Chapter Summaries

During registration for the Liu Household’s tournament, Liu Changxu suspected a disruptive rogue cultivator of being an evil cultivator and investigated him. After confirming the man’s crimes, Liu Changxu killed him and returned to Peach Blossom Mountain, where fifty-five rogue cultivators had registered.

• A rogue cultivator at the great perfection of Qi Refinement cut the registration line and harassed Zhang Wenjun, but Liu Baichuan ordered him to leave.
• Liu Changxu questioned Zhang Wenjun and learned that the rogue cultivator had pursued her after her lineage was destroyed by evil cultivators.
• Liu Changxu chased the rogue cultivator and used Xiao Qing to find his hiding place.
• The rogue cultivator fled, but Liu Changxu struck him with a Sky-Splitting Palm and searched his soul.
• Liu Changxu confirmed the man was an evil cultivator, took his Storage Bag, burned him to ashes, and returned as registration ended with fifty-five competitors signed up.

Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao began the Arena Tournament and watched the rogue cultivators compete for places in the Household Battle Corps. Zhang Wenjun won two fierce matches, displaying a refined sword art and unusual spirit beast and magical artifact.

• Liu Changxu proposed using Xiao Qing’s Eye of Samsara to screen rogue cultivators, and Liu Shihao agreed to try it.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao oversaw the Arena Tournament, intervening to prevent defeated contestants from dying.
• Zhang Wenjun defeated a burly Sixth Level Qi Refinement body cultivator with her flying sword.
• Twenty-seven contestants won the first round, while one advanced by a bye.
• Zhang Wenjun released a Red-Feathered Crane to match her opponent’s Diamond Ape and bound the Seventh Layer Qi Refinement cultivator with a red silk ribbon.

Liu Changxu watched Hao Wenjie win the tournament and take first place, then helped establish the Liu Household's reserve Warrior Corps. He began screening the victors with Xiao Qing's Eye of Samsara and called Hao Wenjie in first.

• Hao Wenjie used talismans and a sword to defeat a body cultivator, impressing Liu Changxu.
• Hao Wenjie defeated Zhang Wenjun in the ranking competition, taking first place while Zhang placed second.
• Two challengers replaced lower-ranked contestants, and thirty-one defeated cultivators joined the Liu Household's Warrior Corps as reserves.
• Liu Changxu tested a screening method using Xiao Qing's Eye of Samsara on Li Zhenxin and Lian'er, then began screening the tournament victors.
• Liu Changxu called Hao Wenjie into Peach Blossom Hall as the first person to be screened.

Hao Wenjie joined the Liu Household's Warrior Corps after Liu Changxu screened him with Xiao Qing's truth-revealing ability. He pledged to serve Liu Changxu personally and left with a valuable flying sword and the possibility of earning a Foundation Establishment Pill.

• Hao Wenjie, a seventh-layer Qi Refinement cultivator whose family had been devastated by a beast tide, sought to join the Liu Household after winning its Arena Tournament.
• Liu Changxu questioned Hao Wenjie while Xiao Qing compelled him to answer truthfully, confirming that he came from the Hao Household of Golden Rooster Ridge in Jinshan County.
• Hao Wenjie emerged from the screening exhausted and afraid, while Liu Changxu reflected on the risks created by his growing reputation.
• Liu Changxu welcomed Hao Wenjie into the Warrior Corps, gave him an upper-grade first-tier flying sword, and promised that sufficient service could earn him a Foundation Establishment Pill.
• Hao Wenjie thanked Liu Changxu and signaled his willingness to serve him personally, and Liu Changxu told him to call him Young Master.

Liu Changxu discovered that Zhang Wenjun was really Zhang Junru, a nineteen-year-old fugitive from Jinhu City, and agreed to let her stay with the Liu Household. After the new Warrior Corps squad left for Star-Iron Fortress, Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao turned to organizing the Liu Household's first lineage tournament.

• Zhang Junru revealed her real identity and explained that she had fled Chen Yifan, who wanted to force her into becoming his concubine.
• Liu Changxu sympathized with Zhang Junru, agreed to keep her secret, and ended her inspection after she admitted she had joined partly because she admired him.
• The remaining eight applicants passed inspection, and Liu Changxu and Liu Baichuan welcomed all ten recruits into the Liu Household's Warrior Corps and as guest retainers.
• Liu Baichuan led the newly formed squad to garrison Star-Iron Fortress the next day.
• Liu Changxu, Liu Shihao, and the lineage elders debated and finalized broadly acceptable rules for the Liu Household's first lineage tournament.

Peach Blossom Manor held its first grand Lineage tournament, where Liu Shijia won first place and Li Zhenxin placed seventh. Liu Changxu then resumed artifact refining, working with Liu Shisheng and the Lineage’s Artifact Refiners to improve their skills and produce standardized equipment for the Household Battle Corps.

• Liu Changxu and his father oversaw the tournament, where contestants fought cautiously in the elimination rounds and saved their intensity for the ranking matches.
• Liu Shijia won first place, Liu Shiju took second, Liu Shi'an took third, Li Zhenxin placed seventh, and Liu Changxia placed eighth.
• Liu Changxu returned to artifact refining and began building experience toward making Spirit Artifacts by producing Magical Artifacts.
• Liu Changxu refined alongside the Lineage’s Artifact Refiners under Liu Shisheng’s guidance, rapidly improving his skills.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shisheng produced standardized armor, longbows, arrows, and swords for the Household Battle Corps, strengthening the Artifact Refiners’ abilities.

Liu Changxu moved his family and spirit beasts to Jade Bamboo Island, built a Pill and Artifact Hall, and began refining a spirit artifact while balancing his work with his young daughter’s need for attention. He resumed refining after lunch, leaving his pregnant concubine Lian'er to care for Liu Jiao while Li Zhenxin cultivated in seclusion.

• Liu Changxu took Li Zhenxin, Lian'er, Liu Jiao, and their spirit beasts to Jade Bamboo Island, where Little Blue and Xiao Zhu frolicked in the lake.
• Liu Changxu built a fifty-foot Pill and Artifact Hall from blue steel stone and began refining a flying sword from gold-patterned iron ore.
• Liu Jiao asked to stay with Liu Changxu while he worked, and he felt guilty that his and Li Zhenxin's cultivation and duties left her without enough parental attention.
• Liu Changxu thanked Lian'er for caring for Liu Jiao, managing the island, and preparing meals while pregnant.
• Lian'er explained that Li Zhenxin was cultivating in seclusion to reach the eighth layer of Qi Refinement and had asked not to be disturbed for meals.
• After lunch, Liu Changxu took Liu Jiao back to the Pill and Artifact Hall and resumed refining his spirit artifact.

Liu Changxu completed his first spirit artifact, the Golden Rainbow Sword, and celebrated becoming a second-tier Artifact Refiner with his family. After five days of rest and outings with his wives and daughter, he resumed preparing for the demanding work of crafting more spirit artifacts.

• Liu Changxu spent twenty-seven days engraving runes and forging the Golden Rainbow Sword, then bound it to himself with a drop of essence blood.
• Liu Changxu tested the sword by cleaving a huge boulder in two, while Liu Jiao cheered and Li Zhenxin and Lian'er came to see the commotion.
• Li Zhenxin and Lian'er congratulated Liu Changxu on becoming a second-tier Artifact Refiner, and he promised to rest with them and Liu Jiao for several days.
• Liu Changxu took his family sightseeing on the Azure Cloud Boat and killed a second-tier lower-grade Black Mountain Bear without Xiao Qing's help.
• Liu Changxu gave the Black Mountain Bear's Beast Core to the Yellow Mountain Lion, which fell into a deep sleep with a chance of breaking through to the second tier.

Liu Changxu refined the Flying Rainbow Sword for his mother, then made magical swords for Li Zhenxin and Lian'er after they asked. He later turned to crafting a defensive spirit artifact shield and chose to combine metal, spirit wood, and beast hide.

• Liu Changxu spent twenty days refining the second-tier lower-grade Flying Rainbow Sword for Lin Yulian.
• Li Zhenxin asked Liu Changxu to refine swords for her and Lian'er, and he agreed.
• Liu Changxu refined the Azure Glaze Sword for Li Zhenxin and the Blue Lotus Sword for Lian'er.
• Li Zhenxin set aside her cultivation to practice dual cultivation with Liu Changxu, warming their relationship.
• Liu Changxu began refining a spirit artifact shield and decided to combine second-tier metal, spirit wood, and beast hide.

Liu Changxu completed the difficult refinement of his Vajra Shield just as Lian'er gave birth to their son. He met his newborn, then went to visit Lian'er while Lin Yulian soothed the crying baby.

• Liu Changxu abandoned his plans for a composite shield and spent two and a half months refining a gold-patterned iron Spirit Artifact Shield, which he named the Vajra Shield.
• Liu Jiao told Liu Changxu that Second Mother was giving birth, and he hurried home to Jade Bamboo Tower.
• Liu Changxu found Liu Shihao and his family waiting, showed his father the newly completed Vajra Shield, and learned that his son had already been born.
• Lin Yulian brought the newborn out, and Liu Changxu held his son as Liu Jiao excitedly welcomed her little brother.
• The baby began wailing at the crowd, so Lin Yulian took him to soothe him while Liu Changxu went to visit Lian'er.

Liu Changxu prepared for the coming war by refining spirit artifacts for his family and himself, then packed to leave Jade Bamboo Island. Just as he was ready to depart, Little Yellow, the Yellow Mountain Lion, began to awaken.

• Liu Changxu refined the Ironwood Shield for Lin Yulian and the Goldwood Shield for Liu Shihao, along with three sets of spirit artifact inner armor.
• Liu Changxu crafted the Ruyi Purple-Gold Pot to prepare spirit cuisine and used it to cook Clear-Braised Bear Paw for himself and his spirit beasts.
• Liu Changxu recalled Xiao Qing, Xiao Yun, and Little Blue to Jade Bamboo Island and shared the bear paw dish with them.
• Liu Changxu gathered his portable belongings and prepared to leave Jade Bamboo Island because of the coming war between the races.
• Little Yellow, the Yellow Mountain Lion, began to awaken after sleeping for several months.

The Yellow Mountain Lion advanced to the second tier and awakened the Lion's Roar demon art, giving Liu Changxu a stronger ally. After returning home, Liu Changxu learned that the Azure Cloud Sect had ordered the Liu Household to send cultivators to Purple Forest Market, leaving him to consider how best to protect Peach Blossom Mountain.

• Liu Changxu supplied spirit stones as the Yellow Mountain Lion absorbed spiritual energy and advanced, unleashing a roar that knocked Xiao Yun from the sky.
• Liu Changxu confirmed the Yellow Mountain Lion remained obedient, then celebrated its advancement by cooking second-tier Black Mountain Bear meat for his spirit beasts.
• Liu Changxu returned to Peach Blossom Mountain and found Liu Jiao playing in the snow with Liu Han and Xiao Zhu.
• Liu Han cried at the sight of Liu Changxu, and Lin Yulian came out to greet her son and soothe her grandson.
• Lin Yulian told Liu Changxu that the Azure Cloud Sect had ordered the Liu Household to send two Foundation Establishment cultivators and thirty qualified Qi Refinement cultivators to Purple Forest Market by the twentieth day of the first month.
• Liu Changxu decided that leaving the Yellow Mountain Lion at Peach Blossom Mountain would help protect Lin Yulian while the Household's forces were away.

Liu Changxu reassured his family about Peach Blossom Mountain’s defenses before leaving for the Azure Cloud Sect’s campaign, and distributed newly forged magical artifacts to his relatives. The family’s worries eased as they prepared for the coming expedition.

• Lin Yulian worried about defending Peach Blossom Mountain, so Liu Changxu summoned the second-tier Yellow Mountain Lion and promised to leave him behind.
• Lin Yulian cooked a family dinner, where news of the Yellow Mountain Lion’s breakthrough slightly strengthened the family’s confidence.
• Liu Shihao explained that he, Liu Changxu, Liu Shi'an, and the Lineage’s recruited cultivators would join the campaign, while Liu Baishan and Lin Yulian guarded the Lineage.
• Liu Changxu said the Yellow Mountain Lion would remain on Peach Blossom Mountain to support its defenses and recuperate.
• Liu Changxu distributed forged magical artifacts and spirit artifacts to his grandfather, parents, uncle, aunties, and younger sisters, lifting the family’s somber mood.

Liu Changxu and his family prepared for the human-demon war, gathering supplies and organizing the Liu Household’s first independent campaign contingent. After a farewell ceremony, Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao led the Peach Blossom Mountain Corps toward Purple Forest Market.

• Liu Changxu arranged for Li Zhenxin and Lian'er to protect the children while he and Liu Shihao went to war, leaving the Azure Cloud Eagle and Yellow Mountain Lion at home.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao gathered campaign supplies as Lin Yulian made talismans, Li Zhenxin crafted formations, and other Liu Household members prepared for battle.
• The Liu Household named its ten elite cultivators the Peach Blossom Mountain Corps and equipped them with standardized armor, longswords, and Golden-Horned Deer.
• On January 10, 3173, Liu Baishan led a departure ceremony outside Peach Blossom Manor’s southern gate.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao said goodbye to their family and led the Peach Blossom Mountain Corps aboard a Flying Boat bound for Purple Forest Market.

Liu Shihao and Liu Changxu arrived at Purple Forest Market, helped Peach Blossom Pavilion prepare for the war’s surging demand, and reported the Liu Household’s forces to the Azure Cloud Sect. They received merit-recording tokens and left ready to follow the sect’s orders.

• Liu Shihao and Liu Changxu arrived at Peach Blossom Pavilion, where Liu Shifeng told them the market was crowded and the pavilion was running low on pills, talismans, and magical artifacts.
• Liu Shihao ordered the pavilion to sell its remaining stock, turn stored materials into new goods, and barter for upper-grade first-tier treasures and better items.
• Liu Shihao and Liu Changxu reported for duty at the Azure Cloud Sect compound and waited ten hours among more than a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Liu Shihao reported that the Liu Household had brought two Foundation Establishment cultivators and thirty Qi Refinement cultivators, and Zhang Jinwu warned them to obey orders and earn merit.
• A Foundation Establishment cultivator gave Liu Shihao and Liu Changxu thirty-two tokens to record the Liu Household’s war merits.

Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao attended a Foundation Establishment cultivator gathering organized by Wang Qiuyue, where they exchanged cultivation insights and prepared to trade Spirit Treasures. Liu Changxu left with useful guidance and a new resolve to travel and make friends as he pursued higher realms.

• Xue Yuchan invited Liu Changxu to a Foundation Establishment gathering, and he arranged to attend with Liu Shihao.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao arrived at Wang Qiuyue’s secluded courtyard and joined the other Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Wang Qiuyue opened the gathering by sharing clear advice on Foundation Establishment cultivation, which Liu Changxu recorded and found helpful.
• Xue Yuchan discussed crafting second-tier talismans, and Liu Changxu shared his insights into body refinement.
• After the cultivation exchange, Liu Changxu resolved to travel and make friends, then eagerly awaited the Spirit Treasure exchange.

Foundation Establishment cultivators exchanged spirit treasures, and Liu Changxu traded one of his Thunder Soul Fruits for an upper-grade second-tier blood bodhi fruit. He believed the fruit could help him break through the bottleneck in his Flood Dragon Body-Tempering Art.

• Xue Yuchan offered spirit treasures for water-attribute treasures, trading five Diamond Talismans for two bottles of Purple Jade Pills but keeping her Flame Jujubes.
• Liu Shihao traded Jade Dew Pills for purple sun ginseng, then exchanged three bottles for two blood bodhi fruits and three purple jade lingzhi.
• Liu Changxu saw an elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator offer an upper-grade second-tier blood bodhi fruit in exchange for an upper-grade second-tier Thunder Soul Fruit.
• Liu Changxu traded one of his three Thunder Soul Fruits for the blood bodhi fruit, hoping it would help him reach the sixth layer of the Flood Dragon Body-Tempering Art.

Liu Changxu refined an upper-grade second-tier blood bodhi fruit and advanced his Flood Dragon Body-Tempering Art to the sixth layer, reaching Foundation Establishment late-stage body-refinement strength. He hurried to the Azure Cloud Sect’s prebattle roll call in time and heard the rules for the Human-Demon War’s rewards and punishments.

• After reviewing his cultivation journey for three days, Liu Changxu consumed the blood bodhi fruit and endured three days of painful body transformation.
• Liu Changxu advanced the Flood Dragon Body-Tempering Art to the sixth layer, raising his physical strength beyond seventy thousand jin.
• Liu Shifeng told Liu Changxu that the Azure Cloud Sect’s army was marching to war, and he rushed to the north gate of the Purple Forest Market before roll call began.
• Liu Changxu found his father, Liu Shihao, and joined the Liu Household’s battle team as sixteen Golden Core cultivators arrived at the reviewing platform.
• Zhang Jinwu welcomed the assembled cultivators and warned them to obey orders, then an Azure Cloud Sect deacon read the merit-based rewards and punishments for the campaign.

Liu Changxu saw Wu Yunyue again before the Azure Cloud Sect’s war expedition, and their painful past resurfaced as the cultivators assembled. After a lengthy roll call, the Liu Household’s battle team boarded a flying treasure and headed north.

• Liu Changxu became eager to join the war after learning that cultivators could exchange merits for Foundation Establishment Pills and Golden Core Formation Pills.
• Liu Changxu spotted Wu Yunyue among the Wu Household’s cultivators and recalled their past romance and his arranged engagement to Li Zhenxin.
• An Azure Cloud Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator called the roll of the participating households, a process that took six hours.
• The Azure Cloud Sect’s Golden Core cultivators brought out their flying treasures, and Liu Changxu examined them with the Eye of Myriad Forms.
• The Liu Household’s thirty-two cultivators boarded a flying boat that carried them northward.

Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao established the Liu Household’s camp at the Azure Cloud Sect’s forward base and sold their Magical Artifact Wooden Houses to other cultivators. As the sect prepared a grand formation around the encampment, the chapter left the arriving army facing the scale of a war in which their force was considered only a small contingent.

• Liu Changxu studied the Flying Boat Magical Treasure during the journey, and the cultivators arrived at the Azure Cloud Sect’s forward base in the Azure Cloud Range.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao set up the Liu Household’s camp and issued its combat team Magical Artifact Wooden Houses.
• Other lineages inspected the houses, and Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao sold all twenty they had brought, earning the Liu Lineage a profit of five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Liu Changxu and Liu Shihao installed a second-tier defensive formation at their camp while the Azure Cloud Sect’s Golden Core cultivators arranged a third-tier formation around the encampment.
• The chapter revealed that the army of over ten thousand cultivators was only a small contingent because it had no Azure Cloud Sect Nascent Soul Cultivators.