Chapter Summaries

Elder Chen told Kong Qifeng and the other Great Liang leaders that Lin Chen had reached tenth place on the Yan Imperial Dynasty’s Martial Path Mountain and advised them to use his rising fame to negotiate opportunities for Great Liang’s young martial artists. After the East Sea Divine Palace administrator arrived and Great Liang celebrated Lin Chen’s achievement, Lakeside Village held a grand ancestral worship ceremony in his honor.

• Chen Kui told Kong Qifeng and the other two that Lin Chen had joined the Azure Ripple Sect, reached tenth place on Martial Path Mountain, and was nearing one hundred thousand consecutive victories.
• Chen Kui advised Great Liang to use Lin Chen’s fame to negotiate recruitment agreements with sects, and Kong Qifeng thanked him for the guidance.
• Kong Qifeng rejected the Green Mountain Sect’s initial offer, but its elder later agreed to recruit three Great Liang disciples every five years without requiring Xiantian Energy.
• The East Sea Divine Palace administrator arrived five days later, and Great Liang issued a proclamation celebrating Lin Chen’s Martial Path Mountain ranking.
• Zhao Canghu summoned Lakeside Village for a three-day ancestral worship ceremony, where Lin Liang offered incense for his absent younger brother as officials from across Jiangnan attended.

Elder Zhuang of the Myriad Fire Sect visited Azure Ripple Sect to recruit Lin Chen, whose ability to refine Xiantian Fire impressed him. Lin Chen refused to leave his sect, and after learning Lin Chen had first cultivated the Boundless Divine Aspect Art at the Third Rank, Zhuang Lie became even more determined to recruit him.

• Lin Chen learned that Elder Zhuang of the Myriad Fire Sect had requested to meet him and went with Chai Daoqi to see him.
• Zhuang Lie released his aura, causing Lin Chen's Xiantian Fire and Boundless Divine Aspect Art to respond, and praised his talent for refining flames.
• Zhuang Lie offered a million Yan Coins and then three Ancient Battlefield slots to persuade Azure Ripple Sect to transfer Lin Chen, but Du Xiaofeng refused.
• Lin Chen told Zhuang Lie that he would not leave Azure Ripple Sect, and Zhuang Lie offered to guide him in flame cultivation.
• Zhuang Lie learned Lin Chen had cultivated the Boundless Divine Aspect Art at the Third Rank after being surrounded by Xiantian Li Fire, and concluded that Lin Chen had to join the Myriad Fire Sect.

Zhuang Lie taught Lin Chen about Xiantian Fire and the Flame Merging Art, then left the Azure Ripple Sect after witnessing Lin Chen’s extraordinary talent for controlling flames. A month later, Lin Chen tested his speed and divine sense before the System Panel warned him that final settlement would begin in ten days.

• Zhuang Lie explained the differences between Mother Fire, Variant Fire, and Child Fire, and offered Lin Chen the Myriad Fire Source Genealogy and Flame Merging Art.
• Lin Chen used Xiantian Li Fire to form dozens of strands and nearly completed a lotus, shocking Zhuang Lie with his talent.
• Zhuang Lie left the Azure Ripple Sect after deciding to wait until Lin Chen traveled outside the sect before contacting him again.
• Lin Chen spent a month cultivating the Flame Merging Art and Thousand Machine Divine Refining Technique, then tested his golden wings and divine-sense flying knives over a lake.
• The System Panel urged Lin Chen to complete the Martial Path Mountain summit challenge and announced that final settlement would begin in ten days.

Lin Chen obtained permission to resume his Martial Path Mountain challenge before the Azure Ripple Secret Realm opened. As he prepared to face the ninth-ranked Ban Yonghuai, people across the Great Liang watched, including Lin Chen’s family, who worried most about his safety.

• Lin Chen told Du Xiaofeng he wanted to challenge for the summit within seven days, and the Sect Master approved his request.
• Lin Chen entered Martial Path Mountain and issued a challenge, while Ban Yonghuai learned of it and admitted he might concede if Lin Chen proved stronger.
• Hu Yunhua arranged for people across Great Liang to watch Lin Chen’s challenge, and students at Azure Ripple Martial Arts Academy cheered when he appeared.
• Kong Qifeng and court ministers watched Lin Chen from the Great Liang Imperial Palace.
• Villagers in Lakeside Village watched with Lin Chen’s parents, brother, teacher, and niece; Mother Lin remarked that he looked healthier as his parents worried about his safety.

Lin Chen defeated a Xuanhuang Sect martial artist, then accepted Xue Xing’s concession before crushing Xu Guanlan in a display of overwhelming power. He left Xu Guanlan unable to fight and continued his challenge to reach the summit of Martial Path Mountain.

• Lin Chen defeated the Xuanhuang Sect martial artist, and his family and the villagers cheered as they watched.
• After recovering, Lin Chen faced Xue Xing, who conceded after learning Lin Chen had held back against Ban Yonghuai.
• Lin Chen continued challenging and confronted Xu Guanlan, who vowed to keep fighting unless he could no longer resist.
• Lin Chen revealed his golden wings and giant form, then overwhelmed Xu Guanlan with a series of fiery attacks.
• Lin Chen returned to his normal appearance after leaving Xu Guanlan motionless on the scorched ground.

After reaching fourth place on Martial Path Mountain, Lin Chen accepted Feng Yichuan’s offer to forfeit so he could immediately challenge second-place Zeng Xi. Lin Chen’s sect elders briefed him on Zeng Xi’s formidable divine sense, while Zeng Xi anticipated the challenge and prepared to receive him.

• After Xu Guanlan fell unconscious, the fighters ranked above Lin Chen chose to forfeit rather than risk a humiliating defeat, and Lin Chen advanced to fourth place.
• Feng Yichuan offered to forfeit if Lin Chen challenged Zeng Xi within three hours, explaining that he wanted Zeng Xi injured and did not want Lin Chen to reveal his trump cards first.
• Lin Chen agreed, and Feng Yichuan forfeited, warning him that Zeng Xi’s greatest strength was his divine sense.
• Lin Chen explained Feng Yichuan’s motive to his Azure Ripple Sect companions, and Du Xiaofeng and Liang Hanyang began informing him about Zeng Xi and the Thousand Machine Sect’s top-ranked disciples.
• Zeng Xi inferred that Feng Yichuan had arranged for Lin Chen to challenge him soon, so he left to prepare for the fight.

Lin Chen challenged Zeng Xi on Martial Path Mountain, and the two fought a dangerous battle of divine souls. Lin Chen overwhelmed Zeng Xi with Divine Sense Like a Tide and won, leaving the Azure Ripple Sect cheering that he could reach the summit.

• Chai Daoqi told Lin Chen that rumors placed Zeng Xi among the strongest divine souls in the Thousand Machine Sect's history, and Du Xiaofeng warned Lin Chen to guard against his soul attacks.
• Zhuang Lie and the Myriad Fire Sect elders discussed how Lin Chen might someday join their sect, while Lin Chen entered Martial Path Mountain to challenge Zeng Xi.
• Lin Chen and Zeng Xi began a hidden divine-sense battle, then revealed matching hundreds of divine-sense throwing knives as they fought on equal terms.
• Zeng Xi transformed his knives into Soul Piercing Cones and shattered Lin Chen's defenses, but Lin Chen unleashed Divine Sense Like a Tide from his Star Chart.
• Unable to withstand Lin Chen's advancing soul-power tide, Zeng Xi conceded, and the Azure Ripple Sect disciples cheered for Lin Chen to reach the summit.

After defeating Zeng Xi, Lin Chen learned that his final opponent, Sima Kong, had held Martial Path Mountain's top spot for ten months and was awaiting a sect offer. Lin Chen set his challenge for three days later, while Sima Kong grew interested in facing him and remained confident he would win.

• Lin Chen returned to the Azure Ripple Sect after defeating Zeng Xi, and Du Xiaofeng and Chai Daoqi praised his strength and exceptional soul.
• Liang Hanyang and Qiao Yuan explained that Sima Kong came from the powerful Sima Family and had held first place on Martial Path Mountain for ten months.
• Du Xiaofeng revealed that Lin Chen's challenge would decide who held first place and earned Martial Path Mountain's fate-mark reward, so Lin Chen planned to challenge Sima Kong in three days.
• At the Sima ancestral residence, Sima Kong told his elder brothers he had not watched Lin Chen's battle because he did not fear him.
• After learning that Lin Chen had defeated Zeng Xi in a soul clash, Sima Kong became interested in the upcoming fight, while his brothers discussed which sect he might join after winning.

Murong Yan and Su Qin settled in a neglected Yan family courtyard after the main branch rejected Murong Yan as a marriage prospect. They watched Lin Chen’s Martial Path Mountain challenge, where he faced the top-ranked Sima Kong.

• Murong Yan recalled that the Yan elder had turned cold after discovering she was no longer a virgin, and she realized the main family had wanted to use her in a marriage alliance.
• Murong Yan warned Su Qin that the Yan family was not a safe place to stay, then learned that Lin Chen was challenging for the summit of Martial Path Mountain.
• Murong Yan watched Lin Chen’s reputation impress the Yan family’s young clansmen and refused to reveal her connection to him, fearing the family might target him.
• Sima Kong appeared to challenge Lin Chen and revealed twenty Xiantian Crystals, displaying strength at the late stage of the Qi Transformation Realm.

Lin Chen faced Sima Kong in the final battle on Martial Path Mountain, where Sima Kong’s late-stage Qi Transformation Realm strength and Overlord Armor gave him a clear advantage. After exchanging attacks, Lin Chen drew on the Azure Ripple Sect’s power, leaving Sima Kong uneasy as the fight continued.

• Sima Kong revealed twenty Xiantian Crystals and declared that Lin Chen could not match his strength.
• Lin Chen transformed into a ten-zhang flaming giant and blocked Sima Kong’s astral-qi spears.
• The two fighters clashed at high speed until Sima Kong’s cracked Overlord Armor and Lin Chen’s dimmed flames showed the toll of the battle.
• Zhuang Lie identified Sima Kong’s armor as the Sima Family’s hereditary art and doubted Lin Chen could break through it.
• Sima Kong prepared to unleash his true strength, but Lin Chen returned to his original form and activated the Heart of Azure Ripple.

Lin Chen defeated Sima Kong in the final battle of Martial Path Mountain by using the Eye of Azure Ripple, claiming first place after a hundred thousand consecutive victories. His victory stirred celebration across Great Liang and left the country’s future prospects transformed, while Yu Yongnian hurriedly took Shu Suwan away to avoid another round of praise and honors.

• Lin Chen used the Eye of Azure Ripple to pierce Sima Kong’s tiger phantom and defenses, freezing Sima Kong’s soul and Power of Xiantian before he crashed to the ground.
• The Azure Ripple Sect celebrated Lin Chen’s victory, and Martial Artists across Great Liang judged that his presence would protect the country and attract talent.
• Emperor Liang Jing set aside petitions from other kingdoms seeking incorporation into Great Liang, while Jiang Duanchao celebrated Lin Chen’s win and regretted that Qing'er could not witness it.
• Zhuang Min declined to tell Qing'er about Lin Chen’s victory because Qing'er was in seclusion, and she said Lin Chen would have to handle the hurdles to marrying her himself.
• Zhao Qianqiu and Yan He'an reflected on how Lin Chen’s rise had improved their own standing and considered Zhao Qianqiu’s possible promotion and future in the Yan Imperial Dynasty.
• Yu Yongnian took Shu Suwan out through the rear gate by carriage to avoid officials and Martial Artists praising him for being Lin Chen’s instructor.

Lin Chen defeated Sima Kong and earned first place on Martial Path Mountain, then received a million points and discovered the System Panel now offered Xiantian Martial Arts Will. After returning to his courtyard, he found his sect master, several elders, and a group of unfamiliar young men waiting for him.

• The Sima Family Head and elders accepted that Sima Kong had lost, then planned to negotiate with sects that could help him reclaim first place.
• Sima Kong admitted defeat to Lin Chen, vowed not to give up, and disappeared from the Martial Path Plains.
• Martial Path Mountain rewarded Lin Chen for achieving one hundred thousand consecutive victories, replenishing his strength and granting him one million points.
• Lin Chen saw that the System Panel now offered ordinary, refined, and flawless Xiantian Martial Arts Will, but decided to wait before exchanging his points.
• Lin Chen returned to his courtyard and found eight elders, including the sect master, and a group of unfamiliar young men waiting for him.

Lin Chen was praised by Azure Ripple Sect elders for becoming first on Martial Path Mountain with a record-breaking streak, then discussed his cultivation and reward points with Du Xiaofeng. He accepted a sect task to visit the Myriad Fire Sect and collect Xiantian Fire energy before the Azure Ripple Secret Realm opened.

• The Azure Ripple Sect elders congratulated Lin Chen for taking first place on Martial Path Mountain and defeating Sima Kong with the Eye of Azure Ripple.
• Chai Daoqi asked how Lin Chen had learned the Eye of Azure Ripple, and Lin Chen credited the Martial Evolution Mirror; Du Xiaofeng later recognized that Lin Chen's Heart of Azure Ripple had helped.
• Lin Chen explained that he had earned one million points and could exchange them for Xiantian Martial Arts Will, but Du Xiaofeng advised him to wait until after the Azure Ripple Secret Realm.
• Du Xiaofeng offered Lin Chen a sect task to travel to the Myriad Fire Sect and collect Xiantian Fire energy before the secret realm opened.
• Lin Chen accepted the task and prepared to travel to the Myriad Fire Sect.

Lin Chen traveled toward Myriad Fire Sect for his first sect mission while his Senior Brothers warned each other to keep him clear of factional disputes. When Sky Dome Dynasty’s princes intercepted him and invited him to visit, he refused and continued on, while they accepted that he would not befriend Crimson Radiance Dynasty.

• Chai Daoqi invited Lin Chen to visit his home, but Lin Chen declined so he could focus on his sect mission, and Liang Hanyang urged Chai Daoqi not to draw attention to their closeness.
• Liang Hanyang warned Chai Daoqi that Lin Chen should avoid factional disputes until he grew stronger, and Chai Daoqi understood his concern about Sky Dome Dynasty.
• Three days later, two princes of Sky Dome Dynasty intercepted Lin Chen near their capital and invited him to visit, making Lin Chen suspect someone had leaked his mission plans.
• Lin Chen refused the princes’ repeated invitations and continued toward Myriad Fire Sect despite their objections.
• The Fifth Prince complained that Lin Chen had slighted Sky Dome Dynasty, while his older brother said Lin Chen’s resentment was understandable and that the dynasty only needed to keep him from becoming close to Crimson Radiance Dynasty.

Lin Chen traveled to the Myriad Fire Sect to collect fire-attributed Xiantian Energy and discovered that Elder Zhuang was avoiding him. Before Lin Chen could leave, Zhao Haoyang challenged him to a contest of flame-control ability, and Lin Chen accepted.

• Lin Chen crossed into the Myriad Fire Domain, met Wen Yunting at the border, and explained that he was carrying out a sect mission.
• Lin Chen reached the Myriad Fire Sect and was escorted to a guest courtyard after the gate guards recognized him.
• Zhuang Lie refused to meet Lin Chen and instructed Du Shuang to give him the energy and send him away quickly.
• Du Shuang delivered one hundred strands of fire-attributed energy and claimed Elder Zhuang had entered seclusion, so Lin Chen prepared to leave without seeing him.
• Zhao Haoyang challenged Lin Chen to a contest of flame-control ability, and Lin Chen accepted.

At the Myriad Fire Sect’s Flame Refining Platform, Lin Chen and Zhao Haoyang competed to draw out Xiantian Fires. Lin Chen surpassed Zhao Haoyang’s seven flames and, urged on by Zhuang Lie, continued drawing out flames as the gathered disciples watched in disbelief.

• Zhao Haoyang explained the Flame Refining Platform’s rules and drew out six different Xiantian Fires, hoping to impress Zhuang Lie.
• Lin Chen used the Flame Merging Art and drew out six Xiantian Fires, matching Zhao Haoyang despite having cultivated the art for far less time.
• Lin Chen drew out a seventh Xiantian Fire, defeating Zhao Haoyang and silencing the crowd.
• After Lin Chen hesitated to continue, Zhuang Lie appeared and told him to show his full strength.
• Lin Chen agreed, ignited the remaining two Fire Pillars, and drew out nine Xiantian Fires before changing his hand seals again.

Lin Chen drew forth twenty-seven streams of Xiantian Fire at the Myriad Fire Sect, prompting Zhuang Lie to offer him a dangerous trial for access to the sect’s cultivation methods. Lin Chen agreed to risk refining a third stream, then saw that his System Panel had completed its settlement and changed dramatically.

• Lin Chen drew forth twenty-seven streams of Xiantian Fire, and Zhuang Lie canceled the remaining bouts and took him away.
• Zhuang Lie offered Lin Chen two months to refine a third stream of Xiantian Fire with the Boundless Divine Aspect Art in exchange for asking the sect leaders to open the Myriad Fire Sect’s martial arts methods to him.
• Zhuang Lie warned Lin Chen that failure could cost him his cultivation, and Lin Chen spent the night weighing the risk against his wish to protect Great Liang from the Ghost Ship.
• Lin Chen decided to accept the trial, and the System Panel announced that his previous martial arts cultivation stage settlement was complete.
• Lin Chen saw that the System Panel now listed only his realm, Xiantian Martial Dao Will, and Azure Ripple Art, then noticed a major change further down.

Lin Chen examined his updated System Panel, learning what its stats, titles, achievement, and destiny meant for his cultivation. He then told Zhuang Lie he would try refining a third Xiantian Fire and asked to experience the fires before choosing one.

• Lin Chen studied the System Panel’s new limits on comprehension, speed, defense, and will, and recognized that Seize Every Second could guide his cultivation.
• Lin Chen considered whether Martial Path Renown would let him learn defeated opponents’ martial arts and examined the effects of his Rise of the Cold Door achievement.
• Lin Chen saw that his destiny now pointed toward Xiantian myriad phenomena and reasoned that the six Xiantian stages might be divisions of strength rather than distinct realms.
• Lin Chen went with Du Shuang to meet Zhuang Lie and declared that he would attempt to refine a third Xiantian Fire.
• Lin Chen asked to experience the Xiantian Fires before choosing one, and Zhuang Lie agreed because the Myriad Fire Sect preserved thousands of them.

Lin Chen chose the Illusory Sea Heart Flame as the third Xiantian Fire he would try to refine and spent ten days preparing his soul. After learning about the Myriad Fire Sect’s Flame Refining Art, he considered using his Martial Path Renown title to observe the technique through battles with Zhao Haoyang.

• Zhuang Lie showed Lin Chen the Myriad Fire Sect’s Xiantian Fire collection and presented five suitable flames for him to choose from.
• Lin Chen chose the Illusory Sea Heart Flame because Seize Every Second gave him a fifty percent chance of refining it, and it would not make his existing fires clash.
• Zhuang Lie gave Lin Chen Soul Stabilizing Pills and medicinal herbs, and said he would bring the flame in fifteen days.
• Du Shuang visited Lin Chen and explained that the Flame Refining Art was the Myriad Fire Sect’s advanced cultivation technique.
• Lin Chen decided to try observing the Flame Refining Art Zhao Haoyang had cultivated by battling him with his Martial Path Renown title.

Lin Chen used Martial Path Renown to study Zhao Haoyang and reverse-engineer the Flame Refining Art, then entered a fire cavern to refine the Illusory Sea Heart Flame. The flame drew him into an illusion where he faced the dead and the people of the Southern Sands Three Islands, and he rejected their accusations before the vision settled.

• Lin Chen activated Martial Path Renown, selected Zhao Haoyang, and studied his movements and cultivation art in a simulated battle.
• Lin Chen spent days deducing the Flame Refining Art from the Flame Merging Art and learned to control both the Golden Crow Blazing Flame and Li Fire without transforming.
• Du Shuang brought Lin Chen to a volcanic cavern, where Zhuang Lie warned him of the danger and had him sign a disclaimer before entering.
• Lin Chen reached Zhuang Lie's sealed wall and used the Flame Refining Art to draw a strand of the Illusory Sea Heart Flame toward him.
• The Illusory Sea Heart Flame pulled Lin Chen into an illusion of the dead and the Southern Sands Three Islands' victims, who accused him of causing their deaths.
• Lin Chen said the islanders had chosen their fate and that he had no duty to protect the Southern Sands Three Islands, then watched their figures vanish.