Chapter Summaries

Qin Fengming and his companions secured permission to use the Huangfu Household's Teleportation Array and departed Quzhou. Their departure came as Core Formation cultivators discussed reports of a Demon Realm cultivator and other disappearances in the Wushan Mountains.

• The old man sent Qin Fengming and his companions away with a token after storing their ring in a strange blue light shield.
• The Core Formation cultivators discussed reports that a Demon Realm cultivator had killed Quzhou sect elites and that disciples from the Burning Sun Sect and Blood Arrow Sect had vanished.
• Qin Fengming used the token to open the shield, and a yellow-robed Huangfu Household cultivator came out to receive them.
• Xiao Jingxuan offered the yellow-robed cultivator a storage ring, persuading him to activate the Teleportation Array that day.
• The three took Teleportation Talismans and stood in the array, which activated and made them vanish.

Qin Fengming and the Xiao family uncle and nephew arrived in Yuzhou and left Jingxi City for a nearby Marketplace. Unaware that Huangfu Family cultivators had arranged to have them robbed, Qin Fengming stopped to rest after sensing that something was wrong.

• Qin Fengming and the Xiao family uncle and nephew arrived in Yuzhou, where a mid Core Formation cultivator welcomed them and secretly marked Xiao Ning with a white light.
• The Core Formation cultivator sent a voice-transmission talisman to arrange an ambush, then Qin Fengming and the others left Jingxi City aboard the White Swift Boat.
• Five cultivators followed them on a fast black ribbon, hoping to seize their spirit stones for the Huangfu Family.
• Qin Fengming sensed danger but found no pursuers with his spiritual sense, and after flying for five or six hours, he landed on a mountain to rest.

Qin Fengming and his companions continued toward a Marketplace in Yu­zhou while five cultivators pursued them under an agreement with the Huangfu Household. They reached the Marketplace and asked the Flying Centipede Alliance shop for two detailed maps of Yu­zhou.

• Five pursuers discussed the trio’s unusual speed, then recovered their magic power while waiting for them to continue toward the Marketplace.
• Qin Fengming finished meditating, thanked Xiao Jingxuan for keeping watch, and set out with Xiao Jingxuan and his nephew on the White Swift Boat.
• The five pursuers detected the trio’s departure and followed them on a black silk sash before their tracking disk lost its range.
• Qin Fengming and his companions arrived at the Marketplace atop a towering peak and identified its largest shop as a branch of the Flying Centipede Alliance.
• The shop assistant brought out two Jade Boxes containing maps of Yu­zhou after Qin Fengming requested them.

Qin Fengming bought maps and books about Yuanzhou, then led Xiao Jingxuan and their companion toward a teleportation array while watching two suspicious cultivators. The two cultivators separately summoned their factions to pursue the group, setting up a dispute over who would capture them.

• Qin Fengming found a map marking Yuanzhou’s short-distance Teleportation Arrays and learned that one led to neighboring Yunzhou.
• Xiao Jingxuan bought two jade slips, and Qin Fengming purchased sixteen books about Yuanzhou and the Yuanfeng Empire’s Cultivation World.
• Qin Fengming noticed two Qi Gathering Stage cultivators watching them and left the Marketplace with Xiao Jingxuan and their companion.
• The three flew southeast toward a Teleportation Array, while Qin Fengming concealed the white flying boat and signaled Xiao Jingxuan not to ask why.
• The two watchers left the store and argued over whether Praying Mantis Mountain or White Tiger Ravine would claim the group, then sent out Sound Transmission Talismans in different directions.
• Qin Fengming sensed their actions from twenty or thirty li away and was surprised that neither cultivator followed them.

After receiving reports that three wealthy travelers were heading toward the Flying Sword Sect's teleportation array, Praying Mantis Mountain and White Tiger Ravine prepared to intercept them. Qin Fengming, Xiao Jingxuan, and their companion were confronted by five Foundation Establishment cultivators, who demanded their valuables, and Qin Fengming began approaching their leader.

• A Marketplace watcher sent Praying Mantis Mountain a report that three wealthy cultivators were traveling toward the Flying Sword Sect's teleportation array and that White Tiger Ravine knew of them.
• Fang summoned the elders and cultivators of Praying Mantis Mountain, and they flew out together on a banner while White Tiger Ravine made similar preparations.
• Qin Fengming and his companions flew slowly onward, unaware of the plans against them, until they sensed a large spiritual-power fluctuation approaching.
• Xiao Jingxuan grew alarmed, but Qin Fengming determined that the approaching cultivators were at Foundation Establishment rather than Core Formation and waited with his companions.
• Five cultivators stopped the trio, and one of the Yan brothers demanded that they hand over all their valuables.
• Qin Fengming said they carried several million spirit stones and slowly approached the cultivator who had made the demand.

Qin Fengming and his companions were surrounded by three groups of Foundation Establishment cultivators, each seeking to rob them. As the rival groups prepared to fight over their prey, Qin Fengming offered to let them compete for more than five million spirit stones so he and his companions could leave safely.

• The white-bearded Yan leader ordered his fourth brother to retreat when Qin Fengming challenged them, but both sides soon sensed two more groups approaching.
• Two groups of Foundation Establishment cultivators arrived, and their leaders, Li and Lu, joined the Yan brothers in claiming Qin Fengming and his companions as targets.
• The Yan, Li, and Lu leaders refused to back down, and their followers readied their spirit tools for a fight.
• Qin Fengming laughed at the groups for quarreling before obtaining their loot and proposed a fair contest for the three groups.
• Qin Fengming revealed that the trio carried more than five million spirit stones and poured them into the mountain forest for the groups to claim.

Qin Fengming used five million spirit stones to lure the cultivators from three groups into the forest and turn them against one another. As the fighting spread, Qin Fengming and the Xiao uncle and nephew stayed outside the chaos, while Xiao Jingxuan urged them to leave.

• Qin Fengming scattered five million spirit stones and offered them in exchange for the lives of himself and the two Xiao cultivators.
• Greedy cultivators ignored Old Man Yan, Li, and Lu’s warnings and rushed into the forest to seize the spirit stones.
• The cultivators fought over the stones, and one clash killed a member of Praying Mantis Mountain.
• Old Man Yan, Li, and Lu joined the fighting after losing control of their subordinates.
• Xiao Jingxuan asked Qin Fengming whether they should use the chaos to escape.

Qin Fengming used five million spirit stones to provoke a battle among three groups of cultivators, then watched as they fought without suffering many casualties. Elder Yan recognized Qin Fengming’s scheme and proposed dividing the remaining stones, while the other leaders began blaming the three outsiders.

• Qin Fengming told Xiao Jingxuan he intended to claim benefits and secretly placed two yellow lights beneath the stone ground.
• The spirit stones triggered a fierce battle among the cultivators, while Qin Fengming, Xiao Jingxuan, and his nephew remained untouched.
• Qin Fengming watched the Yan brothers use coordinated spirit artifacts to withstand seven opponents, and only a few cultivators died before the groups regrouped.
• Elder Yan called for the fighting to stop and warned Li and Lu that continued fighting would leave them vulnerable to the three outsiders.
• Elder Yan proposed dividing the remaining spirit stones equally, but Lu accused the Yan brothers of taking stones from two fallen White Tiger Ravine cultivators.
• A cultivator blamed Qin Fengming and his companions for starting the battle and urged the groups to capture them first.

After Yuzhou’s leaders agreed to capture Qin Fengming and his companions, Qin Fengming challenged them to fight one-on-one. He killed the first opponent with a sudden strike from a red light, leaving the crowd stunned.

• The old man surnamed Lu, the white-bearded old man, and Elder Li agreed to divide the spirit stones and take more treasures from Qin Fengming and his companions.
• Qin Fengming approached the crowd and challenged them over their refusal to let his group leave safely.
• Elder Li proposed a one-on-one contest, and Qin Fengming accepted on behalf of the three from Quzhou.
• A yellowish-faced Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator from Praying Mantis Mountain stepped forward to fight Qin Fengming.
• Qin Fengming sent a streak of red light from his sleeve, striking the old man in the abdomen and killing him.

Qin Fengming challenged the cultivators to send Foundation Establishment Peak opponents and defeated them with an overwhelming array of spirit weapons and spells. After killing three cultivators and an Elephant Armor Beast, he faced the stunned crowd and invited another challenger.

• Qin Fengming killed the Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator surnamed Ma and took his belongings.
• Elder Hong challenged Qin Fengming, who attacked with eight top-grade spirit weapons.
• Hong fled toward Elder Li for help, but Qin Fengming sent hundreds of Fireballs after them.
• Qin Fengming's Fireballs destroyed Hong and Li's protective shields and burned both cultivators to ashes.
• Qin Fengming killed the Elephant Armor Beast, collected the fallen cultivators' belongings, and challenged the remaining crowd to fight him.

Qin Fengming challenged the Yuzhou cultivators and fought Cultivator Wang, whose Crimson Dragon Banner unleashed a powerful scarlet flood dragon. Qin Fengming blocked the attack with Fire Python Talismans, then shattered Wang’s shield with a coordinated barrage, leaving Wang fleeing before he could recover his magic treasure.

• Old Man Lu and Old Man Yan judged Qin Fengming’s strength but believed their numerous cultivators could still defeat him.
• Qin Fengming taunted the Yuzhou cultivators, and Cultivator Wang stepped forward with a shield and the Crimson Dragon Banner.
• Cultivator Wang sent a scarlet flood dragon at Qin Fengming, who stopped it with twenty or thirty Fire Python Talismans.
• Qin Fengming’s eight spirit tools struck Cultivator Wang’s shield, which blocked their combined attack.
• Qin Fengming followed with hundreds of fireballs that shattered the shield, and Cultivator Wang fled toward the other cultivators.

Qin Fengming captured and soul-searched Old Man Wang, then faced a united group of cultivators who tried to kill him by force of numbers. He unleashed two Grade 4 high-grade demon beasts and charged through their attacks, leaving the group struggling against his Fire Pythons as a red light struck among them.

• Qin Fengming paralyzed Cultivator Wang, captured him, and used the Soul Searching Technique on him before the watching cultivators.
• Elder Yan and Old Man surnamed Lu urged the cultivators to join forces and attack Qin Fengming and his companions.
• Qin Fengming boarded the White Swift Boat, summoned two Grade 4 high-grade demon beasts, and sent them charging at the group.
• Qin Fengming dodged the cultivators' weapons and drove his Fire Pythons into them, draining the spiritual energy of their spirit weapons and blocking their magic treasures.
• A red radiance darted through the cultivators, and several of them screamed.

Qin Fengming slaughtered most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had ambushed him, while the five members of the Yan family escaped. He collected the fallen cultivators’ storage rings and faced questions from Xiao Jingxuan and his uncle about why he had let the Yan family go.

• Qin Fengming used his flying boat, spirit beasts, and red streak to kill more than a dozen cultivators, including three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• The survivors gathered behind barriers, and the old man surnamed Lu asked Qin Fengming to spare them.
• Qin Fengming refused, shattered the cultivators’ barrier with fireballs and ice bolts, and killed the remaining group with wind blades.
• Elder Yan wrapped the five Yan family members in a black silk ribbon and fled, while Qin Fengming chose not to pursue them.
• Qin Fengming sent his Beast Ape Puppets to retrieve dozens of storage rings, then burned the battlefield and surrounding forest.
• Xiao Jingxuan and his uncle approached Qin Fengming, and Xiao Jingxuan asked why he had allowed the Yan family to escape.

Qin Fengming and his companions left Jingxi City after defeating their pursuers and traveled to Lotus Gate’s Teleportation Array. They bought a map of Yunzhou and were transported to a guarded cavern, leaving Yuzhou behind.

• Qin Fengming explained why he had spared the five members of the Yan clan, then hurried away with Xiao Jingxuan and his nephew.
• Qin Fengming guided the group through remote country for more than twenty days to avoid powerful cultivators.
• Qin Fengming warned Xiao Jingxuan and his nephew to keep a low profile as they neared the Teleportation Array.
• The three reached Lotus Gate’s hall, bought a detailed map of Yunzhou, and paid to use the array.
• The Teleportation Array transported Qin Fengming, Xiao Jingxuan, and his nephew to a guarded cavern, where they bowed to an old man and left.

Qin Fengming and the Xiao uncle and nephew traveled across the Yuanfeng Empire and finally reached Thousand Lakes Prefecture after more than four years of flying, teleporting, and fighting off cultivators. Unsure how to reconnect with the powerful Xiao clan, they set out to investigate a nearby Xiao family and approached the island where one of its members had lived.

• Qin Fengming guided Xiao Jingxuan and his nephew through a long journey across the empire, avoiding sects and defeating or escaping cultivators who intercepted them.
• The three reached the Teleportation Array leading to Thousand Lakes Prefecture, where Xiao Jingxuan was moved to fulfill his ancestors’ long-held wish.
• Qin Fengming suggested investigating the Xiao clan before trying to make contact, and the three chose to seek information by finding a Xiao family member.
• Qin Fengming and the Xiao uncle and nephew flew across several vast lakes toward an island where a member of the Xiao Household had once lived.
• Qin Fengming concealed the trio’s auras and forms near the island, and they approached it using the Sky Soaring Art.

Qin Fengming and his companions arrived at Honghu Island and were mistaken for cultivators joining the Xiao Household’s martial competition. After settling into a guest pavilion, they were about to discuss how to gather information when Gu Jingzhang requested an audience.

• Xiao Xuguang met Qin Fengming and his companions on Honghu Island and asked whether they had come to participate in the martial competition.
• Qin Fengming claimed they had come for the competition, and Xiao Xuguang led them to the valley where the Xiao Household received visitors.
• A Foundation Establishment elder welcomed the three and sent a disciple to guide them to the Guest Reception Pavilion.
• Qin Fengming, his companions, and Xiao Cai'er entered the pavilion, where Qin Fengming gave her two spirit stones before they went upstairs.
• As Qin Fengming and his companions prepared to discuss their plans, Gu Jingzhang called from outside and requested an audience.

Gu Jingzhang explained the Xiao Household’s martial competition and its rewards to Qin Fengming and his companions. They decided to enter the competition to reach the Xiao clan, where Wei planned to conceal his identity while helping Xiao Jingzhang pursue their purpose.

• Gu Jingzhang visited Qin Fengming, Xiao Jingxuan, and their companion and explained that the competition would select outsiders for the Xiao clan’s internal contest.
• Gu Jingzhang described how the Xiao clan’s training places could improve a disciple’s chance of reaching Core Formation and provide alchemy instruction and spirit herbs.
• After Gu Jingzhang left, Wei proposed entering the competition so they could travel with the Xiao Household to the Xiao clan.
• Xiao Jingxuan agreed to Wei’s plan, and Wei asked him to conceal Wei’s presence upon reaching the Xiao clan.
• Xiao Jingxuan swore an oath that his Xiao Household would not betray Wei, and Wei reassured him of their shared trust.

Qin Fengming and the other cultivators attended the Xiao Household's spell battle tournament, where they learned the family was seeking a capable contender to prevent its branch from declining. The tournament was declared open, leaving Qin Fengming calm as the competition was about to begin.

• More than thirty cultivators, including Qin Fengming and his companions, answered Xiao Chengqi's invitation and flew to the tournament plaza.
• Xiao Chengqi led the cultivators to a crowded arena where over a thousand Xiao Household members had gathered.
• Qin Fengming discovered that the three elders presiding over the tournament were Core Formation cultivators, with Xiao Qinghao at the late stage.
• Xiao Qinghao welcomed the cultivators and hoped the tournament would produce someone able to secure a place for the Xiao Household.
• After the cultivators took their seats, Xiao Chengqi announced that the spell battle tournament had officially begun.

The Xiao Household began its spellcasting tournament, and Gu Jingzhang entered the arena to face Fu Liang. Gu Jingzhang’s spirit artifacts and Sword-toothed Beast overwhelmed Fu Liang’s defenses, leaving the fight unresolved as Fu Liang’s spiritual energy shield shattered.

• Xiao Chengqi explained the tournament’s rules, and the Xiao Household’s Old Ancestor established a barrier around the arena.
• After the crowd hesitated, Gu Jingzhang volunteered to defend the arena, and Fu Liang challenged him.
• Gu Jingzhang and Fu Liang exchanged spirit artifacts before Fu Liang began casting a secret art.
• Gu Jingzhang attacked with three top-grade spirit artifacts, forcing Fu Liang to interrupt his spell and defend himself.
• Gu Jingzhang released a second-level Sword-toothed Beast, whose sword needles shattered Fu Liang’s spiritual energy shield.

Elder Gu defeated Fu with his Sword-toothed Beast and then faced Lu Jimin, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Lü family. When Lu’s bottle released three powerful skeletons and murky yellow smoke, Elder Gu used a blood-based secret art to counter them, and Lu conceded.

• Elder Gu surrounded Fu with sword needles and spared him, prompting Fu to concede and return to the viewing platform.
• After the Xiao family ancestor called for another bout, Lu Jimin descended to face Elder Gu.
• Lu released a small yellow bottle that filled the area with smoke and summoned three powerful skeletons to fight Elder Gu’s spiritual artifacts.
• Elder Gu sacrificed blood to cast a secret art whose red mist countered the yellow smoke and weakened the skeletons.
• Lu recalled his bottle and skeletons, then admitted defeat to Elder Gu.