Chapter Summaries

Ji Wuchang killed Yan Liang, Yang He, and their two ancestors with the Myriad Souls Banner, then kept their weapons. Their heads emerged from the Void Arena, revealing their defeat and shocking the crowd, while Ji Zhongliang and Zhan Sizhen watched from below.

• Yan Liang and Yang He admitted that they had plotted against Ji Wuchang and asked him not to punish their lineages.
• Ji Wuchang sent the four into the Myriad Souls Banner, where its remnant souls devoured them, then claimed the Blood Wave Sword and Red Flame Saber.
• Ji Zhongliang came to investigate the use of the Ji Clan's Great Sun Divine Fist, while Zhan Sizhen arrived after hearing that Zhan Yanlong had died.
• The crowd watched the white mist recede from the Void Arena as Master Zhao hoped Ji Wuchang would surprise them.
• Two heads flew out of the arena, and the crowd recognized them as Yang He's and Yan Liang's, leaving everyone stunned by Chai Wudi's victory.
• Xiao Dong realized his cousin Xiao Cheng had been right not to provoke Chai Wudi and grew more wary of the academy.

Ji Wuchang emerged victorious after killing Yang He and Yan Liang, having already slain Zhan Yanlong, and secured his standing in Li Courtyard. Chen Qirong assigned him a place in the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition and tasked him with reclaiming a coveted building, setting up another confrontation for the next day.

• Ji Wuchang emerged from the white mist after defeating Yang He and Yan Liang, and Master Zhao praised him while Chen Qirong and the other masters watched.
• Song Qianshang decided not to confront Ji Wuchang again, fearing the matter would reach the inner courtyard and bring him responsibility.
• Ji Wuchang challenged anyone who wanted his cave abode, but Master Zhao ended the confrontation by dissolving the Void Arena, and Chen Qirong ordered the crowd to disperse.
• Chen Qirong designated Ji Wuchang for the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition and told him to reclaim one of the twelve buildings; Ji Wuchang said he would take it back the next day, by force if necessary.
• Several masters went to persuade Song Qianshang to give up an allocation, while Master Zhao and Chen Qirong departed and Ji Wuchang returned to his cave abode.
• Ji Wuchang looted the three storage rings and found a broken Supreme Weapon filled with Sha Qi, which he placed with the Great Seal of Ten Thousand Ferocities.

Li Courtyard’s masters and students worried that Chai Wudi would challenge them for Master Chen’s building, while Song Yeche feared being forced into the Void Arena. Liao Qing investigated the previous night’s arena opening on the dean’s orders, but Master Zhao concealed the conflict’s true nature, and Liao Qing left to report what she had learned.

• Li Courtyard’s residents discussed Chai Wudi’s mysterious origins and the deaths of Yan Liang and Yang He.
• Zhan Sizhen, Ji Zhongliang, and Song Yeche worried that Chai Wudi might challenge them, with Song Yeche fearing he would lose Master Chen’s building.
• Li Courtyard residents gathered to watch Chai Wudi’s expected challenge, while Liao Qing arrived with Yu Ling to investigate the Void Arena’s opening.
• Song Qianshang directed Liao Qing to Master Zhao, who described the incident as a dispute between youngsters over a cave abode.
• Liao Qing noted that three names had appeared on the inner courtyard’s Void Stele and said she would report the matter to the dean before leaving with Yu Ling.

Ji Wuchang challenged Song Yeche for the cave abode on the mountain, drawing a crowd and confronting the twelve residents. Yu Ling recognized Ji Wuchang by his movement technique and confirmed his identity after hearing him speak, while he prepared to settle the claim by force or in the Void Arena.

• Ji Wuchang called out Song Yeche and demanded that he surrender the cave abode, which had belonged to Master Chen.
• Song Yeche challenged Ji Wuchang to come to the summit, and Ji Wuchang used his Wind and Thunder Great Void Steps to ascend toward him.
• Yu Ling spotted Ji Wuchang’s movement technique while traveling with Liao Qing and stayed to watch, suspecting that he was an old acquaintance.
• Ji Wuchang arrived before Song Yeche and assessed the twelve figures at the summit, sensing familiar qualities in Ji Zhongliang and Zhan Sizhen.
• Ji Wuchang demanded that Song Yeche hand over the cave abode or fight him in the Void Arena, and Yu Ling confirmed his identity from his voice.

Song Yeche challenged Ji Wuchang to a duel over his cave abode, but Ji Wuchang quickly overwhelmed him with flames, footwork, and sword strikes. Song Yeche activated his armor and unleashed the Nine Tigers Slaying Dragon Formation, trapping Ji Wuchang beneath a rain of spears and tigers.

• Song Yeche summoned his Dharma Aspect and attacked Ji Wuchang with the Nine Tigers Spear, sending nine tiger phantoms charging at him.
• Ji Wuchang burned the tiger phantoms with his Seven Feather Fan and formed a Fire Phoenix that Song Yeche split with his spear.
• Ji Wuchang struck Song Yeche with Heaven-Treading Steps, knocking him into the ground and engulfing him in flames.
• Song Yeche emerged injured, but his armor blocked Ji Wuchang's Shadow Sword Art strikes.
• Song Yeche summoned the Nine Tigers Slaying Dragon Formation, which locked onto Ji Wuchang as spears and tiger phantoms descended from the sky.

Ji Wuchang defeated Song Yeche by copying and breaking the Nine Tigers Slaying Dragon Formation, then overwhelmed him with the Great Sun Divine Fist. Song Yeche conceded and agreed to give up the cave abode.

• Song Yeche summoned the Nine Tigers Slaying Dragon Formation, while Liao Qing pointed out that its center spear was the formation’s core.
• Ji Wuchang copied the formation and revealed his mastery of the orthodox Great Sun Divine Fist, shocking the onlookers and Ji Zhongliang.
• Ji Wuchang hurled a golden sun at the formation, immobilized Song Yeche, and punched him away.
• The golden sun destroyed the formation and sent the Nine Tigers Spear flying.
• Ji Wuchang stomped Song Yeche into a crater, and the battered Song Yeche conceded and gave up the cave abode.

After Chai Wudi defeated Song Yeche, Yu Ling recognized him as her junior brother Ji Wuchang, though he kept his true identity hidden from the Li Courtyard. Their reunion revealed his connection to the inner courtyard’s celebrated heaven’s chosen, leaving the masters stunned and Chen Qirong hopeful about his own prospects.

• Chai Wudi defeated Song Yeche, and the crowd praised his combat strength while the masters envied Chen Qirong for having accepted him as a student.
• Yu Ling challenged Chai Wudi to exchange moves, then recognized him as her junior brother.
• Ji Wuchang greeted Yu Ling as Chai Wudi and asked her not to reveal his identity, and she played along with the disguise.
• The Li Courtyard erupted in confusion, and Song Qianshang explained that he had brought Chai Wudi to the academy as a favor without examining his root bone.
• Chen Qirong reflected on Chai Wudi’s strength and his own chance to enter the inner courtyard.

Ji Wuchang and Yu Ling tested each other’s strength in a fierce battle that shook Li Courtyard. Song Qianshang activated the courtyard’s defensive barrier to conceal the clash, while the other seven courtyards wondered what had happened.

• Yu Ling challenged Ji Wuchang, and both revealed formidable presences that shocked Li Courtyard’s masters.
• Yu Ling attacked with Mountain Fist, sending a refined mountain crashing toward Ji Wuchang, who countered with a blazing golden sun.
• The attacks collided, tearing open space and forcing Ji Wuchang and Yu Ling to retreat hundreds of zhang.
• Chen Qirong urged Song Qianshang to seal Li Courtyard before the other seven courtyards detected the clash.
• Song Qianshang activated Li Courtyard’s defensive formation, blocking outside probing as the other courtyards speculated about the disturbance.

Ji Wuchang and Yu Ling traded increasingly powerful attacks, displaying their mastery of lightning, flame, water, and other origins. As Ji Wuchang’s Thunder-Burning Life and Death Wheel bore down on her, Yu Ling answered with the Yu Clan’s terrifying Rain Fist.

• Yu Ling combined two mountains into a powerful Mountain Fist, and Ji Wuchang countered with the Primordial Jade Shattering Finger; both attacks shattered in their collision.
• Ji Wuchang used Heaven-Treading Steps to attack from above, but Yu Ling’s three mountains broke the golden foot and sent him flying.
• Yu Ling vanished and nearly struck Ji Wuchang by surprise, but he escaped with Shrinking the Ground to an Inch and unleashed Thousand Thunder Kill.
• Yu Ling’s Thunder Dragon devoured Ji Wuchang’s thunderclouds, then she attacked with rain transformed into sword light while Ji Wuchang countered with a fire dragon and a Wheel of Blazing Flames.
• Ji Wuchang sent his Thunder-Burning Life and Death Wheel toward Yu Ling, who met it with a mist-shrouded punch that the masters recognized as the Yu Clan’s Rain Fist.

Ji Wuchang fought Yu Ling in a fierce sparring match, struggling against her superior cultivation while using his techniques to keep up. After they called the contest a draw, Liao Qing arrived and became excited at the prospect of bringing Ji Wuchang to the inner court.

• Yu Ling's Rain Fist dissolved Ji Wuchang's Life and Death Wheel, forcing him to activate his Ice Barbarian Battle Body and block her next punch with the Heavenly Dipper Demon-Suppressing Claw.
• Ji Wuchang and Yu Ling exchanged dozens of blows, with Yu Ling's Mountain Fist repeatedly driving him back.
• After Yu Ling sent Ji Wuchang flying, he immobilized her with the Demonic Dao Law-Disrupting Immobilization Art, but his follow-up struck only a phantom.
• Ji Wuchang summoned the Three-Legged Golden Crow and then resumed attacking Yu Ling, who maintained the upper hand through another hundred exchanges.
• Ji Wuchang admitted defeat, but Yu Ling called the match a draw because he was at a lower realm and neither had used full strength.
• Liao Qing appeared and grew excited at the thought of bringing Ji Wuchang to cultivate in the inner court.

After Ji Wuchang’s clash with Yu Ling, she left for the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition while he settled into a better cave abode. Chen Qirong then advised him to develop his own Dao and refine his combat techniques into a personal path.

• Liao Qing offered to arrange Ji Wuchang’s direct entry into the inner courtyard, but he refused to enter through the back door, and Yu Ling agreed to let him proceed on his own terms.
• Yu Ling left with Liao Qing after telling Ji Wuchang she would watch the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition, and he promised to defeat every opponent there.
• Ji Wuchang moved into Song Yeche’s larger cave abode as the spectators discussed his battle and the other residents watched him leave.
• Master Zhao admitted he had misjudged Ji Wuchang, and Chen Qirong urged him to forge his own Dao instead of relying on many different combat techniques.

After Master Chen urged Ji Wuchang to forge his own Dao and methods, Thousand Poison Venerable explained how the golden age enabled past powerhouses to do so and warned that the Heavenly Chen Continent was nearing the Age of Dharma Decline. Ji Wuchang was left weighing the perilous path ahead as Ji Yaoyao revealed that the decline had already begun.

• Chen Qirong told Master Zhao that Ji Wuchang might become a peerless powerhouse and that the younger generation would have to face the continent’s coming upheaval.
• Ji Wuchang reflected on creating his own Dao and methods, then asked Ji Yaoyao whether she knew what the path required.
• Ji Yaoyao warned Ji Wuchang that forging his own Dao could lead to madness, Qi Deviation, or becoming a demon.
• Ji Wuchang asked Thousand Poison Venerable for advice, and he explained that the Ji Family and other lineages’ founders had risen during a golden age of complete Principles and fierce competition among Heaven’s Chosen.
• Thousand Poison Venerable said the golden age was ending and predicted that spiritual power would begin dwindling within a hundred years, making self-created methods far harder but potentially allowing Ji Wuchang to become the last Great Emperor.
• Ji Yaoyao confirmed that the Age of Dharma Decline had already begun, citing the lack of anyone breaking through to Saint King, though she said there was still time to reach that realm.

Ji Wuchang reflected on how to align his combat techniques with the Purple Qi Heaven-Burning Art, then emerged as Li Courtyard prepared for the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition. With the competition only three days away, he checked in at Li Courtyard and looked ahead to moving on to the inner court.

• Thousand Poison Venerable told Ji Wuchang that forging his own Dao required finding his own path and studying other cultivators’ methods.
• Ji Wuchang realized most of his combat techniques did not work well with the Purple Qi Heaven-Burning Art and resolved to adjust or abandon incompatible techniques.
• During Li Courtyard’s selection matches, Xiao Cheng reached Half-Step Supreme and fought Song Yeche to a draw; both were chosen for the competition.
• Li Courtyard’s residents discussed the competition’s early start, Chai Wudi’s absence, and the inner court’s practice of recruiting promising students.
• Ji Wuchang ended his seclusion, checked in at Li Courtyard for a year of cultivation, and anticipated the upcoming competition and a move to the inner court.

Li Courtyard’s group traveled to Qian Courtyard for the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition, where Song Qianshang wagered his position against Zhang Wenliang’s after Gu Lucheng encouraged them. The two heads sealed the wager with Heavenly Dao Oaths, and Song led Li Courtyard to their stands as the competition approached.

• Song Qianshang led Li Courtyard’s competitors and masters to Qian Courtyard for the competition, leaving Master Zhou behind to guard the volcano.
• Zhang Wenliang mocked Song Qianshang’s claim that Li Courtyard had a peerless genius and offered to swap their courtyard-head positions if Li Courtyard defeated Qian Courtyard.
• Gu Lucheng arrived and offered to witness the wager, prompting Song Qianshang to accept Zhang Wenliang’s challenge.
• Zhang Wenliang demanded that Song resign and serve as a master in Qian Courtyard if Li Courtyard lost, and Song agreed while insisting that both swear Heavenly Dao Oaths.
• Song Qianshang and Zhang Wenliang swore the oaths with Gu Lucheng as witness, then Song led Li Courtyard’s people to their designated stands.

Ji Wuchang inspected the gathered courtyards at Qian Courtyard’s competition grounds, identified a Myriad Souls Hall member among Qian Courtyard’s competitors, and checked in for a cultivation reward. After learning Li Courtyard had the longest odds to win, he bet thirty million low-grade spirit stones on its victory, leaving the assembled masters stunned.

• Ji Wuchang examined the competition grounds and spotted a Supreme Realm competitor from Qian Courtyard who carried the evil presence of Myriad Souls Hall.
• Ji Wuchang checked in at Qian Courtyard’s competition grounds and received eighteen years of cultivation and eighteen Fortune Points.
• Gen Courtyard arrived, and Ji Wuchang noticed that its leader looked like an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy.
• Xiao Dong told Xiao Cheng that Qian Courtyard’s betting pool ranked Li Courtyard last, and Ji Wuchang asked about the odds.
• Xiao Dong named Master Qi’s son, Qi Taihe, as the person running the pool, and Master Zhao offered to place bets on everyone’s behalf.
• Ji Wuchang bet thirty million low-grade spirit stones on Li Courtyard taking first place, shocking the masters present.

Ji Wuchang watched Master Zhao secure a huge wager against Qi Courtyard, then saw the inner courtyard contingent arrive on a guardian beast. He learned about its powerful masters and asked Chen Qirong how Yu Ling and Zhan Gu'an would rank among the Heavenly Dragon Ranking’s geniuses.

• Master Zhao gathered five hundred million low-grade spirit stones, wagered them against Qi, and made Qi swear a Heavenly Dao Oath with witnesses present.
• Ji Wuchang noticed masters from Qian Courtyard watching Li Courtyard’s contestants after Master Zhao’s wager threatened them.
• The eight courtyard deans rose as an eighth-rank guardian beast carrying five inner courtyard figures approached the competition grounds.
• Ji Wuchang recognized Yu Ling among the arrivals and studied the powerful Zhan Gu'an, whose gaze stayed on her.
• Chen Qirong identified Xiao Xueguang, Li Guorui, and Zhan Gu'an and described their strength, prompting Ji Wuchang to ask how Yu Ling and Zhan Gu'an would rank among Heavenly Dragon Ranking geniuses.

Chen Qirong explained the strength of the Heavenly Chen Academy's inner courtyard as the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition began. Xiao Xueguang opened the competition grounds, where students would fight for tokens amid dangerous void storms.

• Chen Qirong told Ji Wuchang that Yu Ling and Zhan Gu'an could rank in the inner courtyard's top ten, while its three leading prodigies were Supreme Realm Third Level experts.
• Zhang Wenliang introduced the inner-courtyard judges and announced that the ten best competitors could enter the inner courtyard, while Xiao Xueguang sought a follower to inherit his Principle of Space abilities.
• Zhan Gu'an watched Yu Ling and resolved to win her over so he could secure the Zhan Clan's succession and strengthen its ties with the Yu Clan.
• Xiao Xueguang explained that competitors would be randomly placed inside the arena, steal tokens from one another, and survive void storms until only ten remained.
• Xiao Xueguang opened the glowing gate on the competition platform, officially starting the Eight Courtyards Grand Competition.

Ji Wuchang entered the competition realm and encountered Li Feiqiao, a Half-Step Supreme from Zhen Academy. As the spectators expected Ji Wuchang to be eliminated, he challenged Li Feiqiao for his competition token, and Xiao Xueguang enlarged their scene in the viewing mirror.

• Jiumo Xiao mocked Li Courtyard for entering a Celestial Phenomenon Realm second-level competitor, and Song Qianshang rebuked him.
• Ji Wuchang entered the gate of light, and Xiao Xueguang displayed all 192 competitors in a giant mirror.
• Ji Wuchang arrived in a rainy forest and sensed someone approaching.
• Li Feiqiao confronted Ji Wuchang, who demanded his competition token and threatened to beat him.
• Xiao Xueguang enlarged the view of Ji Wuchang and Li Feiqiao as spectators laughed and watched.

Ji Wuchang chased down Li Feiqiao after he fled with a talisman, then defeated him with his techniques and demanded his competition token. The other courtyard heads recognized Ji Wuchang as a potential contender for a place among the top ten, while Liao Qing’s plan to recruit him became contested.

• Ji Wuchang overwhelmed Li Feiqiao with his presence, prompting Li Feiqiao to crush a talisman and flee.
• Ji Wuchang pursued Li Feiqiao, while Liao Qing told Xiao Xueguang and Li Guorui that she intended to recruit him if he placed in the top ten.
• Xiao Xueguang and Li Guorui agreed that Ji Wuchang’s placement would need the academy head’s decision if he reached the top three.
• Li Feiqiao stopped fleeing and attacked Ji Wuchang with his Great River Sword, but Ji Wuchang evaded him and struck his Dharma Aspect with Heaven-Treading Steps.
• Ji Wuchang followed with a great purple sun attack, gravely injuring Li Feiqiao and demanding his competition token or his life.

Ji Wuchang defeated Li Feiqiao in the competition, drawing attention from the other courtyards. After discovering that a hidden presence was watching the secret realm, he hurried away to find a way to block it.

• Li Feiqiao surrendered to Ji Wuchang and was transported out of the secret realm, where he returned to Zhen Academy in disgrace.
• Song Qianshang mocked Jiumo Xiao over his earlier dismissal of Ji Wuchang, while the deans of several courtyards ordered investigations into him.
• Ji Wuchang tested the secret realm’s unusually hard ground and sensed that its rules differed from those outside.
• Thousand Poison Venerable warned Ji Wuchang that the secret realm was likely a saint-grade spatial treasure and that people outside could watch his every move.
• Ji Wuchang fled after sensing the probing presence and considered using one of his supreme weapons to block it.