Chapter Summaries

After ten cultivators entered the great hall, ten doors opened and Li Qianqing chose one, where he defeated a statue and recovered the incomplete Ancient Treasure Caopan Plate. He left the cave heaven and remained outside instead of departing, as a Nascent Soul cultivator questioned him about what lay within.

• Zuo Bolun entered the great hall, followed by the ninth cultivator and the Blue-Clothed Female Cultivator, bringing the number inside to ten.
• The hall trembled, spiritual energy gathered, and the ten great doors opened onto darkness; Li Qianqing and then Li Xunming chose doors before the others followed.
• Li Qianqing entered a flower-filled array space and burned away the flowers with Four Flames, Boil the Sea, preventing the statue from using the array to recover.
• Li Qianqing destroyed the statue with his flaming dragon, opened the stone table, and took the incomplete Ancient Treasure Caopan Plate from a wooden box.
• Li Qianqing left through the small wooden door and appeared at the cave entrance, where a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator asked him what was inside.

Li Qianqing and Li Xunming left the ancient cultivator ruin with treasures valuable to the Li Family, including the Lesser Core Forming Pill formula and the Cao Huan Plate. After returning to Changqing Mountain, Li Qianqing found Li Yiqing had advanced to Mid-Stage Core Formation and planned to expand the clan’s high-grade spiritual fields so it could begin refining the new pill.

• Li Qianqing explained the ruin’s trials to the waiting cultivators, and the Surname Cheng Loose Cultivator confirmed that the second trial’s statue was too difficult for him to defeat.
• Li Xunming emerged with a Jade Slip, and Li Qianqing warned the Purple Mist Gate cultivators before leaving the ruin with him.
• Li Xunming gave Li Qianqing the Lesser Core Forming Pill formula, while Li Qianqing showed him the Cao Huan Plate and explained its functions.
• Li Xunming declined to return to the Five Kingdoms Land, and Li Qianqing gave him three bottles of Golden Essence Pills before they parted at the edge of the Red Crane Sect’s territory.
• After nearly three years of travel, Li Qianqing returned to Changqing Mountain and found that Li Yiqing had advanced to Mid-Stage Core Formation.
• Li Qianqing urged Li Yiqing to learn Third-Order High Grade pill refining, then met Li Qiuben to discuss spiritual medicine seeds and cultivation plans for the Lesser Core Forming Pill.

Li Qianqing returned to the Li Family, arranged the planting of herbs needed for Lesser Core Forming Pills, and began refining the Ancient Treasure Caopan Plate while preparing for the Nether Soil Plateau. In the Mist Rain Forest, the Spring Breeze Pavilion Master proposed redirecting the Blood Shadow Sect and Corpse Yin Sect’s conflict toward the Five Kingdoms Land, with the Netherworld Hall as a witness.

• Li Qianqing gave Li Qiuben the spiritual herb seeds he had collected and instructed him to expand the Third-Order High Grade Spiritual Field and plant the two herbs needed for Lesser Core Forming Pills.
• Li Qiuben learned that Li Qianqing hoped to refine three or four furnaces of Lesser Core Forming Pills in about thirty years.
• Li Zhongxun reported that the Li Family had gained three Foundation Establishment cultivators and a net increase of ninety-one Qi Refining cultivators while Li Qianqing was away.
• Li Qianqing planned to improve his strength before seeking the Essence of Wind on the Nether Soil Plateau and began refining the Ancient Treasure Caopan Plate.
• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Master gathered the leaders of the Blood Shadow Sect, Corpse Yin Sect, and Netherworld Hall and proposed that the rival sects settle their conflict by competing in the Five Kingdoms Land.
• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Master warned the Blood Shadow Sect Master and Corpse Yin Sect Supreme Elder that the Spring Breeze Pavilion and Netherworld Hall would oppose whichever side broke the agreement.

The Spring Breeze Pavilion Master persuaded the Mist Rain Forest factions to cooperate and expand into the Five Kingdoms Land, while Yan Sizhi began carrying out Netherworld Hall’s plans there. Yan Sizhi attacked Li Yongfeng, but discovered that his target was far stronger than expected.

• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Master proposed leading the Mist Rain Forest factions into the Five Kingdoms Land, and the Blood Shadow Sect, Corpse Yin Sect, and Netherworld Hall agreed to cooperate.
• The factions agreed to send cultivators and settle the Blood Shadow Sect–Corpse Yin Sect rivalry by competing for territory in the Five Kingdoms Land over the next hundred years.
• Yan Sizhi, a Late Stage Core Formation elder of Netherworld Hall, prepared to leave his hidden yin land and search for a target in Da Ming Country.
• Yan Sizhi spotted Li Yongfeng and attacked him with a ghost face, but Li Yongfeng destroyed it with his Water Fire Cudgel.
• Li Yongfeng identified Yan Sizhi as an invader from Mist Rain Forest and charged him, breaking through Yan Sizhi’s Three Aspects Ghost Technique.
• Yan Sizhi realized Li Yongfeng had also reached Core Formation in body cultivation and prepared to attack him with his full strength.

Li Yongfeng killed Yan Sizhi, a Late Stage Core Formation elder from Mist Rain Forest, and reported the encounter to Li Qianqing and Demon Devouring Child. Their messages confirmed that many evil cultivators had entered the Five Kingdoms Land, prompting the Li Family and Fallen Devil Valley to prepare for attacks.

• Li Yongfeng overcame Yan Sizhi’s black fog and defeated him with his Water Fire Cudgel and Spirit Devouring Physique phantom, then killed him before he could reveal information.
• Li Yongfeng sent Sound Transmission Talismans to Li Qianqing and Demon Devouring Child, reporting Yan Sizhi’s presence and asking whether he should still go to Anfeng County.
• Li Qianqing ordered Li Zhongxun to strengthen guards at spiritual vein sites, notify other Core Formation forces, and patrol the border for unfamiliar boats.
• Demon Devouring Child told the Valley Master of Fallen Devil Valley that Li Yongfeng had killed a Late Stage Core Formation elder from Netherworld Hall.
• The Valley Master told Demon Devouring Child that many Mist Rain Forest evil cultivators had arrived, and Demon Devouring Child told Li Yongfeng to return as Fallen Devil Valley prepared to respond.

Fallen Devil Valley learned that Mist Rain Forest’s evil cultivators were coordinating attacks across the Five Kingdoms Land and requested aid from the Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect. Meanwhile, a Blood Shadow Sect elder entered Qing Country to exploit old rivalries between its Core Formation sects, leaving him prepared to stir up conflict.

• The Valley Master of Fallen Devil Valley and the Demon Devouring Child concluded that Mist Rain Forest’s evil cultivators were cooperating and sent Sound Transmission Talismans requesting support from the Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect.
• The Da Ming Royal Family debated whether to help Fallen Devil Valley while guarding against Heavenly Dao Sect, and its Ancestor ordered limited support with a warning to prioritize safety.
• Heavenly Dao Sect also sent support, with more strength than the Da Ming Royal Family, though neither group sent as much as Fallen Devil Valley had hoped.
• The Demon Devouring Child held back his complaints about the Da Ming Royal Family’s weak contribution after seeing the Valley Master’s gaze.
• A Blood Shadow Sect elder disguised as a Qi Refining cultivator entered a Qing Country market and asked about rivalries among local Core Formation sects.
• The Blood Shadow Sect elder learned of the old feud between Heaven Transmission Mountain and Water Cloud Gate and left satisfied, while the storyteller admitted the account was over a hundred years old.

A Blood Shadow Sect elder infiltrated Water Cloud Gate as Ma Guangzeng, hoping to stir up conflict with Heaven Transmission Mountain, but the Water Cloud Gate Master exposed and killed him with help from Heaven Transmission Mountain. In Da Ming Country, the Mist Rain Forest Nascent Soul cultivators compared reports and learned that Blood Shadow Sect’s operatives in the Three Small Kingdoms had gone silent.

• The Blood Shadow Sect elder disguised himself as a Peak Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment itinerant cultivator and went to Water Cloud Gate, claiming to be Ma Guangzeng and seeking to join because he had a grudge against Heaven Transmission Mountain.
• The Water Cloud Gate Master recognized Ma Guangzeng’s story as suspicious, delayed his assessment, and arranged for the Heaven Transmission Mountain Sect Master and four Early Stage Core Formation cultivators to help trap him.
• Ma Guangzeng revealed his Mid-Stage Core Formation cultivation and fought, but the trapping formation weakened him and the Water Cloud Gate Master killed him.
• In Da Ming Country, the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder gathered five Mist Rain Forest Nascent Soul cultivators to review the results of their operation, and the Netherworld Hall Nascent Soul reported losing a Late Stage Core Formation elder and four Foundation Establishment cultivators.
• The Blood Shadow Sect Nascent Soul said that none of the Core Formation or Foundation Establishment cultivators his sect had sent to the Three Small Kingdoms had reported back.

The four Nascent Soul forces reviewed their gains against Fallen Devil Valley and decided to delay claiming territory while the Five Kingdoms Land remained alert. At Changqing Mountain, Li Qianqing assessed the spreading threat, heard of Li Tongxin’s progress, and assigned him to guard and patrol the Nether River Tributary’s eastern shore.

• The Corpse Yin Sect Supreme Elder reported that a disciple in northern Yue Kingdom had sent news, and the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder told them to keep him hidden and gathering information.
• The four forces discussed their successful operations around Fallen Devil Valley, noted that Netherworld Hall had lost a Late Stage Core Formation elder, and agreed their followers should act independently and postpone territorial occupation.
• Li Qianqing learned that Mist Rain Forest evil cultivators had appeared across the Five Kingdoms Land, with most concentrated in Da Ming Country, while the Li Clan continued eliminating threats in the Three Small Kingdoms region.
• Li Tongxin returned from seclusion with his Sword Spirit Body’s potential excavation at sixty percent, and Li Qianqing explained the current threat to him.
• Li Qianqing assigned Li Tongxin to guard a location and patrol the eastern shore of the Nether River Tributary for evil cultivators crossing from Da Ming Country.

The Mist Rain Forest forces discussed their plans for the Three Small Kingdoms, and Netherworld Hall decided to send a small group to disrupt Qing Country despite warnings about the Li Clan’s strength. At the Nether River Tributary, Li Tongxin intercepted the group and began killing its members.

• The four Mist Rain Forest forces exchanged intelligence and agreed that the Three Small Kingdoms were difficult to infiltrate because its cultivators quickly supported one another.
• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master revealed that Li Yongfeng had killed Yan Sizhi and insisted on punishing the Li Clan, despite the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder warning that the Li Clan Head was exceptionally powerful.
• Luo Wanshui led two Core Formation and five Foundation Establishment Netherworld Hall cultivators toward Qing Country to cause disorder along its borders.
• As the group reached the Nether River Tributary, Li Tongxin approached, and Luo Wanshui sent Elder Ye to engage him while the others formed the Five Elements Ghost Soul Grand Formation.
• Li Tongxin killed Elder Ye with two sword strikes, then killed the five Foundation Establishment cultivators as Luo Wanshui fled with a tracking mark on him.

Li Tongxin killed the fleeing Netherworld Hall cultivator Luo Wanshui, prompting the Netherworld Hall Vice Master and the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder to discuss their losses and future plans. Seven years later, a masked evil cultivator arrived at Heavenly Dao Sect seeking an audience with its sect master, who told him to die before hearing his reason.

• Luo Wanshui failed to remove or conceal Li Tongxin's tracking qi, stopped fleeing, and fought Li Tongxin.
• Li Tongxin defeated Luo Wanshui, cleaned up the battlefield, and left after killing seven evil cultivators.
• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master learned that all seven cultivators sent to the Three Small Kingdoms had fallen, and the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder urged caution while he planned to reinforce Netherworld Hall.
• Seven years later, a masked Foundation Establishment Peak evil cultivator demanded to see the Heavenly Dao Sect Master and offered to accept death if his reason proved unsatisfactory.
• The Heavenly Dao Sect Master recognized the visitor as an evil cultivator and told him to die; the masked cultivator hurriedly asked whether he would first hear what he had come to say.

A Foundation Establishment Peak Evil Cultivator persuaded the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Da Ming Royal Family to pretend to resist the Mist Rain Forest Evil Cultivators, as both sides distrusted each other and feared losing strength. The Mist Rain Forest forces began occupying territory, and news of their intent to take root in the Five Kingdoms Land spread through Da Ming Country.

• The Heavenly Dao Sect Master questioned a Foundation Establishment Peak Evil Cultivator, who warned that the Da Ming Royal Family had agreed to the Evil Cultivators’ demands and urged the sect to go through the motions rather than fight seriously.
• The Heavenly Dao Sect’s Nascent Soul elders decided to pretend to agree while watching the Da Ming Royal Family, and the sect released the Evil Cultivator to complete his mission.
• The Da Ming Royal Family reached a similar decision, choosing to observe the Heavenly Dao Sect and copy its response to the Evil Cultivators.
• The Four Great Nascent Soul Forces of the Mist Rain Forest planned to begin taking territory in Fallen Devil Valley’s sphere, avoiding Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect lands and initially targeting weaker forces.
• Three months later, news spread that the Mist Rain Forest Evil Cultivators had occupied spirit vein territories, signaling that they intended to establish themselves in the Five Kingdoms Land.

As Mist Rain Forest’s evil cultivators occupied spiritual vein lands in Da Ming Country, Fallen Devil Valley debated how to respond while Heavenly Dao Sect and the Da Ming Royal Family declined to provide immediate support. The Valley Master urged the sect to keep fighting, and Demon Devouring Child said the Qing Country Li Clan could help later in exchange for a foothold in Da Ming Country.

• Cultivators across Da Ming Country discussed the evil cultivators’ occupation of territory and feared further attacks.
• The Valley Master reported that Mist Rain Forest’s forces had massacred local cultivation families and were guarding their lands with Core Formation cultivators.
• Li Yongfeng offered to attack, but Demon Devouring Child and the Valley Master warned that he was a likely target for hidden Nascent Soul enemies.
• Heavenly Dao Sect and the Da Ming Royal Family both said they would provide little or no support until the evil cultivators threatened a Core Formation force.
• The Valley Master insisted Fallen Devil Valley must defend its territory, while Demon Devouring Child said the Qing Country Li Clan could support them later and gain influence in Da Ming Country.

As the Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect refused to support Fallen Devil Valley against the evil cultivators, Li Qianqing promised help if the timing was right and urged Li Yongfeng to stay cautious. Nearby Core Formation families prepared to aid Fallen Devil Valley and spread news of the two great forces’ inaction, while Corpse Yin Sect waited for a battle that had not come.

• Fallen Devil Valley’s Core Formation elders kept their policy of eliminating evil cultivators and proposed ambushes at spirit vein lands the enemy had not occupied.
• Li Qianqing agreed to support Demon Devouring Child if the timing suited the Li Clan, warned Li Yongfeng to be careful, and began making further preparations.
• Cultivators in Da Ming Country spread news that the Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect were not supporting Fallen Devil Valley.
• The Bai Family decided to send support to Fallen Devil Valley and persuade nearby Core Formation families to join them.
• Yin Yuanshen ordered the Yin Family to spread news of the two forces’ inaction throughout Tianyang County’s cultivator markets.
• A Corpse Yin Sect elder learned that nearby mortals had been gathered and penned up while Fallen Devil Valley remained quiet.

Fallen Devil Valley organized Core Formation reinforcements and began ambushing demonic cultivators, while Li Yongfeng killed two Netherworld Hall elders defending the Ying Clan. Twenty-eight years after the demonic cultivators arrived in the Five Kingdoms Land, Li Xunming returned to Changqing Mountain after sixty-one years away.

• The Valley Master of Fallen Devil Valley accepted support from subordinate Core Formation forces and agreed with the Demon Devouring Child to expand the Valley’s influence if they survived the crisis.
• Li Yongfeng ambushed nine Netherworld Hall cultivators attacking the Ying Clan, killed both Early Core Formation elders, and warned the clan to disperse its strength.
• Two Foundation Establishment cultivators escaped and reported the deaths to the Netherworld Hall Vice Master, who learned from the Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder that the Nascent Souls would wait until the third batch arrived before acting.
• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master resolved to gather information about Li Yongfeng so he could kill him when the Nascent Souls were able to move.
• In Qingli year two hundred forty-nine, Li Qianqing came out to meet a man and a woman outside Changqing Mountain and recognized the returning Li Xunming.

Li Xunming returned to the Li Clan with his wife, Ling Shujing, and reported on turmoil in the Heavenly Pool Domain and the evil cultivators threatening the Five Kingdoms Land. The clan prepared to support Fallen Devil Valley, with Li Xunming sent to guard Li Yue City and Li Xunting waiting to go to Da Ming Country when the evil cultivators began a large-scale advance.

• Li Xunming introduced Ling Shujing as his wife, and Li Qianqing welcomed her into the Li Clan and gave her cultivation pills.
• Li Xunming told Li Qianqing that fighting had broken out among the major Nascent Soul forces in the Heavenly Pool Domain after he left.
• Li Qianqing explained that evil cultivators from the Mist Rain Forest had entered the Five Kingdoms Land and that the Li Clan was coordinating the region's response.
• Li Qianqing assigned Li Xunming to guard Li Yue City while Li Xunting prepared to support Fallen Devil Valley in Da Ming Country when the situation escalated.
• Li Xunting returned to Changqing Mountain and agreed to wait for signs of a large-scale evil cultivator advance before setting out.

The Netherworld Hall Vice Master ambushed Li Yongfeng on his mission, but Li Xunting revealed herself as his hidden protector and fought the Nascent Soul cultivator. She destroyed his two carefully nurtured evil ghosts, while Li Yongfeng continued toward his destination.

• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder told the four great powers that the third batch had set out, and the Netherworld Hall Vice Master prepared to lure out and kill Li Yongfeng.
• Demon Devouring Child warned Li Yongfeng that the mission might be a trap, so Li Xunting agreed to protect him from the shadows.
• Li Yongfeng sensed an ambush three thousand li from Fallen Devil Valley, and the Netherworld Hall Vice Master appeared to attack him.
• Li Xunting revealed herself, ordered Li Yongfeng to continue his mission, and confronted the Netherworld Hall Vice Master.
• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master summoned two evil ghosts with his Evil Ghost Banner, but Li Xunting froze and shattered them with her Ice Domain.

Li Xunting killed the Netherworld Hall Vice Master after defeating his strongest attacks and trapping him in ice, then cleaned up the battlefield. His death alarmed the other three great forces, who recognized Li Xunting and decided to accelerate their plans in the Five Kingdoms Land.

• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master used a secret art and summoned ghosts, but Li Xunting destroyed his attacks with ice arrows.
• The Netherworld Hall Vice Master tried to flee, but Li Xunting slowed his spiritual power, trapped him behind an ice wall, and killed him with a piercing arrow that froze his body and Nascent Soul.
• Li Xunting cleaned up the battlefield, knowing her strength and presence in Da Ming Country had been exposed.
• A Late Stage Core Formation elder of Netherworld Hall saw an image confirming the Vice Master's death and summoned the Nascent Souls of the other three great forces.
• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder deduced that Li Xunting had ambushed the Vice Master while protecting Li Yongfeng, and the other Nascent Souls recognized her as a formidable Li Clan cultivator.
• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder decided to accelerate the operation and arrange for the fourth batch of evil cultivators to arrive, while the Blood Shadow Sect and Corpse Yin Sect prepared to speed up their duel.

Li Xunting told the Demon Devouring Child that she had killed the Netherworld Hall Vice Master who ambushed Li Yongfeng, and Fallen Devil Valley arranged to publicize the victory. As the news spread through Da Ming Country, nearby clans began considering whether to become subordinate forces of the Li Clan.

• Li Xunting met the Demon Devouring Child at Fallen Devil Valley and reported that she had killed the Netherworld Hall Vice Master who ambushed Li Yongfeng.
• The Demon Devouring Child decided to tell the Valley Master and spread news of Li Xunting's victory to encourage cultivators and highlight the Li Clan's support.
• Cultivators across Da Ming Country spread the news that Li Xunting had killed the first Mist Rain Forest Nascent Soul Evil Cultivator to emerge.
• The Bai Family discussed abandoning the Da Ming Royal Family and seeking to become a subordinate force of the Li Clan, though some favored Fallen Devil Valley instead.
• Yin Yuanshen declared that the Yin Family would become a subordinate Core Formation force of the Li Clan after the Mist Rain Forest evil cultivators were driven out.

The Da Ming Royal Family debated how to respond after Li Xunting of the Qing Country Li Clan killed a Nascent Soul evil cultivator, which damaged the royal family’s standing and threatened its plans. The Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect both decided to take remedial action against the Mist Rain Forest evil cultivators.

• The Da Ming Royal Family’s higher-ups argued over the Li Clan’s intervention and rejected the idea of attacking the Li Clan while the evil cultivators still threatened Da Ming Country.
• The Da Ming Royal Family’s Ancestor ruled out conflict with the Li Clan, and the Clan Head supported explaining their delayed response as concern for the overall situation.
• The Da Ming Royal Family’s higher-ups agreed to begin remedial action against the Mist Rain Forest evil cultivators, despite some concerns about their unknown Nascent Soul strength.
• Heavenly Dao Sect held a meeting after learning of Li Xunting’s victory and also chose remedial action to protect its standing and interests in Da Ming Country.

The Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect sent support to Fallen Devil Valley after Li Xunting killed the Netherworld Hall Vice Master, allowing Fallen Devil Valley to counterattack the Mist Rain Forest’s forces. The evil cultivators’ leaders recognized that the Li Clan had disrupted their plans and prepared to escalate the fighting as more Nascent Souls arrived.

• The Da Ming Royal Family and Heavenly Dao Sect sent support, and the Fallen Devil Valley Valley Master accepted it while the three Nascent Souls planned a counterattack.
• Da Ming Royal Family cultivators fought Blood Shadow Sect evil cultivators over a spirit vein land, then withdrew and let the Blood Shadow Sect occupy it.
• Fallen Devil Valley counterattacked as the Mist Rain Forest’s forces intensified their operations, while three evil-cultivator Nascent Souls met to assess their setbacks.
• The Corpse Yin Sect Supreme Elder and the Blood Shadow Sect Nascent Soul realized Da Ming Royal Family cultivators had opposed Blood Shadow Sect, and blamed Netherworld Hall’s Vice Master for provoking the new support.
• The Spring Breeze Pavilion Supreme Elder urged the other Nascent Souls to act when needed and said a Netherworld Hall Nascent Soul would arrive with the fourth batch.
• Cultivators in a Da Ming Country market debated the Royal Family’s explanation for its delayed support and linked its decision to Li Xunting’s victory.