifespan to improve his brewing skill.

• Hu Bugui told Xu Changqing he had gathered 5,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, while Zhao Ziyue could provide about 3,000, and mentioned that Chu Qiu wanted to meet him.
• Xu Changqing asked Lin An to find spirit farmers growing Yang-Pole Medicinal Materials.
• Chu Qiu arrived injured and disfigured, explaining that Mo Cha's Poison Fire Spiritual Root had left him and Crane Seven badly wounded.
• Chu Qiu gave Xu Changqing the recipe and ingredients for Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine, which he wanted to brew to treat their injuries.
• Xu Changqing studied the recipe, saw the wine's effects on his attribute panel, and chose to spend a year of lifespan to improve it.

Xu Changqing brewed his first batch of Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine and learned it would take at least seven days to mature, while Chu Qiu faced a tight deadline before the Formal Disciple Grand Competition. Xu Changqing arranged to buy Yang-Pole Medicinal Materials and was summoned by Bai Ling'er to the Water-Control Pavilion to discuss cooperation.

• Xu Changqing waited two days before brewing Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine, carefully balancing its ingredients and setting the batch aside to ferment for at least seven days.
• Xu Changqing told Chu Qiu the wine would not be ready before the Formal Disciple Grand Competition began, and they discussed Pei Mo's possible return and Xu Changqing's decision not to compete.
• Xu Changqing learned from Lin An that twenty-eight Spirit Farmers cultivated Yang-Pole Medicinal Materials, and he instructed Lin An to contract with the six willing to sell.
• Bai Ling'er contacted Xu Changqing and told him her father wanted to meet at the Water-Control Pavilion to discuss cooperation.

Xu Changqing brought Chu Qiu to Water-Control Pavilion to discuss cooperation with Bai Xiaotian, where they discovered a Black Tortoise had replaced the Soaring Serpent in Black Lake. Bai Xiaotian revealed that Bai Ling'er had pressured him into meeting Xu Changqing and asked Xu to take her home after the Formal Disciple Grand Competition.

• Xu Changqing and Chu Qiu flew to Water-Control Pavilion and saw a silent Black Tortoise in Black Lake where the Soaring Serpent had been.
• Bai Ling'er welcomed Xu Changqing and Chu Qiu, accepted Xu's snacks, and led them into Water-Control Pavilion.
• Water-Control Pavilion disciples recognized Chu Qiu and whispered about his burned face, while he remained focused on healing himself and Lord Crane Seven and getting revenge on Mo Cha.
• Bai Xiaotian called Xu Changqing into a soundproof room and complained that Bai Ling'er had been chanting Xu's name and hounding him to agree to a meeting.
• Bai Xiaotian told Xu Changqing that he still had no interest in their cooperation, but asked him to take Bai Ling'er home after the Formal Disciple Grand Competition.

Xu Changqing and Bai Xiaotian agreed to cooperate on making spirit talismans, while Chu Qiu confronted Lan Tian about his fear of Mo Cha. After returning to the Spirit Fields, Xu Changqing cultivated with the Wood Qi drawn from his plants as Chu Qiu watched.

• Xu Changqing told Bai Xiaotian he already had a Dao companion, then negotiated a talisman-making partnership with him, settling on a profit split of seven parts for himself, two for Bai Xiaotian, and one for Bai Ling'er.
• Xu Changqing and Bai Xiaotian signed a Spirit Talisman Contract requiring them to provide materials and make talismans, with heavy compensation for breaking the agreement.
• Xu Changqing and Chu Qiu found Lan Tian waiting outside; Chu Qiu warned him not to enter the Formal Disciple Grand Competition unless he could overcome his fear of Mo Cha.
• Chu Qiu described Mo Cha as a vicious fighter who acted like a wild beast, and Xu Changqing connected his extremity to the harsh Northern Domain.
• Xu Changqing and Chu Qiu returned to the Spirit Fields, where Chu Qiu stayed to wait for Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine.
• Xu Changqing cultivated by drawing Wood Qi from the four mu of Spirit Fields, using Supreme-Grade Yellow Rice Wine and a Supreme-Grade Foundation Pill to boost his absorption.

Xu Changqing arrived at the Outer Spirit Fields to assess the newly recruited Wood Spirit Root disciples and sought out Mo Yin, a prince of the Black Rust Dynasty with Soul-Loss Syndrome. He woke Mo Yin, who panicked at the sight of him.

• Xu Changqing received Li Sancai’s message that the new disciples had arrived and promised to take special care of the foolish prince.
• Xu Changqing prepared meals for his household, then flew to the Outer Spirit Fields while Chu Qiu headed toward the Earth Vein entrance.
• Xu Changqing greeted the outer sect disciples and met Lin Ya, the Formal Disciple assigned to oversee the Spirit Fields.
• Xu Changqing asked Lin Ya to take him to Mo Yin, whom he found asleep in the room where Xu Changqing had once lived.
• Xu Changqing shook Mo Yin awake, and the frightened prince flailed on the bed when he saw a stranger beside him.

Xu Changqing coaxed the confused Mo Yin out to his Spirit Field and ended up planting seedlings before hundreds of watching outer sect disciples. After Xu Changqing left Mo Yin alone for the night, Mo Yin dropped his foolish act and suspected that Xu Changqing had ulterior motives.

• Xu Changqing used a Soundproof Talisman and Wood Spiritual Power to calm Mo Yin, then fed him snacks when he said he was hungry.
• Xu Changqing lured Mo Yin to the Grade-One Spirit Field, where Mo Yin ate snacks while Xu Changqing planted seedlings for him.
• Hundreds of outer sect disciples gathered to watch Xu Changqing teach planting, and Lin Ya admired his kindness.
• Xu Changqing finished planting by evening, took Mo Yin back to the room, and worried about what would happen to him if he became a formal disciple.
• After Xu Changqing left, Mo Yin rose with a sharp expression and said he suspected Xu Changqing had ulterior motives.

Xu Changqing joined Hu Bugui, Zhao Ziyue, and Chu Qiu to watch the Formal Disciple Grand Competition at Foundry Peak, where they reunited with several acquaintances and met Han Xin, who was confident in her array skills. The competition was about to begin, with its preliminary battles scheduled to run for weeks.

• Yu Caiqing told Xu Changqing she would not enter the competition because her strength would make it unfair, and explained that her travels for medicinal ingredients had forced her to face danger alone.
• Xu Changqing checked that his Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine was fermenting properly, then met Hu Bugui, Zhao Ziyue, and Chu Qiu and flew with them toward Foundry Peak.
• On the way, Hu Bugui talked about buying a flying shuttle someday, and Zhao Ziyue teased him for talking big before getting rich.
• At Foundry Peak, Xu Changqing and his companions saw Li Sancai, Han Xin, and Zhang Xue; Li Sancai approached them, while Zhang Xue greeted them from a distance.
• Han Xin collected the ten jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine Xu Changqing had brought and claimed that her array could hold off even Li Lingbi once she finished setting it up.
• The group went to the nine arenas, where Xu Changqing saw the unopened rune-covered scrolls that would determine the competition's battle schedule.

Xu Changqing and his companions watched the Formal Disciple Grand Competition as five Golden Core True Persons arrived to oversee it and choose potential disciples. Li Sancai was called to fight Zhao Ben on arena seven.

• Li Sancai learned he would face Zhao Ben on arena seven and resolved to prove himself despite his Wood Spirit Root.
• Su Jinli, Qingxiao, Qin Baili, Jiang Bo, and Xuan Yuan arrived as the five Golden Core True Persons overseeing the competition.
• Hu Bugui and Zhao Ziyue discussed whether they might be chosen, while Xu Changqing encouraged Li Sancai and Chu Qiu advised him to seek out his opponent's weaknesses.
• Xu Changqing checked that their franchisees and partners were setting up stalls, and Hu Bugui said he had secured help from Metal Spiritual Root disciples maintaining Order.
• The arena battles began, and Li Sancai was called to fight Zhao Ben on arena seven.

Li Sancai faced Zhao Ben in the Formal Disciple Grand Competition and won despite their opposing spirit roots, using a hidden spirit artifact to turn the fight around. The match ended with Zhao Ben eliminated, while five Golden Core True Persons dismissed the battle as insignificant.

• Li Sancai went to Arena No. 7 and faced Zhao Ben, a Foundation Establishment Early Stage fire spirit root cultivator.
• Zhao Ben burned Li Sancai's seed attack and injured his arms with fire serpents, but Li Sancai used his movement technique to get behind him.
• Zhao Ben detected Li Sancai with Spiritual Sense and struck at him, but stepped on the hidden Three-Pattern Greenwood Needle concealed in the ash.
• Li Sancai explained that he had hidden the spirit artifact among the seeds, and Zhao Ben conceded after his foot was pierced.
• Li Sancai won and gained a point, while Zhao Ben lost his last point and was eliminated.
• Five Golden Core True Persons watched the match and called the cultivators below Golden Core ants.

After Li Sancai won his battle, Xu Changqing left the arena for the Outer Spirit Fields, where he helped new disciples and found Mo Yin planting rice seedlings badly and behaving erratically. He forcibly took Mo Yin back, while the surrounding disciples wondered why the Immortal Sect had accepted someone they considered a fool.

• Li Sancai declined a celebration because his injuries needed treatment and his battle tactics had been exposed.
• Xu Changqing met Han Su, explained that Earth Spirit Root disciples had loosened his fields, and promised to seek Han Su's help in summer.
• Xu Changqing arrived at the Outer Spirit Fields and answered the new disciples' questions about planting Spirit Rice.
• Xu Changqing found Mo Yin planting seedlings haphazardly, then destroying them and rolling in the mud while calling two seedlings his parents.
• Xu Changqing lured Mo Yin with snacks and dragged him back as the other disciples laughed and discussed Mo Yin's background.

Xu Changqing arranged for Mo Yin to become a formal disciple in the first quarter and cultivated in the Grade-One Spirit Fields. He delivered Iceheart Wine to Chu Qiu, who asked Xu Changqing to protect him.

• Xu Changqing told Mo Yin he would help plant his seedlings so Mo Yin could enter the Spirit Field Core and become a formal disciple.
• Xu Changqing confirmed with Lin Ya that Lu Yuanyuan already knew about Mo Yin, and promised to plant enough rice seedlings to meet the one-thousand-jin requirement.
• Xu Changqing absorbed Wood Qi in the Grade-One Spirit Fields using a Supreme-Grade Foundation Pill and Supreme-Grade Yellow Rice Wine, causing nearby disciples to move away as the Wood Qi diminished.
• Xu Changqing gave Chu Qiu a jin of Iceheart Wine and advised him to drink it during the day.
• Chu Qiu thanked Xu Changqing and asked him to protect him.

Xu Changqing helped Chu Qiu use Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine to purge the poison fire in his body and restore his Water Spiritual Power. Chu Qiu left owing Xu Changqing a debt of gratitude, while Yu Caiqing watched Xu Changqing with newfound respect.

• Xu Changqing prepared a soundproofed mud house while Chu Qiu drank the Masterful Tier Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine and endured the clash of cold and heat.
• Chu Qiu used the Max-Level Water Transformation Formula to refine the wine’s coldness into Water Spiritual Power as the poison fire left his body.
• Chu Qiu thanked Xu Changqing, said he planned to make Mo Cha pay, and gave Xu Changqing 3,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Chu Qiu promised to remember Xu Changqing’s kindness and flew away on a Flying Paper Crane.
• Yu Caiqing watched Xu Changqing from the stone house’s balcony and reconsidered his abilities in farming, Spirit Cuisine, and wine brewing.

Hu Bugui fought Wang Qian in the Formal Disciple Grand Competition and won by hurling Spirit Beast Manure at him. After the spectators and elders reacted with disgust, Xu Changqing, Zhao Ziyue, and Li Sancai confronted Hu Bugui as they left Foundry Peak.

• Xu Changqing and his companions cheered Hu Bugui on as he entered Arena No. 3 to face Foundation Establishment cultivator Wang Qian.
• Hu Bugui ignored Wang Qian's demand that he surrender and threw fresh Spirit Beast Manure across the arena.
• Wang Qian was overcome by the stench, vomited, and surrendered, giving Hu Bugui the win.
• The spectators recoiled, while Jiang Bo, Xuan Yuan's projection, Su Jinli, and Qingxiao reacted to Hu Bugui's unusual fighting method.
• Hu Bugui collected the manure and called after Xu Changqing, Zhao Ziyue, and Li Sancai, who hurried away from the arena.
• Zhao Ziyue challenged Hu Bugui's choice of weapon, and Hu Bugui insisted he had successfully drawn attention.

Xu Changqing inspected the Spirit Fields in the spring rain before returning home and finding Pei Mo waiting for him. Pei Mo described his gains and hardships in the Central Region and planned to enter the Formal Disciple Grand Competition before returning to the battlefield.

• Xu Changqing carefully inspected the Spirit Fields in the rain and confirmed that the seedlings in Mo Yin's field were growing well.
• Xu Changqing returned home and discovered that Pei Mo had come back after nearly two years away.
• Pei Mo explained that he had endured eighteen days in a Meat-Simmering Blood Pool, strengthening his body and reaching Foundation Establishment Late Stage in spiritual power.
• Pei Mo told Xu Changqing that the Central Region Battlefield was perilous and that he planned to enter the Formal Disciple Grand Competition before returning there.
• Pei Mo remarked on how much Xu Changqing's home and Spirit Fields had changed, and Xu Changqing brushed off the comment.

Xu Changqing’s guidance helped a record thirteen outer sect disciples pass the first-quarter assessment, and twelve of them entered the Spirit Field Core. The new disciples pledged their loyalty to Xu Changqing and chose to settle as near to his remote Spirit Field as they could.

• Luo Bucheng, Xu Changqing, and Lin Ya oversaw the assessment, where Lord Jin harvested the Spirit Rice and thirteen outer sect disciples passed.
• Xu Changqing gave twelve successful disciples copies of Myriad Records of Spirit Fields and Communication Talismans, and they promised to regard him as their leader.
• Li Sancai took the thirteenth successful disciple, Mo Yin, away earlier as a special case.
• Luo Bucheng brought the twelve new disciples to the Spirit Field Core, where Flower Elder welcomed them and let them choose their Spirit Field locations.
• The new disciples decided to choose the locations closest to Xu Changqing’s remote Spirit Field.

Xu Changqing harvested his Spirit Fields, gaining 46,334 days of lifespan, and discovered a failed mutation that could help the Earth-Origin Fruit grow. After harvesting the dangerous Scarlet Gold Thunder Marrow Grass, he had 656 years of lifespan and headed to make lunch.

• Xu Changqing harvested the first acre of Spirit Fields, gaining 13,516 days of lifespan, but found no mutated plants there.
• Xu Changqing harvested the Mutated Child Rice, and the final stalk mutated into Earth-Eroding Brown-Glow Mutated Rice with corrosive grains and an aura that accelerated earth-attributed spirit plants.
• Xu Changqing transplanted the failed mutation beside the Earth-Origin Fruit so its special effect could help the fruit grow.
• Xu Changqing harvested the Golden Crow Vine, then used Black Iron Vine to drain the lightning from the Scarlet Gold Thunder Marrow Grass before harvesting it.
• Xu Changqing gained 46,334 days of lifespan from the harvest, bringing his remaining lifespan to 656 years, and decided to cook sesame oil fried eggs and spicy stir-fried cabbage.

Xu Changqing received a new Grade-Two Spirit Field and discussed his growing influence and close relationship with Li Sancai. Yu Caiqing completed the mutation of her Ice-Water Spirit Root into an Ice Spirit Root, though she planned to visit less often while preparing a pill to restore her body and pursue Golden Core.

• Li Sancai delivered Xu Changqing a deed for a Grade-Two Spirit Field and explained that factional control limited assessments to one opportunity every ten years.
• Xu Changqing declined Li Sancai's offer of three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, strengthening their bond, and considered making him a versatile spirit artifact.
• Xu Changqing paid off the Earth Spirit Root team and sent them away so Han Su could later loosen the soil.
• Yu Caiqing arrived with a body radiating intense cold, and she and Xu Changqing spent the evening cultivating together until she stored the cold air in her qi sea.
• Yu Caiqing's Ice-Water Spirit Root fully mutated into an Ice Spirit Root, allowing her to refine the Yin-Yang Interweaving Pill and prepare for a Golden Core breakthrough.
• Yu Caiqing told Xu Changqing she would visit less while preparing the pill, but stayed with him that night.

Xu Changqing lived alone again while managing his spirit fields and increasing Spirit Rice Wine sales, then visited the Rogue Cultivator Market to buy rice and search for bargains. There, he found new Earth-attribute goods and a map of Huang Yuanhua's Cave Abode, and asked whether the Demon-Hunting Teams had finished exploring it.

• Xu Changqing adjusted to living alone, considered breeding Wangwang, and arranged for Fortress to feed the animals while he prepared three thousand jin of Spirit Rice Wine for Sun Peng.
• Xu Changqing visited Foundry Peak and observed the Formal Disciple Grand Competition rankings, where Chu Qiu had risen to prominence while Lan Tian had fallen out of the top ten.
• Xu Changqing traveled to the Rogue Cultivator Market in disguise, checked rice prices, and bought one thousand jin of Quality-Grade Second-Grade Spirit Rice.
• Xu Changqing found new Earth-attribute items and a detailed map of Huang Yuanhua's Cave Abode at a trading house, then asked whether the Demon-Hunting Teams had finished exploring it.

Xu Changqing learned that Huang Yuanhua's Cave Abode had been fully explored and collected preserved seeds from Sun Peng while settling their business. After showing Sun Peng supreme-grade pills, Xu Changqing heard that the Rogue Cultivator Market was too small for large-scale sales, and Sun Peng proposed expanding into Profound Heart City with the Long Clan.

• Xu Changqing learned that Wang had led the demon-hunting teams to explore Huang Yuanhua's Cave Abode and declined an offer to visit it.
• Xu Changqing met Sun Peng and received his share of the Spirit Rice Wine profits, along with seven preserved seeds from the cave abode.
• Xu Changqing showed Sun Peng a Supreme Labor-Strength Pill and a Supreme-Grade Foundation Pill and named his asking prices.
• Sun Peng said the Sun Clan could buy small quantities but advised Xu Changqing to sell larger quantities in Profound Heart City.
• Sun Peng offered to help Xu Changqing enter Profound Heart City's market through the Sun Clan's connection to the Long Clan, asking for ten percent of the profits.