Chapter Summaries

Su Bai settled beside Qin Guan at Lake of Rebirth and spent months cultivating while waiting for his Soul Spirit Fishing Gear to catch a Memory Fragment. After Qin Guan finally got a bite, he excitedly began reeling in his third catch in five years.

• Su Bai carved a cave abode beside Qin Guan, set up his Soul Spirit Fishing Gear, and learned why Qin Guan had come to the lake seeking spell knowledge and a chance to improve his Spell Talent.
• Su Bai told Qin Guan he was a True Inheritance Disciple who had placed first in the Inner Sect Grand Competition, then cultivated with Golden Marrow Pills.
• More than four months later, Su Bai advanced to Qi Refining Layer Nine and continued cultivating toward Qi Refining Great Perfection.
• Su Bai's appraisal and copying abilities recovered, but he found no suitable target to appraise or copy, and his fishing gear still had not caught a Memory Fragment.
• In early July, Qin Guan announced that he had a bite and began reeling in his third Memory Fragment in five years, hoping it held a spell expert's memories.

Qin Guan refined a Golden Core Cultivator’s Memory Fragment and gained an Ice Spell Talent along with two Divine Abilities. Su Bai copied Qin Guan’s talent and fused it with his own, raising his Ice Attribute Spell Talent beyond Third-tier.

• Qin Guan fished up a Memory Fragment from a former Academy Master of the Ice Court, a Golden Core Cultivator, and used his priority rights to claim it for exchange.
• Qin Guan spent three months refining the Memory Fragment while Su Bai looked after his fishing gear.
• Qin Guan emerged with the senior’s Spell Talent and one Golden Core Divine Ability and one Foundation Establishment Divine Ability, though he owed the sect two hundred thousand Contribution Points.
• Su Bai used Immortal Talent Reflection to copy Qin Guan’s Third-tier Ice Attribute Spell Talent and fused it with his own, creating a Beyond Third-tier talent.

Su Bai reached Qi Refining Great Perfection after more than a year cultivating in the Lake of Rebirth Secret Realm, then secluded himself to attempt Foundation Establishment. After taking a Foundation Establishment Pill, he condensed the first droplet of liquid Spiritual Power.

• Qin Guan borrowed two hundred thousand Contribution Points to refine his Memory Fragment, then left the Lake of Rebirth Secret Realm after his mission ended.
• Su Bai continued fishing for fragments and cultivating, and more than a year later he reached Qi Refining Layer Ten.
• Su Bai spent several days stabilizing his cultivation, then flew to a remote mountain in the depths of the Sand Bank and carved out a concealed cave.
• Su Bai prepared two Foundation Establishment Pills and swallowed one to begin his breakthrough.
• Su Bai circulated his Spiritual Energy and condensed the first droplet of liquid Spiritual Power in his dantian.

Su Bai completed Foundation Establishment after two months of seclusion, gaining a stronger body, Spiritual Sense, and the ability to fly. He returned to Lake of Rebirth to fish for Memory Fragments, and several dozen days later, something finally took the bait.

• Su Bai liquefied his spiritual power, completed his physical transformation, and successfully advanced to Foundation Establishment at age twenty-three.
• Su Bai tested the Skyward Flight Technique and considered which primary cultivation technique to pursue, expecting a surprise from the Academy Master.
• Su Bai decided to remain at Lake of Rebirth for three more months and kept his extra Foundation Establishment Pill, considering selling it to Jiang Han.
• Jiang Han continued robbing cultivators to fund his future Foundation Establishment, then began following two Demonic Cultivators from the Qingzhou Blood Hall.
• Su Bai left his cave, flew back to his fishing spot, cleaned his cave abode, and resumed using the Soul Spirit Fishing Gear.
• Several dozen days later, Su Bai noticed that a Memory Fragment had taken the bait and was striking the Spirit Jade Doll.

Su Bai returned from the Lake of Rebirth Secret Realm after reaching Foundation Establishment, where he caught a Memory Fragment and witnessed Han Li's death. Back at the Jade Mist Sect, he became an Inner Sect True Inheritance Elder and reunited with Xu Shangran and Zhao Shanhe.

• Su Bai caught Zhang Fan's Memory Fragment, reported it to the sect, and earned two thousand Contribution Points.
• Su Bai witnessed the Foundation Establishment Elder Han Li leap into Lake of Rebirth and die, after Han Li shared his name in case Su Bai ever caught his Memory Fragment.
• Su Bai left the Secret Realm and returned to the Jade Mist Sect after a three-year absence.
• Su Bai updated his status at the Inner Sect Grand Hall, formally becoming a True Inheritance Elder and receiving purple Elder's robes.
• Su Bai handed over Han Li's Memory Fragment and met Xu Shangran and Zhao Shanhe at the Sword Academy, where he learned Zhao Shanhe had become a True Inheritance Disciple.

Su Bai returned to the Sword Academy after three years away and advanced to Foundation Establishment, where Xu Shangran made him Vice Dean and passed him the Nine Heavens Sword Soul Art and Geng Metal. As Su Bai planned to consolidate his cultivation and teach the disciples, Xu Shangran asked whether he knew why Bing Li had repeatedly sought him out.

• Xu Shangran welcomed the newly Foundation Establishment Su Bai, and Zhao Shanhe and the Sword Academy Disciples recognized his return.
• Xu Shangran named Zhao Shanhe the new Chief Disciple and gave Su Bai the title of Vice Dean.
• Xu Shangran gave Su Bai the Nine Heavens Sword Soul Art and a piece of Geng Metal to help him condense a Sword Soul.
• Su Bai planned to stabilize his Foundation Establishment cultivation, begin cultivating the sword art, and teach the Sword Academy Disciples.
• Xu Shangran told Su Bai that Bing Li had looked for him several times during his absence and asked whether there was a reason.

Su Bai copied and coordinated Xu Shangran’s Sword Enlightenment Root with his Clear Heart Sword Intent, then began cultivating the Nine Heavens Sword Soul Art in seclusion. After experiencing the painful first stage of Sword Soul Condensation, he decided to seek spirit pills to stabilize his early Foundation Establishment cultivation.

• Su Bai remembered Bing Li’s past request for him to fight Zhao Hanshuang again, but focused instead on copying Xu Shangran’s Sword Enlightenment Root.
• Su Bai thanked Xu Shangran and used their physical contact to copy the talent, coordinating it with Clear Heart Sword Intent into Clear Heart Enlightenment Root.
• Su Bai left the Sword Academy, returned to his cave abode at Qingyun Cliff, and began cultivating the Nine Heavens Sword Soul Art.
• Su Bai mastered the art’s Spiritual Power circulation in a little over ten days and began Initial Sword Soul Condensation with the Geng Metal Xu Shangran had given him.
• Su Bai endured the painful cultivation session, noticed his sword Qi had grown stronger, and concluded that Golden Marrow Pills could no longer help him.
• Su Bai decided to visit the Inner Sect Grand Hall and exchange his remaining Contribution Points for spirit pills to consolidate his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation.

Su Bai exchanged Golden Marrow Pills and Contribution Points for Cloud Mist Pills, then used them to stabilize his Foundation Establishment cultivation during more than a month of seclusion. He left his cave abode to lecture at the Sword Academy, where over two hundred disciples gathered to hear him.

• Su Bai learned that Cloud Mist Pills cost five hundred Contribution Points per bottle and exchanged for thirteen bottles using Contribution Points and Golden Marrow Pills.
• Su Bai consumed a Cloud Mist Pill and found that one pill could provide the equivalent of more than half a month of ordinary cultivation.
• After more than a month of seclusion, Su Bai had stabilized his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation and improved his Sword Qi.
• Su Bai flew to the Sword Academy to give a lecture and saw that its ranks had grown to more than two hundred disciples, including over thirty who had condensed Sword Qi.
• Chief Disciple Zhao Shanhe greeted Su Bai, and Su Bai began lecturing the Sword Academy disciples on the sword path.

After finishing his Cloud Mist Pills, Su Bai advanced toward the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and asked Xu Shangran how to earn cultivation resources. Xu Shangran warned him about Deep Pill Toxin and revealed Azure Fish Hall, a secret assassin organization backed by Qingzhou’s three great sects.

• Su Bai completed his thirteen bottles of Cloud Mist Pills, strengthened his spiritual power, and visited Xu Shangran at the Sword Academy.
• Xu Shangran explained that consuming spiritual pills created Deep Pill Toxin that could lower the chance of forming a Golden Core, and taught Su Bai to sense the toxin in his body.
• Su Bai sensed that he had relatively little Pill Toxin and asked about ways to remove it, but the remedies Xu Shangran named cost too many Contribution Points.
• Xu Shangran said killing demonic beasts and competing in Secret Realms could earn resources, then described a secret organization whose members accepted Bounty Missions.
• Xu Shangran revealed that Azure Fish Hall operated in the Demon Star Sea as an assassin organization secretly established by Qingzhou’s three great sects.

Su Bai decided to pursue experience and wealth through Azure Fish Hall, while preparing for the dangers by strengthening his combat power. After obtaining the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet spell and improving his lightning talent, he cultivated in his cave abode until the Jade Mist Sect’s annual Inner Sect Grand Competition began.

• Su Bai discussed Azure Fish Hall with Xu Shangran, who shared his experience, explained its assassin ranks and missions, and offered to recommend Su Bai to the sect.
• Su Bai obtained the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet spell from Bing Li, who explained that Zhao Hanshuang had failed to establish his foundation and fallen back to Qi Refining Layer Nine.
• Su Bai returned to his cave abode and planned to cultivate the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet alongside his sword soul as preparation for Azure Fish Hall.
• Su Bai discovered that his Lightning Attribute Spell Talent had grown to first-tier after years of cultivating with a single-attribute lightning spirit root.
• Su Bai cultivated the ice spell in his cave abode, freezing nearby cultivators with its aftereffects, until more than a month passed and the Jade Mist Sect’s annual Inner Sect Grand Competition began.

Su Bai refused an invitation to watch the Inner Sect Grand Competition so he could condense his Sword Soul, then tested its power after completing a month of seclusion. He left the Underground Training Ground to seek Bing Li and practice the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet in the Ice Court.

• Su Bai absorbed the last of his Geng Metal and condensed a translucent Sword Soul with ancient patterns and a trace of Natal Sword Qi.
• Several Foundation Establishment Cultivators ambushed Su Bai outside his cave abode, but his warning sense alerted him and he escaped on his sword.
• Su Bai tested his Sword Soul in the Underground Training Ground and found that it increased his sword Qi's killing power by fifty percent and extended its range to a hundred zhang.
• Su Bai decided to focus on cultivating the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet and headed to find Bing Li so he could enter the Ice Court.

After mastering the second-tier high-grade Ice Crystal Jade Puppet, Su Bai received a letter from his mother saying Empress Zhang was poisoning and persecuting her. He learned that Empress Zhang’s son, Su Chan, had joined the Profound Yin Sect, then set out for Yan Kingdom to help his mother.

• Su Bai completed two months of cultivation in the Ice Court and mastered the Ice Crystal Jade Puppet.
• Su Bai collected a letter from his mother at the Inner Sect Grand Hall and learned that Empress Zhang had killed her servants and might be poisoning her.
• Su Bai went to the Law Enforcement Court and found that Empress Zhang’s son, Su Chan, was a seventeen-year-old eighth prince who had joined the Profound Yin Sect.
• Su Bai set off for Yan Kingdom to confront the threat to his mother.

Su Bai returned to the Yan Kingdom after eight years and rescued Mother Su from the poison Empress Zhang had arranged for her. He set out to confront Empress Zhang and left Mother Su to summon Su Yao.

• Su Bai flew to the Yan Kingdom Imperial Palace and found Mother Su being pressured by Hua Rong to end her life.
• Hua Rong revealed that Mother Su was dying from Wolf Smoke Poison and urged her to jump into a pond.
• Su Bai appeared, cured Mother Su with a healing spell, and promised to settle her troubles.
• Su Bai rejected Mother Su's suggestion that his return alone would deter Empress Zhang and said the emperor should no longer rule.
• Su Bai asked Mother Su to summon Su Yao, then ordered Hua Rong to take him to Empress Zhang.
• Hua Rong tried to test Su Bai by rushing ahead, but he effortlessly flew after her and threatened her before they reached Empress Zhang's palace.

Su Bai returned to the Yan Kingdom, killed Empress Zhang and the four Dragon Guards, and forced Emperor Yan to abdicate in favor of Su Yao. The ministers gathered to hear the announcement, but the prime minister objected.

• Su Bai confronted Empress Zhang about poisoning his mother, then killed her when she admitted it and ordered Hua Rong to serve Mother Su and Su Yao.
• Su Bai flew into Emperor Yan’s study and killed all four Dragon Guards who attacked him.
• Emperor Yan offered to punish Empress Zhang, but Su Bai revealed that she was already dead and declared that Emperor Yan would become Grand Supreme Emperor.
• Su Bai chose Su Yao to inherit the throne, and Mother Su and Emperor Yan urged her to accept despite her protests.
• Su Bai summoned the ministers, Emperor Yan announced his abdication, and the prime minister objected.

Su Bai secured Su Yao’s succession as Empress by purging her opposition and protecting his family before setting out to eliminate the last remaining prince, Su Chan. On the way to the Profound Yin Sect, he met Jiang Han, who realized Su Bai had reached Foundation Establishment.

• Su Bai killed the Prime Minister’s faction, healed the remaining ministers, and forced them to accept Su Yao’s succession.
• Su Yao ascended the throne, Mother Su became Grand Empress Dowager, and Su Bai gave his family sword-qi protections.
• Su Bai killed Empress Zhang’s four princes and secretly helped Su Yao purge the court for three days before leaving the capital.
• Su Bai headed toward the Profound Yin Sect to deal with Su Chan, then stopped at a Yunhai Spirit Plain market ten days later.
• Jiang Han met Su Bai at a teahouse, and after noticing he could not sense Su Bai’s Spiritual Energy, suspected he had reached Foundation Establishment.

Su Bai enlisted Jiang Han to infiltrate the Profound Yin Sect and kill Su Chan, trading him a Foundation Establishment Pill for eighteen thousand Spirit Stones. After disguising themselves with Yin Yang Masks, they reached the sect, where Jiang Han entered alone to find Su Chan while Su Bai waited outside.

• Su Bai and Jiang Han discussed the Immortal Palace’s leadership and Su Duanqiu’s departure from Qingzhou.
• Su Bai asked Jiang Han to kill Su Chan in the Profound Yin Sect, and Jiang Han agreed in exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.
• Jiang Han paid Su Bai ten thousand Spirit Stones upfront and received the pill, agreeing to pay the remaining amount later.
• Su Bai killed two Profound Yin Sect Disciples with sword Qi, and Jiang Han used their Yin Yang Masks to disguise them both.
• Su Bai and Jiang Han reached the Profound Yin Sect’s mountain gate, where Jiang Han entered alone to search for Su Chan.

Jiang Han killed Su Chan and stole alchemy ingredients from the Extreme Yin Sect before rejoining Su Bai. They parted ways in the mortal world, with Su Bai heading for the Jade Mist Sect and Jiang Han entering a city.

• Jiang Han infiltrated the Profound Yin Sect and burned Su Chan to ash with a Fireball.
• Jiang Han entered the Extreme Yin Sect's alchemy hall using a disciple token and stole ingredients worth more than two thousand Spirit Stones.
• Jiang Han met Su Bai, confirmed Su Chan was dead, and gave him Shadow Dust to help erase their traces.
• Su Bai and Jiang Han flew away together, and Su Bai agreed to deduct two thousand Spirit Stones from Jiang Han's debt for the Shadow Dust.
• Su Bai and Jiang Han parted on a county road; Su Bai flew toward the Jade Mist Sect, while Jiang Han entered a mortal city.

After returning to the Jade Mist Sect, Su Bai learned that Wan Haoran had advanced to Golden Core and began seeking a way to obtain a Spirit Artifact. He asked Xu Ping'an to upgrade the Azure Dragon Sword, but his budget was short, so he proposed completing a mission in exchange.

• Su Bai returned to the Jade Mist Sect after spending more than ten days away and learned that Wan Haoran had advanced to Golden Core.
• Su Bai decided to prepare a Spirit Artifact because he could not afford one from the Inner Sect Treasure Pavilion and would have to postpone learning lightning arts.
• Su Bai visited the Refining Institute and asked Xu Ping'an to upgrade his Azure Dragon Sword into a Spirit Artifact.
• Xu Ping'an estimated that upgrading the sword would cost between five thousand and ten thousand Contribution Points, depending on the chance of success.
• Su Bai asked Xu Ping'an to assign him a mission in exchange for upgrading the Azure Dragon Sword for free.

Su Bai agreed to gather three rare treasures for Xu Ping'an in exchange for having his Azure Dragon Sword advanced. After arriving at Flowing Cloud Market to seek information on Third-tier Demonic Beasts, Su Bai told Liu Jun about the request, and Liu Jun offered to provide three of the required treasures himself.

• Xu Ping'an offered to advance Su Bai's Azure Dragon Sword if Su Bai gathered any three treasures from a Jade Slip listing rare artifact-refining materials.
• Su Bai left the Jade Mist Sect and traveled to Flowing Cloud Market to seek information on Third-tier Demonic Beasts.
• Su Bai met the market master Liu Jun, who welcomed him and offered to provide Demonic Beast information for free.
• Su Bai explained his deal with Xu Ping'an and showed Liu Jun the Jade Slip.
• Liu Jun said he already possessed three of the treasures Su Bai needed and offered to provide them.

Su Bai obtained three treasures from Liu Jun and gave them, along with Spirit Stones, to Xu Ping'an to upgrade the Azure Dragon Sword. After cultivating a lightning spell while the sword was reforged, Su Bai received the completed high-grade spiritual sword and renamed it Soaring Dragon.

• Liu Jun gave Su Bai three treasures in exchange for a promise to help him or his descendants if trouble arose.
• Su Bai returned to Jade Mist Sect and brought the treasures and Jiang Han's ten thousand Spirit Stones to Xu Ping'an, who agreed to try to raise the Azure Dragon Sword to high-grade.
• Su Bai cultivated Thousand Lightning Lure for three months, then spent another three months trying to fuse the spell into his sword path.
• Xu Ping'an summoned Su Bai to the Refining Institute after completing the sword's advancement.
• Su Bai opened the Jade Box, found that the Azure Dragon Sword had become a high-grade spiritual sword, and renamed it Soaring Dragon.