Recaps

Luo Chen traveled back to the ruined Cold Light Islands and attacked the Wu Family’s leaders to avenge their role in the past. One of his targets survived his fire attack, revealing a Blood God Child and leaving Luo Chen confronting an unexpected remnant of the Blood God lineage.

• Luo Chen studied the Flame Radiance True Scripture during the journey and considered adapting its Acupoint techniques and learning its two Fourth Order Fire Attribute spells.
• Luo Chen reached the former Mo Family Fishery and learned how the Nascent Soul battle had shattered Cold Light Island and left Emerald Cold City submerged beneath the sea.
• Tian Xuan confirmed that Xiang Baiyang, now the Wu Family’s Supreme Elder, was the surviving elder of the Xiang Brothers from the Refining Peak Company.
• Luo Chen attacked seven Wu Family Golden Core Cultivators on White Sheep Island, killing six with his fire technique.
• The remaining cultivator resisted the flames with blood-red power, and Luo Chen recognized him as a Blood God Child.

Luo Chen confronted Blood Nightmare Fiend on Cold Light Island after the fiend’s array began turning millions of mortals and low-level cultivators into blood. Their battle ended with Blood Nightmare Fiend retreating into the Blood Sea, while Luo Chen escaped with the Soul Severing Blood Sword just as Blood Rogue arrived.

• Luo Chen recognized Blood Nightmare Fiend in a Wu Family Golden Core Cultivator and discovered that the fiend’s altered Island-Connecting Array was transforming the Cold Light Islands’ inhabitants into foul blood.
• Luo Chen sent Tian Xuan and Sang Jinghe through a passage carved by his Azure Sun Great Handprint, then fought through the red canopy domain and the corrupted cultivators to draw out Blood Nightmare Fiend.
• Luo Chen located Blood Nightmare Fiend near the ruins of Emerald Cold City and clashed with him, but his defenses failed to stop the Soul Severing Blood Sword from cutting his palm.
• Luo Chen used Mirror Flower Water Moon and Tribulation Lightning Power to immobilize Blood Nightmare Fiend, then tore his body apart, but the fiend’s Nascent Soul remained hidden in the Blood Sea.
• Luo Chen bound the Soul Severing Blood Sword with a small cauldron’s chains and fled, while Blood Rogue arrived and ordered Blood Nightmare Fiend to emerge from the sea.

After escaping the Cold Light Islands, Luo Chen examined the Soul Severing Blood Sword and traveled to Divine Origin City, where demon forces surrounded the city and human-demon tensions remained high. A purchase at the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion made him suspect that his vanished Mana had reached Sima Hui Niang through their Spiritual Rhinoceros Gu, and the chapter ended with Fu Hongzhang greeting him.

• Luo Chen left the Twin Blood Battle behind, examined the Primal Chaos Cauldron and Soul Severing Blood Sword, and resolved to seek advanced puppetry texts.
• Luo Chen learned that the Righteous-Demonic War had ended and that demon beasts surrounded Divine Origin City on three sides, then chose to enter the city.
• Luo Chen sent Sang Jinghe to rent a Fourth-Order Cave Mansion while he took Tian Xuan to browse shops, explaining that her identity as a Golden Core Demon Cultivator could draw trouble.
• At the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion, Luo Chen saw Spiritual Rhinoceros Gu and realized his lost Mana might have passed to Sima Hui Niang through their Gu worms, then bought one of every Gu.
• Sang Jinghe returned with Fu Hongzhang, who respectfully greeted Luo Chen as Senior Desolate Rogue.

Luo Chen settled into Little Qiong Mountain, learned that the Northern Sea’s Three Great Rogue Cultivators had ended up dead, mad, and missing, and began refining pills to advance his cultivation. As he took a Great Soul Pill, Shen WanDou arrived to test Luo Chen and discuss Puppet Art.

• Luo Chen asked Fu Hongzhang about the Three Great Rogue Cultivators and learned that Moon Rogue had vanished after abandoning the Ten Thousand Immortals Society, while Blood Rogue had apparently died in a disaster that left the Cold Light Islands a land of Severed Spirit.
• Tian Xuan brought Luo Chen a batch of medicinal ingredients and a Go set from Fu Chaosheng, and Luo Chen planned to resume pill refining and cultivation at Little Qiong Mountain.
• Shen WanDou learned that Fu Hongzhang was gathering resources for someone at Little Qiong Mountain and ordered an investigation into the Fourth-Order Cave Mansion.
• Luo Chen refined a Great Soul Pill using Soul Essence, discovered that raw Soul Essence contained lingering soul remnants, and used a special Soul Extraction Technique to make the pill safe.
• Shen WanDou went to Little Qiong Mountain intending to test Luo Chen’s strength for Liu Yuan, then used an ancient Puppet Art text to seek an audience.
• Luo Chen invited Shen WanDou into the cave mansion after demonstrating powerful Divine Sense.

Luo Chen learned about Heaven Earth Peak Star Gate from Shen WanDou, accepted a copy of the Primordial Puppet Art, and advanced his Soul Splitting Art by using Great Soul Pills. He discovered that Tribulation Lightning could refine a split soul, then recognized that an old acquaintance had followed Black King to his cave.

• Shen WanDou explained Star Gate’s ranks and benefits, offered to introduce Luo Chen to Northern Sea cultivators, and gave him a copied Jade Slip of the Primordial Puppet Art.
• Luo Chen studied the Puppet Art and considered using its Soul Imprint methods to control the White Tiger Puppet and Blood Sword.
• After three months of taking Great Soul Pills, Luo Chen gained control over his Divine Sense and used the Primal Chaos Cauldron’s Tribulation Lightning to test refining his Split Soul.
• Luo Chen concluded that carefully reduced Tribulation Lightning could strengthen his soul and began recovering his injured Split Soul with another Great Soul Pill.
• Tian Xuan brought back the injured Black King, and Luo Chen realized an old enemy had followed him to the cave.

Luo Chen met Zhou Yunshen, learned that the Coral Sea Zhou Family had fled to Divine Origin City and that Moon Rogue had purged his allies after his disappearance. After taking Zhang Jingqing under his protection, Luo Chen prepared to leave the war-torn Northern Sea for Central Province while vowing to confront Moon Rogue in the future.

• Zhou Yunshen arrived at Little Qiong Mountain, recognized Luo Chen despite his new identity, and thanked him for Black King's help in saving the Zhou Family survivors.
• Zhou Yunshen described the Demon Alliance's defeat of the Ten Thousand Immortals Society's defenses and told Luo Chen that Moon Rogue had seized Peng Lake, destroyed the Zhang Family and Tu Sang Sect, and persecuted cultivators connected to him.
• Luo Chen reacted with killing intent to the news, learned that Zhang Jingqing had survived and been cared for by the Zhou Family, and accepted responsibility for her future.
• Luo Chen used the Flourishing Decay True Fire to remove Shark Emperor Liu Jun's blue flames from Black King and instructed Black King to give Zhang Jingqing Zhou Yunshen's Storage Bag.
• Luo Chen asked Sang Jinghe to find out when Fu Chaosheng would return, signaling his intention to leave for Central Province, and resolved to seek out Moon Rogue once he became powerful enough.

Luo Chen learned from Zhou Yunshen why Nascent Soul cultivation speed depended on the Purple Mansion Barrier, and realized his unusually strong Purple Mansion and Fire Spirit Body explained his rapid progress. After exchanging advice and gifts, Luo Chen returned to his mountain and prepared to use his Divine Sense on the object inside the Primal Chaos Cauldron.

• Sang Jinghe told Luo Chen that Fu Chaosheng's return was delayed by unfinished business in the Northern Sea, so Luo Chen focused on cultivation.
• Luo Chen invited Zhou Yunshen to explain Nascent Soul cultivation, and their domains clashed, revealing how cultivators used their Mana to draw on surrounding spiritual energy.
• Zhou Yunshen explained that a thin Purple Mansion Barrier made cultivators with fewer Spirit Roots advance cautiously after reaching Nascent Soul, while Luo Chen realized his own barrier was exceptionally strong.
• Zhou Yunshen shared spirit-controlling techniques that Luo Chen could use in his Puppet Art studies, and said he planned to travel to Central Province and join Heaven Earth Peak with his family.
• Luo Chen gave Zhou Yunshen three defensive Magic Treasures for the Zhou Family's younger descendants, partly to repay an old promise.
• Luo Chen concluded that his Five Elements Spirit Root, strengthened by the Spirit Shaping Holy Spring, and his Fire Spirit Body accounted for his cultivation speed; a month later, he used Divine Sense to lock onto the object inside the Primal Chaos Cauldron.

Luo Chen planted a Soul Imprint in the blood sword Yuan Tu and gained limited control of it before Fu Chaosheng ordered an urgent departure for Central Province. Luo Chen boarded the Sword Halberd Ship with the other cultivators, while Shen WanDou sealed Divine Origin City after the ship sailed.

• Luo Chen used the Primal Chaos Cauldron to suppress the blood sword and plant a Soul Imprint through gaps in its seals.
• Luo Chen gained partial control of the sword, discovered its true name was Yuan Tu, and began refining it further.
• Fu Chaosheng returned and announced that the group would depart for Central Province at dawn because a Great Power was about to ascend.
• Luo Chen boarded the Sword Halberd Ship ahead of the other Northern Sea Nascent Soul True Persons, while Zhou Yunshen followed with his clansmen.
• The Sword Halberd Ship sailed from Giant Whale Port, and Shen WanDou ordered Divine Origin City sealed and its Spirit Energy Cannons deployed.

Aboard the Sword Halberd Ship, Luo Chen refined the Yuan Tu Sword and prepared to accelerate his cultivation while the vessel crossed the demon-ravaged Northern Sea. As the ship approached the Ice Peak Sect’s territory, the passengers sensed a massive Demon Race army and the reappearance of the Ghost Immortal Tower, leaving the sect’s fate uncertain.

• Fu Chaosheng showed Luo Chen the Sword Halberd Ship’s luxurious Kun Xiao Palace and explained that he would retire from the Merchant Alliance after returning to Central Province.
• Luo Chen sensed tens of thousands of demonic beasts following the ship and devoted himself to refining the Yuan Tu Sword.
• Luo Chen’s sword refinement triggered a bloody, sky-shaking phenomenon that led Zhou Yunshen and the other True Persons to compare the weapon’s power to the Divine Gang Blood Blade.
• Luo Chen concealed the Yuan Tu Sword in his right hand, ignored invitations to gatherings, and began refining Grand Origin Pills with his evolving Flourishing Decay True Fire.
• Fu Chaosheng told the True Persons that the ship would pass the Ice Peak Sect’s Blue Ice Sea Area on its way to Sun Moon Island.
• The True Persons sensed a massive Demon Race allied army near the Ice Peak Sect and recognized the Ghost Immortal Tower among its forces.

Luo Chen watched the Ghost Immortal Tower devastate Ice Peak Sect and saw Li Canghai save Extremely Cold Child’s Nascent Soul while taking Ice Soul Spirit Mountain. The Sword Halberd Ship departed, leaving Luo Chen wondering whether Li Canghai had used an Island-Connecting Array Formation method.

• Kong Chan blocked the Sword Halberd Ship from entering the Blue Ice Sea Area, and Fu Chaosheng negotiated a temporary standoff while both sides watched the battle.
• Luo Chen recognized Shark Emperor Liu Jun among the demons and studied the Ghost Immortal Tower, which had grown powerful enough to ignore attacks and charge Ice Peak Sect.
• Extremely Cold Child struck the Ghost Immortal Tower with a devastating attack, but the beast survived, roared across the battlefield, and swallowed him.
• Li Canghai appeared, rescued Extremely Cold Child’s Nascent Soul, and used a seal to take Ice Soul Spirit Mountain from the sea.
• Kong Chan declared the Blue Ice Sea Area conquered, and the Sword Halberd Ship departed without interference.
• In Kun Xiao Palace, Luo Chen wondered whether Li Canghai had used an Island-Connecting Array Formation method.

Luo Chen realized Li Canghai planned to use the Island-Connecting Array Formation to gather the North Sea’s spiritual lands into the Mountain Sea Seal. After hearing how Law True Intent had shaped the battles of Extremely Cold Child and Qing Shuang, Luo Chen sought a powerful soul-attacking spell and began to uncover a new possibility within Mirror Flower Water Moon.

• Luo Chen inferred that Li Canghai intended to absorb the North Sea’s spiritual lands into the Mountain Sea Seal and kept the revelation to himself.
• Luo Chen joined the discussion aboard the Sword Halberd Ship, where Fu Chaosheng explained that Nascent Soul cultivators who grasped Law True Intent could overwhelm other cultivators of their realm.
• Fu Chaosheng recounted Demon Emperor Qing Shuang’s battles against Nascent Soul cultivators and the Great Cultivators of Mingyuan Sect, while Luo Chen compared her strength with Ghost Immortal Tower’s.
• Luo Chen returned to his secret chamber and concluded that he needed a powerful soul-attacking spell rather than relying on external treasures.
• Luo Chen studied Ghost Immortal Tower’s moves, and Mirror Flower Water Moon stirred as his mana, Baleful Qi, and Source Power began to circulate.

Luo Chen perfected a new defensive soul art, then joined Fu Chaosheng and his group in teleporting from Sun Moon Island toward Central Province. The transmission left them in a blood-soaked underground palace, where Black King was spewing blood and Luo Chen admitted he had been careless.

• Luo Chen created the soul art Ghost God Repellent by refining his Ghost Immortal Tower Universe illusion with Baleful Qi and Source Power, and the technique appeared on his Attribute Panel.
• Luo Chen left seclusion and assured Yu Ziyou that he could protect Zhang Jingqing, Tian Xuan, Black King, and his other companions during the teleportation.
• Luo Chen entered the Teleportation Array hall with his group, where Fu Chaosheng greeted him and said they would travel home together.
• The Teleportation Array activated, and Zhou Yunshen watched the pillar of light from afar as he prepared to take a more dangerous route to Central Province.
• At Stars Island, the teleportation caused a great disturbance and blood spread from the underground palace; the other Nascent Soul True Persons found Luo Chen beside a Flood Dragon that was spewing blood, and Luo Chen apologized for his carelessness.

After a disastrous teleportation destroyed most of Black King’s Dragon Earthworms, Luo Chen and Fu Chaosheng agreed to split the costly compensation. As they traveled through Central Province, Fu Chaosheng explained the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s family hierarchy and fierce succession contests, then asked Luo Chen to help Fu Qing Lan compete for greater standing.

• Black King explained that the teleportation pressure had killed nearly all of his million Dragon Earthworms, though he had preserved several thousand Tier 2 survivors.
• Fu Chaosheng told Luo Chen that the Dao Sect demanded thirty million Spirit Stones for the damage to Stars Island’s teleportation array, and they agreed to pay half each.
• Fu Chaosheng introduced Central Province as the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s domain and sent Winter Mountain Man and Lu Qiuzhen toward Heaven Earth Peak while taking Luo Chen to the Fu Family.
• Fu Chaosheng explained that Central Province’s spiritual abundance came from careful Spirit Vein management and the mana of deceased cultivators who had joined the Dao Sect.
• Fu Chaosheng described the competition among Great Houses, Aristocratic Families, and Humble Families, then asked Luo Chen to help Fu Qing Lan win resources and status in the upcoming contests.
• Fu Chaosheng summoned four Jade Bottles before Luo Chen.

Fu Chaosheng gave Luo Chen the promised Soul Essence, high-grade Taihe Pills, and Flame Flow Marrow to secure his help in Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven. As Luo Chen prepared to advance his cultivation in the Fu Family’s cave mansion, Fu Chaosheng explained why he was willing to invest so heavily, while Fu Qinglan wondered whether her grandfather’s chosen protector could match the powerful cultivators others had found.

• Fu Chaosheng gave Luo Chen two bottles of Soul Essence, a bottle of high-grade Taihe Pills, and Flame Flow Marrow, and Luo Chen promised to give his all inside Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.
• Luo Chen recognized Flame Flow Marrow as Withered Source Fire Marrow and realized it could help advance his Source True Fire.
• Fu Hongzhang questioned Fu Chaosheng’s generous investment, and Fu Chaosheng said he was raising the stakes because he did not know what Luo Chen wanted and wanted him focused on the competition.
• Fu Chaosheng explained that Luo Chen valued bonds and kept his word, citing his treatment of his companions and spirit pet, then ordered Fu Hongzhang to send gathered intelligence and collect information about the Five Hundred Year Competition.
• After meeting Contemplating Heaven True Person, Yu Xu praised him as her protector, while Fu Qinglan said her grandfather had arranged one for her and privately doubted an independent cultivator could be formidable.

Luo Chen improved his cultivation with a Taihe Pill and fed Withered Source Fire Marrow to his Flourishing Decay True Fire, which nearly went out but showed signs of advancing. Fu Chaosheng took him toward Ranke Mountain because the Pill Saint’s ascension was approaching, and they learned it would take place in a year.

• Fu Qinglan and Yu Xu discussed whether an unattached cultivator could protect them in Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, then went to watch Dao Yin face the Mu Yuan Seven Sons at Go.
• Luo Chen used a high-grade Taihe Pill to raise his cultivation progress to Nascent Soul First Layer 25/100, then fed Withered Source Fire Marrow to his Flourishing Decay True Fire.
• A month later, Fu Chaosheng praised Luo Chen’s progress and offered to arrange more Taihe Pills, while Luo Chen concealed that his True Fire had nearly gone out before recovering.
• Fu Chaosheng told Luo Chen they had to leave for Ranke Mountain because the Pill Saint’s ascension was near.
• In Zhi Gu City, Fu Chaosheng explained the Gu Family’s power and Gu Daoyin’s reputation as a Go master; he told Luo Chen the Pill Saint would ascend from a distant peak in one year.

Luo Chen arrived at Heaven Earth Peak with Fu Chaosheng to seek a Star Gate Guest Elder appointment, while a chess match drew crowds at the Passing River. During his review by the Star Gate Seven Elders, he met Chu Yan, who revealed herself as the Pill Saint and said she was about to leave.

• Fu Chaosheng told Luo Chen that Pill Saint Chu Yan had reached Spirit Transformation and was about to ascend, then brought him toward Heaven Earth Peak to apply to Star Gate.
• On their way, Luo Chen heard that Heaven Origin Approaching Immortal was defeating the Shangjun Five Heroes at the Passing River.
• Luo Chen and Fu Chaosheng reached Heaven Earth Peak, where the Seven Elders scheduled Luo Chen's admission review for three days later.
• Fu Qinglan learned that Luo Chen had arrived and went to the Welcoming Immortal Hall, but he had already left to meet the Seven Elders.
• The Seven Elders questioned Luo Chen, and Chu Yan asked whether he could refine a Tier 5 Pill before identifying herself as the Pill Saint.

The Seven Elders granted Luo Chen the status of Temporary Guest Elder, allowing him to enter and leave Heaven Earth Peak but denying him its resources unless he earned them through contributions. After Fu Qinglan learned of Luo Chen’s dangerous rise through the cultivation world, she began to trust him as her protector and followed him to inspect his cave abode.

• After Luo Chen left the Star Gate assessment, Fu Chaosheng introduced him to his granddaughter Fu Qinglan and invited him to a banquet.
• The Seven Elders debated Luo Chen’s admission, and Chu Yan decided to appoint him a Temporary Guest Elder with access to Heaven Earth Peak but no free resources.
• Fu Qinglan worried that Luo Chen was too young to protect her during her Law True Intent cultivation in Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven, so Fu Chaosheng gave her a record of Luo Chen’s battles.
• After reading about Luo Chen’s achievements, Fu Qinglan decided he was capable of protecting her and went to speak with him.
• An elder gave Luo Chen tokens for his unusual External Affairs Guest Elder status, and he led Fu Qinglan to inspect his cave abode.

Luo Chen studied Fire Attribute Cultivation Methods and began devising a path to combine their strengths with the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture. As his Flourishing Decay True Fire rapidly withered and inspired a cultivation epiphany, a mysterious woman on Heaven Earth Peak secretly guided Spiritual Opportunity to him and concealed his breakthrough.

• Fu Qinglan brought Luo Chen five Fire Attribute Cultivation Methods, intelligence on the Eastern Wasteland, and information about the Nascent Soul cultivators competing at Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.
• Luo Chen demonstrated his powerful Nascent Soul Domain, overwhelming Fu Qinglan, then read reports describing devastation in the Eastern Wasteland and the destruction of two Nascent Soul Upper Sects.
• Luo Chen studied the Eastern Jia Fire Leaving Scripture and Purple Sun Divine Art, identifying ways to improve his mana's flow and purity.
• Luo Chen realized that his Flourishing Decay True Fire was rapidly entering its withering phase and considered incorporating its Wither-Bloom Cycle into a cultivation method.
• Luo Chen entered an epiphany as spiritual energy surged around him, and a mysterious woman drew Spiritual Opportunity from Central Province to him while shielding him from notice.

After a six-month epiphany, Luo Chen awakened with a self-created Wither and Bloom Dao Scripture and a seal that concealed and tempered his Nascent Soul mana. He stabilized his cultivation while preparing for the Five Hundred Year Competition, and agreed to accompany Fu Qinglan to Peach Garden to observe Chess Saint Ke Lianshan and assess their opponents.

• Fu Chaosheng and Fu Qinglan worried as Luo Chen’s epiphany left him looking old and weak, but he awakened and told them he had only taken a short nap.
• Luo Chen inspected his wrinkled Nascent Soul and discovered that he had created the Wither and Bloom Dao Scripture and the Wither Bloom Divine Restriction, which sealed and tempered his mana.
• Luo Chen chose to pause cultivation, stabilize his realm, and refine pills while Fu Chaosheng and Fu Qinglan remained uneasy about his condition.
• Fu Qinglan visited Luo Chen often, and the two played Go as they built familiarity and discussed the twelve opponents and their protectors for the competition.
• Fu Qinglan invited Luo Chen to Peach Garden, where Celebrity Dao Yin would challenge Chess Saint Ke Lianshan, and Luo Chen agreed to go.

Luo Chen attended Chess Saint Ke Lianshan’s match at Peach Garden with Fu Qinglan, where he learned more about the contestants in the coming Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven competition. The gathering ended with Shi Ju of the Shi Family watching Luo Chen and Fu Qinglan, whose reaction suggested a history with him.

• Luo Chen concluded that Pill Saint Chu Yan had likely guessed he had refined a Tier 5 Pill through her own insight rather than Star Gate intelligence.
• Fu Qinglan brought Luo Chen to Peach Garden, where he recognized Ke Lianshan’s spirit-plant chessboard and learned about Xiang Qi and Dragon Abyss True Person, the competition’s lone Humble Family contestant.
• Winter Mountain Man and Lu Qiuzhen greeted Luo Chen and told him that Ghost Immortal Tower’s Northern Sea conflict had intensified and Li Canghai was gathering spirit mountains and seas.
• Luo Chen and Fu Qinglan reached Ke Lianshan’s match and sensed someone watching them.
• Fu Qinglan identified the watching man as Shi Ju of the Shi Family and reacted with visible unease.

Luo Chen learned about the Lanke Spirit Treasure and Shi Ju’s history of manipulating Fu Qinglan, then faced Elder Qi’s sudden test on the mountain path. Luo Chen escaped Qi’s punch with illusion arts and walked away with Fu Qinglan, leaving Qi stunned by how he had been caught in the illusion.

• Luo Chen shielded Fu Qinglan from Shi Ju’s mocking gaze and learned about Shi Ju’s talent, temperament, and influence in the Heaven Origin Dao Sect.
• Gu Daoyin and Ke Lianshan arranged a Go match and a trade involving a Rotten Ke Black Chess Piece, prompting Fu Qinglan to explain the Lanke Spirit Treasure and its powers.
• Luo Chen recognized similarities between the Lanke chess pieces and a Rotten Ke Black Chess Piece he had once obtained, and he left the Peach Garden with Fu Qinglan.
• Fu Qinglan told Luo Chen that Shi Ju had tried to make her his concubine and had used similar promises to exploit another cultivator and her family.
• Elder Qi appeared on the mountain path and attacked Luo Chen to test his ability to protect Fu Qinglan.
• Luo Chen used illusion arts to evade Qi Xiongcheng’s punch and left with Fu Qinglan, while Qi wondered when he had been trapped in the illusion.

Luo Chen stayed at Heaven Earth Peak after defeating Qi Xiongcheng, while preparations began for Pill Saint Chu Yan’s ascension and the Five Hundred Year Competition. As the peak opened to welcome cultivators from across the Mountain Sea World, Luo Chen joined the crowds gathering for the ceremony.

• Fu Qinglan learned that Luo Chen had defeated Qi Xiongcheng in one exchange, and Luo Chen told her he would stay at Heaven Earth Peak until Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven opened.
• Luo Chen learned from Seven Lamps True Person that Pill Saint Chu Yan’s ascension ceremony would take place at Heaven Earth Peak in roughly half a year, and that he should attend.
• Luo Chen withdrew from public gatherings, practiced alchemy and soul cultivation, and watched the Flourishing Decay True Fire weaken to a wisp of bluish-gold flame.
• Dragon Abyss True Person received intelligence linking Luo Chen to the Azure Sun Devil Monarch, but remained confident that he and Ming Yan could contend for the opportunity in Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.
• Heaven Earth Peak opened after the bells and drums sounded, and Luo Chen prepared himself and flew toward the Cloud Sea Plaza as cultivators gathered from across the region.

Luo Chen attended the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s grand ceremony for the Pill Saint’s ascension and learned more about the Star Gate’s power and Central Province’s cultivation families. As Sect Master Mo began the ceremony, a Primordial Spirit apparition of Chu Yan appeared, leaving Luo Chen stunned by the gulf between Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation.

• Luo Chen entered Cloud Sea Plaza through the Sever Heaven Earth Connection Formation and was overwhelmed by the nearly hundred Nascent Soul cultivators gathered in the Star Gate’s viewing area.
• Seven Lamps Elder introduced Luo Chen to Hui Yuanhong, who was set to take an outer-province elder seat and hinted that the Dao Sect would soon ask Luo Chen to perform a service.
• Seven Lamps Elder explained how the Star Gate supported outer-province cultivators and their descendants, prompting Luo Chen to consider bringing his old friends from the Luo Tian Sect to Central Province.
• Luo Chen took his seat among the ceremony’s representatives, where Chang Feng Zi recognized him as the Azure Sun Devil Monarch and Fu Chaosheng exchanged a smile with him.
• Mo ShouZhuo arrived, silenced the gathering, and ordered the ceremony to begin as Heaven Earth Peak stirred and a Primordial Spirit apparition of Chu Yan appeared.

Pill Saint Chu Yan began ascending, but Mo ShouZhuo used the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s chessboard to seize the Spiritual Opportunities meant to carry her away. After Chu Yan gave Luo Chen a Heavenly Secret Pill and departed through the Star Gate, the Mirage Dragon awakened and a hidden realm opened beside the Passing River.

• Luo Chen used Source Power and the Spirit Eye Art to watch Chu Yan draw vast Primordial Qi and Spiritual Opportunities from across the Mountain Sea World.
• As rosy ascension light reached Chu Yan, Mo ShouZhuo gathered Spiritual Opportunities into the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s chessboard, interrupting her ascent and summoning a powerful Heavenly Tribulation.
• Chu Yan scattered Primordial Qi as Spirit Rain to benefit the gathered cultivators, then refined five spheres of light and gave one to Luo Chen to help his Flourishing Decay True Fire transform.
• Chu Yan left through the Star Gate after Mo ShouZhuo told her it was time, and the dark clouds and Tribulation Lightning dispersed.
• A dragon’s cry announced that the Spiritual Opportunity was full and the Mirage Dragon had awakened, as a vast misty mouth opened beside the Passing River.

Luo Chen entered Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven with Fu Qinglan and learned how its Illusion Chess Pieces protected entrants from the cave’s lingering power. As they set out to hunt Phantom Beasts and seek opportunities, the Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s leaders began a thousand-year plan whose endgame had arrived.

• The Heaven Origin Dao Sect’s thirteen leading young cultivators and their guardians received Illusion Chess Pieces from Mo ShouZhuo, then entered Mirage Dragon Cave Heaven.
• After the entrants departed, Mo ShouZhuo told gathered leaders that their thousand-year plans had reached the endgame, while Western Desert monks asked him for aid against the Demon Wasteland.
• Luo Chen woke in a peaceful landscape beside Fu Qinglan, who explained that the cave’s lingering consciousness had caused his unconsciousness and that her prior cleansing had prepared her for it.
• Luo Chen noticed a black spot forming on his White Chess Piece and learned that Phantom Beast influence would eventually force entrants to leave or risk becoming Phantom Beasts.
• Fu Qinglan explained that Dao Protectors hunted Phantom Beasts and guarded Nascent Soul disciples as they absorbed Illusion Cores to comprehend Law True Intent; Luo Chen agreed to go see a Phantom Beast.