Chapter Summaries

Ye Han sought a thunder-type cultivation art after gaining a thunder spirit root and traveled to Qing Xuan Peak’s Scripture Pavilion to exchange for one. He could afford only the Thunder Escape Technique, and the clerk recognized him as the Seventh Elder’s disciple.

• Ye Han reasoned that Purple Cauldron sapling fruit could improve his spirit roots and considered seeking a metal-type sapling to complete his five-element roots.
• Ye Han decided to learn a thunder-type cultivation art, switched to the Azure Mystic Art, and left his cave abode while White Snow continued cultivating.
• Ye Han flew to Qing Xuan Peak’s Scripture Pavilion, where he found only a few costly thunder-type manuals and selected the affordable Thunder Escape Technique.
• Ye Han paid three thousand spirit stones and presented his Identity Token, but the middle-aged disciple recognized him as Ye Han, the Seventh Elder’s disciple, and asked if he was indeed Ye Han.

Ye Han obtained the Thunder Escape Art and learned of a sect mission offering a stronger thunder element cultivation technique, the Thunder Mantra. He found the mission’s costly requirements in the Mission Hall and hesitated over whether to accept it, until an acquaintance approached him.

• A middle-aged disciple recognized Ye Han, warned him that the Black Mountain Cult had raised the bounty on him, and gave him the Thunder Escape Art.
• The middle-aged disciple told Ye Han that sect mission number 334 rewarded a thunder element cultivation technique better than those available in the Scripture Pavilion.
• Ye Han went to the Mission Hall and found that mission 334 required him to collect Azure Worry Spirit Fruits, Three-Eyed Vermilion Bird beast crystals, and Bloodbone Beast essence blood in Upper Tomb Land.
• Ye Han saw that the reward was the advanced foundation establishment Thunder Mantra and hesitated because the mission requirements were so costly.
• An approaching figure greeted Ye Han and remarked on how long it had been since they last met.

Ye Han encountered Jin Feng in the Mission Hall and refused to join his trip or help explore a secret opportunity. After nearly two months of practice, Ye Han mastered the Thunder Escape Technique, but a message from Fairy Jade Orchid prompted him to make a decision about his next step.

• Ye Han met Jin Feng, who invited him to team up for a mission in the Upper Tomb Land, but Ye Han declined because he had no plans to accept a mission yet.
• Jin Feng privately asked Ye Han to help explore a place of opportunity, but Ye Han refused, citing the Black Mountain Cult's bounty on him and his cultivation priorities.
• Wang Fa saw Ye Han speaking with Jin Feng and approached Jin Feng to ask about their connection, still intending to deal with Ye Han.
• Ye Han practiced the Thunder Escape Technique in seclusion for nearly two months and successfully mastered it, though using it consumed substantial Spell Power.
• Fairy Jade Orchid sent Ye Han a message, which led him to make a decision about whether to pursue the Upper Tomb Land mission, raise his cultivation, or acquire another Thunder Element Cultivation Technique.

Ye Han learned that repairing the Ancient Times Teleportation Array required essence blood from a Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow, which was also needed for a Thunderclap Art mission. He postponed the dangerous trip to Upper Tomb Land until he could improve his cultivation and possibly travel with Azure Phoenix Fairy, then returned to his cave abode to study and cultivate.

• Fairy Jade Orchid told Ye Han that repairing the formation pillar required essence blood from a fourth-tier Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow, and Ye Han considered traveling to Upper Tomb Land for the Thunderclap Art mission.
• Ye Han told Fairy Jade Orchid he would wait a month or two for Senior Sister Qing Feng to return before deciding, and they discussed formation studies for eight to ten hours.
• Ye Han returned to his cave abode, found White Snow cultivating after reaching the third tier, and gave White Snow two pills.
• Ye Han recorded his formation notes and insights in a notebook, then reviewed what he had learned about the Three-Turn Spirit Refining Pills and the Ice Refining Prince’s pills.
• Ye Han swallowed two Three-Turn Spirit Refining Pills, and the Purple Cauldron absorbed them and sent energy into its mysterious space.

After 231 days of secluded cultivation, Ye Han reached the peak of the first layer of Foundation Establishment but encountered a bottleneck. He left Qing Xuan Mountain for the Upper Tomb Land to seek Two-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow essence blood, complete sect missions, and pursue the Thunderclap Art.

• Ye Han discovered that the Purple Cauldron's new space could hold excess pills aura, increasing the aura available for cultivation, though he still could not control the cauldron's movements into and out of his divine sense sea.
• Ye Han cultivated for 231 days, emerged from seclusion, and reached the peak of the first layer of Foundation Establishment Realm.
• Ye Han visited Fairy Jade Orchid and prepared for a journey after she asked him to find Two-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow essence blood to help repair the Ancient Times Teleportation Array.
• Ye Han obtained supplies and accepted several sect missions for the Upper Tomb Land, including one involving the Thunderclap Art.
• Ye Han put on the Myriad Images Mask from Martial Uncle Ningyu, found Han Yuwan absent from her cave abode, and left Qing Xuan Mountain for the Upper Tomb Land.

Wang Fa informed the Black Mountain Cult that Ye Han had left the Azure Profound Sect, prompting the Black Mountain Cult Leader to prepare to capture him and avenge the Fourth Young Master. Young Master Zhuge joined the expedition to Upper Tomb Land, interested in Ye Han’s rapid cultivation and possible immortal fortuity.

• Wang Fa learned that Ye Han had accepted several missions to Upper Tomb Land and traveled toward Seven Mysteries Peak.
• The Black Mountain Cult Leader received word that Ye Han had left the Azure Profound Sect and decided to capture him himself.
• Young Master Zhuge arrived and questioned the Black Mountain Cult Leader about his fourth brother’s death.
• The Black Mountain Cult Leader told Young Master Zhuge that Ye Han was heading to Upper Tomb Land and had advanced unusually quickly despite having four spirit roots.
• Young Master Zhuge decided to accompany the Black Mountain Cult Leader to Upper Tomb Land, and they set out without delay.

Ye Han faced three disguised Foundation Establishment cultivators who ambushed him to steal his treasures, and he swiftly killed one with Purple-Gold Lightning. The two survivors fled in opposite directions, but Ye Han pursued them.

• Ye Han noticed three disguised Foundation Establishment cultivators closing in on him and chose to fight them.
• The three cultivators attacked Ye Han with bloodlight sabers, vicious ghosts, and venomous bees.
• Ye Han blocked their attacks with Millennium Ironwood Swords and drove back the bees with a Fire Snake.
• Ye Han unleashed Purple-Gold Lightning, destroyed the ghosts and their jar, and killed the cultivator who had released it.
• The leader and the remaining cultivator activated Blood Escape Talismans and fled in opposite directions, and Ye Han declared that they would not escape.

Ye Han killed three black-clad cultivators who ambushed him, using his refined treasures and Thunder Arts to stop their escape. After collecting their belongings, he reflected on his growing strength and the drawback of wielding powerful thunder spells without practicing Thunder Element Cultivation Techniques.

• Ye Han used the Ghost Skull Mirror to trap one fleeing cultivator and killed him with a sword-ray.
• Ye Han caught the last fleeing cultivator with the Thunder Escape Technique and killed him with demon-breaking divine thunder, which also annihilated his primordial spirit.
• Ye Han burned the cultivator’s corpse, collected his Storage Bags, and then gathered the other two cultivators’ corpses and belongings.
• Ye Han flew away and found that the Storage Bags held few useful treasures, mostly sinister items refined through Blood Sacrifice.
• Ye Han reviewed how his Thunder Arts, truefire, Millennium Ironwood Swords, Ghost Skull Mirror, and Thunder Escape Technique had overcome the three ambushers, then noted the drawback of lacking Thunder Element Cultivation Techniques.

Ye Han assessed the enormous resource costs behind his recent cultivation and battles, especially the Thunder Escape Technique and Treasure Refining Art. With his wealth dwindling and the Cultivation World’s dangers in mind, he headed toward the Upper Tomb Land to seek Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow essence blood and earn resources through missions.

• Ye Han realized the Thunder Escape Technique consumed most of his spell power, with each use costing the equivalent of five or six Spiritual Qi Pills.
• Ye Han recalled that refining many treasures, advancing his cultivation, and studying talismans, puppets, and formations had consumed more than half his stockpile of pills.
• Ye Han recognized that his Blood Refining Art had advanced only a little because he had devoted most of his resources to other pursuits.
• Ye Han decided to undertake missions in the Upper Tomb Land both to gather resources and to seek the essence blood needed to repair the Ancient Times Teleportation Array.
• Ye Han looked toward the snow-covered mountains marking the Upper Tomb Land and grew solemn.

Ye Han crossed the snowy mountain boundary into the Upper Tomb Land, a dangerous region rich in spiritual energy, demon beasts, and treasures. As he flew into its ancient forest, he spotted a Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow.

• Ye Han recalled what he had learned about the Upper Tomb Land and why cultivators sought its treasures despite the dangers.
• Ye Han considered why he had chosen the region to avoid the Black Mountain Cult and decided not to risk killing and robbing other cultivators.
• Ye Han activated the Purple Cauldron to replenish his spent spell power as he flew toward the Upper Tomb Land.
• Ye Han crossed the snow-covered mountains and marveled at the dense forest and powerful spiritual energy beyond them.
• Ye Han saw a fiery-red bird emerge from the jungle and recognized it as a Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow.

Ye Han tracked a Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow through the forest, hoping to find its flock and obtain three Beast Crystals for the Thunderclap Art mission. Before he could attack, Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and another Black Mountain Cult member ambushed the bird, giving Ye Han a chance to seek revenge.

• Ye Han spotted a Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow feeding on a Demon Beast and approached it in the forest.
• Ye Han concealed his presence and waited for the fourth-tier bird to finish eating and fly away.
• Ye Han followed the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow toward the mountains, hoping to find its flock and collect the Beast Crystals he needed.
• Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and a masked Cultivator attacked the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow with their treasures.
• Ye Han recognized Sima Xiong and Fairy Blue Phoenix and resolved to take revenge on the Black Mountain Cult members.

Ye Han watched Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Junior Brother Wang attack the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow and suspected they had come to the Upper Tomb Land to hunt him. After preparing formations and a puppet, he freed the demon beast, revealing himself to the three cultivators.

• Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Junior Brother Wang trapped and battered the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow, but the fourth-tier beast broke through their attacks and began to escape.
• Ye Han wondered whether the Black Mountain Cult had sent Sima Xiong and his companions to kill him, and decided to proceed cautiously while preventing them from killing the beast.
• Ye Han set twelve Formation Flags, sent the Binglian Metal Puppet underground, and laid another Talisman Formation before approaching the battle.
• Ye Han sent eight Millennium Ironwood Swords flying and severed the Black Net, allowing the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow to break free.
• Fairy Blue Phoenix recognized Ye Han's swords and called out his name to Sima Xiong and Junior Brother Wang.

Ye Han deliberately revealed himself to draw Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Senior Brother Wang into pursuit, learning that the Black Mountain Cult had tracked him to the Upper Tomb Land. He led them into a formation, then emerged from the ground to attack as they realized the trap.

• Ye Han severed Senior Brother Wang's Black Net, prompting Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Senior Brother Wang to recognize and attack him while the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow escaped with a talisman attached to it.
• Ye Han inferred that the Black Mountain Cult knew he had entered the Upper Tomb Land and suspected a spy in the Azure Profound Sect.
• Ye Han used his eight Millennium Ironwood Swords to clash with the trio's attacks, damaging their defensive treasures despite being driven back by their combined assault.
• Ye Han fled with Ghost Step Pace, and Sima Xiong ordered the others to pursue rather than summon the Cult Leader.
• Ye Han led the trio into a formation that shrouded the landscape, then burst from the ground and sent two Sword-Rays toward them.

Ye Han trapped Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Senior Brother Wang in a Dragon-Trapping Formation and sent the Binglian Puppet to attack them. Senior Brother Wang slowed the puppet with a strange black liquid, but Ye Han burned it away as Sima Xiong called for reinforcements.

• Sima Xiong and his companions pursued Ye Han and stumbled into the Dragon-Trapping Formation, where the Binglian Puppet attacked them.
• Sima Xiong, Fairy Blue Phoenix, and Senior Brother Wang struck the puppet with their attacks, but its reinforced armor withstood them as wind blades battered the group.
• Senior Brother Wang recognized the formation and used his writing-brush treasure to cover the Binglian Puppet in sticky black liquid, slowing its movements.
• Ye Han watched from a tree and used a fire technique and truefire to break down and vaporize the black liquid.
• Sima Xiong sent out a Messaging Talisman to summon the Cult Leader and reinforcements.

Ye Han used the Ghost Skull Mirror to destroy Sima Xiong’s Messaging Talisman and intensified his attack on the three trapped cultivators. He killed Fairy Blue Phoenix, while Sima Xiong and Senior Brother Wang tried to flee the Dragon-Trapping Formation.

• Sima Xiong sent a Messaging Talisman toward the sky to call the Black Mountain Cult Leader and other reinforcements.
• Ye Han used the Ghost Skull Mirror to shatter the talisman’s golden transmission before it could reach anyone.
• Ye Han strengthened the Dragon-Trapping Formation and unleashed a massive Qing Xuan Sword-Ray against Fairy Blue Phoenix.
• Fairy Blue Phoenix escaped the giant sword-ray but ran into another sword strike, which pierced her heart and destroyed her primordial spirit.
• Sima Xiong fled in a streak of bloodlight, while Senior Brother Wang used a Gray-Light Sphere to rush toward the edge of the formation.

Ye Han killed Fairy Blue Phoenix and pursued Sima Xiong with the Ghost Skull Mirror and demon-breaking divine thunder. The chapter ended with Sima Xiong swallowed by the mirror while Senior Brother Wang escaped underground.

• Ye Han used the Binglian Puppet to kill Fairy Blue Phoenix, whose primordial spirit was trapped by the puppet’s sword qi.
• Sima Xiong and Senior Brother Wang attempted to flee the Dragon-Trapping Formation, but Ye Han disrupted Sima Xiong’s Blood Escape with the Ghost Skull Mirror.
• Sima Xiong used his Black Rope ancient treasure to resist the Ghost Skull Mirror, but Ye Han struck him with purple lightning and forced him to expend his Substitute Puppet.
• Ye Han attacked Sima Xiong again with demon-breaking divine thunder, destroying his defenses and body.
• Sima Xiong’s escaping bloodlight was swallowed by the Ghost Skull Mirror, while Senior Brother Wang escaped through the ground using Earth Escape.

Ye Han killed Sima Xiong and Senior Brother Wang after trapping the latter’s escape, then collected their belongings and fled through the trees. He followed the tracking talisman he had placed on the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow, but the talisman suddenly stopped moving.

• Senior Brother Wang escaped the Dragon-Trapping Formation but triggered Ye Han’s Talisman Formation and was pinned down by the puppets and Ghost Skull Mirror.
• Ye Han’s Qing Xuan Sword-Rays killed Senior Brother Wang, and the Ghost Skull Mirror devoured his primordial spirit.
• Ye Han realized the Black Mountain Cult’s pursuit was not over and suspected Young Master Black Mountain had another identity.
• Ye Han collected the treasures and bodies, then used Wood Escape Technique to leave the area and follow the tracking talisman on the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow.
• Ye Han restored his spell power with Three-Turn Spirit Refining Pills, then noticed the tracking talisman had stopped.

Ye Han followed his tracking talisman into the territory of powerful Demon Beasts and used the Water Element Eye Spirit Art to spot the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows’ lair among tiered cliffs. Seeing at least five or six sparrows, he moved to a nearby platform and began setting up a formation.

• Ye Han decided to pursue the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrow for its essence blood before leaving the Upper Tomb Land, despite the danger posed by the Black Mountain Cult.
• Ye Han raced through the forest, avoided killing weaker Demon Beasts, and continued toward the tracking talisman’s signal.
• Ye Han reached the edge of the forest and used the Water Element Eye Spirit Art to see fiery-red figures through the haze around the cliffs.
• Ye Han spotted at least five or six Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows and headed to a nearby cliff platform.
• Ye Han sent out twelve Formation Flags for the Dragon-Trapping Formation.

Ye Han lured eight Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows into his formations and attacked them with puppets and swords. As the battle began, a talisman alerted him that people from the Black Mountain Cult had arrived.

• Ye Han prepared the Dragon-Trapping Formation, a Water-Element Hail Talisman Formation, and armed Metal Puppets, then sent the Binglian Puppet to draw out the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows.
• The eight Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows chased the Binglian Puppet down the cliff and into Ye Han's Dragon-Trapping Formation.
• Ye Han activated the formations, trapping the sparrows in wind blades and a hailstorm that crushed four of them.
• Metal Puppets shot arrows at the sparrows while Ye Han summoned the Qing Xuan Sword Formation to attack.
• A blood-red light flared from Ye Han, alerting him that the Black Mountain Cult's people had arrived.

Ye Han sensed that cultivators had approached the site where he killed Sima Xiong and rushed to finish off the trapped Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows. As Ye Han and the Binglian Puppet pursued the survivors, a gray figure raced toward the five dead birds, apparently trying to steal Ye Han’s spoils.

• Ye Han sensed his Warning Talisman activate and hurried to kill the Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows before the likely Black Mountain Cult intruders arrived.
• The Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows broke through the Dragon-Trapping Formation and attacked Ye Han with beams of fire from their central eyes.
• Ye Han used the Qing Xuan Sword Formation empowered by demon-breaking divine thunder, while hail and the Metal Puppet’s arrows disrupted the birds’ defense.
• Five Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows were immobilized by lightning and killed by Ye Han’s sword-rays.
• The remaining three Three-Eyed Vermilion Sparrows fled as Ye Han and the Binglian Puppet pursued them, while a gray figure rushed toward the slain birds.