Chapter Summaries

Zhang Qingyuan watched the Blazing Sky Qilin Snake and the Four-armed Giant exhaust each other in a brutal battle, then struck the giant with his strongest sword technique. The giant died, leaving the badly wounded snake at Zhang Qingyuan’s mercy.

• Zhang Qingyuan sensed that his Sword Pellet’s Battle Intent and hostility toward the Four-armed Giant resembled its reaction to the mutated Nangong Bantian.
• Zhang Qingyuan waited as the Blazing Sky Qilin Snake and the Four-armed Giant fought for hours and severely wounded each other.
• Zhang Qingyuan saw that both monsters could barely fight back and decided to act on his plan to gain the power of the True Essence Eighth Layer.
• Zhang Qingyuan used One Sword Green Lotus Blooms to annihilate the Four-armed Giant’s Divine Soul and destroy its head.
• The Blazing Sky Qilin Snake released the dead giant, and Zhang Qingyuan looked down at the barely living snake.

After defeating the Four-armed Giant, Zhang Qingyuan used a pill and a Natal Blood Pact to save the badly injured Blazing Sky Qilin Snake and bind it as his Natal Blood Beast. He named it Little Fire and learned it had accepted him largely because his Artistic Conception of Fire could nourish its recovery and growth.

• Zhang Qingyuan calmed the wounded Blazing Sky Qilin Snake and fed it a Returning Origin Pill, lifting it away from the brink of death.
• Zhang Qingyuan proposed a Natal Blood Pact so he could share his life force and stabilize the serpent’s injuries, and it reluctantly agreed.
• Zhang Qingyuan formed the Blood Pact and named the Blazing Sky Qilin Snake Little Fire.
• Little Fire explained that Zhang Qingyuan’s True Fire could help it recover and grow, and that it had once stayed with Burning Heaven Sword Yan Wusheng for the same reason.

After forming a Blood Pact with the Blazing Sky Qilin Snake, Zhang Qingyuan learned he could briefly borrow Little Fire’s True Essence Eighth Layer Peak strength and used the pact to heal him. Little Fire explained his past with Yan Wusheng and settled onto Zhang Qingyuan’s wrist as a bracelet, leaving them ready to face future dangers together.

• Zhang Qingyuan discovered that Little Fire had reached the True Essence Eighth Layer Peak and that the Blood Pact let him borrow part of the snake’s power.
• Zhang Qingyuan shared his blood qi and vitality through the Blood Pact, stabilizing Little Fire’s injuries at the cost of some of his own strength.
• Zhang Qingyuan gave Little Fire Healing Pills, and Little Fire shrank into a small snake and coiled around his wrist as a crimson bracelet.
• Little Fire told Zhang Qingyuan that Yan Wusheng had taught him to shrink and had once shared a Natal Blood Pact with him.
• Little Fire recalled Yan Wusheng’s death and explained why he had agreed to acknowledge Zhang Qingyuan as his master.

Zhang Qingyuan learned from Little Fire that Burning Heaven Sword Yan Wusheng had entered the Cave Heaven Relic three hundred years earlier and likely died there, but Little Fire knew little about the hidden dangers or how to escape. Zhang Qingyuan, Flying Rat, and Wu Shanming set off toward the place where they expected to confront the Zhao Family, while Zhang Qingyuan privately resolved to bring matters to an end.

• Zhang Qingyuan asked Little Fire about Yan Wusheng's death and the Cave Heaven Relic, and Little Fire recalled that Yan Wusheng had brought it there before leaving alone and disappearing.
• Little Fire said it had fought a Four-Armed Great Monster for over a hundred years before they both fell into slumber, and admitted it did not know how to leave.
• Flying Rat and Wu Shanming approached Zhang Qingyuan after the battle and praised him for defeating the monster.
• Zhang Qingyuan told Flying Rat and Wu Shanming that Yan Wusheng's arrival might be connected to the Zhao Family's rise and its long preparations.
• Zhang Qingyuan, Flying Rat, and Wu Shanming flew toward the distant horizon to face the Zhao Family, while Zhang Qingyuan thought that the time had come to end everything.

Zhao Zuzhi and the Zhao Family activated the final node of their Blood Soul Great Formation, preparing the last two corpse sacrifices. Tong Feiyan ambushed them but was wounded, and Zhao Tianji moved to confront her.

• Zhao Zuzhi reached the crimson high platform and activated the blood pool with a blood-colored Jade Disk.
• Two Zhao Family members prepared to throw the final two Headless Corpses into the pool.
• Tong Feiyan attacked from hiding, severing one man's arm and knocking the corpse from his grasp.
• Zhao Zuzhi struck Tong Feiyan with his full strength, but she escaped the attack badly injured.
• Zhao Tianji took over the fight while Zhao Zuzhi resumed the ritual, then approached Tong Feiyan and taunted her.

Tong Feiyan, the last survivor of the Yanyu Sect, fought Zhao Tianji in the Cave Heaven Relic after learning that the Zhao Family planned to sacrifice everyone trapped there. Unable to escape or defeat him, she faced Zhao Tianji’s attack with her Top-grade Magic Treasure as he revealed why the Zhao Family had destroyed Sanchuan County’s other forces.

• Tong Feiyan recalled how the Zhao Family destroyed the Yanyu Sect more than a hundred years earlier and how she had spent her life seeking revenge.
• She learned that the Zhao Family had sealed the Cave Heaven Relic and intended to sacrifice its inhabitants to nourish the Old Ancestor’s ascension.
• Tong Feiyan launched a desperate attack on Zhao Tianji but was quickly defeated.
• Zhao Tianji attacked Tong Feiyan with crimson Blood Light, and she blocked it with her Jade Ruyi, revealing it was a Top-grade Magic Treasure.
• Zhao Tianji recognized Tong Feiyan as a remnant of a force the Zhao Family had destroyed and said the True Essence Realm cultivators of Sanchuan County had been needed as sacrificial victims.

Zhao Tianji revealed that the Zhao Family had spent a century sacrificing True Essence Realm Cultivators to build a Blood Soul Great Formation, including the remains of Tong Feiyan’s loved ones. After Zhao Tianji overpowered Tong Feiyan and moved to kill her, two figures appeared and intervened.

• Zhao Tianji explained that the Zhao Family had slaughtered cultivators and used their remains to power the Blood Soul Great Formation.
• Tong Feiyan, enraged by the revelation about her parents and sect members, unleashed the Jade Ruyi’s full power despite her injuries.
• Zhao Tianji used his Blood Bell and a sealed strike from the Zhao Family Old Ancestor to crush Tong Feiyan’s attack and shatter the Jade Ruyi.
• Zhao Tianji sent Tong Feiyan flying and launched a killing blow as she lay helpless.
• A White Jade Ruler blocked Zhao Tianji’s attack, and two figures emerged from the void, condemning the Zhao Family’s crimes.

Wu Shanming and the Flying Rat discovered the Zhao Family’s mass sacrifice, while Zhang Qingyuan killed Zhao Tianji and took his Blood Bell and Storage Bag. The Blood Pool began to awaken a vast force, and Zhao Zuzhi focused on completing the ritual as Tong Feiyan called for them to stop the Zhao Family.

• Wu Shanming and the Flying Rat arrived during Tong Feiyan and Zhao Tianji’s fight and learned that the Zhao Family had sacrificed True Essence Realm Cultivators for its grand formation.
• Zhang Qingyuan ambushed Zhao Tianji with a Sword Light that pierced his heart and destroyed his Divine Soul.
• Zhang Qingyuan took Zhao Tianji’s Blood Bell and Storage Bag, recognizing that the bell contained a powerful sealed attack.
• Tong Feiyan urged Zhang Qingyuan and the others to stop the Zhao Family as its members sank corpses into the Blood Pool.
• The Blood Pool boiled and radiated red light as distant waves of Blood Energy spread across the sky.
• Zhao Zuzhi noticed Zhao Tianji’s death but continued activating the altar, threatening to kill his pursuers afterward.

Zhao Zuzhi activated the Zhao Family’s Blood Soul Great Formation, but Little Fire damaged the altar before the formation could fully connect. Zhang Qingyuan and his allies split their efforts to destroy the altar and fight Zhao Zuzhi as the battle resumed.

• Zhao Zuzhi sacrificed his blood to activate the Blood Soul Great Formation, whose power began consuming Zhang Qingyuan and the others’ True Essence.
• Little Fire attacked the altar and collapsed half of it, disrupting Zhao Zuzhi’s attempt to complete the formation.
• Zhao Zuzhi shielded the blood pool with his Natal Magic Treasure and struck at Little Fire with his sword, but Little Fire dodged the attack.
• Zhang Qingyuan told Little Fire to destroy the altar while he took on Zhao Zuzhi.
• Wu Shanming, the Flying Rat, and Tong Feiyan joined the fight against the Zhao Family members.

Zhang Qingyuan confronted Zhao Zuzhi after blocking his attack on the battlefield, and the two unleashed devastating techniques against each other. Their clash overwhelmed the surrounding fighters, while Flying Rat and Wu Shanming recognized Zhang Yuan was likely using an assumed name.

• Zhao Zuzhi attacked the three fighters with blood-red Sword Light, but Zhang Qingyuan intercepted it with a storm of sword shadows.
• Zhang Qingyuan advanced to face Zhao Zuzhi, who unleashed Blood Path Senluo against him.
• Zhang Qingyuan answered with Heaven-Shattering Finger of Qiankun, tearing through Zhao Zuzhi’s Blood Sea and shaking the land for a hundred li.
• Flying Rat carried Tong Feiyan away from the battle and admitted that he had underestimated the danger of True Essence Seventh Layer cultivators.
• Flying Rat guessed that Zhang Yuan was not Zhang Qingyuan’s real name, and Wu Shanming agreed that a cultivator of his stature had little need for a reputation.

Zhang Qingyuan overwhelmed Zhao Zuzhi with a rapid attack and killed him despite the arrival of the Zhao Clan Leader, whose terrifying presence failed to stop the blow. The chapter ended with Zhao Zuzhi’s body falling from the sky as Zhang Qingyuan faced the approaching threat.

• Zhang Qingyuan shattered Zhao Zuzhi’s technique and used Wind Cloud Formless Body to appear behind him.
• Zhao Zuzhi hastily formed his Blood God Sky-Ruling Armor, but Zhang Qingyuan struck it with a blood-qi-powered punch and shattered it.
• Zhao Zuzhi cried out for the Clan Leader as a thunderous voice and powerful aura swept across the horizon.
• Zhang Qingyuan ignored the Clan Leader’s spiritual suppression and punched through Zhao Zuzhi’s chest, destroying his Divine Soul.
• Zhao Zuzhi died and fell toward the ground.

The Zhao Family Patriarch arrived after Zhang Qingyuan killed Zhao Zuzhi and attacked him and his companions with overwhelming force. Zhang Qingyuan drew on Little Fire’s power to raise his cultivation to the peak of the True Essence Seventh Layer and countered the patriarch’s strike with a punch.

• The Zhao Family Patriarch rushed to the eastern altar after the Blood Soul Great Formation was left half-activated and Zhao Tianji’s aura disappeared.
• He witnessed Zhang Qingyuan kill Zhao Zuzhi and unleashed a blood-colored hand attack, revealing that he had reached the True Essence Eighth Layer.
• Tong Feiyan and the others were pinned down by the patriarch’s crushing pressure, while Zhang Qingyuan asked Little Fire to lend him its power.
• Little Fire’s power raised Zhang Qingyuan from the True Essence Sixth Layer to the peak of the True Essence Seventh Layer, though Little Fire quietly prepared to flee if he died.
• Zhang Qingyuan gathered his enhanced strength and punched upward to meet the patriarch’s attack.

Zhang Qingyuan fought the Zhao Family Patriarch and was defeated after thirty-six moves, but gained valuable insight into the True Essence Late Stage. Just as the Patriarch moved to finish him, Senior Brother Wang arrived with the Zhao Family Old Ancestor’s severed head.

• Zhang Qingyuan reflected that the Zhao Family Patriarch’s True Essence Eighth Layer strength had suppressed him, though fighting with Little Fire’s borrowed power had improved his understanding of the True Essence Late Stage.
• The Zhao Family Patriarch recognized Zhang Qingyuan’s unusual strength and urged him to surrender, warning that the Zhao Family Old Ancestor was on his way.
• Zhang Qingyuan questioned the Zhao Family Patriarch about the Zhao family’s hidden strength and its secretive Blood Soul Great Formation.
• The Zhao Family Patriarch attacked Zhang Qingyuan with a blood-red True Essence hand, but Zhang Qingyuan stayed still and called out to Senior Brother Wang.
• Senior Brother Wang arrived through a sword-cut passage carrying a blood-stained head, and the Zhao Family Patriarch recognized it as his Old Ancestor’s.

Wang Yuènián praised Zhang Qingyuan’s extraordinary cultivation, strength, and firm foundation, then revealed that he had recognized the Zhao Family Patriarch as a remnant of the Blood God Sect. The Patriarch was quietly preparing to flee as Wang Yuènián turned to confront him.

• Wang Yuènián arrived and praised Zhang Qingyuan’s rapid progress and formidable abilities.
• Wang Yuènián explained that Zhang Qingyuan’s control over his power and solid foundation had let him face a stronger opponent head-on.
• Zhang Qingyuan credited his luck and opportunities, while Wang Yuènián noted the Little Fire jade bracelet on his wrist.
• Wang Yuènián turned toward the retreating Zhao Family Patriarch and identified him as a remnant of the Blood God Sect.

Wang Yuènián killed the Zhao Family Patriarch, explained the Blood God Sect and the Zhao Family’s failed scheme, and destroyed the altar. As the group moved to destroy the formation’s core, they encountered a crimson figure and an abyss that filled Zhang Qingyuan and Wang Yuènián with terror.

• The Zhao Family Patriarch launched a surprise attack on Wang Yuènián, who caught it and beheaded him with a sword strike.
• Wang Yuènián collected the Zhao Family corpses and told Zhang Qingyuan that the Blood God Sect devoured cultivators to steal strength and that the Zhao Family planned to use the Blood Soul Great Formation to push their Old Ancestor into the Cave True Realm.
• Wang Yuènián destroyed the blood pool altar, and he warned Zhang Qingyuan against taking an evil shortcut on the cultivation path.
• Wang Yuènián, Zhang Qingyuan, Wu Shanming, Flying Rat, and Tong Feiyan flew to a high platform to find the formation’s core.
• Wang Yuènián froze at the sight of a crimson figure seated in a ruined palace before a terrifying abyss, and Zhang Qingyuan felt his consciousness and Divine Soul being pulled into its darkness.

Zhang Qingyuan and the others escaped the Cave Heaven Secret Realm after Wang Yuènián destroyed the Blood Soul Great Formation, and the Cloud Water Sect sealed away the dangerous darkness and eliminated the Zhao Family. Tong Feiyan repaid Zhang Qingyuan, Wu Shanming, and the Flying Rat by giving them the Sanchuan County alliance’s preserved legacy.

• Wang Yuènián broke the Blood Soul Great Formation’s core and opened a passage out of the Cave Heaven Secret Realm, carrying Zhang Qingyuan, Wu Shanming, and the Flying Rat to safety.
• A powerful Cloud Water Sect figure questioned the four survivors, ordered them to keep the strange darkness secret, and rewarded them with Dharma Treasures and other benefits.
• Cloud Water Sect sealed off the relic, destroyed the Zhao Family of Sanchuan County, and took control of the county.
• Zhang Qingyuan chose not to investigate the darkness further and resolved to cultivate until he was strong enough to face such dangers.
• Tong Feiyan asked Zhang Qingyuan to accept repayment for helping her and for the Zhao Family’s destruction.
• Tong Feiyan gave Zhang Qingyuan, Wu Shanming, and the Flying Rat the Sanchuan County alliance’s hidden collection of cultivation inheritances.

In an underground cavern, Tong Feiyan offered Zhang Qingyuan the Yanyu Sect’s inherited techniques and other knowledge in return for help rebuilding the sect. Zhang promised the Cloud Water Sect would support her, and Tong Feiyan felt a private attraction to him.

• Zhang Qingyuan asked whether Tong Feiyan was willing to let him examine the Yanyu Sect’s many inherited jade slips.
• Tong Feiyan explained that she had survived the Zhao Family’s destruction and wanted to rebuild the Yanyu Sect, offering its inheritances as repayment for help and asking for future support.
• Zhang Qingyuan accepted her offer and told Tong Feiyan to treat him as a peer and seek his help through the Cloud Water Sect.
• Tong Feiyan thanked Zhang Qingyuan and privately regretted that she was too old to pursue an intimate relationship with him.

After recording the Jade Slip inheritances in Sanchuan County, Zhang Qingyuan left for the Sect and began studying a Profound Tier sword Martial Skill on the way. He could not yet understand it, and realized that mastering it would likely require reaching the True Essence Realm Late Stage and comprehending his own Dao.

• After spending over a month recording the Jade Slips in the cavern, Zhang Qingyuan reassured Tong Feiyan and left for the Sect.
• In Sanchuan Prefectural City, Zhang Qingyuan thanked Wang Yuènián for saving his life, and the two renewed their friendship before parting.
• Zhang Qingyuan returned alone toward the Sect while Wu Shanming stayed behind to study the Jade Slips.
• During the journey, Zhang Qingyuan studied Spark Burns Nine Heavens, the only Profound Tier Martial Skill among his latest Jade Slip discoveries.
• Zhang Qingyuan failed to understand the skill and concluded that mastering it required comprehending his own Dao, while even one strike could exhaust a True Essence Realm Seventh Layer cultivator.

Zhang Qingyuan considered how he might master the Profound Tier Martial Skill Spark Burns Nine Heavens and regretted not obtaining Burning Heaven Sword Yan Wusheng’s inheritance. After Little Fire explained that Yan Wusheng likely left his legacy to his family, it offered Zhang Qingyuan the former master’s broken sword.

• Zhang Qingyuan reasoned that reaching the True Essence Realm Seventh Layer and transforming his essence, qi, and spirit might let him withstand the cost of using Spark Burns Nine Heavens.
• Zhang Qingyuan suspected the martial skill might be connected to Yan Wusheng, but set aside the mystery and focused on strengthening himself.
• Zhang Qingyuan regretted missing Yan Wusheng’s inheritance and asked Little Fire whether it knew if he had left one behind.
• Little Fire said Yan Wusheng likely entrusted his inheritance to his wife, children, or disciples, so Zhang Qingyuan decided not to seek it from them.
• Little Fire revealed Yan Wusheng’s broken personal sword and offered it to Zhang Qingyuan.

Zhang Qingyuan discovered that Little Fire’s Broken Sword preserved the Dao Rhyme of Yan Wusheng, giving him a valuable guide to developing his own Artistic Conception of Fire. After resting and organizing the Jade Slips he had recorded, he turned his attention to perfecting the Great Evolution Technique before his third visit to the Hall of Enlightenment.

• Zhang Qingyuan examined Little Fire’s Broken Sword and learned that Yan Wusheng had given it to Little Fire as a keepsake before disappearing.
• Zhang Qingyuan studied the Dao Rhyme on the Broken Sword during his journey back, deepening his understanding of Spark Burns Nine Heavens and finding a direction for advancing his Artistic Conception of Fire.
• Zhang Qingyuan returned to the Eighty-seventh Branch, rested, checked the Disciples’ cultivation, and guided Lu Yunxi and several diligent Disciples.
• Zhang Qingyuan spent two or three months organizing the tens of thousands of Jade Slips, while his study of the Broken Sword’s Dao Rhyme and his Profound Tier Martial Skill reached a bottleneck.
• Zhang Qingyuan began devoting himself to perfecting the Great Evolution Technique before using his third opportunity at the Hall of Enlightenment.