Chapter Summaries

After the emperor left Azure Cloud Mountain in haste over a massacre by the Blood God’s remnants, the Great Dynasty Tournament rankings were finalized and Anle King distributed the top-five prizes. Ye Yun discovered his reward was far more generous than expected.

• The emperor told Anle King that the Blood God’s remnants had massacred more than twenty thousand people in a town under the Purple Extreme Sect, prompting him and the sect masters to leave to contain the crisis.
• Ye Yun returned to the Purple Extreme Sect’s area, where the Fifth Elder and the disciples congratulated him on winning the championship.
• The tournament rankings were finalized with Ye Yun first, Li Qinglian second, Tuoba Tian third, Xiang Wentian fourth, He Yue thirteenth, and Ling Chen sixteenth.
• Anle King summoned the top five competitors to collect their prizes while Ye Yun encouraged Ling Chen and He Yue to keep working toward the next tournament.
• Anle King’s guards presented storage bags to the top five, and Ye Yun was stunned by the extraordinary wealth of the reward inside his bag.

After the Great Dynasty Tournament, Ye Yun received an exceptionally generous reward and was kept behind by Anle King. Anle King brought him to the Imperial Treasury, where Ye Yun was allowed to choose one treasure from the first floor.

• Ye Yun inspected his reward and found about thirty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a Lower-Grade Spirit Weapon, an Essence Condensation Pill, and a Quasi-Ultimate Martial Art manual.
• Anle King told the tournament winners to keep their rewards secret and explained that the prizes had been concentrated among the top-ranked disciples.
• Anle King dismissed the others but kept Ye Yun behind, then waited until the mountain had nearly emptied before taking him by carriage to the Imperial Capital.
• Anle King warned Ye Yun to reveal nothing about what he saw or heard, then explained that the Emperor had granted him a chance to select one treasure from the Imperial Treasury’s first floor.
• Ye Yun thanked Anle King and stepped out of the carriage to enter the Imperial Treasury.

Ye Yun entered the Imperial Treasury to claim one treasure as the Great Dynasty Tournament champion, where an irascible elderly caretaker warned him not to open the inner door. After resisting the temptation to enter the next level, Ye Yun settled on a bottle of Spirit-Calming Pills, though he had not yet taken it.

• Ye Yun arrived at a shabby temple that concealed the Imperial Treasury and met an elderly caretaker inside its pagoda.
• The caretaker recognized Ye Yun as the tournament champion and directed him to the treasury, warning him not to open the inner door.
• Ye Yun explored a room full of rare treasures and realized that stronger items lay behind a sealed door leading to the next level.
• Ye Yun felt tempted to open the sealed door, but the caretaker's call snapped him out of his greed, and he calmed himself with the Iceheart Formula.
• Ye Yun resumed choosing one treasure and approached a bottle labeled Spirit-Calming Pill.

Ye Yun chose a Spirit-Calming Pill from the secret vault because it would help him transform into a Spirit Body, then returned to his courtyard with the Anle King. After learning the king sought a husband for his notorious daughter, Ye Yun grew wary and planned to spend the next day thanking Li Qinglian.

• Ye Yun selected the Spirit-Calming Pill instead of the Essence Force Pill, and the old man questioned his choice before letting him leave.
• Ye Yun rode back with the Anle King, who said he would introduce him to someone during a future visit.
• The Anle King privately considered Ye Yun as a possible son-in-law but worried about his daughter's temperament.
• Ling Chen told Ye Yun that the Anle King's daughter was notorious for injuring the young talents her father invited as potential husbands.
• Ye Yun declined Ling Chen's invitation to tour the Imperial Capital, planning instead to treat Li Qinglian to a drink and thank him for showing mercy during the competition.

Ye Yun met Li Qinglian for a day of drinking after the tournament, and the two promised to fight again when they met next. The following morning, Ye Yun and the Purple Extreme Sect disciples departed for their sect.

• Ye Yun arrived early at the Great White Sword Sect's lodgings and met Li Qinglian for their planned drink.
• Ye Yun and Li Qinglian went to the Spring Breeze Pavilion, toasted each other, and drank until nightfall.
• Ye Yun and Li Qinglian parted at a fork in the road after promising to meet and battle again.
• Ye Yun reflected on the need to keep improving ahead of the True Dragon Society in two years.
• Ling Chen woke Ye Yun, and he joined the Purple Extreme Sect disciples as they boarded carriages and departed under the Fifth Elder's lead.

Ye Yun returned to the Purple Extreme Sect after winning the Great Dynasty Tournament and planned to reach the True Essence Realm before the True Dragon Society. Three days into cultivation, he received a summons from the Sect Master to go to Purple Extreme Peak.

• Ye Yun reflected on how much his life had changed, and He Yue warned him that his sudden fame could draw attention from powerful factions.
• Ye Yun told Ling Chen and He Yue that he had shared drinks with Li Qinglian to thank him for choosing a disadvantageous contest method.
• Two days after leaving the Imperial Capital, Ye Yun and his companions returned to the Purple Extreme Sect, where the Fifth Elder hurried away after giving them a few words.
• Ye Yun returned to his residence and planned to break through to the True Essence Realm so he could prepare for the True Dragon Society and pursue the fortune hidden behind it.
• Ye Yun resumed cultivating on the Iceheart Lotus Platform, and three days later the Sect Master summoned him to Purple Extreme Peak.

Ye Yun met with Murong Kuangshi, who awarded him the chance to choose an Ultimate Martial Art and explained the True Dragon Society. Ye Yun learned that the Land of Seven Kingdoms was only a small island in the vast True Dragon Continent and resolved to pursue the martial path to its highest realm.

• Ye Yun arrived at Murong Kuangshi's residence on Purple Extreme Peak and met with the sect master.
• Murong Kuangshi told Ye Yun that the sect would reward his tournament victory with the chance to cultivate one Ultimate Martial Art.
• Murong Kuangshi introduced the True Dragon Society and explained its significance to Ye Yun.
• Ye Yun learned that the Land of Seven Kingdoms was a small island, that the True Dragon Continent had been shattered by a great calamity, and that five martial realms lay above the Core Elixir Realm.
• Ye Yun embraced the long road ahead and believed he would one day reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

Murong Kuangshi explained the True Dragon Society and the martial world beyond the Land of Seven Kingdoms, strengthening Ye Yun’s resolve to become a spirit body and reach the True Dragon Continent. At the Cultivation Manual Pavilion, Ye Yun discovered the Ice Jade Divine Art, a lost martial art exceptionally compatible with him that included a method to cultivate the Frostbound Divine Body.

• Murong Kuangshi told Ye Yun that the True Dragon Society sent the Land of Seven Kingdoms’ most gifted young martial artists to the True Dragon Continent every fifty years.
• Ye Yun resolved to transform into a spirit body so he could stand out on the True Dragon Continent, then dreamed of becoming an unrivaled powerhouse.
• The next day, Ye Yun visited the Cultivation Manual Pavilion and received Elder Li’s permission to choose an ultimate martial art from the fourth floor.
• Ye Yun found that the Great Sun Golden Body Art suited him poorly and that the Iceflame Palm was the best match among the manuals he had examined.
• Ye Yun read the warning on the Ice Jade Divine Art and learned that it cultivated both freezing true qi and the Frostbound Divine Body, with a compatibility of twenty points.

Ye Yun chose the Ice Jade Divine Art despite its limited reach, then learned its secret origin from Elder Li. He began studying it at the Cold Spring and discovered its Frost-Ice Physique might have a greater chance of becoming a Spirit Body than his Mystic Yin Physique.

• Ye Yun decided to cultivate the Ice Jade Divine Art, even though it only contained three levels and reached the True Essence Realm.
• Ye Yun presented the manual to Elder Li, who allowed him to exchange it if he could not cultivate it and agreed to explain its origin in confidence.
• Elder Li revealed that he had obtained the Ice Jade Divine Art during a secret mission and warned Ye Yun to be careful about the place where it was found.
• Ye Yun left the Cultivation Manual Pavilion and later went to the Cold Spring to study the Ice Jade Divine Art.
• Ye Yun memorized the art’s cultivation method and learned that its Frost-Ice Physique might have a greater chance of transforming into a Spirit Body than the Mystic Yin Physique.

Ye Yun replaced the Ice Profound Force with the Ice Jade Divine Art and used its exceptional compatibility and cultivation speed to clear the final impurity blocking his Governing Vessel. He broke through to the True Essence Realm with an unusually large spiritual-energy tornado and reflected on the progress he had made toward his goal.

• Ye Yun converted all his Ice Profound Force True Qi into Ice Jade Divine Art True Qi in about ten minutes and began cultivating with it.
• Over more than twenty days, Ye Yun repeatedly attacked the final Impurity Barrier in his Governing Vessel while absorbing spiritual and cold energy.
• Ye Yun shattered the Impurity Barrier, connected his meridians and opened acupoints into a Greater Celestial Circuit, and drew in a five- or six-zhang-wide spiritual-energy tornado.
• Ye Yun compressed his True Qi into liquid True Essence, then tempered his meridians and acupoints until his breakthrough was complete.
• Ye Yun opened his eyes as night fell, felt his new power, and told his grandfather that he had reached the True Essence Realm and taken another step toward his goal.

Ye Yun refined the Ninefold Waves Fist Art by returning it to its original focus on powerful, continuous fist force, raising it to sixteen folds and renaming it the Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art. He tested the improved technique by blasting a huge fist print into a cliff.

• After stabilizing his cultivation, Ye Yun realized that adding unnecessary techniques had disrupted the balance of his fist art.
• Ye Yun simplified the Ninefold Waves Fist Art and practiced until its fist force rose from nine folds to sixteen, though he could not reach seventeen.
• Ye Yun named his improved technique the Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art, hoping to keep increasing its power.
• Ye Yun gathered the power of heaven and earth and True Essence into an icy-blue fist aura and struck a cliff from several meters away.
• Ye Yun's attack left a three-zhang-wide fist print in the cliff, with cracks spreading around it.

Ye Yun used his enhanced Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art to prepare for the True Dragon Society, then entered the Cold Spring during its full-moon eruption to pursue a breakthrough in Ice Force. He reached the Ice Force Initiation Stage, but the spring’s balance shifted and forced him to flee before he could test his idea.

• Ye Yun assessed that his enhanced Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art had more than doubled his attack power and felt confident about the True Dragon Society.
• Two days later, Ye Yun waited for the Cold Spring’s full-moon eruption to weaken before putting on the Icefire Armor and diving in.
• Ye Yun reached the bottom of the Cold Spring and became absorbed in the clash between the Frost-Ice Soul and the Earthheart Flame.
• Ye Yun comprehended the mysteries of ice and broke through to the Ice Force Initiation Stage.
• The Cold Spring’s pressure and cold Qi surged toward Ye Yun, disrupting the balance between the Frost-Ice Soul and the Earthheart Flame.
• Ye Yun swam upward to escape the dangerous changes before he could test his idea.

After surviving a near-fatal upheaval in the Cold Spring, Ye Yun decided to travel beyond the Great Chu Dynasty to seek experience and search for more of the Ice Jade Divine Art. He told Ling Chen he was leaving for about a year, then revealed that he had already reached the True Essence Realm.

• Ye Yun escaped the Cold Spring after his Ice Force breakthrough disrupted the balance between the Frost-Ice Soul and the Earthheart Flame, and he decided to postpone his plans until he reached the Perfected True Essence Realm.
• Ye Yun reviewed his recent gains and chose to travel while his cultivation was at a bottleneck, hoping to find opportunities before the True Dragon Society.
• Ye Yun planned to visit the ruin in the Great Luo Dynasty where Elder Li had found the Ice Jade Divine Art and search for its later portions.
• Ye Yun visited Ling Chen to say farewell and learned that He Yue had left for her Lineage half a month earlier and might be gone for six months.
• Ye Yun told Ling Chen he planned to travel for about a year, then revealed that he had already broken through to the True Essence Realm.

Ye Yun revealed his True Essence Realm breakthrough to Ling Chen, who warned him to hide it from powerful factions. After saying goodbye to her, he left the Purple Extreme Sect at night to begin his journey.

• Ye Yun told Ling Chen he had reached the True Essence Realm, and she warned that the major factions might target him if they learned how young he was.
• Ling Chen suggested his journey would let him conceal his breakthrough, while Ye Yun noticed she had reached the Tenth Level of the Qi Refining Realm.
• Ye Yun resolved to help Ling Chen, He Yue, and Wang Chen advance their cultivation in the future.
• After bidding farewell to Ling Chen, Ye Yun packed his things and left the Purple Extreme Sect under cover of night.
• Ye Yun visited his grandfather's grave, paid his respects, and then set off toward his planned destination.

Ye Yun traveled to Azure Sun Town to prepare for his journey through the Blackwater Mountains toward the Great Luo Dynasty. After entering the mountains, he tested his upgraded Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art on an Azure-Yin Silver Python and set off again, concluding that he needed a third-tier monster beast to test its full power.

• Ye Yun planned a route through the Blackwater Mountains and Clear River Commandery to reach the Great Luo Dynasty, estimating the journey would take about five months.
• Ye Yun entered Azure Sun Town, rested until dawn, and bought supplies before heading toward the Blackwater Mountains.
• Ye Yun crossed the outer region with ease and entered the more dangerous inner territory as night approached.
• An Azure-Yin Silver Python ambushed Ye Yun, but he dodged its attack and prepared to test his Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art.
• Ye Yun killed the Azure-Yin Silver Python with a punch that used only about thirty percent of the art's power, gathered its valuable materials, and continued onward.

Ye Yun reflected on his combat style, concluded that decisive punches mattered more than following a particular method, and cultivated before entering the Blackwater Mountains’ core area. After fighting through the region’s dangerous monsters, he encountered a powerful Flame Lion-Tiger Beast blocking his path.

• Ye Yun realized his old combat style no longer suited his True Essence Realm strength and decided to rely on his strongest attacks, especially his punches.
• Ye Yun cultivated overnight, with his dantian about one and a half parts full, then set out to cross the Blackwater Mountains’ core area on his way to Azure River Commandery.
• Ye Yun entered the core area and cautiously advanced through a region inhabited by third-tier monsters, sustaining slight injuries in several battles.
• Near the end of the day, Ye Yun faced a Flame Lion-Tiger Beast, a formidable Third-Tier Middle-Grade Monster, and the two prepared to fight.

Ye Yun fought a Flame Lion-Tiger Beast in the core area of the Blackwater Mountains and was badly injured when its Fire Control Art caught him off guard. After putting on the Frostheart and weighing the risks of his abilities, he activated the Force Realms and prepared a powerful counterattack.

• The Flame Lion-Tiger Beast attacked Ye Yun, who discovered that its abdomen was less protected and struck it there repeatedly.
• The wounded beast unleashed its Fire Control Art, blasting Ye Yun into a tree and injuring him.
• Ye Yun dodged the beast’s next attacks, put on the Frostheart, and suppressed the scorching fire-energy in his meridians while searching for a way to win.
• Ye Yun decided to risk attracting other monsters by activating the Force Realm and gathered the power of heaven and earth and ice-attribute spiritual qi into his fist.

Ye Yun killed the Flame Lion-Tiger Beast after nearly dying from his own carelessness, then recovered and found a valuable Monster Crystal Core in its corpse. He resolved to fight at least ten Third-Tier Middle-Grade Monsters each day for practice and set out again after healing overnight.

• Ye Yun killed the Flame Lion-Tiger Beast with a powerful punch, stored its corpse, and fled before other monsters could arrive.
• Ye Yun recovered in a dead tree hollow and decided to kill at least ten Third-Tier Middle-Grade Monsters daily to improve his combat experience.
• Ye Yun dissected the beast and found a fire-attributed Monster Crystal Core, which he stored as a valuable windfall.
• Ye Yun collected the beast's materials, ate its meat, and cultivated the Ice Jade Divine Art through the night.
• Ye Yun recovered to peak condition, ate breakfast, and set out on his journey.

After two months of battles in the Blackwater Mountains, Ye Yun killed a Golden-Armored Barbarian Bull and continued toward Clear River Commandery. His martial arts and cultivation had advanced, and he expected to reach the Middle True Essence Realm within a month, though his Fist Force and Ice Force remained stalled.

• Ye Yun fought the Golden-Armored Barbarian Bull, broke free of its Brutal Trample gravity, and killed it with a powerful punch.
• Ye Yun dismantled the Golden-Armored Barbarian Bull and collected its valuable materials before leaving.
• After two months in the core of the Blackwater Mountains, Ye Yun camped near a cliff and neared the end of his crossing toward Clear River Commandery.
• Ye Yun reflected that his Ice Swallow Sky-Stepping Art, Ten-Thousand Waves Fist Art, Ice Jade Divine Art, physical strength, and cultivation had improved, while his Fist Force and Ice Force remained at the Initiation Realm.

Ye Yun reviewed his rapid progress, cultivated overnight, and continued hunting monsters in the Blackwater Mountains. While hiding from a group of human hunters, he learned they were searching for a Spirit Source Beast, a rare monster whose Spirit Source held energy martial artists could absorb.

• Ye Yun credited his rapid cultivation progress to constant battles and the recovery of his True Essence, then focused on preparing for the Path of Heavenly Prodigies on the True Dragon Continent.
• Ye Yun failed to advance his Fist Force after a fleeting moment of inspiration passed, but set out with renewed fighting spirit.
• Ye Yun killed a Third-Tier Lower-Grade Shadow Leopard and fought several more low-grade monsters as he traveled through the Blackwater Mountains.
• Ye Yun concealed himself in a tree when he heard six True Essence Realm martial artists approaching.
• The group’s leader confirmed that they had come to hunt a Spirit Source Beast, and Ye Yun recognized the value of its energy-rich Spirit Source.