Chapter Summaries

Zhao Yanhua brought Xiao Yu back toward the Zhao Family after she awakened its Spiritual Beast Bloodline, and Ning Fa reluctantly said goodbye when she left. Back on Small Bamboo Island, Ning Fa gave Yun Ying a Clear Gloom Pill for her brother and planned to refine more himself.

• Zhao Yanhua pressured Ning Fa to persuade Xiao Yu to return to the Zhao Family, but Xiao Yu stood up for Ning Fa when she sensed the threat.
• Ning Weize arrived, agreed that Xiao Yu should return to the Zhao Family, and accompanied the group to the Ning Clan, where the elders welcomed Zhao Yanhua and discussed benefits.
• Three days later, Xiao Yu said goodbye to Ning Fa and left with Zhao Yanhua on a white crane bound for the north.
• Yun Ying told Ning Fa that her brother could no longer suppress the Strange Yin Grass poison, and Ning Fa gave her a Clear Gloom Pill.
• Ning Fa recalled that Wei Shiqin had arranged the pill and spiritual ingredients, and decided to refine more Clear Gloom Pills to secure Yun Ying's help in awakening his Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder.

Ning Fa tested the Wood Origin Fruits and learned more about Yun Ying and Yun Jian’s past. He then told Yun Ying he might be able to restore her brother, though the chance was only twenty to thirty percent, and she offered to accept any condition if he succeeded.

• Ning Fa consumed two Wood Origin Fruits, found their effect on his Supreme Wood Divine Thunder limited, and decided to save the remaining two for Yun Ying and Meng Ruoqi.
• Ning Fa recalled Yun Ying’s account of how she and Yun Jian fled their ruined family, were pursued by the Chongyuan Society, and became targets because of Yun Ying’s Netherwood Spirit Body, though he suspected she had concealed parts of the truth.
• Ning Fa visited Yun Jian and learned from Yun Ying that the Clear Gloom Pill had stabilized his toxins but that his body had been badly damaged by a secret technique.
• Ning Fa warned Yun Ying that Yun Jian might lose his ninth layer of Qi Condensation cultivation, but said he had a twenty-to-thirty-percent chance of restoring him through methods other than an Essence Gathering Pill.
• Yun Ying said she would agree to any condition if Ning Fa completely restored Yun Jian.

Ning Fa met Meng Ruoqi to discuss a Wood Origin Fruit, and she offered rare Bamboo Heart Leaves in exchange. When he refused to commit the Ning Clan to defending the Meng Family, Meng Ruoqi offered to become his Dao Companion if he persuaded the clan to send aid.

• Ning Fa gave Yun Ying a Wood Origin Fruit and told her to refine it before leaving to meet Meng Ruoqi.
• Meng Ruoqi met Ning Fa at a pavilion on Small Bamboo Island without Shi Shaoyang and clarified that she and Shi were only close friends.
• Meng Ruoqi offered three Bamboo Heart Leaves from Third-grade Spiritual Bamboo in exchange for a Wood Origin Fruit, and Ning Fa recognized their value.
• Meng Ruoqi proposed giving Ning Fa the Third-grade Spiritual Bamboo if he persuaded the Ning Clan to aid the Meng Family during its impending Great Calamity.
• Ning Fa refused to promise military aid, citing the Ning Clan’s troubles and the risk of provoking the Xue Family and Qian Family, so Meng Ruoqi offered to become his Dao Companion.

Meng Ruoqi failed to secure Ning Fa’s promise to rescue the Meng Family, but he agreed to protect some of its members if circumstances allowed. After refining Clear Gloom Pills to cure Yun Jian, Ning Fa faced Yun Jian’s furious attack when he learned Yun Ying had agreed to dual cultivation to save him.

• Meng Ruoqi offered herself and a Third-grade Spiritual Bamboo in exchange for Ning Fa’s help, but he refused to commit the Ning Clan to rescue the Meng Family.
• Meng Ruoqi asked Ning Fa to protect some of her family members, and he agreed to help if it was within his ability; she gave him a Spiritual Heart Communication Bamboo.
• Ning Fa returned to a quiet routine of pill refinement and cultivation, using three Moonstones to advance the Moon God Art and reserving four to restore the Mysterious Scroll.
• Ning Fa mastered the Clear Gloom Pill, and its steady supply purged the toxins from Yun Jian’s body within a month.
• Yun Jian learned that Yun Ying had agreed to dual cultivation with Ning Fa to save him, then attacked Ning Fa in a rage as Yun Ying cried for him to stop.

Ning Fa awakened the Supreme Wood Divine Thunder after dual cultivating with Yun Ying, gaining the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder. He discovered that wood-attributed spiritual materials could strengthen the thunder, and decided to complete his trade with Meng Ruoqi for her Third-grade Spiritual Bamboo.

• Ning Fa blocked Yun Jian's attacks, and Yun Ying knocked her brother unconscious before honoring her agreement with Ning Fa.
• Ning Fa and Yun Ying dual cultivated, awakening the Supreme Wood Divine Thunder and causing its cyan sapling to produce a golden leaf.
• Ning Fa used the newly awakened Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder and found that the leaf became faint before recovering as it absorbed surrounding Thunder Spiritual Power.
• Ning Fa infused Meng Ruoqi's Bamboo Heart Leaves with the Five-Colored Thunder Rune Pattern, causing the cyan sapling to grow another full golden leaf and begin forming a third.
• Ning Fa decided to cure Yun Jian and keep Yun Ying nearby, and resolved to complete his trade with Meng Ruoqi for her Third-grade Spiritual Bamboo.

Yun Ying agreed to keep cultivating with Ning Fa in exchange for his help restoring Yun Jian’s damaged foundation, while the siblings planned to recover their family treasury and avenge the Yun Family. Three months later, Ning Fa learned that a coalition led by the Xue Family had launched a powerful assault on the Meng Family.

• Yun Jian awakened and attacked Ning Fa, but Yun Ying restrained him and explained that she had agreed to cultivate with Ning Fa.
• Yun Ying told Yun Jian she would give Ning Fa up to a year to obtain an Essence Gathering Pill, while they sheltered with the Ning Clan and she prepared to attempt Foundation Establishment.
• Yun Ying revealed that cultivating with Ning Fa seemed to deepen her Netherwood Spirit Body’s awakening, giving her more hope of advancing.
• Three months later, Ning Fa received intelligence that three cultivation families and Xie Feng had joined forces to attack the Meng Family.
• Xie Feng, a former survivor of a family destroyed by the Meng Family, had used the Xue Family’s power to organize the assault and brought elite Xue Family forces into the conflict.

As the Meng Family’s defeat became inevitable, Ning Fa secured Ning Zhongyuan’s support to shelter some of its members. During the secret evacuation, Meng Hongji and Nine Wood Hermit were killed, leaving Meng Ruoqi and Shi Shaoyang to lead a group of survivors fleeing with the clan’s resources.

• Ning Fa asked Ning Zhongyuan to shelter some Meng Family members, and Ning Zhongyuan agreed while noting that the Xue Family’s intervention gave the Ning Clan reason to act.
• Nine Wood Hermit urged Shi Shaoyang to leave the Meng Family, but Shi Shaoyang revealed he knew Nine Wood Hermit was his father and persuaded him to stay until the evacuation.
• Two days later, the Meng Family secretly evacuated while Meng Hongji and Nine Wood Hermit stayed behind to cover the escape.
• Xue Zhi Shen and a Foundation Establishment Cultivator surnamed Chang ambushed and killed Meng Hongji, then killed Nine Wood Hermit as the Anti-Meng Alliance pursued the fleeing survivors.
• Meng Ruoqi and Shi Shaoyang led one group of survivors, and Meng Ruoqi learned from a jade plaque that Meng Hongji had died.
• Shi Shaoyang learned that Nine Wood Hermit had also died, then promised Meng Ruoqi he would help restore the Meng Family.

Meng Ruoqi led the fleeing Meng Family into Ning Clan territory, where Ning Zhongjiu drove off their pursuer, Xie Feng. After the rescue, Meng Ruoqi decided to remain with the Ning Clan, despite Shi Shaoyang urging her to leave.

• After learning that Uncle Ren's group had been captured, Meng Ruoqi redirected the Meng Family vessel toward Ning Clan territory, where she had arranged safe passage.
• Xie Feng caught up with the fleeing group and broke through their blue net, but Ning Zhongjiu arrived and blocked his attack.
• Ning Zhongjiu defeated Xie Feng in battle, forcing him to flee, then told Ning Fa to collect protection fees from the Meng Family.
• Ning Fa approached the Meng Family, and Meng Ruoqi thanked him for their rescue.
• Shi Shaoyang urged Meng Ruoqi to leave now that Xie Feng had gone, but she said she had decided to stay with the Ning Clan.

Ning Fa sheltered Meng Ruoqi and the surviving Meng Family clansmen after she agreed to become his Dao Companion, while Shi Shaoyang fled in anger. On Pingchang Island, Meng Ruoqi arranged the terms of the clan’s settlement and revealed a remarkable spiritual bamboo that drew a strong response from Ning Fa’s Supreme Wood Divine Thunder.

• Shi Shaoyang confronted Meng Ruoqi, but she confirmed she would marry Ning Fa, and Shi Shaoyang fled after vowing revenge.
• Ning Fa marked Shi Shaoyang with the Chasing Moon Technique and offered to kill him, but Meng Ruoqi pleaded for his life and privately told Ning Fa something that changed his decision about marrying her.
• Ning Fa led Meng Ruoqi and more than twenty Meng Family clansmen to his manor on Pingchang Island, where he met her younger brother Meng Ruofu.
• Meng Ruoqi agreed to pay fifty thousand spirit stones for the Meng Family’s settlement and gave Ning Fa a brocade box containing a spiritual bamboo stalk.
• Ning Fa’s Five Elements Thunder Rune Pattern emerged, and his greenwood sapling reacted intensely to the bamboo.

Ning Fa secured an island and fifteen years of independence for the surviving Meng Family clansmen, then learned that Meng Ruoqi possessed the Pure Spirit Mind Spiritual Qi. The Meng Family joined the Ning Clan without further opposition, while Meng Ruoqi agreed to follow Ning Fa despite his refusal to formalize their union before Foundation Establishment.

• Ning Fa and Meng Ruoqi signed a spiritual contract granting the Meng Family clansmen an island and fifteen years without tribute.
• Meng Ruoqi agreed to become Ning Fa’s Dao Companion, and he promised to protect her clansmen while postponing a formal ceremony until he achieved Foundation Establishment.
• Meng Ruoqi revealed that her incomplete Pure Spirit Bamboo Body had produced low-grade Pure Spirit Mind Spiritual Qi that could help Ning Fa break through Qi Refinement bottlenecks.
• Ning Fa considered whether the Mysterious Scroll could restore Meng Ruoqi’s spirit body but kept the scroll’s power secret.
• Xie Feng and the other families abandoned their attempt to pressure the Ning Clan after internal conflicts and the clan’s firm response.
• The Ning Clan members learned that Meng Ruoqi had given herself to Ning Fa.

Ning Shaohong successfully established her Foundation without a pill, prompting the Ning elders to advance their plans while keeping her breakthrough secret. Ning Huarong agreed to use Ning Fa to resolve the Taihua Yang Qi in her body, and Ning Fa gave Yun Ying a One Dao Mark Jinlu Pill for her brother.

• Ning Shaohong emerged from seclusion as a Foundation Establishment cultivator and returned her unused Foundation Establishment Pill to Ning Zhongyuan.
• Ning Zhongyuan ordered Ning Shaohong to keep her breakthrough secret and consolidate her realm, and she asked whether Ning Fa was well.
• Ning Weidong explained that the Yi Yuan He Huan Jue could transfer Ning Huarong's dangerous Taihua Yang Qi to Ning Fa, and Ning Huarong agreed.
• Ning Fa gave Yun Ying a One Dao Mark Jinlu Pill to help restore her brother and promised to refine more if needed.
• Yun Ying accepted the pill and promised to keep her bargain if her brother recovered.

Ning Fa was ordered to cultivate with Ning Huarong, whose Taihua Yang Qi greatly strengthened his body refinement, and later broke through to the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation. He continued refining Dao Patterned pills and left Yun Jian and Ning Yuwen closer to recovering.

• Yun Ying hurried away after encountering Meng Ruoqi, who recognized that she had been with Ning Fa.
• Ning Fa told Meng Ruoqi that he had avoided cultivating with her because of her Pure Spirit Mind Spiritual Qi, then agreed to help a talented Meng Family member join the Ning Family Pill Hall.
• Ning Zhongyuan ordered Ning Fa to cultivate with Ning Huarong that night, and Ning Fa reluctantly agreed for the clan’s sake.
• Ning Fa and Ning Huarong fought before spending a day and night cultivating together, greatly boosting Ning Fa’s body refinement and bringing him past the threshold for the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation.
• Three months later, Ning Fa broke through to the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation and gave Dao Patterned Jinlu Pills to Yun Jian and Ning Yuwen.

After reaching the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation, Ning Fa unlocked the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture’s second-stage contents and discovered powerful divine abilities, a method for refining Thunder Calamity Beads, and the Thunder Derivation Profound Scroll. He arranged to gather materials for the beads and began studying a formation system that could produce precious thunder materials.

• Ning Fa discovered he could understand the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture’s techniques from the fourth through sixth levels and read about the Mysterious Thunder True Body and the Nine Forms of Primordial Thunder Law.
• Ning Fa learned how to refine Thunder Calamity Beads, which could threaten Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and decided to make some for protection.
• Ning Fa sent Wei Shiqin a message asking her to gather the materials needed to refine Thunder Calamity Beads.
• Ning Fa studied the Thunder Derivation Profound Scroll and learned that its Thunder Derivation Talismans could be combined into formations with varied effects.
• Ning Fa learned that the Thunder-Attracting Essence-Forging Array could produce Thunder Yuan Essence, strengthen Thunder Calamity Beads, and temper spiritual materials.

Ning Fa discovered that the Thunder Derivation Profound Scroll could reveal powerful arrays and talismans, including the materials and methods for forging the Divine Firmament Thunder Armor Set. He traced the scroll’s source and several basic talismans, but found that mastering even one would take months.

• Ning Fa learned that Golden Core cultivators could use the Divine Firmament Thunder Armor Set to activate or strengthen the Divine Firmament Mysterious Thunder Dharma Aspect, though forging the complete set required exceptionally rare materials.
• Ning Fa recognized that the Thunder-Attracting Essence-Forging Array could help him refine stronger Thunder Calamity Beads and that special Thunder Derivation Talismans could improve his lightning-attribute talismans.
• Ning Fa found that the scroll’s general introduction lacked its actual contents, and he grew dejected when he learned many powerful talismans and arrays had been lost.
• Ning Fa’s arm grew hot, and he realized the Thunder Derivation Profound Scroll required separate source tracing; he activated it and revealed its ancient text and over a hundred talismans with different tracing costs.
• Ning Fa traced the scroll and more than twenty commonly used talismans, including those needed for the Thunder-Attracting Essence-Forging Array, then learned that constructing arrays required extensive knowledge of basic talismans.
• Ning Fa spent several days studying basic talismans, then stopped when he estimated that fully comprehending even one would take at least several months.

Ning Fa recruited Meng Ruoqi to help comprehend spirit talismans while promising to rescue her enslaved clansmen after he reached Foundation Establishment. Months later, he visited Blazing Wind Hall and found Ning Yuwen’s chronic ailment cured, urging him to focus on cultivation and prepare for a breakthrough.

• Ning Fa gave Meng Ruoqi a Jade Slip containing basic spirit talismans and asked her to help comprehend them, withholding the rest of the Thunder Derivation Profound Scroll.
• Meng Ruoqi estimated that comprehending the talismans would take several months and inferred they were foundations for constructing an array.
• Meng Ruoqi asked Ning Fa to rescue her enslaved Meng Family clansmen, and Ning Fa promised to help once he reached Foundation Establishment.
• Several months later, Ning Fa visited Blazing Wind Hall and saw that Ning Yuwen had recovered after taking two more Jinlu Pills with One Dao Mark.
• Ning Fa advised Ning Yuwen to remain at Blazing Wind Hall, cultivate diligently, and prepare to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Ning Fa learned that the Ironclad Alliance had intensified its attacks on the Ning Clan and met with Ning Daozhen, whose hidden strength and mysterious aura surprised him. Ning Daozhen then headed to Tianshui Market to obtain Blood Essence Grass for his Blood Sun True Flame.

• Ning Yuwen told Ning Fa that Calamity Cultivators had killed three Qi Condensation clan members and over a hundred mortal descendants, and that the Ironclad Alliance might have gained a fourth Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
• Ning Fa reassured Ning Yuwen and went to the market, where he encountered Ning Daozhen and invited him to Cloud Fragrance Residence.
• Ning Fa sensed that Ning Daozhen was near the peak of the seventh level of Qi Condensation and detected an obscure aura he could not discern.
• Ning Fa told Ning Daozhen that Xiao Yu was well and wanted to compete with him to reach Foundation Establishment first.
• Ning Daozhen left Jinchang Island with his puppet and headed for Tianshui Market to buy nearly century-old Blood Essence Grass for his Blood Sun True Flame.

Ning Zhongyuan ordered Ning Fa to stop his Blazing Wind Hall duties and secretly refine healing pills, hinting that the Ning Clan was preparing for a major conflict with the Xue Family. After Ning Fa left, Ning Weize asked about Xiao Yu and urged him to maintain contact with the Zhao Family.

• Ning Fa asked Ning Zhongyuan about the Calamity Cultivators, and Ning Zhongyuan told him to set aside his Hall Master duties and focus on refining pills.
• Ning Fa realized the Ning Clan was likely preparing for war with the Xue Family, but Ning Zhongyuan kept the plan secret and told him to refine pills on Small Bamboo Island.
• Ning Fa met Ning Weize and claimed he planned to enter seclusion to advance his cultivation.
• Ning Weize asked whether Xiao Yu had contacted Ning Fa and urged him to maintain ties with her and the Zhao Family.
• Ning Weize watched Ning Fa leave, then flew toward Changning Mountain with a solemn expression.

Ning Fa finished refining two Thunder Calamity Beads and concealed himself near the cave abode on Spirit Deer Island as Ning Jiannan's group broke its protective array. When Ning Daozhen arrived and killed Ning Jiantao with a single Blood Thread, Ning Fa realized the newcomer was far more dangerous than he had expected.

• Ning Fa refined two Thunder Calamity Beads and went to Spirit Deer Island to settle his grievances with Ning Jiannan and Ning Ruiming.
• Ning Jiannan and the others used the Hundred Refinements Wind Fire Array to destroy the cave abode's Lesser Five Elements Forbidden Great Array.
• Ning Fa sensed another arrival and spotted Ning Daozhen lurking nearby.
• Ning Jiannan's group found an exhausted black puppet at the cave entrance but could not open the gate protected by the Blood Gloom Restriction.
• Ning Daozhen revealed that he had come alone, then killed Ning Jiantao with a Blood Thread.
• Ning Fa watched Ning Daozhen's attack and grew wary, doubting he could defeat the powerful cultivator.

Ning Daozhen killed Ning Jiannan and his companions, then used their blood to open the cave dwelling with help from a puppet. The puppet’s hidden blood soul took over the Black Puppet, and after Ning Fa was exposed, Ning Daozhen chose to attack the puppet first.

• Ning Daozhen refused Ning Jiannan’s offer to yield the cave dwelling and killed Ning Jiannan and the others with Blood Threads.
• Ning Daozhen drained the corpses and had the small puppet use their blood to break the Blood Gloom Restriction and open the cave gates.
• The puppet sent its blood soul into the Black Puppet, gaining Foundation Establishment strength and resisting Ning Daozhen’s control.
• The puppet and Ning Daozhen discovered Ning Fa hiding nearby, and the puppet struck him with a blade of light.
• The puppet proposed that Ning Daozhen and Ning Fa join forces against it, but Ning Daozhen said he would deal with the puppet first.

Ning Fa and Ning Daozhen joined forces to stop the puppet from entering the cave abode, then fought it as it unleashed its full power. Ning Fa destroyed the puppet, while Ning Daozhen captured its remnant soul and prepared to deal with it.

• Ning Daozhen bound the puppet with his Blood-colored Square Seal, and Ning Fa bombarded it with Thunderball Techniques, but the puppet survived and launched a barrage of black blades.
• Ning Fa used the Thunder Yuan Overlord Body to evade and withstand the attacks, while Ning Daozhen moved between blood-colored light clusters and healed his wounds.
• The puppet used a soul-rending hiss that left Ning Fa in pain and turned Ning Daozhen into a blood pool, then rushed toward the cave abode.
• Ning Fa recovered with the Moon God Art and pierced the puppet with his Cloud-Breaking Spear, blasting a hole through its torso.
• Ning Daozhen reassembled his body, captured the puppet's Blood-colored Remnant Soul with the Blood-colored Square Seal, and heard it beg for a Master-Servant Contract.