Chapter Summaries

He Song mastered the spatial methods of the Void Traversal Technique, including teleportation, and resolved to deepen his understanding of the Dao of Space so he could escape even spatial restrictions. He then completed his study of a Nascent Soul defensive spell and refined two high-grade spirit artifacts for protection and offense.

• He Song mastered the Void Traversal Technique and learned that teleportation could be blocked by treasures that stabilized space, so he planned to study the Dao of Space and seek ways to overcome such restrictions.
• He Song tested his teleportation, shifting half a meter and confirming he could travel a thousand li without exhausting his spiritual power.
• He Song continued studying his chosen Nascent Soul spells and eventually mastered the defensive spell Mystic Heaven Earth-Spirit Shield, which absorbed surrounding power to replenish itself after taking damage.
• He Song tested the Mystic Heaven Earth-Spirit Shield, then used the Five Elements Heavenly Stellar Shield as a refined artifact that could automatically protect him from ambushes.
• He Song also refined the Primordial Yellow Heaven-Breaking Seal, which he could wield to attack opponents or block powerful strikes.

He Song completed consolidating his Nascent Soul cultivation, celebrated his breakthrough with Jade Xuanzi, and then left Lingyun Capital for a Nascent Soul cave abode he had discovered earlier. He found no obvious signs that anyone had entered the cave, but extended his divine sense to inspect it more closely.

• He Song mastered his chosen secret arts and refined his spiritual artifacts, fully stabilizing his Nascent Soul cultivation and gaining Nascent Soul combat strength.
• Jade Xuanzi sensed He Song emerge from seclusion and welcomed him, then arranged a celebration at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
• He Song and Jade Xuanzi grew closer during the banquet, which lasted several days, before He Song bid her farewell.
• He Song teleported through Purple Bamboo Capital and traveled toward the Nascent Soul cave abode, finding that old battle traces along the route had nearly disappeared.
• He Song set up the Myriad Swords Return to Origin Array near the cave abode and swept it with his divine sense to inspect its interior.

He Song returned to the Nascent Soul abode after breaking through, safely removed the corpse’s lethal contingencies, and took it as material for a future puppet. Back at Lingyun Capital, he began planning to acquire advanced escape, concealment, and puppet-refining arts to strengthen his Nascent Soul abilities.

• He Song used his divine sense to inspect the Nascent Soul corpse as he drew it toward himself, then destroyed the lethal contingencies hidden within it.
• He Song examined the corpse again, confirmed it was safe, and stored it for later refinement with a superior puppet art and precious materials.
• He Song erased the Nascent Soul abode and its spatial anomaly, retrieved his arrays, and returned to his residence in Lingyun Capital.
• He Song assessed his shortcomings as a new Nascent Soul Cultivator and decided he urgently needed advanced escape and concealment arts, along with a powerful puppet-refining art.

He Song considered exchanging for secret arts and weighed the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s restrictions on resources for Nascent Soul Guest Elders. A letter from True Monarch Luo Jing confirmed that the Pavilion sought to recruit capable Guest Elders into its ranks, and He Song understood the reasons behind its approach.

• He Song decided he needed a profound puppet-refining technique and an escape technique, and prepared to exchange for the Void Escape Technique and examine the Pavilion’s treasury.
• He Song learned that his new status as a Nascent Soul Guest Elder gave him greater authority, including the option to become a branch Pavilion Master, while restricting how many cultivation resources he could exchange for each year.
• He Song concluded that the Treasure Gathering Pavilion used generous access to combat resources and limits on cultivation supplies to entice newly advanced Nascent Soul Guest Elders to choose among three paths of service.
• True Monarch Luo Jing sent He Song a letter explaining that the Pavilion needed capable Guest Elders to help staff its vast territory and used its recruitment methods to bring them into its ranks.

He Song learned that Treasure Gathering Pavilion required its Nascent Soul guest elders to progress through three stages before they could become branch pavilion masters. He chose the Azure Cloud Moon-Chasing Steps and the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique to strengthen his abilities, while leaving his future commitment to Treasure Gathering Pavilion undecided.

• True Monarch Luo Jing explained the three stages for Treasure Gathering Pavilion guest elders: completing safe missions, advancing their crafts and earning Contribution Points, and eventually becoming branch pavilion masters.
• He Song reviewed the missions in his Guest Elder Token and considered exchanging surplus resources for Contribution Points, but hesitated to join Treasure Gathering Pavilion permanently.
• He Song decided to focus on improving his combat abilities rather than accept missions immediately.
• He Song selected the Azure Cloud Moon-Chasing Steps for escape and the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique for refining autonomous, durable puppets.
• He Song considered using the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique on his Nascent Soul Middle Stage corpse to create a puppet that might reach Nascent Soul Middle Stage or Late Stage strength.

He Song secluded himself to study three newly acquired secret arts while a Wang Family descendant searched in vain for the ruined Nascent Soul cave abode. At the Cloud Province Capital, Yue Lingzi questioned True Monarch Luo Jing about He Song, grew impressed by his history, and left to investigate his deeds further.

• He Song redeemed a concealment art, an escape technique, and a puppet-refining art, then began studying them in seclusion.
• A Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Wang Family searched for his ancestor's hidden cave abode but found no trace of it and left, still consumed by hatred toward his family.
• Yue Lingzi visited True Monarch Luo Jing and asked how she had met He Song and what his conduct and temperament were like.
• True Monarch Luo Jing recounted her centuries-long connection with He Song, and Yue Lingzi raised her opinion of him while deciding to investigate him herself.
• Yue Lingzi learned that He Song and his two longtime companions had risen from humble beginnings, with two now Nascent Soul cultivators, and departed after investigating his deeds in the Cloud Province Capital.

He Song passed Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s scrutiny and remained undisturbed as Jade Xuanzi suppressed outside factions’ attempts to recruit him. In seclusion, He Song mastered the Void Escape Technique, allowing him to hide in a spatial interstice and observe the outside world undetected.

• Yue Lingzi reported details of He Song’s cultivation history to Treasure Gathering Pavilion, and He Song passed its selection trial without incident.
• News leaked that He Song had become a Nascent Soul honorary elder, prompting outside factions to seek him out and offer recruitment terms.
• Jade Xuanzi warned that He Song would become a Treasure Gathering Pavilion branch master and preferred peace and quiet, causing the factions to abandon their plans.
• He Song continued cultivating in his estate, unaware of the factions’ efforts to poach him.
• He Song mastered the Void Escape Technique, concealed himself in a spatial interstice, and observed his surroundings without being detected.

He Song mastered the Void Escape Technique and the Azure Cloud Moon-Chasing Steps, then sought materials to refine a Nascent Soul Puppet. He found that the materials in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s treasury were extremely costly and began calculating whether his wealth and the treasures from a Nascent Soul cave abode could cover them.

• He Song mastered the Void Escape Technique and combined it with the Azure Cloud Moon-Chasing Steps to achieve astonishing speed.
• He Song left seclusion after testing the Azure Cloud Moon-Chasing Steps, having already mastered the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique.
• He Song met Jade Xuanzi at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion branch in Lingyun Capital and learned that the materials for refining his Nascent Soul Puppet would be difficult to gather.
• He Song bought several available materials from Jade Xuanzi, then searched the pavilion treasury for the rest and found them at prices he considered excessive.
• He Song calculated the cost of the materials and considered selling the spirit herbs, Jade Slips, cultivation resources, and Golden Core puppets from the Nascent Soul cave abode to afford them.

He Song sold unused treasures through Treasure Gathering Pavilion's confidential treasury, bought the materials needed for a Nascent Soul Puppet, and practiced corpse-puppet refinement on a Foundation Establishment cultivator's remains. After successfully making an early Golden Core puppet, he prepared to begin refining the Nascent Soul corpse.

• He Song found all the precious materials needed for a Nascent Soul Puppet and chose which unused treasures to sell.
• He Song sold those treasures through Treasure Gathering Pavilion's treasury, converted the proceeds into Contribution Points, and purchased the materials while retaining more than ten million mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• He Song reviewed the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique and practiced refining a puppet using a Foundation Establishment cultivator's corpse.
• He Song turned the corpse, which had reached Perfect Foundation Establishment in life, into a puppet with early Golden Core strength and put it away.
• He Song brought out the Nascent Soul corpse and the materials he had gathered, preparing to refine his Nascent Soul Puppet.

He Song began refining a Nascent Soul Puppet with the Spiritual Artifact Puppet Refinement Technique, combining a Nascent Soul corpse, precious materials, and a Void Spirit Pearl. After completing most of the preparation, he intensified the furnace flame to begin the final refining stage.

• He Song compared the new technique with the time-consuming Lunar Yin Puppet Art and recalled that one of his four Lunar Yin Puppets might still be incubating in a yin land.
• He Song prepared his artifact-refining room and melted precious materials into crimson liquid in the furnace.
• He Song placed the Nascent Soul corpse in the furnace and enveloped it in the crimson liquid, then used hand seals to fuse them.
• He Song inserted the Void Spirit Pearl into the corpse's dantian and linked it to the fused materials.
• He Song finished the preliminary fusion and increased the spiritual flame to continue refining the Nascent Soul Puppet.

He Song completed his Nascent Soul Puppet after years of tempering and named it Clear Wind. He controlled the puppet to leave Lingyun Capital for Purple Bamboo Capital while remaining safely in seclusion himself.

• He Song suppressed the Nascent Soul corpse's remaining mana and placed the Void Spirit Pearl in its dantian without damaging the body.
• He Song spent years tempering the corpse with spirit fire, mana, and incantations until the Nascent Soul Puppet was complete.
• He Song dressed the puppet, tested the Puppet Control Technique, and infused its core with some of his divine sense and several million mid-grade Spirit Stones.
• He Song named the puppet Clear Wind and changed its appearance, figure, and cultivation aura to resemble an ordinary Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator.
• He Song controlled Clear Wind to travel from Lingyun Capital through a teleportation array to Purple Bamboo Capital while he stayed in seclusion.

He Song investigated the traces of a Foundation Establishment cultivator near the Nascent Soul abode he had previously emptied, then used Clear Wind to test its power and obliterate the site. His full-force Black Tortoise Mountain-Stomping Step created a vast, persistent sandstorm and exposed surging magma, leaving He Song to withdraw the spiritual power before the area became a dangerous land.

• He Song controlled Clear Wind from Purple Bamboo Capital to the former Nascent Soul abode and searched the surroundings with divine sense.
• He Song found signs that a Foundation Establishment cultivator had stayed nearby for at least a month, but concluded they had likely not reached the destroyed abode.
• He Song worried that True Lord Qingyang or the unknown cultivator might expose his connection to the site, and decided to erase the area and investigate the tracks after testing Clear Wind.
• He Song used a casual strike to turn the former abode into a massive crater, then unleashed the Black Tortoise Mountain-Stomping Step.
• He Song discovered that the resulting sandstorm contained circulating spiritual power and that his strike had pierced the ground to the magma layer, so he decided to draw out the spiritual power before the storm became a lasting hazard.

He Song confirmed that Clear Wind possessed Nascent Soul Late Stage strength and pursued the Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had discovered the Nascent Soul’s location. After tracking him to Everlasting Clear Market, He Song learned from a servant’s memories that the cultivator was called Cang Yan and claimed to be a main-branch scion of a Nascent Soul family.

• He Song judged Clear Wind’s devastating strike to have Nascent Soul Late Stage power and resolved to pursue the Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had investigated the site.
• He Song followed the cultivator’s trail to an Immortal Province Capital, lost it among the crowds, then found it again outside the city.
• He Song tracked the cultivator to Everlasting Clear Market and sensed him through a Foundation Establishment concealment formation.
• He Song seized the cultivator’s Qi Refining servant, searched her memories, and destroyed her body in a spatial rift.
• He Song learned that the cultivator was named Cang Yan and claimed to be a main-branch scion of a Nascent Soul family.

He Song killed Azure Flame True Person and learned through soul-searching that he was an oppressed descendant of a Nascent Soul family who had found an ancient Jade Slip mapping a Nascent Soul cave abode. He Song discovered that Azure Flame True Person had fled his family to seek the abode, leaving He Song with the map’s secrets to investigate.

• He Song watched Azure Flame True Person cultivate and suspected he possessed a map to a Nascent Soul cave abode.
• He Song returned to his residence, killed Azure Flame True Person from afar, and redirected the tracking secret art to a captured Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator.
• He Song confirmed that the tracking art could only pass once, disposed of the rogue cultivators, and searched Azure Flame True Person’s soul.
• He Song learned that Azure Flame True Person had suffered neglect and oppression within his Nascent Soul family, especially from his favored half-brother.
• He Song discovered that Azure Flame True Person had found an ancient Jade Slip recording the location of a Nascent Soul abode and had fled his family to seek it.

He Song killed Azure Flame True Person, concealed the scene, and left a puppet watching Everlasting Clear Market in case the Wang Family investigated. Back in Lingyun Capital, he equipped Clear Wind with Spirit Stones and powerful treasures so the Nascent Soul Late Stage puppet could serve as his main force outside.

• He Song decided Azure Flame True Person had to die and considered destroying the Wang Family if its members pursued him.
• He Song left a Foundation Establishment puppet hidden near Everlasting Clear Market to watch for the Wang Family, then disposed of Azure Flame True Person's corpse and dismantled his arrays.
• He Song returned Clear Wind to Lingyun Capital and judged that controlling the Nascent Soul Puppet felt nearly as natural as controlling his own body.
• He Song estimated that Clear Wind could consume nearly one hundred thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones per day while fighting at full power.
• He Song poured divine sense into Clear Wind's core, gave him offensive and defensive Top-grade Spirit Artifacts, and transferred most of his escape and defensive treasures to him.

He Song prepared himself and Clear Wind for Meng Guan’s accession ceremony as the new One Yang, while confirming that Treasure Gathering Pavilion rules barred him from becoming the One Yang Sect’s Supreme Elder. With the ceremony one month away, He Song traveled to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s main pavilion in Cloud Province Capital and met True Monarch Luo Jing.

• He Song received Meng Guan’s letter announcing that the previous One Yang had left the sect and that Meng Guan would hold an accession ceremony in ten years.
• He Song agreed to attend but consulted True Monarch Luo Jing, who confirmed that Treasure Gathering Pavilion cultivators could not hold positions of authority in other sects.
• He Song spent ten years cultivating, mastered the Violet Sun Bodyguard Art, and had Clear Wind refine a top-grade defensive spirit artifact.
• With one month until the ceremony, He Song checked their life-saving treasures and traveled with Clear Wind through a teleportation array to Cloud Province Capital.
• He Song concealed Clear Wind with the Void Escape Technique, revealed his Nascent Soul Early Stage aura, and met True Monarch Luo Jing at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s main pavilion.

He Song reunited with True Monarch Luo Jing, learned that Yue Lingzi planned to seek a Purifying Spirit Pill for her, and spent several days traveling with her to reconnect with the outside world. He then arrived early at the One Yang Sect to support Meng Guan before the new One Yang’s enthronement ceremony.

• He Song met True Monarch Luo Jing and spoke with her as an old friend, and she told him Yue Lingzi would seek a Purifying Spirit Pill for her.
• He Song recognized that Yue Lingzi’s offer could strengthen her ties with him and True Monarch Luo Jing, and he wondered about the Treasure Gathering Pavilion’s internal factions.
• He Song traveled around Cloud Province with True Monarch Luo Jing for several days and felt his growing indifference toward the outside world ease.
• He Song left the Cloud Province Capital and went to the One Yang Sect, where many guests had gathered for the enthronement ceremony.
• Meng Guan appeared before He Song at the mountain gate and thanked him for arriving early to lend the One Yang Sect his support.

He Song visited Meng Guan at the One Yang Sect and agreed to keep his identity as a Treasure Gathering Pavilion Nascent Soul Guest Elder hidden during Meng Guan’s enthronement ceremony. As Nascent Soul guests began arriving, He Song met the Ancestors of Purple Cloud and Snow Wind while keeping his past connection to the latter concealed.

• He Song explained to Meng Guan and Wei Fan why hiding his identity would strengthen the effect of his support, and they agreed to keep it secret.
• Meng Guan increased He Song’s One Yang Sect Guest Elder stipend to fifty high-grade Spirit Stones a year and offered further aid from the sect’s treasury.
• He Song toured the One Yang Sect with Meng Guan and Wei Fan, learning about the sect under Meng Guan’s control.
• Three days before the enthronement ceremony, He Song was seated in a palace reserved for Nascent Soul guests while Meng Guan and Wei Fan received visitors.
• Meng Guan introduced the Ancestor of Purple Cloud to He Song, who spoke little and listened as the ancestor tried to learn about him.
• Meng Guan introduced the Ancestor of Snow Wind to He Song, and the two exchanged ordinary greetings without revealing their past connection.

At Meng Guan’s enthronement ceremony, He Song noticed the Ancestor of Snow Wind watching him and later learned that they had once been neighbors in the Canglan Secret Realm. The revelation left He Song relieved he had quietly fled years ago, and wary of the Ancestor of Snow Wind’s possible past intentions.

• He Song attended Meng Guan’s enthronement ceremony as the new ruler of the One Yang Sect, then joined a Nascent Soul exchange gathering at Meng Guan’s invitation.
• The Ancestor of Snow Wind secretly asked He Song to speak privately and led him outside the palace.
• The Ancestor of Snow Wind revealed that he had observed He Song in the Canglan Secret Realm when He Song was a Golden Core cultivator and he was consolidating his Nascent Soul cultivation.
• He Song recalled leaving the secret realm early and reasoned that the Ancestor of Snow Wind might have wanted to recruit or control him, which could have hindered his cultivation and exposed his secret.

He Song learned that Ancestor of Snow Wind had never intended to recruit or harm him when they crossed paths in the Canglan Secret Realm, easing his old suspicion. He then sought to learn how Ancestor of Snow Wind had concealed the signs of her Nascent Soul breakthrough, a method he believed could matter at higher realms.

• He Song suspected Ancestor of Snow Wind had approached him to influence Meng Guan, but concealed his resentment and questioned her about their past in the Canglan Secret Realm.
• Ancestor of Snow Wind said she had only admired He Song's caution and had never considered bringing him into Snow Wind Palace.
• He Song concluded that Ancestor of Snow Wind had not posed a threat and sincerely praised her breakthrough and caution.
• He Song invited Ancestor of Snow Wind to exchange insights on the Dao, hoping to learn how she had hidden the spiritual energy fluctuations of her breakthrough.
• He Song reflected that future breakthroughs could attract the hostility of other powerful cultivators, making Ancestor of Snow Wind's concealment method valuable.