Chapter Summaries

Zhou Ning planned to use Gu Xiangning’s connections to pressure the Su Household into offering him better terms, and decided to invest pills in helping her break through. After inventorying his gains from the Land of Wei, he prepared to accelerate his cultivation and target Su Changhe for the purple monkey flower.

• Zhou Ning set aside three Three Flowers Pills for Gu Xiangning and planned to have her arrange letters from Aristocratic Clans that would make the Su Household think other groups wanted to hire him as an Alchemist.
• Zhou Ning read Gu Xiangning’s account of how the Azure Mystic Sect disciples reacted to his alchemy, and learned that Jiang Xiaohua was nearing the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.
• Zhou Ning read Su Yunjin’s resentful letter and suspected Su Wen had concealed his becoming an Alchemist; he had already sent an anonymous letter to the Duan Household to stir up competition.
• Zhou Ning inspected his Land of Wei gains, tested the powerful scarecrow puppet with a Spirit Stone, and examined a soul-nurturing pendant and a lightning-patterned Law Artifact.
• Zhou Ning studied the Greater Ginseng-Nurturing Pill formula and decided to watch Su Changhe by the lake for a chance to take the purple monkey flower before Su Changhe reached the eighth layer.

Gu Xiangning received Three Flowers Pills and a letter from Zhou Ning, prompting her to contact Azure Mystic disciples from Aristocratic Clans. Meanwhile, the Azure Mystic Sect’s leaders discussed its worsening position and Su Yanghao’s schemes, while Zhou Ning spotted an opportunity near Jiang Xi’s residence and disappeared using a concealment technique.

• Gu Xiangning opened Zhou Ning’s package, found three Three Flowers Pills, and contacted several Azure Mystic disciples from Aristocratic Clans.
• Jiang Xiaohua defeated a higher-level opponent through body cultivation as sect elders discussed the Azure Mystic Sect’s lack of Nascent Soul resources and its plans for the Azure Ruins Secret Realm.
• A square-faced cultivator exposed Su Yanghao’s mishandling of two disciples’ alchemy training, while Su Yanghao privately revealed that he acted foolishly to protect his influence and advance his household’s plans.
• Zhou Ning successfully refined a Greater Ginseng-Nurturing Pill, then used Divine Sense to notice a visitor waiting outside Jiang Xi’s residence while the guards were distracted.
• Zhou Ning returned to his courtyard and activated the Flowing Light Concealing Shadow Technique, vanishing from sight.

Zhou Ning ambushed Su Changhe, stole his Purple Monkey Flower, and used the Yi Wood Puppet-Planting Technique to make him obey implanted commands. He left Su Changhe alive and ordered him to conceal the flower and rise through the Su Household.

• Su Changhe profited from recruiting retainers and plotted to kill Zhou Ning and Su Wen while admiring his Purple Monkey Flower.
• Zhou Ning stole Su Changhe’s Storage Bag, struck him unconscious, and planted a Vine Puppet Seed in him.
• Under Zhou Ning’s questioning, Su Changhe revealed the Purple Monkey Flower’s location and described the island cave and cold pool where it had been found.
• Zhou Ning took the Purple Monkey Flower and learned that the retainer who found it had been burned to death by Su Changhe.
• Zhou Ning implanted commands forbidding Su Changhe from admitting he had obtained the flower, warning him not to provoke Zhou Ning, and ordering him to rise to the Su Household’s core.

After neutralizing Su Changhe’s threat, Zhou Ning cultivated for two and a half years and advanced to the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. He left seclusion to visit Luyou Island at the Su Household’s request, while Gu Xiangning planned an early visit to discuss a matter involving alchemy.

• Su Changhe woke under the Vine Puppet Seed’s influence and hurried off to recruit more retainers.
• After confirming Su Changhe was no longer a threat, Zhou Ning returned to seclusion and cultivated for two and a half years.
• Zhou Ning advanced to the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, while the Guo Household was destroyed by eight allied households and Guo Changying escaped to join the Azure Mystic Sect.
• Zhou Ning received Su Junsong’s request to visit Luyou Island and learned that Gu Xiangning planned to visit early with sect members to discuss alchemy.
• Old Jia delivered six Spirit Stones from selling Zhou Ning’s seized goods and asked about Jia Tingwan’s alchemy training; Zhou Ning said they would discuss it after his trip.

Zhou Ning visited the Su Household, where he rejected the Ye Household’s recruitment offer and negotiated an interest-free loan to support his alchemy and cultivation. He left with Spirit Stones and gifts, while Su Junsong anticipated Su Yunjin’s return to prepare for Foundation Establishment.

• Zhou Ning flew to Luyou Island and recognized the Qi Refinement Perfection old man who had once pursued him, but decided not to follow him.
• Su Junsong and Su Wen discussed a Han Household request for materials and worried that other households might recruit Zhou Ning.
• Zhou Ning presented the Ye Household’s offer as a bribe he had rejected and declared his loyalty to the Su Household.
• Zhou Ning persuaded Su Junsong to lend him thirty-six Spirit Stones, with half paid immediately and the rest over six months.
• Zhou Ning requested three Sunny Yang Melons and two Honey Zha, then left for Bamboo Creek Island.
• Su Junsong predicted that Su Yunjin would soon return to prepare for Foundation Establishment and might take Zhou Ning away from the Su Household.

Zhou Ning discovered a Spring of the Spirit Eye beneath a nameless island and realized Long Mountain Island likely held a concealed third-tier Spirit Vein. As he fled from Daoist Mu, who was pursuing the wounded Su Yunjin, he sent a signal talisman and left the confrontation unresolved.

• Zhou Ning found an underground cavern with a Spring of the Spirit Eye and young Purple Monkey Flowers, then concluded it had once been connected to Long Mountain Island's Spirit Vein.
• Zhou Ning considered exposing the Su Household but decided against it, and he thought Su Youyou might help him obtain a concealment formation.
• Su Yunjin fled across Cuiwei Lake after Daoist Mu ambushed her with talismans and a poisoned needle, while he pursued her and demanded a Foundation Establishment ingredient.
• Zhou Ning saw Su Yunjin approaching and tried to escape, but her boat drew closer as Daoist Mu's modified shuttle caught up with them.
• Zhou Ning recognized Daoist Mu, abandoned his attempt to flee on the black boat, and sent a signal talisman into the sky despite Daoist Mu's angry protest.

Zhou Ning fled Daoist Mu with the unconscious Su Yunjin, using water techniques and a binding net to reach Bamboo Creek Island. He brought her into a protected courtyard and tried to plant a Vine Puppet Seed, but her unexpectedly strong Divine Sense stopped it.

• Zhou Ning leaped onto Su Yunjin’s red flying boat, took control, and used Great Water Dragon Talismans to hold off Daoist Mu.
• Daoist Mu chased Zhou Ning toward Bamboo Creek Island while Zhou Ning used a Profound Water Spirit-Binding Net to drag the gray shuttle into the lake.
• Yan Dahu escaped into the lake as Daoist Mu destroyed his boat while passing overhead.
• Zhou Ning reached a courtyard on Bamboo Creek Island and sent up signal talismans before laying the unconscious Su Yunjin down.
• Zhou Ning tried to plant a Vine Puppet Seed in Su Yunjin, but it would not move because her Divine Sense was nearly as strong as his.

Daoist Mu killed two Su Household cultivators but failed to breach Su Yunjin’s reinforced array and fled. Su Yunjin appeared to die from poison and the Su Household announced her death, though she had secretly survived and was ordered to hide while the clan prepared to destroy the Han Household.

• Daoist Mu killed the cultivator surnamed Wang and a Su Household shadow guard, then tried to break Bamboo Creek Island’s array with a Restriction-Breaking Talisman.
• Su Yunjin’s countermeasure repaired the breach and trapped Daoist Mu, who fled after deciding the array would cost too many talismans to overcome.
• Su Yunjin woke and gave Zhou Ning her Pill Furnace, apologizing for the Su Household’s treatment of him before her aunt and Su Yuanye carried her away.
• Seven days later, the Su Household announced Su Yunjin’s death, and Su Wen visited Zhou Ning to collect his pills without discussing the promised alchemy inheritance.
• Su Yuanye learned that Su Yunjin had survived by taking the Black Jade Lotus and was told to keep her hidden while the Su Household planned to destroy the Han Household.
• Young cultivators in Azure Mystic Sect robes arrived outside Cuiwei Lake on second-tier spirit eagles.

Fang Tianyu explained why he sought Zhou Ning to refine pills, revealing the Azure Mystic Sect’s history of conflict between its own faction and Aristocratic Clans. At Cuiwei Lake, Zhou Ning traded for Yuan Dahu’s Water-Adept Talismans and decided to focus on advancing his cultivation.

• Fang Tianyu told Ye Menglong, Zhao Ruoxue, and Gu Xiangning that the Beast Taming Sect had changed its name after a Nascent Soul Cultivator demanded it.
• Fang Tianyu recounted how a thousand years earlier the Azure Mystic Sect’s factions had fought at Bright Light Hall, crippling the sect and leading it to limit support for Aristocratic Clan disciples.
• Gu Xiangning realized Fang Tianyu had chosen Zhou Ning because he could avoid both leaks from the sect and entanglements with an Aristocratic Clan.
• Zhou Ning considered his vulnerability to powerful cultivators, then welcomed Yuan Dahu and learned that he had devised a Water-Adept Talisman by studying Fuluo Eels.
• Zhou Ning exchanged Spirit Essence Pills for two of Yuan Dahu’s talismans and, after spotting a blue bird flying toward Luyou Island, resolved to study the Sea-Filling Pill and reach Late Qi Refining.

Zhou Ning agreed to refine Essence Continuation Pills for Fang Tianyu, but his first attempts failed before he found a missing step in the formula and produced inferior pills. After several days of watching, Fang Tianyu was pleased with the results, while Zhao Ruoxue challenged Zhou Ning to produce two pills from every remaining batch if he failed again.

• Fang Tianyu gave Zhou Ning the Essence Continuation Pill formula and ten sets of ingredients, and Zhou Ning promised to produce ten pills within twenty days.
• Zhou Ning's first batch failed, and his next two attempts also went wrong when he added the spirit spring water.
• Zhou Ning realized the formula omitted a detail and mixed cold dew with the spirit spring water, successfully producing inferior pills.
• After watching Zhou Ning refine for several days, Fang Tianyu began calling him Alchemist Zhou, and Zhou Ning prepared to try a fifth batch seven days later.
• Zhao Ruoxue told Zhou Ning that if he failed again, he would have to produce two pills from each remaining batch.

Zhou Ning refined pills for Fang Tianyu, boosting the yield while getting Zhao Ruoxue covered in ash after a furnace explosion. Later, he shared a quiet outing with Gu Xiangning, warned her about the Azure Ruins Secret Realm, and gave her pills that restored Law Power.

• Zhou Ning successfully refined a pill for Fang Tianyu, then produced three pills in a batch after proposing to temper the Demon Beast marrow with Thunder Plasma Liquid.
• Zhou Ning's next batch exploded and blasted Zhao Ruoxue with ash; he later refined four pills in another batch before asking Fang Tianyu for time to rest.
• Nine days later, Gu Xiangning stayed behind while Fang Tianyu and the others visited Luyou Island, and Zhou Ning rowed her across Cuiwei Lake.
• Zhou Ning warned Gu Xiangning that the Azure Ruins Secret Realm would be dangerous and urged her not to kill people for their treasures.
• Zhou Ning gave Gu Xiangning three pills that restored Law Power, and she accepted them without asking where he had obtained them.

Zhou Ning completed refining Essence Continuation Pills, earning Fang Tianyu’s gratitude and the Pill Formula as payment. As Fang Tianyu prepared his group for the Azure Ruins Secret Realm, Zhou Ning resolved to repay the Su Household, while Su Wen continued dreaming of marrying a Core Formation cultivator.

• Zhou Ning refined three more Essence Continuation Pills, bringing the total to thirteen, and Fang Tianyu tested one and praised its value in combat.
• Fang Tianyu promised to help Zhou Ning if he ever needed it, gave him the Pill Formula as payment, and asked him to keep the pills’ effects secret for six months.
• Fang Tianyu, Gu Xiangning, Zhao Ruoxue, and Ye Menglong left for Luyou Island, where Su Wen complained about losing access to Su Yunjin’s cultivation resources and Su Junsong placated her with a story about an eighty-eight-year-old marrying a Late Stage Core Formation cultivator.
• At the Azure Mystic Sect, Fang Tianyu distributed the pills and told the group to prioritize survival in the Azure Ruins Secret Realm, where they would be separated by its Principles.
• Ye Menglong and Zhao Ruoxue discussed Zhou Ning’s prospects, while Gu Xiangning worried that sect orders would make it difficult to reserve Foundation Establishment and Core Formation resources from their secret-realm harvest.

Three months after completing the Jade-Casting True Gold Talisman, Zhou Ning weighed his plans amid worsening tensions between the Han, Duan, and Ye Households and the Su Household. As he considered how to secure Foundation Establishment materials, an approaching Demon Beast brought a challenge to the Su Household.

• Zhou Ning completed the Jade-Casting True Gold Talisman, stored it in his Dantian, and considered how it might help him survive a clash with Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• Zhou Ning learned that Daoist Mu had accused the Han Household of disguising its cultivators and framing the Lei Household, while the Han, Duan, and Ye Households blamed the Su Household in return.
• Jiang Xi visited Zhou Ning to ask about alchemy, and he gave her a secret method for refining herbs with Thunder Plasma Liquid, hoping to mislead her.
• Zhou Ning secretly questioned Su Changhe and learned that the Su Household had ordered its islands to stockpile war supplies because a war might break out.
• Zhou Ning sensed a winged Demon Beast approaching with two figures on its back, and a booming voice demanded that the Su Household come out.

Zhou Ning hid underwater as Han Qingrong arrived at Cuiwei Lake and accused the Su Household of plotting against the Han Household. The confrontation escalated as Han Qingrong demanded answers about Su Changshuo and Su Yunjin, and a man offered to reveal details about the attack on her.

• Zhou Ning used a Water-Adept Talisman and Concealing Shadow Technique to hide in Cuiwei Lake, then headed toward the Spring of the Spirit Eye.
• Xu Qinghou brooded over his slow cultivation progress while Li Ji discovered that Qingqing was kissing another man.
• Han Qingrong arrived on a quasi-third-tier Demon Beast and struck Su Yuanye back with spiritual power.
• Han Qingrong and Han Ziyue accused the Su Household of hiring Daoist Mu and demanded that Su Changshuo and Su Yunjin answer for the affair.
• A handsome man told Han Qingrong that a guest elder had joined the pursuit of Su Yunjin and could be summoned to explain what happened.

The Su Household appeased the Han Household patriarch with Water Cloud Essence after failing to find Zhou Ning, while Zhou Ning stayed hidden until the danger passed. After returning to Bamboo Creek Island, he learned the Su Household had tampered with his formation and resolved to distrust Su Youyou and be more cautious.

• Nie Yi identified Zhou Ning as the Su Household guest elder, prompting the Han Household patriarch to reconsider how he would handle him because of Zhou Ning's connections.
• A Su Household elder used a back door in Zhou Ning's formation to search his courtyard but found that Zhou Ning had disappeared.
• Su Yuanye offered the Han Household patriarch Water Cloud Essence and acknowledged the Su Household's responsibility for Daoist Mu, persuading him to withdraw.
• Zhou Ning hid in the cavern for seven days, then returned to Bamboo Creek Island after learning the Han Household had already left.
• Su Wen reminded Zhou Ning to refine the month's pills and report future trips to Steward Su, while Zhou Ning pretended he had been away buying ingredients.
• After Old Jia told him the Su Household elder had tampered with his formation, Zhou Ning resolved to avoid Su Youyou and reconsidered whether Gu Xiangning might betray his trust.

Gu Xiangning used Zhou Ning’s pill to defeat a stronger cultivator in the Azure Ruins Secret Realm, while Zhou Ning refined Sea-Filling Pills and later advanced to the seventh layer of Qi Refining. He returned to find Su Wen waiting, who realized Zhou Ning had reached Late Qi Refining.

• Gu Xiangning swallowed Zhou Ning’s pill, replenished her Law Power, and killed the broad-faced cultivator before fleeing with his Storage Bag.
• Three months later, Zhou Ning completed five Sea-Filling Pills and worried that the Su Household might not withstand mounting pressure from rival households.
• Gu Xiangning wrote that she had reaped a great harvest and asked Zhou Ning to visit the Azure Mystic Sect’s mountain gate in a year.
• A year later, Zhou Ning flew over Cuiwei Lake after advancing to the seventh layer and learned Su Lixia had chosen him to defend a dangerous outpost.
• Su Wen met Zhou Ning at his courtyard to collect the month’s pills and was shocked to see that he had reached Late Qi Refining.

Su Wen reclaimed the Cloud-Pattern Pill Furnace from Zhou Ning as the Su Household prepared to send him to Little Willow Marsh, while Zhou Ning received invitations from Gu Xiangning and Fang Tianyu. After an unsuccessful pill lesson with Jia Tingwan, he welcomed Su Youyou and prepared a meal, inviting Wan'er to stay.

• Su Wen took back the Cloud-Pattern Pill Furnace, and Zhou Ning handed it over while thanking the Su Household.
• Zhou Ning found letters from Gu Xiangning inviting him to a gathering and Fang Tianyu announcing his Foundation Establishment celebration.
• Old Jia invited Zhou Ning to a gathering, then left Jia Tingwan with him for a pill-refining lesson that ended with blackened dregs.
• Su Youyou arrived carrying two seven-colored pheasants, and Zhou Ning cooked them with several other dishes.
• Zhou Ning invited Jia Tingwan to stay and eat with him and Su Youyou.

Zhou Ning shared a meal with Jia Tingwan and Su Youyou before asking Su Youyou to reclaim her formation flags, then prepared to leave for Little Willow Marsh. Three days later, Xu Qinghou visited with a gift to help Zhou Ning detect hostile intent and warned him that the journey could be dangerous.

• Zhou Ning invited Jia Tingwan to eat with him and Su Youyou, then asked Jia Tingwan to have her grandfather find him a formation plate for Little Willow Marsh.
• After the meal, Su Youyou reclaimed the Bewildering Tracks Array flags and left Zhou Ning’s courtyard; Jia Tingwan later gave Zhou Ning a silver bracelet before departing.
• Three days later, Xu Qinghou visited and learned that Zhou Ning had reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.
• Xu Qinghou gave Zhou Ning a Scent-Smelling Insect that could detect killing or malicious intent, and warned him to take care on his journey to Little Willow Marsh.

Zhou Ning left Bamboo Creek Island for the Azure Mystic Sect, where Gu Xiangning brought him to a Foundation Establishment dinner. There, he recognized Jiang Xiaohua, whose strength and bearing had changed dramatically.

• Old Jia gave Zhou Ning a concealment and defense formation plate, and Zhou Ning left him a Jade Slip containing detailed alchemy insights for Wan'er.
• At Yuan Dahu's banquet, Su Changhe ordered Cuiwei Lake's retainers to gather their spirit resources and Law Artifacts and defend the Bai Household at South Qian Mountain.
• Seven days later, Zhou Ning arrived at the Azure Mystic Sect and met Gu Xiangning, who invited him to Senior Brother Fang's dinner.
• Gu Xiangning flew Zhou Ning to Senior Brother Fang's luxurious mountain cave abode, where more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered.
• Zhou Ning recognized the short-haired woman in white as Jiang Xiaohua and sensed that her Qi and Blood and condensed Law Power surpassed those of the other cultivators present.

Zhou Ning received rare Foundation Establishment ingredients from Gu Xiangning before leaving for Little Willow Marsh, where he discovered that two Chen Household retainers were plotting against him. The chapter ended with Wang Guanhe and Chen Long deciding to investigate Zhou Ning before attempting to seize control of him.

• Senior Brother Fang thanked Zhou Ning for his help and promised compensation in spirit materials in exchange for keeping the Essence Continuation Pill formula secret.
• Gu Xiangning gave Zhou Ning an Earth Profound Fruit and explained ways to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill; Zhou Ning gave her ten bottles of Azure Essence Pills in return.
• Nine days later, Zhou Ning arrived at Little Willow Marsh and met Wang Guanhe and Chen Long, who were serving the Chen Household.
• Zhou Ning's Scent-Smelling Insect turned red, alerting him that Wang Guanhe and Chen Long intended to harm him.
• After Zhou Ning left, Chen Long worried that the alchemist's status and resources would make him dangerous to kill, so Wang Guanhe decided to investigate him first.