Chapter Summaries

Jiang Lu was trapped in a moving coral formation that carried her into the deep sea, where she discovered a deadly underwater waterfall. She warned Cangchen that the waterfall was a polar undercurrent capable of killing even a Mahayana cultivator.

• Jiang Lu failed to break through the coral cage, which began moving and carried her deeper into the sea.
• Jiang Lu used spiritual power from her space to withstand the mounting pressure as the water grew darker.
• Jiang Lu spotted a vast underwater waterfall whose current dragged a school of fleeing fish into a bottomless abyss.
• Cangchen feared the abyss and warned Jiang Lu that even its clan's elders avoided the forbidden waters.
• Jiang Lu identified the waterfall as a polar undercurrent and explained that its currents could destroy even a Mahayana cultivator.

Jiang Lu was carried by the Crimson Coral through the Polar Undertow to an active undersea volcano, where Qiming sensed a supreme treasure beneath the rock. The volcano erupted while Jiang Lu was suspended above its crater, and she plunged into the magma.

• Jiang Lu discovered that the Crimson Coral could withstand the Polar Undertow and carry her safely across it.
• Qiming spotted a distant glow, and Jiang Lu followed it with the coral toward a deep-sea volcano.
• Qiming sensed a supreme treasure beneath the volcano, while Jiang Lu realized the coral shielded her from both cold and heat.
• The Crimson Coral carried Jiang Lu above the crater despite her attempt to cut herself free.
• The volcano erupted, and Jiang Lu plunged into the magma.

Jiang Lu survived the Undersea Volcano’s eruption inside a protective coral formation and spotted the Life Stone and Life-Breath Pearl in the lava. After the coral sealed the treasures away, she realized the formation had been secretly draining her spiritual power and raised a new barrier to protect herself.

• The coral formation shielded Jiang Lu from the erupting volcano and carried her toward the surface.
• Qiming identified the green glow in the lava as the Life Stone and Life-Breath Pearl, and Jiang Lu decided to claim the treasure.
• Qiming told Jiang Lu that the coral formation was already moving toward the Life Stone.
• The coral branches covered the Life-Breath Pearl and sealed its light from view.
• Jiang Lu sensed danger, discovered that the coral had drained nearly half her spiritual power, and formed a new barrier around herself.

Jiang Lu realized the Crimson Coral was secretly draining spiritual energy and trapping those near it as the Undersea Volcano erupted. Linglong took the Life Stone, Life-Breath Pearl, and surrounding coral into her space, but a Void Refinement Stage cultivator detected the spatial ripple and attacked Jiang Lu.

• Jiang Lu discovered that black specks on the coral absorbed spiritual energy and understood that the coral was a threat to her and the cultivators nearby.
• The Undersea Volcano erupted, blasting the Coral Formation out of the sea while broken branches regenerated and spread toward the gathered cultivators.
• Jiang Lu asked Linglong to retrieve the treasures, and Linglong warned that using her space could expose Jiang Lu to the Void Refinement Stage cultivator.
• Jiang Lu watched for an opportunity as golden patterns flashed across her Teleportation Talisman, and Linglong pulled the Life Stone, Life-Breath Pearl, and surrounding coral into her space.
• The Void Refinement Stage cultivator sensed the spatial ripple, identified Jiang Lu's coral cluster, and launched a brilliant spiritual attack at her.

Jiang Lu watched the coral bed reveal itself as Ghost Coral after a Void Refinement cultivator’s attack accelerated its growth. The Ghost Coral began draining the trapped cultivators’ spiritual power, while Jiang Lu remained inside the coral cage.

• A Void Refinement cultivator struck the coral bed, shattering its branches and breaking open most of Jiang Lu’s coral cage.
• The shattered coral absorbed the attack’s spiritual power and rapidly spread across half the sea.
• A cultivator identified the growth as Ghost Coral, prompting most of the others to flee while some stayed behind.
• Jiang Lu recalled that Ghost Coral hunted beings with abundant spiritual power and realized its attention had shifted from her to the other cultivators.
• The Ghost Coral released an icy suction that drained the cultivators’ spiritual power and bound them in place.

Jiang Lu escaped the Ghost Coral and unleashed ice and fire attacks to stop it from spreading. The other cultivators broke free, while Jiang Lu teleported away after the battle.

• The Void Refinement cultivator fled as the Ghost Coral drained the cultivators' spiritual energy and consumed the demon beasts.
• Jiang Lu shattered her coral cage with ice spikes and flew away with Qiming, refusing to rescue the trapped cultivators immediately.
• Cangchen confirmed that the coral did not regrow after being frozen, and Jiang Lu prepared her formation discs and attacks.
• Jiang Lu froze the Ghost Coral, then Qiming and Cangchen burned it with talismans as returning cultivators joined the assault.
• The trapped cultivators escaped, and Jiang Lu used a Teleportation Talisman to vanish after Qiming and Cangchen returned to her.

Jiang Lu escaped the Ghost Coral with a High-Grade Teleportation Talisman and arrived on an unfamiliar Sea Island. After recovering and tending to her Spirit Beasts, she explored the island and discovered that it seemed to have no living creatures.

• A Void Refinement Stage cultivator destroyed the remaining Ghost Coral and questioned the wounded cultivators, but none knew who had frozen it or escaped.
• Jiang Lu arrived on an island, recovered from the teleportation, and brought Qiming and Cangchen into her space.
• Jiang Lu destroyed coral that had grown around the Life Stone, then had Qiming swallow the Life-Breath Pearl before placing the Life Stone beside Jianmu.
• After recovering her spiritual energy, Jiang Lu left her space with her Spirit Beasts, brought You Meng out, and sent her master a brief message about what had happened.
• Jiang Lu explored the barren Sea Island and learned from Chi Li that no insects, birds, or other living creatures could be sensed nearby.

Jiang Lu discovered that the island beneath her was the Ninth Level Dumo Beast, which tried to pull her into the sea. She persuaded it to spare her by promising to help it find company and places to explore, then fought it as a training partner.

• Jiang Lu and the Spirit Beasts realized the island was a moving sea beast after its call briefly overwhelmed her.
• The Spirit Beasts attacked together, and Jiang Lu broke free of the force holding her and rose into the sky.
• The rocky shell fell away, revealing the Dumo Beast, which demanded that Jiang Lu stay and keep it company.
• Jiang Lu stopped the Dumo Beast's pull by offering to help it explore and find amusement.
• The Dumo Beast attacked Jiang Lu without using its full strength, and she and the Spirit Beasts fought back, widening her meridians through repeated cycles of exertion and recovery.

After enduring a fierce battle, Jiang Lu earned the Dumo Beast’s approval and agreed to take him to a place with living creatures. She reached the coast and prepared to travel to the Azure Tide Domain, booking passage aboard a large Spirit Boat.

• Jiang Lu and her Spirit Beasts fought the Dumo Beast until it shed its outer hide and revealed his smaller true form.
• The Dumo Beast praised Jiang Lu, shrank to palm size, and told her to call him Xuan; he asked her to find him a place with living creatures.
• Jiang Lu and her Spirit Beasts traveled for half a month and reached the coast, where she sent the others back into her space.
• Jiang Lu went to the Teleportation Array and learned that traveling beside a large Spirit Boat cost extra and offered protection from spatial rifts.
• Jiang Lu paid twelve High-grade Spirit Stones to book a place aboard the cultivator’s large Spirit Boat to the Azure Tide Domain.

Jiang Lu arrived in the Azure Tide Domain and learned that a grand Treasure Appraisal Assembly was about to take place. She followed a group of Rogue Cultivators toward the assembly site, where she overheard rumors about herself and other Heavenly Prodigies.

• Jiang Lu boarded the main escort Spirit Boat and cultivated in her cabin while waiting for the Interdomain Teleportation Array to open.
• Jiang Lu heard Rogue Cultivators discuss the Azure Tide Domain’s valuable Merfolk Tears and upcoming Treasure Appraisal Assembly, and decided to attend.
• Jiang Lu took a Clear-Mind Pill before the Spirit Boat crossed the Spatial Rift and arrived at a Sea Island in the Azure Tide Domain.
• Jiang Lu secretly joined Rogue Cultivators traveling toward the assembly and listened as they discussed the missing Heavenly Prodigies, including Jiang Lu herself.
• Jiang Lu arrived with the group at an immortal mountain under the Soaring Clouds Sacred Land’s jurisdiction.

Jiang Lu arrived at the Soaring Clouds Sacred Land’s Treasure Appraisal Gathering to replenish her dwindling resources and keep her search for a hidden peerless treasure discreet. After observing the gathering’s rules and the Sacred Land’s formidable patrols, she headed to the venue as the event began.

• Jiang Lu paid the admission fee for treasure hunters and rented a room while the gathering venue was being prepared.
• Jiang Lu watched two groups of female cultivators argue over a treasure until a Soaring Clouds Sacred Land patrol ordered them to disperse.
• Jiang Lu recognized that the patrol leader was at the Spirit Transformation stage and resolved to keep a low profile while searching for the secret treasure beneath the Sacred Land’s waters.
• Jiang Lu followed the crowd to the venue after the bell rang and learned that the gathering offered treasure hunting, an appraisal hall, and an auction for supreme treasures.

Jiang Lu explored the Treasure Appraisal Assembly’s three floors and began bargain hunting on the first floor with Cutie’s help. She bought six lightning-containing stones for ten High-grade Spirit Stones, leaving the vendor pleased with his profit while she believed she had gained as well.

• Jiang Lu surveyed the first and second floors, then found the third-floor auction had not yet begun and chose to return to the first floor.
• Jiang Lu asked Cutie to look for treasures that could help them grow and followed its guidance among the stalls.
• Jiang Lu spotted stones containing lightning power that would benefit Qianming and offered the vendor ten High-grade Spirit Stones for all six.
• The vendor accepted Jiang Lu’s offer, believing he had profited by selling the stones, while Jiang Lu left feeling she had profited too.

Jiang Lu gathered treasures at the Treasure Appraisal Assembly before entering the underwater forbidden ground of the Soaring Heaven Sacred Land. In the Forbidden Sea Abyss, she exposed two cultivators who had secretly followed her, and they attacked her from both sides.

• Jiang Lu bought high-grade treasures on the second floor of the assembly and spent more than a dozen days collecting resources before leaving.
• Jiang Lu set out for the underwater forbidden ground, and Xuan left to explore the seawater alone.
• Jiang Lu learned from her master that the domains might soon break their agreement to support the top three Heavenly Prodigies.
• Jiang Lu followed Cutie's Spirit Sense through the Azure Waves Sea Region toward the Forbidden Sea Abyss while two concealed cultivators followed her.
• Jiang Lu turned on the two pursuers after the deep-sea pressure disrupted their concealment, and they dropped their disguises and launched lethal attacks.

Jiang Lu drove off two black-clad cultivators in the forbidden deep-sea zone and used a token bearing the Sacred Lord’s aura to enter Soaring Heaven Sacred Land’s underwater territory. She encountered a Dark-Pattern Sea Wyrm guarding the area and froze it in place as their battle began.

• Jiang Lu fought off the two black-clad cultivators, who fled to the surface and decided to report her whereabouts to Soaring Heaven Sacred Land.
• Jiang Lu followed Cutie toward the underwater forbidden zone, knowing the factions might attack her when she emerged.
• Jiang Lu used the Sacred Lord’s token to part the current at the entrance and pass the patrolling spirit beasts without obstruction.
• Jiang Lu entered the forbidden zone and encountered a Dark-Pattern Sea Wyrm, which attacked her with its tail and a crushing curtain of water.
• Jiang Lu dodged the wyrm’s attack, countered with Qianming, and trapped the beast in layers of ice.

Jiang Lu defeated the Dark-Pattern Sea Wyrm and claimed its Water-Repelling Spirit Jade before venturing deeper into the forbidden zone. She stole the Azure Waves Sea Pearls from the Ink-Patterned Giant Squid and escaped toward the surface, where a sudden seven-colored light revealed someone in her path.

• Jiang Lu killed the Dark-Pattern Sea Wyrm and took the Water-Repelling Spirit Jade it dropped.
• Guided by Cutie, Jiang Lu explored deeper waters, gathered spiritual plants, and found the Azure Waves Sea Pearls.
• The Ink-Patterned Giant Squid attacked Jiang Lu as she approached the pearls, and Cangchen joined the fight with fire spells.
• Jiang Lu used the Water-Repelling Spirit Jade to suppress the squid's regeneration, struck it with her spiritual blade, and seized the pearls.
• Jiang Lu fled toward the surface with Cangchen and her array disks distracting the pursuing squid, then froze when a seven-colored light flashed before her.

Jiang Lu met a lone young mermaid who wanted to become her family and led her to a trove of treasure. After taking the treasures, Jiang Lu began searching for something suitable to help the mermaid grow stronger.

• Jiang Lu fled from the young mermaid until she tired, then learned the mermaid had no family and had picked up human speech by listening.
• The young mermaid asked Jiang Lu to be family, and Jiang Lu reluctantly agreed before asking whether she knew where to find treasures.
• The young mermaid guided Jiang Lu through a natural barrier to a hoard and offered her all of it because the treasures were pretty but useless to her.
• Jiang Lu gathered the entire hoard into her spatial realm and asked Linglong and the other spirit beasts to find cultivation resources suitable for the mermaid.

Jiang Lu and the Little Mermaid gathered treasures before five sea cultivators ambushed Jiang Lu, recognizing her and trying to kill her for her resources. As Jiang Lu and Cangchen struggled against them, the Little Mermaid intervened, frightening the attackers into fleeing.

• Linglong chose five Jianmu fruits for the Little Mermaid, and Jiang Lu gave her a Storage Bag filled with treasures.
• The Little Mermaid led Jiang Lu through the reef, where five cultivators demanded that Jiang Lu hand over her treasures.
• Jiang Lu attacked the cultivators with ice spikes and talismans, but their leader dispelled her magic and the group surrounded her.
• The cultivators recognized Jiang Lu and fought her and Cangchen while she realized they were stalling to drain her spiritual energy.
• The Little Mermaid appeared with a piercing cry, and the five cultivators panicked and tried to flee.

Jiang Lu escaped the cultivators who had tried to capture her and Little Mermaid, but their leader pursued them in a Deep-Sea Spirit Boat and trapped them. He recognized Jiang Lu and demanded that she reveal her true face.

• Jiang Lu fled with Little Mermaid while sea beasts attacked the wounded cultivators who had been pursuing them.
• The scar-faced leader and his reinforcements rescued three survivors and learned that Jiang Lu had escaped with a mermaid.
• The scar-faced leader rejoiced at the news that a mermaid was with Jiang Lu and set out to capture them.
• Jiang Lu and Little Mermaid fled through unfamiliar waters, but a Deep-Sea Spirit Boat caught up and surrounded them with a barrier.
• The scar-faced leader mocked Jiang Lu and asked why she would not show her true face.

Jiang Lu, Cangchen, and the Little Mermaid fought off cultivators who wanted to capture the merfolk child, until her call brought the Mermaid Community to their aid. The newcomers closed in on the attackers while Jiang Lu sealed off her senses against their cries and singing.

• The Little Mermaid unleashed a powerful Merfolk Call that shook the barrier, and Jiang Lu and Cangchen attacked the surrounding cultivators.
• The cultivators overwhelmed the trio, draining Jiang Lu and Cangchen while the Little Mermaid struggled to keep fighting.
• As Jiang Lu prepared a Supreme Attack Talisman, more merfolk arrived from the deep sea in response to the Little Mermaid's call.
• The Little Mermaid swam toward the merfolk, and Jiang Lu and Cangchen followed as the scar-faced man and his companions realized they had been caught in her Illusion Art.
• The Mermaid Community prepared to deal with the attackers, and Jiang Lu sealed off her senses as piercing screams and gentle singing swept toward them.

Jiang Lu parted from Little Mermaid after the merfolk took her to their Ancestral Lands and rewarded Jiang Lu with treasures. As she traveled toward the Hundred Blossoms Sacred Ground, she learned the Heavenly Prodigy training program had been canceled because of a warning about danger in the Upper Realm, leaving her doubtful about the explanation.

• The merfolk leader questioned Jiang Lu about Little Mermaid, and Little Mermaid called Jiang Lu family before agreeing to return with her clansfolk to grow stronger.
• Little Mermaid asked her clansfolk to reward Jiang Lu, and the merfolk gave Jiang Lu a pile of treasures before leaving with Little Mermaid.
• Jiang Lu swam to the surface, used the Compass to set a course, and departed on the Spirit Boat toward the Hundred Blossoms Sacred Ground's territory.
• Jiang Lu read her master's message that the major domains had canceled Heavenly Prodigy training and would provide no further support because of warnings from the Yue Clan and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
• After reading messages from Senior Sister Chen Cheng and Senior Sister You Xi about dangers in the Upper Realm, Jiang Lu asked Cangchen and Chi Li about Immortal-Eating Beasts and Heart-Eaters, and Chi Li said such beings defied the Great Dao Laws.