Chapter Summaries

Xiao Xun'er returned with her clan’s powerful escort after telling Xiao Yan not to seek her until he became a Dou Zun, leaving him determined to grow stronger. During their journey, she learned that her clan had recalled her because the Soul Clan’s recent moves raised fears for her safety and the Xiao Clan’s.

• More than ten Four-Winged Unicorns carrying powerful clan members arrived to take Xiao Xun'er back, and their leader discovered Xiao Yan watching from the forest.
• The middle-aged man assessed Xiao Yan’s cultivation, mocked his chances with Xun'er, and heard Xiao Yan vow to become a Dou Zun.
• Xiao Xun'er told Xiao Yan not to come looking for her before reaching the Dou Zun realm, then departed with the escort.
• Old Yao confirmed the middle-aged man was a Dou Zun and warned Xiao Yan that Xun'er's clan was far more powerful than it appeared.
• The escort leader told Xiao Xun'er that the clan elders had recalled her because the Soul Clan had attacked the Xiao Clan and might target her at Jia Nan Academy.
• Xiao Xun'er worried that the Soul Clan might attack the Xiao Clan for its ancient jade and asked whether such an assault would violate the agreement among the eight clans.

After Xiao Xun'er returned home, Xiao Yan entered Jia Nan Academy's selection tournament determined to become strong enough to search for her. He overwhelmed Lu Mu in their match, stopping his Black Ruler just short of Lu Mu's head.

• Xiao Xun'er left, and Xiao Yan returned to the square as Instructor Ruo Lin and Xiao Yu urged him to qualify for the Scripture Depository.
• The referee announced that 170 contestants remained and began the tournament's second round.
• Xiao Yan watched several matches before being paired against Lu Mu, a top-ten outer academy student from the Alchemy Department.
• Lu Mu unleashed his Blue Crystal Flame, and Xiao Yan considered finding Beast Fire to help Fen Jue evolve.
• Xiao Yan charged and swung his Black Ruler at Lu Mu, stopping it two finger-widths from Lu Mu's scalp as elders rushed to intervene.

Xiao Yan won the Outer Academy competition and earned entry to the Inner Academy and Scripture Depository. Meanwhile, Flowing Cloud prepared a Magical Beast Core auction and trapped the Soul Hall Grand Heavenly Venerable in an array, emerging unharmed from his first attack.

• Xiao Yan defeated Lu Mu and then beat Bai Shan and the Little Demoness, taking first place and earning a place in the Inner Academy and access to the Scripture Depository.
• Flowing Cloud gathered treasures from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan and planned a Northern Region Magical Beast Core auction to supply the Heaven and Earth Alliance with High-grade Demonic Cores.
• Flowing Cloud left the Heavenly Fire Venerable to arrange the auction and set an Ice Blue Water Light Array near a Soul Hall Branch to capture the Soul Hall Grand Heavenly Venerable.
• The Soul Hall Grand Heavenly Venerable arrived with Gu You and confronted Flowing Cloud, who activated the array and pretended to flee.
• The Great Heavenly Venerable attacked Flowing Cloud with bone spikes, but Flowing Cloud transformed into a towering armored giant and emerged unharmed.

Flowing Cloud accidentally killed Great Heavenly Venerable with the Soul Annihilation Spear, then concealed the body and left Gu You behind, hoping he could deflect suspicion. The Hall of Souls learned of Great Heavenly Venerable’s death and suspected the Heaven and Earth Alliance.

• Great Heavenly Venerable attacked Flowing Cloud with a soul-powered bone blade, but Flowing Cloud countered with his own Soul Power.
• Flowing Cloud’s Soul Annihilation Spear shattered the bone blade, pierced Great Heavenly Venerable’s head, and destroyed his soul.
• Flowing Cloud hid Great Heavenly Venerable’s body in a Storage Ring, sealed away its aura, and departed after leaving Gu You in the wilderness.
• A sinister youth in the Hall of Souls discovered Great Heavenly Venerable’s death and contacted the Hall Master through a rift.
• The sinister youth told the Hall Master that the Heaven and Earth Alliance was highly suspicious because Great Heavenly Venerable’s recent reports had concerned it.

Flowing Cloud diverted from his journey to the Northern Region after learning that the Bodhi Ancient Tree was about to appear in the Barbaric Ancient Region. He entered the ancient forest with a large crowd seeking the tree, while the danger ahead remained unclear.

• A sinister man suspected the Heaven and Earth Alliance was connected to Great Heavenly Venerable’s death, and a mysterious being ordered him to investigate.
• Flowing Cloud decided to delay his return to the Northern Region and arranged for a controlled Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable to deliver his auction supplies.
• After traveling for two days, Flowing Cloud reached bustling Barbaric Town and heard that an earlier group had been wiped out in the Barbaric Ancient Region.
• The gathered experts organized a large group and rushed into the forest, and Flowing Cloud entered among them.
• Flowing Cloud moved through the forest at the crowd’s pace as the group killed several ferocious beasts and began to relax.

Flowing Cloud crossed the Poisonous Miasma forest protected by Heavenly Flames while other cultivators suffered heavy losses. At the entrance to the true Barbaric Ancient Region, Zi Shanlei revealed that he had a way to find the Bodhi Ancient Tree.

• Tiny poisonous insects poisoned and killed many cultivators, but Flowing Cloud's Heavenly Flames burned them away as he continued alone.
• Fire-attributed cultivators imitated Flowing Cloud's protection, though it consumed much of their Dou Qi and slowed them down.
• Zi Shanlei gathered a group of seven Dou Zun experts and invited Flowing Cloud to join, but Flowing Cloud refused.
• After leaving the Poisonous Miasma behind, Flowing Cloud and the others saw a vast ravine and the savage mountains of the true Barbaric Ancient Region.
• When the group worried about finding the Bodhi Ancient Tree, Zi Shanlei produced a faintly emerald-green bead and claimed he had confidence in their search.

Flowing Cloud crossed into the Barbaric Ancient Region alone, killing fierce beasts as he searched for the Bodhi Ancient Tree. After rejecting the Heavenly Nether Sect’s offer to travel together, he faced the sect’s attack.

• Zi Shanlei revealed a Bodhi Seed and gathered a group around him, while Flowing Cloud flew across the Heavenly Ravine alone.
• Flowing Cloud killed several panther-shaped fierce beasts that attacked him and then entered the primeval forest.
• Flowing Cloud battled and killed fierce beasts as he traveled deeper into the region, where major factions had also arrived.
• The Green Robed Elder invited Flowing Cloud to travel with the Heavenly Nether Sect, but Flowing Cloud ordered the group to leave or die.
• After the Heavenly Nether Sect refused to move, Flowing Cloud grew to a giant size, and the Green Robed Elder attacked him with the Great Nether Dragon Fist.

Flowing Cloud used his Divine Elephant Hegemony Body to overwhelm the Heavenly Nether Sect forces in the Barbaric Ancient Region. After killing deputy sect master Liu Cang, he pursued the fleeing Black Robed Elder.

• Flowing Cloud shattered Liu Cang's black dragon attack with one punch and sent him crashing into a boulder.
• Liu Cang ordered Elder Qiu and the other Heavenly Nether Sect experts to attack Flowing Cloud together.
• Flowing Cloud destroyed their combined Dou Techniques and knocked nearly all of them unconscious with a single swing.
• Liu Cang tried to flee, but Flowing Cloud caught him and killed him with a punch.
• Flowing Cloud spotted the fleeing Black Robed Elder and sprinted after him through the primeval forest.

Flowing Cloud killed the last Heavenly Nether Sect pursuer and hurried deeper into the Barbaric Ancient Region, where he found the Ancient Sky Demon Python’s territory. Hoping to use its Sky Demon Blood Pool to strengthen his clone, he located the python and drew it out of its mountain.

• Flowing Cloud trampled several Heavenly Nether Sect members while pursuing and killing the last survivor, then returned to his normal size.
• Flowing Cloud realized major factions had entered the deeper region and headed toward the Ancient Domain Platform where they might gather.
• Flowing Cloud found a black, mist-shrouded mountain and recognized it as the Ancient Sky Demon Python’s territory.
• Flowing Cloud decided the Sky Demon Blood Pool could strengthen his clone and help raise its cultivation.
• Flowing Cloud swept the mountain with his Soul Power, provoking the Ancient Sky Demon Python to burst out of the peak.

Flowing Cloud tried to trade a Bodhi Pill for a chance to bathe in the Ancient Sky Demon Python’s blood pool, but the python attacked and he subdued it by force. He entered its mountain lair and found the pool deep inside the cave.

• Flowing Cloud offered the Ancient Sky Demon Python a Bodhi Pill in exchange for one opportunity to soak in its blood pool.
• The Ancient Sky Demon Python attacked, and Flowing Cloud enlarged his body, seized its tail, and slammed it against the ground.
• The python fired corrosive black beams at Flowing Cloud, who turned them against its tail and then punched it, leaving it badly wounded and afraid.
• Flowing Cloud spared the Ancient Sky Demon Python, returned to normal size, and entered its mountain lair.
• Flowing Cloud passed through the bone-filled cave and found a crimson blood pool bubbling with dense energy.

Flowing Cloud absorbed the Sky Demon Blood Pool, using his Heavenly Flames to refine its corrosive energy as his body and cultivation grew stronger. While he continued cultivating, human experts attacked the weakened Ancient Sky Demon Python outside the cave.

• Flowing Cloud entered the Sky Demon Blood Pool and used his Heavenly Flames to remove its corrosive energy and refine the rest for absorption.
• Flowing Cloud cultivated in the pool for two hours, steadily tempering his body and building energy toward a breakthrough to Peak Dou Zun.
• A group of human experts found the wounded Ancient Sky Demon Python and decided to attack it while it was too weak to fight back.
• The experts unleashed their Dou Qi attacks on the Ancient Sky Demon Python, which barely resisted and cried out in pain.

Flowing Cloud absorbed the Sky Demon Blood Pool’s energy and broke through the black mountain after expanding with the Divine Elephant Hegemony Body. He spared the wounded Ancient Sky Demon Python, then continued toward the Ancient Domain Platform at the edge of the Barbaric Ancient Region’s depths.

• Flowing Cloud released a powerful surge of aura that shattered the blood pool’s skeletons and shook the mountain.
• Flowing Cloud activated the Divine Elephant Hegemony Body and grew until he burst through the black mountain, alarming the human experts and the Ancient Sky Demon Python.
• Flowing Cloud ordered the human experts to leave and declared the Ancient Sky Demon Python his; after they fled, he gave the python an eighth-tier healing pill and a Bodhi Pill as compensation.
• Flowing Cloud returned to normal size, traveled north for nearly a day, and killed nearly a hundred magical beasts on the way.
• Flowing Cloud approached the Ancient Domain Platform, which lay between the Barbaric Ancient Region’s middle region and its depths.

Flowing Cloud reached the Ancient Domain Platform and found the major factions gathering there before attempting to cross the Beast Tide toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree. After recognizing Zi Shanlei and learning of the factions’ hidden reinforcements, he listened as the Soul Clan’s leader proposed an alliance to break through the beasts.

• Flowing Cloud arrived at the crowded Ancient Domain Platform, where major clans and numerous powerful cultivators had gathered.
• Flowing Cloud learned that the Soul Clan’s younger members carried Spatial Jade Slips that could summon powerful clan experts, and he suspected other major factions had made similar preparations.
• Flowing Cloud spotted Zi Shanlei, who approached him and tried to secure his protection, while Flowing Cloud mocked him and then looked toward the route to the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
• Flowing Cloud decided to wait for the gathered factions to move together because the Beast Tide was too large to face alone.
• The Soul Clan group’s leader called for the factions to form an alliance and attack the Beast Tide together, while allowing anyone who distrusted the plan to stay behind.

Hun Yu led a large alliance of experts into the Beast Tide, hoping to use the others to clear a path toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Flowing Cloud recognized Hun Yu’s plan and noticed Zi Shanlei approaching him, then the alliance’s charge collided with the Beast Tide.

• Hun Yu persuaded the gathered factions to join forces and lead an advance through the Beast Tide, while Flowing Cloud understood that Hun Yu intended to abandon the others after using their strength.
• Hun Yu led the united experts north until they reached the seemingly endless Beast Tide of the Barbaric Ancient Region.
• Flowing Cloud looked toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree and noticed Zi Shanlei, who possessed a Bodhi Seed, smiling and moving closer to him.
• Hun Yu placed his people at the front of an arrowhead formation and ordered the alliance to charge the Beast Tide.
• The experts struck the Beast Tide, unleashing powerful Dou Qi that killed many ferocious beasts as the battle began.

The formation plunged into the Beast Tide, where Hun Yu and the Hall of Souls experts abandoned the front and the trapped fighters were forced into a deadly advance. Amid the chaos, Zi Shanlei launched a sneak attack on Flowing Cloud, but Flowing Cloud survived and joined another expert in pursuing him.

• The formation advanced deep into the Beast Tide until powerful beasts surrounded it and close combat began.
• Hun Yu and the Hall of Souls experts disappeared from the front, leaving others to be pushed forward as cannon fodder while the formation suffered heavy casualties.
• Zi Shanlei took advantage of the chaos to attack Flowing Cloud from behind, killing three nearby experts.
• Flowing Cloud and another expert survived the attack, and witnesses identified Zi Shanlei as the assailant.
• Zi Shanlei tried to flee, but Flowing Cloud and the other expert charged after him together.

Flowing Cloud killed Zi Shanlei and recovered the Bodhi Seed, then used his Divine Elephant Hegemony Body to force his way through the Beast Tide. He emerged as the second to reach the far side, where he saw the legendary Bodhi Ancient Tree.

• Flowing Cloud and another man killed Zi Shanlei after his sneak attack, and Flowing Cloud took the Bodhi Seed from Zi Shanlei's Storage Ring.
• Hun Yu led the Soul Clan and other powerful groups away from the survivors, leaving the Beast Tide to overwhelm those trapped behind.
• Flowing Cloud transformed into a giant over a hundred zhang tall and charged through the beasts, kicking aside even powerful opponents.
• Flowing Cloud broke through the Beast Tide alone, arriving after the Hall of Souls and drawing the attention of the Soul Clan members.
• Flowing Cloud looked across the plain and saw the Bodhi Ancient Tree standing several thousand zhang away.

Flowing Cloud and the other factions reached the Bodhi Ancient Tree, where Hun Yu warned them that it had killed a Half-Saint. As the group approached the tree’s shadow, Flowing Cloud secretly planted a Storage Ring and monitored the Beast Tide with a soul projection.

• Flowing Cloud reached the Bodhi Ancient Tree, and the arriving factions watched his immense strength warily.
• Hun Yu told the gathered experts that a Soul Clan Half-Saint had vanished after encountering the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
• Hun Yu led the factions toward the tree, while Flowing Cloud shrank back to normal size and sent a soul projection over the Beast Tide.
• Flowing Cloud’s projection found no surviving humans among the beasts, and Flowing Cloud buried a Storage Ring filled with Magical Beast Cores before following the others.
• Hun Yu and the others stopped beneath the Bodhi Ancient Tree’s vast shade as a chill began to seep into their bones.

Flowing Cloud and the gathered factions discovered five Half-Saint puppets guarding the Bodhi Heart inside the Bodhi Ancient Tree. They agreed to fight the puppets together, and Flowing Cloud confronted one of them as the battle began.

• The Bodhi Ancient Tree revealed five lifeless Half-Saint puppets, including one Hun Yu recognized as an ancestor from his clan’s ancient records.
• Hun Yu urged the gathered factions to cooperate in defeating the puppets and proposed that two teams face each puppet, with Flowing Cloud taking the fifth.
• Flowing Cloud agreed to fight one puppet, and Hun Yu and Huang Feng led their teams into battle.
• Flowing Cloud activated the Divine Elephant Hegemony Body, grew to around ten zhang, and charged at the central puppet.
• The puppet struck Flowing Cloud with a palm imprint, and Flowing Cloud met the attack head-on with his own palm.

Flowing Cloud and the other teams defeated the Half-Saint puppets guarding the Bodhi Ancient Tree and reached its base. The tree transported Flowing Cloud into an illusionary space, where the Bodhi Seed broke the illusion and revealed an emerald-green ancient tree.

• The fighters discovered that destroying a Half-Saint puppet's head stopped it, and they defeated four puppets at the cost of more than ten Dou Zun experts.
• Flowing Cloud retreated to make the last puppet target the weakened Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, forcing Hun Yu and the other teams to join the fight.
• After the final puppet fell, Hun Yu led his people toward the Bodhi Ancient Tree, and Flowing Cloud followed with the remaining teams.
• A pillar of light enveloped Flowing Cloud and several others at the tree's base, drained their Dou Qi, and carried them away.
• Flowing Cloud recognized the white-light world as an illusion and used the Bodhi Seed he had taken from Zi Shanlei to shatter it.
• Flowing Cloud regained his senses in a green space before a jade-like ancient tree radiating vitality.

Flowing Cloud learned that the Bodhi Ancient Tree had been wounded in an ancient battle between two Dou Dis and corrupted by the dying black-clad Dou Di’s negative emotions. He discovered that the tree contained both benevolent and evil forms of intelligence, while his Soul Projection worked to trap it in an array and keep it from sinking underground.

• The Bodhi Ancient Tree showed Flowing Cloud images of Hun Yu's group trapped in illusions and an ancient clash between the tree and a black-clad Dou Di.
• Flowing Cloud's Soul Projection built an Ice Blue Water Light Array around the Bodhi Ancient Tree to seal it in place.
• A second Dou Di joined the Bodhi Ancient Tree in killing the black-clad Dou Di, whose negative emotions then seeped into the tree.
• The Bodhi Ancient Tree sent information into Flowing Cloud's mind, revealing its history and the source of its corruption.
• Flowing Cloud learned that the tree now held its original benevolent intelligence and a darker intelligence born from the black-clad Dou Di's negative emotions.