Chapter Summaries

Xu Xuan refined his treasures, entrusted sect affairs to Liu Xiaowen, and traveled north to Kunlun in search of Heli. After crossing the Dragon-Crossing Bridge and defeating a berserk demonic cultivator, he found Hidden Yin Mountain and set out to ask about the Ink Qilin.

• Xu Xuan used the Azure Radiance Great Abyss Fourfold-Regulation Mystic Flame to refine the Heavenly Feather Water-Fire Grand Formation and prepared to leave for Kunlun.
• Xu Xuan instructed Liu Xiaowen to prepare a life-bound Sun-Mirror and study the Abandoned Flame Sword with the Heavenly Ashen Holocaust Killing Art.
• Xu Xuan traveled west and north, detouring around Longjue Ridge as he searched for Heli and the Heli Great Abyss.
• Xu Xuan reached the Heli Great Abyss, found the Dragon-Crossing Bridge, and crossed it despite the danger of the weakwater below.
• A berserk geng metal demonic cultivator attacked Xu Xuan on the bridge, and Xu Xuan immobilized them and kicked them into the abyss.
• Xu Xuan crossed safely, searched for the Ink Qilin, and spotted the Purple Mansion lineage at Hidden Yin Mountain.

Xu Xuan met Zhi Du at Hidden Yin Mountain, obtained a map to the Ink Qilin, and learned that the Dragon-Crossing Bridge had been built by Clear Dream, an incarnation of Tianyu. Traveling into Kunlun, he reached the forbidden Eight Extremes Origin Mountain and recognized it as the place where the former Gen Earth Fruit Position fell.

• Xu Xuan revealed himself to Zhi Du of Hidden Yin Mountain, who invited him in and agreed to mark the Ink Qilin’s location on a spirit map.
• Xu Xuan told Zhi Du that he had cast the Geng Metal demon into the Great Abyss of Heli, and Zhi Du explained the demon’s protections and likely fate.
• Zhi Du identified Clear Dream as the great figure who subdued Weakwater and built the Dragon-Crossing Bridge, prompting Xu Xuan and Tiantuo to connect Clear Dream with Tianyu.
• Zhi Du explained that his Hidden Yin Great Dao descended from Xuan Cuo, and Xu Xuan departed with the spirit map after giving him purple Zheng spirit essence.
• Xu Xuan and Tiantuo discussed Tianyu’s shifting allegiances as Xu Xuan traveled through Kunlun toward the Ink Qilin’s mountain.
• Xu Xuan reached the Eight Extremes Origin Mountain, where he recognized the forbidden site as the place where the former Gen Earth Fruit Position fell.

Xu Xuan visited the forbidden Golden Mother Pool, met the Gen Earth cultivator Yu Zhi, and learned of the Sword Ancestor’s hidden sanctuary. He then reached Qilin Mountain, where Yuan Jia invited him inside, leaving Xu Xuan to wonder what the Ink Qilin’s people wanted before they would trade him a fifth Divine Ability.

• Xu Xuan paid his respects at Eight Extremes Origin Mountain and used his damaged Great Change Divine Mechanism to glimpse the Gen Earth star and a mysterious immortal chart.
• Xu Xuan traveled to Golden Mother Pool, where Yu Zhi warned him that its golden killing light damaged magical power and fundamental essence.
• Xu Xuan learned that Yu Zhi was a Rogue Cultivator and heard about the Sword Ancestor’s hidden Dao sanctuary; they exchanged tokens before parting.
• Xu Xuan considered asking a descendant of the Sword Ancestor in Many Treasures about the sanctuary after the war, then headed north.
• Xu Xuan reached Qilin Mountain, where Yuan Jia formed a lightning bridge and invited him inside for a talk.

Xu Xuan visited Qilin Mountain to obtain the final divine ability needed for his cultivation and learned that pursuing altar thunder’s Golden Position seemed nearly impossible. He struck a deal with Yuan Jia to receive the Divine Exorcism Dao Origin Scripture, leaving his promise to return the qilin oath conditional on it not interfering with his own attempt.

• Xu Xuan entered the Thunder Palace ruins at Qilin Mountain, where the Heavenly Gate recognized his perfected [Righteous Punishment] and Yuan Jia welcomed him.
• Xu Xuan worshiped the Thunder Ancestor’s shrine and confirmed that he had come seeking his final divine ability.
• Yuan Jia explained the ranks of altar thunder and warned Xu Xuan that recreating Heavenly Tribulation to attain its Golden Position would likely kill him.
• Yuan Jia offered the Divine Exorcism method and rebirth through the qilin thunder pool in exchange for Xu Xuan returning the clan’s oath, but Xu Xuan refused to entrust his true spirit to them.
• Xu Xuan and Yuan Jia agreed that Xu Xuan would attempt to return the Divine Exorcism Oath only if doing so did not hinder his own attempt to attain the Golden Position.
• Yuan Jia gave Xu Xuan the Divine Exorcism Dao Origin Scripture, which granted the divine ability [Dao-Venerating Palace].

Xu Xuan received the [Dao-Venerating Palace] scripture and a talisman granting entry to the [Land of Being and Nonbeing], where he could cultivate Thunder Arts and test his divine abilities. After he left Qilin Mountain, Hualei and Yuan Jia discussed his prospects and revealed that the Lesser Yin Lord had killed Geng Martial for attempting to take the Geng Metal Fruit Position beyond the heavens.

• Xu Xuan learned that Yuan Jia had borrowed [Dao-Venerating Palace] through a Qilin Heavenly Seal Script, while cultivating it independently would require extraordinary attainment and time.
• Yuan Jia gave Xu Xuan a [Supreme Truth] talisman for the [Land of Being and Nonbeing], explaining that the Thunder Palace and Ji Earth had once worked closely together.
• Yuan Jia warned Xu Xuan that the Lesser Yin Lord might come from the Immortal Heaven and discouraged him from pursuing the Sword Dao, then recounted how the Sword Ancestor had wounded Jianwu.
• Xu Xuan left Qilin Mountain, while Hualei appeared and told Yuan Jia that Right Historian Tao expected the talisman to let them observe Xu Xuan in the Land of Being and Nonbeing.
• Hualei and Yuan Jia discussed Xu Xuan's suitability for Seeking the Golden Position and concluded that the Song Clan would not interfere in altar thunder matters.
• Hualei revealed that the Lesser Yin Lord had killed Geng Martial after Chi tried to take the Geng Metal Fruit Position beyond the heavens.

Xu Xuan studied the Divine Exorcism Dao Origin Scripture and began cultivating the spiritual qi needed for [Dao-Venerating Palace]. He entered the Land of Being and Nonbeing, where defeating an ancient lesser yin cultivator earned him primordial steaming that strengthened his abilities, and he resolved to use the domain to cultivate faster and prepare to judge Li fire.

• Xu Xuan studied the Divine Exorcism Dao Origin Scripture, condensed [Primordial Calamity Qi], and found that mysterious radiance did little to speed his cultivation of [Dao-Venerating Palace].
• Xu Xuan activated the mysterious talisman despite Tiantuo's warning and entered the Land of Being and Nonbeing, where he saw ancient sinners and golden-core cultivators reproduced in lightning.
• Xu Xuan summoned an old Daoist lesser yin cultivator and tested his fire visualization, lightning, and sword against the opponent's draining and obscuring abilities.
• Xu Xuan killed the old Daoist with thunder and sword intent, receiving primordial steaming that accelerated his mysterious elephants and strengthened his existing abilities.
• Xu Xuan recognized that the domain could help him cultivate [Dao-Venerating Palace] quickly and thought of Li fire as a target for judgment.

Wen Si'an emerged from seclusion with a new Gui Water divine ability and returned to Red Cloud, where she and Xu Xuan discussed the Sect’s prospects and his resolve to pursue Altar Thunder. Xu Xuan ordered their son Xu Ming to travel overseas and cultivate sword intent, while Wen Si'an went to meet Song Qing.

• Wen Si'an successfully cultivated [Heavy Cloud Concealment], learned that Great Mystery Mountain had been reclaimed, and instructed Wen Guang to investigate the Queen of Luo Hu as a possible formation cultivator.
• Wen Si'an returned to Red Cloud and reunited with Xu Xuan, who described the danger and difficulty of attaining [Dao-Venerating Palace].
• Xu Xuan reaffirmed that pursuing Altar Thunder was his own choice, and Wen Si'an told him she believed in him.
• Xu Xuan ordered Xu Ming to travel overseas under a concealed name and cultivate sword intent; Xu Ming agreed to leave until he attained it.
• Wen Si'an asked Xu Ming to take her to meet Song Qing in Jiangyang, while Xu Xuan planned to continue trials in the Land of Being and Nonbeing.

Xu Fayan found that True Person Zhou You had vanished and the Upper Firmament's protective formation was gone, then continued building the Divine Kingdom within his Inner Scenery. After successfully transforming four spirit treasures to establish its foundations, he worried that his notoriety would make it difficult to find an Earth Virtue Purple Mansion monster.

• Xu Fayan discovered that the Upper Firmament's Grand Formation had disappeared and True Person Zhou You was gone, and suspected the change was tied to the war in Li-Liao.
• Xu Fayan summoned the brocade snake spirit deity, named her Gao Xia, and ordered her to guard him while he performed Diagnosis-Killing.
• Xu Fayan entered his treasured palace and transformed four spirit treasures into essences of hidden metal, taboo wood, scorching fire, and hidden water for his Divine Kingdom.
• Xu Fayan completed the Divine Kingdom's foundational framework and considered how he might expand it through Earth Virtue and additional spirit deities.
• Xu Fayan worried that his evil reputation after Elephant Key's death would prevent him from finding an Earth Virtue Purple Mansion monster.

The Southern Emperor devoured Supreme Unity’s remnants and began his usurpation of Li Fire, while the Song Clan prepared to expand its rule through a campaign. At the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Song Yuanxian explained that the emperor intended to burn away Vast Wood and complete his divine office.

• A young man in the Great Void trapped Supreme Unity’s remnants in tribulation fire and sent them falling into Yuanluo Star, where the Southern Emperor devoured them.
• The Song Clan gathered at the Southern Capital’s Heavenly Altar as Tian'ou performed a sacrifice to Li Fire before the emperor’s campaign.
• True Person Ying Cuan argued that the Song Clan should seize a greater inheritance, while Song Yuanxing objected to sacrificing the clan’s descendants and common people.
• The emperor’s sacrifice ended, and Tian'ou went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to ask Song Yuanxian whether the plan had begun.
• Song Yuanxian said the emperor would burn away the last remnants of Vast Wood, and claimed Divine Vastness had entered Li Fire willingly while preparing a fallback through Tianyu and Panmi.

Human Illness sought support from Yuan Yan against li fire, then delivered a dream to Mengzhang Yu Wood Ancient Xun True Lord. The dream restored Chi’s memories of his past as Eastern Yu and his conflict with Gu Che, and Chi ended the chapter accusing Gu Sui and Geng Huai of deceiving him.

• Human Illness asked Nine Firmaments whether Yuan Yan would help suppress li fire, but she said the True Lord had given no instructions.
• Human Illness visited Mengzhang Yu Wood Ancient Xun True Lord and returned a dream on his True Lord’s behalf.
• The dream recalled Eastern Yu’s birth, his years pulling the sun, and his friendship with Ye Jie, who healed his wounds and later defied the Thunder Palace to protect mortals.
• Eastern Yu watched the Heavenly Leaf Dao Lineage collapse, then fought Tianyu and was struck down by the Thunder Palace’s tribulations.
• Chi awoke above the Pan Sea with his ancient memories restored and accused Gu Sui and Geng Huai of deceiving him.

Xu Xuan completed the trial in the Land of Being and Nonbeing, perfected his understanding of the Six True Thunder Arts, and prepared to strengthen the Thunder-Grasping Formation for the final battle. The Thunder Palace roster revealed the true name Wuwei Zhi, whose summoning might advance the formation to its third tier but would cost more merit than Xu Xuan possessed.

• Xu Xuan killed the fiftieth condemned sinner, a taboo wood-path spirit monster, and the trial ended.
• Xu Xuan reflected on the powerful Greater Yang Divine General Zhang Wen, whose divine fire had nearly killed him before he won with the Secret Edict.
• Xu Xuan perfected his understanding of the Six True Thunder Arts, but his attempt to condense the Dao-Venerating Palace divine ability faltered, so he sought an opportunity for altar thunder attunement in the final battle.
• Xu Xuan summoned Gaoyang Jun and Qin Wengu as auxiliary generals and selected nine Martial-Supporting Sacred Guards to support his formation.
• The Thunder Palace roster revealed the true name Wuwei Zhi, and Xu Xuan sensed that summoning him could advance the Thunder-Grasping Formation to its third tier, though the cost exceeded his merit.

Left Historian Liu questioned Ling Maiden about Xu Xuan and urged her to prepare for the Emperor Lord’s reincarnation, while Xu Xuan learned that Li Song was launching its campaign against Liao Capital. As the army assembled, Xu Xuan realized the Southern Emperor had manifested through the Li Emperor and might personally wage war in the Mortal World.

• Left Historian Liu pressed Ling Maiden about whether she had noticed anything unusual about Xu Xuan, then urged her to form her divine core and support the Emperor Lord’s reincarnation.
• Liu Xingfang emerged from seclusion having mastered [Primordial Sequence], and a golden decree ordered Xu Xuan to report to Origin Capital for the campaign against Liao Capital.
• Xu Xuan told Liu Xingfang and Wen Si'an to protect the sect and prepare to retreat south if the upheaval grew severe, then left for Southern Capital.
• At Southern Capital, Xu Xuan saw Tian'ou arrive with Xie Kuo and Song Yuanyin as Li Song gathered its forces, including six Great True Persons who had perfected Present Li.
• Tian'ou announced the campaign and raised [Burning Abandonment], while the Southern Emperor manifested through the great Origin Net star, leading Xu Xuan to suspect that the Emperor would fight in the Mortal World.

Song Yuanxian pressured Zhang Fan to honor their alliance against Divine Vastness while promising Li Fire would burn Vast Wood and help Yi Wood seize the [Nest]. Zhang Fan then captured Jin Guangying and revealed that the Venerable Heavenly Lotus Light had secretly survived, forcing Jin Guangying to submit to the Profound Secret Demon Land’s commands.

• Song Yuanxian relived the Song Clan’s devastation in the [Battle of Double Radiance] and confronted Zhang Fan, who feared the savage power of his Beast Aspect.
• Song Yuanxian demanded that Zhang Fan’s path honor their oath, threatening to burn Yi Wood if the Profound Secret Demon Land schemed against Li Fire.
• At Diamond Monastery, Jin Guangying taught the White Lotus monks about Buddhist traditions and lamented the destruction of their pure land.
• Zhang Fan used the [Forest of Intertwined Branches and Esoteric Mysteries] to seize Jin Guangying and revealed that the Venerable Heavenly Lotus Light’s Dharma Body had survived in hiding.
• Zhang Fan ordered Jin Guangying to obey the Profound Secret Demon Land if he wanted to restore Rebirth, and Jin Guangying agreed to submit.

With the Li army advancing on Prosperous Capital, Xiao Xian declared that Liao would resist rather than surrender and asked the tribes to stand with him. Helian Changchuan volunteered to fight, and Xiao Xian ordered him to kill a Song clansman of the Origin Character generation.

• Yuwen Wudu urged Xiao Xian to resist the Li army, but Xiao Jun rebuked him and Yuwen Shenhua stepped forward in his defense.
• Yuwen Shenhua offered to lead the charge, but Xiao Xian dismissed him and allowed the Yuwen Clan to withdraw to defend Scenic River.
• Xiao Xian declared that Liao would shed blood rather than surrender and refused to leave the Shepherd Elder Palace.
• Xiao Jun knelt and offered to fight, but Xiao Xian ordered him to stand down; Xiao Jun obeyed.
• Xiao Xian invited the tribes to leave or join the defense, and Helian Changchuan volunteered to fight the Song Clan.
• Xiao Xian granted the Helian family ten places in Upper Spirit Heaven and ordered Helian Changchuan to take Yelü Tan's sword and bring him the head of a Song clansman of the Origin Character generation.

The Li forces deployed the Thunder Department’s Dipper Pivot Annihilation seal against Edict Spirit Mountain, where Liao’s Bridge of Ordered Measures rose to oppose it. As the two treasures clashed and the mountain’s defenses fell, Xiao Jun confronted the Song Clan’s Li fire forces and declared their defeat was already sealed.

• Xu Xuan sensed the Song Clan’s efforts to draw calamity blessing away but believed they could not take it from him.
• Tian'ou ordered the Thunder Department to raise the Dipper Pivot Annihilation seal and break Edict Spirit Pass.
• Weihua activated the seal despite its divine-thunder backlash, and its golden lightning tore through Edict Spirit Mountain’s sinister-cloud defenses.
• Liao’s Bridge of Ordered Measures appeared and fought the Dipper Pivot Annihilation seal, while the mountain’s Grand Formation collapsed.
• Song Yuanli confronted Xiao Jun, who faced the gathered Li fire forces with the blessings of his nation and said the Song Clan’s defeat was already sealed.

As the Li Army overwhelmed Edict Spirit Mountain and marched north to raze the Liao Capital, Xu Xuan encountered Tuoba Jue, who showed him a character written in handwriting that Xu Xuan recognized. After defying Song Zong Zheng Yingfa to pursue Tuoba Jue, Xu Xuan flew into the sky determined to learn where the handwriting came from.

• The Li Army breached Edict Spirit Mountain, and Swan ordered the heavenly soldiers to march north and raze the Liao Capital.
• Tuoba Jue approached Xu Xuan and wrote the character [Wind], whose familiar handwriting shocked Xu Xuan.
• Xu Xuan drew Cinnabar Thunder and agreed to pursue Tuoba Jue, but Yingfa tried to stop him from leaving the battlefield.
• Xu Xuan rejected Yingfa's authority and invoked Tianxi's decree allowing him to act as circumstances required.
• Weihua intervened to end the confrontation, and Xu Xuan flew after Tuoba Jue to discover where he had seen the handwriting.

Yelü Tan watched Li Fire overwhelm the Liao defenses while Helian Changchuan insisted on entering the battle to kill a Li cultivator with complete Li Fire. Meanwhile, Xu Xuan defeated Tuoba Jue’s challenge, then learned that Lady Feng had sent Tuoba to draw him from the battlefield and that Tuoba sought his help rescuing Tuoba Cai.

• Yelü Tan assessed the failing defense at Edict Spirit Mountain and prepared to strike when Li Song advanced across the Ten Thousand Spirits plain.
• Helian Changchuan rejected Yelü Tan’s suggestion to target True Person Weihua and entered the Great Void, determined to kill someone who wielded complete Li Fire for the sake of the Liao emperor.
• Xu Xuan and Tuoba Jue clashed outside Edict Spirit Mountain; Xu Xuan overcame Tuoba’s Wu Earth techniques and forced him to halt the duel.
• Tuoba Jue revealed that Lady Feng of the White Paper Blessed Land had given him the character Feng and asked him to draw Xu Xuan away before a drastic upheaval.
• Tuoba Jue asked Xu Xuan to rescue Tuoba Cai from Le Yu, proposing to replace her as a Demon Manifestation with a paper person and offering a treasured authentic calligraphy in return.

After Edict Spirit Mountain fell, Tian'ou led his army toward the Liao Capital and chose to fight Yelü Tan himself on the Myriad Spirits Plain. Their battle began as Song Yuanli continued fighting Helian Changchuan, while Xie Kuo noticed a hidden glimmer of metal light behind the Emperor.

• Xiao Jun defeated Song Yuanli and left, then Helian Changchuan stepped forward to fight her.
• Tian'ou ordered his army to advance from Edict Spirit Mountain toward the Liao Capital across the Myriad Spirits Plain.
• Tian'ou rejected Ying Cuan's plan to use Burning Abandonment and Ashen Death, declaring that he would fight the evil presence himself.
• Tian'ou took up Burning Abandonment and the Divine Rite Dao Seal, then confronted Yelü Tan, who manifested as an iron-gray giant formed from gathered spirits and evil beings.
• Tian'ou and Yelü Tan clashed on the Myriad Spirits Plain as Xie Kuo noticed hidden metal light behind the Emperor, while Ying Cuan condemned Song Yuanli's weakness.

Tian'ou defeated Helian Changchuan and announced that he would enter Liao's Capital, execute its ruler, and unite the realm. Xu Xuan accepted responsibility for his part in the conflict and set out for the Capital, while Tuoba Jue withdrew to protect his clan.

• Xie Kuo urged Tian'ou to use Great Li's fortune to heal his wound, but Tian'ou refused and said an Emperor had to bear the nation's calamity himself.
• Xie Kuo confronted Ying Cuan and warned that he could restrain the Song Clan if they became evil creatures, while Ying Cuan dismissed his threat and Song Yuanyin railed against the Netherworld.
• Tian'ou arrived as Helian Changchuan nearly defeated Song Yuanli, caught Helian Changchuan's blade, and killed him with Greater Yang Li fire after he refused mercy.
• Tian'ou declared that he would enter the Capital, execute Liao's ruler, and establish a united realm, then headed toward Liao's Capital.
• Xu Xuan told Tuoba Jue that he would go to the Liao Capital because he had helped Li advance north, and Tuoba relayed his lord's message before Xu Xuan departed.
• Tuoba Jue decided to stay out of the coming upheaval and protect his clan's blessed land.

The Song Clan’s forces invaded the Capital of Liao, where Tian'ou confronted Xiao Xian in a duel as the city burned. As Xiao Xian unleashed his full power, Tian'ou broke free of his restraints and declared himself Sovereign Heavenly Li.

• The Capital of Liao burned beneath the Song Clan’s Li fire as Yelü Tan watched with Xiao Jun and Xiao She, while Xiao Xian remained in the Imperial Palace.
• Tian'ou confronted Xiao Xian at the palace gates, forced True Person Yingzheng back, and drew the ritual sword Heavenly Sparrow Net.
• Xiao Xian revealed his heartless Spirit-Witch Myriad-Evil Demon Body and absorbed Northern Liao’s remaining fortune to battle Tian'ou.
• Tian'ou’s sword clashed with Xiao Xian’s saber as the origin net trembled and the imprisoned Vermilion Bird began to break free.
• Tian'ou’s face became birdlike and his power overwhelmed Xiao Xian’s blade intent before he declared, “Call me Sovereign Heavenly Li!”