Chapter Summaries

Jiang Man completed Foundation Establishment in the Secret Realm and returned to Cloud Glow Peak to register as a disciple. He told He Chenfeng and Bai Danyan that he had already reached Foundation Establishment, leaving them stunned as they wondered which institute he belonged in.

• Jiang Man reached Foundation Establishment, retrieved a sealed letter addressed to Xiang Tianlin from the Primordial Xuanhuang Cauldron, and was teleported out of the Secret Realm.
• Jiang Man met Ye Wenxiu on the peak and revealed that he had already reached Foundation Establishment before disappearing from the Secret Realm.
• Jiang Man returned to the square, met Li Yuan, Yan Huimin, and Fang Yong, and heard that Little Fatty had arrived with Luo Xuan.
• Jiang Man and the others traveled to Cloud Glow Peak, where Fang Yong and Yan Huimin paid for help securing better accommodations.
• At registration, He Chenfeng discovered Jiang Man was missing from the roster, and Jiang Man explained that he had gone to establish his foundation before registering.
• Jiang Man asked He Chenfeng which institute accepted Foundation Establishment disciples, stunning He Chenfeng and Bai Danyan.

Jiang Man registered at Cloud Glow Peak’s Foundation Establishment Court, learned about its costly accommodations and cultivation system, and reunited with Little Fatty at Redwater Peak. There, Gao Rong looked down on Jiang Man, prompting him to resolve to prove himself through the Seven Peaks’ Foundation Establishment rankings.

• He Chenfeng and Bai Danyan confirmed that Jiang Man had reached Foundation Establishment, and He Chenfeng explained that no one owed him a reward for his advancement.
• He Chenfeng guided Jiang Man through the Foundation Establishment Court’s rules and cultivation stages, and Jiang Man paid for a private courtyard.
• Jiang Man read Little Fatty’s letter, learned that Old Yellow Ox was with him, and went to Redwater Peak to find them.
• Gao Rong offered to help Jiang Man only if he ranked among the top five in his courtyard, criticized his clothes, and left with Luo Xuan’s older female cousin.
• Little Fatty explained who Gao Rong and the woman were, while Song Qing revealed that he had become Luo Xuan’s guard; Jiang Man fixed his gaze on Chang Qiwen.

Jiang Man entered the Foundation Establishment Court, chose the Spell Cultivator discipline, and prepared to train for the courtyard rankings. Meanwhile, Meng Qiewei learned that a prodigy had detected an ownerless Fate Pattern at the Wuyun Sect and wondered whether her husband would appear there.

• Gao Rong doubted Jiang Man would thrive in the Sect and suspected Jiang Man's friendship with Little Gao was driven by benefits.
• Jiang Man borrowed twelve thousand Spirit Sources from Chang Qiwen and borrowed twenty Spirit-Gathering Pills from Little Fatty to fund his cultivation.
• Jiang Man arrived at the Ninth Small Courtyard, chose the Spell Cultivator discipline, and told Yan Yiqiu he had joined only half a month earlier.
• Yan Yiqiu warned the new Foundation Establishment disciples against staying up late to cultivate and announced that courtyard rankings would begin in three months.
• Meng Qiewei heard that a prodigy had detected an ownerless Fate Pattern at the Wuyun Sect, ordered Qing Dai to watch him, and invited her husband to appear there and clear up rumors that she had buried him.

Jiang Man mastered the ninth level of the Origin Condensation Method while dismissing warnings about his all-night cultivation, then learned the high costs of advancing his Foundation Establishment training. After Meng Qiewei sent him a message suggesting someone was coming to find him, he prepared to improve his other cultivation methods as she continued investigating the Evil God.

• Old Yellow Ox explained why Jiang Man’s rapid Foundation Establishment did not make him exceptional to powerful cultivators, then taught him the simplified Origin Condensation Method.
• Jiang Man cultivated through the night, reached its introductory stage, and continued advancing despite Zhao Yaoyao and Yan Yiqiu warning him that staying up all night could hurt his progress.
• Jiang Man reached the ninth level of the Origin Condensation Method in eighteen days and grew frustrated with his pace, while others assumed he would rank near the bottom.
• Old Yellow Ox delivered Meng Qiewei’s message, and Jiang Man worried that she or her people had discovered his location; Old Yellow Ox said any visitor would not be a powerful expert.
• Yan Yiqiu explained the Body Refining, Visualization, and pill requirements for Foundation Establishment, and Jiang Man found that the necessary supplies and training were expensive.
• Meng Qiewei learned that the new generation’s chosen had gone to the Wuyun Sect to search for her husband, and she told Qing Dai to keep looking for news about the Evil God.

Jiang Man pushed to meet the Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny’s new trial, strengthening his body and spirit and accumulating power toward Foundation Establishment. As the first ranking assessment approached, he remained far behind in filling his first gourd, while Yu Wanyi learned that his results might affect her expectations of him.

• The Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny gave Jiang Man three pills and required him to cultivate 160 times daily before entering a Secret Realm and leaving a handprint on the Five Elements Stone; failure would damage his Foundation Establishment body.
• Jiang Man mastered the body-tempering method and Visualization Method, then opened his physical body and spirit gourds with the pills, reaching Flesh Body First Layer and Spirit First Stage.
• Jiang Man spent the rest of November cultivating, but his first gourd reached less than eighty percent as his pills ran low and more power accumulated in his body.
• At the Ninth Courtyard, Jiang Man recorded Cao Cheng and An Rong mocking him before Yan Yiqiu announced that the ranking assessment would begin the next day and that its top three would receive chances to become nominal disciples.
• Yu Wanyi told Senior Sister Xia that Jiang Man had a dao companion and was not progressing as she hoped; she agreed to check his assessment results, though she worried he would struggle with the Advancement Method.

Jiang Man placed first in the Foundation Establishment Court assessment with 98 points, just two points short of freely choosing a master, and urged his classmates to reject the idea that staying up late to cultivate was harmful. His investment record stunned the people checking Cloud Glow Peak’s rankings, revealing Yu Wanyi as his investor and awarding her several rewards.

• Luo Xuan and Little Fatty discussed Jiang Man’s foundation establishment and the upcoming assessment while Cheng Yu visited the spirit medicine shop.
• Jiang Man completed the assessment, then learned he ranked first with 98 points, two points short of freely choosing a master.
• Yan Yiqiu asked Jiang Man to explain his cultivation insights, and he defended staying up late to cultivate before she announced his score and Zhuo Bufan’s second-place score of 12.
• Jiang Man returned to his residence, told Old Yellow Ox that his light had shone upon the earth, and learned his spirit medicine consumption would double.
• Yu Wanyi went to check the investment rankings and discovered Jiang Man’s record, her investor rewards, and his dark horse status.

Yu Wanyi learned that Jiang Man had reached Foundation Establishment and rewarded him with more resources, while Gao Rong paid Jiang Man to settle an old grievance. Jiang Man considered a future Secret Realm opportunity and, the next day, showed Zhao Yaoyao his notebook of people who had mocked him.

• Yu Wanyi discovered that Jiang Man had reached Foundation Establishment and ranked first in his new courtyard, while Gao Rong learned the same and sought advice from Little Fatty and Fang Yong about making amends.
• Fang Yong negotiated a payment of fifteen thousand Spirit Source from Gao Rong to Jiang Man, and Gao Rong apologized to Jiang Man, who accepted it.
• Yu Wanyi tripled Jiang Man's monthly allowance, improved his discounts, gave him five thousand Spirit Source and the Sword-Controlling Technique, and told him she would try to secure him a place in an upcoming Secret Realm trial.
• Jiang Man told Yu Wanyi that marrying a fairy might explain his rapid progress, and she believed him and warned him to keep his distance from other women.
• Jiang Man counted his gains and debts, then Zhao Yaoyao arrived at the Ninth Small Courtyard and saw his notebook of people who had mocked him.

An Rong and the Ninth Small Courtyard began copying Jiang Man’s all-night cultivation, while newly arrived Wei Beichuan expected to overtake him. Jiang Man rejected an expensive apprenticeship, and Yu Wanyi tried to secure him a place in an upcoming Secret Realm before shocking Senior Sister Xia with a private claim about his relationship.

• An Rong asked Jiang Man to cross out his notebook entry, then discussed his unsettling first-place status with Cao Cheng.
• The Ninth Small Courtyard learned that seventeen-year-old Wei Beichuan had exceptional foundations and ambitions for the Three-Institute Rankings.
• Yan Yiqiu gave the top three apprenticeship letters, but Jiang Man rejected his alchemist’s fifty-thousand-Spirit-Source gift and went back to cultivate.
• Zhuo Bufan, Zhao Yaoyao, and others copied Jiang Man’s nonstop cultivation, while Wei Beichuan watched their fatigue and planned to rise through the rankings.
• Jiang Man decided to forgo taking a master and considered learning talismans, formation arts, or spirit plants instead.
• Yu Wanyi said she wanted to secure Jiang Man a Secret Realm place, then whispered something to Senior Sister Xia that made her ask, “He lives off a woman?”

Jiang Man finished his flawless pills, began studying talisman making, and continued cultivating while planning to earn Spirit Sources. He heard that the Magpie Bridge would open in a few months, while Mo Zainian gave Jiang Man's pill-refining apprenticeship spot to another newcomer.

• Jiang Man used up his Flawless Origin Nurturing Pills and Flawless Spirit Stabilizing Pills, then decided to learn talisman making after learning it was an inexpensive supplementary discipline.
• Jiang Man visited Little Fatty, promised to help him stay up late cultivating, and arranged to receive nine hundred Spirit Sources and an Essence-Stabilizing Pill each month.
• Jiang Man enrolled at the Talisman Making Institute, paid five hundred Spirit Sources, and received books, a talisman brush, and talisman paper.
• Jiang Man listened to his wife's Light Orb message about the Magpie Bridge opening soon and shuddered at her sweet words about envying people who could stand beside him.
• Mo Zainian learned Jiang Man had not reported to the Pill Refining Institute because he could not afford the apprenticeship gift, then offered Jiang Man's spot to another newcomer expected to rank in the top ten.

Meng Qiewei approved a request for the Five Elements Secret Realm token while preparing for her husband to enter the realm. Jiang Man advanced his cultivation and accepted a chance to compete for a Secret Realm selection slot, as the Ninth Small Courtyard’s assessment approached.

• Meng Qiewei granted a middle-aged elder a secret token to open the Five Elements Secret Realm and revealed that she had left her own means in it for her husband.
• Jiang Man learned beginner talisman-making, then chose to prioritize cultivation while studying more advanced talismans in his spare time.
• Jiang Man reached the second level of mental cultivation and the second layer of the flesh body, while tracking his Spirit Sources and preparing for the next assessment.
• Yu Wanyi secured Jiang Man a Token for the Secret Realm selection assessment, which required Foundation Establishment Early Stage; Jiang Man accepted the opportunity in hopes of obtaining a Cultivation Method.
• Wei Beichuan arrived at the Ninth Small Courtyard expecting to rise to first place in the annual assessment, while Yan Yiqiu watched to see how the students had changed.

Jiang Man won first place in the assessment with 133 points, while Wei Beichuan placed eighteenth and struggled to accept the gap. Jiang Man collected his rewards and headed to Redwater Peak to meet Chang Qiwen, who was facing pressure from lenders to stop extending loans.

• Yan Yiqiu explained the assessment rewards, the teaching assignment for first place, and the upcoming competitions; Jiang Man refused to consider the Seven Peaks assessment.
• Jiang Man completed the assessment and received the highest ranking, while Wei Beichuan placed eighteenth with 35 points.
• The posted rankings showed Jiang Man at 133 points, far ahead of second place, while Lin Qingshan placed fourth and An Rong and Cao Cheng fell to sixth and fifth.
• Jiang Man took his reward letters and planned to give the Cloudfront Office recommendation to Old Chang as extra interest on his loan.
• Chang Qiwen waited for Jiang Man at Redwater Peak as other lenders urged him to recover his loans and stop lending more Spirit Sources.

Jiang Man repaid Chang Qiwen and accepted more loans from him and Song Qing to fund his cultivation, then registered as He Huaian’s nominal disciple and bought discounted pills. The chapter ended with Jiang Man arriving at the Re-Cultivation Institute to teach, where Yan Huimin praised him as a legend before he explained that he had taken to playing the teacher.

• Jiang Man returned Chang Qiwen’s borrowed Spirit Sources, gave him a Three Towers Recommendation Letter and cultivation books, and Chang Qiwen lent him more Spirit Sources.
• Song Qing lent Jiang Man three thousand Spirit Sources, while Little Fatty supplied Spirit-Gathering Pills, leaving Jiang Man with substantial debt and around forty-one thousand Spirit Sources after selling pills.
• Jiang Man registered with He Huaian at the Seventh Court, choosing not to study pill refining but receiving a ten-percent discount on pills.
• Jiang Man found the Earth-Origin Pills sold out and bought thirty discounted Spirit-Stabilizing Pills as he prepared to reach Foundation Establishment Middle Stage for the Secret Realm selection.
• At the Re-Cultivation Institute, Teacher Miao introduced Jiang Man as a visiting instructor, and Yan Huimin recited Li Yuan’s praise of him before Jiang Man said he had taken to playing the teacher.

Jiang Man taught the Foundation Establishment Small Courtyard his understanding of the Advancement Method, answered questions, and cultivated with the students, impressing Teacher Miao and drawing the attention of Zhang Bai and Zhang Zhizhi. Yan Yiqiu revealed Jiang Man’s assessment scores and explained that he would not compete this year, leaving Teacher Miao stunned by his progress and Yan Yiqiu’s plans for the Foundation Establishment Court.

• Jiang Man explained an alternate understanding of the Advancement Method, answered questions about Spell Arts, and spent the day cultivating with the students.
• Zhang Zhizhi reported Jiang Man’s teaching and cultivation to Zhang Bai, who planned to test his combat ability and possibly recruit him for the rankings.
• Jiang Man reviewed the students’ questions with Old Yellow Ox, identified problems in their cultivation, and wrote explanations for Fang Yong and Teacher Miao.
• Jiang Man’s relentless cultivation unsettled Teacher Miao, who went to Yan Yiqiu for help after several days.
• Yan Yiqiu showed Teacher Miao Jiang Man’s assessment scores and the students’ improved results, explaining that they had followed Jiang Man’s cultivation method.
• Yan Yiqiu told Teacher Miao to keep the results secret and said Jiang Man would not compete this year, as the Foundation Establishment Court would wait before revealing his progress.

Jiang Man focused on cultivating, claimed Spell Arts, and secured discounted pills from He Huaian as he prepared to break through. Meanwhile, Meng Qiewei heard that someone had replaced an unconscious Immortal Maiden at Magpie Bridge and disappeared when only six of the seven who should have returned came back.

• Jiang Man finished his seven days of teaching, and Zhang Zhizhi reported his answers about Spell Arts and cultivation to Zhang Bai, who considered testing Jiang Man through a challenger.
• Jiang Man claimed Wandering Dragon and Shadowless Palm, then continued cultivating while the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books dismissed Zhuo Bufan as an ant and called Cao Cheng trash.
• Jiang Man persuaded He Huaian to let him buy extra Spirit-Stabilizing Pills and Origin-Nourishing Pills at a discount, promising not to resell or share them.
• Jiang Man filled his physical and mental visualization gourds but lacked Spirit Source, while Old Yellow Ox warned that common Spirit Herbs were cheap and valuable ones were expensive.
• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that an Immortal Maiden had been replaced at Magpie Bridge and that one of the seven people expected to return was missing.

Jiang Man advanced his cultivation, accepted Xie Wen’s paid challenge, and defeated him while concealing the full extent of his strength. The next day, he went to collect pills and found his master He Huaian facing renewed mockery from Mo Zainian about Jiang Man’s lack of progress in alchemy.

• Meng Qiewei and Qing Dai discussed the Immortal Gate’s search for whoever crossed over and the rumors about Meng Qiewei’s preferences in men.
• Jiang Man advanced to the third stage in spiritual cultivation and then brought his physical body to the third stage, though he worried that he lacked enough pills and Spirit Sources.
• Xie Wen challenged Jiang Man, and Fang Yong advised him to pay for a private match; Jiang Man accepted seven thousand Spirit Sources and gave Fang Yong an IOU for two thousand.
• Jiang Man learned Wandering Dragon and Shadowless Palm before fighting Xie Wen, whom he defeated after twenty exchanges while letting the match continue for his opponent’s benefit.
• Jiang Man went to the Pill Refining Institute for pills, where Mo Zainian criticized He Huaian for taking him as a disciple despite his lack of alchemy achievements.
• He Huaian saw Jiang Man arrive with another jar of wine and resigned himself to not refining pills that day.

Jiang Man sought paid work from He Huaian and received an Alchemist's Spirit Medicine Identification Record to complete using real specimens. After the rankings revealed Xie Wen's frightening first-place score, Wei Beichuan began cultivating through the night, while Jiang Man received notice about Secret Realm selection and prepared for a final push.

• Jiang Man asked He Huaian for quick-paying work, rejected medicine testing, and accepted the Spirit Medicine Identification Record, which required actual specimens for each entry.
• Xie Wen reported Jiang Man's martial arts skills to Zhang Bai, who planned to recruit him based on his Annual Grand Competition ranking.
• Xie Wen saw the rankings and was shaken by Jiang Man's first-place score; Wei Beichuan, ranked sixteenth, began cultivating at night and later paid Zhuo Bufan for advice on staying in condition.
• Jiang Man had Old Yellow Ox identify spirit medicines and used books and specimens from Little Fatty to complete the record with inexpensive medicines.
• Yu Wanyi's master sent Jiang Man a letter about Secret Realm selection requirements; Jiang Man learned the Annual Ranking could offer a chance to enter and decided to pursue the selection.
• As Jiang Man prepared for the final push in early August, Old Yellow Ox reminded him that the Magpie Bridge had opened again.

Meng Qiewei crossed the Magpie Bridge to visit Jiang Man, warned him that the Immortal Gate might trace her disappearance back to him, and left him uncertain about her intentions. Old Yellow Ox confirmed the danger but said Jiang Man still had time, while the Ninth Small Courtyard prepared for its annual assessment and the competition against the Seven Peaks.

• Meng Qiewei appeared in Jiang Man’s courtyard and spent the night speaking with him about their marriage, his cultivation, and the possibility that people were investigating her disappearance.
• Meng Qiewei warned Jiang Man that someone might trace the missing person’s path back along the Magpie Bridge, then vanished at dawn.
• Jiang Man told Old Yellow Ox about the warning, and Old Yellow Ox suspected Meng Qiewei had entered the Magpie Bridge without permission and said the Immortal Gate might eventually discover Jiang Man’s involvement.
• Jiang Man chose to focus on his cultivation and the Secret Realm selection while Old Yellow Ox assured him the investigation would not reach them immediately.
• Yan Yiqiu announced that the Ninth Small Courtyard would be assessed alongside the Seventh and Eighth Courtyards before competing against the Seven Peaks, and urged Zhuo Bufan, Zhao Yaoyao, and Lin Qingshan to prepare.

Jiang Man skipped the annual assessment, advanced to the Foundation Establishment middle stage, and entered the anonymous Secret Realm selection. He rapidly mastered Shadowless Palm and Wandering Dragon, leaving two fellow participants stunned by his progress.

• Jiang Man declined the annual assessment and bought spirit medicine, then accepted Luo Xuan's Spirit Sources and Spirit-Gathering Pills to support his cultivation.
• Jiang Man cultivated to the Foundation Establishment middle stage and asked Teacher Yan for leave to enter the Secret Realm selection.
• Jiang Man entered the Secret Realm and learned that participants had to claim stone pillars and defend them to qualify for rewards.
• Jiang Man raised Shadowless Palm to the ninth layer over four days, then began practicing Wandering Dragon beneath a tree.
• Numbers ninety-eight and ninety-nine found Jiang Man practicing without rest, and number ninety-nine realized he had reached Wandering Dragon great completion.

Jiang Man learned the rules of the Selection Secret Realm, advanced his Heavenly Heart Seal, and challenged the stone pillar guarding the Seven Star Origin Condensation Method. After defeating its guards and its defender, he invited the next man to challenge him while he appeared weakened.

• At the Ninth Small Courtyard, Yan Yiqiu said Jiang Man might miss the annual assessment, while Wei Beichuan planned to overtake Cao Cheng and An Rong.
• Jiang Man asked Number Ninety-Nine and Number Ninety-Eight about the Upper Grade Origin Condensation Method and learned that each stone pillar offered a free challenge before further attempts cost Spirit Sources.
• Jiang Man cultivated through the night, advanced his Heavenly Heart Seal to the eighth level, and decided to compete before the Selection Secret Realm closed.
• Jiang Man reached the stone pillar bearing the Seven Star Origin Condensation Method and dodged attacks from two guards before defeating them.
• Jiang Man challenged and quickly defeated the woman defending the formation, then invited a newly arrived man to challenge him while claiming he was weakened.

Jiang Man defended the upper grade Origin Condensation Method formation, defeating challengers and then winning ten randomly selected matches on the final day. He obtained the method and left the Secret Realm with fifteen thousand Spirit Sources, whose origin puzzled him.

• Jiang Man pretended to be weakened, defeated a wealthy challenger three times, and collected three thousand Spirit Sources from him.
• Jiang Man waited through the next days, defeating several challengers while learning that opponents who had already lost could still challenge him.
• On day fifteen, Jiang Man defeated a body cultivator, a frail woman, and a woman using Heavenly Heart Seal to complete his ten victories and claim the upper grade Origin Condensation Method.
• Other competitors struggled against puppets using high-level Heavenly Heart Seal, including a young man who lost to Number 210 and a body cultivator unable to catch an opponent using Azure Smoke Prelude.
• Jiang Man received fifteen thousand Spirit Sources before leaving the Secret Realm and later wondered where they had come from.