Chapter Summaries

Luochen Sword Sovereign and Venerable Rock forced the rival sects to cease fighting and withdraw from the entire Northern Slope of Golden Radiance Ridge, though they left other disputed holdings unresolved. With the strongholds secured and the wounded returning, Su Yu reflected on the Grand Elder’s sword domain and resumed cultivating with renewed ambition.

• Luochen Sword Sovereign and Iron Prison Fist Venerable agreed to end the fighting, withdraw from the Northern Slope, reopen blocked roads, exchange prisoners, and leave other outlying holdings for later.
• Pei Duo informed the disciples at Golden Radiance Ridge that the Scarlet Firmament Sect would withdraw, and Luochen Sword Sovereign ordered the mine inspected after its people left.
• Tao Lie led the Scarlet Firmament Sect’s disciples, including Lu Qian and Xue Zhong, away from the ridge, and both sides returned their prisoners.
• Su Yu watched the Luochen Sect reclaim the Northern Slope and discussed Luochen Sword Sovereign’s third-order sword domain with Xu Zheng.
• At Cloud Marsh Valley, Shen Ningshuang mourned Gu Changfeng and Xiao Yue promised that his and Junior Brother Huo’s deaths would not go unavenged.
• After the fighting ended at all three strongholds, Su Yu returned to his quarters and cultivated while reflecting on the Heaven Piercing Realm and his own Sword Domain.

Su Yu returned to the Luochen Sect and received substantial rewards and a promotion to Second-Rank Core Elder for his wartime achievements. He then visited Luochen Sword Sovereign, who demonstrated how to make Su Yu’s spatial sword technique more efficient.

• Su Yu returned to the Luochen Sect after Golden Radiance Ridge was secured and learned that news of his battlefield victories had spread among the disciples.
• The Sect Master awarded Su Yu one hundred thousand Contribution Points, a choice of Mysterious-grade Top-tier longsword, and the position of Second-Rank Core Elder.
• Su Yu learned from the Sect Master that Shen Ningshuang and Xiao Yue had returned safely from Cloud Marsh Valley, and he agreed to replace his token while heeding warnings about future attacks.
• Su Yu visited Luochen Sword Sovereign and demonstrated the spatial sword technique that had wounded Lu Qian.
• Luochen Sword Sovereign showed Su Yu how to avoid applying unnecessary force, reducing the technique’s mental energy expenditure.

After the sects withdrew from Golden Radiance Ridge, Su Yu discussed their retreat with Luochen Sword Sovereign and shared cultivation advice with his friends. He refined his spatial sword move and decided to prepare for a journey to find the ten thousand year blood ganoderma needed to awaken Sword Elder.

• Luochen Sword Sovereign explained that his Third-Order Sword Domain had made the enemy sects fear the cost of continuing the battle, though they might return better prepared.
• Su Yu visited Ye Chen and the others, heard Xia Li and Xia Yun Huang planned to break through to the Sea Breaking Realm, and helped Ye Chen understand his Sword Domain cultivation.
• Su Yu collected his elder token and the sect's contribution-point reward, then worked through Luochen Sword Sovereign's two adjustments to his spatial sword move.
• Su Yu remembered Sword Elder's sacrifice and resolved to find the ten thousand year blood ganoderma, using the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce to seek information.
• Su Yu decided to choose a suitable longsword, master his spatial sword move, and absorb his recent gains before setting out.

Su Yu chose the Startling Swan Sword from the Sect Treasury and tested its strength, then refined his swordsmanship and cultivated at his residence. The chapter ended when Little Red began to stir inside the Spirit Beast Bag, showing signs of waking.

• Su Yu selected the Startling Swan Sword and registered it as his reward for fighting on the front lines.
• At the Sword Testing Ground, Su Yu found that the Startling Swan Sword struck more powerfully than the Cold Abyss Sword and used it to refine the First Form of Sky-Splitting.
• Su Yu returned home, kept the Cold Abyss Sword, and spent the next few days practicing swordsmanship and cultivating.
• Su Yu sensed a fluctuation in the Spirit Beast Bag and saw a golden glow spreading across Little Red's feathers as the sleeping beast began to stir.

Su Yu watched Little Red awaken after refining Red Dragon Blood Marrow, reaching the peak of level four high rank and gaining formidable crimson-gold flames. After testing its strength, Su Yu settled back into cultivation and sword practice, then reviewed Jiang Yao’s Jade Slip and planned to travel with Little Red to Lakeview City in Cloud Marsh Province.

• Su Yu took Little Red to a remote valley, where it awakened and reached the peak of level four high rank.
• Little Red demonstrated powerful crimson-gold flames and fought Su Yu, proving strong enough to contend with ordinary Bridge Condensation experts.
• Su Yu rode Little Red back to the sect, fed it fire-element spirit herbs, and often practiced alongside it as it adjusted to its new strength.
• Over a month passed as Su Yu cultivated and practiced the Startling Swan Sword, moving closer to the sea-breaking eighth layer.
• Su Yu examined Jiang Yao’s Jade Slip and identified a base in Lakeview City, Cloud Marsh Province, as his next destination; Little Red showed its eagerness to travel.

Su Yu advanced to the eighth layer Sea Breaking Realm, then left the Luochen Sect with Little Red to seek a ten thousand year blood ganoderma in Lakeview City. After arriving, he presented his Purple-Gold Guest Elder Token at the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce and was greeted by its chairman.

• Su Yu stabilized his new cultivation and told Luochen Sword Sovereign he planned to travel to Lakeview City in Cloud Marsh Province.
• Su Yu departed the Luochen Sect on Little Red and traveled toward Cloud Marsh Province.
• Su Yu arrived in Lakeview City, noticed a powerful Blue-Robed Youth, and asked for directions to the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce.
• Su Yu asked the chamber of commerce about a ten thousand year blood ganoderma and presented his Purple-Gold Guest Elder Token.
• The green-robed deacon summoned the chairman, who entered the hall and greeted Su Yu.

Su Yu learned that ten thousand year blood ganoderma might be in the Cloudsea Secret Realm, which was expected to open in about a month. After studying records about the herb and its powerful guardian, he left the merchant association and saw the blue-robed saber wielder arrive with a Heaven Piercing Realm Venerable.

• Su Yu asked Xu Yuancheng about ten thousand year blood ganoderma, and Xu revealed a lead in the Cloudsea Secret Realm.
• Xu Yuancheng explained that signs pointed to the secret realm opening in about a month and that powerful martial artists, including Venerables, would attend.
• Xu Yuancheng found a record describing a blood ganoderma guarded by a formidable demonic beast that had injured two survivors and killed their companion.
• Su Yu studied the association's secret realm information, requested a copy, and asked Xu Yuancheng to find the two survivors for questioning.
• Su Yu left the merchant association after seeing the blue-robed saber wielder arrive with a Heaven Piercing Realm Venerable.

Su Yu spent over seventeen million Mid-grade Spirit Stones on body-tempering herbs, pills, and a fifteen-hundred-year-old blood jade ginseng to strengthen himself before the Cloudsea Secret Realm opened. A thin-faced man began following him after witnessing the purchase, and Su Yu returned to his courtyard prepared to cultivate while staying alert to any attempt to rob him.

• Su Yu counted his Spirit Stones and decided to buy stronger body-tempering resources before the secret realm opened.
• Su Yu purchased spiritual herbs, cultivation pills, and two fire-element spirit fruits from the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce for ten million eight hundred thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• Su Yu bought a fifteen-hundred-year-old blood jade ginseng from the Thousand Medicines Tower after bargaining the price down to six million two hundred thousand Mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• A thin-faced man told an old man in gray about Su Yu's purchase, and the two discussed discreetly investigating him.
• Su Yu noticed the thin-faced man following him through Lakeview City and returned to his courtyard, where he prepared to refine the blood jade ginseng.

Su Yu strengthened his physique by refining the blood jade ginseng and other medicines, while Little Red cultivated with a spirit fruit. After the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce located a witness to the ten thousand year blood ganoderma, Su Yu set out with Little Red to meet him.

• Su Yu refined the blood jade ginseng overnight and gave Little Red a flame-red spirit fruit to cultivate with.
• Over more than ten days, Su Yu used several body-refining medicines and greatly strengthened his blood qi and physique.
• A thin-faced man and a gray-robed old man watched Su Yu's courtyard, but decided to wait until he left Lakeview City before acting.
• A deacon from the Tianhai Chamber of Commerce told Su Yu that Liang, a witness who had entered the valley where the blood ganoderma grew, was waiting in Willow Bay Town.
• Su Yu took Liang's address and left with Little Red to learn more about the ten thousand year blood ganoderma.

Su Yu questioned Liang Zhong about the Black-Armored Beast guarding the blood ganoderma and learned its strengths, attack patterns, and location. After leaving Willow Bay Town, he was ambushed by the Gray-Robed Elder and the Thin-Faced Man, but his sword strike shocked them with its power.

• Su Yu met Liang Zhong in Willow Bay Town and asked about the Black-Armored Beast that had driven him and his companions from the blood ganoderma.
• Liang Zhong explained that the beast had an ancient demon-beast bloodline, a hard shell, a rapid lunge, and demonic power that had lodged in his injured leg.
• Liang Zhong drew Su Yu a detailed map to the stone cavern and warned him that the beast might have grown stronger.
• Su Yu left town on Little Red and headed toward Lakeview City, considering how to exploit gaps in the beast's shell.
• The Gray-Robed Elder and the Thin-Faced Man ambushed Su Yu, demanding his Storage Bag and sword.
• Su Yu split the Gray-Robed Elder's palm force with one sword strike, while Little Red turned to face the Thin-Faced Man.

Su Yu and Little Red defeated and killed the two men who tried to steal their spirit herbs. After collecting their belongings, Su Yu flew toward Lakeview City, confident that his strength could contend with ordinary Bridge Forging experts even without using his Sword Domain.

• Su Yu broke the gray-robed elder's palm attacks and wounded him in their close-range clash.
• Little Red burned and battered the thin-faced man, forcing him to realize he could not help the elder.
• The gray-robed elder tried to flee, but Su Yu killed him with the First Form of the Sky-Splitting Sword Art.
• Little Red stopped the thin-faced man's escape and burned him to death.
• Su Yu collected the men's Storage Bags and short spear, then rode Little Red toward Lakeview City.

As cultivators gathered in Lakeview City ahead of the Cloudsea Secret Realm’s opening, Feng Yue, Xie Guzhou, and Yue Zhong prepared for a rematch, while Jiang Yingxue planned to seek water-attribute spirit treasures. Jiang Yingxue then heard that Xiao Lingchuan had arrived after breaking through to the bridge linking realm.

• News that the Cloudsea Secret Realm would soon open brought cultivators and traders to Lakeview City.
• Feng Yue learned that Xie Guzhou had emerged from seclusion with the Seven Absolutes Sword Art perfected, and he looked forward to fighting him again with his own saber art perfected.
• Venerable Hanyue and Yue Zhong traveled toward Lakeview City, where Feng Yue had agreed to host Yue Zhong; Hanyue warned Yue Zhong to seek body-tempering spirit treasures and avoid reckless fights.
• Xie Guzhou told Venerable Pine Crane that he had mastered all seven forms of the Seven Absolutes Sword Art, and he anticipated his rematch with Feng Yue.
• Jiang Yingxue studied maps with Venerable Azure Ripples and planned to invite Yue Zhong and Feng Yue to search the secret realm for water-attribute spirit treasures.
• A disciple told Jiang Yingxue that Xiao Lingchuan had arrived in Lakeview City after breaking through to the bridge linking realm, and Jiang Yingxue went to see him.

Xiao Lingchuan arrived in Lakeview City with the Xiao Family Ancestor ahead of the Cloudsea Secret Realm, then reunited with Jiang Yingxue and learned how their friends had advanced. Meanwhile, Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue confirmed Su Yu was in the city and planned to ambush him inside the secret realm.

• Xiao Lingchuan arrived in the city with the Xiao Family Ancestor, who urged him to prepare for a future breakthrough to the Heaven Piercing Realm.
• Jiang Yingxue welcomed Xiao Lingchuan and learned he had reached the Bridge Linking realm two months earlier.
• Jiang Yingxue told Xiao Lingchuan that Yue Zhong had advanced his Copper Mountain Art and Feng Yue had perfected his Blade Art, prompting him to look forward to seeing them.
• Tao Lie learned that Su Yu was staying in a private courtyard in southern Lakeview City without other Luochen Sect members.
• Qi Chongyue and Tao Lie decided to wait until Su Yu entered the Cloudsea Secret Realm before attacking him, and Tao Lie ordered the watchers to avoid alerting their target.

Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue prepared to corner Su Yu when they next confronted him, while A-Ning and Aunt Bai arrived in Lakeview City to investigate a ruin in the Cloudsea Secret Realm. A-Ning wondered whether she might meet Su Yu there, though Aunt Bai doubted he would stand out among the Central Domain’s many geniuses.

• Lu Qian warned Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue that Su Yu’s Spatial Sword Art was powerful enough to break through his saber force.
• Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue told Lu Qian and the other Bridge Forging elders to block Su Yu’s escape routes while they handled him directly.
• A-Ning and Aunt Bai arrived in Lakeview City and discussed the lead they had traced to a ruin in the Cloudsea Secret Realm.
• A-Ning wondered whether Su Yu had come to the Central Domain, and Aunt Bai questioned whether he could compete with its geniuses.
• Aunt Bai told A-Ning to stay with her in the secret realm, and A-Ning entered the inn still wondering where Su Yu was.

The Cloudsea Secret Realm opened, and martial artists entered as Feng Yue and Xie Guzhou agreed to fight again after leaving. Su Yu reached ten percent mastery of Space True Intent, entered the realm, and was followed by Tao Lie and his four companions, who intended to kill him.

• The mist over the lake formed a sea of clouds, and the stabilized entrance to the Cloudsea Secret Realm opened.
• Feng Yue told Xie Guzhou he had perfected the Severing Flow Saber Art, and they agreed to fight again after leaving the secret realm.
• Xiao Lingchuan, A-Ning, and other martial artists entered the secret realm as the crowds dispersed.
• Su Yu broke through to ten percent mastery of Space True Intent and tested his improved ability to teleport within five zhang.
• Su Yu entered the secret realm, and Tao Lie, Qi Chongyue, Lu Qian, and two others followed him inside.

Su Yu reached the valley containing the blood ganoderma and found a black-armored beast guarding it. After three martial artists failed to defeat the beast, Su Yu entered the valley with Little Red to try to claim the herb.

• Su Yu followed the river north, found a mature scarlet marrow ganoderma, and let Little Red drive off a high-tier fourth-grade giant lizard so he could harvest it.
• Su Yu found the valley Liang Zhong had described and saw Brother Zheng, a sword-wielding woman, and a black-clad man struggle against a black-armored beast.
• The beast shrugged off Brother Zheng's axe strike and nearly killed the black-clad man, forcing the three martial artists to retreat from the valley.
• Su Yu learned that the blood ganoderma remained in a cavern inside the valley and thanked the three for their warning.
• Su Yu entered the valley with Little Red, drew the Startling Swan Sword, and faced the black-armored beast as it emerged from the woods.

Su Yu defeated the Black-Armored Beast and retrieved the intact ten thousand year blood ganoderma from the cavern. With both spirit herbs now in his possession, he left the valley with Little Red, ready to recover the Sword Elder’s remains and restore him to consciousness.

• Su Yu used the Startling Swan Sword to break the Black-Armored Beast’s armor and wound its belly while the sword-bearing woman, the black-clad man, and the curly-bearded man watched.
• Su Yu and Little Red created an opening, and Su Yu killed the Black-Armored Beast with the First Form of Sky-Splitting Sword Art.
• Su Yu collected the beast’s valuable corpse and found the undamaged ten thousand year blood ganoderma in the cavern.
• Su Yu harvested the blood ganoderma intact and realized he now had both spirit herbs needed to recover the Sword Elder’s remains.
• Su Yu exchanged names and farewells with Brother Zheng and the other two, then left the valley with Little Red.

Su Yu was ambushed by Tao Lie, Qi Chongyue, Lu Qian, and two other elders, who had tracked him into the secret realm to kill him. He killed Lu Qian and escaped on Little Red, while Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue pursued him into the mountains.

• Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue led three Bridge Forging experts to Su Yu and attacked him, forcing him to defend against their coordinated strikes.
• Su Yu used spatial displacement to evade the first attacks, then charged Lu Qian and overwhelmed his saber with his Sword Domain.
• Su Yu killed Lu Qian with the Sky-Splitting Sword Art's First Form as Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue closed in.
• Su Yu escaped through the opening left by Lu Qian, summoned Little Red, and flew away while the other elders blocked his pursuers' sword qi.
• Su Yu directed Little Red into the mountains, and the bird vanished between two peaks as Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue chased them.

Su Yu and Little Red escaped Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue through the mountains after Su Yu held off Tao Lie’s attacks from the bird’s back. They left their pursuers behind, while Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue resolved to trap Little Red if they found Su Yu again.

• Little Red’s increased speed widened the gap from Tao Lie and Qi Chongyue, but Tao Lie used Scarlet Rainbow Escape to catch up.
• Su Yu blocked Tao Lie’s saber strikes while Little Red kept flying, and the two prevented Tao Lie from stopping them.
• Tao Lie gathered his strength for a decisive attack, but Su Yu’s Sky-Splitting Sword Art forced him to defend and broke his momentum.
• Tao Lie’s escape technique faltered, allowing Little Red to pull away and vanish over a distant peak.
• Qi Chongyue joined Tao Lie, and they decided to summon the other two and trap Little Red the next time they found Su Yu.
• Su Yu confirmed the pursuers were gone, thanked Little Red, and headed into the forest to rest.