Chapter Summaries

Shouye urged Rao Yaoyao to treat Xu Xiaoshou as a major threat, arguing that his cunning had shaped past battles and that his hidden abilities dated back to the start of his rise. Rao Yaoyao recognized how easily Xu Xiaoshou’s age and cultivation could invite underestimation, while Shouye concluded that Ba Zunan had secretly cultivated him as an important chess piece.

• Shouye speculated that Xu Xiaoshou had impersonated the Eighth Sword Immortal and resolved Ye Xiaotian’s predicament, then presented his suspicions to Rao Yaoyao.
• Shouye argued that Xu Xiaoshou had directed the battle that killed Aberrant, while Wang Big Hammer mocked his theory for lacking evidence.
• Shouye warned Rao Yaoyao that Xu Xiaoshou could no longer be treated as a junior, prompting her to reconsider the danger of underestimating him.
• Shouye recalled Xu Xiaoshou’s early confrontation with the Red Robes in Tiansang City and revealed that Xu Xiaoshou had already wielded Sword Thought as an Innate.
• Shouye concluded that Xu Xiaoshou had been Ba Zunan’s concealed chess piece from the beginning and predicted that his growth could threaten the whole world.

Rao Yaoyao investigated the spatial traces left by the smugglers and ordered a search for Huangquan, Ba Zunan, and the suspected Ye Xiaotian. A second, apparently normal Wang Chao appeared, leading Rao Yaoyao and Shouye to suspect Xu Xiaoshou; meanwhile, Ye Xiaotian reached the site of the Great Buddha Slash.

• Rao Yaoyao considered Shouye's warning that Xu Xiaoshou could impersonate Ba Zunan and began investigating the spatial passage traces.
• Rao Yaoyao identified Ye Xiaotian as the likely spatial-attribute smuggler and ordered officials to verify his identity and search for Huangquan and Ba Zunan.
• Zhu Mi'er reported that one Wang Chao had gone through the spatial rift with Mu Rong Ying while another verified Wang Chao had been found nearby.
• Rao Yaoyao and Shouye connected the two Wang Chaos to Xu Xiaoshou.
• Ye Xiaotian arrived at a shattered cliff and recognized the sword marks as the site of the Eighth Sword Immortal's Great Buddha Slash.

After learning that the Holy Spirit Hall had investigated Tiansang Spirit Palace over his identity, Ye Xiaotian reassured Qiao Qianzhi that the Spirit Palace would be protected while admitting little about his own danger. Qiao Qianzhi asked Ye Xiaotian to retrieve a Heavenly Mechanism Puppet from Xu Xiaoshou and seek a Saint Source Crystal for his research.

• Ye Xiaotian healed his grave injuries by merging with space, but feared that repeated use would gradually merge his consciousness with the Heavenly Dao.
• Qiao Qianzhi contacted Ye Xiaotian after the City Lord's Manor and Holy Spirit Hall searched Tiansang Spirit Palace and exposed Ye Xiaotian as a stowaway.
• Ye Xiaotian told Qiao Qianzhi that Tiansang Spirit Palace would be safe under the Holy Palace's protection and boasted that he had nearly crushed Huangquan with a Heaven-Bending Hand.
• Qiao Qianzhi revealed that he had devised a way to make a Demi-Saint-level Heavenly Mechanism Puppet capable of autonomous evolution, and asked Ye Xiaotian to retrieve the First-Generation Heavenly Mechanism Puppet from Xu Xiaoshou.
• Qiao Qianzhi asked Ye Xiaotian to look for a Saint Source Crystal, and Ye Xiaotian recognized that it was the very crystal he already held.

Ye Xiaotian realized the Saint Source Crystal’s arrival might be part of a larger plan, but chose to send it to Qiao Qianzhi and face the danger rather than retreat. He reflected on how Ba Zunan had pushed him into the greater conflict and prepared to leave the Yunlun Mountain Range.

• Ye Xiaotian connected Elder Sang’s letter and Qiao Qianzhi’s request to the Saint Source Crystal, then confirmed that Qiao Qianzhi had not known about it beforehand.
• Ye Xiaotian told Qiao Qianzhi that the Saint Source Crystal had flown into his hand, and Qiao Qianzhi urged him to discard it and return to the Spirit Palace.
• Ye Xiaotian sent the Saint Source Crystal through a spatial passage to Qiao Qianzhi and promised to help find A-Jie and provide a Heavenly Mechanism Puppet.
• Ye Xiaotian considered when he had been drawn into the greater conflict and concluded it may have begun when Ba Zunan pushed him to complete his spatial profound meaning.
• Ye Xiaotian decided to leave the Yunlun Mountain Range and trusted that his three hundred and sixty-two spatial passages had concealed his destination from Rao Yaoyao and the Red Robes.

Ye Xiaotian unexpectedly encountered Mu Rong Ying and Wang Chao at Solitary Sound Cliff after they emerged from a spatial rift. He seized control of Mu Rong Ying’s domain with his perfected spatial profundity and trapped both men, preparing to kill them.

• Ye Xiaotian opened a spatial rift to leave Solitary Sound Cliff, and Mu Rong Ying emerged from it while pursuing the stowaway.
• Wang Chao, who was Xu Xiaoshou in disguise, followed Mu Rong Ying through the rift, and Ye Xiaotian tried to crush them by closing it.
• Mu Rong Ying escaped the closing rift, while Xu Xiaoshou teleported aside; Mu Rong Ying then spread his Corrosive Realm across the cliff.
• Ye Xiaotian used his spatial profundity to shatter Mu Rong Ying’s domain and reshape it into Lord of Myriad Worlds, trapping Mu Rong Ying and Wang Chao.
• Ye Xiaotian ignored Mu Rong Ying’s call for help and tore open a spatial gash, ready to attack both law enforcers.

Xu Xiaoshou tried to convince Ye Xiaotian that he was an ally while Ye Xiaotian fought Mu Rong Ying, but his impersonations and Vanishing Art made his identity difficult to verify. After Mu Rong Ying lost his chance to call for help, Xu Xiaoshou revealed that he had been impersonating Wang Chao and destroyed the captain-level communicator, leaving the battle at a tense standstill.

• Xu Xiaoshou called out to Ye Xiaotian, but Ye Xiaotian mistook him for Wang Chao and prepared to attack him.
• Mu Rong Ying used the Shadow-Escaping Art to try to escape Ye Xiaotian's domain, but Ye Xiaotian shattered the space and badly wounded him.
• Xu Xiaoshou emerged unharmed and evaded Ye Xiaotian's attempt to restrain him with Vanishing Art.
• Mu Rong Ying tried to use his combat communicator, but Xu Xiaoshou severed his finger and revealed himself as the fake Wang Chao.
• Xu Xiaoshou took Mu Rong Ying's earlobe and communicator, then threw them into the sea of clouds and apologized for being a bad person.

Mu Rong Ying tried to escape across Solitary Sound Cliff but was swallowed by a mysterious power that Ye Xiaotian suspected was a Forbidden Law Barrier. Ye Xiaotian explained the barrier’s legendary sites and revealed he wanted to take A-Jie back for research, but Xu Xiaoshou refused.

• Mu Rong Ying used the Blood Sacrifice Art to break through Ye Xiaotian’s Domain and flee toward Solitary Sound Cliff, believing he could escape by chasing his combat communicator.
• A dazzling radiance erupted from below the cliff, stripped Mu Rong Ying of his power, and dragged him into the depths as he screamed.
• Ye Xiaotian tested the cliff with a pebble and suggested that a saint-grade Forbidden Law Barrier lay beneath it, capable of sealing even Demi-Saints.
• Ye Xiaotian named the Holy Palace’s Saint Mystery Gate, Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain’s Dead Sea, and Void Island as the three known sites of Forbidden Law Barriers, and explained that Elder Sang had brought A-Jie from Void Island.
• Ye Xiaotian told Xu Xiaoshou that Elder Qiao needed A-Jie for research, but Xu Xiaoshou refused to let A-Jie be taken back.

Ye Xiaotian explained why Elder Qiao wanted A-Jie back, but Xu Xiaoshou refused to risk harming his companion. Ye Xiaotian then revealed the Holy Palace past of the Four Sons and began describing Elder Qiao’s extraordinary spiritual-array theory.

• Ye Xiaotian told Xu Xiaoshou that A-Jie was Elder Qiao’s beloved research subject and that Xu had succeeded in forming an emotional bond with it.
• Xu Xiaoshou refused to hand over A-Jie, fearing that Elder Qiao’s treatment might hurt or kill it, but Ye Xiaotian argued that it could cure A-Jie and make it a normal person.
• Ye Xiaotian admitted that Elder Qiao’s plan could either raise A-Jie to the Half-Saint stage or leave it injured, dead, or crippled, and Xu Xiaoshou angrily rejected the risk.
• Ye Xiaotian revealed that he, Xu Xiaoshou’s master, Elder Qiao, and Xiao Qixiu had been known as the Four Sons of the Holy Palace: Qiao, Xiao, Ye, and Sang.
• Ye Xiaotian described Elder Qiao as the group’s most talented member and explained that Qiao believed spiritual patterns could turn abstract things into reality.

Ye Xiaotian explained Elder Qiao’s decades-long research into altering the patterns and diagrams underlying all things, and asked Xu Xiaoshou to trust him with A-Jie. Xu Xiaoshou remained torn over the risks as Ye Xiaotian ended with a reflection on despair and the first ray of dawn.

• Ye Xiaotian explained that Elder Qiao’s ideas about patterns and diagrams resembled the core of Textile Mastery and the embryonic form of Heavenly Secrets Art.
• Ye Xiaotian revealed that Elder Qiao had pursued his research alone for decades, looked down on Heavenly Secrets Art, and focused his efforts on A-Jie.
• Xu Xiaoshou wondered why the First-Generation Heavenly Mechanism Puppet had not been pursued further, then realized Elder Qiao might suffer from memory loss.
• Ye Xiaotian asked Xu Xiaoshou to trust Elder Qiao and return A-Jie, explaining that Elder Qiao’s research had reached a critical point.
• Xu Xiaoshou hesitated to hand A-Jie over because Elder Qiao’s theory was ambitious but his practical results were unproven.
• Ye Xiaotian stood at the cliff’s edge and spoke of how despair could crush a person and how the first ray of dawn could save them.

Xu Xiaoshou let A-Jie choose to return with Ye Xiaotian for Elder Qiao’s experiment, then reunited with Lei Xier near Solitary Sound Cliff. Rao Yaoyao arrived with a force of enforcers and recognized Xu Xiaoshou under several identities, while Ye Xiaotian and Xu Xiaoshou realized an unseen force had guided them toward a confrontation at the cliff.

• Ye Xiaotian asked A-Jie whether he wanted to return for Elder Qiao’s experiment, and A-Jie chose to leave Xu Xiaoshou and go with him.
• Xu Xiaoshou warned Ye Xiaotian to tell Elder Qiao to be careful, then reunited with Lei Xier and Little White near Solitary Sound Cliff.
• Xu Xiaoshou received a Threatened notification when Shouye’s portrait incarnation stopped moving, and Lei Xier and Little White sensed danger.
• Ye Xiaotian opened a spatial rift to leave, but Rao Yaoyao emerged with Wang Big Hammer, Shouye, and more than thirty enforcers.
• Rao Yaoyao named Xu Xiaoshou as Xu Xiaoshou, Wang Chao, Ba Zunan, Zhou Tianshen, and the person from Record of Little Stone Pool.
• Xu Xiaoshou noticed repeated Guided notifications, and Ye Xiaotian realized the Holy Emperor’s Will had steered them toward Solitary Sound Cliff.

Five gold-medal assassins from Three Incense Sticks arrived in East Heavenly King City and set out for Yunlun Mountain Range to hunt Xu Xiaoshou. A new Black-Gold Bounty revealed Xu Xiaoshou’s location at Solitary Sound Cliff and opened the hunt to anyone seeking the reward.

• Fool God, Golden Foot, Evil Elder, Ghost Granny, and Little Ren arrived in East Heavenly King City, where Xiuyuan Ke mistook their suspicions about him for a threat and froze in fear.
• The five assassins discussed hunting Xu Xiaoshou and decided to head to Yunlun Mountain Range, while Xiuyuan Ke hesitated to contact his Senior Brother.
• The assassins received a Black-Gold Bounty listing Ancestor Wuji, Storyteller, and Xu Xiaoshou as targets.
• Golden Foot recognized that Xu Xiaoshou’s listed location at Solitary Sound Cliff offered them a chance to act, while Fool God warned that the bounty would draw other hunters and make the mission dangerous.

Jiang Xian learned that the moment had come for the Jiang Clan to summon a Demi-Saint, while a scruffy stranger and Night Owl entered the Yunlun Mountain Range. At the Cloud Realm’s seat of authority, Yu Zhiwen watched Xu Xiaoshou face Rao Yaoyao’s force before an unknown man spoke behind her.

• Jiang Xian’s subordinate reported that Rao Yaoyao and Wang Big Hammer had gathered forces near the Ninth Dragon Vein and that Gold Medal Hunter Order assassins were targeting Xu Xiaoshou.
• Jiang Chaotian contacted Jiang Xian through an array and announced that a Jiang Clan Demi-Saint would personally arrive; Jiang Xian realized he had been used as bait and ordered the ritual prepared.
• A scruffy, eight-fingered middle-aged man crossed into the Royal City Trial grounds and ran toward the Ninth Dragon Vein.
• Night Owl appeared in the outer region, identified Ba Zunan’s trail, and followed it into the mountains.
• Yu Zhiwen watched Xu Xiaoshou confront Rao Yaoyao’s force on Solitary Sound Cliff and hoped he would be captured alive.
• A man Yu Zhiwen did not recognize spoke behind her, and she turned around in alarm.

Yu Zhiwen met Holy Palace envoy Bai Lian and his master, Mu Lin, who confronted her about the trial officials neglecting trialist safety while tracking stowaways. Before leaving, Bai Lian asked her to help secure Saint Slave Wuxiu’s transfer to the Holy Palace, while Mu Lin ordered her to shut off the Spirit Mirror at Solitary Sound Cliff.

• Bai Lian entered the Spirit Mirror station with Mu Lin, introduced himself to Yu Zhiwen, and asked about the Saint Emperor’s clash and the treasures reclaimed from the trialists.
• Bai Lian noticed that the Spirit Mirror screens mainly tracked stowaways rather than trialists, and Yu Zhiwen admitted the station had neglected their safety under Rao Yaoyao’s orders.
• Bai Lian promised not to report the misuse of the screens and asked Yu Zhiwen to convey greetings to Dao Xuanji and help arrange Saint Slave Wuxiu’s transfer to the Holy Palace.
• Mu Lin ordered Yu Zhiwen to turn off the Solitary Sound Cliff screen and warned her to protect her eyes.
• Bai Lian and Mu Lin departed north on an immortal crane, leaving Yu Zhiwen wondering what would happen at Solitary Sound Cliff and whether the Holy Palace would take sides.

Xu Xiaoshou stalled Rao Yaoyao and her enforcers at Solitary Sound Cliff while pretending that he, Ye Xiaotian, and Lei Xier had false identities. Wang Big Hammer identified Lei Xier as a member of the Lei clan, prompting Rao Yaoyao to connect her to Aberrant’s death, and Lei Xier challenged Rao Yaoyao about that night.

• Rao Yaoyao led the gathered enforcers toward Xu Xiaoshou at Solitary Sound Cliff and demanded to know why he had waited for her.
• Xu Xiaoshou claimed his name was Wen Ming, and Ye Xiaotian backed him up by saying his name was Zhou Shen.
• Xu Xiaoshou called Lei Xier mute, and Lei Xier silently glared at him.
• Wang Big Hammer identified Lei Xier as a member of the Lei clan with a Supreme Life Demon Body and God-Devil Pupils.
• Rao Yaoyao connected Lei Xier to Aberrant’s death and asked whether she had acted as bait that night.
• Lei Xier smiled and asked Rao Yaoyao if she meant the night Aberrant died.

Xu Xiaoshou transformed into Aberrant and tried to convince Rao Yaoyao and the enforcement officers that Aberrant had survived and infiltrated the enemy. Rao Yaoyao remained suspicious, but Aberrant’s convincing abilities and angry outburst left the crowd stunned and her certainty shaken.

• Rao Yaoyao ordered the enforcement officers to prepare to capture Xu Xiaoshou, Ye Xiaotian, and Lei Xier after the silver-haired woman provoked her by mentioning Aberrant’s death.
• Xu Xiaoshou transformed into a little girl resembling Aberrant and claimed she had been on an infiltration mission.
• Wang Big Hammer believed the explanation, but Rao Yaoyao insisted the girl was Xu Xiaoshou using Mimicry, and Shouye warned that Xu Xiaoshou could imitate auras.
• Aberrant used a mental attack on Shouye and revealed Wang Big Hammer’s secret use of Spear-Locking Essence-Sealing Pills to prove her identity.
• Aberrant berated Rao Yaoyao for exposing her supposed infiltration, insisting she was Rao Yaoyao’s equal and accusing her of ruining the mission.

Xu Xiaoshou impersonated Aberrant and used his growing momentum to convince Rao Yaoyao and the enforcers that he might be carrying out a secret mission. Shouye saw through the ruse and launched a full-strength attack, plunging Solitary Sound Cliff into darkness and summoning the Heaven-Slaying Hand.

• Xu Xiaoshou realized that Sovereign-level Swallowing Mountains and Rivers had helped make his disguise and arguments convincing to the people around him.
• Shouye broke through the crowd’s hesitation, warned Rao Yaoyao to verify Aberrant’s death, and accused Xu Xiaoshou of impersonating him.
• Wang Big Hammer charged at Xu Xiaoshou, but Xu dodged and used Spirit Piercing before persuading Wang and Rao Yaoyao that Aberrant could have extinguished his own soul lamp for the mission.
• Rao Yaoyao and the others continued to doubt Xu Xiaoshou’s identity as his performance made Aberrant seem genuine.
• Shouye attacked without Rao Yaoyao’s order, unleashed Night Curtain: Descent, and summoned the Heaven-Slaying Hand over Solitary Sound Cliff.

Shouye launched a surprise attack on Xu Xiaoshou, but Xu Xiaoshou devoured the Heaven-Slaying Hand’s energy and struck Shouye down with a single kick. Shouye fell through Solitary Sound Cliff’s Forbidden Law Barrier, while the dark domain began to break apart.

• Shouye unleashed the Heaven-Slaying Hand at the disguised Xu Xiaoshou, determined not to let him escape again.
• Xu Xiaoshou used Vanishing Art and Great Feast to devour much of the attack, then vented the excess energy with his Breathing Method.
• Xu Xiaoshou appeared behind Shouye and revealed himself, catching Shouye off guard.
• Xu Xiaoshou kicked Shouye with overwhelming force, shattering the surrounding space and leaving him badly injured.
• The Forbidden Law Barrier sealed Shouye’s abilities, and he plunged out of sight as the dark domain shattered.

Xu Xiaoshou, disguised as Aberrant, killed Shouye and faced more than a hundred Enforcement Officers after Rao Yaoyao ordered them to attack. He transformed into Huangquan and appeared to delay time across the battlefield, leaving Rao Yaoyao stunned.

• After the Dark Domain shattered, Ye Xiaotian inferred that Xu Xiaoshou had used the Forbidden Law Barrier to make Shouye disappear and concealed the traces of space.
• Rao Yaoyao concluded that the little girl was Xu Xiaoshou and ordered the Enforcement Officers to act after Shouye vanished.
• More than a hundred experts opened their Domains, sealing Solitary Sound Cliff and surrounding Xu Xiaoshou, Ye Xiaotian, and Lei Xier.
• Xu Xiaoshou transformed from Aberrant into a convincing image of Huangquan, shocking Rao Yaoyao, Ye Xiaotian, Lei Xier, and the other experts.
• As the Enforcement Officers attacked and Rao Yaoyao flew toward Lei Xier, Xu Xiaoshou delayed time across the battlefield, leaving Rao Yaoyao to recognize the power.

Xu Xiaoshou used Mimicry to pose as Huangquan and wielded Time Dilation against Rao Yaoyao and the law enforcers. His hint about Aberrant led Rao Yaoyao to infer that Huangquan had killed Aberrant to obtain Mimicry and was pursuing the Lei Clan Eye through the silver-haired woman’s God-Devil Pupils.

• Xu Xiaoshou used Mimicry to imitate Huangquan and controlled everyone present with Time Dilation, though the technique rapidly drained his spiritual essence.
• He released the time power, formed a spatial throne, and taunted Rao Yaoyao while she struggled to decide whether he was really Huangquan.
• Xu Xiaoshou hinted at Aberrant and briefly used Time Dilation again to restrain the law enforcers before asking Rao Yaoyao to keep them calm.
• Rao Yaoyao reconsidered Aberrant’s death and concluded that Huangquan had killed him to obtain Mimicry.
• Rao Yaoyao connected Huangquan’s actions to Yama’s search for the Lei Clan Eye and recognized the silver-haired woman’s God-Devil Pupils.

Xu Xiaoshou, disguised as Huangquan, convinced Rao Yaoyao that Yama had a larger motive and maneuvered her into opening the boundary domain. He revealed Yama members Visitor from the Underworld and Hundred Ghosts' Night Parade holding the badly wounded Shouye, leaving the law enforcers stunned.

• Xu Xiaoshou confirmed Rao Yaoyao's guess that he possessed the God-Devil Pupils and let her infer that Huangquan had a greater motive for appearing.
• Xu Xiaoshou claimed Huangquan wanted to make a deal with Rao Yaoyao, then presented a gift outside the boundary domain.
• Rao Yaoyao ordered the boundary domain closed so everyone could inspect the figures Huangquan had indicated.
• A former White Robes law enforcer identified the masked figures as Visitor from the Underworld and Hundred Ghosts' Night Parade, bearing the Flower Immortal Eye and Cross-Shaped Heterochromatic Eye.
• Xu Xiaoshou had the two Yama members raise the head of their wounded captive, and the law enforcers recognized him as Shouye.