Chapter Summaries

An Ning saved a Quasi-Hegemon from the Dao Sea, then struggled with Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue’s words about her master and her origins. Dao Wushuang comforted her and confirmed that she truly was connected to them, leaving An Ning facing the truth about her family.

• An Ning rescued a Quasi-Hegemon who was being devoured by the Dao Sea and urged him to calm his heart and find his own path.
• An Ning wrestled with her loyalty to her master and her confusion over why she had fled from Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue.
• Dao Wushuang embraced An Ning and explained that she was kind beneath the personality she had learned from her master.
• Dao Wushuang told An Ning that her turmoil came from her longing for familial affection and her reluctance to face her true origins.
• An Ning asked whether she truly was connected to Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue, and Dao Wushuang confirmed that she was.

Dao Wushuang revealed that An Ning was Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue’s daughter, and she fled in shame and fear after realizing how she had treated them. As Dao Wushuang followed her, An Ning found comfort in learning she had not been unwanted, but she remained torn between facing her parents and following the Venerable Lord’s teachings.

• Dao Wushuang told An Ning that she was Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue’s daughter, taken from her era and sent to the past after her bloodline awakened.
• An Ning regretted her past hostility toward her parents, then fled the Fourteenth Layer Heavenly Vault while Dao Wushuang urged her to be brave.
• Hua Yunfei thanked Dao Wushuang for giving An Ning warmth in her childhood, and Dao Wushuang left to follow her.
• An Ning wandered through the Heavenly Vaults, remembered how cruel words about her parents had led her to reject emotional ties, and asked whether her actions would make her parents hate her.
• Dao Wushuang promised to stand by An Ning, but she recalled the Venerable Lord’s advice to follow her heart and care about nothing.

An Ning’s memories of the Venerable Lord overwhelmed her, leaving her detached from Hua Yunfei and Duanmu Qingyue despite Dao Wushuang’s attempts to reach her. Dao Wushuang confronted the Venerable Lord and secured his promise not to interfere in An Ning and Hua Yunfei’s affairs again.

• An Ning’s distress faded as she embraced the Venerable Lord’s teaching that she should ignore anything that stirred her feelings.
• Dao Wushuang tried to remind An Ning of her true self and her parents, but she rejected his concerns and left after asking him to consider the Primordial Sword.
• Dao Wushuang accused the Venerable Lord of manipulating An Ning, and the Venerable Lord dismissed her as merely one disciple among many.
• Dao Wushuang offered to accept the Venerable Lord’s condition if he stopped troubling An Ning, but refused to kneel when the Venerable Lord demanded it.
• Dao Wushuang threatened to turn against the Venerable Lord and ordered him not to interfere in An Ning and Hua Yunfei’s affairs.
• The Venerable Lord praised Dao Wushuang’s defiance and agreed to his demand.

Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao were forced to return to the Eleventh Heavenly Vault with relatives from the Nalan and Yang Families, despite fearing their disguises would be exposed. The Venerable Lord revealed that Dao Wushuang had stood up for Hua Yunfei and An Ning, while Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao were left traveling separately with their families.

• Nalan Hao and Yang Hui arrived in the Fourteenth Layer Heavenly Vault and insisted that Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao return to their families.
• Hua Yunfei declined at first, worried that the powerful Nalan and Yang Families might see through their disguises, but the Venerable Lord blocked his contact with Dao Wushuang and urged him to visit the High-Level Heavenly Vault clans.
• The Venerable Lord told Hua Yunfei that Dao Wushuang had warned him not to make trouble for Hua Yunfei and An Ning, and said he admired Dao Wushuang for standing against him.
• Nalan Hao and Yang Hui took Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao away; Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao exchanged brief warnings before separating.
• Hua Yunfei told Nalan Hao that he and Yang Qinghe were Dao companions, and Nalan Hao explained that the Nalan, Yang, and Gu Families still competed over resources in the Eleventh Heavenly Vault.

Hua Yunfei returned to the Nalan Family with Nalan Hao and was welcomed by the jubilant clan as Ancestor Lingxiao. He promised to visit often and help the family grow.

• Hua Yunfei asked Nalan Hao about his breakthrough, and Nalan Hao explained that he was the Nalan Family’s only Hegemon Grade expert and that several relatives had abandoned the difficult path.
• Hua Yunfei and Nalan Hao traveled from the Twelfth and Thirteenth Heavenly Vaults to the Eleventh Heavenly Vault, where the Nalan Family prepared a lavish welcome.
• Nalan Haohuan and Nalan Qingqing directed the preparations and admitted their nervous excitement about meeting their ancestor.
• The Nalan clansmen greeted Hua Yunfei as Ancestor Lingxiao, and he raised them upright and promised to return, explain the Dao, and help them grow.

Hua Yunfei investigated a disturbance from Mount Meru Heaven’s soul in the Nalan Family’s forbidden depths and uncovered a sealed soul fragment and finger bone from the same source. As he discovered the family’s secret, an unknown figure seized him and demanded to know how he found the place.

• Hua Yunfei attended the Nalan Family’s feast, then expounded the Dao to its disciples for ten days.
• After learning that Jiang Ruoyao was safe for now, Hua Yunfei prepared to leave but sensed a disturbance from Mount Meru Heaven’s sealed soul.
• Hua Yunfei secretly infiltrated the Nalan Family’s forbidden depths, concealing himself with layers of restrictions and the Unseen Breath Concealment Technique.
• Nalan Hao discovered Hua Yunfei was missing and suspected he had gone to the clan’s deepest grounds.
• Hua Yunfei rewrote the great arrays guarding an independent world and found a slumbering soul and finger bone belonging to Mount Meru Heaven.
• An unknown person pressed a hand onto Hua Yunfei’s shoulder and demanded to know how he had found the place.

Hua Yunfei was caught snooping around the Nalan Family’s secret and used Dao Wushuang and the Qiankun Array Dao Brush to explain himself. The Ancient Ancestor recognized him as Wu Yun and threatened to expose him unless he surrendered the brush.

• The person behind Hua Yunfei restrained him and demanded to know how he had entered the Nalan Family’s secret area.
• Hua Yunfei claimed his formation-rewriting brush was a supreme treasure from the Ancient Formation Clan, given to him by Dao Wushuang.
• The Ancient Ancestor inspected the Qiankun Array Dao Brush and insisted on borrowing it for several days, despite Hua Yunfei’s objections.
• The Ancient Ancestor revealed that he knew Hua Yunfei was really Wu Yun and threatened to expose his infiltration of the High-Level Heavenly Vault.

Hua Yunfei negotiated with the Nalan Family’s hidden elder, who took the Qiankun Array Dao Brush under an oath and revealed that the divine soul and finger bone came from the Carefree Dominion. After Hua Yunfei returned to his courtyard, Xuan Yetian urged him to go there, saying the real treasure was likely still hidden within it.

• Hua Yunfei threatened to expose his infiltration of the High-Level Heavenly Vault unless the hidden elder swore to return the Qiankun Array Dao Brush, and the elder agreed.
• The elder told Hua Yunfei that the Nalan Family’s Progenitor had taken the divine soul and finger bone from the Carefree Dominion in the Eleventh Heavenly Vault.
• The elder shared the Carefree Dominion’s location with Hua Yunfei and sent him back to his courtyard.
• The elder concluded that Dao Wushuang had supported Hua Yunfei’s infiltration and chose to avoid drawing trouble toward the Nalan Family.
• Xuan Yetian told Hua Yunfei to visit the Carefree Dominion, believing the displayed relics were a decoy and the real treasure remained there.

Hua Yunfei discussed Mount Meru Heaven and the dangers of the High-Level Heavenly Vault with Xuan Yetian, then left the Nalan Family. Nalan Jie warned Nalan Hao that an approaching conflict could devastate the High-Level Heavenly Vault and leave even ancient clans unable to escape.

• Xuan Yetian told Hua Yunfei that Mount Meru Heaven could temporarily grow much stronger by using wish power, and urged him to investigate the Carefree Dominion.
• Hua Yunfei explained to Xuan Yetian that he understood which powerful beings might notice his arrival and why they were unlikely to attack him.
• Nalan Hao asked Hua Yunfei about his visit to the forbidden grounds, and Hua Yunfei said Jie Ancestor had summoned him.
• Hua Yunfei told Nalan Hao he was leaving, promised to visit again, and departed the Nalan Family.
• Nalan Jie appeared and told Nalan Hao that Hua Yunfei might preserve a remnant of the clan if it was swept into future turmoil.
• Nalan Jie warned that a powerful faction had returned and that its conflict with the High-Level Heavenly Vault would bring chaos and grievous losses to both sides.

Nalan Jie reunited with his children and agreed to take Nalan Qingqing to confront the Giant Demon Race and Ghost Phoenix Race Ancient Ancestors. Meanwhile, Hua Yunfei learned that a Yang Family Ancient Ancestor intended to use Jiang Ruoyao’s body to escape her Heavenly Retribution Dao Injury, and Jiang Ruoyao’s attempt to leave was interrupted by Yang Hui.

• Nalan Jie caught Nalan Haohuan mocking him, punished him, and warmly greeted Nalan Qingqing.
• Nalan Qingqing reminded Nalan Jie of his promise to teach the Giant Demon Race and Ghost Phoenix Race Ancient Ancestors a lesson, and he took her to demand an explanation.
• Jiang Ruoyao told Hua Yunfei that a Yang Family Ancient Ancestor was probing her and wanted her body for a secret technique to overcome a Heavenly Retribution Dao Injury.
• Hua Yunfei urged Jiang Ruoyao to leave the Yang Family and said he would meet her outside.
• Yang Hui arrived as Jiang Ruoyao prepared to leave and said Lin Ancestor wanted to see her.

Jiang Ruoyao realized the Yang Family’s Lin Ancestor was preparing to act against her and refused Hua Yunfei’s offer to rescue her. After luring Jiang Ruoyao to a secret realm, the Lin Ancestor exposed her disguise as Yang Qinghe and declared she would take everything from her.

• Jiang Ruoyao told Hua Yunfei she was in danger but warned him not to interfere, while he considered seeking help from Nalan Jie and other connections in the High-Level Heavenly Vault.
• Xuan Yetian advised Hua Yunfei to use the Nalan Family against the Yang Family, and Hua Yunfei contacted Nalan Jie to propose an investment.
• Yang Hui led Jiang Ruoyao to a secret realm and privately admitted she was sacrificing her for the Yang Family’s future.
• The Lin Ancestor explained that she had recognized Jiang Ruoyao was not Yang Qinghe because she now met requirements that Yang Qinghe had failed before.
• Jiang Ruoyao confronted the Lin Ancestor, who declared that Jiang Ruoyao would not leave the Yang Family and that she would take her body and everything she had.

Lin Ancestor tried to seize Jiang Ruoyao as a new body, but Nalan Jie arrived and demanded that the Yang Family hand over Yang Qinghe, whom he said was a Nalan Family asset. After revealing that he had surpassed Lin Ancestor in strength, he left her powerless to resist, and the story ended with news that Tianming Wuji had come to see her.

• Lin Ancestor trapped Jiang Ruoyao in a formation and declared her intended new body.
• Nalan Jie killed Lin Ancestor's clone at the Yang Family entrance, injuring Yang Hui and forcing Lin Ancestor to meet him in person.
• Nalan Jie demanded that Lin Ancestor hand over Yang Qinghe, claiming she was not the real Yang Qinghe and that the Nalan Family needed her.
• Nalan Jie exposed Lin Ancestor's plan to use a secret art to remove her Heavenly Retribution Dao Injury, then seized her by the throat and revealed that he had surpassed her in strength.
• Yang Hui told Lin Ancestor that Tianming Wuji, the young lord of the Black Dragon Clan, had arrived and asked to see her.

Tianming Wuji came to the Yang Family to retrieve the woman impersonating Yang Qinghe, refusing Lin Ancestor’s request to keep her. After he threatened to leave the matter to someone else, Lin Ancestor relented and agreed to bring the woman to him.

• Lin Ancestor received Tianming Wuji, who said he had come for the false Yang Qinghe and revealed that Nalan Jie had acted at his request.
• Tianming Wuji explained that the woman was secretly raised by the Black Dragon Clan and had only borrowed Yang Qinghe’s identity to contact another faction.
• Lin Ancestor tried to persuade Tianming Wuji to hand the woman over, but he refused and asserted that he could represent the Black Dragon Clan.
• Tianming Wuji and Nalan Jie began to leave after Lin Ancestor continued to press him.
• Lin Ancestor stopped Tianming Wuji and agreed to bring the woman to him.

Tianming Wuji and Nalan Jie rescued Jiang Ruoyao from Lin Ancestor, who then plotted to lure Yang Qinghe back to the clan and sacrifice her to cure her Dao Injury. Hua Yunfei reunited with Jiang Ruoyao and joined Tianming Wuji for a drink, where he learned about Tianming Wuji’s Dao Injury and offered to help.

• Nalan Jie taunted Lin Ancestor after Tianming Wuji took Jiang Ruoyao away, and Lin Ancestor smashed the courtyard in anger.
• Yang Hui proposed bringing Yang Qinghe back by arranging for her parents to die, and Lin Ancestor ordered her to make it happen.
• Hua Yunfei checked Jiang Ruoyao for injuries and thanked Nalan Jie for helping rescue her; Nalan Jie left satisfied that Hua Yunfei owed him a favor.
• Tianming Wuji met Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao, declined thanks, and invited them to buy him a drink.
• Hua Yunfei told Tianming Wuji about An Ning and Dao Wushuang, then offered to treat Tianming Wuji’s Dao Injury, which Tianming Wuji dismissed as useful tempering.

Hua Yunfei, Tianming Wuji, and Jiang Ruoyao shared potent Black Dragon Clan wine and discussed the Black Underworld Great World. Jiang Ruoyao released Ao Hui and other imprisoned souls, leaving Tianming Wuji to rebuke his younger brother for refusing to accept defeat.

• Tianming Wuji and Hua Yunfei exchanged compliments before sharing Black Dragon Clan wine with Jiang Ruoyao, who drank her cup in one gulp and suppressed its powerful effects.
• Jiang Ruoyao declared that her cultivation might catch up to Tianming Wuji's by their next meeting, and Hua Yunfei said her rapid progress was possible.
• Hua Yunfei described the Black Underworld Great World, where breakthroughs were easier but generally produced weaker cultivators, and noted that many outsiders had died seeking advancement there.
• Jiang Ruoyao consented to Ao Hui's revival and released his soul from the earthenware jar; Ao Hui accused her, but Tianming Wuji ordered him to shut up.
• Jiang Ruoyao handed Tianming Wuji the souls of War King, Sword King, Blade King, and others, who accepted their defeat, while Tianming Wuji criticized Ao Hui for refusing to do the same.

Tianming Wuji rescued Ao Hui and warned him not to provoke Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao again. After parting ways with Jiang Ruoyao, Hua Yunfei headed for the hidden Carefree Dominion, where he planned to infiltrate as an undead spirit, while Jiang Ruoyao secretly followed him.

• Tianming Wuji took Ao Hui away after thanking Jiang Ruoyao and Hua Yunfei, and warned Ao Hui that their adversaries were far more dangerous than he could imagine.
• Jiang Ruoyao set off for the Three Thousand Dao Realms, while Hua Yunfei departed alone and deliberately left his destination unexplained so she would follow him.
• Hua Yunfei found the Carefree Dominion hidden in a valley near the Black Underworld River and learned from Xuan Yetian that he could disguise himself as an undead spirit to enter.
• Hua Yunfei revealed that he had noticed Jiang Ruoyao following him, and she emerged from hiding to confront him.

Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao entered the Carefree Dominion to investigate a hidden temple resembling the influence of Mount Meru Heaven. When its guardian drew power from a damaged Buddha statue and overwhelmed them, Xuan Yetian took control of Hua Yunfei’s body to fight.

• Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao entered the Carefree Dominion disguised as dead spirits, with Xuan Yetian secretly maintaining their disguise.
• Hua Yunfei found a damaged Buddha statue in a neglected western temple and discovered that a powerful carefree being guarded it.
• The guardian attacked Hua Yunfei and Jiang Ruoyao, then repeatedly drew wish power from the statue to increase his strength.
• Xuan Yetian took control of Hua Yunfei’s body and recalled his reckless youth as he prepared to act.

Xuan Yetian revealed himself through Hua Yunfei, overwhelmed the Carefree beings, and confronted the Broken Stone Statue. He pressed the statue about its secrecy and past injuries, ending by asking who had beaten it so badly.

• A Carefree being attacked Hua Yunfei, but Xuan Yetian destroyed the man with a glance and a flick of his finger.
• More Carefree beings arrived, empowered by the Broken Stone Statue, and Xuan Yetian used the Heaven-Piercing Banner to devour them.
• When the Broken Stone Statue released an ocean of wish power, Xuan Yetian froze it and the Carefree Dominion, alarming Jiang Ruoyao.
• Xuan Yetian addressed the Broken Stone Statue as an old friend and challenged its Buddhist Dao, recalling their past conflict.
• Xuan Yetian questioned why the Broken Stone Statue had deceived the Nalan Family's Progenitor and avoided the Xumi Sacred Cult; the statue admitted it feared revealing the Carefree Dominion's secret.
• Xuan Yetian asked who had once defeated the Broken Stone Statue so severely, despite its access to the Tenth Heavenly Domain's wish power.

Xuan Yetian confronted the Broken Stone Statue, froze its vast Buddhist Dao World, and discovered that the Buddha within was only a decoy. After claiming the remains and powering up the Heaven-Piercing Banner, he decided to hunt down the hidden monk himself.

• Xuan Yetian told the Broken Stone Statue he sided with its enemies because they were more genuine than the Dragon Ancestor and the others, then accused the statue of hiding secrets.
• The Broken Stone Statue unleashed a Sea of Vows, but Xuan Yetian froze it with his ice great dao and entered the statue's Buddhist Dao World.
• The Broken Stone Statue manifested a colossal Buddha and attacked Xuan Yetian, who sealed the entire Buddhist Dao World with a single word.
• Xuan Yetian realized the Buddha was a decoy rather than the monk's true self, then used the Heaven-Piercing Banner to devour the souls of the Buddhist cultivators.
• Xuan Yetian reduced the Buddha to two finger bones and a wisp of soul, then declared that he would search for the hidden monk.

Hua Yunfei learned more about Xuan Yetian’s search for the hidden Mount Meru Heaven before leaving the collapsing Carefree Dominion with Jiang Ruoyao. Their teasing conversation ended abruptly when Hua Yunfei received an urgent message from his master summoning him to the Forbidden River Domain.

• Xuan Yetian sealed the finger-bone fragments and soul wisp in the Primordial God Realm, destroyed the Buddhist Dao World, and resolved to search nearby layers of heaven for Mount Meru Heaven.
• Xuan Yetian returned to the Primordial God Realm, causing the Broken Stone Statue and the Carefree Dominion to collapse.
• Hua Yunfei took Jiang Ruoyao out of the Carefree Dominion and told her that a remnant soul of Xuan Yetian lived inside him.
• Hua Yunfei offered to share his treasure with Jiang Ruoyao in exchange for a kiss, but she rejected the deal and walked away.
• Hua Yunfei received a message from his master ordering him to go to the Forbidden River Domain at once.