Chapter Summaries

Xiao Hua asked Chu Muhuan for a basic Clear Sight Technique so he could read a jade pupil, and Chu offered to provide it in exchange for Xiao Hua’s future help to the Chu Lineage of Jing Province. Xiao Hua accepted the bargain and took the lineage’s token, agreeing to meet Chu after the Western Sea matter was concluded.

• Xiao Hua apologized to Chu Muhuan for frightening his cloud crane and explained that he could not inspect a jade pupil without the Clear Sight Technique.
• Chu Muhuan offered Xiao Hua the Chu Lineage’s basic Clear Sight Technique and invited him to become a guest retainer, but Xiao Hua declined because he valued his freedom.
• Xiao Hua offered to help Chu Muhuan in return for the technique, and Chu revealed that the Chu Lineage needed assistance with a matter he could not yet disclose.
• Xiao Hua agreed to participate in the Chu Lineage’s future undertaking, and he and Chu Muhuan sealed their agreement with a clap of their palms.
• Chu Muhuan gave Xiao Hua a token and began preparing the Clear Sight Technique in shell inscriptions, while Xiao Hua said he would visit Jing Province after his appointment with Master Jingchen.

Xiao Hua realized that Confucian cultivation required mastery of the Six Arts and studied the Clear Spirit Eyes technique while the others hurried toward their destination. Their journey was blocked by a powerful sea beast that demanded Master Jingchen, and after the group attacked it, it transformed into a starfish and lunged at her.

• Chu Muhuan copied the Clear Spirit Eyes technique onto a bamboo slip, and Xiao Hua thanked him after realizing that the Six Arts were foundational to Confucian cultivation.
• Xiao Hua began studying the technique as Xu Zhuoliang led the group onward, worried that they were already running late.
• A powerful sea beast intercepted the group near an island and demanded that they leave Master Jingchen behind as toll.
• Master Jingchen attacked with the Sky Rending Cauldron, and Xu Zhuoliang, True Person Leopard, and Chu Muhuan joined the fight.
• The sea beast endured their attacks, broke True Person Leopard's Mountain Peak Casket and Chu Muhuan's vine, then transformed into a starfish and lunged at Master Jingchen.

Xiao Hua killed the starfish that had captured Master Jingchen with the Spirit Severing Primordial Light, then continued with the group toward the northwest. After learning that sea-beast demon cores could be used in compounding medicine, he asked Chu Muhuan when Daoism had been exterminated and how far it had declined.

• Master Jingchen attacked the starfish, but it extinguished her flame and seized her with its tentacles.
• Xiao Hua confronted the starfish, shattered its phantoms with lightning, and killed it with the Spirit Severing Primordial Light.
• Master Jingchen thanked Xiao Hua, and he asked Xu Zhuoliang to distribute the starfish's remains while keeping its demon core.
• Xu Zhuoliang collected the carcass, and the group resumed its flight toward the northwest.
• Xiao Hua asked Chu Muhuan how demon cores were used in medicine, then questioned him about Daoism's supposed extermination and decline.

Xiao Hua reflected on being stranded in another realm and on the distant possibility of returning to Xiaoyu Continent before accompanying Xu Zhuoliang and the others to Fisher Boy Reef. The group arrived too late to meet Xu Zhuoliang’s contact, and a gigantic turtle emerged from the reef as they considered hunting nearby sea beasts.

• Xiao Hua considered the differences between cultivation on the Three Great Continents and Xiaoyu Continent, and accepted that returning home to pursue his old grudges might take a long time.
• Xiao Hua thought of Fairy Hongxia, Xue Xue, and the vast distance separating him from his former life before settling down to study the Clear Sight Technique.
• Xu Zhuoliang led the group to Fisher Boy Reef, where he found that the person who had arranged to meet them had already left.
• True Person Leopard suggested hunting sea beasts, but Xu Zhuoliang began warning the group about the place.
• A huge, cautious turtle rose from the sea among the reefs, astonishing Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua met Xuan Cheng, the West Sea Patrol Deputy Envoy, and traded a slain sea beast’s demon core for a Water Repelling Incantation. Xuan Cheng gave him a rare version said to have come from the Dongtian River.

• Xuan Cheng transformed from a giant turtle and heard Xu Zhuoliang introduce Xiao Hua and the other cultivators.
• Xu Zhuoliang recounted how Xiao Hua defeated him and his companions, recognized the Star Dou Great Formation, and slew a powerful sea beast.
• Xuan Cheng forgave Xu Zhuoliang for arriving late after hearing that the sea beast had delayed them.
• Xiao Hua offered the sea beast’s demon core to Xuan Cheng, then asked for the West Sea’s Water Repelling Incantation.
• Xuan Cheng gave Xiao Hua a jade pupil containing a profound Water Repelling Incantation said to have been passed down from the Dongtian River.

Xuan Cheng agreed to lead Xu Zhuoliang and the others to the Western Sea Relic Treasure after Xiao Hua received a Water Repelling Incantation and reassured him. The group reached a seemingly lifeless stretch of sea, where Xuan Cheng claimed the relic treasure was hidden, leaving Xu Zhuoliang and the others puzzled by the location.

• Xuan Cheng gave Xiao Hua a Voice Transmission Talisman and a Water Repelling Incantation, and invited him to visit the Dragon Palace.
• Xu Zhuoliang used a favorable divine calculation and Xiao Hua's trust to persuade Xuan Cheng to proceed with the treasure hunt.
• Xuan Cheng released watery blue radiance over the sea, then led the group westward while Xiao Hua followed at the rear.
• At dusk, Xuan Cheng stopped over a sea with abundant Spiritual Qi and revealed that it was the location of the Western Sea Relic Treasure.
• True Person Leopard noticed that the surrounding waters lacked living creatures and vegetation, and Xuan Cheng acknowledged the anomaly.

Xuan Cheng led Xiao Hua and the others to the Western Sea Relic Treasure and began opening a whirlpool to reach it, but Bai Haojiao appeared and exposed his plan. After learning what they were seeking, she demanded a larger share and forced Xuan Cheng to negotiate.

• Xuan Cheng explained that the Ink Cloud Pupil had led him to the Western Sea Relic Treasure, and Xu Zhuoliang invited Xiao Hua to join their plans.
• Xuan Cheng and the others discussed how to enter the relic treasure before he used his staff to form a whirlpool in the sea.
• Bai Haojiao transformed from a giant python into a snake-bodied woman and confronted Xuan Cheng, revealing that she had followed him.
• Xuan Cheng admitted that the group intended to explore the relic treasure, and Bai Haojiao insisted on joining them.
• Bai Haojiao demanded two-tenths of the treasure, arguing that Xuan Cheng would still receive the largest share, while Xuan Cheng objected.

Xuan Cheng led Bai Haojiao and the others to a black reef on the seabed, where they attempted to open the Western Sea Relic Treasure vault. Bai Haojiao used the Twilight Transformation Technique to reveal a layer of yellow sand, and Xuan Cheng shattered his final Lightning Condensing Pearl to destroy it and continue breaking the formation.

• Xuan Cheng led the group through the whirlpool passage to the seabed and brought them to a black reef.
• Xuan Cheng pressured Bai Haojiao into casting the Twilight Transformation Technique, and she transformed into a giant python to perform it.
• The technique withered the black insects covering the reef and revealed yellow sand beneath them.
• Bai Haojiao accused Xuan Cheng of deceiving her, but he explained that the technique alone could not open the treasure vault.
• Xuan Cheng placed his final Lightning Condensing Pearl on the sand and shattered it, unleashing lightning that pulverized the sand.

Xiao Hua examined the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram guarding the Western Sea treasure vault entrance and proposed using a Five Elements formation to break through one section. Xuan Cheng revealed he had stolen the Five Elements Evil Slaying Formation Diagram from the Dragon Palace vault, and the group began preparing to use it.

• Bai Haojiao explained that the Lightning Condensing Pearl had revealed the treasure vault entrance beneath the seabed sand.
• Master Jingchen identified the exposed Buddhist formation as the formidable Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram and said the group could not break it by force.
• Xiao Hua determined that a Five Elements Great Formation could divide the arhats and create a flaw in the formation.
• Xuan Cheng gave Xu Zhuoliang a jade pupil containing the Five Elements formation method, then revealed the Five Elements Evil Slaying Formation Diagram he had stolen from the Dragon Palace vault.
• Xuan Cheng gave Xu Zhuoliang four jade pupils with instructions for controlling the formation, and Xu Zhuoliang distributed them among himself, Master Jingchen, Chu Muhuan, and True Person Leopard to study.

Xuan Cheng, Bai Haojiao, Xiao Hua, and their companions joined forces to break the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram at the bottom of the Western Sea. After the formation resisted their initial assault, Xiao Hua struck it with the Sea-Overturning Seal and saw a flash that indicated it had broken.

• Xuan Cheng and Bai Haojiao explained that their group needed to break the formation before they had to return to the Dragon Palace, and the others said they could hold it for about the time it took an incense stick to burn.
• Xuan Cheng ordered the group to act, and Master Jingchen, True Person Leopard, Xu Zhuoliang, and Chu Muhuan deployed their mounts and techniques around the formation.
• Xuan Cheng and Bai Haojiao took their true forms and joined the others as five spheres of light struck the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram.
• After half an incense stick, the formation still had not collapsed, so Xiao Hua enlarged the Sea-Overturning Seal and smashed it into the vortex.
• Xiao Hua saw a flash from the formation and realized that his single strike had broken the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram.

Xiao Hua and the others entered the formation’s hidden realm expecting to find the Western Sea Relic Treasure, but discovered only a scorching chamber with no treasure or apparent way forward. They realized Master Jingchen’s Buddhist consciousness might reveal the next step, and she began examining the strange Buddhist formation.

• Xuan Cheng opened a breach in the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram, and Bai Haojiao and Master Jingchen descended through it first.
• Bai Haojiao used the West Dragon Ring to protect herself from the molten heat, surprising Xuan Cheng and prompting him to recall its connection to the West Sea Dragon Palace.
• Xuan Cheng, Xu Zhuoliang, Xiao Hua, Chu Muhuan, and True Person Leopard entered the hidden realm and found a vermilion, lava-hot chamber with no treasure or deeper passage.
• Xuan Cheng explained that the Ink Cloud Pupil described how to break the outer Buddhist formation but said nothing about what lay beyond it.
• The group recognized that Master Jingchen could use her Buddhist consciousness where the others’ senses and techniques failed, and she began searching the chamber.

Master Jingchen discovered a second formation behind the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram: the Golden Crow Immortal Slaying Demon Array. Xiao Hua recognized it and tried to open a way through, but his first attempt failed when Xu Zhuoliang revealed the Ink Cloud Pupil, which Xiao Hua recognized from near Lava Island.

• Master Jingchen’s Buddhist consciousness revealed a crimson, Golden Crow-shaped wall, and the group identified it as the Golden Crow Immortal Slaying Demon Array.
• True Person Leopard suspected the formation belonged to the Sacred Realm of a Thousand Demons, while Bai Haojiao warned that a Confucian primordial formation might lie beyond it.
• Xiao Hua said he could likely make a flaw in the formation and spent half an hour studying it before preparing to break it.
• Xiao Hua sent several jade talismans into the Golden Crow array, but they vanished without effect when he tried to activate them.
• Bai Haojiao urged Xu Zhuoliang to use the Ink Cloud Pupil, and Xiao Hua recognized it as an item obtained near Lava Island and stopped his attempt.

Xiao Hua’s attempt to dismantle the Golden Crow Immortal Slaying Demon Array triggered a deadly upheaval and revealed a Sea Eye containing a powerful being trapped within. After the being escaped and left Xiao Hua to fend for himself, Xiao Hua used his remaining resources to race toward the closing exit.

• The Golden Crow Immortal Slaying Demon Array drained Xiao Hua’s true essence as flames erupted across the chamber, and Xuancheng joined Bai Haojiao’s West Dragon Ring to shield them.
• A mysterious voice recognized Xiao Hua as a Dao Sect descendant, then unleashed destructive fire that killed Xu Zhuoliang, Master Jingchen, Chu Muhuan, and True Person Leopard.
• Xiao Hua’s jade slips cracked the array, revealing the Sea Eye of the West Sea, and the being inside escaped after sparing Xiao Hua.
• The being destroyed both halves of the West Dragon Ring; Xuancheng escaped using Daoist Lightning Evasion, while Bai Haojiao was killed and her blood shadow entered the Sea Eye.
• The escaped being withdrew its protection from Xiao Hua and struck the Sea Eye, causing the chamber to shake, while Xiao Hua wrapped himself in Innate True Water and fled toward the closing gap.

Xiao Hua collected the Innate True Fire and fire crystals before entering the sea eye, where the Great Sun Tathagata Buddha Edict released a powerful dragon soul. The dragon soul entered Xiao Hua’s body as a hurricane destroyed the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram, leaving his phoenix body enduring unbearable heat.

• Xiao Hua saw the broken scroll restore the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram and close his escape route, then collected Innate True Fire and captured a crimson flame with his spirit fire.
• Xiao Hua gathered the remaining fire-colored crystals and entered the sea eye, where the broken scroll blocked his way until his Buddha Sarira appeared.
• The broken scroll merged with the Buddha Sarira and revealed itself as the Great Sun Tathagata Buddha Edict, releasing a furious crimson dragon soul.
• Xiao Hua withdrew his Buddha Sarira, but the dragon soul shattered his Sleeve Universe and seized his body.
• A hurricane tore apart the Eighteen Arhat Formation Diagram and swept into the sea eye as the dragon soul entered Xiao Hua, whose phoenix body endured scorching heat.

Xiao Hua and his allies drew the Fire Dragon Soul into his meridians, where the Dragon Transformation Art refined it and Little White devoured it. The soul’s destruction revealed the Origin of Earth and left Xiao Hua plunging deeper into the Sea Eye, where he discovered countless spatial rifts blocking his way.

• Little White Dragon’s soul and Xiao Hua’s green Primordial Spirit fought the Fire Dragon Soul and drew it into Xiao Hua’s meridians.
• A strange Primordial Spirit within Xiao Hua’s meridians seized the dragon soul, and the Dragon Transformation Art refined it through three hundred and sixty cycles.
• The dragon soul shattered in Xiao Hua’s middle dantian, and Little White Dragon devoured its head as Xiao Hua was swept deeper into the Sea Eye.
• A black speck emerged from the shattered dragon soul, and Xiao Hua recognized it as the Origin of Earth before Little White Dragon fled in terror.
• Xiao Hua used the Buddha Sarira to open his Eye of Delusion Breaking and saw countless spatial rifts blocking the Sea Eye ahead.

Xiao Hua endured the Sea Eye’s spatial rifts and the Origin of Earth’s destructive power, but he fainted after encountering a storm of soul attacks and vanished into one of the Sea Eye’s vortices. While he was unconscious, the Origin of Earth entered his space and was absorbed, leaving Xiao Hua’s whereabouts unknown.

• Xiao Hua used the Big Dipper Divine Fist to dodge spatial rifts and guide the Origin of Earth into his bones, turning them orange.
• Xiao Hua saw countless gray vortices and deeper black dots, then fainted when powerful soul attacks struck his Niwan Palace.
• Little White Dragon’s soul swallowed the remaining dragon soul, while Xiao Hua’s Primordial Spirits reacted to the Origin of Earth and the Dragon Transformation Art cleared some blocked meridians.
• The Origin of Earth spread through Xiao Hua’s flesh and meridians before moving toward his heart meridian, while a ripple from his space stopped the earth-attributed spiritual qi from forming.
• Green-robed Xiao Hua presented Blind Hu’s stored spiritual fire to the Origin of Earth, and Xiao Hua’s Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul absorbed it in his space.
• Xiao Hua drifted into a vortex in the Sea Eye as a thousand-li funnel raged across the West Sea, pulling in storms, seawater, birds, and fish.

The West Sea Dragon King discovered that someone had broken the arrays in the Sea Eye and taken the Fire Dragon Soul, while the current Buddha Lord pondered the escaped prisoner, the Future Buddha Lord’s arrival, and his missing disciple Ananda. The chapter ended with the Buddha Lord suspecting Ananda had concealed his reincarnation to pursue the Nine Revolutions Golden Body alone.

• The West Sea Dragon King arrived at the Sea Eye and found that its arrays had been broken and the Fire Dragon Soul was gone.
• The West Sea Dragon King blamed the Daoist and Buddhist factions, suspected the escaped prisoner had taken the Fire Dragon Soul, and left to consult his Royal Brother and younger brothers.
• A faint Buddhist presence in the Sea Eye concluded that the prisoner had escaped and wondered who had rescued him.
• The Buddhist presence sensed that the Future Buddha Lord had descended into the world, though it could not locate him clearly.
• The current Buddha Lord realized Ananda was missing and suspected he had concealed his reincarnation to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Golden Body without supervision.

Xiao Hua emerged from the Sea Eye and awoke trapped inside a crystal, where an old Taoist and his apprentice Yuan Ya freed him. He learned he was in a place called Xi Kingdom, but it was not the Xi Kingdom he knew, marking the start of his journey through the Four Great Continents.

• Xiao Hua awoke in a dark, airless void and suspected he was sensing the Phoenix Dharma Body trapped in the void.
• An old man and Yuan Ya broke open the crystal surrounding Xiao Hua, revealing that he had mistaken the crystal for the void.
• Xiao Hua used his soul sense to see that he was naked and powerless inside a large yellow crystal.
• Xiao Hua asked whether he was in Xi Kingdom, and the old man confirmed the name but dismissed him as no cultivator.
• The old man ordered Yuan Ya to chisel Xiao Hua out and said Xiao Hua would have to work off his debt.
• Xiao Hua asked whether he was in Xiaoyu Continent, but Yuan Ya could not understand him, and Xiao Hua realized this Xi Kingdom was not the one he knew.

After Yuan Ya freed Xiao Hua from the earth-yellow crystal, Xiao Hua discovered that pure earth spiritual qi had made his body unbearably heavy and rigid. As he struggled to carry crystals toward a Daoist temple, he began refining the qi and found that two of his cultivation arts had advanced to new stages.

• Yuan Ya carefully chiseled Xiao Hua out of the crystal and gave him worn Daoist robes, while the old man ignored Yuan Ya.
• Xiao Hua realized that earth spiritual qi from the Origin of Earth had clogged his body, and he suspected the crystals around him had protected him from danger.
• Yuan Ya led Xiao Hua up a mountain path carrying crystals, while the old man scolded Xiao Hua for moving slowly and warned him to finish the task.
• Xiao Hua began circulating the Dragon Transformation Art and Celestial Body Infusion Technique, discovering that both had entered their second levels and now tempered his meridians and fleshly body.
• Xiao Hua persevered up the path and refined his first wisp of spiritual qi as Yuan Ya carried another large crystal back toward the Daoist temple.

Xiao Hua explored the dilapidated Daoist temple, then followed the old Daoist priest’s order to move stones while deciding to stay with him and Yuan Ya for a time. After Xiao Hua tumbled down the mountain, Yuan Ya stopped him, treated his scraped arms with dirt, and gave him an oilcloth packet.

• Xiao Hua inspected the ruined temple and placed Yuan Ya’s crystals among the damaged statues in the west wing.
• The old man dressed as a Daoist priest ordered Xiao Hua to move stones without food until the work was done, then left with Yuan Ya to attend Steward Lu’s invitation.
• Xiao Hua decided to remain with the master and disciple for a while, despite his difficulty moving and his worry that his Golden Core was absorbing his true qi.
• Xiao Hua slipped and rolled down the mountain path until Yuan Ya returned and stopped him with his arm.
• Yuan Ya covered his bleeding wounds with dirt, handed Xiao Hua an oilcloth packet, and ran down the mountain.