Chapter Summaries

Wang Ba discovered Zhu Jianyi had betrayed him and used him to test whether depositing lifespan could trigger a breakthrough in a cultivator’s flesh, causing Zhu Jianyi to explode. He then headed north toward the Canglan Ghost Market, where he noticed that Wu Hai’s Divine Soul had vanished.

• Zhu Jianyi warned Wang Ba about the disguised True Cultivator Gao by calling him Martial Uncle Gao, and the man later flew toward Jinhe City to investigate.
• Wang Ba questioned Zhu Jianyi about other ghost markets and learned the location of the Canglan Ghost Market, then caught him trying to secretly leave a message.
• Wang Ba used an illusion to conceal what he was doing and deposited lifespan into Zhu Jianyi, whose flesh grew uncontrollably and exploded.
• Wang Ba concluded that depositing lifespan could strengthen a cultivator’s flesh but might cause an explosion when the cultivator’s Law Power could not keep up.
• Wang Ba flew north alone and, while passing over Wu Hai’s home in Li Sanwan, noticed that Wu Hai’s Divine Soul was gone.

Wang Ba discovered that Yin-Food Bug Offspring concealed the divine soul presence of its host, giving him a possible way to escape the Heavenly Gate Sect’s Spirit-Entrusting Token. In Jinhe City, Lin Xiwen identified Wang Ba as a suspect in Zhu Jianyi’s disappearance, then learned that Zhu Jianyi was dead.

• Wang Ba examined Wu Hai and found that a Yin-Food Bug Offspring concealed the presence of the man’s otherwise intact divine soul.
• Wang Ba fed Wu Hai Spirit Chicken Essence, removed the matured bug from his dantian, and realized it might help him evade the Heavenly Gate Sect’s soul-tracking restraints.
• Wang Ba placed the bug in a Yellow-Throated Spirit Turtle and confirmed that it also concealed the spirit beast’s divine soul presence, though not completely.
• Lin Xiwen questioned Jinhe City’s city lord about Zhu Jianyi’s disappearance and used a water mirror to narrow the suspects to Wang Ba.
• Li Qu arrived and told Lin Xiwen that Zhu Jianyi had been at the Exquisite Ghost Market with an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator; after recognizing Wang Ba’s face, Lin Xiwen sensed that Zhu Jianyi was dead.

Fellow Daoist Lin mobilized allies to hunt the killer who had taken Jianyi’s Yin-Food Bug offspring, while Wang Ba traveled to Canglan City and explored its Exquisite Ghost Market. After buying a Spirit-Supporting Candle technique and learning how to reach the market’s second level, Wang Ba hid nearby to practice his Golden Wind Swift Arrow Technique as he waited for other ghost markets to open.

• Fellow Daoist Lin revealed his Foundation Establishment late stage cultivation and asked Xi Meng, the city lord of Jinhe City, and Fellow Daoist Li to alert nearby ghost markets and help find the killer.
• Wang Ba reached Canglan City, subdued its city lord Liu Yaodong, and learned about the nearby ghost markets, including the Exquisite Ghost Market.
• Wang Ba entered the local Exquisite Ghost Market and bought the second-tier law technique Spirit-Supporting Candle to test the offspring Yin-Food Bugs.
• Liu Yaodong told Wang Ba how to enter the second level of the Exquisite Ghost Market, which would next open in over a month.
• Wang Ba declined Liu Yaodong’s offer to stay at the city lord’s residence, hid nearby, and began practicing the Golden Wind Swift Arrow Technique.

Wang Ba mastered the Golden Wind Jade Dew Art and Spirit-Supporting Candle, then learned that Lin Xiwen was searching for him and decided to leave for the Heavenly Gate Sect after visiting the ghost markets. As he set out with Liu Yaodong, he changed their destination from Luofu Ghost Market to the more distant Nixia Ghost Market.

• Wang Ba began converting his Law Power into Jade Dew Law Power, but Liu Yaodong warned him that Lin Xiwen had circulated his portrait while searching for Zhu Jianyi’s killer.
• Wang Ba decided to return to the Heavenly Gate Sect after visiting both ghost markets, then used his lifespan to master the Golden Wind Jade Dew Art and combined its jade dew with the Iris Formless Needles.
• Wang Ba also mastered the Spirit-Supporting Candle, though he lacked the Hundred-Fragrance Bee beeswax needed to make its candles.
• Li Qu persuaded a Luofu Ghost Market steward to alert Lin Xiwen if Wang Ba appeared there, offering him Stonefire True Origin Pills in return.
• Wang Ba first chose to visit Luofu Ghost Market, but after Liu Yaodong explained that Nixia Ghost Market was closer, he changed their destination to Nixia Ghost Market.

Wang Ba explored the bustling Nixia Ghost Market, traded Spirit Chicken Essence for useful goods, and gathered resources to raise his Mountain-Moving Ape. After recognizing True Cultivator Gao from the Exquisite Ghost Market, he hurried to leave, unaware that Li Qu had marked him with Musk Horn Incense.

• Liu Yaodong explained how the Nixia Ghost Market operated openly between the Song and Yan Kingdoms, and helped Wang Ba obtain a concealment law artifact.
• Wang Ba traded Spirit Chicken Essence for a second-tier middle-grade robe artifact and browsed the stalls for techniques, spirit beasts, and supplies.
• Wang Ba bought a Mountain-Moving Ape Illustrated Compendium, learned that his quiet ape was a rare natural king, and arranged to acquire materials for nurturing it.
• Wang Ba bought Hundred-Fragrance Bees, other spirit beasts, and a second-tier high-grade flying law artifact, spending nearly all his savings.
• Wang Ba recognized True Cultivator Gao, left the market immediately, and Li Qu revealed that Musk Horn Incense had marked him.

Wang Ba returned safely to the Heavenly Gate Sect after Li Qu tracked him, while Lin Xiwen abandoned the pursuit upon learning Wang Ba belonged to the sect. Zhao Feng arrived too late for the Nixia Ghost Market and learned where to find another market, while Wang Ba advanced his work processing Spirit Beast parts.

• Wang Ba flew toward the Heavenly Gate Sect, and Li Qu pursued him with a Musk Hound carrying the scent of Musk Horn Incense.
• Li Qu discovered Wang Ba had entered the Heavenly Gate Sect's territory and summoned Lin Xiwen, who gave up pursuing him and accepted Li Qu's Musk Hound.
• Zhao Feng arrived after the Nixia Ghost Market had closed and questioned cultivators until Liu Yaodong told him about the Exquisite Ghost Market.
• Zhao Feng decided to wait at Liu Yaodong's estate for the Exquisite Ghost Market to open in a little over a month.
• At Swordwave Garrison, Wang Ba finished processing Spirit Beast organs and tissues, impressing Bao Chao by quickly achieving the second step.

Wang Ba returned to the Eastern Saint Garrison and learned that the Incense Dao threat had worsened and that Cheng Shu was close to breeding a supreme-grade Spirit Chicken, which could end the sect’s protection of him. Facing possible deployment to the front lines, Wang Ba hurried back to the Swordwave Garrison and prepared to advance his Mountain-Moving Ape.

• Bao Chao taught Wang Ba about Spirit Chef utensils, purification Law Seals, and fire control, and Wang Ba eventually produced Spirit Chicken Essence with nearly sixty percent purity.
• Wang Ba returned to the Eastern Saint Garrison, where he found the garrison depleted and learned from Bu Chan that two Incense Dao Gold Core True Persons had appeared, severely injuring Bai Yu.
• Wang Ba cleared most of the Spirit Beasts from the Chicken Farm and planned to advance the Mountain-Moving Ape before studying the Yin-Food Bug Offspring’s concealment ability.
• Wang Ba visited Bai Yu, who warned that Cheng Shu was close to breeding a second-tier supreme-grade Spirit Chicken and that Wang Ba would likely lose his exemption from front-line service.
• Wang Ba returned to the Swordwave Garrison, secured land and an array disc for his Spirit Beasts, and began preparing the future Mountain-Moving Ape king for a bloodline breakthrough.

Li Qu suspected Lin Xiwen’s cultivation secret was connected to the deaths of low-level cultivators and used a musk hound to watch a Heavenly Gate Sect cultivator. Meanwhile, Wang Ba successfully advanced the mountain-moving ape king and prepared his other apes for a thunder tribulation before leaving Swordwave Garrison; in Jinhe City, someone learned that the watched cultivator had finally come out.

• Lin Xiwen lost contact with another yin-food bug offspring and blamed the recent Demonic Dao cultivators and Zhao Swordsman for the losses.
• Li Qu suspected Lin Xiwen’s cultivation progress depended on the low-level cultivators and decided to target the Heavenly Gate Sect cultivator who had killed Zhu Jianyi.
• Li Qu used Musk Horn Incense and a musk hound to keep watch for the cultivator’s movements.
• Wang Ba fed the mountain-moving ape rare spirit medicines and treated it until it advanced to second-tier middle grade as Wu Ape King.
• Wang Ba named the other six mountain-moving apes Wu One through Wu Six, prepared them for tribulation, and left with the group.
• A figure entered an unoccupied cultivation chamber in Jinhe City after hearing a musk hound bark and exclaimed that the cultivator had finally come out.

Wang Ba tested his lifespan-acceleration theory by forcing Wu One through a Minor Heavenly Thunder Tribulation, which turned out to involve three bolts and left the ape stronger but briefly hostile. As Wang Ba began the same process with the other Mountain-Moving Apes, Zhao Feng sensed the unusual tribulation and flew toward it to investigate.

• Wang Ba brought Wu One and the other Mountain-Moving Apes to a remote site and accelerated Wu One’s maturation by depositing lifespan into him.
• Wu One survived three increasingly powerful bolts of heavenly lightning, reached the second tier, and rapidly began regenerating.
• Wu One attacked Wang Ba, but the Wu Ape King defeated him and forced him to submit; Wang Ba fitted him with a new Spirit Beast Ring and put him away.
• Wang Ba began depositing lifespan into the remaining Mountain-Moving Apes, and more thunderclouds gathered overhead.
• Outside Canglan City, Zhao Feng killed an invading Demonic Dao cultivator with one sword strike and asked Liu Yaodong about the Exquisite Ghost Market.
• Zhao Feng sensed the strange, weak heavenly tribulation, told Liu Yaodong he was leaving, and flew toward it.

Li Qu ambushed Wang Ba, but the Wu Ape King and Wang Ba’s techniques turned the attack against him. Zhao Feng arrived just after Wang Ba killed Li Qu, recognizing his junior brother beneath the thunderclouds.

• Li Qu followed the Musk Hound to find Wang Ba and planned to capture him and seize his belongings.
• Zhao Feng sensed a strange thunder tribulation and spotted Wang Ba, then noticed Li Qu approaching and rushed to intervene.
• Wang Ba recognized Li Qu as the cultivator he had met at the ghost markets and tried to escape, but Li Qu trapped him in a web Law Artifact.
• The Wu Ape King blocked Li Qu’s hammer and endured two Heavenly Thunder Seeds while Wang Ba freed himself from the trap with Jia Ten Five and Jia Ten Six.
• Wang Ba struck the Human-Skin Drum to stun Li Qu, then used jade-dew droplets and Iris Formless Needles to kill him.
• Zhao Feng arrived and revealed himself before Wang Ba, his face filled with shock.

Wang Ba reunited with Zhao Feng, received advice and learned the Lightless Technique, then reluctantly allowed the injured Wu Ape King to undergo its lightning tribulation. Meanwhile, Lin Xiwen killed a demonic cultivator near Jinhe City and learned from his Musk Hound that Wang Ba had left the Heavenly Gate Sect.

• Wang Ba and Zhao Feng compared their experiences, and Zhao Feng explained why Wang Ba had defeated the Foundation Establishment middle stage rogue cultivator so easily.
• Zhao Feng pointed out flaws in Wang Ba's fighting and taught him the Lightless Technique, which Wang Ba quickly mastered.
• Wang Ba showed Zhao Feng the spirit turtle parasitized by a Yin-Food Bug Offspring, and Zhao Feng suggested finding a method to cultivate a second Dantian.
• The Wu Ape King insisted on facing its lightning tribulation despite its injuries, and Wang Ba gave it resources and lifespan before a silver bolt struck.
• Lin Xiwen killed a green-robed demonic cultivator near Jinhe City and fed his remains to a human-faced bug.
• Lin Xiwen's Musk Hound recognized Wang Ba's scent, and Lin Xiwen realized the junior from the Heavenly Gate Sect had left the sect.

Wang Ba watched the Wu Ape King survive its tribulation and advance to second-tier high grade, then saw Zhao Feng kill Lin Xiwen with a single sword strike. Wang Ba took Lin Xiwen’s Yin-Food Bug Mother and belongings, unaware that a Phantom had followed him from a Law Artifact.

• The Wu Ape King endured the sixth bolt of tribulation lightning after Zhao Feng gave it a Thunderlight Python Inner Core, then awakened with silver fur and second-tier high-grade strength.
• Lin Xiwen arrived and demanded to know whether Wang Ba had killed his disciple, then attacked him and the Wu Ape King.
• Zhao Feng revealed himself as a powerful sword cultivator and killed Lin Xiwen with one sword strike.
• Wang Ba found the Yin-Food Bug Mother on Lin Xiwen’s body and collected his belongings, while Zhao Feng left for Canglan City.
• A Phantom detached itself from a Law Artifact and silently followed Wang Ba.

Lin Xiwen’s remnant soul tried to possess Wang Ba, but the Faceless Divine Statue in Wang Ba’s Spiritual Platform devoured part of him and drove him out. Near death, Lin Xiwen possessed a spirit rooster while Wang Ba gathered his beasts and flew back to the Heavenly Gate Sect.

• Lin Xiwen’s remnant soul survived Zhao Swordsman’s attack and charged into Wang Ba’s Spiritual Platform to seize his body.
• The Faceless Divine Statue trapped Lin Xiwen in its temple, bit off part of his body, and devoured his scattered remains when he escaped.
• With his soul badly damaged, Lin Xiwen possessed the male spirit chicken after rejecting the Wu Ape King and Azurewater Spirit Turtle as hosts.
• Wang Ba sensed something had entered and left his Spiritual Platform, then rewarded the Wu Ape King and fed his other spirit beasts.
• Wang Ba collected his spirit beasts and flew toward the Heavenly Gate Sect, smiling as he glanced back at True Cultivator Lin’s corpse.

After possessing Jia Ten Five, Lin Xiwen discovered that a mysterious system promised him more lifespan for producing offspring and began breeding with Female Spirit Chickens. Wang Ba revealed that he had fabricated the system and Lin Xiwen’s supposed short lifespan to manipulate him into breeding Spirit Chickens.

• Lin Xiwen examined his Spirit Chicken body, worried about his weak Divine Soul and short lifespan, and reluctantly ate Chicken Feed to avoid drawing Wang Ba’s attention.
• A system appeared to offer Lin Xiwen more lifespan for producing offspring, and he decided to accept it despite doubting its claims.
• Lin Xiwen struggled to mate with a Female Spirit Chicken, then succeeded after watching other chickens and resolved to continue.
• Wang Ba explained that he had recognized Lin Xiwen’s remnant soul in Jia Ten Five and implanted the false system and lifespan illusion to make him breed Spirit Chickens.
• Wang Ba took out the Yin-Food Bug Mother, which he considered his greatest gain from the journey.

Wang Ba examined the Yin-Food Bug Mother and the spoils from True Cultivator Gao, then prepared spirit cuisine and discovered a rare second-tier high-grade bird had hatched. As he left for Canglan City, Lin Xiwen realized his spirit chicken body was altering his instincts and swore revenge over the eggs Wang Ba cooked.

• Wang Ba found the Yin-Food Bug Mother had recovered to second-tier supreme grade but chose not to bond with it until he understood its risks, and he fed it Spirit Chicken Essence.
• Wang Ba searched True Cultivator Gao's belongings, identified the hostile one-horned dog as a tracking Musk Hound, and found a bird egg beginning to hatch.
• Wang Ba refined ten basins of spirit cuisine and discovered that a favored spirit chicken had laid two fertilized eggs.
• Lin Xiwen watched Wang Ba cook six eggs and realized his spirit chicken body had made him think of them as his offspring, prompting him to vow revenge.
• Wang Ba found the bird had hatched into a second-tier high-grade chick, fed it rice gruel, packed his spirit beasts, and rode toward Canglan City.

Wang Ba and Zhao Feng entered the Exquisite Ghost Market’s second layer, where they learned about its vast network and mysterious backing. Wang Ba began trading Spirit Chicken Essence for resources he needed, while Zhao Feng went to search for supplies of his own.

• Wang Ba reunited with Liu Yaodong and waited for Zhao Feng to finish secluded cultivation.
• Wang Ba and Zhao Feng had Liu Yaodong guide them to the first layer, then used a Teleportation Array to reach the second layer.
• A beardless old man explained that the second layer connected twelve Ghost Markets and that even a Nascent Soul True Lord had once failed to overcome the market’s backing.
• Zhao Feng went to look for resources, and Wang Ba searched the stalls before deciding to trade Spirit Chicken Essence.
• Wang Ba paid to set up a stall near the palace and listed the cultivation methods, Spirit Fires, and soul techniques he wanted.

Wang Ba sold spirit cuisine at the Ghost Market, attended a Gold Core lecture that exposed the rapid expansion of the Myriad Gods Kingdom, and traded a basin of Spirit Chicken Essence for a soul-curse technique. He learned from the displaced Wei Kingdom cultivator Yang that only Great Yan and Great Jin might be able to stop the Incense Dao’s advance.

• Wang Ba sold Spirit Chicken Essence and cleared out his surplus law artifacts, talismans, pills, and other goods at the Ghost Market.
• Wang Ba attended True Person Yuji’s lecture, where Yuji promoted toxin-heavy pills and warned that the Myriad Gods Kingdom had destroyed Wei and might soon threaten Yan.
• Wang Ba realized the Myriad Gods Kingdom’s advance could reach Yan far sooner than Yuji predicted and returned to his stall after the lecture.
• Wang Ba traded a basin of Spirit Chicken Essence to a young cultivator for the Hundred-Life Soul-Defiling Curse and listened as the cultivator explained the technique.
• Wang Ba learned that the young cultivator was Yang, a displaced sect cultivator from Wei, and Yang said Great Yan and Great Jin had the best chance of stopping the Myriad Gods Kingdom.

Wang Ba learned that Great Yan and Great Jin might offer refuge amid the continent’s growing upheaval, then sold his Spirit Chicken Essence by displaying rare spirit beasts. He impressed Tang Ji with his beast-taming knowledge, and the chapter ended as cultivators hurried toward the palace for selection to the Ghost Market’s third floor.

• A young cultivator told Wang Ba that the Sect Master had advised them to flee to Great Yan or Great Jin, and Wang Ba remembered the two nations as possible refuges.
• Wang Ba displayed the Wu Ape King, Azurewater Spirit Turtle, Phoenix Feather Chicken Yi Two, and Black Feather Chicken Bing One, attracting customers and selling all his Spirit Chicken Essence.
• Tang Ji visited Wang Ba’s stall, identified the Wu Ape King’s origins, and offered him the first volume of the Beast Taming Scroll in exchange for learning about Wang Ba’s spirit beasts.
• Wang Ba explained the beasts’ origins and answered Tang Ji’s questions about breeding and training, impressing him with a method for teaching a Leopard-Patterned Giant Mountain Turtle metal-aspect spells.
• The nearby palace doors opened, and cultivators rushed toward it after hearing that selection for places on the Ghost Market’s third floor was about to begin.

Wang Ba tried to enter the Exquisite Ghost Market’s Third Layer but was turned away for lacking the required cultivation, then learned about its rare places and protection while waiting for Zhao Feng. After Tang Ji returned and urged him to try again, Wang Ba was left wondering why the advice might apply to him.

• Wang Ba joined the queue for the Third Layer, but the brocade-robed elder rejected him because he had not reached Foundation Establishment late stage, while Zhao Feng entered the palace.
• Wang Ba learned from a long-eared cultivator that the Third Layer offered valuable goods, travel, and protection, and that only a few Foundation Establishment cultivators usually gained entry.
• Wang Ba waited near the palace, hoping Zhao Feng would secure a place, and shared wine and beast-taming knowledge with Tang Ji.
• Tang Ji praised Wang Ba’s knowledge and suggested he try entering the Third Layer again, hinting that things might be different this time.

Tang Ji directed Wang Ba to the Hundred Questions Tower, where he chose the Dao of Beast Taming and passed the first floor by answering every question correctly. The elder began the second floor with a difficult question about helping a Wind Heron survive its lightning tribulation.

• Tang Ji told Wang Ba to ask the palace elder for entry to the Hundred Questions Tower, giving him a chance to earn a place on the Exquisite Ghost Market’s third layer.
• Wang Ba entered the palace, and the elder opened the way after learning Tang Ji had sent him.
• A young cultivator explained that the Hundred Questions Tower tested cultivation arts, while the Hundred Refinements Tower tested combat, and guided Wang Ba to the correct Teleportation Array.
• Wang Ba chose the Dao of Beast Taming and answered every first-floor question correctly by identifying problems in scenes shown on a water curtain.
• The elder announced that Wang Ba had passed the first floor and started the second with a question about reducing the lightning tribulation faced by a Wind Heron during a bloodline breakthrough.