Chapter Summaries

Li Qingyun returned to the sect and ordered the temples in its territory to enshrine his dao statue, prompting the sect to spread his name and gather incense offerings. At a Maple Mountain Association gathering, Mo Qinghuan seized the chance to invite him, and Li Qingyun received her talisman at the Falling Star Abode.

• Li Qingyun issued an edict requiring temples and shrines in Lingbao Sect territory to enshrine his dao statue, and Nangong Fengchuan and Miaoxuan ordered the six branches to carry it out.
• Mo Qinghuan presided over a Maple Mountain Association gathering where Yan Ruo'an proposed an expedition for scarce resources, but Mo Qinghuan rejected the plan.
• The elders learned Li Qingyun had returned and that the sect was promoting his divine title, prompting Mo Qinghuan to invite him to the gathering.
• Mo Qinghuan sent a talisman to the Falling Star Abode, and Li Qingyun recognized the summons and scattered it with a gesture.

Li Qingyun attended a Maple Mountain Association banquet to see old acquaintances and resign as an Association Elder. When Lu Liqian pleaded for Yan Ruo'an to acknowledge her and their son, Li Qingyun rebuked Yan, who agreed to bring them back into the Yan family, while Lu Liqian remembered the losses and grievances she still held against the family.

• Li Qingyun appeared beside Gong Hanxu, greeted him, and accepted the Maple Mountain Association members' respects before announcing his resignation as an Association Elder.
• Lu Liqian arrived with her son and pleaded for a chance to speak with Yan Ruo'an, whose face turned livid as the banquet fell silent.
• Li Qingyun rebuked Yan Ruo'an for shirking responsibility and warned that Yan Haifeng would answer to him if the scene happened again.
• Yan Ruo'an knelt, apologized to Li Qingyun, and hurried to bring Lu Liqian and her son back to the Yan family.
• Lu Liqian accepted Yan Ruo'an's offer in tears but remembered her father's death and the hatred she still bore the Yan family.

Li Qingyun strengthened Lingbao Sect’s incense offerings and helped Xu Xuan break through to the Yin God Realm. With the sect’s fortunes rising, Li Qingyun prepared to enter the Heaven Gate inner landscape.

• Li Qingyun guarded Miaoxuan and Nangong Fengchuan while Lingbao Sect spread the Pillar of Heaven Ancestor’s name, increasing incense offerings and accelerating his comprehension of the thunder methods.
• Li Qingyun observed that Lingbao Pure Fire Grotto was slowly collapsing and reflected on the sect’s inherited secret grounds and treasures.
• Xu Xuan asked Li Qingyun for another drop of Yin God blood for a final breakthrough attempt, and Li Qingyun gave him a drop of Yang God blood instead.
• Li Qingyun sheltered Xu Xuan with Jade Pure Profound Light and reclaimed the excess blood essence as Xu Xuan fused a Water Method Yin Talisman Seed.
• Three days later, Xu Xuan broke through to the Yin God Realm, making Linghui Peak the strongest of Lingbao Sect’s six lineages.
• Li Qingyun felt that he had repaid a debt of gratitude and decided to enter the Heaven Gate inner landscape.

After returning to his inner landscape, Li Qingyun entered the Heavenly Gate void and discovered a decayed floating grotto-heaven. He followed a Daoist-robed anomalous shadow into the ruins, where the putrid stench grew stronger.

• Miaoxuan and Nangong Fengchuan returned from the Ruin Sea with enough black-earth yang fire to refine for over half a month.
• Li Qingyun explored his transformed inner landscape and used his Jade Purity divine body to cross into the Heavenly Gate void.
• Li Qingyun spotted a distant decayed grotto-heaven and used his newly gained void-escape ability to reach it.
• A putrid wind and black ash swept over the grotto-heaven, and Li Qingyun saw an anomalous shadow dressed as a Daoist.
• Li Qingyun followed the shadow through the ruins as it appeared again near an ancient palace gate and vanished.
• Li Qingyun arrived at the palace gate, where the stench intensified as he drew closer to the anomaly.

Li Qingyun destroyed the Daoist demon shadow haunting the ruins of Lingxu Cave Heaven and obtained a green-bronze token containing Heavenly Origin Qi. When he refused Huang Shang of Mishin Palace’s offer to trade for it, Huang Shang attacked him.

• Li Qingyun repeatedly struck down the Daoist demon shadow with Jade Purity thunderlight and refined away the foul stench it left on him.
• The shadow attacked Li Qingyun from behind, but he seized its whisk and smashed it apart with Jade Pure Profound Light.
• The black ruins collapsed, and Li Qingyun picked up a green-bronze token inscribed with “Lingxu Cave Heaven.”
• Huang Shang of Mishin Palace offered Li Qingyun a strand of Heavenly Origin Qi for the token, explaining that its curse-art type suited his Dao arts.
• Li Qingyun refused to trade the token and tried to leave, so Huang Shang attacked him with a third-rank curse-art Great Dao divine office.

Li Qingyun used Jade Purity Profound Light to overpower and kill True Lord Huang Shang, then consumed the Heavenly Origin Qi from a Lingxu Cave Heaven token and learned more about opening small Heavenly Gates. He headed for another ancient ruin, wondering whether a Spirit Platform held a crucial cultivation opportunity.

• True Lord Huang Shang attacked Li Qingyun with his third-tier curse divine office, but Jade Purity Profound Light blocked and suppressed the green radiance.
• True Lord Huang Shang fled, but Li Qingyun caught up and killed him with two streams of Jade Purity Profound Light.
• Li Qingyun crushed the green-bronze token and absorbed the Heavenly Origin Qi released from it.
• Li Qingyun realized that he needed to open small Heavenly Gates at the ends of his vitality channels and that his 108 channels would require substantial Heavenly Origin Qi.
• Li Qingyun tore through the void toward another ancient ruin and wondered what the Spirit Platform auctioned by Spirit God Palace was for.

Li Qingyun explored Immortal Ghost Heaven and found Hong Ling of Blood Rage Palace trapped by a bizarre wraith in ruined buildings. He drove the wraith away, and Hong Ling yielded the ruins to him before leaving.

• Li Qingyun flew through Immortal Ghost Heaven and spotted a ruined cliff amid the decay.
• He found Hong Ling trapped in a ghost wall created by a bizarre wraith, and she called to him for help.
• Li Qingyun used Jade Pure Profound Light to clear the corruption and drive the wraith into hiding.
• Hong Ling thanked Li Qingyun, told him she had battled the wraith for over two months, and yielded the ruins to him before departing.

Li Qingyun met True Person Hong Ling, confirmed that Xiao Ao had broken through the Life Gate with help he had once received from Li, and quickly slew a Rotten Anomaly. Hong Ling shared secrets about Spirit Platforms and the Heaven Gate as they traveled to the Ancient Array Gate, where they found Xiao Ao among several Daoists.

• True Person Hong Ling confirmed that Xiao Ao had broken through the Life Gate and credited his good fortune to Li Qingyun.
• Li Qingyun entered the ruins and killed the Rotten Anomaly in moments, claiming its bronze token bearing the words “Crimson Flame Grotto-Heaven.”
• True Person Hong Ling told Li Qingyun about Spirit Platforms, Heavenly Origin Qi, and how cultivators could seek the Heaven Gate.
• Li Qingyun and True Person Hong Ling traveled to the Ancient Array Gate and found Xiao Ao with several other Daoists.

Li Qingyun reached the Ancient Array Gate and examined its mysterious patterns, discovering that it required nineteen Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens to activate. After True Person Chu Ming provoked his jealousy by seeking Hong Ling’s favor, Li Qingyun asked to borrow Chu Ming’s five tokens, intending to take them.

• Li Qingyun teleported to the Ancient Array Gate, studied its bronze pillars, and realized its grooves matched Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens.
• Xiao Ao recognized Li Qingyun and eagerly reunited with his eldest brother while Li Qingyun continued examining the array.
• True Person Hong Ling arrived and greeted Li Qingyun warmly, prompting True Person Chu Ming to grow jealous and suspicious.
• Chu Ming boasted that he had five Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens and disparaged the others for lacking enough.
• Li Qingyun noticed Chu Ming’s hostility, turned to him, and asked him to lend over his five tokens.

Li Qingyun effortlessly suppressed and killed True Person Chu Ming of the Xushen Palace after Chu Ming provoked him. He claimed Chu Ming’s five Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens and stopped the other major-sect cultivators from leaving.

• True Person Chu Ming mocked Li Qingyun and Hong Ling, then attacked Li with his third-tier divine office of the Great Dao of Destruction.
• Li Qingyun overwhelmed Chu Ming with Jade Pure Profound Light and pinned him to the ground with four points of thunder-jade starlight.
• Li Qingyun destroyed Chu Ming, collected the items he left behind, and took his five Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens.
• Xiao Ao and Hong Ling praised Li Qingyun, while Lei Hun, Teng Su, and Gu Zhao tried to retreat.
• Li Qingyun called out to the three remaining cultivators, who stopped and introduced themselves by name and sect.

Li Qingyun negotiated with Lei Hun for the location of a medium-grade Spirit Platform in exchange for nine Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens. He left to gather the three tokens he lacked, while Lei Hun and the others waited at the Ancient Array Gate.

• Li Qingyun offered six Heavenly Origin Bronze Tokens to trade with Lei Hun, Teng Su, and Gu Zhao for Spirit Platform coordinates.
• Lei Hun offered a medium-grade Spirit Platform location for nine tokens, and Li Qingyun agreed to make the trade.
• Li Qingyun departed, using his Void Escape Divine Ability to travel hundreds of miles in an instant and astonish the others.
• Li Qingyun searched distant ruins and defeated ghost shadows, collecting enough tokens to raise his total to eighteen.
• Li Qingyun reflected on the decay and distortion of Immortal Ghost Heaven and resolved to pursue the mysteries behind it and strengthen his Lightning Method foundation.

Li Qingyun returned to the Ancient Array Gate with Heavenly Origin Tokens and waited for enough cultivators to gather so they could reach the Spirit Platform. On the sixth day, the powerful Dao companions Ning Fenghe and Su Yuhuang arrived and called everyone to split the cost of activating the gate, while taking offense at Li Qingyun’s lack of attention.

• Li Qingyun gave Lei Hun nine Heavenly Origin Tokens, and Lei Hun shared the location of a mid-grade Spirit Platform before leaving to refine his tokens.
• Li Qingyun learned Teng Su, Gu Zhao, and Xiao Ao had only five tokens between them, so he stayed to study the bronze array pillars while waiting for more cultivators.
• Hong Ling left to seek cultivation resources, and no cultivators arrived for several days as Li Qingyun continued examining the pillars.
• Ning Fenghe and Su Yuhuang arrived at the Ancient Array Gate, prompting Teng Su and Gu Zhao to hope their wealth would help activate it.
• Ning Fenghe called everyone over to split the cost, and he and Su Yuhuang grew displeased that Li Qingyun had not acknowledged them.

Li Qingyun remained absorbed in studying the Ancient Array Gate while the Ning Su couple demanded an equal share of the opening cost and threatened to exclude him and his companions. After Ning Fenghe struck Xiao Ao, Li Qingyun stopped the attack and revealed enough of his power to make the couple reconsider their arrogance.

• The Ning Su couple asked everyone to contribute Heavenly Origin Tokens, and Ning Fenghe offered to cover the final token if each person paid three.
• Li Qingyun explained that Xiao Ao could not pay and suggested waiting, while Su Yuhuang and Ning Fenghe mocked them and threatened to bar them from entering the Ancient Array Gate.
• Xiao Ao objected when the couple insulted him and his sect, so Ning Fenghe swept him backward with a display of power.
• Li Qingyun's Jade Pure Profound Light halted Xiao Ao, and Li Qingyun calmly challenged the couple to open the gate without the others.
• Teng Su and Gu Zhao told Ning Fenghe that Li Qingyun had defeated True Person Chu Ming and held a fourth-tier Thunder Emperor divine rank, leaving the Ning Su couple shaken and silent.

Li Qingyun watched the cultivators gather at the Ancient Array Gate and helped resolve the cost of opening it. After nineteen Heavenly Origin Tokens were placed in the array pillars, the gate began to activate.

• The Ning Su couple backed down from challenging Li Qingyun and waited outside the array after refusing to provide the tokens he demanded.
• Su Xian arrived, greeted the gathered cultivators, and exchanged courteous words with Li Qingyun, who finished comprehending the sixth bronze pillar.
• True Lord Ruoxi arrived from the Moon Yin Palace and greeted Li Qingyun first after noticing the others' caution around him.
• Ning Fenghe proposed that the eight cultivators contribute two Heavenly Origin Tokens each, while he and Su Yuhuang supplied the remaining three as an apology to Li Qingyun.
• Li Qingyun covered Xiao Ao's missing token, and the cultivators placed all nineteen tokens into the bronze pillars.
• The Ancient Array Gate began to glow and shake as its star-like ring of runes appeared and corrupt dust and strange winds swept through the ruin.

Li Qingyun reached the Supreme Void Brightness spirit platform and found a terrifying yellow-robed immortal ghost seated in an abandoned temple. After resisting its pollution and scripture-like assault, he discovered it was bound to the platform and stepped onto its first tier to confront it.

• Li Qingyun directed Ruoxi, Xiao Ao, and the others to safe points in the Ancient Array Gate before teleporting to the Supreme Void Brightness spirit platform.
• Li Qingyun arrived alone in a dark, abandoned anomaly temple and saw a yellow-robed Daoist seated on an ancient sixth-tier spirit platform.
• Li Qingyun advanced through the spirit platform's foul pollution, using his Jade Pure Profound Light and Thunder Emperor's Crown to protect himself.
• The yellow-robed immortal ghost opened its eyes, attacked Li Qingyun with eerie Dao might, and demanded that he bow before the Supreme Void Brightness.
• Li Qingyun's light damaged the ghost, and he realized it was bound to the spirit platform before stepping onto its first tier.

Li Qingyun repeatedly destroyed the yellow-robed anomalous Daoist on the Supreme Void Brightness spiritual platform, testing how many times it could resurrect and seeking to claim its Heavenly Origin Qi. After the ninth strike, the anomaly remained scattered, leaving the platform quiet and decaying.

• Li Qingyun climbed onto the spiritual platform and struck the yellow-robed anomalous Daoist, shattering it into more than a hundred strands of Heavenly Origin Qi.
• The yellow-robed anomalous Daoist resurrected and absorbed the scattered aura, but Li Qingyun struck it down again.
• Li Qingyun repeatedly destroyed the anomaly as it resurrected, rejecting its offers to share its cultivation.
• After the ninth destruction, the yellow-robed anomalous Daoist did not resurrect, and the temple’s chanting and foul aura faded.

Li Qingyun absorbed Heavenly Origin Qi in the collapsing spirit platform, opened his first minor heavenly gate, and advanced to the second layer of the Life Gate Realm. Back in the Lingbao Sect, he tested the Death Mandate Scroll on three names and prepared to meet Lin Jing, whose arrival he had divined with suspicion.

• Li Qingyun used ninety strands of Heavenly Origin Qi to open the first minor heavenly gate, then absorbed the remaining thirty into another vitality meridian as the spirit platform collapsed.
• Li Qingyun returned to the mortal world at the second layer of the Life Gate Realm and burned Death Mandate Scrolls bearing the names of Gu Mingchan, Huang Shang of Mishin Palace, and Chu Ming of Xushen Palace.
• Huang Shang resisted the curse, while Gu Mingchan was struck and called for Senior Brother Chengyuan; Li Qingyun dispelled Chengyuan's tracking gate before it could form.
• Miaoxuan and Nangong Fengchuan entered the Ruins Sea, while Li Qingyun stayed behind to drink tea and sensed Lin Jing approaching.
• Li Qingyun divined Lin Jing's arrival and watched him take a place on a lower pine platform.

Lin Jing demanded Li Qingyun’s Yang God blood to support his breakthrough, but Li Qingyun required him to earn it by killing a Jade Ghost in Guanshan. Li Qingyun later received an invitation to Moon Yin Palace for Yeyue’s Yang God breakthrough celebration, while news arrived that Lin Jing had died in Guanshan.

• Lin Jing begged Li Qingyun for Yang God blood, invoking fairness and refusing Yue Changsong’s offer of ordinary breakthrough resources.
• Li Qingyun learned Lin Jing had no Great Dao merit and promised him a drop of blood if he killed a Jade Ghost in Guanshan.
• Li Qingyun received True Lord Nian Meng’s invitation to a Dao banquet celebrating Holy Maiden Yeyue’s breakthrough to the Yang God Realm and decided to attend.
• Linghui Peak learned that Lin Jing’s life plaque had shattered, and word spread that his son Lin Weishuo had turned white-haired overnight.

Li Qingyun surveyed Youjing and saw Emperor Xian’s fear and decline before heading to Moon Yin Palace for Yeyue’s Yang God advancement banquet. The banquet began welcoming sect talents, and Yi Tianxing arrived as an honored guest.

• Li Qingyun detoured over Youjing and reflected that mortal dynasties’ transitions were driven by Supreme Realm cultivators seeking ascension, not by any course of the Dao.
• Li Qingyun observed the flourishing city, its renewed temples, and Emperor Xian, who drank in despair and ordered divination masters summoned to calm his fears.
• Li Qingyun judged that Moon Yin Palace had gained the advantage over Biyou Palace in the Liu Dynasty, then vanished toward Moon Yin Palace.
• Moon Yin Palace hosted a banquet for Yeyue’s Yang God advancement, where Saintesses and disciples received talented guests from several kingdoms.
• True Person Nian Meng welcomed Yi Tianxing, a newly advanced Yin God cultivator from Biyou Palace, at the mountain gate.

Li Qingyun arrived at a Moon Yin Palace banquet and revealed a presence that convinced the sect he had reached the Life Gate Realm. True Lord Ruoxi welcomed him as the palace’s most esteemed guest, and the hall awaited Yeyue’s arrival.

• Li Qingyun appeared at the Moon Yin Palace’s mountain gate, where True Lord Nian Meng sensed his immense vital energy and suspected he had reached the Life Gate Realm.
• True Lord Ruoxi arrived, confirmed Li Qingyun’s realm, and personally escorted him to the Moon God Palace.
• The Moon Yin Palace disciples and visiting cultivators were astonished by Li Qingyun’s status, while Yi Tianxing felt overshadowed and Zhao Anzhi found him strangely familiar.
• True Lord Ruoxi seated Li Qingyun in the hall’s place of highest honor and sent disciples to fetch Yeyue.