Chapter Summaries

After awakening in the body of Lin Changheng, a struggling alchemy apprentice, he realized his depleted blood essence had stalled his cultivation and threatened his survival when the Xu Family’s Great Reclamation began. As another episode drained him, a mysterious bronze cauldron appeared in his sea of consciousness.

• Lin Changheng regained memories of his past life and his nearly thirty years in the cultivation world.
• He recalled joining the Xu Family as an alchemy apprentice after his mixed spiritual roots barred him from better prospects.
• Lin Changheng faced the approaching end of his twelve-year apprenticeship and feared being sent to the dangerous Great Reclamation if he failed to become a ranked alchemist.
• He suspected recurring blood-essence depletion was preventing his cultivation from advancing beyond the Second Level of Qi Refining and impairing his alchemy.
• When another episode drained his strength, a mysterious energy restored him and revealed a bronze cauldron in his sea of consciousness.

Lin Changheng awakened the Origin Cauldron and used its first-tier treasure seed to gain enhanced comprehension, giving him new hope for cultivation. He then discovered that his fire spiritual root had unexpectedly increased to nine wisps of Spirit Resonance.

• Lin Changheng learned that the Origin Cauldron had absorbed his blood essence to complete its first-tier origin treasure seed.
• He chose enhanced comprehension, refining the other two seed options into it and receiving the Gift of Insight · General Knowledge.
• Lin Changheng found that the Flowing Flame Art had become much easier to understand and believed he could advance to mastery within half a year.
• Lin Changheng reviewed how spiritual roots determined cultivation aptitude and recalled that his fire spiritual root had measured eight wisps at the testing assembly.
• Lin Changheng used the Spirit-Sensing Technique and discovered that his fire spiritual root now had nine wisps of Spirit Resonance.

Lin Changheng discovered that the Origin Cauldron could improve his spiritual root and form treasure seeds from demon beast essence blood, giving him a possible path to master fire control and become a ranked Pill Master. After deciding to seek more essence blood, he went to Xu's Elixir Shop, where an elder asked whether he had blown up his furnace again.

• Lin Changheng found that refining the first-level treasure seed into himself had added a strand to his fire spiritual root and resolved to study alchemy so he could become a ranked Pill Master.
• After studying his alchemy notes, Lin Changheng used the Origin Cauldron on two failed pills and formed a Fire Crow Treasure Seed from the essence blood residue.
• Lin Changheng learned that the Fire Crow Treasure Seed could grant him one of three innate talents, and decided that Fire Control would help him master alchemy and earn spirit stones.
• Lin Changheng counted his remaining two spirit stones and decided he needed another way to collect demon beast essence blood.
• The next morning, Lin Changheng hurried to Xu's Elixir Shop and was greeted by an elderly voice asking whether he had blown up his furnace again.

Lin Changheng watched Master Mo refine pills and received instruction in pill-making, including how the Xu Family handled inferior pills. He left the chapter with clearer insight into refining [Crimson Flame Pills] and approval from Master Mo.

• Master Mo agreed to let Lin Changheng observe his next [Crimson Flame Pills] batch after Lin Changheng described how his furnace had exploded.
• Master Mo told Lin Changheng that Xu Hanzhou had been recalled to the lineage and gave him responsibility for tending two furnaces, including one refining [Wood Origin Pills].
• Master Mo showed Lin Changheng the [Wood Origin Pills] refining method and gave him a yellowed jade slip after Lin Changheng swore a Dao Oath not to reveal it.
• Lin Changheng watched Master Mo refine [Crimson Flame Pills] and gained insights that clarified the mistake behind his furnace explosion and other refining steps.
• Master Mo explained that inferior pills contained dangerous impurities, and Lin Changheng suggested cutting them before the Xu Family sold them for animal feed.
• Master Mo approved of Lin Changheng's reasoning and answered three questions about pill refining as they left the pill room.

Lin Changheng broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining and was assigned to process failed and inferior pills for Master Mo. After confirming that the Origin Cauldron reacted to Crimson Flame Pills, he considered how to absorb their blood essence without exposing himself.

• Lin Changheng used a spirit stone to help cultivate and broke through to the third layer of Qi Refining, increasing his maximum magical power by more than half.
• Master Mo assigned Lin Changheng responsibility for processing failed and inferior pills, gave him two boxes of pills and a booklet, and instructed him to deliver the processed pills to the Li Family Spiritual Meat Shop.
• Lin Changheng opened the boxes and found twenty-eight Crimson Flame Pills, then confirmed that the Origin Cauldron reacted to them.
• Lin Changheng studied the processing methods and decided he could absorb all the blood essence from failed pills but only part of it from inferior pills.

Lin Changheng secretly extracted essence blood from inferior pills to advance his Fire Crow Treasure Seed, then delivered the pills to the Li Family and asked about buying demon beast essence blood. He returned to Master Mo with the sale proceeds and pill-processing booklet, hoping for more access to ruined and inferior Wood Origin Pills.

• Lin Changheng drained essence blood from eight ruined pills, destroyed the evidence, then extracted blood from twenty more and raised the Fire Crow Treasure Seed's Spirit Seizure to 10/100.
• Lin Changheng delivered the neutralized inferior pills to the Li Family Spiritual Meat Shop, where the proprietor accepted them without noticing anything unusual.
• Lin Changheng asked the burly butcher about buying demon beast essence blood, but learned that the shop's supply was reserved for Spiritual Wine Workshops and Talisman Shops.
• Lin Changheng returned the spirit stones and Defective Pills booklet to Master Mo, completed his assignment, and hinted that he wanted more work involving ruined and inferior Wood Origin Pills.

Lin Changheng completed the Spirit-Seizing Transformation of his fire crow treasure seed and refined Fire Control into it, gaining basic control over flames and a boost to fire techniques. He tested the new ability on his Fireball Technique and found that it formed faster and grew stronger.

• Master Mo increased his pill-refining workload after an urgent letter from the Xu Family, and the rising number of ruined and inferior pills accelerated Lin Changheng’s Spirit Seizure progress.
• Lin Changheng reached 100/100 Spirit Seizure and chose Fire Control from the three innate Demon Race talents offered for his first-tier fire crow treasure seed.
• Lin Changheng absorbed the Fire-Control Art treasure seed and discovered he could control ordinary flames and influence nearby fire spiritual power.
• Lin Changheng returned to his D-Class Cave Abode and found that applying Fire Control let him form a larger, more powerful Fireball Technique in barely two breaths.

Lin Changheng tested his strengthened Fireball Technique and discovered his fire spiritual root had gained another strand. After his neighbor Su Shuangjiang visited to check on the commotion, he considered obtaining demon beast blood from her and prepared to buy more Blood-Replenishing Pills.

• Lin Changheng tested the Fireball Technique enhanced by [Fire Control], finding it over three times stronger and fast enough to surprise an enemy.
• Lin Changheng used [Spirit-Sensing Technique] and found that his fire spiritual root had reached ten strands of spirit resonance.
• Su Shuangjiang knocked on Lin Changheng's door after hearing a loud commotion, and he explained that he had been testing a spell.
• Lin Changheng noticed a faint trace of blood on Su Shuangjiang and considered whether he could obtain demon beast blood through her.
• Su Shuangjiang wondered about Lin Changheng's changed demeanor and powerful spell, which seemed inconsistent with his early-stage Qi Refining cultivation.
• Lin Changheng counted down the three days until the [origin treasure seed] would drain his blood essence again and decided to obtain more [Blood-Replenishing Pills].

Lin Changheng assessed the slow progress of his Origin Treasure Seed and decided to resume pill refining at the Xu Family Alchemy Shop. He began refining six batches of [Crimson Flame Pills], carefully purifying the herbs in the furnace.

• Lin Changheng found that the [Origin Treasure Seed] had gained nine Spirit Seizure points in six months and estimated how long cultivation breakthroughs might take.
• Lin Changheng decided to focus on new treasure seeds and try pill refining again using the ingredients stored at the shop.
• Lin Changheng asked Xu Qianyou for all six remaining batches of [Crimson Flame Pills] ingredients, and Xu Qianyou gave them to him.
• Lin Changheng entered the pill-refining room, heated the furnace, and began purifying the spiritual herbs with magical power and the [Fire-Control Art].

Lin Changheng successfully refined his first pill and earned Master Mo’s approval to prove his skills before the clan. During the next morning’s test, he failed his first batch but refined a pill successfully on the second attempt.

• Lin Changheng refined a Low-Grade First-Tier pill and showed it to Xu Qianyou, who celebrated his success and brought him to Master Mo.
• Master Mo asked Lin Changheng to refine three batches under observation, promising to acknowledge his status if one succeeded.
• The next morning, Lin Changheng failed his first batch after making mistakes in Ingredient Blending and his Pill Formula Hand Seals.
• Lin Changheng refined a pill successfully in his second batch and presented it to Master Mo.

After becoming a Pill Master, Lin Changheng learned that Zichuan Market would soon be abandoned and accepted the Xu Family’s pill-refining terms. A month later, Master Mo entrusted him with failed and inferior pills, giving Lin an unexpected chance to benefit from them.

• Master Mo confirmed Lin Changheng’s Pill Master status and told him the Xu Family would withdraw from Zichuan Market in six months.
• The Xu Family assigned Lin ten monthly batches of [Crimson Flame Pills], with half the expected yield as his quota, and sent him apprentices Xu Liucai and Xu Liuli.
• Lin chose Xu Liucai to assist him and secretly planned to conceal most of his unusually high success rate.
• After a month, Lin finished refining pills and Master Mo let him handle the failed pills, including failed and inferior [Wood Origin Pills].
• Lin eagerly accepted the extra work, while Master Mo praised his willingness to help.

Lin Changheng processed defective Wood Origin Pills for Master Mo and advanced his Greenwood Snake Treasure Seed, while reviewing his resources and considering how to refine Premium Pills. He returned home to find a slender figure waiting at his door.

• Master Mo gave Lin Changheng seven months' stock of defective pills to process and gifted him a one-cubic-yard Storage Bag for becoming a Pill Master.
• Lin Changheng extracted the Greenwood Snake blood essence from the final batch of pills, bringing the Treasure Seed's Spirit Seizure progress to 79/100.
• Lin Changheng chose Poison Transformation as the Greenwood Snake talent he planned to assimilate and checked that his Fire Crow Treasure Seed had reached 22/100.
• Lin Changheng reviewed his pills and finances, recalling Master Mo's advice to take standard Crimson Flame Pills in moderation and noting that he still could not make Premium Pills.
• Lin Changheng arrived home and saw a slender figure knocking at his door.

Su Shuangjiang visited Lin Changheng to congratulate him on becoming a Pill Master and arranged to buy his [Crimson Flame Pills] for a group of rogue cultivators. After selling her fifteen pills at a discount and securing her promise to keep his name secret, Lin Changheng asked whether she often encountered Fire Crows while hunting demons.

• Su Shuangjiang visited Lin Changheng, congratulated him on becoming a Pill Master, and gave him a gift basket that he eventually accepted.
• Su Shuangjiang explained that rogue cultivators needed affordable cultivation pills and asked Lin Changheng to sell her some [Crimson Flame Pills].
• Lin Changheng offered fifteen pills at seventy percent of the market price, and Su Shuangjiang examined them and agreed to buy them.
• Lin Changheng required Su Shuangjiang to conceal that the pills came from him, and she swore a Dao Oath before paying him twenty-one Spirit Stones.
• After they chatted over tea, Lin Changheng asked Su Shuangjiang whether she often encountered Fire Crows while hunting demons.

Lin Changheng enlisted Su Shuangjiang to help source Fire Crow blood essence and sell his pills, then bought more talismans to prepare for unrest in the Market Ward. He returned to the Xu Family Alchemy Shop and received a letter.

• Lin Changheng told Su Shuangjiang he needed Fire Crow blood essence for pill refining, and she agreed to help him source it and distribute his pills through her connections.
• After Su Shuangjiang left, Lin Changheng checked the Spirit Stones and talismans she had given him and decided to buy additional protection.
• Lin Changheng visited the Mystic Talisman Hall in disguise and purchased a low-grade Frost Talisman, a low-grade Wooden Vine Talisman, a mid-grade Wind-Riding Talisman, and a mid-grade Golden Light Talisman.
• Lin Changheng returned to the Xu Family Alchemy Shop, where an assistant told him that a letter had arrived for him.

Lin Changheng received a letter from Mo Zhaoli describing her progress in the Purple Pole Sect and warning him that the Great Reclamation might offer Foundation Establishment Pills as rewards. Four months later, Su Shuangjiang brought him another batch of Fire Crow blood essence and asked about his supply of [Crimson Flame Pills].

• Master Mo gave Lin Changheng a letter from Mo Zhaoli, who congratulated him on becoming a ranked Pill Master and described her struggle to advance in the Purple Pole Sect.
• Mo Zhaoli warned Lin Changheng that the Purple Pole Sect might offer five Foundation Establishment Pills to factions that distinguished themselves in the Great Reclamation.
• Lin Changheng wrote back to Mo Zhaoli, sharing news of his life and hoping to preserve their friendship.
• Four months later, Su Shuangjiang visited Lin Changheng with sixteen bottles of mature Fire Crow blood essence and six bottles from juveniles.
• Su Shuangjiang told Lin Changheng that unrest had increased demand for pills and asked whether he still had any [Crimson Flame Pills] to sell.

Lin Changheng sold his remaining Crimson Flame Pills to Su Shuangjiang and used Fire Crow essence blood to refine his second-tier treasure seed. The refinement raised his fire spiritual root resonance to eleven strands, transforming it into a low-grade spiritual root.

• Lin Changheng sold fifty Crimson Flame Pills to Su Shuangjiang and asked her to seek large quantities of Greenwood Snake or other Demon Beast essence blood.
• After Su Shuangjiang left, Lin Changheng reflected on clearing out his accumulated pills and having more than a hundred and fifty Spirit Stones.
• Lin Changheng reviewed how refining the Greenwood Snake Treasure Seed had granted him Poison Transformation Art and raised his wood spiritual root resonance to seven strands.
• Lin Changheng absorbed Fire Crow essence blood, refined the second-tier Fire Crow Treasure Seed, and advanced his Fire-Control Art to Fluid mastery.
• Lin Changheng discovered that his fire spiritual root resonance had reached eleven strands, making it a low-grade spiritual root.

Lin Changheng improved his fire control, refined his first superior-grade Crimson Flame Pill, and planned to use such pills to accelerate his cultivation. As Zichuan Market’s factions began withdrawing and the Wang Family launched reclamation taxes, rumors spread about the dangerous expeditions and the opportunities they offered.

• Lin Changheng found that his proficient Flowing Flame Art increased his cultivation efficiency, then used enhanced fire control to unleash a much more powerful Fireball Technique.
• Su Shuangjiang woke to Lin Changheng’s spell and wondered how he had made it so powerful.
• Lin Changheng sent Xu Liucai away and tested Fire-Control Art: Spirit Agility while refining pills, producing a superior-grade Crimson Flame Pill.
• Lin Changheng decided to keep his ability secret and planned to take two superior-grade pills each month to speed his progress toward mid-Qi Refining.
• Factions in Zichuan Market, including the Wang Family, began scaling back their presence as the Wang Family collected reclamation taxes amid growing rumors about dangerous but promising expeditions.

Lin Changheng learned that violence was spreading outside the Market Ward and urged Master Mo to prepare for a safer withdrawal. As the Xu Family arranged a joint departure, Lin reunited with Xu Fugui, who had advanced to the Qi Refining fifth layer and fathered a son with a middle-grade spiritual root.

• Lin Changheng overheard shopkeepers report that a Ge Family convoy had been slaughtered near the Market Ward and warned Master Mo that the Xu Family should take the danger seriously.
• The Xu Family coordinated a joint withdrawal with several allied Lineages and sent cultivators to move some supplies and Spirit Stones ahead of time.
• Lin Changheng declined to learn the withdrawal plan's details so he would not be implicated if anything went wrong.
• Xu Fugui reunited with Lin Changheng at the Xu Family Alchemy Shop, and the two caught up on their lives.
• Xu Fugui told Lin Changheng that his fifth son had a middle-grade spiritual root, earning him a reward from the Lineage, and thanked Lin for finding him the Dragon Essence Secret Art.

Lin Changheng strengthened ties with the Xu Family and continued refining pills while waiting to become a Registered Guest Advisor. Su Shuangjiang brought him Rockmountain Tortoise blood essence, leaving him curious whether it would suit his needs.

• Master Mo hosted Xu Qianhuan, Xu Xulian, Xu Fugui, and Xu Qianyou at a banquet, where they promised the Xu Family would send a stronger force when it was time to withdraw.
• Xu Fugui told Lin Changheng that Tantai Feiyue had become a ranked Talisman Master and would likely undergo the assessment to become a Registered Guest Advisor.
• After Xu Fugui and the other cultivators left, Lin Changheng kept refining Crimson Flame Pills and studying the Wood Origin Pill formula while waiting to obtain its ingredients.
• Lin Changheng bought Savage Boar meat from Li Changchang and cooked a pot of meat porridge in his cave abode.
• Su Shuangjiang visited Lin Changheng, traded him fifteen Standard Pills for twenty-four Spirit Stones, and supplied Fire Crow and Rockmountain Tortoise blood essence.

Lin Changheng bought Rockmountain Tortoise essence blood and discovered it could grant lifespan extension, but he decided to prioritize Earth Escape for survival. He and Su Shuangjiang later entered the Black Market’s new shantytown location, where they split up to trade.

• Lin Changheng bought twenty-eight bottles of Rockmountain Tortoise essence blood from Su Shuangjiang and asked her about acquiring low-grade Magic Artifacts.
• Su Shuangjiang told Lin Changheng that the Black Market was expected to move to a shantytown outside the Market Ward, and Lin Changheng warned her that Zichuan Market would be abandoned.
• Lin Changheng used Rockmountain Tortoise essence blood with the Origin Cauldron and discovered its talents included Earth Escape, Shield Formation, and lifespan extension.
• Lin Changheng calmed himself and resolved to pursue Earth Escape before lifespan extension because staying alive was his first priority.
• Lin Changheng and Su Shuangjiang entered the crowded shantytown Black Market, then separated to conduct their business and agreed to meet again before returning together.