Chapter Summaries

Lin Su endured the Yanshan Snow as cultivators raced through the third trial, while the grandmasters watched the contestants and discovered that Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu had powerful custom-made literary treasures. The two women escaped the snow trial with ease, then compared the poems Lin Su had written for them as the story left them amused by his unchanging nature.

• Lin Su let Yanshan Snow fall on him and absorbed its harmful force through the Nine-story Pagoda as other cultivators displayed their skills crossing the snow region.
• Xumi Zi crossed the snow with his Golden Body Secret Technique, while Ji Wen used his Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes to destroy the falling flakes.
• Qiu Ruyi altered the Hundred Flowers Formation, trapping contestants until Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu broke free with their literary treasures.
• The grandmasters learned that Zhang Yiyu's Autumn Wind Fan came from a Timeless Poem by Lin Su, while Cai Zhulian's Wu Shan Yun also proved unusually compatible with its bearer.
• Qiu Ruyi gathered the Yanshan Snow against the two women, but Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu fought back and drove her into the snow.
• Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian reached the fourth level and discussed the poems Lin Su had written for them, agreeing that his romantic verses suited his nature despite their irony.

Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian predicted Lin Su could pass the trials, while he endured Yanshan Snow to examine and repair his body as he crossed the third trial. Meanwhile, Lei Nu appeared on the fourth platform after defeating Li Xingkong, overturning the rumor that Li Xingkong had crippled him.

• Cai Zhulian told Zhang Yiyu that Lin Su's formation skill was exceptional, and they reasoned that his literary treasures could help him pass the third trial.
• Lin Su let Yanshan Snow penetrate his body as he slowly crossed the snow zone, using Spring Return and a demon core to repair and strengthen himself.
• Several contestants, including Yuan Ji, Jun Tianxia, and Meng Zhu, reached the fourth platform, where Meng Zhu asked Cai Zhulian to show her poetry notebook.
• Li Xingkong was thrown onto the fourth platform, and Lei Nu followed, declaring that he would torment Li Xingkong without killing or crippling him.
• Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian recognized Lei Nu, while the Tianxing Sect Master watched the reversal humiliate his sect.

Lin Su arrived at the Jade Pool Gathering as the Lingyun Ranking examination began, and he and Lei Nu became sworn brothers. The competitors started climbing the White Jade Steps, where Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu faced different challenges, and Zhang Yiyu worried as she fell behind.

• Lei Nu found Lin Su at the gathering and proposed that they become brothers, which Lin Su accepted.
• Bi Tianji announced that all 962 people above the fourth tier had entered the Lingyun Ranking and introduced the 3,600 White Jade Steps as the next test.
• Ao Wuchang was thrown off the first Step, and the other competitors began climbing to establish their rankings.
• Jun Tianxia wagered a hundred jars of Lin Su's wine that he could reach the summit, while Lin Su bet that Jun Tianxia would reveal his background if Lin Su did the same.
• Lin Su stepped onto the White Jade Steps and felt pressure comparable to a peak Peeking Human Realm strike.
• Wu Ruyun and Lu Tianming worried about whether Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu would pass the foundation test; Zhang Yiyu reached the 1,800th Step but remained far behind Cai Zhulian.

The White Jade Steps trial ended with Ji Wen, Xumi Zi, the swordsman, and other top talents reaching the summit, while Lei Nu drove Li Xingkong to abandon his final step through intimidation. As Wenxin Pavilion considered forming ties with a Super Sect, Du Jin volunteered to approach Ji Wen and claimed that only he could win him over.

• Meng Qing recognized a swindler on the steps, lost her focus, and fell onto the fourth-level platform while Meng Zhu continued climbing.
• Ji Wen reached the fifth-level platform alongside Xumi Zi, and the swordsman, Mad Saber, and Ning Feixue also arrived at the summit.
• Lei Nu threatened Li Xingkong as he approached the final step, causing Li Xingkong to lose control of his cultivation and flee the platform.
• Sect Master Li demanded Lei Nu be expelled, but Wuyun Daoist argued that Lei Nu had broken no rules and that Li Xingkong had lost the heart of a strong man.
• Wenxin Pavilion's Great Elder Du Kui decided the Heavenly Spirit Sect was its best potential partner and asked which disciple would approach Ji Wen.
• Du Jin volunteered to win Ji Wen over, saying that Ji Wen could not be moved by beauty and that he alone could make him serve Wenxin Pavilion.

At the Jade Pool Gathering, Lin Su and the other survivors reached the fifth platform, where they drank Jade Pool Jade Liquid and learned the true trial was still ahead. The Jade Pool Heavenly Staircase appeared, offering a place among the top thirty and access to the Secret Technique Golden Palace for those who reached its summit.

• Du Jin and Du Yan received permission from the Great Elder to pursue their own plans, and Du Jin focused on Lin Su as the person he wanted to confront.
• Cai Zhulian, Zhang Yiyu, Meng Zhu Saintess, and Yuan Ji reached the fifth platform, and Lin Su followed Yuan Ji up the final step with ease.
• The Jade Pool Gathering transformed into a banquet, and the Jade Pool Holy Mother led the guests in drinking Jade Pool Jade Liquid, which replenished their strength but lowered some contestants' cultivation.
• Lin Su learned that Jun Tianxia came from Burial Province and asked him about an ancient bronze hall containing the Cosmos Mirror; Jun Tianxia identified it as the hall on Wudao Mountain and warned that none who entered had returned.
• The gathering announced a new test of Primordial Spirit Will and Martial Way Will, and a purple staircase appeared, promising summit climbers access to the Secret Technique Golden Palace and a chance to compete for the top three.

Lin Su climbed the Heavenly Staircase while mistaking its test of Martial Way Will for a contest of sword techniques, even as Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu battled for a top-three-hundred ranking. He was the last contestant remaining, drawing the attention of Jade Pool Holy Mother and Xiaoyao as the story left him alone on the staircase.

• Lin Su quickly climbed eighteen steps by finding flaws in each opponent’s sword art, then slowed down as he resolved to study every technique he encountered.
• Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu each pushed past their limits, with Zhang Yiyu climbing one step farther and both nearing the Lingyun Ranking’s top three hundred.
• Cai Zhulian and Zhang Yiyu spotted Lin Su stalled near the bottom and learned that his sword dao had reached the Azure Flower Realm.
• Ji Wen, the swordsman, Ning Feixue, and Xumi Zi reached the summit, while Wuyun Daoist confronted Ruan Jue Lun over Heavenly Spirit Sect’s treatment of Cloud Stream Sect’s former Sect Master.
• Jade Pool Holy Mother told Xiaoyao to watch Lin Su, explaining that he had gone astray on the staircase but could find opportunities to train in any situation.
• Lin Su remained as the last contestant on the Heavenly Staircase, bringing him into everyone’s view.

Lin Su climbed the heavenly ladder to the highest platform, earning a place among the twenty-four top talents and defending Sword Sect against a swordsman’s insult. As the contest for the top three began, Lin Su provoked Ji Wen by exposing his secret, leaving his survival uncertain.

• Lin Su rapidly advanced past Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian, formed a Sword Fruit, and reached the sixth platform as one of the twenty-four contestants.
• A swordsman from Trial Sword Valley insulted Sword Sect, and Lin Su challenged his understanding of the Sword Dao, provoking his killing intent.
• Ji Wen addressed Lin Su as a potential vanguard, but Lin Su accused him of obtaining the Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes through a shameful act.
• A voice announced that the twenty-four contestants would choose opponents and earn golden lotuses by defeating them, with the top three totals deciding the Lingyun Ranking.
• Qiu Ruyi defended her master Wuyun Daoist after Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian warned that he might not save Lin Su.

Lin Su won successive duels at the Jade Pool examination, defeating several opponents and rising to challenge the Swordsman, who began using the Seven Steps Heavenly Kill Sword. The chapter ended with the Swordsman building his sword momentum while Lin Su faced him on the high platform.

• Qiu Ruyi teased Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian about Lin Su, so they tied her up and sent her flying away.
• Lin Su defeated a saber-wielder who called him Golden Lotus, and a golden lotus appeared beside his name on the ranking.
• Lin Su won repeated duels, including defeating Li Jiu of Nanyang with seventeen sword strikes.
• The Swordsman stepped down to confront Lin Su, declared that his road ended there, and drew his sword after Lin Su questioned whether he understood the sword.
• The Swordsman advanced with the first three steps of the Seven Steps Heavenly Kill Sword, and the Cloud Stream Sect Master warned that Lin Su needed to interrupt the technique before all seven steps were complete.

Lin Su defeated the swordsman by exposing a flaw in the Seven Steps Heavenly Kill Sword, then challenged Ji Wen and overcame his Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes and Imperial Golden Body. The arena erupted after Lin Su defeated Ji Wen in ten moves and taunted him on his own platform.

• Lin Su broke the swordsman's Seven Steps Heavenly Kill Sword by striking a flaw in its Sword Momentum, then defeated him with the Heavenly Sword Stance.
• Lin Su left the swordsman’s platform and challenged Ji Wen, promising to defeat him in ten moves.
• Lin Su repeatedly changed his sword techniques to evade Ji Wen's Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes and force him onto the defensive.
• Ji Wen revealed his Imperial Golden Body, two heads, and four arms, but Lin Su pressed his attack and unleashed the Heavenly Sword Stance.
• Lin Su defeated Ji Wen in ten moves, sent him crashing onto his platform, and mocked him as the arena erupted.

Lin Su defeated Mad Saber and several other challengers, leaving only Xumi Zi between him and the Lingyun First Seat. Their final contest began with a Buddhist debate that Lin Su won, but Xumi Zi’s strange art reflected Lin Su’s sword strike back at him, leaving the outcome uncertain.

• Ning Feixue conceded to Lin Su, and Mad Saber challenged him to a fierce contest of force that ended with Mad Saber flying off the platform and losing.
• After returning to his platform, Lin Su defeated more challengers, while Swordsman lost to Ning Feixue, Ji Wen, and finally Xumi Zi.
• Xumi Zi broke Swordsman’s sword and defeated Mad Saber with ease, convincing Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian that Lin Su could not beat him.
• Lin Su and Xumi Zi tied for first on the Lingyun Ranking and faced each other as the arena fell silent.
• Lin Su mocked Xumi Zi’s hypocrisy and won their Buddhist debate, then struck him with his sword; Xumi Zi reflected the attack, injuring Lin Su’s arm and leaving him shaken.
• Lin Su raised his power to eighty percent and attacked Xumi Zi again with the Heavenly Sword Stance.

Lin Su endured Xumi Zi’s backlash, awakened a Sword Heart, and defeated him to claim Lingyun First Seat. He received an Enlightenment Golden Token and entered the Jade Pool Secret Technique Golden Palace, while the other prodigies and those watching reckoned with his new standing.

• Xumi Zi provoked Lin Su into risking his Cultivation Foundation, and Lin Su chose to fight for Sword Sect despite recognizing the danger.
• Lin Su’s desperate strike awakened his Sword Heart, shattered Xumi Zi’s Golden Body protection, and sent him crashing into the formation.
• The Jade Pool Holy Lord declared Lin Su the winner, and the final rankings placed Su Lin first, Xumi Zi second, and Wild Blade third.
• The three top-ranked prodigies received Enlightenment Golden Tokens, which could guide them to Heavenly Dao Island and its Rule Seeds.
• Lin Su entered the Secret Technique Golden Palace with the other twenty-three prodigies, while Zhang Yiyu worried that he was moving farther away from her.

Lin Su chose the incomplete Universe Formation Diagram in the Secret Technique Golden Palace and used his cheat device to restore it. After exposing Xumi Zi as the host of the Sky Swallowing Demon's spirit, Lin Su destroyed the demon in a battle inside his spirit platform; he later recovered at Jade Pool, where the demon's memories revealed the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, which strengthened his Primordial Spirit.

• Lin Su chose the incomplete Universe Formation Diagram, and his cheat device restored its five diagrams and began forming four more.
• Lin Su noticed a demonic presence hidden in Xumi Zi's Buddhist beads and warned the Jade Pool Holy Lord that demonic and Buddhist powers could conceal each other's auras.
• Lin Su exposed Xumi Zi, who unleashed the devil beads, and Lin Su caught one bead, drawing the Sky Swallowing Demon's spirit into his mind.
• Lin Su resisted the demon's attempt to seize his body and destroyed it with the Soul Destroying Stance of the Dugu Nine Swords, then collapsed unconscious.
• After waking at Jade Pool three days later, Lin Su learned that the masters had eliminated the demon's nine spirit clones and Master Kongyu had beheaded Xumi Zi.
• Lin Su examined the demon's soul fragments, learned that Yan Nantian had captured it with the Jade Pool Jade Drum, and comprehended the Heaven Devouring Demonic Art, raising his Spiritual Power strength to level twenty-eight and a half.

After recovering in Jade Pool, Lin Su met the Xiaoyao Saintess and used his flute to overcome the formation she created with her zither. As they spoke beneath the moon, he deduced that the Jade Pool Grand Gathering had concealed humanity’s strongest young experts to draw the Devil Race’s attention toward the Lingyun Ranking.

• Lin Su discovered that absorbing soul fragments had increased his Spiritual Power, then split his Primordial Spirit to preserve a chance at rebirth.
• Lin Su learned that the Xiaoyao Saintess was only twenty years old and went to Qin Island to thank her for saving his life.
• The Saintess welcomed Lin Su with a zither-created formation, but Lin Su played “Bamboo of the Moonlit Phoenix Tail” and caused the formation and her music to yield.
• Lin Su and the Xiaoyao Saintess shared wine and discussed the Jade Pool Grand Gathering and Jade Pool’s weak showing in the contest.
• Lin Su concluded that the organizers had hidden the human race’s true young experts and used the Lingyun Ranking and Enlightenment Tokens to direct the Devil Race toward the public contestants.

Lin Su rejected Jade Pool’s offer to fake his death and join its Hidden Dragons, warning Xiaoyao Saintess that a Devil Race spy might be among the Grandmasters. After leaving Jade Pool, he reasoned that one of the nine Grandmasters had falsely claimed to kill a Sky Swallowing Demon incarnation, but he still did not know which one.

• Xiaoyao Saintess offered Lin Su a staged death and a place as Jade Pool Holy Lord’s hidden disciple, but Lin Su refused and warned that the Devil Race knew about the Hidden Dragon plan.
• Lin Su told Xiaoyao Saintess that one of the nine Grandmasters who claimed to kill a Sky Swallowing Demon incarnation was a spy, and explained that the Nine Spirit Secret Technique could create only nine incarnations.
• Lin Su left Jade Pool with a stalk of Xiaoyao Bamboo that Xiaoyao Saintess gave him to make a flute.
• Xiaoyao Saintess told Jade Pool Holy Lord about Lin Su’s warning, and the Holy Lord abandoned her plan to exchange Hidden Dragons among the great sects.
• As Lin Su flew home, he concluded that one Grandmaster had lied about killing an incarnation to help it escape, while anticipating danger on his journey because of his enemies and the Jade Pool tokens he carried.

Lin Su emerged from the Jade Pool alive and reunited with Jun Tianxia and Yan Jiuding before sharing farewell drinks with them. He returned the dragon clan’s relic to Long Wentian, accepted a warning and a conch for contacting the East Sea Dragon Palace, and gave Long Wentian a mysterious pearl before they parted as brothers.

• Jun Tianxia urged Yan Jiuding to leave Jade City because Yan’s Dao Fruit was in danger, but Yan insisted on waiting three more days for Lin Su.
• Lin Su entered Jade City alive, drank the last bowl from Yan Jiuding’s flask, and gave him a bag containing a hundred matching flasks.
• Yan Jiuding cursed anyone who became Lin Su’s enemy, and lightning struck Jun Tianxia as he dragged Yan away in a coffin.
• Long Wentian met Lin Su for wine, traded him a dragon-marked conch for the Life-Sacrificing Conch Horn, and warned him that Long Wuhui would threaten him at sea.
• Lin Su gave Long Wentian the mysterious pearl from Mount Yandang, and Long Wentian acknowledged him as a brother before returning to the East Sea.

Lin Su left the Jade Pool Gathering aboard Meng Zhu’s Cloud Stream Immortal Boat, which hid their real route east while showing the world a false boat flying west. As his companions warned him about the dangers of his new fame, the Lin Family prepared for Lin Zheng’s wedding and worried that Lin Su would not return in time.

• Lin Su reunited with Zhang Yiyu, Cai Zhulian, and Meng Zhu, then agreed to travel with them.
• Meng Zhu used the Cloud Stream Immortal Boat to create a convincing illusion of the group traveling west while secretly carrying them east.
• Du Yan showed Du Jin the Communication Talisman she had obtained from Ji Wen, but Du Jin questioned whether her seduction would succeed.
• Madam Lin mourned Lin Su’s absence as Lin Zheng’s wedding approached, while Sister Chen and Qiu Shui Hua Ping discussed the Painting Sage Sacred Family’s presence at Mei Ling.
• As the boat traveled beyond the Western Heaven Immortal Kingdom, Meng Zhu warned Lin Su that rivals might target him for winning the Lingyun First Seat and obtaining the Jade Pool secret art and Enlightenment Golden Token.

Lin Su and his companions were ambushed by Ji Wen and a Heavenly Spirit Sect elder, but Lin Su killed the elder with the Literary Way. Ruan Jue Lun’s True Spirit Imprint then pinned them down until Li Zexi arrived, and Meng Zhu killed Ji Wen and took Wei Lingzhu’s Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes.

• Ji Wen and a Heavenly Spirit Sect Inner Sect Elder attacked Lin Su and his companions, sealed their communications, and declared their intent to kill them.
• Lin Su used two War Poems and the Literary Way to slay the elder and send Ji Wen flying.
• Ji Wen activated Ruan Jue Lun’s True Spirit Imprint, which suppressed Lin Su and the three women until Li Zexi arrived and destroyed the imprint.
• Lin Su confronted Ji Wen as Li Zexi drank the wine Lin Su owed him.
• Meng Zhu killed Ji Wen with her awl, identified herself as the Cloud Stream Sect Saintess, and took Wei Lingzhu’s Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes.

Lin Su and his companions survived Ji Wen’s ambush, and Lin Su learned that the Wordless Stele on Heavenly Dao Island was his true goal. Disguised as a scholar, he reached the Agricultural Sage’s household, where he was challenged to prove his identity with a Seven-Colored Poem.

• Meng Zhu reclaimed the Myriad Laws Marvelous Eyes, while Lin Su told Li Zexi that he had let Ji Wen’s Primordial Spirit escape to avoid forcing an open conflict with Great Cang.
• Li Zexi urged Lin Su to seek the Wordless Stele at the end of Heavenly Dao Island’s White Bone Path instead of focusing on the Rule Palace.
• The Cloud Stream Sect Master arrived, offered to escort Lin Su, and then returned to her sect with Meng Zhu after Lin Su declined.
• Lin Su reassured Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian that they were safe, then disguised himself as a scholar and led them toward Zhongtiao Mountain.
• At the Agricultural Sage’s household, Lin Su was asked to compose an original Seven-Colored Poem to prove who he was, and he began writing a Mid-Autumn ci as a wedding gift for his elder brother.

Lin Su composed a timeless Mid-Autumn Ci at the Agricultural Sage Holy Family, sending a Moonlight Wheel to Lin Zheng’s wedding in Haining and fulfilling County Princess Hong Ye’s appointment from afar. His poem confirmed his identity as First Grandmaster of Azure Lotus, and the chapter ended as Elder Jia welcomed him and asked why he had come.

• Lin Su wrote “Water Melody Tune: Mid-Autumn,” which became a timeless Azure Ci, and sent its image and the Moonlight Wheel to Lin Zheng’s wedding in Haining.
• Lin Zheng received the Moonlight Wheel, which healed the guests and promised to protect his border troops from injury, illness, and evil.
• County Princess Hong Ye saw Lin Su’s image and heard his poem reach Haining, and she considered their Mid-Autumn appointment fulfilled despite his absence.
• Lin Su’s poem confirmed his identity to the world, and Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian realized his literary persona could help him return to Great Cang safely.
• Elder Jia welcomed Lin Su, Zhang Yiyu, and Cai Zhulian into his literary realm and invited them to share farmhouse wine.
• Elder Jia asked Lin Su whether he had come on important business.

Lin Su learned from Elder Jia that the Weiyang Brush was the War Sage’s sacred artifact and that its condition reflected the War Sage’s fate. After Elder Jia transported Lin Su, Zhang Yiyu, and Cai Zhulian to the Western Sea in a sacred jar, the two women suspected Lin Su had planned their destination.

• The Village Girl failed to complete a true literary realm, and her master told her to leave home and experience the Mortal World.
• Elder Jia warned Lin Su that the Holy Hall’s Painting and Poetry Palaces opposed him, advising him to wait for a high-ranking figure to recruit him as a Constant Walker.
• Lin Su asked Elder Jia about the Weiyang Brush, and Elder Jia revealed that it was the War Sage’s sacred artifact and was now a hairless brush.
• Elder Jia explained that restoring the brush and staining it with Night Ink might help the War Sage recover, though he believed the Night Ink was impossible to find.
• Elder Jia placed Lin Su, Zhang Yiyu, and Cai Zhulian inside a sacred jar that carried them instantly to the Western Sea.
• Zhang Yiyu and Cai Zhulian questioned Lin Su after realizing the Western Sea had been their destination.