Recaps

Li Qing spent his sect contributions on nourishing medicines and used crimson crystals to advance his Qi and Blood Revolutions, preparing to survive the dangerous sealing formation. Meanwhile, Shangqing Sect overran Tianhe Sect’s strongholds and challenged its mountain gate, where Tianhe Sect activated its grand protective formation.

• Li Qing rejected exchanging for cultivation pills, bought spiritual medicines to strengthen his body, and began cultivating the True Body of the Brahma King’s foundation.
• Li Qing used a crimson crystal’s Red Moon Secret Power to complete his Seventh Revolution of Qi and Blood smoothly, then continued toward the final two revolutions.
• Shangqing Sect captured Tianhe Sect’s Spirit Stone Mine and forced the remaining Spirit Mine Workers into slavery.
• Shangqing Sect’s forces looted the ruins of Tianhe Marketplace as war brought disaster to trapped Rogue Cultivators.
• A Late Core Formation old woman from Shangqing Sect challenged Tianhe Sect, but the Sect Master activated the grand protective formation and forced her to retreat.

Shangqing Sect surrounded Tianhe Sect, which was cut off from outside help, while Lingyun Sect prepared for its own battle. Li Qing endured the brutal cultivation of the True Body of the Brahma King to improve his chances of surviving the coming sealed-formation expedition, and Wu Chong arrived to check on him.

• Shangqing Sect's sect master ordered his forces to keep Tianhe Sect surrounded and had formation elders continue surveying the terrain for a way to counter its protective formation.
• Sect Master Qingxuan learned Tianhe Sect had received no reply from Lingyun Sect and went to consult the ancestors, warning the elders to keep Suxin from acting impulsively.
• Wu Chong told Lingyun Sect elders that Sky Swallowing Ancestor would decide who received talisman treasures made from a defective magic treasure.
• Li Qing cultivated the True Body of the Brahma King, suffering severe wounds and consuming a Blood Jade Orchid to restore his vitality.
• Wu Chong hurried to Li Qing's cave abode and found him injured, where Li Qing explained that he was strengthening his body before entering the sealed formation.

Fatty Wu told Li Qing about an offer of an imprinted talisman treasure and revealed that two Shangqing Sect elders were behind the mortal village massacres. As Lingyun Sect prepared to deal with the breached seal on Forbidden Speech Snow Mountain, Sect Master Xu Yun planned to use the conflict between Shangqing and Tianhe Sects to resolve the ancient demon threat and advance Lingyun Sect’s rise.

• Fatty Wu offered to ask Sky Swallowing Ancestor for an imprinted talisman treasure to improve Li Qing’s chances of survival.
• Fatty Wu showed Li Qing portraits of the suspected killers, and Li Qing identified them as Shangqing Sect elders Ling Ying and Liu Hongyuan.
• Li Qing linked the massacres to the breach in the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountain sealing formation, and Wu Chong hurried to report his findings.
• Li Qing resumed cultivating the True Body of the Brahma King, accepting the possible cost to his lifespan in exchange for greater strength.
• Wu Chong told Sect Master Xu Yun that Shangqing Sect elders had caused the massacres, but Xu Yun said the sect already suspected Shangqing and would focus first on the ancient demon and exploit the war between Shangqing and Tianhe.

After nine months of brutal training, Li Qing’s body arts reached the peak of the mid second tier, though the effort cost him seventy years of lifespan. He tested his strength, received a Golden Saber Talisman Treasure from Wu Chong for the coming sealing formation, and began preparing Moonflow Gold armor.

• Li Qing emerged from seclusion with a physique near the late second tier and realized that his training had cost him nearly seventy years of lifespan.
• Li Qing tested the True Body of the Brahma King by striking a barren mountain and blasted a huge palm print into its rocky face.
• Li Qing decided to refine close-fitting battle armor from Moonflow Gold to protect himself in future close-quarters battles.
• Wu Chong gave Li Qing a Golden Saber Talisman Treasure made from his master’s damaged golden saber and urged him to survive the sealing formation.
• Li Qing examined the talisman treasure, then gathered leftover materials and lit his Innate True Fire to begin forging armor.

Lingyun Sect’s Foundation Establishment elders set out to explore the sealing formation in the snow mountains, where ancient demons might remain and the Nether Cold Fire could be found. Li Qing drew the third batch and, as the Giant Spirit Boat carried the elders south, realized he had little time to find allies entering alongside him.

• Sect Master Xu Yun told the elders that the formation’s crack now allowed Foundation Establishment cultivators through and warned that the trial threatened the Lingyun Sect and Qingling Region.
• Sky Swallowing Ancestor divided the elders into ten batches by lot, and Li Qing drew the third batch.
• Sky Swallowing Ancestor summoned the Giant Spirit Boat, and the elders boarded and departed for the snow mountains.
• Elder Wen advised Li Qing to find fellow members of his batch who could support him, but said he was assigned to the sixth batch.
• Li Qing asked Shen Ningbing, Chu Lingyi, and Ji Bai about their assignments, learning they were in the second, ninth, and eighth batches respectively.

Li Qing and the Lingyun Sect elders arrived at Forbidden Speech Snow Mountain to investigate the ancient devils sealed in the Cold Wind Secret Realm. After devilish qi seeped through the formation, Xu Yun led the first group inside while Li Qing and the others waited outside.

• Li Qing arrived at Forbidden Speech Snow Mountain with the Lingyun Sect elders and met Ancestor Bingyun, who warned that devilish qi was escaping through the seal.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor said the devils might be descendants of the ancient ones and ordered the sect to investigate the secret realm quickly.
• Xu Yun explained that Cold Wind Pool concealed an independent pocket heaven protected by the Extreme Ice Demon Sealing Formation.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor and Ancestor Bingyun opened the entrance, and Xu Yun led the first group of elders inside.
• Li Qing settled down to wait with the remaining elders as the Sky Swallowing Ancestor and Ancestor Bingyun worried over the sect's dwindling strength and the danger within.

Sect Master Xu Yun reported that the first team had found a Demon Qi Seed and confirmed living ancient demons remained inside Cold Wind Pool. As a second team entered to explore and destroy more seeds, the ancient demons awakened and sent Chi Feng and Chi Yan to investigate, while the elders’ attack on another seed provoked an angry roar.

• Sect Master Xu Yun escaped Cold Wind Pool after destroying a Demon Embryo and warned Sky Swallowing Ancestor and Ancestor Bingyun that living ancient demons remained inside.
• Sky Swallowing Ancestor and Ancestor Bingyun instructed the elders to explore the formation and destroy Demon Qi Seeds, while Li Qing suspected the demons would fight back.
• A majestic ancient demon voice ordered Chi Feng and Chi Yan to investigate the disturbance and the possible weakening of the Extreme Ice Demon Sealing Formation.
• Shen Ningbing joined the second group of elders as they entered Cold Wind Pool and followed the first team’s traces deeper into the grotto-heaven.
• An elder attacked and destroyed a Demon Qi Seed, prompting an unseen ancient demon to roar angrily at the group.

Lingyun Sect elders discovered that the ancient devils were far more numerous than their first encounter suggested, prompting a rescue mission into the sealed grotto-heaven. Li Qing joined the reinforcements, and the chapter ended as a savage hand reached through the formation’s gap.

• Chi Feng and Chi Yan emerged after the Demon Qi Seed was destroyed, and a Lingyun Sect elder killed Chi Feng with a Golden Saber Talisman Treasure while Chi Yan fled.
• Shen Ningbing stayed behind to examine Chi Feng’s remains, suspecting stronger ancient devils were hidden deeper inside.
• Injured elders escaped the Cold Wind Secret Realm and reported that ancient devils had killed Jia Miao and trapped many others, including Shen Ningbing.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor ordered the third, fourth, and fifth groups to enter, rescue the trapped elders, and capture an ancient devil alive; Ancestor Bingyun worried about Shen Ningbing.
• Li Qing entered the secret realm with the rescue party and followed them toward the gap in the Extreme Ice Demon Sealing Formation.
• An inky-black hand reached through the gap as the elders approached.

Li Qing and the Lingyun Sect elders entered the breached Extreme Ice Demon Sealing Formation to rescue trapped sect members and capture an ancient demon. After one demon’s self-destruction killed an elder, Li Qing fought a hulking demon inside the dark cave heaven and unleashed his body-refining powers to meet its charge.

• Li Qing bound an ancient demon with his Five Elements Binding Spirit Rope, but it self-destructed, damaging the rope and killing an elder with its demonic qi.
• The elders entered the formation’s breach and advanced together through the dark, qi-starved cave heaven toward the sounds of battle.
• Twelve ancient demons attacked the group, and the Lingyun Sect elders fought back with magic tools while Li Qing engaged a powerful, heavily armored demon.
• Li Qing unleashed his stored qi and blood and activated the True Body of the Brahma King, then punched the charging demon.

Li Qing fought and captured Chi Man alive, then used his apparent injuries to convince the Lingyun Sect Elders to leave him alone. He set out with Rice Bucket to deliver the captive, while the wider battle with the Chi Demon Tribe remained unresolved.

• Li Qing fought Chi Man hand to hand and used his Gilded Battle Armor to withstand the ancient demon’s attacks.
• As the other ancient demons began self-destructing under the elders’ assault, Li Qing feigned a serious wound and struck Chi Man with Soul Condensing Slash.
• Li Qing bound the unconscious Chi Man with the Five Elements Binding Spirit Rope and told the elders his divine sense had incapacitated the demon.
• Li Qing summoned Rice Bucket and persuaded the Lingyun Sect Elders to leave him behind as they continued rescuing their fellow disciples.
• After the elders departed, Li Qing secured Chi Man behind Rice Bucket and headed out, knowing the conflict’s decisive battle had yet to come.

Li Qing brought an unconscious Chi Man out of the Cold Wind Secret Realm and reported that he had captured an ancient demon alive. He then returned to the cavern to rescue the trapped elders and began searching for the Nether Cold Fire, following a direction where demonic qi was unusually thin.

• Li Qing carried the unconscious Chi Man out of the secret realm and told the Lingyun Sect leaders that he had captured an ancient demon alive.
• Li Qing explained that the other elders were still rescuing their trapped companions, then requested permission to return to the cavern and help them.
• Sect Master Xu Yun and the two Ancestors praised Li Qing’s righteousness, and they granted his request to go back down.
• Li Qing reentered the Cold Wind Secret Realm and found it ravaged by demonic qi, with its spirit herbs withered.
• Li Qing reversed the Crimson Blazing Heaven Art to sense the Nether Cold Fire and headed toward an area where the demonic qi was thinner.

Li Qing found the Nether Cold Fire in an abyss and began trying to subdue its Origin Fire Seed after Elder Xu died attempting the same. As Li Qing endured the fire’s attacks on his body and soul, people outside the secret realm noticed the cold growing worse.

• Li Qing followed his Crimson Blazing Heaven Art’s sensing to an abyss where the Nether Cold Fire burned.
• Li Qing recognized Elder Xu’s voice, then discovered that Elder Xu had died after trying to suppress and capture the fire.
• Li Qing descended into the abyss, used thousand-year Sky Star Grass to protect his soul, and endured the Nether Cold Fire’s attacks.
• Li Qing used the Crimson Blazing Heaven Art’s crimson true essence to approach the Origin Fire Seed, then took Soul Protection Pills and reached for it.
• The Origin Fire Seed engulfed Li Qing, who circulated the Crimson Blazing Heaven Art and relied on his body and soul protections while resisting the fire.
• Outside the secret realm, Chu Lingyi and the others felt the cold intensify and worried about those still inside.

The Sky Swallowing Ancestor learned that the Chi Demon Tribe had three Core Formation devils and a likely Nascent Soul ancient ancestor, then ordered a final rescue attempt that turned into a desperate escape. Shen Ningbing fled the grotto-heaven but was swept away from the exit when the Ancient Chi Demon Ancestor attacked through the formation’s breach.

• Shen Ningbing used her golden saber talisman to kill several ancient demons, but warned the besieged Lingyun Sect Elders that the talisman was nearly spent.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor extracted Chi Man’s memories, learned about the powerful demons and the ancient ancestor, then sent the sixth group of Elders to rescue the trapped cultivators or help them flee.
• Elder Wen and the rescuers opened a breach in the demon encirclement, but the Ancient Chi Demon Ancestor awakened and struck the trapped Elders with a demon-qi palm, killing many as Shen Ningbing escaped.
• The Ancient Chi Demon Ancestor attacked the Extreme Ice Demon Sealing Formation and forced demon qi through its breach, while the Sky Swallowing Ancestor drove the attack back.
• Shen Ningbing turned away from the secret-realm exit as the demon qi swept toward it, but the Sky Swallowing Ancestor’s counterattack sent her flying farther into the secret realm.

Li Qing rescued Shen Ningbing from the Cold Wind Secret Realm just before its passage closed, using her Ice Burst Talisman to alert the two Core Formation Ancestors. After they escaped, the Sky Swallowing Ancestor noticed that Li Qing's aura had changed from absorbing an extremely yin object.

• Shen Ningbing landed deep in the secret realm and realized the passage was closing, while the Frost Jade Ice Butterfly refused to carry her out.
• Li Qing appeared in a badly burned form and flew with Shen Ningbing toward the exit on the Spear of Wind, still struggling to suppress the Nether Cold Fire within him.
• Shen Ningbing gave Li Qing her master's Ice Burst Talisman, which he activated to attract the attention of the ancestors outside.
• Ancestor Bingyun and the Sky Swallowing Ancestor reopened the passage after the talisman's icy blast showed Shen Ningbing was alive.
• Li Qing and Shen Ningbing escaped, and the Sky Swallowing Ancestor noticed the strange aura caused by the extremely yin object Li Qing had absorbed.

Li Qing endured the Nether Cold Fire’s backlash while refining its Origin Fire Seed, and the Sky Swallowing Ancestor secretly taught him a fragment of the Withered Wood Meets Spring Art. After Li Qing appeared lifeless, his charred outer layer began to fall away, revealing new skin and regrowing hair.

• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor sensed the Nether Cold Fire inside Li Qing but respected his privacy, then identified the spirit fire to Sect Master Xu Yun, Ancestor Bingyun, and Shen Ningbing.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor and the others realized Li Qing had endured the fire’s backlash while escorting Shen Ningbing out of the secret realm.
• Li Qing returned to the Giant Spirit Boat, swallowed his last thousand-year Sky Star Grass, and continued refining the Origin Fire Seed as his body and soul suffered.
• The Sky Swallowing Ancestor sent Li Qing a fragment of the Withered Wood Meets Spring Art to help him endure the refining process.
• After the Giant Spirit Boat returned to the Lingyun Sect, Shen Ningbing and Fatty Wu watched Li Qing, who appeared lifeless and charred.
• Li Qing’s charred skin cracked and fell away, revealing tender new skin as his hair and eyebrows began to grow back.

After refining the Nether Cold Fire, Li Qing discovered that it greatly enhanced his cultivation, while news of a powerful ancient demon in the Demon Cave Celestial Realm kept the sect’s danger unresolved. Months later, the sect summoned him to collect the reward for capturing the demon, just as he had reached the bottleneck of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

• Li Qing showed Wu Chong and Shen Ningbing that he had refined the Nether Cold Fire, and thanked the Sky Swallowing Ancestor for the fragmentary Withered Wood Meets Spring Art that had saved him.
• Wu Chong told Li Qing that the Sky Swallowing Ancestor had left to seek help against a powerful ancient demon in the Demon Cave Celestial Realm.
• Li Qing returned to his cave abode and found that the Nether Cold Fire purified spiritual energy, dramatically increasing his cultivation speed through the Crimson Blazing Heaven Art.
• Several months later, a disciple told Li Qing that the sect’s reward for capturing the ancient demon was ready, and Li Qing set off to collect it after giving the disciple spirit stones.

Li Qing received lavish rewards from Lingyun Sect for capturing an ancient devil and learned that a Nascent Soul Realm ancestor might be in the Demon Cave Celestial Realm. He used four bottles of Purple Sun Pills to break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and planned to visit the Sect Treasury after consolidating his cultivation.

• Sect Master Xu Yun gave Li Qing five bottles of Purple Sun Pills, spirit stones, Contribution Points, and the chance to choose an inheritance and a treasure, explaining that the captured ancient devil had provided the sect with valuable information.
• Sect Master Xu Yun told Li Qing that Martial Uncle Sky Swallowing had confirmed a Nascent Soul Realm ancestor was likely inside the Demon Cave Celestial Realm.
• Li Qing returned to his cave abode and used the Purple Sun Pills and Nether Cold Fire to work at his Foundation Establishment bottleneck.
• After nearly three months and consuming four bottles of pills, Li Qing gathered spiritual energy and broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
• Li Qing decided to stabilize his new realm before visiting the Sect Treasury.

Li Qing searched the Lingyun Sect treasury and chose five strange flame-shaped pieces of gold that resembled markings on his Black Furnace. He discovered the pieces fit perfectly into five indentations, but the furnace showed no other change, leaving him unsure what the discovery meant.

• Li Qing entered the Sect Treasury and searched its ancient objects and depleted spirit materials for something worth choosing.
• Li Qing found five unusually hard, flame-shaped pieces of gold and recognized them as resembling indentations inside his Black Furnace.
• Li Qing chose the five pieces as one treasure, and the treasury elder let him take them.
• Li Qing placed the five pieces into matching indentations in the Black Furnace, causing five of its thirty-six markings to glow like flames.
• Li Qing found no further change in the Black Furnace, put it away, and took out the Spear of Wind and a small fluorescent-green bottle.

Li Qing began nurturing the Spear of Wind with a demon spirit, hoping to create an artifact spirit that could help him survive the coming war. At Tianhe Sect, repeated challenges from Shangqing Sect drove the elders to consider abandoning the sect and preserving a small group of disciples.

• Li Qing decided to risk the Spear of Wind and inserted a compatible Wind Attribute demon spirit into it.
• Li Qing began nurturing the demon spirit with the secret art and planned to continue for more than ten days.
• Shangqing Sect ancestors repeatedly challenged Tianhe Sect, retreating whenever its grand formation revived.
• Sect Master Qingxuan and Ancestor Wanshan discussed Shangqing Sect's siege and Tianhe Sect's dwindling prospects.
• True Person Kong Ming urged the sect to fight back, while another elder proposed preserving a small group of promising disciples.
• Ancestor Wanshan ordered them to take action.

Li Qing successfully nurtured an artifact spirit in the Spear of Wind and named it Qingfeng, then learned that Tianhe Sect had fallen to Shangqing Sect. The story shifted back eight days to Tianhe Sect’s doomed last stand, as Sect Master Qingxuan sent Suxin and other survivors away to preserve the sect’s future.

• Li Qing discovered that the Spear of Wind had gained an artifact spirit, named it Qingfeng, and tested its ability to obey simple commands.
• Li Qing received a spirit message saying Shangqing Sect had breached Tianhe Sect’s formation and destroyed the sect.
• Sect Master Qingxuan told Tianhe Sect’s disciples to fight Shangqing Sect while he and the ancestors held off its strongest cultivators.
• Qingxuan urged Suxin to flee to Lingyun Sect because she carried a Water Spirit Pearl Fragment and could preserve hope of rebuilding Tianhe Sect.
• Tianhe Sect unleashed the Grand Formation’s exterminating strike and charged into battle against Shangqing Sect’s cultivators and guardian Mountain-Bearing Tortoise.
• True Person Linglong searched for Tianhe Sect’s promising disciples while Liu Huai’an, Elder Jiuxiao, Liu Hanyue, and Shi Nantian prepared to escort Suxin away.

Sect Master Xu Yun assigned Li Qing and his companions to find and shelter the surviving members of the destroyed Tianhe Sect, including whoever carried the Water Spirit Pearl Fragment. Li Qing led the group toward Mu Kingdom by a route through Liang Kingdom, and they set off aboard his modified Serpent-headed Spirit Boat.

• Sect Master Xu Yun told Li Qing, Wu Chong, Lu Fan, and Shen Ningbing that the Tianhe Sect had fallen and ordered them to secretly find its surviving members.
• Sect Master Xu Yun appointed Li Qing to lead the mission and gave him a purple Jade Pendant to summon help in an emergency.
• Li Qing told the group to prepare supplies, then chose a route through Liang Kingdom to avoid the Shangqing Sect's expected defenses near the Tianhe Sect.
• Lu Fan explained that he had no cave dwelling or supplies to prepare, while Shen Ningbing and Wu Chong arrived ready to depart.
• Li Qing brought Rice Bucket and launched the group aboard his modified Serpent-headed Spirit Boat as Wu Chong and Lu Fan ate roasted lamb legs.

Suxin led the surviving Tianhe Sect elders through Shangqing Sect territory toward Mu Kingdom, but Ling Ying spotted them and began a brutal pursuit. With their escape route blocked and pursuers closing in, the remnants kept fleeing as Ling Ying prepared to uncover who carried the Water Spirit Pearl Fragment.

• Suxin led the Tianhe Sect survivors through a route she had once copied from a Qi Refining thief, hoping to reach Lingyun Sect in Mu Kingdom.
• Liu Hanyue recognized a Sky-Rending Eagle as the mount of Shangqing Sect elder Ling Ying, and Suxin ordered everyone to flee southwest.
• Ling Ying and Liu Hongyuan caught up with the survivors, while Zhong Ya’s Golden Warship blocked their path and killed two elders; the Sky-Rending Eagle killed another.
• Liu Hongyuan taunted Liu Hanyue about her family’s destruction, and Liu Huai'an attacked him with a Frost Arrow Rain talisman before Jiuxiao urged him to keep fleeing.
• Ling Ying suspected one of the survivors carried the Water Spirit Pearl Fragment and called for Senior Yanxi to act as the chase neared Mu Kingdom’s border.

Suxin and the remaining Tianhe Sect cultivators fled Shangqing Sect’s pursuit, but their escape was threatened when Yan Xi revealed himself as the traitor Shi Nantian. Just as Yan Xi’s divine ability was about to kill Suxin, blazing-white flames appeared and melted the attack.

• Shi Nantian attacked Suxin and revealed that he was Yan Xi, a Shangqing Sect elder who had been impersonating him.
• Suxin used the Water Spirit Pearl Fragment to repel the pursuers, injuring Liu Hongyuan and damaging Zhong Ya’s Golden Warship, allowing Tianhe Sect’s remnants to escape.
• Yan Xi and Ling Ying resumed the pursuit, believing Suxin could not use the fragment’s power again.
• As Suxin ran out of strength, Yan Xi unleashed Nine Strikes of Profound Gold, leaving her with nowhere to flee.
• Blazing-white flames appeared before Suxin and melted Yan Xi’s golden Sword Qi, while an unfamiliar voice remarked that they were old acquaintances.

Li Qing arrived with allies as the three factions confronted one another over the Shangqing Sect’s role in breaking the sealing formation and causing deaths in the demon cave. When fighting began, Li Qing faced Yan Xi, who had possessed Shi Nantian, and pressed him for answers.

• Li Qing, Wu Chong, and Shen Ningbing arrived as Jiuxiao, Liu Hanyue, and Suxin recognized Li Qing.
• Ling Ying refused Li Qing’s request to take the Shangqing Sect elders back, while Lü Feiyu and Zhong Ya renewed their hostility toward Li Qing.
• Li Qing accused the Shangqing Sect of breaking the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountain sealing formation and causing the deaths of Lingyun Sect elders, prompting Ling Ying to attack.
• Shen Ningbing blocked Ling Ying’s wind blades as Li Qing organized the exhausted Tianhe Sect cultivators and charged Yan Xi, who had taken Shi Nantian’s body.
• Li Qing fought Yan Xi with his spears, identified when Yan Xi had possessed Shi Nantian, and trapped him with the Sky Net Banner.

Li Qing fought Yan Xi, while the other battles shifted in favor of the Shangqing Sect’s allies. After Liu Hanyue killed Liu Hongyuan, Ling Ying withdrew as a powerful aura rose in the distant north.

• Li Qing smashed Yan Xi’s head, but Yan Xi returned using a Death Substitution Puppet and resumed their fight.
• Shen Ningbing fought Ling Ying as Liu Hongyuan and the Tianhe Sect members battled the Shangqing Sect elders.
• Wu Chong used the Taotie Divine Art to suppress the Cultivation Noble Family heads aboard the damaged Golden Warship, then joined Lu Fan in attacking the Tianhe Sect’s side.
• Liu Hanyue killed Liu Hongyuan with a sword strike, though the battle left her near exhaustion.
• Ling Ying crushed a jade tablet and prepared to withdraw as a powerful aura rose in the distant north.