Chapter Summaries

Qin Yun told the other sects that a Bright Sun Spirit had spared him in the Lost Flame and would admit only Divine Radiance-level talents on the next visit. As Dark Sun Time passed without the Flame going out, the Bronze Church celebrated, while Su Chen realized how much the change meant to its people.

• At Wei Zhenghong’s banquet, Jiang Mufeng warned Su Chen that the Peak Star Assembly’s Mimicry Challenge allowed weapons, and the group discussed possible competitors and Qin Yun.
• Before the other Morning Star Rank experts, Qin Yun described endless palaces in the Lost Flame, a vast purple dragon, and a Bright Sun Spirit that had chosen him and set Divine Radiance-level talent as the threshold for returning.
• Qin Yun’s account made the others view him as the key to reaching the Bright Sun Spirit, and Peng King’s plan to pressure the Bronze Church stalled.
• Qin Yun noticed that Dark Sun Time had passed while the Flame still burned, shocking the gathered experts and prompting the Bronze Ancient King to end the meeting.
• Alone with Qin Yun, the Bronze Ancient King questioned his motives and warned that he could no longer protect him; Qin Yun insisted his account was true and offered to bring Divine Radiance-level talents to the Spirit.
• The people of Copper Heart and the guests at Wei Zhenghong’s Floating Island celebrated as the Flame remained alight, and Su Chen saw how deeply the Bronze Church valued the change.

Su Chen celebrated the Flame’s recovery with the Bronze Church before Qing Cang arrived to confirm that Su Chen had purified the mist ember. Qing Cang explained Qin Yun’s plan involving the Bright Sun Spirit, and Su Chen learned that the Royal Court might use the Peak Star Assembly’s Junior Star Head reward to test him over Morning Star marrow.

• Wei Zhenghong recalled how the Ancient King had saved him during Qin Yun’s rise and toasted the Ancient King with the others.
• Qing Cang found Su Chen celebrating, took him to his Floating Island, and confirmed that he had purified the mist ember around the Flame.
• Qing Cang told Su Chen that Qin Yun had invoked the Bright Sun Spirit to avoid immediate accountability and would likely lead an expedition into the Lost Flame.
• Su Chen suspected Qin Yun planned to rely on Qin Tianlin’s Divine Radiance-grade talent to seek the Bright Sun Spirit’s recognition.
• Su Chen asked Qing Cang about Morning Star marrow, and Qing Cang explained that it might be offered as an extra reward for the strongest tier-six competitor, the Junior Star Head, at the Peak Star Assembly.

Su Chen challenged the Saint Ranking after learning that an unshakable victory could help him obtain the Morning Star Marrow early. He defeated Ding Ze and then Wei Zhenghong, rising to second place, while his failed challenge against Shen Yi'an showed him the gulf posed by a seventh-ranker with a Holy Profession.

• Qing Cang told Su Chen that he would likely need to wait a year for the Morning Star Marrow unless he established an unmatched record by defeating a formidable seventh-ranker.
• Su Chen challenged Ding Ze, defeated his projection with his basic peak form, and advanced to tenth on the Saint Ranking.
• Su Chen challenged Shen Yi'an and pushed forward using his extreme peak state, but Shen Yi'an's golden symbols immobilized him and ended the challenge.
• Su Chen considered that he might need to forge a Holy Profession to defeat Shen Yi'an, then wondered how he would fare against Wei Zhenghong.
• Chu Ran announced that Su Chen had defeated Ding Ze and reached tenth on the Saint Ranking, while Wei Zhenghong resolved to forge a Holy Profession.
• Chu Ran and the others announced that Su Chen had defeated Wei Zhenghong and risen to second on the Saint Ranking, pushing Wei Zhenghong to third.

Su Chen defeated Wei Zhenghong for second place on the Saint Ranking, then assessed his strength and planned to forge Vajra Venerable and strengthen Eternal Body. The chapter left him back in training while people on Copper Heart watched Flame and dismissed rumors about the Ancient King.

• Wei Zhenghong accepted Su Chen's rise above him on the Saint Ranking and decided to focus on forging his Holy Profession.
• Su Chen recovered from his fight with Wei Zhenghong and concluded that he could challenge strong seventh-tier professionals but not those with forged Holy Professions.
• Su Chen planned to take on Vajra Venerable and use his next three-in-one fusion to strengthen Eternal Body.
• Su Chen calculated the Strange God's Essence, Heaven-Forged Items, and money he would need, and planned to contact Centipede Dragon and Black Pagoda.
• Su Chen exchanged messages with Shen Yi'an and the others, returned to training, and people on Copper Heart insisted the Ancient King was safe as they watched Flame.

Su Chen’s intervention shortened the Flame’s crisis by five hours and propelled him to second on the Saint Ranking, alarming Qin Yun and Qin Tianlin. After entering the Nether Domain, Su Chen discovered that his sixth-rank spirit-flesh unity had brought his physical body with him, though he could still return to reality.

• Zhou Yunyang told the gathered deacons that Su Chen could win the Star Head title at the next Holy Feast, and they watched Su Chen rise from tenth to second on the Saint Ranking.
• The Flame faded after lasting five hours longer, and Qin Yun recognized Su Chen as the one who had eased the crisis.
• Qin Tianlin urged Qin Yun to kill Su Chen, but Qin Yun warned that the Ancient King would punish them and promised to help Qin Tianlin pursue Bright Sun Rank after the Peak Star Assembly.
• A voice in Qin Tianlin’s ear mocked Qin Yun’s promise and urged Qin Tianlin to follow its plan; Qin Yun checked for interference from Old Ghost’s mental fragments but found them locked down.
• Su Chen entered the Nether Domain and discovered that his physical body had come with him, while an anchor still let him return to the Nether Tower.

Su Chen tested how spirit-flesh unity affected his trips into the Nether Domain, then used his concealed identity as the Faceless Ghost High Priest to meet Centipede Dragon and speak with Black Pagoda. He left with Black Pagoda planning to arrive in two months and still suspecting Su Chen might be connected to the person who purified mist ember.

• Su Chen tested entering and leaving the Nether Domain several times and found both took two to three times longer, though his united body gave him greater strength there.
• Su Chen traveled to Centipede Dragon's lair, where Centipede Dragon explained that the flame had gone out later than usual and had stopped him from returning to the Nether Stone vein.
• Su Chen reassured Centipede Dragon that the flame would not change soon and secured permission for Little Black to bring more creatures to mine Nether Stones.
• Su Chen prayed to Black Pagoda and learned that he would arrive in about two months under the cover identity Zhao Cheng, head of the Darkmoon Group.
• When Black Pagoda asked whether Su Chen was the person Zhou Yunyang meant to tell him about, Su Chen claimed they were probably different people, and Black Pagoda ended the conversation after deciding to give away the heart of spirit light.

Su Chen trained while the Royal Court debated the Bronze Church’s recovery and speculated that Su Chen might possess an inherited constitution trait. As the Church’s Flame stabilized and the fourth satellite city neared completion, Su Chen received all five Heaven-Forged Items he had ordered.

• Su Chen considered having Ming Lin handle the exchange with Black Pagoda and trained with a tier-six potion and his body-forging and meditation methods.
• Han Xingliu and the Peng King discussed Su Chen’s rise, the Bronze Church’s recovering Flame, and whether Su Chen had awakened a constitution trait through his possible bloodline.
• The Peng King decided to report the constitution-trait theory to the Royal Court, while Han Xingliu said he intended to risk entering the Lost Flame to pursue Bright Sun Rank.
• Su Chen continued training as news of the Bronze Church’s recovery spread and the four satellite cities around Copper Heart neared completion.
• Ding Fan delivered three more Heaven-Forged Items to Su Chen, bringing his total to five, and said the Church would deduct their discounted cost from Su Chen’s contribution points.

Su Chen absorbed three Heaven-Forged Items and asked Luo Shuhang about finding stamina professions and forging Holy Professions. He reconsidered his planned profession lineup and learned how the Royal Court cultivated highly specialized Holy Professions.

• Su Chen melted three Heaven-Forged Items into liquid and drank them, then estimated that he would need about a month to absorb them fully.
• Su Chen asked Luo Shuhang to find seventh-rank stamina professions that increased total stamina, and Luo Shuhang suggested Earth Power Master and Inexhaustible Source.
• Luo Shuhang explained that five professions were the minimum for forging a Holy Profession and that the professions needed compatible affinities and a shared objective.
• Su Chen concluded that Wind-Chasing Dancer did not fit his strength-focused Holy Profession and considered forging it from seven other professions instead.
• Luo Shuhang described the Prophet Society's Holy Profession ranking and said the Shen Clan's God-Wielder was forged from six spirit-rank professions.
• Luo Shuhang explained that the Royal Court used its stock of Morning Star Rank professions to cultivate Star Seeds into highly specialized Holy Professions.

Su Chen attended the Dragon Abyss opening ceremony, where he met the other Star Seeds and Qin Tianlin unexpectedly tried to investigate him. When Qin Tianlin’s attempt brought him close to Su Chen, Su Chen’s panel captured a Remnant Flame of the Sun and revealed that it could awaken the dormant Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable.

• Su Chen arrived at Dragon Abyss to attend the Peak Star Assembly opening ceremony and learn about the Morning Star Marrow selection process.
• Su Chen greeted Chu Ran, Chu Lingyuan, Qin Yun, Shen Yi'an, and several Star Seeds, including Han Xingliu, Sheng Huaixu, and Luo Yao.
• Qin Tianlin approached Su Chen at the urging of a hidden voice, hoping to use physical contact to uncover Su Chen’s secrets.
• Qin Tianlin offered to put their past grievances aside, but Su Chen dismissed the attempted reconciliation and started to leave.
• The hidden voice urged Qin Tianlin closer, and Su Chen sensed a scorching current before his panel captured a Remnant Flame of the Sun.
• Su Chen’s panel warned that the Remnant Flame could awaken the dormant Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable, while the hidden voice reacted in shock and fear.

Su Chen discovered that Qin Tianlin carried the Remnant Flame of the Sun and a mysterious spiritual fragment, while Qin Yun warned Qin Tianlin to stop targeting him. The Peak Star Assembly began at Qing Cang’s new Peak Star Arena, where the participants learned the ranking rules and the event’s history.

• Su Chen realized that the Remnant Flame of the Sun had entered his body and vanished, while its spiritual fragment became intrigued by him.
• Chu Lingyuan separated Su Chen and Qin Tianlin, and Qin Yun warned his grandson not to scheme against Su Chen again.
• Su Chen examined the flame and met Wan Chen, Lin Yue, and Lan Hao, who warmly invited himself to visit Su Chen’s Floating Island.
• Qing Cang unveiled the Peak Star Arena, a towering metal venue displaying the Saint Ranking and introduced its challenge-based competition rules.
• Qing Cang and the others explained the Peak Star Assembly’s history and how it had grown into a major event across the Dust Star Sea.

After the Dragon Abyss ceremony, Su Chen returned to his Floating Island and awakened a powerful new ability in the Great Venerable. He later retrieved the final profession for Eternal Body and fused it into Cauldron Forger, leaving him with another set of difficult requirements to fulfill.

• At the Dragon Abyss ceremony, Su Chen declined Han Xingliu's private banquet invitation and returned to his Floating Island, wary of the factions watching him.
• Su Chen merged Remnant Flame of the Sun into the Great Venerable, awakening Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable and unlocking Fire Induction, which could forge collected Holy Profession sequences into a Holy Profession.
• Su Chen learned that Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable might now advance to a higher level and continued training while waiting for the Faceless Ghost and Cunning Fox Essences needed for Eternal Body.
• Ten days later, Copper Spirit allowed Su Chen to retrieve Dragon-Vein Binder without verification and advised him not to focus only on existing Holy Professions before reaching the Morning Star Rank.
• Su Chen merged Dragon-Vein Binder, Earth Power Master, and Inexhaustible Source with three essences, creating Cauldron Forger, whose requirements included rare materials and surviving a year in the Restless Abyss without assistance.

Su Chen prepared to claim the Heart of Spirit Light and Morning Star Marrow as the Peak Star Assembly drew near. Meanwhile, Qin Tianlin secretly extracted power from Fan Zhao to gain a one-use Holy Profession ability, and Bronze Church members began searching the arriving crowds for Strange God believers.

• Su Chen left the Bronze Tower, planned to settle matters with Vajra Venerable in one decisive move, and headed back to Floating Island while waiting for the metallic fluid in his stomach to be absorbed.
• Qin Tianlin visited Fan Zhao in the Punishment Hall, told him Qin Guang had died and Su Chen had risen to second on the Saint Ranking, then extracted Fan Zhao's life essence to obtain a one-use Imperishable Vajra Holy Profession power.
• Qin Tianlin agreed with the voice beside his ear that he would pursue the Junior Star Head title while the voice claimed the Morning Star Marrow, with Su Chen as their shared target.
• The Bronze Church recalled soldiers to secure the starport and Dragon Abyss Planet as crowds from the Dust Star Sea arrived for the Peak Star Assembly.
• Ming Lin asked Teng Liang about their security duties, and Teng Liang said the other senior brothers' mental imprints would fragment their minds if anyone tried to inspect their memories.

Ming Lin retrieved the Heart of Spirit Light from Black Pagoda, allowing Su Chen to secure a key material for his evolution. Su Chen then manipulated Black Pagoda into choosing Qin Tianlin as his next target instead of Su Chen.

• Ming Lin spotted the Darkmoon Group among the arrivals at the Peak Star Assembly and learned that its representative was Zhao Cheng.
• Ming Lin visited Zhao Cheng and collected a metal box, then delivered it to Su Chen, who found the Heart of Spirit Light inside.
• After Ming Lin reported feeling unsettled by Zhao Cheng’s gaze, Su Chen told him to stay inside and checked for signs of Black Pagoda’s influence.
• Su Chen contacted Black Pagoda and claimed Zhou Yunyang had identified Qin Tianlin as the person with Divine Radiance-grade talent, alleging that Qin Tianlin could steal Professions with purple flames.
• When Black Pagoda asked whom to target first, Su Chen advised that Qin Tianlin was less conspicuous and easier to attack.
• Black Pagoda accepted Su Chen’s advice and decided to target Qin Tianlin.

Su Chen secured the Heart of Spirit Light, then trained at the Creation Copper Heart to comprehend adamantine under repeated lightning strikes. Meanwhile, Fan Zhao died mysteriously in prison, prompting Qin Yun to suspect Qin Tianlin and head for Dragon Abyss; Su Chen began to feel something powerful stirring within him.

• Su Chen told Black Pagoda he would help locate Qin Tianlin, then learned Black Pagoda would have the Darkmoon Group watch for him in Dragon Abyss.
• Su Chen traveled to Copper Heart and asked Copper Spirit how to fulfill his Profession requirement by comprehending adamantine amid destruction.
• Copper Spirit struck Su Chen with lightning, initially misjudging his resilience, before reducing the intensity and continuing the training.
• Wu Feng showed Qin Yun footage of Fan Zhao's unexplained death in prison and noted that Fan Zhao's convulsions began after Qin Tianlin's private visit.
• Qin Yun learned Qin Tianlin had gone to Dragon Abyss for the Preliminary Selection Ranking and set out to confront him.
• After about twenty days of lightning training, Su Chen noticed a faint golden glimmer in his wounds and felt something inside him straining to emerge.

Su Chen completed Vajra Venerable and tested how its defensive boost combined with his other abilities before returning to forge his Holy Profession. Meanwhile, the Preliminary Selection Ranking opened, and Su Chen learned that top contenders were concealing their strength as he prepared to begin his own forging.

• Su Chen felt vajra intent while facing lightning, completed Vajra Venerable's requirements, and took up the Profession, gaining Vajra Stance and an extra 10% damage reduction.
• Su Chen tested Vajra Stance against increasingly powerful lightning and combined it with Weapon Lord, finding that their defense overlapped and the combination consumed stamina rapidly.
• Lu Huai told Han Xingliu that one final person connected to Su Chen still needed their talent improved before the Xuantian Instrument could be taken to the Royal Court.
• The Preliminary Selection Ranking opened at Dragon Abyss, where He Muyang ranked first, Li Guanting ranked second, and Qin Tianlin entered the arena to challenge the rankings.
• Su Chen learned from Ming Lin that the leading seventh-rank professionals were hiding their strength, then went to the training room with healing potions to prepare to forge his Holy Profession.

Su Chen fused his professions into the Holy Profession World-Slaughter Aspect and tested its overwhelming power and heavy costs. After learning the Royal Court wanted the Xuantian Instrument for research into artificially creating Divine Radiance-rank talents, he went with Qing Cang to Dragon Abyss to pursue the Morning Star Marrow and first place in the Peak Star Assembly.

• Su Chen fused Blood Burner, Ravager, Weapon Lord, and Vajra Venerable into World-Slaughter Aspect, gaining Weapon Body and Unshakable Vajra.
• Su Chen tested his new abilities, raised his Mystic Artifacts to the Seventh Rank, and briefly pushed the Powerful Sledgehammer to the Eighth Rank before the immense drain forced him to stop.
• Qing Cang told Su Chen that Lu Huai was preparing to leave with the Xuantian Instrument after Han Xingliu visited, and speculated that the Royal Court sought to develop a way to elevate people to Divine Radiance Rank.
• Su Chen told Qing Cang that his final person would use the Xuantian Instrument in the next couple of days, then asked Qing Cang to accompany him to Dragon Abyss for the Morning Star Marrow.
• Su Chen and Qing Cang boarded a flier for Dragon Abyss, where Su Chen planned to claim first place in the Peak Star Assembly and asked whether the Royal Court would honor its reward.

Su Chen and Qing Cang discussed how to keep Lu Huai from leaving while the Royal Court delayed, then went to Dragon Abyss for the ranking competition. Qin Tianlin briefly claimed first place with the Remnant Flame of the Sun’s power, but Su Chen defeated him and took the top spot.

• Su Chen persuaded Qing Cang to consider delaying Lu Huai’s departure if the Royal Court continued stalling, while taking care not to offend the Xuantian Church.
• Su Chen entered the arena as Qin Tianlin rose to first place by defeating He Muyang, startling the gathered experts and drawing Qin Yun’s attention.
• Qin Tianlin reflected on Su Chen’s strength and prepared to obtain the morning star marrow, while Su Chen selected him as an opponent.
• Su Chen recognized Qin Tianlin’s Imperishable Vajra form and defeated him with a crushing blow, taking first place on the ranking.
• Qin Tianlin left the arena expecting admiration, then saw that Su Chen had already taken the top spot and dropped him to second.

Su Chen defeated Qin Tianlin in the rankings, but Black Pagoda then attacked through Qin Tianlin and was trapped by the Bronze Ancient King. The Bronze Ancient King warned Su Chen to stay close as a vast bronze clock appeared over Dragon Abyss Planet.

• Su Chen defeated Qin Tianlin and took first place, leaving Qin Tianlin consumed by resentment.
• Black Pagoda urged Qin Tianlin to seek revenge, then seized control of Zhao Cheng and struck Qin Tianlin with a beam of black light.
• Purple flames erupted around Qin Tianlin as Black Pagoda revealed itself, and the Bronze Ancient King appeared to confront it.
• The Bronze Ancient King trapped Black Pagoda's consciousness in a data cube while Qin Tianlin collapsed and Su Chen was brought to his side.
• Green data streams formed a pillar above Dragon Abyss Planet and condensed into an enormous bronze clock face.

Black Pagoda killed Qin Tianlin to destroy the spiritual core concealing the Remnant Flame of the Sun, while the Bronze Ancient King forced Black Pagoda into dormancy and took the flame. Bright Sun revealed details about the Bright Sun Spirit’s selection, and Su Chen negotiated to receive the Morning Star Marrow early by promising to hurry Lu Huai’s return.

• Black Pagoda’s attack left Qin Tianlin dead, and the Bronze Ancient King extracted the Remnant Flame of the Sun from his corpse.
• The Peng King accused Qin Yun of hiding the flame, but the Bronze Ancient King subdued him and brought the gathered experts to a meeting room.
• Bright Sun spoke through the flame, explaining that Qin Yun had brought it out of the Lost Flame and that Divine Radiance-grade talent was the minimum requirement to be chosen by the Bright Sun Spirit.
• Bright Sun offered to help reduce the risks of entering the Lost Flame and said higher talent, such as True Brilliance-grade, improved the chances of being chosen, with no age or rank restrictions.
• Su Chen told Han Xingliu that Lu Huai would be delayed, and Han Xingliu offered to award Su Chen the Morning Star Marrow early if Lu Huai returned as soon as possible.

Su Chen secured the morning star marrow while the gathered experts questioned Bright Sun about True Radiance Talents and the Lost Flame. After the experts agreed to guard Bright Sun together, Qin Yun took Qin Tianlin’s corpse away, and Qing Cang was summoned by the Bronze Ancient King to discuss the meeting.

• Su Chen stayed cool while Han Xingliu promised to send him the morning star marrow, and Xiao Linfeng questioned Han about rumors concerning the Lost Flame and Bright Sun Rank professions.
• Bright Sun explained that True Radiance Talents inherited traits from Radiant Moon Rank professionals and said recognized individuals could help the experts enter the Lost Flame.
• Bright Sun warned the experts against letting their Ancient Kings seek recognition too early, and the Bronze Ancient King enclosed him in an energy barrier for joint guard duty.
• Qin Yun carried Qin Tianlin’s corpse away, while Han Xingliu again invited Su Chen to collect the morning star marrow and Su Chen refused.
• Qing Cang arranged an aircraft for Su Chen, then received word that the Bronze Ancient King wanted to see him about the discussion.