Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping and his companions fled toward the Yaochi Sacred Land while the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage stayed behind to battle a Blight Immortal-level Blightbone. As they neared the entrance, Xu Taiping examined the remaining scenes in his Divine Soul Mark and recognized the entrance in the fourth scene, suggesting another danger awaited them.

• Xu Taiping withdrew the Dragon-Trapping Tower, and the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage struck the attacking Blightbone away as Xiaohei carried the others to safety.
• The Blightbone swallowed the battlefield in a Black Sphere, but the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage broke free and continued fighting.
• Xiaohei told Xu Taiping that they would reach the Yaochi Sacred Land entrance soon, and Xu Taiping warned that cultivators might be guarding it.
• Xu Taiping asked Mo Qingzhu to conceal their forms and auras, then asked Bai Yue and Qu Chao Ci to stand guard while he examined his Divine Soul Mark.
• Xu Taiping saw a stone bridge in the fourth scene and recognized it as the entrance to the Yaochi Sacred Land, fearing an unexpected turn awaited them.

Xu Taiping watched the Lotus Eye’s fourth and fifth deduction visions, discovering a group of cultivators disguised as Blightbone remains to ambush travelers and a ritualists’ plan to sacrifice Ping'an to summon the Heavenly Calamity Blightbone. The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage identified the Twin-Eye Bracelet as key to saving Ping'an, but Xu Taiping had never heard of it, and neither had Mo Qingzhu, Qu Chao Ci, or the others.

• Xu Taiping watched three cultivators and Junior Sister Yao loot their victims on the Stone Bridge, then learned that several apparent Blightbone remains were cultivators disguised by Junior Brother Liu’s Divine Ability.
• The cultivators decided to keep ambushing travelers on the bridge, using Liu and the others to disguise themselves and strike powerful newcomers.
• Xu Taiping pondered the fourth vision and suspected the answer to the Lotus Eye’s warning lay in the fifth vision.
• Xu Taiping saw Ping'an bound and bleeding on a pillar in the fifth layer of the Yaochi Sacred Land as ritualists offered his demon bone and blighted blood to summon the Heavenly Calamity.
• The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage urged Xu Taiping to use the Twin-Eye Bracelet with Deceiving the World and Stealing Fame Divine Intent to save Ping'an from the Purple Enclosure Star Lord’s Life Candle.
• Xu Taiping asked Mo Qingzhu and the others about the Twin-Eye Bracelet, but they all said they had never heard of it.

Xu Taiping and his companions approached the entrance to the Yaochi Sacred Land, where they expected an ambush on the stone bridge. They found Jiang Yu of Three Corpses Cave there, just as other cultivators arrived and events began to unfold.

• Bai Yue spotted the stone bridge ahead, and Xu Taiping suspected the Twin-Eye Bracelet was connected to the Divine Ability that had created the Blightbone remains.
• Xu Taiping predicted that cultivators were waiting on the bridge, and Qu Chao Ci asked him to deduce her missing father's whereabouts after their journey.
• Mo Qingzhu had the Human Swine Talisman conceal the group, and they prepared to have Xiaohei carry Mo Qingzhu and Bai Yue across while Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci drew out the ambushers.
• Five cultivators rushed past the concealed group and reached the bridge before Xu Taiping's companions could warn them.
• Xu Taiping and the others approached the bridge and recognized Jiang Yu from Three Corpses Cave, whom Xu Taiping had previously encountered at the Ruin Market.

Xu Taiping and the others watched Jiang Yu and the Three Corpses Cave cultivators consider an offer from three supposed guides who claimed to know Yaochi Sacred Land and its exits. The Three Corpses Cave group accepted the guides’ terms, only to be caught in a formation as the three cultivators stopped short.

• Qu Chao Ci recognized Jiang Yu, and Xu Taiping said he had clashed with her over Ancient Porcelain at the Ruin Market.
• A woman blocking the bridge displayed a bronze lamp, and the cultivators believed it could have come from Yaochi Sacred Land.
• The cultivator surnamed Lu and his companions offered to guide the Three Corpses Cave group and revealed they knew exits from the sacred land’s first three levels.
• The Three Corpses Cave cultivators demanded that the guides enter into a Soul Contract, then agreed to bring them along when the guides consented.
• The cultivator surnamed Lu, the female cultivator surnamed Yao, and the cultivator surnamed Song stopped and activated a formation that surrounded Jiang Yu and the Three Corpses Cave cultivators.

Xu Taiping and his companions learned that the ambushers on the bridge belonged to Horse-Rat, an organization of rogue cultivators with unusual abilities and a vast reach. Knowing they could not avoid the group because they needed the Great Sage and the Twin-Eye Bracelet, they prepared a swift surprise attack and moved to the other end of the bridge.

• A mountain phantom and attacks from disguised Horse-Rat members overwhelmed the disciples of the Three Corpses Cave, and Liu Yu killed one while Lu captured the disciples’ primordial spirits.
• Liu Yu revealed that he was Shadow Rat Liu Yu, and Qu Chao Ci explained Horse-Rat’s origins, its Wushu Seal, and the danger of being marked by its members.
• Xu Taiping realized the Horse-Rat members were an obstacle because he had to wait for the Great Sage and obtain the Twin-Eye Bracelet, so he agreed that they must leave no survivors.
• Xu Taiping ordered Mo Qingzhu to conceal his and Qu Chao Ci’s auras and sent her, Bai Yue, and Xiaohei behind the ambushers to prepare a surprise attack.
• Xiaohei raced to the far end of the Stone Bridge, and Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci set off after him.

Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci approached a stone bridge guarded by Horse-Rats and discovered that Jiang Yu had deliberately revealed Qu Chao Ci’s identity to them. The Horse-Rats tried to persuade them to cross the bridge, and Xu Taiping remained wary as Jiang Yu pointed to the Blightbone remains.

• Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci agreed to judge whether Jiang Yu would warn them or help the Horse-Rats, and Xu Taiping decided to disguise himself.
• Jiang Yu recognized Qu Chao Ci and revealed that she was from Taisu Valley, alerting the Horse-Rats to the value of their belongings.
• Qu Chao Ci acted friendly toward Jiang Yu while sensing her probe at her wrist, and Jiang Yu invited them to travel with Three Corpses Cave.
• Xu Taiping, calling himself Luo Yun, declined to cross the bridge until his master and martial uncles arrived.
• Lu Yuan and Jiang Yu urged Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci to cross the bridge for safety, pointing to Blightbone remains scattered across it.

Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci entered the Horse-Rats’ trap on the Stone Bridge, then launched a surprise attack after Qu Chao Ci sent a signal. The Horse-Rats revived and triggered a formation, but their ambush was broken by a Black Hound and a White Bear, and Xu Taiping seized Lu Yuan as he tried to flee.

• Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci agreed to follow Lu Yuan and Jiang Yu to the Stone Bridge while planning to contact their allies.
• Qu Chao Ci sent a Sword Qi signal, and Xu Taiping unleashed Five Thousand Blades: No-Blade Form, killing Lu Yuan, Yao Yu, and many Horse-Rats.
• Lu Yuan revived the fallen Horse-Rats with his Life Flame, while the remaining Horse-Rats activated a formation that summoned a mountain phantom over Xu Taiping and Qu Chao Ci.
• A Black Hound and a White Bear burst through the Barrier and destroyed the Horse-Rats controlling the formation, shattering the mountain phantom.
• Xu Taiping seized Lu Yuan as he tried to escape in flame form, and Lu Yuan recognized the power in Xu Taiping’s arm as True Dragon Power.

Xu Taiping and his companions killed the Horse-Rats on the bridge, but Jiang Yu escaped after betraying Qu Chao Ci. Searching Liu Yu’s corpse, Xu Taiping found a black jade bracelet that might be the Twin-Eye Bracelet.

• Xu Taiping killed Lu Yuan, and Qu Chao Ci trapped the fleeing Horse-Rats with sword qi.
• Xu Taiping used Six Thousand Blades, No-Blade Form to kill the Horse-Rats, leaving Liu Yu’s corpse and Jiang Yu alive.
• Jiang Yu pretended the Horse-Rats had forced her into a soul contract, then tried to stab Qu Chao Ci with a hidden sword ring.
• Xu Taiping severed Jiang Yu’s arm, but she escaped with a protective dharma treasure and threatened Qu Chao Ci.
• Mo Qingzhu collected the Horse-Rats’ primordial spirits, and Xu Taiping found a black jade bracelet on Liu Yu’s corpse that might be the Twin-Eye Bracelet.

Xu Taiping and the others watched the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage battle a Blight Immortal-level Blightbone Demonic Beast. The Great Sage stopped the beast’s assault just a hundred li from them, but the fight remained unresolved.

• Mo Qingzhu asked whether Xu Taiping needed the Twin-Eye Bracelet for their journey into the Yaochi Sacred Land, and Xu Taiping confirmed it could be useful.
• A Blight Immortal-level Blightbone Demonic Beast appeared as black clouds and attacked, prompting Mo Qingzhu to fear the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage had been defeated.
• The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage tore through the cloud dragon’s head and struck it apart, then knocked it back with another punch.
• The Blightbone transformed into a towering black Vajra Dharma Aspect, struck the Great Sage, and battered him backward with thousands of arms.
• The Great Sage seized a towering mountain peak to halt his backward momentum a hundred li from Xu Taiping and the others.

The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage battled a Blight Immortal whose power threatened Xu Taiping and his companions on the Stone Bridge. Xu Taiping led them into the Yaochi Sacred Land while the Great Sage struck the Blight Immortal down to buy them time.

• The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage shattered the Blight Immortal with a mighty punch, but the creature reassembled in the form of a fairy.
• The Blight Immortal hurled mountains at the Great Sage, who warned Xu Taiping that everyone near the Stone Bridge would die if she came within ten miles.
• The Great Sage told Xu Taiping to take the others into the Yaochi Sacred Land and said he could escape on his own.
• As the Blight Immortal rushed toward the Stone Bridge and struck Xu Taiping's group with her aura, Mo Qingzhu spat blood.
• The Heaven-Hunting Great Sage smashed the Blight Immortal into the ground and shouted for Xu Taiping and the others to hurry inside.

Xu Taiping and his companions entered the Yaochi Sacred Land and reached the Jade Gate, where he prepared to use a hidden method to secure divine protection. Their plans were interrupted when the Five Xu of Ghost Mansion appeared, identified by Mo Qingzhu as wanted heretical cultivators.

• Xu Taiping and his companions opened the stone gate and were swept through the Void after the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage held back the Blight Immortal.
• Xu Taiping gathered Qu Chao Ci, Bai Yue, and Mo Qingzhu onto Xiaohei, who carried them safely to the Jade Gate at the first level of the Yaochi Sacred Land.
• Xu Taiping warned that they could not linger near the gate and asked Mo Qingzhu to conceal their forms with the Human Swine Talisman.
• Xu Taiping explained that reciting the Queen Mother of the West's Precious Invocation and lighting the Three Powers Lamps could invoke Taihuang Huangcengtian's protection.
• Five powerful cultivators crashed down behind the group, and Mo Qingzhu recognized them as the Five Xu of Ghost Mansion, wanted heretics of the Chaos Deadlands.

Xu Taiping and his companions encountered the Five Xu of Ghost Mansion at the Jade Gate, where a brief clash revealed the group’s strength and their interest in the Yaochi Sacred Land’s treasures. The Five Xu moved on after warning that they might try to kill Xu Taiping next time, and Yan Jiu began breaking the gate’s restrictions.

• Qu Chao Ci’s voice transmission was overheard by Zhou Xuan, and Huijue told Xu Taiping’s group that the Five Xu had come for spirit fruits and pills rather than to kill.
• Yan Jiu suddenly punched at Xu Taiping, who drew the Water-Cutting Blade and forced him to halt; Ye Yuluo dissipated Xu Taiping’s killing intent with a breeze.
• Qu Chao Ci identified the Five Xu as Zhou Xuan, Huijue, Yan Jiu, Youcha, and Ye Yuluo, and warned that they had destroyed dozens of forces in the Chaos Death Domain.
• Daoist Yunxuan explained that the Five Xu had spared them because killing them would cost too much, then threatened to try killing them at their next meeting.
• Xu Taiping answered Daoist Yunxuan’s threat without backing down, and Yan Jiu punched the gray mist at the Jade Gate to break its restrictions.

Xu Taiping and his companions broke through the Jade Gate by summoning the Three Powers Lamp, which granted them three powerful but single-use Divine Intents. They entered the first level of the Yaochi Sacred Land to search briefly for Qu Chao Ci’s Profound Purity Cauldron, where they immediately encountered fleeing, badly wounded cultivators.

• Yan Jiu smashed open the Jade Gate's restrictions, and Xu Taiping had Qu Chao Ci recite the Precious Invocation while he sensed the Three Powers Lamp.
• The three lamps bestowed the Divine Intents Tracing Light, Sumeru into a Mustard Seed, and Withered Wood Meets Spring; Xu Taiping warned that using them would expose their lamps to attacks that could severely injure or kill the group.
• Xu Taiping told the others to move quickly through the dangerous Yaochi Sacred Land, and Qu Chao Ci asked to search the first level for the Profound Purity Cauldron.
• Xu Taiping led the group through the Jade Gate and into the Gray Mist as Mo Qingzhu used the Human Swine Talisman to conceal their auras.
• Several bloodied cultivators plunged into the Gray Mist, screaming that the Blightbones had eaten the others alive.

Xu Taiping and his companions entered the Gray Mist and learned that the World-Deceiving Divine Intent still concealed them from the first layer’s Blightbones. They discovered a wounded Xiahou Clan disciple who revealed that Xiahou You and Xiahou Qingyuan were trapped on the third layer, leaving Xu Taiping to decide how to help them.

• Mo Qingzhu tried to pull a wounded cultivator away from the Gray Mist, but Qu Chao Ci stopped him, and Blightbones dragged the cultivators inside away to devour them.
• Xu Taiping led the group out of the Gray Mist after concluding their World-Deceiving Divine Intent still worked against the first-layer Blightbones.
• Bai Yue approached a half-devoured cultivator to end his suffering, but Xu Taiping stopped him after learning the cultivator belonged to the Jade Balance Mountain Xiahou Clan.
• Xu Taiping introduced himself as the Dragon-Slaying Assembly’s Chief, and the cultivator recognized him as an old friend of Xiahou You from the Lower Realm.
• The Xiahou Clan disciple told Xu Taiping that Xiahou You, Xiahou Qingyuan, and their companions were trapped on the third layer with a restriction, two Blightbone-corrupted Divine Generals, and several Daoist Acolyte Blightbones.
• The disciple explained that Xiahou You’s group had sent him and five other Xiahou Clan disciples to the first layer to retrieve a treasure needed to break the restriction.

A dying Xiahou Clan cultivator gave Xu Taiping a treasure that could undo the restriction on the sacred land's third level and begged him to rescue the others. Xu Taiping's group reached Xuanyu Hall to retrieve Qu Chao Ci's Profound Purity Cauldron, but moving it stirred the Blightbones, so he planned to destroy the guardian while Bai Yue carried the cauldron out.

• The Xiahou Clan cultivator gave Xu Taiping a Jade Slip and a Qiankun Bag, then died when Bai Yue released him from his Blightbone-eroded state.
• Two powerful Daoist acolyte Blightbones consumed the cultivator's Primordial Spirit, and Xu Taiping led the group west toward Xuanyu Hall on Xiaohei's back.
• Mo Qingzhu sensed a Daoist acolyte Blightbone guarding the Profound Purity Cauldron, with at least a dozen more Blightbones lying inside the hall.
• Qu Chao Ci pushed the cauldron, stirring the guardian and the sleeping Blightbones, then stopped when Xu Taiping warned her.
• Xu Taiping told Bai Yue to try carrying the cauldron out in one go and resolved to destroy the guardian before it awakened.

Xu Taiping and Bai Yue destroyed the awakened Daoist acolyte Blightbone and its Blood Demon Eye, then fled with the great cauldron toward the second level of Yaochi Sacred Land. At the entrance, Yan Jiu of the Five Fiends of the Ghost Lodge demanded the cauldron as a toll.

• Xu Taiping and Bai Yue entered the ruined hall while Qu Chao Ci and Mo Qingzhu waited outside on Xiaohei.
• Xu Taiping built up his blade force as Bai Yue prepared to lift the great cauldron, but the Daoist acolyte Blightbone and the other Blightbones awakened sooner than expected.
• Xu Taiping slashed through the Daoist acolyte Blightbone's defenses and destroyed it, along with the Blood Demon Eye, with a ten-thousand-strike attack.
• Xu Taiping escaped the hall and ordered Xiaohei to carry the group to the entrance to the second level of Yaochi Sacred Land.
• Yan Jiu appeared before the group and demanded that they hand over the great cauldron as a toll.

Xu Taiping and his companions reached a floating bridge guarded by the Five Blights, who demanded the Profound Purity Cauldron in exchange for safe passage. When Xu Taiping refused, Zhou Xuan used Cloud-Shrouding Incense to redirect a swarm of Blightbones toward them and offered him one last chance to surrender the cauldron.

• Xu Taiping learned from Qu Chao Ci that the Five Blights were controlling the bridge across the Weak Water and extorting travelers.
• Yan Jiu summoned Han Dan, whose concealed presence revealed that the Five Blights could hide their auras from the Blightbones.
• The other three members of the Five Blights returned as a swarm of Blightbones approached, and Zhou Xuan recognized the Profound Purity Cauldron Bai Yue carried.
• Zhou Xuan offered to let the group cross if they handed over the cauldron, but Xu Taiping refused.
• Han Dan lit Cloud-Shrouding Incense, causing the Blightbones to lose sight of the Five Blights and attack Xu Taiping's group instead.
• Zhou Xuan demanded the cauldron once more as the Blightbones closed in.

Xu Taiping led Qu Chao Ci, Mo Qingzhu, and Bai Yue toward the Weak Water Heavenly River, revealing his plan to cross it using the lotuses. After his Sea-Swallowing Seal dispersed the river’s vapor, the Five Blights recognized the Buddhist technique but doubted he could get past the nine waterfalls.

• Xu Taiping told Qu Chao Ci and the others to follow him into the Weak Water Heavenly River and land on lotuses suited to their Spirit Bone’s Five Elements Power.
• Xu Taiping unleashed Nine Thousand Blades, blasting back the charging Blightbones and forcing the two Daoist Child Blightbones away.
• More Blightbones converged, so Xu Taiping leaped toward the river with Qu Chao Ci, Mo Qingzhu, and Bai Yue close behind.
• Xu Taiping used the Sea-Swallowing Seal to disperse the Weak Water vapor, and the group landed on the river’s lotuses.
• Zhou Xuan and the other Five Blights identified Xu Taiping’s technique but argued that he could not pass the nine Weak Water waterfalls.

Xu Taiping and his companions crossed the Weak Water Heavenly River aboard a boat formed from the five elements qi in its lotuses, while Zhou Xuan and the Five Blights were forced ashore to fight the Blightbones. As the boat carried them toward the second level of the Yaochi Sacred Land, Xu Taiping warned his companions to use the Xin Metal power in their Five Elements Talisman Seeds against the Thunder General's formation.

• Xu Taiping and his companions' lotuses released pure five elements qi that fused into a boat on the Weak Water Heavenly River.
• The nine waterfalls stopped flowing, and Zhou Xuan and the others abandoned the sinking Floating Bridge and returned to shore.
• After the Cloud-Shrouding Incense burned out, Zhou Xuan transformed into a Dharma Aspect and led the Five Blights in battling the Blightbones.
• Xu Taiping and his companions' boat was drawn into a whirlpool carrying them toward the second level of the Yaochi Sacred Land.
• Lotus-patterned Five Elements Talisman Seeds appeared before Xu Taiping, Qu Chao Ci, Bai Yue, and Mo Qingzhu, and Xu Taiping told them to activate their Xin Metal power upon entry.

Xu Taiping guided his companions through the Thunder Pool and toward the Teleportation Array leading to the sacred land’s Third Layer. As Mo Qingzhu worked to activate it, Xu Taiping found a Thunder-Pattern Jujube tree bearing nine fruits, which Qu Chao Ci identified as tribulation-averting Nine Tribulations Fruits.

• Xu Taiping explained that the Star Map would help Mo Qingzhu repair the Teleportation Array and reach the foot of the Ziwei Jade Pillar.
• The thunderclouds dispersed, revealing seven other cloud platforms and the Ziwei Jade Pillar, which was coiled by a giant Chi Dragon corpse.
• Mo Qingzhu recognized how to activate the array, and Xu Taiping sent Xiaohei to carry him across the cloud platform.
• Xu Taiping told Qu Chao Ci that he had entered an extrapolated Yaochi Sacred Land thirty-six times through Lotus Three Thousand Realms, though the real sacred land differed in many ways.
• Qu Chao Ci recognized the central jujube tree as a Thunder-Pattern Jujube, and she and Bai Yue explained that its fruits were Nine Tribulations Fruits that could help avert tribulations.
• Xu Taiping confirmed that the tree bore nine fruits and summoned the Rusty Lion Sword rather than risk picking them by hand.