Chapter Summaries

Jiang Che discovered that a blue-lit floor brick transported him into a scene from Willow Source’s past, where he was killed after trying to pass himself off as an ally of Sky Pillar Mountain. Back in the white space, he saw his experience rated “Unrated” and began wondering what the formation in the past scene was for.

• Du Yongchang killed a disciple in a blood-refining urn and threatened to refine the remaining disciples if they failed to find the missing box.
• Jiang Che noticed that only he could see blue light flowing across a floor brick and touched it as the disciples were dismissed.
• The brick transported Jiang Che to Willow Source in the seventy-ninth year of Yongzhen, where he encountered seven people preparing to use a formation.
• Jiang Che claimed that he opposed the Azure Mystic Sect and sought refuge, but the formation’s keeper killed him with three strands of force.
• Jiang Che returned to the white space, saw his brief experience labeled “Unrated,” and wondered why the six others had been preparing to enter the formation.

After realizing he could revisit a time fragment in his consciousness, Jiang Che sought records that might explain the theft and the seven people he had encountered there. He gained access to Willow Source’s County Gazetteer and began searching for accounts of the Liu Clan and the siege forty years earlier.

• Jiang Che returned from the time fragment to the instant he had touched the glowing floor tile and realized he could enter the white space again at will.
• Jiang Weichuan ordered the exhausted search party to keep investigating the stolen goods throughout the night.
• Jiang Che decided to learn more about the past by consulting the County Gazetteer before entering the time fragment again.
• Jiang Che persuaded Jiang Weichuan to send him to the County Office archives with a note of introduction.
• Jiang Che searched the records from the seventy-ninth year of Yongzhen and found the entries about Willow Source’s Liu Clan.

Jiang Che returned to the night the Liu family fled and told Jiang Zongcheng that Liu Bingyuan would die and someone would claim a reward for his head. Jiang Zongcheng believed that Jiang Che was telling the truth and sent him through the formation with the others, where Jiang Che faced questioning from Jiang Yunwei and Liu Bingyuan.

• Jiang Che read the gazetteer account that said a local had claimed a reward with Liu Bingyuan's severed head.
• Jiang Che noticed that his spirit body had shrunk after his previous time-fragment entry, then returned to the seventy-ninth year of Yongzhen.
• Jiang Che told Jiang Zongcheng that he came from forty years in the future and that Liu Bingyuan would die that night, and Jiang Zongcheng's Spirit Terrace Insight confirmed he was not lying.
• Jiang Zongcheng sent Jiang Che through the formation with Jiang Yunwei and the others as Azure Mystic Sect's men closed in.
• Jiang Yunwei pinned Jiang Che against a wall and demanded the truth, but Liu Bingyuan stopped him and asked who would kill him.

Jiang Che tried to convince Liu Bingyuan that he had come from the future and warned him of danger, but Liu Bingyuan suspected betrayal among his companions. Just as the group reached the cave entrance, Jiang Yunwei killed Jiang Che, who woke again in the white space.

• Liu Bingyuan explained that only Liu Clan insiders knew about the teleportation array and accused Huo Shen of being the likely traitor.
• Huo Shen fled when ordered to cripple his hands, but Liu Bingyuan stopped him with a treasure and Liu Zicheng and Liu Bingyi killed him.
• Jiang Che warned that other threats remained and pointed suspicion at Jiang Yunwei by claiming the Jiang would eventually surpass the Liu Clan.
• Liu Bingyuan stopped Jiang Yunwei from killing Jiang Che and led the group toward the cave entrance.
• Jiang Yunwei stabbed Jiang Che while Jiang Yunlin ambushed and killed Liu Zicheng, and Jiang Che died before waking in the white space.

After completing the consciousness-space instance, Jiang Che received a wisp of primordial origin first spirit and considered how to use his knowledge of the Liu Clan formation to investigate the stolen red sandalwood box. He asked Jiang Weichuan about Jiang Yunwei and Jiang Yunlin and learned their entire branch had died in the battle that destroyed the Sky Pillar Sect.

• Jiang Che received a Grade C completion reward: a wisp of primordial origin first spirit.
• Back in the county archives, Jiang Che felt the spirit qi circulate through his body and realized it could passively improve his physique.
• Jiang Che decided not to reveal his knowledge of the Liu Clan formation because he could not explain how he knew about it or activate it.
• Jiang Che recalled that the formation led to a cave and suspected its destination was somewhere in North Luan Mountain.
• Jiang Che asked Jiang Weichuan about Jiang Yunwei and Jiang Yunlin, and learned they had belonged to a former main branch of the Jiang whose members all died in the battle that destroyed the Sky Pillar Sect.

Jiang Che entered the time fragment again and observed the terrain around the cave while trying to survive longer. The Jiang brothers betrayed Liu Bingyuan, but the fight turned when Liu Bingyuan revealed that his Copper-Flame Talisman Mirror could be used twice.

• Jiang Che returned to the time fragment and persuaded Liu Bingyuan to let him survey the terrain outside the cave.
• Jiang Che memorized the moonlit valley, nearby slopes, loose stones, and the sound of a stream as Liu Bingyuan impatiently watched.
• Jiang Yunlin killed Liu Zicheng, while Jiang Yunwei attacked Liu Bingyuan and declared that the Jiang brothers would trade his head for the Azure Mystic Sect's favor.
• Liu Bingyuan accused the Jiang brothers of betraying the Liu Clan, and Jiang Yunwei blamed him for his uncle's death before the brothers began fighting.
• Liu Bingyuan revealed that his Copper-Flame Talisman Mirror could be used twice and fired its golden beam through Jiang Yunwei's chest.

Jiang Che died after Liu Bingyuan killed him, then returned to the white space and received a cultivation method from the instance. He later urged Jiang Weichuan to search North Luan Mountain for hidden passages linked to the Sky Pillar Sect.

• Liu Bingyuan and Liu Bingyi killed Jiang Yunlin, then Liu Bingyuan killed Jiang Che for failing to foresee the Jiang brothers' betrayal.
• Jiang Che returned to the white space and concluded that Huo Shenqian might have been the one who killed Liu Bingyuan in the original history.
• Jiang Che earned a Grade C reward: the middle eighth-grade Azurefall Wind-Dew Embryonic Breath Method, which he suspected might be connected to the Sky Pillar Sect.
• Jiang Che realized the spirit essence in his belly could let him become an Embryonic Breath cultivator quickly, but hesitated to practice the unfamiliar method.
• Jiang Che told the exhausted Jiang Weichuan that old records pointed to Sky Pillar Sect remnants fleeing to North Luan Mountain and suggested searching there for hidden caves or passages.

Jiang Che helped Du Yongchang uncover the teleportation array used to steal the Purple Sandalwood Casket and earned an introductory Azure Mystic Sect cultivation method. After comparing it with his other method, he practiced at dawn and awakened a new, controllable force within himself.

• Jiang Che and Jiang Weichuan showed Du Yongchang the cave and its exposed teleportation array, confirming how the thieves had moved the Purple Sandalwood Casket.
• Jiang Che claimed he had found clues in old records, and Du Yongchang rewarded him with the Upper Azure Smoke Cloud Embryonic Breath Method and promised to admit him to the sect.
• Du Yongchang found a lead and sent Jiang Weichuan and the other teams to pursue it while he went ahead alone.
• Jiang Che read the new method and recognized that it closely resembled the Azure Heaven Wind Dew Embryonic Breath Method he already knew.
• At dawn, Jiang Che practiced the Upper Azure Smoke Cloud Embryonic Breath Method, causing both methods and his [primordial origin first spirit] to circulate together.
• After the cultivation cycle, Jiang Che sensed a force under his control and demonstrated its power with a punch.

After entering embryonic breath in a single morning, Jiang Che joined Jiang Weichuan’s group as they followed Steward Du’s markers to a hidden stockade. The battle turned against the Azure Mystic disciples, and Jiang Che was confronted by an embryonic breath cultivator wielding a red-tasseled spear.

• Jiang Weichuan noticed Jiang Che had entered embryonic breath and warned him to keep his talent secret, recalling that a gifted clansman had been murdered.
• Jiang Weichuan promised to report Jiang Che’s breakthrough to the clan and said his branch might return to the family genealogy.
• Jiang Che’s group followed Steward Du’s markers, met other disciples and stewards, and hurried toward a blue signal firework.
• The group reached a hidden stockade where Steward Du and the other stewards pursued a fleeing Qi Refining Cultivator, while Jiang Weichuan’s men blocked the gate.
• Demon Sect remnants poured out of the stockade, and three embryonic breath cultivators overwhelmed the Azure Mystic disciples and pressured Jiang Weichuan.
• Jiang Che killed several attackers before the red-tasseled spear wielder threw his weapon at him, then rushed in and struck.

Jiang Che killed the Red Tassel Spear wielder by exploiting his speed and agility, then discovered that killing an embryonic breath cultivator restored a small part of his spiritual body. Injured, he joined Jiang Weichuan against two remaining enemies, and the pair held on until reinforcements arrived.

• Jiang Che used his two cultivation methods’ speed and agility to get inside the Red Tassel Spear wielder’s reach and killed him, taking a serious punch in the process.
• Jiang Che saw white specks leave the dead cultivator and discovered they restored about three percent of his spiritual body; he realized that killing three such cultivators could replenish enough to travel back once.
• Jiang Che returned to his body and used the renewing force of the Azure Heaven Wind Dew Embryonic Breath Method to stabilize his injuries.
• Jiang Che saw Jiang Weichuan nearing defeat against the one-eyed man and the twin-saber fighter, so he joined the fight and helped keep them at bay.
• Jiang Che and Jiang Weichuan held out against the two enemies until reinforcements arrived.

Jiang Che fought in Azure Mystic Sect’s assault on the stronghold and discovered that recently deceased Embryonic Breath cultivators could provide him with world-crossing energy. The stolen wooden box remained missing, but the escaped Heaven Pillar remnant was brought back just as the three stewards feared the sect’s judgment.

• Azure Mystic reinforcements helped kill the one-eyed man and the twin-sword fighter, and Jiang Che absorbed energy from both corpses to gain another world-crossing opportunity.
• The Azure Mystic disciples captured the surviving stronghold defenders and searched the buildings, while Jiang Che and Jiang Weichuan rested and discussed the risks of Jiang Che’s rapid rise to prominence.
• The search uncovered money, weapons, spirit stone fragments, pills, and a magic artifact, but not the stolen wooden box.
• Du Yongchang, Steward Ye, and Steward Fang returned after losing the escaped Qi Refining Cultivator in the mountains, and Du Yongchang ordered the prisoners interrogated again.
• Five Azure Mystic Sect disciples arrived escorting the half-dead Heaven Pillar remnant, making Du Yongchang and the other stewards wonder how he had been captured so quickly.

Yu Cheng took control of Willow Source after the sect’s investigation, praised Jiang Che for finding the Heaven Pillar remnant and entering the Dao overnight, and arranged for him to become an outer-sect disciple and later a nominal disciple. Du Yongchang gave Jiang Che a booklet as the chapter ended.

• Yu Cheng arrived with four sect disciples, rebuked Du Yongchang for losing the Heaven Pillar remnant, and took over Willow Source.
• Yu Cheng recognized Jiang Che, praised his discovery and swift cultivation, then left with the Heaven Pillar remnant.
• Luo Wenling ordered Jiang Che enrolled as an outer-sect disciple and assigned him the Azure Torrent Sword Art.
• Luo Wenling told Jiang Che he would later accompany him to the sect as a nominal disciple.
• Du Yongchang gave Jiang Che a booklet and asked him to remember who had taught him his first cultivation method and sword move.

Jiang Che agreed to visit the Jiang lineage after Jiang Weichuan promised support for him and his parents, then spent his last day learning the Azure Torrent Sword Art from Du Yongchang. After grasping the art’s principles from Du’s demonstration, Jiang Che began practicing with a withered branch.

• Jiang Weichuan urged Jiang Che to return to the Jiang lineage, promising better treatment for him and his parents, and Jiang Che agreed to visit the next day.
• Jiang Che went to Du Yongchang’s lodging to learn swordsmanship before Du left town.
• Du Yongchang demonstrated the twelve forms of the Azure Torrent Sword Art with a withered branch.
• Jiang Che explained how the sword art relied on changing movements while keeping its foundation steady, surprising Du Yongchang with his insight.
• Jiang Che studied the manual and Du’s demonstration, then opened his eyes and thrust the branch forward.

Jiang Che discovered that his unusually strong comprehension helped him master swordsmanship, then returned to the Jiang ancestral estate and learned his parents had been driven out. He searched for them while villagers blamed his branch for the trouble facing Willow Source's outer sect.

• Jiang Che mastered the Azure Torrent Sword Art after three runs, and Du Yongchang gave him an iron sword.
• Jiang Che reflected on his exceptional comprehension and wondered whether it came from his soul's merging or the mysteries of his consciousness space.
• Du Yongchang left Willow Source alone, and Jiang Che departed the next morning for the Jiang ancestral estate.
• Jiang Che arrived at the estate and heard villagers whispering that his branch had brought disaster upon the clan.
• A villager told Jiang Che that his parents had been driven out, and he demanded to know where they were.

Jiang Che returned to his village and discovered that his family had been cast out of the Jiang clan despite his advancement to Embryonic Breath. He found his sick mother and took his parents with him, leaving the village for the county town.

• Jiang Che learned that his parents had been driven out and were living in a cellar, while the village remained unaware of the upheaval at Willow Source.
• Jiang Weisheng told Jiang Che that his family and Uncle Weichuan would be expelled from the clan, but Jiang Che warned him to learn the facts before trying to stop him.
• Jiang Che found Jiang He cooking outside the cellar and learned that Wang Qin had fallen ill after being caught in the rain.
• Jiang Che used his Inner Force to help Wang Qin recover, then told his parents they would move to the county town and would not return to the village.

Jiang Che rejected the Jiang clan’s attempt to restore his family after they had expelled his parents, and brought them to live with him in Willow Source County. He told Jiang Weichuan that his anger was not the main reason he refused to return: he had no respect for the clan’s conduct.

• Jiang Zongmao and the clan elders caught up with Jiang Che, apologized, and offered to restore his branch to the genealogy and support his cultivation.
• Jiang Che reminded the clan that it had declared his family unwelcome, while Jiang Weisheng apologized for carrying out their expulsion.
• Jiang Zongmao punished Jiang Weisheng and offered to provide for Jiang Che’s parents, but Jiang Che refused and declared he had no further ties to the clan.
• Jiang Zongmao returned to the estate, while Jiang Weichuan accompanied Jiang Che and his parents to Willow Source County.
• Jiang Che and Jiang Weichuan settled Jiang He and Wang Qin in a small courtyard, where Jiang Che explained that he had no respect for the Jiang clan’s conduct.

Jiang Che rejected the Jiang lineage’s support and asked Jiang Weichuan to protect his parents while he pursued cultivation on his own. After recovering and practicing for three days, he entered another time fragment and warned Liu Bingyuan of the Jiang brothers’ betrayal, joining the fight as Liu Zicheng fell.

• Jiang Che told Jiang Weichuan he would not rely on the Jiang lineage and asked him to keep Jiang Che’s parents safe.
• Jiang Weichuan promised to protect Jiang Che’s parents, and Jiang Che reflected on the eight journeys he had left in the Pure White Space.
• Jiang Che refused visitors while recovering from his injury and practicing the Azure Torrent Sword Art for three days.
• Jiang Che entered the time fragment again, persuaded Jiang Zongcheng to let him use the teleportation formation, and watched the events unfold.
• Jiang Che warned Liu Bingyuan that Jiang Yunwei and Jiang Yunlin meant to betray him, and Jiang Yunwei attacked while Jiang Yunlin killed Liu Zicheng.
• Jiang Che picked up Liu Zicheng’s sword and joined Liu Bingyuan against Jiang Yunwei.

Jiang Che helped Liu Bingyuan kill Jiang Yunwei and Jiang Yunlin, then worried about concealing his cultivation method and winning Liu Bingyuan’s trust. As the group ventured deeper into North Luan Mountain, Liu Bingyi suddenly killed Liu Bingyuan, leaving Jiang Che stunned.

• Jiang Che and Liu Bingyuan fought Jiang Yunwei and Jiang Yunlin, and Jiang Che helped expose the brothers’ ambush.
• Liu Bingyuan used the Copper-Flame Talisman Mirror to kill Jiang Yunwei, and the group then killed Jiang Yunlin.
• Jiang Che persuaded Liu Bingyuan that he had sided with him, and Liu Bingyuan agreed to trust him until they rejoined the Liu Clan’s main force.
• Jiang Che considered how to hide his Azure Heaven Wind Dew Embryonic Breath Method and explain his connection to the Heaven Pillar branch.
• Liu Bingyi ambushed Liu Bingyuan and killed him with a sword through the chest.

Jiang Che watched Liu Bingyi kill Liu Bingyuan, then used a claim that he was an Azure Mystic disciple to keep Liu Bingyi from killing him. The dungeon ended before they reached Willow Source, leaving Jiang Che to conclude that he needed more strength to save Liu Bingyuan on another attempt.

• Liu Bingyi admitted he killed Liu Bingyuan to trade his head to the Azure Mystic Sect for a chance to survive, then attacked Jiang Che.
• After defeating Jiang Che, Liu Bingyi questioned his connection to Azure Mystic, and Jiang Che claimed to be an infiltrating disciple.
• Liu Bingyi spared Jiang Che but escorted him toward Willow Source under threat of death if he tried anything suspicious.
• Near Willow Source, the dungeon pulled Jiang Che away just as Liu Bingyi thrust his sword at him.
• Back in the white consciousness space, Jiang Che considered why the run had ended and decided that saving Liu Bingyuan would likely require reaching the transforming force stage.

Jiang Che received Jiang Yunwei’s cultivation insights from a grade Yi rating and used them to advance his cultivation and prepare for another attempt at the instance. On his sixth run, he saved Liu Bingyuan from Liu Bingyi’s ambush with a single-use spirit talisman, then left the instance with Liu Bingyuan still wary of him.

• Jiang Che received Jiang Yunwei’s cultivation insights and found that they greatly improved his understanding of cultivation and swordsmanship.
• Jiang Che spent half a month cultivating and ran the instance twice, earning a Blazing Fire Spirit Talisman on one attempt despite failing to save Liu Bingyuan.
• Jiang Che entered the instance for the sixth time and reached the battle at the cave entrance, where he helped Liu Bingyuan kill the Jiang Brothers.
• Jiang Che warned Liu Bingyuan of Liu Bingyi’s ambush, then used the Blazing Fire Spirit Talisman to kill Liu Bingyi when the two were overpowered.
• Jiang Che persuaded the suspicious Liu Bingyuan to leave with him, and the instance ended as dawn approached.