Chapter Summaries

Zhuge Qi Tian stepped in to protect Wu Dao and Lin Ke from Yanlin and another Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect disciple, then revealed immense momentum that forced them back. The onlookers recognized that the seemingly harmless Golden Core cultivator had begun to grasp a power resembling a domain of momentum, leaving Fu Tan newly wary of him.

• Yanlin and his companion pressed Wu Dao back with their momentum while Wu Dao held back to avoid breaking the Trial's rules.
• Zhuge Qi Tian arrived, steadied Wu Dao, and warned Yanlin and his companion to withdraw and avoid harming relations between their sects.
• Yanlin and his companion stepped forward again, but Zhuge Qi Tian released overwhelming momentum that halted them and forced them to stagger backward.
• Mo Qi Qi and Nan Shang speculated that Zhuge Qi Tian had grasped the embryonic form of a unique domain of momentum.
• Fu Tan realized he had underestimated Zhuge Qi Tian and began to take the Golden Wing Sect disciple seriously.

Zhuge Qi Tian stopped Yanlin and his companion from disrupting Lin Ke's contemplation, and Lin Ke absorbed the Wasteland's chaotic power as his golden cores and spirit insects transformed. Lin Ke began a dangerous breakthrough toward the late Golden Core stage, while Mo Qi Qi and rival sect prodigies expected the impure energies to destroy him.

• Zhuge Qi Tian overpowered Yanlin and his companion, who apologized and retreated without attacking Lin Ke again.
• Wu Dao thanked Zhuge Qi Tian for protecting Lin Ke, who remained immersed in contemplation.
• Lin Ke's nine golden cores and spirit insects absorbed the power of heaven and earth as he tempered his five-colored glazed body.
• Lin Ke's yin-yang golden core drew the altar's chaotic energies into a vortex, and his aura surged beyond the mid Golden Core stage.
• Zhuge Qi Tian worried that the Wasteland's sinister energies could destroy Lin Ke, while Mo Qi Qi and rival sect prodigies welcomed the prospect of his downfall.

Lin Ke attempted a breakthrough on the Altar, where his yin-yang golden core transformed gathered battlefield energies into a spectacular display of Dao power. The breakthrough remained underway as the Taiji diagram refined the chaotic forces into pure spirit liquid.

• Zhuge Qi Tian and Wu Dao guarded Lin Ke while the other sects and the Imperial Clan moved away from the danger.
• Zheyan appeared on the Altar and watched as Lin Ke drew a vast vortex of yin-evil power, spirit power, and shattered Dao arts.
• Lin Ke's yin-yang golden core sent out black and white dragons that tore open the vortex, astonishing Zheyan with signs of Dao arts evolving.
• The dragons absorbed mixed energies and Blood Moon starlight, while Fu Tan and the other cultivators wondered how Lin Ke could withstand such forces.
• The dragons joined into a rotating Taiji diagram that refined the chaotic energies into pure spirit liquid, forming a shining crystalline ribbon.

Lin Ke absorbed the altar’s power, used his insight into the heaven and earth Dao arts to break through to the late Golden Core stage, and greatly strengthened his nine golden cores. After the breakthrough unsettled the rival sects, Mo Tianji of the Cloud Ink Sect approached Lin Ke to introduce himself and make his acquaintance.

• Lin Ke absorbed the celestial river’s power as his nine golden cores and five-colored glazed body underwent powerful tempering.
• Lin Ke broke through to the late Golden Core stage, and Wu Dao and Zhuge Qi Tian congratulated him.
• Lin Ke realized the breakthrough had strengthened his power, perception, and connection to the heaven and earth Dao arts.
• The prodigies of the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect and the Jade Great Radiance Church saw Lin Ke as a greater obstacle in the coming trials.
• Mo Tianji approached Lin Ke, congratulated him on his breakthrough, and introduced himself as a member of the Cloud Ink Sect.

After Lin Ke's breakthrough, Mo Tianji acknowledged him as a worthy rival and proposed discussing the Dao after the trial, while Lin Ke remained cautious. As the gathered prodigies contemplated through the night, Zheyan offered Lin Ke a cryptic prediction; the next day, Zheyan revealed that reaching the altar had already completed the first stage of the trial.

• Lin Ke recognized Mo Tianji as a formidable Cloud Ink Sect prodigy and exchanged courteous greetings with him.
• Mo Tianji proposed that he and Lin Ke discuss the Dao after the Heavenly Pride Gathering, and Lin Ke agreed only to meet after the trial.
• Lin Ke stood guard while Zhuge Qi Tian and Wu Dao contemplated, and Zheyan praised Lin Ke with a cryptic prediction about his future.
• The prodigies spent the night contemplating without incident, then prepared to search for more Ancient Talismans the next morning.
• Zheyan announced that the altar was the first stage's final destination and that everyone who had reached it had already completed that stage.

The participants waited at the Ancient Altar as more heavenly prides crossed the Wasteland and arrived, including members of the Jade Great Radiance Church, Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect, and Golden Wing Sect. By evening, more than two hundred of the seven hundred participants had gathered, and Lin Ke recognized that the Trial’s death toll would likely be severe.

• Zheyan told the participants that the First Stage would end only after the remaining heavenly prides arrived, and Wu Dao worried about the missing Golden Wing Sect disciples.
• More than a dozen heavenly prides from the Jade Great Radiance Church reached the Altar, followed by two groups of body cultivators from the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect.
• Feng Jinyan and Su Nuonuo arrived with five other Golden Wing Sect heavenly prides, and they were surprised to learn Lin Ke had already reached the Altar and broken through.
• Feng Jinyan and Su Nuonuo told Lin Ke that participants had been scattered around the Wasteland’s outskirts and were traveling inward toward the central Ancient Altar.
• By evening, more than two hundred participants had arrived, and Lin Ke estimated that at least a hundred of the seven hundred participants might die in the Trial.

After the First Stage ended, the factions counted their survivors and submitted their Ancient Talismans to establish rankings for the Second Stage. The other major factions revealed impressive totals, and the chapter ended with everyone waiting to see what the Golden Wing Sect would present.

• Zheyan declared the trial over, and the factions counted their survivors; the Golden Wing Sect had lost eighteen of its hundred geniuses.
• Zhuge Qi Tian led the Golden Wing Sect in a moment of silence, while Lin Ke released Jade Commandery Princess and the others to the Imperial Clan Geniuses.
• Zheyan announced that the geniuses would submit their Ancient Talismans, with the top ten earning priority in choosing opponents for the Second Stage.
• Fu Tan submitted 3,464 Ancient Talismans, and several other Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect geniuses also revealed high totals.
• Mo Qi Qi submitted 3,648 Ancient Talismans, while geniuses from the Cloud Ink Sect and Imperial Clan Geniuses also presented their totals.
• The other factions finished displaying their strength and watched as the Golden Wing Sect prepared to submit its Ancient Talismans.

Feng Jinyan, Dongfang Yao, and Shen Wei revealed that the Golden Wing Sect had gathered more Ancient Talismans than the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect’s leading disciples, silencing their mockery. The inspection continued, and Zhuge Qi Tian stepped forward to submit his talismans, leaving everyone eager to learn his count.

• Fu Tan and the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect disciples mocked the Golden Wing Sect for supposedly having too few Ancient Talismans to submit.
• Feng Jinyan handed in 3,662 Ancient Talismans, nearly two hundred more than Fu Tan had collected, and rebuked the hecklers.
• Dongfang Yao submitted 3,703 Ancient Talismans and challenged the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect disciples’ boasts.
• Shen Wei handed in 3,776 Ancient Talismans, further silencing the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect and changing the other sects’ view of the Golden Wing Sect.
• The inspection continued, and Zhuge Qi Tian rose to submit his Ancient Talismans as the gathered prodigies awaited his total.

Zhuge Qi Tian stunned the trial participants with 4,930 Ancient Talismans, setting a new record, but Lin Ke eclipsed him by producing an even larger haul. The chapter ended with Zheyan announcing that Lin Ke had collected 6,496 Ancient Talismans.

• Zheyan counted Zhuge Qi Tian's Ancient Talismans and announced that he had 4,930, far surpassing the other prodigies.
• Fu Tan and Mo Qi Qi were shocked by Zhuge Qi Tian's total, while the Golden Wing Sect celebrated his achievement.
• Wu Dao presented more than 4,200 Ancient Talismans, and Lin Ke explained that they had collected them together.
• Lin Ke poured out a vast torrent of Ancient Talismans that quickly grew larger than Zhuge Qi Tian's pile.
• Zheyan finished counting Lin Ke's Ancient Talismans and announced a total of 6,496.

Lin Ke’s 6,496 Ancient Talismans secured him first place, and Zheyan confirmed that he had obtained them legitimately. The Golden Wing Sect dominated the First Stage rankings, and the prodigies returned to Dian Cang Prefecture to face the deadly Second Stage.

• Zheyan announced that Lin Ke had gathered 6,496 Ancient Talismans, astonishing Fu Tan and the other prodigies.
• Prodigies from rival sects accused Lin Ke of stealing Ancient Talismans, but Wu Dao, Dongfang Yao, and Golden Wing Sect disciples defended him.
• Zheyan declared that Lin Ke had followed the rules and warned that further objections would end the Trial.
• Zheyan revealed the rankings, with Lin Ke, Zhuge Qi Tian, and Wu Dao taking the top three places for the Golden Wing Sect.
• Zheyan ended the First Stage and used a spatial force to return the prodigies to Dian Cang Prefecture’s white jade square.
• The Imperial Sovereign congratulated the prodigies on passing the First Stage as they prepared for the deadly Arena of the Second Stage.

After the Golden Wing Sect won the first stage, the Imperial Sovereign announced the second stage, where the top ten could choose their opponents. Lin Ke accepted Nan Shang’s challenge, setting up a direct match between the two prodigies.

• The Imperial Sovereign congratulated the Golden Wing Sect for taking first place and explained the rules for the second stage.
• The tenth-ranked prodigy and then the fourth- and seventh-ranked prodigies chose opponents ranked far below them to conserve their strength.
• Zhuge Qi Tian urged the Golden Wing Sect’s top-ranked disciples to choose strategically, and Dongfang Yao, Feng Jinyan, Su Nuonuo, Shen Wei, and Wu Dao selected weaker opponents.
• Nan Shang challenged Lin Ke to be his opponent, and Lin Ke agreed.

Lin Ke accepted Nan Shang’s challenge, intending to eliminate one of the Jade Great Radiance Church’s strongest prodigies before the later stages of the Grand Gathering. Before Zhuge Qi Tian could choose an opponent, Fu Tan challenged him, setting up a clash between the foremost prodigies of their sects.

• Nan Shang challenged Lin Ke, and Lin Ke accepted despite Shen Wei and the others’ worries.
• Lin Ke asked the Dali Domain’s Imperial Sovereign to name Nan Shang as his first arena opponent, and the Imperial Sovereign approved.
• Lin Ke reasoned that challenging Nan Shang would let him exploit his opponent’s limited knowledge of his strength and remove a major threat to the Golden Wing Sect.
• Fu Tan challenged Zhuge Qi Tian to settle which of them was stronger.
• Howling Ape Old Ghost and Hua Wujiang urged their disciples to fight as the crowd reacted to the challenge.

The Heavenly Prodigy Showdown began in an independent realm filled with arenas, where the first batch of prodigies fought for their sects’ honor. Lin Ke watched the battles and recognized Qu Tong struggling against Luo Xiao, whom he believed she was unlikely to defeat.

• Fu Tan and Zhuge Qi Tian agreed to settle their dispute in a designated arena match, with the Dali Domain's Imperial Sovereign arranging a venue for them.
• The prodigies drew jade tokens, and the Imperial Sovereign transported them and the sect leaders to an independent realm containing a hundred arenas.
• The first batch of two hundred prodigies took their assigned arenas and began fighting under protective barriers.
• Lin Ke watched the battles from the central platform and noticed that the first round was already turning vicious.
• Lin Ke recognized Qu Tong fighting Luo Xiao of the Giant Strength Fire Prison Sect and judged that Luo Xiao's mastered Giant Rock Diamond Body gave her little chance of winning.

Qu Tong battled Luo Xiao on Arena Seventy-Three, but his Earth Vein abilities steadily overwhelmed her lightning attacks. Luo Xiao gained the upper hand and continued striking as Lin Ke concluded that Qu Tong had already lost.

• Luo Xiao grew to nearly twenty zhang tall, endured Qu Tong's lightning, and seized Swift Lightning Thousand-Bird.
• Qu Tong used Abyssal Thunder Eyes, but Luo Xiao's Earth Vein Condensation Body dispersed the attack and let him advance.
• Qu Tong transformed with Azure Lightning Body, caught Swift Lightning Thousand-Bird, and fought Luo Xiao with lightning spears and Azure Thunder Tide.
• Luo Xiao rooted himself in the arena, overpowered Qu Tong's attacks, and trapped her with enormous earth-and-stone palms.
• Qu Tong used lightning phantoms to evade, but Luo Xiao's Earth Vein Shockwave revealed her position, and he struck her with a massive palm.
• Lin Ke judged that Qu Tong had lost as Luo Xiao followed his strike with a barrage of punches.

Qu Tong risked everything to destroy Luo Xiao’s Giant Rock True Body, but he survived with enough strength to continue the fight. As Luo Xiao approached to finish her, Qu Tong struggled with whether to concede or face another defeat.

• Luo Xiao believed he had won after Qu Tong’s aura nearly vanished, but she unleashed a lightning spear that shattered his stone giant body.
• Qu Tong emerged gravely wounded and nearly powerless, while Lin Ke sensed that Luo Xiao’s aura remained stronger than hers.
• Luo Xiao rose from the rubble in his normal form and revealed that his real body had survived the destruction of his external body.
• Luo Xiao advanced on Qu Tong and threatened to finish her unless she conceded under the Trial’s rules.
• Qu Tong considered conceding to preserve her life, but memories of her earlier defeat made her question whether she could accept failure again.

Qu Tong and Luo Xiao fought to a draw after Qu Tong unleashed a destructive black lightning attack that left both of them near death. As the Heavenly Pride Gathering continued, Lin Ke watched its brutal matches and felt his fighting spirit rise before the second round began.

• Qu Tong lunged at Luo Xiao and unleashed a pitch-black lightning orb, engulfing Arena Seventy-Three in a devastating blast.
• The Imperial Sovereign calmed the arena’s raging energy and used azure spiritual light to preserve Qu Tong and Luo Xiao’s lives.
• The Imperial Sovereign ruled the battle a draw, and Imperial Clan rescuers carried both fighters away.
• Lin Ke watched the other arenas’ victories, defeats, and deaths as the gathering’s cruelty became clear.
• The first round ended, and the second round began.

Lin Ke identified Wang Rui as a Shu Frontier spy after the Golden Wing Sect prodigy used a sinister insect-control technique to devour his opponent. As the sect leaders looked to Hua Wujiang to deal with him, Hua secretly assigned the task to Lin Ke.

• Lin Ke watched the duels for signs of Shu Frontier spies and noticed Wang Rui's insect-control methods during the third wave.
• Wang Rui empowered his Orchid Spiders with a dark, alien energy, and the swarm killed and devoured the Jade Great Radiance Church prodigy.
• Lin Ke recognized Wang Rui's technique as a Shu Frontier art and concluded that Wang Rui was a spy.
• The sect leaders and the Imperial Sovereign noticed Wang Rui's actions and looked to Hua Wujiang to purge him.
• Hua Wujiang secretly told Lin Ke to handle Wang Rui using his Dream-Eating Gecko.

Lin Ke faced Nan Shang in a highly anticipated top-ten match, where Nan Shang demonstrated formidable sword techniques and Lin Ke’s Spirit Beasts joined the fight. The battle was still underway as Lin Ke moved in after the Dream-Eating Gecko turned back Nan Shang’s rain of fire.

• The top-ten matches began, drawing particular attention to Lin Ke’s bout with Nan Shang and Zhuge Qi Tian’s bout with Fu Tan.
• Lin Ke and Nan Shang exchanged words before Nan Shang drew his Spirit Sword and Lin Ke summoned Lin Xuanyuan and the Dream-Eating Gecko.
• Lin Xuanyuan blocked Nan Shang’s sword strike and clashed with him, surprising both fighters with the other’s strength.
• Nan Shang unleashed Sun Gathering-Blazing Sun Slash, sending a vast rain of fire down on Lin Ke and his companions.
• The Dream-Eating Gecko used Mental Power to sweep the fire back, and Lin Ke seized the opening to rush forward.

Lin Ke fought Nan Shang at close range, resisting his sword domain and mental attack before the Dream-Eating Gecko struck with its Spirit-Shattering Pills. Nan Shang countered by unleashing Sword World, slowing Lin Ke and blocking the projectiles.

• Lin Ke broke through Nan Shang’s magma domain and drove him back with powerful close-range attacks.
• Nan Shang launched sword-intent shadows that carried a concealed mental attack, but Lin Ke’s mental power overwhelmed it.
• The Dream-Eating Gecko sent nearly a hundred Spirit-Shattering Pills at Nan Shang while he was stunned.
• Nan Shang summoned Sword World, combining his sword intent, mental power, and domain to block the pills and slow Lin Ke.

Lin Ke revealed that he could wield a sword domain, countering Nan Shang’s Sword World and forcing the two to fight with their sword arts. Their domains collided in a fierce clash that threatened the arena’s protective barrier.

• Lin Ke expanded his silver sword domain and held back Nan Shang’s suppressive Sword World.
• Nan Shang and the sect leaders outside the arena realized Lin Ke had cultivated Sword Dao as well as his other paths, while Hua Wujiang defended Lin Ke’s freedom to choose his cultivation.
• Nan Shang proposed settling the fight with swords, and Lin Ke accepted by summoning thirty flying swords.
• Nan Shang unleashed a torrent of sword-light with Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect, while Lin Ke formed a layered silver sword net with Swordlight Tide.
• The sword attacks crashed together, filling the arena with gold and silver light as the protective barrier flickered under the shock waves.