Chapter Summaries

Zhou Xun fought Perfected Lord Yu Xuan with a newly practiced lightning sword formation while the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle battled the Mountain Monarch. As Zhou Xun’s swords overwhelmed Yu Xuan’s Tier 4 defense, Yu Xuan prepared to use the Spirit Fusion Technique with the Mountain Monarch.

• The Mountain Monarch charged the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle with eleven tornadoes, then emerged from its flames behind a wind shield and a Nascent Soul-level Chang Gui.
• Zhou Xun deployed thirty-six Lightning Seeds and transformed them into lightning swords, prompting Perfected Lord Yu Xuan to attack with the Soul-Locking Ring.
• Zhou Xun used the Black Tortoise Shield’s Earth Profound Light to slow the ring and withstand its strike.
• Zhou Xun expanded his formation into three hundred and sixty lightning swords, which shattered Yu Xuan’s Tier 4 vine defense in a single breath.
• Perfected Lord Yu Xuan called the Mountain Monarch to his side and began the Spirit Fusion Technique.

Zhou Xun defeated Perfected Lord Yu Xuan by using Junmang to pierce him after his sword attack failed to kill him, then captured Yu Xuan’s Nascent Soul and the Mountain Lord’s divine soul. He secured the Mountain Lord’s demon core and sent his azure ape to devour the trapped Tier 4 Chang Gui.

• Perfected Lord Yu Xuan used the Spirit Fusion Technique to withstand Zhou Xun’s torrent of lightning swords, but Zhou Xun teleported Junmang through his glabella while he was distracted.
• Zhou Xun used a Void Treasure to seal Perfected Lord Yu Xuan’s Nascent Soul and the Mountain Lord’s divine soul in separate Jade Bottles, then collected the Mountain Lord’s demon core and the corpses.
• Zhou Xun saw that the Tier 4 Chang Gui was still fighting the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle and summoned an azure ape from a pitch-black banner.
• The Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle blocked the Chang Gui’s escape while the azure ape’s gray light slowed it, preparing to devour it.

Zhou Xun told True Lord Tian Ci that he had defeated Yu Xuan and sealed his Nascent Soul, then the two were pursued by six Demon Emperors. They joined forces and struck at the weakest demon, a fish-scaled woman, as the enemy group closed in.

• The azure ape swallowed Yu Xuan’s phantom shadow, and Zhou Xun met True Lord Tian Ci, telling him that Yu Xuan’s Nascent Soul was sealed.
• Zhou Xun and True Lord Tian Ci headed back toward Seatown Immortal City but were pursued by six Demon Emperors led by the Thousand Crab Demon Emperor.
• Zhou Xun and True Lord Tian Ci agreed to fight together and displayed the Mystic Thunder Sword and the Nine Luminaries True Gourd.
• Zhou Xun and True Lord Tian Ci targeted the fish-scaled woman with the Mystic Thunder Sword and a fire phoenix from the gourd.

Zhou Xun fought the Thousand Crab Demon Emperor to a stalemate, but the South Abyss Demon Emperor arrived and moved to kill him. Netherfiend True Lord intervened, leaving the confrontation between the two leaders poised to begin.

• Zhou Xun challenged the Thousand Crab Demon Emperor while True Lord Tian Ci handled the other demons, and Zhou Xun sent his Bloodfiend General and allies to fight their opponents.
• Zhou Xun trapped the Thousand Crab Demon Emperor in the Violet Firmament True Thunder Formation, but the demon’s Undying Physique healed his wound and the two fought to a stalemate.
• The South Abyss Demon Emperor appeared, revealed his grudge over his third son, and attacked Zhou Xun with a massive flood dragon claw.
• Netherfiend True Lord appeared beside Zhou Xun and blocked the South Abyss Demon Emperor’s attack.
• Netherfiend True Lord praised Zhou Xun’s strength, then turned to face the South Abyss Demon Emperor.

Netherfiend True Lord revealed himself to protect Zhou Xun and fought the South Abyss Demon Emperor, forcing him to retreat. The Spirit Pearl Demon Emperor joined Netherfiend True Lord’s side, and Zhou Xun learned that Hei Yuan would seek revenge for his son’s death.

• Netherfiend True Lord refused the South Abyss Demon Emperor’s demand to hand over Zhou Xun, and the two began fighting.
• Netherfiend True Lord’s black hand overwhelmed Hei Yuan’s dragon phantom, but Hei Yuan’s Dark Profound Divine Light damaged it before Netherfiend True Lord pinned the dragon with three spears.
• Hei Yuan conceded defeat and prepared to leave, while the Spirit Pearl Demon Emperor asked Netherfiend True Lord to take him in.
• Netherfiend True Lord explained that the Spirit Pearl Demon Emperor had informed him of Yu Xuan’s plot and praised Zhou Xun for defeating Yu Xuan after Spirit Fusion.
• Netherfiend True Lord warned Zhou Xun that Hei Yuan would seek revenge because Zhou Xun had killed his son, the chosen successor to the South Abyss Demon Emperor.

After returning to Seatown Immortal City, Zhou Xun confirmed a great merit with Monarch Qian Chuan and exchanged three great merits for the Tier 4 Upper-Grade Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom. He entered the secret treasury to claim it, while True Monarch Fengyan arranged to seek the same mushroom too late.

• Zhou Xun and Netherfiend True Lord returned to Seatown Immortal City, where Zhou Xun thanked him for his cultivation advice and parted ways.
• Zhou Xun presented a Rank 4 wind-attribute demon core to Monarch Qian Chuan, who confirmed it as one great merit.
• Zhou Xun exchanged three great merits for the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom, despite Monarch Qian Chuan warning him that the price could buy a Tribulation Transcendence Pill.
• True Monarch Fengyan persuaded Elder Flying Crane to yield a great merit and accompany him to Monarch Qian Chuan after three days so he could obtain the mushroom.
• Monarch Qian Chuan led Zhou Xun into the secured secret treasury, where shelves held precious treasures and pills under restrictions.

Zhou Xun exchanged his three great merits for the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom and returned to his cave abode with the medicine. He gave Feng Chong a Rank 4 wind-attributed demon core to help him advance, then entered seclusion to refine the mushroom.

• Monarch Qian Chuan used the jade register to remove Zhou Xun's merits and open the restriction around the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom, explaining that Perfected Lord Heavenly Star had created the formation and left behind a rumored inheritance in the South Sea.
• Zhou Xun accepted the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom from Monarch Qian Chuan, who warned him that he had angered True Monarch Fengyan by obtaining the medicine first.
• Zhou Xun returned to his cave abode and discovered that Feng Chong had reached the peak of Rank 3.
• Zhou Xun gave Feng Chong the Rank 4 wind-attributed inner core he had obtained from the Mountain Monarch, keeping his promise to help Feng Chong advance to Rank 4.
• Zhou Xun checked the Wind-Guiding Butterfly's cocoon, noted that it might hatch within days, and entered his cultivation chamber to prepare to refine the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom.

Zhou Xun refined a newly acquired Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom and began inspecting Perfected Lord Yu Xuan’s Storage Pouch after erasing its divine sense imprint. He found valuable treasures and materials, including a Fire Cloud Mushroom that could improve his spiritual roots, and then spotted a mysterious golden talisman.

• Zhou Xun linked himself to the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom and began refining it as a Lifebound Spirit Plant.
• He spent four days erasing Perfected Lord Yu Xuan’s divine sense imprint from the Storage Pouch while the green ape remained asleep.
• Zhou Xun found a Soul-Locking Ring, a powerful High-Grade Mystic Treasure that could trap enemies, but left its stronger imprint untouched.
• He opened a sealed jade box and discovered a Fire Cloud Mushroom, which could improve his main body's spiritual root aptitude.
• Zhou Xun inventoried seventeen Top-Grade Spirit Stones, two bottles of Essence Solidifying Pills, and various Tier 4 materials before noticing a golden talisman resembling the Teleportation Array runes.

Zhou Xun sorted through Perfected Lord Yu Xuan’s spoils, then brought the Mountain Monarch’s hide and blood to True Lord Tian Ci for help refining Tier 4 talisman materials and instruction. Meanwhile, True Monarch Fengyan and True Monarch Feihe went to exchange three great merits for the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom that could heal Fengyan’s injuries.

• Zhou Xun found a Lesser Teleportation Talisman and a jade slip of Yu Xuan’s beast-taming insights among the spoils, and planned to give the jade slip to Yiqing.
• Zhou Xun divided the Rank 4 Mountain Monarch’s remains and decided to bring its hide and blood to True Lord Tian Ci for processing.
• True Lord Tian Ci used Zhou Xun’s sharp blade to cut the hide, refined the first sheet of talisman paper, and explained the process to Zhou Xun.
• True Monarch Feihe agreed to transfer a great merit to True Monarch Fengyan after his spirit crane advanced to the peak of Tier 3.
• True Monarch Fengyan and True Monarch Feihe went to Monarch Qian Chuan’s residence with three great merits to seek the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom, then waited in a side hall.

True Monarch Fengyan learned that Zhou Xun had redeemed the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom and visited him to ask for it, hoping it could heal his old injuries. Zhou Xun revealed that he had already refined the mushroom into his Lifebound Spirit Plant, while Fengyan began offering better terms.

• Monarch Qian Chuan told True Monarch Fengyan that another cultivator had redeemed the Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom, then revealed that Zhou Xun was the buyer.
• True Monarch Fengyan and True Monarch Feihe transferred merits so Fengyan could gather three great merits, despite the medicine being gone.
• Zhou Xun prepared talisman materials after observing True Lord Tian Ci forge Tier 4 Talismans and returned to his cave abode.
• True Monarch Fengyan visited Zhou Xun, explained that the mushroom could treat his old injuries and shortened lifespan, and offered to return the merits and owe Zhou Xun a favor.
• Zhou Xun said he had already refined the mushroom into his Lifebound Spirit Plant, and Fengyan offered to improve his terms.

Zhou Xun failed to refine a Tier 4 talisman because he lacked a suitable brush, so he visited Five Willows Pavilion to find spirit bamboo. Shopkeeper Gao offered to source suitable bamboo, while also telling Zhou Xun that a second, larger Mystic Thunder Crystal was on its way.

• An Elder tried to trade a Golden Sunflower Bamboo for Zhou Xun’s already-used Spirit Aura Treasure Mushroom, then left angrily when Zhou Xun refused.
• Zhou Xun attempted to draw a Tier 4 Fire Dragon Talisman, but the talisman burned up before he could finish it.
• Zhou Xun decided he needed Tier 4 Grade 2 or better spirit bamboo to make a High-Grade Talisman Brush and went to Five Willows Pavilion.
• Gao Yuan told Zhou Xun that a seven-liang Mystic Thunder Crystal would arrive within a month, in addition to the four-liang crystal he had already ordered.
• Gao Yuan explained that the pavilion’s Steel Spirit Bamboo was unsuitable for a Talisman Brush and offered to find more suitable bamboo for a ten-percent commission.

Zhou Xun arranged for Five Willows Pavilion to seek rare spiritual bamboo, then returned to his cave abode, where the Wind-Guiding Butterfly advanced to Tier 3. He tested its powerful illusion arts on his companions and himself, discovering that they drew out their targets’ deepest recent desires.

• Zhou Xun asked Gao Yuan to acquire Tier 4 Middle-Grade or better Five-Element spiritual bamboo in exchange for Essence Solidifying Pills, then left after learning Nascent Soul Realm pills were rarely available.
• Zhou Xun sensed the Wind-Guiding Butterfly’s advancement and watched it emerge from its cocoon as a Tier 3 demon beast.
• Zhou Xun ordered the butterfly to test its illusion arts on Feng Chong, who believed he had advanced to Tier 4 before realizing the breakthrough was an illusion.
• Zhou Xun admonished Feng Chong for his weak state of mind and tested the butterfly’s art on Crimson Noon, who quickly recovered from the illusion.
• Zhou Xun had the Wind-Guiding Butterfly cast its art on him and felt a powerful urge to enter seclusion and break through to the middle stage.

Zhou Xun fed his newly advanced Wind-Guiding Butterfly and entrusted its care to Chiwu before visiting the Five Willows Pavilion to trade Essence Solidifying Pills and spirit stones for Five Elements Spirit Bamboo. With the materials for a high-grade Talisman Brush gathered, he headed to Seatown Grand Hall to ask Monarch Qian Chuan for help finding a Tier 4 artifact refiner.

• Zhou Xun fed the Wind-Guiding Butterfly three drops of Tier 3 Spirit Elixir and assigned Chiwu to care for it, rewarding him with an alchemy record.
• Gao Yuan sent Zhou Xun a message that the owner of the Tier 4 Spirit Bamboo would meet him at the Five Willows Pavilion.
• Zhou Xun met Yu Jiansheng at the pavilion and agreed to trade a bottle of Essence Solidifying Pills and four Top-Grade Spirit Stones for his Five Elements Spirit Bamboo.
• Zhou Xun paid the pavilion's commission and left with all the materials needed to make a high-grade Talisman Brush.
• Zhou Xun went to Seatown Grand Hall to seek Monarch Qian Chuan's help finding a Tier 4 artifact refiner.

Zhou Xun visited True Monarch Yong Yuan to commission a top-grade talisman brush and met Wei Chang'an, a fellow artifact refiner he had known in the Tianyuan Secret Realm. Wei Chang'an shared an all-attribute brush refinement method, and the group assembled the needed materials, leaving the brush ready to be refined.

• Monarch Qian Chuan brought Zhou Xun to True Monarch Yong Yuan's cave abode to request a talisman brush.
• Zhou Xun recognized Wei Chang'an, who had once worked with him in the Tianyuan Secret Realm under the alias Chen Ping'an, though Wei Chang'an did not recognize him.
• After learning Zhou Xun had slain the Black Reef Demon Emperor and was a Tier 4 talisman master, True Monarch Yong Yuan welcomed him and shared spirit wine.
• Zhou Xun showed the Mountain Monarch whiskers and Five Elements Spirit Bamboo he had brought to refine into a top-grade talisman brush.
• Wei Chang'an provided an all-attribute talisman brush refinement method, and Monarch Qian Chuan, True Monarch Yong Yuan, and Wei Chang'an supplied ice, lightning, and wind materials.
• Zhou Xun offered Essence Solidifying Pills to compensate the three cultivators for their materials.

After exchanging cultivation insights with Wei Chang'an, Zhou Xun inspected rare Mystic Thunder Crystals and prepared to collect his finished talisman brush. Meanwhile, Black Reef Demon Emperor recovered in the Dragon-Serpent Clan's forbidden grounds and vowed revenge on Wang Lin.

• Zhou Xun and Wei Chang'an exchanged cultivation insights for three days before Zhou Xun returned to his cave abode.
• Black Reef Demon Emperor regained a human form in the Dragon Transformation Pool after fusing with Golden Dragon Clan blood, then vowed to avenge himself on Wang Lin.
• Gao Yuan delivered two Mystic Thunder Crystals to Zhou Xun, who paid five Top-Grade Spirit Stones for them.
• Zhou Xun received True Monarch Yong Yuan's message that his talisman brush was finished and went to collect it, bringing Spirit Mist Tea as a gift.

Zhou Xun received the Golden Bamboo talisman brush from True Monarch Yong Yuan and used it to successfully refine his first Tier 4 talisman. He infused the finished talisman and began nurturing it in his Dantian, where it would grow into a powerful trump card.

• Zhou Xun gave True Monarch Yong Yuan Spirit Mist Tea, and Yong Yuan praised it while they chatted.
• True Monarch Yong Yuan presented Zhou Xun with the refined Golden Bamboo talisman brush, which Zhou Xun tested by drawing a Tier 3 High-Grade talisman.
• Zhou Xun prepared Tier 4 talisman paper and spirit ink in his cultivation chamber and successfully completed a Tier 4 talisman.
• Zhou Xun used the Talismans Infusion Art on the new talisman and drew it into his Dantian to nurture it.

Zhou Xun advanced his Talisman Dao to Tier 4, refined treasure talismans, and spent two months strengthening his lightning pool with Mystic Thunder Crystals. Jiang Wanning visited his cave abode, where she was surprised to learn that he had reached the Nascent Soul Realm and commanded a Tier 4 spirit beast.

• Zhou Xun reflected on his craft progress and decided to focus on array formations and pill refining while hoping to acquire a Tier 4 array formation inheritance.
• Zhou Xun refined ten treasure talismans for the Celestial Talisman Formation but lacked enough Tier 4 Talisman Paper to complete the set.
• Zhou Xun began extracting Thunder Essence Power from his Mystic Thunder Crystals to strengthen his Lightning Seed and lightning pool.
• After two months of refining the crystals, Zhou Xun received a message from Jiang Wanning and went to welcome her.
• Jiang Wanning congratulated Zhou Xun on reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, then was startled to meet Crimson Noon, whom Zhou Xun introduced as his Tier 4 spirit beast.

Jiang Wanning reunited with Zhou Xun in Seatown Immortal City, where he gave her Dan Yuan Wine and helped answer her cultivation questions. After she stayed at his cave abode, Zhou Xun refined his Lightning Pool with the remaining Mystic Thunder Crystal, but it still fell just short of becoming high-grade.

• Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle recognized Jiang Wanning's relationship with Zhou Xun and asked her to call him Crimson Noon.
• Jiang Wanning told Zhou Xun she had guarded the Southern City defense line and had returned to Seatown Immortal City that day.
• Zhou Xun gave Jiang Wanning a gourd of Dan Yuan Wine, and she found that a small sip was equivalent to half a year of cultivation.
• Jiang Wanning and Zhou Xun discussed cultivation before spending the night together, and she remained at his cave abode afterward.
• Zhou Xun used the remaining Mystic Thunder Crystal to refine his Lightning Pool, but its grade stayed mid-grade, leaving him to seek another source of Thunder Essence Power.

Zhou Xun secured twenty Top-Grade Spirit Stones from Monarch Qian Chuan by using a powerful Mystic Treasure as collateral, giving him funds for the upcoming exchange convention. Back at his cave abode, he checked on Feng Zhong and fed the Wind-Guiding Butterfly before Crimson Noon apologized for making him feed it himself.

• Zhou Xun asked Monarch Qian Chuan to lend him Top-Grade Spirit Stones against his treasures, promising repayment within ten years and offering collateral worth more than the loan.
• Monarch Qian Chuan accepted Perfected Lord Yu Xuan's Soul-Locking Ring as collateral and gave Zhou Xun twenty Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Zhou Xun returned to his cave abode and saw that Feng Zhong was accumulating Demon Energy in preparation to break through to the Demon Emperor realm.
• The Wind-Guiding Butterfly greeted Zhou Xun, and he fed it four drops of Tier 3 Spirit Elixir after it showed that one drop was not enough.
• Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle apologized to Zhou Xun for not personally feeding the Wind-Guiding Butterfly.

Zhou Xun guided Crimson Noon through pill refining and accepted the old turtle’s Dragon Saliva Incense, securing a valuable treasure for the exchange meet. He then entered seclusion and, after six months of cultivation, strengthened his Nascent Soul and improved his teleportation.

• Crimson Noon asked Zhou Xun for help after his Tier 2 High-Grade Azure Spirit Pills repeatedly cracked, and Zhou Xun explained how to refine them properly.
• Crimson Noon followed Zhou Xun’s guidance and successfully refined five pills of proper grade.
• Crimson Noon offered Zhou Xun a Tier 4 Middle-Grade Dragon Saliva Incense, which Zhou Xun accepted and stored for the exchange meet.
• Zhou Xun appointed Crimson Noon to help receive and see off guests at his residence, giving him a deputy token for the cave abode’s restrictions.
• Zhou Xun began cultivating with Tier 4 Dan Yuan Wine, then continued his seclusion for six months.
• Zhou Xun emerged from his cultivation and found his Nascent Soul more solid and his teleportation more fluid.