Chapter Summaries

Qin Yan rushed to Zhao Lei’s aid as the gravely wounded Shadow Guard Bureau leader was about to be killed by Di Ren and four other martial artists. After saving and stabilizing Zhao Lei, Qin Yan attacked the five men with blood-red chains.

• Qin Yan recognized Zhao Lei’s name and hurried to the battlefield, while Yin Li and the others followed him.
• Di Ren taunted Zhao Lei over his refusal to surrender the Grandmaster True Liquid, blaming him for his wife and child’s deaths as Zhao Lei collapsed from his injuries.
• Di Ren sent a saber strike toward Zhao Lei, but Qin Yan pulled him to safety with a Blood Chain.
• Qin Yan used Eternal Wood True Qi to stabilize Zhao Lei’s injuries, then faced Di Ren and the four other martial artists.
• Qin Yan’s five blood-red chains pierced the vital points of Di Ren and the four martial artists.

After rescuing Zhao Lei from the Di Family’s assassins, Qin Yan heard how Di Jie had destroyed Zhao Lei’s family and career over a bottle of Grandmaster True Liquid. Zhao Lei pledged to follow Qin Yan and asked for help taking revenge, and Qin Yan agreed to restore his severed left arm in return for Zhao Lei’s loyalty.

• Qin Yan saved Zhao Lei from five Peak Sixth Grade martial artists and later spoke with him at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
• Zhao Lei told Qin Yan that Di Jie had murdered his wife and child and driven him from the Shadow Guard Bureau to seize his Grandmaster True Liquid.
• Zhao Lei asked to follow Qin Yan and begged him to help kill Di Jie, but Qin Yan said Zhao Lei should take his own revenge.
• Zhao Lei explained that losing his left arm had nearly ended his chance of reaching Grandmaster, and Qin Yan offered to restore it in exchange for everything Zhao Lei possessed.
• Qin Yan brought out Zhao Lei’s preserved severed left arm and agreed to help him.

Qin Yan used his blue-green divine light to heal Zhao Lei and reattach his severed arm, then tested Zhao Lei’s loyalty by ordering him to leave Greatwood City for Mystic City. Zhao Lei agreed and gave Qin Yan the Grandmaster True Liquid he had spent decades earning.

• Qin Yan used his Wood and Water Spirit Lights to restore Zhao Lei’s injuries and reattach his left arm without leaving a scar.
• Zhao Lei knelt and pledged his life to Qin Yan in gratitude for saving him.
• Qin Yan ordered Zhao Lei to leave Greatwood City with him for Mystic City the next day, and Zhao Lei agreed despite wanting revenge on the Di Family.
• Qin Yan told Zhao Lei he could return to seek revenge once he reached the Grandmaster realm, and Zhao Lei resolved to grow stronger first.
• Zhao Lei presented Qin Yan with a bottle of Grandmaster True Liquid that he had earned through fifty years of service in the Shadow Guard Bureau.

Qin Yan refused Zhao Lei’s Grandmaster True Liquid because it would damage his cultivation foundation, then led Zhao Lei and the remaining four team members toward Greatwood City’s teleportation array the next morning. The four noticed Zhao Lei’s restored arm and suspected Qin Yan had healed it, but kept their questions to themselves.

• Qin Yan refused the Grandmaster True Liquid, explained its drawback to himself, and told Zhao Lei to rest before their departure from Greatwood City.
• Qin Yan left Zhao Lei’s room, and Zhao Lei obeyed without questioning his decision.
• The next morning, Qin Yan led Zhao Lei and the remaining four team members toward the teleportation array.
• Zhao Lei studied the four team members and guessed that they held high ranks in the Mystic Sanctuary, while wondering whether Qin Yan was highly ranked too.
• Huang Jiuli and the others noticed Zhao Lei’s restored left arm and suspected Qin Yan had regrown it, but they did not ask about his methods.

Qin Yan and his group escaped to Mystic City with Zhao Lei, while Di Jie arrived too late to stop them. After learning their destination, Di Jie abandoned his pursuit and returned to Greatwood City to seek Grandmaster True Liquid elsewhere.

• Yin Li paid a guard with a high-grade Blood Crystal, and Qin Yan’s group teleported from Greatwood City to Mystic City.
• Di Jie arrived at the teleportation array and learned that Zhao Lei had already left.
• Di Jie paid the guard a Sixth Grade pill and learned Zhao Lei had gone to Mystic City with Qin Yan.
• Di Jie decided not to pursue them because Mystic City was distant, dangerous, and strictly guarded, and he returned to Greatwood City to seek someone else’s Grandmaster True Liquid.
• Qin Yan and his group emerged into Mystic City’s crowded teleportation plaza.

Qin Yan brought Zhao Lei to Mystic City, arranged temporary lodging for him, and revealed his standing as a Special-Class Disciple who had cleared the Heavenly Stairway. After Zhao Lei learned that Qin Yan’s teammates included other exceptional disciples, Qin Yan assigned him a task before returning to his courtyard, where he prepared to use his Mystic Points to grow stronger.

• Qin Yan rented a room for Zhao Lei at Cloud Inn and promised to arrange safer lodging at the Mystic Tavern after advancing to the inner academy.
• Qin Yan told Zhao Lei about his Blue Star origins and revealed that he was a Special-Class Disciple and Heavenly Stairway challenger who had cleared it.
• Qin Yan explained that his four teammates were also Special-Class Disciples, including two more Heavenly Stairway clearers, astonishing Zhao Lei.
• Qin Yan assigned Zhao Lei a task to keep an eye out for something, then left him at the inn.
• Qin Yan returned to his courtyard and went to his room, ready to use his Mystic Points to increase his strength.

Qin Yan used spirit pills and abundant blood qi to advance his Qi Refining and Body Tempering cultivation, bringing his total blood qi to 1,254,000 Cal. As he considered his standing among the East Academy disciples, he recognized that his Mental Strength reaching 200 Hz had transformed his mental world.

• Qin Yan spent 2,000 Mystic Points on Water Element and Wood Element Spirit Pills, using them to grow both Wonder Trees to five zhang and reach the late Sixth Grade of Qi Refining.
• By March 30, Qin Yan's Body Tempering had advanced to the mid Sixth Grade, his total blood qi had reached 1,254,000 Cal, and he had opened thirty-six acupoints.
• Qin Yan reflected that he still needed to open the remaining acupoints before completing all 108.
• Qin Yan recalled sensing that Huang Jiuli had also broken through and noted that the Mystic Sanctuary disciples were likely growing stronger after the beast tide.
• Qin Yan examined his Mental Strength of 200 Hz and felt that crossing the threshold had transformed his mental world.

Qin Yan awakened a Darkness Attribute for his Mental Strength and began using the Darkness Essence sealed within him to cultivate it. He entered a realm of absolute darkness where his mental strength started to improve naturally.

• Qin Yan discovered that his Mental Strength had awakened the Darkness Attribute and wondered if the Darkness Essence in his body had caused it.
• Qin Yan recognized that his powerful attribute made him a Mental Strength Prodigy, but worried that his cultivation was too slow to reach his goal of forming a Supreme Golden Body.
• Qin Yan sent his Mental Strength into the Blood Demon Nest and sensed the Darkness Essence chains sealing his Demon Qi.
• Qin Yan followed the runes on the Darkness Chains into a realm of pure darkness and sensed the Dao of darkness as his mental strength steadily improved.

Qin Yan raised his Mental Strength by five Hz by cultivating with the Darkness Essence and received the Four Heavenly Demon Secrets from Little Black. After reading the book, he learned about its first two secret arts, including Shadow Clone and Myriad Disguise.

• Qin Yan finished cultivating and found that his Mental Strength had increased to 205 Hz.
• Qin Yan resolved to cultivate with the Darkness Essence for an hour each day.
• Little Black gave Qin Yan a black book called the Four Heavenly Demon Secrets.
• Qin Yan read the book and learned that its four secret arts were Shadow Clone, Myriad Disguise, Void Guard, and Dark Enslavement.
• Qin Yan learned that Shadow Clone could grow through darkness and synchronize its Mental Strength, comprehension, and battle experience with him.
• Qin Yan began learning about Myriad Disguise, a secret art for disguise and concealment.

Qin Yan learned about the four secret arts in the Four Heavenly Demon Secrets, though Little Black had only inherited Shadow Clone and Myriad Disguise so far. He began studying Shadow Clone overnight but gained only a basic understanding of it.

• Qin Yan learned that Myriad Disguise could conceal aura and change appearance, while Void Guard offered passive and active defenses and Dark Enslavement could turn a target into a puppet.
• Little Black told Qin Yan that its inherited memories remained locked until it reached the Seventh-Rank Grandmaster realm, when it expected to learn Void Guard and Dark Enslavement.
• Qin Yan reflected on Little Black’s rapid growth and mysterious Netherworld Soul-Devouring Demon Tree origins, then decided to focus on becoming stronger.
• Qin Yan used Darkness Essence to study Shadow Clone through the night, hoping to create a clone that could cultivate for him.
• Qin Yan stopped the next morning with only a basic grasp of Shadow Clone, but resolved to keep studying it.

Qin Yan reflected on how his Darkness Attribute would help him cultivate mental strength and the Heavenly Demon Four Secrets, then noticed his panel listed the incomplete secrets as a Supreme Divine Ability. On March 31, he went to the plaza to await the Inner Academy Assessment results, confident his team's contributions would secure a top-ten spot.

• Qin Yan considered how his clone could comprehend Myriad Disguise and cultivate mental strength, while his Darkness Attribute removed obstacles to his progress and enabled him to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Four Secrets.
• Qin Yan saw that his panel listed the Incomplete Heavenly Demon Four Secrets as a Supreme Divine Ability and decided to research how Supreme Divine Abilities compared with Origin Divine Abilities.
• Qin Yan checked his team's contributions, which totaled 21,989 points, and thought a top-ten ranking was secure.
• Qin Yan arrived at the East Academy plaza, where disciples anxiously awaited the Inner Academy Assessment results, and stood alone in a quiet spot.

At the Outer Academy assessment’s finish, Lin Qingyue’s team awaited its ranking after earning 11,801 Contribution Points. Jiang Li asked Lin Qingyue to introduce her to Qin Yan, whom she hoped to recruit for her powerful family.

• Jiang Li and four female disciples discussed their team’s prospects and the advantage held by teams with Heavenly Stairway clearers.
• Jiang Li asked Lin Qingyue whether she knew how many Contribution Points Qin Yan’s team had earned, and Lin Qingyue said they had not been in contact.
• Lin Qingyue reflected on her recent cultivation, which had brought her Qi Refining to the Late Sixth Grade, and on her team’s 11,801 Contribution Points.
• Jiang Li asked Lin Qingyue to introduce her to Qin Yan because she wanted to build a relationship with the talented Heavenly Stairway clearer and recruit him for her family.

Jiang Li asked Lin Qingyue to arrange a meal with Qin Yan so she could get to know him, and Lin Qingyue agreed. At the Holy Land’s ranking ceremony, Qin Yan discovered he had placed first with 6,891 Contribution Points.

• Jiang Li pleaded with Lin Qingyue to introduce her to Qin Yan over a meal, and Lin Qingyue agreed to ask him.
• Yun Nichang addressed the gathered disciples and reminded them that they had to keep advancing on the Martial Path.
• An elder revealed the individual Contribution Ranking, prompting the disciples to react to their results and the Inner Academy cutoff.
• Qin Yan found his name at the top of the ranking with 6,891 Contribution Points and was surprised to have taken first place.

Qin Yan discovered that he had won first place in the Contribution Ranking, surprising the disciples and drawing renewed attention from Long Aotian and Lin Ruoxi. Yun Nichang selected the top six thousand disciples for the Inner Academy, while those left behind became Outer Academy disciples.

• Qin Yan reviewed the rankings and saw that his 6,891 Contribution Points put him in first place, ahead of Long Aotian and the other Heavenly Stairway clearers.
• The disciples in the plaza reacted with shock to Qin Yan's result, while Long Aotian resolved to investigate him and Lin Ruoxi judged him a serious opponent.
• Yun Nichang announced that the top six thousand disciples would become Inner Academy disciples.
• The selected disciples and most of the elders vanished in streaks of light, and a remaining elder told the unselected disciples that they had failed the assessment and would become Outer Academy disciples.

Zhou Xuan explained the Outer Academy’s advancement opportunities and obligations, while Qin Yan and the other successful disciples arrived at the Inner Academy and received their new status. Qin Yan discovered that his reward included permission to enter the Cangwu Small World once per month.

• Zhou Xuan told the Outer Academy disciples that ten of them could advance at each assessment every six months, and explained their monthly mission quota and the consequences for failing to complete it.
• Qin Yan and the other disciples were transported to the Inner Academy, where they saw its vast plaza and seven towering peaks.
• Yun Nichang congratulated the six thousand disciples on advancing and changed their Tokens from gray to silver.
• Qin Yan checked his Token and found that his team contribution reward granted entry to the Cangwu Small World once per month.

Qin Yan studied the Inner Academy’s rules and learned that he would need to become a True Disciple to enter True Disciple Mountain and choose a master. As he prepared to visit Spear Mountain to improve his spear intent, Jiang Li approached him through Lin Qingyue and introduced herself as the disciple ranked eleventh on the personal Contribution Ranking.

• Yun Nichang explained that disciples had to become True Disciples to enter True Disciple Mountain and choose an elder or Peak Master as their master.
• Qin Yan reviewed his Token’s information and learned about the rankings, the Three Trials of True Disciple, and Spear Mountain.
• Qin Yan decided to visit Spear Mountain after settling in so he could improve his spear intent.
• Lin Qingyue stopped Qin Yan and invited him to a meal, then Jiang Li explained that she had asked Lin Qingyue to introduce them.
• Qin Yan recognized Jiang Li as the disciple ranked eleventh on the personal Contribution Ranking, with 4,500 contribution points.

Qin Yan agreed to befriend Jiang Li and joined her, Lin Qingyue, and Shen Wanqian for a meal at Green Bamboo Dining Garden. Shen Wanqian recalled his history with Jiang Li as the group ate together.

• Jiang Li candidly asked Qin Yan to become friends, and he accepted after considering the value of making allies in Mystic Sanctuary.
• Qin Yan, Lin Qingyue, and Jiang Li went to Green Bamboo Dining Garden for a meal and ran into Shen Wanqian.
• Jiang Li explained that she knew Shen Wanqian because his father managed a Myriad Treasures Chamber of Commerce branch near her clan.
• Shen Wanqian recalled that Jiang Li had beaten him repeatedly after he pursued her arrogantly, until their fathers arranged an apology and the two became uneasy friends.

Qin Yan learned that several of his peers had cleared the Lava Secret Realm and received the benefits of the first True Disciple trial, then followed his Token to his new Inner Academy Cave Dwelling. He explored Cave Dwelling No. 110 and resolved to earn even better treatment for himself.

• Qin Yan saw Huang Jiuli, Zhao Wuji, and Long Aotian listed as having cleared the Lava Secret Realm and considered the increased competition and rewards.
• Shen Wanqian ate enthusiastically at Jiang Li's meal, then tried to avoid her as the group left Green Bamboo Dining Garden.
• Jiang Li ordered Shen Wanqian to go with her, leaving him unable to refuse.
• Qin Yan followed his Token to Cave Dwelling No. 110, which opened for him when he approached.
• Qin Yan explored the Cave Dwelling's hall, Cultivation Room, Alchemy Chamber, bedroom, and Spirit Pool, and resolved to attain greater privileges.

Qin Yan changed into his Inner Academy White Mystic Robe and devoted himself to mastering the Shadow Clone secret. By April 10, he had condensed the Soul Severing Blade, preparing for the dangerous step of splitting his consciousness.

• Qin Yan put on his White Mystic Robe and discovered its Formation patterns could weaken attacks slightly.
• Qin Yan trained with the Mo Yuan Spirit Weapon, then studied Shadow Clone with the aid of Darkness Essence.
• Qin Yan spent nearly a thousand Skill Points on Shadow Clone but increased its progress by only one percent, so he focused on comprehending it.
• On April 10, Qin Yan condensed his Mental Strength into the Soul Severing Blade, the key to creating a Shadow Clone.
• Qin Yan steadied himself before attempting the dangerous process of splitting his consciousness.

Qin Yan used the Soul Severing Blade to split his Mental Strength and formed the severed half into a Shadow Clone. After taking a Soul Nourishing Pill to ease the damage, he checked his Mental Strength, which stood at 140 Hz.

• Qin Yan commanded the Soul Severing Blade to sever half of his Mental Strength, enduring intense pain as the two halves remained faintly connected.
• Qin Yan used a chant and Darkness Attribute Mental Strength to condense the severed half into a Shadow Clone that looked like him.
• The Shadow Clone greeted Qin Yan and began adapting to its new body and senses.
• Qin Yan took a fifth-rank Soul Nourishing Pill to heal his damaged mind, and the pain gradually eased.
• Qin Yan checked his panel and saw that his Mental Strength was 140 Hz.