Chapter Summaries

Jiang Lu learned that the treasures Cutie sensed were gone, while Liu Qingqing entered a cave trial and received an inheritance that revealed her origins. Liu Qingqing returned having reached Foundation Establishment and insisted her senior brothers protect her so she would not have to cultivate.

• Cutie told Jiang Lu that the treasures it had sensed had disappeared, and Jiang Lu reassured it that the ancient books were what she needed.
• Liu Qingqing and the others entered a cavern of cave dwellings, where the Azure Mystic Daoist offered each of them a chance to obtain an opportunity by passing a trial.
• Liu Qingqing entered an inconspicuous cave, met the Azure Mystic Daoist, and learned during the trial that she was native to this world rather than a soul from Blue Star.
• Liu Qingqing passed the trial, received a cultivation technique inheritance, and gained enough power to reach Foundation Establishment.
• Liu Qingqing told Fu Yao she would not cultivate anymore, and her senior brothers agreed to protect her while Fu Yao left the matter to their master.

Jiang Lu ignored Azure Mystic Daoist’s objections and swept through the caves, taking their Heavenly Treasures with help from Cutie, Chi Li, and Cangchen. After Azure Mystic Daoist’s phantom began to vanish and the place changed, Jiang Lu encountered a level-two Thousand-Faced Demon Spider.

• Jiang Lu argued that the Heavenly Treasures should go to whoever could use them, and Azure Mystic Daoist eventually let her enter the caves.
• Jiang Lu broke a formation and claimed the high-grade spirit treasure Heavenly Heart Scroll.
• Cutie, Chi Li, and Cangchen helped Jiang Lu clear the caves of their treasures, leaving Azure Mystic Daoist shocked by their speed.
• Azure Mystic Daoist’s phantom dissipated after Jiang Lu collected the final cave’s treasures, and the surroundings began to change.
• Cangchen sensed a demon beast, and Jiang Lu prepared to face a level-two Thousand-Faced Demon Spider.

Jiang Lu killed the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider and escaped its cave, but demonic plants attacked her after she reached the exit. To avoid being recognized by Liu Qingqing's group, she used a Transformation Stone to conceal her appearance and strength.

• Jiang Lu and her spirit beasts distracted the Thousand-Faced Demon Spider, bound it, and cut it in two.
• Jiang Lu burned the spider's body and ran from the cave, while Liu Qingqing's group encountered a wall of demonic plants.
• Jiang Lu fled from the plants and spotted Liu Qingqing's group ahead, then turned away to avoid meeting them.
• The demonic plants redirected toward Liu Qingqing's group, giving Jiang Lu a chance to conceal herself with her Wood Spirit Root aura.
• Jiang Lu activated the one-use Transformation Stone, which became a red mole behind her ear and concealed her appearance and strength.

Jiang Lu watched Fu Yao’s group defeat the demon plants, then was discovered and pretended to be a young Rogue Cultivator named Jiang Ye. Fu Yao began questioning her about her age and Spiritual Roots, leaving Jiang Lu’s cover at risk.

• Fu Yao warned her companions about the Crazy Rock Vines, and her group fought the demon plants while a Light Spirit Root cultivator healed them.
• Lu Lingfeng used a gourd to unleash unusual fire that drove off or burned the demon plants.
• After the group recovered, Fu Yao found Jiang Lu hiding nearby and lifted her up to question her.
• Jiang Lu claimed she was a Rogue Cultivator named Jiang Ye and cried when Fu Yao asked whether she had a master.
• Fu Yao asked Jiang Lu how old she was and what Spiritual Roots she had.

Jiang Lu used the Chaos Spirit Root’s concealment to present herself as a thirteen-year-old with Mixed Spiritual Roots and Late Qi Refinement, persuading Fu Yao to invite her to the Flowing Cloud Sect. She arrived at the sect’s magnificent mountain gate, where its ancient power and spiritual aura overwhelmed her.

• Jiang Lu concealed her Chaos Spirit Root and used spirit stones to confirm her claimed age and display uneven Five-Element Spiritual Root purities.
• Fu Yao invited Jiang Lu to join the Flowing Cloud Sect without requiring her to take a new master, while Liu Qingqing questioned whether Jiang Lu’s identity was trustworthy.
• Fu Yao took Jiang Lu and the other disciples aboard a spirit boat for the three-day journey to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
• Jiang Lu traveled through the sect’s territory, grew curious about the spirit boat, and returned to her room when the karst landscape made her dizzy.
• The spirit boat reached the Flowing Cloud Sect, and Jiang Lu saw its imposing mountain gate and felt the sect’s powerful spiritual aura.

Fu Yao brought Jiang Lu into the Flowing Cloud Sect and showed her its magnificent mountain grounds. She then asked her master, the Sect Master, for permission to teach Jiang Lu personally, and he questioned what made the newcomer exceptional.

• Fu Yao led Jiang Lu through the sect's identity barrier and explained how disciples used their tokens to access different areas.
• Fu Yao and Jiang Lu rode spirit cranes through the sect, and Jiang Lu marveled at its palaces, floating peaks, and abundant spiritual energy.
• Fu Yao brought Jiang Lu to the main hall and paid respects to her master, while Jiang Lu felt the hall's many gazes upon her.
• Fu Yao asked the Sect Master of the Flowing Cloud Sect to let her take Jiang Lu by her side for instruction.
• The Sect Master expressed doubt that Jiang Lu had qualities worthy of Fu Yao's unusually high standards.

Jiang Ye became an inner sect disciple of Flowing Cloud Sect and settled at Jade Radiance Peak, while her master Ye Qing agreed to let her study there without revealing their connection. She began cultivating in the sect’s abundant spiritual energy and learned she would receive no task-based monthly resources until reaching Foundation Establishment.

• The sect leader found Jiang Ye’s future impossible to divine, examined her pure aura, and had Fu Yao keep her close by accepting her as a Jade Radiance Peak disciple.
• Fu Yao gave Jiang Ye a Jade Radiance token and leaf, and Cheng Xin showed her the inner sect residences and rules.
• Jiang Ye messaged Ye Qing about joining Flowing Cloud Sect, and he approved her stay while deciding to keep their master-disciple relationship secret for now.
• Jiang Ye settled into a secluded courtyard, cultivated with her Spirit Beasts nearby, and studied the sect rules.
• Cheng Xin summoned Jiang Ye to the Transmission Hall and explained that she could not take tasks or receive monthly resources until reaching Foundation Establishment.

Jiang Lu spent a month studying the Flowing Cloud Sect’s techniques, then cultivated until she reached Perfected Qi Refinement. She entered a Foundation Establishment cultivation cave and began preparing for her breakthrough.

• Jiang Lu entered the Transmission Hall and set herself the goal of reading every book there within a month, while Cheng Xin reported her diligence to Fu Yao.
• After a month of studying, Jiang Lu finished the techniques in the hall and returned to her courtyard to practice cultivation and swordsmanship.
• Jiang Lu advanced to the Eighth Level of Qi Refinement, then reached Perfected Qi Refinement after cultivating and practicing swordsmanship for several months.
• Jiang Lu chose to break through to Foundation Establishment without a pill and went to an inner sect cultivation cave suited for Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Jiang Lu set up a Spirit-Gathering Array in the cave and began absorbing the concentrated spiritual energy.

Jiang Lu successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm and discovered that her spiritual energy could briefly become invisible. She returned to her courtyard, considered whether to keep Chi Li and Cangchen, and organized her treasures and cultivation resources in her space.

• Jiang Lu broke through to Foundation Establishment and tested the changing forms of her spiritual energy, including a moment when it became invisible.
• Jiang Lu sensed that Chi Li and Cangchen had grown stronger and considered keeping them if they remained loyal and harmless.
• Cutie gave Jiang Lu treasures taken from Chi Li and Cangchen, and Jiang Lu stored the items before returning to her space with Cutie.
• Jiang Lu fed Cutie a Speech Pill and learned from Linglong that Lingxi was a Level Seven spiritual plant capable of taking human form.
• Jiang Lu let Linglong arrange the Heavenly Treasures, reviewed the Star River Sword Technique, and left her space.

After mastering six forms of the Star River Sword Technique, Jiang Lu helped Cutie pledge allegiance, allowing them to communicate without forming a contract. Five months had passed during her seclusion, and after reporting her Foundation Establishment breakthrough, Jiang Lu went to watch the Flowing Cloud Sect’s Disciple Grand Competition, where the alchemy contest began.

• Jiang Lu offered Cutie a Speech Pill, but Cutie instead pledged allegiance through a Heavenly Dao Blessing, letting Jiang Lu hear its thoughts without creating a contract.
• Cutie explained that Treasure-Seeking Mouses could pledge allegiance only once and would die if that allegiance were severed.
• Jiang Lu discovered that five months had passed and that the Disciple Grand Competition registration period had ended while she was in seclusion.
• Jiang Lu told her master she had reached Foundation Establishment, practiced the Star River Sword Technique, and planned to study more cultivation arts.
• Jiang Lu went to the Disciple Grand Competition and watched the alchemy contest begin as participating disciples selected spiritual plants.

Liu Qingqing entered the Foundation Establishment alchemy competition and produced six middle-grade pills using external spirit fire, while Jiang Lu watched and considered having her own pills assessed. Jiang Lu then explored the Poison Arts competition and spent the two-month Disciple Grand Competition learning from its events.

• Liu Qingqing competed in alchemy with a high-grade spirit-tool furnace, using a Spirit-Fire Gourd to provide the heat despite lacking Fire-Wood Spiritual Roots.
• Liu Qingqing refined six middle-grade pills, and an elder judged that her spirit-fire temperature control and pill-making steps were inadequate.
• Jiang Lu decided to have her own pills assessed and then went to watch the Poison Arts competition, resolving to learn the craft despite her unease around venomous creatures.
• Jiang Lu traveled between competitions throughout the two-month Disciple Grand Competition and gained a wealth of knowledge through her photographic memory.

Jiang Lu accepted an invitation to enter a major secret realm and began making poisons with venomous bugs, discovering that Linglong’s space might soon support living creatures. After preparing venom-coated weapons and building up poison resistance, she headed to the sect’s transport and spotted Liu Qingqing among the disciples.

• Yingchun told Jiang Lu about the ten-year secret realm trial, and Jiang Lu accepted an entry token and decided to participate.
• Linglong explained that the Jianmu was repairing Jiang Lu’s space, which would soon be able to hold living creatures.
• Jiang Lu used venomous bugs to make colorless, odorless poisons, accidentally poisoned herself, and then neutralized the toxin.
• Jiang Lu stored her poisons and venom-coated hidden weapons, took the three spirit beasts, and rode a spirit crane to the sect’s transport.
• Jiang Lu arrived where cultivators were gathering to travel to the secret realm and saw Liu Qingqing with several inner sect disciples.

Jiang Lu traveled to the Linlan Secret Realm, prepared by crafting talismans, and entered when the gate opened. She landed on three little spirit noons and found them unharmed.

• Liu Qingqing distributed pills to the disciples accompanying her while Jiang Lu boarded the spirit boat alone to cultivate.
• Jiang Lu crafted a stack of Tier 2 offensive talismans during the journey and later spotted the secret realm gate from the deck.
• The spirit boat arrived, and Jiang Lu leaped down to the designated landing area, then moved near Liu Qingqing.
• Four elders opened the Linlan Secret Realm, and Jiang Lu rushed inside with the other cultivators.
• Jiang Lu landed on three little spirit noons, climbed off them, and picked them up to check that they were okay.

Jiang Lu explored Cloudmist Mountain, gathering venomous insects and poisonous plants into her newly usable space. After nearly a month, she prepared to leave, prompting the mysterious creature watching her to reveal itself.

• Jiang Lu found Jade-Pattern Miasma Mosquitoes and learned that Linglong had eaten some magic treasures, allowing the space to store insects.
• Jiang Lu located the mosquitoes’ enormous nest and collected part of it, along with nearby plants and debris, into her space.
• Jiang Lu spent nearly a month exploring Cloudmist Mountain and gathered most of its venomous insects, beasts, and poisonous plants.
• A pair of red eyes watched Jiang Lu from the shadows, growing curious about her collections.
• When Jiang Lu tried to leave Cloudmist Mountain, the hidden creature appeared in front of her.

Jiang Lu encountered a tiny Frostblood Gu, accepted its recognition, and named it You Meng before sending it to manage her poisonous insects. She then headed toward a cliff behind Cloudmist Mountain, but her journey ended with an Ironlight Beast chasing her through the rocks.

• Jiang Lu spotted the tiny white Gu Insect that had been following her and let it recognize her as its master with a drop of blood.
• Jiang Lu learned that the creature was a Frostblood Gu and named it You Meng.
• Jiang Lu sent You Meng into her spatial dimension to raise and manage the poisonous insects there.
• Jiang Lu checked her map and flew toward a cliff behind Cloudmist Mountain in search of a fortuitous encounter.
• Jiang Lu crashed into an Ironlight Beast and ran as the tier-three demonic beast pursued her through the rocky terrain.

Jiang Lu defeated the Ironlight Beast and discovered a hidden cave-abode route beneath a cliff. She reached the stone stairs but found that a layered formation trapped anyone who entered.

• Jiang Lu used artifacts and Immobilization Talismans to distract and restrain the Ironlight Beast, then struck its brow and stored its body before fleeing with Chi Li and Cangchen.
• Jiang Lu overheard two disciples discuss a rumored cave abode beneath the cliff and learned that fierce winds prevented them from reaching it.
• Jiang Lu used her Wind Spiritual Root to follow the circulating winds down the cliff and locate carved stone steps.
• Jiang Lu stepped onto the stairs and discovered that a formation blocked the winds while a second formation drained the spiritual power of anyone who held the railing and advanced.

Jiang Lu crossed a collapsing stone bridge and reached the Second Chamber of Inscription Manor, where she found a vault full of treasures. Cutie, Chi Li, and Cangchen rushed to claim them, but Jiang Lu had already made every treasure disappear.

• Jiang Lu fought and killed the Blood Bats in the cave, then stored their poisonous corpses in her space.
• Jiang Lu crossed the far-right stone bridge as it crumbled, using vines to pull herself safely to the opposite side.
• Jiang Lu read the stele identifying the Second Chamber of Inscription Manor and opened its door with her five-element spiritual energy.
• Jiang Lu found the treasure-filled chamber and memorized the eight-pointed star pattern on the door.
• Cutie, Chi Li, and Cangchen rushed out to choose treasures, but Jiang Lu made them all vanish before they could take any.

Jiang Lu escaped through a hidden cave after taking all the treasures, while nearby cultivators debated whether to investigate the dangerous passage. She then found Liu Qingqing and her companions, who were heading to Mount Qi to seek spirit birds.

• Jiang Lu blasted open the cave entrance, concealed herself with Invisibility Talismans, and watched nearby cultivators discover the passage.
• The cultivators’ leader warned that the passage might lead toward Dead Man's Cliff, but several disciples entered to investigate while the others stayed behind.
• Jiang Lu left after the disciples entered and heard Liu Qingqing discussing their recent gains with her companions.
• Liu Qingqing announced that she wanted to go to Mount Qi to find a spirit bird and obtain a Divine Beast, despite her companions’ warnings.

Jiang Lu followed Cutie’s sense of dense spiritual energy to a hidden hall, where she met the Carefree Venerable and learned he wanted to pass on his inheritance. The Carefree Venerable promised it could eventually help her reach the Mahayana Stage, but Jiang Lu remained skeptical.

• Jiang Lu separated from Liu Qingqing’s group to cultivate while Chi Li and Cangchen trained nearby.
• Following Cutie’s guidance, Jiang Lu entered a hidden hall and found twelve beast-carved pillars facing a stone door.
• Jiang Lu triggered a formation but used Form-Shift, Shadow-Exchange to send phantoms carrying magical artifacts through it; the formation withdrew its attack, and she reached the door.
• Jiang Lu opened the door and met the Carefree Venerable, who asked her to inherit his teachings.
• Jiang Lu questioned whether the inheritance came with a revenge obligation, and the Carefree Venerable denied forcing her to avenge him.
• The Carefree Venerable claimed his inheritance could help Jiang Lu eventually become a Mahayana Stage cultivator, and she asked whether he was sure.

Jiang Lu received Carefree Venerable’s inheritance, rapidly advanced through the Foundation Establishment stages, and learned more about the ancient Golden Age and why cultivators could no longer ascend. She left the collapsing hall and went with Cangchen to Mount Qi, where Chi Li identified the newborn creature behind a heavenly phenomenon as a Demi-Divine Beast with Azure Luan blood.

• Jiang Lu accepted Carefree Venerable’s inheritance, and he passed on his knowledge before vanishing.
• The inheritance expanded Jiang Lu’s Divine Sense and raised her cultivation to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, leaving her close to the Golden Core Realm.
• Jiang Lu vowed to carry on Carefree Venerable’s legacy, then escaped as the hall collapsed and found that the thorn-covered site had become a huge pit.
• Cangchen told Jiang Lu that Chi Li had gone to Mount Qi after sensing a Divine Beast’s aura, so Jiang Lu set out to join it.
• At Mount Qi, Jiang Lu found a heavenly phenomenon drawing many cultivators and asked Chi Li about the creature being born.
• Chi Li identified the creature as a Demi-Divine Beast with Azure Luan blood that had awakened its bloodline.