Chapter Summaries

Bai Xuanling began an ascension tribulation while the Heavenly Demons held back, and Chu Xingchen watched as the heavenly lightning swallowed her from view. Worried for her safety, he bluffed Myriad Forms into entering the lightning to help protect her.

• Bai Xuanling gathered immortal ascension radiance, prompting Xu Linglong and the Heavenly Demons to pull back and wait to see whether the heavenly tribulation would arrive.
• The heavenly tribulation formed above Bai Xuanling, and she raised Azure Darkness to meet its first bolt.
• The lightning’s blast obscured Bai Xuanling and swept away the gathered divine senses, while Myriad Forms protected Chu Xingchen from the aftershock.
• Chu Xingchen threatened Myriad Forms and claimed it had an internal duty to help, so it transformed into a longsword and plunged into the white light.

As Bai Xuanling’s tribulation neared completion, Xu Linglong and the Heavenly Demons prepared to withdraw, but the final crimson lightning targeted Bai Xuanling’s weakest point instead of enabling her ascension. Chu Xingchen rushed toward her as her eyes turned red and her cultivation remained at Tribulation Transcendence Great Perfection.

• Huang Miao explained to Chu Xingchen that cultivators who survived the lightning tribulation could ascend, though they might stay briefly to make arrangements.
• The light faded, revealing Bai Xuanling unharmed as Myriad Forms returned to Chu Xingchen; Xu Linglong fired an Origin Arrow at Bai Xuanling, who destroyed it with a finger.
• Boluo ordered Xu Linglong and the Heavenly Demons to withdraw, saying their hope lay in a last resort; Xu Linglong reluctantly lowered her bow.
• Bai Xuanling met the final crimson lightning with Azure Darkness and realized it carried no force, then slashed toward the fleeing Xu Linglong with Azure Sword Opens Heaven's Gate.
• Bai Xuanling told Chu Xingchen that Lü Xuan’s divination about her had been accurate; when the final tribulation struck her weakest point, Chu Xingchen rushed toward her and asked Myriad Forms what it meant.

As Bai Xuanling’s final tribulation rapidly drained her power and Dao resonance, Chu Xingchen tried to save her by urging her to accept him as her master, but she called for her own long-lost master instead. With his other attempts failing, Chu Xingchen reversed his cultivation and poured his origin into Bai Xuanling, prompting the system to activate a side quest.

• After the Heavenly Demon retreated, Huang Miao and the other cultivators pursued the remaining devils while Chu Xingchen rushed to Bai Xuanling.
• Chu Xingchen sensed Bai Xuanling’s spiritual power and Dao resonance rapidly disappearing, and Myriad Forms explained that it could not interfere with the final tribulation.
• Chu Xingchen urged Bai Xuanling to call him Master, but she called out to her own master, and he realized she could not replace that person in her heart.
• Chu Xingchen pressed his stored system rewards against Bai Xuanling, but none of them helped, and she calmly accepted that she might die after failing to ascend.
• Chu Xingchen poured his cultivation and origin into Bai Xuanling, bringing his cultivation down to Body Integration, and the system activated a side quest.

Chu Xingchen accepted the quest to enforce Heaven’s law and used its power to remove Bai Xuanling’s inner demon and let her ascend to true immortality. The power then abandoned him, leaving him gravely injured and reduced to Nascent Soul early stage as Bai Xuanling carried him away.

• Chu Xingchen accepted the quest, and the tribulation clouds entered his body as his cultivation surged to tribulation transcendence peak.
• Bai Xuanling tried to stop Chu Xingchen, but his pure Dao resonance swept aside her power.
• Chu Xingchen drew a crimson light from Bai Xuanling and returned it as azure light, freeing her from her inner demon and the shackles on her cultivation.
• Chu Xingchen’s aura collapsed, and he fell to Nascent Soul early stage with badly damaged spirit veins.
• Bai Xuanling caught Chu Xingchen and stopped him from taking a pill before carrying him away and declaring, “Azure Darkness!”
• Chu Xingchen heard the system announce that the quest had failed.

Bai Xuanling returned to the Heavenly Derivation Sect after Chu Xingchen was badly injured, while Chen Baiqing began seeking information beyond the sect and confronted Li Yingling about knowing nothing. The chapter ended with Li Yingling promising to protect Chu Xingchen as he recovered.

• Bai Xuanling told Lü Xuan that Chu Xingchen's injuries were serious, confirmed she had become a True Immortal, and left to see Lingyu and the others.
• Chen Baiqing learned that Chu Xingchen's cultivation had fallen to the Nascent Soul Early Stage and asked Li Xingtian to contact Xu Jin for an independent account of events.
• Li Xingtian agreed to contact Xu Jin, while Chen Baiqing stayed beside Chu Xingchen and resolved to handle what needed to be done.
• Li Yingling arrived at Chu Xingchen's bedside, and Chen Baiqing asked whether she had known nothing about what happened.
• Li Yingling, visibly shaken, promised Chen Baiqing that she would keep Chu Xingchen safe.

Xie Lingyu and Chu Xingchen’s disciples gathered around him after he returned injured from a great battle, and Xie Lingyu left to check on Bai. Chu Xingchen soon woke, reassured his disciples, and learned that Li Xingtian was investigating the incident while Chen Baiqing was preparing to care for him.

• Xie Lingyu checked Chu Xingchen and confirmed that his disciples were safe, then offered to help them as his dao companion.
• Li Yingling and Cui Hao encouraged Xie Lingyu to visit the injured Bai, and Xie Lingyu left them to watch over Chu Xingchen.
• Cui Hao took Chu Xingchen’s hand, and Chu Xingchen suddenly woke and complained that Cui Hao was holding it instead of Xie Lingyu.
• Chu Xingchen asked after Bai and learned that Li Xingtian had gone to the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect while Chen Baiqing prepared to care for him.
• Chen Baiqing arrived, and Chu Xingchen teased her before admitting that she always softened his heart.

While recovering at A Loving Family Peak, Chu Xingchen and Xie Lingyu shared a teasing, affectionate moment. They acknowledged that the Heavenly Demon remained a threat, but Chu Xingchen ended by saying he wanted to bully Xie Lingyu once his injuries healed.

• Chu Xingchen asked Xie Lingyu to fetch wine, and she refused while teasing him about being romantic.
• Xie Lingyu kissed Chu Xingchen, and he then used his Nascent Soul cultivation to hold her still and kiss her in return.
• Xie Lingyu rose, then sat back down beside Chu Xingchen and drank tea as they enjoyed their quiet time together.
• Xie Lingyu asked what Chu Xingchen wanted to do after his injuries healed, and he noted that the Heavenly Demon had not been completely eliminated.
• Chu Xingchen said his first plan was to bully Xie Lingyu, making her look over at his infuriating grin.

Chu Xingchen recovered in the courtyard while Sandong brought him a medicinal plant, and his disciples discussed the care he had received and their busy work. Cui Hao went to meet the imprisoned Winter Melon, whose fury at him had only grown, leaving him bewildered outside the Black Iron Stone Gate.

• Sandong brought Chu Xingchen an ordinary spirit plant, and Chu Xingchen ate it to appreciate Sandong's thoughtful gift.
• Chu Xingchen shared Spirit Fruit juice with Sandong, and they traded earnest compliments until Li Yingling and Li Xingtian joined them.
• Xie Lingyu praised Chen Baiqing for carefully preparing healing meals for Chu Xingchen.
• Li Yingling told Chu Xingchen that Winter Melon had refused to speak or take his pills and that Cui Hao had gone to see her with Fourth Junior Sister Lin Luoyu.
• Cui Hao heard Winter Melon shouting his name furiously from behind the Black Iron Stone Gate, while Lin Luoyu looked at him suspiciously.

Yan Yun visited Bai Xuanling on Pearl-Gem Peak and learned that Bai was keeping to herself while adjusting to her power as a true immortal. Bai later reunited with Qinghe after Qinghe reached Spirit Transformation, though she still had not visited the awakened Chu Xingchen.

• Yan Yun asked Bai Xuanling why her ascension was taking so long and why she had shut herself away, and Bai said she was studying the world's suppression of her as a true immortal.
• Yan Yun offered to help Bai Xuanling, then left after Bai offered to answer questions about cultivation.
• Bai Xuanling watched A Loving Family Peak and reflected that she was not yet ready to visit Chu Xingchen because her power still needed to settle; Azure Darkness came to her side.
• Qinghe arrived after reaching Spirit Transformation, hugged Bai Xuanling, and celebrated that Bai did not punish her for her enthusiastic greeting.
• Bai Xuanling teased Qinghe about her laziness, and Qinghe suggested renaming Pearl-Gem Peak A Loving Family and making Chu Xingchen its peak master.

Qinghe returned to A Loving Family Peak after reaching Spirit Transformation and found Chu Xingchen resting while injured, his cultivation reduced to the Nascent Soul Realm. She offered to protect him, then withdrew the offer when she learned his enemies were Mahayana or Tribulation Transcendence cultivators.

• Bai Xuanling warned Qinghe that if her Spirit Transformation had gone badly, she might have become a carriage mount, and Qinghe stopped complaining about her celebration.
• Qinghe reached the courtyard and boasted to Chu Xingchen about her new cultivation while assuming his weak aura was a trick.
• Qinghe reunited with Xie Lingyu, who cared for Chu Xingchen by covering him with a blanket.
• Bai Xuanling and Chen Baiqing told Qinghe that Chu Xingchen was injured and his cultivation had fallen to the Nascent Soul Realm, prompting Qinghe to apologize and offer him another blanket.
• Qinghe vowed to protect Chu Xingchen, then took it back when he said his enemies were Mahayana or Tribulation Transcendence cultivators.

Chu Xingchen recovered through cultivation feedback from his disciples while Bai Xuanling explained that her ascension had stalled because Heaven’s Way remained incomplete and the Great Calamity was unresolved. He stayed out of public view to recuperate as Bai Xuanling took charge of the remaining pressures, while the sects waited and watched.

• Chu Xingchen told Bai Xuanling his recovery was progressing well, thanks to feedback from Li Yingling, Li Xingtian, and Yun Li.
• Chu Xingchen inspected Bai Xuanling and found her cultivation was at the Pseudo True Immortal Realm; she said she had ascended but could go no further until the Great Calamity was settled.
• Chu Xingchen and Bai Xuanling toasted their reunion, and Bai Xuanling promised to handle outside matters while he rested.
• The Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect stayed quiet, Xu Jin tied up loose ends, and Yuyang Daozi returned to the Great Dao Sect to pursue a breakthrough.
• Chen Baiqing gave Qinghe a bowl of soup, and Chen Baiqing and Bai Xuanling exchanged smiles.

Chu Xingchen reviewed the slow progress on investigating the Buddhist Sect and hunting Heavenly Demons, then talked with Cui Hao about a junior disciple and gave him spirit stones. They set off to meet the new outer sect disciple.

• Chu Xingchen recovered from his injuries and noted that the Buddhist Sect’s internal investigation and the immortal sects’ Heavenly Demon hunts were moving slowly.
• Cui Hao told Chu Xingchen that Winter Melon had accused him of deeds he had never done, and Chu Xingchen discouraged him from suspecting his master.
• Chu Xingchen told Cui Hao that Outer Sect Elder Zhang Miaoyu had taken in a new disciple, and Cui Hao realized the newcomer was a junior sister.
• Cui Hao asked for spirit stones to give the new disciple a meeting gift, explaining that his eldest senior sister had told him to ask Second Senior Brother, who had no money.
• Chu Xingchen gave Cui Hao spirit stones and said he would speak with the eldest senior sister about his allowance.
• Chu Xingchen and Cui Hao set off to meet the new outer sect disciple.

Zhang Miaoyu taught Zhou Ping and Ye Wanzhou a lesson on patience and staying true to their principles, then Chu Xingchen and Cui Hao visited the Outer Sect. Cui Hao eased Ye Wanzhou’s nerves with a rambling fishing story until Chen Baiqing arrived and silenced him.

• Zhang Miaoyu gave Zhou Ping and Ye Wanzhou a morning lesson about patience and remaining true to their original hearts.
• Chu Xingchen welcomed Ye Wanzhou, praised her aptitude, and gave her protective Spirit Treasures, while Cui Hao urged her to protect those she cared about.
• Cui Hao entertained Ye Wanzhou with elaborate stories about catching and selling fish, and her nervousness faded as they chatted.
• Chen Baiqing entered, and Cui Hao abruptly stopped talking before she told him to continue because she had not come for him.

Chen Baiqing told Chu Xingchen she planned to travel to the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect to temper her cultivation and strengthen ties, while privately concealing additional reasons for bringing Second Senior Brother. Chu Xingchen refused to let Second Senior Brother accompany her, instead assigning Cui Hao to go with her and lending him Myriad Forms.

• Chen Baiqing announced that she had consolidated her Nascent Soul Realm cultivation and planned to gain experience at the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect.
• Chen Baiqing explained that her trip would show Chu Xingchen's goodwill toward the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect and dispel rumors, while keeping her deeper motives to herself.
• Chen Baiqing said Second Senior Brother would accompany her, but Chu Xingchen recognized that she was withholding something and reassured her that keeping secrets meant she had grown up.
• Chu Xingchen refused to let Second Senior Brother go and insisted that Chen Baiqing take Cui Hao instead, despite Cui Hao's protests.
• Chu Xingchen gave Cui Hao Myriad Forms as a temporary substitute for the Spirit Treasure he owed him and urged him to impress Chen Baiqing.

Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao traveled from the Heavenly Derivation Sect to the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect, where Cui Hao’s obsequious treatment of Myriad Forms made the welcoming elder mistake the sword for a hidden senior. Cui Hao was left searching for an explanation that would keep Chen Baiqing from beating him.

• Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao left the Heavenly Derivation Sect without saying goodbye to their master, and Cui Hao carried Myriad Forms as a longsword.
• Cui Hao recalled how Myriad Forms had transformed into ordinary weapons for him but refused his request for flashy Fist Gauntlets with long daggers.
• During the teleportation, Cui Hao fussed over Myriad Forms while Chen Baiqing watched in disbelief.
• After they arrived at the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect, an elder welcomed Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao.
• The elder mistook Cui Hao’s references to Senior Myriad Forms as proof that a powerful presence accompanied them and asked Myriad Forms to reveal himself.
• Chen Baiqing glared at Cui Hao, who struggled to think of what to say to avoid a beating.

Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao visited the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect, where they met its leader and learned they would join its trials as a squad. Chen Baiqing was appointed captain of the Longyang squad, and the two were left to build trust with their future teammates.

• Chen Baiqing interrupted Cui Hao’s attempt to claim there was a Senior Myriad Forms, and both apologized to the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect elder.
• The elder escorted Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao to the Main Hall, where they faced Li Moze, Xu Jin, and many powerful cultivators.
• Chen Baiqing shielded Cui Hao from the hall’s oppressive aura before they took the seats Li Moze offered them.
• Li Moze introduced the gathered seniors, warned the pair to be careful during the trials, and gave them disciple robes and tokens.
• Li Moze appointed Chen Baiqing captain of the Longyang squad and told her to help its members become familiar with one another.

Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao arrived at the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect, where Xu Jin explained the sect’s training approach and guided them to their team’s quarters. Chen Baiqing met her teammates and introduced herself, while Cui Hao left them guessing about his abilities.

• Cui Hao admired the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect token, and Xu Jin explained that it offered a discount at major shops and was worth keeping.
• Xu Jin told Chen Baiqing that the sect’s training began with basic assignments so recruits could experience danger and prove themselves, and he gave her a Message Token in case she needed help.
• Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao reached their team’s courtyard, where Xu Jin left them to make their first impression on the other members.
• Chen Baiqing entered and introduced herself as a Nascent Soul Late Stage spell cultivator who specialized in illusion techniques.
• Cui Hao introduced himself as a Middle Golden Core cultivator who was not particularly good at combat, then declared that he was a genius.

Cui Hao joined Chen Baiqing’s team for a sect training expedition, but the other disciples doubted his Golden Core cultivation and usefulness. He proposed a drinking game to help them get acquainted, then switched to dice that blocked spiritual senses, preparing to show them what he meant by genius.

• Li Zhuhua questioned Cui Hao’s qualifications, and Chen Baiqing called him dead weight while telling the others not to rely on him.
• Chen Baiqing left Cui Hao to handle the team, and Cui Hao proposed a game of Truth or Dare using spirit wine.
• Lu Lingyi repeatedly won at finger-guessing and questioned Cui Hao about his relationship with Chen Baiqing, his place on the team, and his master’s purpose in sending him.
• Cui Hao challenged the fairness of finger-guessing and brought out dice and cups made from stillness spirit stone.
• Lu Lingyi and the others accepted the dice game, while Cui Hao smiled, believing the setup would let him demonstrate his genius.

Chen Baiqing watched Cui Hao build rapport with their fellow disciples during a night of drinking, then explained that the Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect had chosen reliable teammates and that Cui Hao’s connection to his master already gave him advantages. Cui Hao was left realizing that his Third Senior Sister had grown up and that he still lacked experience.

• Chen Baiqing listened as Cui Hao and the others drank and talked, while he encouraged Lu Lingyi to try to meet Xu Jin rather than live with regret.
• At midnight, Chen Baiqing found the group asleep or drunk in the courtyard and let Lu Lingyi, Lin Chuan, and Li Huazhu retire until the next day.
• After the others left, Cui Hao admitted to Chen Baiqing that he had learned about their temperaments, but she said their carefully chosen teammates were unlikely to disobey her orders.
• Chen Baiqing told Cui Hao that his master’s standing already gave him advantages and that others stood to benefit from connecting with him.
• Cui Hao watched Chen Baiqing leave and realized his Third Senior Sister had grown up.

Chen Baiqing led Lu Lingyi, Cui Hao, Lin Chuan, and Li Huazhu on a training mission to eradicate an evil cult in Cloud Dream Marsh, where intelligence warned that Spirit Transformation cultivators might be involved. The group reached the marsh, and Chen Baiqing sensed tremendous demon qi ahead.

• Chen Baiqing teased Cui Hao with a book before clarifying that she was reading an obscure exposition on the Way of Heaven, not his flattering essay.
• Chen Baiqing asked Lu Lingyi, Lin Chuan, and Li Huazhu to follow her instructions during the mission, and they agreed.
• Chen Baiqing gave Lu Lingyi the mission details, which identified an evil cult tied to Heavenly Demons and warned that Spirit Transformation cultivators might be present.
• The group traveled in disguise to Cloud Dream Marsh in the Northern Reed Continent, territory nominally under the Cloud Dream Pavilion.
• Cui Hao pointed out that they were nearing Cloud Dream Marsh, and Chen Baiqing sensed powerful demon qi within its clouds.