Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi studied the Northern Sacred Court’s Kill-Stopping Tablets and realized their benevolent image concealed a system that maintained control and generated revenue. He then crafted his first Swift Wind Talisman, though the Wind element Spirit Stone’s energy continued to pour out.

• Xu Yi learned that Kill-Stopping Tablets erased victims’ souls to prevent resentment, but their limited uses and steep prices also served the Northern Sacred Court’s interests.
• Xu Yi set aside the Skull Token and decided that the methods he had used in Great Yue would not work in this world.
• Xu Yi used his resilient Yin Soul to carve a Talisman Pattern onto a Trial Talisman, recovering from the strain with Soul Replenishing Liquid and Clarity Pills.
• Xu Yi arranged Wind element materials and Spirit Stones, then used the Spirit Guiding Art to craft a Swift Wind Talisman.
• Xu Yi completed the talisman and was startled to find that the Wind element Spirit Stone’s spiritual energy had not run out.

Xu Yi exhausted himself making three Wind Talismans, then brought one to Steward Fang at the Tianxia Association to fulfill their agreement. Steward Fang was astonished by Xu Yi’s success and warned him to keep his Talisman Art secret.

• Xu Yi used his remaining Spirit Stones and spiritual power to make a Swift Wind Talisman and two Swift Body Talismans, then collapsed from exhaustion.
• After recovering, Xu Yi ate and inspected the three newly made Wind Talismans, confirming they had reached the first grade.
• Xu Yi went to the Tianxia Association in Autumn Water City and met Steward Fang in a VIP room.
• Xu Yi showed Steward Fang the three Wind Talismans, leaving him stunned by Xu Yi’s skill and conversion rate.
• Steward Fang warned Xu Yi that Talisman Art was precious and urged him never to reveal that he could make talismans.

Xu Yi sought a Rebirth Pill through Steward Fang and learned that the Tianxia Association had found one, but its owner demanded to meet him in person. Xu Yi agreed to the meeting, and he and Steward Fang entered a secret chamber where the other party was waiting.

• Xu Yi asked Steward Fang to find a Rebirth Pill, and Steward Fang sent recordings of Xu Yi's three Wind Talismans to the Tianxia Association's leaders.
• The Tianxia Association failed to locate a Rebirth Pill at first, then circulated the talisman recordings through trading channels to seek one.
• A seller offered a Rebirth Pill but demanded to meet Xu Yi in person, alarming Steward Fang.
• Xu Yi reassured Steward Fang that he would continue selling rare talismans through the association and agreed to meet the seller.
• Steward Fang told Xu Yi the seller had arrived, and they went together to a secret chamber where someone was waiting.

Xu Yi negotiated with the Hat Man over a Rebirth Pill and discovered that the man had sought him out because of his extraordinary talisman-making skill. The Hat Man agreed to trade after Xu Yi proved he could create a Talisman Pattern with ease.

• The Hat Man presented a Rebirth Pill, and Xu Yi read its instructions and realized it could mend deficiencies in Life Source Power.
• The Hat Man said the three wind talismans were not enough to buy the pill, while Steward Fang challenged his claim.
• The Hat Man asked whether Xu Yi had made the talismans himself, and Xu Yi confirmed that he had.
• Xu Yi used his Yin Soul to carve a Talisman Pattern onto a Trial Talisman, astonishing Steward Fang and the Hat Man.
• The Hat Man agreed to trade and reflected that Xu Yi's ability to make three talismans in succession revealed exceptional soul resilience.

Xu Yi accepted a dangerous future task from a cloaked cultivator in exchange for a Rebirth Pill, binding himself with a Soul Restriction Talisman. After the cloaked man left, Xu Yi asked Steward Fang for information on One Blood Kill and arranged to trade a Swift Body Talisman for Wind resources.

• The cloaked man offered Xu Yi the Rebirth Pill in exchange for a task he would explain later, and Xu Yi agreed despite the risk.
• Xu Yi and the cloaked man sealed their agreement with a Soul Restriction Talisman, after which the cloaked man gave Xu Yi the Rebirth Pill and a Crystal Token.
• Xu Yi asked Steward Fang to find texts about One Blood Kill so he could prepare to confront Liu Xiangdao.
• Xu Yi gave Steward Fang a Swift Body Talisman to sell for Wind element Talisman Paper and Spirit Stones.

Xu Yi studied how to cure the One Blood Kill poison and made plans to restore his body and advance his cultivation. After leaving the Tianxia Association with supplies and Spirit Stones, he disguised himself and disappeared into the marketplace.

• Steward Fang showed Xu Yi the association's catalog, and Xu Yi selected several supplies despite finding few useful treasures.
• Xu Yi learned that One Blood Kill could be cured with blood from a direct descendant and burned the pages after reading them.
• Xu Yi resolved to cure the poison, take the Rebirth Pill, enter seclusion, and reach the Soul Sensing Realm before the Martial Edict took effect.
• Steward Fang brought Xu Yi a Sumeru Ring and thirty Spirit Stones, which Xu Yi recognized had come from Fang's own pocket.
• Xu Yi checked for pursuers in the marketplace, changed his appearance into a burly man, and wandered among food stalls.

Xu Yi retrieved the Martial Edict concealed in cold jade from Willow Leaf Workshop, then became wary of a suspicious attendant. Nearby, Liu-lang spoke with Hua'er about his father’s death and the Martial Edict that had led to it.

• Xu Yi spent the day observing the city and practicing talisman patterns with his yin soul while listening to storytellers.
• Xu Yi used Liu Shigu’s pawn plaque at Willow Leaf Workshop to redeem a Sumeru Ring containing a block of cold jade that concealed the Martial Edict.
• A slanted-browed Willow Leaf Workshop attendant approached Xu Yi, and Xu Yi grew suspicious when the man’s smile widened after he left.
• At Moon Invitation Tower, Hua'er urged Liu-lang to stop grieving for his father.
• Liu-lang said his father had been unable to break through the Profound Gate and had died after refusing to heed warnings about the Martial Edict.

Liu Xiangdao and the Young Master in White waited at Willow Leaf Workshop for whoever carried Liu Shigu’s pawn ticket, hoping to recover the Martial Edict and avenge Liu Shigu. When Xu Yi emerged, they identified him as their target and set out to intercept him.

• Liu Xiangdao explained that Liu Shigu had hidden the Martial Edict and used the pawn ticket to lure its bearer to Willow Leaf Workshop.
• After waiting three days, Liu Xiangdao and the Young Master in White learned that someone had presented the ticket at the workshop.
• Xu Yi left Willow Leaf Workshop, and the Young Master in White spotted him from Moon Invitation Tower.
• Liu Xiangdao deduced that Xu Yi was the junior who had taken Liu Shigu’s Sumeru Ring, while the Young Master in White planned to make him a plaything.
• Xu Yi headed toward the western city gate as Liu Xiangdao and the Young Master in White rode after him on a jade horse.

Xu Yi killed Liu Xiangdao with a surprise attack, then fled as Gong Xiuhua revealed terrifying strength and pursued him. He escaped a deadly attack with a Swift Wind Talisman and reached a point a hundred miles away, though Gong Xiuhua’s threat remained unresolved.

• The Young Master in White and Liu Xiangdao blocked Xu Yi’s path and pretended to offer help while plotting to torment and kill him.
• Xu Yi tricked Liu Xiangdao with an empty Sumeru Ring, then used a Swift Body Talisman and the Coral Horn to kill him.
• Xu Yi fled on a red Mechanical Bird, but Gong Xiuhua flew after him and tried to claim Liu Xiangdao’s Yin Soul.
• Xu Yi used the Soul-Summoning Banner to seize Liu Xiangdao’s Yin Soul, provoking Gong Xiuhua to curse him and attack with a storm of broken branches.
• Xu Yi activated a Swift Wind Talisman to evade Gong Xiuhua’s devastating strike, then escaped a hundred miles away on the Mechanical Bird.

Xu Yi fled toward Shatai Valley while Gong Xiuhua pursued him, and their battle revealed that Xu Yi could wield powerful treasures despite his low cultivation. The chapter ended with Xu Yi using the Soul-Shaking Bell to stun Gong Xiuhua as he raced for the valley’s boundary.

• Xu Yi swallowed Liu Xiangdao’s blood to recover, took his Sumeru Ring, and fled west toward Shatai Valley.
• Gong Xiuhua caught up on his Jade Horse and struck Xu Yi with his Abusive Demon Blade, but Xu Yi survived by using a Source Pill and his Life Source Power.
• Xu Yi unleashed the Soul-Summoning Banner’s black mist to hold Gong Xiuhua back, then escaped as Gong Xiuhua realized he had been bluffed.
• Gong Xiuhua resumed the chase and closed to thirty zhang, so Xu Yi activated the Soul-Shaking Bell, gravely straining his Yin Soul to stun him.

Xu Yi escaped Gong Xiuhua by using the Soul-Shaking Bell to create a brief opening, while Gong Xiuhua mourned Liu Xiangdao and vowed revenge. Gong Xiuhua summoned Tianyi Dao followers and sent them into Shatai Valley to capture Xu Yi.

• Xu Yi activated the Soul-Shaking Bell, shook Gong Xiuhua's spirit, and fled through the blue curtain into Shatai Valley.
• Gong Xiuhua collapsed in grief over Liu Xiangdao, then swore to make Xu Yi suffer and used Xu Yi's blood to prepare tracking talismans.
• A Tianyi Dao dragon boat arrived, and Gong Xiuhua struck down the brocade-robed middle-aged man when he spoke about the sect leader and the marriage alliance.
• Gong Xiuhua gave tracking talismans to his followers and ordered them to enter Shatai Valley and bring Xu Yi back alive if possible.

Xu Yi reached Shatai Valley after escaping Gong Xiuhua’s forces, hid in a cave, and recovered from the damage to his body and yin soul. As Gong Xiuhua offered rewards for Xu Yi’s capture, Xu Yi searched Liu Xiangdao’s Sumeru Ring and found an Azure Moon Horn.

• Gong Xiuhua announced rewards for anyone who killed Xu Yi and captured his yin soul, or brought him in alive, sending more than twenty experts to search Shatai Valley.
• Xu Yi collapsed upon entering the valley, used Soul Replenishing Liquid, and sealed himself inside a shallow cave with the Hidden Mechanism Array.
• Xu Yi rested, treated his shoulder, and restored his yin soul, though his remaining Soul Replenishing Liquid had lost much of its potency.
• Xu Yi opened Liu Xiangdao’s Sumeru Ring and found Spirit Stones, pills, medicines, and a soul weapon he could not use.
• Xu Yi spotted the Azure Moon Horn among the Spirit Stones, recognizing it as an item that let its bearer understand demon speech.

Xu Yi prepared his soul garment in a cave, then overheard Old Qian and Old Sun discussing their hunt for him. Old Qian killed Old Sun over his Origin Blast Bead and turned toward Xu Yi’s hiding place.

• Xu Yi stored the Azure Moon Horn and created another soul garment from a bottle of soul garments.
• Xu Yi sensed two people nearby and used the Sound Interception Technique to listen to Old Qian and Old Sun plot to capture him.
• Old Qian asked Old Sun to lend him his Origin Blast Bead, but Old Sun refused after realizing Old Qian’s scheme.
• Old Qian stabbed Old Sun with a black iron cone, took his Sumeru Ring, captured his Yin Soul, and dissolved his corpse.
• Old Qian considered how to attack Xu Yi and decided to try a sneak attack with the Soul-Slaying Cone.

Xu Yi killed Old Qian in an ambush, then learned that the Young Master in White had mobilized cultivators across Shatai Valley to hunt him. He broke through a group of pursuers and fled northwest, but the search party continued after him.

• Xu Yi killed Old Qian with the Mechanical Bird, took his Sumeru Ring, collected his Yin soul, and dissolved his body.
• Xu Yi realized the Young Master in White had offered rewards and summoned numerous Soul Sensing experts to hunt him, so he fled west through the forest.
• A red-faced man used a talisman to identify Xu Yi, and the search party converged on him; Xu Yi counted four Soul Sensing experts and twelve peak Liquid Condensation cultivators.
• Xu Yi flew northwest toward a weak point in the encirclement and used the Soul-Shaking Bell to distract the middle-aged man with the tall crown.
• Xu Yi endured attacks from two Liquid Condensation cultivators with his soul armor and broke through the encirclement, while the middle-aged man's powerful technique missed.
• The red-faced man from Tianyi Dao rebuked the middle-aged man, then rallied the search party to pursue Xu Yi.

Xu Yi discovered that a yellow apricot talisman made him glow, suggesting enemies could track him, so he disguised himself as a Tianyi Dao cultivator and hunted the searchers instead. He ambushed the yellow-faced middle-aged man, killed him, and escaped with his belongings and yin soul.

• Xu Yi found an Origin Blast Bead and realized a yellow apricot talisman made him glow faintly.
• Xu Yi decided not to leave Shatai Valley and disguised himself in Liu Xiangdao's Mechanical Bird and Tianyi Dao robe.
• Xu Yi spotted a search party led by a yellow-faced middle-aged man and approached while pretending to have found the thief.
• Xu Yi used the Soul-Summoning Banner to disrupt the middle-aged man's yin soul, then killed him and took his Sumeru Ring and yin soul.

Xu Yi killed a yellow-faced Tianyi Dao cultivator and used the murder to sow doubt among Shatai Valley’s experts about the hunt for him. He left them questioning Tianyi Dao’s story and offered them Spirit Stones as a token of thanks.

• Xu Yi used the Soul-Summoning Banner to distract the yellow-faced middle-aged man, then killed him with the Coral Horn.
• Xu Yi claimed the man had tried to steal his credit and threatened the gathered experts while pretending to serve Tianyi Dao’s Young Master.
• Xu Yi questioned the story that Liu Xiangdao had been killed by a mere Liquid Condensation junior, prompting the Shatai Valley experts to doubt Tianyi Dao’s motives.
• Xu Yi reasoned that Gong Xiuhua had kept the Soul-Summoning Banner secret and that the experts had not recognized him as an impostor.
• Xu Yi tossed a bag containing thirty or forty Spirit Stones to the high-cheekboned old man to distribute among the others, shocking the crowd.

Xu Yi used Spirit Stones and a fabricated story about Gong Xiuhua to recruit observers into helping him ambush Tianyi Dao rebels in Shatai Valley. After disguising himself, he led them to a group and killed a high-nosed Tianyi Dao cultivator, then took his ring and soul.

• Xu Yi convinced the high-cheekboned old man and the others that he was Gong Xiuhua's agent, promising Spirit Stones for their help in killing rebels.
• Xu Yi borrowed Body Concealing Pills, rewarded their lenders, disguised himself, and led the group to search for rebel forces.
• The group received word of a Tianyi Dao rebel nearby and swept toward the northwest to confront his party.
• A hemp-clothed man claimed that the group had come to help the high-nosed Tianyi Dao cultivator, lowering his guard.
• Xu Yi emerged from the formation on the Mechanical Bird, attacked the high-nosed man with his Soul-Summoning Banner and Coral Horn, and killed him.
• Xu Yi took the man's Sumeru Ring, collected his soul, and disposed of his corpse.

Xu Yi gathered cultivators by promising rewards, then led them in ambushes that killed Tianyi Dao’s Soul Sensing Realm cultivators and won him an expanding following. As dawn approached, Qiu Ruyi grew convinced that Deputy Hall Master Su had already succeeded and was keeping the news from him.

• Xu Yi gave Zhao the high-nosed middle-aged man’s Sumeru Ring as compensation, persuading the gathered cultivators to trust his claim that he was acting for Tianyi Dao’s young master.
• Xu Yi led the cultivators to ambush more Tianyi Dao groups, distributing or keeping their Sumeru Rings as the crowd grew and its members began killing enemies themselves.
• By dawn, Xu Yi’s group had grown to more than 150 people, and eight Soul Sensing Realm cultivators sent by Gong Xiuhua had been killed.
• Qiu Ruyi’s team searched nearly half of Shatai Valley without finding the enemy, while the people he had gathered grew impatient.
• Qiu Ruyi failed to contact Gong Xiuhua and received no reply from Deputy Hall Master Su, leaving him convinced Su had already succeeded and concealed it.

Xu Yi turned the missing Tianyi Dao disciples into a confrontation, convincing hundreds of people that they were traitors acting against their young master. As the crowd prepared to attack, the deputy head challenged Xu Yi’s cover story, but Xu Yi’s answers left him uncertain.

• The fourteen remaining Tianyi Dao disciples gathered above Sangfu Forest and realized that many of their fellow disciples had vanished.
• Xu Yi’s growing crowd surrounded the Tianyi Dao group, and several people accused them of being traitors who had deceived them.
• A Tianyi Dao youth recognized Xu Yi as the person they had been ordered to find, and the python-robed deputy head tried to strike him before a hemp-clothed man attacked.
• Xu Yi accused the disciples of hiding in Shatai Valley to seize a treasure, while the high-cheekboned elder urged the crowd to kill them and divide the spoils.
• The deputy head demanded proof of Xu Yi’s claimed covert-agent status, but Xu Yi explained that he had never entered Tianyi Dao and had been lent a third-tier artifact by the young master.
• Xu Yi’s explanation replaced the deputy head’s anger with confusion and doubt.

Xu Yi convinced Elder in Python Robes that Gong Xiuhua had sent Tianyi Dao’s forces to their deaths, then escaped as the group fought and died. He headed for the southern cliff to recover, unaware that a dragon boat arrived shortly afterward and halted the battle.

• Xu Yi persuaded Elder in Python Robes and his men that Gong Xiuhua had betrayed them, prompting them to beg for mercy.
• Xu Yi ordered the gathered cultivators to kill Tianyi Dao’s forces and flew away on the Mechanical Bird.
• Elder in Python Robes unleashed the Black Mountain Torrential Rain, killing many attackers and starting a bloody battle.
• The attackers overwhelmed Elder in Python Robes’s group, killed them all, and seized their Yin Souls and Sumeru Rings.
• Xu Yi left for the southern cliff to recover and later seek a place where heat and cold met to take the Rebirth Pill.
• A dragon boat arrived from the west soon after Xu Yi left, and a message from its bow stopped the melee.