Chapter Summaries

The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain ambushed Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and Li Zongqing after they defeated one Claw Beast and weakened its mate. As the fiends’ evil artifacts threatened the Azure Profound Sect cultivators, Ye Han launched a sudden attack to protect them.

• The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain revealed their intent to kill Zhang Sanlei and his companions, take their blood essence and souls, and claim the Claw Beasts’ corpses.
• The surviving Claw Beast went berserk, and Wang Fulai blocked its claws with his Cold Iron Shield while Zhang Sanlei and Li Zongqing attacked with their daggers.
• The Two Fiends of Qin Mountain joined the fight and sent a chain and two blood-colored sabers toward the three Azure Profound Sect cultivators.
• Zhang Sanlei and Li Zongqing tried to ambush the fiends from behind with their daggers, but the fiends’ skull artifacts caught the weapons and began invading their control.
• As the chain and sabers swept toward the three cultivators, Ye Han shouted that no one would harm his Azure Profound Sect and descended with two punches aimed at the fiends.

Ye Han watched Zhang Qingshan intervene when the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain nearly killed Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai. As Zhang Qingshan fought the fiends, the three rescued cultivators attacked a nearby Claw Beast.

• Ye Han saw the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain overwhelm Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai, then watched Zhang Qingshan burst in and knock their weapons aside.
• Zhang Qingshan identified the fiends as enemies of the Azure Profound Sect and called on Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai to fight alongside him.
• Zhang Sanlei agreed to join the fight while suspecting Zhang Qingshan and Ye Han had followed their group to target them.
• Zhang Qingshan used his Blood Refining Art to enlarge his body and charge the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain.
• Zhang Qingshan blocked the fiends’ chains and Bloodlight Long Saber with his fists as Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai attacked a Claw Beast with their Dagger Magic Artifacts.

Zhang Qingshan defended himself against the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain while Zhang Sanlei and his companions abandoned him and fled with the Claw Beast’s corpse. The Two Fiends unleashed six Soul-Refining Corpses, but Zhang Qingshan turned the fight by revealing a powerful golden axe.

• Zhang Qingshan fought the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain alone while they mocked him for protecting Zhang Sanlei and his companions.
• The Claw Beast escaped into a cave, and Zhang Sanlei, Wang Fulai, and their companion fled with its corpse, leaving Zhang Qingshan behind.
• Ye Han watched from cover and grew angry at Zhang Qingshan for saving the ungrateful fellow disciples.
• The Two Fiends summoned six Soul-Refining Corpses, forcing Zhang Sanlei and his companions to fight them as they retreated.
• Zhang Qingshan summoned a golden axe and knocked back the Two Fiends' chain and Bloodlight Long Saber, wounding them and shocking them with the weapon's power.

Zhang Qingshan used his Axe Treasure and Ye Han’s Vine Entanglement to kill the Qin Mountain Great Fiend, while the Claw Beast killed the fleeing Lesser Fiend and Zhang Sanlei’s companions. The wounded Zhang Qingshan faced the newly enraged Claw Beast as Ye Han rushed to help him.

• Zhang Qingshan struck the Qin Mountain Great Fiend with his Axe Treasure, and Ye Han’s vine trapped the fiend’s feet so Zhang Qingshan could kill him.
• The Qin Mountain Lesser Fiend escaped with a Blood Escape Talisman, but the Claw Beast ambushed and killed him.
• The Soul-Refining Corpses stopped moving after the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain died, and Zhang Sanlei and his companions cut them down.
• The Claw Beast collapsed the ground beneath Zhang Sanlei and his companions, killing all three before Zhang Qingshan could save them.
• The Claw Beast emerged with a powerful demonic aura and lunged at Zhang Qingshan, and Ye Han shouted that he would help.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan killed the Claw Beast after Ye Han repeatedly bound it with the Vine Soul Technique. They gathered the spoils, but Zhang Qingshan insisted on investigating the Claw Beasts’ cave before returning.

• Ye Han used the Purple Cauldron’s replenished power to repeatedly cast the Vine Soul Technique and bind the Claw Beast, giving Zhang Qingshan a chance to kill it.
• Zhang Qingshan praised Ye Han’s timing and suspected that he had a secret, while Ye Han questioned why Zhang Qingshan had risked himself to save Zhang Sanlei and the others.
• Zhang Qingshan explained that he and the three dead cultivators came from the same hometown, then told Ye Han to quickly loot the battlefield.
• Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan collected the cultivators’ treasures and storage pouches along with both Claw Beast corpses.
• When Ye Han suggested they return, Zhang Qingshan refused and proposed searching the Claw Beasts’ cave for the secret behind their advancement to the second tier.

Ye Han followed Zhang Qingshan into the Claw Beasts’ lair, where Zhang Qingshan seemed to know which passages to take despite the maze of branching tunnels. The Purple Cauldron trembled as they neared a powerful surge of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, leaving them on the verge of discovering the lair’s secret.

• Zhang Qingshan gave Ye Han the Cold Iron Shield and warned him not to reveal valuable treasures casually.
• Zhang Qingshan led Ye Han into the Claw Beasts’ lair, carrying a Spirit Stone lamp.
• Zhang Qingshan chose passages through the maze while Ye Han wondered whether his senior brother was concealing secrets or simply wandering.
• After they passed several more junctions, the Purple Cauldron trembled against Ye Han’s chest.
• Zhang Qingshan hurried forward as Ye Han sensed an abundant surge of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy ahead.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan found a spirit spring and a lotus in the Claw Beast lair, but the lotus was a Water Demon’s disguise. Zhang Qingshan was poisoned and injured in the attack, and he urged Ye Han to run.

• Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan followed the spiritual energy to a cavern containing a spirit spring and a glowing white lotus.
• Zhang Qingshan identified the spring and lotus as treasures and rushed over to collect the lotus.
• Ye Han warned Zhang Qingshan that the Claw Beasts should have taken the lotus if it were safe, but the lotus opened and sprayed pink mist at him.
• Zhang Qingshan struck the lotus, revealing a massive Water Demon that attacked and slammed him into the cave wall.
• Zhang Qingshan realized the mist was poisonous, found himself unable to circulate his spell power, and shouted for Ye Han to run.

The Water Demon dragged Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan into a deadly battle in the Waterfall Cave. Ye Han survived when the Purple Cauldron drained the Spirit Spring Water’s energy, while Zhang Qingshan killed the demon but collapsed, leaving Ye Han to find both the creature and his senior brother down.

• The Water Demon seized Ye Han with its tail and pulled him into the pool, while Zhang Qingshan attacked with his Battle Axe but was swallowed by the demon.
• The Water Demon’s pink mist weakened Zhang Qingshan, and the Purple Cauldron inside Ye Han absorbed the Spirit Spring Water’s energy, causing the pool to lose its power.
• The Water Demon flung Ye Han into the cave wall and charged at him, but Zhang Qingshan burst out of its abdomen and struck it repeatedly with his Battle Axe.
• The Water Demon died, and Zhang Qingshan collapsed after his body shrank and weakened.
• Ye Han recovered with no serious injuries and saw the dead Water Demon and Zhang Qingshan lying nearby.

Ye Han found Zhang Qingshan gravely wounded after the fight with the Water Demon and feared he would die. When the Purple Cauldron produced a Purple Pellet, Ye Han chose to give it to Zhang Qingshan rather than use it to advance his own cultivation, and waited to see what would happen.

• Ye Han examined the Water Demon's corpse and found Zhang Qingshan unconscious, shriveled, and near death.
• Ye Han tried to wake Zhang Qingshan but could not help him with his limited cultivation and lack of Healing Pills.
• Ye Han discovered that the Purple Cauldron had opened and contained a Purple Pellet formed from the spiritual energy it had absorbed.
• Ye Han struggled between using the Purple Pellet to become stronger and giving it to Zhang Qingshan, unsure whether it could save him or harm him.
• Ye Han placed the Purple Pellet in Zhang Qingshan's mouth and watched anxiously for a change.

Ye Han gave the purple pill to Zhang Qingshan, who remained alive but unresponsive, and found the Purple Cauldron had lost the spiritual energy it absorbed. With Zhang Qingshan still asleep, Ye Han prepared to salvage the enormous Water Demon's body but struggled to figure out how to cut it apart.

• Zhang Qingshan swallowed the purple pill, briefly glowed with purple runes, and then fell into a quiet, weakened sleep.
• Ye Han reflected on his choice to give Zhang Qingshan the pill and felt no regret because Zhang Qingshan was worth saving.
• Ye Han saw that the Purple Cauldron remained intact but had absorbed all the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
• Ye Han confirmed the Water Demon was dead and noticed its corpse bore wounds from Zhang Qingshan's escape through its belly.
• When Zhang Qingshan did not wake, Ye Han emptied three storage bags to carry the Water Demon's corpse, then realized he could not fit it whole or easily cut it apart.

Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan’s treasured axe to dismantle the Water Demon and packed away nearly all of its body. Still unable to leave the Black Demon Forest safely with Zhang Qingshan unconscious, he tested whether the Purple Cauldron would absorb the recovered loot, and it began to react.

• Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan’s treasured axe and the Blood Refining Art to cut through the Water Demon’s scales.
• Ye Han spent three or four days dismantling the Water Demon and stored its pieces and bones, leaving only its enormous skull behind.
• Ye Han watched over Zhang Qingshan, whose condition improved slightly, but could not wake him.
• Ye Han removed the spiritual sense marks from the dead cultivators’ storage bags and sorted their contents to test the Purple Cauldron.
• The Purple Cauldron trembled after Ye Han placed pills and Spirit Stones around it.

Ye Han watched the Purple Cauldron consume the spiritual energy in nearly a hundred Spirit Stones and several dozen bottles, leaving it half stone and half jade. He sheltered the unconscious Zhang Qingshan in a cave and began cultivating behind a sealed stone slab, drawing power from the cauldron as he entered deep meditation.

• Ye Han enhanced his sight and watched the Purple Cauldron draw spiritual energy from the Spirit Stones and bottles, turning the stones ordinary and leaving the cauldron half stone.
• Ye Han decided not to take the unknown pills or leave Zhang Qingshan behind, and resolved to improve his cultivation and learn more about cultivation after returning to the Azure Profound Sect.
• Ye Han used Zhang Qingshan's axe to carve separate hollows in the mountain wall and sealed both caves with stone slabs, leaving narrow openings for air.
• Ye Han placed the Purple Cauldron inside his robe, circulated the Azure Mystic Art, and began absorbing spiritual energy and the potent aura released by the cauldron.
• Ye Han sank into deep meditation as his cultivation rose, unaware of how long the session would last.

Ye Han woke from cultivation having advanced to at least the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm and found that Zhang Qingshan had recovered and grown stronger. After Ye Han jabbed him with a battle axe to wake him, Zhang Qingshan opened his eyes but did not recognize Ye Han.

• Ye Han discovered that his cultivation had advanced beyond the fourth layer and that his Blood Refining Art had nearly reached its second layer.
• Ye Han saw that the Purple Cauldron still had a small petrified section, put it in his storage pouch, and left the cave.
• Ye Han checked on Zhang Qingshan and found him no longer shriveled, with an aura stronger than before.
• Ye Han tried to wake Zhang Qingshan by calling to him and shaking his foot, but he remained unconscious.
• Ye Han jabbed Zhang Qingshan's thigh with the golden battle axe, waking him, and Zhang Qingshan asked who Ye Han was.

Zhang Qingshan awoke after recovering from his fight with the Water Demon, while Ye Han concealed that the Purple Pellet had saved him. After Zhang Qingshan discovered Ye Han had reached the seventh-layer peak of the Qi Refining Realm, they prepared to return to the sect, but Ye Han stopped him with another request.

• Zhang Qingshan woke, recognized Ye Han, and took back his treasured axe.
• Zhang Qingshan realized his cultivation had advanced to great perfection in the Qi Refining Realm and asked what had happened while he was unconscious.
• Ye Han hid the Purple Cauldron’s role and claimed a purple light from the pool had entered Zhang Qingshan’s body.
• Zhang Qingshan mused that he might have gained another fortuitous opportunity, while Ye Han suspected he had secrets of his own.
• Zhang Qingshan learned Ye Han had reached the seventh-layer peak of the Qi Refining Realm and urged him to return to the sect for the Immortal Ascension Assembly.
• Ye Han stopped Zhang Qingshan and said he needed him to take care of something.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan returned to the cavern and found a Beast Crystal inside the Water Flood Dragon Beast's head, worth several thousand Spirit Stones. After Ye Han promised to keep Zhang Qingshan's treasured axe secret, Zhang Qingshan gave him a Dagger Magic Artifact to refine.

• Ye Han asked Zhang Qingshan about the Water Demon’s head, and they returned to the cavern to retrieve it.
• Zhang Qingshan explained that powerful Demon Beasts could remain unrotted and told Ye Han to study at the Scripture Pavilion after they returned to the sect.
• Zhang Qingshan struck the Water Flood Dragon Beast’s head with his treasured axe, revealing a Beast Crystal inside.
• Zhang Qingshan split open the head, recovered the fist-sized crystal, and told Ye Han it was worth several thousand Spirit Stones.
• Zhang Qingshan asked Ye Han to keep his treasured axe secret, and Ye Han promised he would.
• Zhang Qingshan gave Ye Han a Dagger Magic Artifact and told him to refine it for protection.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan left the Claw Beast's lair with three Flying Scale Daggers and other spoils, while Zhang Qingshan warned Ye Han to keep their valuable loot and their dealings discreet. Two days later, they returned to the Azure Profound Sect, where Zhang Qingshan left Ye Han at his cave abode and said he would return within five days.

• Zhang Qingshan gave Ye Han three Flying Scale Daggers and warned him not to let others see them.
• Zhang Qingshan explained why they would sell their loot at the Black Market, and Ye Han agreed to let him handle the spoils.
• Zhang Qingshan taught Ye Han how to refine and wield magic artifacts as they left the Claw Beast's lair and avoided cultivators hunting demon beasts.
• Two days later, Zhang Qingshan and Ye Han returned to Seven Mysteries Peak in the Azure Profound Sect.
• Zhang Qingshan told Ye Han to cultivate, read the books he had left, and wait for his return within five days, then departed.

Ye Han and Zhang Qingshan returned safely to the Azure Profound Sect and sorted the spoils from their trip, including a valuable Beast Crystal from the Water Flood Dragon Beast. With the Immortal Ascension Assembly close, Zhang Qingshan left to prepare, and the Seventh Elder suddenly appeared before Ye Han.

• Zhang Qingshan guided Ye Han back to the Azure Profound Sect while avoiding beasts and cultivators along the way.
• Zhang Qingshan sorted their spoils and explained that many items taken from the Two Fiends of Qin Mountain were sinister artifacts linked to a powerful backer.
• Zhang Qingshan kept useful manuals and notes for Ye Han to study, while exchanging most of the other items for spirit stones.
• Zhang Qingshan valued the Water Flood Dragon Beast's Beast Crystal at several thousand spirit stones and hurried off to prepare for the Immortal Ascension Assembly.
• Ye Han prepared to change his cave abode's restrictions, but the Seventh Elder appeared beside him without warning and asked whether he was Ye Han.

The Seventh Elder visited Ye Han, questioned him about the Azure Mystic Art, and accepted him as a registered disciple because he reminded him of the cave abode’s former occupant. Ye Han gained the elder’s backing and a token granting him access to sect resources, and was told to register with the sect.

• The Seventh Elder examined Ye Han and remarked on his strong foundation and progress despite his false spirit root.
• The Seventh Elder asked where Ye Han had obtained the Azure Mystic Art, then said he would not pry into Ye Han’s resources as long as he remembered his loyalty to the Azure Profound Sect.
• The Seventh Elder offered to take Ye Han as a registered disciple, and Ye Han immediately bowed and accepted.
• The Seventh Elder explained that Ye Han reminded him of the cave abode’s former occupant, a false-root disciple who had contributed greatly to Seven Mysteries Peak.
• The Seventh Elder told Ye Han he would formally accept him after he reached Foundation Establishment and instructed him to register with the sect.
• The Seventh Elder gave Ye Han his disciple token, which allowed free access to certain Scripture Pavilion books and one magic artifact from the Treasure Pavilion.

After becoming the Seventh Elder’s disciple, Ye Han registered at Seven Mysteries Hall and saw how his new status changed the way others treated him. He went to the Treasure Pavilion to claim a Magic Artifact and discovered that his Purple Cauldron was reacting.

• Wang Lan warmly helped Ye Han register at Seven Mysteries Hall and escorted him out because Ye Han was the Seventh Elder’s disciple.
• Ye Han reflected that he had missed the usual new-disciple guidance and resources, including twenty Spirit Stones, two Low-Grade Qi Refining Pills, and a choice of basic manuals.
• Ye Han headed to the Treasure Pavilion to claim the Magic Artifact the Seventh Elder had promised him.
• Han Yuwan changed her attitude after seeing the Seventh Elder’s token, introduced herself, and offered to discuss cultivation with Ye Han.
• Ye Han asked Han Yuwan how to collect his Magic Artifact, and the Purple Cauldron in his Storage Bag began to react.

Ye Han visited Seven Mysteries Peak’s Treasure Pavilion to claim a Magic Artifact using the Disciple Token bestowed on him by the peak master. Han Yuwan let him enter the second-floor artifact rooms, where the dazzling selection left him unsure what to choose.

• The Purple Cauldron trembled at the Treasure Pavilion’s treasures, but it showed no further reaction, easing Ye Han’s fears of drawing attention.
• Han Yuwan explained the pavilion’s exchange-token system and told Ye Han his Disciple Token allowed him to redeem one Magic Artifact of any grade.
• Ye Han thanked Han Yuwan with a compliment, and she invited him to visit her and discuss cultivation.
• Han Yuwan led Ye Han to the pavilion’s second floor, where the guards admitted them after learning he was the Seventh Elder’s disciple.
• Ye Han saw the many Magic Artifacts inside and struggled to decide which one to choose.