Chapter Summaries

Chen Luo secured a foothold in Qingyan City by recruiting Zi Tianji, two Core Formation Cultivators, and the Zhang Brothers with modified False Cores. When a blue-robed Soul Cultivator arrived, Chen Luo used a gu insect to control him and sent him toward the Qingyan City Lord’s forbidden cultivation grounds.

• Chen Luo reunited with Zi Tianji, who revealed that Mu Jian Yu, Mo Yuanjun, Daoist Wusheng, and others had also come through the Ancient Borrowing Formation.
• Zi Tianji intimidated two Core Formation Cultivators, but Chen Luo stopped him from killing them and recruited them and the Zhang Brothers with modified False Cores.
• Chen Luo secured a courtyard, strengthened its formations, and sent the Zhang Brothers into Cultivation Seclusion.
• A blue-robed Late Core Formation Soul Cultivator came to visit, and Chen Luo noticed the Yin Soul Mark on his Jade Pendant before leaving his main body hidden and sending out a duplicate.
• Chen Luo’s gu insect took control of the blue-robed Soul Cultivator and forced him to attack the Qingyan City Lord’s cultivation grounds while declaring that Old Ghost Qingyan would die.

Chen Luo captured the souls of the Soul Cultivator and Wang An while the Qingyan City Lord cracked down on the Yin Soul Sect. Zi Tianji brought Chen Luo a courtyard deed and estimated that they had arrived eight thousand years in the past, where Chen Luo planned to study the era’s cultivation methods before pursuing its hidden opportunities.

• The Qingyan City Lord killed the blue-robed Soul Cultivator with a Heaven and Earth Vital Qi hand and ordered the Yin Soul Sect investigated and driven from Qingyan City.
• Chen Luo used the Soul Parasite Gu to retrieve the fragmented souls of the blue-robed Soul Cultivator and Wang An, then sent them into the Soul Banner.
• Zi Tianji gave Chen Luo the deed to the courtyard and said he had found no other people from their group during the past three years.
• Zi Tianji explained that his inherited corpse might not yet have died in this era, preventing him from using Void Return Solidification and his Soul Transformation Dharma Seed.
• Zi Tianji estimated that they had arrived eight thousand years ago after hearing the name Venerable Falling Thunder, and Chen Luo suspected that Dao Integration and even Tribulation Crossing Cultivators existed in this era.
• Chen Luo planned to study the era’s cultivation techniques, restore his strength, and search for a way to use Void Return Solidification.

Chen Luo removed the bloodline curse Old Monster Qingyan had planted on Zi Tianji and directed him to use his position in Qingyan City to investigate the Ancient Sword Sect. When the Zhang Brothers reported that Huang Tian, an Inner Disciple of the sect, had returned, Chen Luo visited the Huang Family and met its head, Huang Cheng.

• Chen Luo extracted the Blood God Curse from Zi Tianji and sealed its source in a cyan Spirit Stone for him to carry.
• Chen Luo told Zi Tianji to use Qingyan City to investigate the Ancient Sword Sect and continued his cultivation in seclusion.
• The Zhang Brothers told Chen Luo that Huang Tian had returned as a High-grade Core Formation Inner Disciple of the Ancient Sword Sect, prompting Chen Luo to visit the Huang Family.
• Huang Cheng welcomed Chen Luo to the Huang estate, sent the Zhang Brothers to enjoy refreshments, and said the family wanted to resolve the dispute involving Huang Xie.
• Huang Cheng called for Huang Xie to come into the courtyard.

Chen Luo met with Huang Cheng and deflected his questions about Zi Tianji, then exchanged a sword manual with the Huang Family. When Huang Tian challenged him, Chen Luo knocked him unconscious with a chopstick and searched his memories, but found no way to return to the Ancient Sword Sect.

• Huang Xie apologized to Chen Luo at Huang Cheng’s request, and Chen Luo dismissed the offense.
• Huang Cheng probed Chen Luo about his past and Zi Tianji, but Chen Luo gave him no useful information.
• Chen Luo offered a Foundation Establishment sword manual, and Huang Cheng arranged for Huang Tian to meet him after the family’s Qi Refining manual proved inadequate.
• Huang Tian demanded Chen Luo’s sword manual fragment and challenged him when Chen Luo refused to provide it.
• Chen Luo knocked Huang Tian unconscious with a chopstick and searched his memories, but found no method for returning to the Ancient Sword Sect.

Chen Luo learned how to return to the Ancient Sword Sect and investigated spirit veins, then chose Five Elements City as his next destination to find a Void Return Cultivator and improve his cultivation. Unable to afford the city’s spiritual land, he planned to use the Ancient Sword Sect to turn the problem into an opportunity.

• Chen Luo copied quick-witted brains into Huang Cheng and Huang Tian, ordered them to find the Ancient Sword Sect’s entrance, and left the Huang Family.
• Huang Tian sent Chen Luo the Ancient Sword Sect’s return instructions: reach a moonlit stone on Clear Wind Cliff at midnight on the third day of the seventh month, three years later.
• Chen Luo learned that spirit stones from spirit veins could support his cultivation, and Zi Tianji found three nearby locations, including one controlled by Five Elements City.
• Chen Luo chose Five Elements City because its City Lord was a Void Return Cultivator, but discovered the City Lord sold all the spirit-vein land at prices they could not afford.
• Chen Luo proposed using the Ancient Sword Sect to help acquire access to Five Elements City, and Zi Tianji recognized that he meant to use registered disciples.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji used fabricated spirit stones to draw the attention of Qingyan City’s rulers and rival forces. Their plan to sow confusion left five Nascent Soul cultivators battling over a disguised peddler, who blew himself up before anyone could question him.

• The Qingyan City Lord discovered the spirit stones lacked Spiritual Charm and ordered Zi Tianji to find the seller and deal with outsiders pursuing the stones.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji discussed using their profits to establish themselves in Five Elements City and uncover the path to Void Refinement Realm.
• Zi Tianji learned that the Qingyan City Lord wanted him to investigate the seller, and Chen Luo told him to create a false lead.
• Zi Tianji staged a fight outside Qingyan City, drawing four other Nascent Soul cultivators into a battle over a disguised Ancient Sword Sect disciple.
• The five cultivators released the captive, who turned blood-mad, shouted about winning the Mount Hua Tournament, and exploded into blood mist.

After escaping the turmoil in Qingyan City, Chen Luo and Zi Tianji traveled to Five Elements City, where Chen Luo bought a secluded cave dwelling in Falling Tide Valley. Chen Luo sent Zi Tianji to locate the Five Elements Ancestor and began preparing to cultivate at their new home.

• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji watched Qingyan City descend into chaos after Zi Tianji's staged death and the dispute over the Fake Spirit Stones.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji left the city and spent several days digging through graves before Chen Luo decided to head for Five Elements City.
• Chen Luo bought a cave dwelling in Falling Tide Valley and found that its spiritual energy was enough for only one person to cultivate.
• Chen Luo instructed Zi Tianji to find the Five Elements Ancestor, and Zi Tianji promised to locate him within three months.
• Chen Luo searched the bay, found the place with the richest spiritual energy, and pressed a pale white stream of light into the ground.

Chen Luo built and fortified a hidden dwelling in Falling Tide Valley, then refined several tools and upgraded his Soul Banner into a Mid-grade Spirit Artifact. Meanwhile, Zi Tianji investigated the Five Elements Ancestor and discovered at the recruitment ceremony that the figure on the platform was a fake.

• Chen Luo used Stone Spirits to carve a waterfall-hidden dwelling, set up formations, and placed an incarnation in an obvious mountain dwelling as a decoy.
• The conflict at Qingyan Market Town erupted while Chen Luo and Zi Tianji were away, and an Ancient Sword Sect expert later rebuilt the town atop its Ruins.
• Zi Tianji bought information about the Five Elements Ancestor and learned that the Disciple Recruitment Ceremony would take place in half a month.
• Chen Luo refined his Soul Banner into a Mid-grade Spirit Artifact, then upgraded his shovel and gloves into Low-grade Spirit Artifacts.
• Chen Luo checked on his cultivating incarnation and went to the Insect Rearing Room while his main body and Old Brother Changqing continued to grow stronger.
• At the Five Elements Ancestor's recruitment ceremony, Zi Tianji sensed the figures on the platform and realized that the Five Elements Ancestor was a fake.

Zi Tianji pursued the Five Elements Ancestor’s true body by buying information and searching one of his direct disciples, while Chen Luo’s cultivation technique advanced and his divine sense reached Void Return Completion. The chapter left Zi Tianji following clues toward the Ancestor’s main body and Chen Luo newly strengthened.

• Zi Tianji realized the Five Elements Ancestor appearing in public was only a clone and bought information about the Ancestor’s direct disciples from Shadow Pavilion.
• Shadow Pavilion warned Feng Xiaotian that someone had bought information about him, and Feng Xiaotian narrowly escaped an ambush when the Seventh Direct Disciple vanished.
• Zi Tianji captured the Seventh Direct Disciple and used Soul Search to learn clues about the Five Elements Ancestor’s main body.
• Feng Xiaotian entered the cave afterward and found the Seventh Direct Disciple dead, believing Feng Xiaotian had betrayed him.
• Chen Luo’s cultivation technique advanced into a Void Return Realm art, and his divine sense broke through to Void Return Completion.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji traced the Five Elements Ancestor to Golden Light Mountain, where Ice Blue Old Demon was being offered as the final item at an exchange meeting. They entered the mountain’s Witch God Temple and discovered that its female cultivators followed the Witch God Dao, an Outer Dao, before heading inside to seize Ice Blue and confront their target.

• Chen Luo finished setting up formations across Falling Tide Valley and recalled his mortal past while eating breakfast in Sea Stone City.
• Zi Tianji reported that he had located the Five Elements Ancestor and learned that Ice Blue Old Demon would be the final auction item at Golden Light Mountain’s exchange meeting.
• Chen Luo agreed to go with Zi Tianji to rescue Ice Blue Old Demon and investigate the Five Elements Ancestor.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji concealed their auras, entered Golden Light Mountain using Zi Tianji’s invitation, and followed Zhu Yu, Zhu Li, and Zhu Yan to the Witch God Temple.
• Zi Tianji recognized that the three female cultivators followed an otherworldly path, and Chen Luo identified it as the Witch God Dao, one of the Outer Daos.
• Chen Luo entered the temple ahead of Zi Tianji, determined to seize Ice Blue Old Demon and leave.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji entered Five Elements Ancestor’s exchange meeting, where Chen Luo attacked and destroyed the Witch God Temple before challenging its owner. Their battle escalated over Golden Light Mountain, leaving the temple in ruins as their powers collided.

• Chen Luo sensed the exchange meeting hidden inside the Witch God Statue’s miniature world, and Five Elements Ancestor recognized Zi Tianji among the newcomers.
• Five Elements Ancestor invited Chen Luo and Zi Tianji inside, but Chen Luo instead enlarged his chessboard and smashed it into the miniature world.
• Five Elements Ancestor emerged to block Chen Luo, and their clash shattered the miniature world and destroyed the temple.
• Chen Luo claimed he had come to exchange, while Five Elements Ancestor protested the temple’s destruction and prepared to kill him.
• Chen Luo and Five Elements Ancestor unleashed their powers against each other, crushing Golden Light Mountain’s surroundings as Zi Tianji and the other cultivators retreated.

Chen Luo used his insight into the Five Elements Ancestor’s Void-Return Power to fight him to a standstill, then forced him to hand over the Exchange Meeting’s treasures and promise to return the Ice Blue Old Demon. The Five Elements Ancestor offered to show Chen Luo a place connected to the Ice Toad, and the two left together to discuss it.

• Chen Luo understood the Five Elements Ancestor’s Five Elements Dharma Power and fought him with his Dharma Aspect, causing widespread destruction around Golden Light Mountain.
• The Five Elements Ancestor unleashed Primordial Magnetic Force, and the clash shattered Chen Luo’s Blood-Colored Long Saber and destroyed a spectator’s physical body.
• Chen Luo revealed a deeper aura, and the Five Elements Ancestor offered the Exchange Meeting’s goods and a Five Elements secret art to end the fight.
• Chen Luo claimed the Exchange Meeting treasures and demanded that the Five Elements Ancestor release the Ice Blue Old Demon, who the Ancestor said he had caught at a mysterious place.
• The Five Elements Ancestor invited Chen Luo to hear about that place, and they left for an inn after Chen Luo sent Zi Tianji away.
• The remaining cultivators argued about investigating Chen Luo, but Gan Ji left and the others went their separate ways.

Chen Luo agreed to join the Five Elements Ancestor in seeking Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystals after learning the target was an Ancient Tomb, not a relic. Back at the courtyard, Chen Luo decided the gravely injured Ice Blue Old Demon should be buried safely, while the Five Elements Ancestor planned to use the crystals to pursue Dao Integration.

• The Five Elements Ancestor offered to help Chen Luo obtain Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystals from a hidden site, and Chen Luo initially refused because he would not explore a relic.
• When the Five Elements Ancestor clarified that the site was an Ancient Tomb, Chen Luo agreed to go in three months and asked him to send a voice transmission.
• The Five Elements Ancestor left, intending to gather the crystals and break through to the Dao Integration Realm before dealing with Chen Luo afterward.
• Chen Luo returned to find Zi Tianji examining the Ice Blue Old Demon, who was frozen and unresponsive after suffering severe divine-soul damage.
• Zi Tianji considered using the Soul Devouring Curse on the Ice Blue Old Demon, but Chen Luo judged his brain useless and ordered Zi Tianji to find a safe place to bury him.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji joined the Five Elements Ancestor and three other cultivators to enter an ancient tomb, where they learned about its three layers of defenses. The group began preparing to break through the outer restrictions, and Chen Luo asked You Zhao how they had planned to proceed.

• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji arrived at the Five Elements Ancestor’s cave, where the Three Zhu Yu Sisters recognized them as Void Return Venerables.
• Zi Tianji severed the probing Divine Sense of the gathered cultivators, and the Five Elements Ancestor introduced You Zhao, Zhu Chang, and High Rank as their partners for the tomb expedition.
• The Five Elements Ancestor identified Chen Luo as a Late Void Return cultivator, while High Rank questioned Zi Tianji’s role in the group.
• Zi Tianji drew his sword slightly and displayed Sword Intent that silenced High Rank and made the others wary.
• The Five Elements Ancestor distributed Jade Slips describing the Great Tomb’s three layers of restrictions and their guards.
• Chen Luo asked You Zhao what plan the group had made to break through the defenses.

Five Elements Ancestor led Chen Luo, Zi Tianji, and the others into the Ancient Sword Sect’s Great Tomb to search for Fire Crystal Stones, using a hidden route and two Black-robed Persons to guide them. When they found a poisoned, chewed-up Puppet blocking the way, the high-level cultivator realized the tomb held Yellow Ghost Spiders, a danger Five Elements Ancestor had not disclosed.

• Five Elements Ancestor proposed filling the plan with lives, and the group agreed to use outsiders rather than the Three Zhu Yu Sisters.
• At dusk, Five Elements Ancestor gave the group spirit talismans and led them through a hidden passage beneath the Witch God statue.
• The group entered the burial chamber, where two identical Black-robed Persons greeted Five Elements Ancestor and led them deeper into the tomb.
• The Black-robed Persons opened a concealed passage filled with poisonous smoke, and Chen Luo declined Zi Tianji’s offer of protection.
• The group found a collapsed Puppet bearing marks from fine teeth, and the high-level cultivator identified the threat as Yellow Ghost Spiders and demanded extra payment from Five Elements Ancestor.

Chen Luo’s group broke the Tomb Passage’s final restriction and faced the Yellow Ghost Spider and its Three Kui Golden Oxes, while the Five Elements Ancestor and several others rushed ahead and abandoned their allies. Chen Luo killed the isolated high-level cultivator, then used the Illusion Spirit Gu to redirect the tomb creatures toward the Black-robed Persons.

• The Five Elements Ancestor pressured You Zhao, Zhu Chang, and Gao Jie to continue, promised them greater rewards, and gave Chen Luo a Sixth-tier Spirit Plant Legacy upfront.
• Zi Tianji set up Chen Luo’s backup plan while Zhu Chang and the high-level cultivator broke the Tomb Passage’s final defensive mechanism.
• Seven Three Kui Golden Oxen charged from the opening, followed by the Yellow Ghost Spider and more oxen, and the Five Elements Ancestor, You Zhao, and Zhu Chang rushed into the passage.
• Chen Luo killed the high-level cultivator with the Black Gourd and Soul Banner, then absorbed his brainwaves and took his belongings.
• Chen Luo used the Illusion Spirit Gu to turn the Yellow Ghost Spider and the Three Kui Golden Oxen against the two Black-robed Persons, whose bodies burst into swarms of Black Beetles.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji escaped the Black-robed Person and followed the Five Elements Ancestor's route into the Great Tomb. They reached a murky river of Weak Water near the Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystal, where flight and spiritual power were restricted.

• Chen Luo used the Soul Parasite Gu to turn the Black-robed Person's beetles back, then destroyed the passage and let the Yellow Ghost Spider and Three Kui Golden Ox kill him.
• Chen Luo found the Black-robed Person's Storage Bag and a remnant soul in his Soul Banner, realizing the dead enemy had been an avatar containing part of his main soul.
• Chen Luo told Zi Tianji that his concealment was the Illusion Spirit Sword Technique, and his guidance convinced Zi Tianji that his own Sword Dao had gone astray.
• Chen Luo calculated a way through the formation at the Five Elements Ancestor's Robber's Tunnel and led Zi Tianji into the Great Tomb's inner area.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji found themselves on a stone in a murky river, and Chen Luo identified the water as Weak Water that barred souls, flight, and spiritual power.

Chen Luo and Zi Tianji crossed a deadly river and joined the Five Elements Ancestor, You Zhao, and Zhu Chang on an island, where they faced the water-powered demon Yuan Qi. As Yuan Qi’s attacks overwhelmed the group, the Five Elements Ancestor revealed a method for using Pure Spirit Qi to fight back.

• Chen Luo used Spirit Stones to persuade a Weak Water Stone Golem to carry him and Zi Tianji across the river.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji found the Five Elements Ancestor, You Zhao, and injured Zhu Chang fighting Yuan Qi on the island.
• Zi Tianji and the others broke apart Yuan Qi’s water attacks, but the demon’s rain-and-bone explosion damaged Zhu Chang’s Innate Spirit Artifact.
• Chen Luo lent Zi Tianji power by drawing on the Corpse Dissolution Immortal’s consciousness as Yuan Qi regenerated from the water.
• The Five Elements Ancestor released and gathered Pure Spirit Qi, then declared that the area was metal.

Chen Luo and the others entered the Ancient Sword Sect’s Spirit Vein to mine Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystal, but Yuan Qi and the Yellow Ghost Spiders followed them inside. The Five Elements Ancestor was then ambushed by his disciple Feng Xiaotian and two Ancient Sword Sect cultivators, revealing that his planned welcome had become a trap.

• Chen Luo used the Soul Parasite Gu to restrain the ferocious ape long enough for the group to enter the Spirit Vein.
• The group found a vast underground deposit of Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystal and began mining, while Chen Luo waited and Zi Tianji struggled to cut a pillar with his sword.
• Yuan Qi and the Yellow Ghost Spiders attacked the miners, and the Five Elements Ancestor deflected the first assault with Five Elements Rotation.
• Feng Xiaotian struck the Five Elements Ancestor and dropped the corpse of Feng Yue, whom Chen Luo identified as the Black-robed Person.
• Two more Mid Void Return Ancient Sword Sect cultivators joined Feng Xiaotian in surrounding the Five Elements Ancestor, who accused his disciple of colluding with them.

Chen Luo left a fake behind to mislead the Ancient Sword Sect cultivators while he searched the Great Tomb for its ancient corpse. After Zhu Chang and You Zhao teleported back into the tomb and encountered him, Chen Luo killed You Zhao.

• Feng Xiaotian and two Ancient Sword Sect cultivators attacked Five Elements Ancestor, who broke through their formation and fled after throwing half of the Fire Patterned Mysterious Crystal Pillar toward Chen Luo.
• The Ancient Sword Sect cultivators discovered that Chen Luo had left an Illusion Spirit Gu talisman figure as a decoy and pursued him.
• Chen Luo and Zi Tianji searched the pitch-black river for the tomb owner, as Chen Luo explained that he had come to rescue the ancient corpse rather than steal the crystal.
• Zhu Chang and You Zhao reappeared inside the tomb after using a Minor Teleportation Talisman to escape, and they mistook Chen Luo for a potential ally.
• Chen Luo suddenly moved behind Zhu Chang and You Zhao and cut off You Zhao's head.