Chapter Summaries

Zhou Feng won a wager against Wang Shu when a seemingly worthless stone yielded an Aperture Stone worth at least ten thousand Spirit Stones. He left without demanding that Wang Shu honor his humiliating promise, while Wang Shu was left feeling like a clown and Li Rong'er’s opinion of him worsened.

• The stone cutter revealed an Aperture Stone inside Zhou Feng’s rock, and Zhou Feng’s Treasure Appraisal Eye identified its ability to gather and release water.
• The crowd explained that the South Sea Dragon Clan was buying Aperture Stones for at least ten thousand Spirit Stones, giving Zhou Feng valuable startup funds for alchemy.
• As onlookers grew envious, Zhou Feng put the stone away, learned that Tianbao Pavilion was buying them, and chose to leave rather than cut more stones.
• Zhou Feng ignored Wang Shu and did not demand that he fulfill his wager, but a wave of killing intent froze Wang Shu when he tried to stop him.
• Li Rong'er saw Wang Shu’s humiliation and Zhou Feng’s composure, lowering her regard for Wang Shu and raising her favorable impression of Zhou Feng.

Li Rong'er developed feelings for Zhou Feng while Li Manya offered to investigate him as a potential husband. Meanwhile, Zhou Feng discovered a formation stone in Tianxing City, then killed Wang He and his companions after they tried to frame him for stealing an Aperture Stone, and fled.

• Li Manya teased Li Rong'er about falling for Zhou Feng and promised to investigate him as a possible husband.
• Zhou Feng used his Treasure Appraisal Eye to spot a concealed foundation stone of the Tianxing Great Array in the street.
• A man staged a collision with Zhou Feng and accused him of stealing Wang He's Aperture Stone.
• Wang He demanded to inspect Zhou Feng's Storage Ring and threatened him, claiming that the City Guard was absent and his older brother served with them.
• Zhou Feng unleashed self-harming techniques, killed Wang He and the men surrounding him, and fled the scene.

After escaping an attack in Tianxing City, Zhou Feng entered the inner city to sell his Aperture Stone and look for cultivation techniques and medicinal herbs. Li Manya decided he would make a suitable son-in-law for the Li Family, while Zhou Feng arrived at Tianbao Pavilion to begin his business.

• Zhou Feng recovered from his injuries and considered using self-harming secret techniques after learning that people could fight in Tianxing City if they avoided the City Guard and damaging buildings.
• Li Manya learned that Zhou Feng had fought and escaped, investigated his background, and judged the Rogue Cultivator a suitable candidate to marry into the Li Family.
• Zhou Feng entered Tianxing City's inner city, sensed its dense spiritual energy, and saw the Tianxing Tree near the City Lord's Mansion.
• Zhou Feng went to Tianbao Pavilion to sell his Aperture Stone and search for Purple Mansion Realm Cultivation Techniques and medicinal herbs.
• A receptionist at Tianbao Pavilion welcomed Zhou Feng and led him inside after he asked to sell an Aperture Stone.

Zhou Feng sold an Aperture Stone to Tianbao Pavilion and learned that its only Purple Mansion Realm techniques were flawed methods from Ancient Times. He chose the Human Emperor Scripture despite its million-spirit-stone price and began negotiating payment with pills.

• Zhou Feng noticed top-grade Calming Incense Burners throughout Tianbao Pavilion and had his Aperture Stone appraised.
• Tianbao Pavilion offered Zhou Feng one hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones for the Aperture Stone, and he accepted.
• An old man explained the risks and advantages of Ancient Times cultivation methods, including that they could damage the body but offered Zhou Feng his only realistic path to a Purple Mansion Realm technique.
• Zhou Feng decided to buy the Human Emperor Scripture’s Purple Mansion Realm section for one million spirit stones, using his youth and Long Life Person Passive Skill to justify the cost.
• Zhou Feng asked whether Tianbao Pavilion accepted medicinal pills and, after admitting he had not refined them yet, asked which first-grade pills were most valuable.
• The old man learned Zhou Feng was an alchemist and said the price might be negotiable.

Zhou Feng traded his possessions at Tianbao Pavilion for the Human Emperor Scripture and supplies to refine Spirit Nurturing Pills. As he left, the Green Lotus Sect’s Saintess noticed him, drawing the jealous attention of the crowd.

• The Tianbao Pavilion elder offered Zhou Feng a free Spirit Nurturing Pill formula in exchange for selling the pills he refined to the pavilion.
• Zhou Feng mortgaged his Medicine Gourd and sold other possessions, obtaining enough spirit stones to buy the Human Emperor Scripture and medicinal ingredients.
• Tianbao Pavilion gave Zhou Feng a jade ring as a distinguished guest and delivered a copied manuscript of the Human Emperor Scripture.
• Zhou Feng left Tianbao Pavilion planning to study the scripture and refine pills, but found a crowd gathered for the Green Lotus Sect’s Saintess.
• The Saintess turned her gaze toward Zhou Feng as he tried to leave, prompting the crowd to watch him with jealousy.

Zhou Feng discovered that the Human Emperor Scripture was a dangerous body-tempering art that relied on Earth Fiend Qi, but his regenerative Passive Skills made it unusually suitable for him. He realized it could help him reach the Purple Mansion Realm and cleanse the damage caused by the Demon Devouring Method, though the path beyond the scripture’s Purple Mansion cultivation remained uncertain.

• Zhou Feng evaded the people following him, returned to his residence, and set up warning formations.
• Zhou Feng read the Human Emperor Scripture and learned it was a body-tempering art originally created for the Human Emperor Physique, not a conventional cultivation method.
• Zhou Feng found a sage’s annotations explaining that cultivators in the present era needed dangerous Earth Fiend Qi to awaken their Human Emperor Bloodline.
• Zhou Feng decided the scripture suited him because his Heart of Tenacity and other Passive Skills let him recover from the injuries caused by cultivation.
• Zhou Feng learned that awakening Human Emperor Blood could condense his Soul Power into a divine soul at the Purple Mansion Realm, but the copied volume contained no cultivation method for the Divine Ability Realm.
• Zhou Feng realized the Human Emperor Scripture could purify his contaminated Spirit Platform, blood qi, and spiritual power, and resolve the damage caused by the Demon Devouring Method and Demon Devouring Gu.

Zhou Feng chose to cultivate the domineering Human Emperor Scripture, which nearly destroyed his body but also cleared away many of its hidden flaws. After recovering, he found himself transformed into a strikingly handsome youth and decided to keep cultivating while replenishing his resources.

• Zhou Feng decided the Human Emperor Scripture was his best option and began practicing it without Earth Fiend Qi.
• The Scripture mobilized and burned his stored blood qi and spiritual power, forcing the Demon Devouring Gu and Ice Heart Gu to flee as Zhou Feng's body began to collapse.
• Zhou Feng abruptly woke before his blood could fully condense into gold and found his essence, qi, and spirit nearly exhausted.
• Zhou Feng digested medicinal herbs and recovered with the help of his passives, noticing that his blood qi and Soul Power had become purer and many bodily flaws had disappeared.
• Zhou Feng saw in a mirror that the Scripture had made him exceptionally handsome and worried his appearance would draw unwanted attention.
• Zhou Feng resolved to continue cultivating, seek information about Earth Fiend Qi, and first refine pills and restock his nearly empty Storage Ring.

Zhou Feng gained the Masterful Craftsmanship passive skill and began preparing to refine pills for resources. Meanwhile, Wang Shu learned that both he and the Li Family were investigating Zhou Feng and decided to eliminate him to protect his planned marriage to Li Rong'er.

• Zhou Feng realized he needed abundant resources to cultivate the Human Emperor Scripture and considered earning them by refining pills.
• Zhou Feng drew Masterful Craftsmanship, which increased the success rate of his secondary profession skills by 15% without working across ranks.
• Zhou Feng fed Big Yellow dried meat, then set out his Alchemy Furnace and medicinal herbs to refine pills.
• Wang Shu learned that the Li Family was also investigating Zhou Feng and worried the newcomer could disrupt his marriage plans.
• Wang Shu revealed that his wastrel persona was an act designed to make him seem suitable as the Li Family's Son-in-law who lives with the wife's family.
• Wang Shu decided to get rid of Zhou Feng to remove the threat to his plans.

Wang Shu decided to use the Li Family’s resources to openly retaliate against Zhou Feng, who remained unaware and focused on alchemy. After refining Spirit Nurturing Pills, Zhou Feng planned to sell pills to fund his cultivation of the Human Emperor Scripture.

• Wang Shu rejected hiring someone to kill Zhou Feng and decided that open retaliation using the Li Family’s strength would better suit his wastrel persona.
• Zhou Feng finished refining his herbs and found that his Spirit Nurturing Pills had a low success rate and only barely passing quality, relying on his Masterful Craftsmanship passive skill.
• Zhou Feng calculated that selling Spirit Nurturing Pills could earn him a large profit and help him redeem the Medicine Gourd.
• Zhou Feng considered asking Qian Shang to open a shop selling pills, including quickly made healing pills.
• Zhou Feng planned to sell pills for cultivation resources, adapt his body to the Human Emperor Scripture, and eventually search for Earth Fiend Qi to condense Human Emperor Blood.

After Qian Shang and Qian Qianqian returned from a disastrous attempt to do business in Tianxing City, Zhou Feng offered Qian Shang work finding a storefront for his pill shop. As Zhou Feng headed to Tianbao Pavilion, his transformed appearance drew a crowd and made Li Xin doubt whether he was really the lowly Rogue Cultivator accused of coveting Li Xin’s little sister.

• Qian Shang and Qian Qianqian came to Zhou Feng after their business efforts in Tianxing City had nearly exhausted their capital.
• Zhou Feng asked Qian Shang to find a small shop with living quarters so he could sell pills, and Qian Shang suspected Zhou Feng was an alchemist.
• Zhou Feng went toward Tianbao Pavilion to exchange more than a hundred Spirit Nurturing Pills for spirit stones.
• Zhou Feng realized that his appearance and charm had made him the focus of attention, a change he found uncomfortable.
• Li Xin confronted the servant who had identified Zhou Feng as the Rogue Cultivator coveting his little sister, but both began doubting the identification after seeing Zhou Feng.

Zhou Feng sold a large batch of Spirit Nurturing Pills to Tianbao Pavilion, impressing Elder Zheng with his alchemy and earning an invitation to the Tianxing Gathering. The chapter left Zhou Feng wondering why Elder Zheng had offered him access to a gathering of Tianxing City's heirs.

• Li Xin sensed danger from Zhou Feng and decided to observe him instead of confronting him over Wang Shu.
• Zhou Feng entered Tianxing City's inner city and went to Tianbao Pavilion, where Elder Zheng barely recognized him because his bearing had changed.
• Zhou Feng presented Elder Zheng with many Spirit Nurturing Pills, and Elder Zheng offered him one million five hundred thousand spirit stones for them.
• Elder Zheng decided Zhou Feng was a talented alchemist worth investing in and gave him an invitation to the Tianxing Gathering three days later.
• Elder Zheng explained that the gathering brought together the heirs of Tianxing City's major factions to exchange information, trade, and compete, leaving Zhou Feng puzzled by the invitation.

Elder Zheng gave Zhou Feng an invitation to the Tianxing Gathering and warned him about the Green Lotus Sect, then charged him for the information to keep their relationship balanced. Outside Tianbao Pavilion, Zhou Feng ran into Wang Shu and Bai Lie, who confronted him for being a Rogue Cultivator.

• Elder Zheng offered Zhou Feng an extra invitation to the Tianxing Gathering, hoping Zhou Feng would protect his descendants if he became able.
• Elder Zheng warned Zhou Feng that the Green Lotus Sect's Holy Maiden would attend and advised him to avoid the sect, then charged him one hundred thousand spirit stones for the invitation and information.
• Zhou Feng paid Elder Zheng and left Tianbao Pavilion feeling pleased to be valued.
• Wang Shu recognized Zhou Feng and mocked his appearance, while Bai Lie learned he was a Rogue Cultivator and grew hostile toward him.
• Bai Lie confronted Zhou Feng, announced that he belonged to Tianxing City's Bai Family, and drew a crowd of onlookers.

Zhou Feng ignored Bai Lie’s boasts about the Bai Family and released his overwhelming aura at Wang Shu, whom he suspected of secretly targeting him. Wang Shu’s scheme unraveled as Bai Lie fled, leaving Zhou Feng poised to confront Wang Shu.

• Bai Lie invoked the Bai Family and his Divine Ability Realm father to intimidate Zhou Feng, while spectators recalled his notorious cowardice and powerful family connections.
• Zhou Feng sensed that Bai Lie bore him no hostility but detected intense malice from Wang Shu, whom he suspected of targeting him over their earlier conflict at the Stone Gambling House.
• Li Xin watched from nearby, pleased that Bai Lie’s provocation might reveal Zhou Feng’s strength.
• Zhou Feng accused Wang Shu of causing trouble behind the scenes, bypassed Bai Lie, and unleashed a powerful blood-energy aura that suppressed Wang Shu.
• Wang Shu realized Zhou Feng had disrupted his plan to provoke a fight and join forces with Bai Lie against him.
• Bai Lie fled as Zhou Feng’s aura erupted, intending for the Bai Family to avenge its insult later.

Zhou Feng considered killing Wang Shu in Tianxing City, but Elder Zheng intervened and proposed they settle their conflict at the Life and Death Arena. Both men agreed to duel three days later, leaving Wang Shu planning to prepare with borrowed spiritual artifacts.

• Zhou Feng weighed the risks of attacking Wang Shu in the inner city while Wang Shu tried to appear unafraid.
• Elder Zheng stepped in to stop a fight outside Tianbao Pavilion and suggested a duel at the Life and Death Arena.
• Elder Zheng pressured Wang Shu by invoking the Wang Family's need to restore its prestige.
• Zhou Feng accepted the duel, and Wang Shu agreed to fight him three days later.
• Wang Shu planned to borrow spiritual artifacts and use the duel to prove his strength to the Li Family.

After Zhou Feng agreed to duel Wang Shu, rumors turned their contest into a fight for Li Rong'er’s hand, and Elder Zheng publicized Zhou Feng’s talents to raise his standing. The Li Family began considering Zhou Feng as a possible son-in-law alongside Wang Shu, and Li Manya pressed Li Rong'er to choose between them.

• Zhou Feng left after agreeing to duel Wang Shu, while rumors spread that they were fighting over Li Rong'er.
• Elder Zheng used the attention to promote Zhou Feng, and Tianbao Pavilion confirmed that Zhou Feng had sold it many Spirit Nurturing Pills.
• People across Tianxing City praised Zhou Feng as an under-twenty Rogue Cultivator who had reached the Spirit Platform Ninth Layer and become a First-tier Alchemist.
• Li Manya told Li Rong'er that the Li Family needed to settle her marriage soon and asked whether she would choose Wang Shu or Zhou Feng.
• Li Rong'er hesitated but knew Wang Shu had no chance in her heart, while admitting that she had met Zhou Feng only once.

Li Manya and the Wang Family made separate plans to secure their goals through Zhou Feng's duel with Wang Shu, while Zhou Feng focused on opening shops and refining Rejuvenation Pills. The chapter left Zhou Feng in the middle of pill refinement, benefiting from the Masterful Craftsmanship passive.

• Li Manya decided to make Zhou Feng the Li Family's live-in son-in-law without asking his opinion.
• Wang Shu explained his plan to defeat Zhou Feng in the duel and reclaim his reputation.
• The Wang Family Patriarch decided to use the clan's reserves to raise Wang Shu to the Purple Mansion Realm and equip him with spirit artifacts.
• Zhou Feng paid Qian Shang one hundred thousand spirit stones to handle the purchase of several shops.
• Zhou Feng began refining Rejuvenation Pills and triggered the Masterful Craftsmanship passive's fifteen-percent safeguard.

Zhou Feng refined a thousand Rejuvenation Pills and opened a shop to sell them at a low price. After setting the shop up, he continued cultivating the Human Emperor Scripture, relying on his passive skills to endure its punishing effects.

• Zhou Feng used Masterful Craftsmanship to refine a thousand Rejuvenation Pills at very low cost and calculated how profitable selling them could be.
• Zhou Feng cultivated the Human Emperor Scripture, suffering severe injuries and exhaustion before Heart of Tenacity healed him.
• Zhou Feng saw that Old Skin had triggered again, increasing his defense after his cultivation injuries healed.
• At daybreak, Qian Shang and his daughter brought Zhou Feng to the shop they had purchased for him.
• Zhou Feng opened the shop with a sign advertising Rejuvenation Pills for thirteen spirit stones each, then left Qian Shang to handle the work while he cultivated in the back.

Zhou Feng’s Rejuvenation Pill shop drew huge crowds, and he used his aura to stop a customer from stealing pills and restore order. After the shop sold out of pills and ingredients, he counted eighty thousand spirit stones in profit for the day.

• The Wang Family patriarch learned that Zhou Feng had opened a Rejuvenation Pill shop but felt reassured that he was not making any unusual moves before the duel.
• Zhou Feng’s shop attracted many customers, and he resumed refining pills as his initial stock sold out.
• Zhou Feng considered refining two batches of Rejuvenation Pills at once to increase his daily earnings.
• Big Yellow barked to warn Zhou Feng when a customer tried to steal pills, and Zhou Feng’s aura intimidated the crowd into lining up.
• Zhou Feng closed the shop after its pills and ingredients ran out, then counted eighty thousand spirit stones in profit.

Zhou Feng recruited Qian Qianqian to learn basic alchemy and placed his Demon Devouring Gu inside her to protect and strengthen her. After Zhou Feng returned to cultivation, Qian Qianqian told her father what had happened and reassured him.

• Zhou Feng noticed Qian Qianqian's exceptional perception and offered to teach her the Alchemy Skill.
• Zhou Feng gave Qian Qianqian the Demon Devouring Gu as a safeguard and explained its risks and benefits; she agreed to accept it.
• The Demon Devouring Gu drained Qian Qianqian's vitality, so Zhou Feng made it feed vitality back to her and granted her ten percent of the shop's profits to sustain herself.
• Zhou Feng gave Qian Qianqian basic alchemy books and instructions, then returned to closed-door cultivation.
• Qian Shang brought his daughter more medicinal herbs, and Qian Qianqian told him about the Gu worm; he worried, but she reassured him.

Zhou Feng saved his spirit stones and headed to the Life and Death Arena for his scheduled duel with Wang Shu, planning to ask about Earth Fiend Qi at the Tianxing Gathering. His transformed bearing stunned the crowd and flustered Li Rong'er, while Li Manya suspected he had cultivated a top-tier technique; the battle had yet to begin.

• Zhou Feng decided to save his spirit stones for emergencies and the Tianxing Gathering instead of drawing another Passive Skill.
• Zhou Feng observed that the Human Emperor Scripture had changed the Purple Jade Bell in his spiritual platform and strengthened his body, though his medicinal liquid was nearly depleted.
• Li Rong'er and Li Manya arrived at the Life and Death Arena, where spectators gathered for the contest between Wang Shu and Zhou Feng.
• Zhou Feng arrived early with Big Yellow, and his majestic appearance overturned the crowd's impression of him as a shabby rogue cultivator.
• Li Rong'er blushed and became flustered after seeing Zhou Feng, while Li Manya deduced that a powerful Cultivation Technique had changed his temperament.