Chapter Summaries

After defeating Black Bear, Ying Huaixu repaired and distributed the boss’s Magic Treasures, then worried that the era quest’s still-glowing red warning signaled greater danger. He summoned Qiu Shiyi to help explore a Secret Realm, but Xu Yaoyang’s complaint about Ye Ningshuang left Qiu Shiyi baffled.

• He Xiuyuan broke through to the fifth level of Meridian Opening, while Ying Huaixu fed Ye Ningshuang Sweet Dew Pills until she woke and told him to stop.
• He Xiuyuan brought Black Bear’s dropped items to Ying Huaixu, who repaired the little bell and gave the bell to Ye Ningshuang, the cloak to He Xiuyuan, and the Wolf-Fang Club to Xu Yaoyang.
• Back at the inn, Ying Huaixu reviewed how Black Bear had used Magic Treasures and spells, then grew uneasy about the era quest’s red warning triangle.
• Ying Huaixu invited Qiu Shiyi to join the Secret Realm expedition by mentioning a possible clump of Weak Water, and Qiu Shiyi quickly arrived.
• Xu Yaoyang angrily complained that Ye Ningshuang was still hitting him despite his no longer staying next door to Ying Huaixu, prompting Qiu Shiyi to ask what arrangement they had.

Xu Yaoyang was attacked by black mist that drained his spiritual energy, and Ye Ningshuang refined it. Qiu Shiyi explained that Cold Mountain Temple was protected by a dangerous black-mist fallback, then agreed to help Ying Huaixu investigate Weak Water.

• Xu Yaoyang accused Ye Ningshuang of attacking him, but she denied it and Qiu Shiyi identified the lingering black mist as a technique from Cold Mountain Temple.
• Xu Yaoyang realized the black mist was draining his spiritual energy, and Ye Ningshuang refined it at Ying Huaixu's request.
• Qiu Shiyi explained that he could not attack Cold Mountain Temple because killing its Evil Dragon would release black mist that devoured all spirituality.
• Ying Huaixu promised Qiu Shiyi Weak Water if their plans went as expected, and Qiu Shiyi agreed to help in exchange for it or something of equal value.
• Xu Yaoyang wondered why no one had told him about the Weak Water, while He Xiuyuan said Ying Huaixu was usually right.

On the journey aboard Xu Yaoyang’s Flying Boat, Ying Huaixu completed a daily quest by freezing Xu Yaoyang, then casually broke through to the sixth layer of Meridian Opening. The group was left astonished, while He Xiuyuan wondered whether his own unusual gains from killing demonic beasts meant he was secretly talented.

• Xu Yaoyang asked He Xiuyuan how Ying Huaixu knew the route, and He Xiuyuan warned him to prepare defensive gear because Ying Huaixu’s journeys tended to be dangerous.
• Ying Huaixu noticed a daily quest above Xu Yaoyang and asked if he needed help; Xu Yaoyang began to answer before Ying Huaixu froze him and completed the quest.
• Xu Yaoyang thawed, found his cultivation more stable, and said he could kill the black bear in one strike; Ying Huaixu then announced he would break through and reached the sixth layer of Meridian Opening.
• Qiu Shiyi and Xu Yaoyang gaped at Ying Huaixu’s rapid breakthrough, while Ye Ningshuang and He Xiuyuan remained unsurprised.
• He Xiuyuan asked Ye Ningshuang whether killing demonic beasts made power surge through her body, and she said it did not.
• He Xiuyuan asked whether Ying Huaixu would agree to become his adoptive father, and Ye Ningshuang told him she would have smacked him for being useless.

A diviner used Weak Water to glimpse a woman who had slain powerful figures, including the Mile-High Heaven Sect Master, before heavenly lightning killed him and everyone at the site. Ying Huaixu’s Hongmeng Mission activated as he traveled with Qiu Shiyi, Xu Yaoyang, and Ye Ningshuang, and the chapter ended with Ye Ningshuang haunted by the faces of people she had killed.

• An old man poured Weak Water into a strange building and divined a vision of a woman standing over a mountain of corpses and holding the Mile-High Heaven Sect Master's severed head.
• Heavenly lightning killed the old man, destroyed the building, and wiped out the kneeling worshippers after he sent his report to his superiors.
• Ying Huaixu’s Hongmeng Mission activated, announcing a highest-priority mission concerning Ye Ningshuang’s troubles.
• Ying Huaixu told Qiu Shiyi that their plan had changed and explained that Weak Water could only be used by someone with an immortal-grade water spiritual root.
• Ying Huaixu recalled how players had learned that Qiu Shiyi stole Weak Water and later received Qiu Shiyi’s Autumn Water Sword after helping him see the dawn.
• Ye Ningshuang suddenly remembered the people she had killed, and their faces lingered in her mind.

Ying Huaixu led his companions to Wufeng Town, following a mission prompt while claiming his lost memories had drawn him there. After Ye Ningshuang slipped out at night, his companions assumed he had brought her to revisit her childhood home, and a crowd of Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples arrived after pursuing the Ghost Bride.

• Ying Huaixu claimed that his forgotten memories pointed him toward an important place, and his companions agreed to follow him.
• The group reached Wufeng Town, where Ying Huaixu saw the mission prompt instructing him to rest for three days and arranged accommodations.
• Ye Ningshuang left alone after nightfall, so Ying Huaixu secretly followed her, with Qiu Shiyi, He Xiuyuan, and Xu Yaoyang joining him.
• Qiu Shiyi explained that Wufeng Town was Ye Ningshuang's childhood home and assumed Ying Huaixu had brought her there to pay respects to her parents.
• Xu Yaoyang leaned on Ying Huaixu's ice-cold scabbard, and Ying Huaixu warned him to act normally.
• More Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples gathered and explained that they had chased the Ghost Bride to town after sparring with her during the pursuit.

Ying Huaixu gathered powerful Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples, who swiftly killed a group of people in black targeting Ye Ningshuang. After the battle, the disciples discovered Ye Ningshuang had disappeared, but Ying Huaixu believed she would have to handle the danger herself.

• Qiu Shiyi questioned Ying Huaixu about the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples’ bloodthirsty behavior, while they chose to train before joining his dangerous mission.
• Huang Tianqi arrived with a dozen powerful disciples, astonishing He Xiuyuan, Qiu Shiyi, and Xu Yaoyang with their strength.
• More Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples and people in black appeared, and He Xiuyuan revealed that Ye Ningshuang was their junior sister.
• Huang Tianqi ordered the disciples to attack, and they quickly killed the people in black, gaining Ying Huaixu a large amount of experience.
• Qiu Shiyi reported the disciples’ conduct to Lü Qingyi, then challenged Ying Huaixu about her apparent favoritism; Ying Huaixu explained that he had traded a family heirloom for his magic treasure.
• Huang Tianqi realized Ye Ningshuang was missing, and Ying Huaixu said she would have to weather the situation herself.

Ye Ningshuang faced the black mist that preyed on her hatred over her parents’ deaths, but remembered Lü Qingyi’s lesson to think for herself and resist being ruled by emotion. After the mist attacked and overwhelmed her, she called for her senior martial brother to save her.

• Ye Ningshuang visited her parents’ graves and nearly gave in to the black mist’s urging to kill everyone.
• The mist showed Ye Ningshuang her parents’ murder and promised her power and revenge if she merged with it.
• Ye Ningshuang remembered Lü Qingyi teaching her to control her emotions and make her own choices rather than become someone else’s tool.
• Ye Ningshuang refused the mist, saying she could already defeat her mortal enemies, and it attacked her.
• The black mist took Ye Ningshuang’s form and urged her to surrender, but Ye Ningshuang lay down and shouted for her senior martial brother to save her.

Ying Huaixu defeated the shadow tormenting Ye Ningshuang, allowing her to absorb the darkness and awaken her Spiritual Root and umbral intent. The first part of his mission was complete, but a new task began when Ye Ningshuang’s talent was exposed and she faced an impending attack.

• Ying Huaixu confronted the shadow after Ye Ningshuang admitted she could not defeat her, then challenged it to become Ye Ningshuang’s symbiotic being.
• The shadow attacked Ying Huaixu, but he used Frost Annihilation and sword techniques to freeze and severely weaken it.
• The shadow agreed to become Ye Ningshuang’s symbiotic being, but Ying Huaixu’s execution attack destroyed it and earned him experience.
• Ying Huaixu told Ye Ningshuang to absorb the darkness, and she awakened her Spiritual Root and mastered umbral intent.
• Ying Huaixu completed the first mission and received a new task to help Ye Ningshuang survive an attack after her talent was exposed.

After helping Ye Ningshuang control her Netherworld domain, Ying Huaixu learned that she had gained a middle-grade Netherworld Spiritual Root and Netherworld intent. He discovered that Xue Si had exposed Ye Ningshuang’s identity, and as assassins arrived, the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples eagerly prepared to fight.

• Ying Huaixu explained that helping Ye Ningshuang did not count toward the Illusory Dream Trial, then asked whether she felt any discomfort.
• Ye Ningshuang revealed her improved Netherworld Spiritual Root and demonstrated that her black mist could block attacks.
• Ye Ningshuang told Ying Huaixu she had called for his help and decided to test whether she could summon him again.
• Ying Huaixu told Qiu Shiyi that Xue Si had exposed Ye Ningshuang’s identity and that assassins were likely coming for her.
• Ying Huaixu spotted the approaching attackers, and the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples drew their swords excitedly.
• Qiu Shiyi said Huang Tianqi had poisoned He Xiuyuan after He Xiuyuan refused to acknowledge Huang Tianqi’s superiority.

Shura Hall’s assassins watched as Qiu Shiyi and the Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s disciples wiped out the forces gathered to kill Ye Ningshuang. Ying Huaixu gained a huge amount of experience, and the chapter ended with the sect’s disciples feeling a chill run down their spines.

• Shura Hall’s leader learned that the Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s disciples, Qiu Shiyi, and Xu Yaoyang were accompanying Ye Ningshuang, but his superiors still ordered the assassination to proceed.
• The Shura Hall leader chose to hold back while the Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s disciples slaughtered the other would-be assassins.
• A hidden Spirit Sea cultivator attacked the disciples, and Qiu Shiyi killed him with a sword formed from rain.
• Qiu Shiyi killed the remaining Spirit Sea cultivators, while the Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s disciples eliminated the other surviving attackers.
• Ying Huaixu completed tasks, gained experience and rewards, and confirmed that raising the sect’s disciples was worthwhile.
• The Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s disciples felt a chill run down their spines.

Ying Huaixu learned that innate Ice Spirit Qi would be available in the Cold Pool Secret Realm in a year, much sooner than he expected, and raised his cultivation to the eighth layer of Meridian Opening. As the group traveled to find Weak Water, Qiu Shiyi wondered whether staying with Ying Huaixu could help him advance too.

• Ying Huaixu asked He Xixiang about innate Ice Spirit Qi, and she said the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land's supply could not be taken out but the Cold Pool Secret Realm would have plenty.
• He Xixiang told Ying Huaixu she had obtained the Innate Ice Spirit Fruit for him before going offline to deal with the Sacred Land elders.
• Ying Huaixu saw the mission required him to visit the Cold Pool Secret Realm in one year and, unsettled by the early timing, advanced to the eighth layer of Meridian Opening.
• Qiu Shiyi sensed Ying Huaixu's rapid breakthroughs and asked how he cultivated, and Ying Huaixu said he had advanced because he was in a good mood.
• Qiu Shiyi noticed He Xiuyuan had reached the sixth layer of Meridian Opening and considered whether traveling with Ying Huaixu might help him obtain Weak Water and break through.

Ying Huaixu and the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples joined Xu Yaoyang to deal with a Sword Slave controlled by the demonic sword Nine Abysses. Before they could reach him, Ying Huaixu sent the disciples into a cave to fight a giant spider, then ordered He Xiuyuan to face it alone.

• Xu Yaoyang explained that a Meridian Opening disciple had become Nine Abysses' Sword Slave and was difficult to defeat because the terrain let him replenish his strength.
• Ying Huaixu handed the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples large supplies of pills and Defensive Talismans, then directed them into a cave to slaughter its demonic creatures.
• A giant spider ensnared the disciples and resisted their sword attacks, while their Blazing Fire Technique hastened the hatching of its eggs.
• The newly hatched spiders attacked the disciples, who fled while using their Defensive Talismans to protect themselves.
• Ying Huaixu told He Xiuyuan to deal with the giant spider alone, and He Xiuyuan asked in surprise if he meant by himself.

He Xiuyuan fought a giant spider, gained sudden enlightenment, and comprehended metal intent. Emboldened by his breakthrough, he challenged Ying Huaixu and was quickly frozen and slapped.

• Ying Huaixu urged He Xiuyuan to fight the giant spider, and He Xiuyuan killed its smaller spiders while his spiritual power grew.
• He Xiuyuan battled the giant spider and eventually split it in half with a single strike.
• He Xiuyuan entered sudden enlightenment as Qiu Shiyi shielded him and the others guarded him.
• He Xiuyuan emerged having comprehended metal intent, astonishing Qiu Shiyi, who learned that Ying Huaixu and Ye Ningshuang had also comprehended intent.
• He Xiuyuan bound Huang Tianqi with a golden thread and pummeled him before challenging Ying Huaixu.
• Ying Huaixu froze He Xiuyuan and lightly slapped him across the face.

Ying Huaixu helped the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples dismantle a giant spider and gained experience by completing a daily quest for Ye Ningshuang. He then led everyone toward Spider Cave to kill the Sword Slave, skipping the mechanisms along the way.

• Ying Huaixu let the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples spend three days dismantling the spider corpse while they cultivated, and his experience rose to 526666.
• Ying Huaixu massaged Ye Ningshuang’s sore ankle, completed his daily quest, and gained 123334 experience and 10 Dao Stones.
• Xu Yaoyang tried to get Ying Huaixu to massage his feet, but Ye Ningshuang threatened him and told him to stay away from her senior brother.
• Ying Huaixu asked Qiu Shiyi to help Xu Yaoyang cultivate with a curtain of water, but Qiu Shiyi said Xu Yaoyang had a taste for Ying Huaixu.
• Ying Huaixu led the group toward Spider Cave to kill the Sword Slave, declaring that he was skipping the mechanisms; Xu Yaoyang and the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples followed him.

Ying Huaixu led the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples to the Sword Slave, where Qiu Shiyi challenged the powerful foe despite a barrier suppressing his cultivation. After repeated defeats, Qiu Shiyi returned to the cave once more, but this time he only watched the Sword Slave from the tunnel.

• Ying Huaixu led the disciples through a tunnel into the cavern where the Sword Slave knelt at an altar.
• Qiu Shiyi entered the barrier, had his cultivation suppressed, and was blasted into the mountainside by the Sword Slave.
• Qiu Shiyi attacked again with Water Curtain Sword Energy, but the Sword Slave rapidly healed his wounds.
• The Sword Slave swallowed a sword, prompting Ying Huaixu to flee with the disciples while Qiu Shiyi stayed to fight.
• Ying Huaixu repeatedly carried the injured Qiu Shiyi out of the cave, and Qiu Shiyi kept returning to challenge the Sword Slave.
• When Qiu Shiyi went into the cave again, Ying Huaixu found him crouched by the tunnel, watching the Sword Slave instead of attacking.

Ying Huaixu fought the Sword Slave after Qiu Shiyi claimed the creature was Ying Huaixu’s problem, overwhelming it until it entered a powerful second phase. The Sword Slave unleashed a huge area attack that trapped Ying Huaixu and blasted the Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples out of the cave.

• Qiu Shiyi argued that failing to defeat the Sword Slave was Ying Huaixu’s problem, so Ying Huaixu jumped down to face it.
• Ying Huaixu reflected the Sword Slave’s sword energy, froze it, and battered it with repeated sword techniques until it entered its second phase.
• The second-phase Sword Slave became immune to freezing and traded rapid blows with Ying Huaixu, astonishing the watching Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciples.
• The Sword Slave suddenly lost its strength, and Ying Huaixu destroyed its body with sword attacks, but it rose again and began charging an area attack.
• Ying Huaixu failed to interrupt the attack, activated defensive talismans and an automatic Sweet Dew Pill, and braced himself as the blood-red energy ball crashed down and blasted the disciples from the cave.

Ying Huaixu defeated the Sword Slave, and the group followed Nine Abysses to another altar where Qiu Shiyi faced the next guardian. Qiu Shiyi destroyed the armored figure, but Nine Abysses summoned an old remnant soul who recognized Ye Ningshuang and challenged Qiu Shiyi.

• Ying Huaixu killed the Sword Slave after its powerful attack left it briefly immobilized, earning EXP and Spirit Stones.
• Nine Abysses flew away, and Ying Huaixu told Qiu Shiyi to handle the remaining bosses in exchange for the Weak Water.
• Ying Huaixu, Ye Ningshuang, and He Xiuyuan followed Nine Abysses to a valley altar while the disciples returned to the sect.
• Qiu Shiyi's Water Sword overwhelmed the armored figure wielding Nine Abysses and blasted it apart.
• Nine Abysses gathered nearby remnant souls into a gaunt old man, who recognized Ye Ningshuang and said he could defeat Qiu Shiyi.

Qiu Shiyi battled the remnant soul wielding Nine Abysses and pushed it into merging with the demon sword, but He Xixiang arrived before it could kill Ye Ningshuang. He Xixiang stopped the remnant soul’s attack with one finger.

• Qiu Shiyi exchanged powerful water and sword attacks with the remnant soul, while Ying Huaixu led Ye Ningshuang and the others to watch from a distance.
• The remnant soul unleashed sword phantoms and blood-red sword energy, but Qiu Shiyi countered with a water giant and a devastating strike from Autumn Water.
• The remnant soul merged with Nine Abysses, regaining a solid body and flesh, and Qiu Shiyi ran out of spiritual energy.
• Ying Huaixu contacted Lü Qingyi, who said He Xixiang was nearby and did not need her intervention.
• He Xixiang arrived, praised Ying Huaixu’s cultivation, and blocked the remnant soul’s charge at Ye Ningshuang with one finger.

He Xixiang destroyed the old man and Nine Abysses with a punch, then Lü Qingyi restored the mountain range and settled the aftermath. After learning that the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land’s elders had insulted her and threatened Ying Huaixu, Lü Qingyi left to confront them, with He Xixiang and Ying Huaixu following.

• He Xixiang punched the old man and Nine Abysses into dust, flattening the land for ten thousand li.
• Lü Qingyi restored the mountain range, gave Qiu Shiyi Weak Water, returned Nine Abysses to Xu Yaoyang, and granted He Xiuyuan permission to train on the Sword Tower’s Third Floor.
• Lü Qingyi demanded the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land’s ancestor’s corpse and the Sect Master’s skullcap from He Xixiang; she kept the corpse but Lü Qingyi took the skullcap and gave it to Ying Huaixu.
• He Xixiang told Lü Qingyi that the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land’s supreme elder had insulted her and threatened Ying Huaixu’s family.
• Lü Qingyi left with Ye Ningshuang to confront the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land, and He Xixiang took Ying Huaixu after them.

Lü Qingyi confronted the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land’s delegation and killed its supreme elder after learning he had backed their hostile demands. She spared the kneeling Sect Master, while He Xixiang revealed that the Sacred Land might be kept as a source of labor for the Divine Firmament Sword Sect’s ice-attribute disciples.

• Ying Huaixu and He Xixiang watched from a corner as Lü Qingyi returned to the main hall and faced the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land’s delegation.
• Lü Qingyi accused the delegation of insulting the Divine Firmament Sword Sect and demanding compensation despite their supreme elder’s role in attacking He Xixiang.
• The Holy Master of the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land warned that its supreme elder had broken through to a new realm and demanded the return of their ancestor’s remains and his skullcap.
• Lü Qingyi reached through the void, seized the supreme elder, shattered his Dharma Aspect, and crushed him to death in her hand.
• Lü Qingyi spared the Holy Master, who kowtowed and promised to leave, while He Xixiang explained that the Heavenly Snow Sacred Land could be made to farm for the sect’s ice-attribute disciples.