Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• After returning to Mist Island, Ji Yuan collects the island’s accumulated resources from Big Clam and Tu Yue, including a Millennial Illusion Spirit Grass. He decides to restart the island’s livestock and fish farming.
• Before upgrading the polluted [Fish Pond], he clears its contamination and yin energy. He then travels through nearby markets in search of carp-type Spirit Fish, eventually buying fifty-nine in Linhua City.
• The city’s annual “Carp Leaping the Dragon Gate” event was disrupted by Demonic Cultivators, who caused widespread violence. Ji Yuan had wisely stayed away. Soon after buying the leftover fish, he senses a pursuit and escapes on his spiritual-artifact Flying Boat.
• Back on Mist Island, he puts the fish into the pond and upgrades it to Level Three. Several fish advance in rank, though none transform into the hoped-for Ice Flood Dragon. The upgraded pond produces three valuable drops of Ice-Soul Cold Dew daily, which Ji Yuan plans to use in hopes of giving his Water Spiritual Root an ice attribute.
• The Level Four pond effects reveal a tiny chance for Flood Dragons to transform into dragons, exciting Ji Yuan about the possibility of eventually raising one.
• Ji Yuan later visits Hua Yaoyue on Carefree Island with wine and asks her to explain the Water Dragon Technique. She describes its three stages: an offensive spectral dragon, defensive Sea Dragon Armor, and a combined attack-and-defense dragon transformation.

Character development

• Ji Yuan remains cautious and practical: he avoids the city during the unrest, buys the discounted fish without concern for their supposed bad luck, and escapes quickly when pursued.
• He is increasingly invested in his island’s cultivation economy, treating its buildings as both productive assets and potential sources of rare spirit beasts.
• His ambition grows as he imagines raising an Ice Flood Dragon—and perhaps someday a true dragon. He also considers improving his own spiritual affinity by using Ice-Soul Cold Dew.
• Ji Yuan shows sound judgment about combat, questioning claims that a powerful technique alone can overcome differences in cultivation, reserves, and opponents’ own secret arts.

Significant themes

• Opportunity and risk: The city’s disaster creates danger but also leaves Ji Yuan with access to discounted fish.
• Cultivation through patience and investment: The pond’s effects yield gradual rewards, while the rare transformation he wants remains uncertain.
• Resourcefulness and self-preservation: Ji Yuan prioritizes preparation and escape over excitement or unnecessary confrontation.
• Ambition balanced by realism: He dreams of dragons and stronger techniques, but recognizes that success and victory depend on more than wishful thinking or one powerful skill.
• Mentorship: Hua Yaoyue’s guidance gives Ji Yuan a more reliable way to understand a technique than relying solely on solitary study.

Character interactions

• Ji Yuan rewards Big Clam with a Spirit Pig and gathers the island’s produce from Tu Yue, encouraging her to continue her work.
• A cultivator directs Ji Yuan toward Linhua City for carp; there, a shopkeeper sells him the remaining event fish, though Ji Yuan suspects the man’s motives are not entirely honest.
• Ji Yuan avoids engaging the three cultivators who pursue him and instead outruns them.
• On Carefree Island, Ji Yuan gives Hua Yaoyue wine as promised. She invites questions about his cultivation, and he takes the opportunity to learn about the Water Dragon Technique.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan learns the first layer of the Water Dragon Technique from Hua Yaoyue and names his island Carefree Island, earning the title Worry-Free Island Master.
• He checks his island’s defensive formations and its newly planted fruit trees, then returns to Mist Island.
• Neighboring island masters investigate Ji Yuan’s background and learn he may be connected to the powerful True Person Wangyou. They decide to seek his goodwill. They also discuss rumors that trouble in Linhua City may involve an internal cover-up.
• Ji Yuan studies the Water Dragon Technique’s first two layers—an offensive water technique and a defensive armor technique—then learns the first layer of the Shadow-Following movement technique.
• He hears that the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven has closed and its survivors are returning. He also learns of a major battle between Sword Ruins and a demonic sect.
• Ji Yuan reunites with Dong Qian. He sells her a One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pill for 450 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones and agrees to look for more. He admits that, despite having a False Spiritual Root, he needed ten Two-Pattern pills to break through.
• Ji Yuan studies the Li Family’s Sword Canon and plans to forge a Sword Embryo using the Water Fortune of Cloud-Rain Marsh. He also begins building a Corpse-Nurturing Ground, ordering corpses to support it.
• News arrives that the grotto-heaven’s expedition has returned. Ji Yuan immediately heads to Young Dragon Island to find out how Du Wanyi fared.
• In the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven, a mysterious voice continues tormenting Feng Yichen and threatens to take over his body, promising to use it to hunt down Han Feiyu.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan grows into his new Foundation Establishment status, gaining techniques, an island title, and greater standing among nearby cultivators. He remains modest and empathetic, especially toward those still struggling to advance.
• Dong Qian reveals her determination to reach Foundation Establishment—and the resources to pursue it. Her lack of a Foundation Establishment Pill remains a major obstacle.
• The neighboring island masters shift from suspicion about Ji Yuan’s sudden rise to caution and deference after learning of his possible connection to True Person Wangyou.
• Feng Yichen appears physically unharmed but mentally worn down and increasingly resigned to the entity seeking control of him.

Significant themes

• Luck, effort, and unequal opportunity: Ji Yuan’s breakthrough was difficult, while Dong Qian’s resources give her options unavailable to many cultivators; both still face uncertainty.
• Power and social influence: Ji Yuan’s new rank and rumored connections alter how others approach him.
• Preparation and self-reliance: He strengthens his island, studies techniques, and plans further cultivation projects rather than relying solely on status.
• Identity and possession: Feng Yichen’s struggle raises the threat of losing control of one’s body and name.

Character interactions

• Hua Yaoyue acts as Ji Yuan’s teacher, guiding his technique practice and affirming his chosen island name.
• The Cloud-Sun, Cold River, and Orchid Island Masters exchange suspicions and information about Ji Yuan, then plan a joint visit.
• Ji Yuan and Dong Qian reconnect as former companions. Their friendly conversation turns to her prospects for Foundation Establishment, and Ji Yuan helps by selling her a pill and promising to seek more.
• Feng Yichen argues with the voice in his mind, which manipulates his desire for revenge against Han Feiyu.

• Feng Yichen’s fate: Trapped in the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven, Feng Yichen learns that his spiritual root was only temporarily obscured and will recover. A sinister voice intends to restore his cultivation, then possess him. Feng Yichen asks the senior to fulfill three wishes, though the excerpt does not reveal what they are.
• Ji Yuan reunites with Du Wanyi: Back on Young Dragon Island, Ji Yuan finds Du Wanyi safely returned from the grotto-heaven. She offers him one of her two stalks of millennial illusion spirit grass—and even offers both if needed—so they can pursue Foundation Establishment together. Ji Yuan reveals that he has already reached Foundation Establishment and offers to refine pills for her without charge. Du Wanyi is startled but grateful, and they share news of the dangerous expedition: Feng Yichen died, Han Feiyu survived badly injured, and two other disciples apparently never returned. Du Wanyi explains she obtained her second stalk of spirit grass by taking advantage of a fight between disciples from Joy Palace and Medicine King Valley.
• Han Feiyu and the bracelet: Han Feiyu reports to Profound Water True Person that Feng Yichen died while he retrieved a long-sought white bracelet. The Sect Master claims the treasure and accepts Han Feiyu as his disciple. Later, however, Han Feiyu discovers that a matching black bracelet is hidden in his own Dantian. A voice explains that the two bracelets form a pair and that the Sect Master’s white bracelet is merely being nourished for Han Feiyu’s benefit.
• Ji Yuan’s growing influence: Invited to meet the Li Family, Ji Yuan consults Hua Yaoyue. She assures him that, as her disciple, he need not fear displeasing powerful elders, and gives him a Jade Slip to deliver to Li Gang as compensation for a disciple learning the Li Family’s Sword Canon. Ji Yuan’s island neighbors try to socialize, but defer when he says Golden Core elder Many-Treasure True Person is expecting him. They speculate that Ji Yuan is connected to True Person Wangyou and recognize that he has powerful backing.
  Character developments and themes: Du Wanyi’s generosity and affection for Ji Yuan are emphasized, while Ji Yuan’s cultivation and alchemical skill mark his growing independence and status. Han Feiyu appears outwardly humble and loyal, but his hidden bracelet and mysterious adviser suggest he is pursuing his own agenda. The chapter highlights the dangers and uncertainty of cultivation, the value of loyalty and generosity, and the contrast between public appearances and hidden power.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yuan visits Li Family Island at Li Changhe’s invitation. Li Changhe explains that Han Feiyu became Profound Water True Person’s disciple after completing a mission at Ghost Flood Dragon Lake, a treasure-rich core area of the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven.
• Ji Yuan enjoys an extravagant two-day banquet with Li Changhe. Li Gang arrives, gives Ji Yuan a booklet of an ancestor’s insights into the Li Family Sword Canon, and receives a jade slip from Ji Yuan on behalf of Hua Yaoyue. The message makes Li Gang ecstatic, and he promises to thank Hua Yaoyue.
• Li Changhe gives Ji Yuan a three-use Heaven-Escaping Shuttle Talisman Treasure to celebrate his successful Foundation Establishment. Ji Yuan later reports the visit and both gifts to Hua Yaoyue.
• Ji Yuan returns to Mist Island with more Qi Refining cultivator corpses for his Corpse-Nurturing Ground. After adding makeshift grave markers, he discovers it has become a Mass Burial Ground.
• Upgrading it to Level 1 doubles its yin energy. Its Level 2 effects promise a chance to create controllable Corpse Puppets and the ability to strengthen one by consuming corpses. Ji Yuan sees this as a way to advance Tu Yue’s cultivation, but Level 2 requires many more corpses, including one from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
• Ji Yuan gives Tu Yue a stone coffin in the Mass Burial Ground, where she rests and appears healthier. He spends a month studying the Sword Canon, making talismans, refining pills, and cultivating, then prepares to seek a Foundation Establishment corpse.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan is practical and comfortable accepting hospitality and useful gifts. He values his ties with Li Changhe, honors Hua Yaoyue by passing along her message, and approaches the corpse requirement cautiously, preferring to buy one rather than kill indiscriminately.
• Li Changhe treats Ji Yuan warmly as a brother, shares sect knowledge, and gives him a valuable escape talisman.
• Li Gang maintains a polite, playful façade but is genuinely delighted by Ji Yuan’s jade slip and offers him Sword Canon guidance.
• Tu Yue benefits from the Mass Burial Ground’s yin-rich environment, which improves her condition and may eventually help her cultivation advance.
• Ji Yuan’s interactions with Li Changhe and Li Gang strengthen his connections with the Li Family while supporting his cultivation and future plans.

Significant themes

• Cultivation through resources and preparation: Banquets, spiritual energy, study, and corpse-based structures all contribute to advancement.
• Trust and reciprocal relationships: Gifts and messages reinforce bonds between Ji Yuan, the Li Family, and Hua Yaoyue.
• Pragmatism and restraint: Ji Yuan pursues powerful resources but weighs the risks and avoids killing solely for convenience.
• Unconventional care: The Mass Burial Ground, normally associated with death and corpse puppets, becomes a means of supporting Tu Yue.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan returns to Redleaf City under the alias Qiu Qianhai to buy Foundation Establishment–level corpses. His regular supplier, Zhu Ji, introduces him to Hu Li, an Early Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivator.
• Hu Li initially probes Ji Yuan with Divine Sense. Ji Yuan overwhelms him with his own, revealing that his apparent Peak Qi Refining cultivation is a disguise. Hu Li apologizes and treats him as a powerful senior.
• Hu Li explains that the Immortal Materials Association operates openly because powerful orthodox cultivators protect it. Golden Core cultivators from the Water Dragon Sect, Medicine King Valley, and Joy Palace are reportedly involved.
• Ji Yuan also learns that Demonic Cultivators may soon attack Shangdong from the west. Hu Li’s information comes through his lover, a Late Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivator near Medicine King Valley.
• Hu Li gives Ji Yuan two Foundation Establishment corpses and several Qi Refining corpses. Ji Yuan takes Hu Li’s Communication Talisman, warns him to keep their meeting secret, then returns to Mist Island. Hu Li promptly flees west, apparently to seek protection.
• Ji Yuan buries the corpses and upgrades the [Mass Burial Ground] to Level Two. It gains two abilities: buried corpses can become Corpse Puppets, and corpses can be consumed to raise a puppet’s cultivation. The site also develops eerie effects—decaying fences and mist—which Ji Yuan can switch off.
• A newly reanimated corpse becomes Ji Yuan’s second puppet. He uses other corpses to raise Tu Yue from the Sixth to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, marveling at how quickly she advances.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan stays cautious and calculating: he hides his identity, uses intimidation to control Hu Li, gathers intelligence and resources, and avoids pursuing Hu Li after their meeting.
• Zhu Ji acts as a deferential broker, guiding Ji Yuan to a higher-level contact and leaving once the two men begin dealing directly.
• Hu Li shifts from suspicious host to frightened subordinate after discovering Ji Yuan’s strength. He readily supplies corpses and contact details to protect himself.
• Tu Yue remains Ji Yuan’s trusted Corpse Puppet. Ji Yuan rewards her service by prioritizing her advancement over the newly created puppet.

Significant themes

• Power and appearances: Ji Yuan’s false cultivation and superior Divine Sense let him control an encounter without revealing his true identity.
• Pragmatism over labels: Orthodox and Demonic factions cooperate when profit is involved, complicating the supposed divide between them.
• Preparation amid uncertainty: Ji Yuan collects corpses, intelligence, and contacts while learning that a larger conflict may be approaching.
• Utility and loyalty: The new ability turns corpses into an expanding resource, while Ji Yuan’s choice to strengthen Tu Yue reflects his regard for a long-serving companion.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan upgrades the corpse puppet Tu Yue to Peak Qi Refining, but lacks the corpses needed to advance her further. He names his other puppet “First One.”
• His Level Three Mass Burial Ground can now let puppets absorb yin energy independently and, with enough high-level corpses, eventually produce Corpse Yin Demonfire. The upgrade requirements are far beyond what he can currently meet.
• Ji Yuan focuses on studying the Sword Canon while maintaining his quiet routine. After a month, he receives a commission to refine Foundation Establishment Pills for Han Feiyu.
• Ji Yuan refines six batches over two months: three for Han, two for Du Wanyi, and one for himself. The results exceed expectations, yielding eleven pills for Han, eight for Du, and four for Ji Yuan.
• Han is delighted with his pills and leaves to prepare for Foundation Establishment. Ji Yuan later gives Du her pills; she decides to wait until she has at least ten before attempting the breakthrough.
• Ji Yuan also trades a One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pill with Dong Qian, then visits his master, Hua Yaoyue. He meets second senior brother Yun Qianzai, who is leaving to represent the sect in a cultivation-skills exchange with Ganhushan.
• Hua Yaoyue gives Ji Yuan unexpectedly extensive guidance on the Azure Billows Nine Tribulations Sword Canon. Returning to Mist Island, Ji Yuan enters a trance as water fortune gathers around him.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan continues advancing as an alchemist and cultivator, balancing business with discretion. He is generous toward friends and family, but careful not to reveal the full extent of his resources.
• Tu Yue becomes stronger and more lifelike in appearance, though Ji Yuan recognizes that she remains a corpse puppet without consciousness.
• Han Feiyu is still preparing for Foundation Establishment, but Ji Yuan’s successful work gives him far more pills than expected.
• Du Wanyi is eager to advance but chooses caution, setting a goal of accumulating ten pills before attempting Foundation Establishment.
• Lu Wan has advanced to Ninth Layer Qi Refining. Seeing Ji Yuan’s Foundation Establishment success stirs memories of their childhood friendship, though she describes him simply as a friend.
• Yun Qianzai is established as the sect’s formation specialist and is preparing to take part in a competitive exchange.

Character interactions

• Ji Yuan and Han Feiyu reconnect warmly, with Ji Yuan offering him a discounted rate and a communication talisman; Han’s gratitude and excitement reflect their close ties.
• Ji Yuan and Lu Wan share a brief, surprised reunion. Her companion teases her about their relationship, but Lu Wan insists they were only childhood friends.
• Ji Yuan supports Du Wanyi’s plans without pressuring her, and discreetly helps Dong Qian obtain the pill she prefers.
• Ji Yuan exchanges courteous encouragement with Yun Qianzai, then seeks Hua Yaoyue’s advice on sword cultivation.

Significant themes

• Power has a cost: advancing Tu Yue and unlocking the Demonfire require scarce, dangerous corpses.
• Patience and discretion: Ji Yuan favors steady alchemy income over public competition, while Du chooses to delay a risky breakthrough.
• Relationships and generosity: Ji Yuan’s discounted service and support for fellow disciples show how personal ties shape his choices.
• Cultivation as opportunity and risk: breakthroughs, sect competitions, and rare techniques offer great rewards but draw attention and demand careful preparation.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yuan cultivates the Azure Billows Nine Tribulations Sword Canon and condenses his first Life-bound Sword Embryo from the Water Fortune of Cloud-Rain Marsh. It cuts through a High-Grade Magical Artifact with ease, but Ji Yuan learns it is fragile and should be used sparingly: if destroyed, it may be nearly impossible to reform, leaving his future sword formation incomplete.
• He also advances toward the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, which requires two Sword Embryos at his current level.
• Ji Yuan turns Aperture-Tempering Pearls into improved Qi-Blood Pills, disguising their origin while preserving some of their ability to strengthen the physique. He gives ten to the Iron Hammer Island Lord, who uses the first to open a long-stubborn aperture. Ji Yuan reveals that he himself has achieved Physique Foundation Establishment and promises more pills so the senior can pursue it too.
• The Iron Hammer Island Lord accepts the pills and pays Ji Yuan generously, though Ji Yuan reduces the price out of concern for his friend. They trade teasing threats about a future fight.
• Ji Yuan learns that Han Feiyu has reached Foundation Establishment. Now a disciple of Profound Water True Person, Han has become popular with the Water Dragon Sect Mutual Aid Association’s members, though he avoids their self-interested attention. His island-opening ceremony is being organized as a major gathering for Golden Core cultivators.
• Han visits Ji Yuan and invites him to return with him to their hometown, Zengtou City.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan grows more confident in his cultivation and gains a formidable new weapon, while remaining cautious about its limitations. He also shows generosity and trust by sharing the pills with Iron Hammer, yet stays discreet once he leaves the island.
• Iron Hammer is delighted by the pill’s effect but initially struggles to believe that physique cultivation is within reach. His warm, blunt friendship with Ji Yuan comes through in their banter and mutual trust.
• Han Feiyu’s new status brings both influence and unwanted obligations. He acknowledges the advantages of his position but expresses envy of Ji Yuan’s quieter life. Their reunion reflects their shared roots and success in Foundation Establishment.

Significant themes

• Power and risk: The Sword Embryo offers great strength but demands careful use; cultivation gains often come with serious trade-offs.
• Trust and generosity: Ji Yuan protects Iron Hammer’s secret and helps him pursue a rare breakthrough, while accepting payment to preserve the senior’s dignity.
• Personal cultivation versus worldly ties: Ji Yuan favors improving himself over building a family or social network, while Han’s rise brings ceremony, status, and political attention.
• Friendship and shared origins: Despite their different paths, Ji Yuan and Han remain connected by their hometown and achievements.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yuan and Han Feiyu decide to return to Zengtou City, their former home, after both attaining Foundation Establishment. On the journey, Han tells Ji Yuan that several Water Dragon Sect officials in Linhua City embezzled sect property and staged a fake demonic attack to cover it up. Their leader, Island Master Qinghan, has fled and is now a wanted traitor.
• In Zengtou City, the pair’s powerful auras draw the attention of local sect disciples, who greet them as martial uncles. Ji Yuan then visits old friends and former neighbors.
• Ji Yuan sees that his old courtyard now belongs to a fishing family. Their young son lacks a Spiritual Root, while their daughter has a False Spiritual Root.
• At Lin Hu’s home, Ji Yuan learns that Lin Hu has left fishing and become a low-level Talisman Master. He sold the supplies Ji Yuan once gave him to buy basic talisman-making materials, taught himself the craft, and built a modest livelihood. Ji Yuan gives Lin Hu’s daughter a protective bracelet and later leaves Lin Hu pills, talismans, and a book on talisman-making.
• Lin Hu reveals that Wen Ling’er was taken away with her family after her Spiritual Root test. He believes she has a rare Wind Variant Spiritual Root, and the Water Dragon Sect has kept the matter secret. Ji Yuan warns him not to spread the information.
• Ji Yuan also visits Luo Tong and leaves him cultivation pills. He encounters the chicken seller, who now addresses him deferentially as “Senior Ji.”
• After Ji Yuan departs, Lin Hu considers selling his home at an inflated price by spreading a rumor that Ji Yuan once cultivated there. He hopes to use the proceeds to move into the market and advance his talisman career.
• Back at the sect, Ji Yuan heads to Carefree Island to ask Hua Yaoyue what she knows about Wen Ling’er.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan reflects on how far he has risen from his days as a fisherman and Qi Refining cultivator. Despite his status, he remains generous and attentive to old friends, while showing curiosity and concern about Wen Ling’er.
• Han Feiyu is now wealthy enough to own a Spirit Artifact Flying Boat and shares Ji Yuan’s desire to revisit their roots.
• Lin Hu has become more prosperous and self-reliant, turning Ji Yuan’s earlier gifts into the means to pursue talisman-making. His improved judgment and ambition are evident, though his plan to profit from Ji Yuan’s reputation is ethically questionable.
• Wen Ling’er is revealed to have likely possessed a Wind Variant Spiritual Root, a rare talent significant enough for the sect to conceal her removal.
• Lin Qiaoruo, Lin Hu’s daughter, is shy but curious and is nearing the age for Spiritual Root testing.

Themes

• Success and returning home: Ji Yuan and Han Feiyu’s return contrasts their humble beginnings with their new status.
• Friendship and generosity: Ji Yuan repays old bonds by visiting and helping the people who mattered to him.
• Opportunity and perseverance: Lin Hu’s rise from fisherman to Talisman Master comes through decisive choices and sustained effort.
• The value and risks of talent: Wen Ling’er’s rare Spiritual Root brings opportunity but also secrecy and institutional control.
• Social ambition and reputation: The locals’ deference to Ji Yuan shows how status reshapes relationships, while Lin Hu considers turning that reputation into material gain.

Character interactions

• Han and Ji share an easy friendship, traveling together and reminiscing about their shared origins.
• Local Water Dragon Sect disciples treat the two newly elevated cultivators with eager respect, hoping to renew old connections.
• Ji Yuan and Lin Hu reunite warmly; Lin Hu’s family welcomes him, and Ji Yuan bonds with young Qiaoruo through a modest protective gift.
• Lin Hu confides Wen Ling’er’s secret to Ji Yuan, trusting him to keep it safe.
• Lin Hu and Wu Qin discuss the future of their household; she defers to his increasingly confident judgment, though his proposed rumor-making plan reveals a more calculating side.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan visits his master, Hua Yaoyue, to ask about Wen Ling’er, whom he suspects may have a Variant Spiritual Root. Hua knows only of a Heavenly Spirit Root recruit taken by Third Elder Xuan Xiao, but agrees to investigate and keep Ji Yuan’s inquiry secret.
• Hua praises Ji Yuan for condensing his first Sword Embryo. She later reports that she could not find the suspected disciple; Wen Ling’er may be with the sect’s Supreme Elder—or there may be no such disciple at all.
• Sect Master Profound Water True Person assigns Ji Yuan to serve in Linhua City, an easy posting chosen with Ji Yuan’s preference for staying close to home in mind. Ji Yuan declines the city-lord position, which goes to the more senior Wu Nanchun.
• Ji Yuan travels to Linhua City with Wu Nanchun and Liu Yuan. Wu manages the city, Liu oversees its defenses, and Ji Yuan is given almost no duties. The city remains peaceful after a recent purge.
• During roughly six months of service, Ji Yuan attends auctions, sells several Foundation Establishment Pills, and upgrades his tools and artifacts—including buying a powerful flying Spirit Artifact. He conceals his identity at the auctions.
• Ji Yuan eventually returns to Mist Island to inspect a Spirit-Devouring Bee hive he bought in Linhua City. After tending it until it recognizes him as its master, he unlocks the [Beehive: Lv. 1] structure, beginning his hoped-for path as an “Insect Demon” cultivator.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan’s first Sword Embryo marks progress in his sword cultivation. He also becomes better equipped and wealthier, though he remains cautious about revealing his strength or possessions.
• He accepts preferential treatment from the sect master while still avoiding authority and responsibility, preferring freedom to cultivate.
• Tu Yue has grown more capable since reaching Peak Qi Refining, handling Mist Island’s tasks with less supervision.
• Wu Nanchun proves decisive and experienced as city lord. Liu Yuan is perceptive enough to recognize that Ji Yuan is being protected by powerful connections.

Significant themes

• Connections and favoritism: Ji Yuan receives a convenient assignment and protection because of Profound Water’s instructions, despite his dislike of people who benefit from connections.
• Caution and concealed strength: Ji Yuan keeps his inquiry discreet, hides his identity at auctions, and reserves his best flying artifact for emergencies.
• Cultivation and ambition: Alongside formal sword training and sect duties, Ji Yuan pursues wealth, equipment, and his personal ambition to cultivate insects.
• Freedom versus responsibility: Ji Yuan accepts a posting that leaves him room to cultivate and deliberately avoids becoming city lord.

Character interactions

• Ji Yuan and Hua Yaoyue share a respectful but familiar teacher-disciple relationship: he seeks information and reassurance, while she offers guidance and praise.
• Profound Water treats Ji Yuan with unusual consideration, arranging a suitable posting and privately asking Wu Nanchun to look after him.
• Wu Nanchun is reassuring and supportive toward Ji Yuan, while Liu Yuan remains cordial but keeps his distance.
• Ji Yuan’s relationship with Tu Yue is shown through the trust he places in her to manage Mist Island independently.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan reviews the Level One Beehive and its Level Two upgrade. The upgrade would give his Spirit-Devouring Bees a venomous attack that disrupts enemies’ spiritual circulation, but he still needs a second-tier Bee Queen, a swarm of 10,000, and a Bloodwing Venom Bee corpse. He has posted a bounty for the corpse and is waiting for hunters to complete it.
• After returning to Linhua City, Ji Yuan catches up with fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator Liu Yuan. Their conversation is interrupted by Wu Nanchun, who reveals that the fugitive former city lord, Island Master Qinghan, has returned.
• Wu plans to pursue Qinghan herself, claiming she can hold him until she summons help. Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan suspect she is also motivated by the high bounty and the possibility that Qinghan hid embezzled treasure nearby. Wu leaves them in charge of the city.
• Beneath the Pear Blossom River, Qinghan meets with Demonic Dao cultivators. Their scheme is to raid Linhua City while searching for clues to a mysterious “thing.” They divide their forces: three middle-stage cultivators will target Liu Yuan, while three early-stage cultivators will attack Ji Yuan. A formation specialist is assigned to contain Ji Yuan.
• At sunset, Demonic Cultivators attack from within the city, blasting a gap in the eastern wall where the city’s protective formation core is located. Ji Yuan realizes the attack was planned and that Wu’s departure was likely part of a diversion.
• Liu Yuan reports the attack to the sect and charges into battle. Ji Yuan sends urgent messages to several powerful contacts, detects three enemies approaching him, and recognizes Hu Li among them. Rather than flee through the deliberately open western route, Ji Yuan vanishes with his Shadow-Following Technique and prepares to test his strength.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan remains cautious and practical: he avoids unnecessary risks, warns Wu about Qinghan, and alerts allies once the city is attacked. Yet he is also eager to discover how much his combat ability has grown after two years without a fight.
• Wu Nanchun shows boldness and ambition. She knowingly takes on a powerful fugitive, likely hoping to gain both the sect’s bounty and Qinghan’s hidden wealth.
• Liu Yuan demonstrates his reputation as a formidable swordsman by immediately engaging the attackers. He is willing to fight to defend the city but does not recklessly pursue a battle beyond his level.
• Qinghan and the Demonic Dao group reveal themselves as organized and calculating, coordinating a diversion, exploiting knowledge of the city’s defenses, and assigning opponents according to their strengths.

Character interactions

• Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan share an easy friendship, built on similar temperaments and mutual trust. When Wu leaves, they divide responsibility for the city between them.
• Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan respectfully caution Wu, though they do not try to stop her once she has made her decision.
• The Demonic Dao cultivators confer closely, assess Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan’s abilities, and plan coordinated attacks. Feng Xiuxiu stresses discipline and warns them not to overstay their limited window of concealment.
• Ji Yuan’s final confrontation is set up against Hu Li, an old acquaintance who is among the attackers targeting him.

Significant themes

• Preparation and deception: The attack relies on a diversion, concealed forces, and insider knowledge of the city’s formation.
• Risk, ambition, and reward: Wu’s pursuit of Qinghan highlights how wealth and advancement can tempt cultivators into danger.
• Caution versus courage: Ji Yuan prefers to avoid needless risk, while the crisis forces him to act and test himself.
• Hidden power and uncertainty: Both sides make plans based on incomplete knowledge of their opponents, especially regarding Ji Yuan’s true capabilities.

Plot points and events

• Hu Li lures Ji Yuan into a trapping formation outside the eastern wall, where two other Foundation Establishment Early Stage Demonic Cultivators join him.
• Ji Yuan withstands the formation’s attacks using his Five-Element Bodyguard Talisman Formation, Sea Dragon Armor, Frostfall, and dragon techniques. His exceptional Divine Sense lets him control several Spirit Artifacts at once.
• The attackers escalate: one summons a crushing tombstone with a secret art, while another targets Ji Yuan’s Divine Soul with a Deathbringer Doll. Ji Yuan breaks the latter’s Divine Sense lock and uses a Substitute Clay Figure to dodge the tombstone.
• Ji Yuan counters with two stronger Second Tier formations, trapping all three enemies and destroying Hu Li’s formation. His Stardust Illusion-Killing Formation bombards the group while the Star-Spiral Cloud Barrier protects him.
• Hu Li secretly escapes using a Heaven-Escaping Shuttle Talisman Treasure. Ji Yuan fights the remaining two cultivators inside his formations, ultimately killing both with a combination of formation attacks, talismans, dragon techniques, and Frostfall.
• After collecting the bodies and their belongings, Ji Yuan heads toward the ongoing battle to the south. He calls out that a sect elder is coming, but does not actually go to help.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan proves resourceful, composed, and exceptionally well equipped. He adapts quickly under pressure, uses his formations offensively, and learns firsthand how effectively the Heaven-Escaping Shuttle can bypass formations.
• Hu Li is shown to be cautious and skilled with formations, but prioritizes his own survival over his companions and abandons them.
• The two remaining Demonic Cultivators fight aggressively and use powerful artifacts, but cannot overcome Ji Yuan’s layered defenses and attacks.
• Feng Xiuxiu’s intelligence about Ji Yuan is validated: he is more formidable than the attackers expected.

Significant themes

• Preparation versus improvisation: Hu Li’s traps are effective, but Ji Yuan’s equipment and quick responses turn the ambush against its creators.
• Power, skill, and resources: Ji Yuan’s strength comes not only from cultivation, but from his Divine Sense, formations, artifacts, talismans, and ability to combine them.
• Self-preservation and betrayal: Hu Li’s escape leaves his allies to die, reflecting the ruthless logic of the conflict.
• Pragmatism: Ji Yuan saves enemy bodies and loot for later use, and avoids joining the southern battle despite calling out to it.

Character interactions

• Hu Li taunts Ji Yuan after trapping him, while Ji Yuan answers the ambush by deploying his own formations.
• The three Demonic Cultivators coordinate their attacks, but their plans unravel as Ji Yuan counters them and Hu Li flees.
• Ji Yuan’s final shout to Liu Yuan suggests help is coming, though his decision to remain where he is leaves his actual intentions ambiguous.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points

• Ji Yuan’s warning causes the three demonic cultivators attacking Linhua City to break off their fight and flee. He then pretends to be badly injured, while Liu Yuan—also genuinely wounded—helps him recover.
• Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan discuss the attack and wonder why the Water Dragon Sect has not arrived. Hua Yaoyue appears first, confirms Ji Yuan is safe, and tells him to come see her before leaving.
• Profound Water True Person arrives shortly afterward. He reassures the city, then learns that Wu Nanchun has returned gravely wounded after killing the traitorous Island Master Qinghan. Her success turns her from a possible failure into a sect hero.
• Profound Water True Person takes the injured cultivators back toward the sect. He is surprised to learn that Ji Yuan and Liu Yuan sent their pleas for help several incense sticks earlier than he realized, but he gives no explanation and tells them to recover on their islands.
• Back on Carefree Island, Ji Yuan reviews the battle. He recognizes ways he could have fought more cautiously and used his hidden resources more effectively, but is glad he kept some abilities secret and avoided drawing too much attention.
• Feng Zhitáo and Yun Qianzai visit, having heard Ji Yuan was injured. Ji Yuan feigns injury again, then tells them the full story. They say Hua Yaoyue has summoned him, so he leaves with them.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan shows both tactical ability and compassion: he chose not to protect himself with a formation immediately because doing so might have left Linhua City’s residents exposed. He also continues concealing his true condition and strength, preferring a quiet life over fame.
• Liu Yuan and Ji Yuan share a frank, trusting exchange about the fight and their unanswered calls for help. Liu Yuan is impressed by Ji Yuan’s power and admits the demonic cultivators’ strength should not be underestimated.
• Hua Yaoyue demonstrates deep concern for Ji Yuan but little interest in the rest of the crisis once she knows he is safe. Her private summons suggests she wants to speak with him directly.
• Profound Water True Person publicly takes responsibility for reassuring the city and praising the disciples, but his delayed response raises questions. His surprise at the timing of the distress messages makes the delay more suspicious, though he does not explain it.
• Wu Nanchun returns near death but fulfills her duty by killing Qinghan, the sect traitor. Profound Water True Person’s immediate care and changed assessment underscore the value the sect places on her success.
• Feng Zhitáo and Yun Qianzai show concern for Ji Yuan. Their visit becomes an opportunity for him to recount the battle, though Yun Qianzai’s teasing skepticism contrasts with Feng Zhitáo’s eagerness to hear the story.

Significant themes

• Strategic restraint and hidden strength: Ji Yuan values keeping his abilities—and his reputation—under control.
• Compassion versus self-preservation: He accepts greater personal danger rather than abandon the city’s people.
• Uncertainty and accountability: The sect’s late arrival and Profound Water True Person’s reaction leave an unresolved question about the delay.
• Duty and recognition: Wu Nanchun’s success in killing a traitor transforms her standing, while the attack reveals how vulnerable even a carefully guarded city can be.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan returns to Carefree Island, where Hua Yaoyue reassures him after the recent attack and warns that the Demonic Dao is preparing a more coordinated invasion. The threat may come within a few years, and nowhere in Shangdong may be safe.
• After the others leave, Ji Yuan tells Hua Yaoyue that he had sent a message to the Profound Water True Person before she arrived. She concludes that a Golden Core cultivator may have intercepted it, since only Golden Core-level Divine Sense could lock onto a Communication Talisman. Ji Yuan has already reported the matter to the sect leader.
• Ji Yuan asks why the Demonic Dao is so interested in Linhua City. Hua Yaoyue reveals a secret: a Water-Type True Dragon was slain there thousands of years ago. The nearby Pear Blossom River—once called Falling Dragon River—still holds a trace of Dragon Qi, which the Demonic Dao is searching for.
• The Dragon Qi is not a treasure in itself, but it may help Ji Yuan condense a second Sword Embryo with a trace of Dragon Fortune. Hua Yaoyue cautions him to stop if blood qi begins mixing with Water Fortune. She also explains that the Boundless Marsh was dug out by people seeking every scrap of soil touched by the dragon’s power.
• Back on Mist Island, Ji Yuan sorts through the Demonic Cultivators’ belongings. Their loot includes Spirit Artifacts, a dangerous curse-bearing Straw Effigy, and a blood-energy compass likely used to search for Dragon Qi. He rejects the Tombstone Secret Art after learning its cultivation costs include progressively shrinking and spending three days each year in a deathlike state.
• Reviewing the battle, Ji Yuan realizes he needs to improve his knowledge of formations. He decides to ask his second senior brother, Yun Qianzai, for instruction and considers what gift might appeal to him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan feels more strongly that Hua Yaoyue cares about him, and his respect for her deepens after learning how much she knows about the sect’s hidden history. The battle also makes him more aware of his limitations and determined to develop his formation skills.
• Hua Yaoyue shows a serious, protective side beneath her relaxed manner. She warns her disciples about the coming invasion, shares a closely guarded historical secret with Ji Yuan, and gives him practical guidance for using the river’s remaining Dragon Fortune.
• Feng Zhitao and Yun Qianzai join Ji Yuan and Hua Yaoyue for a meal, joking that they wish they could gather like this more often—and that Ji Yuan would cook for them regularly. Their conversation also establishes that the eldest senior brother remains away on Shang Mountain.
• Ji Yuan later contacts Li Changhe, who checks on his safety after hearing of the incident; Ji Yuan assures him he is unharmed.
• Ji Yuan’s concern for Tu Yue is evident when he searches the Demonic Cultivators’ Storage Bags himself rather than risk exposing her to dangerous items.

Significant themes

• Escalating danger and preparedness: The Demonic Dao’s coordinated movements signal a more serious conflict ahead, making strength and caution essential.
• Hidden history and inherited consequences: The sect’s name and location trace back to the death of a True Dragon, while present-day events are driven by the lingering traces of that ancient power.
• Power comes at a cost: The Tombstone Secret Art offers strength but exacts disturbing physical and spiritual sacrifices; even the Dragon Fortune must be approached carefully.
• Care beneath humor: The warm meal and teasing among the disciples contrast with the looming invasion, showing the value of fellowship and mutual concern.
• Practical growth: Ji Yuan’s response to danger is not just celebration over surviving; he assesses his weaknesses and seeks guidance to become better prepared.

Plot and events

• Ji Yuan decides that the best gift for his boastful senior brother Yun Qianzai is a set of grandiose entrance lines, tailored to Yun’s self-image as the Celestial Pivot Island Master.
• Before heading north to visit Yun, Ji Yuan collects two years’ pay from the Water Dragon Sect for guarding Linhua City. The sect leader pays him generously—400 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones—and Liu Yuan explains that the work pays above the usual rate and is relatively safe.
• Meanwhile, the surviving Demonic Cultivators regroup after their failed operation. They have lost several allies, including Brother Qinghan, and gained no useful information. Hu Li admits he cannot defeat Ji Yuan, who used two Second-Tier Formations and displayed formidable resources and spellcraft. Hu Li plans to seek the protection of a powerful figure in the north; Feng Xiuxiu decides to go with him, while Tu Lin chooses to lie low.
• Ji Yuan reaches Celestial Pivot Island, whose conspicuous mountain-top light makes it impossible to miss. Yun has arranged a Second-Tier Formation as a test, but Ji Yuan sidesteps the challenge by presenting his first poem. Yun is delighted and promptly forgets about making him break the Formation.
• Ji Yuan offers a second poem in exchange for help advancing his Formation skills. Yun agrees to teach him, and Ji Yuan studies on the island. After a month, he becomes a Second-Tier Formation Master. He then presents the final, most extravagant line, leaving Yun stunned.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan shows cleverness and social insight: he recognizes that flattery is the surest way to win Yun’s cooperation. He is also ambitious about improving his Formation mastery and quietly takes advantage of Yun’s enthusiasm.
• Yun Qianzai is vain and loves public displays, but becomes a careful, generous teacher once Ji Yuan appeals to his ego. He repeatedly claims superiority, though Ji Yuan has become accustomed to the teasing.
• Hu Li is shaken by Ji Yuan’s strength and abandons any thought of confronting him again. His plans—and Feng Xiuxiu’s—shift toward finding a powerful patron.
• Tu Lin takes the cautious path, choosing to hide until the coming upheaval.
• Ji Yuan and Yun’s relationship becomes warmer and more mutually useful: Ji Yuan supplies Yun with lines that embody his grand self-image; Yun gives Ji Yuan serious instruction and promises to help him.

Significant themes

• Appearance and vanity: Yun’s love of spectacle drives both the island’s extravagant design and Ji Yuan’s strategy for winning his help.
• Reciprocity and persuasion: Ji Yuan trades flattering poetry for mentorship, turning a potentially awkward visit into a beneficial exchange.
• Power and prudence: Hu Li’s retreat and Tu Lin’s choice to hide show how dangerous the political and cultivation landscape has become.
• Rapid growth: Ji Yuan’s month of study highlights his strong comprehension and the value of skilled guidance.

Plot points and events

• Hua Yaoyue overhears Yun Qianzai declare, “Heavenly Pivot came before heaven itself!” Alarmed by how dangerously arrogant the claim sounds, she buries him underground until he can explain himself. Feng Zhitáo suggests Ji Yuan may have inspired the remark while studying under Yun, though Hua Yaoyue concludes it is probably just the product of Ji Yuan’s search for the Dao and Yun’s taste for boasting.
• Ji Yuan delivers Cultivation Pills to the Iron Hammer Island Lord, who reports that they have helped him open more than a hundred acupoints and regain some vigor. Xu Fugui is still away in the north.
• Ji Yuan continues developing Carefree Island and improving his formation knowledge. He raises his skill from First to Second Tier, making him better able to set up and break formations, and plans to revise the Yin Ghost Formation. A new, young Corpse Puppet, Third One, takes over much of the island’s construction work.
• Ji Yuan keeps checking the Fish Pond for a young Ice Flood Dragon, but none appears. When another Millennial Illusion Spirit Grass matures, he harvests only one stalk, not the hoped-for extra yield.
• Dong Qian visits Ji Yuan and asks him to obtain a Two-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pill. After years of quietly buying eight One-Pattern pills from him, she is ready to attempt Foundation Establishment and worries that age is running short. Ji Yuan agrees to help, and she gives him 400 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones in advance.
• Two months later, Ji Yuan gives Dong Qian the pill. She enters seclusion on Four Directions Island and, in April of the next year, successfully reaches Foundation Establishment.

Character developments and interactions

• Hua Yaoyue shows both protectiveness and authority: she recognizes the danger in Yun’s boast and disciplines him, but eventually decides the remark is likely harmless.
• Yun Qianzai remains proud and theatrically defiant, though his sudden grand pronouncement suggests he has been influenced by Ji Yuan’s cultivation discussions.
• Ji Yuan steadily expands his practical skills and resources while preparing for possible conflict with the Demonic Dao. He also continues to help fellow disciples discreetly, especially Dong Qian.
• Dong Qian moves from cautious preparation to decisive action. Though reserved and embarrassed to ask for further help, she trusts Ji Yuan enough to seek the pill she needs.
• Feng Zhitáo playfully offers to punish Ji Yuan for neglecting alchemy lessons, while her casual report helps Hua Yaoyue piece together the source of Yun’s words.
• The Iron Hammer Island Lord benefits from Ji Yuan’s pills and appears rejuvenated, while Ji Yuan’s concern for him is tempered by practical plans for future cultivation and longevity.

Significant themes

• Preparation and self-reliance: Ji Yuan develops Carefree Island, studies formations, and builds resources in anticipation of danger.
• Age, opportunity, and perseverance: Dong Qian’s successful breakthrough reflects the urgency of pursuing cultivation before opportunities narrow.
• Trust and discretion: Ji Yuan and Dong Qian maintain secrecy around their transactions, and his repeated aid demonstrates the value of reliable relationships.
• The risks of ambition and rhetoric: Yun’s grand words may be spiritually inspiring, but they could also attract dangerous attention, prompting Hua Yaoyue’s protective response.

Plot points and events

• Dong Qian visits Ji Yuan after successfully reaching Foundation Establishment. She says she feels little different beyond having more years ahead, and reveals she succeeded with only three Foundation Establishment Pills. She asks Ji Yuan to keep this private, hinting at a secret advantage.
• Ji Yuan reflects that Foundation Establishment has made Dong Qian a more capable ally. He also notices that Han Feiyu, who had distanced himself from her, now wants to reconnect after hearing of her breakthrough.
• Du Wanyi tells Ji Yuan she plans to attempt Foundation Establishment. He gives her two extra pills as a precaution, joking that she will owe him if she uses them; she accepts, and he privately remembers her earlier generosity toward him.
• Suspecting Dong Qian’s breakthrough involved an unusual pill-refining method, Ji Yuan leaves to pursue his own cultivation goal: forming a second Sword Embryo at the Pear Blossom River.
• He sets up a protective Formation in a secluded, misty stretch of the river and meditates. Water Fortune gathers into his Dantian, gradually forming a second Sword Embryo with a faint golden thread—likely Dragon Fortune.
• After continuing to absorb the river’s fortune, Ji Yuan senses reddish blood qi beginning to enter him and stops. His Divine Sense reveals two cultivators trapped in his Formation. The younger one says he dug up a Water Family ancestral grave and found a secret text claiming a True Dragon lies beneath the river.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan is increasingly confident in his cultivation and resources, but remains cautious and loyal to his friends. He supports Dong Qian’s and Du Wanyi’s choices without pressuring them, and values friendship above repayment.
• Dong Qian gains confidence and relief after Foundation Establishment, though her success with only three pills suggests she has an unexplained method or opportunity.
• Du Wanyi decides to stop waiting and attempt Foundation Establishment. Her earlier willingness to share valuable spirit grass with Ji Yuan underscores their mutual trust.
• Han Feiyu appears pragmatic and status-conscious, seeking renewed ties with Dong Qian now that she has advanced.
• Ji Yuan and his friends show genuine affection and support, while his observations of Han Feiyu highlight more transactional relationships in the cultivation world.

Significant themes

• Friendship and reciprocity: Ji Yuan’s willingness to help his friends contrasts with the conditional nature of Han Feiyu’s social ties.
• Cultivation, longevity, and uncertainty: Foundation Establishment offers hope and more time, but higher achievements remain difficult and uncertain.
• Hidden opportunities and secrets: Dong Qian’s breakthrough and the rumored True Dragon beneath the river both point to concealed sources of power.
• Caution amid ambition: Ji Yuan pursues Dragon Fortune while taking precautions, but his discovery suggests the river holds dangers beyond cultivation.
  The chapter ends as the two trapped cultivators react to the claim that a True Dragon lies beneath the Pear Blossom River.

Key plot points and events

• Ji Yuan overhears Shui Kai negotiating with his Second Grandfather, Shui Yan. Shui Kai says he has found a secret text and wants support in becoming young master—not for the title itself, but for its resources. He proposes replacing Family Head Shui Cang with Shui Yan’s son, Shui Huo, and later making Shui Yan’s grandson Shui Quan the heir.
• Shui Yan agrees, and he and Shui Huo recruit the other clan elders. They promise to divide Shui Cang’s branch’s possessions among themselves and swear to eliminate the whole branch.
• Ji Yuan follows the conspiracy at Water Household Manor, where he observes the family’s politics and Shui Kai’s disciplined cultivation and ability to maintain good relationships despite being an orphan.
• Shui Cang returns from a trading trip, unaware of the plot. The elders lure him to a meeting and ambush him, but a powerful defense protects him from their attacks.
• Ji Yuan recognizes that Shui Cang’s apparent golden shield is an illusion created by black smoke from a bracelet made of human finger bones, likely containing a protective spell from a Foundation Establishment–level demonic cultivator.
• The elders’ attack fails. They kill the one elder who switches back to Shui Cang’s side, but Shui Cang remains unharmed. He then addresses the absent Shui Kai, asking whether Kai noticed how easily the ancestral graves were dug.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan remains an amused but cautious observer, following events because he hopes the secret text may lead to Dragon Qi. His curiosity turns to concern when he recognizes the source of Shui Cang’s power.
• Shui Kai appears ambitious, calculating, and self-controlled. He negotiates patiently, cultivates whenever possible, and builds social ties—but his claim to possess the secret text remains unverified.
• Shui Yan and Shui Huo reveal their resentment and willingness to seize power. Their confidence collapses when Shui Cang’s hidden defense defeats their plan.
• Shui Cang initially seems like a selfish, unpopular head who hoards profits and favors his son. His bracelet reveals that he is far better protected—and perhaps more formidable—than the conspirators expected.
• Shui Gan, the current young master, is portrayed as indulgent and poorly regarded, strengthening the elders’ belief that the family needs new leadership.

Significant themes

• Family power struggles: Succession disputes are driven by ambition, resentment, and control of resources.
• Appearances versus reality: Shui Cang’s seemingly ordinary cultivation conceals potent protection, while Shui Kai’s secret text and motives remain uncertain.
• Betrayal and irreversible choices: Once the elders attack, they believe they cannot return to the old order; their failed coup leaves them exposed.
• Ambition and preparation: Shui Kai’s patience and steady cultivation contrast with the elders’ reliance on numbers and political promises.

Character interactions

• Shui Kai bargains with Shui Yan by offering the secret text and proposing a new succession arrangement; Shui Yan agrees, then persuades the other elders.
• Shui Yan and Shui Huo share resentment toward Shui Cang and his favored son, Shui Gan.
• Shui Cang questions the elder he trusts most, who immediately abandons the conspirators and pleads that he was coerced.
• After defeating the elders’ assault without rising from his seat, Shui Cang turns his attention to Shui Kai, suggesting he knows—or suspects—more about the conspiracy and the ancestral graves than he has yet revealed.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yuan observes the Water Family’s dispute over its ancestral grave, chiefly trying to learn the origin of Shui Cang’s protective bracelet. He disables Shui Cang’s signal fire, communication talisman, and storage bag, then threatens the family for the secret text.
• Shui Cang reveals he traded the original text to the Azure Mist Hermit for protection and cultivation resources, but says he made a copy. Shui Kai produces that copy, which describes a weak True Dragon trapped beneath Pear Blossom River by the family’s ancestor.
• Ji Yuan takes the text and leaves the family under a concealing mist. Following Shui Kai’s directions, he finds the underwater tomb and encounters the Azure Mist Hermit, who attacks him. Ji Yuan kills the Hermit with his sword embryos and takes his body and meager possessions.
• Beneath the tomb, Ji Yuan finds a damaged Blood-Congealing Baleful Refinement Formation and a faint strand of Dragon Qi. He breaks the Formation, catches the escaping Dragon Qi, and seals it in a spirit-jade bottle.
• As he flees, Ji Yuan glimpses an enormous, apparently benevolent pair of eyes beneath the river—suggesting a real True Dragon may still dwell there. He quickly returns to the Water Dragon Sect, checks in with Hua Yaoyue, and later considers how to use the Dragon Qi.

Character developments

• Ji Yuan remains cautious and pragmatic, but proves far more powerful than his apparent Qi Refining level suggests. His Formation knowledge and decisive action let him obtain the Dragon Qi with little difficulty.
• Shui Cang is revealed as calculating but desperate to strengthen his family. He rationalizes trading away the ancestral secret and betrays Shui Kai when threatened.
• Shui Kai is composed and prepared: he kept the copy of the text and quietly cooperates with Ji Yuan, later appearing to benefit from the family’s upheaval.
• The Azure Mist Hermit proves overconfident and underpowered. His eagerness to seize the Dragon Qi leads him to attack Ji Yuan and die instantly.
• Shui Yan condemns Shui Cang’s betrayal, reflecting the elders’ concern for the family’s ancestral legacy.

Significant themes

• Ambition and the cost of power: Shui Cang sacrifices an ancestral secret for resources, while the Hermit’s greed proves fatal.
• Appearances versus reality: Ji Yuan looks like a weaker cultivator, but is a seasoned, dangerous Foundation Establishment fighter; the supposed legend beneath the tomb may also be more real than expected.
• Family legacy and internal conflict: The Water Family’s rituals and ancestral grave conceal a history of exploitation, while its elders’ struggle for control reshapes the household.
• Unexpected fortune and lingering danger: Ji Yuan secures Dragon Qi unusually easily, yet the river’s mysterious presence suggests the true source of the danger—or opportunity—remains.

Character interactions

• Shui Cang and Shui Yan argue over whether trading the secret text was betrayal or practical family strategy.
• Shui Cang tries to bargain with Ji Yuan for his life, revealing Shui Kai’s possession of the copied text.
• Shui Kai presents the text to Ji Yuan and later follows his instructions without revealing Ji Yuan’s identity.
• The Azure Mist Hermit attacks Ji Yuan immediately, turning their contest for the Dragon Qi into a brief, fatal clash.
• Ji Yuan’s final encounter with the river’s unseen presence is silent but unsettling, prompting his hasty departure.

Key plot points and events

• Returning to Mist Island, Ji Yuan suspects the weak Dragon Qi he obtained is only a fragment of the greater power connected to the enormous shadow beneath Pear Blossom River.
• Hoping to produce a Flood Dragon, he releases the Dragon Qi into his Fish Pond. A battered, low-ranked carp swallows it and dies; the pond’s Spirit Effect activates, transforming the carp into an Ice Flood Dragon.
• The newborn Flood Dragon avenges itself on fish that bullied it, then shows gratitude to one that treated it kindly. It eats two fish to strengthen itself.
• Ji Yuan’s basic beast-contract technique fails because it cannot bind a Third-Tier creature. He borrows 1,000 Merit Points from Dong Qian and buys a more advanced Contract Art.
• While he is away, the Flood Dragon consumes dozens of fish and advances to Late First Tier. Ji Yuan returns quickly, traps and contracts it, and the two form a bond. He begins feeding it Ice-Soul Cold Dew to help it grow.

Character development and interactions

• Ji Yuan remains cautious and resourceful, but his ambition and fear of the Demonic Dao’s advance motivate him to acquire a powerful companion. He also chooses to keep the Flood Dragon secret, even from Hua Yaoyue, and carefully ensures the contract does not accidentally make him its servant.
• The Ice Flood Dragon develops from a bullied, injured carp into a powerful and surprisingly perceptive creature. It retaliates against past aggressors, repays kindness, and then becomes attached to Ji Yuan after their contract.
• Dong Qian readily lends Ji Yuan the Merit Points without probing into his reasons, showing trust and discretion. Her smile hints that she may have something more to say.
• Ji Yuan considers asking Li Changhe for advice but decides against it to protect his secret; Du Wanyi is unavailable, and he avoids Feng Zhitáo, expecting her to ask too many questions.

Significant themes

• Growth and transformation: A lowly, mistreated carp becomes a Flood Dragon through the pond’s Spirit Effect and the Dragon Qi.
• Power, survival, and preparation: Ji Yuan seeks a strong companion as insurance against future danger.
• Memory, justice, and gratitude: The Flood Dragon remembers both cruelty and kindness, repaying each in turn.
• Trust and secrecy: Ji Yuan relies on Dong Qian’s discretion while concealing his new asset from others.
• The cost of advancement: The transformation consumes rare Dragon Qi, the contract requires valuable Merit Points, and the Dragon’s rapid growth comes at the expense of Ji Yuan’s fish stock.

Plot points and events

• Ji Yuan feeds his newly acquired Ice Flood Dragon two drops of Ice-Soul Cold Dew, keeping one drop each day to refine for himself. To protect the valuable Spirit Fish in his pond, he decides not to leave the dragon there and instead feeds it Spirit Pigs alongside Big Clam. The two beasts clash briefly: the dragon’s cold breath cannot harm Big Clam, which only enjoys the chill.
• With both Sword Embryos complete, Ji Yuan has reached the peak of early Foundation Establishment and settles into a routine of cultivation and crafting.
• The Iron Hammer Island Lord tells Ji Yuan that a new island has appeared beside Carefree Island. Ji Yuan visits and confirms it belongs to Dong Qian, who names it Fox Moon Island. He offers to help arrange its protective Formation, and she accepts, reassured that she can trust him.
• Ji Yuan delivers Cultivation Pills to the Iron Hammer Island Lord and learns that Old Master Xu will soon return from duty; they plan to meet again over wine.
• At Carefree Island, Feng Zhitáo reports that turmoil in Joy Palace territory has worsened, with Demonic Cultivators and some Joy Palace disciples contributing to the chaos. Hua Yaoyue warns that, in a true crisis, the distinction between orthodox and demonic matters less than the people involved.
• Ji Yuan gives Hua Yaoyue his Wishful Wine. She recognizes that he visited Pear Blossom River and offers to expound the Dao for him in a month to help him advance.
• More than half a month later, Ji Yuan receives notice that someone has obtained the Blood-Spitting Venom Bee corpse he needs to upgrade his Beehive. At the Thousand Mechanisms Hall, he also hears that Demonic Cultivators destroyed a Water Dragon Sect Flying Boat returning from North Mountain City. The city’s name sparks a memory, but the chapter ends before he identifies it.

Character developments and interactions

• Ji Yuan balances care for his spirit beasts with practical self-interest, while continuing to improve his cultivation and skills. He is sociable and helpful, agreeing to assist Dong Qian with her Formation and readily accepting Hua Yaoyue’s offer of instruction.
• The Ice Flood Dragon and Big Clam establish a competitive, comic dynamic. The dragon is bold despite its low rank, while Big Clam is confident enough to taunt it.
• Dong Qian settles into island life cautiously, avoids a public celebration, and trusts Ji Yuan to help protect her home.
• Feng Zhitáo is unsettled by Hua Yaoyue’s challenge to the sect’s rigid orthodox-versus-demonic teachings. She respects her master but has difficulty reconciling the lesson with her upbringing.
• Hua Yaoyue acts as a thoughtful mentor, encouraging a more human-centered view of conflict and offering Ji Yuan personal guidance.
• Ji Yuan and the Iron Hammer Island Lord maintain a friendly, practical relationship through pill deliveries and plans for a wine gathering.

Significant themes

• Survival over labels: Hua Yaoyue argues that moral character matters more than whether someone is called orthodox or demonic, especially in life-or-death circumstances.
• Trust and reputation: Dong Qian’s concern about unscrupulous Formation Masters highlights the risks faced by newcomers and the value of Ji Yuan’s reliability.
• Steady growth and responsibility: Ji Yuan’s cultivation, crafting, and care of his beasts progress alongside his expanding responsibilities and relationships.
• Unsettled danger: The rising disorder in Joy Palace territory and the attack on the sect’s Flying Boat foreshadow broader conflict.