Chapter Summaries

Lin Changheng assessed the spoils from three cultivators, finding valuable magic artifacts and a Jade Marrow Essence Condensing Fruit, then tended to his Black-Armored Earth Turtle and spirit plants. The next day, he learned about Floating Life Immortal City's districts and chose Cloudgate Court for a courtyard rental.

• Lin Changheng sorted the seven magic artifacts, keeping the Flying Shuttle and bow and arrows while setting aside several others to sell.
• Lin Changheng found five hundred spirit stones in two Storage Bags and discovered a Jade Marrow Essence Condensing Fruit in the tall cultivator's box.
• Lin Changheng fed an elixir to the Black-Armored Earth Turtle, examined its growth, and resumed tending his spirit plants before sleeping.
• Lin Changheng visited a brokerage, where Fang Daming explained Floating Life Immortal City's concentric districts and showed him courtyard options.
• Lin Changheng chose Cloudgate Court after Fang Daming explained that its residents mostly practiced crafts.

Lin Changheng rented a courtyard in Floating Life Immortal City, fortified it, and named it Azure Origin Cottage. While seeking demon beast essence blood to support his cultivation, he found a shop with a large supply of Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse essence blood and bought all three hundred portions.

• Lin Changheng leased a courtyard in Cloudgate Court from Fang Daming, revealed that he was a superior-grade first-tier Pill Master, and strengthened the courtyard with defensive and illusion formations.
• Lin Changheng arranged his new home, planted spiritual farmland, prepared a pit for the Black-Armored Earth Turtle, and named the courtyard Azure Origin Cottage.
• Lin Changheng sent four letters to Feiyue, Zhaoli, Fugui, and another recipient, then visited shops to ask about demon beast essence blood.
• A shop assistant told Lin Changheng that Mystic Spirit Essence Blood was scarce, but another shop had three hundred portions of Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse essence blood.
• Lin Changheng inspected and bought all three hundred portions at a discounted price, and the round-faced manager offered to supply more in the future.

Lin Changheng used six hundred portions of Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse essence blood to strengthen his Limb Hardening art and came close to reaching the second tier of the Evergreen Azurewood Body. He then visited his neighbors to build connections and discovered that the old puppet master nearby owned an unusual ironwood puppet.

• Lin Changheng collected three hundred restocked portions of Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse essence blood from the Jiang Family Material Shop, bringing his total to six hundred.
• Lin Changheng used four hundred portions to raise the Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse Treasure Seed to the fifth level and advance Limb Hardening to transcendent mastery; his reinforced body could withstand a magically infused superior-grade Flying Shuttle.
• Lin Changheng found that Limb Hardening merged with his third-layer Evergreen Azurewood Body, leaving him close to the body's second tier, then used the remaining essence blood to complete spirit seizure and noted his metal spiritual root was one strand from becoming low-grade.
• Lin Changheng visited Cui Jianshui, learned about her work as a superior-grade musical healer and about their neighbors, including a second-tier spirit chef, a young artifact refiner, and an old puppet master.
• Lin Changheng visited the old puppet master and met his granddaughter, who welcomed him inside while her grandfather finished polishing a puppet.
• Lin Changheng saw the puppet approach carrying tea and recognized its carved black-ironwood body covered in runes.

Lin Changheng paid his respects to Puppet Master Yan and met Artifact Master Zhao before spending three years advancing his cultivation, body tempering, and Treasure Plants. He read Princess Tantai’s letter and learned that Feiyue had made a major breakthrough in the first-tier Talisman Dao while the Xu Family sought a second-tier inheritance for her.

• Lin Changheng admired Yan Mingyi’s puppet, shared a meal with her and Puppet Master Yan, and later met Artifact Master Zhao, with whom he exchanged gifts and arranged a future visit.
• Over three years, Lin Changheng refined more than sixty percent of his dantian’s magical power and advanced toward the Qi Refining Ninth-Layer Peak.
• Lin Changheng brought his body tempering to the peak of the third layer and strengthened his body beyond the level of an early second-tier Body Tempering cultivator.
• Lin Changheng used the [Glorious Life Divine Ability] to accelerate the growth of the [nine-leaf violet cinnabar fungus] and the [earth vein yellow essence].
• Lin Changheng cared for his Black-Armored Earth Turtle, whose shell markings showed that it had reached the middle first tier.
• Lin Changheng read Princess Tantai’s letter and learned that Feiyue had drawn a fine-quality superior-grade talisman, prompting the Xu Family to seek a second-tier Talisman Dao Inheritance for her.

Lin Changheng strengthened his Pill Dao reputation in Floating Life Immortal City, gathered news from friends and family, and prepared for the coming auction. After half a year of successful pill commissions, Deng Changsheng brought him eight bottles of mystic spirit essence blood and revealed that more could be obtained from spirit beasts.

• Tantai Feiyue helped the Xu Family establish a Talisman Dao talent pipeline, while she and Lin Changheng continued exchanging letters once a year.
• Mo Zhaoli told Lin Changheng she had bought thirty portions of Red-Eyed Fire essence blood, and Master Mo connected him with a renowned High-Grade Pill Master named Cheng.
• Lin Changheng improved his pill-refining efficiency, sought a second-tier Pill Dao inheritance, and prepared to sell stolen goods before the immortal city's minor auction.
• Fugui reported his rise to the ninth layer of Qi Refining, the Xu Family's growing strength, and Xu Wufang's prospects as a successor; Xu Hanwu wrote that she might seek Foundation Establishment.
• Lin Changheng built his reputation by giving Deng Changsheng a Premium Pill, then attracted many clients and increased his fees over the following half year.
• Deng Changsheng brought Lin Changheng eight bottles of mystic spirit essence blood and said his friend could obtain more by extracting small amounts from raised spirit beasts.

Lin Changheng sold his old stolen Magic Artifacts and planned to gain a second-tier Pill Dao inheritance so he could earn Spirit Stones and obtain Foundation Establishment Pills. After accepting Cook Zeng’s commission to refine a Five-Spirit Pill, Lin asked for Demon Beast essence blood, and Cook Zeng offered to supply second-tier Azure Wave Spirit Turtle essence blood at cost.

• Lin Changheng disguised himself, sold his old Magic Artifacts at three shops, and increased his Spirit Stone holdings to over eight thousand.
• Lin Changheng returned to Cloudgate Court and accepted Cook Zeng’s invitation to Snowdrift Pavilion.
• Cook Zeng asked Lin Changheng to refine a high-grade Five-Spirit Pill for his wife’s younger sister, and Lin accepted the commission.
• Lin Changheng asked Cook Zeng to help him obtain second-tier Demon Beast essence blood or qualifying first-tier essence blood.
• Cook Zeng offered to pass along Azure Wave Spirit Turtle essence blood from the Spirit Wine Tower’s supplies at cost.

Lin Changheng gained a new channel for obtaining mystic spirit essence blood, refined his clear-heart talent, and acquired a puppet before attending the immortal city's grand auction. As the auction began, he continued refining his magical power until the second-tier Pill Dao was announced.

• Lin Changheng arranged for Cook Zeng's sister-in-law to bring a pill formula and ingredients, securing a connection with the Spirit Wine Tower as a potential source of mystic spirit essence blood.
• Lin Changheng's Origin Treasure Seed advanced to 52/100, his clear-heart talent became Still Water, and his fire spiritual root gained a strand of spirit resonance.
• Lin Changheng received a first-tier puppet from Yan Ming and mastered the Puppet-Control Art, then accepted an earth-tier VIP invitation to the auction.
• Lin Changheng arrived at the auction hall, dismissed the maid assigned to his private room, and began refining his magical power while listening for lots of interest.
• About four hours into the auction, Lin Changheng heard the announcement of a second-tier Pill Dao.

Lin Changheng acquired a second-tier Pill Dao legacy and Mystic Spirit Essence Blood, then advanced his Evergreen Azurewood Body to genuine Second-Tier Body Refinement. With his physical condition now suited to overcoming the Mountain of Essence, he began Spirit Seizure using the Azure Wave Spirit Turtle blood.

• Lin Changheng outbid a masked cultivator for the Five Elements Origin-Returning Pill Scripture, paid four thousand three hundred spirit stones, and safely returned home with the legacy.
• Lin Changheng collected six portions of Azure Wave Spirit Turtle essence blood from Cook Zeng at the Yellow Millet Abode and overheard that an Inferior Foundation Establishment Pill had sold for nearly sixteen thousand spirit stones.
• Lin Changheng studied the pill legacy and continued his body-tempering practice until he turned fifty-seven and felt his Foundation Establishment deadline approaching.
• Lin Changheng broke through to the fourth layer of the Evergreen Azurewood Body, attaining genuine Second-Tier Body Refinement and determining that he could overcome the Mountain of Essence.
• Lin Changheng collected more Azure Wave Spirit Turtle essence blood, bringing his total to over a hundred portions, and initiated Spirit Seizure through the Origin Cauldron.

Lin Changheng chose the Azure Wave Spirit Turtle’s Lifespan Extension talent, gained eight years of life, and discovered that his water spiritual root had improved. He established himself as a second-tier pill master and visited Yan Mingyi and her grandfather, where he noticed Puppet Master Yan’s worsening condition and heard that people were talking about his advancement.

• Lin Changheng chose Lifespan Extension from the Azure Wave Spirit Turtle Treasure Seed, increasing his lifespan by eight years and adding one strand to his water spiritual root.
• The next day, Miss Huang collected her pills, and Deng Changsheng arrived with eight bottles of essence blood from his friend in the Azure Rosy Clouds Temple.
• Deng Changsheng told Lin Changheng that he had spread news of Lin’s advancement to second-tier pill master among rogue cultivators and spirit wine towers.
• Lin Changheng explained that after months of study and practice, he could reliably refine standard-quality second-tier pills.
• Lin Changheng visited Yan Mingyi and her grandfather for a meal, noticed that Puppet Master Yan’s health had worsened, and heard Yan Mingyi ask whether he had become a second-tier pill master.

Lin Changheng acquired two superior-grade puppet beasts and learned their control art, then visited Elder Cheng to seek work refining second-tier pills. Elder Cheng introduced him to Foundation Establishment cultivator Wu, who hired him to refine a batch of pills under a demanding quota and payment arrangement.

• Lin Changheng told Yan Mingyi he had no plans to leave Cloudgate Court, then received two puppet beasts and the Puppet-Control Art from Puppet Master Yan.
• Lin Changheng learned to control the puppets and practiced delicate tasks with them, while his Black-Armored Earth Turtle hid in the mud.
• Lin Changheng visited Elder Cheng at the Hundred Herbs Shop and explained that he wanted to find customers for second-tier pills.
• Elder Cheng introduced Lin Changheng to Foundation Establishment cultivator Wu, who asked him to refine second-tier pills.
• Lin Changheng agreed to provide eight Standard Pills from ten sets of ingredients within half a month, with payment and compensation terms based on the final yield.

Lin Changheng established himself as a sought-after Second-Tier Pill Master while preparing for Foundation Establishment, eventually reaching the qi refining ninth-layer peak. Mo Zhaoli arrived at Azure Origin Cottage with the essence blood he had requested and asked him to refine pills for her.

• Lin Changheng signed a Magic Contract with Wu Changfeng to refine [Golden Marrow Condensed Essence Pills], with Elder Cheng serving as witness.
• Lin Changheng completed pill commissions for Wu Changfeng and a Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Yu, and his reputation spread through the immortal city's inner district and parts of the outer lake.
• Lin Changheng reached the qi refining ninth-layer peak after more than six years of cultivation and estimated that he had refined over eighty percent of his magical power.
• Lin Changheng found that the [Nine-Leaf Violet Cinnabar Fungus] had developed most of its eighth leaf and was showing its first signs of maturity.
• Mo Zhaoli arrived at Azure Origin Cottage, met Yan Mingyi, and brought Lin Changheng the essence blood he had requested in a sealed wooden box.

Lin Changheng accepted Mo Zhaoli’s essence blood in exchange for refining pills and learned of her plans to pursue Core Formation. After she left, he transformed his Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox Treasure Seed and gained the demonic art Illusory Appearance Shift, which let him alter his appearance and conceal his identity from anyone below Core Formation.

• Mo Zhaoli brought Lin Changheng over sixty bottles of [Red-Eyed Fire] essence blood and a large supply of [Mountain-Moving Ape] essence blood, then offered the collection as payment for refining ten sets of [Water-Rhythm Jade Dew Pill] ingredients.
• Lin Changheng and Mo Zhaoli reminisced over their old affection, and she told him she had reached the second layer of Foundation Establishment and planned to take more assignments to gather resources for Core Formation.
• Mo Zhaoli learned that Lin Changheng had reached Qi Refining peak and wished him luck obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill before leaving to complete her assignment.
• After Mo Zhaoli left, Lin Changheng absorbed twenty bottles of [Red-Eyed Fire] essence blood and completed the transformation of his Flame-Tailed Spirit Fox Treasure Seed into a true core.
• Lin Changheng assimilated Illusory Appearance Shift, gained control over his appearance and body, and realized its illusion could fool anyone below Core Formation.

Lin Changheng incorporated the Mountain-Moving Ape’s Mighty Strength talent, greatly increasing his strength, then began gathering cultivators and ingredients for a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills. With Gu Chang’an supplying the final main ingredient, Lin arranged to refine the pills in about half a year.

• Lin Changheng seized two Mountain-Moving Ape treasure seeds and incorporated Mighty Strength, gaining nearly double his strength and profound mastery of force application.
• After helping six Foundation Establishment cultivators refine elixirs, Lin had Deng Changsheng spread word that he might refine pooled ingredients into Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Cultivator Qian offered a main ingredient and supplementary ingredients, and Lin agreed to include him in a batch for a fee of one thousand spirit stones.
• Cui Jianshui brought Gu Chang’an to Lin, and Gu offered the celestial crystal spirit lotus root that Lin still needed for the pills.
• Lin accepted Gu’s ingredients and scheduled the batch for about half a year later, once his nine-leaf violet cinnabar fungus had matured.

Lin Changheng uncovered Cui Jianshui’s attempt to plant a controlling gu in him, then continued preparing to refine Foundation Establishment Pills and establish his foundation. As the agreed date approached, he finished tempering his magical power and matured the final ingredient, while Mo Zhaoli arrived at the immortal city.

• Lin Changheng arranged to refine Foundation Establishment Pills in six months and asked Mo Zhaoli to come to the immortal city, planning to have her act as the requester and help keep Gu Chang'an away from the furnace.
• Cui Jianshui visited Lin Changheng with Second-Tier Spirit Wine, flirted with him, and appeared to yield to his advances before leaving.
• Lin Changheng used [Redcloud Mystic Flame] to reveal pale-green gu hidden in the wine and realized Cui Jianshui had tried to plant it in him to control him; he concealed his discovery and let her believe her ploy had worked.
• Lin Changheng continued turning Cui Jianshui away while refining all his magical power until it was pure and fully tempered.
• Lin Changheng used [Glorious Life Divine Ability] to finish growing the ninth leaf of the [nine-leaf violet cinnabar fungus], and a female immortal in a moon-white dress arrived by Spell Boat the next day.

Lin Changheng began refining Foundation Establishment Pills in a rented cave residence, with Mo Zhaoli guarding him and Gu Chang'an and Qian's group supplying the ingredients. After ten days, he produced three pills, none of them defective, leaving the gathered cultivators astonished as they awaited the results of closer inspection.

• Mo Zhaoli arrived to support Lin Changheng and agreed to guard him while he refined Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Lin Changheng rented a high-grade cave residence, prepared it for pill refining, and invited Mo Zhaoli, Gu Chang'an, Qian's group, and Cui Jianshui to attend.
• Lin Changheng inspected the three parties' ingredients, set the order for choosing pills, and began refining while Mo Zhaoli monitored the gathering.
• Lin Changheng spent ten days purifying and combining the ingredients in his Pill Furnace as the others waited anxiously.
• Lin Changheng produced three Foundation Establishment Pills, and Qian recognized that none was defective.

Lin Changheng completed a successful batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, then entered seclusion and broke through the Three Mountains to establish his foundation at age sixty. After five days of spiritual-energy upheaval, he realized his Dao Foundation had merged throughout his body and calmly accepted his new cultivation realm.

• Lin Changheng announced that he had refined two standard Foundation Establishment Pills and one inferior pill, which Qian, Mo Zhaoli, and Gu Chang'an accepted in exchange for spirit stones.
• Mo Zhaoli stayed behind, returned her Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill to Lin Changheng, and offered to guard him as he entered seclusion.
• Lin Changheng studied the Foundation Establishment insights, restored his strength with an Azurewood Life-Restoring Pill, and began his breakthrough after three days of preparation.
• Lin Changheng broke the Mountains of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, swallowed the Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, and stabilized his forming Dao Foundation.
• A vortex of spiritual energy gathered above Lin Changheng's cave residence as Mo Zhaoli guarded the courtyard and nearby cultivators watched without interfering.
• Five days later, Lin Changheng discovered that his completed Dao Foundation had merged throughout his body and realized he had established his foundation at sixty.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, Lin Changheng consolidated his cultivation and discovered his lifespan and spiritual sense had increased. He then found that his [Glorious Life Divine Ability] had grown stronger, letting him accelerate and revive treasure plants more effectively without spending lifespan.

• Lin Changheng emerged from his breakthrough to reassure Mo Zhaoli, who congratulated him with a brief embrace before leaving for the sect.
• Lin Changheng returned to seclusion, discovered his lifespan had risen to 270 years, and found his spiritual sense could reach 1,500 feet.
• After half a year, Lin Changheng emerged with his Foundation Establishment realm consolidated and replied to five neighbors who had sent Jade Slip greetings.
• Lin Changheng planted the [earth vein yellow essence] and the roots of the [nine-leaf violet cinnabar fungus] in his Spirit Medicine Garden.
• Lin Changheng discovered that his [Glorious Life Divine Ability] accelerated the Treasure Plant's growth at three times its natural rate and restored the second-tier fungus roots without consuming lifespan.

After returning to the Immortal City, Lin Changheng learned that his success refining Foundation Establishment Pills had made him famous and brought a flood of requests and invitations. He gathered more mystic spirit essence blood and transformed the Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse treasure seed, obtaining its Supreme True Core.

• Lin Changheng returned to Azure Origin Cottage and found dozens of calling cards from cultivators and the Immortal City's administration seeking pills, offering positions, or extending invitations.
• Yan Mingyi told Lin Changheng that visitors had sought him for months and that she and her grandfather had refused to reveal where he was.
• Lin Changheng declined offers to join powerful lineages or the city's Pill Hall, but agreed to meet cultivators seeking pills and promised to visit Yan Mingyi's family.
• Lin Changheng met Deng Changsheng, reimbursed him for sixteen bottles of mystic spirit essence blood, and asked about Cui Jianshui and Gu Chang'an.
• After Deng Changsheng left, Lin Changheng decided to buy the Soul-Searching Technique and used the essence blood to complete the Flame-Tailed Golden Mouse's transformation, producing a Supreme True Core.

Lin Changheng incorporated Limb Hardening and the Sun-Eclipsing Crow’s Fire Immersion talent, discovering that it granted painful fire-based healing as well as greater fire affinity. After sending letters to Tantai Feiyue and Xu Fugui, he sought second-tier cultivation methods and spells at a shop in the inner city.

• Lin Changheng incorporated Limb Hardening, strengthening his body until it withstood attacks from a superior-grade Magic Artifact.
• Lin Changheng selected Fire Immersion from the Sun-Eclipsing Crow’s talents and discovered that it could heal minor injuries through fire.
• Lin Changheng tested Fire Immersion by healing a self-inflicted wound, enduring intense pain as his arm regenerated.
• Lin Changheng sent Tantai Feiyue a letter sharing his Foundation Establishment breakthrough and preparation advice, and sent Xu Fugui a separate letter without disclosing his breakthrough.
• Lin Changheng learned that Tantai Feiyue had reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and that Xu Hanwu had left to seek an opportunity for Foundation Establishment.
• Lin Changheng visited the inner city’s largest cultivation-text shop to ask about second-tier cultivation methods and spells.

Lin Changheng bought the Soul-Seizing Secret Art, refused an offer to join the Wu Family of Longwu Mountain, and received valuable gifts from cultivators seeking his favor. On the third evening, Cui Jianshui invited him to her home, where a masked peak Qi Refining cultivator secretly entered while Lin Changheng pretended to be distracted.

• Lin Changheng bargained the price of the Soul-Seizing Secret Art down from three hundred spirit stones to one hundred and left the Myriad Scroll Tower with it.
• A Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Wu Family of Longwu Mountain offered Lin Changheng a place as a lineage attendant, but Lin Changheng declined and accepted the man's gift basket.
• Cultivators from several lineages visited Lin Changheng over three days, and he collected gifts worth nearly ten thousand low-grade spirit stones despite refusing their recruitment offers.
• Cui Jianshui invited Lin Changheng to Clear-Sound Cloud Abode for wine and music, and he accepted her invitation.
• A masked man at the peak of Qi Refining silently entered Cui Jianshui's home while Lin Changheng appeared engrossed in her company.