Chapter Summaries

Xiao Hua’s changing constitution caused him to struggle with the Five Elements Soul Restraining Array, which collapsed when he stopped supplying it with magical power. While he recovered and prepared to lure the fire ape, the Huanling Sect completed repairs to the altar array and Yuan Feng ordered the five spirits brought forward.

• Xiangyang worried that Wu Nai might drive Xiao Hua out of the Thunder Control Sect if he learned of Xiao Hua’s changed constitution and abilities, but Yan Qinglian insisted Xiao Hua was not the sort of person who would oppose his master.
• Xiao Hua realized Bone Refining Seven Colors had changed his constitution from fire-attributed to Earth-attributed, then secretly stopped supplying magical power to the Earth formation eye and caused the Five Elements Soul Restraining Array to collapse.
• Xiang Min praised the Thunder Control Sect disciples for holding the array, and Zhen Ye told Xiao Hua to recover before finding a way to lure the fire ape to them.
• A Huanling Sect Foundation Establishment disciple finished repairing the altar array, causing it to glow and tremble before falling silent.
• Yuan Feng said the repaired array could open a small crack in the Spirit Awakening Five Aggregates Formation, and ordered the five spirits brought up.

Yuan Feng began a five-day ritual using the Five Spirits Banner and five Golden Core disciples to awaken its five Spirit Beast bloodlines. The ritual’s Azure Dragon phase began by drawing blood from a Green Python King, which broke free and attacked the nearby cultivator.

• Yuan Feng sent five cultivators to the points of the pentagram formation and began activating it with the Five Spirits Banner.
• Man Yun, Zhe Qipeng, and Hu Yue Shi recognized the banner and speculated that the disciples’ storage bags held beasts with the five Spirit Beast bloodlines.
• A Golden Core disciple released a Green Python King instead of a true Azure Dragon and bound it above the Azure Dragon formation.
• Yuan Feng sacrificed his essence blood to summon an Azure Dragon phantom, while the Golden Core cultivator pierced the Python King’s crown to draw out its azure blood.
• The Python King broke through its restraints and lunged at the nearby Golden Core cultivator.

Yuan Feng used the Green Python King and a white spirit tiger to awaken two spirits in the altar’s formation, exhausting most of his true essence. Meanwhile, Xiao Hua tried to lure the Fire Ape with the Sun Moon Crown and sensed it nearby, but it was heading elsewhere, leaving him to make a risky move.

• The Azure Dragon blood shadow killed the Green Python King and entered the formation, which transformed into a crystal-clear Azure Dragon shape after spinning for a day and night.
• Yuan Feng captured the white spirit tiger’s soul in a White Tiger blood shadow, formed a second crystal-clear shape, and then rested after using over eighty percent of his true essence.
• Xiang Min and Feng Shuqing objected when Xiao Hua proposed luring the Fire Ape from outside the formation, so Zhen Ye told him to try from the Earth formation eye instead.
• Xiao Hua activated the Sun Moon Crown and extended his perception, eventually sensing an aura rise about a hundred li away and then vanish.
• Xiao Hua sensed that the Fire Ape was heading toward the distant aura rather than the valley, so he raised the Sun Moon Crown and struck at its restriction with his magic power.

Elder Yuan continued using the Spirit Awakening Five Aggregates Formation to refine the bloodlines of the Five Spirits, completing the Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise before beginning the Kirin. The unicorn’s Kirin bloodline resisted the formation, and the Azure Dragon blood shadow began to change as Yuan Feng tried to control it.

• A fire ape approached the valley but stopped when a pitch-black spirit beast appeared behind it.
• Elder Yuan used an unusual Fire Crow to awaken the Vermilion Bird bloodline, and its formation became crystal clear after a day and night.
• Elder Yuan refined a Mysterious Tortoise’s bloodline, completing the fourth spirit formation.
• Yuan Feng and the elders saw that the Kirin had been squeezed to the edge of the banner and baleful aura was seeping from Zhuo Long’s mouth, so they moved on to the final spirit.
• A scarlet unicorn was revealed as the creature carrying the Kirin bloodline, and Yuan Feng’s formation forced its soul from its body despite its resistance.
• The Azure Dragon blood shadow distorted and began to resemble a unicorn.

Yuan Feng failed to activate the formation with the unicorn’s blood, then used a Dust-Repelling Beast to open it and summon the five spirit beasts. The Thunder Beast appeared alongside the Fire Ape, and Xiao Hua drew both toward the Sun Moon Crown, leaving the ambush in danger.

• Yuan Feng’s attempt to activate the formation with the unicorn’s blood failed when the formation’s baleful aura forced him to pull the Kirin blood shadow back.
• Yuan Feng identified the Dust-Repelling Beast as a possible source of Kirin blood and had a disciple prepare one for the formation.
• Yuan Feng and the three elders supplied their spiritual power until the five formations opened and revealed five cultivators within clouds of qi.
• Xiao Hua saw the humanoid Thunder Beast emerge and watched it and the Fire Ape focus on the Sun Moon Crown.
• Xiao Hua activated the Sun Moon Crown, drawing the Thunder Beast and then the Fire Ape down toward it.

Xiang Min trapped the fire ape in the Five Elements Soul Restraining Array while Zhang Chengguang and Sun Shangkong attacked it with water-based treasures and spells. The fire ape was weakened and injured, but it unleashed its inner core as a final counterattack, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Xiang Min activated the Five Elements Disk and enclosed the fire ape and thunder beasts in a shimmering barrier.
• Zhang Chengguang and Sun Shangkong attacked the fire ape with the Yunxun Bottle and Pure Water Bead as Xiang Min transformed water-light into crystalline granules.
• The fire ape broke through Sun Shangkong’s defenses and nearly struck him down, but Xiang Min moved him out of danger.
• Sun Shangkong used the Pure Water Bead to fracture the fire ape’s calf while the array’s stones and water-light battered and weakened it.
• The fire ape spat out its inner core, flooding the area with scorching heat and violent pressure as Zhang Chengguang and Sun Shangkong prepared to endure its final attack.

The cultivators fought the Thunder Beast while Sun Shangkong and Zhang Chengguang attacked the Fire Ape’s Inner Core. Their attacks exposed the Thunder Beast’s existing injuries, but the beast remained dangerous and the battle ended with Shi Yan confronting it at close range.

• Sun Shangkong and Zhang Chengguang sent their treasures after the Fire Ape’s Inner Core while the Five Elements Array trapped the Thunder Beast.
• The Thunder Beast tore the array’s curtain, extinguished the incoming fire attacks, and struck Liu Mingsheng down, taking his Sun Chasing Whip.
• Zhen Ye and Jiang Zhucheng attacked with the Corroding Lightning Ring and Wood Dragon as Feng Shuqing and the others joined the assault.
• Jiang Zhucheng’s Wood Dragon disrupted the Thunder Beast’s lightning sphere and revealed its injuries, while the beast’s thunderous cry wounded Feng Shuqing.
• The Thunder Beast released its Inner Core to break the Wood Dragon and split the Corroding Lightning Ring, injuring Zhen Ye and Jiang Zhucheng.
• Shi Yan attacked the Thunder Beast’s wounded back with a chain, but it seized the chain and struck at him as he counterattacked.

Shi Yan died striking the Thunder Beast, but a mysterious surge destroyed the Five Elements Soul Restraining Array and transported Xiao Hua and the other array cultivators into the Spirit Awakening Five Aggregates Formation beneath the Fire Lake. As Chao Long's spirit essence failed to appear, Xiao Hua remained trapped in black qi and was driven downward by a strange pressure.

• Shi Yan struck the Thunder Beast and was killed, while the beast was caught again by the array's falling rocks.
• A surge of strange spiritual qi caused the Five Elements Disk to explode and transported Xiao Hua, Li Fengzhu, Qing Hao, Zhu Ming, and Li Mian away with the array treasures.
• The Fire Ape and Thunder Beast escaped, and Xiang Min and Zhen Ye pursued them while Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian took Xue Xue after them.
• The five cultivators appeared unconscious inside the black qi above the sacrificial altar beneath the Fire Lake, where Yuan Feng and the Huanling Sect disciples were waiting for Chao Long's spirit essence.
• Chao Long's spirit essence did not appear; instead, Xiao Hua woke in the black qi, was forced downward by an immense pressure, and lost control of his spiritual power when a dog-like bark sounded.

Xiao Hua fell into a vast space of black mist filled with wrongful souls and discovered Zhuolong’s poisonous power after it killed Zhu Ming and the others. Trapped by a restriction, he used his Buddha Sarira to save the souls, but they began tearing it apart as another force descended on him.

• Xiao Hua halted his fall with the Phoenix Dharma Body and the Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal, then realized Xiang Min had likely altered the Five Elements Soul Restraining Array and feared for Xue Xue and the others.
• Black mist revealed Zhu Ming and four others, but Zhuolong formed from the mist and devoured their souls, leaving their poisoned bodies to decay into ash.
• Xiao Hua drove Zhuolong back with the Phoenix Dharma Body and tried to escape upward with Lightning Escape, but a restriction stopped him as countless wrongful souls attacked.
• Xiao Hua summoned his Buddha Sarira and used the true word “Lin” to save the souls, but their endless numbers began tearing apart the sarira despite his efforts to repair it.
• As Xiao Hua continued the struggle, another restraining force descended on him and hindered his Buddhist cultivation.

Xiao Hua struggled against Zhuolong’s wronged souls and confinement until his Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal flames went out and he suddenly began establishing his foundation. He swallowed Foundation Establishment Pills to accelerate the process, while Huanling Sect disciples outside the sacrificial platform witnessed the phenomenon.

• Xiao Hua used Slay Dream to attack the wronged souls and heard a dog bark, but Zhuolong remained hidden and intensified the confinement.
• Xiao Hua continued fighting as his Buddha Sarira and Phoenix Dharma Body weakened, and an hour passed without him finding Zhuolong.
• The Fire Marrow Blazing Crystal flames went out, and Xiao Hua began falling before a powerful pressure spread from his body and disrupted the spiritual qi around the sacrificial platform.
• Xiao Hua realized he was establishing his foundation and swallowed nine Foundation Establishment Pills, then took nine more when his true qi liquefied too slowly.
• Huanling Sect disciples guarding outside the platform saw the phenomenon of Xiao Hua’s foundation establishment after waiting an hour for Zhuolong’s essence soul to appear.

Xiao Hua completed Foundation Establishment beneath the sacrificial platform, but a crimson lightning tribulation descended and began transforming his Phoenix Dharma Body and striking his Buddha Sarira. The chapter ended as the tribulation’s excruciating assault continued.

• Yuan Feng, Man Yun, and Hu Yue Shi watched the phenomenon around the sacrificial platform and wondered whether Chao Long was forming a core.
• Xiao Hua consumed three hundred and sixty Foundation Establishment Pills, converted his true qi into true essence, and discovered an illusory point revolving in his lower dantian.
• Crimson thunderclouds gathered over Yanlin Mountain Marsh, and Yuan Feng warned the disciples to put away their spirit beasts and avoid circulating their cultivation techniques or divine senses.
• Xiao Hua tested his newly strengthened Fireball Technique, but heavenly might froze him before he could attack the wronged souls.
• A crimson lightning net shattered Xiao Hua’s Phoenix Dharma Body into tiny points and infused them with wind, fire, and lightning before the Dharma Body began to reform.
• The lightning struck Xiao Hua’s Buddha Sarira, subjecting him to an unbearable numbing itch and agony.

Xiao Hua endured a brutal lightning tribulation that rebuilt his body and strengthened his Buddha Sarira, then found himself facing a wounded Chao Long spirit essence. He joined the Five Spirits battling it, but his attacks had little effect as the Chao Long focused on breaking the formation.

• Xiao Hua tossed two sariras into the lightning net, and their melted remains formed a layer beneath his Buddha Sarira.
• The final lightning net tore Xiao Hua's body into fragments, but his bones drew the pieces together and helped repair him as they absorbed the lightning.
• The Dragon Transformation Art surged through Xiao Hua's meridians, and the lightning struck his dragon veins before the tribulation finally stopped.
• Xiao Hua spotted a badly injured Chao Long spirit essence and saw five lights shaped like the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and a Qilin-like beast attack it.
• After Xiao Hua regained movement, he sent Zhu Meng, his Phoenix Dharma Body, and his Buddha Sarira's Lin true word against the Chao Long.
• Xiao Hua's Town Cloud Seal, magical treasures, and talismans failed to harm the Chao Long, which focused its attacks on the weakening Qilin light.

Xiao Hua and the Huanling Sect weakened Chao Long’s spirit essence with the Five Spirits, the Spirit Devouring Cultivation Method, and Xiao Hua’s Buddha Sarira. When Chao Long turned on Xiao Hua to escape, Xiao Hua burned it with crimson spirit fire, and his Phoenix Dharma Body swallowed the remnant, bringing another flood of memories into his mind.

• The Qilin entered the Dust-Repelling Beast’s body and emerged stronger, while Chao Long escaped the Five Spirits’ restraint through a flaw in the formation.
• Elder Yuan Feng and the Huanling Sect disciples used the Spirit Devouring Cultivation Method to seize Chao Long, and Xiao Hua’s Buddha Sarira stopped departed souls from aiding it.
• Chao Long burst free of the Five Spirits and the suction forces, scattering its spirit essence as the Huanling Sect elders and disciples began refining it.
• Chao Long feinted past Xiao Hua and tried to flee through the formation’s flaw, but the Qilin blocked its route and forced it back toward Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua used the ancient Divine Fire Control Art to ignite Chao Long with crimson spirit fire, reducing its spirit essence to a tiny remnant.
• The Phoenix Dharma Body swallowed the remnant, triggering a torrent of memories that Suo Guang sealed away; the Five Spirits then returned to their positions.

Xiao Hua escaped the Huanling Sect’s array after delivering the departed souls and learned that he had disrupted the sect’s plans to obtain Chao Long’s spirit essence. He headed deeper into Yanlin Mountain Marsh to find Xue Xue, then met Xie Zhiqian of Ascension Gate, who was interested in the Thunder Control Sect’s Lightning Evasion Technique.

• Xiao Hua used the flaw in the array to escape the fire lake after delivering all the departed souls.
• Elder Yuan Feng discovered that the space beneath the altar had been emptied and sent Huanling Sect disciples in pursuit of Xiao Hua.
• Xiao Hua returned to the empty caverns, realized the Huanling Sect had been behind the array, and suspected Xue Xue was carrying his Sun Moon Crown.
• Xiao Hua sensed the Sun Moon Crown vaguely and flew toward the depths of Yanlin Mountain Marsh to search for Xue Xue.
• Xie Zhiqian of Ascension Gate approached Xiao Hua, asked about his Lightning Evasion Technique, and Xiao Hua offered to lead him toward Zhen Ye.

Xiao Hua followed the Sun Moon Crown’s aura into a hidden cave, where he found Xue Xue, Xiangyang, and Yan Qinglian cornered by two Thunder Beasts. He attacked the beasts just as one prepared to seize Xue Xue, and both turned their lightning attacks on him.

• Xie Zhiqian gave Xiao Hua a jade slip for Zhen Ye and a Minghua Pill before leaving to search for another item.
• Xiao Hua fought through a swarm of fire bats and followed the Sun Moon Crown’s aura to a concealed cave among stone spikes.
• A powerful divine sense searched the cave, forcing Xiao Hua to hide from it and evade fire rats in the lava.
• Xiao Hua entered a cave dwelling filled with bones and found Zhen Ye, Feng Shuqing, Liu Mingsheng, Jiang Zhucheng, and a female cultivator dead.
• Xiao Hua saw two Thunder Beasts threatening Xue Xue, Xiangyang, and Yan Qinglian, then sent his Slay Dream Flying Sword at them.
• Both Thunder Beasts turned from Xue Xue and attacked Xiao Hua with lightning nets.

Xiao Hua fought the Thunder Beasts with his sword lights, Phoenix Dharma Body, and demonic hammer, badly wounding the pregnant mother Thunder Beast. The male Thunder Beast blocked his pursuit and launched its Inner Core at Xiao Hua, whose fire dragon failed to stop it.

• Xiao Hua used the Town Cloud Seal against the lightning net while sending sword lights at the male Thunder Beast.
• The male Thunder Beast knocked away Xiao Hua's sword lights and struck his divine sense, while the mother Thunder Beast turned to protect it.
• Xiao Hua used his Phoenix Dharma Body to block the mother Thunder Beast's lightning and then battered her with the demonic hammer.
• Xiao Hua's final hammer blow sent the mother Thunder Beast crashing into the white bones, where she trembled and clutched her writhing belly.
• The male Thunder Beast blocked Xiao Hua and attacked with its Inner Core, which shattered the fire dragon from Xiao Hua's Leaf Sun Fan and continued toward his head.

Xiao Hua and Xue Xue escaped the Thunder Beasts’ cave as the male Thunder Beast unleashed a Blood-Red Seal, leaving Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian trapped inside. Xiao Hua resolved to find a way to break the seal and recover his senior brother and sister-in-law, though he learned that only a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator might be able to do so.

• Xiao Hua used his crimson spirit fire against the male Thunder Beast while going to help Xue Xue, Xiangyang, and Yan Qinglian escape.
• The male Thunder Beast unleashed a Blood-Red Seal, and Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian gave Xiao Hua an Evasion Talisman so he could flee with Xue Xue.
• Xiao Hua and Xue Xue escaped the seal, and Xue Xue noticed that Xiao Hua had established his foundation.
• Xiao Hua realized he could not abandon Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian, and he and Xue Xue decided to remain and seek a way to break the seal.
• Xiao Hua determined that breaking the Blood-Red Seal required strength equivalent to an eighth-grade spirit beast, attainable only by a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator.

Xiao Hua struggled to break the blood-red seal around the cavern abode and considered seeking help, but feared that doing so would expose his treasures and the Thunder Beasts’ Inner Cores. After learning how Xue Xue and the others had reached the cavern, he studied his spirit-fire control method and finally found a possible way to act.

• Xiao Hua tried several magic treasures and his Phoenix Dharma Body against the sealed cavern, but none could breach it.
• Xue Xue told Xiao Hua that the two Thunder Beasts had killed Feng Shuqing, Zhen Ye, Liu Mingsheng, and Jiang Zhucheng, while the male beast had spared her and protected Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian from its mate.
• Xiao Hua chose not to seek outside help because he feared True Person Leixiao might discover his spirit fire, flying sword, and the Thunder Beasts’ Inner Cores.
• Xiao Hua began studying the method for controlling his spirit fire, hoping to use it while the fire remained inside the seal.
• Several days later, Xiao Hua sprang up and told Xue Xue that he had found a way to use the method.

Xiao Hua used a secret art from the Divine Fire Art to control spirit fire against the blood-colored seal while cultivating an Earth attribute technique. After months of effort, the seal broke, but a baby's cry from the cave left him alarmed that the Thunder Beast had given birth.

• Xiao Hua discovered that Samadhi True Fire and Lingmou Zhu Fire could not ignite the lamp oil, so he used a secret art to connect with the spirit fire trapped inside the seal.
• Xiao Hua chose to cultivate the Huanling Sect's Earth Expansion technique instead of the fire attribute Wrathful Fire Art, while continuing to control the spirit fire.
• Over the following months, Xiao Hua improved his control of the spirit fire as Xue Xue stayed with him in the Thunder Beast's cave abode.
• After nearly a year, Xiao Hua gathered his power and sent a hand seal into the blood-colored seal, then drew the spirit fire back into his hand.
• The seal trembled and faded, revealing the cave abode, and Xiao Hua heard a baby's wail and feared the Thunder Beast had given birth.

Xiao Hua found that Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian had survived the Thunder Beast ordeal and welcomed their newborn son, Xiang Zhili. After learning how the mother Thunder Beast died and how Xiangyang regained his health, Xiao Hua stopped the couple from kneeling to thank him.

• Xiao Hua and Xue Xue entered the cave abode and discovered that Xiangyang had regained his youthful appearance and Yan Qinglian had given birth to Xiang Zhili.
• Xiangyang explained that the mother Thunder Beast had died after Yan Qinglian helped deliver her cub, and that she had left her Inner Core as payment for sparing the cub.
• Xiangyang used the male Thunder Beast's Inner Core to restore his Dao Foundation and lifespan, then conceived Xiang Zhili with Yan Qinglian after forty-nine nights together.
• Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian tried to kneel before Xiao Hua, but he used his spiritual power to keep them standing.
• Xiangyang and Yan Qinglian were astonished that Xiao Hua's spiritual power surpassed theirs.