Chapter Summaries

After honing his pill-refining skills, Xu Qingtong reunited with Dongfang Hui, who revealed her affection for him. Her visit left him resolved to protect her and strengthened his focus, and he completed his sect assignment with nearly eight hundred pills.

• Xu Qingtong used his new superior-grade Alchemy Furnace to refine eighty pills from ten portions of herbs, then spent half a month refining more and accumulated over six hundred Essence-Nourishing Pills.
• Gong Chu brought Dongfang Hui to visit Xu Qingtong, then left them alone to talk.
• Dongfang Hui urged Xu Qingtong to call her Hui'er, and Xu Qingtong realized she had feelings for him; she also told him the Dongfang Ancestor had taken her as a formal disciple.
• After talking for hours, Dongfang Hui gave Xu Qingtong her Sound Transmission Talisman, and Xu Qingtong gave her Essence-Nourishing Pills; she kissed his forehead before leaving.
• Xu Qingtong resolved to protect Dongfang Hui, regained his focus, and refined two consecutive batches of Superior-Grade Essence-Nourishing Pills.
• Xu Qingtong completed his pill-refining assignment a day later, having gained nearly eight hundred pills and improved his skills.

Xu Qingtong discovered that a Jade Slip inherited from Yu Xuzi contained a lost Fire-Control Art that could improve his alchemy. Before handing in his assignment, he gave Du Siwen some superior-grade Essence-Nourishing Pills.

• Xu Qingtong showed Yu Tiancheng his superior-grade Essence-Nourishing Pills, and Yu Tiancheng identified unstable flames as the flaw in their refinement.
• Xu Qingtong dreamed of Yu Xuzi, remembered his duty to his former master, and paid respects at Yu Xuzi's grave in the Seven-Star Bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong gave Xiao Qi a pill, but Xiao Qi said it was less useful than the wild plants in the bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong found the Fire-Control Art in Yu Xuzi's Jade Slip and realized it could help him control flames while refining pills.
• Xu Qingtong checked his assignment elixirs and visited Du Siwen, who exchanged some pills and was delighted to receive his superior-grade ones.

Xu Qingtong visited the Four-Hall with Du Siwen to buy Talisman Paper and medicinal ingredients, learning that goods there could only be exchanged for contribution points. He left still needing hemp root for the Sinew-Building Elixir and considered how to obtain it.

• Elder Duan rewarded Xu Qingtong with fifty contribution points and gave him ingredients for fifty sets of Purple Sun Pills.
• Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen went to the Four-Hall, where Xu Qingtong learned the difference between beast-hide Talisman Paper and the paper he had used before.
• Xu Qingtong bought a thousand sheets of low-grade Talisman Paper and medicinal ingredients for forty-two contribution points, but the Four-Hall had no hemp root.
• Xu Qingtong realized contribution points made the Four-Hall's goods valuable and decided he would need to earn more.
• Du Siwen told Xu Qingtong he could search the dangerous Thousand-Cloud Mountain Range for hemp root or post a sect assignment that might cost at least a hundred contribution points.

Xu Qingtong mastered the Fire-Control Art and used it to refine Purple Sun Pills, completing his sect assignment ahead of schedule and producing several high-grade batches. Puzzled by the strange patterns on his final pills, he went to ask his master, Yu Tiancheng, for guidance.

• Du Siwen escorted Xu Qingtong safely back to Swallowtail Peak and asked him to bring her along on future profitable outings.
• Xu Qingtong practiced the Fire-Control Art for five days until he could control earthfire with his intent, then collapsed from exhaustion and slept for two days and nights.
• Xu Qingtong recovered and refined his assignment of Purple Sun Pills, succeeding in nearly every batch and producing two hundred and fifty-two pills.
• Xu Qingtong used his remaining ingredients to experiment, failed seven times, and produced five batches of high-grade Purple Sun Pills.
• Xu Qingtong found that his final batch of pills had no luster and bore faint patterns, so he brought them to Yu Tiancheng for examination.

After Xu Qingtong refined an elixir with pill flowers, Yu Tiancheng brought him before Dongfang Jin, who questioned his background and cultivation. Xu Qingtong shared a simplified version of his cultivation art, and Dongfang Jin let him leave while he continued discussing matters with Yu Tiancheng.

• Yu Tiancheng praised Xu Qingtong's alchemy and took the pill-flower elixir to Dongfang Jin.
• Dongfang Jin examined the elixir and asked Yu Tiancheng to bring Xu Qingtong to him.
• Xu Qingtong showed Dongfang Jin more than thirty high-grade Purple Sun Pills and recounted his family history and path into the sect.
• Dongfang Jin questioned Xu Qingtong about the Biluozong disciple's death and the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art.
• Xu Qingtong imprinted a simplified version of the art onto a jade slip, which Dongfang Jin examined before sending him away.

Xu Qingtong worried that Gloomwind Valley might discover his secret, but he focused on his cultivation and turned in an exceptionally successful alchemy assignment. He posted a task for hemp root and returned to his cave to refine elixirs, hoping to earn enough contribution points for the ingredient.

• Dongfang Jin and Yu Tiancheng discussed investigating Xu Qingtong and whether Gloomwind Valley should pass him Second-Tier Elixir Formulas, while Dongfang Jin promised an answer within seven days.
• Xu Qingtong worried about the Seven-Star Bracelet being discovered, then spent the night making nearly two hundred talismans.
• Elder Duan praised Xu Qingtong after finding that most of his more than two hundred Purple Sun Pills were mid-grade.
• Xu Qingtong asked Elder Duan to post tasks for gengjin stone and hemp root, then exchanged surplus elixirs for contribution points.
• Elder Duan posted a three-month task for one hundred-year-old hemp root with a reward of three hundred contribution points and gave Xu Qingtong two hundred batches of pill ingredients.
• Xu Qingtong returned to his cave abode and devoted his time to refining elixirs to earn contribution points.

Xu Qingtong received his sect’s second-tier pill formulas and worked to refine Essence-Congealing Pills, earning recognition for his alchemy talent despite his limited cultivation. Dongfang Jin agreed he deserved Second-Tier Alchemist status and considered what reward to give him.

• Yu Tiancheng gave Xu Qingtong the second-tier pill formulas after Xu swore not to reveal them, then arranged for Gong Chu to provide ten sets of Essence-Congealing Pill ingredients in exchange for Xu’s Purple Sun Pills.
• Xu collected more ingredients and continued refining pills, then learned Elder Duan had completed his commission for Hemp Root and settled the contribution-point cost, leaving Xu owing him a favor.
• Xu consulted his second senior brother about alchemy techniques and spent a month practicing the Essence-Congealing Pill formula in his Niwang Palace.
• Xu refined sixty-five Essence-Congealing Pills from ten sets of ingredients, all low- or middle-grade, and attributed the lack of high-grade pills to his insufficient magic power.
• Yu Tiancheng brought Xu to Gloomwind Valley, where Dongfang Jin praised his talent but noted his poor aptitude and cultivation; Yu insisted on the promised Second-Tier Alchemist status, and Dongfang said he was considering Xu’s reward.

Xu Qingtong received a Second-Tier Alchemist token and chose a Soul-Chasing Spear as his reward before returning to Swallowtail Peak to prepare for refining the Sinew-Building Elixir. After two months of simulated practice, he successfully refined the elixir, allowing his cultivation plan to proceed.

• Dongfang Jin gave Xu Qingtong his Second-Tier Alchemist Identity Token and allowed him to choose a superior-grade magical artifact as a reward.
• Xu Qingtong chose the Soul-Chasing Spear at the Four-Hall and used his Alchemist token to claim it without contribution points.
• Xu Qingtong notified Yu Tiancheng and his senior siblings that he would enter seclusion, then studied the Sinew-Building Elixir and simulated its refinement at least three hundred times over two months.
• Xu Qingtong began refining the Sinew-Building Elixir, carefully separating the medicinal liquids and adding his soul blood to form the elixir embryo.
• Xu Qingtong replenished his spiritual power when the earthfire flared, regained control of the furnace, and successfully completed the Sinew-Building Elixir.

After taking the Sinew-Building Elixir, Xu Qingtong completed his body transformation and began cultivating the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art, which absorbed spiritual qi faster than his cave could supply it. He reunited with Dongfang Hui and asked her to help set up a Spirit-Gathering Formation.

• Xu Qingtong woke from dreams of people from his past and resolved to focus on cultivation after recalling his original purpose.
• Xu Qingtong swallowed the Sinew-Building Elixir and endured two days of pain as it transformed his body.
• Xu Qingtong began practicing the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art, drawing in five kinds of spiritual qi and forming a strange radiant mass in his dantian.
• Xu Qingtong contacted Dongfang Hui, who visited and told him that she had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining.
• Xu Qingtong asked Dongfang Hui about a formation to gather spiritual qi, and she explained that the Fisherman's Song in Misty Waves contained a powerful Spirit-Gathering Formation.
• Xu Qingtong asked Dongfang Hui to set up the formation in his cave abode.

Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui set up a five-element Spirit-Gathering Formation, and Xu Qingtong began investigating the mysterious white point in his dantian after his cultivation absorbed spiritual qi without leaving visible spiritual power. Unable to identify it, he searched the library’s ancient books but found no answer before moving on to other shelves.

• Dongfang Hui set up a Spirit-Gathering Formation for Xu Qingtong, and he embraced her before she left with a bottle of Purple Sun Pills.
• Xu Qingtong cultivated all night with the formation, but found that his five-colored qi had disappeared into the bright white point in his dantian.
• Xu Qingtong asked Yu Tiancheng about the white point, and Yu Tiancheng said his magic power seemed stronger and suggested searching the library.
• Xu Qingtong used his Alchemist token to read the ancient books he could access, found no explanation, and turned to the western bookcases.

Xu Qingtong discovered that the bright point in his Dantian was a Dao Heart Seed and used the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art to stabilize his fourth layer of Qi Refining. After reaching a bottleneck, he consumed pills and broke through to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

• Xu Qingtong read the Expanded Worthies Compendium and concluded that the bright point in his Dantian was a Dao Heart Seed.
• Xu Qingtong cultivated with the Spirit-Gathering Formation, resolved the drawbacks of his forced breakthrough, and stabilized his fourth layer of Qi Refining.
• Xu Qingtong tested his stronger magic power by using the Water Arrow Technique to punch a hole in the stone wall.
• After his cultivation stalled for half a month, Xu Qingtong took an Essence-Nourishing Pill and then a Purple Sun Pill to push past his bottleneck.
• Xu Qingtong endured a surge of spiritual power that expanded his Dantian and meridians, breaking through to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

After consolidating his fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, Xu Qingtong ran out of spirit stones and bonded with his new Soul-Chasing Spear. He joined Gong Chu on a trip to Gloomwind Valley's Market, where Gong Chu finished delivering a Storage Bag and then proposed a visit to the Drunken Spring Tower.

• Xu Qingtong stabilized his cultivation, realized he had used up his spirit stones, and refined the Soul-Chasing Spear, which flew into a stone wall and returned at his command.
• Gong Chu visited Xu Qingtong and invited him to accompany him to the sect's Market, after teasing him about staying in seclusion.
• Xu Qingtong agreed to go, hoping to sell the spoils he had collected in Mist Valley.
• Gong Chu led Xu Qingtong northeast to Gloomwind Valley's own Market, which he explained was separate from Biluozong's Market.
• At Wind Valley Hall, Gong Chu delivered a Storage Bag for his master and received another from the shopkeeper.
• After leaving the hall, Gong Chu invited Xu Qingtong to listen to songs at the Drunken Spring Tower.

Xu Qingtong sold seven Magical Artifacts at Shangyi Pavilion, but the shopkeeper and assistant recognized Lin Qian's Flying Sword and suspected him of killing its owner. After leaving with the Spirit Stones, Xu Qingtong secretly watched them and went to Celestial Master Pavilion to browse Talismans.

• Xu Qingtong declined Gong Chu's invitation to Drunken Spring Tower and decided to sell Magical Artifacts he could not safely use.
• At Shangyi Pavilion, Xu Qingtong offered seven Magical Artifacts, including Lin Qian's Flying Sword, and the assistant recognized the sword as the young master's.
• The assistant told the shopkeeper that the Flying Sword had turned up and suggested Xu Qingtong might have harmed the young master.
• The shopkeeper questioned Xu Qingtong about the Flying Sword, but Xu Qingtong claimed he had found it while hunting Demon Beasts in a secret realm.
• Xu Qingtong accepted forty-five hundred Spirit Stones for the seven artifacts and left, while his Divine Sense caught the shopkeeper and assistant exchanging signals.
• Xu Qingtong went to Celestial Master Pavilion and tapped the counter to wake its dozing assistant.

Xu Qingtong bought supplies for crafting mid-grade talismans in Gloomwind Valley, then realized a black-clad man was following him. He used the Drunken Spring Tower to evade the watcher and escaped toward the market’s edge, still unable to find Gong Chu.

• Xu Qingtong bought a mid-grade talisman brush, all the available mid-grade talisman jade slips, talisman paper, and beast blood from the Celestial Master Pavilion.
• After leaving the shop, Xu Qingtong sensed a black-clad man following him and suspected Shangyi Pavilion had sent the watcher.
• Xu Qingtong went to the Drunken Spring Tower to look for Gong Chu, but could not find his fourth senior brother and saw the watcher waiting outside.
• Xu Qingtong rented a room on the second floor, struck Miss Cuihuan unconscious with a restrained Divine Sense Thorn, and checked the rear window and surroundings.
• Xu Qingtong jumped from the second floor and ran toward the edge of the market.

Xu Qingtong fled the man in black into the Thousand-Cloud Mountain Range, then stopped to fight when escape became impossible. After testing his opponent’s strength, he secretly released Xiao Qi and launched a fierce attack with two magical artifacts, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Xu Qingtong changed course toward the Thousand-Cloud Mountain Range, but the man in black pursued him on a faster flying sword.
• The man in black used essence blood to catch up, and Xu Qingtong threw Fireball Talismans to slow him before fleeing through the woods.
• When a clearing beneath a cliff left him nowhere to run, Xu Qingtong replenished his magic power, raised a Shield Talisman, and prepared the Soul-Chasing Spear.
• Xu Qingtong learned that the man in black was Lin Qian’s uncle and tested his strength in an exchange of attacks.
• Xu Qingtong secretly released Xiao Qi, then attacked with the Soul-Chasing Spear and Red Sun Sword while the man in black defended with his shield and flying sword.

Xu Qingtong escaped into the Thousand-Cloud Mountain Range after killing Lin De, but became trapped in a natural illusion formation. As he rested inside the mist, Xiao Qi killed and ate a wandering soul, and Xu Qingtong suddenly awoke with stabbing pain in his body.

• Xu Qingtong used the Soul-Chasing Spear and Divine Sense Thorn to stun Lin De, then Xiao Qi struck him down, allowing Xu Qingtong to take his belongings.
• Xu Qingtong overheard Lin De's companions searching for his killer and fled south into the Thousand-Cloud Mountain Range.
• Xu Qingtong became lost in a natural illusion formation and decided to wait until daybreak while cultivating with Xiao Qi on guard.
• Xiao Qi warned Xu Qingtong of danger, then pinned down and ate a wandering soul that had tried to drain his yang energy.
• Xu Qingtong worried about Dongfang Hui and struggled to calm himself before lying down to sleep.
• Xu Qingtong suddenly felt stabbing pain in his body and jolted awake.

Xu Qingtong followed Cold Iron Ants out of an illusion formation and discovered that they were drawn to creatures and a spirit flower kept in his Seven-Star Bracelet. He entered their cave with Xiao Qi to help the ailing ant queen, whom he found surrounded by her swarm.

• Xu Qingtong woke to a Cold Iron Ant biting him, followed the ants through the mist, and escaped the illusion formation.
• Xu Qingtong followed the ants to their cave and learned from Xiao Qi that their queen was unwell.
• Xu Qingtong discovered the ants were attracted to the aura of things kept in his Seven-Star Bracelet and offered to help the queen.
• Xiao Qi communicated with the queen, and Xu Qingtong agreed to enter the cave after she promised the ants would let them leave once she was safe.
• Xu Qingtong and Xiao Qi followed the ants through the cave and found the whitish ant queen lying at its end.

Xu Qingtong rescued the Ant Queen, discovered Cold Spirit Mushrooms and Stardust Soil, and left the ant nest after collecting the treasures. When Xiao Qi suddenly flew toward a valley and stopped responding, Xu Qingtong followed and found ruins but no sign of it.

• Xu Qingtong placed the Ant Queen in the Seven-Star Bracelet, where Chaos Qi helped it recover enough to spit out the substance weakening it.
• The Ant Queen offered Xu Qingtong its remaining spiritual substance and permission to take the Cold Spirit Mushrooms and Termite Mushrooms from its chamber.
• Xu Qingtong identified the yellowish-gray substance as Stardust Soil and waited while the Ant Queen recovered inside the bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong declined to take the Ant Queen away, collected the Stardust Soil and mushrooms, and left the nest with Xiao Qi.
• Xiao Qi suddenly flew into a valley and stopped responding to Xu Qingtong, who followed it and found ruins without seeing it.

Xu Qingtong and Xiao Qi hunted yin souls in the ruins, then confronted an intermediate ghost spirit in a cave. Xiao Qi devoured the creature, and Xu Qingtong wondered what the cave concealed.

• Xu Qingtong rescued Xiao Qi from two blood-red bats and a yin soul, killing the bats while Xiao Qi devoured the yin soul.
• Xu Qingtong agreed to explore the ruins with Xiao Qi so it could hunt more yin souls.
• Xiao Qi detected an intermediate ghost spirit in a mountain cave, and Xu Qingtong’s divine sense was attacked when he probed inside.
• Xu Qingtong and Xiao Qi fought the ghost spirit, with Xiao Qi weakening it using beams from its eyes while Xu Qingtong struck it with a divine sense thorn.
• Xiao Qi broke free, pulled a spherical object from the ghost spirit’s head, swallowed it, and devoured the creature.
• Xu Qingtong wondered what was hidden inside the cave.

Xu Qingtong explored the ruins, identified them as the former site of the Mystic Artifact Sect, and fell into a hidden chamber after moving the sect’s founding ancestor statue. He and Xiao Qi were trapped beneath a stone slab, with the chamber’s contents still unknown.

• Xu Qingtong collected mysterious cold crystals from the Ghost Spirit Cave Abode and refined the man in black’s Golden Light Shield and flying sword, Star Plucker.
• Xu Qingtong noticed that the ruins resembled Jade Spring Mountain and wondered about their connection before he and Xiao Qi fought Blood-Red Bats in the great hall.
• Xu Qingtong searched the hall and its nearby residences, then found a statue identified as the Founding Ancestor of the Mystic Artifact Sect.
• Xu Qingtong recalled that the Mystic Artifact Sect had been a secretive artifact-forging sect that existed a thousand years earlier and had since been destroyed.
• Xu Qingtong tried to turn the founding ancestor statue, triggering a mundane mechanism that dropped him and Xiao Qi into a hidden chamber and sealed the stone slab above them.