Chapter Summaries

Xu Taiping and his companions entered the Hemu Spirit Fields, where Kang Cangzi’s guardian Zhu Ping guided them toward his Dao Field. As they crossed the enormous wheat field, Xu Taiping’s Lotus Eye suddenly burned and showed him a vision of Zhu Ping being cut down by saber light.

• An ant-headed Evil Demon drenched itself in a deer’s blood but failed to notice Xu Taiping and his companions, protected by Kang Cangzi’s decree.
• Zhu Ping, an enlightened Little Pig Demon guarding Kang Cangzi’s Dao Field, appeared and offered to lead Xu Taiping and the others through the wheat field.
• Zhu Ping explained that the Hemu Spirit Fields’ abundant spiritual qi made its plants enormous, and the group saw the Grainwood Divine Tree’s phantom projected across the sky.
• Old Daoist Huang said the Grainwood Divine Tree’s true body was so mysterious that even Kang Cangzi had not found it.
• Xu Taiping’s Lotus Eye burned and showed him a vision of saber light cleaving Zhu Ping, so he grabbed Zhu Ping and told him to stop.

Xu Taiping and his companions watched Three Corpses Cave disciples battle a powerful evil demon avatar and learned that the sect planned to send Lin Buyu to a dangerous landing point during the Chaotic Stars Assembly. The chapter left Xu Taiping alarmed by the threat to his junior sister.

• Zhu Ping explained that he and the others could still be harmed in this world, and Blade Ghost suggested Xu Taiping use the evil demon avatars to stabilize his cultivation.
• A green-clad cultivator fought the martial artist evil demon avatar and resurrected her fallen companions with a technique of Death and Resurrection.
• Xu Taiping, Old Daoist Huang, and Blade Ghost recognized the six cultivators as Three Corpses Cave disciples.
• The green-clad cultivator, Qingxiang, planted a Formation Flag and said she would have Lin Buyu's team sent to this dangerous location during the Chaotic Stars Assembly.
• Ping'an heard Qingxiang's hostile thoughts, and another disciple confirmed that the plan could leave Lin Buyu badly hurt or dead.

Xu Taiping learned that Three Corpses Cave disciples bore malice toward Lin Buyu and that she might return to the Kunlun Ruins for the Chaotic Stars Assembly in three years. After killing a third-stage evil demon incarnation, he sensed the Yellow Springs through his Lotus Eye and feared his Second Senior Brother was in danger.

• Ping'an overheard that Three Corpses Cave disciples were scouting the Kunlun Ruins for the Chaotic Stars Assembly, and Xu Taiping decided not to disturb their formation flag.
• Zhu Ping explained the five stages of evil demons, and Xu Taiping chose to test his strength against a wounded third-stage incarnation.
• Xu Taiping defeated the martial artist evil demon incarnation with his blade techniques and Annihilating Blade Art.
• Blade Ghost warned Xu Taiping that he had not yet fully mastered his Heaven-Connecting Realm strength and led the group toward Kang Cangzi's Dao Field.
• Xu Taiping's Lotus Eye showed him the Yellow Springs, making him suspect that his Second Senior Brother was in danger.

Xu Taiping’s Lotus Eye sensed that something might have happened to his Second Senior Brother in the Yellow Springs, so he planned to verify the vision with Great Deductive Power after stabilizing his new cultivation. He and his companions reached True Immortal Kang Cang’s vast Bamboo Sea Dao Field, where Xu Taiping began by asking the Human Sovereign Sword to become his Life-Bound Divine Weapon.

• Xu Taiping told Ping'an, Old Daoist Huang, and Blade Ghost that his Lotus Eye had shown him an image of the Yellow Springs and that he suspected his Second Senior Brother was in trouble.
• Blade Ghost advised Xu Taiping to stabilize his Dao Integration Realm by refining three treasures into Natal Treasures, ideally one for attack, one for defense, and one to increase magical power.
• The little pig demon led the group into the bamboo grove, where they entered a vast Dao Field built on a black-jade terrace above the clouds.
• Zhu Ping showed Xu Taiping and his companions the Pine and Bamboo Residence, where they could stay, and Sea-Viewing Cliff, where they could cultivate.
• That night, Xu Taiping sensed the moon-shaped edict calming his mind, then summoned the Human Sovereign Sword and respectfully asked its sword souls to accept it as his Life-Bound Divine Weapon.

Xu Taiping gained the Human Sovereign Sword as his Life-Bound Divine Weapon after its spirits accepted him and he swore to protect the Human Race. The sword was refined into his body, greatly increased his battle intent, and granted him the divine intent One Sword Equals Ten Thousand Soldiers.

• Xu Taiping worried that the Human Sovereign Sword's spirits would refuse him, but they revealed that they had been teasing him and had already judged him worthy.
• The Human Sovereign spirits explained that they had watched Xu Taiping's trials and accepted him as their master.
• Xu Taiping called upon the Human Sovereigns to become his Life-Bound Divine Weapon, and the sword merged with him, transforming his Frost Slays All Plants Sword Intent.
• Xu Taiping and the Human Sovereigns swore an oath to protect the Human Race, and the sword spirits offered him their undiminished battle intent.
• The Human Sovereign Sword was quickly refined within Xu Taiping, and he gained its Life-Bound Divine Intent, One Sword Equals Ten Thousand Soldiers.

Xu Taiping refined the Human Sovereign Sword and began stabilizing his cultivation while preparing to help Second Senior Brother in the Yellow Springs. After mastering the complete clone art and refining two more Life-Bound Items, he announced that he could descend to the Yellow Springs within days.

• Xu Taiping refined the Human Sovereign Sword into a Life-Bound Divine Weapon and placed it in his Golden Mansion to nurture with his blood qi and Dao essence.
• Xu Taiping assigned clones to refine the Heavenly Sound Bell and Dragon-Blood Bamboo Hat, then began absorbing the divine sense in Kang Cangzi's jade slip.
• Xu Taiping spent ten days digesting the jade slip's divine sense and cultivating the complete Mysterious Origin Avatar Art.
• Xu Taiping created a true Origin Beginning Clone, which shared his identity and gave him nearly twice his combat strength at the cost of greater magic power.
• Xu Taiping's two ordinary Mysterious Origin clones burst apart, and he sensed new true intent and divine intent after the Heavenly Sound Bell and Dragon-Blood Bamboo Hat became Life-Bound Items.
• Xu Taiping told Blade Ghost that he would be able to descend to the Yellow Springs within days.

Xu Taiping stabilized his Heaven-Connecting Realm cultivation by carving a blade mark into the Bamboo Sea Dao Field’s barrier, but the strike weakened it from within. When a Blood Demon Ant began attacking the barrier from outside, Blade Ghost ordered Xu Taiping to deal with it.

• Xu Taiping cut through the Sea of Clouds and left a blade mark on the Bamboo Sea Dao Field’s barrier, proving his cultivation had initially stabilized.
• Blade Ghost congratulated Xu Taiping and said they might soon be able to fight for real.
• Little Pig Demon Zhu Ping warned that Xu Taiping’s strike had damaged the barrier, which might force them to activate the mountain-sealing barrier and remain trapped until Kang Cangzi returned.
• Old Daoist Huang sensed misfortune threads above the group just before an evil demon began battering the barrier from outside.
• Zhu Ping showed the group a Blood Demon Ant chopping through the bamboo, and Blade Ghost took away Zhu Ping’s grand formation jade jue.
• Blade Ghost told Xu Taiping to go outside and deal with the Blood Demon Ant.

Xu Taiping tested his blade against a third-stage Blood Demon Ant and killed it with a single decisive strike. As he prepared to return, a fourth-stage evil demon incarnation called Demonic Mountain approached the bamboo sea.

• Xu Taiping fought the Blood Demon Ant while Ping'an, Zhu Ping, Blade Ghost, and Old Daoist Huang watched from the Bamboo Sea Dao Field.
• Blade Ghost explained that Xu Taiping was testing his blade to find an opening before using a killing move to finish the enemy efficiently.
• Xu Taiping severed the Blood Demon Ant's head with a thin blade of light and collected its corpse.
• Zhu Ping urged Xu Taiping to return, but a mountain-shaped fourth-stage evil demon incarnation called Demonic Mountain appeared outside the bamboo sea.
• Zhu Ping warned Xu Taiping to abandon the corpse and return inside the barrier at once.

Xu Taiping returned to the Dao Field after sensing Mo Mountain, a fourth-stage evil demon’s incarnation, and the group watched as Blood Demon Ants drove Mo Mountain away from the bamboo sea. With the damaged barrier needing protection, Blade Ghost agreed to discuss Xu Taiping’s descent into the Yellow Springs that night.

• Xu Taiping crushed the Jade Jue and returned to the Dao Field after sensing Mo Mountain’s dangerous aura from the bamboo sea.
• Blade Ghost asked whether Xu Taiping could escape Mo Mountain unscathed without treasures, and Xu Taiping said he was confident he could.
• Zhu Ping warned that Mo Mountain might have detected the damaged barrier and that the group could be sealed inside if he approached.
• Blood Demon Ants attacked Mo Mountain as he neared the bamboo sea, forcing him to retreat.
• Zhu Ping told Xu Taiping to drive away demonic beasts that touched the damaged barrier, and Xu Taiping agreed to help.
• Blade Ghost told Xu Taiping to bring the Yellow Springs Jade Pillow that night so they could discuss his descent into the Yellow Springs to see Second Senior Brother.

Xu Taiping, Blade Ghost, and Old Daoist Huang prepared to enter the Yellow Springs to scout and locate Dugu Qingxiao, while Xiaohei remained asleep in the Secret Realm. Before they descended, Xu Taiping used divine marrow power to unlock Fairy Lingyue’s message, which began with congratulations on his successful Dao Integration.

• Xu Taiping told Blade Ghost that Xiaohei would need about half a month to digest Yin Marshal Baowei’s power, so he would not join their first trips into the Yellow Springs.
• Blade Ghost chose Old Daoist Huang to accompany him and Xu Taiping, while Taiping stayed behind to guard them; a lightning strike from Xiaoyu singed Old Daoist Huang’s hair.
• Blade Ghost suggested that Xu Taiping’s Lotus Eye visions might come from a newly awakened power of deduction after his Dao Integration breakthrough.
• The three entered the Dragon-Trapping Tower and sat by the Jade Pillows they would use to descend into the Yellow Springs.
• Xu Taiping revealed that Fairy Lingyue’s Jade Pendant held restricted guidance for rescuing Dugu Qingxiao, then unlocked its message with divine marrow power.
• Fairy Lingyue’s voice congratulated Xu Taiping on achieving Dao Integration.

Xu Taiping learned Fairy Lingyue’s method for guiding Dugu Qingxiao out of the Yellow Springs and entrusted the Soul-Summoning Talisman technique to Old Daoist Huang. As Old Daoist Huang studied it, Blade Ghost revealed his deep respect for Undying Night Soul, prompting Xu Taiping to ask what he knew about Fairy Lingyue.

• Fairy Lingyue congratulated Xu Taiping on his breakthrough and explained that he needed Meng Po Soup to restore Dugu Qingxiao’s awareness.
• Fairy Lingyue told Xu Taiping to make two Soul-Summoning Talismans, one using a Supreme-Grade Soulfire Stone and the other using Wangchuan stone from the dangerous Wangchuan River.
• Fairy Lingyue revealed that her next clue was also near Wangchuan, then left Xu Taiping the talisman-drawing method as a Divine Soul Mark.
• Xu Taiping explained the rescue method to Old Daoist Huang and Blade Ghost, then gave Old Daoist Huang the talisman method to study.
• Blade Ghost said he respected Undying Night Soul, and Xu Taiping asked whether Blade Ghost knew Fairy Lingyue.

Blade Ghost explained the legendary reputation of Fairy Lingyue before preparing Xu Taiping and Old Daoist Huang to descend to the Yellow Springs. Xu Taiping arrived alone and, while trying to sense Blade Ghost’s blade intent, encountered a hovering red sedan chair.

• Blade Ghost told Xu Taiping that Fairy Lingyue, once known as the Undying Night Soul, had been a peerless sword cultivator in his era.
• Old Daoist Huang examined Fairy Lingyue’s Soul-Summoning Talisman and declared that he was completely confident he could draw it.
• Blade Ghost cut bloodless blade marks into Xu Taiping’s and Old Daoist Huang’s palms, explaining they would repel evil ghosts briefly and help them sense his blade intent.
• Blade Ghost, Xu Taiping, and Old Daoist Huang lay on their Jade Pillows and descended to the Yellow Springs.
• Xu Taiping found himself alone in the Yellow Springs and spotted a bright red sedan chair hovering along a dead-tree-lined path behind him.

Xu Taiping encountered a female ghost on Bozhong Mountain who tried to trick him before attacking to steal his flesh and blood. After Xu Taiping used the Blade Ghost’s Blade Intent to overpower her, he questioned her about the stranger she had met decades earlier.

• Xu Taiping’s Qi and Blood flared into flames that repelled the Blood Sedan, but sustaining them rapidly consumed his true blood.
• Xu Taiping cautiously questioned the female ghost about the route to Wangchuan while pretending to lower his guard.
• The female ghost transformed the Blood Sedan into blood mist and revealed that she wanted to eat Xu Taiping’s flesh and blood.
• The female ghost admitted she had failed to capture an Otherworlder decades earlier and attacked Xu Taiping.
• Xu Taiping unleashed the Blade Ghost’s Blade Intent, severed the female ghost’s hands, and demanded details about her earlier encounter.

Xu Taiping learned that Xu Ziyan had entered the Yellow Springs while searching for Dugu Qingxiao, and used the Lotus Eye to sense that she might still be there. After escaping the Blood Palanquin Female Ghost, he concealed himself in ruins west of Bozhong Mountain and contacted Blade Ghost.

• Xu Taiping forced the Blood Palanquin Female Ghost to reveal that a woman named Xu Ziyan had entered Bozhong Mountain more than thirty years earlier and escaped while being taken to Peach Mountain Old Mother.
• The female ghost said Xu Ziyan had been searching for Dugu Qingxiao, confirming Xu Taiping's suspicion that she had come to the Yellow Springs for his Second Senior Brother.
• Xu Taiping used the Lotus Eye to deduce whether Xu Ziyan was still in the Yellow Springs, then kicked away the female ghost when she pressed against him and fled.
• Xu Taiping hid in ruins west of Bozhong Mountain and sent Blade Ghost a voice transmission saying he had sensed his location and was heading toward him.

Xu Taiping examined a vision suggesting Senior Sister Ziyan needed help, then encountered an Ox Head Ghost Warden in the ruins. He recognized the bone sword at its waist as Dugu Qingxiao’s and asked Blade Ghost whether he could defeat the warden to learn how it got the sword.

• Xu Taiping opened the divine soul mark and saw a little girl carrying water for Senior Sister Ziyan through vast ruins marked by an enormous pit.
• Xu Taiping sensed the approaching Ghost Warden after Blade Ghost warned him to conceal his aura, and he hid as Ox Head passed by.
• Xu Taiping recognized the bone sword at Ox Head’s waist as the weapon Dugu Qingxiao had obtained from Fallen Longyuan.
• Xu Taiping asked Blade Ghost what chance he had of defeating Ox Head.

Xu Taiping fought the ox-headed Ghost Warden in the Yellow Springs ruins, struggling against its relentless attacks and the heavy cost of his magic power. The Lotus Eye began showing him the Ghost Warden’s moves before they happened, leaving him poised to exploit the ability.

• Xu Taiping accepted Blade Ghost’s warning that defeating the ox-headed Ghost Warden would be a slim chance, then charged it for information about Dugu Qingxiao.
• Xu Taiping traded blows with the Ghost Warden, whose axe, sabers, and spear carried powerful suction and dangerous ghost power.
• Xu Taiping realized the Ghost Warden’s attacks were draining his magic power and that Blade Ghost’s blade intent was protecting him from its ghost power.
• The Lotus Eye showed Xu Taiping the Ghost Warden’s spear throw before it happened, allowing him to dodge by following the vision.
• The Lotus Eye showed Xu Taiping the Ghost Warden’s axe strike in advance, and he evaded it, concluding the visions were no coincidence.

Xu Taiping used the Lotus Eye’s visions to anticipate the Ox-Head Ghost Warden’s attacks and countered with increasingly precise strikes. After the eye showed him the paths of the Warden’s spears, Xu Taiping dodged them and severed one of the Warden’s heads, leaving the enraged creature howling.

• The Lotus Eye helped Xu Taiping punch the Ox-Head Ghost Warden before its blade attacks landed, though he had to evade the Warden’s sea-eye whirlpool.
• Xu Taiping saw the Warden’s descending weapons in advance and slashed a deep wound into its chest, but the Warden absorbed the flames with its whirlpool.
• As the illusory lotus gained two more open petals, the Lotus Eye showed Xu Taiping the Warden throwing spears and made their paths easier to see.
• Xu Taiping dodged the spears, reached the Warden as it threw the last one, and severed one of its heads.
• The Ox-Head Ghost Warden threw back its remaining heads and howled in fury.

Xu Taiping fought to survive the Ox Head Ghost Warden’s repeated charges and discovered that his fully bloomed Lotus Eye could slow his perception of the enemy and its sea-eye vortices. He used that insight to evade the vortices and kill the Ox Head Ghost Warden with a flurry of saber strikes.

• The Ox Head Ghost Warden enveloped himself in sea-eye vortices and charged Xu Taiping, forcing Xu Taiping to repeatedly use Wind-Thunder Step to escape their suction.
• As Xu Taiping evaded the charges, more petals of the nine-petaled lotus in his Lotus Eye unfurled until the lotus fully bloomed.
• Xu Taiping discovered that watching the Ox Head Ghost Warden through his Lotus Eye made the ghost’s movements and the vortices’ rotation appear progressively slower.
• Xu Taiping chose to spend his remaining magic power attacking, used the Lotus Eye to read the vortices’ suction, and maneuvered close to the Ox Head Ghost Warden.
• Xu Taiping unleashed a series of saber strikes that burst the Ox Head Ghost Warden’s body into blood mist.

Xu Taiping killed the ox-headed Ghost Warden and discovered a Ghost Eye Stone that could protect him from evil ghosts and restore his power. After learning about the stone from Blade Ghost, he tried to use lesser deductive power on the Ghost Warden to learn about Dugu Qingxiao, but it revealed nothing.

• Xu Taiping collected Dugu Qingxiao's Bone Sword from the Ghost Warden's remains and found a glowing stone inside the corpse.
• Blade Ghost identified the stone as a Ghost Eye Stone and warned Xu Taiping not to probe it with divine sense, or he could inherit the next Ghost Warden's position.
• Blade Ghost explained that the stone could repel most evil ghosts and, after its inheritance power was released, its remains could restore Xu Taiping's divine marrow, essence blood, and Dao essence power.
• Blade Ghost told Xu Taiping that Old Daoist Huang had joined him and urged Xu Taiping to hurry over with the Ghost Eye Stone.
• Xu Taiping used lesser deductive power on the Ghost Warden's head, but saw no images or divine soul marks related to Dugu Qingxiao.

Xu Taiping reunited with Blade Ghost and Old Daoist Huang and used his great deductive power to seek information about Second Senior Brother, Dugu Qingxiao. The deduction succeeded, and Xu Taiping decided to wait until they found Xu Ziyan before opening its mark, believing she might know where Dugu Qingxiao was.

• Xu Taiping met Blade Ghost and Old Daoist Huang in the ruins and learned they had found the hiding place fairly safe.
• Xu Taiping used his great deductive power to ask whether Dugu Qingxiao was alive, where he was, and how he could be rescued.
• The Lotus Eye formed a golden lotus mark, showing that it had responded to Xu Taiping’s questions.
• Xu Taiping told Blade Ghost and Old Daoist Huang that he wanted to find Xu Ziyan before opening the mark.
• Xu Taiping recounted what the Blood Palanquin Female Ghost had told him about Xu Ziyan, and Blade Ghost asked what else he had learned from her.