Chapter Summaries

Su Chen remained first on the Abyssless Hidden Star Ranking after the second-round rescreening, while Xu Yingshen entered the ranking battles and set his sights on him. As the third round began, Su Chen received a challenge from ninth-ranked Xu Yingshen.

• Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi'an discussed how previously ranked contenders could still enter the battles and potentially challenge Su Chen.
• Xu Yingshen completed six fights, gained Three-Dragon Recognition, and decided to target Su Chen as a source of nourishment.
• Tong Zhuo learned that Xu Yingshen had entered the ranking battles to challenge Su Chen and worried that Xu Yingshen was nearing completion of the Path of Selection.
• Ni Zhan told Chu Lingyuan that Xu Yingshen was likely intercepting Su Chen, while news of the impending challenge spread among the Five Pillars.
• Su Chen fought through the second-round rescreening, and the rankings confirmed he remained first.
• The third round began, and Su Chen received a challenge from ninth-ranked Xu Yingshen.

Su Chen fought Xu Yingshen in the ranking update, withstanding his horde of Nether Domain Creatures and revealing an extreme burst of power. Xu Yingshen expected Su Chen to tire out, but Su Chen deactivated his Heavenly Marks and unleashed a spreading multicolored flame, leaving Xu Yingshen puzzled as the battle continued.

• Xu Yingshen challenged Su Chen, and the two entered the Martial Proof Arena when Su Chen refused to withdraw.
• Xu Yingshen unleashed a Tier 9 Nether Domain Creature, a Three-Headed Withered Crow, and a Black Giant Ape against Su Chen.
• Su Chen fought through Xu Yingshen’s attacks and destroyed his Nether Domain Creatures repeatedly, while Xu Yingshen revived them through his Nether Hell and Azure God Talent.
• Xu Yingshen gathered his Nether Domain Creatures into a gigantic figure, and Su Chen activated all his Heavenly Marks to smash it apart.
• Xu Yingshen assumed Su Chen would weaken after using his extreme burst, but Su Chen deactivated his Heavenly Marks and spread multicolored flames across the arena.
• Xu Yingshen dismissed the flames as ineffective and began lecturing Su Chen about the sacrifices required to gain power.

Su Chen defeated Xu Yingshen by amplifying the Emberless Flame with his Heavenly Marks, taking Xu Yingshen’s place on the Path of Selection and raising his favorability. His victory alarmed the other pillars and prompted Ni Zhan to approach Bronze Heaven, while Su Chen discovered that the selection inherited Xu Yingshen’s progress and that his chance of becoming the Chosen One had risen to 20%.

• Su Chen opened five Heavenly Marks and strengthened the Emberless Flame until it burned through Xu Yingshen’s Nether Domain Creatures.
• Su Chen fully opened his Heavenly Marks, melting Xu Yingshen’s last three creatures and causing the three purple dragon phantoms around Xu Yingshen to vanish.
• Tong Zhuo and Xue Tan saw that Su Chen had replaced Xu Yingshen on the Selection Ranking, while Tong Zhuo resolved to obstruct Su Chen’s progress toward becoming an Azure God.
• Ni Zhan and Ye Chutong discussed Su Chen’s victory and the prospect of investing in him, while Chu Lingyuan learned that Su Chen had defeated Xu Yingshen and welcomed Ni Zhan to Bronze Heaven.
• Su Chen returned to his personal space, discovered that he had inherited Xu Yingshen’s seven victories, and saw his probability of becoming the Chosen One reach 20%.

After defeating Xu Yingshen and taking first place on both Selection Rankings, Su Chen drew the attention of the Five Pillars and the people of Soaring Heavens. As nine martial dragons celebrated his Hidden Star Ranking victory, he slipped home and was reunited with his friends.

• Su Chen considered how the other pillars and Soaring Heavens might obstruct his Azure God transformation, but believed those efforts would not stop his advancement.
• Kong Ye reflected on Su Chen's defeat of Xu Yingshen, while Chang Gexiao told Changge Ming that Su Chen's selection probability had risen to 20%.
• Changge Ming praised Su Chen and welcomed the prospect of a direct contest, despite Chang Gexiao warning him not to act rashly.
• A crowd gathered outside the Martial Proving Hall, where nine golden dragons appeared to celebrate Su Chen's first place on the Hidden Star Ranking.
• Su Chen returned from the Nether Domain and avoided the crowd before Wei Zhenghong, Shen Yi'an, Chu Ran, and others found him at home.

Su Chen learned that his victory over Xu Yingshen had brought both support and a blockade from the other heavens, while Chu Lingyuan discussed rewards and the challenge of Su Chen's Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis. Su Chen spent his Faith Spirits on scarce transformation materials and considered how to obtain the rest.

• Chu Lingyuan sent away the crowd, scolded Chu Ran, and confronted Su Chen about secretly entering the ranking reshuffle.
• Chu Lingyuan told Su Chen that the other heavens viewed him as a threat, but Azure Sea Heaven had offered materials and Ye Chutong could fight him for progress along the Path of Selection.
• Su Chen asked Chu Lingyuan to convert the fight opportunity into Faith Spirits and recommended Morning Star and Divine Radiance rewards for Qing Cang, Wei Zhenghong, and Shen Yi'an.
• Tang Huai chose not to support or target Bronze Heaven, but ordered Qi You to send Su Chen another congratulatory Jade Tree.
• Su Chen used his Faith Spirits to buy the Profound Mother Soul Core and Nine-Aperture Flesh Fungus Heart, then considered asking Ni Zhan for help finding the remaining Azure God transformation materials.

Su Chen used the Profession-Refining Flame on the Flawless One, gaining a major development-efficiency boost that accelerated his path toward Morning Star. Elsewhere, Black Pagoda and Eternity discussed Su Chen and the coming struggle over Abyssless, while Qing Cang and Lin Langtian arrived in Soaring Heavens with Chu Lingyuan.

• Su Chen used the Profession-Refining Flame on the Flawless One, which gained Potential Elevation and gave him a substantial development-efficiency bonus.
• Su Chen tested his improved training speed, estimated he could reach the threshold for Morning Star sooner, and resolved to advance before attempting the second trial again.
• Black Pagoda and Eternity discussed Su Chen's victory over Xu Yingshen, the Source Fire harvest, and which Pillar they might choose for Incarnation.
• Qing Cang and Lin Langtian arrived at Soaring Heavens, where Chu Lingyuan used the Rainbow Bridge to transport them from the Heaven Gate.

Su Chen met with Ni Zhan, who assessed him as a potential investment for the Soaring Heavens after the other Pillars blocked access to Azure God metamorphosis materials. Ni Zhan agreed to provide five thousand Faith Spirit and seek a rare Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo for him.

• Qing Cang thanked Su Chen for helping him metamorphose into a Morning Star, then left with Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi'an for their own metamorphoses.
• Su Chen waited with Chu Lingyuan for Ni Zhan, who arrived with Ye Chutong and exchanged greetings with them.
• Ye Chutong tried to explain the rumors about her and flirt with Su Chen, but he remained unmoved and Ni Zhan left her outside the reception hall.
• Ni Zhan told Su Chen and Chu Lingyuan that Great Heaven, Buddha Land, and the Machine Domain had blocked sales of Azure God metamorphosis materials to the Soaring Heavens.
• Su Chen said he did not need metamorphosis materials immediately and requested five thousand Faith Spirit and a Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo.
• Ni Zhan agreed to provide the Faith Spirit and seek the rare embryo, while warning that obtaining it would require careful planning.

Su Chen accepted Ni Zhan’s support but delayed advancing along the Path of Selection, then bought the Undecaying Bone and reviewed the remaining materials needed for his transformation. As the Five Pillars’ blockade stirred the Abyssless Domain, they announced a channel for other factions to seek the Bright Sun Spirit’s recognition, prompting Xia Yun and Jiang Yue to consider their chances.

• Ni Zhan offered Su Chen five thousand Faith Spirits and promised to help find the Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo, but Su Chen postponed advancing along the Path of Selection.
• Ni Zhan explained to Ye Chutong that he had invested in Su Chen because even if Su Chen failed to become the Chosen One, he could still become a powerful Moon Radiance.
• Su Chen received the Faith Spirits, bought the Undecaying Bone, and considered how to obtain the remaining Spirit-Nurturing Marrow.
• The other three pillars’ blockade against Su Chen drew attention across the Abyssless Domain, and the Five Pillars announced a channel for other factions to seek recognition from the Spirit of the Bright Sun.
• Xia Yun concluded that the new channel could give him a chance to compete with Su Chen.
• Jiang Yue congratulated Zhong Yue on establishing his Five-Element Foundation, and Zhong Yue said he was close to completing Spirit-Flesh Unity and advancing to Morning Star.

Zhong Yue learned that the Three Pillars’ blockade against Soaring Heavens had halted his Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis, while Su Chen quietly reached 50% development and gained a new sacrificial ability. As Su Chen continued preparing to advance to Morning Star, he reviewed the expanding selection competition and the blockade’s effects.

• Jiang Yue told Zhong Yue that the Three Pillars had blocked sales of Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials to Soaring Heavens to hinder Su Chen, leaving Zhong Yue’s ritual preparations stalled.
• Zhong Yue learned that Su Chen had defeated Xu Yingshen and led both Selection Rankings, while the Five Pillars had opened recognition channels to other Abyssless factions.
• Qin Guanyu received a Morning Star Ember, learned that Su Chen had gone quiet, and dismissed the man in blue’s claim that Su Chen had accepted defeat.
• Su Chen reached 50% Thunderbone Martial Venerable development and gained Thunderbone Grand Sacrifice, which let others offer him thunder-attributed spiritual objects through a ritual.
• Su Chen checked the rankings, saw that Tong Zhuo, Kong Ye, and Zhong Yue had advanced through more victories, and found Qin Guanyu had fallen to third in selection probability.
• Su Chen read Chu Lingyuan’s messages about received items and learned that Zhong Yue had become an unintended victim of the blockade, then resumed training toward Morning Star.

Su Chen learned that Spirit-Nurturing Marrow was available for seven thousand Faith Spirit, then discovered Buddha Land planned to sacrifice Kongming and use Faith Spirit to influence the Spirit of the Bright Sun. The chapter left Su Chen aware that the ritual was intended to secure the Chosen One’s place for Kong Ye.

• Ding Mo told Su Chen that a major faction was selling Spirit-Nurturing Marrow for about seven thousand Faith Spirit, including his commission.
• Su Chen considered asking Heavenly Lord Ni for help but decided he could seek another opportunity if he missed this one.
• Su Chen returned his consciousness from his avatar, saw his development progress reach fifty-two percent, and prepared to return to the sect before using [Calamity Transmutation].
• Su Chen extracted secret intelligence and witnessed Old Buddha Wuzhi explain that Buddha Land would sacrifice Kongming and use his connection to the Spirit of the Bright Sun to influence it with Faith Spirit.
• Mingxin agreed to prevent another Chosen One from emerging while the gradual sacrifice proceeded, and Wuzhi ordered Kongming not to tell Kong Ye.
• Su Chen realized that Wuzhi intended the ritual to pave the way for Kong Ye.

Su Chen used the Primordial Breath Potion and Calamity Transmutation to complete his development and advance to Morning Star as a Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable. He left the Nether Domain with new abilities and discovered his Mystic Artifacts might be forgeable into Morning Star Artifacts.

• Su Chen went to the Heaven Gate after learning that preparations were complete, then entered the Nether Domain to take the Primordial Breath Potion.
• The potion raised Su Chen’s forbidden-codex body-forging and meditation methods, and he used Calamity Transmutation to endure a succession of lightning strikes.
• Su Chen activated the Refinement Method during his profession advancement and successfully obtained the Crimson Flame Thunder Venerable profession and several new abilities.
• Su Chen tested Might of Morning Flame and found that it could further enhance his profession abilities beyond their normal limits.
• Su Chen took out his Mystic Artifact warhammer and noticed it had developed a Heavenly Mark, suggesting he could forge his Mystic Artifacts into Morning Star Artifacts.

Su Chen upgraded all nine Mystic Artifacts into Heavenly Mark Artifacts and detained the Four-Armed Golden Ape, with help from the Yang Marrow Calamity Transmutation Heavenly Venerable’s lightning. After gaining a powerful but physically taxing enhancement, he entered the Absolute Domain to face the bearded man and seek a way to obtain the Faith Spirit he needed.

• Su Chen adapted to his Morning Star body, ordered materials to upgrade his Mystic Artifacts, and found that refining more Morning Flame with the Refinement Method would take a very long time.
• Su Chen forged all nine Mystic Artifacts into Heavenly Mark Artifacts and entered the Nether Domain to detain the Four-Armed Golden Ape.
• Su Chen struggled to contain the Golden Ape until the Yang Marrow Calamity Transmutation Heavenly Venerable sent azure lightning that forced it into the controlling cage.
• Su Chen gained a powerful enhancement from Thunderborn Nine Hells, but discovered that it strained his body and required the Heavenly Marks to withstand it.
• Su Chen used the Formless Heaven Gate to enter the Absolute Domain, hoping to defeat the bearded man and secure enough Faith Spirit for the Spirit-Nurturing Marrow.

Su Chen fought the bearded man in his second trial, using his defensive abilities and Golden Ape enhancement to withstand the man's increasingly powerful attacks. The bearded man admitted defeat and began asking Su Chen about his age and background, but Su Chen still did not know what the trial was or who his opponent was.

• The bearded man challenged Su Chen over his age and accused him of mocking him when Su Chen asked what the trial was for.
• Su Chen used Shadowflash Form and Unshakable Vajra to evade and survive the bearded man's attacks, while Endless Titan converted incoming damage into stamina and repaired his injuries.
• The bearded man expanded his power with Starfall and a stellar force field, but Su Chen activated Flame-Thunder Celestial Venerable and endured the onslaught.
• The bearded man revealed his final trump card, and Su Chen used Golden Ape to meet him in a stalemate before they exchanged repeated blows.
• The bearded man stopped fighting, asked Su Chen's age, and admitted that he had lost because Su Chen had used only one strand of Morning Flame.
• The bearded man asked whether Su Chen's elders had ever told him what the trial was and who he was.

Su Chen learned that the Supreme Path was designed to seek a way beyond Bright Sun and that the bearded man was a replicated body of Abyssless’s seventeenth Supreme Sovereign. After passing the trial and receiving valuable rewards, Su Chen was sent to the Mystic Pivot Association, where he introduced himself as Jiang Yang.

• The bearded man explained that the Supreme Path selected people to explore a path beyond Bright Sun, and that the Supreme Sovereign ruled the Six Divine Bloodlines through the Abyss Pillar.
• The bearded man revealed that he was a replicated body of Abyssless’s seventeenth Supreme Sovereign and said the trial opponents varied for different challengers.
• The bearded man sent Su Chen somewhere, and the trial system awarded Su Chen two wisps of Source Fire, two portions of Buddhaheart Liquid, and materials for Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis.
• Su Chen arrived amid a vast starry scene and met a Morning Star who introduced himself as Zhang Feng, a Mystic Pivot executive.
• Su Chen gave Zhang Feng the name Jiang Yang and suspected he had been transferred to the Mystic Pivot Association.

Su Chen learned about Mystic Pivot, Abyssless’s training ground for potential Supreme Sovereigns, and discovered that he could bring its items into the outside world. He left with plans to sell Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials and use the proceeds to buy potions that would strengthen him.

• Zhang Feng explained that Mystic Pivot trained Abyssless’s most talented people, and Su Chen studied its ranking, including Changge Wudi, Taixuan Ji, and the five recent Bright Suns.
• Su Chen watched Changge Wudi defeat Taixuan Ji again and wondered whether Mystic Pivot’s rare materials could be taken outside.
• Zhang Feng gave Su Chen a communication device, which synchronized his invented Jiang Yang identity and made Su Chen suspect that a hidden force was monitoring him.
• Su Chen tested Mystic Pivot’s marketplace, received a Flame Dragon Potion almost instantly, and confirmed that he could carry both the potion and a mechanical puppet through the Formless Heaven Gate.
• Su Chen destroyed the puppet after it tried to connect to Mystic Pivot’s network and decided to focus on growing stronger before exploring the realm’s treasures.

Su Chen fed Source Fire to the Heavenly Venerable, grew an eighth branch on the Seven-Profession Wonder Tree, and took a complete set of Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials to Ding Mo’s black market. When Ding Mo’s greed turned toward taking the materials, Su Chen revealed the Golden Ape’s overwhelming presence.

• Su Chen fed two wisps of Source Fire to the Heavenly Venerable, which tore a mass of fire from the Purple Extremity World-Purifying Sage Lord and gained a high-grade flame-refining trait.
• Su Chen poured Buddhaheart Liquid onto the Seven-Profession Wonder Tree, causing an eighth branch to grow and giving him room for another Holy Profession.
• Su Chen chose to sell his complete set of Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials to Ding Mo rather than approach Ni Zhan, then traveled to Five Pillars City in the Golden Ape clone’s form as Duan Ye.
• Su Chen showed Ding Mo the complete set, and Ding Mo’s shock gave way to thoughts of seizing the materials.
• Su Chen warned Ding Mo by manifesting the Golden Ape’s terrifying form before him.

Su Chen traded Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials with Ding Mo, securing Faith Spirit, Divine Blood, and the Spirit-Nurturing Marrow. After consulting Chu Lingyuan about Ni Zhan’s search for the Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo, Su Chen learned that rumors blamed all Five Pillars for influencing the Spirit of the Bright Sun, muddying the waters around Buddha Land.

• Ding Mo nearly tried to exploit Su Chen, but the Four-Armed Golden Ape’s display of strength made him agree to sell the materials without a commission and negotiate honestly.
• Su Chen sold Ding Mo part of the complete material set for thirty thousand portions of Faith Spirit, including an exchange of five thousand for one thousand drops of Divine Blood, and received the Spirit-Nurturing Marrow.
• After confirming the exchange, Su Chen left Ding Mo with five materials and asked him to send word when he gathered the remaining twenty-four thousand portions of Faith Spirit.
• Su Chen bought ten Flame Dragon Potions in Mystic Pivot, returned to the Bronze Heaven, and met Chu Lingyuan, who reported that Ni Zhan’s search in Great Heaven was progressing smoothly and should yield results within half a year.
• Chu Lingyuan told Su Chen that rumors accused all Five Pillars of influencing the Spirit of the Bright Sun, prompting each pillar to send a Moon Radiance to guard the Tower of Spirituality.
• Su Chen suspected Buddha Land had spread the rumors to muddy the waters after he publicized its alleged interference.

Su Chen rejected a suspicious offer of materials for the Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis, then tested resources for improving his Refinement Method and strengthening his professions. He bought Morning Star Ember for his traitless professions and continued researching Ruin's End while waiting for his dispatched professions to return.

• Su Chen told Chu Lingyuan to reject a broker's free offer of Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis materials, warning that the offer could conceal a dangerous agenda.
• Su Chen used a Flame Dragon Potion and found that it increased his Refinement Method's efficiency by nearly one-third, though each dose lasted about three days.
• Su Chen tested the Heavenly Venerable's Marrow Flame and raised his Refinement Method progress to 50%, then tried Morning Star Ember and confirmed its violent power made it less suitable for him as Refinement Method support.
• Su Chen calculated the Morning Star Ember needed to trigger traits in his five traitless Holy Professions and purchased supplies for 4,640 portions of Faith Spirit.
• With his professions still on dispatch, Su Chen continued using potion support to circulate the Refinement Method and sent his consciousness into a clone to gather information about Ruin's End.

Kong Ye became the first person to complete the Path of Selection after Buddha Land pooled its candidates’ victories, but the Spirit of the Bright Sun did not choose him. Meanwhile, Su Chen continued strengthening his professions and prepared to return to Soaring Heavens as Ni Zhan’s return and the Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo’s results approached.

• Buddha Land combined the progress of its candidates to put Kong Ye first on the Path of Selection, ahead of Tong Zhuo and Su Chen.
• The Spirit of the Bright Sun made a dramatic appearance before Kong Ye, then entered the Hall of Spirituality and left him without choosing him.
• Tong Zhuo lamented losing first place and decided to prepare for advancement to Morning Star.
• Su Chen found no news of Ruin's End Great Realm, extracted a Heaven-Burning Stone, and reviewed the traits his professions had gained.
• Su Chen upgraded World-Slaughter Aspect’s Ascension Metamorphosis trait to High, greatly increasing its power, then prepared to return to Soaring Heavens after reading Old Chu’s message about Ni Zhan and the Mysterious-Feminine Spirit Embryo.

Su Chen visited Chu Lingyuan and learned about Kong Ye’s Path of Selection and Changge Ming’s advancement to Morning Star. When Ni Zhan arrived, he discovered that Su Chen had also advanced to Morning Star and concluded that Su Chen could become the Hao Spirit’s Chosen One if he obtained Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis.

• Su Chen met Chu Lingyuan, who explained how the Bronze Church had gained respect in Soaring Heavens and told him that Kong Ye had completed the Path of Selection first.
• Chu Lingyuan said Kong Ye had drawn out the Spirit of the Bright Sun, which had praised him but had not chosen him, and mentioned that Changge Ming had advanced to Morning Star.
• Su Chen and Chu Lingyuan traveled to Azure Sea Heaven to visit Ni Zhan, and Ye Chutong questioned Su Chen about competing for the Spirit of the Bright Sun.
• Su Chen told Ye Chutong that he still intended to compete and needed to defeat only three more people to finish.
• Ni Zhan arrived, sensed Su Chen’s Morning Star aura, and realized that Su Chen’s advancement could make him a likely Chosen One if he obtained Azure God Fetal Metamorphosis.