Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Supervisor Chen explains that Chu Bai’s five-phase cultivation can lead to three kinds of Dao foundation: an unstable root, the stronger Five Virtues Chariot, or the exceptionally powerful orthodox Cosmic Cycle Wheel. The latter promises enormous spiritual reserves, rapid recovery, and potent spells, but a mistake in forming it could destroy his meridians.
• Chen advises Chu Bai to cultivate innate Geng metal qi first, since metal generates water and will reinforce his existing water foundation. Afterward, Chu Bai should seek withered-and-flourishing azure qi to continue the cycle from water to wood.
• Chu Bai commits to pursuing the Cosmic Cycle Wheel, then visits the Spell Transmission Pavilion to choose an offensive spell. Recognizing his need for a decisive attack, he selects Golden Eye Illusion-Breaker, which can detect illusions and energy flows as well as fire powerful beams that pierce defenses. Its steep mana cost suits his exceptional reserves and recovery.
• Over the following month, Chu Bai spends one hundred of his Grade A Blessed Land hours cultivating. He successfully establishes his metal-energy foundation, advances his cultivation, and makes progress with the eye technique.
• After training, he replenishes himself with spirit cuisine, which supports his rapid growth. His status shows him at the second Qi Refining layer, with improved proficiency in several spells. He plans to use his remaining blessed-land time to refine his eye technique and grow stronger before practical combat class.

Character developments

• Chu Bai becomes more ambitious and focused: he embraces the dangerous, highest-level foundation rather than settling for an easier path. He also assesses his combat weaknesses strategically and chooses a spell tailored to his strengths.
• His cultivation advances rapidly through disciplined practice, blessed-land training, and spirit cuisine. He now has a more complete fighting style: defense, crowd control, and a powerful single-target attack.
• Supervisor Chen acts as a candid mentor, warning Chu Bai about the risks while giving him a concrete cultivation sequence and encouraging him to aim high.

Character interactions

• Chen explains the stakes of the five-phase path, recommends the next spiritual energies Chu Bai will need, and urges him to see his choice through.
• Chu Bai expresses gratitude and determination, accepting Chen’s guidance without hesitation.
• At the Spell Transmission Pavilion, Chu Bai independently weighs his options and chooses a spell suited to his abilities; his later routine interactions with the dining hall staff reflect how established his intensive training and eating regimen has become.

Significant themes

• Ambition and risk: The greatest cultivation path offers extraordinary rewards but could destroy Chu Bai if he missteps.
• Strategic self-knowledge: Chu Bai builds on his strengths—large reserves and fast recovery—while addressing his lack of decisive offensive power.
• Discipline and resourcefulness: His rapid progress comes from sustained practice and making effective use of blessed land, spirit cuisine, and carefully chosen techniques.
• Mentorship and perseverance: Chen provides knowledge, but Chu Bai must carry the demanding path forward himself.

Key plot points

• Instructor Lei stages a practical combat lesson and invites Zhang Shan, a second-year student who previously fought the freshmen, to spar. Chu Bai, now the freshman leader, takes the first bout.
• Chu Bai overwhelms Zhang Shan with upgraded techniques: his metal-infused Spirit Water Needles and Formless Cloud Hand land the opening blow, while his Origin Guard Shield blocks Zhang Shan’s full-power Greenwood Bone-Piercing Nail.
• When Zhang Shan charges in to close the distance, Chu Bai uses Golden Eye Illusion-Breaker. The beam narrowly misses Zhang Shan’s temple and punches through a stone wall behind him, ending the match without injuring him. Zhang Shan concedes.
• After learning Chu Bai still has substantial spell power left, Instructor Lei hires him as a sparring assistant for ten Dao Merit points. For four hours, Chu Bai trains the freshmen alongside Zhang Shan.
• Chu Bai uses the sessions to teach, practice his techniques, and recover his spell power. At day’s end, he receives his reward and leaves with greater proficiency and prestige.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai displays remarkable strength, precision, and composure. He carefully controls his attacks, shows consideration for Zhang Shan, and treats the sparring work as both training and a source of income.
• Zhang Shan has grown stronger but remains unsettled by his previous near-loss of control. Chu Bai’s narrowly lethal attack deepens his caution, and he struggles to spar confidently afterward. He nevertheless accepts defeat honestly.
• Instructor Lei recognizes Chu Bai’s potential and uses him to support the lesson when Zhang Shan falters. He praises Chu Bai while gently reassuring Zhang Shan.
• The freshmen move from uncertainty about Chu Bai’s chances to enthusiastic admiration, then receive direct combat instruction from him.

Significant themes

• Strength paired with control: Chu Bai’s victory is defined not just by power but by his ability to stop short of harming his opponent.
• Growth through practice: Repeated bouts improve Chu Bai’s technique while teaching the freshmen practical combat skills.
• Composure and confidence: Chu Bai’s steadiness contrasts with Zhang Shan’s lingering fear, showing that temperament matters alongside cultivation.
• Effort and reward: Chu Bai turns combat training into both personal development and tangible Dao Merit.

Plot points and events

• After defeating Zhang Shan in sparring, Chu Bai reassures him that he deliberately avoided humiliating or injuring him. Zhang Shan is relieved and grateful.
• Zhang Shan reveals that he may soon enter seclusion to break through to the Qi Refining Third Layer. He encourages Chu Bai to aim for one of ten prestigious Immortal Clerk positions, usually contested by graduating third-years but open to younger students.
• Chu Bai realizes he could reach the Third Layer within months, then hit the cultivation ceiling imposed by his Gray Ordination. Rather than wait until his second year, he decides to attempt the academy-wide Graduation Examination as a first-year student, five months from now. Passing would earn him a White Ordination and a direct path toward Foundation Establishment; failing would cost him little.
• Chu Bai keeps this plan to himself and continues his Law Net inspection work before entering the Spirit Pavilion’s Withered-and-Flourishing Blessed Land.
• There, he begins cultivating wood-aspected Withered-and-Flourishing Azure Qi to complement his existing metal and water energies. Metal initially conflicts with wood, forcing him to carefully balance the energies through water’s nourishing influence. With practice, he masters the process.
• After more than ten days of cultivation, Chu Bai has an insight that brings the Origin Return Formula to Perfected Level. Its efficiency more than doubles, and it allows the energies to circulate smoothly. He estimates that the wood energy can now be fully established much sooner, improving his prospects for the early examination.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai shows composure and generosity toward Zhang Shan, while privately becoming increasingly ambitious. He chooses to pursue an unprecedented early graduation attempt and relies on disciplined cultivation rather than announcing his goal.
• Zhang Shan moves past his anxiety about their earlier conflict and expresses respect for Chu Bai. He shares news of his own possible breakthrough and offers sincere encouragement, believing Chu Bai may eventually compete with third-years.
• Chu Bai and Zhang Shan speak cordially about their sparring history and the Law Net assignment Zhang Shan helped him obtain. Their exchange closes the gap between them and establishes mutual respect.

Significant themes

• Ambition and seizing opportunity: Chu Bai refuses to wait for the usual timetable when his rapid progress offers a chance to advance early.
• Effort, insight, and personal limits: His Relentless Toil Fate Destiny lets him overcome cultivation bottlenecks through steady work, while his growing mastery also produces a genuine breakthrough.
• Balance and interdependence: The cultivation of metal, water, and wood reflects the principle that opposing forces can be brought into harmony through careful control.
• Respect and restraint: Chu Bai’s deliberate mercy in sparring preserves Zhang Shan’s dignity and helps transform rivalry into goodwill.

Key plot points and events

• After a month of cultivation in the Spirit Pavilion, Chu Bai successfully absorbs Withered-and-Flourishing Azure Qi, adding wood qi to the metal and water qi in his dantian. The three forces form a stable, self-renewing cycle.
• His cultivation reaches Qi Refining second layer, 58/100, but intensive training, pills, and spirit cuisine have nearly emptied his dao merit.
• Needing income, Chu Bai accepts Zhang Shan’s invitation to join a demon-hunting squad on a Burrow Rat extermination mission in the Abandoned Mining District. The bounties are high, with extra rewards for stronger rats.
• The squad’s members doubt that a first-year can contribute. Chu Bai proves his worth by piercing a sturdy ironwood post with a proficient Spirit Water Needle and demonstrating his three-part Origin Guard Shield.
• The team welcomes him and assigns him a central support role for the mission, which is due to begin the following morning.

Character developments

• Chu Bai advances in cultivation and gains wood qi, but his rapid progress comes at a steep financial cost. He remains composed under scrutiny and is eager to test his abilities in the field.
• Zhang Shan has reached Qi Refining third layer and recruits Chu Bai, showing trust in his strength and a willingness to help him find work.
• Zhao Gang shifts from dismissing Chu Bai as an inexperienced freshman to respecting his combat ability.
• Wang Qingli, the team captain, moves from cautious evaluation to accepting Chu Bai once he demonstrates both offense and defense.
• Lin Xiaoyun, the healer, is initially concerned but welcomes the added damage the newcomer can provide.

Significant themes

• Cultivation’s cost: Progress requires expensive resources, making dao merit and practical work essential.
• Merit over reputation: Chu Bai’s examination title does not persuade the team; his demonstrated skill does.
• Growth through balance: His metal, water, and wood qi form a complementary cycle, while the team’s tactics likewise depend on coordinated roles.
• Trust earned through action: Skepticism gives way to cooperation once Chu Bai proves he can survive and contribute.

Character interactions

• Zhang Shan approaches Chu Bai as both a friend and recruiter, offering him a place on his team.
• Zhao Gang challenges Chu Bai to demonstrate his strength; Chu Bai answers with a precise, powerful spell rather than arguing.
• Wang Qingli tests Chu Bai’s defensive capability and, satisfied, organizes the squad around everyone’s strengths: she leads the front, Zhang Shan and Zhao Gang cover the flanks, Chu Bai provides central support and precision attacks, and Lin Xiaoyun handles healing.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai seeks permission from his instructor, Zhou Changkong, to join a rat-clearing mission in the Abandoned Mining District. Zhou approves, while warning him that other strong student teams will compete for kills and Dao Merit.
• Chu Bai joins Senior Sister Wang Qingli’s five-person team and spends twenty Dao Merit on Qi-Replenishing Pills, leaving him anxious about his dwindling funds.
• On the journey south, the team passes through the busy Prefectural City before reaching the ruined mining district. Wang explains that its former Spirit Stone vein once sustained the region, but Spirit Stones lost prominence after the Law Net system was established. They remain valuable because they can bypass the Law Net’s restrictions and surveillance.
• At the mine entrance, Wang’s Demon-Seeking Mirror detects a strong, scattered demonic presence. The team adopts a cautious formation and follows the aura to a partially collapsed tunnel.
• Three Burrow Rats ambush them, deliberately targeting the formation’s vulnerable members. Zhao Gang kills one threatening healer Lin Xiaoyun; Wang raises an Earth Wall to stun another; Chu Bai kills it with a precisely aimed Spirit Water Needle; Zhang Shan restrains the last rat with vines, and Zhao finishes it.
• The team earns thirty Dao Merit from the three kills. Wang warns that the rats show tactical intelligence and that the larger beasts deeper in the mine will be more dangerous. After their first fight, the group’s coordination improves, and Chu Bai hopes the mission will bring a substantial reward.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai prepares carefully despite his limited funds and proves himself in combat. Rather than seeking attention, he takes an opening created by Wang’s defense and kills efficiently, earning Zhang Shan’s praise and improving Zhao Gang’s opinion of him.
• Wang Qingli demonstrates calm leadership and strong defensive skill, directing the team’s formation and using an Earth Wall to protect Zhang Shan. She remains alert to the larger threat.
• Zhao Gang shows that his bravado does not prevent him from protecting teammates: he reacts swiftly to save Lin Xiaoyun and later praises Chu Bai’s contribution.
• Zhang Shan scouts and supports the group with Vine Technique, restraining the final rat after recovering from the ambush.
• Lin Xiaoyun, the team’s healer, is frightened by the attack but is protected by Zhao Gang.
• The team moves from initial caution toward more natural cooperation through the shared fight.

Significant themes

• Freedom versus control: The Law Net offers safe, efficient cultivation but also surveillance and restriction; Spirit Stones represent a riskier path beyond its reach.
• Practical experience and danger: Combat missions teach lessons that sheltered cultivation cannot, including the intelligence and cruelty of Demon Beasts.
• Teamwork and earned trust: Each member contributes a distinct skill, and Chu Bai earns respect by acting at the right moment rather than competing for glory.
• Ambition and scarcity: Chu Bai’s concern over Dao Merit and his hope of making a fortune reflect the material pressures shaping cultivation life.

Key plot points and events

• As Wang Qingli’s team ventures deeper into the mine, the Burrow Rats become tougher, with elite Second Layer rats capable of using poison and acid.
• The team faces a pack of fifteen or sixteen rats, including several elites. Wang Qingli sets up a defensive position with Earth Walls and Stone Spikes, while the others attack and support one another.
• When three elite rats target Chu Bai’s flank, he crushes one with a dramatically strengthened Formless Cloud Hand, then helps finish off the others. The team wins without serious injury.
• The group continues deeper into the mine, where the demon aura grows denser. After tallying their bounty, they decide to keep hunting, agreeing to retreat if the Demon-Seeking Mirror detects overwhelming danger.
• They reach a cavern that may contain a large rat nest and encounter Lü Qing, a powerful third-year cultivator leading another team. He reports that a Qi Refining Mid-Stage Rat General may guard the nest.
• Both teams agree to join forces and split the spoils, then prepare to attack the nest.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai demonstrates that his strength goes well beyond precise support: his Cloud Hand can crush a same-level elite rat outright. His calm, effective fighting earns the team’s respect, and they begin treating him as an essential ally.
• Wang Qingli proves her leadership under pressure, coordinating defense and attacks while keeping the team cautious about risk. She gives Chu Bai genuine approval after seeing his power.
• Zhao Gang and Zhang Shan, initially doubtful of Chu Bai, are impressed by his combat ability. Their growing trust is reflected in how the group increasingly supports and relies on him.
• Lin Xiaoyun provides crucial purification against the rats’ poison and remains willing to support the team despite her nerves.
• Lü Qing arrives as a confident, formidable senior. He recognizes Chu Bai’s reputation as the top freshman, tests his composure with a friendly but forceful pat, and proposes a partnership. Wang Qingli negotiates the terms and consults her team before agreeing.

Significant themes

• Teamwork and complementary strengths: Wang Qingli’s defense, the team’s attacks, Lin Xiaoyun’s healing support, and Chu Bai’s timely interventions let them defeat a larger, stronger pack.
• Earned trust and recognition: Chu Bai’s performance changes how his teammates see him—from a potentially untested freshman to a reliable, powerful fighter.
• Risk, ambition, and reward: The group weighs the danger of facing a stronger enemy against the potential bounty and resources, ultimately choosing to proceed together.
• Hidden potential: Chu Bai’s upgraded Cloud Hand reveals that a technique associated with control and deflection can become devastating when backed by exceptional power.

Key plot points and events

• The two squads agree to clear separate passages through the rat-filled cavern, splitting ordinary materials by headcount and bidding for the Rat General’s spoils. They also wager that the slower squad will clean up and buy everyone expensive Hundred-Flower Brew.
• Wang Qingli’s squad takes a risky, fast-moving approach based on Chu Bai’s tactical calls. His Golden Eye Illusion-Breaker reveals hidden rats and their movements; he draws them out with his Withered-and-Flourishing Azure Qi, allowing his teammates to attack immediately. The squad clears its passage exceptionally quickly.
• Lü Qing’s experienced squad is initially confident, but he glimpses Chu Bai’s team in action and realizes they are likely to win the wager. The squads reunite in the cavern’s depths, where Wang Qingli’s team has secured more kills in less time.
• Before the teams can celebrate, the Two-Headed Rat General, a powerful Qi Refining Fourth Layer beast, attacks with several elite guards. Lü Qing and Wang Qingli lead the defense while the others provide support.
• The battle turns dangerous when poison from the Rat General’s breath spreads through the enclosed cavern and incapacitates healer Lin Xiaoyun. The beast’s thick hide and clever use of its guards as shields leave the teams struggling.
• Chu Bai spots an old wound beneath the Rat General’s left ribs. Lü Qing trusts his call and strikes the weak point, while Zhang Shan briefly restrains the beast with vines. Chu Bai then unleashes a more powerful version of his golden eye attack, piercing both heads’ eyes and brains.
• Lü Qing delivers the final blow, killing the Rat General.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai emerges as the team’s tactical center. His insight, precise coordination, and confidence turn the squad into an efficient fighting unit. In the final battle, he identifies the boss’s hidden weakness and reveals the devastating power—and physical strain—of his eye technique.
• Wang Qingli grows more willing to rely on Chu Bai, adapting her own earth-based techniques from defense to offense when his plan requires it.
• Zhao Gang and Zhang Shan overcome their initial caution and commit to Chu Bai’s strategy. Zhang Shan later helps create the opening needed for Chu Bai’s finishing attack.
• Lü Qing shifts from rivalry and confidence to astonishment and respect. He accepts Chu Bai’s battlefield judgment and acts on it immediately, showing growing trust between the two squads.
• Lin Xiaoyun’s poisoning exposes how vulnerable the group becomes without healing and purification, raising the stakes of the fight.

Significant themes

• Trust and teamwork: Success depends on each fighter relying on the others’ roles and judgment, especially when Chu Bai directs attacks and Lü Qing acts on his call.
• Ingenuity over routine: Chu Bai’s unconventional, high-risk tactics outperform the veterans’ steady approach.
• Hidden weaknesses and perception: The Golden Eye Illusion-Breaker exposes threats and flaws others cannot see, making observation as important as strength.
• Rivalry turning into respect: The wager begins as a contest between squads, but the Rat General forces them to cooperate and recognize one another’s abilities.

This is an author’s New Year announcement celebrating the novel’s move to a paid tier after ten chapters. The author asks readers to cast monthly votes, noting that votes currently count double and promising one extra chapter for every 100 votes. More updates are planned, and the author closes by wishing readers peace, happiness, and good fortune. No story characters or plot developments appear.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai’s team and Lü Qing’s team defeat the Rat General in the cavern. Chu Bai’s tactical guidance and decisive eye technique prove crucial, earning him the monster’s valuable fangs and the respect of both teams.
• The group clears the cavern and earns 630 Dao Merit. They celebrate together over a lavish meal, strengthening the bonds formed in battle. Wang Qingli’s teammates later agree to give Chu Bai an extra share for his contributions.
• After the rewards are distributed, Chu Bai’s total Dao Merit rises above 200. His dormant Fate Destiny, [Seal and Ribbon Mutual Generation, Forge Fate Through Merit and Fault], activates. He suspects it was triggered not merely by the kill, but by the broader merit and recognition gained from eliminating the rat threat.
• Chu Bai turns to his next challenge: adding earth and fire energies to his stable metal-water-wood Dao Foundation. His attempts to absorb either element alone fail painfully, as each disrupts the existing balance.
• He devises a new approach: introduce fire and earth together, hoping fire will generate earth and earth will generate metal, completing the Five Phases cycle. He borrows Jiang Kuo’s Thick Earth Bottle, a portable source of earth energy, and plans to combine it with a fire-aspected blessed land.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai demonstrates growing combat skill, strategic judgment, and leadership. He accepts earned rewards without false modesty, while reflecting realistically on the risks of hunting missions and the need to grow stronger.
• Lü Qing openly acknowledges Chu Bai’s contribution, awards him the Rat General’s fangs, and invites him to rely on him in future. Their teams develop trust and goodwill through shared danger and celebration.
• Wang Qingli, Zhao Gang, Zhang Shan, and Lin Xiaoyun recognize Chu Bai’s decisive role and voluntarily give him an additional portion of their Dao Merit. Wang Qingli firmly prevents him from refusing.
• Jiang Kuo readily lends Chu Bai his family’s Thick Earth Bottle, though they agree on payment and limited daily use. Their exchange reflects mutual trust as well as Chu Bai’s insistence on fair dealing.

Significant themes

• Merit and recognition: Chu Bai’s accomplishments bring both material rewards and the activation of a Fate Destiny tied to achievement and standing.
• Trust forged through danger: Cooperation, shared combat, and fair reward-sharing turn practical alliances into the beginnings of friendship.
• Ambition balanced by caution: Chu Bai seeks rapid cultivation progress but understands that high-risk pursuits and reckless experimentation can be dangerous.
• Innovation through trial and error: When conventional methods fail, Chu Bai develops a new theory for completing his Five Phases foundation and secures the tools to test it.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai enters the Spirit Pavilion’s Earth-Core Glazed Fire blessed land to complete the final stages of his Five-Element cultivation. Using Jiang Kuo’s Thick Earth Bottle, he draws in primordial virtuous earth while absorbing the surrounding fire energy.
• The two energies initially clash with each other and with the metal, water, and wood energies already in his body. By applying the principle fire generates earth, and earth generates metal, Chu Bai gradually harmonizes them.
• The five energies finally link into a self-renewing Lesser Five-Element Cycle, forming the early foundation of his Cosmic Cycle Wheel. Their harmony removes the earlier strain and allows him to absorb fire and earth energy together more efficiently.
• At a spell-practice lesson, Chu Bai demonstrates fluid combinations of Spirit Water Needle and Formless Cloud Hand. Asked how many needles he can control, he says about three hundred—a deliberately conservative answer. His Spirit Water Needle has secretly reached the perfected level, allowing him to produce and control far more, potentially a thousand, if his energy permits.
• Chu Bai continues to dominate practical combat, defeating challenger after challenger. His example has also helped make the first-year students, especially Class Three, more disciplined and battle-ready.
• The next day, Chu Bai tells Master Zhou that he has reached the third layer of Qi Refining and explains his Lesser Five-Element cycle. Zhou is astonished and predicts that Chu Bai will retain first place in the upcoming graduation exam.
• Chu Bai surprises him again by declaring that he does not want to wait until the next year: he intends to apply for the Immortal Official Examination.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai advances from cultivating three elements to harmonizing all five. His growth is not only in cultivation: his spell control has reached a level that far exceeds what others know, and he is already aiming beyond the academy’s expected milestones.
• Instructor Ji Yu is impressed by Chu Bai’s spell skill and recognizes that his aura has become unusually difficult to read. Her question about Spirit Water Needle’s limits exposes how extraordinary his control appears to be.
• Lin Xuewei, the class’s other standout spell student, feels discouraged by the widening gap between herself and Chu Bai, but remains determined not to give up.
• Instructor Lei approves of the students’ growing combat discipline, crediting the repeated training and challenges—particularly Chu Bai’s influence—with preparing them to survive real fights.
• Master Zhou Changkong reacts with pride and disbelief to Chu Bai’s new cultivation and five-element harmony. His hopes for Chu Bai’s academy success are immediately eclipsed by Chu Bai’s more ambitious plan to take the Immortal Official Examination.

Significant themes

• Harmony through mutual generation: Chu Bai succeeds not by suppressing the elements, but by guiding their natural relationships into a balanced cycle.
• Relentless effort and disciplined practice: Chu Bai’s breakthroughs follow sustained training, while his example pushes classmates to improve.
• Competition as motivation: Chu Bai’s success intimidates Lin Xuewei, yet also strengthens her resolve; his training partners likewise welcome defeat as a chance to learn.
• Ambition beyond expectations: Even after reaching an achievement that astonishes his mentor, Chu Bai sets his sights on a more demanding examination rather than settling for the usual path.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai asks Instructor Zhou Changkong to enter the Immortal Official Examination, despite being a first-year and facing much older, more experienced competitors. Zhou warns that a loss or injury could jeopardize Chu Bai’s Graduation Examination, but Chu Bai promises to concede if necessary and says he wants to test his limits.
• Impressed by Chu Bai’s determination—and tempted by the chance of an unprecedented achievement for the academy—Zhou agrees to submit his application. The three academy overseers must still approve it.
• With less than a month to prepare, Chu Bai reviews his progress: he has reached Qi Refining Third Layer, perfected Spirit Water Needle, and brought several other arts close to proficiency. He identifies movement and healing as gaps in his fighting style.
• Chu Bai spends Dao Merit on two new arts: Firestep Dash, a fire-based movement technique, and Spring-Rejuvenation Seal, a wood-based healing art that stores energy in marks and activates automatically when he is injured.
• Short on funds for intensive practice, Chu Bai accepts Wang Qingli’s offer to share a Grade A training room. The arrangement halves their costs and gives them a place to train and spar.
• Chu Bai practices Spring-Rejuvenation Seal repeatedly, then asks Wang Qingli to strike him with her Earth Spike Art. His shield weakens the blow, but he is wounded; a stored seal then heals him within seconds, confirming the art’s effectiveness.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai shows ambition, confidence, and caution: he seeks the highest-level challenge but promises not to risk his future recklessly. His cultivation and spell skills have advanced rapidly, and he now methodically addresses weaknesses rather than relying only on his strengths.
• Zhou Changkong shifts from concern to reluctant support. He recognizes Chu Bai’s resolve and sees the possibility of a historic achievement, though he knows approval is uncertain.
• Wang Qingli proves a practical and supportive training partner. As an elite third-year and defensive specialist, she offers to share resources, then helps Chu Bai test his new healing art.
• Chu Bai and Wang develop a cooperative bond rooted in their earlier experience fighting together: they share expenses, train side by side, and trust each other in a risky test.

Significant themes

• Ambition balanced by judgment: Chu Bai wants to challenge himself, but emphasizes knowing when to concede.
• Preparation and perseverance: His rapid progress comes from relentless practice, and he treats the remaining month as precious.
• Cooperation: Wang’s shared training room and willingness to help make Chu Bai’s preparation more efficient.
• Adaptation and complementarity: Chu Bai builds a more complete combat style by filling gaps in movement and recovery, while his new healing art works especially well alongside his defensive shield.

Key plot points and events

• Over half a month, Chu Bai and his senior, Wang Qingli, train intensely for the Immortal Official Examination. Chu Bai rapidly improves his Firestep Dash and Formless Cloud Hand, whose power, flexibility, and control make Wang’s defenses increasingly difficult to penetrate.
• Wang initially believes they may be evenly matched, though she suspects Chu Bai still has less spiritual power and foundation depth. Their practice reveals his exceptional recovery: he refills his spiritual power far faster than she can, thanks to his cultivation techniques and the chamber’s Spirit-Gathering Array.
• Once Wang leaves to buy more pills, Chu Bai tests his full strength against the chamber’s toughest Qi Refining Early Stage puppet. A barrage of 300 Spirit Water Needles, strengthened by Geng Metal Qi, shatters it almost instantly; Firestep Dash and Formless Cloud Hand then pulverize its fragments.
• Wang returns, sees the destroyed target, and realizes Chu Bai had been holding back during their sparring. She asks him to stop restraining himself. Chu Bai agrees, first placing healing Spring-Rejuvenation Seals on her for safety.
• Their practice becomes far more intense. Chu Bai defeats Wang repeatedly, demonstrating superior movement, spell combinations, combat skill, and spiritual power. Wang concedes that his strength far exceeds hers, despite his still-unused Golden-Eye Pupil Art.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai emerges as a formidable, disciplined fighter whose rapid growth and recovery set him apart. He is considerate toward Wang and had restrained his strength to avoid injuring her, but welcomes her request for more realistic training. He also wonders whether spell proficiency can progress beyond the Perfected Level, though he postpones investigating it until after the examination.
• Wang Qingli begins as a confident, highly ranked defensive specialist, but gradually recognizes the gap between them. Rather than retreating, she recommits to training, asks Chu Bai to challenge her fully, and accepts her defeats with candid admiration.
• Their relationship is respectful and supportive: Wang pushes Chu Bai to train honestly, while he protects her with healing seals and acknowledges the strengths of her defenses.

Significant themes

• Relentless effort and preparation: Both students devote themselves to the coming examination, but Chu Bai’s exceptional pace tests Wang’s limits.
• Humility and honest self-assessment: Wang lets go of the comforting idea that they are evenly matched and uses the truth as motivation.
• Strength tempered by responsibility: Chu Bai’s restraint reflects care for his fellow disciple; Wang’s request allows them to balance safety with meaningful challenge.
• Unrealized potential: Chu Bai’s power already exceeds expectations, and his progress beyond ordinary spell mastery hints at greater possibilities—and ambitions beyond simply being the top freshman.

Key plot points and events

• After a month of intense sparring in a Grade A cultivation chamber, Chu Bai and Wang Qingli emerge markedly stronger. Wang has improved her defenses and endurance, while Chu Bai has advanced his new Spell Arts.
• Wang tells Chu Bai the Immortal Official Examination begins in three days and assumes he will instead take the first-year Graduation Examination. She is stunned to learn he has officially been admitted to the Immortal Official Examination—an unprecedented challenge for a first-year.
• Chu Bai returns to class for the final lesson of the year. His classmates expect him to dominate the Graduation Examination, and even former rival Tao Mingzhi has given up competing with him.
• Instructor Zhou Changkong privately gives Chu Bai his Exam Admission Token and warns him about powerful third-year contenders, especially Ji Li, a wealthy and undefeated prodigy. Zhou urges Chu Bai to withdraw rather than risk a damaging defeat.
• Zhou explains the examination’s strict rules: a Judge from the Merit Office will supervise, all personal magical implements, talismans, pills, and other aids must be surrendered, and the test itself will remain unknown until it begins.
• Chu Bai accepts the challenge with confidence and resolves to prepare, intent on winning rather than merely gaining experience.

Character developments

• Chu Bai emerges more capable after the month of training and reveals his ambition extends beyond his year. He remains respectful toward his instructor but is undeterred by warnings about Ji Li or the examination’s dangers.
• Wang Qingli recognizes Chu Bai as a genuine peer and potential rival. Her training has strengthened her skills and resolve, and she looks forward to facing him in the examination.
• Zhou Changkong supports Chu Bai’s admission but acts as a cautious mentor, prioritizing Chu Bai’s safety and future prospects.
• The first-year class has largely accepted Chu Bai’s superiority, with Tao Mingzhi’s former competitiveness replaced by resignation.

Significant themes

• Ambition and risk: Chu Bai chooses to test himself against far older and more experienced students, despite the possibility of failure or injury.
• Merit and fairness: Strict rules and a powerful Judge are intended to ensure the examination measures candidates’ true abilities.
• Preparation and growth: Sustained training benefits both Chu Bai and Wang, while the upcoming test will reveal how far that growth can carry them.
• Reputation versus reality: Chu Bai is already seen as unbeatable among first-years, but the Immortal Official Examination will place him among elite third-years.

Character interactions

• Chu Bai and Wang exchange mutual thanks for their month of sparring; their relationship shifts toward that of respected peers and potential rivals.
• Wang reacts with disbelief to Chu Bai’s admission, then expresses confidence in his chances and hopes not to meet him too early.
• Zhou privately advises Chu Bai about the examination’s strongest contenders and urges caution, while Chu Bai listens respectfully but remains determined.
• Chu Bai’s quiet confidence contrasts with the class’s awe and Zhou’s concern, underscoring the gap between how others view the risks and how Chu Bai views the challenge.

Plot points and events

• After three days of meditation, Chu Bai arrives at the Dao Academy’s Heavenly Spirit Martial Training Ground for the Immortal Official Grand Examination, already qualified despite being a first-year.
• Zhang Shan assumes Chu Bai is only there to observe and is astonished to learn he is competing. He resolves to cheer him on, having postponed his own attempt until next year.
• The headmaster and Judge Li introduce the three-round examination:
  1. Object Control: Claim and fully control an unclaimed Magical Artifact from five hundred zhang away.
  2. Demon Hunt: Use the artifact to kill beasts and gain their attribute-based spiritual-energy enhancements.
  3. Arena Battle: Fight using the advantages gathered in the first two rounds; the final ten advance.
• Chu Bai recognizes that success will snowball: a strong artifact can help earn more enhancements, while a poor start leaves competitors increasingly disadvantaged. He decides the first round is crucial.
• The Law Net transforms the training ground into a Spirit Realm filled with artifacts. Using Golden Eye Illusion-Breaker, Chu Bai identifies a high-grade Fire Element Ring that would complement his Firestep Dash, as well as a potentially valuable suit of armor.
• When the round begins, competitors race toward the artifacts and interfere with one another. Wu Jianfei, a powerful fire cultivator, is briefly trapped by coordinated attacks but breaks free.
• Chu Bai remains in the middle of the pack, dodging spells with Firestep Dash and conserving his energy rather than making himself an early target. He plans to compete seriously once they reach the artifacts.

Character developments

• Chu Bai displays composure and tactical judgment, prioritizing preparation and resource management over a reckless sprint. His ability to assess artifact properties gives him an advantage.
• Zhang Shan reveals ambition tempered by realism: he believes he needs another year to strengthen his foundation, but enthusiastically supports Chu Bai.
• Wu Jianfei is established as a formidable, confident contender who can withstand both magical interference and physical obstacles.
• Lu He, a deputy headmaster, notices Chu Bai’s rapid progress and quietly marks him as a student with exceptional potential.

Character interactions

• Zhang Shan warmly greets Chu Bai and misunderstands his presence until Zhou Changkong explains that Chu Bai has qualified to compete.
• Lu He observes Chu Bai but does not approach or speak with him.
• The competitors’ cooperation is temporary and self-interested: they gang up on Wu Jianfei, then reconsider when he warns that fighting will waste energy needed to control artifacts.

Significant themes

• Preparation and restraint: Chu Bai’s meditation and measured approach contrast with the competitors’ initial rush.
• Strategy and compounding advantage: Early choices determine who can build momentum through later rounds.
• Competition and opportunism: Interference is permitted, so contestants must balance disrupting rivals against preserving their own strength.
• Recognition of talent: Chu Bai’s unexpected qualification challenges assumptions about what a first-year can achieve.

Key plot points and events

• During the first round of the Dao Academy examination, Ji Li proves vastly superior to the other competitors. When Lü Qing and Wu Jianfei try to slow him with a coordinated attack, Ji Li evades them by using Magnetic Spirit Power to walk through the air.
• Ji Li then traps both rivals in a Magnetic Gravity Seal, races ahead, and summons a silver sword from a great distance. His effortless display intimidates the entire field, leaving no one willing to challenge him.
• Chu Bai takes advantage of Lü Qing and Wu Jianfei falling behind and moves into the top ten. He reaches the artifact area and selects a high-grade Fire Element Ring.
• Wu Jianfei catches sight of the ring and tries to claim it. Rather than risk a prolonged fight, Chu Bai flees while continuing to refine the artifact—a feat that surprises Wu Jianfei.
• Chu Bai gains partial control of the ring and attaches it to his ankles. Its power amplifies his Firestep Dash, dramatically increasing his speed and leaving Wu Jianfei far behind.

Character developments

• Ji Li is revealed as an exceptional cultivator with precise control of Magnetic Spirit Power, remarkable composure, and overwhelming confidence. He uses both strength and intimidation to secure his lead.
• Chu Bai shows resourcefulness and unusual concentration, choosing evasion over a costly fight and refining an artifact while running. His newly enhanced movement technique turns the ring into a powerful advantage.
• Lü Qing and Wu Jianfei are humbled by Ji Li’s abilities. Wu Jianfei, still angry and ambitious, shifts his attention to Chu Bai’s artifact but cannot catch him.
• Zhang Shan watches in astonishment, realizing how far Ji Li surpasses ordinary students while taking pride in Chu Bai’s strong position.

Significant themes

• Power and deterrence: Ji Li’s strength makes the whole field avoid him, showing how overwhelming power can shape others’ choices without further combat.
• Strategy over direct confrontation: Chu Bai preserves his time and resources by fleeing rather than engaging Wu Jianfei.
• Ingenuity and adaptability: Chu Bai’s ability to refine while moving, then combine the ring with his movement technique, lets him turn a difficult situation into an advantage.
• Competition and scarce resources: The limited number of high-grade artifacts sparks conflict, as contestants must balance speed, cultivation, and the risk of fighting.

Character interactions

• Lü Qing and Wu Jianfei coordinate an ambush against Ji Li, but he evades them and immobilizes them in retaliation.
• Ji Li openly challenges anyone to stop him, and his display of power silences the competitors.
• Wu Jianfei demands that Chu Bai surrender the Fire Element Ring and pursues him; Chu Bai refuses to engage and escapes, ultimately outpacing him with the ring’s power.

Key events

• Ji Li finishes refining a silver sword first, then immediately tries to collect more high-grade artifacts. He fails to pull an antique bronze mirror from Jiang Yingqiao, whose wood-element vines hold it fast, but quickly forces another student to surrender a golden bell.
• Chu Bai completes the refinement of the Fire Element Ring. Wu Jianfei abandons their pursuit to claim another artifact, leaving Chu free to survey the field.
• Spotting two evenly matched students fighting over a bronze cauldron, Chu Bai uses the ring’s speed to rush in. He evades their coordinated water-and-earth attacks, heals the resulting wounds with blue-gray marks, distracts them with Spirit Water Needles, and knocks them both aside before seizing the cauldron.
• Chu’s victory excites the Instructors and spectators. Zhang Shan, newly aware of how much Chu has surpassed his expectations, wonders whether Chu is genuinely aiming for one of the ten Immortal Clerk positions—and thus early graduation and a White Ordination.
• Chu races past Wang Qingli, who is steadily refining a wooden shield behind strong earth defenses. A water-element student tries to intercept him, but Chu shatters her waterspout and strikes her down with his Cloud Hand without slowing.
• Chu identifies the cauldron as the powerful Origin-Bearing Cauldron, capable of suppressing, sealing, and crushing enemies. He begins refining it rapidly and considers pursuing yet another artifact.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai demonstrates a major leap in combat skill: speed, precision, deception, healing, and efficient use of force let him defeat opponents without becoming trapped in prolonged fights. He shifts from competing for one artifact to aggressively collecting several.
• Ji Li is similarly ambitious, seeking multiple prizes, but Jiang Yingqiao’s successful resistance shows that his Magnetic Force is not unstoppable.
• Jiang Yingqiao displays composure and tenacity by protecting the bronze mirror through her own strength and skill.
• Zhang Shan moves from confidence in his knowledge of Chu to astonished admiration, recognizing that Chu may be pursuing a far greater goal than simple training.
• Wang Qingli remains calm and defensive, but Chu’s success spurs her to refine her shield faster. Her encounter with him also shows her awareness of his formidable Spell Arts.
• Across the field, competitors make tactical choices: Wu Jianfei gives up the chase, the cauldron’s original claimants briefly cooperate against Chu, and the water-element student abandons her struggle with Wang Qingli to attack Chu—only to be swiftly defeated.

Significant themes

• Skill and preparation matter as much as raw power: Chu’s control and tactics overcome coordinated attacks and stronger numbers.
• Ambition escalates with opportunity: The contest’s rules allow multiple artifacts, encouraging powerful competitors to keep pressing their advantage.
• Pragmatism in competition: Wu Jianfei and the defeated cauldron-claimants recognize when further fighting is not worth the cost.
• Rising expectations and recognition: Chu’s performance reshapes how peers and Instructors view his potential, raising the possibility that he could achieve an extraordinary early graduation.

Plot points and events

• Chu Bai finishes refining the Essence-Bearing Cauldron. Most contestants have claimed and refined artifacts; Chu Bai and Ji Li stand out with two each.
• The remaining high-grade artifact, the Metal-Bearing Seal, draws Lü Qing, Wu Jianfei, and Ji Li into a fierce three-way fight. Their clashes keep the seal changing hands, while other students retreat to recover for the next round.
• From above, Judge Li praises the students’ skill, courage, and competitiveness, noting that this year’s rankings—and the immortal-official positions—remain uncertain.
• Chu Bai snatches the seal and challenges the others to stop him while he refines it. Ji Li uses Magnetic Gravity to slow his escape, but Chu Bai’s powerful Formless Cloud Hand knocks Ji Li back.
• Ji Li then pulls the seal from Chu Bai’s grasp. Chu Bai immediately turns the situation against him: Lü Qing and Wu Jianfei attack Ji Li, while Chu Bai adds a hidden strike.
• Wu Jianfei withdraws after taking heavy damage. Ji Li and Chu Bai’s attacks help wear Lü Qing down, and Lü Qing concedes rather than risk harming his foundation before the remaining rounds.
• Chu Bai and Ji Li face off alone. After a prolonged, exhausting duel, both reach the seal at once and begin refining it simultaneously, leaving the contest unresolved.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai demonstrates more than speed: he reads the shifting alliances, redirects opponents against one another, and withstands Ji Li’s pressure with powerful techniques and the support of the Spring-Rejuvenation Seal. He proves himself a serious rival rather than an easy target.
• Ji Li remains a formidable, composed fighter, but his confidence in treating Chu Bai as the lesser threat proves costly. He adapts quickly and fights with growing intensity, ultimately meeting Chu Bai as an equal.
• Lü Qing shows strength and resilience, but recognizes when continuing would jeopardize his future performance. He concedes respectfully and saves his strength.
• Wu Jianfei fights fiercely but is forced to withdraw once his injuries and depleted spiritual power threaten his foundation.
• The rivalry among the contenders shifts repeatedly: temporary pressure on Ji Li gives way to an implicit Chu Bai–Ji Li alignment against Lü Qing, before all rivalries resolve into a direct duel between the two remaining contenders.

Significant themes

• Competition and uncertainty: No contestant can claim victory early; alliances and threats change with whoever holds the prize.
• Strategy alongside strength: Chu Bai’s tactical manipulation is as important as his combat ability.
• Restraint and long-term judgment: Wu Jianfei and Lü Qing withdraw to protect their chances in later rounds.
• Merit and potential: Judge Li’s praise emphasizes that the examination is evaluating not only power, but also temperament, courage, and readiness for future responsibility.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai and Ji Li reach the final, exhausting contest to refine the high-grade Metal-Bearing Seal. Their struggle astonishes the academy’s leaders: Ji Li is a celebrated, undefeated third-year, while Chu Bai enrolled only a year ago.
• Spectators rally behind Chu Bai, seeing his stand against Ji Li as proof that the academy’s seemingly untouchable prodigy can be challenged. His instructor, Zhou Changkong, hopes the performance will carry Chu Bai toward an Immortal Clerk position.
• Ji Li believes his perfected Magnetic Spirit Power and affinity for metal give him an insurmountable advantage. He acknowledges Chu Bai as his strongest opponent, but assumes Chu Bai’s mixed cultivation will eventually lose to his specialization.
• Chu Bai reveals that he can convert his Five-Element Spiritual Power into pure Innate Geng Metal Qi. This transformation matches Ji Li’s affinity—and ultimately overpowers it—allowing Chu Bai to refine the seal first.
• A nearby student considers disrupting the contest to steal the artifact, but Lü Qing blocks him and warns that he will oppose him in future rounds. The would-be thief retreats.
• Chu Bai claims the Metal-Bearing Seal, deciding the first-round contest in his favor.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai demonstrates not only versatility but also a hidden advantage in controlling the attributes of his power. His calm response to Ji Li’s confidence and his eventual victory establish him as a genuine rival to the academy’s strongest students.
• Ji Li shifts from certainty to admiration, then to disbelief and panic as Chu Bai’s metal energy overturns his expected advantage. He is forced to confront a challenger capable of matching—and surpassing—him.
• Lü Qing accepts his own defeat without abandoning his pride or sense of fair play. He protects the duel from interference, respecting it as a contest of wills rather than merely a fight over an artifact.
• Zhou Changkong, the academy leadership, and the students react with growing amazement and hope. For Ji Li’s peers, Chu Bai’s challenge suggests that the “mountain” they could never reach is not invincible.
• The attempted theft creates a brief contrast between opportunistic greed and the respect shown by Lü Qing and the spectators for the duel’s significance.

Significant themes

• Hidden potential and adaptability: Chu Bai’s ability to reshape his Five-Element power turns apparent weakness into a decisive strength.
• Limits of reputation and specialization: Ji Li’s record and natural affinity do not guarantee victory against an opponent with unexpected capabilities.
• Respect and honor in competition: Lü Qing’s intervention shows that a worthy contest matters more than a chance to steal an advantage.
• Hope inspired by challenging the seemingly unbeatable: Chu Bai’s stand gives Ji Li’s peers renewed belief that even the academy’s greatest prodigy can be surpassed.

This is an author’s update rather than a story chapter.

• Key events: The book has reached ninth place among new books in monthly voting. The author says 300 more votes could move it higher, and promises an extra chapter for every 200 votes, with no limit.
• Character development: No fictional characters appear. The author expresses surprise and gratitude at the book’s success and says they have posted 30,000 words today, with more planned for tomorrow.
• Themes: Gratitude, reader support, and the connection between audience participation and the author’s work.
• Interactions: The author directly thanks readers and repeatedly asks them to cast their monthly votes.

Key plot points and events

• Chu Bai defeats Ji Li in the first-round Object Control assessment, taking the golden seal after a hard fight. Ji accepts the result without lashing out, though he vows the remaining rounds will decide who is truly superior.
• The contestants return to the Dao Academy square. Chu Bai’s three high-grade magic artifacts—the Fire Element Ring, the golden seal, and an ancient cauldron—make him the standout of the round and attract admiration as well as envy.
• Judge Li announces the second round: a Demon Hunt in a projected version of the Black Cloud Mountain Range. Contestants must slay Demon Beasts and absorb their Killing Intent for points. Any means are allowed, including attacking other students, so Chu Bai’s treasures may make him a target.
• During the half-hour break, Chu Bai meditates to recover. Instructors Zhou Changkong and Lei check on him, praise his victory, and warn him that Ji Li may seek a rematch.
• Chu Bai decides he will face Ji Li if challenged. After understanding that both men value an unbeaten Dao Heart, Zhou stops urging caution and instead briefs Chu Bai on Ji Li’s techniques and how to counter them.

Character developments and interactions

• Chu Bai remains composed after victory and shows a growing willingness to risk safety and even his examination prospects for the sake of confronting challenges directly. He plans to recover fully and enter the next round with an advantage.
• Ji Li demonstrates discipline and pride: he acknowledges his defeat fairly, but remains determined to restore his standing in the coming rounds.
• Zhou Changkong shifts from protective concern to respect for Chu Bai’s resolve, supporting his choice while giving tactical advice. Instructor Lei shares in the instructors’ relief and pride.
• Wang Qingli and Wu Jianfei recognize Chu Bai’s exceptional ability, while other contestants’ attention turns to him as a potential threat or prize.

Significant themes

• The Dao Heart and resilience: Defeat is less damaging than retreating from a challenge out of fear.
• Risk versus security: Chu Bai values inner conviction and future self-respect over simply protecting his chance at an official position.
• Competition and survival: The next round’s rules make ambition, cooperation, and betrayal all possible, blurring the line between a test and a real fight.
• Recognition and danger: Chu Bai’s success brings prestige, but his visible strength and treasures also make him a target.