Chapter Summaries

Xiao Huang fought Guan Cixue on the Bronze Sparrow Platform while concealing his full strength, and Xu Taiping prepared to challenge Guan Cixue if Xiao Huang lost. Xiao Huang finally revealed his fifth-stage Burning Meridians Art and unleashed a powerful attack, leaving the battle unresolved as he bent his spear like a drawn bow.

• Guan Cixue's Frost Dragon Sword Intent repeatedly drove Xiao Huang toward the edge of the platform, while Xu Taiping said he would challenge Guan Cixue if Xiao Huang lost.
• Ninth Madam explained that Xiao Huang was suppressing his strength so that losing to Guan Cixue would not disgrace him or the Ziyang Sect before Xu Taiping.
• Xiao Huang evaded Guan Cixue's sword intent, then declared that he still wanted to fight Xu Taiping even if he was destined to lose.
• Xiao Huang activated the fourth and then fifth stages of the Burning Meridians Art, summoning the phantom of a vast military formation and destroying three frost dragons with his spear.
• Xiao Huang planted his spear in the Bronze Sparrow Platform, bent it like a drawn bow, and shouted, “Formation Charge!”

Xiao Huang defeated Guan Cixue decisively and revealed his hidden combat power while calling out Xu Taiping. Xu Taiping accepted the challenge and unveiled his full combat aura on the Bronze Sparrow Platform, where it began to suppress Xiao Huang’s.

• Xiao Huang shattered Guan Cixue’s six frost dragons with one spear strike, but an elderly white-haired sword cultivator rescued Guan Cixue from the platform.
• Guan Cixue conceded defeat, while the Ziyang Sect elders regretted that Xiao Huang had exposed his hidden combat power despite their warning.
• Xiao Huang called for Wuming to fight him, and Xu Taiping decided that facing him was necessary for his breakthrough.
• Ninth Madam announced Xu Taiping as the next arena challenger and sent him onto the Bronze Sparrow Platform.
• Xu Taiping released the Eight Demon-Sealing Swords and removed the Blade of Guicang’s concealment, revealing an aura that began to suppress Xiao Huang’s.

Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang prepared to fight on the Bronze Sparrow Platform, while legendary cultivators Xuanbei and Fengzhu arrived in Ninth Madam’s pavilion to watch. Jiang Shuoxue and his companions reached the spectator seats as the final bell signaled that the competition was about to begin.

• Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang each agreed to begin their match after three tolls of the bell.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu appeared in Ninth Madam’s pavilion, where Old Daoist Huang recognized them as legendary cultivators from ancient records.
• Ninth Madam scolded Xuanbei and Fengzhu for bickering, and both men apologized to her.
• Jiang Shuoxue, Xiahou You, Qu Chao Ci, and Heavenly Lord Hanjian arrived at the spectator seats to watch the match.
• Jiang Shuoxue worried that Xiao Huang had revealed his combat strength early, and the bell sounded as the competition was about to begin.

Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang pushed their battle beyond the Bronze Sparrow Platform’s limits, forcing Xiao Huang to reveal his Beacon Smoke Battle Intent and summon the Ziyang Black Armor Soldiers. The chapter ended as Xiao Huang charged Xu Taiping on a flaming warhorse.

• Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang exchanged blows with their ultimate physiques, divine power, and intent, shaking the platform and overwhelming the spectators.
• Xiahou You and Heavenly Lord Hanjian recognized that their combat strength surpassed ordinary Heaven Shocking Realm limits, and Jiang Shuoxue learned Xu Taiping had received guidance from the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage.
• A five-colored divine intent barrier contained the fighters’ shock waves after their battle exceeded the platform’s limits.
• Qu Chao Ci revealed that Xu Taiping had led them out of Kaiyang Heaven’s Blightbone calamity, startling Jiang Shuoxue.
• Xiao Huang summoned phantom Ziyang Black Armor Soldiers and mounted a flaming warhorse before charging Xu Taiping with his spear.

Xu Taiping and Xiao Huang escalated their duel as Xiao Huang unleashed the Ziyang Overlord Body and overwhelmed Xu Taiping’s Heaven-Supporting Form. Xu Taiping then revealed his Fifth Blade Domain, Infernal Prison, trapping Xiao Huang’s spear force in flames and slowing its advance.

• Xu Taiping’s Heaven-Opening blade clashed with Xiao Huang’s battle-intent spear force, and both attacks exploded.
• Xiao Huang activated Burning Meridians Fifth Stage and revealed the Ziyang Overlord Body, greatly strengthening his battle intent and spear force.
• Xiao Huang merged with the Purple-Flame Black Armor Soldiers’ formation and struck Xu Taiping with Wild Geese Piercing the Sun, Iron Horse Swallowing the Moon.
• Xu Taiping summoned the Thousand Arms Vajra with his Ultimate Realm Heaven-Supporting Form, but Xiao Huang’s spear shattered its arms and brought it down.
• Xu Taiping unleashed his Fifth Blade Domain, Infernal Prison, setting Xiao Huang’s spear shadow ablaze and trapping it in a slow advance.

Xu Taiping used a hundred years of blade comprehension to break Xiao Huang’s spear force and challenge him to test his blade. Xiao Huang unleashed his full strength, and Xu Taiping entered the Heavenly Ember Form as their clash began again.

• Xu Taiping cut through Xiao Huang’s spear shadow with his fifth-stage blade domain, but Xiao Huang revived his spear force with Ashes Rekindled and strengthened it by devouring the domain with Adding Fuel to the Fire.
• As Xiao Huang’s spear force overwhelmed Xu Taiping’s blade domain, Xu Taiping released his mystic origin clone and gained nearly a hundred years of blade comprehension.
• Xu Taiping and eight Divine Manifestations struck together, shattering Xiao Huang’s spear force and revealing his flame-wreathed body.
• Xu Taiping invited Xiao Huang to test his blade, and Xiao Huang cast off the restraints on his physique before attacking with his spear.
• Xu Taiping cast off the star soul power weighing on him and roared, “Ultimate realm! Heavenly Ember Form!”

Xu Taiping unleashed the Annihilating Blade Art against Xiao Huang, who broke through to the Moon-Supporting Great Sage Realm but was still defeated when Xu Taiping reached the same realm. After Xiao Huang asked his opponent’s identity, Xu Taiping revealed that he was a disciple of the True Martial Heaven Azure Profound Sect in the Lower Realm.

• Xu Taiping’s Heavenly Ember Form shattered Xiao Huang’s spear force and divine spear, while Xiao Huang’s master arrived but honored Xiao Huang’s request not to interfere.
• Xiao Huang’s Ziyang Overlord Body broke through to the Moon-Supporting Great Sage Realm and forced Xu Taiping’s blade force apart.
• As Xiao Huang charged, Xu Taiping’s physique also broke through to the Moon-Supporting Great Sage Realm, and he overwhelmed Xiao Huang with a punch that shattered his fist and sent him flying.
• Xiao Huang called the defeat satisfying, kept his battle intent, and asked Xu Taiping to reveal his true name.
• Xu Taiping identified himself as a disciple of the True Martial Heaven Azure Profound Sect in the Lower Realm.

After defeating Xiao Huang, Xu Taiping accepted his challenge to meet again at the Chaotic Stars Assembly in the Kunlun Ruins. Ninth Madam made Xu Taiping a Named Elder of the Black Prison, then told him to meet her later to hear about a fortuitous opportunity from two important figures.

• Xiao Huang recognized Xu Taiping as the Dragon-Slaying Chief from the Lower Realm and challenged him to compete at the Chaotic Stars Assembly.
• Xu Taiping accepted Xiao Huang's challenge but said he first needed to qualify for the assembly.
• Several sects offered to recommend Xu Taiping to the Kunlun Ruins, and Ninth Madam explained that the factions gathered there to divide the Flame Emperor's treasures and fight demons from Outer Heaven.
• Ninth Madam pressured Xu Taiping to affiliate with the Black Prison, and he agreed to become its Named Elder and represent it at the assembly.
• Siyou appeared to announce the arena match's result, and Ninth Madam invited Xu Taiping to meet two important figures offering him a fortuitous opportunity.

After defeating Xiao Huang, Xu Taiping received the Ziyang Pill, which could give him decades to prepare for the Dao Integration Realm. Ninth Madam introduced him to Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu, who asked him to retrieve something they had left in a forbidden ground on Yellow Springs Ruin Star.

• Xu Taiping won the Bronze Arena match, and Siyou handed him the Ziyang Pill as his wager prize.
• Xiahou You told Jiang Shuoxue that Xu Taiping had spent nearly all his lifespan in the Dragon-Slaying Assembly battle, explaining why the pill was precious to him.
• Xu Taiping met Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu in Ninth Madam's side room and felt the overwhelming pressure of their auras.
• Ninth Madam explained that the two masters' fighting strength rivaled the Heaven-Hunting Great Sage, while Ping'an told Xu Taiping they had been Ascension Realm experts.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu asked Xu Taiping to enter a forbidden ground on Yellow Springs Ruin Star and retrieve something they had left there.

Xu Taiping agreed to enter dangerous forbidden grounds on Yellow Springs Ruin Star after Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu offered him a Heaven-Flipping Seal Fragment, protection, and help with his sect’s Ghost Domain Calamity. He postponed the journey until he found the entrance to Yellow Springs, then learned that blood-red light was soaring above Fulai Inn.

• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu told Xu Taiping that only three of the roughly fifty cultivators they had sent into the forbidden grounds had survived, and Xu Taiping initially refused to go.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei offered Xu Taiping a Heaven-Flipping Seal Fragment and the two former Ascension Realm experts’ protection, while explaining that Xiao Moji had already entered the forbidden grounds for their enemy.
• Heavenly Lord Xuanbei and Daoist Fengzhu promised to help Xu Taiping resolve the Azure Profound Sect’s Ghost Domain Calamity if he brought back the treasure, and Xu Taiping agreed to enter the forbidden grounds.
• On the way back, Xu Taiping told Ping'an and Old Daoist Huang he would not set out until he found the entrance to Yellow Springs and Fairy Lingyue’s guidance, because Dugu Qingxiao’s safety came first.
• After hearing reports that Fulai Inn had been razed, Old Daoist Huang saw blood-red light rising above it and called it an omen of great misfortune.

Xu Taiping and his companions found the Fulai Inn crushed beneath an unseen force that also sealed the Primordial Spirits within. As a desperate father battered the ruins searching for his daughter Ying'er, Ping'an finally heard a girl's voice beneath the rubble.

• Xu Taiping, Old Daoist Huang, and Ping'an examined the ruined Fulai Inn and found no signs of survivors or Primordial Spirits.
• A middle-aged cultivator rushed into the ruins, where an invisible force pinned him down as he tried to reach his daughter Ying'er.
• The father ignored warnings, shattered rubble with his hands and head, and insisted that he could hear Ying'er calling to him.
• Xu Taiping asked Ping'an to use Mind-Heart Communication again, and Ping'an suddenly reported hearing a girl's voice.

Xu Taiping and Ping'an entered the ruins to rescue a girl whose voice Ping'an had heard, resisting the invisible gravity and smashing the collapsed Fortune Comes Restaurant apart. They uncovered an intact section of rubble, where the middle-aged cultivator heard his daughter Ying'er calling for him.

• Ping'an told Xu Taiping and Old Daoist Huang that a girl was alive beneath the ruins, so Xu Taiping and Ping'an went to save her while Old Daoist Huang watched for danger.
• Xu Taiping and Ping'an ignored the Ruin Market guards' warning and endured the doubled invisible gravity without injury.
• Xu Taiping and Ping'an prepared to strike the ruins, telling the middle-aged cultivator to stand back and warning Ping'an to avoid the area around the girl's voice.
• Xu Taiping and Ping'an struck the ruins together, scattering the collapsed restaurant into sand and dust while leaving a section of rubble intact.
• Ying'er called out from beneath the remaining rubble, and the middle-aged cultivator rushed over and knocked away the top layer.

Xu Taiping and Ping'an found the slaughtered guests of Fortune Comes Restaurant, and the dying boss's wife entrusted Xu Taiping with a strange key and a plea for revenge. As they prepared to leave Shenhou Ruin Market for Yellow Springs, Old Daoist Huang revealed that he had seen Su Chan among the ruins.

• Xu Taiping, Ping'an, and a middle-aged cultivator uncovered survivors beneath the ruins, including the dying boss's wife and the old proprietor, whose divine soul had dispersed.
• The boss's wife named a man who had come with Xue Ju, handed Xu Taiping an ancient key, and died after asking him to avenge her and her child.
• The middle-aged cultivator discovered that his daughter Ying'er had been mutilated and vowed revenge before the Ruin Market Guards took him away.
• Ninth Madam warned Xu Taiping to leave Shenhou Ruin Market, and Xu Taiping told Ping'an they would go to Yellow Springs Ruin Star.
• Old Daoist Huang told Xu Taiping that he had seen Su Chan in the ruins.

As Xu Taiping and his companions traveled toward the Yellow Springs Ruins, Old Daoist Huang insisted he had seen Su Chan among the Fortune Comes Restaurant survivors, despite Xu Taiping having killed Su Chan years earlier. Xu Taiping opened a soul mark and recognized Su Chan’s voice in its vision, leaving him convinced Su Chan was alive and connected to the restaurant’s disaster.

• Old Daoist Huang told Xu Taiping that he had recognized Su Chan’s thread of fortune among the survivors, but Su Chan vanished before he could investigate.
• Xu Taiping revealed that touching the proprietress had caused his Lotus Eye to deduce two divine soul marks, then decided to inspect them while Ping'an and Old Daoist Huang stood guard.
• The Lotus Eye told Xu Taiping that its deductions now required Dao Essence or dragon origin power and that it needed Soulfire Stones to prepare for its third stage of divine power.
• Xu Taiping opened one soul mark and saw the Fortune Comes Restaurant after he and his companions had left.
• A man warned the proprietress of a bloody disaster, and Xu Taiping recognized his voice as Su Chan’s.

Xu Taiping, Old Daoist Huang, and Ping'an viewed a second divination scene that revealed Su Yun was the last bloodline of the Wangchuan Clan and held a key to a secret tied to Yellow Springs. Old Daoist Huang recognized her song as directions to Yellow Springs Ruins, and the group set out for Wangjin Ferry, located in an especially dangerous forbidden region.

• Xu Taiping shared the first divination scene with Ping'an and Old Daoist Huang, and Ping'an recognized Su Chan's voice, though the scene did not prove he was the killer.
• Old Daoist Huang urged Xu Taiping to break through to the Dao Integration Realm, but Xu Taiping chose to first investigate whether Su Yun's clue led to Yellow Springs.
• The three linked their minds with Ping'an's Numinous Connection Clarity as Xu Taiping opened the second Divine Soul Mark.
• In the vision, Su Yun called herself the last bloodline of the Wangchuan Clan and sang a verse naming Yellow Springs Ruins, Wangjin Ferry, and Lion Bridge.
• Old Daoist Huang identified the song as directions to Yellow Springs and showed Xu Taiping and Ping'an Wangjin Ferry on the map, warning that it lay in a forbidden ground among forbidden grounds.

Xu Taiping and his companions approached the Yellow Springs Ruins and discovered Xiahou You, Qu Chao Ci, and Jiang Shuoxue trapped by Qiu Qianche. Recognizing the old enemy, Xu Taiping prepared to rescue them as Xiaohei offered to draw Qiu Qianche away.

• Old Daoist Huang used the Blade of Guicang to conceal the group as Xiaohei flew toward the Yellow Springs Ruins.
• Ping'an sensed two powerful groups fighting, and Xu Taiping learned that Chaos Demonic Beasts roamed the Wangjin Ferry forbidden grounds.
• Ping'an recognized Xiahou You and Qu Chao Ci among those trapped in a formation, then spotted Jiang Shuoxue with them.
• Xu Taiping recognized Qiu Qianche of the Heavenly River Sect, who threatened the trapped group with his Nine-Chen World-Sealing Formation.
• Xiaohei offered to lure Qiu Qianche away so Xu Taiping could rescue the others.

Xu Taiping and Xiaohei attacked Qiu Qianche and the eight Heavenly River Sect cultivators guarding the formation, while Old Daoist Huang prepared to break the formations. Xu Taiping’s Infernal Prison and coordinated strike wounded all eight, but the battle remained unresolved.

• Xu Taiping instructed Xiaohei to attack Qiu Qianche while Old Daoist Huang worked to break the formations.
• Xiaohei repeatedly charged Qiu Qianche, while the eight Heavenly River Sect cultivators stayed by the formation.
• Xu Taiping revealed his Infernal Prison blade domain and trapped the eight cultivators, who recognized him as Zhenwu Qingxuan Xu Taiping.
• Ping'an revealed his Mountain-Lifting Ape true body and swept aside the eight cultivators’ attacks with the Human Sovereign Spear.
• Xu Taiping struck with Deity Palm Blade, earthly fire tempering the edge, shattering the eight cultivators’ protective light and badly wounding them.

Xu Taiping and Ping'an combined their strength to defeat Qiu Qianche and destroy his body, while Xiaohei swallowed his fleeing primordial spirit. Their victory showed that Xu Taiping’s breakthrough had raised their combined fighting strength again.

• Ping'an swapped places with Xu Taiping, endured the eight Heavenly River Sect cultivators’ attacks, and killed them with a sweeping spear strike.
• Qiu Qianche broke Xu Taiping’s blade domain and rescued the eight cultivators, prompting Xu Taiping and Ping'an to exchange bodies and attack together.
• Ping'an fired the Wind Granny Arrow to knock aside Qiu Qianche’s lightning sword, while Xu Taiping struck Qiu Qianche and shattered his golden barrier.
• Qiu Qianche fled into the Nine-Chen World-Sealing Formation and threatened Xu Taiping, but Xu Taiping’s punch broke the formation and destroyed Qiu Qianche’s body.
• Xiaohei swallowed Qiu Qianche’s escaping primordial spirit and said he would need time to refine it.

Xu Taiping rescued Xiahou You and Qu Chao Ci from a spatial seal and learned that Heavenly Lord Hanjian was on his way to meet them. After revealing that he held a Fengdu Token, Xu Taiping was interrupted when Xiaoyu began striking Old Daoist Huang with lightning.

• Xu Taiping reunited with Xiahou You and Qu Chao Ci, while Old Daoist Huang began working to break the seal around their Immortal Boat.
• Xiahou You explained that Heavenly Lord Hanjian had been fighting two Demon Emperors after coming to rescue them, and Heavenly Lord Hanjian said he had defeated them and would arrive shortly.
• Qu Chao Ci explained that a Fengdu Token was needed to enter the Yellow Springs Ruins' forbidden grounds, and Xu Taiping showed that he had one.
• Jiang Shuoxue worried that Xu Taiping's training would widen the gap between him and her Eldest Senior Brother, while Ping'an warned that Xiaoyu was hungry.
• Xiaoyu repeatedly struck Old Daoist Huang with lightning, and Huang begged her to pick someone else.

Xu Taiping left Xiahou You and Qu Chao Ci and hurried to the Yellow Springs Ruins with Xiaohei, Ping'an, and Old Daoist Huang. At the ruins, he presented his Fengdu Token after the ghost cultivators demanded payment, gaining the group entry.

• Xu Taiping and Xiaohei carried Ping'an and Old Daoist Huang away to the Yellow Springs Ruins, while Heavenly Lord Hanjian arrived and learned that Xu Taiping already had a Fengdu Token.
• Heavenly Lord Hanjian told Xiahou You, Qu Chao Ci, and Jiang Shuoxue that they would follow his arrangements during their trial, alongside Yuwen Shuo, Guan Cixue, and Luo Jinghong.
• At the Yellow Springs Ruins, ghost cultivators Lu Xi and Zhุmian demanded one hundred thousand Gold Essence Coins per person and proof of authority for entry to the forbidden grounds.
• After Old Daoist Huang criticized the ghost cultivators, Xu Taiping showed his Fengdu Token, and Lu Xi apologized and offered to take the group inside.