Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ning completed the current stage of the Indestructible Vajra Body and traveled with Ji Mingyue, Chen Canghai, and Jing Wuming to the Royal Capital. After strengthening his Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique above the clouds, he entered the city with Ji Mingyue, drawing attention as rumors of upheaval spread.

• Jiang Ning completed the Indestructible Vajra Body's current stage but lacked the source points needed for another breakthrough.
• Jiang Ning summoned Chen Canghai and Jing Wuming to accompany him to the Royal Capital, then entrusted the remaining Guangning Prefecture affairs to Shen Wenyuan.
• As they traveled above the clouds, Jiang Ning absorbed solar essence and rapidly advanced the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique while building up divine power.
• After two days, Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue reached the Royal Capital and entered through its central gate with the royal immortal crane.
• Gate onlookers speculated about rumors of someone collapsing, and news of Jiang Ning's return spread through the city as undercurrents surged.

Jiang Ning visited the National Preceptor's Residence with Ji Mingyue and reunited with his family, while Zhong Ling struggled with her feelings and Su Qingying revealed her mistaken ideas about intimacy. The chapter ended as Jiang Ning went to see Linglong and considered whether continuing to nurture her was worthwhile.

• Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue arrived at the National Preceptor's Residence, where Jiang Li welcomed them and Little Doubao embraced Jiang Ning.
• Ji Mingyue gave Little Doubao a scented sachet and joined Liu Wanwan in the kitchen to learn how to make Jiang Ning's favorite noodles.
• Jiang Ning sparred with Jiang Yiming and advised him to find his inner motivation for training.
• Zhong Ling told Jiang Ning she missed home, and he offered to take her back to Five Peaks Prefecture after his affairs in the Royal Capital settled.
• Su Qingying told Jiang Ning she thought they needed to undress and hold each other to conceive, leaving Zhong Ling startled.
• Little Doubao led Jiang Ning toward Linglong, and he reflected on the danger and cost of continuing to nurture her.

Ji Mingyu visited Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue after returning to the Royal Capital, then revealed that the emperor was gravely ill and the princes were contending for the throne. He asked Jiang Ning to support his claim, but Jiang Ning declined, leaving the succession struggle unresolved.

• Jiang Li brought Ji Mingyu to breakfast at Jiang Ning's home, where the Third Prince joined the family for braised beef noodles.
• Ji Mingyu told Ji Mingyue that their father was unwell and warned Jiang Ning that the Royal Capital was full of political danger.
• Ji Mingyu admitted that he believed himself fit to rule Great Xia and offered to use the imperial treasury to cure Jiang Ning's curse and arrange his wedding to Ji Mingyue if Jiang Ning supported him.
• Jiang Ning thanked Ji Mingyu but declined to join his cause, and Ji Mingyu warned him that backing Ji Minghao would be a death trap because the Eighth Prince lacked powerful support.
• Ji Mingyu argued that Great Xia needed a mighty ruler to end the princes' conflict and restore stability.

Ji Mingyue returned to the palace with Jiang Ning and Su Qingying to see Emperor Changning, whose condition proved to be near death from a curse. Jiang Ning used his power of Withering and Flourishing to briefly suppress the curse and awaken the emperor, leaving the royal succession struggle unresolved.

• Ji Mingyu tried to recruit Jiang Ning to support his claim to the throne, but Jiang Ning refused and chose to accompany Ji Mingyue to the palace.
• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying accompanied Ji Mingyue into the imperial palace, where Su Qingying forced Chief Steward Fu to let them see Emperor Changning.
• Fifth Prince Ji Mingyuan tried to keep Ji Mingyue from seeing their father, but she entered the emperor’s chamber with Jiang Ning and Su Qingying.
• Jiang Ning examined Emperor Changning and sensed that a curse had deeply corroded his body and soul, leaving him close to death.
• Jiang Ning used the power of Withering and Flourishing to suppress the curse briefly, and Emperor Changning regained consciousness and recognized Ji Mingyue.
• Ji Mingyuan brought out thousand-year Shouyang Ginseng to sustain Emperor Changning after Jiang Ning warned that his life force was nearly exhausted.

Emperor Changning regained enough strength to receive visitors and gave Jiang Ning the Dragon Soaring Token, asking him to protect Ji Mingyue while the imperial succession remained unsettled. The Northern Azure King then arrived at the palace, challenged the circumstances surrounding the emperor’s isolation, and announced he would stay in the Royal Capital.

• Emperor Changning ate the Shouyang Ginseng and told Ji Mingyuan to guard the door while he spoke with Jiang Ning and Ji Mingyue.
• Emperor Changning said he would leave the succession to a struggle among his sons and gave Jiang Ning the Dragon Soaring Token to protect Ji Mingyue.
• Emperor Changning ordered Lu Jiu to deal with Fu Dayu and sent a Shadow Guard to find Hai Dahe and bring three Saint King Pills for Jiang Ning.
• Ji Mingyuan announced that the Northern Azure King had arrived, and the king entered with a companion and accused Ji Mingyuan of keeping Emperor Changning under house arrest.
• Emperor Changning rejected the Northern Azure King’s offer to examine him, while the king said he would remain in the Royal Capital and urged the emperor to settle the succession soon.
• Chief Steward Hai arrived with a wooden box and refused to reveal its contents, after which the Northern Azure King left with his companion.

Jiang Ning received Emperor Changning’s Saint King Pills and learned that the emperor had entrusted the Hidden Guard to Elder Ji while preparing for the succession struggle. After taking Ji Mingyue into his protection, Jiang Ning returned to the National Preceptor’s Residence, worried about Ji Xuan emerging from seclusion and preparing to use the pills to strengthen himself.

• Emperor Changning gave Jiang Ning three Saint King Pills and sent Chief Steward Hai to summon Ji Xuan, the King Who Stands Shoulder to Shoulder with the Emperor.
• Emperor Changning told Elder Ji that the Hidden Guard was under his command and explained why he had entrusted Ji Mingyue and the Dragon Soaring Token to Jiang Ning.
• Ji Mingyuan questioned Ji Mingyue and Jiang Ning about Emperor Changning’s plans, but both refused to reveal anything.
• Jiang Ning told Ji Mingyue that Emperor Changning’s curse would likely return him to an unwakable slumber after a day and night.
• Jiang Ning returned to the National Preceptor’s Residence, stored the Dragon Soaring Token, and opened the box of Saint King Pills as he prepared to strengthen himself before facing Ji Xuan.

Jiang Ning consumed three Saint King Pills to cultivate the Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword, entering an unprecedented state of clarity and briefly achieving epiphany. He brought the sword art to mastery, discovered its power over yin-yang and space, and demonstrated that he could vanish and observe distant places.

• Jiang Ning swallowed a Saint King Pill and used the resulting transcending-into-sainthood state to practice the Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword, triggering an epiphany that rapidly increased his mastery and Source Points.
• After the first pill’s effects faded, Jiang Ning swallowed a second pill and continued practicing, gaining more sword experience and raising his Source Points above sixty.
• Worried that Ji Xuan might soon come looking for trouble, Jiang Ning swallowed the last pill and kept practicing until the Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword reached mastery.
• Jiang Ning realized the mastered sword art could manipulate the principles of space and yin-yang, then demonstrated its Yin-Yang Unity killing move.
• Jiang Ning used the sword art to shift through space and saw Liu Wanwan, Jiang Li, and Su Qingying from afar.

Jiang Ning perfected the Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword, removed the divinity suppressing Su Qingying, and used his remaining Saint King Pill gains to break the Indestructible Vajra Body through its sixth limit. After dinner, he planned to strengthen himself further before confronting the succession crisis in the Royal Capital.

• Jiang Ning reached the third layer of space with the perfected Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword, then removed Su Qingying's accumulated divinity so she could experience human emotions and begin shedding the Immortal-Slaying Sword's authority.
• Jiang Ning used the Saint King Pills' remaining effects to advance the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method, then spent fifty source points to break through the Indestructible Vajra Body.
• Jiang Ning gained the deep-purple Blood-Qi Furnace trait, which let his body refine ordinary food into blood-qi and keep his blood-qi from running out while its fire endured.
• Su Qingying contained the disturbance from Jiang Ning's breakthrough, and Jiang Ning reflected that his improved strength might let him challenge Ji Xuan, the King Who Stood Shoulder to Shoulder with the Emperor.
• Qinghe told Jiang Ning that Ji Mingyue had gone to stay with Emperor Changning, whose lucidity was expected to end by sunrise; Jiang Ning joined his family for dinner and felt ordinary food strengthening his blood-qi.

Jiang Ning met with the Martial Saint, who confirmed that Jiang Ning had reached the first-grade Unity Realm and explained why Ji Xuan was such a formidable rival. The Martial Saint revealed the power of the Upper Three Heavens and ended by wondering why its experts still avoided him despite his failing strength.

• Jiang Ning left the National Preceptor's Residence and traveled to the Martial Saint's grotto-heaven after the Martial Saint summoned him.
• The Martial Saint recognized Jiang Ning's Unity Realm and said only a few of the world's strongest experts could see through his concealed aura.
• Jiang Ning asked about Ji Xuan, and the Martial Saint explained Ji Xuan's exceptional talent, his pursuit of both the Martial and Immortal Dao, and his path beyond the perfected Imperial Pole World-Subduing Art.
• The Martial Saint rated Jiang Ning among the top three prodigies he had encountered and described his past battle with an Upper Three Heavens expert who had condensed a Dao Flower.
• The Martial Saint said Dao armaments in the Upper Three Heavens had deterred him from attacking, then wondered why its experts avoided him now that his strength and lifespan were fading.

Jiang Ning questioned the old man about the realms beyond Martial Saint, the wider world, and the Primordial Era. The old man recounted his travels between realms and explained that the cataclysm’s causes remained uncertain, leaving Jiang Ning determined to explore the world’s mysteries.

• The old man told Jiang Ning that he might learn about the path beyond Martial Saint if he reached the old man’s level and returned.
• The old man described exploring the world’s frozen northern reaches, storm-wracked eastern ocean, and demon-haunted southern mountains, where he met Xuandu and discovered a Five-Colored Ancient Formation.
• The old man said the formation carried him to Flame-Severing Heaven, a barren realm where all life had perished and spiritual vitality had dried up.
• Jiang Ning asked why the Primordial Era’s upheaval had changed the world and diminished the Immortal Dao, and the old man admitted he had not found the answer.
• The old man suggested that Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands might drain the world’s origin and said beings above True Immortals may have been involved in the upheaval.

Jiang Ning broke through the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique’s fifth limit break, gaining a gold Longevity Species trait that gave him a lifespan exceeding a thousand years and eternal youth. Meanwhile, Ji Xuan learned that Lin Qingyi was at the National Preceptor’s Residence and set out to claim her, leaving Jiang Ning to prepare to test his mental strength in the Upper Yang Inner Landscape.

• Jiang Ning reflected on Ji Xuan’s immense strength and decided to rely on his own power while planning another visit to the Upper Yang Inner Landscape.
• Jiang Ning used Source Points to break through the Inner Elixir Life-Nourishing Technique’s fifth limit break, restoring his organs and improving Longevity Species to pale gold.
• Ji Xuan confronted the Blind Elder at the Heavenly Surveillance Bureau and demanded to know where Lin Qingyi was.
• Ji Xuan used the Sovereign World-Suppressing Domain, but the Blind Elder vanished; a talisman then revealed that Lin Qingyi was at the National Preceptor’s Residence.
• Jiang Ning sensed Ji Xuan’s display from afar and concluded that his own mental strength surpassed Ji Xuan’s, then resolved to test it in the Upper Yang Inner Landscape.

Jiang Ning revisited the Shangyang Immortal Sect's Inner Landscape Grounds, gained deeper insight into the Dao of withering and flourishing, and learned about the sect's Withering and Flourishing Rebirth Technique. He climbed to the two hundredth step of the Heaven-Climbing Stairway, confirmed his soul had reached the realm of a Primordial Spirit Immortal, and left his declaration.

• Jiang Ning attended Elder Ouyang's lecture on the Dao of withering and flourishing and gained insights that clarified his understanding of the Four Seasons Cycle.
• Elder Ouyang demonstrated the Withering and Flourishing Rebirth Technique, and a woman beside Jiang Ning explained that the secret inheritance required qualification and sect contribution points to learn.
• Jiang Ning left the vanished lecture scene and headed to the Heaven-Climbing Stairway, hoping to test whether his soul had reached the realm of a Primordial Spirit Immortal.
• Jiang Ning climbed past his previous limit at the hundred and eighty-eighth step and reached the two hundredth step, confirming his mental strength and soul realm had reached the Primordial Spirit Immortal level.
• Jiang Ning heard Bai Li's declaration among the voices of past climbers and realized Bai Li was a woman and a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.
• Jiang Ning declared, "I, Jiang Ning, have attained the realm of a Primordial Spirit Immortal today!"

Jiang Ning reached the two-hundredth step of the Celestial Ladder and received a supreme method for cultivating a primordial spirit, but he stopped after advancing five more steps. Back in the courtyard, he strengthened his understanding of withering and flourishing and demonstrated its power to make an old tree bloom and wither in moments.

• Jiang Ning reached the two-hundredth step, left his words for future climbers, and received the yin-yang dao embryo method for becoming a Ninefold Profound Yin-Yang High Immortal.
• Jiang Ning considered using Upper Yang Grotto-Heaven to gather pure yin and yang qi, then climbed to the two-hundred-and-fifth step before the pressure forced him to give up.
• Jiang Ning returned to his courtyard with a slightly strengthened soul and reflected on his new cultivation method and the danger posed by Ji Xuan.
• Jiang Ning used two source points to advance the Four Seasons Reincarnation Scripture, raising its withering-and-flourishing trait to pale gold.
• Jiang Ning used the power of withering and flourishing to make a bare tree blossom, then rapidly wither back into a lifeless state.

Jiang Ning gained the Heaven-Human Communion trait and considered forging a supreme-grade Primordial Spirit through the Yin-Yang Dao Embryo. After receiving Emperor Changning’s notice of an early court assembly, he went to wake Su Qingying and found her asleep in her room.

• Jiang Ning used five Source Points to break through the Four Seasons Reincarnation Scripture and gain Heaven-Human Communion, then demonstrated that he could change the local weather.
• Jiang Ning assessed his slow progress toward Unity Realm mastery and decided the Yin-Yang Dao Embryo offered the greatest prospect of increasing his strength.
• An imperial guard brought Qinghe notices summoning Jiang Ning and Su Qingying to Emperor Changning’s court assembly at a quarter past the start of the hour of the tiger.
• Jiang Ning took the notices and went to Su Qingying’s bamboo house to notify her, finding her asleep on the azure jade bamboo bed.

Jiang Ning prepared for his first court assembly with Su Qingying and arrived at the Supreme Ultimate Hall as the hour of the Tiger began. He took his place among the military officials, where he realized his rank placed him below the First Rank officials.

• Jiang Ning showed Su Qingying the court assembly invitation, and she said she would accompany him after sensing Ji Xuan's aura and hoping he knew what happened to Lin Qingyi.
• Jiang Ning practiced the Grand Void Yin-Yang Sword in his courtyard until Su Qingying, Qinghe, and Hong Mian arrived to escort him to court.
• Hong Mian and Qinghe helped Jiang Ning bathe and dress in his Inspector of Zeshan Prefecture official uniform.
• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying traveled to Vermilion Bird Gate, where palace guards led them toward the Supreme Ultimate Hall for the unusual court assembly.
• Jiang Ning recognized several princes and major officials gathered outside the hall, then took his place in the military ranks and learned that only First Rank officials stood above him.

At a tense court assembly, Emperor Changning announced that Ji Xuan would govern as regent while he recovered, prompting Chancellor Li and many ministers to demand a crown prince. Ji Xuan intimidated the dissenters, but the Northern Azure King challenged his authority before falling silent under his pressure.

• Jiang Ning and Su Qingying entered the Supreme Ultimate Hall with the officials, where they saw Emperor Changning and the newly emerged Ji Xuan.
• Ji Xuan assessed the Northern Azure King as a powerful third-tier supreme powerhouse and recognized why his arrival in the capital had prompted Emperor Changning to summon him.
• Emperor Changning announced that he would withdraw to recover and appoint Ji Xuan regent over Great Xia.
• Chancellor Li argued that a crown prince should be appointed instead, and many civil and military ministers joined his petition.
• Emperor Changning refused to agree to the petition, while Chancellor Li remained kneeling and warned that the nation might descend into chaos if the emperor died without a successor.
• Ji Xuan pressured Chancellor Li and warned the Northern Azure King, who challenged Ji Xuan but ultimately swallowed his anger in silence.

Jiang Ning attended a court assembly where Ji Xuan took control of state affairs and postponed naming a crown prince, while Jiang Ning remained only a spectator. After reuniting with Ji Mingyue and Lin Qingyi, Jiang Ning resolved to keep cultivating and wait to see how Ji Xuan’s plans involving Lin Qingyi unfolded.

• Ji Xuan declared that he would preside over court assemblies and review memorials in the emperor’s stead, and forbade ministers from raising the appointment of a crown prince again for now.
• An Inner Palace Guard told Jiang Ning that Ji Minghao would send Ji Mingyue to meet him at Vermilion Bird Gate, where Ji Mingya brought her and explained that Ji Minghao was avoiding suspicion and did not want to involve them in his affairs.
• Ji Minghao watched from the gate tower and said he would not exploit his bond with Ji Mingyue, while noting that Shen Xiao would be a force in the struggle for the throne.
• Jiang Ning returned to the National Preceptor’s Residence with Ji Mingyue and Su Qingying, and Lin Qingyi asked whether Ji Xuan had caused him trouble; Jiang Ning said Ji Xuan had ignored him.
• Lin Qingyi stayed with Jiang Ning overnight, and the next morning Jiang Ning decided to continue cultivating while waiting to see what Ji Xuan would do about her.

Ji Xuan sent a powerful gray-robed retainer to bring Lin Qingyi back from the National Preceptor's Residence, but Su Qingying protected her and Jiang Ning left for Yang Lake. The retainer followed Jiang Ning into the mountains and attacked him, only for Jiang Ning to shatter his spatial confinement with his physical strength.

• Ji Xuan ordered his gray-robed retainer to invite Lin Qingyi back discreetly, while reflecting on Li Yuan's immense power.
• Jiang Ning left the National Preceptor's Residence to seek the Upper Yang Grotto-Heaven at Yang Lake and encountered the retainer, who demanded that Lin Qingyi return.
• Su Qingying intervened, declared Lin Qingyi her friend, and let Jiang Ning depart; the retainer then secretly followed him out of the Royal Capital.
• Jiang Ning knowingly led the retainer through Upper Capital Commandery toward a remote mountain forest, where the retainer confronted him and demanded he surrender Lin Qingyi.
• The retainer used his spatial power to trap Jiang Ning, but Jiang Ning broke the confinement with a step and forced the retainer to retreat.

Jiang Ning killed the gray-robed elder from the Estate of the Side-by-Side Prince and traveled to Yang Lake, where he entered the Grotto-Heaven. The Grotto-Heaven’s will recognized him as a true disciple of a higher sect.

• Jiang Ning overwhelmed the gray-robed elder with a punch that shattered his defenses and broke his arms.
• The elder tried to flee, but Jiang Ning struck him with a massive wave of force and reduced him to dust.
• Jiang Ning reflected that his strength far surpassed the elder’s, then raced to Yang Lake.
• Jiang Ning walked across the lake and found the golden rift leading into the Grotto-Heaven.
• Jiang Ning entered the Grotto-Heaven, saw its ten golden suns and vast sea, and heard its will identify him as a true disciple of a higher sect.

Jiang Ning gathered pure Yin Qi from Earthly Baleful Yin Stones beneath the sea and pure Yang Qi from the ten suns in Yang Lake Grotto-Heaven. With both kinds of Qi stored, he flew toward a secluded island to forge his Dao Embryo.

• Jiang Ning gained the Grotto-Heaven's permission to gather its purest Yin-Yang Qi.
• Jiang Ning hunted and ate Silver Spearfish, gaining source points and replenishing his body's energy.
• Jiang Ning extracted nine wisps of purest Yin Qi from a river of Earthly Baleful Yin Stones and sealed them in a jade bottle.
• Jiang Ning rose toward the ten suns and endured their heat to gather nine wisps of purest Yang Qi in a white jade bottle.
• Jiang Ning completed the first step of forging the Dao Embryo and flew toward the islands to find a secluded place to cultivate.