Chapter Summaries

Liu Changxu set aside time with his wife and newborn daughter, then entered seclusion to attempt natural foundation establishment without using a Foundation Establishment Pill. After three days and nights of compressing his magic power, he succeeded, and his soul power and physical strength increased.

• Liu Changxu prepared a Spirit-Gathering Formation and a Golden Light Array with Li Zhenxin, then entered seclusion after saying goodbye to his family.
• Liu Changxu spent several days preparing his body before beginning the natural foundation establishment method recorded in the Fire Lotus Sword Art.
• As Liu Changxu drew in spiritual energy, Liu Shihao guarded the chamber and sent curious Liu Household members away.
• Liu Changxu ate Blood Bodhi fruits and jade spirit peaches to replenish his strength and spiritual power as his magic power condensed into liquid.
• After three days and nights, Liu Changxu completed foundation establishment, extended his spiritual sense to one li, and advanced the Flood Dragon Body-Tempering Art to the fifth level, reaching forty thousand jin of physical strength.

After Liu Changxu reached Foundation Establishment at twenty-one, he celebrated with his family and traveled with Li Zhenxin and their daughter to Eastern Splendor City. The visit to the Li Household ended with Wang learning of Liu Changxu’s breakthrough and realizing her standing there would change.

• Liu Changxu emerged from seclusion, reunited with Li Zhenxin and Liu Jiao, and celebrated his Foundation Establishment with the Liu Household.
• Lin Yulian arranged a lineage banquet, and the Liu Household set Liu Changxu’s Foundation Establishment ceremony for the tenth day of the eighth month.
• Liu Changxu took Li Zhenxin and Liu Jiao aboard the Azure Cloud Boat and traveled cautiously to Eastern Splendor City.
• Wang welcomed Li Zhenxin, Liu Changxu, and Liu Jiao at the Li Household gates, and Li Zhenxin embraced her mother after three years apart.
• Li Zhenxin told Wang about her progress and Liu Changxu’s breakthrough, and Wang informed Li Yunyue using a Voice Transmission Talisman.

After learning Liu Changxu had reached Foundation Establishment, Li Tianheng hosted a banquet for him and his family, where the Li Household was astonished by Liu Changxu and Li Zhenxin’s rapid progress. Liu Changxu savored the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion’s spirit cuisine, reflected on his own craft’s limitations, and left with answers to his cultivation questions.

• Li Yunyue informed Li Tianheng that Liu Changxu had broken through to Foundation Establishment, and Li Tianheng arranged a banquet for Liu Changxu and a secondary-wife banquet for Wang.
• Liu Changxu arrived with Li Zhenxin and her mother, drawing the Li Household’s attention to the couple’s rapid cultivation progress.
• Li Zhenhai welcomed Liu Changxu to the main table, where Liu Changxu greeted Li Tianheng, Li Yunyue, and the lineage elders.
• Li Tianheng explained that the eight second-tier dishes came from the renowned Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, and Liu Changxu admired their flavor and spiritual effects.
• Liu Changxu reflected on the gap between his spirit cuisine skills and the Pavilion’s long-established craft, then gave Li Tianheng a partly truthful explanation for his swift breakthrough.
• Liu Changxu asked Li Tianheng about cultivation after Foundation Establishment and received satisfactory answers.

After Li Tianheng elevated Wang to equal wife, Liu Changxu registered with the Azure Cloud Sect and received prospective inner sect disciple privileges. He and Li Zhenxin then prepared Wang’s residence and dowry for the wedding five days later.

• Li Tianheng announced that Wang would be elevated to equal wife and that her wedding ceremony and banquet would be held in five days.
• Liu Changxu discussed cultivation and Wang’s elevation with Li Yunyue, who explained how he had obtained the Yin-Yang Harmony Art.
• Liu Changxu registered with Yao Chengwu and received a prospective inner sect disciple token with inner sect privileges.
• Liu Changxu bought Wang a courtyard residence in Eastern Splendor City and, with Li Zhenxin, spent eight thousand spirit stones preparing her dowry.
• Li Zhenxin was moved by Liu Changxu’s support for Wang and reflected on the hardship her mother had endured to avoid provoking Jiang.

Madam Wang married Li Yunyue as his equal wife, and the wedding banquet drew powerful cultivators eager to meet her son-in-law, Liu Changxu. Liu Changxu remained guarded as three Azure Cloud Sect inner disciples assessed him at the banquet.

• Madam Wang prepared for her wedding, reflected on her hardships, and resolved to pursue cultivation with renewed determination.
• Li Yunyue carried Madam Wang through the wedding rites and into the bridal chamber at the Li residence.
• Three Azure Cloud Sect inner disciples—Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, and Xue Yuchan—arrived among the guests to see Liu Changxu.
• Li Tianheng welcomed the guests and seated the three disciples at the main table before the banquet began.
• Liu Changxu joined the main table and answered questions mildly, revealing little about himself.

After returning to Peach Blossom Mountain, Liu Changxu prepared for and held his Foundation Establishment Ceremony, which drew far more guests than the Liu Household expected. The chapter ended with the crowded celebration highlighting the Liu Household’s growing standing, while Liu Changxu remained wary of the three Azure Cloud Sect cultivators who attended.

• Liu Changxu spent two more days in Eastern Splendor City with Li Zhenxin, buying a second-tier formation and talisman paper before leaving with his wife and daughter.
• Before departing the Li Household, Liu Changxu left spiritual resources for Madam Wang, who resolved to pursue the Dao after parting from Liu Jiao.
• Liu Changxu returned safely to Peach Blossom Mountain, where Lin Yulian took Liu Jiao into her care while Liu Changxu and Li Zhenxin prepared for the ceremony.
• The Liu Household held Liu Changxu’s Foundation Establishment Ceremony, and many more rogue cultivators and lineages than expected arrived to congratulate him.
• Foundation establishment cultivators from other counties and three Azure Cloud Sect inner-sect cultivators attended and presented gifts, surprising Liu Changxu.
• The guests overflowed Peach Blossom Hall, so Lin Yulian and Li Zhenxin arranged additional tables as the Liu Household celebrated its recognition among surrounding lineages.

After his Foundation Establishment celebration, Liu Changxu learned that Huang Tianjie and his companions wanted him and Liu Shihao to join their assignment investigating the Azure Cloud Range. The father and son agreed and began preparing to leave from Yunping City in seven days.

• Liu Changxu gave a cultivation discourse and hosted a banquet featuring second-tier spirit cuisine for his guests.
• After the banquet, Huang Tianjie invited Liu Changxu to accompany the Azure Cloud Sect disciples on an investigation deep in the Azure Cloud Range.
• Liu Changxu consulted Liu Shihao, and the father and son agreed to join the assignment with Wang Yuting and Wu Changkun also invited.
• Huang Tianjie said the group would set out from Yunping City in seven days, and he and his companions took their leave.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao prepared for the journey, and Liu Changxu drew two Golden Armor Talismans and gave them to his father.

Liu Changxu, Liu Shihao, and their companions joined Huang Tianjie on a dangerous scouting mission into the Azure Cloud Range to map demon beast populations ahead of an Azure Cloud Sect campaign. After hunting lesser beasts along the way, the seven reached Greenplain Valley to assess its Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses.

• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao met Huang Tianjie at the Azure Cloud Sect's outpost in Yunping County, and Huang Tianjie led the group north on the Flying Cloud Boat.
• Huang Tianjie explained that the Azure Cloud Sect planned to scout and cull demon beasts before a large-scale beast tide, and that his group needed to survey thirty thousand li of territory.
• Liu Changxu, Liu Shihao, Wang Yuting, and Wu Changkun joined Huang Tianjie and his two companions, and the seven agreed to investigate the Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses in Greenplain Valley.
• The seven spent their first day killing several peak first-tier demon beasts and collecting their materials, while Liu Changxu used his Sky-Splitting Palm and One-Qi Grasping Hand to capture or kill them.
• On the second morning, the seven reached Greenplain Valley, where Wu Changkun and Liu Changxu considered the fertile land but dismissed the thought of claiming it because of the threat of a beast tide.

Liu Changxu and his six companions attacked an Iron-Armored Rhinoceros herd in Greenplain Valley, triggering a fierce battle against hundreds of reinforcements. Liu Changxu joined Huang Tianjie against a second-tier middle-grade rhinoceros and held his ground with the Golden Flood Dragon Spear.

• Liu Changxu and his companions found more than thirty first-tier Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses and killed them with spell attacks.
• Hundreds of Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses charged in, led by four second-tier beasts, and their Golden Arrow Technique caught the seven cultivators off guard.
• The seven divided the opponents among themselves, with Liu Changxu and Huang Tianjie joining forces against the second-tier middle-grade rhinoceros.
• Huang Tianjie attacked with his flying sword, but its sword qi barely harmed the rhinoceros’s armored hide.
• Liu Changxu wounded the rhinoceros with a Star-Iron Arrow, then fought it at close range with the Golden Flood Dragon Spear and held his ground.

Liu Changxu turned the battle against the Iron-Armored Rhinoceros herd by killing one beast with a surprise arrow and helping defeat the remaining second-tier leaders. After the herd fled, the group divided the valuable carcasses and spoils.

• Liu Changxu and the others struggled against the Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses as Wang Yuting and Liu Shihao's group began to run low on strength.
• Liu Changxu left his opponent and shot the Iron-Armored Rhinoceros fighting Chen Shuo through the neck, killing it.
• Liu Changxu ordered Chen Shuo to help Huang Tianjie and went to assist Wang Yuting, then fought Wang Yuting's opponent when his arrow was deflected.
• Liu Changxu wounded the second-tier middle-grade Iron-Armored Rhinoceros with another arrow before killing it with his spear, while the others defeated the last two second-tier beasts.
• The first-tier Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses fled, and the seven hunters divided the four second-tier carcasses and shared the first-tier spoils.

After defeating the Iron-Armored Rhinoceroses, Liu Changxu and the others harvested valuable spirit wood, herbs, fruits, and ore from Iron Rhinoceros Ridge, then spent two months transporting and processing their gains. Liu Changxu ended the expedition with a full Storage Bag and improved combat skills after surviving his first Foundation Establishment-level battle.

• The seven searched Iron Rhinoceros Ridge and found more than five hundred golden ironwood trees, along with valuable golden sunflowers, Golden Apples, and gold-patterned iron ore.
• They divided the golden sunflowers and ripe Golden Apples, then mined the small gold-patterned iron ore vein over a month.
• Members of the Wu Household and Liu Household arrived to help fell and transplant resources, mine ore, and process demon beast materials.
• Liu Shihao, Wu Changkun, and Wang Yuting transported spoils to their lineages, while Huang Tianjie and his companions sent excess resources to the Azure Cloud Sect for contribution points.
• After roughly two months, the group finished handling their gains from Greenplain Valley, and Liu Changxu had filled his Storage Bag and improved his combat skills.

After dividing the spoils from Greenplain Valley and strengthening the Liu Lineage’s resources and organization, Liu Changxu and the others traveled north to Black Tiger Mountain. They arrived ready to search the forested mountain for Blackflame Tigers and spiritual resources, while Liu Changxu kept his spirit beasts and amethyst bees out of combat.

• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao divided their Greenplain Valley spoils, keeping materials for pills, Spirit Artifacts, and spirit cuisine while donating most other resources to the Liu Lineage.
• Liu Changxu gave his Foundation Establishment Pill to his mother, who entered seclusion, while the Lineage planned to seek another pill for Liu Shisheng at Purple Forest Market.
• The Liu Lineage reorganized its institutions and made great perfection of Qi Refinement the requirement for becoming an elder, with late Qi Refinement cultivators serving as stewards.
• After handling their gains, Liu Changxu and six others took a Flying Boat north from Greenplain Valley toward Black Tiger Mountain.
• Liu Changxu released his four spirit beasts and amethyst bee swarm to scout for demon beasts and resources, but did not intend for them to fight.
• The group reached Black Tiger Mountain, where dense spirit plants and towering forests made the Blackflame Tigers difficult to detect.

Liu Changxu and his companions searched Black Tiger Mountain for Blackflame Tigers, then rushed to help Wang Yuting and Wu Changkun fight two powerful tigers. Wu Changkun was killed, and the remaining six retreated after struggling to harm the beasts.

• Liu Changxu and his father searched eastern Black Tiger Mountain while the other groups investigated the central and western regions.
• Liu Changxu gathered spirit plants and captured five Golden-Horned Deer, but found no Blackflame Tigers during the search.
• Wang Yuting sent a plea for help after two second-tier middle-grade Blackflame Tigers attacked and badly wounded Wu Changkun.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao arrived to find Huang Tianjie and his companions fighting the tigers, while Wu Changkun had been burned to ashes.
• Liu Changxu fired eight arrows and Liu Shihao used his Sword-Controlling Art, but neither they nor Huang Tianjie's group could effectively stop the tigers.
• The remaining six agreed to split up and retreat.

After escaping Black Tiger Mountain, Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao agreed to continue the mission with Huang Tianjie and his companions, though Wang Yuting withdrew after Wu Changkun’s death. The group cautiously surveyed the mountain from above and found three Second-Tier Fireflame Jujube Trees by its volcanic crater, leaving Liu Changxu eager to claim the fruits.

• Liu Changxu wounded a pursuing Blackflame Tiger with a Star-Iron Arrow, allowing Liu Shihao to fly them to safety on the Green Feather Boat.
• The six men regrouped, and Wang Yuting left to report Wu Changkun’s death to the Wu Household.
• Liu Shihao and Liu Changxu agreed to continue the mission with Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, and their remaining companion.
• Huang Tianjie led the group back to Black Tiger Mountain aboard a flying boat, keeping it above the Blackflame Tigers’ reach as they scouted.
• The group spotted three Second-Tier Fireflame Jujube Trees near the volcanic crater, and Liu Changxu suspected the fruits strengthened the tigers’ Blackflame Demonfire.

Liu Changxu hosted Huang Tianjie and his companions at camp, then bought a Spirit Artifact flying sword from Xue Yuchan. The group shared cultivation advice and strengthened their friendship as Liu Changxu prepared for the next battle.

• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao set up a formation beside Huang Tianjie and his companions, then prepared a meal of spirit rice and Iron-Armored Rhinoceros meat.
• Liu Changxu invited Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, and Xue Yuchan to share roast meat and Icefire Wine.
• Liu Changxu asked Huang Tianjie for a spare Spirit Artifact flying sword, and Xue Yuchan offered her second-tier lower-grade Jadewater Sword for six thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Liu Changxu bought the Jadewater Sword and looked forward to using his Sword-Controlling Art in the next battle.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao exchanged cultivation advice with Huang Tianjie and his companions, deepening their friendship.

Liu Changxu fed his Green Fox a precious Golden Apple and refined the Jadewater Sword before joining his companions to investigate the Flame Jujube trees. They gathered fruit while fighting two Blackflame Tigers, then fled when a stronger tiger roared nearby.

• Liu Changxu fed Xiao Qing a Golden Apple to help it break through to the second tier, then refined the Jadewater Sword.
• Liu Changxu, Liu Shihao, Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, and Xue Yuchan flew toward the Spirit Jujube Trees to assess their guardians and gather Flame Jujubes.
• Two second-tier middle-grade Blackflame Tigers attacked, and Liu Changxu held off the wounded tiger while the others fought its companion.
• Xue Yuchan stripped two Spirit Jujube Trees of their Flame Jujubes as the group kept the tigers at bay.
• An upper-grade second-tier Blackflame Tiger roared from a nearby mountain, so Xue Yuchan and the others abandoned the remaining fruit and fled.

After fleeing Black Tiger Mountain with a share of Flame Jujubes, Liu Changxu and his companions encountered a flock of Snow Vultures near Snow Vulture Peak. They fought the birds, and Liu Changxu killed one of the second-tier Snow Vultures.

• Huang Tianjie used the Flying Cloud Boat to carry Liu Changxu and the others away from Black Tiger Mountain after the Blackflame Tigers drove them out.
• The five divided their harvest of Flame Jujubes, with Liu Changxu receiving seventeen lower-grade and eleven middle-grade fruits.
• As the group approached Snow Vulture Peak, Liu Changxu spotted more than fifty first-tier Snow Vultures and three second-tier lower-grade Snow Vultures.
• Huang Tianjie assigned Shi Hao and Xue Yuchan to fight the first-tier flock while he, Chen Shuo, and Liu Changxu confronted the three stronger birds.
• Liu Changxu used the Jadewater Sword to wound one Snow Vulture repeatedly, then killed it with a sword strike.

Liu Changxu and his companions fought off Snow Vultures, then camped to discuss how to proceed deeper into Demon Race territory. Liu Shihao described the dangerous Azure Wolf Valley and Thunder Gathering Mountain, and Chen Shuo and Xue Yuchan argued over which route to take.

• Liu Changxu helped his father and Xue Yuchan kill Snow Vultures while Huang Tianjie and Chen Shuo fought their own opponents.
• Hundreds of Snow Vultures arrived as reinforcements, and Liu Changxu, Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, Liu Shihao, and Xue Yuchan fled aboard the Flying Cloud Boat after killing several second-tier birds.
• The Snow Vultures pursued the group for over a thousand li before giving up, and the five made camp in a concealed formation after nightfall.
• Liu Changxu warned the others that stronger demonic beasts awaited farther north, and Liu Shihao explained the dangers posed by the Azure Wind Wolves to the west and Thunderlight Leopards to the east.
• Chen Shuo argued that skirting Azure Wolf Valley was safest, while Xue Yuchan favored avoiding the organized Azure Wind Wolves, and the two continued arguing.

Chen Shuo and the others chose to cross Thunder Gathering Mountain, where they gathered thunder-magnetic iron amid dangerous storms. Their search was interrupted when they encountered an upper-grade first-tier Thunder Spirit Leopard.

• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao agreed with Xue that Thunder Gathering Mountain was a better route, and Chen Shuo accepted their advice.
• The five set out the next morning and Liu Shihao explained that lightning strikes around the mountain were caused by thunder-magnetic iron and attracted powerful beasts.
• Liu Changxu spotted several cultivators searching the mountain, including three Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• The group weathered torrential rain and dangerous ball lightning, dodging the strikes as they searched the aftermath for treasure.
• The five found several pieces of first-tier thunder-magnetic iron and a large piece of second-tier thunder-magnetic iron.
• While continuing their search, Liu Changxu and the others encountered an upper-grade first-tier Thunder Spirit Leopard.

Liu Changxu killed a Thunder Spirit Leopard and gathered golden thunder bamboo with his companions, then fought off the beast’s two enraged parents. He drove one leopard away with his Golden Flood Dragon Spear, and the other fled as well.

• The group found eleven stalks of golden thunder bamboo, and Liu Changxu killed the Thunder Spirit Leopard guarding them.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao took five young stalks of bamboo, but two Thunder Spirit Leopards arrived and recognized Liu Changxu as their offspring’s killer.
• The two Thunder Spirit Leopards attacked Liu Changxu with silver lightning orbs, and Liu Shihao, Huang Tianjie, Chen Shuo, and Xue Yuchan joined the battle.
• Liu Changxu switched from flying-sword attacks to his Golden Flood Dragon Spear and relentlessly pursued one leopard until it escaped with the Thunder Escape Technique.
• The second Thunder Spirit Leopard fled, while Huang Tianjie and his companions were impressed by Liu Changxu’s strength and Liu Shihao felt proud of his son.