Chapter Summaries

Xie Yuan received the Nine Yang Flower from Situ Qin and used it with his medicinal decoction, making a major breakthrough in his cultivation. After training in seclusion for three days, he realized he had lost track of time.

• Xie Yuan asked Zheng Qingyang to identify a prescription, and Zheng Qingyang agreed to test it and report back the next day.
• Xie Yuan told Situ Qin he planned to leave for Cloudshine after hearing back from Zheng Qingyang, and Situ Qin reluctantly accepted.
• Situ Qin recognized Peng Yue’s hidden treasure as a Nine Yang Flower and gave it to Xie Yuan to strengthen his cultivation.
• Situ Qin demonstrated how her qin technique could unleash a precisely controlled invisible attack, then Xie Yuan drank the decoction infused with the flower and began cultivating.
• After three days of seclusion, Xie Yuan reached the fourth layer of the Nourishing Body Skill and made major gains in his Blood Qi and Golden Bell Cover, then learned from a maid that three days had passed.

Xie Yuan used his powers to frighten Da Bi Ge into promoting Wang Yibing’s stream, helping him earn enough to clear Xie Yuan’s usurious debt and begin restoring the family’s finances. As his dreamlike time with his family neared its end, Xie Yuan saw Zhang Junyi and eleven other figures in a vision by the crystal at Seeing Truth Lake, many of them close to death.

• Xie Yuan entered Da Bi Ge’s apartment, witnessed his cruelty and infidelity, and used his powers to kill the Tibetan Mastiff and haunt Da Bi Ge with terrifying visions.
• Da Bi Ge became afraid and stopped interfering with Wang Yibing’s stream, then arranged to send the stream traffic and promote it widely.
• Xie Yuan and Wang Yibing’s stream surged in popularity, and Wang Yibing withdrew their earnings so Xie Yuan could repay Boss Tian and tell Wang YaFang he would redeem the family home.
• Xie Yuan spent the following month with his family while cultivating, then saw Zhang Junyi and eleven others floating near the crystal at Seeing Truth Lake, with two already dead.

Xie Yuan turned the battle over the mystic weapon to his advantage, killed Lu Tianyong, wounded Luo Tuo, and escaped an attempt by Jiang Chen to seize his treasures. After gathering medicines and rejoining his Yunshan Sword Sect companions, he prepared to leave the ruins, while Huijue climbed to the fourth floor.

• Xie Yuan used the mystic weapon to provoke Luo Tuo and Lu Tianyong into fighting, then returned to wound Lu Tianyong and take back the weapon.
• Xie Yuan helped kill Lu Tianyong and severely wounded Luo Tuo, who fled when Qin Zhenyang faced him; Qin Zhenyang then protected Xie Yuan from Jiang Chen.
• Xie Yuan subdued Jiang Chen when he threatened him, then trapped him in the armory's mechanisms, leaving him mortally wounded.
• Xie Yuan treated his injuries, collected rare Precious Medicines, reshaped the mystic weapon into a sword, and descended to the second floor rather than risk exploring higher.
• Xie Yuan rejoined Huang Zifeng, Lin Zhen, Lin Cheng, and the other Yunshan Sword Sect disciples, and Qin Zhenyang found the group and promised to report their trial results to their master.
• Huijue ascended the hidden staircase to the fourth floor.

Xie Yuan was challenged by Lu Zhenyu to prove his Galloping Wolf Saber Art, and he defeated several escorts while rapidly improving. His final clash with Li Guo pushed the saber art to Minor Accomplishment, leaving Li Guo's saber broken.

• Lu Zhenyu questioned Xie Yuan's early access to the Galloping Wolf Saber Art and ordered Pang Shan to spar with him.
• Xie Yuan quickly defeated Pang Shan, then outmaneuvered Chen Xiaolei by predicting his dodge and stopping his saber before his face.
• Lu Zhenyu sent Li Guo to test Xie Yuan, who defended against Li Guo's relentless assault and steadily advanced his saber art.
• Xie Yuan reached Minor Accomplishment during a clash with Li Guo, whose saber shattered under Xie Yuan's strike.

At the New Year’s Elders’ Council, Xie Yuan admitted he was not biologically part of the Chen Commandery Xie clan, and the elders voted to remove him as family head. He surrendered the Blood Jade Ring and left the clan land with Mu Chaoyun, while a newly arrived elder lamented that the Xie clan had driven away a true qilin child.

• Xie Zhi exposed evidence that Xie Yuan had been born in North Mountain Village and was not related by blood to the Chen Commandery Xie clan, and Xie Yuan confirmed the truth.
• Xie Yuan asked the elders to let him remain family head until the Lineage was secure, but the elders opposed him; Xie Bing offered him a place at Dragon Martial Academy, and Xie Lei proposed making him an elder.
• Xie Yuan surrendered the Blood Jade Ring and left the council hall, then told Shi Jian and Yun Zhu to stay and departed with Mu Chaoyun after bidding farewell to Cui Pingjun, Xie Yi, and Xie Lingyun.
• Xie Lingyun decided to follow Xie Yuan after a few days, while Xie Yuan left the Dragon Soul behind and departed the Xie clan land.
• A gaunt old man arrived at Xie Yuan’s courtyard after his departure and condemned the Xie clan for driving away a true qilin child.

Xie Yuan returned to the Iron Clothes Gate as Liu Heshang was gravely wounded after a brutal fight with Fang Wei. He challenged Fang Wei and Wang Black Tiger to face him together, declaring his confidence in his newly achieved Second Level of Practice.

• Liu Heshang pinned Fang Wei’s spear through his belly and charged, forcing Fang Wei to fall before collapsing himself with a near miss between Fang Wei’s legs.
• Fang Wei tried to stomp on the wounded Liu Heshang, but Xie Yuan’s thrown axe struck the stage and stopped him.
• Xie Yuan helped Liu Heshang and called Huo Da and the other disciples to treat his wound, then revealed that he had completed the Second Level of Practice.
• Fang Wei proposed Xie Yuan’s Axe Technique as the stake for a fight, but Xie Yuan rejected him and challenged both Fang Wei and Wang Black Tiger at once.

Xie Yuan returned to the Xie Family with a prescription and rare ingredients for treating Xie Yi’s Soul Loss Syndrome, only to learn that the Wang Family had disrupted vital shipments from Heaven Cloud Garden. He sent Xie Bing to investigate and settled down to assess his gains from Heaven Beyond Heaven, where the changed Buddhist Talisman stirred a new thought.

• Xie Yuan defeated Cui Lei in Fen River Town, and the Cui Family Grandmasters let him leave while Cui Lei chose to return to Qinghe.
• Xie Yuan reached the Xie Family Clan Land and gave Cui Pingjun the prescription and two rare ingredients for treating Soul Loss Syndrome.
• Cui Pingjun told Xie Yuan that attacks had cut off Heaven Cloud Garden’s medicinal shipments, while Xie Wen and other elders hesitated to act.
• After learning that Cui Lei and the Cui Family had not followed him, Xie Yuan sent Xie Bing to Heaven Cloud Garden to address the crisis.
• Xie Yuan demonstrated his spear technique at Dragon Martial Academy, and Xie Bing agreed to go to Heaven Cloud Garden; Xie Yuan then reviewed his progress and examined the transformed Buddhist Talisman.

After Iron Cloth advanced, Xie Yuan discovered that cultivating Blood Qi was draining his depleted body, so he chose to recover and save money for nourishment before training again. He felled a Camphor Tree in the mountains and hauled its timber to Coiling Dragon Town, where he was shocked by the carpenter’s offer.

• Xie Yuan advanced Iron Cloth to Layer One, but the new Blood Qi left him dangerously weak, and he realized martial training could consume his vitality without a strong body and proper nourishment.
• Xie Yuan rested for several days and decided to earn money by selling valuable timber rather than train recklessly.
• Xie Yuan traveled into the mountains and felled a large Camphor Tree with his Tiger-Bone Iron Axe.
• Xie Yuan spent ten days cutting the tree into furniture-sized sections, then borrowed a flatbed cart and pushed the timber to Coiling Dragon Town.
• Xie Yuan asked the town’s largest carpenter’s merchant to name a price and reacted in disbelief.

At Xie Lun’s grave, a taoist revealed that he had once offered to teach Xie Lun martial arts, but Xie Lun refused because he would not leave Xie Yuan behind. The taoist gave Xie Yuan a modified fist art and introduced him to the wider realms of martial cultivation.

• Xie Yuan led the taoist to Xie Lun’s grave and asked why his brother had died despite being kind and admired.
• The taoist explained that he had once recognized Xie Lun’s exceptional martial talent and offered to take him as a disciple, but Xie Lun refused because he wanted to stay with Xie Yuan.
• The taoist said he had taught Xie Lun a fist art and planned to return, but arrived too late to see him again.
• The taoist explained the four major realms of martial cultivation and warned Xie Yuan that his crude external art would ruin his body.
• The taoist gave Xie Yuan a modified fist art he had intended for Xie Lun, saying the younger brother would succeed the elder brother.

Xie Yuan strengthened his body through training and completed the Yellow Phoebe delivery, then surprised the Iron Clothes Gate with his breakthrough. When Xu Yang challenged him, Xie Yuan struck him down with one punch.

• Xie Yuan broke through the first layer of Iron Cloth, gaining tougher skin and greater strength.
• Xie Yuan felled and delivered the remaining Yellow Phoebe to Boss Wan, who paid him four taels of silver and an extra tael.
• At the Iron Clothes Gate, Huo Da saw Xie Yuan's progress and hurried to tell the Master after Xie Yuan explained it with a story about finding Old Ginseng.
• Xu Yang confronted Xie Yuan and demanded a spar, while Tao Jielin and other disciples gathered to watch.
• Xie Yuan charged with a punch, and Xu Yang flew backward after their fists and palms collided.

Xie Yuan returned to Yunshan amid the turmoil and told Li Xingtuo about the great tribulation and the Black Heaven Book. With Li Xingtuo’s permission, he ascended Sword Peak and drew out the Black Heaven Book’s phantom, leaving the sect to rebuild its sacred ground through the sword intent of its disciples; Li Xingtuo then disappeared after striking toward the sky.

• Xie Yuan learned from Qin Zhenyang that Yunshan disciples had died fighting demons and that Uncle-Master Luo was recovering from serious injuries.
• Xie Yuan told Li Xingtuo about the great tribulation, the Black Heaven Book, and his plan to take the page on Sword Peak to seek a way to end the chaos.
• Li Xingtuo allowed Xie Yuan to ascend directly to Sword Peak’s ninety-ninth level, where Xie Yuan drew out the phantom of the colossal sword and sent a sword light through the dark clouds.
• Li Xingtuo reassured the disciples that Sword Peak remained and carved new Sword Marks, declaring it a place where every Yunshan disciple could leave sword insights for those who came after.
• Li Xingtuo finished carving Sword Peak, laughed, thrust his sword toward the sky, and vanished.

Xie Yuan and Yun Xing searched for a way out of the Palm-Sized World, where they had only three days before it might become impossible to escape. After Xie Yuan’s extraordinary luck revealed a hidden cave, Yun Xing led him toward a page of the Black Heaven Book and a plaque bearing the words “This Heaven is a Prison!”

• The Torchbearer Envoy spared Xie Yuan because her master, the mysterious woman he had met at Chunjiang Restaurant, had ordered her not to harm him.
• The Torchbearer Envoy explained that the Palm-Sized World would become a sealed cage after three days, and she recruited Xie Yuan and the other captives to search for a relic that could open it.
• Yun Xing told the group that an ancient Church Master had left something in the mountains that could free them, then organized a search while concealing that she wanted the relic for herself.
• After a day and night of fruitless searching, Xie Yuan’s strange sensation and a collapsing slope revealed a hidden cave entrance.
• Yun Xing told Xie Yuan that the cave held a page of the Black Heaven Book and led him deeper into the mountain, where they found a plaque inscribed with “This Heaven is a Prison!”

After recovering from his fight with Zhang Yu Feng, Xie Yuan studied his elder brother’s hidden manual and learned the Eight Trigrams Mountain Shaking Fist. He left Small Stone Village for Yun Zhao County as county officers rode toward the village in response to the Zhang Family’s fire.

• Xie Yuan compared the fist manual with the Nourishing Body Skill and recognized the Taoist Master's handwriting.
• Xie Yuan struggled to understand the manual, then recalled Zhang Yu Feng's moves and comprehended the Eight Trigrams Mountain Shaking Fist.
• Xie Yuan realized the fist technique and Nourishing Body Skill might complement each other, but chose not to practice while injured and preparing to leave.
• Xie Yuan told Li Lan he was leaving, loaded wood onto a donkey cart, and asked Zhu Dongming to drive him toward Cloudshine.
• Xie Yuan watched county officers gallop north toward Small Stone Village, then continued with Zhu Dongming into Yun Zhao County.

Xie Yuan defeated the Right Dharma King, took the Ji Family's Divine Axe, and secured the Stove Sect's acceptance of the Fire Transmission Envoy. After spending three days with Situ Qin, he left Heaven Beyond Heaven and set out for Yunshan Mountain.

• Xie Yuan used his secret arts and spear to overcome the Right Dharma King's resistance, while Situ Qin held the Martial Transmission Elder back with her qin.
• The Right Dharma King threw the Divine Axe toward his followers, but Xie Yuan seized it and used it to drive him back before cleaving him in two.
• Xie Yuan bound the resisting Divine Axe with the Ten Thousand Weapons Candlelight Shadow and warned the Stove Sect not to rebel or interfere with the Fire Transmission Envoy.
• Xie Yuan entered the Prince of Western Peace Residence with Situ Qin, agreed to rest for one day, and then stayed with her for three days before leaving.
• Yun Xing escorted Xie Yuan out of Heaven Beyond Heaven, and he set off from Yun Province Prefecture toward Yunshan Mountain.

Xie Yuan investigated Jin Guang Temple after his Buddhist Talisman reacted, uncovering that the temple's healing work concealed a scheme to spread epidemics and profit from the cures. He killed the abbot, resolved to confront evil directly, and faced a Yao Family agent calling himself the Autumn Wind Pavilion Master.

• Xie Yuan followed the reacting Buddhist Talisman to Jin Guang Temple, where he witnessed worshippers' suffering and the temple's exploitative fees and conduct.
• Xie Yuan discovered that Jin Guang Temple's divine water was made with medicinal herbs, then learned that Wang Lanhua had died after her involvement with a monk and that Zhang the Scholar had also died.
• Xie Yuan overheard the abbot and a Yao Family associate discussing an epidemic, realized Jin Guang Temple had been spreading illness to sell medicine, and killed the abbot with two punches.
• Xie Yuan concluded that useful deeds did not excuse evil and decided that his martial duty was to eliminate it.
• The Yao Family agent revealed that he had tracked Xie Yuan and used Jin Guang Temple as bait, identified himself as the Autumn Wind Pavilion Master, and drew his short sword as Xie Yuan prepared to fight.

The Hidden Sword Pavilion decisively won the opening matches of the Yunshan Sword Debate, and Yao Tianchuan then humiliated two Yunshan Sword Sect disciples before provoking Situ Qin and insulting the Sovereign. Li Tai intervened, clashed with Song Qingping, and Li Xingtuo halted the confrontation; the remaining matches were postponed, while Situ Qin vowed to deal with Yao Tianchuan.

• Li Xingtuo and Wei Dong offered guidance to disciples after the Hidden Sword Pavilion swept the first day's matches, while Xie Yuan and Situ Qin discussed the Yunshan Sword Sect's poor chances in the following contests.
• Yao Tianchuan defeated Xing Zhi in three sword strikes, then challenged the Yunshan Sword Sect again and defeated Zhou Xinhong with a single move.
• Yao Tianchuan insulted Situ Qin and the Sovereign, prompting Li Tai to confront him and threaten his life.
• Song Qingping stepped in to protect Yao Tianchuan and fought Li Tai until Li Xingtuo stopped them and postponed the remaining matches until the next day.
• After disciples from both sects fought several private bouts, Situ Qin angrily declared that she would make Yao Tianchuan unable to speak again.

Situ Qin grew furious over Yao Tianchuan’s insults, but Xie Yuan persuaded her not to confront him and instead went to challenge Yao himself. The chapter ended with Xie Yuan holding his sword at Yao Tianchuan’s throat and identifying himself as a Yunshan Sword Sect servant.

• Situ Qin demanded to confront Yao Tianchuan, but Xie Yuan calmed her by offering her pastries and warning that Yao wanted her to take the bait.
• Xie Yuan volunteered to face Yao Tianchuan in Situ Qin’s place, and Situ Qin agreed after he promised to retreat if he could not win.
• Xie Yuan returned to the Servant Courtyard, learned how Yao’s victories had shaken the Yunshan Sword Sect disciples, and waited until nightfall to leave.
• Xie Yuan found Yao Tianchuan practicing by a cliff and challenged him while concealing his face.
• Xie Yuan drew the Sword Peak with startling speed and stopped it at Yao Tianchuan’s throat, then said he was a Yunshan Sword Sect servant.

Xie Yuan faced Xie Dun in a clan-wide ranking match, testing his swordsmanship against the formidable younger-generation expert. After Xie Dun unleashed his ultimate strike and seemingly erased him, Xie Yuan appeared behind him and praised his swordsmanship.

• Xie Yuan accepted Xie Dun’s challenge for a match three days later, while Shi Jian warned him that Xie Dun was far stronger than his previous opponents.
• Xie Yi and the clan elders debated Xie Yuan’s chances, while clansmen placed wagers and Xie Chun’s companions expected Xie Dun to win.
• Xie Yuan and Xie Dun began their match in the crowded Martial Arts Arena, and Xie Yuan used his swordsmanship to withstand and counter Xie Dun’s fast, powerful attacks.
• Xie Yuan revealed his mastery of the Cloud Dragon Nine Forms, and his strongest strike met Xie Dun’s sword evenly.
• Xie Dun unleashed a sweeping ultimate strike that cut through Xie Yuan’s apparent illusions, but Xie Yuan vanished from the arena and applauded him from behind.

Xie Yuan revealed the eleventh level of the Great Golden River Skill, defeated Lei Xianlun and BeiTang Chong, and continued to the summit of Holy Mountain. There he faced Ji Xuan, whose overwhelming skill interrupted their duel when the mountain’s barrier opened.

• Lei Xianlun joined BeiTang Chong in attacking Xie Yuan, while BeiTang Yue fought Yun Xing; Yun Xing fled and BeiTang Yue pursued her.
• Xie Yuan unleashed the eleventh level of the Great Golden River Skill, pierced Lei Xianlun with Dragon Soul, and drove BeiTang Chong back.
• Lei Xianlun and BeiTang Chong activated secret arts, but Xie Yuan vanished from their senses and struck them both with the Xuanhua Great Axe.
• Xie Yuan left the battlefield and climbed toward the summit, where he found Ji Xuan waiting beside the Holy Flame.
• Xie Yuan and Ji Xuan tested their stealth, footwork, and other abilities, and Ji Xuan said Xie Yuan could help him overcome the last flaw before breaking through.
• The Holy Mountain trembled and its barrier opened; as Xie Yuan looked toward the summit, Ji Xuan abruptly attacked him with a punch.

Xie Yuan visited Heaven's Gate Mountain and learned from the Old Taoist Priest that the former Martial God, Wu Wudi, had become the Heavenly Dao and was gathering the Source of Dao to pursue the Heavenly Dao of this world. The Old Taoist Priest revealed that Xie Yuan possessed the true Source of Dao and asked if he was ready to confront Wu Wudi.

• Xie Yuan found Spring River Restaurant closed and learned from an old man that Boss Wu had left after saying his mission was complete and that staying would bring bad luck.
• Xie Yuan left his family and tutoring center in Wang Yibing's care, then traveled to Heaven's Gate Mountain.
• Xie Yuan met the Old Taoist Priest, who revealed that he had once been the Heavenly Dao before the Martial God, Wu Wudi, attacked and drove him from his world.
• The Old Taoist Priest explained that Wu Wudi had become the Heavenly Dao, sealed his world, and harvested Great Grandmasters to restore the Source of Dao while preparing to pursue him into Xie Yuan's world.
• The Old Taoist Priest revealed that Xie Yuan's Supreme Purity Moral Scripture and extraordinary comprehension were the true Source of Dao he had given him, then asked whether Xie Yuan was ready.