Chapter Summaries

Li Qingyun defeated Zhang Yunran and another Opening Mansion cultivator with his lightning arts, forcing Ling Xichen’s group to concede. He intercepted Shangguan Wan’er, exposed their old grudge, and placed a nine-day thunder seal on her before proposing she serve at his Daoist temple.

• Li Qingyun’s lightning blasted Zhang Yunran to the ground and then struck down the middle-aged Opening Mansion cultivator when she tried to concede.
• Ling Xichen admitted defeat, while Xu Ying, Luo Ming, and their companion celebrated Li Qingyun’s strength.
• Shangguan Wan’er tried to flee, but Li Qingyun intercepted and froze her with a spell.
• Li Qingyun removed Shangguan Wan’er’s veil, accused her of conspiring with the Cui mother and son at Marquis Qinghe’s Estate, and placed a thunder seal on her forehead.
• Shangguan Wan’er protested that sect cultivators could undo the seal, while Ling Xichen apologized and pleaded for her.
• Li Qingyun released Shangguan Wan’er’s restraints and said she could serve at his temple if she was sincere and convinced.

After Li Qingyun defeated Moon Yin Palace at Yin Feng Ridge, Shangguan Wan'er failed to find anyone who could remove his lightning curse and came to Lingbao Temple to serve him. Li Qingyun sealed most of her power and assigned her the temple’s chores, while Wang Heng postponed his planned challenge after learning of Li Qingyun’s strength.

• Li Qingyun’s victory forced Ling Xichen to return the mountain villagers and pay Xu Ying a large compensation, while he revealed that he had reached the Opening Mansion Realm.
• At the Purple Gold Temple, Wang Heng learned that Moon Yin Palace’s Opening Mansion cultivators had fallen to Li Qingyun and canceled his planned spell battle with Xu Ying.
• Li Qingyun reflected that he had captured Shangguan Wan'er and decided that making her serve as a maid would satisfy his anger.
• After the lightning curse resisted attempts by powerful cultivators to remove it and painfully flared up, Shangguan Wan'er knelt at Lingbao Temple and begged Li Qingyun to take her in.
• Li Qingyun ordered Shangguan Wan'er to wear green robes, perform all temple chores, and cook a large meal; he also sealed nine-tenths of her magical power.

Li Qingyun tormented the cultivation-sealed Shangguan Wan'er with endless chores and humiliating treatment at Lingbao Temple until her grandmother, Shangguan Yu, arrived. Shangguan Yu confronted Li Qingyun, who prepared for danger and sensed that her Golden Core cultivation was not much stronger than his own.

• Li Qingyun repeatedly rejected Shangguan Wan'er's cooking and ordered her to remake dishes, leaving her exhausted and humiliated.
• Mu Yu told Shangguan Wan'er to clean the temple and prepare breakfast, and Li Qingyun rejected her floral-dew porridge.
• A'li questioned Shangguan Wan'er about her conflict with Li Qingyun, and Li Qingyun struck Shangguan Wan'er into a wall for criticizing him.
• Over the next two days, Shangguan Wan'er endured more chores and the pain of her lightning curse, growing thinner and desperate for her grandmother's arrival.
• Shangguan Yu arrived at Lingbao Temple with a powerful aura, introduced herself as Shangguan Wan'er's grandmother, and listened as Wan'er complained about her suffering.
• Li Qingyun greeted Shangguan Yu cautiously and sensed that her Golden Core cultivation was not much stronger than his Great Perfection Opening Mansion Realm.

Li Qingyun tested his strength against Shangguan Yu, but their confrontation ended in a stalemate. Shangguan Yu explained that Shangguan Wan'er’s role in his ruined Dao path may have led him toward true Dharma, warned of coming turmoil in Great You, and left Li Qingyun searching for divination arts.

• Shangguan Yu challenged Li Qingyun in the night sky, and they traded attacks until both acknowledged that neither could overcome the other.
• Shangguan Yu said Shangguan Wan’er had taken Li Qingyun’s primordial yang energy to complete her Dao Foundation breakthrough and claimed the event had redirected his fate toward true Dharma.
• Li Qingyun rejected Shangguan Yu’s attempt to justify Wan’er’s actions and refused to promise that he would spare her.
• Shangguan Yu warned that Great You would face turmoil by the end of the following year, then left without taking Wan’er with her.
• Li Qingyun ordered Wan’er to make tea and searched his storage ring for divination and deduction arts.

Li Qingyun learned about Moon Yin Palace from Shangguan Wan'er and ordered her to train He Lao Dock’s Dao soldiers. After receiving Chen Tao’s recommendation for a Linghui Peak true disciple position, Li Qingyun prepared to return to the sect and helped Mu Yu attempt a breakthrough.

• Li Qingyun learned a low-grade astrology spell and used divination to see through Shangguan Wan’er’s schemes.
• Li Qingyun questioned Shangguan Wan’er about Moon Yin Palace, learning of its origins in Fu Kingdom, its twelve peaks, and its efforts to cultivate forces among common people.
• Li Qingyun ordered Shangguan Wan’er to train Li Zuo and the He Lao Dock Dao soldiers in drills and basic Dao formations.
• Chen Tao told Li Qingyun that he had recommended him for a true disciple position at Linghui Peak and would send Chen Shou to help guard Lingbao Temple.
• Li Qingyun decided to seek true disciple authority and a method to enter the Golden Core realm, then summoned Mu Yu to help him break through to a middle-grade Dao Foundation.

Mu Yu used Li Qingyun’s help to break through to the middle-grade Dao Foundation, then welcomed Chen Shou and the Chen clan disciples to South Suppression · Lingbao Temple. The Chen visitors arrived full of superiority, and Mu Yu challenged one of them to a match.

• Li Qingyun gave Mu Yu Yin Copper Mother and promised to use lightning intent to purge its corrupting yin aura if needed.
• Mu Yu broke through to the middle-grade Dao Foundation with Li Qingyun’s help and thanked his senior brother for guiding and supporting him.
• Chen Shou led more than a dozen Chen clan disciples toward the temple, while their arrogance prompted him to warn them to behave themselves.
• Mu Yu greeted Chen Shou and the visitors, then challenged a second-layer Dao Foundation disciple who had disparaged him.
• Li Qingyun welcomed Chen Shou and the Chen clan disciples at the temple gate, noticing their disdain for his small following.

Li Qingyun’s disciples defeated most of the Chen clan cultivators in a series of spell-combat matches, while he made arrangements at He Lao Dock and returned to Lingbao Sect. There, he reunited with Zhu Wu and requested an audience with Luo Junding, who welcomed him into Junding Mansion.

• Mu Yu defeated a second-layer Dao Foundation Chen clan cultivator with his Blazing Furnace, and A'li beat an eighth-layer Qi Refining opponent.
• Li Zuo defeated a fifth-layer Qi Refining Chen clan youth, and A'hu, Mengshan, and the others won most of their matches, leaving the Chen clan disciples humbled.
• Li Qingyun left Shangguan Wan'er at He Lao Dock, easing some of her torment while keeping her alive because his divinations suggested she could be useful amid coming upheaval.
• Li Qingyun returned to Lingbao Sect at the Great Perfection of Opening Mansion Realm and flew to Junding Mansion to see Luo Junding.
• Zhu Wu tried to lead Li Qingyun into the mansion, but Li Qingyun formally requested an audience with his master; Zhu Wu privately revealed he had reached the third layer of Dao Foundation.
• Luo Junding called Li Qingyun inside, and Li Qingyun entered the main hall.

Li Qingyun visited Luo Junding’s mansion, where his cultivation and prospects as a Linghui true disciple astonished Luo Junding’s family and Zhu Wu. Luo Junding then brought him to the upper reaches of Linghui Peak, where Li Qingyun formally sought to contend for true discipleship.

• Luo Junding welcomed Li Qingyun and praised the cultivation he had achieved, leaving Zhu Wu stunned by their apparent equality.
• Li Qingyun met Cai Yun, Luo Caiwei, and two junior disciples, giving the younger disciples three high-grade dharma artifacts.
• Luo Junding revealed that Li Qingyun would soon be evaluated for Linghui true discipleship, astonishing Cai Yun and Zhu Wu.
• Luo Junding led Li Qingyun up Linghui Peak to the ancient pine where elders and three Estate Opening Great Perfection competitors had gathered.
• Luo Junding introduced Li Qingyun to the elders, and Li Qingyun declared that he sought true discipleship.
• An elderly Nascent Soul Daoist praised Li Qingyun, told Luo Junding that the sect would record merit for him, and directed Li Qingyun to join the three competitors.

Li Qingyun faced three candidates in Linghui Peak’s true disciple evaluation, while the elders’ votes revealed the influence of family ties and patronage. Though the elders recognized him as a formidable rival, Xiao Jin and Lin Jing privately believed his connection to the Li Imperial Clan doomed his prospects.

• Luo Junding introduced Yue Changsong and the other elders to Li Qingyun, who joined Xiao Budu, Lin Weishuo, and Meng Xingzhou on the platform.
• Yue Changsong began the evaluation, and the four candidates revealed their cultivation: each had reached Great Perfection of Opening Mansion Realm, with Li Qingyun displaying powerful thunder intent.
• Xiao Jin recommended his great-grandson Xiao Budu, and two allies added votes for him, giving him three points.
• Lin Jing recommended his son Lin Weishuo, whose supporters quickly gave him more votes than Xiao Budu.
• Meng Xingzhou received votes from Meng and two friendly Golden Core elders, while Li Qingyun saw that the evaluation depended heavily on connections and backing.
• The elders focused on Li Qingyun’s thunder arts and rapid rise, but Xiao Jin and Lin Jing privately dismissed him as a doomed comet because of his Li Imperial Clan lineage.

Li Qingyun faced a hostile true disciple assessment because of his Qinghe Li Clan background, but Xu Xuan unexpectedly gave him a second point. He then defeated Xiao Budu in the opening Dao debate duel and advanced to face the remaining candidates.

• Yue Changsong recorded one assessment point for Li Qingyun, while the other elders withheld their votes because of his clan's looming troubles.
• Xu Xuan supported Li Qingyun with another point, and Yue Changsong began the true inheritance Dao debate.
• Xiao Budu challenged Li Qingyun to exchange pointers in fire arts, and Li Qingyun agreed.
• Li Qingyun broke Xiao Budu's flaming furnace with lightning and overwhelmed his defenses until Xiao Budu used a magical treasure and conceded defeat.

Li Qingyun defeated Meng Xingzhou and Lin Weishuo in the true disciple selection’s spell contest, earning a place in the Ancestor’s Blessing test. He entered the Ancestor’s Cave alone, determined to secure the position before the Great You Li clan’s last chance expired.

• Li Qingyun swiftly defeated Meng Xingzhou with lightning after Meng launched a surprise spellfire attack.
• Lin Weishuo challenged Li Qingyun with Metal Sword Qi, but Li used illusion and lightning arts to overcome him and force his concession.
• Yue Changsong announced Li Qingyun’s complete victory in the spell contest, then brought him and Lin Weishuo to the Ancestor’s Cave for the next test.
• Li Qingyun climbed the stone steps with his mana and spiritual sense bound, reflecting on how his confidence had grown since his previous ascent.
• Lin Weishuo entered the cave ahead of Li Qingyun, and Li followed, urgently seeking the true disciple position for the sake of the Great You Li clan.

Li Qingyun worshipped Dao Lord Lingbao Zhenhui to seek the pill purple needed to form a Golden Core, but received no response until he pleaded aloud. The patriarch granted him the Dao-rhyme purple qi at the cost of burning away a portion of his divine incense, and Li Qingyun resolved to repay the favor by expanding the Southern Border.

• Yue Changsong told Li Qingyun to worship Dao Lord Lingbao Zhenhui and visualize South Suppression · Lingbao Temple and his Inner Mansion to receive the pill purple.
• Li Qingyun worshipped and linked the temple's incense aura with the qi in his Inner Mansion, but the patriarch did not respond at first.
• Li Qingyun pleaded aloud for the patriarch to show pity, citing his work establishing a temple and enlightening the mountain folk.
• Dao Lord Lingbao Zhenhui answered that Li Qingyun's Dao Achievements were outstanding and sent a strand of pill purple into his Inner Mansion.
• The divine incense burned away by nearly half a segment, and Li Qingyun vowed to expand the Southern Border to repay the patriarch.
• Yue Changsong urged Li Qingyun to come farther into the cavern as he and Lin Weishuo watched with complicated expressions.

Li Qingyun and Lin Weishuo became true disciples of Linghui Peak and learned how scarce Dao Lord blessings were and how dangerous independent cultivation could be. Yue Changsong revealed that the missing Yin God predecessor Miaoxuan had once lived at Li Qingyun’s Falling Star Abode, and the chapter left Li Qingyun examining the inheritance jade slips and learning the risks and requirements of Golden Core methods.

• Yue Changsong and Lin Weishuo congratulated Li Qingyun on becoming a true disciple alongside Lin Weishuo.
• Yue Changsong explained that Great You had fifty-six Dao Lords, that neighboring nations constrained expansion, and that ancestor Dao Lord incense and purple qi limited the paths available to cultivators.
• Li Qingyun asked whether anyone could advance without an ancestor’s blessing, and Yue Changsong revealed that Miaoxuan had independently forged her Dao foundation before vanishing a century earlier.
• Yue Changsong explained that Miaoxuan had once lived at Falling Star Abode and had used an ancient Golden Core method to break through without borrowed purple qi.
• Yue Changsong offered Li Qingyun and Lin Weishuo a Golden Core method and three supreme spell arts, and Li Qingyun began examining the jade slips.
• Li Qingyun learned that Golden Core grades differed in how far they illuminated the dark realm and that higher grades carried greater risks of pollution and distortion.

Li Qingyun chose the Five Thunder Orthodox Method, Soaring Golden Light, and Purple Sun Sword Intent before learning that he and Lin Weishuo had become true disciples. In the True Disciple Hall, Li Qingyun claimed materials for a supreme Golden Core and insisted he would risk attempting it despite the danger.

• Li Qingyun memorized the Golden Core methods and selected three superior Daoist techniques related to his existing arts.
• Yue Changsong announced that Li Qingyun and Lin Weishuo had passed the Ancestor's Blessing test and become true disciples.
• Li Qingyun and Lin Weishuo received true disciple tokens and entered the True Disciple Hall with the elders.
• Lin Weishuo took the Jingxi Water and Returning Yang Grass, while Li Qingyun claimed fifty-thousand-year Netherworld soil and Nascent Soul Demon Heart Blood.
• Yue Changsong warned Li Qingyun about the danger of pursuing a supreme Golden Core, but Li Qingyun declared that he had to try.

Li Qingyun searched the True Inheritance Hall for Jade Ghost Ash but left empty-handed, then claimed a mansion as a true inheritor and returned to the Falling Star Abode. Xu Xuan visited and revealed that three previous owners of Miaoxuan’s ocarina had met ruin, suggesting her Yin God might still endure.

• Li Qingyun asked the Golden Core elders for Jade Ghost Ash, but none had any; Lin Jing’s remark about borrowing drew the elders’ attention to the risk of loans going unpaid if the dynasty fell.
• Li Qingyun took a Golden Core cultivation manual, and Yue Changsong promised to ask Elder Xu whether he had Jade Ghost Ash; Yue also told him he could choose a mansion on Linghui Peak.
• Li Qingyun chose a vacant mansion, named it Qingyun Mansion, and activated its defensive array before visiting Luo Junding and his household.
• Li Qingyun returned to the Falling Star Abode, cleared its overgrown courtyard, and played his ocarina, worrying about finding Jade Ghost Ash and the dynasty’s decline.
• Xu Xuan visited Li Qingyun and said three previous Falling Star Abode disciples who had obtained Miaoxuan’s ocarina had either died in battle or suffered depravity.
• Xu Xuan explained that Miaoxuan’s Yin God might not have completely perished and could still interfere with the mortal world.

Li Qingyun used the rare materials Xu Xuan gave him to attempt a superior Golden Core breakthrough, enduring the Jade Ghost Ash’s devastating corruption before succeeding. His Golden Core illuminated the inner mansion and revealed a winding stream of Jingxi Water, leaving him with a newly transformed foundation.

• Xu Xuan gave Li Qingyun Jade Ghost Ash and left, and Li Qingyun reinforced the Falling Star Abode’s defenses before beginning his breakthrough.
• Li Qingyun shaped the Mysterious Jade Bone into a kylin town-beast, completing and stabilizing his inner mansion.
• Li Qingyun refined the fifty-thousand-year Netherworld soil and Nascent Soul demon blood, suppressing their harmful effects.
• The Jade Ghost Ash nearly consumed Li Qingyun, but he endured a prolonged struggle in the Lightning Dao Great Dao Divine Position Sequence Space and recovered.
• Li Qingyun combined the three ominous materials with his cultivation essence and formed a brilliant Golden Core that rose above his inner mansion.
• The Golden Core’s light pushed back the mansion’s darkness and revealed a stream of Jingxi Water.

Li Qingyun completed his breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm and found his cultivation foundation had transformed far beyond its previous limits. After studying his next steps and informing Yue Changsong and Luo Junding, he received Yue Changsong’s congratulations and an offer to host a Golden Core banquet.

• Li Qingyun discovered Jingxi Water and Returning Yang Grass in his inner scenery, then drew in amorphous substance to double the brightness and strength of his Golden Core’s dharmic power.
• After five days of seclusion, Li Qingyun completed his Golden Core breakthrough, gaining a faint divine phenomenon and extraordinary strength.
• Li Qingyun studied the Core Embracing Infant Art, estimated that he could reach Golden Core Great Perfection in less than a year, and resolved to grow stronger before Great You collapsed.
• Li Qingyun integrated the Five Thunder Orthodox Method and Soaring Golden Light into his existing spell attainments and gained a new sword-Dao ripple from the Purple Sun Sword Intent.
• Li Qingyun sent white cranes to notify Yue Changsong and Luo Junding that he had formed a superior-grade Golden Core.
• Yue Changsong congratulated Li Qingyun and proposed hosting a Golden Core banquet to spread the prestige of the Linghui Dao.

Li Qingyun learned that a dangerous strange entity was wreaking havoc at Maple Mountain Lingbao Temple and rushed there to investigate. He arrived to find the mountain steeped in yin energy and Zhao Keyi missing, then used his Golden Core dharma sense to search for the temple’s people.

• Luo Junding told Li Qingyun that Maple Mountain Lingbao Temple was facing trouble, and Li Qingyun decided to go there immediately.
• Yue Changsong gave Li Qingyun information about the temple and sent him to handle the crisis while Nangong Xu and Mo Fangru went ahead.
• Lin Jing arrived hoping to obtain Jingxi Water from Li Qingyun for Weishuo’s Golden Core breakthrough, but learned Li Qingyun had already left.
• Li Qingyun read that the temple had been founded after Elder Gong suppressed a Nascent Soul cultivator who had transformed into a strange entity.
• Li Qingyun reached Maple Mountain, saw sinister yin energy beneath the formation and found Zhao Keyi missing from the cabin, then searched the mountain with his dharma sense.

Li Qingyun arrived at Maple Mountain Lingbao Temple and revealed that he had reached the Golden Core Realm. He took command of the investigation into the evil presence, leaving Nangong Xu forced to yield.

• Nangong Xu learned that more than thirty disciples and Steward Zhang were missing, while Mo Fangru suggested searching for Zhang.
• Li Qingyun arrived at Dao Lord Hall, and Zhao Keyi and Lu Liqian recognized his voice before he appeared.
• Li Qingyun revealed his Golden Core cultivation, shocking Nangong Xu, Mo Fangru, Lu Nanling, and the disciples.
• Li Qingyun ordered the stewards to lead the disciples out of the hall, then rebuked Nangong Xu and forced him back with his Golden Core pressure.
• Mo Fangru accepted Li Qingyun's authority and reflected that the Maple Mountain Association she had helped establish had him as a founding elder.

Li Qingyun exposed Abbey Master Gong Tong as a corpse anomaly and trapped it inside the Dao Lord Hall’s array. The anomaly’s attacks failed to stop Li Qingyun, who immobilized it and struck it with divine lightning.

• After the others left the hall, Li Qingyun confronted Gong Tong about neglecting his grandson Hanxu and accused him of being an anomaly creature.
• Gong Tong revealed his hatred for the Gong Family and Lingbao Sect, shed his human appearance, and exposed his corpse-anomaly body.
• Nangong Xu and Mo Fangru invoked the Dao Lord statues, but the corpse anomaly contaminated them and resisted their attacks.
• The anomaly tried to make Li Qingyun attack the two Patrol Envoys, but Li Qingyun activated the Town Vein Dragon Sealing Array and scorched it with Yang Radiance.
• When the corpse anomaly tried to flee and then charged Li Qingyun, he froze it with a technique and struck it with bolts of divine lightning.