Chapter Summaries

Chen Shi'an reunited with Liu Qingyi before their revenge at the City Lord's Mansion and gave her pills he had looted after killing Fang Bingtian. After revealing Mo Wuyang and discussing their relative potential, Chen Shi'an urged Liu Qingyi to cultivate carefully as the night’s action approached.

• Chen Shi'an arrived at Liu Qingyi’s room and gave her the pills he had taken from Fang Bingtian, whom he had just killed.
• Chen Shi'an told Liu Qingyi to share the Marrow-Washing Pills and half the Origin-Strength Pills with the Three-Killing Battalion, while warning her about pill poison and relying too much on pills.
• Liu Qingyi explained that her Golden Crow Fire could burn away pill poison, but Chen Shi'an still ranked her third in potential.
• Chen Shi'an called Mo Wuyang out of hiding, and Liu Qingyi discovered that the small creature was a speaking Heaven-Swallowing Beast.
• Mo Wuyang declared himself first in potential and said Chen Shi'an’s niece ranked second because she had undergone Marrow-Washing and Bone-Tempering five times.
• Chen Shi'an let Liu Qingyi keep the Origin-Strength Pills and reminded her to strengthen each realm instead of rushing her cultivation.

Chen Shi'an joined Liu Sanyuan's assault on Blackwater Stronghold and helped Liu Qingyi confront Fang Ao, the man who killed her parents. After Chen Shi'an badly wounded Fang Ao and revealed his identity, he left Liu Qingyi to finish the confrontation while Mo Wuyang arrived beside her.

• Liu Sanyuan used fires across Blackwater Stronghold to draw out its defenders and led his men into the City Lord's Mansion.
• Chen Shi'an and Liu Qingyi entered Fang Ao's residence, where Liu Sanyuan's group was fighting Fang Ao.
• Chen Shi'an confirmed that Fang Bingtian was dead and sent Liu Sanyuan and the other attackers to secure the mansion.
• Liu Qingyi recognized Fang Ao as her parents' killer, and Fang Ao recognized her as Liu Yunfeng's daughter.
• Chen Shi'an struck Fang Ao with the Thunderclap Saber, wounded him severely, and took the keys from his waist.
• Chen Shi'an left Liu Qingyi to deal with Fang Ao, and Mo Wuyang appeared beside her.

After helping Liu Qingyi avenge her family, Chen Shi'an looted Blackwater Stronghold's treasury and returned to Windrise Stronghold with its wealth. He and Xiang Li prepared to use their new resources to build the city, plant potatoes, and take in displaced people.

• Chen Shi'an entered Blackwater Stronghold's treasury using Fang Aotian's key, seized its supplies and riches, and left the treasury burning.
• Chen Shi'an met Liu Qingyi, who thanked him after her vengeance was complete, then left Blackwater Stronghold with Mo Wuyang and the others.
• Back in Windrise Stronghold, Chen Shi'an inventoried the spoils, set aside nearly thirty percent for Liu Qingyi to manage, and sent Pi Hou to tell Hou Fang that wedding preparations could begin.
• Chen Shi'an brought the remaining supplies to the City Lord's Mansion, where Xiang Li discussed Blackwater Stronghold's wealth and plans to build a great city.
• Chen Shi'an explained how to plant potatoes and told Xiang Li to prepare a planting guide; Xiang Li said Fu Nantian would help manage displaced people.

Chen Shi'an arranged for Xiang Li to help build the great city and invited him to Hou Fang's wedding, then gave Fang Ruyu Marrow-Washing Pills without asking her to give up her child. He prepared the Three-Killing Battalion for the displaced people and powerful enemies expected to gather around the new city.

• Chen Shi'an asked Xiang Li to help secure Azure Sun Stronghold's support and funds for the great city, then invited him to Hou Fang's low-key wedding.
• Chen Shi'an visited Fang Ruyu and offered her seven Marrow-Washing Pills, explaining that she might be able to undergo marrow-washing and bone-tempering multiple times.
• Fang Ruyu refused to let Chen Shi'an take her child, but accepted the pills after he said he had no conditions and urged her to wait until after the birth.
• Chen Shi'an gathered Pi Hou, Du Gang, Zhu Neng, and Iron Bull and ordered them to manage incoming displaced people and recruit promising talents into the Three-Killing Battalion.
• Pi Hou, Du Gang, Zhu Neng, and Iron Bull reported promising recruits in their squads, while Chen Shi'an warned that powerful enemies might obstruct or attack the city project.

Chen Shi'an planned to travel secretly to Desolate Suppression City to recruit Alchemists and disrupt the city’s plans, buying Windrise Stronghold time to grow. Before leaving, he arranged for Pi Hou to prepare Hou Fang’s wedding celebration.

• Chen Shi'an told Pi Hou, Du Gang, Zhu Neng, and Iron Bull that Windrise Stronghold needed Alchemists to make Marrow-Washing Pills locally, and he planned to seek them in Desolate Suppression City.
• Chen Shi'an told Liu Qingyi to remain in Windrise Stronghold and explained that he intended to distract Desolate Suppression City so it could not interfere with the stronghold’s development.
• Pi Hou and a dozen men decorated Hou Fang’s residence for his wedding on Chen Shi'an’s orders.
• Hou Fang learned that Pi Hou had been ordered to leave after setting up, so he promised to ask Chen Shi'an to let the workers stay for wedding wine.

Chen Shi'an helped Hou Fang celebrate his wedding, where prominent figures from Windrise Stronghold arrived to honor the newlyweds. After the celebration, Chen Shi'an prepared to leave for Desolate Suppression City and gave Iron Bull urgent orders concerning Song Yuan, Xiao Yi, and the alliance against Liu Mu.

• Chen Shi'an and his men welcomed guests at Hou Fang and Bai Shuang's wedding, and Hou Fang allowed Pi Hou's subordinates to stay for the feast.
• Xiang Li and several other powerful figures arrived with wedding gifts, astonishing the guests and changing their view of Hou Fang.
• Chen Shi'an celebrated with the wedding party, then dispelled his intoxication and told Iron Bull he would leave for Desolate Suppression City that night.
• Chen Shi'an ordered Iron Bull to kill Song Yuan, Xiao Yi, and the others, and explained that Gu Qingyao and Liu Sanyuan had allied with them.
• Chen Shi'an instructed Iron Bull to contact Gu Qingyao and Liu Sanyuan and have them stall Liu Mu together if he pressured them; Iron Bull asked whether Flowing Stone Stronghold could be trusted.

Chen Shi'an prepared to leave Windrise Stronghold for Desolate Suppression City, taking Mo Wuyang along to carry messages while ordering him to stay outside the city. At the border Great Wall, an Earth Pill Sect alchemist exploited a refugee by buying his Golden Thread Grass for less than it was worth.

• Chen Shi'an told Iron Bull to keep Flowing Stone Stronghold secret and dismissed his attempt to help with Fang Ruyu.
• Chen Shi'an instructed Liu Qingyi to distribute Marrow-Washing Pills more freely and allocate cultivation resources to Zhu Neng before leaving Windrise Stronghold.
• Mo Wuyang joined Chen Shi'an on the road, but Chen Shi'an ordered him to remain outside Desolate Suppression City and carry messages back to the stronghold.
• At the Sacred Martial Dynasty's border Great Wall, an Earth Pill Sect alchemist claimed a refugee's Golden Thread Grass was drying out and offered only one tael of silver.
• The refugee accepted the alchemist's offer, collected the silver, and hurried back into the Desolate Ruins.

A young Earth Pill Sect alchemist and Zheng Squad Leader exploited refugees selling Spirit Herbs, then became convinced a gaunt old man had found a patch of Golden Thread Grass. After the old man returned with more herbs, the alchemist followed him into the Desolate Ruins.

• The young alchemist split his profit from buying Spirit Herbs with the dark-faced soldier, who was identified as Zheng Squad Leader.
• Three days later, the gaunt old man sold four stalks of Golden Thread Grass, and the alchemist suspected he had found a patch.
• Zheng Squad Leader sent a short soldier to follow the old man, but the old man disappeared after buying supplies at a temporary market.
• After another three days, the old man returned with four more stalks, and the alchemist waited until he left before pursuing him.

Chen Shi'an captured and interrogated Jing Yuan, an Earth Pill Sect disciple, then killed him and took his appearance and clothes. He planned to use Jing Yuan's identity to enter Desolate Suppression City, while Mo Wuyang remained outside to await his contact.

• Chen Shi'an revealed himself after luring Jing Yuan into the woods and knocked him unconscious with a punch.
• Jing Yuan awoke bound to a tree, and Mo Wuyang injured him until Chen Shi'an could question him.
• Chen Shi'an interrogated Jing Yuan and verified his answers before killing him with the Windbreaker Saber.
• Chen Shi'an disguised himself as Jing Yuan and told Mo Wuyang he would leave the city every three days to buy spirit herbs.

Chen Shi'an used Jing Yuan's identity to enter the Earth Pill Sect and gathered information while cultivating. When he realized Jing Yuan's monthly Alchemy test could expose him, he decided to learn Alchemy so he could keep the useful identity.

• Chen Shi'an returned to the border gateway with twenty stalks of golden thread grass, paid Zheng Bimeng thirty taels of silver, and left for the Earth Pill Sect.
• Chen Shi'an entered the Earth Pill Sect as Jing Yuan, handed over the purchased spirit herbs, and secluded himself in Jing Yuan's residence to study the sect and seek Mind Master techniques.
• Chen Shi'an pocketed the silver Jing Yuan had earned through inflated herb reimbursements and cultivated with Demon Cores, sharing in the Saintly Dao Stele's refined power.
• During three days of seclusion, Chen Shi'an learned that Jing Yuan's teacher, Ba Dashan, tested his disciples' Alchemy at the end of each month, with only half a month remaining.
• Chen Shi'an decided to learn Alchemy to preserve Jing Yuan's identity and relied on his First-Rank Mind Master abilities as an advantage.

Chen Shi'an spent weeks studying alchemy and practicing in the Earth Pill Sect’s Alchemy Rooms, using his Mind Power to refine Origin-Strength Pills. As he began the crucial pill-fusing stage of another attempt, he faced the same challenge that had caused his previous failure.

• Chen Shi'an studied alchemy under Di Ting Badashan’s guidance and practiced whenever he was not visiting the border.
• He avoided the Earth Pill Sect’s high spirit-herb prices by holding back the herbs he needed as a buyer.
• Chen Shi'an went to the Alchemy Rooms ahead of Badashan’s assessment and paid four taels to use a firewood-burning room.
• He prepared spirit herbs for a furnace of Origin-Strength Pills after failing at alchemy more than a hundred times.
• Chen Shi'an used his Mind Power to enter the Pill Furnace as the final herbs went in and the pill-fusing stage began.

Chen Shi'an successfully refined three Origin-Strength Pills, establishing himself as a first-tier Alchemist. The next day, he arrived for Ba Dashan's assessment and clashed with Chu Tianshu before Ba Dashan led them to his alchemy room.

• Chen Shi'an completed a batch of Origin-Strength Pills, producing three pills and recognizing that he had become a first-tier Alchemist.
• Chen Shi'an returned to Jing Yuan's residence, recovered from the day's work, and prepared for Ba Dashan's assessment.
• Chen Shi'an met Ba Dashan, Chu Tianshu, and Dong Xiaochai in Ba Dashan's courtyard and offered Dong Xiaochai a hairpin, which she refused.
• Chen Shi'an retorted when Chu Tianshu criticized his arrival and accused him of pestering Dong Xiaochai.
• Ba Dashan stopped the argument and led Chen Shi'an, Chu Tianshu, and Dong Xiaochai to his alchemy room.

Chu Tianshu refined eleven middle-grade Origin-Strength Pills while Chen Shi'an observed and studied his technique. After Ba Dashan criticized the low yield and left, Chu Tianshu coached Dong Xiaochai as Chen Shi'an prepared for his own turn.

• Ba Dashan asked Chu Tianshu to refine pills and teach Dong Xiaochai and Chen Shi'an while he assessed the process.
• Chu Tianshu refined eleven middle-grade Origin-Strength Pills, and Ba Dashan told him the batch's yield was too low.
• Ba Dashan kept six pills, returned five to Chu Tianshu, and announced that Jing Yuan would refine pills next.
• Chen Shi'an reviewed Chu Tianshu's technique while Chu Tianshu explained Ironwood Grass dosing to Dong Xiaochai.
• Dong Xiaochai repeatedly watched Chen Shi'an, who ignored her and remained focused on learning alchemy.

Chen Shi'an surprised Ba Dashan, Chu Tianshu, and Dong Xiaochai by successfully refining Origin-Strength Pills and proving himself a talented first-level alchemist. He presented his entire first batch to Ba Dashan as a token of filial devotion, after the master had already taken seven pills.

• Ba Dashan let Dong Xiaochai refine Origin-Strength Pills first, but she ruined the batch during the pill-fusing stage.
• Chen Shi'an began refining Origin-Strength Pills with practiced movements, astonishing Ba Dashan, Chu Tianshu, and Dong Xiaochai.
• Chen Shi'an successfully refined thirteen middle-grade Origin-Strength Pills, and Ba Dashan declared him a first-level alchemist.
• Chen Shi'an asked Ba Dashan to forgive his past mistakes and teach him, then offered the thirteen pills as a token of filial devotion.
• Ba Dashan accepted seven pills, while Chen Shi'an continued to present the rest to him.

Chen Shi'an passed Ba Dashan's assessment and earned permission to seek guidance at his residence, strengthening his position in the Earth Pill Sect. He planned to focus on alchemy and divert Desolate Suppression City's attention, while Dong Xiaochai left angrily after he rejected her advances.

• Ba Dashan collected Chen Shi'an's pills, praised his progress, and allowed him to visit for guidance; Chu Tianshu grew more resentful, while Dong Xiaochai became envious.
• Chen Shi'an returned to his residence and decided to devote himself to alchemy so he could reach the third level and refine Marrow-Washing Pills.
• Chen Shi'an planned to use his knowledge of Desolate Suppression City to divert its attention from Windrise Stronghold's city-building effort.
• Dong Xiaochai visited Chen Shi'an at night, claiming she wanted guidance on refining Origin-Strength Pills and accusing him of hiding his abilities.
• Chen Shi'an insisted he had little experience and told Dong Xiaochai to ask Chu Tianshu instead, so she stormed out and vowed not to look at him again.

Chen Shi'an disguised himself and slaughtered Qiu Shuang and more than twenty powerful men at the Pleasant Fragrance Courtyard, framing Huang Dao of the Desolate Ruins. Desolate Suppression City imposed martial law but failed to find him, while Chen Shi'an continued cultivating and improving his pill-refining skills.

• After cultivating until night, Chen Shi'an disguised himself and went to the Pleasant Fragrance Courtyard, where a new courtesan was making her debut.
• As wealthy guests bid for the courtesan, Chen Shi'an rushed among their tables and killed more than twenty men, including Qiu Shuang.
• Chen Shi'an wrote “The killer! Huang Dao of the Desolate Ruins!” in blood, changed his appearance, and returned to the Earth Pill Sect to cultivate.
• Desolate Suppression City mobilized its officials and soldiers, sealed the streets, and questioned residents, but found no trace of Huang Dao.
• After ten days of martial law, the city had arrested many thieves but uncovered no clues, while Chen Shi'an focused on pill refining and sought Ba Dashan's advice.

As the search for Huang Dao continued, Chen Shi'an advanced Windrise Stronghold’s Great City project and prepared to act against the Earth Pill Sect. He summoned Liu Qingyi and Zhu Neng’s people to Desolate Suppression City and asked Mo Wuyang to check on Fang Ruyu.

• Chen Shi'an ignored Dong Xiaochai and Chu Tianshu while improving his Alchemy and carrying out his plans.
• Chen Shi'an learned from Mo Wuyang that Windrise Stronghold was rapidly building its Great City while Flowing Stone Stronghold and Blackwater Stronghold staged a conflict.
• Chen Shi'an lured Zheng Bimeng into letting him follow a refugee, then found more Heavenly Heart Grass and met Mo Wuyang in a valley.
• Chen Shi'an gave Mo Wuyang thirty-odd Origin-Strength Pills and said he needed to save the rest for the Three-Killing Battalion.
• Chen Shi'an told Mo Wuyang to bring Liu Qingyi and a squad led by Zhu Neng to Desolate Suppression City as he began drawing in the net around the Earth Pill Sect.
• Chen Shi'an asked Mo Wuyang to quietly check on Fang Ruyu when he returned to Windrise Stronghold.

Chen Shi'an persuaded Ba Dashan to seek spirit-nurturing grass with Zu Qingyan, concealing their journey as a pill-refining retreat. Six days later, Chen Shi'an arrived at a valley in the Desolate Ruins, where Liu Qingyi and Zhu Neng were waiting for him.

• Chen Shi'an showed Ba Dashan black spring grass and claimed he knew where it had been gathered, prompting Ba Dashan to consider searching for spirit-nurturing grass.
• Chen Shi'an convinced Ba Dashan to bring Zu Qingyan by arguing that his strength would improve their safety and that the search might yield enough spirit-nurturing grass to share.
• Chen Shi'an proposed that Ba Dashan and Zu Qingyan pretend to enter seclusion and travel in his carriage, and Ba Dashan agreed to the plan.
• Six days later, Liu Qingyi and Zhu Neng waited with ten men in a valley in the Desolate Ruins.
• Chen Shi'an arrived, and Liu Qingyi greeted him as her master while Zhu Neng and his men saluted him.

Chen Shi'an ambushed Zu Qingyan and Ba Dashan in the Desolate Ruins and tried to recruit the Earth Pill Sect alchemists to Windrise Stronghold with an offer of Spirit-Nurturing Grass. When they refused, he ordered his men to use force.

• Chen Shi'an took Zu Qingyan and Ba Dashan into the Desolate Ruins by carriage, then stopped and surrounded them with Liu Qingyi, Zhu Neng, and ten men.
• Chen Shi'an revealed his identity as Windrise Stronghold's Three-Killing Battalion Commander and invited the two alchemists to refine pills at the stronghold.
• Zu Qingyan and Ba Dashan realized their secret departure had been intercepted and saw that Chen Shi'an knew their names and purpose.
• Chen Shi'an offered two stalks of Spirit-Nurturing Grass if they agreed to go with him, but both alchemists refused.
• Chen Shi'an withdrew, and Zhu Neng drew his saber and prepared to attack the alchemists.

Chen Shi'an’s forces defeated and captured Alchemists Ba Dashan and Zu Qingyan, intending to bring them to Windrise Stronghold and make them join. Ba Dashan refused, while Chen Shi'an presented two stalks of Spirit-Nurturing Grass as joining gifts.

• Ba Dashan attacked Zhu Neng, while Zu Qingyan faced Liu Qingyi after Chen Shi'an identified her as his opponent.
• Zhu Neng used the Raging Tide Blade Technique to drive Ba Dashan back, and Liu Qingyi’s Fire Crow Body and Great Sun Heaven-Burning Palm weakened Zu Qingyan.
• Zhu Neng struck Ba Dashan down and held a saber to his neck, while Liu Qingyi overwhelmed Zu Qingyan and the Three-Killing Battalion captured him.
• Liu Qingyi sealed both alchemists’ Dantians, and Chen Shi'an arranged to take them to Windrise Stronghold in carriages.
• Chen Shi'an told Ba Dashan that he and Zu Qingyan were now members of Windrise Stronghold, then gave Liu Qingyi two stalks of Spirit-Nurturing Grass as gifts for them.