Chapter Summaries

Fang Xiao’s natal Guiyi Gu fused its seal with the Primordial Sword Embryo’s mana imprint, transforming his Golden Core and mana into Primordial Unity. The change also united his spells and divine abilities into a new sword, leaving him to explore an unprecedented cultivation path.

• Fang Xiao analyzed why his living natal Guiyi Gu’s seal had fused with the Primordial Sword Embryo’s mana imprint, then watched the new seal form.
• The fused seal turned Fang Xiao’s accumulated mana and supreme-grade Golden Core gray without disrupting his cultivation.
• Fang Xiao found that his gray mana could transform spells freely between different attributes without requiring mana conversion.
• The Primordial Sword Embryo’s spiritual radiance dissolved Fang Xiao’s spells, divine abilities, Five Elements Qi, and Five Qi Spirit Seeds, while leaving his cultivation method and body refinement intact.
• The Primordial Sword Embryo’s Myriad Manifestations Return to Truth method gathered Fang Xiao’s mastered spells and divine abilities into a sword of hazy immortal light.

As the True Inheritance Grand Competition began, Du Yuan coordinated a betrayal plot with allied families, who planned to open the sect-protecting grand formation after luring away three powerful cultivators. Fang Xiao prepared to attend the competition despite not reaching peak Core Formation, mindful of the threat to the Tianlan Sect.

• Du Yuan spoke with ten allied family members through dharma mirrors and assured them that Zhen Yuan was alive but possibly trapped.
• Du Yuan told the conspirators that Du Yuanjun’s connection to True Monarch Chong Yuan would secure their support, and ordered the families to open the formation when the signal came.
• The sect’s bell tolled thirty-six times, announcing that the True Inheritance Grand Competition was beginning.
• Fang Xiao ended his cultivation and reflected that his Golden Core, body, and divine soul had not reached their limits.
• Fang Xiao decided to attend the competition and left Maoqiu and the Sea-Shaking Ape Demon Cultivator to oversee the Spirit Wine while keeping Xiao Yan and Fatty Han out of the turmoil.

Fang Xiao left his cave dwelling and followed the sect’s disciples to the True Inheritance Grand Competition, where he surveyed the competitors and the empty seats reserved for the Top Ten True Inheritors. After entering the pocket realm, he headed into the competition grounds.

• Fang Xiao received a message from Ling Taichu, thanked his master, and left the Heavenly Outer Heaven.
• Fang Xiao followed streams of disciples toward the competition platform, outpacing them as they speculated about his cultivation.
• Fang Xiao observed the sky screen and saw more than fifty occupied jade pillars, while the Top Ten True Inheritors’ seats remained empty.
• Fang Xiao crossed the Forbidden Array with his Identity Token and entered the pocket realm.

Fang Xiao entered the grotto-heaven for the True Inheritance Grand Competition and claimed a seat reserved for one of the Top Ten True Inheritors, openly inviting anyone who objected to fight him. His bold move drew attention from disciples and hidden Nascent Soul Cultivators, including Feng Yuan and Du Yuan, as tensions between the family and Master-Disciple lineages surfaced.

• Disciples outside the Forbidden Array identified Fang Xiao as Ancestor Ling’s personal disciple and debated whether he was strong enough to challenge for the Top Ten.
• Fang Xiao entered the grotto-heaven and flew past the outer jade pillars toward the central seats.
• Fang Xiao sat in a seat belonging to a Top Ten True Inheritor, shocking the gathered disciples and True Inheritances.
• When a True Inheritance warned him, Fang Xiao said he knew whose seat it was and challenged anyone who refused to accept his claim to fight him.
• Hidden Nascent Soul Cultivators discussed Fang Xiao’s arrogance, and Du Yuan rebuked Feng Yuan after he criticized the young cultivator.

Fang Xiao faced five Feng Family disciples who confronted him for sitting among the Top Ten True Inheritors, and he left the spectators stunned by blocking Feng Quan’s powerful spear strike while remaining seated.

• Feng Yuan quietly prepared something as Du Yuan watched Fang Xiao, while Fang Xiao sensed the ten Nascent Soul Cultivators observing him.
• Five Feng Family disciples flew into the grotto-heaven and charged toward Fang Xiao, prompting the Nascent Soul Cultivators to suspect Feng Yuan had sent them to target him.
• Feng Quan and Feng Li confronted Fang Xiao over his jade pillar, and Fang Xiao refused to move despite their threats.
• Feng Quan attacked Fang Xiao with a heavy spear, but Fang Xiao blocked it with one hand while sitting cross-legged, shocking the watching disciples.

Fang Xiao defeated Feng Quan after Feng Quan unleashed the Fierce Tiger Soul, then invoked Tianlan Sect’s rules to stop Feng Yuan from punishing him. The Feng family withdrew for now, and Fang Xiao’s standing among the disciples rose.

• Feng Quan used the Fierce Tiger Soul to boost his strength to the threshold of a Nascent Soul Body Refiner, but Fang Xiao held him back with his sword.
• Fang Xiao pierced Feng Quan’s chest with a sword strike and shattered the tiger phantom when Feng Quan left his center undefended.
• Feng Yuan tried to punish Fang Xiao, but Fang Xiao cited the sect rules, and a Nascent Soul cultivator backed him.
• Fang Xiao challenged Du Yuan’s claim that Feng Quan had acted righteously, and Feng Yuan took the gravely wounded Feng Quan away after receiving a voice transmission.
• Feng Li and the other three moved away from Fang Xiao, while disciples outside the grotto-heaven praised him and accepted his place among the Top Ten True Inheritors.

Fang Xiao met Tianlan Sect’s Holy Son and Holy Maiden, Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue, when they came to join the True Inheritance Grand Competition despite being only at mid Core Formation. Their conversation revealed their resolve to defend the sect, their Dao-companion bond, and Li Manshan’s powerful family ties.

• Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue entered the grotto-heaven and went straight to Fang Xiao, who stood to greet them.
• They revealed themselves as the Holy Son and Holy Maiden, startling the disciples who had expected those titles to belong to Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Fang Xiao raised a soundproof barrier and asked why they had come, while disciples outside speculated about the trio.
• Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue said they had come to stand with their fellow Tianlan Sect disciples and protect the sect’s inheritance.
• Jiang Qinyue told Fang Xiao that Yuan Chen was rebuilding his cultivation under Li Manshan’s father, a Spirit Transformation cultivator, and revealed that Li Manshan was his biological son.

Fang Xiao learned that Tianlan Sect planned to draw out the Eastern Domain’s hostile forces while preparing for a battle involving the Deity Transformation cultivators. Meanwhile, Dan Mingzi, Chong Yuanzi, and Lin Qi received unexpected support from King Gan of the Central Plains Royal Court, who agreed only to repay a favor and refused to risk his life.

• Fang Xiao learned from Li Manshan that Tianlan Sect had dealt with the Gongye Family and Shangqing Sect, and that True Monarch Ziyan had secretly arrived in the Eastern Domain after advancing to mid-stage Deity Transformation.
• Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue took two vacant seats among the Top Ten True Inheritors, while the other True Inheritors stayed seated and avoided a confrontation.
• Dan Mingzi, Chong Yuanzi, and Lin Qi waited at a hidden teleportation formation for promised reinforcements from the Central Lands.
• King Gan of the Central Plains Royal Court emerged alone from the formation, and Dan Mingzi apologized for appearing dissatisfied.
• Lin Qi told King Gan to keep Li Mobai and Qin Qing occupied while the Eastern Domain forces destroyed Tianlan Sect’s people and killed Ling Taichu, but King Gan said he would not risk his life.

As the Tianlan Sect’s True Inheritance Grand Competition began, Qing Yuan exposed the family lineage’s planned betrayal and ordered the disciples to attack them. Du Yuan and Du Yuanjun launched their rebellion anyway, and the competition grotto-heaven erupted into battle.

• King Gan agreed to accompany Lin Qi, Chong Yuanzi, and their allies to the Tianlan Sect, while warning that he would withdraw if their plan failed.
• Fang Xiao learned that Gu Yunxiu had been sent to another Cultivation World to avoid fighting against the Gu Family.
• Qing Yuan announced that the True Lord had changed the competition and revealed that the family lineage intended to betray the Tianlan Sect.
• After receiving word that the Xuanyuan Sect had begun its move, Du Yuan instructed Feng Yuan and another man to notify the family disciples to act.
• Du Yuan and Qing Yuan’s factions attacked each other, while Du Yuanjun ambushed Fu Beichen and the disciples joined the fighting.

Tianlan Sect prepared for an assault by three sects while traitorous family-lineage disciples fought the Master-Disciple lineage inside the grotto-heaven. Fang Xiao secretly protected Tianlan Sect's disciples, and Du Yuan prepared to break away and target the Holy Son and Holy Maiden.

• Yi Tianhe voiced concern for the True Disciples, but Li Mobai and Qin Qing assured him that preparations had been made, while Ling Taichu led the four elders to confront the three sects.
• Yi Tianhe stayed behind to coordinate the sect's defenses as Li Mobai, Qin Qing, Ling Taichu, and Purple Flame left the True Spirit Hall.
• Inside the grotto-heaven, the two lineages fought, while Du Yuan's hidden Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivation helped his group hold off Qing Yuan and the other Nascent Soul Cultivators.
• Fang Xiao concealed himself with the Void Cutter Sword and secretly killed family-lineage True Inheritors while monitoring Du Yuan and protecting the outnumbered disciples.
• Du Yuan ordered his companions to attack the True Inheritors and capture the Holy Son and Holy Maiden while he held Qing Yuan's group back; Feng Yuan vowed to kill Ling Taichu's disciples.

Du Yuan trapped Qing Yuan and six others in a damaged crimson tower while Feng Yuan and Li pursued the battle against the Tianlan Sect’s True Inheritors. Feng Yuan’s attempt to kill Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue was interrupted by a hidden attacker whose strike destroyed his strongest shield, forcing him to flee.

• Du Yuan poured mana into his damaged crimson tower, trapping Qing Yuan and six others in crimson mist filled with resentful souls and Crimson Thunder.
• Feng Yuan searched for Fang Xiao but found no trace of him, so he and Li turned their attention to the Holy Son, Holy Maiden, and other True Inheritors.
• Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue continued fighting together, killed two Named True Inheritors, and had already eliminated six family-lineage Named True Inheritors.
• Feng Yuan charged toward Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue, reveling in the prospect of killing Heavenly Talents and sensing his stagnant cultivation begin to loosen.
• A hidden attacker struck Feng Yuan and cleaved his High-grade Magic Treasure shield in two, so he shouted a warning and fled toward his companions.

Fang Xiao killed Feng Yuan and captured his Nascent Soul, then accepted the surrender of most of the family-faction True Disciples. As Fang Xiao turned to deal with the Du Yuanjuns, Du Yuan blew up the ruined tower that was trapping Qing Yuan and the others.

• Fang Xiao killed Feng Yuan's Li-surnamed companion, seized the man's Nascent Soul, and destroyed his High-grade Magic Treasure shield.
• Feng Yuan begged Fang Xiao for mercy and offered information, but Fang Xiao killed him and captured his Nascent Soul for Soul Searching.
• Shocked True Disciples surrendered, and Fang Xiao ordered those claiming innocence to bind their cultivation and await the sect's judgment.
• Most family-faction True Disciples, including a Top Ten True Inheritor, surrendered, while Fang Xiao prepared to deal with the two Du Yuanjuns.
• Du Yuan, struggling to keep Qing Yuan and the other Nascent Soul cultivators trapped, drove the ruined tower to its limit and caused it to explode.

Fang Xiao recognized the shattered tower’s base as a Buddhist treasure releasing countless resentful ghosts and moved to contain it before Qing Yuan and the other Nascent Soul cultivators perished. Du Yuan used a hidden talisman to awaken Chong Yuanzi’s divided soul in Du Yuanjun, but Chong Yuanzi seized Du Yuanjun’s body and killed Du Yuan, leaving Fang Xiao to face the unleashed threat.

• Du Yuan detonated the tower, releasing resentful ghosts from its Swastika-engraved base and endangering Qing Yuan and six other Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Fang Xiao recognized the base as a damaged Buddhist treasure and noticed the Soul Nurturing Gourd reacting to it.
• Du Yuan and Du Yuanjun discussed their desperate gamble as Fang Xiao blocked their route to the grotto-heaven’s exit.
• Du Yuan extracted a Spirit Suppressing Talisman from Du Yuanjun, and Chong Yuanzi’s divided soul took over Du Yuanjun’s body, transforming him.
• Chong Yuanzi revealed that he had erased Du Yuanjun’s soul to make a transformation body, then burned Du Yuan and his Nascent Soul to ash.

Purple Flame arrived in the Eastern Domain and joined Tianlan Sect’s defenders, forcing the attackers to split into two battles. Inside Tianlan Sect’s True Inheritors’ grotto-heaven, Fang Xiao recognized Du Yuanjun’s body as True Monarch Chong Yuan’s powerful incarnation and sent the Nascent Soul Dao Sword into the crimson mist to help contain the danger.

• Lin Qi, Dan Mingzi, and Chong Yuanzi were surprised to find Purple Flame and Tianlan Sect’s defenders waiting to intercept them, while King Gan made clear he would only honor his agreement to hold off Li Mobai and Qin Qing.
• King Gan challenged Li Mobai and Qin Qing, and the three flew into the nine heavens to fight.
• Chong Yuanzi agreed to engage Purple Flame while Dan Mingzi and Lin Qi tried to kill Ling Taichu quickly.
• Ling Taichu attacked the three before they could finish discussing their plan, and they retaliated together.
• Fang Xiao learned that Du Yuanjun had become True Monarch Chong Yuan’s incarnation, then sent the Nascent Soul Dao Sword into the crimson clouds and mist to help restrain the resentful souls.

Fang Xiao faced Chong Yuanzi at the sealed grotto-heaven entrance until Li Mobai and Qin Qing intervened, then rushed to save Qing Yuan and the others. As he fought through resentful souls near the Swastika Pagoda Base, he discovered that the Nascent Soul Dao Sword could absorb a purified substance left behind by the souls it killed.

• Chong Yuanzi attacked Fang Xiao and sealed the grotto-heaven entrance, then offered to spare him if he became his disciple.
• Fang Xiao refused Chong Yuanzi’s offer indirectly and tried to learn how he planned to destroy Tianlan Sect, but Chong Yuanzi saw through his probing and attacked again.
• Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue revealed that Li Mobai and Qin Qing’s divine sense fragments had been protecting the disciples, and the two patriarchs confronted Chong Yuanzi.
• Li Mobai sent Fang Xiao to rescue Qing Yuan and the others, and Fang Xiao charged into the crimson clouds with the Nascent Soul Dao Sword.
• Fang Xiao discovered that the sword left behind a red substance when it killed resentful souls, then used Primordial Immortal Light to purify it.
• The Nascent Soul Dao Sword absorbed the purified substance, and Fang Xiao turned his attention toward the Swastika Pagoda Base.

Fang Xiao suppressed the Swastika Pagoda Base, ended the threat of Du Yuan’s resentful souls, and discovered the Soul Nurturing Gourd could refine the artifact. He then joined the battle against Chong Yuanzi as Li Mobai and Qin Qing faced the limits of their possessed bodies and the risk of losing their descendants.

• Fang Xiao endured Crimson Thunder and the resentful souls while advancing toward the Swastika Pagoda Base, replenishing his spiritual power with Spirit Milk Wine.
• Fang Xiao used the Nascent Soul Dao Sword to seal the base’s opening and gathered the scattered crimson objects.
• Fang Xiao discovered that the Soul Nurturing Gourd could suppress the Swastika Pagoda Base and appeared capable of refining it.
• Fang Xiao cleared away the remaining ghosts and reunited with Qing Yuan and the other six, who thanked him for saving them.
• Fang Xiao approached Li Mobai and Qin Qing as they battered Chong Yuanzi, who taunted them that their possession would soon end.
• Li Mobai and Qin Qing hesitated to seize bodies and become avatars because doing so could ruin Li Manshan and Jiang Qinyue’s cultivation and future.

Fang Xiao, Li Mobai, and Qin Qing gambled on a coordinated attack to break Chong Yuanzi’s advantage, but his Heart Protecting Mirror stopped Fang Xiao’s sword strike. As another danger emerged from the jade-white gourd before Fang Xiao, Chong Yuanzi hurried to raise barriers, unable to summon another magic treasure.

• Fang Xiao told Li Mobai about Ling Taichu’s sword-dao technique, and Li Mobai explained Chong Yuanzi’s artifact abilities and the need for two powerful attacks.
• Fang Xiao and Li Mobai secretly planned a desperate gamble, and Qin Qing sensed their intentions through their shared cultivation.
• Li Mobai and Qin Qing feigned retreat, then struck Chong Yuanzi with a spear and halberd, breaking his restraining arts and worsening his injuries.
• Fang Xiao released an azure sword strike that Chong Yuanzi’s Heart Protecting Mirror blocked.
• Chong Yuanzi sensed another threat from Fang Xiao’s jade-white gourd and began raising barriers, having reached his limit for summoned magic treasures.

Fang Xiao killed Chong Yuanzi’s avatar with an enhanced Great White Sword Threads strike, ending the threat to Tianlan Sect’s True Disciples. Afterward, the disciples hailed Fang Xiao as Chief Senior Brother, and he accepted their salutations.

• Chong Yuanzi frantically raised defenses, but Fang Xiao unleashed the Great White Sword Threads infused with the Primordial Sword Embryo’s divine power and cleaved him in two.
• Fang Xiao found that the attack had damaged the Great White Sword Pellet and destabilized the Sword Nurturing Gourd, and he considered how to prevent similar damage in the future.
• Chong Yuanzi’s death ended the plot against Tianlan Sect’s True Disciples, and the disciples and Nascent Soul cultivators celebrated their survival.
• Qing Yuan and the other Nascent Soul cultivators thanked Fang Xiao, while Fang Xiao credited the sect’s Martial Ancestors and his fellow disciples.
• Li Manshan praised Fang Xiao before the gathered disciples, who hailed him as Chief Senior Brother, and Fang Xiao accepted the title.

Fang Xiao rallied the True Disciples to fight for Tianlan Sect and broke Chong Yuanzi’s restrictions to open a path out of the grotto-heaven. Outside, the leaders of the invading sects discussed their failed plots and waited for an informant to act.

• Fang Xiao accepted the chief True Disciple position and rallied the disciples to quell the rebels and drive off the invaders.
• Fang Xiao used the Void Cutter Sword and spatial power to destroy Chong Yuanzi’s restrictions without damaging the grotto-heaven entrance.
• More than thirty Nascent Soul Cultivators and over a thousand Core Formation cultivators from the Three Sects of the Eastern Domain gathered outside Tianlan Sect.
• Chi Xuzi reported that Xuanyuan Sect’s informant had found no chance to act and that Tianlan Sect had captured the family lineage rebels.
• Chang Qingzi, Chi Xuzi, and Yuan Ye discussed Fang Xiao’s role in foiling Du Yuan’s plot and questioned how long their informant would take to complete the task.

Chi Xuzi received news that Xu Jinzhong had prepared the Tianlan Sect for an attack, and the Three Sects planned to move against it the next day. At the sect, Fang Xiao discussed the threat of hidden spies and asked about the Spirit Transformation battle, which remained deadlocked except for Chong Yuanzi, who faced the greatest danger against Purple Flame.

• Chi Xuzi read a Jade Slip from Xu Jinzhong and told Chang Qingzi and Yuan Ye to prepare for an attack on the Tianlan Sect the next day.
• Fang Xiao joined Yi Tianhe in the True Spirit Hall as an adviser after helping resolve the true disciples' crisis and demonstrating Nascent Soul level strength.
• Fang Xiao warned Yi Tianhe that the Three Sects might have hidden schemes, and Yi Tianhe explained that he planned to draw out spies among the Tianlan Sect's Nascent Soul Cultivators.
• Fang Xiao asked Yi Tianhe about the sect's True Lords and learned that their battle against the opposing forces remained at a stalemate.
• Fang Xiao believed Ling Taichu was protected by the Five Peaks True Form Diagram, while Chong Yuanzi was in the greatest danger against Purple Flame.