Chapter Summaries

Lin Changheng competed against Lü Bailian for the Xu Family’s Mid-Grade Pill Dao Secret Transmission. After two batches, they were tied, and Lü Bailian completed an exceptional third batch while Lin Changheng’s final results remained unknown.

• Xu Hanji told Lin Changheng that he and Lü Bailian were the only candidates for the secret transmission and that the Xu Family would decide between them through a pill-refining contest.
• Xu Qianyan began the contest at the Returning Peak Dojo, where Lin Changheng and Lü Bailian each had to refine three batches of ten pills.
• Lü Bailian completed his first batch with one Premium Pill, six upper-middle-quality pills, and three mid-middle-quality pills, while Lin Changheng produced one Premium Pill, seven upper-middle-quality pills, and two mid-middle-quality pills.
• Lü Bailian’s second batch matched his first, and Lin Changheng matched Lü Bailian’s second-batch results half a quarter-hour later.
• Lü Bailian completed his third batch with one Premium Pill and nine upper-middle-quality pills, earning Xu Qianyan’s praise.

Lin Changheng defeated Lü Bailian in the Pill Dao contest and earned the Xu Family’s mid-grade secret teachings. After memorizing the Supreme Harmony Pill Scroll, he left the repository under a Dao Oath, confident he could master its difficult teachings.

• Lü Bailian produced one Premium Pill and nine Upper-Middle-Grade Pills, but Lin Changheng matched his result and won because Lin had performed better in the earlier batches.
• Lin Changheng thanked Lü Bailian and followed a Mid-Grade Pill Master to the Scripture Repository Hall to receive the secret teachings.
• The steward instructed Lin Changheng to study the jade slip inside the hall for three days, and Lin began reading the Secret Notes of the Supreme Harmony Pill Scroll.
• Lin Changheng found the teachings challenging but manageable and considered seeking Master Mo’s advice if needed.
• After three days, Lin Changheng swore a Dao Oath not to reveal the teachings and left the hall, having memorized the jade slip.

Lin Changheng spread absurd rumors to divert attention from his victory over Pill Master Lü, while Xu Family tensions with the Chen Family escalated into retaliatory raids. After Bai Fengxian returned badly burned, he told Lin Changheng that the Xu Family had attacked Chen Family resource sites and killed a Middle-Grade Talisman Master.

• Lin Changheng asked Xu Fugui to circulate fanciful stories portraying his win over Pill Master Lü as a matter of luck, and Xu Fugui's household spread them until Lü became the focus of the rumors.
• Xu Xuheng summoned Lin Changheng and offered encouragement and expectations, but Lin Changheng dismissed the conversation afterward.
• Xu Qianhuan returned across the Blackwater River with a party of riders and wounded cultivators, including the badly burned Bai Fengxian.
• Lin Changheng and Xu Fugui carried Bai Fengxian home, where he recovered enough to joke with them about his injuries.
• Lin Changheng deduced that Bai Fengxian had fought the Chen Family, and Bai confirmed the Xu Family had raided two Chen Family resource sites, killed several cultivators, and beheaded a Middle-Grade Talisman Master.

Lin Changheng advanced his Greenwood Snake and Fire Crow Treasure Seeds, gaining poison detection and powerful control over ordinary flames. When he used more Crimson Flame Pills after reaching the Fire Crow’s apparent limit, the Origin Cauldron triggered a vision of a colossal blazing bird that engulfed him in fire.

• The Xu Family High Council imposed martial law, ordered defenses pulled back, and forbade members from leaving the clan grounds as the family prepared for retaliation from the Chen Family of Purple Maple Bay.
• Lin Changheng used waste and inferior Wood Origin Pills to advance the Greenwood Snake Treasure Seed to its fourth layer and acquired an art that sensed poison and could expel some mid-grade toxins.
• Lin Changheng used waste and inferior Crimson Flame Pills to advance the Fire Crow Treasure Seed to its fifth layer and gained ultimate control over ordinary flames, demonstrating it by expanding a lamp flame into a blazing sphere.
• Suspecting the Fire Crow Treasure Seed had reached the end of its bloodline potential, Lin Changheng extracted essence blood from two proper Crimson Flame Pills, causing the Origin Cauldron to flare and reveal a gigantic bird in a realm of fire.
• The vision’s bird sent streams of flame surging into Lin Changheng, who returned to himself in his courtyard room, trembling and drenched in cold sweat.

Lin Changheng studied the Origin Cauldron’s new Transformation ability and planned to test it with fire-aspected Demon Beast blood, while his spiritual roots continued to improve. Meanwhile, the Xu Family gained the advantage in its war with the Chen Family, but the Chen Family’s new alliance threatened to turn the tide, and Lin Changheng mourned two fallen friends.

• Lin Changheng discovered that the Fire Crow Treasure Seed had become a Dao Fruit with a Transformation stage that could cultivate the ancestral Fire Control divine ability’s true intent.
• Lin Changheng concluded that Transformation likely required Demon Beast essence blood, especially from fire-aspected beasts, and resolved to investigate through trial and error.
• The Greenwood Snake Treasure Seed’s advancement gave Lin Changheng’s wood spiritual root an eleventh strand of spirit resonance, raising it to low grade.
• The Xu Family gained a substantial advantage over the Chen Family after the Chen Family’s internal power struggle damaged its war effort.
• The Chen Family persuaded the Foundation Establishment Qiu Family of Flying Cloud Valley to consider intervening, alarming the Xu Family leadership.
• Lin Changheng, Fugui, and Feng Xian mourned two immortal seedling friends who had died during the year-long war.

After burying fallen cultivators, Lin Changheng gained the Earth Escape Aberrant Art and tested its limits. He used the new technique to slip back into his courtyard, where Tantai Feiyue arrived with talismans and teased him over sharing his teacup.

• Lin Changheng, Xu Fugui, and Bai Fengxian buried two fallen cultivators and swore to provide one another with proper graves if any of them died.
• Lin Changheng refined the rockmountain tortoise treasure seed, increased his earth spirit resonance, and gained Earth Escape Aberrant Art · Path-Peeking.
• Lin Changheng tested Earth Escape and found he could travel about five hundred feet underground for up to five breaths, at a depth of no more than ten feet.
• Lin Changheng used Earth Escape to emerge in his courtyard after Tantai Feiyue called at the gate.
• Tantai Feiyue delivered two premium Breath-Concealment Talismans and two premium Concealment Talismans, then blushed when Lin Changheng pointed out that she was drinking from his teacup.

Lin Changheng considered selling his growing stock of Premium Pills and struggled to master mid-grade pill refining as the Origin Treasure Seed neared completion. Meanwhile, the Xu Family defeated the Chen Family with help from the Liu Family, and rogue cultivators exterminated the weakened Chen Family of Purple Maple Bay.

• Tantai Feiyue became flustered after she and Lin Changheng shared a cup of tea, then left after he promised to keep it secret.
• Lin Changheng counted his growing wealth and pill stock, considered selling Premium Pills, and continued struggling with mid-grade pill refining.
• The Xu Family gained the upper hand over the Chen Family at Savage Wastes Valley, while Qiu Changhe's Qiu Family contingent arrived disguised as Chen Family cultivators.
• Liu Yunlang and the Liu Family confronted Qiu Changhe, who fled with his followers, and the Xu and Liu Families crushed the Chen Family forces.
• The Xu Family occupied the valley, named it Dustless Valley, and announced that half its proceeds would go to the Liu Family.
• Rogue cultivators breached the Chen Family of Purple Maple Bay's defenses and exterminated the entire lineage.

After the Xu Family secured the valley, Lin Changheng broke through to the Qi Refining fifth layer and used his newfound insight to master the Water Fungus Pill. He decided to travel with a Xu Family caravan to sell pills, seek new formulas, and obtain Demon Beast essence blood.

• The Qiu Family staged a raid on the Chen Family estate and stayed in Purple Maple Bay, while the Xu Family blamed it for the Chen Family’s destruction and the rumors against them.
• The Xu Family accepted the outcome and focused on developing the valley while continuing cautious frontier exploration.
• Lin Changheng cultivated with the Spirit Gathering Array and two Spirit Stones, breaking through to the Qi Refining fifth layer.
• Lin Changheng’s second-tier origin treasure seed gave him sudden insight, helping him advance the Lihuo Night-Illuminating Art and successfully refine the Water Fungus Pill.
• After reproducing his breakthrough in pill refining, Lin Changheng decided to travel with a Xu Family caravan to sell pills and seek new formulas and Demon Beast essence blood.

Lin Changheng prepared to leave the Xu Family Base and traveled with a caravan to the Desolate Ruins Market, while his treasure seeds and spiritual roots advanced. He arrived at the market ward concealed by a disguise.

• Xu Fugui arranged for Lin Changheng to join a Xu Family caravan heading to the Desolate Ruins Market, and Lin Changheng secured a month's leave by claiming he would enter secluded cultivation.
• Lin Changheng extracted essence blood from Defective Pills, completed Spirit Seizure for the Fire Crow Treasure Seed, and advanced the Greenwood Snake Treasure Seed, which revealed an ancestral reversion bloodline sorcery called Poison Transformation.
• Lin Changheng's fire and wood spirit roots reached low-grade strength, while his earth spirit root increased to eight wisps of spirit resonance.
• Lin Changheng visited Tantai Feiyue, gave her premium pills, and told her he would be entering secluded cultivation.
• Lin Changheng disguised himself and traveled with the Xu Family caravan; six days later, he arrived at the Desolate Ruins Market.

Lin Changheng entered the Desolate Ruins Market and sold sixty premium Wood Origin Pills to the Pill Refining Pavilion for 180 low-grade spirit stones, exchanging 100 of them for a mid-grade spirit stone. After asking about pill formulas, he learned the shop did not sell them to outsiders, but the shopkeeper hinted that another way to find them might exist.

• Lin Changheng parted from the caravan, paid to enter the Desolate Ruins Market, and surveyed its shops before changing his appearance in an alley.
• Lin Changheng visited the Pill Refining Pavilion and told the assistant he wanted to sell premium Wood Origin Pills.
• The shopkeeper inspected Lin Changheng's sixty pills and offered 180 low-grade spirit stones, agreeing to exchange 100 for one mid-grade spirit stone.
• Lin Changheng received 80 low-grade spirit stones and one mid-grade spirit stone, then asked the shopkeeper whether the store sold pill formulas.
• The shopkeeper said the store did not sell formulas to outsiders, but called Lin Changheng back and suggested there might be another way to find them.

Lin Changheng sold premium pills around Desolate Ruins Market, stopped after discovering he was being followed, and investigated an upcoming auction while looking for a spirit beast. He entered the Liu Family’s Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion and was approached by an old man.

• The Pill Refining Pavilion shopkeeper rejected his assistant’s suggestion to target Lin Changheng for his premium pills and warned him against crooked schemes.
• Lin Changheng sold more than three hundred premium pills in batches, earned over nine hundred and thirty low-grade spirit stones, and stopped after shaking off a follower.
• Lin Changheng investigated the monthly auction, found that pill formulas and inheritances might be offered, and bought admission for two spirit stones.
• Lin Changheng visited a spirit beast corral but found no beast that suited him, despite deciding he could afford to raise one.
• Lin Changheng entered the Liu Family’s Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion and was greeted by an old man whose cultivation was around the fourth layer of Qi Refining.

Lin Changheng bought rare [turbid baleful blood] and a large batch of ordinary Demon Beast essence blood from the Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion. Back at the Immortal Inn, he secured his room and began preparing the blood for experiments.

• Lin Changheng asked the old man about Demon Beast bloodline grades and bought two portions of [Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox] essence blood for six Spirit Stones.
• The old man explained that the Liu Family might soon cull more [Flame-Tailed Spirit Foxes], giving Lin Changheng a possible future source of their blood.
• Lin Changheng bargained for the shop's remaining [Earthfire Lizard] and [White Spirit Sparrow] essence blood and received a discount token for future bulk orders.
• Lin Changheng returned to the Immortal Inn, activated the room's protective formation, and poured [Earthfire Lizard] essence blood into a basin.

Lin Changheng tested how Essence Blood affected the Origin Cauldron, learned that higher-grade fire-type blood advanced the Fire Crow Treasure Seed’s Transformation, and suspected the cauldron had only five slots for ordinary treasure seeds. Several days later, he attended the Desolate Ruins Market Auction, which began with Luo Lian'er welcoming the crowd.

• Lin Changheng found that the Earthfire Lizard Treasure Seed had begun Spirit Seizure and considered Fire Repelling its most useful innate talent.
• Lin Changheng absorbed Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox Essence Blood and advanced the Fire Crow Treasure Seed’s Transformation progress by one.
• Lin Changheng found that the Origin Cauldron would not absorb White Spirit Sparrow Essence Blood and considered whether five treasure-seed slots were full.
• Lin Changheng arrived at the Desolate Ruins Market Auction, paid the extra seating and tea fee, and took his assigned seat.
• Luo Lian'er opened the Auction and welcomed the gathered attendees.

Lin Changheng attended an auction where coveted magic artifacts and breakthrough pills drew fierce bidding. He passed on the early lots to save his spirit stones, and the auction continued at noon with the thirty-fifth lot, the [Cloud-Flying Boots].

• Luo Lian'er opened the auction and introduced the [Locust Mother-Child Stones], whose bids climbed to 330 low-grade spirit stones before a cultivator in a private box won them.
• Lin Changheng decided not to bid on the [Locust Mother-Child Stones] because their price was rising too high.
• Luo Lian'er put three [Spirit-Detonating Pills] up for individual auction, and they sold for 150, 145, and 170 spirit stones.
• The auction continued through the morning, and Luo Lian'er introduced the thirty-fifth lot, a pair of [Cloud-Flying Boots].

Lin Changheng bought Cloud-Flying Boots and the Crimson Dragon Pill formula at the auction, then returned to the Liu Family's Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion, where Liu Fengxiu revealed that the requested Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox essence blood had arrived. He was shown more than thirty portions, leaving the blood he needed within reach.

• Lin Changheng won the Cloud-Flying Boots for one hundred and eighty-five spirit stones after other bidders lost interest.
• Lin Changheng bought the mid-grade Crimson Dragon Pill formula for one hundred and twenty-five spirit stones and later purchased more than twenty sets of its ingredients.
• Lin Changheng left the auction before its most valuable lots and reclaimed his three-spirit-stone tea fee.
• Lin Changheng refined and began wearing the Cloud-Flying Boots, which could help him dodge attacks and escape.
• Lin Changheng visited the Liu Family's Spirit Fox Beast Pavilion, where Liu Fengxiu showed him more than thirty portions of Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox essence blood.

Lin Changheng bought Demon Beast essence blood and joined the Xu Family caravan, which was attacked with poison while resting at a Wild Temple. The steward found no attackers, and the caravan prepared to return to the clan at full speed.

• Lin Changheng bought all of Liu Fengxiu’s essence blood and asked him to stockpile more for his visits every six months.
• Lin Changheng joined the Xu Family caravan, which departed without the expected old man and traveled peacefully for three days.
• Lin Changheng sensed poison at the Wild Temple and alerted the female cultivator, who raised the alarm.
• The poison felled two Xu Family cultivators, while the steward swept the poisonous gas outside with [Gale Technique] and distributed Antidote Pills.
• The steward returned with the two poisoned sentries dead, reported seeing someone in the distant woods, and ordered the caravan to return to the clan at full speed.

Lin Changheng completed the transformation of his Fire Crow Dao Fruit and assimilated the true intent of the Fire Control divine ability. After returning safely with the caravan, he concealed his identity from others and resumed his experiments at home.

• Lin Changheng credited the female cultivator with warning the caravan about the danger, and the steward promised them both merit.
• Lin Changheng absorbed the remaining essence blood and completed his Fire Crow Dao Fruit transformation, briefly experiencing himself as a supreme true spirit with absolute control over a kingdom of flame.
• Lin Changheng assimilated the true intent of the Fire Control divine ability before the caravan continued its journey.
• At the Blackwater River, Lin Changheng revealed his identity as Pill Master Lin to the caravan steward and asked him to keep it secret; the steward agreed and offered him a place in future caravans.
• Lin Changheng returned to his courtyard, rested, cleaned the house, and resumed his experiments with the remaining essence blood.

Lin Changheng discovered that the Origin Cauldron’s freed seed slot could seize higher-grade bloodlines, then spent two years developing his standing in the Xu Family. The chapter ended with him emerging from a pill room as the family confirmed he had become a mid-grade Pill Master.

• Lin Changheng used Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox essence blood to create a new treasure seed, learning that the upgraded slot could only seize Turbid Baleful Bloodlines or higher.
• Lin Changheng considered the fox’s three innate talents but postponed choosing one to refine until Spirit Seizure progressed further.
• Lin Changheng reflected that his place in the Xu Family depended on their interests remaining aligned and that he would likely walk the immortal path alone.
• Two years passed, and Lin Changheng emerged from a pill room before Xu Xuheng, Xu Qianyan, Xu Hanji, and other Xu Family members.
• Xu Qianyan inspected Lin Changheng’s pills, confirmed they were mid-grade, and announced that the Xu Family had gained another mid-grade Pill Master.

Lin Changheng was recognized as a First-Tier Mid-Grade Pill Master and received higher status and benefits from the Xu Family. He planned to move to the Cloud Gazing Dojo and later reveal a measured cultivation breakthrough, then joined Xu Fugui and Bai Fengxian for a celebratory feast.

• Xu Xuheng congratulated Lin Changheng and praised his prospects as a Mid-Grade Pill Master.
• The Xu Family's senior figures celebrated Xu Fugui's four children with spiritual roots and planned to provide him a Meridian-Rushing Pill and another wife.
• Xu Qianyan promoted Lin Changheng from Registered Guest Advisor to Guest Advisor, granting him a higher stipend, expanded access, and more choice over assignments.
• Lin Changheng planned to relocate to the Cloud Gazing Dojo and wait half a month before revealing a breakthrough to the fourth layer of Qi Refining.
• Xu Fugui and Bai Fengxian intercepted Lin Changheng and took him to a feast; Xu Fugui was preparing to marry again, and Bai Fengxian had advanced to mid-Qi Refining.

Xu Fugui told Lin Changheng and Bai Fengxian that the Xu Family had discovered a second-tier spirit land and offered it to the Purple Pole Sect rather than risk keeping it. The Sect agreed to provide the family with spirit land for future Foundation Establishment attempts, while Lin Changheng considered how Mo Zhaoli might help him obtain demonic beast essence blood.

• Xu Fugui revealed that the Xu Family had gained greatly from the Great Reclamation and might eventually become a Foundation Establishment Family.
• Xu Fugui told Lin Changheng and Bai Fengxian that the Xu Family's Pioneer Team had discovered a second-tier spirit land and established an initial foothold.
• Xu Fugui explained that the Xu Family had decided to offer the spirit land to the Purple Pole Sect, with Pill Master Mo helping arrange the contact.
• Lin Changheng realized that Mo Zhaoli had likely mediated the offering and considered asking her to help collect demonic beast essence blood.
• Xu Fugui said the Purple Pole Sect had agreed to provide spirit land for the Xu Family's future Foundation Establishment attempts, though the offering's merit rewards remained undecided.