Chapter Summaries

Su Qing, a transmigrated young man, cultivated alongside Mu Chen and their classmates before reflecting on how an Underworld Messenger’s mistake had brought him to this realm. He recalled choosing reincarnation and a chance to return home over becoming an immortal Underworld Messenger because he still wanted to live as a human.

• Su Qing ended the morning cultivation session and urged the students to eat, teasing one boy about his progress and holiday tutoring.
• Su Qing and Mu Chen discussed Mu Chen’s recent breakthrough and his plans to learn a spiritual art after returning home.
• Su Qing remembered that an Underworld Messenger’s server error had erased his original body and sent his soul to the Underworld.
• The Underworld Messenger offered Su Qing a job in the Underworld or reincarnation into a looping realm, where his actions might break its cycle and help him return home.
• Su Qing recalled choosing reincarnation because he wanted to keep living freely as a human.

Su Qing reflected on his cultivation and received flaky pastries from Tang Qian'er before learning that Su Ling and Luo Dong had been beaten by Western Academy students. He joined Mu Chen in confronting them, and while Mu Chen defeated Xue Dong and helped his friends gain the advantage, Su Qing faced five Western Academy seniors.

• Su Qing reviewed his progress with the Golden Palace Jade Record and his study of the Heavenly Grand and Earthly Fiend arts as he approached Foundation Establishment.
• Tang Qian'er brought Su Qing pastries from her mother, and they chatted about the smoked meat he had sent her family.
• A boy reported that Xue Dong had insulted Mu Chen and that Su Ling and Luo Dong had been beaten by Western Academy students.
• Mu Chen hurried to help his friends, while Su Qing gave the pastries to Tang Qian'er to return and followed him.
• Su Qing confronted five Western Academy seniors as Mu Chen fought Xue Dong, crippled his hand, knocked him unconscious, and helped his friends secure the advantage.
• Su Qing challenged the five seniors to attack him, and they boasted about their numbers and Spirit Movement Realm cultivation.

Su Qing defeated five Western Academy students who challenged him, then reunited with Tang Qian'er and agreed to partner with her for next month’s Northern Spirit Plains training. Their teasing turned into a playful chase, ending with Tang Qian'er twisting his waist again.

• Su Qing used feints, lightning, and close combat to defeat the five Western Academy students who had come to challenge him.
• Tang Qian'er arrived as Su Qing kicked the last opponent into a courtyard wall, then teased him about scaring away potential wives.
• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er joked while he rubbed ointment on bruises she had caused, and she asked him to team up with her for training in the Northern Spirit Plains.
• Su Qing refused until Tang Qian'er called him Daddy, then agreed to partner with her and boasted about his strength.
• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er chased and tussled beneath a tree, and Tang Qian'er twisted his waist when he embraced her.

Su Qing remembered how Mu Feng and Qing Yanjing had welcomed him into their family and how Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er had stood by him through a difficult childhood. After warning Su Ling that Mu Chen could handle Liu Yang, Su Qing suffered another bout of coughing blood from an old lung injury that still prevented him from advancing his cultivation.

• Mu Chen returned to the Mu Domain after saying goodbye to Su Qing, who recalled how Mu Feng and Qing Yanjing had adopted him and raised him alongside Mu Chen.
• Su Qing remembered how Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er had helped him endure cruel rumors, and how he had later taught Mu Chen his hand-to-hand techniques.
• Su Ling told Su Qing that Liu Yang had challenged Mu Chen to the Two-Academy Examination, and Su Qing said Mu Chen could handle him but feared Liu Yang's family might have prepared a trick.
• Su Qing returned to his loft, washed up, and coughed blood because of an old injury caused by cultivating Sharp Metal Qi too early.
• Su Qing reflected that the injury still kept him from cultivating the Golden Palace Jade Record fully, so he continued tempering his foundations instead of rushing to break through.

Mu Chen faced Liu Yang in the Academy Trial and defeated him by dodging his final attack and striking his back. The chapter ended with Liu Yang down on the arena and Mu Chen victorious.

• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er joined Mu Chen in the East Courtyard seats, where Su Qing confronted Liu Mubai across the field.
• Dean Xiao and the instructors discussed Mu Chen's unexplained expulsion from the Spirit Road before Master Mo announced the Academy Trial rules.
• Mu Chen challenged Liu Yang and stepped onto the arena despite Tan Qingshan trying to stop him.
• Su Qing predicted that Liu Yang's reckless attacks would leave him vulnerable and told Tang Qian'er that Mu Chen would win.
• Mu Chen used the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Step to evade Liu Yang's charge, struck him in the back, and defeated him.

After Liu Yang tried to attack Mu Chen with a Spirit Breaking Bead, Su Qing secured the bead and negotiated a public apology instead of a harsher punishment. The Academy Trial ended with Mu Chen and Liu Yang advancing to the senior class, while Su Qing teased Mu Chen about Luo Li.

• Liu Yang rose after losing and tried to activate a Spirit Breaking Bead against Mu Chen, but a dagger knocked it from his hand and Su Qing retrieved it.
• Su Qing confronted Liu Mubai and argued that Liu Yang had attempted to kill Mu Chen; Master Mo said the rules called for Liu Yang to be disqualified from advancing.
• Su Qing proposed that Mu Chen receive the Spirit Breaking Bead and that Liu Yang apologize publicly, and Liu Yang reluctantly agreed.
• Dean Xiao accepted the settlement after Mu Chen forgave Liu Yang, warning that the academy would enforce its rules if it happened again.
• Dean Xiao announced that Mu Chen, Liu Yang, and the other outstanding students had advanced to the senior class.
• Su Qing teased Mu Chen about missing Luo Li as they left the arena together.

Su Qing helped Mu Chen borrow and master the hazardous Senluo Death Seal before the Heaven Tier students' trip to the Northern Spirit Plains. As the group reached camp, Su Qing warned Tang Qian'er about the dangers ahead while Mu Chen reminisced about Luo Li and the Spirit Road.

• Mu Chen asked Su Qing to help him borrow the Senluo Death Seal, and Su Qing secured the jade slip from the Spiritual Arts Hall.
• Half a month later, Mu Chen showed Su Qing that he had mastered the seal, while Su Qing demonstrated that he could form three seals.
• Su Qing gave Mu Chen a bamboo slip to use if he encountered danger and challenged him to place in the top three in the Northern Spirit Plains.
• The Heaven Tier group traveled to the Northern Spirit Plains and reached the academy's camp by evening.
• Su Qing told Tang Qian'er to flee and find Master Mo if danger arose, then found Mu Chen lost in memories of the Spirit Road and Luo Li.

Su Qing stopped adventurers from robbing Northern Spiritual Academy students and negotiated a joint expedition to claim a guarded Jade Spirit Tree. He brought Mu Chen into the plan, and the group set off for the valley.

• Su Qing finished teaching Tang Qian'er to hunt Spirit Beasts, then spotted a confrontation in the forest.
• Lei Cheng and the Thunderstorm Team tried to rob the academy students of their soul essences, but Su Qing appeared and intimidated them with his reputation as the Green Bamboo Snake.
• Lei Cheng offered to cooperate in taking a mature Jade Spirit Tree guarded by a Fire Spirit Ape King and over a hundred Fire Spirit Apes.
• Su Qing agreed to handle the Ape King while the Thunderstorm Team fought the other apes, claiming seventy percent of the spoils for his side as compensation for the robbery.
• Su Qing sent Tang Qian'er to fetch Mu Chen, explained the plan, and led the group after Lei Cheng to the valley.

Su Qing killed the Fire Spirit Ape King, secured the Jade Spirit Fruit, and left the valley with his companions while hiding the worsening effects of his old injuries. After Tang Qian'er asked him to teach her, Su Qing began training her in the Northern Spirit Plains, where a sudden gust threatened her during a fight.

• Su Qing killed the Fire Spirit Ape King and helped Lei Cheng's group defeat the remaining awake Fire Spirit Apes.
• Su Qing and Lei Cheng divided the Jade Spirit Fruit, while Tang Qian'er and Mu Chen collected the beasts' soul essences; Su Qing advised Lei Cheng to transplant the Jade Spirit Tree.
• Su Qing concealed his worsening internal injuries from Tang Qian'er and Mu Chen, then spent the night recovering at camp.
• Tang Qian'er asked Su Qing to teach her cultivation and fighting, and he agreed to teach her practical skills.
• Su Qing trained Tang Qian'er against Spirit Beasts in the Northern Spirit Plains, but a fierce gust suddenly shot toward her.

Liu Mubai delayed pursuing Blood Butcher, hoping the fugitive would attack Su Qing and Tang Qian'er. Su Qing fought and killed Blood Butcher, but the battle left him injured and coughing blood.

• Liu Mubai learned Blood Butcher had fled north and chose not to alert Third Uncle, expecting him to encounter Su Qing and Tang Qian'er.
• Blood Butcher attacked Tang Qian'er, but Su Qing intervened and drew Kunwu to fight him.
• Su Qing used wind, fire, and sword techniques to sever Blood Butcher’s arm, but Blood Butcher regenerated it and continued fighting.
• Su Qing blinded and numbed Blood Butcher with lightning, then cut off his head.
• After killing Blood Butcher, Su Qing withdrew his runes and lightning and spat out blood.

Su Qing recovered after defeating Blood Butcher, took the Copper Fragment from his Mustard Seed Bracelet, and returned to camp with Tang Qian'er. After several quiet days, the Northern Spirit Plains training ended, and the students prepared to have their spirit beast essences assessed.

• Su Qing reassured Tang Qian'er after his injuries, then searched Blood Butcher's corpse and found the Copper Fragment in his Mustard Seed Bracelet.
• Liu Mubai examined the ashes, concluded that Su Qing had likely killed Blood Butcher and the Mu Domain had taken the Copper Fragment, and vowed to kill Su Qing.
• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er shared roasted spirit beast meat at camp while rain washed away the last traces of Blood Butcher.
• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er hunted more spirit beasts, while Liu Mubai's team departed and occasionally watched them.
• Tang Qian'er advanced to the late stage of the spirit movement realm, Mu Chen condensed a second Senluo Death Seal, and Su Qing strengthened his foundation with the remaining Jade Spirit Fruits.
• Master Mo announced the end of training and told each team to present its collected spirit beast essences for assessment.

Su Qing won first place in the Northern Spiritual Plains hunt and received a Spirit-Nurturing Pill, then entered seclusion to establish his foundation and break through to the spirit wheel realm. Beforehand, he sent Mu Chen a warning about the Liu Domain and the Nine Nether Sparrow's Copper Fragment.

• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er presented their team's spirit beast essences, including two mid-grade, late-stage essences, and Liu Yang accused Su Qing of cheating.
• Su Qing mocked Liu Yang, while Master Mo confirmed that Su Qing had the strength to kill the spirit beasts; Liu Mubai placed second and Mu Chen placed third.
• Master Mo awarded the top teams Spirit-Nurturing Pills and announced a month-long break before the students returned to the Northern Spiritual Academy.
• Tang Qian'er gave Mu Chen a jade slip from Su Qing explaining the Nine Nether Sparrow's Copper Fragment and warning him to avoid the Liu Domain and stay in the East Courtyard until Su Qing emerged from seclusion.
• Su Qing began cultivating beneath a sealed waterfall, swallowed the Spirit-Nurturing Pill, and used the Golden Palace Jade Record to draw spiritual energy into his dantian.

Su Qing emerged from secluded cultivation after entering the Spirit Wheel Realm and reaching its late stage, then joined Mu Chen for a stroll to draw out the Liu Domain’s watchers. They were trapped by Ji Zong’s Soul Bewildering Array, and Su Qing prepared to fight him.

• Su Qing established his foundation, entered the Spirit Wheel Realm, and surged to its late stage as his injuries eased.
• Mu Chen told Su Qing that someone from the Liu Domain had been spying on him, and Su Qing proposed they walk openly through the city to lure their pursuers out.
• Su Qing and Mu Chen strolled through Northern Spirit City until Ji Zong trapped them in a Soul Bewildering Array.
• Su Qing identified Ji Zong, rejected his demand for the Copper Fragment, and mocked his service to the Liu Domain.
• Ji Zong turned the falling rain crimson, and Su Qing summoned Kunwu and challenged him to withstand his attacks.

Su Qing killed Ji Zong in Northern Spirit City and returned to the Mu Estate with Mu Chen. He showed Mu Feng a Copper Fragment depicting the Nine Nether Sparrow, and after its hidden scene revealed her failed evolution and a map, Mu Feng resolved to keep her from the Liu Domain.

• Su Qing broke Ji Zong’s Spirit Arrays with a genuine thunderbolt and killed him with two sword strikes while Liu Mubai and Liu Ming watched from nearby before fleeing.
• Su Qing and Mu Chen returned home, met Uncle Zhou, and told Mu Feng about their recent cultivation breakthroughs.
• Su Qing told Mu Feng that he had killed Blood Butcher and Ji Zong, then handed over the Copper Fragment he had taken from Blood Butcher.
• Mu Feng identified the creature on the fragment as the Nine Nether Sparrow when his Flame Dragon Condor soul essence recoiled from it.
• Mu Feng activated the Copper Fragment, and he, Su Qing, and Mu Chen watched the Nine Nether Sparrow’s failed evolution and the map that appeared afterward.
• Mu Feng declared that the Mu Domain had to secure the Nine Nether Sparrow before the Liu Domain could obtain her.

Mu Chen and Su Qing persuaded Mu Feng to let them join the expedition into the Black Nether Abyss, where the Nine Nether Sparrow was hiding. Mu Feng revealed that Mu Chen’s mother had sealed his Spiritual Vein to protect him, and he arranged for Mu Chen to study Spirit Arrays while warning him not to disturb the seal.

• Su Qing and Mu Chen analyzed the danger of the Black Nether Abyss and urged Mu Feng to let them follow when the Liu Domain made its move for the Nine Nether Sparrow.
• Mu Feng agreed to bring both sons, though he warned Mu Chen against acting recklessly.
• Mu Chen asked about the hidden presence he sensed inside his body, and Mu Feng revealed that his mother had sealed his Spiritual Vein to conceal and protect him.
• Mu Feng warned Mu Chen not to tamper with the seal until he grew strong enough, and Su Qing explained that a powerful faction had once been able to track Mu Chen through his Spiritual Vein.
• Mu Feng arranged for a Spirit Array Master to teach Mu Chen, while Su Qing declined to study Spirit Arrays and said he trusted his sword.

Su Qing accompanied Mu Feng, Mu Chen, and the Mu Domain’s fighters into the Black Nether Abyss, where they confronted Liu Qing’s forces over the Copper Fragment. When a Soul Devouring Bee swarm interrupted the standoff, Su Qing followed a flute melody to a strange black tree and found the bees gathering around it.

• Su Qing and Mu Chen entered the Black Nether Abyss with Mu Feng, Zhou Ye, and nearly a hundred Mu Domain fighters after learning Liu Domain forces had entered from the west.
• Mu Feng confronted Liu Qing in the woods, and Su Qing mocked the Liu family and showed Liu Qing the Copper Fragment.
• A swarm of Soul Devouring Bees forced both sides to flee, and Su Qing used Borrow Wind and Spit Flame to hold the bees back while the others escaped.
• Su Qing noticed part of the swarm flying toward a flute melody in the northwest and went to investigate.
• Su Qing reached a basin where countless Soul Devouring Bees covered a strangely shaped black tree, with the flute melody coming from its treetop.

Su Qing lured the Spirit-Devouring Bees away, took a Black Flute and bottle of Black Liquid from a skeleton, then killed Liu Mubai. The Mu Domain party moved on and reached a deadly swamp, where Su Qing challenged Mu Chen’s plan to cross it.

• Su Qing used spirit beasts to draw the Spirit-Devouring Bees away, took the Black Flute and bottle from the skeleton, and burned its remains.
• Su Qing found Liu Mubai alone, killed him, took his head, and concealed the evidence before returning to the Mu Domain party.
• Liu Qing learned that his men had not found Liu Mubai and ordered the Liu Domain party to continue with its original plan.
• Su Qing showed Liu Mubai’s head to Mu Feng and Mu Chen, and Mu Feng warned them that Liu Qing might retaliate.
• The Mu Domain party reached a swamp filled with death miasma and Black Poison Crocodiles, and Mu Chen proposed crossing in boats made from crocodile hides.
• Su Qing rejected Mu Chen’s reasoning that the crocodiles had poor senses and eyesight, questioning why their swamp habitat would have weakened them.

Su Qing helped the Mu Domain cross the swamp and led them into the Black Nether Abyss, where he discovered Liu Qing’s ambush. He destroyed the Liu Domain’s blood jars, drawing high-level Spirit Beasts and forcing Liu Zong to stay behind so Liu Qing and the others could escape.

• Su Qing commanded Black Poison Crocodiles to carry the Mu Domain safely across the swamp.
• Liu Qing watched the Mu Domain enter the Black Nether Abyss and remained confident that his preparations would stop them.
• Mu Feng led the party into the central region, and Su Qing scouted ahead after sensing danger.
• Su Qing found the Liu Domain’s ambush and used a thunderbolt to smash their blood jars and injure their fighters.
• The blood scent drew high-level Spirit Beasts, so Liu Zong stayed behind to hold them off while Liu Qing led the Liu Domain away.

Su Qing led the Mu Domain to the volcano where the Nine Nether Sparrow’s black egg triggered a beast tide and devoured the beasts’ life force. As the Liu Domain tried to escape, Su Qing struck them with Heaven’s Wrath, leaving the two sides facing the chaos around the basin.

• Su Qing told the Mu Domain that he had sabotaged the Liu Domain’s trap, and the party followed Liu Qing’s forces to the volcanic basin.
• Su Qing warned that the Nine Nether Sparrow had laid a trap and convinced the Mu Domain to wait outside the basin while the Liu Domain searched the crater.
• A giant black egg rose from the crater, injured Liu Qing, and began absorbing spiritual energy as its markings lit up.
• The egg’s cry summoned a stampeding horde of spirit beasts, while the Mu Domain stayed safe on a rocky outcrop.
• Su Qing unleashed Heaven’s Wrath on Liu Qing’s retreating forces, using lightning to kindle the volcano’s lingering fire.
• The egg released black light that stripped the charging beasts to their bones and drew their essence into itself.

The Nine Nether Sparrow emerged and challenged the Black God Lightning Tribulation while the Mu Domain and Liu Domain fought over the chance to claim her power. After the tribulation defeated her and she began to self-destruct, Su Qing blocked a falling blast of black flame with Kunwu, but a smaller flame lunged at him.

• Su Qing realized the Nine Nether Sparrow was emerging and told the Mu Domain's men that they would be safe once she began her tribulation.
• Liu Qing led the Liu Domain's survivors into a branching valley and escaped while the Nine Nether Sparrow fought the Black God Lightning Tribulation.
• The Nine Nether Sparrow failed to overcome the lightning and ignited her feathers to self-destruct.
• Mu Feng grabbed Mu Chen and led the group toward the basin's edge, while Mu Feng and Zhou Ye raised a barrier against the falling black flames.
• Su Qing blocked the flames with Kunwu, then instinctively slashed at a smaller ball of black flame that lunged toward him.