Chapter Summaries

Qi He activated the Ten Absolutes Heavenly River Formation and sealed the Secret Realm to fight the Evil God Remnants, trapping Jiang Man and the others behind a barrier. After finding a way to release Void Qi, Jiang Man prepared to advance that night, while the Remnants planned to use the advancement to draw something out and escape.

• Qi He rejected Junior Sister Qiu’s cautious approach, activated the Ten Absolutes Heavenly River Formation, and appointed her vanguard against the barrier.
• Ji An explained the fight-to-the-death formation to Jiang Man’s group, who remained trapped as the Immortal Gate and the Evil God Remnants clashed.
• Jiang Man searched for a gap in the barrier and worked with the others to build a formation that retained some Void Qi.
• The encampment briefly broke through the barrier, but it repaired itself as the Evil God Remnants taunted them and continued advancing their captives.
• On the seventh night, Jiang Man found a moving gap and told his companions to use their Beast Blood and advance.
• The cool, aloof woman and her allies decided to make the captives advance that night, hoping to use the released Void Qi to draw something out and escape.

Tantai Xue left the Mountain Gate after discussing Ji Hao’s ambition to open new paths for cultivation and the Sun-Moon Immortal Journey’s schemes. In the Return to the Void Secret Realm, Jiang Man used Beast Blood and a dangerous barrier opening to draw in Void Aura, then ascended to temper himself with the nine great stars as the others prepared to advance.

• Tantai Xue accepted Ji Hao’s Sword Intent and left for her Sect, while Tantai Xiaotian explained that Ji Hao wanted to open new paths to cultivation and reverse the limits imposed by spiritual qi.
• Tantai Xue discussed the Sun-Moon Immortal Journey’s factions and their latest effort to obtain a treasure.
• Jiang Man asked Senior Brother Yang to hold open a crack in the barrier, and Senior Brother Yang agreed in exchange for Jiang Man pleading for leniency afterward.
• Jiang Man gathered the others’ Beast Blood, activated the Formation Arts, and used a Spirit Sword and Senior Brother Yang to keep the barrier crack open.
• Jiang Man drew Void Aura into the Secret Realm, lit the nine stars of the Nine-Star Series, and created a massive tide of Void Aura.
• Jiang Man told Ji An and the others to cultivate with the abundant Void Aura, then flew skyward to complete his advancement by tempering himself with the nine great stars.

Jiang Man completed his Return to the Void advancement after an unprecedented celestial phenomenon disrupted the outsiders’ plans and drew a mysterious entity to him. When he returned to his companions, he learned that Nanyue had been captured.

• Jiang Man’s advancement produced nine stars and a vast aura of nothingness, allowing Dongfang Yan, Ji An, Nanyue, and the others to advance as well.
• The aloof woman and her companions tried to draw out a hidden entity, but Jiang Man’s phenomenon disrupted their plans and the entity rushed toward him.
• Qi He suffered backlash after shutting down the Ten Absolutes Formation, then warned Junior Sister Qiu to stay beside him and guard Jiang Man from a distance.
• Jiang Man completed the transformations of his cultivation, body, and Primordial Spirit, while a mysterious presence absorbed much of his Void Qi and briefly revealed the Altar to him.
• After Jiang Man finished advancing, he found Ji An, Miao Yulin, and Yang Youcai waiting, but Dongfang Yan and Nanyue were missing.
• Yang Youcai told Jiang Man that Nanyue had been captured.

Jiang Man learned how Nanyue was captured and joined Ji An in trying to find a way to rescue her. Meanwhile, a Heavenly Demon expert threatened True Person Taihua by revealing that he knew Nanyue’s name, and Jiang Man agreed to help Ji An in exchange for Ji An deciphering the Compass.

• Yang Youcai recounted how Nanyue escaped after advancing, was later seized by three members of the Moon God's faction, and was rescued once by Dongfang Yan at the cost of his own life-threatening injuries.
• Yang Youcai explained the rival aims of the Moon God and Water God, then asked Jiang Man to take him in; Jiang Man instead wrote him a recommendation letter and promised to seek recognition for his service.
• Miao Yulin told Jiang Man that a strange stone stele had been taken from the pool, and Jiang Man set out for the temporary camp to see Dongfang Yan.
• A Heavenly Demon expert visited True Person Taihua at Dragon-Suppressing Tower and hinted that Nanyue’s capture could give the Demon Race leverage over him.
• At the camp, Jiang Man examined Dongfang Yan’s Compass, learned it could locate Nanyue, and agreed to let Ji An try to make her location known to others in exchange for helping Ji An with a request.

Ji Meng, Ji Suyue, and Ji Linglong faced new direct-line rivals seeking to replace Ji Meng in a marriage alliance with Jiang Man, while rumors about Ji Meng’s identity shifted the Ji Family’s plans. In the Return to the Void Secret Realm, Jiang Man received a way to locate the boundary and set out to contact the outside world, where the Compass revealed a familiar mountain range.

• Ji Suyue told Ji Meng that three newly arrived direct-line members were pressuring her to give up her place with Jiang Man, so Ji Meng summoned Ji Linglong to respond.
• Ji Linglong chose to stand with Ji Meng and confronted the rivals, who had insulted Ji Meng as an old woman; Ji Meng remarked that the direct line’s struggle was simple.
• Ji Wuye and Qing Dai discussed how the rivals’ actions would undermine rumors that Ji Meng was the Ji Family’s feared ancestor, while a Ji Family leader canceled Ji An’s mission after concluding Ji Meng was not Meng Qiewei.
• A Miao Household ancestor ordered Miao Yulin to try to win Jiang Man, dismissing the rumors about his connection to the Ji Family Ancestor.
• Jiang Man learned from Ji An how to use a talisman and Compass to find a location near the Secret Realm’s edge, then traveled there to seek a way to send a message.
• After seven days, Jiang Man reached the boundary and used the Compass, which displayed a mountain range he recognized.

Jiang Man rescued Nanyue from the Heavenly Demon Clan and brought her to True Person Taihua at Dragon-Suppressing Island, then left with a mysterious pearl containing a sealed figure. He later gave the pearl to Mu Kong and ordered him to hide and seal it.

• Jiang Man found Nanyue imprisoned in the Heavenly Demon Clan’s territory and learned that they had captured her to make her write a letter to True Person Taihua.
• Jiang Man discovered a pearl containing a sealed figure, subdued a maid who knew the way to Dragon-Suppressing Island, and traveled there on the Altar.
• Jiang Man delivered Nanyue to True Person Taihua, told him they were even, and left after sending the maid back to report that Drunken Floating Life had taken her.
• Nanyue told True Person Taihua how she had advanced in the Return to the Void Secret Realm and described Jiang Man’s extraordinary advancement.
• Jiang Man appeared before Mu Kong at the Cloudfront Office, gave him the pearl to hide and seal, and ordered him to reach Golden Core within five years of entering the Sect.

Jiang Man returned from the secret realm after rescuing Ji Quan and Ji Xuanxuan, then learned the Ji Family was plotting to displace Ji Meng in the marriage alliance. He went to Ji Meng’s residence to check on her, but found her absent while an arrogant young woman demanded that she come out and pay her respects.

• Jiang Man encountered Ji Quan and Ji Xuanxuan fleeing a demon beast, killed it with the Greater Yang, and escorted them toward the temporary encampment.
• Ji Xuanxuan warned Jiang Man that members of the Ji Family’s direct line planned to drive Ji Meng out and take her place in the marriage alliance.
• Jiang Man returned to the Wuyun Sect with Miao Yulin and Ji An after confirming their successful advancements, while Dongfang Yan and the others had suffered serious setbacks.
• Miao Yulin told Ji An that her new assignment was to seduce Jiang Man and compete for the marriage alliance, but she refused because she did not want to come between Jiang Man and Ji Meng.
• Ji An revealed that he would ignore his lineage’s orders and follow his own judgment, while Miao Yulin learned that Teacher Ji’s Immortal Gate connections protected her from being treated as a disposable pawn.
• Jiang Man arrived at Ji Meng’s residence and found her absent while a young woman arrogantly called for Ji Meng to come out and pay her respects, so he decided to send the visitors away himself.

Jiang Man stopped Ji Mingyue and the other Ji Family members from humiliating Ji Meng, then confronted Ji Yezhen and Ji Nianzhen with overwhelming force. After flattening the mountain peak, he was released from the Enforcement Hall prison because someone had paid his compensation, and he found Ji Meng waiting at the entrance.

• Jiang Man defeated Ji Mingyue’s guard and maid, then made Ji Mingyue agree to stop targeting Ji Meng and reveal the other visitors’ plans.
• Ji Mingyue led Jiang Man to Ji Yezhen’s courtyard, where he fought past the guards and confronted Ji Yezhen, Ji Nianzhen, and a Return to the Void expert.
• Jiang Man unleashed a Greater Yang that flattened the mountain peak while Ji Meng was out shopping with Ji Linglong.
• Ren Qian told Jiang Man that his destruction costs exceeded his recent earnings, but released him after someone paid his compensation.
• Jiang Man reached the Enforcement Hall entrance and saw Ji Meng waiting for him.

Jiang Man learned the benefits and dangers of Myriad Things Spirituality and began planning his cultivation beyond Return to the Void. Teacher Yan faced new teaching arrangements after three students advanced, while another Instructor accused her of stealing a pill.

• Ji Meng identified the thing inside Jiang Man as Myriad Things Spirituality and warned that its unpredictable consumption of his energies could cause qi deviation.
• Ji Suyue showed Ji Meng what Jiang Man had said to Ji Mingyue, leaving Ji Meng blushing as she returned to her courtyard.
• Jiang Man recounted his gains to Old Yellow Ox and reviewed the enemies threatening both his true identity and Drunken Floating Life.
• Jiang Man reported one of the Water God's undercover agents to earn Spirit Sources for his cultivation.
• Old Yellow Ox explained the Ascension realm and advised Jiang Man to learn more Return to the Void Spell Arts before becoming an Immortal.
• Teacher Yan began arranging instruction for three newly advanced Return to the Void students, and she welcomed an Instructor's theft accusation as a possible escape from her duties.

Teacher Yan was cleared after Teacher Huang’s false pill-theft accusation was investigated, while Jiang Man and his companions discussed their rankings, training, and future assignments. After Jiang Man’s contact with the Immeasurable Kalpa Stone revealed a vision of a dragon held beneath four pillars, Old Yellow Ox suggested involving Zhao Tiankuo with the Dragon Clan, and Jiang Man wondered whether the Dragon Clan had an ancient treasure he could touch.

• Teacher Yan admitted to stealing pills and applied to return to the Outer Sect, but Enforcement Hall investigated the Instructors and released everyone the next day.
• The Sect revoked Teacher Huang’s Inner Sect teaching qualification and sent him to the Outer Sect for falsely accusing Teacher Yan and trying to force her transfer.
• Teacher Yan reviewed the Small Courtyard rankings and the students’ missions, then explained Return to the Void resources and Jiang Man’s pending appointment.
• Jiang Man collected the Return to the Void methods and Three-Origin Star-Dipper Sword Art, then asked Old Yellow Ox to study the methods.
• Jiang Man’s focus connected him to the Immeasurable Kalpa Stone and showed the ancient altar discovering a young dragon suppressed by four pillars; Old Yellow Ox explained that Myriad Things Spirituality had become bound to Jiang Man.
• Old Yellow Ox suggested involving Zhao Tiankuo in the Dragon Clan’s affairs, and Jiang Man asked whether the Dragon Clan possessed an ancient treasure he could touch.

Zhao Tiankuo learned from Drunken Floating Life that the missing future Lord of Ten Thousand Demons was in his hands, while Jiang Man continued cultivating and studying spell arts. Peak Master Bai told Jiang Man that the plot against him reached into the Immortal Gate and ran deeper than expected.

• Zhao Tiankuo worried over the missing young lord and his inability to keep up with Jiang Man’s cultivation.
• Drunken Floating Life contacted Zhao Tiankuo, said the person he sought was in his hands, and mentioned a young dragon suppressed overseas.
• Jiang Man told Old Yellow Ox that he had guessed the future Lord of Ten Thousand Demons retained forty percent of her fortune and discussed the difficulty of the Return to the Void Simple Method.
• Old Yellow Ox told Jiang Man to consolidate his condition, and Jiang Man chose to study spell arts rather than repay his wife’s Spirit Sources.
• Peak Master Bai told Jiang Man that Fang Yong had tried to kill him as a disposable pawn and that the trail led toward the Immortal Gate.
• Peak Master Bai warned that the matter ran deeper than expected, and Jiang Man asked him to introduce his friends.

Peak Master Bai told Jiang Man that the ancient Xiang Family might be involved in the attempts on his life, then assigned him to manage Spirit Spring Mountain, a difficult post that could affect his advancement. Jiang Man visited his Outer Sect friends for advice and learned about Yang Qianqian, while Little Fatty offered to lend him spirit sources.

• Peak Master Bai told Jiang Man that investigators had traced the attacks to the ancient Xiang Family, and Jiang Man hinted that the Bai Family Ancestor was watching him.
• Peak Master Bai gave Jiang Man his appointment to manage Spirit Spring Mountain and explained how the post’s performance and merits could affect advancement.
• Jiang Man discussed the management challenge with Old Yellow Ox, who suggested asking his wife, then decided to seek advice from his shop-owning friends.
• Jiang Man visited the Shaobing Shop, where Chang Qiwen told him that Yang Qianqian worked there and that Song Qing helped her cultivate.
• Chang Qiwen and Jiang Man discussed Chang Qiwen’s family and savings, and Jiang Man urged him to invest his spirit sources in him.
• Little Fatty offered Jiang Man a loan of seventy thousand spirit sources after teasing him about being poor.

Jiang Man took up his post at Spirit Spring Mountain and began learning about the factions obstructing its management. Meanwhile, Meng Qiewei ordered half the Ji Family’s direct line to spend a century opening wilderness, while Ji Wuye misunderstood the decree as a scheme to protect Jiang Man.

• Jiang Man consulted his friends about managing Spirit Spring Mountain, taught them cultivation methods, and collected their Spirit Sources before leaving for his new post.
• Ji Suyue told Ji Meng that the three women from the direct line had left and given five hundred thousand Spirit Sources as compensation, and Ji Meng sent Qing Dai a decree.
• Meng Qiewei ordered Ji Wuye to send half the Ji Family’s direct line to open wilderness for one hundred years, with the remaining half taking their place afterward.
• Ji Wuye concluded that the direct line had angered Meng Qiewei by interfering with her effort to protect Jiang Man, and he planned to punish those responsible.
• At Spirit Spring Mountain, Jiang Man reviewed the complicated handover documents and learned from the previous person in charge that the factions there had thwarted her attempts to improve the operation.

Jiang Man learned that Spirit Spring Mountain’s spirit-water operations were controlled by entrenched managers and collective corruption, then recruited Gao Chunyang to help investigate. After realizing that hundreds of workers could yield millions in reporting rewards, he began planning a cleanup, while Qin Luoyang and his associates discussed the new deacon.

• Senior Sister Gao explained that Qin Luoyang, Jiang Nian, and Wei Chuan controlled production, purchasing, and allocation, and warned Jiang Man that reform could disrupt the spirit-water supply.
• Jiang Man summoned Gao Chunyang, learned that Spirit Spring Mountain’s workers shared spirit sources through hidden rules, and discovered that reporting rewards could total millions.
• Jiang Man asked Gao Chunyang to gather separate evidence of each worker’s violations and promised to help him find another post if the investigation made him unable to stay.
• Qin Luoyang, Jiang Nian, and Wei Chuan discussed Jiang Man’s meeting with a Guard and expected him to struggle with the mountain’s affairs.

Jiang Man arranged for Gao Chunyang and Immortal Maiden Liuchu to gather evidence of corruption at Spirit Spring Mountain, while its managers mistook his plan for a routine effort to remove rivals. The chapter ended with Qin Luoyang learning that the Enforcement Hall had taken away people on the list.

• Jiang Man spoke with Old Yellow Ox about finding replacements for Spirit Spring Mountain's managers, then learned that an evil god had contacted Spirit Blossom Immortal Spirit.
• Jiang Man asked Chen Shi to offer Immortal Maiden Liuchu a deal in exchange for evidence against Spirit Spring Mountain's personnel and access to the Immortal Dao Coordinates.
• Tantai Xue and Tantai Xiaotian agreed to investigate, while Qin Luoyang, Wei Chuan, and Jiang Nian planned to steer the investigation toward people they wanted removed.
• Gao Chunyang told Jiang Man that his investigation was going suspiciously smoothly, and Jiang Man encouraged him to involve others if needed.
• Jiang Man questioned Manager Mo about dismissing the people on the list, then left without meeting Qin Luoyang and said they had misunderstood his intentions.
• The next day, Qin Luoyang learned that the Enforcement Hall had taken Senior Brother Chen and the others away.

Jiang Man continued reporting Spirit Spring Mountain workers for embezzlement while leaving appointments entirely to Qin Luoyang, confounding the managers who expected him to seize control. After a second group of nine was arrested, Qin Luoyang tried to understand Jiang Man’s intentions, but learned that Jiang Man had again authorized him to choose the replacements.

• Qin Luoyang, Jiang Nian, and Wei Chuan discussed the first arrests and agreed to prepare their own appointment lists while guarding against Jiang Man’s moves.
• Jiang Man signed Qin Luoyang’s list without review, told him to appoint people freely, and returned to focusing on cultivation and spell arts.
• Jiang Man received fifty names from Immortal Maiden Liuchu, arranged for the Spirit Blossom Immortal Spirit to conceal its aura, and sent nine names to Ren Qian on May fifth.
• On May fifteenth, the Enforcement Hall arrested another nine Spirit Spring Mountain workers for embezzlement, including three associates each of Qin Luoyang, Wei Chuan, and Jiang Nian.
• Qin Luoyang suspected Jiang Man had secretly recruited informants and planned an investigation, but Manager Mo reported that Jiang Man had authorized him to approve replacements recommended by Qin and still supported him unconditionally.

Jiang Man continued reporting nine people each month while focusing on cultivation and waiting for the Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny's next task. After receiving a Gourd as its reward, he watched golden runes begin to reveal the new conditions.

• Qin Luoyang told Jiang Nian and the others to assign conspicuous tasks to newcomers so they could test the person in charge's intentions.
• Jiang Man earned Spirit Sources, cultivated the Return to the Void Simple Method to great accomplishment, and received another list of fifty names from Immortal Maiden Liuchu.
• Jiang Man selected nine names for Ren Qian to report, while explaining that he would avoid taking action against the people Manager Qin had selected.
• Qin Luoyang learned that another nine people had been arrested and asked Manager Mo to arrange a meeting with the person in charge.
• Jiang Man waited for the Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny, received a Gourd, and saw the new task's runes begin to appear.

Jiang Man received a new Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny challenge to become immortal within fifteen years, while Spirit Spring Mountain’s merit requirements threatened to slow him down. After Jiang Nian negotiated with the Chen Family and Jiang Man set aside a report against outside families, he crossed the Magpie Bridge to meet Ting Fengyin, who criticized him for failing to kill Meng Qiewei.

• Jiang Man learned he had to use the Five Elements Secret Realm to break through the Ascension Stage within fifteen years, and Old Yellow Ox warned that Spirit Spring Mountain could keep him from earning merit.
• Jiang Man began cultivating with costly Return to the Void pills, while the Cultivation Gourd’s progress and his limited Spirit Sources made advancement slow.
• Jiang Nian agreed to a five-percent price increase with Family Head Chen, who privately revealed that the Chen Family had another buyer and expected future deals to end.
• Jiang Man decided not to report the families named on Immortal Maiden Liuchu’s list after Ren Qian warned him that doing so could harm Spirit Spring Mountain.
• Jiang Man crossed the Magpie Bridge on July 9, collected leaves and a small branch from Ting Fengyin’s tree, and asked whether his mission was complete.
• Ting Fengyin told Jiang Man that Meng Qiewei was still alive and called him slothful for failing to kill her.

Jiang Man consulted Ting Fengyin about his future actions and the many complications surrounding his cultivation, and Ting Fengyin helped him manage Myriad Things Spirituality while outlining several possible paths forward. The chapter ended with Ting Fengyin refusing to lend him anything and Jiang Man asking how to increase Spirit Water production.

• Ting Fengyin told Jiang Man not to suppress his cultivation, delayed killing Meng Qiewei, and explained that the Ji Family had sent half its direct descendants to help with Immortal Gate reclamation work for a hundred years.
• Ting Fengyin asked Jiang Man to find Meng Qiewei's husband, then listened as Jiang Man described his recent discoveries and troubles.
• Ting Fengyin cut off Myriad Things Spirituality's communication with the Immeasurable Kalpa Stone long enough for Jiang Man to sense it and leave his aura on it.
• Ting Fengyin suggested that Jiang Man use the Void Spirit Eye to help True Person Taihua, learn about the Wuyou Evil God, and seek the Daoji Clan's Sealing Technique in exchange for easing their suffering.
• Ting Fengyin refused to lend Jiang Man anything before he became an immortal, and Jiang Man asked how to solve his insufficient Spirit Water production.

Jiang Man learned how to temporarily increase Spirit Spring Mountain’s Spirit Water production and arranged to plant branches from the Sweet Dew tree, while Qin Luoyang struggled with mounting problems in the sect. The chapter ended with Qin Luoyang meeting Jiang Man and introducing himself as Steward Jiang’s subordinate.

• Ting Fengyin taught Jiang Man a three-year method for increasing Spirit Water production, warned him that breaking the Sweet Dew tree could damage his luck, and advised him about the Immeasurable Kalpa Stone and Jian Ci.
• Jiang Man brought shrimp and Sweet Dew tree branches back, gave branches to Heavenly Dog to plant, and discovered that Myriad Things Spirituality was a false heaven-and-earth connection point that fed on Void Aura.
• Jiang Man drafted a Formation Arts plan for Spirit Spring Mountain and proposed renting the tree branches and his expertise for ten thousand Spirit Sources a month; Manager Mo passed the materials list to Qin Luoyang for approval.
• After the Enforcement Hall took nine people away again in July and August, Qin Luoyang grew alarmed by internal troubles and decided to take Jiang Man’s form to the Inner Sect’s Ninth Peak.
• Ji Shoumo, Bai Qiufeng, and Bai Long won the Small Courtyard’s three slots, while Jiang Man and Ji Meng comforted Ji Chenfeng and discussed Ji Suyue’s forging talent.
• Qin Luoyang appeared before Jiang Man and Ji Meng and respectfully introduced himself, but Jiang Man did not recognize him.