Chapter Summaries

Wang Xiwei struggled to congratulate Wang Qiyun on reaching Qi Refining and secretly crafted a mallet for him while discussing artifact and formation inheritance with Xu Xuan. Xu Xuan then considered the ancient stele’s power, gave Jiang Chiyu instructions about Qi Xiuli, and sent the old disciple to visit his master.

• Wang Xiwei discussed Rejuvenation Mountain, spirit fields, and the sect’s artifact-refining inheritance with Xu Xuan, who offered to search for formation methods in the Plainlands.
• After Xu Xuan left, Wang Xiwei revealed an unfinished mallet engraved with congratulations for Wang Qiyun’s Qi Refining breakthrough.
• Xu Xuan examined the ancient seal characters linked to Liu Xiaowen and considered how they could strengthen his disciple’s spirit root and cultivation prospects.
• Jiang Chiyu asked Xu Xuan to let Qi Xiuli return to the White Stone mines, and Xu Xuan ordered Qi Xiuli to swear a Heavenly Oath and bring his family to Green Luo.
• Xu Xuan reassured Jiang Chiyu that the sect valued him and told him to visit Wang Xiwei before returning to Qi Xiuli.

Xu Xuan traveled to the Great Scenery Plains to assess the situation, seek cultivation resources, and visit Liu Qiuqi. Their conversation covered blood-essence pills and the burden of protecting their inheritances, before Liu Qiuqi introduced serious business concerning a contested spirit spring.

• Wen Si'an asked Xu Xuan to find a suitable cultivation method for Gao Xia's talent in spirit-plant cultivation, and he accepted her saved spirit stones.
• Xu Xuan reached the Great Scenery Plains, and Liu Qiuqi's jade pendant led him to visit the Liu Household before going to the Ghost Market.
• Liu Qiuqi welcomed Xu Xuan into the Liu Household and explained that seeking his [life foundation] with [taboo wood] had made his lower body partly wooden.
• Xu Xuan and Liu Qiuqi discussed blood-essence pills, the risks they posed to future cultivation, and the need to protect their inheritances.
• Liu Qiuqi told Xu Xuan he had serious business to discuss and asked whether he remembered the spirit spring contested by the Chen Household and White Azure Cavern.

Xu Xuan learned that the Chen Household would let each allied household send one Fetal Breath junior into the Heaven-Bestowed Fortune Spring’s underground trial, then visited the Ghost Market to obtain cultivation methods and a secret art. After returning to his sect, he prepared Liu Xiaowen for the trial and began cultivating Starlight Upper-Heavens Illumination, while the blood flower in his Qi Sea secretly absorbed most of the starlight.

• Liu Qiuqi told Xu Xuan about the Heaven-Bestowed Fortune Spring and arranged for their juniors to enter its trial together.
• After Xu Xuan left, Liu Qiuqi accused powerful figures of using the Demon Calamity and the spring to exploit the Plainlands’ households, while the disguised woman Qingyun warned him about the lightning wood inside Xu Xuan.
• At the Ghost Market, Wang Ya helped Xu Xuan trade a high-grade magic sword for the Origin-Falling Storage Method and a Foundation Establishment fire virtue item for Starlight Upper-Heavens Illumination.
• Xu Xuan returned to Green Luo, gave Wen Si'an the cultivation method, and planned to train Liu Xiaowen in the secret art and help him refine a Red Fruit before the trial.
• Xu Xuan cultivated under the stars and discovered that the blood flower absorbed most of the starlight, while ancient seal-script characters helped him refine what remained.

Yuan Zheng warned Xie Shu to delay killing Xu Xuan until his fortune gathered, while Xie Shu plotted to obtain Xu Xuan’s blood. As the underground palace opening approached, Xu Xuan prepared Liu Xiaowen for the spirit spring and sent him to patrol, while Wang Qiyun and Shen Shu worked on a supporting artifact for him.

• Yuan Zheng questioned Xie Shu about his demon embryo and warned him not to harm anyone chosen for the Heaven-Bestowed Fortune Spring.
• Xie Shu told Yuan Zheng that he had arranged for his uncle to fight Xu Xuan and bring back a drop of blood.
• Xu Xuan considered the coming winter opening of the underground palace and trained Liu Xiaowen for the spirit spring’s competition.
• Xu Xuan sent Liu Xiaowen to patrol Great Red’s three mountains after learning he had begun using the Starlight Upper Enlightening Dharma Radiance.
• Wang Qiyun and Shen Shu discussed carving formations onto a Fetal Breath artifact to help Liu Xiaowen purify and strengthen his magical power.

Liu Xiaowen killed a bizarre spider monster in the woods and began to understand sword momentum, while Zhang Gaoxia studied spiritual herbs with Shi Yuanyu and Wang Qiyun completed a fire-controlling token. The chapter left the Great Red Abbey’s younger generation developing their skills amid signs of an unusual change in the mountains.

• Liu Xiaowen drew out the [Fire Tiger Fang] and killed a black spider monster assembled from human limbs after letting it close in on him.
• Liu Xiaowen recognized that the monster seemed deliberately reared and decided to head to White Ridge to check on the village and visit his family.
• Shi Yuanyu taught Zhang Gaoxia about spiritual plants and reflected on how peaceful Longbright was compared with Rejuvenation Mountain.
• Wang Qiyun completed a stone token inscribed with three formations that could gather, generate, and control earth baleful fire.
• Wang Qiyun activated the token and sent earth baleful fire into the sky like fireworks.

With the spirit spring opening soon, Liu Xiaowen returned after mastering sword momentum and received a fire-controlling formation artifact from Wang Qiyun. Meanwhile, Wu Shanchan weighed Xie Shu’s offer from the Wilderness of Witches and delayed choosing sides until the spirit spring brought more information.

• Liu Xiaowen mastered sword momentum, and Xu Xuan sensed that his disciple’s progress slightly nourished his own sword cultivation.
• Xu Xuan told Liu Xiaowen to prepare for the spirit spring and resolved to investigate the demons appearing near Eastern Secret afterward.
• Wang Qiyun showed Liu Xiaowen the Small Wind-Riding Formation and gave him the Fire Prayer formation artifact, which let Liu Xiaowen wield earth baleful fire.
• Wu Hecun urged Wu Shanchan to accept Xie Shu’s offer, but Wu Shanchan postponed the decision until after the spirit spring and the Immortal Sect’s arrival.
• Wu Shanchan mourned his dead grandson Wu Heyong, then coughed up blood as his servants rushed to help him.

Xu Xuan and the Plainlands households gathered at Flat Lake for Longevity Monastery’s trial in the Underground Palace, where their youths would compete for a Heaven-Bestowed Fortune Spring. Liu Xiaowen entered alone, while a Foundation Establishment elder secretly sent a Red-Armored Centipede into the palace as part of a plan involving calamity poison.

• Xu Xuan met Liu Qiuqi and learned that Longevity Monastery had reserved one share of the spring, leaving the households to compete for three more.
• Liu Qiuqi told Xu Xuan that the Underground Palace held an ancient Qi Kingdom trial, and Zuo Hemo revealed that Hollow Sword Gate and Great Red Abbey shared roots in Ancient Shu.
• A Daoist used an azure pearl to open the lake and sent seven youths, including Liu Xiaowen and Liu Baiyuan, down into the Underground Palace to face its trials.
• The palace separated Liu Xiaowen from the others, and he drew his sword and followed the dark passage downward.
• A Foundation Establishment elder sent a Red-Armored Centipede into the palace and discussed using it in a plan involving fortune qi, calamity poison, and a person in the Wilderness of Witches.

Liu Xiaowen fought and killed a monstrous scorpion-serpent in the Underground Palace, while Xu Xuan and the others waited outside and learned of a plot to use a sword-lineage inheritor in a shamanic ritual. The monster’s death left a subtle aura around Liu Xiaowen and a scarlet shape crawling past the wall.

• Liu Xiaowen passed several trials in the Underground Palace and confronted a giant scorpion-serpent in the final chamber.
• Xu Xuan, Liu Qiuqi, and Zuo Mohe waited aboard the ship as a Wu Clan member was transported out, and Zuo Mohe mocked the clan.
• Xu Xuan saw a vision of a mountain-sized cocoon splitting open, then forgot the vision while sensing that something was wrong.
• Ximing learned from his master that a venomous creature was being drawn to candidates for a shamanic ritual, whose successor sought to reenact an ancient event by refining a sword-lineage inheritor.
• Liu Xiaowen lured the scorpion-serpent into exposing its softer belly and drove his sword into it, killing it with the last of his magical power.
• A faint aura appeared around Liu Xiaowen as a scarlet shape crawled past the wall.

Liu Xiaowen and Xiao Cunsi were afflicted by the poisonous centipede, but Xu Xuan’s blood-colored flower drew the poison away from Liu Xiaowen and redirected it to Xiao Cunsi. Xiao Cunsi attacked Zhu Chenglu and was expelled from the Refinement Grounds, while Daoist Xi Ming demanded to know who had interfered.

• Liu Xiaowen was overwhelmed by the poison, and Black Curse Script spread across his skin as Xu Xuan sensed the trouble through the White Jade Ancient Stele.
• Xu Xuan’s blood-colored flower drew the black energy away, causing the Red-Fighting Centipede to leave Liu Xiaowen and crawl toward the Refinement Grounds.
• Xiao Cunsi became afflicted by the poison and attacked Zhu Chenglu, and the two were expelled from the Refinement Grounds together.
• Xiao Cunsi lunged at Zhu Chenglu and then the boy attendant, but Daoist Xi Ming restrained and bound him.
• Daoist Xi Ming accused the gathered clans of harming his disciple, while Xu Xuan remained concealed and the four masses of clear energy awaited new arrivals.

Liu Xiaowen and the other youths purified themselves with the Heaven-Bestowed Fortune Spring, while tensions erupted above the underground palace over the Longevity Monastery’s role in the expedition. Daoist Xi Ming and Zhu Yuanyun began a duel as the youths waited to emerge.

• Liu Xiaowen, Liu Baiyuan, Qi Wen, and Duan Pingdu each claimed a portion of the pure spring energy, and Duan Pingdu took the densest share with his formation cauldron.
• Liu Xiaowen purified his body and strengthened his foundation, while Duan Pingdu advanced from middle-stage to late-stage Fetal Breath.
• Aboard the treasure ship, Zhu Yuanyun accused Daoist Xi Ming and the Longevity Monastery of scheming and of causing Zhu Chenglu’s injury and lost chance at purification.
• Daoist Xi Ming and Zhu Yuanyun exchanged accusations over the monastery’s treatment of the other lineages and its interference with their juniors.
• Daoist Xi Ming and Zhu Yuanyun fought above the lake, and Xi Ming gained the advantage after several dozen exchanges while the youths remained inside the underground palace.

Hua Xihe stopped Xi Ming and Zhu Yuanyun’s fight after revealing that a poisonous Divine Ability had provoked their violence, then released the juniors despite suspicions that one of them had caused the incident. As Xu Xuan returned with Liu Qiuqi, he learned that another Demon Calamity might be approaching and saw his White Jade Ancient Stele begin to form the words [Five Poisons-].

• Hua Xihe broke the crimson thread tainting Xi Ming and Zhu Yuanyun, while Xiao Cunsi remained sealed and was revealed to have been dead already.
• Hua Xihe tried to take the remaining juniors for examination, but Duan Chengsi and the others objected, so he released them while warning that he would pursue the matter later.
• The clans departed, and Xu Xuan returned with Liu Qiuqi, Liu Xiaowen, and Liu Baiyuan.
• Liu Qiuqi warned Xu Xuan to reach Foundation Establishment quickly and hinted that the Demon Calamity might return.
• Xu Xuan sensed a crimson centipede forming in his Qi Sea, and the White Jade Ancient Stele displayed the first two characters of [Five Poisons-].

Xu Xuan uncovered a Shamanic poison-and-gu cultivation method, then investigated demons appearing near Eastern Secret and confronted a powerful mountain ogre. He fought it with [Constant Light] while wondering who was directing the Gu Beasts.

• Xu Xuan’s inscription revealed the “True Method of Poison-Watching and Gu-Wielding,” including the [Red-Fighting Centipede] method and secret arts for refining gu and fire poisons.
• Liu Xiaowen reported that powerful demons had appeared near Eastern Secret, and Xu Xuan recognized a slain demon as resembling a creature made through the Beast Gu method.
• Xu Xuan took [Constant Light] from the secret treasury and traveled to the deserted Horse-Tethering Road to investigate the demons.
• Xu Xuan found a sixth-level Qi Refining mountain ogre among the villagers’ corpses and attacked it with [Constant Light].
• The mountain ogre charged Xu Xuan with its weapons as its three heads laughed, while Xu Xuan wondered where the person behind the Gu Beast was.

Xu Xuan defeated the Beast Gu-controlled Mountain Ogre and drove off Xie Miao, then returned to Green Luo wary of Black Wind Valley’s schemes. Xie Shu absorbed Xu Xuan’s blood from Xie Miao’s bone saber and planned to use his Demon Embryo against Xu Xuan.

• Xu Xuan used lightning and sword arts to expose the Beast Gu insect controlling the Mountain Ogre, but an ambush interrupted his attempt to destroy it.
• Xu Xuan identified the attacker as likely Xie Miao and struck him, but Xie Miao escaped to East Secret Mountain using a Bone Talisman.
• Xu Xuan killed the green beetle Beast Gu, cleared the ruined village, and returned to Green Luo while deciding to refine the Thunder-Sleeping Gu and stay alert.
• Xie Miao returned to Black Wind Valley with severe injuries and gave Xie Shu a bone saber stained with Xu Xuan’s blood.
• Xie Shu absorbed Xu Xuan’s blood and vowed to merge Xu Xuan with his Demon Embryo, while planning to turn to Zuo Mohe if his current scheme failed.

Xu Xuan defended the Great Red Abbey as the Lotus Temple and Black Wind Valley kept up their pressure, while he investigated the strange degeneration of his gu. Elsewhere, Yuan Zheng arranged a scheme to capture Xu Xuan or Zuo Mohe and use one of them to forge a shamanic spiritual sword, as a monk departed the Moon-Cleansing Temple carrying a relic.

• Wang Qiyun set up the Little Baleful Wind Formation at Horse-Tethering Road, while the Great Red Abbey’s disciples held off attacks from Black Wind Valley and the Lotus Temple.
• Xu Xuan studied his Sleeping Thunder Gu and Qi-Absorbing Gu, realized their abilities had degenerated, and suspected someone was restoring the ancient witchcraft lineage.
• Yuan Zheng told Wu Shanchan that Wu Hecun could use secret arts to reach Foundation Establishment and instructed the Wu Clan to continue following his plans.
• Yuan Zheng revealed that Xu Xuan or Zuo Mohe would be captured at the ninth level of Qi Refining and used to forge a shamanic spiritual sword for the scheme surrounding Calamity Poison.
• A monk emerged from the Moonlight Pure Land at the Moon-Cleansing Temple and walked south toward Witch South Commandery.

Liu Xiaowen broke through to Qi Refining and received the seal script [Sun-Flint Descent of Fire], while Xu Xuan discovered the full power of [Dark Flood Dragon Commands Thunder]. The chapter left Xu Xuan investigating a new change in his Qi Sea as black specks spread from the uncanny blood flower.

• Liu Xiaowen used celestial fire qi to break through to Qi Refining with the Heavenly Fire Eternal Radiance Scripture.
• Xu Xuan guided [Sun-Flint Descent of Fire] into Liu Xiaowen, awakening a great sun radiant flame and revealing the seal script’s powers.
• [Dark Flood Dragon Commands Thunder] fully manifested for Xu Xuan, drawing [Cinnabar Thunder] and the thunder-sleeping insects into an upper firmament thundercloud.
• Xu Xuan told Liu Xiaowen to keep the sect’s secret treasure hidden, and Liu Xiaowen chose Frostreturn Peak.
• Xu Xuan noticed clear qi on the uncanny blood flower as black specks spread throughout his Qi Sea.

Xu Xuan awoke inside his Qi Sea and met Tiantuo, an ancient heavenly monster trapped there, who offered to help him reach Purple Mansion in exchange for a Seal Script. The two agreed to swear an oath, leaving Xu Xuan bound to a dangerous bargain with the demon.

• Xu Xuan awoke in a vast Thunder Marsh within his Qi Sea and followed Cinnabar Thunder to a sea of blood flowers.
• Xu Xuan met Tiantuo, who tried to seize him but was held back by a cage of pure qi.
• Tiantuo consumed the blood essence hidden in Xu Xuan and removed the [Turmoil of Emotion] Divine Ability affecting his mind.
• Tiantuo asked Xu Xuan to gather blood essence, proposing that he kill demons and give Tiantuo the corpses of his future enemies.
• Tiantuo offered several demonic cultivation methods, but Xu Xuan refused them because they did not fit his [Shock Thunder] Dao Path.
• Tiantuo revealed that he wanted a Seal Script to restore and reincarnate himself, and Xu Xuan agreed to give him one after reaching Purple Mansion; Tiantuo then called for them to swear an oath.

Xu Xuan agreed to help Tiantuo find blood essence in exchange for cultivation guidance, then entered Deep Abyss in disguise as a flood dragon demon. He arrived among demons who mistook him for a noble lord, and a demon approached to ask where he came from.

• Xu Xuan and Tiantuo swore an oath before the White Jade Heavenly Palace, agreeing to help each other while Xu Xuan avoided indiscriminate slaughter.
• Tiantuo recognized the Wondrous Method of Observing Poison and Wielding Gu as a path related to the ancient Origin Poison and taught Xu Xuan the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Art.
• Xu Xuan visited Rosy Dawn Peak, where Wang Qiyun and Shen Shu's son was named Cheng Yan, then cultivated the Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Art and condensed a second heart in his Qi Sea.
• Tiantuo offered to fabricate a Demon Race identity for Xu Xuan and sent his spiritual consciousness into Deep Abyss, where Xu Xuan took the form of a green flood dragon demon.
• Xu Xuan descended from the highest platform in Deep Abyss, and the demons there mistook him for a noble lord and bowed to him.
• As Xu Xuan neared the black wooden gateway, a demon approached and asked where he came from.

Xu Xuan entered [Deep Abyss] and used Tiantuo’s guidance to pose as Mu Youdu, a noble dragon from Great Mist Marsh, gaining Yang Yuanxin’s help and learning about the coming [Surging Tribulation Heaven]. He discovered that its descent was tied to schemes to destroy Ancient Shu’s remaining destiny and shake [Kunwei Heaven], leaving him determined to face the danger ahead.

• Tiantuo told Xu Xuan to claim the name Mu Youdu and Great Mist Marsh as his home, and Yang Yuanxin welcomed him as a noble descendant of the Mist Marsh Dragon Court.
• Yang Yuanxin escorted Xu Xuan into Mountain Flame City and received him at Perching Feather Tower after his [Flame-Walking Token] summoned a servant.
• At Tiantuo’s prompting, Xu Xuan asked Yang Yuanxin about a [Tribulation Heart Pool] cultivation method, and she told him that [Surging Tribulation Heaven] would soon descend with thunder-path scriptures available in its outer repositories.
• Yang Yuanxin invited Xu Xuan to meet her elders in a month and enter the outer palaces with her branch, and Xu Xuan agreed to act on behalf of his absent lord.
• Yang Yuanxin explained that factions planned to gather Ancient Shu’s surviving descendants, raise them to Foundation Establishment, and slaughter them to sever Shu’s remaining destiny and shake [Kunwei Heaven].
• Xu Xuan learned that [Surging Tribulation Heaven] held Thunder Palace inheritance connected to Ancient Shu, and he resolved to see how he could weather the coming tribulation.

Xu Xuan returned from [Deep Abyss] with knowledge of the plans surrounding southern Red Cloud and began preparing an incarnation to help him survive his coming visit to Mountain Flame City. Elsewhere, Liu Xiaowen cultivated new secret arts, while Liu Qiuqi and Qingyun discussed the dangers ahead and their uncertain relationship.

• Yang Yuanxin told Yang Yuanyi that Xu Xuan could help them contact powerful figures from the Great Mist Marsh and join forces over [Surging Tribulation Heaven], though Yang Yuanyi urged caution.
• Xu Xuan consulted Tiantuo, who warned him about the Shamanic Way and the need for a fourth-grade cultivation method, then proposed using [Six Paths of Rebirth] and Dark Flood Dragon Fortune to create an external body.
• Xu Xuan received Tiantuo's secret art and entered secluded cultivation to study it and advance the [Jade Blood Heavenly Heart Art] before going to Mountain Flame City.
• Liu Xiaowen settled on Frostreturn Peak, prepared to cultivate [Cruel Tiger Flame Aspect], and considered reforging [Fire Tiger Fang] as threats gathered around his sect.
• Qingyun and Liu Qiuqi spoke about the Thunder Edict Path's coming entry into a grotto-heaven and teased each other about their relationship and Liu Qiuqi's mortality.
• Liu Baiyuan reported that arrangements were complete for a visit to the Great Red Abbey, and later Qingyun quietly asked Liu Qiuqi not to leave.

Xu Xuan accepted Liu Xingfang as a disciple and learned from Liu Baiyuan that powerful heavenly patrons might be needed to protect a mountain gate and its people. As Xu Xuan considered how to respond, the monk Jingyan arrived at the Lotus Temple and crossed the Li River toward Green Peaks.

• Xu Xuan received Liu Baiyuan and agreed to take Liu Xingfang, whose exceptional spiritual root impressed him, as his disciple in exchange for a Ghost-Cap Child.
• After Liu Xingfang left with Liu Xiaowen, Liu Baiyuan warned Xu Xuan that only powerful figures could guarantee a mountain gate and bloodline’s safety amid the coming upheaval.
• Xu Xuan learned that the Duan Clan was protected by a great figure because of Duan Pingdu’s extraordinary origins, and he resolved to seek useful connections in Mountain Flame City.
• Xu Xuan reflected on his master’s death and his concern about telling Wen Si'an the truth, then returned to secluded cultivation.
• At the Lotus Temple, Cihai questioned the visiting monk Jingyan, who rejected his schemes and crossed the Li River toward Green Peaks on bamboo.