Chapter Summaries

Jiang Ning escaped the Wheel-Turning King's jeweled vase and defeated his Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Aspect with a single punch, revealing strength beyond Second Under Heaven. The god of Big Snow Mountain invited Jiang Ning to visit, while the defenders of Heavenly Gate City celebrated his victory and wondered how close he was to the world's strongest man.

• Jiang Ning expanded his golden body inside the jeweled vase and shattered its chains, escaping as the vase broke apart.
• Jiang Ning unleashed his full power and punched through the Wheel-Turning King's divine defenses, destroying the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Aspect and killing him.
• The Northern Pacifying King, Xu Zhen, and the Northern Azure King watched in astonishment as Jiang Ning's single punch ended the battle.
• The god of Big Snow Mountain spoke to Jiang Ning, invited him as a guest, and said he bore no ill will before the mountain vanished from Jiang Ning's sight.
• The soldiers at Heavenly Gate City cheered for Jiang Ning, while the Northern Azure King and Xu Zhen discussed how close Jiang Ning was to the world's strongest man.

After Wheel-Turning King’s death, Jiang Ning decided to spare the Northern Barbarians’ eight thousand Snow Dragon Colts and demand rare treasures and cultivation resources in exchange. The Northern Barbarian Royal Court’s second heir, Ashina, came to negotiate, and Jiang Ning asked whether she sought mercy for the colts or the entire coalition army.

• Jiang Ning considered the surviving god of Big Snow Mountain and chose not to slaughter the Snow Dragon Colts, instead planning to ransom them for resources.
• Jiang Ning asked Northern Pacifying King Xu Zhen and Northern Azure King to arrange negotiations with the Northern Barbarian Royal Court.
• A messenger reported that the army’s commander and the Royal Court’s second heir had requested an audience, and Jiang Ning agreed to meet her.
• Ashina arrived with two companions, introduced herself, and asked Jiang Ning to spare the eight thousand Snow Dragon Colts.
• Jiang Ning asked Ashina whether she meant the Snow Dragon Cavalry or the coalition army of eighteen tribes.

Ashina secured Jiang Ning’s support in provoking a mutiny among the eighteen tribes’ allied forces, while Jiang Ning hosted a victory banquet in Heavenly Gate City. That night, Ashina’s agents stirred the Northern Barbarian warriors into a desperate breakout, and Jiang Ning watched as they overwhelmed the blockade.

• Ashina asked Jiang Ning to help her gain power by sparing the allied forces and promised tribute from the Royal Court; Jiang Ning agreed and told her to make the eighteen tribes mutiny that night.
• Jiang Ning told the Northern Pacifying King, Xu Zhen, and the Northern Azure King that he would help Ashina, and they agreed to wait and see what she could do.
• At a victory banquet in the Northern Azure King's Residence, Heavenly Gate City’s leaders toasted Jiang Ning for defeating the Wheel-Turning King.
• After a guard reported movement outside the city, Jiang Ning left the banquet and went to the city wall with Xu Zhen and the Northern Azure King.
• Ashina’s agents incited the Northern Barbarian warriors to break through the blockade, and the warriors charged the Martial Dao experts in a desperate attempt to reach the grasslands.
• Xu Zhen said it was almost time to act, but Jiang Ning told him to wait a little longer.

Jiang Ning revealed his Six-Foot Golden Body and shattered a mountain peak with one punch, breaking the Northern Barbarian army’s will and allowing Great Xia’s cavalry to rout the uprising. As the battle ended, he turned his attention to the deity watching from Big Snow Mountain and considered meeting it after collecting the ransom for the Snow Dragon Colts.

• Ashina warned the Golden Clan leaders that Jiang Ning might surpass even the strength blessed by Big Snow Mountain, while an elder challenged her role in provoking the attack.
• Jiang Ning appeared above the battlefield in his golden form and declared the allied armies of the eighteen tribes deserved execution.
• Jiang Ning’s punch crushed countless warriors on one peak and wrecked the surrounding terrain, leaving the Northern Barbarians terrified.
• Northern Pacifying King Xu Zhen and the Northern Azure King led prepared cavalry charges against the routed Northern Barbarian forces, while Jiang Ning watched from above.
• Jiang Ning observed Ashina and the Golden Clan leaders, judged Ashina’s abilities, and sensed Big Snow Mountain’s deity watching from the north.
• The battle ended in a one-sided Great Xia victory, and Jiang Ning let the surviving Northern Barbarian soldiers flee or surrender without striking again.

After Jiang Ning secured the battlefield and left Ashina to face accusations from the Golden Tribe leaders, he returned to Heavenly Gate City to recover. Reflecting on the Wheel-Turning King's power, he realized his earlier confidence about visiting Big Snow Mountain may have been dangerously misguided.

• Jiang Ning praised Ashina for keeping the Snow Dragon Colts out of the battle, then vanished as Golden Tribe leaders began accusing her of betraying them.
• The leaders presented Tuota as evidence that Ashina had incited their warriors to break out, but Tuota claimed he had been coerced and died after pleading for her help.
• Jiang Ning told Xu Zhen and the Northern Azure King to monitor Ashina without interfering, promised her the throne if she delivered the ransom and stabilized the court, and ordered them to preserve the Snow Dragon Colts as leverage.
• Jiang Ning returned to the Northern Azure King's Residence and reviewed his battle with the Wheel-Turning King, recognizing the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Aspect as power granted by the deity of Big Snow Mountain.
• Jiang Ning reconsidered his plan to visit Big Snow Mountain and feared that his thoughts about the deity's intentions and strength might have been twisted, leaving him convinced the journey could be fatal.

Jiang Ning advanced the Indestructible Vajra Body, strengthened Dragon-Elephant Strength, and gained clearer insight into how physical cultivation could reveal the body’s mysteries. Ashina Long arrived in Heavenly Gate City to ransom the Snow Dragon Colts and captives, but Jiang Ning rejected his initial offer as too low.

• Jiang Ning cultivated the Indestructible Vajra Body until it reached its experience limit, then spent source points to advance it and raise Dragon-Elephant Strength to Deep Gold.
• Jiang Ning sensed the blurry shadows within himself tremble and realized that the spirit observed the body’s mysteries while the physical body was the key to stirring them.
• Jiang Ning resumed cultivating, and the Northern Azure King reported that Ashina Long had arrived with resources to ransom the Snow Dragon Colts, Ashina, and the Golden Tribe leaders.
• Ashina Long entered Heavenly Gate City with Ashina, the tribal chieftains, and carts of tribute, then met Jiang Ning at the Northern Pacifying King’s Residence.
• Ashina Long offered fifty cartloads of rare ores and one hundred thirty cartloads of spirit medicines, and promised an equal second shipment, but Jiang Ning told him the offer was too low.

After Ashina negotiated the Golden Tribes’ release by promising Jiang Ning further resources, Jiang Ning refined his spoils and advanced the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method. He gained the Fish in the River trait, which let him influence the flow of time, and realized its potential was extraordinary.

• Jiang Ning killed Ashina Long and released Ashina and the Golden Tribes’ leaders after Ashina promised to honor their deal.
• Ashina told the Golden Tribes’ leaders she had promised Jiang Ning a greater price to save their lives and the eight thousand Snow Dragon Colts, and warned them not to break the agreement.
• Jiang Ning refined Ashina Long’s rare treasures, raising his source points to 731.3, then spent three days cultivating and reached 1831.5 source points.
• Jiang Ning advanced the Spiritual Altar Illumination of the True Self Method to its tenth limit-breaking and gained the pale gold Fish in the River trait.
• Jiang Ning tested the new trait and found he could stir the river of time and slightly influence its flow.

After awakening the power to manipulate time, Jiang Ning perceived the ninety shackles binding his body and realized that breaking them was the path beyond the mortal realm. He broke six shackles in his right arm before reaching his current limit, leaving him transformed and eager to continue.

• Jiang Ning discovered that stirring the river of time could double his speed and strength by making successive attacks overlap.
• Jiang Ning looked inward, saw the ninety shackles binding his limbs, organs, and skull, and understood that breaking them led beyond first-grade martial dao.
• Jiang Ning strained against the shackles in his right arm and broke the first one, feeling an immediate surge of ease and power.
• Jiang Ning broke two more shackles in his right arm and found that each remaining shackle grew tougher as his strength increased.
• Jiang Ning continued breaking shackles until six in his right arm had snapped, nearly doubling its strength and toughness before exhaustion stopped him.
• Jiang Ning considered strengthening his body with the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique and wondered how many shackles the Martial Saint had broken.

Jiang Ning received Ashina’s first shipment of resources, completed the eightfold limit-breaking of the Indestructible Vajra Body, and spent Source Points to advance it to ninefold limit-breaking. The breakthrough strengthened his defenses enough for him to snap the final three shackles in his right arm, revealing a surge of newly freed power.

• Xu Zhen told Jiang Ning that Ashina had sent a convoy of tribute, and Jiang Ning ordered the resources brought to his courtyard.
• Jiang Ning refined the first shipment and continued practicing the Indestructible Vajra Body until it reached eightfold limit-breaking.
• When Ashina’s second shipment failed to arrive, Jiang Ning decided to spend five hundred Source Points to advance the Indestructible Vajra Body rather than wait for enough to improve the Black Dragon Swallowing Whale Technique.
• Jiang Ning’s breakthrough enhanced his unbreakable golden body, greatly improving his physical defenses and increasing his strength and vital energy.
• Jiang Ning snapped the remaining three shackles in his right arm and felt a powerful surge as the sealed strength within it was freed.

After learning that the Martial Saint had passed away in meditation, Jiang Ning returned to the Royal Capital, where Xiao Wuque confirmed the news and delivered a wooden box the Martial Saint had left for him. Jiang Ning left Xiao Wuque’s residence carrying the box, whose contents remained unknown.

• Jiang Ning received Xiao Wuque’s message that the Martial Saint had passed away and hurried back to the Royal Capital.
• Jiang Ning secretly entered the city, checked that it was calm, and went to see Xiao Wuque at the Xiao Residence.
• Xiao Wuque confirmed the Martial Saint’s death and explained that his master’s strength had long been exhausted.
• Xiao Wuque gave Jiang Ning a black wooden box that the Martial Saint had left for him, saying it concerned Jiang Ning’s future path and could be opened when the time was right.
• Jiang Ning left Xiao Wuque alone to grieve, then appeared in a secluded alley with the wooden box in his hand.

Jiang Ning read the Martial Saint’s letters, learned that the old master had died, and returned to the capital worried that the news would soon plunge the world into chaos. At home, he discovered that Lin Qingyi had conceived the perfect life-form and learned that they needed to practice the Lunar-Solar Scripture together.

• Jiang Ning opened the wooden box and read the Martial Saint’s letter, which explained that the Martial Saint had severed every shackle using an inheritance from beyond this world and urged Jiang Ning to seek a method of his own.
• Jiang Ning entered the Martial Saint’s grotto-heaven, found another letter offering him refuge and encouraging him to create a method, then left after paying his respects.
• Jiang Ning returned to the capital and reflected that the Martial Saint’s death would soon become public knowledge, leaving the world in turmoil and Jiang Ning to rely on himself.
• Lü Yi greeted Jiang Ning at Marquis Dongling’s Residence and sent him to see Lin Qingyi.
• Jiang Ning sensed the perfect life-form in Lin Qingyi’s womb, and Lin Qingyi told him that they needed to practice the Lunar-Solar Scripture together to address the imbalance in his Primordial Spirit.

Jiang Ning received the Lunar Scripture from the woman of the Moon Palace, who became his master, and balanced the yin and yang energies in his Primordial Spirit. She then began helping him advance his cultivation as the world faced upheaval after the Martial Saint’s death.

• Jiang Ning left Lin Qingyi and traveled to the Water-Moon Sword Palace to ask the woman of the Moon Palace for the Lunar Scripture.
• The woman imparted the Lunar Scripture, giving Jiang Ning a self-sustaining source of Lunar Yin that harmonized with his Solar Scripture.
• Jiang Ning bowed to the woman and acknowledged her as his master, and she warned him to protect the perfect life-form in Lin Qingyi’s womb.
• The woman explained that the Martial Saint’s death would bring chaos and led Jiang Ning beneath an enormous osmanthus tree.
• She described the Immortal Dao’s flower and fruit realms, then showered Jiang Ning with pollen that granted him insights into the Lunar Scripture.

After the Martial Saint’s death, Ji Minghao sought the Nine Heavens’ protection for Great Xia, while Jiang Ning weighed his Immortal Dao scriptures against continuing along the Martial Dao. A White-Clothed Sword Immortal crossed the East Sea toward the Royal Capital to test whether the Martial Saint was truly gone, and Granny Bai prepared to confront him.

• Ji Minghao told Xu Xiao that he had secretly made an agreement with the Nine Heavens, and Xu Xiao pledged to stand with him despite realizing Great Xia’s rule was in danger.
• Jiang Ning left the Water-Moon Sword Palace with the Solar and Lunar Scriptures growing on his immortal seedling, but decided to continue cultivating the Martial Dao and focus next on the Solar Scripture.
• A White-Clothed Sword Immortal split the storm clouds and sea with his sword before racing northwest toward Great Xia’s Royal Capital.
• At the Stargazing Platform, the Blind Elder and Granny Bai discussed the Martial Saint’s death and prepared for the approaching sword master, with Granny Bai planning to send her paper figure first.
• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal reached the skies beyond the Royal Capital, where his sword light cut a brilliant line through the clear sky.

The White-Clothed Sword Immortal attacked the Royal Capital to test whether the Martial Saint had truly passed away, destroying Granny Bai’s paper soldiers and provoking the city’s defenders. After Jiang Ning returned to Lin Qingyi, the Sword Immortal revealed the Martial Saint’s death to the city and threatened to bury ten thousand people unless someone answered his challenge.

• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal gathered sword intent over the Royal Capital, and Granny Bai sent ten paper soldiers to stop him.
• The Sword Immortal destroyed the paper soldiers, discerning how their formation restored them before annihilating them completely.
• Xiang Yuan and Xiao Wuque decided to wait and see whom the Sword Immortal attacked, while Ji Xuan told Ji Minghao he would defend the imperial palace but would not intervene to protect the common people.
• Jiang Ning returned to Lin Qingyi and said he had to act because the Sword Immortal’s test would otherwise put her in danger.
• The Sword Immortal announced that the Martial Saint had passed away and threatened to bury ten thousand people if no one answered his sword.

Su Qingying and the Martial King confronted the White-Clothed Sword Immortal, but his overwhelming sword techniques wounded her and incapacitated Xiang Yuan. Jiang Ning stepped forward to face him as the White-Clothed Sword Immortal launched Gazing Upon the Azure Heavens at Jiang Ning.

• Su Qingying intercepted the White-Clothed Sword Immortal’s attack and challenged him as State Preceptor of Great Xia.
• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal struck Su Qingying with Gazing Upon the Azure Heavens, and Jiang Ning caught her as she fell.
• The Martial King attacked the White-Clothed Sword Immortal, who used a primordial spirit sword to knock him from the sky and leave him badly wounded.
• Jiang Ning acknowledged that he had come to stop the White-Clothed Sword Immortal from killing the Royal Capital’s people.
• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal attacked Jiang Ning with Gazing Upon the Azure Heavens, and the world turned black and white around the advancing sword intent.

Jiang Ning defeated the White-Clothed Sword Immortal’s flying-sword formation and resisted his Primordial Spirit attack, revealing a supreme immortal foundation above the royal capital. The White-Clothed Sword Immortal finally judged Jiang Ning worthy of facing his sheathed immortal sword and began to draw it.

• Jiang Ning crushed the White-Clothed Sword Immortal’s Sword Intent with his bare hand, then punched aside and shattered a flying sword before swallowing its remains.
• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal sent a vast formation of Mother-and-Child Swords at Jiang Ning, but Jiang Ning endured the attack and swallowed the swords.
• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal struck Jiang Ning’s Spirit Platform with the Sword of the Primordial Spirit, and Jiang Ning’s sun-and-moon Primordial Spirit wave dissolved the attack and disabled the sword formation.
• Jiang Ning swallowed the formation’s countless swords and absorbed their refined energy, while the White-Clothed Sword Immortal recognized his highest-grade foundation.
• Ji Minghao and Ji Xuan watched Jiang Ning’s display from the imperial palace and realized how far his strength had surpassed theirs.
• Jiang Ning warned that the White-Clothed Sword Immortal would lose his chance unless he drew his sword, and the White-Clothed Sword Immortal began to unsheathe the immortal sword.

Jiang Ning survived the White-Clothed Sword Immortal’s sealed immortal sword strike and killed him with a single punch, revealing that his strength exceeded everyone’s expectations. After returning to his family and sharing a brief reunion, Jiang Ning left to visit his first master, Wang Jin.

• The White-Clothed Sword Immortal unleashed an immortal sword strike, but Jiang Ning withstood it using his Six-Foot Golden Body and primordial spirit.
• Jiang Ning used the power of time to accelerate and killed the White-Clothed Sword Immortal with one punch, then swallowed the damaged sword.
• Xia Xuanyan watched Jiang Ning’s display of strength and resolved that their opposing positions would make them enemies.
• Ji Xuan admitted that Jiang Ning’s strength had surpassed his understanding, while Ji Minghao wondered if Jiang Ning had reached the Martial Saint’s level.
• Jiang Ning healed Su Qingying’s wound, then returned to Marquis Dongling’s Residence and reunited with Jiang Li, Liu Wanwan, and the others.
• After sharing wine with his family, Jiang Ning left to visit his first master, Wang Jin.

Jiang Ning returned to Luoshui City and visited Li Qing and Wang Jin at the Blue-Wave Martial Academy, where he shared Dream Immortal wine with his master. As he considered how to strengthen his Primordial Spirit, Wang Jin urged him not to let an old teacher hold back his future.

• Jiang Ning arrived at the Blue-Wave Martial Academy and reunited with Li Qing, who told him Bashu had been unsettled by the rising Nine Pecks of Rice church and its Food God worship.
• Jiang Ning went to the rear courtyard to visit Wang Jin and brought him a jar of Dream Immortal wine.
• While waiting for Wang Jin to return with food, Jiang Ning checked his 761.2 source points and decided that strengthening his Primordial Spirit was his best next step.
• Jiang Ning and Wang Jin ate and drank together, and Jiang Ning promised to visit more often.
• Wang Jin told Jiang Ning that his future lay in the wider world and that he should not spend precious time on an old teacher.

Jiang Ning reunited with Wang Jin, who supported his decision to take another master and warned him that powerful figures might target him now that the Martial Saint had died. After returning to the Royal Capital and heading to Lishui Palace, Jiang Ning began cultivating the Solar Scripture to balance and strengthen his primordial spirit.

• Jiang Ning toasted Wang Jin, confessed that he had taken another master, and received his wholehearted support.
• Wang Jin warned Jiang Ning that the Martial Saint’s death would bring chaos and make the young Second Under Heaven a target for powerful figures and the imperial family.
• Jiang Ning returned to the Royal Capital, told Lü Yi to inform his family, and learned that the emperor had invited him to the next day’s court assembly.
• At Lishui Palace, Jiang Ning recognized that his proficient Lunar Scripture had outpaced his beginner Solar Scripture and began cultivating the Solar Scripture to restore balance to his primordial spirit.
• Jiang Ning’s cultivation caused golden light to shine across Heart-of-the-Lake Island as his Solar Scripture experience steadily increased.

Jiang Ning tested how the environment affected cultivation and found that Yang Lake Grotto-Heaven’s ten suns greatly accelerated his progress in the Solar Scripture. After returning to Yang Lake at dawn, he remembered his promise to attend Ji Minghao’s court assembly and hurried toward the Royal Capital.

• Jiang Ning found that cultivating the Lunar Scripture under the moon was far more efficient than cultivating the Solar Scripture at night, and decided to seek a better environment for the Solar Scripture.
• Jiang Ning entered Yang Lake Grotto-Heaven and settled on a crimson-rock island beneath its ten suns to cultivate.
• Jiang Ning absorbed the grotto-heaven’s yang energy and deepened his understanding of the Solar Scripture as his progress rose to 3.1 percent.
• When darkness made cultivation ineffective, Jiang Ning left the grotto-heaven and returned above Yang Lake.
• Jiang Ning recalled his promise to attend Ji Minghao’s court assembly and rushed toward the Royal Capital before the assembly began.