Chapter Summaries

Gu Ding learned that the rare Crimson Flame Demon Tree was guarded by powerful creatures and decided to risk his life-saving Crystal Cards to obtain its fruit. Sea Emperor gave him the tree’s location, and Gu Ding raced away from Lagge City before the harvest period ended.

• Gu Ding and Sea Emperor discussed the Crimson Flame Demon Tree’s intelligence, its use of demon beasts as guards, and the danger posed by the nearby Fiend Devil and Ninth Sequence demon beast.
• Sea Emperor warned Gu Ding that the over-eight-hundred-thousand-year-old tree and its defenders were beyond his current ability to face safely.
• Gu Ding decided to use his three life-saving Crystal Cards, arguing that the Crimson Flame Demon Fruits could help him grow stronger and that the cards would be useless against a Celestial God.
• Sea Emperor agreed to gamble for the twelve fruits and sent Gu Ding a map to the tree.
• Gu Ding flew away from Lagge City to reach the Crimson Flame Demon Tree before its fruit-harvesting period ended.

Gu Ding waited near the Crimson Flame Demon Tree until the Ninth Sequence feline demonic beast finished fighting off the other beasts, then crushed it with a Crystal Card. When he attacked the tree, a Fiend Devil blocked his soul assault and began to manifest above its crown.

• Gu Ding watched the Crimson Flame Demon Tree and the Ninth Sequence feline demonic beast battle for five days while Sea Emperor monitored the area.
• Sea Emperor told Gu Ding to attack after the feline killed the last demonic beast, and Gu Ding rushed into the clearing.
• Gu Ding stunned the feline with Soul Impact and crushed it with a Blood-colored Giant Hand summoned by a Crystal Card.
• The Crimson Flame Demon Tree attacked Gu Ding with its branches, but his soul blades wounded it and forced it to withdraw.
• Gu Ding's next soul attack met resistance as Fiend Qi rose from the tree, and a massive phantom began forming above its crown.

Gu Ding’s Demon Face absorbed the Fiend Devil’s attacks while he used a Crystal Card to uproot and destroy the Crimson Flame Demon Tree. After escaping to Shattas Main City, he unknowingly awakened a white-haired True God who sensed the Crystal Cards’ power and began searching for outsiders.

• The Demon Face appeared above Gu Ding and devoured the Fiend Devil’s Fiend Qi, growing stronger with each attack.
• The Demon Face overrode the Crimson Flame Demon Tree’s command and made the Fiend Devil resume attacking with purple Fiend Qi.
• The Crimson Flame Demon Tree tried to strike the Demon Face, then redirected its branches toward Gu Ding.
• Gu Ding crushed his second Crystal Card, and a golden palm destroyed the branches, uprooted the demon tree, and erased its soul while the Demon Face devoured the Fiend Devil.
• Gu Ding stored the tree and nearby corpses, escaped, and traveled through a teleportation array to Shattas Main City.
• The Crystal Cards’ Tenth Sequence auras awakened a white-haired youth in an Ice Crystal Coffin, who suspected outsiders had entered the world and looked forward to finding them.

Gu Ding learned appearance alteration and hypnosis techniques so he could sell his expedition spoils without revealing his identity. At the Shata Exchange, its owner Urdia recognized the value of his Eighth Sequence Crimson Flame Demon Fruit and asked to buy it.

• Gu Ding reviewed his haul with Sea Emperor and chose to learn both appearance alteration and hypnosis before consigning items.
• After five days of training, Gu Ding transformed his body and went to the Shata Exchange in Shattas Main City.
• Gu Ding told a clerk he wanted to consign Crimson Flame Demon Fruits, prompting the exchange's owner, Urdia, to meet him.
• Urdia doubted Gu Ding could possess the fruits because his vitality seemed weak, but stopped him when he offered to leave.
• Gu Ding showed Urdia an Eighth Sequence Crimson Flame Demon Fruit, and she asked to buy it.

Gu Ding sold an Eighth Sequence Crimson Flame Demon Fruit and a large collection of demon beast corpses to Urdia through the Shata Exchange. He left with hundreds of millions of Violet Blood Crystals and a secured slot in the Abyss Blood Pool, while Sea Emperor explained the next stages of his cultivation.

• Sea Emperor persuaded Gu Ding to sell the Crimson Flame Demon Fruit directly to Urdia, and Gu Ding received thirty million Violet Blood Crystals after asking her to keep the sale secret.
• Gu Ding rejected Urdia's Gold Membership offer, and she proposed securing him a slot in the Abyss Blood Pool instead.
• Gu Ding sold Urdia eighteen Eighth Sequence demon beast corpses for three hundred and sixty million Violet Blood Crystals and consigned his Sixth and Seventh Sequence corpses for auction.
• Sea Emperor told Gu Ding that Violet Blood Crystals could help him cultivate the White Jade Emperor Body and explained that the Blood Flame Emperor Body was its next stage.
• Urdia returned with Gu Ding's funds, confirmed his Abyss Blood Pool slot for seven days later, and registered him for a Silver Membership with a reduced auction fee.

Gu Ding cultivated the Myriad Manifestations Emperor Body in a hotel’s protected cultivation room and broke through to the Emperor Body Realm. After learning more about the Abyss Blood Pool, he prepared to reach its bottom during his upcoming visit.

• Gu Ding exchanged violet blood crystals for crimson blood crystals, checked out of the inn, and registered for a cultivation room at the Oak hotel.
• Gu Ding spent more than five hundred days inside the Time Acceleration Cabin absorbing crimson blood crystals, raising his Devil Elephant Realm to great completion.
• Gu Ding used three violet blood crystals to complete a new energy cycle and transform into his first Emperor Body, a towering armored giant.
• Sea Emperor told Gu Ding to absorb the remaining energy and adjust to his new body, while Gu Ding finished consuming the violet blood crystals and left seclusion.
• Sea Emperor explained that the Abyss Blood Pool’s special energy benefited those who entered it and that only beings below the True God level could pass through its spatial barrier; Gu Ding vowed to reach its bottom.

Gu Ding traveled with Lavern and the Blonde Woman to the Abyss Blood Pool, where his One-Star Half-Step True God cultivation drew ridicule from the other entrants. When a burly man tried to take his place in line, Gu Ding stood his ground, and the Blonde Woman warned the man against causing trouble.

• Urdia defended her decision to give Gu Ding a slot in the Abyss Blood Pool after Lavern questioned his low cultivation.
• Emon took Gu Ding, Lavern, and the Blonde Woman to the canyon on a Gale Wind Bird and explained the pool’s dangers, benefits, and records.
• At the canyon, Emon gave the three Iron Tags and sent them to join the registration line, where other entrants mocked Gu Ding’s cultivation.
• A burly entrant demanded Gu Ding’s place in line, but Gu Ding told him to get lost.
• The Blonde Woman warned the burly entrant that causing trouble could get him disqualified, and he returned to his place after threatening Gu Ding.

Gu Ding entered the Abyss Blood Pool and endured its crushing descent, using its blood and vitality energy to strengthen his body. After setting a new depth record, he reached the limit of his physical growth and began absorbing the energy to enhance his Myriad Manifestations Emperor Body instead.

• Gu Ding passed through the mountain fissure with Brenne and learned that the Heavenly God Palace would explain the Abyss Blood Pool’s rules once all three hundred participants arrived.
• A purple-robed Heavenly God Palace member explained that participants had to jump into the pool and would be expelled permanently if they could not endure it, then he and four companions jumped in first.
• Gu Ding activated his full Combat Strength to survive the fall, then dived to nearly one thousand meters and began cultivating alongside Brenne.
• After reaching Three-Star Half-Step True God in less than three days, Gu Ding pushed deeper and endured stronger undercurrents, which accelerated his cell strengthening.
• Gu Ding advanced to Four-Star and then Five-Star Half-Step True God, reached 1,300 meters, and surpassed the previous depth record of 1,289 meters.
• The Sea Emperor told Gu Ding that his physical body had reached its growth limit, so Gu Ding continued absorbing the pool’s energy to strengthen his Myriad Manifestations Emperor Body.

Gu Ding remained in the Abyss Blood Pool, growing his White Jade Emperor Body until it reached the strength of a Third Sequence True God, while those outside assumed he had died. After Sea Emperor urged him to reach the pool’s bottom, Gu Ding spotted something on the rock layer.

• Gu Ding activated his White Jade Emperor Body and absorbed the blood pool’s energy, growing past 200 meters as he endured the currents and whirlpools.
• Gu Ding rescued Brenne and the burly man from an undercurrent by flinging them out of the pool, and Brenne concealed that he had saved them.
• Emon left the canyon with Brenne and Lavern after Gu Ding failed to emerge by the sixtieth day, but Brenne told Urdia that Gu Ding had hidden his true cultivation and might still be alive.
• Gu Ding continued growing and descending, reaching a 350-meter Emperor Body and a depth of about 1,480 meters as the Purple-Robed Man remained at 1,200 meters.
• Sea Emperor told Gu Ding that the pool’s energy could raise him only to the peak of the Third Sequence, then urged him to inspect the bottom, where Gu Ding saw something that delighted him.

Gu Ding collected the scattered treasures at the bottom of the Abyss Blood Pool, then entered a cave that neither Sea Emperor's scans nor Gu Ding's soul power could penetrate. After ten days of descending, Gu Ding spotted light ahead, while those outside believed he had died and the pool's eruption drove An Si Lin out.

• Gu Ding collected more than a hundred thousand pieces of storage equipment and combat gear from the pool floor over several days.
• Gu Ding found a cave entrance invisible to Sea Emperor's scans, finished collecting the remaining items, and chose to descend into it.
• Inside the cave, Sea Emperor's scanning failed and Gu Ding could not extend his soul power, but Gu Ding continued downward despite the danger.
• The Abyss Blood Pool erupted when Gu Ding entered the cave, forcing An Si Lin to flee on the ninety-ninth day; he escaped badly injured and missed the hundred-day mark.
• The purple-robed elder and four youths left with An Si Lin, while the registrar hoped Gu Ding would meet his Master's requirements.
• Urdia learned that the Heavenly God Palace had left and assumed Gu Lotte was dead, as Gu Ding continued descending for ten days before spotting a faint light ahead.

Gu Ding discovered Bartholomew in an underground cemetery and learned how the Space-Time Disordered Land had separated the traveler’s soul from his body. Bartholomew asked Gu Ding to take him out of the world, and Gu Ding agreed to do so in eight months; the chapter ended with Gu Ding asking how Bartholomew’s soul had been annihilated.

• Gu Ding descended into an underground cemetery and found a Purple-Robed Man inside an Ice Crystal Coffin.
• The man awakened, identified Gu Ding as an outsider, and introduced himself as Bartholomew, a world traveler from the Lin Bo World.
• Bartholomew explained that after he died, the world’s space-time laws restored his soul but left his body outside their laws, separating the two.
• Bartholomew asked Gu Ding to take him out of the world, and Gu Ding said he could do so after another eight months.
• Gu Ding asked how Bartholomew, despite his strength, had lost his soul, and Bartholomew reacted unpleasantly.

Bartholomew explained how an outsider named Celestine had damaged his soul and remained in the world, preying on humans. He asked Gu Ding to help him kill Celestine at the upcoming Martial Dao Assembly, and Gu Ding agreed.

• Bartholomew recounted how he brought civilization to the world's humans before Celestine arrived and attacked him with a soul technique.
• Bartholomew explained how he hid in the Abyss Blood Pool, set trials for potential inheritors, and waited millions of years for Gu Ding.
• Bartholomew revealed that Celestine stayed to gather rare crystals and proposed using a soul attack formation against him at the Martial Dao Assembly.
• Bartholomew said Gu Ding could approach Celestine openly by placing among the top three in the Half-Step True God tier.
• Gu Ding agreed to help Bartholomew kill Celestine to prevent further harm to this world and others.

Gu Ding received Bartholomew’s inheritance and used the time in the Time Acceleration Cabin to refine his soul techniques and improve his Martial Dao Intent. After absorbing True Blood, he broke through to Five-Star High-rank God and prepared to examine the pyramid-shaped item he had absorbed from behind the Silver Gate.

• Bartholomew passed his inheritance to Gu Ding and agreed to extract the Life Fire from Gu Ding’s Crimson Flame Demon Tree.
• Gu Ding studied the Soul Dao Truth and Great Wilderness Martial Scripture in the Time Acceleration Cabin, refining his soul techniques and raising his Martial Dao Intent to minor accomplishment in the Enlightenment Realm.
• Gu Ding absorbed the First Sequence True God’s True Blood and entered a state of enlightenment as he broke through the chains sealing the Silver Gate.
• Gu Ding opened the Silver Gate, absorbed a pyramid-shaped crystal, and advanced from Five-Star Mid-rank God to Five-Star High-rank God.
• Sea Emperor reviewed Gu Ding’s improved data and cautioned him that the Emperor Body remained his strongest offensive method.
• Gu Ding ended his secluded cultivation and took out the pyramid-shaped item to examine it.

Gu Ding used the Soul Grinding Disc and endured repeated soul destruction until his soul strength rose to seven stars, then refined Bartholomew’s platinum Life Fire, raising his divine source to four stars. Bartholomew returned to the Ice Crystal Coffin, and Gu Ding prepared to leave through the one-use teleportation array.

• Gu Ding entered the Soul Grinding Disc and endured the golden astral wind repeatedly tearing apart and restoring his soul until its strength reached seven stars.
• Gu Ding emerged from the pyramid after nearly seven hundred days in the Time Acceleration Cabin and found Bartholomew using the Crimson Blood Demon Tree as an avatar.
• Bartholomew showed Gu Ding the platinum Life Fire he had extracted from the tree, and Gu Ding refined it in the Time Acceleration Cabin, raising his divine source to four stars.
• Bartholomew returned to the Ice Crystal Coffin and entered dormancy after recalling the twelve pillars into his body.
• Gu Ding stored the Crimson Blood Demon Tree and Ice Crystal Coffin, then stepped into the one-use teleportation array.

Gu Ding disguised himself and entered Wu La City's underground black market to sell items recovered from the Abyss Blood Pool. He reached the Black Tower to meet its Ninth Sequence True God master, who allowed him inside, and the chapter ended as Gu Ding saw the man waiting at a table.

• Gu Ding disguised himself as a towering, scarred man and examined the treasures recovered from the Abyss Blood Pool.
• Sea Emperor advised Gu Ding to sell much of the loot through the underground black market because the distinctive equipment could expose its previous owners.
• Gu Ding used the password at a tavern, changed into a robe and mask, and descended into the vast underground city.
• Gu Ding followed Sea Emperor's directions to the Black Tower, where two Lion Sculpture Beasts demanded an invitation and threatened to attack him.
• The Black Tower's master ordered the Lion Sculpture Beasts to let Gu Ding enter, and Gu Ding saw the middle-aged man waiting at a table with tea.

Gu Ding sold a huge cache of storage equipment and spiritual-object weapons to William for over twenty million Violet Blood Crystals. Before Gu Ding left, William revealed that he had remained at the Ninth Sequence for hundreds of thousands of years because he feared the mysterious disappearance of every Tenth Sequence True God, and Gu Ding hinted that the mystery might end this year.

• Gu Ding met with the ghastly-looking Middle-Aged Man, introduced himself as Gu Lotte, and offered to sell him a large batch of goods.
• Gu Ding brought out 83,687 pieces of storage equipment and mentioned that he also had many spiritual-object weapons and defensive items.
• The Middle-Aged Man introduced himself as William and bought the entire batch from Gu Ding for over twenty million Violet Blood Crystals.
• As Gu Ding prepared to leave, William said he could not see through him and compared him with the master of the Heavenly God Palace.
• William explained that he had suppressed his cultivation at the Ninth Sequence for hundreds of thousands of years because Tenth Sequence True Gods disappeared, and said he could only hold on for a few more decades.
• Gu Ding replied that perhaps everything would end this year.

After more than three months of brutal training in the Saar Mountain Range, Gu Ding strengthened his Emperor Body and learned to fight without using his Divine Source. He returned to Wu La City and registered for the Martial Dao Tournament, receiving challenge number 9527 as he waited for the Selection Tournament to begin.

• Gu Ding spent three months hunting powerful demonic beasts, and his White Jade Emperor Body reached Fourth Sequence True God strength.
• Bartholomew concealed Gu Ding's cultivation, Divine Source, and divine fire, then had him train for three more days without using the Divine Source.
• Gu Ding and Sea Emperor discussed the Gate of Purgatory, the danger Celestine posed, and whether Gu Ding should remain there after finding the escape item.
• Gu Ding returned to Wu La City and waited more than four hours to register for the Martial Dao Tournament.
• The registrar noticed Gu Ding's stated age of 1,600 and gave him challenge plate 9527 after learning he displayed seven-star Half-Step True God strength.
• Gu Ding read the rules and learned that contestants had to pass their city's Selection Tournament before entering the Martial Dao Tournament preliminaries.

Gu Ding attended Wu La City’s Selection Tournament and assessed several formidable contestants before City Lord Capson announced the brackets and the first round’s elimination rules. The competition began with the intermediate bracket, and Gu Ding headed to Number One Arena.

• Gu Ding arrived at the tournament venue and observed flashy contestants Kelsa and Jia Geer, judging that he could defeat the top contenders he had seen.
• Capson arrived and explained that each bracket would advance only three thousand contestants to the Martial Dao Tournament preliminary round.
• Capson announced that the first round would place ten thousand participants on each arena, where no more than one thousand could remain after an hour or everyone on that arena would be eliminated.
• Capson started the tournament with the intermediate bracket and directed participants to arenas according to their assigned numbers.
• Gu Ding confirmed that his number was 9527 and went to Number One Arena.

Gu Ding survived the brutal first selection on Number One Arena, defeating an Eight-Star Half-Step True God who challenged him and qualifying as its only Seven-Star contestant. Afterward, he watched the True God competition and identified the black-robed woman who had defended him as one of three Ninth Sequence experts on a single arena.

• City Lord Capson began the arena selections, and Gu Ding avoided the early clashes as weaker contestants were eliminated.
• An Eight-Star Half-Step True God called Bald Head charged Gu Ding, who struck him down with a swift punch and drew wary attention from the other contestants.
• A black-robed woman explained how Gu Ding had defeated Bald Head, then severed the arm of a fat man who tried to lift her hood.
• The contestants eliminated the remaining Seven-Star fighters and enough Eight-Star fighters for Gu Ding and a little over 980 others to qualify from Number One Arena.
• The selections ended across the arenas, leaving a little over 81,000 Half-Step True Gods from more than 870,000 contestants, and City Lord Capson began competitions for other ranks.
• Gu Ding watched a True God arena and recognized the black-robed woman, Golden Armor Uncle, and Animal Skin Guy as its three Ninth Sequence experts.

Gu Ding advanced through the second collective selection on Arena Seven, where he swiftly defeated twelve contestants who targeted him. Kelsa confronted him and demanded that he withdraw, but Gu Ding provoked him until Kelsa erupted and attacked.

• After the first selection ended, Capson announced a second collective round, assigning contestants to arenas and warning against wiping out an entire arena.
• Gu Ding arrived at Arena Seven, where he was the only contestant whose cultivation appeared below Eight-Star Half-Step True God.
• Twelve contestants attacked Gu Ding, and he quickly defeated them without killing them, making everyone nearby wary of him.
• Kelsa approached Gu Ding and demanded that he admit defeat because his cultivation was too low for the tournament.
• Gu Ding refused and taunted Kelsa, who finally lost his temper and erupted in anger.