Chapter Summaries

After five years in seclusion, Lu Qing emerged to find White Crane Boy managing flourishing Spirit Fields and a strange Spirit Beast seeking shelter. The newcomer, White Marsh, introduced itself and begged to join Lu Qing’s community.

• White Crane Boy expanded and managed the Spirit Fields while Mountain Tiger and Azure Snake helped tend them.
• Azure Snake told Mountain Tiger that a lone Spirit Beast claimed to be an entire clan and had come to relocate beneath the mountain.
• Lu Qing emerged from seclusion, praised White Crane Boy’s work, and asked about the unfamiliar Spirit Beast near the mountain.
• Lu Qing brought the snow-white Spirit Beast into his Daoist Dojo and asked who it was and why it had come.
• The Spirit Beast identified itself as White Marsh, claimed it had a clean background, and asked Lu Qing for protection and a place to settle.

White Marsh explained that it had come to Lu Qing’s Daoist Dojo to avoid the turmoil surrounding the Human Path, while its clansman would support the Human Path. White Crane Boy accepted it on the condition that it prove its background and farming ability; months later, White Marsh had settled in and remained relieved to avoid its clansman’s dangerous destiny.

• White Marsh told Lu Qing that it had glimpsed Heavenly Secrets and believed it would be safe if it settled in his Daoist Dojo, while its clansman would emerge to support the Human Path.
• Lu Qing let White Crane Boy decide whether to take White Marsh in, and the boy set conditions about its background and skill at tending Spirit Plants.
• White Crane Boy introduced White Marsh under an alias to avoid drawing trouble to the Daoist Dojo.
• Lu Qing calculated that the area was safe, reflected on the faint signs of the Human Path, and chose not to pursue unclear Heavenly Secrets further.
• Several months later, the spirit beasts had grown accustomed to White Marsh, which quietly celebrated staying out of its clansman’s dangerous mission.

Lu Qing considered White Marsh’s influence on the spirit beasts around his Daoist Dojo and reflected on the coming Era of Variables. He left with questions about the Primordial Immortal Path and the destination of the returning Heavenly Sun Realm, whose arrival could affect him and the Profound Heaven Sect.

• Lu Qing observed that White Crane Boy’s relaxed way of tending spirit plants was allowing its cultivation to advance naturally.
• Lu Qing sensed that White Marsh’s Providence was influencing nearby spirit beasts and increasing their Fate Allotment.
• Lu Qing glimpsed a future rain of blood and considered how slaughter and returning Dao attainments would intensify the Era of Variables.
• Lu Qing questioned how a Primordial Immortal could be subject to Heavenly Secrets, then concluded that Primordial Immortals might belong to different classifications.
• Lu Qing decided to determine which land the Heavenly Sun Realm would border, knowing its return could affect him wherever it appeared.

Humanity-Dao White Marsh searched the shifting Fate Allotment for signs of the Human Path and the Human Emperor, while Lu Qing’s White Marsh settled into life among the Daoist Dojo’s spirit beasts. The chapter ended with Lu Qing sensing White Marsh’s thoughts and White Marsh quickly apologizing.

• Humanity-Dao White Marsh watched the Fate Allotment, lamented that the Human Path had vanished, and failed to find signs of the Human Emperor’s Variable Fate.
• Lu Qing’s White Marsh praised White Crane Boy’s spirit fruits and won its way into the Daoist Dojo’s inner circle, drawing the five spirit beast stewards’ resentment.
• White Marsh sensed that its clan brother had activated an innate gift but reasoned that finding the Human Emperor would not be easy.
• White Marsh considered Lu Qing’s mysterious Fate Allotment and contrasted his quiet pursuit of the Great Dao with the Human Emperor’s place within the Human Path.
• Lu Qing sensed White Marsh’s thoughts, and White Marsh recognized the cultivation realm and immediately apologized.

Lu Qing reflected on the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Ranking and the gathering prodigies of the Great Era, then received an invitation from Wang Chunfeng, who had returned from cultivation. He decided the outside world was too turbulent for travel and remained content to observe the rankings and pursue the Great Dao.

• White Marsh’s presence continued to influence Lu Qing’s Daoist dojo as prodigies from many lineages entered the world and the Demon Domain seal began to stir.
• The Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Ranking spread across the Nine Heavens, drawing attention because it revealed unseen deeds and seemed connected to a Heavenly Secret Treasure.
• Lu Qing received Wang Chunfeng’s invitation to visit his Cultivation Cave and inferred that Senior Brother Wang had entered the Primordial Spirit realm.
• Lu Qing reviewed the ranking, noted that Wang Chunfeng was listed among its three thousand Hidden Dragons, and concluded that the ranking reflected the Era of Variables and its many fate allotments.
• Lu Qing found no desire to join the competition and chose to avoid traveling while the prodigies’ contests gathered momentum.

Lu Qing visited Wang Chunfeng, warned him about a harmful Cause and Effect technique someone had used against him, and joined him for a gathering. Wang Chunfeng served wine from a mortal Wine Immortal, which Lu Qing recognized as resembling Dao Rhyme.

• Lu Qing followed the Cause and Effect thread from Wang Chunfeng’s invitation and discovered a dangerous trace of Heavenly Secrets and Cause and Effect targeting him.
• Lu Qing removed the obscure aura and gave it to Wang Chunfeng, who recognized the deceitful method and thanked him.
• Wang Chunfeng invited Lu Qing to drink wine he had bought from a Mortal Realm Wine Immortal and told him about his travels and cultivation.
• Wang Chunfeng poured the wine for Lu Qing, who sensed that it was extraordinary and resembled Dao Rhyme.

Lu Qing visited Wang Chunfeng and drank Drunk on the Human World, a mortal’s wine that carried Dao Rhyme. After learning that Nan Xun had been exposed for colluding with the Painted-Skin Path to ambush the tenth personal disciple, Lu Qing chose not to return to the sect and pondered the matter’s karmic causes as he left.

• Lu Qing recognized Dao Rhyme in Wang Chunfeng’s wine, Drunk on the Human World, and praised its effects.
• A Floating Light brought news that Nan Xun had colluded with the Painted-Skin Path to ambush and kill the tenth personal disciple.
• Wang Chunfeng asked Lu Qing to return with him, but Lu Qing refused to get involved in the sect’s response.
• Lu Qing considered Nan Xun’s tribulation and the Fate Allotment behind the incident, then continued on without going to observe the turmoil.

Lu Qing observed the Jade Slips finding inheritors and gained a new realization about unifying Heavenly Secrets, advancing his understanding of the Dongzhen Realm. He then sent a wisp of Primordial Spirit Beyond the Heavens, where he discovered how easily the vast Outer Void could make him lose his way.

• Lu Qing sensed that the Ancient Heavenly Secret Jade Slip and Divine Firmament Thunder Jade Slip had found inheritors, with one inheritor passing the first test and several passing the second.
• Lu Qing realized that grasping the future meant turning its possibilities into one, and he formed a Heavenly Secrets World by severing and unifying Heavenly Secrets.
• Lu Qing drew a Heavenly Secret from Heavenly Secret Lake, transformed its illusory image into reality, and gained a glimpse of the Dongzhen Realm through his transformed Fate Allotment.
• Lu Qing decided to cultivate Beyond the Heavens using his Primordial Spirit, guided by a Dao Marker on the River of Time.
• Lu Qing's Primordial Spirit entered a fragile speck-of-dust world in the Outer Void, then found that the Nine Heavens Great Realm had receded to a distant point of starlight.

After more than ten years of secluded cultivation, Lu Qing deepened his understanding of reincarnation and felt his Dao Heart call him to travel as he prepared for a possible breakthrough into the Dongzhen Realm. Calamity Avoidance showed him three possible journeys, leaving him to weigh a risky encounter with a Buddhist Bodhisattva against two calmer paths.

• Lu Qing spent years cultivating beneath the Star Tree, developing Reincarnation True Intent without completing a breakthrough.
• Lu Qing ended his long period of stillness and sensed that his Dao Heart demanded movement.
• Lu Qing considered the many paths by which cultivators could enter the Dongzhen Realm and recognized the turmoil in the outside world.
• Calamity Avoidance offered Lu Qing a Slightly Ominous journey to the West Sea, where listening to a Buddhist Bodhisattva could bring insight but stain his Dao Heart with Buddha-Heart True Intent.
• Calamity Avoidance also showed Lu Qing two Calming journeys: traveling incognito through the Nine Heavens Earth Continent or wandering the mortal world and returning to the Profound Heaven Dao Sect.

After sensing hidden traces of Reincarnation throughout the Nine Heavens, Lu Qing left the Profound Heaven Dao Sect and disguised himself as an ordinary Golden Core cultivator. White Marsh watched him descend the mountain and suspected the flourishing world outside was calling cultivators toward new opportunities.

• Lu Qing sensed a covert Reincarnation aura within the Profound Heaven Dao Sect and other Immortal Path Daoist Lineages, and wondered how ancient immortals had endured the passage of time.
• Lu Qing decided to leave the Daoist Dojo and transformed his appearance, aura, and Dao Rhyme into those of an ordinary young Golden Core cultivator.
• White Marsh saw Lu Qing descend the mountain and received his order to guard the Daoist Dojo with the boy.
• Lu Qing vanished from White Marsh's sight, leaving White Marsh shaken by the terror of his presence.
• White Marsh decided to inform the boss that Lu Qing had descended the mountain and reflected that the Golden Age of Cultivation was drawing cultivators toward opportunities.

Lu Qing disguised himself as a Golden Core cultivator named Lu Sheng and spent nearly a year in Southern Forest City studying the Talisman Dao. After making small gains, he left Bamboo Forest Lane, convinced that the Divination’s greater opportunity lay in entering the Mortal World.

• Lu Qing rented a secluded residence in Southern Forest City, where the local powers chose not to provoke the newly arrived Golden Core cultivator.
• Lu Qing studied foundational talisman arts and discovered similarities between talisman patterns and formation patterns.
• Over the following months, Lu Qing kept to himself while the city’s residents gradually stopped paying attention to him.
• After nearly a year, Lu Qing saw that the Divination offered no further gains from staying and decided it was time to move on.
• The neighboring cultivator returned from an auction and saw the final wisp of Dao Rhyme vanish from Lu Qing’s residence, then wondered whether he had met a great expert traveling through the Mortal World.

Lu Qing witnessed a Fate Allotment twist send a Primordial Spirit inheritance to an unexpected youth, then continued his travels and watched Tang Yun challenge the Azure Sea Sword Son. The battle left Lu Qing expecting Tang Yun to lose, while he noticed the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s top three places remained unexplained.

• Lu Qing watched a Heavenly Prodigy defeat rival geniuses competing for a Primordial Spirit inheritance, then saw the Jade Slip choose an ordinary youth and escape the Dao Protectors.
• Lu Qing recognized that the youth was favored by Fate Allotment and left to continue cultivating through the Mortal World.
• A year later, Lu Qing passed through an inland sea and brushed aside the residual force from a battle between Void Realm cultivators.
• Lu Qing identified the fighters as Little Immortal Tang Yun and the Sword Son of Azure Sea Sword Mountain, ranked ninth and tenth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
• Lu Qing watched the Dharma Combat and sensed that Tang Yun would lose.

Lu Qing observed how the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s battles affected the Fate Allotment of several cultivation paths and wondered about the connection between Fate Allotment and Merit. After surviving a bull demon’s attack, he followed its memories to explore Black Mountain.

• Lu Qing watched a Dharma combat end and sensed that Azure Sea Sword Mountain’s victory strengthened the Spirit Path Fate Allotment.
• Lu Qing noticed shifts in Immortal Path and Demon Path Fate Allotment after Tang Yun of the Golden Feather Sect was defeated, and speculated that Fate Allotment might affect lifespan as well as cultivation.
• Lu Qing received a thread of Nine Heavens Merit Qi and wondered whether defeating Heavenly Prodigies earned Merit, then continued on without dwelling on the mystery.
• Half a year later, Lu Qing imprisoned and killed a bull demon whose Delusion-Breaking Divine Pupils had nearly caused him trouble.
• Lu Qing examined Black Mountain using the bull demon’s memories and noticed faint Earth Vein Qi beneath the ground.

Lu Qing discovered that Black Mountain contained Five Elements Soil and encountered the thousand-year-old obsession of Bai Sheng, a vanished former Chief of the Profound Heaven Dao Sect. After the sect’s senior figures came to retrieve Bai Sheng, Li Luoyang passed Lu Qing a Dao inheritance, and Lu Qing headed east.

• Lu Qing recognized Black Mountain’s soil as a Five Elements object and sensed that the mountain concealed something unusual.
• Bai Sheng appeared before Lu Qing as a trace of obsession and said he had been trapped there for a thousand years.
• Lu Qing identified Bai Sheng as the missing Chief of the Profound Heaven Dao Sect and sent word to the sect.
• Fu Huazi and other senior figures arrived, greeted Bai Sheng, and prepared to return with him.
• Fu Huazi directed Lu Qing east, and Li Luoyang passed a Dao inheritance into Lu Qing’s Purple Mansion Realm.
• Lu Qing left Black Mountain and noticed a distant city surrounded by Red Dust Qi.

Lu Qing settled in a mountain county and, after months of seclusion, went out to experience ordinary life. He met Mr. Nan, accepted a position managing the academy’s new book tower, and resolved to let his past self live peacefully there.

• Lu Qing arrived in a small county town and spent three months cultivating in seclusion.
• Lu Qing left his courtyard during the winter season and ate noodles at a street stall.
• Mr. Nan invited Lu Qing to teach at his academy, but Lu Qing declined because he lacked scholarly knowledge.
• Mr. Nan offered Lu Qing a job managing the academy’s new book tower, and Lu Qing accepted.
• Lu Qing concealed his true cultivation and decided to let his past self pass the days at the academy.

Lu Qing spent the New Year reading stories in the academy’s library tower, where a tale about a fox repaying kindness prompted Master Nan to reflect on the varied lives of his former students. The chapter ended with Master Nan asking whether one student’s painful life had been fated from the beginning.

• Lu Qing kept to his quiet routine in the library tower and celebrated New Year’s Eve alone in his courtyard.
• Master Nan found Lu Qing reading Foxman's Gratitude, a story about a fox repaying kindness across a hundred lifetimes and becoming an Immortal.
• Master Nan brought the story to his students, who questioned whether repaying kindness could truly lead someone to become an Immortal.
• Lu Qing reflected on people in books, games, and paintings as Master Nan described how his former students had followed different paths after leaving the academy.
• Master Nan recounted how a poor student became a high official but suffered severe headaches and died ill, then asked Lu Qing whether the student’s fate had been decided from the beginning.

Lu Qing discussed destiny and the meaning of written tales with Old Mister Nan while quietly cultivating his Dao Heart at the academy. As spring arrived, he read a Great Jin licentiate’s account of seeking Immortals, and Old Mister Nan left him pondering whether the account had truly been a dream.

• Lu Qing told Old Mister Nan that different tale books could hold different destinies and that the Heavenly Secrets were not a final verdict.
• Lu Qing spent several days at the academy, observing spring return and registering books borrowed by students.
• A student borrowed Foxman's Gratitude, and Lu Qing overheard students praising his learning and speculating that he concealed his abilities.
• Lu Qing read Records of Seeking Immortality, an account by the Great Jin licentiate Zhou Xiusheng who later annotated it as a dream.
• Old Mister Nan said Zhou Xiusheng had dismissed his experiences as a dream, and Lu Qing replied that dreams and life could become inseparable.

Lu Qing reached enlightenment after discussing the Dao with Old Mister Nan in a dreamlike world, then awoke alone in a wilderness and realized ten years had passed. He set out for the Daoist Dojo, sensing the Dongzhen Realm’s tribulation ahead as talk spread about Heavenly Sun’s return and the approaching Dao-discussion assembly.

• Lu Qing told Old Mister Nan that dreams contained no Dao for him, then declared that the Dao was in his heart and reached enlightenment amid spring thunder and rain.
• Lu Qing awoke in a wilderness with no sign of the book tower or its people and recalled Old Mister Nan’s extraordinary figure departing through mountains and seas.
• Lu Qing recognized the dream as an opportunity from the past, shared a thread of Dao Rhyme with an old tree, and sensed that ten years had passed.
• Lu Qing set out for the Daoist Dojo and reflected that he would have to cross Tribulation himself and in his Dao to enter the Dongzhen Realm.
• Lu Qing heard people discussing Heavenly Sun’s return, the Earth Continent from the Primordial Era, and the immortal sects’ upcoming Dao-discussion assembly.

Lu Qing returned to the Clearless Dao Abode and shared a meal with White Crane Boy, whose appetite and praise accompanied Lu Qing’s new insight into cultivation. As evening settled, Lu Qing prepared to enter seclusion, while White Marsh suspected his return meant major events were unfolding beyond the mountain.

• Lu Qing returned to the Clearless Dao Abode and was greeted by White Crane Boy.
• Lu Qing asked what White Crane Boy wanted to eat, then prepared fish, tofu, braised meat, and vegetables with his help.
• While cooking, Lu Qing gained a hazy insight that cultivation should remain impartial and centered between clear qi and the earth's qi.
• White Crane Boy enjoyed the meal, while White Marsh smelled it from below and speculated that Lu Qing's return signaled major events outside.
• Lu Qing surveyed the Dao Abode and prepared to enter seclusion.

While the Daoist in the mountains continued cultivating, rumors spread that a real Immortal Mountain had appeared overseas. At an inn, Qin Tianshi revealed that it was Heavenly Sun Mountain and secured an invitation to travel there, while Ye Lin decided to pursue the cultivation treasure he believed lay within it.

• A Hidden Dragon Ranking prodigy told cultivators that the Supreme Unity Immortal Court’s Heavenwatch Tower had confirmed an Immortal Mountain’s appearance, but others doubted him.
• Qin Tianshi dismissed the rumors and clarified that the Heavenwatch Tower had not called the place an Immortal Mountain or an Immortal.
• A concealed cultivator identified the real place as Heavenly Sun Mountain, and another voice named Tu Miao'er and suppressed her seductive Divine Ability.
• A voice invited Qin Tianshi to travel with them to Heavenly Sun Mountain, and Qin Tianshi accepted.
• Ye Lin recognized that the place he sought was Heavenly Sun Mountain and left the inn, determined to risk the journey for a cultivation treasure.