Chapter Summaries

He Song asked Han Yuezi about obtaining Spirit Transformation treasures from demonic path territory, and learned that his puppets would face grave risks there despite the possible rewards. Her explanation that righteous and demonic Primordial Spirit arts were compatible removed his doubts about pursuing the Yin Soul Sect Master's inheritance, though its whereabouts remained unknown; He Song also postponed using his last cup of Enlightenment Tea.

• He Song asked Han Yuezi whether he could seek Spirit Transformation treasures in demonic path territory, and she warned that righteous cultivators there risked being hunted by demonic cultivators.
• Han Yuezi suggested that He Song could send a puppet to search, but cautioned that it would need great strength and careful preparation to survive.
• Han Yuezi explained that righteous and demonic Primordial Spirit secret arts were not fundamentally different, allowing He Song to pursue the previous Yin Soul Sect Master's inheritance without concern that it would conflict with his path.
• He Song thanked Han Yuezi and said he would consider sending a puppet only after raising its strength to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage.
• He Song returned to seclusion, reflected on his search for the missing Yin Soul Sect Master, and decided to save his last cup of Enlightenment Tea for later.

He Song prepared an all-out ambush for the former Yin Soul Sect Master, assembling powerful puppets, Spirit Transformation talismans, and formations to prevent his escape. While He Song cultivated in seclusion and his puppets searched for the target, Idle Cloud discovered traces of a Nascent Soul concealment formation near the former Yin Soul Sect mountain gate.

• He Song decided to use his puppets and several dozen Spirit Transformation talismans to kill the former Yin Soul Sect Master and seize his Spirit Transformation inheritance.
• He Song prepared the Profound Yang Ice Soul Array, the Profound Yin Concealing Shadow Array, and the Void Banning Boundary Array to attack, conceal the battle, and block escape.
• He Song swallowed a heavenly treasure and entered secluded cultivation while his puppets continued their assigned searches and disguises.
• Idle Cloud explored near the former Yin Soul Sect mountain gate and spotted traces of a Nascent Soul concealment formation in a remote mountain area.

He Song investigated a suspicious Nascent Soul concealment array near the Yin Soul Sect, suspecting it might hide the sect master he had long been searching for. Inside, he found a mysterious corpse and confirmed it was the Yin Soul Sect Master, leaving his hope of obtaining the Spirit Transformation inheritance in doubt.

• He Song sent Idle Cloud and his Nascent Soul Puppets to investigate the concealment array, preparing surrounding formations and Spirit Transformation talismans in case the sect master was inside.
• Flowing Firefly, Clear Wind, and Wild Crane entered the array while Evening Snow and the other puppets prepared to block escape and support them.
• He Song found no signs of life or a cultivator's abode inside the array, only a wounded corpse still carrying its Storage Pouch.
• He Song considered whether the corpse had died from grievous injuries or the backlash of a life-saving secret technique, and wondered whether its death had ruined his chance to obtain the Spirit Transformation inheritance.
• He Song repositioned the puppets to see the corpse's face and recognized it as the Yin Soul Sect Master he had sought for years.

He Song tested the Yin Soul Sect Master's corpse and Storage Pouch by bringing a Qi Refining demonic cultivator to the scene. After confirming the pouch held no apparent trap, he watched the man loot its treasures and begin stripping the corpse, while remaining cautious about dangers the body might conceal.

• He Song sealed the area with three arrays and brought a Qi Refining demonic cultivator to the Yin Soul Sect Master's corpse.
• The demonic cultivator mistook the corpse for a living expert, then grew bold and struck it after realizing it was dead.
• The demonic cultivator opened the Storage Pouch and found that it contained no apparent restriction or Nascent Soul trap.
• He Song watched the demonic cultivator take a mountain of medium-grade Spirit Stones while keeping him alive to test the corpse for further dangers.
• The demonic cultivator decided the corpse must have been a Golden Core cultivator and began stripping its clothes.

He Song watched the Yin Soul Sect Master possess a Qi Refinement demonic cultivator, then used the Profound Yang Ice Soul Array and his puppets to destroy him and search his memories. He learned the Sect Master had survived as a soul through a soul-nurturing magical robe, and recognized the robe’s potential to preserve life after death.

• The Qi Refinement demonic cultivator stripped the corpse and tried to put it into his Storage Pouch, then prepared to cut open its abdomen when the corpse would not move.
• The Yin Soul Sect Master emerged from the corpse as a streak of light, possessed the Qi Refinement demonic cultivator, and condemned him for threatening the corpse.
• He Song controlled Evening Snow and sent his three great puppets to attack the possessed cultivator inside the Profound Yang Ice Soul Array.
• The array froze the Yin Soul Sect Master, and the puppets’ Heavenly Star Sword Art scattered his soul and destroyed the possessed body.
• He Song confirmed the Sect Master had died, entered the formation, and used a soul-searching technique to obtain his memories.
• He Song learned the Sect Master had survived as a soul in a magical robe that nurtured the soul and considered its potential to preserve his own life after death.

After obtaining Yin Fengzi’s memories, He Song secured a Spirit Transformation inheritance containing a Primordial Spirit secret art and the formula for the Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill. He investigated the inheritance’s hidden location, then returned to seclusion to study the pill formula while his cultivation continued approaching Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

• He Song learned from Yin Fengzi’s memories that the Yin Soul Sect Master had found a Spirit Transformation inheritance, and he acquired its techniques, secret arts, skills, and remaining treasures.
• He Song selected a Primordial Spirit secret art suitable for breaking through to Spirit Transformation and found the Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill formula, whose key ingredient was Mysterious Yellow Qi.
• He Song sent Idle Cloud, equipped with four Spirit Transformation talismans, to investigate the inheritance site, but Idle Cloud found no visible anomaly and departed.
• He Song recalled most of his Nascent Soul Puppets to the righteous regions, leaving Ghost Soul in the Yin Soul Sect to gather information about the demonic path.
• He Song entered seclusion to study the Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill formula while his cultivation advanced toward Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

He Song studied a Primordial Spirit secret art and the Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill formula from a demonic-path inheritance, planning to verify their authenticity before relying on them. While he secluded himself, Mingyue managed his affairs and tracked a stalemated righteous-demonic war; Wei Fan reported that he had reached Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

• He Song began studying the Primordial Spirit secret art and Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill formula, while postponing other inheritance arts until later.
• He Song judged the pill formula likely genuine and considered secretly using a near-death Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivator to test the Primordial Spirit secret art.
• He Song returned to secluded cultivation as Mingyue bought the required spirit herbs, managed Zetianjing, and reviewed intelligence reports.
• Reports showed the righteous and demonic paths escalating their war before reaching a stalemate.
• Wei Fan sent word that he had successfully broken through to Nascent Soul Great Perfection.

He Song emerged from decades of seclusion after reaching Nascent Soul Great Perfection, mastering the Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill and the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique. He feigned a breakthrough to Nascent Soul Late Stage to fulfill his agreement with Han Yuezi and planned to prepare for repeated attempts at reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm.

• He Song congratulated Wei Fan on reaching Nascent Soul Great Perfection but did not question him about the Nine Yang Sect’s plans.
• He Song spent decades stabilizing his cultivation, mastering the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique, and improving his Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill refinement success rate.
• He Song realized that only a little over ten years remained on his hundred-year agreement with Han Yuezi, so he went to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion in Zetianjing.
• He Song raised his displayed cultivation to Nascent Soul Late Stage and told Han Yuezi that he was stabilizing his breakthrough.
• He Song assessed that the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique gave him roughly a thirty percent chance of reaching the Spirit Transformation Realm, but believed repeated attempts with Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pills could make success virtually certain.

He Song examined Yin Fengzi’s relics and identified the miniature sword and water-blue shield as Dao artifacts belonging to the ancient Blood Demon Sword Lord, whose Spirit Transformation inheritance he had obtained. Suspecting the Blood Demon Sword Lord might still be alive, He Song decided to find a nearly dying Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivator to test the inheritance and draw any danger away from himself.

• He Song reviewed his plan to test the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique on a Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivator before using it himself.
• He Song examined Yin Fengzi’s relics, recognized the miniature sword as a slaughter-focused Dao artifact, and stored it with the Jade Slip and shield.
• He Song gathered information about demonic-path Spirit Transformation cultivators and learned the relics belonged to the Blood Demon Sword Lord, an ancient Soul Locking Sect master.
• He Song realized the Dao artifacts still had an owner and wondered whether the Blood Demon Sword Lord was alive and whether the inheritance could bring him trouble.
• He Song reasoned that his formations and protective candle would make him difficult to find, and planned to give the relics and inheritance to a nearly dying Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivator as a scapegoat.

He Song arranged for Zang Jianzi of the Hidden Sword Sect to discover a staged Nascent Soul abode containing treasures and the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique, hoping to observe his attempt at Spirit Transformation while avoiding danger himself. After Zang Jianzi entered seclusion to study the technique, He Song turned to the Spirit Transformation inheritance and found a powerful cultivation method, the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture.

• He Song selected Zang Jianzi, a Nascent Soul Great Perfection sword cultivator with little time left to live, as the person to test the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique.
• He Song used Idle Cloud to build and disguise a treasure-filled Nascent Soul abode within the Hidden Sword Sect's territory, hiding the Dao Artifacts and Jade Slips inside.
• Hidden Sword Sect elders called on Zang Jianzi to break the abode's formations, and he claimed its treasures, including the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique.
• Idle Cloud secretly followed Zang Jianzi into his cave abode, where Zang Jianzi soon entered seclusion to study the technique.
• He Song examined the Spirit Transformation inheritance and discovered the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture, which could be cultivated up to the Void Refinement Stage.

He Song decided to test the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture on a captured Nascent Soul cultivator before risking cultivation himself. He sent Evening Snow and Clear Wind to destroy the Scarlet Refinement Sect, and Evening Snow captured its Nascent Soul Ancestor and forced her to begin practicing the technique.

• He Song arranged for Idle Cloud and Mingyue to watch Zang Jianzi and the Hidden Sword Sect while Evening Snow and Flowing Firefly searched for Nascent Soul evil cultivators.
• After learning about the Scarlet Refinement Sect's brutal conduct, He Song sent Evening Snow to attack its mountain gate and Clear Wind to destroy its branches.
• Evening Snow trapped the Scarlet Refinement Sect's mountain gate in the Profound Yang Ice Soul Array as Clear Wind smashed a branch and continued his assault.
• Evening Snow wiped out the cultivators at the mountain gate, leaving Scarlet Refinement alive but frozen and helpless.
• Evening Snow suppressed Scarlet Refinement, gave her a Jade Slip containing the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture, and ordered her to cultivate it or die.

He Song forced Scarlet Refinement to convert to the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture, then used her to verify that its cultivation methods were genuine and unaltered. After Scarlet Refinement died, he destroyed the Scarlet Refinement Sect, collected its treasures, and began setting up an array within his Nine Abyss Return-to-Void Array.

• He Song threatened Scarlet Refinement through Evening Snow until she began converting to the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture.
• Scarlet Refinement learned and circulated the scripture through the Nascent Soul Realm, and He Song observed that it greatly increased her strength.
• Scarlet Refinement tried to resist the Profound Yang Ice Soul Array, but Evening Snow subdued and severely injured her.
• He Song forced Scarlet Refinement to circulate the Spirit Transformation Realm method, which devastated her body and let him confirm the scripture was genuine and untampered with.
• He Song collected the Scarlet Refinement Sect's treasures and left with his puppets, leaving the sect destroyed.
• After nearby Nascent Soul Sects celebrated the Scarlet Refinement Sect's fall, He Song began setting up an array within his Nine Abyss Return-to-Void Array.

He Song used the Origin-Gathering Array to switch from the Five Elements Origin-Gathering Art to the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture and discovered that even its early-stage methods strengthened him. He reflected on the vast advantage Holy Land successors held, then continued circulating the new technique’s Foundation Establishment method and prepared to progress through its higher realms.

• He Song set up the Origin-Gathering Array around his quiet room and began switching to the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture.
• After practicing its Qi Refining method, He Song sensed a slight increase in strength and recognized how far elite sect techniques surpassed those available to Rogue Cultivators.
• He Song realized that Holy Land Holy Sons and successors possessed even greater techniques and resources, but he remained confident in his puppets, arrays, and other skills.
• He Song practiced the Scripture’s Foundation Establishment method and gained a greater increase in strength than he had from its Qi Refining method.
• He Song looked forward to the Golden Core and Nascent Soul portions, understanding that fully converting to each stage would require prolonged circulation and practice.

He Song carefully converted to the Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture, increasing his strength while using heavenly treasures to keep his realm at Nascent Soul Great Perfection. Meanwhile, Idle Cloud discovered that Zang Jianzi was secretly preparing to use the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique and attempt a breakthrough to Spirit Transformation.

• He Song fully converted to the Golden Core Tai Hao Xuan Yuan Scripture, then circulated its Nascent Soul portion and strengthened his spiritual power with help from heavenly treasures.
• Idle Cloud watched Zang Jianzi leave the Hidden Sword Sect after announcing that he would enter seclusion.
• Zang Jianzi secretly captured ten Nascent Soul Early Stage and Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivators, sealed their cultivation, and gathered them at a concealed site.
• Zang Jianzi returned to the Hidden Sword Sect and spent most of its accumulated wealth on Spirit Stones, formations, and other supplies for his Spirit Transformation breakthrough.

Zang Jianzi began using the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique to break through to the Spirit Transformation Realm, supported by ten captive Nascent Soul Cultivators whose lifespans he had linked to his own. He completed the first refinement, while He Song watched cautiously and considered the dangers and uncertainties of the technique.

• Zang Jianzi prepared his secluded breakthrough site with formations and heaps of mid-grade Spirit Stones, then bound ten captured Nascent Soul Cultivators and linked their lifespans to his own.
• Zang Jianzi began the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique, determined to risk everything on entering the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• He Song observed the technique through Idle Cloud and noted that Zang Jianzi's vitality, along with that of the captives, weakened after the first casting.
• He Song questioned why the demonic path had not produced many more Spirit Transformation cultivators if the technique offered a substantial chance of success, and was glad he had arranged for someone else to test it.
• Zang Jianzi sensed his divine sense connecting with his Nascent Soul and found that he had lost little lifespan, confirming that the captives were bearing much of the cost.
• Zang Jianzi followed the technique's instructions to begin refining his divine sense and Nascent Soul, a process that required nine stages of increasing fusion to create a Primordial Spirit.

He Song watched Zang Jianzi use the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique to pursue Spirit Transformation, carefully recording each stage while preparing to flee if the breakthrough succeeded. As Zang Jianzi’s Nascent Soul and divine sense began fusing during the seventh refinement, the array’s spiritual energy was rapidly absorbed, and He Song remained poised to teleport away.

• He Song considered why Spirit Transformation cultivators from the holy lands had far better breakthrough prospects than ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.
• He Song observed Zang Jianzi complete the first six refinements, memorizing how his Nascent Soul and divine sense gradually merged.
• He Song suspected the final three refinements were the true key to Spirit Transformation as Zang Jianzi began the seventh refinement.
• Zang Jianzi’s Nascent Soul and divine sense began fusing, drawing spiritual energy from the array while He Song prepared a teleportation array in case he had to escape.
• Zang Jianzi continued absorbing spiritual energy, including the supply from the Spirit Stones in the array.

He Song escaped after the Blood Demon Sword Lord appeared and tried to seize Zang Jianzi’s body as Zang Jianzi began his Spirit Transformation breakthrough. He confirmed that the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique could form a Primordial Spirit, prepared to pursue his own breakthrough, and waited for news of Zang Jianzi’s fate.

• The Blood Demon Sword Lord emerged from a Jade Slip and invaded Zang Jianzi’s body just as Zang Jianzi attempted the ninth refinement.
• Zang Jianzi continued the refinement during the struggle, and He Song fled through a teleportation array after arranging for Idle Cloud to destroy it.
• He Song monitored the Hidden Sword Sect and Soul Locking Sect for news while preparing to break through to the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• He Song refined three Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pills on his first attempt and began gathering other breakthrough supplies.
• Several months passed without news from Zang Jianzi’s secluded site, and He Song suspected its concealment formation was still working.

He Song overcame his hesitation about missing the coming war and began a Spirit Transformation breakthrough, using the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique to fuse his Nascent Soul and divine sense. He completed the first three refinements and started the fourth, as his Nascent Soul appeared before him and began swelling with the divine sense entering it.

• He Song considered the dangers of spending centuries in seclusion and sent letters advising his friends to seek refuge with Han Yuezi and the Cold Family if the war worsened.
• He Song decided that gaining strength mattered more than witnessing events he could not influence, prepared his cave abode, and took a Mysterious Yellow Bodyguard Pill.
• He Song began the Nine Refinements Return to Origin Technique, confident that his resources and knowledge of Zang Jianzi’s breakthrough gave him a substantial chance of success.
• He Song completed the first three refinements, bringing his Nascent Soul and divine sense into closer coordination than Zang Jianzi had achieved.
• He Song began the fourth refinement, sent his Nascent Soul out of his body, and directed his divine sense into it as it swelled.

He Song completed the first six refinements of his breakthrough, merging his Nascent Soul and divine sense, then learned that Zang Jianzi’s attempt to reach Spirit Transformation had been destroyed by a Nascent Soul cultivator. The attacker left no trace of Zang Jianzi or the Blood Demon Sword Lord, and He Song remained suspicious of the Blood Demon Sword Lord’s motives.

• He Song spent several decades expanding his Nascent Soul’s inner space and merging his divine sense into it, completing the first six refinements.
• He Song learned that Zang Jianzi’s breakthrough had drawn a vast spiritual energy vortex that drained nearby regions and attracted cultivators.
• Nascent Soul cultivators gathered to break Zang Jianzi’s protective arrays, but fled when his half-step Spirit Transformation aura appeared.
• A Nascent Soul cultivator struck with a heaven-shrouding giant palm, scattering the vortex and destroying the area, including Zang Jianzi and the Blood Demon Sword Lord.
• He Song concluded that powerful Nascent Soul cultivators seemed to eliminate potential breakthroughs and questioned why the Blood Demon Sword Lord had chosen such an unusual plan.

He Song considered why Blood Demon Sword Lord had failed to complete his possession and concluded that the dangers of the Soul Locking Sect or an ambush during possession could explain his condition. Reassured that his own arrays and preparations would protect his breakthrough, He Song completed the fusion of his divine sense and nascent soul, reaching the next step toward Spirit Transformation.

• He Song weighed two possibilities for Blood Demon Sword Lord’s failure: he had avoided possessing someone inside the Soul Locking Sect, or he had been ambushed while possessing a Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator.
• He Song reasoned that Blood Demon Sword Lord probably survived the giant hand’s attack, but he found no information about what happened afterward.
• He Song decided to proceed with his Spirit Transformation breakthrough beneath the concealment and spirit-gathering effects of the Nine Abyss Return-to-Void Array.
• He Song formed hand seals and guided his divine sense and nascent soul through their eighth refinement until the two completely fused.
• He Song sensed his divine sense and mana now emerging from his nascent soul rather than from the Mud Palace Pill.