Chapter Summaries

As the Black Tide continued to engulf the continent, Chu Qing decided to enter the Forbidden Zone and negotiate with its creatures, taking only Madam Jin in her extraordinary war chariot. The chariot’s immense power burned paths through the Black Tide, and Chu Qing learned that the First Illumination Person had refined it to the equivalent of a hundred-thousand-year treasure.

• Madam Shi suggested that others cultivating Chu Qing’s Mountain River Dao would strengthen his Reflection Realm, but Chu Qing insisted on gathering power unto himself and chose to speak with the Forbidden Zone creatures.
• Chu Qing brought Madam Jin into the Forbidden Zone and told Consort Mei, Zuo Yan, and Mingyue to guard Stone Ridge Mountain against the Black Tide.
• Madam Jin drove the extraordinary war chariot across the Black Tide, leaving deep, burning tracks that astonished the frontline warriors.
• Madam Jin released a great sun from the chariot that burned through the Black Tide and scorched the earth across a vast area.
• Madam Jin explained that the First Illumination Person had refined the chariot and embedded treasures in it, giving it the power of a hundred-thousand-year treasure even at one-tenth strength.

Chu Qing’s Great Sun Chariot burned through the Black Tide, prompting the newly appointed Forbidden Zone Master to confront him. After Chu Qing refused to meet the master, he appeared before him and killed him, leaving the Forbidden Zone without its new ruler.

• The new Forbidden Zone Master learned that someone was ravaging his territory and led a procession to confront the culprit, whom the Immortal Ones suspected was Chu Qing.
• The master’s group found Chu Qing’s Great Sun Chariot burning away the Black Tide and weakening the evils across a vast area.
• The master demanded to know why Chu Qing had entered his Forbidden Zone, while Chu Qing told Madam Jin he had no need to meet a minor character.
• When the master taunted Chu Qing for refusing to appear, Chu Qing said that if he saw the master, he would loathe and kill him.
• Chu Qing and a string of figures rushed out, struck the master with a hand seal, and burned his body apart.
• Chu Qing explained that he had to keep his word, and the new master died before he could finish his residence.

Chu Qing killed the Forbidden Zone Master and forced the Immortals to create a replacement so he could command the Black Tide to stop. The new Sovereign failed to halt it and contacted the higher-ups, after which an unknown power took over him.

• Chu Qing killed the Forbidden Zone Master, then demanded that the Immortals produce a new one or face death.
• The Immortals worshipped one of their own until he transformed into a Sovereign and declared himself the Forbidden Zone Master.
• The new Sovereign knelt before Chu Qing, who ordered him to stop the Black Tide from attacking the continent.
• The Sovereign said a higher authority was directing the Black Tide and began contacting the upper-level Forbidden Zone creatures.
• The Sovereign's power surged, and his fearful expression changed to an aloof, domineering gaze.

Chu Qing confronted a powerful Forbidden Zone being about the Black Tide attacking his continent and secured an end to the invasion without severing the Forbidden Zone’s connection. After Chu Qing departed, the being left the new ruler in a vacant state, and the Immortal Ones escorted him away.

• Chu Qing challenged the being possessing the new ruler, arguing that he had helped the Forbidden Zone by freeing powerful prisoners from the Heavenly Court’s Prison Continent.
• The being withdrew his consciousness to consult the Great Figures, then returned and announced that the Black Tide would end and the Forbidden Zone connection would be severed.
• Chu Qing rejected severing the connection and asked only that the Black Tide never attack his continent while he lived.
• The being invited Chu Qing to join the Forbidden Zone and become a ruler, but Chu Qing declined and left with his Godmother in the war chariot.
• The being ordered the Immortal Ones to support the new ruler, then withdrew and left him vacant and babbling; the Immortal Ones escorted him away.

Chu Qing ordered the commanders to prepare for the return of his Golden Core maids, claiming the Black Tide would soon end after he spoke with the restricted-zone creatures. The commanders doubted him, while the Purge Pavilion secretly killed a frontline soldier who criticized Chu Qing.

• Frontline soldiers watched Chu Qing's burning war chariot emerge from the restricted zone, and the Purge Pavilion ordered the death of a man who questioned him.
• Chu Qing used Investiture on Madam Jin and Consort Mei Zuo Yan, improving their bloodlines and granting them metahuman bloodlines.
• After receiving requests for reinforcements from the frontline, Chu Qing contacted the commanders and ordered them to stop requesting personnel and return the maids Stone Ridge Mountain had sent out.
• Chu Qing claimed the restricted-zone creatures had agreed to end the Black Tide, but the commanders and metahuman liaison doubted that he could stop it.
• Chu Qing told the commanders to return every one of his people after the Black Tide ended and warned that he would destroy the continent if anyone was missing.

After the Black Tide retreated deep into the Forbidden Zone, the marshals confirmed it had ended and credited Chu Qing with saving the continent. As celebrations spread, historians recorded increasingly embellished accounts of his victory, including one that described him negotiating peacefully with the Forbidden Zone creatures.

• The Black Tide weakened over three days and stopped appearing, so the marshals sent experts into the Forbidden Zone to investigate.
• The marshals learned that the Black Tide had retreated far into the Forbidden Zone and concluded that Chu Qing had ended it.
• The otherworlder representative urged the commanders to tell everyone that Chu Qing had ended the Black Tide, and the news spread across the front line.
• People across the continent celebrated after hearing that Chu Qing had defeated the Forbidden Zone overlords and ended the war.
• Historians recorded increasingly grand accounts of Chu Qing's deeds, with one history claiming he had negotiated amicably with the Forbidden Zone creatures.

After Chu Qing ended the Black Tide on his backwater continent, news inspired other embattled continents to fight back and unite, disrupting the powerful factions’ plans. Several leaders began attacking the Black Tide with their own powers, while Shi Tiezhu discovered he could create an army of his own.

• The top major powers learned Chu Qing had ended the Black Tide, suppressed the news, and later panicked as more backwater continents succeeded and joined forces to support those still fighting.
• News of Chu Qing’s victory spread to struggling continents, giving their people hope and prompting them to resist the Black Tide.
• A Princess completed her ritual and sent twelve colossal Golden Men into the restricted zone, where they crushed its creatures and engulfed the land in magma.
• Nangong Xiao led a million Top Experts into the restricted zone, unleashing troops from the Twelve Palaces to destroy its mastermind.
• Cui Moyang sent an expanding army of Sword Qi creatures against the Black Tide, while Shi Tiezhu resolved to match Chu Qing and discovered that he could create a race of fighters.

Princess, Nangong, and Cui Moyang fought the Black Tide in different ways, while the Golden Core Path spread and drew the attention of powerful factions. At Stone Ridge Mountain, Chu Qing prepared to permeate the Huai River, but Madam Jin and Mingyue urgently told him that something had gone wrong with the Golden Core Path.

• Princess used her twelve Golden Men to kill forbidden-zone Sovereigns until the Black Tide withdrew from her continent, then helped defend other continents alongside the Crimson Overlord.
• Nangong used the Twelve Palaces to repeatedly kill the Black Tide's forces until they retreated, while Cui Moyang slaughtered to strengthen herself and the Sword Pellet.
• The Sacred Fire Pit, Twisted Paths, and Golden Core Path spread from Chu Qing's continent, letting many Third Limit martial artists enter the New Realm and causing great powers to take interest in the Golden Core Path.
• Chu Qing cultivated at Stone Ridge Mountain, found that he could not substantially alter the Reflection Realm, and planned to permeate the Huai River before investigating the end of the Liuli River.
• Madam Jin rushed Mingyue to Chu Qing and revealed that something had gone wrong with the Golden Core Path.

After learning that the Mythology Organization had obtained the Golden Core Ancestor position, Chu Qing discovered that the new ancestor was accelerating Mingyue’s cultivation rather than harming it. He traveled to the Huai River to strengthen his Reflection Method and returned to Stone Ridge Mountain, where he asked the Princess Consort about Hongyi.

• Madam Jin investigated the Golden Core Ancestor’s identity and planned to have Madam Shi locate and kill the newcomer, but Mingyue said the ancestor’s appearance had increased her cultivation speed.
• Chu Qing wondered whether other path pioneers would benefit from their paths’ Realm Ancestors and decided to visit the source of the Huai River.
• Heavenly Court learned that the Mythology Organization had seized the Golden Core Ancestor position, while Heavenly Secrets failed to identify the creators of several other paths.
• Chu Qing used the Reflection Method at the Huai River source, found that his progress was much faster than at the Liuli River, and spent ten days suffusing its territory.
• The Princess Consort teleported Chu Qing back to Stone Ridge Mountain, and he asked whether she could bring Hongyi back.

The Princess Consort left Stone Ridge Mountain with Consort Mei Zuo Yan to find Hongyi, while Chu Qing considered seeking Hongyi’s support against Heaven. He later agreed to help Zhao Hongxiu and the Great Zhou Empress rebuild an empire near the forbidden zone.

• The Princess Consort told Chu Qing that Hongyi had become a captain leading Free Overlords in the Endless Sea, and she wanted to visit her.
• Chu Qing asked the Princess Consort to invite Hongyi to ally with him against Heaven, and she secretly resolved to bring Hongyi and the others back.
• The Princess Consort departed with Consort Mei Zuo Yan, and she instructed Mingyue to develop Stone Ridge Mountain’s beasts and keep its maidservants under control.
• Zhao Hongxiu and the Great Zhou Empress asked to establish an empire near Stone Ridge Mountain and expand into the forbidden zone, relying on Madam Jin’s war chariot.
• Chu Qing approved their plan and offered Silver Coins and manpower from Stone Ridge Mountain.

Madam Jin reclaimed human territory while Chu Qing organized Stone Ridge Mountain and summoned Tang Wuming to answer for the Breeding Gods and Devils. Chu Qing ordered them sealed, and Tang Wuming asked what to do about the worshippers still offering them incense.

• Madam Jin used the Great Sun Chariot to clear forbidden zones and reclaim territory for humanity, while rival clans and empires fought over the recovered lands.
• Chu Qing assigned the new maidservants work and decreed that those who reached the Golden Altar Realm could leave after serving Stone Ridge Mountain for ten years.
• Tang Wuming arrived at Miracle Palace and saw its vast halls guarded and filled with cultivating maidservants.
• Chu Qing asked Tang Wuming about the Breeding Gods and Devils, whose offspring had caused destruction and killed awakened wild beasts.
• Tang Wuming reported that some Breeding Gods and Devils had died or been sealed and that the survivors had gathered outside the temple.
• Chu Qing ordered all the Breeding Gods and Devils sealed, and Tang Wuming asked what should happen to their remaining incense offerings.

Chu Qing ordered the continent to stop worshipping Gods and Devils and to curse Heaven, then prepared to travel to the end of the Liuli River. Before he could leave, he entered calamity again and reunited with Liuli, who explained why he could not visualize her body and refused to help him deduce the New Realm.

• Chu Qing forbade worship of Gods and Devils, ordered all living beings to curse Heaven, and instructed Tang Wuming to establish the Tribunal to suppress Heaven worshippers.
• Tang Wuming carried out Chu Qing's orders, and a smaller purge of Heaven's believers swept across the continent.
• As Chu Qing prepared to depart for the end of the Liuli River, calamity descended and returned him to the past, where he reunited with Liuli.
• Chu Qing recounted his future experiences to Liuli, including killing more than three hundred Heavens and being gravely wounded by a marine creature.
• Chu Qing tried to visualize Liuli's whole body, but his Profession Slot could not form a skill; Liuli said he was too weak and advised him to focus on strength.
• Chu Qing asked Liuli to help deduce the New Realm, but she refused.

Chu Qing learned from Liuli that his foundation and Reflection Realm needed further work, and she advised him to cultivate every path before attempting to open new realms. As his time with her ended, they shared a kiss that made his Profession Slot react violently.

• Liuli told Chu Qing that his foundation in several realms was inadequate and that outside wisdom had influenced his Reflection Realm.
• Liuli advised Chu Qing to cultivate every path to its limit so he could gradually build his foundation and open new realms.
• Chu Qing asked to learn Liuli's cultivation method, and she said he would first need to be able to kill a Heaven by himself.
• Liuli explained that she had destroyed the record of her future because knowing it would take away the novelty of what was to come.
• Chu Qing and Liuli caught fish beneath a waterfall and lingered together as he used sandalwood incense to delay his departure.
• Liuli kissed Chu Qing, and his Profession Slot began to writhe as he focused on the sensation.

Chu Qing investigated the Liuli River’s mysterious endpoint and discovered a man-made square barrier that swallowed only its water. He rerouted the river around it, and his Profession Slot began throbbing violently, leaving him wondering what the barrier contained.

• Chu Qing traveled to the Liuli River’s endpoint and found its water disappearing at an invisible barrier, which also swallowed evils carried by the current.
• Chu Qing dug and redirected the river in several directions, discovering that the barrier formed a square roughly a hundred thousand li across.
• Chu Qing infused the earth veins within the barrier but found no explanation, and suspected it contained a folded space, a vessel, or a prison.
• Chu Qing carved a new riverbed around the barrier, altered the soil beneath it, and stopped the Liuli River’s water from entering.
• Chu Qing noticed his Profession Slot throbbing violently after the river bypassed the barrier and questioned what the barrier was.

Chu Qing cultivated dozens of paths on Stone Ridge Mountain, strengthening his foundations as the moon reappeared, scarred by resentment that was eroding Heaven’s eye. After Heavenly Court spread the news through the Square Inch Gathering, Myth asked everyone what they planned to do about the New Realm.

• Chu Qing returned to Stone Ridge Mountain and began cultivating the Golden Altar path, reaching its end in ten days and slightly improving his foundations.
• Chu Qing cultivated more paths, with his Inverse Dragon bloodline accelerating his progress and his Profession Slot gathering his foundation.
• The moon reappeared wrapped in scarlet, magma-like thorns, and people across the human continents were shocked by its changed appearance.
• The Heavenly God explained that resentment from dozens of melted continents was eroding the moon and told Heavenly Court to spread the news that the moon was Heaven’s eye.
• Heavenly Court shared the information in the Square Inch Gathering, where Myth asked everyone about their next step in the New Realm.

Mythology proposed opening a New Realm beyond the Mythology Realm, and Chu Qing advised everyone to cultivate other paths to strengthen their foundations. Before leaving the Square Inch Gathering, Chu Qing learned of the Great Tomb of Lie Wudi, the Flesh and Blood Martial Ancestor, and asked for its coordinates when it opened.

• Mythology said he wanted to deduce a realm beyond Mythology, prompting the group to discuss what they could cultivate next.
• Chu Qing shared his friend's advice to cultivate other paths and listed the order of more than a hundred paths he planned to pursue.
• Luo Tian and the others decided to follow Chu Qing's cultivation order after he explained that cultivating more paths could speed up later progress.
• Heavenly Court asked why Chu Qing helped them, and Chu Qing said he considered them friends and wanted them all to rise together.
• Second Generation Yin Tianzi revealed that the Underworld had found the Great Tomb of Lie Wudi, the Flesh and Blood Martial Ancestor, and Chu Qing asked him to send the coordinates when it opened.
• Other members shared secrets before Chu Qing left, including news of White Jade Capital.

White Jade Capital warned that the Harvesters had secretly replaced people around him and others, prompting the group to investigate the connection between the Harvesters and the Skin-Swapping Path. Chu Qing and Myth agreed to search for records about the organizations that had once used human skins, leaving the group’s hopes of identifying the replacements resting on their investigation.

• White Jade Capital told the group that a junior sister had been replaced by a Harvester, though the impostor had copied nearly all her traits and habits.
• White Jade Capital said he and his friends had found that people around all of them had likely been replaced, and he urged everyone to look for differences in private gestures.
• Heavenly Court raised the possibility that the replacements were connected to the newly emerged Skin-Swapping Path, and Chu Qing recalled fighting people who wore the skins of geniuses.
• Chu Qing linked the Skin-Swapping Path to the Human World Organization and In the Red Dust, while Myth recalled that In the Red Dust had been connected to Moon God's death.
• Myth asked Chu Qing to investigate the two organizations and find records of their skin-swapping methods, and Chu Qing agreed.

White Jade Capital investigated the Harvesters after learning his junior sister had been replaced, but his current counterpart explained how the Skin-Swapping Path infiltrated major organizations and why they tolerated it. White Jade Capital was left reeling when the current White Jade Capital said he, too, was a spy.

• Chu Qing and the others agreed to search for the Skin-Swapping Path and the Harvesters, but their investigations met resistance across major organizations.
• White Jade Capital defied warnings, fought a group of overlords, killed three, and fled back to White Jade Capital.
• The current White Jade Capital explained that the Skin-Swapping Path could infiltrate organizations by reincarnating as a fetus and gradually seizing authority.
• The current White Jade Capital described how corruption, hidden agents, and the Harvesters' power made it nearly impossible to investigate them safely.
• The current White Jade Capital advised White Jade Capital to keep working with his replaced junior sister and revealed that he, too, was a spy.

After the Black Tide, Chu Qing and the other leaders discussed spies and the search for the Harvester and Skin-Swapping Path, while Chu Qing continued rapidly cultivating. The chapter ended with major developments across the New Realm, including Nangong’s return.

• At the Square Inch Gathering, White Jade Capital revealed that the current White Jade Capital was a spy who had become the organization’s leader, and the others discussed the spies within their own organizations.
• Chu Qing explained that the investigation into the Harvester and Skin-Swapping Path was meant to warn hidden enemies and protect people by making them more cautious.
• At Stone Ridge Mountain, Chu Qing cultivated many paths with abundant resources and forged an Ice Fire Primordial Spirit.
• After the Black Tide ended, the world rebuilt, thirty Realm Ancestors emerged within a month, and White Jade Capital’s young namesake took control of the organization after half a year.
• One year after the Black Tide, every popular path had a Realm Ancestor, Chu Qing mastered more than seventy realms, Mingyue’s Golden Core grew to seven or eight meters, Stone Ridge Mountain’s second palace foundation was completed, and Cui Moyang fell into demonic deviation.
• As wind and snow swept across the land, Nangong returned.

Nangong returned with the Ancient Mythology title Eternal Ancient Mythology Under the Stars, and she told Chu Qing how it strengthened her Twelve Palaces. She worried about Cui Moyang, who was lost in a restricted zone, while Cui Moyang continued slaughtering its inhabitants; Nangong then focused on cultivating her Starry Sky Realm alongside Chu Qing.

• Nangong returned and revealed that she had gained the title Eternal Ancient Mythology Under the Stars, whose power greatly enhanced her Twelve Palaces and grew beneath the starry sky.
• Nangong told Chu Qing that she had helped other continents resist the Black Tide and spent a year settling the people who had followed her before returning.
• Nangong asked about Cui Moyang, but Chu Qing said they could not locate her and urged Nangong to trust that she could withstand the killing in the restricted zone.
• Cui Moyang cut down Immortals and evils with her sword, reducing them to ashes as she traveled deeper into the restricted zone.
• Nangong chose to cultivate her Starry Sky Realm rather than seek to become a Realm Ancestor, and she and Chu Qing spent peaceful days cultivating together.