Chapter Summaries

Qin Tiexin met his companions at Star Rain Pavilion to divide the Secret Realm Trial’s spoils, while applying Senior Brother Chen Xi’s advice to think ahead and keep his actions concealed. Ling Shuyao offered six hundred thousand Spirit Stones for the remaining Jade Slips on behalf of the Imperial Dao Arts Workshop.

• Qin Tiexin spent two days reflecting on Senior Brother Chen Xi’s warnings and resolved to conceal what needed concealing and endure what needed enduring.
• Qin Tiexin joined Lin Chuan, Liu Suifeng, Du Heng, Xu Ying, and Ling Shuyao at Star Rain Pavilion to divide their gains.
• Xu Ying reported that the group’s shared supplies had been converted into Spirit Stones, with twenty thousand allocated to each member except Ling Shuyao, who declined a share.
• The group inspected the Law Artifacts, chose the items they wanted, and agreed that Xu Ying would sell the rest and distribute fifteen thousand Spirit Stones to each person.
• The others selected useful Jade Slips, while Qin Tiexin found none he needed and Ling Shuyao took the remaining collection.
• Ling Shuyao offered six hundred thousand Spirit Stones on behalf of the Imperial Dao Arts Workshop for the remaining Jade Slips.

After Ling Shuyao distributed the secret realm spoils, Lin Chuan told the group to prepare for the Skills Trial and keep their wealth hidden. On their way out, they heard that the mysterious Liu Qing had become a target, then a cloaked, one-armed stranger claimed Liu Qing was already dead.

• Ling Shuyao valued the jade slips at six hundred thousand spirit stones, and Xu Ying distributed each person's share.
• Qin Tiexin asked Xu Ying, Du Heng, and Ling Shuyao to find pills, Golden Core Realm demon beast flesh and blood, and a suitable cultivation method or martial technique.
• Lin Chuan urged everyone to prepare for the Skills Trial in twelve days, keep their wealth out of sight, and postpone celebrating until after the Arena Trial.
• As the group left the teahouse, cultivators discussed rumors that the disguised rogue cultivator Liu Qing had taken Pure Land Chan Temple's treasure hoard worth over a million spirit stones.
• Qin Tiexin realized news of Liu Qing had spread across Ten Thousand Stars City before the Secret Realm Trial had ended and wondered who was stirring up trouble.
• A gray-cloaked stranger with a missing leg and arm told the teahouse crowd that Liu Qing was already dead.

A cloaked cultivator named Sun Heng told a teahouse that Liu Qing had died in a massive explosion after being surrounded by more than a hundred cultivators. Lin Chuan, Ling Shuyao, and Qin Tiexin heard the report and questioned whether Liu Qing had really been Mingjue, while Qin Tiexin realized Senior Brother Chen Xi was likely behind the event.

• Sun Heng recounted how Liu Qing detonated a formation in Fallen Star Valley, killing more than half of the cultivators pursuing him and leaving Sun Heng badly scarred.
• Sun Heng argued that Liu Qing could not have survived the blast and cited a bead matching the legendary bracelet as evidence of his death.
• The teahouse patrons lamented Liu Qing's death and the dangers facing rogue cultivators.
• Lin Chuan and Ling Shuyao doubted their belief that Liu Qing was Mingjue after hearing Sun Heng's account.
• Qin Tiexin recognized that Senior Brother Chen Xi was responsible and was surprised by how quickly and conspicuously he had acted.

Lin Chuan urged the group to hide their connection to the Pure Land Chan Temple treasure and take precautions after Liu Qing’s supposed death. Chen Xi secretly monitored them and was impressed that Lin Chuan had guessed the truth but still protected Qin Tiexin.

• Qin Tiexin pieced together how Chen Xi had made Liu Qing’s death convincing with a real explosion, a genuine Spirit Bone bead, and an injured witness.
• Lin Chuan led the group out of the teahouse without discussing Liu Qing and warned Xu Ying and Ling Shuyao not to sell their goods too quickly.
• Lin Chuan told everyone to conceal their visit to the Pure Land Chan Temple, avoid going out, and cancel their group gatherings as they prepared for the Skills Trial and Arena Trial.
• Transparent insects attached to the six cultivators’ clothes recorded Lin Chuan’s warning and transmitted it to Chen Xi.
• Chen Xi learned that Lin Chuan suspected Liu Qing was Mingjue but had kept quiet and protected Qin Tiexin, and he praised Lin Chuan’s judgment.

Qin Tiexin told the Lin family he was leaving their residence to keep them safe as the Star Selection Trial put him at greater risk of exposure. After seeing how Ming'an had waited and prayed for his return, Qin Tiexin faced the choice of whether the young monk would leave with him.

• Qin Tiexin thanked Marquis Lin and Madam Lin and announced he was moving to a rented house in the city.
• Madam Lin asked whether Ming'an would go with him, and Qin Tiexin said he would respect the child's wishes.
• Qin Tiexin said farewell to Marquis Lin, Madam Lin, Lin Chuan, and Lin Wei, then went to the back courtyard to see Ming'an.
• Qin Tiexin found Ming'an asleep and saw the Buddha carvings that resembled his Mingjue appearance.
• Qin Tiexin read dozens of sheets on which Ming'an had written, “May Senior Brother be safe,” and realized how deeply the child cared for him.

Qin Tiexin returned safely, and Ming'an chose to leave the Lin Residence with him rather than be separated from his senior brother. After the two said goodbye and gave the Lin family carved Buddha statues, they left together for Ten Thousand Stars City.

• Ming'an woke to find Qin Tiexin back, clung to him in tears, and checked him for injuries.
• Qin Tiexin told Ming'an he planned to move out, and Ming'an insisted on going wherever his senior brother went.
• Ming'an packed his belongings and hid the rice paper he had written in his bundle after Qin Tiexin asked to keep it.
• Ming'an gave carved Buddha statues to Madam Lin, Marquis Lin, Lin Chuan, Lin Wei, the steward, and the absent Lin Feng.
• Lin Wei gave Ming'an a jade pendant, and he accepted it after Qin Tiexin nodded.
• Qin Tiexin and Ming'an said goodbye to the Lin family and left the Lin Residence hand in hand.

Qin Tiexin settled Ming'an into their new courtyard, gave him Buddhist scriptures and a purified prayer-bead bracelet that made the child weep, then prepared a training plan for the twelve days before the Skills Trial. The chapter left Ming'an holding a bead that briefly brightened while Qin Tiexin focused on growing stronger.

• Qin Tiexin led Ming'an to their small courtyard, where Ming'an chose the west room and set up a spirit tablet for his master, Huiming.
• Qin Tiexin gave Ming'an six Jade Slips of Buddhist scriptures, which Ming'an could not yet read without Divine Sense.
• Qin Tiexin gave Ming'an the purified prayer-bead bracelet, and Ming'an cried because he felt someone crying inside it, though Qin Tiexin sensed nothing.
• Ming'an returned to his room with the bracelet and recited scripture as one bead briefly brightened.
• Qin Tiexin reviewed his need to resume artifact refining, adjust his martial skills, and improve his cultivation before the Skills Trial, then began writing a plan.

Qin Tiexin practiced artifact refining in Senior Brother Chen Xi’s secluded courtyard and successfully forged an excellent upper-grade law artifact sword. Satisfied with his progress, he decided to attempt the barehanded artifact-forging technique Luo Ling had once demonstrated.

• Qin Tiexin avoided the crowded Star Refining Ward and used the formation-protected courtyard to keep his refining methods hidden.
• Qin Tiexin used the Red Luan Heart Flame to melt discarded law artifact fragments and practiced separating their spiritual materials.
• Qin Tiexin examined the flaws in his first sword, refined his approach, and forged a much better second sword with clean materials and precise runes.
• Qin Tiexin judged the second sword strong enough to earn a decent placing in the Skills Trial.
• Qin Tiexin recalled Luo Ling forging a short saber with her bare hands and decided to try the technique himself.

Qin Tiexin attempted to forge a Supreme-Grade Law Artifact using star trace iron, shaping a short saber with his left hand and engraving its five-rune array. He completed the saber after nearly exhausting his spiritual power and Divine Sense.

• Qin Tiexin refined star trace iron from Law Artifact fragments with his Red Luan Heart Flame.
• Qin Tiexin shaped the molten star trace iron into a short saber, repeatedly correcting its form and balance with his left hand.
• Qin Tiexin prepared to engrave a five-rune Spirit Rune Array as the saber cooled.
• Qin Tiexin crushed two Soul Pearls to replenish his depleted Divine Sense and continued engraving.
• Qin Tiexin completed the Spirit Rune Array and quenched the finished saber in a water trough.

Qin Tiexin finished forging a short blade and its sheath, then checked on Ming'an before heading out to meet friends. He left Ming'an at home tending the bracelet as Ten Thousand Stars City grew busy with cultivators returning from the Secret Realm Trial.

• Qin Tiexin recovered from forging the blade, tested its five offensive Spirit Runes, and found that it suited his fighting style.
• Qin Tiexin forged a sheath with spirit restoration, repair, and regeneration Spirit Runes to support the blade.
• Qin Tiexin ate with Ming'an, who washed the dishes and recited sutras while rolling the beads of his bracelet.
• Qin Tiexin asked Ming'an about the bracelet’s faint crying, then told him to stay home while he went to pick things up from friends.
• Qin Tiexin left the courtyard and walked through the lively streets of Ten Thousand Stars City, where returning cultivators were selling their spoils.

Qin Tiexin collected two valuable bags of demon beast meat from Du Heng and met Ling Shuyao to find cultivation methods for himself and Ming'an. Ling Shuyao presented two child-suitable methods and began explaining the Lesser Yang Meridian-Warming Canon.

• Du Heng gave Qin Tiexin two Storage Bags filled with high-quality demon beast meat, saying the Du Household had still made a profit.
• Qin Tiexin accepted Du Heng's gift and considered how he might repay the favor by making him a fist weapon.
• Qin Tiexin went to the Imperial Dao Arts Workshop, where Ling Shuyao had found a control-type martial technique and a cultivation method for Ming'an.
• Ling Shuyao showed Qin Tiexin two Jade Slips containing cultivation methods suitable for young children.
• Ling Shuyao explained that the Lesser Yang Meridian-Warming Canon nourished a young boy's meridians and could support cultivation through the Qi Refining Seventh Layer.

Qin Tiexin chose cultivation methods for Ming'an and discovered a martial technique suited to his own strengths. He left with two Jade Slips for Ming'an to test and accepted Blood Qi Heavy Abyss as a gift from Ling Shuyao.

• Ling Shuyao showed Qin Tiexin the Clear Heart Sutra, explaining its powerful benefits and the danger of backlash if its practitioner strayed from their compassionate resolve.
• Qin Tiexin bought the Lesser Yang Meridian-Warming Canon’s introductory method for Ming'an and accepted the Clear Heart Sutra as a gift so Ming'an could test both.
• Ling Shuyao inscribed the introductory method and packed both Jade Slips for Qin Tiexin to take to Ming'an.
• Ling Shuyao revealed Blood Qi Heavy Abyss, a technique that used Qi and Blood to create a gravity field that hindered enemies.
• Ling Shuyao gave Qin Tiexin the martial technique in return for the token from the Secret Realm Trial and in gratitude for his help there.

Qin Tiexin returned home with two cultivation methods for Ming'an, while Xiao Wan learned that the mysterious Liu Qing was likely Mingjue, a monk with an innate Buddha heart. Xiao Wan realized her suspicions about a hidden faction had misled her during the secret realm trial.

• Qin Tiexin brought Ming'an osmanthus cakes and showed him two Jade Slips containing cultivation methods.
• Xiao Wan told Elder Benhong about Liu Qing's Buddhist techniques and mastery of the Karma-Burning Wisdom King Flame.
• Benhong revealed that he had secretly sold Mingjue the Karma-Burning Wisdom King Flame and Dragon Elephant Golden Body Instruction to test him.
• Benhong concluded that Mingjue was likely Liu Qing in disguise, or at least possessed an innate Buddha heart.
• Xiao Wan realized her mistaken suspicions had caused her to hesitate and lose an opportunity in the Pure Land Chan Temple.

Xiao Wan and Benhong planned to test Mingjue’s Buddhist talent and bring him into Brahma Sound Valley, while Benhong secretly withheld evidence of Mingjue’s greater skill to protect his own faction’s interests. Meanwhile, Qin Tiexin began helping Ming'an choose a cultivation method.

• Xiao Wan told Benhong she would test Mingjue during the Arena Trial and pursue his conversion if he had an Innate Buddha Heart, hoping to recover the bracelet as well.
• After Xiao Wan left, Benhong examined an image-recording stone showing Qin Tiexin using a powerful Dharma aspect martial skill and revealed to himself that he had sold Mingjue a third jade slip containing it.
• Benhong concealed the evidence from Xiao Wan because he believed she would try to kill Mingjue if she learned his talent might threaten her standing in Brahma Sound Valley.
• Benhong wondered who had secretly delivered the image-recording stone, then resolved to focus on converting Mingjue and wait for the unknown person to reveal themself.
• Qin Tiexin read Ming'an the introduction to the Lesser Yang Meridian-Warming Canon, but Ming'an did not understand its references to meridians and acupoints, so Qin Tiexin prepared to try the Clear Heart Sutra.

Qin Tiexin taught Ming'an the Clear Heart Sutra, and Ming'an showed an extraordinary aptitude for memorizing and cultivating it. After Ming'an’s first practice awakened a glowing bead on his bracelet, a voice identifying itself as Chengxin spoke to him, leaving Ming'an startled and uncertain.

• Qin Tiexin recited the Clear Heart Sutra to Ming'an, who felt a warm current in his chest after hearing the opening passage.
• Ming'an memorized the cultivation method after three recitations, and Qin Tiexin wrote out its full text for him to practice.
• Ming'an returned to the west wing and began chanting while Qin Tiexin studied the Blood Qi Heavy Abyss Jade Slip.
• As Ming'an completed his first practice, the gold-and-white bead on his bracelet began to glow.
• A voice from the bracelet introduced itself as Chengxin and asked Ming'an how long he had practiced; Ming'an replied that it was his first day.

Ming'an awakened Buddhist Disciple Chengxin’s lingering will in his bracelet, but chose not to tell Qin Tiexin or accept Chengxin’s offer of discipleship yet. With eight days until the Skills Trial, Qin Tiexin began training in the Sumeru Immovable Instruction and persisted despite his aching legs.

• Ming'an learned that Buddhist Disciple Chengxin’s lingering will had survived in the bracelet and that Ming'an’s Clear Heart Sutra practice had awakened him.
• Chengxin asked Ming'an to become his disciple and warned him to keep his existence secret, but Ming'an decided to think it over without telling Qin Tiexin.
• Qin Tiexin took the Sumeru Immovable Instruction from his storage ring and began practicing its stance, breathing, and visualization techniques.
• Qin Tiexin struggled to sense Earth Qi and trained until his legs buckled, while Ming'an watched and brought him water.
• When Ming'an asked if he would keep standing despite his aching legs, Qin Tiexin said that he would.

Qin Tiexin practiced the Sumeru Immovable Instruction and learned to synchronize his breathing with the earth Qi, gradually condensing nine Earth Wheel layers. After discovering that they increased his strength dramatically but vanished whenever he moved his feet, he began practicing how to use and quickly restore them.

• Qin Tiexin patiently practiced his stance for two days before matching his breathing to the rhythm of earth Qi and improving his training.
• On the third day, Qin Tiexin formed his first Earth Wheel layer, then condensed additional layers over the following days.
• Qin Tiexin repeatedly lost his Earth Wheels when fatigue made his foot shift, but kept practicing and eventually stabilized seven layers.
• On the seventh day, Qin Tiexin completed all nine Earth Wheel layers and found that they increased his punching strength by fifty percent.
• Qin Tiexin confirmed that moving either foot erased the Earth Wheels, then began condensing them again and considered how to use the technique in battle.

During ten quiet days of cultivation, Qin Tiexin steadily strengthened his body and spell cultivation while Ming'an developed his own routine. Qin Tiexin reached ninety percent Essence Blood and prepared to focus on body cultivation for the upcoming Arena Trial.

• Ming'an tried copying Qin Tiexin's stance practice but gave up quickly and returned inside to recite sutras.
• Qin Tiexin followed a disciplined routine, refining Essence Blood with Blood Demon Fruits, spirit pills, and Demon Beast meat while Ming'an studied and practiced sutras.
• Qin Tiexin's Essence Blood rose to ninety percent, and his strength increased from 150,000 jin to 180,000 jin over ten days.
• Qin Tiexin tested a punch amplified by nine layers of Earth Wheels, producing nearly 270,000 jin of force and making the courtyard formation shudder.
• Qin Tiexin's Foundation Establishment spiritual liquid reached fifty-five percent, and he decided to prioritize body cultivation for the Arena Trial.

Qin Tiexin attended the first day of the Skills Trial to study its rules and watched Xu Ying compete in the alchemy assessment. Xu Ying kept her furnace steady throughout the test, but the chapter ended before her result was announced.

• Qin Tiexin arrived at the Morning Star Training Ground and met Lin Chuan, Xu Ying, Du Heng, and Liu Suifeng.
• Lin Chuan explained that the Skills Trial had four events over four days and more detailed scoring criteria than the previous year.
• The Skills Trial began with the alchemy assessment, overseen by the prince and four fourth-tier alchemists.
• Xu Ying carefully prepared her ingredients and controlled her furnace while other competitors attempted their batches, with some suffering furnace explosions.
• After two hours, the alchemy competition ended with Xu Ying's furnace still intact.

Xu Ying placed fifth in the alchemy trial, while Qin Tiexin reviewed the upcoming artifact-refining rules and studied the Blood Qi Heavy Abyss martial skill. The chapter left him ready to try forging its Qi and Blood vortex.

• Xu Ying handed in her spirit pills and later placed fifth in the alchemy trial, easing Lin Chuan's worry.
• Lin Chuan gave Xu Ying a handkerchief, and they left the grounds together before parting at the entrance.
• Qin Tiexin reviewed the artifact-refining rules and returned to the courtyard with Ming'an.
• Ming'an recited the Clear Heart Sutra while Qin Tiexin practiced his stance and examined Blood Qi Heavy Abyss.
• Qin Tiexin learned that Blood Qi Heavy Abyss relied on a Qi and Blood vortex and decided his reserves were sufficient to attempt it.