Chapter Summaries

Bai Ze reached the summit of the Sword Sect’s assessment and was granted the benefits of an Inner Disciple, then Hong Yan accepted him as her Registered Disciple at Misty Peak. She revealed that Misty Peak and the Bright Sword Sect he inherited belonged to the same lineage.

• Shangguan Fengyun stopped Lei Shi from asking Hong Yan about an embarrassing incident from his past.
• Bai Ze endured the pressure on the 999th stair and reached the summit.
• Elder Li announced that Bai Ze and the other two summit climbers would receive Inner Disciple status and benefits once they broke through to the Shattering Realm.
• Lei Shi accepted Wang Long as his Registered Disciple, and the peak master of Qinghai Peak accepted the other summit climber.
• Hong Yan brought Bai Ze to Misty Peak, took his Sword Son Token, and accepted him as her first Registered Disciple.
• Hong Yan told Bai Ze that Misty Peak and the Bright Sword Sect he inherited were branches of the same lineage.

Hong Yan taught Bai Ze about Misty Peak’s sword arts, gave him a sword and cultivation techniques, and pushed him to prepare for a coming assessment. Unaware that she intended for him to defeat Su Yao’s disciple in their rivalry, Bai Ze collected his Inner Disciple resources and began cultivating.

• Hong Yan explained that the Bright Sword Art was a simplified form of Misty Peak’s King Ming Sword Heart Art and said Bai Ze could learn the full art after reaching the Void Realm.
• Hong Yan gave Bai Ze the Slay Heaven Sword and taught him the Cold Heart Sword Art and King Ming Sword Body Art, then urged him to win first place in the assessment in three months.
• After Bai Ze left, Hong Yan recalled her agreement with Su Yao: their disciples would compete in three years, and the winner’s master would become Senior Disciple Sister.
• Bai Ze went to the Resource Pavilion, received Inner Disciple-level supplies despite his Outer Disciple status, and entered a Yellow Grade Cultivation Room to cultivate.

Bai Ze cultivated in a Yellow Grade Cultivation Room, then accepted the Ji Family’s offer to become its Attendant in exchange for annual Spirit Stones and limited help when needed. After rejecting similar offers from other lineages, he considered how much cultivation time his new resources could buy.

• Bai Ze spent six days cultivating in a Yellow Grade Cultivation Room, consolidating his cultivation and improving his strength.
• Ji Xinlan told Bai Ze that the Ji Family wanted him as an Attendant because he had reached the summit of the Path of Questioning Heart.
• Ji Xinlan offered Bai Ze two thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones a year at his current realm, with larger annual amounts as he advanced, in exchange for helping the Ji Family when able.
• Bai Ze accepted the Ji Family’s offer and received his first two thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones from Ji Xinlan.
• Representatives from other lineages also asked Bai Ze to become their Attendant, but he rejected them.
• Bai Ze examined his Spirit Stones and calculated how much time they could purchase in cultivation rooms.

Bai Ze practiced the Cold Light Sword Art until he reached its beginner level, then cultivated in a Yellow Grade Cultivation Room and broke through to the peak of the Heavenly Human Realm. After leaving the room, he learned that the peak master wanted to see him and headed there, puzzled by the summons.

• Bai Ze practiced the Cold Light Sword Art and found that its icy power enhanced his attacks without compromising his Sword Intent.
• After half a month of training, Bai Ze reached the sword art’s beginner level and gained ninety-six Talent Points.
• Bai Ze exchanged spirit stones for cultivation resources and twelve days in a Yellow Grade Cultivation Room, while Hong Yan worried about his progress and the upcoming competition.
• On his tenth day in the cultivation room, Bai Ze broke through to the peak of the Heavenly Human Realm and spent the remaining time consolidating his cultivation.
• When Bai Ze left the cultivation room, an elder told him that the peak master had asked to see him, so Bai Ze went to the peak master’s residence.

Bai Ze sparred with Hong Yan, who tested his sword techniques and urged him to advance to the Shattering Realm within three months to earn a Bright Light Stone. The next day, Bai Ze arrived at the sect-entry tournament as contestants began drawing lots for one-on-one matches.

• Hong Yan suppressed her cultivation to Bai Ze’s level and sparred with him, overpowering his Cold Light Sword Art with her Ice Intent.
• Bai Ze unleashed the Bright Sword’s Ten Thousand Sword Style and fought with all his strength, but Hong Yan defeated him after dozens of exchanges.
• Hong Yan praised Bai Ze’s talent and told him to reach the Shattering Realm within three months, promising him a Bright Light Stone to help form the King Ming Sword Body.
• Hong Yan decided to obtain a Light Stone from Sect Master Shangguan Fengyun, then went to see him.
• The next day, Bai Ze arrived at the tournament grounds, where an Inner Sect Elder organized the contestants’ lots and one-on-one matches.

Bai Ze swept through the sect entry tournament with decisive one-strike victories and earned the nickname One-Sword Bai. The finals began with Wang Long and Chen Donghai battling fiercely, while Bai Ze was set to face Li Sheng next.

• Bai Ze drew Number 22 and knocked his first opponent out of the arena with a single sword strike, advancing to the next round.
• Bai Ze continued defeating his opponents with one strike, earning the nickname One-Sword Bai from the watching disciples.
• After three days of competition, Bai Ze, Wang Long, Li Sheng, and Chen Donghai reached the finals and drew their matchups.
• Wang Long and Chen Donghai began the first final match, trading powerful attacks as Wang Long unleashed the Flood Dragon Physique and Chen Donghai used Gold Artistic Conception.
• Wang Long's Dragon Emerges from the Sea sword technique shattered Chen Donghai's attack and surged toward him.

Bai Ze defeated Li Sheng in the second match of the arena competition, revealing Sword Intent at the third level and drawing attention from Wang Long. Li Sheng conceded and left the result settled, while the competition continued with Wang Long now taking Bai Ze seriously.

• Wang Long defeated Chen Donghai in the first match with his Innate Flood Dragon Physique and claimed victory.
• Bai Ze and Li Sheng entered the arena, and Li Sheng praised Bai Ze before warning that he would not go easy on him.
• Li Sheng attacked first, but Bai Ze countered with his Instant Sword Drawing Technique and used the Cold Light Sword Art to expose Li Sheng's true position.
• Bai Ze revealed third-level Sword Intent and drove Li Sheng back with a relentless series of sword attacks.
• Li Sheng conceded after suffering several wounds, and Bai Ze accepted without further comment.

Bai Ze defeated Wang Long in the final match of the sect entry competition and won first place. After receiving his reward, he returned to his residence on Misty Peak with Ji Xinlan.

• Bai Ze won his second match after Li Sheng conceded defeat, advancing to the final against Wang Long.
• Wang Long unleashed his Flood Dragon Physique, and he and Bai Ze exchanged powerful sword strikes without either gaining the advantage.
• Bai Ze used his Great Accomplishment Bright Sword's Myriad Sword Style to overwhelm Wang Long and deliberately shifted his swords aside to spare him severe injury.
• Wang Long thanked Bai Ze for showing mercy and conceded defeat, and the elder announced Bai Ze as the competition's first-place winner.
• Ji Xinlan celebrated Bai Ze's victory and considered how his future success could benefit the Ji Family.
• Bai Ze collected his reward and returned with Ji Xinlan to his residence on Misty Peak.

Bai Ze sought the resources needed to cultivate the King Ming Sword Body Art, learned that Sword Heart Grass was scarce and absent from the Resource Pavilion, and began preparing to find it while strengthening himself. Hong Yan arranged to meet with him after his cultivation-room session, then traded barbs with Su Yao, who had returned to Misty Peak.

• Bai Ze visited the Resource Pavilion and learned that he would need to search places steeped in sword intent to find Sword Heart Grass.
• Bai Ze checked the Mission Pavilion but declined its simple Outer Disciple jobs, then bought a Southern Region map and spent his Spirit Stones on twenty days in a Profound Grade Cultivation Room.
• Hong Yan praised Bai Ze's diligence and ordered a steward to tell Elder Sun to have Bai Ze visit her after leaving the Cultivation Pavilion.
• Su Yao arrived and teased Hong Yan about their coming seniority contest, while Hong Yan insisted she already had a disciple and asked why Su Yao had returned.

After emerging from cultivation, Bai Ze learned that he would compete against Su Yao’s disciple in a year and a half, with the winner claiming the other’s disciple and fortune. Hong Yan gave him a Light Stone and sent him to seek Sword Heart Grass at Sword Cliff as he worked toward the Shattering Realm and the Acquired King Ming Sword Body.

• After twenty days of cultivation, Bai Ze left the cultivation room stronger and close to the Shattering Realm, then went to see Hong Yan.
• Su Yao challenged Hong Yan over their wager, and Hong Yan explained that Bai Ze would face Su Yao’s disciple in a year and a half.
• Bai Ze promised to give the match his all, and Hong Yan gave him a Light Stone and ordered him to pursue the Acquired King Ming Sword Body.
• When Bai Ze asked where to find Sword Heart Grass, Hong Yan directed him to Sword Cliff and gave him a Storage Bag of cultivation resources.
• After Bai Ze left, Su Yao warned Hong Yan that condensing the King Ming Sword Body could damage Bai Ze’s foundation, but Hong Yan stood by her disciple.

Bai Ze left the Sword Sect for Sword Cliff, hoping to find Sword Heart Grass, and stopped at an inn where a fight led him to acquire part of an unusual map. He discovered the hide was one-quarter of an incomplete map and array diagram, with the other pieces and its destination still unknown.

• Su Yao refused Hong Yan’s demand that she concede the wager, and promised her disciple would go easy on Bai Ze.
• Bai Ze reviewed Hong Yan’s cultivation resources and prepared to travel to Sword Cliff near Barbaric City.
• Bai Ze left the Sword Sect and, on his way to Sword Cliff, stopped in a city where an auction was scheduled for the next day.
• During the night, a black-clothed man crashed through Bai Ze’s room while fleeing a middle-aged pursuer, dropping a piece of beast hide.
• Bai Ze secretly took the hide and later identified it as one-quarter of an incomplete map that also contained an array diagram.

After stealing a map tied to Ping Tian Sheng’s secret realm, Bai Ze fled toward Barbaric City and broke through to the Early Shattering Realm. He reached Sword Cliff to seek Sword Heart Grass, where other martial artists warned him about the lethal Sword Intent in the air.

• Bai Ze heard rumors that the map stolen from the Sun Family was one of four maps needed to open Ping Tian Sheng’s secret realm and claim his inheritance.
• Bai Ze left the inn and hurried toward Barbaric City, while the veiled woman in a green dress arrived too late and vowed to deal with him when they met again.
• More than half a month later, Bai Ze reached Barbaric City and used a Shattering Pill, the Bright Sword Art, and hundreds of Mid-grade Spirit Stones to break through into the Early Shattering Realm.
• Bai Ze spent several days consolidating his cultivation, then headed to Sword Cliff to search for Sword Heart Grass and temper his Sword Intent.
• A martial artist warned Bai Ze that the Sword Intent in the air was far stronger than on the ground and could not be survived without Void Realm strength or Sword Intent at the seventh layer.

Bai Ze entered Sword Cliff, rejected three strangers who secretly marked him with Heartless Intent Powder, and fought his way deeper while seeking Sword Heart Grass. After tempering his Sword Intent for several days, he discovered the three searching for him and prepared to strike first.

• Three men offered to team up with Bai Ze, but he declined; after he left, they revealed they had marked him with Heartless Intent Powder to rob him inside Sword Cliff.
• Bai Ze entered Sword Cliff and killed a Vajra Demonic Ape, taking the valuable crystal from its head.
• Bai Ze killed a Shattering Realm Fierce Beast and collected its crystal and a Sword Intent Stone, but found no Sword Heart Grass.
• Bai Ze hid in a tree and decided to temper his Sword Intent before venturing deeper, since the surrounding Sword Intent and stronger beasts posed a threat.
• Several days later, the three men searched for Bai Ze and discussed their failed attempt to locate him; Bai Ze realized they had targeted him and prepared to attack first.

Bai Ze ambushed three early Shattering Realm opponents at Sword Cliff, killed them, and took their belongings. After fleeing the area, he searched their Storage Bags and discovered a glowing spiritual herb wrapped in sword intent.

• Bai Ze launched a surprise attack on one of the three men and killed him before fighting Brother Lang and the last man.
• Bai Ze fought the two survivors, then unleashed Bright Sword, Ten Thousand Sword Style as they tried to flee.
• Brother Lang used his companion to block the golden swords, but Bai Ze caught and killed him before collecting the corpses’ useful items.
• More than two hours later, Bai Ze examined a Storage Bag and found nearly thirty thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones along with other treasures.
• Bai Ze opened a wooden box and discovered a glowing spiritual herb wrapped in sword intent.

Bai Ze found Sword Heart Grass and stayed at Sword Cliff until his Sword Intent broke through to the fourth layer, then returned to the Sword Sect. There, he encountered Liu Nianxin, collected his resources, and arranged for an Alchemy Elder to make a King Ming Sword Heart Pill.

• Bai Ze kept the Sword Heart Grass he found and remained at Sword Cliff to temper his Sword Intent.
• After more than two months, Bai Ze broke through to the fourth layer of Sword Intent and left Sword Cliff for the Sword Sect.
• Liu Nianxin recognized Bai Ze as the man who had taken one of her maps, while Su Yao urged her to cultivate for their upcoming agreement with Hong Yan.
• Bai Ze exchanged Spirit Stones for materials to cultivate the King Ming Sword Body and gave them to an Alchemy Elder, who agreed to prepare the pill in a week.
• The Alchemy Elder noted that Hong Yan had obtained a Light Stone from the Sect Master for Bai Ze and hoped he would succeed in condensing the Acquired King Ming Sword Body.

Bai Ze raised his talent to Blessed by Heaven after mastering two martial techniques, then went to cultivate the King Ming Body Refining Technique under Hong Yan’s protection. He began preparing to condense the King Ming Sword Body, with Hong Yan guarding him against interruptions.

• Bai Ze completed preparations for the King Ming Sword Body and practiced the Carefree Sword Art and Cloud Roaming Footwork to Great Accomplishment.
• Bai Ze spent forty thousand Talent Points to raise his talent to Blessed by Heaven, learning that the next upgrade would cost 450,000 points.
• Bai Ze noticed his improved talent made his martial technique proficiency increase faster as he continued practicing.
• Bai Ze met Hong Yan at the Alchemy Pavilion, then followed her to her cultivation area to begin the King Ming Body Refining Technique.
• Hong Yan enclosed the courtyard in a powerful barrier while Bai Ze sat down and began cultivating.

Liu Nianxin challenged the Sword Tower while Su Yao watched, defeating a late-stage Shattering Realm Black Wolf despite her own middle-stage cultivation. She ranked 649th among the Inner Disciples, and Su Yao urged her to keep training toward greater strength.

• While Bai Ze continued cultivating under Hong Yan’s protection, Su Yao led Liu Nianxin into the Sword Tower.
• Liu Nianxin cleared the second floor by defeating its middle-stage Shattering Realm Fierce Beasts and advanced to the third floor.
• Liu Nianxin fought and killed a late-stage Shattering Realm Black Wolf after more than half an hour, suffering several minor injuries.
• Liu Nianxin tried to face three late-stage Shattering Realm Fierce Beasts but failed and emerged from the Sword Tower.
• The Sword Tower ranked Liu Nianxin 649th among the Inner Disciples, and Su Yao encouraged her to keep training and pursue the Nine Orifices Exquisite Body.

Bai Ze successfully condensed the Acquired King Ming Sword Body and tested its pseudo-domain in a spar with Hong Yan. After Hong Yan assigned him missions to strengthen his cultivation, Bai Ze checked his system and considered how to develop his new physique.

• Bai Ze formed a pseudo-domain with the Acquired King Ming Sword Body, and Hong Yan explained its abilities and limitations.
• Bai Ze sparred with Hong Yan, using his pseudo-domain to break her ice swords before attacking with the Ten Thousand Sword Style.
• Hong Yan praised Bai Ze’s progress and told him to accept missions at least one minor realm above his own while continuing to cultivate.
• Bai Ze returned to his courtyard, collected his Inner Disciple resources, and saw that his system now listed the beginner-stage King Ming Sword Body and an increased lifespan.
• Bai Ze noted that King Ming Stones would help advance his physique and considered using the system to deduce the King Ming Body Refining Technique.

Bai Ze accepted a mission to hunt Demon Heart and traveled to Yue City, where he staged a public arena to draw the elusive fugitive out. After defeating dozens of challengers, Bai Ze attracted Demon Heart’s attention, and the killer decided to capture and torture him.

• Bai Ze chose the mission to hunt Demon Heart, a former Ten Thousand Demon Sect disciple wanted for killing and torturing geniuses.
• Bai Ze investigated reports of murdered geniuses in Jing City, then decided to lure Demon Heart out by challenging Yue City’s young martial artists.
• Bai Ze disguised himself as a youth named Wang Jian, claimed to be a Sword Sect Personal Disciple, and set up an arena in Yue City.
• Bai Ze defeated seventy-six martial artists, including an early-stage Shattering Realm challenger, with his Cold Light Sword Art.
• Demon Heart watched Bai Ze from the crowd and resolved to torture him and use him to cultivate the Demon Heart Art.

Bai Ze lured Demon Heart out by posing as a conspicuous young genius, then confronted him at a relay station on the road to Nanyang City. Their battle began evenly, and Demon Heart threatened to prolong Bai Ze’s suffering as the fight continued.

• After failing to draw Demon Heart out in Yue City, Bai Ze decided to travel to other cities and keep displaying his talent.
• Bai Ze left Yue City and stopped at a relay station, where he noticed that the tea had been poisoned.
• The waiter revealed himself as Demon Heart, and Bai Ze confirmed that he had deliberately used himself as bait.
• Bai Ze and Demon Heart unleashed their artistic realms and fought with sword techniques, Nether Finger, and demonic arts.
• After more than ten exchanges, the two remained evenly matched, and Demon Heart threatened to torment Bai Ze rather than kill him quickly.