Chapter Summaries

Song Qingming declined to commit to joining the Huang Family’s dangerous expedition into the Taiyue Secret Realm and brought Song Xinyu to the Carefree Sect. He found Mount Guyang under martial law because a cultivator there was attempting to form a Golden Core, leaving Song Xinyu’s entry into the sect uncertain.

• Huang Shengyue told Song Qingming that Huang Shengxin had survived his failed Golden Core attempt and invited him to explore the Taiyue Secret Realm, but Song Qingming asked for time to consider.
• Song Qingming privately decided he did not want to risk his life in the secret realm and planned to decline after Song Xinyu entered the Carefree Sect.
• Song Qingming and Song Xinyu traveled to Mount Guyang, where a Carefree Sect cultivator turned them away and directed them to register at Yangshan Marketplace because the mountain was under martial law.
• Song Qingming registered Song Xinyu at the Carefree Sect’s Reception Courtyard, settled into an inn, and visited Deng Zhongkuo at the Heavenly Pill Pavilion.
• Deng Zhongkuo told Song Qingming that someone on Mount Guyang was attempting to form a Golden Core, prompting Song Qingming to ask who it was.

Song Qingming waited in Yangshan Marketplace while a Carefree Sect cultivator attempted core formation, exchanged his pills for stronger ones, and reflected on managing his cultivation expenses. After more than ten days, he witnessed a vast golden vortex gather above Mount Guyang, signaling that the core formation had reached a decisive moment.

• Song Qingming asked Deng Zhongkuo about the Carefree Sect’s mountain lockdown, then learned his pills felt weaker because his cultivation had improved and exchanged them for stronger pills.
• Song Qingming bought Level 2 Talisman Making materials and recalled selling Thousand Year Spirit Milk at auction before deciding to reduce his spending and avoid further risks.
• Song Qingming reflected on the costs of cultivation and the Skyfire Roc, whose growth remained slow despite years of investment.
• Song Qingming and his companion stayed in Yangshan Marketplace for more than ten days while the Carefree Sect’s core formation continued.
• Song Qingming left his room after hearing cries of alarm and saw spiritual clouds form a gigantic Golden Vortex over Mount Guyang.

Chen Xuanfeng successfully formed his core and entered the Golden Core Realm, while Song Qingming brought Song Xinyu to Mount Guyang to begin cultivating under Huang Shengyang. The chapter also showed Li Mufeng confronting Jinyu at Wei State’s border, and ended with Song Qingming leaving after failing to reach Xu Ziyan.

• Yao Ganshu and True Person Guangling discussed Chen Xuanfeng’s imminent core formation and worried about Li Mufeng’s absence.
• Li Mufeng challenged Jinyu for entering Wei State and fought him, setting the surrounding bamboo forest and land ablaze with their mana.
• Rumors spread that Chen Xuanfeng had successfully formed his core after resolving his longstanding resentment over Yang Wuqi.
• Song Qingming brought Song Xinyu to Mount Guyang, where Huang Shengyang agreed to accept him as a disciple.
• Song Qingming gave Song Xinyu Spirit Stones and advice before leaving Canglan Peak.
• Song Qingming visited Xu Ziyan’s cave abode but found its Restriction unmoving and left without seeing her.

After returning from Mount Guyang, Song Qingming visited Qinghe Market and saw Lu Family gatekeepers bullying a Rogue Cultivator. He intervened to let the man enter, then delivered materials to the Song Family shop and stopped at Golden Phoenix Tower.

• Song Qingming returned to Qinghe County, thinking about how to support Song Qingyu’s Foundation Establishment after Song Xinyu joined the Carefree Sect.
• At Qinghe Market’s gate, Lu Family gatekeepers tried to drive away a Man in Yellow carrying demonic beast dung after taking his Spirit Stones.
• Song Qingming told the gatekeepers to let the Man in Yellow enter, and they promptly backed down and let the waiting cultivators pass.
• Song Qingming entered the market and reflected that the Lu Family’s conduct threatened the marketplace’s reputation.
• Song Qingming delivered alchemy materials to the Song Family shop, then visited Huang Siyuan’s Golden Phoenix Tower and ordered a table of spirit food.

Song Qingming was summoned by a mysterious woman at Golden Phoenix Tower and discovered she was Fire Phoenix, the Demon King who had imprisoned him years earlier. She asked him how he thought she had found him, leaving him seated tensely across from her.

• Song Qingming enjoyed Huang Siyuan's spirit food and tea, and Li Quan told him an unfamiliar woman claiming to be his acquaintance had requested to see him alone.
• Song Qingming initially refused the mysterious summons, but Huang Siyuan persuaded him to meet the woman because she was a guest at the inn.
• A red-clothed woman opened the private room door and stunned Song Qingming, who dismissed Li Quan and sealed the room with a Soundproofing Talisman.
• Song Qingming recognized the woman as Fire Phoenix, the Demon King who had imprisoned him, and warned her that Carefree Sect cultivators might discover her in Qinghe Market.
• Fire Phoenix poured Song Qingming wine and asked whether he knew how she had found him.

Fire Phoenix revealed that she had secretly marked Song Qingming with her spirit flame and ordered him to accompany her into the Taiyue Lake Secret Realm, offering spirit herbs and a feather for contact. As they left the tavern together, they ran into Song Qingyu, who addressed him as Seventh Brother.

• Fire Phoenix removed the spirit flame she had planted in Song Qingming through the Thousand Year Spirit Milk and explained how she had tracked him.
• Fire Phoenix told Song Qingming to enter the Taiyue Lake Secret Realm with her and gave him spirit herbs and a colorful feather for their trip.
• Song Qingming agreed to follow Fire Phoenix's arrangements despite fearing the consequences of helping a Demon Cultivator.
• Fire Phoenix asked why Song Qingming had been called Song San, and he revealed his real name and family rank.
• Song Qingming and Fire Phoenix left the tavern and encountered Song Qingyu, who said she had come to borrow the Skyfire Roc from Sister-in-law.

Song Qingming met Fire Phoenix again and was left weighing whether to obey her summons to the Taiyue Secret Realm or seek help from the Carefree Sect. Meanwhile, Li Mufeng ended his prolonged battle with the Golden Feather Demon Emperor, who had kept him occupied for several days.

• Song Qingyu noticed Song Qingming with Fire Phoenix, who warned him not to reveal her identity before leaving Golden Phoenix Tower.
• Song Qingming returned to the private room and worried that Fire Phoenix might force him into the Taiyue Secret Realm, while fearing the consequences of telling the Carefree Sect.
• After sitting alone until dusk, Song Qingming told Huang Siyuan that Fire Phoenix had helped him before and then set out for Taiyuan Mountain.
• Li Mufeng and the Golden Feather Demon Emperor agreed to stop their ten-day battle after neither could defeat the other.
• The Golden Feather Demon Emperor departed, and Li Mufeng reflected on the Carefree Sect's need to produce another Nascent Soul Cultivator.

Song Qingming reluctantly prepared to enter the Taiyue Lake Secret Realm with the Huang Family, hoping to stay alive rather than pursue rare treasures. At the marketplace, he unexpectedly reunited with Xu Ziyan, a Carefree Sect cultivator, as the secret realm’s opening drew near.

• Song Qingming reflected on the dangers of cultivation and regretted being drawn into the secret realm after Fire Phoenix’s arrival left him unable to refuse.
• Huang Shengyue explained that the Taiyue Lake Secret Realm had an Outer Valley open to family cultivators and an Inner Valley controlled by major sects.
• Song Qingming returned to Funiu Mountain and secluded himself for several months to prepare for the secret realm.
• At Taiyue Lake Marketplace, Song Qingming noticed unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Cultivators gathering and expected the secret realm to open soon.
• Xu Ziyan appeared at Song Qingming’s table, and the two exchanged greetings and explained how they had missed each other in recent years.
• Song Qingming told Xu Ziyan that he had come with the Huang Family and asked whether the Carefree Sect’s arrival meant the secret realm would open soon.

Song Qingming explored Taiyue Lake Marketplace, bought water-attributed spiritual items and the Wave Breaking Art, and learned more about the secret realm. Meanwhile, Fire Phoenix secured one last opportunity to borrow a place from Demon King Tiebi’s subordinate before leaving the island in a blaze of crimson flame.

• Xu Ziyan told Song Qingming that the secret realm’s opening time was unknown and that cultivators from Lingyin Sect and Star Gate had not yet arrived.
• Song Qingming browsed Taiyue Lake Marketplace and bought water-attributed spiritual items for his clan’s Treasury Pavilion.
• Song Qingming purchased the Wave Breaking Art, a Level Two cultivation manual that could be cultivated to Foundation Establishment Layer 9.
• Song Qingming recalled that Carefree Sect controlled the secret realm’s entrance and charged visiting cultivators Spirit Stones to enter.
• A strange fish relayed Demon King Tiebi’s permission for Fire Phoenix to borrow a place one more time, and she thanked it with a golden spiritual fruit.
• Fire Phoenix left the desolate island as a streak of Crimson Flame after the strange fish returned to the lake.

Song Qingming gathered with the Huang Family and other Foundation Establishment cultivators at Taiyue Lake Marketplace while Carefree Sect Golden Core True Persons prepared to oversee the secret realm opening. The Lingyin Sect arrived with Lady Jin and a group of elite disciples, and the crowd noticed more newcomers approaching.

• Song Qingming stood with Huang Shengyue, Huang Shengxin, and Hu Longhai among the gathered cultivators, while Gao Jinhe's group arrived with an unfamiliar high-level cultivator instead of Lu Xingde.
• Huang Shengyue and Huang Shengxin remarked on Lu Xingde's absence, while Gao Yubai and Gao Jinhe discussed Song Qingming and the Huang Family.
• A huge yellow Flying Boat arrived, carrying Lady Jin and around thirty Lingyin Sect disciples.
• Lady Jin greeted the Carefree Sect Golden Core True Persons and took a seat beside them as the Lingyin Sect disciples gathered nearby.
• Song Qingming noticed that most of the Lingyin Sect disciples had higher cultivation than his own, then someone nearby announced that more people had arrived.

Song Qingming watched cultivators from Star Gate and other sects arrive before the Carefree Sect opened the Taiyue Lake Secret Realm. After paying for identity tokens, he entered the teleportation array with Huang Shengxin and the others, intending to travel with the Huang Family until he heard from Fire Phoenix.

• Star Gate cultivators arrived, drawing apprehensive reactions from the other cultivators at the plaza.
• More groups arrived, and at noon the Carefree Sect elder announced the entry rules and activated the teleportation array.
• The Carefree Sect cultivators entered first, including Xu Ziyan and Liu Xingfeng, who had advanced only to Foundation Establishment Layer 6 after nearly forty years.
• Star Gate, Lingyin Sect, and the other major sects entered before Song Qingming's group.
• Song Qingming paid one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, received a blue Jade Tile, and entered the array with Huang Shengxin and the others.
• Song Qingming planned to travel with the Huang Family until he received news from Fire Phoenix, while remaining uninterested in the family's share of any treasures.

Song Qingming entered the secret realm and used a magical mirror to head toward Huang Shengxin while avoiding dangers. On the way, he spotted a battle between demonic beasts, then saw an unknown cultivator strike the crocodile with lightning.

• Song Qingming passed the Carefree Sect guards and entered the secret realm through the black-hole entrance.
• After landing on sand dunes, Song Qingming hid in a stone cave and used the Jade Mother-Child Mirror to locate Huang Shengxin.
• Song Qingming set out on foot toward Huang Shengxin, avoiding flight so he would not attract attention.
• Song Qingming found a Grade 2 Low-grade crocodile hunting a Level 1 boar demon beast beside spirit herbs and chose not to approach.
• An unknown cultivator struck the crocodile with a bolt of thunder, and Song Qingming stayed still to avoid being mistaken for an ambusher.

Song Qingming observed a Lingyin Sect cultivator restrain a Demonic Crocodile and learned that beasts in the secret realm vanished after death, then traveled through a swamp toward his companions. Meanwhile, Huang Shengxin escaped a swarm of Golden Armored Bees and reunited with Huang Shengyue before another companion arrived.

• A Lingyin Sect cultivator bound a Demonic Crocodile with azure rings, collected spiritual herbs, and left without killing the beast.
• Song Qingming concluded that dead Demonic Beasts vanished from the secret realm and put on his Spirit Concealing Shirt to cross a dangerous swamp.
• Huang Shengxin was chased for hundreds of li by Golden Armored Bees and hid in a tree to recover from their stings.
• Huang Shengxin checked the Jade Mother-Child Mirror and waited as the others approached his location.
• Huang Shengyue arrived at night, heard how Huang Shengxin had encountered the bees, and another person soon joined them.

Song Qingming joined Huang Shengxin and Huang Shengyue, and the group decided to target a Grade 2 High-grade Five-Colored Flower guarded by Golden Armored Bees. After Hu Longhai arrived, they set up an array formation and began luring the swarm into it, leaving Huang Shengxin to sneak into the valley.

• Song Qingming arrived and learned that Huang Shengxin had been injured while escaping a swarm of Golden Armored Bees.
• Huang Shengxin revealed he had spotted a Grade 2 High-grade Five-Colored Flower beside the bees' nest and persuaded Song Qingming to join the plan to retrieve it.
• Hu Longhai arrived after a fruitless fight over a Grade 2 Spirit Medicine, then agreed to help deal with the Golden Armored Bees.
• The four cultivators traveled to the sloping valley, where Song Qingming, Hu Longhai, and Huang Shengyue set up the Azure Flame Cloud Mist Array while Huang Shengxin searched for a way inside.
• Hu Longhai lured hundreds of Golden Armored Bees into the formation, where the white mist trapped most of the swarm.

Song Qingming, Huang Shengyue, and Hu Longhai used the Azure Flame Cloud Mist Array to kill more than a thousand Golden Armored Bees, but their repeated attacks drew out a Level 2 Bee King and thousands of bees. The trio took refuge inside the formation, where Hu Longhai struggled to hold back bees breaking through the mist.

• Song Qingming controlled the Azure Flame Cloud Mist Array while Huang Shengyue and Hu Longhai killed the bees that escaped, wiping out nearly a thousand Golden Armored Bees.
• Huang Shengyue lured another swarm into the array, and the trio trapped and burned the bees before taking Qi Recovery Pills to restore their Mana.
• After five or six rounds, a Level 2 Golden Armored Bee King gathered several thousand bees and led them out of the valley.
• Hu Longhai spotted the swarm, warned Song Qingming and Huang Shengyue, and fled into the activated formation after disrupting the pursuit with a fireball.
• The Bee King sent its swarm into the mist, and Hu Longhai used a red banner to disable bees that reached the trio while Song Qingming and Huang Shengyue maintained the formation.
• As more bees broke through the mist, Hu Longhai struggled to hold them back and called to Song Qingming and Huang Shengyue for help.

Song Qingming and his companions lured the Golden Armored Bee swarm away while Huang Shengxin raided the nest for spirit medicines. After escaping and dividing their gains, the group rested and planned to search for a Grade 3 Spiritual Medicine the next day.

• Huang Shengxin entered the slanting valley after the Bee King left and harvested three Grade 2 Spirit Medicines from the nest.
• Song Qingming, Huang Shengyue, and Hu Longhai used a Grade 2 Explosion Talisman to break through the swarm and flee, then split up to escape pursuit.
• Song Qingming and Huang Shengyue reached the meeting place first, while Hu Longhai escaped the Bee King and arrived later, bruised and swollen.
• Huang Shengxin divided the spirit medicines’ value among the group, and everyone rested after their first successful venture into the secret realm.
• Huang Shengxin proposed searching for a Grade 3 Spiritual Medicine the next day, and Song Qingming agreed that the group should proceed cautiously.

Three Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivators entered a spiritually rich valley, hoping to find valuable treasures, but their scout Red-faced Fox was caught by a waiting group of Star Gate disciples. Senior Brother Liu sent five disciples to confront the intruders and keep them from leaving before the group’s planned operation.

• The azure-robed old man and his two companions spotted the valley and entered it, wary that a powerful Demonic Beast might be hiding there.
• The Man in Yellow sent his Red-faced Fox ahead to scout while the three waited at the valley entrance.
• The Red-faced Fox reached a stone platform and was trapped in a golden net after striking a steel plate.
• The White-clothed Woman brought the captured fox to Senior Brother Liu and warned that its master had likely entered the valley.
• Senior Brother Liu ordered five White-clothed Cultivators to find and deal with the intruders without letting them leave the valley.

Liu Zongping’s Star Gate team avoided a confrontation with three rogue cultivators outside a restricted valley, while Lingyin Sect gathered in another part of the secret realm and prepared to move toward the Inner Valley. Senior Brother Wu planned to depart at the agreed time, leaving the remaining disciples a little longer to arrive.

• The Man in Yellow worried that his Red-faced Fox had not returned from the valley, but Brother Feng persuaded him not to enter because a powerful Restriction might have trapped it.
• The Man in Yellow and the two rogue cultivators left the valley, and several Star Gate disciples emerged after they were gone.
• More than twenty Lingyin Sect cultivators rested by a pool, where the late-arriving Li Long joined them and greeted Senior Brother Wu.
• A young woman urged Senior Brother Wu to leave before Star Gate and Carefree Sect, but he decided to wait until the agreed three-day rendezvous time.

Li Yungong and the Carefree Sect gathered with their allies and headed toward the secret realm’s Inner Valley, while Song Qingming’s group watched the great sect cultivators depart. Huang Shengxin advised them to keep searching north, where they expected fewer competitors.

• Li Yungong drove off the Fire Fusion Sect cultivators and claimed the Pearl Jade Screen Flower for the Carefree Sect.
• Li Yungong and his two companions flew north and reunited with Chen Mengchong and the other Carefree Sect cultivators.
• Chen Mengchong led the gathered Carefree Sect cultivators north toward the Inner Valley as cultivators from other sects also advanced in that direction.
• Song Qingming and Huang Shengxin watched the sword lights pass and discussed which sect they belonged to.
• Hu Longhai suggested searching south after their recent poor finds, but Huang Shengxin argued they should continue north because most others would avoid that route.

Song Qingming waited for a signal from Fire Phoenix while traveling with Huang Shengxin and the others. At Twilight Canyon, a red-clothed woman secretly placed a bronze mirror in the cliff, and Star Gate and Lingyin Sect cultivators gathered to wait for the barrier to the Inner Valley to weaken.

• Song Qingming wondered whether Fire Phoenix had entered the secret realm after five days without contacting him.
• The red-clothed woman entered Twilight Canyon, placed a bronze mirror against the cliff, and left without being attacked by a Giant Lizard Demonic Beast.
• Liu Zongping led Star Gate cultivators to scout the canyon barrier with paper cranes, which were destroyed by lightning.
• Liu Zongping ordered the Star Gate disciples to take turns scouting and wait for the barrier to weaken before entering the Inner Valley.
• Lingyin Sect cultivators arrived on the opposite side of Twilight Canyon, tested the barrier, and stayed to wait as well.