Chapter Summaries

Xiao Hua refined the Buddhist Pure Water Vase and used it to absorb most of the Innate True Water inside the stone pillar. As he escaped through the pillar, scorching Yang energy battered him until a red-skinned gourd pulled him toward its mouth, and he seized it with Sleeve Universe.

• Xiao Hua studied the Golden Kun scripts, identified the jade bottle as the Pure Water Vase, and refined it with the Buddha Sarira’s help.
• Xiao Hua activated the vase, which absorbed more than ninety percent of the Innate True Water before he stopped it to leave some for Yin Yang Spring Mountain.
• Xiao Hua was swept upward through the stone pillar and endured intense heat from the rock as he traveled through it.
• A red-skinned gourd’s suction pulled Xiao Hua toward its mouth, and he collected the gourd into his space with Sleeve Universe.
• Someone above cried out in surprise after Xiao Hua took the gourd.

Xiao Hua emerged in a cavern where Zhong Haoxuan, Liao Chengkong, and Bai Jie had been sacrificing Daoist cultivators to nurture a Yin Yang Sword Spirit, and he found the red-skinned sword gourd had disappeared. He killed Liao Chengkong and turned on Zhong Haoxuan and Bai Jie, leaving Bai Jie trapped beneath a new, deadly attack.

• Xiao Hua burst from a vent into the cavern, found seven dead Daoist cultivators, and realized Xiao Mao was not among them.
• Zhong Haoxuan recognized Xiao Hua as the thief of the sword gourd and attacked him with the Blazing Sun Sword.
• Xiao Hua used the As-You-Wish Staff to smash Liao Chengkong’s fist and kill him with a blow to the forehead.
• Xiao Hua damaged Zhong Haoxuan’s Blazing Sun Sword and blocked Bai Jie’s lightning sword with Palm Thunder.
• Bai Jie recognized Xiao Hua as the Thunder Control Sect’s Terrifying Phoenix, but Xiao Hua confined him with Sleeve Universe and struck his Niwan Palace.
• Xiao Hua sent an even stronger attack down toward the falling Bai Jie.

Xiao Hua killed Bai Jie and Zhong Haoxuan, then learned that Dao Sect disciples had been sacrificed to create a sword spirit and hurried toward Xiao Mao. He found Xiao Mao trapped beside a green-skinned sword gourd, where Sword Cultivators were beginning another blood sacrifice.

• Xiao Hua struck Bai Jie with his As-You-Wish Staff and burned Zhong Haoxuan’s transformed sword with Samadhi True Fire, escaping the swordsman’s explosion.
• Xiao Hua searched Bai Jie and Liao Chengkong’s storage bags, discovered a sword jade slip describing the blood sacrifice, and followed its route to find Xiao Mao.
• Xiao Hua found Xiao Mao and a gray-haired female cultivator bound by sword light beside the green-skinned gourd, with five Dao Sect cultivators already dead.
• Zhong Mingtian activated a skull-shaped soul talisman and ordered Feng Qing to sacrifice the gray-haired cultivator.
• Feng Qing pierced the female cultivator’s forehead with her flying sword, and Zhong Mingtian sent the talisman’s fireball into the wound before the blood could spray out.

Zhong Mingtian and Feng Qing continued sacrificing cultivators to refine the Green Gourd, relying on Yu Ming to contain a blood shadow that emerged during the process. When Xiao Hua arrived to attack them and free Xiao Mao, he killed Zhong Mingtian and turned his lightning toward Feng Qing.

• Zhong Mingtian extracted a female cultivator’s soul with the Soul Talisman, and Yu Ming pinned the escaping blood shadow until the Green Gourd swallowed them both.
• Zhong Mingtian and Feng Qing waited for Zhong Haoxuan’s group, but no one arrived as the Green Gourd began swelling again.
• Zhong Mingtian began the final sacrifice and Feng Qing lifted Xiao Mao, but Yu Ming sensed someone near the cave entrance.
• Xiao Mao’s restraints broke, and Yu Ming bound him again as Feng Qing tried to stab him with her flying sword.
• Xiao Hua appeared behind Feng Qing, stopped her attack with a restraining force, and struck her and Zhong Mingtian with Palm Thunder.
• Zhong Mingtian’s exhausted defense failed, and she fell dead as the Soul Talisman fireball swelled out of control; Feng Qing tried to flee while fighting Xiao Hua’s lightning.

Xiao Hua killed Feng Qing and Zhong Mingtian, then turned Rain Ming’s Soul Talisman fragments against him. Rain Ming went mad and escaped through a crystal pillar, leaving Xiao Hua to free Xiao Mao and reunite with him.

• Xiao Hua killed Feng Qing and Zhong Mingtian, while Rain Ming detonated the Soul Talisman fireball and tried to flee.
• Xiao Hua sealed the cave entrance and used the fireball fragments to strike Rain Ming, whose own water-based attacks turned against him.
• Rain Ming recovered, attacked Xiao Hua with exploding crystal beads, then went mad and vanished into a crystal pillar in the rock wall.
• Xiao Hua failed to follow Rain Ming through the pillar and freed Xiao Mao from his restraints.
• Xiao Hua told Xiao Mao not to kneel to him, gave him a Youth-Preserving Pill, and watched him swallow it without asking what it was.

Xiao Hua used Zhong Mingtian’s soul to finish tempering the Yin Yang Sword Spirit, then buried the dead with Xiao Mao before discovering Xiao Mao’s feelings for a fellow disciple named Qin Jian. As Xiao Hua taught Xiao Mao the Dragon Transformation Art, a powerful divine sense swept toward them from Xuntian City, and Xiao Hua urgently changed their course.

• Xiao Hua fed Zhong Mingtian’s soul into the Green Gourd to temper the Yin Yang Sword Spirit, then retrieved the Chaomeng Pearl’s Innate True Water.
• Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao collected the dead cultivators’ belongings and buried nearly twenty sword cultivators and Daoist cultivators together.
• Xiao Mao discovered that the Youth-Preserving Pill had restored his youthful appearance and asked Xiao Hua for another pill to give Qin Jian.
• Xiao Mao told Xiao Hua he had advanced to the mid Foundation Establishment stage and asked questions about the secret technique and Dragon Transformation Art.
• Xiao Hua taught Xiao Mao as they flew, then sensed danger and changed their direction just before a powerful divine sense swept over from Xuntian City.

Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao encountered a Sword Transformation Swordsman near Yin Yang Spring Mountain, then continued toward the Swift Wind Snowfield. They reunited with Li Zongbao and met Gao Chengyuan, who recognized Xiao Hua for rescuing Xunyan Sect disciples; Xiao Mao joined Li Zongbao’s squad to hunt Qin Jian.

• A Sword Transformation Swordsman swept Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao with his divine sense, disrupted their true essence, then flew toward Yin Yang Spring Mountain without attacking them.
• Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao pretended to keep flying before turning toward the Swift Wind Snowfield, where Xiao Hua continued teaching Xiao Mao the Dragon Transformation Art.
• Xiao Hua used his token to meet Li Zongbao and Gao Chengyuan, who thanked him for rescuing several hundred Xunyan Sect disciples and promised him credit for the deed.
• Gao Chengyuan invited Xiao Hua to join an effort to retake Xunyan Sect’s spirit stone mine, but Xiao Hua asked whether Qin Jian was there and learned Qin Jian was not in the Swift Wind Snowfield.
• Xiao Mao volunteered to join Xiao Hua and Li Zongbao in hunting Qin Jian, and Gao Chengyuan authorized his addition to Li Zongbao’s Council Hall squad.

Xiao Hua, Li Zongbao, and Xiao Mao discussed Yun Zichong’s growing reputation and planned to return to Xuntian City while reporting a sword-cultivator secret to the Council Hall. After traveling for more than ten days, they heard magical treasures roaring ahead, and Li Zongbao called out to protect Daoist sect disciples.

• Xiao Mao praised Li Zongbao and learned that Fairy Hongxia had reached late Foundation Establishment, while Li said he would eventually yield his reputation to Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua asked where they would find Qin Jian, and Li explained that Gao Chengyuan’s group planned to attack a Xunyan Sect spirit stone mine before they returned toward Xuntian City.
• Xiao Hua told Li that a deceased Thunder Control Sect Grandmaster had uncovered a sword-cultivator secret connected to the war, and Li urged him to report it to the Council Hall without revealing anything he wished to keep private.
• Xiao Hua piloted the Flowing Cloud Flying Boat while Xiao Mao sought his guidance during their journey of more than ten days.
• Li Zongbao sensed magical treasures roaring ahead and shouted for the attackers not to harm the Daoist sect disciples.

Xiao Hua confronted Zhang Qingxiao and learned that Zhang Yutong was with him, while her sister Zhang Yuhe remained missing. Zhang Qingxiao revealed that he had deliberately sparked the Great Sword Dao Battle to draw out the Nascent Soul cultivator who killed his master and the sect that destroyed Shang Hua Ming.

• Li Zongbao and Xiao Mao joined a battle to help Qianye Ridge disciples, but Xiao Hua recognized the Bright Bell and called Li Zongbao back.
• Zhang Qingxiao halted the Mihuan-clad fighters and introduced Zhang Yutong, who recognized Xiao Hua from the Taiqing Sect's Feathered Immortal Convention.
• Xiao Hua asked where Zhang Yuhe was, and Zhang Yutong said she did not know and that Zhang Qingxiao had not captured her.
• After Li Zongbao and Xiao Mao withdrew, Xiao Hua challenged Zhang Qingxiao over the deaths caused by the war he had provoked.
• Zhang Qingxiao admitted that he had abducted Zhang Yutong to reignite the war and expose those responsible for his master's murder and Shang Hua Ming's destruction.

Xiao Hua and Zhang Qingxiao argued over the Sword Cultivator Great Battle before Zhang Qingxiao revealed a threat from another demonic cultivator and asked Xiao Hua to protect Zhang Yutong if needed. They also discussed Jiang Liuer’s inability to cultivate, and Xiao Hua gave Zhang Qingxiao a Buddhist cultivation technique to try for him.

• Xiao Hua condemned Zhang Qingxiao for provoking the war, while Zhang Qingxiao insisted he would do anything to avenge Shang Hua Ming and said the war had been driven by the sword cultivators’ greed.
• Zhang Qingxiao said he had sent Zhang Yutong back to Huan Kingdom, revealed that she already knew his identity, and asked Xiao Hua to help her if she came to him.
• Zhang Qingxiao explained that a powerful demonic cultivator who had seized another body was approaching from beyond Million Meng Mountain, putting his life at risk.
• Zhang Qingxiao said Jiang Liuer could understand cultivation techniques but could not produce true qi, and proposed that he try Demonic Cultivation Techniques.
• Xiao Hua gave Zhang Qingxiao a Buddhist Sect cultivation technique to take to Xiao Xianrui and try with Jiang Liuer.

Xiao Hua and Zhang Qingxiao exchanged aid and arranged for Zhang Qingxiao to find pills Xiao Hua needed for Golden Core condensation. Xiao Hua then rejoined Li Zongbao and Xiao Mao, and their journey ended with them encountering disciples of the Seven Wonders Sect.

• Xiao Hua showed Zhang Qingxiao that his As-You-Wish Staff could overcome demonic qi and offered to help the Heavenly Demon Sect fight its enemies.
• Xiao Hua gave Zhang Qingxiao rice seeds and the materials he had requested, while Zhang Qingxiao supplied Qianli Pills and Lingli Pills and agreed to search for more.
• Xiao Hua left Zhang Qingxiao and returned to Li Zongbao and Xiao Mao, who had waited at the foot of a mountain.
• Li Zongbao led Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao toward Xuntian City, repeatedly warned Xiao Hua not to harm Dao Sect disciples, and instructed Xiao Mao in using his dharma whip.
• Li Zongbao used his command token to guide the Flowing Cloud Flying Boat through snow-covered peaks, where several identical boats belonging to the Seven Wonders Sect appeared.

Xiao Hua clashed with Seven Wonders Sect disciples who demanded he return a Flowing Cloud Flying Boat he had seized from sword cultivators, but a Golden Core cultivator stopped the confrontation. The cultivator recognized Xiao Hua from five years earlier and was surprised to learn that none of the Thunder Control Sect First Squad had been lost, leaving Xiao Hua wondering whether the other six had returned.

• Xiao Hua refused Zhu Qingjie’s demand to return the Flowing Cloud Flying Boat and stored it away.
• Zhu Qingjie prepared to fight Xiao Hua, but Li Zongbao and a Golden Core cultivator called for them to stop.
• The Golden Core cultivator ordered Zhu Qingjie to prioritize his mission, and the Seven Wonders Sect disciples departed after exchanging threats with Xiao Hua.
• The Golden Core cultivator recognized Xiao Hua as a Thunder Control Sect disciple who had left through his Teleportation Array five years earlier.
• Xiao Hua declared that no one from the Thunder Control Sect First Squad had been lost, and the cultivator expressed surprise because he thought only three female members had survived.

Xiao Hua, Li Zongbao, and Xiao Mao returned to Xuntian City, where Xiao Hua learned that Tu Hong was celebrating a happy occasion and renewed his intention to kill him. Their arrival was followed by news that Xunyan Sect's attack on a spirit stone mine had ended in disaster, leaving the cultivators at the Teleportation Array stunned.

• Bing Yu inspected Li Zongbao's identity token and sent Xiao Hua and his companions through the Teleportation Array to Xuntian City.
• Qing Bi, Yun Chen, and Ji Zhe arrived and told Bing Yu they were heading to Tu Hong's residence for his happy occasion.
• Xiao Hua recalled Tu Hong's ambush of the Thunder Control Sect First Squad and decided he would kill him if he found the chance.
• Li Zongbao, Xiao Hua, and Xiao Mao finished resting and prepared to head to the Council Hall.
• A bloodied Xunyan Sect disciple arrived and reported that Qin Jian's sword cultivators had ambushed their attack on the spirit stone mine and killed all their Golden Core cultivators.

Xiao Hua, Li Zongbao, and Xiao Mao left the Teleportation Array after learning that Qin Jian and his sword cultivators had slain numerous Golden Core cultivators, then headed toward Yanxi Mansion. On the way, Xiao Hua discovered Xuntian City was preparing for Tu Hong’s dual cultivation ceremony and unexpectedly reunited with Fairy Hongxia.

• Bing Yu stopped a Xuntian City disciple from discussing the cultivators’ deaths and arranged for Xuntian City disciples to care for the injured Xunyan Sect disciple.
• Xiao Mao offered to escort the injured disciple, but Bing Yu refused and said Xuntian City disciples would take him to Yanxi Mansion.
• Li Zongbao suspected Qin Jian had used released Xunyan Sect disciples as bait to lure Gao Chengyuan and the others into an ambush.
• Xiao Hua worried that something had happened to Cui Hongshen and the Thunder Control Sect disciples, but Li Zongbao persuaded him to go to Yanxi Mansion and sent a communication talisman to Joyful Sect disciples.
• Xiao Hua learned that Xuntian City was preparing for Tu Hong’s delayed dual cultivation ceremony, then heard Fairy Hongxia call to him.
• Fairy Hongxia rushed into Xiao Hua’s arms after their decades-long separation, then greeted Li Zongbao respectfully.

Xiao Hua reunited with Fairy Hongxia in Xuntian City and learned that Tu Hong would soon hold a dual cultivation ceremony with a survivor of Xiao Hua’s Thunder Control Sect First Squad. The revelation that the woman was Dui Qimeng left him stunned.

• Xiao Hua introduced his sworn brother Xiao Mao to Fairy Hongxia and reunited with her, learning she had come to Xuntian City after hearing he was missing.
• Fairy Hongxia told Xiao Hua that Tu Hong’s dual cultivation ceremony was scheduled for several dozen days later, and introduced him and Li Zongbao to Ji Mingxiu and the other Huanhua Sect disciples.
• A communication talisman informed Li Zongbao that Cui Hongshen and the other five had returned to the Thunder Control Sect stronghold instead of going to the Council Hall.
• Ji Mingxiu teased Xiao Hua about holding a dual cultivation ceremony with Tu Hong, then revealed Tu Hong’s partner was one of the surviving women from Xiao Hua’s First Squad.
• Xiao Hua guessed several women before Fairy Hongxia confirmed that Tu Hong would dual cultivate with Dui Qimeng, leaving Xiao Hua speechless.

Xiao Hua left Fairy Hongxia with several storage bags before going with Li Zongbao to the Council Hall, where the Golden Core cultivators argued over the deaths of Gao Chengyuan and more than ten others. Tu Hong accused Xunyan Sect of undermining the war effort, while Gao Wei angrily rejected the blame, leaving their dispute unresolved.

• Xiao Hua gave Fairy Hongxia several storage bags to hold and promised to explain them later.
• A wounded Xunyan Sect disciple reported the battle to the Council Hall and received a token and instructions to seek treatment.
• Tu Hong questioned why Gao Chengyuan had led more than ten Golden Core cultivators to the spirit stone mine instead of following his assigned mission.
• Tu Hong warned that the deaths had disrupted a planned trap for the sword cultivators, prompting Li Chengxu to issue an urgent order.
• Gao Wei angrily accused Tu Hong of blaming Xunyan Sect for the war's setbacks, and Li Chengxu urged them to speak without turning the dispute into a quarrel.

Tu Hong and Gao Wei argued over military honors and strategy as the Council Hall debated the consequences of a recent mistake. Li Zongbao arrived with Xiao Hua and Xiao Mao to report an urgent matter, shocking Li Chengxu by revealing that Xiao Hua was alive.

• Gao Wei demanded a Council Hall commendation for the Xunyan Sect disciples who died, while Tu Hong defended his ruthless strategy at Quanjin Mountain.
• Li Chengxu stopped Gao Wei and Tu Hong from arguing and redirected the Council Hall to discuss how to respond to the incident.
• Li Zongbao, Xiao Hua, and Xiao Mao appeared in the Council Hall, and Li Zongbao announced an urgent report.
• Li Chengxu recognized Xiao Hua and was stunned, while Qian Mo and Tu Hong concealed their reactions.
• The narration explained that Cui Hongshen and the others had returned alive from Quanjin Mountain five years earlier, but Li Chengxu had missed their report and the story had faded from attention.

Li Zongbao and Xiao Hua reported to the Council Hall, where the Golden Core masters learned Xiao Hua had rescued hundreds of Xunyan Sect disciples from a sword cultivator mine. Li Chengxu doubted Xiao Hua’s account and pressed him to reveal what he was hiding, leaving Xiao Hua insisting he had told the truth.

• Li Zongbao, Xiao Hua, and Xiao Mao entered the Council Hall, and Li Zongbao began reporting on his failed search for Qin Jian and the sword cultivators’ trap.
• A Xuntian City disciple delivered a jade slip, and Gao Wei revealed that hundreds of captured Xunyan Sect disciples had returned after Xiao Hua rescued them.
• Heng Ming identified Xiao Hua, and Xiao Hua described using an Invisibility Talisman to capture the injured Guan Peng and bargain for the captives’ release.
• Xiao Hua claimed he had entered the mine partly hoping to find spirit stones, prompting laughter and further suspicion from Li Chengxu.
• Li Chengxu demanded that Xiao Hua disclose what he had concealed, while Qian Mo defended the Thunder Control Sect disciple; Xiao Hua maintained that he had revealed everything.

At the Council Hall, Li Chengxu questioned Xiao Hua’s reports and tried to portray him as a liar, while Li Zongbao and Gan Mo pressed for an account of the events. Xiao Hua began recounting what he had learned about the deaths of Thunder Control Sect cultivators, leaving the Council Hall asking how he and Li Zongbao had defeated the beast cultivators.

• Li Chengxu suggested Xiao Hua had colluded with sword cultivators, but Tu Hong argued the sword cultivators had used Xiao Hua as bait to mislead Xunyan Sect disciples.
• Li Zongbao described the ambush and Xiao Hua’s rescue of Xunyan Sect disciples, then said Xiao Hua had an important matter to report.
• Xiao Hua reported that a dying disciple had seen two Golden Core Swordsmen leading cultivators toward Yin Yang Spring Mountain, but Li Chengxu challenged his account.
• Xiao Hua said the matter involved the deaths of Dui Lei Palace seniors, prompting Gan Mo to protest Li Chengxu’s questioning.
• Li Chengxu dismissed Xiao Hua’s account as dubious, but Gan Mo urged him to explain what Dui Miaoqing had discovered.
• Xiao Hua revealed that beast cultivators had slain Thunder Control Sect disciples and said Li Zongbao had killed most of the beast cultivators while he held back two.

Xiao Hua recounted the events at Yin Yang Spring Mountain, prompting the Golden Core cultivators to consider investigating its water-attributed treasures and the sword cultivators’ plans. Li Zongbao stopped Xiao Hua from leading the investigation, but Li Chengxu then pressed him to reveal the items he had found, leaving Xiao Hua facing pressure from the gathered sect leaders.

• Li Zongbao refused to recount how he killed the beast cultivators, while Heng Ming praised him as the Joyful Sect’s strongest disciple below Golden Core.
• Xiao Hua described what happened after the sword formation broke and reported seeing an azure sword light emerge from a stone pillar; the Golden Core cultivators suspected Innate True Water or Innate Heavy Water was involved.
• Li Chengxu proposed that Xiao Hua lead the Golden Core cultivators back to Yin Yang Spring Mountain, but Li Zongbao refused and warned them that a Sword Transformation cultivator had appeared there.
• Xiao Hua gave Li Zongbao the location of Yin Yang Spring Mountain, and Li Zongbao handed it to Li Chengxu while saying he would keep Xiao Hua in Xuntian City before they went to kill Qin Jian.
• Li Chengxu asked Xiao Hua to show the items he had obtained at Yin Yang Spring Mountain, and Xiao Hua objected that they were his private belongings and a Thunder Control Sect secret.
• Gan Mo hesitated over Xiao Hua’s right to refuse, while Li Chengxu insisted the sect should reveal its secrets for the war and called on Gan Mo to set an example.