Recaps

Su Chen recalled Jiang Tingyi’s tragic fate in his previous life and vowed to protect her in this one. After she delivered a thousand Lesser Origin Pills, he gave half back for Xu Yin, then prepared to cultivate with the rest.

• Su Chen remembered Jiang Tingyi’s forced marriage to Wang Sheng, her disfigurement, and her death while he was unable to protect her in his previous life.
• Su Chen resolved to keep Jiang Tingyi safe and overturn the regrets of his former life.
• Jiang Tingyi brought Su Chen a thousand Lesser Origin Pills from Jiang Shan and Jiang He, sent by Xu Yin.
• Su Chen kept five chests of pills and told Jiang Tingyi to return the other five to Xu Yin.
• After Jiang Tingyi left, Su Chen took a Lesser Origin Pill from a chest and assessed its quality.

After ten days of cultivation, Su Chen reached the peak of the eighth layer of the qi-attraction realm and went looking for a pill furnace to refine medicine for his aunt. He learned that Jiang Minghao was holding an apprenticeship banquet after catching an Alchemy Guild master’s eye, and accepted Jiang He’s invitation despite Xu Yin’s warning.

• Su Chen absorbed ten Lesser Origin Pills with the Chaos Immortal Record and reached the peak of the eighth layer of the qi-attraction realm.
• Su Chen left seclusion and decided to find a pill furnace so he could refine the century sunlight herb for his aunt.
• A servant told Su Chen that Jiang Minghao’s alchemy talent had caught Master Qian’s attention and that the Jiang Family was hosting an apprenticeship banquet.
• Xu Yin and Jiang Tingyi emerged dressed for the banquet, and Xu Yin invited Su Chen to join them.
• Jiang He sent a servant to invite Su Chen, and Su Chen inferred that Jiang He meant to use him to elevate Jiang Minghao.
• Despite Xu Yin’s concern that Jiang He was setting him up, Su Chen decided to attend the banquet.

At a Jiang Family banquet celebrating Jiang Minghao’s potential as an alchemist, Master Qian arrived to test him before making him an apprentice. The chapter ended as Jiang Minghao confidently prepared to answer Master Qian’s questions.

• Su Chen, Xu Yin, and Jiang Tingyi arrived at the banquet, where Jiang He seated Xu Yin and Jiang Tingyi at the main table but directed Su Chen to the branch-family table.
• Jiang Shan reminded Jiang Mingxuan that the first and third branches were allies until Jiang Shan secured the family-head position and said Jiang Minghao could become an asset.
• Master Qian, a Certified Alchemist, arrived with two apprentice alchemists and had Jiang Minghao offer him a toast.
• After the banquet began, Jiang He asked when the apprenticeship ceremony would take place, and Master Qian said he would first test Jiang Minghao’s basic alchemy knowledge.
• Jiang Minghao confidently agreed to answer Master Qian’s questions after studying alchemy books.

Jiang Minghao passed Master Qian’s alchemy questions and became his registered disciple, but he later accused Su Chen of disrespecting Master Qian. Su Chen denied shaking his head and claimed Master Qian should apologize to everyone, leaving the banquet hall in an uproar.

• Master Qian questioned Jiang Minghao about alchemy, and Jiang Minghao passed despite answering the final question incorrectly.
• Jiang Minghao completed the apprenticeship rite and became Master Qian’s registered disciple.
• Master Qian explained why Eight-Leaf Yam Root was better than Blue Wuzi for refining a Spirit Transformation Pill.
• Jiang Minghao saw Su Chen’s head tilt as he dozed off and accused him of mocking Master Qian’s lecture.
• Su Chen said he had not shaken his head, then declared that Master Qian should apologize to him and everyone present.

At a banquet, Su Chen challenged Master Qian’s alchemy answer and explained how to improve the Spirit Transformation Pill formula. Master Qian recognized Su Chen’s expertise and eagerly accepted his guidance.

• Jiang He tried to punish Su Chen for insulting Master Qian, but Master Qian stopped him and questioned Su Chen about his criticism.
• Su Chen declared that Eight-Leaf Yam Root was the wrong ingredient for a Spirit Transformation Pill, and Master Qian bowed and called him an expert.
• Master Qian explained that he had long suspected Eight-Leaf Yam Root was inadequate but had never found a better formula.
• Su Chen explained that immature Blue Wuzi could neutralize the Spirit Transformation Grass’s toxicity without clashing with Little Jade Grass.
• Master Qian realized immature Blue Wuzi solved the problem and exclaimed that he should have thought of it sooner.

Su Chen impressed Master Qian with his alchemical knowledge, earning an invitation to the Alchemy Guild and drawing the Jiang Family’s wary attention. At the Guild, Su Chen asked to borrow a yang-attributed pill furnace to refine a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill for Xu Yin, and Master Qian went to seek Guildmaster Master Mo’s permission.

• Su Chen solved Master Qian’s long-standing alchemical problem, then answered his questions at the banquet while Jiang He and Jiang Minghao were left ignored.
• Master Qian invited Su Chen to the Alchemy Guild, and Su Chen accepted because he hoped to borrow a pill furnace for Xu Yin’s pill.
• Jiang Mingxuan urged caution about Su Chen, but Jiang Shan warned that acting against him could provoke Master Qian.
• Su Chen arrived at the Alchemy Guild the next day, where Master Qian resumed asking him alchemical questions.
• Su Chen requested a yang-attributed pill furnace, and Master Qian went to ask Guildmaster Master Mo for permission to use the Guild’s treasured furnace.

Su Chen was pulled into Master Mo’s alchemy chamber and watched him fail to refine the Snow Lotus Creation Pill. As Master Mo despaired over the ruined batch, Su Chen said it could still be salvaged, and Master Mo asked him how.

• An alchemy apprentice took Su Chen to Master Mo’s chamber, where he was assigned to prepare ingredients.
• Master Mo carefully began his seventh attempt to refine the Snow Lotus Creation Pill, while Su Chen watched and shook his head.
• Master Mo’s refinement produced black pill embryos, and he realized the attempt had failed.
• Su Chen said the batch could still be salvaged, and Master Mo stopped the apprentices from removing him and asked how.

Su Chen explained how to fix Master Mo Shiqiu’s failed Snow Lotus Creation Pill refinement, and the successful result stunned the Alchemy Guild apprentices. Master Mo then recognized Su Chen as the young man who had cured a Coldheart Python victim at the Five Treasures Hall.

• Su Chen told Master Mo to add three qian of copper crystal sand to the furnace, and Master Mo followed his instruction.
• Black smoke poured from the furnace, prompting the apprentices to blame Su Chen, but Master Mo soon announced that the refinement had worked and produced four superb pills.
• Master Mo bowed to Su Chen and called him master, while Su Chen urged him to use his name instead.
• Su Chen explained that the Purple Silver Furnace released vaporized infiltrating silver stone, which reacted with the netherheart flower, and that copper crystal sand purged the resulting impurities.
• Master Mo asked Su Chen about his identity and recognized him as the person who had cured an old man bitten by a Coldheart Python at the Five Treasures Hall; Su Chen confirmed it.

Su Chen gave Master Mo the Coldheart Python bite formula and borrowed the Elephant-Pattern Fire Dragon Furnace to refine a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill for Xu Yin. The chapter ended with Su Chen discovering he had refined a twelve-star pill.

• Master Mo recognized Su Chen and asked him for the Coldheart Python bite formula, which Su Chen agreed to write down.
• Su Chen told Master Mo he needed to borrow a yang-aspected pill furnace, and Master Mo offered to take him to the guild's furnace.
• Master Qian asked Master Mo to lend the Elephant-Pattern Fire Dragon Furnace to his friend, while Master Mo insisted another master had already requested it.
• Master Mo and Master Qian realized they were both trying to secure the furnace for Su Chen, then escorted him to it.
• Su Chen refined a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill as Master Mo and Master Qian watched, and he found that it was a twelve-star pill.

Su Chen refined a twelve-star Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill and agreed to become the Alchemy Guild’s Honorary Guest Elder under the alias Master Dust. As he prepared to leave, two children with identical symptoms arrived at the Guild, and Wang Bingyan demanded that an alchemist treat her brother first.

• Su Chen thanked Master Mo and Master Qian for helping him refine the pill and politely declined a regular position in the Alchemy Guild.
• Master Mo offered Su Chen the title of Honorary Guest Elder, and Su Chen accepted under the alias Dust.
• Master Mo gave Su Chen an Honorary Guest Elder badge and accompanied him downstairs.
• Several Wang Family attendants brought in their young master, who was convulsing and struggling to breathe, and a Senior Apprentice Alchemist told them not to disturb the Guild.
• Wang Bingyan and Wang Teng arrived, and Wang Bingyan pressured the Senior Apprentice Alchemist to treat her younger brother.
• A poor father entered carrying his similarly ill son, and the Senior Apprentice Alchemist noticed that both children had the same symptoms; Wang Bingyan ordered him to treat her brother first.

At the Alchemy Guild, Master Mo determined that the Wang Family's young master and a commoner boy had severe darknight flower poisoning and could only be saved with lifelong disabilities. Su Chen offered to clear the poison completely, but Wang Bingyan rejected him and threatened the Guild.

• Wang Bingyan insisted that the Senior Apprentice Alchemist treat her brother before the commoner boy, despite their shared poisoning.
• The Senior Apprentice Alchemist identified darknight flower poisoning but could not treat it, so Master Mo examined both patients.
• Master Mo said the poison had spread to their hearts and lungs and that the best possible outcome was lifelong paralysis.
• Master Mo called on Su Chen, who said darknight flower poison was not difficult to clear away.
• Wang Bingyan insulted Su Chen and accused the Alchemy Guild of bullying her family, demanding that Master Mo guarantee her brother would recover without disability.

Su Chen cured a commoner’s son of Darknight Flower Poison, then refused to treat Wang Bingyan’s younger brother because she had rejected his help. Wang Bingyan blamed Su Chen and threatened him, while Master Mo warned that the Alchemy Guild would protect its Honorary Guest Elder.

• Master Mo refused Wang Bingyan’s demand to detoxify her younger brother, and the commoner pleaded for someone to save his poisoned son.
• Su Chen agreed to treat the commoner’s child, but said he would not save anyone from the Wang Family.
• Su Chen prepared a medicinal powder that cured the child, and the grateful commoner left with his son.
• Wang Bingyan begged Su Chen to save her younger brother, but Su Chen reminded her of his refusal and left the Alchemy Guild.
• Master Mo also refused to treat Wang Bingyan’s brother, and Wang Bingyan blamed Su Chen and threatened to make him pay.
• Master Mo told a subordinate that the Alchemy Guild would defend Su Chen if anyone attacked its Honorary Guest Elder.

Su Chen gave Xu Yin a Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill and set out for the Rising Sun Mountains to train and strengthen himself. After testing the Vast Sea Sword against weaker beasts, he faced an Iron-Tailed Leopard and wounded its tail, but the fight continued.

• Su Chen gave Xu Yin the Hundred-Year Supreme-Yang Pill and told her he was going to train in the Rising Sun Mountains.
• Xu Yin gave Su Chen Jiang Hai's Vast Sea Sword and urged him to be careful.
• Su Chen traveled to the Rising Sun Mountains and spent two days fighting Eighth Layer Qi-Attraction Realm demon beasts in the outer reaches.
• Su Chen killed a Carrion-Eating Rat with One Sword, Five Waves, then went deeper to seek stronger opponents.
• Su Chen clashed with a Ninth Layer Qi-Attraction Realm Iron-Tailed Leopard and cut its tail with the Vast Sea Sword.

Su Chen defeated an Iron-Tailed Leopard and broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm. After five days of travel deeper into the Rising Sun Mountains, he neared the site of a rumored opportunity and heard two groups fighting nearby.

• Su Chen mastered Sevenfold Waves of One Sword in battle, broke through to the Ninth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm, and killed the Iron-Tailed Leopard.
• Su Chen recalled a map leading to an opportunity in the Rising Sun Mountains that had once transformed an obscure martial artist, and set out to find it first.
• Su Chen spent five days traveling deeper into the mountains, fought more than a hundred demonic beasts, and improved Layered Wave Slash to Eightfold Waves of One Sword.
• Su Chen heard cries for help and the sounds of two groups fighting as they approached his location.

Su Chen encountered three young men fleeing Iron Garb Sect martial artists over a Jade Wonder Fruit and killed two pursuers with single sword strikes. He refused to let the remaining four leave, and drew the Vast Sea Sword to fight them.

• Three young men fleeing Iron Garb Sect martial artists asked Su Chen for help, but the pursuers surrounded them and threatened him.
• Su Chen killed Senior Brother Sun with one sword strike, then killed the one-eyed Junior Brother Huo when he attacked.
• The remaining Iron Garb Sect martial artists identified themselves, and Senior Brother Wu concluded Su Chen was at least at the ninth layer of Qi-Attraction Realm.
• Senior Brother Wu ordered the others to retreat, but Su Chen challenged them over their threats and drew the Vast Sea Sword again.

Su Chen killed four Iron Garb Sect martial artists who were threatening three members of the He Family, then accepted one of their two Jade Wonder Fruits. After the He brothers fled, Su Chen ate the fruit and used the Chaos Immortal Record to absorb its spiritual energy as his cultivation began to soar.

• Su Chen killed four Eighth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm Iron Garb Sect martial artists with one sword strike and took valuables from the corpses.
• The leader of the three He Family youths explained that they had found two Jade Wonder Fruits and offered both to Su Chen in gratitude for saving them.
• Su Chen kept one Jade Wonder Fruit and returned the other to the He Family leader.
• Su Chen urged the three He Family youths to leave while he stayed behind to face any Iron Garb Sect pursuit and continue toward the location on his map.
• Su Chen ate the Jade Wonder Fruit and circulated the Chaos Immortal Record, converting its spiritual energy into true qi as his cultivation rapidly rose.

After reaching the Tenth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm, Su Chen encountered an Iron Garb Sect group investigating the deaths of Wu Yi and his companions. When they tried to rob him, he killed two attackers, prompting them to realize he might have killed Wu Yi’s group as well.

• Su Chen broke through to the Tenth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm after absorbing a Jade Wonder Fruit with the Chaos Immortal Record.
• An Iron Garb Sect group led by a young master found Wu Yi and his companions dead and vowed to hunt down the killer.
• A martial artist noticed the spiritual energy lingering on Su Chen and attacked him to take his valuables.
• Su Chen killed Ding Xiao and another Iron Garb Sect martial artist with the Vast Sea Sword.
• The survivors recognized Su Chen’s strength and suspected he had killed Wu Yi and the others.

Su Chen accepted Ma Hui’s challenge and killed the Iron Garb Sect’s Young Master with a single sword strike. He then faced Ma Hui’s black-clothed guard, who attacked with his Origin-Returning Iron Palm.

• Ma Hui offered Su Chen a one-on-one fight, intending to torment him, and revealed that he had reached the Tenth Layer of the Qi-Attraction Realm.
• Ma Hui attacked with his Silver Serpent Whip Art, but Su Chen blocked the whip with his longsword.
• Su Chen turned Ma Hui’s challenge against him and killed him with a powerful sword strike before the guard could intervene.
• The black-clothed guard, whose cultivation was at the peak of the Tenth Layer of the Qi-Attraction Realm, attacked Su Chen with his Origin-Returning Iron Palm.

Su Chen killed a Half-Step Essence Condensation Realm expert from the Iron Garb Sect by identifying and exploiting a flaw in his palm technique, then eliminated the other witnesses. After collecting supplies, Su Chen meditated to recover from his injuries and resolved to strengthen his body as he pursued the opportunity marked on his map.

• Su Chen blocked the black-clad expert’s palm attacks with his sword and studied his combat methods.
• Su Chen endured more than a dozen blows, then used Eightfold Waves of One Sword to pierce the flaw in the expert’s palm technique and kill him.
• Su Chen killed the remaining Iron Garb Sect martial artists so they could not report what happened.
• Su Chen searched the corpses, took the young master’s pills and Purple-Gold Knuckle Duster, and discarded the cultivation manual.
• Su Chen meditated to heal his injuries and decided he needed to temper his physique.

After recovering from his injuries, Su Chen found the hidden cave and obtained a Primordial Five-Element Lotus. He consumed it and began breaking through from the Tenth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm to the Essence Condensation Realm.

• Su Chen recovered most of his injuries, then traveled deeper into the mountain range toward the map's marked location.
• Su Chen found a vine-hidden cave entrance, descended into its cavern, and opened a concealed stone chamber by pressing a mechanism.
• Su Chen discovered a Primordial Five-Element Lotus and recognized it as a divine treasure capable of remaking a martial artist's body and bones.
• Su Chen swallowed the lotus and used the Chaos Immortal Record to absorb its violent spiritual energy into his dantian.
• Su Chen began condensing his abundant true qi into Essence Energy to form an Essence Core and enter the Essence Condensation Realm.

Su Chen used the Primordial Five-Element Lotus to break through to the First Layer of Essence Condensation Realm and discovered that he had formed five elemental Essence Cores. After consolidating his cultivation, he returned to Clear River City, where Wang Bingyan confronted him over her younger brother’s permanent injury.

• Su Chen condensed five small Essence Cores of different elements, realizing the Primordial Five-Element Lotus had given him talent in all five attributes.
• Su Chen accepted that the five Essence Cores would require far more cultivation resources and continued cultivating with confidence in his future.
• After three more days, Su Chen consolidated his First Layer of Essence Condensation Realm cultivation and concealed his Essence Energy.
• Su Chen returned to Clear River City after half a month in the Rising Sun Mountains, having advanced from the Peak of the Eighth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm.
• Wang Bingyan blocked Su Chen on the main street and accused him of causing her younger brother to become crippled, demanding that they settle the score.

Su Chen rejected Wang Bingyan’s demand for compensation and accepted Ye Xuan’s challenge to duel ten days later at the Southern City Martial Arena. After returning to the Jiang Family, he reassured Xu Yin about his trip and learned that her old injury had not returned after taking his pill.

• Su Chen refused to take responsibility for Wang Bingyan’s brother and knocked aside the two Wang Family disciples who tried to stop him.
• Ye Xuan accused Su Chen of wrongdoing and demanded that he sever one of his arms, but Su Chen challenged him to act on the threat.
• Ye Xuan challenged Su Chen to a duel at the Southern City Martial Arena in ten days, and Su Chen accepted.
• Su Chen returned to the Jiang Family, rested, and told Xu Yin that he had been safe in the mountains.
• Xu Yin told Su Chen that her old injury had not flared up since taking his pill and that she felt more vigorous.

Su Chen told Xu Yin that Jiang Shan and Jiang He planned to take Jiang Tingyi’s Skyreach Academy admission slot and give it to Jiang Yuewu at the old madam’s birthday banquet. He revealed that Jiang Shan would drug Tingyi before the banquet, and proposed that Tingyi prove her strength to secure her place.

• Xu Yin noticed Su Chen had reached the Tenth Layer of Qi-Attraction Realm, unaware that he had concealed his breakthrough to the First Layer of Essence Condensation Realm.
• Xu Yin told Su Chen that Skyreach Academy had sent a teacher to honor Jiang Hai’s promise by admitting Jiang Tingyi, and that the old madam’s seventieth birthday banquet was five days away.
• Su Chen warned Xu Yin that Jiang Shan and Jiang He intended to use the banquet to transfer Tingyi’s admission slot to Jiang Yuewu.
• Su Chen recounted how the scheme had worked in his previous life, leaving Tingyi without her place and leading to her forced engagement to Wang Sheng.
• Su Chen said Tingyi needed to demonstrate overwhelming strength at the banquet, but warned that Jiang Shan would secretly drug her with Sinew-Softening Powder the day before.

Xu Yin and Su Chen planned to protect Tingyi from being poisoned and help her rely on herself to defeat Jiang Yuewu. Su Chen went to Five Treasures Hall for body-tempering supplies, where Jiang Minghao tried to humiliate him but the steward recognized and welcomed him.

• Xu Yin agreed to keep lineage food away from Tingyi while still having her pretend to be poisoned at the birthday banquet.
• Su Chen told Xu Yin that Tingyi should come find him if she wanted to take charge of her own destiny.
• Su Chen headed to Five Treasures Hall to buy body-tempering medicinal materials but was denied entry because he lacked a VIP pass.
• Jiang Minghao mocked Su Chen outside the hall and threatened to have him expelled from the Jiang Family, angering Su Chen.
• A Five Treasures Hall steward recognized Su Chen, apologized for not welcoming him, and personally escorted him inside.

Su Chen went to Five Treasures Hall to buy medicinal ingredients, including its sole Bloodsnake Ginseng, but Envoy Feng blocked the sale and tried to claim it for himself. Su Chen countered by offering double the price, and Envoy Feng angrily challenged him.

• Su Chen asked the steward to sell him every ingredient on his list, including the Bloodsnake Ginseng.
• Shopkeeper Min agreed to sell the ginseng after recognizing Su Chen as the alchemist who had treated a Coldheart Python bite.
• Envoy Feng demanded proof of Su Chen's alchemist credentials and threatened to have him beaten out, while Su Chen calmly challenged his authority.
• Envoy Feng ordered the steward to fetch the ginseng for himself, and Shopkeeper Min realized he had obstructed Su Chen to secure it.
• Su Chen offered to pay double Envoy Feng's price, provoking Envoy Feng's angry rebuke.