Chapter Summaries

Lin Yanran and Lin Changge believed they had found the source of the curse afflicting the Crimson Feather Dynasty, and Xue Fuyao asked her master Xie Yichu for help understanding it. Xie Yichu arrived at the Ming Household and identified the curse as possibly caused by a Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Treasure called the Life-and-Death Snake, which could only be countered by another such treasure.

• Lin Yanran told Lin Changge what had happened, and he hoped the discovery meant he could finally cultivate.
• Xue Fuyao asked Xie Yichu about the Crimson Feather Dynasty, and he initially explained that its curse had no known solution unless its source was found.
• Xue Fuyao clarified what she had discovered, and Xie Yichu told her to wait before quickly coming to the Ming Household.
• Xie Yichu took Xue Fuyao to meet Ming Yi and revealed that he had helped repair the Ming residence with its current head.
• Xie Yichu explained that the black veins Xue Fuyao described resembled the effects of a curse from the Life-and-Death Snake, a unique Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Treasure.

Xie Yichu identified the Crimson Feather Imperial Household’s inherited curse as a perished Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Treasure and explained how it could be lifted. The Crimson Feather Emperor agreed to have pills refined, though the curse’s full removal would require destroying the remains and lineage of those responsible.

• Xie Yichu taught Xue Fuyao about the Life-and-Death Snake, whose death head siphoned fortune from its victims and could be passed down through bloodlines.
• Xie Yichu examined the Crimson Feather Emperor and Regent and confirmed that the black lines on their bodies came from a perished Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Treasure.
• Xie Yichu said spirit medicines could be refined into pills to lift the curse, while complete eradication also required burning the remains of the dead afflicted and destroying the lineage of the person who cursed them.
• The Crimson Feather Emperor accepted the painful conditions and asked Xie Yichu to refine the pills.
• Xue Fuyao accepted two golden Storage Bags from the Crimson Feather Emperor on Xie Yichu’s behalf.

Xie Yichu explained how to find the person behind the curse and taught Xue Fuyao why a cultivator should not be too selfless. Curious about her master's past, Xue Fuyao asked Changqingzi, who began describing Xie Yichu's wild younger days abroad.

• Xie Yichu proposed refining a pill to break Lin Changge's curse, and Ming Yi assigned Ming Cen to search for rare spirit medicines in the Qiming Secret Realm.
• Xie Yichu said the culprit was likely near the person who first cast the curse, while Ming Yi hoped the investigation would uncover the truth.
• Xie Yichu advised Xue Fuyao to be kind without letting others take her generosity for granted, and told her to keep the gifts in the two Storage Bags for the Qiming Secret Realm.
• Xue Fuyao sought out Changqingzi to ask about Xie Yichu's past, and he revealed that Xie Yichu had traveled to several continents and had been far wilder than the current disciples.

After confining Xue Fuyao for two days, Venerable Spiritwood brought her and the Yuanji Sect disciples to the Qiming Secret Realm, where an elder announced a points-based Central Continent Assembly with a supreme-grade spirit vein as the prize. As the realm’s entrance opened, Xue Fuyao prepared to rely on Big Treasure to find valuable items.

• Venerable Spiritwood sent Changqingzi flying, then ordered Xue Fuyao to stay in her room until the Qiming Secret Realm opened.
• Xue Fuyao spent the next two days wondering about her master’s conflict with Changqingzi before joining the Yuanji Sect party at the secret realm entrance.
• An elderly man announced that the Central Continent Assembly would use a points system and award a supreme-grade spirit vein to the first-place winner.
• Xue Fuyao and the other participants received a scroll listing precious spirit medicines and monster beasts that could earn large numbers of points when handed over.
• Chu Yunzhe explained that contestants would need to search for the listed items to compete effectively, while Xue Fuyao asked Big Treasure to help her find them.
• A great rift opened in the sky, revealing the mountains and azure sky inside the Qiming Secret Realm.

Xue Fuyao entered the Qiming Secret Realm and discovered she had landed in an unexplored mountain range rich in spiritual energy. She began absorbing its energy and followed Big Treasure toward a nearby opportunity while planning to conceal her aura.

• The disciples were pulled through the vortex into the Qiming Secret Realm, followed by the main force of cultivators.
• A woman from the Heavenly Secret Sacred Domain claimed her group had divined an opportunity for immortality, and Changqingzi mocked her before the man beside her stopped her from attacking.
• Xue Fuyao landed in a vast mountain range and found that it did not appear on the map of explored regions.
• Xue Fuyao used the Five Elements Bead to absorb the dense spiritual energy and decided to make the most of her month in the secret realm.
• Xue Fuyao released Big Treasure, which pointed toward something valuable, and she chose to conceal her aura rather than change her appearance.

Xue Fuyao followed Big Treasure through unexplored territory and discovered a spirit tree guarded by two battling Monster Beasts. As the victor moved to claim the fruit, a golden monkey appeared, and Xue Fuyao decided to intervene so she could capture it.

• Xue Fuyao collected unfamiliar Spirit Plants as she followed Big Treasure to a cliff, where she found and transplanted a dark-green Spirit Plant with purple buds.
• Xue Fuyao concealed herself with a grass-and-vine cloak and hat, then watched two mountain-sized Monster Beasts fight over a jujube-like spirit tree.
• One Monster Beast crushed its opponent with a blow from its armored tail, but the victor was badly wounded as it approached the ripe fruit.
• A golden monkey leapt from the bushes and attacked the armored Monster Beast, and Xue Fuyao considered capturing it to sell its blood to the Demon Race.

Xue Fuyao used her Golden Bee to defeat two battling Monster Beasts, then rescued and transplanted their damaged spiritual fruit tree. She continued searching the mountain range for treasures with Big Treasure, keeping them for herself and her companions.

• Xue Fuyao fed White Velvet Grass to the Golden Bee and sent it to attack the two fighting Monster Beasts.
• The Golden Bee stung the golden monkey Monster Beast, then subdued the armored Monster Beast before it could escape.
• Xue Fuyao put the exhausted Golden Bee away, killed the barely breathing Monster Beasts, and collected their corpses.
• Xue Fuyao grafted the broken spiritual tree, transplanted it into her Portable Medicinal Garden, and gathered its fallen Spirit Fruit.
• Xue Fuyao checked the three Sword Embryos inside the Demon-Suppressing Bracelet and saw them absorbing red blood energy.
• With Big Treasure's help, Xue Fuyao searched the mountain range, found Mountain Treasures including Flashburst Fruit, and kept them rather than pursuing the top spot.

Xue Fuyao continued gathering treasures in the Qiming Secret Realm by outsmarting powerful Monster Beasts, then encountered Su Yang and Zhao Sheng fighting over a Monster Beast egg. After she introduced herself and tried to leave, Zhao Sheng chased after her and invited her to travel together.

• Xue Fuyao used the Treasure-Seeking Mouse to find spirit plants, medicines, and fruits, and tricked two powerful Monster Beasts into fighting so she could loot their caves.
• Xue Fuyao heard humans fighting and recognized Su Yang and Zhao Sheng as Central Continent cultivators.
• Su Yang noticed movement in the grass and exposed Xue Fuyao, who had disguised herself as a straw figure.
• Xue Fuyao revealed her identity as a disciple of the Yuanji Sect and explained that she had no interest in the Monster Beast egg the men were fighting over.
• Zhao Sheng abandoned the egg and chased after Xue Fuyao, asking her to travel with him, while Su Yang remained behind with the egg.

Xue Fuyao confronted Zhao Sheng after he followed her and implied she might be Venerable Spiritwood’s daughter. Zhao Sheng eventually explained that his youngest aunt had sent him to find out whether Xue Fuyao was the Venerable’s illegitimate daughter, but he had not yet confirmed the truth.

• Zhao Sheng followed Xue Fuyao and asked whether she was Venerable Spiritwood’s daughter, provoking her into attacking him.
• Zhao Sheng sheltered inside a bowl-shaped magic artifact that Xue Fuyao could not break, then offered to share information about divine beasts if she would talk.
• Xue Fuyao agreed to hear him out, but Zhao Sheng asked about Venerable Spiritwood’s love life instead.
• Zhao Sheng revealed that his youngest aunt had admired Venerable Spiritwood for years and had sent him to confirm whether Xue Fuyao was his illegitimate daughter.

Zhao Sheng recruited Xue Fuyao to search the Qiming Secret Realm for a Phoenix, while concealing that his family believed there might be a Phoenix egg or youngling. After their search failed and they split up, Xue Fuyao took out her Compass to continue looking on her own.

• Xue Fuyao rejected Zhao Sheng's appeal about his devoted aunt and agreed to deliver his letter to Venerable Spiritwood.
• Zhao Sheng revealed he sought Phoenix feathers or blood and asked Xue Fuyao to help locate the Divine Beast.
• After two days of searching, Xue Fuyao found no traces of a Phoenix, and Big Treasure's fear of its bloodline suppression made the Treasure-Seeking Mouse useless.
• Xue Fuyao and Zhao Sheng agreed to split up and search separately.
• Zhao Sheng continued following his old map while privately admitting that his family hoped to find a Phoenix egg or youngling.
• Xue Fuyao took out the Compass after parting ways with Zhao Sheng.

Xue Fuyao found a region dense with fire and water Spiritual Power and called Xie Yichu for help rather than risk approaching the Divine Beasts alone. After confirming the presence of powerful auras, Xie Yichu took her to investigate the Phoenix and a likely water-governing Divine Beast.

• Xue Fuyao followed the Compass east, sensed unusually active fire and water Spiritual Power, and decided to summon Xie Yichu for help.
• Xie Yichu arrived and confirmed that the grass Xue Fuyao had found was cold flame grass, which grew where water and fire Spiritual Power were exceptionally dense.
• Xue Fuyao told Xie Yichu what Zhao Sheng had said about seeing a Phoenix and admitted she had no intention of trying to contract a Divine Beast herself.
• Xie Yichu explained that Divine Beasts were difficult to control and asked whether Zhao Sheng had mentioned any others; Xue Fuyao said he had not.
• Xie Yichu concluded that another Divine Beast likely governed water and carried Xue Fuyao toward the auras, teasing her for gaining weight as she protested.

Xie Yichu and Xue Fuyao entered Black Nether Forest, where deadly miasma and powerful beasts guarded rare spirit medicines. After Xie Yichu killed a venomous python, he sent Xue Fuyao to loot the divine beasts’ lair while he fought them.

• Xie Yichu gave Xue Fuyao Poison-Repelling Pills and warned her that the forest’s death miasma and approaching danger required caution.
• Xue Fuyao gathered spirit medicines as they crossed Black Nether Forest, where the presence of two divine beasts kept other creatures away.
• A venomous giant python attacked, and Xue Fuyao’s Shattered Star could not pierce its scales before Xie Yichu dismembered it with an invisible force.
• Xie Yichu recognized signs that the python had mutated from swallowing dragon blood and said the forest held a dragon and a phoenix.
• Xie Yichu gave Xue Fuyao an array disc and instructed her to enter the divine beasts’ lair, take everything, and escape while he fought them.

While Xie Yichu fought two Divine Beasts, Xue Fuyao looted both of their lairs and escaped when others arrived. The newcomers found the caves completely empty and began searching for the person who had stripped them bare.

• Xue Fuyao located the separate Divine Beast lairs and watched Xie Yichu begin fighting the beasts in the sky.
• Xue Fuyao entered one lair, collected its blood-red lilies, bones, and every other item, then left for the second lair.
• Xue Fuyao stripped the Dragon's cold lair of its glowing blue grass and everything else inside.
• Xue Fuyao activated a formation disc and vanished when she sensed people approaching.
• Seven or eight figures arrived at the empty cave, realized someone had beaten them to its treasures, and began searching nearby.

Miaoyin Elder failed to identify the person who had visited the Divine Beasts’ lair, while Xue Fuyao endured a mysterious ordeal after being transported to an unfamiliar place. She discovered golden veins across her body and found a jade stele whose writing seemed connected to them, leaving her in pain as she copied it.

• Miaoyin Elder tried to divine who had entered the Cave but could not identify the person, though she said he had already left.
• Xie Yichu saw the group return from the Divine Beasts’ lair in anger and decided it was time to end his battle with the dragon and phoenix.
• Xue Fuyao arrived in a white mist after activating her broken formation disk, but her Heavenly Eye could not see through the surroundings.
• Xue Fuyao suffered intense pain that gradually faded, then discovered golden veins covering her body, bones, and meridians.
• Xue Fuyao found two blue-green petals beneath her and watched them enter her body, adding themselves to the incomplete lotus within her.
• Xue Fuyao reached a mountain peak, saw that the writing on a huge white jade stele made her golden veins reappear, and began copying it as her blood started to burn.

Xue Fuyao finished copying an ancient inscription from a white jade stele and reunited with Xie Yichu, who identified it as a possible body-tempering technique. After hearing about her gains, Xie Yichu gave her a share of the divine beasts’ processed flesh.

• Xue Fuyao completed the inscription after three days of copying, then left the mountain and discovered it had vanished behind her.
• Xue Fuyao contacted Xie Yichu, who had been searching for her after she failed to arrive at the designated safe area.
• Xue Fuyao told Xie Yichu about the white jade stele and showed him her copy, and he said the writing was extremely ancient and the inscription might temper the body.
• Xie Yichu told Xue Fuyao that he had defeated the two divine beasts and shared out some of their flesh and essence blood.
• Xue Fuyao declined to ask for more treasures because she had already looted the beasts’ lairs, but Xie Yichu gave her a Storage Bag filled with processed flesh from both beasts.

Xue Fuyao returned to the Qiming Secret Realm entrance with Xie Yichu and reviewed the rich haul she had collected. While they waited for the realm to open, Ming Cen arrived dragging two familiar figures connected to a wedding escape and bride-snatching.

• Xie Yichu warned Xue Fuyao not to consume or use the divine beast blood and meat, and explained how she could make use of the Phoenix feathers and dragon scales.
• Xie Yichu brought Xue Fuyao to the closed Qiming Secret Realm entrance, where senior members of other sects questioned her early return and he defended her.
• Xue Fuyao inventoried her many gains and fed half of the divine beast meat and blood to her vibrating Demon-Suppressing Bracelet, whose surface began to change.
• Xue Fuyao asked why injured disciples were left untreated, and Xie Yichu explained that indiscriminate consumption of spirit medicines had disrupted their spiritual power.
• Ming Cen arrived dragging two people whom Xue Fuyao recognized from the recent wedding escape and bride-snatching, though they had been unqualified to enter the secret realm.

Xue Fuyao and Ming Cen traded divine beast blood for his promise to ask the Crimson Feather Imperial Clan about the ancient zither Jiaowei. The conversation ended with Xue Fuyao asking about two half-dead impostors Ming Cen had captured.

• Ming Cen asked Xue Fuyao why she had left the competition, and she explained that she had encountered a phoenix and a dragon and contacted her master.
• Ming Cen offered to trade for divine beast blood, and Xue Fuyao agreed to provide more in exchange for a mysterious item he promised would satisfy her.
• Xue Fuyao asked Ming Cen to find out whether the Crimson Feather Imperial Clan would part with Jiaowei, and he agreed.
• Xue Fuyao asked about the two half-dead people Ming Cen had dragged along, and he said they had entered by impersonating someone else.

Ming Cen captured the impostors who had stolen others’ entry slots, while Xue Fuyao traded him phoenix flesh for two mysterious jade fragments. After the Qiming Secret Realm closed, Zhao Sheng asked Xue Fuyao to sell him phoenix flesh and offered her a vivid green bamboo shoot in exchange.

• Ming Cen said the two impostors had likely killed the people whose places they stole, then injured one further by grinding his face beneath his foot.
• Xue Fuyao extracted two pieces of broken jade from the captives and traded them to Ming Cen for two and a half jin of phoenix flesh and blood.
• As they waited for the secret realm to close, Xue Fuyao caught spirit beasts and fish to take home, while Ming Cen continued tormenting the captives.
• The Qiming Secret Realm expelled everyone, and the Central Continent Assembly began tallying the participants’ points.
• Zhao Sheng asked Xue Fuyao to sell him phoenix flesh and offered a wooden box containing a vivid green bamboo shoot as payment.

Xue Fuyao accepted Zhao Sheng’s Ink Bamboo and learned that Qiu Chan had won the Central Continent Assembly, while Gu Nian placed second and Su Yang placed tenth. Zhao Sheng revealed that the prize had been changed through political maneuvering and that powerful factions had already divided up the supreme-grade spirit vein, leaving Xue Fuyao considering whether she could save two endangered geniuses.

• Zhao Sheng gave Xue Fuyao an Ink Bamboo and suggested that her Wood Spiritual Root might help her form a contract with it.
• The assembly results showed Su Yang in tenth place, Yang Tianqi in sixth, Gu Nian in second, and Qiu Chan of the Red Cloud Sect in first.
• Zhao Sheng told Xue Fuyao that the original prize, entry to the Mysterious Purity Blessed Land, had been changed to a supreme-grade spirit vein.
• Zhao Sheng revealed that powerful factions had already carved up the spirit vein and that the Red Cloud Sect might not retain it.
• Xue Fuyao recalled that Su Yang had died to the Rabbit Demon and wondered whether she should try to save him and another endangered genius.

Xue Fuyao reunited with Jimo Xiubai, who told her he had negotiated a trade with the Snake Clan for their stone slabs. They discussed seeking ancient texts in exchange, then changed their appearances and went to a demon-run restaurant in Beidou City.

• Gu Nian found Xue Fuyao, and Chu Yunzhe persuaded Gu Nian to explore the Central Continent with him.
• Gu Nian told Xue Fuyao that Jimo Xiubai had been looking for her, so Xue Fuyao went to find him.
• Jimo Yunqi scolded Jimo Xiubai for acting improperly, and Jimo Xiubai took Xue Fuyao away to speak privately.
• Jimo Xiubai told Xue Fuyao that the Snake Clan offered five hundred Monster Cores, a thousand stalks of snake grass, and ten Snake King sloughs for their stone slabs.
• Xue Fuyao suggested asking the Snake Clan for missing ancient texts, and Jimo Xiubai agreed to inquire about the oldest books.
• Xue Fuyao and Jimo Xiubai changed their appearances and arrived at a demon-run restaurant in Beidou City.