Chapter Summaries

Lü Yanyan mistook the Nine-Bend Peak disciples’ poisoned meal for a sign of their kindness, while Chen Yu knew the nosebleeds had another cause. The Senior Brothers’ poisoning worsened despite their usual antidotes, and they began investigating the cooking pot as their assessment was delayed.

• Lü Yanyan tried to help the bleeding Senior Brothers, but Chen Yu stopped her and said they were fooling around.
• The Senior Brothers ate bluewood fruit, but their nosebleeds worsened instead of stopping.
• The Senior Brothers took Detoxification Pills, while the young Senior Master Brother delayed Chen Yu and Lü Yanyan’s assessment.
• The young Senior Master Brother realized that the Detoxification Pills had not worked, and he and the others panicked over the worsening bleeding.
• The young Senior Master Brother suspected the poison had reacted with an ingredient, so the Senior Brothers examined the unwashed pot for the cause.

Shen Fei and his fellow disciples suffered nonstop nosebleeds after eating his cooking, so he summoned Elder Yun to investigate. Elder Yun determined the meal was medicine rather than poison, but as he puzzled over their prolonged symptoms, Shen Fei noticed Elder Yun’s nose was bleeding too.

• Shen Fei and the disciples analyzed the meal’s ingredients but could not explain why they were all bleeding from the nose.
• Shen Fei crushed a jade talisman to summon Elder Yun and apologized to Chen Yu and Lü Yanyan for the delay.
• Elder Yun arrived, heard Shen Fei recount what had happened, and tasted the food left in the iron pot.
• Elder Yun concluded that concentrated essences from several tonics had caused an excessively strong nourishing effect, not poisoning.
• Shen Fei noticed that Elder Yun’s nose had begun to bleed.

Elder Yun identified the nosebleeds as the effect of a concealed poison, and Chen Yu revealed his skill by explaining the poison’s unusual formula. After Elder Yun confirmed Chen Yu had made it, he left his poisoned disciples to work out the antidote themselves.

• Elder Yun discovered that a hidden poison, rather than the tonics, had caused the disciples’ nosebleeds.
• Shen Fei suspected the newcomers, while Elder Yun analyzed the poison’s ingredients and questioned why ice lotus herb and dragon snake flower were included.
• Chen Yu explained how the two ingredients strengthened the poison, leading Shen Fei and Lü Yanyan to realize he had poisoned the disciples and thwarted Shen Fei’s scheme.
• Elder Yun praised the formula, and Chen Yu admitted that he had made the poison.
• After Shen Fei asked him to save the disciples, Elder Yun gave them ten jade bottles and told them to work out the antidote themselves.

Chen Yu impressed Elder Yun with his poison formula and was accepted as a disciple of Nine-Bend Peak, where he became Senior Master Brother by poisoning the other disciples. He secured Lü Yanyan’s entry into the peak as well, but Elder Yun required Chen Yu to improve his formula within three months to fully grant his request.

• Elder Yun questioned Chen Yu about Sun Shengcheng’s poisoning, then accepted Chen Yu’s explanation for how he developed his poison formula.
• Chen Yu explained that he had poisoned the disciples to attract Elder Yun’s attention and become his disciple, and Elder Yun accepted him into Nine-Bend Peak.
• Elder Yun named Chen Yu the Senior Master Brother because he had proved his skill by poisoning the other disciples, and gave him a waist token and communication talisman.
• Chen Yu asked Elder Yun to accept Lü Yanyan as his disciple too, and Elder Yun agreed on the condition that Chen Yu improve his poison formula within three months.
• Elder Yun inscribed Lü Yanyan’s waist token with her name and Nine-Bend Peak.

Chen Yu and Lü Yanyan became Elder Yun’s disciples on Nine-Bend Peak and learned the requirements for studying the Poison Path. After Chen Yu’s poisoning feat made him Eldest Senior Brother, he failed to persuade Shen Fei to take back the position and accepted the title.

• Elder Yun made Chen Yu and Lü Yanyan disciples, required them to study and research the Poison Path, and offered rewards for poison discoveries and testing.
• Elder Yun gave Chen Yu and Lü Yanyan copies of Basics of the Poison Path, told them where to collect materials, and said they could build residences wherever they wished.
• Lü Yanyan thanked Chen Yu, and he assured her that he had a way to meet Elder Yun’s condition.
• Chen Yu tried to apologize to the ten disciples and persuade Shen Fei to reclaim the Eldest Senior Brother position, but they praised his skill and refused.
• Chen Yu gave up trying to relinquish the title and left to prepare to build his residence.

A month after becoming Nine-Bend Peak's Senior Master Brother, Chen Yu visited the Inner Sect's Scripture Repository to find a metal-attribute cultivation technique. He reached the second floor and began searching among the profound-tier techniques.

• Chen Yu completed an enhanced version of Fire-Poison Powder and stopped researching poison while two months remained before Elder Yun's inspection.
• Chen Yu left Nine-Bend Peak for Morning Cloud Peak after briefly greeting Lü Yanyan and helping her with the Basics of the Poison Path.
• The elders guarding the Scripture Repository confirmed Chen Yu could choose one technique for free and allowed him access to its first two floors.
• Chen Yu noticed the elders hinting that something had happened in the Outer Sect but entered the repository without learning what it was.
• Chen Yu passed over the first-floor techniques and found that the second floor held mostly profound-tier techniques, including a wood-attribute poison technique.

Chen Yu chose the mid Profound Grade Flowing Light True Art from the Inner Sect Scripture Repository for its swift, initiative-seizing attacks and learned its cultivation method. As he left, he encountered Xiang Baiwei, who blocked his path after he tried to walk around her.

• Chen Yu browsed metal-attribute cultivation manuals and ruled out those that did not suit his preferences.
• Chen Yu narrowed his choices to Flowing Light True Art, Heavenly Gang Art, Primordial Metal Method, and Golden Plume Art.
• Chen Yu selected Flowing Light True Art and received its teachings and cultivation method through his waist token.
• Chen Yu wondered whether his mixed five-attribute spirit embryo could condense metal-attribute true qi quickly enough to cultivate the art.
• Chen Yu encountered Xiang Baiwei on the stairs, tried to pass her, and asked whether she needed something when she blocked his way.

Xiang Baiwei told Chen Yu that the Dao Sect faced threats from rival sects and hidden groups, but he refused to join the White Lotus Sect and returned to Nine-Bend Peak. There, he examined new treasures in the immortal vestige and found that cultivating the Flowing Light True Art earned experience too slowly, so he decided to seek a shortcut.

• Xiang Baiwei told Chen Yu that the Evergreen Sect and Jade Void Sect had attacked the Dao Sect, while the White Lotus Sect and Azure Void Society were hidden within it.
• Xiang Baiwei again invited Chen Yu to join the White Lotus Sect, but he refused because he did not believe it could replace the Dao Sect.
• Chen Yu returned to Nine-Bend Peak, questioned whether the Dao Sect’s apparent weakness was a ruse, and chose to wait before getting involved.
• Chen Yu examined four treasures in the Poison Hall, including an unfamiliar heavy wooden rod and a Ruins Sect token, and stored them away.
• Chen Yu tried cultivating the Flowing Light True Art, stopped when it produced almost no experience, and decided he needed a shortcut.

Chen Yu devised a shortcut to cultivate the Flowing Light True Art with experience points and used it to advance his cultivation. After testing his new abilities, he began considering a secret method for splitting his attention so he could control two flying swords at once.

• Chen Yu realized he could shorten the Flowing Light True Art’s meridian route and gain experience by simulating its final result.
• He stored metal-attribute true qi in gathering spirit jade and cultivated over three days to accumulate sixteen experience points.
• Chen Yu spent the points to advance his cultivation, form flowing light in his dantian, and test a swift strike against the unusually tough coffin.
• He practiced controlling the Nine Springs Sword, then tried to raise a second sword and found that he could not keep both under control without splitting his attention.
• Chen Yu recalled seeing a secret method for training divided attention in the Alchemy Hall’s book room.

Chen Yu completed an advanced Fire-Poison Powder formula to secure Lü Yanyan’s place on Nine-Bend Peak, while practicing the Distraction Technique and preparing hidden weapons for his swords. Elder Yun accepted the formula and allowed Lü Yanyan to stay, then told Chen Yu to attend the inner sect meeting in his place.

• Chen Yu practiced controlling multiple tasks and flying swords, and installed Hidden Weapon Devices on two swords.
• Lü Yanyan visited Chen Yu on the deadline day and saw him writing poison formulas with both hands.
• Chen Yu gave Lü Yanyan the advanced Fire-Poison Powder formula and reassured her that she could ask him for help studying the Poison Path.
• Chen Yu submitted the formula to Elder Yun, who approved it and allowed Lü Yanyan to remain on Nine-Bend Peak.
• Elder Yun told Chen Yu to attend the inner sect meeting in his place the next day.

Elder Yun sent Chen Yu to attend the Inner Sect meeting at Radiant Blossom Peak in his place, and Chen Yu prepared to learn about the sect’s response to mounting threats. After arriving and presenting Elder Yun’s jade token, Chen Yu entered the meeting hall and was unexpectedly addressed by a woman.

• Elder Yun told Chen Yu to attend the Inner Sect meeting and report back, and Chen Yu reasoned that it could reveal information about the sect’s response to rival factions.
• Chen Yu asked Shen Fei for advice, and Shen Fei said that representing Elder Yun meant Chen Yu did not need to defer to other elders.
• Third Brother declared that he would make a poison to defeat Chen Yu and claim the position of Eldest Senior Brother, and Shen Fei let him try.
• Chen Yu returned to his residence, where Lü Yanyan celebrated being allowed to remain on Nine-Bend Peak with him.
• Chen Yu arrived at Radiant Blossom Peak, showed Elder Yun’s jade token to the miscellaneous affairs elders, and entered the meeting hall.
• A woman recognized Chen Yu and said she had not expected him to become Elder Yun’s disciple.

Chen Yu attended an Inner Sect meeting in Elder Yun’s place, where Elder Wu’s disciple announced new policies and a trial at Black Mist Marsh. Though Nine-Bend Peak was initially exempt, Chen Yu was unexpectedly ordered to help lead the new disciples there.

• Chen Yu encountered Song Caiyun in the Council Hall and took Elder Yun’s assigned seat among the highest-ranking elders.
• Elder Wu’s disciple announced that spirit essence would prioritize ninth-layer Qi Refining disciples, elders must stop extracting spirit embryos, and most peaks must send recent Inner Sect disciples to Black Mist Marsh.
• Chen Yu realized the trial could target White Lotus Sect and Azure Void Society infiltrators and thought Nine-Bend Peak was exempt.
• After the meeting, Elder Wu’s disciple told Chen Yu that the two of them would lead the new disciples to Black Mist Marsh.
• Chen Yu wondered whether he could ask Elder Yun to send Shen Fei in his place.

Chen Yu learned that Elder Yun had arranged for him to lead the Inner Sect disciples to Black Mist Marsh and assigned him to retrieve three miasma-crossing flowers. Back at his residence, he drank the Spasm Powder Lü Yanyan had just made, stunning her and a hidden man who had prepared poison for him.

• Chen Yu reported the Inner Sect meeting and the Black Mist Marsh mission to Elder Yun, who admitted he had arranged for Chen Yu to go.
• Elder Yun gave Chen Yu high-grade Detoxification Pills, ordered him to bring back at least three miasma-crossing flowers, and asked him to continue improving his poison formula.
• A dark-skinned man hid near Chen Yu's residence and planned to poison him because he resented Chen Yu's new Senior Master Brother position.
• Lü Yanyan proudly showed Chen Yu the Spasm Powder she had made, and Chen Yu poured it into his mouth and chewed it.
• Lü Yanyan panicked and tried to make Chen Yu spit out the poison while the hidden man watched in shock.

Chen Yu ate Lü Yanyan’s Spasm Powder without harm, then devoured Cao Jun’s other poisons as well. Cao Jun fled to Shen Fei, whose reaction to the story remained unknown.

• Cao Jun watched Chen Yu swallow a bottle of Spasm Powder while Lü Yanyan panicked and tried to make him spit it out.
• Chen Yu told Lü Yanyan that he had taken a Detoxification Pill and suggested she add more white crow seed to her Spasm Powder.
• Cao Jun waited for the Spasm Powder to take effect, then watched Chen Yu open his door and inhale the Half-Step Drop he had planted.
• Cao Jun saw Chen Yu eat red scorpion wood, drink water laced with Half-Step Drop, and consume centipede grass and kugu root without collapsing.
• Cao Jun rushed to Shen Fei and asked whether he could eat raw red scorpion wood, centipede grass, and kugu root with poisoned water; Shen Fei froze.

Cao Jun told Shen Fei that Chen Yu had eaten several poisons without a Detoxification Pill, prompting Shen Fei to test his own tolerance. Chen Yu had secretly noticed Cao Jun’s poisoning attempt and prepared for his mission to Black Mist Marsh by gathering protections and making a gas mask.

• Cao Jun described Chen Yu eating poison to Shen Fei, who demanded a detailed account and then tried eating red scorpion wood and centipede grass himself.
• Cao Jun said he admired Chen Yu and would stop disputing his position as Senior Master Brother, and Shen Fei accepted his change in address.
• Chen Yu realized Cao Jun had poisoned his residence but had avoided harm by taking a Detoxification Pill beforehand.
• Chen Yu wondered whether Shen Fei had put Cao Jun up to the poisoning and planned to encourage Shen Fei to try again after returning from Black Mist Marsh.
• Chen Yu prepared for the marsh by gathering weapons, poisons, Detoxification Pills, protective clothing, supplies, and materials for multiple gas masks.

Chen Yu prepared extensively for the Black Mist Marsh trial and traveled to Heavenly Chasm Peak, where he turned down Xiang Baiwei’s offer to team up. After Xiang Baiwei warned him about two dangerous leaders and called one a smiling tiger, Chen Yu joined the gathered disciples and approached Elder Wu’s True Disciple.

• Chen Yu tested a gas mask that protected him from poison for about two hours and prepared supplies for the trial.
• Cao Jun told Chen Yu that Shen Fei had consumed poison and fallen unconscious, and Chen Yu sent a warning for Shen Fei to stop eating poison.
• Chen Yu said goodbye to his Junior Brothers and Lü Yanyan before heading to Heavenly Chasm Peak.
• Xiang Baiwei invited Chen Yu to join her group for the trial, but he refused because they did not walk the same path.
• Xiang Baiwei warned Chen Yu about two dangerous team leaders, including a poison elder’s eldest disciple rumored to be a smiling tiger.
• Chen Yu reached the summit, spotted Elder Wu’s True Disciple, and walked toward her.

At Heavenly Chasm Peak, Xiang Baiwei and the White Lotus Sect members discussed the dangers of the Black Mist Marsh trial and considered silencing Chen Yu. Xiao Lei announced the trial’s rules, and Chen Yu revealed himself as one of its leaders, leaving Xiang Baiwei to realize their positions were very different.

• Chen Yu approached Xiao Lei at the front of the gathering while Xiang Baiwei and the White Lotus Sect members watched.
• A White Lotus Sect disciple suggested using the trial to kill Chen Yu, but Xiao Lei silenced the crowd before Xiang Baiwei could answer.
• Xiao Lei announced that fifty-three disciples and two leaders would enter Black Mist Marsh, survive there for at least a week, search for treasures, and act alone.
• Chen Yu explained that disciples could use jade pendants to request rescue, but doing so would count as failing the trial.
• Xiang Baiwei realized that Chen Yu was a leader rather than a trial participant and began to understand why he had said they did not walk the same path.

Chen Yu joined Xiao Lei in leading the Inner Sect disciples toward the Black Mist Marsh, where he suspected the trial was meant to target hidden White Lotus Sect and Azure Void Society members. The Flying Boat arrived at the marsh, and Xiao Lei announced that the trial had begun.

• Chen Yu questioned why he had been made a team leader, while Xiang Baiwei wondered whether he could really be Elder Yun’s eldest disciple.
• Xiao Lei told Chen Yu to ignore disciples who crushed their Jade Pendants to call for help, and Chen Yu suspected the trial was a purge of hidden sect members.
• Chen Yu decided to warn Xiang Baiwei when he had a chance, then handed out signaling Jade Pendants and promised the disciples he would respond to distress signals.
• Xiao Lei gave Chen Yu a Communication Jade Pendant in exchange for one of his Detoxification Pills, while Xiang Baiwei failed to dissuade a hostile disciple from planning to lure and kill Chen Yu.
• The Flying Boat reached the Black Mist Marsh, and Xiao Lei declared the trial had begun.

Chen Yu entered the Black Mist Marsh to find miasma-crossing flowers and devised a way to lure Black Pythons by using drugged snakes as bait. After his first attempt hit a female disciple and failed to attract a Black Python, he decided to try another area.

• Xiao Lei explained the trial rules, and Chen Yu warned the disciples about the marsh's dangers, detoxifying materials, and Black Pythons.
• After the disciples entered the marsh, Chen Yu learned that the Communication Jade Pendants did not record everything and asked Xiao Lei to alert him if anyone reported a Black Python.
• Chen Yu realized he could use Black Pythons' attraction to scent to find their lairs, then arranged for the Flying Boat to take him to a forest where he collected snakes.
• Chen Yu drugged and wounded a green snake, then threw it into the marsh as bait, but no Black Python appeared.
• Chen Yu threw a second, black snake, which landed around a female disciple's neck and made her faint; he removed the snake and decided to try another location.

Chen Yu found a miasma-crossing flower by following a Black Python, then was attacked by Chen Hong, a White Lotus Sect disciple who accused him of betraying her sect. When Chen Hong tried to self-detonate, Chen Yu used the Spirit Essence refinement method on her and produced an unfamiliar object whose nature he could not identify.

• Chen Yu lured a Black Python to Little Green, followed it to its nest, killed it, and collected a miasma-crossing flower.
• Chen Hong confronted Chen Yu and attacked him, accusing him of being a Dao Sect lapdog who had exposed the White Lotus Sect.
• Chen Yu bound Chen Hong with the Binding Rope and tried to explain that he was Elder Yun's senior disciple, but she refused to believe him.
• Chen Hong began channeling her Spiritual Power to self-detonate, and Chen Yu tried to suppress the surge with the Spirit Essence refinement method.
• Chen Yu refined Chen Hong's body and energy into a small object, then compared it with a Rhyme Spirit and wondered what he had made.