Chapter Summaries

Lan Ling stopped Gu Daozhi from retaliating against Lin Bai and ordered Lin Bai to reflect at Contemplation Cliff for a year. Lin Bai left the Gu Family with the Battle Standard Banner, while Gu Daozhi faced demands from his family elders and vowed that Lin Bai would die.

• Lan Ling used the Heaven Sealing Art to restrain Gu Daozhi, then ordered Lin Bai to spend a year reflecting at Contemplation Cliff as an explanation for the Gu Family's losses.
• Lin Bai told Gu Daozhi that the Gu Family would be destroyed if it harmed his family or friends again, then carried the bloodied Battle Standard Banner out of the Gu Family.
• Tens of thousands of Eastern Courtyard martial artists watched Lin Bai leave, and reports spread that he had killed twenty-eight Gu Family disciples and crippled one hundred and thirty-two, including three Secluded Prodigies.
• Fang Yiyun heard the reports and said that Lin Bai likely had no opponent beneath the Death Reversal Realm.
• Gu Family elders blamed Gu Daozhi for the Secluded Prodigies' fates and threatened his position as head of the family, while Gu Daozhi promised to recruit new prodigies and declared that Lin Bai must die.

After Lin Bai’s violent clash with the Eastern Courtyard and the Gu Clan, the Southern Courtyard sent him to Contemplation Cliff to repent for a year, just before the Holy Son contest. Cut off from cultivation and the outside world, Lin Bai wondered whether he would truly remain there for the full year, while Li Jiuge worried the punishment would cost him his chance to compete.

• Lin Bai gathered with his companions on Dragon Breeding Island before Lan Yuxin arrived and told him the Southern Courtyard had ordered him to repent for one year.
• Lin Bai asked Lan Yuxin to watch over his friends and Bao'er, then accompanied her to the isolated island of Contemplation Cliff.
• The Slovenly Old Man welcomed Lin Bai, praised his defeat of the Eastern Courtyard and Gu Clan, and warned him not to attempt to escape.
• Lin Bai explored the island, where a formation blocked flight, voice transmission, and outside news, then sat on a peak and questioned whether he would stay for a year.
• Miss Xuan told Li Jiuge that Lin Bai had reached Contemplation Cliff, and Li Jiuge said the year without cultivation could leave Lin Bai unable to compete in the Holy Son Battle.

Lin Bai spent his days on Contemplation Cliff, where he could not cultivate, and discovered stones covered with messages left by past prisoners. He found a debate about artistic conception and the path to immortality, ending with the claim that one who comprehended every conception would become the Heavenly Dao.

• Gu Daozhi planned to train a group of Eastern Courtyard prodigies so they could defeat Lin Bai in the Holy Son battle a year later.
• Lin Bai spent more than ten days on Contemplation Cliff, unable to cultivate because it lacked spiritual power.
• Lin Bai found stones bearing old prisoners’ complaints and threats, which he read to pass the time.
• Lin Bai discovered a cliffside stone covered with different martial artists’ writings about artistic conception and becoming an immortal.
• Lin Bai read the final claim that someone who mastered every artistic conception would become the Heavenly Dao.

At Contemplation Cliff, Lin Bai discovered six kinds of Intent recorded on the stones and began comprehending them to strengthen his Zhu Xian Sword. He spent the next six months immersed in cultivation, while events outside moved on and another group of prodigies joined Eastern Continent Academy.

• Lin Bai read the stone inscriptions and realized that gathering every Intent might be impossible because many lineages kept rare Intents secret.
• Lin Bai studied the fifth stone and gained insight into Wind and Cloud Intent, then found records of Blazing Fire, Gale Wind, Earth, Water Drop, and Heaven Lightning Intents among the other stones.
• Lin Bai decided to comprehend all six Intents, adding them to the three he already possessed to increase the power of Zhu Xian Sword.
• Lin Bai spent days observing the wind, sky, and clouds as he studied Wind and Cloud Intent, while the disheveled old man visited with wine and meat but refused to discuss the outside world.
• Lin Bai continued cultivating at Contemplation Cliff for six months, while another group of prodigies joined Eastern Continent Academy and nearly everyone had forgotten him.

The Southern Courtyard’s Quasi-Holy Sons gathered as Courtyard Head Chen explained that the Four Hidden Families would visit the academy in ten days to discuss the Dao and spar with its disciples. The chapter ended with Lan Yuxin asking which family had chosen the Southern Courtyard.

• The Eastern Courtyard’s Quasi-Holy Sons split into two rival factions led by Shi Zhongxian and Wu He, and Yin Jiuling and Old Eccentric.
• Courtyard Head Chen summoned the Southern Courtyard’s Quasi-Holy Sons and announced that the Four Hidden Families would arrive in ten days.
• Courtyard Head Chen explained that the Four Hidden Families were the Zhang Family of the Heavenly Realm, the Su Family of Sleepless City, the Song Family of Mountain of Gods and Ghosts, and the Li Family of Kunxu.
• Courtyard Head Chen said the families would select disciples to spar and might invite talented martial artists to cultivate with them.
• Lan Yuxin asked Courtyard Head Chen which of the Four Hidden Families had chosen the Southern Courtyard.

Lan Yuxin learned that the Li family of Kunxu would challenge the Southern Courtyard, while Lin Bai remained on Contemplation Cliff, unaware of the coming contest. Mo Wenshen, a former Peach Mountain sworn brother and traitor, confronted Lan Ling about a secret object from Kunxu and left to watch the challenge; Lan Ling ordered Yuxin to keep Lin Bai away from him.

• Courtyard Head Chen told Lan Yuxin that the Li family of Kunxu had chosen to challenge the Southern Courtyard, and assigned her and Hua Muqing to receive them.
• After returning to the Lan Clan, Lan Yuxin asked Lan Ling whether they should inform Lin Bai about Kunxu, but Mo Wenshen arrived before he answered.
• Lan Ling became furious when Mo Wenshen invoked their sworn brotherhood at Peach Mountain, and told Yuxin that Lin Bai was his fiancé and had received the Dragon Slayer Swordplay.
• Mo Wenshen told Lan Ling that Lin Duo was still alive, then demanded to know where the object from Kunxu was; Lan Ling denied knowing its location.
• Mo Wenshen left, saying he would stay at the Eastern Continent Academy and watch the Southern Courtyard face Kunxu.
• Lan Ling ordered Lan Yuxin to send someone to watch over Lin Bai at Contemplation Cliff and prevent him from appearing before Mo Wenshen.

Lan Yuxin welcomed the Li Family from Kunxu to the Southern Courtyard for the first Four Hidden Families gathering in the Eastern Continent in over twenty years. As the Li Family juniors prepared for a martial contest, the Heavenly Realm, Sleepless City, and Mountain of Gods and Ghosts also arrived, reuniting the Four Hidden Families.

• Lan Yuxin told Hua Muqing that Li Buzheng, Li Buxian, and Li Daoyuan were powerful enough that only she, Li Jiuge, or Lin Bai could match them.
• Kunxu Immortal Mountain arrived, and Li Buzheng and Li Buxian greeted Lan Yuxin while Li Daoyuan demanded that the martial contest begin.
• Li Daoyuan announced that the Li Family had brought ten peak Yang God Realm disciples and ten peak Life Extinction Realm disciples to compete.
• Li Buzheng and Li Daoyuan argued over whether to follow the Southern Courtyard's arrangements until an elder ordered them to stop and left to visit Lan Yuxin's father.
• Lan Yuxin escorted the Li Family to the Southern Courtyard, while the Heavenly Realm, Sleepless City, and Mountain of Gods and Ghosts arrived at the Eastern Continent Academy.

The Southern Courtyard suffered a crushing defeat against the Li Family, with Li Daoyuan defeating its Quasi-Holy Sons while Lan Yuxin remained the only one who had yet to fight. After learning that Lin Bai came from the Myriad Kingdoms Domain, Mo Wenshen reacted with shock and hurried off to find him.

• The Southern Courtyard lost every Yang God Realm match against the Li Family, then went two wins and two losses on the first day of the Quasi-Holy Son contest.
• Li Daoyuan repeatedly defeated the Southern Courtyard’s Quasi-Holy Sons over the following days, leaving Lan Yuxin as the only one who had yet to take the field.
• Mo Wenshen angrily demanded that the Southern Courtyard elders bring Li Jiuge and Lin Bai to fight, but they explained that Li Jiuge was in seclusion and Lin Bai was on Contemplation Cliff.
• After leaving Ascension Island, Mo Wenshen learned that Lin Bai had entered the Quasi-Holy Son selection as Lan Yuxin’s fiancé and came from the Myriad Kingdoms Domain.
• Mo Wenshen reacted with astonishment to Lin Bai’s origin, learned that Lin Bai was still on Contemplation Cliff, and vanished before his informant could finish speaking.

Lin Bai met Mo Wenshen on Contemplation Cliff and learned that he had once been one of the Peach Mountain Eighteen Immortals alongside Lin Duo and Lan Ling. Mo Wenshen left believing Lin Bai had no connection to Lin Duo, while Lin Bai concealed his true feelings and provoked Mo Wenshen with an arrogant claim about his swordsmanship.

• After half a year of studying the Heavenly Lightning Intent, Lin Bai displayed the power of nine intents on Contemplation Cliff.
• Mo Wenshen arrived unseen and told Lin Bai that Lan Ling had passed him the Dragon Slayer Swordplay.
• Mo Wenshen revealed that he and Lan Ling had sworn brotherhood with Lin Duo as members of the Peach Mountain Eighteen Immortals.
• Mo Wenshen explained that the group had scattered after some died, fled, were captured, or went into hiding, and said he had searched for their descendants out of guilt.
• Mo Wenshen asked whether Lin Bai was related to Lin Duo, but Lin Bai denied knowing him and claimed Lan Ling chose him for his extraordinary sword talent.
• Mo Wenshen dismissed Lin Bai's boast and said he would never become Lin Duo or catch up to him.

After Mo Wenshen told Lin Bai that Kunxu had come to the Southern Courtyard and that Lin Bai could no longer attend, Lin Bai spent three days weighing whether to wait for Lan Ling or seek answers himself. He chose his own path, broke through Contemplation Cliff’s formation with one sword, and left despite his remaining sentence.

• Lin Bai challenged Mo Wenshen’s claim that he could never match Lin Duo, but Mo Wenshen said Lin Duo might not live to see that day and that no one could save him.
• Mo Wenshen told Lin Bai that the Kunxu Li Family had come to the Southern Courtyard for a martial debate and that Lin Bai was barred from joining because he still had six months left at Contemplation Cliff.
• Lin Bai recalled that Su Yanhua and Xun Zhizang had directed him to Lan Ling for answers about his parents and the way to Kunxu, then spent three days considering whether to wait or act.
• Lin Bai decided to follow his own path, summoned his demon sword, and told the scruffy old man he was leaving Contemplation Cliff.
• The scruffy old man challenged Lin Bai to escape the formation, and Lin Bai split it with one sword and walked out, leaving the old man stunned.

After Li Daoyuan dominated the martial exchange on Ascension Island, Li Jiuge emerged from secluded cultivation to answer his challenge. Just as Li Jiuge prepared to face him, Lin Bai returned from Contemplation Cliff, stunning the gathered Southern Courtyard disciples.

• Miss Xuan told Li Jiuge that Li Daoyuan had won every battle, while Li Buzheng and Li Buxian had also won all their matches.
• Li Jiuge left seclusion and headed to Ascension Island to confront Kunxu's disciples.
• Li Daoyuan defeated Wang Qing again and taunted the Southern Courtyard to send an elder to fight him.
• Li Jiuge arrived and announced that he would accept Li Daoyuan's challenge, as Lan Yuxin prepared to step forward.
• A powerful sword intent split the clouds, and Lin Bai descended into the arena after leaving Contemplation Cliff.

Lin Bai returned from Contemplation Cliff and joined Li Jiuge and Lan Yuxin to face Kunxu’s strongest disciples in a three-match martial arts debate. The first two fights began evenly, while Lin Bai prepared to face Li Buzheng.

• Lin Bai arrived at Ascension Island, surprising the Southern Courtyard martial artists and Lan Yuxin.
• Lin Bai told Lan Yuxin that he wanted to see Lord Lan Ling after the debate.
• Li Jiuge proposed three matches between the Southern Courtyard’s Quasi-Holy Sons and Kunxu’s strongest disciples, with the side winning two matches declared the victor.
• Li Buzheng agreed to the arrangement and said Kunxu would honor the ancient agreement if it lost.
• Li Jiuge fought Li Daoyuan as Lan Yuxin fought Li Buxian, and neither side gained the upper hand.
• Li Buzheng challenged Lin Bai, and the two prepared to fight.

Lin Bai and Li Buzheng clashed in a sword duel, with Li Buzheng's Cage Swordplay drawing first blood before Lin Bai's Immortal-Slaying strike sent him flying. Li Buzheng then revealed the powerful Three Foot Edge, and Lin Bai recognized it as Dragon Slayer Swordplay as their fight continued.

• Li Buzheng trapped Lin Bai in Cage Swordplay and wounded his cheek with a sword strike.
• Lin Bai identified Cage Swordplay as a technique Li Buzheng had practiced for only three months, then struck him with Immortal-Slaying, fusing three intents.
• Lin Bai followed up with his flying swords, but Li Buzheng used Three Foot Edge to knock them aside and send Sword Qi toward Lin Bai.
• Lin Bai blocked Li Buzheng's attack and recognized the technique as Dragon Slayer Swordplay, while Li Buxian said her brother was getting serious.

Lin Bai and Li Buzheng clashed using the same Dragon Slayer Swordplay, revealing Lin Bai’s connection to the sword technique. Li Buzheng pressed his advantage with its seventh and eighth forms, and Lin Bai prepared a decisive counterattack.

• Li Buzheng repelled Lin Bai’s flying swords with Three Foot Edge, and Lin Bai recognized the move as Dragon Slayer Swordplay.
• Lin Bai matched Li Buzheng’s Three Foot Edge, One Sword Rides the Wind, and Hidden Dragon in the Abyss, astonishing the onlookers.
• Lin Bai used River Overturning and claimed Dragon Slayer Swordplay was originally his, prompting Li Buzheng to suspect Lord Lan Ling had taught it to him.
• Li Buzheng unleashed Sea Overturning and Immortal Shock, wounding Lin Bai, then attacked with the eighth form, Buddha’s Wrath.
• Lin Bai summoned his flying swords, Azure Wood Divine Lightning, and six combined Intents for Exterminate the Immortals as Li Buzheng brought down Buddha’s Wrath.

Lin Bai and Li Buzheng called their battle a draw after both suffered severe injuries, while Lan Yuxin defeated Li Buxian by sealing space-time until she surrendered. Lin Bai reaffirmed that he would uncover the truth and choose his own path.

• Lin Bai and Li Buzheng exchanged devastating attacks, then agreed to stop fighting and call the match a draw.
• Li Buzheng praised Lin Bai's sword talent but said he still opposed Lord Lan Ling giving him the swordplay.
• Lan Yuxin used the Heaven Sealing Art on Li Buxian, who surrendered and returned to Li Buzheng after Lan Yuxin promised her a better meal.
• Li Buzheng warned Li Buxian not to tell their father that she had been frightened by Lan Yuxin's martial soul.
• Lan Yuxin refused to answer Lin Bai's questions, and Lin Bai declared that he would investigate for himself and walk his chosen path.

The Southern Courtyard won its Dao debate against Kunxu after Li Jiuge defeated Li Daoyuan, and Lin Bai and Li Jiuge agreed to settle the sole Kunxu invitation in the Saint Son Battle. Lan Ling then revealed to Li Buzheng that his father, Li Zhengyi, had betrayed Kunxu and Lin Duo to gain his position.

• Li Buxian conceded to Lan Yuxin, and Lin Bai and Li Buzheng drew, leaving the Dao debate's outcome to Li Jiuge's match against Li Daoyuan.
• After three thousand exchanges, Li Jiuge defeated Li Daoyuan with the White Dragon Holy Sword and Three Dragon Seal, giving the Southern Courtyard the victory.
• Li Buzheng offered one place in Kunxu to the debate's three outstanding participants, but Lan Yuxin declined, and Li Jiuge proposed that Lin Bai and he wager the place on the Saint Son Battle in half a year.
• Lin Bai accepted Li Jiuge's wager, and Li Buzheng entrusted the Kunxu token to Lan Ling to award to the winner.
• At the Lan Clan, Li Buzheng questioned why Lan Ling had taught Dragon Slayer Swordplay to Lin Bai, and Lan Ling said Li Zhengyi's descendants were unworthy of it.
• Lan Ling told Li Buzheng that Li Zhengyi had betrayed Kunxu and Lin Duo, trading the lives of his brothers for his status as Lord of Kunxu.

Li Buzheng gave Lan Ling the Kunxu token for the winner of the Holy Son Battle and agreed not to interfere with Lin Bai’s training. Lan Ling withheld the truth about Lin Bai’s father from him and summoned the Peach Mountain Eighteen Immortals to discuss dealing with Mo Wenshen.

• Li Buzheng handed Lan Ling the Kunxu token for the winner between Li Jiuge and Lin Bai and left the Lan Clan.
• Lan Yuxin told Lan Ling that Lin Bai had appeared on Ascension Island despite being confined to Contemplation Cliff, and Lan Ling suspected Mo Wenshen had informed him about Kunxu.
• Lan Ling refused to meet Lin Bai because spies might notice and because learning about Mo Wenshen and Li Zhengyi could drive Lin Bai to attack them and Kunxu.
• Lan Ling agreed with Lan Yuxin that Mo Wenshen should be dealt with and summoned figures through Heart-Nourishing Lake.
• The Peach Mountain Eighteen Immortals appeared, and Xun Zhizang greeted Lan Ling.

Lan Ling and his allies discussed Mo Wenshen’s return to the Eastern Continent Academy and planned to eliminate him before he discovered Lin Bai’s identity. Fu Qingshuang agreed to lure Mo Wenshen away and kill him, while Su Xianmei investigated the Central Sacred Nation’s intentions.

• Lan Ling introduced Lan Yuxin to Su Xianmei, and Xun Zhizang joked that they would both become Lin Bai’s wives because of marriage contracts arranged by Li Subai.
• Lan Ling told the group that Mo Wenshen had returned to the Eastern Continent Academy and met Lin Bai, though he had not confirmed Lin Bai’s identity.
• Xun Zhizang warned that Mo Wenshen was powerful and that Lan Ling’s move against him could provoke the Central Sacred Nation.
• Fu Qingshuang offered to reach the Eastern Continent in seven days and lure Mo Wenshen away from the academy so he could kill him.
• Su Xianmei agreed to investigate Mo Wenshen’s purpose and report the movements of major figures in the Central Sacred Nation.

Lan Ling told Lan Yuxin how Su Xianmei rose to prominence in the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, prompting Yuxin to resolve to become stronger. After the Eastern Continent settled, Mo Wenshen visited Lin Bai to say goodbye and revealed he was going to confront the formidable Fu Qingshuang.

• Lan Ling explained that Su Xianmei entered the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion at nine to investigate Li Subai’s imprisonment, then became an inspection envoy at nineteen.
• Lan Yuxin compared herself with Lin Bai and Su Xianmei, felt challenged, and left determined to improve.
• Lan Ling reflected that Yuxin could no longer stay outside the conflict and urged her to become as powerful as Lin Bai and Su Xianmei.
• Li Jiuge got Lin Bai’s Contemplation Cliff punishment revoked, but the Southern Courtyard withheld his five million drops of spirit liquid.
• The Kunxu disciples and the other hidden clans left the Eastern Continent, and Lin Bai resumed secluded cultivation on Dragon Breeding Island.
• Mo Wenshen visited Lin Bai to say goodbye and explained that he was leaving to find Fu Qingshuang, a deadly swordsman who had appeared in the Azure Cloud Sword Sect.

Mo Wenshen went to the Sword Domain to seek Fu Qingshuang, while Lin Bai learned that Hu Xin'er was also looking for him and sent her to Azure Cloud Sword Sect. As the Eastern Continent Academy settled into preparations for the Holy Son battle, Old Ancestor Ding gathered millions of Demon Sect disciples near the Sea of Gods and Demons and decided not to wait any longer.

• Mo Wenshen watched Lin Bai for three days, concluded he had no connection to the Peach Mountain Eighteen Immortals, and left to find Fu Qingshuang at Azure Cloud Sword Sect.
• Lin Bai realized Fu Qingshuang might be the person Hu Xin'er sought, told her about his whereabouts and the danger, and gave her a map and spirit liquid to make the journey.
• Hu Xin'er confirmed Fu Qingshuang was her benefactor and left for the Sword Domain, while Mo Wenshen also headed there to confront him.
• Lin Bai continued secluded cultivation as the Eastern Continent Academy's Quasi-Holy Sons prepared for the Holy Son battle, and Li Jiuge cultivated toward the fourth transformation of the Nine Transformations of the Divine Dragon.
• Old Ancestor Ding and the escaped Demon Sect forces gathered millions of disciples near the Sea of Gods and Demons, but Old Ancestor Ding declared they could not wait another month.