Chapter Summaries

Xu Changqing negotiated with Sun Peng over selling supreme-grade pills, then visited the auction house and became interested in a Four Seasons Fruit Tree. The tree’s price was reduced after the crowd protested, leaving the auction about to begin.

• Xu Changqing agreed to let Sun Peng’s clan buy some of his supreme-grade pills and sell the remainder through Changqing Wine Shop.
• Xu Changqing decided to ask Senior Brother Chu about Profound Heart City before choosing whether to cooperate further with the Sun Clan and the Long Clan.
• Xu Changqing attended the evening auction but showed no interest in the damaged Everlasting Soft Sleeves, which a masked female Rogue Cultivator bought.
• The auction host introduced the Four Seasons Fruit Tree, but its two-hundred-Mid-Grade-Spirit-Stone starting price drew complaints from the crowd.
• The host consulted the seller and announced that the Four Seasons Fruit Tree’s starting bid had been lowered to one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Xu Changqing won the Four Seasons Fruit Tree sapling for 300 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, hoping his Verdant Touch Finger could mutate it. He watched the Jade Dew Spirit Sprout auction end with the Lei Family claiming the tea tree for 1,240 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

• After the Four Seasons Fruit Tree bidding resumed at half price, Xu Changqing outbid Liu Sang and bought the sapling for 300 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xu Changqing considered the valuable mutations the Four Seasons Fruit Tree might undergo through his Verdant Touch Finger.
• The host introduced a Jade Dew Spirit Sprout tea tree, prompting speculation that its seller was connected to the Jade Dew Sect, which had been destroyed thirty years earlier.
• Xu Changqing declined to bid as the Jade Dew Spirit Sprout price climbed beyond his means.
• A representative in a VIP room asked bidders to give the Lei Family face, and the Lei Family secured the tea tree for 1,240 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Xu Changqing learned from Xiao Taohong how her old lover had been injured while exploring Huang Yuanhua's cave dwelling, then examined the man and identified his condition as Yellow Baleful Affliction. He left Xiao Taohong with hope by explaining that the cure was to dispel the Baleful Intent, not use medicinal pills.

• Xu Changqing met Xiao Taohong at Fragrant Invitation Pavilion and offered her a Low-Grade Spirit Stone for explaining why she had returned.
• Xiao Taohong told Xu Changqing that her old lover had been captured and forced to explore Huang Yuanhua's cave dwelling, where he escaped badly injured.
• Xiao Taohong took Xu Changqing to her room, where her old lover lay in a dreadful condition.
• Xu Changqing identified the man's illness as Yellow Baleful Affliction and said it could be treated by dispelling the Baleful Intent.

Xu Changqing explained how Xiao Taohong could treat the man afflicted by Yellow Baleful Intent, then returned to the Dongting Immortal Sect after buying a fire technique at the Rogue Cultivator Market. There, he found Zhao Ziyue fighting to stay in the Formal Disciple Grand Competition.

• Xu Changqing told Xiao Taohong to isolate the afflicted man in a cypress coffin and place bowls of water with old copper coins at its corners.
• Xu Changqing visited the trading house and bought the incomplete Greenwood Fire-Kindling Technique for fifteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Xu Changqing boarded the Giant Flying Sword and returned to the Dongting Immortal Sect, where he saw Zhao Ziyue fighting on an arena platform.
• Hu Bugui and Li Sancai told Xu Changqing that Zhao Ziyue had only one point left and would be eliminated if he lost.
• Xu Changqing watched Zhao Ziyue and Li Mengyang unleash water- and fire-based techniques in a fierce battle on Arena Number Five.

Zhao Ziyue used his Water Curtain Art to nearly defeat Li Mengyang, but Li Mengyang revealed a Scorching Flame Vine and won after Zhao conceded. Afterward, Xu Changqing decided to forge Li Sancai a defensive spirit artifact to help him prepare for the knockout stage.

• Zhao Ziyue concealed Li Mengyang in a watery haze and struck him with water arrows, but Li Mengyang protected himself with a shield of flame.
• Zhao Ziyue froze much of the arena, but Li Mengyang broke free with his Scorching Flame Vine, prompting Zhao to concede the match.
• Xu Changqing, Hu Bugui, and Li Sancai comforted Zhao Ziyue after his elimination, and Li Sancai said his next match would be next month.
• Xu Changqing asked Li Sancai what kind of spirit artifact he wanted and learned that he preferred a defensive one.
• Xu Changqing silently resolved to forge a spirit artifact for Li Sancai.

Xu Changqing chose to refine a Wood Spirit Return Ring and had Lin An procure the rare Wood Spirit Marrow it required. Lin An also reported on the Formal Disciple Grand Competition and changes at the Spirit Field Core, while Xu Changqing's quiet kindness left him deeply moved.

• Xu Changqing selected the Wood Spirit Return Ring as Li Sancai's second spirit artifact and asked Lin An to obtain a complete piece of hundred-year Wood Spirit Marrow.
• Lin An found the Wood Spirit Marrow after searching several spirit farmers and the Farmer's Heart Society trading point, then joined Xu Changqing for dinner.
• Lin An reported that Hu Bugui, Zhao Ziyue, Bai Ling'er, and Bai Zhuer had been eliminated from the competition, while Chu Qiu, Li Sancai, and Zhang Xue had advanced.
• Lin An told Xu Changqing that the Rong Family and Zhang Family were maneuvering amid changes in Spirit Field Core management, and that Xu Linshan and the others were building momentum for Xu Changqing.
• Lin An returned to his hut, saw that Xu Changqing had replaced his bed and furniture, and became tearful at Xu Changqing's considerate treatment of him.

Xu Changqing refined two High-Grade Wood Spirit Return Rings, inscribing five runes that gave them defensive, restorative, and combat abilities. After binding one ring to himself, he emerged at night and prepared to test the set’s effects.

• Xu Changqing shaped emerald jade rings, processed Wood Spirit Marrow, and repeatedly heated and quenched the materials until five spirit runes appeared.
• He inscribed the Wood Spirit, Homing, Barrier, Rotation, and Endless Renewal Runes on the first ring, completing it after two hours.
• Xu Changqing refined a second ring and bound it to himself; its five runes granted the set effects including wooden spikes, a slowing toxin, an explosive sphere, and a healing shield.
• After leaving the basement at night, Xu Changqing gave Wangwang a pork leg bone and revealed the three rings on his wrist to test them.

Xu Changqing tested the Wood Spirit Return Ring’s defensive and offensive abilities, then gave it to Li Sancai for the Formal Disciple Grand Competition. Li Sancai revealed that he had recommended Xu Changqing for an upcoming position in the Spirit Field Core.

• Xu Changqing had the Fortress attack his shield to test how long the Wood Spirit Return Ring could withstand blows in both worn and unworn modes.
• Xu Changqing tested the rings’ stored energy by blasting a rock into dust with a green sphere, then apologized to Wangwang and the Pearl Chicken for waking them.
• Xu Changqing flew to Li Sancai’s Spirit Fields and gave him the Wood Spirit Return Ring for the competition.
• Li Sancai told Xu Changqing that Li Chun’s position in the Spirit Field Core had changed and that he had recommended Xu Changqing for the opening.

Xu Changqing learned more about the Spirit Field Core’s hierarchy and returned to helping the outer disciples with their crops. He planted a Four Seasons Fruit Tree sapling and used the Companion Green Lotus to rapidly grow it into a person-tall tree, leaving it poised to bear summer’s Flamefire Fruit.

• Li Sancai told Xu Changqing that Flower Elder usually managed the Spirit Fields, while the Grain Lord and Si Geng lived on Immortal Peak, and revealed that Li Chun was a Spirit Cultivator.
• Xu Changqing considered the possible competition for the Spirit Cultivator position but decided to keep a low profile and see what happened.
• Xu Changqing flew to the Outer Spirit Fields, where hundreds of disciples eagerly asked him to examine their Spirit Rice, while Lin Ya envied his popularity.
• Xu Changqing remembered the Four Seasons Fruit Tree sapling he had auctioned and retrieved it from the Jade-Green Gourd.
• Xu Changqing planted the sapling in the pit left by his Wood Spirit Return Ring, nourished it with Black Soil and Spirit Spring water, then used the Companion Green Lotus to grow it into a person-tall tree.

Xu Changqing used his cultivation resources and the Wood Qi from his Spirit Fields to break through to Foundation Establishment Late Stage, then tested his enhanced abilities. He decided to conceal his progress for now and celebrated with a feast.

• Xu Changqing absorbed Wood Qi until his Wood Spiritual Power transformed and he reached Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
• Xu Changqing tested his Spiritual Sense, which now covered a hundred-meter radius, and found that his Companion Green Lotus had doubled in size and could sustain its domain longer.
• Xu Changqing used the Wood Spirit Return Rings to fire a hundred wooden spikes, leaving deep holes in the ground while consuming relatively little Wood Spiritual Power.
• Xu Changqing decided to delay announcing his breakthrough so he would not draw attention or appear too conspicuous.
• Xu Changqing went to the kitchen to prepare a celebratory feast, drawing Wangwang, the Pearl Chicken, and the Fire Crow to the doorway.

Xu Changqing sampled the Fire Qi-rich Flamefire Fruit and was summoned to Flat-Top Mountain by Li Sancai. Flower Elder announced that Xu Changqing had been chosen as the next Spirit Cultivator Envoy.

• Xu Changqing tasted a Flamefire Fruit and considered using the fruit and his yang-attribute herbs to refine Scarlet Yang Pills and improve his Fire Spiritual Power.
• The Fire Crow alerted Xu Changqing to Li Sancai's arrival, and Li Sancai brought him to Flat-Top Mountain palace at Flower Elder's request.
• Xu Changqing and Li Sancai reached the palace, where cultivators and family representatives had gathered to hear the Spirit Cultivator Envoy selection result.
• Flower Elder announced that Xu Changqing would become the next Spirit Cultivator Envoy.

Xu Changqing was appointed Spirit-Nurturing Envoy by the Grain Lord’s authority, despite Rong Yan’s objection. He received a token that granted access to the core area and revealed the Earth Grade Four Seasons Scripture, then emerged to find hundreds of Spirit Farmers greeting him.

• Xu Changqing was named Spirit-Nurturing Envoy, while Zhang Su joined Li Sancai and Rong Yan realized the Zhang Family had sided with the Li Family.
• Rong Yan challenged the appointment, but Flower Elder explained that the Grain Lord held the authority to decide, ending further objections.
• Flower Elder told Xu Changqing that his record-breaking work as an examiner had drawn the Grain Lord’s attention and offered him the right to change locations; Xu Changqing chose to stay where he was.
• Xu Changqing bound the Spirit-Nurturing Envoy Token with his blood and spiritual sense, receiving the Earth Grade Four Seasons Scripture through it.
• Xu Changqing left the palace and was greeted by hundreds of Spirit Farmers, including Li Chun, Li Sancai, Zhang Su, and Xu Linshan.

Xu Changqing mastered the Greenwood Fire-Kindling Technique, greatly boosting his fire abilities, and tested its power outside his home. He then went to his alchemy room to try refining Scarlet Yang Pills with the improved technique.

• Xu Changqing used Supreme-Grade Yellow Rice Wine to learn the Greenwood Fire-Kindling Technique, then spent nine years of lifespan raising it to Level Five and gaining a Greenwood Fire Domain.
• Xu Changqing tested the technique with the Blazing Sun Finger, which sent a flame more than thirty meters and carved a scorching trench through the land.
• Xu Changqing restored the tested area with the Green Lotus Domain and returned home after roughly half an hour.
• Xu Changqing went to the alchemy room with Flamefire Fruits and began making Scarlet Yang Pills from Flamefire Fruits, Scarlet Sun Flowers, and Fire Spirit Sand.
• Xu Changqing combined the ingredients in the Starfall Secret-Gold Cauldron, added spring water to the mixture, and covered the cauldron as it reacted violently.

Xu Changqing successfully refined Scarlet Yang Pills and raised them to the Masterful Tier, discovering that they could strengthen his Fire Spiritual Root but also cause fire poison. He used Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine to counter the poison and began taking pills in excess of the normal limit, ending as intense heat surged through his body.

• Xu Changqing finished refining the Scarlet Yang Pills, producing three pills and discovering their effects, including a chance to develop a Scarlet Sun Mark.
• Xu Changqing spent five years of lifespan to raise the Scarlet Yang Pills to the Masterful Tier, which limited consumption to three pills per month because of fire poison.
• Xu Changqing realized Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine could remove fire poison and began producing more pills while continuing his daily routine.
• Xu Changqing tested a Scarlet Yang Pill and found that his Yellow Flame made the Poplar Tree tremble, revealing that it feared his fire.
• Xu Changqing drank Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine as he consumed five Scarlet Yang Pills, exceeding the normal limit as surging heat churned through his body.

Xu Changqing endured the clash of seven Scarlet Yang Pills and Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine, gaining an additional fire-affinity effect on his Thunderfire Spiritual Root. After learning that Li Lingbi had returned and wanted to meet the next day, Xu Changqing placed his Companion Green Lotus beneath the poplar tree to repay its help.

• Xu Changqing used Iceheart Jade-Flask Wine to counter the heat from the Scarlet Yang Pills and consumed a total of seven while guiding their clashing effects with the Nine-Flame Profound Art.
• The poplar tree released cool air to ease Xu Changqing's suffering, and his Thunderfire Spiritual Root gained Fire Attribute Affinity +10%.
• Xu Changqing received a message from Senior Brother Li that Ling Bi had returned from the Central Region and wanted to meet the following day.
• Xu Changqing decided to warn Senior Brother Ling Bi that Mo Cha might cause trouble.
• Xu Changqing placed his Companion Green Lotus beneath the poplar tree, whose growth accelerated under the Green Lotus Domain.

Xu Changqing used the Green Lotus Domain to transform a poplar tree, which also caused new shoots to grow across Fortress. The next morning, he and Li Sancai visited Li Lingbi at Water-Control Pavilion, where Li Sancai asked whether Li Lingbi had returned to pursue an Earth-Grade Golden Core.

• Xu Changqing strengthened the poplar tree with the Green Lotus Domain until it grew taller than the stone house and began gathering pure Wood Qi.
• Xu Changqing discovered that Fortress had sprouted tender shoots across its body after absorbing Wood Qi from the transformed tree.
• The next morning, Xu Changqing carried twenty jin of Supreme-Grade Spirit Rice Wine and joined Li Sancai on a trip to Water-Control Pavilion.
• Xu Changqing and Li Sancai arrived at the pavilion, where disciples were discussing Li Lingbi's return and his plans to pursue an Earth-Grade Golden Core.
• Li Lingbi greeted Xu Changqing and Li Sancai, and Li Sancai asked whether he had returned to prepare for seclusion and a breakthrough.

Li Lingbi returned to Water-Control Pavilion to prepare for seclusion and a breakthrough to an Earth-Grade Golden Core, distributing promised resources to Xu Changqing and Li Sancai. Xu Changqing then visited Bai Xiaotian about talisman production, fled after irritating him, and encountered Bai Ling'er outside.

• Li Lingbi said he had gathered the resources he needed to cultivate in seclusion and promised to help Xu Changqing and Li Sancai when they pursued Golden Core breakthroughs.
• Li Lingbi gave Xu Changqing three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and the core parts of two demons, then gave Li Sancai ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, four demons' core parts, and an Azurewood Mysterious Crane egg.
• Xu Changqing went to the third floor to meet Bai Xiaotian, who reported that he had made five hundred talismans from Xu Changqing's materials.
• Xu Changqing annoyed Bai Xiaotian by questioning the number of talismans, left in a hurry, and met Bai Ling'er outside.
• Bai Ling'er guessed that Bai Xiaotian had frightened Xu Changqing, and Xu Changqing confirmed it.

Xu Changqing earned the spirit farmers’ respect by patiently solving their cultivation problems, then entered the Spirit-Nurturer Envoys’ restricted archive and discovered its vast records on spirit plants and disasters. After absorbing too much information, he became dizzy and rested while still holding a jade pendant about forbidden spirit plants.

• Xu Changqing advised a young spirit farmer on reviving sickly spirit rice and patiently helped the farmers who gathered around him.
• Rong Yan’s attempt to provoke Xu Changqing failed, and the farmers’ favorable impression of the new Spirit-Nurturer Envoy grew.
• Flower Elder watched Xu Changqing’s conduct with approval as he entered a sealed room using his Spirit-Nurturer Envoy Token.
• Xu Changqing read records describing natural disasters, their timing, and methods for protecting the Spirit Fields.
• Xu Changqing realized Spirit-Nurturer Envoys monitored seasonal changes and studied the archive’s records on disasters and rare plants until exhaustion overcame him.
• Xu Changqing lay down on the room’s bed clutching a jade pendant titled Forbidden Register of Spirit Plants.

Xu Changqing read about forbidden spirit plants, techniques, and a dangerous forbidden land in the jade pendant, then left the palace after deciding to return and finish reading another time. On his way home, he saw Zhao Ying preparing for his newborn child and reflected on how immortality had left him still alone.

• Xu Changqing read descriptions of forbidden plants and taboo techniques, including the Spirit Plant Puppet Art, and fell asleep while studying.
• After waking refreshed, Xu Changqing read records about Spirit-Rot Valley, a forbidden land containing dangerous plants and the remnants of an Evil Cultivator's art.
• Xu Changqing returned the jade pendant and left the palace, where Flower Elder silently watched him go.
• Xu Changqing flew past Zhao Ying's Spirit Fields and saw Zhao Ying building a crib for his newborn child.
• Xu Changqing felt envy at Zhao Ying's family life and reflected that, despite his friends and past tenderness with Senior Sister Yu, he remained alone.

Xu Changqing discovered that Fortress was a Spirit Plant Puppet and examined the Puppet Art Rune embedded in its core. After memorizing the rune, he repaired and reduced Fortress, leaving its fate undecided until he could study the rune further.

• Xu Changqing returned home and found Fortress beneath the phosphorescent Poplar Tree, its body covered in new green shoots.
• Suspecting Fortress was a Spirit Plant Puppet, Xu Changqing ordered it to self-destruct and confirmed its identity when it began tearing itself apart.
• Xu Changqing inspected Fortress's exposed core and found a tree burl containing a trapped soul and a Puppet Art Rune.
• Xu Changqing used his Spiritual Sense to memorize the complex Puppet Art Rune, then repaired Fortress with his Wood Spiritual Power.
• Xu Changqing refined the cyan mist from Fortress, returned it to its compact form, and decided to postpone choosing its fate until he had studied the rune.