Chapter Summaries

Zhong Ming used his Water Flow Dao Rhyme to detect Shi Yun’s stealthy approach and withstand his Mandala King Snake attack. The strike failed, revealing that Zhong Ming’s water-based defense could disperse and redirect force, though it had limits.

• Zhong Ming used his detection spell, enhanced by the Water Flow Dao Rhyme, to find Shi Yun only several meters away.
• Shi Yun launched a sudden attack with his Mandala King Snake technique and a ten-meter water serpent.
• Zhong Ming tried to retreat, then raised a water barrier to block the attack.
• Shi Yun’s attack smashed the barrier, but Zhong Ming dispersed its force through the water and let the droplets carry it into the surroundings.
• Zhong Ming recalled the scattered water after the force faded, leaving Shi Yun’s strike ineffective.

Zhong Ming’s Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme awakened during his fight with Shi Yun, empowering a strike that devastated the bamboo grove and nearly overwhelmed Shi Yun. The attack drained Zhong Ming completely, leaving him determined to focus on cultivating his spiritual power.

• Zhong Ming used the water flood dragon’s aid to evade Shi Yun and travel through the air at astonishing speed.
• Zhong Ming infused Dragon Creek Sword Draw with the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme and fired an uncontrollable water droplet at Shi Yun.
• The droplet transformed into a flood dragon that tore through the bamboo grove and flew eight hundred meters before its power ran out.
• Shi Yun survived after deflecting the strike’s trajectory, and Zhong Ming collapsed from exhaustion.
• Yi Yunya supported Zhong Ming as he confirmed that his lack of spiritual power was his greatest weakness and resolved to cultivate it.

After discovering that his Water Flow Dao Resonance had removed the pill toxins from his body, Zhong Ming realized it might let him take pills without that harmful side effect. He tested the idea by swallowing a pill and observing how its medicinal power moved through his body.

• Zhong Ming suspected his Water Flow Dao Resonance had washed the pill toxins out of his body, and Xie Yushuang and the others learned of his discovery.
• Yang Chen and the others discussed how removing pill toxins could help Zhong Ming take more pills, while Lin Shuyu noted that cultivation bottlenecks and unstable foundations would still matter.
• Shi Yun reminded the group that Zhong Ming’s exceptional comprehension made cultivation-method bottlenecks unlikely to restrain him, leaving Lin Shuyu dismayed by his rapid progress.
• Zhong Ming swallowed a pill and circulated the Dragon Creek Breathing Art to test whether Water Flow could remove its toxins.
• Zhong Ming used his mind to observe the pill’s medicinal power strengthening his organs and cells, while his meridian flow carried only a small portion of the released energy.

Zhong Ming cultivated the Dragon Creek Breathing Technique while Yi Yunya persuaded Xie Yushuang that befriending him could bring great benefits. Xie Yushuang accepted Yi Yunya as her elder sister and asked her for guidance.

• Zhong Ming refined medicinal power as he cultivated and used Intent Reading to rapidly advance his Dragon Creek Breathing Technique.
• Yi Yunya praised Xie Yushuang for helping Zhong Ming and promised that he could reward her.
• Yi Yunya urged Xie Yushuang to prioritize Zhong Ming, explaining that his Dao resonance could remove pill toxins from their bodies.
• Yi Yunya warned Xie Yushuang that her family might send a more talented daughter to take her place once they learned about Zhong Ming.
• Xie Yushuang bowed to Yi Yunya, addressed her as Elder Sister, and asked her to teach her what to do.

Zhong Ming was approached by Molten Fire Peak and Green Fragrance Mountain, who tried to recruit him for the Seven Peaks Grand Competition. Though both offered rewards and argued for their strength, Zhong Ming refused to join either side.

• Lian Zhixia and Lin Yuxuan arrived at Dragon Stream Peak and argued over each other's presence before approaching Zhong Ming.
• Lin Yuxuan praised Zhong Ming's rapid advancement, while Lian Zhixia explained that Molten Fire Peak wanted to recruit him for the competition.
• Lian Zhixia offered Zhong Ming a Flying Sword discount, a chance to have Yan Chen forge one, and twenty percent of his Merit Points for Dragon Stream Peak.
• Lin Yuxuan countered with a larger share of Merit Points and discounts on pills, while Lian Zhixia claimed Molten Fire Peak was the strongest peak and the best choice.
• After Lian Zhixia and Lin Yuxuan clashed over their peaks' strength, Zhong Ming refused both offers.

Xie Yushuang rejected Green Fragrance Mountain’s recruitment and chose to join Zhong Ming at Dragon Stream Peak, angering Lin Yuxuan and leaving her future at her former peak uncertain. As Lian Zhixia laughed at Green Fragrance Mountain’s loss, Xie Yuzhu arrived to learn swordsmanship from Zhong Ming.

• Xie Yushuang invited Zhong Ming to join Dragon Stream Peak instead of helping Green Fragrance Mountain recruit him.
• Lian Zhixia and the Molten Fire Peak disciples laughed at Green Fragrance Mountain, while others speculated that Xie Yushuang had chosen Zhong Ming because she liked him.
• Lin Yuxuan accused Xie Yushuang of betraying Green Fragrance Mountain, but Xie Yushuang argued that recruiting across peaks was permitted within the Seven Mysteries Sect.
• Xie Yushuang stood by Zhong Ming despite knowing she would likely lose her core standing at Green Fragrance Mountain, influenced by Yi Yunya’s advice.
• Xie Yuzhu called out to Zhong Ming and said she had come to learn swordsmanship.

During an epiphany, Zhong Ming combined his water-related arts to derive the Dragon Creek Robe, a flowing garment of water intended to serve as external armor that could eventually advance into a Dharma Form. He confirmed it could deflect attacks and lift him into the air, though his vision for the robe remained only partly realized.

• Zhong Ming reflected on how Qi Circulating Through the Heavens could be expanded into a cycle with the outside world and imagined a lesser form of Unity of Heaven and Humanity.
• Zhong Ming rejected creating a domain or Dharma Form and instead devised a water-based robe by combining Water Affinity, Dao Rhyme · Water Flow, and the Dragon Creek Breathing Art.
• Water gathered around Zhong Ming and formed the Dragon Creek Robe, which he judged to have succeeded only halfway.
• Zhong Ming tested the robe's defense and found it could deflect more than half the force of attacks, with its droplets scattering to protect his body from stronger blows.
• Zhong Ming manipulated the robe and its flame-clouds to lift his feet off the ground and rise into the air.

Su Lingya came to propose an equal alliance between Green Fragrance Mountain and Zhong Ming for the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, but he refused because he preferred to fight alone. She left the offer open, while Yi Yunya and Xie Yushuang wondered whether Zhong Ming should reconsider.

• Su Lingya arrived with Lin Yuxuan and found Zhong Ming with Xie Yuzhu, Xie Yushuang, and Yi Yunya.
• Su Lingya proposed that Green Fragrance Mountain and Zhong Ming support each other in the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, while letting him keep all his contributions.
• Zhong Ming rejected the alliance, saying he preferred to fight alone, and Lin Yuxuan accused him of arrogance.
• Su Lingya left her offer open and reassured Xie Yushuang that Green Fragrance Mountain would welcome her back.
• Yi Yunya and Xie Yushuang looked as if they wanted to urge Zhong Ming to reconsider the alliance.

Zhong Ming advanced his Dragon Stream - Sword Drawing Technique and gained Sword Seed Nurturing, allowing him to store his power in a Sword Seed for a single explosive strike. He discovered that he could place his Water Flow Dao Rhyme in the seed and strengthen it through nurturing.

• Zhong Ming's insight into life formed a silver tree and a Sword Seed in his sea of consciousness, completing his advancement and granting him Sword Seed Nurturing.
• Zhong Ming realized he could gather his mind and soul, blood vitality, and spiritual power in the Sword Seed to unleash a strike beyond his cultivation limits.
• Zhong Ming wondered whether the Sword Seed could nurture his two Dao Rhymes and transmitted Water Flow into it.
• The Sword Seed turned blue-silver with wave patterns, and Zhong Ming felt Water Flow grow slightly stronger under its nurturing.

Zhong Ming entered the Golden Jade Tower as Yi Yunyan and Ye Cheng watched, unable to judge his strength because his aura was completely restrained. Yi Yunya relied on his confidence to secure their position ahead of the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, where Zhong Ming vowed to win and prepared to advance his cultivation method.

• Yi Yunyan and Ye Cheng observed Zhong Ming at the Golden Jade Tower and debated whether his ordinary appearance concealed great strength.
• The Yi Family disciples waited for someone else to test Zhong Ming, while Zhong Ming noticed their attention and asked Yi Yunya whether her risky plan was necessary.
• Yi Yunya said the plan's success depended on Zhong Ming taking first place in the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, and Zhong Ming promised he would win.
• Zhong Ming sensed that his cultivation, sword arts, and spells had improved enough for him to face other prodigies on equal terms.
• Zhong Ming judged that Heaven Rewards Diligence and his training could bring his cultivation method to the fourth realm within a day.

Zhong Ming studied the Illustration of the Flood Dragon with Intent Reading and the Clear Sound Spring Stone, comprehending a powerful, distinctive Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme in just twenty days. The Yi Family’s Yi Qing was impressed and glad he belonged to them, while Qin Rou and Dong Jinhai resolved to try to win him over from the Seven Mysteries Sect.

• A dragon’s roar erupted after Zhong Ming entered the area of the True Intent Diagrams, and Yi Qing dismissed it as the diagram’s intent rather than evidence of his comprehension.
• Wind and rain transformed the sky above the Golden Jade Tower, and Dong Jinhai recognized the second roar as a Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme uniquely Zhong Ming’s own.
• Qin Rou reminded Yi Qing that Zhong Ming had entered the Seven Mysteries Sect only twenty days earlier, leaving Yi Qing unable to deny his exceptional talent.
• Yi Qing felt fortunate that Zhong Ming belonged to the Yi Family, while Qin Rou and Dong Jinhai decided they would need to win him over rather than oppose the Seven Mysteries Sect.
• Zhong Ming activated Intent Reading and the Clear Sound Spring Stone before the Illustration of the Flood Dragon, and his consciousness entered a stormy vision where a black flood dragon unleashed its power.

Zhong Ming devoted himself to cultivating his techniques before the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, while Yi Yunya accepted the Jin and Qin Families’ goodwill to protect his interests. As Zhong Ming remained absorbed in training, the families around him praised his discipline and planned to invest even more in him.

• Zhong Ming aimed to bring his techniques to Minor Accomplishment and develop his third Dao Resonance before the competition.
• Yi Yunya accepted the Jin and Qin Families’ goodwill, explaining that their rivalry with the Yi Family should not make them Zhong Ming’s enemies.
• Zhong Ming asked whether Yi Yunya’s family would blame her, and she reassured him that she would bear any grievance for his sake.
• Zhong Ming trained relentlessly, leaving the Dong Family’s twins and the Qin Family’s direct daughter unable to get his attention.
• Dong Jinhai and Qin Rou praised Zhong Ming’s perseverance, and their families decided to increase their investment in him.

Lin Yuxuan complained to Mo Shuying that Zhong Ming had rejected Green Fragrance Mountain’s alliance, but Xue Yao and Zhuang Yi defended his decision. Mo Shuying began to suspect Zhong Ming was Dragon Stream Peak’s most talented disciple, while Green Fragrance Mountain remained dissatisfied with her response.

• Lin Yuxuan told Mo Shuying that Zhong Ming had rejected Senior Sister Lingya’s offer of cooperation and accused him of insulting Green Fragrance Mountain.
• Xue Yao declared that Green Fragrance Mountain was not qualified to ally with Dragon Stream Peak, and Zhuang Yi praised Zhong Ming for standing against other peaks.
• Du Gang gave up on forming an alliance with Dragon Stream Peak, while Ning Yunlu pressed Mo Shuying for an answer.
• Mo Shuying realized Zhong Ming might be Dragon Stream Peak’s most talented disciple and asked Ning Yunlu to give her time to investigate.
• The people of Green Fragrance Mountain remained dissatisfied with Mo Shuying’s response.

Zhong Ming and the other disciples learned the rules for the Seven Peaks Grand Competition as Wei Jingcheng urged them to crush the Lineages probing the Seven Mysteries Sect. The chapter ended with the competition’s two stages laid out, including a team arena where previous winners could choose their format.

• Zhong Ming considered why the Seven Mysteries Sect’s decline had emboldened other Lineages and suspected rival sects were encouraging their probes.
• Han Yu promised Wei Jingcheng that they would not lose, but Wei demanded that they break every probing claw.
• Yan Chen vowed to crush their opponents, and Wei Jingcheng approved after testing his resolve with a terrifying pressure.
• Wei Jingcheng explained that the first stage would place soul projections in a demon-filled illusory city, where survival time and kills earned points.
• Wei Jingcheng explained that the second stage would be a team arena in which disciples could challenge for higher rankings and choose between a rotation system and a mass melee.

Zhong Ming explained why he refused to ally with the other peaks: he wanted Dragon Stream Peak to face hardship alone so he could temper his mind and pursue the Sword Heart and Sword Intent. He left his companions resolved to cultivate the Sword Dao’s confidence in One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts.

• The geniuses in Profound Mystery Hall criticized Zhong Ming for rejecting alliances, while Yan Chen, Lian Zhixia, and Lin Yuxuan compared his arrogance unfavorably with their own conduct.
• Zhong Ming asked Yi Yunya and the others whether they thought he had acted wrongly, and they affirmed their trust in him.
• Zhong Ming admitted that cooperating with the other peaks would be the safest way to pass the assessment, but said Dragon Stream Peak would stand alone because they were sword cultivators.
• Zhong Ming described the loftiness and conviction required to pursue One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts, and Yi Yunya recalled the essence of the Sword Dao.
• Zhong Ming revealed that he had refused alliances to use danger and adversity to temper his state of mind and help him comprehend the Sword Heart and Sword Intent.

Zhong Ming used his newly developed soul-intimidating technique to terrify Yuan Wei after Yuan Wei provoked him. The chapter revealed how Zhong Ming combined the Vortex Dragon with his cultivated techniques, leaving Yuan Wei helpless under the pressure.

• Yuan Wei shouted at Zhong Ming and blamed him for refusing to back down from their confrontation.
• Zhong Ming's Dripping Water, Clear Sound pierced Yuan Wei's consciousness, letting him perceive the Vortex Dragon and the terrifying storm surrounding Zhong Ming.
• Yuan Wei became so frightened that he could not move or breathe, and his heartbeat slowed as he feared he would die.
• Zhong Ming explained that he had developed a way to connect an enemy's mind and soul to his sea of consciousness and use the Vortex Dragon to fill them with fear.
• Zhong Ming revealed that he had cultivated Spirit Stream Finger · Stream Interception to the fourth realm and could use its Severance trait to disrupt an enemy's spiritual power circulation.

Zhong Ming overwhelmed the Green Fragrance Mountain disciples with his aura and declared that Dragon Stream Peak would oppose them at the Seven Peaks Grand Competition. Xie Yushuang stopped him from going further, while the shaken disciples pleaded to avoid a conflict.

• Yi Yunya and the others watched in disbelief as Zhong Ming's aura made the Green Fragrance Mountain disciples collapse, while Xie Yushuang felt relieved and happy that he had stood up for her.
• Xie Yushuang asked Zhong Ming to stop, warning that killing fellow disciples would violate Seven Mysteries Sect rules and harm his future.
• The Green Fragrance Mountain disciples recovered their ability to move but suffered from the effects of Zhong Ming's aura and scrambled away from him.
• Zhong Ming blamed Yuan Wei's provocation and declared that he would make Green Fragrance Mountain an enemy at the Seven Peaks Grand Competition.
• The Green Fragrance Mountain disciples begged Zhong Ming to reconsider, fearing they would lose the competition and the resources tied to it.

After learning how Zhong Ming had defeated their disciples, Ning Yunlu and Su Lingya decided to improve Green Fragrance Mountain’s relationship with Dragon Stream Peak. Zhong Ming returned home and promised to help Dong Hai and Jiang Yue during the upcoming Seven Peaks Grand Competition.

• Ning Yunlu questioned the Green Fragrance Mountain disciples and realized Zhong Ming’s Dao resonance was an extraordinary threat and opportunity for the Seven Mysteries Sect.
• Su Lingya reconsidered her earlier assumptions about Zhong Ming, and she and Ning Yunlu agreed to ease tensions with Dragon Stream Peak.
• Zhong Ming returned to his cave abode and praised Dong Hai for reaching Class C through diligent cultivation.
• Zhong Ming told Dong Hai to find him in the Heaven-Covering Diagram so he could help him reach the inner circle of the assessment.
• Zhong Ming advised Jiang Yue to fight more aggressively and promised to step in if Jiang Yue faced danger.

As the Seven Peaks Grand Competition continued, factions weighed the threat posed by the Six Extremes Sect, while Li Feng and Hua Lingdie revealed their contempt for their opponents. Su Lingya invited Xie Yushuang back to Green Fragrance Mountain, but Xie refused, confident with Zhong Ming’s support.

• Hong Kun worried about the Six Extremes Sect’s presence, while Cheng Yong explained that the Frostmoon Imperial House had lifted its warrant to unite forces against invading threats.
• Zhu Feiyu dismissed the Six Extremes Sect disciples as a threat and declared that he was eager to fight them.
• Hua Lingdie urged Li Feng to slaughter his competitors, but Li Feng refused and briefly drew his saber during their argument.
• After Hua Lingdie left, Li Feng looked toward Zhu Feiyu and the Seven Mysteries Sect’s peaks, hoping for a satisfying fight.
• Su Lingya invited Xie Yushuang to visit Green Fragrance Mountain, but Xie rejected her invitation, saying she had been treated as a traitor.

The Seven Mysteries Sect’s grand competition began amid rising tensions with the Cheng, Hong, and Zhu families, who were backed by the Six Extremes Sect. City Lord Yue Shan arrived, and Wei Jingcheng suspected that the families had support beyond their own forces.

• Cultivators at the Seven Mysteries Sect discussed the conflict and cited Yan Chen and Han Yu as strong defenders of the sect.
• Hong Yuan, Zhu Tianqi, and Cheng Zhi discussed their plan to help the Six Extremes Sect establish itself in Jade Lake City and confirmed they had invited Elder Nether Snake and Yue Shan.
• Yue Shan arrived with cultivators from the Demon Suppressing Division, and the Seven Mysteries Sect’s Wei Jingcheng welcomed him.
• Wei Jingcheng noticed Yue Shan’s unnatural smile and asked whether he doubted the Seven Mysteries Sect.
• Yue Shan claimed the sect could easily handle the three families, but Wei Jingcheng pointed out that their opponents were not just the families.