Chapter Summaries

Lan Chang'an completed the Bamboo Hat Assassin’s upgrade and gathered intelligence about the war before meeting the Heavenly Master through Elder Xuesong. After the Heavenly Master failed to uncover Lan Chang'an’s origins, he left without securing Profound Sound Pavilion as a vassal, while Lan Chang'an learned about the dangerous forces and hidden resources nearby.

• Lan Chang'an upgraded the Bamboo Hat Assassin to the threshold of third-rank high-grade and judged that his two puppet avatars could suppress an ordinary great Golden Core cultivator.
• Lan Chang'an read reports on the Demonic Path War, including Zhang Tianfeng’s battlefield achievements and the death of Proud Moon Palace’s old master, then learned from Xing Peng that the Wujian Sect Master might be targeting True Lord Lingyu.
• Lan Chang'an stabilized Zhou Qingxuan’s Gu God Restriction and learned that the Beast Taming Zhou Family had gained a True Core cultivator but lost its guardian spirit beast in battle.
• Fairy Qiu returned with Elder Xuesong, who sought to make her the Heavenly Master’s concubine and have Profound Sound Pavilion serve Snow Mountain Sacred Land.
• Lan Chang'an revealed that Yun Ling had been his former-life maidservant, and the Heavenly Master’s divination confirmed the reincarnation claim without exposing Lan Chang'an’s origins.
• Elder Xuesong departed without pressing the proposal, and Lan Chang'an learned that the Thousand Mechanisms Cult and Five Poisons Cult branches possessed powerful defenses and weapons that could threaten Nascent Soul True Lords.

Lan Chang'an broke through to late-stage body refinement, then investigated Xuanji Pavilion's puppet inheritance and narrowly escaped the Puppet-Armed Ancient City Lord. As Fairy Shi died and Lan Chang'an turned three hundred, the Mystic Vine sprouted and began slowly gathering fortune for the spiritual-vein faction where it had taken root.

• Lan Chang'an advanced to third-rank late-stage body refinement and began planning to obtain the Thousand Mechanisms Cult's core puppet inheritance from Xuanji Pavilion.
• Lan Chang'an's Puppet Avatar investigated Gutian Immortal City, but the Puppet-Armed Ancient City Lord detected and pursued it.
• Lan Chang'an used illusions and the fabricated Green Dragon Society to negotiate with the Ancient City Lord, then escaped after learning more about Xuanji Pavilion's secrets.
• The Ancient City Lord awakened the Green-Armored Puppet Tower Master, who speculated that the merchant resembled the legendary Daoist Tianshu.
• Lan Chang'an decided to lie low and cultivate, then learned through divination that Fairy Shi had died after spending her final years with Jiang Yechen and his family.
• The Mystic Vine sprouted when Lan Chang'an reached three hundred, and he discovered that it was slowly gathering fortune for the spiritual-vein mountain faction.

True Lord Chahai led two Listen-to-the-Sea Pavilion cultivators to the Ancient Ruins, seized them, and searched for the vanished treasure vault. Years later, Lan Chang'an reached Golden Core Late Stage, learned that another Evergreen Art cultivator in the Central Region was drawing near through a mysterious opportunity, and planned how to handle both that threat and the attackers from Great Abyss.

• True Lord Chahai found the Spirit Void Ancient Pillar, discovered that a Nascent Soul sect controlled the Ancient Ruins, and took the site after knocking out its True Core guard.
• Lan Chang'an learned that mysterious cultivators had destroyed the Ancient Ruins and attacked Wuye Town, and he concluded that Jiang Yechen had taken the blame for him.
• Lan Chang'an asked Xing Peng and Wujian Gate to track the foreign cultivators and warned his acquaintances to stay alert, while he continued preparing to break through.
• Lan Chang'an failed his first attempt to reach Golden Core Late Stage, then spent a year polishing the bottleneck and maintaining his composure.
• Lan Chang'an broke through to Golden Core Late Stage at age 308 and sensed an important opportunity connected to an Evergreen Art cultivator in the Great Qing Central Region.
• Lan Chang'an judged that the Central Region cultivator might come to the Eastern Region and resolved to flee if they arrived, then investigate them himself if they did not.

Lan Chang'an traded for Xuanji Pavilion's puppet inheritance, but the Green-Armored Man secretly tracked the trader with ghost-path magic and pursued him across the desert. Lan Chang'an prepared an ambush as the powerful ghostly puppet closed in.

• Lan Chang'an negotiated with City Lord Gu and exchanged a Soul-Path Artifact, a soul-bearing Second-Order puppet, and Spirit Stones for Xuanji Pavilion's puppet inheritance.
• Lan Chang'an divined that the Nascent Soul Old Monster backing Xuanji Pavilion did not know about the deal, then sent his Puppet Avatar to complete the trade.
• The Green-Armored Man secretly marked the jade slips with a ghost-path tracking technique and pursued the Wandering Merchant Daoist despite City Lord Gu's objections.
• Lan Chang'an detected the pursuit, lured the Green-Armored Man tens of thousands of li into the desert, and arranged for a disguised puppet to wait with the marked jade slips.
• A terrifying pressure and a surge of dark clouds and ghostly qi approached Lan Chang'an's prepared ambush.

Lan Chang'an captured Xuanji Pavilion’s quasi-Tier 4 puppet, then prepared to leave Fengyuan Kingdom after settling affairs with Fairy Ni Yue. A mysterious meeting with the Heavenly Master interrupted his departure, but Lan Chang'an later crossed into Liang Kingdom and officially returned to the Dao Defense Alliance as True Person Changqing.

• Lan Chang'an ambushed the Green-Armored Man with a talisman formation and his puppets, then subdued and sealed the quasi-Tier 4 puppet.
• City Lord Gu returned to Gutian Immortal City, concealed the loss of Xuanji Pavilion’s trump card, and ordered the city’s defenses raised.
• Lan Chang'an studied the captured puppet and left its dormant Ghost Spirit consciousness intact while helping it recover.
• Lan Chang'an said farewell to Fairy Ni Yue and departed Fengyuan Kingdom after spending three days and nights with her.
• The Heavenly Master intercepted Lan Chang'an at the border, spoke with him in a sealed duststorm, and then vanished.
• Lan Chang'an crossed the Flying Sand Chasm into Liang Kingdom and officially returned to the Dao Defense Alliance as True Person Changqing.

Lan Chang'an returned to Liang Kingdom, secretly met the Beast Taming Zhou Family, and learned about the Dao Defense Alliance’s war and the mysterious outside cultivators. He then arrived at Golden Cloud Valley and claimed he had never left the sect, just as Sect Leader Zhang emerged to support his story.

• Lan Chang'an chose to visit the Beast Taming Zhou Family and met Zhou Qingxuan and Zhou Tianchi, who told him about the Alliance’s recent battles and Liang Shaotian’s growing reputation.
• Zhou Qingxuan warned Lan Chang'an that Zhou Tianchi might defect to Beast King Valley, and Lan Chang'an advised him not to betray the Alliance within the next hundred years.
• Xing Peng secretly met Lan Chang'an and reported that the Wujian Sect Master and True Lord Lingyu had fought, while the three mysterious outside cultivators might have appeared near Moon-Gazing Immortal City.
• Lan Chang'an left the Zhou Family without appearing publicly, leaving Zhou Qingxuan several Talismans and avoiding drawing danger to the family.
• Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley, where Elder Miao and other cultivators questioned his loyalty, and he claimed that he had been carrying out a secret mission for the sect.
• Sect Leader Zhang emerged from seclusion and confirmed Lan Chang'an’s claim in front of the gathered cultivators.

Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley, where Zhang Tianfeng welcomed him and he settled in as a Guest Elder. He comforted Zhao Tan'er and gained control of a quasi-fourth-order puppet by negotiating with Puppet Master Wei, then strengthened its Puppet Spirit with his Second Life’s soul power.

• Zhang Tianfeng publicly welcomed Lan Chang'an and introduced him to Golden Cloud Valley's True Persons, including Zhu Yuting.
• Lan Chang'an discussed Golden Cloud Valley's Spiritual Vein and Zhang Tianfeng's ambitions, then moved into a cave abode on Great Sun Peak.
• Lan Chang'an visited Zhao Siyao's tomb, comforted the guilt-stricken Zhao Tan'er, and later gave her a high-grade third-rank Escape Talisman before she returned to the battlefield.
• Lan Chang'an awakened the Green-Armored Man Puppet's consciousness and negotiated a Heart Demon Oath with Puppet Master Wei, who agreed to help make it a true fourth-order puppet in exchange for future aid in taking revenge.
• Puppet Master Wei helped Lan Chang'an take control of the quasi-fourth-order puppet, and Lan Chang'an successfully infused it with his Second Life's soul power, increasing its strength.

Lan Chang'an investigated the mysterious outer cultivators and discovered that True Lord Chahai had captured Zhou Qingxuan and Xing Peng. He lured Chahai into a confrontation with Wujian Gate, but the chapter ended with Chahai using water evasion to appear behind Lan Chang'an.

• Lan Chang'an sent his Puppet Avatars to watch Wuye Town, where True Lord Chahai and two Listen-to-the-Sea Pavilion cultivators withdrew without attacking.
• Lan Chang'an learned that Zhou Qingxuan had been captured and her Soul Lamp had gone out, then concluded that Xing Peng had likely been captured as well.
• Lan Chang'an used divination to gather clues, decided to strike before his enemy learned more about him, and entered the Black Mist Mountain Range.
• True Lord Chahai revealed that he had tracked Lan Chang'an through his meeting with Xing Peng and captured Xing Peng for questioning.
• Wujian Gate’s assassins attacked True Lord Chahai and his companions, but Chahai revealed Nascent Soul-level strength, killed Helmsman Ash and the other attackers, and wounded Stealth Shadow Helmsman.
• True Lord Chahai evaded Stealth Shadow Helmsman and emerged from a mountain stream behind Lan Chang'an, who recognized his Water Evasion Great Technique.

Lan Chang'an fought True Lord Chahai, a Nascent Soul cultivator from Listen-to-the-Sea Pavilion, and revealed his hidden soul power and numerous trump cards. After Chahai survived their attacks with the Undying Water God, Lan Chang'an used the Nine Imprint Tablet to destroy his Nascent Soul and body.

• Lan Chang'an lured True Lord Chahai into battle, but Chahai's Water Evasion Great Technique let him pursue Lan Chang'an into the Nine Heavens of Astral Wind.
• Lan Chang'an and the Green-Armored Puppet attacked Chahai, while Chahai countered with the Soul-Startling Water Thunder Strike and briefly immobilized Lan Chang'an.
• Lan Chang'an revealed his powerful Nascent Soul soul, and the Earth Rock Rat's restraint let a Nail-Head Arrow pierce Chahai as the Green-Armored Puppet struck him.
• Chahai transformed into his Undying Water God body, which absorbed attacks and resisted Lan Chang'an's Tier 4 earth spell and Nail-Head Arrow.
• Lan Chang'an connected with the Nine Imprint Tablet through Chahai's Nascent Soul Spirit Body, and the tablet consumed Chahai's Nascent Soul, destroying his body as well.

Lan Chang'an killed True Lord Chahai and his two companions, rescued Xing Peng, and spared the badly injured Stealth Shadow Helmsman. After studying Chahai’s memories and the Nine Imprint Tablet, Lan Chang'an learned more about the Spatial Node, Great Kun, and the limits of the Fifth Life.

• Lan Chang'an returned to the valley disguised as True Lord Chahai and killed the Feather-Skirted Beauty and the Dark-Skinned Middle-Aged Man, then learned through soul-searching why their group had fled Great Abyss.
• Lan Chang'an found the tortured Xing Peng, learned what he had revealed under interrogation, and promised to rescue Cousin Jueying; Xing Peng then ended his own life to protect Lan Chang'an’s remaining secrets.
• Lan Chang'an tracked down the wounded Stealth Shadow Helmsman, healed him, and introduced himself as Daoist Tianji before leaving him alive.
• Lan Chang'an returned to Golden Cloud Valley and learned that the Fifth Life of the Nine Imprint Tablet needed a complete Divine Soul Origin to create a Reincarnation Imprint Shadow; True Lord Chahai’s Nascent Soul was only a fragment.
• Over the next two years, Lan Chang'an studied Chahai’s memories and learned the Spatial Node’s location in Great Qing, that Chahai knew nothing of the Mystic Heaven Gourd Vine, and where his Previous Life’s Great Kun region lay.

Lan Chang'an evaded a deadly ambush arranged by True Lord Wanhe and concluded that remaining in the Great Qing Eastern Region carried growing dangers. After the Fourth Life of his Nine Imprint Tablet lit up, he resolved to leave and devote himself to achieving Nascent Soul.

• Lan Chang'an reviewed intelligence about Golden Sun Sect's plans, Heavenly Net Sect's possible migration, and the Peacock Saintess's message asking him to visit her.
• Lan Chang'an suspected the message was a trap but sent a puppet in his place, which was destroyed by Wujian Gate killers and a Nascent Soul-level strike from True Lord Wanhe's Black Crane.
• Lan Chang'an suspected Zhu Yuting had helped set up the ambush, learned she had been transferred to the front line, and warned Zhang Tieshan and Zhao Tan'er about her.
• Zhang Tianfeng later removed Zhu Yuting from Golden Cloud Valley, while he and Lan Chang'an made another secret transaction.
• At age three hundred and eighteen, Lan Chang'an's Fourth Life lit up, and he set his goal of pursuing Nascent Soul cultivation.

Lan Chang'an left Golden Cloud Valley, settled old obligations in Liang Kingdom, and investigated the Peacock Saintess before traveling to Feng Kingdom. There he reunited with Xia Wenyue, who came to claim the agreement they had made more than a century earlier.

• Lan Chang'an sold stolen Dharma Treasures to Zhang Tianfeng, upgraded his puppets, and entrusted Zhang with a Dharma Treasure, protective Talismans, and a Breakthrough Pill for Zhao Tan'er.
• Lan Chang'an visited Zhou Tianchi through a Puppet Avatar and repaid his debt to the Beast Taming Zhou Family with a third-tier puppet and a third-tier High-Grade Talisman.
• Lan Chang'an used a controlled Golden Sun Sect disciple to probe the Peacock Saintess, then concluded she posed little future threat and left without attacking her.
• Lan Chang'an met Jiang Yechen at Wuye Town, paid respects at Shi Manrong's tomb, accepted her quasi-Tier 4 Array Formation Inheritance, and promised his favor to Shi Xiaochuan.
• Xia Wenyue slipped away from Senior Sister Nalan and met Lan Chang'an on Autumn Wind Island, where she remembered their old agreement.

Lan Chang'an obtained the Lunar Jade Liquid from Xia Wenyue after persuading her that giving it to him could test Situ's sincerity, but their intimate encounter drew the attention of her master, True Lord Golden Moon. As Golden Moon's power enveloped them, Xia Wenyue tried to protect Lan Chang'an from the approaching danger.

• Lan Chang'an met Xia Wenyue and refused her offer of a favor and savings in place of the Lunar Jade Liquid, revealing that he had reached Late Core Formation.
• Xia Wenyue explained that obtaining the Lunar Jade Liquid required intimate contact, and Lan Chang'an persuaded her that giving it to him could reveal whether Situ truly loved her.
• Xia Wenyue agreed to fulfill their old bargain, and Lan Chang'an obtained the Lunar Jade Liquid while Senior Sister Nalan remained trapped in his Tier 4 Illusion Formation.
• True Lord Golden Moon sensed that Xia Wenyue's chastity mark had broken, blamed Situ, and rushed toward Ice Moon Fortress as Situ set out to find Xia Wenyue.
• Lan Chang'an sensed a Nascent Soul True Lord approaching and prepared to flee, but Xia Wenyue promised to protect him and held on to him.
• True Lord Golden Moon arrived and cast a radiant golden moon over Lan Chang'an and Xia Wenyue, accusing Xia Wenyue of pledging herself without permission.

Lan Chang'an escaped True Lord Golden Moon's attempt to detain him after breaking her barrier, while Xia Wenyue protected him and then severed their ties. He left Feng Kingdom for Jing Kingdom, as Xia faced strained ties with her master and Situ learned she had lost the Lunar Jade Liquid.

• True Lord Golden Moon trapped Lan Chang'an, Xia Wenyue, and Nalan Qing in a barrier and accused Lan of violating her disciple, but Xia shielded him and explained that she had repaid his past kindness.
• True Lord Golden Moon offered to spare Lan if he broke the barrier within ten breaths, and Lan split it with one strike before refusing her offer to become a Proud Moon Palace Guest Elder.
• True Lord Golden Moon departed with Nalan Qing, while Xia told Lan they owed each other nothing and flew away; Lan divined that her prospects in Proud Moon Palace had worsened.
• Situ reached Ice Moon Fortress and learned Xia had lost the Lunar Jade Liquid; when he reacted with shock, Xia accused him of pursuing her for the treasure and left.
• The Heavenly Master sensed Lan's troubles and hoped he would honor their agreement after reaching Nascent Soul, while Lan transformed into a Cloaked Elder and left Feng Kingdom for Jing Kingdom.

Lan Chang'an traveled west toward the Seven Nations Alliance to investigate a Spatial Node while tracking the Heavenly Net Sect’s migration and seeking Nascent Soul resources. After helping Gao Xueqing and leaving gifts for the Xia family, he hunted Xie Clan migrants and discovered Profound Yin Sect cultivators had captured a direct descendant of Old Ancestor Tianluo.

• Lan Chang'an entered Yunyan Immortal City, learned that the Snow Fox Merchant Association had been destroyed, and gathered intelligence that the Heavenly Net Sect and the Chen Kingdom Xie Clan were relocating.
• Lan Chang'an protected Gao Xueqing and her husband from a city guard’s coercion, then gave Gao Xueqing cultivation guidance, a Foundation Establishment opportunity, and a life-saving tool.
• Lan Chang'an secretly visited the Xia family’s Autumn Wind Island and left behind alchemy and talisman inheritances.
• Lan Chang'an used Wujian Gate intelligence to follow the migration west, killed a group of Xie Clan cultivators, and refined their blood into a Bloodline Pearl for tracking.
• Lan Chang'an found Profound Yin Sect cultivators led by White-Browed Daoist and Xiang Jinglong defeating a Heavenly Net Sect group and capturing Xie Xiao, Old Ancestor Tianluo’s direct great-grandson.

Lan Chang'an tracked Old Ancestor Tianluo’s migrating descendants, robbed Xiang Jinglong and the White-Browed Daoist, then lured Tianluo into a prepared ambush. With the Blood Bat King approaching, Lan Chang'an trapped Tianluo and demanded his Nascent Soul treasures.

• Old Ancestor Tianluo led Heavenly Net Sect and Xie Clan descendants toward the Seven Nations Alliance, but the Blood Bat King ambushed their Cloud Sail Tower Ship and pursued Tianluo as he fled.
• Lan Chang'an disguised himself as a robber cultivator, defeated Xiang Jinglong and the White-Browed Daoist, took their valuables, and refined Xie Xiao’s blood into his Bloodline Pearl.
• The Bloodline Pearl’s response led Lan Chang'an to prepare an ambush, and Tianluo arrived while fleeing the Blood Bat King.
• Lan Chang'an’s puppets, body refinement, and formation trapped Tianluo, who mistook him for Xiang Jinglong and tried to capture him.
• Lan Chang'an refused Tianluo’s offer to cooperate against the Blood Bat King and demanded Tianluo’s Nascent Soul treasures, threatening to leave him trapped for his pursuer.

Lan Chang'an bargained with Old Ancestor Tianluo for a Nascent Soul-forming spiritual object, then abandoned him to escape the Blood Bat King and continued toward the Seven Nations Alliance. Near the border, Lan Chang'an sensed a dangerous opportunity connected to his Evergreen Dao Fruit and realized someone from the Central Region had entered the Great Qing Eastern Region.

• The Blood Bat King lost Old Ancestor Tianluo's trail outside Lan Chang'an's Tier 4 Illusion Formation, while Lan Chang'an demanded payment for helping him.
• Old Ancestor Tianluo offered Lan Chang'an [Zi-Wu Clear Wind] and promised a hidden [Heavenly Infant Fruit], and Lan Chang'an accepted the clear wind as a deposit.
• Lan Chang'an withdrew the formation and fled, leaving Old Ancestor Tianluo to face the Blood Bat King; he then discovered and burned a Blood Bat mark planted on his Green-Armored Puppet.
• Lan Chang'an spotted Blood Spirit Sect cultivators pursuing the wounded Wei Qing, while Old Ancestor Tianluo secretly possessed one of the pursuers after escaping the Blood Bat King.
• Lan Chang'an abandoned the chance to intervene after divining a Minor Omen, crossed into the Seven Nations Alliance, and sensed a dangerous opportunity to the southwest linked to his Evergreen Dao Fruit.

Lan Chang'an sensed the Central Region Evergreen Art cultivator approaching the Seven Nations Alliance and seized the chance to capture Old Ancestor Tianluo, absorbing his Nascent Soul into the Nine Imprint Tablet. The chapter ended with True Lord Green Wood defeating a demonic Nascent Soul and continuing toward the alliance, aware that his battle might have alerted Lan Chang'an.

• Lan Chang'an detected a sudden resonance with the Evergreen Art cultivator in the Eastern Region and suspected the cultivator was approaching from the southwest.
• True Lord Ancient Sword intercepted the Blood Bat King at the Seven Nations Alliance border while Daoist Lihuo and other cultivators fought the Blood Spirit Sect pursuers.
• Old Ancestor Tianluo escaped his pursuer but fell into Lan Chang'an's hands, and Lan Chang'an incapacitated him with the Nail-Head Arrow and absorbed his Nascent Soul into the Nine Imprint Tablet.
• Lan Chang'an collected Old Ancestor Tianluo's treasures, erased the traces, and left to search his memories for Nascent Soul resources and the Heavenly Infant Fruit.
• True Lord Green Wood defeated True Lord Fulong with his Green Profound Sword Formation, captured Fulong's Nascent Soul, and flew toward the Seven Nations Alliance.

Lan Chang'an confirmed that the Spatial Node in the Absolute Abyss Forbidden Land connected safely to Great Abyss, then entrusted the Blazing Fire Palace with pursuing the Heavenly Infant Fruit. When he learned that True Lord Qingmu had reached the Seven Nations Alliance, he abandoned his plans and fled through the Spatial Node.

• Lan Chang'an sorted Old Ancestor Tianluo's memories and spoils, learned the Heavenly Infant Fruit was hidden elsewhere, and decided to give up pursuing it himself.
• Lan Chang'an tested the Spatial Node with puppets and confirmed its far end remained undiscovered, though the passage was fragile and dangerous to traverse.
• Lan Chang'an sent Wang Feng information about the Xie Clan and the Heavenly Infant Fruit, asking the Blazing Fire Palace to secure the fruit for him.
• Lan Chang'an learned that True Lord Qingmu had reached the Seven Nations Alliance after True Lord Fulong's death, and divined that the danger to him had risen to a Medium Omen.
• Lan Chang'an restored the Spatial Node's seal, protected himself with talismans, and entered the passage to flee Great Qing.

Lan Chang'an arrived in the Great Abyss, recovered in Ten Thousand Demon Valley, and confirmed that the spatial passage could not be used to pursue him from Great Qing. After his foreign aura faded, he sensed another arrival nearby, where Jing Wufeng entered the Great Abyss and fought a demonic beast.

• Lan Chang'an emerged from the spatial passage injured, recovered his strength, and divined that his fortune in the Great Abyss was uncertain but generally favorable.
• Lan Chang'an confirmed that the Great Abyss side controlled the spatial array, shut it down, and concluded that cultivators in Great Qing could not repair the passage or threaten him through it.
• Over two months, Lan Chang'an and his spirit pets shed most of their foreign aura while he studied the array and considered using the damaged Spirit Void Ancient Pillar as repair material.
• Lan Chang'an sensed a distant spatial fluctuation, and Jing Wufeng emerged from a rift seven hundred li away with a Heaven Token and a trial to complete in Yuan Province.
• Jing Wufeng survived a demonic beast's ambush, killed the beast, and took one of its nearly fourth-order demonic claws as his first spoils of war.