Chapter Summaries

Jia Yi killed Bai Chongguang, while Ji Wuchang reunited with the old dean and witnessed Qian Wuguang’s final moments. When Rongcheng Yiyun’s dangerous cold Qi erupted again, Ji Wuchang rushed to help and discovered a snow-white flame forming inside him.

• Jia Yi killed Bai Chongguang, whose body fell from a nearby wall.
• Ji Wuchang reunited with the old dean and gave him Qian Wuguang’s fading Primordial Spirit; Qian Wuguang urged him to protect the Qian Clan juniors before dissipating.
• Rongcheng Yiyun’s cold Qi erupted unexpectedly, so Rongcheng Duandao summoned Ji Wuchang with the jade slip.
• Ji Wuchang entered the barrier and struggled against the freezing cold Qi while the old dean and Rongcheng Duandao waited outside.
• Ji Wuchang’s purple Qi Heaven-Burning Art detected heat within the cold Qi, and he gathered it into a tiny snow-white flame.

Ji Wuchang absorbed the faint heat from Rongcheng Yiyun’s cold poison and nurtured a seed of Glacial Glazed Fire while helping stabilize her. Afterward, the old dean explained Yu Ling’s connection to the Origin of Water and Bai Chongguang’s betrayal, then asked whether Ji Wuchang had decided to join the Heavenly Star Sect.

• Ji Wuchang realized Rongcheng Yiyun’s cold poison came from her growing Glacial Glazed Fire and absorbed its faint heat, strengthening a flame seed in his dantian.
• Ji Wuchang placed the snow-white flame on the yin fish of his taiji diagram as Rongcheng Yiyun absorbed his released spiritual power and recovered.
• Rongcheng Duandao broke the barrier, gathered the remaining cold Qi into a ball of ice, and shattered it overhead.
• Ji Wuchang told the old dean what had happened, and they rented a room at the inn to discuss recent events.
• The old dean revealed that he had founded Yunchuan Academy to seek the Origin of Water, that Yu Ling had refined it, and that Bai Chongguang had leaked information about Ji Wuchang.
• The old dean said the would-be assassins came from the Ancient Xuan Pavilion and asked Ji Wuchang whether he had decided to go to the Heavenly Star Sect.

Ji Wuchang decided to join the Heavenly Star Sect, received a Flying Snow Peak token from the old dean, and learned more about Rongcheng Yiyun’s cultivation and Glacial Glazed Fire. Meanwhile, Jia Yi and the Demonic Dao First-Rank Hall’s elders agreed to coordinate one last assassination attempt before the Dao Discussion Competition.

• Ji Wuchang chose to go to the Heavenly Star Sect, and the old dean gave him a token that would let him ask Flying Snow Peak’s master for one favor.
• Ji Wuchang found that Rongcheng Yiyun had reached Qi Refining Realm First Level and told Rongcheng Duandao that a spiritual power barrier could help her cultivate through her cold Qi flare-ups.
• Rongcheng Duandao gave Ji Wuchang nine Foundation-Fortifying Origin-Nurturing Pills in gratitude, and Ji Wuchang left with the old dean after sharing a jade slip for contact.
• Jia Yi told Lin Jumeng and Lin Juwen that the Ancient Xuan Pavilion had lost over twenty people trying to kill Ji Wuchang and suspected their information about him was inaccurate.
• Jia Yi and the two elders agreed to cooperate, with the Ancient Xuan Pavilion bringing more assassins into Xinglong City that afternoon to attack before the Dao Discussion Competition.

Ji Wuchang prepared for an imminent attack by strengthening his cultivation and combat techniques, while the old dean agreed to face the powerful enemies outside. Four Dao Severing Realm attackers arrived and challenged the dean, who confronted them in the air as Ji Wuchang remained inside the inn.

• Ji Wuchang and the old dean discussed how they would handle the enemies surrounding the inn, and Ji Wuchang warned the dean not to worry if he disappeared during the fight.
• Ji Wuchang spent cultivation years to raise his Purple Mansion Realm cultivation to the fourth level and perfect the fourth step of Heart-Treading Steps and two moves of Wind and Thunder Fist.
• Ji Wuchang used his Supreme Summoning Card, binding Fu Yanjie, a Six Spirits Realm fourth-level elder of Heavenly Yuan Sect, who was on his way to them.
• Four black-clad Dao Severing Realm experts arrived and threatened to kill everyone in the inn unless the old dean came out to face them.
• The old dean warned Ji Wuchang to be careful, then appeared in midair to confront the four attackers.

Ji Wuchang disguised himself as a man in black while the old dean fought off four attackers above Xinglong City. As dozens of other black-clad men surrounded Ji Wuchang’s inn, he killed one and slipped into their ranks, preparing to strike.

• Ji Wuchang put on black clothes, covered his face, and vanished.
• Lin Juwen and three others attacked the old dean, who overpowered them and sent all four flying with a single exchange.
• Rongcheng Yiyun asked Rongcheng Duandao whether the black-clad attackers had come for Ji Wuchang, and Duandao promised to intervene if Ji Wuchang was in danger.
• Dozens of black-clad men surrounded Ji Wuchang’s inn, but a streak of light killed one who charged the lit room and destroyed his Primordial Spirit.
• The attackers fired poisoned bolts into the room, yet no one emerged, leaving them afraid to approach as Xinglong City watched the battle overhead.
• Ji Wuchang appeared beside a man in black wearing the same disguise and prepared to attack while the others focused on the inn.

Ji Wuchang ambushed the Ancient Xuan Pavilion’s black-clad forces and used Fu Yanjie to make their attack on the Heavenly Yuan Sect public. After killing their Six Spirits Realm Fifth Level leader, Ji Wuchang sensed that the black-clad men were bait for a hidden threat.

• Ji Wuchang disguised himself among the black-clad men, killed several of them, and escaped alongside Fu Yanjie, whom the Supreme Summoning Card had bound to serve him.
• Ji Wuchang ordered Fu Yanjie to change into black clothes and attack the Ancient Xuan Pavilion’s men, then joined the fight and declared that they were attacking a Heavenly Yuan Sect elder.
• Ji Wuchang’s accusations stirred the onlookers against the Ancient Xuan Pavilion, while Fu Yanjie fought off the attackers surrounding him.
• Ji Wuchang used his Heart-Treading Steps and Hundredfold Sublimation Instant Kill Technique to kill the Six Spirits Realm Fifth Level leader and destroy his Primordial Spirit.
• Ji Wuchang withdrew from the battlefield, weakened by the technique, and suspected that the black-clad men were bait for hidden assassins.

Ji Wuchang fought Ancient Xuan Pavilion assassins while Li Kaishan and the Heavenly Yuan Sect joined the battle in Xinglong City. Gu Dangshan tracked Ji Wuchang with the Mysterious Light Stone Mirror and sent three assassins after him, while Gu Liuyang and his allies pressed the old headmaster as the savage beast threatened to emerge.

• Li Kaishan arrived with Heavenly Yuan Sect fighters, mistook the black-clad Ancient Xuan Pavilion assassins for enemies, and led his people into the fight.
• Ji Wuchang evaded an assassin’s sword strike, wounded him with Heart-Treading Steps, and killed him with lightning and a flying sword.
• Ji Wuchang used Void Kill against hidden assassins, but they escaped his attack and Gu Dangshan located him with the Mysterious Light Stone Mirror.
• Gu Dangshan ordered Jia Yi, Jia Si, and Jia Jiu to kill Ji Wuchang.
• Gu Liuyang revealed that the old headmaster had not fully fused with the savage beast and led Lin Jumeng, Lin Juwen, and another black-clad fighter in attacking him.

The battle in Xinglong City escalated as the black-clad fighters killed Fu Yanjie and were then wiped out by Li Kaishan and reinforcements from the other sects. Ji Wuchang watched the Ancient Xuan Pavilion's elites arrive and sensed a deadly attack just as someone used Space Seal Lockdown.

• Gu Liuyang, Lin Jumeng, and Lin Juwen attacked the old dean while Li Kaishan and Fu Yanjie fought the black-clad fighters.
• Fu Yanjie killed a Six Spirits Realm Second Level fighter but was beheaded by a hidden attacker, who also destroyed his Primordial Spirit.
• Li Kaishan tried to escape, and Bai Xiangguan and the other sects joined the fight and killed the black-clad fighters pursuing him.
• Ji Wuchang watched the battle, noticed the Ancient Xuan Pavilion's elites arriving, and worried about the old dean's situation.
• Ji Wuchang sensed mortal danger and prepared to use Shrinking the Ground to an Inch, but a voice shouted, "Space Seal Lockdown!"

Ji Wuchang faced Jia Yi, Jia Si, and Jia Jiu inside a temporarily sealed space, then copied and cultivated their Great Void Phantom Technique while preparing to test his strength. After Jia Jiu trapped him in a deadly sword formation, Ji Wuchang passed through it and appeared directly in front of him.

• Ji Wuchang evaded Jia Jiu's surprise attack and identified Jia Yi and Jia Si as the other two attackers surrounding him.
• Ji Wuchang learned from Yaoyao that a talisman had sealed the space temporarily and decided to fight the three himself.
• Ji Wuchang copied and cultivated the Great Void Phantom Technique, gaining insight into how it let him merge with the frequencies of his surroundings.
• Jia Jiu attacked Ji Wuchang with his Six Harmonies Sword Formation Strangulation Technique after Jia Si gave him ten breaths to complete the mission.
• Ji Wuchang passed through the Six Directions Cage, vanished, and reappeared in front of Jia Jiu as Jia Yi shouted a warning.

Ji Wuchang used the Great Void Phantom Technique and several lethal attacks to kill Jia Jiu and Jia Si, then faced Jia Yi’s relentless sword assault. As he dodged her strikes, he suspected she had deliberately let him kill the other two assassins and countered with Slash Wind and Thunder.

• Ji Wuchang killed Jia Jiu with a sword strike and Divine Soul Spikes, then took his storage ring.
• Ji Wuchang evaded Jia Si’s iron staff, struck him with Heart-Treading Steps and Divine Soul Spikes, and killed him with the Hundredfold Sublimation Instant Kill Technique.
• Jia Yi attacked Ji Wuchang with a rapid series of sword strikes, forcing him to dodge.
• Ji Wuchang suspected Jia Yi had allowed him to kill Jia Si and Jia Jiu, then unleashed Slash Wind and Thunder at her.

Ji Wuchang called on Rongcheng Duandao to kill Gu Dangshan and then narrowly countered a surprise attack from Jia Yi. With the Ancient Xuan Pavilion’s stone mirror stolen and Jia Yi still alive, the battle remained unresolved.

• Jia Yi let Ji Wuchang wound her before vanishing, and Gu Dangshan saw the fight through the Mysterious Light Stone Mirror and learned that Jia Si and Jia Jiu had died.
• Gu Dangshan led over a dozen Yi Rank assassins to attack Ji Wuchang, while Ji Wuchang watched the old dean weaken the ferocious beast within him during the battle overhead.
• Ji Wuchang called on Rongcheng Duandao to fulfill his promised saber strike, and the unseen expert’s blow killed Gu Dangshan and two nearby assassins.
• An unseen hand seized the Mysterious Light Stone Mirror, and Ji Wuchang struck toward Jia Yi before breaking her counterattack with a lightning-charged punch.

After Jia Yi escaped, Ji Wuchang slaughtered the Ancient Xuan Pavilion assassins while the old dean defeated the four Dao Severing Realm attackers. The old dean killed the last of them and weakened the ferocious beast within himself, leaving Ji Wuchang expecting a period of peace.

• Ji Wuchang failed to find Jia Yi and killed the black-clad assassins before collecting their storage rings.
• The old dean killed Lin Jumeng by crushing his heart and destroying his Primordial Spirit.
• The old dean killed Gu Liuyang and another fleeing black-clad man as they tried to escape.
• Lin Juwen used the Blood Burning Technique to raise his cultivation, but the old dean killed him and destroyed his divine soul.
• The old dean's plan succeeded in weakening the ferocious beast within him, and Ji Wuchang believed he could enjoy some peace.

Venerable Purple Flame warned Jiang Yuanxiong not to provoke Ji Wuchang, while Ji Yongming and Li Xiaoyuan discussed protecting the young master and the danger of his return to the Ji Family. Back in his room, Ji Wuchang received his Fortune Points and bought a Reincarnation Dream Experience Card, planning to use it after the academies' Dao discussion.

• Venerable Purple Flame told Jiang Yuanxiong that Ji Wuchang was too dangerous to provoke and then disappeared.
• Ji Yongming warned Li Xiaoyuan that the Ji Family would be destroyed if he harmed the young master, and explained why the young master had been sent to the southwest.
• Li Xiaoyuan said he had come on his young lady's orders to protect the young master and would neither interfere nor take him to the Li Family.
• Ji Wuchang received Fortune Points for his recent kills and checked that his total had risen to 9,399.
• Ji Wuchang spent 5,000 Fortune Points on a Reincarnation Dream Experience Card and decided to wait until after the Dao discussion to use it.

Fan Qiu welcomed guests to Xinglong Academy and warned his grandson Fan Paopao not to underestimate Yunchuan Academy after Ji Wuchang’s battle the previous night. Zhou Haotian arrived with Chu Yanran, and Fan Paopao immediately became captivated by her.

• Fan Qiu waited at the academy gates to receive Zhou Haotian, hoping Fan Paopao would become Zhou Haotian’s disciple.
• Fan Paopao arrived late and claimed he had delayed himself by trying to break through in cultivation.
• Fan Qiu greeted Gu Sheng, Ji Wuchang, and Jiang Yuanxiong, then told Fan Paopao that Yunchuan Academy’s members were powerful and warned him not to challenge the Soul Splitting Realm Fourth Level man.
• Fan Paopao dismissed his grandfather’s warning and grew eager to challenge the Yunchuan Academy genius.
• Zhou Haotian arrived with Chu Yanran, and Fan Qiu bowed to welcome him while Fan Paopao stared at Chu Yanran.

Ji Wuchang attended the Dao Discussion Conference at Xinglong Academy and learned how the academies would compete for resources and sect sponsorship. Zhou Haotian then approached him and offered to take him as a personal disciple of Heavenly Star Peak.

• Gu Sheng explained that fifteen academies would compete in contests among their deans and disciples, with five academies winning resource allocations.
• Ji Wuchang recognized Zhou Haotian and Chu Yanran as they entered the arena.
• Zhou Haotian walked past the gathered deans and elders to meet Ji Wuchang, astonishing everyone.
• Zhou Haotian praised Ji Wuchang's rapid rise to the Soul Splitting Realm Fourth Level and asked him to become his disciple and join Heavenly Star Peak.
• The people in the arena looked at Ji Wuchang with envy and jealousy.

Ji Wuchang became Zhou Haotian’s first personal disciple, alarming Chu Yanran because Long Batian was searching for the woman who had once helped Ji escape. At the academies’ Dao discussion gathering, Jiangshan Academy’s judges arrived and revealed that Zhou Haotian had once been their vice dean, leaving everyone astonished.

• Ji Wuchang accepted Zhou Haotian as his master, becoming Heavenly Star Peak’s sole personal disciple.
• Chu Yanran recognized Ji Wuchang from the Land of Heavenly Loss and worried that Long Batian would target him over the woman who had aided his escape.
• Xiong Haibin and the gathered deans congratulated Zhou Haotian, while Fan Paopao grew jealous and planned to humiliate Ji Wuchang.
• Teacher Nan Yanchan and Teacher Qi Heping arrived as judges for the Dao discussion and respectfully greeted Zhou Haotian as their former vice dean.
• Zhou Haotian told Nan Yanchan and Qi Heping to call him Peak Master Zhou, revealing his past at Jiangshan Academy and shocking those present.

The deans began their Dao Discussion Competition by claiming five cushions, with Gu Sheng taking an outer seat before Gong Wushang and Nie Mingfei fought over the center one. Nie Mingfei broke free of Gong Wushang’s Bright Moon Rises over the Sea technique, and Gong Wushang conceded the center cushion to him.

• Gu Sheng used his Dao Severing Realm pressure to claim an outer cushion without opposition.
• Gong Wushang claimed the second cushion from the left and challenged Nie Mingfei for the center cushion.
• Gong Wushang trapped Nie Mingfei in his Bright Moon Rises over the Sea Dao and unleashed endless saber light.
• Nie Mingfei summoned a Sword Qi dragon that swallowed the bright moon and shattered Gong Wushang’s illusory sea.
• Gong Wushang acknowledged Nie Mingfei’s victory and yielded the center cushion to him.

After the academy heads’ matches, Ji Wuchang was chosen to defend Yunchuan Academy’s arena first in the disciples’ competition. He received a mysterious scroll and a bloodline gift for Gu Sheng, then drew a Thousand Illusion Spirit Pupil Fragment before noticing an unknown man’s killing intent as the arena matches began.

• Gong Wushang and Nie Mingfei took meditation cushions, and further battles decided Huayuan Academy and Long Saber Academy as the remaining cushion holders.
• Gu Sheng explained the disciples’ seven-round arena competition, and Ji Wuchang volunteered to defend first with Jiang Yuanxiong set to take over if he fell.
• Gu Sheng gave Ji Wuchang a scroll he had studied for a hundred years, and Ji Wuchang gave Gu Sheng a drop of blood essence from the Blood Pool.
• Ji Wuchang checked in at Xinglong Academy’s main square and drew a Thousand Illusion Spirit Pupil Fragment and sixty Fortune Points.
• Ji Wuchang noticed an unfamiliar man watching him with killing intent before Qi Heping called the disciples onto the platform to defend the arenas.

Ji Wuchang faced Fan Paopao in the opening challenge at arena five, where the crowd expected the lower-ranked Yunchuan Academy disciple to lose. Ji Wuchang knocked Fan Paopao down with a lightning-charged punch, leaving the result of the match unresolved.

• Ji Wuchang took his place defending arena five as spectators mocked his cultivation and speculated about his chances.
• Fan Paopao got permission from Fan Qiu to challenge Ji Wuchang, hoping his performance would attract the attention of a top sect.
• Fan Paopao introduced himself and demanded that Ji Wuchang concede, but Ji Wuchang told him to attack.
• Fan Paopao struck with a frost-covered sword, and Ji Wuchang vanished before reappearing beside him.
• Ji Wuchang hit Fan Paopao in the chest with a lightning-crackling fist as Fan Paopao tried to retreat.

Ji Wuchang defeated Fan Paopao and then forced Li Xiaoxiao to concede, earning two more points for Yunchuan Academy. After his second victory, the crowd no longer dared underestimate him.

• Ji Wuchang knocked Fan Paopao off the platform with a lightning-fast punch, and Nan Yanchan declared Yunchuan Academy’s score was three points.
• The academies began open challenges, and Li Xiaoxiao of Luoyang Academy challenged Ji Wuchang.
• Ji Wuchang countered Li Xiaoxiao’s saber strikes, then used his speed and small swords to wound her and leave her unable to evade his final attack.
• Li Xiaoxiao conceded just before Ji Wuchang’s sword could pierce her head, and her five split souls returned without attacking.
• Nan Yanchan declared Ji Wuchang the winner and raised Yunchuan Academy’s total to four points.