Chapter Summaries

Yue Shuo planned how to reach Qi Refining, Late Stage while preserving his Spirit Stones, then asked Yue Qingxiao about Divine Sense. After learning that powerful Divine Sense could weaken the body and shorten his lifespan without Body Tempering, he resolved to resume practicing Second-Stage Taiji.

• Yue Shuo refined five High-Grade Spirit-Gathering Pills, raising his cultivation to Qi Refining, Fifth Layer, and restored his Divine Sense with Spirit Stones.
• Yue Shuo calculated that Mid-Grade and High-Grade Spirit-Gathering Pills could help him break through, but spending his Spirit Stones would leave too little to repay his father's debt.
• Yue Shuo practiced spells and used Divine Sense to draw in nearby spiritual energy, then decided to ask Yue Qingxiao about developing it.
• Yue Qingxiao explained that Divine Sense usually manifested at Foundation Establishment and that Qi Refining cultivators with powerful Divine Souls needed strong bodies to withstand its pressure.
• Yue Qingxiao urged Yue Shuo to practice Body Tempering, and Yue Shuo resolved to resume Second-Stage Taiji to protect his health and lifespan.

Yue Shuo refined the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike, discovered it was a hidden treasure with a possible concealment function, and planned his family’s next steps. He left the household focused on keeping a low profile and gathering information about the market district.

• Yue Shuo decided to prioritize reaching Qi Refining, Late Stage, and considered buying mid-grade pills through the market district rather than involving Third Brother.
• Yue Shuo spent the night refining the Lightning-Struck Wood treasure and learned it was called the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike.
• Yue Shuo studied the spike’s Spirit Inscription, guessed that it was related to concealment, and wore it as a hairpin.
• Yue Shuo told his family to maintain their ordinary routines while Yue Qingxiao gathered information about the market district and surrounding area.
• Yue Shuo asked his sister-in-law what cultivation field she excelled in and learned she was skilled at raising Spirit Beasts.

Yue Shuo arranged cultivation and other duties for his family, gave them Voice-Transmission Talismans, and returned to Qi Xin’s cave dwelling. He freed Azure Feather from its Beast-Taming Token and began preparing it to advance while continuing to comprehend the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike.

• Zhu Ling explained Spirit Beast growth to Yue Shuo, who assigned his family cultivation, guarding, and Alchemy-study tasks.
• Yue Shuo warned his family to keep his talisman skills and connection to Senior Qi secret, then gave each of them a Voice-Transmission Talisman.
• Yue Shuo returned to Qi Xin, declined a commissioned High-Grade Lightning Wood Sword, and said he might seek help if he needed Spirit Stones.
• Yue Shuo replaced Azure Feather’s control imprint, destroying the Beast-Taming Token, then let the bird temper itself with Lightning-Struck Wood.
• Yue Shuo had Azure Feather stand guard, restored his Divine Sense, and resumed comprehending the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike.

Yue Shuo comprehended two Restrictive Seals in the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike, gaining concealment and Stealth Escape. After the escape sent him far from the market district, he restored his strength and tested whether he could conceal Azure Feather too.

• Yue Shuo mastered the first Restrictive Seal and used its invisibility power, frightening Azure Feather until he released it and comforted the bird.
• Yue Shuo comprehended a second Restrictive Seal, which combined with the first to grant him Stealth Escape, and he immediately activated it.
• Yue Shuo vanished from his cave dwelling and reappeared over the sea with his Divine Sense and Spell Power nearly exhausted, then found a rocky islet to recover.
• Yue Shuo realized he had been carried more than ten li from Teacher Qi and asked Azure Feather to guide him toward Fire Gourd Island.
• Yue Shuo separated the Restrictive Seals and tested concealment on himself, then concealed Azure Feather and noticed that doing so increased his Divine Sense and Spell Power consumption.

Yue Shuo learned to control the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike’s invisibility and Stealth Escape abilities, then reached the waters near Fire Gourd Island. There, he discovered Steward Qin was in a cave and warned him that concealed enemies were closing in.

• Yue Shuo practiced turning invisible with Azure Feather and discovered that the Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike rapidly restored his Divine Sense.
• Yue Shuo studied the artifact’s escape ability and learned that Moonlight Essence strengthened it while reducing its personal cost.
• Yue Shuo traveled toward Fire Gourd Island using Stealth Escape and avoided ships and cultivators along the way.
• Yue Shuo found Steward Qin in a cave on a rocky islet and sensed concealed cultivators approaching from every direction.
• Yue Shuo hid on a nearby reef and sent Qin He a disguised warning that enemies were surrounding the cave.

Yue Shuo watched Qin He escape an ambush, then secretly gathered the attackers’ belongings as the pursuit unfolded. After Tong Qian betrayed and killed Qin He, Yue Shuo heard his final warning about Tong Qian and discovered a jade slip hidden in Qin He’s ashes.

• Qin He fled his cave after Yue Shuo warned him, killed one pursuer, and used a burst of water to escape the encirclement.
• Yue Shuo followed the chase invisibly, collected two storage pouches, and took the cultivation resources from the first one.
• Qin He’s reinforcements, Qin Yan and Tong Qian, arrived, but Tong Qian ambushed Qin He and killed him.
• Yue Shuo revived Qin He briefly in a sea crevice, accepted his storage pouch, and heard him ask that Fang Tong be warned about Tong Qian.
• Yue Shuo burned Qin He’s body for burial at sea, found a bone-wrapped jade slip in the ashes, and escaped with it.

Yue Shuo inspected the storage bags he had taken and found pills and a damaged jade slip containing clues to Ancient Cave-Dwelling Ruins. After copying the fragmentary information, he destroyed the original and wondered whether Fire Gourd Island cultivators had been pursuing Qin He over the ruins.

• Yue Shuo erased the storage bags' Spell Power imprints and found Spirit-Gathering Pills among the belongings of Qin He and two other cultivators.
• Yue Shuo took Azure Feather to an uninhabited reef, consumed the pills, and raised his Cultivation to 10405/11000.
• Yue Shuo examined a jade slip from Qin He's storage bag, broke its Restrictive Seal, and salvaged more than half of its self-destructing information.
• Yue Shuo pieced together clues about Ancient Cave-Dwelling Ruins, including a possible entry key and a fragmentary map, but could not determine the ruins' location.
• Yue Shuo copied the remaining information into a blank jade slip, crushed Qin He's jade slip, and wondered whether Fire Gourd Island cultivators had hunted Qin He for the ruins' clues.

Yue Shuo suspected that people connected to Fire Gourd Island were investigating ancient ruins, so he tried to prepare for trouble by raising his cultivation and checking on the Yue Family. After finding no one watching his family, he secretly entered the He Clan Pill Pavilion to buy pills.

• Yue Shuo took Qin He's Spirit Stones and resolved to break through to Qi Refining, Sixth Layer that night and reach Level Seven the next day.
• Yue Shuo considered whether Tong Qian, Tian Wan, and Zou Chongying were connected to the ruins, but decided Qi Xin likely had no ill intent and kept his discoveries secret.
• Yue Shuo entered Cross Street Market invisibly, surveyed the cultivators, and found no unusual items.
• Yue Shuo checked the Yue Family and confirmed that no one was watching them.
• Yue Shuo entered the He Clan Pill Pavilion's rear courtyard under cover of Stealth Escape and asked He Alchemist for two bottles of Grade-One Supreme Spirit-Gathering Pills.

Yue Shuo traded Spirit Stones with He Alchemist for High-Grade Spirit Pills, then cultivated at sea and broke through to Qi Refining, Sixth Layer. As he prepared to return to Fire Gourd Island, a hostile First-Tier, Late Stage Blackfish approached, and Yue Shuo attacked it with the Greenwood Sword.

• Yue Shuo paid He Alchemist five hundred Spirit Stones for five bottles of High-Grade Spirit Pills and left the money behind.
• Yue Shuo refined pills on a hidden island, filled his cultivation, and broke through to Qi Refining, Sixth Layer while cultivating in the seawater beneath the moon.
• Yue Shuo discovered that Taiji Body Tempering had gradually strengthened his meridians and that Spirit Condensation had increased his Divine Sense.
• Yue Shuo swallowed more pills and raised his cultivation to 14360/15000 before running out.
• Yue Shuo sensed a hostile Blackfish approaching underwater, entered an invisible state, and sent the Greenwood Sword slashing into the sea.

Yue Shuo harvested and processed a Blackfish, discovering tiny red points in its meat and gaining enough Cultivation Value to break through to Qi Refining Level Seven. His breakthrough drew the attention of a hostile unknown Sea Beast beneath the sea, so he fled into the air.

• Yue Shuo killed a First-Order, Late Stage Blackfish, then harvested its meat, essence blood, skin, and bones.
• Yue Shuo found tiny red points in the Blackfish meat, extracted them with his Divine Sense, and ate the treated fish to fill his Cultivation Value.
• Yue Shuo cultivated beneath the sea and broke through to Qi Refining Level Seven, undergoing major changes to his Spell Power, meridians, dantian, Blood Vitality, and Divine Sense.
• Yue Shuo sensed a hostile unknown Sea Beast approaching from the depths as his breakthrough neared completion.
• Yue Shuo completed his advancement, flew away from the sea on a High-Grade Flying Artifact, and escaped the Sea Beast's detection.

Yue Shuo reached Qi Refining, Late Stage and headed back toward Fire Gourd Island, where he encountered Fire Gourd Island cultivators chasing two rogue cultivators. After learning the pursuit stemmed from a dispute over missing storage pouches, he followed the group with Stealth Escape.

• Yue Shuo left the sea after reaching Qi Refining, Late Stage and reviewed his improved cultivation statistics and Divine Sense.
• Yue Shuo planned to ask Qi Xin about traveling to Bright Tortoise Isle and considered warning him about dangers in the sea domain.
• Azure Feather warned Yue Shuo of approaching cultivators, so he put away his Flying Magical Artifact and became invisible.
• Yue Shuo recognized two Qi Refining, Late Stage rogue cultivators fleeing three Fire Gourd Island cultivators, including Tong Qian.
• Yue Shuo learned that the chase began after the rogue cultivators attacked the island cultivators during a search connected to Qin He's death and missing storage pouches.
• Yue Shuo used Stealth Escape to follow the pursuit, taking advantage of its increased range.

Yue Shuo studied the Water Shield Talisman while secretly following a group of cultivators, then gained sudden insight into water and the Thousand Waves Formula as he cultivated in the sea. His enlightenment drew a powerful Sea Beast toward him, and he opened his eyes underwater as it forced its way closer.

• Yue Shuo used Stealth Escape to trail the cultivators beneath the Moonlight Essence and studied the Water Shield Talisman and its runes along the way.
• Yue Shuo descended onto a reef island, contemplated the Water Shield Talisman, and connected its runes to his earlier insights into water and the Thousand Waves Formula.
• Yue Shuo leaped into the sea and cultivated with the Thousand Waves Formula as water spiritual energy and Moonlight Essence flowed into him.
• A vertical-pupiled Sea Beast sensed a treasure-like attraction, overcame its suspicion of a trap, and swam toward Yue Shuo.
• Yue Shuo entered a state of sudden enlightenment, rapidly increased his Thousand Waves Formula proficiency, and formed revolving ribbons of seawater around himself.
• The Sea Beast reached the strange pressure surrounding Yue Shuo, and Yue Shuo opened his eyes underwater as insights about high-pressure water filled his mind.

Yue Shuo entered an Enlightenment state and perfected the Thousand Waves Formula, gaining the Water Mastery talent and a powerful water-based secret art. After testing his new abilities, he wondered whether spells and cultivation methods could also be fused.

• Yue Shuo instinctively controlled high-pressure seawater to overwhelm and tear apart a Peak First-Tier Sea Beast, then returned to his senses when he smelled its blood.
• Yue Shuo examined his status and discovered his breakthrough chance had risen to eighty percent, his Spell Power had increased, and his Thousand Waves Formula had reached perfection.
• Yue Shuo learned that perfecting the formula had condensed the white Water Mastery talent, which nearly doubled the power of his First-Tier water spells.
• Yue Shuo tested Thousand Waves Slash and found he could sustain a controlled attack area spanning roughly three or four li.
• Yue Shuo discovered that his water-element runes had gained substantial proficiency and that a Peak First-Tier secret art had formed from his water techniques.
• Yue Shuo named the new secret art Boundless Water Prison and realized it had fused Thousand Waves Slash with three water talismans.

Yue Shuo moved his family off Fire Gourd Island and joined Qi Xin in preparing to escape after warning him that Tong Qian could not be trusted. The chapter left Yue Shuo and Qi Xin hidden near the marketplace exit, waiting to meet Fang Tong, who had successfully advanced.

• Yue Shuo marked possible stopping places at sea, returned to Fire Gourd Island, and quietly told his family to prepare to leave.
• Yue Shuo marked nine Qi Refining, Late Stage cultivators with his Divine Sense and suspected they had found clues to the ruin.
• Yue Shuo carried his family to a reef cave near the island, concealed the cave, and returned to meet Qi Xin.
• Yue Shuo warned Qi Xin that a senior had said Tong Qian could not be trusted, and Qi Xin agreed to leave the island with him.
• Yue Shuo and Qi Xin hid near the marketplace exit while Qi Xin contacted Fang Tong and learned that Fang Tong had advanced and was waiting nearby.

Yue Shuo and Qi Xin discussed the threat on Fire Gourd Island and prepared to leave, with Qi Xin trusting Yue Shuo’s warning despite not knowing the full story. They planned to meet Fang Tong and use Forbidden-Breaking Talismans to escape the island.

• Yue Shuo asked Qi Xin why he had believed him, and Qi Xin said he trusted Yue Shuo and believed a powerful expert was connected to the Yue Family.
• Qi Xin concluded that the people targeting the Qin Clan might be seeking something beyond the island’s resources, while Yue Shuo suggested their interest involved a ruin.
• Qi Xin sensed Fang Tong approaching under a special Invisibility Talisman and chose not to question Yue Shuo about it.
• Qi Xin asked which direction they should take to leave the island, and Yue Shuo pointed toward the place where he had set up the Boundless Water Prison.
• Yue Shuo said he would approach Fang Tong first, then he and Qi Xin could use Forbidden-Breaking Talismans to leave the array’s range.

Yue Shuo helped Qi Xin and Fang Tong escape the market formation, but Fire Gourd Island mistook Fang Tong for the last of three bandit brothers and sent cultivators after him. As Qi Xin and Fang Tong accelerated toward the pursuing lights, Yue Shuo realized the pursuit’s direction did not quite match their position, but his warning came too late to stop them from revealing themselves.

• Qi Xin thanked Yue Shuo, then used a Forbidden-Breaking Talisman to take Fang Tong outside the market formation.
• Yue Shuo sensed danger from the stone mountain and warned Qi Xin that movement was approaching from behind.
• Fire Gourd Island connected Fang Tong’s unexplained departure to the missing eldest bandit brother and sent nine Qi Refining, Late Stage cultivators after him.
• The market formation activated, and the pursuing cultivators charged toward the area where Yue Shuo, Qi Xin, and Fang Tong were moving.
• Yue Shuo noticed that the pursuers’ direction did not quite align with their position, but Qi Xin accelerated with Fang Tong and their Invisibility Talisman failed to conceal them once they released their spiritual power.

Yue Shuo tried to protect Qi Xin and Fang Tong from five Fire Gourd Island cultivators pursuing them over the sea. As he unleashed his water prison secret art, observers in the market recognized his black-robed appearance, and the Fire Gourd Island Lord and He Alchemist began watching the confrontation.

• Fire Gourd Island cultivators accused Qi Xin and Fang Tong of being rogue cultivators and pursued them as they fled toward the sea with Yue Shuo.
• Yue Shuo warned Qi Xin and Fang Tong about Water-Arrow Talismans, letting them evade the pursuers' attacks.
• Yue Shuo positioned himself over the sea and gathered power for his water prison secret art as the five pursuers closed in.
• Yue Shuo appeared intermittently in his black robe and warned the approaching cultivators to stop, but they continued toward him.
• A market cultivator recognized Yue Shuo's appearance and reported it, prompting the Fire Gourd Island Lord and He Alchemist to observe the confrontation.

Yue Shuo unleashed a powerful secret art that turned the sea around Fire Gourd Island into a destructive vortex, forcing Island Master Yan and the market residents to beg for mercy. The spell stopped just before destroying the market, while Yue Shuo struggled to control its immense power and exhaustion.

• Island Master Yan dismissed He Alchemist's warning that their target was a Foundation Establishment senior, believing the senior's cultivation had been disguised.
• Yue Shuo's secret art raised vast waves and whirlpools that began grinding away Fire Gourd Island and threatening the market.
• Island Master Yan ordered the market residents to flee, then knelt and offered his life in exchange for the senior sparing the innocent.
• The residents knelt and gave He Alchemist their valuables after a distant voice offered them a chance to buy their lives for the sake of a certain junior.
• Yue Shuo revealed that the secret art's power and Spell Power consumption had nearly overwhelmed him, and he had barely kept it from erupting.

Yue Shuo held back his Boundless Sea Prison while demanding life-buying money from Fire Gourd Island’s market, giving its occupants a chance to survive. He left He Alchemist to deliver the collected resources, but the market’s formation remained closed.

• Yue Shuo struggled to control the Boundless Sea Prison and searched for a way to retreat without harming the people trapped in the market.
• Island Lord Yan emerged and knelt, giving Yue Shuo an opening to demand payment instead of continuing his attack.
• Yue Shuo called for life-buying money, and market cultivators hurriedly gathered resources for He Alchemist to deliver.
• He Alchemist’s apprentices, including Tian Wan, helped collect the payment and looked on in admiration.
• He Alchemist flew to the formation’s edge with the storage bags, then realized the market’s formation had not been opened.

Yue Shuo accepted the market’s storage pouches as payment for sparing everyone, then escaped after unleashing the secret art’s final eruption. He sorted the loot at a prepared island and set out for his next destination, leaving Fire Gourd Island behind.

• Yan Shirong relayed the order to shut down the market’s grand formation, and He Alchemist emerged with storage pouches to offer Yue Shuo.
• Yue Shuo sent Azure Feather to collect the pouches, then unleashed the ocean vortex away from the market and escaped using Stealth Escape.
• He Alchemist concluded that Yue Shuo had tested their sincerity rather than sought their meager supplies, while Yan Shirong admitted fault and planned to report the Foundation Establishment cultivator to his own connection.
• Yue Shuo reached a prepared island, restored some Divine Sense, inspected the storage pouches, and discarded suspicious items.
• Yue Shuo hid Azure Feather in his clothes and left for another safe house, deciding not to return to Fire Gourd Island.