Chapter Summaries

Chen Lin emerged from the Space Passage into the flourishing Tiancang Realm, where he learned about the local cultivation world and brought the Cheng Sisters out of the Minor Spirit Realm. After visiting Sanhe County City, he headed with them toward Wanling Market on Wanling Mountain.

• Chen Lin explored the safe, qi-rich mountains and learned from a fisherman that the region belonged to Zheng State in the Tiancang Realm.
• Chen Lin released Cheng Lingdie and Cheng Lingchan, explained that their grandfather could not leave the Minor Spirit Realm safely, and warned that they might need to restart their cultivation.
• Chen Lin questioned a passing boatman, then took the sisters to Sanhe County City, where they explored and ate mortal food.
• Chen Lin learned that he was on the Beiyuan Continent and flew with the sisters toward Wanling Mountain and its cultivator market.

Chen Lin settled in Wanling Market, helped Cheng Lingdie and Cheng Lingchan rebuild their cultivation, and prepared to search the Nightmare Realm for Qin Lingyu and the others. His experiments revealed that his Shepherd identity let him bring items out of White Cloud Pasture and enter it from other Nightmare Realm scenarios.

• Chen Lin rented a small cave abode in Wanling Market and dispersed Cheng Lingdie and Cheng Lingchan's cultivation so they could begin cultivating again.
• Over three years, the sisters recovered and returned to the Foundation Establishment Realm while Chen Lin refined two Thousand-Lifespan Pills for his planned search for Qin Lingyu and the others.
• Chen Lin warned the sisters to stay inside the market while he entered White Cloud Pasture to investigate its nodes.
• Chen Lin found that the node to the Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode had vanished, but he brought a spirit flower out of the Minor Spirit Realm and realized his Shepherd identity allowed it.
• Chen Lin concluded that his Shepherd Token also let him enter White Cloud Pasture from other Nightmare Realm scenarios.

Chen Lin traveled to a hidden Nightmare Realm node in the Silent Sea and entered its dilapidated courtyard, intending to use it as a transfer point. The Cat-headed Monster agreed to take him to search for Qin Lingyu and their daughter, while strange wedding-like commotion began outside the courtyard after they vanished.

• Chen Lin left the Wanling Mountain Range and reached a concealed island in the Silent Sea, where he set up defenses around a Nightmare Realm node.
• Chen Lin entered the node and explored its permitted area, finding an abandoned courtyard sealed behind a massive Bronze Lock.
• Chen Lin summoned the Cat-headed Monster and told her Monalisa had returned to her flower form after saving him, though her memories had begun to return.
• The Cat-headed Monster agreed to take Chen Lin to find his wife and daughter, but said she would not help search for them.
• The Cat-headed Monster took Chen Lin away, and firecrackers, suona horns, and singing erupted outside the courtyard.

Chen Lin returned to his former world and learned that his daughter Chen Ling'er had founded the Yucai Sect and reached the nascent soul late stage. At the sect, he discovered that his great-grandson Chen Jiliang was alive, but Chen Qingying had died giving birth to him.

• Chen Lin asked the Cat-headed Monster about his vanished plane, the Primal Domain, and the legendary Luo, then traveled through the pool's node.
• Two Yucai Sect disciples found Chen Lin and told him their sect master was Chen Ling'er, but they had never heard of Qin Lingyu or Sun Caiyi.
• Chen Lin rewarded the disciples and used their Teleportation Formation to reach the Yucai Sect.
• Chen Jiliang recognized Chen Lin as his great-grandfather and explained that Chen Qingying had used a life-draining secret art to bear him and died after his birth.
• Chen Lin mourned that he had arrived too late to see Chen Qingying alive.

Chen Lin reunited with Chen Ling'er, who revealed that Heartless Devil Lord had attacked her family and that Silver Fairy and Chen Bao had disappeared while seeking a way to a higher realm. Chen Ling'er said her mother and Big Aunt were alive but near the ends of their lifespans, and Chen Lin asked about the rest of their companions.

• Chen Lin arrived at Chen Ling'er's sect with Chen Jiliang, and Xue Honglan summoned Chen Ling'er from her secluded cultivation.
• Chen Ling'er recognized Chen Lin and tearfully reunited with him before bringing him to the Sect Master's Manor.
• Chen Ling'er explained that Heartless Devil Lord had attacked her family and later impersonated Chen Lin, gravely injuring Silver Fairy and her mother.
• Chen Ling'er said Silver Fairy had left with Chen Bao to seek a higher realm and had not returned; Chen Lin reassured her that they were likely safe.
• Chen Ling'er revealed that her mother had fallen back to the Golden Core Realm and that both her mother and Big Aunt were sealed away near the ends of their lifespans.
• Chen Lin asked Chen Ling'er how the other people who had come with her were doing.

Chen Lin reunited with Chen Ling'er and found Qin Lingyu and Sun Caiyi near death, then used Thousand-Lifespan Pills to revive them. After both wives awakened and began recovering, Chen Lin set out with Chen Ling'er to destroy the Myriad Demon Sect and confront the Heartless Devil Lord.

• Chen Ling'er told Chen Lin that Sheng Zhenqing and the others had died of old age, while Nanmen Lingyue had disappeared after searching for cultivation resources.
• Chen Lin found Qin Lingyu and Sun Caiyi in a secret chamber and gave each a Thousand-Lifespan Pill to restore her lifespan and health.
• Sun Caiyi awakened first, recognized Chen Lin, and began absorbing the pill's medicinal power; Qin Lingyu woke a month later.
• Chen Lin decided to destroy the Myriad Demon Sect and investigate how the Heartless Devil Lord had imitated him.
• Chen Lin gave Chen Ling'er the Qingxuan Armor, a Black Flying Sword, and other treasures, then followed her toward the Myriad Demon Sect.

Chen Lin and Chen Ling'er attacked the Myriad Demon Sect, and Scholar’s overwhelming power helped Chen Lin destroy the sect and kill the Heartless Devil Lord. While collecting the spoils, Chen Lin discovered that the Devil Lord’s saber matched one he had found in the Shanhai Realm, leaving Chen Ling'er asking how he had another Celestial Demon Saber.

• Chen Lin sent Scholar to shatter the Myriad Demon Sect’s Guardian Mountain Formation and suppress its cultivators.
• The Heartless Devil Lord broke free of Scholar’s restraint and attacked with a soul-shaking saber, but Scholar’s sword strike forced him to scatter into black mist.
• Chen Lin unleashed Five Thunders Smite the Crown, devastated the Black Demon Sect, captured the Heartless Devil Lord’s soul, and searched the souls of the surviving nascent soul cultivators.
• Chen Lin advised Chen Ling'er not to give enemies a chance to turn the tables and promised her a Storage Bracelet or Storage Ring when she reached spirit transformation.
• Chen Lin compared the Heartless Devil Lord’s Black Narrow Saber with an identical saber from the Shanhai Realm, and Chen Ling'er asked how he had a Celestial Demon Saber too.

After destroying the Myriad Demon Sect, Chen Lin brought his family and selected disciples through the Pool Scenario and settled them at Wanling Market. He discovered that the bronze lock on the scenario gate had changed position, sealed the node, and left the group to explore their new home.

• Chen Lin stored the identical Celestial Demon Sabers for Hua Ruyu, searched the Myriad Demon Sect, and returned to the Yucai Sect with Chen Ling'er.
• Chen Lin summoned the Cat-headed Monster to take his family and selected disciples to the Pool Scenario, where she explained how Road Guides could be upgraded and what Silver Road Guides offered.
• After arriving in the dilapidated courtyard, Chen Lin noticed that the main gate's bronze lock had changed position, placed a Nightmare Coin nearby, and left through the node with the group.
• Chen Lin sealed the node with a talisman, set up formations around the Ancient Cultivator Cave Abode, and led everyone to Wanling Market.
• Chen Lin bought a mountain peak, built a guarded residence with help from his puppets, assigned quarters, and began exploring the new plane with his family.

Chen Lin prepared to travel in search of an opportunity to reach Void Refinement, but first waited for Chen Ling'er to attempt her breakthrough. Chen Ling'er successfully reached Spirit Transformation, drawing invitations from factions across the realm.

• Chen Lin named his home Tianbao Peak and spent thirty years cultivating there with his family and companions.
• Chen Lin learned that Chen Ling'er was ready to attempt Spirit Transformation and told her to choose a day for her breakthrough.
• Chen Lin told Sun Caiyi he planned to travel to the True Spirit Continent after Chen Ling'er ascended, and he instructed Cheng Lingdie and her sister to remain near the market while he was away.
• Three months later, Chen Ling'er endured her tribulation lightning and inner demon trial, then successfully reached the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Representatives of several factions surrounded Chen Ling'er with invitations, but she eventually returned to Tianbao Peak with Chen Lin and the others.

Chen Lin discovered a vast island made entirely of gold essence stone in the Silent Sea and arranged to share its proceeds with Zhang Zhenqian’s All-Direction Trading Firm. After the firm’s workers arrived, Huang Ying introduced herself and established a direct connection with Chen Lin, leaving him to suspect she had sent Zhang Zhenqian to recruit Chen Ling'er.

• Chen Lin visited the underwater cave abode, renewed the seal on the Nightmare Realm Node, and continued across the Silent Sea by Spirit Boat.
• Chen Lin spotted a golden island, discovered it was a vertical pillar of gold essence stone, and grew suspicious of the sudden windfall.
• Chen Lin summoned Zhang Zhenqian, and they agreed to split the island’s proceeds equally after arguing over the shares.
• Zhang Zhenqian set up a teleportation formation and brought more than a hundred All-Direction Trading Firm cultivators to the island.
• Huang Ying introduced herself as a member of the trading firm owner’s family and gave Chen Lin her contact Jade Talisman.
• Chen Lin offered to help Huang Ying with difficult pill formulas and suspected she had previously sent a shopkeeper to recruit Chen Ling'er.

Chen Lin traded his claim to a mysterious golden pillar for the All-Direction Trading Firm’s promise of spirit gold pith, then hurried toward the True Spirit Continent. Near land, he learned that Bamian City would host a major trading convention featuring True Spirit Legacy Treasures.

• The miners uncovered an enormous golden pillar that none of their Dharmic Treasures could damage, and Huang Ying offered to compensate Chen Lin for his share.
• Chen Lin agreed to relinquish his claim in exchange for spirit gold pith, signed a Spirit Pact with Huang Ying, and accepted her Jade Pendant token.
• Chen Lin left immediately after sensing Buddhist power from the pillar, then traveled for months toward the True Spirit Continent.
• Chen Lin rescued an old man and a young man from a peak fourth-rank monster beast and brought them toward the continent aboard his Spirit Boat.
• The old man told Chen Lin that Bamian City would hold a trading convention for Ancestor Qingyun’s three-thousandth birthday, where True Spirit Legacy Treasures would be auctioned.
• Chen Lin decided to attend the convention, while the old man and young man left to return to their lineage.

Chen Lin reached Bamian City to claim the promised spirit gold pith and learned that the All-Direction Trading Firm had to arrange a transfer. He bought a rubbing of an Elder Ancient Historian Turtle Descendant’s Taixu script, then, three months later, received alarming news about the Golden Giant Pillar.

• Chen Lin presented Huang Ying’s jade pendant to the All-Direction Trading Firm’s Great Elder, who confirmed the promise but said the firm had no spirit gold pith in stock and would arrange a transfer.
• The Great Elder told Chen Lin that mining on the Golden Island was complete, but the Golden Giant Pillar could not be moved and Ancestor Qingyun had gone to investigate it.
• Chen Lin learned the pillar bore the words “as you will,” wondered whether it might be a legendary rod from his previous life, then dismissed the idea.
• Chen Lin bought a rubbing of writing from an Elder Ancient Historian Turtle Descendant and recognized two Taixu characters in the distorted script.
• Chen Lin studied the rubbing and gathered materials for three months while waiting for the spirit gold pith, then received new information about the Golden Giant Pillar that made his expression change drastically.

Chen Lin learned that the Ruyi Staff had been driven through a statue resembling Nian Kong, then deciphered a Historian Turtle rubbing that suggested his world was a void realm spawned from the Nightmare Realm. After resisting the doubts that nearly corrupted him, he headed to the All-Direction Trading Firm to demand his spirit gold pith.

• Chen Lin heard that the All-Direction Trading Firm had uncovered a huge bald statue pinned to the seabed by the Ruyi Staff, while other factions challenged Ancestor Qingyun’s claim to the treasure.
• Chen Lin bought an Image-Recording Bead and recognized the statue’s face as Nian Kong’s, but decided to avoid getting involved.
• Chen Lin reconstructed the Taixu Script on the Historian Turtle rubbing and read that the Tianxuan Realm had shattered, leaving the Tiancang Realm as a fragment, while their plane might be a void realm formed under the Nightmare Realm’s influence.
• Chen Lin’s doubts about whether his world and cultivation were real began to spawn an inner demon, but he guarded his spirit platform and suppressed it.
• Chen Lin failed to destroy the rubbing, reaffirmed his convictions, put it away, and went to the All-Direction Trading Firm to demand his spirit gold pith.

Chen Lin obtained spirit gold pith and repaired the Golden Light Saber, then learned that the Ruyi Staff and the Demon-Suppressing Temple had been recovered, deepening his karmic entanglement. He stayed for the True Spirit Assembly, gained an insight into advancing to Void Refinement, and met Zhang Zhenqian, who said he had quit the All-Direction Trading Firm.

• The Great Elder gave Chen Lin spirit gold pith and identified the statue as belonging to the Elder Ancient Buddhist Sect after Chen Lin asked about Buddhist cultivators.
• Chen Lin repaired the Golden Light Saber, submerged it in ten-thousand-year spirit liquid, and checked on Grass and Hua Ruyu.
• Chen Lin learned that the Ruyi Staff had been retrieved and the statue opened to reveal the Demon-Suppressing Temple and its treasures, which would be auctioned at the True Spirit Assembly.
• Chen Lin realized he could not escape his karmic connection to the Demon-Suppressing Temple, abandoned his plan to leave, and prepared for the assembly.
• Chen Lin gained an insight into advancing to Void Refinement, refused his daughter's request to attend, and received a message from Zhang Zhenqian.
• Zhang Zhenqian told Chen Lin that he had quit the All-Direction Trading Firm after feeling overlooked in favor of the Huang Family.

Chen Lin accepted Zhang Zhenqian's invitation to explore a cavern filled with soul-related herbs and dangerous yin souls after the True Spirit Assembly. At the auction's opening, Chen Lin recognized the first item as the Lotus Buddhist Treasure he had seen in the Demon-Suppressing Temple.

• Zhang Zhenqian told Chen Lin how the All-Direction Trading Firm had dismissed him after he refused to sign a soul pact, and said he planned to travel as a rogue cultivator.
• Zhang Zhenqian invited Chen Lin to explore a cavern where soul-crossing herbs grew, and Chen Lin agreed on the condition that the group set rules and sign a spirit pact.
• Zhang Zhenqian named Yue Tianyi and Xin Yueling as confirmed companions and left to invite more cultivators.
• Chen Lin attended the True Spirit Assembly auction in a VIP room and listened as Huang Yuee opened the event.
• Huang Yuee presented a lotus-shaped treasure, and Chen Lin recognized it as the Lotus Buddhist Treasure from the Demon-Suppressing Temple in Guyuan City.

At the True Spirit Assembly, Chen Lin watched Buddhist treasures sell before buying a rusted Nightmare Realm saber that could unleash spirit-treasure-level power. The auction then shifted to a true spirit bone, which Xin claimed after Ancestor Qingyun offered it to her.

• Huang Yuee auctioned a Buddhist lotus treasure and the Vajra Body-Refining Art, while Chen Lin avoided bidding on Buddhist items because of his karmic ties.
• Chen Lin bought high-grade spiritual herbs as the auction moved on to ordinary cultivator treasures.
• Huang Yuee introduced a rusted short saber from the Nightmare Realm that could be activated with soul power, and Chen Lin won it for fifty spirit crystals.
• Huang Yuee revealed a true spirit bone containing water, fire, and wood law auras, and Xin identified it as a Wood-Wind Beast bone and claimed it.
• Ancestor Qingyun offered the bone to Xin, who took it while insisting she would pay its price.

After testing the Embroidery Saber in the Nightmare Realm, Chen Lin discovered that its immense power could slightly shake the Road Guide Barrier. The Traveling Merchant appeared and offered to explain the truth about planes after recognizing the aura of Luo on Chen Lin’s firewood saber.

• Chen Lin tested the Embroidery Saber in the Small Woods and nearly exhausted his soul power to unleash a slash that split the ground and slightly pierced the Road Guide Barrier.
• Chen Lin concluded that the saber’s strength came from its Nightmare Realm nature and decided it was a weapon suited to him.
• The Traveling Merchant arrived, praised the Embroidery Saber, and asked whether Chen Lin would sell it.
• Chen Lin refused to sell the saber and asked what the merchant meant by calling his plane the Void Realm.
• The Traveling Merchant explained that he valued real items, and Chen Lin showed him a firewood saber from the Tianluo Race.
• The Traveling Merchant recognized Luo’s aura on the firewood saber and offered to explain planes for free because Luo was the Nightmare Realm’s common enemy.

The Traveling Merchant explained to Chen Lin that a beam of light had caused the Voidification of countless planes, including the Nightmare Realm, and that forming true origin could help beings escape it. After the merchant vanished, Chen Lin realized he might exchange Tianluo Race weapons for rewards at the Yamen and left the Great Rift.

• The Traveling Merchant told Chen Lin that a beam of light had made many planes turn from real to illusory, and that even Luo was attacking other planes to avoid Voidification.
• The Traveling Merchant said beings could resist Voidification by forming true origin, then explained how true origin could be recognized and developed.
• Chen Lin realized that Luo Qinglan, Sun Caiyi, and Sun Caiyi's daughter had true-origin paths, while Qin Lingyu might advance through Immortal power, an Innate Treasure, or her soul.
• The Traveling Merchant warned Chen Lin not to use weapons containing Luo's aura and said he could take them to the Yamen for a reward if he gained access as a Yamen Runner.
• The Traveling Merchant vanished, and Chen Lin took out the Shepherd Token and disappeared from the Great Rift.

Chen Lin joined Zhang Zhenqian and four other cultivators on a treasure hunt in the Black Mist Forbidden Land, where Zhang led them to an earth cave filled with increasingly powerful yin souls. The group sent Xin Yueling’s Red Bird in to scout the entrance while Chen Lin considered taming a powerful spirit beast or refining a ghostly creature into a Shadow Puppet.

• Chen Lin checked the sheep at White Cloud Pasture, considered taking Du Dahai out of the scenario, then set the idea aside because he lacked a suitable scenario with a node.
• Chen Lin met Zhang Zhenqian and four other cultivators outside Bamian City, and the six signed a spirit pact before traveling to the Black Mist Forbidden Land.
• Zhang Zhenqian proposed that each person keep what they found and that he receive either fifty Spirit Crystals per person or help collecting a Spirit Herb; Chen Lin and Xin Yueling paid him the crystals.
• Zhang Zhenqian led the group to a hidden earth-cave entrance and explained that its deeper layers held stronger yin souls, including a Spirit Transformation peak-stage entity on the fourth layer.
• After Zhang Zhenqian entered the crevice, Xin Yueling released her peak fourth-rank Red Bird and sent it inside to scout.

Chen Lin and the others entered the Earth Cave, where Mu Shengyuan was killed by a strange creature made of black threads. The entrance vanished, trapping the survivors as suspicion split the group and they began heading toward another layer.

• Zhang Zhenqian led the group through the fissure and warned them about the Earth Cave’s yin nether qi and ghostly creatures.
• Chen Lin entered after setting a Golden Core Puppet outside with one half of a replica Two Realms Talisman.
• The group searched for Mu Shengyuan and found his corpse covered by writhing black threads that consumed his body.
• The entrance disappeared, and Chen Lin found the talisman’s connection to its counterpart had weakened.
• Zhang Zhenqian pointed out a nearby passage to the next layer, but Xin Yueling and Yue Tianyi split off rather than trust the group.