Chapter Summaries

Chen Lin refined the Seven Orifices Soul-Gathering Pill while he and the others prepared Blue Charm’s plan to break through the Nightmare Realm. After his soul power surged and he finished refining the pill, they began setting up to attack the creature sealed inside the chained black cauldron, though Kannie warned him that Blue Charm’s blue blood suggested she had been cursed.

• Chen Lin swallowed the Seven Orifices Soul-Gathering Pill and learned from Zhenyangzi that he had found and hidden the Crazy Daoist.
• Blue Charm said the other Nightmare Realm main camps were abandoned and inaccessible, while Zhenyangzi explained that the Realm’s growing instability might make breaking through possible.
• Chen Lin learned that Daoist Destiny and Daoist Yuanzi Yu remained trapped in the Pig-Headed Monster Scenario.
• The chained Large Black Cauldron shook, and Blue Charm warned that its increasingly frequent outbreaks left them little time.
• Chen Lin finished refining the pill, and Blue Charm gave Zhenyangzi a God-Exploding Talisman to activate as they prepared to attack the cauldron.
• Kannie warned Chen Lin that Blue Charm’s blue blood could mean she was cursed, while Blue Charm used her blood and a bead to create an identical phantom that landed on the cauldron.

Chen Lin discovered that Blue Charm, Zhenyangzi, and Kannie had been parasitized as Xiao Luo broke free of its seal. After they cleared the seeds and fought off Xiao Luo’s attack, Blue Charm’s Phantom Clone absorbed the God-Exploding Talisman’s power, leaving Chen Lin unsure how to proceed without freeing Xiao Luo completely.

• Chen Lin used the Soul-Destroying Finger on Blue Charm and discovered that Luo had parasitized her.
• Chen Lin found parasitic seeds in Zhenyangzi and Kannie as well, then cleansed Kannie and placed her in his Space Bag.
• Xiao Luo began shaking the Black Pot and attacked the group with threads that immobilized and injured them.
• Chen Lin and Zhenyangzi broke free and sent the God-Exploding Talisman to Blue Charm’s Phantom Clone, which absorbed its power.
• Chen Lin asked Blue Charm what they should do, since opening the Black Pot could let Xiao Luo escape.

Blue Charm, Chen Lin, and Zhenyangzi opened the Black Pot’s seal and attacked the Xiao Luo inside, but it killed Zhenyangzi and nearly killed Chen Lin. The sealing array restrained the Xiao Luo while Chen Lin weakened it with his Soul-Destroying Finger, but the technique’s effectiveness began to fade before he could kill it.

• Blue Charm revealed that her Origin Treasure had been forged from a Luo Weapon and said they had to follow the plan to open the Black Pot.
• Blue Charm activated the sealing array, and Chen Lin sensed his Round Token resonating with something beneath the cauldron.
• The Phantom Clone shifted the lid, and Blue Charm, Chen Lin, and Zhenyangzi attacked the Xiao Luo through the opening.
• The Xiao Luo struck Chen Lin with a Tri-Color Arrow and killed Zhenyangzi with a head wound, but the Phantom Clone’s sacrifice restrained it with the sealing array.
• Chen Lin and Blue Charm attacked the bound Xiao Luo, and Chen Lin’s Soul-Destroying Finger weakened it until the technique began losing effectiveness.

Chen Lin and Blue Charm destroyed Giant Eye, but Blue Charm died in the process. The Gourmet Guardian then revealed he intended to use Chen Lin’s destiny rule origin essence as an ingredient, leaving Chen Lin trying to summon help as the Guardian prepared to take it.

• Blue Charm used her Natal Bead to weaken Giant Eye, and Chen Lin detonated his soul seed to destroy it with the Soul-Destroying Finger.
• Chen Lin found Blue Charm dead, and the Gourmet Guardian Token emerged as the Gourmet Guardian appeared and thanked him for killing a Young Luo.
• Zhenyangzi materialized at the valley altar, sensed something was wrong, and vanished before Chen Lin could see him.
• The Gourmet Guardian said he would use Giant Eye’s origin essence to make a delicacy and intended to take Chen Lin’s destiny rule origin essence as the missing ingredient.
• Chen Lin crushed Niuniu’s talisman, but it produced no response, so he also crushed Xiaohong’s mushroom while the Guardian laughed at him.

Chen Lin faced execution by the Gourmet Guardian until Grass sacrificed herself to awaken the Thunder God Sword’s true power and kill him. As the Great Heavens Projection began, Chen Lin seized his chance and escaped through a Space Rift, leaving Grass’s fate unresolved.

• Chen Lin’s attempts to summon Xiaohong and attack the Gourmet Guardian failed, and he accepted that he could not defeat him.
• Chen Lin asked the Gourmet Guardian to let Grass go, but the Gourmet Guardian ignored his plea and attacked again.
• Grass transformed into light, shielded Chen Lin, and merged with the Thunder God Sword, which took the shape and power of the Exterminating Sword.
• The Thunder God Sword pierced and destroyed the Gourmet Guardian, tearing open the cavern and breaking the space barrier.
• As the Great Heavens Projection began, Chen Lin gathered what he could and escaped into the Space Rift with the dormant Thunder God Sword.

Chen Lin recovered from the disastrous passage into the Nightmare Realm and grieved for Grass, vowing to find a way to bring her back. After sorting through the survivors’ remains and the objects he had collected, he discovered a key that resonated with Bai Ruxue’s Round Token, then left his shelter to continue onward.

• Chen Lin woke in a cave with severe injuries, found his cultivation realm intact, and mourned Grass and the unknown fates of Blind Girl and Kannie.
• After three days and nights, Chen Lin resolved to revive Grass and inferred that she had been connected to the Thunder God Sword and the enormous Exterminating Sword.
• Chen Lin hid inside the Divine Snail Shell, found Blind Girl’s flower intact, collected the xiao luo origin essence and a strange black sphere, and examined Zhenyangzi and Blue Charm’s remains.
• Chen Lin kept Blue Charm’s Natal Spirit Pearl and damaged Origin Treasure, then discovered a patterned key beneath Bai Ruxue’s Round Token and found that the two objects resonated.
• After several months of recovery, Chen Lin put away the Divine Snail Shell, rose into the air, and flew away.

After spending twenty years cultivating on an isolated island, Chen Lin encountered a ship and its passengers while trying to learn how to leave the strange black sea. He met Huangfu Ying, who asked whether he was connected to Third Pillar Heaven or Snow Eagle, and Chen Lin questioned her in return.

• Chen Lin discovered the barren island had a low-grade spiritual vein, built a cave, and prepared to cultivate while restoring his body.
• Chen Lin recreated a Nightmare Realm environment for the Blind Girl's flower and found he could not use a Luo Monster origin light particle to awaken the Thunder God Sword.
• Twenty years later, Chen Lin had reached the Void Refinement mid-stage but remained stranded because the sea's strange energy and reinforced space made escape dangerous.
• A ship carrying Huangfu Ying and her attendants approached the island, and Chen Lin emerged after Huangfu Ying sensed someone was there.
• Huangfu Ying introduced herself and asked whether Chen Lin was a hunter from Third Pillar Heaven or one of Snow Eagle's people; Chen Lin denied knowing Snow Eagle and asked who she was and why she had come.

Huangfu Ying sought Chen Lin as a companion for the dangerous journey to the Third Pillar Heaven, and he agreed after learning about the Twelve Pillar Heavens. Before they set out, Chen Lin asked her to explain who she had angered and how powerful they were.

• Huangfu Ying introduced herself as a member of the Huangfu Lineage and said she was traveling to the Third Pillar Heaven, while Chen Lin refused to reveal his origins.
• Huangfu Ying decided to recruit Chen Lin, and the next day she visited his cave abode after discovering the formations protecting his mountain.
• Huangfu Ying proposed that she and Chen Lin travel together, and Chen Lin readily agreed.
• Huangfu Ying explained that twelve Heaven-Supporting Giant Pillars created the Pillar Heavens, where dark energy was absent and cultivation was easier.
• Chen Lin recalled a similar twelve-pillar formation from the Peerage Mission space, then asked Huangfu Ying who she had offended and how strong they were.

Chen Lin joined Huangfu Ying’s voyage across the Dark Sea and watched Huangfu Qingrou endure divine punishment after her golden core tribulation. Three months later, he learned that surviving divine punishment could bring immense cultivation gains, and Huangfu Qingrou had advanced to the late golden core realm.

• Chen Lin agreed to travel with Huangfu Ying’s group after signing a contract against harming one another.
• Huangfu Ying introduced her attendants, guards, and lineage members as the ship prepared to sail.
• Huangfu Qingrou passed her golden core tribulation, but divine punishment descended and left her severely injured after she absorbed its remaining power.
• Huangfu Ying used a talisman to suppress Huangfu Qingrou’s chaotic energy, and the group took her aboard before departing.
• Three months later, Huangfu Qingrou awoke with her cultivation advanced to the late golden core realm, and Chen Lin learned that surviving divine punishment could grant enormous benefits.

Chen Lin learned more about the dangers near the Third Pillar Heaven and negotiated with Huangfu Ying over a rare spirit flower. Their trade remained unsettled after she demanded additional treasures for the true soul flower she offered.

• Chen Lin considered the power of Divine Punishment Light, then followed Qingling to meet Huangfu Ying, who warned him that the ship was nearing dangerous coastal waters.
• Chen Lin agreed to help fight sea beasts and offered Huangfu Ying a qingxuan three-leaf flower she urgently needed for her younger sister.
• Huangfu Ying recognized Chen Lin's red light particle as possible evil Luo origin essence and said she could introduce him to a True Spirit Family in the Third Pillar Heaven.
• Chen Lin asked for rare treasures or materials in exchange for the flower, and Huangfu Ying offered him a powerful true soul flower.
• Huangfu Ying stopped Chen Lin from taking the true soul flower and demanded that he add other treasures to make up the difference.

Chen Lin traded an Immobilization Talisman and an Azure Flying Sword for Huangfu Ying’s true soul flower, then killed a Blood-Eyed Monster that attacked the ship. Huangfu Ying sent Huangfu Qingrou to offer him the beast’s remains, and Qingrou asked to stay and serve him.

• Chen Lin and Huangfu Ying agreed to trade the true soul flower for an Immobilization Talisman and an Azure Flying Sword.
• A Blood-Eyed Monster attacked the ship, injuring Zhao Kaijiang and knocking down the Old Butler, while Huangfu Ying said she could not use her mana.
• Chen Lin killed the monster with Five Thunders Smite the Crown, and Huangfu Ying ordered its valuable remains delivered to him.
• Huangfu Qingrou brought Chen Lin the monster’s core and eye, but when he told her to leave, she asked to stay and attend to him.

Chen Lin learned that Huangfu Qingrou could absorb and imitate heterogeneous energy, then asked her to help deliver Luo monster origin essence to his natal magical treasure. She prepared to transfer the energy, leaving Chen Lin to guide the light orb with his soul.

• Chen Lin refused Huangfu Qingrou's offer to attend him, but agreed to let her help with the Luo monster origin essence after Huangfu Ying recommended her.
• Huangfu Qingrou explained that her God Favored ability let her absorb heterogeneous energy and imitate energy she had already absorbed, though the process carried risks and used her limited divine power.
• Chen Lin learned that Huangfu Qingrou had absorbed Divine Punishment Light and could imitate it, subject to the limits of her ability.
• Chen Lin asked Huangfu Qingrou to transfer the Luo monster origin essence into his body so he could restore the Thunder God Sword.
• Huangfu Qingrou formed a golden light orb around the origin essence, warned that its high level strained her, and explained that Chen Lin could guide the orb with his soul power.

Chen Lin tested whether Huangfu Qingrou’s Origin Light Particle could restore the Thunder God Sword, then learned she could strengthen her divine power origin with pure origin energy. Huangfu Ying presented him with a Dao-Inquiring Stone after he rejected her attempt to match him with Huangfu Qingrou.

• Chen Lin used Scholar as a precaution while he and Huangfu Qingrou sent four-star and five-star Origin Light Particles into the Thunder God Sword, but the sword showed no meaningful response.
• Huangfu Qingrou failed to contain a six-star Light Particle, so Chen Lin gave her a small piece of a Pure Origin Orb and learned it could strengthen her divine power origin.
• Chen Lin gave Huangfu Qingrou pills to help her cultivate toward the Nascent Soul Realm, and she left with four-star Luo Monster Origin and Three-Star Luo Monster Crystals to experiment with.
• Huangfu Ying asked Chen Lin what he thought of Huangfu Qingrou, but he refused to become involved with her or her lineage.
• Huangfu Ying presented Chen Lin with an exquisite Jade Box, and he found a Dao-Inquiring Stone inside.

Huangfu Ying offered Chen Lin a Dao-Inquiring Stone in exchange for help protecting her fleeing lineage from the Snow Eagle Organization. After learning about the mysterious Light Gate and negotiating for another stone, Chen Lin agreed to help and demanded that Huangfu Qingrou serve at his side for a hundred years.

• Huangfu Ying revealed that Snow Eagle had killed her lineage's patriarch and that the survivors were fleeing toward the Third Pillar Heaven.
• Huangfu Ying gave Chen Lin a Jade Slip showing the Light Gate, whose design reminded him of Bai Ruxue's Round Token.
• Chen Lin learned that Snow Eagle ranked among the Fourth Pillar Heavens' top factions and might have a Dao Rhyme Seventh Stage expert.
• Chen Lin agreed to help Huangfu Ying's group reach the Third Pillar Heaven within his capabilities.
• Huangfu Ying promised another Dao-Inquiring Stone within ten years, and Chen Lin demanded that Huangfu Qingrou serve at his side for a hundred years in return.

Chen Lin protected Huangfu Ying’s ship and killed Snow Eagle’s Spirit Master, Pusuo, with the Pitch-Black Dagger. When three powerful pursuers appeared, Huangfu Ying revealed that her group had taken something from the Light Gate and brought it aboard, leaving Chen Lin to confront the danger she had concealed.

• Chen Lin gave Huangfu Qingrou Soul Steamed Buns to help protect her from inner demons as she cultivated.
• Chen Lin detected and killed a concealed Boyu Beast, then used the Pitch-Black Dagger to kill Pusuo, Snow Eagle’s Spirit Master.
• Huangfu Ying warned Chen Lin that Exalted Blue Origin and two other powerful cultivators had arrived to intercept them.
• Chen Lin accused Huangfu Ying of hiding the true nature of the threat and declared their contract void.
• Huangfu Ying admitted that her group had obtained something from the Light Gate and that it was aboard the ship.

Chen Lin killed one of the attackers, drove another to flee, and captured and killed the last before learning the truth about Huangfu Ying’s strange treasure. He examined a small jade coffin that had emerged from the Light Gate and suspected something alive was sealed inside.

• Chen Lin attacked the four pursuers with the Burning Heavens Spear and killed the elderly Dao Rhyme third-layer expert.
• Exalted Blue Origin abandoned the fight and fled, while the burly man used an Advanced Void-Breaking Talisman to escape into the void.
• Vines dragged the burly man back to the ship, where Chen Lin searched his soul and destroyed both his soul and body.
• Chen Lin told the others to move the ship, then followed Huangfu Ying to a concealed room at the bottom of the ship.
• Huangfu Ying explained that the jade coffin had flown out of the Light Gate and that Snow Eagle discovered it before ambushing her clan.
• Chen Lin sensed that something inside the coffin was alive and began examining it.

Several months after reaching Third Pillar Heaven, Chen Lin investigated the realm and arrived with Huangfu Qingrou at Three Pillars City. He examined the Divine Pillar at its base, eager to discover its mysteries.

• Chen Lin declined Huangfu Ying's offer to travel together and refused to take the jade coffin, then left with Huangfu Qingrou.
• Chen Lin gave Huangfu Qingrou a disguise mask and a jade talisman to conceal her identity, and changed his own appearance.
• Chen Lin spent several months investigating Third Pillar Heaven, learning about its nine major cities and the many powerful cultivators gathered there.
• Chen Lin and Huangfu Qingrou entered Three Pillars City, obtained Identity Tokens, and learned the rules for staying in the city.
• Chen Lin and Huangfu Qingrou flew to the Divine Pillar, observed the cultivators and worshippers gathered around it, and Chen Lin approached its base.

Chen Lin settled in Three Pillars City with Huangfu Qingrou, studied its Divine Pillar, and bought Soul Leaving Beasts for making Soul Refining Pills. He resolved to remain in the city and cultivate, though he still lacked the time-related materials needed for his plans.

• Chen Lin examined the Divine Pillar and suspected its material matched that of the giant formation pillars he possessed.
• Chen Lin rented an immortal cave, bought Cultivation Jade Talismans, and learned that Huangfu Qingrou's lineage had gone to Yuetian City for protection and support.
• Chen Lin purchased ten four-stripe Soul Leaving Beasts and ordered two six-stripe ones, hoping to use them in Soul Refining Pills.
• Chen Lin considered how rarer striped Soul Leaving Beasts might affect soul cultivation and decided to settle down in the Third Pillar Heaven.
• Chen Lin gathered Soul Leaving Beasts and pill-making materials but could not find time sand, so he hired others to search for it.

After ten years cultivating beneath the Divine Pillar, Chen Lin returned with Huangfu Ying’s Dao-Inquiring Stone and helped Huangfu Qingrou advance to Nascent Soul. He tested whether her golden orb could contain Xiao Luo’s light particles, then examined a Spirit Beast Bracelet taken from Snow Eagle and discovered a peak rank-six primordial beast inside.

• Chen Lin spent ten years cultivating near the Divine Pillar, then visited Yuetian City and collected the Dao-Inquiring Stone Huangfu Ying owed him, along with cultivation resources.
• Chen Lin returned to the city and learned that Huangfu Qingrou had grasped the opportunity to advance to Nascent Soul.
• Chen Lin took Huangfu Qingrou to the Tribulation Platform, where she passed her tribulation and advanced successfully.
• After Huangfu Qingrou stabilized her realm, Chen Lin tested Xiao Luo’s light particles with her golden orb, but she could not contain one.
• Chen Lin prepared to use the two Dao-Inquiring Stones and inspected two Seven Orifices Soul-Gathering Pills before examining a Spirit Beast Bracelet taken from Snow Eagle.
• Chen Lin discovered that the bracelet contained an unfamiliar primordial exotic beast at the peak of rank six and extended his divine sense into it.

Chen Lin advanced to late Void Refinement and strengthened his dao rhyme and soul seed, while Huangfu Qingrou reached Spirit Transformation. After learning that the Light Gate was real, he kept the discovery secret as he weighed future dangers and prepared for the calamity foretold to follow him.

• Chen Lin kept the dangerous primordial beast sealed in its bracelet, then entered a century of seclusion to raise his cultivation and refine his soul seed.
• Chen Lin reached late Void Refinement, while Huangfu Qingrou advanced to Spirit Transformation and chose to remain with him after their hundred-year agreement ended.
• Chen Lin refined both Dao-Inquiring Stones and a Seven Orifices Soul-Gathering Pill, raising his dao rhyme to the seventh layer, though he realized the stones could no longer help him progress much further.
• Chen Lin considered exploring the Nightmare Realm and worried that the death-qi calamity foretold by the old man at Time Cottage might soon arrive.
• Zhao Yingnan reported that an expedition had confirmed the Light Gate existed and gave Chen Lin an Image-Recording Bead showing it.
• Chen Lin confirmed that the Light Gate matched Huangfu Ying's account, ordered its location kept confidential, and asked Zhao Yingnan about her cultivation.