Chapter Summaries

Tang Yan moved Reach the Summit to a new base to avoid involving the Xiao Lineage in its conflict with Mingyou Valley. Meanwhile, the Gao Family decided to seek a large pill order, and Grand Elder Gao Jinsong met Tang Yan to discuss a purchasing partnership.

• Tang Yan ordered Du Shu and Fang Xuan to move Reach the Summit to its new base on the outskirts.
• Gao Bufan and the Gao Family elders decided to buy pills in bulk to strengthen their lineage and sent Gao Jinsong to negotiate.
• A spy reported that Shopkeeper Du had visited the Zhong Family, prompting Gao Bufan to urge Gao Jinsong to approach Tang Yan directly.
• Gao Jinsong arrived at Reach the Summit's base and was impressed by its grounds and layout.
• Tang Yan received Gao Jinsong, who asked whether he would consider a purchasing partnership with the Gao Family.

Tang Yan and Du Shu negotiated with Gao Jinsong over Reach the Summit’s pill supply, using the Zhong Family’s offer to drive up the price. Gao Jinsong secured priority for the Gao Family, and he presented their list of requested quantities.

• Tang Yan refused Gao Jinsong’s request to sell all Reach the Summit pills to the Gao Family, citing limited production and the shop’s commitment to Southern Wilderness City.
• Tang Yan told Gao Jinsong that Du Shu had visited the Zhong Family and claimed they had offered an attractive price.
• Du Shu returned and announced that the Zhong Family had agreed to double the original price, then awkwardly revealed Gao Jinsong was present.
• Du Shu claimed the Zhong Family had offered triple the price, prompting Gao Jinsong to offer double and promise repayment of the 400,000 taels of gold for the shop.
• Tang Yan agreed that the Gao Family had shown greater sincerity, and Du Shu offered them priority for their requested quantities.
• Gao Jinsong handed over the Gao Family’s prepared list of pill requirements.

Tang Yan persuaded Gao Jinsong to strengthen the Gao Family against Mingyou Valley by buying pills from Reach the Summit and trading medicinal herbs for discounts. Gao Jinsong left to prepare a deposit and a new order, then realized the woman in red at Reach the Summit might have been Fire Phoenix.

• Tang Yan read the Gao Family's pill order and decided to help them grow stronger so they could inflict greater losses on Mingyou Valley.
• Tang Yan argued that Mingyou Valley could deploy only part of its forces against the Gao Family and urged Gao Jinsong to invest in pills.
• Tang Yan offered discounts on pills in exchange for medicinal herbs, with larger discounts for higher-tier herbs.
• Gao Jinsong accepted the proposal and left to bring a deposit and a new list of requirements before sunset.
• Fire Phoenix appeared at Reach the Summit, and after leaving, Gao Jinsong realized she might have been the woman in red.

The Gao Family committed to buying a huge quantity of pills from Reach the Summit to strengthen itself, while Du Shu arranged to bring fifty people to the Northern Spirit Realm. The Lan Family visited Tang Yan, and Lan Guiwei’s embarrassing guesses about Tang’s wealth and medicine left Fire Phoenix exasperated.

• Gao Bufan approved an all-out effort to strengthen the Gao Family and ordered a large purchase of pills, with medicinal herbs covering much of the cost.
• Gao Jinsong returned to Reach the Summit and placed an order worth thirteen billion taels of silver, which Du Shu promised to fulfill within half a month.
• Du Shu learned how to transport people from the border kingdoms to the Northern Spirit Realm and paid a deposit to bring fifty people over.
• Three days later, Lan Guiwei and the Lan Family visited Reach the Summit, and Tang Yan welcomed them before taking Madam Lan for acupuncture.
• Lan Guiwei asked Fire Phoenix whether she had troubled Tang Yan, then embarrassed her by speculating about how Tang acquired the base and offering him restorative pills.

Lan Guiwei learned about Tang Yan’s wealth and pill business, then agreed to wait at the base while Tang Yan treated his wife and arranged a pill order. Two days later, Du Shu returned with eighty Alchemy Masters, including Elder Ling, leaving Tang Yan astonished.

• Fire Phoenix told Lan Guiwei that Tang Yan had funded the base and that Reach the Summit had earned hundreds of millions from its pill shop and ordered vast quantities of ingredients.
• After Tang Yan completed another successful acupuncture treatment, Lan Guiwei asked why he had helped his wife, and Tang Yan explained that he hoped to build goodwill between Reach the Summit and the Lan Family.
• Tang Yan gave Lan Guiwei a Frenzied Origin Pill, whose powerful effects impressed him, and described other pills that Lan Guiwei wanted to buy.
• Tang Yan said pill supplies would increase once the person in charge returned, and Lan Guiwei agreed to stay a few more days while Tang Yan treated his wife again.
• Du Shu returned with eighty Alchemy Masters, and Tang Yan was stunned to see that Elder Ling had joined them.

Tang Yan learned that Mingyou Valley had put a five-billion-tael bounty on him and warned Gao Bufan that its people were heading to Southern Wilderness City. He persuaded Gao Bufan to prevent Mingyou Valley from gaining access to Reach the Summit’s pills and left him considering an ambush, with Tang Yan promising a Heaven Tier Ninth Grade expert to help.

• Elder Ling joined Reach the Summit, and Du Shu told Tang Yan that Mingyou Valley was searching for him with a five-billion-tael bounty for his capture alive.
• Tang Yan tasked Du Shu with negotiating pill sales to the Lan Family and arranged to deliver pills to the Gao Family.
• Tang Yan warned Gao Bufan that Mingyou Valley was approaching and argued that it would seize Reach the Summit’s pills and threaten the Gao Family.
• Tang Yan urged Gao Bufan to ambush and kill Mingyou Valley’s people, offering a Heaven Tier Ninth Grade expert to assist.
• Gao Bufan weighed Tang Yan’s proposal and asked how many people Mingyou Valley would send and how strong they were.

Tang Yan persuaded Gao Bufan to help assassinate the people from Mingyou Valley and frame the Zhong Family, while Reach the Summit continued negotiating pill sales with the Gao Family. After receiving word that five targets were approaching Southern Wilderness City, Tang Yan and Gao Jinsong’s group went out disguised as members of the Zhong Family to prepare the ambush.

• Tang Yan convinced Gao Bufan to investigate the Zhong Family’s fighting styles and use lookalike fighters to make the Zhong Family appear responsible for the assassination.
• Tang Yan defended Reach the Summit’s pill prices by citing production shortages and the Lan Family’s offer to pay triple, and Gao Bufan accepted the terms after hearing Tang’s promise of future discounts.
• A Gao Family spy reported that five people were heading toward Southern Wilderness City and would arrive early the next morning.
• Gao Jinsong and several Gao Family experts left the estate with Tang Yan to prepare the ambush and practice their Zhong Family disguises.
• Gao Jinsong posed as Zhong Qingheng, Tang Yan as Zhong Batian, and four other experts as important Zhong Family figures.

Tang Yan arranged an ambush for the Mingyou Valley party, using a conspicuous pile of Calming-Heart Grass as bait and hiding his allies with Aura Concealment Pills. As the party reached the trap, Xiao San climbed onto the boulder to collect the herbs, while Tang Yan prepared to act.

• Tang Yan hid the Mìxuán Iron, planted a large pile of Calming-Heart Grass on a boulder, and assigned Zhong Xu to kill whoever came to collect it.
• Tang Yan positioned Gao Sheng and Gao Hao to ambush rescuers and told Gao Xi to attack later, while he and the Zhong Family Head prepared to finish off the remaining enemies.
• Tang Yan distributed Aura Concealment Pills and warned the others to take them or face punishment if they exposed the ambush.
• After four hours, Tang Yan detected a party approaching, including several heaven-tier fighters and an occupant in a carriage whose aura he could not identify.
• The party stopped when its leader noticed the Calming-Heart Grass, then ordered Xiao San to climb onto the boulder and collect it.

The Gao Family ambushed Mingyou Valley’s party, but Ming Chen turned the fight around and exposed the attackers as the Zhong Family. Gao Jinsong admitted they had mistaken Mingyou Valley for the Overlord Heaven Sect, then ordered his men to kill everyone and frame the Gao Family.

• Sanzi was killed by Gao Wu as the Gao Family attacked Mingyou Valley’s men, with Tang Yan secretly aiding the ambush.
• Ming Chen emerged from the carriage and helped Mingyou Valley regain the advantage against Gao Wu and his companions.
• Ming Chen recognized the attackers’ saber technique as belonging to the Zhong Family, despite Gao Jinsong claiming they were the Gao Family.
• Gao Jinsong explained that the Zhong Family had mistaken Mingyou Valley for the Overlord Heaven Sect, then revealed his plan to kill the survivors and blame the Gao Family.
• Gao Jinsong ordered his men to kill everyone and leave no one alive.

Tang Yan and the Gao Family defeated Mingyou Valley’s force after Ming Chen’s strength was weakened by a trap. Ming Chen died buying time for Ming Yicai to escape, while Tang Yan buried him and the group returned to Southern Wilderness City in secret.

• Gao Jinsong’s feigned performance distracted Mingyou Valley, allowing Gao Wu to kill another of its fighters.
• Ming Chen overwhelmed Gao Jinsong and the others, but discovered his True Qi had been weakened and ordered a retreat with Ming Yicai.
• Tang Yan struck Ming Chen with the Wuxie Sword, gravely wounding him and forcing him to hold off the Gao Family while Ming Yicai fled.
• Ming Chen fought to the death so Ming Yicai could carry news back to the Valley Master, then died after half an hour of battle.
• Tang Yan praised Ming Chen’s sacrifice, buried his body, and returned to Southern Wilderness City with the others by separate routes.

Tang Yan broke through to Xiantian in a secluded valley and learned that the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame could be nourished by natural Spiritual Qi. In the Northern Spirit Realm, Feng Chenye learned Tang Yan had arrived and decided to seek him out, though Elder Fan insisted on first consulting the clan leader.

• Tang Yan left the others, traveled to a secluded valley, and broke through to Xiantian by absorbing Spiritual Qi from heaven and earth.
• Tang Yan stabilized his cultivation and learned from the Supreme Pill Canon that natural elements could nourish the Heaven-Earth Creation Flame, though he could not understand what it meant for the flame to be the cauldron.
• Feng Chenye paced in the Fengyun Clan courtyard while thinking about Fairy Meng Yao and heard from a spy that Tang Yan had arrived in the Northern Spirit Realm.
• The spy explained that Mingyou Valley was pursuing Tang Yan because he had taken the woman their third young master wanted.
• Feng Chenye decided to find Tang Yan, and Elder Fan agreed to ask the clan leader before they acted.

Shen Shan learned that Tang Yan had opened a pill shop in Southern Wilderness City and planned to send Lei Protector to help him. Meanwhile, disciples from three great families arrived and were welcomed by the Zhong Family, prompting Gao Bufan to visit Tang Yan with urgent concerns.

• Shen Shan praised Lin Dongxue and Wan Fei’s rapid cultivation and decided to send Lei Protector to assist Tang Yan in Southern Wilderness City.
• Du Shu told Tang Yan that Zi Yun and the others had gone to the Southern Wilderness Forest to train.
• Disciples of the Qianyun Family, Ye Family, and Zhuo Family arrived in Southern Wilderness City, and Zhong Qingheng escorted them away.
• Gao Bufan worried that the Zhong Family might use its new connections to monopolize the Reach the Summit Pill Shop’s pills, so he called a family meeting.
• Gao Bufan and the Grand Elder visited Tang Yan, and Gao Bufan asked whether he knew who had come to Southern Wilderness City.

Tang Yan reassured the Gao Family that Reach the Summit would fill their pill orders before selling to anyone else, and they placed an additional order. At the Zhong Family, Ye Liangchen tested Reach the Summit’s pills and confirmed their exceptional quality, leaving the visiting families eager to acquire them.

• Tang Yan promised Gao Jinsong and Gao Bufan that Reach the Summit would fulfill the Gao Family’s orders before supplying other buyers, and they ordered more pills.
• At the Zhong Family, Zhong Qingheng told Ye Liangchen, Qianyun Zhi, and Zhuo Feng about Reach the Summit’s unusual pills.
• Ye Liangchen examined and swallowed a Frenzied Origin Pill, judging it a high-grade fourth-tier pill with effects comparable to a fifth-tier pill.
• Ye Liangchen swallowed an Upgraded Blasting Pill, upsetting Zhong Qingheng, and praised its quality.
• The visiting families studied the Upgraded Blood-Coagulating Pill with their doubts dispelled.

Ye Liangchen and Zhong Qingheng arranged for the three great lineages to pressure Reach the Summit Pill Shop into supplying them with pills. When they arrived on opening day, Du Shu upheld the shop’s first-come, first-served rule and showed no deference to Ye Liangchen, while Tang Yan headed to the shop.

• Ye Liangchen had Zhong Qingheng demonstrate the Blood-Coagulating Pill, then agreed to help pressure Reach the Summit Pill Shop in exchange for the Zhong Family acting as a regular delivery intermediary.
• The next day, Tang Yan awoke from cultivation, changed into a black robe, and headed to Reach the Summit Pill Shop.
• When Du Shu opened the shop, Ye Liangchen, Qianyun Zhi, and Zhuo Feng used their presence and pressure to stop the waiting customers from entering.
• Du Shu pretended not to recognize Zhong Qingheng, then invited the group inside while making clear the shop had no extra pills beyond those on sale.
• Ye Liangchen tried to speak with Du Shu, who told him to join the queue and warned that he might not get any pills.
• Zhong Qingheng began introducing Ye Liangchen, Qianyun Zhi, and Zhuo Feng to Du Shu.

Du Shu refused Ye Liangchen and the Zhong Family’s attempt to buy pills ahead of the waiting customers, denouncing their abuse of power and defending Reach the Summit’s principles. Ye Liangchen’s guard attacked Du Shu, and Ye Liangchen then demanded that the Ye Family take all the pills for sale.

• Du Shu condemned Zhong Qingheng for favoring powerful outsiders and cutting ahead of Southern Wilderness City’s customers, earning the crowd’s support and damaging the Zhong Family’s standing.
• Zhong Qingheng pressed Du Shu to show the visitors respect, but Du Shu declared that Reach the Summit followed principles rather than saving face.
• Ye Liangchen threatened Du Shu and ordered Qianyun Chen to explain the Northern Spirit Realm’s rules; Qianyun Chen refused, and Ye Liangchen slapped him.
• Ye Liangchen stepped ahead of the line and asked to buy pills, but Du Shu told him to get out.
• A Ye Family guard attacked Du Shu, sending him through a Crystal Window and injuring him; Ye Liangchen then claimed the Ye Family would take all the pills and demanded payment as tuition.

Tang Yan returned to Reach the Summit and confronted the Ye Family after they beat Du Shu and demanded the shop’s Pill Formulas. He killed the disciple who struck Du Shu, slapped Ye Liangchen, and demanded that Ye Liangchen explain himself.

• Ye Liangchen and Qianyun Zhi demanded control over Reach the Summit’s pill sales, while Zhuo Feng proposed that Du Shu hand over all the shop’s Pill Formulas.
• Tang Yan arrived and learned from an Alchemy Master that Ye Family members had attacked Du Shu and tried to take the formulas.
• Tang Yan used Phantom Shadow Steps to seize and kill the Heaven Tier Ninth Grade Ye Family disciple who had slapped Du Shu.
• Ye Liangchen demanded an explanation from Tang Yan, who slapped him and challenged him to explain the Ye Family’s actions first.

Tang Yan defeated Ye Liangchen’s four Heaven Tier Ninth Grade guards and challenged Ye Liangchen, an Xiantian expert, despite the gap in their cultivation. After their first clash, Tang Yan shifted his punch at the last moment, leaving Ye Liangchen startled as the fight continued.

• Ye Liangchen ordered four Heaven Tier Ninth Grade guards to seize Tang Yan after Tang Yan demanded an explanation for the Ye Family’s actions.
• Tang Yan used Phantom Shadow Steps and precise, instinctive attacks to defeat all four guards without suffering a scratch, impressing Qianyun Chen and the crowd.
• Ye Liangchen threatened to send the Ye Family’s army against Reach the Summit, and Tang Yan rushed at him.
• Ye Liangchen revealed his Xiantian strength and struck Tang Yan, who retreated five steps after their first exchange.
• Tang Yan met Ye Liangchen’s next attack, then abruptly shifted his punch two inches downward, shocking Ye Liangchen.

Tang Yan defeated Ye Liangchen in a clash of martial skills and demanded an explanation from him, threatening to kill him if he refused. As Tang Yan moved to attack, a gray-robed elder descended and drove him back with a powerful strike.

• Tang Yan revealed his Xiantian strength and wounded Ye Liangchen with the Mountain-Crushing Wave-Treading Sword, overpowering Ye Liangchen's Ten Thousand Leaves Flying Butterflies.
• Tang Yan demanded an explanation from Ye Liangchen and threatened to take his life when Ye Liangchen would not answer.
• Tang Yan began counting at three and lunged at Ye Liangchen, prompting the onlookers to react to his shameless threat.
• A vast divine sense locked onto Tang Yan, who retreated and countered with the Second Form of the Flame Burst Palm.
• A gray-robed elder descended from the sky and struck Tang Yan back, astonishing everyone present.

Tang Yan faced the Ye Family’s Fifth Elder after Ye Liangchen’s defeat, but Feng Chenye and Elder Fan arrived to defend him and argued that the Ye Family had started the conflict. The Fifth Elder refused to let the dispute end, and a calm voice agreed that justice had to be sought.

• The Fifth Elder arrived to rescue Ye Liangchen, questioned Tang Yan about his master, and threatened to force the answer from him.
• Feng Chenye and Elder Fan arrived on a Flowing Cloud Roc, and Feng Chenye rushed to Tang Yan’s defense.
• Feng Chenye recognized Ye Liangchen, Qianyun, and Zhuo, while the Ye Family grew wary of the Fengyun Clan’s involvement.
• Elder Fan heard both sides and said the Ye Family had been at fault, but the Fifth Elder insisted the three families could not let the matter go.
• A calm voice declared that the grievances required justice and asked how they could let the matter go.

Shen Shan of the Artifact Pavilion arrived and backed Tang Yan after learning that the Ye Family had attacked Reach the Summit. Tang Yan accepted compensation for the damage, then demanded a much greater sum for the injuries that might prevent his brother from reaching Saint Level.

• Shen Shan arrived with Shen He, and he and Tang Yan greeted each other warmly while Shen He thanked Tang Yan for his progress.
• Shen Shan questioned the Ye Family, and Du Shu recounted how its members had bullied Reach the Summit and fought back when resisted.
• The Ye Family's Fifth Elder admitted what happened and offered to compensate Reach the Summit after Shen Shan said the Artifact Pavilion stood with Tang Yan.
• Tang Yan listed compensation for the damaged road, storefronts, and Crystal Window, which the Fifth Elder agreed to pay.
• Tang Yan demanded further compensation, claiming his brother's injuries could limit his cultivation to Heaven Tier and cost Reach the Summit centuries of potential profits.