Chapter Summaries

Fang Xiao was tracked by the Xuan Shi Sect and caught by a Nascent Soul Cultivator, who paralyzed him with Corpse Poison and threatened to turn him into a Living Corpse. Fang Xiao suppressed the poison and fought back with Ling Taichu’s Dharma Form Projection, but a Demon Corpse blocked the attack as the cultivator approached; Fang Xiao prepared to escape with a Teleportation Talisman.

• Fang Xiao realized the Xuan Shi Sect had tracked him through Corpse Qi left by its disciples and fled after killing two Golden Core Cultivators.
• A Nascent Soul Cultivator caught Fang Xiao with Corpse Poison and said he would turn him into a Living Corpse for use against the Ice Soul Sect.
• Fang Xiao used Primordial Yang Qi and the Primordial Sword Embryo’s purifying power to suppress the poison and restore his ability to move.
• Fang Xiao summoned Ling Taichu’s Dharma Form Projection, and its Jianmu phantom forced the Nascent Soul Cultivator back and pinned him in place.
• The cultivator released a Demon Corpse from a Corpse Raising Coffin, and it held back the Jianmu projection while its master advanced toward Fang Xiao.
• Fang Xiao readied the sword talisman in his palm and decided to use the Teleportation Talisman if the cultivator resisted another attack.

Fang Xiao used a second Jianmu Dharma Form to escape while fighting a Nascent Soul cultivator of the Xuan Shi Sect. The cultivator survived by abandoning his body, but his Demon Corpse devoured his Nascent Soul, leaving Fang Xiao unaware that his pursuer was dead.

• Fang Xiao summoned a second Jianmu Dharma Form, forcing the Nascent Soul cultivator to retreat and summon a monstrous insect Dharma Form fused with his bonded spirit pearl.
• Fang Xiao sent the Jianmu Dharma Form crashing down and fled south with a Teleportation Talisman ready, while the cultivator used his insect Dharma Form and other defenses to resist.
• The Jianmu crushed the cultivator’s defenses, and he self-destructed his body before escaping as a Nascent Soul with a Storage Bracelet.
• The Demon Corpse destroyed the weakened Jianmu Dharma Form, then seized and devoured the cultivator when he tried to command it.
• The masterless Demon Corpse departed toward the Xuan Shi Sect as Fang Xiao continued fleeing, unaware that his pursuer had died.

True Monarch Wansheng delayed Nan Kong and Nan Xuan while Nie Ying prepared to act, giving Fang Xiao time to flee toward the North Sea. Just as Fang Xiao neared the coast, a Spirit Transformation cultivator’s giant hand descended and left him unable to resist.

• True Monarch Wansheng harassed Nan Kong and Nan Xuan, then told Nie Ying to make her move.
• Nan Xuan stayed behind to confront True Monarch Wansheng while Nan Kong continued after Fang Xiao.
• Nie Ying approached a crystal-palace-like cluster of buildings with a five-colored talisman in her hand.
• Fang Xiao fled toward the North Sea while struggling to suppress the Corpse Poison in his body.
• A Spirit Transformation cultivator’s pressure shattered Fang Xiao’s escape light, and a giant hand formed from spiritual energy reached down to seize him.

Fang Xiao escaped Nan Kong's capture with a Teleportation Talisman, but the Spirit Mirror of Cold tracked his trail while the Ice Soul Sect came under attack. Nan Kong returned to defend the sect, where Nie Ying continued searching its grotto-heavens with the enthralled Lan Yue.

• Fang Xiao used sword intent to activate his Teleportation Talisman and vanished before Nan Kong's giant hand struck the ice.
• Nan Kong ordered the Spirit Mirror of Cold to track Fang Xiao, then received Nan Xuan's message that the Ice Soul Sect was under attack.
• The Spirit Mirror of Cold located Fang Xiao a million li south, but Nan Kong chose to return to the sect rather than continue the pursuit.
• Nie Ying bombarded the restrictions protecting a grotto-heaven while Lan Yue told her that only the resource sites and the two True Lords' grotto-heavens remained unvisited.
• Nie Ying ordered Lan Yue to activate the Mountain Protection Array at full power and bar everyone from entering, including Nan Xuan and Nan Kong.

Fang Xiao escaped pursuit by activating an ancient teleportation array, while the Ice Soul Sect was devastated and the conflict among the North Sea and demonic sects ended with Corrosive Heart’s death. The other side of Fang Xiao’s teleportation remained unknown as he faced an unexpected development.

• Fang Xiao discovered a teleportation array beneath a sea whale, prepared his defenses, and activated it after informing Li Mobai.
• Nie Ying escaped the Ice Soul Sect after looting its cave-heavens, and Lan Yue destroyed herself while damaging the sect-protecting formation.
• Nan Xuan and Nan Kong found the Ice Soul Sect stripped of its foundations, then confronted Illusion Nightmare True Monarch over the attack.
• Nan Xuan and Nan Kong wounded Illusion Nightmare, and Six Desires returned to the Ice Plains while Corrosive Heart stayed behind and was killed by Li Mobai, Purple Flame, and Qin Qing.
• Six Desires withdrew his sect from the North Sea, leaving the Ice Soul Sect weakened and the Beimíng Sword Sect stronger.
• Fang Xiao arrived at an unknown destination and became troubled by a sudden development.

Fang Xiao found himself stranded in a remote mountain range after the teleportation array that brought him there shattered. He sealed himself in the abandoned cave dwelling and began using the Lunar Body Refinement Technique to purge his Corpse Poison while accumulating Primordial Yang Qi.

• Fang Xiao inspected the abandoned cave dwelling, but the teleportation array collapsed into irreparable fragments as soon as he stepped off its platform.
• Fang Xiao explored the surrounding million li and found only mountains and ordinary wildlife, with no sign of people or demon beasts.
• Fang Xiao returned to the cave dwelling, confirmed the area was safe, and sealed it to prepare for treating his Corpse Poison.
• Fang Xiao set up an array that drew Lunar Moon Essence into the cave at night and used Primordial Yang Creation during the day to condense Primordial Yang Qi.
• Fang Xiao continued the nightly cultivation as vegetation gradually covered the cave entrance again.

After five years of using Corpse Poison to temper his vital essence, Fang Xiao broke through to a Body Refining realm comparable to late Core Formation and gained Immunity to All Poisons. He left his cave after consolidating his realm, with his escape speed approaching that of a Nascent Soul cultivator and his sword light nearing Refining Sword into Silk.

• Fang Xiao discovered that Lunar Moon Essence purified Corpse Poison into exceptionally pure vital essence, so he used Essence Blood Wine to replenish the poison and temper his body over five years.
• Fang Xiao merged Lunar Moon Essence with Primordial Yang Qi to break through his physical bottleneck, advancing to a Body Refining realm equivalent to late Core Formation and raising the Five Qi Cultivating Immortal Scripture to the late third layer.
• Fang Xiao sensed that Immunity to All Poisons was causing the Corpse Poison to disappear, so he extracted and stored the remaining poison for future use.
• After consolidating his breakthrough for a month, Fang Xiao left the cave and flew away at a speed comparable to a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.
• Fang Xiao's sword light had become as thin as a cicada's wing, bringing him close to completing the first stage of Refining Sword into Silk.

Fang Xiao traveled through a vast mountain range, discovered evidence of a destroyed settlement, and encountered unfamiliar humans besieged by snake demons. He intervened just as their colossal Snake King prepared to attack, leaving him facing the monster.

• Fang Xiao flew south through the mountains, found a ruined human settlement, and recovered strange scrolls whose writing he could not read.
• Fang Xiao sensed people surrounded by a horde of snake demons and approached while concealing his presence.
• Fang Xiao observed the besieged humans fighting alongside insect beasts and inferred that they followed an unfamiliar cultivation system.
• A hidden Snake King grew into a colossal python and cleared space among the snakes to approach its prey.
• Fang Xiao revealed himself, shielded the humans with Five Elements Primordial Magnetic Divine Light, and turned to confront the Snake King.

Fang Xiao fought the Snake King, whose powerful body could rapidly heal, and destroyed its flesh with Lunar Sword Light while preserving its Demon Soul, Demon Core, and bones. He then froze the remaining snakes across the valley, leaving the language barrier with the rescued people unresolved.

• Fang Xiao realized he could not understand the people he had rescued, but turned to face the charging Snake King.
• Fang Xiao's sword lights wounded the Snake King but could not cut through its bones, and its Indestructible Body quickly healed its wounds.
• Fang Xiao used Lunar Sword Light to destroy the Snake King's body while preserving its Demon Soul, Demon Core, and bones.
• The Snake King's surviving followers grew agitated and prepared to swarm Fang Xiao.
• Fang Xiao spread extreme cold through the valley and froze the entire snake swarm solid.

Fang Xiao studied the Gu Dao system in Qingshi Village and learned that its elders wanted him to leave because the Eight Great Tribes ordered cultivators killed or reported. The chapter ended with Sang Wu and Sang Mo beginning to explain the tribes’ longstanding rule, whose reason they did not know.

• Fang Xiao questioned Sangma about the world beyond Qingshi Village and learned it was a branch of the Qingmiao Tribe, one of the Eight Great Tribes of the Five Miao and Three Man.
• Fang Xiao used the Spiritual Eye Technique to examine villagers and concluded that most lacked spiritual roots, yet Gu insects could grant them strength comparable to Qi Condensation cultivators.
• Sangma led Fang Xiao to a meeting with Sang Wu and Sang Mo, who asked whether he was a cultivator.
• Fang Xiao admitted that he was an immortal cultivator, and Sang Wu and Sang Mo solemnly asked him to leave Qingshi Village.
• Sang Wu and Sang Mo told Fang Xiao that the Eight Great Tribes had long ordered cultivators killed or reported, though they did not know why.

After leaving Qingshi Village, Fang Xiao studied scrolls from a ruin and discovered they contained a foundational inheritance of the Gu Master path. He considered using the method to disguise himself as a Gu Master and began thinking about acquiring Gu insects for experiments.

• Sang Wu and Sang Mo let Fang Xiao leave Qingshi Village, then decided they would report his presence to the Qingmiao Tribe.
• Fang Xiao found a mountain cave and weighed the dangers of contacting Gu Masters or using Soul Searching to learn about the realm.
• Fang Xiao spent eight days deciphering the scrolls and discovered they described how people became Gu Masters, how Gu insects were nurtured, and how they advanced through the Third Order.
• Fang Xiao learned that a Gu insect could substitute for a spiritual root but would prevent its host from following the later stages of qi cultivation.
• Fang Xiao decided that becoming a Gu Master might help conceal his identity and set his sights on Qingshi Village to obtain Gu insects for experiments.

Fang Xiao secretly searched Qingshi Village for its Gu-breeding grounds and planned to follow three children who were about to receive Gu insects. Meanwhile, a group of powerful third-tier Gu Masters from the Qingmiao Tribe flew toward the village to confront him, though Tu wanted to face the cultivator alone.

• Fang Xiao decided to steal larval Gu insects and observe Qingshi Village's breeding methods rather than kill villagers for their Gu.
• Fang Xiao watched the village, confirmed Sang Wu and Sang Mo had not detected him, and searched their homes and the rest of the village without finding the breeding grounds.
• Fang Xiao learned that three children were about to be implanted with Gu insects and planned to follow them to discover where the insects were raised.
• A six-winged giant insect carried five third-tier Gu Masters from the Qingmiao Tribe toward Qingshi Village.
• Tu asked to fight Fang Xiao alone, but the white-haired man warned that they should attack together because the cultivator was unusually strong.

Luonan agreed to let Tu Mang challenge the cultivator while Bai Ling relied on a Spirit Devouring Worm for support. Meanwhile, Fang Xiao followed Sang Wu to the hidden cave, watched the children undergo Gu implantation, and entered after disabling the cave’s guardian Gu worm.

• Bai Ling showed Luonan and Tu Mang a third-tier Spirit Devouring Worm, and Luonan agreed to let Tu Mang make the first move under his orders.
• Fang Xiao followed Sang Wu and three children from Qingshi Village to a concealed cave beneath a hill.
• After three days, Sang Wu emerged with the unconscious children, each bearing a different Gu worm attached to their heart.
• Fang Xiao waited for Sang Wu to leave, then used his thought sword to incapacitate the Gu worm concealing the entrance.
• Fang Xiao entered the underground cave by its stone stairway.

Fang Xiao explored Qingshi Village’s hidden Gu nests and began experimenting with captured insects to disguise himself as a Gu Master. Meanwhile, Sang Wu returned to the village, where Luonan and his group arrived from the Qingmiao Tribe and summoned him and Sang Mo.

• Fang Xiao found three nests of Yanliu Gu, Fuliou Gu, and Qingshi Gu built on Core Formation demonic beast carcasses around a spirit spring.
• Fang Xiao subdued the attacking Gu insects with his Core Formation aura and seized nine insects at different life stages for experiments.
• Fang Xiao began testing whether he could forge a new path and use a Gu Master identity to hide himself and infiltrate the Eight Great Tribes.
• Sang Wu returned to Qingshi Village and settled the three unconscious children before sensing a powerful aura approaching.
• Luonan and his group arrived on a six-winged giant insect and called Sang Wu and Sang Mo to meet them; the two men flew up to answer.

Bi Yun and Bi Tao tracked Fang Xiao’s aura from the bamboo house in Qingshi Village and discovered he was still nearby. The group set out to pursue him.

• Bi Tao questioned Sang Wu and Sang Mo about the cultivator, and Sang Wu said the man had left because he was too powerful to confront.
• Bai Ling defended the Sang brothers, and Sang Wu led the envoys to the bamboo house where Fang Xiao had stayed.
• Bi Yun and Bi Tao used Catching Wind and Tracing Shadows and Spider Silk Horse Tracks to collect two auras from the house.
• The trackers followed one aura to Sangma, whom Sang Wu identified as his grandniece, then used the other aura to locate Fang Xiao.
• Bi Yun confirmed Fang Xiao was not far from Qingshi Village and told the group they had found him.

Fang Xiao abandoned his attempts to disguise his cultivation with Qingshi Village’s Gu worms and fled when Sang Wu and Sang Mo arrived with Luonan’s group. As the Qingmiao Tribe’s envoys moved to capture him, Sang Wu and Sang Mo stayed behind to protect the village’s breeding grounds, which Fang Xiao had only partially raided.

• Fang Xiao crushed a Yanliu Gu after concluding that ordinary Gu worms could not conceal his Core Formation cultivation, and considered making a Gu worm his natal Gu or refining an insect artifact from a high-quality third-rank worm.
• Sensing Sang Wu and Sang Mo approaching with others, Fang Xiao seized over a hundred Gu worms and escaped from the cavern.
• Bi Yun’s directions led Luonan’s group to Qingshi Village’s breeding grounds, where Bai Ling slowed Fang Xiao’s escape and Tu Mang charged at him.
• Sang Wu and Sang Mo inspected the cavern and found that the mother worms and breeding environment were intact, with fewer than thirty percent of the Gu worms missing.
• Sang Wu told Sang Mo to stay and guard Qingshi Village rather than help the Qingmiao Tribe’s envoys pursue Fang Xiao, and Sang Mo agreed.

Fang Xiao fought five Gu Masters after their space-type Gu worm trapped him, testing his physical strength against Tu Mang and overpowering the group’s attacks. He continued pressing his advantage while noticing that Bai Ling and Luonan wielded unusually powerful Gu worms.

• Fang Xiao cut through the Space Force confining him and decided to kill the Gu Masters for their third-rank Gu worms.
• Bai Ling warned Tu Mang as he charged Fang Xiao, but Fang Xiao met his greatsword with the Void Cutter Sword and sent him flying, nearly splitting his weapon.
• Luonan ordered the others to attack together and protect Tu Mang as Fang Xiao sent countless sword lights after him.
• Fang Xiao flicked aside Bi Tao’s attack and pierced Bi Yun’s Illusion Dream Butterfly with the Thought Sword, grievously damaging her natal Gu worm.
• Bai Ling’s Gu worm began draining Fang Xiao’s mana, while Luonan’s multicolored Gu worm unleashed a barrage of powerful offensive techniques.

Fang Xiao studied Luonan’s multielement Gu art and decided to capture him and his insect, but Tu Mang revealed a fourth-rank Gu Master’s battle intent. Fang Xiao’s sword intent defeated it, and he killed Tu Mang while the remaining four were left pinned by the clashing realms of intent.

• Fang Xiao used the Five Elements Primordial Magnetic Divine Light to overwhelm Luonan’s Gu art, then preserved its remnants to study how its different elemental powers coexisted.
• Fang Xiao decided to capture Luonan and his Gu insect, believing its innate ability could help him understand how to unite different arts.
• Tu Mang released battle intent bearing the aura of a fourth-rank Gu Master, repelling Fang Xiao’s Void Cutter Sword light.
• Fang Xiao summoned a Dao sword, and its realm of intent clashed against the insect phantom’s battle intent, knocking Tu Mang unconscious.
• Fang Xiao severed Tu Mang’s head from his body and used a thought-sword to incapacitate the escaping Gu insects.
• The four surviving companions struggled under the pressure of the clashing realms of intent and could not flee.

Fang Xiao survived the clash between his sword intent and Tu Mang’s insect shadow, while Luonan and his allies regained control of themselves. Luonan began preparing the Qingmiao Tribe’s Three Wonders Technique to kill Fang Xiao and take his Golden Core, as Fang Xiao readied his sword gourd.

• After Tu Mang died, his unstable insect shadow impaled itself on the Dao Sword and self-destructed, drawing Fang Xiao into a storm of sword intent and battle intent.
• The storm’s pressure collapsed, freeing Luonan, Bai Ling, Bi Yun, and Bi Tao, who gathered together while Fang Xiao continued subduing the remaining battle intent.
• Luonan refused to retreat and began using the ancestor’s Three Wonders Technique, intending to kill Fang Xiao and seize his Golden Core.
• Bai Ling, Bi Yun, and Bi Tao supported Luonan, and the technique formed a fused power of heavenly wind, extreme ice, and pulverizing thunder.
• Fang Xiao sensed the technique’s danger and readied his High-grade Magic Treasure sword gourd, which bore eighty Heavenly Dipper Restrictions.

Fang Xiao countered Luonan’s Three Oddities Gu Technique with the Great White Sword Pellet’s overwhelming sword light, then trapped its elemental domain with the Void Slaying Sword Formation. As Bai Ling began a spatial escape with Luonan and the others, Fang Xiao used his Thought Sword and the hidden Void Cutter Sword to stop them.

• Fang Xiao unleashed 512 strands of Great White Sword Light from the Sword Nurturing Gourd before Luonan could fully empower the Three Oddities Gu Technique.
• Luonan targeted Fang Xiao with the Gu technique and told Bai Ling to prepare to withdraw, while Bai Ling kept her escape technique ready.
• The Three Oddities Gu Technique burst into a domain of ice, wind, and lightning that swallowed the sword light and briefly caught Fang Xiao, injuring his left arm.
• Fang Xiao formed the Void Slaying Sword Formation to contain the domain, then charged at Luonan and his companions as the technique began to weaken.
• Bai Ling activated her Spatial Displacement Technique to take the group away, but Fang Xiao struck their minds with his Thought Sword and revealed the Void Cutter Sword behind them.