Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping and his companions heard Immortal Elder Wuji calling from the ruins of Dumu Palace and learned how he had anticipated Xu Taiping’s arrival. After confirming Wuji’s identity, they faced the sudden stirring of Xingtian’s remnant divine intent.

• Xu Taiping told Dongfang Yuejian and Xuanzhi that an old acquaintance might be trapped inside Dumu Palace.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that he expected Xu Taiping to enter the Southern Heavenly Gate Ruins because the Dragon-Slaying Assembly was taking place nearby.
• Wuji used the Light-Time Rope to reach Xu Taiping, and Dongfang Yuejian recognized him as Wuji Heavenly Lord.
• Dongfang Yuejian greeted Wuji as an ancestor, and Wuji told her to treat him as Xu Taiping’s old acquaintance.
• Wuji warned that Xingtian’s remnant divine intent was about to awaken as a terrifying aura surged from the ruins.

Xu Taiping and his companions reached Immortal Elder Wuji in Dumu Palace, where Wuji was struggling to seal Xingtian’s Divine Intent while defending himself from the palace’s Divine Generals’ remains. The Blood Skeleton Head caught Wuji’s attention, and Xu Taiping began fighting to protect him as the sealing continued.

• Xingtian’s Divine Intent formed a giant headless figure, but Immortal Elder Wuji used his Great Dark Heaven Hand to shatter its incarnation temporarily.
• Immortal Elder Wuji summoned Xu Taiping to help hold off the Divine Generals’ remains so they would not interrupt the sealing.
• Xu Taiping used Wind-Thunder Step to bring Dongfang Yuejian, Xuanzhi, and himself into the ruined hall where Wuji was suppressing Xingtian’s incarnation.
• A Divine General’s skeleton struck Wuji’s true body, wounding him and nearly allowing Xingtian’s incarnation to break free.
• Xuanzhi revealed the Blood Skeleton Head, which made Wuji recognize it as Dumu Palace’s missing Heavenly King’s head.
• Xu Taiping charged at an approaching Divine General’s skeleton while Dongfang Yuejian and Gu Yu stayed to protect Wuji’s true body.

Xu Taiping held off the divine general skeletons while Xuanzhi tried to awaken the Blood Skeleton Head, which required enormous amounts of power and gold essence stones. As more enemies converged on the abandoned main hall, the Battle Merit Ledger requested to watch the fight, and Xu Taiping agreed before charging into battle again.

• Xu Taiping intercepted a divine general skeleton while Immortal Elder Wuji explained how Xuanzhi could use the Blood Skeleton Head to summon a Heavenly King manifestation.
• Xuanzhi poured his power into the Blood Skeleton Head and fed it gold essence stones, while Xu Taiping unleashed his Unity Blade and damaged a divine general skeleton without seriously injuring it.
• Two more divine general skeletons approached, so Xu Taiping told Dongfang Yuejian to help Xuanzhi awaken the skull.
• The Battle Merit Ledger flew out of Dongfang Yuejian's sleeve and requested to watch the battle, and Gu Yu agreed on Xu Taiping's behalf.
• Xu Taiping charged the two approaching skeletons with his Burning Blade.

At the Dragon-Slaying Assembly, spectators watched Xu Taiping and his companions battle in the depths of the Southern Heavenly Gate Ruins. Xu Taiping wounded a divine general skeleton, while Immortal Elder Wuji’s manifestation was seen suppressing an incarnation of Xingtian’s divine intent, leaving the spectators wondering who the elder was.

• Chu Yinan said he would not lose to Xu Taiping today, and Xiahou Qingyuan noted that Youyun Heaven had raised him as a battle general.
• The Profound Elixir Palace Elder announced that Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu had agreed to let the spectators watch.
• Gu Yu released the Battle Merit Ledger, revealing Xu Taiping fighting two divine general skeletons in a ruined hall.
• Xu Taiping used Burning Blade to sever one skeleton’s arm, shocking the spectators with his strength.
• Chu Xiaoxiao pointed out that Immortal Elder Wuji’s manifestation was suppressing an incarnation of Xingtian’s divine intent, and Jiang Cuicui asked about the elder’s background.

Xu Taiping used Crossing the Gods to trap the Divine General skeletons, but their golden flames destroyed the Yellow Springs creatures and the technique rapidly drained his power. After Dongfang Yuejian told him to sheath his blade, the skeletons attacked again, and an unseen voice ordered them to stand down.

• Three Divine General skeletons charged Xu Taiping, and he used his Mysterious Origin Avatars to shield himself, wound the twin-axe skeleton, and hold the others back.
• Xu Taiping unleashed Crossing the Gods, sending the Yellow Springs Skiff and its waters against the Divine General skeletons.
• The Divine Generals burned the Yellow Springs skeletons to ashes, while the Skiff held them in place at the cost of much of Xu Taiping's power.
• Dongfang Yuejian told Xu Taiping to sheath his blade, and his protective blade gang returned as the Yellow Springs manifestations vanished.
• The Divine General skeletons resumed their attack, and a majestic voice shouted, “Stand down!”

Xu Taiping and the others used the Blood Skeleton Head to command the Divine Generals Skeletons, while Immortal Elder Wuji revealed that Xingtian’s divine intent was close to escaping its seal. The chapter ended with Wuji proposing that Xu Taiping seal the divine intent inside his own body and restrain it.

• Master Xuanzhi and Dongfang Yuejian invoked the Guangmu Heavenly King’s image to order the Divine Generals Skeletons to guard the Main Hall.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that the Heavenly King’s command would remain in effect for several hours even after his image shattered.
• Dongfang Yuejian told the Battle-Watching Day spectators that Wuji had brought them to the Dumu Palace Ruins to seal Xingtian’s lingering divine intent.
• Xiahou Qingyuan and Mu Yun discussed how Xingtian’s divine intent might have bypassed Yundaozi’s Heavens-Replenishing Book seal.
• Immortal Elder Wuji warned that Xingtian’s divine intent had likely become complete and could escape the seal at any moment.
• Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping that the only remaining way to seal Xingtian’s divine intent was to contain it inside his own body.

Immortal Elder Wuji explained that Xu Taiping needed to seal Xingtian’s growing divine intent inside his physique, and revealed that Xu’s two body-tempering methods could form the legendary Nine Cauldrons Physique. He recalled how Xiang Kui died saving human troops on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield, but Lu Rushuang warned that Xiang Kui’s feat did not prove Xu Taiping could do the same.

• Immortal Elder Wuji said his suppression of Xingtian’s divine intent was failing and urged Xu Taiping to seal it inside his physique.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that Xu Taiping’s Flame Emperor Body Tempering Art and Furnace Body Tempering Method could make his body a powerful furnace.
• Dongfang Yuejian recognized that the combined techniques could form the Nine Cauldrons Physique, which an ancient martial artist named Xiang Kui had cultivated.
• Immortal Elder Wuji recounted how Xiang Kui sacrificed himself to save six hundred thousand human troops from a demonic formation on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield.
• Xiahou Qingyuan and Zhu Huai confirmed Xiang Kui’s fame and death, while Lu Rushuang cautioned that Xu Taiping might not match his feat.

Xu Taiping agreed to attempt manifesting the Nine Cauldrons Physique and swallowing Xingtian's divine intent after Dongfang Yuejian confirmed the protective runes were genuine. The chapter ended with the runes complete and Immortal Elder Wuji instructing Xu Taiping to activate both body-tempering methods before swallowing the golden cup.

• Dongfang Yuejian asked Immortal Elder Wuji about protective runes, and he passed her the methods for drawing four runes entrusted to him by Xiang Kui.
• After Dongfang Yuejian confirmed the runes were genuine, Xu Taiping agreed to take the risk and let her draw them on his body.
• As Xingtian's divine intent fought back, Xuanzhi used the Eight-Tone Withered Wood Fish and Buddhist power to strengthen Immortal Elder Wuji and force the divine intent back into the golden cup.
• Dongfang Yuejian finished drawing the runes, and Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping to circulate the Flame Emperor Body Tempering Art and Furnace Body Tempering Method at full power.
• Immortal Elder Wuji instructed Xu Taiping to swallow the golden cup, and Xu Taiping questioned whether Xingtian's divine intent might possess him.

Xu Taiping used his true dragon divine being physique and the nine cauldrons physique to seal and burn Ancient God Xingtian’s divine intent. Afterward, Immortal Elder Wuji revealed that the process had given Xu Taiping divine power and promised him a great blessing.

• Immortal Elder Wuji and Dongfang Yuejian explained that the nine cauldrons physique could imprison divine intents and souls, and Xu Taiping manifested his incomplete true dragon divine being physique.
• Immortal Elder Wuji struck Xingtian’s emerging divine intent back into the Golden Chalice and sent the chalice to Xu Taiping.
• Xu Taiping swallowed and crushed the Golden Chalice, then used his furnace-like body to burn Xingtian’s divine intent repeatedly until it could no longer escape.
• Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping that burning the divine intent had granted him divine power, which had begun to mingle with his true essence and qi and blood.
• Immortal Elder Wuji asked the Ranking Spirit to conclude the battle viewing and promised Xu Taiping a great blessing, hinting that it could help remove his remaining soul seals.

After Xu Taiping sealed Xingtian’s fragmentary divine intent, Xiahou Qingyuan concluded that Taiping’s nine cauldrons physique might rival or surpass Xiang Kui’s and could refine the divine intent. At the Dumu Palace Ruins, Immortal Elder Wuji gave Taiping a pill to restore his magic power, warning that another fierce battle was coming.

• The spectators reacted with alarm when the projection went dark, and Lu Rushuang worried that Xingtian’s divine intent would backlash against Xu Taiping.
• Xiahou Qingyuan explained the history of the nine cauldrons physique and said Taiping’s training might make his version stronger than Xiang Kui’s.
• Xiahou Qingyuan predicted that Taiping could refine Xingtian’s divine intent, and Zhu Huai warned everyone not to spread the speculation.
• Xu Taiping asked Immortal Elder Wuji how to remove the five remaining soul seals and what power refining Xingtian’s divine intent would grant him.
• Immortal Elder Wuji gave Xu Taiping a golden pill and told him to recover before another fierce battle, startling Taiping.

Xu Taiping learned the truth about the Golden Chalice and Xingtian's divine intent, then heard about Immortal Elder Wuji and Fairy Lingyue's search for the passage to Taiqing Paradise. Lingyue's message assured him she was safe, but Xu Taiping remained worried about her and his own slow progress.

• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that the Golden Chalice could continually produce Xingtian's divine intent, but Xu Taiping could weaken each new strand by refining it.
• Immortal Elder Wuji said they would still need to visit Yundaozi's sealing site to erase the strand sealed there.
• Xu Taiping revealed that Dao Integration with his Yin God had awakened a power to divine fortune and misfortune, and Immortal Elder Wuji warned him to keep it secret.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that he and Moon Candle Heavenly Lord had found an entrance to Taiqing Paradise but needed the Heavenly King's Skull to deal with the divine generals' skeletons guarding it.
• Immortal Elder Wuji gave Xu Taiping Fairy Lingyue's jade slip message, in which she said she was safe and told him not to worry.
• Xu Taiping felt guilty that he could not help Lingyue and lamented that his cultivation was progressing too slowly.

Immortal Elder Wuji explained how Xu Taiping could use his Nine Cauldrons Physique to refine Dao Essence from Xingtian’s divine intent, remove his Soul Seals, and strengthen his body. When the sealed divine intent began summoning the shattered strand inside Xu Taiping, Wuji decided they had to reach Yundaozi’s sealing site quickly and began teaching Xu how to refine Dao Essence.

• Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping that refining Xingtian’s divine intent with the Nine Cauldrons Physique could yield Dao Essence and remove his five Soul Seals.
• Wuji explained that Dao Essence could fuel Ultimate Realm attacks, strengthen cultivators, and feed the Nine Cauldrons Fire to temper Xu Taiping’s physique toward the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage Realm.
• Xu Taiping thanked Wuji for the opportunity, and Wuji credited Moon Candle Heavenly Lord for saving him during the search for Taiqing Paradise.
• Xingtian’s shattered divine intent manifested an incarnation inside Xu Taiping, but flames from his organs burned it away.
• Wuji concluded that the sealed strand at Yundaozi’s site was summoning the shattered strand and said they had to reach the site quickly.
• Wuji began teaching Xu Taiping Xiang Kui’s method for refining Dao Essence so Xu could prepare to fight the divine intent at the sealing site.

Xu Taiping entered seclusion with Immortal Elder Wuji to learn how to temper Dao Essence Power before their trip to the sealed land in three days. Immortal Elder Wuji showed Xu Taiping how to sense and capture fleeting wisps of Dao Essence, but warned that they would quickly dissipate unless guided into his Golden Core.

• Xu Taiping brought the group into the Dragon-Trapping Tower, where Immortal Elder Wuji inspected his gold essence stones and the Golden Cocoon containing Yin God Su Yan and Wolf-Head.
• Immortal Elder Wuji recognized that the Haitian Couple had helped Wolf-Head and warned Xu Taiping not to release the Yin God in the Lower Realm, where faith from mortals could restore its power.
• Xu Taiping asked Dongfang Yuejian, Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu to stand guard while he and Immortal Elder Wuji prepared for their trip to the sealed land in three days.
• Immortal Elder Wuji gave Xu Taiping a thousand-year yarrow meditation cushion and used his Divine Sense to guide him into his Sea of Consciousness.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained how Xu Taiping could sense cooling wisps of Dao Essence as the furnace in his Nine Cauldrons Physique burned the Xingtian Divine Intent, then control them and guide them into his Golden Core before they dissipated.

Xu Taiping successfully condensed a strand of Dao Essence using the Nine Cauldrons Dao Essence Physique. At the Profound Elixir Palace’s viewing seats, the spectators watched Pang Zhong and Chitu devastate the Yan Kingdom before the palace announced Xu Taiping’s final battle would be shown early.

• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that Xu Taiping had to gather aura in his Dantian quickly and carefully until it condensed into a visible strand.
• Xu Taiping quieted his mind, overcame the manifestation of Xingtian’s Divine Intent, and formed a fishlike strand of Dao Essence that entered his Golden Core.
• At the monthly viewing, Zhu Huai explained that Chu Yinan had returned to Southern Chu because several Demon Grottoes had appeared there, while Zhang Moyan said she might have to return to Western Liang.
• The spectators watched Pang Zhong stand over a mountain of corpses as Chitu devoured the blood mist, prompting Zhang Moyan and Duan Xiaoyu to condemn the slaughter of the Yan Kingdom’s people.
• The Profound Elixir Palace announced that Xu Taiping, Dongfang Yuejian, Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu had agreed to an early viewing of the final battle of their Southern Heavenly Gate journey.

After tempering five strands of Dao Essence, Xu Taiping prepared to face the Xingtian Divine Intent, but an enemy above the Dao Integration Realm attacked his companions outside the Dragon-Trapping Tower. The chapter ended with the enemy holding Dongfang Yuejian hostage and ordering Xu Taiping to request that the Dragon-Slaying Ranking observe the battle.

• Xu Taiping finished three days of secluded cultivation and revealed that he had tempered five strands of Dao Essence.
• Immortal Elder Wuji explained that his coughing came from an Old Affliction left by the Sky Demon War and asked Xu Taiping to wait while he suppressed it.
• A cultivator above the Dao Integration Realm attacked Xu Taiping's companions, and Xu Taiping rushed out of the Dragon-Trapping Tower while Immortal Elder Wuji stayed behind.
• Xu Taiping caught the injured Gu Yu, who urged him to save Dongfang Yuejian and Xuanzhi.
• Xu Taiping found Dongfang Yuejian captured by a Confucian-clad cultivator, who threatened to kill her and ordered Xu Taiping to request that the Dragon-Slaying Ranking observe the battle.

The cultivators watching the projection saw Xu Taiping and his companions attacked in Dumu Palace by two powerful strangers from Ningchan Cave. Xu Taiping offered the Dragon-Trapping Tower and Heavenly King's Skull in exchange for his friends' release, but the attackers continued to threaten them.

• Duan Xiaoyu and the others worried that Xu Taiping's group might have encountered the Xingtian divine intent, and Xiahou Qingyuan and Zhu Huai warned that Immortal Elder Wuji might be weakened.
• The projection revealed a scholar-like cultivator holding Gu Yu by the throat, with Dongfang Yuejian lying bloodied nearby, while Xu Taiping faced him among Dumu Palace's ruins.
• A black-armored martial artist stamped on Master Xuanzhi, nearly crushing him, and the scholar demanded Xu Taiping hand over the Dragon-Trapping Tower and Heavenly King's Skull.
• Xu Taiping gave Gu Yu a pill, checked whether Xuanzhi and Dongfang Yuejian could hear him, and offered the treasures in exchange for their release.
• The martial artist identified the scholar as his eldest brother, Abbot Zhizhi, and the spectators recognized them as Shi Wuchen and Yue Chang Kong of Ningchan Cave.

Yue Chang Kong and Shi Jianchen brutally attacked Xu Taiping and Dongfang Yuejian while demanding the Heavenly King's Skull and Dragon-Trapping Tower. As Yue Chang Kong began his final count, Xu Taiping prepared to fight with Gu Yu's help and learned Immortal Elder Wuji could join the battle if he held the two men off for ten breaths.

• Shi Jianchen threatened to destroy Dongfang Yuejian's soul, while Yue Chang Kong counted down and injured Xu Taiping with his Lion's Roar Sound Waves.
• Xiahou Qingyuan suspected Immortal Elder Wuji could not intervene because the battle against the Xingtian Divine Intent had damaged his foundation.
• Xu Taiping asked Gu Yu to use his Life-Bound Divine Ability to protect Dongfang Yuejian and Xuanzhi, and Gu Yu agreed to exchange his life for theirs.
• Immortal Elder Wuji advised Xu Taiping to hand over the treasures, but Xu Taiping asked whether they could kill Yue Chang Kong and Shi Jianchen together.
• Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping to hold the two attackers for ten breaths so he could suppress his affliction and strike once.

Gu Yu’s furious outburst saved Xuanzhi and Dongfang Yuejian, allowing Xu Taiping to unleash his Ultimate Realm Burning Blade Style against Shi Jianchen and confront Yue Chang Kong. Though Shi Jianchen broke through Xu Taiping’s attacks, Taiping kept using Burning Blade, and the chapter ended as he launched another strike.

• Gu Yu straightened and roared, summoning two giant golden skeletons that threw Yue Chang Kong and Shi Jianchen away from Xuanzhi and Dongfang Yuejian.
• Xu Taiping transformed into his true dragon divine being body and used Ultimate Realm Burning Blade to pin Shi Jianchen to the ground.
• Yue Chang Kong attacked Xu Taiping with his enormous Dharma aspect, but Taiping’s clone countered with Demon Ancestor Heaven-Shaking Fist, Heaven-Touching Stance and shattered Yue Chang Kong’s fist force.
• Shi Jianchen tore apart Xu Taiping’s dragon blade phantom and clone with his sword light, then swept his sword toward Taiping’s true body.
• Xu Taiping used Burning Blade again to break Shi Jianchen’s sword intent, then roared and launched another Burning Blade strike.

Xu Taiping fought Yue Changkong and Shi Jianchen at once, repeatedly unleashing ultimate realm attacks that forced Shi Jianchen to draw his Life-Bound Divine Weapon. When Shi Jianchen began unsheathing a sword he had nurtured for eight hundred years, Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping that he had suppressed his affliction and ordered him to rest.

• Xu Taiping unleashed repeated Ultimate Realm Burning Blade Style strikes, prompting Shi Jianchen to use his Sea-Watching Mirror to reflect one of them.
• Yue Changkong attacked Xu Taiping with an ultimate realm punch, but Xu Taiping split off a clone to counter him while his true body used the ultimate realm Rending Blade Stance against Shi Jianchen.
• Xu Taiping's clone wounded Yue Changkong, while his true body's blade force tore apart Shi Jianchen's Dharma Robe.
• Shi Jianchen began drawing his sword and revealed that he had nurtured it for eight hundred years; its sword intent shattered Xu Taiping's remaining attacks before the blade was fully unsheathed.
• Immortal Elder Wuji told Xu Taiping that he had suppressed his old affliction and instructed him to stay where he was and rest.

Xu Taiping was overwhelmed by Shi Jianchen until Immortal Elder Wuji intervened, defeating and capturing Shi Jianchen and Yue Chang Kong. After Shi Jianchen invoked Ningchan Cave’s Cave Master, Immortal Elder Wuji killed Yue Chang Kong, declaring that the Cave Master owed him two lives.

• Shi Jianchen unleashed a powerful sword strike that shattered Xu Taiping’s defensive blade barriers and engulfed him in sword light.
• Immortal Elder Wuji appeared through a black dharma aspect, blocked Shi Jianchen’s attack, and captured him with a black hand.
• Yue Chang Kong attacked Immortal Elder Wuji but was injured by his roar and seized by the dharma aspect.
• Shi Jianchen asked Immortal Elder Wuji to release them and invoked Ningchan Cave’s Cave Master, whom Xiahou You said was likely more powerful than Wuji.
• Immortal Elder Wuji said the Cave Master owed him two lives and crushed Yue Chang Kong to pieces.