Chapter Summaries

Shen Changchuan reunited with his mother, Han Yue'er, and spent the day sharing news and memories with her. Before he left to see the Old Ancestor, Han Yue'er warned him to be cautious around his father, Shen Fuxing, and began explaining suspicious rumors that had spread through Shen Family Manor.

• Shen Changchuan reflected on his memories of Han Yue'er and reassured her that he had been well cared for during his time away.
• Han Yue'er told Shen Changchuan that his growing reputation had changed how people at Shen Family Manor treated her.
• Shen Changchuan spent the day with Han Yue'er, who cooked him a meal that recalled his childhood.
• As Shen Changchuan prepared to visit the Old Ancestor, Han Yue'er warned him to keep his guard up around Shen Fuxing.
• Han Yue'er explained that unusual rumors about Shen Changchuan had spread through the manor and attracted First Madam's attention, then said her secret investigation had uncovered clues.

Han Yue'er told Shen Changchuan that Shen Fuxing had secretly spread scandals that pushed both Shen Chong and Shen Changchuan into danger, though she did not know why. Shen Changchuan then met the Shen Family Old Ancestor, who regretted having rejected him for the Seed Plan and sent him to the Dragon Firmament Sect.

• Han Yue'er explained that Shen Chong's threat to return after killing First Madam's servants became public despite First Madam's efforts to suppress it.
• Shen Changchuan realized that Shen Fuxing had likely leaked the scandal and had also engineered his own rise into public attention.
• Han Yue'er urged Shen Changchuan to stay wary of Shen Fuxing, and Shen Changchuan agreed.
• Shen Changchuan went to meet the Shen Family Old Ancestor, who lamented that Shen Chong and Shen Changchuan had both become estranged from the family.
• The Shen Family Old Ancestor regretted rejecting Shen Tingchu's proposal to put Shen Changchuan in the Seed Plan and arranging for him to join the Dragon Firmament Sect.

The Shen Family Old Ancestor offered Shen Changchuan resources to make amends for failing to punish Zhou Yi, and Shen Changchuan was stunned by something on the list. Meanwhile, Shen Fuxing agreed to host Zhou Lingyun’s exchange gathering, recognizing its hostile purpose but choosing not to interfere.

• The Shen Family Old Ancestor congratulated Shen Changchuan on becoming You Longzi’s Personal Disciple and offered him eighty thousand Spirit Stones in resources as compensation for Shen Zhengming’s attack.
• Shen Changchuan accepted the Old Ancestor’s explanation that Zhou Yi’s powerful backing prevented him from pursuing the true culprit, then stared at the resource list in shock.
• Zhou Lingyun told Shen Fuxing to arrange an exchange gathering three days later, boasting that it would let the Shen Family see Central Continent Dharma Gates.
• After Zhou Lingyun left, Shen Fuxing explained that the gathering was meant to humiliate the Shen Family and support Zhou Yi.
• Shen Fuxing refused to interfere, reasoning that the clan’s loss of face would help curb others’ ambitions for the clan leader’s seat.

Shen Fuxing arranged for Zhou Lingyun’s Exchange Battle to undermine the rival Shen Family branches and protect his position as clan leader. As the Shen Family prepared for the match, Shen Changchuan learned from Shen Tingchu that the event was expected to bring them humiliation.

• Shen Fuxing saw Zhou Lingyun’s challenge as a chance to use the Central Continent visitor to weaken the rival branches and keep his clan-leader position.
• Shen Fuxing recalled how he had previously used the branches’ ambitions to spread news of Shen Chong’s rebellion and damage Zhou Yi’s standing.
• News spread that Zhou Lingyun would spar with Shen Family members under fifty, prompting resistance because people believed he meant to defend his Aunt and vent his anger.
• Shen Fuxing announced that every Branch Lineage had to send a representative, framing the battle as a test of the descendants’ ability and their claim to clan resources.
• Shen Changchuan met Shen Tingchu, who told him the Exchange Battle with Zhou Lingyun was approaching and that the Shen Family was likely to lose face.

Shen Tingchu explained why he had to face Zhou Lingyun, then asked Shen Changchuan to spar so he could judge the younger cultivator’s strength. Their match began in a desolate mountain valley, where Shen Tingchu unleashed his life-bound sword at Shen Changchuan.

• Shen Tingchu said he would represent the Shen Family against Zhou Lingyun and hoped he could withstand the challenge.
• Shen Tingchu praised Shen Changchuan’s talent, then asked him to spar after hearing of his victories.
• Shen Changchuan agreed, and the two rode Escape Light to a barren valley two hundred li from Tiannan City.
• Shen Tingchu opened the spar by sending his life-bound blood-red sword crashing toward Shen Changchuan.

Shen Changchuan overwhelmed Shen Tingchu in a sparring match by using the power of momentum, then agreed to fight him again after Shen Tingchu recovered. Near Tiannan City, Shen Changchuan parted ways with Shen Tingchu to visit his mother, leaving Shen Tingchu baffled by the difference in their strength.

• Shen Tingchu struck at Shen Changchuan with his sword, but Shen Changchuan crushed the attack with a great hand of mana and sent him crashing into a mountain.
• Shen Changchuan hurried to check on Shen Tingchu, who recovered from the impact and insisted on another match.
• Shen Changchuan agreed to fight Shen Tingchu again, and they battled in the desolate valley for half a day.
• Several dozen li outside Tiannan City, Shen Changchuan told Shen Tingchu he was going to visit his mother, and they parted ways.
• Shen Tingchu watched Shen Changchuan fly away and wondered how someone who had only recently entered the Out of Body Stage could be so much stronger than him.

After defeating Shen Tingchu, Shen Changchuan assessed his strength and reminded himself that powerful peers could still surpass him. He returned to Han Yue'er, learned his father wanted to see him, and entered seclusion to reflect on the battle.

• Shen Changchuan worried that his victory had dealt Shen Tingchu too great a blow, then concluded his opponent would recover.
• Shen Changchuan recognized that momentum, his Spirit Body, and his Divine Ability Seed gave him a decisive advantage over ordinary Out of Body Stage cultivators, but he still needed to grow stronger to face mid-stage experts and elite peers.
• Shen Changchuan returned to Han Yue'er, who told him his father had sent for him; he postponed the meeting and asked to cultivate in seclusion.
• Han Yue'er led Shen Changchuan to a quiet house near a Spirit Spring, where he reviewed his battle with Shen Tingchu and gained a slight improvement.

After defeating Shen Tingchu, Shen Changchuan absorbed the lessons from their battle and spent his compensation quota on cultivation pills and other resources. His choice left him with little money, while the Old Ancestor was surprised that he prioritized pills over equipment for combat and protection.

• Shen Changchuan reflected on how fighting Shen Tingchu had improved his control and combat skills, but decided he did not need to seek dangerous battles because he could cultivate with the Progress Bar Panel.
• Shen Changchuan used his 150,000 Spirit Stone quota to obtain 300 Mid-grade Spirit Stones, True Essence Pills, Body Tempering Pills, and Rejuvenation Pills.
• Shen Changchuan lamented how quickly his compensation had been spent and concluded that Treasure Artifacts were even more expensive than pills.
• The Old Ancestor was surprised that Shen Changchuan spent his quota on pills, since most Out of Body Stage cultivators prioritized Treasure Artifacts, Talismans, and Formations.

Shen Changchuan tested a True Essence Pill and discovered that his Wood Element Spiritual Body accelerated pill refinement, prompting him to seek his Master's advice about pill poison. He then flew to Tiannan City to meet Shen Fuxing, who hoped to use his powerful son as a tool.

• Shen Changchuan refined a True Essence Pill for two days and found that it had raised his Cultivation Realm by a small step.
• Shen Changchuan realized his Wood Element Spiritual Body helped him refine pills quickly and seemed to absorb their pill poison, so he decided to ask his Master about it.
• Shen Changchuan left for Tiannan City after learning that Shen Fuxing had repeatedly sent for him.
• Shen Fuxing considered how to approach Shen Changchuan and hoped his son would either obey him or serve as a useful ally.

Shen Fuxing tried to draw Shen Changchuan into the Shen Family’s clash with Zhou Lingyun, hoping to use his strength and reputation for the clan and his own benefit. Shen Changchuan rejected the appeal and refused to participate.

• Shen Changchuan addressed Shen Fuxing as clan leader and made clear he felt no father-son bond with him.
• Shen Fuxing explained that Zhou Lingyun planned to challenge the Shen Family’s younger generation and help Zhou Yi gain influence.
• Shen Fuxing urged Shen Changchuan to fight Zhou Lingyun, presenting it as a way to restore the family’s reputation and protect Han Yue'er.
• Shen Changchuan considered Shen Fuxing’s proposal and refused to participate.

Shen Changchuan rejected Shen Fuxing’s demand that he fight Zhou Lingyun and decided to send his mother to Great Bay Village for safety. As Shen Fuxing fumed, Zhou Lingyun continued to dominate the Shen Family’s younger fighters, leaving the arena plaza silent.

• Shen Changchuan refused to fight Zhou Lingyun, saying the Shen Family’s affairs no longer concerned him and his mother would soon visit her relatives in Great Bay Village.
• Shen Changchuan left the reception hall, while Shen Fuxing shattered a white jade teacup and angrily condemned his refusal.
• Shen Changchuan saw that Zhou Lingyun had defeated another Shen Family fighter, leaving him bloodied in a crater in the arena.
• Zhou Lingyun mocked the Tiannan Shen Clan after defeating its younger fighters, including Shen Tingchu, with little effort.
• Zhou Lingyun said that he had expected more from the Shen Family because his Aunt Zhou Yi had married into it.

Zhou Lingyun publicly humiliated the Shen Family and warned them to treat his aunt, First Madam Zhou Yi, with respect, strengthening her influence within the clan. Shen Changchuan recognized the likely power shift but chose to leave the family’s conflicts behind.

• Zhou Lingyun taunted the Shen Family elders and challenged anyone under fifty to defeat him, warning that the Zhou Family would punish them if Zhou Yi remained unhappy.
• Zhou Lingyun’s strength and the Zhou Family’s backing frightened the Shen Family clansmen and worried the branch elders, who feared Zhou Yi would gain control of the family.
• First Madam Zhou Yi praised Zhou Lingyun and sensed that her authority in the Shen Family had grown.
• Shen Changchuan predicted that Zhou Yi would find it easier to command the Shen Family’s Out of Body Stage cultivators, but decided to leave with his mother rather than get involved.
• Shen Changchuan suspected Shen Fuxing would suffer most from Zhou Yi’s growing power, then turned and left.

Shen Changchuan arranged for Han Yue'er to leave Tiannan City and stay at Great Bay Village, where she could be safer and reunite with her family. As Zhou Lingyun’s victory over the Shen Family stirred the Cultivation World, people debated whether absent prodigies Shen Chong and Shen Changchuan could have challenged him.

• Shen Changchuan told Han Yue'er about Zhou Lingyun’s challenge and suggested she temporarily move to Great Bay Village.
• Han Yue'er agreed to leave and asked to bring the maids who had served her for many years; Shen Changchuan approved.
• Shen Changchuan and Han Yue'er spent three days preparing, then planned to depart for Great Bay Village.
• News of Zhou Lingyun defeating the Shen Family’s younger generation spread through Tiannan City and the surrounding Cultivation World.
• Cultivators discussed how Shen Chong and Shen Changchuan might have fared against Zhou Lingyun, noting that both renowned geniuses had been forced to leave the Shen Family.

Shen Changchuan left Tiannan City with his mother, Han Yue'er, and their group, while wondering why Old Ancestor had not intervened in the Shen Family’s turmoil. After five days of uneventful travel, an ambush struck without warning.

• Shen Changchuan avoided the Shen Family’s factions and focused on pursuing higher realms on the Immortal Path.
• Han Yue'er finished preparing to leave, and Shen Changchuan used a Communication Talisman to inform Old Ancestor before departing quietly with their group.
• As they left Tiannan City, Shen Changchuan sensed what he believed was Old Ancestor’s gaze and questioned why he had allowed Zhou Lingyun’s actions to reshape the Shen Family’s balance of power.
• Shen Changchuan dismissed his doubts and continued traveling with the group.
• After five days and a thousand li on the road, Shen Changchuan’s group was ambushed.

Zhou Lingyun ambushed Shen Changchuan on the road, claiming he wanted to challenge him but admitting he was displeased with Shen Changchuan. Shen Changchuan shielded the carriage convoy and struck first, but as a powerful aura rose from the mountain, a familiar voice intervened.

• Zhou Lingyun stopped Shen Changchuan's convoy and revealed that he intended to kill him because he disliked him.
• Shen Changchuan deployed a First Order Immovable Mountain Array to protect the convoy and its passengers.
• Shen Changchuan launched a lightning-fast punch that sent Zhou Lingyun crashing through a small mountain.
• A vast aura rose from the mountain, but a familiar voice and powerful soul force intervened to block it.

Shen Changchuan faced Zhou Lingyun as Shen Chong fought the Zhou Family elder who had intervened on Zhou Lingyun’s behalf. After Zhou Lingyun resumed the duel, his powerful attacks forced Shen Changchuan to rely on his Bronze Bell, which was already at risk of being damaged.

• Shen Chong confronted Zhou Lingyun’s Fourth Uncle and accused the Zhou Family of breaking its promise of a fair fight.
• Zhou Lingyun emerged from the collapsed hill, revealed that his Protective Jade Talisman had shattered, and demanded to continue fighting Shen Changchuan.
• Zhou Lingyun unleashed an attack with an aura rivaling an Out of Body Stage Third Layer cultivator and ordered his Fourth Uncle to hold Shen Chong back.
• Zhou Lingyun appeared behind Shen Changchuan and struck his neck, but Shen Changchuan summoned the Bronze Bell to block the saber.
• Zhou Lingyun launched another powerful blade attack from above as Shen Changchuan realized the Bronze Bell could withstand only a few more strikes.

Shen Changchuan used his perfected Lightning Shadow Swift Step to evade Zhou Lingyun’s powerful attack and strike him into the ground. As Shen Chong blocked the Square-faced Middle-aged Man, the man saw that Zhou Lingyun was losing and launched a desperate attack.

• Zhou Lingyun unleashed an all-out slash that Shen Changchuan judged to be as powerful as an Out of Body Stage Third Layer attack.
• Shen Changchuan dodged the slash with Lightning Shadow Swift Step and punched Zhou Lingyun into the earth, breaking his protective light shield and a Jade Talisman.
• The Square-faced Middle-aged Man tried to move, but Shen Chong intercepted him and declared that his path was blocked.
• An aged voice in Shen Chong’s mind praised Shen Changchuan’s mastery of a perfect second-tier Movement Technique, while Shen Chong reflected on his half-brother’s talent.
• The Square-faced Middle-aged Man roared at Shen Chong and sent a giant palm attack toward him as he saw Zhou Lingyun’s disadvantage.

Shen Changchuan pressed his attack on Zhou Lingyun while Shen Chong fought Zhou Lingyun’s protector, the Square-faced Middle-aged Man. Zhou Lingyun survived Shen Changchuan’s sword-array assault behind a Bagua Mirror barrier, leaving their battle unresolved.

• The Square-faced Middle-aged Man realized Shen Changchuan was an extraordinary genius and feared Zhou Lingyun would lose, then clashed with Shen Chong.
• Shen Changchuan focused on defeating Zhou Lingyun, hoping his death would further unsettle the Square-faced Middle-aged Man.
• Shen Changchuan followed his punch with three Azure Wood Sword Lights, combining them into a powerful Three Talents formation.
• Shen Chong exploited the Square-faced Middle-aged Man’s distraction and struck him, sending him flying.
• Zhou Lingyun emerged from the crater protected by a snow-white Bagua Mirror as Shen Changchuan’s three sword lights descended.

Shen Changchuan overwhelmed Zhou Lingyun with repeated Azure Wood Sword Light attacks, while Zhou Lingyun relied on the White Jade Bagua Mirror and struggled to land a hit. After the latest assault pierced the mirror’s defenses and staggered him, Zhou Lingyun faced the choice of using his precious one-use trump card.

• Shen Changchuan’s three Azure Wood Sword Lights struck the White Jade Bagua Mirror, but Zhou Lingyun blocked them with the Treasure Artifact.
• Zhou Lingyun counterattacked with a powerful beam from the mirror, but Shen Changchuan evaded it using Lightning Shadow Swift Step.
• Shen Changchuan attacked Zhou Lingyun from behind with three more Azure Wood Sword Lights, dimming the mirror’s reflected light.
• Zhou Lingyun considered using the one-use item bestowed by the Old Ancestor, but hesitated because of its rarity.
• Shen Changchuan launched another three Azure Wood Sword Lights, and part of their sword intent penetrated the mirror’s defense, forcing Zhou Lingyun back more than ten zhang.

Shen Changchuan killed Zhou Lingyun with a strike from his Divine Ability Seed after destroying the White Jade Bagua Mirror. He realized the Three Azure Luo Sword Array had grown beyond its original form and took the dangerous Jade Talisman from Zhou Lingyun’s corpse.

• Zhou Lingyun tried to activate a Jade Talisman containing the old patriarch’s full-force strike, but three Azure Wood Sword Lights forced him to use the White Jade Bagua Mirror again.
• The repeated attacks shattered the White Jade Bagua Mirror, leaving Zhou Lingyun exposed as he prepared to undo the Jade Talisman’s seal.
• Shen Changchuan unleashed the Three Azure Luo Sword Array through his Divine Ability Seed and killed Zhou Lingyun with a single strike.
• Shen Changchuan realized his Divine Ability Seed had developed the sword array into a new form and considered studying it further.
• Shen Changchuan took the Jade Talisman from Zhou Lingyun’s corpse and recognized how dangerous it would have been if Zhou Lingyun had activated it.