Chapter Summaries

Zhao Zhiqing explained the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm’s five regions and their dangers and treasures to Li Bufan. After she left, Li Bufan resumed cultivating and continued attacking the final bottleneck of the Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian.

• Zhao Zhiqing described the Hundred Herbs Garden, Spirit Gathering Cave, and Blazing Sun Space, and Li Bufan recalled the Crimson Fire Flowing Paste he had obtained.
• Zhao Zhiqing explained Gale Cliff’s body-tempering potential and showed Li Bufan a Wind Settling Bottle developed by the Xia Family to capture gale winds and violent Vital Energy.
• Zhao Zhiqing described the Water Marsh Forest and its rare Vitality Fish, which could greatly advance cultivation, though no one besides Xia Lingze had ever obtained one.
• Li Bufan thanked Zhao Zhiqing and promised to support her during their journey, then urged her to return to rest.
• Zhao Zhiqing left, and Li Bufan reviewed what he had learned before resuming his cultivation.

Li Bufan trained with Zhao Zhiqing and Zhao Zhichen for three days, improving his Surging Waves Palm and foundational martial knowledge. He opened his eighth regular meridian, began cultivating the ninth, and prepared to depart for the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm.

• Li Bufan practiced the Dragon Roaming Steps and Surging Waves Palm before Zhao Zhiqing challenged him to spar, and he matched her technique with eleven layers of stacked force.
• Zhao Zhiqing and Li Bufan exchanged techniques and martial insights while Zhao Zhichen joined their morning practice under his sister’s supervision.
• Over the next three days, Li Bufan studied martial theory, sparred with Zhao Zhiqing, and cultivated with Qi Condensation Pills, eventually striking with twelve layers of stacked force.
• Li Bufan broke through the final bottleneck of the Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, completing the opening of his eighth regular meridian.
• Li Bufan immediately began cultivating the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and then prepared to leave for the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm.

Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing traveled with Xia Jianlin to the capital, where they would join a caravan using cross-border trade as cover to reach the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm. The chapter revealed the Xia Family’s elaborate secrecy measures and the bloodline ties behind its selection of explorers, and left the trio entering the capital in disguise.

• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing said goodbye to Zhao Zhichen and boarded Xia Jianlin’s flying vessel.
• Xia Jianlin explained that the group would gather in the capital before traveling to Youzhou, where the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm was hidden.
• Xia Jianlin described how merchant caravans concealed the secret realm mission and how publicly known descendants served as cover for the true core elites.
• Xia Jianlin revealed that successful explorers usually had blood ties to the Xia Family core, and said Qingzhou had four slots, including Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing.
• The vessel reached the capital at dusk, and Xia Jianlin told Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing to pose as Treasure Gathering Pavilion stewards and guards.

Xia Jianlin brought Li Bufan and Zhiqing into the Xia Family’s hidden gathering ground, where they prepared to stay before exploring the secret realm. After introducing them to Xia Chong'an, Xia Jianlin began explaining the old conflict involving A-Yuan.

• Xia Jianlin led Li Bufan and Zhiqing through the Xia Residence’s concealed formations into a vast compound hidden inside an ordinary-looking courtyard.
• Xia Chong'an greeted Xia Jianlin and asked why he had not come with A-Yuan, revealing tension between them.
• Xia Jianlin introduced Zhiqing as his niece and claimed Li Bufan was her husband to explain their relationship.
• Xia Chong'an assessed Li Bufan’s cultivation, then directed Xia Jianlin to settle the pair in Area B.
• Zhiqing reproached Xia Jianlin for calling Li Bufan her husband, and Xia Jianlin explained that the cover story would draw less attention.
• Li Bufan asked about Xia Chong'an and A-Yuan, and Xia Jianlin began recounting stories from the previous generation.

Xia Jianlin told Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing how Xia Chongping sacrificed himself to save Chong'an and how Xia Jianyuan murdered Chen Shi, warning them to beware of their own allies in the secret realm. The next morning, Li Bufan cultivated and practiced his palm technique until an elder’s voice rang through the camp.

• Xia Jianlin recounted how Xia Chongping saved Chong'an from Devouring Origin Fish but disappeared in the marsh, leaving Chong'an burdened with guilt and Xia Jianlin’s grandmother mentally impaired.
• Xia Jianlin explained that Xia Jianyuan had pushed his fiancée, Chen Shi, into lava during a secret realm expedition, creating an irreconcilable feud.
• Xia Jianlin warned Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing to be especially cautious of people from Xia Jianyuan’s branch during their upcoming expedition.
• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing promised to stay vigilant, then retired for the night as Xia Jianlin prepared them for the next day’s lectures and meeting.
• Li Bufan cultivated through the night, improved his cultivation and divine sense, and practiced Surging Waves Palm the next morning.
• An aged, clear voice suddenly rang through every courtyard in the hidden camp.

The Xia Family secretly prepared to send its young elites to the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm by hiding them among ten trade caravans bound for Youzhou. Li Bufan learned a disguise technique and boarded a flying vessel with Xia Chong'an’s group as their covert journey began.

• The Xia elders assigned the young elites to ten teams and ordered them to conceal their identities and keep a low profile on the journey to Youzhou.
• Xia Chong'an assigned Zhao Zhiqing, Xia Bowen, and Xia Jingshu cover identities, while Li Bufan and three other young men were to serve as guards or workers.
• Li Bufan asked to wear a mask, but Xia Chong'an gave him the Muscle Shifting Bone Shifting Art; Li Bufan quickly learned its basics and altered his face.
• The ten elders led the teams through hidden underground passages from the Xia Residence to the family’s private flying-vessel landing field.
• Xia Chong'an’s team boarded vessel Three, where Li Bufan was assigned to shared lower-deck quarters with ordinary guards and workers.

Li Bufan traveled with the Xia Family to Myriad Phenomena City, where Xia Chong'an kept the seven recruits hidden until the secret realm expedition began. The group used an invisible flying boat to reach the remote entrance to the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm.

• Li Bufan cultivated during the flight and advanced his Muscle Shifting Bone Shifting Art to proficiency, allowing him to subtly alter his build.
• The flying boat landed at Treasure Gathering Pavilion in Myriad Phenomena City, and Xia Chong'an secretly led Li Bufan and the other six into a hidden chamber to wait.
• The next day, Xia Chong'an brought the seven to a concealed clearing, where nearly a hundred people gathered for the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm expedition.
• A gaunt old man revealed a silver invisible flying boat, and the Xia Family group boarded it to travel without revealing their route.
• The invisible flying boat brought Li Bufan and the others to a mist-covered lake surrounded by mountains, which Xia Chong'an identified as the entrance to the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm.

The Xia Family teams set out across the lake toward the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm, following routes marked on their jade tokens. When Xia Chong'an’s team was caught in a vortex, Li Bufan and his companions worked together to free their boat and escape the strongest suction.

• The old man explained how the jade tokens guided each team through the lake’s dangerous currents to a teleportation formation at its heart.
• Zhao Zhiqing led Xia Chong'an’s team aboard her boat and organized them to take turns steering while staying united until they reached the secret realm.
• The team crossed the foggy lake, avoided marked hazards, and entered the turbulent-flow zone, where currents and hidden obstacles grew more dangerous.
• A vortex seized the boat, and Li Bufan used his Stacking Waves Palm while the other six struck the water to pull the boat free and propel it beyond the vortex.

Li Bufan and the Xia Family group navigated the misty rapids and descended a waterfall to reach the secret realm entrance. Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing entered the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm together.

• Li Bufan used repeated Stacking Waves Palms to protect the boat through the dangerous rapids, then Xia Bowen sensed hidden hazards and guided the group through the thick mist.
• Xia Bowen warned that a waterfall lay ahead, and Zhao Zhiqing stored the boat so the seven could descend using their own abilities.
• Li Bufan used Dragon Roaming Steps to borrow force repeatedly in midair and safely reach the lake below the waterfall.
• Zhao Zhiqing led the group to a pale blue light screen identified as the secret realm entrance, where the five other Xia Family disciples entered ahead of them.
• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing touched their tokens to the light screen and entered the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm.

Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing entered the Spirit Marsh Secret Realm and traveled through the Red Soil Land toward the Hundred Herbs Garden. After learning about the garden’s valuable Spirit Marrow Black Soil and studying a jade slip’s herb guide, they split up to harvest spirit herbs.

• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing identified the red terrain as the secret realm’s starting region and followed a map toward the Hundred Herbs Garden.
• Li Bufan killed a fast-attacking Crimson Shadow Raccoon with one saber strike, and the pair continued deeper into the realm.
• Zhao Zhiqing explained that the soil changed from Cloud-Nourished Medicinal Soil to valuable Spirit Marrow Black Soil as they neared the garden.
• The two entered the Hundred Herbs Garden, where Zhao Zhiqing gave Li Bufan a jade slip documenting herbs and harvesting methods.
• Li Bufan studied the jade slip, then agreed with Zhao Zhiqing to search opposite sides of the garden and meet again in two hours.

Li Bufan found Pulse Mending Grass in Green Dew Valley while searching the Hundred Herbs Garden for ingredients to heal Yang Kai, but a hostile archer attacked him to claim the herbs. As Li Bufan closed in on the archer, a second opponent burst from the soil and struck at him with a blade.

• Li Bufan searched the Hundred Herbs Garden for Pulse Mending Grass and Life Flower, harvesting spirit herbs until his Storage Bag was nearly full.
• Li Bufan reached Green Dew Valley and found several stalks of Pulse Mending Grass beneath a shaded rock wall.
• A brown-clad youth fired an arrow to stop Li Bufan from harvesting the herbs, then attacked with repeated volleys.
• Li Bufan dodged the arrows and charged the youth, suffering a shallow cut when an arrow infused with true qi grazed his cheek.
• As Li Bufan closed to within ten zhang of the archer, an unseen figure sprang from the black soil and slashed at him with Thunderclap Blade.

Li Bufan fought off a coordinated ambush by a saber-wielding youth and a brown-clad archer, killing both with a decisive strike. After recovering and collecting their supplies and nearby herbs, he continued deeper into the Hundred Herbs Garden.

• Li Bufan parried the saber-wielding youth’s ambush while dodging the brown-clad archer’s hidden arrows, then exploited the youth’s attack to disarm and wound him with Surging Waves Palm and Five Forms as One.
• The brown-clad archer abandoned his bow and attacked Li Bufan with daggers, while the injured saber-wielding youth rejoined the fight and harassed him.
• When the two opponents drew close and their formation faltered, Li Bufan unleashed Chaos of Rivers and Mountains, cutting both men in half at the waist.
• Li Bufan swallowed two Qi Replenishing Pills, recovered some of his true qi, and took the opponents’ Storage Bags, including three Life Flowers and gathered herbs and medicines.
• Li Bufan harvested mature Pulse Mending Grass beneath the rock wall and continued deeper into the Hundred Herbs Garden.

Li Bufan explored deeper into Hundred Herbs Garden, harvested herbs, and learned two martial techniques from the Storage Bags of the men he had defeated. When Zhao Zhiqing failed to meet him, he followed her tracks to a massive ancient tree and sensed her cultivation aura inside its trunk.

• Li Bufan harvested more spiritual herbs and quickly learned the entry-level Thunderclap Saber Technique and Chasing Wind Nine Arrows.
• Li Bufan took the archer's Grade Two war bow and returned to the agreed meeting place, but Zhao Zhiqing was missing.
• Li Bufan found Zhao Zhiqing's tracks and followed them into an area with exceptionally dense spiritual energy.
• Li Bufan discovered a towering ancient tree where Zhao Zhiqing's tracks ended and heard no response when he called to her.
• Li Bufan sensed Zhao Zhiqing's cultivation aura within the tree and began circling it to search for an entrance.

Li Bufan discovered that guardian vines concealed Zhao Zhiqing inside the giant tree and fought through them using the Crimson Fire Flowing Paste. He reached the branches bearing the mysterious jade-green fruit, but the chapter ended before he found Zhao Zhiqing or the fruit’s secret.

• Li Bufan searched the giant tree’s trunk, struck it with his palm, and discovered its surface repelled his attack with tremendous force.
• Li Bufan climbed the tree and spotted an unfamiliar jade-green fruit among its branches.
• Li Bufan shot an arrow toward the fruit, and guardian vines caught it and dragged it into the canopy.
• Li Bufan surmised that the vines had captured Zhao Zhiqing when she tried to pick the fruit.
• Li Bufan covered himself with Crimson Fire Flowing Paste, which burned the tree’s attacking vines and branches as he advanced.
• Li Bufan endured the tree’s increasingly fierce assault and reached the branches bearing the fruit.

Li Bufan plucked the emerald-green fruit and was dragged into the giant tree, where an overwhelming flood of Wood Attribute Vital Energy forced him to cultivate two techniques at once. The chapter left him sinking into darkness as his body continued to endure the energy surge.

• Li Bufan pulled the emerald-green fruit from the branch, causing the giant tree and its branch platform to shake and sink.
• The tree's vines overwhelmed Li Bufan's Crimson Fire Flowing Paste and dragged him and the platform into the tree's interior.
• Li Bufan was engulfed by dense Wood Attribute Vital Energy, which rapidly filled his meridians and threatened to burst his body apart.
• Li Bufan circulated the Five Elements Heaven Skill and Nine Revolutions Golden Wall Art together to refine the energy and temper his body.
• Li Bufan searched for Zhao Zhiqing's aura while enduring the energy torrent, then collided with an area of far greater concentration.
• The remaining Crimson Fire Flowing Paste reacted violently with the concentrated essence, and Li Bufan lost consciousness while his techniques continued to circulate.

Li Bufan awoke after surviving the Wood Attribute Spiritual Energy tide, having greatly advanced his cultivation and physical strength. He found Zhao Zhiqing unconscious with badly damaged meridians and began using golden needles to draw the excess Wood Attribute Vital Energy from her body.

• Li Bufan discovered that he had opened three primary meridians, nearly completed the twelve, advanced the Nine Revolutions Golden Wall Art to its Fourth Revolution, and strengthened his divine sense.
• Li Bufan found Zhao Zhiqing unconscious and judged that the Wood Attribute Vital Energy in her body was eroding her meridians.
• Li Bufan carried Zhao Zhiqing out of the giant tree and down to a patch of grass.
• Li Bufan used golden needles and Five Elements True Qi to stimulate Zhao Zhiqing's acupoints, causing the accumulated Wood Attribute Vital Energy to begin seeping out.

Li Bufan saved Zhao Zhiqing by drawing out the dangerous wood-element Vital Energy and revealed herbs that could repair her damaged meridians. After they agreed to stay together while exploring the remaining treasure grounds, Zhao Zhiqing found Li Bufan unresponsive and panicked until he suddenly sneezed.

• Li Bufan spent two days guiding the wood-element Vital Energy out of Zhao Zhiqing, stabilizing her condition but exhausting himself.
• Zhao Zhiqing feared her damaged meridians would end her cultivation, but Li Bufan showed her Pulse Mending Grass and a Life Flower for refining a restorative pill.
• Li Bufan teased Zhao Zhiqing until she laughed through her tears, then promised they would not separate as they explored the four remaining treasure grounds.
• Zhao Zhiqing recovered enough to move while Li Bufan rested, but he did not respond when she called or shook him.
• Zhao Zhiqing began sobbing in fear, and Li Bufan suddenly sneezed.

Li Bufan woke after falling asleep, and Zhao Zhiqing quietly let him rest on her lap before he awoke. After he massaged her numb legs, the two continued deeper into the Hundred Herbs Garden, though Li Bufan was puzzled by her sudden irritation.

• Li Bufan woke to find Zhao Zhiqing crying, apologized for falling asleep, and soon drifted off again as his Muscle Shifting Bone Shifting Art faded and revealed his true face.
• Zhao Zhiqing placed Li Bufan's head on her lap and stayed still for two hours while he slept.
• Li Bufan woke on Zhao Zhiqing's lap and teased her about coveting his beauty, prompting her to deny it and bristle at his remark about her being older.
• Zhao Zhiqing admitted her legs were numb, and Li Bufan massaged them until she could walk again.
• Zhao Zhiqing continued deeper into the Hundred Herbs Garden, leaving Li Bufan to scratch his head before he hurried after her.

Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing discovered a battle over a Heavenly Spirit Flower and learned about the formidable Xia Jinghe and the Three Flowers Seed Xia Jingyan. Xia Jinghe proposed a lethal one-on-one tournament to decide who would claim the flower, leaving the gathered warriors hesitant to accept.

• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing approached a battle, where Xia Bowen and his companions were losing a fight over the Heavenly Spirit Flower.
• Xia Jinghe stopped the combatants with a powerful blade strike, while Xia Jingyan exposed Li Bufan, Zhao Zhiqing, and other hidden observers.
• Zhao Zhiqing told Li Bufan that Xia Jinghe had reached the Dantian Realm and Xia Jingyan was a Three Flowers Seed born with his Sea of Consciousness open.
• Xia Jinghe proposed one-on-one matches with life and death permitted, with the final winner claiming the Heavenly Spirit Flower.
• Xia Jingyan backed the proposal, and the gathered warriors hesitated, aware that neither man would be easy to challenge.

Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing withdrew from the fight over the Heavenly Spirit Flower and chose to head for Blazing Sun Space, where Li Bufan’s Crimson Fire Flowing Paste could help protect them. They reached the entrance to the region’s narrow crevice, ready to enter the true Blazing Sun Space.

• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing left Hundred Herbs Garden after he explained the risks of fighting Xia Jinghe and Xia Jingyan for the Heavenly Spirit Flower.
• Li Bufan weighed Gale Cliff against Blazing Sun Space and showed Zhao Zhiqing his Crimson Fire Flowing Paste, explaining how it had helped them escape the giant tree.
• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing chose Blazing Sun Space and traveled northwest, collecting scattered spirit herbs along the way.
• Zhao Zhiqing explained that Hundred Herbs Garden formed a vast ring that every team had to cross before reaching the four central treasure grounds.
• Li Bufan and Zhao Zhiqing crossed the crimson hills and arrived at the narrow crevice leading into the true Blazing Sun Space.