Chapter Summaries

Saint Ye explained that immortal-forbidding techniques could suppress Lin Heng’s immortal arts, so he began exploring the Human Path and demonstrated its power by breaking a Buddhist statue’s arm. Later, Dugu Feng asked to learn immortal arts, while Lin Heng took Hua Qi into the Small World to collect on her promise of flower honey.

• Saint Ye and Hua Qi warned Lin Heng that the Ancient Buddha Lineage’s immortal-forbidding techniques could suppress immortal arts and even the Hunyuan Immortal Body.
• Saint Ye advised Lin Heng to develop the Human Path, which relied on a person’s own strength rather than immortal methods.
• Lin Heng struck a Buddhist statue with plain physical force and shattered half of its arm, astonishing Saint Ye and Hua Qi.
• Dugu Feng asked Lin Heng to teach him immortal arts, and Lin Heng demanded a hundred thousand Spirit Stones in return.
• Lin Heng brought Hua Qi into the Small World and grabbed her as he prepared to collect the flower honey she had promised.

Lin Heng led the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office’s campaign into the Sand Dune Demon Domain, where human forces devastated the demon tribes before the surviving great clans mounted a counterattack. As the battle reached a dangerous standoff, Wu Ba arrived and vowed to slay the Barbarian King Venerable while Lin Heng remained in seclusion.

• Lin Heng ordered the demon campaign to spare demons that did not obstruct them, assigned merit points for kills, and required all demon spoils to be surrendered to the Imperial Office.
• More than a thousand Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office elites entered the Sand Dune Demon Domain, broke through demon defenses, and began a bloody campaign that lasted over ten days.
• Dugu Yueli and Qin Hongyi slew the Gangjie Mother Worm, the Four Great Families killed the Great Worm-Snake Venerable, and Dugu Feng and Meng Yutong’s forces relieved the Green Fox Clan’s siege.
• The Barbarian King Venerable and three insect Mother Queens led demon forces against the cultivators at Sand Dune Immortal-Burying Mountain, while Dugu Feng and Ji Taichang suffered serious injuries.
• Wu Ba asked whether Lin Heng had left seclusion, then declared that he would personally kill the Barbarian King Venerable and asked to see Lin Heng when he emerged.

In his Small World, Lin Heng let the Jade Origin Vine and Green Lotus Dao Fire evolve while he investigated the threat posed by the Buddhist Incense Society’s immortal seal and reconsidered the origins of humans, immortals, and gods. He explored the power within his own body, then spent a hundred years of Timeflow returning himself to the frail state of an ordinary human.

• Lin Heng sent the Jade Origin Vine and Green Lotus Dao Fire out of the palace to transform, while he used the Human Emperor Banner to withstand the Small World’s backlash.
• Lin Heng searched his Small World for danger and recalled how the Buddhist Incense Society’s immortal seal could suppress immortal arts, divine abilities, and Immortal Bodies.
• Lin Heng pondered Lin Ziqing’s writings about humans, immortals, and gods, and wondered whether humans had once pursued power through their own bodies.
• Lin Heng examined his body with his divine sense and Dao Eye, tracing its structure down to the fundamental forces underlying matter.
• Lin Heng consumed a hundred years of Timeflow and reduced his cultivation to the Qi Refining Realm, becoming an aged, frail human.

Lin Heng emerged from the Small World with the newly transformed Jade Origin Vine and Green Lotus Dao Fire, then discovered Wu Ba had defeated Barbarian King Venerable. A sleeping Demon Venerable awakened and spread the Eternal Silent Sand Abyss across the battlefield as the gathered fighters attacked its demon pupil.

• The Jade Origin Vine and Green Lotus Dao Fire transformed into childlike spirit bodies, and Lin Heng named them Xiao Yuan and Xiao Huo.
• Lin Heng left the stone hall with Xiao Yuan and Xiao Huo, learned from a fox that Wu Ba had defeated Barbarian King Venerable, and hurried toward the demons sharing the fallen Venerable’s flesh.
• A Demon Venerable awakened in fury over Wu Ba’s victory, while Wu Ba called on Martial Man for his great cleaver and the others realized Lin Heng was missing.
• The Demon Venerable spread the Eternal Silent Sand Abyss across the battlefield, swallowing fighters and weakening their techniques.
• Wu Ba, Meng Yutong, Dugu Feng, Su Moxie, and the other powerhouses joined forces with the eight great Demon Kings to strike the demon pupil.
• The demon pupil remained disdainful as the Demon Venerable invoked Soul-Eroding Dragon’s Cry.

The Candle Heaven Demon Venerable overwhelmed the assembled cultivators, but Lin Heng appeared just as Dugu Yueli’s moon protection failed and stopped its attack. After sending the injured Dugu Yueli into his Small World, Lin Heng seized the Demon Venerable by its tail and dragged it toward the Sand Abyss.

• The Candle Heaven Demon Venerable’s roar shattered the cultivators’ attacks and hurled them into disarray, while Dugu Yueli used the Bright Moon Heavenly Wheel to rescue Dugu Feng and the Fox Clan’s three Demon Ancestors.
• Qin Hongyi urged the group to retreat, but Meng Yutong said they had someone who could rival a Supreme, and the women identified Lin Heng as the one they were waiting for.
• Lin Heng climbed beneath the dim moon as Dugu Yueli’s forbidden art failed and she fell onto him.
• The Candle Heaven Demon Venerable thrust its tail hook at Lin Heng and Dugu Yueli, but Lin Heng caught it and shielded her.
• Lin Heng sent the injured Dugu Yueli into his Small World, then grabbed the Demon Venerable’s tail and hurled its massive body through the clouds before dragging it toward the Sand Abyss.

Lin Heng faced Zhu Tian’s transformed Demon Venerable Dragon-Head Body at the Sand Abyss and endured its attacks without yielding. He ended the fight by lifting Zhu Tian’s stomp and toppling the giant demon.

• Lin Heng threw Zhu Tian into the Sand Abyss, prompting Zhu Tian to emerge in his Dragon-Head Body form.
• Zhu Tian’s flames burned Lin Heng, and his repeated punches drove Lin Heng into the quicksand while the watching women worried about him.
• Lin Heng crawled out of the sand, and Zhu Tian stomped at him with enough force to bury the surrounding battlefield in dust.
• Lin Heng stopped Zhu Tian’s foot with one hand, mocked his weakness, and toppled him with a forceful push.

Lin Heng fought Demon Venerable Zhu Tian inside his Humanity Domain, but the strain of sustaining it left him close to defeat. Just as Zhu Tian broke the domain, a second Demon Venerable-level force disrupted its sand abyss, giving Lin Heng the opening to summon the Supreme Bone Sword.

• Lin Heng exchanged blows with Zhu Tian, whose wounds rapidly healed using the sand abyss’s power.
• Saint Ye arrived with Little Black and explained that Lin Heng was displaying the Humanity Domain, a powerful Human Path ability with a cost to his lifespan.
• Lin Heng grew slower and more injured as Zhu Tian claimed its endless sand-domain power would wear him down.
• Zhu Tian shattered Lin Heng’s Humanity Domain and prepared to finish him.
• A powerful force erupted from beneath the sand abyss and disrupted Zhu Tian’s domain, creating an opening for Lin Heng.
• Lin Heng summoned the Supreme Bone Sword from his Small World.

Lin Heng used the Supreme Bone Sword to sever Candle Heaven Demon Venerable’s arm, then regained his strength with the Jade Origin Vine and defeated him. The Crimson Roc Demon Venerable’s will prevented Lin Heng from killing Candle Heaven, so he returned to camp with Candle Heaven’s severed tail before collapsing.

• Lin Heng drew the Supreme Bone Sword and severed Candle Heaven Demon Venerable’s arm with one strike.
• Candle Heaven fled toward his camp and slaughtered Barbarian King Venerable and other Demon Kings to replenish his strength.
• Lin Heng used the Jade Origin Vine’s Life Origin Force to revive his Humanity Domain, then grabbed Candle Heaven’s tail and struck with the Supreme Bone Sword.
• A vision of the Martial Emperor and Crimson Roc Demon Venerable appeared, and the Crimson Roc Demon Venerable’s will stopped Lin Heng from killing Candle Heaven.
• Lin Heng returned to Flat Mountain carrying Candle Heaven’s severed tail, told his companions to stew it, and collapsed.

After Lin Heng’s battle with Zhu Tian, the Fox Clans discussed how to support him while his companions watched over his recovery. He woke after breaking through to mid-stage Return to Void, only to discover the women had examined him while he was unconscious.

• Yu Ling told the Fox Ancestors that Lin Heng possessed a Demon Venerable artifact, and the Green Fox Clan leader agreed to prepare Spirit Transformation True Blood for him.
• Meng Yutong sent away the unrelated onlookers, leaving the women connected to Lin Heng to examine him in a medicinal bath.
• After five double-hours, Lin Heng had recovered more than half and advanced to mid-stage Return to Void.
• Lin Heng woke, realized he was naked and surrounded by women, and asked what they had done to him.
• Duan Shuyun teased Lin Heng about his body, and he protested that she was doing it on purpose.

After recovering from his injuries, Lin Heng hinted to Meng Yutong that he wanted to take on more “responsibility” with several women, but his request to include Little Yueli provoked her into hitting him. The chapter left Dugu Xuexue spotting Lin Heng’s flight and setting off to tell Uncle Prison and the others.

• Lin Heng grabbed Meng Yutong after her disciples abandoned their plan to mock him, and the others fled while she stayed behind.
• Yun Yao bragged to Leng Qingyun about her strength, and Duan Shuyun and Mu Liuxi overheard her and decided to discipline her.
• Over the next three days, Lin Heng recovered and joked about his improved condition while Meng Yutong watched.
• Lin Heng asked Meng Yutong to let him pursue the Su Family’s Saintesses and Mu Li, then suggested adding Little Yueli to his burden of responsibility.
• Meng Yutong hit Lin Heng, and Dugu Xuexue saw him streak across the sky and rode off to tell Uncle Prison and the others.

Lin Heng reunited with Dugu Yueli in the Small World after Qin Hongyi came looking for her, and pretended his weakness came from saving everyone. He kept Dugu Yueli inside the Small World, claiming the outside remained dangerous.

• Qin Hongyi confronted Lin Heng about Dugu Yueli, and Lin Heng vanished before he could question him about the Little Black Room.
• Hua Qi told Qin Hongyi that Lin Heng had gone to find Dugu Yueli, and Qin Hongyi demanded to see his niece before nightfall.
• Lin Heng found Dugu Yueli exploring the Small World and let her believe his pale hair and weakness came from using a forbidden divine art.
• Dugu Yueli fed Lin Heng an ordinary piece of candy, joking that sugar helped sick pigs, and laughed at his reaction.
• Lin Heng refused to let Dugu Yueli leave the Small World, insisting it was still dangerous outside and asking her to look after the place.

Lin Heng tried to keep Dugu Yueli hidden in his Small World by claiming she had died, but she challenged him to a fight and defeated him. The chapter ended with Dugu Yueli leaving with Qin Hongyi, flustered and angry, while Lin Heng cheerfully reminded her of their agreement.

• Lin Heng told Dugu Yueli he could claim the Demon Venerable had killed her and keep her hidden as his canary, prompting her to attack him.
• Lin Heng stopped Dugu Yueli with Immortal Restriction, then lifted it when she demanded a fair fight.
• Dugu Yueli and Lin Heng fought with their manifestations and divine abilities, and she used the Cosmic Bright Moon Mirror, Void-Piercing Life-and-Death Spear, and Immortal-Burying Waterdrop.
• Dugu Yueli defeated Lin Heng and taunted him about making her a canary, while he continued teasing her even as she stood over him.
• Qin Hongyi met Dugu Yueli after she left Hua Qi's recovery area, noticed her flushed face, and hurried after her when she said a pig had rooted it.

Lin Heng rallied the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office to resume its expedition and sent an advance unit into the Tusu Demon Domain, while Zhu Tian sought a truce to preserve the balance of the Sand Dune Demon Domain. Meanwhile, the Dao Palace came under siege by Supremes and Immortal Clans, and Dugu Wuwu discovered that Dugu Yueli and Lin Heng were missing from Falling Snow City.

• Lin Heng announced that the army would regroup in two days and advance into the Tusu Demon Domain, winning the assembled patriarch-level figures' support.
• Su Moxie teased Su Qiubai about Lin Heng and urged her to dress up, while she defended her armor and spear and privately thought of Little Xiao Heng.
• Zhu Tian sent the Fox Clan a truce letter before entering seclusion, hoping to prevent Sand Dune's weakened Demon Domain from becoming a battlefield.
• Uncle Prison led an advance unit of more than fifty people through the Sand Dune Grand Canyon and into the swampy Tusu Demon Domain.
• Two Supremes attacked Dao Palace City, but Jiang Zhenqing forced them back, and four of the six great Immortal Clans began moving against the Dao Palace.
• Dugu Wuwu learned that Dugu Yueli was missing and that Lin Heng's people were still supposedly mining, then urgently asked the others to invite Prince Jing.

Jiang Zhenqing learned that Lin Heng had fled the Dao Palace with the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office and Dugu Yueli, leaving the defenders trapped by the Four Great Immortal Clans. Meanwhile, the Shadow Alliance passed news about Lin Heng’s battle to the Heavenly Profound Continent and prepared for the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office’s arrival at the Changlin Clan.

• Dugu Wuwu told Jiang Zhenqing that Lin Heng had left the Immortal Sea with the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office and abducted Dugu Yueli, and the group guessed they might have gone to Demon Forest.
• Jiang Zhenqing suspected Lin Heng had revealed his presence to draw the Immortal Clan Supremes toward him, while Dugu Wuwu lamented that his daughter had escaped.
• The Shadow Alliance leader learned of Lin Heng’s battle in the Sand Dune Demon Domain and ordered a report sent to the Heavenly Profound Continent.
• The Shadow Alliance leader instructed an attendant to hide Lin Heng’s role in the battle and tell the Changlin Clan to prepare to receive the Heavenly Mystery Imperial Office.
• Lin Tiancheng and Lin Tianhe discussed Lin Heng’s arrival, and Lin Tiancheng dismissed the Dugu Clan’s debt as a family matter.

Dugu Qingyang and the others traveled toward the Heavenly Action Continent, where Dugu Zixuan explained Lin Heng’s plan to strike the Central Domain. The chapter ended with Dugu Qingyang revealing his clan’s cooperation with the Changlin Clan and joking that he would send the Old Lin Family to the mines after the Central Domain was conquered.

• Dugu Qingyang, Dugu Zhengyuan, and Dugu Yifeng joined Dugu Zixuan and Murong Ziyan, and the group departed for the Heavenly Action Continent.
• Dugu Zixuan told Dugu Qingyang and Dugu Zhengyuan that Lin Heng had planned his lightning strike on the Central Domain from the start.
• Dugu Qingyang doubted whether Lin Heng’s forces could cross the Demon Domains, but Dugu Zixuan insisted her son was confident in his plans.
• Dugu Zixuan asked whether the Dugu Clan had dealings with the Changlin Clan, and Dugu Qingyang confirmed their cooperation.
• Dugu Qingyang disparaged the Changlin Clan and said he planned to send its members to the mines after the Central Domain fell.

Lin Heng’s group crossed into the Contract Beast Clan’s territory, where Bai Yi challenged the clan while Lin Heng expected the Beast Venerable to stay out of the fight. Su Qiubai delivered a message scroll and misread Lin Heng’s talk of an opportunity as lewd, while Jiang Caiyan revealed she had once shared her doubts.

• Yu Ling guided Bai Yi and the human cultivators toward the black earth region, explaining the route through the Contract Beast Clan’s territory and onward to the Central Domain.
• The Contract Beast Clan blocked the force, and Lin Heng’s group established a camp in the black earth region.
• Martial Man told Lin Heng that Bai Yi had gone alone to confront the Contract Beast Clan’s great demons, and Lin Heng approved of his move.
• Lin Heng explained that the Beast Venerable was unlikely to fight personally because the Tusu Demon Domain’s two powerful demons would risk letting the other gain an advantage.
• Lin Heng told Martial Man’s group to defeat the Contract Beast Clan’s mid-stage Dao Integration leader within three days, then stopped Su Qiubai as she tried to leave.
• Su Qiubai misunderstood Lin Heng’s talk of an opportunity, and Jiang Caiyan remarked that she had once thought the same before deciding group effort was more effective.

Lin Heng challenged Su Qiubai about her interest in him and argued that their exceptional compatibility justified pursuing a relationship despite their lack of emotional intimacy. After kissing her, he left her stunned and protesting that he had taken her first kiss.

• Su Qiubai asked Lin Heng whether he liked Su Wanyue and urged him to settle the matter of their engagement.
• Lin Heng suggested Su Qiubai was reacting to family pressure and competition with Su Wanyue, then teased her about admitting she was interested in him.
• Lin Heng said he would take both Su Wanyue and Su Qiubai into the Inner Court as Dao companions, citing their beauty and his reluctance to let them find other partners.
• Lin Heng asked Su Qiubai to acknowledge his exceptional appearance, talent, and background, then kissed her when she could not answer.
• Lin Heng declared that feelings required someone to take the first step and left, while Su Qiubai cried out that he had taken her first kiss.

Su Qiubai learned that Su Moxie suspected Bai Zihe was secretly exchanging information and planned to use the warning to spend private time with Lin Heng. Lin Heng was intercepted by Mu Li, who hinted that the Female Emperor had entrusted her with a matter, and he left curious about what Jiang Jingyi had said.

• Su Qiubai returned to Su Moxie after kissing Lin Heng, and Su Moxie told her to warn Lin Heng that Bai Zihe might be leaving signals and contacting others.
• Su Moxie persuaded Su Qiubai to wait until the next day so she could use the warning as an excuse to meet Lin Heng alone.
• Su Qiubai thought about Lin Heng’s fondness for master-and-disciple role-play and compared Su Wanyue’s arrangement with Dream Salted Fish’s.
• Lin Heng failed to approach Little Li because Qin Hongyi was guarding her, then ran into Mu Li, who flirted with him.
• Mu Li said the Female Emperor had spoken with her privately and hinted that she had been entrusted with something, while Lin Heng pressed her to explain what Jiang Jingyi had said.

Meng Yutong watched Lin Heng leave with Mu Li, then listened as Duan Shuyun warned her that Yun Yao’s growing power and ambitions might threaten her place. Duan Shuyun proposed a plan to expose Yun Yao’s true thoughts, leaving Meng Yutong wary of another one of her schemes.

• Meng Yutong stopped herself from following Lin Heng and Mu Li, then went outside and learned that Su Qingchuan and the others had subdued a Demon King to tame as a mount.
• Duan Shuyun praised Bai Yi for defeating several Spirit Transformation demons, then teased Meng Yutong about Lin Heng’s strength and was threatened for it.
• Duan Shuyun told Meng Yutong that Yun Yao had quickly advanced to Nascent Soul Late Stage and might soon surpass the others.
• Duan Shuyun claimed Yun Yao wanted to become the grand heroine and manage everyone in the Inner Court, then offered a plan to reveal her true thoughts.
• Meng Yutong grew suspicious when Duan Shuyun’s plan contradicted her promise not to offer one.

Duan Shuyun and the other senior sisters plotted to use Meng Yutong’s authority to punish Yun Yao, then laid groundwork to draw her in. Their plan began when Leng Qingqiu unexpectedly apologized to Yun Yao and Leng Qingyun, leaving them confused.

• Duan Shuyun persuaded Meng Yutong to test Yun Yao’s intentions and use her authority to punish her if needed.
• Duan Shuyun explained to Mu Liuxi and Leng Qingqiu that having Master act would make them look like victims rather than jealous rivals, then devised further groundwork.
• Duan Shuyun, Mu Liuxi, and Leng Qingqiu found Yun Yao, Leng Qingyun, and Dugu Xuexue playing with Demon Beasts in the Black Soil Zone.
• Duan Shuyun called Yun Yao and Leng Qingyun over, and Leng Qingqiu lowered her head and apologized to them.