Chapter Summaries

Gu He invaded Soul Hall and slaughtered its defenders, while Great Heavenly Venerate Gu You revealed his allegiance to Gu He. Gu He ordered Gu You to wipe out every remaining member of Soul Hall, and the purge began.

• More than a dozen Soul Hall figures prepared to leave and gather souls, but Gu He collapsed the space and annihilated them.
• Gu He entered Soul Hall, killed the attackers who rushed him, and crushed more than a dozen Soul Hall Heavenly Venerates.
• Gu He repelled the new Second Heavenly Venerate's chain attack and mocked him for being only an early-stage Half Saint.
• Gu You appeared, killed Second Heavenly Venerate, and bowed respectfully to Gu He, revealing that he served him.
• Gu He ordered Gu You to leave no Soul Hall members alive, and Gu You pursued and slaughtered the fleeing experts.

Gu He destroyed the Human Hall, freed the souls imprisoned there, and recovered the Soul Origin the Soul Hall had extracted from them. After storing it in the System Space, he found that Gu You had slain the Hall’s members.

• Gu You pursued the fleeing Soul Hall experts and swiftly slaughtered them.
• Gu He split open the Black Giant Hall and broke the chains imprisoning tens of thousands of souls.
• Gu He told the freed souls he would move them to an independent space, and they gathered where he directed.
• Gu He excavated the ruins and found Soul Origin condensed from the souls of at least a million people.
• Gu He dissolved the Soul Origin’s lingering hatred, stored it in the System Space, and saw that Gu You had killed the Human Hall’s members.

After destroying the Human Hall and rescuing its captive souls, Gu He brought them to the Nine-Colored Realm and established Fengdu as their home. With Gu You appointed to govern them, Gu He returned to prepare to absorb the collected Soul Origin and advance his Soul Realm.

• Gu He confirmed that everyone in the Human Hall had been dealt with, destroyed the remaining ruins, and decided to spare Gu You.
• Gu He transported the rescued souls and Gu You to a mountain-ringed region in the Nine-Colored Realm and named it Fengdu.
• Gu He told the souls to live within Fengdu and appointed Gu You as its first Ghost King to maintain order.
• Gu He checked the former Human Hall site again to ensure no survivors or souls had been left behind.
• Gu He returned to the Nine-Colored Realm and prepared to absorb the Soul Origin to advance his Soul Realm toward Great Perfection Heavenly Realm.

Gu He purified the Soul Origin and absorbed it to strengthen his soul, sending overwhelming soul pressure across the Nine-Colored Realm. After nearly half a month, he consumed the remaining Soul Origin, and a vast ripple erupted as dark clouds and lightning filled the sky.

• Gu He used his Purple Flame to purge the Soul Origin of hidden consciousness traces before absorbing it with his soul phantom.
• As Gu He absorbed the Soul Origin, his soul developed a crystalline layer and emitted ripples that silenced the creatures around his mountain.
• Xiao Yi Xian and Little Silver sensed Gu He's soul pressure, but Xiao Yi Xian could not approach within a thousand zhang.
• Over nearly half a month, the soul pressure spread across the Nine-Colored Realm, and Xiao Yi Xian used it to temper her soul as she walked toward Gu He's mountain with Little Silver.
• Gu He absorbed the remaining Soul Origin into his crystalline soul form, unleashing a vast invisible ripple as dark clouds and lightning covered the sky.

Gu He absorbed the soul light cluster and advanced his Soul Realm to the Great Perfection Heavenly Realm, then tested its power across the Nine-Colored Realm. Less than ten days later, the Soul Hall discovered the sealed Human Hall had been destroyed, and Hun Miesheng and the Vice Hall Master arrived to investigate.

• Gu He’s soul reached the Great Perfection Heavenly Realm, and its fluctuations swept across the Nine-Colored Realm before he withdrew them to avoid exposing it.
• Xiao Yi Xian and Little Silver joined Gu He, who confirmed his breakthrough and urged Xiao Yi Xian to digest her recent insights.
• A returning Soul Hall team found the space around the Human Hall sealed and could not break through it.
• Soul Hall Venerables investigated the missing branch hall, and Hun Miesheng and the Vice Hall Master broke Gu He’s seal and discovered what had happened.

Hun Miesheng discovered that the Soul Hall’s Human Hall had been destroyed and its collected Soul Origin and imprisoned souls were gone, then ordered a search for the still-living Gu You. News of the destruction spread across the Central Plains, where the Pill Tower’s three giants discussed who could have carried it out.

• Hun Miesheng and the Soul Hall Vice Hall Master broke Gu He’s spatial seal and found the Human Hall in ruins, stripped of its Soul Origin and prisoners.
• Hun Miesheng learned that Gu You’s soul tablet was still lit and ordered the Soul Hall Vice Hall Master to find him.
• News of the Human Hall’s destruction spread across the Central Plains, stirring shock and speculation about the attacker.
• At the Pill Tower, Xuan Kong Zi, Tian Lei Zi, and Xuan Yi discussed the report and considered which faction could have destroyed the Human Hall.

After the destruction of Human Hall, the Pill Tower and other factions worried that Soul Hall might retaliate and prepared to stay cautious. Xiao Yan traveled toward Starfall Pavilion and, after resting in Ling City, learned of Human Hall’s massacre and discussed Elder Yao’s hoped-for resurrection.

• Xuan Kong Zi, Xuan Yi, and Tian Lei Zi discussed who could have destroyed Human Hall and feared Soul Hall would suspect the Pill Tower.
• Xuan Kong Zi ordered the Pill Tower to prepare for Soul Hall spies and retaliation ahead of the Pill Gathering.
• Xiao Yan arrived in Ling City after months of travel toward Starfall Pavilion and rested at an inn with Elder Yao’s approval.
• Xiao Yan and Elder Yao heard that Human Hall had been massacred and wondered which faction had carried out the attack.
• Xiao Yan promised to remember Elder Yao’s advice and hoped Venerable Wind could help gather resurrection materials.
• Elder Yao said he might need to seek out old friends to perform the final refinement for his resurrection.

Xiao Yan learned that Elder Yao had recovered to the strength of a Two-star Dou Zun, but Elder Yao sensed Soul Hall members in Ling City and warned him to leave. Xiao Yan then witnessed the Soul Hall slaughtering the city and urged his teacher to help.

• Elder Yao told Xiao Yan that resurrecting him would require gathering materials and finding powerful alchemist friends to perform the final refinement.
• Elder Yao revealed that he had recovered to the strength of a Two-star Dou Zun, and Xiao Yan returned to his room to rest.
• Elder Yao sensed Soul Hall members in Ling City and warned Xiao Yan that they had to leave, though they were not targeting him.
• Ling City's city lord helped a group of Black Robes seal the city so they could kill its residents and collect their souls.
• The leading Black Robe ordered the Soul Hall experts to leave no survivors, and they slaughtered Ling City's defenders and civilians.
• Xiao Yan saw the massacre from an inn and urged Elder Yao to help the people.

Xiao Yan and Elder Yao escaped Ling City after Soul Hall massacred its inhabitants, but the pursuing leader turned out to be Elder Yao’s former junior brother, Old Man Mu Gu. Mu Gu recognized Yao Chen, leaving Xiao Yan facing a powerful enemy as he retreated in silence.

• Xiao Yan wanted to help Ling City’s victims, but Elder Yao warned him about the Soul Hall forces and explained that they harvested souls for their Soul Origin.
• With Elder Yao guiding him, Xiao Yan slipped through the city and reached the spatial seal at its edge.
• Elder Yao took control of Xiao Yan’s body and shattered the seal, creating an escape route for them and the city’s inhabitants.
• Xiao Yan and Elder Yao reached a mountain outside Ling City, where the Black Robe leader caught up and revealed himself as Old Man Mu Gu.
• Old Man Mu Gu recognized Yao Chen and exposed his presence, so Xiao Yan retreated without responding.

Yao Chen, controlling Xiao Yan’s body, encountered Mu Gu, who recognized the Bone Spirit Cold Fire and pursued them to capture Yao Chen’s soul. After they fought and Yao Chen separated from Xiao Yan to avoid damaging his body, Mu Gu attacked Xiao Yan directly, leaving him blinded by black mist.

• Mu Gu sensed the Bone Spirit Cold Fire in Xiao Yan and pursued him, hoping to capture Yao Chen before he recovered his former strength.
• Mu Gu’s soul storm struck Xiao Yan, but the Bone Spirit Cold Fire helped him withstand it.
• Xiao Yan dodged Mu Gu’s black-mist spear, which turned back and forced him to block it with the Bone Spirit Cold Fire.
• Xiao Yan and Mu Gu exchanged attacks until Yao Chen withdrew from Xiao Yan’s body to avoid leaving lasting damage.
• Mu Gu taunted Yao Chen about Han Feng, and Yao Chen praised Xiao Yan before Mu Gu engulfed the area in black mist and attacked him.

Elder Yao fought Old Man Mu Gu to protect Xiao Yan until Dan Xu arrived and helped drive Mu Gu away. Afterward, Dan Xu met Xiao Yan and explained that he had come to investigate suspected Soul Hall massacres across remote Central Plains cities.

• Mu Gu attacked Xiao Yan, and Elder Yao shielded him with the Bone Spirit Cold Fire before fighting Mu Gu away from the mountain.
• Dan Xu appeared and recognized Elder Yao, then joined forces with him against Mu Gu.
• Mu Gu fled after Dan Xu struck him, warning that Soul Hall lords would come for Elder Yao.
• Elder Yao reunited with Xiao Yan and introduced him to Dan Xu, who treated Xiao Yan as a fellow disciple of the same generation.
• Dan Xu revealed that the Pill Tower had sent elders to patrol remote cities after a series of massacres suspected to be the work of Soul Hall.

After learning why Dan Xu had come to Ling City, Xiao Yan and Yao Chen heard that the Soul Hall had grown more restrained as news of the survivors spread. The Soul Hall’s upper ranks were in turmoil, and Xue He ordered Mu Gu to prepare to seize the Three Thousand Yan Yan Fire at the coming Pill Gathering before summoning several high-tier Heavenly Venerates.

• Dan Xu explained that the Soul Hall had been massacring remote cities after the Human Hall was destroyed, while Yao Chen suspected the killings were meant to make up for a loss.
• Dan Xu invited Yao Chen to the Pill Tower, but Yao Chen declined and said he would visit after returning to Starfall Pavilion; Dan Xu stayed in Ling City as Yao Chen returned to Xiao Yan’s black ring.
• News that Xiao Yan and Yao Chen had helped Ling City’s people escape spread, and the Soul Hall became somewhat more restrained.
• The Soul Hall’s upper ranks suffered losses after the deaths of several Heavenly Venerates, the destruction of the Human Hall, and Gu You’s disappearance, leaving Xue He as its leading figure below the chief and deputy hall masters.
• Mu Gu reported that Yao Chen was alive, and Xue He told him to prepare for the Pill Gathering and help obtain the Three Thousand Yan Yan Fire.
• Xue He led Mu Gu to summon several high-tier Dou Zun Heavenly Venerates.

Gu He secretly took control of Mu Gu and several Soul Hall Heavenly Venerates, positioning himself to steer the Soul Hall’s plans for the Three Thousand Yan Yan Fire. Meanwhile, the Mercenary Guild’s rapid rise drew attention to its president, Liu Ling, and rumors of a powerful backer prompted people to investigate his identity.

• Xue He led Mu Gu and several Soul Hall Heavenly Venerates to a remote mountain range, where Gu He appeared and used the Ancient Puppet Seed Art to control them.
• Gu He instructed the controlled experts to follow Xue He’s orders and had Mu Gu hand over his six Eighth-Grade Pills before giving him two hundred replacement pills.
• Gu He planned to control Xue He’s powerful subordinates and prevent the Soul Hall from obtaining the Three Thousand Yan Yan Fire at the Pill Gathering a year later.
• The Mercenary Guild expanded to more than five hundred branches and became a first-rate faction under president Liu Ling.
• People doubted the Guild’s claims about Liu Ling’s talent and began investigating his background, suspecting that a powerful expert or faction supported him.

Liu Ling considered how the Pill Gathering could raise the Mercenary Guild’s standing and honor Gu He, then decided to attend. He left the meeting with his ambition stirred and his sights set on claiming first place.

• Gu He misdirected investigators by spreading false rumors that he was a peak Seventh-Grade Alchemist and a Dou Zun who supported Liu Ling.
• A Mercenary Guild elder informed Liu Ling that the Pill Tower’s Pill Gathering would take place in a little over half a year.
• The elders urged Liu Ling to compete so he could build the Guild’s reputation across the continent.
• Qing Lin encouraged Liu Ling to attend the Pill Gathering, and he agreed to go and invited other Guild members to join him.
• The elders cheered Liu Ling and wished him first place, stirring his ambition to win the championship.

Liu Ling decided to compete for first place at the Pill Gathering and began preparing by practicing Eighth-Grade pill refinement. After more than half a month, he refined an Eighth-Grade Pill that summoned Three-color Pill Lightning, and Heavenly Fire Venerable trusted him to face it alone.

• Liu Ling planned to spend three months gathering ingredients and practicing Eighth-Grade pill refinement before traveling to the Pill Gathering.
• Liu Ling told Qing Lin she could attend if she reached Dou Zong before they left, then lowered the requirement to Nine-star Dou Huang when she protested.
• Liu Ling began refining an Eighth-Grade Pill with the ingredients he had gathered.
• More than half a month later, Liu Ling's pill summoned dark lightning clouds over the Mercenary Guild headquarters, and observers recognized the Three-color Pill Lightning as proof of an Eighth-Grade Pill.
• Bai Changshou offered to help block the powerful Pill Lightning, but Heavenly Fire Venerable said Liu Ling could handle it himself.

Liu Ling completed an Eighth-Grade Pill as a Three-color Pill Lightning storm struck the Mercenary Guild. He personally destroyed every bolt, and the finished pill revealed its spirituality by transforming into a white leopard.

• Heavenly Fire Venerable told Bai Changshou that Liu Ling could handle the pill lightning himself, while Qing Lin, Yue Mei, and others watched from a nearby building.
• Liu Ling flew into the sky as the Three-color Lightning Cloud gathered and declared that it could not obstruct his pill formation.
• Liu Ling shattered the first lightning bolt with a fiery red and green handprint, astonishing Bai Changshou and Heavenly Fire Venerable with his strength.
• For nearly ten minutes, Liu Ling destroyed almost a hundred lightning bolts aimed at the medicinal cauldron until the storm dispersed.
• Liu Ling opened the cauldron, and the completed white Eighth-Grade Pill rose into the air before transforming into a white leopard.

Liu Ling refined an Eighth-Grade Pill and began preparing for another attempt, while Gu He moved to exploit the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan’s ability to absorb Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits. The chapter left the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes severely injured and captured after Gu He and the controlled Crimson Phoenix ambushed them.

• Liu Ling produced an Eighth-Grade Pill that took the form of a white leopard, celebrated his success, and began a second refinement after resting.
• Gu He contacted Crimson Phoenix and ordered her to bring the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes without Xuan Feng.
• Crimson Phoenix brought Phoenix, Kun Huang, and Ying Huang from Danxue Mountain to a designated mountaintop near Gu He.
• Gu He and Crimson Phoenix ambushed the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes, severely injuring them and sealing their energy.
• Phoenix realized Crimson Phoenix had been controlled and angrily demanded to know what Gu He had done to her.

Gu He controlled Crimson Phoenix, Kun Huang, Ying Huang, and Phoenix with the Ancient Puppet Seed Art, then brought them to the Nine-Colored Realm. There, he offered them Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits, leaving the three Heavenly Demon Phoenixes astonished.

• Phoenix realized Crimson Phoenix had been controlled, while Kun Huang and Ying Huang begged Gu He to spare them.
• Gu He planted Puppet Seeds in Kun Huang and Ying Huang, then removed their seals; both bowed to him as their master.
• Gu He controlled Phoenix as well, and she greeted him reverently after the Puppet Seed took effect.
• Gu He used the Void Shifting Technique to take Crimson Phoenix and the three Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes to the Nine-Colored Realm, reassuring Xiao Yi Xian when she sensed their auras.
• Crimson Phoenix praised the Nine-Colored Realm, and Gu He presented four Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits, astonishing her and the three Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes.

Gu He gave Crimson Phoenix and the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits to refine, hoping to learn how the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan could use them to build a force strong enough to oppose Soul Hall and the ancient clans. Crimson Phoenix evolved into an Ancient Dragon Phoenix and advanced to mid-Five-star Battle Saint, then began refining a third fruit as the others started to stir.

• Gu He gave Crimson Phoenix and the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes two Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits each and watched them refine the fruits to study the process.
• After three days, Crimson Phoenix had absorbed more than half of the first fruit, while the other three refined theirs more slowly without abnormalities.
• Three days later, Crimson Phoenix transformed her Demon Phoenix Wings into golden Heavenly Phoenix Wings and broke through to Five-star Battle Saint, evolving into an Ancient Dragon Phoenix.
• Gu He told Crimson Phoenix to refine a second fruit, which raised her cultivation to mid-Five-star Battle Saint within four or five days.
• Gu He gave Crimson Phoenix a third fruit and told her to keep refining until its effect fell below ten percent of the previous one; the other Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes then began showing signs of activity.

Gu He strengthened Crimson Phoenix and the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes with Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits, then used them to capture and control Xuan Feng. He sent Xuan Feng back to Danxue Mountain to gather the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan’s powerful members while Huang Tian remained in seclusion.

• Crimson Phoenix, Phoenix, Kun Huang, and Ying Huang consumed Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits until their cultivation reached the Late Five-star, Late Four-star, and initial Four-star Battle Saint levels, respectively.
• Gu He took the four phoenixes to the Beast Region and used Crimson Phoenix’s Spatial Jade Slip to summon Xuan Feng.
• Crimson Phoenix and the others attacked Xuan Feng, allowing Gu He to read her memories and plant a Puppet Seed in her soul.
• Gu He gave Xuan Feng a recovery pill and ordered her to gather every Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan member above the Three-star Dou Zun level.
• Xuan Feng returned to Danxue Mountain, where the clan chief remained in seclusion and the five Supreme Elders were absent.