Chapter Summaries

As the Heavenly Lake City contest approached, Li Xiaoya learned that Second Better could help him return to his homeland once he reached the Golden Core Stage, and entrusted him with a Dragon-Skin Scroll to study. Blue Ice remained injured and stranded in a mist-filled hall, while the Du Household’s contestants gathered as the contest was about to begin.

• The imposing old man agreed to hire a powerful person for the contest, with the Qi Household covering the expense.
• Second Better finished modifying the Heaven-and-Earth Treasure and told Li Xiaoya he could refine armor to help him return through a high-grade Teleportation Formation once he reached roughly the Golden Core Stage.
• Second Better recognized Li Xiaoya’s Dragon-Devouring God-Reversal Art scroll as a rare Dragon-Skin Scroll and agreed to examine it.
• Blue Ice fled from a Sixth-Tier Demon Beast into a mist-filled hall and stayed there to heal her injuries.
• The Heavenly Lake City contest drew near, and Li Xiaoya, Dong Santong, and the four other Du Household contestants waited with the old woman until Du Chengfeng came to summon them.

The Du Household entered Heavenly Lake City’s tournament to defend its rule, but Qi Qinglong quickly defeated its first fighter, Du Kang. Qi Qinglong began explaining why Du Kang had lost as the contest continued.

• Du Chengfeng presented the city’s jade seal to Nine Profound Fairy, and the seven rival lineages joined the Du Household at the arena.
• Qi Haitian taunted Iron Lady and challenged the Du Household’s confidence in Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong.
• The tournament rules made the Du Household defend the platform against challengers, and Du Chengfeng sent Du Kang out first.
• Qi Haitian sent his strongest fighter, Qi Qinglong, to challenge Du Kang, alarming Du Chengfeng and Iron Lady.
• Qi Qinglong battered Du Kang with azure attacks, then disarmed him and placed a saber at his neck.
• Qi Qinglong told the defeated Du Kang that summoning his armor before the fight had cost him the initiative, then began explaining his second reason.

Qi Qinglong defeated Du Kang in the first match, and Dong Santong entered the second match to challenge him. Dong Santong exposed Qi Qinglong’s trick and fought off his throwing knives, leaving the battle ongoing.

• Qi Qinglong defeated Du Kang by exploiting the delayed response caused by his armor, and Du Kang collapsed after suffering a devastating psychological blow.
• Iron Lady sent Dong Santong to fight next after Qi Haitian’s unexpected opening move disrupted the Du Household’s plans.
• Qi Qinglong launched an opening attack that appeared to pierce Dong Santong, but Dong Santong vanished and reappeared beside him for a counterattack.
• Dong Santong identified Qi Qinglong’s azure ring as the source of his instant spell, while Qi Qinglong used a jade pendant to escape the attack.
• Qi Qinglong unleashed thirty-six throwing knives, and Dong Santong used two Six-Light Shields to fend them off as Qi Haitian suddenly rose in alarm.

Dong Santong used his light attribute abilities and multiple re-forming figures to pressure Qi Qinglong, who relied on the Wind Willow Technique and the Azure Light Umbrella to evade and counterattack. Dong Santong trapped Qi Qinglong inside a hexagonal formation and unleashed a pillar of white light, leaving the outcome uncertain as the damaged umbrella drifted down.

• Qi Qinglong struck Dong Santong with his Jade Plaque, but Dong Santong appeared behind him and attacked with a hammer.
• Qi Qinglong repeatedly dodged Dong Santong's attacks with the Wind Willow Technique as Dong Santong's figures multiplied and re-formed after being pierced by azure throwing knives.
• Spectators watched the fight, while Qi Haitian and the Nine Profound Fairy recognized Dong Santong's rare light attribute abilities.
• Qi Qinglong summoned the Azure Light Umbrella, which absorbed his falling Light Needles and used them to pierce Dong Santong's attacking figure.
• Dong Santong split into six figures that formed a contracting hexagon around Qi Qinglong, then a decoy struck the Azure Light Umbrella from above.
• Dong Santong triggered a gigantic pillar of white light beneath Qi Qinglong, and the damaged Azure Light Umbrella drifted down as spectators awaited the result.

Dong Santong defeated Qi Qinglong and advanced to fight Jin Xiao of the Jin Household. After Jin Xiao struck him with a powerful fire dragon, Dong Santong appeared behind her and knocked her unconscious, leaving him poised for another victory.

• Dong Santong defeated Qi Qinglong, who conceded and returned to the Qi Household's resting area.
• Qi Haitian told an unseen ally to act when an opportunity arose, then the Jin Household sent Jin Xiao to challenge Dong Santong.
• Dong Santong mocked Jin Xiao, and the Nine Profound Fairy warned him to mind his station.
• Jin Xiao attacked Dong Santong with a fire dragon, then used a Substitute Talisman to evade his scythe strike.
• Jin Xiao's fire dragon engulfed the arena, but Dong Santong reappeared behind her and knocked her unconscious with a hammer.

Dong Santong lost the third match after leaving the arena to confront a one-armed mortal who had insulted him, and Li Xiaoya urged him to learn from his loss. Shangguan Nan then took the Du Household’s place and won several matches, while a cloaked Young Master Ji asked Qi Haitian to let him fight.

• Dong Santong knocked Jin Xiao unconscious, but left the arena to confront a one-armed spectator, forfeiting the match to her.
• Li Xiaoya stopped Dong Santong from returning to the arena and told him to control his temper; Dong Santong agreed to sit out while Li Xiaoya fought for the Du Household.
• Jin Xiao recovered, conceded her next match to Shangguan Nan, and left to the cheers of the spectators.
• Shangguan Nan defeated fighters from the Bai Household and the Luo Household, but the drawn-out bouts left him tired and slightly injured.
• As Shangguan Nan prepared to face the seventh challenger, a cloaked Young Master Ji asked Qi Haitian to let him enter the competition.

Ji Fazi defeated Shangguan Nan with overwhelming lightning techniques, then challenged the Du Household’s supposedly unrivaled cultivator. Li Xiaoya took the field and resisted Ji Fazi’s eye-based illusion, but Ji Fazi launched a lightning attack as the chapter ended.

• Ji Fazi entered the contest for the Qi Household despite the Nine Profound Fairy questioning his eligibility.
• Ji Fazi overwhelmed Shangguan Nan with lightning, leaving him gravely injured and unable to continue.
• Du Chengfeng carried Shangguan Nan away, and Ji Fazi challenged the Du Household’s rumored unrivaled Core Condensation cultivator.
• Li Xiaoya took the field as the Du Household’s fourth defending cultivator and boldly accepted Ji Fazi’s challenge.
• Li Xiaoya recognized Ji Fazi’s eye-based Illusion Technique and shut his eyes, but Ji Fazi formed a giant lightning hand and sent it crashing toward him.

Li Xiaoya and Ji Fazi traded powerful fire and lightning spells before Ji Fazi gained the advantage with his spiritual artifacts and drove Li Xiaoya into the air. Li Xiaoya then blocked Ji Fazi’s aerial strike and knocked him flying beyond the arena, leaving Ji Fazi about to hit the ground and lose.

• Li Xiaoya and Ji Fazi matched each other’s attacks with fire and lightning spells, impressing the spectators and worrying the Iron Lady about the Du Household’s prospects.
• Ji Fazi brought out the Thunder God and Lightning Goddess’s spiritual artifacts and bombarded Li Xiaoya with lightning while creating a dangerous electrical net across the arena.
• Li Xiaoya escaped the electrified ground by hovering above it, though lightning scorched both his legs below the calves.
• Ji Fazi vanished and reappeared behind Li Xiaoya, but Li Xiaoya blocked his twin Light Swords with his bare hands and countered with two punches.
• Li Xiaoya’s blows badly injured Ji Fazi and sent him flying beyond the arena boundary, where he was about to fall to the ground.

Li Xiaoya defeated Ji Fazi in the ninth match of the tournament, overcoming his lightning attacks and secret projectile with his formidable body-tempering strength. The crowd hailed Li Xiaoya as the number one Core Condensation cultivator under heaven, while Qi Haitian questioned his cultivation realm and the Nine Profound Fairy stood by her judgment.

• Li Xiaoya sent Ji Fazi flying with two punches, badly injuring him and damaging his Spiritual Artifacts.
• Ji Fazi healed his hands, absorbed the lightning covering the Dueling Platform into his Spiritual Artifact, and launched the resulting lightning sphere at Li Xiaoya.
• Li Xiaoya punched the lightning sphere out of the arena, then survived Ji Fazi's short-spike attack with only a minor wound that quickly healed.
• Li Xiaoya struck Ji Fazi's golden ruyi scepter apart and knocked him unconscious with a punch to the head.
• Qi Haitian challenged the Nine Profound Fairy's judgment, but she defended her ruling that Li Xiaoya was a Core Condensation cultivator.
• The announcer declared Li Xiaoya the winner of the ninth match as the crowd cheered and the seven households looked bitter.

Li Xiaoya defeated Hai Xiaomei and every challenger sent by the rival lineages, securing victory for the Du Household in the competition. The Nine Profound Fairy declared that the Du Household would rule Heavenly Lake City for another thirty years and gave Du Chengfeng the City Lord's Jade Seal.

• The Nine Profound Fairy revived Ji Fazi, who admitted defeat and left the arena after warning that stronger Core Condensation Stage cultivators remained in the Mystic Heaven Way.
• Hai Xiaomei challenged Li Xiaoya, but he hurled her out of bounds and won the tenth match.
• Li Xiaoya offered to fight three challengers at once, but the Nine Profound Fairy enforced the one-on-one rules; he quickly defeated the burly cultivator and the next two opponents.
• Li Xiaoya defeated more than twenty challengers, and the remaining cultivators forfeited and left.
• The Nine Profound Fairy announced that the Du Household would rule Heavenly Lake City for the next thirty years and handed Du Chengfeng the City Lord's Jade Seal.

After the Du Household retained control of Heavenly Lake City, the Nine Profound Fairy questioned Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong about their origins and invited them to join the Mystic Heaven Way. Li Xiaoya refused, but the Iron Lady privately told the Nine Profound Fairy something that surprised her.

• The Du Household celebrated its victory and thanked Li Xiaoya, Dong Santong, and Shangguan Nan for their help.
• The Nine Profound Fairy arrived and asked Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong to stay behind with her.
• Li Xiaoya revealed that he and Dong Santong came from the Great Illusion Continent, and the Nine Profound Fairy said she had recognized their origins from their spiritual qi and cultivation.
• The Nine Profound Fairy asked the Du Household to let Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong join the Mystic Heaven Way, but Li Xiaoya declined because they had already joined the Du Household.
• The Iron Lady told the Nine Profound Fairy that the two joining the Du Household was equivalent to joining the Mystic Heaven Way, then privately explained something that startled her.

The Iron Lady explained that the Du Household could enter the Mystic Heaven Way’s selection to become a Core Family, with Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong expected to reach the Golden Core Stage and compete for it. The Nine Profound Fairy then warned the rival lineages that the Du Household might become a Core Family, leaving them alarmed.

• The Iron Lady told Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong that their abilities had helped the Du Household defend its position and that it could now seek Core Family status in the Mystic Heaven Way.
• The Iron Lady explained that the selection was more than nine years away, said the Du Household would provide Spirit-Stabilizing Pills to help them reach the Golden Core Stage, and gave each man a pill.
• Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong left, and Dong Santong complained that he had been tricked into stepping down before the two began arguing and sparring.
• Qi Haitian and the heads of rival lineages lamented their defeat and discussed the Du Household’s growing strength.
• The Nine Profound Fairy appeared before the rival lineage leaders and asked what they would do if the Du Household became a Core Family of the Mystic Heaven Way.

The Du Household secured Heavenly Lake City’s administration, while Zhang Hong and Dong Santong formed their Golden Cores. Dong Santong celebrated his breakthrough with the Du Household, but Li Xiaoya remained in seclusion without any sign of success.

• The Nine Profound Fairy warned the Seven Families not to harm Li Xiaoya or Dong Santong, and the Du Household’s rivals began leaving Heavenly Lake City.
• Zhang Hong formed her Golden Core on Heavenly Capital Peak, then planned to search for Li Xiaoya after stabilizing her cultivation.
• Zhang Cai studied the runes on the Black Pillars in the Demon-Sealing Mountain Range, hoping to understand the Teleportation Formation that had transported Li Xiaoya and Dong Santong.
• Dong Santong successfully formed his Golden Core at the Du Household, and Du Chengfeng celebrated by exempting Heavenly Lake City’s residents from taxes for a month.
• Dong Santong asked about Li Xiaoya, but Li Xiaoya remained in seclusion for two years without showing signs of forming his Golden Core.

Li Xiaoya practiced the Dragon-Devouring God-Reversal Art and reached its third layer, preparing to attempt another Golden Core breakthrough. Meanwhile, Dong Santong, Du Chengfeng, and Iron Lady discussed Li Xiaoya’s seclusion and a plan to strengthen themselves for the Mystic Heaven Way Core Family Selection.

• Second Better urged Li Xiaoya to practice the Dragon-Devouring God-Reversal Art, which could improve his chances of reaching the Golden Core Stage and eventually restore Second Better’s body.
• Li Xiaoya’s body grew stronger as he practiced, and he broke through to the art’s third layer.
• Second Better told Li Xiaoya he had made nearly twenty treasures, then returned to his work after Li Xiaoya said he would soon attempt a Golden Core breakthrough.
• Li Xiaoya wondered whether Fatty had succeeded and how Zhang Hong was doing, then prepared bottles and jars for his breakthrough.
• Iron Lady and Du Chengfeng worried about Li Xiaoya’s prolonged seclusion, but Dong Santong said his cave restrictions remained intact and they agreed not to disturb him.
• Iron Lady showed Dong Santong a map that appeared to lead to an Ancient Cultivator Ruins treasure, hoping to strengthen their chances in the upcoming selection.

The Du Household joined forces with Dong Santong to kill a seventh-rank Flying Three-Headed Lion Beast and claim the treasures it guarded. Meanwhile, Blue Ice emerged from the desert as a Golden Core cultivator, and Heavenly Lake City witnessed another Golden Core formation phenomenon.

• Iron Lady explained the Du Household's treasure map and recruited Dong Santong to help defeat the Flying Three-Headed Lion Beast.
• Blue Ice escaped the desert after breaking through to the Golden Core stage, killing the weakened beast that had once injured her, and flying onward to a herders' camp.
• Dong Santong, Iron Lady, and Du Chengfeng trapped the Flying Three-Headed Lion Beast, but it played dead and then tried to escape.
• Dong Santong pursued the beast and killed it, after which Iron Lady told Du Chengfeng they would share the guarded treasure with Dong Santong and Li Xiaoya.
• Multicolored halos appeared over Heavenly Lake City, and its residents rushed toward the Du Household, believing another member had formed a Golden Core.

Li Xiaoya formed a Golden Core in just over ten days and began stabilizing his new cultivation. Du Chengfeng, Dong Santong, and Iron Lady learned of his breakthrough and returned to Heavenly Lake City, where Li Xiaoya was discussing possible magic treasures before they arrived.

• Li Xiaoya emerged after forming his Golden Core, and Du Yiran announced that the city would be exempt from one month's taxes.
• Du Yiran told Li Xiaoya that Du Chengfeng, their grandmother, and Dong Santong had left on business involving the household's ancestral treasure map.
• Li Xiaoya began stabilizing his Golden Core with the Heaven-Burning True Flame Art and reflected on how his cultivation had enabled his rapid breakthrough.
• Du Yiran sent word to Du Chengfeng that Li Xiaoya had reached the Golden Core Stage, delighting Du Chengfeng, Dong Santong, and Iron Lady as they traveled back.
• After returning to Heavenly Lake City, Du Chengfeng, Dong Santong, and Iron Lady hurried to Li Xiaoya's cave abode while he discussed choosing a magic treasure with Second Better.

Li Xiaoya reunited with Dong Santong, Du Chengfeng, and Iron Lady, who shared ten-thousand-year hundred-flower spirit milk and discussed the coming Mystic Heaven Way selection. After the guests left, Iron Lady revealed that she had a deeper reason for sharing the treasure: she sensed unusual pressure from Li Xiaoya and believed he could help the Du Household rise in the selection.

• Dong Santong, Du Chengfeng, and Iron Lady visited Li Xiaoya after his breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage.
• Iron Lady showed Li Xiaoya the ten-thousand-year hundred-flower spirit milk, and they agreed to divide it into five shares for themselves and the Du Household.
• Iron Lady and Du Chengfeng advised Li Xiaoya about Golden Core cultivation and urged him and Dong Santong to help the Du Household in the Mystic Heaven Way selection.
• After Du Chengfeng and Iron Lady left, Dong Santong told Li Xiaoya he had concealed his innate divine ability and offered him his share of the spirit milk in exchange for future elixirs.
• Iron Lady told Du Chengfeng that Li Xiaoya's aura had exerted strange pressure on her, and she revealed that the bottle she had kept contained the real treasure.

Li Xiaoya and the Du Household reached the Mystic Heaven Way's lineage selection, where they learned the first trial required collecting seven colored gems and reaching a mountain summit. Suspecting rival lineages would ambush others for their rings, they advanced under concealment, but a formation suddenly trapped them halfway up the mountain.

• Li Xiaoya, Dong Santong, Du Chengfeng, and Iron Lady traveled to the Mystic Heaven Way selection after strengthening their Golden Core cultivation.
• Two Mystic Heaven Way cultivators inspected Du Chengfeng's participation plaque and explained that the group had two hours to gather seven colored gems, place them in a ring, and reach the mountain summit.
• Iron Lady reasoned that rival lineages might steal completed rings, so the group decided to seek out and attack ambushers instead of searching separately.
• Du Chengfeng gave the ring to Li Xiaoya, and the four concealed themselves and moved up the mountain, finding that every lineage they encountered was lying in wait.
• Halfway up the mountain, Li Xiaoya sensed danger and urged the others to retreat, but a formation rose behind them and blocked their escape.

Li Xiaoya and his companions defeated an ambush, collected the gems needed for the first trial, and raced toward the mountaintop. After escaping a second group of cultivators, they encountered a Nascent Soul realm cultivator near the summit.

• Li Xiaoya revealed that he had anticipated the four masked cultivators’ ambush, broke their Vajra Formation, and joined Dong Santong, Du Chengfeng, and the Iron Lady to surround them.
• Li Xiaoya overpowered one fleeing cultivator and took seven gems, which he fitted into the Golden Ring to complete its seven-colored radiance.
• Li Xiaoya’s group abandoned the defeated ambushers and flew toward the mountaintop, while the masked cultivators gave up and left Trial Mountain.
• Li Xiaoya spotted twelve cultivators from three lineages and led his companions through their encirclement, with Dong Santong blinding their pursuers with a burst of white light.
• Li Xiaoya stopped near the mountaintop after sensing a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, alarming his companions.

Li Xiaoya and his companions passed the first trial and received a Seven-Colored Ring, only for Blazing Flame Daoist to throw it into a hot spring lake as the second trial. Li Xiaoya dove in alone to retrieve it, then discovered that the lake held far more danger than Blazing Flame Daoist had implied.

• Blazing Flame Daoist met the Du Household cultivators, recognized Dong Santong and Li Xiaoya, and directed them to the actual examiner on the summit.
• Icy Daoist transformed their gemstone-studded Golden Ring into a Seven-Colored Ring and sent them to Blazing Flame Daoist for the next trial.
• Blazing Flame Daoist threw the ring into the lake and told them to retrieve it within two hours, warning of Steel-Mouthed Fish and an eighth-tier Steel-Mouthed Fish King.
• Iron Lady advised that Li Xiaoya search alone, and he entered the lake protected by the Vacuum Ring.
• Li Xiaoya used his divine sense underwater and cursed inwardly when he discovered the lake's real danger.