Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Qingning and Bai Qiao negotiate a trade: Qingning's dragon remains for Qu Jianlei's Out-of-Body cultivation method and a strand of Creation.
• Qu Jianlei agrees to the trade but requests additional compensation: a Tianqiong Crystal and a clump of Yuan without Hidden Patterns.
• Qingning agrees to the additional compensation, and the trade is settled.

Character Developments

• Qingning shows impatience and anxiety about the trade, highlighting his determination to help his Dao Companion reach the Out-of-Body stage.
• Qu Jianlei displays his bargaining skills and knowledge about rare treasures, further establishing his uniqueness and mysterious origins.
• The Green-Clad Woman reveals she has already taken a Tianqiong Crystal, hinting at her resourcefulness and preparation.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power and resources to advance in cultivation, as seen in Qingning's desperation to help his Dao Companion and Qu Jianlei's bargaining for rare treasures.
• The consequences of actions and the karma involved, as mentioned by Qu Jianlei regarding the origin of his Yuan.
• The importance of trust and satisfaction in trades involving sensitive information, as emphasized by Qingning's concern about potential accidents.

Character Interactions

• Qingning and Bai Qiao work together to broker the deal, showcasing their mutual respect and understanding.
• Qu Jianlei interacts with Han Li, demonstrating their close relationship and shared understanding.
• The Green-Clad Woman interacts with Han Li, revealing her respect for his judgment and knowledge.
• The Ascetic observes the negotiations, showing curiosity and astonishment at the revealed information.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group discovers that the Tianqiong Crystal is not unique, and True Venerable Qingning decides to apologize to Cangwu and compensate them.
• They return to Cangwu, and Qingning publicly apologizes and offers compensation for the inconvenience caused.
• Qu Jianlei reveals that he has leads on a Tier 5 Spirit Vein and plans to explore it.
• An expedition to conquer other worlds is planned, and Cangwu cultivators are excited about the opportunity to explore another world.
• Qingning wants to buy the Out-of-Body Cultivation Method from Qu Jianlei, and they discuss the details of the transaction.

Character Developments

• True Venerable Qingning shows remorse for his actions and apologizes to Cangwu, demonstrating maturity and responsibility.
• Qu Jianlei continues to grow as a leader, making plans for his realm and its cultivators, and showing generosity in sharing his knowledge.
• Han Li remains steadfast in his goals and priorities, focusing on verifying the new path to the Out-of-Body Realm rather than immediate wealth.

Significant Themes

• Responsibility and accountability: Qingning takes responsibility for his actions and apologizes to those he has wronged.
• Ambition and exploration: Cangwu cultivators are excited about the opportunity to explore another world, reflecting their ambition and desire for growth.
• Priorities and values: Han Li prioritizes verifying the new path to the Out-of-Body Realm over immediate wealth, demonstrating his commitment to his goals.

Character Interactions

• Qingning and Qu Jianlei interact professionally, with Qingning apologizing and Qu Jianlei accepting the apology and compensation.
• Han Li, Qingning, and the Ascetic interact in a business-like manner, discussing the transaction of the Out-of-Body Cultivation Method.
• Cangwu cultivators interact with Red Leaf Ridge, expressing their gratitude and eagerness to explore another world.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Han Li and Bai Qiao reach an agreement for the core, with Bai Qiao paying a high price.
• Qingning asks Qu Jianlei to help divine for Azure Dragon before her seclusion.
• Bai Qiao offers to protect Azure Dragon during her seclusion, but Qingning insists on doing it himself.
• Qingning shares his plan to use another world for Azure Dragon's breakthrough, but he's concerned about the Resources.
• Youjian, the oldest elder of Lingyun Sect, comes out of Death Seclusion and seeks out Qu Jianlei.

Character Developments

• Han Li: Shows his negotiation skills and understanding of the situation, making a deal with Bai Qiao.
• Bai Qiao: Demonstrates his influence and commitment to Lingyun Sect, offering to protect Azure Dragon.
• Qingning: Reveals his concern for Azure Dragon and his plan for her breakthrough, but also his willingness to take risks.
• Qu Jianlei: Shows his willingness to help others, agreeing to divine for Azure Dragon, but also expresses surprise at Youjian's actions.
• Youjian: Shows his determination and urgency, coming out of Death Seclusion to seek out Qu Jianlei.

Significant Themes

• Risk and Reward: Qingning's decision to use a new path to Out of Body for Azure Dragon shows his willingness to take risks for potential rewards.
• Responsibility and Obligation: Bai Qiao feels responsible for Lingyun Sect's cultivators and offers to protect Azure Dragon.
• Respect for Elders: Qu Jianlei, despite his surprise, shows respect for Youjian's actions.

Character Interactions

• Han Li and Bai Qiao: They engage in a negotiation, with Han Li using his understanding of the situation to his advantage.
• Qingning and Qu Jianlei: They discuss Azure Dragon's breakthrough, with Qingning seeking Qu Jianlei's help in divination.
• Bai Qiao and Qingning: They discuss protection for Azure Dragon, with Bai Qiao offering his services, but Qingning insisting on doing it himself.
• Qu Jianlei and Youjian: They have a divination connection, with Youjian seeking out Qu Jianlei for an unknown reason.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Elder Youjian, an old and powerful cultivator, approaches Qu Jianlei to discuss the matter of the Fang Family and Fang Qingyang's death.
• He tries to convince Qu Jianlei to let the matter rest, but Qu Jianlei refuses, stating that the crime deserves severe punishment.
• Elder Youjian threatens Qu Jianlei and Great Venerable Han Li, warning them to think twice before acting.

Character Developments

• Qu Jianlei: Stands firm in his principles, refusing to back down from punishing Fang Qingyang despite Elder Youjian's threats. Shows a hot-tempered side when provoked.
• Elder Youjian: Shows a manipulative and threatening side, using his age and status to try and control the situation. Reveals a willingness to protect the Fang Family despite their wrongdoings.
• Great Venerable Han Li: Struggles to maintain his composure in the face of Elder Youjian's threats. Shows a competitive side when discussing the shares from conquering the other world.

Significant Themes

• Age and Power Dynamics: Elder Youjian uses his age and status to try and control the situation, while Qu Jianlei and Great Venerable Han Li struggle to maintain their ground.
• Principle vs. Pragmatism: Qu Jianlei stands firm in his principles, refusing to back down from punishing Fang Qingyang, while Elder Youjian tries to persuade him to be more pragmatic.
• The Burden of the Past: The actions of the past, such as the Fang Family's offense against Qu Jianlei, continue to weigh on the characters and influence their decisions.

Character Interactions

• Qu Jianlei and Elder Youjian: Their interaction is tense and confrontational, with Elder Youjian trying to manipulate Qu Jianlei and Qu Jianlei refusing to back down from his principles.
• Great Venerable Han Li and Elder Youjian: Their interaction is also tense, with Elder Youjian threatening Great Venerable Han Li and Great Venerable Han Li struggling to maintain his composure.
• Qu Jianlei and Great Venerable Han Li: They share a mutual understanding and respect, working together to stand against Elder Youjian's threats.

Qu Jianlei, Han Li, Qingkong, Qingning, and Jin Ge decided to evade Youjian by exploring another otherworld, and Min Ning agreed to keep their plans secret and guard Red Leaf Ridge. As the group fled the Lingyun Sect’s Heaven-Monitoring Mirror, they learned it could track even powerful cultivators and wondered why Youjian had drawn its attention.

• Qu Jianlei proposed exploiting Youjian’s enemies within the Lingyun Sect, but the group worried that their scheme might attract a Great Monarch.
• Qingkong proposed leaving for another otherworld, and Qu Jianlei and Han Li agreed rather than submit to Youjian’s coercion.
• The group met Min Ning, who refused to reveal their destination and agreed to guard Red Leaf Ridge for a reward.
• As the five True Venerables departed, the Heaven-Monitoring Mirror caught Min Ning’s phantom and demanded to know where they had gone.
• Han Li opened a path through space, and the five fled while Qingkong and Jin Ge explained that the Heaven-Monitoring Mirror could track even Spirit Severing Grand Lords.

Qu Jianlei and the other True Venerables tried to leave Lingyun, but the Heaven-Monitoring Mirror restrained them under orders and praised Qu Jianlei’s potential. Baiqiao appeared to confront them, and Qingkong accused him of sending Youjian to scheme against them.

• Qingkong explained that Youjian could not have driven the Heaven-Monitoring Mirror, leaving the group to wonder who had targeted them and why.
• The five True Venerables traveled to a remote void entrance and entered the void openly.
• The Heaven-Monitoring Mirror stopped the group, said it was acting under orders, and remarked on Qu Jianlei’s potential and strong protection.
• Baiqiao appeared, and Han Li challenged him while Qingkong accused him of having Youjian scheme against them.

Bai Qiao tried to keep Qu Jianlei, Han Li, and Qingning involved in Lingyun Sect’s internal conflict by offering major concessions on the terms for exploring another world. The negotiations ended with Bai Qiao asking Qu Jianlei to discuss his demands concerning the Fang Family.

• Bai Qiao explained that he wanted to restore order in Lingyun Sect and warned that leaving would help Youjian.
• Bai Qiao persuaded Qingning that searching for another world could take decades and pointed out that Qu Jianlei’s group had already found a promising one for Qingning’s Dao Companion.
• Qingkong apologized for staying with Lingyun Sect, leaving Qu Jianlei and Han Li as the two outsiders who could depart.
• Bai Qiao offered Lingyun Sect’s greatest concession on shares, and Han Li again demanded information about the gains of True Venerables; Bai Qiao said the sect was not opposed in principle.
• Qu Jianlei asked whether the concessions were meant only to stop them from leaving, and Bai Qiao raised Qu Jianlei’s demands concerning the Fang Family.

Qu Jianlei and his allies agreed with Baiqiao’s terms for pursuing the Fang Family, and Lingyun expelled the family from its sect grounds. Elder Youjian took the Fang Family to Zhanmeng No. 1 and publicly challenged Qu Jianlei to a True Venerate duel, which Qu Jianlei accepted as a chance to establish his authority.

• Baiqiao agreed to let Qu Jianlei pursue the Fang Family as a personal matter, and Han Li demanded that the Fang Family be expelled from Lingyun.
• Baiqiao arranged for the Fang Family to be driven out, while Qingning pledged to protect Qu Jianlei and Qingkong refused to get involved.
• A month later, Lingyun announced that it had expelled outsiders to prepare for war, and the Fang Family went to Zhanmeng No. 1 with Elder Youjian.
• Youjian brought the Fang Family to his old friend Xuan Yi and publicized that he would protect them, framing the dispute as a contained duel against Qu Jianlei.
• After hearing about the proposed public battle, Qu Jianlei accepted it as a chance to establish his authority as a newly advanced True Venerate.

Qu Jianlei confronted Elder Youjian over the Fang Family, while True Venerable Xuan Yi offered to take three attacks in the family’s defense. The two sides moved far from Zhanmeng, and Qu Jianlei prepared to test Xuan Yi’s formidable defenses.

• Jin Ge volunteered to deliver Qu Jianlei’s challenge so Qingning’s origins would not become an issue.
• News spread that Qu Jianlei would meet Elder Youjian over the Longbow Fang Family, drawing support teams and True Venerable observers.
• Han Li revealed that the Fang Family had nearly caused Qu Jianlei to fail during his breakthrough, while Qingning declared that he had karma with the matter.
• Qu Jianlei asked Elder Youjian to settle the matter one-on-one, but Xuan Yi offered to endure three attacks before stepping aside.
• Qu Jianlei moved the confrontation ten million kilometers from Zhanmeng and accepted Xuan Yi’s offer.
• Qu Jianlei and Xuan Yi took their positions as the other True Venerables raised defenses, and yellow light spread around Xuan Yi.

Qu Jianlei challenged True Venerable Xuan Yi to withstand three attacks, and Xuan Yi formed a powerful defensive field from the Primordial Load-Bearing Divine Ability. Qu Jianlei’s repaired Broken Blade struck once without breaking through, and Xuan Yi’s taunt provoked the saber as Qu Jianlei tried to recall it.

• True Venerable Xuan Yi expanded his Primordial Load-Bearing Divine Ability into a compact defensive field, astonishing the watching True Venerables.
• Qu Jianlei brought out Broken Blade, and the observers noted that the recently repaired Divine Weapon had not yet been fully Warm Nurtured.
• Broken Blade grew to more than fifteen hundred kilometers long and slashed at Xuan Yi’s yellow field, which shook but soon stabilized.
• Xuan Yi praised the saber, then suggested its wounds made it too weak to threaten him, prompting Han Li and the hidden observers to suspect he wanted to provoke another strike.
• Broken Blade bristled at Xuan Yi’s contempt and refused Qu Jianlei’s attempt to recall it, despite Qu Jianlei’s repeated warnings.

Qu Jianlei faced True Venerable Xuan Yi in a three-strike duel to settle their karma, while both used verbal tactics and Xuan Yi prepared a defensive treasure. Qu Jianlei opened his left eye and unleashed a strange power that Elder Youjian identified as a time divine ability, sending the True Venerables fleeing.

• Qu Jianlei recalled Broken Blade after it resisted his summons, then challenged True Venerable Xuan Yi over his tactics and asked whether he had a defensive Spirit Treasure.
• True Venerable Xuan Yi concealed a protective object and declared that two strikes remained as Qu Jianlei prepared another attack.
• Qu Jianlei enlarged his Dharma Body, and he and Xuan Yi traded taunts about their abilities and control.
• Qu Jianlei opened his left eye, prompting Han Li to retreat with True Venerable Qingning and Xuan Yi to activate a jeweled canopy.
• The True Venerables fled from the eye's strange power, and Elder Youjian warned Xuan Yi that it was a time divine ability.

Elder Youjian recognized Qu Jianlei’s glance as the Years Time Divine Ability and urgently warned Xuan Yi to flee. Xuan Yi, however, remained trapped by his incomplete Load-Bearing Field and decided he had to face the attack.

• Elder Youjian realized Qu Jianlei had unleashed the Years Divine Ability and regretted getting involved in the fight.
• Elder Youjian retreated and tried to warn Xuan Yi that the attack could consume his remaining lifespan.
• Xuan Yi doubted that Qu Jianlei could wield a true Time Divine Ability and prepared to test his defenses with the Five-Direction Cloud Brocade Canopy.
• Xuan Yi realized his Load-Bearing Field’s broad coverage made escape difficult and that withdrawing it could leave him open to another strike.
• Xuan Yi decided he had to withstand Qu Jianlei’s glance rather than retreat and risk appearing to concede defeat.

Qu Jianlei’s unstable Years Divine Ability overwhelmed True Venerable Xuan Yi, who escaped through a spatial rift, and frightened the watching True Venerables. Qu Jianlei then challenged Elder Youjian, who hesitated as Qu explained that his gaze could manipulate years but was still immature.

• Qu Jianlei’s gaze pierced True Venerable Xuan Yi’s defenses and rapidly drained his vitality, energy, and thoughts, forcing him to surrender and flee through a spatial rift.
• True Venerable Qingning and the others recognized Qu Jianlei’s gaze as a Time Divine Ability, while Baiqiao observed that Xuan Yi had tried to beg for mercy.
• True Venerable Song fled from Qu Jianlei’s gaze, then returned after he said the divine ability had stopped.
• Qu Jianlei called Elder Youjian to face him, but Youjian looked to True Venerable Song for help and she refused to intervene.
• Qu Jianlei shrank to around fifty kilometers tall, assured Youjian he would respect his seniors, and described his gaze as a Years Divine Ability that he had not yet mastered.

Qu Jianlei demonstrated that his Years Divine Ability could affect anyone in his line of sight, frightening Elder Youjian into withdrawing from the conflict. Youjian offered a Guardian Rule to settle the dispute, while True Venerable Song agreed to deal with the Fang Family remnants.

• Qu Jianlei explained that wherever his gaze reached, all became years, and the other True Venerables recognized the danger of his ability.
• Elder Youjian withdrew from the fight, but Qu Jianlei warned him that using the divine ability carried a price, prompting concern and speculation among the observers.
• Youjian offered Qu Jianlei one Guardian Rule as an apology, and Qu Jianlei accepted it while warning him against probing Red Leaf Ridge again.
• Qu Jianlei asked Youjian to handle the Fang Family remnants, and Youjian passed the task to True Venerable Song.
• True Venerable Song agreed to take responsibility for the Fang Family matter, while the others joked about her friendship with Han Li.

Qu Jianlei ended the battle by settling matters with Xuan Yi and Elder Youjian, then discussed the aftermath with the other True Venerables. As the group prepared to travel to another world, Tianli revealed that he wanted help dealing with the long-lived True Venerable nicknamed Pixiu.

• Xuan Yi returned to the battlefield, withdrew the Warship, and argued with Qu Jianlei over how much lifespan Qu Jianlei’s Years Divine Ability had cost him.
• Xuan Yi accepted that the battle’s karma was settled, while Qu Jianlei decided to watch for any lingering malice from him.
• True Venerable Song asked Han Li how to deal with the Fang Family, and Song agreed to spare one or two collateral branches while punishing those deeply involved.
• Qu Jianlei told Elder Youjian and Xuan Yi to deliver a Guardian Rule to Yanfeng Three within a month, and the two True Venerables departed.
• Tianli asked when the group would travel to the other world, then complained that Pixiu kept exploiting his approaching death to grab benefits.

After Qu Jianlei defeated the aging True Venerable Pixiu, Baiqiao said the battle had settled Lingyun Sect’s internal struggle and privately negotiated with Qu Jianlei about using his Years Divine Ability. The shield came down with Qu Jianlei sighing that Bai Qiao was bullying him because he was poor.

• Qu Jianlei condemned Pixiu’s ruthless conduct, and True Venerable Tianli asked him what it would cost to deal with the old man.
• Baiqiao appeared and told Qu Jianlei that his victory and early display of the Years Divine Ability had strengthened Lingyun Sect’s position.
• Baiqiao said the overall situation within Lingyun Sect had been decided and noted that many True Venerables were aligned with the sect.
• Baiqiao asked Qu Jianlei to discuss the severe side effects of Years privately, while Qu Jianlei warned that his help would not come cheap.
• The True Venerables outside the shield speculated about the negotiation, and it ended with Qu Jianlei lamenting that Bai Qiao was bullying him for being poor.

Qu Jianlei agreed to help Tianli confront Pixiu over a spirit plant plain, accepting a strand of Sword Intent and another favor as payment. Tianli explained that Qu Jianlei’s reputation might be enough to frighten Pixiu, but Qu Jianlei warned that using Years could make the battle difficult to control.

• Baiqiao gave Qu Jianlei three months before he would return, and Qu Jianlei agreed to accept Tianli’s Sword Intent and another favor in exchange for using Years.
• After a month, Tianli brought Qu Jianlei an old, nearly exhausted strand of Sword Intent and a reason to act against Pixiu, who was trying to seize a spirit plant plain.
• Tianli’s subordinates arranged to buy half of the spirit plant clan’s shares in the plain, preserving the clan’s stake while preparing to challenge Pixiu.
• Qu Jianlei said that Pixiu’s previous forced acquisitions should be returned after the battle, and Tianli offered him any additional compensation.
• Qu Jianlei asked whether they needed to hold back, warning that he could not easily control the scale of Years; Tianli replied that his reputation might scare Pixiu into retreating.

True Venerable Tianli used a staged confrontation to capture more than a hundred of Tengxi's subordinates and warn Tengxi away from Rouzhao No. 5. Qu Jianlei and Han Li concealed their divination as Tengxi sensed a possible trap, then cautiously approached the sector to locate Tianli.

• Qu Jianlei summoned Han Li, and the three went to Rouzhao No. 5 so Tianli could stop Tengxi's people from forcing the purchase of the Spirit Plant Plain.
• Tianli's subordinates baited Tengxi's subordinates into questioning whether Tianli had authorized their actions, and Tianli seized more than a hundred of them, releasing only one Nascent Soul Realm cultivator to deliver his warning to Tengxi.
• Qu Jianlei and Han Li divined Tengxi's karma in the Sub-layer Space, taking turns concealing their activity, while Han Li filled the space with Divination Fog.
• Tengxi sensed the disturbance and divined the tangled causality surrounding Tianli, but decided to continue toward Rouzhao No. 5 with added caution.
• Tengxi secretly reached the sector, confirmed that Tianli had not publicly humiliated his captured subordinates, and began divining Tianli's location while preparing to retreat if necessary.

Tianli, Han Li, and Qu Jianlei cornered Tengxi after his divination made him hesitate to approach, then trapped his clone and attacked despite Tengxi agreeing to compensate them. The attack revealed Qu Jianlei’s Years Divine Ability could kill a True Venerable only after roughly one to three hundred years, leaving Tianli alarmed by their plan to study it further.

• Tengxi divined that Tianli was on the Rouzhao No. 5 sector, weighed the risk of an ambush, and decided to withdraw.
• Tianli appeared before Tengxi and revealed that Han Li and Qu Jianlei had blocked his escape.
• Tengxi recognized Qu Jianlei, agreed to name compensation, and offered to end his feud with Tianli.
• Qu Jianlei opened his left eye while Han Li intensified his Cold Qi Domain, trapping Tengxi’s clone in a formation and attacking him.
• Han Li asked Qu Jianlei how long his Years Divine Ability would take to kill Tengxi, and Qu Jianlei estimated one hundred to three hundred years.

Han Li, Qingkong, and Qu Jianlei dealt with the mysterious being that had appeared as Tengxi, while Tianli tried to understand what had happened. The three True Venerables then went to Yanfeng Three, where Qu Jianlei explained that he had acted to support Baiqiao’s plans to reorganize Lingyun Sect.

• The dark-blue figure threatened Han Li and Qu Jianlei before it burst apart, and Butterfly absorbed some of its traits while Han Li slowed its fragments.
• Qingkong said the figure’s true self could not hide, and Han Li took the exhausted Qu Jianlei away with him and Qingkong.
• Tianli told the sector’s guardian that he had driven off Tengxi, but the guardian doubted his account and warned him not to fight in Rouzhao No. 5.
• Han Li, Qingkong, and Qu Jianlei went to Min Ning’s spiritual land on Yanfeng Three instead of returning to Jiuyou Island.
• Qu Jianlei admitted he had decided to kill the impostor for his own reasons, while Han Li explained that Baiqiao wanted the Years Divine Ability as a deterrent against Lingyun Sect’s entrenched factions.
• Qu Jianlei recalled that Baiqiao had offered him unconditional material support in exchange for helping establish authority within Lingyun.