Chapter Summaries

Chen Fei hid himself, Chi Shuqing, and Ren Zhongyang near the Medical Hall after realizing the city gate might open amid an attack by the Netherworld Soldiers. When midnight arrived, the city’s rising yin-cold power began eroding Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang, but also made them blend into their surroundings.

• Chen Fei, Wu Yongzhao, Liao Hanqin, and Guo Shansheng all left the city gate area, while Yu Zhongxin and Jin Weiming watched from several li away.
• Chen Fei used the Slaughtering Spirit Art to remove Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang’s Auras, stored them in Copper Coins, and sent a Shadow Clone carrying their Auras to the Medical Hall.
• Chen Fei explained that the Netherworld Soldiers might gather at the city gate at midnight, so the group planned to follow behind them rather than wait at the gate.
• Midnight arrived, and the immense pressure and cold yin power began causing dead stillness to spread across Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang’s faces.
• Chen Fei noticed that the cold power made Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang blend into their surroundings, reducing their conspicuousness.

Chen Fei, Chi Shuqing, and Ren Zhongyang slipped through Miwang City’s Netherworld Soldiers by hiding their Auras, while Yu Zhongxin drew the soldiers’ attention and Liao Hanqin and Wu Yongzhao followed. Chen Fei escaped the city with Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang, but an Aperture Unification Realm Aura descended into the Secret Realm as they fled Half Bottle Mountain.

• Chen Fei used Copper Coins to conceal Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang’s Auras, then enveloped himself in Strange City’s source power as the Netherworld Soldiers approached.
• The Netherworld Soldiers passed the three, while Guo Shansheng was devoured after matching their footsteps and Liao Hanqin realized that the footsteps were dangerous.
• Yu Zhongxin transferred his Aura to Jin Weiming and left him behind, while Liao Hanqin used his Superior Spirit Sword to transfer his own Aura and followed the Netherworld Soldiers.
• Chen Fei and his companions followed the Netherworld Soldiers toward the city gate, where they learned it served as a shift-change passage rather than an exit for outsiders.
• Yu Zhongxin rushed ahead to draw the Netherworld Soldiers’ attention, allowing Chen Fei to carry Chi Shuqing and Ren Zhongyang through the gate and out of Miwang City.
• As Chen Fei hurried down Half Bottle Mountain, a pillar of light rose from the mountain and an Aperture Unification Realm Aura descended into the Secret Realm.

Chen Fei escaped Half Bottle Mountain with Ren Zhongyang and Chi Shuqing as an unfamiliar Aperture Unification Realm expert threatened to tear apart the secret realm. After forcing open the exit, Chen Fei pretended to be gravely injured, and the chapter ended with Tong Zhongqiu and Jian Jinsheng arriving outside.

• Chen Fei sensed an Aperture Unification Realm expert in the secret realm and fled Half Bottle Mountain with Ren Zhongyang and Chi Shuqing.
• Chen Fei told Feng Xiupu and Wei Yantao that a Strange City had appeared on Half Bottle Mountain and that the expert might have come from another place.
• Chen Fei struck the secret realm's barrier with the Qian Yuan Sword, opening a crack that widened into an exit.
• Chen Fei made himself appear gravely injured and fainted so others would not suspect him after the deaths on Half Bottle Mountain.
• Feng Xiupu carried Chen Fei out while Wei Yantao took Ren Zhongyang and Chi Shuqing, and Tong Zhongqiu and Jian Jinsheng arrived outside the secret realm.

Chen Fei learned that the Strange City connected to the Endless Sea, where the Yu Family had fled to escape danger, and that its passage had been sealed. Back in seclusion, he refined the source power from the Strange City, raising his Mind Power to control forty-nine Apertures before advancing his techniques.

• Tong Zhongqiu heard Feng Xiupu's account of Half Bottle Mountain and the Strange City, then suspected it connected to a place with richer Primordial Qi.
• Three days later, the Yu Family established a mountain gate at the secret realm, and the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and Divine Flame Sect offered the family goodwill.
• Feng Xiupu told Chen Fei that the Yu Family had sealed the secret realm and blocked the Strange City's passage to the Endless Sea.
• Chen Fei returned to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect and entered seclusion, while Ren Zhongyang continued recovering from his severe injuries.
• Chen Fei refined the source power in his Sea of Consciousness, and Suppress Dragon Elephant Suppress Spirit let him raise his Mind Power to control forty-nine Apertures.
• One month later, Chen Fei reached Perfection Realm in the Slaughtering Spirit Art and Great Perfection in the Heavy Yuan Sword.

Chen Fei continued cultivating amid uncertainty over whether the Yu Family would intervene in the conflict around Immortal Cloud City. After Chi Shuqing visited with an unusual healing method, she recovered and left, while Chen Fei opened ten Apertures in one night, reaching thirty-three.

• Chen Fei perfected the Heavy Yuan Sword, creating sword beads that each contained a miniature sword formation, and resolved to focus on opening Apertures.
• Chen Fei planned to recover for several days before taking missions, worried that the Yu Family might support the Divine Flame Sect and threaten the Yuan Chen Sword Sect.
• Five days later, Chen Fei announced that his injuries had recovered, and Chi Shuqing arrived at his courtyard.
• Chi Shuqing proposed a method for accelerating their recovery, and Chen Fei brought her inside.
• Primordial Qi surged around the courtyard repeatedly throughout the day and night, and Chi Shuqing left the next morning fully recovered with her Aura strengthened.
• Chen Fei opened his eyes in the secret chamber after opening ten Apertures overnight, bringing his total to thirty-three.

After Chi Shuqing’s healing method helped Chen Fei open ten acupoints, he went to the Pill Refiner Alliance while the Yu Family weighed its position between the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and the Divine Flame Sect. The Yu Family stayed neutral and planned to return to the Endless Sea within five years, as Immortal Cloud City learned more about that vast realm and its Mountain Sea Realm cultivators.

• Chi Shuqing’s cultivation method helped Chen Fei open ten acupoints and advance his cultivation, and he used Slaughtering Spirit Art to conceal his aura before heading to the Pill Refiner Alliance.
• Yu Shoucheng received Purple Cloud Tea from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect and heard its Grand Elder Tong Zhongqiu wanted to discuss cultivation insights.
• Yu Shoucheng judged that Tong Zhongqiu’s invitation was meant to enlist the Yu Family against the Divine Flame Sect, but he chose to remain neutral.
• Yu Shoucheng ordered his clansmen to cultivate diligently and said the Yu Family would return to the Endless Sea within five years.
• Tong Zhongqiu learned that the Yu Family had claimed Yu Shoucheng was in secluded cultivation, and Immortal Cloud City residents discussed the Endless Sea and its Mountain Sea Realm experts.

Chen Fei visited the Yu Family’s Endless Sea Pavilion and bought a pill recipe that could help awaken Baka’s tree heart. At the Pill Refiner Alliance, he discovered that refining commissions had sharply declined and began considering new ways to earn Primordial Stones.

• Chen Fei learned that the Yu Family had opened the Endless Sea Pavilion in a prominent location in Immortal Cloud City.
• Chen Fei showed the shopkeeper Baka’s tree heart, and the shopkeeper identified its self-sealing and offered Spirit Awakening Liquid that stirred its spirituality.
• Chen Fei bought the Spirit Awakening Liquid pill recipe for ten Primordial Stones after confirming the liquid helped Baka’s tree heart respond.
• Chen Fei browsed the pavilion’s unusual spirit weapons but left without buying any because of their prices.
• Qin Jinglan showed Chen Fei that Pill Refiner Alliance commissions had fallen sharply, and Chen Fei suspected the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect was shifting work to the Yu Family.
• Chen Fei accepted a task for three furnaces of Spirit Snow Pills and considered other ways to expand his income.

Chen Fei considered using the Slaughtering Spirit Art to strengthen spirit artifacts, while continuing his cultivation and alchemy. After refining ten bottles of Spirit Awakening Liquid, he fed them to the Tree Heart to see whether it would change.

• Chen Fei considered hunting Weirds near Barren Mountain Ancient Village or in Pingyin County to obtain spiritual essence, then exchanged for the eighth layer of the Thousand Thread Art and herbs for Spirit Awakening Liquid.
• Chen Fei visited Chi Defeng, met his young child, and shared a relaxed evening drinking with his old friend before affirming his desire to pursue higher martial realms and Eternal Life.
• Chen Fei successfully refined Spirit Awakening Liquid on his first attempt, reaching Proficient Level in its Pill Recipe.
• Chen Fei refined nine more portions and raised his Spirit Awakening Liquid proficiency to Perfection.
• Chen Fei poured all ten bottles of Spirit Awakening Liquid onto the Tree Heart, which absorbed them as spiritual fluctuations stirred the surrounding Primordial Qi.

Chen Fei used Spirit Awakening Liquid to rouse the mind within the Tree Heart and continued cultivating while the Yu Family explored the region around Immortal Cloud City. Over three months, he reached thirty-six Apertures, gained Limb Regeneration, and clearly sensed the linkage needed to advance to the Mid Aperture Refining Realm.

• Chen Fei found that Spirit Awakening Liquid made the Tree Heart stir, then refined more and decided to give it one portion each day.
• Chen Fei spent the next month cultivating in Immortal Cloud City, opened his thirty-fourth Aperture, and watched the Yu Family expand its explorations as the city remained peaceful.
• Chen Fei opened his thirty-fifth Aperture, cultivated the seventh layer of the Thousand Thread Art, and reached the Proficient Realm of Suppress Dragon Elephant Suppress Spirit.
• Chen Fei tested his new Limb Regeneration ability and found that it could restore severed limbs and repair damaged internal organs by expending blood essence.
• In the third month, Chen Fei opened his thirty-sixth Aperture and clearly sensed the linkage among all thirty-six Apertures.

Chen Fei broke through to the Mid Aperture Refining Realm and used the surge of Essence Qi to open five additional Apertures, reaching forty-one. After concealing his new Aura and consolidating his strength, he learned that Feng Xiupu’s old friend would soon visit the Yuan Chen Sword Sect.

• Chen Fei connected thirty-six Apertures, broke through to the Mid Aperture Refining Realm, and opened five more Apertures to reach forty-one.
• Chen Fei used the Slaughtering Spirit Art to conceal his breakthrough, then spent several days consolidating his Realm and testing his new strength.
• Guo Linshan visited Chen Fei and said Feng Xiupu wanted them to help welcome an old friend who was expected to become a guest elder.
• Chen Fei agreed to go when the Paired Flying Spirit in Feng Xiupu’s hand reacted, then returned to cultivating and training within the sect.

Chen Fei and Feng Xiupu met Feng Xiupu’s old friend Geng Yanlin, who arrived injured with his wife and son, Geng Yunfei. As the group headed for the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, Chou Yuanzeng caught up with them, and Chen Fei offered to hold him off.

• Chen Fei sensed Geng Yanlin and his family approaching the Wind-Moving Stone before Feng Xiupu did.
• Feng Xiupu greeted the badly injured Geng Yanlin and met his wife and son, Geng Yunfei.
• Feng Xiupu proudly introduced Chen Fei as his young disciple, astonishing Geng Yanlin and his family.
• As the group traveled toward the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, Chen Fei sensed a hostile Aura pursuing them, and Geng Yanlin revealed that a Mid Aperture Refining Realm enemy was closing in.
• Chou Yuanzeng appeared before the group, and Chen Fei calmly offered to stop him while Chou Yuanzeng mocked him.

Chen Fei stayed behind to face Chou Yuanzeng, a Mid Aperture Refining Realm rogue cultivator who had trapped the group in an array and intended to kill them all. After Feng Xiupu and the others escaped, Chen Fei trapped Chou Yuanzeng in a powerful Heavy Yuan Sword array and advanced to confront him.

• Feng Xiupu introduced himself, but Chou Yuanzeng threatened to kill everyone despite the Yuan Chen Sword Sect's reputation.
• Geng Yanlin offered himself in exchange for the others, while Feng Xiupu warned that Chou Yuanzeng would kill them regardless.
• Chen Fei discovered and cut through the concealed array formation, then told Feng Xiupu and the others to leave.
• Chen Fei blocked Chou Yuanzeng's crimson blade strike as Feng Xiupu and the others escaped.
• Chen Fei's Heavy Yuan Sword beads formed an array around Chou Yuanzeng, whose powerful attack failed to break through.
• Chen Fei entered the sword array, and Chou Yuanzeng saw him as a savage ancient beast approaching.

Chen Fei defeated Chou Yuanzeng in two sword strikes, but stopped short of killing him when Chou Yuanzeng revealed that he knew the whereabouts of the Great Thunderclap Sword. Chou Yuanzeng offered to lead Chen Fei to his friend, and Chen Fei sealed his cultivation by destroying fifteen of his Apertures.

• Chen Fei shattered Chou Yuanzeng’s Blood Origin Art defense and struck him down with the Qian Yuan Sword after breaking the Eight Sufferings of Life illusion with God-Slaying.
• As Chen Fei prepared to kill him, Chou Yuanzeng pleaded for his life and claimed he knew where the Great Thunderclap Sword was.
• Chou Yuanzeng said his closest friend had obtained the complete Great Thunderclap Sword, which could cultivate eighty-five Apertures.
• Chen Fei connected the technique to branch lineages that had left the Yuan Chen Sword Sect centuries earlier and agreed to hear more.
• Chou Yuanzeng offered to take Chen Fei to his friend, then sealed his cultivation as ordered.
• Chen Fei sensed Chou Yuanzeng was trying to deceive him and destroyed fifteen of his Apertures, reducing him to the Initial Aperture Refining Realm.

Chen Fei defeated Chou Yuanzeng and returned to the Yuan Chen Sword Sect, where Geng Yanlin became a guest elder. Chen Fei then told Qu Qingsheng he would leave for up to a month, while Chou Yuanzeng remained trapped and seethed with resentment.

• Chen Fei shattered fifteen of Chou Yuanzeng's Apertures, warned him not to resist again, and trapped him in a formation before taking his belongings.
• Chen Fei rejoined Feng Xiupu, Geng Yanlin, and the others, claiming he had escaped Chou Yuanzeng with Escaping Heavens Travel.
• Feng Xiupu brought Geng Yanlin to meet Qu Qingsheng, who welcomed him as a guest elder of the Yuan Chen Sword Sect.
• Chen Fei told Qu Qingsheng he planned to leave the sect for ten days to a month, and said his cultivation of the Yuan Chen Sword Canon had gone smoothly.
• Chou Yuanzeng tried to stand after Chen Fei left, but the formation forced him back down.

Chou Yuanzeng used the Blood Origin Art to seize control of the Dragon Elephant Formation and nearly escaped, but Chen Fei's Rat Demon kept him trapped until Chen Fei returned and disabled him. While taking Chou Yuanzeng toward Shangwu City, Chen Fei encountered Hong Yuanfeng in Xingfen City, where Hong Yuanfeng considered killing him over his suspicions about Shen Dingyan's death.

• Chou Yuanzeng used his blood to assimilate the Dragon Elephant Formation and tried to flee, but the Rat Demon stopped him.
• Chen Fei returned, destroyed Chou Yuanzeng's right arm, and learned that Chou Yuanzeng's friend was usually in Shangwu City.
• Chen Fei carried Chou Yuanzeng to Xingfen City and stopped there for the night.
• Chen Fei sensed a powerful Aperture Refining Realm martial artist and recognized him as Hong Yuanfeng of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect.
• Hong Yuanfeng recognized Chen Fei and suspected he had killed Shen Dingyan, then considered killing him.

Chen Fei and Chou Yuanzeng traveled toward Shangwu City to find Chou Yuanzeng’s friend, but discovered the city was surrounded by the Yashan Army. After nightfall, Chen Fei concealed both their auras and used the Flying Ling Shuttle to approach the city at great speed.

• Hong Yuanfeng suppressed his urge to attack Chen Fei in Xingfen City and left, while Chen Fei sensed his killing intent.
• Chen Fei cultivated the Giant Strength Sword and considered how recovering more of the Yuan Chen Sword Canon could strengthen him.
• Chen Fei and Chou Yuanzeng reached Shangwu City and found the Yashan Army surrounding it without attacking.
• Chou Yuanzeng said his friend was usually in Shangwu City but was unsure whether he remained there during the siege.
• After nightfall, Chen Fei used the Slaughtering Spirit Art and a Half-Spirit Artifact to hide both their auras, then sped toward Shangwu City with the Flying Ling Shuttle.

Chen Fei pursued Chou Yuanzeng through Shangwu City, but Chou Yuanzeng escaped a trapped study and began possessing his closest friend with the Blood Origin Art. Chen Fei found him beneath the city and stopped the ritual, sensing the Great Thunderclap Sword’s Aura in the body Chou Yuanzeng meant to take over.

• Chen Fei carried Chou Yuanzeng into the Zhao Residence, where a concealed mechanism dropped Chou Yuanzeng into an escape passage and trapped Chen Fei in a sealed study.
• Chou Yuanzeng reached a secret chamber beneath Shangwu City and began using Blood Spirit Seize to possess his closest friend, whose body was being sustained in a blood trough.
• Chen Fei revealed that the figure trapped in the study had been his Shadow Clone, then followed Chou Yuanzeng underground with the Rat Demon’s help.
• Chen Fei tore through the Iron Essence wall of the secret chamber and confronted Chou Yuanzeng during the possession ritual.
• Chen Fei approached the blood trough and sensed the Great Thunderclap Sword’s Aura on Chou Yuanzeng’s intended host.

Chen Fei found the complete acupoint-opening sequence for the Great Thunderclap Sword in Chou Yuanzeng’s secret chamber and learned it came from Sword Return Pavilion. After killing Chou Yuanzeng and collecting the chamber’s valuables, Chen Fei left to investigate the Pavilion and the sword inheritance.

• Chen Fei inspected Chou Yuanzeng’s secret chamber and found three cultivation-method Jade Slips, Primordial Stones, pills, and Spirit Artifacts.
• Chen Fei discovered that the Jade Slips held the flawed Blood Origin Art, a Movement Technique, and the Great Thunderclap Sword’s complete eighty-five-acupoint opening sequence.
• Chen Fei interrupted Chou Yuanzeng’s Blood Spirit Seize and exposed his plan to hide his spiritual wisdom in the blood trough.
• Chou Yuanzeng revealed that the Great Thunderclap Sword inheritance came from Sword Return Pavilion, and Chen Fei killed him and destroyed the blood trough.
• Chen Fei packed away the chamber’s valuables and left to investigate Sword Return Pavilion.

Chen Fei escaped Shangwu City and recovered his Half-Spirit Artifact after confronting Liang Zhongpu and his companions from the Yashan Army. He traveled to Qin Hai City to seek information about Sword Return Pavilion and arrived at the Ruan Family, where his unexpected return caused an uproar.

• Chen Fei escaped Shangwu City and returned to the mountain, where Liang Zhongpu, Xu Yanxin, and Liang Ruolan confronted him with his Half-Spirit Artifact.
• After Xu Yanxin threatened him, Chen Fei injured his mind with a glance, reclaimed the artifact from Liang Zhongpu, and left.
• Chen Fei headed toward Qin Hai City to gather information about Sword Return Pavilion and buy a map.
• Chen Fei entered Qin Hai City, noting that it had no Aperture Refining Realm martial artists and would be vulnerable to the Yashan Army.
• The next morning, Chen Fei visited the Ruan Family, and its members gathered in alarm after recognizing him from more than two years earlier.

Nearly three years after his last visit, Chen Fei returned to the Ruan Family and gathered information about Sword Return Pavilion, hoping to find more Yuan Chen Sword Sect inheritances. While traveling toward West Cloud City, he cultivated the Slaughtering Spirit Art until it reached Great Perfection and sent a sword intent into the forest.

• Chen Fei asked Ruan Qiaojun to gather information, and the Ruan Family provided details about Sword Return Pavilion and a map of the region.
• Chen Fei gave Chu Lan pills for her and Chu Wennian, then left Qin Hai City for West Cloud City.
• Chen Fei examined the Great Thunderclap Sword inheritance and concluded he needed the complete third layer of the Yuan Chen Sword Canon before he could cultivate it safely.
• At night, Chen Fei cultivated the Slaughtering Spirit Art in a forest as a cold, sinister aura and unseen gazes appeared around him.
• Chen Fei reached Great Perfection in the Slaughtering Spirit Art, and a sword intent flashed into the depths of the forest.