Chapter Summaries

Ten years after Cloudsky Peak established its new course, Xu Qingtong prepared to travel to the Great Marsh Sea with Du Siwen while checking on his aging uncle and helping his cousin prepare for Foundation Establishment. Before departing, he strengthened his disciples’ preparations and began asking Fu Xingzhi what kind of life-bound Magical Artifact he wanted.

• Yu Tiancheng defended Xu Qingtong’s dangerous work creating the Trial grounds, silencing the Peak Masters’ complaints.
• Xu Qingtong announced the Autumn Sword-Tournament results and plans for Cloudsky Peak, then ten years passed as his Incarnation’s cultivation advanced.
• Xu Qingtong agreed to accompany Du Siwen to gain experience in the Great Marsh Sea and visited his aging uncle, Chen Jialiang.
• Xu Qingtong left Chen Ruoling Foundation Establishment insights and Foundation Establishment Pills, then selected Pearl Jade from the Treasure Pavilion.
• Xu Qingtong finished preparing for the journey, advised Li Yingjie, and gave Fu Xingzhi a Jade Slip of Five Elements Spells before asking about his preferred life-bound Magical Artifact.

Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen traveled to Red Moon Island to investigate a possible route to the Central Province, where they discovered a perilous maze of invisible hazards. They withdrew to the shore for the night, but something went wrong as they meditated.

• Xu Qingtong left his disciple Fu Xingzhi in charge of his cave abode and Medicine Garden, then set out with Du Siwen for the Great Marsh Sea.
• Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen traveled north aboard the Ink Cloud Shuttle, rested on Huangqiao Island, and encountered a Yan Yao that Du Siwen killed.
• At Red Moon Island, Xu Qingtong tested the ground with a rabbit and discovered that an unseen formation or spatial rift made the route dangerous.
• Xu Qingtong carefully probed a winding path with a wooden staff and marked safe steps for Du Siwen, then they discussed how to proceed without risking Xizi.
• Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen retreated to a clearing by the shore at night, but something went wrong while they were meditating.

Xu Qingtong tried to tame a White Yu, hoping to use its sensitivity to spatial dangers to guide them across the island. He lured it with Immortal-Brewed Wine and captured it, threatening to eat it when it refused to follow him.

• A White Yu charged at Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen, but Xu Qingtong stopped Du Siwen from killing it because it could navigate the island’s invisible dangers.
• Xu Qingtong suspected the White Yu wanted something he carried, and discovered it was drawn to his Immortal-Brewed Wine.
• Xu Qingtong sent Xiao Qi to speak with the White Yu, but learned it wanted wine rather than to follow him.
• Xu Qingtong, Du Siwen, and Xiao Qi drank wine until the White Yu crept closer, whereupon Xu Qingtong bound it with vines.
• Xu Qingtong threatened to eat the captured White Yu and raised the Star Plucker Sword.

Xu Qingtong persuaded the White Yu to become his spirit beast and named it Xiao Bai, whose ability to perceive spatial rifts helped explain Red Moon Island’s dangers. The next morning, Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen followed Xiao Bai into the island, where a startled Badger Pig encountered a mysterious danger on the grassland.

• Xu Qingtong, with help from Xiao Qi and Xizi, convinced the White Yu to sign a master-servant contract and named it Xiao Bai.
• Xiao Bai told Xu Qingtong about four people who had appeared on Red Moon Island in the past five hundred years, including Old Dong, Dongfang Hui, and a likely badly injured Hua Wuhui.
• Xu Qingtong learned that Xiao Bai could see spatial rifts as black holes and that many demon beasts had disappeared into them.
• Xiao Bai explained that it had survived by hiding in a place on the island where other demon beasts could not enter, then drank a jar of wine Xu Qingtong gave it.
• The next morning, Xu Qingtong woke Xiao Bai and asked it to guide him and Du Siwen around the island while warning them about spatial rifts.
• Xiao Bai led Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen safely through the woods to a grassland, where Xu Qingtong watched a startled Badger Pig run onto the grass and something bizarre happen.

Xu Qingtong, Du Siwen, and Xiao Bai explored the ruins on Red Moon Island and found an intact Teleportation Array. Xu Qingtong proposed investigating the seabed to test his theory about the island’s history, and Du Siwen agreed only if he accepted a condition.

• A badger-pig fled into the grass and was cut in half by a spatial rift, prompting Xu Qingtong to follow Xiao Bai cautiously across the island.
• Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen reached ancient ruined halls and searched several buildings but found nothing of value.
• Xiao Bai led them to a small building where Xu Qingtong discovered an intact Teleportation Array with high-grade spirit stones still holding power.
• Du Siwen asked when Xu Qingtong planned to leave for Central Province, but he said he had come only to explore.
• Xu Qingtong explained his theory that Red Moon Island had once been round and proposed examining the seabed, while Du Siwen warned him of the danger.
• Du Siwen said she would let Xu Qingtong investigate only if he agreed to one condition.

Xu Qingtong and Du Siwen explored the seabed and confirmed that Red Moon Island had once been whole before someone destroyed half of it. As they searched near the island’s highest hill, a powerful strange beast attacked, leaving Xu Qingtong badly injured and Du Siwen’s weapon in the beast’s grasp.

• Xu Qingtong used the Houtu Seal to take Du Siwen and Xiao Bai underwater, where the Sea Tribe Shell protected them from the pressure as they found ruined buildings matching those on the island.
• Xu Qingtong concluded that the island’s seabed ruins confirmed someone had destroyed half of Red Moon Island, then agreed to keep exploring when Du Siwen persuaded him to stay.
• Xu Qingtong, Du Siwen, and Xiao Bai headed toward the island’s highest hill, carefully avoiding the increasing number of spatial rifts.
• Xiao Bai fled when a powerful tiger-bodied, ox-tailed beast charged the group, and Xu Qingtong told Du Siwen to retreat while he held it off.
• The beast knocked away Xu Qingtong’s Houtu Seal and shattered his Ice Wall, injuring him as Du Siwen returned to help.
• The beast seized Du Siwen’s Long Halberd, forced her to release it, and hurled it at the injured Xu Qingtong.

Xu Qingtong watched Du Siwen die after she was struck into a Spatial Rift, then preserved her Primordial Spirit and killed the tiger-shaped Demon Beast in a furious battle. The chapter ended with him finding Du Siwen’s soul inside the Soul Refining Pot and asking how she was.

• Du Siwen diverted the Long Halberd but was struck by the Demon Beast, and the resulting blow sent her into a Spatial Rift that severed her body into three pieces.
• Xu Qingtong captured Du Siwen’s Primordial Spirit in a golden Soul Refining Pot and summoned his Incarnation, Xiao Qi, and Xizi to fight the Demon Beast.
• Xu Qingtong and his allies wounded the Demon Beast, and his Incarnation used a Cursing Technique to immobilize it at the cost of fifty years of Lifespan.
• Xu Qingtong killed the Demon Beast with the Water-Fire Heaven-Shaking Halberd, tore out its inner core, and captured its soul in another Soul Refining Pot.
• Xu Qingtong checked the golden Soul Refining Pot, found Du Siwen’s Primordial Spirit inside, and asked her how she was.

Xu Qingtong preserved Du Siwen's primordial spirit inside his incarnation and prepared to leave to find a way to restore her body. Before departing, he entrusted Cloudsky Peak to Zhuang Shengren and asked Chen Ruoling to care for his relatives and keep Du Siwen's fate secret.

• Xu Qingtong sealed Du Siwen's primordial spirit inside his incarnation and gave it the Soul-Nourishing Jade Talisman, then sent it to the Seven-Star Bracelet under Xiao Qi, Xizi, and Xiao Bai's guard.
• Xu Qingtong recovered his magic power, left Red Moon Island, and returned to Cloudsky Peak.
• Xu Qingtong told Zhuang Shengren that Du Siwen's body had been destroyed and entrusted Cloudsky Peak to him while he went away.
• Xu Qingtong told Chen Ruoling that Du Siwen's primordial spirit remained and asked her to care for their maternal uncle and aunt and keep the matter secret.
• Xu Qingtong gave Chen Ruoling a jade slip with the Foundation Establishment Realm method of the Five Elixirs Origin Refinement Art, then departed on the Ink Cloud Shuttle.

Xu Qingtong told Yu Tiancheng that Du Siwen’s body had been destroyed by a Spatial Rift but that her sealed primordial spirit could be restored in an incarnation. After securing supplies and entrusting Cloudsky Peak to Zhuang Shengren, Xu Qingtong left for Central Province and arrived at Red Moon Island’s Teleportation Array.

• Xu Qingtong told Yu Tiancheng that Du Siwen had lost her body while saving him, but that her primordial spirit survived inside his incarnation.
• Xu Qingtong explained that he planned to travel to Central Province to find materials for Du Siwen’s incarnation, and Yu Tiancheng urged him to prepare carefully.
• Xu Qingtong named Zhuang Shengren to oversee Cloudsky Peak, and Fang Tianqi gathered nearly all the supplies Xu requested.
• Xu Qingtong accepted the supplies, bid farewell to Yu Tiancheng and Fang Tianqi, and left Gloomwind Valley.
• Xu Qingtong returned to Red Moon Island, followed the map to the Teleportation Array, and wondered about Hui’er and what awaited beyond it.

After arriving on Cat-Ear Island through a Teleportation Array, Xu Qingtong disguised his identity and asked the locals how to reach Central Province. He reached Yangquan City on Siwei Island and used a spirit stone to convince the gate guard he was a merchant from Central Province.

• Xu Qingtong placed his valuables in the Seven-Star Bracelet, activated the Teleportation Array, and lost consciousness during the journey.
• Two local boys found Xu Qingtong on Cat-Ear Island, where he pretended an immortal had sent him and claimed he was trying to reach Rabbit-Ear Island.
• After recovering, Xu Qingtong explored the temple and learned from the village chief that he could ask for directions to Central Province in Yangquan City on Siwei Island.
• Xu Qingtong flew to Siwei Island on his Flying Sword and reached Yangquan City in less than a quarter of an hour.
• At the city gate, Xu Qingtong claimed to be a merchant from Central Province and gave a spirit stone to the guard as proof.

Xu Qingtong boarded a ship from Siwei Island to Law City and discovered that its Foundation Establishment guard was robbing passengers. After killing the guard and searching his memories, Xu Qingtong began examining the stolen goods, but something in the jade slips made him stop.

• Xu Qingtong disguised himself as a scholar, learned about Siwei Island, and boarded a ship bound for Law City.
• A curly-bearded Foundation Establishment cultivator summoned Xu Qingtong to his cabin and demanded his Storage Bag.
• When the cultivator tried to kill him, Xu Qingtong revealed his strength, sealed the man's cultivation, and used the Soul Searching Technique, killing him.
• Xu Qingtong learned the guard was a rogue cultivator hired by the Transport Gang and had continued robbing passengers aboard the ship.
• Xu Qingtong searched the guard's Storage Bag and stopped abruptly as he began examining several Jade Slips.

Xu Qingtong arrived in Central Province and entered Law City, where he gathered local news while keeping his true strength concealed. At the Qi Treasure Pavilion, he noticed a blind Daoist whose claims of divination made him wonder if the man was connected to the Witch Clan.

• Xu Qingtong examined the items he had taken, found a map of Central Province, and stored the loot and the curly-bearded man's corpse.
• After reaching Law City, Xu Qingtong injured Gang Leader Hong with his divine sense when Hong's men probed him, then hurried toward the city to avoid attracting attention.
• Xu Qingtong paid to enter Law City and listened at a teahouse as locals discussed Jade Sound Pavilion recruiting disciples and deaths in Demon Abyss Forest.
• Xu Qingtong entered the cultivator inner city and noticed a blind Daoist outside Qi Treasure Pavilion who claimed to divine death and foretell life.

Xu Qingtong settled in Law City and learned that the Four Directions Hall offered missions to earn spirit stones. He posted a request for leads on a thousand-year-old tiger-patterned white jade lotus, hoping it would help him find the rare treasure.

• Xu Qingtong gave the Blind-Eyed Daoist a spirit stone for a fortune reading, then heard the Daoist tell him to retreat when he encountered yang and proceed when he met yin.
• Xu Qingtong rented a room at the Tianya Inn and learned from the waiter about the Four Directions Hall.
• Xu Qingtong examined the Hall’s missions but found none suitable for earning a living.
• Xu Qingtong returned to the Hall the next day and asked to buy a tiger-patterned white jade lotus over a thousand years old.
• Xu Qingtong changed his request to five valuable leads on the lotus and agreed to pay a deposit of one thousand spirit stones.

Xu Qingtong, posing as Chen Yu, considered Huang Chengquan’s invitation to explore a hidden cave abode on Phoenix Mausoleum Mountain and agreed to join him. He prepared for the dangerous trip by visiting the Qi Treasure Pavilion, where he began bargaining over a Talisman Treasure.

• Xu Qingtong accepted a task at the Four Directions Hall, then met Huang Chengquan, who invited him to seek treasure in a cave abode on Phoenix Mausoleum Mountain.
• After asking an inn waiter about the mountain and weighing the risk that Huang Chengquan might be plotting against him, Xu Qingtong agreed to go and gave Huang Chengquan a Sound Transmission Talisman.
• Xu Qingtong went to the Qi Treasure Pavilion to prepare for the expedition and examined several defensive items.
• Xu Qingtong questioned the shopkeeper’s claims about a Talisman Treasure’s power and pointed out that it could be used only three times before asking its price.

Xu Qingtong bought defensive and offensive treasures, used divination to learn he should beware of his companions, and joined Huang Chengquan’s expedition party. After monitoring the other cultivators during their flight, he stepped off the boat and was stunned by what he saw.

• Xu Qingtong bought a Talisman Treasure, a Soul-Blasting Pearl, and a Spirit Artifact hairband, then refined the Transport Gang man’s Flying Sword.
• Xu Qingtong used the Divination Technique and learned that his companions might harbor ill intentions, though modest gains awaited him.
• Xu Qingtong met Huang Chengquan, Gu Zifeng, Li Chengjun, and Xiang Chenxi outside Law City, and the group set off aboard Huang Chengquan’s Flying Boat.
• Xu Qingtong monitored Gu Zifeng and Xiang Chenxi probing him with divine sense and assessed the party’s strengths and relationships.
• After flying for six to eight hours, Xu Qingtong stepped off the Flying Boat and was stunned by the sight before him.

Xu Qingtong followed Huang Chengquan and the others through the dangerous terrain of Phoenix Mausoleum Mountain, where they encountered and killed a powerful python. Huang Chengquan proposed giving the python to Gu Zifeng for his contribution.

• Huang Chengquan led the group on foot through Phoenix Mausoleum Mountain, warning them about its dangers and the hazards of flying.
• The group reached a towering peak, where Xu Qingtong spotted a python emerging from a cave and chose to observe the others before revealing his strength.
• Huang Chengquan, Gu Zifeng, Li Chengjun, and Xu Qingtong attacked the Fourth Tier python, while Xiang Chenxi used her mirror to turn back its mist.
• Gu Zifeng wounded the python with a golden saber phantom, and Huang Chengquan drove his Flying Sword into its head, killing it.
• Huang Chengquan proposed that the python should belong to Gu Zifeng because he had contributed the most to its defeat.

The group encountered a dangerous arrow array in an ancient bamboo grove, and Li Chengjun identified how it could be broken. After Xu Qingtong proposed using Gu Zifeng’s powerful spell to cut down a stalk, the group opened a path through the array and began harvesting bamboo.

• Huang Chengquan killed a third-tier Black Ape Bear as the group traveled toward the peak.
• Green arrows attacked Gu Zifeng when he touched an ink cloud bamboo stalk, and Li Chengjun identified the grove as a Great Expansion Meteor Array.
• The group tried attacking the bamboo in turns, but Xu Qingtong realized the arrows vanished before the array could be exhausted.
• Xu Qingtong proposed that everyone defend Gu Zifeng while he used his Golden Blade Shadow to sever a bamboo stalk.
• After the group protected Gu Zifeng through repeated volleys, he cut down a stalk, and Xu Qingtong joined him in chopping bamboo as the arrows stopped targeting them.

Xu Qingtong grew suspicious of Huang Chengquan as the group became trapped on a mountain path by a formation. After Li Chengjun began studying how to escape, Xiao Bai revealed that Huang Chengquan had visited the path before and reached the cave abode, leaving Xu Qingtong to watch him closely.

• After the group cut down the bamboo, Xu Qingtong asked Xiao Bai about the mountain path and learned that Huang Chengquan had been there before.
• Xu Qingtong confronted Huang Chengquan about the cave abode, and Huang Chengquan claimed it belonged to Han Mingzhen, a former Heavenly Secret Sect elder.
• Xiang Chenxi and Li Chengjun questioned why the path seemed endless, and Li Chengjun identified a formation within a formation that trapped and attacked anyone trying to escape.
• Gu Zifeng jumped onto a boulder and was struck down by the formation, while Xu Qingtong watched Huang Chengquan and chose to conserve his strength.
• Xiao Bai told Xu Qingtong that Huang Chengquan had walked the path a month earlier and reached the cave abode without entering it.
• Li Chengjun put away his Jade Slip and told the group he had worked out part of the formation's workings and needed to discuss them.

Li Chengjun and the others broke two formations and reached a cave abode, where Huang Chengquan revealed his betrayal and tried to poison the group. He offered Xu Qingtong an equal share of the treasures in exchange for helping him use the poisoned cultivators in a blood sacrifice.

• Li Chengjun located and disabled two formation discs, allowing the group to reach the cave abode.
• Xu Qingtong learned from Xiao Bai that someone had previously reached the cave entrance, and he kept his distance from Huang Chengquan.
• Huang Chengquan failed to open the door, then threw a black pill that released poison and trapped Gu Zifeng, Li Chengjun, and Xiang Chenxi in its mist.
• Xu Qingtong protected himself with the Houtu Seal as Huang Chengquan escaped the mist and admitted he intended to use the three poisoned cultivators for the blood sacrifice.
• Huang Chengquan offered Xu Qingtong half the cave’s treasures if he joined him, and threatened to force the issue if he refused.

Huang Chengquan forced Xu Qingtong to help him enter the cave abode, where they encountered powerful guardian puppets. After Xu Qingtong tested their strength and proposed exhausting their Spiritual Power, Huang Chengquan took over the fight by evading their attacks.

• Huang Chengquan revealed his late-stage foundation establishment cultivation, extracted Gu Zifeng, Li Chengjun, and Xiang Chenxi's Soul Blood to open the stone door, then collected their Storage Bags and burned their bodies.
• Huang Chengquan made Xu Qingtong walk ahead through the cave passage, and they found a stone hall guarded by six steel-like statues beside three skull-marked doors.
• A guardian puppet attacked Xu Qingtong when he approached the middle door, and his Houtu Seal blocked its sword strike.
• Xu Qingtong and Huang Chengquan concluded that the puppets reacted to intruders and might stop functioning if their Spiritual Power ran out.
• Xu Qingtong fought a puppet until he was exhausted, then Huang Chengquan took his turn and focused on dodging its attacks.