Chapter Summaries

Xiao Hua arrived at Qianyu Mountain and effortlessly defeated General Hao Hu and his black-armored army, sparing their lives. At the mountain entrance, he confronted Tongzhu Kingdom's prime minister Yan Zhijin and the famed Zhan Rushui, who demanded the Imperial Seal of Succession.

• Zhu Xiang realized that the Zhu family forces had no retreat and warned Xiao Hua that the military's God Slaying Bows were designed against Daoist cultivators.
• Xiao Hua arrived at Qianyu Mountain and destroyed the army's attacks with heavenly lightning before sweeping away its camp and weapons with his Nascent Soul hand.
• Xiao Hua broke General Hao Hu's spear and defeated him with a single punch, then ordered the soldiers to surrender; Hao Hu told them to lay down their weapons.
• Xiao Hua flew toward Qianyu Mountain, where Yan Zhijin introduced himself as Tongzhu Kingdom's prime minister and questioned him about the Imperial Seal of Succession.
• Zhan Rushui demanded that Xiao Hua hand over the seal, while Zhu Xiang recognized him and feared Xiao Hua might be in trouble.

Xiao Hua confronted Yan Zhijin and Zhan Rushui over the Five Dragon Imperial Seal and his presence at Qianyu Mountain. Zhan Rushui unleashed the power of his literary talent, but Xiao Hua resisted his attacks and left Yan Zhijin alarmed as a golden dragon-shaped pair of scissors struck toward Zhan Rushui.

• Yan Zhijin demanded that Xiao Hua surrender the Five Dragon Imperial Seal and withdraw from Qianyu Mountain, while Xiao Hua said he had given the seal to Du Shanjun.
• Zhan Rushui accused Xiao Hua of violating Tongzhu Kingdom’s laws and stepped forward to fight him alone.
• Zhan Rushui summoned Vast Righteous Qi into an army-like assault, and Xiao Hua shattered its pillars with his Nascent Soul hand.
• Xiao Hua sent out the Sea-Overturning Seal and golden threads, but Zhan Rushui’s literary power stopped both attacks and broke the threads.
• Xiao Hua used a golden dragon-shaped pair of scissors to cut through Zhan Rushui’s Vast Righteous Qi and slash toward him, prompting Yan Zhijin to warn him and prepare to act.

Xiao Hua defeated Zhan Rushui and Yan Zhijin at Qianyu Mountain, then was caught in a demon array as he tried to rescue Li Xiang. He activated Heaven and Earth Manifestation and reached for the array’s two savage beasts with his Sleeve Universe.

• Xiao Hua used the Five Qi True Thunder to dispel Zhan Rushui’s Vast Righteous Qi, then captured him with his Nascent Soul hand.
• Yan Zhijin attacked Xiao Hua with jade-green true qi, then used a blood-marked bone and exploded himself; Xiao Hua survived and released Zhan Rushui.
• Xiao Hua called for Qianyu Mountain to surrender Li Xiang and his disciples, but the mountain remained silent, so he flew toward its entrance.
• Lingering blood-red light triggered an illusion array that transported Xiao Hua into a dark space, where demonic runes summoned a fiery bird and an azure beast.
• Xiao Hua recognized the Sacred Realm of a Thousand Demons demon array, invoked Heaven and Earth Manifestation, and reached for both beasts with his Sleeve Universe.

Xiao Hua broke Qianyu Mountain’s demon array with help from Xiaohuang and Xiaohei, then rescued Li Xiang and several dozen prisoners. As Xiao Hua prepared to lead them away, Young Master Zhu begged him to save his father.

• Xiao Hua used the Ice Mirror to block most of the starlight sustaining the demon-beast phantoms, allowing Xiaohuang and Xiaohei to absorb their essences and collapse the array.
• Xiao Hua collected two strange rune-marked bones and discovered that Xiaohuang and Xiaohei could speak aloud before returning them to his space.
• Xiao Hua ordered Qianyu Mountain’s general to release Li Xiang and the other prisoners, then learned their cultivation had not been crippled.
• Xiao Hua cut through the prisoners’ chains and restraints with his flying sword and arranged horses to take them away.
• Young Master Zhu appeared on the cliff and pleaded with Xiao Hua to spare his father.

Xiao Hua rescued Zhu Cheng and the Zhu family from Qianyu Mountain, accepting a mysterious ancestral object that had brought the family trouble. After warning Tongzhu Kingdom against further interference, he reunited with his disciples and departed, while Li Xiang wondered about Tongzhu Kingdom’s missing National Teacher.

• Zhu Xiang told Xiao Hua that Tongzhu Kingdom had seized his father, Zhu Cheng, over rumors of a Zhu family inheritance, and Xiao Hua ordered the captives released.
• Xiao Hua steadied Zhu Cheng as he cut open his calf and retrieved a tiny inherited object, which Zhu Cheng offered to Xiao Hua before fainting.
• Xiao Hua accepted the object and warned Qianyu Mountain’s soldiers and ruler not to pursue the Zhu family or provoke him again.
• The Zhu family guards carried Zhu Cheng away, and Xiao Hua gave Zhu Xiang medicine and asked him to tell Zhu Feng'er that he would visit the family when he could.
• Li Xiang crossed the bridge and wondered where Tongzhu Kingdom’s National Teacher, Leng Qingge, was, while Xiao Hua boarded his flying carriage and greeted Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei.
• Wang Zhengfei saw Little Yellow appear beside Xiao Hua and reacted with alarm.

Xiao Hua said farewell to Little Yellow and Little Black as they set out to explore the world, though he struggled to let them go. He watched them depart and entrusted Little Silver to his care, while worrying about the dangers ahead.

• Little Yellow learned that Wang Zhengfei was Xiao Hua's disciple and apologized for boasting that its master was stronger than Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua warned Little Yellow and Little Black about the dangers of the world and spent hours giving them parting advice.
• Xiao Hua persuaded Little Silver to stay with him, then finally gave Little Yellow and Little Black permission to leave.
• Little Yellow and Little Black flew back briefly to comfort Xiao Hua before setting off again, promising to return safely.
• Xiao Hua followed the two little ones with his divine sense, regretted not preparing them better, and told Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei that he considered them his children, not demon pets.

Xiao Hua rescued Li Xiang and his disciples from Qianyu Mountain, gave them supplies, and promised to help restore the cultivation of those who had been crippled. He invited Li Xiang aboard the flying carriage so they could discuss matters on the journey to Black Cloud Ridge.

• Xiao Hua let Xiaoyin play with Wang Zhengfei and sent the Divine Strength Centipede to keep Liu Yi company.
• Xiao Hua stopped the exhausted group, apologized to Li Xiang, and gave him clothes, medicinal pills, and spirit fruits for the survivors.
• Li Xiang told Xiao Hua that Tongzhu Kingdom had preserved his Nascent Soul for an unknown purpose, while five disciples had lost their Golden Cores and more than half of the rest had been reduced to mortals.
• Xiao Hua examined nearly thirty injured cultivators and promised that he and Li Xiang could restore their cultivation once the restraint on Li Xiang's Nascent Soul was removed.
• Xiao Hua invited Li Xiang onto the flying carriage and urged the group to continue toward Black Cloud Ridge.

Xiao Hua traveled with Li Xiang toward Black Cloud Ridge and removed the Confucian formation restriction on Li Xiang’s Nascent Soul. Li Xiang regained his cultivation but still lacked the pills and belongings needed to recover from his injury.

• Xiao Hua invited Li Xiang onto his flying carriage while Li Xiang’s disciples followed on horseback toward Black Cloud Ridge.
• Xiao Hua showed Li Xiang the Zhu family’s ancestral bone grain, and Li Xiang warned that Zhu Cheng had acted calculatingly in handing it over.
• Li Xiang realized Xiao Hua understood Confucian cultivation, and Xiao Hua revealed that he had killed Leng Qingge and Yan Zhijin.
• Xiao Hua examined Li Xiang and identified the restriction on his Nascent Soul as the Five Brocade Cloud Diagram formation.
• Xiao Hua used the formation diagram to remove Li Xiang’s restriction, restoring his Nascent Soul to normal.
• Li Xiang asked for Green Phosphorus Pills, but Xiao Hua could offer only Spirit Nourishing Pills and Clear Li Pills; Li Xiang said the pill formula belonged to National Preceptor Qin Haoyue.

Xiao Hua brought Li Xiang back to Black Cloud Ridge after restoring his divine sense with a Spirit Nourishing Pill. He showed Li Xiang the stronghold and asked him to help Princess Changling establish a kingdom, but Li Xiang said he needed time to consider.

• Li Xiang took Xiao Hua’s Spirit Nourishing Pill, recovered his divine sense, and then found that the Clear Li Pill offered little benefit to his Nascent Soul.
• Xiao Hua and Li Xiang traveled to Black Cloud Ridge, where Li Xiang discovered that Xiao Hua had turned the ridge into a grand formation and driven away Gaza Kingdom’s people from the Qi Stone mine.
• Two eagle demons escorted Xiao Hua’s party through the formation gate, where the three Demon Kings and Black Cloud Ridge’s people welcomed Xiao Hua and greeted Li Xiang.
• Xiao Hua arranged lodging for Li Xiang’s disciples and a welcoming banquet, then told Li Xiang that Leng Qingge had built the formation and asked him to help Princess Changling establish a kingdom.
• Li Xiang declined to commit, saying he needed to consider the important matter carefully.

Xiao Hua reassured Li Xiang that he would not force him to become Jiang Kingdom’s National Teacher, then began restoring Li Xiang’s disciples with Sky Mending Pills. As Li Xiang considered Xiao Hua’s plans for establishing a sect or kingdom, Xiao Hua left to inspect Black Cloud Ridge’s Qi Stone mine.

• Xiao Hua clarified that he only wanted Li Xiang to help guard Black Cloud Ridge temporarily and would restore his disciples before Li Xiang left.
• After the banquet, Li Xiang warned Xiao Hua that the demons might cause trouble and suggested that Xiao Hua establish a kingdom instead of a sect; Xiao Hua said he had promised to restore Jiang Kingdom.
• Xiao Hua examined a Golden Core disciple and gave Li Xiang dozens of Sky Mending Pills to repair his disciples’ injuries and restore their cultivation.
• Xiao Hua went to inspect the Qi Stone mine and found White Lion guarding its entrance.
• Xiao Hua praised White Lion for taking his shift seriously and rewarded him with a flagon of spirit wine.

Xiao Hua checked on Black Cloud Ridge, visited Yuan Ya, and arranged for Li Xiang and his disciples to stay while he prepared for the Yaotai Gathering. He left Li Xiang with spirit wine and offered his disciples magical artifacts.

• White Lion reported on the Qi Stone mine and showed Xiao Hua the bones cleared from it, and Xiao Hua promised to seek cultivation methods for the demons.
• Xiao Hua collected more Qi Stones, visited Dao Shan's grave, and found Yuan Ya practicing axe techniques near the Jiang Kingdom military camp.
• Yuan Ya told Xiao Hua that Changling and his master were working to restore Jiang Kingdom, and Xiao Hua advised him to spend more time supporting Changling.
• Li Xiang agreed to remain at Black Cloud Ridge until Xiao Hua returned from the Yaotai Gathering, asking for a jar of spirit wine each day.
• Xiao Hua gave Li Xiang spirit wine and offered him magical artifacts for his disciples, which Li Xiang accepted.

Li Xiang warned Xiao Hua that the Yaotai Gathering was a trap designed by the Immortal Palace to suppress Daoist cultivators, but Xiao Hua remained determined to attend. Li Xiang gave him information about the gathering and urged him to keep a low profile.

• Xiao Hua let Li Xiang’s disciples choose magical artifacts and discussed arranging more suitable treasures at auction.
• Li Xiang warned Xiao Hua against attending the Yaotai Gathering, describing how it had ruined his own ambitions to establish a Daoist empire.
• Li Xiang explained that the Immortal Palace used the gathering and State Teacher position to weaken, assimilate, and pit Daoist cultivators against one another.
• Xiao Hua said he would attend because he had promised Changling and would not abandon his declared goal of establishing a Daoist sect.
• Li Xiang described Yaotai Mountain, Star Lord Palace, and the gathering’s prizes, then gave Xiao Hua a jade pupil and advised him to keep a low profile.

Xiao Hua left Black Cloud Ridge for the Yaotai Gathering and discovered a hidden message on Zhu Xi’s bone pellet. During the journey, Bone-Tempering Xiao Hua demanded better cultivation resources and proposed using Thunder Water to temper his bones.

• Xiao Hua left Black Cloud Ridge in a dazzling flying carriage, leaving Liu Yi and Wang Zhengfei behind with Li Xiang.
• Xiao Hua examined Zhu Cheng’s bone pellet with Buddhist sense and, under the Buddha Sarira’s light, read Zhu Xi’s verses about primordial Qi hidden in a wooden statue and descendants in a Silk Brocade genealogy.
• Bone-Tempering Xiao Hua summoned Jade Slip Xiao Hua and complained that he had found cultivation resources for the other versions of himself but not for him.
• Bone-Tempering Xiao Hua said he needed a later stage of the Heaven and Earth Manifestation technique to remove his demonic blade and cultivate further.
• Jade Slip Xiao Hua proposed using Thunder Water to temper Bone-Tempering Xiao Hua’s bones, and Bone-Tempering Xiao Hua claimed he could endure it before hinting that Jade Slip Xiao Hua did not fully understand light escape.

Jade Slip Xiao Hua and Bone Tempering Xiao Hua discussed how the seven bone tempering arts could help Xiao Hua merge into light, and Jade Slip Xiao Hua brought Thunder Water to aid the technique. Meanwhile, Xuan Songzi traveled to the Yaotai Gathering, reflecting on his difficult path to Nascent Soul and his plans to become a National Teacher, before briefly losing control of his power.

• Jade Slip Xiao Hua and Bone Tempering Xiao Hua discussed the Big Dipper Divine Fist, the seven bone tempering arts, and the unknown origin needed to complete their transformation.
• Jade Slip Xiao Hua drew Thunder Water from the damaged Execution Stage and delivered it to Bone Tempering Xiao Hua, who used the Big Dipper Divine Fist to guide it through his body.
• Xuan Songzi rode a snow eagle toward the Yaotai Gathering with two young attendants, reflecting on his master, the collapse of his sect, and the hardships of cultivating as a Daoist on the Cangxian Continent.
• Xuan Songzi recalled choosing to become a nation's State Teacher after forming his Nascent Soul and preparing to secure a National Teacher's token at the gathering.
• Xuan Songzi lost control and unleashed a wave of force that swept his attendants into the air, then stopped their fall and assured them they had done nothing wrong.

Xuan Songzi was ambushed in the sky by Confucian cultivators and overwhelmed despite his magic treasures and Nascent Soul. His Nascent Soul was captured rather than killed, and a Confucian scholar arrived to congratulate the golden-armored general.

• Xuan Songzi noticed a brief flash of five-colored aura before an unseen force sent the snow eagle tumbling from the sky.
• Xuan Songzi used his small tower to resist the Righteous Qi Pillars, but five-colored sword pillars attacked the snow eagle and shattered his Nascent Soul hand.
• The Righteous Qi Pillars overwhelmed Xuan Songzi’s tower, and a five-colored sword light destroyed his fleshly body as his Nascent Soul escaped with the tower.
• A Confucian general sealed the area with Righteous Qi Pillars, while five-colored sword light immobilized Xuan Songzi’s Nascent Soul and the general’s disc captured it.
• A tall Confucian scholar flew over on five-colored auspicious clouds and congratulated the golden-armored general.

The Golden Armored Confucian General and the scholar captured a third Nascent Soul while hunting Daoist cultivators near Yaotai. After True Lord Huode detected and warned them, the brothers abandoned their ambush and returned toward their kingdoms, with the Golden Armored Confucian General proclaiming his ambition to rule Cangxian.

• The Golden Armored Confucian General suppressed Xuan Songzi's Nascent Soul and celebrated capturing three Nascent Souls in a dozen days.
• The scholar spotted approaching Daoist cultivators, so the Golden Armored Confucian General concealed himself while the scholar went to investigate.
• True Lord Huode arrived in a fiery procession, identified the hidden ruler's dragon aura, and warned him against targeting Daoist cultivators.
• The Golden Armored Confucian General attacked True Lord Huode's cloud concealment, but the scholar urged him not to risk fighting an invited guest of the Yaotai Gathering.
• The Golden Armored Confucian General and the scholar ended their hunt and flew toward their kingdoms, while the Golden Armored Confucian General declared his ambition to rule all of Cangxian.

Xiao Hua encountered the Confucian cultivators Xuan Yanming and Xuan Yanliang after going astray, and defeated Yanming when he attacked. Yanliang fled, leaving Xiao Hua with the Mountain River Seal and a newfound appreciation for the strength of Du Shanjun's Divine Sense Method.

• Xuan Yanming spotted Xiao Hua’s Light Feather Celestial Horse and charged toward him, while Xuan Yanliang followed and warned his Royal Brother that Xiao Hua’s strength was not what it seemed.
• Xiao Hua countered Yanming’s Mountain River Seal with his Nascent Soul hand, then used his dragon aura to seize the seal and plunder the Jingqin Kingdom’s national fortune from Yanming.
• Xiao Hua killed Xuan Yanming with the Soaring Flood Dragon Scissors and absorbed his Nascent Soul projection into them.
• Xuan Yanliang struck at the Soaring Flood Dragon Scissors but failed to stop them, then fled from Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua let Xuan Yanliang escape and reflected that Du Shanjun’s Divine Sense Method had greatly strengthened his spells and Soaring Flood Dragon Scissors.

Xiao Hua discovered that Xuan Yanming, the ruler of Jingqin Kingdom, carried a mysterious Immortal Palace Token and three Nascent Souls. After learning that his cultivation space could not safely hold Nascent Souls, he offered the empty shells to his fellow incarnations, and green-robed Xiao Hua reluctantly tried one.

• Xiao Hua burned Xuan Yanming’s corpse, collected his belongings, and learned that the Confucian cultivator had been the ruler of Jingqin Kingdom.
• Dragon Vein Xiao Hua revealed three Nascent Souls and a hidden cloud wisp from the Mountain River Seal.
• Confucian cultivator Xiao Hua identified the cloud wisp as an Immortal Palace Token and absorbed it into a feathered robe for his cultivation.
• Jade Slip Xiao Hua found that the three Nascent Souls began disintegrating inside his space, then discovered that their Primordial Spirits had been erased and they were empty shells.
• Green-robed Xiao Hua entered one Nascent Soul, inspected the body, and closed its eyes again.

Xiao Hua rescued Xuan Songzi, learned that he had been ambushed while traveling to the Yaotai Gathering, and agreed to let him stay nearby without making him a servant. As they continued toward Yaotai, Xuan Songzi explained the dangerous path of Loose Nascent Soul cultivation, leaving Xiao Hua unwilling to let him seize another person’s body.

• Xuan Songzi told Xiao Hua that Xuan Yanming and an accomplice had ambushed Nascent Soul cultivators headed for the Yaotai Gathering.
• Xuan Songzi helped Xiao Hua find the right direction to Yaotai, then asked to serve him for a thousand years in exchange for help surviving.
• Xiao Hua refused to command Xuan Songzi but allowed him to remain at his side and invited him to ask for help.
• Xuan Songzi explained that Loose Nascent Soul cultivation borrowed from Loose Immortal methods but offered little chance of surviving tribulation.
• Xuan Songzi said body seizure was his best option, but Xiao Hua insisted he would not allow him to harm another person.

Xiao Hua rescued Xuan Songzi’s newly formed Nascent Soul, but Xuan Songzi feared that a Daoist cultivator would exploit him and tried to self-detonate. After Xiao Hua convinced him he meant no harm, Xuan Songzi joined him on the flying carriage to survive.

• Jade Slip Xiao Hua found that the Five Qi True Thunder damaged the Nascent Souls, so he nourished them with true essence and used Primordial Qi to help them recover.
• Xuan Songzi awakened and attacked Xiao Hua, then panicked when he realized Xiao Hua was a Daoist cultivator and attempted to self-detonate.
• Xiao Hua restrained Xuan Songzi near the Gale Force Wind and explained that he had rescued him rather than intending to exploit him.
• Xuan Songzi followed Xiao Hua’s flying carriage and begged to enter, warning that his fragile Nascent Soul would soon dissipate without shelter.
• Xiao Hua let Xuan Songzi board, gave him an earth-attribute Qi Stone, and exchanged introductions with him.