Chapter Summaries

After Du Feng fled the Stronghold’s battle, Lu Ye formed the Crane Wing Formation and led the trapped cultivators in a counterattack and rescue. The Divine Crane broke through the encirclement, but the enraged Insect Race Dao Fusion cultivator returned and lunged at it.

• Du Feng lost an arm to the Insect Race Dao Fusion cultivator and fled, leaving the Stronghold cultivators without their strongest fighter.
• As the enemy completed its encirclement, Lu Ye ordered the Crane Wing Camp to form the Crane Wing Formation.
• The Divine Crane shattered the Blood Seas and devastated the surrounding Blood Race and Insect Race forces.
• Lu Ye called the reinforcements into the formation, then led the Divine Crane to rescue the cultivators trapped in the Stronghold.
• After gathering the rescued cultivators, the Divine Crane turned to break out, but the Insect Race Dao Fusion cultivator returned and charged at it.

Lu Ye led the Crane Wing Camp in a formation that killed the Insect Race Merging Dao cultivator, though he concealed his true strength by pretending to be badly injured. With the enemy commander dead, the Human Race forces turned the tide and routed the surrounding enemies.

• Lu Ye warned the Crane Wing Camp that the Insect Race Merging Dao cultivator was likely weakened from fighting Du Feng, and Wang Xun rallied the troops to stand and fight.
• Lu Ye took the crane's beak position and guided the Crane Wing Formation to meet the charging Merging Dao cultivator.
• Lu Ye's hammer broke the enemy's defense, allowing rescued Dao Entrants to overwhelm and kill him; a Seven Dao cultivator received the Star Abyss Blessing for the final blow.
• Lu Ye pretended to be gravely wounded and urged the troops to keep fighting as Wang Xun took over the formation.
• Wang Xun led the Crane Wing Formation through a Blood Sea, and the surrounding enemies fled while the rescued cultivators pursued them.

After the Crane Wing Camp helped defend Fengtai Stronghold and kill an Insect Race Fusion Dao cultivator, Du Feng returned and claimed he would request rewards for the survivors. As Lu Ye recovered and refined Dao Bones, Du Feng’s subordinate Du Quan confronted the camp over a new rule, prompting Lu Ye to ask how he was related to Du Feng.

• The cultivators returned to Fengtai Stronghold, where Lu Ye pretended to recover while those around him worried about his injuries.
• Du Feng secretly returned to inspect the stronghold, learned that the Crane Wing Camp had helped defeat the Insect Race Fusion Dao cultivator, and regretted fleeing.
• Du Feng entered the stronghold and promised the survivors that he would request rewards for their defense.
• Lu Ye accepted half of the battle spoils while Wang Xun handled their distribution.
• Du Quan told Wang Xun that a rule set by Du Feng required compliance, and Lu Ye summoned him to explain the dispute.
• Lu Ye asked Du Quan whether he was related to Du Feng.

Lu Ye refused Du Feng’s demand for twenty percent of Crane Wing Camp’s spoils after Du Quan came to collect them. He expected Crane Wing Camp to leave Fengtai Stronghold and join Ziying, then sent everyone to recover and cultivate.

• Du Quan demanded twenty percent of Crane Wing Camp’s spoils, claiming Du Feng’s earlier fight had weakened the slain Insect Race Dao Fusion Realm cultivator.
• Yang Mingfang challenged Du Feng’s claim to the spoils, while Du Quan argued that Du Feng had laid the groundwork for the victory.
• Lu Ye handed Du Quan only a few Dao Bones, saying they represented twenty percent of Crane Wing Camp’s modest haul, and Du Quan left in anger.
• Lu Ye told Wang Xun that Crane Wing Camp belonged to Lord Ziying and would leave once the situation stabilized; he also predicted Du Feng would shape the battle report to protect himself.
• Lu Ye ordered the cultivators to rest and refine their Dao Bones, then refined his own remaining bones and began bitter cultivation.

Lu Ye met with Du Feng, who praised the Crane Wing Camp and asked him to support a favorable account of his retreat during the battle. Lu Ye agreed to help Du Feng avoid punishment, while the Insect Mother continued investigating how the Crane Wing Camp had killed a Fusion Dao cultivator.

• Du Quan brought Lu Ye to meet Du Feng, who warmly praised the Crane Wing Camp and said he had reported its merit to Yellow Springs.
• Du Feng explained that his withdrawal during the battle had been necessary and asked Lu Ye to understand his actions.
• Lu Ye described Du Feng as having fought bravely and claimed he had drawn away the enemy to help the Crane Wing Camp, easing Du Feng's concerns.
• Lu Ye returned to camp and privately instructed Wang Xun to cooperate with Du Feng's account so the Crane Wing Camp would not offend him.
• The Insect Mother repeatedly reviewed the dying memories of the slain Insect Race Fusion Dao cultivator and suspected he had already been exhausted when the Crane Wing Camp killed him.

The Insect Mother decided to capture Lu Ye alive to obtain the Crane Wing Formation’s core Array Pattern, ordering a Merging Dao Hidden Agent to carry out the plan. After Lu Ye’s unit left Fengtai Stronghold, a sudden offensive forced the Crane Wing Camp to turn back and join Du Feng on the way to aid a Wind-class Stronghold.

• The Insect Mother discussed Lu Ye and the Crane Wing Formation with the war zone’s Merging Dao cultivators, then ordered them to use a Merging Dao Hidden Agent to capture him.
• Lu Ye and the Crane Wing Camp finished their work at Fengtai Stronghold and set out to join Ziying’s forces.
• Du Quan caught up with Lu Ye and said Du Feng had ordered the Crane Wing Camp to help defend a nearby Wind-class Stronghold under attack.
• Lu Ye confirmed Ziying’s permission and warning not to approach the Merging Dao battlefield, then redirected the Crane Wing Camp to rendezvous with Du Feng.
• Du Feng met Lu Ye’s unit and led them toward the stronghold, appearing tense as they headed into a battle involving powerful Merging Dao cultivators.

Du Feng and Fengtai’s reinforcements turned the battle at Wind Rank Stronghold in the Human Race’s favor, but Du Feng died after entering the Blood Sea to aid Li Qi. Lu Ye suspected Li Qi was a Blood Race Hidden Agent and drew the Blood Sea away from the Crane Wing Camp, leaving Wang Xun to lead the others to escape.

• Du Feng led Fengtai’s cultivators to Wind Rank Stronghold, where Lu Ye and the Crane Wing Camp joined the battle and helped the Human Race gain the advantage.
• After hearing Li Qi’s cry from the Blood Sea, Du Feng entered it to help him, but Du Feng’s aura vanished and Lu Ye realized he had died.
• The Blood Sea pursued the Crane Wing Camp, and Lu Ye ordered Wang Xun to take the others away before breaking the formation and drawing the pursuit toward himself.
• Lu Ye told Wang Xun that Li Qi was a Blood Race Hidden Agent, and Wang Xun led the Crane Wing Camp through the enemy ranks to escape.

Lu Ye was captured after Li Qi revealed himself as a Blood Race Hidden Agent and helped trap him, while the enemy coveted the Crane Wing Formation. The Insect and Blood Races withdrew from the battlefield, and Ziying learned that Lu Ye was missing and feared the enemy would extract the formation’s secrets from him.

• Lu Ye stopped fleeing when the Blood Sea caught him, identified Li Qi as a Hidden Agent, and realized the enemy had targeted him for the Crane Wing Formation.
• Li Qi stayed with Lu Ye while the Blood Race Dao Integration cultivator returned to the battlefield, leaving Lu Ye unable to seize a chance to escape.
• Li Qi confiscated Lu Ye’s communication tokens and Storage Ring, then escorted him away from the battlefield.
• The Insect and Blood Races withdrew from Strongholds across the war zone, while the Crane Wing Camp escaped the wind-tier Stronghold after suffering minimal losses.
• Ziying learned from Wang Xun that Li Qi was a Hidden Agent and Lu Ye had been captured, but she remained at Fengchen Stronghold to defend the war zone.
• Ziying concluded the enemy would interrogate Lu Ye about the Crane Wing Formation and kill him once he was no longer useful.

Li Qi brought Lu Ye to the Insect Mother, who trapped him in the Divine Source Illusion Sea to uncover the secrets of the Crane Wing Formation Pattern. In the illusion, Lu Ye lived as a poor woodcutter with his wife Xiao Die, until bandits attacked their village and left him dying as they carried her away.

• Li Qi brought Lu Ye to the Insect Nest and warned him to reveal everything to the Insect Mother.
• The Insect Mother used the Divine Source Illusion Sea on Lu Ye, and Li Qi left him to the technique.
• Lu Ye believed he was a poor woodcutter married to Xiao Die and spent the day gathering firewood for their household.
• After Lu Ye and Xiao Die went to bed, he became ill and heard riders attacking the village.
• Lu Ye charged the one-eyed bandit with a woodcutting knife, but the bandit killed him and carried Xiao Die into the house.

The Insect Mother's Divine Source Illusion Sea trapped Lu Ye in successive illusions designed to expose the secrets of his Crane Wing Formation Pattern through the bonds he formed. After dying alongside Xiao Die in one illusion and losing You Die in another, Lu Ye entered a new life as Xiao Die's husband and left their cottage to pursue success.

• In the first illusion, Lu Ye killed the bandit attacking Xiao Die, but his fatal wound led Xiao Die to take her own life, deepening their bond.
• The Insect Mother used the illusion sea to probe Lu Ye's secrets, explaining that sincere emotions within its illusions could create bonds that revealed what the weaker party knew.
• At the Ethereal Sect, Lu Ye woke beside You Die and later failed to save her after leaving to seek help when a powerful Monster Beast attacked.
• Years after You Die's death, an old and guilt-ridden Lu Ye died beside her grave, strengthening the bond further.
• In a new illusion, Lu Ye said farewell to Xiao Die and left the cottage, promising to return after making his name.

Lu Ye watched You Die die in another reincarnation, after Qin Yu destroyed their lives in one life and a righteous-path ambush separated them in another. The chapter ended with You Die mortally wounded and saying she could no longer stay with Lu Ye.

• Lu Ye went to Qin Manor, where Qin Yu revealed that she had brought You Die to make him accept her marriage proposal.
• When Lu Ye refused, Qin Yu slashed You Die's face and ordered guards to take her; You Die bit off her tongue, and Lu Ye later died as a beggar.
• In another life, Lu Ye and You Die fought together against a righteous-path crowd that had accused him of being a devil.
• After the attackers fled, You Die collapsed, and Lu Ye discovered a dagger wound in her back.
• You Die told Lu Ye to take care of himself as she lay dying in his arms.

Lu Ye recovered his memories after completing the Insect Mother's bond through ten lives of reincarnation, then used a Dao Pattern to link himself to her. The chapter left the Insect Mother discovering that half the damage she dealt to Lu Ye was reflected back onto herself.

• Lu Ye remembered that Xiao Die had died because of him in all ten reincarnated lives and prepared to kill himself, but Xiao Die stabbed him first and revealed that his willingness to die for her completed their bond.
• The bond let You Die probe Lu Ye's secrets, breaking the illusion and restoring his memories of being captured by Li Qi and brought to the Insect Nest.
• Realizing the Insect Mother was probing his secrets, Lu Ye concealed his alarm and told her he felt sorry for Xiao Die after their ten lives together.
• Lu Ye used their close connection to spread a Dao Pattern across Xiao Die, then teased her about throwing him away after saying she did not want to part from him.
• Xiao Die struck Lu Ye's Soul Body, but a chain bound them together and reflected half the damage back onto her.

Lu Ye used the Life Chain to bind You Die and keep her from harming him, then left her illusion realm and discovered he was inside the Insect Nest’s core. You Die teased him in the form of the Insect Mother, leaving Lu Ye revolted and at a disadvantage.

• Lu Ye threatened to injure himself to show You Die that the Life Chain transferred half his injuries to her, forcing her to stop him.
• You Die tried to unravel the Life Chain but learned it was deeply bound to her soul and would be difficult to remove without sacrificing her Split Soul.
• Lu Ye refused to negotiate and said he would consider the Life Chain’s removal only when he was in a better mood, so You Die opened the way out of the illusion realm.
• Lu Ye returned to his body in the Insect Nest’s core and recognized You Die as the enormous Insect Mother before him.
• You Die called Lu Ye her husband and playfully taunted him until he retched, while he threatened to die in front of her.

Lu Ye gave You Die a version of the Crane Wing Formation pattern that was technically genuine but could not withstand Dao Power, then settled in an insect sac inside her Insect Nest. After weeks of cultivation and failed escape plans, he received his short-hammer Dao Artifact and went out to explore, still under You Die’s surveillance.

• Lu Ye negotiated with You Die and inscribed a genuine but battle-useless Crane Wing Formation pattern onto her Split Soul.
• You Die let Lu Ye settle in a nearby insect sac but kept him inside the Insect Nest and agreed to retrieve his short-hammer Dao Artifact from Li Qi.
• Lu Ye secretly refined Dao Bones with the Talent Tree, tempered his Dao Bones, and considered ways to escape without finding a viable plan.
• After more than half a month, a member of the Insect Race returned Lu Ye’s short-hammer Dao Artifact.
• Lu Ye left his insect sac to explore the Insect Nest, knowing You Die could still monitor him.

Lu Ye provoked the Insect Race cultivators in the Insect Nest, killed a promising cultivator to claim his Dao Artifact and resources, and was confined beside the Insect Mother. As she cultivated, the Life Chain caused Lu Ye’s Dao Force to increase as well.

• Lu Ye wandered through the Insect Nest, killed several Insect Race cultivators, and later challenged a returning cultivator carrying a long saber Dao Artifact.
• Lu Ye killed the cultivator, took his saber and Storage Rings, and angered the Insect Mother, who ordered him back.
• The Insect Mother forced Lu Ye to stay beside her, where he inspected the high-grade saber and found more than a hundred Dao Bones in the Storage Rings.
• Several Insect Race cultivators deposited thousands of Dao Bones into the Insect Mother's flesh wall to replenish her Dao Force.
• As the Insect Mother cultivated, Lu Ye noticed that his own Dao Force was increasing through their Life Chain.

After binding his life to the Insect Mother's with the Life Chain, Lu Ye discovered that he could share in her cultivation gains and benefited greatly while trapped in the Insect Nest. Nearly half a year later, after surpassing a hundred Dao, he was drawn into an illusion by You Die, who led him toward the thatched hut from their first life of reincarnation.

• Lu Ye discovered that the Life Chain shared the Insect Mother's Dao Force with him, and she angrily demanded that he stop the effect, but he said it could not be undone without dissolving the chain.
• Lu Ye stayed close to the Insect Mother for months, benefiting from her Dao Bone refining and cultivation until his strength passed the hundred-Dao threshold.
• You Die asked Lu Ye why the Insect and Blood Races had failed to reproduce the Crane Wing Formation, and he explained that its pattern was too difficult to construct and maintain.
• You Die pulled Lu Ye into an illusion resembling their first life of reincarnation and led him toward their old thatched hut, leaving him wary of her intentions.

The Insect Mother sent Lu Ye into the Ruins to test whether separating him from her would weaken their Life Chain, but the bond remained unchanged. She ordered a Blood Race cultivator to rescue him, and as they moved through the Ruins, he fought and destroyed a strange armored projection.

• The Insect Mother had Li Qi carry Lu Ye to the Sacrificial Altar and send him into the Ruins while she watched for changes to the Life Chain.
• You Die pushed Lu Ye out of their illusion, and he awoke on the altar before being transported into an endless passageway.
• When the Life Chain showed no sign of weakening, the Insect Mother ordered Li Qi to have a Blood Race cultivator save Lu Ye.
• Lu Ye began walking through the passageway, but the Blood Race cultivator appeared and told him to follow.
• The Blood Race cultivator fought an armored figure in the passageway and smashed it, revealing a dim ball of fluorescent light.

Lu Ye followed a Blood Race cultivator through the Ruins, where the cultivator fought powerful projections and led him to a Sacrificial Altar. After revealing his overwhelming strength and Sacred Nature, Lu Ye learned that the Ruins might hold a way to leave Variegated and that Bifu grants Dao Entry Realm cultivators the ability to explore them; he then asked what lay beyond the hall’s other gate.

• The Blood Race cultivator fought successive projections in the passage, devouring the remnants of Dao Power they left behind.
• The Blood Race cultivator defeated two powerful guards with his Blood Sea, then led Lu Ye through the Bronze Gate to a hall and its Sacrificial Altar.
• When the Blood Race cultivator ignored Lu Ye’s questions and attacked him, Lu Ye effortlessly overwhelmed him and subdued him with his Sacred Nature.
• The Blood Race cultivator explained that the Ruins might conceal a way to leave Variegated and that Bifu lets Dao Entry Realm cultivators withstand the trials inside.
• Lu Ye connected Bifu to the Ruins’ exploration and asked what lay beyond the hall’s opposite gate; the Blood Race cultivator said its passage held harsher trials he could not overcome.

Lu Ye explored deeper into the Ruins to avoid Li Qi and search for another way out, while You Die grew anxious when neither he nor the Blood Race member returned. In the deepest hall, the Blood Race member was taken over by Nine Infants, whose consciousness had awakened inside his body.

• Lu Ye questioned the Blood Race member about the Ruins, then ordered him to lead the way instead of leaving through the Sacrificial Altar.
• You Die worried when Lu Ye and the Blood Race member failed to emerge, while Lu Ye defeated the powerful figures blocking their passage and refined their fluorescent light for Dao power.
• Lu Ye and the Blood Race member reached a hall with many closed gates and a statue of Nine Infants, which Lu Ye suspected might be the master of the Variegated Starry Sky.
• The Blood Race member became entranced by the statue as Bifu spread over his body, and Nine Infants' consciousness took control of him and declared that it had returned to life.

Lu Ye discovered that Nine Infants had used Bifu to seek a compatible vessel, but after killing Nine Infants’ revived host, he became the remnant soul’s target. Nine Infants breached Lu Ye’s soul defenses, and You Die emerged from the Insect Nest to confront the crisis.

• Lu Ye deduced that Nine Infants had used Bifu to select a Dao entrant as a vessel for revival.
• Nine Infants possessed the Blood Race member, realized Lu Ye had brought him to the Ruins, and attacked him.
• Lu Ye killed Nine Infants’ host with one saber strike, but Nine Infants’ remnant soul lunged at him and began invading his Soul Sea.
• Unable to withstand the invasion, Lu Ye returned to the Sacrificial Altar and teleported out of the Ruins.
• Lu Ye warned Li Qi that something had happened, but Nine Infants broke through his soul defenses and entered his Soul Sea.
• The Insect Mother ordered Li Qi to take Lu Ye to the Insect Nest, then rushed out of it through Soul Ejection.