Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen arrives at the Heaven Evolution Sect's Violet-Gold Divine Hall, sits on the Sect Master's throne, and demands resources to help him break through to the Heavenly Being Realm.
• Guan Hong, the Grand Elder, offers to help Ye Xingchen but warns that resources alone cannot guarantee success in reaching the Heavenly Being Realm.
• Ye Xingchen insists on his demand, and Guan Hong agrees, ordering the opening of the Ancestral Vein Secret Realm for Ye Xingchen's seclusion.
• Ye Xingchen provides a description of Dugu Old Man and orders the Heaven Evolution Sect to find him using their intelligence network.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen displays arrogance and confidence in his ability to break through to the Heavenly Being Realm, hinting at his ancient clan background and unique cultivation method.
• Guan Hong shows wisdom and decisiveness in agreeing to help Ye Xingchen, understanding the potential benefits of forging karma with a Heavenly Being Realm expert.
• Lu Changhe, the Sect Master, initially opposes the decision but ultimately complies with Guan Hong's order, showing deference to the Grand Elder's authority.

Significant Themes

• The importance of resources and opportunities in cultivation, with Ye Xingchen's demand highlighting the vast gap between his needs and what the Heaven Evolution Sect can provide.
• The limitations of external aid in cultivation, as Guan Hong explains that the Heavenly Being Realm cannot be forced through resources alone.
• The potential benefits of forging karma with powerful cultivators, as Guan Hong sees the value in helping Ye Xingchen despite the risks.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong engage in a tense negotiation, with Guan Hong initially testing Ye Xingchen's intentions and ultimately agreeing to help him.
• Ye Xingchen's commanding presence and disregard for convention are evident in his interactions with both Guan Hong and Lu Changhe.
• Lu Changhe's deference to Guan Hong's authority is clear, as he initially opposes the decision but ultimately complies with the Grand Elder's order.

Chapter Summary: Heavenly Being First Stage

Key Plot Points and Events

• Guan Hong leads Ye Xingchen into Heaven Evolution Sect’s forbidden rear mountain, where a vast Supreme-Grade Immortal Origin Ancestral Vein lies beneath the ground.
• The energy awakens the Bronze Ancient Coffin within Ye Xingchen’s left eye. The coffin attempts to devour the ancestral vein, but Ye Xingchen suppresses it, threatening to seal it away or sacrifice the eye if it acts recklessly.
• Ye Xingchen activates the system’s “One-Click Skip” cultivation function. The system rapidly consumes the ancestral vein’s Immortal Essence, advancing him from the Supreme Realm through its final stages and into the Heavenly Being Realm.
• Because his three avatars cultivate alongside his main body, the ancestral vein’s energy is divided among four bodies. As a result, all four only reach the Heavenly Being First Stage rather than advancing further.
• Ye Xingchen successfully breaks through and demonstrates his new strength by casually collapsing space within his clenched fist.
• At the same time, the Blood Spirit Holy Land arrives outside Heaven Evolution Sect with a massive Formation-Breaking Warship and twelve Starfall Cannons.
• Nether River, the Blood Spirit Holy Land’s third elder and a Half-Step Heavenly Being, insults and threatens the sect, demanding that its protective formation be withdrawn within ten breaths.
• Heaven Evolution Sect’s sect master, Lu Changhe, realizes the enemy intends to attack rather than negotiate. He orders the inner treasury emptied to reinforce the defensive formation.
• Guan Hong, guarding Ye Xingchen’s seclusion, instructs Lu Changhe to defend the mountain gate at any cost and ensure that the rear mountain remains undisturbed.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen: Breaks into the Heavenly Being First Stage with the help of the system and the ancestral vein. His control over the Bronze Ancient Coffin becomes clearer: although the artifact is dangerously predatory, he can suppress it through sheer will and threats. His calm acceptance of the breakthrough reflects his confidence and growing power.
• Guan Hong: Demonstrates unwavering loyalty to Ye Xingchen and recognizes that protecting his seclusion is more important than preserving Heaven Evolution Sect’s remaining resources. His hostility toward Nether River becomes openly murderous.
• Lu Changhe: Initially struggles with the crisis but ultimately displays determination, choosing resistance over humiliating negotiation. He is willing to exhaust the sect’s entire treasury to protect both the sect and Ye Xingchen’s breakthrough.
• Nether River: Acts as the aggressive representative of the newly elevated Blood Spirit Holy Land. His reliance on Taiyi Divine Church’s backing has increased his strength and arrogance.
• Blood Spirit Holy Land: Has transformed from Heaven Evolution Sect’s equal rival into a much stronger faction after gaining the support of Taiyi Divine Church.

Significant Themes

• Power gained through sacrifice: Ye Xingchen consumes an entire ancestral vein, while Heaven Evolution Sect is prepared to spend its treasury to survive the invasion.
• Control versus uncontrolled desire: The Bronze Ancient Coffin’s instinct to devour energy contrasts with Ye Xingchen’s dominance over it.
• Loyalty and investment: Heaven Evolution Sect risks everything to support Ye Xingchen, and Guan Hong insists that their investment must not be interrupted.
• Political power and backing: Blood Spirit Sect’s rapid rise comes not from its own foundation alone but from its alliance with the powerful Taiyi Divine Church.
• Crisis at a decisive moment: The external attack occurs precisely as Ye Xingchen completes a crucial breakthrough, creating suspense over whether the sect can hold out long enough for him to emerge.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen and the Bronze Ancient Coffin engage in a silent but intense struggle over the ancestral vein’s energy. Ye Xingchen establishes himself as the dominant force.
• Ye Xingchen orders Guan Hong to withdraw and forbids him from touching the Origin Stone energy, showing both authority and concern for maintaining control over the breakthrough.
• Nether River publicly taunts Guan Hong and Lu Changhe, attempting to provoke Heaven Evolution Sect into surrender.
• Lu Changhe rejects the intelligence elder’s suggestion of negotiation, recognizing Nether River’s attack as an act of intimidation and planned destruction.
• Guan Hong communicates with Lu Changhe from the rear mountain, ordering him to resist while making clear that Ye Xingchen’s seclusion must remain completely protected.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen adapts to the power of the first Celestial Being Realm.
• The Blood Spirit Holy Land, backed by Taiyi Divine Church, challenges the Heaven Evolution Sect.
• Nether River, a Half-Step Celestial Being and third elder of the Blood Spirit Sect, is easily defeated and killed by Ye Xingchen.
• Ye Xingchen learns about Taiyi Divine Church and Dugu Old Man's theft of their sect-defending treasure.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his immense power and ruthlessness, instilling fear in his enemies and allies alike.
• Nether River shows his cowardice and desperation in the face of Ye Xingchen's power.

Significant Themes

• Power and its consequences: Ye Xingchen's immense power brings fear and submission, but also the wrath of other powerful forces like Taiyi Divine Church.
• Karma and retribution: Ye Xingchen believes in settling karma on the spot, as seen in his swift and decisive action against Nether River.

Character Interactions

• Guan Hong, the Heaven Evolution Sect's elder, shows deference to Ye Xingchen's power and is eager to see him in action.
• Nether River and the Blood Spirit Sect underestimate Ye Xingchen's power and pay the price.
• Ye Xingchen learns about Dugu Old Man's actions, revealing a connection between the Heaven Evolution Sect and Taiyi Divine Church.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Blood Spirit Sect's Nether River arrives at the Heaven Evolution Sect with a Formation-Breaking Warship and Starfall Cannons, intending to negotiate but is mistaken for an attacker.
• Ye Xingchen uses his soul-searching ability to interrogate Nether River, revealing that the Blood Spirit Sect wants to cooperate with the Heaven Evolution Sect due to the imminent opening of Burial Sword Valley.
• Nether River reveals that Burial Sword Valley's core region will open this time, connected to the Taiyi Divine Church's lost sacred relic.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen: Shows indifference and calm during the confrontation, using his soul-searching ability to extract information from Nether River. He expresses interest in visiting Burial Sword Valley.
• Nether River: Initially arrogant and threatening, he becomes terrified and submissive after Ye Xingchen's intervention. He reveals the true purpose of his visit and the impending opening of Burial Sword Valley.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics and negotiations between cultivation sects.
• The allure and danger of ancient cultivation sites like Burial Sword Valley.
• The consequences of breaking the usual rules and scripts in cultivation world negotiations.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen vs. Nether River: Ye Xingchen's calm indifference and powerful abilities intimidate Nether River, who becomes submissive and reveals information.
• Guan Hong and Lu Changhe vs. Nether River: The Heaven Evolution Sect's elders are initially hostile but become intrigued and vigilant upon learning about the Burial Sword Valley opening.
• Ye Xingchen and the Heaven Evolution Sect: Ye Xingchen's actions and decisions influence the Heaven Evolution Sect's response to the Blood Spirit Sect's visit and the impending opening of Burial Sword Valley.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong arrive at the Blood Spirit Sect in a warship.
• The Blood Spirit Sect's Grand Elder, Zhao Suhuai, activates the sect-protecting formation upon their arrival.
• Nether River, the Blood Spirit Sect's representative sent to the Heaven Evolution Sect, is severely beaten by Zhao Suhuai for offending Ye Xingchen.
• Zhao Suhuai discovers Ye Xingchen's identity as a member of the ancient Ye lineage and treats him with extreme respect.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen remains indifferent and uncommunicative, revealing nothing about his intentions or background.
• Guan Hong, Ye Xingchen's servant, reveals Ye Xingchen's identity as a member of the ancient Ye lineage, causing Zhao Suhuai to treat him with great deference.
• Nether River is humiliated and beaten for his actions, demonstrating the consequences of underestimating Ye Xingchen and the Heaven Evolution Sect.
• Zhao Suhuai, initially arrogant, becomes submissive and respectful upon learning Ye Xingchen's true identity, highlighting the power dynamics at play.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and the fear of the ancient Ye lineage.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponents.
• The importance of proper representation and diplomacy in inter-sect relations.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong work together to intimidate the Blood Spirit Sect, with Guan Hong revealing Ye Xingchen's identity at the opportune moment.
• Nether River's hubris leads to his downfall, as he is beaten by both the Heaven Evolution Sect and the Blood Spirit Sect.
• Zhao Suhuai's initial arrogance is replaced by deference once he learns Ye Xingchen's true identity, demonstrating the power imbalance between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Blood Spirit Sect's Grand Elder, Zhao Suhuai, meets with Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong from the Heaven Evolution Sect in secret.
• Zhao Suhuai reveals that the Eastern Sovereign Bell from Taiyi Divine Church has been stolen, and Burial Sword Valley has opened prematurely due to mysterious bell tolls.
• Taiyi Divine Church cannot enter Burial Sword Valley due to a rule set by the three great holy lands, so they are sending their affiliated sects to retrieve the bell.
• Blood Spirit Sect is ordered to be the first to enter the valley's core region, and they seek an alliance with Heaven Evolution Sect to share the risk.

Character Developments

• Zhao Suhuai: Initially, he was willing to use Heaven Evolution Sect as cannon fodder but changed his mind after meeting Ye Xingchen. He becomes more respectful and sincere in seeking an alliance.
• Guan Hong: He is initially angry and unwilling to enter the valley, but later considers the potential gains (Heavenly Being Realm cultivation technique and Half-Divine Artifact) and defers to Ye Xingchen's decision.
• Ye Xingchen: He remains calm and collected throughout the meeting. He agrees to the alliance, not for the offered rewards, but to uncover Dugu Old Man's plans in Burial Sword Valley.

Significant Themes

• Risk vs. Reward: Both sects consider the potential dangers and benefits of entering Burial Sword Valley.
• Alliances and Trust: The Blood Spirit Sect initially planned to use Heaven Evolution Sect but later seeks a genuine alliance due to Ye Xingchen's presence.
• Power Dynamics: The three great holy lands' rule and their treatment of affiliated sects highlight the power imbalance in the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong: They initially argue, with Guan Hong expressing anger and distrust. However, they later discuss the situation more calmly, with Zhao Suhuai making a sincere offer for an alliance.
• Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong: Guan Hong defers to Ye Xingchen's decision, showing respect for his judgment.
• Ye Xingchen and Zhao Suhuai: Zhao Suhuai shows increasing respect and deference to Ye Xingchen, seeing him as a crucial ally.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen receives a communication bone jade from Zhao Suhuai, inviting him to Burial Sword Valley.
• Guan Hong suggests letting the Blood Spirit Sect test the waters first, but Ye Xingchen dismisses the idea.
• Ye Xingchen enters seclusion in the Ancestral Vein to attempt removing the "Origin-Tracing Immortal Seal" from Su Ling'er.
• He successfully reaches the Third-Level Heavenly Being Realm but fails to break the seal completely.
• The attempt causes a Heavenly Being Realm phenomenon, benefiting the Heaven Evolution Sect.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his determination and confidence in facing challenges, showing no fear of the Heavenly Venerable Realm's power.
• Guan Hong's loyalty and faith in Ye Xingchen grow stronger after realizing Ye Xingchen's true intentions and capabilities.

Significant Themes

• The power gap between the Heavenly Being Realm and the Heavenly Venerable Realm is emphasized, highlighting the challenges Ye Xingchen faces.
• The theme of determination and perseverance is reinforced as Ye Xingchen remains undeterred by the seal's resistance.

Character Interactions

• Guan Hong and Ye Xingchen's interaction reveals Guan Hong's growing understanding and support of Ye Xingchen's decisions.
• The interaction between Ye Xingchen and the lingering soul of the mysterious woman showcases Ye Xingchen's calm and collected demeanor in the face of adversity.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Five days pass, and the Heaven Evolution Sect opens its gates, preparing to join the Blood Spirit Sect in retrieving the Eastern Sovereign Bell from Burial Sword Valley.
• The Blood Spirit Sect's warship arrives, led by Zhao Suhuai, a Heavenly Being First Stage cultivator. Ye Xingchen, a mysterious figure with an unfathomable aura, is also aboard.
• Upon arrival at Burial Sword Valley, the warship is blocked by the Taihua Sect, a subordinate faction of Rakshasa Sacred Mountain. Zhao Suhuai and the Taihua Sect Master engage in a heated argument.
• The Taihua Sect prepares to attack, but Ye Xingchen, seemingly unconcerned, focuses his gaze on the core region of Burial Sword Valley.
• An ancient bell toll rings out from the valley's core.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen's aura has become even more unfathomable, making Zhao Suhuai, a Heavenly Being First Stage cultivator, feel uneasy.
• Zhao Suhuai, despite being a Celestial Being Realm cultivator, is crass and uses crude language, shocking the crowd and humiliating the Taihua Sect Master.

Significant Themes

• The power struggle among the three great holy lands (Taiyi Divine Church, Rakshasa Sacred Mountain, and Jade Pure Holy Land) is evident, with each trying to secure the Eastern Sovereign Bell for themselves.
• The cultivation world is portrayed as a place where the weak are preyed upon by the strong, reflecting the harsh reality of the cultivation world.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Suhuai and the Taihua Sect Master engage in a heated argument, with Zhao Suhuai's crude language humiliating the Taihua Sect Master.
• Ye Xingchen, seemingly unconcerned with the commotion, focuses on the core region of Burial Sword Valley, indicating his keen interest in the Eastern Sovereign Bell.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Burial Sword Valley opens, releasing an ancient, desolate aura.
• Blood Spirit Sect's warship enters first, followed by a surge of Rogue Cultivators.
• The group encounters a field of broken weapons and a spirit herb, the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Congealing Immortal Grass.
• They reach a colossal cliff, where a Heavenly Being Realm Sword Spirit emerges, attacking the three sects' groups.
• The three sect leaders clash with the Sword Spirit while secretly attacking each other.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen remains calm and composed amidst danger, showing no greed for the spirit herb and focusing on the core area.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong initially attempt to control their group but later allow them to disperse for treasures.
• Zheng Kaiwen, Chen Qingxuan, and Zhao Suhuai reveal their greed for the Sword Spirit's Ancient Law and engage in a hidden battle.

Significant Themes

• Greed and temptation: The spirit herb and the Sword Spirit's Ancient Law tempt cultivators, leading to infighting and disregard for their original alliance.
• Danger and survival: The valley's opening brings both wealth and danger, with cultivators risking their lives for potential gains.
• Power dynamics: The three sect leaders' hidden attacks showcase their desire for power and lack of trust in their alliance.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen leads the Blood Spirit Sect group, with Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong following closely.
• The three sect leaders clash with the Sword Spirit and each other, revealing their hidden intentions.
• Rogue Cultivators fight over treasures behind the main groups, showcasing their disregard for the alliance and focus on personal gain.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Slaughter Sword Spirit exploits the moment when Zheng Kaiwen, Chen Qingxuan, and Zhao Suhuai restrain one another. It splits into three scarlet sword beams and breaks through their defenses, forcing all three Heavenly Being cultivators to retreat.
• Summoning the shattered Sword Qi throughout the Burial Sword Valley, the Sword Spirit absorbs the valley’s source laws and rapidly rises to the peak of the Heavenly Being First Stage.
• The three old monsters unleash their strongest attacks:
  • Zheng Kaiwen empowers his purple giant cauldron with natal essence blood.
  • Chen Qingxuan uses five Primordial Talismans to create golden dragons.
  • Zhao Suhuai burns his blood and Qi to unleash a massive saber strike.
• The Sword Spirit defeats all three attacks with a single punch formed from the Slaughter Law, severely injuring and humiliating them.
• The berserk Sword Spirit then targets the Blood Spirit Sect and Heaven Evolution Sect. Its rain of death swords threatens to annihilate the surrounding cultivators.
• Ye Xingchen finally reveals himself and destroys the sword rain with a casual wave of his hand, displaying peak Heavenly Being First Stage cultivation.
• Ye Xingchen pins the Sword Spirit to the ground with a gigantic spiritual hand. Facing destruction, the Sword Spirit burns its Ancient Sword Dao Law, releasing an Eternal Sword Intent that begins collapsing the surrounding space.
• Rather than retreat, Ye Xingchen uses the Origin Heaven Art—Fourth Immortal-Ban Seal. Four ancient origin runes suppress the Sword Intent, seal the Sword Spirit, and transform it into a harmless, palm-sized blood-colored sword.
• Witnessing Ye Xingchen’s overwhelming strength and mysterious sealing technique, Zheng Kaiwen, Chen Qingxuan, and Zhao Suhuai recognize him as a legendary Source Heaven Master.

Character Developments

• The Slaughter Sword Spirit evolves from a powerful but uncontrolled weapon spirit into an even more dangerous existence by absorbing millions of years of Sword Qi and the Burial Sword Valley’s source laws. Despite its terrifying power, it is ultimately completely subdued by Ye Xingchen.
• Ye Xingchen reveals himself as far stronger and more mysterious than previously believed. He not only possesses peak Heavenly Being cultivation but can effortlessly suppress a Heavenly Being peak-level attack and seal an ancient law with a technique beyond the others’ understanding.
• Zheng Kaiwen, Chen Qingxuan, and Zhao Suhuai suffer a major loss of confidence after being defeated in one exchange. Zheng and Chen become wary of Ye Xingchen and secretly ally against him, while Zhao Suhuai becomes even more convinced that betting on Ye Xingchen was the correct decision.
• Zhao Suhuai shifts from confidence in his own strength to awe and admiration for Ye Xingchen, suspecting that the latter is concealing even greater power.
• Guan Hong and the other sect elders are reduced to helpless spectators, emphasizing the enormous gap between Supreme Realm cultivators and Heavenly Being experts.

Significant Themes

• Absolute power and hidden identity: Ye Xingchen’s true strength vastly exceeds his apparent status, reinforcing the theme that powerful figures may conceal their origins and abilities.
• Law and source mastery: The battle centers not merely on physical strength but on control over Slaughter Law, Ancient Sword Dao Law, and the deeper origin laws of heaven and earth.
• Suppression versus uncontrolled destruction: The Sword Spirit represents instinctive, berserk power, while Ye Xingchen embodies calm, precise, and superior control.
• Fear and shifting alliances: The weaker characters immediately change their strategies when confronted with a greater threat, with Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan forming an uneasy alliance against Ye Xingchen.
• Power as opportunity: Ye Xingchen views the Sword Spirit not as an enemy to destroy but as a valuable “meeting gift” and source of nourishment for his disciple Lin Feng.

Character Interactions

• The three old monsters initially compete against one another while attempting to seize control of the Sword Spirit, but the Spirit’s sudden evolution forces them to cooperate temporarily.
• After Ye Xingchen protects Guan Hong and the other sect members, Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan interpret his presence as a threat and secretly agree to attack him after he and the Sword Spirit weaken each other.
• Ye Xingchen directly confronts the Sword Spirit, ordering it to “kneel” and overpowering it without visible effort.
• The Sword Spirit responds with a desperate law-burning attack, but Ye Xingchen counters it with the Origin Heaven Art and captures it intact.
• The chapter ends with the three Heavenly Being cultivators collectively identifying Ye Xingchen as a Source Heaven Master, marking a dramatic escalation in their perception of him.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen reveals he knows the Origin Heaven Art, shocking Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan.
• The two attack Ye Xingchen, aiming to kill him and seize his treasures, including the blood-red little sword.
• Zhao Suhuai chooses to stand by Ye Xingchen, engaging Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan to protect him.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen remains calm and composed, showing no fear despite the danger.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan are driven by greed, disregarding the risk of attacking a Source Heaven Master.
• Zhao Suhuai demonstrates loyalty and courage, choosing to side with Ye Xingchen despite the potential consequences.

Significant Themes

• The taboo of Source Heaven Masters in the Upper Realm.
• The power of the Origin Heaven Art and its potential consequences.
• The conflict between fear and greed.

Character Interactions

• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan secretly plot against Ye Xingchen, driven by greed.
• Zhao Suhuai stands by Ye Xingchen, showing loyalty and courage in the face of adversity.
• Ye Xingchen remains composed and confident, showing no fear of Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan's attack.

Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen is about to suppress Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan, two Celestial Being Realm enemies who attacked him and the Origin Heaven Master Lineage.
• The sudden tolling of the ancient Eastern Sovereign Bell interrupts the confrontation. Its sound signals that Burial Sword Valley’s core secret realm has opened and reveals the aura of a Heavenly Venerable inheritance.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan immediately abandon their fight with Ye Xingchen and rush toward the core region, driven by greed and the possibility of gaining power or ascending to the Immortal Domain.
• Ye Xingchen learns from Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong that the core realm supposedly contains the complete inheritance of an ancient Heavenly Venerable. Although he is skeptical of such inheritances, he decides to enter because:
  • Dugu Old Man entered the secret realm with the Eastern Sovereign Bell, and Ye Xingchen promised to recover his corpse.
  • The Origin-Tracing Immortal Seal on Su Ling’er can only be removed with Heavenly Venerable-level power.
• Ye Xingchen leads his group through the increasingly dangerous core region. Spatial restrictions, destructive cracks, and sword-energy storms kill or maim many early entrants.
• Using the power of the Bronze Ancient Coffin in his left eye, Ye Xingchen devours the surrounding Sword Qi and creates a safe passage for Zhao Suhuai, Guan Hong, and the elders following him.
• They eventually reach ancient ruins surrounded by a powerful blood-colored formation. Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan are trapped inside the formation, badly wounded and unable to break through.
• Ye Xingchen arrives unharmed, mocks their reckless struggle, and dismisses the formation as merely broken. He approaches it and activates Origin Heaven Divine Perception to investigate its structure.

2. Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen: Remains calm, confident, and superior despite the danger. His contempt for Heavenly Venerable inheritances reflects his past experience with Primordial Unity Celestial Venerable’s inheritance, which left him with burdens rather than easy benefits. He also demonstrates greater control over the Bronze Ancient Coffin’s power and continues to act according to his promises and personal obligations.
• Zhao Suhuai: Becomes increasingly respectful and dependent on Ye Xingchen after witnessing him safely neutralize the Sword Qi storms. However, he internally struggles over whether associating with Ye Xingchen—who may practice the forbidden Origin Heaven Art—will provoke retaliation from the Taiyi Divine Church.
• Guan Hong: Provides important information about the secret realm and, like Zhao Suhuai, gains deeper reverence for Ye Xingchen’s strength.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan: Their greed causes them to abandon their conflict with Ye Xingchen. Despite being powerful Celestial Being Realm cultivators, they are reduced to desperate, injured figures trapped by the ancient formation. Their earlier arrogance contrasts sharply with their helplessness.
• Dugu Old Man and Su Ling’er: Though absent from the scene, their situations motivate Ye Xingchen’s decision to enter the dangerous core realm.

3. Significant Themes

• Greed versus survival: The supposed Heavenly Venerable inheritance causes powerful cultivators to abandon immediate conflicts and rush into lethal danger.
• The danger of inheritances: Ye Xingchen views inheritances left by ancient powerhouses as traps or burdens designed to further their creators’ plans, challenging the common belief that they are effortless opportunities.
• Power and composure: Ye Xingchen’s calm movement through hazards contrasts with the panic, haste, and suffering of other cultivators.
• Hidden identity and political danger: Zhao Suhuai worries that Ye Xingchen’s connection to the Origin Heaven Art could make him an enemy of the Taiyi Divine Church and endanger the Blood Spirit Sect.
• Knowledge overcoming brute force: While Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan attempt to destroy the formation through raw power, Ye Xingchen relies on perception and understanding to find its weakness.

4. Character Interactions

• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan initially confront Ye Xingchen but abandon the fight when the Eastern Sovereign Bell rings.
• Zhao Suhuai explains the bell and the Heavenly Venerable inheritance to Ye Xingchen, while Guan Hong adds details about the factions drawn to the secret realm.
• Zhao Suhuai privately questions Ye Xingchen’s identity and whether the Blood Spirit Sect should fear or ally with him.
• Ye Xingchen protects his followers by using the Bronze Ancient Coffin’s devouring power, strengthening their respect for him.
• At the ruins, Ye Xingchen mocks the trapped Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan, then approaches the formation with confidence while they remain unable to escape or advance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen recognizes the formation as the same one he encountered in the Heaven-Earth Secret Realm.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan are severely injured by the formation's attacks.
• Ye Xingchen effortlessly walks through the formation, absorbing its power, and temporarily seals it, opening a passage to the underground palace.
• Zheng and Chen attempt to enter the palace but are struck by the formation's beams and fall into the passage.
• Ye Xingchen allows several thousand cultivators to enter the palace before him, sealing the passage behind them.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his immense power and authority, easily breaking the formation and controlling the situation.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan show their ruthlessness and desperation in pursuing the Heavenly Venerable inheritance.
• The Taihua Sect's Second Elder and the Sea of Clouds Sect's elders display their greed and recklessness in rushing into the underground palace.

Significant Themes

• Power and authority: Ye Xingchen's display of strength commands respect and obedience from those around him.
• Greed and ambition: The cultivators' single-minded pursuit of the Heavenly Venerable inheritance leads them to disregard caution and common sense.
• The consequences of one's actions: Those who underestimate Ye Xingchen or act against him face severe repercussions.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen interacts minimally with the other characters, demonstrating his indifference to their actions and his confidence in his own abilities.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan interact briefly with Ye Xingchen, displaying their hostility and underestimation of his power.
• The Taihua Sect's Second Elder and the Sea of Clouds Sect's elders interact with Ye Xingchen, showing their greed and disregard for his warnings.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong follow Ye Xingchen's orders, displaying their loyalty and obedience.

Summary: Vampiric Ancient Tree

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen, Zhao Suhuai, and Guan Hong enter the underground palace and discover a gigantic blood-red ancient tree connected to the earth veins of the entire Burial Sword Valley.
• Thousands of Rogue Cultivators and disciples from the Taihua and Sea of Clouds Sects stand beneath the tree in a trance, apparently enthralled by its strange Dao-like sound.
• The tree’s sound is revealed to be a soul-bewitching technique rather than genuine enlightenment. Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong are nearly controlled, but Ye Xingchen uses the Origin Heaven Law and the Immortal-Slaying Sword Soul to free them.
• The entranced cultivators begin walking mechanically toward the tree. Blood-colored roots pierce their heads and hearts, draining their blood and qi before turning their corpses into hanging cocoons.
• Even Supreme Realm elders are unable to resist for long. Within moments, several thousand cultivators are killed and absorbed by the tree.
• Ye Xingchen realizes that the powerful cultivators Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan are not among the victims below. He senses Immortal Qi above the tree and leads his companions toward the crown.
• Passing through a golden halo, the three enter a separate secret realm resembling an immortal abode, filled with dense spiritual energy, ancient herbs, spiritual springs, and immortal cranes.
• The chapter ends with Zheng Kaiwen’s arrogant laughter echoing from deeper within the realm. He claims that the Heavenly Venerable inheritance and the Eastern Sovereign Bell will belong to him, apparently while confronting Chen Qingxuan.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen: Demonstrates exceptional soul defense, perception, and composure. He immediately identifies the tree’s “Dao sound” as a deadly bewitchment technique and rescues his companions. His ability to detect the hidden Immortal Qi allows him to uncover the path to the secret realm.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong: Initially cautious but overwhelmed by the tree’s influence. They briefly lose themselves to visions of power and glory, then recover with Ye Xingchen’s help. Their fear and dependence on him deepen after witnessing the mass slaughter.
• Zheng Kaiwen: Revealed as ambitious, arrogant, and apparently engaged in a struggle for the Heavenly Venerable inheritance and Eastern Sovereign Bell. His laughter suggests he believes victory is already his.
• Chen Qingxuan: Not seen directly, but implied to be Zheng Kaiwen’s rival within the secret realm.

Significant Themes

• False enlightenment and corruption: The tree disguises soul-devouring power as a sacred Dao revelation, exploiting cultivators’ desires for ascension and ultimate understanding.
• Greed and ambition: Visions of higher realms, authority, and treasures make powerful cultivators defenseless against the tree.
• Predation beneath beauty: The tree and the upper secret realm contrast horrifying bloodshed with apparent majesty and abundance, suggesting that beauty and immortality conceal lethal dangers.
• Composure versus obsession: Ye Xingchen’s clear judgment contrasts with the entranced cultivators and highlights the importance of resisting desire and illusion.
• Hidden realms and greater conflict: The tree serves as a gateway to an apparently genuine immortal inheritance, shifting the story from survival horror toward a battle over ancient treasures and legacy.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong instinctively move closer to Ye Xingchen when they encounter the suspiciously peaceful tree.
• Ye Xingchen protects both men from the soul-bewitching sound and reassures them that their Heavenly Being Realm souls would eventually have recovered.
• The three work together to ascend the tree, with Ye Xingchen leading and the others following closely.
• Zheng Kaiwen’s distant taunts establish the next major conflict, positioning him against Chen Qingxuan and potentially against Ye Xingchen’s group.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zheng Kaiwen (Taihua Sect's Grand Elder) and Chen Qingxuan (Sea of Clouds Sect's Grand Elder) are severely injured and locked in a deadly battle over the Eastern Sovereign Bell, which supposedly grants access to the Immortal Domain Ancient Road trial.
• Ye Xingchen, Zhao Suhuai (Blood Spirit Sect's Grand Elder), and Guan Hong (Blood Spirit Sect's Elder) arrive at the scene. Ye Xingchen orders Zhao Suhuai to retrieve the bell.
• Zheng Kaiwen tries to manipulate Chen Qingxuan into a temporary alliance to defeat Zhao Suhuai, but Chen Qingxuan, driven mad by betrayal and pain, attacks Zheng Kaiwen instead, leading to a brutal, desperate fight.
• Zhao Suhuai prepares to strike both down with one saber blow, but Ye Xingchen orders him to retreat, realizing the bell's true nature.

Character Developments

• Zheng Kaiwen: Reveals his greed and desperation, willing to betray allies for personal gain.
• Chen Qingxuan: Driven to madness and obsession with revenge, prioritizing Zheng Kaiwen's death over his own survival.
• Ye Xingchen: Demonstrates his powerful Origin Heaven Divine Perception, seeing through the bell's true nature and ordering Zhao Suhuai to retreat.
• Zhao Suhuai: Initially tries to curry favor with Ye Xingchen using the Taiyi Divine Church's rewards, but later shows reverence and understanding of Ye Xingchen's disinterest in such rewards.

Significant Themes

• Greed and desperation leading to betrayal and self-destruction (Zheng Kaiwen, Chen Qingxuan).
• Power dynamics and manipulation (Zheng Kaiwen trying to manipulate Chen Qingxuan).
• The futility of holding onto grudges and obsessions (Chen Qingxuan's focus on revenge).
• The importance of perception and understanding (Ye Xingchen's ability to see through the bell's true nature).

Character Interactions

• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan: Enemies locked in a deadly battle, with Zheng Kaiwen trying to manipulate Chen Qingxuan.
• Ye Xingchen and Zhao Suhuai: Master and servant with a clear power dynamic, Ye Xingchen ordering Zhao Suhuai to retrieve the bell and later to retreat.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong: Allies working together to retrieve the bell, with Zhao Suhuai taking the lead.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen stops the fight between Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan over the Eastern Sovereign Bell.
• He retrieves the bell, revealing a dangerous divine soul inside, which he secretly seals.
• He gives the bell to Zhao Suhuai to return to the Taiyi Divine Church.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan, severely injured, use a life-consuming technique to escape.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his immense power and indifference to the Eastern Sovereign Bell, revealing his unfathomable strength and background.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan, despite their injuries and desperation, manage to escape, showing their cunning and will to survive.

Significant Themes

• Power and Indifference: Ye Xingchen's casual treatment of the Eastern Sovereign Bell highlights his immense power and lack of interest in worldly treasures.
• Desperation and Survival: Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan's actions underscore their desperation to survive and their unwillingness to give up, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen and Zhao Suhuai: Ye Xingchen's calm and confident demeanor contrasts with Zhao Suhuai's reverence and eagerness to please, highlighting their power dynamic.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan: Despite being enemies, they reach an understanding and flee together, showing their shared desperation and survival instinct.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen, Zhao Suhuai, and Guan Hong ascend the white jade staircase leading to the ancient hall. The staircase is a trial of soul and origin pressure, with Guan Hong failing to proceed and Zhao Suhuai making it halfway.
• Ye Xingchen enters the ancient hall alone, finding a damaged bronze throne and a pitch-black stone stele. The stele reveals that the throne belongs to the Sword-Wielding Main God from the Ancient Immortal Era.
• Ye Xingchen sits on the throne, causing it to shatter. The throne's fragments reassemble, and a white light containing the Sword-Wielding Main God's complete Godhead origin floats above it.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his immense power and status, easily withstanding the pressure on the staircase and causing the Main God's throne to shatter upon sitting on it.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong show their limits, with Guan Hong unable to proceed and Zhao Suhuai only making it halfway up the staircase.

Significant Themes

• The power and status of the Sword-Wielding Main God and the Main Gods of the Ancient Immortal Era.
• The consequences of attempting to forcefully claim power or inheritance without recognition.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen interacts with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Soul through his sea of consciousness, learning about the Sword-Wielding Main God and the consequences of sitting on the throne.
• Ye Xingchen's actions cause the Sword-Wielding Main God Throne to shatter, revealing its Godhead origin.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen obtains a Main God's Godhead from the ancient hall, which he plans to give to his disciple Lin Feng.
• He discovers a complete small Origin Stone Spirit Vein at the bottom of a cliff, which he takes with him.
• Ten days later, Ye Xingchen, Zhao Suhuai, and Guan Hong leave the secret realm together.
• Outside Burial Sword Valley, the Taiyi Divine Church, Rakshasa Sacred Mountain, and Moon-Gazing Pavilion have gathered, preparing to intercept them.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen demonstrates his power and wisdom by obtaining the Godhead and the Origin Stone Spirit Vein without much effort.
• Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong both make significant breakthroughs in their cultivation, reaching the Heavenly Being Realm, thanks to Ye Xingchen's help.

Significant Themes

• Power and wealth: Ye Xingchen's actions show his ability to acquire great power and wealth, which is a common theme in cultivation novels.
• Mentorship: Ye Xingchen's decision to give the Main God's Godhead to Lin Feng highlights his role as a mentor, guiding his disciple's cultivation path.
• Greed and conflict: The gathering of the three sacred lands outside Burial Sword Valley emphasizes the theme of greed and the conflict that arises from it.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen interacts briefly with Zhao Suhuai and Guan Hong, acknowledging their breakthroughs and leading them out of the secret realm.
• The leaders of the three sacred lands outside the valley exchange words, showing their tension and readiness for conflict.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Thousands of cultivators, including Ye Xingchen, emerge from the light curtain, having survived the trial within the valley.
• Three Heavenly Being Realm experts from Taiyi Divine Church, Rakshasa Sacred Mountain, and Moon-Gazing Pavilion appear in the sky, encircling the valley entrance.
• Zhao Suhuai, the Blood Spirit Sect's ancestor, joins Taiyi Divine Church, revealing that he has the Eastern Sovereign Bell.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan, the first elders of Taihua Sect and Sea of Clouds Sect, emerge critically injured and reveal that their sects' disciples have been wiped out, and the Eastern Sovereign Bell was taken by Zhao Suhuai.
• Taiyi Divine Church, Rakshasa Sacred Mountain, and Moon-Gazing Pavilion prepare for war, but the situation de-escalates when the elders decide not to fight over the bell.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan reveal that Ye Xingchen possesses a Heavenly Venerable's inheritance and is a Source Heaven Master, leading the three Heavenly Being experts to attack him.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen remains calm and composed throughout the chaos, showing no fear or panic.
• Zhao Suhuai demonstrates loyalty to Ye Xingchen by kowtowing to him before joining Taiyi Divine Church.
• Zheng Kaiwen and Chen Qingxuan show desperation and madness due to their sects' losses.
• Elder Xuan Chen of Taiyi Divine Church, the blood-robed elder of Rakshasa Sacred Mountain, and the silver-haired old woman of Moon-Gazing Pavilion display their power and willingness to go to war.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and struggles among cultivator sects and sacred lands.
• The value and importance of the Eastern Sovereign Bell.
• The taboo status of Source Heaven Masters and the danger they pose to the Immortal Domain.

Character Interactions

• Ye Xingchen and Guan Hong: Ye Xingchen shows concern for Guan Hong's safety and protects him from the incoming attacks.
• Zhao Suhuai and Ye Xingchen: Zhao Suhuai demonstrates loyalty to Ye Xingchen, while Ye Xingchen shows no reaction to Zhao Suhuai's actions.
• The three Heavenly Being experts: They initially prepare for war but later de-escalate the situation, showing a willingness to work together against a common enemy (Ye Xingchen).

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ye Xingchen reveals two powerful clones: a Time Clone and a Space Clone. Both possess the same Peak Third-Level Heavenly Being Realm cultivation as his true body.
• The Time Clone freezes a devastating blood-red attack, while the Space Clone destroys a silver sword-like strike by opening a spatial black hole.
• The display shocks everyone present, since ordinary clone techniques produce weaker incarnations and usually harm the true body when the clones are injured.
• On the Taiyi Divine Church’s warship, Zhao Suhuai warns Elder Xuan Chen not to attack Ye Xingchen. He reveals that Ye Xingchen is a descendant of the Ancient Ye Clan, not merely a remnant of the Source Heaven Master lineage.
• Zhao also reminds Xuan Chen that Ye Xingchen helped suppress the Slaughter Sword Spirit, break the Burial Sword Valley formation, and recover the Eastern Sovereign Bell for the Divine Church.
• Xuan Chen withdraws his immediate killing intent but attempts to preserve the Divine Church’s authority. He declares the Origin Heaven Art a forbidden technique, then offers to spare Ye Xingchen if he returns to the Divine Church, surrenders the inheritance, and swears loyalty.
• Ye Xingchen openly mocks Xuan Chen’s offer, asking who the Taiyi Divine Church thinks it is to decide his life and death.
• Humiliated and enraged, Xuan Chen prepares to attack. Blood Frenzy and Silver Flower also move forward, creating a combined threat of three Peak Third-Level Heavenly Being Realm experts.
• Ye Xingchen reveals that he has more than two clones. A black-robed clone emerges from the void, radiating profound laws of life, death, and reincarnation. This third clone is also at the Peak Third-Level Heavenly Being Realm, giving Ye Xingchen four equal-level combatants in total.

Character Developments

• Ye Xingchen: Demonstrates overwhelming mastery of clone techniques and remains completely confident despite facing three sacred-land experts. His defiance becomes openly arrogant when Xuan Chen tries to dictate his fate. His black-robed incarnation reveals that his powers extend beyond time and space into reincarnation.
• Xuan Chen: Shifts from murderous intent to calculated negotiation after learning Ye Xingchen’s Ancient Ye Clan identity. However, his attempt to maintain authority through a condescending “pardon” backfires, provoking him into renewed anger and violence.
• Zhao Suhuai: Acts pragmatically and anxiously, trying to prevent a conflict that could implicate or destroy the Blood Spirit Sect. He understands Ye Xingchen’s danger and recognizes that Xuan Chen’s arrogance is making the situation worse.
• Blood Frenzy and Silver Flower: Initially prepared to benefit from the Taiyi Divine Church’s judgment, they become visibly alarmed by Ye Xingchen’s clones. Their willingness to attack remains, but the appearance of the third clone leaves them momentarily frozen.

Significant Themes

• Power and authority: The chapter questions who has the right to determine another person’s fate. Ye Xingchen rejects the sacred lands’ assumption that their status grants them control over him.
• Pride and humiliation: Xuan Chen’s attempt to appear magnanimous is actually patronizing, and Ye Xingchen’s rejection publicly humiliates him, turning a possible negotiation into a confrontation.
• Hidden strength and miscalculation: The sacred lands repeatedly underestimate Ye Xingchen. Each revelation—two equal-strength clones, followed by a third—dramatically changes the balance of power.
• Political influence versus personal power: The Ancient Ye Clan’s identity forces the Taiyi Divine Church to reconsider attacking Ye Xingchen, showing how lineage and institutional prestige shape decisions.
• Forbidden knowledge and inheritance: The Origin Heaven Art is treated as a crime by the sacred lands, while Ye Xingchen’s possession of it makes him both a target and a potential source of immense power.

Character Interactions

• Zhao Suhuai privately warns Xuan Chen that attacking Ye Xingchen could bring disaster upon the Blood Spirit Sect and the Taiyi Divine Church.
• Xuan Chen uses Ye Xingchen’s assistance in Burial Sword Valley as justification for offering him a conditional pardon and demanding his submission.
• Ye Xingchen responds with open contempt, refusing to accept the Divine Church’s supposed authority over his life.
• Xuan Chen, Blood Frenzy, and Silver Flower unite against Ye Xingchen, but the emergence of the reincarnation clone stops their advance and leaves them stunned.