Recaps

Song Yan and Wan Songran lured Wang Xi into the marsh and fought him with the help of talismans and a summoned demon beast. As Wan Songran’s Yi Wood Spirit-Severing Talisman disrupted Wang Xi’s technique, Song Yan channeled heavenly thunder into his flying sword for a decisive strike.

• Wan Songran gave Song Yan a Demon Beast Core, then led him to the marsh to wait for Wang Xi.
• Wang Xi arrived after killing a Spirit Talisman Sect disciple and attacked Song Yan and Wan Songran with the Mountain-Subduing Seal.
• Song Yan and Wan Songran fought back with flying sword attacks, vines, fire, and a Hard-Shelled Giant Crab, but Wang Xi’s Earth-Crumbling Mountain-Shaking Incantation overwhelmed them.
• Wan Songran activated a half Remnant Talisman, revealing it as a Yi Wood Spirit-Severing Talisman that disrupted Wang Xi’s earth spiritual power and trapped him behind the crab.
• Song Yan summoned thunderclouds with three Pale Talismans and used the Heavenly Thunderfall Sword Stance, channeling a second bolt of heavenly thunder into his flying sword.

Song Yan defeated Wang Xi and Wan Songran but was left gravely wounded after using Sword Dao True Essence. He gathered their belongings and headed for the secret realm exit, while Shao Sichao recovered the Mountain-Suppressing Seal from the marsh.

• Wang Xi used three blood-red talismans to summon phantom mountains, and Song Yan shattered his flying sword to destroy them before the remaining broken blades killed Wang Xi.
• Wan Songran attacked the exhausted Song Yan with jade-eyed falcons and planned to frame him for Wang Xi’s death.
• Xiao He shielded Song Yan from the falcons, and Song Yan killed Wan Songran with a wisp of Sword Dao True Essence.
• Song Yan took the contents of Wang Xi’s and Wan Songran’s Heaven and Earth Bags, followed Wang Xi’s jade pendant toward the secret realm exit, and left the battlefield.
• Shao Sichao emerged from the woods, found the Mountain-Suppressing Seal in the marsh, and retrieved it.

Dongyuan Sect and the other sects investigated the disciples lost in the secret realm while Song Yan hid in a mountain cave to recover. Realizing the Xuanyuan Sect would likely frame him, Song Yan decided to stake everything on advancing his Sword-Planting Technique.

• Zhang Guangyuan sent Lu Ziye and Qin Ying to Silent Valley and ordered the sect to monitor Song Yan and Shao Sichao’s life lamps.
• Shen Huai reported that Wang Xi’s life lamp had gone out, and Xu Ziqing noticed Shen Yu’s reaction seemed genuine.
• Song Yan found a secluded cave, summoned Xiao He to guard its entrance, and began recovering from his injuries.
• Song Yan reflected that the Xuanyuan Sect would likely accuse him after Wang Xi and Wan Songran died, and resolved to risk everything by studying the Sword-Planting Technique.

Song Yan destroyed his spiritual roots and created the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing, successfully planting a golden sword Dao seed. After recovering enough to cultivate again, he left the remote mountains with Xiao He, whose grass-cord creations recorded her days waiting for him.

• Song Yan severed his three spiritual roots and used the remaining spiritual power to create the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing in his Dantian.
• Song Yan fed spiritual power into a golden shell until it formed a lotus-shaped sword Dao seed, completing Opening the Mansion, Planting the Sword.
• While Song Yan was in seclusion, Xiao He wove a grass cord each day to remember what had happened and waited outside his cave abode.
• Song Yan emerged, reassured Xiao He that his injuries had mostly healed, and learned she had woven 542 grass cords on Little Solitary Mountain.
• Song Yan spent five days cultivating back to Qi Refining, First Layer, then left the remote mountains with Xiao He.

After dispersing his cultivation, Song Yan traveled north through Qi Province toward his sect and accepted a ride with a carriage convoy bound for Fufeng City. He learned that the passengers were children from Nanhong City, traveling to Jiangyun Prefecture for business.

• Song Yan rested at a teahouse, where he overheard that the magistrate’s daughter had been chosen by an immortal to study the Immortal Method.
• Song Yan left the main road and asked a passing convoy for a ride toward Feng'an Prefecture.
• Xie Xing initially refused to take Song Yan aboard because he feared a trap, but Xie Chuan climbed down and persuaded him to let Song Yan ride as far as Fufeng City.
• Song Yan learned that the children were from Nanhong City and were traveling to Jiangyun Prefecture, with business to attend to in Fufeng City.

Song Yan traveled with Xie Xing’s family toward Fufeng City, where assassins ambushed them after learning that Xie Chuan had a spiritual root. Song Yan used a flying sword to save Xie Xing and stopped the attackers, then claimed Xie Xing was an old acquaintance and ordered the dispute postponed.

• Song Yan examined Xie Chan’s clay figurine and heard Xie Xing explain that rumors claimed it contained a peerless sword art, though he had never found one.
• As the convoy entered a forest near Fufeng City, Xie Xing sensed an ambush and ordered the children to stay inside the carriage.
• Masked attackers revealed that they had been hired to kill Xie Chuan because he had a spiritual root, and Xie Xing suspected the South Chu Qin Household was behind the attack.
• Xie Xing fought the attackers but was disarmed while trying to protect the children, and one assailant moved to attack the carriage.
• Song Yan sent his flying sword to deflect the leader’s strike and pin the assailant’s hand to the ground, revealing himself as an immortal.
• Song Yan announced that Xie Xing was his old acquaintance and told the attackers to bring their grudges up another day.

Song Yan protected the Xie family from assassins, accepted Xie Chan’s clay figurine, and parted ways with them in Fufeng City before returning to Dongyuan Sect. There, elders questioned whether he could really have killed Wang Xi, and a disciple announced his return.

• Song Yan drove off the black-clad assassins and used spiritual power to ease Xie Xing’s injuries.
• Song Yan asked about Xie Chuan’s spiritual root and learned that the Xie family had not tested the other children.
• At Ning'an Inn, Xie Chan gave Song Yan her clay figurine, and Xie Xing confessed that the story about a hidden sword art was made up.
• Song Yan accepted the figurine, urged Xie Chuan to cultivate diligently, and told Xie Xing to have the other children tested for spiritual roots.
• At Dongyuan Sect, the elders speculated that Song Yesheng was either unusually gifted or possessed by a devil cultivator.
• A disciple reported to Qin Xijun and the elders that Song Yesheng had returned.

Song Yan recounted a carefully altered version of the secret realm deaths to Dongyuan Sect's elders, concealing his secrets and claiming he had lost his cultivation. When Xuanyuan Sect elders arrived to accuse him and demand his Heaven and Earth Bag, Xu Ziqing defended him as Shen Yu unleashed his spiritual pressure.

• Song Yan told the Dongyuan Sect elders that he and Wan Songran had killed Wang Xi, while concealing the Glutton Tail Flute and sword Dao seed and claiming his cultivation had fallen to Qi Refining first layer.
• Xu Ziqing vouched for Song Yan's strong Divine Sense and alchemy ability before Xuanyuan Sect's Shen Yu, Zheng Xinzhi, and Chang Ziyi arrived to demand an explanation for Wang Xi's death.
• Shen Yu accused Song Yan of following Wang Xi and demanded that he hand over his Heaven and Earth Bag for inspection.
• Xu Ziqing deflected the accusation with a fabricated account that Wang Xi had died fighting Demon Beasts to help Song Yan and Wan Songran escape.
• Shen Yu threatened Dongyuan Sect and released overwhelming spiritual pressure toward Song Yan, but Xu Ziqing shielded him without showing fear.

Daoist Li Jun intervened when the Xuanyuan Sect threatened Dongyuan Sect, forcing Shen Yu and his group to retreat and ordering them to compensate Song Yan. After witnessing the sect master's overwhelming strength, Song Yan resolved to grow powerful enough to control his own fate.

• Shen Yu and the Xuanyuan Sect elders confronted Dongyuan Sect over Song Yan, and the sect master’s sword pressure silenced them.
• Daoist Li Jun demanded compensation for Song Yan and told the Xuanyuan Sect to return if it wanted war; his power sent the group outside the sect gates.
• Chang Ziyi tried to threaten Dongyuan Sect, but Li Jun’s Sword Qi shredded his mouth and warned him to stay silent until he reached the Xuanyuan Sect’s protective formation.
• Shen Yu fled with the Xuanyuan Sect cultivators, while Song Yan reflected on Li Jun’s words and the sect master’s history.
• Song Yan resolved to attain the Great Dao and become the master of his own fate.

Xu Ziqing told Qin Xijun that he only wanted the Xuanyuan Sect dead, while Song Yan returned to his cave abode and counted the spoils from Silent Valley. He found Spirit Stones, several law artifacts, and a strange flute whose purpose he thought he recognized.

• Xu Ziqing rejected Qin Xijun's thanks for helping Song Yesheng and said he only wanted the Xuanyuan Sect dead.
• Song Yan returned to his cave abode, slept, and resumed his daily cultivation the next morning.
• Song Yan counted his gains and found that he now had one hundred and sixty-five Spirit Stones.
• Song Yan sorted through the law artifacts, keeping a jade protective amulet and lamenting the lost Mountain-Subduing Seal.
• Song Yan examined Wan Songran's Glutton Tail Flute, reconsidered selling it, and remembered a description of a similar treasure.

Song Yan discovered that the Glutton Tail Flute might be an authentic treasure once wielded by the Wan family's ancestor, Wan Zhihong, and decided to seek a major buyer rather than sell it cheaply. After sorting the spoils, he resolved to restore his cultivation to the fourth Qi Refining layer before pursuing a Life-Bound Flying Sword and Supreme Spiritual Objects.

• Song Yan found the Wan Lineage booklet and identified the black-and-red flute's inscription as “Glutton Tail.”
• Song Yan and Xiao He read the legend of Tianhai City, which told two conflicting accounts of the Flower-Robed Daoist and the city's Demon Beast crisis.
• Song Yan suspected the Flower-Robed Daoist was Wan Zhihong and that the flute was an authentic Law Treasure once used by a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.
• Song Yan decided to seek a major buyer for the flute, sorted the remaining pills, Talismans, and Law Artifacts, and set aside items for sale through Granny Qin or the Night Market.
• Song Yan resolved to restore his cultivation to the fourth Qi Refining layer and began cultivating while Xiao He continued wondering which version of the Tianhai story was true.

Song Yan struggled with the slow pace of rebuilding his cultivation and tried to settle his restless thoughts by going to Wendao Gorge to practice an art of cultivating the heart. On the way, he overheard a senior brother explain how disposition and state of mind could affect a cultivator’s pursuit of longevity.

• Song Yan reflected on the resources he had spent reaching Qi Refining, fourth layer, and worried that strengthening the Sword Dao Seed would remain difficult without Supreme Spiritual Objects.
• Song Yan refined the two-colored Stone Bead with Sword Qi, entered its Two-Pole Realm, and found that the seed there matched the Dao seed within him.
• Song Yan learned the complete Five-Star Pulse Seizing Art from the bead’s runes, but found he could not practice it until reaching Foundation Establishment and continued using the original mnemonic.
• Song Yan decided to visit Wendao Gorge to clear his mind and complete his monthly art of cultivating the heart.
• An outer sect senior brother surnamed Zhao told a new disciple that cultivating the heart helped temper a cultivator’s state of mind, though such arts were of little use before Golden Core.

Song Yan practiced calligraphy at the Ink Way Academy, finding that the exercise calmed his mind as the snowfall cleared. On his way back, he recalled that the clay figurine from the Xie Household might contain a calligraphy model.

• Song Yan chose calligraphy at the Ink Way Academy instead of playing Go or painting, and copied the Clearing After Snowfall Calligraphy Model.
• After about an hour, Song Yan finished his assignment with a peaceful state of mind and left the academy.
• Two disciples recognized Song Yan and speculated that his cultivation setbacks had ruined his chances of reaching Foundation Establishment.
• The steward disciple, Senior Brother Sun, voided the two disciples’ work for gossiping, then praised the calm progression in Song Yan’s calligraphy.
• Song Yan headed to his cave abode and remembered that Xie Xing had mentioned a calligraphy model inside the clay figurine from the Xie Household.

Song Yan discovered Xie Tianji’s hidden sword post and was moved by the mortal swordsman’s refusal of immortality and unwavering devotion to the Sword Dao. As Song Yan copied the post, he relived Xie Tianji’s life and awakened a powerful sword intent beneath the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing.

• Song Yan retrieved the clay figurine from Xiao He and found a hidden sword post concealed inside it.
• Song Yan read how Xie Tianji became Number One Under Heaven, traveled across the world undefeated, and eventually lost to an immortal.
• Song Yan learned that Xie Tianji refused the chance to cultivate an Immortal Method because the Sword Dao had no teachers left.
• The Two-Pole Bead glowed faintly as Song Yan began copying the sword post, and he became absorbed in the task.
• Song Yan witnessed visions of Xie Tianji’s life and heard his own pleas for Sword Cultivators to flourish and pursue the Dao without submission.
• The Sword Dao Seed hummed, and a keen edge emerged beneath the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing.

Song Yan discovered an incomplete heart of the Dao-seeker within his Sword Dao Seed, then intensified his cultivation and took sect missions to fund his progress. Meanwhile, Senior Sister Qin received a sect mission and decided to send Younger Sister Qingqing to carry it out.

• Song Yan realized that the tiny sword within his Sword Dao Seed was an incomplete heart of the Dao-seeker, formed through Xie Tianji's calligraphy, the Two-Pole Bead, and Song Yan's own resolve.
• Song Yan contemplated the heart of the Dao-seeker, felt renewed confidence in his pursuit of longevity, and found that his spiritual power was growing faster than before.
• Song Yan cultivated and practiced the Sword-Controlling Technique, then took challenging sect missions to earn resources and gain combat experience.
• Senior Sister Qin returned to her cave abode on Lianyou Peak and received a message about a sect mission.
• Senior Sister Qin decided to send Younger Sister Qingqing, who had experience fighting from the struggle at Silent Valley.

Three Dongyuan Sect disciples gathering herbs on Rosy Cloud Peak were surrounded by Demon Beasts, and Yang Yuerong nearly died before Song Yan arrived and defeated them with his Sword Qi. The chapter ended with Song Yan’s Flying Sword hovering before him as the disciples looked on.

• An honest-looking Dongyuan Sect disciple explained the Mystic Wonder Sect’s hostility toward Dongyuan Sect as he, Yang Yuerong, and another disciple traveled through the Yanran Mountains.
• The three reached Rosy Cloud Peak to gather spirit cloud grass and admired the misty sunrise without noticing a Cat Demon stalking them.
• Two Mist Shadow Wolf Demons and a Ghost Shadow Cat Demon surrounded the disciples, and Yang Yuerong restrained them with water while A-Yu sent up a distress signal.
• The disciples tried to fight and flee, but the demons overwhelmed them, and the Cat Demon attacked Yang Yuerong from behind.
• Song Yan’s Sword Qi cut off the Cat Demon’s forelimb and killed all three demons, then gathered into a Flying Sword before him.

Song Yan returned to the sect with all six Demon Beast Cores and received orders to investigate trouble in Linxi County alongside Qin Ying and two other disciples. Before leaving, he borrowed a protective Remnant Talisman from Qin Xijun, who recognized that his cultivation had recovered.

• Song Yan completed his hunt for six Ghost Shadow Cat Demon Beast Cores and returned to report his mission.
• Song Yan described practicing the Hidden Sword Concealing Spirit Technique and the Sword in the Clouds technique while recovering to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
• Song Yan received orders to assemble for an investigation in Linxi County with Qin Ying, Li Qingfeng, and Song Yesheng.
• Song Yan visited Qin Xijun's store and persuaded her to lend him a one-use Remnant Talisman for the dangerous mission.
• Qin Xijun watched Song Yan leave and felt reassured that his cultivation had recovered, then murmured Qin Ying's name.

Song Yan accompanied Qin Ying to Linxi County to investigate the incident at Peach Blossom Hollow, traveling there by Flying Sword and entering the city under disguise. They met Constable Bai Lei, who said Senior Brother Bai Zimo was occupied at the government office.

• Song Yan met Qin Ying and Li Qingfeng at the sect gates, and Qin Ying took him toward Linxi County on her Flying Sword while Li Qingfeng followed on his iron-wok Law Artifact.
• Qin Ying and Song Yan landed outside Linxi County and entered on foot to avoid disturbing the residents.
• The city guards recognized them as Dongyuan Sect cultivators after hearing that news of the Peach Blossom Hollow incident had spread nearby.
• Constable Bai Lei welcomed Qin Ying and Song Yan on behalf of Bai Zimo, explaining that Bai Zimo was handling important business at the government office.

Song Yan and Li Qingfeng learned that Gu Qingqing had disappeared after being sent to investigate Peach Blossom Hollow, and Qin Ying went to search nearby while they headed for the village. At the village entrance, they found a filthy beggar lying behind the stone marker.

• Constable Bai told Song Yan and Qin Ying that Master Bai helped the county magistrate and knew little about Peach Blossom Hollow beyond its reputation as a dead village.
• Song Yan noticed a paper figure in Master Bai’s reception room that resembled figures left by Devil Cultivators, but dismissed his suspicion because Qin Ying was present.
• Qin Ying said Gu Qingqing had not returned after more than a month, and her Life Talisman could no longer locate her because she had activated a spirit-sealing treasure.
• Qin Ying flew off to search nearby for traces of Gu Qingqing and told Song Yan and Li Qingfeng to proceed to Peach Blossom Hollow.
• Song Yan and Li Qingfeng reached the village marker and found a beggar lying behind it.

Song Yan, Li Qingfeng, and Qin Ying entered Peach Blossom Hollow to search for a missing female cultivator and found a seemingly ordinary village whose residents all had unusually vigorous Qi and Blood. At the Jiang Household, a youth revealed the villagers were following True Person Jiang’s method to shed their mortal shells and ascend to immortality.

• Li Qingfeng woke a distressed beggar at the village entrance, who repeated “Immortal's Hometown” before fainting.
• Qin Ying returned and led Song Yan and Li Qingfeng into Peach Blossom Hollow, where they found bustling village life and villagers with unusually vigorous Qi and Blood.
• The village head and villagers invited the cultivators to a wedding feast and spoke of True Person Jiang, a supposed immortal who lived on Incense Burner Peak.
• At the Jiang Household, the three were served Spirit Tea, which the villagers claimed True Person Jiang had devised to improve aptitude.
• Erlengzi told the three that the villagers drank the tea and followed True Person Jiang’s method to shed their mortal shells and ascend to immortality.

Song Yan investigated Peach Blossom Hollow and discovered that its children might be paper figures, while Jiang Xiao prepared to use his Blood Refining Grand Formation against Qin Ying. The chapter left Jiang Xiao and Bai Yulu together at his temple as Chen Jiping became another puppet-like helper.

• Li Qingfeng left with a village boy to investigate the surroundings, while Song Yan searched the village and Qin Ying stayed behind with Gu Qingqing's life talisman.
• Song Yan found a paper figure near the children and realized that the group of cultivators might be the final batch in the village.
• The village chief passed Chen Jiping's house, and a piercing ring sent her walking like a puppet toward Incense Burner Peak.
• Jiang Xiao explained that Chen Jiping cultivated the Blood Refining Ancient Manual unusually quickly and decided to keep her as a helper.
• Bai Yulu questioned Jiang Xiao's plan to use the Blood Refining Grand Formation on Qin Ying, but he insisted on luring her into his trap.

At Jiang Household, Song Yan, Li Qingfeng, and Qin Ying discovered Gu Qingqing trapped inside a blood cocoon as Peach Blossom Hollow’s villagers turned hostile. Jiang Xiao revealed his Foundation Establishment power and activated a blood formation around the village, declaring his plan to ascend to immortality.

• Song Yan recognized the paper figures from an earlier encounter, while a bridal procession arrived through the mist at Jiang Household.
• Qin Ying cut open the blood cocoon inside the bridal sedan and revealed Gu Qingqing bound within it.
• The villagers attacked, but Qin Ying froze them; Jiang Xiao and Bai Yulu then approached from Incense Burner Peak.
• Jiang Xiao revived the villagers, who rose and offered their blood to him, while he summoned a black-flamed Flying Sword from the ancient well.
• Jiang Xiao unleashed a Blood Qi formation that covered Peach Blossom Hollow and proclaimed his intent to ascend to immortality.

Song Yan and Li Qingfeng fought their way toward Qingqing while Qin Ying battled Jiang Xiao, but Bai Yulu and a controlled Hanging Sword Mountain cultivator blocked them. With Xiao He's help resisting Bai Yulu's illusions, Song Yan unleashed his sword techniques and killed the rabbit demon, while the battle above and Qingqing's rescue remained unresolved.

• Qin Ying engaged Jiang Xiao as Song Yan and Li Qingfeng headed for the blood cocoon containing Qingqing.
• Bai Yulu used her illusion technique and a controlled Hanging Sword Mountain cultivator to stop Song Yan and Li Qingfeng.
• Snake Treasure bit Song Yan to help him recover from the illusion, and Xiao He’s glowing eyes broke Bai Yulu’s renewed attempt to control him.
• Song Yan sent Li Qingfeng to fight the controlled cultivator and attacked Bai Yulu with his flying sword.
• Song Yan shattered Bai Yulu’s whip, struck her with seven streaks of Sword Qi, and killed her with Sword in the Clouds.

Song Yan and Li Qingfeng defeated their Hanging Sword Mountain opponents and rescued Gu Qingqing, but Qin Ying’s power weakened inside Jiang Xiao’s Blood Refining Grand Formation. The chapter ended with Jiang Xiao’s black-flamed Immortal Sword bearing down on Qin Ying as her protective mirror neared collapse.

• Song Yan recovered after using a powerful sword strike, while Li Qingfeng swallowed a spirit-rice pill that rapidly increased his spiritual power.
• Li Qingfeng used a precise, butcher-like kitchen-knife technique to cripple and kill the Hanging Sword Mountain disciple, then collapsed from exhaustion.
• Song Yan cut Gu Qingqing free from the blood cocoon and carried her away from the battle between Qin Ying and Jiang Xiao.
• Li Qingfeng warned Song Yan that Qin Ying’s presence was fading, and Song Yan saw scarlet corruption spreading across her skin inside the Blood Refining Grand Formation.
• Jiang Xiao drew power from the villagers and drove his black-flamed Immortal Sword through Qin Ying’s defenses until it threatened her face.

Jiang Xiao nearly defeated Qin Ying, but Song Yan’s Two-Pole Bead disrupted his control of the Immortal Sword and Li Qingfeng found a way to interfere with the Blood Refining Grand Formation. The chapter ended with Li Qingfeng telling Jiang Xiao that he was about to die.

• Jiang Xiao’s black devil flames overwhelmed Qin Ying’s defenses and disrupted her Frost-Defying Sword Formation, leaving her badly wounded.
• Song Yan sensed the Two-Pole Bead’s power surge, weakening Jiang Xiao’s connection to the Immortal Sword and giving Qin Ying a chance to recover.
• Jiang Xiao attacked Song Yan and Li Qingfeng, but Qin Ying trapped him in her Frost-Defying Sword Formation and struck with a blast of icy spiritual power.
• Jiang Xiao re-formed from streams of blood, and Song Yan deduced that the black flying sword was the formation’s core while Blood Qi served as its anchors.
• Li Qingfeng drew in the spiritual Qi and Blood Qi throughout the grand formation, briefly disrupting Jiang Xiao and allowing frost to spread over his body.
• Li Qingfeng stopped his technique as his meridians suffered damage, then smiled at Jiang Xiao and warned him that he was about to die.