Chapter Summaries

Su Yu faced Zhang Haoran in the arena after the inner sect disciple challenged him, while Tang Yi, Yang Fan, and Yunxi watched. Su Yu defeated Zhang Haoran with one sword strike, leaving the spectators stunned and Su Yu wondering why his opponent had fallen unconscious.

• Zhang Haoran challenged Su Yu to a fight, and the two went to the tournament arena as disciples gathered to watch.
• Yunxi arrived and watched without concern, while Tang Yi and Yang Fan discussed Su Yu's cultivation and the inner sect's reputation.
• Zhang Haoran grew nervous and repeatedly offered Su Yu chances to back down before finally drawing his sword.
• Su Yu struck once and sent Zhang Haoran flying off the platform, where Zhang Haoran passed out.
• Su Yu wondered how his three-tenths-strength strike had knocked Zhang Haoran unconscious, and Yang Fan joked that Zhang Haoran was quite a character.

Su Yu stayed in the arena and defeated one Inner Sect challenger after another, eventually overcoming Lin Shuyue, ranked eighth. Yun Yi and Mu Bai realized how extraordinary Su Yu was, while the crowd awaited his next challenge.

• Su Yu challenged the Inner Sect disciples and defeated Yang Hao with a second, stronger sword strike.
• Su Yu continued winning against disciples ranked seventy-fifth, sixty-ninth, sixtieth, fiftieth, and thirtieth.
• Yun Yi and Mu Bai heard that Su Yu had defeated Fei Ke and hurried to watch the matches.
• Lin Shuyue challenged Su Yu, but he defeated her with the Lone Peak Sword Art and Cloud Rise Startles the Mist.
• Yun Yi and Mu Bai recognized Su Yu's Spirit Condensation Realm Fifth Layer cultivation and masterful sword techniques, despite his not using Nascent Sword Intent.

Su Yu fought Yang Fan in the inner sect rankings and, under intense pressure, comprehended a sword technique of his own. He defeated Yang Fan with Lone Peak... Plunge into the Abyss, earning recognition as a Sword Dao Genius.

• Yang Fan stepped forward to challenge Su Yu before Tang Yi could take his turn.
• Su Yu and Yang Fan exchanged fierce attacks, with Yang Fan's speed and pressure driving Su Yu into a desperate position.
• Su Yu recalled his training on the lone peak and understood the Lone Peak Sword Art's essence in utter desperation.
• Su Yu advanced into Yang Fan's attack with Lone Peak... Plunge into the Abyss and placed his sword at Yang Fan's throat.
• Yang Fan conceded defeat, and Yun Yi and Mu Bai recognized that Su Yu had created a sword technique of his own.

Su Yu defeated Tang Yi in the final match and claimed the Inner Sect's number-one position. He left the cheering arena to resume cultivating, while Yun Yi considered how to reward him and Yuwen Jie departed in despair.

• Tang Yi waited for Su Yu to recover before beginning their match, then used his Mysterious Ice Sword Art to slow Su Yu and gain the advantage.
• Su Yu countered Tang Yi's attacks with Mountain Suppression, Lingxiao, and Lone Peak Falls into the Abyss, but Tang Yi broke apart his assault with Ice Seal Ten Thousand Miles.
• Su Yu revealed a concealed follow-up strike, Cloud Conceals, Star Sinks, and stopped his sword just short of Tang Yi's skin; Tang Yi admitted defeat.
• The arena erupted as Su Yu became the Inner Sect's number one, while Yuwen Jie left after comparing their widening gap in cultivation.
• Yun Yi regretted that sect rules barred him from making Su Yu a Core Disciple and pondered an appropriate reward; Su Yu slipped away to cultivate.

Su Yu advanced his cultivation and spent ten days refining his swordsmanship before Elder Mu Bai escorted him to meet Sect Master Yun Yi. Yun Yi summoned him to discuss the reward for winning first place in the Inner Sect.

• Su Yu used the Ancient Sword and Sword Elder’s help to absorb Beast Cores, breaking through to the Spirit Condensation Realm Fifth Layer Peak.
• Su Yu weighed his weaknesses in movement techniques, martial skills, and cultivation, then heeded Sword Elder’s warning not to rush his progress.
• Over the next ten days, Su Yu practiced Flowing Cloud Sword Art’s Nine Clouds Transform into Dragon and refined Lone Peak Falls into the Abyss until Sword Elder praised his progress.
• Elder Mu Bai arrived at Su Yu’s courtyard and said the Sect Master had summoned him to the main hall.
• Su Yu met Sect Master Yun Yi, who praised his talent and said he wanted to discuss Su Yu’s reward for winning first place in the Inner Sect.

Yun Yi gave Su Yu Core Disciple privileges, a token, and a sword, allowing him to enter the Enlightenment Tower. Su Yu mastered the Flowing Cloud Sword Art to great accomplishment and advanced Thousand Illusory Shadows to lesser accomplishment before his tower time ended.

• Yun Yi gave Su Yu a Gilded Token, a low-grade Yellow-tier sword, and permission to cultivate in the Enlightenment Tower despite not granting him the Core Disciple title.
• Su Yu chose Thousand Illusory Shadows at the Scripture Repository and reached initial accomplishment in five days.
• Su Yan and the other newly promoted disciples saw Su Yu atop the Inner Sect Ranking Stone Tablet, and their steward promised to help them because of their connection to him.
• Su Yu entered the Enlightenment Tower and perfected the cloud dragon technique, bringing the Flowing Cloud Sword Art to great accomplishment.
• Su Yu cultivated Thousand Illusory Shadows until it produced thirty-two afterimages, reaching lesser accomplishment as his time in the tower neared its end.

A newly born shadow creature awakened in Cloud Dream Ancient Realm as its Spiritual Qi surged, prompting the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion to move the realm’s opening forward by a year. The other sects prepared to send disciples, while Yunlan Sect considered whether Su Yu should receive one of its ten places.

• A shadow creature awakened in Cloud Dream Ancient Realm, radiating violet energy as smaller phantom creatures bowed to it.
• Xiao Tianheng learned that the Ancient Realm’s Spiritual Qi had grown several times denser and ordered it opened in one month instead of one year.
• Situ Lan angrily destroyed the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion’s notice but ordered Crimson Flame Valley’s disciples to prepare.
• Falling Water Sect and Green Wood Sect quietly adjusted their plans and prepared to send disciples.
• Yun Yi and Mu Bai discussed Yunlan Sect’s ten places and proposed considering Su Yu for the final spot.
• Yun Yi decided to summon the top ten Core Disciples after Su Yu left seclusion so they could discuss the selection.

Su Yu secured the final place among Yunlan Sect’s candidates for the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm after Zhou Jie yielded it to him. After learning that the realm held both treasures and deadly dangers, Su Yu resolved to strengthen his cultivation before it opened in a month.

• Su Yu answered Sect Master Yun Yi’s summons and met Ye Chen and the other Core Disciples in the Sect Main Hall.
• Yun Yi announced that Su Yu and Zhou Jie would compete for the last place among the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm candidates.
• Zhou Jie praised Su Yu’s talent and gave up his place, so Yun Yi selected Su Yu.
• Su Yu asked Sword Elder about the ancient realm and learned it might hold valuable inheritances as well as deadly hazards, including dangers from other people.
• Su Yu trained in his Quiet Room and resolved to reach the Spirit Condensation Realm Sixth Layer Peak within a month.

Su Yu advanced to Spirit Condensation Realm Sixth Layer Peak and improved his Purple Sun Art and Blood Burning Technique before departing for the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm. He left aboard a Wind Chasing Vulture with Sect Master Yun Yi, Elder Mu Bai, Ye Chen, and the other Core Disciples.

• Su Yu broke through to Spirit Condensation Realm Sixth Layer Peak, advanced the Purple Sun Art to its fifth layer, and raised the Blood Burning Technique to its third layer.
• Su Yan, Su Mei, and the others visited Su Yu, then left him to prepare for the ancient realm.
• An inner sect steward summoned Su Yu to Spirit Beast Peak, where Yun Yi and Mu Bai were waiting with a Level 3 Wind Chasing Vulture.
• Yun Yi welcomed Su Yu and told the disciples to obey Mu Bai and put their lives first during the dangerous journey.
• Su Yu boarded the vulture with Ye Chen, Bai Yingxue, Lei Ming, Zhao Fusheng, and the others, and they set off toward the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm.

Zhao Fusheng and Mu Bai warned the Yunlan Sect disciples about powerful rivals and the challenges of the Southern Domain Grand Competition as they traveled to the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm. At the realm’s entrance, the sects gathered and questioned why it had opened early, just as the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion procession arrived.

• Zhao Fusheng named Shangguan Hao, Chu Qingyao, Nie Han, and Xia Li as dangerous rivals, and Mu Bai explained the Heaven's Pride Ranking and the Southern Domain Grand Competition.
• Lei Ming, Bai Yingxue, and Ye Chen showed their determination to compete among the Southern Domain's geniuses, while Mu Bai considered Su Yu and Ye Chen promising candidates for the next ranking.
• After three days of flight, Mu Bai led the Yunlan Sect to the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm's ancient gate, where other sects' disciples looked down on Su Yu's cultivation.
• Elder Lin and Elder Song wondered why Mysterious Heaven Pavilion had opened the realm early, while Elder Xiao complained that its people were making everyone wait.
• A procession from Mysterious Heaven Pavilion appeared on the clouds as the assembled sects watched.

The five sects opened the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm early after the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion reported unusual Spiritual Qi and a possible rare treasure. Su Yu noticed a red-robed Mysterious Heaven Pavilion woman who resembled Yunxi, and the disciples entered the realm for its seven-day opening.

• The Mysterious Heaven Pavilion arrived with Second Prince Xia Li and a red-robed woman whose features reminded Su Yu of Yunxi; she briefly met his gaze.
• Elder Ge said unusual Spiritual Qi might signal a rare treasure and asked the five sects to use their secret keys to open the ancient realm.
• The five elders inserted their keys into the gate, opening a passage and learning that anyone still inside after seven days would be forcibly transported out.
• The Mysterious Heaven Pavilion, Crimson Flame Valley, Green Wood Sect, Falling Water Sect, and Yunlan Sect disciples entered the realm in turn.
• Elder Song worried that many disciples might not return, while Mu Bai hoped Su Yu would again manage to surprise him.

Su Yu found and harvested five ripe Spirit Gathering Fruits in the mist, then killed two Mysterious Heaven Pavilion disciples who tried to seize them. He discovered a hidden cave containing three blood-red spirit herbs and approached to investigate.

• Su Yu crossed into a vast mist and followed a pure spiritual energy fluctuation to a spirit field.
• Sword Elder identified the plants as Spirit Gathering Fruits, and Su Yu harvested the five ripe fruits.
• Two Mysterious Heaven Pavilion disciples spotted Su Yu and the spirit fruits, but Su Yu killed them and took their Spirit Stones.
• Su Yu searched the forest and followed a strange spiritual energy fluctuation to a hidden cave.
• Su Yu entered the cave and found three blood-red spirit herbs growing on a stone platform.

Su Yu used Dragon Blood Grass to strengthen his body, then tested his sword against Shangguan Hao of Crimson Flame Valley. Shangguan Hao escaped with a severe wound and vowed to avenge his defeat.

• Su Yu consumed one stalk of Dragon Blood Grass, endured its effects, and increased his physical strength to thirty-five thousand jin.
• Shangguan Hao found Su Yu outside the cave and demanded that he hand over the treasure.
• Su Yu matched Shangguan Hao's opening attack and unleashed his half-step sword intent.
• Su Yu overwhelmed Shangguan Hao with sword techniques and wounded his left arm down to the bone.
• Shangguan Hao escaped with a red pill, bound his wound, and resolved to break through to the spirit condensation realm ninth layer before seeking revenge.

Su Yu absorbed a Spirit Gathering Fruit and advanced to the Peak of the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Condensation Realm. Elsewhere in the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm, Ye Chen strengthened his Sword Intent at the Sword Tomb, while Xia Li broke through to the Essence Transformation Realm and continued investigating the rare treasure.

• Su Yu recovered from his battle with Shangguan Hao, consumed a Spirit Gathering Fruit, and reached the Peak of the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Condensation Realm.
• Ye Chen sensed a powerful Sword Intent and reached the Sword Tomb, where the ancient Sword Intent nearly crushed him.
• Ye Chen resisted the ancient Sword Intent, completed the transformation of his Half-step Sword Intent, and loosened his cultivation bottleneck at the Peak of the Eighth Layer.
• Xia Li broke through to the Essence Transformation Realm and considered his mission to investigate the rare treasure behind the ancient realm's surge in Spiritual Qi.

Su Yu rescued Xia Yun Huang from three Crimson Flame Valley disciples and accepted the Heavenly Origin Fruit she offered. After she promised to lead him to a secret place if he protected her, he agreed to travel with her.

• Su Yu overheard three Crimson Flame Valley disciples demanding Xia Yun Huang hand over her Heavenly Origin Fruit.
• Su Yu killed the three disciples and collected their supplies, then accepted the Heavenly Origin Fruit Xia Yun Huang tossed to him.
• Xia Yun Huang introduced herself as a princess of the Great Xia Kingdom and offered Su Yu cultivation resources to join her faction, but he refused.
• Xia Yun Huang offered to show Su Yu a secret place in exchange for his protection, and Su Yu agreed.

Su Yu and Xia Yun Huang found a hidden cave and Su Yu broke its spiritual restriction with Sword Elder’s guidance. After they entered, a swarm of Soul Devouring Ants and the aura of a Level 3 Demonic Beast forced them to flee, leaving them racing through the passage with the ants in pursuit.

• Xia Yun Huang led Su Yu to a secluded cave whose entrance was sealed by a spiritual restriction.
• Su Yu followed Sword Elder’s advice to strike the restriction’s weak point and shattered it.
• At a fork inside the cave, Su Yu agreed to follow Xia Yun Huang down the right passage.
• Su Yu killed a Soul Devouring Ant that attacked them, but dozens more emerged as Sword Elder warned that the ants lived in swarms.
• Su Yu grabbed Xia Yun Huang and fled at full speed as the swarm pursued and a Level 3 Demonic Beast’s aura pressed from deeper in the passage.

Su Yu and Xia Yun Huang escaped the Soul Devouring Ants into a hidden cave, where they discovered Stalactite Marrow and shared the treasure. Su Yu then approached a stone tablet bearing a mysterious sword inscription.

• Su Yu pulled Xia Yun Huang into a concealed cave just before the stone door shut out the Soul Devouring Ants.
• Su Yu recovered his Spiritual Qi while Xia Yun Huang found and collected five bottles of Stalactite Marrow.
• Xia Yun Huang offered Su Yu all five bottles, and he returned two to her as her share.
• Su Yu examined a stone tablet and read the inscription: “The Sky Breaker does not cleave by force, but by intent.”

Su Yu discovered that a Spatial Domain trapped him and Xia Yun Huang inside the cavern, beyond the Cloud Dream Ancient Realm’s seven-day limit. With Sword Elder’s guidance, he began trying to advance from Half-step Sword Intent to true Sword Intent, and his effortless control started to improve.

• Su Yu learned from Sword Elder that the stele and cavern were enclosed by a Spatial Domain that could trap them for at least ten years if they could not escape before the ancient realm closed.
• Su Yu struck the stele and rock wall with Half-step Sword Intent, but the domain repelled his attacks without damage.
• Su Yu told Xia Yun Huang that breaking through to true Sword Intent might be their only hope, and she withdrew to avoid disturbing him.
• Following Sword Elder’s advice, Su Yu practiced basic sword forms and tried to make his Half-step Sword Intent purer.
• After struggling and forcing his movements, Su Yu relaxed and let his sword strokes follow his instincts.
• Su Yu’s Sword Intent split a falling droplet into increasingly fine pieces until it became mist.

After days of meditation, Su Yu achieved true Sword Intent and received the Sky-Splitting Sword Art from the shattered stone stele. He and Xia Yun Huang escaped the cave as the Soul Devouring Ants began gathering again.

• Su Yu spent another day comprehending sword intent while Xia Yun Huang slept in the cave.
• Su Yu achieved true Sword Intent and shattered the stone stele with a ripple of sword intent.
• A golden light entered Su Yu's brow, granting him the Sky-Splitting Sword Art.
• Xia Yun Huang woke and congratulated Su Yu, who cut through the rock blocking the cave entrance with the Dragon Abyss Sword.
• Su Yu warned Xia Yun Huang that the Soul Devouring Ants would return, and the two fled as crawling sounds came from deeper in the cavern.

At an ancient tomb, the gathered sects entered together and found a battle-scarred burial chamber with a few medicinal herbs. When Jiang Feng tried to claim a cave for the Mysterious Heaven Pavilion, a disciple fled from inside and a cannibalistic shadow emerged, leaving everyone terrified.

• Zhao Fusheng, Bai Yingxue, Nie Han, Chu Qingyao, Shangguan Hao, and Jiang Feng arrived with their sects and agreed to explore the tomb together.
• The group passed through a dark passage and discovered a circular burial chamber filled with broken weapons and scattered medicinal herbs.
• A Mysterious Heaven Pavilion disciple found a cave, and Jiang Feng ordered his followers to block its entrance and claim it.
• A bloodied Mysterious Heaven Pavilion disciple stumbled out of the cave and died as the others watched.
• A black, nearly human shadow emerged from the cave, chewing on the dead disciple’s severed arm and grinning at the terrified crowd.