Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao arrived at the Minor Mystic Heaven Secret Realm with Ning Qiudao and learned that Chen Yao had fled the battle with Wu Xuan. Rather than search alone, he went to seek Ning Qiudao’s help, leaving her whereabouts uncertain.

• Ning Qiudao flew Wu Tao and Zhao Zhen to the Minor Mystic Heaven Secret Realm in half a day and ordered them to repair the damaged flying void boat.
• Wu Tao searched the Ethereal Void Sect’s Qi Refining disciples but did not find Chen Yao or his body avatar Wu Xuan.
• Feng Yuan told Wu Tao that Wu Xuan had taken Chen Yao away from the battle and that search parties had not yet found them.
• Wu Tao learned which direction Chen Yao and Wu Xuan had fled, then chose to seek help from Ning Qiudao instead of searching alone.
• Ning Qiudao stopped speaking with the Demon-Slaying Elder and asked Wu Tao what he needed.

Wu Tao persuaded Sect Master Ning to help find Chen Yao, and Ning swiftly killed the devilish cultivator pursuing her and Wu Xuan. Reunited, Wu Tao returned to repairing the Flying Void Boat while Chen Yao learned she had placed fifth in the herb collection and earned a Foundation Establishment Pill.

• Sect Master Ning accompanied Wu Tao to search for Chen Yao and Wu Xuan, leaving Demon Suppressing Elder to guard the sect members.
• Ning detected Chen Yao and Wu Xuan near a Foundation Establishment Late Stage devilish cultivator, then killed the cultivator from a thousand miles away with a beam of light.
• Wu Xuan and Chen Yao left their underground cave and flew south to meet Ning and Wu Tao; Ning let Wu Xuan keep the devilish cultivator’s storage bag.
• Ning returned with them to the area outside the Minor Mystic Heaven Secret Realm, and Wu Tao departed with Chen Yao and Wu Xuan to resume his work on the Flying Void Boat.
• Chen Yao told Wu Tao that she placed fifth in the medicinal herb collection and would receive a Foundation Establishment Pill.

After repairing the Flying Void Boat, Wu Tao and Chen Yao returned to the Ethereal Void Sect, where they resumed cultivation and settled into life at the sect. Ten days later, Wu Tao learned that the Righteous-Demonic War had escalated to deadly battles between Foundation Establishment cultivators, with the Ethereal Void Sect already suffering two deaths.

• Wu Tao and Zhao Zhen finished repairing the Flying Void Boat, and Ning Qiudao delayed departure until the other six sects were ready.
• Wu Tao brought Chen Yao aboard the Flying Void Boat, and she recounted her survival and success in the Minor Mystic Heaven Secret Realm.
• During the fifteen-day journey, Wu Tao wondered whether Ning Qiudao had noticed his concealed cultivation before he and Chen Yao returned to cultivation.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao arrived at the Ethereal Void Sect, returned to his cave abode, and reunited with the Golden Winged Eagle.
• Ten days later, Wu Tao heard at the Artifact Refining Hall that Foundation Establishment cultivators were fighting to the death and two Ethereal Void Sect cultivators had died.

After Li Zhi’s death, Guan Peng bought a stronger defensive Magic Robe from Wu Tao to prepare for the escalating Righteous-Demonic War, while Wu Tao continued refining and profiting from commissions. A month later, Zhao Zhen told Wu Tao that Fan Zhifeng was about to advance to a Tier 2 Intermediate Artifact Refiner, and Fan welcomed them as he prepared to leave their junior status behind.

• Wu Tao welcomed Feng Yuan and Guan Peng into his Cave Abode, where they mourned Li Zhi and discussed the danger of the war.
• Guan Peng bought a Tier 2 Intermediate Azure Cloud Magic Robe from Wu Tao, and Wu Tao later attended Li Zhi’s funeral.
• Over the following month, Wu Tao heard battlefield news and made two commissions for defensive Magic Tools from Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
• Zhao Zhen told Wu Tao that Fan Zhifeng was about to advance to a Tier 2 Intermediate Artifact Refiner and had invited them to observe.
• Wu Tao and Zhao Zhen met Fan Zhifeng at the Small Gathering Hall, where Fan said it was the last time he would call them Senior Brothers.

Wu Tao watched Fan Zhifeng advance to a Tier 2 Intermediate Artifact Refiner, then met Yao Guangsheng and received a Foundation Establishment Pill. Back at his cave abode, Wu Tao and Chen Yao shared their good fortune, leaving Chen Yao with two pills for her Foundation Establishment attempt.

• Fan Zhifeng failed three times before successfully refining a Tier 2 Intermediate offensive Magic Tool on his fourth attempt, earning congratulations from Wu Tao, Zhao Zhen, and the others.
• Meng Haoting told Wu Tao that Yao Guangsheng wanted to see him at the External Affairs Hall, so Wu Tao went there after finishing his work.
• Yao Guangsheng gave Wu Tao a Foundation Establishment Pill and reassured him that Chen Yao's chances of Foundation Establishment were high with her new cultivation technique and two pills.
• Wu Tao returned home and waited for Chen Yao, who came back with a Foundation Establishment Pill she had collected from the Alchemy Hall.
• Wu Tao revealed the pill Yao Guangsheng had given him, leaving Chen Yao with two Foundation Establishment Pills.

Wu Tao welcomed Chen Yao’s ambition to establish her foundation and continued his work at the Artifact Refining Hall, where Chen Xiu came to ask him to refine a defensive magic tool. After helping Chen Xiu and reconnecting with Yu Hai, Wu Tao returned to cultivation and neared Spirit Body Layer 4.

• Chen Yao received two Foundation Establishment Pills from Wu Tao and resolved to cultivate toward foundation establishment.
• Wu Tao waited for Fan Zhifeng and accompanied him to the Earth Fire Hall, where Zhao Zhen gave him the Tier 2 Intermediate immortal boat refining secret manual.
• Meng Haoting told Wu Tao that Chen Xiu was waiting for him with Yu Hai, and Wu Tao met them in the Waiting Hall.
• Chen Xiu gave Wu Tao the materials to refine a Tier 2 Low-Grade defensive magic tool, and Yu Hai introduced his son Yu Minzhong and asked about enrolling him in Ethereal Void Sect.
• Yu Hai told Wu Tao that Gu Mingsheng, Lin Xinquan, and the others were safe in Ethereal Void Cultivation City, then Chen Xiu returned with Yu Hai and Yu Minzhong after Wu Tao finished the tool.
• Six months later, Wu Tao turned forty-three and neared a breakthrough to Spirit Body Layer 4.

Wu Tao broke through to Spirit Body Layer 4 after sensing an opportunity beneath the starry sky, strengthening his body and increasing his divine sense to seventy-one miles. He reviewed his progress and planned to exchange for the five-element spell sword crafting manuals so he could begin cultivating the Ethereal Void Five Elements Sword Scripture.

• Wu Tao declined Fan Zhifeng's invitation and returned to his cave abode, where he made dinner with Chen Yao.
• Wu Tao practiced the Star Body Tempering Technique beneath the stars and broke through to Spirit Body Layer 4.
• Wu Tao stabilized his new realm and found that his divine sense had increased from sixty-nine to seventy-one miles.
• Wu Tao checked his status and noted that his breakthrough should speed up his Six Yang Li Fire True Technique cultivation.
• Wu Tao decided to visit the Magic Tool Secret Manual Building the next day to exchange for the five-element spell sword crafting manuals.

Wu Tao refined Immortal Boat components and found that his breakthrough to Spirit Body Layer 4 had slightly improved his cultivation of the Six Yang Li Fire True Technique. At the Magic Tool Secret Manual Building, he congratulated Zhang Ming on establishing his foundation and agreed to oversee Zhang Ming’s attempt to become a Tier 2 Low-Grade Artifact Refiner in half a month.

• Wu Tao refined three Tier 2 Intermediate Immortal Boat components without failure, then cultivated the Six Yang Li Fire True Technique and noticed a slight increase in his cultivation speed.
• Wu Tao went to the Magic Tool Secret Manual Building to exchange for the Five Elements Spell Sword Refining Manual and found that Zhang Ming had successfully established his foundation.
• Zhang Ming explained that Wu Tao had inspired his return to the sect and helped him find a path toward becoming a Tier 2 Artifact Refiner.
• Zhang Ming asked Wu Tao to supervise his attempt to refine a Tier 2 Low-Grade Magic Tool in half a month, and Wu Tao agreed after learning Fan Zhifeng had recommended him.
• Zhang Ming fetched Wu Tao the catalog Jade Slip for Tier 2 Intermediate Offensive Magic Tools.

Wu Tao selected five matching Five Elements Spell Sword Refining Manuals and spent the following months comprehending their offensive magic restrictions. He also supervised Zhang Ming's promotion to a Tier 2 low-grade artifact refiner, and the chapter ended with Wu Tao ready to refine the spell swords.

• Wu Tao exchanged merit points for five Five Elements Spell Sword Refining Manuals, each describing a sword with seventeen magic restrictions, and began studying them.
• Wu Tao returned to his cave abode and told Chen Yao that he would be coming home an hour later while he studied at the Secret Manual Pavilion.
• Wu Tao accompanied Zhang Ming to Earth Fire Peak, where Zhang Ming failed four refining attempts before successfully making a Tier 2 low-grade flying magic tool on his fifth attempt.
• Wu Tao congratulated Zhang Ming on becoming a Tier 2 low-grade artifact refiner, and Zhao Zhen arranged Zhang Ming's immortal boat refining work.
• Four months later, Wu Tao completed comprehending and inscribing his Tier 2 intermediate offensive magic restrictions and prepared to refine the five elements spell swords.

Wu Tao exchanged Merit Points for spiritual materials and refined the Five Elements Spell Swords, completing the set for his Ethereal Void Five Elements Sword Scripture. Afterward, Zhao Zhen revealed that Senior Brother Gao had put pressure on him to advance to Tier 2 Advanced Artifact Refiner because Gao planned to attempt Refining Golden Elixir.

• Wu Tao exchanged Merit Points at the Merit Hall for the materials needed to refine the Five Elements Spell Swords.
• Wu Tao refined the Golden Radiance Sword, Verdant Wood Sword, Autumn Water Sword, Heavenly Flame Sword, and Great Earth Sword, then tested their coordinated power.
• Wu Tao encountered Zhao Zhen and Fan Zhifeng after leaving the Artifact Refining Room and asked Zhao Zhen why he seemed troubled.
• Zhao Zhen explained that Senior Brother Gao wanted him to advance to Tier 2 Advanced Artifact Refiner so the Artifact Refining Hall would not lose a link in its ranks if Gao’s attempt at Refining Golden Elixir went wrong.

Wu Tao learned that Zhao Zhen was under pressure to replace Senior Brother Gao as a Tier 2 Advanced Artifact Refiner, then practiced the Ethereal Void Five Elements Sword Scripture and went about his work. Chen Yao watched Senior Brother Li attempt Foundation Establishment, and returned to tell Wu Tao that the breakthrough had killed him.

• Zhao Zhen told Wu Tao and Fan Zhifeng that Senior Brother Gao planned to refine a Golden Elixir but would wait until another Tier 2 Advanced Artifact Refiner could replace him.
• Wu Tao practiced the Ethereal Void Five Elements Sword Scripture outside his cave abode, then helped Chen Yao prepare dinner.
• Chen Yao told Wu Tao she planned to watch Senior Brother Li attempt Foundation Establishment, and Wu Tao cautioned her not to let the outcome affect her own cultivation.
• Wu Tao went to work at the Artifact Refining Hall while Chen Yao watched Senior Brother Li's breakthrough.
• Chen Yao returned and told Wu Tao that Senior Brother Li had failed to control his rampaging magic power, which destroyed his dantian and body and killed him.

Wu Tao comforted Cheng Yao after Senior Brother Li failed to break through to Foundation Establishment, then spent two months cultivating while the Righteous-Demonic War continued. Gao Xing summoned him to the Small Gathering Hall to assign an important mission, leaving Wu Tao concerned that it might require him to leave the Sect and face danger.

• Wu Tao reassured Cheng Yao that the Foundation Establishment barrier was difficult, and Cheng Yao vowed to cross it so she could stay by his side.
• Cheng Yao entered the Secondary Cultivation Room to cultivate after dinner, while Wu Tao practiced the Star Body Tempering Technique.
• Two months later, Wu Tao estimated he was two months away from reaching Foundation Establishment Layer 5 and reflected on the war and the need to grow stronger.
• Wu Tao learned that Feng Yuan, Guan Peng, and Wu Xuan had joined the battlefield at Demon Suppression Pass, and he discussed the pressure on fellow artifact refiners with Fan Zhifeng.
• Meng Haoting told Wu Tao that Gao Xing had summoned him to the Small Gathering Hall, where Gao Xing announced an important mission for him.
• Wu Tao asked Gao Xing what mission he intended to assign, worrying that it might require him to leave the Sect and encounter danger.

Wu Tao learned that Wen Xingrui had chosen him to secretly collect a Tier 2 Warship artifact refining manual from Five Spring Mountain, with Ji Lingxu accompanying him. After hearing Wu Xuan’s account of the brutal Demon Suppression Pass battlefield, Wu Tao returned to prepare for his own mission.

• Gao Xing told Wu Tao that he had been assigned to secretly receive the Tier 2 Warship artifact refining manual at Five Spring Mountain, and that Ji Lingxu would accompany him in two days.
• Wu Tao agreed to keep the mission secret and told Chen Yao he would be staying at the Artifact Refining Hall for a while.
• Wu Tao received Wu Xuan’s message and visited him, then absorbed his memories of the Demon Suppression Pass battlefield.
• Wu Xuan explained that the Seven Sects Alliance was offering a Foundation Establishment Pill for every ten early-stage Demonic Dao Foundation Establishment cultivators slain, and Wu Tao told him to pursue the reward.
• Wu Tao returned to his cave abode to prepare for the trip to Five Spring Mountain.

Wu Tao prepared for a secret trip to Five Spring Mountain to negotiate with its Artifact Refining Hall, accompanied by Ji Lingxu for protection. After arriving, Ji Lingxu and Pei Qing arranged to spar, and Wu Tao received permission to watch.

• Wu Tao bought a Five Elements Inversion Formation on credit to prepare for the journey.
• Wu Tao left the Ethereal Void Sect with Ji Lingxu through a hidden exit and traveled to Five Spring Mountain without incident.
• Pei Qing personally welcomed Ji Lingxu and Wu Tao, revealing that he had taken over the task because he wanted to meet Ji Lingxu.
• Pei Qing settled them in a deserted palace and promised to bring the artifact refiners for negotiations the next day.
• Ji Lingxu agreed to spar with Pei Qing after the negotiations, and Wu Tao asked permission to watch.

Wu Tao completed the secret-manual exchange at Five Spring Mountain, returned to the Ethereal Void Sect, and was assigned to study the Tier 2 warship’s refining methods. After two months of study and steady cultivation, he broke through to Foundation Establishment Layer 5.

• Wu Tao inspected the Tier 2 warship manuals and exchanged them for the Ethereal Void Sect’s promised items with Zhou Qinghe.
• Wu Tao watched Ji Lingxu and Pei Qing spar, and learned that Pei Qing had won by a narrow margin.
• Ji Lingxu and Wu Tao returned to the Ethereal Void Sect without encountering any devilish cultivator ambushes, and Gao Xing put Wu Tao in charge of the warship manuals.
• Wu Tao studied the warship refining methods for two months while continuing to cultivate the Six Yang Li Fire True Technique.
• Wu Tao refined magic power pills and source qi of spells, broke through his bottleneck, and reached Foundation Establishment Layer 5.

After reaching Foundation Establishment Layer 5, Wu Tao was put in charge of secretly forging a Tier 2 Warship for the Foundation Establishment Battlefield. He organized sect refiners and traveled to Ethereal Void Cultivation City to recruit loose cultivators for the project.

• Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation progress and realized he had spent nineteen years in the cultivation world.
• Wu Tao told Gao Xing that he had initially comprehended the Tier 2 Warship and could begin its forging.
• Gao Xing assigned Wu Tao to oversee the secret warship project and recruit loose cultivator artifact refiners in Ethereal Void Cultivation City.
• Wu Tao had Meng Haoting gather over twenty idle tier 1 advanced artifact refiners and arranged for them to work in sealed-off rooms.
• Wu Tao and Meng Haoting traveled by Flying Void Boat to Ethereal Void Cultivation City, where they headed to its Artifact Refining Hall.

Wu Tao and Meng Haoting arranged for the Artifact Refining Hall to recruit qualified rogue cultivator artifact refiners for the Tier 2 warship effort. As Wu Tao set out to visit old friends the next day, devilish cultivators appeared ahead in the city.

• Meng Haoting brought Wu Tao to the Artifact Refining Hall, where Yang Qixiu recognized Wu Tao and learned that he was now a Tier 2 Intermediate Artifact Refiner.
• Wu Tao tasked Yang Qixiu with recruiting eligible rogue cultivator artifact refiners, and Meng Haoting was assigned to assist him.
• Yang Qixiu and Meng Haoting posted recruitment notices throughout the inner and outer city, seeking First-Rank Intermediate or higher artifact refiners.
• The next day, Wu Tao saw rogue cultivators discussing the recruitment notices as he walked toward Yu Hai's shop.
• Devilish cultivators appeared ahead, and patrol cultivators shouted for rogue cultivators to retreat.

Wu Tao secretly killed a group of Qi Refining Nether Soul Sect devilish cultivators attacking Ethereal Void Cultivation City, then prepared to visit his acquaintances. When a Foundation Establishment Layer 4 devilish cultivator attacked the city and overwhelmed its defenders, Wu Tao decided to intervene.

• Wu Tao used Yin Spirit Tremor to disrupt the Nether Soul Sect cultivators controlling their Soul-Gathering Banners, allowing the Patrol Squad and Ethereal Void Sect disciples to kill them.
• Wu Tao passed the Patrol Squad's identification and Spell Mirror checks and continued into the city.
• A Foundation Establishment devilish cultivator attacked from the eastern edge of the Inner City, declaring that he would sacrifice the city to advance his Soul-Gathering Banner.
• Chen Xiu attacked the devilish cultivator but was badly outmatched, and Zhang Shenghong joined him as they considered calling Wu Tao for help.
• Wu Tao sensed that the attacker was a Foundation Establishment Layer 4 cultivator and prepared to make his move.

Wu Tao secretly killed a Foundation Establishment Layer 4 devilish cultivator who attacked Zhang Shenghong and Chen Xiu, then concealed his involvement. After learning that Chen Xiu wanted a stronger guard assigned to the cultivation city, Wu Tao agreed to pass the request to the sect.

• A Nether Soul Sect Foundation Establishment Layer 4 cultivator attacked Zhang Shenghong and Chen Xiu, forcing rogue cultivators to flee the area.
• Wu Tao used his level-nine perfection Yin Spirit Tremor to destroy the devilish cultivator's Sea of Divine Sense, killing him instantly, then took the Soul-Gathering Banner and vanished.
• Zhang Shenghong and Chen Xiu found no other Foundation Establishment cultivator nearby and speculated that an unseen Ethereal Void Sect senior had intervened.
• After returning to the Foundation Establishment Guard Station, Chen Xiu asked Zhang Shenghong to help arrange a stronger guard for the cultivation city.
• Wu Tao arrived and agreed to deliver Chen Xiu's request to Fellow Daoist Hong at the General Affairs Hall, while keeping his role in the devilish cultivator's death secret.

Wu Tao organized Loose Cultivator Artifact Refiners in Ethereal Void Cultivation City to produce Tier 1 components for Tier 2 Warships, then returned to the Ethereal Void Sect to oversee the work and report the city's attack. The sect sent Qin Yi to garrison the city, and Chen Xiu returned to thank Wu Tao.

• Yang Qixiu and Meng Haoting told Wu Tao that recruitment had finished smoothly after devilish cultivators attacked Ethereal Void Cultivation City.
• Wu Tao gave Yang Qixiu and Meng Haoting refining manuals and assigned them to manage production, materials, and security at the Artifact Refining Hall.
• Wu Tao returned to the Ethereal Void Sect, inspected the refining work, reported to Gao Xing, and told Hong Tiebao about the city attack and Chen Xiu's request for support.
• Hong Tiebao said the sect would send a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator to garrison Ethereal Void Cultivation City.
• Seven days later, Chen Xiu thanked Wu Tao and said Qin Yi had taken over the garrison post.