Chapter Summaries

After reaching the Draconic Ruins Realm, Nie Li and his companions joined the Feathered God Sect, where Chen Linjian and Lu Piao revealed heavenly spirit roots and Nie Li displayed a ninth-grade heavenly spirit root. The sect’s Five Divine Venerables took notice of Nie Li and discussed the strange Sky Screen that might follow him there.

• The group reached the Ninth Layer of the Nine-Layered Deathlands, where the Nether Realm Controller let Nie Li choose a sect and he chose the Feathered God Sect.
• Three months later, Nie Li, Lu Piao, Chen Linjian, and Guan Yu followed Xiao Yu to the Feathered God Sect’s Heavenly Spirit Institute and encountered Hua Ling.
• Chen Linjian revealed a seventh-grade heavenly spirit root, and Lu Piao revealed a fifth-grade heavenly spirit root.
• Nie Li’s aptitude rose to a ninth-grade heavenly spirit root, drawing the attention of the Feathered God Sect’s Five Divine Venerables.
• The Five Divine Venerables discussed Nie Li’s potential and wondered whether the Sky Screen would appear in the Feathered God Sect.

A Sky Screen appeared over the Heavenly Spirit Institute and showed Nie Li and Lu Piao being tested, revealing their exceptional heavenly spirit roots. After the test, Nie Li, Lu Piao, and Xiao Yu explored the institute, where Xiao Yu explained how students earned Soul Stones.

• A golden Sky Screen appeared over the Heavenly Spirit Institute, and the Five Divine Venerables identified it as the screen Ming had described.
• Lu Piao's test revealed a fifth-grade heavenly spirit root, and Steward Gu assigned him to the West Court.
• Nie Li's test revealed an eighth-grade heavenly spirit root, leaving Hua Ling stunned and prompting major families to consider recruiting him.
• Hua Ling left after taunting Nie Li and Xiao Yu, while Xiao Yu warned them to watch out for ambushes beyond the institute.
• Nie Li, Lu Piao, and Xiao Yu headed to the West Court, and Xiao Yu showed them the Mission Hall and explained that Soul Stones were valuable cultivation resources.
• Lu Piao asked whether his pills could be exchanged for Soul Stones, but Xiao Yu said they were of little use and that ordinary demon spirits would not interest students either.

Nie Li and Lu Piao settled into Xiao Yu’s courtyard at the Heavenly Spirit Institute, where Nie Li discovered that one Soul Stone could not sustain his cultivation. Their new home was soon disrupted by Huang Ying and Yan Hao, and Xiao Yu returned to order the visitors out just as two more women arrived looking for him.

• Xiao Yu brought Nie Li and Lu Piao to his courtyard and gave them two Soul Stones to begin cultivating.
• Nie Li absorbed the heavenly Dao power in one Soul Stone but found it insufficient for his vast Soul Sea.
• Huang Ying arrived looking for Xiao Yu, and Yan Hao followed, taunting Nie Li and Lu Piao and warning them against associating with Xiao Yu.
• Huang Ying protected Nie Li and Lu Piao when Yan Hao released his aura, then Xiao Yu appeared and told both visitors to leave his private residence.
• Two more beauties arrived at the gate and called for Brother Xiao Yu.

Nie Li helped Xiao Yu overcome his stalled cultivation, and Xiao Yu broke through to the Heavenly Mandate Realm. The next day, Nie Li and Lu Piao arrived at their place of study, where Jin Yan approached them to recruit talent.

• Xiao Yu gave Nie Li his identity plaque, and Nie Li shut the door on him as he left with Lu Piao.
• Xiao Yu asked Nie Li why he had remained stuck in the Earth Fate Realm, and Nie Li explained that his cultivation art was incomplete.
• Nie Li used needles to open Xiao Yu’s acupoints, allowing Xiao Yu to break through to the Three Fates realm and later reach Five Fates.
• Xiao Yu gave Nie Li all the Soul Stones in his Space Ring, but Nie Li took only five, leaving Xiao Yu unsure how to respond.
• The students watching the Sky Screen reacted to Xiao Yu’s breakthrough and wondered about the strips of cloth around his chest.
• The next day, Nie Li recognized one of Hua Ling’s followers beside him, and Jin Yan approached the newcomers to recruit them for the Jin Clan.

Venerable Chimu taught the new students about heavenly mandate cultivation and spirit flames, where Nie Li impressed him by casually condensing one. After class, Long Yuyin confronted Nie Li and Lu Piao, and Nie Li reacted darkly when she mentioned the Dragonseal Family, recalling his master’s death at their hands.

• Venerable Chimu explained how fate souls enabled heavenly mandate experts to revive and taught the students to condense spirit flames.
• Long Yuyin and Jin Yan condensed spirit flames, while Lu Piao failed after becoming distracted by thoughts of Xiao Xue.
• Nie Li casually formed a spirit flame, impressing Venerable Chimu, while the Sky Screen audience laughed at Lu Piao’s behavior.
• After class, Long Yuyin blocked Nie Li and Lu Piao and made cutting remarks about their talent and the Dragonseal Family.
• Nie Li’s expression darkened as he remembered that Long Yuyin had killed his master in his previous life.

Nie Li recognized Long Yuyin as the woman who would kill his master and divide the Feathered God Sect in his previous life, while Gu Bei befriended him and Lu Piao. The two then accepted a medical assignment to treat Gu Lan, though Nie Li warned Lu Piao against taking on more patients and drawing unwanted attention.

• Long Yuyin left after showing interest in Nie Li, and a young man warned Nie Li and Lu Piao about her violent reputation.
• Nie Li recognized Long Yuyin as his future master's killer, while Long Yuyin rejected the accusation and began to feel killing intent toward him.
• Gu Bei introduced himself to Nie Li and Lu Piao, and the three quickly became friendly over their shared interest in pursuing women like Long Yuyin.
• Han Jing's group decided to watch Nie Li and Lu Piao as rivals for the Eastern Courtyard's limited places.
• Nie Li and Lu Piao accepted a Mission Hall assignment to treat Gu Lan, and Nie Li stopped Lu Piao from taking on hundreds of other medical cases.

Nie Li diagnosed Gu Lan’s mysterious condition as poisoning and began treating her, earning Gu Bei’s gratitude and the Gu Family head’s attention. Gu Lan started to recover, while Gu Heng grew furious and resolved to restrain himself for now.

• Nie Li explained the Feathered God Sect’s powerful families to Lu Piao and went with him to the Gu Family compound to offer treatment for Gu Lan.
• Gu Bei brought Nie Li and Lu Piao to Gu Lan, and Nie Li determined that she had been poisoned with a toxin made from redtop grass and snake fragrance fruit.
• Gu Lan assured Nie Li that she and Gu Bei could keep up appearances after her recovery, and Nie Li prescribed gentle medicine to clear the poison gradually.
• Gu Bei brewed the medicine, and Gu Lan felt her meridians begin to change after drinking it; Gu Bei thanked Nie Li and offered him a Space Ring containing fifteen hundred Soul Stones.
• The Gu Family head sent trusted elders to invite Nie Li, while Gu Heng smashed an object in anger and decided to hold back for the time being.
• Nie Li took five hundred Soul Stones, and Gu Bei declared that Nie Li and Lu Piao were now his true brothers before the two visitors headed back.

Nie Li shared Soul Stones with his friends and cultivated, while Golden Egg revealed an aura stronger than a Heavenly Kirin Beast. The group visited the Sacred Spirit Wonderland, where Xiao Yu made a remarkable climb up the altar steps, and Nie Li was startled by someone he saw there.

• Gu Bei told Gu Lan how Nie Li had cured her, and Nie Li shared Soul Stones with Lu Piao and Xiao Yu.
• Nie Li gave Goddess Yu Yan Soul Stones, and she kissed his cheek before cultivating beside him.
• Golden Egg ate the drained Soul Stone fragments, then consumed a fresh stone; Nie Li found its aura surpassed that of a Heavenly Kirin Beast but failed to place a soul brand on it.
• Xiao Yu invited Nie Li and Lu Piao to the Sacred Spirit Wonderland, where they learned about the Sacred Spirit Ranking and its rewards.
• Xiao Yu climbed past the sixth step and entered the rankings, astonishing Hua Ling and leading Yan Hao to suspect he had reached the Heavenly Mandate Realm.
• Nie Li and Lu Piao began climbing the altar steps, but Nie Li stopped speaking when he saw someone.

Nie Li remembered how Ying Yueru had saved and taught him in his previous life, and watched her again on the Sixteenth Sky Screen while struggling to hide his grief. After Ying Yueru left, Nie Li continued climbing, while Xiao Yu became jealous and stopped just short of her record.

• Nie Li recalled how Ying Yueru rescued him, taught him to cultivate, and urged him to abandon hatred and violence.
• Nie Li remembered Ying Yueru dying in his arms after making him promise not to seek revenge, and he wept when he saw her again on the Sky Screen.
• Long Yuyin despised Ying Yueru and blamed her for their master's death, while Ying Yueru left the Thatched Cottage to find another place.
• Ying Yueru met Nie Li on the Sky Screen, but neither recognized their connection; Xiao Yu stepped between them and warned Nie Li to be cautious.
• Nie Li insisted that Ying Yueru posed no threat, upsetting Xiao Yu, and Ying Yueru said they would meet again before leaving.
• Xiao Yu climbed a little over 120 steps, fell short of Ying Yueru's mark, and resolved not to accept the loss.

Nie Li climbed to sixteenth place in the Sacred Spirit Ranking, drawing attention from Long Yuyin, who confronted and insulted him on the cultivation steps. Nie Li retaliated with fierce insults and challenged her to a one-on-one contest, which Long Yuyin accepted, setting a three-lash penalty for his defeat.

• Xiao Yu reached eleventh place, while Lu Piao and Nie Li entered the rankings at eighty-sixth and sixteenth, respectively.
• Nanmen Tianhai and Huang Yu discussed Nie Li and Long Yuyin, and Long Yuyin entered the Sacred Spirit Wonderland after hearing about Nie Li's rank.
• Nie Li absorbed the Heavenly Dao Power on the steps, while Long Yuyin forced two cultivators to move aside as she climbed past them.
• Long Yuyin mocked Nie Li's rank and status, and Nie Li stood up and insulted her lineage, bloodline, and character.
• Long Yuyin threatened Nie Li's clan, then accepted his one-on-one challenge and declared that he would take three lashes if he lost.

Nie Li overcame his limit on the Sky Screen and climbed to Long Yuyin’s position, intensifying their wager as he continued upward. Meanwhile, Gu Bei and Gu Lan faced Gu Heng, who taunted them without realizing Gu Lan might recover.

• Long Yuyin climbed to the hundred and twenty-ninth stair while Nie Li reached his limit, then began reciting his master’s incantation to commune with the Heavenly Dao Power.
• Nie Li’s aura merged with the Heavenly Dao Power, and he resumed climbing until he reached Long Yuyin’s former position.
• Gu Bei and Gu Lan arrived to watch the rankings, where Gu Heng mocked Gu Lan’s illness and gloated over his presumed advantage in the Gu Family.
• Gu Heng considered recruiting Nie Li as Nie Li climbed to Long Yuyin’s position, while Nie Li provoked her by teasing her about the three lashes.
• Long Yuyin clenched her fists, called Nie Li a lecher, and threatened to gouge out his eyes.

Nie Li surpassed Long Yuyin on the Sacred Spirit Ranking, reaching the 136th step, then reluctantly honored their wager after she demanded punishment. He struck her three times for the disciples she had bullied, himself, and his master, leaving her badly wounded.

• Nie Li unleashed his Heavenly Dao Power, passed Long Yuyin, and overtook her on the Sacred Spirit Ranking.
• Nie Li continued to the 136th step, which Long Yuyin could not reach, while Gu Heng resolved to recruit or destroy him.
• Long Yuyin handed Nie Li her whip after losing their wager, but Nie Li remembered his master's words and initially threw it aside.
• Long Yuyin demanded that Nie Li lash her and vowed to challenge him again, prompting him to denounce her cruelty.
• Nie Li struck Long Yuyin three times, leaving a deep welt on her face and a large wound across her back.

Nie Li humiliated Long Yuyin, rejected Gu Heng’s recruitment, and learned that Ying Yueru planned to take the Sacred Emperor’s fate divination onto herself to protect him. After discovering Ying Yueru’s grim vision, Nie Li rushed away, while families outside the Sky Screen sought her divination art.

• Nie Li lashed Long Yuyin three times, and she fled in tears before returning home and shattering her mirror in anger.
• Gu Heng visited Nie Li and his companions to recruit them, but Nie Li rejected him, prompting Gu Heng to decide they should be destroyed.
• Ying Yueru divined that the Sacred Emperor would detect Nie Li when he reached Heavenly Transformation, and she resolved to transfer his fate onto herself.
• Nie Li heard Ying Yueru’s plan beneath the Sky Screen, smashed a boulder, and rushed out of Xiao Yu’s courtyard.
• Families began searching for Ying Yueru to obtain her divination art, while Long Yuyin accused her of murdering her master to acquire the Heavenly Derivation Technique.
• Three days later, Nie Li and Lu Piao returned to class, where Gu Bei praised Nie Li for humiliating Long Yuyin.

Venerable Chimu taught the students to temper their physical strength, and Nie Li was paired with Long Yuyin for a brutal sparring session. After Nie Li defeated her again, Long Yuyin asked him to name his terms, and he told her to stay away from him.

• Gu Bei warned Nie Li and Lu Piao that Gu Heng was narrow-minded after Nie Li told him they had turned down Gu Heng's invitation.
• Venerable Chimu introduced Mystic Weight Bracers and had the students choose weights and spar without using heavenly dao power.
• Long Yuyin forced He Yinyin to give up sparring with Nie Li, then attacked Nie Li inside their training barrier.
• Nie Li and Long Yuyin fought to a stalemate until she tricked him and kicked him away, then challenged him again after class.
• Nie Li threw Long Yuyin to the floor, defeating her in front of the other students, and told her to stay away from him when she asked for his terms.

Long Yuyin confronted Ying Yueru about their master's death and discovered that Ying Yueru had learned the deadly Heavenly Derivation Technique. Nie Li entered the Ghost Ruins to collect Soul Scales, where a powerful five-fate man appeared behind him with hostile intent.

• Nie Li ignored Long Yuyin after defeating her, while Gu Bei, Lu Piao, and spectators admired his ruthlessness.
• Ying Yueru told Long Yuyin that their master's heavenly fate had run its course, and Long Yuyin realized she had mastered the Heavenly Derivation Technique.
• Nie Li vowed to protect Ying Yueru after learning that others now knew about her technique.
• Xiao Yu warned Nie Li that Eastern Courtyard geniuses were targeting him, so Nie Li, Xiao Yu, and their companion entered the Ghost Ruins to hunt demon souls.
• Nie Li merged with the Fangtooth Panda, collected Soul Scales, and began a killing spree before a hostile man with at least five-fate cultivation appeared behind him.

Murong Yu attacked Nie Li, seized his Soul Scales, and humiliated the disciple who had lured him into the confrontation. After the Sky Screen ended, Nie Li reunited with Ying Yueru, who revealed that the screen had concealed his Heavenly Fate from the Sacred Emperor.

• Murong Yu suppressed Nie Li with his cultivation, struck him with crescent blades, and took the Soul Scales Nie Li had gathered.
• Nie Li used his Shadow Demon Spirit to hide and escape, while Murong Yu beat and humiliated the man who had provoked him.
• Beneath the Sky Screen, Nie Li and his companions condemned Murong Yu, while Murong Yu worried that he had made an enemy of Nie Li.
• After the Sky Screen ended, Nie Li rushed into Ying Yueru's room and tearfully warned her not to die while he dealt with the Sacred Emperor.
• Ying Yueru told Nie Li that the Heavenly Derivation Technique revealed a chaotic future and that the Sky Screen had hidden his Heavenly Fate from the Sacred Emperor.

Nie Li recovered the Book of Time and Space Spirit, confirmed Ying Yueru would not sacrifice herself for him, and began preparing to grow strong enough to defeat the Sacred Emperor. He brought his friends into the book to cultivate, while the Feathered God Sect intercepted Long Tianming’s message to the Demon God Sect and decided to keep watching him.

• Ying Yueru explained that the Book of Time and Space Spirit existed across time, and Nie Li summoned it back to his hands.
• Long Yuyin confronted Ying Yueru about the Heavenly Derivation Technique, and Ying Yueru explained that Long Yuyin had killed her in a past life under another’s influence.
• Nie Li met the Five Divine Venerables and became the Heavenly Cloud Venerable’s disciple.
• Nie Li gave Gu Bei a prescription, then took Xiao Yu, Lu Piao, and Chen Linjian into the Book of Time and Space Spirit to cultivate toward Heavenly Fate.
• The Exquisite Venerable stopped Long Yuyin’s mother from attacking Nie Li and sent her back to the Dragonseal Family.
• The Five Divine Venerables intercepted Long Tianming’s message to the Demon God Sect and chose to observe him rather than capture him immediately.

Nie Li refined demon spirits with the Nightmare Demon Pot and sold the resulting god-tier spirits, drawing Li Xingyun’s interest and protection. As Nie Li continued building his resources, he visited the wooden hut tied to memories of his former life and Ying Yueru.

• Nie Li asked Gu Bei to buy demon spirits, then used the Nightmare Demon Pot to refine over thirty spirits with god-tier growth potential, revealing the pot’s power to those watching the Sky Screen.
• Lu Piao told Nie Li and Xiao Yu that Hua Ling’s men had stolen his Soul Scales, and the group set up a market stall selling the refined demon spirits cheaply.
• Li Xingyun bought all the spirits at the stall, offered Nie Li a place in his following, and warned Hua Ling’s spy that Nie Li was under his protection.
• Nie Li kept refining demon spirits for sale while Gu Bei supplied them, and Venerable Chimu advised his students to wait until the Heavenly Mandate Realm before fusing with dragon-blood demon spirits.
• Nie Li visited the wooden hut from his memories and recalled how Ying Yueru had regarded his ruthless belief in taking an eye for an eye.

Nie Li reunited with Ying Yueru, learned she had spent fifty years of her lifespan divining his fate, and vowed to become Feathered God Sect Master and protect her. After leaving her cabin, he encountered a timid Long Yuyin and considered reforming her instead of treating her as an enemy.

• Nie Li entered Ying Yueru’s cabin, and she revealed that she knew about his rebirth and had used fifty years of her lifespan to divine his fate.
• Ying Yueru identified Nie Li’s plan to contend for Feathered God Sect Master and recommended Long Yuyin as a potential ally.
• Nie Li recalled Ying Yueru’s teaching about the highest goodness being like water and promised to protect her in this life.
• Nie Li left the cabin and ran into Long Yuyin, who had come to find Ying Yueru and reacted fearfully to him.
• Nie Li urged Long Yuyin to consider whether there had been a misunderstanding with Ying Yueru, then left after she meekly agreed.

Nie Li helped Long Yuyin overcome her hostility toward him and began guiding her in combat, while continuing to refine Dragon Blood Demon Spirits. By forcing a difficult fusion inside the Nightmare Demon Pot, he discovered its vast inner world and tempered his fate soul to the pinnacle of one-fate.

• Long Yuyin questioned whether she truly wanted Ying Yueru to die, then approached Nie Li and asked him to spar with her.
• Nie Li repeatedly defeated Long Yuyin in practice, explained the weaknesses in her moves, and gradually won her over.
• Nie Li received the Heavenly Net Armor, three portions of Soul Stone Essence, and a Dragon Blood Demon Spirit from the Sacred Spirit Ranking, while Lu Piao broke through to the Heavenly Mandate Realm.
• Nie Li refined twenty-one Dragon Blood Demon Spirits, including three mutated ones, and attempted to fuse them into a demon spirit with god-tier growth potential.
• Nie Li used heavenly dao power and the vine in his Soul Sea to force the demon spirits to fuse, explored the Nightmare Demon Pot's inner world, and tempered his fate soul to the pinnacle of one-fate.