Chapter Summaries

Plot points

• Jun Wangchen treats Wang Gengzhi’s advanced gallstones with an extraordinary acupuncture technique, the Divine Needles for a Hundred Ailments. The needles break the stones apart, then purple qi shaped like a phoenix heals the resulting wounds.
• Wang Gengzhi wakes, and the hospital staff confirm that both the stones and the damage are gone. The director and Li Qingshou are stunned by Jun’s ability.
• Gu An and Bai Ren invite Jun to discuss medicine. Jun accepts and leaves Wang Xia and Huang Ying with Wang Gengzhi.
• Before leaving, Jun secretly places a curse on Li Qingshou: any improper desire toward a woman will bring agonizing, insect-like pain. Li dismisses the warning, then suffers an attack after lustfully eyeing Wang Xia and collapses unconscious.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen reveals the depth of his medical power while remaining modest about it. He also shows a harsh, protective side by punishing Li for his predatory behavior.
• Wang Xia and Huang Ying move from anxious uncertainty to relief and gratitude as Wang Gengzhi recovers.
• Wang Gengzhi recognizes Jun as the childhood friend he once called a “glutton,” adding warmth and familiarity to their reunion.
• Gu An and Bai Ren are awed by Jun’s technique and seek to learn from him; the director’s skepticism likewise turns to respect.
• Li Qingshou remains arrogant and lustful despite the warning, and his immediate punishment proves Jun’s threat was real.

Significant themes

• Extraordinary traditional medicine and the limits of what conventional observers believe possible.
• Hidden ability, humility, and respect between practitioners.
• Protection of the vulnerable and consequences for predatory conduct.

Plot points

• After curing Wang Gengzhi, Jun Wangchen arranges a new home and jobs for Wang Xia’s family. He then hosts a lively dinner with friends and later speaks with Zi Hanyan.
• He discovers that immortals have rented his shared games more than a hundred times, earning over 10,000 merit points. He considers saving up for a powerful Puppet Warrior and continues cultivating.
• A week later, Jun travels by helicopter to join the Pill Sect. He is impressed by its guarded entrance and secluded, medicinally rich landscape.
• He learns that new arrivals are only Registered Disciples and must live in shabby quarters. Advancement requires passing assessments for Outer, Inner, and Core Disciple ranks; only the sect master’s Personal Disciples can potentially succeed the sect master.
• Jun calculates that the fastest path to becoming a Core Disciple will take at least two months. He settles into his room and begins cultivating.

Character development

• Jun’s growing strength and confidence are evident: he believes few people in Huaxia can threaten him, while recognizing that he is not yet strong enough to ignore modern weapons.
• His ambition shifts toward taking control within the Pill Sect. The poor conditions and demanding hierarchy do not discourage him; he treats them as obstacles to overcome.

Significant themes

• Progress through cultivation and effort: Jun strengthens himself through regular training and must climb the sect’s ranks through assessments.
• Status and privilege: Disciples’ living conditions improve with rank, revealing the Pill Sect’s rigid hierarchy.
• Ambition and power: Jun’s goals extend from accumulating merit and strength to pursuing the sect master’s position.
• Modern and mystical power: His reflections on missiles and nuclear weapons contrast cultivation ranks with worldly military force.

Character interactions

• Jun supports Wang Xia’s family by arranging housing and work, then shares a warm evening with friends.
• His video call with Zi Hanyan provides a personal connection amid his cultivation routine.
• At the Pill Sect, attendants verify his token, and a registration official guides him—then bluntly redirects him from the Inner Disciples’ luxurious building to the Registered Disciples’ dilapidated quarters.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s cultivation technique, the Mortal’s Cultivation Art, secretly siphons Spiritual Power from other new disciples. The victims notice their power disappearing and suspect a hidden genius, but the technique conceals all traces, leaving them unable to identify him.
• After cultivating for two hours, Jun leaves the new disciple area and hears people discussing the Pill Pavilion’s nine stone tablet rankings.
• He visits the Pill Pavilion on the Pill Sect’s Third Peak. The tablets test different Pill Dao skills, and high rankings bring prestige and benefits.
• Jun learns that outer disciple Fang Yiqian ranks first in both Herb Identification and Spirit Beast Identification. The crowd gathers when she arrives to challenge the third tablet, which tests Herb Catalysis.
• Curious about his own ability, Jun enters the first tablet’s assessment. In a separate space, he is instructed to assemble incomplete medicinal herbs within ten minutes. Though surprised by the puzzle-like test, he quickly recognizes hundreds of herbs and prepares to make a name for himself.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains confident and ambitious. He is unaware of the commotion caused by his cultivation, but eagerly seeks a new opportunity to demonstrate his abilities. His expertise as a Celestial Master Alchemist makes the Herb Identification challenge seem easy.
• Fang Yiqian is established as exceptionally talented, accomplished, and strikingly beautiful. Her cold, proud demeanor contrasts with the crowd’s excitement and admiration.
• The disciples react with alarm to the stolen Spiritual Power and later discuss the rankings, praising Fang’s achievements. A yellow-haired disciple explains her reputation to a companion.

Significant themes

• Hidden power and anonymity: Jun’s extraordinary cultivation method lets him affect others without being detected.
• Talent, competition, and recognition: The stone tablets offer disciples a public measure of skill, status, and reward.
• Knowledge put to the test: The first assessment demands not just memorization of herbs, but fast recognition and understanding of their complete forms.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen uses his soul power to create countless hands inside the Independent Space, identifying and reassembling incomplete medicinal-herb orbs at extraordinary speed.
• In the ten-minute assessment, he completes 10,000 herbs, leaving almost none unfinished, then exits and records his name.
• Outside, Fang Yiqian is celebrated for taking first place in the Herb Catalysis assessment and for her rapid rise to the top of the outer disciples.
• A bystander notices that Fang’s name has fallen to second place on the Herb Identification Stone Tablet. The crowd discovers that Jun Wangchen now holds first place, surpassing Fang’s previous record of 5,000 herbs.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates exceptional herb knowledge, focus, and multitasking ability, revealing a mastery far beyond ordinary candidates.
• Fang Yiqian shifts from confidence and pride to shock when she learns that Jun has overtaken her in Herb Identification.
• The crowd’s admiration quickly turns from Fang to astonishment at Jun’s achievement.

Significant themes

• Talent and mastery: Jun’s result shows how deep expertise can transform a difficult task into a display of overwhelming skill.
• Competition and recognition: Rankings shape the crowd’s admiration, and success can be eclipsed in an instant.
• Appearance versus achievement: Fang draws attention through her popularity and recent victories, but Jun’s unseen performance changes the standings.

Character interactions

• Jun works alone during the assessment; his performance is revealed to others only through the ranking board.
• Fang is surrounded by admirers, while some girls resent the attention she receives.
• A brother explains Fang’s accomplishments to his younger sister. Her question about the rankings alerts the crowd to Jun’s first-place position, prompting widespread astonishment and Fang’s reaction.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Yiqian discovers that Jun Wangchen has taken first place in the Pill Pavilion’s plant-identification test. Confident in her abilities, she enters the first stone tablet to reclaim the ranking.
• She initially identifies 7,000 herbs, then pushes herself to 7,500 and makes repeated attempts. Despite trying more than fifteen times—and continuing until dusk—she never surpasses Jun Wangchen.
• The crowd grows from eager anticipation to stunned silence and finally awe at Jun’s achievement. Jun watches Fang’s struggle, judges her talented but far beneath his own level, and leaves, planning to attempt the other tablets another day.
• Still refusing to accept defeat, Fang vows to study plant knowledge overnight and try again the next day.

Character developments

• Fang Yiqian begins proud and certain of victory, but repeated failure leaves her frustrated and eventually despairing. Her pride turns into fierce determination: she refuses to concede and commits to improving.
• Jun Wangchen remains calm and understated. The text reveals that his superior knowledge and skill come from his fifth-grade Celestial Master rank and the first two volumes of Taishang Laojun’s Alchemy Art.
• The younger sister shifts her admiration from Fang to Jun after witnessing his result. Her brother, initially confident Fang will win, also comes to respect Jun.

Significant themes

• Talent versus mastery: Fang is exceptional, but Jun’s deeper rank, knowledge, and experience place him far beyond her current ability.
• Pride, perseverance, and defeat: Fang’s pride makes it difficult to accept losing, yet it also drives her to keep trying and improve.
• Reputation and public judgment: The crowd’s changing reactions show how quickly respect and admiration shift in response to demonstrated ability.

Character interactions

• Fang’s repeated challenges to the tablet contrast with the crowd’s mounting amazement and silence.
• The siblings discuss whether Fang can reclaim first place; their exchange reflects the crowd’s changing view of her and Jun.
• Jun observes Fang’s frustration with sympathy for her talent but confidence in the gulf between their abilities.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s first-place result on the Herb Identification tablet spreads rapidly through the Pill Sect after Fang Yiqian repeatedly fails to overtake him.
• Fang keeps trying throughout the morning, eventually identifying 8,500 herbs in ten minutes—an extraordinary score, but still not enough to beat Jun. Frustrated, she leaves to study in seclusion for three days, determined to reclaim her honor.
• Jun arrives later, intending to challenge the second tablet. He learns that his fame has grown largely because Fang’s repeated failures have drawn attention to his ranking.
• At the Pill Pavilion, a new female disciple arrives with a clean-cut senior brother, who offers her his points card. He explains that the stone tablets test Pill Dao skills and reward high rankings.
• The senior brother describes Fang as an exceptional Outer Disciple who leads three tablets—then notices that Jun, not Fang, is listed first on the Herb Identification tablet.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Yiqian moves from confidence to frustration and self-doubt, but turns her defeat into motivation. Her rivalry with Jun becomes a personal challenge tied to pride and dignity.
• Jun Wangchen remains relaxed and low-profile despite becoming famous. He is surprised by the attention and is unaware how much Fang’s repeated attempts have fueled it.
• The new female disciple and her senior brother have a flirtatious, transactional exchange: he offers points, and she accepts while playfully promising to meet him later. He then explains the tablet system and Fang’s reputation.
• Onlookers compare Jun and Fang, with some admiring Jun’s restraint and criticizing Fang’s proud demeanor.

Significant themes

• Talent, persistence, and rivalry: Fang’s exceptional ability cannot yet overcome Jun’s result, but failure strengthens her resolve.
• Reputation and public perception: Jun’s fame grows not simply from his score, but from the spectacle of Fang’s inability to surpass it.
• Pride and ambition: Fang’s pursuit is driven by both improvement and the need to protect her standing.
• Recognition through achievement: The rankings offer disciples status, rewards, and a route to make a name for themselves.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s first-place score on the Herb Identification tablet has displaced Fang Yiqian, despite her repeated attempts to reclaim the ranking.
• Onlookers praise Jun as a mysterious, exceptional genius, while one admirer’s extravagant description of him amuses Jun.
• Jun enters the second tablet’s Spirit Beast Identification assessment. Using his soul power, he assembles all 12,000 incomplete spirit beasts within the ten-minute limit.
• His result immediately places him first on the second tablet as well, prompting widespread astonishment. Rumors also circulate that Fang Yiqian’s admirers want to find and punish him for taking her place.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen remains calm and confident about his abilities, though he is baffled by the hostility he has inspired. He quietly moves from one challenge to the next.
• Fang Yiqian is established as a highly talented herb expert, but her repeated failures to regain first place reveal the scale of Jun’s advantage.
• The onlookers shift from curiosity about Jun to awe after he claims first place on a second tablet.

Significant themes

• Genius and competition: Jun’s results overturn Fang Yiqian’s dominance and astonish the sect.
• Reputation and mystery: Jun becomes famous even though few know who he is.
• Rumor and exaggeration: Admiration turns into extravagant praise and unfounded assumptions about Fang’s suitors seeking revenge.
• Knowledge and skill: The assessments present mastery of basic Pill Dao knowledge as a clear measure of ability.

Character interactions

• A handsome disciple and a young woman learn from a burly admirer that Jun has surpassed Fang Yiqian on the first tablet.
• The burly man’s dramatic praise of Jun contrasts with Jun’s private amusement.
• Jun overhears disciples discussing possible retaliation, then witnesses their shock when his name appears atop the second tablet too.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s name appears at the top of the second stone tablet, making him first on two assessments and surpassing Fang Yiqian again. The crowd is astonished and starts debating his talent.
• Jun, watching unnoticed, privately thinks that placing first on all nine tablets would be easy for him as a fifth-grade Celestial Master Rank Alchemist.
• A burly admirer delivers an extravagant speech praising Jun and quickly inspires others in the crowd to become his fans.
• Fang Yiqian’s suitors react angrily to Jun taking her top spots. Some threaten Jun and suspect the burly admirer may be connected to him.
• Fang Yiqian arrives and asks the suitors not to interfere. She acknowledges Jun’s ability, welcomes the possibility that the Pill Sect has gained a new genius, and vows to train harder and reclaim first place.
• Impressed by her confidence, Jun leaves, anticipating that life in the Pill Sect will be entertaining.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains confident and amused by the commotion surrounding his achievements. He becomes interested in Fang Yiqian after hearing her response.
• Fang Yiqian shows pride and sportsmanship: she accepts that Jun may be talented, refuses help from her suitors, and treats the rivalry as a reason to improve.
• The burly man is an outspoken, devoted admirer of Jun, though threats from the suitors make him fall silent.
• Fang Yiqian’s suitors appear possessive and petty, seeking to punish Jun for disrupting their chances with her. Their hostility contrasts with Fang Yiqian’s composure.
• The crowd admires Jun but is wary of challenging the influential suitors, revealing the social pressure within the sect.

Significant themes

• Talent and rivalry: Jun’s rapid rise challenges Fang Yiqian’s standing and creates a new competition.
• Sportsmanship versus jealousy: Fang Yiqian responds constructively, while her suitors turn her setback into a personal vendetta.
• Public reputation and power: Jun’s name attracts fervent praise, but the suitors’ status shapes what others feel safe saying.
• Confidence and ambition: Both Jun and Fang Yiqian are assured of their abilities, setting up an entertaining contest.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen spends the days before the promotion assessment cultivating, watching television, gaming with Zi Hanyan and others, and occasionally chatting in the Strongest Chat Group in History. He does not attempt the other Pill Dao stone-tablet tests.
• The newcomers’ Outer Disciple assessment has changed: candidates must pass a martial-arts test before taking the Pill Dao test. Many newcomers, who have spent their preparation time studying alchemy rather than combat, fear they will fail.
• First Peak’s assessment is overseen by elite Outer Disciples, including Mei Yuxiang and Jiang Yanhao, along with several deputy examiners.
• First Peak Master Mu Fengzheng attends in person, hoping to see Jun Wangchen. He has learned that the young newcomer achieved extraordinary results on the first two stone tablets: identifying nearly 10,000 herbs and assembling all 12,000 spirit-beast orbs in ten minutes.
• Just as Mu Fengzheng considers delaying the assessment so Jun Wangchen won’t miss it, a drenched, disheveled figure arrives and complains about the Pill Mist and accidentally entering the women’s bathhouse. The chapter ends before confirming his identity or beginning the test.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains largely offstage, but his reputation grows: Mu Fengzheng sees him as a possible once-in-a-generation talent worth nurturing.
• Mu Fengzheng shifts from curiosity to genuine astonishment after investigating Jun’s test records. He hopes Jun may help First Peak compete with the other peaks.
• Mei Yuxiang serves as a chief examiner and is established as a highly talented Outer Disciple. Jiang Yanhao takes the same role mainly to spend time near her, though she does not return his feelings.
• Newcomers express anxiety about the unexpected martial-arts requirement, while older disciples watch with amusement. The crowd’s formal greetings to Mu Fengzheng and Steward Li underline their authority.

Significant themes

• Well-rounded ability: The new assessment rejects Pill Dao talent alone, insisting Outer Disciples also possess martial strength.
• Exceptional talent and recognition: Jun’s remarkable achievements draw the attention of a powerful sect leader and may reshape his prospects.
• Ambition and competition: Mu Fengzheng hopes to develop Jun as an asset for First Peak, while the assessment itself reflects rivalry among the five peaks.

Plot and key events

• At the Pill Sect’s outer-disciple promotion assessment, Steward Li explains that newcomers will face outer disciples in a martial test, followed by a Pill Dao test. Scores reflect overall performance rather than simply wins and losses.
• The one hundred newcomers draw lots and are assigned opponents. Jun Wangchen draws number fifty, waits through the earlier matches, and enters the arena with lots forty through fifty.
• His opponent, Wang Toutie, mistakes Jun for a weakling and claims he will go easy—but immediately attacks with a forceful punch.
• Jun suppresses his martial strength to avoid attracting attention, yet forgets that his body is extraordinarily tough. He blocks the punch, breaking Wang Toutie’s hand while remaining unharmed.
• As the onlookers stare in disbelief, Jun improvises an explanation: he once learned the blade-proof “Iron Shirt.”

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains confident and dismissive of the assessment’s challenge. His wish to conceal his true ability clashes with his overwhelming physical toughness, forcing him to cover up an accidental display of strength.
• Wang Toutie begins arrogantly, underestimating Jun and attacking without restraint. His confidence collapses when his own hand breaks on Jun’s body.
• Mei Yuxiang and Jiang Yanhao, previously dismissive of Jun, become suspicious and attentive after witnessing the unexpected result.
• Steward Li establishes the assessment’s rules and keeps order, while Mu Fengzheng oversees the proceedings.

Significant themes

• Appearance versus reality: Jun’s slender, bedraggled appearance leads others to underestimate him, while his hidden strength makes him far more formidable than he seems.
• Concealment and ambition: Jun deliberately limits what he reveals because he hopes to become the Pill Sect’s sect master without drawing the higher-ups’ attention.
• Fairness and merit: Though the newcomers initially see the assessment as unfair, the scoring system is meant to evaluate performance, not just victory.

Plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen’s spiritual-power barrier withstands Wang Toutie’s spear, including a full-strength thrust. Wang Toutie then takes a Spirit-Boosting Pill to increase his power, but his next attack shatters his spear instead of breaking Jun’s defense. He collapses after spitting blood.
• Jun claims he is ashamed that he never fought back, though his smugness is obvious. The crowd is astonished by the newcomer’s resilience.
• Mu Fengzheng quietly prevents Steward Li from intervening, apparently expecting Jun to handle the fight. Mei Yuxiang warns that Jun is far more formidable than he appears; Jiang Yanhao notices her interest and grows jealous.
• The first assessment round ends: only nine of the hundred newcomers defeat veteran disciples. Those nine draw lots for the next round, as do the veterans; Jun draws number seven.
• Jun’s next opponent, the muscular Man Niu, boasts that raw strength can overcome any defense. He produces a sharp rake and uses a technique called “Swallow the World” to grow several times larger. The chapter ends as the crowd watches his transformation.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen displays extraordinary defensive power and confidence, taunting Wang Toutie while remaining physically untouched. His exaggerated modesty after the fight reinforces his cocky, playful persona.
• Wang Toutie moves from wounded pride to desperation, escalating from a serious spear attack to a strength-boosting pill. His failure leaves him humiliated and unconscious.
• Mu Fengzheng appears to know Jun’s capabilities and deliberately lets the match proceed; Steward Li notices and becomes suspicious of Jun’s significance.
• Mei Yuxiang becomes wary and intrigued by Jun’s hidden strength, while Jiang Yanhao reacts with jealousy.
• Man Niu enters as Jun’s next challenger, presenting himself as a direct test of whether brute force can defeat Jun’s defense.

Significant themes

• Visible strength versus hidden ability: Jun’s humble “Iron Shirt” explanation disguises power that astonishes even seasoned disciples.
• Pride and humiliation: Wang Toutie’s wounded reputation drives him to increasingly reckless choices.
• Rules and fairness: Wang Toutie exploits the assessment’s lack of restrictions on outside aids, while supervisors disagree over whether to intervene.
• Escalating challenges: Jun’s easy victory leads directly to a new opponent who plans to counter defense with overwhelming strength.

Key plot points and events

• Man Niu activates the Multiplication Technique, enlarging his body and greatly increasing his strength, though at the cost of speed. Mu Fengzheng considers recommending him to the Second Peak master.
• Jun Wangchen defeats Man Niu with two swift sword-energy strikes, breaking his rake and forcing him to surrender. He stops the final strike just before Man Niu’s throat.
• Man Niu mistakenly credits Jun’s victory to a magical artifact, while Jiang Yanhao dismisses Jun as dependent on one.
• In another arena, Mei Yuxiang reveals that she has mastered Sword Flight. Her flying sword multiplies into a storm of blades, prompting her opponent to surrender.
• When the second round ends, only four new disciples—including Jun—have defeated veteran outer disciples. The others prepare for the third assessment by restoring their spiritual power; Jun remains relaxed and bored.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen displays formidable swordsmanship while keeping his true strength concealed. He treats Man Niu respectfully after the match, but privately thinks the sword-energy strikes were only a fraction of his power. His boredom reflects how far he believes he surpasses the other disciples.
• Man Niu shows the strength of the Multiplication Technique but is overwhelmed by Jun. He acknowledges the loss yet wrongly assumes Jun used a magical artifact.
• Mu Fengzheng recognizes potential in both Man Niu and Jun, considering Man Niu for a recommendation and noting Jun’s hidden ability.
• Jiang Yanhao continues to resent and belittle Jun, attributing his wins to an artifact rather than genuine skill.
• Mei Yuxiang earns praise by revealing her mastery of Sword Flight. Jun, however, privately considers her accomplishment unimpressive by the standards of his former world.
• Steward Li is impressed by Jun’s sword strikes and recognizes Mei’s control over her flying sword.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and mistaken judgments: Jun’s ability is underestimated, and observers misattribute his victory to an artifact.
• Different standards of mastery: Mei’s technique impresses the Pill Sect, while Jun’s past experience makes him see it as ordinary.
• Confidence and isolation: Jun’s final thought about the loneliness of invincibility underscores his sense that he is far beyond his peers.

Key plot points and events

• Jun Wangchen notices the exceptionally gifted but cold Mei Yuxiang. When she catches him looking, she glares at him, apparently judging him for relying on external aids in earlier matches. Jun mistakenly assumes she has admired his looks.
• The third martial-assessment round begins. Jun draws Jiang Yanhao, who shares his number and confidently predicts an easy victory.
• Jiang opens with a lethal Mountain-Rending Palm, showing no restraint. Jun dodges with startling speed and knocks Jiang unconscious with a single punch.
• The crowd is stunned by Jun’s display. Steward Li estimates that his strength is near peak Black Tier and declares him the winner. Jun reflects that he held back to avoid exposing too much of his power.
• The other three newcomers lose their matches, leaving Jun as the sole newcomer in the final round. He is set to face Mei Yuxiang, the veterans’ strongest martial artist.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen reveals that his true martial strength far exceeds what others assumed, while remaining careful not to show its full extent. He responds decisively to Jiang’s attempted killing blow.
• Jiang Yanhao shifts from arrogant confidence to defeat. His hostility toward Jun is sharpened by jealousy over Mei Yuxiang’s apparent attention to the newcomer; his reckless attack leaves him badly injured.
• Mei Yuxiang remains cool and formidable. Her glare reflects her belief that Jun’s earlier wins depended on outside advantages, and she is now positioned as his final opponent.
• Mu Fengzheng recognizes that Jun has been hiding his strength, while Steward Li is visibly surprised by the newcomer’s power.

Significant themes

• Hidden strength and misjudgment: Jun’s apparent dependence on artifacts conceals his real ability.
• Restraint versus ruthlessness: Jun deliberately limits his power, while Jiang violates the expected restraint of a sparring match by attacking lethally.
• Reputation and rivalry: Jun’s unexpected victory changes how the crowd sees him and intensifies tension around his upcoming fight with Mei.

Plot and events

Jun Wangchen faces Mei Yuxiang in a public sparring match. The crowd is divided over who will win, but Mei opens with her powerful Swan-Glimpse Sword technique. Jun, holding his strength to the late black tier, blocks the attack with a ring of Spiritual Power. Mei’s repeated strikes fail to break the defense, and her mid-grade flying sword develops notches before snapping in two.
Jun casually bends the broken pieces into four and awkwardly suggests Mei glue them back together. Enraged and humiliated, she faints. Her supporters accuse Jun of cheating, but Steward Li stops them, confirms Jun fought fairly, and declares him the winner. Jun receives full marks in the Pill Dao assessment for newcomers seeking outer-sect promotion.
After waking, Mei quietly speaks with Steward Li. Jun watches nervously and imagines she may be plotting revenge.

Character development and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed and seemingly confident in the match, but his offhand handling of Mei’s weapon—and his glue suggestion—shows a teasing, socially oblivious side. He also privately imagines wildly dramatic motives behind Mei’s conversation with Steward Li.
• Mei Yuxiang begins as a formidable, assured fighter, but the failure of her signature technique shakes her confidence. Losing her prized sword and fainting in front of the crowd leave her furious and deeply humiliated; she appears determined to restore her standing.
• Steward Li acts as an impartial authority, rejecting the crowd’s accusations and ensuring the result stands.
• Mei’s suitors rush to defend her and berate Jun, but fall silent when Steward Li points out that Jun used no underhanded tactics.

Significant themes

• Strength and reputation: Mei’s defeat undermines the authority she has built through her talent and status.
• Fairness amid public pressure: The crowd’s loyalty to Mei clashes with Steward Li’s insistence that the match be judged by what actually happened.
• Comedy through contrast: Jun’s calm, literal responses and paranoid inner monologue contrast with Mei’s intense anger and the crowd’s dramatic reactions.

Key plot points and events

• The second stage of the new students’ advancement assessment begins with a Pill Dao test. Its first round covers herb and spirit-beast identification: 2,000 questions to be completed in 100 minutes.
• Steward Li reveals that most questions come from earlier Pill Pavilion assessments, while the rest are screening questions for the upcoming Inner Disciple selection. Returning students are invited to participate, and nearly all take the opportunity.
• As the test proceeds, many students struggle and leave. Jun Wangchen, Mei Yuxiang, and Jiang Yanhao keep working, but Jiang eventually gives up on the final three questions, and Mei later abandons her last one.
• Left alone at his desk, Jun finishes the remaining questions at remarkable speed and submits his paper. Steward Li collects the new students’ answer sheets.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates that his extensive Pill Dao study makes the assessment easy. He deliberately works more slowly at first to avoid attracting excessive attention, then completes the unanswered questions once the others have left. The crowd misreads his continued presence as empty showing off.
• Mei Yuxiang answers smoothly and elegantly for most of the test, but is ultimately stumped by the final question.
• Jiang Yanhao, still resentful of Jun over his earlier humiliation, tries to prove himself through the exam. Though knowledgeable and fast, he cannot answer the final three questions and leaves in frustration.
• Steward Li frames the test as useful preparation for both the Pill Pavilion assessments and inner-sect selection, while Mu Fengzheng recognizes that Jun’s strong earlier performance makes this round relatively easy for him.
• The watching students shift from surprise at Jun’s pace to suspicion and resentment, then see him finish only after everyone else has withdrawn.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and preparation: Jun’s mastery of the Alchemy Art sets him apart.
• Appearance versus reality: The crowd mistakes his patience for vanity, not realizing he is intentionally holding back.
• Competition and pride: Jiang’s resentment and the students’ comparisons turn the assessment into a public test of status as well as skill.

Key events

• In the first Pill Dao examination round, Jun Wangchen answered all 2,000 questions correctly, astonishing the disciples and staff. Even the experienced Jiang Yanhao and Mei Yuxiang had not completed the test, and the hardest questions were said to require the ability of a peak Quasi-Master Alchemist.
• The exam moved to the second round, Herb Catalysis. Contestants had to use soul power to make a Blue Enchantress seed bloom. The flower is both useful in combat pills and dangerously poisonous: prolonged viewing or contact can trap someone in an illusion.
• Jiang Yanhao produced the first flower and initially took pride in his speed. Mei Yuxiang then revealed a more advanced technique, dividing her soul power to grow two flowers at once.
• Most new disciples managed one or two flowers; most senior disciples produced three or four. Jiang Yanhao reached six before exhaustion, while Mei Yuxiang pushed herself to nine, nearly exhausting her soul power.
• Mei Yuxiang looked toward Jun Wangchen, expecting another show of superiority, but saw that he had produced only one flower so far.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen establishes himself as an extraordinary Pill Dao talent through his perfect score, deepening the mystery surrounding his abilities. His apparent lack of progress in the second round contrasts sharply with that achievement.
• Jiang Yanhao becomes increasingly frustrated at repeatedly being outdone by Jun Wangchen, whom he already considers a rival after losing to him in martial arts. He competes fiercely in the catalysis round but stops at six flowers.
• Mei Yuxiang recognizes that Jun Wangchen may be the same mysterious disciple who topped the first two stone tablets. She is impressed by his perfect score, but her competitive pride drives her to reach nine flowers so he will not surpass her again.
• Steward Li and the surrounding disciples react with astonishment to Jun Wangchen’s flawless test. Mu Fengzheng privately recognizes Mei Yuxiang’s nine flowers as evidence of near late-stage Quasi-Master-level soul power.

Significant themes

• Talent and rivalry: Jun Wangchen’s sudden dominance unsettles established disciples and intensifies competition.
• Appearance versus reality: Jun’s perfect score makes him seem unbeatable, yet his slow start in the practical test leaves his performance uncertain.
• Limits and ambition: Mei Yuxiang pushes herself to exhaustion to protect her standing, while the round tests not only skill but also the ability to manage soul power.

Plot points

• During the herb-catalysis round, Mei Yuxiang mocks Jun Wangchen after his initial attempt seems unimpressive. She and other disciples praise her for making a Blue Enchantress bloom nine flowers.
• Jun’s single Blue Enchantress seed suddenly produces fruit, then blooms and repeats the process until the mountaintop is covered in flowers. The spectacle leaves the crowd stunned and far surpasses Mei’s result.
• Jun explains nothing, feeling no pride: his knowledge of the Immortal Realm’s Alchemy Art makes catalyzing this relatively ordinary seed easy.
• A skinny disciple accuses Jun of cheating and demands a retest. Others join in, and Steward Li asks Peak Master Mu Fengzheng how to proceed. Mu instead asks Jun what he wants to do.
• Jun challenges the accuser to provide evidence, then asserts that his strength is proof. He releases a terrifying pressure that frightens the man.
• The accuser demands that Jun catalyze a red spider lily, an exceptionally difficult seed requiring not just soul power but genuine feeling and compassion. Jun accepts the challenge, asking whether success will finally silence him.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains calm and unimpressed by his extraordinary success, but responds firmly when accused. His display of pressure reveals a threatening side beneath his composure.
• Mei Yuxiang shifts from smug confidence to humiliation when Jun vastly surpasses her.
• Jiang Yanhao reacts with bitter resentment, unable to bear being outdone by Jun yet again.
• Mu Fengzheng shows confidence in Jun, refusing to assume he cheated and giving him the chance to answer for himself.
• The skinny accuser and the crowd turn suspicion into public pressure, then raise the challenge to the red spider lily to make Jun prove himself.

Significant themes

• Envy and unfair judgment: Jun’s success prompts accusations rather than recognition.
• Mastery and hidden ability: His easy catalysis reflects knowledge and power far beyond what others expect from a newcomer.
• Emotion as a source of art: The red spider lily tests compassion and attachment, suggesting that alchemy can require feeling as much as technical skill.
• Reputation under pressure: Jun must answer not only a difficult test but also the crowd’s suspicion and hostility.

Key plot points and events

• To prove he had not cheated, Jun Wangchen agrees to catalyze a notoriously difficult Red Spider Lily seed.
• He makes it sprout in under ten seconds, then uses the technique “Soul of All Things, commune with me!” to draw feelings and energy from nearby plants.
• The Red Spider Lily rapidly grows, flowers, and bears fruit—an extraordinary result that astonishes the gathered alchemists.
• The gaunt man who challenged him admits he is convinced. Jun harvests the valuable fruits, which can be used to restore souls and potentially enable contact with the dead.
• The flower then dissolves into black light, transforming the surroundings into a vision of the Red Spider Lily’s symbolic world.

Character developments

• Jun Wangchen demonstrates skill and understanding far beyond what is expected of a new student, calmly answering doubt with proof rather than taunting his opponent.
• Mei Yuxiang begins to regard him as a genuine equal.
• The gaunt challenger is overwhelmed by Jun’s demonstration and abandons his accusation.
• Jiang Yanhao, Steward Li, and Mu Fengzheng are visibly shaken or captivated by Jun’s achievement.

Significant themes

• Talent and disparity: Jun’s abilities leave his peers questioning how someone so new could be so far ahead.
• Emotion as power: The Red Spider Lily thrives on feeling and love; Jun’s ability to draw them from all things drives its extraordinary growth.
• Proof over accusation: Jun settles the dispute through a demonstration.
• Longing and separation: The Red Spider Lily represents hopeless love, endless yearning, and separation by life and death.

Character interactions

• Jun asks Steward Li for a seed, but Jiang Yanhao supplies one.
• The gaunt man sets the condition for accepting Jun’s innocence, then concedes after witnessing the result.
• The crowd’s growing amazement shifts how others—especially Mei Yuxiang—perceive Jun.

Plot points and events

• The group witnesses the remembered story of Manzhu and Shahua, two souls who once kept one another company on the Three Lives Stone before being sent to the mortal world. The Buddha tells them they will meet only once in each lifetime.
• Manzhu takes root beside the Santu River at Wangchuan, longing to bloom and meet Shahua. She learns that souls drink Meng Po Soup on the Bridge of Helplessness to forget their past lives.
• At each Autumn Equinox Shore, Manzhu blooms, but Shahua repeatedly passes her on his way to the bridge without recognizing her. Eventually he begins to pause and look at her; after thousands more years, he murmurs that she seems familiar.
• His dawning memories transform Manzhu’s white flowers into blood-red blooms. Later, he recognizes her by name. He finally plucks a flower, kisses her, and promises never to forget her—then drinks the soup anyway.
• Though the Buddha declares they will never meet again, Shahua becomes the leaves on Manzhu’s stem. Since the leaves and flowers appear at different times, they remain together forever without being able to meet or forget one another.
• The vision ends, and the group returns to reality, reflecting on the lovers’ story and admiring Jun Wangchen for enabling them to witness it.

Character developments and interactions

• Manzhu moves from hopeful anticipation to centuries of grief, then to a quiet acceptance of their unusual bond. She repeatedly calls out to Shahua, while he passes without hearing or remembering her.
• Shahua progresses from complete forgetfulness to fleeting recognition and finally to consciously choosing an eternal bond with Manzhu, even at the cost of separation in form.
• Meng Po serves the forgetfulness soup and explains the lovers’ circumstances. Her rare sigh and strange smile hint at sympathy or understanding.
• The Buddha establishes the lovers’ seemingly tragic fate; their eventual transformation gives that fate a new meaning.
• The witnesses are moved by the story and regard Jun Wangchen with profound admiration.

Significant themes

• Love and remembrance: Devotion persists despite memory loss, separation, and the passage of millennia.
• Fate and defiance: The lovers’ bond appears constrained by the Buddha’s decree, yet they find a way to remain together.
• The cost of reunion: Their love is fulfilled not through ordinary companionship, but through an eternal existence in which flowers and leaves never coincide.
• Sorrow and transformation: Manzhu’s changing flowers embody longing, grief, recognition, and the endurance of love.

Key plot points and events

• After Jun Wangchen’s red spider lily catalysis, Mei Yuxiang realizes the gap between them is overwhelming and leaves in defeat. Jiang Yanhao and the other senior disciples also depart, visibly shaken or embarrassed.
• Steward Li and Peak Master Mu Fengzheng recognize Jun’s extraordinary ability. Mu advises investigating him without treating him as a threat, and urges the sect to recruit him.
• Jun returns to the freshman residence, unaware that word of his achievements is spreading through the Pill Sect: he defeated Jiang Yanhao in the Martial Dao assessment, earned perfect scores in two identification tests, and made the red spider lily flower and fruit.
• The next day, Jun receives perfect scores in both the Martial Dao and Pill Dao assessments—the first freshman in three years to do so. He becomes an Outer Disciple and ranks second overall, behind Fang Yiqian.
• Hoping to attract the sect’s attention and become a Personal Disciple sooner, Jun disguises himself and challenges the Pill Pavilion’s stone tablets. He claims first place on the third and fourth tablets, joining his existing top rankings to become first on all four.
• Fang Yiqian repeatedly challenges the tablets but cannot reclaim first place. She remains determined to surpass Jun, hoping to do so on the remaining tablets.

Character developments and interactions

• Jun Wangchen remains composed despite the acclaim and strategically uses his growing reputation to advance his standing in the sect.
• Mei Yuxiang is deeply discouraged, accepting that Jun has surpassed her in both Pill Dao and Martial Dao.
• Fang Yiqian responds to Jun’s achievements with anger and competitive resolve rather than giving up.
• Mu Fengzheng and Steward Li discuss Jun’s potential: they acknowledge his hidden strength and favor bringing him into the Pill Sect’s circle.
• Jun’s success also unsettles Jiang Yanhao and the senior disciples, while rumors and curiosity spread among sect members.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent and rivalry: Jun’s abilities set him apart, provoking admiration, humiliation, and competition.
• Recognition and ambition: Jun seeks greater notice to accelerate his path toward becoming a Personal Disciple; Fang Yiqian is driven to defend her status.
• Talent versus learning: Fang excels in the first three tablets, which reward talent, but Herb Deduction depends more on accumulated knowledge and experience.