Chapter Summaries

Dao Lord Taihua learned that He Yi had destroyed his identity token and chose not to interfere, while he continued the investigation into the Execution Stones and warned against disrupting the Mortal Realm. Lin Xiao traveled to Huanyou Nation to weaken his sealing array before investigators arrived, and Yuan Jinsheng discovered that his damaged Golden Core had fully recovered.

• Dao Lord Taihua told a Talisman Sect disciple to leave He Yi alone after learning He Yi had destroyed his identity token.
• Dao Lord Taihua ordered the sect to monitor Myriad Connections and keep United Heroes Hall from stirring up trouble in the Mortal Realm.
• The disciple reported that captured Execution Cultivators revealed little, and Dao Lord Taihua sent a restricted storage ring as a gift for Dao Lord Fenghua.
• Lin Xiao remembered his sealing array in Huanyou Nation and traveled there to weaken it before investigators arrived, sending Liu Yunan a message on the way.
• Yuan Jinsheng examined his Golden Core and found that it had fully recovered.

Yuan Jinsheng’s Golden Core had been restored after he cultivated the Peach Blossom Spring Myriad Void Instruction at the Lingxian Sect. He learned that Shen Yingzi had reached the Qi Refinement Seventh Layer and looked forward to celebrating with his son.

• Yuan Jinsheng reflected on the risks of changing cultivation methods and recalled that Liao Pantu had assured him the sect’s method could restore his damaged Golden Core.
• Yuan Jinsheng examined his cultivation and found that he had reached the Foundation Establishment level of the Peach Blossom Spring Myriad Void Instruction.
• Yuan Jinsheng contacted Shen Yingzi through his Lock Ring and asked whether he had succeeded in breaking through.
• Shen Yingzi told Yuan Jinsheng that he had reached the Qi Refinement Seventh Layer an hour earlier and was consolidating his cultivation.
• Yuan Jinsheng congratulated Shen Yingzi, ended the call, and invited him to have dinner together that evening.

Yuan Jinsheng chose a demanding construction task and went down to Xiushui Village, where he noticed an unfamiliar young man undergoing the Heart-Questioning Road’s trial and alerted Liu Yunan. At the construction site, Du Changsheng welcomed him and led him toward the workers laying bricks on the south side.

• With his Golden Core restored and his son’s breakthrough complete, Yuan Jinsheng went to the General Affairs Hall and accepted a strenuous stone-brick stacking task.
• Yuan Jinsheng received permission to leave the sect and passed through the Heart-Questioning Road’s entrance restriction.
• On the road, Yuan Jinsheng saw an unfamiliar young man undergoing the trial and sent Liu Yunan a Sound Transmission Talisman about him.
• Yuan Jinsheng reached the busy Xiushui Village construction site and found Du Changsheng overseeing the work.
• Du Changsheng greeted Yuan Jinsheng and offered to take him to the south side, where workers had begun laying bricks.

Du Changsheng stamped the Lingxian Sect disciples’ construction work and asked Yuan Jinsheng to deliver a message to Liu Yunan. On his way back to the sect, Yuan Jinsheng witnessed He Yi awaken after passing the Heart-Questioning Road and reported it to Liu Yunan.

• Du Changsheng addressed Yuan Jinsheng as Senior Yuan, and Yuan joined the villagers and Lingxian Sect disciples in building Xiushui Village.
• At the end of the workday, Du Changsheng stamped the disciples’ work and asked Yuan Jinsheng to tell Liu Yunan to bring the sect master and others to the village in a few days.
• Yuan Jinsheng returned to the Heart-Questioning Road and saw He Yi awaken after passing its test in less than half a day.
• Yuan Jinsheng entered the mountain gate without approaching He Yi and sent Liu Yunan a voice transmission about his awakening.
• He Yi noticed that Yuan Jinsheng was a Golden Core cultivator as Yuan flashed away.

Liu Yunan welcomed He Yi after he passed the Lingxian Sect’s Heart-Questioning Road, and He Yi recognized the Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree as the legendary Illusory Spirit Immortal Peach Tree. He Yi learned that the sect might share its mysterious peaches with disciples, leaving him stunned by how differently the Lingxian Sect treated such a rare treasure.

• Liu Yunan received Lin Xiao’s instructions to welcome He Yi normally, arrange his lodging near other disciples, and explain the sect’s customs.
• Liu Yunan met He Yi beneath the Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree and congratulated him on passing the Heart-Questioning Road.
• He Yi used Spiritual Power on a fallen leaf, transforming it into a lifelike gray rabbit, and identified the tree as an Illusory Spirit Immortal Peach Tree.
• He Yi explained that the tree’s rare fruits were said to vanish when ripe before anyone could pick them, leaving their effects unknown.
• Liu Yunan suggested the sect master might distribute the peaches for everyone to eat, astonishing He Yi, who then reflected on how unusual the sect and its Heart-Questioning Road were.

He Yi chose to join the Lingxian Sect after completing its Heart-Questioning Road and seeing its Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree. Meanwhile, Lin Xiao found unexplained Execution Stone patterns in Huanyou Nation, replaced the mine’s sealing formation, and learned from Liu Yunan that the tree was an ancient treasure whose leaves could change form.

• He Yi returned the peach leaf to Liu Yunan, bowed, and declared that he wished to join the Lingxian Sect.
• Lin Xiao inspected the Execution Stone mines and discovered different patterns made from Execution Stones throughout the tunnels.
• Lin Xiao recorded the patterns and the distribution of Execution Qi, collected Execution Stones, and guessed the Execution Stone Party Faction’s followers had entered during his secluded cultivation.
• Lin Xiao replaced the mine’s sealing formation with a modified formation from Senior Liao and erased traces of his changes.
• On his way home, Lin Xiao contacted Liu Yunan, who told him that He Yi had identified the Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree as an ancient treasure and discovered that its leaves could change form.

Lin Xiao learned that He Yi had joined the Lingxian Sect and questioned the system about the Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree’s name. After returning to the sect, Lin Xiao visited He Yi, who was stunned by the sect’s Spiritual Qi, Spirit Cuisine, and cultivation resources.

• Liu Yunan told Lin Xiao that He Yi had joined the sect and praised its floating island and the tree He Yi called the Illusory Spirit Immortal Peach Tree.
• Lin Xiao reassured Liu Yunan that maintaining the floating island did not cost many Spirit Stones and agreed to visit the village with him later.
• Lin Xiao asked the system about the tree’s name, and it explained that the Ten-Li Peach Blossom Tree was named for its fragrance carrying ten li.
• Lin Xiao returned to the sect and went to see He Yi, who had built a simple courtyard and received an evening meal of Spirit Cuisine.
• He Yi reflected on the sect’s unusually dense Spiritual Qi, impressive Spirit Cuisine, and floating island, then realized its library included a mid-grade heaven-tier cultivation method that did not depend on Spirit Root aptitude.

He Yi explained a plan to use an auction in the Mysterious Extreme Domain to lure Execution Cultivators into a trap, and asked Lin Xiao to activate the Execution-Binding Treasure Formation. Lin Xiao delayed his decision, while the system began updating to Sect Construction 2.0.

• He Yi recalled discovering that Bai Zhu had no Spirit Root despite reaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement in a few months.
• Lin Xiao joined He Yi for dinner and heard that the Mysterious Extreme Domain planned to auction a Black Moon Execution Crystal in fifteen years to draw out Execution Cultivators.
• He Yi asked Lin Xiao to activate the Execution-Binding Treasure Formation for the planned ambush, and Lin Xiao considered whether the sect would be ready in time.
• Lin Xiao asked the system about the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation and learned that it could protect everything within its range from outside attacks.
• The system announced a 24-hour update for Sect Construction 2.0, and Lin Xiao told He Yi he would think about activating the formation.

Lin Xiao gave He Yi cultivation methods and an Origin Qi booklet, then explained the change inside He Yi’s Golden Core. He decided He Yi could cultivate Origin Qi and eventually open the Execution-Binding Treasure Formation without exposing Lingxian Sect, while Lin Xiao and Liu Yunan planned to visit Village Chief Du the next day.

• He Yi told Lin Xiao that his water Spirit Root had no suitable cultivation method at the Cultivation Hall and that his old method no longer worked.
• Lin Xiao gave He Yi several sect cultivation methods and a booklet about cultivating Origin Qi, explaining that He Yi could switch methods without discarding his cultivation base.
• After hearing about the embryonic Origin Qi inside He Yi’s Golden Core, Lin Xiao realized He Yi could cultivate Origin Qi and open the Execution-Binding Treasure Formation while keeping his Lingxian Sect affiliation secret.
• He Yi accepted the plan, put on his Lock Ring, and received Lin Xiao’s secondary formation markings so he could contact him with questions.
• Lin Xiao met Liu Yunan at the General Affairs Hall, and they agreed to visit Village Chief Du the next day.

Lin Xiao gave Liu Yunan his notes on cultivating Origin Qi, then studied Execution Stone patterns and wondered about the system update. The next morning, Village Chief Du brought them to see the villagers’ gift to the Lingxian Sect: a newly cleared area near the sect.

• Lin Xiao explained that He Yi’s Dao heart had been influenced by his own, helping He Yi form the beginnings of Origin Qi and pass the Heart-Questioning Road quickly.
• Lin Xiao gave Liu Yunan his booklets about cultivating Origin Qi and asked him to deliver them to the Scripture Library and Cultivation Hall.
• Lin Xiao studied his recorded Execution Stone patterns, wondered what the Sect Building 2.0 update would bring, and meditated amid Spirit-Rich Mountain’s increasingly dense Spiritual Qi.
• Village Chief Du invited Lin Xiao and Liu Yunan for congee and explained that the villagers wanted to give the Lingxian Sect a token of their appreciation.
• Village Chief Du led them to a wooded area near the sect, where they found that a wide path had been cleared through the thorny shrubs.

Village Chief Du gave Lin Xiao and Liu Yunan a hundred-mu farmstead that the villagers of Xiushui Village had reclaimed as thanks to the Lingxian Sect. Lin Xiao accepted the gift and began thinking about establishing a trading center in the Mortal Realm.

• Village Chief Du led Lin Xiao and Liu Yunan along a hidden road to a farmstead surrounded by carefully reclaimed fields.
• Village Chief Du explained that the villagers had worked together to clear the land and build the residence as a gift to the Lingxian Sect.
• Lin Xiao accepted the key and asked Village Chief Du to thank the villagers for their generosity.
• Lin Xiao told Liu Yunan he was thinking about creating a trading center in the Mortal Realm, then offered to walk Village Chief Du back.

Lin Xiao, Liu Yunan, and Qin Jianghe discussed turning the sect’s new estate into a trading center for Mortal Realm cultivators. After the system unveiled a new sect-building mission, Lin Xiao began planning the estate’s defenses and rules, including a system for registering shops and tracking purchases.

• Lin Xiao and Liu Yunan brought Qin Jianghe the key to the sect’s new estate and explained how they had acquired it.
• Lin Xiao proposed growing and selling basic Spirit Plants at the estate, while Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe agreed to draft policies for the trading center.
• Lin Xiao told Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe that he would handle the estate’s defensive formations and related arrangements.
• The system announced that its update was complete and gave Lin Xiao a mission to raise the sect’s Mortal Realm prestige and win support from at least ten sects.
• Lin Xiao went to the Formation Hall and planned rules against fighting, along with shop registration and a receipt system to prevent theft and help collect transaction taxes.

Lin Xiao weighed the Lingxian Sect’s need for a rare Spirit Dike shell against its limited Spirit Stones and reviewed ways to raise income and establish the trading center. He concluded he needed new sources of funds quickly and contacted Yuan Bi for help.

• Lin Xiao found a high-quality Spirit Dike shell in the System Store, priced at one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
• Lin Xiao reviewed the Lingxian Sect’s sales with Qin Jianghe and found that its conservative trade in specialized goods brought in too little income.
• Lin Xiao considered offering the three great sects methods for making mainstream goods or bringing more sects into the trade, but worried about the Li Imperial Clan’s ability to control outside sects.
• Lin Xiao decided that establishing the trading center required expanding production through trustworthy sects recommended by the Li Imperial Clan, while finding another way to raise funds quickly.
• Lin Xiao contacted Yuan Bi through the Lock Ring.

Lin Xiao asked Yuan Bi to lend the Lingxian Sect a hundred thousand Spirit Stones for its development, and Yuan Bi agreed to send them with Qin Jianghe. With the funds arranged, Lin Xiao turned to studying formations for a defensive artifact while Qin Jianghe and Liu Yunan planned the trading center.

• The Lingxian Sect decided to tell Yuan Bi that it came from the Mortal Realm after years of sincere business dealings with the Yuan Household.
• Lin Xiao contacted Yuan Bi through a Lock Ring and asked to borrow a hundred thousand Spirit Stones, offering repayment within five years.
• Yuan Bi agreed to lend the Spirit Stones and said he would hand them to Qin Jianghe when he came to deliver goods.
• Lin Xiao asked about the Yuan Household patriarch and Yuanling City, then ended the call.
• Lin Xiao studied defensive formations and considered how to refine the spirit embankment turtle shell into an artifact, while Qin Jianghe and Liu Yunan wrote a construction plan for the trading center.

Han Weishu and Tong Jialiang discussed their cultivation and the Lingxian Sect’s prospects, then decided to write home about bringing their families closer to the sect. They sent their letters out through the General Affairs Hall.

• Han Weishu told Tong Jialiang she had reached the Qi Refining Fifth Layer and wanted to write to her father about the Lingxian Sect’s growth.
• Tong Jialiang revealed that he had secretly reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement and said cultivation had helped him face his painful past.
• Han Weishu and Tong Jialiang agreed to invite Tong Jialiang’s uncle and aunt to settle near the mountain, and Han Weishu offered to accompany him to fetch them.
• Han Weishu and Tong Jialiang wrote letters to their families and gave them to a General Affairs Hall disciple, who left them at the Xiushui Village post station for delivery.

Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe proposed turning Xiushui Village and the planned trading center into a city to accommodate future merchant caravans and give the villagers more choices. Lin Xiao approved of their understanding that the Lingxian Sect and its community needed to grow strong together, leaving the city plan ready to move forward.

• The relay station at Xiushui Village prioritized letters bearing the Lingxian Sect's seal, while several Azure Cloud Peak disciples considered writing to people from their past.
• Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe met Lin Xiao in the sect's main hall and presented their revised plan to build a city rather than just a town.
• Qin Jianghe explained that the trading center would bring Xiushui Village within its bounds, and Liu Yunan argued that future cultivator caravans would need a larger place to stay and trade.
• Liu Yunan said making Xiushui Village part of the trading center would free it from Pusi Kingdom and give villagers alternatives to farming.
• Qin Jianghe agreed that expanding the villagers' opportunities would help them more than simply giving them money and goods.
• Lin Xiao praised Liu Yunan and Qin Jianghe and said the Lingxian Sect's growth needed to strengthen the community's independent livelihood.

Lin Xiao arranged for the designs and materials needed to build Xiushui Village into a city, while preparing to use the system’s upgraded building synthesis function. He then asked He Yi about patterns on an Execution Stone jade slip, and He Yi recalled seeing similar carvings in a cave abode during his childhood.

• Lin Xiao confirmed with the system that it could synthesize a city if he had enough building materials and blueprints.
• Lin Xiao told Liu Yunan to ask the imperial family for city blueprints and told Qin Jianghe to prepare building materials and collect a hundred thousand Spirit Stones for the trading center.
• Lin Xiao reassured Qin Jianghe that taxes from the trading center would provide Spirit Stones and told Liu Yunan that the Li Clan could be informed about the city plans.
• Lin Xiao visited He Yi and showed him a jade slip containing Execution Stone arrangement patterns.
• He Yi said some patterns resembled carvings he had seen on a stone wall in a cave abode when he was young, where the cave’s owner had given him a jade sword dharma artifact.

Lin Xiao discovered that Sun Yigao was undergoing a tribulation to break through to Nascent Soul and upgraded the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation to divert lightning. As Sun Yigao’s breakthrough began, Lin Xiao noticed his master, Senior Liao, was absent, while the system warned him that Sun Yigao’s cultivation would soon nearly match his own.

• He Yi told Lin Xiao that the patterns on Lin Xiao’s Execution Stones reminded him of carvings he had seen as a child, and agreed to ask his father about them when he next returned home.
• Lin Xiao left Azure Cloud Peak to prepare for building the city, but detected tribulation clouds gathering over the floating island where Sun Yigao meditated before the Heart-Rectifying Mirror.
• Lin Xiao activated the Nature Platform’s Lightning Tribulation diversion function in the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation to protect Sun Yigao during his breakthrough.
• Jiang Youfu, Liu Yunan, and others gathered as Sun Yigao’s tribulation drew attention from the sect and Xiushui Village, and Lin Xiao reassured them that the formation would reduce the danger.
• Lin Xiao noticed that Senior Liao was missing, and the system warned him that Sun Yigao’s successful breakthrough would bring his cultivation close to Lin Xiao’s.

Sun Yigao experienced an enlightenment during his tribulation, formed a Nascent Soul, and comprehended the Daoist title Lingqing and a branch of the Original Essence Heart Sutra called the Benevolent Heart Chapter. After stabilizing his realm, he shared the news with his friends, who celebrated by heading to the Spirit Cuisine Hall.

• Lin Xiao learned from the system that Sun Yigao's rapid breakthrough came from an enlightenment.
• Sun Yigao's tribulation ended as Origin Qi spread through the Lingxian Sect and prompted its members to cultivate.
• The system announced that Sun Yigao had formed a Nascent Soul, created the Benevolent Heart Chapter, and comprehended the Daoist title Lingqing.
• Lin Xiao checked the reward in his private treasury and found a bamboo brush, a wordless book, and a jade seal bearing the name Lingqing.
• After Sun Yigao stabilized his realm, his friends congratulated him and learned about his Daoist title and new cultivation method.
• Fuzi invited everyone to celebrate Sun Yigao's breakthrough with a meal at the Spirit Cuisine Hall.

Lin Xiao prepared to establish a trading center and chose his brother Lin Yun to manage it, then hurried to Everbright Mountain after Sun Yigao reported that Yin Qi had sealed the stele. Everbright explained that Senior Liao was practicing a Secret Method and that the mountain would return to normal when he finished.

• Lin Xiao planned the trading center’s goods and channels, and decided that Lin Yun was capable of managing it.
• Lin Xiao found Lin Yun cultivating, placed a Spirit Gathering Formation and a Sound Transmission Talisman beside him, and left without disturbing him.
• Sun Yigao contacted Lin Xiao and reported that Everbright Mountain’s stele was engulfed in Yin Qi and that he could not reach Master.
• Lin Xiao arrived at Everbright Mountain and summoned Everbright from the darkened stele.
• Everbright explained that Senior Liao had gained insight into a Secret Method, triggering the Yin Qi eruption, which would end once he finished practicing.
• Lin Xiao reassured Sun Yigao and told Everbright to notify him when Senior Liao was finished.