Chapter Summaries

Tianluo Temple's elders blamed Jingchen for Wuxin's betrayal, and Jingchen vowed to seek Wuxin's forgiveness and offer the temple's submission to the Zhang Family. At the Ice Cold Palace, Ling Han argued for submission and secured permission to attend the Zhang Family banquet, hoping to find a way out of Dou Yuan's control.

• Tianluo Temple's elders blamed Jingchen for Wuxin's betrayal, and their accusations drove him to cough blood.
• Jingchen accepted responsibility for the temple's predicament and left alone for Xuanxiao Mountain to seek Wuxin's forgiveness and show the Zhang Family Tianluo Temple's willingness to submit.
• Dou Yuan asked the Ice Cold Palace leaders whether they should submit to the Zhang Family, and Ling Han advised submission to avoid destruction.
• Dou Yuan pressured Ling Han, suspecting she wanted to escape their agreement, but she defended her advice as necessary for the Ice Cold Palace's survival.
• Ling Han asked to attend the Zhang Family banquet to seek cultivation resources and improve her state of mind, and Dou Yuan agreed while warning her not to scheme.

Three months after Skyward Hall’s construction was completed, Zhang Xuanchen learned of an immortal opportunity tied to the Rebirth Samsara Key and hurried toward Xuanxiao Market Town to pursue it. Xuanjing and Shuoxing reacted with shock when he revealed that the opportunity involved Guixu Immortal Hall, and Zhang Xuanchen asked them to explain its story.

• Skyward Hall was completed, and Zhuge Qingrou praised its grandeur as Zhang Xuanchen celebrated his children’s upcoming hundred-day banquet.
• Zhuge Qingrou worried that the children might not awaken spiritual roots, but Zhang Xuanchen assured the Zhang Family elders that Shuoxing had confirmed their extraordinary talent.
• Zhang Xuanchen revealed that the Starry Tower was not a spiritual artifact and discussed plans for the Myriad Swords Annihilating Evil Formation with Zhuge Qingrou.
• Zhang Xuanchen discovered that the Vajra Gate sect master carried half a map leading to the Rebirth Samsara Key, which could grant access to Guixu Immortal Hall and a chance to become immortal.
• Zhang Xuanchen hurried toward Xuanxiao Market Town, and Xuanjing and Shuoxing reacted with shock when he said his opportunity involved Guixu Immortal Hall.

Xuanjing explained the legend of the Guixu Immortal Hall, and Zhang Xuanchen revealed that he had sensed half of a map leading to one of its Nine Extremity Keys. After arriving at Xuanxiao Market Town, Zhang Xuanchen went to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower to meet the master of the Vajra Gate.

• Xuanjing described how the Guixu Immortal Hall was created and said its Nine Great Keys had to be activated together to open it.
• Zhang Xuanchen revealed that he had sensed half of a Fragmentary Map that could lead to the Rebirth Samsara Key, and Xuanjing planned to use karma to find the other half.
• Xuanjing and Shuoxing imagined collecting the keys and entering the Guixu Immortal Hall as they traveled with Zhang Xuanchen to Xuanxiao Market Town.
• Zhang Xuanchen entered the Heavenly Fragrance Tower, where patrons recognized him and bowed.
• Zhang Xuanchen asked Zhao Feng to summon the master of the Vajra Gate, then declined Zhao Feng's offer to arrange a private room and urged him to keep the tower's business proper.

Zhang Xuanchen obtained Shi Yuan’s Storage Ring and discovered that its map fragment was connected to the Rebirth Samsara Key. After learning the other half lay in the Great Qian Dynasty on the Central Continent, he decided to travel there sooner and accelerate his cultivation.

• Zhang Xuanchen asked Shi Yuan for his Storage Ring, prompting Shi Yuan to fear for his life and offer the Vajra Gate’s submission.
• Zhang Xuanchen accepted the ring, which revealed an immortal opportunity involving Wen Qingya’s Three-Tailed Spirit Fox and a Bloodline Transcendence Pill.
• Zhang Xuanchen gave Shi Yuan an Earth-Origin Spirit Peach as payment, and Shi Yuan believed it could help him break through to Golden Core.
• Xuanjing examined the map fragment and used karma to determine that it was linked to the Rebirth Samsara Key, whose other half was in the Great Qian Dynasty on the Central Continent.
• Zhang Xuanchen resolved to cross the Endless Sea earlier, then enter seclusion after Zhang Xiao and Zhang Ling awakened their spiritual roots.

At the Zhang Family’s ceremony, Zhang Xuanchen announced that Zhang Chongxian had reached the Nascent Soul realm and declared the Xuanxiao Zhang Clan a Nascent Soul clan. He then demanded tribute from every faction in the West Heavenly Dragon Sea Domain and asked who would agree or object.

• Xuanjing said his concealment could keep their group safe from fifth-grade Yao Kings, and Zhang Xuanchen agreed they could retreat if danger arose.
• Nine days later, factions and rogue cultivators gathered at Skyward Hall beneath the Starry Tower’s protective barrier.
• The gathered cultivators bowed to Silent Void True Lord and Clan Leader Zhang as Ao Tun and the Abyssal Snapping Turtle roared.
• Zhang Xuanchen announced his children’s hundredth-day celebration and revealed that Zhang Chongxian had attained the Nascent Soul realm.
• Zhang Xuanchen declared the Xuanxiao Zhang Clan’s rule over the West Heavenly Dragon Sea Domain and demanded tribute from every sect.

Zhang Xuanchen demanded the allegiance of the Heavenly Dragon Sea Domain’s Golden Core factions and exposed Tianluo Temple’s crimes. He renamed Tianluo Temple Buddhism, appointed Wuxin as its First Patriarch, and many factions—including the Vajra Gate—pledged tribute to the Zhang Family.

• Zhang Xuanchen waited as the factions hesitated, while Zhang Detian and Shi Yuan considered the consequences of submitting first.
• True Person Jingchen offered Tianluo Temple’s allegiance and an annual tribute of five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones.
• Zhang Xuanchen accused Tianluo Temple of killing more than three thousand cultivators and declared that its wicked members would be executed, its name changed to Buddhism, and Wuxin installed as First Patriarch.
• Wuxin urged True Person Jingchen to accept the changes and reform the Buddhist path, and Jingchen agreed.
• Zhang Xuanchen reassured the other factions that Tianluo Temple was an exception, after which leaders began pledging allegiance and annual tribute to the Zhang Family.
• Shi Yuan stepped forward and pledged five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones each year from the Vajra Gate of Thick Earth Peak.

Shi Yuan pledged the Vajra Gate’s loyalty to the Zhang Family and earned a generous reward, prompting other factions to submit on the customary terms. When Dou Yuan refused to make the Ice Cold Palace submit, Zhang Chongxian’s power forced him to retract his refusal and offer tribute.

• Shi Yuan offered the Vajra Gate’s loyalty and an annual tribute, and Zhang Xuanchen reduced the payment to three hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones while rewarding him with two seven-aperture glazed lotus seeds.
• Wang Teng, the Thousand Sword Sect, and the other Golden Core factions declared their submission and agreed to pay three hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones each year.
• Dou Yuan told Zhang Xuanchen that the Ice Cold Palace would not submit, citing its remote location and lack of resources.
• Zhang Xuanchen accused Dou Yuan of withholding the tribute the Ice Cold Palace had once paid the Nine Splendor Sword Sect, and Zhang Chongxian’s sword pressure shattered Dou Yuan’s kneecaps.
• Dou Yuan begged for mercy, claimed the Ice Cold Palace could pay five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, and agreed to submit.

Dou Yuan submitted to Zhang Xuanchen’s demand for increased tribute, but Ling Han defied him and asked to marry Zhang Xuanbing as a co-wife or concubine. Zhang Xuanchen allowed her to stay with the Zhang Family, leaving her free of an immediate return to the Ice Cold Palace.

• Dou Yuan agreed that the Ice Cold Palace would pay the Zhang Family eight hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones in annual tribute, and Zhang Chongxian withdrew his sword and pressure.
• Ling Han ignored Dou Yuan’s threats and stepped forward to address Zhang Xuanchen, who overruled Dou Yuan and invited her to speak.
• Ling Han declared her love for Zhang Xuanbing and asked to marry him as a co-wife or concubine.
• Su Muyan accepted Ling Han’s proposal, and Zhang Xuanbing privately asked Zhang Xuanchen to let Ling Han remain with the Zhang Family.
• Zhang Xuanchen allowed Ling Han to stay with the Zhang Family after the banquet, with a formal marriage proposal to the Ice Cold Palace possible if she and Zhang Xuanbing grew closer.

Ling Han secured her father’s support to remain with the Zhang Family, leaving Dou Yuan defeated as the banquet began. During the feast, Wen Yanran proposed a marriage alliance between Wen Qingya and Zhang Detian, and Zhang Xuanchen agreed to let the young pair decide.

• Dou Yuan objected to Ling Han staying with the Zhang Family, but Ling Han rebuked him and privately warned him not to force her to expose his misdeeds.
• Ling Han persuaded Ling Yun that her marriage to Zhang Xuanbing could free him from Dou Yuan’s control, and Ling Yun publicly supported her choice.
• Dou Yuan spat blood after Ling Yun’s refusal to intervene, then withdrew while Zhang Xuanchen confirmed that Ling Han could remain with the Zhang Family.
• Zhang Xuanchen declared the matter settled and started the banquet, where guests feasted on spirit food and some cultivators collapsed or broke through.
• Wen Yanran proposed that Wen Qingya marry Zhang Detian, and Zhang Xuanchen accepted the proposal as a possibility, leaving the decision to the two young people.

Wen Qingya proposed a marriage alliance with Zhang Detian, and he agreed to the match. Zhang Xuanchen formalized their betrothal and scheduled their wedding for eight years later.

• Wen Qingya told Su Muyan and the Zhang Family elders that she wanted to marry Zhang Detian, explaining that she was seeking to shape her own future.
• Su Muyan said she would support the match if Zhang Detian agreed, and Zhang Detian told Wen Qingya that he felt drawn to her too.
• Zhang Detian asked Zhang Xuanchen to bless their union, and he and Wen Qingya declared that they would have no regrets.
• Zhang Xuanchen confirmed Wen Qingya's character, wrote a marriage covenant between the Xuanxiao Zhang Clan and the White Eagle Wen Clan, and set the wedding for eight years later.
• The Zhang and Wen family elders signed the betrothal documents as other visiting forces urged their young women to approach Zhang Family talents.

After the banquet, Wen Qingya and Zhang Detian discussed their betrothal and the Zhang Family’s unity before she left for home. She left Little White with Zhang Detian and promised to visit again after settling her affairs.

• Zhang Xuanchen announced that Wen Qingya and Zhang Detian would marry in eight years, and the banquet continued until dusk.
• Wen Qingya entrusted Little White, her maternal grandmother’s keepsake, to Zhang Detian, who promised to care for the fox and said she could contract with it after their marriage.
• Wen Qingya asked why the Zhang Family’s elders accepted Zhang Detian as young clan leader, and Zhang Detian credited Seventh Uncle’s leadership and the family’s loyalty to the lineage.
• Wen Qingya teased Zhang Detian about providing for her, encouraged him, kissed his cheek, and left, promising to visit after handling matters at home.

Wen Qingya left with Wen Yanran, looking forward to joining Zhang Detian's family, while Zhang Xuanbing rejected Ling Han's feelings after helping her escape Dou Yuan's control. Three months later, Ling Yun used Ling Han's stay with the Zhang Family to challenge Dou Yuan's rule over the Ice Cold Palace, and Dou Bi attacked him.

• Wen Qingya told Wen Yanran she was happy to marry into the Zhang Family and did not blame her mother for their choice.
• Zhang Xuanchen told Zhang Detian to study under him and prepare to serve as the Lineage's Acting Clan Leader in seven years.
• Zhang Xuanbing explained his agreement with Ling Han, then rejected her feelings and asked Zhang Xuanchen to shelter her temporarily.
• Ling Han accepted Zhang Xuanbing's rejection but vowed to become stronger and return to him.
• Three months later, Dou Yuan accused Ling Yun of using Ling Han's connection to the Zhang Family to seize authority in the Ice Cold Palace, and Ling Yun openly claimed the position was rightfully his.
• Dou Bi attacked Ling Yun in a rage, but Ling Yun struck him with an ice palm and sent him crashing into the Ice Wall.

Dou Bi used his heartbreak as cover to kill and advance his demonic plans, while demonization spread across the South Sea Immortal Continent. Four years later, Zhang Detian asked to investigate a suspected second-stage demonized creature near Black Pool, and Zhang Xuanchen agreed to send him with Zhang Xuan Ce.

• Ling Yun revealed that he planned to use Ling Han and her mother as leverage against the Zhang Family, while Dou Yuan warned him not to celebrate too soon.
• Dou Bi blamed Dou Yuan for his lost relationship, then killed guards and secretly planned to reach the fourth stage through a blood sacrifice.
• Over the next three years, reports of abnormal demonization increased, prompting major factions to hunt demonized cultivators while high-level demon seeds hid among them or in remote places.
• Four years later, Li Qing reported a suspected second-stage demonized creature in the Black Pool Yu Family's territory and requested Zhang Family support.
• Zhang Detian volunteered to test his new Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, and Zhang Xuanchen agreed to let him go with Zhang Xuan Ce.

Seven years later, the Zhang Family had expanded its population, holdings, and defenses while preparing for a possible demonic scourge. Zhang Xuanchen sent Zhang Xuance to accompany Zhang Detian on a mission to face a demonized creature, leaving Detian to fight it himself.

• The Zhang Family’s population and businesses grew, its intelligence network expanded, and Zhang Xuanchen reinforced its city walls against a future demonic scourge.
• Zhang Xuanchen insisted that Zhang Xuance accompany Zhang Detian to help him face a second-stage demonized creature, though Detian would make the kill himself.
• Zhang Hongzhan cleared three stars in the Lingxiao Trial Tower and received a piece of third-stage low-grade fire essence marrow.
• Zhang Xuance nearly cleared five-star difficulty but failed after an Ink Abyss Black Flood Dragon caught him with a trick.
• Zhang Xuanchen assigned Zhang Xuance to escort Zhang Detian to the Yu Family at Black Pool and teach him how to kill demonized creatures.

Zhang Xuanchen learned that the Zhang Family would soon receive immense spiritual power feedback from four Spirit Vein advancements and summoned the clan to prepare. At the Awakening Hall, Zhang Xiao’s boasting interrupted the siblings’ Spiritual Root awakening, and Zhang Xuanchen began spanking him while Zhang Ling cheered.

• Zhang Xuance and Zhang Detian set off to deal with the demonized creatures near the Yu Family after Zhang Xuanchen ordered them to complete the mission safely.
• Zhuge Qingrou told Zhang Xuanchen that the Spirit Vein formation would be completed in about two months, bringing the clan a major cultivation boost and causing Xuanxiao Mountain to expand.
• Zhang Xuanchen ordered the Zhang Family members to return and gather secretly for the Spirit Vein’s spiritual power feedback.
• Zhang Xuanchen and Zhang Hongzhan went to the Awakening Hall to help Zhang Xiao and Zhang Ling awaken their Spiritual Roots.
• Zhang Xiao boasted about his future Spiritual Root, so Zhang Xuanchen spanked him while the family watched and Zhang Ling cheered.

Zhang Xiao awakened a fire-earth dual spirit root and the innate endless space body, which caused his cultivation to rise to the second qi refining layer. After his family restrained his boasting, Zhang Xuanchen prepared to awaken Zhang Ling's spiritual root.

• Zhang Xiao chose to awaken his spiritual root first, and the Spirit-Testing Pillar revealed a fire-earth dual spirit root.
• Zhang Xiao's hand passed through the pillar as spiritual energy surged into him, and he rapidly reached the second qi refining layer.
• Xuanjing identified Zhang Xiao's awakened physique as the endless space body and explained its potential to master spatial law and cross world domains.
• Zhang Xiao boasted about his talent until Luo Lingshuang dragged him aside and ordered him to stay quiet while Zhang Ling awakened.
• Zhang Xiao said he would be happy if Zhang Ling's talent surpassed his, prompting Zhang Chongxian and the others to laugh at Zhang Xuanchen's warning.

Zhang Ling awakened a wood-attribute heavenly spirit root and a spiritual pivot Dao embryo, while both she and Zhang Xiao reached the third layer of Qi refining. Zhang Xuanchen concealed their abilities and enrolled them in the Zhang Clan as Zhang Deling and Zhang Dexiao, then warned them to hide their talents and ordered them to attend Family School.

• Zhang Ling awakened a wood-attribute heavenly spirit root and revealed the spiritual pivot Dao embryo constitution.
• Zhang Ling's cultivation rose to the third layer of Qi refining, and Zhang Chongxian celebrated the Zhang Clan's new prodigies.
• Zhang Xuanchen asked Xuanjing to conceal Zhang Xiao's and Zhang Ling's cultivation and constitutions, and she used Dao Seals to hide them.
• Zhang Xuanchen warned the children not to reveal their talents or true cultivation, and Zhang Xiao and Zhang Ling promised to obey.
• Zhang Xuanchen entered the children into the De Generation as Zhang Dexiao and Zhang Deling and ordered them to attend Family School.
• Zhang Xuanchen threatened to keep Uncle Little Flame away if Zhang Dexiao misbehaved, prompting the boy to promise to study hard.

After Zhang Dexiao awakened fire-earth spirit roots, Little Flame took him to celebrate while Zhang Xuanchen explained why he was delaying the boy’s body refinement. Little Flame warned that the Dragon Court Secret Realm could put Zhang Xuanchen in mortal danger, but Zhang Xuanchen insisted he had to go because demonized creatures would soon bring catastrophe to the Xuanqiong Cultivation World.

• Zhang Dexiao revealed his fire-earth dual spirit roots, and Little Flame invited him to ride to Wildland Mountain while Zhang Deling declined to come.
• Zhang Xuanchen told Little Flame not to activate Zhang Dexiao’s Divine Dragon Tyrant Body until he could seek better true dragon essence blood in the Dragon Court Secret Realm after reaching Nascent Soul.
• Little Flame warned that the Divine Dragon Hegemony Body Art was a Dragon Clan supreme art, and that human Zhang Xuanchen could be punished or killed for practicing it in the secret realm.
• Luo Lingshuang and Lin Wanqing urged Zhang Xuanchen to avoid the secret realm, while Zhang Chongxian and Zhang Hongzhan showed their concern.
• Zhang Xuanchen said he had to enter the secret realm because demonized creatures would soon bring a catastrophe to the Xuanqiong Cultivation World.

Zhang Xuanchen prepared to enter the Dragon Court Secret Realm to gather strength against the catastrophe and summoned the Zhang Family members serving in the Dark Hall. After returning to Xuanxiao Mountain, he learned that Great Sage expected to advance to the fourth-stage Yao Sect realm through the Lineage’s spiritual energy feedback.

• Zhang Xuanchen explained that the catastrophe came from the Demonized Creatures and said he needed to seek strength in the Dragon Court Secret Realm; Luo Lingshuang agreed to let him go.
• Zhang Xuanchen left his children with Luo Lingshuang and met Zhang Xuangu at a Dark Hall contact point in Yuan City, ordering him to gather all 132 Zhang Family members in the Dark Hall within fifty days.
• Xuanjing suggested revealing the Dark Hall members, but Zhang Xuanchen said they should wait at least thirty years until the network was firmly established and the members were harder to identify.
• Great Sage told Zhang Xuanchen that the spiritual energy feedback might let him advance to the fourth-stage Yao Sect realm, and Zhang Xuanchen directed him to undergo his lightning tribulation at Panyang Ridge.
• Great Sage boasted that he might surpass Immortal Ancestor, but Zhang Xuanchen reminded him that Immortal Ancestor could also use the feedback to reach the nascent soul late stage.

Zhang Xuanchen prepared the Zhang Family for its spirit vein’s advancement while Great Sage planned to pursue a breakthrough, and Zhang Detian and Zhang Xuance arrived at the Yu Family to hunt a demonized cultivator. At Black Pool Ridge, Zhang Detian used a Demon-Seeking Pearl to locate the creature and presented it as a rare Zhang Family invention.

• Zhang Xuanchen discussed the approaching spirit vein advancement and his plan to attempt a Nascent Soul breakthrough, while Great Sage flew to Flower Fruit Mountain.
• Zhang Detian and Zhang Xuance arrived at the Yu Family after its Patriarch feared the demonized creature would ruin Black Pool Market.
• Yu Taihao sent Yu Qiangwei to guide the Zhang Family visitors to the creature’s hunting ground at Black Pool Ridge.
• Zhang Detian showed Yu Qiangwei a Demon-Seeking Pearl and explained how it detected demon qi and tracked demonized creatures.
• Zhang Detian intended his explanation to make the Demon-Seeking Pearl seem scarce and valuable so the Zhang Family could sell more of them.