Chapter Summaries

At the Palace Examination, An Le and the other elite candidates faced a Spirit Refinement test inside the Literature Academy’s River and Mountain Painting. The chapter ended as An Le sent out his unusually vigorous Fourth Realm Primordial Spirit, shocking the powerful figures watching from the palace.

• The Jia and Yi Bang Jinshi entered the Imperial Palace, where officials and titled ladies gathered beneath the display of Lin Manor’s former treasure saber, Calm the Waves.
• An Le met Ye Wenxi, Ye Yinping, Liu Yue, Sima Pudu, Wang Qilin, and Zhong Taohua before they proceeded to the White Jade Plaza.
• Liu Yue thanked An Le for helping clear his name, and An Le urged him to remain true to his ideals as an official.
• Tong Diao Temple announced that the Palace Examination would test Spirit Refinement and body tempering, with the first round held inside Pang Ji’s River and Mountain Painting.
• Qin Hua'an vowed to keep An Le out of the top three, then entered the painting with his fifth-realm Sitting and Forgetting Primordial Spirit.
• An Le released his own Primordial Spirit, and the powerful figures watching from the Heavenly Profound Palace were astonished by its vigor despite his Fourth Realm cultivation.

During the Palace Examination’s literary test, An Le entered the River and Mountain Painting and faced Qin Hua'an, who tried to crush his Fourth Realm Primordial Spirit. An Le endured Qin Hua'an’s lightning assault, then manifested Qingshan with Future Sword Qi and brought it down on his opponent.

• An Le’s unusually powerful Fourth Realm Primordial Spirit entered the River and Mountain Painting, where he drifted downstream while studying the ink-wash scenery.
• Qin Hua'an found An Le and declared that he would stop him from reaching the Palace Examination’s top three, then attacked with lightning formed through Wind and Thunder Fury.
• An Le blocked Qin Hua'an’s first lightning spear with Sword Qi created from the Sword Waterfall Diagram, astonishing observers in Heavenly Profound Palace.
• Qin Hua'an unleashed a thunder pool and a barrage of lightning spears, putting An Le’s defenses under heavy pressure.
• An Le used the Future Sword Qi coiled around Qingshan to form a towering black mountain in the river and empowered it with his White Python Invincible Momentum.
• An Le cleaved through Qin Hua'an’s thunder pool and brought Qingshan down, leaving Qin Hua'an convinced that his Primordial Spirit could not withstand the strike.

An Le defeated Qin Hua'an and Wang Qilin in the River and Mountain Painting, winning the Palace Examination's literary test. He emerged as the undisputed champion, and his White Python Invincible Momentum transformed into a Heavenly Dragon as he faced Prime Minister Qin.

• An Le used his visualized Qingshan and Future Sword Qi to crush Qin Hua'an's Sitting and Forgetting Rosy Light, then pursued and destroyed his Primordial Spirit.
• Qin Hua'an was eliminated first, lost his chance to contend for top scholar, and realized his damaged Rosy Light would take at least a month to recover.
• An Le used the River and Mountain Painting's feedback to deepen his visualization of Qingshan and study the ancient scriptures appearing on it.
• Wang Qilin defeated the other candidates on the river and challenged An Le, but An Le's Qingshan slash extinguished his flames and shattered his Primordial Spirit.
• An Le emerged from the River and Mountain Painting as the literary examination's champion, and his Invincible Momentum transformed into a Heavenly Dragon as he faced Prime Minister Qin.

An Le won the literary examination and faced the Martial Champion Stone in the martial examination, where a sudden fusion of his Ancient Demon power, Invincible Momentum, and Green Mountain Profound Intent let him push it farther than anyone expected. The chapter ended with Martial Champion Di Zang catching the stone as it crashed toward him, while the bricks beneath his feet shattered.

• An Le emerged as the literary examination's foremost scholar, and Second Master Pang Ji announced that Ye Wenxi and Sima Pudu had placed second and third.
• Di Zang brought the Martial Champion Stone to the plaza and set the martial examination's test: examinees had to push it using their Qi and blood, Profound Intent, and Innate Qi.
• Wang Qilin pushed the stone one chi and three cun, Sima Pudu pushed it one chi and one cun, and Ye Wenxi set the leading result at two chi and three cun.
• Qin Hua'an let his Primordial Spirit stir before the Martial Champion Stone, was struck down by its green mountain phenomenon, and received a penalty of minus thirty feet.
• An Le pushed the stone one foot and two inches before his Ancient Demon scriptures transformed, Green Mountain Sword Qi fused with his Ancient Demon and Invincible Momentum, and he drove the stone toward Di Zang.
• Di Zang caught the oncoming Martial Champion Stone, but the white stone bricks beneath his feet silently crumbled into powder.

An Le pushed the Martial Champion Stone three chi, won the martial examination, and became champion of both the literary and martial examinations. As the Zhao Family Emperor prepared to name him top scholar, Prime Minister Qin challenged the fairness of the martial test, Di Zang drew the Founding Emperor's Dragon Slaying Saber in anger, and Second Master Pang Ji supported Qin's objection.

• In Lin'an, Zhao Xianyou suppressed the restless blood in his arm, reflected on An Le's growing connection to Green Mountain, and revealed that he had entered the Sixth Realm of spirit refinement.
• An Le pushed the Martial Champion Stone three chi, surpassing Ye Wenxi's mark as the Successive Martial Champions' phantoms appeared and Di Zang declared him the martial examination champion.
• An Le's Green Mountain Profound Intent merged with his Ancient Demon Five Animals Profound Intent, and his victory strengthened his heroic spirit and Invincible Momentum.
• Di Zang announced An Le, Ye Wenxi, and Wang Qilin as the martial examination's top three, then urged the Zhao Family Emperor to crown An Le top scholar for winning both examinations.
• Prime Minister Qin objected that the Martial Champion Stone favored An Le, and Di Zang erupted in anger, drew the Founding Emperor's Dragon Slaying Saber, and accused Qin Lishi of insulting the Martial Temple.
• The Zhao Family Emperor ordered Di Zang to put away his saber, but after Di Zang warned Qin Lishi, Second Master Pang Ji returned and declared that Qin's objection was reasonable.

The Zhao Family Emperor settled the dispute over An Le’s civil and martial examination titles by naming him top scholar after An Le and Ye Wenxi refused a proposed contest. At the palace reward ceremony, Wang Qilin was unexpectedly granted the saber Calm the Waves, which left him stunned.

• Second Master Pang Ji supported Qin Lishi’s objection to using the Martial Champion Stone, fearing An Le might join the Martial Temple and strengthen it against the Literature Academy.
• Ye Wenxi explained Pang Ji’s motives to An Le while he absorbed Time Qi from her and several officials outside the Heavenly Profound Palace.
• Civil officials rallied behind Qin Lishi, and the Zhao Family Emperor proposed that Ye Wenxi fight An Le for the top scholar title after suppressing her cultivation.
• Ye Wenxi refused to compete, and An Le said he would rather lose the top scholar title than accept an unfair contest; the Zhao Family Emperor then named An Le top scholar, Ye Wenxi second-ranked, and Wang Qilin third-ranked.
• Tong Diao Temple announced that Wang Qilin would receive Calm the Waves, the treasured saber, as his reward, leaving Wang Qilin and the palace stunned.

The Zhao Family Emperor awarded Calm the Waves to Wang Qilin, provoking An Le, Li You'an, and Hua Jiebing to openly reject his decisions. Hua Jiebing seized the saber and revealed that the emperor sought her Heart Sword to extend his life, then fought back against his forces above the imperial city.

• Tong Diao Temple announced that the Zhao Family Emperor had awarded Calm the Waves to third-place scholar Wang Qilin, while An Le and Ye Wenxi refused their own second-grade artifact rewards.
• Li You'an condemned the emperor for withholding Calm the Waves from the Lin family, and An Le applauded him and rejected the Dragon Blood Fire Glazed Spear.
• Hua Jiebing took Calm the Waves and accused Zhao Tianyan of provoking her to seize her Eighth Realm Limit Heart Sword; she hurled the spear at him, but Tong Diao Temple knocked it aside.
• Tong Diao Temple's hidden forces attacked Hua Jiebing, and Qin Lishi realized the emperor wanted her Heart Sword to suppress the Ninth Prince's immortal aberrance and prolong his life.
• Li You'an broke the spiritual net and helped Hua Jiebing escape; she unleashed Jade Guanyin of the Heart Sword above the imperial city, while An Le resisted its influence and watched her fight back.

Hua Jiebing unleashed her Heart Sword against the Zhao Family Emperor’s scheme to seize it and prolong his life, while court officials and powerful figures clashed across Lin’an. As the emperor’s giant hand descended on Hua Jiebing, An Le drew on the world’s Heroic Spirit and rose to strike it.

• Hua Jiebing’s Eighth Realm Heart Sword repelled Tong Diao Temple, but the Zhao Family Emperor’s Primordial Spirit Array and the palace’s Spirit Refinement cultivators began to trap her.
• Qin Lishi and the civil officials blocked Li You'an, while Di Zang fought Second Master Pang Ji and Old Madam Yu fought Duke Wang as they tried to aid Hua Jiebing.
• Fourth Master Lin sent Lin Qingyin, Lin Zhuifeng, and the other young descendants away, then faced a green-robed man from the Sima family.
• Zhao Huangting confronted two phantoms of the imperial ancestors after they emerged from their coffins to stop him, and struck them with his bamboo staff.
• As the Zhao Family Emperor raised a crushing hand against Hua Jiebing, An Le drew on the Dao Fruit of Heroic Spirit and thrust Bamboo Sword Green Mountain upward, smashing into the descending hand.

An Le erupted with Heroic Spirit and used Green Mountain to wound the Zhao Family Emperor and shatter the Primordial Spirit Array trapping Hua Jiebing. His assault left the court stunned and freed Hua Jiebing from the formation.

• Sea-Crossing Holy Monk confronted Master Suzhu outside Lin'an, but they sensed An Le’s Heroic Spirit and learned Hua Jiebing was unharmed.
• The Sixth Mountain Lord prepared to act, then saw An Le’s rise and regretted not making him the second Mountain Guardian.
• An Le pierced the Zhao Family Emperor’s Son of Heaven Qi palm with Green Mountain, leaving a sword wound on the emperor.
• An Le’s Heroic Spirit inspired Zhao Huangting to recover his own courage, while Hua Jiebing resumed attacking the Primordial Spirit Array.
• An Le killed an imperial guard commander and four Spirit Refinement experts, then struck a crack into the formation with Green Mountain.
• An Le punched Green Mountain through the Primordial Spirit Array, shattering it and freeing Hua Jiebing.

An Le shattered the Zhao Family Emperor’s Primordial Spirit Array and helped Hua Jiebing escape, though the Zhao Family Emperor tried to seal Lin'an Prefecture. Zhao Huangting forced open the City Protection Array and stopped the imperial forces, leaving An Le, Hua Jiebing, and Li You'an poised to leave.

• An Le used the Heroic Spirit Dao Fruit and Green Mountain to destroy the Primordial Spirit Array, freeing Hua Jiebing and injuring the Divine Refinement experts who maintained it.
• The Zhao Family Emperor ordered Tong Diao Temple and the imperial guards to stop An Le, while Hua Jiebing protected the exhausted youth and fought Tong Diao Temple.
• Li You'an struck Qin Lishi and the officials suppressing him, then joined An Le and Hua Jiebing as they rode a sword artifact toward the edge of Lin'an Prefecture.
• The Zhao Family Emperor activated Lin'an Prefecture’s City Protection Array, but Zhao Huangting pried it open with his bare hands.
• Zhao Huangting rebuked the Zhao Family Emperor and broke the military momentum of three thousand Imperial Guards and Jinwu Guards with one step.

Zhao Huangting ignited his Nirvana Fire to hold back Lin'an’s forces while Li You’an carried An Le and Hua Jiebing out of the city. An Le reached the Sixth Mountain, where he asked after Zhao Huangting, who had gone to meet Master Suzhu after Sea-Crossing Holy Monk fled.

• Grand Master Zhu Huoxi and Third Master Wang Banshan sensed Zhao Huangting’s Nirvana Fire, and Wang Banshan announced that he intended to resign and leave the Literature Academy.
• Zhao Huangting shattered the imperial guards’ formation and blocked the pursuers as Li You’an carried An Le and Hua Jiebing out of Lin'an Prefecture on Sword Artifact Thousand Times.
• Tong Diao Temple returned toward the Imperial Palace, while the Left and Right Jinwu Guard Generals led their troops toward the outskirts; Old Madam Yu and Duke Wang’s battle remained unresolved.
• Second Master Pang Ji fought Di Zang above the clouds, and Di Zang criticized the Literature Academy before departing for the Martial Temple.
• At the Sixth Mountain, the Sixth Mountain Lord praised An Le and Li You’an warned him to recover; An Le then asked whether Zhao Huangting was safe.
• Sea-Crossing Holy Monk fled after Master Suzhu warned him that Zhao Huangting was coming, and Zhao Huangting arrived and pressed his palms together, asking the Bodhisattva for help.

Zhao Huangting ignited the Nirvana Fire, then gained Master Suzhu’s help to suppress it with her Heart Sword so he could prepare for a journey north to challenge the Yuan Meng Emperor. As the celestial phenomenon lasted three days, An Le recovered from his severe injuries by absorbing Sixth Mountain’s Sword Qi, while Zhao Tianyan plotted against Zhao Huangting and An Le.

• Li You'an and the Sixth Mountain Lord explained that Zhao Huangting had ignited the Nirvana Fire to end the Zhao imperial clan’s scheme and prepare for one last battle with the Yuan Meng Emperor.
• Master Suzhu praised Hua Jiebing’s Heart Sword and An Le’s Sword Sword Embryo, then agreed to use her Heart Sword to suppress Zhao Huangting’s Nirvana Fire for a month or two.
• Master Suzhu summoned a seven-colored Heart Sword on Sixth Mountain, and Zhao Huangting used its power to contain the Nirvana Fire in his Primordial Spirit.
• Qin Lishi advised the First Prince to tell the Second Prince about An Le, while Zhao Tianyan vowed that the Zhao family would no longer treat Zhao Huangting as its Old Imperial Uncle.
• Di Zang offered his heart’s essence blood to the Martial Champion Stone and prepared to leave Lin'an for the Canglang River battlefield.
• Over three days of rain and celestial phenomena, An Le absorbed Sixth Mountain’s Sword Qi and Demon Source Jade’s demon aura, restoring his body, Sword Furnace, inner core, and aura.

After suppressing Zhao Huangting’s Nirvana Fire, Master Suzhu returned to Ganye Temple with Hua Jiebing while An Le set out with Zhao Huangting toward Shu and Sword Pool Palace. As the Zhao army prepared to block their carriage, ten thousand soldiers instead saluted Zhao Huangting as the Lin family’s Golden Blade.

• Master Suzhu explained the cost of suppressing Zhao Huangting’s Nirvana Fire and took Hua Jiebing back to Ganye Temple to prepare for her Ninth Realm attempt.
• Zhao Huangting planned to take An Le to Sword Pool Palace in Shu to try to sharpen Green Mountain, and Li You'an agreed to escort them partway after revealing that An Le held the Sacred Teacher’s Future Sword Qi.
• An Le drew a strand of Flowing Gold Time Qi from Master Suzhu, then accepted Calm the Waves from Hua Jiebing and received a peachwood sheath from the Sixth Mountain Lord.
• Master Suzhu and Hua Jiebing departed, while An Le, Zhao Huangting, and Lin Zhuifeng left Sixth Mountain in a carriage with Lin Qingyin; Li You'an accompanied them for part of the journey.
• Grand Commandant Liu Guan Shi ordered the ten thousand soldiers to draw their blades as the carriage approached, but Zhao Huangting borrowed Calm the Waves and stepped onto the carriage roof.
• Liu Guan Shi and the two generals planted their blades in the ground, and all ten thousand soldiers shouted, “Send off the Lin family's Golden Blade! Send off the Old Imperial Uncle!”

An Le and the Lin Manor carriage escaped the Zhao Family Emperor’s forces and continued toward Shu, where Zhao Huangting planned to have Green Mountain sharpened at Sword Pool Palace. As Zhao Huangting explained the cultivation realms beyond the Fifth Realm, An Le began contemplating the Flowing Gold Time Qi and witnessed a blood-soaked woman walking from a ruined city.

• Zhao Huangting and the Lin Manor carriage passed through ten thousand soldiers after Grand Commandant Liu Guan Shi saluted and ordered the army to yield the road.
• The Zhao Family Emperor learned that the soldiers had let An Le go and angrily confronted the failure in the Imperial Study.
• Zhao Jiu met An Le at a pavilion, shared Old Yellow Wine with him, and departed into the rain.
• Zhao Huangting told An Le and Lin Qingyin that they were going to Sword Pool Palace in Shu to sharpen Green Mountain and described the final five realms of Spirit Refinement and Body Tempering.
• Li You'an struck hidden experts spying on the carriage and continued escorting the travelers toward Shu.
• An Le contemplated the Flowing Gold Time Qi and saw a blood-robed woman walk barefoot from a city filled with corpses, shedding strands of black hair with each step.

An Le witnessed Master Suzhu guide the souls of a massacred city and obtained the Blood Guanyin Time Dao Fruit as his party traveled toward Shu. In Jiangling, Li You'an departed for the Canglang River, and when Li Qingchuan attacked the Old Imperial Uncle, Zhao Huangting summoned his wife, bringing a furious female Sword God and thousands of swords to the city.

• An Le saw Master Suzhu lead thirty-three thousand lost souls from a slaughtered city and temper their Sword Qi into a seven-colored Heart Sword, then obtained the Blood Guanyin Time Dao Fruit.
• An Le continued cultivating during the journey to Jiangling while Lin Qingyin used his spiritual pressure to refine her spirit.
• The Zhao Family Emperor spread a false account of the Lin'an events, while rumors about An Le, Hua Jiebing, and Zhao Huangting circulated and Wang Banshan resigned from the Literature Academy.
• An Le's party reached Jiangling and rested at Jiangju Tower, where the Demon Source Ancient Jade trembled in response to a Great Demon's offspring nearby.
• Li You'an warned that Yuan Meng was preparing to attack Xiliang and left for the Canglang River as Zhao Pei and King Zhao Xi discussed capturing An Le.
• Li Qingchuan attacked Jiangju Tower with a lightning-wreathed peachwood sword, and Zhao Huangting smashed his wine jar and summoned his wife as thousands of swords filled the sky.

Su Muzhe, Palace Master of Sword Pool Palace, rescued Zhao Huangting and An Le from Li Qingchuan’s attack in Jiangling Prefecture. Zhao Huangting brought An Le to Sword Pool Palace to sharpen Green Mountain, while Second Prince Zhao Pei planned to visit Sword Lake and try to claim the sword for himself.

• Su Muzhe sent the sword artifacts hanging over Jiangling Prefecture to break Li Qingchuan’s lightning-wreathed peachwood sword and nearly struck him with a giant sword-artifact palm before Zhao Huangting stopped her.
• King of Jiangling blocked Su Muzhe’s attack, then Zhao Huangting rejected his offer of wine and ordered him to leave.
• Second Prince Zhao Pei said he would visit Sword Pool Palace and try to wield Green Mountain if An Le failed to sharpen it.
• Su Muzhe reunited with Zhao Huangting after a hundred years, and Zhao Huangting introduced An Le as the youth he had brought to sharpen Green Mountain.
• Su Muzhe said the Old Sword Saint was unwell, and Zhao Huangting insisted that An Le could bring hope to Sword Pool Palace.

Su Muzhe brought Zhao Huangting and An Le to Sword Pool Palace, where An Le’s innate sword affinity grew stronger as he entered Jinguan City. At Sword Lake, An Le transformed his Innate Swordsman Dao Fruit into a Divine Sword Body, causing the Sword Bell to ring three times without anyone striking it.

• Su Muzhe used a river of swords to carry Zhao Huangting, An Le, Lin Qingyin, and Lin Zhuifeng from Jiangling Prefecture to Jinguan City.
• An Le felt the city’s Sword Qi gathering around him as they walked through Jinguan City and entered Sword Pool Palace.
• Su Muzhe and Zhao Huangting brought An Le to Sword Lake and explained that the Sword Bell was also a tomb for broken and dead swords.
• An Le absorbed Time Qi from Lu Ziwei and the cultivators near the Sword Bell, then sacrificed the Shattering Sword and Flowing Gold Time Qi to empower his Innate Swordsman Dao Fruit.
• An Le’s Dao Fruit transformed into a Divine Sword Body, and the Sword Bell rose from its pedestal and rang three times without anyone touching it.

An Le’s Innate Swordsman Dao Fruit transformed into a Divine Sword Body, causing the Sword Bell to ring three times on its own and drawing attention across Sword Pool Palace. After Lu Ziwei rang it seventeen times and Lu Shisan rang it fifteen, An Le began his own attempt, knocking Second Prince Zhao Pei off the platform before striking the bell.

• An Le used Flowing Gold Time Qi and his Shattering Sword Dao Fruit to transform his Innate Swordsman Dao Fruit into a Divine Sword Body, making the Sword Bell ring three times by itself.
• The Sword Bell’s spontaneous chimes stirred Sword Pool Palace and Jinguan City, and the old Sword Forger sent Wan Jieliu to find the cause.
• Second Prince Zhao Pei arrived with King of Jiangling and Li Qingchuan, and discussed whether the Purple Qi Golden Lotus could help him exceed eighteen bell tolls.
• Lu Ziwei rang the Sword Bell seventeen times, and Lu Shisan followed with fifteen tolls before both sat down to recover.
• An Le approached the Sword Bell, but Zhao Pei demanded the platform and used the Purple Qi Golden Lotus to pressure him.
• An Le’s Invincible Momentum and Divine Sword Body swept Zhao Pei off the platform, then struck the Sword Bell until it rose nine inches as An Le began counting, “One.”

An Le used the Sword Bell to temper his body and spirit, reaching the fifth realm in both as he rang it thirty-six times. The final chime sent swords soaring above Jinguan City, while an ancient figure awakened beneath Sword Lake.

• Second Prince Zhao Pei tried to use the Purple Qi Golden Lotus to drive An Le from the platform, but An Le's Invincible Momentum suppressed Zhao Pei and sent him flying off.
• An Le rang the Sword Bell with the Ancient Demon Five Animals Scripture, drawing increasingly powerful waves that astonished Sword Pool Palace and the Dali Kingdom cultivators.
• As the count reached eighteen, An Le's inner core produced Innate Spiritual Qi, and he continued ringing the bell with Mo Chi and then Green Mountain.
• The bell waves forced the surrounding cultivators, including Lu Shisan, Lu Ziwei, and Zhao Pei, to retreat as An Le kept striking.
• An Le rang the Sword Bell thirty-six times, raising rosy radiance behind his Primordial Spirit and advancing both body forging and spirit refinement to the fifth realm.
• The final chime split Sword Lake with Sword Qi and awakened an old man beneath it, while swords across Jinguan City rose into the air and hung above the streets.

An Le rang Sword Pool Palace’s Sword Bell thirty-six times, breaking its ancient record and earning recognition from the Old Sword Saint. The Old Sword Saint emerged from Sword Lake, gave An Le two strands of sword qi, and pledged Sword Lake’s support, while Zhao Pei was left facing the Old Sword Saint’s unsettling attention.

• An Le rang the Sword Bell thirty-six times, suspending every sword in Jinguan City and exhausting himself as the bell waves cleansed Ink Pool into a fourth-rank sword artifact.
• An Le challenged Zhao Pei to ring the bell, but Zhao Pei left without trying after his connection to the Purple Qi Golden Lotus weakened.
• Wang Yansheng arrived, praised Zhao Huangting’s resolve, and bowed toward Sword Lake; the Old Sword Saint then emerged from the lake as the gathered Sword Pool Palace cultivators paid their respects.
• The Old Sword Saint recognized An Le’s achievement, gave him two strands of sword qi, and declared that Sword Lake would stand on his side.
• Zhao Pei tried to draw the Old Sword Saint’s attention, but after the Old Sword Saint remarked on his Purple Qi Golden Lotus, Zhao Pei sensed danger and did not dare move.