Chapter Summaries

At the Listening Pavilion, Courtyard Master Bai Shen learned that the unfamiliar Golden Core cultivator who had supplied intelligence might be seeking to join the Beast Taming Sect. Bai Shen ordered his people to notify him when the cultivator returned and to sell information about the Demon Calamity to regional factions.

• Bai Shen questioned Du Hua about the whereabouts of the Golden Core cultivator who had reported the Demon Calamity, and Du Hua said he had narrowed the possibilities to seven unfamiliar cultivators.
• Du Hua suggested that the cultivator’s repeated purchases of sect-related intelligence and generous spending meant he wanted to befriend Bai Shen and join the Beast Taming Sect.
• Bai Shen considered the possibility of recruiting the cultivator as a guest disciple and told Du Hua to notify him at the cultivator’s next visit.
• Bai Shen ordered Du Hua to sell Demon Calamity intelligence to Golden Core factions and to the Sea Folk they had good relations with.
• Du Hua arranged for the former second shopkeeper, who had offended a Golden Core cultivator, to be investigated and resolved to put in a good word for the mysterious cultivator.

Yue Shuo used an insight gained from his alchemy skill to refine Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills and improve his proficiency. After testing the pills on himself and his Spirit Beasts, he realized he could not spare even his Low-Grade pills to sell and considered learning another craft to earn Spirit Stones.

• Yue Shuo rapidly refined Essence-Concentrating Pills from eighty batches of materials, then activated his Low-Grade Second-Tier alchemy insight to correct mistakes in his technique.
• Yue Shuo produced five Supreme-Grade and five High-Grade pills in a batch, then refined nine more furnaces and gained 68 Supreme-Grade and 32 High-Grade pills.
• Yue Shuo realized his improved technique left him with only 38 Low-Grade and 55 Mid-Grade pills to sell, and he decided to save his better pills for trading for needed resources.
• Yue Shuo swallowed a Supreme-Grade pill, fed one to Azure Feather, and let the bird fly after hiding it with an invisibility talisman.
• Yue Shuo fed a Low-Grade pill to the little snake on his wrist and realized he could not sell those pills either, so he considered learning Artifact Refining or formation arts to earn Spirit Stones.

Yue Shuo refined pills to raise his cultivation while waiting for the passage to open, then gathered news on Sea Abundance Island after the passage activated. Chief Shopkeeper Du Hua recognized that a disguised cultivator arriving at the Listening Pavilion was the senior he had been waiting for.

• Yue Shuo swallowed sixty-six Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills, raised his cultivation by thirty-three points, and began refining more pills to prepare for a breakthrough.
• Yue Shuo finished refining the remaining materials, took twenty pills, and went disguised to Sea and Sky Pavilion to hear the island's news.
• Yue Shuo learned of a robbery after the auction and the soaring prices of Transit Tokens as news of the Demon Calamity spread.
• Yue Shuo sensed the passage opening when darkness and thunder swept across the sky, then told Azure Feather to keep protecting the approaching fleet.
• Chief Shopkeeper Du Hua waited at the Listening Pavilion and recognized the arriving disguised cultivator as the senior when his Spirit Turtles grew lively.

Yue Shuo learned that the Spirit Turtles at Listening Pavilion had revealed his identity, then discovered that the shopkeeper, Du Hua, wanted to connect him with the Beast Taming Sect. The chapter ended with Yue Shuo asking whether Du Hua sold the turtles.

• Du Hua recognized Yue Shuo and explained that his master had invited him to meet.
• Yue Shuo realized the little Spirit Turtles had sensed his aura and exposed his whereabouts, then inspected them and considered raising some.
• Du Hua said the passage would remain open for several days and offered to arrange Yue Shuo's entry while recommending a meeting with his master.
• Du Hua explained that his master, Bai Shen, was a Beast Taming Sect disciple with connections who might help Yue Shuo join as a sect guest.
• Yue Shuo asked Du Hua whether he sold the Spirit Turtles.

Yue Shuo accepted Du Hua’s nine White Jade Spirit Turtles and repaid him with Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills, revealing that he was an Alchemist. After learning how valuable the pills were to Beast Taming Sect disciples, Yue Shuo asked to speak with Du Hua’s household head about joining the sect.

• Du Hua offered Yue Shuo nine little White Jade Spirit Turtles and their supplies, asking him to release them into water if he no longer wanted them.
• Yue Shuo accepted the turtles and gave Du Hua two bottles of Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills in return.
• Du Hua recognized the pills’ quality, thanked Yue Shuo, and said they gave him hope of advancing to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
• Yue Shuo learned that Supreme-Grade pills were difficult for Outer Sect Disciples to obtain and that the Beast Taming Sect had great demand for Alchemists.
• Yue Shuo asked Du Hua to arrange a meeting with his household head to discuss joining the Beast Taming Sect and revealed that he had refined the pills himself.

Yue Shuo advanced to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage with Azure Feather while waiting in Du Hua's shop, as his fleet was caught in a massive bottleneck near the Sea-Domain Passage. Bai Shen arrived, offered him a gift containing a tiny Merfolk, and asked whether he could refine Third-Tier Spirit-Nurturing Pills.

• Yue Shuo fed the little Spirit Turtles Low-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills and used Supreme-Grade pills to fill his cultivation progress.
• Azure Feather reported that the fleet was stalled among thousands of ships near the Sea-Domain Passage after its opening time was brought forward, and Yue Shuo saw that the fleet had formed a defensive circle around his family.
• Yue Shuo concealed the VIP room and cultivated with Azure Feather, advancing together from Early Foundation Establishment to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
• Bai Shen arrived with Du Hua, apologized for the delay, and gave Yue Shuo a blue crystal sphere containing a tiny Merfolk.
• Bai Shen asked Yue Shuo whether he could refine Third-Tier Spirit-Nurturing Pills.

Yue Shuo considered learning to refine Third-Tier pills, especially the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, but told Bai Shen that his obligations and the coming passage opening left too little time. He sensed that he and Azure Feather might be able to contend with Golden Core cultivators, while Bai Shen tried to make amends for his presumptuous request.

• Yue Shuo saw that refining Essence-Concentrating Pills had raised his alchemy skill to Peak Second-Tier and considered pursuing a Third-Tier Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
• Bai Shen urged Yue Shuo to refine pills for him, but Yue Shuo explained that he lacked time before the passage opened and had other duties to settle.
• Yue Shuo reviewed his newly increased cultivation and concluded that his Divine Thought and Azure Feather's abilities could help them contend with Golden Core cultivators.
• Yue Shuo offered to refine pills later and have Du Hua or another representative deliver them, while clarifying that the demon calamity was not his concern.
• Bai Shen apologized for being presumptuous, and Du Hua silently urged him to offer Yue Shuo a gift.

Bai Shen realized he needed to make amends to Yue Shuo for probing him, and Du Hua suggested offering a valuable opportunity from the Beast Taming Sect’s Scripture Repository. Bai Shen presented several gifts, but Yue Shuo froze when he saw what they were.

• Bai Shen concluded that Yue Shuo’s powerful Divine Soul made an apology gift necessary, though he struggled to find something he could afford to give.
• Bai Shen asked Du Hua for advice, and Du Hua suggested valuable alchemy-related items and reminded him of his unused third-floor Scripture Repository exchange qualification.
• Bai Shen considered that the qualification might interest Yue Shuo, who had once planned to join the Beast Taming Sect.
• Bai Shen smiled and sent several gifts to Yue Shuo, while Du Hua recognized them and feared they would offend him further.
• Yue Shuo felt relieved that Bai Shen had offered a way to make amends, then froze when he saw the gifts.

Yue Shuo accepted Bai Shen’s Sea Folk gifts but worried about being treated as an ornamental creature himself, so he proposed a cautious arrangement for refining pills. Bai Shen offered him a Spirit-Nurturing Pill formula and help leaving the Eastern Sea Region, while seeking a way to establish contact.

• Bai Shen explained that the Sea Folk in the crystal spheres were gifts for Yue Shuo and described why he had captured them.
• Du Hua gave Yue Shuo a jade slip, a Spirit Beast Pouch, and supplies, then explained how to care for the Sea Folk.
• Yue Shuo offered to refine pills within three years if Bai Shen provided the formula and materials, or to arrange delivery through someone else.
• Yue Shuo shook the crystal spheres and placed them in the Spirit Beast Pouch while Bai Shen and Du Hua noticed his baby snake bracelet.
• Bai Shen gave Yue Shuo a Spirit-Nurturing Pill formula, asked for his name and contact details, and offered to arrange his departure from the Eastern Sea Region.

Yue Shuo, posing as Master Su, demonstrated astonishing alchemy skills to Bai Shen and Du Hua, prompting the Beast Taming Sect to offer him high status and urgently arrange his recruitment. He realized he might have drawn too much attention and asked what cultivation level the elder sent to receive him would have.

• Yue Shuo asked whether the Beast Taming Sect accepted skilled rogue cultivators, and Bai Shen eagerly welcomed him.
• Yue Shuo refined two batches of Essence-Concentrating Pills in under a quarter of an hour each, producing mostly supreme-grade pills, and gave them to Du Hua.
• Bai Shen offered Yue Shuo elder-level treatment, a Third-Tier spirit peak, and an exchange privilege for the Scripture Repository’s third floor.
• Bai Shen contacted the Beast Taming Sect, which issued Yue Shuo a temporary identity token and ordered Bai Shen to escort him to the passageway.
• After seeing the sect’s urgent response, Yue Shuo asked Bai Shen what cultivation level the elder coming to receive him had.

Yue Shuo decided to accept the Beast Taming Sect’s invitation while cautiously keeping his identity hidden, and he struck a pill-selling deal with Bai Shen. The chapter ended with Yue Shuo handing over one hundred High-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills and asking Bai Shen to pay 12,000 Spirit Stones.

• After learning Bai Shen was a Nascent Soul Cultivator, Yue Shuo concluded that fleeing the Beast Taming Sect’s attention would be too suspicious and resolved to observe the situation.
• Yue Shuo asked Bai Shen to arrange safe passage for a fleet carrying an acquaintance’s grandson and to obtain more Essence-Concentrating Pill materials.
• Yue Shuo proposed wholesaling pills to Bai Shen, who agreed and offered market prices of 1,200 Spirit Stones per bottle for High-Grade pills and 5,000 per bottle for Supreme-Grade pills.
• Yue Shuo set wholesale prices at half the market rate and revealed that he had Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills available for sale.
• Yue Shuo gave Bai Shen a box containing one hundred High-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills and requested 12,000 Spirit Stones in payment.

Yue Shuo traded pills with Bai Shen and received a trove of pill formulas and materials, strengthening their partnership. As Du Hua escorted the Gu and Yue families through the passage, Yue Shuo’s Sea Domain could not follow, so he sent Azure Cloud ahead to protect them and prepared to cross himself the next day.

• Bai Shen bought High-Grade and supreme-grade Essence-Concentrating Pills from Yue Shuo, then arranged for Du Hua to bring him three hundred sets of pill materials.
• Yue Shuo asked Bai Shen for useful Third-Tier formulas, and Bai Shen gifted him formulas ranging from First-Tier to Fourth-Tier.
• Bai Shen arranged for Du Hua to escort the juniors through the passage while he prepared to accompany Yue Shuo the following day.
• Du Hua led the Gu and Yue families’ fleet through the passage, while Yue Shuo’s Sea Domain was stopped at its entrance.
• Yue Shuo ordered Azure Cloud to catch up with the fleet and protect the Yue family members, then told the whale to wait inland after they reached shore.

Yue Shuo advanced his Second-Tier alchemy and refined a large supply of Essence-Concentrating Pills, pushing his alchemy proficiency to its Peak Second-Tier limit. As he prepared to decide whether to break through to Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Bai Shen contacted him with a pill furnace and news that they would soon depart.

• Yue Shuo used alchemy enlightenment to deepen his understanding of Second-Tier formulas and identify the flaws in his pill furnaces.
• Yue Shuo refined hundreds of Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills, set aside pills for Bai Shen, and planned to limit and spread out his sales.
• Yue Shuo refined another thousand pills until his alchemy proficiency reached 20000/20000, the Peak Second-Tier limit.
• Yue Shuo swallowed Supreme-Grade Essence-Concentrating Pills to raise his cultivation and filled his Foundation Establishment Middle Stage progress and breakthrough chances.
• Bai Shen told Yue Shuo that he had obtained a pill furnace and that they would set out soon, leaving Yue Shuo considering a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Yue Shuo left the Sea Domain with Bai Shen, collected a little seawater, and crossed the mysterious passage. After learning that deep comprehension of the passage’s Heaven-and-Earth Principle had caused powerful cultivators to vanish, he set out to find a place to nurture his new pill furnaces and refine pills.

• Yue Shuo bought two pill furnaces and Third-Tier Small Foundation-Enhancing Pill materials from Bai Shen, then boarded his cloudship to leave the Sea Domain.
• When a disturbance broke out near the passage, Yue Shuo chose not to investigate and asked Bai Shen to leave with him.
• Yue Shuo collected some seawater to take along, and he and Bai Shen entered the passage on the cloudship.
• As they traveled through the passage, Yue Shuo sensed strange spatial forces and felt as if he had entered another world when they emerged.
• Bai Shen explained that the passage contained the Heaven-and-Earth Principle and that cultivators who comprehended it deeply had vanished.
• Yue Shuo asked Bai Shen to find a spiritually rich place where he could nurture his pill furnaces and refine pills.

Yue Shuo prepared to refine Third-Tier pills while waiting for a Nascent Soul elder, but first advanced to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage with Azure Feather. After spending most of his Spirit Stones, he considered advancing again and found he could not afford it.

• Yue Shuo settled into a temporary cave dwelling on an island and chose to wait while his collected Sea Domain water continued growing.
• Yue Shuo refined two Supreme-grade Second-Tier pill furnaces and planned to advance before trying his Third-Tier Low-Grade furnace.
• Yue Shuo fed Azure Feather Essence-Concentrating Pills and helped it refine them until its cultivation progress was full.
• Yue Shuo spent Spirit Stones to break through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage and quickly consolidated his Spell Power.
• Yue Shuo suppressed his post-breakthrough aura and considered advancing again, but found the cave's spiritual energy depleted and his Spirit Stones nearly gone.

Yue Shuo advanced his alchemy skill to Third-Tier Low-Grade while using up his remaining Essence-Concentrating Pill materials. When Bai Shen contacted him, he learned that Elder Ning had arrived and was already waiting for him to leave seclusion.

• Yue Shuo filled his Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation, but could not break through to Grand Completion because he lacked Spirit Stones.
• Yue Shuo refined Small Foundation-Enhancing Pills in a Third-Tier Low-Grade Alchemy Furnace and raised his alchemy skill to Third-Tier Low-Grade after three attempts.
• Yue Shuo used his remaining Essence-Concentrating Pill materials to increase his alchemy proficiency to 19,501 out of 20,000.
• Yue Shuo contacted Bai Shen to ask for more alchemy materials and realized several days had passed while he cultivated and refined pills.
• Bai Shen told Yue Shuo that Elder Ning had arrived and was waiting for him to come out of seclusion.

Yue Shuo met Elder Ning and Senior Yan Ning, who took him aboard the giant spirit bird to travel onward without first checking his alchemy skills. They recognized his exceptional abilities and discussed recruiting him into the Beast Taming Sect.

• Bai Shen brought Elder Ning to Yue Shuo’s temporary cave dwelling, and Elder Ning praised Yue Shuo before asking him to come along.
• Elder Ning carried Yue Shuo and Azure Feather onto Senior Yan Ning, a massive spirit bird, and they flew away without settling Yue Shuo’s pill trade with Bai Shen.
• Yue Shuo calmed Azure Feather, fed it Essence-Concentrating Pills, and gave a High-Grade pill to the young snake, which fell asleep.
• Senior Yan Ning praised Azure Feather’s spirituality and remarked that Yue Shuo treated it like a brother.
• Elder Ning and Senior Yan Ning recognized Yue Shuo’s Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation and extraordinary abilities, and Senior Yan Ning urged Elder Ning to speak with him about joining the Beast Taming Sect.

Elder Ning decided to recruit Yue Shuo as his disciple after realizing the young Third-Tier Alchemy Grandmaster could become a valuable sect asset. Yue Shuo eagerly accepted, gaining a powerful backer as he prepared to join the Beast Taming Sect.

• Yan Ning persuaded Elder Ning that Yue Shuo's alchemy talent and Foundation Establishment cultivation made him worth befriending and supporting.
• Elder Ning considered taking Yue Shuo as his disciple after noticing his strong Blood Vitality and learning he was interested in Body Tempering.
• At Yan Ning's urging, Elder Ning asked Yue Shuo whether he was willing to acknowledge him as his master.
• Yue Shuo immediately accepted and bowed to Elder Ning, delighted to gain a powerful backer.

Yue Shuo became Elder Ning’s personal disciple and learned about the Beast Taming Sect, while reassuring his new master and Martial Uncle Yan Ning that he intended to stay. Yan Ning began explaining the sect’s entry procedures and advised him not to choose a spirit peak right away.

• Elder Ning and Yan Ning accepted Yue Shuo as a disciple and gave him two generous gifts.
• Yan Ning explained the sect’s circumstances, and Yue Shuo entrusted Azure Feather to her for guidance.
• Yue Shuo revealed his true appearance and admitted he was not a Golden Core cultivator, but Elder Ning said he already knew.
• Elder Ning asked whether Yue Shuo would leave for a Fourth-Tier Alchemist, and Yue Shuo firmly refused.
• Yue Shuo explained that he joined partly so Azure Feather could learn from Yan Ning, moving her and easing Elder Ning’s reservations.
• Yan Ning told Yue Shuo what to expect when entering the sect and advised him to delay choosing a spirit peak.

As Yan Ning explained the Beast Taming Sect’s ranks and its test of character and state of heart, Yue Shuo worried that his hidden inheritance might be judged as demonic. Elder Ning’s advice unexpectedly sparked an enlightenment that transformed Yue Shuo’s Soul Power, leaving both elders astonished.

• Yan Ning explained the Beast Taming Sect’s hierarchy, its disciples’ ranks, and the test of heart required for entry.
• Yue Shuo worried that the Heart-Questioning Mirror might reject him or expose his Spirit-Taming Inheritance Golden Page as a Demon Path inheritance.
• Elder Ning and Yan Ning discussed Yue Shuo and praised his patience and good character through thought transmission.
• Elder Ning told Yue Shuo that cultivation required correcting his mistakes, keeping his heart free of shame, and holding firm to his Dao heart.
• Yue Shuo entered an enlightened state, and his Divine Thought became difficult for Elder Ning and Yan Ning to sense as his Soul Power transformed.