Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Let Li Qingxian Off This Time, We’re Leaving”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Beneath Heaven Momentum Sect’s Three-Lives Heaven Wall, Li Qingxian continues delivering the Heaven Momentum Grand Lecture through the Great Light Screen.
• Lu Han arrives with the Night Guard and Heaven’s Mandate Sect, intending to confront or arrest Li Qingxian. He is eager to prove himself as the new Chief of the Patrol Bureau and avoid another humiliating defeat against Li.
• Lu Han receives conflicting advice:
  • Heaven’s Mandate Sect warns him not to disrupt Heaven Momentum Sect’s crucial chief-disciple selection, suggesting that doing so could trigger open conflict.
  • His father, Lu Liangsheng, subtly urges him to return to the capital.
  • Gai Fengyou advises him that Lu Han has been used as a pawn in a larger conflict between Heaven Momentum Sect and Heaven’s Mandate Sect. He recommends withdrawing under the pretext of investigating the Devil Sect.
• Lu Han reluctantly announces that the Devil Sect is gathering nearby and declares that they will “let Li Qingxian off” for the time being.
• Heaven Momentum Sect publicly condemns Lu Han, accusing him of violating sect rules and falsely invoking an imperial decree to persecute one of its disciples. The sect bans its disciples from associating with him.
• Hu Jingtian orders the Heaven Momentum Grand Lecture to resume. The Three-Lives Heaven Wall disappears, and the surrounding Fate Arts Masters return to watching the lecture while openly insulting Lu Han.
• Li Qingxian completes the introductory lecture on the Eighty-Eight-Tower Mountains and Rivers Momentum Configuration, followed by an extended question-and-answer session lasting until late at night.
• Only afterward does Li learn, through messages from others, about the confrontation and Lu Han’s retreat.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Remains completely focused on his lecture and is unaware of the political confrontation unfolding around him. His deep concentration and mastery of Fate Arts enhance his reputation.
• Lu Han: Reveals insecurity and ambition. He wants to establish authority in his new position but ultimately lacks the power and independence to challenge Heaven Momentum Sect. His retreat damages his reputation and leaves him resentful and humiliated.
• Gai Fengyou: Demonstrates political cunning by gaining Lu Han’s trust and guiding him toward withdrawal. He frames the incident as part of a larger struggle between the two major sects.
• Hu Jingtian: Acts decisively to protect Heaven Momentum Sect and Li Qingxian, publicly punishing Lu Han and restoring the lecture.
• Jiang Youfei: Observes Li Qingxian’s performance with pride, recognizing that her former junior has matured and grown stronger.
• Heaven’s Mandate Sect: Appears politically cautious and unwilling to risk a direct confrontation, abandoning Lu Han when the situation becomes inconvenient.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and factional conflict: Lu Han believes he is leading an investigation, but Gai Fengyou suggests he has been used as a tool in the rivalry between Heaven Momentum Sect and Heaven’s Mandate Sect.
• Reputation and legitimacy: Lu Han’s failed confrontation damages his standing, while Heaven Momentum Sect’s defense of Li strengthens its own moral authority.
• Knowledge as power: Li’s lecture commands widespread attention and demonstrates his influence within the Fate Arts world, even while political forces attempt to target him.
• Public morality versus political coercion: Heaven Momentum Sect is portrayed as cooperative and benevolent, contrasting with Heaven’s Mandate Sect’s reputation for force and intimidation.
• Composure amid conflict: Li’s continued lecture symbolizes focus and confidence, while Lu Han’s retreat reveals the instability beneath his official authority.

Important Character Interactions

• Lu Han and Gai Fengyou: Gai subtly persuades Lu Han that he is being used and advises him to withdraw under the cover of investigating the Devil Sect.
• Lu Han and Heaven’s Mandate Sect: The sect initially supports his presence but abandons the confrontation once it risks provoking Heaven Momentum Sect.
• Lu Han and Hu Jingtian: Hu publicly condemns Lu Han and imposes a lasting social and institutional penalty on him.
• Jiang Youfei and Li Qingxian: Though they do not directly interact in the chapter, Jiang watches his lecture and proudly acknowledges his growth.
• Li Qingxian and the Fate Arts Masters: Through his lecture and question-and-answer session, Li impresses and educates them, winning their continued attention and respect.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian encounters Li Divine Physique ascending through the Heaven Momentum Sect by frog-jumping. Although Li Divine Physique is clearly a body cultivator, he claims to practice Fate Arts; he dismisses Li Qingxian as another Fate Arts Master following the conventional path.
• Li Qingxian visits Azure Jade Residence, where he meets Zhao Qingchuan and Jiang Youfei. They compliment and tease him about his performance in the day’s grand Heaven Momentum class.
• Jiang Youfei reveals that the Grand General Prince is preparing a major counteroffensive against the Demon Race, possibly to retake Champion City or at least intimidate the demons.
• Zhao Qingchuan explains the political crisis behind this decision:
  • Zhang Wentong is preparing to establish the Devil Alliance.
  • The Inner Factory is recruiting major sects and consolidating smaller sects under imperial influence.
  • The Demon-Suppressing Pagoda is nearing completion, and the Inner Factory and Heaven’s Mandate Sect intend to seize it.
  • Emperor Taining has recovered and is preparing to resume court affairs.
  • The emperor has issued three orders summoning the Grand General Prince to the capital, but the prince has ignored them.
• Li Qingxian recounts how Chief Minister Zhao gave him three mysterious peaches and redirected him away from the Dingnan Prince and toward the Great River. Zhao Qingchuan concludes that the minister must be dealing with an extremely dangerous and complicated crisis, and warns Li Qingxian to be exceptionally cautious.
• Li Qingxian decides to avoid becoming involved in the conflict between the Northern Garrison Army and the River Guard Army. Instead, he plans to enter the Heaven Momentum Sect, focus on cultivation, and advance to Upper Rank before taking further action.
• Zhao Qingchuan explains the two major theories regarding the Four Aspects of Fate Arts:
  • The Heaven Aspect School, which models the Four Aspects on the vast forms of heaven and earth.
  • The Human Aspect School, which holds that humans—and human will—should remain supreme.
• She gives Li Qingxian a test involving ninety-nine failed reincarnations and a final life in which death is permanent. Li Qingxian answers that failure and death have no bearing on whether he truly wishes to pursue his goal. Giving up would only prove that he never genuinely wanted it.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing political awareness and caution. He recognizes that the struggle among the emperor, the River Guard Army, the sects, and the demons is too vast for him to confront directly at his current rank.
• He also reveals a strong, uncompromising personal will. His response to the reincarnation dilemma suggests that his choices are governed by inner conviction rather than fear of failure, suffering, or death.
• Zhao Qingchuan is established as a highly respected Fate Arts expert and the likely future sect master of the Heaven Momentum Sect. She is both intellectually capable and politically trusted, though she admits that intrigue is not her strength.
• Jiang Youfei remains sharp and playful in her interactions with Li Qingxian, but her involvement in the political discussion shows her close connection to the River Guard Army and the broader conflict.
• Li Divine Physique is characterized as a quiet, physically powerful cultivator whose true path remains somewhat mysterious.

Significant Themes

• Heaven versus humanity: The chapter presents a philosophical division between imitating the vastness of heaven and affirming the supremacy of human will.
• Persistence and authentic desire: Li Qingxian rejects the idea that repeated failure or certain death should determine one’s actions. True desire is measured by whether one continues to choose the goal.
• Political instability and hidden schemes: The looming confrontation among Emperor Taining, the River Guard Army, the sects, and the Demon Race creates a dangerous backdrop in which even seemingly benevolent guidance may conceal larger plans.
• Knowledge and restraint: Li Qingxian recognizes that he lacks the strength to intervene effectively and chooses cultivation and observation over reckless participation.
• Destiny versus self-determination: The discussion of Fate Arts parallels Li Qingxian’s own philosophy: although heaven and fate may impose vast pressures, he insists that his own will remains decisive.

Character Interactions

• Li Qingxian and Li Divine Physique briefly cross paths, with Li Divine Physique privately judging Li Qingxian as another conventional Fate Arts practitioner.
• Zhao Qingchuan welcomes Li Qingxian warmly and praises his performance in the Heaven Momentum class, while Jiang Youfei teases him for being a frivolous rake.
• Li Qingxian responds playfully to both women, praising Jiang Youfei’s beauty and treating Zhao Qingchuan and Jiang as trusted seniors.
• Zhao Qingchuan and Jiang Youfei exchange looks while examining the mysterious peaches, recognizing that Li Qingxian’s situation involves serious hidden dangers.
• Zhao Qingchuan becomes Li Qingxian’s philosophical guide, explaining the Heaven Aspect and Human Aspect schools and testing his convictions through the reincarnation hypothetical. His answer strongly suggests an affinity with the Human Aspect School.

Chapter Summary: “Entering Heaven Marrow Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhao Qingchuan identifies Li Qingxian as belonging to the Human Aspect School, explaining that Li tends to attribute success and failure to his own efforts rather than relying on external circumstances.
• Li is advised to focus on nurturing the Four Aspects, with strengthening his Fate Lake as the immediate priority. He plans to prepare during the remaining three days.
• Jiang Youfei intends to join the River Guard Army to gain combat experience by fighting demons. Li invites him to join the Northern Garrison Army, but Jiang declines because it rarely sees battle, agreeing only to reconsider if the army begins actively exterminating demons.
• The conversation turns to the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. Zhao Qingchuan reveals that Grandmaster Liu Feijiu sacrificed his health and violated an oath to prevent the Heaven’s Mandate Sect or imperial family from controlling the pagoda.
• Liu’s oath backlash has severely damaged his soul, leaving him only three to five years to live. He plans eventually to refine himself into the pagoda’s spirit so he can continue contributing to the struggle against demons after death.
• Liu is searching for a worthy new master for the pagoda, possibly Duan Tianji. Duan is considered honorable and compassionate, though his reluctance to decisively oppose his own sect makes him appear indecisive.
• After returning to his quarters, Li reflects on the danger of nurturing the Four Aspects incorrectly. Unlike a Momentum Configuration, which can be repaired or replaced, the process cannot easily be undone.
• Realizing he has neglected an important source of guidance, Li re-enters the Heaven Marrow Academy, after arranging protective formations and having Zhou Hen guard his body.
• Instead of finding the familiar academy, Li discovers a deserted ruin on a barren mountain. The teachers and students have vanished, and the academy appears to have undergone a mysterious transformation.
• Two former classmates, Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping, appear. Li immediately notices that their companion Gao Yuzhao is absent. The chapter ends as Xiao Shenfeng begins explaining what happened after the three friends parted from Li.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian becomes more cautious and introspective about his cultivation, recognizing the irreversible importance of nurturing the Four Aspects.
• His concern for the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda shows his growing commitment to the broader struggle against demons and to protecting the River Guard Army.
• Jiang Youfei remains focused on practical combat and self-tempering, revealing his preference for direct battlefield experience over the Northern Garrison Army’s quieter environment.
• Zhao Qingchuan serves as a source of philosophical and historical guidance, explaining the distinction between the Heaven and Human Aspect Schools and providing insight into Liu Feijiu and Duan Tianji.
• Liu Feijiu is portrayed as a self-sacrificing, morally committed figure willing to endure death and even become a pagoda spirit for the sake of resisting demons.
• Duan Tianji is characterized as fundamentally decent and restrained, but conflicted between loyalty to his sect and the demands of righteousness.
• Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping have visibly matured from their childhood forms. Their changed appearances and serious expressions suggest that their experiences after leaving the academy were difficult.

Significant Themes

• Personal responsibility versus reliance on external forces: The distinction between the Human Aspect and Heaven Aspect Schools frames Li’s cultivation philosophy.
• Sacrifice for the greater good: Liu Feijiu’s fate emphasizes the willingness to surrender health, reputation, freedom, and even one’s own identity for a larger cause.
• Moral compromise and divided loyalty: Duan Tianji’s position illustrates the tension between personal goodness and allegiance to a powerful institution.
• Irreversibility and fear of error: Li’s anxiety over nurturing the Four Aspects reflects the danger of making a permanent mistake in cultivation.
• Reality, memory, and artificial existence: Although the people in Heaven Marrow Academy are creations of Fate Arts, Li recognizes that the companionship and emotions he shared with them were genuine.
• Change and loss: The ruined academy and Gao Yuzhao’s disappearance suggest that time and separation have profoundly altered Li’s former friendships.

Character Interactions

• Li and Zhao Qingchuan discuss cultivation theory, the Four Aspects, and the moral implications of the Human Aspect School.
• Li invites Jiang Youfei to join the Northern Garrison Army, while Jiang challenges him to make the army more active against demons.
• Li and Zhao exchange views on Liu Feijiu and Duan Tianji, with Li expressing admiration for their integrity and Zhao offering a more nuanced assessment.
• Upon returning to Heaven Marrow Academy, Li reunites with Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping. Their meeting is emotionally complicated by Gao Yuzhao’s unexplained absence.
• Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping begin recounting their lives after separating from Li, revealing that their friendship with Gao Yuzhao eventually became strained by differing ideals.

Chapter Summary: “The Death of an Old Friend”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiao Shenfeng recounts what happened after the three friends—he, Chen Xingping, and Gao Yuzhao—left Heaven Marrow Academy:
  • Xiao entered official circles and gained a position at court.
  • Chen Xingping secretly controlled and expanded several gangs.
  • Gao Yuzhao wandered through the mortal world, eventually becoming entangled in love.
• Despite following different paths, the three met once a year, continuing the habits they had developed at the academy: exchanging knowledge, discussing their experiences, and improving together.
• Their lives became increasingly difficult. Xiao struggled with court politics, Chen faced pressure from powerful factions, and Gao was trapped by emotional attachments.
• Gao Yuzhao was eventually killed by a Devil Sect disciple after intervening to save an old man from being beaten. Xiao and Chen investigated the death for six months, hoping to find a deeper reason, but discovered that it had been an ordinary and senseless killing.
• They came to recognize Gao’s death as a reflection of the wider world: in a chaotic society filled with evil, even cultivators could die meaninglessly and be reduced to obscure entries—or even a few strokes—in history.
• Xiao and Chen had previously disagreed over the role of Fate Cultivators. Xiao believed they should stand openly above others, while Chen favored controlling events from the shadows. Gao’s death caused them to set aside this disagreement and pursue their shared goal: protecting humanity from destruction.
• They decided to establish a Fate Arts sect and returned to Heaven Marrow Academy, only to find that the academy had also been damaged by war. There, they encountered Li Qingxian, whom they regarded as their old friend Xu Yuanhai.

Character Developments

• Xiao Shenfeng is portrayed as politically ambitious and committed to shaping the world directly. Gao’s death deepens his awareness of how fragile and meaningless individual lives can become amid social disorder.
• Chen Xingping develops as a pragmatic strategist who prefers hidden influence. Though he and Xiao disagree about methods, Gao’s death reinforces their common purpose.
• Gao Yuzhao becomes the emotional center of the story despite being absent. His instinctive compassion—helping a persecuted old man—leads to his death, demonstrating both his moral character and the danger of a lawless world.
• Li Qingxian reconnects emotionally with Xiao and Chen and realizes that the academy encounter, though created through Fate Arts, feels profoundly real. His understanding of Momentum Configurations also proves far more advanced than theirs.
• Xiao and Chen remain highly capable despite taking longer to refine formations. Their solid foundations and unusual insights allow Li Qingxian to continue learning from them.

Significant Themes

• The meaninglessness of death in a chaotic world: Gao’s death is not the result of a grand conspiracy but of a random act of violence, emphasizing how ordinary and pervasive tragedy can be.
• The responsibility of cultivators: The characters conclude that Fate Cultivators must work to prevent humanity’s moral and social collapse rather than merely pursue personal power.
• Different methods, shared ideals: Xiao’s preference for open authority and Chen’s belief in hidden control represent opposing political philosophies, yet both seek the survival and advancement of humanity.
• Friendship and continuity: Even after years apart and despite radically different lives, the three friends preserve their academy traditions of study, debate, and mutual improvement.
• Memory and reality: The Fate Arts-created reconstruction of Heaven Marrow Academy feels authentic to Li Qingxian, blurring the boundary between illusion and genuine emotional experience.

Character Interactions and Major Events at the Academy

• Xiao and Chen welcome Li Qingxian back into their circle and invite him to continue learning with them.
• They resolve to refine Momentum Configurations across the mountains and plains, eventually hoping to extend their influence across the world and prevent “evil rain” from descending upon the mortal realm.
• They begin with the basic Long River Momentum Configuration, composed of three sections and nine qi mechanism clusters built from 1,808 types of qi mechanisms.
• Li Qingxian rapidly completes his formations, greatly surpassing Xiao and Chen in speed, though he acknowledges that their slower work is exceptionally well-founded and insightful.
• Xiao restores the ruined academy by carving and erecting a “Heaven Marrow Academy” plaque, symbolically preserving their shared past.
• The three exchange their experiences after each refinement, recreating their old pattern of collaborative learning.
• They complete ten each of several basic configurations, including Long River, Forest Mountain, Lone Tower, and Desolate Village formations.
• When the vision ends, Li Qingxian returns to his dormitory and discovers that only fifteen minutes have passed. He carefully records everything he learned and reflects on how real the reconstructed friendship felt.

Chapter Summary: “Jade from Another Mountain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian reflects on the mysteries of Heaven Marrow Academy. He realizes that Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping were not ordinary individuals but manifestations of knowledge and power comparable to countless Grand Fate Arts Masters. He concludes that the academy is now more like a hidden world than a simple school and decides he must continue studying there.
• Li begins preparing for the first stage of Four-Aspects Nurturing: choosing a primary aspect for his cultivation.
• As a Human Aspect School cultivator, he considers the strengths and limitations of the Human, Heaven, Daoist, Confucian, Martial, Thunder, Star Dipper, and Devil God paths.
• He determines that his primary aspect must be related to Fate Arts. However, existing Human Aspect techniques seem too weak to suppress or balance his other powers—thunder, stars, and Devil God energy.
• Unable to find a solution through established cultivation systems, Li recalls scenes and writings from his previous life. After examining these memories, he discovers an idea capable of guiding his cultivation.
• On the day before entering the Fate Lake, he returns to Heaven Momentum Mountain, has Zhou Hen guard him, and begins cultivating.
• Li chants an invocation declaring that human fate and heavenly fate are one, and that he will establish heavenly fate through human fate and become a “Destiny Emperor.”
• One of the Five Qi transforms into a silver-gray current, giving rise to a rocky circular realm marked with incomprehensible symbols. At its center appears a crowned statue of Li Qingxian—the Fate Emperor Aspect.
• The Fate Emperor Aspect connects to Li’s Fate Mansion through a black-hole-like passage. The Fate Mold and Fortune flow into it, while its power strengthens the Fate Mansion in return.
• Li realizes that the aspect is now inseparable from him: his emotions, ambitions, desires, and spirit will all shape it.

Character Development

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increased insight and caution regarding Heaven Marrow Academy, recognizing that its apparent teachers may represent a far greater and more mysterious power.
• He struggles with the limitations of existing cultivation paths, showing both intellectual humility and determination to create a path suited specifically to himself.
• Rather than choosing an established aspect, Li uses knowledge from his former life to develop something original.
• By creating the Fate Emperor Aspect, he takes a major step toward integrating human fate, heavenly fate, his Fate Mansion, and his personal identity.

Significant Themes

• The limits of inherited knowledge: Existing cultivation systems are incomplete, forcing Li to innovate rather than rely solely on tradition.
• Self-creation and personal destiny: Li does not merely cultivate a preexisting path; he creates an aspect based on his own understanding and aspirations.
• Unity of human and heavenly fate: The chapter establishes the central principle that human fate and heavenly fate are interdependent and can be transformed into one another.
• Identity and cultivation: The Fate Emperor Aspect is not separate from Li. His emotions and will directly influence it, making cultivation a reflection of the self.
• Hidden knowledge and mystery: Heaven Marrow Academy is portrayed as an ancient, possibly collective intelligence concealing secrets beyond ordinary comprehension.

Important Character Interactions

• Li has no major direct confrontation or conversation in this chapter.
• He recalls the influence of Xiao Shenfeng and Chen Xingping, whose extraordinary understanding leads him to reassess the true nature of Heaven Marrow Academy.
• Zhou Hen assists indirectly by standing guard while Li performs the dangerous and important cultivation breakthrough.

Chapter Summary: “Fate Emperor Aspect Formed”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian successfully forms the Fate Emperor Aspect, with the Inner Gods of his Spirit Platform Aspect positioning themselves behind it like subordinate attendants.
• The formation causes no major heavenly phenomenon, reassuring Li that cultivating a system absent from this world has not triggered a dangerous reaction.
• For a moment, Li experiences himself as a colossal being covering the entire world. From this perspective, he can observe the world’s geography, changing circumstances, and countless Momentum Configuration Clouds as though viewing them from above.
• The scene returns to Heaven Momentum Sect, where two powerful figures discuss Li’s growing reputation:
  • His Weird Momentum Configuration, Heaven-Mender, has been nominated for the Heaven-Mender selection.
  • He has also been nominated as a Heaven-Mender in Stellar Fate Arts for creating the Million-Star Formation, a work comparable to founding an entire cultivation branch.
  • His discovery of twelve new qi mechanisms is expected to revolutionize stellar-heaven Momentum Configurations.
  • The speakers suspect Li may also be responsible for the mysterious September Heavenfall.
• A possible divine-ability precursor appears over Heaven Momentum Sect. Li senses dangerous, observing gazes and retreats before attracting further attention.
• Li plans to use the Fate Emperor Aspect as the foundation for additional aspects: the Thunder Aspect, Star Dipper Aspect, and Eerie Qi Aspect. He may attempt to form a Devil God Aspect after visiting a Dead Devil Lands site, but will abandon the plan if the Devil-Fuel Method proves unusable.
• He prepares for the next day’s descent into the Fate Lakes, reviewing Momentum Configuration knowledge.
• The Fate Emperor Aspect greatly enhances his comprehension. It gives him:
  • A microscopic view of every detail and external connection within a Momentum Configuration.
  • A macroscopic view of the larger system and how each individual concept fits into it.
• Li studies until late at night, gaining a much deeper and more integrated understanding of Fate Arts.
• At dawn, the examinees and Heaven Momentum Sect disciples gather to enter the Fate Lakes. Rumors circulate about the lakes’ structure and purpose, though all participants must swear not to reveal their secrets.
• The chapter ends with discussion of Master Li Xuzhong, who has resigned from the imperial court.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian reaches a major cultivation milestone by completing the Fate Emperor Aspect.
• His power is not merely increased; his intellectual grasp of Fate Arts becomes almost omniscient, allowing him to understand both individual techniques and entire systems simultaneously.
• His growing achievements establish him as a leading candidate for the competition’s top position, surpassing earlier expectations that Duan Tianji would win.
• Li also becomes increasingly conspicuous. His achievements, possible responsibility for September Heavenfall, and the divine-ability precursor attract attention from powerful figures and possibly hostile forces.
• Li Xuzhong takes a dramatic political step by abandoning his official position, suggesting a break with the imperial court and perhaps a decision to pursue a different path.
• Duan Tianji remains Li’s primary rival, though Li is now favored after the second trial.

Significant Themes

• Power and perception: The Fate Emperor Aspect allows Li to perceive the world from both a transcendent, macrocosmic viewpoint and an intensely detailed analytical one.
• Knowledge as cultivation: Li’s greatest advancement comes not only from raw power but from understanding systems, relationships, and hidden principles.
• Recognition and danger: Li’s accomplishments bring prestige, but they also make him visible to powerful observers and potential enemies.
• Competition and destiny: The Heaven-Mender nominations and the Fate Lakes test place Li at the center of a broader contest involving the future of major sects and the secrets of the world.
• Institutional and political change: Li Xuzhong’s resignation, the imperial court’s weakening position, and growing Devil Alliance activity suggest that the wider world is approaching major upheaval.
• Hidden origins: The Fate Lakes may reveal secrets connected to the founding of the Heaven’s Mandate Sect and Heaven Momentum Sect, making the upcoming trial historically and politically significant.

Character Interactions

• The two unidentified Grand Fate Arts Masters analyze Li’s achievements, compare him with other candidates, and debate whether he caused September Heavenfall.
• They also discuss Li’s chances against Duan Tianji, the Fate Lakes’ importance, the Grand General Prince, the Devil Alliance, and Li Xuzhong’s decision to leave government service.
• Li interacts indirectly with the Heaven Momentum Sect through his nominations and the attention surrounding his cultivation.
• The examinees and sect disciples exchange rumors about the Fate Lakes, their rules, and the increasingly unstable state of the world.

Chapter Summary: “First Entering the Fate Lake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The examinees arrive at the Heaven Momentum Sect’s Fate Lake, a stunning valley containing one central lake surrounded by nine smaller lakes, all connected like a blooming flower.
• The sect disciples discuss the likely contenders for the outer sect’s chief position, especially Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji. However, they emphasize that the true importance of the examination lies in how many Fate Lakes a person can illuminate.
• The disciples mention the legendary tenth lake, which no one has ever lit. Its illumination is said to bring enormous changes to the world, possibly transforming the successful person into a god or demon.
• They also discuss the rising threat of the Devil Sect and the possibility that its upcoming assembly could alter the balance of power between the human and devil factions.
• After the Heaven Momentum Sect completes its ritual, Zhao Qingchuan explains the rules: each Fate Lake contains a trial, and those who pass may proceed to the next lake.
• The thirty surviving examinees enter the first Fate Lake. Their physical bodies become motionless beneath the water while their consciousnesses are transported elsewhere.
• Li Qingxian awakens inside a three-story circular earthen academy. Each floor teaches a different aspect of Momentum Configurations:
  • The first floor covers fundamentals such as vital aura and aura clusters.
  • The second floor teaches complete Momentum Configurations.
  • The third floor focuses on practical and combat applications.
• Li realizes that the first lake likely tests a participant’s ability to study, understand, and master Momentum Configurations. Rather than searching for a hidden shortcut, he decides to treat the illusion as a genuine place of learning.
• He begins carefully studying the lessons and taking notes.
• Outside the lake, the examiners and sect disciples wait in various ways, while Zhao Qingchuan and the four examiners closely monitor the contestants.
• The elders observe the contestants through the Fate Lake Mirror and discuss the significance of the later lakes. They state that the fourth lake is relatively easy, while the seventh is the true test of character and moral disposition.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates patience, discipline, and intellectual humility. Despite already possessing excellent foundations, he does not assume he knows enough and chooses to reinforce even basic knowledge.
• His approach reflects the guidance of Chief Minister Zhao, showing that he trusts established instruction and applies it methodically.
• Cui Dianxing acknowledges the gap between himself and Li Qingxian, becoming more aware of his own limitations and resolving to focus on nurturing Cui Zhiyun instead.
• The Nether Child feels conflicted after failing to enter the Fate Lake. Although he recognizes that he is young and newly advanced to Sixth Rank, Li Qingxian’s greater achievement causes bitterness and envy.
• Duan Tianji is established as Li Qingxian’s main rival in the outer sect competition, though he does not personally appear in the chapter’s events.
• Zhao Qingchuan acts as a calm examiner and guide, formally explaining the rules and overseeing the examination.

Significant Themes

• Knowledge and continuous learning: True mastery requires humility and willingness to study fundamentals, even for a talented individual like Li Qingxian.
• Merit versus reputation: Although the examinees focus on who may win the chief position, the elders emphasize that the number of Fate Lakes illuminated—and especially the moral tests later on—is more important than outward status.
• Talent and comparison: Li Qingxian’s success causes admiration in some and painful self-comparison in others, particularly Cui Dianxing and the Nether Child.
• Power and moral character: The seventh Fate Lake is said to test a person’s state of mind and ensure that those who pass will not become evil, suggesting that genuine advancement requires virtue as well as ability.
• Uncertainty and destiny: The tenth Fate Lake remains an unknowable legend, symbolizing both immense potential and the danger of power whose consequences cannot yet be understood.
• Growing external conflict: Conversations about the Devil Sect introduce a broader political and martial threat beyond the examination itself.

Character Interactions

• The Heaven Momentum Sect disciples debate Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji’s prospects and express hostility toward the Heaven’s Mandate Sect.
• The disciples discuss the Devil Sect’s growing influence and warn one another to seek safety in Heaven Momentum City if necessary.
• The eliminated examinees watch the finalists with envy and disappointment, especially Cui Dianxing and the Nether Child as they compare themselves with Li Qingxian.
• Zhao Qingchuan addresses and encourages the thirty finalists before sending them into the Fate Lake.
• The elders exchange differing opinions about which Fate Lake matters most, ultimately emphasizing that the seventh lake’s moral test is more significant than merely passing the easier stages.

Chapter Summary: “Eighth Fate Lake”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Inside the Fate Lake Mirror, the images of the examinees suddenly accelerate, while white mist rises over the Fourth Fate Lake.
• Li Qingxian begins studying in the ten foundational classrooms on the first floor of the circular earthen building. Although the material is familiar, he treats it as a serious review rather than skipping ahead.
• Using Complete-Understanding Duke’s study method and his Premonition divine power, Li organizes and analyzes each lesson. Repeatedly revisiting basic knowledge reveals overlooked details, fills gaps, and inspires new techniques.
• Li completes all ten first-floor classrooms, then proceeds to the second floor to practice refining Momentum Configurations. He continues learning methodically instead of rushing toward advanced material.
• The elders observing the examination praise Li, Duan Tianji, and Nie Jiuming for strengthening their foundations. They criticize examinees who skim the first two floors and rush to the third in pursuit of shortcuts.
• While studying, Li awakens the first pearl of the Eighth Fate Lake. A drop of dew from it falls onto him, representing roughly ten years of arduous cultivation. The elders are astonished, since even they had not awakened the Eighth Fate Lake in their youth.
• The elders conclude that Li’s achievement likely comes from absorbing Complete-Understanding Duke’s wisdom, particularly Chief Minister Zhao’s rigorous approach to learning.
• Duan Tianji finishes all three floors quickly, but then recognizes that he has been too hasty. He reflects on Li’s method, criticizes his own arrogance, and returns to the first classroom to rebuild his foundation.
• The elders admire Duan Tianji’s ability to self-correct and encourage himself, though they worry that his pride could eventually lead him astray.
• Six examinees are expelled from the Fate Lake after being overwhelmed by its fountains and waves. Their silent departure suggests they have realized the consequences of their misguided approach.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates humility, patience, discipline, and exceptional comprehension. Though already highly skilled in Momentum Configurations, he continues to study basic material carefully. His awakening of the Eighth Fate Lake confirms his extraordinary growth and validates his decision to follow Chief Minister Zhao’s methods.
• Duan Tianji: Initially appears to have surpassed everyone by completing the academy’s material rapidly. However, he realizes that speed has caused omissions. Through an internal dialogue, he reprimands and motivates himself, showing that beneath his pride lies strong self-awareness and resilience.
• Nie Jiuming: Is mentioned alongside Li and Duan as one of the examinees who proceeds carefully and respects the importance of solid foundations.
• The five elders: Observe and evaluate the examinees. They increasingly recognize that diligence, reflection, and the ability to learn from others may matter more than innate talent. They especially compare Li’s humility with Duan Tianji’s self-correction.
• The six expelled examinees: Their expulsion serves as a silent lesson. After being thrown from the lake, they seem to understand their mistake and leave without protest.

Significant Themes

• The value of review: Familiar knowledge can yield new insights when revisited with greater experience and deeper understanding.
• Diligence over shortcuts: True mastery requires building a strong foundation rather than chasing advanced techniques quickly.
• Humility and continuous learning: Li’s refusal to become complacent, despite his superior ability, is presented as a rare and powerful form of talent.
• Self-reflection and self-motivation: Duan Tianji’s ability to identify his own flaws and encourage himself demonstrates the qualities necessary for becoming a great cultivator.
• Talent versus effort: The elders debate whether Li’s success comes from innate talent, powerful motivation, or his disciplined adoption of Chief Minister Zhao’s learning method. The chapter ultimately emphasizes perseverance and purposeful study.
• The dangers of arrogance and greed: Examinees who seek rapid advancement fail, while those who proceed carefully gain the greatest rewards.

Chapter Summary: “The Official Start”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Fate Lake examination continues, gradually eliminating examinees. After an hour, four more participants are expelled, and by dusk only fifteen remain.
• The five elders observe that most contestants’ learning has slowed, while Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji continue progressing rapidly.
• The elders compare the two outstanding candidates. Duan Tianji possesses greater innate talent, but Li Qingxian’s boldness, flexible thinking, and willingness to act give him an advantage in learning.
• During repeated study cycles, Li Qingxian becomes the first to fully activate his fourth Fate Lake. Duan Tianji follows shortly afterward. The other examinees activate only one or two pearls at most.
• On the second day, the Fate Lake suddenly turns black and violently churns, forcing all remaining examinees out. The third trial is suspended because of this rare phenomenon, known as Fate Lake Churning.
• To compensate the examinees, the fifteen people who reached the Fate Lake receive treatment equivalent to inner-sect disciples, while the four hundred who passed the first trial are recognized as outer-sect disciples.
• After the contestants leave, the elders reveal that the fifteen translucent figures inside the Fate Lake are still undergoing trials. They officially announce that the Outer Sect Chief Examination has begun and activate additional formations and Momentum Configurations.
• Li Qingxian spends three days reviewing his gains. He estimates that his accelerated study inside the Fate Lake equaled more than five years of ordinary learning and gave him nearly all foundational and advanced Momentum Configuration knowledge available there.
• Recognizing that his knowledge of Fate Arts had been his greatest weakness, Li Qingxian concludes that he can now begin cultivating the Four Aspects without concern.
• He agrees to attend a banquet organized by the examinees, joining nearly four hundred contestants and Heaven Momentum Sect disciples at a restaurant outside the mountain gate.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates exceptional diligence, rapid comprehension, and an unusually courageous and independent mind. His successful completion of the fourth Fate Lake confirms his superiority in practical learning.
• Duan Tianji also performs outstandingly and completes his fourth Fate Lake soon after Li Qingxian. However, the elders believe his development is constrained by the corruption and rigid moral environment of the Heaven’s Mandate Sect.
• The elders’ discussion presents Li Qingxian as spirited and fearless, while Duan Tianji is portrayed as sincere and talented but inwardly conflicted.
• Li Qingxian gains confidence from his extensive studies and decides to advance his cultivation more aggressively.
• The other examinees show respect for Li Qingxian and the fifteen successful participants by repeatedly offering comfort and inviting them to the communal banquet.

Significant Themes

• Diligence versus innate talent: Duan Tianji may be more naturally gifted, but Li Qingxian’s persistence and active way of thinking allow him to surpass him in learning.
• Fearlessness and originality: The elders associate Li Qingxian’s achievements with his willingness to think, speak, and act boldly.
• Influence of environment: Duan Tianji’s potential is believed to be limited by the hypocrisy and corruption surrounding his sect.
• Learning as accumulation and transformation: Li Qingxian’s repeated study turns knowledge into a foundation for future cultivation, emphasizing the relationship between scholarship and power.
• Fate and unpredictability: The sudden Fate Lake Churning interrupts the examination, showing that even careful plans can be overturned by unforeseen forces.
• Fairness and institutional responsibility: Although the trial is disrupted, the Heaven Momentum Sect compensates the examinees and accepts responsibility for the accident.

Character Interactions

• The five elders openly debate Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji’s strengths, contrasting Li’s courage and flexibility with Duan’s talent and sincerity.
• Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji exchange a brief, mutual nod after being forced from the Fate Lake, acknowledging one another as rivals.
• Other examinees repeatedly visit or send word to comfort the fifteen participants and invite them to the banquet.
• Yu Ping informs Li Qingxian about the gathering, and Li accepts after learning it is a customary event.
• The chapter ends with Li Qingxian entering a large communal banquet, marking the social beginning of the next stage of the examination.

Chapter Summary: “Son-Sacrificing Emperor”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After the Fate Lake examination, the fifteen successful examinees attend a lavish celebration hosted by the Heaven Momentum Sect.
• As the banquet becomes increasingly drunken and suggestive, most examinees leave with singers or dancers. Li Qingxian remains sober because of his cultivation restrictions.
• Duan Tianji leaves the banquet early. Li Qingxian follows him back to the sect’s mountain gate, where Duan questions his continued loyalty to the imperial court.
• Duan directly suggests that Emperor Taining was indirectly responsible for the death of Mr. Gangfeng. Li Qingxian warns him to be careful and refuses to discuss the matter.
• Zhou Hen explains the origin of Emperor Taining’s nickname, the “Son-Sacrificing Emperor,” recounting how the emperor’s first three crown princes all died after serving his political interests:
  • The First Crown Prince, known as the “Righteous Crown Prince,” slaughtered imperial opponents but was later imprisoned and driven to suicide.
  • The Second Crown Prince, called the “Ten-Road Crown Prince,” conducted bloody purges before being accused of treason and killed while fleeing arrest.
  • The Third Crown Prince purged corrupt officials, only to be falsely accused of misconduct and die under house arrest.
• Li Qingxian becomes visibly disturbed by the stories and instinctively checks his Heaven-and-Earth Bracelet, suggesting he suspects deeper political danger or hidden implications.
• Rumors arise that Emperor Taining may recall the Grand General Prince to the capital to serve as regent.
• On the way to the dormitories, the group encounters Li Divine Physique continuing his extreme physical training.
• Li Qingxian announces his intention to leave the next day for Ancient Profound Mountain to inquire about the priceless Heroes’ Token. Though Yu Ping considers the attempt unrealistic, Li insists that any possibility is worth pursuing.

2. Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates restraint, political caution, and persistent ambition. He avoids drunken revelry, refuses to criticize the emperor openly, and remains determined to pursue the Heroes’ Token despite overwhelming obstacles. His unease over the crown princes’ deaths hints at growing suspicion toward the imperial court.
• Duan Tianji: Shows himself to be bold and perceptive, willing to question Li Qingxian’s loyalty and openly allude to the emperor’s possible responsibility for Mr. Gangfeng’s death. His departure from the banquet also distinguishes him from the more indulgent examinees.
• Zhou Hen: Provides the historical explanation of the emperor’s ruthless political methods. Though usually quiet, he displays knowledge and caution, warning the others to speak carefully.
• Yu Ping: Remains curious and outspoken but is shaken by the account of the emperor’s treatment of his sons. He also provides rumors concerning a possible regency and questions the identities and cultivation methods of others.
• Li Divine Physique: Remains mysterious and isolated, dedicating himself entirely to bodily tempering while apparently ignoring Fate Arts and social interaction.

3. Significant Themes

• Political paranoia and imperial ruthlessness: The emperor preserves power by using, discarding, and ultimately sacrificing even his own heirs.
• Loyalty versus survival: Li Qingxian’s outward loyalty contrasts with his private unease, while Duan Tianji challenges whether genuine loyalty to the court is still possible.
• The danger of speaking truth: Those who discuss forbidden matters are killed, forcing characters to rely on euphemism, silence, and indirect criticism.
• Ambition and impossible goals: Li Qingxian’s pursuit of the Heroes’ Token reflects his belief that possibility remains as long as Heaven has not declared something impossible.
• Self-control versus indulgence: The banquet contrasts the examinees’ drunken desires with Li Qingxian’s discipline and long-term focus.
• Hidden identities and uncertain cultivation paths: Li Divine Physique’s behavior raises questions about whether he is truly a martial cultivator or concealing another form of cultivation.

4. Character Interactions

• The banquet brings the Fate Lake examinees together in an atmosphere of forced camaraderie, flirtation, and competitive drinking.
• Li Qingxian and Duan Tianji share a guarded conversation about Mr. Gangfeng and Emperor Taining, revealing differing attitudes toward imperial loyalty.
• Li Qingxian, Zhou Hen, and Yu Ping discuss the “Son-Sacrificing Emperor,” with Zhou supplying the historical account and Li repeatedly urging caution.
• The three speculate about Li Divine Physique’s cultivation and secret intentions after observing his relentless training.
• Li Qingxian’s determination to seek the Heroes’ Token is met with Yu Ping’s skepticism, but Li’s confidence reinforces his increasingly bold and independent character.

Chapter Summary: “An Old Acquaintance in the City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the contest for the Dao Establishment Mountain Crown, Li Qingxian and his companions leave Heaven Momentum Mountain. The onlookers lament that Li’s damaged Fate Lake prevented him from fully demonstrating his potential, though many still believe he will soon reach the Third Rank.
• Cui Dianxing attempts to recruit Li into the River Guard Army, offering to arrange the necessary paperwork. Li refuses, pointing out that such a transfer would be recognized by the Great General King but not by the imperial court.
• Cui openly declares that, along the Great River, the Great General King’s authority supersedes that of the imperial court. Li reacts sharply, accusing him of rebellion and formally cutting ties with him. Their exchange is partly theatrical, but it reveals the growing political divide between the River Guard Army and the imperial government.
• Cui Dianxing privately reveals that he believes Li will become an influential figure within three years—possibly powerful enough to rival even the Great General King’s importance.
• Li, Zhou Hen, and Yu Ping discuss the River Guard Army’s intentions. Li concludes that the army is preparing to march north in force, confirming information previously given by Zhao Qingchuan. Zhou Hen considers joining the northern campaign, while Li says he may eventually travel across the river as well.
• Before leaving the city, Li encounters Xiang Zizai, an old acquaintance from his journey between the capital and Far-Reaching City. Xiang recognizes him by his former alias, Li Jingqiu.
• Xiang explains that he lost much of his wealth after the Treasure Life Sect was destroyed by the Sky Firmament Sect and the Enchanting City Fairy. He has since found a new business opportunity involving the Devil Sects.
• Xiang reveals that northern Devil Cultivators are planning to unite and create a major incident to gain the favor of Alliance Leader Zhang, who is attempting to establish a Devil Alliance. Their proposed “gift” is to detonate a Dead Devil Lands site and transform it into an Eerie Ground.
• Li is alarmed because the transformation of another Dead Devil Lands site would increase the dangers threatening the entire world.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Demonstrates political caution, refusing to be drawn into the River Guard Army’s anti-court position. His response to Cui shows his loyalty to the imperial order, though his private thoughts reveal that he understands the larger political upheavals approaching. He also appears increasingly influential and powerful, having reached the Middle Rank.
• Cui Dianxing: Shows boldness and political ambition by attempting to recruit Li and openly asserting the Great General King’s supremacy. His confidence in Li’s future indicates that he sees Li as a potentially decisive force.
• Cui Zhiyun: Remains lighthearted and preoccupied with dried sharpbelly fish, providing comic relief amid serious political discussion. He also shows curiosity about his father’s unusually deferential attitude toward Li.
• Zhou Hen: Continues to act as a practical companion and displays a willingness to participate in the coming northern military campaign.
• Yu Ping: Maintains his playful, opportunistic personality, using Meow King’s name to protect his dried fish. Despite his humor, he is alert to the danger of giving the River Guard Army leverage over Li.
• Xiang Zizai: Has grown older and more weathered after financial losses and personal setbacks. Nevertheless, he remains resourceful and has adapted by pursuing business among the Devil Sects.

Significant Themes

• Political legitimacy and divided authority: The argument between Li and Cui reflects the widening conflict between the imperial court and the Great General King’s regime along the Great River.
• The rise of Li Qingxian: Others increasingly recognize Li’s potential to become a major power, even though he has recently suffered setbacks.
• Impending war and instability: References to the River Guard Army’s planned northern advance, past disasters, and possible future rebellions suggest that the world is moving toward large-scale conflict.
• Dangerous alliances and opportunism: The Devil Sects are willing to unleash a catastrophe to gain political influence, showing how factions exploit chaos for power.
• The expanding supernatural threat: Transforming a Dead Devil Lands site into an Eerie Ground would further endanger the world, emphasizing the fragile balance between human politics and supernatural calamity.

Character Interactions

• Li and Cui Dianxing engage in a tense but partly playful political confrontation, ending with Li publicly severing their friendship while Cui leaves the recruitment offer open.
• Cui Zhiyun and Yu Ping exchange comic rivalry over the dried fish, contrasting with their fathers’ serious political concerns.
• Li and Zhou Hen discuss the River Guard Army’s plans and their possible involvement in the northern campaign, revealing shared awareness of the coming upheaval.
• Li reunites warmly with Xiang Zizai, recalling their earlier journey and comparing their changed circumstances.
• Xiang’s revelation about the Devil Sects shifts the chapter from political maneuvering to a potentially world-threatening crisis, leaving Li concerned about the consequences of another Eerie Ground appearing.

Chapter Summary: “Searching for the Heroes’ Token”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xiang Zizai explains that although he dislikes working with the Devil Sect and other evil factions, such dealings are profitable and largely tolerated by the imperial court. The major military forces are either preparing for war against demons or preoccupied with political rivalries, while Alliance Leader Zhang’s influence protects the Devil Sect from interference.
• Li Qingxian mentions his business connection with the Myriad Harmony Commerce Guild. Xiang praises the guild’s wealth, discipline, influential backing, and innovative products, then asks Li to introduce him. Li agrees to help if the need arises.
• After parting, Xiang and his steward analyze Li’s hidden strength and status. They realize that Yu Ping, once an injured low-level attendant, has advanced dramatically and now carries a Silver Fish Pouch, while Li possesses concealed magical artifacts and is accompanied by the powerful Uncle Zhou. Xiang concludes that Li is far more important than he first appeared and warns that his hostility toward the Devil Sect could complicate future business.
• Xiang also discusses the Xue Family’s internal conflict. Xue Heshan has returned alive and strengthened from the Eerie Ground, and his family appears to be preparing to reclaim property taken during his absence—possibly with severe consequences for those involved.
• Li Qingxian, Yu Ping, and Zhou Hen travel to Ancient Profound City and disguise themselves while gathering information about the declining Ancient Profound Mountain.
• Local accounts reveal that Ancient Profound Mountain was once one of the world’s greatest sects but has declined drastically over the past century. Its population and influence have shrunk, its former disciples have abandoned it, and opportunistic factions continue exploiting its remaining wealth.
• The group learns that Ancient Profound Mountain’s greatest current supporter is Gao Tiankuo, a former disciple who was expelled but later became a powerful figure and military leader.
• Li, Yu Ping, and Zhou Hen debate whether the sect still possesses the Heroes’ Token. They suspect the impoverished sect may already have traded it away in exchange for protection or other resources.
• Li decides not to force the matter or reveal his identity prematurely. The group will first visit Ancient Profound Mountain and investigate directly.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian: Displays caution and strategic restraint. He recognizes the political dangers of openly searching for the Heroes’ Token and chooses investigation over confrontation. His connection to the Myriad Harmony Commerce Guild also hints at his growing influence and resources.
• Xiang Zizai: Shows himself to be pragmatic and commercially minded rather than ideologically opposed to evil factions. He is perceptive enough to reassess Li after noticing the unusual abilities and equipment of Li’s companions.
• Yu Ping: His dramatic recovery from a damaged dantian and advancement into the ranks demonstrate Li’s ability to provide extraordinary support. His Silver Fish Pouch marks him as someone of unusual status.
• Zhou Hen: Acts as a knowledgeable adviser, offering historical context about Gao Tiankuo and warning that the Heroes’ Token may have already been exchanged.
• Gao Tiankuo: Though absent, he emerges as an important figure whose loyalty and integrity distinguish him from the corrupt remnants of Ancient Profound Mountain.
• Xiang Zizai’s family and the Xue Family: Their struggles illustrate the wider political and financial tensions surrounding the sects and influential clans.

Significant Themes

• Pragmatism versus morality: Xiang justifies dealing with evil factions because refusing would not stop others from profiting. The chapter presents a world where survival often requires participating in morally compromised systems.
• Hidden power and social status: Li’s true position is concealed through disguises, storage artifacts, powerful attendants, and understated behavior. Others must infer his importance from subtle clues.
• Decline and corruption: Ancient Profound Mountain’s fall reflects how institutions decay when leaders pursue private interests instead of preserving their collective strength.
• Reputation and legitimacy: The Heroes’ Token is not merely an object of power; possessing or trading it affects the dignity and reputation of an entire sect.
• Political maneuvering: The Devil Sect, the imperial court, the Xue Family, military forces, and Ancient Profound Mountain are all engaged in overlapping struggles for influence and protection.

Character Interactions

• Xiang and Li speak cordially, balancing business interests with mutual caution. Xiang seeks Li’s help with the Myriad Harmony Commerce Guild, while Li subtly reminds him to be wary of the Devil Sect.
• Xiang and his steward privately reassess Li, Yu Ping, and Zhou Hen after Li departs, revealing how quickly appearances shape political calculations.
• Li, Yu Ping, and Zhou Hen work together as an investigative team. Yu Ping voices unease, Zhou Hen supplies historical knowledge, and Li makes the final strategic decision to proceed carefully.
• The group’s discussions about Gao Tiankuo contrast his loyalty and restraint with the opportunism of Ancient Profound Mountain’s current leaders.

Ancient Profound Treasury — Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian, Zhou Hen, and Yu Ping arrive at Ancient Profound Mountain while concealing their identities. By using gold leaves to clear the way, they reach the sect without interference.
• The outer sect chief steward welcomes them after receiving benefits, but Li refuses to deal with him directly. He presents the coarse cloth bag containing Ancient Profound Mountain’s lost inheritance and demands that several elders be summoned.
• Zhou Hen demonstrates his strength by lifting the room’s furniture with True Essence, convincing the steward that the visitors are powerful and must be treated seriously.
• Three elders secretly observe the trio’s arrival through a bronze mirror and discuss the implications. They recognize that the returned inheritance may restore a severed lineage, but they also worry that the visitors could bring either fortune or danger.
• The elders acknowledge Ancient Profound Mountain’s declining state: its inheritors have been lost, its Fortune is damaged, many military commanders have defected, and outside powers—including the imperial court, River Guard Army, Devil Sect, and traitors—threaten the sect.
• The elders meet Li and accept the inheritance bag. The Fifth Elder recalls the loyal “Little Mountain Brother,” the former inheritor who disappeared after leaving the sect, and thanks Li for preventing the lineage from being extinguished.
• Li explains that although he expects a reward for completing the task, he is willing to purchase what he truly wants. He asks for the legendary Heroes’ Token.
• The elders refuse to sell or produce the token. They explain that it was created through the joint agreement of the martial world and is too important to Ancient Profound Mountain’s legitimacy and authority.
• Yu Ping asks merely to see the token, but the elders claim it is sealed within the main hall and can only be retrieved by the sect master or all the elders together. With key figures absent, this is impossible.
• As compensation, the Second Elder—temporarily managing the sect—offers Li the right to choose any treasure from the sect treasury. Though the other elders are startled, he insists that Ancient Profound Mountain must honor its obligations.
• Li accepts the alternative and states that he will continue trying to buy the Heroes’ Token or similar treasures in the future through the Wanhe Trading Company.
• The Fifth Elder leads the trio toward the treasury, where they encounter a weathered bronze totem pillar covered in mysterious carvings.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian presents himself as restrained but strategically forceful. He uses the inheritance and Zhou Hen’s strength to establish authority, yet remains polite and does not threaten the elders when refused.
• He also reveals a long-term interest in the Heroes’ Token, suggesting that his goals extend beyond simply returning Ancient Profound Mountain’s inheritance.
• Zhou Hen acts as Li’s silent enforcer. His manipulation of the room’s furniture immediately demonstrates the group’s power and prevents the sect from underestimating them.
• Yu Ping functions as Li’s spokesman and intermediary, tactfully asking to view the token after Li’s request to purchase it is denied.
• The elders are shown to be cautious, politically aware, and burdened by the sect’s decline. The Second Elder is principled and decisive, while the Fifth Elder is more emotionally connected to the lost inheritor and visibly relieved when Li does not press the token issue.

Significant Themes

• Honor and reciprocity: Ancient Profound Mountain feels obligated to repay Li for restoring its inheritance, emphasizing the martial world’s codes of loyalty and fairness.
• Decline and survival: The sect’s lost inheritors, damaged Fortune, absent leaders, and political threats portray a once-great power struggling to survive.
• Fate and Heavenly will: The elders interpret the interrupted and restored lineage as evidence of destiny, calamity, and unseen Heavenly arrangements.
• Power and diplomacy: Both sides carefully balance courtesy with displays of strength. Li avoids open conflict while ensuring the sect recognizes his influence.
• Legacy and legitimacy: The Heroes’ Token represents the authority of the martial world and the sect’s historical standing, making it impossible for Ancient Profound Mountain to treat as an ordinary commodity.

Important Character Interactions

• Li establishes dominance over the outer steward by refusing to negotiate with him and demanding the presence of elders.
• The three elders privately debate whether Li is a benefactor, a potential threat, or someone seeking excessive compensation.
• The Fifth Elder expresses sincere gratitude and grief over the lost inheritor.
• Li and the elders negotiate over the Heroes’ Token, with both sides remaining courteous but firm.
• The Second Elder resolves the dispute by offering access to the treasury, demonstrating his authority and commitment to preserving the sect’s honor.

Chapter Summary: “Devil God Sin Bone”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian enters Ancient Profound Mountain’s treasure vault with the Fifth Elder to select the promised reward for aiding the sect.
• The Fifth Elder explains the vault’s defenses, including the black winged Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger, a Beyond-Rank ritual artifact capable of suppressing First Rank experts.
• He identifies the sect’s three greatest treasures:
  • The

Ancient Profound Divine Art

• The Heavenly Vein Divine Pill, which strengthens qi channels and expands the dantian
• Earth-Vein Heavenly Iron, a rare divine material for forging weapons
• After entering the vast vault, Li finds that the most valuable treasures are not necessarily the famous items displayed on the central table.
• Because Ancient Profound Mountain’s Fortune prevents him from using ordinary deductions, Li summons his Inner Gods to appraise the countless stored treasures.
• They discover several exceptional overlooked treasures:
  • Thousandfold Thunder-Punishment Jujube Wood, which can be refined into a Beyond-Rank lightning material and may become the foundation for Li’s future lightning sword.
  • A living Flat Peach pit, an Upper Realm-level treasure that could eventually grow into a heavenly grotto and Blessed Land. Though it requires thousands of years to mature, it can potentially be sacrificed to the Upper Realm for a lesser immediate exchange.
• The group eventually discovers a seemingly ordinary stone wall containing a fragment of Devil God Sin Bone.
• The Inner Gods reveal that Devil God Sin Bone is the remains of powerful Devil Gods who could not be killed by ordinary means and had to be refined by Upper Realm divine artifacts.
• The bone’s presence has damaged Ancient Profound Mountain’s Fortune and may be a major reason for the sect’s decline.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates patience, insight, and a talent for discovering hidden value rather than simply choosing the treasures publicly advertised as the greatest.
• He recognizes that the jujube wood resonates with the Thunder Dragon Fire Seal within him, suggesting it is especially suited to his cultivation and future weapon development.
• Li’s willingness to seek the Inner Gods’ assistance shows his growing ability to use his unique resources strategically.
• The Fifth Elder remains courteous and generous, emphasizing Ancient Profound Mountain’s gratitude while warning Li about the vault’s dangers.
• The Inner Gods, particularly the Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman, display extensive knowledge of rare treasures and Upper Realm secrets. Their reactions become increasingly serious when they encounter the Devil God Sin Bone.
• Li’s perspective on Ancient Profound Mountain changes: he respects its immense historical foundation but also recognizes that the sect has failed to understand or properly use some of its treasures.

Significant Themes

• Hidden value versus recognized value: The chapter emphasizes that the most famous or prominently displayed treasures are not always the most useful or powerful.
• Decline caused by ignorance: Ancient Profound Mountain possesses extraordinary resources, yet its failure to identify or properly manage them has contributed to its weakening.
• The limits of time: The Flat Peach pit represents immense long-term potential but offers little immediate benefit, highlighting the tension between present survival and future prosperity.
• Dangerous power and corrupted fortune: The Devil God Sin Bone is not valuable merely as a treasure; its presence actively harms the sect’s Fortune, suggesting that powerful objects can bring disaster when mishandled.
• Accumulated heritage: The vault reflects the strength and wealth of a thousand-year sect, preserving rare materials and artifacts from both the mortal and Upper Realms.
• Cultivation and destiny: Li’s interest in the lightning wood shows his ability to align external treasures with his own path, turning discovery into personal advancement.

Character Interactions

• The Fifth Elder guides Li through the vault, explaining its treasures and rules while attempting to maintain a respectful, mutually beneficial relationship.
• Li politely engages with the Elder but remains focused on finding something genuinely useful rather than being impressed by ceremonial treasures.
• Li consults the Inner Gods as a team, relying on their different forms of knowledge to inspect the shelves and identify items Ancient Profound Mountain itself has overlooked.
• The Inner Gods debate the practical value of the Flat Peach pit, helping Li understand the difference between a treasure’s absolute worth and its usefulness in the present.
• Their conversation about the Devil God Sin Bone shifts from appraisal to alarm, revealing that the apparently ordinary stone wall may be a source of long-term danger to Ancient Profound Mountain.

Summary of “A Web of Deductions”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman explains that the Devil God Sin Bone could be sacrificed for great benefits or refined into a secret Heavenly Devil Artifact. Such an artifact could absorb demonic energy while helping Li Qingxian accumulate Merit.
• Li Qingxian is less concerned with how to use the Sin Bone than with its origin. He worries that it may be part of a larger scheme involving Ancient Profound Mountain and that mishandling it could endanger the Human Race.
• After wrapping himself in three Life-Replacement Wooden Children, Li attempts to use the Heaven’s Mandate Instrument to investigate the Sin Bone’s origins, but the deduction fails.
• He then studies the surrounding wall carving through detailed observation and Fate Arts. By analyzing the stone, carving style, transport marks, lingering auras, and historical techniques, he reconstructs its movements.
• Li concludes that the wall carving originally came from the Myriad Devils Grotto in the northwest roughly eight hundred years earlier. Since a Devil God was believed to have descended there, the site was likely connected to the Devil God Sin Bone.
• Using his Fate Disk, Li traces much of the carving’s route across Great Qi and discovers that his deductive abilities have advanced significantly, likely due to his studies of Stellar Fate Arts, Grand Momentum Configurations, and the Fate Lake.
• He dismisses the Inner Gods and leaves the Ancient Profound Treasury. He then reveals to the Fifth Elder that he is also a Fate Arts Master.
• Li questions the Fifth Elder about Ancient Profound Mountain’s decline. The Elder confirms that the sect suffered major upheavals after obtaining the Heroes’ Token and that several lineages, not only the transmitter lineage, have recently faced serious problems.
• The Second Elder summons Li to the main hall. There he meets the First Elder, Cheng Nanxiong, along with several other elders who had previously been absent or concealed.
• Cheng Nanxiong, the renowned Second Rank “Black-and-White Thunderclap Old Man,” formally asks Li to explain his findings.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates growing strategic maturity. Rather than immediately exploiting the Sin Bone, he prioritizes understanding its origins, possible consequences, and connection to larger powers.
• His abilities as a Fate Arts Master have advanced considerably. He combines formal deduction, historical research, physical observation, and intelligence gathering to construct a broad “web” of conclusions rather than relying on a single omen or spell.
• Li becomes more cautious and politically perceptive. He recognizes that Ancient Profound Mountain is neither wholly righteous nor wholly corrupt: its members are weakened, self-interested, resentful, and still eager to restore their sect’s former glory.
• The Fifth Elder shifts from guarded secrecy to reluctant cooperation, confirming Li’s suspicions about the sect’s decline.
• The Ancient Profound Mountain elders, particularly Cheng Nanxiong, reveal that more of the sect’s leadership is present and involved than previously admitted.
• Cheng Nanxiong is presented as a powerful and respected figure whose return signals that Li’s discoveries are being taken seriously.

Significant Themes

• Cause and consequence: Li emphasizes that identifying the Sin Bone’s origin matters more than simply exploiting its power, since understanding the cause is necessary to anticipate future disasters.
• Knowledge versus power: The chapter contrasts brute strength and magical artifacts with patient investigation, historical reasoning, and intellectual deduction.
• Hidden conspiracies and incomplete truths: The failed direct deduction suggests that powerful forces or ancient arrangements may be concealing the Sin Bone’s true history.
• Decline and attempted restoration: Ancient Profound Mountain’s weakened state has encouraged selfishness and internal disorder, but its leaders still retain a strong desire to revive the sect.
• Responsibility and restraint: Li seeks benefits without being drawn into a larger catastrophe or harming the Human Race, showing the tension between ambition and duty.
• The limitations of specialization: The discussion of sect administration suggests that powerful cultivators are not necessarily capable leaders; successful institutions require people who can manage both cultivation and practical affairs.

Character Interactions

• Li and the Inner Gods discuss the possible uses of the Devil God Sin Bone, but Li redirects the conversation toward its origins and dangers.
• The Lightning-Wrapped Drum-Bearing Strongman notices Li’s unusual seriousness and later teases him about his intelligence, prompting a lighthearted exchange.
• Li relies on the Inner Gods’ support before sending them away to investigate the matter personally.
• Li questions the Fifth Elder directly, forcing him to acknowledge Ancient Profound Mountain’s recent upheavals and the troubles affecting its various lineages.
• The Second Elder intervenes and brings Li before the sect’s hidden leadership.
• Cheng Nanxiong and the other elders adopt a courteous but serious attitude toward Li, inviting him to reveal what he has discovered about the Sin Bone and the sect’s situation.

Summary: “Three Witnesses”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Qingxian explains that a sect’s strength depends on many interconnected factors, including its leadership, cultivation inheritance, development strategy, martial research, and whether it has a Beyond-Rank expert. Ancient Profound Mountain declined after several generations of poor leadership and political infighting, though its current master is attempting to restore the sect by nurturing a promising successor.
• Li reveals that he discovered an object in Ancient Profound Mountain’s treasure vault that is suppressing the sect’s Fortune. He warns that even discussing it could damage his own Fortune, emphasizing the seriousness and mysterious nature of the threat.
• The elders explain that the sect previously consulted the Fifth Elder of Heaven’s Mandate Sect, who found no major problem. However, that Fate Arts Master later disappeared, and several strange incidents occurred afterward, causing the elders to reconsider whether his investigation was reliable.
• Li directly asks whether Ancient Profound Mountain possesses the Heroes’ Token. Cheng Nanxiong admits that the token was traded away for other treasures, but the sect is bound by oath not to reveal the details.
• Since the token is gone, Li offers to help resolve the sect’s hidden danger in exchange for selected treasures from the vault. Cheng offers him one-tenth of the vault’s contents, provided that three Fate Arts Masters verify Li’s ability.
• The sect summons two Fourth Rank Fate Arts Master retainers and Cheng’s Third Rank Fate Arts Master friend from the Divine Capital to serve as witnesses.
• When the three arrive, it is revealed that they already know Li. The two Fourth Rank masters had studied under him, while Gai Fengyou recognizes Li despite his assumed identity, Li Jingqiu.
• Realizing that Li is far more important and powerful than he appeared—and likely the Marquis of Far-Reaching and Commander of the Northern Garrison—Cheng immediately accepts the agreement without requiring a formal test.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates strategic caution, bargaining skill, and confidence in his Fate Arts abilities. He withholds sensitive information about the object affecting Ancient Profound Mountain while offering enough evidence to convince the elders of his sincerity.
• Cheng Nanxiong emerges as a practical and generous leader. He is willing to offer a substantial portion of the treasure vault to save the sect, but he also insists on independent verification before committing.
• The Ancient Profound Mountain elders shift from suspicion and anxiety to relief and astonishment. They initially fear Li’s warning about Fortune-related dangers, then become surprised when they discover that their own Fate Arts retainers regard Li as their teacher.
• Gai Fengyou acts as the key figure who exposes Li’s true identity and status. His remarks reveal that Ancient Profound Mountain failed to recognize the exceptional person already standing before them.
• The two Fourth Rank Fate Arts Masters show humility, acknowledging that they are not qualified to judge Li and describing themselves as only partly qualified students.
• Cheng’s understanding of Li changes rapidly once he connects Li’s identity to recent events in the Fate Arts world and realizes why Li had concealed his name.

Significant Themes

• The rise and decline of sects: A sect’s fate depends on many interlocking decisions, and repeated mistakes can create a destructive chain reaction.
• Fortune and hidden karmic dangers: The chapter emphasizes that unseen forces can influence a sect’s prosperity and that ordinary investigations may fail to reveal the true source of decline.
• Recognition versus appearance: Ancient Profound Mountain initially treats Li as a suspicious outsider, only to discover that its own experts consider him their superior.
• Trust, verification, and reputation: The agreement depends on witnesses and independent confirmation, but Li’s reputation ultimately makes formal testing unnecessary.
• Strategic concealment and political sensitivity: Li hides his identity because his connection to the Heroes’ Token and his political position could be controversial or dangerous.
• Generosity as practical investment: Cheng’s offer of one-tenth of the treasure vault reflects the belief that sacrificing wealth is worthwhile if it can preserve the sect’s long-term Fortune.

Character Interactions

• Li and Cheng negotiate directly over the Heroes’ Token and the price of resolving Ancient Profound Mountain’s crisis.
• The elders question Li indirectly during their discussion, testing his knowledge while he responds openly and calmly.
• Cheng arranges for three Fate Arts Masters to judge Li, establishing a formal safeguard for the transaction.
• The meeting takes an unexpected turn when Gai Fengyou and the two Fourth Rank masters recognize Li and reveal their connection to him.
• The elders’ attitude changes immediately from cautious evaluation to respect and acceptance, and Cheng declares that the transaction is effective without further testing.

Chapter Summary: “Discussing the Matter on Its Merits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The group returns to Ancient Profound Mountain’s treasure vault, renews their oaths of secrecy, and examines the Devil God Wall Carving containing the Devil God Sin Bone.
• Li Qingxian explains that the object is harming Ancient Profound Mountain’s Fortune. He demonstrates his deduction using Fate Arts, particularly the Causal-Tracing Method and techniques inherited from the Fate-Seeking Sect.
• Gai Fengyou acknowledges Li’s expertise but insists on independently verifying the deduction rather than accepting it solely on his authority.
• Gai Fengyou and two other Fourth Rank Fate Arts Masters reconstruct the deduction. Their results broadly confirm Li’s findings, while also revealing additional information. The four deductions are combined into a more complete picture.
• The investigation reveals that:
  • The Devil God Wall Carving was once held by the Nether Devil Sect, a branch of the Heavenly Devil Sect.
  • The Dark Evil Sect’s destruction was connected to the object.
  • The carving later reached Heavenly Profound Sacred Land, where multiple forces—including the Heavenly Devil Sect—were involved in plotting against it.
  • Ancient Profound Mountain’s cultivation methods have a minor connection to Heavenly Profound Sacred Land.
• The elders realize that the carving’s arrival at Ancient Profound Mountain was suspiciously timed and that its possession may have drawn hostility from the imperial court.
• Although Fate Arts cannot directly expose the imperial court’s involvement—likely because imperial Fortune erased the traces—the elders infer that the court has been manipulating events and damaging Ancient Profound Mountain’s reputation.
• When Li reveals that the object is specifically the “Devil God Sin Bone,” Gai Fengyou reacts with extreme alarm, retreats from the vault, and leads everyone outside. His grave expression suggests that the object is far more dangerous or significant than they had understood.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates advanced and credible mastery of causal-tracing Fate Arts. His deduction is more comprehensive than those of the older Fate Arts Masters, earning Gai Fengyou’s serious respect.
• Gai Fengyou acts cautiously and impartially, refusing to approve Li’s conclusion without verification. However, his frantic reaction to the name “Devil God Sin Bone” reveals deep fear or knowledge of its danger.
• Ancient Profound Mountain’s elders move from skepticism to acceptance of Li’s findings. They also become increasingly aware that their sect may have been targeted by a larger political conspiracy.
• The elders’ resentment toward the imperial court becomes more explicit, though they avoid naming it directly.

Significant Themes

• Truth through corroboration: Even a convincing expert deduction must be independently verified, emphasizing fairness and intellectual rigor.
• The danger of forbidden knowledge and objects: The Devil God Sin Bone’s history connects it to sect destruction, demonic forces, and major political conspiracies.
• Political suppression: The imperial court appears to manipulate public opinion and erase evidence through its Fortune, demonstrating how power can control both events and their discoverability.
• Burden of possession: The elders echo the idea that possessing something valuable or dangerous can itself invite disaster: “A common man commits no crime, yet he is guilty for possessing a jade.”
• The vulnerability of righteous factions: Ancient Profound Mountain’s support for the River Guard Army and resistance against demons may have made it a target in a hostile political environment.

Character Interactions

• Li and Gai maintain a respectful but subtly tense relationship. Gai praises Li’s ability while still demanding objective confirmation.
• The other Fate Arts Masters treat Li’s demonstration as an opportunity to learn, recording his methods rather than merely judging him.
• Li’s explanation unites the group’s separate deductions, allowing the elders to confront the implications of the carving’s history.
• The elders collectively vent their frustration over the sect’s declining reputation and suspected persecution.
• Gai’s sudden retreat after Li names the Devil God Sin Bone changes the mood from scholarly investigation to urgent fear, leaving the group waiting for an explanation.

Chapter Summary: A Third Rank Flees in Fright

Key Plot Points and Events

• Gai Fengyou reveals that the Devil God Sin Bone is a vicious relic from the Devil Realm. According to his master, its appearance is certain to cause a catastrophic upheaval.
• Fearing the consequences, Gai refuses to participate in dealing with the relic and warns the Ancient Profound Mountain elders that any Fate Arts Master must be told the truth about its nature beforehand. He then leaves despite Cheng Nanxiong’s attempts to stop him.
• Gai’s departure frightens the two Fourth Rank Fate Arts Masters, who realize that even a Third Rank expert will not risk involvement. The elders therefore place all their hopes in Li Qingxian.
• Cheng Nanxiong offers Li Qingxian a greatly increased reward: access to twenty percent of the sect’s treasury, the Ancient Profound Token, assistance from Ancient Profound Mountain’s disciples, and the title of Grand Guest Elder.
• Li explains that he has a method for handling the Devil God Sin Bone, but he cannot do so alone. He must borrow Ancient Profound Mountain’s fortune and Momentum Configuration, which would intensify the conflict between the sect and the force behind the relic.
• The elders admit that reconciliation is already impossible, since the enemy has effectively targeted the entire sect. They agree to support Li’s plan.
• Instead of asking only for treasures, Li requests authority to recruit ten thousand Demon-Resistance Militia soldiers—two armies of five thousand each—and asks Ancient Profound Mountain to help establish their organization in Far-Reaching City.
• The sect agrees, granting these soldiers treatment and martial resources comparable to inner disciples, though the inheritance cannot be shared outside the organization.
• Li offers his own martial inheritance in exchange, allowing Ancient Profound Mountain disciples stationed in Far-Reaching City to learn one internal cultivation method or three martial techniques.
• Cheng Nanxiong gives Li a token granting access to the sect treasury. Li instructs the two Fate Arts Masters to observe the sect’s Momentum Configuration, warning that it will change soon after he enters the treasury.

Character Developments

• Gai Fengyou is shown to be highly cautious and pragmatic. Despite his friendship with Ancient Profound Mountain, he prioritizes preserving his own sect and family over risking destruction for the relic.
• Li Qingxian demonstrates confidence, strategic thinking, and political ambition. He is willing to confront the Devil God Sin Bone, but carefully negotiates enough resources and institutional support to avoid bearing the danger alone.
• Cheng Nanxiong shifts from desperation to determined cooperation. He recognizes Li’s value and is willing to offer substantial authority and resources to secure his aid.
• The Ancient Profound Mountain elders initially panic after Gai’s departure, but they gradually accept that Li may be their only chance of survival. They also recognize that he intends to build an independent power base.
• The two Fourth Rank Fate Arts Masters become increasingly wary, understanding that Ancient Profound Mountain is paying an enormous price and that Li’s actions may significantly alter the sect’s fate.

Significant Themes

• Fear before overwhelming power: The Devil God Sin Bone is so dangerous that even a Third Rank expert refuses to approach it, emphasizing the relic’s terrifying significance.
• Survival over loyalty: Gai’s withdrawal reflects the conflict between personal or sectarian responsibility and the need to avoid certain destruction.
• Mutual dependence and negotiation: Ancient Profound Mountain needs Li to survive, while Li uses their desperation to secure resources, influence, and manpower.
• The rise of personal power: Li’s request for ten thousand soldiers reveals his intention to establish a major force of his own under the legitimate banner of demon resistance.
• Fate, inheritance, and political transformation: The sect’s fortune and Momentum Configuration are treated as living forces, while Li’s arrival appears connected to Ancient Profound Mountain’s remaining hope of survival.

Important Character Interactions

• Gai Fengyou and the Ancient Profound Mountain elders: Gai refuses their request for assistance and warns them about the true nature of the relic before departing.
• Cheng Nanxiong and Li Qingxian: Cheng attempts to persuade Li with increasingly valuable rewards, while Li counters by demanding access to the sect’s fortune and a military recruitment arrangement.
• Li Qingxian and the elders: Their exchange reveals Li’s larger ambitions and the elders’ willingness to support him because they believe their sect has no other path forward.
• Li Qingxian and the two Fate Arts Masters: Li asks them to monitor the sect’s Momentum Configuration, hinting that his forthcoming actions in the treasury will have major consequences.

Chapter Summary: Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger

Key Plot Points and Events

• Outside the Ancient Profound Treasury, two Fate Arts Masters use Fate Disks to observe Ancient Profound Mountain’s Momentum Configuration. Their white cloud illusions represent the sect’s Fortune and shrink whenever important treasures are removed.
• Li Qingxian enters the treasury and allows his Inner Gods to take roughly one-fifth of its contents, prioritizing its most valuable treasures and selecting rare Fate Materials for himself. As treasures disappear, Ancient Profound Mountain’s Fortune visibly declines, alarming the elders.
• While the other Inner Gods collect treasures, the jade-ruyi-holding boy rapidly examines thousands of books, selecting only three potentially useful volumes.
• Li Qingxian and the Inner Gods confront the Devil God wall carving. They determine that the Devil God Sin Bone inside it can be refined into Merit and then used to create a Heavenly Devil Artifact, allowing Li Qingxian to resolve the Dead Devil Lands.
• Li Qingxian initially considers inviting the Jade Clarity True King to oversee the refinement but instead summons Wang Lingguan, believing the thunder-and-fire deity is fully capable of suppressing any remaining demonic danger.
• Wang Lingguan’s arrival causes dark storm clouds to cover Ancient Profound Mountain, further disturbing the sect’s Fortune signs.
• The Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger, a powerful sect-guarding artifact, suddenly cracks open and reveals its true golden form. The elders fear it has mistaken Li Qingxian for an enemy and may attack him.
• The elders attempt to stop or reassure the artifact, but the Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger ignores them, breaks free, and flies toward the back mountain. The elders eventually realize it was not attacking Li Qingxian but appeared frightened or overwhelmed by Wang Lingguan’s presence.
• Inside the treasury, Wang Lingguan tears the Devil God Sin Bone from the carving and refines it with divine lightning and fire. He produces a black-gold sphere bearing a clear fingerprint.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates confidence and efficiency, using his Inner Gods to loot the treasury while carefully balancing his needs against the consequences for Ancient Profound Mountain.
• He also shows caution regarding the Devil God Sin Bone, initially wanting a powerful divine figure to supervise its refinement, though he accepts that Wang Lingguan is sufficient.
• The Inner Gods function as a coordinated team: most gather treasures, while the jade-ruyi boy focuses on extracting useful knowledge from the sect’s books. Their casual attitude toward divine powers highlights their familiarity with Li Qingxian’s abilities.
• Wang Lingguan is portrayed as an intimidating but controlled divine enforcer. His mastery of thunder and fire allows him to purify the dangerous Sin Bone almost effortlessly.
• Ancient Profound Mountain’s elders shift from confidence to panic as their sect’s Fortune declines and the treasury’s guardian appears to react violently. Their fear is intensified by the possibility that Li Qingxian’s death would provoke retaliation from Zhao Yishan.
• The Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger is revealed to possess independent intelligence and instinct. Rather than attacking, it seems to flee from Wang Lingguan’s overwhelming divine presence.

Significant Themes

• Fortune and consequence: The shrinking clouds symbolize how the removal of the treasury’s treasures weakens Ancient Profound Mountain, even when the sect has formally permitted Li Qingxian to take them.
• Power and intimidation: Wang Lingguan’s arrival is so overwhelming that even the sect’s Beyond-Rank guardian appears frightened, demonstrating the disparity between ordinary artifacts and higher divine authority.
• Caution versus confidence: Li Qingxian carefully considers the risks of refining the Sin Bone, while his Inner Gods regard the danger as manageable. This contrast emphasizes both his prudence and their immense confidence.
• Material wealth versus knowledge: The Inner Gods collect treasures, but the jade-ruyi boy values books and selects only a few after examining thousands, suggesting that knowledge may be more valuable than physical resources.
• Humor amid tension: The elders’ mistaken belief that the Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger is attacking creates an awkward comic reversal when they realize it has actually fled in fear.

Character Interactions

• The Fate Arts Masters explain the meaning of the Fortune clouds to the elders, establishing the connection between the treasury’s losses and the sect’s declining Momentum Configuration.
• Li Qingxian directs the Inner Gods, giving them permission to take valuable treasures while asking them to find useful Fate Materials.
• Li Qingxian debates the proper method of handling the Devil God Sin Bone with the Inner Gods, who reassure him that Wang Lingguan can safely refine it.
• The elders anxiously call out to the Cloud-Sky Flying Tiger, attempting to convince it that Li Qingxian is a trusted guest elder.
• Wang Lingguan’s sudden appearance dominates the scene and indirectly causes the guardian artifact to retreat.
• Li Qingxian carefully observes Wang Lingguan’s technique, studying his manipulation of lightning and fire for possible future use.

Chapter Summary: “Revival Momentum”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wang Lingguan’s Inner God finishes refining the Devil God Sin Bone, infusing it with Wang Lingguan’s power. This transforms the dangerous object into a heavenly demon artifact that will not harm Li Qingxian and may even amplify his strength.
• Li Qingxian begins refining the artifact with the Inner Gods Sect’s Devil-Fuel Method, converting the bone’s residual demonic power into Merit Golden Light and absorbing it into his Fate Mansion.
• The refinement causes a devastating backlash in the Nether Devil Sect. A thunder-and-fire force descends into the Ten Thousand Devils Hall, annihilating an elder, destroying the underground hall, and incinerating demonic formations and materials.
• Outside the Ancient Profound Treasury, the elders observe Ancient Profound Mountain’s fortune beginning to recover. They initially believe the improvement comes from eliminating the Devil God Sin Bone and estimate that the sect’s fortune may eventually rise by at least thirty percent.
• While Li continues refining the artifact, the Inner Gods discuss the significance of his treasures and connections. One Inner God, a scholarly boy holding a jade ruyi, corrects errors in the Ancient Profound Divine Art and continues examining the treasury’s books.
• The sect’s fortune then surges far beyond what the removal of the Devil God Sin Bone could explain. Fate Arts Masters determine that the increase originates from Li Qingxian and the Ancient Profound Treasury.
• They identify the phenomenon as “Revival Momentum,” a rare sign that a sect’s foundations have genuinely strengthened. Unlike superficial fortune, which merely appears impressive externally, this momentum erupts from within and stabilizes quickly.
• The elders cautiously celebrate the possibility that Ancient Profound Mountain has found a path toward revival, though years of setbacks make them afraid to trust the change completely.
• At the Heaven Momentum Sect, Li Qingxian’s image in the Fate Lake Mirror reveals the emergence of a Fifth Fate Lake, with two pearls illuminating and two drops of Fate Lake water descending onto him. The elders conclude that he has undergone great trials and performed extraordinary deeds worthy of this advancement.
• Li finally opens his eyes. The blackness in them is dispersed by golden light, and he makes the Devil God Sin Bone disappear, implying that the refinement has been completed or brought under control.

Character Developments

• Li Qingxian demonstrates increasing mastery and spiritual strength by refining an exceptionally dangerous artifact. His achievement directly strengthens Ancient Profound Mountain’s fate and may be the foundation of the sect’s revival.
• His cultivation and fate advance significantly with the appearance of the Fifth Fate Lake, confirming that his recent actions—such as attacking the Ministry of Justice and winning the top scholar title in an Eerie Ground—have produced major breakthroughs.
• Wang Lingguan is shown to possess immense combat power and influence. Though formally only a God Lord, he is powerful enough to contend with beings of much higher rank and has personally contributed to Li’s artifact.
• The Ancient Profound Mountain elders move from relief, to excitement, and finally to cautious hope. Their long experience with decline prevents them from immediately accepting that the sect has truly recovered.
• The scholarly Inner God is characterized by intellectual curiosity and authority, casually correcting the Ancient Profound Divine Art while the others discuss Li’s accomplishments.

Significant Themes

• Revival after decline: The chapter centers on the possibility that Ancient Profound Mountain can recover from a century of weakening.
• Inner strength versus outward appearance: The distinction between false fortune and genuine Revival Momentum emphasizes that lasting power must come from strengthened foundations rather than superficial gains.
• Transformation of danger into power: The Devil God Sin Bone, once a source of destruction, is reshaped into an artifact beneficial to Li, reflecting the theme of turning calamity into opportunity.
• The connection between individual achievement and collective fortune: Li’s personal growth directly improves the fate and future of his sect.
• Destiny earned through trials: The Fifth Fate Lake’s emergence suggests that extraordinary risks and courageous actions produce corresponding advances in fate and cultivation.
• Hope tempered by fear: The elders’ joy is restrained by their memories of repeated disappointments, giving the revival an atmosphere of cautious optimism.

Character Interactions

• Wang Lingguan’s Inner God silently presents the refined Devil God Sin Bone to Li and departs after saluting him, establishing a respectful but efficient relationship.
• The Inner Gods observe and comment on Li’s exceptional inheritance, treasures, and growing status, comparing his resources and achievements to those of powerful figures in the Upper Realm.
• The Inner Gods tease or dismiss the scholarly jade-ruyi holder for being absorbed in reading, while he independently improves the ancient cultivation text.
• The Ancient Profound Mountain elders consult with the two Fate Arts Masters, relying on their calculations to interpret the sect’s changing fortune.
• The elders’ discussion reveals both collective excitement and mutual caution as they debate whether the apparent revival is genuine.
• At the Heaven Momentum Sect, the remaining elders analyze Li’s Fate Lake changes and recognize that his extraordinary actions have accelerated his cultivation and destiny.