Chapter Summaries

Ye Lin examined Xu Luobai’s fate and learned why she could ride a flying Demon Beast across the Rainbow Bridge: her Myriad Beast Affinity attracted beasts to her. As he and Murong Hanxuan continued toward the finish line, half the contestants had already been eliminated.

• A cultivator tried to bribe a flying Demon Beast with immortal stones, but it knocked him off the Rainbow Bridge.
• Ye Lin inspected Xu Luobai’s profile and found that she was a mid-stage Earth Immortal with extraordinary talent and an affinity for beasts.
• Murong Hanxuan moved away after seeing Ye Lin wear a lecherous smile.
• The young man in azure robes at Tongtian Pavilion sent a stream of radiance skyward and remarked that half the contestants had been eliminated in half an hour.
• Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan counted the remaining contestants and continued following the crowd toward the finish line.

Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan were singled out for a separate Tongtian Pavilion trial against a powerful three-headed dragon. They prepared to fight the beast, which possessed a trace of True Dragon bloodline.

• Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan sensed danger and noticed a three-headed dragon flying toward them.
• A hidden voice told them to kill the dragon within half an hour or fail the trial, and Ye Lin discovered he could fly.
• Ye Lin drew the Bloodthirsty Demon Sword and faced the dragon while Murong Hanxuan prepared a talisman.
• The other disciples recognized the danger and hurried away, concluding that the examiners had arranged a separate trial for Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan.
• Ye Lin assessed the dragon as stronger than an ordinary peak Heavenly Immortal Demon Beast because of its True Dragon bloodline, and Murong Hanxuan rose beside him.

Ye Lin instantly killed a peak Heavenly Immortal three-headed dragon, stunning Murong Hanxuan, and the two reached the final trial at Tongtian Pavilion. They learned that the assessment would test comprehension, talent, and innate constitution by measuring the light rising from a stone monument.

• Ye Lin opened his Sword Domain and killed the three-headed dragon with a single strike, leaving Murong Hanxuan astonished.
• Ye Lin told Murong Hanxuan he would learn more in time, then walked with him toward the end of the Rainbow Bridge.
• The man in green robes watched Ye Lin and suspected he was a successor nurtured by a great power rather than a Rogue Cultivator.
• Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan reached a platform where Chu Yunxiao, He Yunyu, and a dozen other cultivators had passed the bridge trial.
• A Tongtian Pavilion representative announced that the final trial would test comprehension, talent, and innate constitution, and required a pillar of light exceeding ten meters.

Tongtian Pavilion tested candidates by measuring the pillars of light produced by its Stone Stele, and four of the first five candidates passed. Chu Yunxiao and He Yunyu stepped forward next, leaving Ye Lin and the other candidates still waiting.

• Tongtian Pavilion announced that candidates needed a pillar of light exceeding twenty meters to pass and described higher rewards for greater talent.
• A twin-sword youth produced a twenty-one-meter pillar, passed the assessment, and was welcomed into Tongtian Pavilion.
• Five candidates took the test; four passed and one was eliminated.
• Chu Yunxiao approached the Stone Stele, followed by He Yunyu, who gave Ye Lin a provocative look.

Chu Yunxiao and He Yunyu revealed extraordinary talent at the stone stele, shocking the gathered cultivators before both vanished in golden light. Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan then approached the stele, with Ye Lin having seen what a child of fortune could achieve.

• Chu Yunxiao touched the stone stele, and its pillar of light rose to ninety-nine meters before golden light carried him away.
• Murong Hanxuan expressed shock at Chu Yunxiao’s talent, while Ye Lin said the Tongtian Pavilion had opened for him.
• He Yunyu touched the stele, reached ninety-five meters, and vowed to defeat Ye Lin when they met again before disappearing.
• The cultivators in the corner whispered in shock about Chu Yunxiao and He Yunyu’s talent.
• Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan went to the stone stele, and Ye Lin reflected that Chu Yunxiao was exceptional in every way apart from fortune.

Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan passed Tongtian Pavilion’s talent trial with exceptional results, prompting the elders to question their origins. A young man in azure robes then appeared and claimed the right to take them both.

• Murong Hanxuan touched the stone stele and raised its pillar of light to ninety-one meters before being transported away.
• Ye Lin let the stele absorb his immortal power, and his pillar of light stopped at ninety-nine meters before he vanished in golden light.
• The remaining Rogue Cultivators watched in shock as the two prodigies disappeared, and a man in white stepped forward to take his turn.
• Ye Lin arrived in a great hall where four elders waited with Murong Hanxuan and other cultivators who had passed the trial.
• Murong Hanxuan told the elders that he and Ye Lin were Rogue Cultivators, leaving them suspicious after four people had exceeded ninety meters.
• A smiling young man in azure robes emerged from the void, greeted as Chief, and said he would take Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan.

Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan met the green-robed man, who recognized that they came from another world and asked why they had come to Tongtian Pavilion. After they claimed they sought revenge on a fellow outsider, he directed them toward the Great Elder’s personal disciple and told them to pose as his disciples.

• The green-robed man ordered the elders to gather the sect’s strength to nurture He Yunyu and Chu Yunxiao, then kept Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan behind.
• The green-robed man revealed that he knew Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan came from another world and demanded their true purpose.
• Ye Lin claimed that their target was a fellow outsider who had a deep feud with them, and Murong Hanxuan backed his story.
• The green-robed man said their target was the Great Elder’s personal disciple, warned them against fighting inside Tongtian Pavilion, and told them to call themselves his disciples.
• Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan left to explore Tongtian Pavilion, while the green-robed man reappeared and watched them depart.

Ye Lin learned how Tongtian Pavilion was organized, while Murong Hanxuan investigated its six Great Elders and the coming Grand Competition. They hoped the competition would help them find the person they were seeking, and the next morning they arrived at the mountain range where Tongtian Pavilion’s headquarters lay within a miniature Northern Frontier.

• Ye Lin learned that Tongtian Pavilion had Outer and Inner Sects, with the Inner Sect divided into twelve Heavenly Pavilions.
• Ye Lin learned that each Pavilion Master and the Chief Seat was a Taiyi Mystic Immortal, and that the Chief Seat controlled all of Tongtian Pavilion.
• Murong Hanxuan told Ye Lin that Tongtian Pavilion had six Great Elders, including one with eighteen direct disciples, and that the Grand Competition would be held the next day.
• Murong Hanxuan said the competition’s generous rewards might help them find the person they sought, and Ye Lin agreed to wait for it.
• The next morning, Murong Hanxuan led Ye Lin to a mountain range as they approached Tongtian Pavilion’s headquarters in a small world resembling the Northern Frontier.

The Grand Competition began at a scaled-down Mystic Heaven Sacred Valley, where disciples gathered to watch and compete. Li Qing arrived to preside over the one-on-one matches and announced the rewards and rules, leaving the competition ready to start.

• Disciples gathered at the scaled-down Mystic Heaven Sacred Valley, an exact miniature of the Northern Frontier version.
• Spectators identified Wang Tian of the War God Pavilion and Ji Bai of the Sixth Pavilion, recalling their past battles.
• Li Qing arrived and was greeted by the gathered geniuses.
• Li Qing announced separate Earth Immortal and Heavenly Immortal arenas, with rewards for consecutive victories.
• Li Qing told the competitors not to kill and said the competition was meant to inspire fighting spirit while preserving friendship.

Li Qing announced the Grand Competition’s rules and promised rewards personally provided by his master, drawing the disciples’ attention. He then approached Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan to urge them to settle their life-and-death grudge, but Ye Lin explained that abandoning revenge would leave them with heart demons.

• Li Qing raised two white-jade arenas from the mountain range and explained that each disciple had three chances, with first place going to whoever defeated the most opponents.
• The disciples were tempted by the undisclosed rewards, while those from the main battle pavilions watched as disciples from the Pill, Artifact Refining, and Array Pavilions began competing.
• Li Qing introduced himself to Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan as one of their master’s direct disciples, and Murong Hanxuan introduced himself and Ye Lin.
• Li Qing urged Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan to avoid fighting their fellow humans, but Ye Lin said they could not abandon revenge without suffering heart demons.
• Li Qing’s expression changed, and he fell silent with a heavy sigh.

Ye Lin identified Tang Qingru, a Divine Race cultivator, as the target he and Murong Hanxuan had been seeking. After revealing her identity and exceptional potential, Ye Lin urged Murong Hanxuan to create an opportunity to approach her, while privately resolving to act alone if Murong hesitated.

• Li Qing pointed to a young man and asked Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan to identify him, but Ye Lin said the test was pointless.
• Ye Lin told Murong Hanxuan that their actual target was a woman standing nearby.
• Ye Lin scanned the cultivators' panels and identified the woman as Tang Qingru, an early Heavenly Immortal of the Divine Race with exceptional combat talent.
• Murong Hanxuan admired Tang Qingru's appearance and asked Ye Lin about her race and name.
• Ye Lin told Murong Hanxuan to create an opportunity to approach Tang Qingru and decided he would act alone if Murong refused.

Ye Lin and Murong Hanxuan discussed how to approach Tang Qingru, who was secretly a member of the God Clan. Ye Lin challenged her on the Arena and revealed that he knew her identity, leaving her wary as their confrontation began.

• Murong Hanxuan advised Ye Lin to watch Tang Qingru and wait for an opportunity before approaching her.
• When Tang Qingru entered the Grand Competition, Ye Lin urged Murong Hanxuan to test her, but Murong Hanxuan refused and left.
• Ye Lin suspected Murong Hanxuan had hidden motives and stepped onto the Arena to challenge Tang Qingru in place of her exhausted opponent.
• Tang Qingru accepted Ye Lin's challenge as the surrounding cultivators watched.
• Ye Lin spoke into Tang Qingru's mind, asking whether she was from the God Clan, and her expression turned grave.

Ye Lin questioned Tang Qingru about Murong Hanxuan and warned her that her fiancé intended to kill her. He left after asking her to consider joining forces with him, while Tang Qingru weighed the offer.

• Ye Lin asked Tang Qingru whether she knew Murong Hanxuan, and she said he was the fiancé her father had arranged for her.
• Ye Lin told Tang Qingru that Murong Hanxuan intended to kill her and might soon approach her in secret.
• Ye Lin briefly demonstrated that he could overpower Tang Qingru, then asked her to consider helping him.
• Tang Qingru left, reflecting on Ye Lin's strength and the possibility of cooperation as the watching cultivators speculated about their relationship.

Ye Lin weighed whether Murong Hanxuan remained his ally, prepared to switch sides if necessary, and reaffirmed his ruthless code of conduct. Tang Qingru realized Ye Lin’s arrival had ruined her plan to cultivate quietly, so she resolved to join the coming conflict rather than face repeated assassinations.

• Ye Lin wondered if he was becoming a villain and warned himself that Murong Hanxuan might need to be replaced as his partner.
• Ye Lin decided he would help Murong Hanxuan kill Tang Qingru if Murong remained loyal, or help Tang Qingru kill Murong if Murong had turned against him.
• Ye Lin reflected that he needed a powerful ally to hunt the other prodigies and would kill anyone who harbored ill intent toward him.
• Tang Qingru returned to her residence and reconsidered her plan to cultivate in Tongtian Pavilion without joining any disputes.
• Tang Qingru concluded that she could not escape the approaching conflict and chose to take the initiative rather than risk countless assassinations.

Murong Hanxuan found Tang Qingru in the forest and revealed their arranged bond as Dao companions. He then explained that he had come to propose cooperation, since killing her would mark him for the God Clan to find.

• Tang Qingru sensed someone in the bushes and confronted Murong Hanxuan with her blade.
• Murong Hanxuan introduced himself as a disciple of the Myriad Dao Talisman Sect and described the arrangement made by his master and Tang Qingru's father.
• Tang Qingru lowered her blade after confirming her father had told her about the arrangement, but said she still resisted becoming his Dao companion.
• Tang Qingru pressed her sword to Murong Hanxuan's throat and challenged his motives for seeking her out.
• Murong Hanxuan said he wanted to cooperate because killing her would leave him marked by the God Clan and expose him to its experts.

Murong Hanxuan tried to recruit Tang Qingru to help him kill Ye Lin using three Spirit-Seizing Talismans. Tang Qingru agreed to hear his plan, which involved luring Ye Lin out and holding him off while Murong Hanxuan activated the talismans.

• Murong Hanxuan told Tang Qingru he wanted to kill Ye Lin, whose One Breath Becomes Three Purities technique gave him three avatars and the strength of four late-stage Heavenly Immortals.
• Tang Qingru dismissed Murong Hanxuan’s chances of defeating Ye Lin, but he claimed he had confidence in his plan.
• Murong Hanxuan showed Tang Qingru three Spirit-Seizing Talismans made by his master, saying they could control Ye Lin’s Primordial Spirit.
• Murong Hanxuan asked Tang Qingru to accept an assignment in three days and bring three early-stage Heavenly Immortals to avoid suspicion.
• Murong Hanxuan planned to lure Ye Lin out, have Tang Qingru hold him off for three breaths, then control his Primordial Spirit and summon his three avatars for them to divide.

Tang Qingru agreed to Murong Hanxuan’s request and received details about a mission in the Shuo Feng Dynasty. At the Mission Pavilion, He Yunyu chose the same mediation mission for herself and Chu Yunxiao, hoping its completion would earn them support and resources.

• Murong Hanxuan told Tang Qingru about a mission in three days to mediate between two dynasties nearing war, and Tang Qingru agreed to meet him in the Shuo Feng Dynasty.
• Chu Yunxiao worried that he and He Yunyu were taking a mission too soon after joining Tongtian Pavilion.
• He Yunyu explained that they needed to prove their worth through hard work as well as talent, and Chu Yunxiao thanked her for the advice.
• He Yunyu selected a jade plaque for a mission to mediate between two dynasties on the brink of war.
• He Yunyu said completing the mission would make Tongtian Pavilion value them and provide resources she could exchange for what she needed.

He Yunyu and Chu Yunxiao accepted a low-risk mission to earn resources for building a teleportation array, planning to leave in three days while hiding their identities. Murong Hanxuan and Ye Lin mistakenly believed Tang Qingru had accepted the mission and prepared to use her outing for their plans.

• He Yunyu said joining a major force was the fastest way to gather resources, and Chu Yunxiao agreed to take the mission.
• He Yunyu advised Chu Yunxiao to change clothes, conceal their auras, and wear masks before leaving in three days.
• Chu Yunxiao and He Yunyu sneaked out of the Mission Pavilion after taking the jade token.
• Murong Hanxuan searched the pavilion and assumed Tang Qingru had accepted the hidden mission, then said he would consider becoming her Dao companion.
• Murong Hanxuan met Ye Lin and reported that Tang Qingru would leave on a mission in three days.
• Ye Lin said the timing would let him advance to the late stage or peak of the heavenly immortal realm.

Ye Lin met Tang Qingru by a lake and learned that Murong Hanxuan planned to use three Spirit-Seizing Talismans against him. He told Tang Qingru to leave in three days as planned, hiding her whereabouts from everyone except Murong Hanxuan.

• Ye Lin left Murong Hanxuan and suspected that he had gone to meet Tang Qingru during his five-hour disappearance.
• Ye Lin sensed someone following him and called Tang Qingru out by a lake.
• Tang Qingru told Ye Lin that Murong Hanxuan had three Spirit-Seizing Talismans, each requiring three breaths to activate.
• Tang Qingru said Murong Hanxuan had told her to accept a mission to leave in three days, but she could not find it at the Mission Pavilion.
• Ye Lin told Tang Qingru to leave in three days without exposing her whereabouts, while making sure Murong Hanxuan could see her.

Tang Qingru realized Ye Lin had manipulated her into surrendering her leverage and angrily vowed to hunt him if she escaped. Ye Lin then entered the Artifact Refining Pavilion and surveyed its chaotic workshops.

• Tang Qingru asked who would receive Murong Hanxuan's life, and Ye Lin told her it would be his.
• Ye Lin warned Tang Qingru that she could either follow him and grow stronger or die alongside Murong Hanxuan.
• After Ye Lin left, Tang Qingru realized he had outmaneuvered her and vowed to hunt him across the Star River Cosmos if she escaped.
• Tang Qingru struck the lake in a fit of rage, creating an enormous palm print on its bed.
• Ye Lin entered the Artifact Refining Pavilion and walked through its noisy, furnace-filled workshops.