Chapter Summaries

Li Xiaoya met Zhou Xiaoya, a mischievous disciple of the Heavenly Spirit Church, while they were both near a forbidden area they could not enter. They discovered they shared a taste for sneaking around and names that both included Xiaoya, then continued talking as they headed away.

• Li Xiaoya found Zhou Xiaoya hiding nearby and warned her that her scent might let a Golden-Armored Cultivator track her.
• Zhou Xiaoya realized that her scent could explain how her pursuers and their Seeking-Spirit Beast kept finding her.
• Li Xiaoya and Zhou Xiaoya admitted that neither could break through the restrictions around the forbidden area and started heading back together.
• Zhou Xiaoya introduced herself, and Li Xiaoya told her he was a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect.
• The two joked about sharing the name Xiaoya, and Zhou Xiaoya hinted that her cultivation was not necessarily the same as Li Xiaoya's.

Li Xiaoya escorted Zhou Xiaoya toward the Heavenly Spirit Church’s lodging, but three church disciples confronted them and attacked him. Zhou Xiaoya stopped the fight by ordering the disciples to stand down, then recognized that Huang Tiangu had sent them to find her.

• Zhou Xiaoya admitted she did not know where the Heavenly Spirit Church was staying, and Li Xiaoya offered to take her there.
• A Seeking-Spirit Beast led three Heavenly Spirit Church disciples to Zhou Xiaoya, and one attacked Li Xiaoya for holding her hand.
• Li Xiaoya countered the disciples’ yin-based spells with fire attacks as they surrounded him.
• Zhou Xiaoya stepped between them, struck one disciple with her staff, and ordered the three to stop fighting her friend.
• The disciples obeyed Zhou Xiaoya, and she complained that Huang Tiangu had sent them after her as though she were a child.

Li Xiaoya fought a mysterious cultivator who wielded purple flames that devoured other flames and froze whatever they touched. The attacker’s flames overwhelmed Li Xiaoya’s defenses, leaving him on the verge of being engulfed.

• Zhou Xiaoya left with three Heavenly Spirit Church disciples after thanking Li Xiaoya and inviting him to visit Heavenly Spirit Mountain.
• Li Xiaoya sensed watchers in the forest, while hidden observers discussed his strength and the earlier disturbance of restrictions.
• A hidden attacker launched a purple fireball at Li Xiaoya, whose red fireball and Fire Shield were devoured before the purple flames froze nearby trees.
• The purple-flame cultivator emerged and attacked Li Xiaoya with a stream of icy fire, while Li Xiaoya countered with red flames and a fiery serpent.
• The attacker’s purple-flame shield devoured Li Xiaoya’s serpent, then his flames extinguished Li Xiaoya’s attack and surged toward him.

Li Xiaoya battled a red-haired Fire Dragon Palace cultivator who wielded Purple Frost Exotic Fire. After their attacks damaged the cultivator’s Dragon Scale Shield, Li Xiaoya discovered that his opponent remained unharmed, leaving him in shock.

• The red-haired cultivator attacked Li Xiaoya with Purple Frost Exotic Fire, but Li Xiaoya’s Vacuum Ring barrier blocked the flames at the cost of much of his magic power.
• The cultivator struck from beneath Li Xiaoya’s feet and launched a flaming fist at him while he was airborne.
• Li Xiaoya used the Fire Dragon Sword to unleash a powerful fireball that knocked the cultivator’s attack back toward him.
• The red-haired cultivator protected himself with the Dragon Scale Shield, which cracked in the explosion, while he remained unharmed.
• Li Xiaoya cried out in disbelief when he saw that the red-haired cultivator had survived the attack without injury.

Li Xiaoya was attacked by Sun Xing, who tried to steal his Fire Dragon Sword, but Chen Ping intervened and restrained them both for fighting during the Immortal Assembly. After Li Xiaoya and Sun Xing each claimed to be an Exemption Disciple, Chen Ping ordered them taken into custody until their sect elders came to collect them.

• Sun Xing used his Dragon Scale Shield’s resistance to fire spells and attacked Li Xiaoya, trying to take his Fire Dragon Sword.
• Li Xiaoya was struck into a tree, and Sun Xing prepared to attack him again before Chen Ping pulled Li Xiaoya out of the way and bound Sun Xing.
• Chen Ping confronted Sun Xing and Li Xiaoya for breaking the Immortal Assembly’s ban on private fights, and both declared themselves Exemption Disciples.
• Two Golden-Armored Cultivators arrived but left after Chen Ping explained the situation; Kunqi Sect disciples, including Zhang Zhi and Ye Ying, then reached the scene.
• Chen Ping stopped Li Xiaoya from slipping away and ordered the disciples to take both fighters under guard until their sect elders came to collect them.

Li Xiaoya and Sun Xing were detained after fighting, bringing their sect elders to the Kunqi Sect. The elders’ meeting turned into a confrontation between Spirit Daoist and Old Devil Ning, and Chen Ping warned them that the Golden Light Hall might intervene.

• Chen Ping ordered Li Xiaoya and Sun Xing detained and sent Zhang Zhi and Ye Ying to summon their sect leaders.
• Spirit Daoist and Zhang Hong arrived, and Spirit Daoist recognized Li Xiaoya as the troublemaker.
• Li Xiaoya blamed Sun Xing for attacking first, while Sun Xing said Li Xiaoya had insulted the Demonic Path.
• Old Devil Ning arrived and began trading insults with Spirit Daoist, then brought out his Windfire Bowl.
• Chen Ping stepped between the elders and warned Old Devil Ning that the Golden Light Hall might intervene if they fought at the gathering.

Spirit Daoist and Old Devil Ning Du wagered on which sect would place more disciples in the Spiritlight Lake Gathering’s top eighteen, while Li Xiaoya reflected on his fight with Sun Xing and stayed at the lodgings under orders. On the gathering’s final day, Li Xiaoya watched the remaining disciples battle for victory.

• Old Devil Ning Du and Spirit Daoist wagered that the losing side would hand over a coveted treasure, with Chen Ping serving as witness.
• Sun Xing left after sending Li Xiaoya a threatening voice transmission, and Spirit Daoist took Li Xiaoya and Zhang Hong back to their lodgings.
• Li Xiaoya told Spirit Daoist about his fight with Sun Xing but claimed they had fought to a draw, then was ordered to stay inside.
• Li Xiaoya reconsidered his mistakes in the fight and recognized the threat posed by Sun Xing’s exotic flame and Dragon Scale Shield.
• Li Xiaoya remained in his room for several days while Zhang Hong prevented him from going out.
• On the final day of the Spiritlight Lake Gathering, Li Xiaoya watched Huang Hua and another cultivator fight as disciples battled for victory.

The final match for the eighteenth spot pitted Huang Hua of the Heavenly Dao Sect against a Demonic Sword Sect disciple using the Bloodthirsty Demonic Art. The disciple shattered Huang Hua’s golden whirlwind and brought down a huge sword phantom, leaving the referee to intervene as it threatened Huang Hua.

• Zhu Yun, Sword Spirit, and Dong Santong took first, second, and third place, respectively, while Huang Hua and a Demonic Sword Sect disciple fought for the final spot.
• Li Xiaoya and Spirit Daoist watched eagerly because Huang Hua’s victory would secure Spirit Daoist’s wager against Ning Du.
• Huang Hua unleashed a golden whirlwind of blade phantoms, and the Demonic Sword Sect disciple coated his greatsword with blood essence and charged into it using the Bloodthirsty Demonic Art.
• The Demonic Sword Sect disciple’s red-and-black sword light shattered the golden whirlwind, injuring Huang Hua through their mental link.
• The Demonic Sword Sect disciple raised his greatsword and sent an enormous sword phantom toward Huang Hua, who raised a golden shield as the Golden-Armored Cultivator rushed in to protect him.

The Demonic Sword Sect disciple defeated Huang Hua by using the life-draining Bloodthirst Technique, while Spirit Daoist told Huang Hua to accept the loss. Li Xiaoya reflected on how the other sects had fared as the tournament narrowed to eighteen contestants.

• The Golden-Armored Cultivator declared the match over after the Demonic Sword Sect disciple shattered his shield, and the Demonic Sword Sect won.
• Spirit Daoist stopped Huang Hua from continuing and explained that the opponent’s Bloodthirst Technique had made him too powerful to defeat.
• The Demonic Sword Sect disciple collapsed after the match, while Huang Hua mourned his loss before Spirit Daoist urged him to stand up.
• Li Xiaoya recalled that Wang Ding, Yang Zilin, Ye Ying, and Zhang Zhi had all been eliminated by disciples from other sects.
• A Beast Spirit Valley disciple defeated a Demon Ghost Cliff disciple after a long battle, and Bell Sword Mountain sent three disciples to the final eighteen while Spring Returning Church sent none.

After Huang Hua lost his match, Spirit Daoist and Ning Du traded barbs while Li Xiaoya taunted Sun Xing, until Chen Ping stopped the confrontation. As the gathering’s rewards were distributed and the wait for Spiritlight Lake ended, the eligible disciples set out under Golden-Armored Cultivator escort, with the Righteous and Demonic Paths kept apart.

• Huang Hua returned from his match with Spirit Daoist, and the Heavenly Dao Sect disciples gathered around them before Spirit Daoist silenced their chatter.
• Ning Du mocked Spirit Daoist over Huang Hua’s loss, and Spirit Daoist retorted about the Fire Dragon Palace’s poor results and Sun Xing’s decision not to compete.
• Li Xiaoya taunted Sun Xing, who challenged him to fight, but Chen Ping intervened and Ning Du led the Fire Dragon Palace disciples away.
• Spirit Daoist praised Li Xiaoya, then spoke with Chen Ping before leading the Heavenly Dao Sect disciples back.
• The eighteen top-ranked disciples received spirit-stone rewards, and Li Xiaoya spent the wait barred from trading gatherings by Senior Sister Zhang Hong.
• After the waiting period, eligible disciples assembled and walked toward Spiritlight Lake in separate Righteous and Demonic Path groups, escorted by Golden-Armored Cultivators.

Li Xiaoya joined the righteous cultivators' procession and became captivated by Li Yuer, the veiled Exemption Disciple of the Hehuan Cult. The group reached the guarded entrance to the Spiritlight Lake area and entered a passage that suppressed their divine sense and magic power.

• Li Xiaoya walked between Kunwu and Dong Santong while Zhou Xiaoya smiled at him from the procession.
• Li Xiaoya stared at Li Yuer as she cast seductive glances at the cultivators, drawing disapproving looks from Zhou Xiaoya and Dong Santong.
• Kunwu warned Li Xiaoya that the Hehuan Cult's holy maiden was dangerous, and Li Xiaoya learned that she was Li Yuer.
• Five Golden-Armored Cultivators combined their power to open the barrier at the cave entrance.
• The procession entered the passage, where Li Xiaoya found that his divine sense and magic power were being suppressed.

Li Xiaoya and the other cultivators reached the underground Spiritlight Lake, where they waited for its cleansing to begin and learned the rules for cultivating there. As Li Xiaoya drew an immense stream of spiritual qi while attempting to break through his ninth-layer bottleneck, Dong Santong and another Heavenly Dao Sect disciple guarded him.

• Li Xiaoya followed the Golden-Armored Cultivator down a long staircase and discovered the underground cavern containing Spiritlight Lake.
• The Golden-Armored Cultivator explained that the lake was building toward an eruption and warned the cultivators not to fight, dive too deep, or remain for more than ten days.
• The righteous-path and demonic-path disciples spread out on opposite sides of the lake to meditate and cultivate.
• Li Xiaoya used the Wish Stone Fairy Qingxia had given him and the Ten-Thousand-Year Agarwood Buddhist Beads Buddha Xuanmen had given him to absorb spiritual qi.
• Li Xiaoya swallowed three Qi Refining Pills and focused on breaking through his ninth-layer bottleneck as spiritual qi streamed toward him.
• Dong Santong and another Heavenly Dao Sect disciple sat near Li Xiaoya to guard him while he cultivated.

Li Xiaoya and Zhou Xiaoya broke through to the Great Perfection Realm of the True Cultivation Stage while cultivating before Spiritlight Lake opened. When the Golden-Armored Cultivator announced the lake was ready, he told the gathered disciples they could buy Water Spirit Pearls for five hundred spirit stones each.

• Li Xiaoya forced open his ninth-layer bottleneck and reached the Great Perfection Realm of the True Cultivation Stage.
• Zhou Xiaoya also broke through to the Great Perfection Realm, drawing envious looks from the other disciples.
• After four more hours of cultivation, Li Xiaoya stabilized his new realm and increased and purified his magic power.
• The Golden-Armored Cultivator heard a bronze basin hum, stopped the disciples' cultivation, and announced that Spiritlight Lake was about to open.
• The Golden-Armored Cultivator offered each disciple a Water Spirit Pearl for five hundred spirit stones and explained that it aided underwater breathing, cultivation, and resistance to the lake's suction.

The cultivators bought Water Spirit Pearls before Spiritlight Lake underwent a dramatic transformation, drawing the cavern’s spiritual qi into its waters. The lake became milky white and radiant, but its spiritual qi could no longer be detected.

• Sun Xing bought three Water Spirit Pearls and gave two to his fellow Fire Dragon Palace disciples.
• Dong Santong asked Li Xiaoya to buy him a pearl, but Li Xiaoya teased him for refusing to call him senior brother.
• After the other cultivators bought their pearls, Li Xiaoya gave Dong Santong one, and Dong Santong promised to repay him twice its cost.
• Spiritlight Lake’s mist and the cavern’s spiritual qi surged toward the lake as five-colored light poured down from the ceiling.
• The lake turned milky white and shimmered with color, while the cavern’s spiritual qi vanished into its waters.

Li Xiaoya entered Spiritlight Lake and struggled against its powerful downward suction before encountering Li Yuer underwater. Li Yuer used her alluring gaze to mesmerize him, leaving him motionless as she approached.

• Li Xiaoya entered Spiritlight Lake with a Water Spirit Pearl and dove deeper to seek a stronger cleansing effect.
• The lake's suction pulled Li Xiaoya down, but the Water Spirit Pearl surrounded him with a blue netlike glow that helped hold him in place.
• Li Xiaoya struggled upward and caught a purple veil that had drifted down from above.
• Li Yuer descended after her veil, and Li Xiaoya recognized her as she tried to swim away.
• Li Yuer turned back and used her seductive gaze to spellbind Li Xiaoya, who became unable to move as she drew closer.

Li Xiaoya was deceived by Li Yuer’s soul-bewitching art and trapped in Spiritlight Lake’s crushing depths as his Vacuum Ring barrier began to fail. Ten days later, Spirit Daoist learned Li Xiaoya had not emerged and clashed with Chen Ping and Ning Du over the rules preventing him from entering the lake.

• Li Yuer’s illusion lured Li Xiaoya into Spiritlight Lake’s depths, where he activated the Vacuum Ring’s Protective Barrier against the pressure.
• Li Xiaoya recognized Li Yuer’s soul-bewitching art and used the Spirit-Calming Art to dispel its lingering suggestion.
• Spiritlight Lake’s suction compressed the barrier and drained Li Xiaoya’s magic power until a crack appeared in it.
• Ten days later, Spirit Daoist demanded to search the lake after learning Li Xiaoya had not come out.
• Chen Ping reminded Spirit Daoist that Core Condensation Stage cultivators and above were forbidden from entering Spiritlight Lake, while Ning Du mocked him.

After Li Xiaoya vanished in Spiritlight Lake, Spirit Daoist led the Heavenly Dao Sect disciples away and heard Dong Santong’s account of what had happened. Unsure whether Li Xiaoya had survived, Spirit Daoist sent a message to the sect for instructions.

• Ning Du mocked Li Xiaoya’s disappearance and suggested Spirit Daoist seek the other sects’ consent to investigate Spiritlight Lake, offering his own sect’s support in exchange for a mysterious object.
• Spirit Daoist refused Ning Du’s offer and led Zhang Hong and the Heavenly Dao Sect disciples out of the valley as the other sects departed.
• Spirit Daoist asked Dong Santong to recount what had happened at Spiritlight Lake, and Dong Santong explained that Li Xiaoya had vanished after the lake’s cleansing and restrictions prevented anyone from searching for him.
• Dong Santong wept over Li Xiaoya’s disappearance, while Spirit Daoist admitted he did not know whether Li Xiaoya was alive and decided to contact the sect.
• Spirit Daoist ordered Zhang Hong to keep the disciples inside, then sent a streak of yellow light toward the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Li Xiaoya sank through Spiritlight Lake as the black bead on his necklace protected and cleansed him, then transported him into a hidden space where an imprisoned Devil Lord tried to possess his body. The Devil Lord's black smoke entered Li Xiaoya and began turning his skin black.

• The Protective Barrier shattered, and the lake's pressure knocked Li Xiaoya unconscious as the black bead on his necklace surrounded him with five-colored light and healed his wounds.
• Li Xiaoya sank for three days and nights while the bead absorbed the milky-white water and cleansed his body, then carried him from the lake bottom into a hidden space.
• A black-smoke figure emerged and rejoiced at finding someone after years of imprisonment, then examined the unconscious Li Xiaoya and his bead.
• When the bead's light vanished, the black-smoke figure halted Li Xiaoya's fall and lowered him safely to the ground.
• The figure called himself the Devil Lord and lunged into Li Xiaoya's body, causing his skin to turn black as he trembled and groaned.

Li Xiaoya woke in a strange white realm after the White Necklace swallowed the black qi that had possessed him. He discovered that Spiritlight Lake’s cleansing had brought his cultivation to the peak of true cultivation stage perfection, and began looking for a way out.

• The black qi realized the White Necklace was blocking its invasion of Li Xiaoya’s head and tried to seize it.
• The White Necklace flared with five-colored light and sucked the black qi into itself, restoring Li Xiaoya’s body.
• Li Xiaoya woke naked on the white ground, found his Storage Pouch intact, and put on fresh clothes.
• Li Xiaoya cursed Li Yuer for nearly getting him killed, then noticed the unusually dense spiritual qi around him.
• Li Xiaoya discovered that his cultivation had reached the peak of true cultivation stage perfection after his deep descent through Spiritlight Lake.

Li Xiaoya explored a strange place where flight was impossible and discovered a vast field of stone steles surrounding a sealed black crystal. As he tried to leave, a voice offered him a deal, then claimed it was no demon and seemed to come from inside his own body.

• Li Xiaoya found that his flying artifact would not work, so he walked toward the white buildings and discovered they were smooth, sealed stone steles covered in unfamiliar writing.
• Li Xiaoya climbed a stele, saw the steles arranged in orderly arcs, and sprinted toward their center.
• Li Xiaoya found a black crystal bound by chains and talismans, with a shadow and red light inside, and suspected a demon had been sealed there.
• Li Xiaoya decided to leave the sealed crystal alone, but a hoarse voice called out and offered him a deal.
• Li Xiaoya refused to bargain with a demon, and the voice denied being one; Li Xiaoya realized it seemed to be coming from his own body.