Chapter Summaries

Xu Gusheng exposed the Ghost-God Gang’s scheme at Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion and nearly left after denouncing the pavilion’s treatment of him. A Yao stopped him with an apology and three cups of wine, then escorted him upstairs to meet Aunt Xiang, while the crowd cursed him for taking her hand.

• Xu Gusheng’s words drove Feng Xiao into a near-ruinous crisis, but Xu gave him a chance to recover and the Ghost-God Gang carried him away.
• The old man in the ghost mask admitted he had arranged the trouble, and Xu publicly condemned Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion before attempting to leave.
• A Yao came downstairs on Aunt Xiang’s behalf, apologized to Xu, and drank three cups of wine to make amends.
• Xu agreed to go upstairs with A Yao and took her hand, then claimed he needed her support because he was delicate and precious.
• A Yao escorted Xu up the staircase to meet Aunt Xiang as the crowd shouted curses at him.

Xu Xiaoshou met Aunt Xiang at Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion, where she revealed her ties to Saint Slave and Shen Yi while testing his caution and trying to charm him. She ended their tense exchange by offering him Miss A Yao.

• Xu Xiaoshou learned that Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion belonged to the influential Xiang Family and had helped support Shen Yi and the Ghost-God Gang.
• Xu Xiaoshou gave Miss A Yao seven Spirit Crystals as a reward, upsetting her, then entered Aunt Xiang’s room.
• Aunt Xiang showed Xu Xiaoshou a Saint Slave token and revealed that her husband, Shen Yi, was Ba Zunan’s elder brother.
• Xu Xiaoshou tasted Aunt Xiang’s Drunken Immortal Brew, identified its ingredients, and revealed his original face when she pressed him.
• Aunt Xiang admitted that Ba Zunan had asked her to test Xu Xiaoshou, then offered him Miss A Yao in exchange for setting the Ghost-God Gang matter aside.

Xu Xiaoshou learned from Aunt Xiang that the Holy Palace Trial would take place in the Four Symbols Secret Realm, where Saint Slave hoped to cooperate with the ancient Qilin. With the Holy Spirit Hall likely laying a trap and the Qilin refusing to respond, the plan seemed hopeless until Aunt Xiang revealed Ba Zunan’s confidence in Master Shou.

• Aunt Xiang teased Xu Xiaoshou about courting A Yao before explaining that the Holy Palace Trial was likely to begin in thirteen days at the Four Symbols Secret Realm.
• Aunt Xiang warned Xu Xiaoshou that Dao Qiongchang was preparing a counterattack after Saint Slave’s victory on Void Island.
• Aunt Xiang explained that the Frostsky Weasel had uncovered the Ran Ming Ruins and the secret that the Holy Palace used the Four Symbols Secret Realm to suppress an ancient Qilin and draw on its power.
• Xu Xiaoshou realized Saint Slave needed the Qilin’s strength to oppose the Holy Spirit Hall and the Five Great Saint Emperor Families, but Aunt Xiang admitted the Qilin had not responded to their attempts at contact.
• Xu Xiaoshou argued that entering the Four Symbols Secret Realm meant walking into Dao Qiongchang’s trap, but Aunt Xiang said Ba Zunan believed the mission could work and repeated his message: “I believe in you, Master Shou!”

Xu Xiaoshou agreed to discuss Aunt Xiang’s plan to gather allies for storming Holy Mountain after realizing their forces were still insufficient. He then learned how Elder Sang’s past as one of the Five Baleful Elders led to a fateful clash with Gou Wuyue, leaving the two as each other’s inner demons.

• Xu Xiaoshou reconsidered leaving after Aunt Xiang reminded him that storming Holy Mountain required more allies, and he agreed to discuss the operation.
• Aunt Xiang said Ba Zunan and Water Ghost trusted Xu Xiaoshou’s abilities, then agreed to give him time to prepare while she arranged for First Pavilion Under Heaven’s people to meet him secretly.
• Xu Xiaoshou asked Aunt Xiang about Elder Sang’s past, and she explained that he had once been known as Burning Qin, Boiling Crane, one of the Five Baleful Elders of Heting Mountain.
• Aunt Xiang recounted how the Five Baleful Elders defeated challengers for years and made Heting Mountain renowned, until Gou Wuyue began hunting the hidden force known as Wuxiu.
• Aunt Xiang said Wuxiu and Gou Wuyue eventually fought, and Wuxiu attacked Gou Wuyue’s Dao heart by arguing that Holy Spirit Hall shackled his freedom, making them each other’s inner demons.

Aunt Xiang told Xu Xiaoshou how Gou Wuyue’s killing of Washing Feet in a Clear Spring led to Fen Qin’s destruction and a devastating battle with Sang Qiye. As Xu Xiaoshou began writing a wine recipe, he recognized Mizao Spring as the place where the tragedy began.

• Aunt Xiang explained that Old Gou’s sword wound had left Tea Sipper Among Flowers too weak to recover, and that Old Gou later killed Washing Feet in a Clear Spring at Mizao Spring beneath Heting Mountain.
• Aunt Xiang revealed that Wuxiu was Sang Qiye, leader of Fen Qin, a vast intelligence network that secretly supported Saint Slave and operated across the continent.
• Wuxiu returned to find Old Gou’s forces attacking Heting Mountain, chose to fight rather than retreat, and battled Old Gou until both were gravely wounded and their cultivation prospects were ruined.
• Aunt Xiang said Fen Qin was shattered, though rumors claimed some of the Five Baleful Elders might have survived; Xu Xiaoshou silently resolved to remember Heting Mountain.
• Xu Xiaoshou offered Aunt Xiang an improved Drunken Immortal Brew recipe and began writing it, then froze when he named Mizao Spring as an ingredient.

At Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, Dao Qiongchang revealed the devastating losses the Holy Spirit Hall suffered at Sky City and warned that Saint Slave had infiltrated all Five Domains. He rallied the gathered forces to meet the enemy, then resigned as Chief Hall Master and appointed Zhong Yuanzi as acting chief.

• Wang Big Hammer climbed Holy Mountain grieving the deaths and disappearances of his fellow Six Divisions heads and recognized that Dao Qiongchang was preparing for a major war.
• Hua Changdeng rose beneath the broken willow in the Screen-and-Candle Grounds, and the God-Worship Willow sprouted fresh leaves as he touched it.
• Dao Qiongchang announced that the Holy Spirit Hall had suffered a total defeat at Sky City, naming the fallen and missing leaders and reporting thousands of casualties.
• Dao Qiongchang warned that Saint Slave had infiltrated forces across the Five Domains and identified Ba Zunan as the enemy's leader, whose strength reached the Saint Emperor level.
• Dao Qiongchang rallied the crowd to meet the enemy and announced that he would appoint new Ten-Person Council members and Six Divisions heads.
• Dao Qiongchang resigned as Chief Hall Master, named Zhong Yuanzi acting chief, and left the Holy Spirit Hall's future to the others.

Ai Cangsheng halted Dao Qiongchang’s resignation and pushed the Holy Spirit Hall to swear blood oaths, establish the Heaven Group, and reorganize the Six Divisions before confronting the Saint Slave. Dao Qiongchang agreed to serve as acting Hall Master while coordinating the campaign, and the Nine Sacrificial Divine Envoy began announcing the divisions’ new chiefs.

• Ai Cangsheng blamed the Six Divisions’ failures, Rao Yaoyao’s command, and Yan Wuse’s defeat for the Holy Spirit Hall’s decay, then called for rapid reform and blood oaths.
• The Saints and gathered elites backed Ai Cangsheng’s plan, and Dao Qiongchang agreed to remain as acting Hall Master and establish the Heaven Group to coordinate operations against the Saint Slave.
• The Nine Sacrificial Divine Envoy announced that Wang Big Hammer would retain the Body Division, while Xi would lead the Aberrant Division and Nian the Darkness Division.
• The Nine Sacrificial Divine Envoy named the bashful Fangfang as Battle Division chief and the returning Ao Sheng as Spirit Division chief; Ao Sheng met Dao Qiongchang’s stern gaze without backing down.
• The Nine Sacrificial Divine Envoy announced that Yu Zhiwen would lead the Dao Department and join the Heaven Group.

Yu Zhiwen accepted the appointment as Dao Department chief seat, and the ceremony introduced the new Red Robes and White Robes leaders. Yue Gongli’s chaotic arrival exposed Hua Changdeng in the Screen-and-Candle Grounds before the announcement of Dao Xuanji as a new Three Emperors member sent Yue Gongli away.

• Yu Zhiwen accepted the Dao Department chief seat and stood before the crowd with newfound resolve.
• Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus announced Yue Gongli as the Red Robes’ new Dao-Enforcing Sovereign, and he made a flamboyant entrance that ended with Fish Elder chasing him.
• Yue Gongli fled into the Screen-and-Candle Grounds, provoked Hua Changdeng, and was struck down by Hua Changdeng’s sword before revealing that the slain figure was only his avatar.
• Dao Qiongchang resealed the Screen-and-Candle Grounds, caught Yue Gongli, and ordered him to be quiet or return to his Cold Palace Secret Realm.
• Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus announced Bei Bei as the White Robes’ new Dao-Wielding Sovereign, then named Dao Xuanji as one of the newly appointed Three Emperors.
• Yue Gongli’s expression darkened at Dao Xuanji’s name, and he left the ceremony.

Xu Xiaoshou entered the Origin Mansion and discovered that Greed God had grown powerful enough to awaken Three-Calamity Eyes, nearly triggering a Nine-Death Lightning Tribulation. He used Ba Zunan’s Hidden-Character Formula to disperse the tribulation clouds, leaving him eager to test whether he could exploit the technique to reach Saint Emperor level.

• Aunt Xiang ordered Sparrow and Yingying to attend Xu Gusheng closely, arrange a residence and apology from the Ghost-God Gang, and gather dossiers on suitable women and news from Holy Mountain.
• Aunt Xiang watched snow fall over Yujing City and wondered whether Xu Gusheng’s arrival would bring fortune or disaster.
• Xu Xiaoshou returned to the Origin Mansion and found Greed God had eaten the spiritual herbs and grown to Cutting Path strength.
• Greed God revealed Three-Calamity Eyes, causing incomplete tribulation clouds to gather around the Origin Mansion.
• Xu Xiaoshou used Ba Zunan’s Hidden-Character Formula to conceal his aura and disperse the Nine-Death Lightning Tribulation clouds.
• Xu Xiaoshou celebrated the success and considered using the technique to force his passive skills toward Saint Emperor level.

Xu Xiaoshou intimidated Long Xing into letting him take Dragon Apricots, then upgraded his Breathing Method to Holy Emperor Lv.0 to process his Ancestral Source Power. He discovered that his breathing could transform the Origin Mansion World's chaotic mist into spiritual energy and possibly develop the world into a Saint Emperor Secret Realm.

• Xu Xiaoshou pressured the Dragon Apricot Spirit with dragon blood and threats, took ten Dragon Apricots, and escaped before it could stop him.
• Xu Xiaoshou decided to upgrade his Breathing Method so he could digest the Heaven Ancestor Power and make the most of the Dragon Apricots.
• Xu Xiaoshou spent five hundred thousand Passive Value to raise his Breathing Method to Holy Emperor Lv.0, improving his ability to convert Heaven Ancestor Power.
• Xu Xiaoshou's new Breathing Method drained spiritual and life energy throughout the Origin Mansion World, forcing the Dragon Apricot Spirit to protect the Shennong Medicine Garden.
• Xu Xiaoshou breathed the energy back into the Origin Mansion World and discovered that he could refine its chaotic mist into spiritual energy, Ancestral Source Power, and Primordial Purple Qi.
• Xu Xiaoshou realized that his cultivation might transform the Origin Mansion World into a Saint Emperor Secret Realm.

Xu Xiaoshou advanced his passive skills to Saint Emperor level, transformed his body, and learned to adjust time within the Origin Mansion World. The Dragon Apricot Spirit offered to become the world’s World Tree and asked to use the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff to help it evolve into a great thousand world, and Xu Xiaoshou agreed to let it begin.

• Xu Xiaoshou’s Saint Emperor Lv.0 Breathing Method transformed his body into an innate state and let him adjust the Origin Mansion World’s time ratio up to ten to one with the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff.
• Xu Xiaoshou raised Endless Vitality, Full of Vitality, and Transformation to Saint Emperor level, while the Dragon Apricot Spirit watched his growing power with alarm and interest.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit explained that ancestral trees could stabilize worlds and offered to become the Origin Mansion World’s World Tree, with the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff accelerating its evolution.
• Xu Xiaoshou worried the staff could destabilize the world, but the Dragon Apricot Spirit said it would stabilize the realm itself and only use the staff to speed its growth.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit revealed that it wanted a lasting home, and Xu Xiaoshou offered it the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff and told it to begin.

Dragon Apricot used the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff to evolve Xu Xiaoshou’s Origin Mansion World into a rapidly changing, space-anchored world. The disturbance drew the attention of Dao Qiongchang and others, while Liu Fuyu reached Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion and a mysterious scholar appeared before Xiang Yaoyao.

• Dragon Apricot borrowed the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff and transformed into a World Tree, using its power to reshape the Origin Mansion World and accelerate its evolution.
• Xu Xiaoshou realized the Origin Mansion had merged into spatial turbulence and could manifest at different spatial nodes, while Dragon Apricot warned him not to enter or leave during the transformation.
• After strange disappearances and distortions occurred around Yujing City, Dao Qiongchang identified Xu Xiaoshou’s arrival and sent Xi and Nian to search Everjoy Street discreetly.
• Liu Fuyu followed an aura to Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion, found the entrance under repair, and decided to wait until the next day.
• A scholar appeared in Xiang Yaoyao’s room after sensing the Time Ancestor Shadow Staff, and Xiang Yaoyao immediately used Summoning Art.

Xu Xiaoshou helped Long Xing complete the evolution of the Origin Mansion World, gained insights into water and sword techniques, and watched Hidden Pain advance to the peak of the Throne Stage. The world was renamed the Apricot Realm, and a message from Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body warned that he had caused another major disturbance.

• Long Xing released creatures stored in spatial fragments, and Xu Xiaoshou used water insights from Yu Lingdi’s blood to summon rain and guide the falling animals safely to the ground.
• Xu Xiaoshou comprehended the sword concepts Myriad and Illusion while using Hidden Pain, creating a vast Sword Dao formation and briefly manifesting a crimson wing and an overlapping illusory world.
• Long Xing named the completed world the Apricot Realm, and Xu Xiaoshou praised the name.
• Hidden Pain struggled to advance, so Xu Xiaoshou used Sword Observation Technique to absorb and return its Sword Thought until it reached the third rank of the Throne Stage.
• Xu Xiaoshou warned Hidden Pain that its poor quality might make further breakthroughs dangerous, then received a message from his Second True Body saying he had stirred up another huge mess.

Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body witnessed Shen Yi punch Kong Yuhen out of Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion, then was badly injured when Shen Yi mistook him for a threat. After Aunt Xiang revealed Xu Gusheng’s identity, Shen Yi spared him but used a spatial technique to expose the vanished Second True Body and demand he come out.

• Xu Xiaoshou learned through Jinren that Liu Fuyu, a new Seven Sword Immortal, had come to Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion, and suspected she had followed his sword aura.
• Xu Xiaoshou and the Second True Body discovered Aunt Xiang summoning Shen Yi in the private room opposite them.
• Shen Yi manifested his Human Realm and shattered Kong Yuhen’s temporal and spatial defenses with one punch, sending him flying from the pavilion.
• Shen Yi grabbed the Second True Body and struck him, but Aunt Xiang stopped him before he could kill Xu Xiaoshou.
• Aunt Xiang wrote Xu Gusheng’s identity on Shen Yi’s palm, and Shen Yi realized who he had attacked and said he had not killed him.
• Shen Yi shattered the surrounding space to reveal the vanished Second True Body and called for him to come out.

Shen Yi recognized Xu Gusheng’s talent and offered to teach him ancient martial arts, but rushed away when danger approached. In Yujing City, he attacked Holy Spirit Hall’s forces and then unleashed his full power, ending with a God-Rank Shattering Fist aimed at Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain.

• Shen Yi learned that Xu Gusheng had taught himself physical cultivation and urged him to study the Eight Gates and Seven Mansions with Ghost Face, then learn the Six Paths from him.
• Xi read reports about Liu Fuyu and Xu Gusheng, then witnessed Shen Yi crush Xi Acheng and swiftly kill Xi’s three companions.
• Shen Yi seized Xi, warned him to tell Dao Qiongchang to keep Holy Spirit Hall away from Everjoy Street, and threw him aside.
• Shen Yi opened the Eight Gates and Seven Mansions, endured an arrow from the Evil Sin Bow, and used the Asura Path to crush an explosive source seed in his hand.
• Shen Yi invoked the Heaven Dao, appeared above Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, and swung a God-Rank Shattering Fist at it.

A phantom of Shen Yi attacked Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain with the God-Rank Shattering Fist, forcing the Holy Mountain and Yujing City’s defenses to combine to stop it. Xu Xiaoshou became eager to learn ancient martial arts, while Aunt Xiang warned him not to provoke Shen Yi and named several figures whose combat power stood at the absolute summit.

• Shen Yi’s phantom punched toward Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, but the Nine-Arrow Divine-Nailing Formation, Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus, the Fortune Golden Dragon, and the mountain’s grand array stopped the attack.
• Xi recognized the attacker as Shen Yi and learned from Dao Qiongchang that the figure had been an illusory image, not a Demi-Saint incarnation.
• Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body repaired the damage at Quiet Osmanthus Pavilion and declared that he wanted to learn ancient martial arts from Shen Yi.
• Aunt Xiang said Dao Qiongchang would likely ease pressure on the Ghost-God Gang and Everjoy Street after Shen Yi’s attack, since he would fear provoking Shen Yi further.
• Aunt Xiang advised Xu Xiaoshou to treat Shen Yi sincerely and warned that the phantom had shown only a fraction of his power.
• Aunt Xiang named Ba Zunan, Shen Yi outside Futu City, Kui Leihan, and Dao Qiongchang after removing his shirt as figures at the summit of combat power.

Dao Qiongchang returned to Great Evolution Grotto-Heaven and spoke with a hidden man about looming conflicts and plans to spread the Dao in the Southern Domain. Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoshou investigated the recent disturbance, feared his cover had been exposed, and raised Transformation and Concealment to Saint Emperor level before recalling the possibility of a second awakening.

• Dao Qiongchang entered Great Evolution Grotto-Heaven, where a hidden voice discussed Saint Slave, Ba Zunan, Xu Xiaoshou, and threats across the regions.
• Dao Qiongchang told the hidden man that he had died while unconscious, praised his design as Number Sixty-Four, and tasked him with spreading the Dao in the Southern Domain.
• Xu Xiaoshou considered Dao Qiongchang's strength and pieced together how Shen Yi, Kong Yuhen, and the Chrono-Space Disk had become involved in the disturbance.
• Xu Xiaoshou worried that the Chrono-Space Disk could expose his arrival, then spent one million Passive Value to raise Transformation to Saint Emperor Lv.0.
• Xu Xiaoshou raised Concealment to Saint Emperor Lv.0, tested his ability to vanish near Greed God, and wondered whether his other skills could improve too.
• Xu Xiaoshou remembered that some abilities could undergo a second awakening.

Xu Xiaoshou spent two million Passive Value trying to achieve Second Awakenings, then received Long Xing’s blessing and awakened three skills. He ended with two failed attempts and learned that Sturdiness could not awaken any further.

• Xu Xiaoshou spent a million Passive Value on ten Awakening Stones and failed to awaken Concealment on all ten attempts.
• Xu Xiaoshou spent another million Passive Value on ten more Awakening Stones, and Long Xing blessed him with a Fortune Golden Dragon before he tried again.
• Xu Xiaoshou successfully awakened Concealment into World-Apart Independence, then awakened Sturdiness into Limit Giant.
• Xu Xiaoshou successfully awakened Agility into Divine Agility Moment on his first attempt.
• Xu Xiaoshou failed to awaken Countershock twice and learned that Sturdiness had already reached its highest realm.

Xu Xiaoshou tested his three second-awakening skills in the Apricot Realm, discovering that World-Apart Independence concealed him and Divine Agility Moment granted overwhelming speed and awareness at the cost of rapidly draining spiritual essence. When he activated Limit Giant, he lost consciousness as the transformation’s power shattered much of the realm and left a colossal golden form looming overhead.

• Xu Xiaoshou activated World-Apart Independence and confirmed that Long Xing could not detect him or the dragon blood he carried, though the skill drained him within ten breaths.
• Xu Xiaoshou tested Divine Agility Moment, gaining heightened perception and calculation, then evaded Long Xing’s branches before allowing one strike and rewarding it with dragon blood.
• Xu Xiaoshou concluded that Divine Agility Moment gave him complete third-realm combat awareness, but required activation and had a short duration.
• Xu Xiaoshou transformed into a Berserk Giant and activated Limit, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the Hundred Thousand Cauldrons and devastated much of the Apricot Realm.
• Long Xing cried out with Ancestral Source Power as the Limit Giant’s fist paused, and Xu Xiaoshou’s unconscious body fell from the still-visible giant form.

Xu Xiaoshou tested the Limit Giant, learned to control it briefly by combining it with Divine Agility Moment, and strengthened his passive skills. After absorbing ninety-nine Dragon Apricots, he gained dragon scales, a dragon pearl, and a crimson-gold dragon form, then created a stronger Jinren and prepared to leave the Apricot Realm.

• Xu Xiaoshou tested the fading Limit Giant shell and learned from the Dragon Apricot Spirit that its punch might contend with a Saint Emperor.
• Xu Xiaoshou used Jinren to absorb and release immense energy, then combined Divine Agility Moment with the Limit Giant and controlled it for three breaths.
• Xu Xiaoshou spent Passive Value to raise Countershock, Sharpness, and Resilience to Saint Emperor Lv.0, then consumed ninety-nine Dragon Apricots.
• Xu Xiaoshou gained crimson-gold dragon-scale armor, formed a dragon pearl, and transformed into a five-clawed true dragon.
• Xu Xiaoshou struck down his Second True Body and gave birth to a stronger Jinren who could serve as his guard.
• Xu Xiaoshou and Jinren opened a passage from the Apricot Realm to the Holy Spirit Continent and discussed making a dramatic entrance.