Chapter Summaries

Chu Zhiyuan learned that Jade Scenery’s court wanted him to use a Silent Blood Pill to suppress Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline, forcing him to choose between his homeland and his wife. After he told Li Miaotan the truth, she proposed a plan to deceive the court while delaying the bloodline’s activation.

• Chu Zhiyuan realized the Jade Scenery court was testing his loyalty and that refusing its order could leave him isolated.
• Chu Zhiyuan told Fu Zheng that the court wanted him to stop Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline from activating, and he decided to discuss the order with his wife.
• Chu Zhiyuan revealed the court’s demand to Li Miaotan, who already knew about the Silent Blood Pill through Tingfeng Pavilion.
• Li Miaotan urged Chu Zhiyuan not to confront Jade Scenery directly and suggested delaying her bloodline’s activation, taking the Silent Blood Pill, then claiming it had no effect.

Chu Zhiyuan struggled with the Jade Scenery Dynasty’s demand that he delay Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline awakening, while Li Miaotan learned that the Empress had found a treasure that could activate it. Chu Zhiyuan agreed to delay the matter for five days, unaware that Chu Hongwei believed the decision had deeply wounded him.

• Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan discussed why the Jade Scenery Dynasty treated him as an outsider, and he decided to refuse its proposal outright.
• Li Miaotan received word that the Empress had obtained an Ice Soul Purple Ganoderma, which could purify and strengthen her bloodline and potentially activate her Phoenix Bloodline.
• Chu Zhiyuan urged Li Miaotan to take the treasure, reasoning that its effects could offer a way out of the deadlock, but she agreed to wait until he had placated the others.
• At Kuaizai Tower, Chu Zhiyuan told Chu Hongwei he would delay the matter for five days, on the condition that they never raise such a proposal again.
• After Chu Zhiyuan left, Chu Hongwei reflected that the decision had shattered Chu Zhiyuan’s heart, though he believed the dynasty had chosen the safest way to prevent the Phoenix Bloodline from awakening.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan prepared to visit the Phoenix Imperial Palace, where the Empress planned to disguise herself and test whether Chu Zhiyuan could recognize her. The story ended as the Empress set her trick in motion.

• Chu Zhiyuan told Li Miaotan that he had sent a message back and discussed the Jade Scenery Dynasty's demands.
• Li Miaotan said the First Prince had sent Chu Zhiyuan two more bottles of Azure Nether Spirit Dew, which Chu Zhiyuan said he needed to cleanse his mind after killing Devil Race experts.
• At dawn, Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan arrived at the Phoenix Imperial Palace, and a spirit crane greeted Li Miaotan before flying ahead to inform the Empress.
• The Empress and a beautiful woman prepared beside a golden cauldron while palace attendants withdrew at the Empress's order.
• The Empress decided to have the woman disguise herself as her and test whether Chu Zhiyuan could recognize her.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan visited the Phoenix Dynasty’s palace, where the Empress disguised herself as a palace maid and tested whether he could recognize her. After he succeeded, she rewarded him with Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow, while the Emperor stayed away because he feared losing his temper at his new son-in-law.

• The Empress and Ning Suzhen discussed Li Miaotan, Chu Zhiyuan, and the Third Prince before learning that the princess and her husband had entered the palace.
• Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan passed through the palace gates as Chu Zhiyuan noticed that the palace’s wards blocked access to ordinary Spiritual Qi but not the power of the Heavenly Dragon.
• At the lakeside pavilion, Ning Suzhen told the couple that the Empress had offered Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow if Chu Zhiyuan could recognize her in disguise.
• Chu Zhiyuan identified the Empress among the palace maids by intuition and received the jade pendant as his reward.
• The Empress explained that Li Miaotan had already consumed the more potent Jade Marrow Milk and said the Emperor had stayed away because he feared attacking Chu Zhiyuan in anger.

The Empress explained that awakening Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline in the palace could protect Chu Zhiyuan from blame, but it would require him to sacrifice his cultivation origin. Chu Zhiyuan agreed, and the chapter ended as Li Miaotan prepared to awaken her bloodline.

• Li Miaotan went to visit her father, while the Empress privately questioned Chu Zhiyuan about the Phoenix Bloodline and his standing with the Jade Scenery Dynasty.
• The Empress told Chu Zhiyuan that activating Li Miaotan’s bloodline would make him a scapegoat, then proposed awakening it in the palace with the Ice Soul Purple Ganoderma.
• The Empress explained that the process required one person to expend their Origin Power, potentially dropping from the Nascent Soul Stage to the Qi Transformation Stage.
• Chu Zhiyuan agreed to sacrifice his cultivation without telling Li Miaotan, and the Empress warned him that Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline would surpass his talent.
• Li Miaotan returned and said her father was furious at Eldest Brother; the Empress told her to take the Ganoderma and awaken her bloodline in the palace.
• Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan agreed to begin the bloodline awakening that day.

Chu Zhiyuan used the Heaven Mending Art to channel Origin Power into Li Miaotan as she took the Ice Soul Purple Ganoderma and recited the Phoenix Descent Incantation to awaken her bloodline. The ritual intensified into a blazing red cocoon, and a phoenix cry rang out as the Empress and Ning Suzhen watched tensely.

• Li Miaotan entered the Quiet Room to prepare for the bloodline-awakening ritual while Chu Zhiyuan received the Heaven Mending Art from the Empress.
• Chu Zhiyuan mastered the art's perception method and agreed to help Li Miaotan, despite the Empress warning that the process would consume his Origin Power.
• Li Miaotan took the Ice Soul Purple Ganoderma and began reciting the Phoenix Descent Incantation as Chu Zhiyuan fed Origin Power into her.
• A red light surrounded Li Miaotan and grew into a blazing cocoon while Chu Zhiyuan remained calm and protected from its heat.
• The heat surged as a phoenix cry rang out.

Li Miaotan awakened her Phoenix Bloodline with Chu Zhiyuan’s help, and the Empress tested whether he would sacrifice his cultivation for her. After taking the Heaven Mending Pill, Chu Zhiyuan discovered it had strengthened his connection to heaven and earth and let him sense the earth’s power.

• Chu Zhiyuan used the Heaven Mending Art to help Li Miaotan withstand the violent power surging through her as the Phoenix Bloodline awakened.
• Li Miaotan recovered, and the Empress ordered Ning Suzhen to give Chu Zhiyuan the Heaven Mending Pill.
• Chu Zhiyuan took the pill after insisting he did not need it, just as Li Miaotan woke and used her bloodline’s power to make Ning Suzhen reveal the secret.
• The Empress admitted she had withheld the pill to test Chu Zhiyuan’s choice, and Li Miaotan reproached her for it.
• After the group left the room, Chu Zhiyuan felt the pill strengthen his body and discovered he could sense and borrow power from the earth.

Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline awakened, healing her injuries and drawing attention across the imperial city. Chu Zhiyuan learned that the news had alarmed Jade Scenery’s secret agents, and he left to welcome Youlan as the threat of further assassinations loomed.

• Li Miaotan’s awakened Phoenix Bloodline attracted white cranes, and the Empress agreed to make the bloodline public.
• The Empress and Ning Suzhen explained the bloodline’s power and warned that Li Miaotan still needed to reach the Spirit Venerable realm through her own cultivation and fortune.
• Chu Zhiyuan met Chu Hongwei at Wenhua Tower, where Chu Hongwei confirmed that news of the awakening had spread throughout the imperial city.
• Chu Zhiyuan told Chu Hongwei that the Ice Soul Purple Ganoderma had awakened Li Miaotan’s bloodline, and Chu Hongwei worried that the Phoenix Dynasty’s rising morale would threaten Jade Scenery.
• Chu Hongwei warned Chu Zhiyuan that enemies might target him to impede Li Miaotan’s advancement, and Chu Zhiyuan left to welcome Youlan.

Chu Zhiyuan advanced to the sixth transformation after joining with Li Miaotan and confronted Xiao Jinsong for refusing to hand the Prince Consort's Mansion manager position to Youlan. He ordered Xiao to serve as her deputy, then learned that First Prince Li Cunren wanted his help killing a Demon Race expert.

• Youlan arrived at the west city gate with letters from the Imperial Consort and the two princes, and Chu Zhiyuan welcomed her back.
• Chu Zhiyuan saw that his Heavenly Dragon Bloodline had turned purple and grown stronger, and reflected that Li Miaotan's Phoenix Bloodline had helped him advance from the fifth transformation to the sixth.
• Fu Zheng told Chu Zhiyuan that Xiao Jinsong had resisted handing over the manager's position to Youlan, so Chu Zhiyuan summoned and reprimanded him.
• Chu Zhiyuan ordered Xiao Jinsong to become deputy manager and assist Youlan, then urged Fu Zheng to improve her swordsmanship ahead of the expected assassinations.
• First Prince Li Cunren arrived and asked Chu Zhiyuan to help him kill a Demon Race expert.

Chu Zhiyuan persuaded Li Cunren to let him use stealth and assassination tactics against the Demon Race, with four City Guard Venerables and his guards supporting him. As Chu Zhiyuan and Li Cunren reached the mansion gates, Chu Zhiyuan detected an ambush and struck down the hidden attackers with his Autumn Water Divine Saber.

• Li Cunren explained that a Demon Race member had killed Marquis Qin’s son and planned to gather experts to avenge him.
• Chu Zhiyuan demonstrated his movement technique and convinced Li Cunren to provide four City Guard Venerables and spirit dew for his plan.
• Chu Zhiyuan sensed four assassins hidden across the street and warned Li Cunren as they approached the gates.
• Chu Zhiyuan sent his Autumn Water Divine Saber into the shadows, killing two assassins and forcing the other two to charge the mansion.
• Chu Zhiyuan launched another pair of saber strikes at the two gray-clad attackers as the mansion guards halted at the gate.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Cunren survived a Demon Race assassination attempt outside the Prince Consort's Mansion, then agreed to investigate how the attackers entered the Imperial City. Chu Zhiyuan left for the East City Gate with Li Miaotan, Fu Zheng, and Li Yuzhen to hunt Demon Race experts.

• Four gray-robed Death Warriors attacked Chu Zhiyuan, but their red mist corpses exploded and injured several guards before the danger passed.
• Li Cunren promised to strengthen the Prince Consort's Mansion's defenses and investigate possible failures or collusion in the Imperial City's security.
• Li Miaotan suspected the Phoenix Bloodline had provoked the Demon Race and offered to join Chu Zhiyuan's plan to kill them.
• Chu Zhiyuan agreed to take Li Miaotan, Fu Zheng, and Li Yuzhen to the East City Gate, while the other Attendants stayed behind.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan led Fu Zheng, Li Yuzhen, and four Venerables to intercept Demon Race attackers. After a hidden ambush trapped the two women in exploding red mist, Chu Zhiyuan rescued them at the last moment.

• Li Miaotan gave four city guard Venerables Phoenix Nirvana Pills and set out with Chu Zhiyuan's group to confront the Demon Race.
• Chu Zhiyuan warned that Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen were approaching an ambush but let them face it so Fu Zheng could learn the Demon Race's strength.
• Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen fought six gray-robed Demon Race members and initially drove them back.
• Chu Zhiyuan revealed that another group of Demon Race experts was concealed beneath the trees and warned that the Demon Race had learned secret arts for ambushes and assassinations.
• Twelve more Demon Race attackers struck the women with red mist and overwhelming attacks, forcing them toward the blast.
• When Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen were caught in the second explosion, Chu Zhiyuan pulled them ten zhang away with his arms around their waists.

Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan discussed using Chu Zhiyuan as bait to weaken the Demon Race, then fought several groups of Demon Race experts. After Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen learned to recognize the signs of Mutual Destruction, Li Miaotan grew grim over how many enemies had entered the area and what Fengtian Palace was doing.

• Chu Zhiyuan warned that the Demon Race’s concealment and Mutual Destruction techniques made them dangerous, and he proposed using himself as bait to weaken them.
• A vertical-pupiled Demon Race leader ordered his men to attack Chu Zhiyuan’s companions, but Chu Zhiyuan killed all twelve attackers with his speed and Heavenly Dragon Divine Palm.
• Chu Zhiyuan absorbed the twelve demon crystals, while the Heavenly Heart Jade Marrow cleared the crystals’ forceful emotions from his mind.
• Chu Zhiyuan, Li Miaotan, Fu Zheng, Li Yuzhen, and the City Guard Venerables defeated three more groups of Demon Race experts, and Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen learned to evade Mutual Destruction.
• Li Miaotan grew increasingly grim as the group encountered wave after wave of Demon Race experts and wondered what Fengtian Palace was doing.

After Chu Zhiyuan and his companions returned to Phoenix Imperial City from killing Demon Race experts, Li Cunren and Li Cunyi visited to discuss the City Governor’s failure to protect the city. They tried to enlist Li Miaotan in impeaching Sun Shaorong, leaving Chu Zhiyuan to consider their political maneuvering.

• Chu Zhiyuan and Li Miaotan returned to Phoenix Imperial City with Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen after killing numerous Demon Race experts, earning greater respect from the City Guard venerables.
• Fu Zheng and Li Yuzhen discussed the City Guard’s failures, and Li Miaotan resolved to tell Father Emperor about Sun Shaorong before Chu Zhiyuan persuaded her to wait until the next day.
• Chu Zhiyuan sparred with Li Miaotan and proved stronger than her, then welcomed Li Cunren and Li Cunyi to the rear courtyard.
• Li Cunren accused Sun Shaorong of neglecting his duties and announced that he would submit a memorial impeaching the City Governor.
• Li Cunren and Li Cunyi urged Li Miaotan to support the impeachment, and she realized that they were maneuvering to involve her.

Chu Zhiyuan advised Li Cunren, Li Cunyi, and Li Miaotan to stop targeting City Governor Sun Shaorong and instead send him to the Outer Realm Battlefield. He believed Sun might have a hidden reason for keeping his post and that moving Chu Zhiyuan out of the imperial city would stop the Demon Race attacks.

• Li Miaotan proposed focusing on civilian casualties and public anger rather than directly demanding Sun Shaorong's removal, while Li Cunren and Li Cunyi warned against challenging Fengtian Palace or interfering with the City Governor appointment.
• Chu Zhiyuan argued that Sun Shaorong's continued appointment might have a reason beyond the Emperor's childhood friendship and suggested Sun could be concealing his true abilities.
• Chu Zhiyuan proposed that leaving the imperial city would prevent Demon Race experts from coming to attack him, making his removal a simpler solution than replacing Sun Shaorong.
• Chu Zhiyuan said he would go to the Outer Realm Battlefield, and Li Cunren and Li Cunyi agreed that it was an excellent solution.

Chu Zhiyuan weighed the dangers and opportunities of going to the Outer Realm Battlefield, then devised a plan to make public pressure force his departure from Phoenix Imperial City. Chu Hongwei agreed to spread the news, though Chu Zhiyuan’s plan could bring his Third Brother to the city as his replacement hostage.

• Chu Zhiyuan argued that the Outer Realm Battlefield would help his cultivation, but Li Miaotan, Li Cunren, and Li Cunyi warned that the Demon Race and Devil Race would target him there.
• Chu Zhiyuan suggested waiting rather than acting rashly, and he reassured Li Miaotan that they could stay in contact if they had to go to the Outer Realm Battlefield.
• Chu Zhiyuan realized his soul capacity had reached its limit and believed the Outer Realm Battlefield could help him comprehend heaven and earth and advance his cultivation.
• Chu Zhiyuan asked Chu Hongwei to spread the news about the demons outside the city and their pursuit of Li Miaotan’s Phoenix Bloodline so public pressure might drive him away.
• Chu Zhiyuan proposed that his Third Brother replace him as the Phoenix Dynasty’s hostage, and Chu Hongwei agreed to help spread the news despite doubting the plan would succeed.

Chu Zhiyuan received Azure Origin Spirit Dew from Chu Hongwei and learned that the Jade Scenery Emperor wanted him to live well with Li Miaotan and stop thinking about Jade Scenery. At the Prince Consort’s Mansion, Li Cunren revealed that Fengtian Palace’s Candle Nether Mirror might have failed, and Chu Zhiyuan entered just as the siblings debated whether to tell him.

• Chu Hongwei gave Chu Zhiyuan Azure Origin Spirit Dew and said the Jade Scenery Emperor had urged him to live properly with Li Miaotan and stop thinking about Jade Scenery.
• Li Miaotan left Chu Zhiyuan practicing his fist art to meet Li Cunren, who had come with confidential news from Fengtian Palace.
• Li Cunren told Li Miaotan that the Candle Nether Mirror might have malfunctioned, raising fears that the Demon Race and Devil Race could attack the imperial city.
• Li Miaotan worried the Imperial Court would send Chu Zhiyuan away to draw off the enemy and decided to consult the Emperor without involving her husband.
• Chu Zhiyuan entered the hall and asked Li Cunren what he had wanted him to know.

Chu Zhiyuan learned that the Candle Nether Mirror was failing, and he and Li Cunren planned to conceal its weakness by hunting demons and devils. Fengtian Palace’s envoys confirmed the crisis and ordered silence, while Li Miaotan agreed to leave for the Outer Realm Battlefield the next day.

• Li Cunren explained that the Candle Nether Mirror was starving from the world’s thinning Spiritual Qi and could not be repaired.
• Chu Zhiyuan proposed secretly sweeping the surrounding areas with Fengtian Palace and Imperial Court experts to make others believe Fengtian Palace was acting normally.
• Chu Zhiyuan urged Li Miaotan to cultivate on the Outer Realm Battlefield, and she agreed to depart the next day.
• Lan Mingxuan and Mr. Wu arrived and revealed that Sun Qinghe had been expelled from Fengtian Palace and had his cultivation crippled for disclosing the news.
• Lan Mingxuan ordered Li Cunren and the others not to mention the Candle Nether Mirror, citing Fengtian Palace’s rules and the Emperor’s decision.
• Li Miaotan challenged Fengtian Palace’s lack of a replacement or solution, while Lan Mingxuan insisted the secret could not spread and looked toward Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan learned that Fengtian Palace wanted him to enter Tongling Pavilion, a place of ancient Spiritual Traces said to help cultivation. He agreed to go, while Li Miaotan prepared to leave for the Outer Realm Battlefield, and the two were left alone to say farewell.

• Chu Zhiyuan denied knowing the news, but Lan Mingxuan insisted he could not be allowed to know about the matter and proposed taking him to Fengtian Palace as a guest.
• Li Cunren and Li Miaotan objected to Lan Mingxuan's proposal, and Lan explained that Chu Zhiyuan was being invited to Tongling Pavilion to gain insight.
• Lan Mingxuan revealed that Fengtian Palace's people were descendants of the Celestials and that Tongling Pavilion held ancient objects called Spiritual Traces.
• Lan Mingxuan said Chu Zhiyuan qualified to enter Tongling Pavilion because he had killed enough members of the Demon Race and Devil Race.
• After hearing that the stay could last years, Chu Zhiyuan agreed to enter Tongling Pavilion, and Lan Mingxuan and Wu Xun waited outside while he and Li Miaotan said farewell.

Chu Zhiyuan left with Lan Mingxuan and Wu Xun to enter Tongling Pavilion, while Li Miaotan gave him a Phoenix Blood Jade pendant so he could sense her and he gave her a Flying Dagger for communication. On the road, Chu Zhiyuan detected Demon Race experts hiding nearby and persuaded his escorts to deal with them before continuing.

• Li Miaotan explained that Tongling Pavilion was a Cave Heaven containing opportunities, including spiritual treasures, and Chu Zhiyuan accepted her Phoenix Blood Jade pendant to sense her.
• Chu Zhiyuan gave Li Miaotan a Flying Dagger that let them communicate through their minds, and they urged each other to stay safe.
• Chu Zhiyuan departed with Lan Mingxuan and Wu Xun, while Li Miaotan instructed Fu Zheng to help take control of Thousand Mechanisms Tower.
• Lan Mingxuan and Wu Xun explained that Fengtian Palace had no way to prevent the spiritual treasure's birth and destruction, and Chu Zhiyuan asked whether a spiritual treasure he found could recognize him as its master.
• Chu Zhiyuan sensed a dozen Demon Race experts near a mountain and suggested dealing with them, assuring Lan Mingxuan he still intended to enter Tongling Pavilion.