Chapter Summaries

After returning to the Mu Domain, Su Qing searched his body for the Nine Nether Sparrow and fought off her attempt to seize his Qi Sea. He sealed her inside Kunwu, then endured the pain of drawing the sword into his dantian.

• When the Nine Nether Sparrow’s flame merged into Su Qing, he endured its scorching pain while Mu Chen checked on him.
• Two days after returning to the Mu Domain, Su Qing found the Nine Nether Sparrow’s soul essence hidden in one of his meridians.
• The Nine Nether Sparrow attacked Su Qing’s mind and Qi Sea, intending to destroy his Spirit Wheel and take control of his body.
• Su Qing bound the Nine Nether Sparrow with golden threads and used Kunwu’s blue formation patterns to seal her inside the sword.
• Su Qing used blood essence and golden threads to draw Kunwu into his dantian, where its dark red blade began to gleam blue-green.

After sealing the Nine Nether Sparrow and reaching the Divine Soul Realm, Su Qing resolved to refine his own soul rather than rely on spirit-beast essence. He urged Mu Feng and Zhou Ye to prepare for war against the Liu Domain, warning that Liu Jingshan was alive and close to advancing to the Three Realms stage.

• Su Qing’s Divine Soul emerged as the Kunwu Sword turned frosty blue, and he sealed the Nine Nether Sparrow with its blue chains.
• Su Qing reflected on the expedition’s gains, resolved to temper the Kunwu Sword’s spiritual energy through battle, and rejected refining spirit-beast soul essence.
• Su Qing left seclusion and found Mu Feng and Zhou Ye discussing a rank-two Spirit Gathering Array.
• Su Qing urged Mu Feng and Zhou Ye to declare war on the Liu Domain, revealing that Liu Jingshan was alive and nearing the Three Realms stage.
• Su Qing said he had learned the truth by interrogating Liu Mubai and warned that they had to kill Liu Jingshan before he advanced or force him out of seclusion early.

Liu Jingshan led the Liu Domain forces in a surprise attack on Mu Domain Main City after advancing to the Three Realm. Su Qing drew him away with a teleportation technique, then returned to help Mu Feng ambush Liu Qing, though Su Qing collapsed after striking him.

• Su Qing and Mu Feng discussed the Liu Domain’s strength when Liu Jingshan attacked Mu Domain Main City with Liu Qing, Liu Ming, and dozens of Spirit Wheel Realm fighters.
• Liu Jingshan revealed he had reached the Three Realm and vowed revenge for his son and grandson, while Su Qing mocked him and blocked his punch with the Kunwu sword.
• The Liu Domain forces clashed with Mu Feng, Zhou Ye, and the city guards as Liu Qing and Liu Ming engaged Mu Feng and Zhou Ye.
• Su Qing used lightning to stun Liu Jingshan, then grabbed his sleeve and used Earth-Traversing Golden Light to transport them hundreds of li away.
• Su Qing escaped Liu Jingshan with another burst of golden light, while Mu Feng deliberately took Liu Qing’s blow and held him in place.
• Su Qing returned behind Liu Qing in a bloody mist and cut his neck with a sword before collapsing.

Su Qing and Mu Feng joined forces against Liu Jingshan, but both were badly wounded when he transformed into a Two-Headed Demonic Hound. Refusing the Nine Nether Sparrow’s offer to help him flee, Su Qing unleashed Ten Steps, One Sword and beheaded Liu Jingshan.

• Su Qing killed Liu Qing, while Mu Feng defeated Liu Ming, and Su Qing sent Zhou Ye to protect Mu Chen at the Northern Spiritual Academy.
• As Liu Jingshan approached the ruined Mu Domain Main City, Su Qing prepared his Heartfire and Sharp Metal Qi while Mu Feng and the guards gathered for a last stand.
• Su Qing and Mu Feng attacked Liu Jingshan together, but he transformed into a Two-Headed Demonic Hound and hurled them both away.
• The Nine Nether Sparrow offered to lend Su Qing power so he could escape, but Su Qing refused to retreat.
• Su Qing burned through his strength with Ten Steps, One Sword and severed Liu Jingshan’s two heads.

Su Qing lay dying after killing Liu Jingshan, but the Nine Nether Sparrow offered to link their bloodlines and share her Nirvana ability. Their link succeeded, and platinum flames enveloped Su Qing as he began to undergo rebirth.

• Su Qing mourned Liu Jingshan's death as his body and the Kunwu Sword cracked, while the Nine Nether Sparrow asked whether he regretted staying to fight.
• Su Qing explained that fleeing would have left him burdened with guilt and that he could not keep running from danger.
• The Nine Nether Sparrow realized the seal would remain after the Kunwu Sword broke, leaving her trapped, and proposed linking their bloodlines so they could both survive.
• Su Qing agreed, and he and the Nine Nether Sparrow joined their blood essences in a black-flame diagram, linking their lives.
• The Nine Nether Sparrow's Nirvana ability passed through the bloodline link, and platinum flames rose around Su Qing as his rebirth began.

After recovering from his injuries inside the fire lotus, Su Qing returned to the Mu Estate and learned that Mangyin Mountain had killed Chen Xiong. He decided to go after its leader himself, despite Mu Feng’s warning that the Mu Domain could not yet afford an assault.

• Mu Feng and Tang Qian'er waited anxiously for Su Qing to recover while Zhou Ye reported that Mangyin Mountain had killed Chen Xiong and wounded Chen Yong.
• The fire lotus opened, and Su Qing emerged healed, reclaimed his Kunwu Sword, and learned of Mangyin Mountain’s attack.
• Tang Qian'er embraced Su Qing in relief, then bit his shoulder and complained when it was too hard.
• Su Qing told Mu Feng and Tang Shan that he wanted to attack Mangyin Mountain and obtain its Nine-Whisker Blood Ginseng.
• Mu Feng explained that the Mu Domain needed to focus on taking over Liu Domain territory, but Su Qing insisted that Mangyin Mountain’s leader was an easy target.

Su Qing looted Mangyin Mountain, returned to the Mu Estate, and used the Nine-Whisker Blood Ginseng to recover. As the Northern Spiritual Academy learned it had received five ordinary quotas and two unexpected seed quotas for the Five Great Academies, the reason for the special places remained unclear.

• Su Qing raided Mangyin Mountain's treasury, gave its spirit beast essences to Nine Nether Sparrow, and kept the Nine-Whisker Blood Ginseng and rare materials.
• Su Qing gave Mu Chen a mysterious scroll and offered to teach him techniques, but Mu Chen declined and went to practice Spirit Arrays.
• After the Liu Domain collapsed, Mu Feng began taking over its territory and arranging to install its Spirit Gathering Array and build another in the main city with Wen Ling.
• Su Qing used Medicine Gathering to absorb the Nine-Whisker Blood Ginseng, improving his vitality and some injuries while continuing to recover from his damaged meridians.
• Dean Xiao told Instructor Xi and Master Mo that the Northern Spiritual Academy had received five ordinary quotas and two seed quotas for the Five Great Academies.

Dean Xiao revealed that the Northern Spiritual Academy had received two seed quotas from the Five Great Academies, likely because of Mu Chen and Su Qing. At the quota announcement, Master Mo disclosed that the academy had five regular quotas and two seed quotas, leaving the students in an uproar.

• Dean Xiao told Instructor Xi and Master Mo that the Five Great Academies had granted the academy two seed quotas, one apparently connected to Mu Chen and the other to Su Qing.
• Su Qing returned to the academy and waited with Tang Qian'er as students gathered for the quota announcement.
• Chen Fan and Huo Yun confronted Su Qing, but he sent them flying with spiritual energy, and other students told them about his recent accomplishments.
• Master Mo announced that the academy had five regular quotas and two seed quotas, setting off an uproar among the students.

Master Mo announced that the East Courtyard’s strongest students would receive a month of guidance and that the Northern Spiritual Academy had gained two seed quotas. Su Qing declared the Mu Domain’s hardline policy toward anyone who harmed it, while Mu Chen and Su Qing learned their places might be connected to the quotas and Mu Chen reaffirmed his resolve to reclaim what he had lost and find his mother and Luo Li.

• Master Mo named Chen Fan, Huo Yun, Mo Ling, Tang Qian'er, Mu Chen, and Su Qing as eligible for targeted guidance toward the Spirit Wheel Realm.
• Su Qing revealed that he had reached the early stage of the Divine Soul Realm and had wiped out the Mangyin Mountain stronghold after it killed Chen Xiong.
• Su Qing declared that the Mu Domain sought peaceful relations but would retaliate harshly against any infringement.
• Master Mo told Mu Chen that one seed quota was connected to him and the other was likely connected to Su Qing, though neither knew the reason.
• Mu Chen said he would claim what belonged to him through his own efforts and remembered his promise to bring his mother back and his concern for Luo Li.

Mu Chen and the other students trained for a month before competing for places in the Five Great Academies. Su Qing, Mu Chen, Tang Qian'er, Chen Fan, Huo Yun, Hong Ling, and Mo Ling secured places, and the seed quota competition was about to begin.

• Master Mo took Mu Chen to the Spirit Art Chamber's third floor, where Mu Chen obtained two spirit arts, then personally trained him over the following month.
• Su Qing and Master Mo put the students through waterfall cultivation and combat training, while Su Qing gave Tang Qian'er private lessons and helped her improve.
• Dean Xiao introduced Mr. Hao as referee and explained the rules for the battle for places in the Five Great Academies.
• Chen Fan and Huo Yun won places from the first group; Su Qing and Mu Chen advanced from the second group, with Su Qing winning their matches against each other.
• Tang Qian'er and Hong Ling secured places from the third group, while Mo Ling won the losers' group free-for-all and claimed the final ordinary place.
• The seven finalists prepared to compete for the seed quota places.

Su Qing and Mu Chen secured seed quotas and chose the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy after Mu Chen learned Luo Li had gone there. As Su Qing called Tang Qian'er his little sister, she embraced him in tears, leaving him finally aware of her feelings.

• Su Qing won a seed quota by default after Chen Fan and Mo Ling forfeited, while Mu Chen defeated Huo Yun to claim the other quota.
• The seven quota winners chose their academies; Su Qing and, after asking about Ji Xuan and Luo Li, Mu Chen both chose the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy.
• Mr. Hao told the students to prepare for two months before traveling to their academies' preliminary stations, where trials could revoke their quotas.
• Su Qing told Mu Chen he thought of Tang Qian'er as a little sister, and Tang Qian'er overheard him.
• Tang Qian'er embraced Su Qing and began crying against his chest while he realized she was upset.

Su Qing, Mu Chen, and their companions departed the Northern Spiritual Realm to face the Five Great Academies’ entrance trials. They arrived at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and found themselves on a mist-shrouded Bluestone Platform among other prospective students.

• Su Qing and Mu Chen said goodbye to Mu Feng and Zhou Ye before traveling to the Northern Spiritual Academy’s plaza.
• Tang Qian'er asked Su Qing to speak with her, but Mr. Hao announced that the Teleportation Spirit Arrays were ready before they could talk.
• Mr. Hao explained that the travelers still had to pass each academy’s trial to become students of the Five Great Academies.
• Mo Ling, Chen Fan, Huo Yun, and Hong Ling departed for their assigned academies, while Su Qing and Mu Chen told Mu Feng they would bring Aunt Jing back.
• Su Qing, Tang Qian'er, and Mu Chen arrived at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy, where Tang Qian'er clung to Su Qing’s arm as they surveyed the Bluestone Platform.

A Monitor explained the Northern Cang Realm trial, where students had to reach the Northern Cang Hall and raise their marks to level four while facing spirit beasts and rival students. After the trial began, Su Qing and his companions attacked the gathered students, trapping them in a barrier of wind and fire as Su Qing prepared to strike.

• A Monitor described the Reception Platform marks and the trial’s goal of reaching the Northern Cang Hall with a level-four mark.
• Su Qing and Mu Chen received seed-quota marks, and the Monitor revealed that students could raise their marks by gathering spiritual energy or stealing it from others.
• Su Qing quietly gave instructions to Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er as the students began eyeing one another warily.
• After the Monitor declared the trial underway, Su Qing shattered the platform’s surface, while Mu Chen set a Spirit Array ablaze.
• Su Qing used Wind-Reversing Fire to surround the platform, then charged at the off-balance students with the Kunwu Sword wreathed in flames and lightning.

Su Qing, Mu Chen, and Tang Qian'er seized the marks of the students on their Reception Platform, then continued hunting opponents in the Northern Cang Realm. Tang Qian'er pursued Yang Bin into a group led by an early Divine Soul Realm cultivator, who attacked her and whose companions made lewd advances.

• Su Qing took the White-Clothed Youth's mark and transferred its spiritual energy to Tang Qian'er's mark, leaving the Reception Platform littered with signs of battle.
• Su Qing, Mu Chen, and Tang Qian'er counted their upgraded marks and left the platform for the center of the Northern Cang Realm.
• Several days later, Su Qing followed as Tang Qian'er chased Yang Bin, whom Su Qing had weakened so she could practice her sword techniques.
• Yang Bin reached his group and told its leader that Su Qing's party had shattered Liang Yi's and Fang Huai's marks.
• The group's leader attacked Tang Qian'er with a wind blade, and one of his companions invited her to join them while making lewd advances.

Su Qing and Mu Chen rescued Tang Qian'er from Yang Gong and the Yang Gang, crippling the gang instead of killing them under the academy trial rules. Afterward, Su Qing urged Tang Qian'er to become strong enough to protect herself, and she leaned into his arms.

• Yang Gong's men taunted Tang Qian'er, and Su Qing struck the Yang Gang with Divine Thunder.
• Yang Gong tried to seize Tang Qian'er as a hostage, but Mu Chen interrupted him and fought alongside her.
• Su Qing systematically crippled the Yang Gang, while Tang Qian'er and Mu Chen defeated Yang Gong.
• Su Qing pierced Yang Gong's dantian, cut out his tongue, and severed his arm before Tang Qian'er shattered his mark and took his spiritual energy.
• Su Qing told Tang Qian'er to work hard so she could protect herself, and she leaned into his arms.

Su Qing and Tang Qian'er regrouped with Mu Chen after Tang Qian'er trained against the Yuchen Gang, only to find Mu Chen had rescued a girl named Sun'er. As they settled in for the night, Sun'er revealed that her older sister had taken part in the Spirit Road.

• Su Qing ended Tang Qian'er's sparring sessions with the Yuchen Gang and left with her for their agreed meeting place with Mu Chen.
• Su Qing and Tang Qian'er found Mu Chen cooking meat beside a wary girl in white, and teased him about rescuing her.
• Mu Chen explained that the girl's name was Sun'er, a fourteen-year-old rank-two Spirit Array Master whom he had saved from Flame Leopards.
• Tang Qian'er befriended Sun'er and learned that she had become separated from her older sister in the Northern Cang Realm.
• Sun'er told Tang Qian'er that her older sister had taken part in the Spirit Road.

Sun'er asked Mu Chen and his companions to help her find her sister, while Su Qing cultivated and spoke with the Nine Nether Sparrow about her past. The group waited for Su Qing to decide whether they would help Sun'er.

• Sun'er revealed that she had qualified for the Spirit Road but had not gone, and Mu Chen said staying away had helped preserve her innocence.
• Su Qing cultivated after recently reaching the middle Divine Soul Realm, while the Nine Nether Sparrow, recovering from the Spirit Beast Essences he had fed her, told him she was called Nine Nether and had once lived on the Luo Continent.
• Sun'er finished eating a Flame Leopard and asked Mu Chen to take her to her sister, explaining that her Spirit Disk could locate her and that others kept trying to steal her Third-Level Mark.
• Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er wanted to help Sun'er but left the decision to Su Qing, whose indifference made Mu Chen doubt he would agree.

Su Qing agreed to escort Sun'er to her sister, and he, Mu Chen, Tang Qian'er, and Sun'er set out the next morning. As they neared the sister's location, Mu Chen sensed danger, and an ambush sprang from the thicket ahead.

• Nine Nether asked Su Qing about his past, and he revealed his adoption, his early cultivation, and how slaughter had once driven him into the demonic path.
• Su Qing explained that his adoptive parents' story began with a young lady of the Buddha Ancient Clan and a poor boy from the Northern Spiritual Realm.
• Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er asked Su Qing to help take Sun'er to her sister, and Su Qing agreed to leave the next morning.
• A one-eared sinister man learned that Mu Chen was traveling with three companions and ordered his subordinate to prepare for an attack.
• Su Qing led the group toward Sun'er's sister, but Mu Chen sensed something was wrong as they approached the thicket.
• Mu Chen caught Sun'er, while Su Qing pulled Tang Qian'er behind him, and the hidden attackers fired streaks of spiritual energy at them.

Yu Yue ambushed Mu Chen and the others, holding Sun'er's sister hostage to demand revenge, but Su Qing struck before he could finish his taunts and wiped out the Yu Gang. The sisters reunited, and Su Qing took Yu Yue's medicine and tossed it to Mu Chen.

• Yu Yue emerged with the Yu Gang, displayed Sun'er's captured sister, and threatened to hurt her unless Mu Chen tore off his ears.
• Yu Yue woke Sun'er's sister and continued taunting Mu Chen before noticing Su Qing and questioning him.
• Su Qing unleashed dozens of sword shadows and swept through the Yu Gang, severing Yu Yue's arms and defeating the remaining fighters.
• Su Qing rescued Sun'er's sister and shared plundered spiritual energy with Mu Chen and Tang Qian'er as Sun'er reunited with her sister.
• Su Qing took Yu Yue's medicine and tossed it to Mu Chen.

Su Qing and his companions rescued Ye Qingling and the Ye Gang, then agreed to travel with them toward the Northern Cang Hall. That night, Ye Qingling recognized Mu Chen’s name and connected him to the Spirit Road Blood Calamity.

• Ye Qingling thanked Su Qing and his companions for rescuing her and the others, while Tang Qian'er grew jealous of her closeness to Su Qing.
• Sun'er invited the group to travel together, and Ye Qingling offered to share information about the Northern Cang Realm; Su Qing accepted and asked her to look after two companions when he left in a few days.
• Tang Qian'er worried that Su Qing might fall for Ye Qingling, but he teased her and dismissed the concern.
• At the campsite, Ye Qingling asked Mu Chen about his relationship with Su Qing and learned that Mu Chen had been expelled from the Spirit Road.
• Ye Qingling recognized Mu Chen’s name and exclaimed, “Spirit Road Blood Calamity!”