Chapter Summaries

Liu Yu traveled north aboard the Origin Returning Boat, studying cultivation arts and taking his turn controlling the vessel. As he watched the landscape pass, Yan Qun'er joined him at the bow and warned him to put his safety first.

• The eight Foundation Establishment cultivators assigned the disciples to rooms aboard the Origin Returning Boat and agreed to take turns piloting it.
• Liu Yu settled into an upper-level room and studied the Foundation Establishment portion of the Divine Preservation Art rather than cultivating in the unstable setting.
• Liu Yu, Cui Liang, and another Outer Courtyard Faction member privately agreed with Senior Brother Xu and his companion to watch out for one another and share intelligence at the front lines.
• After five days, Cui Liang gave Liu Yu the control token and a storage bag, and Liu Yu took his turn steering the boat.
• Liu Yu adjusted the boat's course, admired the mountains and rivers below, and reflected on the freedom of cultivation.
• Yan Qun'er joined Liu Yu at the bow and told him that, whatever happened, he should put his safety first.

Liu Yu and the other Primordial Yang Sect disciples arrived at Moonwatch Immortal Fate City, the sect’s key frontier stronghold, after a twenty-day journey. They were welcomed by Jiang Bing, who said their arrival would ease the burden on the city’s defenders.

• Yan Qun'er told Liu Yu that her aunt had arranged for her to gain experience on the front lines, where an ancestor would be stationed.
• Liu Yu spent the journey studying his cultivation method and learned that Zhuang Shilong shared a lineage with Sect Master Zhuang Ziling.
• The Origin Returning Boat reached Moonwatch Immortal Fate City, and Liu Yu observed its fortified walls, busy gates, and groups of cultivators returning from hunts.
• Zhuang Shilong put away the boat after the disciples disembarked, and Jiang Bing arrived to welcome them to the city.

Liu Yu and the Primordial Yang Sect cultivators arrived at Moonwatch Immortal Fate City, where they registered and received cave abodes while awaiting a meeting with the city’s Golden Core elders. After resting and completing his cultivation, Liu Yu set out to explore the city and learned about its districts and strict entry fees.

• Jiang Bing welcomed the arriving Primordial Yang Sect cultivators and led them through Moonwatch City to the City Lord's Residence.
• Wu Yuhan told the Foundation Establishment cultivators that the elders were busy and arranged cave abodes for them until their meeting in three days.
• Liu Yu entered his assigned courtyard, found its spiritual energy richer than his cave abode on Colorful Lotus Mountain, and slept after the journey.
• Liu Yu woke refreshed, took an Essence-Refining Pill, and completed his daily cultivation with the Azure Yang Art.
• Liu Yu explored Moonwatch City and learned that its south held lodging, its west housed rogue cultivators and stalls, and its guarded north faced the Hehuan Sect.

Liu Yu surveyed the East Market in Moonwatch City, learning that Foundation Establishment pills were scarce while gathering most of the spirit grasses he needed. Concerned that his current abilities could not threaten a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator, he visited Many Treasures Pavilion to seek a powerful weapon or treasure.

• Liu Yu asked Pill Fragrance Tower and other shops about Foundation Establishment pills, learning that supplies were limited and prices were high.
• Liu Yu bought spirit grass seeds and collected nearly half the ingredients needed for Azure Origin Pills and Essence-Nourishing Pills.
• Liu Yu reviewed the limits of his Profound Departure Sword, Azure Yang Demonic Flame, and Spirit-Shocking Thorn, and decided he needed a trump card against late-stage cultivators.
• Liu Yu checked that no one was following him and entered Many Treasures Pavilion, where Manager Jia Fu received him.
• Liu Yu told Jia Fu he wanted a Talisman Treasure or Heavenly Thunder Pearl capable of threatening a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.

Liu Yu bought two powerful talisman treasures from the Many Treasures Pavilion and earned Jia Fu’s goodwill and a silver token. Three days later, he went to the City Lord’s Mansion with other Primordial Yang Sect disciples to meet two Golden Core elders and receive their assignments.

• Liu Yu bought the Snow Silk Needle Talisman Treasure and the Vajra Halberd Talisman Treasure from Jia Fu, paying twenty-four thousand three hundred spirit stones.
• Jia Fu gave Liu Yu a thousand-spirit-stone discount and a silver Many Treasures Token, which granted honored-guest treatment and a five-percent discount.
• Liu Yu returned to his cave abode, secured the talisman treasures in his Storage Bag, and resumed studying the Divine Preservation Art.
• After three days, Liu Yu went to the City Lord’s Mansion and waited with Cui Liang and the other disciples to meet the Golden Core elders.
• Wu Yuhan led the eight disciples to a pavilion, where they found two elderly men playing chess.

Liu Yu and the other Primordial Yang Sect disciples met Elders Yan and Zhou, who explained the rules and alliances in the Spirit Stone Mine War and asked the newcomers to describe their abilities. Liu Yu presented himself as a weak combatant with some pill-refining skill, leaving his assignment undecided.

• Wu Yuhan introduced Liu Yu and the others to Elder Yan and Elder Zhou, and Liu Yu felt their powerful auras but saw no sign that they had detected his Immortal Mansion.
• Elder Zhou welcomed the disciples and promised merit-based rewards, while the group declared its loyalty to the sect.
• Elder Yan explained that Golden Core and higher cultivators were barred from the Spirit Stone Mine conflict and that the Primordial Yang Sect had allied with Crescent Moon Valley against the Void Clarity School, the Hehuan Sect, and the Drifting Snow Tower.
• Senior Brother Xu volunteered for the main camp, and the other disciples described their strengths and preferences, with Cui Liang claiming his combat ability was ordinary.
• Liu Yu told the elders that he had established his Foundation three years earlier, was learning to refine Essence-Refining Pills, and ranked near the bottom in combat strength.

Liu Yu was assigned to guard the Bing Character Six Herb Garden instead of joining the forces sent to the Spirit Stone Mine. He led ten Qi Refining disciples from Moonwatch City and arrived at the remote swamp where the garden stood.

• Elder Yan and Elder Fang sent Senior Brother Xu, Cui Liang, and three others to the Spirit Stone Mine camp, assigned Liu Yu to guard the Bing Character Six Herb Garden, and kept Yan Qun'er and Zhuang Shilong in Moonwatch City.
• Elder Yan gave Liu Yu an appointment scroll and ordered him to reach the herb garden by the next day for a five-year posting.
• Liu Yu collected ten Qi Refining disciples from the city lord's residence and led them out of Moonwatch City.
• Liu Yu flew at the rear of the group, keeping pace with the Qi Refining disciples as they traveled north toward the garden.
• After twelve hours of travel and several breaks, Liu Yu and the disciples reached the herb garden, which stood in a foul-smelling swamp.

Liu Yu located the hidden Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden and met Yan Hongyu again, confirming his assignment to help defend it. Yan Hongyu verified his credentials and welcomed him inside, where he saw the vast underground garden and its valuable spirit herbs.

• Liu Yu used the Heavenly Eye Art to find the hidden entrance to the spirit herb garden and formed an icy path across the marsh for his group.
• Liu Yu opened the illusion formation and sent a Voice-Transmitting Talisman inside before waiting for a response.
• Yan Hongyu emerged with two Inner Disciples, recognized Liu Yu, and checked his Black Scroll to verify his identity.
• Yan Hongyu welcomed Liu Yu and led him and the ten Qi Refining Period disciples into the garden.
• Liu Yu saw the enormous underground space, its dense spiritual energy, and the many spirit herbs growing in its fields.

Liu Yu arrived at Bing Six Herb Garden, settled into his new residence, and joined Yan Hongyu's guard group. After meeting the other Foundation Establishment cultivators, he began cultivating and refining his magical power with an Essence-Refining Pill.

• Yan Hongyu showed Liu Yu the Spirit Herb Garden's buildings and gave him a token to control his cave abode's protective formation.
• Yan Hongyu asked Liu Yu to join her guard group, and he agreed to build ties with the Yan Household.
• Yan Hongyu introduced Liu Yu to the garden's other Foundation Establishment cultivators, and he was assigned to her group with Ding Hui and Cao Mengyu.
• Liu Yu returned to his cave abode, strengthened its formation with two Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and swallowed an Essence-Refining Pill to cultivate the Azure Yang Art.

Liu Yu used the Azure Yang Demonic Flame to temper his magical power, expelling impurities but losing some of his cultivation, while remaining unable to remove the pill toxin accumulated in his body. After fourteen days, he went to take up his surface-defense duty and noticed that Cao Mengyu seemed to have detected a subtle change in his cultivation aura.

• Liu Yu endured the Azure Yang Demonic Flame tempering his magical power, which became purer as impurities and some of his cultivation were expelled.
• Liu Yu acknowledged that the tempering could not remove the pill toxin in his body and decided to seek a solution later.
• After fourteen days of cultivation, Liu Yu washed and changed, then studied the Foundation Establishment section of the Divine Preservation Art.
• Liu Yu left his cave abode the next day and joined Yan Hongyu, Ding Hui, and Cao Mengyu at the Spirit Herb Garden entrance for his surface-defense duty.
• Liu Yu realized that Cao Mengyu had noticed subtle changes in his cultivation aura that Yan Hongyu had missed.

Liu Yu took charge of patrolling the south side of the Spirit Herb Garden, established strict discipline among the Qi Refining disciples, and studied his cultivation arts while overseeing the defenses. Two years later, he was again on duty with Yan Hongyu’s group and returned to the hut after checking the surroundings.

• Yan Hongyu assigned Liu Yu to patrol the south and explained how to operate the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation.
• Liu Yu warned the three Qi Refining disciples that negligence would bring severe punishment and used his spirit pressure to compel their obedience.
• The disciples took up posts in the watchtowers and along the formation’s edge, while Liu Yu inspected the area with his divine sense.
• Liu Yu set up a barrier around the hut and studied the Azure Yang Art, Divine Preservation Art, and Spirit-Concealing Art, checking the surroundings at irregular intervals.
• Two years passed, and Liu Yu returned to the hut after assigning the usual patrols and checking the area during another duty rotation with Yan Hongyu’s group.

A Hehuan Sect raiding force discovered the Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden and launched a surprise attack on its formation. Liu Yu received an emergency warning and left his cabin as the assault began.

• A black-robed cultivator identified the Spirit Herb Garden and reported its location to Steward Lu.
• Steward Lu led ten Foundation Establishment cultivators and more than twenty Qi Refining cultivators toward the garden for a surprise raid.
• A watchtower disciple spotted the incoming spells, raised the alarm, and sent Voice-Transmitting Talismans to Liu Yu and the other stewards.
• The attackers shattered the garden's illusion formation and bombarded the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation, but its protective shield held.
• Liu Yu received the emergency talisman, opened his cabin's formation, and went outside.

Liu Yu used the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation and the Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Blades to hold off a Hehuan Sect assault while concealing his true strength. Yan Hongyu and the others arrived to reinforce the defenders, and Yan Hongyu prepared to confront Steward Lu’s transformed Spirit Artifact.

• Liu Yu steadied the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation and sent dark wind blades against the enemy’s Qi Refining Period cultivators.
• Liu Yu used the Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Blades and ordered three Qi Refining Period disciples to intercept attacks aimed at the formation.
• Steward Lu blocked the dark wind blades, then attacked the formation with a High-Grade Spirit Artifact shaped like a black tiger.
• The formation shook under the intensified assault, but Yan Hongyu, Ding Hui, and Cao Mengyu arrived with reinforcements.
• Liu Yu handed control of the formation to Cao Mengyu and pretended to fight an enemy Foundation Establishment cultivator with all his strength.
• Yan Hongyu took out a black ring and prepared to confront Steward Lu’s transformed long black staff.

Yan Hongyu, Liu Yu, Cao Mengyu, and Ding Hui defended the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation against a group of Foundation Establishment attackers until reinforcements arrived. The defenders gained the advantage among the Qi Refining cultivators, but one Foundation Establishment middle stage enemy still threatened the formation.

• Yan Hongyu used the Black Ring to hold off Steward Lu, while Cao Mengyu wielded the formation to block three attackers and Liu Yu and Ding Hui engaged other enemies.
• Liu Yu easily blocked the Purple-Robed Cultivator’s golden arrows and Dark-Gold Flying Sword with the Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Blades and Golden Steel Banner, while the formation came under heavy assault.
• Three Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding the Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden arrived and engaged three attackers, leaving one Foundation Establishment middle stage cultivator free to strike the formation.
• The arriving Qi Refining disciples gave the defenders an advantage in numbers, and Yan Hongyu ordered several of them to harass the remaining cultivator as he attacked the formation.

Liu Yu helped defend the Spirit Herb Garden as the battle around its formation stalled and Lu Fubin considered retreat. Liu Yu then killed the Purple-Robed Cultivator with a surprise Yin Thunder Pearl and follow-up attacks, while Lu Fubin's attempt to intervene came too late.

• Liu Yu and the enemy cultivators traded attacks around the Blackwater Extreme Wind Formation, but neither side could break the stalemate.
• Yan Hongyu identified Lu Fubin and condemned him for attacking the Primordial Yang Sect's resource site, while he weighed retreating.
• Liu Yu concealed a Yin Thunder Pearl among his fireballs and detonated it beside the Purple-Robed Cultivator, grievously wounding him and shattering his defensive artifact.
• Liu Yu recovered the Purple-Robed Cultivator's Dark-Gold Flying Sword and struck him with the Spirit-Shocking Thorn as Lu Fubin and the other Hehuan Sect cultivators tried to intervene.
• Liu Yu's flaming Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Blades pierced the Purple-Robed Cultivator, and the Azure Yang Demonic Flame burned him to ash before his attackers could rescue him.

Liu Yu helped repel the Hehuan Sect’s attack on the Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden after killing a Foundation Establishment Realm enemy. Lu Fubin ordered a retreat, and Yan Hongyu’s group considered whether to pursue.

• Liu Yu used the Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Blades and the formation to hold off the remaining enemy cultivator while the Primordial Yang Sect cultivators rallied around him.
• Yan Hongyu and the other Primordial Yang Sect cultivators reassessed Liu Yu after seeing him kill the Purple-Robed Cultivator.
• Liu Yu and the remaining enemy cultivator exchanged weakened attacks as both conserved their strength, while Lu Fubin watched Liu Yu with malice.
• Lu Fubin ordered the Hehuan Sect cultivators to retreat, and their Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators and Qi Refining Period cultivators withdrew north.
• The Primordial Yang Sect cultivators looked to Yan Hongyu to decide whether to pursue the retreating enemies.

After the Hehuan Sect cultivators withdrew, Yan Hongyu ordered the group to stay at the Bing Six Herb Garden and strengthen its defenses rather than pursue them. Reinforcements arrived from Moonwatch City, and Liu Yu began reporting how the surprise attack unfolded.

• Yan Hongyu stopped the others from pursuing the retreating Hehuan Sect cultivators and directed them to discuss the Spirit Herb Garden's defenses.
• Cao Mengyu and a senior brother questioned Liu Yu about his victory and spoils, but he deflected their questions and Yan Hongyu changed the subject.
• The seven Foundation Establishment cultivators waited while Qi Refining disciples cleaned up the battlefield.
• Hu Zhiwei led nine Foundation Establishment reinforcements from Moonwatch City and asked what had happened.
• Liu Yu began recounting the attack because he had guarded the southern side where the Hehuan Sect cultivators struck.

Liu Yu recounted the attack on the Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden while concealing his use of the Spirit-Shocking Thorn. As Yan Hongyu sought reinforcements, Liu Yu weighed escape from the Primordial Yang Sect, and Hu Zhiwei agreed to help after a private discussion with her.

• Liu Yu described how he had killed the Purple-Robed Cultivator, omitting the Spirit-Shocking Thorn, and Hu Zhiwei praised his actions.
• The cultivators recounted the enemy attack, and Hu Zhiwei questioned the Qi Refining Period disciple who had first spotted the enemies.
• Yan Hongyu urged Hu Zhiwei to request Foundation Establishment reinforcements, while Liu Yu worried that the garden might be attacked again and considered a way to escape the sect.
• Hu Zhiwei said he would report the situation to the Elders Council, then prepared to return to Moonwatch City with the other cultivators.
• Yan Hongyu stopped Hu Zhiwei and spoke with him through Divine Sense; after their exchange, he nodded with a satisfied smile.

After the enemy reinforcements departed, Liu Yu rewarded the disciple who had spotted the attack and considered the Spirit Herb Garden’s exposure and his own chances of survival. He then searched the Purple-Robed Cultivator’s storage bag, finding spirit stones, cultivation pills, artifacts, and other items.

• Hu Zhiwei and the nine reinforcements left for Moonwatch City, and Yan Hongyu assigned the cultivators to remain vigilant and rotate their duties.
• Liu Yu praised Yan Kai for discovering the enemy and gave him a bottle of Jade Spirit Pills as a reward.
• Liu Yu inspected the exposed Spirit Herb Garden, reflected on the danger of the ongoing war, and returned to his hut after nightfall.
• Liu Yu emptied the Purple-Robed Cultivator’s storage bag and added its spirit stones to his reserves.
• Liu Yu identified three bottles of Qi Refining Powder, discarded the cultivator’s ordinary jade slips, and burned his clothing.

Liu Yu refined two top-grade metal-element magical artifacts and continued cultivating and studying secret arts while concealing his true progress. Three days later, reinforcements arrived at the Bing-Character No. 6 Spirit Herb Garden, and the cultivators reorganized into new groups under Yan Hongyu's continued command.

• Liu Yu named the two artifacts the Sharpgold Sword and Gleaming Gold Bow, erased their former owner's imprints, and refined them for his own use.
• Liu Yu studied the Divine Preservation Art and advanced his cultivation while hiding how quickly he was progressing.
• Liu Yu focused more time on the Spirit-Concealing Art so he could better conceal himself from Golden Core cultivators after returning to Moonwatch City.
• Four reinforcements arrived from Moonwatch City, including late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator Li Butong, the grandnephew of True Person Changfeng.
• Yan Hongyu welcomed the reinforcements, and the cultivators reorganized into two groups while Yan Hongyu remained in charge of the Spirit Herb Garden.
• Liu Yu observed that Li Butong did not appear interested in competing for power or advantage.