Chapter Summaries

Lu Pan sacrificed his life to trap and destroy the Black Moon Cult Vice Leader and all six Banner Spirits, while Jiang Zhi fell into demonic cultivation and attacked the Black Moon Cult Leader. Chu Huai Xu received Lu Pan’s belongings after Guanghan Cliff collapsed, then realized Lu Pan’s death contradicted the future he remembered.

• Jiang Zhi learned that Lu Pan had sent Chu Huai Xu and the others beyond the Yin Vein’s reach, then willingly entered Human Purgatory and fell into demonic cultivation.
• Lu Pan used the Heaven and Earth Cage to imprison the Black Moon Cult Vice Leader and summoned six Banner Spirits, enduring the Heavenly Dao’s backlash as he fought them.
• Lu Pan destroyed the Banner Spirits and the Vice Leader’s Black Banner, then defeated the Vice Leader after tearing away his mask and face.
• Lu Pan sent his Law token and two array Dao jade slips to Chu Huai Xu, bid farewell to his disciple, and turned to ashes as Guanghan Cliff collapsed.
• Chu Huai Xu watched the cliff vanish and wondered why Lu Pan had died when the future he remembered showed the Enforcement Elder alive.

A gentle breeze carrying Lu Pan’s presence passed through the Dao Sect, comforting his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters before his Life Token shattered and the Dao Bell announced the return of his Pine and Cypress Dao Seal to heaven and earth. In response to his memory and Chu Yinyin’s promise to listen to him, Chu Yinyin broke through from the Sixth Realm to the Seventh Realm.

• A gentle breeze swept through Mountain Beyond Mountain, patting Xiang Yan and Shen Man as they recognized Lu Pan’s presence and remembered his care for them.
• The breeze circled around Chu Yinyin without touching her, and she chased after it, calling out to Eldest Senior Brother.
• Xiang Yan and the others found a broken spear on Hidden Spirit Mountain, while Li Chunsong and Zhao Shuqi hurried to check Lu Pan’s Life Token.
• Li Chunsong and Zhao Shuqi found Lu Pan’s Life Token shattered, and the Dao Bell rang twice as the Pine and Cypress Dao Seal returned to heaven and earth.
• The Dao Sect’s Tenth Elder challenged Chu Yinyin to decide whether the Sixth Realm was truly enough, and she used a Five-Colored pearl to break through to the Seventh Realm.

Chu Huai Xu, Xu Ziqing, and Han Shuangjiang received Dao Seals at the Dao Bell, which revealed verses hinting at fate and a single lamp. Seeing the same phrase in both companions’ verses, Chu Huai Xu realized that “Huo Ding Yi” could form “a single lamp,” leaving him shaken by the link between his original identity and the Dao Seals.

• Chu Huai Xu returned to Junzi Temple with the others and told Xiang Yan what he had learned about the Nascent Soul Fruit Status, while Jiang Zhi arrived later with the Black Moon Cult Leader’s severed arm and entered secluded meditation.
• Chu Huai Xu, Han Shuangjiang, and Xu Ziqing spent five days cultivating before Xiang Yan summoned them to receive the Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal.
• Xu Ziqing received the Dao Seal Imperial Chariot, accompanied by a verse describing a single lamp hanging through the eternal night.
• Han Shuangjiang received the Dao Seal Taiyin, whose verse said that a single lamp burned throughout the long night.
• Chu Huai Xu received the Dao Seal Huai Xu and realized that the characters in his original identity, Huo Ding Yi, could form the phrase “a single lamp.”

The author apologized for mishandling Lu Pan’s death and explained how exhaustion and rushed writing damaged the story’s buildup and logic. The author promised to rewrite the section, adjust their work habits in November, and announced a monthly-pass lottery funded with 10,000 yuan from the book’s prize money.

• The author reported that Borrowed Sword’s average subscriptions had risen to 65,000 and described three October business trips, illness, and exhaustion that harmed their writing.
• The author admitted that Lu Pan’s death lacked sufficient danger, character-driven buildup, and explanation of the enemy’s strength and goals, making the Dao Sect’s reaction feel forced.
• The author apologized for the weak storyline, said they might rewrite the section without notifying readers, and promised to take leave rather than publish while exhausted.
• The author explained Chu Huai Xu’s first two changes in mindset and said Lu Pan’s death was meant to bring about his third change, which the author regretted failing to develop properly.
• The author said November would bring a better work schedule and a series of climaxes, then asked readers to vote in the monthly-pass rankings.
• The author announced a lottery running from the 1st through the 7th, with 100 prizes of 50 yuan, automatic prizes for the ten highest monthly-pass voters, and a gold accessory grand prize; winners would be drawn on the 8th.

Chu Huai Xu received the Dao Seal [Huai Xu], which strengthened his sun-based abilities and produced a Heaven and Earth Anomaly. After learning the verse associated with his seal, he was shaken by its connection to the mysterious “one lamp” references.

• Chu Huai Xu received the Dao Seal [Huai Xu] and wondered why the Dao Bell had bestowed his own chosen name despite the changed destinies and uncertain plans of the Dao Ancestor.
• A golden pillar of sunlight descended around Chu Huai Xu, and [Huai Xu] strengthened his [South Flowing Scenery] and [Body Becoming Saint] abilities by about thirty percent.
• Zhao Shuqi explained that Xu Ziqing’s [Imperial Chariot] helped preserve his internal order and protect him from the Bronze Sword’s backlash, while Chu Huai Xu’s summer power complemented Han Shuangjiang’s [Taiyin] power.
• Xu Ziqing and Han Shuangjiang awoke and witnessed Chu Huai Xu’s golden pillar of light before he opened his eyes with blazing golden flames in his pupils.
• Chu Huai Xu asked whether a poem had appeared with his Dao Seal, and Xiang Yan recited the verse: “With one lamp, pass it on to every lamp; in the end, ten thousand lamps will all shine.”

After receiving the Dao Ancestor’s Bestowed Seal, Chu Huai Xu discussed the Black Moon Cult leader’s mysterious Immortal Cultivation with the Dao Sect and planned to grow stronger. As the Third Realm East-West Continent Grand Competition approached, Xiang Yan told him the Moon Kingdom would reward him with entry to either the Imperial Pool or the Imperial Mausoleum, and asked him to choose.

• Chu Huai Xu recognized the Dao Ancestor’s verse as a reference to the Lotus Sutra and connected its mention of “one lamp” to his names in the Xuanhuang Realm.
• Jiang Zhi and Xiang Yan explained that the Black Moon Cult leader was a Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivator with the Power of Origin and a Myriad Souls Banner containing spirits from powerful experts.
• Chu Huai Xu and the Dao Sect elders considered whether the cult leader had inherited a lost Nascent Soul Fruit Status and cultivation method, but they could not resolve the many mysteries.
• Chu Huai Xu resolved to grow stronger before the approaching Grand Competition and planned to advance beyond the Fifth Realm after resolving the Second Layer of the Origin Spirit Realm.
• Xiang Yan told Chu Huai Xu that the Third Realm East-West Continent Grand Competition would be held at the Moon Kingdom’s Daoist Academy and that he would advance directly to the Top 16.
• Xiang Yan said the Moon Kingdom Emperor would let Chu Huai Xu enter either the Imperial Pool or the Imperial Mausoleum as a reward, then asked which he would choose.

Chu Huai Xu chose to enter the Moon Kingdom’s Imperial Pool as his reward, while the wounded Black Moon Cult Leader recovered in hiding and argued with the second soul sharing his body. The second soul believed Chu Huai Xu might carry the lost Nascent Soul Fruit Status, leaving the cult leader focused on him.

• Chu Huai Xu chose entry into the Imperial Pool, and the Dao Sect elders discussed how much power he might absorb.
• Jiang Zhi’s strike left the Black Moon Cult Leader with a severed arm contaminated by Sword Qi, demonic qi, and Killing Aura.
• The Black Moon Cult Leader revealed that he had One Body, Two Souls, with one soul wielding Eighth Realm power and the other possessing Nascent Soul Stage cultivation.
• The two souls discussed restoring his arm and their plan to find the Nascent Soul Fruit Status, which they believed could help them attain transcendence.
• The Black Moon Cult Leader wondered whether Chu Huai Xu carried the Nascent Soul Fruit Status.

The Black Moon Cult Leader and an Immortal Cultivator discussed whether Chu Huai Xu possessed a fruit position and agreed he could become a threat, though the Immortal Cultivator urged patience. At the Dao Sect, Chu Huai Xu took Han Shuangjiang to the Outer Sect to seek another Dao Ancestor Inheritance, and a strange stone pulled her into a secret realm.

• The Black Moon Cult Leader learned that the Immortal Cultivator had sensed no fruit position on Chu Huai Xu, but argued that Chu Huai Xu should still be killed before he grew stronger.
• Chu Huai Xu heard Xu Ziqing scream through a painful Third Realm breakthrough and told him to rest while he took Han Shuangjiang out.
• Chu Huai Xu brought Han Shuangjiang to the Outer Sect, hoping to find the Dao Ancestor Inheritance she had not yet obtained.
• Han Shuangjiang kicked a small stone near a pavilion on Book Mountain, and after it flipped nine times, an azure light drew her into the Stone World.

Chu Huai Xu entered the Dao Ancestor’s ninth Inheritance Secret Realm at Book Mountain, while the Sword Venerable and Situ Cheng discussed Geng Tianhe’s progress and the [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin]. The Sword Venerable ended by insisting that what he had learned was not the technique’s true form.

• Chu Huai Xu discovered that kicking a small pebble opened the ninth Dao Ancestor Inheritance Secret Realm, and he entered after Han Shuangjiang.
• Xiang Yan, Nangong Yue, Li Chunsong, Zhao Shuqi, and Jiang Zhi recognized the secret realm’s nine ripples and discussed its possible connection to [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin].
• Situ Cheng visited the Sword Venerable on Nameless Peak and told him that Geng Tianhe had stabilized his Sword Intent and become his Personal True Disciple.
• Situ Cheng praised Geng Tianhe’s progress but lamented that Chu Huai Xu had already formed a Sword Heart.
• Situ Cheng said the Sword Venerable had beaten him with [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin], and the Sword Venerable replied that his version was not the true technique.

Situ Cheng and the middle-aged scholar discussed how the scholar’s version of [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin] differed from the Dao Ancestor’s true technique, then realized Chu Huai Xu might be able to master it. Han Shuangjiang entered a Sword inheritance realm and was joined by Chu Huai Xu, whose System identified it as the [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin] instance.

• Situ Cheng argued that the middle-aged scholar’s sword art had been [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin], but the scholar explained that it only controlled myriad swords rather than making them willingly return.
• The middle-aged scholar estimated his version had less than one-tenth of the Dao Ancestor’s power, and Situ Cheng recalled that Spirit Swords seemed unusually afraid of Chu Huai Xu.
• Situ Cheng told the middle-aged scholar that Chu Huai Xu had drawn [Partridge Sky] toward himself during the East Continent Grand Competition, and the scholar hoped Chu Huai Xu could learn the true technique.
• The middle-aged scholar asked Situ Cheng to take him to the Third Realm East-West Continent Grand Competition.
• Han Shuangjiang entered a Secret Realm marked with a [Sword] character and waited for Chu Huai Xu, who soon appeared beside her.
• Chu Huai Xu’s System announced that he had entered the Dao Ancestor’s inheritance instance, [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin].

Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang entered the [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin] Secret Realm, where Chu Huai Xu suspected the inheritance was tied to the legendary sword technique. They shared a meditation mat and absorbed a mysterious energy that raised Chu Huai Xu’s Comprehension by one.

• Chu Huai Xu found that the Secret Realm was named [Myriad Swords Returning to the Origin] and wondered whether Han Shuangjiang’s ultimate technique would be the legendary sword art.
• Chu Huai Xu resolved to wait until he reached [Comprehension 7] before spending Experience Points to learn the technique, despite feeling that the inheritance was tempting him.
• Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang found no response from the stone wall’s [sword] character, then opened a stone door and followed a narrow passage into a chamber.
• Chu Huai Xu scanned a floating green mass of energy but received only question marks, so he and Han Shuangjiang sat together on the meditation mat.
• The green energy split between Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang, and a System prompt told Chu Huai Xu that his Comprehension had increased by one.

Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang gained insights from the Green energy before entering a dark passage that separated them. Chu Huai Xu emerged into a vision of Junzi Temple a thousand years earlier, where he watched the young Dao Ancestor and unexpectedly touched the Black Bead on his belt.

• Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang absorbed the Green energy, improving their comprehension and resolving some of Han Shuangjiang’s cultivation confusion.
• The two entered a pitch-black passage, where they lost contact and each continued alone, realizing the trial had separated them.
• Chu Huai Xu reached a room at dawn and recognized the indistinct Ninth Senior Brother as the Dao Ancestor in his youth.
• Chu Huai Xu followed the Dao Ancestor and three other young disciples through Junzi Temple, learning that the Dao Ancestor ranked ninth among the disciples.
• While watching the Dao Ancestor wear a familiar Black Bead, Chu Huai Xu touched it, and the Dao Ancestor turned toward him with a gentle smile.

Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang observed Junzi Temple a thousand years in the past as Dao Ancestor received a sword and learned the temple’s morning sword practice. When the world froze after the practice, Dao Ancestor alone continued dancing with his sword.

• Chu Huai Xu discovered he could touch the Black Bead hanging from Ninth Senior Brother, while Han Shuangjiang recognized the temple and respectfully identified Ninth Senior Brother as Dao Ancestor.
• The four young Daoists gathered outside the main hall, where the Temple Master and four middle-aged Daoists bestowed Black Wood swords on them.
• Chu Huai Xu identified the sword opposite Ninth Senior Brother as [Calming the Waves] but found that he could not touch it.
• The Temple Master led the temple in three rounds of morning sword practice, and Dao Ancestor quickly mastered the movements.
• After practice, the world froze, but Dao Ancestor continued dancing with his sword.

Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang passed repeated sword-practice scenes, and Chu Huai Xu witnessed the young Daoist who would become the Dao Ancestor developing the Dao Canon and practicing with a broken sword. The scene froze again as the Dao Ancestor repeated his sword routine, and Chu Huai Xu began following along.

• Chu Huai Xu realized the Dao Ancestor’s sword practice was a replay, copied the basic movements, and was carried into darkness when he finished the set.
• Han Shuangjiang also recognized the repeating scene, imitated the sword movements, and returned to darkness.
• Chu Huai Xu found an unfinished first volume of the Dao Canon beside the young Daoist and inferred that the Dao Ancestor had developed the method himself.
• The young Daoist succeeded in combining Internal and External Cultivation, then read the Chasing Wind Sword Art and practiced it with his broken Black Wood Sword.
• The scene froze again, leaving only the Dao Ancestor practicing, and Chu Huai Xu decided to follow along.

Chu Huai Xu realized the Inheritance Secret Realm required him to comprehend the Dao Ancestor’s sword arts to Great Perfection, then watched the Dao Ancestor receive two higher-grade sword manuals. The chapter ended as Chu Huai Xu faced the Dao Ancestor’s demonstration of Tian Kui Sword Art with only 110,000 Experience Points left.

• Chu Huai Xu mastered Chasing Wind Sword Art through practice, then used Experience Points to raise it to Great Perfection and trigger the next scene.
• Chu Huai Xu concluded that the secret realm expected him to follow the Dao Ancestor’s entire sword path, but noted he had only 110,000 Experience Points remaining.
• A purple-robed woman from Spring Autumn Mountain visited the Dao Ancestor, exchanged pills for two sword arts, and left disappointed when he wished her a safe journey.
• Chu Huai Xu recognized the woman’s feelings and watched the Dao Ancestor begin practicing the Profound Grade low-rank Tian Kui Sword Art.
• The Dao Ancestor demonstrated Tian Kui Sword Art at Great Perfection, while Chu Huai Xu worried his remaining Experience Points could not max out both new sword arts.

Chu Huai Xu and Han Shuangjiang practiced the Tian Kui Sword Art in the Dao Ancestor’s frozen inheritance realm, gradually reaching Great Perfection and strengthening their Sword Intents. When Chu Huai Xu checked the system, he discovered that time had stopped moving.

• Chu Huai Xu repeatedly practiced the Tian Kui Sword Art, entered a state of deep comprehension, and raised the technique to Great Perfection as his Sword Intent progressed.
• The Dao Ancestor moved on to studying the Thunderous Esteemed Sword Art, and Chu Huai Xu began practicing it alongside him.
• Han Shuangjiang also practiced the Tian Kui Sword Art, guessed that the Dao Ancestor intended to teach them further techniques, and reached Great Perfection before Chu Huai Xu.
• Chu Huai Xu checked the system’s time function and realized that time had been paused.

Chu Huai Xu realized the Inheritance Secret Realm had stopped time and forced him to retrace the Dao Ancestor’s sword path, learning the Sword Arts the Dao Ancestor had practiced. After noticing his experience differed from Han Shuangjiang’s, he suspected his Black Bead had merged into the Secret Realm and was changing what he saw.

• Chu Huai Xu realized time was frozen and that he had to practice every Sword Art along the Dao Ancestor’s sword path before he could leave the Secret Realm.
• Chu Huai Xu watched the young Daoist buy a cat demon and a black iron fragment at an auction, then practiced the Daoist’s Sword Arts alongside him.
• Chu Huai Xu learned nine Sword Arts, including the Profound Grade upper-rank [Ghostly God Sword Art], but saw no Earth Grade Sword Art.
• Chu Huai Xu questioned why Han Shuangjiang had not learned many Sword Arts in Borrowed Sword and suspected the Black Bead was the difference.
• Chu Huai Xu reasoned that the Black Bead was real within the otherwise illusory Secret Realm and may have merged into it.

Chu Huai Xu watched the Dao Ancestor's memories reveal his rise as an alchemist and his secret aid to the Sword Sect. After entering the Sword Pavilion to study its Three Thousand Tomes of the Sword Dao, the Dao Ancestor looked toward Chu Huai Xu and invited him to read them together.

• Chu Huai Xu watched the Dao Ancestor master alchemy and raise the black cat, while realizing that the unaffiliated cultivator had little chance of obtaining Earth Grade Sorcery.
• The memory shifted to Nameless Peak, where the Sword Venerable thanked the young Daoist for secretly helping the Sword Sect avert a calamity.
• The young Daoist asked to enter the Sword Pavilion and read its Three Thousand Tomes of the Sword Dao, and the Sword Venerable granted him one entry with his token.
• The young Daoist entered the Sword Pavilion, absorbed the Green energy from the Black Bead, and prepared to study the Jade slips.
• The Dao Ancestor touched the Black Bead, turned toward Chu Huai Xu, and invited him to read all the sword tomes together.

Chu Huai Xu followed a young Daoist through the Sword Pavilion’s collection, learning Sword Arts alongside him while trapped as an unseen observer in the Black Bead’s Secret Realm. After two years, Chu Huai Xu reached Great Perfection in Fearless Sword Intent, and the Daoist finished reading all three thousand volumes and left the pavilion.

• The young Daoist sampled Sword Arts from the Jade slips, and Chu Huai Xu learned them alongside him as time passed in the Secret Realm.
• Chu Huai Xu’s Fearless Sword Intent reached Major Accomplishment after he learned Snow Stepping Plum Blossom Sword, while the Sword Sect’s seasons changed around the Daoist.
• After another year of studying Sword Arts, Chu Huai Xu reached Great Perfection in Fearless Sword Intent and saw a new progress bar appear for condensing his Sword Heart.
• The young Daoist finished reading the Sword Pavilion’s three thousand volumes and left with his sword sheath as the Sword Venerable welcomed and saluted him.
• Chu Huai Xu stepped beside the young Daoist and grabbed the Black Bead on the sword sheath.

Chu Huai Xu watched the Dao Ancestor receive and practice the Earth Grade sword art Bìluò Sùhuǒ, hoping he would master it before time resumed. The Dao Ancestor abandoned it as flawed and revealed that he could not use the Spiritual Power in his body to perform sword arts.

• Chu Huai Xu struck the Black Sword Sheath against the Dao Ancestor's thigh, after which the Dao Ancestor stored it away and resumed the frozen scene.
• The Sword Venerable gave the young Daoist an Earth Grade sword art called Bìluò Sùhuǒ, and Chu Huai Xu assessed its strengths against Six Severances.
• Chu Huai Xu followed the Dao Ancestor as he practiced Bìluò Sùhuǒ until Chu Huai Xu upgraded it to Major Accomplishment.
• When birdsong ended the frozen scene, the Dao Ancestor criticized Bìluò Sùhuǒ and wondered aloud what sword art he could use.
• Chu Huai Xu realized that the Dao Ancestor could not mobilize his Spiritual Power to execute sword arts.