Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder traveled to the Yellow Spring Pavilion for the Four Pavilion Assembly, while discussing how news of the Deep Sea Ruin had spread. After they arrived, Elder Chihuo recognized Xiao Ze as an Alchemy Grandmaster, drawing the attention of the assembled factions.

• The Great Elder explained that rival factions and cultivators had likely leaked news of the Deep Sea Ruin to muddy the waters around the Alchemist Tower.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder arrived in Tianzhong City, then left for the Yellow Spring Pavilion without revealing their Alchemist Tower identities to the crowd.
• A Yellow Spring Pavilion elder met them near the Ring Mountain Range and escorted them to the pavilion after the Great Elder showed his token.
• Elder Chihuo recognized Xiao Ze at the gathering and greeted him as Elder Xiao Ze.
• The guests realized Xiao Ze was a renowned Alchemy Grandmaster and crowded around him to make his acquaintance.

Xiao Ze and the Alchemist Tower’s Great Elder arrived at Yellow Spring Pavilion for the Four Pavilion Assembly, drawing intense interest as factions learned an Ancient Ruin had appeared. As Xiao Ze waited for the ruin to open, Xun'er set out from the Ancient Clan with two elders to explore it and wondered how her cultivation compared with Xiao Ze’s.

• Xiao Ze greeted Elder Chihuo and the Great Elder introduced the gathered factions, whose members realized the Ancient Ruin was significant enough to attract the Alchemist Tower.
• Venerate Huang Quan worried that the ruin and the approaching factions could draw the Ancient Clan and put Yellow Spring Pavilion in danger.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder decided to wait for the ruin to open rather than rush there, while factions from across Central Plains visited Xiao Ze.
• Xun'er appeared in Ancient Saint City with two elders and prepared to explore the Ancient Ruin, thinking of her long separation from Xiao Ze.

Venerate Huang Quan visited Xiao Ze and the Great Elder to ask about the Ancient Ruin in the Nether Sea, but they had little information to share. After learning that the Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix were interested, the Alchemist Tower elders grew wary as crowds gathered by the Nether Sea and the Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan arrived.

• The Great Elder advised Xiao Ze to act less amiably toward people seeking his favor before Venerate Huang Quan requested an audience with them.
• Venerate Huang Quan offered to pay for information about the Ancient Ruin, but the Great Elder said the Alchemist Tower had learned little after the leak of its discovery.
• Venerate Huang Quan revealed that the Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix had sent people to investigate the ruin.
• After Venerate Huang Quan left, the Great Elder and Xiao Ze agreed to proceed cautiously rather than give up the ruin the Alchemist Tower had discovered first.
• Crowds gathered along the Nether Sea, where its dangerous aura deterred even Dou Zong experts from venturing deeper.
• The Nine Serene Deepground Python Clan arrived at the Nether Sea, alarming those who recognized them.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder attended Yellow Spring Pavilion’s Four Pavilion Assembly, where news of an Ancient Ruin drew major forces and all four Venerates. After the Venerates gathered around the Great Elder instead of Venerate Huang Quan, the assembly began with a chaotic battle among young talents.

• Xiao Ze spoke with Elder Chihuo, who said Burning Flame Valley had learned of the Ancient Ruin’s importance and would make arrangements.
• Venerate Jian arrived and greeted the Great Elder in the guest seating, embarrassing Venerate Huang Quan.
• Venerate Lei arrived and also greeted the Great Elder after learning he was present.
• Venerate Feng arrived, saw the Great Elder, and joined the other Venerates in greeting him.
• Venerate Huang Quan opened the Four Pavilion Assembly and announced its rules before the young talents began fighting on the water plaza.

Xiao Ze watched Liu Ling win the Four Pavilion Assembly and then headed with the Alchemist Tower’s Great Elder toward the Nether Sea, where the forces were gathering for the Deep Sea Ruin. The other Venerates set off after them, leaving Venerate Huang Quan alone to regret hosting the assembly.

• Xiao Ze watched the Four Pavilion disciples and identified Liu Ling of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion as a likely champion.
• Liu Ling defeated her opponents with her sword techniques and won the Four Pavilion Assembly.
• After the assembly ended, the Great Elder led Xiao Ze toward the Nether Sea, and the other forces followed.
• Venerate Lei, Venerate Jian, and Venerate Feng departed for the Nether Sea with their followers.
• Venerate Huang Quan was left behind and regretted hosting the Four Pavilion Assembly.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder reached the Nether Sea, where an Ancient Ruin was expected to open in about three days. Xiao Ze explored a nearby Trading Market and saw the dangers of Nether Qi Invasion, while a white-haired visitor from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe entered the market.

• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder arrived at the Nether Sea and met Elder Mu at the Alchemist Tower camp.
• Elder Mu explained that an Underwater Great Vortex revealed the Ancient Ruin and that it was expected to open in roughly three days.
• The Great Elder stayed at camp while Xiao Ze went to explore the Trading Market.
• Xiao Ze saw adventurers suffering from Nether Qi Invasion and entered the market after its Dou Zong guards let him pass.
• A white-haired man entered the Trading Market, and its guards identified him as a member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe and warned each other not to provoke powerful factions.

Xiao Ze traded for an ancient fire-control technique at the Trading Market, then fought off a white-haired member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe who tried to take his storage ring. The attacker called for the tribe’s elders, and Elder Huang Xuan arrived to inspect the ring.

• Xiao Ze punished a pickpocket and traded medicinal pills for formulas recovered from the Ancient Alchemist Ruins.
• Xiao Ze bought a dark-red scroll containing a fire-control technique with a Sect Breaking Pill.
• A white-haired man from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe attacked Xiao Ze and tried to seize his storage ring, but Xiao Ze broke his hand with the Great Boundless Sea Palm.
• The white-haired man claimed the ring held something from his tribe and threatened Xiao Ze with the tribe’s pursuit.
• Elder Huang Xuan appeared and said he would inspect Xiao Ze’s storage ring.

Xiao Ze and the Alchemist Tower’s Great Elder drove off two Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe experts who accused him of possessing their people, then prepared for the opening of the Deep Sea Ruin. As experts gathered around a vast underwater vortex, Xiao Ze and the Great Elder watched the ruin begin to open.

• Huang Xuan tried to seize Xiao Ze’s storage ring, but the Great Elder appeared and repelled his attack.
• Huang Xuan and the white-haired man left after the Great Elder refused to hand Xiao Ze over or surrender his possessions.
• Xiao Ze told the Great Elder that he had obtained two Five Star Dou Venerate Heavenly Demon Phoenix Puppets in an Ancient Ruin, and the Great Elder agreed the Alchemist Tower would not hand them over.
• Xiao Ze returned to the Alchemist Tower’s mountain, studied exchanged pill formulas, and mastered the Profound Fire Technique.
• A huge underwater vortex appeared in the Nether Sea, signaling that the Deep Sea Ruin was about to open, and Xiao Ze and the Great Elder watched as Nether energy poured from it.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder witnessed Nether Qi consume cultivators and transform one survivor into a Netherworld Slave, a creature that grew stronger by feeding on the Nether Sea’s energy. As the shore’s experts moved to stop it, a lone Dou Venerate attacked, but the Great Elder suspected he had a hidden objective.

• Xiao Ze watched Nether Qi sweep over the cultivators who had rushed toward the Underwater Great Vortex, corroding them into black powder.
• A surviving figure emerged from the Nether Qi, and the Great Elder identified it as a Netherworld Slave that could absorb Nether Qi and regenerate around its Netherworld Core.
• The Great Elder explained that Netherworld Slaves could exist only within the Nether Sea and would perish if they could not replenish their Nether Qi.
• A lone Venerable used Space Annihilation to sever the Netherworld Slave, but it rejoined its halves and healed with Nether Qi.
• The lone Dou Venerate attacked the Netherworld Slave while the great factions watched, and the Great Elder told Xiao Ze that the man was likely pursuing another objective.

Xiao Ze learned why the Netherworld Cores mattered and watched the Underwater Great Vortex release more than a hundred Netherworld Slaves. As the major powers and lone cultivators fought to claim them, Xiao Ze confronted the white-haired Heavenly Demon Phoenix man over the same target.

• The Great Elder explained that Netherworld Cores could absorb Nether Qi, and Xiao Ze realized they could help experts enter the Ancient Ruin.
• A lone Dou Zun obtained a Netherworld Core, while the Great Elder predicted more Netherworld Slaves would emerge when the vortex reached the seabed.
• The Underwater Great Vortex erupted again, revealing more than a hundred Netherworld Slaves, including one at the peak of the Dou Zong level.
• Huang Xuan urged the major powers to claim the Netherworld Cores together, and experts from the factions and lone cultivators rushed forward.
• Xiao Ze volunteered to fight a Dou Zong-level Netherworld Slave, but the white-haired Heavenly Demon Phoenix man challenged him for the same target after Venerate Feng had claimed the man's previous target.

Xiao Ze overwhelmed the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe’s white-haired man and claimed two Netherworld Cores before the tribe’s black-robed elder intervened. After the Great Elder warned that the elder might target him inside the Deep Sea Ruin, Xiao Ze prepared to enter with the battle settling down.

• The white-haired man activated the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Tribe’s Bloodline Power and raised his strength to Two Star Dou Venerate, but Xiao Ze’s Great Boundless Sea Palm sent him flying.
• Xiao Ze repeatedly struck the white-haired man with Great Boundless Sea Palms, preventing him from closing in, then crushed the Netherworld Slave with the Illusionary Sea Domain and took its Netherworld Core.
• Xiao Ze controlled and crushed another Netherworld Slave, claimed its Netherworld Core, and caused the old man who had pursued it to retreat in fear.
• A black-robed elder arrived with a powerful aura, but Xiao Ze retreated and the Great Elder appeared to confront him, threatening to keep him there if he attacked Xiao Ze.
• The black-robed elder ordered the white-haired man to hunt other Netherworld Slaves and then left; the Great Elder warned Xiao Ze to stay by his side inside the Deep Sea Ruin.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder entered the Deep Sea Ruin through the Underwater Great Vortex after finding that it dispersed Nether Qi, though they suspected the easy passage was unusual. Xun'er arrived with two Dou Zuns and entered the ruin after failing to find Xiao Ze, while Xiao Ze continued drifting down through the vortex.

• Xiao Ze learned how to use the Netherworld Core to absorb Nether Qi and noticed that the Underwater Great Vortex dispersed it.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder watched cultivators enter the vortex and wondered whether the ruin was inviting them inside before following them in.
• Elder Mu remained on shore and worried about the safety of the Great Elder and Xiao Ze.
• Xun'er appeared with two Dou Zuns, searched for a familiar figure, and entered the vortex after failing to find him.
• Elder Mu recognized Xun'er's companions as Dou Zuns of the Ancient Clan and feared the consequences if anything happened to her.
• Xiao Ze let the vortex carry him downward rather than resist its current.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder entered the Deep Sea Ruin and found that Netherworld Slaves had infiltrated its vast palace complex. They reached the main hall, where a horde of Netherworld Slaves blocked the way, and the gathered factions faced the need to join forces.

• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder followed the underwater vortex into the Deep Sea Ruin and headed toward its main hall after Xiao Ze sensed the surrounding palaces had been ransacked.
• Xiao Ze warned that the damaged Space Seal was letting seawater into the vast ruin, and he and the Great Elder investigated after a nearby palace collapsed amid screams.
• Xiao Ze crushed a Netherworld Slave with the Illusionary Sea Domain and collected its Netherworld Core as more signs of Netherworld Slaves appeared throughout the ruin.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder hurried toward the main hall, defeating Netherworld Slaves that grew stronger as they approached.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder found the major factions gathered before a deep-blue palace guarded by a horde of Netherworld Slaves, including more than a dozen with Dou Zun-level strength.
• The factions turned toward the arriving Alchemist Tower, recognizing that the groups with top-tier strength would have to cooperate to reach the palace.

The factions joined forces to clear the Netherworld Slaves guarding the Blue Palace, while the Great Elder negotiated the Alchemist Tower’s role. Xiao Ze killed a Dou Zun-level Netherworld Slave and then began slaughtering the Dou Zong-level slaves, shocking the gathered experts.

• The Great Elder challenged the factions over their plan to divide up the Netherworld Slaves, then agreed after they negotiated with him.
• The factions awakened the sleeping Netherworld Slaves and began fighting their assigned opponents.
• Xiao Ze drew a tall, magical-beast-like Netherworld Slave away from the basin while attacking it from a distance.
• Xiao Ze killed the Netherworld Slave with the Emperor's Seal Technique and recovered its Netherworld Core.
• Xiao Ze charged into the Dou Zong-level Netherworld Slaves and crushed them with the Illusionary Sea Domain as he collected their Netherworld Cores.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder waited as the factions finished fighting the Netherworld Slaves, and Xiao Ze explained his plan to create a pill using Netherworld Cores. When the groups approached the Blue Palace, its powerful formation repelled attacks from both a lone Dou Zun and Venerate Huang Quan, leaving the factions unable to enter.

• Xiao Ze returned to the Great Elder after collecting enough Netherworld Cores and explained that he wanted to use them to develop a new pill.
• The Great Elder warned Xiao Ze that the other factions might target him, while the factions’ Dou Zun experts noticed that the Alchemist Tower’s two elders remained uninjured and energetic.
• As the netherly aura around the Blue Palace weakened, the major factions blocked lone cultivators from entering ahead of them, and Xiao Ze and the Great Elder waited rather than risk going first.
• A lone Dou Zun struck the palace gate, but its formation erased his attack without breaking the gate.
• Venerate Huang Quan attacked the gate with Yellow Spring Corrupted Corpse Arm, but the formation only dimmed briefly and remained intact.

Xiao Ze studied the blue hall’s Protective Formation while Venerate Huang Quan’s attacks failed, then discovered its key rune and began refining the formation. The runes across the hall gathered into the rune in Xiao Ze’s hand, leaving the gathered factions stunned.

• Venerate Huang Quan attacked the Protective Formation twice, but it blocked both of his Dou Skills.
• Xiao Ze observed the formation and identified an abnormal rune that connected the others.
• The Great Elder encouraged Xiao Ze to try his idea, and Xiao Ze approached the hall despite Venerate Huang Quan’s mockery.
• Xiao Ze used his Soul Power to locate the shifting rune and decided to refine the formation rather than use it to exclude the other factions.
• Xiao Ze left a Soul Imprint in the rune and drew it into his palm, causing the hall’s countless runes to flood into it.

Xiao Ze claimed the ancient hall’s Protective Formation and entered a Medicine Tower with the Great Elder, collecting pill formulas as they climbed. They reached a powerful Energy Barrier on the final floor, where Xiao Ze wondered what lay beyond it.

• Xiao Ze refined the Core Rune and claimed the incomplete Protective Formation, which could withstand attacks from Dou Venerate experts.
• Venerate Huang Quan blasted open the great hall’s doors, and the factions rushed inside as Xiao Ze and the Great Elder followed.
• A Stone Bead struck Xiao Ze and ignored his Illusionary Sea Domain; he kept it and found that his Soul Power could not penetrate it.
• Xiao Ze activated the Medicine Tower’s Selection Formation, then entered with the Great Elder and climbed past the lower floors while collecting pill formulas.
• Xiao Ze knocked on the sturdy Energy Barrier guarding the final floor and looked forward to discovering what was inside.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder entered the treasure tower’s sealed top floor and collected its hidden treasures, but a strange skeleton revived and drove them to flee. A faint soul voice warned them of great danger as they escaped down the tower.

• Xiao Ze used the Core Rune to open the Energy Barrier, and he and the Great Elder entered the top floor.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder discovered a seemingly ordinary skeleton and agreed to collect the valuables while watching for danger.
• The Great Elder noticed a ghostly gleam in the skeleton’s eye sockets and urged Xiao Ze to hurry.
• The Great Elder’s Dou Qi shattered the skeleton, but its glowing bones reassembled with black mud-like substance seeping from their cracks.
• The skeleton charged Xiao Ze, but halted as the Energy Barrier closed, allowing a faint soul voice to warn Xiao Ze and the Great Elder to run.
• Xiao Ze removed the Core Rune and fled down the tower with the Great Elder.

Xiao Ze and the Great Elder escaped the treasure tower as the withered skeleton destroyed it and headed toward the main hall. At the exit, Xiao Ze reunited with Xun'er, but the skeleton's terrifying aura was closing in.

• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder fled the treasure tower, while cultivators who stayed behind were killed when the withered skeleton appeared and destroyed the structure.
• Xiao Ze and the Great Elder concluded that the Ancient Ruin had been infiltrated by the Netherworld Slave since ancient times and that the skeleton's former owner had touched the Saint Realm.
• Xiao Ze sensed Xun'er nearby and embraced her when she emerged from distorted space; two Ancient Clan elders watched in surprise.
• The elders recognized Xiao Ze as a young Alchemy Grandmaster and descendant of Xiao Xuan, while the Great Elder realized Xun'er held high status in the Ancient Clan.
• Xiao Ze sensed the withered skeleton approaching the main hall and wondered whether it had followed him because he took the treasure from the tower.

Xiao Ze and Xun'er realized the Ancient Ruin was a trap designed to draw in cultivators, then joined forces to fight the pursuing Withered Bone. They weakened it until its remaining Dou Saint power nearly ran out, leaving Xiao Ze able to suppress it completely.

• Xun'er told Xiao Ze that she and her companions had seen the Nether Sea's aura gathering toward the ruin, and Xiao Ze suspected someone had lured cultivators there to be slaughtered.
• Xun'er proposed confronting the pursuing Withered Bone, and Xiao Ze agreed that the group should defeat it and escape the ruin.
• Xiao Ze used the Illusionary Sea Domain to suppress the Withered Bone while Xun'er and the two old men attacked with their Dou Skills.
• Xiao Ze told the group to keep their distance and wear down the Withered Bone because its black energy and apparent inability to use Dou Skills were constrained by his domain.
• After enduring repeated attacks, the Withered Bone lost both fists and was struck by Xun'er's Golden Emperor's Burning Heaven Slash, causing its aura to plummet.
• Xiao Ze sensed that the Withered Bone's remaining Dou Saint power had been depleted and used the Illusionary Sea Domain to immobilize it.