Chapter Summaries

Chen Fan and Nightmare Dream made a deal with Duo Ge, then Chen Fan used the Seven Saints Alliance’s resources to study martial arts and Dao Domains until the preliminaries ended. Back at the branch venue, Tao Xian revealed that a last-minute stroke of luck had earned him a place among the top fifty thousand, while Fan Zhong had been eliminated.

• Duo Ge agreed to provide Nightmare Dream with the item and additional treasures in exchange for an end to their attacks, while Nightmare Dream left the remaining treasures to Chen Fan.
• Chen Fan returned with Nightmare Dream to the Seven Saints Alliance’s base, halted its expansion, and arranged sparring sessions so he could study experts’ martial arts and Dao Domains.
• The preliminaries ended, and Chen Fan, Tao Xian, and Fan Zhong returned to the branch venue.
• Tao Xian told Chen Fan that he had joined an alliance, survived its collapse, and reached one million points just before the competition ended, barely qualifying for advancement.
• Fan Zhong admitted that he had not met the advancement standard, while Chen Fan congratulated Tao Xian on his unexpected success.

After the preliminaries, Chen Fan collected Dao Origin Pills from Nightmare Dream and learned how the upcoming second round would work. Reuniting with his true body, he gained major breakthroughs in his domains, including reaching the third level of the Slaughter Dao Domain.

• Chen Fan met Nightmare Dream and Cai Yu at the first sub-venue, where Nightmare Dream gave him a jade box of Dao Origin Pills and promised to send the remaining treasures to the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect's residence.
• Nightmare Dream left after saying she hoped to meet Chen Fan again in the upcoming matches.
• Chen Qingru congratulated Chen Fan on reaching the top twenty and explained that the second round would begin in a week, using an illusion to rank contestants through battles against enemies.
• Chen Fan returned to his courtyard, summoned the Star Hall, and reunited with his true body after three months apart.
• Chen Fan merged his clone's memories and comprehensions with his true body, advancing several artistic conceptions and breaking through to the third level of the Slaughter Dao Domain.

Chen Fan worried that powerful rivals would make the Plum Gathering difficult, so he continued cultivating while the third-round rankings spread. Zhan Jianming suspected the ranked Chen Fan was the Sword Sect’s Chen Fan and grew alarmed about his future; Chen Fan then arrived at Chen Tiangan’s residence and found Zhan Jianming waiting for him.

• Chen Fan assessed the strength of Duo Ge, Nightmare Dream, and other likely Plum Gathering contenders, then used his remaining Blood Seeds to advance his Blood-Melting Technique.
• The third-round preliminary rankings were announced, and Zhan Jianming and Zongzheng Xiu debated whether the highly ranked Chen Fan was the Sword Sect disciple.
• Zhan Jianming warned Zongzheng Xiu not to compare himself with Chen Fan, then worried that Chen Fan’s rise would threaten him.
• Chen Tiangan summoned Chen Fan, who sent his avatar to the residence and found Zhan Jianming there.

Zhan Jianming asked Chen Fan to reconcile and offered an account of their past conflict along with valuable compensation. Chen Fan accepted the gifts, including Heaven-reaching Spiritual Marrow, and declared their grievances wiped clean if Zhan Jianming had told the truth.

• Chen Tiangan asked Chen Fan to give Zhan Jianming a quarter of an hour, then left them alone.
• Zhan Jianming explained how his hostility toward Chen Fan had changed and admitted responsibility for harms connected to his subordinate Luo Yunfei.
• Chen Fan recognized that Zhan Jianming was telling the truth and surmised that he sought reconciliation because Chen Fan had entered the Plum Gathering.
• Zhan Jianming gave Chen Fan a Sumeru Ring filled with resources and two Dao artifacts, then offered him Heaven-reaching Spiritual Marrow that could greatly increase thought speed.
• Chen Fan accepted the spiritual marrow and said their grievances would be wiped clean if Zhan Jianming had not deceived him.

After confirming Zhan Jianming’s Heaven-reaching Spiritual Marrow was safe, Chen Fan used it to rapidly perfect the sixth level of his Blood-Melting Technique, then received the Seven Saints Alliance’s compensation and prepared for the Plum Gathering. Meanwhile, the Spirit God Dao Sect identified a contestant named Chen Fan as a possible match for the person they were seeking and waited for later rounds to confirm.

• Chen Fan checked the Heaven-reaching Spiritual Marrow with the Sun-Covering Mirror, then sent his spirit clone into Star Hall to deal with Luo Yunfei.
• Chen Fan consumed the spiritual marrow and found that it increased his comprehension and idle cultivation speeds a hundredfold, but he decided to conserve more than half for a future breakthrough to Chang Sheng.
• After one day of cultivation, Chen Fan used nearly one-third of the spiritual marrow to deduce the Blood-Melting Technique to the perfected sixth level, then absorbed his remaining Blood Seeds to continue advancing.
• Three days later, Nightmare Dream delivered compensation from the Seven Saints Alliance, including seven low-grade Dao artifacts, two four-star Dao artifacts, and three Saint-grade pills.
• At the Spirit God Dao Sect’s residence in Dragon Abyss City, a white-haired old Daoist told a sharp-eyed youth that Chen Fan might be the person they sought, and the youth agreed to wait for later matches.

The second round of the Plum Gathering began with a tower-climbing trial in the Eclosion Tower, where more than a hundred thousand martial artists would be ranked by the floors they cleared and their completion times. Chen Fan headed to the spectator area while the first contestants prepared to enter, and Wu Yan was assigned to the first batch.

• Bai Fengyu announced the second round’s rules and revealed the Eclosion Tower, a hundred-floor trial that could host only a thousand challengers at once.
• Chen Fan learned that his participation number was around one hundred and twenty thousand, while Tao Xian’s was just over eight thousand; Luo Fangyan and Bai Zhi drew numbers five hundred and twenty and eight hundred and one.
• Luo Fangyan and Bai Zhi headed for the tower, while Chen Fan invited Tao Xian to watch from the spectator area; Tao Xian stayed behind because his turn was approaching.
• Wu Yan complained that being assigned to the first batch would keep him from seeing other contestants’ performances, and Luo Caiwei urged him not to hold back too much before he went to compete.

Chen Fan and Chen Qingru watched the Plum Gathering preparations, where Chen Fan learned the Sword Sect had bought the competition’s recording rights. In a private room, Chen Fan met Lian Baishang, and the two agreed to compete over who could reach a higher floor, with Chen Tiangan and Manor Lord Long offering valuable prizes.

• Chen Qingru explained that the viewing venue’s Projection Jade Walls would show the top ten competitors and that the Golden Ranking Board would record the top five thousand.
• Chen Qingru told Chen Fan that the Sword Sect had purchased full recording rights and planned to establish cinemas throughout Eclosion Province.
• Chen Tiangan introduced Chen Fan to Manor Lord Long of Breaking Origin Manor and his grand-disciple, Lian Baishang.
• Manor Lord Long and Chen Tiangan exchanged boasts about their young disciples, then Lian Baishang challenged Chen Fan to see who could reach a higher floor.
• Chen Tiangan offered a Golden Dragon Transcendent Immortal Pill as a prize, and Manor Lord Long staked a Void Origin Grass blade on Lian Baishang’s victory.

Chen Fan learned that Void Origin Grass could let him experience Chang Sheng cultivation temporarily and resolved to obtain it by winning his wager with Manor Lord Long. As the Plum Gathering tower competition began, Chen Fan watched Yuan Ye race ahead and recognized Wu Yan among the other contestants.

• Manor Lord Long wagered Void Origin Grass against Chen Fan's Golden Dragon Transcendent Immortal Pill, and Chen Fan accepted confidently.
• After Manor Lord Long departed, Chen Tiangan revealed that the jade box was empty and explained Void Origin Grass's temporary breakthrough effect to Chen Fan.
• The tower competition began, and Chen Fan and Chen Qingru watched the leading contestants appear on the Projection Jade Walls.
• Yuan Ye of the Earthly Baleful Sect rapidly cleared floors with his greatsword, reaching the ninetieth floor while concealing his full strength.
• Chen Fan recognized Wu Yan, whose cultivation had advanced to the twofold Dao Domain since their earlier encounters, and asked who the Eclosion Sect's strongest contestant was.

Chen Fan learned about the Eclosion Sect’s three gates and their leading Plum Gathering geniuses, while Chen Tiangan warned him that the Heaven Gate was concealing its true strength. As the Eclosion Tower trials continued, the Golden Rankings began filling with results from the weaker entrants, while the strongest contestants remained in the trials.

• Chen Qingru described the Feather Gate’s Luo Caiwei, the Dao Gate’s Hong Zhengchu, and the Heaven Gate’s Zhou Bailan to Chen Fan and Lin Lei.
• Chen Fan recalled Luo Caiwei’s swordsmanship and questioned why the Heaven Gate had no stronger publicly known candidates.
• Chen Tiangan warned Chen Fan that the Heaven Gate had hidden its true power and urged him to be especially careful against its disciples.
• Names began appearing on the Golden Rankings, while Yuan Ye, Bai Zhi, and Wu Yan advanced through the Eclosion Tower trials.
• Several contestants used all three trial attempts and vacated their places, allowing newcomers to enter the still-unfilled five thousand slots.

Chen Fan watched the Plum Gathering rankings before returning to secluded cultivation, then learned that his long-unseen Martial Uncle Li Linliu had entered the competition. After seeing Li Linliu’s high ranking, Chen Fan decided to visit the Spirit God Dao Sect’s residence to find him.

• Chen Fan estimated that his turn in the tower challenge was still months away and reviewed the early rankings, including Yuan Ye in first place, Bai Zhi in second, and Luo Fangyan in seventeenth.
• Chen Fan left the viewing venue to cultivate and asked Chen Qingru to record the challenges of Chang Sheng-level experts and notify him when Lian Baishang competed.
• Chen Qingru brought Chen Fan Lian Baishang’s Projection Stone, showing him reach the ninety-fifth floor through his formidable physique and vitality.
• Yun Wei and Chen Fan’s other senior siblings told him they had spotted Li Linliu’s name on the rankings; Li Linliu had reached the ninth level of martial arts and ranked around two-thousandth.
• Chen Fan went to the viewing venue, confirmed Li Linliu’s ranking, and decided to visit the Spirit God Dao Sect’s residence after learning they could not find him among the spectators.

Chen Fan went to the Spirit God Dao Sect’s residence and confronted a youth he suspected was Chao Ri, only for the sect to launch an assassination attempt. A Venerable One stopped the attack and warned the sect master that fighting on Dragon Abyss Island was forbidden.

• Chen Fan arrived openly at the Spirit God Dao Sect’s gates, confident the sect could not easily harm him on Dragon Abyss Island.
• A hostile youth confronted Chen Fan, and Chen Fan recognized similarities in his soul aura that suggested he was Chao Ri.
• The youth declared that the Dao Sect would kill Chen Fan despite the island’s rules, and a hidden second-level Chang Sheng assassin struck with a blade light.
• A giant hand formed from heaven-and-earth essence captured the assassin and smashed his second attack, while Chen Fan’s defensive artifacts kept him unharmed.
• The Spirit God Child greeted the Venerable One, who warned that Dragon Abyss Island prohibited combat, especially at the Chang Sheng level and above.

A powerful expert intervened when Spirit God tried to punish Chen Fan, then took the young man surnamed Chao away. Chen Fan reunited with Li Linliu, revealed that he had killed the Great Qian Emperor, and learned that Li Linliu planned to enter the Sacred Hall after the Plum Gathering rather than return to the Spirit God Dao Sect.

• A giant face spared the elder of the Spirit God Dao Sect but took the young man surnamed Chao away, and the youth surnamed Chao warned Chen Fan he would die if he failed at the Plum Gathering.
• Chen Fan recognized Li Linliu among the gathered warriors, and they slipped away to reunite at Deluxuan with Chen Fan's fellow disciples.
• Li Linliu asked whether Chen Fan had killed the Great Qian Emperor, and Chen Fan confirmed it while explaining that a Dao artifact had amplified his power and protected him from Chang Sheng experts.
• Chen Fan gave Li Linliu the Eye of Wind to help him develop his Fierce Wind Path and Dao Domain.
• Chen Fan warned Li Linliu that the Spirit God Dao Sect might target him after the Plum Gathering, but Li Linliu said he planned to enter the Sacred Hall instead of returning to the Dao Sect.

Chen Fan reunited with Li Linliu, then watched the Plum Gathering rankings as his turn to challenge approached. He learned that the Sword Sect had secretly prepared other powerful disciples for the unusual gathering.

• Chen Fan asked Li Linliu how he maintained his handsome appearance, then secretly probed him with divine sense; Li Linliu realized what he had done and angrily left.
• Chen Fan sent word to Dong Guzhi about meeting Li Linliu and promised to bring him back, making Dong Guzhi excited.
• Chen Fan returned to the viewing room as the second round of eliminations neared its end and studied the updated rankings, noting Wu Cheng at the top and many powerful contestants from hidden sects.
• Chen Fan spotted Luo Shaoyu and Luo Shaofeng of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect among the high-ranking contestants and asked Chen Qingru why they were stronger than he expected.
• Chen Qingru explained that Zhan Jianming had prepared Sword Sect disciples for the unusual Plum Gathering years in advance.

Chen Fan discussed the Sword Sect’s prospects and the meaning of the title “Venerable” with Chen Qingru before entering the Eclosion Tower for his Plum Gathering assessment. He rapidly climbed to the eightieth floor without using his sword, leaving his final ranking unknown.

• Chen Qingru said Luo Shaoyu and Luo Shaofeng had held back their strength and advised Chen Fan to conceal his own during the assessment.
• Chen Qingru explained that some powerful fourth-level longevity experts could be called Venerables and revealed that Simo Sword Emperor had once been known as the Sword Venerable.
• Zongzheng Xiu worried about his chances at the Plum Gathering, then encountered Chen Fan outside the Eclosion Tower and left after Chen Fan encouraged him.
• Chen Fan entered the Eclosion Tower, selected a plain sword, and discovered that he could use his physical strength and secret arts despite losing access to his equipment.
• Chen Fan used his divine sense to defeat opponents and climbed to the eightieth floor without swinging his sword.

Chen Fan tore through the Eclosion Illusion tower, revealing his strength to spectators who had thought him dead and stunning even Dao Fruit experts. He reached the ninety-seventh floor with little effort, while those watching wondered how much power he still had in reserve.

• Chen Fan appeared on the Projection Jade Walls as he fought on the eightieth floor, drawing excited attention from Xuan Yingying and Yu Jin.
• Wu Tianjiao recognized Chen Fan on the jade wall and, with Cen Heyu and Ru Yueling, realized the report of his death had been false; Wu Tianjiao prepared to inform the emperor.
• Chen Fan unleashed his sword domain, reached the ninetieth floor, and became the highest-ranking tower climber, prompting Manor Lord Long to predict that he would surpass Lian Baishang.
• Chen Fan began using his sword alongside Nightmare Invocation and advanced to the ninety-sixth floor, leaving Zongzheng Xiu feeling unable to compare himself with him.
• Chen Fan used a divine soul attack and the Fire Saint Sword to clear the ninety-seventh floor, astonishing Chen Qingru, who believed he still had strength in reserve.

Chen Fan cleared the Eclosion Tower's hundredth floor and earned eighth place, revealing that he had Chang Sheng-level strength despite his low cultivation. After returning to the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect, he received the Void Origin Grass from Chen Tiangan.

• Chen Fan defeated the first-stage Chang Sheng opponent on the hundredth floor with a Nightmare Invocation and a Fire Saint Sword strike.
• Chen Fan ranked eighth, and spectators marveled at his strength and his late tenth-stage cultivation with a third-level Dao Domain.
• Wu Tianjiao, Cen Heyu, and Ru Yueling recognized Chen Fan and reflected on how far he had surpassed them since the Great Qian Heroes List.
• A bald, burly man in the venue took notice of Chen Fan and repeated his name.
• Chen Fan returned to the Sword Sect, where Chen Tiangan visited him and handed over the Void Origin Grass he had won from Manor Lord Long.

Chen Fan asked to return to the Enlightenment Pool to improve his strength during the Plum Gathering, but Chen Tiangan revealed that the pool belonged to the Sword Sect’s hidden ancestor. Chen Fan learned that the ancestor was a fifth-level Chang Sheng expert in the Sword Dao and that only he could control the pool.

• Chen Tiangan praised Chen Fan’s displayed strength and offered him access to the Sword Sect’s cultivation secret realms while the Plum Gathering paused.
• Chen Fan requested another opportunity to enter the Enlightenment Pool, explaining that it could speed his comprehension.
• Chen Tiangan said he lacked the authority to reopen the pool before it replenished and revealed that it was a special treasure controlled by a Sword Sect ancestor.
• Chen Fan swore an oath of secrecy, and Chen Tiangan explained that the ancestor was a fifth-level Chang Sheng Sword Dao expert whose sword arts shaped the Sword Sect’s nine great paths.
• Chen Tiangan revealed that the ancestor spent most of his time asleep because awakening him consumed his remaining lifespan, and that Chen Tiangan had awakened him only once, a thousand years earlier.

Chen Tiangan urged Chen Fan to awaken the Sword Sect’s patriarch so he could receive the true Enlightenment Pool and personal guidance before the Plum Gathering. After hearing about Chen Fan’s potential, the patriarch emerged from seclusion and agreed to help.

• Chen Tiangan explained that the true Enlightenment Pool was far more powerful than its usual manifestation and urged Chen Fan to awaken the patriarch before the Plum Gathering.
• Nightmare Dream watched Chen Fan’s assessment and concluded his swordsmanship and unusual abilities likely came from a powerful inheritance, while Cai Yu wondered about his talent.
• Wu Tianjiao warned Great Qian’s emperor that Chen Fan’s success would damage the kingdom’s reputation, but the Seventh Prince noted that the Spirit God Dao Sect would lose even more face.
• The Star-River Pavilion Master decided to arrange a meeting with Sect Leader Chen of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Sect.
• Elder Hong Wen awakened the Sword Sect’s patriarch and explained Chen Fan’s achievements and the opportunity to improve his Plum Gathering rank.
• The patriarch agreed that waking him was appropriate and asked for one week.

After the Plum Gathering’s second round, Chen Fan learned that the Sword Sect would prepare the true Enlightenment Pool for him in a week, while the Spirit God Dao Sect considered negotiating peace because of his growing strength. Chen Fan then studied the top Eclosion Tower clearers and discovered that Black Feather, a demonic beast from the Demon Domain, had taken first place.

• Chen Fan and Chen Tiangan agreed that the week needed to prepare the Enlightenment Pool would let Chen Fan reach the end of the second round before the third began.
• Chen Fan, Chen Xi, and their companions celebrated Li Linliu’s entry into the Sacred Hall elite ranks; Li Linliu congratulated Chen Fan on ranking thirteenth.
• Spirit God Child summoned Li Linliu and asked him to negotiate peace with Chen Fan, reasoning that the Dao Sect had no other way to deal with him unless it could kill him before the Plum Gathering ended.
• Chen Qingru gave Chen Fan Projection Stones showing the twenty-one martial artists who had passed the Eclosion Tower’s hundredth level, along with information about them.
• Chen Fan learned that Black Feather, a third-stage Demon Emperor beast from the Demon Domain, had overtaken Wu Cheng for first place and was the second known expert at the third level of Chang Sheng.

Chen Fan studied the Eclosion Tower records and sized up the formidable rivals competing in the Plum Gathering. After learning that the third round would be an elimination tournament selecting the top two hundred for the final round, he realized the competition was advancing faster than he had expected.

• Chen Fan watched Black Feather and Wu Cheng clear the Eclosion Tower in under ten breaths and worried that their realms and strength might surpass his own.
• Chen Fan examined the other records, recognized Monk Wisdom of the Diamond Temple, and suspected his connection to Lanruo meant he was more formidable than his ranking suggested.
• Chen Fan considered the possibility that Nightmare Dream and other competitors were concealing their true strength, making it difficult to judge his chances of reaching the first sequence.
• Chen Qingru told Chen Fan that the third round would be an elimination tournament, with the top two hundred advancing to the final round and the remaining competitors entering a losers' bracket.
• Chen Fan was surprised to learn that the third round would determine the final round's first four sequences all at once.