Chapter Summaries

Wang Daoyuan risked his soul to draw the Black Spirit Fire out of the Gui Water Nether Spring and trapped it in the Spirit Pearl Space, but lost nearly thirty percent of his soul in the process. After stabilizing his injuries with Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds, he used his avatar to inspect the Spirit Pearl Space without exposing his damaged soul again.

• Wang Daoyuan tested several swords and a Water Dragon Technique against the spring eye, but the Gui Water Nether Spring destroyed them and he could not retrieve the spirit fire.
• Wang Daoyuan used Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds and a Soul Splitting Blade to prepare before extending his divine sense into the spring and pulling out the Black Spirit Fire.
• The Black Spirit Fire resisted the Spirit Pearl Space, entered Wang Daoyuan’s Sea of Consciousness, and burned away part of his soul before he severed the burning portion and trapped the flame inside the space.
• Wang Daoyuan fled the spring, sealed the passage with an Earth Wall Technique, and swallowed Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds over seven or eight days to stabilize his soul injuries.
• Wang Daoyuan avoided opening the Spirit Pearl Space himself and connected with his avatar to inspect it.

Wang Daoyuan recovered from his severe soul injury in the underground cave, reached the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, and condensed a third Spiritual Power Seed using the Gui Water Nether Flame. He prepared to leave after spending nearly ten years underground, while the loss of Yin Energy from the Mysterious Yin Spring and Netherwater River caused turmoil above.

• Wang Daoyuan learned that the Gui Water Nether Flame had battled the Life Spirit Fire and Dust Returning Flame, then named and positioned the subdued flame in the Spirit Pearl Space.
• Wang Daoyuan sealed the passage with more than a hundred zhang of earth wall while the Mysterious Yin Spring and Netherwater River lost their Yin Energy, alarming cultivators and the Netherworld Sect.
• Wang Shouye and the two Supreme Elders watched Wang Daoyuan's Soul Lamp stabilize as he recovered underground by consuming Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds.
• After a year of cultivation, Wang Daoyuan fully restored his soul and advanced to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.
• Wang Daoyuan used the Gui Water Nether Flame to condense his third Spiritual Power Seed and refine his Water Attribute Spiritual Power, then decided to leave the underground cave.

Wang Daoyuan discovered that the Gui Water Nether Spring’s missing Yin Energy had drained Mysterious Yin Spring and could disrupt the Netherworld Sect, so he hurried east toward home. When the Wu cultivator and Xu Ting ambushed him, Wang Daoyuan killed Xu Ting and struck the Wu cultivator down into a mud swamp.

• Wang Daoyuan learned that Mysterious Yin Spring had lost its Yin Energy after he tampered with the Gui Water Nether Spring, and he worried about the consequences for the Netherworld Sect and the Wang Clan.
• Wang Daoyuan abandoned his plan to kill Xu Ting and rode east toward home, avoiding the Return Goose Mountain main range.
• The Bone-Gnawing Vulture intercepted Wang Daoyuan, and the Wu cultivator and Xu Ting leaped from its back and threatened him.
• Wang Daoyuan seized Xu Ting with Cloud Smoke Evasion and transformed him into spiritual power and ash.
• Wang Daoyuan dodged the Wu cultivator’s sword strike, hit him with a Flame Meteorite, and used Mud Swamp Technique to make him fall into a mire.

Wang Daoyuan defeated Cultivator Wu and returned to Jade Spring Peak, where his family learned he had reached Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer and gave him a spell to conceal his cultivation. He then asked about the Netherworld Sect’s recent change in policy, and Twelfth Uncle revealed that it had sought peace with the other great sects to confront the Zhao Clan.

• Wang Daoyuan wounded the Bone-Gnawing Vulture with Flame Meteorites, then defeated Cultivator Wu with his own Heaven Severing Sword and spared him.
• Wang Daoyuan flew east and then south, crossed Return Goose Mountain, and returned safely to Jade Spring Peak.
• Wang Shouye asked why Wang Daoyuan’s Soul Lamp had nearly gone out, and Wang Daoyuan said he had been badly injured by a powerful enemy and had recovered in a secret place.
• Wang Daoyuan discovered that Wang Zhian had reached Foundation Establishment peak and Great-Grandfather was at Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer; Wang Shouye gave him a spell to conceal his cultivation.
• Wang Daoyuan asked about the Netherworld Sect, and Wang Shouye said it had recently proposed peace with the Myriad Spirit Sect and Crimson Sun Palace to address the Zhao Clan’s growing recruitment.

Wang Daoyuan returned to the Wang Clan and learned about the clan’s affairs and the Netherworld Sect’s troubles. While visiting his family, he discovered that Wang Meng’s newborn great-grandson had a Spiritual Root.

• Wang Daoyuan reassured Wang Shouye that the Netherwater River’s Yin Energy would recover, then heard about the clan’s businesses and spirit beasts.
• Wang Daoyuan agreed to attend Old Ancestor Yang’s four-hundredth birthday and offered to provide the Wang Clan’s gift.
• Wang Daoyuan learned the Breath Concealment and Spirit Hiding Technique, concealed his cultivation, and went to visit his parents.
• Wang Daoyuan gave Big Black Beast Blood Pills and joined his family’s gathering for Wang Meng’s great-grandson’s hundredth day.
• Wang Daoyuan used the Spring Return Technique and discovered that Wang Meng’s great-grandson had a Wood Attribute Spiritual Root.

Wang Daoyuan visited Linzhi Mountain, prepared spirit fields for brewing Spirit Peach Dew, and investigated Dragon Fall Ridge before taking his family to Yang Yong’s birthday celebration. His valuable gift of Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds drew attention, and Yang Yong asked where Wang Daoyuan had found them.

• Wang Daoyuan assured Wang Meng that his great-grandson could reach Foundation Establishment, then left spirit grain behind and headed to Linzhi Mountain.
• Wang Daoyuan reunited with Golden Wing, Cloud Wing, and the Thunder Ape, then planted spirit plants for brewing Spirit Peach Dew.
• Wang Daoyuan investigated Dragon Fall Ridge for more than twenty days before riding Cloud Wing to Qingxi Village to collect his parents.
• Wang Daoyuan, Wang Shouye, and his parents traveled to Giant Wood Peak to attend Old Ancestor Yang’s birthday celebration.
• Wang Daoyuan presented Yang Yong with three Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds, fifty Soul Strengthening Pills, and fifty Condensing Origin Pills.
• Yang Yong examined the lotus seeds and asked Wang Daoyuan where north of the mountain he had found them.

At Yang Yong’s four-hundredth birthday banquet, he revealed that the Netherworld Sect and Crimson Sun Palace planned to end their decades-long conflict and jointly fight the Zhao Clan remnants. The sects would settle their dispute over a valuable Spirit Stone mine through staged duels, and Wang Daoyuan learned that affiliated cultivators could compete for rewards.

• Yang Yong questioned Wang Daoyuan about the Ink Jade Nether Lotus seed, and Wang Daoyuan said he had taken it from a treasure-robbing cultivator north of Returning Goose Market.
• Yang Yong said the seed might have come from near Mirror Lake Oasis and asked the gathered guests to search for Pure Yin Energy to support a precious spirit plant.
• Wang Daoyuan and the other guests offered birthday congratulations and toasts to Yang Yong.
• Yang Yong announced that the Netherworld Sect and Crimson Sun Palace would bury their conflict and cooperate against the Remnants of the Zhao Clan.
• Yang Yong explained that cultivators from affiliated lineages could enter one-on-one duels over the Spirit Stone mine, with rewards for victories and compensation for injuries or deaths.

Wang Daoyuan explained why he gave Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds to the Netherworld Sect, hoping to stabilize the sect and draw it into conflict with Chen Ji. He then received a visit from Luo Hongming, who revealed that the Netherworld Sect Master had sent him to ask the Wang Clan to take a position in the coming duel with the Crimson Sun Palace.

• At Yang Yong's birthday banquet, the Wang Clan and other lineages avoided volunteering for duels against the Crimson Sun Palace.
• Wang Shouye questioned Wang Daoyuan about gifting Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds, and Wang Daoyuan explained that the gift could keep the Netherworld Sect from taking desperate measures.
• Wang Daoyuan planned to use the Netherworld Sect's search for Yin Energy to weaken Chen Ji and preserve stability for the Wang Clan.
• More than ten days later, Luo Hongming arrived at Jade Spring Peak on a giant eagle and requested an audience with Wang Shouye and Wang Daoyuan.
• Luo Hongming said the Netherworld Sect and Crimson Sun Palace would duel in half a year and that his uncle-grandfather, the Netherworld Sect Master, wanted to know the Wang Clan's position.

Luo Hongming asked the Wang Clan to send two cultivators to fight in the Netherworld Sect’s duel with the Crimson Sun Palace, offering doubled battle rewards and support for Wang Daolong’s Foundation Establishment. Wang Daoyuan agreed to take part and left to train, planning how to win without revealing his most secret techniques.

• Luo Hongming asked the Wang Clan to send one Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator and one Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator to the duel, offering doubled rewards and help for Wang Daolong to reach Foundation Establishment and become a Luo Family cultivator’s disciple.
• After Luo Hongming departed, Wang Daoyuan told Wang Shouye that refusing the Netherworld Sect’s offer would bring retaliation, and Wang Shouye agreed the clan had to participate.
• Wang Shouye proposed sending Wang Daoxing and himself, but Wang Daoyuan described his victories over stronger opponents and persuaded his uncle that he should face the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage fighters.
• Wang Daoyuan left for the Skyrend Mountain Range to train, aiming to prepare enough techniques to win five consecutive matches while keeping his most important trump cards secret.
• Wang Daoyuan considered which spells he could use in the duel and planned to suppress and convert his spiritual power so his unusual spirit-fire characteristics would not be exposed.

Wang Daoyuan trained his sword spells against a powerful Sabertooth Leopard, then obtained Dragon Heart Fruits from the forest with the Thunder Ape. He returned to Linzhi Mountain with five fruits to cultivate in the Spirit Pearl Space.

• Wang Daoyuan decided to improve his sword-spell casting speed and planned to avoid the Lightning Attribute sword cultivator during the duel.
• Wang Daoyuan and the Thunder Ape traveled to a forest where a Second Rank Superior Grade Sabertooth Leopard lived.
• Wang Daoyuan fought the leopard, testing his phantom swords, Cloud Smoke Evasion, and Water Dragon Armor as the leopard repeatedly attacked him.
• The Thunder Ape returned with red fruits, and the Sabertooth Leopard fled rather than face both opponents.
• Wang Daoyuan traded two jin of Crimson Blood Brew for five Dragon Heart Fruits and gave them to his avatar to plant in the Spirit Pearl Space.

Over five months, Wang Daoyuan sharpened his spells while training with the thunder ape, then traveled with Wang Daoxing to Qingli Market for the duel’s Foundation Establishment test. He faced a Netherworld Sect disciple from the Jin Clan and had wounded him, but the thirty-breath test was still underway.

• Wang Daoyuan spent five months fighting Second-Order High-Grade Demon Beasts while the thunder ape stole spirit fruits and herbs, improving the speed and power of his spells.
• Wang Daoyuan and Wang Daoxing went to Qingli Market, where Yang Yong explained that the duel’s Violet Mansion participants had been reduced and its Foundation Establishment participants doubled.
• A Netherworld Sect disciple surnamed Jin challenged Wang Daoyuan, who recognized him as an opportunity to avenge the Jin Clan’s past humiliation of the Wang Clan.
• Wang Daoyuan’s phantom longswords failed to stop Jin’s venomous-snake artifact, so he summoned the Heaven Severing Sword and struck Jin’s turtle-shell shield twice, making him spit blood.
• Jin evaded Wang Daoyuan’s next strike and reappeared far away before the thirty breaths had passed, as Wang Daoyuan gathered spiritual power for another attack.

Wang Daoyuan and Wang Daoxing traveled with the Netherworld Sect’s affiliated cultivators to Songyu Mountain for a duel against the Crimson Sun Palace over a Spirit Stone mine. After the first duel began, Wang Daoxing entered the field to fight a Crimson Sun Palace cultivator.

• Yang Yong stopped Wang Daoyuan and the Jin-surnamed cultivator from continuing their spar, and the remaining assessments were completed.
• Wang Daoyuan and Wang Daoxing cultivated for twenty days before joining the Netherworld Sect’s expedition to Songyu Mountain.
• The Wang brothers faced hostility from Crimson Sun Palace cultivators after the Netherworld Sect required affiliated families to wear their own marked clothing.
• Wang Daoxing restrained himself from answering the provocations and told Wang Daoyuan he planned to remember the loudest offenders.
• Wang Daoyuan gave Wang Daoxing more than a hundred Tier Two Low-Grade Talismans, and Wang Daoxing entered the duel against a Metal Attribute body cultivator.
• Wang Daoxing and his opponent cast defensive spells, raised their weapons, and began trading blows.

Wang Daoyuan watched Wang Daoxing win one duel and concede another against Crimson Sun Palace before entering the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage battles himself. He quickly killed a Crimson Sun Palace cultivator with Shadow Evasion and called for his next opponent.

• Wang Daoxing defeated a Crimson Sun Palace cultivator after the man used a Forbidden Technique, then rested while Wang Daoyuan supplied him with pills and Golden Silk Jade Peaches.
• The referee prohibited Forbidden Techniques and restricted the use of Talismans, medicinal pills, Spirit Wine, and summoned allies.
• Wang Daoxing lost his next duel to a stronger Crimson Sun Palace body cultivator and conceded when his greatsword was badly damaged.
• Crimson Sun Palace won the Foundation Establishment Early Stage battles, and its cultivators challenged the Netherworld Sect side as the Middle Stage duels began.
• Wang Daoyuan used Shadow Evasion and his powerful divine sense to kill a Crimson Sun Palace Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer cultivator, then called for his next opponent.

Wang Daoyuan won his second duel against a Crimson Sun Palace cultivator by trapping the opponent's Black Tortoise defense in a Mud Swamp Technique and outlasting him. After recovering his spiritual power, he taunted the Crimson Sun Palace camp as its Violet Mansion Cultivator advised them to keep seeking a counter to his sword.

• Wang Daoyuan killed a Crimson Sun Palace cultivator in one move, raising the Netherworld Sect's morale and prompting Wang Daoxing to taunt their opponents.
• A Crimson Sun Palace cultivator wielding a Combined Magic Tool fought Wang Daoyuan, using a short sword and shield that merged into a Black Tortoise Phantom.
• Wang Daoyuan surrounded the Black Tortoise Phantom with his Mud Swamp Technique and waited until his opponent's spiritual power waned.
• The Crimson Sun Palace cultivator conceded, giving Wang Daoyuan his second victory; Wang Daoyuan then meditated until his spiritual power recovered.
• Wang Daoyuan challenged the Crimson Sun Palace cultivators, and their Violet Mansion Cultivator urged them to choose someone who could withstand his sword or evade his attacks.

Wang Daoyuan defeated Wei Xuanhu in a duel by disrupting the Wei Family spear arts with Cloud Smoke Evasion and relentless Flame Meteorites. The Crimson Sun Palace held back its final trump card, wary of Wang Daoyuan’s concealed strength.

• Wei Xuanhu of the Wei Family of Hanjiang Pass challenged Wang Daoyuan, and the two began their duel.
• Wang Daoyuan met Wei Xuanhu’s spear attacks head-on, then used the Heaven Severing Sword and a Flame Meteorite to break through his defenses.
• Wang Daoyuan used Cloud Smoke Evasion to strike Wei Xuanhu with a series of Flame Meteorites, while both cultivators suffered injuries in their exchange.
• Wang Daoyuan urged Wei Xuanhu to concede, and Wei Xuanhu accepted defeat after the Crimson Sun Palace elder told him to withdraw.
• The Crimson Sun Palace elder praised Wang Daoyuan’s hidden strength and forbade the cultivator with a longsword on his back from entering the duel.

Wang Daoyuan fought Black Flame, a tiger-blooded Half-demon from Crimson Sun Palace, and struggled against his speed and strength. Wang Daoyuan summoned the Golden Roc Phantom, shattered Black Flame’s tiger phantom, and left Black Flame badly wounded as the Violet Mansion elder urged him to surrender.

• After Wang Daoyuan defeated Wei Xuanhu, the Crimson Sun Palace Violet Mansion Cultivator chose Black Flame to fight him next.
• Wang Daoyuan recovered for an hour, then faced Black Flame and discovered his tiger-like Half-demon bloodline gave him exceptional physical strength.
• Black Flame wounded Wang Daoyuan with his claws, while Wang Daoyuan cut Black Flame’s hand; neither could quickly finish the fight.
• Black Flame summoned a Black Flame Tiger phantom and blocked Wang Daoyuan’s Flame Meteorites with black fireballs, forcing Wang Daoyuan to reveal the Golden Roc Subdues Dragon Technique.
• Wang Daoyuan summoned a Golden Roc Phantom, shattered the Black Flame Tiger phantom with Feather Blades, and wounded Black Flame across his body.
• The Crimson Sun Palace Violet Mansion elder ordered Black Flame to surrender.

Wang Daoyuan defeated another Crimson Sun Palace cultivator with the Golden Roc Subdues Dragon Technique and Feather Blades, then received healing pills and a promise of rewards for fighting the sect’s Lightning Attribute sword cultivator. The Crimson Sun Palace finally sent out its trump card, Lei Wudao, and he and Wang Daoyuan began their duel.

• Wang Daoyuan recovered from his injuries and challenged the Crimson Sun Palace’s Lightning Attribute sword cultivator, prompting the sect to send Chengfeng to face him.
• Wang Daoyuan endured Chengfeng’s attacks while condensing the Golden Roc Phantom, then struck him with volleys of Feather Blades until Chengfeng conceded.
• Luo Hongming gave Wang Daoyuan Jade Muscle Pills and conveyed the Netherworld Sect’s rewards for wounding, defeating, or killing the Crimson Sun Palace’s Lightning Attribute sword cultivator.
• Wang Daoyuan considered how to fight the Lightning Attribute cultivator while the Crimson Sun Palace debated sending its final trump card.
• Lei Wudao introduced himself as a disciple of True Person Xuanlei, and Wang Daoyuan identified himself before their duel began.

Wang Daoyuan fought Lei Wudao in a duel, enduring a barrage of sword strikes before unleashing his Golden Roc technique. He exhausted his spiritual power and conceded after severely injuring Lei Wudao, leaving the match an apparent narrow defeat.

• Wang Daoyuan used Defense Talismans and tried to gather power for the Golden Roc Subdues Dragon Technique, but Lei Wudao caught him and shattered the talismans with repeated sword strikes.
• Wang Daoyuan completed the Golden Roc Phantom and attacked Lei Wudao with successive waves of Feather Blades, while Lei Wudao countered with a Thunder Roc phantom, a lightning shield, and the Shadow Sword Technique.
• Lei Wudao charged after blocking Wang Daoyuan's first hundred Feather Blades, and Wang Daoyuan surprised him by releasing the remaining seven hundred along with the Golden Roc Phantom.
• Wang Daoyuan's Feather Blades shattered Lei Wudao's sword phantoms, and the Golden Roc Phantom seized Lei Wudao's sword before self-destructing, breaking the sword and wrecking his defensive armor.
• Lei Wudao rose and began gathering a lightning ball, but Wang Daoyuan, out of spiritual power, conceded.

After defeating Lei Wudao, Wang Daoyuan received rewards from Netherworld Sect and exchanged his Golden Roc technique for a Golden Core five-element combination spell. Netherworld Sect won its Foundation Establishment duels and claimed another share of the Spirit Stone mine.

• Wang Daoyuan defeated Lei Wudao, who collapsed coughing blood, then received praise and rewards from Luo Jiuyou, including two Foundation Establishment Pills, four inheritances, and one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.
• Wang Daoyuan offered Luo Jiuyou a Jade Slip containing his altered Golden Roc technique, and Luo Jiuyou exchanged it for a Golden Core five-element combination spell.
• Luo Jiuyou granted Wang Daolong the qualification to attempt Foundation Establishment and promised him a place in Luo Xuanming's tutelage if he succeeded.
• Wang Daoyuan returned to watch as Netherworld Sect defeated Crimson Sun Palace in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage duels with ten cultivators remaining.
• Netherworld Sect narrowly won the Foundation Establishment Late Stage duels and claimed one-sixth of the Spirit Stone mine's share.

Wang Daoyuan watched the Netherworld Sect win two-thirds of a Spirit Stone mine, then returned to Jade Spring Peak, where the Wang Clan received rewards for his contribution. He began studying the Five Elements Subduing Demon Seal and considered how to improve its five component spells with his special spiritual power.

• Zhou Qi defeated two Crimson Sun Palace Violet Mansion Mid Stage cultivators, and Elder Jin won the final duel despite suffering severe injuries, securing two-thirds of the Spirit Stone mine for the Netherworld Sect.
• Yang Yong brought Wang Daoyuan and the other lineage cultivators back to Qingli Market, where Wang Daoyuan and Wang Daoxing returned to Jade Spring Peak.
• Yang Yong visited the Wang Clan and announced the Sect Master's rewards of two Foundation Establishment Pills, five third-order inheritances, and one hundred thousand Spirit Stones for Wang Daoyuan's merit.
• The Netherworld Sect Foundation Establishment Cultivator told the Wang Clan that Daolong had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and entered Luo Xuanming's tutelage.
• Wang Daoyuan returned to his cave dwelling and studied the Five Elements Subduing Demon Seal, noting its flaws and its potential when combined with his special spiritual power.