Chapter Summaries

He Pingsheng was selected as one of the Great Void Sect’s top twenty disciples and escorted to Bamboo Peak. Zhao Ling'er explained the peak’s layout and took him to become a disciple of her master, Yu Ning.

• He Pingsheng reached the second layer of cultivation in his wood-aspect dantian and went to hear the Inner Sect selection results.
• The black-robed disciple named He Pingsheng among the twenty selected disciples, despite protests from Outer Disciples who had higher cultivation.
• Zhao Ling'er called He Pingsheng and Shen Shigu to join her, then questioned He Pingsheng about his ability to refine first-grade pills.
• Zhao Ling'er brought the two men by Paper Crane to Bamboo Peak and explained that the Grand Ancestor and three foundation-establishment disciples lived there.
• Zhao Ling'er sent Shen Shigu to Jade Virtue’s residence and told He Pingsheng that he would become Yu Ning’s disciple and her fellow disciple.

He Pingsheng became True Person Yu Ning’s ninth true disciple and received cultivation supplies and a residence. Yu Ning then tested his claimed pill-refining skill, leaving him to attempt Qi-Gathering Pills with ten sets of ingredients.

• Zhao Ling'er led He Pingsheng to Yu Ning Palace, where he bowed to True Person Yu Ning and greeted his fellow disciples.
• True Person Yu Ning accepted He Pingsheng as her ninth true disciple after learning that he practiced a basic method and cultivated fire-attribute qi.
• Yu Ning gave He Pingsheng a fire-attribute cultivation secret art, twenty spirit stones, and access to the regular benefits and residences for inner disciples.
• He Pingsheng chose a secluded residence, collected Daoist robes and an Inner Disciple Token, then returned to Yu Ning Palace.
• Yu Ning handed He Pingsheng ten sets of Qi-Gathering Pill ingredients and ordered him to prove his skill within ten attempts.
• He Pingsheng asked to use his own Alchemy Furnace, and Yu Ning agreed and allowed two servant disciples to tend the fire.

He Pingsheng refined his first batch of Qi-Gathering Pills before Yu Ning and was accepted as her direct disciple. Yu Ning assigned him a monthly pill quota, then made a Life Tablet for him so she would know if he died.

• He Pingsheng used his supreme-grade Alchemy Furnace to refine twelve low-grade Qi-Gathering Pills, and Yu Ning praised his success.
• Yu Ning made He Pingsheng her direct disciple, and his senior brothers and sisters asked him to refine pills for them.
• Yu Ning required He Pingsheng to provide five batches of Qi-Gathering Pills each month in exchange for fifty sets of ingredients, exemption from assignments, and annual contribution points.
• Yu Ning led He Pingsheng to a room of Life Tablets and explained that each tablet shattered when its owner died.
• He Pingsheng gave blood for his Life Tablet, and Yu Ning inscribed his name on it.

He Pingsheng received a Treasure Bag and cultivation method from Yu Ning, then tested his Treasure-Gathering Basin with a single spirit stone. After discovering it had produced two unusually powerful spirit stones, he sought Zhao Ling'er’s help finding a book on cultivation basics and headed for Jade Dragon Peak.

• Yu Ning gave He Pingsheng a Treasure Bag, the Blazing Fire Qi Refining Art, and twenty spirit stones, and told him to ask Zhao Ling'er about cultivation and sect rules.
• He Pingsheng visited his senior brothers and sisters, then returned to his courtyard and put up a sign saying he was in seclusion.
• He Pingsheng placed one spirit stone in the Treasure-Gathering Basin and woke the next morning to find two larger stones filling his room with dense spiritual energy.
• He Pingsheng stored the two stones in his dantian and asked Zhao Ling'er where he could find a book covering basic cultivation knowledge.
• Zhao Ling'er directed He Pingsheng to the Scripture Repository Hall on Jade Dragon Peak, and he went to the square to use a Teleportation Array.
• The Outer Disciple guarding the array recognized He Pingsheng’s status, greeted him respectfully, and offered to send him to the Great Void Hall.

He Pingsheng traveled to the Scripture Repository Hall and Treasury Hall to learn about cultivation and buy supplies. After reading the Cultivation Miscellany, he discovered that the spirit stones enhanced by his Treasure-Gathering Basin were only middle-grade, and wondered about supreme-grade spirit stones.

• He Pingsheng traveled through the Great Void Sect to Jade Dragon Peak and found the Scripture Repository Hall.
• An old man recognized He Pingsheng as Yu Ning's disciple and let him browse the first floor, where he bought the Cultivation Miscellany for ten spirit stones.
• He Pingsheng visited the Treasury Hall and bought a Flying Sword, a Greenwood Shield, a Fireball Talisman, and an Ice Needle Talisman for two hundred and seventy spirit stones.
• Back in his courtyard, He Pingsheng read that spirit stones came in four grades and realized the stones enhanced by his Treasure-Gathering Basin were only middle-grade.

He Pingsheng learned why his Treasure-Gathering Basin currently enhanced spirit stones only to middle grade, then enhanced his Treasury Hall purchases while refining pills. After delivering five batches to Zhao Ling'er, he entered her courtyard and noticed a yellow film of light at her doorway.

• He Pingsheng read that middle-grade spirit stones could support cultivation, while higher grades could sustain spirit veins and sects, and decided to avoid spending his enhanced stones or drawing attention.
• He Pingsheng refined five batches of Qi-Gathering Pills and enhanced his purchased items into supreme-grade magical artifacts and stronger talismans.
• He Pingsheng decided to keep several enhanced treasures and sell three magical artifacts to raise enough spirit stones for a Storage Bag.
• He Pingsheng brought the five batches of pills to Zhao Ling'er because Yu Ning was in seclusion, and Zhao Ling'er invited him into her flower-filled courtyard.
• He Pingsheng noticed an earthen-yellow film of light at Zhao Ling'er's doorway.

He Pingsheng learned how a Seclusion Formation could protect his courtyard and bought materials to set one up, hoping to keep the scent of his Supreme Qi-Gathering Pills from leaking out. Daoist Nun Feng questioned him about his spending, but Zhao Ling'er vouched for his pill-making, and he was allowed to go.

• Zhao Ling'er showed He Pingsheng how her Seclusion Formation worked and warned him about Senior Brother Huang spying on disciples.
• He Pingsheng bought first-grade Seclusion Formation materials at the Treasury Hall, spending all but fourteen of his spirit stones.
• He Pingsheng returned to his courtyard and studied the formation diagram, considering whether to enhance the formation.
• Daoist Nun Feng confronted He Pingsheng about spending over five hundred spirit stones, and he explained that he had inherited money and earned more by refining pills.
• Zhao Ling'er confirmed that He Pingsheng could refine pills, and Daoist Nun Feng left after learning his parents had died.

He Pingsheng cultivated in seclusion for three months and broke through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, then spent the following months cultivating multiple dantians and his mind formula. After upgrading his Seclusion Formation, he headed to Horsehead Mountain Market to sell magical artifacts and seek a Storage Bag.

• He Pingsheng set up a low-grade Seclusion Formation that concealed the scent of his supreme-grade Qi-Gathering Pills.
• After three months of cultivating and refining pills for Zhao Ling'er, He Pingsheng advanced to the sixth level of Qi Refining and resolved to slow his apparent progress.
• By winter, He Pingsheng had reached the sixth level in his fire- and wood-element dantians and cultivated the Mysterious Gate Tranquil Mind True Formula to its sixth level.
• He Pingsheng strengthened his Seclusion Formation into two sets of supreme-grade materials with a range of up to a hundred zhang.
• He Pingsheng told Zhao Ling'er he would be gone for a day, then flew to Horsehead Mountain Market in disguise with magical artifacts and formation materials to sell.

He Pingsheng sold two supreme-grade magical artifacts at Horsehead Mountain Market, earning 1,950 spirit stones, and then went to Kunlun Pool to buy a Storage Bag. The chapter ended as the shopkeeper showed him the three grades available.

• He Pingsheng sold a supreme-grade Alchemy Furnace for 800 spirit stones at a shop near Abundant Harmony Manor.
• He Pingsheng sold a supreme-grade Vine Armor Shield to a cultivator at Harmony Hall for 1,150 spirit stones.
• He Pingsheng counted his 1,950 spirit stones and decided to sell his formation materials rather than his supreme-grade Flying Sword.
• He Pingsheng entered Kunlun Pool and asked the white-haired shopkeeper to show him Storage Bags.
• The shopkeeper led He Pingsheng to a shelf and offered low-grade, middle-grade, and high-grade Storage Bags.

He Pingsheng bought a low-grade Storage Bag by trading supreme-grade Seclusion Formation materials and purchased an Earth-Attribute Cultivation Method and materials for a low-grade formation. As he flew back toward the Great Void Sect, the Blackwind Three Fiends spotted him and set out to pursue him.

• He Pingsheng traded his supreme-grade Seclusion Formation materials and six hundred spirit stones for a low-grade Storage Bag, then stored his remaining spirit stones inside it.
• He Pingsheng bought an Earth-Attribute Cultivation Method for thirty spirit stones and purchased materials for a low-grade Seclusion Formation.
• He Pingsheng left Horsehead Mountain Market on his Paper Crane and flew toward the Great Void Sect.
• The Blackwind Three Fiends emerged from hiding after He Pingsheng left and noted his rapid cultivation, valuable possessions, and new Storage Bag.
• The eldest of the Blackwind Three Fiends summoned a Flying Boat and ordered the second brother to wait while he and the third brother chased He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng was pursued by two members of the Blackwind Three Fiends, who tried to kill him and take his treasures. He used a Fire Pellet Talisman and an Ice Arrow Talisman to kill both attackers.

• The eldest and third Blackwind Fiends chased He Pingsheng by Flying Boat and caught him above the mountains.
• He Pingsheng fought back with Fire Crows and the Fire Shield Technique, but the brothers pressed him with fireballs and Flying Swords.
• He Pingsheng used a Fire Pellet Talisman to blast the eldest Blackwind Fiend into pieces.
• The third Blackwind Fiend fled, but He Pingsheng killed him with an Ice Arrow Talisman.

After killing two of the Blackwind Three Fiends, He Pingsheng enhanced a Storage Bag into an enormous, invisible version and concealed his spoils. He returned to cultivation and, a year later, had advanced his metal and earth techniques and learned a new defensive spell.

• He Pingsheng collected the Blackwind Boss’s and the third brother’s belongings, then returned to his outer-sect courtyard to inventory them.
• He found about eight hundred spirit stones, magical artifacts including a Cloud-Piercing Boat, and four cultivation manuals among the spoils.
• He enhanced a Storage Bag in the Treasure-Gathering Basin and discovered it held a ten-zhang space and could become undetectable when worn.
• He Pingsheng stored most of his possessions in the invisible Storage Bags, kept a few ordinary items in his Treasure Bag, and returned to Bamboo Peak.
• He Pingsheng refined his Flying Sword and Greenwood Shield, enhanced his metal- and earth-attribute techniques, and cultivated the earth technique.
• Over the next year, He Pingsheng raised both his earth- and metal-attribute cultivation to the sixth level of Qi Refining and learned the Earth Armor Technique.

He Pingsheng bought Golden Bone Pill ingredients and a water-attribute cultivation manual while improving his pill-refining skills. After collecting a reward from True Person Yu Ning, he began enhancing the new manual, but a woman in red arrived demanding ten batches of middle-grade Qi-Gathering Pills.

• He Pingsheng bought two sets of Golden Bone Pill ingredients and arranged to buy a water-attribute cultivation manual from an outer disciple.
• He Pingsheng refined Golden Bone Pills and Qi-Gathering Pills, producing several middle-grade pills, then gave the pills to Zhao Ling'er.
• Zhao Ling'er took He Pingsheng to report his improved pill-making to True Person Yu Ning, who rewarded him with two hundred spirit stones.
• He Pingsheng checked the copied water-attribute manual against its original, paid the outer disciple fifty spirit stones, and returned home to enhance it.
• A woman in red pounded on He Pingsheng's gate and demanded that he refine ten batches of middle-grade Qi-Gathering Pills from her ingredients.

He Pingsheng refused Linglong’s demand that he refine pills, then went to the Virtue-Honoring Garden after Uncle-Master Jade Virtue summoned him. A golden giant python attacked him outside the garden, and He Pingsheng tried to defend himself with a Fire Pellet Talisman.

• Linglong asked He Pingsheng to refine ten batches of middle-grade pills, but he refused and shut his courtyard gate on her.
• Linglong threatened He Pingsheng and revealed that True Person Jade Virtue was her grandfather.
• Zhao Ling'er brought an attendant who summoned He Pingsheng to the Virtue-Honoring Garden, while she went to seek their master's help.
• As He Pingsheng waited outside the garden, he sensed danger and leaped away just before a golden giant python struck the ground.
• The python chased He Pingsheng and lunged at him, so he pulled out a Fire Pellet Talisman in an attempt to fight back.

He Pingsheng survived the Golden Giant Python’s attack and accused no one directly, though he realized Linglong had likely arranged the trap. Jade Virtue dismissed the incident as a misunderstanding and gave He Pingsheng compensation, while Yu Ning took him and Zhao Ling'er away.

• He Pingsheng blasted the Golden Giant Python with a Fire Pellet Talisman, but its injured head struck him through his defenses and sent him crashing to the ground.
• Yu Ning arrived and fought the Golden Giant Python until Jade Virtue subdued it and questioned He Pingsheng.
• He Pingsheng explained that Ming Zhu had summoned him under a forged decree, and Linglong produced Ming Zhu’s corpse, claiming she had executed him.
• Zhao Ling'er accused Linglong of plotting against He Pingsheng after he refused to refine pills, but He Pingsheng declined to accuse her outright.
• Jade Virtue called the attack a misunderstanding, gave He Pingsheng a Treasure Bag as compensation, and Yu Ning left with He Pingsheng and Zhao Ling'er.

He Pingsheng received the [Golden Fist] spell from Yu Ning and enhanced it through the Treasure-Gathering Basin, gaining the offensive [Yellow Turban Strongman] spell. After twenty days of practice, he successfully summoned a powerful phantom warrior.

• Yu Ning scolded Zhao Ling'er for accusing Linglong without proof, then praised her for defending He Pingsheng and advised him not to force himself to refine pills for others.
• Zhao Ling'er said she was close to breaking through to the ninth level but needed to purge pill toxin, and He Pingsheng offered to refine [Clear Spirit Pills].
• He Pingsheng told Yu Ning he lacked spells, chose [Golden Fist] from the manuals she offered, and left with Zhao Ling'er.
• He Pingsheng enhanced [Golden Fist] in the Treasure-Gathering Basin and received the defensive Vajra Shield and offensive Yellow Turban Strongman spells.
• After studying Yellow Turban Strongman for twenty days, He Pingsheng summoned a ten-foot golden phantom wielding a massive axe.

He Pingsheng learned that the Green Screen Mountain Secret Realm would open in half a year and that he needed to reach the late qi refining stage to enter. Yu Ning explained the secret realm’s dangers and rules, leaving He Pingsheng with a chance to qualify if he advanced his cultivation in time.

• He Pingsheng tested the Yellow Turban Strongman's strength, then spent half a year cultivating until he reached the peak of the sixth layer of qi refining stage.
• Yu Ning summoned her disciples, scolded Xu Kunlun for failing to advance, and urged He Pingsheng to break through to the seventh layer.
• Yu Ning announced that the Green Screen Mountain Secret Realm would open in half a year and encouraged her disciples to participate if they reached the late qi refining stage.
• Yu Ning explained that the secret realm rejected foundation establishment cultivators and that its trial grounds had no rules for fighting over treasures.
• Yu Ning told the disciples that sect members usually searched together, but they might fight one another for rare treasures, and that the sect and individual generally split the spoils evenly.

He Pingsheng joined Zhao Ling'er, Xu Kunlun, and Tian Xiaoqing to plan for the Green Screen Mountain Trial, then learned that Linglong and Jade Virtue had killed his parents. He kept his identity and grief hidden from his fellow disciples as he realized Uncle-Master Yuxuan had once tried to protect him.

• Zhao Ling'er brought He Pingsheng to Xu Kunlun's courtyard, where the four disciples agreed to support one another during the Green Screen Mountain Trial and share treasures according to their contributions.
• Xu Kunlun recounted how Linglong had tortured and killed Hao Yun after he refused to reveal where his Golden Bone Pill came from.
• Xu Kunlun told the group that Linglong had ordered He Sanjie swallowed by a giant python and that Jade Virtue had killed He Sanjie's Dao companion when she sought an explanation.
• He Pingsheng realized He Sanjie and his Dao companion were his parents, and struggled to conceal his shock and grief.
• He Pingsheng connected Uncle-Master Yuxuan's old warning not to reveal his parentage to the need to protect him from Jade Virtue and Linglong.

He Pingsheng learned that the secret realm held abundant spirit herbs and rare treasures, including the Water Essence Spirit Apricot, which could help cultivators break through Qi Refining bottlenecks. He left to continue cultivating, reassured that he was only at the sixth layer and had his Treasure-Gathering Basin.

• Xu Kunlun explained that the secret realm’s spiritual energy nourished vast quantities of spirit plants, including ingredients for pills and rare third-grade spirit roots.
• Zhao Ling'er and Xu Kunlun told He Pingsheng that the Water Essence Spirit Apricot could help a Qi Refining cultivator advance one layer, and that cultivators had died fighting over one.
• Xu Kunlun explained that Qi Refining cultivators faced bottlenecks that pills could not overcome, and warned that He Pingsheng’s Five-Element Spiritual Root might bring him several.
• Zhao Ling'er and Tian Xiaoqing urged He Pingsheng not to worry about future bottlenecks, and he decided to focus on breaking through to the seventh layer.
• Xu Kunlun gave He Pingsheng two jin of spirit tea to take back with him.

He Pingsheng reached the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage and prepared for the Green Screen Mountain Secret Realm by inventorying his supplies and advancing all five of his dantians. With the secret realm a little over a month away, he reunited with his fellow disciples and set off for Horsehead Mountain Market to buy supplies.

• He Pingsheng broke through to the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage and took stock of his artifacts, talismans, spirit stones, pills, and spells for the upcoming trial.
• He Pingsheng cultivated for five months, bringing his metal, wood, water, fire, and earth dantians to the seventh level and mastering the Ren Water Escape Technique and Vajra Shield.
• He Pingsheng left his courtyard and met Zhao Ling'er, who had reached the ninth level; Tian Xiaoqing was at the eighth level and Xu Kunlun at the seventh.
• Zhao Ling'er got True Person Yu Ning's permission for the group to visit Horsehead Mountain Market, and she and Xu Kunlun took He Pingsheng and Tian Xiaoqing there on two Paper Cranes.