Chapter Summaries

Jing Jiu faced an immense Heavenly Tribulation during his ascension and used the clouds, air, and lightning as swords to overcome it. After Zhao Layue watched his sword light vanish, Jing Jiu emerged into a dark, cold world and looked back at the emptiness behind him.

• Jing Jiu explained that he wanted to abandon the chain of causes and effects sustaining his current self, then told Ping Yongjia to leave his Dao Body behind.
• Jing Jiu said he was what all his causes and effects pointed toward, told Zhao Layue, "I'm off," and ascended into the Void Realm.
• A vast Thunderstorm Vortex formed to confront Jing Jiu, but its first lightning strikes dispersed without harming him.
• Jing Jiu summoned clouds and air into countless swords and turned the lightning against the heavens, making the Thunderstorm Vortex disappear.
• Zhao Layue watched the sword light fade while holding Big One, and a blade of wild grass sprouted beside her foot.
• Jing Jiu emerged through a breach into a dark, cold world and saw only emptiness behind him.

After ascending, Jing Jiu watched the Chaotian Continent and sent an Immortal Register to Green Mountain before leaving for the universe. Decades later, True Person Tan ascended and took Jing Jiu’s place at the bamboo chair.

• Jing Jiu settled into the bamboo chair in the cold world beyond the Chaotian Continent and watched its changing scenes while gathering light from a distant white fireball.
• Zhao Layue, Bai Zao, Cao Yuan, Zen Child, and others continued their lives as Green Mountain changed, Peng Lang rose to prominence, and Zhuo Rusui became Sect Master.
• Bai Zao persuaded Peng Lang to challenge the Snow Nation Queen, but he lost and fathered a child with her; Bai Zao left for Penglai Island, and True Person Tan passed his Sect Master's Seat to Tong Yan before entering seclusion until death.
• Jing Jiu formed a ball of immortal qi into an Immortal Register and sent it to Ping Yongjia on Sword Peak, where Ping Yongjia prepared to use it if the continent's vital energy ran short.
• Jing Jiu left the bamboo chair and vanished into the universe; later, True Person Tan ascended, came to the chair, and began making his own Immortal Register.

Jing Jiu followed Snow Ji’s trail through the universe and discovered that the black dandelion-like corpses were Outsider Heavenly Demons. When a vastly larger one searched the space near him, he hid as a meteorite, then deliberately lit Sword Flame to draw its attention away from Chaotian Continent.

• Jing Jiu followed the faint scents left by Snow Ji and found a dead, black dandelion-like monster in space.
• Jing Jiu examined the monster’s body and confirmed that Snow Ji had shattered one of its cocoon-like organs.
• Jing Jiu encountered more dead monsters and concluded they were Outsider Heavenly Demons, then realized the white fireball was a star.
• Jing Jiu reached a red star and saw a living Outsider Heavenly Demon hundreds of times larger than the dead ones searching for something.
• Jing Jiu concealed himself from the demon by mimicking a meteorite, then lit a conspicuous ball of Sword Flame to attract its attention.

Jing Jiu killed the Outsider Heavenly Demon but was gravely wounded, and True Person Taiping used the last of his strength to bring him closer to the red fireball. Taiping saw the approaching warships before he dispersed, while Jing Jiu fell asleep.

• Jing Jiu fought and destroyed the Outsider Heavenly Demon, which self-destructed and left him badly injured.
• True Person Taiping emerged from Jing Jiu’s sea of consciousness and discussed the battle and the beliefs that had led people to follow him.
• True Person Taiping pushed Jing Jiu toward the red fireball, where its flames could restore his immortal qi.
• Jing Jiu said goodbye to True Person Taiping, who saw a magnificent sight and dispersed; Jing Jiu fell into a deep sleep.
• Tens of thousands of warships shaped like flying swords arrived and surrounded Jing Jiu and True Person Taiping.

Jing Jiu awakened in a distant civilization and was studied by scientists before appearing in the world where Zhong Lizi lived. After Zhong Lizi scolded him over the novel she was writing, Jing Jiu continued watching the stars, still uncertain about his circumstances but certain this civilization was inferior to Chaotian Continent.

• Tens of thousands of warships left the remains of the Outsider Heavenly Demon and flew into the depths of the universe.
• Two scientists argued over the identity of the perfect-looking man in their laboratory, and he suddenly opened his eyes.
• New Era Academy students criticized Zhong Lizi’s novel, and Zhong Lizi defended its story and writing.
• Zhong Lizi returned home and complained to the silent youth about the novel’s direction and its lack of exciting developments.
• The youth told Zhong Lizi that the ascended protagonist came to this world, and she angrily demanded that he change the story.
• Jing Jiu watched the faint stars and reflected that he had spent twenty days in this world and considered it an inferior civilization.

Jing Jiu watched the news with Zhong Lizi and recognized a blond scientist in footage about an explosion, recalling the laboratory where he had awakened. He then discovered that the scientists had confined him behind an invisible barrier, which he tested with Sword Light.

• Jing Jiu discussed Zhong Lizi’s criticism of his novel and watched the evening news with her.
• The news reported that an explosion near a large metal door had been contained, and Jing Jiu spotted a blond man in the background.
• Jing Jiu recalled waking naked in a laboratory, where two scientists watched him and warned him not to raise his hands because of a level-six energy field.
• Jing Jiu pressed his palm against the invisible barrier and formed Sword Light between his hand and the air.

Jing Jiu escaped the underground base after testing its energy field and using mental control on two scientists. He destroyed the base’s defenses on his way out and continued into the unknown world without looking back.

• Jing Jiu failed to break through the energy field with sword light, then used his will to make two scientists deactivate it.
• Jing Jiu took a scientist’s white garment, slipped through the base, and avoided drawing attention from its staff.
• Jing Jiu abandoned his plan to hide and cut through pipes and barriers as he flew toward the exit.
• Jing Jiu destroyed the Automated Weapons Platform and its Laser Main Cannon with sword light, triggering explosions.
• Jing Jiu flew out of the base and noted that his speed was slower than it had been on the Chaotian Continent.

Jing Jiu discovered that the underground world was connected to a spacefaring human civilization fighting Outsider Heavenly Demons, and he decided to investigate it before leaving. He secretly entered a silver-haired girl’s room, learned how to use her devices, and was still there when an alarm sounded.

• Jing Jiu saw a broadcast of warships destroying Outsider Heavenly Demons and recognized the creatures and weapons from his own world.
• Jing Jiu entered the silver-haired girl’s room, destroyed a surveillance device, and studied her law artifact while she slept.
• Jing Jiu used the girl’s finger to activate the artifact and tapped through its images until the Light Screen went blank.
• The girl woke, discovered her thesis draft was gone, and grieved over the yellow cat shown in a photograph.
• After the girl left, Jing Jiu stayed behind, learned to turn on the television, and began repeating its speech before an alarm rang.

Jing Jiu secretly lived in Zhong Lizi’s home, learned about her hardships and the Galaxy Human Alliance, and began considering how to investigate this world. When Zhong Lizi felt that her unseen companion had left, a boy appeared at her door, saying he had seen her roommate notice.

• Jing Jiu secretly studied Zhong Lizi’s books, accidentally tore a page, and listened as she mourned her dead father and cat and described her family’s misfortunes.
• Jing Jiu learned Zhong Lizi’s name and the history of the Galaxy Human Alliance, including its war with the Dark Matter Sea, and wondered whether ascended figures from Chaotian had reached this world.
• Jing Jiu decided he needed better access to knowledge and could no longer conveniently remain a ghost tenant in Zhong Lizi’s home.
• Zhong Lizi returned home and sensed that her unseen companion was gone, then opened the doorbell screen to a boy who said he had seen her roommate notice on the academy network.

Jing Jiu moved into Zhong Lizi’s home and used the academy network to study the Galaxy Alliance’s knowledge. After struggling with physics and questioning what existed before the Big Bang, he wondered whether Old Tan had emerged yet.

• Zhong Lizi agreed to rent Jing Jiu the study after he offered her a gold coin, and he asked to use her computer and academy login.
• Jing Jiu accessed the computer using Zhong Lizi’s copied fingerprint, then asked her to log him into the academy network.
• Over the next eight days, Jing Jiu studied languages, planetary subjects, sciences, and other courses, finding physics difficult.
• Jing Jiu asked Zhong Lizi about the minimum energy constant and what existed before the Big Bang, then dismissed martial cultivation and genetic modification as lesser paths.
• Jing Jiu connected a scientist’s High String Theory hypothesis to Nan Wang’s Sword Strings and wondered whether Old Tan had come out.

Jing Jiu struggled to study the sciences of the Galaxy Alliance and reflected on questions about years and robots. He decided to publish the story of Jingyang to draw out fellow cultivators who had ascended, especially Snow Ji, while searching for an answer to who he was.

• Jing Jiu abandoned his physics studies and switched to mathematics, only to become engrossed in university topics such as number theory and algebraic geometry.
• After his nine-day study period ended, Jing Jiu wondered why he could not learn everything as quickly as he once had and wrote down the words "Year" and "Robot."
• Jing Jiu scanned Zhong Lizi's irises and asked how to send a message across the universe; Zhong Lizi suggested novels as a way to attract readers.
• Jing Jiu told Zhong Lizi he would write a story about Jingyang and publish it to attract ascended cultivators, particularly Snow Ji.
• When Zhong Lizi asked what he was seeking, Jing Jiu said he wanted to know who he was.

Jing Jiu finished a massive portion of his novel, Great Dao Toward Heaven, and Zhong Lizi read it, offered criticism, and tried to help it find readers. After mastering the academy’s available physics and mathematics materials and earning perfect scores on seven tests, Jing Jiu agreed to attend school, while Zhong Lizi’s coughing illness remained hidden from him.

• Jing Jiu wrote the ending of volume seven of Great Dao Toward Heaven, and Zhong Lizi helped him post twenty thousand characters under her academy network account.
• Zhong Lizi read the novel overnight, cried over its characters, and later told Jing Jiu that its prose was strong but its emotional impact, plot connections, and Jingyang’s characterization needed work.
• Zhong Lizi tried to promote the novel among her classmates, but it received little attention beyond rumors about its author.
• Jing Jiu finished the academy network’s physics and mathematics textbooks and earned full marks on seven test papers, astonishing Zhong Lizi.
• Zhong Lizi invited Jing Jiu to attend school so he could use its internal library database, and he agreed.
• Jing Jiu followed Zhong Lizi into her bedroom and saw her coughing beneath her blanket.

Jing Jiu helped Zhong Lizi obtain a black-market wristband and discovered that her leukemia was severe, though he temporarily stabilized her condition. After stealing gold coins from an underground arcade owner, he followed Zhong Lizi up to the surface and saw New Era Academy and a warship in the sky.

• Jing Jiu examined Zhong Lizi while she slept, diagnosed severe leukemia, and used sword intent to stabilize her condition.
• Zhong Lizi took Jing Jiu to Mr. Dan’s shop, where he paid two gold coins for a wristband and destroyed the iris lens used to collect his data.
• The arcade owner discovered that three gold coins had vanished from his safe and questioned his lackeys about the theft.
• Jing Jiu and Zhong Lizi climbed to the top of the cliff, where they saw the grounds of New Era Academy and a warship’s silhouette in the artificial sky.

Jing Jiu enrolled as an auditor at New Era Academy and secretly absorbed vast amounts of data from its library until the database failed. At lunch, Zhong Lizi faced classmates’ mockery and an apology from Lu Shuiqian, whom Jing Jiu judged to be lying.

• Zhong Lizi registered Jing Jiu as an auditor, obtained his library card, and left him at the library before heading to class.
• Jing Jiu shielded himself from observation and absorbed data through a library terminal’s cable until the library database failed.
• Jing Jiu waited for Zhong Lizi, then went with her to the cafeteria and declined her offer to introduce him to her classmates.
• Students mocked Zhong Lizi, who ignored them and brought Jing Jiu real vegetables and steak.
• Lu Shuiqian apologized to Zhong Lizi for revealing her childhood story, and Jing Jiu told Zhong Lizi that Lu Shuiqian was lying.

Jing Jiu investigated the differences between this world and the Chaotian Continent, deducing that Ping Yongjia was an artificial intelligence and that both civilizations shared the same origin. He continued researching the cosmos and the Dark Matter Sea, still searching for the connection between the two worlds.

• At lunch, Jing Jiu told Zhong Lizi that beautiful flowers needed thorns, while deciding not to retaliate against the students who mocked her.
• After the library closed, Lu Shuiqian questioned Jing Jiu about his relationship with Zhong Lizi and her exchange-student prospects; he frightened her into running away.
• Watching students test their strength, Jing Jiu compared their martial cultivation with the cultivation of the Chaotian Continent and found them much weaker than its Ascension Ones.
• At home, Jing Jiu tested the durability of his body and calculated that physical laws differed between the worlds, then concluded that Ping Yongjia was an artificial intelligence.
• The next day, Jing Jiu studied astronomy and cosmic data at the library, investigating the Dark Matter Sea and concluding that this world and the Chaotian Continent were the same civilization, separated for countless years.

Jing Jiu considered how the Galaxy Alliance and Chaotian Continent might have developed from separate preparations made by an ancient civilization, then broke into the Hidden Web to study its secrets. After a hidden data stream traced him, he escaped its pursuit and destroyed the recording disk that could expose his studies.

• Jing Jiu reasoned that the Galaxy Alliance and Chaotian Continent followed different paths and wondered whether an ancient civilization had prepared both worlds before its destruction.
• Jing Jiu studied advanced computer knowledge, breached Star Gate Base's upper-level network, and entered the Starfield Network and its Hidden Web.
• Jing Jiu discovered a disguised, moving data symbol in the Hidden Web, but the data stream detected him and pursued his consciousness through the networks.
• Jing Jiu used false digital markers to delay the pursuer and severed three information jump bridges before it could trace him further.
• Jing Jiu left the library, crushed the latest recording disk, and watched the students playing on the other side of the lawn.

Jing Jiu built a pair of computers, gave one to Zhong Lizi, and used the other to return to the Hidden Web. There he tracked down the elusive Wild Hare and revealed that he was hiding aboard a warship, though Jing Jiu withheld its location.

• Jing Jiu decided he needed a computer as a safety valve and stole the components he needed from the arcade.
• Jing Jiu assembled two silver computers, gave one to Zhong Lizi, and warned her not to take it to school or tell anyone about it.
• Jing Jiu set up false digital identifiers and information relays, then returned to New Era Academy's library to access the Hidden Web.
• Jing Jiu confronted Wild Hare, who mocked him for fleeing during their previous encounter, and then pursued him through the network.
• Jing Jiu returned to the Hidden Web room and said he had found Wild Hare aboard a warship, but did not reveal its location.

Jing Jiu questioned the Galaxy Alliance’s Cloud Ghosts through the Hidden Web, but their experts could not answer several of his questions. After his attempt to access a military warship’s network was stopped, he returned to the school and destroyed the Vital Energy Testing Instrument while Zhong Lizi was being reprimanded.

• Jing Jiu entered a Hidden Web room, caught Wild Hare, and asked the Cloud Ghosts a series of questions that they could not answer.
• Researchers and specialists across the Galaxy Alliance puzzled over Jing Jiu’s unanswered questions, while a girl on a warship severed its information channel to stop him from gaining control.
• Jing Jiu left the library and saw Zhong Lizi being scolded by a teacher over her studies and cultivation.
• Jing Jiu destroyed the Vital Energy Testing Instrument, starting a fire and sending the teachers and students fleeing.
• Jing Jiu returned to the apartment, where Zhong Lizi quietly ate while he pretended to sleep, then watched her close her door.

Jing Jiu watched Zhong Lizi struggle with cultivation and secretly helped her recover by repairing the thermostat and giving her Yuan Qi. The next morning, Zhong Lizi felt energetic and hopeful as she headed to school, while Jing Jiu wondered whether his help had created a spirited girl.

• Jing Jiu watched Zhong Lizi practice the basic cultivation movements and heard her despair over being unable to reach the sixth level before her assessment.
• When Zhong Lizi asked how to enter the Observing Fire Realm, Jing Jiu told her to watch the fire from across the river, and she mistook his advice for indifference.
• That night, Jing Jiu checked that Zhong Lizi’s blood toxins were stable, put her into a deep sleep, repaired the thermostat, and sent Yuan Qi into her body.
• Jing Jiu accidentally burned his tracksuit with Sword Flame and planned to get new clothes.
• The next morning, Zhong Lizi woke feeling unusually energetic, declared that she felt hope, and went to school determined to succeed.

Jing Jiu tried to use his novel, Great Dao Toward Heaven, to attract hidden Ascension Ones, then secretly pushed a game adaptation through Xuan Yu’s approval process. The chapter ended with Zhong Lizi waking him to announce that she had passed level five.

• Jing Jiu searched forums for reactions to Great Dao Toward Heaven but found little discussion and no messages from potential media partners.
• After students began discussing the novel, Jing Jiu changed its forum copyright notices and traced a reader to an employee at Xuan Yu who wanted to recommend it for a game adaptation.
• Jing Jiu hacked into Xuan Yu’s network and forged approvals from seven department heads and the chairman to move the studio’s report forward.
• Jing Jiu returned home in a good mood, offered his ale to Zhong Lizi, and continued reading while she cultivated.
• At midnight, Zhong Lizi rushed to Jing Jiu and excitedly told him she had passed level five.