Chapter Summaries

Xia Wuji claimed his competition rewards, advanced to the seventh level of the Core Formation Realm, and learned about the upcoming Core Competition, whose winner could become a True Disciple. Meanwhile, Chu Huairen suspected Xia Wuji had killed Chu Xiao and the Ouyang siblings, but warned Chu Qian to wait for a sure opportunity to strike.

• Lu Cheng announced Xia Wuji's rewards, and Xia Wuji spent nine thousand points to advance to Five-Star Core Disciple before using his Mid-grade Yuan Force Spring Eye cultivation opportunity.
• Chu Huairen suspected Xia Wuji had used the Space Crystal to kill Chu Xiao, Ouyang Qi, and Ouyang Xiao, but told Chu Qian not to act rashly.
• Xia Wuji cultivated in the spring eye for ten days, treated his hidden injuries, and broke through from the fifth to the seventh level of the Core Formation Realm.
• Wen Shanshan told Xia Wuji that the Core Competition would begin next month and that its winner could advance directly to True Disciple, exciting him.

Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan prepared to enter the Azure Star Academy's Core Competition, while Su Yingjun advanced to the Cave Heaven Realm and departed to attempt the True Disciple Trial. At Starlight Hall, a Tian Shu Peak Core Disciple challenged Xia Wuji's right to participate because of his Beast Tamer path.

• Wen Shanshan explained the Core Competition's registration test and eligibility rules, and Xia Wuji decided to enter with her.
• Xia Wuji helped Wen Shanshan break through to the third layer of the Return to One Realm, and she practiced swordsmanship to adjust to her new strength.
• Su Yingjun thanked Xia Wuji for the Spirit Medicine, revealed that he had reached the Cave Heaven Realm, and left to undertake the True Disciple Trial.
• Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan arrived at Starlight Hall in Starlight City to register for the Core Competition.
• A Tian Shu Peak Core Disciple blocked Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan, then mocked Xia Wuji's Beast Tamer path and his blue Little Bird.

At Starlight Hall, Wang Tong of Tian Shu Peak challenged Xia Wuji, but Wen Shanshan fought in his place. Wen Shanshan defeated Wang Tong with one strike of Sword Howl Startling Soul, leaving her stunned by her own strength.

• A Tian Shu Peak disciple insulted Xia Wuji, and Pengfei's aura nearly made the disciple collapse before Wang Tong intervened.
• Wen Shanshan demanded an apology, and Wang Tong challenged Xia Wuji to fight without Pengfei; Wen Shanshan volunteered, and Xia Wuji accepted her as his representative.
• Wang Tong threatened to drive Wen Shanshan and Xia Wuji out of Starlight Hall if she lost, while Wen Shanshan demanded that he apologize if she won.
• Wang Tong charged Wen Shanshan with a full-strength punch, but her Sword Howl Startling Soul pierced his chest and overwhelmed his spiritual will.
• Wang Tong collapsed and screamed in pain as the onlookers and Wen Shanshan were shocked by her victory.

Wen Shanshan defeated Wang Tong, but a Tian Shu Peak instructor tried to blame her and Xia Wuji before Hu Wei intervened and forced both the instructor and Wang Tong to apologize. Hu Wei then led Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan to register for the Core Competition, where they still had to pass a test to complete their registration.

• Xia Wuji encouraged Wen Shanshan after her sword strike, and she demanded that Wang Tong apologize for losing.
• A Tian Shu Peak instructor accused Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan of wrongdoing and attacked them, but Hu Wei arrived and broke his hand seal.
• Hu Wei forced the Tian Shu Peak instructor to apologize, while Wen Shanshan made Wang Tong apologize to Xia Wuji.
• Hu Wei took Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan to register for the Core Competition, and Wang Tong insisted on going to watch Xia Wuji's test.
• Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan completed preliminary registration, but still needed to pass the test for it to become official.

Xia Wuji watched the Core Competition registration test and learned that hitting seven marked spots on the puppet earned a perfect evaluation and a reward in the Pure Origin Secret Realm. After Wen Shanshan performed well, Xia Wuji took the arena as the crowd gathered to see how he would fare.

• A Return to One Realm Third Layer Core Disciple failed to withstand the puppet's attacks, and He Chen later earned a perfect evaluation by striking all seven red dots.
• Hu Wei explained that perfect evaluations granted three free days at a Mid-grade Yuan Force Spring Eye, and Xia Wuji planned to use the reward to extend his cultivation time in the Pure Origin Secret Realm.
• He Chen urged Xia Wuji to kneel and apologize to Ding Yin, but Xia Wuji refused and told He Chen to mind his own business.
• Wen Shanshan endured the test and struck four of the puppet's red dots, surprising the watching Core Disciples.
• Xia Wuji stepped onto the arena as people from the other test arenas gathered to watch him.

Xia Wuji earned a perfect evaluation in the Core Competition registration test by using his speed, swordsmanship, and knowledge of formations to strike all seven of the puppet’s weak points. After returning to Shaking Light Peak, he prepared Wen Shanshan and Pengfei for the coming competition, then began fifteen days of cultivation in the Pure Origin Secret Realm.

• Xia Wuji avoided the puppet’s attacks and struck all seven red dots, earning a perfect evaluation and completing the registration test.
• Zhou Ying and disciples from Tian Shu Peak and Tian Quan Peak accused Xia Wuji of exploiting a loophole, but Hu Wei told him and Wen Shanshan to prepare for the Core Competition in twenty days.
• On Pengfei’s flight back to Shaking Light Peak, Wen Shanshan worried that Xia Wuji would leave her behind, and he promised to come back for her.
• Xia Wuji gave Wen Shanshan pills and instructed her to cultivate, then gave Pengfei pills and told him to guard the courtyard and advance.
• Xia Wuji entered the Pure Origin Secret Realm and began fifteen days of closed-door cultivation in the Mid-grade Yuan Force Spring Eye.

Xia Wuji advanced to the ninth level of the Core Formation Realm during his retreat and said farewell to Lin Piaoxue, who was leaving for the Sun Moon Sect. Lin Piaoxue departed with his secret cultivation art and a promise of help from Yang Rong, while Xia Wuji prepared for Azure Star Academy's Core Competition and the mission to search for Qin Zhiyin.

• Xia Wuji broke through to the eighth level of the Core Formation Realm, and Lin Piaoxue visited to tell him she was leaving for the Sun Moon Sect.
• Lin Piaoxue gave Xia Wuji a Fourth-tier Top-tier Spirit Sword, confessed her feelings, and departed after he gave her a jade pendant.
• Lin Piaoxue discovered the pendant contained the Earth-grade Top-tier Arrogant Cold Art and asked Yang Rong to help Xia Wuji if he needed it.
• Xia Wuji completed his fifteen-day retreat and reached the ninth level of the Core Formation Realm.
• Xia Wuji prepared for Azure Star Academy's Core Competition, where first place would let him join the mission to search for Qin Zhiyin.

After returning from the Pure Origin Secret Realm, Xia Wuji trained Wen Shanshan, collected the Purple Cloud Sword Technique, and prepared for the Azure Star Academy Core Competition. The competition began in Starlight City, where Shaking Light Peak’s disciples gathered despite their low confidence.

• Xia Wuji returned to Shaking Light Peak, praised Pengfei’s progress, and sparred with Wen Shanshan until she advanced her Flowing Light Flying Shadow Swordplay to minor mastery.
• Lu Cheng reminded Xia Wuji to settle his cultivation and gave him four high-grade Profound Tier sword techniques to choose from; Xia Wuji selected the Purple Cloud Sword Technique.
• Xia Wuji practiced the Purple Cloud Sword Technique and helped Wen Shanshan master the Flowing Light Flying Shadow Swordplay over the following days.
• Feng Yi gathered Shaking Light Peak’s 332 registered Core Disciples and led them to the Core Competition in Starlight City.
• Xia Wuji reassured a nervous Wen Shanshan, and an old man announced the start of the Core Competition.

At Azure Star Academy's Core Competition, Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan advanced through the first-round elimination. Xia Wuji used his Earth Foot divine ability to withstand the formation's attacks, and Zhao Zuo urged Tian Shu Peak's disciples to strike him ruthlessly in the upcoming one-on-one battles.

• The Core Competition began with groups of one hundred disciples facing a formation that eliminated all but ten, while spectators discussed the hostility toward Shaking Light Peak and Zhao Zuo's strength.
• Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan entered the ninth group, where Xia Wuji dodged the formation's attacks with Close-at-Hand Step and Wen Shanshan defended herself with her swordplay.
• When the formation's gravity suppressed everyone's movement, Xia Wuji stopped and used Earth Foot to form phantom mountains that blocked the formation's attacks.
• Xia Wuji and Wen Shanshan were among the ten who advanced, surprising the spectators with how easily Xia Wuji passed.
• Zhao Zuo told Tian Shu Peak's disciples to strike Xia Wuji as ruthlessly as possible if they drew him in the next round.

After the first round of the Core Competition, Xia Wuji drew Qu Ming of Tian Shu Peak as his opponent for the next day. Qu Ming challenged Xia Wuji to fight for a quarter of an hour without either contestant conceding, and Xia Wuji accepted.

• The first round ended with 362 Core Disciples advancing, including twenty-five disciples from Shaking Light Peak.
• Vice Dean Xu announced the lottery system, and Xia Wuji drew number eight before trading barbs with Zhao Zuo, who drew number nine.
• Qu Ming drew number eight and celebrated getting Xia Wuji as his opponent, while Wen Shanshan drew number seventy-five.
• Xu Han postponed the matches until the next day and reminded the contestants that they could use only one spirit artifact and could not use talismans or pills or kill their opponents.
• Zhao Zuo and Qu Ming stopped Xia Wuji and the Shaking Light Peak disciples; Qu Ming provoked Xia Wuji to agree to fight for a quarter of an hour without conceding, and Xia Wuji accepted.

The second round of the Core Competition began, and Tian Shu Peak and Tian Quan Peak’s ruthless attacks left Shaking Light Peak’s disciples shaken. Xia Wuji then faced Qu Ming in the eighth match, with their agreed quarter-hour battle underway.

• Dean Zhuge Chuan arrived, encouraged the competitors, and declared the second round of the Core Competition open.
• A Tian Quan Peak disciple brutally defeated a Shaking Light Peak disciple, prompting Huang Yao to urge the remaining Shaking Light Peak disciples to win back their dignity in the arena.
• Disciples from Tian Shu Peak and Yuheng Peak won their matches before Xia Wuji’s bout with Qu Ming was announced.
• Qu Ming taunted Xia Wuji and rushed to attack after stomping to disrupt his Earth Foot technique.
• Xia Wuji dismissed the need for Earth Foot and thrust his sword at Qu Ming, producing a ringing Sword Cry.

Xia Wuji defeated Qu Ming brutally in the Core Competition, provoking Tian Shu Peak and Tian Quan Peak while Shaking Light Peak backed him. After the first round of the second-stage matches ended, Xia Wuji drew Yang Zhi, a powerful Tian Quan Peak disciple, as his next opponent.

• Xia Wuji used Mystic Sound Swordplay to overwhelm Qu Ming, then tormented him until Qu Ming's martial heart appeared to collapse.
• Yan Wen accused Xia Wuji of acting like a devil-path scoundrel, but Feng Yi and Chen Shan argued over whether Xia Wuji had gone too far.
• Feng Yi, Huang Yao, and Lu Cheng supported Xia Wuji, while the Core Competition continued through the night and left only 164 contestants.
• Wen Shanshan defeated a stronger opponent in three moves, and only seven Shaking Light Peak disciples remained after the first round.
• Xia Wuji drew lot number sixty-six, and Zhao Zuo drew number thirty-eight, narrowly avoiding a match against him.
• Yang Zhi of Tian Quan Peak drew number sixty-six, setting him as Xia Wuji's next opponent and prompting concern over Xia Wuji's chances.

At the Core Competition, Xia Wuji defeated Yang Zhi of Tian Quan Peak in three moves, revealing that he had mastered the Purple Cloud Sword Technique despite his Core Formation Realm cultivation. The victory humiliated Zhao Zuo, while Lu Cheng knew Xia Wuji had learned the technique only a few days earlier.

• Wen Shanshan defeated a stronger opponent from Tian Xuan Peak after more than a hundred exchanges.
• Zhao Zuo defeated a Kaiyang Peak disciple with Purple Cloud Waterfall and drew praise for mastering the Purple Cloud Sword Technique.
• A Shaking Light Peak disciple narrowly beat a Tian Quan Peak opponent, while another was severely injured by a Tian Shu Peak disciple.
• Xia Wuji used the Water Extreme River Sea Sword, Fire Extreme Spirit Burning Sword, and Purple Cloud Waterfall to defeat Yang Zhi in three moves.
• Zhao Zuo could not meet Xia Wuji’s gaze after seeing him use the same Greater Mastery sword technique at the Core Formation Realm.
• Feng Yi praised Xia Wuji for mastering the technique in a month, while Lu Cheng knew Xia Wuji had selected it only a few days earlier.

The Core Competition resumed, and Wen Shanshan lost to Feng Linglong after a hard-fought match. Zhao Zuo then used Yan Wen’s Purple Profound Sword to unleash Purple Qi Comes from the East, defeating his opponent and challenging Xia Wuji.

• Xu Han announced the next round’s matchups, pairing Wen Shanshan with Feng Linglong and Xia Wuji with Yu Qi.
• Wen Shanshan told Xia Wuji she expected to lose to Feng Linglong, while he confidently said he would suppress any opponents he faced.
• Yan Wen warned Zhao Zuo against reckless training and gave him the Purple Profound Sword, which he refined overnight.
• Wen Shanshan fought Feng Linglong for more than twenty exchanges before conceding defeat.
• Zhao Zuo struck down his Tianji Peak opponent with Purple Qi Comes from the East and declared Xia Wuji’s Purple Cloud Sword Technique a joke.

Xia Wuji defeated Yu Qi by unleashing the perfected Purple Qi Comes from the East, stunning the Core Competition and humiliating Zhao Zuo after his earlier boast. He challenged Zhao Zuo’s claim to first place and declared that the title was his.

• Zhao Zuo taunted Xia Wuji after using the Purple Profound Spirit Sword to perform Purple Qi Comes from the East, and Xia Wuji mocked his limited mastery.
• Xia Wuji faced Yu Qi of Kaiyang Peak, countered his spear techniques, and disrupted him with Sword Howl Startling Soul.
• Xia Wuji used Purple Qi Comes from the East to defeat Yu Qi, who admitted his wholehearted loss.
• The spectators and Azure Star Academy leaders praised Xia Wuji’s talent, while Zhao Zuo could not answer his challenge about whose sword technique had been a joke.
• Zhao Zuo declared that he intended to win first place, and Xia Wuji announced that first place was his.

Xia Wuji continued his winning streak in the Core Competition, advancing to the top six and helping Shaking Light Peak avoid last place. After the next draw paired him with Zhou Ying, she challenged him over his defeat of her elder brother.

• Xia Wuji declared that he would take first place, then defeated a ninth-level Yuheng Peak disciple with one Purple Qi Comes from the East.
• Xia Wuji drew a bye and advanced into the top ten as the other competitors fought through the night.
• Xia Wuji received another bye, and after the next battles he was among the six remaining competitors.
• Zhao Zuo challenged Xia Wuji, but the draw paired Xia Wuji with Zhou Ying, Zhao Zuo with Feng Linglong, and Lin Fang with Wang Xing.
• Zhou Ying told Xia Wuji that she would settle the score for his defeat of her elder brother, Zhou Zhijie.

Xia Wuji defeated Zhou Ying with his Thunder Control Sword Art and advanced to the top three of Azure Star Academy's Core Competition alongside Lin Fang and Zhao Zuo. Dean Zhuge Chuan then changed the competition format and summoned the three finalists to face his personal test.

• Zhou Ying attacked Xia Wuji with her twin sabers and Ice Fire Twin Slash, but Xia Wuji pierced her with thunder sword qi and won.
• Zhao Zuo declared that he could defeat Xia Wuji's trump card, and Xia Wuji warned him that his defeat would be worse than Zhou Ying's.
• Lin Fang defeated Wang Xing after hundreds of exchanges, while Zhao Zuo knocked Feng Linglong out of the arena.
• Feng Yi promised Xia Wuji anything Shaking Light Peak possessed if he won the competition, and Xia Wuji vowed to do his best.
• Zhuge Chuan announced that he would personally test Xia Wuji, Lin Fang, and Zhao Zuo, with the first to pass advancing directly to the final.

Xia Wuji stopped Zhuge Chuan’s Whirlwind True Intent trial with ease and advanced directly to the final battle, while Zhao Zuo defeated Lin Fang to join him. After Zhao Zuo demanded an immediate match, Xia Wuji agreed, and their battle for the Core Competition championship began.

• Zhuge Chuan challenged Xia Wuji, Zhao Zuo, and Lin Fang to stop clusters of rotating essence force, and Xia Wuji halted his cluster with his hand.
• Zhuge Chuan declared Xia Wuji the first to pass and sent him directly to the final battle, then announced Zhao Zuo would fight Lin Fang.
• Zhao Zuo defeated Lin Fang in three moves, securing his place in the final against Xia Wuji.
• Xu Han proposed postponing the final until the next day, but Zhao Zuo asked to fight immediately and Xia Wuji agreed.
• Zhuge Chuan approved the immediate match, and Xia Wuji returned to the arena as the final battle began.

Xia Wuji overwhelmed Zhao Zuo in the Core Competition final, but Zhao Zuo exploited a loophole to invoke False Cave Heaven power and renew the fight. Xia Wuji answered with his Five Elements Sword Intent and began the Five Elements Tribulation technique.

• Zhao Zuo opened with the Purple Cloud Sword Technique, but Xia Wuji dismantled his attacks with a seamless chain of sword techniques and suppressed him with Thunder Control Sword Art.
• Zhao Zuo broke free of the thunder sword energy, but Xia Wuji wounded him with Purple Qi Comes from the East and pierced his chest with Gold Extreme Void Shattering Sword, knocking him from the arena.
• Zhao Zuo rose and forcefully invoked False Cave Heaven power without completing his breakthrough, then retrieved his sword and attacked Xia Wuji with a hundred-zhang sword aura.
• Xia Wuji chose not to reveal his flying sword, unleashed Five Elements Sword Intent, and countered Zhao Zuo with the Five Elements Tribulation technique.

Xia Wuji defeated Zhao Zuo to win first place in the Core Competition and was promoted to Shaking Light Peak’s only True Disciple. At Shaking Light Hall, Feng Yi offered him support, and Xia Wuji asked for the complete Mystic Sound Swordplay.

• Xia Wuji shattered Zhao Zuo’s false Cave Heaven with the Five Elements Tribulation Sword Qi, and Yan Wen intervened to rescue the defeated, unconscious Zhao Zuo.
• Feng Yi declared that Xia Wuji had won first place, and Zhuge Chuan confirmed his victory, promoted him directly to True Disciple, and promised additional cultivation resources.
• Yan Wen and the Tian Shu Peak disciples left with Zhao Zuo, while Chen Shan also took the Tian Quan Peak group away; the crowd cheered Xia Wuji’s achievement.
• After returning to Shaking Light Peak, Xia Wuji registered as its only True Disciple and was greeted as Senior Brother by the disciples.
• Feng Yi told Xia Wuji that Chu Huairen had been assigned elsewhere for a year, then offered to obtain any cultivation support he needed.
• Xia Wuji requested the complete Mystic Sound Swordplay, and Feng Yi agreed to give it to him.