Chapter Summaries

After Yue Shuo reunited with Qi Xin, Fang Tong, and his family, the group set out for Bright Tortoise Isle. As they traveled by Magical Artifact vessel, Yue Shuo began wondering whether his mother had a Spiritual Root.

• Qi Xin and Fang Tong discussed the Foundation Establishment senior, the Qin Clan ruins, and whether Qin He could be introduced to him.
• Yue Shuo sent Qi Xin the location where they could meet, and Qi Xin and Fang Tong hurried there.
• Yue Shuo's family joined Qi Xin and Fang Tong, and the group prepared their Flying Magical Artifacts and departed for Bright Tortoise Isle.
• The group turned their Flying Magical Artifacts into small vessels and took turns driving them across the sea.
• Qi Xin and Fang Tong discussed buying a proper Magical Artifact sea vessel, prompting Yue Shuo to wonder whether his mother had a Spiritual Root.

Yue Shuo tested his mother Su Lan and discovered that she had a hidden Water Single Spirit Root. With Yue Qingxiao’s guidance, Su Lan began cultivating aboard the boat, leaving Qi Xin and Fang Tong convinced that the Yue Family’s talents were extraordinary.

• Yue Shuo secretly tested Su Lan’s Spiritual Root and saw that she had a Water Spirit Root with a value of three, marked as hidden.
• Yue Shuo told Su Lan through voice transmission that she had a Spiritual Root, and Yue Qingxiao stopped her from revealing the news aloud.
• Yue Shuo gave Su Lan and Yue Qingxiao the Water Spirit Formula and asked his father to teach her to cultivate.
• Yue Qingxiao taught Su Lan to meditate, and she entered meditation and completed Spirit-Drawing Entry aboard the boat.
• Qi Xin and Fang Tong concluded that the Yue Family’s abilities were extraordinary and that helping them was an opportunity.

Madam Su entered meditation and drew in spirit energy aboard the flying boat, while Yue Shuo used the quiet time to consume pills and fill his Cultivation Value. He began testing the Origin Return Art before attempting a breakthrough, leaving the effects of cultivating another method unresolved.

• Fang Tong gave Yue Shuo a Spirit-Testing Stone, and Yue Shuo explained that Madam Su's Hidden Spirit Root could not be tested until she achieved Spirit-Drawing Entry.
• Madam Su remained in meditation for more than half a shichen as Qi Xin slowed the flying boat, then awakened and received a Cleansing Talisman treatment from Yue Qingxiao.
• The Yue brothers settled down to cultivate, while Yue Shuo secretly refined bottles of High-Grade and Mid-Grade Spirit-Gathering Pills.
• Yue Shuo's Cultivation Value reached 20000/20000 and his Pill Poison rose to 40/55.
• Yue Shuo considered tempering his cultivation with another method and began trying the Origin Return Art to see whether the completed Thousand Waves Formula still occupied a cultivation method slot.

Yue Shuo cultivated the Origin Return Art, which condensed his Spell Power and raised his breakthrough chance to 100% despite reducing his Cultivation Value. He paused the journey on a reef island and headed toward denser water spiritual energy, leaving Fang Tong and Qi Xin to watch over his family.

• Yue Shuo circulated the Origin Return Art, raising it to Mastery and increasing his breakthrough chance while his Cultivation Value fell.
• Yue Shuo completed the art’s seventh-layer method, bringing his breakthrough chance to 100% and losing roughly a third of his Cultivation Value.
• Yue Shuo swallowed two bottles of High-Grade Spirit-Gathering Pills, restoring his Cultivation Value without changing his breakthrough chance.
• Yue Shuo asked Fang Tong to find a safe place to stop, and Fang Tong guided the Magical Boat to a nearby reef island.
• Fang Tong agreed to watch over the Yue Family while Qi Xin placed Detection Talismans around the boat.
• Yue Shuo thanked Fang Tong and headed toward an area with denser water spiritual energy.

Yue Shuo broke through to Qi Refining, Eighth Layer and discovered that his Thousand Waves Formula had solidified a stacking trait in his Spell Power. After cultivating through the day, he returned to find his family safe on the rocky islet and offered to speed up their journey.

• Yue Shuo sorted the resources he had collected from Fire Gourd Island Market and prepared a cave for his breakthrough.
• Yue Shuo broke through to Qi Refining, Eighth Layer and raised the Thousand Waves Formula to the eighth layer, solidifying the stacking trait of his Spell Power.
• Yue Shuo focused on cultivating the Origin Return Art until night and found that the stacking trait remained even without circulating the Thousand Waves Formula.
• Yue Shuo used Stealth Escape to reach the rocky islet and confirmed that his family was safe under the guard of Qi Xin and Fang Tong.
• Yue Shuo told his teacher he could control the flying Magical Artifact and travel at night to reach their next destination sooner.

Yue Shuo led the Yue Family across the sea at night on a Flying Magical Artifact, sustaining its astonishing speed with Spirit-Gathering Pills and his abundant Spell Power. By dawn, they had reached the second destination on the sea chart, leaving Qi Xin and Fang Tong amazed that he had flown at high speed all night without slowing down.

• Yue Shuo arranged for the Yue Family to travel through the night, and Qi Xin and Fang Tong taught him how to follow the sea chart.
• Yue Shuo had Azure Feather memorize their destination and guided the family onto the Flying Magical Artifact.
• Yue Shuo flew rapidly above the sea while replenishing his Spell Power with pills, and Qi Xin eventually relaxed his watch.
• Yue Shuo discovered that he had reached Qi Refining Level Eight and that tempering his cultivation had increased his Spell Power limit.
• Yue Shuo cultivated the Origin Return Art during the journey and wondered whether to pursue Foundation Establishment or improve his advantages first.
• At dawn, Qi Xin and Fang Tong confirmed they had reached the second destination and realized Yue Shuo had maintained high speed all night.

Yue Shuo and his companions reached Vast Sky Island far faster than expected, where Qi Xin arranged cave abodes for them. Before preparing to advance his cultivation, Yue Shuo shared Spirit Stones and pills with his family, and Madam Su warned her sons to remember his generosity and repay his kindness.

• Qi Xin explained that the group had reached the second destination on their sea chart, Vast Sky Island, after traveling roughly two thousand nautical miles overnight.
• Yue Shuo asked about renting cave abodes on Spiritual Veins, and Qi Xin went to arrange three High-Grade First-Tier abodes in the Vast Sky Island Market.
• Yue Shuo gave Madam Su Spirit Stones and a storage pouch, then gave Yue Qingxiao pills, a storage pouch, and Spirit Stones.
• Yue Shuo offered his brothers and sister-in-law pills and Spirit Stones, and Madam Su told Yue Gu and Yue Tan to remember his kindness and not take advantage of him.

Yue Shuo’s family settled into their new cave dwelling and considered return gifts for him while he advanced to Qi Refining Level Nine. He planned to remain on Vast Sky Island to reach Great Perfection, and Yue Tan brought him a jade slip of alchemy insights and formulas.

• Madam Su felt sad after Yue Shuo left, while Yue Qingxiao comforted her and began cultivating to recover his strength.
• Yue Tan accepted cultivation resources and an alchemy formula from Yue Gu and Zhu Ling, then decided to prepare his own alchemy insights and formulas for Yue Shuo.
• Zhu Ling proposed giving Yue Shuo a copy of her inheritance, beast-taming insights, Spirit-Awakening Powder, and an old Spirit Beast Pouch for him to assess.
• Yue Shuo emerged in the afternoon after breaking through to Qi Refining Level Nine and decided to stay on Vast Sky Island until he reached Great Perfection.
• Yue Tan handed Yue Shuo a jade slip as Yue Shuo considered his remaining Spirit Stones and the cost of cultivation.

Yue Shuo weighed ways to reach Bright Tortoise Isle and chose to travel safely along established sea routes rather than risk the uncharted Sea Domain. He sent Qi Xin and Fang Tong to look for a sea chart, leaving them with Spirit Stones to buy one or outdoor formations.

• Yue Shuo learned that trading sea vessels to Bright Tortoise Isle only departed twice a year, and the next one would leave in summer or autumn.
• Qi Xin and Fang Tong explained that long-distance sea charts were difficult for Qi Refining cultivators to obtain and that uncharted waters were dangerous.
• Yue Shuo rejected the idea of traveling through unsafe waters and decided to proceed along established routes while Qi Xin and Fang Tong searched for a chart.
• Yue Shuo gave Qi Xin and Fang Tong a thousand Spirit Stones each to buy a sea chart or outdoor formations, and Fang Tong privately praised his generosity.

Yue Shuo comprehended the spiritual artifact’s third spirit inscription, Illusion, and began a breakthrough while Qi Xin and Fang Tong sought a sea chart to Bright Tortoise Isle. Qi Xin returned with news that they had encountered Cheng Fan, leaving the reason for Cheng Fan’s presence uncertain.

• Fang Tong and Qi Xin discussed Yue Shuo’s generosity and stayed cautious while seeking a sea chart near the Qin Clan’s former territory.
• Yue Shuo used spirit-gathering pills to replenish his cultivation and Divine Sense, then comprehended the third spirit inscription, Illusion, which let him disguise his appearance and aura.
• Yue Shuo tested Illusion, polished his breakthrough chances, and began advancing his cultivation.
• Qi Xin returned to the cave dwelling after negotiating for a sea chart and sent Yue Shuo a Voice-Transmission Talisman but received no reply.
• Qi Xin told himself that Cheng Fan probably had not come to Vast Sky Island looking for them, despite recognizing him at the market.

Qi Xin and Fang Tong discovered an invisible intruder in their cave abode and warned Yue Shuo, who pursued the fleeing Cheng Fan to investigate his similar Stealth Escape power. Yue Shuo stopped when another cultivator challenged him to reveal himself.

• Qi Xin and Fang Tong decided to warn Cheng Fan and secretly provide him with concealment talismans, though they feared becoming entangled in his troubles.
• An unseen intruder slipped out of the cave abode after a burst of spiritual pressure, and Qi Xin and Fang Tong contacted Yue Shuo and checked that the Yue Family was safe.
• Yue Shuo used Stealth Escape to follow the fleeing figure and recognized Cheng Fan, whose aura resembled the Restrictive Seal power of Yue Shuo's Lunar Spirit-Congealing Spike.
• Yue Shuo followed Cheng Fan away from Vast Sky Island, intending to learn where he was headed before deciding whether to act.
• A voice from afar challenged Yue Shuo to reveal himself, calling itself a half-dead old ghost.

Yue Shuo watched two Foundation Establishment cultivators battle while using Stealth Escape to approach the hiding Cheng Fan. He discovered Cheng Fan held a jade talisman that his own Spiritual Artifact seemed able to affect.

• Yue Shuo detected the distant Divine Sense transmission and prepared Boundless Water Prison while keeping himself concealed.
• A black-mist Foundation Establishment cultivator attacked a small island, where another cultivator countered with golden sword light.
• Yue Shuo retreated from the battle and abandoned the idea of pretending to be at Foundation Establishment.
• Yue Shuo sensed Cheng Fan’s Moonlight Essence and found him hiding deep underwater after the battle shattered his shelter.
• Yue Shuo approached Cheng Fan and saw him holding a jade talisman that seemed to react to Yue Shuo’s Spiritual Artifact.

Yue Shuo chose to flee the Foundation Establishment battle and focus on steadily cultivating rather than pursue the ruin or Cheng Fan’s secrets. As he headed for Dragonstone Island, the Black Mist cultivator and the Qin Clan’s ancestor ended their fight without resolving their conflict over Cheng Fan.

• Yue Shuo sensed the approaching battle, turned off his Spiritual Artifact’s apparent connection to Cheng Fan’s jade talisman, and escaped into the sea.
• Yue Shuo returned to the cave abode and led Qi Xin, Fang Tong, and the Yue Family away toward Dragonstone Island.
• Yue Shuo resolved to avoid opportunities and dangers, study his cultivation arts, and grow stronger through steady cultivation.
• Yue Shuo took over control of the Flying Magical Artifact and told Qi Xin to rest before gathering information on Dragonstone Island.
• The Black Mist Foundation Establishment cultivator and the Qin Clan’s ancestor stopped fighting after learning that Cheng Fan was important to them both.
• The Qin Clan’s ancestor recognized the Black Mist cultivator’s revealed face and realized who he was.

Cheng Hai took Cheng Fan with him after the Qin Clan Patriarch revealed their family connection, while concealing his identity from the boy. The Patriarch stayed behind to recover and pinned his hopes on Cheng Hai protecting Cheng Fan and on the ruins possibly containing a way to extend his life.

• Cheng Hai and the Qin Clan Patriarch agreed not to tell Cheng Fan who Cheng Hai was, then introduced him as a temporary collaborator called Senior Hai.
• Cheng Fan explained that he had followed the supposed Qin Clan guest disciples and warned the two cultivators to spare them if they had not been involved in the Qin Clan's destruction.
• Cheng Hai took Cheng Fan with him and threatened him, but softened slightly after learning Cheng Fan had chosen the Cheng surname himself.
• The Qin Clan Patriarch let Cheng Hai leave with Cheng Fan, hoping he would protect the boy and preserve the Qin Clan bloodline.
• Near Vast Sky Island's rented cave dwellings, Cheng Hai asked Cheng Fan to get them through the formation, and Cheng Fan warned that his Lunar Jade Talisman was nearly exhausted.

Cheng Hai and Qin Jun pursued a group they believed was searching for the ruins, while Cheng Fan tried to keep his knowledge of their trail hidden. As Cheng Fan revealed that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had noticed him on Vast Sky Island, Qin Jun stopped in surprise.

• Cheng Hai found the cave abode empty, searched the souls of several cultivators, and learned that a group of eight had sought a sea chart to Bright Tortoise Isle.
• Cheng Hai and Qin Jun concluded that the group was using Bright Tortoise Isle as a false lead and was staying near the ruins.
• Cheng Hai and Qin Jun left the island with Cheng Fan and flew toward the former Qin Clan Sea Domain, heading for Hemu Island or Fire Gourd Island.
• After Cheng Hai went to investigate a small island, Cheng Fan told Qin Jun that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had noticed him hiding in a cave abode on Vast Sky Island.
• Qin Jun abruptly stopped when Cheng Fan revealed what had happened.

Cheng Fan learned that Cheng Hai had given him the Earth Tier Five-Element True Art, while Qin Jun advised him to trust Cheng Hai cautiously. Meanwhile, Yue Shuo fled Vast Sky Island with Qi Xin and Fang Tong and approached Dragonstone Island, planning how to protect his family there.

• Qin Jun told Cheng Fan to put his safety first and cautiously trust Cheng Hai, then learned the Five-Element True Art was an Earth Tier technique.
• Cheng Fan hesitated to cultivate the art because its initiation required essence blood from five elemental beasts and he suspected it was a demonic technique.
• Cheng Hai captured Sea Beasts to obtain their essence blood and dragged Cheng Fan away to cultivate the Five-Element True Art.
• Yue Shuo flew far from Vast Sky Island at high speed, then concealed his Flying Magical Artifact as he considered the risks awaiting him on Dragonstone Island.
• Yue Shuo decided he might use Stealth Escape to smuggle his mother and elder brother into a cave abode after reaching Dragonstone Island.

Yue Shuo brought his family to an island near Dragonstone Island and decided they would settle in a nearby cave with a Spiritual Vein instead of renting another cave residence. As the group prepared to make it livable, they discussed the dangers and distribution of Spiritual Veins across the Sea Domain and the unusual vein recently found on Fire Gourd Island.

• Yue Shuo reached an uninhabited island less than a hundred miles from Dragonstone Island after traveling over three thousand nautical miles in two hours, then woke Qi Xin and his family.
• Yue Shuo proposed that they avoid Dragonstone Island and find a nearby island with a weak Spiritual Vein, and Qi Xin and Fang Tong agreed to use their Spirit-Gathering Array rather than rent a cave residence.
• Yue Shuo found a half-submerged cave on a little island with a Mid-Grade First-Tier Spiritual Vein, though Sea Beasts occupied the area.
• Fang Tong explained that Spiritual Veins attracted beasts, that some islands held Second-Tier Demon Beasts, and that cultivators left many beast islands alone because they were too costly or dangerous to seize.
• Qi Xin said a Spiritual Vein of at least High-Grade First-Tier or Peak First-Tier had recently been found on Fire Gourd Island, possibly connected to a ruin.
• Yue Shuo urged everyone to arrange the cave and make it livable.

After settling his family in a temporary cave, Yue Shuo reflected on his plans and learned to make beast-hide blank talismans from Qi Xin. Azure Feather then showed signs of advancing, prompting Yue Shuo to postpone a planned trip to Dragonstone Island Market and focus on the bird.

• Yue Shuo and his family carved stone chambers in a cave and made its central cavern their shared gathering place.
• Yue Shuo considered how he would support his family, repay Qi Xin and Fang Tong, and decide whether to join the Yue Family or settle on a stable island.
• Qi Xin taught Yue Shuo to make beast-hide blank talismans, and Yue Shuo quickly improved their quality through repeated attempts.
• Moved by Yue Shuo's praise, Qi Xin demonstrated his Talisman Crafting skills and miscellaneous crafts while Yue Shuo learned and memorized them.
• Yue Shuo made talismans for his family, then took Azure Feather to his chamber when the bird indicated it was about to advance.

Yue Shuo helped Azure Feather prepare to advance and discovered that the bird possessed a half-awakened Wind-Thunder Evasion bloodline talent. After spending most of his Spirit Stones to support its awakening, he considered how to earn money and chose a valuable, low-risk spirit talisman to craft.

• Yue Shuo brought Azure Feather to the stone chamber, laid out Spirit Stones, and prepared to watch it advance.
• Yue Shuo inspected Azure Feather and discovered its half-awakened Wind-Thunder Evasion bloodline talent.
• Yue Shuo gave Azure Feather Lightning-Struck Wood and most of his Spirit Stones, urging it to awaken its talent.
• Yue Shuo reviewed his belongings and decided to earn Spirit Stones by crafting a valuable, easy-to-sell First-Tier Spirit Talisman.

Yue Shuo made High-Grade Water Shield Talismans, gave boxes to Qi Xin and others, then left to trade at the market using his Spiritual Artifact’s Phantom Form. After an azure flash and faint thunder appeared in the cavern, Qi Xin and Fang Tong checked the Yue Family and found everyone unharmed.

• Yue Shuo used his remaining materials to make High-Grade Water Shield Talismans and prepared to visit the market in disguise to buy more supplies.
• Yue Shuo gave Qi Xin seven boxes of talismans to distribute and told him he would be back shortly.
• Qi Xin gave Fang Tong a box, and Fang Tong celebrated receiving six valuable talismans.
• An azure flash and faint thunder appeared before Qi Xin and Fang Tong, then vanished before they could identify it.
• Qi Xin and Fang Tong examined the Yue Family members and found them unharmed, leaving both unsure whether they had witnessed an illusion.