Chapter Summaries

Li Mo escaped the crowds in Yun Province City with Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong, then took the two girls shopping before a show. Ying Bing reflected on Yun Province’s tragic future from her past life, while the evening ended with the girls dressed in new clothes.

• Ying Bing silenced the crowd around the carriage and led Li Mo and Jiang Chulong through the busy streets of Yun Province City.
• Ying Bing remembered how Yun Province had once fallen to a Calamity Beast tide and how Cloud-Crossing Sword City’s defenders had died protecting it.
• Li Mo revealed a third ticket to Plum Blossom Pavilion’s show, convincing Jiang Chulong to join them.
• Li Mo bought nearly every garment in a clothing shop for Jiang Chulong and arranged to have the clothes delivered.
• Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong changed into new outfits, and Li Mo praised their looks.

Li Mo watched Plum Blossom Pavilion perform a dramatized version of his story with Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong, then met Zhong Zhenyue and the dangerous Saintess Yin Mianmian. After Yin Mianmian used her charm to ensnare Zhong Zhenyue and tried to approach Li Mo, Li Mo and Ying Bing struck back.

• Li Mo, Ying Bing, and Jiang Chulong watched a play about Jiang Chen and Liu Wuyan, and Ying Bing found herself imagining the story with her and Li Mo's faces.
• Li Mo gave Jiang Chulong a gold brick to reward the performers, and she tossed it onto the stage, startling the audience.
• Li Mo recognized Zhong Zhenyue in the next room and used his Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye to identify the actress beside him as Yin Mianmian, a Saintess of the Drizzle Pavilion ranked sixth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
• Yin Mianmian's charm ensnared Zhong Zhenyue, but Li Mo resisted the illusion with the Mona Ice-Sand imprinted in his Will Soul.
• Yin Mianmian tried to approach Li Mo, who insulted her and attacked as Ying Bing's spring breeze and Heavenly Frost Sword moved to strike her.

Yin Mianmian challenged Ying Bing while manipulating Zhong Zhenyue into attacking Li Mo, but Li Mo stopped him with the Star Pestle and helped Jiang Chulong drive off the assassins. Yin Mianmian escaped after trading blows with Ying Bing, leaving Li Mo's possible rise to Hengyun Sword Hero as a point of interest.

• Yin Mianmian appeared on a rooftop and challenged Ying Bing, while trying to enchant Li Mo with her charms.
• Li Mo insulted Yin Mianmian's appearance, giving Ying Bing an opening to clash with her.
• Yin Mianmian provoked Zhong Zhenyue into attacking Li Mo, but Li Mo halted the spear with his sword before threatening Zhong with the Star Pestle until he came to his senses.
• Li Mo joined Jiang Chulong against the Drizzle Pavilion assassins and helped defeat them.
• Yin Mianmian vanished after exchanging another strike with Ying Bing and teased Li Mo about becoming Hengyun Sword Hero.

Yin Mianmian reflected on her failed mission while Elder Zeng learned that Ying Bing had driven her off. After the battle, Ying Bing struggled to understand why she could not perfect her sword forms, until Li Mo interrupted her practice with an offer of late-night food.

• Yin Mianmian realized her mission had gone badly, learned that Raincoat Guest, Twin Lotus, and Blood Gourd had arrived, and told the madam to summon them the next day.
• Elder Zeng and Wu Chushu arrived at the ruined Plum Blossom Pavilion, where Zhong Zhenyue recounted how Yin Mianmian had manipulated him and Ying Bing had defeated her.
• Zhong Zhenyue started to explain that Li Mo's hammer had helped free him, but changed his story when Li Mo appeared; Li Mo credited Ying Bing with driving off Yin Mianmian.
• Ying Bing reviewed her fight with Yin Mianmian and wondered why she could not perfect the first three forms of the Divine Firmament Heavenly Heart Sword.
• Li Mo called to Ying Bing from his window and offered her Soul Barbecue, leaving her even more confused about her state of mind.

Li Mo reviewed his investment rewards and continued cultivating, while Ying Bing’s behavior grew increasingly strange. The chapter ended with Li Mo discovering that she was torn over whether to continue her martial path and sever all ties.

• Li Mo sorted his investment rewards, setting aside the White Jade Sarira for Murong and receiving a Howling Wind Beast Soul Pill from his investment in Zhong Zhenyue.
• Li Mo used the Seven-Pattern Void-Filling Pill and Howling Wind Beast Soul Pill to cultivate through the night, bringing his Divine Observation progress closer to a breakthrough.
• Shen Yunfei celebrated a breakthrough, while Ouyang revealed he had stayed awake for three days to finish his illustrated novel about Li Mo and Ying Bing.
• Jiang Chulong and Li Mo noticed that Ying Bing seemed unlike herself, and Ying Bing absentmindedly mistook Li Mo’s doll for a teacup.
• Li Mo checked Ying Bing’s Heavenly Mandate and learned that she was unsure whether to persevere in her martial path and sever all ties.

Li Mo and his companions arrived at the final day of the Sword Trial, where he discovered Yin Mianmian had secretly spread rumors about him. After the ten finalists were announced, they began a sword-intent test on floating Cloud Steps leading to the Sword Tower, but Ying Bing remained at the starting point.

• On the carriage ride to the Sword Tower, Ying Bing explained that a giant sword from beyond the heavens had crushed the Calamity Beast Qiongqi and become the tower.
• At the Sword Trial, Li Mo denied the rumors about killing the Drizzle Pavilion's Saintess and praised Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong, then found that Yin Mianmian had ordered assassins to promote his name as a Sword Immortal.
• Elder Zeng named Li Mo, Ying Bing, Jiang Chulong, Bai Jinghong, Huang Donglai, Zhong Zhenyue, and four others among the ten finalists.
• Elder Zeng formed floating Cloud Steps to the Sword Tower and explained that the sword intents along them tested the finalists' state of mind and talent.
• Jiang Chulong admitted she was afraid of heights, so Li Mo let her hide against his back as they stepped onto the Cloud Steps.
• Li Mo looked back and saw Ying Bing still standing alone at the starting point.

Ying Bing hesitated to climb the Cloud Steps as she struggled between pursuing power alone and holding on to her ties with Li Mo. Li Mo joined hands with her and used the second layer of Phoenix Singing in the Heavenly Marsh to calm their Will Souls, and Ying Bing reached an epiphany as they neared the Sword Tower summit.

• Ying Bing paused before the Cloud Steps as her inner conflict made her Will Soul fluctuate.
• Li Mo recalled that the second layer of Phoenix Singing in the Heavenly Marsh could merge compatible Will Souls, then took Ying Bing's hand and activated the technique with her.
• The technique connected their Will Souls and eased the pressure, allowing Li Mo and Ying Bing to climb the Cloud Steps together while the onlookers mistook their actions for dual cultivation.
• Ying Bing saw Li Mo's Taiyin moon through their connection and understood that her heart could remain clear while reflecting what it encountered.
• As they neared the summit, Ying Bing smiled, experienced an epiphany, and thanked Li Mo for his full moon as swords rang across the Sword Tower.

Ying Bing achieved Sword Heart Clarity, and the group reached the Sword Mark Stone atop Sword Tower to test their comprehension. After Wu Chushu and Bai Jinghong gained new sword techniques, Jiang Chulong began her turn.

• Ying Bing achieved Sword Heart Clarity and agreed with Li Mo to visit the second level of Phoenix Singing in the Heavenly Marsh again.
• Elder Zeng showed the group the Spirit Stone bearing the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark and explained that only one person could comprehend it at a time.
• Wu Chushu comprehended the Intermediate Martial Art Prosperous Sword-Washing Art, while Cao Mu also took his turn.
• Bai Jinghong comprehended one move of a low-grade supreme sword art, impressing the elders and spectators.
• Li Mo encouraged Jiang Chulong, who approached the Sword Mark Stone and caused emerald green to spread through the pool.

Jiang Chulong touched the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark and comprehended two powerful sword moves, while Li Mo tried and failed to draw the stone. After Elder Zeng announced her achievement, he sent Hu Mei to act.

• Li Mo tried to sketch the Sword Mark Stone but accidentally painted Ying Bing grinding ink before attempting the stone again.
• With Li Mo's encouragement, Jiang Chulong touched the Sword Mark Stone, and its Small World burst into life as she witnessed a mysterious swordsman wielding a blade of grass.
• Jiang Chulong awakened from her comprehension and said she had gained a sword and improved the Wild Grass Sword Scripture; Li Mo explained that she had branded the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark in her Will Soul and gained two sword moves.
• Elder Zeng announced that Jiang Chulong had comprehended two high-grade sword moves from among the ultimate arts.
• Elder Zeng told Hu Mei to go, while Yin Mianmian had decided to wait until Jiang Chulong finished comprehending before making her move.

Yin Mianmian launched a deception while Drizzle Pavilion’s Heavenly Assassins attacked Cloud-Crossing Sword City, but Ying Bing shattered her illusion with Sword Heart Clarity. The Sword Mark Stone remained safe, and the battle against the assassins continued.

• Hu Mei approached the Sword Mark Stone as flute and zither music stirred the crowd, revealing herself as Yin Mianmian.
• Raincoat Guest, Blood Gourd, and Twin Lotus attacked Cloud-Crossing Sword City, but the seven elders confronted them and contained the battle.
• Yin Mianmian claimed the Sword Mark Stone had vanished and threw a bundle toward Twin Lotus, prompting the city’s powerhouses to pursue her.
• Li Mo warned that the Sword Mark Stone was still in place, and Ying Bing struck Yin Mianmian with Sword Heart Clarity.
• Ying Bing’s sword dispelled the false heavenly-maiden silhouettes and shattered the illusion concealing the untouched Sword Mark Stone.

Elder Zeng used his Five Elements Sword Realm to trap Yin Mianmian, but a Dharma Body from the Ninth Heaven Kill, the Evil Wisdom King, tore open the realm and helped her escape. After the attack ended, Cloud-Crossing Sword City thanked Li Mo and Ying Bing, while the summit’s sword-mark viewing and Sword Hero selection remained unfinished.

• Elder Zeng trapped Yin Mianmian in his Five Elements Sword Realm, and Wu Chushu explained how his master had cultivated the Five Elements Sword Body.
• Jiang Chulong described her teacher’s Heavenly Court External Scene Realm, astonishing the Three Heroes of Cloud-Crossing and drawing Ying Bing’s attention.
• The Evil Wisdom King broke Elder Zeng’s sword realm, allowing Yin Mianmian and the surviving Drizzle Pavilion killers to retreat.
• Cloud-Crossing Sword City’s elders thanked Li Mo and Ying Bing and named them honored guests for helping protect the Sword Mark Stone.
• The elders remembered that the summit’s sword-mark viewing and Sword Hero selection were still pending, then turned to Li Mo and Ying Bing.

Ying Bing comprehended the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark and confronted the remnants of her former self, transforming the Divine Firmament Heavenly Heart Sword into a new art. As the sword mark vanished from the stone, the elders feared an unprecedented change was underway.

• Ying Bing asked Li Mo to stamp the Big-Headed Doll onto the Lady Painting, marking it as part of her experience too.
• Ying Bing entered a vision within the Sword Mark Stone and faced a cold reflection of her past self, who challenged her commitment to her martial dao.
• Ying Bing answered her former self with a sword strike that merged her new understanding with the Divine Firmament Heavenly Heart Sword.
• Ying Bing emerged with a transformed sword art, while the Sword Mark Stone continued to tremble.
• The sword mark rapidly vanished from the stone, alarming the elders.

Ying Bing erased the ancient sword mark from Cloud-Crossing Sword City's Spirit Stone, then agreed to leave behind her sword insight while the Martial Dao Summit continued. When Li Mo finally tried to comprehend the stone, he received a vision of the stars shifting and a mysterious martial art taking shape, and worried that it would make his persona collapse.

• Ying Bing erased the sword mark, stunning the elders and prompting Huang Donglai to revise his survival rules to warn against provoking her.
• Ying Bing agreed to leave behind her sword insight, and the elders confirmed the Spirit Stone still retained its power to aid comprehension.
• The elders resumed the summit and announced the insights of Zhong Zhenyue and Huang Donglai as the remaining participants took their turns.
• Li Mo approached the Spirit Stone after exchanging a glance with Ying Bing and receiving encouragement from Jiang Chulong.
• Li Mo entered a vast vision of stars and ancient land, where he heard that Heaven's killing intent shifted the stars and lodges, then feared his persona would collapse.

Li Mo comprehended and completed the Heaven-Overturning Earth-Covering Human Killing Hammer from the Spirit Stone, leaving a hammer mark that stunned the elders of Cloud-Crossing Sword City. He woke after his Will Soul shattered, unsure why everyone was staring at him.

• The crowd speculated about Ying Bing, the vanished sword marks, and what Li Mo might comprehend as the sky seemed to press down over Cloud-Crossing Sword City.
• A Heaven Derivation Sect Walker coughed blood, and two Dharma Body powerhouses steadied the city when the earth began to tremble.
• Li Mo used his martial dao insights to comprehend the Heaven-Overturning Style and the Earth-Covering Style, then completed the hammer art with a final insight infusion.
• Li Mo’s Will Soul shattered after he comprehended the Heaven-Overturning Earth-Covering Human Killing Hammer, and he woke to find the elders gathered around him.
• Li Mo saw that a new hammer mark had appeared at the center of the Spirit Stone, matching the aura of his hammer art.

Li Mo’s hammer technique replaced Cloud-Crossing Sword City’s sacred sword mark with a hammer imprint, leaving the elders scrambling to conceal it. The elders named Ying Bing the Sword Hero, while the crowd praised Li Mo for yielding the title and called him worthy of being Sword Immortal.

• Li Mo realized that his newly comprehended hammer technique had erased the sword mark on the Spirit Stone and left a hammer imprint in its place.
• Elder Zeng and the other elders lamented the loss of Cloud-Crossing Sword City’s symbol, while Ying Bing admitted she could not replace it with her less complete divine sword technique.
• Jiang Chulong suggested turning the Spirit Stone over, and Li Mo proposed claiming that Ying Bing’s overwhelming sword technique had caused it to flip.
• Elder Zeng announced that Ying Bing had won the Sword Hero crown and said Li Mo had comprehended a technique of equal power but yielded the title.
• People below questioned the decision, then concluded Li Mo did not need the Sword Hero title because he already deserved to be called Sword Immortal.

Li Mo, Ying Bing, and Jiang Chulong reached the divine arts section of the Sword Tower, where they learned who had left the famous sword mark and recorded their martial arts. Li Mo could not perform his divine art for the record, so he proposed paying Sword City for a chance to study the Spirit Stone, leaving the negotiation unresolved.

• Li Mo calmed himself after Ice Block twisted open the Big-Headed Doll, then followed the two Dharma Body experts deeper into the Sword Tower with Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong.
• The white-haired young man revealed that Senior Wan Ze and the Grand Ancestor Martial Emperor had been the only visitors to the divine arts section, and that the Martial Emperor had left the original sword mark.
• Ying Bing recorded her sword strike, naming it Flying Immortal from Beyond after Li Mo suggested the name, and Jiang Chulong recorded her own martial art.
• Li Mo explained that he could neither write down nor perform his divine art, and the white-haired young man offered to make an exception because Li Mo had helped Sword City.
• Li Mo proposed offering wealth to buy the chance to comprehend the Spirit Stone, then shyly indicated his offer with two fingers.

Li Mo offered Cloud-Crossing Sword City three ways to repay his debt for viewing its sword marks, and the two elders chose to receive the complete principles of the Nine Swords of Dugu. As he left, Li Mo revealed that his earlier offer of “a little” meant two mountains of gold, leaving the elders speechless.

• Li Mo offered the elders gold, a promise to record his divine art within three years, or a complete sword technique in exchange for viewing the sword marks.
• The elders trusted Li Mo's promise but chose his third option, and he wrote down the complete principles of the Nine Swords of Dugu.
• The elders praised the technique and agreed to let Li Mo copy the Spirit Stone, warning him not to pull out his hammer in front of it.
• When the elder asked how much gold Li Mo had meant, Li Mo said he meant two mountains of gold, leaving the elders rooted in place.

After the Martial Dao Summit, Li Mo enjoyed a quiet evening at home with Jiang Chulong and Ying Bing. Ying Bing unexpectedly showed him care while doing chores, and Chulong said Ying Bing’s Will Soul was growing unusually fast; Ying Bing ended the evening by inviting Li Mo to dual cultivate.

• Li Mo cooked dinner with the Sword Pellet controlling two woks while Jiang Chulong helped, and Chulong chose to stay home instead of attending the banquet at Treasure Universe Pavilion.
• At dinner, Ying Bing smoothed Li Mo’s collar and asked if she could sit on the swing he planned to build.
• Ying Bing offered to wash Li Mo’s stained robe, but tore it while scrubbing, and Chulong said Ying Bing’s Will Soul seemed to be growing faster than usual.
• Ying Bing hung up the ruined clothes and told Li Mo to come find her that night for dual cultivation.

Ying Bing cultivated her calm state of mind while awaiting the next ranking comparison, and Li Mo claimed a large batch of investment rewards, including an alchemy scripture that might help him make Profound Pills. The chapter left Li Mo face-to-face with Ying Bing after he went to her room near midnight.

• Ying Bing cleaned her room, sensed her second aperture filling, and received a prompt that the next ranking comparison was eight days away and its punishment would involve the victor caressing the loser.
• Li Mo puzzled over Ying Bing's unusual behavior, checked his status, and claimed rewards from his investments in Dong Chang'an, Lu Mo, and others.
• Li Mo received the Supreme Clarity Golden Liquid Divine Pill Scripture and considered using its external-alchemy methods to make the Profound Pills needed for his hammer technique.
• Li Mo studied the scripture, found his martial insights exhausted, and went to Ying Bing's room, where the door opened as he was about to knock.

Li Mo and Ying Bing used Phoenix Singing in the Heavenly Marsh to cultivate their Will Souls, and Ying Bing helped Li Mo open his second Divine Observation aperture. The chapter ended with Li Mo offering to massage the exhausted Ying Bing.

• Li Mo checked whether Ying Bing had awakened memories of a past life, then joined her for Divine Observation.
• Li Mo and Ying Bing connected their Will Souls and discovered that the moonlight they observed differed, though it felt strangely familiar.
• Ying Bing controlled both their Will Souls and repeatedly struck Li Mo's second aperture until it cracked open.
• Li Mo opened his second Divine Observation aperture and sensed Ying Bing's exhaustion.
• Li Mo thanked Ying Bing and offered to massage her using the adjustable massage chairs.