Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Xu Qiuming visits a Goldenxiao Sect gathering place to ask about obtaining a rare sword Dharmic Treasure. He also asks when the Devil Lord and the sect’s forces will return from the Dihai.
• The cultivators tell him that Fang Wang has stormed the Xuan Dynasty’s imperial capital and defeated its cultivation world, forcing it to beg for mercy. Xu Qiuming is stunned by the scale of Fang Wang’s achievement.
• The story shifts to Fang Wang’s campaign through the Dihai. After defeating more than thirty factions over six months without killing their members, he confronts an eighth-tier Mahayana cultivator in front of a vast crowd.
• Fang Wang’s punch pierces a distant mountain and terrifies the cultivator into kneeling. The man says the Xuan Dynasty concealed the deaths of five Nirvana experts and falsely portrayed Fang Wang as a monster, apparently hoping other factions would keep fighting him.
• Fang Wang accepts the man’s submission and moves on with Fang Jing. The watching cultivators begin questioning the Xuan Dynasty’s motives and let Fang Wang pass.
• Fang Jing wonders whether Aunt Qi, who cared for him in the palace, is alive. Little Purple recalls that Fang Wang knocked her out of the battlefield rather than killing her, though her fate remains uncertain.

Character developments

• Xu Qiuming is revealed as a rising Goldenxiao Sect talent: he has created his own sword path and earned the Devil Lord’s attention. Still, Fang Wang’s feats make his own ambitions—especially reaching the Mahayana Realm—seem small by comparison.
• Fang Wang demonstrates overwhelming strength but chooses restraint. He defeats opponents without killing them, using their survival to turn the Dihai factions against the Xuan Dynasty.
• Fang Jing is beginning to understand power and its effect on others. Seeing the once-arrogant Mahayana cultivator kneel—and then flatter him—deepens his awareness of the ugliness of political life and plants a desire for strength or influence.
• Little Purple offers Fang Jing reassurance about Aunt Qi, while acknowledging that they cannot control what happens to her after the battle.

Significant themes

• Power and perspective: Fang Wang’s strength makes even the Mahayana Realm, once Xu Qiuming’s ultimate goal, seem limited.
• Information and manipulation: The Xuan Dynasty’s omissions and accusations provoke other factions into fighting Fang Wang on false pretenses.
• Restraint as strategy: By sparing defeated enemies, Fang Wang avoids creating needless enemies and shifts blame for the conflict onto the Xuan Dynasty.
• The influence of power on people: Fang Jing notices how fear makes people change their behavior, connecting his present experience to the mistreatment he witnessed in the palace.

Character interactions

• Xu Qiuming questions the Goldenxiao Sect’s elders and fellow cultivators, then leaves silently after hearing of Fang Wang’s victory.
• Fang Wang confronts the purple-robed Mahayana cultivator, who changes from defiant pursuer to trembling supplicant and promises to expose the Xuan Dynasty.
• Fang Jing watches the exchange and then asks Little Purple about Aunt Qi; Little Purple explains what it saw and offers a cautious account of her likely survival.

Plot and major events

• Fang Jing, now nearly ten, trains relentlessly on the island. He practices only the Heavenly Dao True Scripture and Nine Dragon Heaven-Suppressing Fist—the two supreme arts Fang Wang has chosen for him—and his aptitude appears to be improving. His discipline and bearing increasingly resemble Fang Wang’s.
• Dugu Wenhun, one of the Four Heroes of Nanqiong, arrives seeking Fang Wang. He praises Fang Wang’s recent campaign across the Xuan Dynasty and proposes they join forces to enter the tomb of Emperor Hongxuan, the ancient ruler buried in Dihai.
• Dugu explains that Emperor Hongxuan pioneered the imperial path and created the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Mirror, a legendary divine art. The tomb is guarded by the Three Immortals of Dihai, powerful ninth-layer Nirvana cultivators who hope to obtain the mirror.
• Although Fang Wang says he is not interested in treasure, he agrees to go because he wants to test himself against the Three Immortals. He brings Fang Jing along, with Little Purple carrying them as Dugu leads the way. Fang Wang remains wary of Dugu’s excessive enthusiasm.
• The chapter then shifts to Lv Xianming, once hailed as Dihai’s greatest genius. A year after Fang Wang defeated him with a single kick, Lv has abandoned cultivation, convinced he can never catch up with Fang Wang.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Jing shows growing discipline and ambition, training without being prompted. His resemblance to Fang Wang suggests he may follow a similar path.
• Fang Wang remains focused on refining his own sword techniques, but accepts Dugu’s invitation for the challenge rather than for its rewards. He protects and includes Fang Jing while maintaining caution toward Dugu.
• Dugu Wenhun presents himself as an admirer and ally, sharing extensive knowledge of Dihai and its history. His confident claim that he is the strongest of the Four Heroes amuses Little Purple, though his motives remain uncertain.
• Lv Xianming is devastated by his defeat. Once confident that he was destined for greatness, he now sees himself as insignificant beside Fang Wang. The Daoist who visits him tries to challenge his despair, but Lv remains consumed by the memory of his humiliation.
• Little Purple admires Fang Jing’s progress, responds favorably to Dugu’s flattery, and remains vigilant around newcomers.

Significant themes

• The crushing gap between prodigies: Fang Wang’s overwhelming strength has turned Lv Xianming’s former confidence into despair.
• Discipline and cultivation: Fang Jing’s steady practice contrasts with Lv’s abandonment of his path.
• Legacy and ambition: Emperor Hongxuan’s defiance of the upper realm—and the pursuit of his tomb and mirror—connects personal power to a larger history of challenging heaven.
• A new era: Dugu frames Fang Wang as the defining figure of a coming golden age, while Fang Wang’s growing influence reshapes how other geniuses view their own futures.

Key plot points and events

• Lv Xianming confides in Daoist Chunqiu at Wuxin View. Frustrated by his lifelong drive to be the best, he asks what kind of life he should pursue.
• Chunqiu tells him the story of Emperor Hongxuan: once a prodigy rejected as a child, Hongxuan was later defeated by a rival, withdrew to cultivate, and eventually created the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Mirror. By the time he sought revenge, his rival had died—a lasting regret.
• Chunqiu urges Lv Xianming to view setbacks through the scale of a long life and the even longer path of cultivation. Though Lv still cannot let go of his rivalry, he regains some hope. Chunqiu then offers him the chance to pursue Emperor Hongxuan’s inheritance.
• Elsewhere, Fang Wang travels with Fang Jing, Little Purple, and Dugu Wenhun to Emperor Tomb Island. Dugu guides them safely through dangerous waters and explains that he was defeated by the island’s Three Immortals two centuries earlier.
• The Three Immortals initially seem eccentric and forgetful, but their immense power becomes clear when their aura shakes the island. They recognize Fang Wang’s extraordinary strength and reveal that he is under 150 years old, despite being only at the fourth layer of the Golden Body Realm.
• At Dugu’s request, the Three Immortals open the altar’s passage for Emperor Hongxuan’s assessment. Fang Wang enters with Dugu and Fang Jing—but is separated from them and finds himself back in the valley alone.
• A golden-furred monkey appears and says Fang Wang has been there nine times before. It also mentions a woman who has come fifty times and a stubborn man who has come 100,300 times, setting up a mystery about the assessment and its past visitors.

Character developments and interactions

• Lv Xianming shifts from despair toward cautious hope after Chunqiu’s counsel, though his competitiveness and resentment remain unresolved.
• Daoist Chunqiu offers guidance through Hongxuan’s story rather than prescribing a life path, then turns that counsel into a concrete opportunity.
• Fang Wang remains calm under the Three Immortals’ intimidating aura, impressing both them and Dugu. His composure contrasts with Dugu’s concealed alarm and Fang Jing’s unease.
• Dugu Wenhun acts as guide and intermediary, showing respect toward the Three Immortals while asking them to admit the group to the assessment.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai are humorous, rambling, and forgetful, yet powerful and perceptive; they quickly assess Fang Wang and willingly open the passage.
• Fang Jing stays close to Fang Wang, while Little Purple questions Dugu about the Three Immortals.

Significant themes

• Rivalry, defeat, and perspective: A setback need not define a life; time can change the meaning of both victory and failure.
• Regret and impermanence: Hongxuan’s revenge arrives too late, underscoring that rivals and opportunities may disappear.
• Endurance and personal growth: Long cultivation requires surviving tribulations rather than expecting uninterrupted supremacy.
• Power and potential: Fang Wang’s youth and relatively low cultivation make his strength especially remarkable.
• Mystery and repetition: Fang Wang’s ninth visit—and the far greater number of visits by others—suggests the inheritance assessment has a history not yet explained.

Plot points

• Fang Wang meets a golden macaque at Emperor Tomb Island. It claims he has visited nine times, while two other people have come many times as well—one fifty times, the other 103,000. Both, it says, were searching for the world’s strongest inheritance for Fang Wang’s sake.
• The macaque identifies itself as Emperor Hongxuan, founder of the Emperor Dao. It says its remnant soul escaped beyond the Yin and Yang Realms to evade immortal pursuers, leaving it able to observe the mortal realm but unable to affect fate or see beyond its current location.
• Hongxuan refuses to clarify the identities of the other visitors or explain Fang Wang’s repeated visits, citing the “secrets of heaven.” It also cryptically predicts that Fang Wang will never ascend.
• Though the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Mirror is not suited to Fang Wang, Hongxuan offers him a trial: defeat Hongxuan at the same cultivation realm. Fang Wang, currently at the fourth layer of the Golden Body Realm, chooses to face him at Mahayana.
• Their duel devastates Emperor Tomb Island and the surrounding sea. Hongxuan transforms from a golden macaque into his true, black-scaled form and fights with a single-bladed halberd. Fang Wang uses his Celestial Palace Halberd, Sacred Body, and Heavenly Dao True Scripture.
• The two initially fight evenly. Hongxuan then reveals a technique that creates a thousand avatars, claiming that his vastly greater combat experience gives him the advantage.

Character development and interactions

• Fang Wang responds to Hongxuan’s strange claims with skepticism and probing questions, but remains open to extraordinary possibilities. He quickly identifies one possible visitor as Zhou Xue and guesses Ji Rutian as the other; Hongxuan confirms only that one guess is correct.
• Hongxuan is both a lonely, talkative remnant and a fierce, boastful fighter. He treats Fang Wang as a kindred spirit, expresses anticipation about him, and relishes their long-awaited battle.
• Fang Wang’s confidence and appetite for challenge are clear: he deliberately chooses a much higher trial realm and is exhilarated when Hongxuan forces him back. He acknowledges Hongxuan’s skill while asserting that his own strength includes the inheritances of Great Sage Xianglong, Emperor Daan, and Great Sage Zhuxian.

Significant themes

• Fate, reincarnation, and hidden cycles: Hongxuan’s account of repeated visits raises questions about whether events are recurring, and how much any character can know or change.
• Limits of knowledge and secrecy: Hongxuan’s repeated refusal to reveal key truths emphasizes the boundary between insight and forbidden knowledge.
• Power versus experience: Fang Wang’s formidable abilities meet Hongxuan’s accumulated combat expertise, making the duel a test of more than raw strength.
• Ambition and challenge: Both men value wildness and growth through combat; the fight becomes an exchange of respect as much as a contest.

Plot points and events

• Fang Wang battles a thousand Emperor Hongxuan clones in a close-combat trial. Though outnumbered and injured, he refuses at first to use his strongest sword technique, enjoying the challenge and testing his body’s resilience.
• Emperor Hongxuan recognizes Fang Wang’s perfected Heavenly Dipper Sacred Body and grows increasingly excited by his opponent’s strength. The clones combine into a vast, three-headed, eighteen-armed dharma image, prompting Fang Wang to unleash the Zhuxian Ghost God Sword.
• After an exhausting clash, Fang Wang concedes. He senses that the trial Emperor Hongxuan was not using his full abilities, but Emperor Hongxuan accepts the result and sends him back to the altar, fully healed.
• The golden-haired monkey reveals that it is not the real Emperor Hongxuan, but one-thousandth of his remnant soul, imprisoned at the site. It teaches Fang Wang the Connect-Heaven Emperor Mirror, reciting its extensive cultivation formula once.
• The monkey hints that Fang Wang has visited the trial multiple times before and remembered the technique on an earlier visit. Fang Wang wonders whether he has failed and died in previous attempts, but remains determined to master the world’s supreme arts and defy fate.
• Outside the trial, Dugu Wenhun returns defeated and discusses the experience with the Three Immortals of Dihai and Little Purple. They speculate that Fang Wang and the low-realm Fang Jing may still be inside—and that Fang Jing’s unusually low cultivation could make his challenge exceptional.

Character developments

• Fang Wang proves resilient, ambitious, and eager to test himself, ultimately revealing his full strength before choosing to concede. The possibility of repeated deaths strengthens rather than weakens his resolve.
• Emperor Hongxuan is portrayed as a formidable, battle-loving ancient powerhouse who respects Fang Wang’s abilities and welcomes a worthy fight.
• Dugu Wenhun is shaken by his defeat and newly aware of how small even great talent can seem beside a legendary figure.
• The golden-haired monkey shifts from an apparent trickster to a potentially sincere guide, though its hints about Fang Wang’s past remain uncertain.
• Little Purple shows confidence in Fang Jing’s potential, while the Three Immortals offer comic speculation about the trial.

Significant themes

• Growth through challenge: Fang Wang treats hardship and even physical damage as opportunities to test and strengthen himself.
• Fate and personal agency: The chapter questions whether destiny can be escaped, while Fang Wang insists that effort and cultivation matter regardless.
• Humility before greatness: Dugu’s defeat reveals the vast gap between ordinary genius and a figure who has shaped history.
• Uncertainty and repetition: The hints of prior attempts and possible deaths complicate the trial, leaving Fang Wang’s history—and the monkey’s claims—ambiguous.

Character interactions

• Fang Wang and Emperor Hongxuan share a fierce, mutually respectful battle; Hongxuan challenges him to use his full strength, and Fang Wang later acknowledges the emperor’s restrained power.
• Fang Wang questions the monkey about its identity, the other remnants, and the truth of its earlier claims, then asks to learn the Connect-Heaven Emperor Mirror.
• Dugu Wenhun recounts his defeat to Little Purple and the Three Immortals, whose remarks lead them to realize that Fang Jing may be facing the trial at an unusually low cultivation level.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Wang cultivates the Heavenly Dao True Scripture, a vast cultivation framework with seven levels, each tied to a major realm beginning at Mahayana. Its abilities progress from the Heaven-Connecting Dharma Form through the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Dynasty.
• Mastering each level takes increasingly long. Fang Wang completes all seven after four thousand years, then spends another 2,100 years reaching Great Perfection—6,100 years in total. At that stage, he can manifest multiple versions of all seven abilities simultaneously, though using them in reality still requires the appropriate cultivation realm.
• Returning from the illusion, Fang Wang reveals his mastery by forming the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Token. The golden monkey is shocked: Fang Wang is unlike the eight previous versions it remembers, who all failed to learn the inheritance.
• The monkey hints that Fang Wang’s fate halberd has gained an extra edge, but says further explanation would bring karmic backlash. It admits the illusion cannot hold Fang Wang and urges him to leave.
• Fang Wang exits the illusion using the Jiuyou Free Art and promises to repay the monkey if he can help it in the future.
• Back in the valley, Fang Wang swiftly pins the Three Immortals of Dihai with Emperor Tokens, demonstrating how completely he has mastered the technique. He releases them, leaving the group stunned.
• Fang Wang realizes Fang Jing is also passing Emperor Hongxuan’s trial and receiving the inheritance. A voice then praises Fang Wang for learning the Emperor Token so quickly.

Character development and interactions

• Fang Wang shows extraordinary patience and discipline through thousands of years of cultivation. The ordeal leaves him emotionally numb, but he remains respectful and offers the golden monkey future help. His effortless defeat of the Three Immortals confirms his immense progress.
• The golden monkey shifts from smug confidence to disbelief and wariness. It is proud of the Scripture yet uneasy that Fang Wang has mastered it, and hints that forces connected to his unusual fate may be at work.
• Little Purple eagerly welcomes Fang Wang back and is confident he will succeed.
• Dugu Wenhun and the Three Immortals recognize the Emperor Token from their past defeats by Emperor Hongxuan; Fang Wang’s use of it shocks them and makes him appear to echo the emperor.
• Fang Jing is revealed to have passed the trial too, prompting Fang Wang’s pleased surprise.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and the cost of mastery: Even Fang Wang’s extensive experience cannot shortcut the Scripture’s demanding training.
• Legacy and comparison: Fang Wang’s achievement connects him to Emperor Hongxuan, while the monkey’s reaction raises questions about how he differs from his previous incarnations or attempts.
• Fate and hidden forces: The altered fate halberd and the monkey’s cryptic warning suggest that Fang Wang’s destiny has been deliberately changed.
• Power and restraint: Fang Wang demonstrates overwhelming force, yet quickly releases his opponents and offers the monkey assistance rather than acting out of pride.

Key plot points and events

• Zhou Xue arrives at Emperor Tomb Island with Golden Xiao Sect cultivators and activates the altar’s formation. Fang Wang realizes her past-life self has visited the trial before.
• Fang Wang reunites with his paternal cousin Fang Zigeng, now a white-haired Spirit Condensation cultivator. He welcomes him warmly and introduces him to Dugu Wenhun, who sees the connection as a possible way to gain access to Fang Wang’s inheritance.
• Fang Jing completes the trial but cannot remember its inheritance. Fang Wang reassures him that he can teach him Emperor Hongxuan’s inheritance later, once he masters other techniques.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai, intimidated by Fang Wang’s Heaven-Connecting Emperor Token, beg to become his servants in exchange for instruction. Fang Wang agrees to take them along.
• Most Golden Xiao Sect cultivators fail the trial and return. Zhou Xue remains inside longer than the others, then emerges and tells the group to stay on the island while she and Fang Wang speak privately.
• Zhou Xue’s trial reveals that she has visited fifty-one times. She challenges Emperor Hongxuan’s monkey avatar and asks for the location of a Heaven-Connecting Emperor Coffin instead of the usual inheritance. Her use of demonic qi unsettles the avatar.
• On a secluded peak, Zhou Xue tells Fang Wang that he has visited nine times, she has visited fifty-one times, and someone else has visited one hundred thousand times—an apparent reference to the strange repetition surrounding the trial.

Character developments

• Fang Wang shows affection toward his family, warmly embracing Fang Zigeng and promising to help Fang Jing. His confidence and generosity also attract followers.
• Zhou Xue is revealed to have extensive experience with the trial and knowledge of a hidden, repeated history. Her request for the coffin’s location suggests a purpose beyond simply claiming the inheritance.
• Fang Zigeng has become composed and resilient, though he remains modest and nervous around Fang Wang.
• Dugu Wenhun shifts from apprehension about Zhou Xue to cultivating ties with her sect, hoping proximity to Fang Wang may bring him access to the inheritance.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai abandon their former claim over the island and eagerly submit to Fang Wang.

Significant themes

• Repetition and hidden history: The vastly different numbers of visits suggest cycles or layered timelines that the characters do not fully understand.
• Power and loyalty: Fang Wang’s strength inspires fear, but his kindness toward relatives and willingness to teach also draw genuine allegiance.
• Inheritance versus deeper purpose: Zhou Xue’s interest in the coffin, rather than the standard reward, hints that the trial conceals a greater mystery.
• Family and cultivation: Fang Wang’s reunions show that kinship remains meaningful despite immense differences in age, power, and experience.

Character interactions

• Fang Wang and Zhou Xue reunite with warmth and familiarity, then meet privately to compare what they learned from Emperor Hongxuan’s avatar.
• Fang Wang encourages Fang Zigeng and introduces him to Dugu Wenhun, who uses the opening to build rapport.
• Fang Wang comforts Fang Jing and offers to teach him later; this prompts the Three Immortals to plead for his guidance.
• Little Purple enthusiastically takes charge of instructing the Three Immortals, who listen attentively despite their great power.

Plot points and events

• Fang Wang discusses Emperor Hongxuan’s trial and prophecy with Zhou Xue. She reveals that in her past life she passed the trial and defeated Emperor Hongxuan, though she had suppressed her true Golden Body Realm cultivation. She warns Fang Wang not to fixate on Hongxuan’s predictions: Zhou Xue’s rebirth has already changed the course of events.
• Zhou Xue explains that Xiao Kuang was a willing vessel for Emperor Hongxuan’s rebirth, hoping the arrangement might save his own life. Her deeper aim is to recruit Hongxuan for a future conflict with the Upper Realm.
• Fang Wang offers to help Zhou Xue before her ascension, but she encourages him to follow his own path and gives him a jade bracelet so he can contact her if he needs help. They also discuss Fang Xun’s death; Zhou Xue apologizes, and Fang Wang tells her not to blame herself.
• After an altar trial concludes, Fang Wang and his companions leave. He recognizes Emperor Hongxuan’s presence in Xiao Kuang’s eyes, while Xiao Kuang vows to challenge Fang Wang once he masters the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Mirror.
• On the journey home, Fang Wang agrees to teach Dugu Wenhun and the Three Immortals of Dihai. He asks only that they help his family if it ever faces trouble. The group also tells him about the Peacock Holy King, reputedly Dihai’s strongest cultivator and a potential Demonic Great Sage.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang regains some peace after Zhou Xue helps him see that the future is not fixed. He chooses to return to the Nanqiong Sea rather than continue fighting, and shows generosity by offering instruction without demanding repayment.
• Zhou Xue reveals her strength, long-term ambitions, and willingness to recruit Emperor Hongxuan against the Upper Realm. Despite her confidence, she feels remorse over failing to protect Fang Xun.
• Fang Zigeng, watching from below, resolves to work hard enough to join Fang Wang’s inner circle. Fang Wang’s affectionate teasing and offer of support cheer him.
• Xiao Kuang, now tied to Emperor Hongxuan’s rebirth, becomes eager to prove himself against Fang Wang.
• Dugu Wenhun is deeply grateful and respectfully accepts Fang Wang’s offer to teach him and the others. Fang Jing admires his grand-uncle and resolves to grow into a powerful cultivator.

Significant themes

• Destiny and change: Zhou Xue’s rebirth demonstrates that even Emperor Hongxuan’s visions can be disrupted.
• Regret and acceptance: Fang Wang and Zhou Xue acknowledge painful losses without letting blame define their choices.
• Generosity and responsibility: Fang Wang shares his knowledge freely, asking only that others protect his family in return.
• Ambition and legacy: Zhou Xue prepares for a confrontation with the Upper Realm, while Xiao Kuang and Fang Zigeng each pursue their own paths toward power.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• During the journey through the Dihai, Fang Wang travels with Dugu Wenhun and the Three Immortals of Dihai. The Three Immortals defeat ocean bandits but leave survivors to spread word that they have submitted to Fang Wang, discouraging others from seeking revenge. The Dihai’s hostility shifts toward the Xuan Dynasty.
• The Xuan Dynasty is plunged into turmoil after the truth emerges: its emperor killed his son-in-law and drove his own daughter to her death to curry favor with a prince of the Great Heavenly Divine Dynasty.
• Fang Wang returns to Biyou Island with Fang Jing, Zhao Zhen, Dugu Wenhun, and the Three Immortals. He announces that, after three days of rest, he will teach the Heavenly-Connecting Emperor Mirror, Emperor Hongxuan’s profound ultimate art.
• Fang Wang gives the lesson to the island’s residents, but the technique is so difficult that only Dugu Wenhun, Yang Du, Zhu Yan, and the Three Immortals continue studying it. Fang Jing focuses on other techniques.
• Two years pass. Fang Wang’s strength continues to grow despite his lack of cultivation practice, while twelve-year-old Fang Jing develops into a capable young fighter.
• Fang Hanyu arrives with news that the Qietian Holy Sect has conquered three southern dynasties and is seeking to unify the continent. Concerned for the Fang family in Great Qi, he asks Fang Wang to return. Fang Wang recognizes that Lu Yuanjun’s connection to the sect may put his family at risk.

Character developments

• Fang Wang shows restraint by allowing the Three Immortals to manage the Dihai conflict without further slaughter. His growing power and influence are evident, and he becomes alert to the danger posed to his family by the Qietian Holy Sect.
• Dugu Wenhun commits to following Fang Wang, convinced he will become the mortal world’s Heavenly Dao and that even the Great Sage will not be his limit.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai demonstrate political judgment as well as strength, using their reputation to deter further attacks and protect Fang Wang from needless conflict.
• Gu Li leaves Canglan Academy to return to Great Qi and help the Gu family face the Qietian Holy Sect. Rather than dwelling on her feelings for Fang Wang, she uses his strength as motivation to improve her own cultivation.
• Fang Jing grows into a confident and promising youth, training vigorously under Fang Wang’s care.
• Fang Hanyu is increasingly cautious about threats to the Fang family, especially after past betrayals have shaken his confidence in outside protection.

Significant themes

• Power and reputation: Fang Wang’s influence reshapes the Dihai’s political landscape, while the Three Immortals’ submission signals how thoroughly his standing has changed.
• Restraint and loyalty: Fang Wang prefers to avoid unnecessary killing, and his companions help prevent further bloodshed.
• Ambition and self-improvement: Gu Li channels emotion into cultivation, and the island’s residents strive to learn Fang Wang’s teachings.
• Family and responsibility: The Qietian Holy Sect’s expansion draws the story’s focus back toward the safety of the Fang family and Great Qi.
• Political ambition and its consequences: The Xuan emperor’s attempt to win favor through betrayal brings shame and upheaval to his dynasty.

Character interactions

• Fang Wang and the Three Immortals develop a cooperative relationship, with Fang Wang accepting their efforts to deter Dihai challengers.
• At Biyou Island, Dugu Wenhun openly explains why he follows Fang Wang, impressing the gathered residents; the Three Immortals, meanwhile, trade teasing remarks with Little Purple and criticize the island’s monsters.
• Gu Li rejects her cousin’s offer to accompany her and declines to seek Fang Wang out, choosing instead to fulfill her duty to the Gu family.
• Fang Hanyu consults Fang Wang about the threat to Great Qi. Fang Wang’s response suggests the Qietian Holy Sect—and its connection to Lu Yuanjun—may soon become a personal concern.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Wang prepares to return to Great Qi after resting on Biyou Island. He brings Zhu Yan, Chu Yin, Qu Xunhun, the Three Immortals of Dihai, and Fang Hanyu, while leaving the demons behind to guard the island. Yang Du departs to pursue his own opportunity after memorizing the Battle True Scripture.
• During the journey aboard Qu Xunhun’s enormous flying ship, Dugu Wenhun suggests Fang Wang establish a sect devoted to sharing teachings and seeking the Dao together—not accumulating power. He criticizes the Upper Realm and the world’s entrenched divisions, arguing that the Immortals and gods may not protect ordinary people.
• Fang Wang considers the idea but refuses to commit. He distrusts people who might join a sect for personal gain and would rather prioritize his cultivation. He also reflects on the danger posed by the Upper Realm and begins thinking about combining his sword techniques into a stronger killing move.
• After decades away, Fang Wang returns to Nanqiu City, where the Fang family has grown enormously and his family is highly honored. He reunites with his mother, Madam Jiang, and sister, Fang Ling, bringing along his young nephew Fang Jing.

Character developments and interactions

• Dugu Wenhun reveals himself as an idealist who admires Emperor Hongxuan and wants to build a community around shared learning. His proposal earns Fang Wang’s respect, though Fang Wang remains cautious.
• Fang Wang balances his willingness to teach and aid others with his conviction that he must remain strong enough to protect himself and those around him. His long absence also makes his reunion with family emotionally complicated: nearly twenty thousand years have passed for him, though only decades have passed for his mother.
• Fang Ling is lively and outspoken, but still grieves for her twin brother, Fang Xun. She proudly recounts Fang Wang’s rise and welcomes his return with excitement.
• Madam Jiang remains proud of Fang Wang and is overwhelmed by his homecoming. Mistaking Fang Jing for her lost son at first, she embraces him as her grandson.
• Fang Jing meets his grandmother and identifies himself by name, while Fang Hanyu is struck by the power of the group traveling with Fang Wang. Little Purple teases Dugu Wenhun about why he continues to stay with Fang Wang.

Significant themes

• Power and responsibility: Fang Wang wants to share knowledge, but believes strength is essential to protect himself and others from powerful enemies.
• Freedom versus control: The Upper Realm appears less like a desirable destination and more like a force that may restrict or exploit the mortal world.
• Idealism and mistrust: Dugu Wenhun imagines a fair community devoted to shared cultivation, while Fang Wang worries that people’s motives could corrupt it.
• Family, grief, and time: Fang Wang’s return brings joy and reunion, but his immense personal passage of time contrasts with his family’s aging and enduring losses.

Plot points and events

• Fang Wang returns to Fang Manor, causing excitement across the family and drawing visitors from throughout Great Qi. He plans to stay for several years to refine and combine his sword techniques.
• His companions settle into the manor and Nanqiu City. Fang Jing entertains the younger Fang family members with dramatic stories of Fang Wang’s battles.
• The Taiyuan Sect’s leaders visit Fang Wang. They tell him that his former master, Yang Yuanzi, has died after years of grief following the deaths of Guang Qiuxian and Lu Yuanjun. Yang’s final words expressed pride in Fang Wang and hope that he would reach an unimaginable height.
• The sect leaders report that the Qietian Holy Sect is advancing south and expects Great Qi to submit, surrender half its spirit-stone production, and send a hundred cultivators annually to join the sect. The Holy Sect has also threatened Fang Wang, dismissing his ties to Changsheng Pavilion and claiming he cannot stop its expansion.
• Fang Wang tells the Taiyuan Sect to publicize his return. If the Qietian Holy Sect still comes, he will test its strength. He then resumes his sword cultivation.
• After a year of visitors and celebration at the manor, Fang Wang develops a plan to fuse the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art with the Zhuxian Ghost God Sword. He proposes forming thirty-six ghost gods, though the result remains uncertain.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang is warmly received by his family but keeps to himself to pursue cultivation. He responds calmly to the Qietian Holy Sect’s threat, confident enough to wait for its arrival.
• Fang Meng feels sorrow and helplessness at no longer being able to protect the family as he once did. He bonds with the Three Immortals of Dihai, who eagerly ask about Fang Wang’s childhood and deeds.
• Fang Wang’s companions follow him without hesitation. The Fang elders treat them with heightened respect after learning of their stature.
• The Taiyuan Sect leaders are initially awed and uneasy around Fang Wang, but his friendly manner puts them at ease. They share grief over Yang Yuanzi’s death and seek reassurance about the coming conflict.

Significant themes

• Family, legacy, and grief: Fang Wang’s return renews the family’s pride, while Yang Yuanzi’s death reminds him of the losses behind his rise.
• Power and responsibility: Fang Wang’s reputation makes him a symbol of Great Qi, and others look to him to resist the Qietian Holy Sect.
• Cultivation through patience: His year of secluded practice emphasizes the sustained effort required to refine even powerful techniques.
• Loyalty and ambition: Fang Wang’s companions remain devoted to him, while the Qietian Holy Sect’s demands reveal its drive for control.

Key events

• Fang Wang completes the Zhuxian Ghost God Sword after a 507-year retreat: a century to master it and two more to reach great mastery. The Ghost God now has thirty-six forms, increasing the speed at which it can absorb Underworld power without increasing its total power.
• Back in the world, Fang Wang decides not to test the Underworld or reveal his newest sword art. He worries that spectacular signs might attract ancient beings—or the Upper Realm—and chooses to focus on cultivation instead.
• Visiting the Fang Manor’s training arena, Fang Wang reunites with his nephew Fang Jing and offers to teach the younger family members swordsmanship. His demonstration draws a large crowd, including the manor’s guests.
• At the Qietian Holy Sect, its leaders discuss Fang Wang and the prospect of challenging Great Qi. Ji Rutian advises against provoking him, warning that Fang Wang may become a grave threat as he grows stronger. But the sect receives orders to prepare to capture Fang Wang, and Ji Rutian agrees to obey.
• As Fang Wang finishes his lesson, a confident but visibly nervous teenage boy claims he memorized every move. Fang Wang invites him forward to demonstrate.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang remains ambitious but cautious: he has many arts left to fuse and intends to progress steadily, while avoiding displays that could expose him to greater forces. At the manor, he shows warmth and playfulness toward the younger generation.
• Fang Jing is nearing Spirit Molding and trains with powerful boxing techniques. He eagerly greets Fang Wang, but realizes swordsmanship may not suit him.
• Ji Rutian shows practical respect for Fang Wang, distinguishing caution from fear. Though he recognizes the danger of provoking him, he accepts the sect’s order and speaks with renewed confidence.
• Dugu Wenhun and the Three Immortals of Dihai sense that Fang Wang’s apparently simple lesson conceals extraordinary depth. Dugu privately wonders whether the art might rival the Heaven-Connecting Emperor Mirror.
• The young disciples admire Fang Wang and crowd around him; the final boy’s challenge creates a moment of anticipation.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: Fang Wang’s strength is growing, but he deliberately avoids drawing attention from forces beyond his current reach.
• Long-term cultivation: He sees a long road ahead and treats continued growth—not haste—as the path forward.
• Legacy and mentorship: Fang Wang shares his knowledge with the next generation of his family, extending his influence beyond his own cultivation.
• Fear versus prudence: Ji Rutian’s warning highlights the danger of confusing strategic restraint with cowardice, even as the Qietian Holy Sect moves toward confrontation.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Bai, a quiet young member of the Fang family, reveals exceptional sword talent when he flawlessly remembers and performs a sword routine. He admits he discovered his photographic memory as a child and has secretly practiced for years.
• Impressed, Fang Wang invites Fang Bai to his courtyard for instruction. The next day, he begins teaching him the formidable Zhuxian Ghost God Sword, planning to introduce the Zhuxian Startling Swan Sword later.
• Fang Wang’s intensive cultivation causes a spectacular surge of spiritual energy over Nanqiu City. After two years, the phenomenon ends when he breaks through to the fifth layer of the Golden Body Realm. His cultivation draws more practitioners to the city, which Emperor Zhao Qi expands despite opposition.
• Fang Jing and Fang Bai spar evenly using ordinary techniques. Fang Wang watches with growing affection for the younger generation, while noting that Chu Yin’s rapidly increasing spiritual power may make him a formidable rival to other young cultivators.
• A threatening mass of cultivators approaches Nanqiu City beneath thunderclouds. Fang Wang sends Dugu Wenhun and Zhu Yan to confront them, instructing them to protect ordinary people. The threat is linked to the Qietian Holy Sect’s apparent ambition to take Great Qi.
• Gu Li watches events from her own courtyard. Though she longs to see Fang Wang, she avoids him to protect her composure and instead uses his progress as motivation to improve.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Bai moves from nervous obscurity to recognized prodigy. Fang Wang’s praise and personal mentorship give him a path toward becoming an influential sword cultivator.
• Fang Wang acts as a generous mentor and a protective figure, but also becomes aware that he is beginning to view the younger generation with an elder’s satisfaction. His immense cultivation reshapes Nanqiu City and raises his standing across Great Qi.
• Fang Jing and Fang Bai develop a spirited, near-equal rivalry in sparring; Fang Jing’s unusual potential gives him an edge when spiritual power is considered.
• Dugu Wenhun and Zhu Yan volunteer to fight, and Fang Wang entrusts the defense to them. Zhu Yan’s dramatic, partly demonic transformation startles Fang Bai.
• Gu Li and Gu Tianxiong discuss her distance from Fang Wang. Gu Tianxiong questions her choice, but Gu Li insists that seeing him would unsettle her and resolves to catch up through her own effort.

Significant themes

• Talent, mentorship, and legacy: Fang Wang’s recognition and training of Fang Bai suggest the Fang family’s rising fortunes and the passing of knowledge to a new generation.
• Cultivation’s influence on the world: Fang Wang’s breakthrough affects an entire city and dynasty, illustrating how extraordinary power reshapes society and attracts both followers and threats.
• Ambition and perspective: Fang Li’s determination to improve through comparison with Fang Wang—and Fang Wang’s reflective response to watching younger cultivators—show how relationships can inspire growth across generations.
• Power and responsibility: Despite his overwhelming strength, Fang Wang prioritizes protecting ordinary people when confronting the approaching invaders.

Key plot points

• The Qietian Holy Sect advances on Nanqiu City with a huge force of cultivators, demonic beasts, and banners, intent on capturing Fang Wang and testing the strength of the sea’s Changsheng Pavilion.
• Chang Shengzun leads the invasion and expects Fang Wang to meet him. The Sect’s leaders boast of their advantage, while Ji Rutian silently focuses on the coming confrontation.
• Fang Wang’s allies Dugu Wenhun and Zhu Yan intercept the army. Zhu Yan reveals his Great Roc form and charges into the enemy ranks; Dugu identifies himself and challenges the Sect.
• Dugu’s reputation unsettles the invaders. He displays startling speed and spiritual power, briefly breaking through Chang Shengzun’s defenses, but Chang’s Nirvana Realm strength soon gives him the upper hand. Zhu Yan is likewise overwhelmed by several Mahayana cultivators, though his toughness keeps him from serious injury.
• In Nanqiu City, Fang Wang watches calmly as the battle begins. Recognizing Chang Shengzun’s aura, the Three Immortals of Dihai suspect they have encountered him before. Fang Wang sends Qian Xian to the battlefield and hints that he may join the fight himself.
• Ji Rutian moves toward Chang Shengzun’s battle with Dugu, keeping his attention fixed on Dugu.

Character developments and interactions

• Dugu Wenhun reveals a more forceful, arrogant side than the gentle manner he shows Fang Wang. He proves himself an exceptionally fast and powerful fighter, drawing Chang Shengzun’s interest.
• Zhu Yan eagerly embraces the battle, displaying his pride, fearlessness, and formidable resilience even when outnumbered.
• Ji Rutian remains quiet but appears intensely focused on Dugu, whom he regards as a significant rival. He describes Dugu as “unfathomable” when asked about his brother’s assessment.
• Chang Shengzun is confident and openly murderous, but Dugu’s abilities excite him and make him take the challenger seriously.
• Fang Wang remains composed, but his playful expression and understated threat suggest he is prepared to intervene. His companions’ trust in him is evident.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai reveal they have never needed to fight since Fang Wang subdued them. Qian Xian accepts the assignment to confront the invaders.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and protection: Fang Wang’s followers stand between him and the invading Sect, while he considers answering the threat personally.
• Power and reputation: The Qietian Holy Sect’s confidence is tested by Dugu’s reputation and unexpected strength.
• Rivalry and ambition: Ji Rutian’s attention to Dugu hints at a contest between exceptional young cultivators.
• Composure amid danger: Fang Wang’s calm contrasts with the fear of those around him and the chaos of the unfolding battle.

Key plot points and events

• As the Qietian Holy Sect attacks Nanqiu City, Dugu Wenhun clashes with Chang Shengzun in the sky, drawing the battle away from the city to limit damage.
• Qian Xian arrives and confronts Chang Shengzun. Chang reveals the sect’s secret weapon: the Sacred Spirit, an ancient demonic soul released in black mist and revered by the sect as the force destined to unite the mortal world.
• Dugu Wenhun fights Ji Rutian, who reveals he is Ji Haotian’s younger brother and says he once urged the Qietian Holy Sect not to provoke Fang Wang. He believes the sect intended to use Fang Wang’s body to give the Sacred Spirit a powerful vessel.
• The Sacred Spirit emerges as a monstrous, rapidly adapting soul-creature. It defeats Qian Xian, absorbs his cultivation, and knocks both Dugu Wenhun and Ji Rutian from the sky.
• Yu Xian and Chen Xian arrive to aid Qian Xian. Fang Wang then appears and sends the Three Immortals of Dihai to attack the Qietian Holy Sect, warning them not to engage the Sacred Spirit because it can drain cultivation rather than merely spiritual energy. Fang Wang faces the creature himself.

Character developments

• Dugu Wenhun fights fiercely to protect Great Qi and later joins the effort against the Sacred Spirit. His respect for Ji Haotian becomes clear when he learns Ji Rutian’s connection to him.
• Ji Rutian abandons the Qietian Holy Sect when its plan threatens Fang Wang. Though he joins the fight, the Sacred Spirit quickly overpowers him.
• Qian Xian confronts the sect’s leader with confidence, but the Sacred Spirit’s ability to drain cultivation leaves him weakened and makes the danger plain.
• Fang Wang takes command calmly, prioritizing the broader battle against the Qietian Holy Sect while reserving the Sacred Spirit for himself.
• Chang Shengzun reveals the sect’s fanaticism and willingness to unleash a monstrous force to advance its ambitions.

Significant themes

• Ambition and catastrophe: The Holy Sect’s dream of unifying the mortal world risks unleashing a calamity far beyond its control.
• Power with a price: The Sacred Spirit’s ability to consume cultivation threatens not only fighters’ lives but their hard-won realms.
• Loyalty and shifting allegiance: Ji Rutian’s break with the sect shows that shared goals can collapse when an organization’s true motives are revealed.
• Leadership and responsibility: The fighters move to protect Great Qi, while Fang Wang takes on the greatest threat directly.

Character interactions

• Chang taunts Qian Xian and defends the Holy Sect’s plan; Qian Xian counters with a warning about the Heavenly Dao.
• Ji Rutian challenges Dugu Wenhun, then persuades him that the Sacred Spirit’s connection to Fang Wang makes the threat especially urgent.
• Yu Xian and Chen Xian check on Qian Xian and recognize that the Sacred Spirit is draining his cultivation.
• Fang Wang directs the Three Immortals toward the Holy Sect and confronts the Sacred Spirit as it turns its attention to him.

Chapter summary

Key plot points and events

• The Sacred Spirit attacks Dugu Wenhun and Ji Rutian, leaving both badly injured. Chang Shengzun offers Fang Wang a place in the Qietian Holy Sect, claiming they will use Sacred Spirits to unite the mortal world.
• Fang Wang condemns the sect for sacrificing millions of souls. Chang Shengzun defends the killings as a necessary price for future greatness and reveals his willingness to treat even his own cultivators as expendable.
• The Sacred Spirit reveals its hunger for Fang Wang and attacks him. Fang first wounds it with a powerful dragon-like fist technique, then overwhelms it with blazing yang energy and destroys it using seven summoned Ghost Gods and the Zhuxian Startling Swan Sword.
• Fang Wang also strikes down the fleeing Chang Shengzun. He destroys the Sacred Spirit’s corrupted souls, but spares the souls released from Chang Shengzun because they still retain their consciousness and may be reincarnated.
• The Qietian Holy Sect’s forces are routed by the Three Immortals of Dihai. Fang Wang then turns to Ji Rutian and asks whether they are connected by karma.

Character developments

• Fang Wang demonstrates overwhelming power and control, as well as discernment: he distinguishes corrupted souls beyond salvation from those who still deserve a chance at rebirth. His first punch also serves as a deliberate test of Ji Rutian.
• Ji Rutian, though frightened by Fang Wang’s strength, chooses to face him rather than flee. He recognizes Fang Wang’s fist technique and reveals that the sect intended to use him as the Sacred Spirit’s physical vessel.
• Chang Shengzun is exposed as ruthless and opportunistic. His confidence collapses when Fang Wang destroys the Sacred Spirit, and he attempts to escape before being killed.
• Dugu Wenhun gains renewed respect for Fang Wang after witnessing the enormous gap between their abilities. Gu Li and Gu Tianxiong, watching from Nanqiu City, are alarmed by the Sacred Spirit and anxious for Fang Wang.

Significant themes

• Power and morality: The sect justifies mass sacrifice in the name of unity and future prosperity; Fang Wang rejects the idea that grand ambitions excuse atrocities.
• Compassion and judgment: Fang Wang’s handling of the two groups of souls shows that he values their individual condition, not merely their association with evil.
• Predestination and connection: Ji Rutian’s resemblance to someone from Fang Wang’s past, and Fang’s question about their karmic ties, suggest a larger unresolved bond.

Character interactions

• Fang Wang confronts Chang Shengzun over the sect’s sacrifices and refuses his invitation.
• Fang Wang’s display of strength shocks Ji Rutian, Dugu Wenhun, the Three Immortals of Dihai, and the watching cultivators.
• After defeating the Sacred Spirit and Chang Shengzun, Fang Wang directly challenges Ji Rutian to explain the connection between them.

Key plot points and events

• Fang Wang confronts Ji Rutian, a former Haoqi Sect master who later joined the Qietian Holy Sect and helped subdue the Chu Dynasty. Ji admits he has long watched Fang Wang and challenges him to a fight.
• Fang Wang agrees to spare Ji if he can survive one punch. Ji attacks with a blood-flaming sword, but Fang Wang’s fist pierces his chest before the blade can reach him.
• As he dies, Ji reveals that a clan diviner foretold a rival born on the same day as him. He calls Fang Wang his destined enemy and says he wants to see Fang reach the peak so Ji can eventually defeat him. Ji’s body and soul vanish—but he later awakens elsewhere, revealing the slain Ji was an avatar or incarnation.
• Fang Wang returns to Nanqiu City, where the people celebrate his victory over the Qietian Holy Sect’s assault. He assigns Fang Hanyu to guard the Fang family and decides to return to Jian Tianze to improve his cultivation.
• In a mountain cave, Ji meets his master, a black-robed elder. The elder confirms Ji’s Zhoutian Dao Technique has lost a cycle and cannot divine Fang Wang, despite their karmic connection. He then directs Ji to seek the grotto-heaven of the Crimson Dust Heavenly Emperor, an immortal who once lived in the mortal world.
• Back at the Fang family, the Three Immortals of Dihai and Dugu Wenhun discuss the Sacred Spirit, which they believe is an ancient demonic soul that cannot easily be detected or destroyed. Though the Three Immortals volunteer to confront the Qietian Holy Sect, Fang Wang tells them to stay and help defend the family while he cultivates.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang proves decisively stronger than Ji, but remains cautious. He recognizes that powerful enemies possess hidden techniques and concludes that raising his cultivation is more important than relying on his current strength.
• Ji Rutian treats death as a step in his pursuit of his fated rivalry with Fang Wang. His calm acceptance, surviving avatar, and interest in immortality and the Crimson Dust Heavenly Emperor show that he remains a long-term threat.
• Fang Hanyu accepts responsibility for guarding the Fang family, strengthened in his resolve by witnessing the Sacred Spirit’s power.
• Dugu Wenhun is newly aware of the full scale of Fang Wang’s strength and feels reassured that he previously chose to side with him.
• The Three Immortals of Dihai are eager to confront the Qietian Holy Sect, but Fang Wang restrains them and prioritizes defense and preparation.

Significant themes

• Destiny versus choice: Ji sees Fang Wang as a foretold rival, while Fang dismisses destiny as nonsense. Their opposing views shape their coming conflict.
• Power and humility: Even after overwhelming victories, Fang Wang recognizes that strength alone is not enough and chooses cultivation over complacency.
• Immortality and ambition: Ji’s master promises that the Zhoutian Dao Technique can lead to immortality, and the search for the Crimson Dust Heavenly Emperor’s grotto-heaven opens a new path of pursuit.
• Hidden threats: The Sacred Spirit’s origins and Ji’s survival reveal that apparent victories may not remove deeper dangers.

Plot points and events

• Two days after the Qietian Holy Sect’s failed invasion, Fang Wang travels to Jian Tianze with Little Purple, Chu Yin, Dugu Wenhun, Fang Jing, and Fang Bai. Qu Xunhun, Zhu Yan, and the Three Immortals of Dihai stay behind to protect the Fang family.
• Fang Wang reunites with Song Jinyuan, his senior brother, and briefly tells him about his years at sea—including becoming a True Immortal Tiandao of Changsheng Pavilion. He chooses Jian Tianze as a secluded cultivation site to prepare for the Qietian Holy Sect’s next move.
• When Fang Wang begins cultivating with the Heavenly Dao True Scripture, he draws in spiritual energy on an extraordinary scale, creating a vortex over the lake. The Sword Attendants are thrilled by his return, and Fang Wang’s reputation among them begins to eclipse the Sword Saint’s.
• Song Jinyuan takes Fang Bai as a sword student. Meanwhile, Dugu Wenhun admires Jian Tianze’s feng shui and recalls the Sword Saint’s resolve and skill.
• At the Qietian Holy Sect’s headquarters, its surviving female Heavenly Lord reports that the invasion failed, the Sacred Spirit was destroyed, and Ji Rutian defected. The Cult Master recognizes Fang Wang’s strength—and the return of the Zhuxian Ghost God Sword—but kills the messenger anyway. He then remarks that Fang Wang’s claim to be the Heavenly Dao is interesting and suggests his own grand plan is nearing completion.
• Three years pass without another attack. Fang Wang reaches the sixth layer of the Golden Body Realm. Fang Jing and Fang Bai both achieve Spirit Molding: Fang Jing forms a lower-grade Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit, while Fang Bai forms an upper-grade Earth Origin Treasure Spirit.
• Fang Bai proves astonishingly gifted with the sword. He learns all the techniques taught at Jian Tianze and begins grasping the Heaven and Earth Sword Intent, advancing faster than Song Jinyuan did over decades.
• Fang Wang discovers that Jian Tianze’s underground spiritual energy can replenish even his immense absorption, suggesting the Sword Saint chose the location for a special reason.
• As Fang Wang prepares to resume cultivation, two unknown visitors appear beyond the mountains. One calls him “Heavenly Dao Fang Wang”; the other urges their master to act because “evil has emerged, and the Heavenly Dao has withdrawn.”

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang is calm and purposeful: despite his immense status, he reunites warmly with Song Jinyuan and chooses focused cultivation to protect Great Qi.
• Song Jinyuan is delighted by Fang Wang’s return and amazed by how far he has surpassed the Sword Saint’s achievements. He becomes Fang Bai’s mentor, though Fang Bai’s rapid progress unsettles his confidence.
• Fang Bai emerges as a remarkable sword prodigy, while Fang Jing develops into a capable cultivator with a rare treasure spirit. Both mature into accomplished young men.
• Dugu Wenhun reflects on the Sword Saint’s legacy and helps deter intruders through his formidable presence.
• The Qietian Cult Master is cold, ruthless, and confident: he punishes failure with death, yet views Fang Wang’s power as significant to his larger scheme.

Significant themes

• Cultivation and destiny: Fang Wang’s strength and the boys’ unusual progress suggest that talent and fortune can radically alter expected paths.
• Legacy and succession: Fang Wang’s return transforms Jian Tianze, while Fang Bai begins to inherit and surpass its sword traditions.
• Power and fear: Fang Wang’s reputation deters challengers, but the Cult Master’s execution of his subordinate shows that power within the Qietian Holy Sect is enforced through terror.
• Unresolved cosmic conflict: References to the Heavenly Dao, emerging evil, and the Cult Master’s grand plan foreshadow a larger confrontation.

Key events

• Li Qingsong of Jianglong Mountain and his disciple, Li Tianji, arrive at Sword Marsh. They say they are traveling to subdue demons and warn Fang Wang against killing carelessly, invoking the Heavenly Dao and the importance of a saintly heart.
• Li Qingsong suddenly tests Fang Wang with a palm strike. Fang Wang blocks it, then—after Li Qingsong turns to leave—lands a punch that sends him high into the sky.
• Fang Wang explains that returning the strike is simply courtesy. Li Qingsong acknowledges his own breach of manners and leaves, saying Fang Wang has the talent to join Jianglong Mountain and promising a proper visit later.
• Dugu Wenhun explains that Jianglong Mountain is an ancient, prestigious Daoist sect, and that Li Qingsong holds great status there. Fang Wang reflects on Li’s warning about the Heavenly Dao and decides to let the pair test the Qietian Holy Sect while he continues training.
• Afterward, Li Qingsong reveals to Li Tianji that Fang Wang’s punch left a powerful force in his hand that he cannot quickly dispel. He judges Fang Wang’s mastery of the Mountain and River Heaven-Suppressing Fist to surpass anyone in Jianglong Mountain or the Jianglong Sacred Clan.
• Li Qingsong believes Fang Wang’s rising destiny marks the arrival of an age of great competition, predicts that his name will become renowned, and advises against provoking him. He considers Fang Wang superior to Li Tianji’s senior brother.
• Back at Sword Marsh, Fang Jing and Fang Bai argue over whether Fang Wang’s fist or swordsmanship is more impressive. Fang Jing challenges Fang Bai to spar, but Fang Bai declines.
• Fang Wang reconnects with Zhou Xue through his jade bracelet. She recognizes Li Qingsong’s aura and asks about the encounter.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang demonstrates immense strength and, more notably, precise control: his punch defeats a formidable opponent without devastating the surrounding area. He remains composed, answers Li Qingsong’s warnings with action, and returns to cultivation.
• Li Qingsong shifts from cautioning Fang Wang and testing him to respecting his ability. His private admission of injury reveals the true force behind Fang Wang’s controlled strike.
• Li Tianji is astonished by Fang Wang and unsettled when her master ranks him above her revered senior brother.
• Dugu Wenhun is impressed by Fang Wang’s strength and restraint, recognizing the significance of Li Qingsong’s willingness to let the insult pass.
• Fang Jing and Fang Bai show their differing loyalties to martial arts: Fang Jing favors Fang Wang’s fist, while Fang Bai insists his swordsmanship is the deeper achievement. Fang Bai avoids a spar he expects to lose.
• Zhou Xue re-enters the story through a spiritual connection, showing her attentiveness to events around Fang Wang.

Significant themes

• Power and restraint: Fang Wang’s strength is striking, but his control prevents collateral destruction.
• Destiny and rising greatness: Li Qingsong sees Fang Wang as a figure whose emergence signals a new era of competition.
• Virtue, violence, and authority: Li Qingsong urges a saintly path and warns against defying the Heavenly Dao, while Fang Wang questions these claims and refuses to be intimidated.
• Legacy and affiliation: Fang Wang’s connection to Great Sage Xianglong gives him a link to Jianglong Mountain, turning a hostile encounter into the possibility of future ties.

Summary

Plot points and events

• Fang Wang speaks with Zhou Xue through the jade bangle she gave him. She explains that in her previous life, Li Qingsong saved her and other Qietian Holy Sect cultivators during the Sacred Spirit calamity, repeatedly risking his life to protect people. Though Fang Wang had fought him earlier because Li Qingsong came to eradicate demons, he now understands the compassion behind his actions.
• Zhou Xue clarifies that the Sacred Spirit has not fully revived: it needs a powerful body, and Qietian Cult Master Wen Li is making Sacred Spirits consume one another to produce a stronger one. The calamity is therefore not imminent.
• She also explains the world’s cultivation hierarchy and why their region is comparatively weak: after Great Sage Xianglong’s defeat, the Upper Realm suppressed the region, diminishing its fortune and spiritual energy. She warns Fang Wang that the mortal world is entering a new age of prosperity, bringing stronger challengers.
• Fang Wang and Zhou Xue discuss their progress and reveal a new competitive edge in their close relationship. Their conversation lasts two hours; afterward, Fang Wang resumes cultivation, newly motivated to surpass his fiancée.
• Over the next few years, Fang Wang’s reputation spreads across the continent, and Great Qi remains stable despite fears of Qietian Holy Sect’s advance. Three years later, Fang Wang is nearing the seventh layer of the Golden Body Realm when he senses a massive battle to the north between Li Qingsong and a Qietian Holy Sect cultivator.
• Dugu Wenhun urges Fang Wang to evacuate the Fang Family, but Fang Wang refuses, judging that the absence of the Sacred Spirit’s evil aura means the confrontation is not yet the true calamity. Dugu ultimately chooses to stay with him.
• After the battle ends, Li Qingsong and Li Tianji emerge badly injured. Li Qingsong is poisoned, and Li Tianji begins concealing their location and treating her wounds. She questions whether they should retreat or seek help from Jianglong Mountain.

Character developments and interactions

• Fang Wang revises his view of Li Qingsong, recognizing him as a selfless protector rather than merely an opponent. He remains composed in the face of danger and is determined to keep cultivating.
• Zhou Xue admits Fang Wang’s progress has pushed her to improve, while asserting confidence in her own abilities. Their affection is paired with friendly rivalry and mutual ambition.
• Dugu Wenhun’s fear for the Fang Family gives way to loyalty: despite his concern, he stays once Fang Wang refuses to flee.
• Li Qingsong’s injuries reveal the cost of confronting Qietian Holy Sect; Li Tianji acts protectively but doubts they can manage the threat alone.

Significant themes

• Compassion amid conflict: Li Qingsong’s defining strength is his willingness to save others, even at great personal cost.
• Ambition and mutual challenge: Fang Wang and Zhou Xue’s closeness includes a shared drive to become stronger.
• A changing world: The coming era of prosperity promises new rivals, while the region’s historical suppression explains its relative weakness.
• Courage versus caution: Fang Wang refuses to let fear dictate his choices, while Dugu and Li Tianji highlight the understandable impulse to retreat when facing overwhelming danger.