Chapter Summaries

Lin Yun added waterwheel construction to Xiushui City's volunteer projects to create jobs and support the growing population. A month later, Yuan Jinsheng offered the Cage Compound cultivators a chance to craft farming tools in a Spiritual Qi-filled hall, leaving them torn between aiding Xiushui City and reclaiming access to Spiritual Qi.

• Lin Yun added waterwheel construction to the volunteer project list and saw it as a way to expand employment across the Mortal Realm.
• A month later, Lin Xiao and Liao Pantu's research produced diagrams for cultivation-related farming tools and supplies.
• Yuan Jinsheng summoned the Cage Compound cultivators, gave them the diagrams, and announced that they could craft the items after their morning fieldwork.
• Yuan Jinsheng explained that the crafting hall would have a normal Spiritual Qi supply and remain open until the next day's fieldwork.
• The cultivators debated whether crafting would make them aid Xiushui City, but many were tempted by the chance to spend their days surrounded by Spiritual Qi.

The Lingxian Sect began experimental mass production at the Cage Compound, recruiting cultivators and offering rewards for improvements and safety discoveries. After all seventy-eight countries joined the railway project, Lin Yun hosted the first Mortal Realm Conference in Xiushui City, while Xiushui Monthly spread news and practical information across the realm.

• Yuan Jinsheng recruited Cage Compound cultivators for the first production line and promised Spirit Stone rewards for finding problems or improving the process.
• The Lingxian Sect started experimental mass production beneath Xiushui City, using the cultivators to test the items' safety and reliability.
• After three months of negotiations, all seventy-eight countries joined the railway project and secured their contributions.
• Lin Yun and representatives from the seventy-eight countries held the first Mortal Realm Conference in Xiushui City, officially launching the railway project.
• Xiushui Monthly reported on the conference and life across the Mortal Realm, reaching common folk through newspapers and teahouse readings.

Recruitment for railway construction spread across the Mortal Realm, tempting poor villagers with training, wages, and benefits as the Xiushui Railway General Bureau organized training sites. More than half a year later, Lin Xiao went on strike against his exhausting routine and pushed railway and industrial research beyond agriculture.

• A village chief told local men that railway recruits would receive paid training, and the men debated whether the promised wages and benefits were real.
• A poor farmer decided to risk a month or two away from home to seek a better future for his family, and his wife urged him to return if the work seemed dangerous.
• People across the Mortal Realm made their choices, and many recruits traveled to training sites supervised by railway branch bureaus, officials, constables, and Lingxian Sect disciples.
• Xiushui City centrally distributed funds and supplies while an oversight department monitored their use, helping the railway bureaus and training sites take shape.
• After more than half a year of work, Lin Xiao went on strike against his routine and directed research toward train and railway production, construction, and maintenance alongside agriculture.

Lin Xiao was overworked by research, so Liao Pantu urged him to leave for the Immortal Cultivation Realm and establish a sect base. Lin Xiao began planning the trip and considered bringing capable disciples along to gain experience.

• Lin Xiao complained that he regretted taking on so much research, but Liao Pantu refused to let him quit.
• Liao Pantu told Lin Xiao to prepare for a trip to the Immortal Cultivation Realm and get out of the research room for a while.
• Lin Xiao reviewed the system task requiring him to establish a sect base in the Immortal Cultivation Realm within ten years.
• Lin Xiao considered exploring the region to find a suitable base location and learn about its customs, powers, and trade prospects.
• Lin Xiao weighed taking willing, high-level Lingxian Sect disciples along to gain experience and considered discussing the plan with Liao Pantu.

Lin Xiao received Liao Pantu’s approval to take Lingxian Sect disciples to the Immortal Cultivation Realm for training and announced a summer camp for Azure Cloud Peak. Most of the people he invited declined, leaving the trip’s participants undecided.

• Lin Xiao proposed bringing disciples to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, and Liao Pantu agreed after considering the disciples’ abilities and equipment.
• Lin Xiao asked Liao Pantu to come along, but Liao Pantu stayed behind to continue working on railway-related projects.
• He Yi refused Lin Xiao’s invitation, saying he had barely managed to sneak out of his old life and had no need to visit his parents.
• Lin Xiao invited the rest of the sect to travel with him and separately announced registration for Azure Cloud Peak’s Immortal Cultivation Realm Summer Camp.
• Jiang Youfu, Qin Jianghe, Liu Yunan, Hu Liang, and Xiaoluan each declined or decided not to go for personal or work-related reasons.

Lin Xiao and Mo Yuanjiao were the only ones who planned to travel to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, while the elders organized their own tour of the Mortal Realm. As the elders prepared to promote their crops and seeds along the way, Lin Xiao suspected their trip might become agricultural work.

• The elders declined Lin Xiao’s invitation to the Immortal Cultivation Realm and formed the Lingxian Sect Sunset Glows Red Tour Group to travel around the Mortal Realm.
• The elders chose Yang Jinshu to lead the group, and she handed off her Law Enforcement Hall duties while preparing an itinerary of famous sights.
• The elders arranged to use scheduled flying ships where possible and applied for a sect spirit ship for places without convenient service.
• The elders prepared local specialties and pickled vegetables for exchange, dubbing their plan “pickle diplomacy.”
• The Spirit Field Group gathered seeds, seedlings, and produce samples to bring on the trip and demonstrate the value of their crops.
• Lin Xiao considered warning the elders not to work during their vacation, then decided their agricultural efforts were part of their Dao and stayed out of it.

Lin Xiao summoned Tong Jialiang to explain how the Execution Stone incident had given him an Execution-Conduit Physique and teach him to transform Spiritual Qi into Origin Qi. As Tong Jialiang prepared to join the trip to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, Lin Xiao warned him to keep his unusual ability secret, and Tong began learning how Origin Qi and Spiritual Qi converted into each other.

• Azure Cloud Peak finalized its summer camp roster with Bai Zhu, Yuan Jinsheng, Xuanyuan Haoyue, Tong Jialiang, Han Weishu, Gu Yuxiao, and Ling Hui.
• Lin Xiao noticed Tong Jialiang on the roster and reviewed his disciple panel, seeing that his Execution-Conduit Physique and Original Essence Heart Sutra had helped him reach Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
• After summoning Tong, Lin Xiao explained that the Execution Stone had changed his physique, making him immune to Execution Stones and able to cultivate Execution Qi.
• Tong asked how he could help fight the Execution Stone Party, and Lin Xiao told him to cultivate diligently and conceal his physique in the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
• Lin Xiao let Tong touch an Execution Stone protected by Origin Qi, then guided a wisp of Origin Qi through his meridians so he could learn to transform Spiritual Qi into it.

Lin Xiao taught Tong Jialiang to cycle Origin Qi and Spiritual Qi, then prepared the nine-person summer camp group for its journey to the Immortal Cultivation Realm. As the group set out, the Finance Hall and General Affairs Hall loaded them with deliveries, gathering assignments, product samples, and recording Jade Slips, before Jiang Youfu arrived with provisions.

• Lin Xiao helped Tong Jialiang learn to cycle Origin Qi and Spiritual Qi, and Tong Jialiang resolved to practice for the fight against the Execution Stone Party Faction.
• The Finance Hall gave the nine travelers a limited budget, nine sacks of quarter's goods, and individual procurement lists as training assignments.
• Liu Yunan gave the group safety handbooks and Storage Bags of farming-tool samples to promote in the Immortal Cultivation Realm.
• Liu Yunan also handed out recording Jade Slips so the travelers could document their journey and training for the sect's monthly report.
• Jiang Youfu arrived carrying Storage Bags of provisions, surprising Lin Xiao, who had expected another assignment.

Lin Xiao and his companions arrived in Yuanling City, where they explored its bustling streets and bought unusual goods. The city had recovered from the Wu Household’s destruction and prospered through trade, while the group prepared to begin its assignment.

• A child gave the nine summer-camp members five Storage Bags of Spirit Cuisine Hall rations each for their journey.
• Lin Xiao and his companions entered Yuanling City, whose protective formation kept the Lingxian Sect’s teleportation base outside the city.
• The group saw that Yuanling City had grown lively again as rumors about the Wu Household’s destruction drew cultivators and trade to the city.
• The young members browsed roadside stalls and spent Spirit Stones on unusual goods, while Yuan Jinsheng occasionally bought things for his son.
• The Lingxian Sect’s goods helped the Yuan Household, the Many Treasures Pavilion, and Su's General Store prosper, and Shopkeeper Zhong became head shopkeeper for the Southern Spirit Domain.

Lin Xiao brought the Lingxian Sect members to their residence in Yuanling City and trapped them as their first practical-training test. Mo Yuanjiao escaped and joined Lin Xiao for a meal while the seven disciples continued working to free themselves.

• The Yuan Household provided the Lingxian Sect members with a residence in Yuanling City.
• Lin Xiao let the eight others choose rooms, then announced that he had trapped them as a lesson in vigilance and escape.
• The trapped members struggled to unravel Lin Xiao's many interwoven techniques, which also sealed their Storage Bags and Lock Rings.
• Mo Yuanjiao used his knowledge of formations to escape and sat with Lin Xiao to eat while watching the disciples.
• The seven remaining disciples ignored Lin Xiao and Mo Yuanjiao and concentrated on dismantling the traps.

Lin Xiao assigned the Azure Cloud Peak disciples a five-day task to explore Yuanling City and map it using a new Lock Ring function. After the lesson, the disciples organized themselves into teams to gather information and chart the city and its surroundings.

• After dinner, Lin Xiao had everyone search the residence for hidden threats and set up defensive formations and restrictions.
• The next morning, Lin Xiao taught the disciples in the rear courtyard and announced that future lessons would be available through their Lock Rings.
• Lin Xiao introduced the exploration log function and assigned everyone to map Yuanling City within five days, collecting as much information as possible.
• After Lin Xiao left, Han Weishu asked the others how they should approach the task, and Mo Yuanjiao reminded them to organize themselves as fellow disciples rather than relying on him as an elder.
• Xuanyuan Haoyue, Han Weishu, Bai Zhu, and Gu Yuxiao discussed what information to collect and agreed to cooperate.
• The eight disciples divided into two groups of four, with one group gathering information across the city and the other mapping four areas of Yuanling City and its surroundings.

Lin Xiao left Yuanling City alone to search other spirit domains for a suitable sect base, while the eight disciples stayed behind to begin their project. He ruled out the Immortal Ascension Domain and Thousand Waves Sea Domain, then flew toward the Mysterious Extreme Domain and Chongxiao Domain while recording his journey and gathering discoveries.

• The eight disciples adjusted their Peach Leaf Pendants to appear to be ordinary fourth- or fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivators and began their work in Yuanling City.
• Lin Xiao left Yuanling City alone, wary of drawing attention in unfamiliar spirit domains despite his pendant's ability to conceal his cultivation.
• Lin Xiao reviewed the seven spirit domains, ruling out the legendary Immortal Ascension Domain and the dangerous Thousand Waves Sea Domain as possible sect-base locations.
• Lin Xiao chose to visit the Mysterious Extreme Domain and Chongxiao Domain first because their names sounded relatively normal.
• Lin Xiao flew on his peachwood sword, activated his Lock Ring's exploration recording, and gathered plants and Demon Beasts while discovering sect locations along the way.

Lin Xiao traveled alone toward the Mysterious Extreme Domain, grew bored, and entertained himself by flying his sword recklessly while recording useful discoveries. He confirmed he had entered the domain and continued deeper, leaving his journey underway.

• Lin Xiao flew for two days while mapping his route, then grew bored on the third day and dismissed the system’s attempt to talk.
• Lin Xiao reasoned that he had likely reached the Mysterious Extreme Domain, whose denser Spiritual Qi did not outweigh the costs and dangers for many cultivators from other domains.
• Lin Xiao rode his sword like a roller coaster, alarming a Rogue Cultivator and his young child, then continued without stopping.
• Lin Xiao recorded a large deposit of ink cloud stone and Three Valley Grass as he flew deeper into the Mysterious Extreme Domain.

Lin Xiao watched a confrontation between Zhenyang Sect disciples and a group of tree demons, who demanded that the sect return their boss. After the disciples drove the demons off, Lin Xiao followed the injured Dayi to a mountain pool.

• Lin Xiao stopped in the wilderness and secretly watched five Zhenyang Sect disciples face more than thirty low-level tree demons.
• The tree demons demanded that the disciples return their boss, while the young disciple accused them of harassing the sect.
• The young disciple blasted the tree demons with a fireball, injuring Dayi, but a senior brother stopped him from attacking again.
• The tree demons fled while shouting that the Zhenyang Sect was killing trees, and the disciples resumed gathering resources.
• Lin Xiao followed the injured Dayi with his Divine Sense as the other tree demons carried it to a pool, where Dayi submerged its burned body and said it hurt.

Lin Xiao learned that the little tree demons believed their boss had been tricked into becoming Zhenyang City, so he traveled there to see the city for himself. After approving his group’s first map assignment, he gave them a second task and reached the enormous tree city in disguise.

• Dayi told the little tree demons that the Zhenyang Sect had tricked their boss into building Zhenyang City and sealed its bloodline memories.
• Lin Xiao left the tree demons and followed cultivators returning from gathering plants toward Zhenyang City.
• Lin Xiao approved the Yuanling City map his group had completed and assigned them maps of the surrounding wilderness and nearby low-level secret realms, due in one year.
• Lin Xiao reached Zhenyang City and saw that it was a colossal tree whose roots formed the city gate and whose branches and leaves formed its streets and walls.
• Lin Xiao sensed the city’s gentle, dense Wood Spiritual Qi and adjusted his Peach Leaf Pendant to appear as a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivator before entering.

Lin Xiao paid to enter Zhenyang City and explored its crowded lower streets, where small alchemists’ huts and posted orders replaced the large shops he expected. He wandered into a snack street and bought flower nectar milk tea and fresh milk cake, leaving the city’s trading customs and higher streets unexplored.

• Lin Xiao paid twenty Spirit Stones to enter Zhenyang City, where most cultivators were at Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment.
• Lin Xiao found the city’s lower streets dim and maze-like, lined with tiny huts displaying pill orders and purchase notices instead of large shops.
• Lin Xiao noticed many low-level Alchemists with Fire Spirit Roots refining pills in their small chambers.
• Lin Xiao followed the streets to a snack street where vendors advertised treats made from Spirit Plants and herbs.
• Lin Xiao bought water-moon flower nectar milk tea and fresh milk cake with spirit orange blossom dew.

Lin Xiao explored the higher levels of Zhenyang City and learned how cultivators gathered and preserved Spirit Plants and herbs. He discovered that the Spirit Gathering Pavilion drew its concentrated wood Spiritual Qi from Elder Dan Ling’s innate Divine Ability, and wondered whether the rest of the elder’s tree demon clan shared it.

• Lin Xiao reached a busier stretch of the giant tree, where Zhenyang Sect cultivators handed out flyers listing wanted Spirit Plants and herbs and offering outside jobs.
• Lin Xiao considered how costly tools, gathering manuals, and spirit jade boxes made herb gathering difficult for ordinary cultivators, while his private storehouse let him bypass those needs.
• Lin Xiao found the Spirit Gathering Pavilion and asked a nearby cultivator why it offered cultivation rooms despite Zhenyang City having no Spirit Vein or Spirit Vein node.
• The cultivator explained that Elder Dan Ling transformed mixed Spiritual Qi into purified wood Spiritual Qi to supply the city's five Spirit Gathering Pavilions.
• Lin Xiao realized Elder Dan Ling's Divine Ability could produce several times the surrounding wood Spiritual Qi and wondered if the elder's tree demon clan also possessed it.

Lin Xiao stopped at a quiet cliffside in Zhenyang City to brew Ganoderma Cicada Seed tea, where he met the mysterious Qingle. Qingle’s ability to approach unnoticed left Lin Xiao suspecting that the youth was far more powerful than he appeared.

• Lin Xiao found a peaceful, sparsely populated area halfway up Zhenyang City and wondered why he could not sense Elder Dan Ling.
• Lin Xiao walked to an open cliff overlooking the land below and set up a picnic with food and tea.
• Lin Xiao brewed Ganoderma Cicada Seed, whose fragrance spread around him despite his barrier formation.
• Qingle appeared ten meters away without Lin Xiao noticing and asked what he was drinking.
• Lin Xiao introduced himself, offered Qingle a cup of tea, and learned that Qingle was named Qingle.
• Qingle praised the tea, while Lin Xiao doubted his claim that he had never tasted anything so good and suspected he was a powerful cultivator.

Lin Xiao shared food and tea with Qingle, and the two experienced enlightenment after sitting together for three days. When Qingle asked about cultivation, Lin Xiao explained that enlightenment was rare and could not be forced, leaving Qingle despondent over his inability to cultivate.

• Lin Xiao invited Qingle to share his picnic, and the two ate pastries and drank Zhichanzi tea together.
• Lin Xiao and Qingle sat quietly as three days passed, then came to their senses after experiencing enlightenment together.
• Lin Xiao told Qingle that enlightenment was an uncommon, unrepeatable breakthrough rather than a normal method of cultivation.
• Qingle revealed that he had barely improved his cultivation for a long time and did not know how to cultivate.
• Lin Xiao realized Qingle was deeply troubled but hesitated to probe further into his private cultivation matters.

Lin Xiao questioned Qingle about his stalled cultivation and learned that he was Elder Dan Ling, a tree demon who had relied on rooting himself in the ground to cultivate. Lin Xiao urged him to leave the sect and gain experience, leaving Qingle wondering whether the elders who had kept him in seclusion had been right.

• Lin Xiao agreed to ask Qingle about his circumstances after Qingle said his cultivation had not improved for more than three thousand years.
• Qingle confirmed that he was Elder Dan Ling and a tree demon, and explained that rooting himself was the only method that had worked for him.
• Lin Xiao asked whether Qingle had consulted his kin, but Qingle said his only family member had died more than three thousand years earlier.
• Lin Xiao encouraged Qingle to go out and gain experience, explaining that encountering the world helped cultivators develop their state of mind.
• Qingle recalled how the sect's elders had repeatedly discouraged him from leaving and questioned why Lin Xiao's advice made him feel relieved rather than stifled.