Chapter Summaries

Bai Ye chose to remain neutral at the Heaven Inquiry Pavilion and studied his newly acquired divine arts. Cai Xiao arrived, passed his ice-lotus test, and joined him in the neutral camp before preparing a dangerous entrance test for the next visitor, who turned out to be another acquaintance.

• Bai Ye broke Luo Ling’s divine statue, then created a field of ice lotuses as the test for the next entrant.
• Bai Ye refused to join either the second- or third-floor camp and sat alone on the first floor with Xue Liuli to study a jade slip.
• Cai Xiao entered and crossed Bai Ye’s ice-lotus field using her Seven-Colored Spirit Fire.
• Cai Xiao created a Space Vortex at the entrance, then sat beside Bai Ye instead of joining either camp.
• Another familiar woman in azure robes arrived, surrounded by sword intent.

Bai Ye subdued Demon Dragon Son and ordered him to spread the word that Bai Ye was badly injured and traveling across Bei Cang Continent, inviting hostile factions to hunt him. After Demon Dragon Son fled, Bai Ye prepared to take Mu Chen to his courtyard in White Dragon City and tell him more about the truth he had promised.

• Bai Ye used Mirror Flower, Water Moon to pin Demon Dragon Son to the ground and explained that he would spare him this time.
• Bai Ye told Demon Dragon Son to inform hostile factions that he was seriously injured and would keep traveling, daring them to come kill him; Demon Dragon Son agreed and left.
• Chen Cangsheng offered to accompany Bai Ye, but Bai Ye told him to return to the academy because he needed him to handle something privately.
• Su Xuan and the others arrived, and Bai Ye gave the injured Mu Chen a bottle of pills.
• Bai Ye recognized Mu Chen as Aunt Jing's son and invited him to rest at Bai Ye's courtyard in White Dragon City, promising to share some details and suggesting Mu Chen might become a test subject.

Students gathered at the Spirit Battle Arena to watch Li Xuantong face Mu Chen under the Three Moves Agreement, while Bai Ye watched from his courtyard with Ling Xi. The match was about to begin, with Bai Ye choosing not to use the Yan Tian Scripture to predict its outcome.

• Students packed the Spirit Battle Arena to watch second-ranked Li Xuantong challenge new student Mu Chen, drawing several Heaven Ranking experts and Yan Meng.
• Su Ling'er, Su Xuan, He Yao, Xu Huang, and Hong Lingyue discussed Yan Meng's presence and whether Bai Ye was watching the match.
• Li Xuantong arrived at the battle platform, and Mu Chen formally accepted his challenge.
• Bai Ye told Ling Xi that the Three Moves Agreement made the winner uncertain and that Mu Chen had interesting trump cards.
• Bai Ye declined to use the Yan Tian Scripture, then rested with Ling Xi as Li Xuantong and Mu Chen gathered their momentum.

Bai Ye fought Zhao Mingya in a brutal duel at Autumn Zhou Courtyard, pushing through his doubts as the battle awakened his desire to grow stronger. Bai Ye emerged as the victor but collapsed from his injuries, while Zhao Mingya also passed out inside the courtyard.

• Bai Ye arrived at Autumn Zhou Courtyard at midnight and accepted Zhao Mingya's demand for a fight to the death.
• Bai Ye and Zhao Mingya traded attacks, with Bai Ye's Cold energy countering Zhao Mingya's spear techniques.
• Zhao Mingya's Dragon Spear Art pierced Bai Ye, but Bai Ye unleashed a third eruption of Cold energy and forced Zhao Mingya to retreat.
• Bai Ye embraced the battle and renewed his determination as Zhao Mingya transformed and pressed the fight onward.
• After three shichen, Bai Ye staggered out of the courtyard and collapsed, and Zhao Mingya passed out inside after declaring the fight worthwhile.

Lumian Li entertained the Kordu Village tavern with a grim story that he claimed had been written by his elder sister, Orol. After meeting the city visitors Liane Kos, Valentine, and Liya, he learned they were surprised by his surname, while Pierre revealed that Orol had brought Lumian back to the village five years earlier and given him his name.

• Lumian told the tavern a story about a poor hospital night watchman who touched a strange mark on a corpse and began dreaming of heavy fog.
• Lumian admitted the story was written by his sister, and the tavern regulars laughed at the outsider who had believed it.
• Liane Kos introduced himself and his companions Valentine and Liya, and Lumian gave his name as Lumian Li.
• Liane warned Lumian that absinthe could harm him, but Lumian said people in Kordu had little reason to worry about further harm and ordered Green Fairy.
• Pierre offered to explain Lumian's past for a free drink and said Orol had brought him to Kordu five years earlier, after which Lumian took her surname and the name Lumian.

Bai Ye planned to rescue the Punishment Hall hostages and escape Suppression Dragon City by sea, deciding to acquire a large, fast ship-type spiritual artifact. Elsewhere, a young woman offered someone whatever price they named.

• Bai Ye studied the sixteen-ship guard formation and returned to the courtyard to plan the rescue of the Punishment Hall members.
• Bai Ye realized the sea offered an alternative escape route and mapped out a path that avoided Dragon Demon Palace territory.
• Bai Ye chose the sea route so he could leave quickly with the hostages after rescuing them.
• Bai Ye decided to find an idle ship-type spiritual artifact in Suppression Dragon City and left the courtyard in a black cloak.
• A young woman calmly told someone to name their price and offered to pay it immediately.

Bai Ye watched the white cat defeat the Nether Eye Dark Pattern Cat’s remnant soul, then prepared to confront a powerful enemy above Ice Lake with Bing Yu’s help. Outside the lake, Bing Jue arrived and revealed that Jiu Xi Inn had appeared in the valley, hinting that more players were waiting behind the others.

• Bai Ye battled the white cat’s attack with Water Serpents while Bing Ke approached it with a Spirit Suppression Talisman and Bing Mang went to rescue her.
• Bing Mang secretly placed the talisman on the white cat, suppressing the Nether Eye Dark Pattern Cat’s remnant soul and allowing the white cat to regain control.
• Bai Ye caught the weakened white cat, told it to guard the Nether Eyes, and revealed that he had planted something within the remnant soul it had devoured.
• Bing Yu urged Bai Ye to show the true power of Harmonious Fusion, and Bai Ye surged toward the surface to face a powerful Third Grade Supreme.
• Bing Jue arrived at Ice Lake, explained that Bing Ke had been implanted with a Soul Seizing Seed, and pointed out Jiu Xi Inn emerging above the valley.

Mu Chen faced Li Xuantong’s demand that he leave Luo Li, then fought Bai Ye after Bai Ye revealed he had come because of Mu Chen’s mother. The encounter ended with Bai Ye leaving Mu Chen with a chance to seek answers when he believed the time was right.

• Li Xuantong confronted Mu Chen and warned him that he was not qualified to stand beside Luo Li, then gave him two months to reconsider.
• Mu Chen resisted Li Xuantong’s spiritual pressure and declared that he would prove himself worthy of protecting Luo Li.
• Bai Ye appeared, sealed the rooftop space, and attacked Mu Chen to test his abilities.
• Bai Ye said he had come because of Mu Chen’s Mother, prompting Mu Chen to attack him with flames and the Great Flame Devil Array.
• Luo Li arrived and stopped the fight, and Bai Ye told Mu Chen to seek him out when he believed the time had come to learn more.

Bai Ye reunited with Wen Qinxuan, who agreed to carry a message to his family before leaving for Ying Longcheng. As Bai Ye and Luo Li traveled with the Thunder Crane Army, they began to talk about their family connection and the academies, leaving Luo Tianshen watching with concern as Luo Li considered a path beyond her clan.

• Luo Li questioned Bai Ye's identity, and Wen Qinxuan arrived, greeted him excitedly, and asked to see Xue Er.
• Wen Qinxuan learned Bai Ye was studying at Northern Azure Spiritual Academy, accepted his Mustard Seed Bracelet to take home, and departed with the Wen Family group for Ying Longcheng.
• Bai Ye and Luo Li returned to the Thunder Swallowing Crane formation, and Bai Ye secretly made Ji Xuan's lingering cold energy explode.
• Luo Li learned from Luo Tianshen that Bai Ye was her biological older cousin, then asked Bai Ye how to enter one of the Five Great Academies without using the Spiritual Road.
• Bai Ye explained the regional spiritual academy quota route and revealed that he had chosen Northern Azure, leaving Luo Tianshen to watch their conversation with concern.

Bing Xueran told Bai Ye how his parents were imprisoned in the Sin Domain after his father killed clan elders while defending the Martial Ancestor’s request to save Ying Huanhuan. She planned to leave the Northern Azure Spiritual Academy and return to the Ice Spirit Clan, while Bai Ye’s new Heaven Ranking position and quiet life with Ling Xi marked the chapter’s close.

• Bing Xueran explained that Bing Yan fought the three Heavenly Supreme elders, killing one and severely wounding two, after the Old Ancestor rejected the Martial Ancestor’s request for Ying Huanhuan’s soul remnant.
• Bing Yan and his wife submitted to the clan’s law and were imprisoned in the Sin Domain; afterward, the Martial Ancestor helped restore the Ice Spirit Clan, and Ying Huanhuan became its leader.
• Bing Xueran said she would leave the Northern Azure Spiritual Academy to return to the Ice Spirit Clan, gave Bai Ye a farewell gift, and told him not to open it until he reached the Lesser Three Tribulations.
• Bai Ye appeared seventh on the Heaven Ranking after defeating He Yao, while He Yao’s victory over Baili Yue and Su Xuan’s prior standing determined the revised rankings.
• Bai Ye dismissed talk of challenging Su Xuan, then spent a quiet moment with Ling Xi as they looked forward to sharing their first New Year since reuniting.

Bai Ye survived an assassin’s poisoned blade, killed the attacker, and set out to hunt the people who had entered the forest. Elsewhere, Mu Youze reunited with his fiancée Meng Youran and explained that he had come to rescue Mu Qin Yue, while suspecting her situation was more serious than he first thought.

• A short black-clad assassin stabbed Bai Ye with a poisoned blade, but Bai Ye’s Mirror Flower, Water Moon illusion let him evade the attack and pin the man down.
• Bai Ye questioned the assassin, then killed him and learned from Xue Liuli that the blade carried the Blackwood Raven Clan’s secret poison.
• Bai Ye concluded that someone was hunting him and headed deeper into the forest to hunt the intruders in return.
• Mu Youze found Meng Youran, who revealed she had followed him after hearing he had traveled to the Desert Continent for Mu Qin Yue.
• Mu Youze explained that Mu Qin Yue had once saved his life and had sent him a letter asking for help, while Meng Youran urged him to rescue his friend before investigating further.

Bai Ye solved the barrier’s calculation test and discovered a lower Spirit-grade Calculation Skill hidden beyond it. After copying the skill, he left the hidden space and learned he was still inside the Spirit Skill Hall, where he had also obtained the lower Divine-grade Nine Heavens Golden Crow Skill.

• Bai Ye used the Calculation Skill’s principles to pass the barrier’s changing attack-strength test and entered the space beyond it.
• Bai Ye found the concealed Calculation Skill, memorized its contents, and copied it onto a blank scroll with a Copying Spirit Array.
• Bai Ye stored the original and copy in separate Mustard Seed Bracelets and passed through a Space Vortex back into the Spirit Skill Hall.
• Bai Ye realized obtaining the Calculation Skill had not transported him out of the hall, leaving him free to seek another skill.
• Candle Heaven Elder saw that Bai Ye had chosen the Nine Heavens Golden Crow Skill, and Bai Ye left to collect his second divine skill.

Bai Ye reviewed his recent cultivation gains and discussed with Ling Xi a New Student Tournament contestant named Mu Chen, whose Great Buddha Art might connect him to Qing Yanjing’s family. They decided to wait for confirmation, leaving the white jade slip containing another Great Buddha Art with Bai Ye to pass on when the time was right.

• Bai Ye assessed his spiritual arts and recent breakthrough, concluding that his ninth-degree cold-energy eruption and the Yan Tian Scripture were central to his strength.
• Ling Xi brought Bai Ye tea, and he told her that a Divine Soul Realm contestant surnamed Mu had used the Great Buddha Art at the New Student Tournament.
• Bai Ye and Ling Xi examined Qing Yanjing’s white jade slip, which contained another Great Buddha Art marked with the character “Yin.”
• Bai Ye identified the contestant as Mu Chen and suggested he might be connected to Qing Yanjing’s family.
• Bai Ye and Ling Xi chose to wait for confirmation, and Ling Xi left the jade slip with Bai Ye to give Mu Chen when the time was right.

Yuan Chu Nian challenged Bai Ye over using a spirit-tool bow in their hunting bet, but Song A'Sao offered to help her sew. As the two shared wine and opera, Bai Ye sang a violent lyric that left Yuan Chu Nian quietly reflecting on it after he went to dinner.

• Yuan Chu Nian accused Bai Ye of cheating with his Superior Spirit Tool bow, and Bai Ye defended his use of it under the bet's rules.
• Song A'Zhuang reported that Bai Ye's hunt had raised his score by ten, bringing their total to fifty-three, and praised Bai Ye's bow and archery.
• Bai Ye offered the Sky Supporting Flame Sun Bow to Song A'Zhuang, who refused to accept such a precious gift, while Song A'Sao offered to help Yuan Chu Nian sew.
• Bai Ye and Yuan Chu Nian reflected on the peaceful life in Song Family Village and spoke about Bai Ye missing his family and Yuan Chu Nian having no family of her own.
• Bai Ye shared wine with Yuan Chu Nian and sang a lyric from his hometown opera, Hidden Dagger in a Smile, whose murderous words did not visibly unsettle her.
• After Song A'Zhuang and Song A'Sao called them to dinner, Yuan Chu Nian stayed behind and murmured that the lyric about withered bones and a torn heart suited her feelings.

Hong Lingyue tried to recruit Bai Ye into the New Student Alliance, explaining her ambition to unite the new students and challenge the Senior Students. When persuasion failed, she used a favor Bai Ye owed her to secure one future intervention from him, then returned to the alliance to plan their next move.

• Hong Lingyue visited Bai Ye and asked him to join forces with her to establish a society for the new students, but he refused to get involved.
• Hong Lingyue explained that she wanted to surpass her half-sister Hong Feiyan and become the strongest new student by challenging the Senior Students and gaining control of academy resources.
• Hong Lingyue invoked the favor Bai Ye owed her from the Northern Azure Realm, and Bai Ye promised to act for her once at a time of her choosing.
• Hong Lingyue returned to the New Student Alliance, confirmed that she had secured Bai Ye's help, and Mo Canghai asked what they should do next.

Mu Chen accepted Bai Ye’s wager that he would learn something about his mother, Qing Yanjing, only if he defeated Li Xuantong. Bai Ye then explained why he had brought Luo Li the Chi Serpent Poison Galls and pointed out that they were meant for her sword.

• Mu Chen refused Bai Ye’s offer to interfere with his duel against Li Xuantong and accepted the wager over information about his mother.
• Bai Ye told Bing Yu that Mu Chen needed sufficient strength before learning the truth about Qing Yanjing.
• Luo Li appeared on the rooftop, and Bai Ye confirmed he had not harmed Mu Chen.
• Bai Ye retrieved the three Chi Serpent Poison Galls from Luo Li and explained that they were not meant for her to consume.
• Bai Ye pointed to Luo Li’s sword as the intended recipient of the poison galls, leaving Mu Chen bewildered.

Bai Ye and Luo Li spent a quiet night discussing their cultivation, Luo Li’s family, and her duty to the Luo God Clan. Their teasing conversation ended with Luo Li asking who had given Bai Ye his mask.

• Bai Ye told Luo Li that the Luo God Clan’s token had likely been taken by another team, and she agreed to set the matter aside.
• Bai Ye explained that he was suppressing his cultivation because his growing strength would also strengthen the cold energy within him.
• Bai Ye shared wine and fruit nectar with Luo Li, described his mother as a good mother and wife, and asked why Luo Li bore the Luo God Clan’s burden.
• Luo Li said she protected the Luo God Clan because it was her home, and Bai Ye teased her about why she was going to the Northern Azure Spiritual Academy.
• Luo Li told Bai Ye to get lost when he joked about setting her up with his sworn younger brother, then asked who had given him his mask.

Bai Ye and Cai Xiao confronted each other near the Heaven Snake Mercenary Group after he unleashed a blizzard and killed Thousand Snake Supreme. Bai Ye left without fighting, then discussed the Barren Wood Spirit and the Wildwood Sutra with Aunt Jing, deciding to wait two more days for the ruins before leaving the Desert Continent.

• Bai Ye sensed Cai Xiao following him and waited until she emerged from space near the Heaven Snake Mercenary Group.
• Cai Xiao revealed that she had planned to kill Thousand Snake Supreme, whose enslavement of snakes she despised, but Bai Ye had already killed him.
• Bai Ye and Cai Xiao faced off with their battle intent rising, but Bai Ye abruptly withdrew and vanished in ice crystals.
• Bai Ye asked Aunt Jing about the Barren Wood Spirit, and Wood Venerable explained that Lin Yi had been exiled after practicing the forbidden Wildwood Sutra and stealing a clan treasure.
• Bai Ye told Aunt Jing he would wait two more days for the ruins to open before leaving the Desert Continent.

Bai Ye began his Heaven Piercing Realm breakthrough on a rented Spiritual Mountain, where the Cold energy in his body erupted into a perilous calamity. As he pursued a mysterious destination deep in the Ice Plains, white light swallowed him and his Cold energy froze the mountain just as Ling Xi reached him.

• Bai Ye released his suppressed Spiritual energy and broke through into the initial stage of the Heaven Piercing Realm.
• The Cold energy erupted, drawing Bai Ye into the Ice Plains within his Divine Soul as Ling Xi headed up the mountain to reach him.
• Bai Ye crossed the Ice Plains and pressed through the oppressive Ice Sculptures, following the Karma Threads toward a hidden destination.
• Bai Ye endured the Cold energy tearing at his Divine Soul until his fingertip touched a white light, which engulfed him.
• Bai Ye's Cold energy burst outward and froze the Spiritual Mountain, and Ling Xi arrived before him.

Bai Ye and Luo Xiu agreed to a one-move contest, with Luo Xiu restricted to the Three Heavens Realm and the winner determined by their defenses and spiritual energy expenditure. Bai Ye blocked Luo Xiu’s Blood Sea Heaven Severing Skill with Frost God Clear Moon Reflection, then began his own attack by summoning a vast ocean and invoking Luo God Hundred Rivers Vast.

• Bai Ye refused Luo Xiu’s challenge on the original terms and proposed that they each make one move, while Luo Ningyue and Luo Qingya clarified the victory conditions.
• Luo Xiu agreed to the rules and gathered power at the Heaven Piercing Realm Late Stage before unleashing his Blood Sea Heaven Severing Skill.
• Bai Ye opened his eyes beneath a conjured Bright Moon and used Frost God Clear Moon Reflection to stop Luo Xiu’s blood-red Battle Halberd.
• Luo Xiu failed to break Bai Ye’s defense and conceded that it was Bai Ye’s turn to attack.
• Bai Ye summoned a vast ocean beneath his feet, spent over two-thirds of his spiritual energy, and invoked Luo God Hundred Rivers Vast.