Chapter Summaries

Qin Shaofeng arrived at Nine Cloud Hall, where the system gave him the Lord of Nine Clouds advancement quest and its first challenge: defeat every opponent in the assessment tournament. He learned that the Shao family and possibly Black Cloud Prefecture had helped destroy Nine Clouds’ strength, leaving him determined to investigate the danger facing the faction.

• Qin Shaofeng left Shao Yaowu and four others after wiping their memories of his attack, while Shao Yaowu vowed to retaliate.
• Steward Jun Haicheng escorted Qin Shaofeng and Lin Yihan to the Nine Cloud faction’s residence, but the Hall Master decided not to meet Qin Shaofeng.
• Qin Shaofeng received the Lord of Nine Clouds quest, whose first stage required him to defeat every opponent in the upcoming assessment tournament.
• Qin Shaofeng summoned Jun Yunxuan and learned that his and Jun Yunchen’s avatars had evolved to fifth-grade saint-grade spiritual roots, while the other avatars had died on battlefields.
• Jun Yunxuan told Qin Shaofeng that the Shao family had targeted Nine Clouds and that Black Cloud Prefecture was suspected of backing them.
• Qin Shaofeng learned that Nine Cloud Prefecture had declined after its Prefecture Lord and expedition party vanished, its remaining Saint Emperor experts died, and Black Cloud Prefecture took its place.

Qin Shaofeng learned that Nine Cloud Hall’s assessment competition could decide whether the Jun family kept control of the hall, and prepared to help them defeat the Shao family. The competition began before a large audience, with the Shao family broadcasting it across Nine Cloud Hall and acting as though victory was certain.

• Jun Yunxuan explained that Black Cloud Prefecture planned to use the assessment to pressure Nine Cloud Hall and possibly remove its Old Hall Master if the Jun family’s young disciples failed.
• Qin Shaofeng decided to compete and used Demon Crystals to obtain ingredients for refining ninth-grade Ninefold Spirit Pills.
• Qin Shaofeng gave pills to Jun Yunxuan, Jun Yunchen, and Lin Yihan, and all three reached the Human Saint-tier within three days.
• Qin Shaofeng consumed a ninth-grade Ninefold Spirit Pill and reached the tenth level of High-level Saint at 99% experience.
• Jun Yunxuan, Jun Yunchen, and Lin Yihan prepared for the assessment, which the Shao family arranged to broadcast publicly as the competition began.

Nine Cloud Hall’s cultivation assessment became a Jun-Shao family arena contest, and the Shao family took an early win by provoking a Jun disciple into fighting recklessly. As Jun Shaoyang guided the Jun side to wins, Qin Shaofeng grew impatient and arranged for Lin Yihan to provoke Shao Yaowu into entering the arena.

• Shao Zitiao challenged the Jun family, provoked a High-level Saint Seventh Layer disciple, and knocked him off the arena for the Shao family’s opening victory.
• Jun Shaoyang calmed the Jun disciples and sent Xiao Jiang to fight; Xiao Jiang defeated Shao Zitiao, won another match, and later lost to a stronger Shao disciple.
• Jun Shaoyang directed the Jun family through more matches, where they generally prevailed against Shao disciples of comparable cultivation.
• Impatient to get a chance to fight, Qin Shaofeng indicated Shao Yaowu to Lin Yihan and told him how to provoke him.
• Lin Yihan gave Shao Yaowu a disdainful look, and Shao Yaowu, unaware of Lin Yihan’s Human Saint-tier breakthrough, angrily entered the arena after the next match ended.

Lin Yihan revealed that he had reached the Human Saint-tier when he defeated Shao Yaowu in the arena. He then beat Shao Yaodong as well, leaving the Jun family celebrating and the Shao family angry.

• Shao Yaowu challenged Lin Yihan and invited the Jun Yunxuan brothers and Qin Shaofeng to join him, but Lin Yihan entered the arena alone.
• Shao Yaowu attacked at full strength, but Lin Yihan caught his palm, punched him in the abdomen, and knocked him unconscious.
• The crowd realized Lin Yihan had advanced to the Human Saint-tier, while Shao Yaofeng blamed the Jun family and sent Shao Yaodong to fight him.
• Lin Yihan calmly countered Shao Yaodong's attacks and knocked him off the arena, prompting cheers from the Jun family disciples.

The Jun family used successive fighters to wear down the Shao family and gained a decisive numbers advantage. Shao Yaofeng then challenged Jun Shaoyang directly, and their evenly matched battle began with Jun Shaoyang briefly taking the initiative.

• Lin Yihan launched a barrage of attacks against a Shao family disciple before conceding, and Jun Yunchen defeated the weakened opponent.
• Jun Yunchen exhausted a Shao family Second Layer fighter before conceding, and Jun Yunxuan later defeated him while conserving his strength.
• Jun Yunxuan and other Jun family disciples wore down a Shao family Third Layer fighter, allowing a Jun family Second Layer disciple to defeat him.
• Shao Yaofeng entered the arena to face Jun Shaoyang, who stepped in and accepted his challenge.
• Jun Shaoyang and Shao Yaofeng began fighting, with Jun Shaoyang's attacks forcing Shao Yaofeng onto the defensive.

Jun Shaoyang defeated Shao Yaofeng with his Seven Flame Fireball, but an unfamiliar Shao Family man then entered the arena. Jun Haicheng recognized him as a Shao Family member who appeared to exceed the agreed age limit, leaving the assessment’s rules in dispute.

• Qin Shaofeng told Lin Yihan that Jun Shaoyang would defeat Shao Yaofeng but warned that victory in the assessment was not yet assured.
• Jun Shaoyang and Shao Yaofeng unleashed their strongest attacks, and Jun Shaoyang emerged unharmed while Shao Yaofeng was badly injured.
• An unfamiliar man rebuked Shao Yaofeng and stepped onto the arena to challenge Jun Shaoyang.
• The man claimed he belonged to the Shao Family, while Jun Haicheng recognized him and suspected he exceeded the assessment’s age limit.

Shao Yun Jie used his frost powers to defeat Jun Shaoyang and establish the Shao family's advantage in the trial competition. As Shao Yun Jie prepared to leave the arena, Qin Shaofeng stepped forward to challenge him.

• Jun Haicheng protested that Shao Yun Jie was thirty, but the Old Hall Master ruled that he could compete because he had turned thirty that day.
• Shao Yun Jie froze Jun Shaoyang's two Seven Flame Fireballs and blasted him off the arena.
• A Jun family disciple rushed onto the arena to avenge Jun Shaoyang, but Shao Yun Jie knocked him away as well.
• Jun Shaoyang warned the others that Shao Yun Jie was an Earth Saint-tier expert, while the Shao family disciples mocked the Jun family.
• Qin Shaofeng landed on the arena and told Shao Yun Jie not to leave because they had not fought yet.

Qin Shaofeng challenged Shao Yun Jie and used Little Fox’s mental skills and Tsukuyomi to knock him unconscious, stunning both families. As the Shao family accused the Jun family of cheating, an angry Shao family disciple rushed at Qin Shaofeng and faced a sudden black shadow.

• Qin Shaofeng stepped onto the arena to challenge Shao Yun Jie, alarming the Jun family and drawing mockery from the crowd.
• Little Fox used Mental Storm and Dark Charm to catch Shao Yun Jie off guard, and Qin Shaofeng trapped his mind in Tsukuyomi until he collapsed unconscious.
• Jun Haicheng mocked Shao Yunkun over Shao Yun Jie's defeat, while Shao Yunkun accused the Jun family of secretly interfering.
• A furious Shao family disciple rushed onto the arena to attack Qin Shaofeng, then saw a black shadow hurtling toward him.

Qin Shaofeng revealed peak Human Saint-tier strength and defeated the Shao family’s challenge, securing victory for the Jun family and preserving Nine Cloud Hall. Black Cloud Saint Emperor received word of the defeat and considered using other methods to eliminate Nine Cloud Hall before an unexpected order arrived through his Prefectural Lord Token.

• Qin Shaofeng knocked a Shao family disciple from the arena with the Nine Profound Saint Sword, prompting Shao Yaofeng to send Shao Yaoming to challenge him.
• Qin Shaofeng revealed a peak Human Saint-tier aura, then attacked Shao Yaoming with a strike whose power reached the Earth Saint-tier.
• Shao Yunkun intervened to disperse Qin Shaofeng’s attack, but Jun Haicheng arrived and confronted him before he could harm Qin Shaofeng.
• Shao Yunkun conceded the match and led the Shao family away, giving the Jun family victory and preserving Nine Cloud Hall.
• Black Cloud Saint Emperor learned that the Shao family had lost and resolved to use other methods against Nine Cloud Hall, but an unexpected order came through his Prefectural Lord Token.

The Black Cloud Saint Emperor received an Elder’s order forbidding him from acting against Nine Cloud Hall, but he planned to exploit the Divine Prefecture Grand Selection to eliminate its geniuses. Back at Nine Cloud Hall, Qin Shaofeng reviewed his newly triggered upgrade mission and chose Difficult Mode despite its high risk.

• The Black Cloud Saint Emperor received an order threatening to strip Black Cloud Prefecture of its status if it harmed Nine Cloud Hall, then considered arranging for its geniuses to die during the Grand Selection.
• Qin Shaofeng returned to his room after escaping the enthusiastic Jun family disciples and checked his system interface.
• Qin Shaofeng saw that defeating Shao Yun Jie and two other Shao family experts had filled his experience points and triggered a special Extreme Upgrade Mission.
• Qin Shaofeng compared the Normal and Difficult Mode requirements and rewards, noting that he had already secured the first stage by placing first in Nine Cloud Hall’s assessment.
• Qin Shaofeng concluded that he needed Difficult Mode to advance far enough in the Grand Selection and chose it despite expecting a high chance of failure.

After advancing to Human Saint-tier First Layer, Qin Shaofeng spent his Skill Points to strengthen Northern Darkness Divine Skill and Lingbo Weibu before answering the old hall master's summons. Qiuqiu discovered that the old hall master was hiding his true cultivation, which had reached the Saint King peak rather than the third layer of the Saint King Realm.

• Qin Shaofeng completed the first stage of Difficult Mode and the first stages of the Lord of Nine Clouds quest, advancing to Human Saint-tier First Layer with 750,000 Saint Origin Value.
• Qin Shaofeng spent three Skill Points to raise Northern Darkness Divine Skill to level six, allowing him to absorb a Low-grade Spirit Pearl in three seconds.
• Qin Shaofeng used his last Skill Point to raise Lingbo Weibu to level six, enabling it to create eighteen Illusion Clones lasting fifteen minutes.
• Jun Haicheng escorted Qin Shaofeng to meet the old hall master, who summoned him to his simple residence in Nine Cloud Hall.
• Qiuqiu detected that the old hall master had concealed his cultivation and had actually reached the Saint King peak.

Qin Shaofeng learned that the Old Hall Master and his master, Elder Lei, had survived a disastrous secret-realm expedition a century earlier, and that the Black Cloud Saint Emperor was only Nine Cloud Hall’s apparent enemy. After hearing that Nine Cloud Hall was safe for now, Qin Shaofeng prepared to compete in the Black Cloud Prefecture selection.

• Qiuqiu revealed that the Old Hall Master was suppressing his Saint King peak cultivation to avoid drawing the Black Cloud Saint Emperor’s attention, and the Old Hall Master noticed Qin Shaofeng could sense his strength.
• The Old Hall Master recognized Qin Shaofeng as Elder Lei’s disciple and said Elder Lei had visited him a few days earlier before leaving the Divine Prefecture territory.
• The Old Hall Master recounted that Elder Lei had reached Saint Emperor realm during the secret-realm expedition a hundred years ago, sacrificed his physical body to save a few people, and left the Old Hall Master as the sole survivor.
• The Old Hall Master said the Black Cloud Saint Emperor was only the enemy visible on the surface and told Qin Shaofeng that Hong Kun’s master had warned Black Cloud Prefecture, keeping Nine Cloud Hall safe for the moment.
• Qin Shaofeng left the Old Hall Master’s residence and began preparing to compete at Black Tiger Hall in nine days, aiming to win the joint preliminary round among twelve halls.

Qin Shaofeng raised his cultivation to the Human Saint-tier Seventh Layer and prepared for the preliminary round by refining Ninefold Saint Spirit Pills. Meanwhile, Shao Yun Jie received pills and a Saint-grade sword from the Black Tiger Saint King, who ordered him to take first place and target Qin Shaofeng.

• Qin Shaofeng used three low-grade Saint Origin Pills to reach the Human Saint-tier Fourth Layer.
• Qin Shaofeng refined four First-grade Ninefold Saint Spirit Pills, gave three to the two Jun brothers and Lin Yihan, and consumed one to reach the Human Saint-tier Seventh Layer.
• Qin Shaofeng declared himself confident about taking first place in the preliminary round.
• Shao Yun Jie told the Black Tiger Saint King that Qin Shaofeng had defeated him with a Saint-grade spirit artifact and covert mental attack.
• The Black Tiger Saint King gave Shao Yun Jie three mid-grade Saint Origin Pills and ordered him to defeat Qin Shaofeng and take first place.
• The Black Tiger Saint King gave Shao Yun Jie a Saint-grade sword for the preliminary round.

Qin Shaofeng led Nine Cloud Hall’s group toward the teleportation array after Black Tiger Hall assigned them a humiliating hut and ordered them to stay there. The Black Tiger Saint King hurried to intercept them, and Qin Shaofeng greeted him as if their meeting were a coincidence.

• Shao Yaofeng and the other Shao family disciples were taken away after the group arrived at Black Tiger Hall.
• A Black Tiger Hall Saint Monarch showed Qin Shaofeng’s group a tiny thatched hut and told them to wait there for the preliminary round.
• Qin Shaofeng announced that Nine Cloud Hall would return home, then led the group toward the teleportation array while Jun Haicheng followed his instructions.
• The Black Tiger Saint King learned they were leaving and rushed to stop them, worried about his plans and the Divine Prefecture’s rules for the Grand Selection.
• The Black Tiger Saint King appeared before the group, and Qin Shaofeng stepped in front of Jun Haicheng and greeted him as though their encounter were accidental.

Qin Shaofeng challenged the Black Tiger Saint King over Nine Cloud Hall being given poor accommodations before the Divine Prefecture Grand Selection. When the Black Tiger Saint King offered his injured subordinate for Qin Shaofeng to dispose of, Qin Shaofeng killed him and demanded proper lodging.

• Qin Shaofeng confronted the Black Tiger Saint King, claiming his subordinate had excluded Nine Cloud Hall from the preliminary round and sent them to a thatched hut.
• The Black Tiger Saint King's sixth-level Saint Lord subordinate admitted fault and injured himself to appease his master, but Qin Shaofeng refused to accept the punishment as sufficient.
• The Black Tiger Saint King offered his subordinate to Qin Shaofeng for disposal, believing Qin Shaofeng would not dare kill him.
• Qin Shaofeng drew the Nine Profound Saint Sword and beheaded the subordinate in front of everyone.
• Qin Shaofeng told the furious Black Tiger Saint King that he was satisfied and demanded that Nine Cloud Hall be taken to its accommodations.

Qin Shaofeng regretted not using an experience boost card after killing a Saint Monarch, while Jun Haicheng and the others feared the consequences. Qin Shaofeng convinced them that Black Tiger Saint King could not secretly interfere with the preliminary round, but Shao Yun Jie then offered Black Tiger Saint King a way to kill Qin Shaofeng himself.

• Black Tiger Saint King left without attacking Qin Shaofeng, and Qin Shaofeng received an off-rank kill reward after killing a Saint Monarch expert.
• Jun Haicheng confronted Qin Shaofeng about killing Black Tiger Saint King's subordinate, but Qin Shaofeng argued that the killing would deter secret interference by attracting the other halls' attention.
• Qin Shaofeng warned Jun Shaoyang and the other Jun family disciples to forfeit if he told them to avoid fighting Black Tiger Hall contestants.
• Black Tiger Saint King rejected his subordinates' idea to tamper with the preliminary round, since Nine Cloud Hall was under scrutiny.
• Shao Yun Jie told Black Tiger Saint King that he had a way to kill Qin Shaofeng by his own hand.

Qin Shaofeng entered Black Tiger Hall’s preliminary competition and quickly discovered that a bounty had been offered for his death. He defeated the first attacker with Tsukuyomi and realized the Wang Family had placed the bounty to avenge the Saint Monarch he had killed.

• The twelve halls began a competition to select twelve contestants for Black Cloud Prefecture’s grand selection, and Qin Shaofeng resolved to win first place.
• Contestants drew random numbers, and Jun Shaoyang won his first match while three Jun lineage disciples either surrendered or lost.
• Qin Shaofeng faced a hostile Human Saint-tier Tenth Level opponent who attacked him with intent to kill.
• Qin Shaofeng used Tsukuyomi to incapacitate and psychologically scar his opponent without killing him.
• Qin Shaofeng learned that the Wang Family had offered a Saint-tier spirit artifact and one thousand low-grade spirit crystals to anyone who killed him.

Qin Shaofeng advanced to the third round after his opponent conceded, while Jun Shaoyang defeated a stronger opponent with a calculated Seven Flame Fireball. Shao Yun Jie hinted that Jun Shaoyang would soon face danger from the Black Tiger Hall, leaving his survival uncertain.

• Jun Haicheng warned Qin Shaofeng that the slain man's Lineage had placed a bounty on him, and Qin Shaofeng said he could concede if necessary.
• Qin Shaofeng's Human Saint-tier Eighth Layer opponent conceded after a few exchanges, advancing Qin Shaofeng to the next round.
• Jun Shaoyang fought a Human Saint-tier Tenth Layer opponent and appeared to be overwhelmed as he was driven to the arena's edge.
• Jun Shaoyang used his own injury as bait, then struck with Seven Flame Fireball and knocked his opponent out of the arena.
• Shao Yaofeng grew jealous of Jun Shaoyang's victory, while Shao Yun Jie implied the Black Tiger Hall would soon deal with him.

Qin Shaofeng watched Jun Shaoyang withdraw from the competition, then faced Wang Hu, a Black Tiger Hall disciple seeking revenge for his second uncle. Qin Shaofeng used a mental attack to interrupt Wang Hu’s assault and brought his sword down as Wang Hu suddenly felt his body grow heavy.

• Jun Shaoyang told Qin Shaofeng that his injuries would keep him from competing in the third round, and Jun Haicheng accepted his withdrawal.
• Shao Yun Jie defeated his opponent quickly, and the second round ended with thirty contestants remaining.
• Qin Shaofeng entered the third-round arena against Wang Hu, an Earth Saint-tier Fourth Layer disciple of Black Tiger Hall who vowed to avenge his second uncle.
• Qin Shaofeng blocked Wang Hu’s repeated saber strikes while concealing his strength, and Wang Hu revealed that his saber could increase the target’s weight with every slash.
• Qin Shaofeng struck Wang Hu with a mental attack, then leaped up and brought the Nine Profound Saint Sword down as Wang Hu’s body suddenly sank.

Qin Shaofeng concealed the full means by which he killed Wang Hu, while the Black Tiger Saint King and Shao Yun Jie arranged new competition rules to force him to face Black Tiger Hall disciples. The chapter ended as Qin Shaofeng stepped into the arena to fight Zhang Guang, who had conceded his previous three matches.

• Qin Shaofeng smashed Wang Hu to death with the Nine Profound Saint Sword, secretly combining a mental shock with the sword’s Nine Profound Heavy Momentum.
• The Black Tiger Saint King noticed Qin Shaofeng’s mental attack and sent Shao Yun Jie a message, while Qin Shaofeng sensed their movements through Qiuqiu’s Perception Domain of Fiery Golden Eyes.
• Jun Shaoyang forfeited because of his injuries, and the remaining fifteen contestants were given an hour to rest.
• The Black Tiger Saint King persuaded the hall representatives to replace the planned elimination rounds with a round-robin competition, then proposed a gauntlet in which one contestant faced the other fourteen in succession.
• Black Tiger Hall disciple Zhang Guang conceded his first three matches, then stopped when Qin Shaofeng became his opponent.
• Qin Shaofeng entered the arena to face Zhang Guang as spectators debated whether he could win again.