Chapter Summaries

After emerging from seclusion, Zhou Xun reunited with Jiang Wanning and brought her along with True Lord Tian Ci to the Immortal City's Nascent Soul Cultivator exchange meeting. At Clear Moon Pavilion, Netherfiend True Lord publicly praised Zhou Xun's strength to Perfected Lord Tianyi, drawing the assembled cultivators' attention to him.

• Zhou Xun ended his half-year seclusion and recognized that Jiang Wanning's cultivation had advanced with the help of his spirit wine.
• Zhou Xun and Jiang Wanning spent the night together, and he invited her to attend the exchange meeting as his attendant.
• The Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle reported that True Lord Tian Ci had arrived, and Zhou Xun, Jiang Wanning, and True Lord Tian Ci set out for Clear Moon Pavilion.
• Zhou Xun and True Lord Tian Ci entered the fifth-floor exchange meeting, where they saw Perfected Lord Tianyi, Netherfiend True Lord, and other Nascent Soul cultivators.
• Netherfiend True Lord greeted Zhou Xun and introduced him to Perfected Lord Tianyi as a Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator whose strength matched peak mid-stage cultivators.

Zhou Xun attended the Immortal City’s Nascent Soul exchange gathering, where Netherfiend True Lord and Nine Swords True Lord treated him warmly. He traded a Lesser Nascent Soul Pill for a fire-element Nine Dragon Talisman, and the gathering continued as a cultivator offered Violet Spirit Coral for a top-grade offensive magic treasure.

• Zhou Xun greeted Perfected Lord Tianyi and joined Monarch Qian Chuan, who introduced him to Old Hong and Fellow Daoist He.
• Wang Erniu arrived with Nine Swords True Lord, who invited Zhou Xun to visit his residence and drink with him.
• Perfected Lord Tianyi began the exchange gathering by offering Tier 4 Middle-Grade talismans for cultivation pills or spirit herbs.
• Zhou Xun traded a Lesser Nascent Soul Pill for a fire-element Nine Dragon Talisman.
• A middle-aged cultivator offered Tier 4 Middle-Grade Violet Spirit Coral in exchange for a top-grade offensive magic treasure.

At the exchange meeting, Zhou Xun traded Dragon Saliva Incense for two Violet Spirit Corals and exchanged Tier 4 talismans for Dragon Carp Hide while seeking heavenly lightning treasures. After Thunder Prison True Lord offered to share information privately, Zhou Xun also recognized a talisman Netherfiend True Lord sought as resembling one he owned, and the meeting ended with Zhou arranging to meet Thunder Prison True Lord.

• Zhou Xun outbid a blue-robed Elder with Dragon Saliva Incense and acquired two Violet Spirit Corals.
• Zhou Xun offered Tier 4 talismans and Dragon Saliva Incense in search of heavenly lightning treasures, then traded six talismans for a Tier 4 Dragon Carp Hide.
• Thunder Prison True Lord privately invited Zhou Xun to discuss information about heavenly lightning treasures after the meeting.
• Netherfiend True Lord sought information about a Profound Demon Golden Talisman, and Zhou Xun noticed it resembled a Golden Claw Jade Talisman he possessed.
• Zhou Xun declined Monarch Qian Chuan's invitation to drink because he had an appointment with Thunder Prison True Lord.

Zhou Xun met Thunder Prison True Lord, who invited him to join an expedition into the Thunder Prison in search of thunder essence treasures. Zhou Xun agreed after learning the trip would be brief, then returned to find Jiang Wanning had passed up the exchange meeting’s treasures.

• Zhou Xun and Thunder Prison True Lord Lin Fei shared wine and discussed Lin Fei’s proposal to enter the Thunder Prison with five Nascent Soul lightning cultivators.
• Lin Fei explained that they would explore only the outer regions, swear a Heart Demon Oath, and each contribute five Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
• Zhou Xun agreed to join after Lin Fei said a Teleportation Array could make the trip last only one and a half to three months.
• Zhou Xun and Lin Fei exchanged cultivation insights before parting late at night.
• Zhou Xun returned to his cave abode and asked Jiang Wanning why she had not taken part in the exchange meeting; she said she felt unworthy of the Nascent Soul Cultivators’ treasures.

Zhou Xun gave Jiang Wanning the Hundred Insect Scripture, refined thirteen sheets of Tier 4 Treasure Talisman Paper, and spent time with her before heading to Seatown Immortal City's Library Tower to research Thunder Prison. Monarch Qian Chuan welcomed him and invited him to share spirit wine.

• Zhou Xun gave Jiang Wanning a copy of the Hundred Insect Scripture and offered to guide her in raising spirit insects.
• Zhou Xun refined Tier 4 Dragon Carp Hide into thirteen sheets of Treasure Talisman Paper over five days.
• Jiang Wanning told Zhou Xun she planned to buy insect eggs, and he offered to take her to Five Willows Pavilion to seek rare insects.
• Zhou Xun went to Seatown Immortal City's Library Tower to research Thunder Prison before his planned treasure search with Thunder Prison True Lord.
• Monarch Qian Chuan greeted Zhou Xun at Seatown Grand Hall and invited him to drink spirit wine.

Zhou Xun searched the Library Tower and learned that the Thunder Prison was an ancient forbidden land connected to the Thundercloud Sect, strengthening his resolve to visit it. Back at his residence, he traded a Tier 4 beaver hide for six custom talismans and began preparing to make them.

• Zhou Xun declined Monarch Qian Chuan’s offer of spirit wine and went to the Library Tower to research the Thunder Prison.
• Zhou Xun found a Jade Slip describing the Thunder Prison as one of the Human Realm’s seven great forbidden lands and linking it to the ancient Thundercloud Sect.
• Crimson Noon told Zhou Xun that True Lord Yun Hui had come to commission talismans, and Zhou Xun welcomed the visiting cultivator.
• True Lord Yun Hui traded a Tier 4 beaver hide to Zhou Xun for two Fire Shield Talismans and four Nine Dragon Talismans, due in one month.
• After True Lord Yun Hui left, Zhou Xun entered his cultivation chamber and took out the beaver hide.

Zhou Xun successfully refined Tier 4 talismans and gathered the materials needed for Treasure Talismans, then accompanied Jiang Wanning to Five Willows Pavilion to buy spirit insect eggs. Shopkeeper Gao returned with four jade boxes and began presenting the eggs.

• Zhou Xun refined six Tier 4 Lower Grade Talismans for True Lord Yun Hui using eight sheets of paper, raising his success rate to at least seventy percent.
• Zhou Xun turned the remaining sea beaver hide into Treasure Talisman Paper and later gathered forty sheets after four Nascent Soul True Lords supplied more beast hides for his custom talisman business.
• Jiang Wanning told Zhou Xun she had nearly mastered the Hundred Insect Scripture, and he agreed to accompany her to Five Willows Pavilion to look for spirit insect eggs.
• Zhou Xun and Jiang Wanning arrived at Five Willows Pavilion, where attendant Wu escorted them to an elegant room and Shopkeeper Gao greeted them.
• Shopkeeper Gao said the pavilion had recently acquired spirit insect eggs, then returned with four jade boxes to show Jiang Wanning.

Jiang Wanning chose a pair of Ice Soul Silkworm eggs, which Zhou Xun bought for her, and Thunder Prison True Lord invited Zhou Xun on an expedition into the Thunder Prison. Zhou Xun agreed to leave in half a month, then prepared to refine Tier 4 treasure talismans.

• Gao Yuan introduced several rare spirit insects, and Jiang Wanning chose the Ice Soul Silkworm.
• Zhou Xun paid Shopkeeper Gao eight hundred thousand spirit stones for the silkworm eggs and gave them to Jiang Wanning.
• Thunder Prison True Lord visited Zhou Xun and said the five lightning cultivators were assembled and the Thunder Prison's lightning fiend membrane was at its weakest.
• Thunder Prison True Lord asked Zhou Xun to meet at his cave abode in half a month, and Zhou Xun agreed to join the expedition.
• Zhou Xun returned to his cultivation chamber, prepared his materials, and began refining a Tier 4 treasure talisman.

Zhou Xun refined thirty-nine Tier 4 Lower Grade treasure talismans for the Celestial Talisman Formation and made preparations to explore Thunder Prison. He joined Thunder Prison True Lord and three other Nascent Soul cultivators, who agreed to binding rules before hearing about the secret land.

• Zhou Xun corrected his Spirit Energy delivery and successfully refined thirty-nine treasure talismans from forty-three sheets, then absorbed them into his body to nurture them with mana.
• Zhou Xun instructed Jiang Wanning to care for the Wind-Guiding Butterfly and gave her a letter to deliver to True Lord Tian Ci if he had not returned within a year; he told Feng Zhong to remain behind and delay his breakthrough.
• Zhou Xun left for Thunder Prison True Lord's residence with the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle as his only helper.
• Thunder Prison True Lord introduced Zhou Xun to Profound Star True Lord and Profound Thunder True Lord, and the gathered cultivators discussed the Dao before True Lord Hong Chuan arrived.
• Thunder Prison True Lord proposed rules for the treasure hunt, including a ban on attacking one another and a Heart Demon Oath to keep Thunder Prison Zone secret.

Zhou Xun joined Thunder Prison True Lord and three others on a journey to explore the Thunder Prison Zone, traveling by teleportation arrays from Seatown Immortal City to Yue West Immortal City. The group prepared to cross the dangerous Quicksand Sea, where they still needed to find protective treasures.

• Zhou Xun, Thunder Prison True Lord, Profound Star True Lord, Profound Thunder True Lord, and True Lord Hong Chuan swore a Heart Demon Oath and agreed on the rules for their journey.
• Thunder Prison True Lord led the group to Seatown Grand Hall, where Monarch Qian Chuan activated the Teleportation Array for them.
• The five teleported through Clear Yang Immortal City to Yue West Immortal City, concealing their auras and suppressing their cultivation to the Core Formation Stage.
• Thunder Prison True Lord explained that the Quicksand Sea's fire essence and astral winds made crossing it dangerous and greatly increased Spirit Energy consumption.
• Thunder Prison True Lord reminded the others that they each owed him five Top-Grade Spirit Stones, and Zhou Xun asked where they could buy treasures to protect against the hazards.

Zhou Xun and four fellow cultivators prepared to cross the Quicksand Sea, buying Water Spirit Jades to withstand its fire energy before entering the desert. They began learning a secret art as they traveled deeper into the dangerous region.

• Hong Chuan and the others gave Spirit Stones to Thunder Prison True Lord, and the group agreed to buy treasures that could resist the Quicksand Sea’s fire poison.
• Profound Thunder True Lord proposed that Zhou Xun pose as their senior while the other four concealed their cultivation as his martial nephews.
• At Hundred Crafts Pavilion, Zhou Xun bought five Water Spirit Jades from Lin Buxiu and learned that ghost mist storms had recently begun appearing in the Quicksand Sea.
• The group left Yue West Immortal City, wore the Water Spirit Jades, and flew into the Quicksand Sea toward the Western Desert Cultivation World.
• Zhou Xun suggested flying close to the ground to avoid the fierce high-altitude gales, and Thunder Prison True Lord gave each cultivator a Jade Slip containing a secret art to learn.

Zhou Xun and four lightning cultivators mastered Thunder Void Escape and used it to travel through the Quicksand Sea. They charged into a Sand Spirit Beast swarm, where two fourth-rank Beast Kings ambushed them, leaving Zhou Xun and Profound Thunder True Lord fighting one while the other three faced its twin.

• Thunder Prison True Lord shared the first level of Thunder Void Escape, and the five cultivators spent five days comprehending it.
• The five performed Thunder Void Escape, concealed themselves in the dimensional void, and discovered that the technique consumed a great deal of mana.
• The cultivators encountered an enormous Sand Spirit Beast storm and agreed to fight through it rather than risk waiting or exhausting their mana with the escape technique.
• Profound Thunder True Lord led the group into the storm as the five used lightning abilities to cut a path through the beasts.
• Two Sand Spirit Beast Kings attacked with Gravity Profound Light, but Profound Thunder True Lord caught the falling cultivators with a lightning phantom.
• Thunder Prison True Lord assigned Zhou Xun and Profound Thunder True Lord to fight one Beast King; Zhou Xun struck it with the Black Tortoise Shield and forced it back.

Zhou Xun helped Profound Thunder True Lord and the others kill two Sand Spirit Beast Kings, then joined the group in entering the Thunder Prison Zone. They arrived in a lightning-filled world, where Thunder Prison True Lord warned that a deadly thunderstorm tide swept across the land every three months.

• Zhou Xun hurled Jun Mang through a Sand Spirit Beast King's jaw and forehead while Profound Thunder True Lord struck it with his lightning whip, killing it.
• Zhou Xun and the others helped Thunder Prison True Lord's group kill the second Sand Spirit Beast King, then divided the spoils, giving Zhou Xun a core and hide for his contribution.
• Seven days later, Thunder Prison True Lord led Zhou Xun and the others underground to a cavern and explained how they could cross the world barrier into the Thunder Prison Zone.
• The five cultivators used Thunder Void Escape together, endured the barrier's resistance, and passed through the opening into the Thunder Prison Zone.
• The group found themselves in a world saturated with lightning, and Thunder Prison True Lord warned them that a thunderstorm tide would sweep across it every three months.

Zhou Xun and the others traveled deeper into the Thunder Prison, where a herd of powerful Thunderbeasts forced them to flee into a mountain cave. They escaped the herd, but discovered the beasts feared something inside the cave.

• Thunder Prison True Lord explained that the next Lightning Tide would open spatial passages back to the Central Continent, giving the group one month to explore.
• The group set out across the Thunder Prison, and Zhou Xun discovered that its stone walls resisted even his Nascent Soul-level Sword Qi.
• More than a hundred Thunderbeasts, each comparable to a Late-Stage Core Formation cultivator, charged at the group.
• Zhou Xun led the others toward a mountain and found a cave where they could escape the pursuing herd.
• The Thunderbeasts stopped well away from the cave entrance, leaving the group alarmed by whatever they feared inside.

Profound Thunder True Lord and the others entered a vast chamber containing the remains of a demon beast and a human great cultivator, then used Zhou Xun’s divination compass to choose an exit. As they approached the passage it indicated, a lightning-marked demon beast suddenly appeared and attacked them.

• Profound Thunder True Lord led the group through the cave toward a large stone chamber, where they found a demon beast skeleton and the remains of a human great cultivator.
• Zhou Xun examined the bones and guessed that the cultivator and the demon beast had died fighting each other, then buried the human remains.
• Zhou Xun used his Diviner’s Compass to point the group toward a northwest passage, and Profound Thunder True Lord led them toward it.
• A demon beast with a hard shell covered in Lightning Runes rushed toward the group, and Thunder Prison True Lord blocked its approach with a black seal.

Zhou Xun and the others battled a powerful Thunder Centipede in the stone chamber, and Zhou Xun killed it with his Mystic Thunder Sword after Profound Thunder True Lord restrained it. The group agreed Zhou Xun deserved first pick of the spoils, and Profound Star True Lord finished processing the carcass.

• The Tier 4 Middle-Grade Thunder Centipede withstood the group's combined attacks and counterattacked with lightning.
• Profound Thunder True Lord transformed into his Profound Thunder Avatar, charged the demon, and bound it with his lightning whip.
• Zhou Xun fused eighty-one sword lights into the Mystic Thunder Sword and pierced the trapped Thunder Centipede's head, killing it.
• Profound Thunder True Lord and the others praised Zhou Xun's strength and agreed he would choose from the carcass first, followed by Profound Thunder True Lord.
• Profound Star True Lord cut up and processed the Thunder Centipede.

Zhou Xun and the four True Lords descended through the passage and discovered a rich Thunder Essence Amethyst Mine, then spent three days mining it. They gathered over sixteen jin of amethyst to divide equally, while Zhou Xun secretly noticed that one piece produced an unusually powerful lightning rebound.

• After the group continued down the passage, Profound Thunder True Lord led them to a glowing Thunder Essence Amethyst Mine, which they identified as the source of the Thunder Centipede's strength.
• Profound Thunder True Lord proposed that the five split their mined amethyst equally and offer Zhou Xun extra compensation for his divination, but Zhou Xun refused the extra share.
• The five spent three days digging into the seemingly abundant mine, each using their own methods to extract Thunder Essence Amethyst.
• Zhou Xun struck a thumb-sized piece that sent an unusually strong lightning arc along his Mystic Thunder Sword, but he recovered and continued mining without telling the others.
• The five gathered their harvests and found that they had mined a total of sixteen jin, one liang, and two qian of Thunder Essence Amethyst.

After parting ways with the other cultivators, Zhou Xun returned to the Thunder Essence Amethyst mine and discovered a rare peak-grade material. He then used an ancient jade talisman to divine the direction of a fallen Great Cultivator from the Thundercloud Sect.

• The group divided the Thunder Essence Amethyst, and Zhou Xun compensated the others with four Top-Grade Spirit Stones.
• After they left the Thunderbeast region, Thunder Prison True Lord warned them about the Lightning Tide and went his own way; the other cultivators departed as well.
• Zhou Xun waited until he was alone, set up a Tier 4 Surveillance Array, and flew back to the mine with his Thunderclap Wings.
• Zhou Xun excavated a fist-sized Purified Gold Thunder Core from the stone wall and stored it in a jade box.
• Zhou Xun combined the Diviner's Compass with the jade talisman marked “Mystery,” and its golden arrow pointed northwest.

Zhou Xun crossed a lightning-charged lake while following the Diviner's Compass and entered a mist that suppressed divine sense. There, more than twenty coordinated demonic creatures trapped him in a barrier, and he summoned his allies to break through.

• Zhou Xun killed a Tier 2 mid-grade lightning demonic fish and took the Thunder Essence Crystal from its body.
• Zhou Xun strengthened his defenses and entered the vast mist after failing to find a way around it.
• A group of more than twenty Tier 3 mid-grade ox-bodied, snake-tailed creatures surrounded Zhou Xun and blocked his Sword Qi with a combined technique.
• Zhou Xun summoned the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle, whose attack failed to break the creatures' barrier.
• Zhou Xun summoned five Bloodfiend Spawns as the barrier struck back with lightning.

Zhou Xun tested his strength against creatures in the mist, discovered their Thunder Pearls could strengthen his natal thunder pool, and chased a powerful Thunder Essence Spirit to Lakeheart Island. He found a lake of thunder plasma within the island and prepared to investigate its treasures.

• Zhou Xun found that his Bloodfiend Generals could no longer break the light barrier, then used Sword Shadow Unity to pierce it and kill more than ten creatures.
• Zhou Xun purified the creatures’ Thunder Pearls into Thunder Essence Power and fed it to his natal thunder pool, confirming it could help the pool advance.
• Zhou Xun joined the Crimson Noon Spirit Turtle in pursuing a Tier 4 Lower Grade Thunder Essence Spirit, which fled deep into the mist.
• Zhou Xun followed the Thunder Essence Spirit to Lakeheart Island and discovered a lake of thunder plasma inside.
• Zhou Xun decided to investigate the island’s treasures and tossed a three-chi-long wooden box into the air.