Chapter Summaries

Fang Yu spent another year forging Metal Fire Stones to meet his annual tribute and pay his cave abode loan, then celebrated at the Divine Maiden Pavilion. The dormant bead in his sea of consciousness finally activated, revealing that it could let him travel through the heavens and myriad worlds.

• Fang Yu finished his yearly quota of forty-nine Metal Fire Stones and forged twelve more for himself as the calendar turned to the year 2050.
• Fang Yu joined the other outer disciples at the Fire Cloud Cave and paid his annual tribute, leaving with twelve Spirit Stones after his cave abode payment was deducted.
• Fang Yu went to the Divine Maiden Pavilion, where he spent the evening eating, drinking, and relaxing with Jinlian.
• At dawn, Fang Yu felt the dormant bead in his sea of consciousness spin and received the message that it could enable travel through the heavens and myriad worlds.
• Fang Yu pushed Jinlian aside, dressed, and hurried back to his cave abode after realizing his golden finger had activated.

Fang Yu discovered that the Yuanchen Pearl let him travel to Great Scarlet Heaven, bought Law Artifacts and spiritual talismans to prepare, and crossed over. He arrived in a mountain forest with unusually pure Spiritual Qi and suspected he was inside a Purple Mansion Aristocratic Clan's territory.

• Fang Yu examined the Yuanchen Pearl and learned that its Void Penetration ability could take him to Great Scarlet Heaven.
• Fang Yu spent ninety-eight Metal Fire Stones on the Metal-Fire Three-Piece Set at the Metal and Stone Hall.
• Fang Yu bought ten spiritual talismans at a market stall and checked his supplies before using the Yuanchen Pearl to transmigrate.
• Fang Yu arrived in a mountain forest in Great Scarlet Heaven and sensed a faint trace of Spiritual Qi.
• Fang Yu recognized that the Spiritual Qi was exceptionally pure, feared he had entered a Purple Mansion Aristocratic Clan's spiritual land, and decided to investigate before returning.

Fang Yu investigated Medicine King Ridge and discovered that it was an unclaimed spirit land in the mortal kingdom of Great Chu. After confirming that even Nine Fragrances Town had Spiritual Qi, he returned to the mountains to explore the ridge.

• Fang Yu encountered a herb gatherer and followed him to the Mountain Lord Temple, where he learned that the nearest settlement was Nine Fragrances Town.
• Fang Yu traveled with the herb gatherer for three days until the man pointed him toward Nine Fragrances Town.
• Fang Yu questioned the town elders and learned that Medicine King Ridge had no cultivation sects and that its stories of an immortal tiger were old legends.
• Fang Yu discovered Spiritual Qi in Nine Fragrances Town, concluded that Medicine King Ridge was unclaimed, and flew deeper into the mountains on a soaring cloud.

Fang Yu cultivated on Medicine King Ridge and broke through to the Qi Ingestion Second Layer, then returned to Flaming Mountain to forge his annual tribute. After paying his dues and celebrating with fellow disciples, he returned to his cave with only four Metal Fire Stones left and resolved to spend more carefully.

• Fang Yu carved a cave abode into a peak on Medicine King Ridge, named it Cloud Mist Peak and Cloud Mist Cave, and cultivated there.
• Fang Yu broke through to the Qi Ingestion Second Layer after years of being stuck at the first layer.
• Fang Yu returned to Flaming Mountain and forged Metal Fire Stones, deciding not to use Medicine King Ridge’s Spiritual Qi for forging because the stones might be detected as abnormal.
• Fang Yu paid forty-nine Metal Fire Stones in annual tribute, celebrated his breakthrough with fellow disciples, and spent five more stones on the treat.
• Fang Yu regretted spending so freely, resolved not to treat people at the Divine Maiden Pavilion again, and connected with the Yuanchen Pearl.

Fang Yu reached the Qi Ingestion Third Layer after ten years of cultivation in Cloud Mist Cave and returned to the Metal Stone Immortal Sect to collect further cultivation methods. Deacon Han warned him to focus on the Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon, while Deacon Tie offered to help him choose an additional method.

• Fang Yu spent another year forging Metal Fire Stones and paying off his cave abode loan rather than leaving the sect.
• Fang Yu cultivated in Cloud Mist Cave for ten years and condensed a third strand of Law Power, reaching the Qi Ingestion Third Layer.
• Fang Yu reported his advancement to Deacon Han, who processed his status and warned him not to practice methods besides the Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon.
• Fang Yu went to the Scripture Pavilion to collect the next layers of his method and choose an additional one.
• Deacon Tie returned Fang Yu's Metal Fire Stones and offered to guide him in choosing a suitable Cultivation Method.

Fang Yu chose the Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture to complement his Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon and spent the next half-year cultivating it. He mastered its fire power and began building up his Law Power at Medicine King Ridge.

• Tie Feng recommended the Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture, and Fang Yu examined other methods before registering the Scripture and swearing not to reveal it.
• Han Feng watched Fang Yu leave the library and coldly remarked that he was ignoring good advice.
• Fang Yu studied both cultivation methods, planned his time around forging gold firestones, and found that the Scripture refined his Law Power into Flowing Flame True Fire.
• Fang Yu began forging gold firestones and found that his improved cultivation let him convert Flowing Flame Fire Spiritual Qi faster.
• Half a year later, Fang Yu spat out a powerful fire cloud after cultivating three strands of Flowing Flame True Fire, then drank tea and cultivated at Medicine King Ridge.

Four years after settling into his cave abode, Fang Yu paid off his loan and cultivated until he reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Ingestion. When he returned from surveying Medicine King Ridge, he found an intruder in his cave and killed him.

• Fang Yu crafted Metal Fire Stones, paid off his cave abode loan, and received confirmation that Dingmao One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty-Two was now his private property.
• Fang Yu cultivated for three years in Cloud Mist Cave and broke through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Ingestion.
• Fang Yu tested his stronger Law Technique, then surveyed Medicine King Ridge but found no peak with richer Spiritual Qi than Cloud Mist Peak.
• Fang Yu returned after nearly half a month and noticed that the stove outside his cave abode was still burning.
• A middle-aged man in a green robe attacked Fang Yu with wind blades, but Fang Yu blocked the attacks and killed him with his golden hammer.

After killing a Great Scarlet Heaven cultivator who ambushed him in his cave, Fang Yu discovered the man's cultivation manual, map, and Spirit Stones. He decided to avoid cultivating in Great Scarlet Heaven for now, learn its ways through the Everlasting Spring Technique, and be more careful before heading to the Divine Maiden Pavilion to relax.

• Fang Yu confirmed the area was clear, carried the dead cultivator into his cave, and searched the body for a storage sachet.
• Fang Yu found Dharma robes, a flying boat, more than thirty Spirit Stones, the Everlasting Spring Technique, and a map of the Chu Kingdom cultivation world.
• Fang Yu read about Great Scarlet Heaven's cultivation realms and learned that Medicine King Ridge lay near East Spirit Mountain Marketplace and the Cloud Spirit Sect.
• Fang Yu burned the corpse, resolved to avoid cultivating in Great Scarlet Heaven temporarily, and planned to study the Everlasting Spring Technique and act more cautiously.
• Fang Yu went to the Divine Maiden Pavilion and asked Madam Liu whether any new girls had arrived.

One year after beginning to cultivate with Spirit Stones, Fang Yu reached Qi Ingestion Fifth Layer and learned the Flaming Mountain Secret Land would soon open. Though he hesitated over a thirty-year loan, he ultimately signed the contract to enter, despite having Great Scarlet Heaven as another cultivation opportunity.

• Fang Yu absorbed a Spirit Stone and formed his fifth strand of Law Power after a year of cultivation.
• Fang Yu received the delayed sect announcement that the Flaming Mountain Secret Land would open in a little over half a month.
• Fang Yu visited Deacon Han at Fire Cloud Cave and agreed to borrow Metal Fire Stones to enter the secret land.
• Han Feng warned Fang Yu that the loan required thirty years of repayment, prompting Fang Yu to take the contract home without signing it.
• Fang Yu reconsidered the debt in his cave abode and pressed his seal onto the contract.

Fang Yu entered the Flaming Mountain Secret Land, believing he needed its cultivation opportunities to explain his unusually rapid progress and remain safe within the Metal Stone Immortal Sect. Deacon Tie Feng welcomed him and assigned him a place by a lava pit rich in Flowing Flame Fire Qi.

• Fang Yu decided that leaving the Metal Stone Immortal Sect would cost him the stability and resources he needed, so he returned to Fire Cloud Cave and accepted the thirty-year secret land loan.
• Han Feng processed Fang Yu's entry but refused his three gold firestones, leaving Fang Yu to wonder whether he had offended the deacon.
• Fang Yu used his disciple token to enter the Flaming Mountain Secret Land and sensed that its Spiritual Qi was more than ten times denser than at Medicine King Ridge.
• Tie Feng recognized Fang Yu, praised his cultivation progress, and heard Fang Yu claim that he had borrowed the gold firestones after his cultivation stalled.
• Tie Feng led Fang Yu to an unoccupied lava pit with dense Flowing Flame Fire Qi and told him where to find the next part of the Cultivation Method after reaching Qi Ingestion Late Stage.

Fang Yu advanced to the late stage of Qi Ingestion and learned that reaching Dao Foundation required forging a Mystic-grade flying sword recognized by heaven and earth. Tie Feng offered to connect him with sponsors who would provide materials for him to practice, with Fang Yu repaying them with the first sword he forged after advancing.

• Fang Yu resolved to treat Qi Ingestion Late Stage as a starting point and continued cultivating in the secret land.
• A year later, Fang Yu formed his sixth strand of Law Power, advanced to Qi Ingestion Late Stage, and received the next cultivation methods from Tie Feng.
• Fang Yu asked Tie Feng about Dao Attainment, and Tie Feng explained that it was needed to break through to Dao Foundation.
• Tie Feng said Fang Yu would need to forge a Mystic-grade flying sword recognized by heaven and earth to attain a Molten Edge Flow Dao Foundation.
• Tie Feng offered to find sponsors who would supply materials for Fang Yu to practice forging, in exchange for his first sword after advancing to Dao Foundation.

After leaving the secret land, Fang Yu agreed to forge a flying sword for sect sword cultivators in exchange for practice materials and began cultivating the Great Scarlet Heaven’s Everlasting Spring Technique. Opening a Qi Sea revealed differences between Qi Refining and Qi Ingestion, and the Yuanchen Pearl awakened a new ability as he started testing it.

• After two years in the secret land, Fang Yu reached the Qi Ingestion Seventh Layer and practiced shaping metal with his Flowing Flame True Fire.
• When the secret land closed, Fang Yu agreed to give the first flying sword he forged after reaching the Dao Foundation to sword cultivators who supplied him with materials.
• Fang Yu returned to his cave abode and decided to cultivate the Everlasting Spring Technique before investigating the Great Scarlet Heaven again.
• Fang Yu used a Spirit Stone and the Everlasting Spring Technique to open a Qi Sea in his lower Dantian.
• Fang Yu compared Qi Refining with Qi Ingestion and found that Qi Refining lacked Qi Ingestion’s passive physical strengthening.
• The Yuanchen Pearl displayed the ability “Return to Origin: Unifies powers from different systems,” and Fang Yu began testing it.

Fang Yu used the Yuanchen Pearl to purify his Flowing Flame True Fire and Everlasting Spring Law Power, growing stronger while suspecting the Crimson Firmament Profound Craft Canon and Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture concealed a danger. He concealed his Qi Refining presence before heading to a gathering, where Tie Feng greeted him and his suspicions remained.

• Fang Yu converted his Flowing Flame True Fire into Primordial Qi and back, discovering that the purified power was far stronger but reduced seven strands to four and damaged his meditation chamber.
• Over seven days, Fang Yu restored seven strands of purified Flowing Flame True Fire, improving his techniques, protective spiritual light, and body while removing the discordant presence from his power.
• Fang Yu kept one strand of impure Flowing Flame True Fire to disguise his presence, then used Primordial Qi to fill his Qi sea and reach Qi Refining First Layer Great Perfection.
• After receiving a message talisman, Fang Yu concealed his Qi Refining Law Power and flew to the gathering at a mountain peak.
• Fang Yu saw Fire Stone laborers and Tie Household sword cultivators at the gathering, then heard Tie Feng welcome him and felt wary of the man who had recommended his cultivation scripture.

Fang Yu struck a deal with Tie Chanyi to forge yellow-grade flying swords in exchange for materials, then began studying the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword. He found the forging process easy until his first attempt at forming its spirit patterns exploded, leaving him to try again.

• Fang Yu ate the Spirit Cuisine and drank the spirit tea at Tie Feng's gathering while other cultivators sought investors.
• Tie Chanyi offered Fang Yu materials to forge a profound-grade flying sword over ten years, and Fang Yu negotiated for six sets of yellow-grade materials each year.
• Fang Yu signed a contract with Tie Chanyi and received six sets of materials and instructions for forging a Flowing Flame True Fire Sword.
• Fang Yu realized the sword required a cultivator who practiced the Flowing Flame True Fire Scripture, and saw Tie Chanyi offering investments to other Firestone laborers who practiced it.
• After studying the instructions for several days, Fang Yu easily melted and refined Flowing Flame Stone, but his first attempt to form the sword's spirit patterns exploded.
• Fang Yu gathered the fragments, melted them down again, and continued attempting to forge the sword.

Several months later, Fang Yu perfected his forging of the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword and traveled to East Spirit Mountain Market to investigate its abundant Spiritual Qi and living costs. After a stallholder insulted him, Fang Yu followed and killed him, then took the body back toward Medicine King Ridge.

• Fang Yu successfully forged three Flowing Flame True Fire Swords and decided to trade two to Tie Chanyi for materials while keeping one for himself.
• Fang Yu returned to Cloud Mist Cave, found fledglings nesting at its entrance, and rode a Green Leaf Boat toward East Spirit Mountain Market.
• Fang Yu watched the market for several days, then entered and learned about its vendors, cave-abode rents, and spiritual-farming requirements.
• A stallholder mocked Fang Yu for asking to handle a superior-grade Law Artifact, so Fang Yu left the market and waited for nightfall.
• Fang Yu pursued the stallholder outside the market, revealed his Qi Refining Late Stage strength, killed him with the Flowing Flame True Fire Sword, and carried the corpse toward Medicine King Ridge.

Fang Yu used his disguise and stolen Spirit Stones to settle in East Spirit Mountain Market, where he learned that he had a Low-Grade Fire Spirit Root and bought a fire cultivation manual. He prepared his rented cave abode and began cultivating the Nine Transformations of the Flame Dragon.

• Fang Yu found 537 Spirit Stones, pills, talismans, and manuals in the rude stall owner's Storage Bag, including the Disguise Technique.
• Fang Yu learned the Disguise Technique, changed his appearance, crossed to Great Scarlet Heaven, and rented Grade C, Courtyard No. 121.
• Fang Yu visited Distant Mountain Bookstore, read about the Chu Kingdom, and let the shopkeeper test his Spirit Root.
• The shopkeeper identified Fang Yu's Spirit Root as low-grade Fire and recommended that he abandon the Everlasting Spring Technique for a fire method.
• Fang Yu bought the Nine Transformations of the Flame Dragon and more than twenty miscellaneous books, then found his cave abode and began cultivating after setting it up.

Three years later, Fang Yu struggled to break through the bottleneck at the Qi Refining Third Layer and sought a pill at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Huang An appraised Fang Yu’s Flowing Flame True Fire Sword as a quasi-supreme-grade Law Artifact worth enough to buy the pill.

• Fang Yu failed to break through his bottleneck and decided he needed a suitable pill.
• Fang Yu met his new neighbor Liu Sanjie, listened to her play pipa, and left after she offered music and secret arts of the bedchamber.
• Fang Yu went to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and learned that a Lesser Barrier-Breaking Pill cost one thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
• Fang Yu offered a Flowing Flame True Fire Sword in exchange, and Huang An appraised it as a quasi-supreme-grade Law Artifact worth fifteen hundred Spirit Stones.

Fang Yu used two Lesser Barrier-Breaking Pills to reach the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, then devised a safer way to fund his cultivation by selling goods in different markets under disguises. The chapter ended with him posing as a masked Qi Refining First Layer cultivator and setting up a stall in the East Spirit Mountain Market.

• Fang Yu traded his near-supreme-grade Flowing Flame True Fire Sword to Huang An for two Lesser Barrier-Breaking Pills and took them back to his courtyard.
• Fang Yu used both pills to break through to the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining, then concealed one layer of his cultivation with the Yuanchen Pearl.
• Fang Yu visited Liu Sanjie and paid a Spirit Stone to listen to her play music.
• Fang Yu delivered two Flowing Flame True Fire Swords to a deacon at Fire Cloud Cave and received six sets of materials under his contract.
• Fang Yu sold three yellow-grade Flowing Flame True Fire Swords at the Metal and Stone Hall for 1,350 Metal Fire Stones, then exchanged the stones for goods to resell.
• Fang Yu disguised himself as a masked Qi Refining First Layer cultivator, set up a stall in the East Spirit Mountain Market, and began advertising his wares.

Five years later, Fang Yu broke through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and considered the challenges of Foundation Establishment, though his plans to forge a Dao Foundation gave him confidence. The next day, a pillar of white light appeared beyond the marketplace, and Fang Yu chose not to investigate as other cultivators rushed toward it.

• After five years of cultivation, Fang Yu used five Lesser Barrier-Breaking Pills to reach the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, but he realized his low-grade Spirit Root would make further progress slow.
• Fang Yu reflected on the cost and scarcity of Foundation Establishment Pills and decided he could prepare for Foundation Establishment by forging a profound-grade flying sword and establishing a Molten Edge Flow Dao Foundation.
• Fang Yu visited Liu Sanjie's courtyard, celebrated his breakthrough with fellow practitioners, and spent the night with Seventh Sister Liu.
• The next morning, a thunderlike rumble shook the area and a pillar of white light appeared on the horizon.
• While cultivators headed toward the light, Fang Yu refused to investigate, judging the unknown opportunity too risky.

Fang Yu weighed the risks of the newly opened Autumn Moon Spirit Stone mine, sold talismans while prices were high, and chose to stay away from the dangerous market. After collecting the final swords for his agreement with Tie Chanyi, he heard a cryptic warning from Han Feng and began preparing for possible danger.

• Fang Yu listened to cultivators discuss the Spirit Stone mine and learned that the Cloud Spirit Sect was recruiting Rogue Cultivators to mine amid roaming Demon Beasts.
• Fang Yu sold his stock of mid-grade Blazing Fire Talismans for a large profit, then avoided buying overpriced pills and returned to cultivating.
• When the Autumn Moon Mountain Market opened, Fang Yu decided to remain in the quieter East Spirit Mountain Market rather than join the miners and Bandit Cultivators.
• Fang Yu brought his final two yellow-grade Flowing Flame True Fire Swords to Han Feng and asked for the profound-grade materials tied to his agreement with Tie Chanyi, but Han Feng said Tie Chanyi would deliver them herself.
• Han Feng congratulated Fang Yu on his future Dao Foundation and referred to him as a firestone laborer, prompting Fang Yu to suspect the deacon was warning him of danger connected to Tie Chanyi or the profound-grade sword.