Chapter Summaries

Lin Changheng acquired the Forest-Piercing Horned Deer’s Wood-Escaping Demonic Art, advanced his sword technique during six months of seclusion, and traveled to the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple to obtain Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood. After diagnosing Jing Yuan’s pill-refining problems, he earned the temple’s goodwill and an initial supply of essence blood, with more negotiations ahead.

• Lin Changheng chose the Forest-Piercing Horned Deer’s Wood-Escaping Technique over its other talents and refined it into a demonic art that let him move through vegetation and conceal his aura.
• Bai Hengwan spread Lin Changheng’s Daoist name, Ten Thousand Longevity, while the Purple Pole Sect blamed a gray-robed lightning cultivator for the Liu-surnamed False Core Cultivator’s death and issued a wanted notice.
• After six months in seclusion, Lin Changheng mastered the eighth layer of the Light-Splitting, Shadow-Transforming Sword Manual, creating three true sword bodies, six true images, and three illusory images.
• Bai Hengwan reported that Floating Life Immortal City had collected about eighty percent of Lin Changheng’s requested materials, and Lin Changheng rewarded Cui’er for her work.
• Lin Changheng visited the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple and asked Daoist True Heart for Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood to cultivate a fire-aspected art.
• Lin Changheng identified and explained Jing Yuan’s mistakes in refining Purple Cloud Dew-Incense Pills, earning a promise of one hundred portions of essence blood and an invitation to stay at the temple.

Lin Changheng exchanged pill Dao instruction at Azure Rosy Clouds Temple for Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood and Pill Master Xuanwei’s notes, then set out for Extreme Mountain Immortal City. When he unexpectedly encountered the Zheng Family attacking the Xue Family, he killed their leaders and agreed to protect the Xue Family in exchange for an earth vein sunflame crystal core.

• Lin Changheng refined Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood into the Fire Immersion Otherworldly Art and discovered that it let him draw on fire spiritual power to heal wounds.
• Daoist Zhengwang agreed to lend Lin Changheng Pill Master Xuanwei’s alchemy notes in exchange for lectures, and Lin Changheng demonstrated his pill-refining skill to Azure Rosy Clouds Temple’s disciples.
• After seven days of lectures, Lin Changheng received two hundred portions of Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood and a copy of Xuanwei’s notes before leaving for Extreme Mountain Immortal City.
• Lin Changheng encountered the Zheng Family’s attack on the Xue Family and killed three Foundation Establishment cultivators and destroyed their warship with a sword strike, causing the remaining attackers to flee.
• Xue Mingyuan recognized Lin Changheng as Senior Li and revealed that the Zheng Family had attacked to seize the Xue Family’s earth vein sunflame crystal core.
• Lin Changheng accepted the crystal core and agreed to stay with the Xue Family and protect them from the Zheng Family.

Lin Changheng used the Xue Family’s earth vein sunflame crystal core to advance his dark radiance mystic flame, then helped the Xue Family settle its conflict with the Zheng Family and discovered more crystal cores in their mine. When a powerful false core cultivator demanded the crystal cores and attacked Xue Mingyuan, Lin Changheng subdued him and sent him away, leaving the Xue Family safe and indebted to him.

• Lin Changheng accepted the Xue Family’s earth vein sunflame crystal core and secluded himself to absorb its flame essence.
• The dark radiance mystic flame advanced to third-tier mid-grade, and Xue Mingyan told Lin Changheng that the Zheng Family patriarch and grand elder had come to beg forgiveness.
• Lin Changheng took an apology worth five years of the Zheng Family’s earnings and instructed both families to coexist peacefully.
• Using Geomancy, Lin Changheng found another earth vein sunflame crystal core and ordered the Xue Family to mine the vein secretly for more.
• A false core cultivator arrived to claim the crystal core and mine, but Lin Changheng stopped his attack on Xue Mingyuan, overpowered him, and later told the Xue Family that the man had left and settled his agreement.

Lin Changheng diverted to Extreme Mountain Immortal City for its grand auction and met with Zhu Fugui to secure artifact-refining legacies and a master to craft his treasures. After commissioning flood-dragon inner armor and an Ancient Treasure replica from Grandmaster Zhao, Lin Changheng advanced to second-tier artifact refining as the auction began.

• Lin Changheng postponed visiting the Ten-Thousand-Sword Yun Family and flew to Extreme Mountain Immortal City for its twenty-year grand auction.
• Lin Changheng reunited with Zhu Fugui at the Flowing Stone Merchant Guild and asked him to arrange artifact-refining legacies and find a skilled refiner.
• Zhu Fugui brought Lin Changheng to Grandmaster Zhao, who agreed to craft inner armor from the Azure-Scaled Serpent Flood Dragon hide and refine an Ancient Treasure replica called the River-Calming Pearl.
• Lin Changheng gave Grandmaster Zhao a pair of flood dragon claws and the materials and diagrams for the replica after securing his Dao Oath and placing a Tracking Mark on him.
• Lin Changheng collected two upper-grade second-tier refining legacies from Zhu Fugui, and studying them helped him break through to second-tier artifact refining as the grand auction began.

Lin Changheng attended Extreme Mountain Immortal City's Core Formation auction after reviewing his growing system of divine abilities and demonic arts. His reputation spread through the gathering, and the auction began with fierce bidding over a rare spatial treasure replica and spirit materials he needed.

• Lin Changheng planned how to combine his innate gifts, divine abilities, and demonic arts, and calculated that his Origin treasure seed could reach its next transformation in nineteen years.
• Lin Changheng bought standard first- and second-tier Lifespan-Extending Pills to study their formulas before attending the auction.
• Lin Changheng entered the Core Formation auction, recognized Ye Wugui and Old Monster Wen, and agreed to refine pills for Ye Wugui.
• The boy Zhengwang publicly declared Lin Changheng his close friend and protected him, then Purple Thunder True Person arrived and renewed his rivalry with Zhengwang before befriending Lin Changheng.
• True Person Shi opened the auction, and a black-robed cultivator won the Lesser Heaven-Hiding Bracelet while Lin Changheng stayed out of the bidding.
• Lin Changheng bid heavily on several five-element spirit materials he still needed.

Lin Changheng secured several treasures at auction, including the materials he needed to advance his body tempering and the River-Calming Pearl replica, then entered a long seclusion. He emerged at the Core Formation Third Layer to find the Song Kingdom preparing for war against Yan Kingdom alongside Jin Kingdom.

• Lin Changheng won three five-element spirit materials, the Wasteland Earth Snakefruit, and the Formation Dao Notes, while Purple Thunder True Person bought the Five-Element Nascent Soul-Nurturing Herb.
• Lin Changheng refined pills for Ye Wugui, crafted Wasteland Earth Body-Tempering Pills, and continued gathering five-element materials for cultivation.
• Grandmaster Zhao completed the River-Calming Pearl replica, and Lin Changheng refined it, discovering its power to suppress magical energy and unleash a devastating water attack.
• After three years of seclusion, Lin Changheng advanced his Crimson Emperor Fire Sovereign Body to the middle third tier, causing a disturbance that drew Extreme Mountain Immortal City's law enforcement team.
• Eight more years later, Lin Changheng emerged at the Core Formation Third Layer and learned that Yan Kingdom had declared war on Jin Kingdom and that Song Kingdom had allied with Jin to resist Yan.

Lin Changheng prepared to profit from the renewed war, arranged resources and a Return-to-Truth Pill for Zhu Fugui, then enforced the Xue Family’s loyalty before visiting the Ten-Thousand-Sword Yun Family. The chapter ended as Yun Zhi revealed that infighting had cost her the family’s support for Core Formation.

• Lin Changheng planned to sell pills during the war and hunt wounded Core Formation cultivators, then ordered five-element spirit materials from Zhu Fugui.
• Zhu Fugui chose Lin Changheng’s Inferior Return-to-Truth Pill over gambling on a collaborative refinement, and Lin Changheng gave him abridged Core Formation insights.
• Lin Changheng secretly overheard Xue Mingchong propose withholding mined crystal cores, killed him, sealed Xue Mingyan, and took the Xue Family’s [earth vein sunflame crystal cores].
• Lin Changheng arrived at the Ten-Thousand-Sword Yun Family and met Yun Zhi, who explained that Lineage infighting had cost her the family’s support for Core Formation.

Lin Changheng visited the divided Yun Family, learned that the Azure Firmament Sect had diverted Yun Zhi’s Core Formation resources to Yun Jianshan, and declined to intervene in the political conflict. He sought to study the Yun Family’s sword heritage, and Yun Zhi publicly forced the opposing faction to agree to his request.

• Yun Zhi explained that the Azure Firmament Sect had strengthened its influence over the Yun Family and diverted her Core Formation resources to Yun Jianshan.
• Lin Changheng refused to support Yun Zhi’s faction against the Azure Firmament Sect but agreed to refine pills for the Yun Family once they gathered the ingredients.
• Lin Changheng asked to study the Yun Family’s sword heritage, and Yun Zhi warned that the compliant faction might oppose sharing its inner teachings.
• Lin Changheng arrived at the Yun Family’s banquet and saw Yun Ze, Yun Ye, Yun Zhi, and Yun Jianshan gathered with their rival factions.
• Yun Zhi raised Lin Changheng’s request before the assembled leaders, and Yun Ye and the compliant faction agreed to let him study the heritage.

Lin Changheng learned that the Yun Family’s finest sword legacy required a dangerous Sword Trial, then discovered that Yun Zhi’s Treasure Artifact Sword Embryo resonated with his Primordial Jianmu swords. He chose the Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Golden Sword Diagram and began the trial, rapidly passing its first three floors.

• Lin Changheng welcomed Yun Ze and Yun Zhi to his courtyard, where they explained the Yun Family’s debate over which sword legacy to offer him.
• Yun Ze described the Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Golden Sword Diagram and its Sword Trial, which no Yun Family cultivator had passed in three generations, though Yun Zhi had reached the fourth floor.
• Lin Changheng examined Yun Zhi’s Sword Embryo, detected its resonance with his Myriad Manifestations Origin Swords, and suspected that it contained a Primordial Jianmu fragment.
• Lin Changheng chose the Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Golden Sword Diagram and agreed to undergo the Sword Trial.
• At the Yun Family’s Nine-Story Sword Pavilion, Lin Changheng’s light projection quickly climbed the stele, passing the first three floors while the gathered elders watched in shock.

Lin Changheng cleared all nine floors of the Yun Family’s Sword Pavilion, met the remnant soul of its founding ancestor, and received a restricted scroll for Yun Ze and Yun Zhi along with a fragmentary bronze token. After delivering the scroll and encouraging the two Yun Family cultivators, he accepted Yun Zhi’s Treasure Artifact Sword Embryo in exchange for helping her gather funds and refine a Return-to-Truth Pill.

• Lin Changheng advanced through the Sword Pavilion trials, reaching the ninth floor while the Yun Family elders watched in astonishment.
• On the ninth floor, Lin Changheng met the projection of a former Yun Family ancestor, who learned of the lineage’s decline and heard about its factions and ties to the Azure Firmament Sect.
• The ancestor created a restricted scroll for Yun Ze and Yun Zhi, gave Lin Changheng a fragmentary bronze token, and warned him not to give the token to the Yun Family.
• Lin Changheng returned from the Sword Pavilion and, that night, delivered the scroll to Yun Ze and Yun Zhi while explaining that their ancestor had entrusted it to him.
• Yun Ze and Yun Zhi took the ancestor’s message as support for their independence faction, and Yun Zhi offered Lin Changheng her Treasure Artifact Sword Embryo in exchange for his help arranging funds and refining a Return-to-Truth Pill.

Lin Changheng reached the ninth layer of the Light-Splitting, Shadow-Transforming Sword Manual, began studying the Yun Family’s sword formation inheritance, and dismantled Yun Zhi’s sword embryo to uncover a valuable Primordial Jianmu fragment. He returned to Floating Life Immortal City to launch a Return-to-Truth Pill crowdfunding effort with Bai Hengwan, while the mystery of the bronze token remained unresolved.

• Lin Changheng accepted Yun Zhi’s sword embryo, severed her bond to it, and gave her elixirs to repair the resulting injury.
• Lin Changheng declined Yun Ze’s proposal for formal cooperation but offered personal friendship, then agreed to refine a standard Return-to-Truth Pill through crowdfunding.
• Lin Changheng secluded himself, advanced the Light-Splitting, Shadow-Transforming Sword Manual to its ninth layer, and studied the Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Golden Sword Diagram.
• Lin Changheng dismantled Yun Zhi’s sword embryo and found a dark-azure Primordial Jianmu fragment that he planned to use for a fourth natal flying sword.
• Lin Changheng returned to Floating Life Immortal City, asked Bai Hengwan to publicize the crowdfunding effort, and supported the city by refining premium pills and advising on settlement policies.
• Lin Changheng examined the bronze token fragment but could not uncover its secret.

Lin Changheng refined premium Lifespan-Extending Pills and discovered that the [Glorious Life Divine Ability] increased their lifespan benefit, while he also completed the first level of the [Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Sword Formation]. As war loomed, he finalized a crowdfunding batch of [Return-to-Truth Pills] and prepared to refine it for three clients.

• Lin Changheng refined three premium [Lifespan-Extending Pills] and found that the [Glorious Life Divine Ability] let one extend his lifespan by seven years instead of five.
• Lin Changheng read messages about pill requests, the [Azure Rosy Clouds Temple]'s invitation, and the [Return-to-Truth Pill] crowdfunding, then questioned Cui'er about the applicants and the war between the Jin and Yan Kingdoms.
• Lin Changheng learned that the war had begun but clashes remained limited, and he asked Cui'er to alert him to any conscription developments that might affect the Xu Family.
• Lin Changheng completed the first level of the [Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Sword Formation], combining his flying swords into a formation with both defensive and offensive functions.
• Lin Changheng finalized Zhou Yunqing, Yun Zhi, and Fang Gu as the three [Return-to-Truth Pill] crowdfunding clients after True Disciple Yang declined the third-priority slot.
• Lin Changheng received the clients' ingredients and prepared to begin refining their [Return-to-Truth Pills] as Bai Hengwan and others stood by.

Lin Changheng refined three standard Return-to-Truth Pills in one batch, drawing acclaim across Floating Life Immortal City and leaving True Disciple Yang consumed by regret. He departed for the Xu Family, reunited with Xu Maoling, and then ambushed two cultivators who tried to capture him as a pill slave, killing one while the other remained nearby.

• Lin Changheng refined three standard Return-to-Truth Pills, and the participating parties collected them according to their agreed order.
• Bai Hengwan helped spread news of Lin Changheng’s success, while True Disciple Yang regretted refusing the chance to join the crowdfunding and killed an attendant in a fit of fury.
• Lin Changheng left Floating Life Immortal City for the Xu Family and stopped at Rising Sun Island, where he reunited with Xu Maoling and gave him a premium Lifespan-Extending Pill.
• Lin Changheng learned from Xu Maoling that Cheng Suling had returned badly injured and left without saying where she was going.
• Two Core Formation cultivators ambushed Lin Changheng in the mountains, revealing that they intended to make him their pill slave.
• Lin Changheng used his sword formation and illusions to kill the gray-robed cultivator, while the burly cultivator survived and witnessed the corpse.

Lin Changheng killed two Tribulation Cultivators, discovered valuable inheritances among their loot, and reunited with Tantai Feiyue, Xu Hanji, and Yan Mingyi to share pills and inheritances. He then visited the Xu Family to collect Mystic Fire Rhinoceros blood and learned that the family had secured a second-tier Mountain and Marsh Spirit.

• Lin Changheng captured one Tribulation Cultivator’s soul with the Black Soul Banner, then killed the other with the Cloudsea Sun-Piercing Sword Formation and collected their treasures.
• Lin Changheng found numerous Talisman Crafting, Artifact Refining, Robe Crafting, and Pill Refining inheritances in the cultivators’ Storage Bags.
• Lin Changheng reunited with Tantai Feiyue, Xu Hanji, and Yan Mingyi, gave them lifespan-extending and Return-to-Truth pills, and shared the inheritances while warning them to keep their origins secret.
• Lin Changheng used the Glorious Life Divine Ability to help the three women absorb their lifespan-extending pills and increase the benefit they gained.
• Lin Changheng asked Xu Bazheng about the Mystic Fire Rhinoceroses and learned that the family had collected over four hundred and twenty portions of their essence blood.
• Xu Bazheng told Lin Changheng that Zeng and Huang had become Xu Family elders and that Huang had contracted a second-tier Mountain and Marsh Spirit called the Torch Yin Vine Matriarch.

Lin Changheng fused his three flames into the destructive Threefold Treasure Flame Pearl, then gathered Torch Yin Vine Matriarch essence blood and made preparations for the Xu Family. After returning to Floating Life Immortal City, he announced a crowdfunding effort for Dust-Descending Pills and traveled to the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple, where Zhengwang welcomed him.

• Lin Changheng refined Mystic Fire Rhinoceros essence blood into Mystic Fire Furnace talent, fused his three flames, and compressed them into the Threefold Treasure Flame Pearl.
• Lin Changheng tested the pearl over a remote lake, devastating the area and prompting cultivators to spread rumors that a great demon had undergone tribulation there.
• Huang Lingsu brought Lin Changheng the Torch Yin Vine Matriarch and more than two hundred and eighty portions of its essence blood; he rewarded Huang Lingsu and Cook Zeng with pills.
• Yan Mingyi reported that studying the Hundred-Grievance Blood Corpse had revealed a path toward becoming a third-tier Puppet Master, and Lin Changheng strengthened the corpse's concealment protections.
• Before leaving Flying Cloud Valley, Lin Changheng gave Xu Hanji two Premium Foundation Establishment Pills and instructed her to require Dao Oaths from their recipients.
• Lin Changheng announced a crowdfunding effort for Dust-Descending Pills, then traveled to the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple, where Daoist True Heart and Zhengwang received him.

Lin Changheng completed the transformation of Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood, gaining a powerful healing art and strengthening his divine sense and illusion-detection abilities while staying at the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple. At a banquet, he learned that the Yue Kingdom’s Demonic Path had destroyed the Purple Sky Sect and might eventually invade the Song Region, while worries about returning a borrowed scripture and breaking through to Core Formation Middle Stage weighed on him.

• Lin Changheng accepted the Sun-Eclipsing Crow essence blood from Daoist True Heart and Boy Zhengwang, then agreed to stay at the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple and give its disciples another Dao discourse.
• Lin Changheng transformed the essence blood with Nether Void essence blood, acquired the Fire Immersion Demonic Art, healed wounds in moments, and measured his divine sense at twenty-three li.
• Lin Changheng chose Hold a Candle to the Night from the Torch Yin Vine Matriarch, merged it with his Five-Colored Divine Light, and reviewed his spiritual roots.
• Lin Changheng met True Person Qingnian, the temple’s late Core Formation chief Grand Elder, then joined Daoist True Heart and Boy Zhengwang for a welcoming feast.
• Boy Zhengwang and Daoist True Heart told Lin Changheng that the Demonic Path had annihilated the Purple Sky Sect and could eventually march south, prompting him to worry about returning the Five-Qi Turtle Scripture of Returning to the Origin to the Vast Righteousness Sect.
• Boy Zhengwang explained how true-core and golden-core cultivators faced different Core Formation bottlenecks, then Lin Changheng watched Daoist True Heart get abruptly sent flying after whispering about Boy Zhengwang and Purple Thunder True Person.

Lin Changheng lectured at the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple, arranged to seek rare wind-attribute essence blood, and strengthened his reputation by refining a premium Dust-Descending Pill. With his fame rising and the essence-blood trade delayed, he traveled toward the Yue Kingdom in disguise and sought information through the Great Shun Merchant Association.

• At a banquet, Daoist True Heart and Zhengwang the Boy warned Lin Changheng that Core Formation tribulation cultivators who targeted skilled craftspeople had resurfaced, and Lin recognized them as his enemies.
• Lin Changheng gave a public pill Dao lecture at the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple, guiding its cultivators and encouraging Jing Yuan to pursue a breakthrough.
• Zhengwang the Boy offered to contact a Yellow Maple Cliff cultivator who might possess the wind-attribute [Blazing Origin] essence blood Lin needed.
• After two years of cultivation and pill commissions in Floating Life Immortal City, Lin refined a premium Dust-Descending Pill, earning widespread fame and drawing visitors to the city.
• Lin learned the essence-blood trade could not proceed while the Yellow Maple Cliff cultivator remained in seclusion, so he set out for the Yue Kingdom to honor his agreement.
• Disguised as Fang Yuan, Lin reached a border market ward and decided to use the Great Shun Merchant Association's channels to learn about the war and the Yue Kingdom.

Lin Changheng returned to the Great Shun Merchant Association and learned that the Nine Seas Merchant Association was trying to absorb it after True Person Dong was ambushed. Grateful for Dong’s gift of Azure-Winged Roc essence blood, Lin agreed to help, gathered information for his plans in Yue Kingdom, and began transforming the fifth-layer Azure Sky White Tiger Treasure Seed to comprehend Mist Spreading.

• Lin Changheng met the manager Fang at Narrowcliff Market Ward, learned that the association’s caravan from Yue Kingdom had returned to Origin Immortal City, and headed there for reliable battlefield information.
• At the Great Shun Merchant Association, Lin discovered that True Person Dong was injured and that the association was struggling against the Nine Seas Merchant Association and its allies.
• True Person Dong explained the rival guilds’ growing pressure, the ambush that nearly killed him, and his suspicion that they were trying to seize the Great Shun Merchant Association.
• True Person Dong gave Lin seven drops of blazing-origin Azure-Winged Roc essence blood, and Lin promised to help protect him and the association.
• Lin asked Dong to compile information about the Nine Seas Merchant Association and the Yue Kingdom war, then settled into a cave residence to cultivate.
• Lin used five drops of the essence blood to complete the fifth-layer Azure Sky White Tiger Treasure Seed’s transformation and entered its vision to comprehend the Mist Spreading divine ability.

Lin Changheng refined the true intent of the Mist-Scattering Divine Ability, tested its battlefield-control and concealment effects, and developed combinations with his other arts. As True Person Dong gathered intelligence on the Nine Seas Merchant Association, Lin Changheng learned that a public contest would decide the Great Shun Merchant Association’s fate and prepared to face the stronger opposition.

• Lin Changheng absorbed the Mist-Scattering Divine Ability’s Dao Fruit and tested a five-hundred-zhang mist domain that controlled moisture, suppressed divine sense, and detected intruders.
• Lin Changheng frightened two Foundation Establishment cultivators inside the mist, then released them and dispersed the domain.
• True Person Dong mobilized the Great Shun Merchant Association’s intelligence network while rumors spread that True Person Fang had returned to challenge the Nine Seas Merchant Association.
• Lin Changheng refined elixirs for Little Qing and Xiao Hei, helping Little Qing advance toward the third tier while combining the mist domain with his concealment, stealth, illusion, and sword arts.
• True Person Dong briefed Lin Changheng and Daoist Qingping on the Nine Seas Merchant Association’s four core formation attendants and presented an invitation proposing a public contest of spells.
• Daoist Qingping worried that their two cultivators could not defeat the opposition, while Lin Changheng accepted the challenge and said they could adapt when the contest began.

At the merchant associations’ duel in Origin Immortal City, Lin Changheng faced Rogue Person Hunshan after Daoist Qingping narrowly survived his opponent’s brutal first bout. Lin Changheng shattered Hunshan’s mountain of killing intent with a single sword strike, leaving the gathered Core Formation cultivators stunned as their duel began.

• Lin Changheng detected Daoist Qingping returning under concealment, warned him not to spy again, and received True Person Dong’s intelligence about the Yue Kingdom battlefield and rumors of a second Demonic Path Nascent Soul.
• The Great Shun and Nine Seas merchant associations set a duel to decide their trade-route rights for the next sixty years, and more than thirty Core Formation True Persons gathered to watch.
• Rogue Person Hunshan attacked Daoist Qingping, prevented him from conceding, and nearly killed him before True Person Feng Yue stopped the Black Bell; Daoist Qingping then conceded.
• Lin Changheng entered the arena to face Hunshan, whose opening palm formed a mountain of killing intent that Lin Changheng shattered with a single sword strike from his fingertip.