Chapter Summaries

Lin Ming combined the Heaven Refining Ancient Array and the Dragon-Elephant Shattering Heaven Array to resist the Xia Emperor, but their collision triggered a devastating spatial storm. The Xia Emperor escaped while Lin Ming was swallowed by the storm, and the Sunflower Ice Spirit Object vanished with him.

• Lin Ming fused the Heaven Refining Ancient Array with the Dragon-Elephant Shattering Heaven Array and met the Xia Emperor’s dark-gold strike head-on.
• The forces locked together, then shattered space and unleashed a spatial storm that tore across the Far Western Lands.
• The Xia Emperor fled the storm, suffering a deep wound to his arm, while Lin Ming was caught at its center.
• After the storm subsided, the Xia Emperor searched the ruins and concluded that Lin Ming could not have survived.
• The Ninth Elder of the Ice Spirit Clan told the Xia Emperor that the Sunflower Ice Spirit Object had vanished with Lin Ming.

After the Xia Emperor and the Ice Spirit Clan left the ruins, Lin Ming survived the spatial storm by shielding himself with world power and found a passage into an ancient, orderly realm. His entry released a primal fluctuation that the Xia Emperor recognized as the sign of the Elder Ruins emerging, and it drew attention across the Sky Luo Continent.

• The Ninth Elder led the three Ice Spirit Clan experts away after the Sunflower Ice Spirit Object was lost, and the Xia Emperor left the ruins soon after.
• Lin Ming endured the spatial storm’s violent fragments by maintaining a protective membrane of world power, though he lost his bearings in the darkness.
• Lin Ming spotted a narrow passage lit by a faint white glow and entered its ancient, stable space.
• Lin Ming’s arrival in the passage released an ancient fluctuation that spread across the Sky Luo Continent.
• The Xia Emperor recognized the fluctuation as the emergence of the Elder Ruins and turned back toward the Far Western Lands.
• A man in the Sacred Demon Palace Hall crushed his jade cup and rose as he sensed the fluctuation.

Lu Heng, Mandala, and other powerful figures sensed the Ancient Heavenly Palace emerging and headed toward the Far Western Lands. Lin Ming entered its ancient world and flew toward distant mountain palaces, discovering a desolate landscape scarred by traces of a cataclysmic battle.

• Lu Heng sensed the Ancient Heavenly Palace’s fluctuations and vanished from the Sacred Demon Palace.
• Mandala and powerful figures across the Sky Luo Continent sensed the fluctuations, and an ice-blue-gowned woman used a spatial treasure to travel toward them.
• Lin Ming followed a jade-like passage through a spatial ring and emerged in a vast, ruined ancient world.
• Lin Ming sensed the oppressive remnants of powerful auras and headed toward distant mountains lined with ruined palaces.
• While flying, Lin Ming discovered countless abysses and destroyed cities, recognizing that the landscape had been shattered by an immense ancient battle.

Lin Ming reached a ruined mountain hall in an ancient realm and found evidence that its defenders had been killed in a sudden attack ten thousand years earlier. After North King and Xia Jia discovered fragile wolf tokens among the skeletons, Lin Ming led the group toward more intact halls deeper in the mountains.

• Lin Ming reached the highest peak and examined skeletal remains whose poses suggested they had died in terror during an assault from the sky.
• Lin Ming released Zi Yan, North King, and Xia Jia after confirming the area was safe, then described how he had entered the ancient realm.
• North King found a Green Wolf Token in a skeleton's hand, but it crumbled to powder when he touched it.
• Xia Jia found White Wolf Tokens in other skeletons, and Zi Yan suggested that the tokens had marked their owners' ranks and identities.
• Lin Ming spotted more intact halls in the distance, sensed stronger spiritual energy there, and led the others toward them.

Lin Ming and his companions discovered a deadly spiritual array blocking their way into the heart of the ruins. After realizing they could not force their way through, they began searching along its edge for an entrance.

• Lin Ming sensed danger and stopped Zi Yan, North King, and Xia Jia before they reached nearly invisible strands of spiritual light.
• Lin Ming tested the strands with a mid-grade divine artifact longsword, which they shredded and erased almost instantly.
• Lin Ming recognized the strands as a vast grandmaster-level spiritual array that could threaten even an Earth Sovereign.
• Lin Ming concluded that the array must have an entrance for the guards and led the group along its edge to search for one.

Lin Ming, Zi Yan, and the North King reached the Dragon Ascension Gate and learned that the ruins were likely the remains of the Ancient Heavenly Palace. The North King described the palace’s destruction during an invasion by the Extraterritorial Evil Race, while Lin Ming looked toward the ruins deeper within.

• Lin Ming and the others arrived at an enormous ancient stone gate, and Xia Jia identified its inscription as “Dragon Ascension Gate.”
• The North King connected the gate and a Green Wolf Token to an ancient account of the Ancient Heavenly Palace’s disciple trials.
• The North King explained that the Ancient Heavenly Palace had once ruled the Sky Luo Continent under the Heavenly Emperor, with the Five Halls and Nine Mansions beneath it.
• The North King said the Extraterritorial Evil Race destroyed the palace in an ancient invasion, and Zi Yan recognized the abysses, ruined cities, and skeletons as traces of that battle.
• The North King suggested that powerful treasures might remain deeper inside, and Lin Ming considered the evidence while gazing toward the distant stone islands.

Lin Ming and the others learned about the Dragon Ascension Gate’s ranks and sent Zi Yan inside to take its assessment. After several hours of waiting, the gate opened and a golden dragon emerged in a pillar of light.

• The North King explained that the Dragon Ascension Gate assessed disciples and assigned one of four token ranks, each with white, green, and gold standing.
• Lin Ming concluded they needed high-ranking tokens for greater access to the Ancient Heavenly Palace, while the North King warned that the gate’s trial was unknown.
• Lin Ming stopped Zi Yan from rushing in, then let her enter after she promised to withdraw if she encountered danger.
• Lin Ming, the North King, and Xia Jia waited for several hours as Zi Yan remained inside the gate.
• The Dragon Ascension Gate shook open, releasing brilliant light and an enormous golden dragon that roared above the mountain.

Zi Yan emerged from the Dragon Ascension Gate with a Golden Dragon Token, and Lin Ming entered the gate to begin his own trial. The plaza recognized him as a half-step Earth Sovereign and authorized him as a Golden Flood Dragon Disciple.

• Zi Yan received a Golden Dragon Token, shocking North King and Xia Jia with her highest-ranking status.
• Zi Yan described her experience inside the Dragon Ascension Gate to Lin Ming, who then entered the gate himself.
• Lin Ming arrived in an ancient plaza and examined stone statues whose strength increased toward the left, with the strongest seeming to approach or reach Earth Sovereign.
• The plaza trembled and an aged voice announced Lin Ming's challenge authorization as a Golden Flood Dragon Disciple.

Lin Ming faced the Dragon Ascension Gate’s Golden Flood Dragon Disciple, a half-step Earth Sovereign, and defeated him with a single move. He waited for the gate to assign him another challenge.

• The Dragon Ascension Gate announced that Lin Ming was authorized to challenge the Golden Flood Dragon Disciple.
• The ninth stone pillar released the Golden Flood Dragon Disciple, who formed the Golden Flood Dragon Spirit Seal and launched a massive flood dragon at Lin Ming.
• Lin Ming summoned a golden lightning dragon with a casual point of his finger and sent it against the attack.
• The golden lightning dragon suppressed the flood dragon, which turned on its master and shattered the Golden Flood Dragon Disciple.
• Lin Ming remained unmoved and looked toward the three farther pillars, waiting for the next challenge.

After defeating the Golden Flood Dragon Disciple, Lin Ming was chosen to challenge the Golden Dragon Disciple, the Ancient Heavenly Palace’s highest rank. The two Half-Step Earth Sovereigns began their battle, and their attacks collided above the plaza.

• The ninth pillar dimmed after Lin Ming defeated the Golden Flood Dragon Disciple, and the Dragon Ascension Gate awakened the first pillar.
• The Golden Dragon Disciple emerged from his shattered stone shell, and Lin Ming sensed that he was at the peak of Half-Step Earth Sovereign strength.
• The Golden Dragon Disciple warned Lin Ming that losing would rank him as a White Dragon Disciple, then challenged him with his spear.
• The Golden Dragon Disciple launched a black-gold dragon spear strike, and Lin Ming countered with a flame Dragon Phoenix saber attack.
• The two dragons collided above the plaza, unleashing an explosion of spiritual energy and light.

Lin Ming defeated the Golden Dragon Disciple and obtained a Golden Dragon Token, then led Zi Yan, North King, and Xia Jia through the Ancient Heavenly Palace’s outer array. The group arrived inside the palace grounds, where they saw its vast mountains, ruined halls, and floating stone islands.

• Lin Ming defeated the Golden Dragon Disciple, who conceded and dissolved into light that formed a Golden Dragon Token.
• Lin Ming emerged from the Dragon Ascension Gate, and a golden pillar and giant dragon revealed that he had become a Golden Dragon Disciple.
• North King and Xia Jia entered the Dragon Ascension Gate and received a Golden Eagle Token and a Bai Ying Token, respectively.
• Lin Ming and Zi Yan led North King and Xia Jia through the outer spiritual array using their identity tokens.
• Lin Ming and the others arrived inside the Ancient Heavenly Palace and surveyed its mountains, palaces, and floating stone islands.

Lin Ming and his companions searched three floating stone islands in the Ancient Heavenly Palace but found only ruined, empty halls. To speed up their search, Lin Ming tried to draw the next island into his inner world, where he could control its formation more easily.

• Lin Ming warned Zi Yan, North King, and Xia Jia that the Ancient Heavenly Palace's formations could be deadly, then led them toward the floating stone islands.
• The group searched three islands and found only decayed objects, empty halls, and ruined buildings marked by signs of an ancient battle.
• After the fruitless searches, Lin Ming realized that dismantling formations and searching islands one by one would take too long.
• Lin Ming told the others to retreat while he tested whether he could draw an island into his inner world.
• Lin Ming opened a black, flame-ringed hole in his palm, and its suction made the island's spiritual formation patterns flash wildly.