Chapter Summaries

Shi Chun stayed near the battlefield while Summer Path Mountain fought the Ice Jiao, then helped his group loot the frozen wreckage after the disciples fled. During the search, he discovered that An Wuzhi had survived and quietly rejoined them.

• Shi Chun sent Chu Jingtang and the others to search for Xu Anchang while Gu Liani repeatedly struck the regenerating Ice Jiao with her Azure Rainbow sword phantom.
• Pang Hou attacked the Ice Jiao with the Ten Thousand Sons Reincarnation Pagoda, but the beast shattered its artifact spirit and sent it flying away.
• Yuan Yao persuaded Gu Liani to withdraw and lure others to help kill the Ice Jiao, and she escaped with him as the beast pursued them through the sky.
• Wu Jinliang sent Hao Ji to check the Iron Forest, then led the group in searching the battlefield for Wind Scales, Heaven-and-Earth Bags, and Origin-Locking Formation artifacts while Shi Chun kept watch.
• Shi Chun noticed five people overturning an ice block, realized An Wuzhi was among them, and asked how he had survived; An Wuzhi said he had melted his way out of the ice and joined the search.

An Wuzhi rejoined the treasure hunt, and his return coincided with the Ice Jiao’s attack on the group. Wu Jinliang’s gourd immobilized the beast, giving Shi Chun time to strike it with the Demon-Undoing Hand, but flames of Divine Fire began emerging from its body.

• An Wuzhi explained that he had stayed nearby because he still hoped to find Divine Fire, and the group resumed searching for treasure.
• Shi Chun spotted the Ice Jiao emerging from beneath the ice and warned everyone to flee as it chased them through the air.
• Wu Jinliang threw a gourd at the Ice Jiao, immobilizing it and stopping its pursuit.
• Shi Chun repeatedly struck the trapped Ice Jiao with the Demon-Undoing Hand, then noticed six flames of Divine Fire stirring inside it.
• An Wuzhi and Tong Mingshan caught emerging flames of Ice Flame while the others saw more Divine Fire rising from the Ice Jiao.

Shi Chun and the others collected Divine Fires from the immobilized Ice Jiao, but their pursuit of another flame damaged the restraints and unleashed a freezing burst. Tong Mingshan rescued the Bright Mountain Sect group, who escaped through the transformed icefield, and Shen Moming reported finding traces of the Thousand Rocks Sect.

• An Wuzhi and Tong Mingshan gathered Divine Fires from the Ice Jiao, while Shi Chun warned them not to share any with the Four Cauldron Sect.
• Another Divine Fire emerged and hid inside the Ice Jiao, so Shi Chun used Fire God Incense to track it as the group chased it through the monster’s body.
• The group’s pursuit damaged the restraints, and the Ice Jiao unleashed a freezing burst that trapped everyone in ice as two Divine Fires fled into the darkness.
• Tong Mingshan used his red Divine Fire to melt through the ice and rescue Shi Chun, then helped the Bright Mountain Sect group escape diagonally upward.
• The group emerged onto a mountainside in an icefield transformed into towering peaks, and Wu Jinliang and Chu Jingtang realized that seven Divine Fires had appeared.
• Shen Moming told Shi Chun that he had found traces of the Thousand Rocks Sect.

Shi Chun’s group secured several divine flames and returned to the Iron Forest, where they reunited with the Four Cauldron Sect. Shi Chun told Xu Anchang about the Thousand Rocks Sect and its use of demonic qi, leaving him and You Mu alarmed.

• Shi Chun told Shen Moming to pretend he had never heard of the Thousand Rocks Sect and sent him back to the group.
• Shi Chun boosted the group’s morale by boasting about their divine flames and arranged for An Wuzhi to absorb one while Tong Mingshan guarded the remaining flames.
• Shi Chun and the others returned to the Iron Forest, where Hao Ji reported that Xu Anchang’s group had come back to search the caves.
• Shi Chun told Xu Anchang that Tong Mingshan, An Wuzhi, and Zhu Xiangxin had each received a divine ice flame, and claimed they had found the flames while Summer Path Mountain fought the Ice Jiao.
• Shi Chun privately asked Xu Anchang whether their superiors had sent anyone else, then revealed that Shen Moming had discovered the Thousand Rocks Sect and witnessed one of its members use demonic qi to kill someone.

Shi Chun persuaded Xu Anchang to exploit the Thousand Rocks Sect and Forgetting Passion Valley for more Divine Fire leads while keeping the Four Cauldron Sect’s men focused on searching. After Fang Zicheng revealed Forgetting Passion Valley’s location, both groups set out to deal with it first.

• Xu Anchang proposed leaving the Thousand Rocks Sect alone, but Shi Chun argued they should manipulate it into finding Divine Fire leads they could intercept.
• Shi Chun convinced Xu Anchang to spread word of the Four Cauldron Sect’s tracking method and station capable men near the Exit to exploit the resulting encounters.
• Fang Zicheng told Shi Chun where Forgetting Passion Valley was, and Shi Chun asked Xu Anchang to handle both Demonic Path sects using the same plan.
• Xu Anchang and You Mu discussed their suspicions about Shi Chun’s information, then decided it seemed genuine while resolving to stay vigilant and report everything later.
• Zhou Wuxian reported Red Cloud Fort’s location, and Shi Chun kept Hao Ji back so the Four Cauldron Sect could conserve its men for searching while the Bright Mountain Sect handled other risks.
• Shi Chun and Xu Anchang’s groups departed with Fang Zicheng to deal with Forgetting Passion Valley first.

On Blazing Fire Island, Shi Chun's group used his right-eye ability to track sects while searching for divine fire and pursued Forgetting Passion Valley. As Xu Anchang's group continued following the plan, Forgetting Passion Valley prepared to imitate the thieves' method, and Shi Chun's companions intercepted another group.

• Lan Qiaoyan, her daughter, and Gong Shaoci left Blazing Fire Island, while Young Master Nan reflected on how he had harmed Shi Chun's future with Miao Yilan.
• The Green-Robed Man told Feng Chi that both plans would continue, with the second waiting until the Divine Fire Domain opened, and warned her about the consequences if she failed.
• Xu Anchang's group discussed how thieves used moles and decoys to steal divine fires, while Wu Shanshan's Forgetting Passion Valley disciples listened from a pit.
• Wu Shanshan ordered her disciples to search for divine fire and had Lin Yuefang prepare their contacts in other sects to use the thieves' method.
• Shi Chun intercepted Xu Anchang's group with his companions, took Fang Zicheng to track Forgetting Passion Valley, and left another disciple to resume following the mole's sect.
• Gong Shixi's Thousand Rocks Sect hid along a canyon as Xu Anchang's group passed overhead, unaware that the sect was watching them.

Shi Chun reassured his companions that he trusted Tong Mingshan, Zhu Xiangxin, and An Wuzhi after they worried the three might abandon them once they gained power. He reorganized the search and message network, while Gu Liani returned with Heavenforging Sect reinforcements only to find the plain had vanished.

• Xu Anchang returned to the Iron Forest, while Shi Chun led his group to the hiding place and learned that Tong Mingshan and Zhu Xiangxin had taken turns absorbing divine fire after An Wuzhi.
• An Wuzhi told Shi Chun’s companions that he, Tong Mingshan, and Zhu Xiangxin had all reached grand completion.
• Chu Jingtang, Hao Ji, Shen Moming, Fang Zicheng, and Chen Wuji warned Shi Chun that the three might leave them after receiving help, but Shi Chun said he trusted them and ordered everyone to keep supporting them.
• Shi Chun sent Wu Jinliang and Fang Zicheng to take control of the exit’s message relays and gather information about stolen divine fire, then returned with the others to search the Iron Forest.
• Gu Liani brought around fifty Summer Path Mountain members and a hundred Heavenforging Sect members to the Icefield, but they could not find the plain they had sought.

Gu Liani’s group abandoned their search for the missing formation artifacts and planned to watch Shi Chun for clues, while An Wuzhi and Tong Mingshan pursued their own cultivation and fire-gathering plans. At the Exit, the Thousand Rocks Sect used a stolen Divine Fire to lure pursuers away, and Lao Changhai recognized the familiar trick from their lookout.

• Zuo Zisheng led the Heavenforging Sect away after Gu Liani failed to find the Ice Jiao, and Gu Liani ordered the rest to keep searching for their Origin-Locking Formation artifacts.
• Yuan Yao proposed watching near the Exit for Shi Chun’s next attempt to find Divine Fires, and Gu Liani sent Pang Hou and three others to keep watch while she led the rest toward another lair.
• Tong Mingshan emerged from seclusion with his fire essence realm at human immortal minor completion, and An Wuzhi took the two Divine Fires to seek out the Chief.
• Chen Wuji told Zhu Xiangxin to stay behind and guard two Divine Fires while Tong Mingshan joined the team, citing the Sect Master’s priority at the artifact refining gathering.
• Gong Shixi’s Thousand Rocks Sect used a dust cloud to steal a pale purple Divine Fire and draw its owners away before searching the pits.
• Lao Changhai spotted two people arriving at the summit with a pale purple Divine Fire and recognized the familiar scene from the lookout.

Wu Jinliang tracked the Thousand Rocks Sect and tricked the Proud Flame Sect into revealing where they had encountered them. After parting from Qi Yuannong, he taught Lao Changhai how to use the same ruse, while Pang Hou followed Wu Jinliang in hopes of finding Shi Chun.

• Two Thousand Rocks Sect disciples took refuge beside the Ten Elders, and their pursuers left without recovering the stolen divine fire.
• Pang Hou recognized Wu Jinliang and led his companions after him, hoping to find Shi Chun.
• Wu Jinliang caught up with Qi Yuannong's Proud Flame Sect and claimed the Thousand Rocks Sect had robbed and killed Bright Mountain Sect members.
• Qi Yuannong gave Wu Jinliang directions to the place where the Proud Flame Sect had encountered the Thousand Rocks Sect.
• After the Proud Flame Sect departed, Wu Jinliang explained his deceptive method to Lao Changhai, who realized why Wu had swindled them at the Skyfall Meteor Assembly.

Wu Jinliang rejoined Shi Chun at the Iron Forest and passed along information from the Thousand Rocks Sect while Summer Path Mountain trackers followed them. Gu Liani arrived with her disciples and prepared to surround the area, believing it was a blessed place to find Divine Fire.

• Pang Hou's Summer Path Mountain disciples tracked Wu Jinliang and Lao Changhai, but one tracker was discovered and killed by two Bright Mountain Sect men.
• A lotus Life Lamp for Song Yao went out, and Gu Yanduo worried that his daughter and other Summer Path Mountain disciples were in danger.
• Wu Jinliang found Hao Ji at the Iron Forest and entered a cave to report Qi Yuannong's guidance to Shi Chun.
• Shi Chun left the cave with six Bright Mountain Sect members to look for Xu Anchang, delaying their departure.
• Gu Liani arrived with Pang Hou, identified the Iron Forest as a likely Divine Fire site, and ordered her disciples to surround it and kill anyone who tried to escape.

Shi Chun negotiated with Gu Liani after Summer Path Mountain surrounded his group, offering to trade his method for finding divine fire for their formation-setting Magical Artifacts. Gu Liani accepted the exchange in principle, but Yuan Yao questioned why Shi Chun still demanded collateral alongside a Poison Oath.

• Gu Liani led Summer Path Mountain to the Iron Forest, where Shi Chun and the Four Cauldron Sect members chose not to flee as her forces surrounded them.
• Shi Chun showed Gu Liani the ice flames absorbed by Tong Mingshan and An Wuzhi, then offered to take her to two more, but she demanded his method for finding divine fire.
• Shi Chun proposed exchanging that method for Summer Path Mountain's formation-setting Magical Artifacts and asked Gu Liani to swear a Poison Oath and provide one artifact as collateral.
• Gu Liani agreed to the proposed exchange, but Yuan Yao challenged Shi Chun's demand for collateral if he trusted the oath.

Shi Chun traded the Origin-Locking Formation’s Array Compass for a promise from Gu Liani, then led the Summer Path Mountain group to the Yellow Earth Wasteland to find the Thousand Rocks Sect. He exposed Gong Shixi’s hiding place and hinted that they shared a Demonic Path allegiance, leaving Gong Shixi to choose whether to cooperate.

• Gu Liani handed Shi Chun the Array Compass and swore to give him the complete Origin-Locking Formation in exchange for his method of finding divine fire.
• Shi Chun and his companions flew with the Summer Path Mountain disciples to the Yellow Earth Wasteland, where Shi Chun used his right-eye ability to locate people hiding underground.
• Shi Chun called out to Gong Shixi, and Yuan Yao blasted open the hiding place, forcing Gong Shixi and four companions to emerge.
• Shi Chun told Gong Shixi that their identities were exposed and warned that an Elder controlled the Exit, then offered him a choice between cooperating and being taken with the others.

Shi Chun gathered the Bright Mountain Sect, Four Cauldron Sect, and Thousand Rocks Sect to confront Summer Path Mountain, then argued that their conflict had begun with a misunderstanding. He persuaded Gu Liani to send Pang Hou with Wu Jinliang to verify his evidence, while Gong Shixi waited for an explanation of Shi Chun’s plan.

• Gong Shixi summoned twenty people to surround Summer Path Mountain, and the three allied sects drew their weapons as both sides prepared to fight.
• Xu Anchang displayed a black banner, and Shi Chun challenged Gu Liani to choose an opponent while warning that a battle could leave both sides devastated.
• Shi Chun accused Summer Path Mountain of deceiving him and argued that their earlier conflict was a misunderstanding, proposing that a trusted member verify his evidence.
• Gu Liani agreed to send Pang Hou with Wu Jinliang, and Wu Jinliang rode away on his Wind Scales with Pang Hou following.
• Gong Shixi questioned Shi Chun about involving the Thousand Rocks Sect, and Shi Chun promised to explain once the others returned.

Shi Chun’s group showed Pang Hou their divine ice flames to prove they had obtained them, then Shi Chun faced Summer Path Mountain’s leaders and explained how the Ice Jiao had died. He admitted they had caught only five of seven flames, leaving the truth of his bizarre account for Gu Liani and the others to judge.

• Wu Jinliang took Pang Hou to Zhu Xiangxin’s cave, where Pang Hou inspected two divine ice flames and saw Zhu Xiangxin produce another.
• Wu Jinliang argued that the flames proved Shi Chun’s group had obtained five ice flames and returned Pang Hou to the others after moving the guarded flames to a safer location.
• Pang Hou told Gu Liani and Yuan Yao what he had seen, and they questioned whether they had misunderstood Shi Chun’s group.
• Gu Liani called Shi Chun over, and Yuan Yao asked him how he had killed the Ice Jiao.
• Shi Chun said the Ice Jiao had thrashed itself to death amid seven struggling divine flames, while his group had caught five and two had escaped into the ice mountains.

Shi Chun convinced Gu Liani and the others that they had misjudged him, but refused to hand over divine fires after they broke their agreement and attacked his group. Gu Liani’s side accepted renewed cooperation, and both factions withdrew to separate positions.

• Shi Chun explained that the Ice Jiao had died when six mutually repelling divine fires burst from its belly, and argued that Gu Liani’s group had wrongly accused him of deception.
• Shi Chun described the injustice he had suffered after the Skyfall Meteor Assembly, prompting Gu Liani, Pang Hou, and Yuan Yao to recognize their prejudice.
• Gu Liani demanded two divine fires, but Shi Chun refused, cited the earlier fire he had given them, and threatened to fight rather than continue cooperation on unfair terms.
• Shi Chun returned to his group and demanded that the Summer Path Mountain forces withdraw; after conferring, Gu Liani proposed restoring their agreement.
• Shi Chun required Summer Path Mountain to withdraw first, and Yuan Yao ordered its members aside while the Thousand Rocks Sect and Bright Mountain Sect groups also moved away from the confrontation.

Shi Chun negotiated with Gu Liani to give Summer Path Mountain two Ice Flames first, then proposed that Summer Path Mountain, the Thousand Rocks Sect, and his own group share the Divine Fire equally. He revealed how Summer Path Mountain’s protection would support their scheme, leaving Gong Shixi to decide whether to accept the deal or abandon the method.

• Gu Liani asked Shi Chun to give Summer Path Mountain two Ice Flames first, promising that future Divine Fire would repay him before anyone else.
• Shi Chun explained Wu Jinliang’s encounter with the Thousand Rocks Sect and said that sect would need a share; Gu Liani agreed to a third if Gong Shixi accepted.
• Shi Chun told Wu Jinliang he had involved Summer Path Mountain to secure protection from its elders and reduce the danger of obtaining Divine Fire.
• Gong Shixi confronted Shi Chun, but Shi Chun had Xu Anchang and his fellow disciple reveal that his group had found seven or eight Divine Fires.
• Shi Chun proposed that Summer Path Mountain, the Thousand Rocks Sect, and his group split the gains equally, arguing that Summer Path Mountain’s support would make their diversion scheme safer.

Shi Chun tried to secure cooperation between Summer Path Mountain, the Four Cauldron Sect, and the Thousand Rocks Sect, but Gong Shixi refused to work with him because of his reputation. Shi Chun had the other groups surround the Thousand Rocks Sect while he searched the area, and he discovered signs of divine fire underground.

• Gong Shixi discussed Shi Chun’s proposed alliance with Zhou Wudao and Xun Lishan, who weighed its benefits against the risk of dividing the spoils and explaining their choice to their superiors.
• Shi Chun pointed out that the Thousand Rocks Sect appeared to be entirely made up of Demonic Path members and urged Xu Anchang to cooperate with his plan.
• Gong Shixi rejected the alliance, saying he would not trust Shi Chun and threatening that none of them would leave if Shi Chun obstructed his plans.
• Shi Chun asked Summer Path Mountain to surround the Thousand Rocks Sect, then instructed Xu Anchang and Gu Liani to pretend to negotiate while he kept Gong Shixi waiting.
• Shi Chun searched from the air and spotted deep-yellow specks far beneath the ground, suggesting that divine fire lay below.

Shi Chun secretly teamed up with Gu Liani to find and capture a Divine Fire, recovering her Origin-Locking Formation treasures along the way. After agreeing to trade the captured earth flame for two ice flames, they returned to the others and ended the standoff with the Thousand Rocks Sect, which resumed its search.

• Shi Chun returned Gu Liani’s Array Compass and twelve iron towers, then led her away to find the Divine Fire he had located underground.
• Shi Chun used incense smoke to indicate the Divine Fire’s location, and he and Gu Liani quietly traced a circuit around it before activating the Origin-Locking Formation.
• Gu Liani captured the earth flame, and she and Shi Chun agreed that it would count toward the first four Divine Fires they found together in exchange for two ice flames.
• Shi Chun warned Gu Liani that his method of locating Divine Fire could bring danger to Summer Path Mountain if its secret became known, then returned to the negotiations while she waited nearby.
• Shi Chun sent Xu Anchang’s Four Cauldron Sect group away and arranged for Pang Hou to meet Gu Liani before ending the standoff with Gong Shixi.
• Shi Chun and Gu Liani led their groups away, and Gong Shixi ordered the Thousand Rocks Sect to resume searching in pairs.

Shi Chun divided newly acquired divine flames among the group and explained that the expedition’s priority was to help the Sect Master claim first place. After receiving fresh leads, he arranged with Gu Liani to pursue them and persuaded her to deliver a gift to Elder Jin, a plan that left her suspicious of his intentions.

• Shi Chun gave Summer Path Mountain two ice flames and Zhu Xiangxin an earth flame, then ordered the new flame sent to Tong Mingshan for absorption instead of An Wuzhi.
• Shi Chun explained his distribution rules and said the expedition aimed to secure divine flames for the Sect Master; An Wuzhi reluctantly accepted the decision.
• Xiao Sheng and Wu Hong returned with leads, and Shi Chun decided to investigate those locations before visiting places known to Summer Path Mountain.
• Gu Liani offered Summer Path Mountain’s old divine-flame locations, and Shi Chun asked her to lure pursuers away while wearing a disguise.
• Shi Chun told Gu Liani to deliver a gift to Elder Jin, and she realized his plan could involve drawing the elders into the scheme.

Shi Chun and Gu Liani coordinated a plan to steal divine fire, pass secret messages, and work with Summer Path Mountain to capture more flames. Gu Liani delivered a concealed jade slip to Elder Jin Guiqi, showed him her own divine fire, and left him impressed as Wu Jinliang prepared to follow her group.

• Shi Chun sent Chu Jingtang and Chen Wuji to deliver his sealed letter to Wu Jinliang, then rewrote Gu Liani's message and helped hide her jade slip inside a stone gift for Elder Jin Guiqi.
• Wu Jinliang received Shi Chun's instructions, destroyed the letter after reading it, and followed a group carrying divine fire to obtain another location's clues before returning to wait.
• Disguised as a fleeing thief, Gu Liani carried Tong Mingshan's red flame past the elders while Summer Path Mountain and Bright Mountain Sect searched the abandoned area together.
• Shi Chun used his ability to locate something beneath the magma, and Yuan Yao's Origin-Locking Formation helped Pang Hou capture another red divine fire.
• Gu Liani presented Elder Jin Guiqi with the stone containing her jade slip, displayed her own divine fire, and departed while Jin Guiqi realized she had become a capable leader.
• Wu Jinliang recognized Gu Liani and told Chu Jingtang and Chen Wuji to follow her group once it left, so they could find Shi Chun.