Chapter Summaries

Zhang Yuan became the First God Cult’s true Holy Son and was summoned to the Imperial City to learn about the cult’s plans. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanjun reached celestial person perfection, drove off Wangyou True Person, freed Tan Chengcheng, and set out to find Zhang Yuan.

• The First God Cult Master named Zhang Yuan the cult’s true Holy Son, gave him the Great Qian Primordial Soul-Refining Scripture, and took him toward the Imperial City to discuss the cult’s plans.
• Xiao Yuanjun completed an ordinary breakthrough to celestial person perfection while Wangyou True Person avoided a real fight and pretended to challenge her.
• Xiao Yuanjun flicked Wangyou True Person away, and Wangyou used the chance to flee.
• Wei Heng held Tan Chengcheng captive with her cultivation sealed, but Xiao Yuanjun struck him away and released Tan Chengcheng’s seals with one word.
• Xiao Yuanjun invited Tan Chengcheng to go with her to find Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan accompanied the First God Cult Leader to meet the Great Heng Empress, who discussed the cult’s origins and arranged to deliver the goods it had requested. The chapter ended with Qin Tianyi bringing the battered Crown Prince Tan Yuming and Fourth Prince Tan Linchuan into the hall, leaving Zhang Yuan wondering why the cult wanted them.

• Zhang Yuan followed the First God Cult Leader through the Imperial City to meet the Great Heng Empress and the ailing Great Heng Emperor.
• The First God Cult Leader asked the Great Heng Empress for the goods, and she questioned him about the cult’s worship of the first Divine Master.
• The First God Cult Leader said his cult sought to awaken its lord, while Zhang Yuan privately suspected it had a greater conspiracy.
• Qin Tianyi delivered the unconscious Tan Yuming and Tan Linchuan to the hall, and the Great Heng Empress called them the goods.

Qin Tianyi recognized Zhang Yuan beneath his First God Cult disguise as the Great Heng Empress handed the First God Cult two portions of the Great Heng Founder's divine master might. The Great Heng Emperor seized one portion, refined it, and detonated his Dharma Body, leaving half the Imperial City destroyed and his primordial spirit still present.

• Qin Tianyi recognized Zhang Yuan and silently welcomed the prospect of an ally inside the First God Cult.
• The Great Heng Empress destroyed Tan Yuming and Tan Linchuan, releasing two portions of divine master might for the First God Cult Master.
• The Great Heng Emperor awakened and contested the First God Cult Master for the two portions of might.
• The Great Heng Emperor seized and refined one portion, then detonated his Dharma Body, razing half the Imperial City.
• Zhang Yuan survived the blast badly injured, and the others were warned that the Great Heng Emperor's primordial spirit remained.

The Great Heng Emperor attacked Zhang Yuan’s sea of consciousness to possess him, but Zhang Yuan let Chi Guanguan enter and defend it. Chi Guanguan’s Great Luo manifestation destroyed the Emperor’s Primordial Spirit, leaving only his Divine Master power behind.

• The Great Heng Emperor’s Primordial Spirit surged from the Imperial City ruins and drove Tan Duanchang back before targeting Zhang Yuan.
• Zhang Yuan used [Immaculate Primordial Spirit] to block the Great Heng Emperor, while Chi Guanguan offered to guard his sea of consciousness.
• Zhang Yuan weighed trusting Chi Guanguan against letting the Great Heng Emperor in, then opened a passage for her into his Dao Domain.
• Chi Guanguan entered Zhang Yuan’s sea of consciousness, and Zhang Yuan withdrew [Immaculate Primordial Spirit] from its outer defenses.
• The Great Heng Emperor entered Zhang Yuan’s sea of consciousness and was crushed into nothingness by Chi Guanguan’s golden Dharma manifestation, while his Divine Master power remained.

After Chi Guanguan killed the Great Heng Emperor, she captured the Great Heng Founder’s divine power and kept it in Zhang Yuan’s sea of consciousness. She explained that it could let him claim the Great Heng Emperor’s identity or abandon his current Dao Path for a shortcut, but Zhang Yuan refused to refine it and left to check the situation outside.

• Chi Guanguan imprisoned the Great Heng Founder’s divine power in Zhang Yuan’s sea of consciousness after killing the Great Heng Emperor.
• Chi Guanguan showed Zhang Yuan the Immortal Palace she had built in his sea of consciousness and said she planned to live there.
• Chi Guanguan explained that the divine power could serve as proof that Zhang Yuan was the Great Heng Emperor and might let him seize the Great Heng Founder’s divine seat.
• Chi Guanguan offered to help Zhang Yuan reach peak ascension realm by refining the divine power and switching Dao Paths, but Zhang Yuan refused.
• Chi Guanguan turned the divine power into a decorative lamp, and Zhang Yuan decided to leave and check the situation outside.

Zhang Yuan concealed the Great Heng Emperor’s destruction by pretending to be possessed, then claimed he had suppressed the emperor with a fortuitous opportunity. The First God Cult Master protected him from the Great Heng Empress, who agreed not to kill him if they accepted her condition.

• Zhang Yuan woke from the possession attempt and pretended the Great Heng Founder had taken over his body.
• The First God Cult Master guessed that Zhang Yuan and the Great Heng Emperor were fighting for control, while the Great Heng Empress attacked Zhang Yuan.
• The First God Cult Master blocked the Great Heng Empress’s Slaughtering Hand Seal, and their clash reduced Imperial City to ruins.
• Zhang Yuan told the First God Cult Master that he had temporarily suppressed the Great Heng Emperor, and the cult master used this to justify protecting him.
• The Great Heng Empress agreed to spare Zhang Yuan on the condition that the First God Cult Master accept her terms.

The Great Heng Empress kept Zhang Yuan in the Imperial City after the First God Cult Master agreed to negotiate, then exposed his disguises and revealed she intended to devour the Great Heng Emperor's power within him. Xiao Yuanjun and Tan Chengcheng arrived as the Empress pressed Zhang Yuan beside her on the dragon throne and called him Tan Chengcheng’s new imperial father.

• The First God Cult Master agreed to leave Zhang Yuan in the Imperial City while both sides sought a solution, then departed with Tan Duanchang and Deputy Cult Master Gao.
• The Great Heng Empress repaired the Imperial City and summoned Zhang Yuan into the palace hall.
• Zhang Yuan sensed that Xiao Yuanjun had reached celestial person perfection and was approaching, then disguised himself as the Great Heng Emperor to face the Empress.
• The Great Heng Empress identified Zhang Yuan as the First God Cult's Holy Son and the [Return to True Celestial Person], and Zhang Yuan removed his black robe.
• The Great Heng Empress seized Zhang Yuan by the collar and said she intended to devour him until nothing remained.
• Xiao Yuanjun and Tan Chengcheng arrived, and the Great Heng Empress seated Zhang Yuan beside her and introduced him to Tan Chengcheng as her new imperial father.

Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yuanjun tried to leave the palace with Tan Chengcheng, but the Great Heng Empress trapped them with Great Heng’s National Fortune. She rejected Zhang Yuan’s offer to give her the Great Heng Founder’s Divine Power and insisted he become emperor.

• Tan Chengcheng was stunned when the Great Heng Empress told her to greet Zhang Yuan as her new Imperial Father.
• Xiao Yuanjun attacked the Great Heng Empress with Fivefold Body-Rending Qi, revealing her Celestial Person Perfection cultivation.
• The Great Heng Empress grabbed Zhang Yuan to threaten Xiao Yuanjun, but Zhang Yuan wounded her hand with Sword Qi and escaped to Xiao Yuanjun’s side.
• Zhang Yuan, Xiao Yuanjun, and Tan Chengcheng tried to flee in the Phoenix Luan Golden Carriage, but Great Heng’s National Fortune blocked their way.
• Zhang Yuan offered to give the Great Heng Founder’s Divine Power in exchange for their release, but the Great Heng Empress insisted that he become emperor.

The Great Heng Empress told Zhang Yuan that Great Heng needed him to become emperor so the dynasty’s national fortune would remain stable after the Great Heng Emperor’s death. The next morning, she brought Zhang Yuan, Tan Chengcheng, and Xiao Yuanjun to attend court, intending to steady the court and prepare for her ascent to Divine Master.

• The Great Heng Empress explained that Great Heng needed a new emperor and pressed Zhang Yuan to take the throne, while he asked what he would gain.
• The Great Heng Empress teased Zhang Yuan with an offer to spend the night with him, then left the Spring-Returning Hall.
• Xiao Yuanjun and Tan Chengcheng warned Zhang Yuan to protect himself, and Xiao Yuanjun shared his bed to guard him through the night.
• The Great Heng Empress did not return that night; in the morning, she found Xiao Yuanjun beside Zhang Yuan and Tan Chengcheng keeping watch.
• The Great Heng Empress woke Tan Chengcheng and Zhang Yuan and summoned them to morning court in the Golden Throne Hall.

Zhang Yuan attended morning court disguised as the Great Heng Emperor while the Great Heng Empress announced that the Primordial Era grotto-heaven in the Outer Chaos would be open to all capable individuals. The proposal faced objections, but Wangyou True Person warned that restricting access could provoke the approaching Central Demon Realm.

• Zhang Yuan arrived at morning court with the Great Heng Empress, Xiao Yuanjun, and Tan Chengcheng, concealing his face and hoping to find a chance to escape the Imperial City.
• The Great Heng Empress told Zhang Yuan to sit silently on the dragon throne so that his false identity would not be exposed.
• The Great Heng Empress announced that, after conferring with the Divine Masters, Great Heng would open the Primordial Era grotto-heaven to capable individuals regardless of affiliation or status.
• Baihui True Person and Shangxian True Person opposed opening the grotto-heaven without restrictions, warning that Demonic Cultivators might enter.
• The Great Heng Empress asked Wangyou True Person for her view, and Wangyou warned that restricting access could anger the Central Demon Realm's Celestial Persons, who were soon to arrive in the Central Land.

Zhang Yuan learned that a damaged Primordial Lost Grotto-Heaven containing Five Skandhas and Six Qi had appeared above Heaven-Reaching City, and the Great Heng Empress ordered him to enter it with Tan Chengcheng. He agreed to search for the God-Calming Jade Seal, hoping to find an opportunity to advance his cultivation.

• Zhang Yuan divined that the grotto-heaven held multiple strands of Five Skandhas and Six Qi as the Great Heng Empress opened a passage to the Outer Chaos.
• An enormous, damaged grotto-heaven emerged above Heaven-Reaching City, and Zhang Yuan realized it was actually two collided grotto-heavens.
• Shangxian True Person and Baihui True Person prepared Tong Ke and Huang Yingquan to enter, while the Great Heng Empress said Tan Chengcheng would go with others.
• Xiao Yuanjun held Zhang Yuan's hand in the Golden Throne Hall, prompting the Great Heng Empress to scold them before assigning Zhang Yuan a task.
• The Great Heng Empress ordered Zhang Yuan to accompany Tan Chengcheng into the grotto-heaven and find the God-Calming Jade Seal, threatening to keep him in the Imperial City if he refused.
• Zhang Yuan agreed to enter, hoping to find a strand of Five Skandhas and Six Qi that could help him reach the late Celestial Person stage.

Ye Xiangning kicked Zhang Yuan into a lost grotto-heaven before the others followed, where he landed on a treasure and encountered Qin Tianyi. Zhang Yuan traded the xin metal he found for Qin Tianyi’s gui water, leaving them on friendly terms.

• Ye Xiangning surprised Zhang Yuan and kicked him toward the grotto-heaven, then urged Tan Chengcheng and Xiao Yuanjun to follow.
• Zhang Yuan entered the vast grotto-heaven, divined a safer landing place, and crashed into its western reaches, destroying a mountain range.
• Zhang Yuan found a strand of xin metal in the basin formed by his landing.
• Qin Tianyi arrived to claim the xin metal, recognized Zhang Yuan, and gave him gui water as an apology.
• Zhang Yuan pocketed the gui water and gave Qin Tianyi the xin metal in return.

Zhang Yuan learned that the Lost Grotto-Heaven consisted of two ancient realms and planned to search for the jade uncarved needed to locate the God-Calming Jade Seal. His plans changed when powerful cultivators from the Dust-Dyed Realm arrived, and he recognized that they had reached the grotto-heaven before the local cultivators.

• Qin Tianyi told Zhang Yuan that the Lost Grotto-Heaven comprised Wonderous Dharma Jade Terrace Blessed Land and Jade Uncarved Spirit True Grotto-Heaven.
• Zhang Yuan consulted the Record of Ancient Immortal Caves and worried that the ancient grotto-heaven's lord might have attained the Dao.
• Chi Guanguan appeared in Zhang Yuan's Dao Domain and explained that jade uncarved was an edible Pre-Heaven Supreme Treasure and that its former lord was dead.
• Zhang Yuan decided to find Spirit-True Mountain and use its jade uncarved to trace the God-Calming Jade Seal.
• Wenren Shangzhi arrived above Heaven-Reaching City and sent the Lost Grotto-Heaven's coordinates to the Dust-Dyed Realm's Celestial Persons.
• Deng Qiuzhi, Deng Fushan, Cui Wenshan, and other powerful cultivators arrived, prompting Zhang Yuan to change his plans.

Zhang Yuan hid in a remote cave to refine Gui Water and break through, while Celestial Persons from the Azure Firmament Dust-Dyed Realm arrived at Heaven-Reaching City and challenged its defenders over who could enter the grotto-heaven. The dispute escalated into a clash as the newcomers rejected the defenders’ demand to wait.

• Zhang Yuan decided to refine Gui Water in seclusion, and Qin Tianyi left to scout after pretending to regret their parting.
• Zhang Yuan dug a hidden cave abode in the barren basin and began cultivating inside it.
• Deng Qiuzhi attacked the First God Cult’s building after hearing Tan Duanchang gossip, but the First God Cult Master swallowed and redirected his force.
• The First God Cult Master and six other Ascension Realm Great Cultivators confronted the arriving Celestial Persons, while Cui Wenshan urged them to attack Deng Qiuzhi.
• Wei Heng asked the Celestial Persons to wait until the end before entering the grotto-heaven, but Lu Danyan argued that they counted as young juniors.
• The Celestial Persons began fighting after one shouted that he was going ahead and another retaliated with a Divine Ability.

Celestial experts rushed into the Grotto-Heaven, while Wangyou True Person entered under orders to help Zhang Yuan. After refining Gui Water, Zhang Yuan prepared to break through to the Late Celestial Person stage and teased Chi Guanguan about pastry crumbs in his Dao Domain.

• Wenren Shangzhi, Deng Qiuzhi, and other Celestial Person Perfection experts entered the Grotto-Heaven, prompting the First God Cult Master and other powerful cultivators to follow.
• The Mirror-Holding Armored Lord, Divine Master ordered Wangyou True Person to enter as a rogue cultivator and help Zhang Yuan without revealing her identity.
• Zhang Yuan finished refining Gui Water's conceptual image and went to his Dao Domain to prepare for a breakthrough.
• Ao Xiu asked Zhang Yuan for more pastries, and he promised to bring some later.
• Chi Guanguan explained that she had moved into Zhang Yuan's Dao Domain and used his consciousness spirit's power to suppress the Great Heng Founder's divine power.
• Zhang Yuan pointed out pastry crumbs on Chi Guanguan's mouth, making her blush and retreat beneath the covers.

Zhang Yuan learned how to use Gui Water to connect the conceptual images in his Dao Domain, breaking through to late Celestial Person. He chose the Malice Growth talent, hoping it would strengthen him for the dangers ahead.

• Chi Guanguan explained Gui Water's cultivation principles and advised Zhang Yuan to make it a stream in his Central Immortal Mountain.
• Zhang Yuan placed Gui Water in the mountain, connecting his Dao Domain's conceptual images and nourishing its vegetation.
• Zhang Yuan created black rain in his Dao Domain and broke through to late Celestial Person.
• Zhang Yuan opened the Talent Panel and rejected Fated Buddha and First God of Creation before choosing Malice Growth.

Zhang Yuan emerged from underground after reaching Late Celestial Person and killed a Celestial Person who ambushed him. He recognized the attacker’s whisk as an imitation of a treasure taken from Lu Qingwu, whose fate remained uncertain.

• Zhang Yuan left the underground grotto with Chi Guanguan accompanying him.
• A gray-robed Celestial Person ambushed Zhang Yuan, hoping to seize a fortuitous opportunity.
• Zhang Yuan used [Malice Growth] to strengthen his attacks, killed the gray-robed old man, and erased his Three Hun and Seven Po.
• Zhang Yuan realized the Three-Colored Qi Light made him easy to identify because [True Lord Ceased Light Punishes Thoughts] had sold information about his methods.
• Zhang Yuan recognized the old man's [Form-Destroying Whisk] as an imitation of a whisk he had taken from Lu Qingwu, and Chi Guanguan said the original's previous owner had died long ago.

Zhang Yuan discovered that Lu Qingwu was dead and took his Pre-Heaven Supreme Treasure, then met Wangyou True Person in the Lost Grotto-Heaven. After learning that seven days had passed and the eastern region held the greatest treasures and dangers, Zhang Yuan set out with her toward the east.

• Zhang Yuan found Lu Qingwu dead, took the [Nine-Turn Form-Destroying Whisk], and disguised himself as a Daoist.
• Wangyou True Person approached Zhang Yuan in the black robe of the First God Cult and explained that she had worn it to conceal her identity.
• Wangyou True Person offered to stay in a quiet area until the grotto-heaven closed, but Zhang Yuan said he needed to find a Pre-Heaven Supreme Treasure.
• Wangyou True Person told Zhang Yuan that seven days had passed and that powerful cultivators were fighting over treasures in the east.
• Zhang Yuan agreed to travel with Wangyou True Person and urged them to set off east at once.

Zhang Yuan concealed Wangyou True Person’s karma before they traveled through the crowded Lost Grotto-Heaven to Spirit-True Mountain, where cultivators awaited the failing formation. He identified Lu Danyan as their target for a quick ambush once they entered the mountain.

• Zhang Yuan used [Severing Past and Present, Leaving or Staying] to hide Wangyou True Person’s karma after noticing her damaged black robe.
• Zhang Yuan and Wangyou True Person walked through the grotto-heaven, avoiding the sky as hidden cultivators watched for anyone flying conspicuously.
• Zhang Yuan sensed that cultivators were focused on a coming opportunity and led Wangyou True Person to Spirit-True Mountain, where they found about thirty cultivators gathered.
• Lu Danyan noticed Zhang Yuan and wondered whether he belonged to the Principal Household while considering the turmoil between the Lu clans.
• Zhang Yuan told Wangyou True Person to follow Lu Danyan into the mountain, ambush him when he found a treasure, and flee.

Zhang Yuan and Wangyou True Person entered Spirit-True Mountain after its defensive formation collapsed, enduring the pressure left by the Primordial Era immortal Jade Spirit. They reached a ruined palace where Lu Danyan had found an Alchemy Furnace, and Zhang Yuan claimed he had come to take it.

• Spirit-True Mountain's defensive formation collapsed, but cultivators who rushed inside were suppressed or thrown back out.
• Lu Danyan explained that the mountain's restrictions targeted outsiders and demonstrated that celestial persons could enter by following Mystic Gate astral steps.
• Zhang Yuan and Wangyou True Person followed Lu Danyan into the mountain, while the other celestial persons followed after learning the method.
• Zhang Yuan asked Chi Guanguan about the grotto-heaven's former lord and learned that Jade Spirit had reached Great Yi and excelled in formations.
• Lu Danyan entered a ruined palace and found a high-quality Alchemy Furnace, then confronted Zhang Yuan and Wangyou True Person for following him.
• Zhang Yuan told Lu Danyan that he had studied pill-cauldron arts under Blood Miasma Celestial and had come for the Alchemy Furnace.