Chapter Summaries

A Spiritual Light phenomenon forged the first meridians of Ye Zhen and Little Yue Meng into semi-solid sword meridians, leaving Little Yue Meng unconscious and granting Ye Zhen profound sword insight. After Ye Zhen and Green Vine fought their way out of Yinshan Blood Gorge, three Peak Spirit Drawing Realm reinforcements surrounded them, led by Du Xianxiu.

• Tens of thousands of streams of Spiritual Light converged above Little Yue Meng, revealed her seven Talent Bloodlines as a Heavenly Meridian, and forged the first meridian of both her and Ye Zhen.
• Little Yue Meng collapsed unconscious after the forged meridians returned to their bodies, and Ye Zhen sent a distress signal before carrying her toward the agreed retreat point.
• Six Li Shui Sect martial artists ambushed Ye Zhen, who used his newly awakened sword insight to kill two Early-stage opponents and hold off the others until Green Vine arrived.
• Green Vine and Ye Zhen killed three more Li Shui Sect disciples, drove back Elder Zhou, and escaped through a gorge opening before Green Vine trapped their pursuers in an Omni-directional Maze Array.
• Three Peak Spirit Drawing Realm reinforcements descended and surrounded Ye Zhen, Green Vine, and Little Yue Meng, while Du Xianxiu challenged Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen fought Du Xianxiu and learned that Chu Jun, not Du Xianxiu, had killed Old Madam Meng. After exhausting his talisman and nearly being defeated, Ye Zhen unleashed his Pulse Forging Divine Ability and killed Du Xianxiu, but his Soul Power was depleted and he fell asleep as reinforcements set out for Yinshan Blood Gorge.

• Ye Zhen questioned Du Xianxiu about the Meng Family Incident and learned that Chu Jun had killed Old Madam Meng and blamed Ye Zhen.
• Luo Da charged at Ye Zhen, who killed him with Liao Feibai's Mysterious Ice Sword Light Talisman before Du Xianxiu attacked and badly injured him.
• Ye Zhen bluffed Du Xianxiu with an empty Jade Talisman, but Du Xianxiu eventually protected himself with a life-saving Spirit Talisman.
• At Green Vine's urging, Ye Zhen guided his Divine Sense to his Pulse Forging Divine Ability and sent a Spirit Light Sword through Du Xianxiu's forehead.
• Green Vine killed the Li Shui Sect disciple fighting her, while Ye Zhen fell asleep from depleted Soul Power and Little Yue Meng remained unconscious.
• Chu Taiping summoned Li Shui Sect's elders to Yinshan Blood Gorge, and Chu Jun set out for the gorge after receiving news that Ye Zhen was there.

As Qi Yun Sect and Li Shui Sect clashed, Chu Taiping was forced to protect his disciples while Green Vine fled with the unconscious Ye Zhen and Little Yue Meng. Ye Zhen woke and drew the pursuers away into Yin Mountain Range, where Chu Jun arrived in pursuit.

• Guo Qijing attacked Chu Taiping at Li Shui Sect, while Qi Yun Sect elders blocked Li Shui Sect's elders from reaching Yinshan Blood Gorge.
• Guo Qijing threatened the inner disciples, forcing Chu Taiping to stop pursuing the attack and keep his disciples inside the sect.
• Green Vine fled through Yin Mountain Range with Ye Zhen and Little Yue Meng as groups of pursuers closed in, while Liao Feibai remained occupied fighting at the sect gates.
• Green Vine's slap woke Ye Zhen, who accidentally grabbed her as they tumbled; after hearing the situation, he carried Little Yue Meng and led them to a hidden hollow.
• Ye Zhen left Green Vine and Little Yue Meng in hiding and deliberately made a trail to draw the pursuers deeper into the mountains.
• Chu Jun arrived in Yin Mountain Range and descended near the pursuing Li Shui Sect martial artists as Ye Zhen prepared to confront whoever was behind him.

Ye Zhen used Monster Beasts to ambush Li Shui Sect's pursuit squads, then stole a Cloud Winged Tiger Cub and dropped it into Chu Jun's arms. The furious mother tiger roared from more than ten miles away as Chu Jun held the cub.

• Chu Jun found the remains of a third pursuit squad and blamed Ye Zhen for luring Monster Beasts into ambushing the disciples.
• Ye Zhen escaped Chu Jun's search by transforming into a Phantom Snake King, then learned that a Cloud Winged Tiger had two cubs.
• Ye Zhen watched the Cloud Winged Tiger's den, waited until the mother left to hunt, and stole one cub.
• Ye Zhen transformed into a Silver Thread Demonic Eagle and flew over Chu Jun, dropping the cub to make Chu Jun catch it.
• Chu Jun celebrated finding a Cloud Winged Tiger Cub, while the cub's mother roared furiously from afar.

Ye Zhen stole one Cloud Winged Tiger Cub while Chu Jun fought its mother, which broke through into a Cloud Winged Tiger King and reclaimed the other cub. Chu Jun escaped but later learned that the Li Shui Sect disciples sent after the cub had been killed, while Ye Zhen remained on the run with his cub.

• Chu Jun fought the enraged Cloud Winged Mother Tiger as Ye Zhen stole a cub from its den and fled after masking their scent with grass juice.
• Elder Zhou arrived with Li Shui Sect disciples, and Chu Jun gave him the cub he had taken; the mother tiger broke through into a Cloud Winged Tiger King and killed Elder Zhou and his companions while recovering it.
• The Cloud Winged Tiger King pursued Chu Jun, who escaped using a Heaven and Earth Blood Escape Talisman, then mistook him for the thief of its remaining cub and attacked again.
• Ye Zhen continued fleeing with the other cub and, after several hours without pursuit, wondered what had happened to Chu Jun.
• In Yinshan Commandery City, Chu Jun learned that Elder Liu and sixteen Li Shui Sect disciples were dead; he spat blood and collapsed, despairing that his greed had cost the sect its elite disciples without gaining him a cub.

Ye Zhen reunited with Green Vine and Liao Feibai after escaping the Li Shui Sect pursuers, while beginning to bond with the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub through the Blood Sacrifice Art. On the journey back to the Qi Yun Sect, Liao Feibai explained that Ye Zhen had gained a rare Half-Pulse Divine Ability but warned that it might be dangerous.

• Liao Feibai blockaded the Li Shui Sect's mountain gate after the battle, while Chu Taiping ordered his sect to endure the siege until he could succeed in Pulse Forging.
• Ye Zhen used the Blood Sacrifice Art to feed a Blood Talisman to the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub and briefly sensed a two-way connection with it.
• Ye Zhen found Green Vine and Liao Feibai in a small city, learned that all forty-six Li Shui Sect pursuers had died and Chu Jun had been badly injured, and introduced them to the cub.
• Green Vine gave Ye Zhen three secret manuals, including the Hidden Truth Art, before leaving to return to her sect and pursue a breakthrough to the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Liao Feibai took Ye Zhen and the unconscious Little Yue Meng back toward the Qi Yun Sect, explaining that Yue Meng needed more rest and that Ye Zhen had inherited a Pulse Forging Divine Ability.
• Liao Feibai warned Ye Zhen that his early Half-Pulse Divine Ability might prove either a blessing or a curse.

Ye Zhen learned that his inherited Half-Pulse Divine Ability was Clear Heart Sword Intent and heard the risks of using its Origin Sword Meridian. He returned to Fairy Maiden Peak for Caiyi’s birthday, where Instructor Liao Feibai got Caiyi to accept Fan Chuyu’s dinner invitation by claiming Ye Zhen needed nourishing food.

• Instructor Liao Feibai explained that Ye Zhen’s Half-Pulse Divine Ability could aid his cultivation but might hinder him if he tried to forge his meridians, and Ye Zhen insisted it was a blessing.
• Instructor Liao Feibai identified the ability as Clear Heart Sword Intent and warned Ye Zhen that using its Origin Sword Meridian would reduce its power.
• Ye Zhen and Instructor Liao Feibai returned to Fairy Maiden Peak and found Fan Chuyu offering Caiyi flowers and a birthday gift.
• Caiyi joyfully welcomed Ye Zhen and worried about his health, while Fan Chuyu’s attempts to take her to Xianye Residence were refused.
• Instructor Liao Feibai persuaded Caiyi to accept Fan Chuyu’s dinner invitation by saying Ye Zhen needed replenishing, and Fan Chuyu grew resentful as Caiyi left hand in hand with Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen attended Caiyi’s birthday meal at Xianye Residence, where Pan Wei tried to force him away from her side and challenged him to a fight. Ye Zhen effortlessly withstood Pan Wei’s attacks and left him humiliated in the streets of Blackwater Royal City.

• Fan Chuyu introduced Princess Huayang, Pan Wei, and Prince Anchang Zhu Qianshu to Caiyi and Liao Feibai at Xianye Residence.
• Pan Wei tried to pull Ye Zhen away from Caiyi, but Ye Zhen resisted and cut Pan Wei’s palm with sword qi.
• Pan Wei challenged Ye Zhen, who stood still and let Pan Wei repeatedly attack his Hundred Layered True Gang without breaking it.
• Pan Wei admitted defeat and tried to leave, but Ye Zhen reminded him of his promise to become Ye Zhen’s grandson if he failed.
• Pan Wei leapt through a window, and Ye Zhen sliced his clothes open with a True Essence Sword Finger, sending him running naked through the street.

At Caiyi’s birthday banquet, Fan Chuyu tried to impress her with an expensive hairpin while Ye Zhen gave her a far rarer treasure. Caiyi openly favored Ye Zhen, and Fan Chuyu ended the evening humiliated and out of pocket.

• Liao Feibai ordered more than ten costly signature dishes and wine at Xianye Residence, leaving Fan Chuyu to pay a huge bill.
• Zhu Qianshu, Princess Huayang, and Fan Chuyu presented Caiyi with birthday gifts, and Caiyi reluctantly accepted Fan Chuyu’s Three Lights Calming Hairpin.
• Ye Zhen gave Caiyi a jade hairpin, which Princess Huayang identified as the Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s Seven-Colored Jade Heart Hairpin worth two hundred Spirit Crystals.
• Caiyi said she liked anything from Ye Zhen and asked him to put the hairpin in her hair, while Fan Chuyu’s attempt to mock the gift backfired.
• As Ye Zhen, Caiyi, and Liao Feibai left, Caiyi gave Fan Chuyu’s hairpin to Liao Feibai, who tossed it away; Ye Zhen also gave Liao Feibai Spirit Jade Bracelets.
• Fan Chuyu paid the banquet bill, then watched the discarded hairpin fall and shatter in front of him.

After returning to Qi Yun Sect, Ye Zhen trained on Fairy Maiden Peak to strengthen his Soul Power, while Caiyi supplied him with Spirit Calming Liquid at great cost to herself. Two months later, Ye Zhen reached the Object Grasping Realm and lifted the Heavenly Crystal Sword with his Divine Sense.

• Chu Taiping suspected the Silver Thread Demonic Eagle had been a human in disguise, then ordered Chu Jun to enter seclusion and restore his damaged bloodline.
• Ye Zhen returned to Fairy Maiden Peak with Caiyi, and Little Cat grew unexpectedly affectionate toward her.
• Caiyi told Ye Zhen she had been found as an infant and did not know who her parents were.
• Caiyi insisted that Ye Zhen train his Soul Power before leaving the peak, and she gave him Spirit Calming Liquid to aid his cultivation.
• Instructor Liao Feibai revealed that making the Spirit Calming Liquid exhausted Caiyi, so Ye Zhen stopped drinking it until she recovered and limited her daily preparation afterward.
• After two months of training, Ye Zhen used his Divine Sense to raise the Heavenly Crystal Sword, reaching the Object Grasping Realm.

Ye Zhen left Fairy Maiden Peak to seek pills and cultivation opportunities in Blackwater Royal City, accepting two sect missions on the way. At the Sect Main Hall, he confronted Qu Zhanqian, who challenged him to a fight at the Sect Grand Competition.

• Ye Zhen decided to travel to Blackwater Royal City to have his Monster Cores refined into Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pills.
• Ye Zhen accepted a mission to gather Black Gold Grass and another to guard the Qi Yun Sect Blackwater Dojo.
• Qu Zhanqian arrived at the Sect Main Hall, and Ye Zhen shattered his killing intent with Clear Heart Sword Intent.
• Ye Zhen mocked Qu Zhanqian's severed arm, and Qu Zhanqian vowed to kill him at the Sect Grand Competition three and a half months later.
• Qu Zhanqian went to a Sect Deacon to collect the Universe Stone Forest Entry Talisman Token by order of Fifth Elder.

Ye Zhen traveled to Blackwater Royal City to register for the sect mission and find an alchemist to refine a Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pill. He reunited with Ren Xihua, refused a sparring match while warning that Ren would die in a fight to the death, and learned that only the Blackwater Pill King could refine the pill he needed.

• Ye Zhen reached Blackwater Royal City with the Cloud Winged Tiger Cub Xiao Mao carried in a basket and entered the Qi Yun Sect dojo using his Inner Disciple token.
• Steward Liu Neng mistook Ye Zhen for an insignificant visitor until Elder Bao and Ren Xihua recognized him, and Elder Bao reprimanded Liu Neng for his dismissive behavior.
• Elder Bao told Ye Zhen and Ren Xihua that the sect mission would begin after the other dispatched personnel arrived and the preparations were complete.
• Ren Xihua asked Ye Zhen to spar, but Ye Zhen declined, saying he would lose in a sparring match while Ren Xihua would die if they fought to the death.
• Ye Zhen asked Elder Bao about refining a Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pill using his mid-grade Earth-tier Monster Core, and Elder Bao said only the Blackwater Pill King could refine it.

Ye Zhen visited the Blackwater Pill King to have Earth-tier Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pills refined, but their dispute over the wait and the Cloud Winged Tiger nearly turned violent. After Ye Zhen identified himself as Instructor Liao Feibai’s disciple, the Blackwater Pill King backed down and offered to refine the pills in exchange for the tiger’s saliva and blood.

• Ye Zhen met the Blackwater Pill King and agreed to pay for Mid-grade and Low-grade Earth-tier Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pills, but was told to wait half a year.
• Ye Zhen tried to apologize and proceed with the refinement, but the Blackwater Pill King refused and ordered Fu Qing to drive him out.
• Fu Qing shoved Ye Zhen, and the Cloud Winged Tiger roared from Ye Zhen’s bamboo basket, startling Fu Qing.
• The Blackwater Pill King reached for the tiger, but Ye Zhen evaded him and raised powerful sword intent.
• Ye Zhen said he was Instructor Liao Feibai’s disciple, making the Blackwater Pill King suppress his greed.
• The Blackwater Pill King offered to refine the pills if Ye Zhen brought him a bowl of the tiger’s saliva and a barrel of its blood.

Ye Zhen refused Blackwater Pill King's demands for Cloud Winged Tiger ingredients until they agreed on an exchange: two Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pills in ten days for a bowl of Tiger Saliva. After leaving to seek other pill masters, Ye Zhen was spotted by a young nobleman who planned to target him.

• Ye Zhen rejected Blackwater Pill King's threats and refused to hand over Tiger Saliva or Heart Tiger Blood without an acceptable deal.
• Blackwater Pill King offered to refine two Demonic Spirit Essence Boosting Pills, and Ye Zhen demanded delivery in ten days in exchange for one bowl of Tiger Saliva, with no Heart Tiger Blood.
• Blackwater Pill King accepted the terms, took Ye Zhen's two Earth-tier Monster Cores, and ordered Fu Qing to cancel his other alchemy work and prepare the ingredients.
• Ye Zhen left the mansion and headed toward pill masters recommended by Elder Bao so they could refine his four Human Grade Monster Cores.
• A young nobleman saw Ye Zhen from a tavern window, crushed his wine cup, and vowed to make trouble for him.

Ye Zhen went to the Spirit Martial Market to buy Monster Cores for a dangerous experiment that could reduce his reliance on alchemists. After killing a Spirit Drawing Realm attacker sent by Pan Wei, he was accused of murder as the Guard Army arrived.

• After finding alchemists expensive, slow, and unreliable, Ye Zhen decided to pursue a risky experiment and went to the Spirit Martial Market.
• Ye Zhen bought two Human-tier Low Grade and two Human-tier Mid Grade Monster Cores from a stallholder.
• A fierce martial artist attacked Ye Zhen and tried to seize the Monster Cores, but Ye Zhen recognized Pan Wei watching from the crowd.
• Ye Zhen killed the attacker with one Bone-Chilling Plum Blossom slash, revealing the increased power of his sword force.
• Pan Wei blew a whistle, summoned the Guard Army, and accused Ye Zhen of murdering someone in the street.

Ye Zhen used his Quasi-True Disciple status to escape Pan Wei’s attempt to have him arrested, then returned to the Blackwater Dojo to test whether the Mirage Dragon Pearl could filter harmful energies from a Monster Core. When Cloud Winged Tiger Cub Xiao Mao wanted to eat the core, Ye Zhen gave it to him and watched closely to see what would happen.

• Ye Zhen showed Commander Gao his Quasi-True Disciple Jade Talisman, so the Guard Army let him leave and warned Pan Wei not to oppose him.
• Ye Zhen threatened Pan Wei and left; Commander Gao later revealed Ye Zhen’s status, leaving Pan Wei stunned.
• Ye Zhen went to the Blackwater Dojo’s Cultivation Chamber to prepare to absorb a Purple Horned Green Sheep Monster Core, hoping the Mirage Dragon Pearl would remove its harmful energies.
• Cloud Winged Tiger Cub Xiao Mao showed interest in the Monster Core, and Ye Zhen tossed it into Xiao Mao’s mouth to observe its effects.

Ye Zhen used the Mirage Dragon Pearl to refine Monster Cores, rapidly raising his cultivation while the pearl absorbed most of their energy. After reaching Peak True Essence Fifth Layer and unlocking Primal Chaos Qi, he began breaking through to Spirit Drawing Realm by sensing Worldly Essence, leaving nearby cultivators and Elder Bao startled by the surge.

• Little Cat ate Monster Cores and began refining their energy as Ye Zhen tested absorbing a Purple Horned Green Sheep Monster Core through the Mirage Dragon Pearl.
• Ye Zhen discovered the pearl purified Monster Core energy but consumed most of it, and he used repeated Monster Core refinements to advance to Mid-stage True Essence Fifth Layer.
• Ye Zhen bought more Monster Cores and cultivated for six days, reaching Peak True Essence Fifth Layer and awakening the sixth level of the Primal Chaos Unity Art, Primal Chaos Qi.
• Ye Zhen stabilized his cultivation, then drew on his Divine Sense to stir his Talent Bloodlines and sense Worldly Essence.
• Ye Zhen pulled a vast wave of Worldly Essence into his body, startling nearby cultivators and Elder Bao of Blackwater Dojo.

Ye Zhen’s cultivation breakthrough drew astonished attention at Blackwater Dojo, and his Cloud Winged Tiger Xiao Mao also advanced to Low-grade Earth-tier. When Elder Bao assigned the disciples to collect debts from nobles, Ye Zhen chose Pan Wei’s household and agreed to lead the collection.

• Ye Zhen’s breakthrough to the Spirit Drawing Realm created one large and three small Worldly Essence Vortices, stunning Liu Neng, Ren Xihua, Xia Man, Yin Zibo, Han Shi, and Elder Bao.
• Ye Zhen realized that his Half-Pulse Divine Ability and soul cultivation let him draw in Worldly Essence faster than even highly talented disciples, and he resumed cultivating with confidence.
• After Xiao Mao advanced to Low-grade Earth-tier, Ye Zhen left seclusion with the tiger, whose tail nearly injured Xia Man before Ye Zhen stopped it.
• Elder Bao told the disciples that their dojo-guarding mission was to collect debts from noble households and gave them a list of debtors.
• Ye Zhen chose Third Young Master Pan Wei, who owed sixty-seven thousand taels of gold and three hundred Low-grade Spirit Crystals, and agreed to lead the collection.

Ye Zhen and the other Qi Yun Sect disciples went to the Right Guard General's Mansion to collect Pan Wei's debt, but Chief Steward Pan refused to help and revealed Pan Wei was inside. Ye Zhen forced his way through the mansion and found Pan Wei threatening a young girl, then attacked him with his sword.

• Liu Neng presented the Blackwater Dojo's request at the mansion, but Chief Steward Pan drove him away and refused Ye Zhen's invoice for Pan Wei's debt.
• Chief Steward Pan admitted Pan Wei was inside and taunted Ye Zhen, who seized him and forced him to lead the way into the mansion.
• Ye Zhen subdued guards as Xia Man, Ren Xihua, and Yin Zibo followed him, while Han Shi objected to the intrusion.
• Chief Steward Pan led Ye Zhen's group to the Essence Court, where they overheard Pan Wei threatening a young girl who wanted to go home.
• Ye Zhen kicked down the courtyard gate, saw Pan Wei intimidating the girl, and attacked him with Bone-Chilling Plum Blossom.

Ye Zhen confronted Pan Wei at the Right Guard General's Mansion to collect the Qi Yun Sect's debt, but Han Shi and the black-robed elder stopped him from killing Pan Wei. Ye Zhen sealed Pan Wei's cultivation and tortured him with Little Cat until Pan Wei agreed to repay the debt.

• Ye Zhen nearly killed Pan Wei, but Han Shi and the black-robed elder intervened, and Xia Man warned that Pan Wei's family might retaliate against the young woman's clan.
• Ye Zhen spared Pan Wei and demanded repayment of the Qi Yun Sect's debt, but Pan Wei refused and provoked him.
• Han Shi blocked Ye Zhen, and the two clashed with Plum Blossom Sword Art before Ye Zhen forced Han Shi back with his perfected technique and a True Essence Sword Finger.
• Little Cat knocked aside the black-robed elder while Ye Zhen seized Pan Wei and sealed his cultivation with the Spirit Sealing Meridian Hand.
• Ye Zhen tied Pan Wei at Jinghua Courtyard and used Little Cat to frighten and hurt him, then threatened to hang him at the Right Guard General's Mansion.
• Pan Wei panicked at the threat of public humiliation and agreed to repay the debt.