Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ning completed the Third Breakthrough of the Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method, gaining the deep purple Trait Insight into True Spirit as his Three Flowers began forming an Inner World. The chapter left him testing the Trait and discovering that his cultivation efficiency had increased again.

• Jiang Ning meditated through the night, observed his Three Flowers resonating, and raised his Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method to its second limit break.
• Jiang Ning spent 50,000 Source Energy Points to trigger the Third Breakthrough, while the Imperial Advisor's Residence's Formation concealed the immense disturbance from the capital.
• Su Qingying, Jiang Li, and powerful figures across the Royal Capital sensed the Three Flowers and True Spirit phenomena and reacted to the disturbance.
• Jiang Ning's Spirit Soul opened silver eyes, allowing him to perceive the subtleties of his Essence, Qi, Spirit, and the forming Inner World.
• Jiang Ning gained the deep purple Trait Insight into True Spirit and resumed cultivation, where the experience prompts showed his efficiency had increased again.

Jiang Ning cultivated the Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method while awaiting Luyi and Zhong Ling, then used his heightened perception to track the formation of his Inner World. On New Year's morning, he broke through to the First Rank Mixed Origin Realm and gained a domain that sealed in his power and repelled outside auras.

• Jiang Ning continued cultivating at the Imperial Advisor's Residence, rapidly accumulating Experience Points in the Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method.
• Luyi and Zhong Ling arrived from Dongling City, and Jiang Ning welcomed them into the residence.
• Jiang Ning activated [Insight into True Spirit] and saw his Three Flowers cycle forming an Inner World, predicting it would stabilize within three days.
• Jiang Ning spent the following days cultivating as the Inner World solidified, while the Royal Capital prepared for New Year's.
• On New Year's morning, the Three Flowers fused with Jiang Ning's body, completing his Inner World and forming a domain around him.
• Jiang Ning confirmed his breakthrough to the First Grade Mixed Origin Realm and demonstrated the force of his newly controlled breath.

After reaching the Mixed Origin Realm, Jiang Ning celebrated the New Year with his family and Su Qingying at the Imperial Advisor's Residence. He discovered that his breakthrough had strengthened Jiang Li, Xiao Doubao, and Jiang Yiming, then invited Su Qingying to visit friends with him.

• Jiang Ning noticed that Jiang Li and Xiao Doubao had grown stronger while he was in seclusion, and Jiang Li said Jiang Yiming had also advanced to Internal and External Cultivation.
• Jiang Ning told the family he would remain in the Royal Capital and arranged for Jiang Yiming to cultivate at the Dao Palace after the New Year.
• Jiang Li gave everyone New Year Money, Jiang Ning gave Xiao Doubao a purse, and Su Qingying gave Xiao Doubao a jade pendant and Jiang Yiming the Divine Sword Art.
• Jiang Ning sparred with Jiang Li and saw how much his brother's strength had improved.
• Jiang Ning invited Su Qingying to visit friends with him, and she went to change into festive clothes.
• Jiang Yiming studied the Divine Sword Art but decided he could not spare time to learn another martial art.

Jiang Ning and Su Qingying visited Xiang Yuan and Xiao Wuque before strolling through the year-end temple fair. Meanwhile, Ji Minghao and Ji Mingyue visited Jiang Ning’s family, and the chapter ended with Xiao Doubao bringing Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue’s hands together.

• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying visited Xiang Yuan, who said the northern barbarians had been unusually quiet and that the frontier was stable for now.
• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying visited Xiao Wuque, who warned Jiang Ning that the Eastern Sea’s uneasy peace might not last and urged him to prepare.
• Jiang Ning bought Su Qingying a hairpin at the temple fair before they sensed visitors at the Imperial Advisor’s residence.
• Ji Minghao and Ji Mingyue arrived at the residence, gave gifts and New Year money to Jiang Ning’s family, and waited for him to return.
• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying returned, and Xiao Doubao took Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue by the hand and brought their hands together.

Jiang Ning declined the emperor’s year-end banquet invitation and cultivated as his Inner World grew more stable through the circulation of sun and moon. Qingyi refused the Old King’s summons and concealed the truth about her union with Jiang Ning, while Jiang Ning ended the day sharing a warm meal with his family.

• Ji Minghao invited Jiang Ning and the Imperial Advisor to the palace banquet, but Jiang Ning declined to focus on cultivation and heard that the emperor’s health had worsened.
• Qingyi refined the lingering benefit of her union with Jiang Ning, then refused Shadow Elder’s request that she return to the Qi King’s residence.
• Shadow Elder warned Qingyi that the Old King would soon emerge from seclusion and report her words to him, while Qingyi remained resolved not to reveal what had happened.
• Jiang Ning cultivated and strengthened his Inner World as his Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method gained experience and his sun and moon harmonized.
• Jiang Ning joined his family for lunch at the Imperial Advisor’s Residence and felt at peace with their warm gathering.

Jiang Ning spent New Year’s Eve with his family in the Royal Capital, then traveled to Luoshui City to visit his former master, Wang Jin. After sharing wine and giving Wang Jin three Foundation Cultivation Pills, Jiang Ning departed into the snowy night, leaving Wang Jin amazed at how far he had advanced.

• Jiang Ning cultivated in the Imperial Advisor's Residence and felt his Mixed Origin Domain growing more complete.
• Jiang Ning celebrated the year-end with his family, shared a meal, and watched fireworks with Su Qingying and the others.
• Jiang Ning used his Domain and the Great Five Elements Water Escape Art to travel from the Royal Capital to Luoshui City in less than half a two-hour period.
• Jiang Ning arrived at Canglang Martial Hall and reunited with Wang Jin, who welcomed him and shared wine with him.
• Jiang Ning gave Wang Jin a jade bottle containing three Foundation Cultivation Pills before leaving into the snowy night.

After visiting Lu Qingshan and making several stops, Jiang Ning returned to the Imperial Advisor’s Residence and continued cultivating. He broke through the Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method’s fourth limit, gained the golden Trait Three Essences United, and sensed that his family’s Essence, Qi, and Spirit were growing through their blood connection.

• Lu Qingshan watched Jiang Ning leave Medicine King Valley and resolved to draw closer to Wang Jin after the New Year.
• Jiang Ning visited Dongling City, returned to the Royal Capital at midnight, and met Qing He at the Imperial Advisor’s Residence.
• Jiang Ning cultivated through the night until his Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method reached the threshold for another limit break.
• Jiang Ning spent 100,000 Source Energy Points to break through the method’s limits, recover his True Spirit essence, and unite his Three Flowers into a single Hunyuan light.
• Jiang Ning gained the golden Trait Three Essences United and tested how he could transform and redistribute his Essence, Qi, and Spirit at will.
• Jiang Ning sensed that Jiang Li, Jiang Yiming, and Xiao Doubao were growing stronger through their bloodline connection to him.

Jiang Ning and Qingyi’s reunion strengthened his cultivation through their Yin-Yang union, while Qingyi revealed that the Old King of the Qi King’s Mansion would soon emerge from seclusion. Jiang Ning resolved to protect her and examined his improved Three Essences United state, then considered which skills to advance next to prepare for the coming threat.

• Jiang Ning sensed Qingyi’s arrival and welcomed her into his home, where they spent the night together.
• Qingyi told Jiang Ning that the Old King would soon emerge from seclusion and that she might return to the Qi King’s Mansion; Jiang Ning urged her to stay and promised to face the Old King if necessary.
• Jiang Ning discovered that their union had stabilized his Inner World, improved his cultivation, and raised his Source Energy Points above three hundred thousand.
• Jiang Ning realized that the Old King might have targeted Qingyi for her Taiyin Inheritance and resolved to protect her from being used as a means to break through.
• Jiang Ning examined how Three Essences United had harmonized his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and estimated that they would reach full balance by the next day.
• Jiang Ning decided to prioritize combat strength over advancing the Spirit Platform Illuminating True Self Method and considered developing his Four Seasons Treasure Scroll and Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art.

Jiang Ning cultivated the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art and discovered that drawing in Great Sun True Fire advanced both the art and his Inner Alchemy Nourishing Life Skill. He agreed to let Qingyi stay at the Imperial Advisor's Residence, then hurried to retrieve the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Fragmentary Scroll Hongmian had obtained for him.

• Jiang Ning used the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art to cleanse and temper his body while preserving his emotions, then drew in Great Sun True Fire to refine his Inner Elixir and gain cultivation experience.
• Jiang Ning explained the art's origins and body-tempering effects to Qingyi, then offered to take her to meet Su Qingying and ask for permission for her to stay.
• Jiang Ning told Su Qingying about Qingyi and the threat posed by the Shoulder-to-Shoulder King, and Su Qingying agreed to let Qingyi stay.
• Qingyi thanked Su Qingying and asked to talk with her, so Jiang Ning left them together.
• Hongmian told Jiang Ning she had placed the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Fragmentary Scroll in his room, and he hurried there to retrieve it.

Jiang Ning studied the Twenty-Four Solar Term fragments and swiftly mastered the Autumn Season and Winter Season Treasure Scrolls, completing the Four Seasons set. Realizing the four scrolls were still at unequal levels and could not yet achieve Four Seasons Unity, he set that goal aside and turned to advancing the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art while the sun was high.

• Jiang Ning opened the wooden chest and found all Twenty-Four Solar Term fragments gathered inside.
• Jiang Ning mastered the six autumn fragments, which combined into the Autumn Season Treasure Scroll at the Perfected Realm.
• Jiang Ning cultivated the six winter fragments outdoors in the snow, bringing the Winter Season Treasure Scroll to the Perfected Realm.
• Jiang Ning reviewed the four seasonal scrolls and realized their unequal realms prevented him from achieving Four Seasons Unity.
• Jiang Ning decided to set aside the Four Seasons Treasure Scrolls and advance the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art under the high sun.

Jiang Ning cultivated the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art, broke through to gain the Water Fire Two Tribulation Body, and reflected on the art’s later stages. Elsewhere, Xia Xuanyan learned that the Curse Kill Altar was ready to target Jiang Ning once it obtained his blood, flesh, or hair.

• Jiang Ning drew spiritual energy and Great Sun True Fire into his body while cultivating the Nine Nether Tribulation Fire True Art, refining his Inner Elixir and strengthening his body.
• Jiang Ning spent 100,000 Source Energy Points to break through, enduring successive water and fire tribulations that transformed his physique.
• Jiang Ning saw that he had gained the Water Fire Two Tribulation Body and recalled Grand Celestial Venerable’s descriptions of the art’s three chapters.
• Xia Xuanyan arrived at a distant mountain platform and asked whether the Curse Kill Altar was prepared to target Jiang Ning.
• The decrepit old woman told Xia Xuanyan that the altar was ready and needed only Jiang Ning’s blood, flesh, hair, or similar material.

Xia Xuanyan arranged for the Heaven Cry Cult Master to curse Jiang Ning from afar, intending to torment him until he agreed to join Profound Yellow Great Cave Heaven. After the first curse needle struck the doll, Jiang Ning suddenly felt pain in his heart and realized he had been injured.

• Xia Xuanyan met the Heaven Cry Cult Master at Heaven Cry Mountain and explained that he wanted to punish Jiang Ning for refusing to join his family.
• Xia Xuanyan gave the Heaven Cry Cult Master a strand of Jiang Ning's hair, and she used it to create a doll for the curse ritual.
• The Heaven Cry Cult Master drove the first needle into the doll and agreed to continue the curse in stages in exchange for Profound Yellow Great Qi Pills.
• After Xia Xuanyan departed, the Heaven Cry Cult Master told the Old Woman that his real goal was to make Jiang Ning submit and join Profound Yellow Great Cave Heaven.
• At the Imperial Advisor's Residence, Jiang Ning suffered sudden chest pain, spat blood-flecked froth, and sensed that he had been injured despite finding no wound.

Jiang Ning discovered that a curse was slowly eroding his body, but found that the Ice Coffin could completely isolate it and let him recover. He concealed his resistance from Su Qingying and his family as visitors arrived, leaving Qingyi worried by the curse she sensed in him.

• Jiang Ning recognized the obscure energy attacking his heart as curse power and realized someone was using a slow-acting Curse Killing Art against him.
• Jiang Ning entered the Ice Coffin and found that closing its lid stopped the curse; he restored his body before emerging and confirming that the curse had returned.
• The Blind Old Man detected that Jiang Ning had been cursed, judged the method nearly impossible to counter, and sent messages toward the imperial palace, Martial Saint Manor, and other places.
• Su Qingying visited Jiang Ning after hearing from the Heavenly Surveillance Bureau, and he pretended the curse posed no serious threat while hiding his ability to resist it.
• Jiang Ning reassured Liu Wanwan that the curse was only a small problem, but Qingyi sensed the curse in his body and looked troubled.

Jiang Ning concealed his ability to resist the curse while discussing its dangers with Qingyi, Xiao Wuque, and Xiang Yuan. Emperor Changning learned Jiang Ning had been cursed and sent aid, while Ji Mingyue went to see him; Jiang Ning’s allies then approved his plan to feign weakness and lure his hidden enemy into lowering its guard.

• Qingyi examined Jiang Ning’s curse, suppressed its spread with the power of Taiyin, and decided to live with him and help keep it at bay.
• Xiao Wuque told Xiang Yuan that Jiang Ning had already reached the First Rank Mixed Origin Realm, giving him some resistance to the curse, though his chances remained uncertain.
• Emperor Changning learned Jiang Ning had been cursed, abandoned a plan against him, and ordered Steward Hai to send Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Grass and Saint Hand Wang to help.
• Ji Mingyue asked Emperor Changning whether Jiang Ning could survive, then insisted on going to see him.
• Xiao Wuque and Xiang Yuan visited Jiang Ning, who explained that he was deliberately letting the curse appear to corrode him so his hidden enemy would not strengthen it.
• Xiao Wuque agreed that Jiang Ning’s feigned weakness could numb his enemy’s vigilance and avoid provoking it to pay a greater price.

Jiang Ning and his allies planned to conceal how well he could resist the curse, while Saint Hand Wang diagnosed its stages and warned that it could soon threaten Jiang Ning’s organs, Dantian, and Spirit Soul. After receiving a Life Elixir and three stalks of Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Grass, Jiang Ning reassured Ji Mingyue and Ji Minghao, who promised to help him survive.

• Jiang Ning told Xiao Wuque and Xiang Yuan that his Mixed Origin Domain and Qingyi’s Taiyin power could slow the curse, while Xiao Wuque suspected Jiang Ning had a way to resolve it.
• Ji Minghao and Ji Mingyue arrived with Steward Hai, who said The Emperor had sent three stalks of Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Grass and asked Saint Hand Wang to examine Jiang Ning.
• Saint Hand Wang diagnosed the curse as progressing through three stages, warned that it could reach Jiang Ning’s organs within seven to ten days, and gave him a Life Elixir to delay its advance.
• Ji Mingyue asked Saint Hand Wang for more Life Elixirs, but he said only two remained for The Emperor and the ingredients could no longer be found.
• Jiang Ning swallowed the Life Elixir, felt his pain ease, and declined Ji Mingyue’s offer to seek another because The Emperor needed the remaining pills more.
• Ji Minghao promised to help Jiang Ning for Ji Mingyue’s sake and as his friend, then urged Jiang Ning to take Ji Mingyue for a walk and hear what she wanted to say.

Jiang Ning reassured Ji Mingyue that he could withstand the curse, then secretly cultivated while letting others believe he was in danger. After stabilizing his First Grade Mixed Origin Realm and refining the Life Elixir, he turned his attention to improving the Tai Xu Yin Yang Sword.

• Ji Mingyue told Jiang Ning she wanted to bear him a child, but he revealed his Hunyuan Realm Domain and explained that he was deliberately letting the curse appear to erode him.
• Xiao Wuque and the Martial King left the Imperial Advisor's Residence, and Ji Minghao urged Jiang Ning not to leave Ji Mingyue with regrets before departing with her.
• Jiang Ning used his inner small world and the Life Elixir's vitality to resist the curse, strengthen his qi and blood, and confirm that his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had reached balance.
• Jiang Ning considered how to advance toward the Unity Realm and concluded that he needed to strengthen himself through time and martial arts techniques.
• Jiang Ning noticed that his Tai Xu Yin Yang Sword had reached Minor Achievement and, after setting aside the glowing Shangyang Immortal Sect token, summoned his Sword Embryo to practice.

Jiang Ning completed the Tai Xu Yin Yang Sword and gained the Tai Xu Sword Domain, then prepared to leave the Royal Capital for Guangning Prefecture while concealing how badly the curse had damaged him. Ji Mingyue joined him on the Cloud Shadow Crane, and her account of Emperor Changning’s declining health left Jiang Ning suspecting the Emperor had other reasons for sending her south.

• Jiang Ning told Qingyi that he would travel to Guangning Prefecture to take charge of the crisis involving Crossing Immortal Gate and Heaven Response Alliance, while letting the curse’s damage make him appear near death.
• Jiang Ning reached Great Completion in the Tai Xu Yin Yang Sword and developed the Tai Xu Sword Domain, which let him distort space and disappear from sight.
• Jiang Ning decided to leave the Royal Capital after confirming that the curse had spread into his organs, trusting his new sword domain to protect him.
• After lunch, Ji Mingyue arrived with an Imperial Clan Cloud Shadow Crane and said Emperor Changning had ordered her to accompany Jiang Ning south and return with him.
• Ji Mingyue told Jiang Ning that Emperor Changning had been kept from court and was now difficult to see, prompting Jiang Ning to suspect the Emperor was near death and had a reason for sending her away.
• Jiang Ning departed with Ji Mingyue and asked Su Qingying to delay the Shoulder-to-Shoulder King if he came to take Sister Lin away.

Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue left the Royal Capital for Zeshan Province as the curse continued to weaken him, while the princes and others watched them depart. Their journey began above the clouds on Cloud Crane, even as rumors of danger in Guangning Prefecture spread ahead of them.

• The princes and princesses saw Jiang Ning off at the South City Gate, where his coughing and bloody froth revealed how deeply the curse had afflicted him.
• Ji Minghao gave Jiang Ning Jiuhua Jade Dew, which briefly stilled the curse and eased his coughing, before Jiang Ning promised to protect Ji Mingyue on their journey.
• Ji Mingya arrived to say goodbye, and Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue departed south on Cloud Crane as Xiao Wuque and Blind Old Man judged that Jiang Ning could not escape his death tribulation.
• Travelers at Ten Mile Town discussed the unrest in Guangning Prefecture, Ji Mingzhou's campaign against the sects, and the danger awaiting Jiang Ning, while news of his departure spread.
• Above the clouds, Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue enjoyed the flight until Cloud Crane suddenly flipped and dropped Ji Mingyue into Jiang Ning's arms.

Shen Wenyuan sought help from retired martial expert Wang Wenzong as Guangning Prefecture faced the Heaven Response Alliance’s ultimatum against the Zhuge Family. Wang Wenzong received Shen and Ye Zhengqi but had not yet agreed to intervene.

• Zhu Huaijin and Liu Teng argued over whether Guangning Prefecture should risk fighting the Heaven Response Alliance to save the Zhuge Family, while Shen Wenyuan decided to ask Wang Wenzong for help.
• Shen Wenyuan told Ye Zhengqi that the provincial inspector could not provide aid and that Wang Wenzong was their only hope of breaking the deadlock.
• Shen Wenyuan and Ye Zhengqi traveled through the snow to Wang Wenzong’s residence, where a child let them in.
• Wang Wenzong welcomed Shen Wenyuan with wine, and Ye Zhengqi noticed the retired elder’s unusual vitality and bright eyes.

Jiang Ning arrived in Guangning Prefecture with Ji Mingyue as Shen Wenyuan prepared to oppose the Heaven Response Alliance’s campaign against Zhuge Villa. He concealed his recovery from the Curse while planning to let others believe his condition was worsening, and the chapter ended with him inspecting the progress of the Curse and his skills.

• Shen Wenyuan persuaded Wang Wenzong to support the defense of Zhuge Villa by offering help for the child’s fatal Three Yang Severed Pulse, then set out with Ye Zhengqi.
• Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue arrived in Guangning Prefecture on the Imperial Clan’s Cloud Shadow Crane and met Shen Wenyuan and Ye Zhengqi in the snow.
• Shen Wenyuan told Jiang Ning that the Heaven Response Alliance had crushed or pressured local sects and killed a Zhuge Family grandmaster, while Wang Wenzong had agreed to help confront it.
• Jiang Ning explained that the Curse had spread into his internal organs but insisted on assisting Guangning Prefecture, reinforcing the impression that he was gravely ill.
• After dinner, Jiang Ning inspected the Curse’s damage and his skill progress, noting that Great Sun Essence Qi could heal him but choosing not to use it so others would continue to believe he was deteriorating.