Chapter Summaries

Zhou Chun’s first reform proposal was challenged by Second Elder Zhou Chongshan for risking the Zhou Family’s unity, so Zhou Chun resolved to study the clansmen’s needs before revising it. As Cloud Prefecture’s fighting ended and the Zhou Family resumed normal operations, an unknown red-robed woman arrived outside Nine Peaks Ridge.

• Zhou Chun sought Zhou Jiarui’s and Zhou Jiahe’s support for family reform, then presented his proposal to Zhou Chongshan, who warned that its incentives could divide the Zhou Family and damage its shared sense of belonging.
• Zhou Chun admitted his mistake, withdrew the proposal, and returned to Pagoda Peak, where Zhou Daoyi explained that he had wanted to see how the elders would respond and urged Zhou Chun to learn the clansmen’s needs and limits.
• Zhou Chun set reform aside while cultivating and managing family affairs, then began investigating each clansman’s views; about half a year after becoming Vice Clan Leader, he received two Metal Qi-collecting artifacts and opened a rewarded collection mission to Zhou and allied families.
• Jing Kingdom’s forces defeated the Dragon Transformation Sect’s invasion of Cloud Prefecture, killing two more Protectors and driving its main force away, though the sect had displaced many people and tested its rivals.
• With the fighting paused, Misty Prefecture’s families lifted their restrictions, and Zhou Jiapeng and another Jia-generation cultivator began Foundation Establishment seclusion.
• A red-robed woman arrived at the forest outside Nine Peaks Ridge and identified it as the Zhou Family’s home.

Lin Hongyu infiltrated the Zhou Family and met Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi on Pagoda Peak. After Zhou Daoyi rejected her offer to help him reach the Violet Palace, she asked the Zhou Family to find people with promising Spiritual Roots in exchange for rewards.

• Lin Hongyu entered the Zhou Family’s Rogue Cultivator district under a false pretense, slipped past its guards, and headed for Pagoda Peak.
• The Fire God Jackal detected Lin Hongyu, and Zhou Mingde invited her to the summit, where Zhou Daoyi soon joined them.
• Lin Hongyu and Zhou Daoyi argued about their past, and Zhou Daoyi angrily refused her offer to take him to the Dragon Transformation Sect and help him impact the Violet Palace.
• Lin Hongyu asked the Zhou Family to find Rogue Cultivators or ordinary mortals with promising Spiritual Roots and backgrounds, offering rewards such as a Dragonkin Beast Egg.

Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi decided to cooperate with Lin Hongyu for now, despite the risks, and brought Zhou Chun into planning discreet transactions that would supply people to the Dragon Transformation Sect. After settling on a scheme using the Greenwood Spirit Ape to capture evil bandit cultivators, Zhou Chun received news from the Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley about the Pulse Protecting Pill he needed.

• Zhou Mingde persuaded Zhou Daoyi to stall Lin Hongyu and cooperate with her rather than reveal the matter to Green Lotus Temple.
• Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi told Zhou Chun about their agreement with Lin Hongyu and asked him to plan discreet transactions.
• Zhou Chun proposed keeping the Zhou Family's name out of the search for people and warned that the Dragon Transformation Sect posed the greatest risk of exposure.
• Zhou Chun suggested having the Greenwood Spirit Ape capture people, and Zhou Mingde and Zhou Daoyi approved the idea and chose wicked bandit cultivators as targets.
• The Zhou Family's authorities settled on a feasible plan, and Zhou Chun later received news from the Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley about the Pulse Protecting Pill.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan traveled to East Ling Market to seek a Pulse Protecting Pill from Master Jiang, and Zhou Chun eventually revealed that the Wang Family had supplied the lead. Master Jiang agreed to consider an exchange after Zhou Chun offered rare alchemy materials and fragrant incense, leaving the negotiation unresolved.

• Zhou Chun told Zhou Daoyi about the Pulse Protecting Pill, and Zhou Daoyi sent Zhou Daoquan to accompany him to Mausoleum Prefecture.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan discussed the Silver Lightning Thunder Python’s stalled growth and arrived at Master Jiang’s pill shop in East Ling Market.
• The shopkeeper told Zhou Chun that Master Jiang was in seclusion, so Zhou Chun visited the shop daily until Master Jiang returned nine days later.
• Master Jiang refused to sell the Pulse Protecting Pill and reacted coldly when Zhou Chun would not reveal his source.
• Zhou Chun disclosed that the Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley had provided the information, then offered Master Jiang rare alchemy materials and Spirit Incense in exchange for the pill.

Zhou Chun exchanged Spirit Incense for a Pulse Protecting Pill and returned to Nine Peaks Ridge with Zhou Daoquan. He then presented the Zhou Family’s population and financial statistics to its leaders, warning that growing Merit Point debts could trigger a crisis of trust, and left them waiting for his proposed solutions.

• Zhou Chun traded Spirit Incense and spiritual medicines to Master Jiang for a Pulse Protecting Pill, and arranged for Master Jiang to seek a Meridian Nourishing Pill in exchange for more incense.
• Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan rushed back to Nine Peaks Ridge, where Zhou Chun resumed preparations to reform the Zhou Family.
• Zhou Chun had a scribe report the family’s population, income, expenditures, and accumulated Merit Points to Zhou Daoyi and the elders.
• Zhou Chun warned that the family’s small cash reserves could not cover its growing Merit Point obligations, while Zhou Daoyi noted that clansmen might prefer Spirit Coins if direct exchanges were allowed.
• Zhou Daoyi asked Zhou Chun whether he had ideas for addressing the family’s urgent financial problems.

Zhou Chun proposed ways to address the Zhou Family’s looming financial crisis by expanding income and cutting costs, then presented a plan to reorganize the family’s internal administration. The elders began considering his proposals, which still required the Grand Elder’s approval.

• Zhou Chun warned that the Zhou Family faced a fast-approaching financial redemption crisis and recommended pursuing new revenue sources while reducing costs.
• Zhou Chun proposed protecting Rogue Cultivators near Nine Peaks Ridge, selling surplus young Demonic Beasts, and changing mission rewards to include treasury goods.
• Zhou Daoquan confirmed the Beast Garden could sell young Demonic Beasts, while Zhou Jiarui asked about the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey’s progress toward breeding.
• Zhou Chun suggested making cultivators who accumulated five thousand Merit Points Foundation Establishment seeds with priority to exchange for a Foundation Establishment spiritual item, and Zhou Daoyi supported the proposal pending the Grand Elder’s approval.
• Zhou Chun proposed reclaiming the Peak Masters’ authority and creating five halls, along with three stewards for finances, supervision, and punishment, all answerable to the clan leader.

Zhou Chun’s reforms reorganized the Zhou Family’s administration, encouraged clansmen to have and educate children, and established a limited-range security team. After the new system was implemented, Zhou Jiapeng successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, while another cultivator died attempting it.

• Zhou Chun proposed replacing the Peak Master system with steward halls and argued that capable clansmen should be eligible for steward positions regardless of status or cultivation.
• Zhou Chun proposed matchmaking support, a family nursery, childbirth subsidies, and collective academy education to increase the family’s population; the elders approved these measures along with a security team patrolling within a hundred li of the mountain gate.
• Zhou Daoyi and Zhou Chun submitted the reforms to Grand Elder Zhou Mingde, who approved them, and Zhou Chun selected stewards and clerks for the new halls.
• Zhou Chun oversaw the transition to the new administrative system, temporarily taking on the Financial and Punishment Steward roles himself.
• Zhou Jiapeng successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, while the other cultivator attempting Foundation Establishment died in seclusion, leaving a suicide note.

After Zhou Jiapeng successfully established his foundation, Zhou Chun completed a trade with Master Jiang and left East Ling Market with Zhou Daoquan. Two rogue cultivators ambushed them on the way home, and Zhou Daoquan faced Su Qiang’s powerful fire technique as Wei Tong attacked Zhou Chun.

• Zhou Jiapeng thanked Zhou Chun for helping him obtain a Spirit Ascension Fruit that aided his successful Foundation Establishment.
• Zhou Chun traded Fragrant Spirit Musk Deer Spirit Incense to Master Jiang for a Meridian Nourishing Pill, then gifted him Spirit Honey and received medicinal wine in return.
• After Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan departed East Ling Market, Su Qiang and Wei Tong tracked them, having confirmed that they had not brought a third rank demonic beast.
• Zhou Daoquan spotted the pursuers and landed the Vermilion Flame Crane, releasing his Earth Armored Bear to protect Zhou Chun.
• Su Qiang and Wei Tong attacked, with Su Qiang engaging Zhou Daoquan and Wei Tong sending his Mandarin Duck Twin Blades toward Zhou Chun.
• Zhou Daoquan survived Su Qiang’s first scarlet-gold fire attack, but Su Qiang prepared a second strike.

Zhou Daoquan and Zhou Chun fought Su Qiang and Wei Tong, with their spirit pets and artifacts keeping the battles from turning against them. As Wei Tong summoned a stone-and-earth dragon to pressure the Earth Armored Bear, Zhou Chun aimed a white longbow at him.

• Su Qiang wounded Zhou Daoquan with his opening attacks, but Zhou Daoquan countered with the Vermilion Flame Crane and a mirror artifact, forcing Su Qiang into a fierce aerial fight.
• The Earth Armored Bear shielded Zhou Chun as he used his crimson-gold Flying Claw and other artifacts to battle Wei Tong, who attacked with a poisonous smoke gourd and a snake-shaped Flying Sword.
• Wei Tong’s fire-dragon talisman blasted the Earth Armored Bear, but the beast recovered and continued protecting Zhou Chun while they resisted Wei Tong’s wind dragon and sword attacks.
• Su Qiang berated Wei Tong for failing to defeat Zhou Chun, and Wei Tong answered by summoning a stone-and-earth dragon to keep the Earth Armored Bear occupied.
• Wei Tong turned his attention to Zhou Chun and saw him drawing a white longbow and aiming at him.

Zhou Chun killed Wei Tong after surviving an ambush, while Su Qiang escaped and confronted Master Jiang over the failed operation. Master Jiang killed Su Qiang to silence him, leaving Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan to return to their lineage suspecting Master Jiang’s involvement.

• Zhou Chun pierced Wei Tong with a lightning arrow, then killed him with his golden spike and Crimson Gold Flying Claw after Wei Tong’s retreat failed.
• Su Qiang bound Zhou Daoquan with his divine ability and fled, and Zhou Daoquan chose not to risk a desperate pursuit.
• Zhou Daoquan checked on Zhou Chun and treated the injured Earth Armored Bear, while Zhou Chun collected Wei Tong’s belongings and suspected Master Jiang had arranged the attack.
• Su Qiang confronted Master Jiang in the apothecary and demanded compensation for Wei Tong’s death and the loss of their partnership.
• Master Jiang offered Su Qiang three pill bottles, then killed him with a venomous needle when Su Qiang inspected them.
• Master Jiang burned Su Qiang’s body and went to seek help covering up the killing, while worrying that Zhou Chun would no longer surrender the remaining Fragrant Spirit Musk Deer Incense.

After surviving an ambush by two Foundation Establishment cultivators, Zhou Chun divided the dead attacker Wei Tong’s belongings with Zhou Daoquan and visited the Wang Family to thank them and warn them about Master Jiang. He also proposed a partnership in which the Zhou Family’s Jade Spirit Bees would pollinate the Wang Family’s spirit medicines in exchange for a share of the resulting Spirit Honey.

• Zhou Chun and Zhou Daoquan reported the attack to Zhou Daoyi, then divided Wei Tong’s belongings, with Zhou Chun receiving roughly sixty percent of the spoils.
• After recovering and refining his new magic tools, Zhou Chun traveled to the Wang Family of Red Medicine Valley and presented Wang Zhixiong with rare Spirit Medicine Seeds as thanks.
• Zhou Chun warned Wang Zhixiong that Master Jiang might have arranged the ambush and described the attackers’ magic tools and abilities.
• Wang Zhixiong promised to ask the Wang Family’s contacts in Mausoleum Prefecture to investigate the attackers’ identities.
• Zhou Chun proposed that the Wang Family let the Zhou Family’s Jade Spirit Bees gather pollen from its flowering spirit medicines, with the Zhou Family sharing the resulting Spirit Honey.

Zhou Chun established the Security Patrol, Family School, and Childcare Garden while overseeing the Zhou Family’s animal breeding efforts. At the Monkey Garden, the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey challenged the old Vajra Monkey for leadership, and Zhou Chun intervened when the challenger’s rage threatened to kill its defeated father.

• Zhou Chun appointed Zhou Jiapeng captain of the Security Patrol and arranged patrols to protect cultivators near Nine Peaks Ridge.
• Zhou Chun organized the Family School and Childcare Garden, which began caring for two or three dozen children and encouraged Zhou Family cultivators to start families.
• Zhou Zhengxun proposed breeding the Eight-horned Water-repelling Deer with suitable wild does, and Zhou Chun approved his plan.
• Zhou Chun watched the old Vajra Monkey battle its son, the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey, for the position of monkey king.
• The Vajra Monkey injured the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey with a powerful innate spell, but the challenger unleashed flames and attacked its fallen opponent.
• Zhou Chun blocked the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey’s killing blow, suppressed it, and sent Zhou Zhengyong to take it away for treatment.

Zhou Chun arranged for the defeated Vajra Monkey to guard his cave abode and planned for Zhou Zhengyong’s son Xinlan to contract a future Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey. After overseeing Beast Garden projects and preparing a secret deal with Lin Hongyu, Zhou Chun arranged for Zhou Daoquan and the Greenwood Spirit Ape to capture ten bandit cultivators for the transaction.

• The Vajra Monkey recognized Zhou Chun, thanked him for saving its life, and agreed to guard Zhou Chun’s cave abode instead of becoming his Spirit Pet.
• Zhou Chun sent the Vajra Monkey to Flying Stone Peak for training, then discussed the new monkey king’s mating and Xinlan’s cultivation prospects with Zhou Zhengyong.
• Zhou Chun inspected the Fragrant Spirit Musk Deer, approved a plan to capture wild female deer, and opened certain External Affairs Hall missions to trusted Rogue Cultivators.
• Zhou Chun prepared a secret transaction with Lin Hongyu and sent her its time and location.
• Zhou Daoquan and the Greenwood Spirit Ape captured ten bandit cultivators in the Red Rock Mountain Range for the planned transaction.

Zhou Mingde exchanged captured cultivators and mortals with the Dragon Transformation Sect for three dragon-blood treasures, while Zhou Daoyi prepared to break through and Zhou Chun began tempering his meridians with Metal Qi. News of pregnancies among the family’s demonic beasts raised hopes for expanding the Zhou Family’s stock, though Zhou Chun faced questions about how to allocate their offspring.

• Zhou Mingde met Lin Yan on a remote island and exchanged ten captured Rogue Cultivators and three mortals for Dragon Blood Ginseng, Crimson Dragon Jade, and a Crimson Flame Dragon Python egg.
• Zhou Mingde gave the treasures to Zhou Daoyi and Zhou Chun, who assigned the ginseng to Zhou Chun, the egg to Zhou Jiarui, and the jade for storage.
• Zhou Daoyi said he expected to reach Foundation Establishment Late Stage within three to five years, and Zhou Chun began repeatedly absorbing Metal Qi to prepare to change cultivation methods.
• Zhou Zhengyong reported that a female monkey favored by the Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey was pregnant, and Zhou Daoquan confidently predicted she carried a Crimson Flame Vajra Monkey.
• Zhou Chun visited the Book Repository and watched the Vajra Monkey learn to write under the Giant Green-Haired Ape’s instruction.
• Zhou Chun learned that several female deer were pregnant by the Eight-horned Water-repelling Deer, while Zhou Family cultivators began requesting reservations for the coming young beasts.

Zhou Chun rejected Zhou Jiakui’s request for an Eight-horned Water-repelling Deer for his irresponsible son and continued managing the Zhou Family’s affairs as its beasts and finances prospered. After helping Bai Bai attempt a breakthrough with Dragon Blood Ginseng, Zhou Chun organized an internal competition to assess the family’s cultivators, while the elders acknowledged their weak prospects in the upcoming joint tournament.

• Zhou Chun refused Zhou Jiakui’s request for an Eight-horned Water-repelling Deer for Zhou Zhenghuan, citing the family’s rules and his poor care of a Rock Armor Pig.
• Over the next two years, the Zhou Family bred more Demonic Beasts, gained rental income, and Zhou Chun improved his secret arts and prepared his meridians for the Golden Cauldron Profound Manual.
• Zhou Chun fed Bai Bai a three-hundred-year-old Dragon Blood Ginseng to help it break through, then reassured the envious Rock Earth Turtle that he would help it find what it needed to advance.
• After receiving the Wang Family’s proposal for a joint Daoist martial arts competition, Zhou Chun arranged an internal contest to assess the Zhou Family’s cultivators and prepared First-tier magic tools as prizes.
• Zhou Chun addressed the contestants, and the elders discussed the family’s limited prospects, concluding that it would likely need to focus on the Elite Group in the joint competition.

After the Zhou Family agreed to host the Five Great Cultivation Families’ martial arts competition, Zhou Chun considered supporting Zhou Zhengyuan’s bid for Foundation Establishment so he could refine Demonic Spirit Pills. Bai Bai advanced to the second rank and grew powerful new abilities, and Zhou Chun began using the Ancestor Revival secret technique to try to transform it into a Flood Dragon.

• Zhou Chun concluded the Zhou Family competition, then negotiated rules for the Five Great Cultivation Families’ joint competition, scheduled for seven months later.
• Zhou Zhengyuan asked the family to support his Foundation Establishment, saying that the breakthrough would let him successfully refine Demonic Spirit Pills, and Zhou Chun and Zhou Mingde agreed to support him later.
• Bai Bai awakened from its deep sleep, shed its old skin and scales, and advanced to the second rank.
• Bai Bai stabilized and gained three improved thunder spells and the new Lightning Flash ability, becoming stronger than Zhou Chun and most early Foundation Establishment cultivators in the family.
• After testing Bai Bai’s strength, Zhou Chun explained the risks of the Ancestor Revival secret technique; Bai Bai agreed, and Zhou Chun began casting it.

Zhou Chun used the “Ancestor Revival” secret technique to awaken Bai Bai’s Flood Dragon bloodline, and the transformed Thunder Flood Dragon badly injured Zhou Daoquan during a test of its strength. After the awkward accident was kept secret, Zhou Chun later visited Zhou Daoquan to apologize, and the elder eventually helped plan Bai Bai’s future cultivation.

• Bai Bai transformed into a powerful Thunder Flood Dragon, startling the Zhou Family and drawing Zhou Daoquan and other Elders to the practice grounds.
• Zhou Chun asked Zhou Daoquan to test Bai Bai’s strength, and Bai Bai’s lightning attacks overwhelmed the elder’s defenses and sent him flying.
• Zhou Chun ended the test by claiming Bai Bai’s transformation was fading, while Zhou Chongshan and the others agreed to keep the incident confidential.
• Zhou Chun checked on Bai Bai, fed it Demonic Beast meat, and recognized that its transformed strength could rival a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator.
• Several days later, Zhou Chun visited Zhou Daoquan to apologize and accepted a private scolding; Zhou Daoquan then helped plan Bai Bai’s future cultivation.

Zhou Chun presided over the Five Great Cultivation Families’ competition, where the Zhou Family strengthened its ties with local allies despite failing to win first place. After Zhou Daoyi emerged from seclusion at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he told Zhou Chun that Qingqing was still asleep while digesting the Green Flood Dragon inner core.

• At the competition, You Jinfang questioned Zhou Chun’s role as host, while Li Cunguang praised him and eased the tension.
• The He Family dominated the Youth Group, and three Zhou Family contestants reached the Elite Group’s top ten; Zhou Zhengyong later lost the final to a Sun Family cultivator.
• Zhou Chun and the elders concluded that hosting had displayed the Zhou Family’s influence and brought it closer to the other local families.
• After the guests departed, Zhou Chun dismissed speculation about the Li and You Families and reviewed the Zhou Family’s finances and population with its elders.
• Zhou Daoyi emerged from seclusion after breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage and heard Zhou Chun’s account of recent events.
• Zhou Daoyi told Zhou Chun that Qingqing was still asleep after consuming a Green Flood Dragon inner core and might need another year or two before her transformation showed results.

After Zhou Daoyi reached the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Zhou Chun left the family to search Azure Prefecture for ingredients needed to refine Golden Spirit Qi Regulating Powder. Wood Stone Hall could not sell him the rare ingredients, but Luo Qingyi gave him leads on families and wild Golden Rat colonies for a fee, leaving Zhou Chun to pursue them himself.

• Zhou Daoyi entrusted Zhou Chun to travel cautiously as he searched for Golden Leaf Bamboo Root and High-grade Gold-Eating Rat Gallbladder.
• Zhou Chun traveled alone to Azure Prefecture and entered Golden Spring Market under the assumed identity of Jiang Zishan from Cloud Prefecture.
• At Wood Stone Hall, Zhou Chun learned that the shop lacked ingredients of the required age and quality, so he requested its Bounty Hunting Service.
• Luo Qingyi told Zhou Chun that families would not sell the rare bamboo root for Spirit Coins and offered information about its holders and Golden Rat colonies.
• Zhou Chun paid five hundred Spirit Coins for a jade slip and map, then left Wood Stone Hall to pursue the leads.

Zhou Chun used Bai Bai to destroy a Golden Rat nest and obtain the Rat King’s gallbladder, then secured the Golden Leaf Bamboo Grass and Golden Spirit Qi Regulating Powder needed to prepare for cultivating the Golden Cauldron Profound Manual. He left the preparations complete and awaited the Azure Cloud Python’s transformation into a flood dragon before entering seclusion.

• Zhou Chun accepted a mine’s Golden Rat extermination mission and used bait to locate the nest’s main passage.
• Bai Bai entered the nest, defeated the Rat King, and killed most of the Golden Rats before bringing the unconscious Rat King back to Zhou Chun.
• Zhou Chun proved the nest had been cleared, received three hundred Spirit Coins, took the Rat King’s gallbladder, and gave the mine a way to contact him.
• Zhou Chun returned with Zhou Daoquan and exchanged a five-hundred-year-old spirit ginseng for Golden Leaf Bamboo Grass without encountering trouble.
• Zhou Daoyi arranged for the Li Family’s Alchemy Master to refine Golden Spirit Qi Regulating Powder, completing Zhou Chun’s preparations to cultivate the Golden Cauldron Profound Manual once the Azure Cloud Python transformed.