Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao cultivated with Star Flowing Light and continued studying Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refining, nearing a breakthrough. Su Sanxian offered him the Warship Department position after his promotion, and Wu Tao began learning its duties as Su prepared to take over Mystic Yang Hall.

• Wu Tao absorbed Star Flowing Light through the night, greatly advancing his Star True Body, then studied the Dao of Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refining.
• Wu Tao submitted his artifact refining hall's three-month report to Su Sanxian alongside the other team leaders, and Su corrected an error in Junior Brother Ying's report.
• Su Sanxian learned Wu Tao expected to advance to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner within two or three months and offered him the Warship Department position afterward.
• Su Sanxian explained he was taking over Mystic Yang Hall because Duanmu Lei was preparing to Break the Core to Form an Infant, and agreed to witness Wu Tao's advancement.
• Su Sanxian introduced Wu Tao to Assembly Hall Master Liu Tianqi and began handing over the Warship Department's liaison duties to him.
• Wu Tao returned to the artifact refining hall and worked with Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, and Jin Cha without telling them about the planned promotion.

Wu Tao hosted Tang Jingquan and Pi Baibai, who revealed they would travel to the Immortal Origin Realm to help the Ethereal Void Immortal Sect fight Demonic Dao cultivators. Two months later, Wu Tao completed his comprehension of Tier 3 Advanced artifact refining and prepared to advance, while Su Sanxian advised him to invite refiners from across the Warship Department to build goodwill before taking over its leadership.

• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island and received Tang Jingquan and Pi Baibai, who explained that they had accepted a mission to reinforce the Ethereal Void Immortal Sect against Demonic Dao remnants.
• Tang Jingquan and Pi Baibai said they would leave for the Immortal Origin Realm in two days, with Tang Jingquan's elder brother leading the team, and Pi Baibai planned to challenge the sect's Golden Core disciples.
• Two months later, Wu Tao completed his comprehension of Tier 3 Advanced artifact refining and decided to refine a Tier 3 High-Grade True Artifact in two days to advance.
• Wu Tao told Su Sanxian about his advancement plans and intended to invite Gu Xingyuan, Ye, and Jin to observe.
• Su Sanxian advised Wu Tao to invite Tier 3 Mid-Grade Artifact Refiners from the other eleven Artifact Refining Halls so they would be more willing to cooperate when he took over the Warship Department.

Wu Tao announced that he would advance to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner and invited refiners across the Warship Department to observe, with Su Sanxian arranging the gathering. Two days later, Wu Tao began refining a Tier 3 High-Grade True Artifact before the assembled crowd.

• Wu Tao told Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, and Jin Cha that he planned to advance in two days and invited them to witness the ceremony.
• Wu Tao encouraged Jin Cha to keep studying artifact refining and not underestimate his potential.
• Su Sanxian summoned the other eleven group leaders and announced that all Tier 3 Mid-Grade Artifact Refiners could observe Wu Tao's advancement.
• The other refiners thanked Wu Tao for the invitation, while Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, and Jin Cha wondered whether the crowd might interfere with his refining.
• Two days later, Wu Tao sat at the central Refining Station as Su Sanxian supervised and the assembled refiners prepared to observe his advancement.

Wu Tao successfully refined the Flame Sun Sword, advancing to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner. Su Sanxian announced that Wu Tao would take over as head of the Warship Department, and Wu Tao went to meet him before the transition.

• Wu Tao refined a Tier 3 high-grade Fire Attribute Flying Sword, the Flame Sun Sword, and advanced to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner.
• Su Sanxian examined the sword, praised Wu Tao’s skill, and predicted he could reach Tier 4 Artifact Refiner.
• Su Sanxian announced that he would leave the Warship Department to take over Duanmu Lei’s duties in Mystic Yang Hall, and that Wu Tao would replace him as its head by Hall Master Xiong’s appointment.
• The gathered artifact refiners congratulated Wu Tao, and Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, and Jin Cha discussed his new position and reaffirmed their friendship with him.
• Wu Tao later went to Su Sanxian’s office to prepare to meet Hall Master Xiong and the leaders of the Spell Ship and Flying Boat Departments.

Wu Tao advanced to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner and was appointed head of the Warship Department, taking over from Su Sanxian. After settling into his new duties, he cultivated for three and a half months and broke through to True Body Level 6.

• Hall Master Xiong inspected Wu Tao’s Flame Sun Sword, praised his artifact-refining talent, and appointed him head of the Warship Department.
• Su Sanxian introduced Wu Tao to Geng Xiangshu and Lin Qijun, then began handing over the department’s affairs before leaving to take over Mystic Yang Hall.
• Wu Tao returned home, celebrated his advancement with Chen Yao, and paid respects before Chen Shan’s memorial tablet.
• The news of Wu Tao’s advancement and appointment spread through the Artifact Refining Hall, bringing congratulations and visits from other artifact refiners.
• After three and a half months of cultivation, Wu Tao used Star Essence from three Star Stones to break through from True Body Level 5 to True Body Level 6.

Wu Tao consolidated his breakthrough to True Body Layer 6, planned his cultivation and artifact-refining goals, and left Jade Star Island for the War Artifact Hall. Meanwhile, Liu Yidao prepared to advance to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner, only to learn that Li Mo had already reached that level three and a half months earlier.

• Wu Tao reviewed his strengthened Divine Sense and cultivation status, then decided to focus on reaching Golden Core Layer 6 and deducing his Treasure-Dropping Coin into a Tier 3 True Artifact.
• Wu Tao visited Chen Yao and their demonic beasts, gave pills to the Great Earth Bear Monster and Diamond Ape Demon, teased the Snow-White Tiger and Golden Winged Eagle, and then flew to the War Artifact Hall.
• Liu Yidao celebrated thoroughly comprehending the Tier 3 Advanced artifact-refining path and planned to advance in two days, hoping Yu Zhixin would stand guard.
• Yu Zhixin told Liu Yidao that Duanmu Lei was preparing to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm and that he and Su Sanxian would be away, then suggested Li Mo as a witness.
• Liu Yidao questioned how Li Mo could serve as witness, and Yu Zhixin confirmed that Li Mo had advanced to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner three and a half months earlier, leaving Liu Yidao bitterly surprised.

Wu Tao learned that Liu Yidao had emerged from seclusion and agreed to witness his advancement to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner in three days. After handling work at the Warship Department and coordinating with the Assembly Hall, Wu Tao discovered Fu Xuan planned to advance to Tier 3 Low-Grade Artifact Refiner on the same day, so he arranged another witness for him.

• Yu Zhixin told Wu Tao that Liu Yidao had emerged from seclusion, felt sour about Wu Tao's advancement, and planned to advance in three days.
• Wu Tao inspected the twelve Artifact Refining Halls under his command and agreed to gather with Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, Jin Cha, and Liu Yidao to discuss artifact refining.
• Liu Yidao asked Wu Tao to guard and witness his advancement in three days, and Wu Tao accepted after learning Yu Zhixin would be away.
• Wu Tao coordinated work with Liu Tianqi, Geng Xiangshu, and Lin Qijun at the Assembly Hall, then returned to Jade Star Island.
• Fu Xuan asked Wu Tao to witness his advancement to Tier 3 Low-Grade Artifact Refiner in three days, and Wu Tao arranged for a Tier 3 Mid-Grade Artifact Refiner to witness him instead.

Fu Xuan asked Wu Tao how he could use his future status as a Tier 3 Low-Grade Artifact Refiner to search for Han Fan, unaware that Wu Tao was the friend he sought. Fu Xuan and Liu Yidao both advanced successfully, while Wu Tao continued cultivating and neared Golden Core Layer 6.

• Fu Xuan asked Wu Tao for advice about finding Han Fan, and Wu Tao explained that he could seek help through favors or spend Merit Points to issue a mission.
• Wu Tao asked Gu Xingyuan to protect Fu Xuan and witness his advancement, then went to witness Liu Yidao's attempt to become a Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner.
• Liu Yidao failed his first attempt but succeeded on his second, and Wu Tao verified the finished flying sword.
• Gu Xingyuan informed Wu Tao that Fu Xuan had also advanced successfully, and Wu Tao later brought him to an Artifact Refining Symposium.
• A month later, Wu Tao found that reaching True Body Layer 6 had increased his cultivation boost by 0.5, bringing his Golden Core Layer 5 progress to 91%.

Wu Tao helped the Great Earth Bear Monster and the Diamond Ape Demon attempt breakthroughs while arranging Jade Star Island’s spirit vein upgrade and agreeing to refine Wei Zhou a defensive magic robe. The spirit vein advanced to Third-Rank High-Grade, and both demonic beasts broke through to Tier 3.

• Wu Tao gave the Golden Winged Eagle a Foundation Establishment Pill and fed the Snow-White Tiger a Golden Core Pill before using Demon Blood pills and spiritual power to help the Great Earth Bear Monster and the Diamond Ape Demon break through.
• Wu Tao learned that the Spirit Source Hall would upgrade Jade Star Island’s spirit vein in three days, then invited Wei Zhou to visit the island.
• Wei Zhou asked Wu Tao to refine a Third-Rank Advanced Defensive Magic Robe before he left to serve as the resident artifact refiner at the Boundary Archipelago, explaining that Qi Jinghe had exhausted his lifespan through artifact-refining research.
• Wu Tao agreed to refine Wei Zhou’s robe within ten days and began purchasing the required materials.
• The spirit vein advanced to Third-Rank High-Grade, and the Great Earth Bear Monster and the Diamond Ape Demon used the opportunity to break through to early-stage Tier 3.

Wu Tao oversaw Jade Star Island’s Spirit Vein upgrade, which helped the Earth Bear Monster and Diamond Ape Demon break through to early Tier 3, and he refined a defensive robe for Wei Zhou. After time passed, Wu Tao broke through to the 6th Layer of Golden Core and began consolidating his cultivation.

• The upgraded Spirit Vein helped the Earth Bear Monster and Diamond Ape Demon advance to early Tier 3, while Chen Yao anticipated faster cultivation and a sooner breakthrough to Foundation Establishment 8th Layer.
• Wu Tao refined a custom Third-Rank Advanced Defensive Magic Robe for Wei Zhou and gave him an Image Recording Jade Pendant to deliver to Zhao Ting and Wei Tianbao.
• Wei Zhou collected the robe and paid part of the Merit Points, and Wu Tao instructed Wang Sheng to select an immortal attendant to receive Jade Star Island’s visitors.
• Wu Tao later broke through to the 6th Layer of Golden Core, with his Divine Sense reaching 2,380 li, and began consolidating his new realm.

Wu Tao consolidated his breakthrough to Golden Core Level 6 and tended to his demonic beasts while Ning Qiudao sought Sovereign Di’s help to destroy the Spirit-Severing Sea. Ning Qiudao and Sovereign Di attacked the sea’s guardian, who warned that his destruction would alert his true self and His Majesty.

• Wu Tao checked his status, assessed his cultivation and artifact needs, and fed pills to the Golden Winged Eagle and other demonic beasts.
• Ning Qiudao contacted Sovereign Di and asked him to help remove the Spirit-Severing Sea, then set out for it.
• Sovereign Di left the Devil World, sent Wang Jing to wait at the Boundary Wall Battlefield, and entered the Immortal Origin Realm.
• Ning Qiudao entered the Spirit-Severing Sea and confronted a Daoist formed from Spirit-Severing Qi, who challenged him and fought his attack to a standstill.
• Sovereign Di arrived and joined Ning Qiudao in attacking the Daoist with his Emperor Seal, prompting the guardian to panic and warn that his true self would alert His Majesty.

Ning Qiudao and Sovereign Di destroyed the Spirit-Severing Divine Ability and discussed their plans for the remaining Forbidden Sea Areas. In the Lost Sea Area, a merchant association’s Spell Ship followed a mysterious lamp to a gruesome end, while a figure emerged from the eerie ship to carry a warning to the Devil World.

• Ning Qiudao and Sovereign Di annihilated the Daoist, causing the Spirit-Severing Sea to vanish and Spiritual Power to return.
• Sovereign Di warned Ning Qiudao that Spirit-Severing Daoist might learn of the change, but Ning Qiudao said the Divine Ability Spirit could not report it; he chose to wait and let cultivators and the Devil Race attack the other Forbidden Sea Areas.
• Sovereign Di left for the Boundary Wall Battlefield, and Ning Qiudao decided he could not afford to trust him completely.
• A merchant association’s Spell Ship became lost in the Lost Sea Area and repeatedly spotted a distant lamp, which its Nascent Soul True Lord ordered the crew to pursue.
• The lamp led the Spell Ship into a collision with a battered ship covered in heads; the merchant ship broke apart, and its cultivators were transformed into heads hanging from the eerie vessel.
• A voice ordered a figure to warn a fellow daoist in the Devil World that His will had stirred from the cold ashes, and the figure departed the Lost Sea Area.

After the Spirit-Severing Sea vanished and the Three Realms’ boundary walls weakened, cultivators feared an approaching calamity. Sovereign Di resumed Wang Jing’s trial in the Devil World, while Wu Tao resolved to prepare for the changes through his own cultivation.

• The sovereigns of the Three Great Immortal Palaces investigated the vanished Spirit-Severing Sea and convened a meeting to discuss the coming great change.
• Wang Jing suspected Sovereign Di had caused the sea’s disappearance, then asked him about the coming calamity as they continued the trial; Sovereign Di told him he would learn more after passing it.
• The Eerie Spell Ship’s puppet, disguised as Fang Wuyue, absorbed three Devil Race hunters and two Bright Moon Immortal Palace disciples before continuing deeper into the Devil World.
• Geng Xiangshu told Wu Tao and Lin Qijun that the Spirit-Severing Sea had disappeared, and the three discussed the news over tea.
• Wu Tao considered the weakening boundary walls and vanished sea on his way home, then resolved to cultivate steadily to face the unknown changes himself.

Two years after the Spirit-Severing Sea vanished, Wu Tao continued cultivating and advanced his Treasure-Dropping Coin design to low-grade Tier 3 while preparing for a future breakthrough. Meanwhile, the Eerie Spell Ship’s master planned a joint assault on Qi’s world in two years, and Hall Master Xiong offered to provide Wu Tao with Tier 4 artifact-refining knowledge when he was ready.

• Cultivators across the Star Immortal Palace worried that the Spirit-Severing Sea’s disappearance and the weakening of the Three Realms’ world walls foretold further upheaval, while Wu Tao received no answer from the Coffin Nail.
• Fang Wuyue returned from the Devil World and told the Eerie Spell Ship that Qi had urged it to unite with Star Sea and Devil World allies and counterattack Qi in two years.
• Wu Tao completed his low-grade Tier 3 Treasure-Dropping Coin True Prohibition Rune after two years of deduction and reviewed his cultivation and combat progress.
• Wu Tao reported the Warship Department’s work to Hall Master Xiong alongside Geng Xiangshu and Lin Qijun, then discussed when he would study Tier 4 artifact refining.
• Hall Master Xiong told Wu Tao to ask when he was ready for Tier 4 knowledge and privately decided to keep Wen Xingrui’s jade slips for him until then.

Wu Tao refined a new spear for Han Tianyu and continued cultivating while Chen Yao neared a Foundation Establishment breakthrough. Meanwhile, forbidden sea areas began expanding across the Star Sea Cultivation World, prompting the Three Great Immortal Palaces to prepare another Divine Monarch meeting as Ning Qiudao recognized the change as a consequence of his actions.

• Wu Tao invited Han Tianyu to Jade Star Island, agreed to refine a replacement spear-type True Artifact for him, and promised delivery in ten days.
• Chen Juan bought Spiritual Materials for Wu Tao, and Chen Yao told him she expected to break through to Foundation Establishment Layer 8 within ten days.
• Wu Tao refined a Tier 3 low-grade Treasure-Dropping Coin and Han Tianyu's Tier 3 High-Grade True Artifact spear, then resumed cultivating.
• The Lost Sea Area, Blood Sea Forbidden Area, and other forbidden regions expanded outward, consuming islands and killing cultivators as the Three Great Immortal Palaces' Deity Transformation Sovereigns inspected the changes.
• Ning Qiudao sensed the forbidden areas expanding and said the change had followed his destruction of the Spirit-Severing Sea before activating a Magic Talisman.

Ning Qiudao arranged for Sovereign Di to offer the Star Sea Cultivation World a way to halt the expanding Forbidden Sea Areas, hoping to use the crisis to make the Three Realms consume the forbidden zones’ power. The Sovereigns accepted Sovereign Di’s help, and Wang Jing was chosen to carry his method back.

• Ning Qiudao contacted Sovereign Di and waited for the Star Sea Cultivation World to invite them to its Sovereign Conference.
• Divine Monarch Yixing, Divine Monarch Guyue, and Sun Sovereign reported that the Forbidden Sea Areas were spreading, while Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch revealed that the Devil World’s forbidden zones were also expanding.
• The Star Sea Cultivation World’s Sovereigns invited Sovereign Di and Ning Qiudao to the conference and asked Sovereign Di for a way to stop the expansion.
• Sovereign Di said the Forbidden Sea Area was a Divine Ability transformed into a domain and promised to give Wang Jing a method to break it.
• Ning Qiudao privately intended to use Sovereign Di’s solution to make the cultivators and demons consume the forbidden zones’ power before he eliminated the forces draining him.

Sovereign Di gave Wang Jing a method to stop the Star Sea Cultivation World’s Forbidden Sea Area from expanding, then provided the Devil World with a method for its own expanding restricted areas. In the Star Sea Cultivation World, Wu Tao joined Su Sanxian and Yu Zhixin to witness Duanmu Lei begin breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

• Sovereign Di sent Wang Jing back to the Star Sea Cultivation World with a Jade Slip containing a method to stop the Forbidden Sea Area’s expansion.
• Tianmo Guquan reported Wang Jing’s mission to Heavenly Devil Xuan Yi, who told him the Devil World’s restricted areas were expanding too and asked him to seek Sovereign Di’s help.
• Sovereign Di gave Tianmo Guquan a Jade Slip with the method for stopping the Devil World’s restricted areas from expanding.
• Su Sanxian summoned Wu Tao to witness Duanmu Lei’s attempt to break the core and form a Nascent Soul.
• Duanmu Lei sat on the Prayer Mat and began his breakthrough under Vice Hall Master Luo’s protection as Wu Tao, Su Sanxian, and Yu Zhixin watched.

Wu Tao watched Duanmu Lei break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, then returned to Jade Star Island and shared the news with Chen Yao. As the Forbidden Sea Areas began expanding across the Star Sea Cultivation World, Wu Tao joined other artifact refiners to discuss the crisis and the coming changes to the Three Realms.

• Duanmu Lei tempered his Golden Core and Nascent Soul with the Five Elements Baleful Qi, completed night and day wandering, and successfully became a Nascent Soul True Lord.
• Vice Hall Master Luo congratulated Duanmu Lei, who said he planned to prepare thoroughly before advancing to a Tier 4 Low-Level Artifact Refiner within half a year to a year.
• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, told Chen Yao about Duanmu Lei’s breakthrough, and recorded his observations for her to study.
• News spread that Forbidden Sea Areas were expanding, prompting cultivators to seek reassurance from the Nine Great Immortal Sects and Three Great Immortal Palaces; the Three Great Immortal Palaces said they could stop the expansion.
• Wu Tao attended a gathering of Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiners, where they discussed the Forbidden Sea Areas, similar invasions in the Devil World, and the weakening boundaries between the Three Realms.

The Three Great Immortal Palaces convened a Divine Monarch Conference to organize the Star Sea Cultivation World’s response to the Forbidden Sea Areas’ expansion using Sovereign Di’s method. Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, completed Han Tianyu’s spear True Artifact, and left him waiting for more news about the crisis.

• Divine Monarch Yixing and the other Deity Transformation Sovereigns reviewed Sovereign Di’s method and agreed to refine Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars and mobilize the Star Sea Cultivation World to stop all twelve Forbidden Sea Areas.
• The Divine Monarchs discussed seeking help from the Immortal Origin Realm and noted that Sovereign Di had also given the Devil World a method to suppress its forbidden zones.
• Divine Monarch Yixing sent Wang Jing back to Sovereign Di, while the Palace Master of Star Immortal Palace departed to carry out the conference’s decisions.
• Wu Tao and Liu Yidao left an artifact-refiner gathering and speculated about the unexplained destination of pills refined from the Devil Race.
• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island and handed Han Tianyu the spear True Artifact, which Han Tianyu inspected and paid for.
• Han Tianyu asked Wu Tao how the Star Sea Cultivation World would handle the expanding Forbidden Sea Area, and Wu Tao said he expected the method to become known within a few days.

Wu Tao learned that the Artifact Refining Hall would help stop the Forbidden Sea Area’s expansion by producing Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars, spell ships, and flying boats. The hall assigned its leaders a ten-year deadline and sent Vice Hall Master Luo to recruit help from the Immortal Origin Realm.

• Wu Tao told Chen Yao about the Forbidden Sea Area, and she worried that its expansion might not be stopped.
• Three days later, Wu Tao led the Warship Department’s artifact refiners to a conference with the Spell Ship Department and Flying Boat Department.
• Vice Hall Master Qi announced that cultivators across the Star Sea Cultivation World would need to help confront the expanding Forbidden Sea Area.
• Vice Hall Master Luo assigned the Artifact Refining Hall to produce Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars, spell ships, and flying boats within ten years.
• Vice Hall Master Luo distributed method Jade Slips, assigned recruitment work, and asked Duanmu Lei to advance to Tier 4 Low-Level Artifact Refiner within a month.
• Vice Hall Master Luo prepared to travel to the Immortal Origin Realm to enlist its artifact refiners in the effort.