Chapter Summaries

Chen Fei escaped Shangwu City after discovering that True Lord Xilian had become a Joint Aperture Realm Human Anomaly and reported the danger to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect. Qu Qingsheng prepared to inform the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, but it remained uncertain whether they would intervene.

• Chen Fei broke through Shangwu City's illusions with the God Slaying Sword and fled before the city could capture him.
• Chen Fei concluded that True Lord Xilian had refined his followers and transformed himself into a Human Anomaly.
• Chen Fei raced to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect and warned Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun about the Joint Aperture Realm Human Anomaly.
• Qu Qingsheng told Chen Fei to remain at the sect while he went to the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.

Yu Shoucheng confirmed that Shangwu City held a gestating Joint Aperture Realm Human Anomaly and sealed off some of its access to World Vital Energy before reporting the threat, which sparked panic across the Dynasty. Chen Fei continued improving his cultivation and simplified several recovered techniques, including Great Thunderous Sword into Thunderous Snoring.

• The Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and the Yu Family investigated Shangwu City and found its aura far more powerful than that of an ordinary Ghost City.
• Yu Shoucheng sensed that Shangwu City was nurturing a Human Anomaly and suppressed his desire to refine it into a Magic Treasure.
• Yu Shoucheng attacked Shangwu City, confirmed the anomaly was still gestating, and formed a seal to hinder its absorption of World Vital Energy.
• News of the Joint Aperture Realm Human Anomaly spread across the Dynasty, and people fled nearby Qin Hai City.
• Chen Fei continued opening Acupoints and simplified Water Jade Sword into Starry Night Sword, Blade Slayer Sword into Primordial Sword, and Great Thunderous Sword into Thunderous Snoring.

Chen Fei rapidly advanced his cultivation and techniques with secret support from the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, reaching fifty-two opened Acupoints and completing the third layer of the Yuan Chen Sword Canon. While he remained focused on training, major powers watched Shangwu City as they struggled to respond to True Lord Xilian, a Joint Aperture Realm Human Anomaly.

• Chen Fei discovered that loud snoring gave him insights into the Great Thunderous Sword, and he cultivated it alongside three other techniques.
• Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun secretly increased Chen Fei’s cultivation resources to support his talent and conceal his progress.
• Chen Fei opened seven Acupoints in less than a month, reaching fifty-two, but slowed his pace as his Spiritual Power caught up.
• Chen Fei perfected the third layer of the Yuan Chen Sword Canon and fused the Heaven Escaping Movement into it, while his other sword techniques also advanced.
• Major powers stationed themselves near Shangwu City and watched True Lord Xilian while the Joint Aperture Realm encirclement remained unresolved.

True Lord Xilian revealed a cultivation method that could turn Joint Aperture Realm cultivators into Human Anomalies and extend their lifespans, disrupting the forces’ plan to besiege him. As the method spread and Chen Fei considered the aging expert in the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, Chi Shuqing visited him.

• Martial artists found a carved cultivation method on a boulder hurled from Shangwu City, then sent news of its instructions for becoming a Human Anomaly to their forces.
• Several Joint Aperture Realm experts gathered to inspect the method, but True Lord Xilian appeared and argued that it could greatly extend their lifespans in exchange for consuming fifty thousand people each year.
• Zhang Tu attacked True Lord Xilian’s phantom, but the other experts became interested in studying the method, and Zhang Tu left without securing their cooperation.
• The cultivation method spread throughout the Dynasty, and Chen Fei realized that it had broken up the siege and could tempt the aging Joint Aperture Realm expert in the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.
• Chi Shuqing visited Chen Fei, thanked him for treating her injuries, and told him her cultivation had improved.

Chen Fei cultivated with Chi Shuqing for five days, rapidly strengthening his Spiritual Power and opening another Acupoint. As he returned to training, the revelation of True Lord Xilian’s Human Anomaly technique stirred suspicion and debate among the region’s Joint Aperture Realm cultivators.

• Chi Shuqing visited Chen Fei to cultivate together, and he asked whether Sinking Water Pavilion had a method for increasing Spiritual Power.
• Chi Shuqing taught Chen Fei the sect’s secret art, and he mastered it quickly, impressing her with his comprehension.
• After five days, Chi Shuqing left because their rapid progress had strained her body; Chen Fei’s Spiritual Power reached the level of controlling sixty Acupoints, and he had opened one more Acupoint.
• Chen Fei resumed cultivating with resources from the Cliff Mountain Sect while unrest spread over True Lord Xilian’s technique for becoming a Human Anomaly.
• Yu Zhanrong asked Yu Shoucheng whether True Lord Xilian’s technique was genuine, and Yu Shoucheng warned that its promise of extended life could fuel dangerous greed.
• Yu Shoucheng told Yu Zhanrong to spread his warning, while acknowledging that those already determined to pursue the technique would not listen.

You Shounan joined True Lord Xilian after sacrificing the North Lin Sect and North Lin City to transform into a Human Anomaly, prompting a battle against five Joint Aperture Realm cultivators. The fight ended without either side’s leaders dying, while Chen Fei advanced the Great Thunderous Sword and began experimenting with electromagnetic acceleration through his Meteorite Bow.

• The North Lin Sect and North Lin City vanished, and True Lord Xilian revealed that You Shounan had devoured them to begin transforming into a Human Anomaly and strengthen Shangwu City.
• Zhang Tu and four other Joint Aperture Realm cultivators attacked Shangwu City, while True Lord Xilian welcomed other cultivators to join him.
• Tong Zhongqiu assured Gong Guanzi that he would never sacrifice the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect for a longer life, despite wanting to keep living and protect the sect.
• The battle ended with heavy losses on both sides; Zhang Tu lost an arm, and True Lord Xilian survived by using a damaged High-grade Magic Treasure.
• Chen Fei brought the Great Thunderous Sword into the Proficient Realm, then used his Meteorite Bow to build an arrow’s power through electromagnetic acceleration.

Chen Fei refined his lightning techniques while Shangwu City’s threat unsettled the region, then sought a discreet way to sell the Spirit Artifacts he had obtained. After Chi Shuqing pointed him toward Black City Market, Baka showed its first sign of Spiritual Wisdom and faintly called Chen Fei’s name.

• Chen Fei’s attempt to accelerate an arrow with lightning shattered it, and he resolved to improve his control over the Great Thunderous Sword.
• The five Joint Aperture Realm experts failed to defeat Shangwu City, prompting people to flee nearby cities while the experts’ rivalries prevented them from uniting.
• Chen Fei advanced his techniques and opened fifty-eight acupoints, exhausted the Cliff Mountain Sect’s cultivation resources, and kept its Spirit Artifacts to sell.
• Chen Fei extracted Hong Yuanfeng’s spirit sword essence and infused it into the Flying Ling Shuttle, then asked Chi Shuqing how to discreetly sell the remaining artifacts.
• Chi Shuqing recommended Black City Market as a place to sell the Spirit Artifacts without questions about their origins.
• After Chi Shuqing left, Chen Fei watered Baka with Spirit Awakening Liquid, and the chunk of wood faintly called his name.

Chen Fei revived Baka, whose strength and Spiritual Wisdom had been damaged in the Ghost City, and helped it recover while learning it could cultivate medicinal herbs. Meanwhile, Rogue Cultivator Zeng Zixin gathered powerful yin energy near Shangwu City, where he noticed something strange about an exhausted man.

• Baka revived from the block of wood as a small, weakened treant and recognized Chen Fei.
• Baka planted itself in a pot and absorbed vital energy from an essence stone to aid its recovery.
• Baka told Chen Fei it had grown the old medicinal herbs it once gave him and promised to cultivate herbs for him once it recovered.
• Zeng Zixin gathered high-quality yin energy outside Shangwu City, using it to support his cultivation.
• At the Rogue Cultivator campsite, a bloodshot-eyed man asked Zeng Zixin about Old Fang, and Zeng Zixin sensed something behind him as he watched him leave.

Zeng Zixin ignored his growing unease about missing cultivators and continued absorbing yin energy near Shangwu City, deciding to stay for another month. Meanwhile, Chen Fei reached Black City Market to sell spirit artifacts discreetly, and the shopkeeper opened a box containing Qi Yuanlu’s mid-grade spirit sword.

• Zeng Zixin noticed that acquaintances had been disappearing but decided that the benefits of cultivating near Shangwu City outweighed his suspicions.
• Zeng Zixin absorbed yin energy and resolved to remain at the camp for another month, unaware that his shadow briefly moved on its own.
• Chen Fei left the Yuan Chen Sword Sect after checking on Baka and traveled to Black City Market with his aura concealed as an Early Stage Aperture Refining Realm martial artist.
• Chen Fei sold a damaged low-grade spirit sword from Xu Yanxin to a discreet shopkeeper for thirty-eight primordial stones.
• Chen Fei presented another wooden box, and the shopkeeper discovered a mid-grade spirit sword taken from Qi Yuanlu.

Chen Fei sold Spirit Artifacts and bought pills in Black City Market, unaware that Dai Fangxuan had recognized his aura. Dai Fangxuan asked Miao Qisheng to help kill Chen Fei, and Miao Qisheng began assessing whether he was traveling with other Aperture Refining Realm cultivators.

• Chen Fei sold two Low-grade Spirit Artifacts and a Mid-grade Spirit Sword, earning three hundred and sixty-seven yuan stones, then bought spiritual pills.
• Dai Fangxuan recognized Chen Fei's aura on Black City Market's Formation Disk and recalled how Chen Fei had nearly killed him three years earlier.
• Dai Fangxuan left his post and asked Miao Qisheng to help him kill Chen Fei.
• Miao Qisheng recognized Chen Fei as the man who had grievously injured Dai Fangxuan and asked whether any other Aperture Refining Realm cultivators were traveling with him.

Chen Fei sold his remaining Spirit Artifacts, stored his goods, and spent the night cultivating before leaving Black City Market. Dai Fangxuan and Miao Qisheng confirmed he was alone and waited outside the gates to ambush him.

• Dai Fangxuan told Miao Qisheng that Chen Fei had come alone, and they planned to kill him outside Black City Market and seize his body-tempering inheritance.
• Chen Fei sold his remaining Spirit Artifacts, bought spiritual pills, and stored most of his Origin Stones and pills in his Space Grid at an inn.
• Chen Fei cultivated through the night while Dai Fangxuan monitored his location and confirmed that no other Aperture Refining Realm cultivator had approached him.
• Chen Fei searched Black City Market for useful goods, lost interest, and decided to leave.
• Chen Fei walked out of Black City Market shortly after noon, where Dai Fangxuan and Miao Qisheng were waiting.

Dai Fangxuan and Miao Qisheng pursued Chen Fei, expecting to kill an Early Stage Aperture Refining Realm martial artist. Chen Fei revealed his Mid-stage strength and struck Miao Qisheng down, leaving Dai Fangxuan terrified and facing death.

• Dai Fangxuan asked Miao Qisheng to help kill Chen Fei and hoped to keep him alive long enough to extract his technique.
• Miao Qisheng tracked Chen Fei and caught up with him in a desolate area, where Dai Fangxuan recognized his old enemy.
• Miao Qisheng attacked Chen Fei with sword intent, but Chen Fei resisted it without injury.
• Chen Fei unleashed the God Slaying Sword, overwhelming Dai Fangxuan's mind and forcing Miao Qisheng to block the strike.
• Dai Fangxuan realized Chen Fei had concealed his Mid-stage Aperture Refining Realm aura as Chen Fei smashed Miao Qisheng with a single strike.

Chen Fei killed Miao Qisheng after defeating him and forced Dai Fangxuan to lead him into Rain Tower’s branch in Black City Market. After finding hidden jade slips in Miao Qisheng’s study, Chen Fei stopped Dai Fangxuan at the secret vault, suspecting that opening it would summon the Black City Market master.

• Chen Fei defeated Miao Qisheng with one sword, questioned him about his Spiritual Power, then killed him when he refused to answer.
• Dai Fangxuan offered to lead Chen Fei to Rain Tower’s resources and Miao Qisheng’s room in exchange for his life, and Chen Fei agreed.
• Chen Fei sealed Dai Fangxuan’s cultivation and brought him back to Black City Market, disguising his aura as that of an Organ Refinement Realm cultivator.
• Dai Fangxuan led Chen Fei through Rain Tower’s manor, where Chen Fei found jade slips hidden in Miao Qisheng’s study.
• Dai Fangxuan led Chen Fei to the underground secret vault and began to approach its formation, but Chen Fei restrained him and asked whether opening it would bring the Black City Market master.

Chen Fei foiled Dai Fangxuan’s plan to summon the Black City Market Master, killed him, and looted Rain Tower’s secret vault before escaping Black City Market. Back at the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, Chen Fei studied Rain Tower’s jade slips and prepared to examine Miao Qisheng’s records for the secret behind his powerful Spiritual Power.

• Dai Fangxuan revealed his plan to lure Chen Fei into a trap and survive inside the secret vault until the Black City Market Master arrived.
• Chen Fei used the Blood Source Technique to control the vault’s formation, then killed Dai Fangxuan and took his belongings.
• Chen Fei opened the double-layered formation, collected the vault’s resources, and left Black City Market without triggering its defenses.
• Chen Fei returned to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect and read the jade slips from Rain Tower’s vault, finding the Blood Burning Art among techniques mostly intended for Body Refining Realm martial artists.
• Chen Fei turned to Miao Qisheng’s jade slips, hoping they would explain how Miao Qisheng had developed Spiritual Power far beyond his number of acupoints.

Chen Fei unlocked Miao Qisheng’s jade slips and discovered that Miao Qisheng had used a Heart Refining Array to refine Heart Anomalies and strengthen his Spiritual Power. Chen Fei simplified the array and began mastering it by drawing its formation diagram with over a hundred strands of Spiritual Power.

• Chen Fei unraveled the jade slips and found cultivation and swordsmanship inheritances, a map of the Heart Anomaly Realm, a formation, and a list of Rain Tower spies.
• Chen Fei connected the map and Heart Refining Array to the Heart Anomaly Realm, then read Miao Qisheng’s diary to confirm that the array refined Heart Anomalies into Spiritual Power-enhancing essence.
• Chen Fei learned that the refined essence carried dangerous madness, and that Miao Qisheng reduced the risk by targeting weaker Heart Anomalies and improving the array.
• Chen Fei simplified the Heart Refining Array, and the Thousand Silk Art used over a hundred strands of Spiritual Power to draw its formation diagram and deliver insights into his mind.

Chen Fei completed the Heart Refining Array and entered the Heart Anomaly Realm at the location marked on Miao Qisheng’s map. He found a ruined temple containing a record of the array and glimpsed further buildings nearby, leaving to explore them.

• Chen Fei cultivated the Heart Refining Array to Great Perfection and decided to investigate the location Miao Qisheng had marked on his map.
• Chen Fei gave Chi Shuqing three Youthful Appearance Pills, spent several hours cultivating with her, and then left for his journey.
• Chen Fei reached a remote waterfall, entered the pool, and used the Dragon Elephant Array and a shadow clone to guard his body before entering the Heart Anomaly Realm.
• Chen Fei followed the map to a ruined temple and found the Heart Refining Array inscribed on its inner wall, while the records on the other walls were mostly destroyed.
• Chen Fei discovered that an ash-crumbling brick restored itself, then left the temple and headed toward the other buildings.

Chen Fei explored a ruined inheritance site and used its damaged techniques to create the Star Gazing Art, which could locate people by their auras. He then purified and absorbed a First-tier Heart Anomaly’s origin, strengthening his mind and revealing a new way to gain Spiritual Power in the Heart Anomaly Realm.

• Chen Fei read the damaged techniques carved into the ruins and used his panel to organize them into the Star Gazing Art, then simplified it into Star Gazing.
• Chen Fei left the ruins and followed a chaotic aura to a First-tier Heart Anomaly in the Black Mist.
• Chen Fei killed the anomaly with the God Slaying Sword and purified its origin with his three-layered Heart Refining Array.
• Chen Fei absorbed the purified origin, raising his mind’s strength from nearly sixty-one Acupoints to sixty-one and increasing his Spiritual Power.
• Chen Fei realized that the Heart Anomalies he had once ignored could now serve as sources of nourishment for his mind.

Chen Fei used purified First-tier Heart Anomaly origins to rapidly raise his Spiritual Power, then discovered that cultivating the Star Gazing Art greatly improved his perception and ability to find Anomalies. He left the Heart Anomaly Realm with Spiritual Power strong enough to control eighty Acupoints, while the Star Gazing Art continued advancing toward Perfection.

• Chen Fei killed First-tier Heart Anomalies until his Spiritual Power reached seventy-two Acupoints, then withdrew to let his body adapt.
• Chen Fei cultivated the Star Gazing Art beneath the stars and found that using it sharply accelerated his comprehension and extended his vision.
• Chen Fei practiced the Primordial Sword while continuing to cultivate the Star Gazing Art, advancing both arts at once.
• Ten days later, Chen Fei had opened three Acupoints, stabilized his Spiritual Power, and raised the Star Gazing Art to the Proficient Realm.
• Chen Fei used his improved perception to locate nearly a hundred First-tier Heart Anomalies in two hours, raising his Spiritual Power from seventy-two to eighty Acupoints.

Chen Fei brought Chi Shuqing into the Heart Anomaly Realm to help her cultivate her Spiritual Power, but she proved unable to absorb Heart Anomaly origins. After returning, Chen Fei spent a month strengthening his foundation and opened seven more acupoints.

• Chen Fei realized that his Spiritual Power had outpaced his acupoint cultivation, so he paused visits to the Heart Anomaly Realm until he increased his acupoints.
• Chen Fei guided Chi Shuqing into the Heart Anomaly Realm and showed her how he killed a Heart Anomaly and absorbed its origin.
• Chi Shuqing could not absorb the Heart Anomaly origin, even after she killed a weakened Heart Anomaly herself and Chen Fei purified it with the Heart Refining Array.
• Chen Fei suspected the Heart Refining Array and its inheritance required a special constitution, then offered to teach Chi Shuqing the formation so she could try controlling it.
• Over the next month, Chen Fei slowed his cultivation to solidify his foundation and opened seven acupoints, bringing his total to sixty-eight.

Chen Fei discovered that Wu Guangyin had returned to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect under some kind of control and had tried to kill an Inner Sect Disciple. After Wu Guangyin woke with no memory of the attack, Chen Fei provoked him by insulting True Lord Xilian, causing the blood-red influence to resurface.

• Chen Fei sensed Wu Guangyin approaching the mountain gate and used the Star Gazing Art to watch him enter the sect unnoticed.
• Wu Guangyin seized an Inner Sect Disciple and nearly crushed the disciple’s neck before Chen Fei restrained him and carried him to Qu Qingsheng.
• Qu Qingsheng questioned Wu Guangyin, who remembered watching a Human Anomaly in Shangwu City but could not recall what happened afterward.
• As Qu Qingsheng prepared to inspect Wu Guangyin’s Sea of Consciousness, Chen Fei stopped him and insulted True Lord Xilian.
• Wu Guangyin’s eyes turned blood-red and his acupoints began to shake, but Chen Fei struck his forehead with sword fingers.