Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi left the earlier trial with two Thunder Cat Bear demon cores and arrived at the pavilion with a score exceeding a thousand. Mr. Hong explained that the optional third trial required killing a Yin Venerable expert to earn a golden token, and Xu Yi asked what he would receive if he withdrew.

• Brahma and Jing Qianjian retreated, and Xu Yi gave the Bald Monk and his companions voice-transmission balls before the Thunder Cat Bear delivered two promised demon cores.
• The Strength Orders buzzed, Xu Yi's formation vanished, and he flew through a light gate to the pavilion.
• The young master in yellow and the others greeted Xu Yi after learning his score had broken a thousand, largely because of the Thunder Cat Bear cores.
• Mr. Hong explained that Xu Yi could exchange his points for a reward without entering the optional third trial, but would need to slay a Yin Venerable expert to earn a golden token.
• Xu Yi learned that the legion commanders were Yin Venerable experts and asked Mr. Hong what reward he would receive if he withdrew from the third trial.

Xu Yi accepted the final trial after learning he could choose which Yin Venerable would enter the arena, and he selected Xie Qiufeng to draw out Peach Blossom Demon Zhong Ziyu. After healing his injuries and checking on Su Xiao Ruo, he recognized that gaining both strength and authority was crucial to resolving his troubles.

• Xu Yi initially declined the final trial, but Hong urged him to reconsider and explained its rewards and rules.
• Xu Yi studied Xie Qiufeng’s profile and asked how to bring him into the arena, citing his desire to avenge a friend killed by the Peach Blossom Alliance.
• Xu Yi decided to use Xie Qiufeng, a close friend of Zhong Ziyu, to draw out Peach Blossom Demon, and learned that his points gave him the right to choose the Yin Venerable opponent.
• Hong gave Xu Yi a scarlet token and invited him to find the Blazing Fire Merchant Association at Autumn Wind Plain.
• Xu Yi secluded himself in a mountain cave, meditated until his meridians healed, and checked on the still-faint Su Xiao Ruo.
• Xu Yi concluded that his problems stemmed from lacking strength and authority.

A gathering of legion commanders learned that Xu Yi had earned over a thousand points and debated how to deal with the rising talent. They agreed to try to force him into the contest, but Xie Qiufeng’s Order of Rewarding the Strong and Punishing the Weak beeped before their plan was settled.

• A purple-robed commander raised the topic of the contestant with more than a thousand points, and the commanders recognized him as a dangerous talent from the Blazing Fire Legion.
• The commanders gathered reports about Xu Yi and discussed his feats, including his array and his counters to Brahma’s Ice Soul Slash.
• The commanders agreed that Xu Yi should be killed and considered pressuring Lie Xingkong to make him enter the contest.
• Xie Qiufeng’s Order of Rewarding the Strong and Punishing the Weak began beeping, drawing the commanders’ attention.

Xie Qingfeng was selected to guard the third trial and prepared to hunt Xu Yi, confident that his Heavenly Net Cloud Robe would protect him. Xu Yi and the twelve other trial participants were transported above the sea, where they quickly gathered around him.

• Xie Qingfeng learned that he had been chosen as the third trial's guardian and first felt humiliated, then welcomed the chance to claim Xu Yi's treasures.
• Gao Tang warned Xie Qingfeng not to underestimate Xu Yi, who had broken the record with more than a thousand points.
• Xie Qingfeng revealed that he had the Heavenly Net Cloud Robe and said he would return from the trial in at most half an hour.
• Gao Tang gave Xie Qingfeng a Shadow-Sound Pearl, and Xie Qingfeng vanished from the tower as the final checkpoint opened.
• Xu Yi and the twelve other trial participants appeared above the sea, and the others closed in around him because his purple trial token shone brightly.

Xu Yi recruited the other trial participants to help him ambush Xie Qingfeng, then attacked under cover of exploding Heaven's Thunder Pearls. His Coral Horn struck Xie Qingfeng's white cloud barrier without penetrating it, leaving Xu Yi's decisive ambush thwarted.

• Xu Yi told the gathered cultivators he had no certain way to defeat Xie Qingfeng, but they insisted on fighting alongside him.
• Xu Yi outlined a surprise attack, and the group agreed to hide in a gorge and detonate Heaven's Thunder Pearls to create a smoke screen.
• Xie Qingfeng arrived, charged into the gorge, and struck the cliffs, exposing the caves where the cultivators were hiding.
• The cultivators detonated the pearls, collapsing the cliffs and filling the gorge with dust as Xu Yi used a Swift Body Talisman to rush Xie Qingfeng.
• Xu Yi's Coral Horn hit a white cloud that enveloped Xie Qingfeng but failed to pierce it.

Xu Yi defeated Xie Qingfeng by exhausting him with repeated Swift Wind Talisman attacks, then entered Shang Gong Hall with a Golden Sub-token and more than thirteen hundred points. Mu Guangming explained the exchange system, and Xu Yi began using the exchange device while asking him to stay and offer guidance.

• Xu Yi attacked Xie Qingfeng repeatedly, wearing down his Yin soul until the Heavenly Net Cloud Robe cracked and shattered.
• Xu Yi killed Xie Qingfeng with the Coral Horn and collected his weakened Yin soul in the Soul Collecting Bottle.
• The Strength Orders announced Xie Qingfeng's death, and Xu Yi followed the message to a gate of light and entered Shang Gong Hall.
• Xu Yi learned that his Golden Token and score of more than thirteen hundred earned him rewards for the third round and access to valuable exchanges.
• Mu Guangming explained the points, Golden Sub-token, and exchange process, then helped Xu Yi operate the exchange device.
• Xu Yi asked Mu Guangming to remain and give him advice as he began making his exchange.

Xu Yi asked Mu Guangming to help him choose among the supreme treasures and learned that Yin-Yang Two Qi could restore polluted artifacts. He used it to examine his damaged iron essence, and Mu Guangming was astonished by the forces it contained.

• Xu Yi bribed Mu Guangming to advise him on treasures available for exchange.
• Mu Guangming showed Xu Yi a Heaven Measuring Ruler and explained the properties of several supreme treasures.
• Xu Yi asked about Yin-Yang Two Qi and learned it could cleanse and restore polluted artifacts.
• Xu Yi chose to test the Yin-Yang Two Qi on his charcoal-colored iron essence, which had been damaged in battle.
• Mu Guangming examined the iron essence, found blood essence, vow power, and thunder within it, and was baffled by its ability to store will.
• The iron essence emitted a faint, cold gleam as Mu Guangming held it, but Xu Yi did not notice.

Xu Yi redeemed Yin-Yang Two Qi and, with Mu Guangming’s help, obtained two mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stones despite lacking the required Spirit Stones. He then spent his remaining funds and points on an Array Breaking Stone and the Great Evolution Array of Rotation.

• Mu Guangming explained that battle energies had tainted Xu Yi’s iron essence and formed an inner cycle, and Xu Yi redeemed Yin-Yang Two Qi to nurture it.
• Mu Guangming told Xu Yi the price and requirements for redeeming mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stones, and Xu Yi asked whether he could use other items to cover the Spirit Stone cost.
• Mu Guangming secured permission to treat Xu Yi’s Early-stage Tongyu Realm Thunder Cat Bear core as a middle-stage core in exchange for Xu Yi showing goodwill or fulfilling a request later.
• Xu Yi redeemed two mid-grade Thunder Spirit Stones using two Thunder Cat Bear cores and two hundred points.
• Xu Yi spent his remaining Spirit Stones and six hundred points to redeem an Array Breaking Stone and the Great Evolution Array of Rotation.

Xu Yi spent his remaining resources at Shang Gong Hall, then teleported to Autumn Wind Plain to meet Liu Yinglin. He slipped away before the Blazing Fire Merchant Association could contact him, while its leaders recognized that he had likely arrived and discussed his mysterious victory over Xie Qingfeng.

• Xu Yi used his remaining points to buy Fire and Water Spirit Stones, thanked Mu Guangming, and received instructions for using Yin-Yang Two Qi.
• Xu Yi chose Autumn Wind Plain as his destination and teleported there in disguise.
• Xu Yi feigned an urgent message and flew away before the man in green could stop him.
• The man in green reported Xu Yi's sudden departure to the Blazing Fire Merchant Association's hidden observers.
• The yellow-robed young master concluded the visitor was Xu Yi, and he and the man in crimson discussed Xu Yi's likely suspicions and his unexplained victory over Xie Qingfeng.

Xu Yi withdrew from the Blazing Fire Merchant Association and rented an alchemy room in Autumn Wind Plain to assess his belongings and strengthen his position. After experimenting with Black Carbon Iron Essence and studying Xie Qingfeng’s cultivation notes, he discovered a clue to how Xie Qingfeng had tracked him and his companions.

• The young master in yellow dismissed concerns about Xu Yi, while the middle-aged man in crimson ordered an attendant to publicize the Blazing Fire Legion’s rewards across Autumn Wind Plain.
• Xu Yi avoided relying on the Blazing Fire Merchant Association, transformed his appearance, and rented an alchemy room at Yi Xian Hall.
• Xu Yi inventoried his possessions and used Yin-Yang Two Qi to treat his Black Carbon Iron Essence, leaving it half-black and half-gold and only partly restored.
• Xu Yi decided not to cultivate the Profound Thunder Body Tempering Art in the rented room because he feared the Thunder Spirit Stone might not provide enough energy.
• Xu Yi studied Xie Qingfeng’s cultivation insights and realized they could explain how Xie Qingfeng had quickly located him and his companions.

Xu Yi deciphered and mastered the Spirit Splitting Art from Xie Qingfeng's cultivation notes, dramatically improving how quickly he could use his perception. After meeting Liu Yinglin at the Singing Pavilion, Xu Yi gave him a Swift Body Talisman in exchange for an introduction to a skilled talisman-paper maker, convincing Liu Yinglin that Xu Yi had an expert backing him.

• Xu Yi deduced the Spirit Splitting Art from Xie Qingfeng's notes and learned to spread his perception across a room in an instant.
• After practicing the art, Xu Yi rested until Liu Yinglin sent him a message, then arranged to meet him at the Singing Pavilion.
• Liu Yinglin, disguised with a Body Concealing Pill, recognized Xu Yi through their agreed signal and brought him to a private room for a banquet.
• Once they were alone over tea, Liu Yinglin said he had made progress on Xu Yi's request, and Xu Yi immediately showed him a Swift Body Talisman.
• Xu Yi offered Liu Yinglin the talisman in exchange for an introduction to someone skilled at crafting talisman paper, and Liu Yinglin took the offer as proof that Xu Yi had an expert behind him.

Xu Yi negotiated with a mysterious man in black, who wanted the Heart of the Earth in exchange for a talisman-paper-making method. Xu Yi agreed to pursue the costly trade for the Fire Element talisman-paper method, then hurried after the man when he tried to leave.

• Xu Yi asked Liu Yinglin to introduce him to the person who knew how to make talisman paper and promised him another extraordinary talisman.
• Liu Yinglin brought Xu Yi to meet a cloaked man in black, who asked about the success rate of Xu Yi's supposed Talisman Master.
• The man in black revealed that he wanted the Heart of the Earth, expected to appear at an auction in three days and to cost at least two hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
• Xu Yi agreed to trade for the method of making talisman paper, but the man in black rejected his request to include more than one kind and started to leave.
• Xu Yi chased after the man in black and persuaded him to return to the room.

Xu Yi learned that the fire-type talisman-paper method was a dangerous Blood Prohibition inheritance and agreed to obtain the Heart of the Earth before meeting the black-robed man again. He then visited Mr. Hong of the Blazing Fire Merchant Association to collect the benefits promised for his help in the Strength Battle.

• The black-robed man explained that the talisman-paper refining method was a Blood Prohibition Secret Technique inherited through a perilous single line, and Xu Yi accepted the value of the inheritance.
• Xu Yi chose the fire-type refining method, and the black-robed man arranged to meet him again in three days if Xu Yi obtained the Heart of the Earth.
• Liu Yinglin gave Xu Yi a booklet of information about Peach Blossom Demon, and Xu Yi arranged to meet him again in three days.
• Xu Yi went to a Blazing Fire Merchant Association estate, where Mr. Hong welcomed him and offered him a banquet.
• Xu Yi reminded Mr. Hong that he had come to claim the benefits promised for his help in the Strength Battle.

Xu Yi negotiated a guest elder position and a reward from the Blazing Fire Merchant Association while cautiously concealing his doubts. He revealed that he had come to buy Wind Spirit Stones, and Mr. Hong agreed to sell them as Xu Yi prepared to pursue the Heart of the Earth.

• Mr. Hong offered Xu Yi either ten thousand spirit stones or a guest elder position with thirty thousand spirit stones in compensation.
• Xu Yi chose the guest elder position but claimed he needed his master's approval before collecting the reward.
• Xu Yi asked whether the association could sell him Wind Spirit Stones for his master's supposed wind-element treasure.
• When Xu Yi started to leave, Mr. Hong admitted the association had Wind Spirit Stones but said he lacked authority to give them away.
• Xu Yi offered to buy the stones at the public price, and Mr. Hong agreed while promising Xu Yi access to more after he became a guest elder.

Xu Yi sold Yin Venerate souls, a Starry Sky Sea Serpent core, and battle spoils to Mr. Hong, while Lie Xingkong and Mr. Hong debated how to deal with him. After detecting a Ghost Bird tailing him, Xu Yi hid in a tavern and contacted someone, and Liu Yinglin arrived at his room the next morning in disguise.

• Xu Yi showed Mr. Hong the Starry Sky Sea Serpent core and exchanged it, two bottles of Yin Venerate souls, and battle spoils for five Wind Spirit Stones and five thousand spirit stones.
• After Xu Yi left, Lie Xingkong told Mr. Hong to wait three days before deciding whether to hand Xu Yi over to Old Demon Zhong.
• Xu Yi sensed a Ghost Bird following him and used his movements to bring it within range of his perception.
• Xu Yi entered a tavern, rented a private room, and used his voice-transmission orb to send a message.
• The next morning, Liu Yinglin arrived at Xu Yi’s room wearing a different face.

Xu Yi prepared for Shang Gong Hall’s autumn auction by turning his wind materials into Swift Body Talismans and exchanging them for spirit stones. As the auction began, he still had not decided which treasured possession to give up to obtain the Heart of the Earth.

• Liu Yinglin delivered thirty sheets of Wind element Talisman Paper to Xu Yi, who paid him and left to handle urgent business.
• Three days later, Xu Yi entered Shang Gong Hall’s third-tier auction in disguise, joining thousands of cultivators at the enormous event.
• Xu Yi learned that bidders could choose any auction tier without a funds check, but winners who could not pay would never leave the hall.
• Xu Yi used the auction’s exchange system to trade twenty-five Swift Body Talismans for ten thousand spirit stones.
• Xu Yi weighed selling the Crystal Jade Skeleton or one of his boundary tokens, but hesitated because the tokens were his hope of returning to Great Yue and Yan Zi.

Xu Yi liquidated nearly all his possessions to compete for the Heart of the Earth after winning a wisp of Yin-Yang Two Qi and earning a fortune by selling his black boundary token. He made a pair of rapid bids of four hundred and ten thousand Spirit Stones, leaving the auction screen frozen as the contest reached its final moments.

• Xu Yi won the wisp of Yin-Yang Two Qi for thirty-six thousand Spirit Stones.
• Xu Yi sold his black boundary token for three hundred thousand Spirit Stones, raising his score to three hundred and sixty-four thousand.
• The auctioneer revealed that the Heart of the Earth might produce top-grade Earth element Spirit Stones, and Xu Yi began bidding for it.
• Xu Yi sold his talismans, Clear Wind Net, Soul-Shaking Bell, and nearly all his other possessions to raise his score to four hundred and ten thousand Spirit Stones.
• Xu Yi bid four hundred thousand Spirit Stones and immediately raised his offer to four hundred and ten thousand, freezing the auction screen.

Xu Yi obtained the Heart of the Earth at auction and met the black-robed man to complete their exchange. After learning that the man was sacrificing himself for his clan, Xu Yi received his blood-seal legacy and learned the method for making fire-element talisman paper.

• Xu Yi won the Heart of the Earth for four hundred and ten thousand, redeemed spirit stones, and refined his iron essence while waiting for the auction restrictions to lift.
• Xu Yi met Liu Yinglin and then returned to the teahouse, where the black-robed man asked whether he had obtained the Heart of the Earth.
• Xu Yi kept his distance at first, but revealed the Heart of the Earth after the black-robed man offered to pass on the legacy first.
• The black-robed man revealed that his clan had gathered with Origin Blast Beads to protect the exchange, and Xu Yi agreed to proceed.
• The black-robed man disclosed that he was the inheritor of the fire-element talisman paper legacy and explained that he could not make the paper himself.
• The black-robed man transferred his blood-seal legacy to Xu Yi, who received the method for making fire-element talisman paper in his mind.

After handing over the Heart of the Earth, Xu Yi realized his resources were nearly exhausted and that he had little chance of defeating Old Demon Zhong. He returned to the Blazing Fire Merchant Association to collect his promised compensation and discuss becoming a guest retainer, but learned the position required surrendering his privacy.

• Xu Yi handed the Heart of the Earth to the man in black, then worried about his dwindling supplies and his promise to give Liu Yinglin another Swift Body Talisman.
• At Brightmoon Pool, Xu Yi assessed his lack of money, pills, and Wind element Spirit Stones and concluded he needed to seek out the man in crimson again.
• Xu Yi returned to the Blazing Fire Merchant Association and told the man in crimson he had attended Shang Gong Hall's autumn auction and wanted to collect what he was owed.
• The man in crimson explained that becoming a guest retainer required Xu Yi to drip blood into the association head's Traction Plate.
• Xu Yi recognized that the Traction Plate could track him anywhere, and the man in crimson reassured him that the association treated its guest retainers well.

Xu Yi joined the Blazing Fire Merchant Association and secretly followed the crimson-robed man to learn what the Traction Plate was hiding. He discovered Lie Xingkong had captured him in a plot, while Lie regretted agreeing to an unknown favor.

• Xu Yi swore the blood oath on the Traction Plate and received only ten thousand spirit stones, while the crimson-robed man promised the rest after a year of service.
• The crimson-robed man arranged temporary quarters for Xu Yi, who used his perception to follow him through the garden.
• Xu Yi tracked the crimson-robed man into a secret chamber and overheard him tell Lie Xingkong that Xu Yi had fallen into their hands.
• Lie Xingkong asked about Xu Yi's master and learned that the man had appeared at the last moment.
• Lie Xingkong lamented that he had miscalculated and should not have agreed to Zhong's request.