Chapter Summaries

Chen Changming refined Mo Lihai's soul and formed a demonic-path clone, then sent the clone toward the Spirit Realm with himself hidden inside the Universe Pagoda. The clone arrived at a Spirit Realm abyss, where a formation and five masked men in golden armor awaited it.

• Chen Changming refined Mo Lihai's soul from the Black Pill and created a demonic-path clone whose cultivation had reached the tenth layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Chen Changming remembered Xiao Chunzi, apologized to him, and entrusted him to the clan chief before announcing his plans to travel to the Spirit Realm.
• Chen Changming traveled to the spatial node, changed his and the clone's appearances, and hid himself and two Realm-Breaking Talismans inside the Universe Pagoda.
• The demonic-path clone activated a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman and crossed into the Spirit Realm through the spatial node.
• Five masked men in golden armor gathered over an abyss as their great formation caught the spatial disturbance, hoping to capture the arriving cultivator.

Chen Changming emerged into the Spirit Realm and was captured by the Mystic Scorpion King's golden-armored guards, who planned to take him to their master. As the group flew north, Chen Changming decided to escape and summoned his true body, triggering an attack from the guards' treasure mirror.

• Chen Changming emerged from a spatial node and discovered that a formation had sealed the area around him.
• The golden-armored guards identified him as a Human Realm cultivator and ordered him to meet the Mystic Scorpion King.
• Chen Changming learned that the guards served the Mystic Scorpion King and resolved to escape rather than risk meeting him.
• A golden Immortal Boat carried Chen Changming and two golden-armored men north across the mountains.
• Chen Changming summoned his true body from the Universe Pagoda, and the golden treasure mirror struck at it with a beam of light.

Chen Changming fought two golden-armored Spirit Realm cultivators aboard their Immortal Boat, revealing his powerful body-cultivation strength and forcing back their fourth-layer Void Refinement Realm leader. After absorbing his opponent’s fire attacks and surviving Ding Qi’s Heavenly Sword Talisman, Chen Changming escaped with a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman as the golden-armored man’s attack arrived too late.

• Chen Changming’s hidden body-cultivation self emerged, seized the golden treasure mirror, and knocked away attacks from Ding Qi and the fourth-layer golden-armored man.
• Chen Changming tested his strength against the golden-armored leader, then activated the Indestructible Demonic Heart and struck him hard enough to send his natal Spirit Treasure flying.
• A yellow-clad woman carrying a Compass treasure entered the teleportation formation at Azure Billow Royal City after sensing a Human Realm cultivator’s aura.
• The golden-armored leader unleashed fire-dragon talismans, which Purple Zenith Chaos Flame absorbed, and Chen Changming struck him with Sword Blade First Bloom.
• Ding Qi activated a Heavenly Sword Talisman, but Chen Changming shattered its attack and the leader’s defenses before the leader sent a communication Flying Sword to the Mystic Scorpion King.
• Chen Changming activated a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman and escaped just before the golden-armored leader’s long-range attack could hit him.

After escaping the Golden Armor Alliance with two Realm-Breaking Talismans, Chen Changming was found by a powerful yellow-clad woman who questioned him about the Human Realm. He revealed the Immortal Hall’s role in preventing ascension, and she asked how the Beast Taming Immortal Sect was faring.

• The golden-armored man and Ding Qi waited for news from the Mystic Scorpion King while a yellow-clad woman tracked Chen Changming with a Compass.
• Chen Changming used two top-grade Realm-Breaking Talismans to travel a hundred thousand li, changed his appearance, and headed toward a nearby city.
• The yellow-clad woman found Chen Changming and asked whether he had entered from the Human Realm using a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman.
• Chen Changming learned that she carried a Star-Fixing Compass and explained that the Immortal Hall Master had eaten Human Realm cultivators who ascended over the past ten thousand years.
• The yellow-clad woman reacted with fury to the Immortal Hall’s collusion with the Ancient Immortals and the Fire Ancient God, then asked about the Beast Taming Immortal Sect.
• When Chen Changming hesitated, the yellow-clad woman asked whether the Beast Taming Immortal Sect had greatly declined and released a sharp aura toward him.

Chen Changming learned about the Spirit Realm’s military service rules and the Azure Wave Continent’s territories after a powerful woman escorted him to Azure Billow Royal City. Meanwhile, the Mystic Scorpion King learned how Chen Changming had escaped and warned that the Demon Kings would kill him if he became a threat.

• The yellow-clad woman recognized Chen Changming’s dual cultivation and explained that Azure Wave Continent cultivators had to serve fifty years in the military to fight the Demon Race.
• The woman told Chen Changming that the Spirit Realm had four continents and that Human Realm ascenders generally could not reach the latter two.
• The yellow-clad woman took Chen Changming to Azure Billow Royal City, where he learned about the continent’s five human provinces.
• The Mystic Scorpion King arrived at the mountain range, learned that Chen Changming had escaped using a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman, and ordered the golden-armored men to guard the spatial node and capture the wolf cub.
• The Mystic Scorpion King acknowledged that the escape was not the men’s fault, then warned that the Demon Kings would kill Chen Changming if he became a future threat.

Chen Changming arrived in the Spirit Realm and was assigned to the Vermilion Bird Division of the Royal City Guard, where his rare status as the first Human Realm cultivator in ten thousand years drew attention. He learned that he would need Dust-Transcending Pills to remove his Human Realm aura and avoid stronger heavenly tribulations.

• The woman in yellow brought Chen Changming to Vermilion Bird Hall and told Zhu Liejun to arrange his military service.
• Chen Changming gave the name Ning Jin, and Zhu Liejun assigned Li Yan to find him a squad and obtain Dust-Transcending Pills.
• Li Yan warned Chen Changming that Senior Chu would not serve as his protector and took him to the Deacon Hall.
• Elder Zhao gave Li Yan ten Dust-Transcending Pills, explaining that their weakened efficacy meant they should be used together.
• Li Yan told Chen Changming that Human Realm cultivators needed fifty years of pills to wash away their aura or the Spirit Realm would intensify their Lesser Heavenly Tribulations.

Chen Changming learned that Spirit Realm cultivators and beasts faced Minor Heavenly Tribulations and that beasts needed their own Dust-Transcending Pills. After settling into the Vermilion Bird Division, he discovered the pills he had received were nearly useless and went to seek supplies, where a camp commandant sympathized with his predicament.

• Elder Zhao and Li Yan explained how Minor Heavenly Tribulations strengthened Spirit Realm cultivators and warned Chen Changming that his flying Demon Pet would need a beast-specific Dust-Transcending Pill.
• Elder Zhao directed Chen Changming to ask the Pill Pavilion about beast pills, and Li Yan took him to Yi Fire Third Squad’s courtyard and gave him a Storage Ring with his equipment.
• Chen Changming inspected the ten Dust-Transcending Pills and realized they were so old that even a hundred might not equal one proper pill.
• Chen Changming read the Royal City Defense Army handbook, activated his Identity Token, put on his Vermilion Bird armor, and left camp to look for supplies.
• A Vermilion Bird camp commandant recognized Chen Changming as a Human Realm cultivator, and Chen Changming claimed the Dust-Transcending Pill had been ineffective before the commandant sympathized with him.

Chen Changming went to the Pill Pavilion seeking Dust-Transcending Pills and a formula, but Manager Su tricked him into failing to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill by sabotaging his control of the earthfire. As Chen Changming left, Li Xing called after him, apparently intending to make amends.

• Chen Changming left the Vermilion Bird camp and found the Pill Pavilion in Azure Billow Royal City.
• The Pill Pavilion steward refused to sell Chen Changming Dust-Transcending Pills or arrange for an alchemist to make them, and instead invited him to demonstrate his skills by refining Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Chen Changming inspected the formula and herbs, then began refining a batch in the Pill Pavilion's chamber.
• The earthfire became unstable and scorched the pill liquid, causing Chen Changming's attempt to fail as Manager Su mocked him.
• Li Xing rebuked Su Zhe for his malicious prank, then hurried after Chen Changming and called for him to wait.

Chen Changming learned that the Human Realm aura in his body interfered with his pill refinement and that Dust-Transcending Pills could help remove it. Li Xing tried to recruit him and secure the pill formula or a batch of pills, but Deputy Pavilion Master Su Ruixing refused, leaving Chen Changming without a way to obtain them through the Pill Pavilion.

• Li Xing explained to Chen Changming that the Human Realm aura in his body disrupted his control of Spirit Realm earthfire and that taking Dust-Transcending Pills could improve it over time.
• Chen Changming learned that the Pill Pavilion no longer sold effective Dust-Transcending Pills and kept the Heaven-grade formula secret, so he agreed to join the Pavilion in hopes of gaining access to it.
• Su Zhe urged his uncle, Deputy Pavilion Master Su Ruixing, to prevent Li Xing from recruiting Chen Changming and to claim credit for bringing him into the Pill Pavilion.
• Li Xing asked Su Ruixing to let Chen Changming use the Dust-Transcending Pill formula or arrange for a Heaven-grade alchemist to make pills, but Su Ruixing refused both requests.
• Su Zhe watched Li Xing leave dejectedly and smiled smugly, confident that his uncle could suppress Li Xing while the Pavilion Master was away.

Chen Changming traded a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman for Dust-Transcending Pills, which began concealing his Human Realm aura. After learning of Chen Changming’s alchemy skill, Li Xing offered to recommend him for work at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.

• Li Xing approached Qin Muzhi, who agreed to refine Dust-Transcending Pills in exchange for a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman.
• Chen Changming accepted the deal, and Li Xing arranged to bring him the pills at the Vermilion Bird Division.
• Li Xing delivered the pills the next day, and Chen Changming took one before handing over his talisman.
• Li Xing sensed that the pill was concealing Chen Changming’s Human Realm aura and learned that Chen Changming had mastered pill refining in the Human Realm.
• Chen Changming asked Li Xing for alchemy work, and Li Xing recommended the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.

Chen Changming learned about the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and the Ling Jade used as currency in the Spirit Realm. After Li Xing arranged for him to meet Shopkeeper Geng the next morning, Chen Changming discussed the costly Dust-Transcending Pill with a Vermilion Bird Camp officer.

• Li Xing told Chen Changming that the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower had been founded by an ascended cultivator who had built a major business across the Spirit Realm.
• Li Xing recommended Chen Changming seek work at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and arranged for him to meet Shopkeeper Geng the next morning.
• Li Xing explained that Ling Jade, rather than Spirit Stones, was the Spirit Realm's main currency and cultivation resource, and described its grades and attributes.
• Li Xing gave Chen Changming a piece of low-grade Ling Jade before leaving for the military camp.
• A Vermilion Bird Camp officer asked what Chen Changming had paid for the Dust-Transcending Pills, and Chen Changming said he had exchanged a top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman for a batch.

Chen Changming studied the Dust-Transcending Pill and cultivated while Li Xing sought him a place to work at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower. Su Zhe intervened to control the introduction, while an inspector on the tower’s ninth floor grew curious about the Human Realm alchemist expected the next day.

• Chen Changming failed to identify the ingredients in the Dust-Transcending Pill, stored it away, and cultivated the Mountain-Suppressing Primordial Unity Art.
• Li Xing persuaded Qin Muzhi to refine three more batches of Dust-Transcending Pills by warning that Senior Chu might learn of their deal.
• Qin Muzhi planned to erase the Human Realm aura from the top-grade Realm-Breaking Talisman and went to collect pill ingredients.
• Su Zhe followed Li Xing to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and persuaded Shopkeeper Geng to refuse the alchemist when he arrived, promising to arrange a Pill Pavilion identity and introduce him afterward.
• The tower’s inspector overheard Su Zhe discussing the Human Realm cultivator and became interested in the alchemist expected the next day.

Chen Changming visited the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower seeking alchemy work, but Shopkeeper Geng initially refused him for lacking Pill Pavilion certification. Liu Hanshu, the tower’s Liu Family overseer, intervened, learned of his connection to the Human Realm’s Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, and tested his skill; Chen Changming left her alchemy room having refined supreme-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills.

• Chen Changming went to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and asked Shopkeeper Geng for alchemy work, but Shopkeeper Geng refused because he lacked Pill Pavilion certification.
• Liu Hanshu summoned Chen Changming to the ninth floor and asked about the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and the Human Realm.
• Chen Changming told Liu Hanshu that he was from Great Qin and had once worked as an alchemist for the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
• Liu Hanshu took Chen Changming to an alchemy room and asked him to refine Heavenly Spirit Pills.
• Chen Changming refined a furnace of pills, and Shopkeeper Geng recognized them as supreme-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills.

Chen Changming impressed Liu Hanshu by refining top-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills and was hired by the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower. After thwarting Su Zhe’s plan to recruit him, Chen returned to the Vermilion Bird Division and broke through to the fifth level of Spirit Transformation.

• Liu Hanshu explained that pill toxins made top-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills valuable in the Spirit Realm and told Chen Changming about Heaven-Cleansing Pills.
• Liu Hanshu hired Chen Changming to refine thirty batches of top-grade Heavenly Spirit Pills each month, and Shopkeeper Geng paid him one hundred low-grade Ling Yu for ten batches.
• Su Zhe learned from Shopkeeper Geng that Liu Hanshu had hired Chen Changming and gave up trying to recruit him for the Pill Pavilion.
• Chen Changming returned to the Vermilion Bird Division camp and cultivated the Mountain-Suppressing Primordial Unity Art.
• After seven days of cultivation, Chen Changming broke through to the fifth level of Spirit Transformation.

Chen Changming broke through to the fifth layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm and received Dust-Transcending Pills from Li Xing. He met the surviving members of the Yi Fire Third Squad and learned their captain had died, leaving the squad to choose a successor.

• Chen Changming resolved to focus mainly on body refinement after reaching the fifth layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Li Xing gave Chen Changming three bottles of Dust-Transcending Pills that Alchemist Qin had refined, bringing him ten years short of his fifty-year requirement.
• Li Xing explained that Senior Chu was one of Azure Billow Royal City's three grand elders and urged Chen Changming to earn more spirit jade at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower.
• Chen Changming gave a Dust-Transcending Pill to his demonic-path avatar before five injured members of the Yi Fire Third Squad arrived at his courtyard.
• Li Yan told the squad that Captain Liu Yan had died while defeating a peak level-thirteen beast and said they should choose a new captain.
• Li Yan asked the squad members to look after Chen Changming, whose cultivation was lower than theirs, during future missions.

Ning Jin met the members of Yi Fire Third Squad and learned about their loyalty to their injured captain, Cheng Lie. He used his strengthened Sweet Dew Art to heal the squad, earning their amazement and leaving them with a major new advantage.

• Cheng Lie and the other members introduced themselves to Ning Jin, and Su Gang questioned Ning Jin's combat strength because of his low cultivation.
• Wen Xiaoyu and the squad convinced Cheng Lie to exchange their military merit for a Spirit-Returning Pill, but Ning Jin offered to treat everyone's injuries with a healing Divine Ability.
• Cheng Lie warned Ning Jin that healing Divine Abilities associated with the Ancient Ghosts were taboo, and Ning Jin clarified that his ability had no connection to them.
• Ning Jin used the Sweet Dew Art to fully heal Shi Li, then cast it three times to cure Cheng Lie's more severe internal injuries.
• Cheng Lie praised Ning Jin's healing ability, realizing that it could greatly increase Yi Fire Third Squad's combat strength.

Chen Changming healed his squadmates and refined Heavenly Spirit Pills while searching for Dust-Transcending Pills for his demon pets. Liu Hanshu explained that beast-specific pills came from the Purple Flame Continent and offered to seek some there for him.

• Chen Changming healed Su Qingyan, Su Gang, and Wen Xiaoyu with the Sweet Dew Art, earning Su Gang's respect and hearing Wen Xiaoyu tease him about finding a cultivation partner.
• Cheng Lie led the recovered squad to the Deacon Hall, while Chen Changming went to the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower to refine pills and ask about a beast-specific Dust-Transcending Pill recipe.
• Manager Geng said the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower had no such recipe but promised to look for one as Chen Changming began refining Heavenly Spirit Pills.
• Liu Hanshu told Chen Changming that Human Realm cultivators ascended to the Azure Wave Continent, whereas the Demon Race ascended to the Purple Flame Continent, where beast-specific Dust-Transcending Pills could be found.
• Liu Hanshu offered to contact her lineage on the Purple Flame Continent to seek beast Dust-Transcending Pills, and Chen Changming returned to the barracks after delivering ten bottles of pills and receiving spirit jade.

Chen Changming joined Yi Fire Third Squad on a Vermilion Bird Division mission to hunt demonic beasts at Fuli Marsh, where the squad competed for a valuable military-merit reward. As the squads entered the misty marsh, Liu Hanshu appeared nearby for unknown reasons.

• Chen Changming approved Cheng Lie's appointment as captain and agreed to join the mission against the Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves.
• Seven days later, thirty squads and Vermilion Bird Camp officers traveled aboard the Vermilion Bird Vessel, where the deputy commander announced that they would fight Level 12 and Level 13 Demonic Beasts.
• The deputy commander promised five hundred military merits to each member of the squad that earned the most merit, and Shi Li declared that Yi Fire Third Squad would compete for first place.
• After six days of travel, the force reached Fuli Marsh, and Chen Changming entered its poisonous mist with Yi Fire Third Squad.
• Liu Hanshu appeared above another part of Fuli Marsh and realized that the Vermilion Bird Division was carrying out a mission.

Liu Hanshu entered Fuli Marsh to find a Rootless Flower that could keep her Dantian illness from worsening. Meanwhile, Chen Changming’s squad began hunting Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves and approached four of them, including one at the initial level-thirteen stage.

• Liu Hanshu recalled that her Dantian ailment had caused her cultivation to fall from the tenth to the ninth level of the Void Refinement Realm, and that only a Spirit-Devouring Insect King’s blood could cure it.
• Liu Hanshu entered Fuli Marsh to search for a Rootless Flower, which she needed to consume before it withered to maintain her cultivation.
• The Vermilion Bird Division deputy commander and his officers entered the marsh, discussed Liu Hanshu’s decline and Chen Changming’s work at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, then began scanning the area.
• Su Qingyan’s fire crows spotted four Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves, and Cheng Lie led the squad toward them while warning that the wolves might be hunting with other Beasts nearby.
• Chen Changming followed the squad as it silently approached the waters where the Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves were gathered.

Chen Changming joined his squad’s fight against Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves and a Blackwater Python in Fuli Marsh, revealing the power of his Mountain-Suppressing Sword Formation. The battle remained fierce as more powerful wolves arrived, and Chen Changming helped turn the tide by killing two wounded foes.

• Cheng Lie, Su Gang, Su Qingyan, and Shi Li ambushed four Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves while Wen Xiaoyu guarded Chen Changming.
• A Blackwater Python attacked, and the squad learned that two level-thirteen mid-stage Azure-Eyed Lone Wolves were approaching to aid the pack.
• Wen Xiaoyu joined the fight, and Chen Changming summoned thirty-six natal flying swords to kill the wolf Su Qingyan had engaged, then helped Shi Li finish another.
• A level-thirteen mid-stage Azure-Eyed Lone Wolf ambushed Chen Changming, but Shi Li intercepted it while Su Gang and Wen Xiaoyu joined the fight.
• Chen Changming sent his sword formation to support Cheng Lie and Su Qingyan, killing the heavily wounded wolf Cheng Lie had first attacked and shocking him.