Recaps

Xu Qingtong improved his talismans with high-grade materials and entered the final day of the competition needing one more victory to qualify for the second stage. After Lin Qian nearly defeated him with a flying sword, Xu Qingtong stunned him with a mental attack and knocked him off the platform with a Water Arrow.

• Xu Qingtong bought high-grade talisman materials and made talismans that held up to sixty percent more spiritual power than before.
• Shopkeeper Gu examined Xu Qingtong’s talismans and warned him that their power rivaled the mid-grade Rain of Fire spell.
• Xu Qingtong prepared his remaining talismans and arrived early for the final day of the competition, where he stepped onto platform seven.
• Lin Qian challenged Xu Qingtong, pierced his shoulder with a flying sword, and forced him to rely on a superior-quality Shield Talisman and the Goumang Seal.
• Xu Qingtong sent a colorless, shapeless spike into Lin Qian’s forehead, stunned him, and blasted him off the platform with a Water Arrow.

During the five-day break before the elimination rounds, Xu Qingtong began practicing the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art to strengthen his body and break through his divine sense bottleneck. After enduring the first level’s agony, he emerged with a tougher body and divine sense roughly three times that of cultivators at his level.

• Xu Qingtong prepared high-grade talismans for the elimination rounds and wondered why his divine sense had stopped advancing.
• Xu Qingtong concluded that his ordinary body limited his divine sense and asked Shopkeeper Gu for a body-tempering method.
• Shopkeeper Gu gave Xu Qingtong the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art and warned him to practice only its first level.
• Xu Qingtong endured a day of searing pain as he tempered his skin, muscles, and bones, then tested his improved resistance with a Fireball Talisman.
• Xu Qingtong continued by tempering his internal organs, completed the first level, and greatly increased his divine sense.

Xu Qingtong attended the elimination tournament, drew a match on platform five in the sixth set, and watched several familiar competitors fight. After Lin Qian won a dangerous bout in the fifth set, Xu Qingtong prepared to take the stage for his own match.

• Xu Qingtong went to the Combat Arena, where Yuan Hong announced the tournament rules and competitors drew lots for their matches.
• Xu Qingtong drew platform five in the sixth set and noticed Lin Qian watching him with hostility.
• The wooden-mannered man defeated his opponent with a Mid-Grade Water Arrow Talisman, and Tian Zongfei defeated the girl in yellow.
• Lin Qian fought a stern-faced opponent, endured a Flying Knife wound, and won by knocking the man unconscious with a Fireball Talisman.
• After the fifth set ended, Xu Qingtong stood up to compete in the sixth set.

Xu Qingtong won his first-round match with powerful talismans, helped sell Mid-Grade Talismans at the Jade Spring Commerce Association, and advanced through the second and third rounds. As the fourth round began, he encountered another old acquaintance.

• Xu Qingtong defeated Zhang by overwhelming him with Fireball and Water Arrow Talismans.
• Xu Qingtong helped Wu Zheng and Shopkeeper Gu sell out the shop's Mid-Grade Talismans before returning to the competition grounds.
• Xu Qingtong quickly defeated a young married woman in the second round with a Water Arrow Talisman.
• Lin Qian, Tian Zongfei, and the wooden-faced man advanced through the second round, while Xu Qingtong also won his third-round match.
• A youth in splendid brocade robes eliminated the wooden-faced man in the third round, and Xu Qingtong encountered another old acquaintance in the fourth round.

Xu Qingtong advanced through the fourth and fifth rounds of the competition, defeating Tian Zongfei and a richly dressed young man to secure a place in the Mist Valley Trial. Elder Yuan Hong announced that the five winners would return in half a month to take part.

• Xu Qingtong faced Tian Zongfei in the fourth round and pressured him with powerful Fireball Talismans until Tian Zongfei's shield shattered.
• Tian Zongfei attacked Xu Qingtong with a bell that disrupted his mind, but Xu Qingtong countered with a divine-sense attack and blasted Tian Zongfei off the platform.
• Xu Qingtong advanced to the fifth round, where he drew the last platform and faced the richly dressed young man who had eliminated the dull-witted contestant.
• Xu Qingtong used the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art to endure an attack, then blasted his opponent off the platform with top-quality mid-grade talismans.
• Elder Yuan Hong announced that Xu Qingtong and the other four winners had earned places in the Mist Valley Trial and should return in half a month.

After earning a place in the Mist Valley Trial, Xu Qingtong prepared for its dangers by making talismans and acquiring resources to advance his body-tempering art. With five days left before the trial, he began cultivating the second level of the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art.

• Shopkeeper Gu warned Xu Qingtong that the Mist Valley Trial was dangerous and that fellow participants could be more threatening than demonic beasts.
• Xu Qingtong decided to earn spirit stones by making talismans, then produced over a thousand mid-grade talismans after working for seven days.
• Shopkeeper Gu paid Xu Qingtong part of what the shop owed him, and Xu Qingtong exchanged some of his payment for the fire-aspected Red Sun Sword and a hundred-year fire lotus.
• Xu Qingtong showed Shopkeeper Gu that he had mastered the first level of the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art, then bought the remaining ingredients and supplies he needed.
• With five days left before the trial, Xu Qingtong borrowed a cauldron, prepared the ingredients for the second level, and climbed into it to begin cultivating.

After reaching the second level of the Heavenly Fire Body-Tempering Art, Xu Qingtong bid farewell to Shopkeeper Gu and Wu Zheng and went to the Combat Arena for the Mist Valley Trial. He met Dongfang Hui, An Chengbao, Qin Xinghan, and Lin Qian before the elders announced their departure.

• Xu Qingtong broke through to minor attainment in the second level after enduring four days in the medicinal cauldron.
• Xu Qingtong asked Wu Zheng to test his tempered body with a Fireball Talisman, but the blast sent him through a wall without injuring him.
• Xu Qingtong said farewell to Shopkeeper Gu and Wu Zheng before leaving the Jade Spring Commerce Association.
• At the Combat Arena, Xu Qingtong met Dongfang Hui and An Chengbao while Qin Xinghan watched Dongfang Hui and Lin Qian arrived later.
• Yuan Hong, Zhou Xin, and Guo Tianyu emerged from the hall and announced that the group would set out.

Xu Qingtong traveled with Yuan Hong and the others to Mist Valley, where the leaders of the Three Great Sects opened the entrance and prepared a teleportation array. He received a Jade Token and entered the valley last, facing a month-long trial to gather medicinal herbs among dangerous demon beasts.

• Yuan Hong enlarged a magical Small Boat and carried Xu Qingtong, Dongfang Hui, and the others to Mist Valley.
• Xu Qingtong saw disciples from Gloomwind Valley, Biluozong, and the Azure Sea Gate gather at the valley entrance, followed by their leaders Dongfang Jin, Peng Muyang, and Mu Ze.
• Dongfang Jin and Mu Ze broke through the mist restriction while Peng Muyang set up a Teleportation Array at the entrance.
• Dongfang Jin and Peng Muyang explained that the Jade Tokens contained trial tasks and could teleport disciples into and out of the valley during the one-month trial.
• The sect disciples entered the pillar of light with their Jade Tokens, and Xu Qingtong entered last because his cultivation was the lowest.

Xu Qingtong entered a forested valley to gather medicinal plants for a trial, but after finding purple spirit fruits and fleeing a swarm of yellow wasps into a lake, he remained trapped in the water. With the wasps still waiting above, he decided to risk a dangerous solution.

• Xu Qingtong used his Jade Token to learn which medicinal plants he needed and cautiously entered the forest.
• Xu Qingtong found a purple spirit fruit tree, drove off a small demonic beast with a Fireball Talisman, and collected the ripe fruits.
• Xu Qingtong searched the forest for four hours, but most of the plants he found were too young to harvest.
• Xu Qingtong burned a yellow wasp with a Fireball Technique, then fled when a huge swarm arrived and chased him.
• Xu Qingtong plunged into a lake to escape the swarm, but the wasps waited above while he repeatedly surfaced for air and was stung.
• Xu Qingtong realized he could not remain underwater indefinitely and resolved to take a risk.

Xu Qingtong found Yu Xuzi imprisoned in a secret chamber beneath the lake and learned that Jade Spring True Person had betrayed him over a thousand years ago. Yu Xuzi revealed that he had taught the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art to Xu Qingtong’s ancestor and asked Xu Qingtong to take him as his master.

• Xu Qingtong followed a light on the lakebed to a circular platform and was transported into a secret chamber.
• Yu Xuzi asked Xu Qingtong about Jade Spring and the Goumang Seal, then revealed that Jade Spring True Person had imprisoned him over a thousand years earlier.
• Yu Xuzi recounted how Jade Spring True Person ambushed him out of jealousy and sealed his body and soul.
• Yu Xuzi explained that he had all five spiritual roots and cultivated the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art, which Xu Qingtong also practiced.
• Xu Qingtong revealed that his ancestor Chen Yuanhua had passed down the art, and Yu Xuzi asked him to become his master.

Xu Qingtong accepted Yu Xuzi as his master and received instructions about the Anyang Sect and the Seven-Star Bracelet before Yu Xuzi died. After refining the bracelet and storing his master's remains, Xu Qingtong searched for a way out and examined the decoy Storage Ring, which abruptly drained much of his divine sense.

• Xu Qingtong accepted Yu Xuzi as his master after learning that Yu Xuzi could teach him the complete Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art.
• Yu Xuzi told Xu Qingtong about his ties to the Anyang Sect, warned him about Yuquan, and instructed him to retrieve the Seven-Star Bracelet after his death.
• Yu Xuzi died, and Xu Qingtong removed his chains, paid his respects, and retrieved the bracelet from his Dantian.
• Xu Qingtong refined the Seven-Star Bracelet, learned it contained a vast storage space, and discovered that he lacked the cultivation to activate its other functions.
• Xu Qingtong stored Yu Xuzi's remains in the bracelet and searched the stone chamber for an exit, but found no clues.
• Xu Qingtong suspected the decoy Storage Ring held a hidden secret, examined it, and lost more than half his divine sense to its powerful suction.

Xu Qingtong found the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art and learned that he needed a Sinew-Building Elixir to address his missing spirit root, then escaped the stone chamber through a hidden formation. He emerged at a hall where an Azure Sea Gate disciple killed a Biluozong disciple in a fight.

• Xu Qingtong searched the Storage Ring and found no Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art, then discovered the desired art in a Black Jade Slip inside the Seven-Star Bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong learned that the art required five spirit roots and found a Sinew-Building Elixir recipe, but lacked most ingredients and the skill to refine it.
• Xu Qingtong uncovered a hidden formation platform, replaced its spent spirit stones, and teleported out of the stone chamber.
• Xu Qingtong reached a great hall and saw an Azure Sea Gate disciple and a Biluozong disciple fighting inside.
• The Azure Sea Gate disciple stunned the Biluozong disciple with a roar and killed him with a thrown steel trident.

Xu Qingtong survived a deadly confrontation with a burly Azure Sea Gate cultivator, then looted the dead men and destroyed their bodies. With seven kinds of trial herbs collected and time to spare, he headed for a hillside and discovered a cave in its cliff face.

• The burly man attacked Xu Qingtong to silence him, but Xu used talismans, the Goumang Seal, and a flying sword to kill him.
• Xu Qingtong took the burly man's Storage Bag and found five kinds of trial herbs inside.
• Xu Qingtong took the Biluozong disciple's Storage Bag and flying sword, bringing his total to seven kinds of trial herbs.
• Xu Qingtong gathered the valuables, burned both corpses, and decided to prioritize his safety while searching for the three remaining herbs.
• Xu Qingtong reached a hillside and discovered a cave in the nearby cliff.

Xu Qingtong entered a cave and fought a powerful demon snake to save a trapped bird. After killing the snake and recovering his magic power, he wondered where the bird had gone.

• Xu Qingtong investigated the cave, broke through a barrier, and found a demon snake attacking a small bird.
• Xu Qingtong chose to help the bird, drove it toward the entrance, and fought the snake with the Red Sun Sword and Fireball Talismans.
• Xu Qingtong lured the snake into a narrow passage and spotted a wound the bird had pecked below its head.
• Xu Qingtong struck the wound with the Red Sun Sword and killed the demon snake after disrupting it with a divine sense attack.
• Xu Qingtong recovered most of his magic power through meditation, then wondered where the bird had gone.

Xu Qingtong rescued an injured bird and discovered it was the ancient divine beast Double-Pupiled Bird, which bonded with him and became Xiao Qi. He tested the Seven-Star Bracelet’s desolate space with plants and animals, then sent a primordial spirit inside to begin planting.

• Xu Qingtong healed the injured bird, salvaged the dead serpent, and found a hundred-year-old Scale Flower Grass in the cave.
• Xu Qingtong recognized the bird’s double pupils, but when he tried to release it, it returned to his shoulder and offered him its soul blood.
• The Double-Pupiled Bird acknowledged Xu Qingtong as its master, explained its connection to the Seven-Star Bracelet, and was named Xiao Qi.
• Xu Qingtong collected plants and had Xiao Qi catch hares and pheasants to test whether they could survive inside the bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong confirmed the animals were alive, drew the bracelet into his body, and sent a primordial spirit inside to plant the wilted vegetation.

Xu Qingtong hid in a pool and discovered Lin Qian had poisoned Dongfang Hui and confessed to killing An Chengbao and Qin Xinghan. He rescued Dongfang Hui, but Lin Qian’s counterattack pierced Xu Qingtong’s chest.

• Xu Qingtong concealed himself in the pool as Dongfang Hui fled from Lin Qian, who had poisoned her and pursued her.
• Lin Qian admitted killing An Chengbao and Qin Xinghan, then tried to force Dongfang Hui to become his wife.
• Dongfang Hui tried to stab herself, but Lin Qian knocked away her golden hairpin and stopped her from jumping into the pool.
• Xu Qingtong attacked Lin Qian from the water with the Red Sun Sword, severing two of Lin Qian’s fingers, and shielded Dongfang Hui.
• Lin Qian struck Xu Qingtong with his flying sword, and Xu Qingtong’s shield and Protective Armor broke before the sword pierced his chest.

Xu Qingtong fought Lin Qian while protecting Dongfang Hui, and Xiao Qi killed Lin Qian after Xu Qingtong broke through his talisman’s defenses. Xu Qingtong woke briefly, but passed out again while Dongfang Hui removed the sword from his chest; he then urged her to hide the evidence and leave quickly.

• Lin Qian blocked Xu Qingtong’s Divine Sense attacks with his Soul-Suppressing Jade Talisman and struck him in the chest with his flying sword.
• Xu Qingtong’s final Divine Sense attack shattered Lin Qian’s talisman and left him stunned, allowing Xiao Qi to kill him with a peck to the back of his head.
• Dongfang Hui gave the unconscious Xu Qingtong an elixir pill and waited beside him while Xiao Qi guarded him.
• Xu Qingtong woke and told Dongfang Hui to remove the sword, bandage his wound, and leave with him.
• Dongfang Hui pulled out the sword, causing Xu Qingtong to pass out again, then bandaged his wound and stopped the bleeding.
• Xu Qingtong regained consciousness and told Dongfang Hui to conceal the fight, take Lin Qian’s Storage Bag and flying sword, burn his body, and leave.

Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui escaped to the Mountain Cave after defeating Lin Qian, but their injuries and the Power-Dissolving Powder left them unable to use magic. After resting overnight, Dongfang Hui explained how Lin Qian had killed Qin Xinghan and An Chengbao and tried to assault her.

• Xu Qingtong had Dongfang Hui help him back to the Mountain Cave, then used a spirit stone to regain enough magic power to climb inside and haul her up with a rope.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui rested and ate in the cave while Xiao Qi guarded the entrance.
• The next morning, Dongfang Hui woke with her head on Xu Qingtong's lap, then told him she still could not gather magic power because of Lin Qian's Power-Dissolving Powder.
• Dongfang Hui explained that Lin Qian had joined Qin Xinghan against a Demon Beast, poisoned An Chengbao during the fight, then killed both men and took their belongings.
• Dongfang Hui said Lin Qian had tried to force her into a relationship, but she fled after resisting him and later met Xu Qingtong.

Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui searched Lin Qian’s belongings for an antidote and herbs for their Trial assignments. They found no antidote, but gathered enough herbs for two complete sets and each took one.

• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui searched Lin Qian’s Storage Bag but found no antidote for the Power-Dissolving Powder, so Xu promised to protect Dongfang Hui until it wore off.
• Xu Qingtong found an erotic book among Lin Qian’s belongings, and he and Dongfang Hui blushed when they saw its illustrations.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui agreed to pool their Trial herbs and see whether they could make two complete sets.
• Xu Qingtong teased Dongfang Hui by revealing his jade cases of herbs one at a time, and she struck his shoulder before remembering his wound.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui sorted the herbs into two complete assignment sets, each took one, and Xu kept the leftovers.

Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui stayed in a cave to recover and cultivate after completing their trial task, growing closer as he cared for her. After regaining most of his strength, Xu Qingtong inspected the Seven-Star Bracelet’s inner space and considered bringing Xiao Qi inside.

• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui agreed to remain in the cave until the trial period ended, and Dongfang Hui changed clothes while he faced the wall.
• Dongfang Hui’s words about keeping his resolve helped Xu Qingtong refocus on cultivation, and he meditated while she cleaned the cave.
• By evening, Xu Qingtong had mostly healed and recovered his magic power, though his divine sense remained weakened.
• Dongfang Hui asked about Xiao Qi, and Xu Qingtong described rescuing the chick from a snake without revealing its unusual identity.
• Xu Qingtong carved a stone bed for Dongfang Hui, then entered the Seven-Star Bracelet with a primordial spirit and found its plants and animals thriving.

Xu Qingtong studied his cultivation methods and found a way to advance faster by focusing on spiritual power transformations that suited his missing metal spirit root. After three days of cultivation, he reached the threshold of the fourth layer of Qi refining and began preparing to break through, while Dongfang Hui remained unable to gather magic power.

• Xu Qingtong compared the Black Jade Slip with Patriarch Chen Yuanhua's method and began cultivating through mutual generation among the five elements.
• Xu Qingtong shared a roasted rabbit with Dongfang Hui, then entered deep cultivation for three days while she examined his jade slips.
• Xu Qingtong emerged with his magic power at its peak and told Dongfang Hui he had reached the threshold of the fourth layer of Qi refining.
• Dongfang Hui asked to copy the Fisherman's Song in Misty Waves and the Turtle Breath Technique, and Xu Qingtong agreed.
• Xu Qingtong checked Dongfang Hui and found she still could not gather magic power, then asked Xiao Qi to obey her during his seclusion.
• Xu Qingtong sat down to prepare for his breakthrough to the fourth layer of Qi refining.

Xu Qingtong advanced to the fourth layer of Qi Refining, learned the Turtle Breath Technique, and discovered that Dongfang Hui had recovered the ability to cultivate. After more than half a month of quiet cultivation, they prepared to leave Mist Valley the next day.

• Xu Qingtong broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining, accidentally startled Dongfang Hui by appearing naked, and went to the pond to wash and change.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui agreed to join Gloomwind Valley, then he began studying the Turtle Breath Technique while continuing to cultivate.
• Xu Qingtong mastered the Turtle Breath Technique overnight and demonstrated that Dongfang Hui could not detect him with her divine sense.
• Xu Qingtong examined Dongfang Hui and found no Power-Dissolving Powder remaining, and Dongfang Hui successfully gathered magic power again.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui spent the next half month cultivating, and Xu Qingtong counted that they would leave the valley the following day.

Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui prepared a cover story about escaping Howling Wind Wolves before leaving the valley, while Xu Qingtong secretly brought Xiao Qi along inside the Seven-Star Bracelet. After teleporting out, they pretended to have barely escaped and were told by Mu Ze to move away from the exit.

• Xu Qingtong asked Xiao Qi whether it wanted to stay in the valley or come with him, then stored Xiao Qi in the Seven-Star Bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong devised a story that he and Dongfang Hui had fled three Howling Wind Wolves and damaged their clothes and appearance to support it.
• Dongfang Hui explained that a Spirit Beast Bag could hold living creatures, while Xu Qingtong checked that Xiao Qi was comfortable inside the Seven-Star Bracelet.
• Xu Qingtong and Dongfang Hui damaged the cave walls with spells to make it seem they had exhausted their Spiritual Power, then crushed their Jade Tokens to leave the valley.
• Dongfang Hui greeted Xu Qingtong with concern, and Xu Qingtong pretended to have barely escaped the wolves as Mu Ze ordered them away from the exit.

After the Mist Valley trial ended, Dongfang Hui and Xu Qingtong joined Gloomwind Valley, while the other sects mourned their heavy losses. Guo Tianyu took the new disciples to settle their affairs before entering the sect, and Dongfang Hui said she wanted to bid farewell to her parents.

• As the agreed time expired, Dongfang Jin closed Mist Valley despite Mu Ze's plea to wait for the nine missing Azure Sea Gate disciples.
• Dongfang Jin learned Dongfang Hui came from his family at Purple Cloud Ridge, and she knelt and agreed to join Gloomwind Valley.
• After Peng Muyang and Mu Ze hesitated over Xu Qingtong's poor aptitude, Xu chose Gloomwind Valley and Dongfang Jin accepted him.
• Dongfang Jin took ten disciples back to Gloomwind Valley, leaving Guo Tianyu to help Dongfang Hui and Xu Qingtong settle their affairs.
• When Guo Tianyu asked what she needed to take care of, Dongfang Hui said she wanted to bid farewell to her parents.

Xu Qingtong settled his mortal ties by visiting his parents’ graves and avenging his mother at Black Wind Stronghold. After reuniting with his uncle’s family in Houtang Town, he quietly left them his wealth, a letter, a book, and elixirs before returning to his cultivation journey.

• Xu Qingtong accepted an Identity Jade Token and Flying Talismans from Guo Tianyu, then set out alone to settle personal matters.
• Xu Qingtong paid his respects at his father’s grave in Upper Yang Village before flying on to Black Wind Stronghold.
• Xu Qingtong killed the bandit chief who had murdered his mother and most of the stronghold’s bandits, while Xiao Qi guarded the escapees and a wounded survivor.
• Xu Qingtong found his mother’s grave, thanked the family who had buried her, and gathered her remains to take to Upper Yang Village.
• Xu Qingtong reunited with Chen Jialiang and his family in Houtang Town, told them about his life as a cultivator, and spent the evening with them.
• Xu Qingtong left his uncle’s family a letter, a book, life-prolonging and beauty-preserving elixirs, and the wealth from Black Wind Stronghold, then departed quietly.