Chapter Summaries

Jiang Man received a secret realm training opportunity and visited his friends to pay interest before his departure. News of the Eighth Courtyard's exceptional rankings and late-night cultivation spread through the Outer Sect Seven Peaks, drawing scrutiny toward Yan Yiqiu.

• Zhuo Bufan warned Jiang Man about recruitment attempts and mistakenly credited Jiang Man's strength to his dao companion.
• Yu Wanyi gave Jiang Man a token for a secret realm opening at noon on September first and appointed him team leader, while Old Yellow Ox offered protection.
• Jiang Man visited Little Fatty's shop and rearranged its spirit medicines to prevent harmful interactions and increase spiritual qi.
• Song Qing announced that he had become a Cloudfront Office guard, and Chang Qiwen revealed that he had become a Sect messenger.
• Jiang Man paid Song Qing and Chang Qiwen half a year's interest, advised his friends on cultivation, and received fifty Qi and Blood Pills from Little Fatty.
• Luo Lu regretted discouraging loans to Jiang Man, while news of the Eighth Courtyard's rankings and late-night cultivation prompted investors to target Yan Yiqiu for answers.

Yan Yiqiu was summoned by the Enforcement Hall after many people reported her for teaching illegal cultivation by having her students stay up all night. Meanwhile, Jiang Man entered a dangerous secret realm to hunt demonic beasts despite warnings that it could lock away his convictions, and Meng Qiewei learned that the Wuyun Sect’s all-night cultivation had caused a scandal.

• Yan Yiqiu learned that her leave had been canceled because the Enforcement Hall was investigating her for instructing the Eighth Small Courtyard to cultivate illegally by staying up at night.
• Immortal Maiden Huaijing warned Yu Wanyi that Jiang Man’s secret-realm trial could imprison his mind, then left; the Enforcement Hall soon arrived to see Yu Wanyi as well.
• Jiang Man entered the secret realm despite its warning that the Evil God’s lingering power could lock down a cultivator’s mind, and a guard explained the demonic-beast hunt and its dangers.
• The Manager assigned Jiang Man three Foundation Establishment Late Stage teammates and explained the team’s duties, risks, and Spirit Source rewards, while predicting Jiang Man would eventually fail.
• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that someone at the Wuyun Sect had been reported for illegal all-night cultivation, and Meng Qiewei questioned whether a first-place cultivator who stayed up all night counted as a Heavenly Pride.

Meng Qiewei and Qing Dai discussed whether Jiang Man’s rapid progress through all-night cultivation made him a Heavenly Pride, while the Immortal Gate investigated Evil Gods in the Depths. On a mission to hunt demonic beasts, Jiang Man protected his companions, defeated the beasts, and drew the attention of an Evil God within the Demon King.

• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that Jiang Man’s all-night cultivation had sparked debate over whether he was a Heavenly Pride, and reported that the Immortal Gate was investigating Evil Gods in the Depths.
• Jiang Man traveled with three companions to a giant pit, where he cultivated while they waited for the demonic beasts to return.
• Jiang Man sensed danger, threw the woman clear of a blast, and discovered that a Demon King and more than twenty demonic beasts had been roused.
• Jiang Man activated True Martial Art, saved the thin man from a demonic beast, and told his companions to draw some beasts away while he fought the rest.
• Jiang Man killed the demonic beasts and faced the Demon King, whose body began transforming as an Evil God’s gaze took control of it.
• The Small Market Manager sensed the Evil God’s aura on the sand table and immediately reported it.

Jiang Man agreed to become an Evil God’s undercover agent in exchange for rewards, then returned from the Secret Realm with her lock placed on his heart. Old Yellow Ox warned him about the lock, but Jiang Man broke it himself and reaffirmed his confidence in his talent.

• Jiang Man fought the mutated Demon King, then agreed to become her undercover agent in the Wuyun Sect in exchange for demon beast rewards and a lock she could control.
• Jiang Man used Hidden Spirit to kill the Demon King and thirty-eight demon beasts before the returning group found him at the ruined great pit.
• The manager ordered Jiang Man and the other Demon King slayers to leave the Secret Realm early, and Jiang Man returned to his residence the next day.
• Jiang Man told Old Yellow Ox about the Evil God and the lock, and Old Yellow Ox warned that it could hinder his cultivation.
• Jiang Man revealed the lock in his mind, snapped its chains, and dismissed it as unworthy of a Peerless Heavenly Prodigy.

Jiang Man cooperated with the Enforcement Hall’s investigation into his dealings with an Evil God and was cleared after the investigators found no lock on him. As rumors about all-night cultivation spread, a woman named Huo approached him, but Ren Qian later arrived to investigate her suspected ties to an Evil God.

• Jiang Man counted his spirit sources, then answered Meng Qiewei’s questions about the Wuyun Sect rankings and the Immortal Gate’s hunt for Evil Gods.
• Ren Qian and two investigators questioned Jiang Man about his encounter and deal with an Evil God, but found no lock on him and decided not to pursue him further.
• Jiang Man learned that Yan Yiqiu had been taken for questioning after reports that she taught illegal all-night cultivation, and he continued training while the practice gained attention across the Outer Sect Seven Peaks.
• A woman in a pink skirt visited Jiang Man to ask how he had placed first, then left intending to contact the Evil God through his dreams and gain his cooperation.
• Old Yellow Ox recognized that the woman had ties to an Evil God, and Ren Qian arrived at her door the next morning to take Junior Sister Huo in for questioning.

Jiang Man received the Cloud Glow Peak Secret Method and learned that he might be allowed to skip ahead to the First, Second, and Third Courtyards. When the new Spell Arts teacher Ji Hao tested Jiang Man’s spiritual qi, Jiang Man sensed an aura like Peerless Heaven’s Chosen Destiny and realized Ji Hao was from Meng Qiewei’s household and was probing him.

• Jiang Man arrived at the Seventh Courtyard as classes resumed, where the students discussed Teacher Yan’s arrest, staying up late to cultivate, and a newly discovered Secret Realm.
• Yan Yiqiu told the students that Huo Bingzhi remained detained and warned them about increased combat training; she gave Jiang Man the Cloud Glow Peak Secret Method and agreed to look into letting him take assessments for the First, Second, and Third Courtyards.
• Jiang Man read the Purple Rosy Glow, Rising Sun Chapter, an offensive technique that condensed a rising sun and sent rosy light toward targets.
• In the Enforcement Hall prison, Ren Qian explained that Huo Bingzhi was connected to the Evil God and suspected that the person who reported her might come looking for them again.
• Ji Hao arrived as the new Spell Arts teacher and asked Jiang Man to take his hand for a spiritual-qi test; Jiang Man sensed a familiar destiny aura and recognized that Ji Hao was from Meng Qiewei’s household.

Ji Hao tested Jiang Man for the peerless heaven's chosen destiny, failed to detect it, and tried to recruit him into the Ji lineage, but Jiang Man refused because he was already married. Ji Hao reported that Wei Ran was now the likelier candidate, while Jiang Man prepared to enter a secret realm for combat training and treasure gathering.

• Ji Hao probed Jiang Man's aura three times but detected no peerless heaven's chosen destiny, then announced that the students would enter a secret realm for three months of actual combat.
• Ji Hao told the students that the Evergreen Sect was coming for the Immortal Abode Secret Realm and offered to take them to collect overlooked treasures nearby.
• Ji Hao revealed that he had come to Cloud Glow Peak because of Jiang Man's reputation and asked him to marry into the Ji lineage, but Jiang Man refused, saying he already had a dao companion.
• Ji Hao concluded that Jiang Man was not the Fate Pattern bearer and decided Wei Ran was the remaining candidate, though he still hoped to recruit Jiang Man later.
• Old Yellow Ox warned Jiang Man that Ji Hao's detection treasure had nearly broken the protections shielding his Peerless Heaven's Chosen Destiny, while Jiang Man studied Purple Rosy Glow and prepared to leave for the secret realm.
• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that Ji Hao had tested Jiang Man and now considered Wei Ran the likelier son-in-law candidate.

Meng Qiewei heard that Jiang Man had refused a marriage proposal because he claimed to be married, while Jiang Man prepared for a three-month trip to a dangerous island archipelago. The chapter ended with masked members of the Heretical Demonic Outer Dao planning a nighttime attack on the Seventh Institute, unaware that their target included an acting Envoy.

• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that Jiang Man had refused the Lineage’s marriage proposal, claiming he already had a beautiful and loving dao companion whom nobody had seen.
• Jiang Man visited He Huaian, received ten Spirit-Stabilizing Pills, and bought supplies for his three-month training trip.
• Ji Hao led Jiang Man and the Seventh Institute group into the island archipelago, where they discovered that spiritual qi was scarce and all edible things were poisonous.
• Ji Hao warned the group about Demon Beasts, outsiders without Sect Tokens, and the Heretical Demonic Outer Dao, while Jiang Man resolved to keep a low profile and gather resources.
• Two masked men received an Edict to rescue the Envoy and planned a nighttime attack on the Seventh Institute after realizing it was Cloud Glow Peak’s institute and had an acting Envoy.

Manager Chen planned to exploit the Seventh Courtyard’s competition at the Lonely Smoke Archipelago, but found its students cultivating through the night and put his scheme on hold. As the students began practical combat training, Jiang Man crossed the sea with Wandering Dragon, while Huo Bingzhi remained imprisoned and grew furious that he still had not slept.

• Manager Chen recalled how staying up late had contributed to his failed Core Formation attempt, then planned to recruit the Seventh Institute and use an illusion realm to make its people experience despair.
• Chen Yu visited the Seventh Courtyard at midnight and found everyone cultivating in the courtyard, so he left without identifying Jiang Man or making a move.
• Ji Hao sent the students to begin seven-day practical combat training and tasked them with crossing the sea using Wandering Dragon.
• Jiang Man studied the water, crossed to the island with little difficulty, and noticed that the spray had still wet his trouser cuffs.
• Chen Yu watched the students train and continued preparing a plan to throw them into disarray within two months.
• Huo Bingzhi waited from September fifteenth to November fifteenth without receiving a response from Jiang Man and angrily wondered why he would not sleep.

After months of punishing combat training, Jiang Man and the Seventh Courtyard students traveled to the Inner Sect tournament grounds to collect rewards from defeated competitors. Ji Hao turned the outing into further training as an Evil God's followers approached, leaving Yan Yiqiu to face an incoming attack.

• Jiang Man and the others completed Ji Hao's grueling combat lessons, and Ji Hao led them toward the tournament islands to pick up bargains.
• Ji Hao's group rescued the wounded Evergreen Sect disciple An Zhirou, then traded her safety from nearby Demon Beasts for her tournament Spirit Sword and gave it to Lin Qingshan.
• Ji Hao sent the students out to seek more bargains while telling Yan Yiqiu that attackers would soon target them and assigning her to fight them.
• An Zhirou recognized an approaching cloud as the lingering power of an Ancient Well-Type Evil God and warned that it affected people who stayed up late.
• The cloud halted when it reached the group, and Yan Yiqiu explained that the students had not slept in years.

Jiang Man rescued Ji Yifei and Qin Yihan from the sea in exchange for a Spirit Sword and Dharma Robe, then was caught in an Evil God’s Heart-Demon Dreamscape because he had stayed up cultivating. While others feared the dreamscape would drive them into despair, Jiang Man used its accelerated cultivation to break through his physical body to the seventh layer, and he was still eager to keep cultivating when the place began to fade.

• Jiang Man found injured Ji Yifei and a woman drifting near the tournament archipelago, then negotiated a Spirit Sword and Dharma Robe for rescuing them.
• The woman revealed she was Qin Yihan and explained that the seven-colored clouds came from an ancient-well-type Evil God, but the clouds enveloped Jiang Man, Ji Yifei, and Qin Yihan and transported them to a Heart-Demon Dreamscape.
• Qin Yihan warned Jiang Man that the dreamscape would force its captives to cultivate through the night and eventually plunge them into despair, while Jiang Man focused on its unusually effective cultivation.
• Zhuo Bufan, Zhao Yaoyao, Lin Qingshan, Wei Beichuan, and others also cultivated in the dreamscape, despite warnings that it would lead them toward an abyss.
• After twenty days, Jiang Man’s physical body broke through to the seventh layer, and he praised the dreamscape as a wonderful place just as it seemed ready to disperse.

Jiang Man and the other cultivators endured the Evil God Domain’s oppressive darkness, which was meant to drive them into the Abyss and ruin their chances of Core Formation. At the cliff’s edge, Jiang Man resisted the darkness and declared that he would become the light and achieve Core Formation.

• Jiang Man stopped cultivating when the Evil God Domain’s influence made further progress ineffective, then continued forward with Ji Yifei and Qin Yihan.
• Zhuo Bufan pressed on despite his cousin warning that he would fall into the Abyss, and he reached the cliff’s edge as darkness swallowed the path behind him.
• Outside the archipelago, Yan Yiqiu fought the Heretical Demonic Outer Dao while An Zhirou accused her of letting the students suffer; on Central Island, Chen Yu hastened the students’ descent toward the Abyss.
• Zhuo Bufan, Zhao Yaoyao, Wei Beichuan, Cao Cheng, Lin Qingshan, and the other students gathered at the cliff and awaited the first-ranked Jiang Man.
• Jiang Man stepped onto empty air without falling, explained that the darkness was weakness of the mind, and said he would become the light and achieve Core Formation.

Jiang Man and the others escaped the Evil God Domain, while Ji Hao recorded how they broke through its mental restraints and warned that the attack might have targeted someone in the tournament. Back at Wuyun Sect, Huo Bingzhi reported Jiang Man for colluding with the Evil God.

• Jiang Man, Zhuo Bufan, Lin Qingshan, and six others broke through the abyss, and Ji Hao recorded their success and devised a sun visualization method.
• Chen Yu realized that Jiang Man’s example had shown nine people could have formed their cores, then considered trying to turn Jiang Man into a pawn.
• Jiang Man recovered on the island, discussed cultivation techniques with Ji Yifei, and learned that the Seven-Colored Auspicious Clouds might have been meant to create an opportunity for someone in the tournament.
• Ji Hao took the group away and told them to recuperate before witnessing the Heretical Demonic Outer Dao attack the Central Archipelago.
• Huo Bingzhi, desperate after waiting months for Jiang Man to fall asleep, asked to report an Evil God’s subordinate.
• Ren Qian received Huo Bingzhi while questioning Yu Wanyi, and Huo Bingzhi accused Jiang Man of colluding with the Evil God.

Jiang Man recovered from his expedition, advanced to the Eighth Layer of Spirit, and learned that both the Evil God’s followers and Meng Qiewei’s people were keeping an eye on him. Ren Qian arranged to pay him to enter a dream, while Meng Qiewei’s new Heavenly Pride proposed testing Jiang Man again and finding him a marriage match from the Lineage’s direct branches.

• Huo Bingzhi accused Jiang Man of colluding with an Evil God, but Ren Qian confirmed the accusation and had her taken away.
• Jiang Man received an Evil God dream token, identified its purpose with the Heavenly Mirror of a Hundred Books, and showed it to Teacher Yan.
• After fighting the Heretical Demonic Outer Dao, Jiang Man left the islands with his group and returned to Wuyun Sect, where he advanced to the Eighth Layer of Spirit.
• Old Yellow Ox warned Jiang Man that Ji Hao had likely controlled events and might test him again; Chang Qiwen then delivered overdue fee notices.
• Ren Qian paid Jiang Man five thousand Spirit Sources to sleep and use the dream token.
• Qing Dai told Meng Qiewei that the new Heavenly Pride wanted to test Jiang Man again and suggested finding him a suitable woman from the Lineage’s direct branches, though Jiang Man had not agreed to marry into the Lineage.

Meng Qiewei planned to use an official pretext to leave the Immortal Gate and find her unknown husband, while Jiang Man entered a mysterious temple in a dream after accepting a job to sleep with an Evil God statue. After reporting the experience and receiving pills, Jiang Man learned his instructor had applied for him to take the Annual Assessment for the First, Second, and Third Institutes.

• Meng Qiewei told Qing Dai she could send a wisp of consciousness out through an open, legitimate channel and intended to travel with direct-line women chosen by the clan.
• Jiang Man accepted five thousand Spirit Sources to sleep beside an Evil God statue, entered a fog-shrouded temple, and left his name and sect on its Stone Stele.
• Jiang Man cultivated in the temple, returned to his room, and told Old Yellow Ox about the experience.
• Jiang Man sent Ren Qian a report that emphasized the dangers of entering the temple, and Ren Qian sent him ten Spirit-Stabilizing Pills while postponing another visit.
• Bai Fan told Duan Wu and Jiang Yingcai that Jiang Man's instructor had applied for him to take the Annual Assessment for the First, Second, and Third Institutes.

Jiang Man prepared to compete in the First, Second, and Third Institutes while Fang Yong arranged Spirit Source and potential allies for him. A woman from the Second Institute was ordered to win Jiang Man’s heart and considered using the Annual Assessment to approach him.

• Bai Fan declined to challenge Jiang Man and chose to compete for first place across the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Courtyards instead.
• After hearing that Jiang Man would enter the First, Second, and Third Institutes’ competition, Gao Rong paid Fang Yong and asked Little Fatty to help him join Jiang Man’s team.
• Gao Rong offered twenty thousand Spirit Source, and Little Fatty agreed to ask Jiang Man, though he warned that Jiang Man might refuse.
• Cheng Yu told Luo Xuan that Fang Yong had encouraged her to study Auxiliary Cultivation, while Fang Yong brought her pills to sell.
• Fang Yong gave Jiang Man thirty-five thousand Spirit Source and described how he had arranged Gao Rong’s offer; Jiang Man then prepared to buy pills and advance his cultivation.
• A woman from the Second Institute, assigned to capture Jiang Man’s heart, considered approaching him through the Annual Assessment and joining his team.

Jiang Man prepared for the Annual Grand Competition, rejected an invitation to Zhuo Ling’s team, and advanced to Foundation Establishment Perfection in both body and spirit. After borrowing more Spirit Sources and seeking support, he was left wondering whether Meng Qiewei had discovered his identity, then visited his master and Senior Sister Yu’s residence.

• Yan Yiqiu told Jiang Man that he needed to place in the top fifty at the First, Second, and Third Institutes’ assessment to obtain the remaining Secret Methods, while Zhao Yaoyao and Lin Qingshan warned him about the competition’s difficulty.
• Zhuo Qingcheng offered Zhuo Bufan Spirit Sources to recruit Jiang Man for Zhuo Ling’s team, but Zhuo Ling refused to join Jiang Man and Zhuo Bufan insisted he would only join Jiang Man’s team.
• Zhuo Bufan offered Jiang Man thirty thousand Spirit Sources to join the Zhuo Household team, but Jiang Man refused because he had already teamed up with Gao Rong.
• Jiang Man used pills to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection, then advanced his Physical Body to the Eighth Layer and his spirit to the ninth stage.
• Jiang Man collected Spirit Sources from Little Fatty, Song Qing, Chang Qiwen, and Luo Xuan, then received twenty Spirit-Stabilizing Pills from He Huaian after saying he wanted to compete for first place in the outer sect.
• Meng Qiewei asked whether Jiang Man might be recruited to marry into a clan, and Old Yellow Ox warned she might have discovered him; afterward, Xia Jin told Jiang Man that Senior Sister Yu was fine.

Jiang Man prepared for the First, Second, and Third Institutes grand competition by advancing his cultivation and tempering his body, while others debated whether he could succeed. After Old Huang told him the Magpie Bridge would open in two months, Su Qinya asked to join Jiang Man’s team, and he left the decision to Gao Rong.

• Xia Jin told Jiang Man that Yu Wanyi had been targeted and was staying in the Enforcement Hall, while Yu planned to send Jiang Man into the Immortal Abode.
• Wei Chuyao discouraged Meng Xiaoxiao from following Jiang Man’s path and resolved to blunt his momentum in the grand competition.
• Jiang Man spent his Spirit Source on pills, raising his physical body to the ninth layer and filling the fifth cultivation gourd by May 1.
• Old Huang told Jiang Man that the Magpie Bridge would open in two months and advised him to let his wife judge whether he was working hard enough.
• Gao Rong introduced Su Qinya, who asked to join Jiang Man’s team, and Jiang Man agreed as long as Gao Rong approved.

Jiang Man advanced his cultivation while waiting for the First, Second, and Third Institutes’ grand competition, then met Meng Qiewei again and heard that the Immortal Gate was searching for him. Su Qinya brought him information about the competition and offered to spar, leaving Jiang Man unsure what she would charge.

• Jiang Man advanced Purple Rosy Glow to its thirteenth layer and learned from Teacher Yan that the grand competition would take place in the mountains, where he might find treasures.
• Old Yellow Ox revealed that Meng Qiewei had arrived, and Jiang Man spoke with her about his cultivation, their marriage, and the Peerless Heaven’s Chosen Destiny.
• Meng Qiewei warned Jiang Man that the Immortal Gate was checking for an Evil God and would search for him at the Wuyun Sect before she departed.
• Jiang Man resumed cultivating and later saw Su Qinya, who gave him a book of competition rules and offered to spar with him.
• Jiang Man wondered how much Spirit Source Su Qinya would charge for sparring.

Jiang Man joined the First, Second, and Third Institutes’ competition after preparing his techniques and learning that his ordinary Spirit Sword could not withstand his full power. At the gorge, he struck down three Third Courtyard disciples with one attack, leaving the other competitors stunned.

• Su Qinya planned to win Jiang Man’s affection by recognizing and supporting him during the competition, while Jiang Man read the rules she had brought him.
• Jiang Man cultivated the Azure Smoke Zither to the eleventh layer, then discovered that his ordinary Spirit Sword cracked when he used the Sword-Controlling Technique at full power.
• Jiang Man traveled to the competition grounds with Su Qinya and Gao Rong, declined Su Qinya’s help with the Wind-Concealing Technique, and said he already had a dao companion.
• Zhuo Qingcheng learned that Zhuo Ling had refused to cooperate with Jiang Man, then chose to stop involving herself in Outer Sect affairs.
• Jiang Man entered the gorge with five competitors from the Fourth and Fifth Courtyards and asked whether defeating the Third Courtyard and Second Institute could earn him a top-fifty ranking.
• Jiang Man unleashed a red sun attack that sent three Third Courtyard disciples crashing to the ground, then remarked that he might be too strong.