Chapter Summaries

Wang Daoyuan left the Heavenly Secret Tower after learning that fifth-tier demonic beasts had appeared near the Skyrend Mountain Range and the coast. He killed the Gu Eagle at Wanchuan Market, reassured his family, and set off toward Linhai Prefecture to deal with the gathering sea beasts.

• True Man Xuan Tian told Wang Daoyuan that several cultivators had reached the Nascent Soul Realm and that fifth-tier demonic beasts had appeared around the Skyrend Mountain Range.
• Wang Daoyuan took Gray Peng east, crossed Broken Cloud Mountain, and secretly approached Wanchuan Market to ambush the Demon Race.
• The Sword Puppet slaughtered fourth-order demonic beasts near Wanchuan Market, then drew the Gu Eagle out of the river as its spiritual power ran low.
• Wang Daoyuan trapped the Gu Eagle with Black Tortoise Purgatory and Gui Water Nether Flame, killed it, and returned to Wanchuan Market with the Sword Puppet.
• Wang Daoyuan learned from Wang Daojian that the northern region and Skyrend Mountain Range remained secure, then replaced the Sword Puppet's Spirit Gathering Beads.
• Wang Daoyuan rode Gray Peng along the Wan Chuan River toward Linhai Prefecture to confront the demonic beasts gathering in the sea.

Wang Daoyuan investigated a sea beast horde that fled toward the Mirage Sea, then returned home to learn that Blood Shadow wanted Zhou Luan’s help against a Fifth-order Demonic Beast. He threatened Elder Xu over the danger to Zhou Luan’s friend Zhang Yue, leaving the Xu Family’s fate in Elder Xu’s hands.

• Wang Daoyuan learned that the sea beast horde had fled north toward the Mirage Sea and suspected a Fifth-order Demonic Beast from there was controlling it, so he abandoned the pursuit.
• Wang Daoyuan returned to Qingli City, received a triumphant welcome, inspected its spirit vein with Wang Mingchen, and then went back to Jade Spring Peak.
• Zhou Luan told Wang Daoyuan that Blood Shadow had asked for aid against a Fifth-order Demonic Beast and that Elder Xu’s pressure could put Zhang Yue in danger.
• Wang Daoyuan sent Elder Xu a message threatening the Xu Family with exile to the Western Sea if Elder Xu harmed Zhou Luan or her allies.

Wang Daoyuan reassured Zhou Luan about the threat posed by Fifth-tier Demon Beasts and spent a month refining six Fifth-order Spirit Gathering Beads. Xu Boyu then came to Wanchuan Market to plead for mercy, and Zhou Luan spared the Xu Family except for those who had murdered her father.

• Zhou Luan explained why surviving Sixth-tier Demon Beasts were unlikely to pose an immediate threat, reassuring Wang Daoyuan.
• Wang Daoyuan decided to improve his puppets with Fifth-order Spirit Gathering Beads and refined six of them over a month.
• Xu Boyu of Blood Shadow arrived at Wanchuan Market and asked Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan to spare the Xu Family.
• Wang Daoyuan left the Xu Family's fate to Zhou Luan, who demanded the deaths of everyone involved in her father's murder but spared the rest.
• Xu Boyu thanked Zhou Luan for her mercy and swore that the Xu Family would serve her and Wang Daoyuan.

Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan negotiated with Xu Boyu, who offered the Xu Family’s support for Zhou Luan becoming Blood Shadow’s Shadow Master in exchange for a chance to preserve his family. After Wang Daoyuan agreed to cooperate while insisting those who killed his father-in-law still die, he waited as Blood Shadow’s losses mounted; Zhang Dingming then prepared to ask them for help.

• Xu Boyu proposed backing Zhou Luan as Shadow Master and allowing Wang Clan members into Blood Shadow so the Wang Clan could strengthen its inheritance and the Xu Family could retain influence.
• Wang Daoyuan accepted the plan’s benefits but insisted that Xu Family members responsible for killing his father-in-law must still die.
• Xu Boyu advised delaying aid to Blood Shadow so its elders would suffer greater losses and make more concessions to Zhou Luan.
• After Xu Boyu departed, Wang Daoyuan returned with Zhou Luan to Jade Spring Peak, upgraded a puppet’s Spirit Gathering Bead, and spent half a year refining Nine Deaths Returning Soul Pills.
• Blood Shadow lost more than twenty holdings, over ten Golden Core Cultivators, and more than a thousand lower-realm cultivators to the two Fifth-tier Demonic Beasts and their forces.
• Elder Xu reported that Great Elder Zhang Dingming planned to personally ask Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan for help.

Zhang Dingming sought Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan’s help against two Mid-grade Fifth-order Demon Beasts threatening Blood Shadow, but Wang Daoyuan initially refused. Zhang Dingming promised the Zhang Family’s support for Zhou Luan becoming Blood Shadow’s Shadow Master, and Wang Daoyuan agreed to help, leaving the pair set to travel to Blood Shadow Headquarters in half a month.

• Zhang Dingming arrived at Jade Spring Peak and asked Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan to save Blood Shadow from the Demon Beasts.
• Wang Daoyuan pointed out that Blood Shadow had refused to answer the four great powers’ conscription and said Yan could not help while dealing with threats elsewhere.
• Zhang Dingming offered to yield his Great Elder position to Zhou Luan, but she and Wang Daoyuan rejected the offer as insufficient.
• Zhang Dingming proposed that Zhou Luan become Shadow Master if the Zhang Family could persuade the Xu Family to support her.
• Wang Daoyuan agreed to help Blood Shadow in exchange for Zhang Dingming’s promise that the Zhang Family would recommend Zhou Luan as Shadow Master.
• Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan planned to travel to Blood Shadow Headquarters in half a month.

Wang Daoyuan gave Zhou Luan a secret art to strengthen her authority in Blood Shadow and traveled with her to its hidden headquarters in the Southern Wilderness. After she revisited her childhood home and mourned her father, two Fifth-tier Demon Beasts attacked a Blood Shadow mine, prompting the elders to ask for help.

• Wang Daoyuan gave Zhou Luan the Soul Nurturing Art of Clones so she could form Split Souls and eventually control powerful Demon Beast clones.
• Zhou Luan condensed two Split Souls, and Wang Daoyuan gave her Seven-Leaf Ghost Face Flower floral dew before they left for the Southern Wilderness.
• Wang Daoyuan left Gray Peng at Jade Spring Peak and traveled with Zhou Luan to Blood Shadow Headquarters, where Zhang Dingming and Xu Boyu welcomed them.
• Zhou Luan showed Wang Daoyuan around the headquarters and returned to the Zhou Residence, where she remembered her father and wept.
• After ten days, Zhang Dingming told Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan that two Fifth-tier Demon Beasts were attacking Kongming Mountain and asked them for aid.

Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan went to Kongming Mountain to rescue it from a Demon Beast siege after Blood Shadow promised to support Zhou Luan as Shadow Master. Wang Daoyuan subdued the two Fifth-tier Demonic Beasts, and Zhou Luan began binding their souls with Split Souls.

• Wang Daoyuan accepted Zhang Dingming’s promise of support for Zhou Luan and set out with her for Kongming Mountain.
• Zhou Luan explained that Kongming Mountain’s Void Stone mine was essential to maintaining Blood Shadow’s secret realm.
• Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan attacked the Demon Beast horde with a sea of fire, drawing out the Blood-eyed Golden-winged Tiger and Black Wolf.
• Wang Daoyuan used Blazing Sun to drain the two Fifth-tier Demonic Beasts of spiritual power and knock them unconscious.
• Zhou Luan merged two Split Souls into the souls of the defeated Demon Beasts.

After Wang Daoyuan and Zhou Luan captured the two Fifth-tier demon beasts threatening Kongming Mountain, Blood Shadow’s elders unanimously chose Zhou Luan as their new Shadow Master. She formally took office and began reshaping the leadership by accepting Xu Boyu’s retirement and appointing Zhang Yue as Second Elder.

• Wang Daoyuan stored the captured demon beasts in Universe Rings, and he and Zhou Luan returned to Blood Shadow Headquarters.
• Zhang Dingming presented Zhou Luan’s merit and proposed that she become Shadow Master; elders from both humble households and the Zhang and Xu Families supported her.
• Zhou Luan accepted the position, performed the ancestral rites, and received the Shadow Master’s robe, seal, records, and tokens.
• Xu Boyu requested permission to retire and recommended Zhang Yue as his successor; Zhou Luan appointed Zhang Yue Second Elder, and Zhang Dingming agreed.

Zhou Luan settled her old grudge with the Xu Family, and Wang Daoyuan returned to Jade Spring Peak after helping her secure control of Blood Shadow. There, he gave Wang Dezhao Fifth-tier spirit fire to aid his study of Fire Attribute laws.

• Xu Boyu confessed the Xu Family's past crimes against Zhou Luan and ordered the four surviving perpetrators to die.
• Xu Boyu killed Xu Yizong, the other two perpetrators took their own lives, and Xu Boyu killed himself; Zhou Luan declared the grudge settled.
• Zhou Luan honored her parents at the Zhou Residence, while Wang Daoyuan promised to protect her and stayed with her for more than a month.
• Wang Daoyuan left Zhou Luan at Blood Shadow Headquarters, where Wang Daojian managed the Yan Kingdom organization, and returned to Jade Spring Peak.
• Wang Daoyuan found that Jade Spring Peak's spirit vein had advanced to high-grade Fourth-order and met Wang Dezhao, whom he gave Crimson Sun True Fire for comprehending laws.

Wang Daoyuan refined Nascent Soul Nurturing Pills as the Skyrend Mountain Range began producing fifth-order spiritual energy, signaling that a major spirit vein was forming. Two years later, as he prepared for war and forged fifth-order shields, the Crimson Feather Crow announced it was ready to break through to the fifth order.

• Wang Daoyuan refined Nine Deaths Returning Soul Pills until his success rate reached sixty percent, then began making Nascent Soul Nurturing Pills from herbs grown in the Spirit Pearl Space.
• Gray Peng detected fifth-order spiritual energy emerging in the Skyrend Mountain Range, and Wang Daoyuan warned Zhou Luan, his master, and the Heavenly Secret Sect to prepare for conflict with the Demon Race.
• Wang Daoyuan sent Gray Peng and the Crimson Feather Crow to monitor the Demon Race, but the Crimson Feather Crow chose to bask in the sun at Tieping Mountain.
• Over the next two years, Wang Daoyuan refined hundreds of Nascent Soul Nurturing Pills and began forging low-grade fifth-order shields as the mountain range's fifth-order spiritual energy increased.
• The Crimson Feather Crow told Wang Daoyuan that it could break through to the fifth order and explained that sunlight could replenish its spiritual power and heal its injuries.

Wang Daoyuan helped the Crimson Feather Crow break through to the fifth order, where it survived a powerful tribulation and recovered with a body resembling a Golden Crow. As they absorbed the Heaven and Earth Boon, a hidden Demon Beast in the Gale Layer challenged Wang Daoyuan over keeping the Crow in captivity.

• Wang Daoyuan took the Crimson Feather Crow to the Skyrend Mountain Range, where it swallowed a Fire Attribute Demonic Core and absorbed sunlight to begin its breakthrough.
• The Crimson Feather Crow passed five fire tribulation strikes and then endured a far more dangerous battle against a tribulation sun that transformed into a Golden Crow.
• Wang Daoyuan and his Yinglong Phenomenon devoured the lingering golden tribulation flames, while the Crow survived with the help of a purple-gold sphere and Heaven and Earth Boon.
• The Crimson Feather Crow recovered its feathers, awakened, and told Wang Daoyuan to absorb some of the Heaven and Earth Boon.
• A hidden Demon Beast in the Gale Layer demanded that Wang Daoyuan release the Crow from its pledge of allegiance, and Wang Daoyuan taunted it for hiding.

Wang Daoyuan absorbed the Heaven and Earth Boon while the Crimson Feather Crow fought a phoenix-claiming White Feather Chicken that had descended from the Gale Layer. After a silver-plumed opponent intervened and the Heaven and Earth Boon ended, the birds fled east and Wang Daoyuan returned to Jade Spring Peak with the Crimson Feather Crow.

• Wang Daoyuan sent most of the Heaven and Earth Boon into the five spirit flames in the Spirit Pearl Space while the White Feather Chicken remained in the Gale Layer.
• The White Feather Chicken descended to absorb the Heaven and Earth Boon, and the Crimson Feather Crow transformed into a golden sun and attacked it.
• Wang Daoyuan joined the Crimson Feather Crow in attacking the White Feather Chicken with Black Tortoise Purgatory and the Returning Origin Sword, leaving the bird badly wounded.
• A powerful figure in the Gale Layer knocked back the Returning Origin Sword and blocked Wang Daoyuan's sword phantoms with silver plumes.
• After the Heaven and Earth Boon ended, the White Feather Chicken and the silver-plumed figure fled east, and Wang Daoyuan returned to Jade Spring Peak with the Crimson Feather Crow.

Wang Daoyuan strengthened his Sword Intent while the human race prepared for a possible conflict with the Demon Race. When Yan Hui prepared to break through to the Fifth-order, Wang Daoyuan went to stop him, and Zhong Zhenyang asked for help attempting to form a Nascent Soul.

• Wang Daoyuan warned Zhou Luan, his master, and the Heavenly Secret Sect guards about a powerful unseen Demon Beast, then guarded his territory and cultivated.
• Wang Daoyuan comprehended and merged Emperor Sword Intent and Soul Suppressing Sword Intent while the Skyrend Mountain Range and other spirit veins continued to rise in grade.
• Zhong Zhenyang reported that Yan Hui was about to break through to the Fifth-order, with several Demon Beasts gathered to protect him.
• Wang Daoyuan left Gray Peng and the Crimson Feather Crow to guard home and traveled northeast to stop Yan Hui.
• Zhong Zhenyang told Wang Daoyuan that he had reached the end of his lifespan and asked him to protect his attempt to Shatter Core and Form Nascent Soul after the Demon Beasts were dealt with.

Wang Daoyuan agreed to protect Zhong Zhenyang as he attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, while insisting on his loyalty to Yan Kingdom. After Yan Hui failed his tribulation, Wang Daoyuan killed him and helped Zhong Zhenyang seize Heaven and Earth Boon, leaving him ready to shatter his Golden Core.

• Wang Daoyuan agreed to protect Zhong Zhenyang during his breakthrough after Zhong promised to guard Yan Kingdom's northern frontier and remain loyal.
• Wang Daoyuan and Zhong Zhenyang waited for Yan Hui's tribulation to finish, then flew to the valley where dozens of Fourth-order Demonic Beasts had gathered.
• Wang Daoyuan slaughtered the Fourth-order Demonic Beasts, while the White Feather Chicken escaped and Yinglong swallowed the Heaven and Earth Boon meant for Yan Hui.
• Wang Daoyuan burned Yan Hui's remains after his tribulation failed, then Zhong Zhenyang absorbed the remaining Heaven and Earth Boon.
• Wang Daoyuan gave Zhong Zhenyang Core Shattering Grass and urged him to begin his tribulation while the boon’s power remained.

Wang Daoyuan helped Zhong Zhenyang use Core Shattering Grass to form a Nascent Soul and survive his tribulation. As Zhong Zhenyang recovered, a powerful silver bird attacked, and Wang Daoyuan confronted it.

• Wang Daoyuan gave Zhong Zhenyang a poison recipe and Nine Deaths Returning Soul Pills before withdrawing to let him undergo his breakthrough.
• While Zhong Zhenyang absorbed spiritual qi, Wang Daoyuan’s Cloud Hidden Tea advanced to the fifth order.
• Zhong Zhenyang swallowed Core Shattering Grass, shattered his Golden Core, formed a Nascent Soul, and endured all five heavenly tribulations with the help of bone armor.
• Zhong Zhenyang recovered from his injuries with Heaven and Earth Boon and Nine Deaths Returning Soul Pills, while Wang Daoyuan released the Yinglong to devour the black mist.
• A peak fifth-order silver bird descended to attack Zhong Zhenyang, but Wang Daoyuan blocked it and exchanged attacks with it.
• The silver bird challenged Wang Daoyuan over his past interference in Demon Race breakthroughs, and Wang Daoyuan told it to defeat him first.

Wang Daoyuan fought and killed a powerful Phoenix-blooded strange bird while protecting Zhong Zhenyang during his tribulation. After the Heaven and Earth Boon healed Wang Daoyuan, Zhong Zhenyang returned to his body and pledged loyalty to Yan State.

• The strange bird revealed its Phoenix Bloodline and attacked Wang Daoyuan, who used his blazing sun to shield himself and the unconscious Zhong Zhenyang.
• The strange bird intensified its assault, but Wang Daoyuan split his blazing sun to protect both himself and Zhong Zhenyang while preparing the Yinglong Demon Slaying Sword.
• Wang Daoyuan clashed with the strange bird in a devastating blow, was badly injured, and killed it; he collected its corpse and took a Nine Deaths Returning Soul Pill.
• A Heaven and Earth Boon descended into Zhong Zhenyang's Nascent Soul, reviving and strengthening him.
• Wang Daoyuan absorbed the boon to heal his injuries, and Zhong Zhenyang returned to his body and pledged to guard Yan State's northern frontier and remain loyal to His Majesty.

Wang Daoyuan secured the Nether King River’s defenses and returned to Jade Spring Peak to cultivate after defeating a powerful Phoenix Bloodline beast. In the Spirit Pearl Space, he discovered and bound a rapidly growing dragon-breed carp that appeared to have mutated.

• Wang Daoyuan confirmed that Zhong Zhenyang could use a fifth-order formation to defend the Nether King River and told him to report any Demon Beasts that reached the fifth order.
• Wang Daoyuan returned to Jade Spring Peak with the slain beast’s essence blood and Demonic Core, then resumed cultivating with the Fire Eye and comprehending the Returning Origin Sword Diagram.
• Wang Daoyuan noticed a young Clear River Carp hopping north and discovered Dragon Qi in its body, marking it as a promising male dragon breed.
• Wang Daoyuan used a beast-controlling secret art and a drop of essence blood to bind the dragon breed, then watched it return to a Yin-rich lake and eat Ink Jade Nether Lotus seeds.
• Wang Daoyuan concluded that the dragon breed had mutated because it thrived in the lake’s dense Yin Energy, unlike Twelfth Uncle’s and the ancestor’s dragon fish.

Wang Daoyuan helped his spirit beasts grow and received his second brother, Wang Daoxing, who asked him to guide Wang Degong's sword cultivation. He arranged for Degong to learn from a senior and join Blood Shadow, then encouraged Daoxing to pursue Core Formation and remain at his side.

• Cloud Winged Tiger yielded to Wang Daoyuan's warning not to bully the dragonfish, while Big Black continued eating Demon Soul Grass.
• Wang Daoyuan arranged for Gray Peng to take exotic beast blood essence and ingredients to Jia Qi so he could refine pills for Big Black.
• After a year, the dragonfish reached Low-grade Third-order and developed black scales and a golden reverse scale, while Big Black's spiritual-energy devouring ability improved.
• Wang Daoxing introduced his son, Wang Degong, and asked Wang Daoyuan to provide him with a more complete sword cultivator inheritance.
• Wang Daoyuan recognized Degong's talent for deceptive sword techniques, gave him a Jade Slip, and sent him to Qingli City to learn and later join Blood Shadow.
• Wang Daoyuan gave Wang Daoxing Golden Core Pills and urged him to cultivate toward Core Formation; Daoxing recalled being mocked for getting drunk centuries earlier.

As the Northern Abyss’s spiritual energy surged, human Nascent Soul cultivators increased while the Demon Race remained quiet. A fifth-order Demon Race envoy then proposed peace talks, and Wang Daoyuan agreed to involve the human race’s other major powers.

• Wang Daoxing resigned from his imperial posts and entered secluded cultivation in the Green Willow Secret Realm.
• Spiritual veins across the Northern Abyss rose in strength, enabling Half-step Nascent Soul cultivators to break through and strengthening the human race.
• Zhou Luan used the Blood-eyed Golden-winged Tiger and Howling Moon Celestial Wolf to keep Zhang Dingming’s power grab in check.
• Wang Daoyuan sent Jia Qi to meet the White Feather Chicken after a fifth-order Demon Race member requested talks.
• The White Feather Chicken proposed that the human race and Demon Race negotiate peace, and Wang Daoyuan said the four top powers, Zhou Kingdom, and Qin Kingdom must be included.
• The White Feather Chicken accepted the human race’s role in choosing the negotiations’ time and place.

Wang Daoyuan organized peace talks with the Demon Race and led the human delegation to Golden Horn Peak. The Demon Race demanded that humans withdraw from the Skyrend Mountain Range and the lands north of the mountains, and Wang Daoyuan threatened to resume the war and destroy them.

• Wang Daoyuan accepted the Demon Race's proposal to negotiate and sent word to the human powers.
• Six Nascent Soul Cultivators arrived in Qingli City, agreed to let Wang Daoyuan lead the talks, and chose Golden Horn Peak as the meeting place.
• Wang Daoyuan and the human delegation met seven Demon Beasts at Golden Horn Peak, where the fire phoenix and ice wyrm claimed to represent the Demon Races of several regions.
• The Demon Race demanded that humans withdraw from the Skyrend Mountain Range and all territory north of the mountains.
• Wang Daoyuan rejected the demands, said he could kill more Demon Kings, and threatened to wipe out the Demon Race in Northern Abyss.