Recaps

Lin Tian returned to the Ghost Forest Mine and entered its inner region, where he killed a Mid Gang Realm Crystallized Exotic Beast and gathered valuable materials. As he headed toward a Great Medicine, he sensed that the inner core held far more people than he had expected.

• Lin Tian went to the Ghost Forest Mine, planning to explore the outer reaches of its inner core while using his Sea of Consciousness to watch for danger.
• Lin Tian froze a Mid Gang Realm Crystallized Exotic Beast with a command and killed it with his Long Spear, then took its crystal core and several large crystals.
• A group of Gang Realm cultivators arrived at the beast's corpse, and their Eldest Elder warned them not to provoke whoever had killed it amid the many factions gathering in the mine.
• Lin Tian sensed a Great Medicine at least twenty years old and headed toward it, but began wondering why so many people were in the perilous place's core.

Lin Tian discovered that numerous factions had gathered in the perilous land’s inner core and collected a Cloud-Patterned Blood Ganoderma. After Hua Family descendants tried to kill him for sport, Lin Tian fought back, leaving Jian Jiu shocked by the power of his true astral force.

• Lin Tian sensed many groups of powerful cultivators gathering throughout the inner core and worried that the crowds would make it harder to gather resources safely.
• Lin Tian collected a Cloud-Patterned Blood Ganoderma, then dodged a poisoned arrow fired at him from hiding.
• A fat young man from the Hua Family blamed Lin Tian for ruining his bet and ordered Jian Jiu to surround him.
• The fat man and his cousin proposed betting on whose arrow would kill Lin Tian and threatened his family if he tried to flee.
• Lin Tian surged forward to attack the five men, and Jian Jiu realized that Lin Tian's true astral force was far more powerful than expected.

Lin Tian fought the Hua Family guards and killed Jian Jiu and the two other Gang Realm cultivators, then killed the two young men they had protected. He saw that the fat man had been holding a signal flare, leaving the possibility that he had already called for help.

• Jian Jiu led two Gang Realm guards in an attack on Lin Tian, but Lin Tian's true qi and strength overwhelmed him.
• Lin Tian used the command "Freeze" to stop Jian Jiu briefly, then crushed his heart with a punch.
• Lin Tian killed the two remaining guards as they tried to flee with the two young men.
• The fat man begged for his life and said he was from a Millennial Clan, but Lin Tian punched him and the other richly dressed man to death.
• Lin Tian noticed a signal flare in the fat man's hand.

After killing members of the Hua Family, Lin Tian fled from a pursuing True Essence Realm elder and headed for the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land as his only apparent escape. At its edge, a sudden attack forced Lin Tian to marshal every defense he had just to survive the blow.

• Lin Tian gathered the dead Hua Family members’ belongings, destroyed the corpses and battle traces, then fled when he sensed a True Essence Realm expert approaching.
• A True Essence Realm elder of the Hua Family found the scene, searched with his martial intent, and pursued Lin Tian after spotting a fast-moving figure with a concealed aura.
• Lin Tian sped toward the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, hoping its deadly Blood Baleful Qi would help him shake the elder.
• At the forbidden land’s edge, Lin Tian sensed an attack from a True Essence Realm expert and used the Demon-Subduing Golden Body, Yi Chen Spear, Formless Combat Technique, and Primordial True Qi to block it.

Lin Tian survived a Hua Family elder’s attack but was thrown into the Blood Balefal mist, where his Blood-Colored True Qi absorbed the Blood Balefal and helped heal him. As he recovered, he realized the forbidden land might solve the problem of how to cultivate the Blood-Colored True Qi.

• Lin Tian poured True Qi into his shield, but the Hua Family elder’s strike shattered it and sent him, gravely wounded, into the Blood Balefal mist.
• The Hua Family elder judged Lin Tian as good as dead, left without entering the mist, and sent a message ordering the Hua Family to investigate.
• As Blood Balefal flooded his body, Lin Tian used his Blood-Colored True Qi, which burned away and absorbed it.
• The Blood-Colored True Qi grew stronger and released pure blood vitality, allowing Lin Tian’s body to recover until he could sit up.
• Lin Tian realized that absorbing Blood Balefal might let him cultivate the Blood-Colored True Qi instead of eventually giving it up.

Inside the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, Lin Tian discovered that the blood baleful mist could strengthen both his Blood-Colored True Qi and his body. After he concealed himself, Hua Family disciples entered the mist to search for him, following Elder Hua Sheng’s order to bring him back alive or dead.

• Lin Tian realized that staying in the blood baleful mist refined his Blood-Colored True Qi without requiring him to cultivate.
• Lin Tian discovered that the pure blood vitality produced by refining Baleful Intent could temper his body beyond its previous limit.
• Lin Tian recovered, gathered the fragments of his Yi Chen Spear, and let the weapon return to his body.
• Hearing footsteps, Lin Tian used the Formless Combat Technique to conceal himself and vanish.
• Several Hua Family disciples entered the mist, and their leader insisted that they obey Elder Hua Sheng’s order to bring Lin Tian back alive or bring back his corpse.

Lin Tian evaded the Hua Family search party and chose to hide deeper in the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, where the blood baleful aura could aid his cultivation. At the land’s edge, a young woman from Heavenly Sword Great City learned that a rare treasure called a Life Blood Pearl was about to appear there.

• The Hua Family searched the pit where Lin Tian had fallen but could not find him, so their leader ordered the men to search the surrounding area while he returned to camp for reinforcements.
• Lin Tian overheard the Hua Family’s plans and decided to remain hidden rather than risk leaving while they were on alert.
• Lin Tian moved deeper into the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land and settled in a secluded spot to cultivate with the blood baleful aura.
• At the forbidden land’s edge, a young girl from Heavenly Sword Great City asked her great-grandfather why they had traveled there.
• The one-eyed old man told Yuan'er that a treasure was about to emerge and explained that Life Blood Pearls could extend life and regenerate severed limbs.

Lin Tian’s Blood-Colored True Qi and physical strength grew dramatically during a month of seclusion in the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land. Drawn by a disturbance, he found nine floating blood pearls in a pit, while people outside waited for the Life Blood Pearls to finish forming.

• The one-eyed old man told Yuan'er that they had to wait for the Life Blood Pearls to form and that this unusually long formation might produce pearls of the finest quality.
• A month later, the blood baleful energy outside surged as the Life Blood Pearls reached the final stage of formation, and the gathered experts prepared to enter.
• Lin Tian opened his eyes and found that his Blood-Colored True Qi had advanced to the middle stage during his month of seclusion.
• Lin Tian discovered that the dense blood baleful energy had greatly strengthened his body, bringing his physical strength to the equivalent of Gang Realm completion.
• Lin Tian sensed that something was drawing in his Blood-Colored True Qi and followed the disturbance to a pit where the blood baleful energy had been absorbed.
• Lin Tian saw nine blood pearls floating in the pit.

Lin Tian discovered that blood beads could improve the quality of his Blood-Colored True Qi, then left the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land and stayed in Ghost Forest Mine to earn contribution points. In Dao Origin City, Zhao Santong offered to support the Murong Family and surprised Murong Jin by asking whether Lin Tian was the cause of his hesitation.

• Lin Tian examined the blood beads, found they contained Blood Baleful Qi fused with earth vein elemental power, and discovered that absorbing them could improve his Blood-Colored True Qi.
• Lin Tian collected the blood beads, concealed their aura, and left the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land after a month had passed.
• Lin Tian remained in Ghost Forest Mine because he still needed contribution points for cultivation resources.
• Zhao Santong asked Murong Jin to prioritize providing him with cultivation resources in exchange for his support of the Murong Family.
• Murong Jin hesitated because the family had already promised to cultivate another candidate, and Zhao Santong asked whether Lin Tian was the reason.

Zhao Santong tried to persuade Murong Jin that Lin Tian was a poor investment because of his humble origins and weak foundation. Murong Jin weighed Lin Tian’s limited prospects against the chance to support Zhao Santong, who had no backers yet.

• Zhao Santong told Murong Jin that Lin Tian’s humble background made his current success temporary and left him without the foundation of the other candidates.
• Murong Jin considered how Lin Tian’s origins had limited his resources and cultivation compared with Long Wukong and Gu Qingtian.
• Murong Jin suspected Lin Tian had used a favor to obtain Elder Murong Yun’s recommendation, but worried that supporting him could waste the Murong Family’s influence during a crisis.
• Murong Jin considered backing Zhao Santong instead, believing support now could bring substantial returns later.
• Murong Jin concluded that Lin Tian could not offer the Murong Family comparable returns.

After half a month gathering resources in Ghost Forest Mine, Lin Tian returned to Dao Origin Sect and exchanged part of his haul for contribution points. He then joined a crowd of disciples to watch Yan Shaowu challenge True Disciple Liang Wankuo, whose failed breakthrough was rumored to have left him badly injured.

• Murong Jin told Zhao Santong that he would discuss Zhao Santong's proposal with his family, leaving Zhao confident it would be accepted.
• Lin Tian collected a vast haul in Ghost Forest Mine and returned safely to Dao Origin Sect, where he exchanged a third of his resources for over thirty-five thousand contribution points.
• Lin Tian sent Hua Chengming the pills he needed, bought more cultivation resources, and headed toward his Cultivation Chamber.
• After hearing that Yan Shaowu was challenging Liang Wankuo, Lin Tian went to the Inner Sect martial arena, where eight other True Disciple Candidates had gathered.
• Three elders arrived to witness the challenge, and Yan Shaowu released his true gang and charged at Liang Wankuo.

Yan Shaowu challenged Liang Wankuo with an all-out saber assault, forcing the True Disciple to reveal his strength. After losing their final exchange, Yan Shaowu conceded, and Lin Tian realized that Yan Shaowu had only been testing Liang Wankuo.

• Yan Shaowu attacked Liang Wankuo at full strength, and Liang blocked his opening strike with physical strength.
• Yan Shaowu used Stacking Waves Myriad Force Saber, building his attacks toward a powerful final slash.
• Yan Shaowu skipped the technique’s usual buildup and unleashed its final-stage strike at Liang Wankuo.
• Liang Wankuo answered with his own unparalleled battle technique and won their clash.
• Yan Shaowu conceded despite still being able to fight, and Lin Tian understood that he had been probing Liang Wankuo’s true strength.

Lin Tian watched Yan Shaowu’s challenge reveal Liang Wankuo’s weakness after a failed breakthrough, but chose not to pursue the True Disciple position. As he left, Ye Wandao told him that Zhao Santong had intercepted the Murong Family’s planned support for him, leaving Lin Tian curious about Ye Wandao’s intentions.

• Lin Tian realized Yan Shaowu’s apparent recklessness had been a facade and inferred that the True Disciple Candidates had coordinated his test of Liang Wankuo.
• Lin Tian detected that Liang Wankuo’s failed attempt to enter the True Essence Realm had damaged his body, though it had also given his attacks some True Essence Realm qualities.
• Lin Tian judged that he could likely defeat Liang Wankuo but decided not to compete for the True Disciple position, having already learned what he wanted about the disciples’ True Qi.
• As the crowd dispersed, Ye Wandao stopped Lin Tian and said he had news related to him.
• Ye Wandao told Lin Tian that the Murong Family had intended to support him, but Zhao Santong had intercepted and taken the opportunity.
• Lin Tian recalled that he would have refused the support anyway, especially any marriage alliance, and wondered why Ye Wandao had approached him.

Lin Tian rejected Ye Wandao’s attempt to manipulate him into obstructing Zhao Santong and returned to cultivation. Meanwhile, the Dao Origin Sect’s secret realm began showing signs of opening, prompting the elders to gather before Sect Master Yu Xiangtian.

• Lin Tian suspected Ye Wandao wanted him to cause trouble for Zhao Santong, thanked him, and tried to leave.
• Ye Wandao revealed that the Murong Family had not yet chosen whether to support Zhao Santong, hoping Lin Tian would interfere with Zhao’s prospects.
• Lin Tian declined to engage with Ye Wandao’s scheme and returned to his loft to cultivate with blood pearls and a top-grade Gang Condensation Pill.
• The black stone gate guarding the secret realm trembled, and Yu Xiangtian realized the realm was opening sooner than expected.
• The Dao Origin Sect’s elders gathered at the core conference hall, where one elder asked Yu Xiangtian whether the secret realm was about to open.

Yu Xiangtian allowed the New Faction’s elders to involve themselves in the Dao Origin Sect’s secret realm, believing their clans’ resources benefited the sect. The Murong Family gathered to confront the threat that the coming opening could push them out of the Millennial Clans, and considered investing in a genius to secure resources.

• Yu Xiangtian stopped Elder Zhou from criticizing the New Faction and told him to prepare for the secret realm’s opening.
• Yu Xiangtian reasoned that the aristocratic clans had helped the secret realm open early by supplying resources and that their access might have been deliberately allowed.
• News of the secret realm’s imminent opening spread among the aristocratic clans, which convened high-level family meetings.
• Murong Ao told the Murong Family’s assembled leaders that the secret realm was both an opportunity and a crisis because their family had few useful Dao Origin Sect disciples.
• The Murong Family recognized that investing in a genius could break their predicament, but carrying out that plan would be difficult.

Murong Ao’s family meeting chose to support Zhao Santong, a powerful Dao Origin Sect True Disciple Candidate, instead of Lin Tian. Murong Ya reported the decision to Murong Yun, who was angered but realized he could not convince the family that Lin Tian was the better choice.

• Murong Jin urged Murong Ao and the Murong Family elders to support a genius ahead of the secret realm opening.
• Murong Jin revealed that Zhao Santong had offered to cooperate with the Murong Family if they supported him with all their strength.
• Murong Ao considered Murong Yun’s earlier recommendation of Lin Tian, but decided Lin Tian’s background and potential were inadequate for the family’s needs.
• Murong Ao secured the elders’ agreement to invite Zhao Santong to discuss cooperation, while Murong Ya kept her objections to herself.
• Murong Ya told Murong Yun that the family had chosen another True Disciple Candidate, and Murong Yun grew agitated before deciding that arguing for Lin Tian would be futile.

Murong Yun decided that Lin Tian was the Murong Family’s best hope and chose to invest in him by giving up his own chance to enter the family’s secret ground. He sent Murong Ya to deliver his Elder Token to Lin Tian, accepting that his injuries would take longer to heal if the family’s gamble failed.

• Murong Yun became convinced that Lin Tian had extraordinary potential and that backing him could save the Murong Family.
• Murong Yun took out his Elder Token, which granted one chance to enter the Murong Family’s secret ground and cultivate with Secret Realm Essence.
• Murong Yun told Murong Ya to take the token to the Dao Origin Sect and give it to Lin Tian as an opportunity to enter the secret ground.
• Murong Ya protested that giving up the chance would delay Murong Yun’s recovery by twenty years, but Murong Yun ordered her to obey.
• Murong Yun kept his reasons to himself, believing Lin Tian was the Murong Family’s only hope and that backing him could ultimately help restore his injuries.

Murong Yun sent Lin Tian a token connected to primordial energy in a secret realm, and Lin Tian accepted it while planning to clarify the conditions before helping the Murong Family. Meanwhile, Zhao Santong used the approaching secret realm opening to pressure the Murong Family for better terms, while keeping watch on Lin Tian.

• Murong Yun had Murong Ya deliver a token to Lin Tian, hoping the Murong Family would survive its crisis.
• Lin Tian accepted the token because the secret realm's primordial energy could help him reach the late Gang Realm, but he planned to meet Murong Yun and clarify the terms first.
• Lin Tian decided to consolidate his unstable blood qi and Blood-Colored True Qi before visiting the Murong Family.
• Zhao Santong told his messenger that he would delay visiting the Murong Family, using the wait to raise his price for cooperation.
• Zhao Santong asked whether Lin Tian had made any moves, and the messenger reported that Lin Tian had entered seclusion and stayed quiet.

Cinnabar Sparrow Peak’s Grand Elder refined twelve Gang Ascension Pills and allowed the other three lineages to divide six of them. Lin Tian learned of the distribution and was asked to represent the Heavenly Steed Lineage in collecting its share.

• Zhao Santong decided against warning Lin Tian again, since doing so could damage his reputation.
• Cinnabar Sparrow Peak’s Grand Elder successfully refined twelve Gang Ascension Pills and assigned four to the sect, four to his peak, and six to the other three lineages.
• News of the pills reached the four lineages’ core ranks, including Lin Tian.
• Lin Tian decided to seek the pills after learning they could improve the quality of True Gang.
• Mu Chunfeng transmitted that he could not leave cultivation and asked Lin Tian to collect the Gang Ascension Pills for the Heavenly Steed Lineage.

Zhao Santong decided to maneuver for an extra Gang Ascension Pill by taking the pill expected to go to Lin Tian. As the pills neared completion, Lin Tian recognized that others were targeting his share and resolved not to give it up.

• Zhao Santong worried that the Mystic Heaven Lineage’s Gang Ascension Pills would go to Gu Qingtian, Wen Tianming, or other candidates instead of him.
• Zhao Santong reasoned that his lineage might claim a third pill and chose Lin Tian as the easiest person to deprive of one.
• Zhao Santong decided to make preparations using a piece of assistance he had available.
• At Cinnabar Sparrow Peak, Lin Tian joined the representatives waiting for the Gang Ascension Pills to finish refining.
• Lin Tian noticed others eyeing his expected pill and resolved to fight for his own interests rather than yield.

Lin Tian watched as the Gang Ascension Pills were finished and the rival lineages argued over their share. Jin Huan tried to secure a third Pill through a supposed loan, but Xiong Tian rejected the scheme, and Jin Huan turned his attention to the silent Lin Tian.

• The Grand Elder collected six of the twelve Pills for the sect and Cinnabar Sparrow Peak, then left the remaining six for Lin Tian and the others to divide.
• Jin Huan asked to take three Pills for the Gold Spirit Lineage, claiming he would return one at the next distribution.
• Xiong Tian rejected Jin Huan’s proposal and said the Gold Spirit Lineage could take only two unless Jin Huan had the strength to claim a third.
• Jin Huan held back from challenging Xiong Tian and looked toward Lin Tian, finding a new idea.

Jin Huan tried to use the lineage distribution rules to get Lin Tian to hand over a Gang Ascension Pill, while Xiong Tian chose not to challenge him. Lin Tian refused, leaving Jin Huan angered by the resistance he had not expected.

• Jin Huan argued that the six pills should be split equally among the three lineages and asked Lin Tian to lend him one.
• Jin Huan offered to repay Lin Tian with a pill or points, intending to take the Gang Ascension Pill from him.
• Xiong Tian decided not to compete with Jin Huan for the pill, and the two men silently accepted the arrangement.
• Lin Tian said he disagreed and refused to give Jin Huan the pill, telling him to look elsewhere.

Lin Tian refused to give Jin Huan the Gang Ascension Pills and openly challenged him, making Jin Huan and Xiong Tian wonder whether Lin Tian had a trump card. When Jin Huan attacked as Lin Tian reached for the pills, Lin Tian dodged and counterattacked with a powerful kick.

• Xiong Tian and the Cinnabar Sparrow Peak disciples laughed at and condemned Jin Huan for trying to take Lin Tian’s pills.
• Jin Huan warned Lin Tian to know his place, but Lin Tian challenged him to settle things through strength.
• When Jin Huan remained silent, Lin Tian reached for the pills, and Jin Huan struck at his hand with a concealed punch.
• Lin Tian sensed the attack, dodged it, unleashed his True Gang and Demon-Subduing Golden Body, and kicked at Jin Huan.
• Jin Huan hurriedly raised his arm to block Lin Tian’s kick, relying on the True Gang he had gathered for his punch.

Lin Tian overwhelmed Jin Huan with a powerful whip kick and took the two Gang Ascension Pills, while Jin Huan concealed the severity of his injuries. As Lin Tian started to leave, a terrifying pressure from a True Essence Realm presence pinned him in place.

• Jin Huan abandoned defense and tried to seize Lin Tian's leg, intending to cripple him, but Lin Tian's strike proved far stronger than he expected.
• Lin Tian's whip kick smashed into Jin Huan's chest, breaking bones and sending him flying before Jin Huan landed and suppressed his injuries.
• Jin Huan recognized that he was no match for Lin Tian and, unable to speak without coughing blood, let Lin Tian take the two Gang Ascension Pills.
• Lin Tian turned to leave as the Cinnabar Sparrow Peak onlookers and Xiong Tian failed to grasp how badly Jin Huan had been hurt.
• A powerful pressure suddenly pinned Lin Tian in place, and he sensed that its source was in the True Essence Realm.

Xiao Yuanming, the Mystic Heaven Lineage’s Fifth True Disciple, demanded Lin Tian surrender a Gang Ascension Pill and used True Essence pressure to force him down. Lin Tian stood back up and resisted the pressure, while Xiao Yuanming grew more hostile.

• Xiong Tian recognized the voice ordering Lin Tian to leave a pill as Xiao Yuanming’s, and Xiao Yuanming appeared before them.
• Xiao Yuanming demanded one of Lin Tian’s Gang Ascension Pills, saying Lin Tian could take the other back to Mu Chunfeng.
• Lin Tian decided he could not fight a True Essence Realm expert and prepared to hand over the pill.
• Xiao Yuanming increased the pressure on Lin Tian, forcing him to one knee and cracking the Alchemy Plaza’s stone bricks.
• Lin Tian used Primordial True Qi and activated the Demon-Subduing Golden Body to stand back up under Xiao Yuanming’s crushing pressure.
• Xiao Yuanming became more dangerous and gathered more True Essence in his hand.