Chapter Summaries

Wu Tao organized the Warship Department’s work on refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars as the Star Immortal Palace entered a wartime state. A month later, Duanmu Lei advanced to Tier 4 Low-Level Artifact Refiner, while Wu Tao returned his attention to Chen Yao after weeks away.

• Wu Tao assigned the twelve Artifact Refining Halls’ Tier 3 Mid-Grade Artifact Refiners tasks for producing components of the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars and began studying their refining manual.
• Wu Tao told Chen Yao that work would keep him away from Jade Star Island as she prepared to break through to Foundation Establishment Layer 8 on her own.
• Wu Tao checked the artifact refiners’ progress, then went to Hall Master Xiong’s main hall to observe Duanmu Lei’s advancement.
• Duanmu Lei successfully refined a Tier 4 Low-Grade Magical Treasure and became a Tier 4 Low-Level Artifact Refiner and vice hall master, though his formal ceremony was postponed until the crisis passed.
• Wu Tao returned to the Warship Department and messaged Chen Yao that he would come back to Jade Star Island that day.

After two years of overseeing the urgent Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar project, Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island monthly to see Chen Yao and advanced to Golden Core layer seven. Just after assessing his increased strength, he received a summons from Hall Master Xiong and set out to meet him.

• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, fed pills to its demonic beasts, and reunited with Chen Yao before leaving the next morning for the Warship Department.
• Wu Tao instructed Tier 3 Mid-Grade Artifact Refiners from the twelve Artifact Refining Halls as they learned to make the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar components, while returning monthly to visit Chen Yao.
• After two years, Wu Tao inspected the refining halls and encouraged Gu Xingyuan, who said he expected to advance to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner in three to five months.
• Wu Tao consumed Golden Core pills, Spirit Fire, and Spirit Water and broke through from Golden Core Level 6 to Golden Core layer seven, raising his Divine Sense to 2,480 li.
• Wu Tao received a Communication Token message summoning him to Hall Master Xiong’s Hall Master’s Main Hall and immediately set out.

Wu Tao received the Tier 4 artifact-refining inheritance that Wen Xingrui had left for him, but postponed studying it because of the urgent Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar task. On his day off, he visited Zhao Ting, who had returned from the Boundary Archipelago to await the end of his life, and left knowing he was about to lose another old friend.

• Hall Master Xiong gave Wu Tao the Tier 4 artifact-refining inheritance Jade Slip that Wen Xingrui had entrusted to him.
• Wu Tao unlocked the Jade Slip and confirmed it contained the complete Tier 4 artifact-refining inheritance, then set it aside until his work eased.
• Wu Tao cultivated with Level 8 Spirit Fire and Spirit Water and later estimated that he would need several years to reach the eighth layer of Golden Core.
• Wu Tao received Zhao Ting's message and traveled to his island to visit him.
• Zhao Ting told Wu Tao that his lifespan was nearly exhausted, and the two reminisced about the Boundary Archipelago before Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island.

Wu Tao oversaw Gu Xingyuan’s successful advancement to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner, after which Gu chose to remain in the Warship Department in hopes of eventually becoming its head. Later, Wu Tao focused on advancing his body-refining cultivation, which had reached 99% of True Body Layer Six.

• Wu Tao approved Gu Xingyuan’s request to prepare for advancing and later guarded him as he refined a Tier 3 high-grade Flying Sword successfully.
• Wu Tao inspected the sword, confirmed its superior quality, and recommended Gu Xingyuan for a transfer, but Gu chose to stay in the Warship Department.
• Gu Xingyuan told Ye Chaoming and Jin Cha that he hoped to inherit Wu Tao’s position if Wu Tao advanced to Tier 4 and moved on to a higher post.
• Wu Tao continued his usual work as the Forbidden Sea Area expanded slowly and the Star Sea Cultivation World prepared defenses against it.
• Wu Tao checked his status on Jade Star Island and found that his Cosmic Star Body Refining Art had reached 99% of True Body Layer Six, then resolved to break through to Layer Seven.

Wu Tao broke through to the seventh layer of the Star True Body, then returned to work at the Artifact Refining Hall. There he said farewell to Zhao Ting, who Returned to the Dao, and left with a renewed resolve to cultivate until immortality.

• Wu Tao refined Star Stones, broke through to True Body Layer 7, and increased his Divine Sense by one hundred li to 2,580 li.
• Wu Tao returned to the Artifact Refining Hall, discovered his cultivation speed had increased, and agreed to let Gu Xingyuan remain at his current post.
• Wu Tao received Zhao Yuanfeng's message that Zhao Ting was about to Return to the Dao and went with Yu Zhixin to see him.
• Zhao Ting said farewell to Wu Tao and Yu Zhixin, then passed away; he entrusted Yu Zhixin with his funeral arrangements and regretted that none of his descendants had advanced far in artifact refining.
• Wu Tao offered Zhao Yuanfeng his support, and Yu Zhixin and Wu Tao returned to the Artifact Refining Hall discussing mortality.
• Wu Tao declared that he would keep cultivating until immortality, impressing Yu Zhixin.

Wu Tao mourned Zhao Ting, attended his Return to the Dao ceremony, and continued his work amid the Forbidden Sea crisis. Three years and three months later, he successfully advanced to Golden Core Layer 8, with his lifespan reaching 859 years.

• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, told Chen Yao about Zhao Ting's death, and shared memories of Zhao Ting and Master Chen Shan with her.
• Seven days later, Duanmu Lei and Yu Zhixin attended and presided over Zhao Ting's simple Return to the Dao ceremony, which Wu Tao also attended.
• Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation progress and reported the Warship Department's completed refining tasks to Hall Master Xiong, who asked whether he had studied the Tier 4 artifact-refining inheritance.
• After three years and three months, Wu Tao broke through to Golden Core Layer 8 and checked his updated Personal Status.

Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation after reaching Golden Core 8th Layer and later broke through to True Body level eight, estimating that he could reach Golden Core 9th Layer in a little over three years. Meanwhile, three Deity Transformation Sovereigns inspected the expanding Forbidden Sea Areas and discussed the delayed Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars.

• Wu Tao decided to keep using Level 8 Spirit Fire and Spirit Water, and he celebrated his Golden Core 8th Layer breakthrough with Chen Yao before guiding her spell cultivation.
• Wu Tao found that cultivation progressed more slowly at Golden Core 8th Layer and continued patrolling the Artifact Refining Halls while the Forbidden Sea Areas expanded.
• Divine Monarch Yixing, Sun Sovereign, and Mysterious Moon Divine Monarch inspected the Lost Sea Area and agreed to consult Sovereign Di and Sovereign Ning at a future conference.
• Wu Tao refined Star Stones on Jade Star Island and broke through from True Body level seven to level eight, increasing his Divine Sense range to 2,780 li.
• Wu Tao calculated that his improved cultivation speed could let him reach Golden Core 9th Layer in a little over three years, then left to patrol the Artifact Refining Halls.

Wu Tao inspected the Artifact Refining Halls, met Tang Jingquan and Pi Baibai to receive Wen Xingrui’s Flowing Shadow Talisman, and learned that Wen Xingrui would return in two years. The chapter left Wu Tao and Chen Yao looking forward to seeing their master after the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar deadline arrived.

• Wu Tao inspected the Artifact Refining Halls, found no problems, and agreed to gather with Gu Xingyuan, Ye Chaoming, and Jin Cha on the next afternoon of rest.
• Tang Jingquan told Wu Tao that he and Pi Baibai had returned from the Immortal Origin Realm and carried Wen Xingrui’s Flowing Shadow Talisman for him.
• Wu Tao met Tang Jingquan and Pi Baibai, heard that Ji Lingxu had reached Golden Core Layer 8 and Pei Qing had reached Golden Core 9th Layer, and learned why their mission in the Immortal Origin Realm had eased.
• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island and activated Wen Xingrui’s Flowing Shadow Talisman with Chen Yao.
• Wen Xingrui told Wu Tao that he would return to Star Immortal Palace with Vice Hall Master Luo in two years, the deadline for refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar.

Wu Tao finished ten years of artifact-refining work for the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars and prepared to help with their final joint refinement. After resting and welcoming Wen Xingrui to Star Immortal Palace, he encountered the Artifact Refining Hall Master, its sole Tier 5 Artifact Refiner.

• Wu Tao reviewed his cultivation progress, noted his slow body-refinement advancement, and left to oversee the Warship Department’s final ten days of work.
• Hall Master Xiong announced that the refining mission was complete and that artisans from across the cultivation world would arrive in half a month to jointly refine twelve Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars.
• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island and spent several days resting with Chen Yao before cultivators from other groups began arriving at Star Immortal Palace.
• Wu Tao messaged Wen Xingrui after seeing the visiting fleets arrive, then went with Chen Yao to welcome his master and Vice Hall Master Luo.
• Wen Xingrui praised Wu Tao’s advancement to Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiner, while the Star Immortal Palace Artifact Refining Hall Master identified Wu Tao as Wen Xingrui’s son-in-law.

Wu Tao reunited with Wen Xingrui on Ethereal Void Island and asked his master to help obtain more Star Flowing Light for his slow body-cultivation progress. Five days later, Wu Tao traveled to Ten Thousand People Plaza as the Star Sea Cultivation World's grandmasters gathered to begin refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar.

• Shi Yuanxin praised Wu Tao's work as an artifact refiner while Wen Xingrui and the Star Immortal Palace leaders discussed the joint refining project.
• Wen Xingrui reunited with Wu Tao and Chen Yao on Ethereal Void Island, gave Wu Tao the Tier 4 artifact-refining inheritance he had arranged for, and asked about their cultivation.
• Wu Tao showed Wen Xingrui his Tier 3 Treasure-Dropping Coin and reported that he could control thirty Tier 3 High-Grade True Artifacts.
• Wu Tao asked Wen Xingrui to help obtain Star Flowing Light, and Wen Xingrui agreed to try after the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars were refined.
• Five days later, Wu Tao left Chen Yao on Jade Star Island and traveled to Ten Thousand People Plaza, where grandmasters from the Three Great Immortal Palaces had gathered for the refining.

Wu Tao and cultivators from the Three Great Immortal Palaces joined forces to refine the first Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar, with Sovereign Di and Ning Qiudao stepping in when the process nearly failed. The pillar was completed after a day, but Wu Tao doubted they could make enough to stop all twelve Forbidden Sea Areas within a few months.

• Wu Tao gathered with other Tier 3 Artifact Refiners as nine Deity Transformation Sovereigns and the Tier 5 Three Arts Grandmasters arrived at the plaza.
• Sovereign Di and Ning Qiudao arrived, and Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch asked Sovereign Di to oversee the pillar’s refinement.
• Shi Yuanxin and the other Tier 5 Grandmasters organized the cultivators by tier and craft, then began refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar.
• Sovereign Di and Ning Qiudao stabilized the pillar when a flaw nearly caused it to collapse, allowing the Grandmasters to continue.
• The cultivators completed the thousand-zhang pillar after a day, and the Deity Transformation Sovereigns feared its power while Wu Tao worried that refining enough pillars would take too long.

Wu Tao and the Star Sea Cultivation World’s cultivators spent a year refining all 972 Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars, while the Devil World chose not to interfere. Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch and the other Sovereigns then began installing the arrays at the Forbidden Sea Areas, starting with the Lost Sea Area.

• Shi Yuanxin and the other Fifth-Rank Grandmasters led the cultivators in refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars, while Wu Tao used the rest periods to recover and cultivate his Nine Luminaries Melting Yang Ultimate Art.
• The Devil World’s Demon Venerables decided against sabotaging the Star Sea Cultivation World’s work because the Forbidden Sea Areas threatened both worlds and Sovereign Di was overseeing the effort.
• Over the following year, the cultivators refined all twelve sets of pillars, and Wu Tao told Chen Yao the remaining work would take longer than he had expected.
• After the final set was finished, Sovereign Di left to assist the Devil World, while Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch and Ning Qiudao led the other Sovereigns to install the arrays.
• At the Lost Sea Area, Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch and the Sovereigns drove all eighty-one pillars into the forbidden area, causing it to boil over.

The Deity Transformation Sovereigns used the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars to halt the expansion of the Lost Sea Area and the Blood Sea Forbidden Area, while Ning Qiudao revealed what he knew about their strange inhabitants. After the Three Arts cultivators completed their long refining assignment, Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island and broke through to Golden Core 9th Layer.

• The Eerie Spell Ship appeared in the Lost Sea Area, and Ning Qiudao concealed its words from the other Deity Transformation Sovereigns before explaining that destroying the ship could erase the forbidden area.
• The Sovereigns formed a pillar array over the Blood Sea Forbidden Area, where the Blood-Colored Giant raged but remained trapped inside the sea.
• The Sovereigns continued suppressing the forbidden areas, while refining work began in the Devil World under Sovereign Di's supervision.
• At Star Immortal Palace, Wu Tao saw that his Nine Luminaries Melting Yang Ultimate Art had reached 99% and suppressed his imminent breakthrough while helping refine Spell Ships, Flying Boats, and Magic Tools.
• After three months, the Three Arts cultivators finished the refining assignment and dispersed to rest.
• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, stopped suppressing his cultivation, and naturally broke through from Golden Core Layer 8 to Golden Core 9th Layer.

After returning to Jade Star Island from a year and three months of artifact refining, Wu Tao reached Golden Core 9th Layer and reunited with Chen Yao. After helping her break through to Foundation Establishment 9th Layer, he visited Wen Xingrui on Ethereal Void Island and learned that Star Flowing Light might be available once Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch returned.

• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island, gave pills to the three demonic beasts, and found Chen Yao protecting the Golden Winged Eagle as it prepared to advance.
• The Golden Winged Eagle broke through a minor realm, and Wu Tao rested while Chen Yao comforted him after his long stint refining the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar.
• Wu Tao checked his status, planned to cultivate toward Nascent Soul, and sat guard while Chen Yao broke through to Foundation Establishment 9th Layer.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao exchanged merit for cultivation resources at the Merit Hall, then traveled to Ethereal Void Island to visit Wen Xingrui.
• Wen Xingrui told Wu Tao that he had requested Star Flowing Light from the Star Immortal Palace, but they would have to wait for Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch to return from the 12 Forbidden Zones to learn whether any could be obtained.

After reaching the Golden Core 9th Layer, Wu Tao sought a Hidden Spirit Method to prepare for forming his Nascent Soul. Yuan Jun provided catalogs of Star Immortal Palace’s methods, and Wu Tao began searching for one suited to him.

• Wen Xingrui let Wu Tao and Chen Yao cultivate on Ethereal Void Island and offered to guide Wu Tao as he began studying Tier 4 artifact refining.
• Wu Tao cultivated with superior-grade Golden Core pills and level-nine Spirit Fire and Spirit Water, then confirmed he had reached the Golden Core 9th Layer.
• Wu Tao asked Wen Xingrui about his Hidden Spirit Method, and Wen Xingrui recommended searching Star Immortal Palace for one better suited to the Heavenly Derivation God Refining Scripture and Wu Tao’s dual cultivation of magic and body.
• Wu Tao went to the Cultivation Technique Hall, where Yuan Jun gave him two catalogs of soul-concealing methods.
• Wu Tao began reading the catalogs to choose a suitable Hidden Spirit Method.

Wu Tao chose the risky Nine Profound Celestial Heavens Starfire Hidden Spirit Method and began studying it alongside the Tier 4 artifact refining path. A month later, he continued his cultivation on Ethereal Void Island while waiting for the Star Immortal Palace’s Deity Transformation Sovereigns to return with Star Flowing Light.

• Wu Tao reviewed Hidden Spirit methods and decided the Nine Profound Celestial Heavens Starfire Hidden Spirit Method best suited his techniques and could let his Nascent Soul enter the heavenly gang layer.
• Wu Tao exchanged 88,000 Merit Points for the method and told Yuan Jun he had bought three Hidden Spirit methods to conceal his choice.
• Wu Tao told Wen Xingrui about his selection, declined his offer of Nine Profound Celestial Heavens, and returned to the Cultivation Room to study the method.
• Wu Tao began comprehending the Tier 4 artifact refining path while continuing his daily cultivation and study of the Hidden Spirit method.
• After a month, Wu Tao checked his progress, found the Nine Luminaries Melting Yang Ultimate Art had advanced to 1.5%, and continued comprehending the Hidden Spirit method while waiting for Star Flowing Light.

Chen Yao kept Wen Xingrui company while Wu Tao received Fu Xuan and guided him in artifact refining; Fu Xuan still had no lead on Han Fan. Meanwhile, Ning Qiudao and the Star Sea cultivators stopped the expansion of the twelve Forbidden Sea Areas, and Wu Tao anticipated receiving Star Flowing Light now that Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch had returned.

• Chen Yao brewed Spirit Tea for Wen Xingrui, and Wu Tao asked him about the principles of Tier 4 artifact refining.
• Wu Tao invited Fu Xuan to Ethereal Void Island, where he answered Fu Xuan’s accumulated artifact-refining questions and heard that the search for Han Fan had found no results.
• Wu Tao brought Fu Xuan to pay his respects to Wen Xingrui before Fu Xuan left to digest the guidance.
• Ning Qiudao and the Star Sea’s Deity Transformation Sovereigns confirmed that the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars had stopped the expansion of all twelve Forbidden Sea Areas, though the formations would need ongoing support.
• Wen Xingrui told Wu Tao that Ning Qiudao and Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch had returned, and Wu Tao expected to receive Star Flowing Light to improve his True Body’s cultivation speed.

Wu Tao received one hundred streaks of Star Flowing Light from Wen Xingrui and used them to accelerate his body cultivation before seeing his master off as the Ethereal Void Immortal Sect returned to the Immortal Origin Realm. After Ning Qiudao secretly asked Wu Tao for help and departed with him, Ning Qiudao revealed that another presence had seized control of his body and spoken to Wu Tao.

• Wen Xingrui gave Wu Tao ten Jade Bottles containing one hundred streaks of Star Flowing Light, which Wu Tao used to raise his Cosmic Star Body Refining Art progress from 39% to 45% in a month.
• Wu Tao and Chen Yao boarded the Ethereal Void Immortal Sect's Flying Boat with Wen Xingrui as the sect prepared to leave the Star Immortal Palace for the Immortal Origin Realm.
• Ning Qiudao joined the Flying Boat after bidding farewell to Origin Cauldron Divine Monarch, Sun Sovereign, and Divine Monarch Guyue, then praised Wu Tao's cultivation and lamented that he had not kept Wu Tao in the sect.
• Ning Qiudao grabbed Wu Tao's shoulders and whispered, "Wu Tao, help me in the future!" before questioning him about what he had heard; Wu Tao left the Flying Boat with Chen Yao.
• Ning Qiudao told Wen Xingrui that Wu Tao and Chen Yao had left, then privately accused another presence of taking control of his body and asked what it had said to Wu Tao or Master Nail.

After returning to Jade Star Island, Wu Tao suspected that Ning Qiudao had been body-snatched but could not get answers from the Coffin Nail, so he focused on cultivation. At the Star Immortal Palace, Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiners were assigned to inspect and repair the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars, and three months later Wu Tao prepared to hide part of his Divine Sense within his Golden Core.

• Wu Tao returned to Jade Star Island with Chen Yao, wondered whether Ning Qiudao had been body-snatched, and received no response when he tried to ask the Coffin Nail about it.
• Cultivators across the Star Sea Cultivation World began campaigns against the twelve Forbidden Sea Areas, while Wu Tao returned to his post in the Warship Department.
• Vice Hall Master Luo told the Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiners that they would inspect and repair the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillars annually, and gave them eleven months to study the maintenance manual.
• Wu Tao returned to the Warship Department and continued cultivating while studying the manual and his other techniques, preparing for the dangerous inspection mission.
• Three months later, Wu Tao finished comprehending the Nine Profound Celestial Heavens Starfire Hidden Spirit Method and prepared to sever part of his Divine Sense and hide it within his Golden Core.

Wu Tao separated eighty li of Divine Sense and hid it in his Golden Core to nurture a Nascent Soul, then attended Vice Hall Master Luo’s explanation of the Domain-Suppressing God-Breaking Pillar repair manual. After continuing his cultivation on Jade Star Island, Wu Tao used Star Flowing Light to break through to True Body 9th Layer.

• Wu Tao used the Nine Profound Celestial Heavens Starfire Hidden Spirit Method to separate eighty li of Divine Sense and conceal it within his Golden Core.
• Wu Tao went to the Artifact Refining Hall, where Vice Hall Master Luo explained the repair manual to the Tier 3 Advanced Artifact Refiners and answered their questions.
• Wu Tao raised a profound question about the manual, and Vice Hall Master Luo gave him a detailed explanation.
• Wu Tao told Su Sanxian and Yu Zhixin that he had begun studying Tier 4 Low-Level artifact refining, then returned to Jade Star Island.
• Wu Tao refined a strand of Star Flowing Light and broke through from True Body 8th Layer to True Body 9th Layer, increasing his Divine Sense to 2,980 li.