Chapter Summaries

Wang Hao opened a breach in the Epoch Passage, and Meng De organized a mass recruitment effort to build it despite opposition from the Pill Epoch’s powerful factions. As attacks began, Baleful Shadow confronted Shen Xiaolong of the Heavenly Mystery Sect, who came to reclaim the region.

• Long Ji drove away a powerful cultivator investigating the breach, and Wang Hao announced that he had opened the Epoch Passage.
• Wang Hao told Meng De that the work had to proceed regardless of the risks, and Meng De assigned Li Changsheng and Baleful Shadow to recruit workers and protect their relocation.
• Meng De restored communications, and Long Aotian, Feng Ran, and the others began contacting acquaintances in the Chang Sheng Epoch for help.
• The God of Wealth Hall refused to entertain the Pill Epoch factions, while the Five Tigers Group ignored them; the Five Clans Noble Clan then sent Quasi-Emperor attackers, whom Wang Hao defeated.
• Baleful Shadow fought Shen Xiaolong, who explained that the Heavenly Mystery Sect wanted to reclaim the region it had sold to the God of Wealth Hall.
• Baleful Shadow used Space Law to bind Shen Xiaolong and prepared a black-light attack.

Baleful Shadow defeated Shen Xiaolong with the Immortal Emperor’s Flawless Imperial Scripture, while Lu Zijian and Cui Yunzheng arrived to help the badly wounded Mo Bai confront three Immortal King Ninth Grades. The allies prepared to fight Lao Chu’s group, though Lu Zijian objected when Cui Yunzheng immediately claimed Mu Yunzhong as his opponent.

• Baleful Shadow used the Immortal Emperor’s Flawless Imperial Scripture to break Shen Xiaolong’s laws and redirect eight attacks onto him, killing him.
• Mo Bai refused to answer Lao Chu’s questions as he faced Lao Chu and two other Immortal King Ninth Grades.
• Lu Zijian arrived, challenged the three men, and told Mo Bai to heal while she handled the fight.
• Lao Chu introduced himself by his nickname and agreed to fight Lu Zijian, who said she had once been the Academy’s top student.
• Cui Yunzheng arrived and told Mo Bai and Lu Zijian that events had erupted outside and that he had come to find them.
• Cui Yunzheng moved to challenge Mu Yunzhong, and Lu Zijian complained that he was rudely taking her opponent.

Cui Yunzheng explained that Lao Chu, Mu Yunzhong, and Zheng Hanliu had each defeated a former Heavenly Lotus Sect Holy Maiden, then Lu Zijian and Lao Chu began fighting in the void. Faxian arrived to face Zheng Hanliu after agreeing to Mo Bai’s offer of Qilin true blood, and the chapter left Lu Zijian wounded as she attacked Lao Chu with her twin swords.

• Cui Yunzheng explained the three men’s histories of defeating Heavenly Lotus Sect Holy Maidens and said they were pursuing the ultimate Immortal King.
• Lu Zijian challenged Lao Chu to a battle in the void, while Mu Yunzhong and Cui Yunzheng departed together.
• Zheng Hanliu taunted Mo Bai, and Faxian arrived; Mo Bai promised him Qilin true blood in exchange for subduing Zheng Hanliu.
• Lu Zijian and Lao Chu exchanged blows, with Lao Chu cutting her cheek and revealing his mastery of the blade.
• Lu Zijian shouted at Lao Chu and sent the Purple-Green Twin Swords’ sword qi surging toward him.

Lao Chu and Lu Zijian fought to a one-move decision, with Lao Chu ultimately defeating and gravely wounding him. After revealing the dark origin of his nickname, Lao Chu began to explain why Mo Bai had killed so many people despite his strength.

• Lao Chu split Lu Zijian’s Sword Qi dragon and suppressed him, then offered him half a move and proposed they decide the winner with one strike.
• Lu Zijian explained that he had developed his own flying sword art from records of the Number One Under Heaven swordsman, while Lao Chu kept the origin of his technique secret.
• Lu Zijian unleashed a tornado of violet and azure flying swords, but Lao Chu endured the attack and struck him with hidden Blade Aura.
• Lu Zijian’s twin swords shattered Lao Chu’s saber and damaged one of his life lamps, but Lao Chu’s strike left Lu Zijian gravely wounded, making Lao Chu the victor.
• Lao Chu revealed that his nickname had once been “Old Beast” and that he had killed those who gave it to him, then helped Lu Zijian’s body recover.
• Lao Chu asked whether Lu Zijian wanted to know why Mo Bai had killed so many people despite Lao Chu’s strength, and Lu Zijian complained that he talked too much.

Lao Chu escaped after revealing that he had arranged Mo Bai’s killings, while Cui Yunzheng told Mo Bai and Lu Zijian that the God of Wealth Hall and the Three Teachings had opened the Epoch Passage and begun a war. Mo Bai asked Faxian and Lu Zijian to help, then headed for the Heavenly Lotus Sect, as Chen Changsheng, Lu Mingyu, and Qian Ya played cards in the God of Wealth Hall and discussed the conflict.

• Lao Chu admitted that he had Mo Bai kill people to reduce competition, threatened Faxian with Lu Zijian as a hostage, and escaped through a cut in space after Faxian let him go.
• Cui Yunzheng gave Lu Zijian a Golden Core and explained that the God of Wealth Hall and the Three Teachings had opened the Epoch Passage and gone to war.
• Cui Yunzheng said he had joined Li Changsheng’s camp to disband the aristocratic families and reported that their forces were short-handed and Lin Yao had been badly injured.
• Mo Bai asked Faxian and Lu Zijian for help, then told Cui Yunzheng to take them along while he went to the Heavenly Lotus Sect.
• Chen Changsheng, Lu Mingyu, and Qian Ya played cards in the God of Wealth Hall and discussed aristocratic-family infiltrators and Qian Ya’s plan to ransom detained members.

Chen Changsheng set a plan in motion to weaken the aristocratic clans and four sects by turning their displaced Hidden Pieces toward Li Changsheng’s resistance, while Zhou Jingting agreed to contend for the mortal world’s great tide. In the Epoch Passage, Wang Hao pressed Meng De to speed up construction and showed no concern for the danger his people faced outside.

• Chen Changsheng explained that Hidden Pieces who no longer fit into the aristocratic clans would join Li Changsheng’s resistance and take the clans’ strength with them.
• Chen Changsheng ordered the third checkpoint to begin and said True Meaning and Faxian would deal with Feng Ran and the others, with support from the Buddhist Sect and other allies.
• Mo Bai apologized to Zhou Jingting for failing to kill his targets, and she revealed that she had sent him to test his resolve before telling him to contend for the mortal world’s great tide.
• Wang Hao thanked True Meaning after Feng Ran, Lin Yao, and Long Aotian lost again, but True Meaning withdrew from him in disgust.
• Meng De warned Wang Hao that Long Ji, Bie Chen, and Liu Yidao were looting the Heavenly Mystery Sect and nearby forces, provoking the Pill Epoch.
• Wang Hao dismissed Meng De’s concerns, demanded faster construction, and threatened to use Meng De’s people as foundation stones if they missed the deadline.

Meng De collapsed under the pressure of the encampment’s blockade and refused to lead any further, while Li Changsheng and Baleful Shadow insisted on pressing on. Baleful Shadow left to challenge the encirclement after learning that the Chang Sheng Epoch prodigies had suffered nine defeats against fighters from across the Pill Epoch.

• Li Changsheng found Meng De hiding in the tent and demanded that he resume giving orders, but Meng De declared himself a coward and said he had no way to break the blockade.
• Meng De explained that Long Aotian, Feng Ran, and Lin Yao had returned gravely wounded after repeated defeats, and that he could not summon enough reinforcements to help.
• Li Changsheng told Meng De he would continue fighting even if he had to go on alone, then left the tent.
• Baleful Shadow returned and learned from Wang Lan that the Chang Sheng Epoch prodigies had lost nine times in three days against fighters from across the Pill Epoch.
• Baleful Shadow rejected Wang Lan’s explanation and strode out of the encampment, declaring that he would fight his way through the encirclement.

Liu Yidao explained to Bie Chen that Master had arranged repeated defeats to temper the children into steady future leaders. True Meaning guided Lin Yao to understand that his weakened divine powers came from losing his compassionate purpose, and Lin Yao resolved to help all suffering beings.

• Liu Yidao told Bie Chen that Master had deliberately set the children up to suffer and fail so they could develop steady hearts.
• Bie Chen accepted Liu Yidao's explanation that the children needed to endure hardship before they could become future leaders.
• True Meaning told Lin Yao that his Buddhist heart had become unstable because he focused on victories and defeats instead of helping living beings.
• True Meaning urged Lin Yao to act with kindness regardless of whether he was a Buddhist Sect disciple.
• Lin Yao pressed his palms together and vowed to save suffering beings through compassion.

Ruan Su Xian visited Zhang Ling, who was discouraged after losing nine times and seeing no way to surpass his opponents. He shared his own reason for enduring the pressure of stronger rivals, leaving Zhang Ling stunned by his teacher’s proud, self-deceiving perspective.

• Zhang Ling turned his back on Ruan Su Xian and said he did not want to be treated like a child.
• Ruan Su Xian explained that teachers should guide their disciples through doubts and said even Desolate Heaven Emperor Wu Li sought help with trivial matters.
• Zhang Ling admitted he had lost nine times and did not know how to beat his opponents, even after wagering his life.
• Ruan Su Xian compared Zhang Ling’s struggles to his own looming battles against powerful figures in the Chang Sheng Epoch and the Pill Epoch.
• Ruan Su Xian told Zhang Ling that stronger opponents faced greater pressure because losing to him would cost them face, and he called his outlook a form of covering his ears to steal a bell.
• Zhang Ling recounted the story of the man who plugged his ears before stealing a bell, and Ruan Su Xian claimed the thief was clever.

Ruan Su Xian helped Zhang Ling accept his defeat by questioning the identities he used to judge himself. At the regional defenses, Lin Yao joined Baleful Shadow in attacking, while Wang Hao advised Liu Yidao to endure against Chen Changsheng and said time would reveal whether Chen could be defeated.

• Ruan Su Xian told Zhang Ling to steady his heart and showed him that he was an ordinary cultivator, allowing him to accept that losing to a prodigy was normal.
• Baleful Shadow failed repeatedly to break through the defensive lines and called for help.
• Lin Yao arrived with his golden body and joined Baleful Shadow in charging the defenses.
• Wang Hao explained to Liu Yidao that reckless attacks suited opponents from the Pill Epoch but that he had needed to endure against Chen Changsheng.
• Wang Hao said Chen Changsheng had suffered defeats before and that time would eventually provide the answer to whether he could be crushed.

Wang Hao explained to Liu Yidao why cultivators pursue Chang Sheng and urged him to follow his own path. Elsewhere, Baleful Shadow, Lin Yao, and Zhang Ling kept attacking the Pill Epoch defenses, while Wang Hao stopped a pursuing Pill Epoch prodigy and discovered he could regenerate after a killing blow.

• Wang Hao told Liu Yidao that cultivators seek Chang Sheng to find motivation for facing countless problems, though Liu Yidao argued that life’s purpose need not be Chang Sheng.
• Wang Hao said he would not stop Liu Yidao from pursuing the light and explained that long-lived Quasi-Emperor Ninth Heaven cultivators could learn to live longer by understanding time.
• Wang Hao watched the fighting and remarked that the attackers could soar if they endured their trials.
• Baleful Shadow and Lin Yao broke through the second line of defense but were held back at the third, where the Pill Epoch prodigies struggled to understand their growing fighting spirit.
• Zhang Ling was blasted away by a Pill Epoch prodigy, but he excitedly asked whether he had injured his opponent and promised to return in two hours.
• Wang Hao stopped the Pill Epoch prodigy from pursuing Zhang Ling, then struck off his head; the prodigy regenerated, prompting Wang Hao to take interest in his Escape Techniques.

Wang Hao’s forces clashed with Transcendent Void Hall after Wang Hao killed a Pill Epoch prodigy, while Chen Changsheng demanded that the delayed Epoch Passage project be completed on schedule. The chapter left Meng De tasked with finding a way past the blockade and warned that failure would bring severe consequences.

• Wang Hao killed a Ninth Grade Immortal King from the Pill Epoch, and Liu Yidao fought the Transcendent Void Hall elder who came to retaliate.
• Long Ji and Bie Chen attacked cultivators who approached Liu Yidao as Baleful Shadow and Lin Yao retreated.
• Chen Changsheng arrived at the garrison, demanded progress on the Epoch Passage, and threatened everyone assigned to the project with punishment if it missed the deadline.
• Wang Hao blamed the slow progress on Li Changsheng and the others lacking manpower to break through the defenses.
• Chen Changsheng questioned Meng De, gave him the remaining project funds, and ordered him to find a way past the blockade and catch up on construction.

Meng De forced his team to break out and recruit enough people to build the Epoch Passage, threatening anyone who delayed. Li Changsheng and the others escaped through the outer defenses and split up to seek allies, while Long Aotian’s destination remained undecided.

• Meng De kicked Long Aotian out of his despair and ordered everyone to break through the encirclement and recruit workers for the Epoch Passage.
• Meng De threatened to kill Long Aotian if he stayed behind and hired Wang Hao to kill anyone who remained after a quarter of an hour.
• Li Changsheng and the others flew outward, and Cui Yunzheng and Long Aotian eventually left before Wang Hao’s deadline.
• Meng De paid Wang Hao two billion Divine Sources for his restraint and handed over the agreed seventy billion, then Baleful Shadow set out to risk the breakout with him.
• During Liu Yidao’s battle, Li Changsheng and the others broke through several defensive lines and decided to split up to recruit people.
• Lin Yao, Feng Ran, and Wang Lan headed to the Wang Family, while Li Changsheng asked Long Aotian where he planned to go.

The group split up to recruit allies from the Li, Zheng, Cui, and Lu families and the Sword Sect while Mo Bai and Zhou Jingting approached the battlefield. Zhou Jingting challenged Lu Guan to a two-thousand-move test of the Cross-Strike Realm, as Wang Hao and Chen Changsheng watched and speculated about candidates for the Moon God's third trial.

• Long Aotian accompanied Li Changsheng to the Li Family, Jin Tu and Zhang Ling headed for the Zheng Family, Cui Yunzheng went to the Cui Family with Baleful Shadow, and Lu Zijian set out for the Sword Sect.
• Mo Bai and Zhou Jingting reached the defensive line, where Zhou Jingting said she would face the Fourth Heaven Quasi-Emperor alone and asked Mo Bai to count two thousand moves.
• Zhou Jingting announced that Yi An Jushi was challenging the Cross-Strike Realm, and Lu Guan of the Fanyang Lu Clan accepted; the two summoned enormous lotuses amid their opposing fires.
• At the base, Wang Hao and Chen Changsheng watched Zhou Jingting's fight and discussed her past, Lu Guan's strength, and her possible eligibility for the Moon God's third trial.
• Chen Changsheng suggested that more than one hidden expert was among the candidates competing for the third trial.

Chen Changsheng explained to Wang Hao why the Moon God had not chosen Zhou Jingting as her successor, arguing that she belonged at the Ten Thousand Races Academy as a pioneer of thought rather than as a leader of the Heavenly Lotus Sect. He also revealed that he had found a promising sword cultivator who could not use a sword, then left Zhou Jingting’s matchup with Lu Guan uncertain.

• Wang Hao paid Chen Changsheng ninety billion Divine Source to learn why the Moon God had not chosen Zhou Jingting as her successor.
• Chen Changsheng said Zhou Jingting’s pride and forward-thinking ideas made her unsuited to lead the Heavenly Lotus Sect, while the Ten Thousand Races Academy would give her ideas room to flourish.
• Wang Hao concluded that Zhou Jingting was suited to be a pioneer of thought, but asked whether a stronger fighter had displaced her.
• Chen Changsheng revealed that he had found a promising sword cultivator who could not use a sword and warned Wang Hao that Dugu had recommended him.
• Wang Hao asked whether Zhou Jingting could defeat Lu Guan, and Chen Changsheng said the outcome depended on her mastery of the Heavenly Lotus Sacred Method.

Zhou Jingting fought Lu Guan to prove she had reached the pinnacle of the Immortal King Realm, displaying her mastery of swordsmanship, calligraphy, painting, and music. Chen Changsheng declared that she had met the standard for the Horizontal Strike Realm, and Zhou Jingting immediately challenged Lu Guan to fight again.

• Wang Hao learned that Chen Changsheng had tried the Heavenly Lotus Sacred Method and abandoned it after suffering qi deviation.
• Zhou Jingting challenged Lu Guan to exchange two thousand moves and fought him with her Immortal Dharma Idol, sword, brush, and zither.
• Zhou Jingting painted a world that drew her and Lu Guan inside, then emerged battered after the battle.
• Chen Changsheng wrote that Zhou Jingting had fought Lu Guan for a thousand moves without defeat and granted her the Horizontal Strike Realm.
• Zhou Jingting praised Chen Changsheng’s calligraphy and told Lu Guan, “Again!”

Zhou Jingting continued fighting Lu Guan while Mo Bai admitted he was no longer worthy to face Shangguan, and Baleful Shadow escaped with Cui Yunzheng. At the Cui Family's Eighth Sage King's Estate, Cui Zhe recounted how Tian Rui crushed him in a duel and explained why he had abandoned the title of Spear King.

• Zhou Jingting clashed with Lu Guan again as Mo Bai realized he had fallen behind the other prodigies.
• Mo Bai told Shangguan he was no longer qualified to be her opponent, and she vanished without answering.
• Baleful Shadow escaped the encirclement and left with Cui Yunzheng while Zhou Jingting remained in battle.
• Cui Hongyuan challenged Cui Zhe for giving up on himself, and Cui Zhe explained that he had challenged Tian Rui to prove his worth.
• Cui Zhe recalled forcing the wounded Tian Rui to fight, only to be pinned to a cliff by one spear strike and offered the Dragon Gallant Silver Spear.

Cui Hongyuan told Cui Zhe that his resentment toward Chen Changsheng came from losing the glory he believed should have been his, and declared that he would challenge Chen Changsheng through a contest between cultivators. Cui Zhe agreed to support him, while news of Zhou Jingting’s battle with Quasi-Emperor Lu Guan strengthened Cui Hongyuan’s resolve.

• Cui Zhe revealed that he had kept the Dragon Gallant Silver Spear after taking it, explaining that Chen Changsheng had responded with a letter urging him to turn weapons of war into jade and silk.
• Cui Hongyuan admitted that he hated Chen Changsheng for taking the glory he believed was destined for him and said he would not rest until they settled their debt.
• Cui Hongyuan declared that he would challenge Chen Changsheng in a contest between cultivators, rather than competing with him in power and strategy.
• Cui Hongyuan said he had less than two hundred years left and instructed Cui Zhe to pass power to Cui Yunzheng after his death; Cui Zhe promised to arrange for Chen Changsheng to accept the challenge.
• Golden words announced that Yi An Jushi Zhou Jingting had fought Fourth Heaven Quasi-Emperor Lu Guan for two thousand moves without a victor, and Cui Hongyuan vowed to fight his way to Chen Changsheng.

Zhou Jingting survived a two-thousand-move battle with Lu Guan, then accepted Chen Changsheng’s help to leave the Heavenly Lotus Sect and enter the academy. Chen Changsheng sent Mo Bai to recruit more people for the Five Tigers Group while leaving him to puzzle over his failed breakthrough, and Meng De asked Chen Changsheng for help finding a way out.

• Zhou Jingting endured Lu Guan’s assault, and Lu Guan admitted defeat and departed.
• Wang Hao offered Zhou Jingting a place with him, but Chen Changsheng gave her an Imperial Preceptor Decree and promised help leaving the Heavenly Lotus Sect and enrolling in the academy.
• Zhou Jingting thanked Chen Changsheng and left, while Wang Hao wrote down Chen Changsheng’s explanation of why people trusted him.
• Chen Changsheng told Mo Bai that he had failed to break through because he had done too well, then sent him to find recruits for the Five Tigers Group.
• Meng De asked Chen Changsheng to help him find a way out.

Chen Changsheng sent Meng De beyond the encirclement and arranged for Wang Hao’s main body to join him as the next checkpoints approached. Meanwhile, Jin Tu revealed to Zhang Ling how the Zheng Family destroyed his family and framed him, leaving Zhang Ling to learn the full scope of Jin Tu’s grievance.

• Meng De asked Chen Changsheng to send him into the fighting, and Chen Changsheng teleported him beyond the encirclement.
• Chen Changsheng warned Wang Hao not to push the Transcendent Void Hall too far and said he needed Wang Hao’s main body to help stabilize the Pill Epoch’s reforms.
• Jin Tu told Zhang Ling he intended to kill every member of the Zheng Family, while Zhang Ling explained that he needed Zheng Family recruits for the Epoch Passage project.
• Jin Tu revealed that his sister had married into the Zheng Family as a concubine, died horribly, and that the Zheng Family slaughtered his family.
• Jin Tu explained that he had uncovered the Zheng Family’s hidden crimes, refused to join them, and was framed after being knocked unconscious beside the woman he loved.