Recaps

Xu Qingtong attended an auction and watched the first two items sell before accidentally bidding on an eight-hundred-year-old transformation grass. The chapter ended with his bid uncontested as the auctioneer counted it down.

• Xu Qingtong entered the Ding Arena, concealed his appearance beneath a cloak, and observed several powerful cultivators take the front-row seats.
• Ding Shisan explained the auction rules, then opened the auction with a high-grade Qianyuan Pill that sold for six thousand two hundred spirit stones.
• A supreme-grade flying sword named Flashing Rainbow sold to a woman in purple for fourteen thousand spirit stones, and Xu Qingtong withdrew his divine sense after it was painfully rebuffed.
• Ding Shisan presented an eight-hundred-year-old stalk of transformation grass, and Xu Qingtong thought of Xiao Qi before bidding three thousand four hundred spirit stones.
• No one outbid Xu Qingtong as Ding Shisan called his bid once, twice, and three times.

Xu Qingtong accidentally won Transformation Grass before watching bidders compete for the Three Saints Bell and a sixth-tier Ice Kite beast soul. He eagerly bid on the beast soul for his Jade Moon Puppet, but the auction was still underway as the price reached forty-one thousand Spirit Stones.

• Xu Qingtong reluctantly paid for the Transformation Grass after his casual bid won it.
• Ding Shisan demonstrated the Three Saints Bell by trapping and killing a gray-robed troublemaker, then began its auction.
• Shen Zhongyue tried to intimidate other bidders, but Ding Shisan warned him that the Juxian Merchant Association would remove him for breaking the rules.
• A male cultivator won the Three Saints Bell for thirty-seven thousand Spirit Stones.
• Xu Qingtong bid on the Ice Kite beast soul, and a female Golden Core cultivator and the drake-voiced man drove its price up to forty-one thousand Spirit Stones.

Xu Qingtong won a sixth-tier beast soul at the auction but failed to find the tiger-patterned white jade lotus he needed. After returning to the Tianya Inn, he prepared to open the beast soul’s jade bottle, then stopped with a grave expression.

• Xu Qingtong outbid the drake-voiced man, paying forty-eight thousand spirit stones for a beast soul and a jade slip explaining how to seal it.
• Xu Qingtong watched the stardust soil sell to Fellow Daoist Yun while he continued waiting for the tiger-patterned white jade lotus.
• Ding Shisan revealed a Vajra Śarīra, and several golden core cultivators competed for it until Shen Zhongyue won with a bid of eighty-five thousand spirit stones.
• Xu Qingtong returned to the Tianya Inn, activated the Blood-Soul Restriction, and took out the beast soul’s jade bottle before suddenly stopping.

Xu Qingtong developed a stronger Blood-Soul Restriction and used it to subdue the Ice Kite's soul. He made the Ice Kite his contracted Artifact Spirit after promising to free it once he formed his Golden Core, though help with taking human form remained conditional.

• Xu Qingtong studied ancient formations and devised a Blood-Soul Restriction that could restrain Divine Souls.
• He tested the restriction on Xiao Bai, confirmed it worked, and paid him with two jars of wine.
• Xu Qingtong strengthened the talisman with his Soul Blood and used it to seal the Ice Kite's soul as it emerged from the Jade Bottle.
• He offered to preserve the Ice Kite's intelligence and eventually free it, while warning that Xiao Qi could devour it if it refused.
• The Ice Kite agreed after Xu Qingtong promised to swear an oath, and he placed a Divine Soul brand on it and formed a Master-Servant Contract before removing the restriction.

Xu Qingtong rented a secure cave abode on Law Mountain and refined the Ice Kite's soul into the puppet Biyue. After testing Biyue's power, he gained confidence but decided to handle his other business before seeking revenge on the Corpse Fiend.

• Xu Qingtong rented a cave abode on Law Mountain after sensing a man in brocade robes following him from the city.
• Xu Qingtong studied the Han Clan Mechanism Art for three days, then began refining the Ice Kite's soul into Biyue.
• Xu Qingtong completed the refinement, named the puppet's new inhabitant Biyue, and had it practice moving in its body.
• Xu Qingtong tested Biyue's Ice Arrow against his Rushou Seal and saw that Biyue's attack was stronger.
• Xu Qingtong considered returning to the Valley of the Dead to settle accounts with the Corpse Fiend, but chose to take care of other business first.

Xu Qingtong left his cave abode and collected three clues to the tiger-patterned white jade lotus, then set out from Law City to investigate them. The brocade-robed man who had been watching him caught up and demanded his beast soul, and their fight began with both sides summoning weapons.

• Xu Qingtong spent the rest of his cave abode lease refining elixirs and Soul-Piercing Nails while the brocade-robed man watched for him outside.
• Xu Qingtong left Mount Law, collected three clues from the Four Directions Hall, and kept the other two tasks posted.
• Xu Qingtong read the clues and flew northwest aboard the Ink Cloud Shuttle, noticing the brocade-robed man pursuing him.
• Xu Qingtong prepared Biyue and Soul-Piercing Nails, then stopped to confront the brocade-robed man, who demanded the beast soul.
• Xu Qingtong pretended to surrender a Jade Bottle while ordering Biyue to attack, but the brocade-robed man dodged the Soul-Piercing Nails.
• Xu Qingtong summoned the Rushou Seal as the brocade-robed man summoned the Three Saints Bell and threatened to kill him.

Xu Qingtong and Biyue killed a brocade-robed man who turned out to be the grandson of Heavenly Mystery Palace Grand Elder Yan Zhongzi. Nangong Zhen helped conceal the traces of the killing and led Xu Qingtong to a restaurant in a nearby city, where they prepared to talk.

• Xu Qingtong used the Supreme Clarity Yin-Yang Cauldron to repel the brocade-robed man's Three Saints Bell, and Biyue killed the man with an Ice Arrow.
• Nangong Zhen arrived and told Xu Qingtong that the dead man was Yan Zhongzi's grandson, warning that Yan Zhongzi would soon investigate.
• Nangong Zhen disrupted the traces of qi at the scene while Xu Qingtong collected the man's Storage Bag and Three Saints Bell and burned his corpse.
• Yan Zhongzi arrived less than four hours later, found the traces obscured, and flew toward Law City in anger.
• Nangong Zhen and Xu Qingtong flew north for four hours, entered a small city, and went to a restaurant to talk over wine.

Xu Qingtong learned about Juxian Academy from Nangong Zhen and discovered that a token he had obtained was a Talent Recruitment Order. He left for Soulbreak Ridge in Canggen Mountain, considering how to prepare for the journey and whether to refine the Three Saints Bell.

• Nangong Zhen explained Juxian Academy’s standing, fields of study, admissions, and Talent Recruitment Orders to Xu Qingtong, who introduced himself as Chen Yu.
• Xu Qingtong showed Nangong Zhen his token, and Nangong Zhen confirmed it was a Talent Recruitment Order that would let him enter the academy without a time limit.
• Nangong Zhen offered to take Xu Qingtong to the academy and gave him Sound Transmission Talismans; the two exchanged talismans and parted.
• Xu Qingtong left the city on the Ink Cloud Shuttle and headed northwest toward Soulbreak Ridge in Canggen Mountain.
• While flying, Xu Qingtong reviewed his combat abilities and wondered whether refining the Three Saints Bell might alert the Heavenly Mystery Palace’s grand elder.

Xu Qingtong reached Heavenly Lake in search of a spirit herb and fought the fifth-tier beast guarding it. Biyue struck the beast with an Ice Arrow, and Xu Qingtong landed on Lakeside Island to search it.

• Xu Qingtong refined the Three Saints Bell while traveling, then reached Canggen Mountain and located Heavenly Lake.
• Xu Qingtong attacked the lake to draw out its guardian, a powerful aquatic beast, and tried to reason with it.
• The beast attacked Xu Qingtong, who tested the Three Saints Bell before using the Five Divine Seals and a Fire Dragon to drive it underwater.
• Xu Qingtong bombarded the lake with Golden Light Slashes, then waited as the wary beast stayed submerged.
• Xu Qingtong sent Biyue to watch the lake and flew toward Lakeside Island, where Biyue struck the beast with an Ice Arrow.
• Xu Qingtong landed on Lakeside Island and began surveying it.

Xu Qingtong explored a volcanic island with Xizi and discovered rare earth-melting gold and what appeared to be earth milk in a karst cave. After consuming a drop of the liquid, he reached the peak of middle-stage Foundation Establishment and waited for Xizi to retrieve the remaining treasures.

• Xu Qingtong sent Xizi to search the island, then followed it into a deep karst cave when it reported finding one.
• Xizi returned from the cave with a chunk of earth-melting gold and reported finding unusual white water farther below.
• Xu Qingtong sent Xizi back with a jade bottle to collect the ore and white liquid while he searched the island for tiger-patterned white jade lotus.
• Xizi brought back two more chunks of earth-melting gold and a bottle of the white liquid, which Xu Qingtong identified as likely earth milk.
• Xu Qingtong drank a drop of earth milk and refined its spiritual power, reaching the peak of middle-stage Foundation Establishment.

Xu Qingtong used Earth Milk to deepen his understanding of the five elements and broke through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. After Xizi finished gathering treasures beneath the cave, Xu Qingtong set out for Zhonglü City, where he planned to visit Juxian Academy.

• Xu Qingtong attempted a breakthrough using Earth Milk while Xizi returned with Earth-Melting Gold and reported that more Earth Milk remained below.
• Xu Qingtong discovered that Earth Milk contained all five elements and gained insight into their origin, transforming his Dao Heart Seed and magic power.
• Xu Qingtong refined more Earth Milk and broke through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, then stabilized his cultivation over two days.
• Xizi reported that she had gathered all the treasures beneath the cave, and Xu Qingtong departed with her for Qushui City.
• Xu Qingtong chose to travel through Zhonglü City so he could visit Juxian Academy, then crossed Canggen Mountain and flew northwest.

Xu Qingtong stopped in Shangshui City and intervened when Jia Zhengjing tried to claim a little girl as payment for supposedly damaged clothes. After saving Duoduo, he learned that she and her grandfather had fled a drought and had nowhere to turn.

• Xu Qingtong entered Shangshui City, drank at a restaurant, and listened to local gossip.
• Xu Qingtong found Jia Zhengjing demanding that an old man hand over his granddaughter Duoduo after she allegedly dirtied his Daoist robe.
• Xu Qingtong exposed Jia Zhengjing's excuse and drove him away by challenging him to surrender the robe for the compensation.
• Duoduo and her grandfather thanked Xu Qingtong, who urged them to leave before trouble returned.
• Duoduo's grandfather explained that a drought had driven them from their hometown, leaving Xu Qingtong wondering what they should do.

Xu Qingtong rescued Duoduo and her grandfather from Jia Zhengjing, then escorted them to Zhonglü City. After registering them for long-term stays, he hired Information Gatherer Bao to find them food, while remaining puzzled by Duoduo's changing spirit root.

• Xu Qingtong invited Duoduo and her grandfather to Zhonglü City, then used his aura to make Jia Zhengjing and his two brothers back down.
• On the way, Xu Qingtong discovered that Duoduo's spirit root kept changing between different elements.
• Xu Qingtong paid for long-term Identity Tokens for himself, Duoduo, and her grandfather after learning the city's entry requirements.
• Information Gatherer Bao offered to guide Xu Qingtong and his companions around Zhonglü City, and Xu Qingtong hired him for the day.
• Xu Qingtong asked Information Gatherer Bao to take them somewhere to eat.

Xu Qingtong found a home in Zhonglü City for Duoduo and her grandfather, taught Duoduo to cultivate, and considered whether to take her as his disciple. With no news from Information Gatherer Bao and plans to leave for Qushui City, Xu Qingtong wondered how Duoduo and her grandfather would support themselves, then spotted a shop and had an idea.

• Information Gatherer Bao found Xu Qingtong three houses to view, and Xu Qingtong rented a tidy courtyard and asked Bao to find a thousand-year-old tiger-patterned white jade lotus.
• Xu Qingtong taught Duoduo a basic cultivation technique, and she sensed spiritual qi and opened her dantian the following day.
• Duoduo accumulated magic power and broke through to the first Qi Refining layer, then asked Xu Qingtong to take her as his disciple.
• Xu Qingtong said he would teach Duoduo before leaving but would only accept her as a disciple if they met again and she still wished it.
• After waiting several days without news from Information Gatherer Bao, Xu Qingtong went out and worried about how Duoduo and her grandfather would support themselves after he left.
• Xu Qingtong spotted a shop across the street and came up with an idea.

Xu Qingtong bought talisman-making supplies and learned that the thousand-year-old tiger-patterned white jade lotus was held at Juxian Academy, where only students could obtain it. He decided he would need to enter the academy after helping Duoduo get settled, and began teaching her to make talismans.

• Xu Qingtong bought talisman paper, brushes, and cinnabar at the Thousand Talisman Pavilion and learned the shop would pay three spirit stones for each high-quality low-grade talisman.
• Bao Qingping told Xu Qingtong that Juxian Academy's Many Treasures Pavilion held a thousand-year-old tiger-patterned white jade lotus, but only students could exchange merit for it.
• Xu Qingtong rewarded Bao Qingping and decided he would need to enter Juxian Academy to obtain the lotus.
• Xu Qingtong praised Duoduo's cultivation progress and gave her a jade slip containing talisman designs to study.
• Duoduo examined the jade slip with her divine sense and began tracing its lines with her hand.

Duoduo showed an extraordinary talent for talisman crafting, copying a Fireball Talisman pattern perfectly and quickly reaching the Second Qi Refining Layer. Xu Qingtong began teaching her to make real talismans, and she produced one so well that he could only point out minor improvements.

• Duoduo copied the Fireball Talisman pattern from a jade slip, corrected her first attempt, and drew an exact copy for Xu Qingtong.
• Xu Qingtong rewarded Duoduo with spirit fruits and had her cultivate until she reached the Second Qi Refining Layer a month later.
• Xu Qingtong demonstrated how to channel spiritual power into a Fireball Talisman and showed Duoduo how to activate it against a stone stool.
• Duoduo made a real Fireball Talisman on her first try, prompting Xu Qingtong to suggest minor improvements and more spiritual power.

Xu Qingtong sold Duoduo’s talismans and gave the Thousand Talisman Pavilion proprietor her Blood-Soul Restriction Talisman to establish a connection that could help her after he left. Before departing for Juxian Academy, he arranged for Bao Qingping to look after Duoduo and her grandfather, then revealed a Talent Recruitment Order.

• Xu Qingtong took Duoduo’s talismans to the Thousand Talisman Pavilion, where the assistant bought them for six hundred and thirty spirit stones.
• Xu Qingtong showed the assistant his Blood-Soul Restriction Talisman, then gave it to the proprietor to secure the shop’s goodwill toward Duoduo.
• Xu Qingtong told Duoduo and her grandfather that he would leave the next day, and he comforted Duoduo after she cried and clung to him.
• Xu Qingtong asked Bao Qingping to check on Duoduo and her grandfather, offering him five middle-grade spirit stones for the task.
• Bao Qingping warned Xu Qingtong about Juxian Academy, and Xu Qingtong showed him a Talent Recruitment Order.

Xu Qingtong went to Juxian Academy with a Talent Recruitment Order, but a gatekeeping disciple challenged him and Steward Li attacked him. After Nangong Zhen welcomed him inside, Xu Qingtong asked whether studying at the academy differed from joining it.

• Xu Qingtong asked Bao Qingping to look after Duoduo, and Bao Qingping agreed after seeing her craft a Fireball Talisman.
• Xu Qingtong traveled to Juxian Academy and was insulted by a gatekeeping disciple who questioned whether his Talent Recruitment Order was genuine.
• Xu Qingtong used his cultivation pressure against the disciple and countered Steward Li’s attack with a Golden Light Slash.
• Xu Qingtong sent Nangong Zhen a Sound Transmission Talisman, and Nangong Zhen arrived, confirmed the order, and brought Xu Qingtong into the academy.
• Xu Qingtong and Nangong Zhen discussed the Demonic Path before Nangong Zhen asked whether Xu Qingtong wanted to study at or join Juxian Academy.

Xu Qingtong showed Nangong Zhen his skills and revealed his real name, prompting the two to become sworn brothers. Nangong Zhen brought him to meet Juxian Academy’s headmaster, who asked Xu Qingtong to demonstrate his abilities.

• Nangong Zhen examined Xu Qingtong’s pill, artifact, and talisman, then said the headmaster would decide whether he could become an instructor at Juxian Academy.
• Xu Qingtong admitted that his name was not Chen Yu, and Nangong Zhen welcomed his honesty and proposed they become sworn brothers.
• Xu Qingtong accepted, and he and Nangong Zhen sealed their oath with blood, making Nangong Zhen the elder brother.
• Nangong Zhen reported Xu Qingtong’s circumstances to the headmaster and brought him to Cloudwater Retreat.
• The headmaster checked Xu Qingtong’s Talent Recruitment Order and asked him to demonstrate his alchemy, artifact refining, and talisman crafting.

Xu Qingtong demonstrated his talisman crafting and artifact refining to Shen Haotian and the Academy elders, impressing them with his abilities. They considered appointing him as a roving instructor, and Shen Haotian asked whether he had also studied puppetry.

• Shen Haotian examined Xu Qingtong’s Five Elements Divine Seals, pill, and Blood-Soul Restriction Talisman, and praised the talisman’s strength.
• Shen Haotian summoned three elders to assess Xu Qingtong’s request to become an Academy instructor.
• Xu Qingtong crafted a Spirit Talisman before the elders, who praised his unusual method and learned it could withstand a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator’s attack.
• Xu Qingtong activated his Five Elements Divine Seals, and the elders saw them neutralize their attacks through their coordinated power.
• The elders debated whether Xu Qingtong should teach talisman crafting or artifact refining before Shen Haotian proposed making him a roving instructor.
• Shen Haotian asserted that Xu Qingtong had promise in pill refining and asked whether he had also studied puppetry.

Xu Qingtong demonstrated Biyue’s power to the Juxian Academy Headmaster and elders, earning an appointment as a patrol instructor. After telling Nangong Zhen the news, he met Wang Yuning of the Internal Affairs Hall, who arrived to arrange his residence.

• Xu Qingtong summoned Biyue and showed the Headmaster and elders her attack, which the Headmaster judged nearly as powerful as a mid-stage Golden Core strike.
• Shen Haotian and the elders approved Xu Qingtong’s appointment, and Shen gave him a patrol instructor’s Identity Token.
• Xu Qingtong left Cloudwater Retreat to thank Nangong Zhen for recommending him, and the two discussed his heavier teaching duties and the value of academy merit.
• Wang Yuning arrived at Nangong Zhen’s residence to meet the newly appointed patrol instructor, and Xu Qingtong exchanged greetings with her.

Xu Qingtong settled into a cave abode at the Academy, learned the rules and duties of his new post, and mourned his Third Senior Sister while renewing his vow to bring her back. He then joined Nangong Zhen for a tour of the Academy’s important departments.

• Wang Yuning showed Xu Qingtong a spacious cave abode with an earthfire chamber, gave him a storage bag with clothes, a year’s stipend, Academy rules, and his duties, and he placed a Blood-Soul Restriction on the entrance.
• Xu Qingtong read that he would teach six days each month starting next month, instructing Qi Refining disciples in artifact refining and talisman crafting, and could recommend one student for admission each year.
• Xu Qingtong spent a day grieving for his Third Senior Sister, then swore to bring her back within three years.
• Xu Qingtong told Nangong Zhen he had settled in and explained that his cave’s restriction had blocked Nangong Zhen’s voice transmission.
• Nangong Zhen took Xu Qingtong on a tour, showing him the Qi Refining Disciples’ area, the External Affairs Hall, and the Many Treasures Pavilion.

Xu Qingtong learned that a Tiger-Patterned White Jade Lotus cost thirty thousand Merit Points and considered how to earn enough to buy one for his senior sister’s resurrection. Back at his cave abode, he decided to study puppet crafting so he could qualify to teach another subject.

• Xu Qingtong visited the Many Treasures Pavilion with Nangong Zhen and learned that its thousand-year-old Tiger-Patterned White Jade Lotus cost thirty thousand Merit Points.
• Steward Cai told Xu Qingtong that a five-hundred-year-old lotus could be used to refine a Tribulation-Transcending Substitute and that someone from Zhonglü City had recently asked about an older one.
• Nangong Zhen offered to help Xu Qingtong borrow Merit Points, but Xu Qingtong declined and went drinking with him at an academy restaurant.
• Xu Qingtong calculated that earning the Merit Points through teaching would take years and considered learning another skill to increase his income.
• Xu Qingtong chose to study puppet crafting and began reading Han Minghui's Han Clan Mechanism Art.

Xu Qingtong studied the Han Clan Mechanism Art by dismantling a Puppet Guard, then learned that his first teaching lesson at Juxian Academy was due the next day. After working through the night to rebuild the puppet with his own alterations, he found it could no longer be activated and hurried off to teach.

• Xu Qingtong dismantled one of his Puppet Guards and spent twelve days studying its components and spiritual power circulation.
• Wang Yuning visited Xu Qingtong to remind him of his first lesson and gave him several Sound Transmission Talismans.
• Xu Qingtong learned that his inspector duties earned at least one thousand merit each month and admitted he needed twenty-five thousand more.
• Xu Qingtong prepared for his talisman-crafting lesson, then reassembled the Puppet Guard with his own modifications.
• Xu Qingtong discovered the rebuilt puppet would not activate and left his cave abode to teach his first lesson.

Xu Qingtong began his first talisman-crafting lesson by silencing unruly students and assessing their skills. After improving one student's Shield Talisman through hands-on guidance, he taught the class techniques and left them practicing eagerly.

• Xu Qingtong entered the Lecture Hall and used a Blood-Soul Restriction to freeze a student who disrupted his lesson.
• Xu Qingtong assessed the students' talisman skills, learning that they could all craft low-grade talismans, three could make mid-grade talismans, and none could make high-grade talismans.
• A girl in a yellow dress demonstrated her Shield Talisman, which withstood four Water Arrow Talismans.
• Xu Qingtong coached the girl on her technique, and her improved Shield Talisman withstood seven Water Arrow Talismans without breaking.
• Xu Qingtong taught the class low-grade talisman techniques, and the students practiced, sought his appraisal, and asked him questions.