Chapter Summaries

Ning Que entered the Academy’s Second Floor and toured the back mountain, where he found a sense of home among its people. Elsewhere, the Master and Li Manman discussed Xiao Xuan’s martial cultivation system, while Wei Guangming sensed signs of Eternal Night in Chang’an and prepared to pursue the son of the Underworld King.

• Two days after Ning Que entered the Second Floor, Chen Pipi guided him around the back mountain and introduced him to its senior brothers and sisters.
• Ning Que visited Xiao Xuan, thanked him for his guidance, and promised to keep learning from the Academy.
• The Master praised Xiao Xuan’s martial cultivation system as Li Manman asked about its limits and potential beyond the Golden Core.
• Xiao Xuan advised Ning Que to travel through Haotian World and consider becoming the Academy’s World Walker before returning to prepare for his Primordial Spirit breakthrough.
• Wei Guangming sensed signs of Eternal Night in Chang’an, unleashed Haotian’s divine radiance from his prison, and vowed that the son of the Underworld King would not escape him again.

Wei Guangming broke free from You Pavilion and headed toward Chang'an, prompting Xiling to publicize his journey and place the burden on the Tang Kingdom and the Academy. Meanwhile, Fuzi and the Academy’s leaders considered the danger to Ning Que as Ning Que traveled with Academy members to the Desolate Plain.

• Wei Guangming shattered Xiong Chumo’s Cage Formation, escaped You Pavilion, and descended Peach Mountain, leaving the temple cavalry badly wounded.
• Xiong Chumo suffered backlash from Wei Guangming’s escape, and Mo Yu persuaded him to recall the forces pursuing Wei Guangming and announce that he was heading to Chang’an.
• Chen Mou discussed Wei Guangming’s escape and the Son of the Underworld King before Fuzi’s wooden staff arrived and Chen Mou’s boat drifted away.
• Fuzi reassured Li Manman that Wei Guangming was unlikely to slaughter innocents, while Li Manman worried about the danger to Ning Que.
• Xiao Xuan chose not to intervene unless necessary, and Ning Que led Academy members to the Desolate Plain for practical cultivation.

Yan Se warned Li Qingshan that Wei Guangming had escaped and was heading for Chang'an, while Xiao Xuan met Fuzi on the road and explained his deductions about Martial Dao. Fuzi used Xiao Xuan’s insights to advance to the Martial Dao Divine Soul, rejuvenating his appearance and extending his lifespan.

• Yan Se told Li Qingshan that Wei Guangming had escaped You Pavilion and was heading toward Chang'an, and Li Qingshan ordered He Mingchi to keep the news secret.
• Xiao Xuan traveled north toward the Devil Sect Mountain Gate while refining his sword intent and Mind Power.
• Xiao Xuan encountered Fuzi and Li Manman on the road and explained his deductions about the realms beyond the Martial Dao Golden Core.
• Fuzi drew on Xiao Xuan’s insights and advanced to the Martial Dao Divine Soul, turning his white hair and beard black and restoring his youthful appearance.

After the Headmaster broke through to the primordial spirit, Xiao Xuan set out for the Devil Sect Mountain Gate and reached Blue Sea Lake in the Min Mountain wasteland. There he encountered disciples of Ink Pond Garden, including Zhuo Zhi Hua and Heavenly Cat Girl, and learned that the Book Addict was traveling with them.

• Xiao Xuan congratulated the Headmaster, who promised to record his breakthrough experience and asked Xiao Xuan to watch over a youngster in the wasteland.
• At Blue Sea Lake, Little Flower jumped into deep water and nearly drowned before Xiao Xuan pulled it back to shore.
• Ink Pond Garden disciples confronted Xiao Xuan, but relaxed after he said he was a Tang citizen from Chang'an.
• Xiao Xuan recognized their senior sister, Zhuo Zhi Hua, from a visit to Ink Pond Garden more than ten years earlier.
• Heavenly Cat Girl admired Little Flower, and Zhuo Zhi Hua apologized to Xiao Xuan for the disciples' suspicion.

Xiao Xuan met Mo Shanshan and the Ink Pond Garden disciples at the Desolate Plain, then entered a strange state of enlightenment beside a lakeshore. Ning Que found the group while exploring and joined them to guard Xiao Xuan, but a bald monk arrived after Zhuo Zhi Hua was wounded.

• Xiao Xuan introduced himself to Zhuo Zhi Hua and Mo Shanshan, and explained that he had come to the Desolate Plain for his own reasons rather than as reinforcements.
• Xiao Xuan camped with Ink Pond Garden, spoke with the Heavenly Cat Girl about Chang'an, and later became dazed beside the lakeshore as melted snowflakes floated before him.
• Ning Que slipped out of the Tang camp and encountered Zhuo Zhi Hua's scouting group, then recognized Little Flower and learned that Xiao Xuan was in a state of enlightenment.
• Ning Que followed Zhuo Zhi Hua and the others to the lakeshore and remained there guarding Xiao Xuan through the day.
• A bald monk wearing a straw hat appeared at the lakeshore, where Zhuo Zhi Hua stood injured with blood at the corner of her mouth.

While Xiao Xuan pursued enlightenment at the hot spring, Ning Que fought a monk sent by Qu Ni to seize it, bringing Qu Ni and Lu Chenjia into conflict with Mo Shanshan and the Ink Pond Garden disciples. Xiao Xuan awakened with a martial Dao primordial spirit and demonstrated mastery of water, leaving Qu Ni injured and the Moon Wheel group stunned.

• Zhuo Zhi Hua confronted the monk over the Ink Pond Garden disciples’ treatment, and Ning Que challenged him when he threatened Xiao Xuan’s enlightenment.
• The monk attacked Ning Que, but Ning Que broke his staff technique, wounded him, and held his sword to the monk’s throat.
• Qu Ni arrived with Lu Chenjia and demanded that Mo Shanshan hand Ning Que over, while Mo Shanshan defended her disciples.
• Qu Ni’s pressure forced most of the Ink Pond Garden disciples back, but Xiao Xuan struck her with a water arrow and sent her reeling, spraying blood.
• Xiao Xuan completed his enlightenment, gained a martial Dao primordial spirit, and made falling snow transform between water, ice, and snow as he rebuked Qu Ni and her group.

Xiao Xuan revealed that he had broken through beyond the Five Realms, left Little Flower to protect Heavenly Cat Girl, and went to the Devil Sect Mountain Gate. After uncovering the ancient stronghold and Ke Haoran’s traces, he settled down to study the sword scars and consolidate his cultivation.

• Xiao Xuan sent Qu Ni and her group away, then told Heavenly Cat Girl that Little Flower would protect her as she traveled toward Chang'an with Ning Que.
• Xiao Xuan departed, and Ning Que realized he had reached a realm beyond the Five Realms.
• Fuzi sensed Xiao Xuan’s breakthrough from Weicheng and reflected on the martial path and the unseen presence watching it.
• Xiao Xuan reached Great Ming Lake and dismantled the Block Fortress Formation, revealing the Devil Sect Mountain Gate beneath the lake.
• Xiao Xuan crossed the vast underground stronghold and found murals of Eternal Night, the remains of its defenders, and a stele declaring that Academy's Ke Haoran had destroyed the Demon Sect there.
• Xiao Xuan sat down in a secluded spot to study Ke Haoran’s sword scars and consolidate his cultivation.

After cultivating in seclusion, Xiao Xuan emerged from the collapsed Demon Sect Mountain Gate and helped Ning Que, Ye Hongyu, and Mo Shanshan. Xia Hou tried to kill Ning Que but left after Xiao Xuan stopped him, and the group learned how completely Fuzi watched over the human world.

• Xiao Xuan revealed that he had reached the Seventh Realm after breaking through Nirvana and Immortal while cultivating inside the Demon Sect Mountain Gate.
• Xiao Xuan gave Ye Hongyu Haoran Sword Intent, encouraged Mo Shanshan and Ning Que to develop what they had learned, and advised Ye Hongyu to avoid Xiling.
• Xia Hou threw a spear at Ning Que, but Xiao Xuan caught it and blocked Xia Hou from reaching him.
• Xia Hou called his attack a sparring match and departed after inviting Xiao Xuan to Tuyang City.
• Ning Que asked Xiao Xuan to take the group with him, but Xiao Xuan explained that Distance-Free travel would kill them and assured them Fuzi would protect Ning Que.
• Xiao Xuan left the group, and Ning Que, Ye Hongyu, and Mo Shanshan understood that Fuzi's awareness extended throughout the human world.

Xiao Xuan stopped Yan Se and Wei Guangming from fighting by revealing that there was no Underworld King or Son of the Underworld King, and that Haotian had initiated Eternal Night. At Wild Goose Cry Lake, Ning Que began his life-or-death battle with Xia Hou, wounding him with a Divine Talisman and Yuan Thirteen Arrows as Xia Hou closed in.

• Xiao Xuan reached the outskirts of Chang'an and persuaded Yan Se and Wei Guangming not to fight, telling Wei Guangming there was no Underworld King or Son of the Underworld King.
• Wei Guangming realized that Haotian had initiated Eternal Night and regretted not seeking Xiao Xuan's advice sooner.
• Fuzi learned of the truth at Back Mountain, while Jun Mo could only endure Fuzi spraying fruit juice onto his face.
• Ning Que and Xia Hou faced each other in a deadly duel at Wild Goose Cry Lake after the Academy's Back Mountain helped arrange a fair battle.
• Ning Que struck Xia Hou with Yan Se's Well Rune, breaking through his defenses and leaving a deep wound.
• Ning Que fired his enhanced Yuan Thirteen Arrows as Xia Hou advanced, injuring him while he blocked and stopped the arrows.

Ning Que fought Xia Hou in a desperate battle and killed him despite being outmatched in strength. After witnessing the outcome, Ye Su asked Xiao Xuan about his chances against Jun Mo and learned that Jun Mo would likely win with the Academy's support.

• Ning Que charged Xia Hou with his blade, but Xia Hou overwhelmed him with his spear and powerful fists.
• At Xuanjing Clinic, Xiao Xuan predicted Xia Hou’s death and told Ye Hongyu and Ye Su that the Academy might help Ning Que against other enemies.
• Xia Hou accused Ning Que of cultivating Demon Sect techniques and continued pressing his attack, wounding Ning Que repeatedly.
• Ning Que seized Xia Hou’s spear and used Haoran Sword Aura to injure him badly, though Ning Que was also left near collapse.
• Ning Que unleashed his final attack, and Xia Hou died after falling into Xiling’s trap; Ning Que collapsed, relieved that the executioner from the General’s Manor tragedy was dead.
• Ye Su asked Xiao Xuan whether he could defeat Jun Mo, and Xiao Xuan said Jun Mo’s combat skill and the Academy’s support would make Ye Su no match for him.

Xiao Xuan explained the realms beyond the Five Realms and revealed the secret behind the seven volumes of the Heavenly Book. Fuzi killed the Divine Dragon to save Ning Que and Sang Sang, but his action drew Haotian’s attention, and Haotian appeared before the Academy.

• Xiao Xuan demonstrated the Sixth and Seventh Realms to Ye Su, who thanked him for his guidance and abandoned his plan to challenge Li Manman.
• A year later, Fuzi borrowed Liu Bai’s Sword of the Human World and used it to slay the Divine Dragon on the Desolate Plain.
• Fuzi took Ning Que and Sang Sang away, then returned to the Academy, where Xiao Xuan warned that Haotian had likely set her sights on him.
• Xiao Xuan revealed that the seven volumes of the Heavenly Book could replace Haotian’s Godhead and explained that Sang Sang was Haotian.
• A woman in white appeared before the Academy group, displaying Haotian’s divine and indifferent presence.

Sang Sang negotiated with Fuzi, but their talks failed and she entered the Divine Kingdom, where Xiao Xuan fought Haotian while Fuzi studied the Heavenly Books. Haotian’s restraint weakened, giving powerhouses across the human world a chance to advance as Xiong Chumo called for an attack on Tang.

• Sang Sang said Ning Que was unharmed and offered peace, but Fuzi demanded that her consciousness dominate and Haotian’s side dissipate.
• Sang Sang opened a gate to the Divine Kingdom, and Fuzi gathered the seven Heavenly Books before following her with Xiao Xuan.
• Xiao Xuan fought Haotian while Fuzi studied how the Heavenly Books could change Heaven and bring Haotian down to the human world.
• Xiong Chumo issued an edict calling on the world to attack Tang after Fuzi ascended.
• Yu Lian sensed Haotian’s suppression weakening, and Li Manman and Jun Mo said several powerhouses could now break through.

As the Xiling coalition army advanced on Green Gorge, the Academy’s disciples defended the pass while Jun Mo faced Ye Su in a Sixth Realm duel. Ye Su withdrew after defeating Jun Mo, and Liu Bai prepared to fight him next.

• Li Zhongyi ordered Tang’s generals to hold the borders and left Green Gorge’s defense to the Academy.
• Li Manman met the Abbey Master, who said he would not interfere with the campaign against Tang.
• The Academy’s formation collapsed the cliffs at Green Gorge, killing many coalition soldiers before the Back Mountain disciples confronted the survivors.
• Jun Mo repelled the Xiling cavalry until Ye Hongyu trapped him with the Cage Formation, briefly leaving the Academy teachers badly injured.
• Ye Su challenged Jun Mo after allowing him time to recover, defeated him in their Sixth Realm duel, and withdrew without stopping the defense of Green Gorge.
• Liu Bai praised Ye Su and prepared to fight Jun Mo while Jun Mo insisted on continuing the defense.

Xiong Chumo invaded the Academy’s Back Mountain seeking the Formation Core Pestle, but Yu Lian revealed herself as Lin Wu and confronted him. After Xiong Chumo’s Apocalypse Divine Art failed to hit her, Lin Wu sent a tide of cicada wings surging toward him.

• Jun Mo lost an arm while severely wounding Liu Bai, forcing Liu Bai to retreat and ending the march through Xiling Green Gorge.
• Xiong Chumo broke the Cloud Mist Formation, defeated the Fifth and Eighth Instructors, and continued into the Back Mountain.
• Yu Lian rose to the peak of the Knowing Destiny Realm and revealed that she was Lin Wu, the former Demon Sect master who had become Fuzi’s disciple.
• Xiong Chumo unleashed the Apocalypse Divine Art, but Lin Wu evaded its golden beam after Fuzi spoke to her through her consciousness.
• Lin Wu summoned cicada wings across the mountains and plains and sent them surging toward Xiong Chumo.

Lin Wu defeated Xiong Chumo while Xiao Xuan fought Haotian in the divine kingdom, wounded him, and arranged for Fuzi to take Haotian’s place as the will of heaven. Xiao Xuan and the Sword of the Human World disappeared, leaving the Haotian World to remember him as the Martial Ancestor.

• Lin Wu overwhelmed Xiong Chumo with rapid strikes and sent him away from the Academy.
• Xiao Xuan used the Sword of the Human World and the Heavenly Sword to wound Haotian and drive him toward the mortal world.
• Xiao Xuan split off one-third of his primordial spirit, which merged with the Heavenly Dao and became the will of heaven.
• Haotian took power in Xiling but eventually fell into Ning Que’s hands.
• After the battle of ascending to heaven, Xiao Xuan and the Sword of the Human World disappeared, while martial arts became an orthodox cultivation system.
• Fuzi remained at the Academy as the Martial Ancestor became a legendary figure in the Haotian World.

After ascending to the Heaven Realm, Xiao Xuan was appointed Azure Emperor and learned that the world was tied to the story of the God of War. He met the heartless silver-armored general and urged her to follow her heart rather than continue killing the Shura Clan.

• Xiao Xuan cultivated in the Lower Realm for nearly thirty years, reached Return to Void, and ascended after surviving the Nine Heavens Lightning Tribulation.
• The Heavenly Emperor appointed Xiao Xuan Azure Emperor of Dongfang after recognizing his strength and the Heavenly Dao’s warning.
• Xiao Xuan managed his residence for decades before the monster and demon races, led by Luo Hou Jidu, began overwhelming the Heavenly Court.
• Xiao Xuan heard of the powerful female God of War and realized that Bailin’s realm was the Heaven Realm he knew.
• At the Heavenly Pool, Ting Nu introduced Xiao Xuan to the God of War and the Imperial Son, while Xiao Xuan recognized that the general had a Vaidurya body and no heart-soul.
• The God of War confessed that killing the Shura Clan made her heart hurt, and Xiao Xuan advised her to follow her heart and avoid accumulating killing karma.

The God of War discovered that Bailin had remade her from Luo Hou Jidu and concealed her origins, including her role in destroying her own clan. She confronted Bailin in the Heavenly Realm, but he used the Glazed Lamp to subdue her as she demanded justice.

• The God of War General pursued Wuzhiqi to the ruined Demon Domain to reclaim the Heaven-Equaling Strategy Sea, and he showed her a mural revealing Bailin had remade someone identical to her from a mysterious creature.
• The God of War went to the Hall of Fate and found altered records revealing that Bailin had extracted Luo Hou Jidu's heart-soul and sealed it in the Glazed Lamp, making her Luo Hou Jidu remade.
• The God of War confronted Bailin at his palace, accused him and the Heavenly Realm of deceiving and using her, and demanded that the Heavenly Emperor face her.
• Heavenly soldiers and the four divine beasts attacked the God of War, but she drove them back before Bailin summoned the Glazed Lamp and brought her to her knees in pain.
• The soldiers bound the God of War with chains as she shouted that the Heavenly Realm had made her commit unjust slaughter and was now condemning her.

Xi Xuan intervened to save the War God from execution, and the Azure Emperor arranged for her to descend to the Lower Realm for ten lifetimes of trials. After meeting with the Heavenly Emperor, Xiao Xuan went to the Medical Saint Sect and asked to serve there as an unnamed elder.

• Xi Xuan stopped Bailin from striking the War God with divine lightning and fought him to a standstill.
• The Azure Emperor protected the War God's Primordial Spirit and True Spirit, sent her to the Netherworld for ten lifetimes of trials, and entrusted Dingkun to watch over her.
• The Azure Emperor told Bailin that his treatment of Jidu had been too cruel, then visited the Heavenly Emperor at Kunlun Mountains.
• The Azure Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor played a game of Dao chess that lasted years and eventually became evenly matched.
• Xiao Xuan visited Qian Ji at the Medical Saint Sect and asked for an ordinary elder position without revealing his identity.

After cultivating for thousands of years, Xiao Xuan left his former world and entered the Shrouding the Heavens Era, where he spent nearly a century learning its cultivation system. He arrived at Mount Tai and entered Kunlun’s hidden inner region, where he admired its primordial landscape.

• Xiao Xuan cultivated for thousands of years while the mortal world changed, then departed through a barrier between worlds.
• Several mysterious voices discussed an anomaly in an evolved world that they could not deduce and decided to watch its cause and effect.
• Xiao Xuan appeared at Mount Tai and reflected on his arrival in the Shrouding the Heavens Era nearly a hundred years earlier.
• Xiao Xuan assessed his strength as roughly Quasi-Emperor level and described his progress cultivating the era’s five secret realms.
• Xiao Xuan used the Immortal Treasure Diagram to enter Kunlun’s inner region and found a vast, primordial landscape.

Xiao Xuan explored Mount Tai, collecting treasures and discovering a relic guarded by the Ruthless Great Emperor’s power. He left with abundant materials and began considering how to forge a natal Dao weapon.

• Xiao Xuan found a Holy Spirit stone embryo in a Dragon Vein and took it with him after collecting a small amount of dragon marrow.
• A Saint-level corpse demon emerged from a burial chamber, and Xiao Xuan destroyed it with a single sword strike as nearby Beast Kings watched.
• Xiao Xuan searched the chamber and found the Evolving Scripture, a five-million-jin piece of Evolving Immortal Gold, and more than a dozen king-grade divine weapons.
• Xiao Xuan discovered the Ruthless Great Emperor’s bloodstained clothing and an imperial stele guarding it beneath a Chaos waterfall, and chose not to touch either relic.
• Xiao Xuan considered using the Evolving Immortal Gold to forge an external weapon and reviewed how divine patterns from the five secret realms could form a natal Dao weapon.