Chapter Summaries

Qin Tiexin discovered that his tenth Qi vortex greatly accelerated his cultivation after Foundation Establishment, but he chose to limit Qi Refining to four hours a day so he could focus on body cultivation and martial techniques. He finished tempering his Qi and blood, leaving his essence blood just short of sixty percent, then prepared to practice Buddhist martial techniques.

• Qin Tiexin used the Five Phases Conversion Pearl and Spirit Stones to cultivate, and his platinum tenth Qi vortex rapidly absorbed and condensed Spiritual Qi.
• Qin Tiexin calculated that the vortex could help him advance from Foundation Establishment middle stage to late stage in less than half a year.
• Qin Tiexin recognized that Foundation Establishment made Qi Refining and body refining compete for his time, so he decided to cultivate Qi for four hours daily and prioritize body refining.
• Qin Tiexin ate stewed tiger meat and circulated the True Fire Furnace Scripture for six hours, bringing his essence blood close to sixty percent.
• Qin Tiexin felt his strengthened body and prepared to practice Buddhist martial techniques.

Qin Tiexin tested his Buddhist martial techniques after reaching Foundation Establishment and assessed their usefulness for disguising himself as Mingjue. He reconsidered the principles behind Arhat Dharma Aspect Body and prepared to attempt cultivating its first level again.

• Qin Tiexin tested Arhat Fist, Prajna Palm, Lion's Roar, Vajra Flame, and the Golden Light Incantation, finding that the Golden Light Incantation was his most useful defense.
• Qin Tiexin decided to prioritize mastering the Golden Light Incantation before the Secret Realm Trial because his squad role required him to take damage.
• Qin Tiexin reviewed Arhat Dharma Aspect Body and recalled that his earlier phantom had been unstable and costly to maintain.
• Qin Tiexin read the technique's principles and annotations, which tied a Dharma Aspect's strength and stability to compassion, good deeds, and vow power.
• Qin Tiexin concluded that his previous failure likely came from insufficient spiritual power or Qi and Blood, chose to keep the technique, and focused on cultivating its first level.

Qin Tiexin experimented with activating the Arhat Phantom using Qi and Blood, spiritual power, and then both together. After discovering that spiritual power could strengthen his fire of life, he formed a stable, powerful Arhat Phantom and tested its synchronized attacks.

• Qin Tiexin tried activating the eighty-one meridian nodes with Qi and Blood, but the resulting phantom was blurry and unstable.
• He used spiritual power instead and formed a stable but tiny, weak phantom, then concluded that neither method worked alone.
• Qin Tiexin attempted to channel Qi and Blood and spiritual power together, but they repelled each other at the first meridian node.
• He guided spiritual power toward the fire of life, and the platinum-colored bead in his Dantian drew spiritual liquid into a vortex that strengthened the flame.
• The strengthened fire of life produced a surge of Qi and Blood that passed through all eighty-one nodes and formed a clear, lifelike Arhat Phantom behind Qin Tiexin.
• Qin Tiexin tested the phantom with an Arhat Fist and a Prajna Palm, and their combined attacks struck the chamber wall with greater force.

Qin Tiexin finished training in the secluded chamber and joined Lin Chuan and Lin Wei to visit the Star Capital Imperial Market. The three passed the market entrance, where Qin Tiexin paused at the sight inside.

• Qin Tiexin assessed the Arhat Dharma Aspect Body’s power consumption, ended his practice, and replenished his strength with dried Demon Beast meat.
• Qin Tiexin left the chamber, cleaned up, and cultivated in the courtyard while Ming'an slept and then recited scriptures.
• Lin Chuan and Lin Wei arrived in formal clothes, and Qin Tiexin promised to buy Ming'an Buddhist scriptures and a wooden fish.
• Lin Chuan explained that the Star Selection opened the Imperial Market and other restricted areas to participating cultivators, while Lin Wei shared a story about a valuable hidden treasure.
• Qin Tiexin, Lin Chuan, and Lin Wei showed their identity jade plaques and entered the Star Capital Imperial Market, where Qin Tiexin stopped at the sight before him.

Qin Tiexin, Lin Chuan, and Lin Wei browsed the Imperial Market and bought supplies before heading to Clear Wind Tea House for a meeting. There, they found three companions waiting, reuniting the group as Qin Tiexin entered.

• Qin Tiexin followed Lin Chuan and Lin Wei through the Imperial Market and bought pills for the secret realm.
• Lin Wei admired a Fire Fox cub, but Lin Chuan pulled her away after reminding her of the spirit pets she had abandoned before.
• Lin Chuan bought a Wood Spirit Essence-Gathering Pendant, while Qin Tiexin bought Buddhist scriptures and a wooden fish set for Ming'an.
• At noon, Lin Chuan led Qin Tiexin and Lin Wei to Clear Wind Tea House for their arranged meeting.
• Qin Tiexin entered the private room and found a burly Foundation Establishment cultivator, a restless formation master, and a gentle female Alchemist waiting.

Lin Chuan introduced Qin Tiexin, who used the name Master Mingjue, to the other members of their team before Du Heng asked to test his fighting ability. In the martial arts hall, Qin Tiexin withstood Du Heng’s sword attacks and began counterattacking with a thrust kick.

• Liu Suifeng, Du Heng, and Xu Ying greeted Qin Tiexin and introduced their cultivation and specialties.
• Du Heng asked to spar with Qin Tiexin so he could learn how to coordinate with him in the Secret Realm Trial, and Qin Tiexin agreed.
• Liu Suifeng led the group to a martial arts hall, where Du Heng revealed his upper-grade law artifact, Stone Splitter.
• Qin Tiexin entered the arena unarmed and took Du Heng’s Sword Qi and sword strikes without being injured.
• Qin Tiexin blocked Du Heng’s successive attacks and countered with Hills and Ravines Thrust Kick.

Qin Tiexin demonstrated overwhelming defense in a sparring match with Du Heng, blocking a powerful sword strike with a thin layer of golden light. Benhong recognized the technique as the introductory level of the Dragon Elephant Golden Body Instruction and suspected Mingjue had an Innate Buddha Heart.

• Qin Tiexin absorbed Du Heng's kicks and then repelled his Earth Splitter Slash without taking a step or suffering an injury.
• Du Heng expressed his shock at Qin Tiexin's defense and saluted him, saying the group could attack freely with him holding the front.
• Lin Chuan, Liu Suifeng, and Xu Ying watched in amazement, while Liu Suifeng joked that Qin Tiexin would let him stop taking the front line.
• Benhong recognized Qin Tiexin's golden light as Gilded Light Body Protection from the Dragon Elephant Golden Body Instruction, which he had sold to Mingjue disguised as the Golden Light Incantation.
• Benhong realized Mingjue had reached the introductory level in fewer than ten days and privately judged him eighty percent likely to have an Innate Buddha Heart.

Benhong arranged for Brahma Sound Valley agents to observe and protect Mingjue during the Secret Realm Trial, hoping to confirm his innate Buddha heart and recruit him. Meanwhile, Lin Chuan and his companions took their seats at the Star Treasure Pavilion as the auction began.

• Benhong contacted a Brahma Sound Valley agent and ordered them to test Mingjue's martial techniques, record his Buddhist techniques, and save him if he faced mortal danger.
• Benhong explained that confirming Mingjue's innate Buddha heart could support Brahma Sound Valley's plans to recruit him.
• Lin Chuan led Qin Tiexin, Du Heng, Liu Suifeng, and Xu Ying to the Star Treasure Pavilion, where Lin Wei separated from them to join her team.
• A maid escorted the five companions to a private room, and Qin Tiexin counted his remaining spirit stones and resolved to spend carefully.
• Su Mei opened the auction, explained its bidding rules, and announced that it would offer sixty-seven lots across five categories.

Qin Tiexin and the others attended a Star Treasure Pavilion auction featuring items for the Secret Realm Trial. The auction’s second half began with offensive Law Artifacts, while Qin Tiexin continued saving his Spirit Stones for a worthwhile purchase.

• Lin Chuan bought a Soul-Fortifying and Spirit-Calming Pendant for twenty-six hundred Spirit Stones after passing on several earlier lots.
• Xu Ying gave Qin Tiexin two bottles of Instant Spiritual Essence Replenishment Pills from her family's Jade Cauldron Pill Pavilion, so he did not bid on them.
• Du Heng bid six thousand Spirit Stones for the High Antiquity Array-Breaking Mystic Key, but a sixth-floor private room won it for sixty-five hundred.
• Su Mei announced a break and explained that Star Selection contestants could borrow Spirit Stones or pledge items as collateral before the auction's second half.
• Du Heng bought a set of Lightning Tribulation Evil-Destroying Talismans for twenty-eight hundred Spirit Stones as the offensive Law Artifact lots began.

Qin Tiexin won the Red Luan Heart Flame at auction, hoping to use it to strengthen his fire of life and speed up his cultivation. He ended the chapter pleased with the purchase despite the flame’s carnal-desire side effect.

• The [Mystic Vajra Armor] sold for eight thousand spirit stones, and Xu Ying won the [Flowing Light Plain Silk Armor] for ten thousand.
• Lin Chuan won a box of Cold Flame Marrow-Warding Paste for sixteen hundred spirit stones.
• Su Mei presented the Red Luan Heart Flame and explained its uses and side effect, but the other bidders showed little interest.
• Qin Tiexin bid eight thousand spirit stones for the Red Luan Heart Flame and won it from private room twelve on the third floor.
• Liu Suifeng questioned Qin Tiexin about buying a flame with an aphrodisiac side effect, while Qin Tiexin privately celebrated the purchase.

Qin Tiexin bought the Red Luan Heart Flame at the auction and returned to the Lin Household’s secluded cultivation chamber before dawn. The chapter ended with him leaving Ming'an’s Buddhist scriptures to be transcribed and preparing to cultivate again.

• Qin Tiexin opened the fire jade box to examine the Red Luan Heart Flame, while Liu Suifeng studied its sealing array and Du Heng pulled him away from the flame.
• Lin Chuan became flushed from the flame’s heat, and Xu Ying laughed as Liu Suifeng teased him.
• Su Mei ended the auction, and Qin Tiexin stored the Red Luan Heart Flame before leaving the Star Treasure Pavilion with Lin Chuan and Lin Wei.
• Lin Wei hid a wriggling creature in a cloth bag, while Liu Suifeng and Du Heng headed back to their lodgings and Xu Ying departed by carriage.
• Qin Tiexin placed a wooden fish beside the sleeping Ming'an and asked the Lin Residence steward to transcribe three Buddhist scriptures onto paper.
• Qin Tiexin carried his refined-iron staff through the rear courtyard and entered the secluded cultivation chamber.

Qin Tiexin began absorbing the Red Luan Heart Flame, but its fierce resistance left him badly burned and drained. He discovered that Spiritual Qi strengthened his Fire of Life, which surged with new power as the struggle continued.

• Qin Tiexin released the Red Luan Heart Flame from its formation and felt its heat and lust-inducing influence overwhelm his senses.
• Qin Tiexin drew the Divergent Flame into his heart, where it became a firebird that repeatedly burned through his chest while the Fire of Life repaired his wounds.
• Qin Tiexin used the True Fire Furnace Scripture to try to trap and devour the firebird, but the two flames remained locked in a costly struggle.
• Qin Tiexin recalled that spiritual power could strengthen the Fire of Life and drew Spiritual Qi from his Dantian into his heart chamber.
• Qin Tiexin's Fire of Life flared into brilliant gold with a five-colored halo after absorbing the Spiritual Qi, and the searing agony gave way to warmth.

Qin Tiexin absorbed the Red Luan Heart Flame, endured a crushing hunger, and consumed nearly half an Iron-Spined Savage Bull to replenish his Qi and Blood. After tempering his essence blood, he reached the Late Qi and Blood Realm and tested his newly formed Qi Gang.

• Qin Tiexin's fire of life swallowed and digested the Red Luan Heart Flame, healing his burned skin and growing stronger.
• Qin Tiexin's body was left desperately hungry, so he ate raw and stewed Iron-Spined Savage Bull meat for a day and night.
• Qin Tiexin circulated the True Fire Furnace Scripture and raised his essence blood proportion to seventy-two percent.
• Qin Tiexin reached the Late Qi and Blood Realm and formed a dense layer of Qi Gang over his left arm.
• Qin Tiexin tested the strength of his Qi Gang and took out a strength-testing stone to measure his power.

Qin Tiexin tested his newly increased strength after refining the Red Luan Heart Flame and discovered a faint bird-shaped mark on his chest. He reunited with Ming'an, then joined Lin Chuan and the others at a training ground to begin practicing team coordination.

• Qin Tiexin measured his strength at 103,000 jin with his arm, over 150,000 jin with his legs, and found that Edgeless weighed exactly as much as his maximum strength.
• Qin Tiexin tested Edgeless with the Heavy Mountain Saber Technique and saw his strike light up the training chamber's protective formation.
• Qin Tiexin noticed a faint pink bird mark above his heart, suspected it came from the Red Luan Heart Flame, and covered it with his robe.
• Qin Tiexin returned to the courtyard, gave Ming'an three Buddhist scripture Jade Slips, and told him to read the steward's copies until he could cultivate.
• Qin Tiexin went to Lin Chuan's rented training ground to practice coordination with the group, where three peak Foundation Establishment Iron-Clawed Bear puppets rose to begin the drill.

Qin Tiexin and his companions practiced their combat roles for the Secret Realm Trial, then prepared for the assessment. The night before it began, the severed arm awakened and sensed something of its own origin to the northwest.

• Qin Tiexin, Du Heng, Lin Chuan, Liu Suifeng, and Xu Ying completed ten drills and developed coordinated combat roles.
• Xu Ying tracked the team’s habits and prepared pills and warnings to support them during battle.
• Lin Chuan gave Qin Tiexin a jade talisman that could block a full-force Golden Core late-stage strike.
• The five agreed to meet at the Morning Star Training Ground the next morning for the Secret Realm Trial assessment.
• Qin Tiexin discovered that the severed arm had awakened and was pointing toward something of the same origin to the northwest.
• The severed arm asked Qin Tiexin why his cultivation had progressed so slowly.

Qin Tiexin learned that the awakened severed arm sensed a presence of the same origin near the likely Secret Realm Trial site and agreed to guide and protect him. After reassuring Ming'an and preparing through the night, Qin Tiexin set out at dawn with Lin Chuan and Lin Wei for the trial.

• The severed arm told Qin Tiexin that a presence of the same origin had awakened it, and it offered to guide his search and help if danger arose in the Secret Realm Trial.
• Qin Tiexin spent the night teaching Ming'an Buddhist scripture, and Ming'an prayed for his safe return before falling asleep holding his clothes.
• Qin Tiexin left Ming'an asleep and prepared for the trial by wearing the little peace Buddha Ming'an had carved.
• At dawn, Madam Lin gave Qin Tiexin, Lin Chuan, and Lin Wei parcels of spirit cakes as they prepared to leave.
• Ming'an watched Qin Tiexin depart from beside the screen wall, silently rolling his prayer beads faster.

Qin Tiexin and the other candidates gathered for the third Star Selection trial, where a prince announced they would cross the Vast Waves Ancient Battlefield to collect seawater and return. As the candidates prepared to enter the dangerous secret realm, Qin Tiexin sensed hostile killing intent among the crowd.

• Qin Tiexin and his companions entered the Morning Star Training Ground and joined their team in its designated assembly area.
• Lin Wei reunited with her companions and went to join Lan Lingwei's powerful all-female team.
• Qin Tiexin noticed Xiao Yan and Ling Shuyao among the candidates, then sensed several hidden gazes carrying killing intent.
• The prince announced that the Secret Realm Trial would take place in the Vast Waves Ancient Battlefield and described its history and dangers.
• The prince explained that candidates had to use water-drawing jade talismans to collect seawater and return within thirty days for full points, while anyone who failed to return within forty days would receive zero.

Qin Tiexin and his companions entered the Canglan Secret Realm, a dangerous wasteland filled with unstable space and ancient battlefield ruins. After Liu Suifeng mapped and anchored their starting point, the group prepared to choose a route toward their objective.

• Qin Tiexin and his four companions received jade talismans and entered the secret realm through a spatial rift.
• The five arrived in a blood-red wasteland, where Liu Suifeng detected dead zones, violent Spiritual Qi currents, and dangerous spatial rifts.
• Qin Tiexin used Spirit Material Sense to detect buried law artifact fragments, while the severed arm in his Frost Storage Bag trembled and indicated the northeast.
• Liu Suifeng projected a map, identified the Vast Waves Sea as lying far to the northeast, and set an anchor at their arrival point.
• Liu Suifeng looked to Lin Chuan to decide the group's next move.

Lin Chuan led his team through the Secret Realm, relying on Liu Suifeng’s array disc to avoid dangerous spiritual disturbances and spatial rifts. After they reached a stable area with a strong Spiritual Qi response, Qin Tiexin sensed danger and stopped the group.

• Lin Chuan led Qin Tiexin, Du Heng, Liu Suifeng, and Xu Ying deeper into the Secret Realm rather than wait for more cultivators to arrive.
• The team encountered a newly arrived group of rogue cultivators, ignored their request to travel together, and continued onward.
• Liu Suifeng used his array disc to guide the team around turbulent currents, spiritual vacuums, and spatial rifts as they crossed the wasteland.
• Lin Chuan warned the others to watch for surviving treasures among the ancient battlefield’s scattered wreckage.
• The team rested in a grove with stable Spiritual Qi, where Xu Ying checked their condition and Liu Suifeng updated his map.
• After the array disc revealed a nearby area of unusually dense Spiritual Qi, Qin Tiexin raised his fist to warn the group as they entered it.

Qin Tiexin, Lin Chuan, and their companions defeated three mutated Ironclad Lizards and collected their spoils before following Liu Suifeng toward dense Spiritual Qi. They reached a ruined Buddhist temple beside a medicinal garden glowing with spiritual light.

• Three Foundation Establishment late-stage Ironclad Lizards burst from the ground and attacked Xu Ying, but Qin Tiexin, Du Heng, and Lin Chuan killed them within five breaths.
• Du Heng harvested the lizards' intact back plates and beast cores, and Xu Ying recorded and stored the spoils for the group's later division.
• Qin Tiexin asked to keep the lizards' flesh for his cultivation, and Lin Chuan agreed on the condition that everyone could share the meals.
• The severed arm in Qin Tiexin's Frost Storage Bag stirred, and he sensed its summons growing clearer toward the northeast.
• Liu Suifeng led the group less than five li to a ruined Buddhist temple and a nearby medicinal garden shimmering with spiritual light.