Chapter Summaries

True Lord Xuantian gave Miao Le the Xuantian Five Absolutes inscriptions and asked her to protect the Mysterious Heaven Sect after he left to guard Red Flag Mountain. Miao Le accepted, expanded access to the Three Joys Immortal Sect’s spirit-vein cave mansions, and summoned Li Qingyuan, who was considering skipping the Human King Hall Selection to cultivate instead.

• True Lord Xuantian explained that he would leave for Red Flag Mountain in ten years and gave Miao Le the five Xuantian Stele Inscriptions in exchange for her promise to help the Mysterious Heaven Sect.
• True Lord Xuantian revealed that uniting the Xuantian Five Absolutes could form a treasure art beyond fourth-tier spells, though he had never comprehended it.
• Miao Le accepted the inscriptions, saw True Lord Xuantian off, and resolved to pursue Soul Transformation and immortality.
• Miao Le ordered the sect to construct spirit-vein cave mansions and granted cultivation access to qualified elders, disciples, and Nascent Soul Seeds.
• The new cave mansion benefits stirred the sect’s cultivators, while Li Qingyuan regretted that the Human King Hall Selection would keep him from cultivating at the Fourth-grade Spirit Vein.
• Miao Le transmitted to Li Qingyuan and summoned him to her palace as he considered asking to remain in the sect.

Li Qingyuan learned why the Human King Hall Selection was worth entering and agreed to compete for its resources and opportunities. Miao Le then drew him into another private discussion of the Dao.

• Li Qingyuan praised A Wu’s cultivation, and Miao Le explained that the Three Joys Immortal Sect’s new spirit vein and resources had strengthened its cultivators.
• Miao Le predicted that Li Qingyuan would form a Nascent Soul within a hundred years, then dismissed A Wu when Li Qingyuan signaled that he wanted to speak privately.
• Miao Le explained that the Human King Hall Selection chose one hundred prodigies from across the Nine Provinces and offered resources and opportunities that could help them reach the Nascent Soul Realm.
• Li Qingyuan recognized that the selection could provide resources for his plans and agreed to participate, while Miao Le said it was held every three hundred years.
• Miao Le and Li Qingyuan resumed their private discussion of the Dao.

Li Qingyuan and Miao Le studied the five Xuantian Stele Inscriptions, which held the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s secret arts. Li Qingyuan mastered all five and uncovered the Five Energies Returning to Origin Technique, gaining new abilities for the upcoming Human King Hall journey.

• Miao Le showed Li Qingyuan the five Xuantian Stele Inscriptions and explained how True Lord Xuantian had given them to the Three Joys Immortal Sect.
• Li Qingyuan and Miao Le began comprehending the inscriptions, while Zhao Guangzheng and Zhenxing bet on how many Li Qingyuan would master.
• Li Qingyuan quickly learned Star Shifting and Battle Reversal, then used the Weapon Merging Secret Technique to fuse Magic Tools into stronger ones.
• Li Qingyuan mastered the Wind Domain, Earthfire Scorched Plains, and Living Water Source Flow secret arts, leaving Miao Le astonished by his comprehension.
• Li Qingyuan combined the five arts to discover the Five Energies Returning to Origin Technique and resolved to master it before the Human King Hall journey.

The Human King received Vermilion Bird’s report on Miao Le’s rapid cultivation and the disappearance of Core Formation Prodigies, which pointed toward Yuan King and Taiyi Gate. He set out to confront Taiyi Gate while ordering Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird to protect the Nine Provinces Prodigy Tournament and expose the forces conspiring with the Old Red Banners.

• The Human King and Azure Dragon played chess in Zhi Shui Palace, and the Human King sensed Vermilion Bird’s return before Azure Dragon did.
• Vermilion Bird reported that Miao Le had reached Nascent Soul Early-Stage Perfection in less than fifteen years and possessed Nascent Soul Middle Stage divine sense.
• The Human King concluded that Miao Le had a Great Opportunity and was likely an ally who could help unify the Seven Kingdoms of Arid Province.
• Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon reported missing Core Formation Prodigies and suspected Yuan King, Taiyi Gate, and the Old Red Banners were involved.
• The Human King ordered Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird to guard the Nine Provinces Prodigy Tournament, recruit outstanding cultivators, and root out those colluding with the Old Red Banners.
• The Human King departed for Taiyi Gate, while Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon affirmed their loyalty to him.

Human King Dugu Lei arrived at Taiyi Gate to enforce the Nine Provinces Alliance Contract requiring Yuan Kong, Yuan Ye, and Yuan Fa to guard the Heaven Severing Great Array at Red Flag Mountain. After the three elders attacked and were swiftly injured by his lightning, abbot Yuan Xin intervened as Dugu Lei moved to capture them.

• Yuan Kong, Yuan Ye, and Yuan Fa planned to seize the bodies of three gifted Core Formation cultivators to extend their lives, dismissing the Human King's decree and the alliance contract.
• Dugu Lei rode a lightning-shrouded heavenly steed to Taiyi Gate and demanded that the three elders go to Red Flag Mountain.
• Abbot Yuan Xin asked Dugu Lei to spare Taiyi Gate's elders, but Dugu Lei gave them three breaths to comply or be taken by force.
• Yuan Kong, Yuan Ye, and Yuan Fa attacked Dugu Lei with their magic treasures and divine abilities, and his Three-Colored Lightning Tribulation shattered their attacks and badly injured them.
• Dugu Lei reached for the injured elders with a mana hand, and Yuan Xin unleashed the Great Luo Buddha Hand against him.

Human King Dugu Lei defeated Taiyi Gate’s strongest formation, took Yuan Kong, Yuan Ye, and Yuan Fa away, and warned other sects to honor the Nine Provinces Alliance Contract. Meanwhile, Li Qingyuan prepared to leave for the Nine Provinces Grand Gathering and asked Miao Le to help find his missing daughter, surprising her with the revelation that he had a child.

• Abbot Yuan Xin summoned Taiyi Gate’s eighteen Nascent Soul Cultivators and used a Soul Transformation Sarira to strengthen their grand formation, but Dugu Lei shattered it with his Thunder Battle Halberd.
• Dugu Lei destroyed Taiyi Gate’s mountain gate, skewered Yuan Kong, Yuan Ye, and Yuan Fa with his halberd, and declared that he would punish sects that defied the Nine Provinces Alliance Contract.
• Zhen Wu watched Dugu Lei depart and vowed to become as powerful as the Human King.
• Three Core Formation Cultivators awoke in a mountain ravine, confused about how they had been brought there.
• At Miao Le Immortal Sect, Li Qingyuan and Miao Le finished comprehending the Xuantian Stele Inscriptions, and Miao Le prepared to lead Yue Kingdom’s prodigies to the Nine Provinces Grand Gathering.
• Li Qingyuan asked Miao Le to help find his missing daughter, and Miao Le reacted with jealousy when she learned he had a daughter.

After learning that Li Qingyuan had children, Miao Le confronted him about his past and agreed to help find his daughter and shelter his family. Later, Zhao Tongxuan visited Li Qingyuan to spar ahead of the Human King Hall Selection, and Li Qingyuan accepted.

• Miao Le accused Li Qingyuan of deceiving her after he admitted he had a daughter and a son, then tearfully described all she had done for him.
• Li Qingyuan confessed his feelings for Miao Le and Luo Ling and explained why he had chosen a Dao companion to continue his family bloodline.
• Miao Le promised to search for Li Qingyuan's daughter and secretly protect his family when they joined the Three Joys Immortal Sect.
• Li Qingyuan gave Miao Le bottles of Three-Revolutions Spirit Twisting Pills, and she was impressed by his alchemy success.
• Zhao Tongxuan visited Li Qingyuan and asked him to reveal the gap between them before the Human King Hall Selection, and Li Qingyuan agreed to spar.

Li Qingyuan fought Zhao Tongxuan in the sect's back mountain and defeated him without using his full power. After giving Zhao Tongxuan three masterwork Myriad True Pills, Li Qingyuan left, while Zhao Tongxuan reflected on the vast gap between them and anticipated Li Qingyuan's success at the Nine Provinces Heavenly Chosen Tournament.

• Zhao Tongxuan challenged Li Qingyuan after reaching the peak of Early-Stage Core Formation, and the two began fighting with spear and halberd techniques.
• Li Qingyuan overpowered Zhao Tongxuan in their exchange of second-tier spells, leaving Zhao's arms numb and forcing him to attack again.
• Zhao Tongxuan unleashed his third-tier Flood Dragon's Cry, but Li Qingyuan's wind-and-thunder demonic cauldron shattered the flood dragon and struck Zhao into a cliff.
• Li Qingyuan gave Zhao Tongxuan three masterwork third-grade Mid-rank Myriad True Pills and praised his potential to reach the top hundred at the tournament.
• After recovering, Zhao Tongxuan thanked Li Qingyuan and admitted he had not made him use his full power; Li departed, and Zhao predicted he would be the greatest winner at the Nine Provinces Heavenly Chosen Tournament.

Miao Le summoned Li Qingyuan to prepare him for the Core Formation Prodigies’ journey to the Divine Continent, and they exchanged valuable gifts that brought them closer together. Three days later, their cultivation together produced the Jianmu Meditation Method, a secret art for cultivating divine sense.

• Miao Le told Li Qingyuan that the Core Formation Prodigies of the Seven Kingdoms of Arid Province would gather in Zhao Country in three days and travel to the Divine Continent through an ancient Teleportation Array.
• Miao Le gave Li Qingyuan third-grade talisman materials, ink, and her Quasi-Fourth Tier Peach Blossom Brush, while he gave her the Five Elements Talisman Array Technique and a completed fourth-grade rune.
• Li Qingyuan and Miao Le reconciled and spent the day together, leaving no barrier between them.
• Three days later, their intertwined divine senses and Longevity Seeds caused Jianmu seeds to sprout in both their Mud Pill Palaces.
• Li Qingyuan and Miao Le discovered that they had gained the Jianmu Meditation Method, an ancient secret art that cultivated divine sense and strengthened the Primordial Spirit.

Miao Le equipped Li Qingyuan and the Three Joys Immortal Sect’s other four prodigies with life-saving talismans and led them to Zhao Country for the Human King Hall selection. After the seven kingdoms’ Heavenly Inspectors and Core Formation prodigies gathered, Zhao Liuyun activated an ancient teleportation formation to send them to the Divine Continent.

• Miao Le gave Li Qingyuan three Four Symbols Talisman Arrays and named him leader of the five prodigies representing the Three Joys Immortal Sect.
• Miao Le and the five prodigies departed aboard a Cloud Shuttle Flying Ship, while Miao Le later gave Zhao Tongxuan and the other three prodigies talisman arrays of Nascent Soul might.
• The Three Joys Immortal Sect delegation arrived at the Limitless Immortal Sect, where representatives from the Seven Kingdoms of Arid Province gathered.
• Zhao Liuyun announced that he would lead the Core Formation prodigies and the seven Heavenly Inspectors to the Divine Continent under the Human King’s order.
• Zhao Liuyun activated the ancient teleportation formation with a hundred thousand spirit stones, and Li Qingyuan and the assembled delegations entered it.

The Seven Kingdoms of Arid Province arrived in the Central Divine Continent, where rival Heavenly Inspectors mocked Yue Kingdom and argued over its place among the kingdoms. The Five Yuan Sect then announced that every Core Formation Prodigy would need a blood test before entering the city, leaving Li Qingyuan puzzled.

• True Monarch Xia Si questioned whether Miao Le was fit to serve as a Heavenly Inspector, but Miao Le answered that only the Human King could decide.
• Xia Si, Tie Yuangang, and Wei Country's Heavenly Inspector proposed merging Yue Kingdom into the other kingdoms, while Miao Le countered by recalling Xia Si's nephew's death in the tournament.
• Zhao Liuyun stopped the dispute and led the group onward as cultivators from the provinces gathered and the Seven Kingdoms of Arid Province drew attention for having few surviving Core Formation Prodigies.
• The Five Great Elders of the Five Yuan Sect arrived aboard a thousand-zhang warship and announced that all Core Formation Prodigies had to undergo blood tests to verify their cultivation, bone age, and identities.
• Li Qingyuan wondered why the city required such a strange blood test.

The Five Yuan King asserted authority over the Nine Provinces Heavenly Chosen Tournament, overpowering the Heavenly Province Inspectors with Five Yuan Mountain and producing the Human King’s edict. After blood testing began across the provinces, Li Qingyuan used Blood Shadow’s blood to conceal his own, and the Five Yuan King ordered everyone to board his ship for the Divine Capital.

• Jin Yuanzi demanded that the Heavenly Inspectors obey the Five Yuan King, and the Heavenly Province Inspectors challenged his authority.
• The Five Yuan King used Five Yuan Mountain to overwhelm Heavenly Province’s eight strongest Inspectors, while Zhao Guangzheng recognized the power of a Primordial Spirit and coveted the treasure.
• The Five Yuan King presented the Human King’s edict naming him Grand Arbiter, and the Inspectors accepted his authority.
• The provinces’ Core Formation Prodigies provided blood for testing, while observers discussed Desolate Province’s losses to the Primordial Spirit remnant.
• Li Qingyuan submitted Blood Shadow’s blood in place of his own, and the Five Yuan King ordered the Heavenly Inspectors and Chosen to board his ship for the Divine Capital.

Li Qingyuan and the Eight Provinces cultivators traveled to Diqiu City, where they learned about the Divine Continent’s powerful families and the Five Yuan King’s plot against the Human King. The gathered Nine Provinces prodigies arrived at the capital, and the Human King appeared to welcome them.

• Zhao Dai, Zhao Chong, and Nangong Jian explained the Divine Continent’s Nascent Soul families, Human King Hall, and its history to Li Qingyuan and the others.
• The Five Yuan King and Jin Yuanzi discussed recruiting the Old Red Banners and secretly allied Nascent Soul True Lords, then ordered selected prodigies captured alive during the trials.
• After seven days, Li Qingyuan and the cultivators reached Diqiu City and joined more than nine hundred local Core Formation prodigies at Ascending Heaven Tower.
• The Four Guardian Divine Beasts displayed their power at the city gates as the Nine Provinces cultivators gathered.
• The Human King appeared amid heavenly lightning and welcomed the Nine Provinces prodigies to Diqiu.

The Human King Dugu Lei arrived at Diqiu City and rallied the Nine Provinces’ young cultivators to surpass him and break their continent’s predicament. He revealed a Void Refinement Grotto-heaven open only to Core Formation cultivators, then departed with the Five Yuan King while the Azure Dragon Envoy set a plan in motion.

• Dugu Lei descended amid tribulation lightning, and the gathered cultivators and citizens bowed to greet him.
• The Five Yuan King reflected that Nascent Soul Cultivators resented Dugu Lei’s plan to bind them to the Heaven Severing Great Array.
• Dugu Lei urged the prodigies to surpass him, break the Nine Provinces’ cage, and create a prosperous age.
• Dugu Lei announced a Void Refinement Grotto-heaven that only Core Formation Cultivators could enter and led the Heavenly Inspectors, prodigies, and Human King Hall elders into the Ascending Heaven Tower.
• Dugu Lei shrank the tower into a treasure pagoda and departed with the Five Yuan King for the grotto-heaven.
• The Azure Dragon Envoy ordered the other three envoys to activate the Black Dragon Guard and carry out Dugu Lei’s plan.

Li Xianhuang remained trapped in an ancient formation grotto-heaven, where she cultivated and comprehended a Mahayana inheritance. Meanwhile, the Human King opened a secret realm for thousands of Core Formation prodigies, and the Five Yuan King surprised Miao Le by asking her to become his concubine.

• Li Xianhuang lamented that twelve years trapped in the grotto-heaven had kept her from reuniting with her family, while the Undying Bird urged her to keep cultivating and study the formation inheritance.
• Li Xianhuang advanced upstream through the formation river, cultivated, and formed a pale-gold river imprint between her brows as she comprehended the formation.
• The Human King and Five Yuan King found the secret realm entrance and gathered their cultivators, including Li Qingyuan among the Core Formation prodigies.
• The Human King broke open the secret realm, distributed jade tablets describing a three-year trial, and sent more than four thousand prodigies inside.
• The Five Yuan King recognized Miao Le as the second person besides the Human King to trigger a Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation and asked her to become his concubine.

Miao Le rejected Five Yuan King's demand to take her as a concubine, while the Human King intervened and the two rulers renewed their tense rivalry. Inside the Grotto-heaven Mystic Realm, Li Qingyuan saw Young King Yuan gather a powerful faction and realized a struggle over the Nine Provinces was approaching.

• Miao Le declined Five Yuan King's proposal, and Huo Yuanzi threatened her until True Monarch Skyfire and Jin Yuanzi nearly fought; Ye Bufan persuaded them to withdraw.
• The Human King asserted authority over Miao Le, and Five Yuan King backed down as the two rulers displayed their power before the gathered cultivators.
• Li Qingyuan and the other prodigies entered the Grotto-heaven Mystic Realm and read the jade-token rules for earning points, finding inheritances, and surviving the trial.
• Young King Yuan invited the prodigies to join his camp, and more than a thousand cultivators from several provinces pledged themselves to him.
• Li Qingyuan suspected that Five Yuan King's faction was gaining strength across the Nine Provinces and resolved to gather resources and improve his cultivation.

Young King Yuan, Ye Xuan, and Wang Fugui confronted one another before Wang Fugui brokered a truce and the gathered forces scattered. Li Qingyuan joined the weakened Arid Province group for now, while planning to act alone later and hoping to find a Nine Yang Spirit Ganoderma in the Void Refinement Grotto-heaven.

• Young King Yuan invited the gathered cultivators to join Yellow Province, but Ye Xuan challenged his claim and clashed with him using sword qi and an imitation Five Yuan Mountain.
• Wang Fugui intervened, and Young King Yuan and Ye Xuan agreed to stop fighting before their forces departed in separate groups.
• After most Arid Province cultivators left, Zhao Jue proposed that the ninety-three remaining cultivators unite, and Li Qingyuan helped him become their temporary leader.
• Li Qingyuan decided to stay with the Arid Province group until he could slip away, and he hoped the Void Refinement Grotto-heaven held a Nine Yang Spirit Ganoderma.

Li Qingyuan’s squad hunted Tier 3 Demonic Beasts and earned points in the grotto-heaven, while Li Qingyuan resumed the painful Jianmu Meditation Method and grew a second leaf. The chapter ended when Zhao Chong’s squad reported that the Five Yuan Sect had surrounded them and requested assistance.

• The Human King and Five Yuan King discussed the trial outside the grotto-heaven, while the Five Yuan King revealed that Nascent Soul cultivators had chosen targets among the heavenly chosen for a hunt.
• Li Qingyuan led his squad in hunting three Tier 3 Demonic Beasts, killing the Mid-Tier 3 beast with his Halberd of Subduing with Virtue.
• Li Qingyuan’s squad collected materials and points, then returned to camp and discussed how competition for demonic beasts and spirit plants would intensify.
• Li Qingyuan practiced the Jianmu Meditation Method, endured severe pain as he tempered his divine sense, and grew a second leaf on the Jianmu Sapling.
• Zhao Chong sent a message that the Five Yuan Sect had surrounded his squad and requested assistance.

Li Qingyuan and his companions rushed to rescue Zhao Chong’s team, which was being overwhelmed by the Five Yuan Sect. Li Qingyuan’s Wind-Splitting Arrow attacks opened an escape route, but Huo Lingzi found him and launched a powerful counterattack.

• Li Qingyuan led nine companions toward Zhao Chong’s distress signal, while considering that he might later leave the team to fight alone.
• Huo Lingzi’s forces surrounded Zhao Chong and Zhao Dai’s team, and six members escaped by activating their identity jade tokens.
• Li Qingyuan’s group arrived and attacked the Five Yuan Sect, helping Zhao Chong’s remaining companions break through the encirclement.
• Cao Yifei attacked Zhao Dai with his White Jade Elephant Tusks, but Li Qingyuan’s Wind-Splitting Arrow and talisman attacks drove back Cao Yifei’s forces and cleared a path to safety.
• Huo Lingzi spotted Li Qingyuan and hurled his Fire Spirit Spear at him, and Li Qingyuan used Star Shifting and Battle Reversal as the spear descended.

Li Qingyuan fought off Huo Lingzi and helped Zhao Tongxuan and Li Yangxu escape, while Zhao Jue drove back Cao Yifei. After Huo Lingzi withdrew on Young King Yuan’s summons, Zhao Jue told Li Qingyuan that their group had found a key to one of the Void Refinement Grotto-heaven inheritances.

• Li Qingyuan used his magic treasures, explosive arrows, and Four Symbols Talisman Array to repel Huo Lingzi’s attacks while taunting him and leading him away from the fleeing cultivators.
• Zhao Tongxuan, Li Yangxu, and the others escaped after Zhao Jue arrived to reinforce them, and Zhao Jue intercepted Cao Yifei until the opposing cultivators withdrew.
• Li Qingyuan considered letting Zhenxing seize Huo Lingzi’s body, but Zhenxing refused because their attributes were incompatible, so Li Qingyuan prepared Ji Kun, Little Flame, and Blood Shadow to help kill Huo Lingzi.
• Huo Lingzi received a summons from Young King Yuan and left before Li Qingyuan could pursue him.
• Li Qingyuan met Zhao Jue, who explained that Zhao Chong and the others had obtained a key to one of the Void Refinement Grotto-heaven’s five inheritances.