Chapter Summaries

After the Azurewood Sect tournament ended, Xu Changqing sent Xu Jiuyou and Nü Tu to Profound Earth Emperor’s cave abode in his place while he stayed behind to guard the sect. The group reached the Profound Earth Mountains, where the major forces of the Eastern Domain had gathered and awaited the entrance opening.

• Zhou Chang won the outer sect tournament, Lin Han won the inner sect tournament, and Zhao Lei placed fifth.
• Lin Han tossed away his Barrier-Breaking Pill, provoking a scramble among the crowd, while Xu Changqing allowed him to leave without concern.
• Xu Changqing decided not to visit the Secret Realm himself and instructed Xu Jiuyou to impersonate him, with Nü Tu accompanying him.
• The Azurewood Sect prepared its disciples and departed under Xu Jiuyou’s leadership after the Nine Nether Sect made no move for a month.
• Xu Jiuyou led the party to the Profound Earth Mountains, where the cave abode entrance remained closed as the major forces watched one another warily.

As the Profound Earth Emperor's cave dwelling opened, the major sects entered its vast inner world and smaller groups were drawn into bloody fights over outer-region treasures. Xu Changqing, acting through Xu Jiuyou, persuaded the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect to bypass the chaos and head for the more valuable depths.

• Rakshasa arrived with the Nine Nether Sect and proposed that it and the Azurewood Sect divide the cave dwelling's core inheritance and opportunities.
• The Mother Insect Sect arrived, and Li Busan and Li Busi quietly waited while planning to hunt powerful cultivators to nourish the Lifeless Insect Mother.
• The cave dwelling opened, and the three great powers entered first, followed by smaller forces and the Rogue Cultivator Alliance.
• Cultivators began fighting over outer-region treasures as evil cultivators stirred up conflict and Mother Insect Sect disciples ambushed weaker groups with venomous insects.
• Xu Changqing saw the chaos through Xu Jiuyou and urged him to skip the outer region; Xu Jiuyou convinced Rakshasa to lead their forces toward the depths.

Xu Changqing’s group discovered the Profound Earth Emperor’s preserved physical body and fought the Mother Insect Sect for control of it. After Nü Tu used a formation to seize the walking corpse, the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect continued toward the inheritance hall, where powerful guards and a deadly formation barred the way.

• Xu Changqing recognized the Profound Earth Emperor’s walking corpse as a potential source of the core inheritance and proposed that Xu Jiuyou and Rakshasa subdue it together.
• Li Busan and Li Busi ambushed the two sects with poisonous mist and spirit-devouring insects, turning the fight into a chaotic three-way battle.
• Nü Tu activated the Earth Vein Spirit-Sealing Formation, suppressing the Mother Insect Sect and empowering the Azurewood Sect, then used the formation to control the Emperor’s physical body.
• Li Busan and Li Busi retreated and spread word that the Azurewood Sect had seized the Emperor’s body and inheritance, making the sect a target for other factions.
• Rakshasa refused to abandon the Azurewood Sect, and the two sects advanced through the core area with the Emperor’s body crushing its obstacles.
• Xu Changqing’s group reached the inheritance hall, which was guarded by two powerful Earth Puppets and protected by the Earth Vein Heaven-Imprisoning Formation.

Xu Jiuyou and his allies reversed the Earth Vein Heaven-Imprisoning Formation, entered the Profound Earth Emperor’s treasure-filled Inheritance Hall, and divided up its treasures. The chapter ended with Xu Changqing explaining how Lin Han’s discovery, Ice-Soul Earth Lingzhi, could benefit his Ice Spirit Root.

• As the pursuing cultivators attacked, Nü Tu reversed the Earth Vein Heaven-Imprisoning Formation while Xu Jiuyou, Rakshasa, and the others held off the crowd and controlled the Earth Puppets.
• Xu Jiuyou led the group into the Inheritance Hall, where they found the Profound Earth Emperor’s cultivation arts, treasures, spirit plants, and Spirit Pool.
• Xu Jiuyou ordered the Azurewood Sect disciples to claim useful earth-element, metal-element, and body-refining treasures for themselves or the sect.
• Shi Po Jia took body-refining treasures, Lu Yan memorized cultivation arts and spells, Xu Ying collected metal-element treasures, and A Zhu began transplanting rare spirit plants.
• Lin Han found an ice-blue spirit plant rooted in Profound Earth, and Xu Changqing identified it as Ice-Soul Earth Lingzhi and explained its benefits for an Ice Spirit Root.

Xu Jiuyou, Nü Tu, and Rakshasa secured major Earth Vein treasures before the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect fought off cultivators who tried to seize their gains. As the group headed for the cave dwelling’s exit, they discovered the Mother Insect Sect had slaughtered retreating cultivators and blocked their way out.

• Xu Jiuyou and Nü Tu took the General Compendium of Earth Vein Dao Patterns and the Earth-Suppressing Dao Talisman, while Xu Jiuyou collected the Creation Mysterious Earth Crystal.
• Rakshasa found the General Compendium of Earth Vein Control, the Yellow Springs Alliance’s objective, and took several Dharma artifacts for the Nine Nether Sect.
• Xu Jiuyou collected treasures the Azurewood Sect disciples handed over for sect points, then joined Rakshasa in leading the group out of the Inheritance Hall.
• Rakshasa and the Azurewood Sect members killed the cultivators who attacked them outside the hall, and the group set off for the cave dwelling’s exit.
• Xu Changqing and the others found corpses and survivors who revealed that Li Busan and Li Busi had sealed the exit with the Mother Insect Sect.
• Li Busan and Li Busi confronted Xu Changqing and Rakshasa, threatening to take the inheritance and kill them.

The Mother Insect Sect revealed that it planned to trap the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect inside the Profound Earth Emperor's Cave Dwelling when it closed. Xu Changqing sent the Threefold Azure Edge toward the cave dwelling, where battle broke out between the sects.

• Li Busan and Li Busi explained that the Mother Insect Sect had sealed the exit to trap everyone inside the cave dwelling and seize control of the Eastern Domain.
• Rakshasa, Shi Po Jia, Lu Yan, Lin Han, and Nü Tu prepared to fight or find a way through the blockade as Xu Changqing considered a response.
• Xu Changqing empowered the Threefold Azure Edge with seven strokes of "Sever" and sent it flying toward the cave dwelling.
• Xu Changqing, disguised by Xu Jiuyou, attacked the Mother Insect Sect with nine branches as Nü Tu summoned her Heaven-Bearing Dharma Form and hurled the Profound Yellow Seal.
• Rakshasa charged Li Busan with the Netherworld War General, and Li Busan met his greatsword with the Thousand-Legged Venom Centipede Dharma Form.

Xu Changqing’s Threefold Azure Edge shattered the Mother Insect Sect’s blockade and slew its leaders, Li Busan and Li Busi. With the cave dwelling closing and the sect’s core members defeated, Xu Jiuyou and Rakshasa rallied their followers to attack the Mother Insect Sect’s lair.

• Xu Jiuyou struggled to threaten Li Busan and Li Busi while the Mother Insect Sect’s disciples used venomous insects and poison to wear down their opponents.
• As the cave dwelling began to close, Li Busan and Li Busi believed their enemies would be trapped, but Xu Changqing’s Threefold Azure Edge descended and killed dozens of disciples and countless insects.
• Xu Jiuyou urged everyone to break through the blockade, and Nü Tu, Rakshasa, Shi Po Jia, Lu Yan, and the others opened a path toward the exit.
• The Threefold Azure Edge’s seventh slash destroyed Li Busan’s and Li Busi’s Dharma Forms, bodies, and souls.
• After the sword returned toward the Azurewood Sect, Xu Jiuyou proposed attacking the Mother Insect Sect’s lair, and Rakshasa and the gathered disciples agreed.

Xu Jiuyou and Rakshasa gathered reinforcements from the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect, then led their combined force to Qiong Valley. They slaughtered every remaining member of the Mother Insect Sect, leaving no survivors.

• Xu Jiuyou and Rakshasa ordered their sects to gather elite reinforcements before attacking the Mother Insect Sect.
• The Nine Nether Sect and Azurewood Sect reinforcements arrived, bringing their combined force to three hundred people, including four Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Xu Jiuyou rallied the assembled force and led them toward Qiong Valley as curious cultivators followed behind.
• Shi Po Jia killed the two guards at the valley entrance, and the allied forces charged into the Mother Insect Sect's stronghold.
• Nü Tu, Rakshasa, the grand elder, and the other attackers killed the remaining Golden Core members and slaughtered the sect's other disciples, leaving no survivors.

After the Mother Insect Sect fell, Xu Jiuyou directed the Azurewood Sect and Nine Nether Sect disciples to inventory its vast stores of spirit insects, breeding supplies, and treasures. The sects began negotiating a division of the spoils, with Rakshasa proposing that the Azurewood Sect receive more insect-related resources and the Nine Nether Sect more conventional wealth.

• Xu Jiuyou ordered the disciples to search Qiong Valley and inventory the Mother Insect Sect’s resources.
• The disciples discovered thousands of insect eggs, hundreds of mature spirit insects, and abundant materials for breeding them.
• Nü Tu broke the restrictions on the treasure pavilion, revealing millions of spirit stones, artifacts, pills, and cultivation techniques.
• The disciples found additional poison mines, insect-raising formations, and resources in the fallen sect’s storage bags.
• Shi Po Jia praised the harvest, and Rakshasa asked Xu Jiuyou how the two sects would divide it.
• Xu Jiuyou proposed dividing resources according to need, and Rakshasa suggested that the Nine Nether Sect take more ordinary treasures while the Azurewood Sect took more insect-related techniques and supplies.

Xu Changqing used Xu Jiuyou to explore the depths beneath Qiong Valley and discovered a strange underground chamber filled with ancient insect corpses. There, the Lifeless Insect Mother's Shed Shell recognized him and demanded that he finish the task of the destroyed Mother Insect Sect.

• After the resources were distributed, Rakshasa took the Nine Nether Sect disciples away, and Xu Jiuyou sent Li Sancai, Nü Tu, and the Azurewood Sect disciples back while he continued alone.
• Xu Jiuyou followed Xu Changqing's orders into the depths beneath Qiong Valley, where he found a vast chamber carpeted with insect corpses, including species with ancient auras.
• Xu Jiuyou reached a stone platform bearing a woman with a centipede's lower body, and the being opened her eyes and greeted him as someone she had met before.
• Xu Changqing recognized her as the Lifeless Insect Mother, whom he had encountered at the forbidden ground of the Luohe Bei Clan decades earlier.
• The Lifeless Insect Mother's Shed Shell said Xu Changqing should complete the task the Mother Insect Sect had been carrying out, leaving him to ask what that task was.

The Lifeless Insect Mother warned Xu Changqing that a great calamity was coming and demanded he activate the underground Nether River Restriction to restore the Profound River. Xu Changqing refused to agree without knowing more, and the chapter left him preparing to investigate while Qiong Valley remained sealed.

• The Lifeless Insect Mother told Xu Changqing that a great calamity would soon strike and that only he could activate the Nether River Restriction and restore the Profound River.
• Xu Changqing questioned the Lifeless Insect Mother's motives and demanded an explanation, but it refused to reveal what the calamity was and gave him three days to decide.
• The Lifeless Insect Mother immobilized Xu Jiuyou and teleported him outside Qiong Valley, demonstrating its overwhelming power.
• The Lifeless Insect Mother raised a black mist restriction over Qiong Valley that repelled Xu Jiuyou, and Xu Changqing ordered him to return to the Azurewood Sect.
• Xu Changqing resolved to investigate the warning, while the chapter noted that restoring the Profound River could disrupt the Heavenly Origin Realm's Earth Vein, disorder Spirit Veins, and cause natural disasters.

Xu Changqing gathered his incarnations and puppets to assess the Lifeless Insect Mother's warning and investigate the Nether River before deciding whether to activate its restrictions. They descended through Silver Light Cave and began exploring the dark passage toward the Nether River.

• Xu Changqing summoned his incarnations and puppets, then told them about the Lifeless Insect Mother's warning and demand to activate the Nether River's restrictions.
• Zhurong, Fenglong, Nü Tu, and Tai Bai voiced their concerns, and Xu Changqing agreed that they needed to investigate the Nether River firsthand.
• Xu Changqing and the others traveled to Golden Light Cave and opened the restriction at the entrance to Silver Light Cave.
• Xu Changqing led the group into the frigid, dark passage, where Tai Bai illuminated their way as they advanced together.

Xu Changqing and his companions searched Riverheart Isle, where Xu Changqing destroyed three awakened dried corpses and found a third Mystic Iron Token. The tokens may reveal how to activate the Nether River Restrictions and restore the Profound River, and Xu Changqing began naming suspects behind the river’s disappearance.

• Xu Changqing ferried the group across the Nether River to Riverheart Isle, where they found its Yin-Yang Annihilation Array and familiar treasures still intact.
• Xu Changqing, Xu Jiuyou, and Xu Zixiao approached three dried corpses, which awakened and lunged at them.
• Xu Changqing used his Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to erode the three dried corpses into ash.
• A Mystic Iron Token fell from the corpses, giving Xu Changqing and his companions three tokens in total.
• Xu Changqing and Zhurong reasoned that gathering all nine Mystic Iron Tokens might activate the Nether River Restrictions and restore the Profound River, which someone had deliberately cut off ten thousand years earlier.
• Xu Changqing said he suspected the Mysterious Yellow Spirit Sect and another target, but Zhurong's question about the second suspect went unanswered.

Xu Changqing suspected the three great Immortal Sects had helped destroy the Profound River Spirit Clan and decided to cooperate with the Lifeless Insect Mother while continuing to investigate. He led his group deeper into the Nether River, where stronger Nether Beasts and dangerous baleful yin awaited them.

• Xu Changqing told Zhurong that the three great Immortal Sects had likely joined forces against the Profound River Spirit Clan to remove obstacles and seize power.
• Xu Changqing decided to pretend to help the Lifeless Insect Mother activate the Nether River Restriction while searching for the remaining Mystic Iron Tokens and investigating her motives.
• Tai Bai, Nü Tu, and Fenglong reported finding no Nether River Restriction clues on Riverheart Isle, so Xu Changqing led the group deeper into the Nether River.
• The group encountered increasingly strong Nether Beasts, dense chilling aura, and baleful yin as they sailed onward.
• Xu Changqing assigned Fenglong to scout, Tai Bai to defend, Nü Tu to stabilize the Iron Boat, and Zhurong, Xu Jiuyou, and Xu Zixiao to kill the Nether Beasts.

Xu Changqing and his companions journeyed deeper into the Nether River and discovered Taiyin True Fire burning atop a vast mound of Nether Beast corpses and coffins. Though Zhurong wanted to claim the flame immediately, Xu Changqing sensed something powerful beneath it and planned to expose the area before they approached.

• Xu Changqing led the group past Taiyin Hermit's empty seclusion site and continued deeper into the Nether River.
• The group encountered increasingly powerful Nether Beasts and countless rune-carved coffins, which Nü Tu suspected were connected to the Profound River Spirit Clan's destruction.
• Xu Changqing steered the Iron Boat toward a distant light and found a vast Corpse Mountain Coffin Sea surrounding a pale flame.
• Zhurong recognized the flame as Taiyin True Fire and wanted to claim it, but Nü Tu, Tai Bai, and Fenglong warned that the site held great danger.
• Xu Changqing sensed a powerful presence beneath the flame and proposed using the Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to clear away the surrounding corpses, coffins, and yin-baleful qi before they approached.

Xu Changqing and his companions uncovered Lunar Netherglow beneath the Taiyin True Fire and learned that Pure Yang Force could break its protective barrier. Xu Changqing revealed the Mayfly Heavenly Fire he had obtained in Qiong Valley, preparing to use it against the Lunar Yin Force.

• Xu Changqing used the Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to erase the Nether Beast corpses and black coffins around the Taiyin True Fire.
• A powerful Lunar Yin Force formed a barrier around the fire, stopping Xu Changqing's Dao Rhythm from approaching.
• The Taiyin True Fire parted to reveal a white ring that Tai Bai identified as Lunar Netherglow, an origin treasure that absorbed yin energy.
• Xu Changqing decided to obtain both the Lunar Netherglow and the Taiyin True Fire, while Nü Tu explained that Pure Yang Force could overcome the barrier.
• Xu Changqing summoned the Mayfly Heavenly Fire he had acquired after killing the Nine-Headed Insect, revealing its power to burn away yin-chill and yin-baleful energies.

Xu Changqing used the Mayfly Heavenly Fire and Vastsea Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to break Lunar Netherglow's barrier, allowing Zhurong to refine the Taiyin True Fire. Zhurong stabilized at Nascent Soul Perfection with stronger red-white flames, bringing him closer to gathering all nine flames and entering Spirit Transformation.

• Xu Changqing formed a Fish Dragon from the Mayfly Heavenly Fire and Vastsea Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to wear down Lunar Netherglow's barrier.
• Xu Changqing and the Fish Dragon eroded the barrier for hours, clearing the Nether River of its filth and weakening the surrounding coffins and Nether Beast remains.
• Xu Changqing directed the Fish Dragon's full power at the weakened barrier, breaking it and exposing the Taiyin True Fire.
• Zhurong cautiously drew the Taiyin True Fire into himself while Xu Changqing used the Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm to reconcile its yin energy with Zhurong's flames.
• Zhurong refined the Taiyin True Fire, advanced to Nascent Soul Perfection, and thanked Xu Changqing and the others for guarding him.

Xu Changqing refined Lunar Netherglow's Lunar Yin Force, reaching the Nascent Soul Peak and strengthening his command of yin and yang. After his group discussed the dangers and unanswered questions surrounding the Nether River, he ordered them to continue exploring and sailed deeper into it aboard the protected Ferry Boat.

• Xu Changqing used the Fish Dragon to wear down Lunar Netherglow, then refined its Lunar Yin Force by harmonizing it with the Mayfly Heavenly Fire through the Withered-Prosperity Dao Rhythm.
• Lunar Netherglow resonated with Xu Changqing's Superior Nascent Soul and entered his sea of qi, raising his cultivation from the Nascent Soul Late Stage to the Nascent Soul Peak while its white ring remained available to forge an immortal artifact.
• The Nether River grew clear and calm, and Xu Changqing's companions congratulated him and discussed whether to continue exploring.
• Xu Changqing said they must continue to meet the Lifeless Insect Mother's three-day deadline, investigate the other entrances, and learn the Nether River's layout and secrets.
• Xu Changqing formed a Lunar Yin Force barrier around the Ferry Boat and ordered the group to set off deeper into the Nether River, while the Nether Beasts fled from the vessel.

Xu Changqing and the others encountered a powerful force controlling the Earth Vein beneath the Nether River. As the Ferry Boat’s defenses failed and a gigantic eye appeared in the darkness, Nü Tu identified it as the eye of the Defiled-Earth God.

• Xu Changqing sensed contaminated Earth Qi rising from the Nether River as tremors shook the Ferry Boat.
• Nü Tu detected that a powerful force was controlling the Earth Vein, while skeletons covered in grayish-yellow light rose through the river.
• Xu Changqing warned Zhurong not to waste power attacking the skeletons, and the group summoned their Dharma Forms to resist the surging mist and pressure.
• The Ferry Boat’s protective barrier cracked under an overwhelming pressure, and the skeletons bowed toward the darkness ahead.
• A gigantic grayish-yellow eye appeared and surveyed Xu Changqing and the others, compressing their Dharma Forms with its pressure.
• Nü Tu identified the eye as belonging to the Defiled-Earth God.

Xu Changqing and his companions encountered the Defiled-Earth God in the Nether River, where its Divine Eye singled him out and pulled him inside. The others feared he would be corrupted, but Xu Jiuyou relayed Xu Changqing’s reassuring voice, leaving them to learn what had happened to him.

• Zhurong, Tai Bai, Xu Changqing, Nü Tu, and Fenglong recognized the Divine Eye as an incarnation of the legendary Defiled-Earth God and prepared to fight.
• The Defiled-Earth God focused its gaze on Xu Changqing and unleashed a devastating grayish-yellow divine light.
• Instead of attacking the group’s barrier, the light enveloped Xu Changqing and drew him and his Creation Dharma Form into the Divine Eye.
• Zhurong tried to charge after Xu Changqing, but Tai Bai restrained him while Nü Tu and Fenglong warned that the God could corrupt him.
• Xu Jiuyou spoke in a familiar voice, telling everyone that Xu Changqing was fine.