Chapter Summaries

Jiang Hao received protective armor as a reward for tending the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower and settled his compensation dispute with the Heavenly Joy Pavilion through Liu Xingchen. After appraising Liu Xingchen and learning that the Inner Sect Disciple Task Assignment was approaching, Jiang Hao began considering how to prepare.

• Hong Yuye told Bai Zhi to look beyond the sect for possible threats and rewarded Jiang Hao with foundation-establishment armor for growing the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
• Jiang Hao appraised the armor and learned it was a piece of the Nine Heavens Battle Armor set that could defend against most attacks below golden core.
• Jiang Hao saved a thousand spirit stones by making talismans, and Liu Xingchen registered his compensation payment and later gave him a slip to destroy.
• Jiang Hao appraised Liu Xingchen and learned that he was a perfected golden core cultivator undercover from the Haotian Sect, befriending Jiang Hao to investigate the flower and Miao Qian’s death.
• Liu Xingchen warned Jiang Hao that the Inner Sect Disciple Task Assignment was coming and that he might be included, so Jiang Hao decided to check his accumulated cultivation.

Jiang Hao learned that a mission involving the Heavenly Joy Pavilion could come within two months and tried to find ways to survive the danger while accelerating his cultivation. At the Spirit Medicine Garden, he met the new, exceptionally talented disciple of Heartbreak Cliff and began to appraise him.

• Liu Xingchen warned Jiang Hao that a sect mission would likely be assigned within two or three months and outlined ways to reduce the Heavenly Joy Pavilion threat.
• Jiang Hao decided he needed more spirit herb seeds to earn blue bubbles and improve his cultivation, despite having only a little over ninety spirit stones.
• The next day, Ku Wuchang asked Jiang Hao to show the newly arrived junior brother around the Spirit Medicine Garden.
• Jiang Hao introduced himself to the young disciple and used his appraisal ability to examine him.

Jiang Hao showed Han Ming around the Spirit Medicine Garden and watched the ambitious True Disciple leave, then earned more attribute bubbles and went to buy a difficult-to-grow spirit herb seed. At the Snow Lotus Pavilion, he appraised a Snow Lotus Seed priced at ninety-nine spirit stones.

• Jiang Hao appraised Han Ming and learned that the eighteen-year-old True Disciple had exceptional aptitude and was favored by the spirit of mountains and rivers.
• Jiang Hao showed Han Ming around the Spirit Medicine Garden, and Han Ming said he wanted to become one of the Top Ten Chief Disciples and surpass Jiang Hao.
• After Han Ming left, Jiang Hao tended the garden, sold talismans, practiced drawing them, and collected attribute bubbles the next day.
• Jiang Hao visited the Snow Lotus Pavilion with 135 spirit stones and asked for a seed that was difficult to grow because of the spirit herb itself.
• An attendant offered Jiang Hao a Snow Lotus Seed for ninety-nine spirit stones, and he activated his divine ability to appraise it.

Jiang Hao planted a Snow Lotus Seed, earned spirit stones by making talismans, and collected cultivation bubbles as he prepared for a sect mission. At the Spirit Medicine Garden, Han Ming revealed his rapid progress, challenged Jiang Hao, and told him he was listed for the mission.

• Jiang Hao bought a cracked Snow Lotus Seed and a Blue Lotus seed, then planted them at his residence.
• Jiang Hao completed Senior Sister Leng Tian's order for ten Myriad Sword Talismans, earning a substantial profit despite losing time for cultivation.
• A purple bubble appeared from the Snow Lotus, and Jiang Hao collected cultivation, vitality, and a divine ability fragment.
• Jiang Hao appraised Han Ming and learned he had exceptional aptitude, the favor of the spirit of mountains and rivers, and a mighty cultivator's legacy.
• Han Ming challenged Jiang Hao to a fight after he advanced to foundation establishment middle stage, and told him Jiang Hao was on the sect mission list.

Jiang Hao found out who would join him on the Demon Grotto mission and began preparing for the dangers posed by the Heavenly Joy Pavilion. After Fairy Mingyi gave him the other disciples’ profiles, Lou Feng warned him that he might die on the mission.

• Jiang Hao found the mission roster and learned that Qing Xue, Lou Feng, Xin Yuyue, and Zheng Nineteen would join him in the Demon Grotto at the end of next month.
• Jiang Hao planned to improve his cultivation, save spirit stones for an offensive magic treasure, and ask his master about suitable techniques.
• Fairy Mingyi gave Jiang Hao a note describing the four disciples’ cultivation levels, abilities, and attitudes toward one another.
• Jiang Hao suspected that his master had arranged for Xin Yuyue and Zheng Nineteen to counter the Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciples.
• Lou Feng approached Jiang Hao, mocked his frail body, and warned him not to expect help in the Demon Grotto.

Jiang Hao learned Demonic Sound Slash in seven days and prepared for his coming trip to the Demon Grotto by gathering what he needed to strengthen himself. After filling his blood essence and cultivation, he began a breakthrough in his cultivation room, though its result remained unknown.

• Jiang Hao asked Ku Wuchang for a powerful offensive technique and received Demonic Sound Slash, while Han Ming and the other true disciples were assigned Heavenly Thunder Sword.
• Jiang Hao used Clear Mind, Pure Heart to master Demonic Sound Slash in seven days, then tested it and carved a saber scar into the ground with its powerful strike.
• Jiang Hao watched the snow lotus and blue lotus produce bubbles and noted that he still needed to save spirit stones for a saber.
• Jiang Hao gained one point of blood essence in the Spirit Medicine Garden, arranged for the outer sect disciples to tend it during his coming Demon Grotto trip, and received Zhou Chan's message that he need not worry about White Moon Lake.
• Jiang Hao returned to his residence, extracted his full blood essence and cultivation, and began advancing his cultivation as purple qi guided his meridians.

Jiang Hao consolidated his cultivation, prepared talismans, and bought a Shadow Saber before his upcoming trip to the Demon Cave. With the departure day arriving, he had little money left and still did not know whether he would return.

• Jiang Hao reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment and strengthened his body by absorbing cultivation and blood essence.
• Jiang Hao spent a month practicing Demonic Sound Slash, studying the Nameless Manual, and preparing fifteen Myriad Sword Talismans for the Demon Cave.
• Jiang Hao decided to save his cultivation and blood essence rather than attempt a breakthrough before the trip.
• Jiang Hao bought a Shadow Saber at the Star Pavilion and sold talismans, leaving himself with only twenty or thirty spirit stones.
• Jiang Hao practiced with the Shadow Saber through the night, then prepared to leave for the Demon Cave at sunrise.

Jiang Hao set out on a mission to the Demon Grotto after learning that two Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciples had advanced to Foundation Establishment late stage and perfection. At the grotto entrance, he joined the four other mission participants in agreeing to hunt together first, despite Qing Xue's preference to split up.

• Jiang Hao left his courtyard and checked that his blood essence and cultivation were both more than halfway to a breakthrough.
• Liu Xingchen warned Jiang Hao that the two Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciples had advanced, leaving him facing stronger opponents than expected.
• Jiang Hao met Qing Xue, Lou Feng, Zheng Nineteen, and Xin Yuyue at the mission gathering point and appraised Qing Xue as a Foundation Establishment perfection cultivator who hated him.
• The group arrived at the Demon Grotto Entrance at noon, and Zheng Nineteen persuaded them to stay together until they had cleared most of the demonfolk.

Jiang Hao entered the Demon Grotto with four others and discovered that killing Demonfolk could yield vital energy and cultivation, though the gains were inconsistent. After a month of hunting together, Lou Feng’s interference left Jiang Hao close to his cultivation thresholds but still short, while the group was running out of Demonfolk.

• Jiang Hao and the others entered the Demon Grotto’s core region and saw a beam of light rising into the sky.
• When three Demonfolk attacked, Jiang Hao killed one by stabbing its neck and received vital energy and cultivation bubbles.
• The group decided to hunt Demonfolk together, and Jiang Hao killed two from a later group while the others let him take the lead.
• Over the next month, Jiang Hao and the others continued hunting, but Lou Feng repeatedly killed the remaining Demonfolk whenever Jiang Hao attacked.
• Jiang Hao saw that his vital energy had reached 95/100 and his cultivation 96/100, while Lou Feng’s interference and the dwindling Demonfolk threatened to keep him from gaining more.

Jiang Hao fled from Lou Feng and hunted Demonfolk in the depths of the grotto until his cultivation and blood essence reserves were full. As he searched for a place to advance, Lou Feng found a Demonfolk corpse and realized he was on Jiang Hao’s trail.

• Qing Xue proposed that the group split up, and Jiang Hao headed deeper into the grotto before secretly changing direction and speeding away.
• Zheng Nineteen sensed that Lou Feng was following Jiang Hao, while Xin Yuyue chose to travel alone.
• Jiang Hao avoided attacking Demonfolk during a day of flight, then began hunting them to fill his cultivation and blood essence reserves.
• After three days of hunting, Jiang Hao filled both reserves and set out to find a place to advance.
• Lou Feng spotted a Demonfolk corpse along a lakeshore and said he had found Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao broke through to Foundation Establishment perfection just as Lou Feng found him and attacked. He repelled Lou Feng, then fought Qing Xue in midair as she called for Lou Feng to join forces against him.

• Lou Feng tracked Jiang Hao to the woods while Qing Xue followed behind him.
• Jiang Hao attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment perfection inside a large tree as Lou Feng searched the area.
• Lou Feng found Jiang Hao and split the tree with his saber, but a phantom suit of armor blocked the attack.
• Jiang Hao completed his breakthrough, then struck Lou Feng with Demonic Sound Slash and sent him flying, badly injured.
• Qing Xue attacked Jiang Hao with her sword and spells, but neither fighter yielded in their fierce exchange.
• Qing Xue called for Lou Feng to join forces, warning that Jiang Hao had just advanced and might not hold out for long.

Jiang Hao defeated and killed Lou Feng and Qing Xue after they attacked him, then was left injured as five Demonfolk approached. A month later, Zheng Nineteen and Xin Yuyue waited near the Demon Grotto’s exit and discussed whether Jiang Hao would return.

• Lou Feng and Qing Xue attacked Jiang Hao together, but Jiang Hao used purple qi to break Lou Feng’s saber and fatally strike him, then cut down Qing Xue.
• Jiang Hao killed Lou Feng and Qing Xue with Myriad Sword Talismans, then vomited blood from his accumulated injuries and began healing.
• Five Demonfolk approached Jiang Hao after hearing the battle, and the story moved ahead one month.
• Zheng Nineteen and Xin Yuyue met near the Demon Grotto’s exit and discussed the lack of Demonfolk and Jiang Hao’s fate.
• Zheng Nineteen said Jiang Hao could not have survived Lou Feng and Qing Xue’s combined attack, but admitted they would be in serious trouble if he returned.

Jiang Hao returned from the Demon Grotto alone, leaving Zheng Nineteen and Xin Yuyue to suspect he had killed the two Heavenly Joy Pavilion cultivators. Back at his courtyard, he found his Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower safe and realized Golden Core was within reach.

• Zheng Nineteen and Xin Yuyue feared Jiang Hao might kill them to conceal that he had slain the Heavenly Joy Pavilion cultivators, but Jiang Hao arrived and said the Demonfolk had mostly been cleared out.
• Jiang Hao, Zheng Nineteen, and Xin Yuyue left the Demon Grotto without waiting for the missing Heavenly Joy Pavilion cultivators.
• Jiang Hao turned in his mission, greeted his master, and returned to his courtyard after more than two months away.
• Jiang Hao found two bubbles on the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower, tended his plants, and confirmed no one had disturbed them.
• Jiang Hao planted his cracked Shadow Saber in a corner and checked his status, finding himself at Foundation Establishment perfection with Golden Core within reach.

Jiang Hao returned from the Demon Grotto, received his mission reward, and arranged a private spar with Han Ming. Hong Yuye appeared again just as Jiang Hao planned to lose the match and avoid attention.

• Jiang Hao reflected on his recent advancement and decided he needed stronger offensive skills, a saber, and more spirit stones.
• Liu Xingchen delivered Jiang Hao's three-hundred-spirit-stone reward and questioned him about the missing Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciples; Jiang Hao denied seeing them.
• Jiang Hao appraised Liu Xingchen and learned that the true disciple suspected he had killed the Heavenly Joy Pavilion disciples but was interested in the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.
• Han Ming challenged Jiang Hao to a private spar, and Jiang Hao agreed to meet him by the creek the next morning.
• Hong Yuye appeared in Jiang Hao's courtyard and remarked that he seemed afraid of attracting attention.

Jiang Hao agreed to defeat Han Ming in exchange for Hong Yuye’s saber technique, hoping to explain his strength by claiming he had gained opportunities in the Demon Grotto. He received the Seven Forms of the Heavenly Saber but struggled to understand it, while Han Ming looked forward to their match.

• Hong Yuye tested Jiang Hao about his cultivation and struck him into a wall when he repeated that he was at Foundation Establishment middle stage.
• Hong Yuye offered Jiang Hao the Seven Forms of the Heavenly Saber if he defeated Han Ming, and Jiang Hao accepted after weighing the risks.
• Hong Yuye gave Jiang Hao the saber manual and vanished, taking the Shadow Saber with her.
• Jiang Hao struggled to learn the manual’s first form, Moon-Splitting Slash, and decided to study it again with Clear Mind, Pure Heart.
• Han Ming returned to his residence eager to defeat Jiang Hao in their match the next day.

Jiang Hao defeated Han Ming in a single slash during their spar, revealing that his strength far exceeded Han Ming’s expectations. Han Ming left determined to grow stronger and defeat him, while Jiang Hao returned to tending the Spirit Medicine Garden with the Heavenly Joy Pavilion and Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower still weighing on him.

• Mu Qi warned Han Ming that Jiang Hao might have gained a fortuitous opportunity in the Demon Grotto, and Han Ming decided to be cautious despite believing he could win.
• Jiang Hao collected cultivation bubbles, prepared to wait for Han Ming, and used his new saber Half-Moon to practice the Heavenly Saber’s first form.
• Han Ming attacked with Heavenly Thunder Sword, but Jiang Hao’s Demonic Sound Slash shattered the attack and sent Han Ming flying.
• Jiang Hao told Han Ming he had gained strength through fortuitous opportunities and promised not to tell anyone about the private spar.
• Jiang Hao appraised Han Ming and learned that Han Ming wanted to advance, defeat him, and claim he had been lucky.
• Jiang Hao headed to the Spirit Medicine Garden, intent on growing stronger to deal with the Heavenly Joy Pavilion and Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower.

Jiang Hao discovered that Jin Zhouheng, an undercover Golden Core cultivator, had come to kill him over Yun Ruo’s death, so he warned Liu Xingchen and prepared for danger. Back at his residence, Jiang Hao tested his newly mastered blade technique and restrained himself from challenging a Golden Core cultivator.

• Jiang Hao sensed a hostile gaze in the Spirit Medicine Garden and used Daily Appraisal to identify Jin Zhouheng as an undercover Sunset Glow Sect disciple seeking revenge for Yun Ruo.
• Jiang Hao left the garden, obtained the roster of the five visiting disciples, and told Liu Xingchen that one of them might be a traitor.
• Liu Xingchen agreed to investigate and warned Jiang Hao to be careful over the next few days.
• Jiang Hao practiced the Heavenly Blade First Form with his Half-Moon saber and realized its power could rival Demonic Sound Slash.
• Jiang Hao considered testing his saber against a Golden Core cultivator, then abandoned the idea and cautioned himself against overconfidence.

Jiang Hao prepared to break through to the Golden Core realm while Jin Zhouheng threatened him and the sect planned to arrest the suspected spy that night. After gathering one final point of Qi-Blood in the Spirit Medicine Garden, he left to advance before danger arrived.

• Jiang Hao stayed in his courtyard for seven days, waiting until his cultivation and Qi-Blood were nearly ready for advancement.
• Jin Zhouheng's gaze appeared, then vanished when Liu Xingchen arrived to warn Jiang Hao that the sect planned to arrest the suspected spy that night.
• Jiang Hao wondered how he would respond if Liu Xingchen tried to recruit him, then went to the Spirit Medicine Garden to collect the last point he needed.
• Han Ming told Jiang Hao he was leaving to gain experience amid clashes between Azure Heaven Mountain and the sect.
• Jiang Hao collected the Spirit Medicine Garden's blue bubble, gained one point of Qi-Blood, and left without tending the garden so he could advance to the Golden Core realm.

Jiang Hao broke through to Golden Core as the injured infiltrator Jin Zhouheng approached to avenge Yun Ruo. They faced each other across a creek, and Jiang Hao urged Jin Zhouheng to remember Yun Ruo’s kindness just as his blade finished gathering power.

• Jin Zhouheng fled the Law Enforcement Hall’s pursuit, then turned toward Jiang Hao, intent on killing him before he was caught.
• Jiang Hao broke through his bottleneck and formed a Golden Core in his Dantian.
• Jiang Hao waited through the night and went to meet Jin Zhouheng when he arrived at dawn, battered and weakened.
• Jin Zhouheng accused Jiang Hao of killing Yun Ruo and explained how much she had meant to him.
• Jiang Hao told Jin Zhouheng to relive his memories of Yun Ruo before attacking, while his blade finished gathering power.

Jiang Hao killed Jin Zhouheng with a surprise saber strike and reported the death to Ku Wuchang, who warned him to expect another Law Enforcement Hall investigation. As Jiang Hao adjusted to slower spirit-bubble gains after reaching Golden Core and worried about affording a better saber, Cheng Chou asked him to deal with a spirit beast in the Spirit Medicine Garden.

• Jiang Hao killed Jin Zhouheng with Moon-Splitting Slash and confirmed the death with Myriad Sword Talismans.
• Jiang Hao told Ku Wuchang that he had killed Jin Zhouheng and claimed his cultivation and saber technique came from the Demon Grotto; Ku Wuchang took the corpse and warned him to be careful.
• Jiang Hao discovered that spirit bubbles from the Heavenly Fragrance Dao Flower and Snow Lotus appeared less often as his cultivation increased.
• After a month at Golden Core, Jiang Hao extracted cultivation and blood essence, consolidated his power, and realized his progress toward the primordial spirit realm would be slower than before.
• Jiang Hao asked Cheng Chou how Golden Core cultivators obtained spirit stones, and Cheng Chou answered that they robbed people.
• Cheng Chou asked Jiang Hao to help catch a spirit beast darting around in the spirit field.