Chapter Summaries

Song Qingming drove off a mysterious Gray Crane Demon King that attacked Tuoyun Mountain and pursued it north. There, he recognized the demon as Senior Long Feng and greeted him.

• Lin Yutang told Song Qingming that an unknown Gray Crane Demon King, stronger than the Cloud Crane Demon King, was attacking Tuoyun Mountain's array.
• Song Qingming arrived, exchanged a few blows with the Gray Crane Demon King, and chased it north when it fled.
• The cultivators at Tuoyun Mountain marveled at Song Qingming's strength, while Lin Yutang sent Zhang Rong and two Foundation Establishment Cultivators after him in case he needed help.
• Song Qingming pursued the Gray Crane Demon King several hundred miles to a mountain ridge, where it stopped and faced him.
• Song Qingming recognized the Gray Crane Demon King as Senior Long Feng and greeted him.

Song Qingming discovered that the Gray Crane Demon King was his old acquaintance Long Feng, who had reached the Late Golden Core Stage. Long Feng brought him to Fire Phoenix, who asked him to obtain a copy of the Carefree Sect’s Manual concerning the Tongtian Tower, and Song Qingming left to fulfill her request.

• Song Qingming recognized the Gray Crane Demon King as Long Feng after seeing him use a Golden Shield, and Long Feng revealed his identity.
• Long Feng told Song Qingming that Fire Phoenix wished to see him and led him to her cave.
• Song Qingming sensed that Fire Phoenix had reached the Nascent Soul Second Layer and spoke gratefully about her support for his cultivation.
• Fire Phoenix learned that Song Qingming was a Guest Elder of the Carefree Sect and asked him to obtain a copy of its Manual concerning the Tongtian Tower.
• Song Qingming agreed to retrieve the Manual and left, while Fire Phoenix and Long Feng discussed his character.

Song Qingming returned after driving off a Demon King and collected spiritual delicacies from the Song Family treasury, ordering Song Yuanfang to keep gathering more in secret. At Immortal Phoenix Tower, the red-clothed Fire Phoenix heard Wang Zhou tell an exaggerated account of Song Qingming’s fight with the Demon King.

• Zhang Rong and two Foundation Establishment Cultivators searched for Song Qingming, then met him as he returned and learned he had driven off the Demon King.
• Song Qingming told Zhang Rong and the others to return while he went to the sect to purchase spiritual items.
• Song Qingming collected stored Spirit Wines, Spirit Teas, and spiritual fruits from the Song Family treasury and told Song Yuanfang to gather more without drawing attention.
• Fire Phoenix entered Immortal Phoenix Tower, tasted its Cuiyun Carp, and asked Wang Zhou about the Song Family.
• Wang Zhou described Song Qingming’s battle with the Demon King in an exaggerated tale, and Fire Phoenix reacted with surprise before praising his strength.

Song Qingming delivered the Tongtian Tower Manual to Fire Phoenix and asked her to take him into the tower, hoping her Nascent Soul cultivation would let him reach its deeper levels. Fire Phoenix questioned whether his strength was useful enough to bring along, leaving his request undecided.

• Song Qingming exchanged for Spirit Tea, gathered his prepared items, and traveled to Tuoyun Mountain to meet Fire Phoenix.
• Song Qingming accompanied Huang Siyuan to Immortal Phoenix Tower, where an attendant told him a guest had come from Qinghe County.
• Song Qingming sensed that the guest was Fire Phoenix, sent Huang Siyuan to arrange spirit dishes, and entered the private room to give her the Tongtian Tower Manual.
• Fire Phoenix offered Song Qingming a reward, and he asked her to take him into the Tongtian Tower.
• Fire Phoenix challenged Song Qingming's claim that he was too weak for the tower, citing rumors that he had defeated Long Feng, and asked what use he would be.

Song Qingming offered his formation expertise to Fire Phoenix to secure a place in the expedition to Tongtian Tower, and she agreed to protect him if he improved his cultivation. After Fire Phoenix left, Song Qingming resolved to refine the spiritual fruit she had given him and prepare for the tower’s opening in at least five years.

• Song Qingming presented his Grade 3 formation skills to Fire Phoenix and asked to join her in Tongtian Tower; she gave him a Crimson Flame Date and agreed to look after him if he raised his cultivation within five years.
• Song Qingming gave Fire Phoenix gifts, including two jars of Spirit Wine, and she compensated him with Skyfire Dew for Huang Siyuan.
• Huang Siyuan arrived after Fire Phoenix vanished, accepted the Skyfire Dew, and asked Song Qingming to introduce her to his old friend.
• Fire Phoenix returned to Long Feng with the Manual she had obtained from Song Qingming and said Song Qingming had volunteered to enter Tongtian Tower with them.
• Song Qingming examined the Crimson Flame Date and became confident he could reach the Third Level of Golden Core before Tongtian Tower opened.

Six years later, rumors of an Ancient Secret Realm drew cultivators to a Liang State marketplace, where Yu Feng warned his master that increased patrols threatened their hidden operation. When the realm appeared, a Thunder Cloud Sect elder and the blood-mist demonic cultivator raced toward it, only to find two Nascent Soul Cultivators already waiting beneath its glow.

• Yu Feng and a middle-aged disciple told their master that patrols had increased and a Golden Core Cultivator had arrived, but the master said he needed four or five more days to finish refining his blood-red Jade Disk.
• A yellow-robed Foundation Establishment Cultivator reported missing marketplace cultivators to Uncle-Master Luo, who dismissed the concern and said the sect had spread secret-realm rumors to attract business.
• The yellow-robed man returned to report a brilliant seven-colored glow north of the marketplace, and Uncle-Master Luo ordered the marketplace sealed while he flew to investigate.
• The blood-mist Golden Core demonic cultivator also flew toward the glow, and both travelers sensed two Nascent Soul Cultivators confronting each other beneath it before hiding on nearby mountains.

The Tongtian Tower appeared in Liang State, prompting cultivators across the Floating Cloud Mountain Range to prepare for its opening. Song Qingming joined the Carefree Sect’s expedition and returned to Tuoyun Mountain to arrange for his family’s safety before leaving.

• Two Nascent Soul Cultivators, Wu Mou and Ink Dragon, agreed to occupy separate sides of the Tongtian Tower and restrain the cultivators gathering below.
• News of the Tongtian Tower spread throughout the cultivation world, and Li Mufeng decided to lead an expedition from the Carefree Sect without waiting for Star Gate.
• Jin Ziyuan, Zhao Menglian, and Song Qingming asked to join the expedition, and Li Mufeng agreed; Hu Tianren then asked Song Qingming to bring him along.
• Song Qingming returned to Tuoyun Mountain after reaching the Third Level of Golden Core and told Huang Siyuan to take the recovering Song Qingyu back to Funiu Mountain.
• Huang Siyuan urged Song Qingming not to worry about leaving Tuoyun Mountain for a few months, noting that its Mountain Protection Array could withstand a Third-tier Demon King until help arrived.

Song Qingming prepared to leave for the Tongtian Tower secret realm, arranging protection for Tuoyun Mountain and the Song Family while entrusting Song Qingyu with a rare Core-forming art. After reaching the Carefree Sect, he met Zhao Menglian and Jin Ziyuan, where he raised Hu Tianren’s request to join their journey.

• Song Qingming told Huang Siyuan to return with Song Qingyu to the family and informed Lin Yutang and Zhang Rong that he would be away for several months.
• Song Qingming reassured Lin Yutang that the sect would offer Tuoyun Mountain some protection and disguised his cave abode as occupied before seeing Huang Siyuan and Song Qingyu off.
• Song Qingming gave Song Qingyu the Conceal Origin Art and entrusted Huang Siyuan with the Green Leaf Three-Star Ruler Talisman Treasure to help protect the family.
• Song Qingming asked Xu Ziyan to look after the Song Family’s territory, exchanged for Mid-grade Spirit Stones, and then went to Zhao Menglian’s residence.
• Song Qingming told Zhao Menglian and Jin Ziyuan that Hu Tianren wanted to travel with them, and Jin Ziyuan reacted with disdain.

Song Qingming joined Zhao Menglian and Jin Ziyuan to prepare for entering the Tongtian Tower, while the Carefree Sect group traveled to the site of its appearance. There, Li Mufeng began a chess game with Situ Yan, and Song Qingming sensed a reflection of his own cultivation path in their slowing moves.

• Zhao Menglian told Song Qingming she had refused Hu Tianren's request to join their expedition into the Tongtian Tower.
• Jin Ziyuan praised Song Qingming's strength and said their group could face powerful cultivators as long as they avoided the tower's fourth level.
• Five days later, Li Mufeng led the Carefree Sect group to the site where the Tongtian Tower was beginning to emerge amid seven-colored radiance.
• Situ Yan of the Lingyin Sect greeted Li Mufeng, and the two Nascent Soul cultivators began a game of chess as others gathered to watch.
• Song Qingming watched the game and sensed that the slowing pace of the moves resembled how cultivation grew more difficult as one advanced.

As cultivators gathered for the opening of the Tongtian Tower, Song Qingming watched powerful sects and independent cultivators assemble amid growing rivalries. When the tower finally descended and its gate opened, a purple beam killed the first cultivator who tried to enter, leaving the others to wait and see what would happen.

• Zheng Zitong arrived and disrupted Situ Yan and Li Mufeng's chess game, then argued with them about the tower and the treasures inside.
• The Myriad Spirits Sect and cultivators from across the region arrived, forming groups on separate peaks while the northern side remained dangerous because of the Demon Race.
• Song Qingming reunited with Li Xianyun, who had reached the Golden Core Eighth Layer and declined Li Mufeng's invitation to enter with the Carefree Sect.
• The Tongtian Tower descended from the sky and opened its bronze gate, but Li Mufeng warned Jin Ziyuan that it was not yet time to enter.
• An elderly Foundation Establishment Cultivator rushed toward the gate and was pierced by a purple beam, then engulfed in Purple Fire and fell.

The Human and Demon Races entered the Tongtian Tower after its restrictions faded, while most low-level cultivators retreated at the sight of the Demon experts. Song Qingming was teleported to an unfamiliar place inside the tower and used a Spirit Talisman to locate Senior Sister Zhao nearby.

• The Golden Feather Demon Emperor and the Crimson Cloud Demon Emperor watched cultivators gather near the Tongtian Tower and discussed Long Feng and their respective forces.
• After the tower’s restrictions faded, Li Mufeng led the Carefree Sect inside as other Human Race sects and cultivators followed.
• Nascent Soul Demon Emperors and Great Demon Kings emerged from the Illusion Array and entered the tower, causing most Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Rogue Cultivators to turn back.
• A few Foundation Establishment Cultivators nearing the end of their lifespans followed the others into the tower despite the danger.
• Song Qingming was teleported to an unfamiliar area, landed beside a boulder, and used a Spirit Talisman to locate Senior Sister Zhao before flying toward her.

Song Qingming reunited with Zhao Menglian, Jin Ziyuan, Yun Xinhe, and True Person Qingluo in the Tongtian Tower, and the group set out for the teleportation array to the second level. They found the array in an ancient palace guarded by Ancient Puppet Beasts, and True Person Qingluo sent a spirit puppet toward it.

• Song Qingming followed his Spirit Talisman to Zhao Menglian and met Yun Xinhe, while Fire Phoenix and Long Feng traveled elsewhere in the tower.
• Jin Ziyuan and True Person Qingluo joined the group, and Zhao Menglian proposed heading straight to the second level.
• The five cultivators reached an ancient palace and learned that Ancient Puppet Beasts guarded the teleportation array inside.
• Zhao Menglian led the group past a destroyed Ancient Puppet Beast and into a stone chamber containing the array and rings of beast statues.
• True Person Qingluo summoned a Humanoid Spirit Puppet and sent it toward the teleportation array.

Song Qingming and his companions fought through the Ancient Puppet Beasts guarding the Teleportation Array and discovered Zhang Tieyang hiding nearby. After Zhang helped them in battle, he asked to join their group as they continued exploring the Tongtian Tower.

• True Person Qingluo sent his Humanoid Spirit Puppet toward the Teleportation Array, triggering the surrounding stone statue Puppet Beasts.
• Zhao Menglian, Song Qingming, and the other Golden Core Cultivators fought the Puppet Beasts while protecting the Teleportation Array.
• Song Qingming detected someone hiding near the array, and Zhang Tieyang emerged, explaining that he had entered the hall earlier and concealed himself from fear of Demon Kings.
• Zhang Tieyang helped Zhao Menglian fight the Puppet Beasts, and the group accepted that he was a Rogue Cultivator from Lu State whom Song Qingming vaguely remembered from the war.
• Zhang Tieyang said he had become separated from his companion and asked to travel with Song Qingming's group for safety.

Zhao Menglian’s group accepted Zhang Tieyang as a traveling companion after he pleaded to join them, though both sides had their own reasons for the arrangement. After they teleported to the Tongtian Tower’s second level, an expert passed outside their cave, and Zhang returned from scouting with an anxious expression.

• Zhang Tieyang asked to travel with Zhao Menglian’s group, and Jin Ziyuan, Yun Xinhe, True Person Qingluo, and Song Qingming agreed to consider him.
• Zhao Menglian accepted Zhang Tieyang on the conditions that he obey her orders and hand over any jointly obtained spiritual items for distribution.
• The group entered the Teleportation Array and arrived in a damp mountain cave on the Tongtian Tower’s second level.
• Zhao Menglian noticed an expert passing overhead and had the group retreat into the cave.
• Zhang Tieyang put on a concealing Dharma Robe to scout outside, then hurried back looking anxious as Song Qingming and Yun Xinhe watched the Teleportation Array.

Zhang Tieyang led Song Qingming and the others to a mist-shrouded gorge, where Song Qingming broke a formation hiding a garden of spirit medicines. After the group gathered and divided the treasure, a Golden Feather Demon Emperor and three Demon Kings entered the Teleportation Array and headed toward the same level.

• Zhang Tieyang told the group about a formation-hidden gorge, and Zhao Menglian led the six cultivators there.
• Song Qingming examined the formation, recognized that Zhang Tieyang had already tried to break it, and used Array Flags to dismantle it.
• The Golden Feather Demon Emperor refused to wait for Long Feng and led three Demon Kings through a Teleportation Array.
• Song Qingming broke the restriction, revealing a garden filled with mature spirit medicines, including two Grade 3 Spirit Medicines.
• Zhao Menglian organized the harvest and divided the medicines; Song Qingming received the valuable Grade 3 Luoxing Grass, while Zhang Tieyang received a substantial share.

Song Qingming and the Carefree Sect cultivators were caught in a Yin Wind Grand Array and ambushed by four demonic cultivators seeking their treasures. As the battle turned against them, Song Qingming headed for the darkness to destroy the array core, pursued by a tiger-headed monster.

• Zhao Menglian persuaded the group to remain on the second level and search for spiritual items rather than risk meeting powerful cultivators on the way to the third level.
• A sudden Yin wind trapped Song Qingming and the others in midair and began dragging them toward a dark area of the canyon.
• Four black-robed demonic cultivators appeared, demanded the group’s Storage Bags, and attacked when Zhao Menglian refused.
• The demonic cultivators summoned ox-headed and tiger-headed monsters and strengthened the Yin Wind Grand Array, putting pressure on the Carefree Sect group.
• Jin Ziyuan urged Song Qingming to destroy the array, and Song Qingming charged toward its core as a tiger-headed monster pursued him.

Song Qingming broke the demonic cultivators’ array, freeing his allies from the sinister wind and shifting the battle in their favor. After Zhang Tieyang killed the bull-headed monster, the demonic cultivators tried to flee, and Song Qingming and the others pursued them.

• Song Qingming studied the array while Golden Wind fought the tiger-headed monster, and Yun Xinhe and Jin Ziyuan kept other demonic cultivators from reaching him.
• Song Qingming found flaws in the array and destroyed several Array Eyes, weakening the sinister wind restraining the fighters.
• A demonic cultivator used a Black Pill to strengthen himself and blasted Zhao Menglian away with three Black Orbs, but she recovered and blocked his attempt to reach the array.
• The sinister wind vanished after Song Qingming destroyed more Array Eyes, and he returned to help Jin Ziyuan turn the fight against his stronger opponent.
• Zhang Tieyang defeated the bull-headed monster by dispersing its soul with a Golden Seal Magic Treasure, prompting the demonic cultivators to flee as Song Qingming and the others gave chase.

Song Qingming and the other cultivators pursued the demonic cultivators fleeing the gorge, saving Zhang Tieyang and coordinating their attacks to keep one enemy from escaping. They killed a Golden Core Sixth Layer demonic cultivator, but his Primordial Spirit escaped, leaving Zhao Menglian concerned about future trouble.

• Several demonic cultivators broke away from their pursuers and fled, while Zhang Tieyang trapped a Golden Core Sixth Layer demonic cultivator with his golden net.
• The trapped demonic cultivator nearly killed Zhang Tieyang, but Song Qingming blocked the attack with a Golden Talisman and sent Zhang Tieyang to help True Person Qingluo.
• Song Qingming, Jin Ziyuan, and Golden Wind pursued the wounded demonic cultivator, but he used black mist to escape their restraints and fly out of the gorge.
• Yun Xinhe intercepted the escaping demonic cultivator, and Song Qingming, Jin Ziyuan, and Zhao Menglian joined the fight and killed him.
• The demonic cultivator's Primordial Spirit escaped, and Zhao Menglian regretted that they had brought no high-grade Soul Chasing Talismans.

Song Qingming and his companions defeated two demonic cultivators in the Tongtian Tower, divided their spoils, and rested before continuing their search. Elsewhere, a Black-robed Man reported to his master that their group had failed and he had been separated from several junior brothers.

• Zhao Menglian destroyed a demonic cultivator's corpse, and Song Qingming's group reunited with True Person Qingluo and Zhang Tieyang after they killed another demonic cultivator.
• Zhang Tieyang thanked Song Qingming for saving him, and Zhao Fenglian urged the group to stay united in the dangerous Tongtian Tower.
• The group opened the demonic cultivators' Storage Artifacts and found valuable loot, including the Nine-Palace Flowing-Cloud Drum, which Zhang Tieyang recognized as his companion Qingyuan's Natal Magic Treasure.
• Zhao Menglian sealed the tainted magic treasures, destroyed the demonic cultivation techniques, and distributed the remaining spoils, giving Song Qingming a substantial share.
• Zhang Tieyang gave Song Qingming Spirit Stones in gratitude, and the group agreed to rest before searching for spiritual items the next day.
• A Black-robed Man met his master near a Teleportation Array and reported that their group had failed and he had become separated from several junior brothers.

Song Qingming and his companions found an ancient corpse beneath stone pillars and entered the area, triggering a lightning restriction. The chapter ended as hundreds of bolts descended on them.

• Black Wind Old Ancestor learned that two of his devil cultivators had likely died, rebuked the Black-robed Figure, and left without waiting for Junior Brother Cao.
• Fire Phoenix entered a valley filled with corrosive red mist while waiting for the person she sought.
• Song Qingming and his companions followed Zhao Menglian’s map to stone pillars and found the remains of an ancient Golden Core Cultivator.
• Song Qingming had Golden Wind bury the corpse, and Golden Wind secretly collected a white sphere that fell from its mouth.
• Song Qingming and the others entered the stone pillars, activated a restriction, and faced a barrage of hundreds of lightning bolts.