Chapter Summaries

Qin Ming defeated the demonic cultivators in the Demon Cave and discovered that the Celestial Corpse Pearl opened a hidden chamber where the Blood Curse Demon Vine had once been sealed. Inside, he found Zhao Wuyang’s corpse and a disappointing Storage Bag, leaving him to inspect its remaining contents.

• Qin Ming learned from Yuan Feng that demonic cultivators were searching for the Blood Bone Demon Lord’s inheritance and that Mo Lingwei had been coerced into Myriad Souls Valley.
• Qin Ming knocked out Mo Lingwei and Old Mo, healed Old Mo, killed the Black Iron Zombie, and collected ghost-creature remains from the Demon Cave.
• The Celestial Corpse Pearl led Qin Ming to a hidden chamber, which he opened and entered with the Devouring Sky Rat.
• Qin Ming found six withered Blood Curse Demon Vine seeds and the dried corpse of Zhao Wuyang, then took Zhao Wuyang’s Storage Bag.
• Qin Ming discovered that the Storage Bag held few valuables and turned his attention to several bottles and jars.

Qin Ming searched the stone chamber and found rare spirit seeds and Mountain Giant Ape essence blood, then left the Demon Cave and met Li Yuanqing on his way to Moon Gazing Island. Li Yuanqing warned him that the Six Demonic Sects were active near the Spirit Rest Archipelago, unaware that Qin Ming had already dealt with the infiltrators.

• Qin Ming discovered rare second-tier spirit seeds and, with the Devouring Sky Rat’s help, opened a jade bottle containing the essence blood of a second-tier perfected Mountain Giant Ape.
• Qin Ming collected the chamber’s remaining demon beast essence blood, burned Zhao Wuyang’s corpse and the rotten demonic seeds, and sealed the stone chamber again.
• Qin Ming returned the Celestial Corpse Pearl to Mo Lingwei and left the Demon Cave with the Devouring Sky Rat.
• Mo Lingwei woke, checked that she was unharmed, and decided with Old Mo to return to Myriad Souls Valley.
• Qin Ming met Li Yuanqing, who told him that cultivators of the Six Demonic Sects were active near the Spirit Rest Archipelago and advised him to be cautious.
• Qin Ming sold Li Yuanqing the medicinal pills he had taken from the Marauder Cultivators at Fangcun Mountain Market District.

Qin Ming refined the Mountain Giant Ape essence blood, completed the third transformation of True Astral Transformation, and reached the True Extremity Body. He planned a journey to the Liang Kingdom’s Profound Stream Valley and promised to seek pills that could restore the Devouring Sky Rat’s cultivation.

• Qin Ming swallowed the Tier 2 peak Mountain Giant Ape essence blood, and its beast soul merged with his Vital Energy True Force after encountering the Mountain Giant Ape in the Hundred Beasts Visualization Diagram.
• Qin Ming completed the third transformation of True Astral Transformation and manifested the Mountain Giant Ape’s Shattered Star divine ability.
• Qin Ming’s body reached major completion in the Foundation Establishment section of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art, becoming the True Extremity Body.
• Qin Ming decided to pursue the later techniques of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art and prepare for a journey to Profound Stream Valley in the Liang Kingdom.
• After the Devouring Sky Rat reported that a Spirit Transformation Fruit could no longer restore its Tier 3 cultivation, Qin Ming offered to seek a restorative pill formula in the Liang Kingdom.

Qin Ming harvested his Spirit Rice, entrusted Wu Jiang with Moon Gazing Island, and set out for Liang Kingdom to pursue the Pill Pagoda’s Core Formation Pill recipe. He arrived at Azure Sea Immortal City in disguise and went to Mirror Snow Pavilion, where Pavilion Master Gu welcomed him upstairs.

• Qin Ming sold his surplus Spirit Rice through Wu Jiang and asked him to watch over Moon Gazing Island during his absence.
• Qin Ming accelerated the Threefold Crimson Soulgrass with a Leaf of Spacetime Affix, harvested two stalks, and brought his Yin-Yang Mystic Vine and three spirit beasts along.
• Qin Ming left Moon Gazing Island and learned that the Devouring Sky Rat had grown up in Liang Kingdom before reaching the third rank.
• Qin Ming rode to Azure Sea Immortal City, disguised himself as Long Taoist, and entered the city amid cultivators’ recognition of his reputation.
• Qin Ming demanded to see the Pavilion Master at Mirror Snow Pavilion, and Pavilion Master Gu invited him upstairs.

Qin Ming traveled from Wei Kingdom to Liang Kingdom aboard a Mirror Snow Pavilion merchant ship and entered Ink Abyss Immortal City to gather information. He learned that Profound Stream Valley’s disciple selection had already been registered a year earlier, thwarting his plan to infiltrate the sect with the True Demon Illusion.

• Gu Qingzhao agreed to let Long Taoist, Qin Ming in disguise, travel to Liang Kingdom aboard Mirror Snow Pavilion’s merchant ship without paying a fare.
• Qin Ming boarded the Dharma Boat with Huangfu Qi, and the ship reached Liang Kingdom after half a month, weathering demon-beast attacks and law-enforcement inspections.
• Qin Ming disembarked at Ink Abyss Immortal City, entered after paying the gate fee, and rented an expensive cave dwelling near the Core Zone.
• Qin Ming discovered that Profound Stream Valley’s Pill Pagoda selection applicants had been registered a year earlier and faced strict identity checks, derailing his plan to infiltrate the sect using the True Demon Illusion.

Qin Ming learned that Profound Stream Valley was recruiting Guest Elders and decided to infiltrate the sect under another identity. After impersonating the slain Spirit Planter Yu Changqing, he applied and emerged with a Guest Elder token, surprising his rival Di Shan.

• Qin Ming heard that Profound Stream Valley required Guest Elder applicants to have Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation or a Tier 2 Hundred Cultivation Art, and resolved to enter under a false identity.
• Qin Ming found Yu Changqing killed by Marauder Cultivators, defeated them, and used a secret method to obtain Yu Changqing's memories and identity.
• Three months later, Qin Ming arrived at Profound Stream Valley during its disciple selection and Guest Elder recruitment.
• Di Shan mocked Qin Ming, believing Yu Changqing's Tier 2 low-grade Spirit Planter skills would not pass the evaluation.
• Qin Ming quickly left the interview holding a Guest Elder token, leaving Di Shan stunned.

Disguised as Yu Changqing, Qin Ming joined Profound Stream Valley as a Guest Elder and was assigned to Jade Bamboo Forest. He settled in while investigating where the Core Formation Pill formula might be kept, then received a demanding yearly tribute that he intended to fake completing.

• Elder Xu Shanzhong welcomed the new Guest Elders and assigned Qin Ming to Jade Bamboo Forest and Di Shan to nearby Mist Pine Ridge.
• Yan Ruyan showed Qin Ming his residence, but he sent her away without a reward, leaving her disgruntled.
• Qin Ming examined Profound Stream Valley’s map and identified three forbidden areas as possible places to find the Core Formation Pill formula; he rejected the Devouring Sky Rat’s plan to investigate them immediately.
• Qin Ming settled into Jade Bamboo Forest as Yu Changqing while Fang Han became Gongsun Yang’s disciple after clearing the Pill Pagoda’s seventh floor.
• Qin Ming read his yearly Spirit Plant tribute requirements and decided to merely pretend to fulfill them.

Two months after joining Profound Stream Valley, Qin Ming continued to conceal his intentions while the sect watched him and the other Guest Elders. He finally posted a task to recruit disciples for his Jade Bamboo Forest, then went to the Law Transmission Pavilion to gather information.

• Qin Ming reflected on the Core Formation Pill monopoly and kept up the appearance of studying spirit plants while Profound Stream Valley monitored him.
• Di Shan visited Qin Ming, mocked him for not planting anything, and left after Qin Ming rebuffed him.
• Elder Xu heard that the Guest Elders were behaving normally and ordered his subordinate to keep watching Yu Changqing.
• Qin Ming posted a task offering Contribution Points and Spirit Stones to recruit disciples to plant Amethyst Crystal Rice for a year.
• Qin Ming went to the Law Transmission Pavilion, where an elderly man explained its entry rules and cultivation technique fees.

Qin Ming searched Profound Stream Valley for a Core Formation Pill formula, then discovered it was kept in the Scripture Repository under Golden Core Ancestor Wan’s protection. He decided to strengthen the Devouring Sky Rat with a Zhurong Pill before attempting to steal a copy.

• Qin Ming sent the Devouring Sky Rat into the upper floors of the Law Transmission Pavilion, but it found no Core Formation Pill formula.
• Yan Ruyan accepted Qin Ming’s Spirit Planting mission and spent more than half a year growing Amethyst Crystal Rice in Jade Bamboo Forest.
• Qin Ming completed his own Guest Elder planting mission and learned that the Core Formation Pill formula was in the Scripture Repository on Falling Cloud Peak.
• Qin Ming obtained the Zhurong Pill formula from a Pseudo-Core Ancestor of Red Haze Peak using the Great Dream Demon Art.
• The Devouring Sky Rat claimed it could evade Ancestor Wan and copy the formula at full strength, so Qin Ming set out to buy the materials needed to refine the Zhurong Pill.

Qin Ming gathered the Tier 3 materials needed for the Zhurong Pill and succeeded in refining three pills, reaching Tier 3 Alchemy Grandmaster. The pills restored the Devouring Sky Rat to peak Tier 3 Early Stage, giving Qin Ming a powerful new ally as unrest spread through Liang Kingdom.

• Qin Ming left Profound Stream Valley, disguised himself as Long Taoist, and learned that demon beasts had recently attacked Ink Abyss Immortal City.
• Qin Ming bought the required Tier 3 Spirit Materials from Aunt Long at Mirror Snow Pavilion and left the city to refine pills in a secluded cliffside cave.
• Qin Ming endured dozens of failed attempts before refining three low-grade Tier 3 Zhurong Pills.
• Qin Ming gave one Zhurong Pill each to the Devouring Sky Rat, Mystic Water Crocodile, and Silverwing Frosthawk.
• The Devouring Sky Rat recovered its strength and reached peak Tier 3 Early Stage, then pledged its loyalty to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming’s spirit pets broke through to Tier 2 Great Demons, and he returned to Profound Stream Valley amid signs of a dangerous beast tide. While the sect’s defenses were strained, the Devouring Sky Rat infiltrated the Scripture Repository and copied the Core Formation Pill Formula along with many other pill formulas.

• The Mystic Water Crocodile and Silver-Winged Frost Bee broke through to Tier 2 Great Demons at perfection, and Qin Ming waited three days for them to consolidate their cultivation.
• Qin Ming returned to Profound Stream Valley disguised as Yu Changqing and learned from Yan Ruyan that demon beasts had attacked the sect and Ink Abyss Immortal City, while several Tier 3 Demon Kings had appeared.
• After warning bells sounded, Di Shan told Qin Ming that a late Tier 3 half-transformed Great Demon had fought Old Ancestor Qingxuan, who was injured; Qin Ming suspected the Azure-Faced Poisonous Jiao was responsible.
• Qin Ming disguised himself as a logistics disciple and sent the Devouring Sky Rat to Falling Cloud Peak while Ancestor Wan was away from the Scripture Repository.
• The Devouring Sky Rat copied the Core Formation Pill Formula and several other pill formulas, escaped past Ancestor Wan, and returned to Qin Ming, who praised it after examining the jade slips.

After a year at Profound Stream Valley, Qin Ming completed his Guest Elder assignment and exchanged his Contribution Points for Blazing Sun Spirit Emulsion. He secretly used it to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection, leaving him ready to prepare for Core Formation.

• Qin Ming planned to gather the Core Formation Pill ingredients and investigate the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror, while waiting out the Beast Tide.
• Qin Ming rewarded Yan Ruyan with one shi of Amethyst Crystal Rice after she helped harvest the crop.
• Qin Ming submitted an exceptional spirit medicine and earned over five thousand Contribution Points, surpassing Di Shan's harvest and reward.
• Qin Ming exchanged his Contribution Points for one drop of Blazing Sun Spirit Emulsion.
• Qin Ming secretly consumed the Spirit Emulsion in Ink Abyss Immortal City and broke through to Foundation Establishment Perfection.

After consolidating his breakthrough, Qin Ming left Ink Abyss Immortal City disguised as Long Taoist and arranged to buy rare materials for a Core Formation Pill. Linghu Yang challenged him over an old defeat, and after Qin Ming avoided him in the city, Linghu Yang pursued him and asked for a fair rematch with his cultivation suppressed.

• Qin Ming spent more than half a month consolidating his cultivation, solidifying ten percent of his liquid force and considering a future attempt to reach the Golden Core realm.
• Qin Ming left his cave abode disguised as Long Taoist, then visited Mirror Snow Pavilion and paid Aunt Long a deposit to gather rare materials or Spirit Seeds for a Core Formation Pill.
• Qin Ming sensed Linghu Yang enter Ink Abyss Immortal City and challenge Long Taoist, but stayed at Mirror Snow Pavilion rather than expose his strength or Trump Cards.
• Linghu Yang departed after Qin Ming ignored his challenge, and Qin Ming waited several more days before leaving the city to travel west.
• Linghu Yang pursued Qin Ming and asked him to fight, offering to suppress his cultivation to Foundation Establishment Perfection and promising not to harm him.

Qin Ming used the Devouring Sky Rat to defeat and kill Linghu Yang, a newly advanced Golden Core cultivator, and took his Golden Core and belongings. He then traveled to Tai Lake to investigate the Xiao Family’s ancestral hall, where the Artifact Spirit of the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror was said to be hidden.

• Qin Ming summoned the Devouring Sky Rat, and Linghu Yang fled after sensing the demon’s overwhelming pressure.
• The Devouring Sky Rat pursued Linghu Yang and defeated his Golden Sun Sword Formation while Qin Ming withstood several sword strikes with his body.
• The Devouring Sky Rat killed Linghu Yang and retrieved his Golden Core, which Qin Ming took for safekeeping until his search was complete.
• Qin Ming collected Linghu Yang’s possessions, turned his corpse into a Blood Orb, and destroyed the remaining traces.
• Three days later, Qin Ming arrived at Tai Lake, disguised himself as a rogue cultivator, and began investigating the Xiao Family’s ancestral hall.
• Qin Ming secretly approached the Xiao Family that night, released the Devouring Sky Rat, and asked whether it had noticed anything unusual.

Qin Ming and the Devouring Sky Rat followed the Three Friends of Plum Mountain into a hidden chamber beneath Tai Lake, where Xiao Zhongren revealed his interest in an inheritance. They discovered a bone-filled cavern and a vast hoard of treasures, leaving the Three Friends ecstatic.

• Qin Ming sensed the Three Friends of Plum Mountain arrive at the Xiao family ancestral hall with map fragments and followed them after suspecting the map was bait.
• The Three Friends activated a portrait's hidden mechanism and entered a white Light Gate, followed by Xiao Zhongren and a gray-robed elder.
• Qin Ming and the Devouring Sky Rat entered the gate and found themselves in a vast ravine at the bottom of Tai Lake.
• Qin Ming explored the ravine with his divine sense and spotted the Three Friends cautiously traversing a cavern strewn with bones.
• The Three Friends reached a chamber filled with Spirit Stones, treasures, Core Formation Pills, and other rare items, and celebrated their discovery.

Qin Ming joined Xiao Zhongren to capture the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror’s Artifact Spirit, but Xiao betrayed him after Old Yan trapped the Devouring Sky Rat. As Xiao threatened Qin Ming, a monster from the black opening seized and dragged Xiao inside.

• Xiao Zhongren explained that he had sensed Qin Ming through the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror and proposed joining forces to capture its Artifact Spirit.
• Qin Ming saw through the illusion hiding a bone-filled cavern, then followed Xiao Zhongren and the Three Friends of Plum Mountain as the Artifact Spirit lured them deeper inside.
• The Artifact Spirit fed on the souls of the Three Friends of Plum Mountain, and Xiao Zhongren trapped it with a red spiritual net.
• Old Yan sacrificed himself to activate the Demon-Trapping Rings, sealing the Devouring Sky Rat’s demonic power, and Xiao Zhongren revealed that he wanted Qin Ming’s mirror.
• A blood-red tongue shot out of the black opening, wrapped around Xiao Zhongren, and dragged him inside as screams and the sound of chewing came from the cave.

Qin Ming subdued the Artifact Spirit of the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror, then encountered the powerful Old Toad Ancestor, who offered a deal to escape imprisonment. As Qin Ming considered the offer of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art, the Artifact Spirit warned him telepathically not to accept.

• After Xiao Zhongren was devoured, Qin Ming defeated the ghosts summoned by the Artifact Spirit and sealed it in a jade bottle.
• Qin Ming recovered the Demon-Trapping Rings and reunited with the Devouring Sky Rat, while Old Toad Ancestor revealed himself as the golden toad demon king imprisoned in the valley.
• Old Toad Ancestor admitted that he had scattered genuine mirror fragments to lure cultivators and offered to explain how to repair the mirror and help Qin Ming escape if Qin Ming freed him.
• Old Toad Ancestor offered Qin Ming the next part of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art, and the Artifact Spirit warned Qin Ming not to agree because he would die.

Qin Ming escaped the valley beneath Tai Lake after learning from Jin Lingzi that the Artifact Spirit possessed the next part of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art. His escape broke the White Bone King's Hall's restrictions, and the White Bone True Man began to awaken beneath the lake.

• Qin Ming rejected Old Toad Ancestor's offer after Jin Lingzi showed him part of the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art and warned that Old Toad Ancestor was lying.
• The Devouring Sky Rat used its Forbidden Severing Dark Light for half a month to open a hole in the valley's barrier, allowing Qin Ming and his spirit pets to escape.
• Qin Ming surfaced from Tai Lake, where Jin Lingzi warned that breaking the White Bone King's Hall's restrictions would revive the White Bone True Man.
• Yin Sha Qi surged from Tai Lake as dark clouds and baleful lightning gathered, and the resulting Killing Intent gale killed fishermen and drew cultivators from the surrounding area.
• Qin Ming watched the upheaval briefly, then left without looking back.

After returning to Ink Abyss Immortal City, Qin Ming learned more about the ancient danger beneath Tai Lake and reviewed the treasures he had taken from his enemies. He left the newly emerged ruins to the cultivators flocking there and focused on preparing to form his Golden Core, until an unexpected visitor arrived.

• Rogue cultivators poured toward the Tai Lake Ruins as Qin Ming returned to Ink Abyss Immortal City, knowing the site hid a deadly pitfall and that Old Toad Ancestor lurked below.
• Jin Lingzi told Qin Ming that the Golden Toad had been White Bone True Man’s Spirit Pet and that White Bone True Man, sealed in his palace by an ancient Nascent Soul cultivator, could revive through the Soul-Hosting Art.
• Jin Lingzi revealed that White Bone True Man had wielded the Curved Jade Golden Light Mirror, slain Nascent Soul cultivators, and might return as a Ghost Cultivator beyond Qin Ming’s ability to resist.
• Jin Lingzi postponed discussing the Heavenly Demon Body Refining Art until Qin Ming reached the Golden Core Stage and told him not to wake him again without reason.
• Qin Ming examined Linghu Yang’s and Old Yan’s Storage Bags, finding a Golden Meteor Sword, Myriad Transformation Spirit Liquid, Spirit Stones, materials, and cultivation items, along with a Pseudo-Core-grade Blood Orb and Xiao Zhongren’s Soul Shackling Net.
• As Qin Ming finished taking stock of his spoils, an unexpected visitor knocked outside his room.

Qin Ming, disguised as Long Taoist, refused Huangfu Qi’s invitation to explore the Lake Tai Ruins and warned him that a Golden Core Ancestor had vanished there. As cultivators flooded Ink Abyss Immortal City, Aunt Long brought word that she had gathered all the third-rank spirit materials on his list.

• Huangfu Qi invited Long Taoist to join a group of Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators seeking Core Formation opportunities in the Lake Tai Ruins.
• Long Taoist declined, explaining that he had no need to risk himself for the ruin’s resources and planned to return to Moon Gazing Island.
• Long Taoist warned Huangfu Qi that he had seen a Golden Core Ancestor enter the ruins and never return.
• Huangfu Qi thanked Long Taoist and left to discuss the warning with his companions before deciding whether to go.
• More than half a month later, cultivators poured into Ink Abyss Immortal City as news of the ruins spread.
• Aunt Long told Long Taoist that she had gathered all the third-rank spirit materials he had requested.