Chapter Summaries

He Pingsheng used an Invisibility Talisman to slip out of the imperial guards’ encirclement on Divine General Mountain and evade Long Yuan’s divine sense. After changing his appearance and flying toward Mount Li, he set out to find Qiao Huizhu before the mountain closed.

• He Pingsheng waited until a Golden Bead drew the crowd’s attention, then used an Invisibility Talisman to vanish from the square.
• He Pingsheng quietly passed between two Foundation Establishment Realm guards and descended the mountain without being detected.
• He Pingsheng traveled cautiously for a day and night until he left the range of Long Yuan’s divine sense.
• He Pingsheng changed his appearance, rode his sword north and then west toward Mount Li, and hurried to find Qiao Huizhu before Divine General Mountain closed.

He Pingsheng reached Mount Li and reunited with Qiao Huizhu, learning that Qiao Xiaoqiao had already gone ahead to the Liang Lands. Disguised as cultivators, he and Qiao Huizhu attempted to cross into Liang, but found the border sealed and themselves wanted by the Qi Kingdom.

• After five days of travel, He Pingsheng reached Mount Li and found Qiao Huizhu waiting on its highest peak.
• Qiao Huizhu explained that she had sent Qiao Xiaoqiao ahead to the Liang Lands twenty days earlier to avoid drawing attention.
• He Pingsheng used Golden Bee Sacred Nectar to disguise himself, and Qiao Huizhu changed her appearance with a Disguise Talisman before they flew west.
• At the Qi–Liang border, two Qi Kingdom Guards told He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu that the border was sealed to anyone below the golden core stage.
• The guards showed them wanted images of He Pingsheng, Qiao Huizhu, and Qiao Xiaoqiao, and warned that patrols and cultivators guarded the entire border.

He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu found the Qi-Liang border sealed and hid in a cave on Mount Li while he went to Far West City for news. He learned that the Qi Kingdom was surrounding all of Shangdang Commandery to find the thief who stole the Divine Spear, and a powerful divine sense suddenly landed on him as he left the teahouse.

• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu searched for a way through the border but found it guarded by Golden Core cultivators, so they returned to Mount Li and hid in a cave.
• He Pingsheng set up formations around the cave and left Qiao Huizhu there while he went to gather information, relying on his Jinlan Treasure Robe to conceal him.
• He Pingsheng traveled to Far West City and heard cultivators discuss the Divine Spear thief and the Qi Kingdom's tightening encirclement of Shangdang Commandery.
• He Pingsheng realized that the search would eventually expose their cave and left the spirit teahouse worried about how to escape.
• A powerful divine sense descended from the sky and landed on He Pingsheng.

A Nascent Soul cultivator swept Far West City as the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Family tightened its pursuit of He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu. To help them escape, Qiao Huizhu dispersed her Spiritual Power and disfigured herself, leaving He Pingsheng determined to restore her ability to cultivate.

• He Pingsheng sensed a Great Nascent Soul sweeping Far West City and learned that the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Family was closing in on them.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu agreed they would need to find a new hiding place as the encirclement tightened.
• Qiao Huizhu told He Pingsheng she wanted to make their marriage real, and they spent the night together.
• He Pingsheng woke to find Qiao Huizhu gone and discovered her outside with gray hair, wrinkles, and bloody cuts across her face.
• Qiao Huizhu explained that she had dispersed her Spiritual Power and disfigured herself to conceal her identity and help them escape.
• He Pingsheng promised to restore Qiao Huizhu's Immortal Root, though he knew her closed meridians, spiritual root, and Dantian would make cultivation difficult to regain.

After Qiao Huizhu dispersed her qi, she and He Pingsheng fled toward Far West City to escape pursuit. They stopped at a remote farmstead, where He Pingsheng offered to heal the lame granddaughter of an old farmer in exchange for a favor.

• He Pingsheng comforted Qiao Huizhu as she said she would cultivate anew and regain her former appearance, then they decided to leave the mountains and evade their pursuers.
• He Pingsheng took Qiao Huizhu aboard the Cloud-Piercing Boat toward Far West City, but Qiao Huizhu spotted a farmstead and suggested hiding there instead.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu landed near the cottages and met the white-haired farmer, Uncle Cheng, and his deaf, mute, lame granddaughter.
• Uncle Cheng explained that his son and daughter-in-law had died, leaving him worried about what would happen to his granddaughter after his death.
• He Pingsheng offered to cure the granddaughter's lame leg with a Blood-Healing Pill and asked Uncle Cheng for a favor in return.

He Pingsheng healed the old man’s granddaughter’s lame leg and arranged to pose as the old man’s deceased son, with Qiao Huizhu as his daughter-in-law, to hide from his enemies. After treating Qiao Huizhu’s facial wounds and refining his disguise, he left the old man and girl stunned by his resemblance to the son.

• He Pingsheng offered to heal the girl in exchange for the old man’s help, and she swallowed a supreme-grade Blood-Healing Pill that restored her ability to walk.
• He Pingsheng confirmed that the family had little contact with outsiders, then asked the old man about his late son and daughter-in-law.
• He Pingsheng explained that he and Qiao Huizhu would pose as the old man’s son and daughter-in-law if his enemies arrived, and the old man agreed to shelter them.
• He Pingsheng secretly traveled to Far West City, enhanced ordinary Wound-Healing Medicine, and treated Qiao Huizhu’s face, though scars remained.
• He Pingsheng transformed himself to resemble the old man’s deceased son, and the old man and girl were moved by how convincing he looked.

He Pingsheng disguised his group as a family of mortals to pass an inspection by cultivators searching the mountains. After another month without signs of pursuit, he judged them safe and promised to cure the old man's granddaughter's deafness and muteness with an Origin-Repairing Pill.

• Three cultivators arrived in the mountains, and He Pingsheng instructed Qiao Huizhu, the girl, and the old man to kneel and act like his family.
• He Pingsheng used the deceased son's name, Cheng Xifeng, and claimed the girl was deaf and mute as the female cultivator questioned them.
• The female cultivator summoned her Golden Core Stage master, who inspected the group and their long-established farm before deciding they were ordinary mortals and leaving.
• He Pingsheng continued their routine for another month, then searched the surrounding mountains and found no cultivators.
• He Pingsheng thanked the old man and promised to treat his granddaughter with an Origin-Repairing Pill so she could regain her hearing and eventually learn to speak.

He Pingsheng healed Xiao He’s hearing and discovered that she had a single fire spirit root, so he left Old Cheng cultivation manuals and supplies to teach her before departing with Qiao Huizhu. He later reached Mount Li, secured Qiao Huizhu with formations, and checked that the border between the Liang Kingdom and the Qi Kingdom was clear.

• Qiao Huizhu gave He Pingsheng ingredients, and he refined high-grade Origin-Repairing Pills that restored Xiao He’s hearing after two days.
• Old Cheng begged He Pingsheng to take Xiao He with him, but He Pingsheng refused because they were fleeing enemies.
• Qiao Huizhu examined Xiao He and discovered that she had a single fire spirit root.
• He Pingsheng left Old Cheng spirit stones, pills, cultivation texts, and a Flying Sword, instructing him to teach Xiao He the Lihuo True Method.
• Xiao He called He Pingsheng “Daddy” as he and Qiao Huizhu left on the Cloud-Piercing Boat.
• He Pingsheng set up defensive and illusion formations for Qiao Huizhu on Mount Li, then searched the Liang Kingdom–Qi Kingdom border and found it empty.

He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu reached Redstone City in the Liang Kingdom, where they settled into a small courtyard and prepared to search for medicine ingredients and news of Little Qiao. He Pingsheng left Qiao Huizhu at their newly secured home while he went to explore the city.

• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu escaped the Qi Kingdom and traveled for more than forty days before reaching Redstone City.
• He Pingsheng paid for two entry tokens and bought a carriage pulled by a Snowfield Rabbit.
• He Pingsheng purchased a small courtyard near the City Lord's Manor for himself and Qiao Huizhu.
• He Pingsheng set up four second-grade formations around the courtyard and gave Qiao Huizhu a Heartbond Talisman.
• He Pingsheng left to look for pill ingredients and news of Little Qiao.

He Pingsheng visited the Red Moon Trading Company to buy maps, pill ingredients, and formation materials, but learned that several ingredients for the pills he needed were exceptionally rare. After paying for his purchases, he was stopped outside by the female cultivator who had assisted him, as she asked to offer him a service.

• He Pingsheng reached the Red Moon Trading Company and bought maps of Liang Kingdom and Redstone Commandery.
• He Pingsheng showed Elder Ling the ingredients needed for three pills, and Elder Ling explained that many were unavailable or extremely rare.
• He Pingsheng insisted on pursuing the ingredients and bought all the available pill ingredients, along with second- and third-grade formation materials.
• He Pingsheng paid ninety-seven thousand spirit stones and left the trading company.
• The blue-robed female cultivator called after He Pingsheng and asked to offer him a service for compensation.

He Pingsheng negotiated with Liang Yue for a Skull Mountain Token in exchange for a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. After buying two winter dawnflowers and two momentary fruits, he obtained the Token and learned that the Skull Mountain Assembly would take place in half a year.

• Liang Yue told He Pingsheng where he could find winter dawnflower and momentary fruit, and offered to obtain a Skull Mountain Token.
• Liang Yue asked for a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, and He Pingsheng agreed to trade one for the Token and her help locating ingredients.
• Liang Yue found a trading association where He Pingsheng bought two winter dawnflowers and two momentary fruits.
• Liang Yue gave He Pingsheng a black Skull Mountain Token that let its holder bring one other person to the assembly.
• Liang Yue told He Pingsheng that the Skull Mountain Assembly would be held in half a year and that its location was marked on his map.

He Pingsheng refined supreme-grade Meridian-Opening Pills and Spirit-Expanding Pills for Qiao Huizhu, who used them to open her meridians and dantian. She could now cultivate, though her dormant spirit root still needed to be awakened.

• He Pingsheng returned with ingredients for the Meridian-Opening Pill and Spirit-Expanding Pill, but lacked two ingredients for the Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
• He Pingsheng studied the two pill formulas, enhanced the ingredients, and refined both pills, later turning the waste pills and successful pills into supreme-grade versions.
• He Pingsheng gave Qiao Huizhu a supreme-grade Meridian-Opening Pill and a supreme-grade Spirit-Expanding Pill, reassuring her that she would succeed.
• Qiao Huizhu took the Meridian-Opening Pill and opened her meridians, then took the Spirit-Expanding Pill and opened her dantian.
• He Pingsheng told Qiao Huizhu she could cultivate by using pills, even though her spirit root had not yet awakened.

He Pingsheng discovered that Qiao Huizhu could restore her cultivation by swallowing pills, and she quickly advanced through the Qi Refining Stage while regaining her appearance. After they began secluded cultivation, He Pingsheng reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment and learned the Divine Spear was a high-grade Ancient Treasure.

• He Pingsheng gave Qiao Huizhu Qi-Gathering Pills, and she advanced to the third layer of Qi Refining Stage in one day.
• Qiao Huizhu explained that she could regain her former cultivation without bottlenecks, though it would take two or three years.
• He Pingsheng gave Qiao Huizhu a Blood-Healing Pill, which removed the scars from her face and restored her beauty.
• Several days later, He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu began secluded cultivation, while He Pingsheng set up formations to protect his secret Treasure-Gathering Basin.
• He Pingsheng tried to enhance the small black spear without success, then refined it while cultivating for more than five months.
• He Pingsheng broke through to the third layer of Foundation Establishment and identified the spear as a Heaven-Deficiency Divine Spear, a high-grade Ancient Treasure with nineteen layers of restrictions.

He Pingsheng tested the Heaven-Deficiency Divine Spear, then left Redstone City with Qiao Huizhu to attend the Skull Mountain Assembly. After arriving, they entered the crowded grounds and went to find lodging, still without news of Qiao Xiaoqiao.

• He Pingsheng tested the Heaven-Deficiency Divine Spear and prepared to travel to Skull Mountain.
• He Pingsheng discovered that Qiao Huizhu had reached the eighth layer of the Qi Refining Stage, and the two reunited after months apart.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu left Redstone City by Flying Boat and arrived at Skull Mountain half a day later.
• Qiao Huizhu said she had been unable to contact Qiao Xiaoqiao because they were beyond the Heartbond Talisman's range.
• He Pingsheng paid the entry fee for himself and Qiao Huizhu, then surveyed the assembly grounds and decided to rent a house.

He Pingsheng rented a guarded house at the Skull Mountain Assembly and searched for heavenly fragrant cardamom, but found none. While browsing the stalls with Qiao Huizhu, he discovered a demon-beast pill flame and considered buying it.

• He Pingsheng rented a house for fifteen days and added several formations to protect it.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu searched the merchant establishments for heavenly fragrant cardamom, but none had it.
• Qiao Huizhu reassured He Pingsheng that she was content, while he urged her to keep cultivating toward the Nascent Soul Realm.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu browsed the stalls, but found no heavenly fragrant cardamom.
• He Pingsheng learned that a stallholder's pill flame had been extracted from a Golden Core Stage Blaze Rat and considered purchasing it.

He Pingsheng traded a high-grade Soul-Restoring Pill for a rare pill flame and then searched a market for ingredients needed to refine pills. He learned where to look for bitter hemp seeds but found no lead on heavenly fragrant cardamom, so he and Qiao Huizhu continued browsing.

• He Pingsheng traded a high-grade Soul-Restoring Pill to the fat cultivator for a third-grade pill flame, which he stored to refine later.
• He Pingsheng asked the Spirit Herb Manor stallholders for bitter hemp seeds and learned the manor might still have some in storage.
• He Pingsheng asked where to find heavenly fragrant cardamom, but the stallholders said it was too rare to know a source.
• Qiao Huizhu urged He Pingsheng not to let his search become an inner demon and said she did not expect to reach the Nascent Soul Realm.
• He Pingsheng told Qiao Huizhu they had visited fewer than a tenth of the stalls and continued looking.

He Pingsheng bought the rare God-Slaying Art from an elderly cultivator and considered how its invisible divine sense attacks could help him survive. He and Qiao Huizhu continued browsing the stalls, where they found a Talisman Brush suited to her.

• He Pingsheng discovered that an old man was selling his former sect’s cultivation techniques to raise money for a Foundation Establishment Pill.
• The old man singled out the God-Slaying Art for He Pingsheng, who learned it could use divine sense to disrupt or destroy an opponent’s sea of consciousness.
• He Pingsheng gave the old man a Foundation Establishment Pill for the Jade Slip and left with Qiao Huizhu.
• Qiao Huizhu recognized the God-Slaying Art as a rare, difficult-to-defend-against divine sense ability, while He Pingsheng considered enhancing it with the Treasure-Gathering Basin.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu found no bitter hemp seed but discovered a Talisman Brush suited to Qiao Huizhu.

He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu searched Skull Mountain’s market for ingredients and found the bitter hemp seeds He Pingsheng needed, but not the heavenly fragrant cardamom. They returned to their rented house planning how to search the remaining stalls before their locations changed.

• He Pingsheng inspected a third-grade trapping formation plate at a stall but decided not to buy it.
• Qiao Huizhu spotted bitter hemp seeds, and He Pingsheng traded two middle-grade Spirit-Gathering Pills for them.
• He Pingsheng learned that the Daoist nun had no heavenly fragrant cardamom, the last ingredient he and Qiao Huizhu needed.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu searched the market until nightfall, finding more bitter hemp seeds but no heavenly fragrant cardamom.
• He Pingsheng worried that the stalls would be rearranged the next day and proposed finding a better way to search them.

He Pingsheng used a Dual Spirit Pill to search the square for heavenly fragrant cardamom, then bought two Golden Thunder Talismans and prepared a buying stall with Qiao Huizhu. The chapter ended as they began seeking the herb by offering a high price for it.

• He Pingsheng swallowed a supreme-grade Dual Spirit Pill and expanded his divine sense enough to inspect nearly every stall in the square, but he found no heavenly fragrant cardamom.
• He Pingsheng and Qiao Huizhu visited a stall run by a sixth-layer Golden Core cultivator, who mistook He Pingsheng for a powerful Golden Core expert.
• He Pingsheng bought two low-grade Golden Thunder Talismans for forty-eight middle-grade spirit stones.
• He Pingsheng told Qiao Huizhu that the Grand Ancestor of the Great Void had left him his possessions.
• He Pingsheng set up a stall displaying pills and a sign offering a high price for second-grade heavenly fragrant cardamom.

He Pingsheng failed to attract buyers for heavenly fragrant cardamom until he offered a supreme-grade Spirit Artifact in exchange, drawing attention across the Skull Mountain Assembly. Senior Bai arrived with the material but demanded Qiao Huizhu as his cultivation cauldron, and He Pingsheng refused.

• Qiao Huizhu sold all the pills at He Pingsheng's stall, but no one showed interest in heavenly fragrant cardamom.
• He Pingsheng advertised a supreme-grade Spirit Artifact as a reward for heavenly fragrant cardamom and displayed the Sacred Wood Shield.
• He Pingsheng explained what heavenly fragrant cardamom looked like, and news of his offer spread through the Skull Mountain Assembly.
• Senior Bai, an eighth-level Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Free and Carefree Immortal Sect, offered to give He Pingsheng heavenly fragrant cardamom in exchange for Qiao Huizhu.
• Qiao Huizhu hid behind He Pingsheng, who refused Senior Bai's demand and said she was his Dao Companion.