Chapter Summaries

Yu Tianling learned how Ye Lingling became Lin Qingze’s disciple and discovered that her grandfather had likely died after entrusting her to Lin. Ye Lingling moved into the courtyard with Yu Tianling and his companions, where he urged her to grieve openly and promised to stay by her side.

• Yu Tianling learned that a student had hidden Ye Lingling’s letter, and Lin Qingze had punished him while the Supreme Pontiff destroyed his family.
• Lin Qingze explained that Ye Lingling’s grandfather had asked him to take her as his disciple after seeing his strength and helping her obtain her fourth Soul Ring.
• Yu Tianling realized Ye Lingling had probably guessed that her grandfather was dead, though she had kept her grief to herself.
• Ye Lingling moved into the courtyard with Yu Tianling, Zhu Zhuqing, and Hu Liena after they invited her to stay.
• Yu Tianling held Ye Lingling and told her to let out her grief, promising that he would be by her side.

Ye Lingling grieved over her grandfather’s death, and Yu Tianling comforted her and promised to protect her and seek a cure for her Martial Soul’s curse. After sharing stories until she fell asleep, he left her room, while Ye Lingling woke briefly and felt warmed by his care.

• Ye Lingling broke down and told Yu Tianling that her grandfather was gone and she had no family left.
• Yu Tianling held Ye Lingling as she vented her grief, then promised that he and his grandfather would be her family and that he would help find a solution to her Martial Soul’s curse.
• Yu Tianling teased Ye Lingling about how she had left years earlier, caught her when she stumbled, and comforted her with stories.
• Ye Lingling fell asleep on Yu Tianling’s shoulder, and he took off her shoes, covered her with a quilt, and quietly left her room.
• Ye Lingling woke as Yu Tianling left and felt grateful for his care, while Yu Tianling noticed Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuqing listening nearby.

Yu Tianling set plans in motion to bring the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into Spirit Hall and weaken Tang San's allies. With his preparations complete, he planned to head to Sunset Forest with his companions to continue the God of War's trials and seek a solution for Ye Lingling's Martial Soul drawback.

• Yu Tianling persuaded the Elder Hall to send two Revered Elders to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with the Aromatic Silk Beauty, hoping Ning Fengzhi would accept Spirit Hall's terms and help Ning Rongrong evolve her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
• Yu Tianling sent Bi Gan to Nuoding City to deal with Yu Xiaogang after telling him about Yu Xiaogang's past with Bibi Dong.
• Yu Tianling decided to take the three girls, Xie Yue, and the others to Sunset Forest to cultivate on the heavenly stairway while he completed his God of War's Nine Trials.
• Yu Tianling planned to ask the God King of Equality whether Ye Lingling's Martial Soul drawback could be resolved before considering giving her an immortal-grade herb.

Yu Tianling brought his companions to the God of War’s inheritance site in Sunset Forest, where they entered the hidden small world. As he began to explain the stairway to heaven, a stone pillar fell beside it.

• Yu Tianling and his companions traveled to Sunset Forest, with Ye Mengyang and Yan getting along closely during the journey.
• After five days, Yu Tianling led the group through a cave and opened the bronze doors with his ring.
• The group entered the beautiful small world, where the girls admired the scenery and the others noticed the stairway to heaven.
• Yu Tianling gathered everyone beside him and began explaining the stairway to heaven, but a stone pillar suddenly fell from the sky beside it.

Yu Tianling activated the Origin-God-Pillar and triggered the God of War Rank Assessment for his companions. Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang received Black Level Six Trials, four others received Top-Tier Seven Trials, and Zhu Zhuqing obtained the Blood-Red Eight Trials as Yu Tianling began explaining the assessments.

• Yu Tianling discovered the Origin-God-Pillar and channeled his Soul Power into it, activating a blood-red God of War Domain.
• The pillar assessed Yu Tianling's seven companions, granting Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang the Black Level Six Trials.
• Yan, Dugu Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena each received the Top-Tier Seven Trials.
• Zhu Zhuqing's assessment reached blood red after a golden light struggled against it, and she received the Blood-Red Eight Trials.
• Yu Tianling explained the assessment ranks, and Hu Liena asked why Zhu Zhuqing's trial was blood red.

Yu Tianling explained that Zhu Zhuqing had received the blood-red eight trials after refusing the God of War's inheritance to avoid fighting him, and the group learned their first trials all involved climbing the Heavenly Stairway. Yan began his first attempt and reached the tenth step, where the increasing pressure rapidly drained his Soul Power.

• Yu Tianling explained that the God of War's power had reduced Zhu Zhuqing's inheritance from golden god-level nine trials to blood-red eight trials, and Zhu Zhuqing confirmed she had refused the inheritance to avoid fighting Ling.
• Yu Tianling embraced Zhu Zhuqing and vowed to find her a first-level god's inheritance, while Hu Liena and Ye Lingling reflected on choosing him over godhood.
• The group compared their first trials and found that Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang had to climb 666 steps, Hu Liena, Dugu Yan, Xie Yue, and Yan had to climb 888, and Zhu Zhuqing had to climb 999.
• Yu Tianling warned that the Heavenly Stairway's growing pressure could crush anyone who refused to retreat, though climbing it would temper their bodies and compress their Soul Power.
• Yan started climbing, reached the tenth step, and found that its pressure was about ten percent greater than the first step and had consumed a tenth of his Soul Power.

Yu Tianling and the others climbed the Heavenly Stairway, struggling against its rising pressure and using the trial to strengthen themselves. Yu Tianling reached the 458th step before retreating, while Hu Liena broke through to level 59 after recovering.

• Yan and the others climbed to the 70th step, where Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang began to struggle.
• Yu Tianling climbed past the group, encouraging Ye Lingling before continuing ahead of Xie Yue and the others.
• Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuqing activated Martial Soul Possession as the climb grew harder; Hu Lingling retreated from the 200th step, and Zhu Zhuqing later gave up at the 270th.
• Yu Tianling activated the God of War Domain and reached the 458th step, but could advance no farther and returned to the ground.
• Everyone recovered their Soul Power after six hours, and Hu Liena later woke to announce that she had reached level 59.

While Yu Tianling and the others resumed climbing the Heavenly Stairway, Qian Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo visited the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect on a mission from the Holy Son. Qian Jun raised Ning Fengzhi’s search for a way past the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’s Soul Douluo limit, leaving Ning Fengzhi hopeful that the visitors had brought a solution.

• After eating in the small world, Yu Tianling and the others began their second climb and quickly passed the early steps.
• Qian Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and demanded to speak with Ning Fengzhi.
• Ning Fengzhi recognized that the two Spirit Hall visitors were powerful Titled Douluos and invited them inside after Qian Jun threatened to leave.
• In the council hall, Qian Jun asked whether Ning Fengzhi had been seeking a way to overcome the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’s Soul Ring restriction.
• Ning Fengzhi confirmed his search and looked at Qian Jun with anticipation.

Qian Jun Douluo offered Ning Fengzhi Aromatic Silk Beauty in exchange for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect joining Spirit Hall and relocating to Spirit City. Ning Fengzhi agreed on the condition that the herb’s ability to evolve the sect’s Martial Soul was confirmed, and decided his daughter Ning Rongrong would consume it.

• Qian Jun Douluo showed Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo Aromatic Silk Beauty and explained it could evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
• Qian Jun Douluo said the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had to join Spirit Hall and relocate to Spirit City to receive the herb.
• Ning Fengzhi consulted Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, who urged him to accept and not let concerns about Xue Qinghe hold him back.
• Ning Fengzhi agreed to join Spirit City once Aromatic Silk Beauty’s effects were confirmed, and Qian Jun Douluo handed him the herb.
• Ning Fengzhi said he would give Aromatic Silk Beauty to Ning Rongrong, then asked about the absent Holy Son.

Ning Rongrong took the Aromatic Silk Beauty and broke through to level 30. Her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda evolved into the legendary Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, leaving her and her family stunned.

• Ning Fengzhi gave Ning Rongrong the Aromatic Silk Beauty after explaining that it could break the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's martial soul limitation.
• Ning Rongrong drew the herb's essence from its stamens and cultivated as golden light and a floral fragrance surrounded her.
• Ning Rongrong awoke with her soul power at level 30, surprising Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo with how stable it remained.
• Qian Jun Douluo urged Ning Rongrong to check her martial soul, and Ning Fengzhi realized her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had become the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda confirmed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s agreement to relocate to Spirit City, while Ning Fengzhi grew curious about the Holy Son’s talent. Meanwhile, Bi Gan waited until the hundred-thousand-year soul beast and the hidden Titled Douluo left Nuoding before heading to confront Yu Xiaogang.

• Ning Fengzhi confirmed the sect would honor its promise to move to Spirit City after Ning Rongrong’s pagoda evolved, and Qian Jun Douluo told him the Holy Son had arranged the cooperation and that Rongrong’s talent lagged behind his circle.
• Ning Fengzhi led the sect to obtain Ning Rongrong’s third soul ring; she absorbed a roughly 2,500-year ring and reached level 36.
• Ning Fengzhi ordered the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to travel in separate groups along minor roads toward Spirit City to avoid the empires’ interference.
• Bi Gan watched Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy for a month, waiting while the hundred-thousand-year transformed soul beast and a hidden Titled Douluo departed.
• Bi Gan left his hotel and went to Yu Xiaogang’s residence, intending to avenge his daughter.

Bi Gan confronted Yu Xiaogang in his office, beat him, and mutilated him before leaving. Yu Xiaogang woke to discover what had happened, then passed out again as the injury spread through his limbs; teachers and students broke into the office and found him bleeding.

• Bi Gan entered Yu Xiaogang’s office, revealed himself as a Titled Douluo, and forced Yu Xiaogang to his knees with spiritual pressure.
• Bi Gan slapped Yu Xiaogang, beat him severely, and stomped on his crotch before having the Death Spider Emperor injure his left leg and right hand.
• Yu Xiaogang woke, discovered he had been mutilated, screamed, and passed out again without noticing the discoloration spreading through his limbs.
• Students and teachers at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy heard Yu Xiaogang’s scream, broke into his office, and found him leaning against the wall with his lower body covered in blood.

Yu Tianling broke through the pressure on the thousandth step of the Heavenly Stairway and reached the summit to begin his God of War trial. The God King of Equality prepared to have the black armor test and temper him.

• The teachers and students at Nuoding Academy had Yu Xiaogang dragged outside, where Physician Lin began treating him under Xiao Chenyu’s instructions.
• Yu Tianling told the others he would go complete his God Trial, then raced up the Heavenly Stairway as they discussed their progress.
• Yu Tianling reached the nine hundred and ninety-ninth step, activated Martial Soul Possession and both domains, and pushed onward after having failed to reach the summit upright the previous day.
• Yu Tianling roared that he had arrived and broke through the pressure to reach the thousandth step, delighting everyone below.
• The God King of Equality appeared in the temple and told the jet-black armor to temper Yu Tianling rather than let him become arrogant.

Yu Tianling learned how the God King of Equality and the Dragon God became gods, then began the God of War’s Seventh Trial to claim the God of War Set. As Yu Tianling’s trial started, Yan fell from the Heavenly Stairway without being able to summon his Martial Soul, and the others prepared to catch and save him.

• The God King of Equality explained how the Dragon God and he unified the Ferocious Beasts and humanity, became gods, and came to hold the divine positions of the Dragon God and God of Equality.
• The God King of Equality warned Yu Tianling that the God of War’s remaining trials could kill him, and Yu Tianling vowed to pass them and support coexistence between humans and beasts.
• The God King of Equality activated the Seventh Trial, surrounding Yu Tianling with a black formation and pillar of light beneath the God of War Set.
• Xie Yue and the others saw Yan fall from the Heavenly Stairway, unable to summon his Martial Soul or activate the return-to-base effect.
• Xie Yue, Hu Liena, Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ye Lingling returned to the ground and prepared to catch Yan and heal the injured.

After Yan was knocked from the sky by the trial’s fluctuations, Ye Lingling healed him, and the others speculated that the God of War had punished him. Inside the temple, Yu Tianling used his Martial Soul Avatar to reach the God of War Set, which transformed into blood-red armor and a longsword that began draining his blood as he drew it.

• Ye Lingling used Complete Healing to mend Yan, Ye Mengyang, and Xie Yue after they crashed to the ground.
• Yan explained that the sky’s fluctuations had sealed his Soul Power, and Ye Mengyang guessed that the God of War had punished him for offending Yan.
• Yu Tianling activated his Martial Soul Avatar and slowly approached the God of War Set under the temple’s immense pressure.
• Yu Tianling touched the armor, causing it to shatter and reform as blood-red armor around him while a longsword and scabbard appeared.
• Yu Tianling began drawing the longsword, and it grew heavier as it absorbed blood from his hands and then actively drained his body.

Yu Tianling unsheathed the God of War’s divine weapon, completing his Seventh Trial and revealing the God of War Set. The God King of Equality advised him to delay inheriting the divine position so he could use Soul Power to seek a way to repair the damaged divine core, and Yu Tianling agreed to wait.

• Yu Tianling pulled a blood-red longsword from its sheath, triggering a crimson pillar and a phantom that stirred reactions across the continent and beyond.
• The God of War’s Seventh Trial completed, granting Yu Tianling twenty percent God of War Affinity and recognition and use of the sealed God of War Set as a demi-divine weapon.
• Xie Yue, Hu Liena, Ye Mengyang, Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Yan, and Ye Lingling completed their First Trials after the God of War Domain weakened; Zhu Zhuqing’s Soul Rings each gained one thousand years of cultivation age.
• Yu Tianling absorbed his armor and sword, then heard the God King of Equality explain that divine power could not repair his damaged divine core and that he should explore repairing it with Soul Power.
• Yu Tianling agreed to delay inheriting the God of War’s divine position and pursue the God King of Equality’s advice.

Yu Tianling completed his Seventh Trial, absorbed a hundred-thousand-year Eighth Soul Ring, and showed his friends the God of War Set. The group checked their next trials after realizing they had forgotten that more trials remained.

• Yu Tianling asked the God King of Equality how Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang could evolve their Martial Souls, and the God King advised taking them to the Far North to seek the Snow Empress's help.
• Yu Tianling recovered in the temple, then used a God-Given Soul Ring and successfully absorbed a hundred-thousand-year Eighth Soul Ring.
• Zhu Zhuqing and the others finished absorbing their Soul Rings, gaining new high-level rings, including ten-thousand-year rings for Ye Lingling, Ye Mengyang, and Zhu Zhuqing.
• Yu Tianling descended from the temple and revealed the God of War Set to his curious friends.
• Zhu Zhuqing and two other girls threw themselves into Yu Tianling's arms, while Dugu Yan held back after noticing Xie Yue.
• Yu Tianling asked about the group's Second Trials, prompting everyone to activate their marks and check what came next.

Yu Tianling took Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang to the Far North after their sixth trial was revealed to require Martial Soul Evolution. As they headed toward the region’s Core Circle to find the Snow Empress, the two learned how powerful she was and grew frightened, but Yu Tianling reassured them that the God of War had promised she would help.

• Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang learned that their Sixth Trial was to travel to the Far North and complete Martial Soul Evolution.
• Yu Tianling split from Zhu Zhuqing and the others, taking Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang toward the Far North to seek the Nine-Stamen Ice Lotus and a way to evolve their Martial Souls.
• After half a month of travel, Yu Tianling, Ye Lingling, and Ye Mengyang reached the Far North and set out toward its Core Circle.
• Yu Tianling told Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang that they needed to find the Snow Empress, leader of the Far North’s Three Great Heavenly Kings.
• Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang became frightened after hearing the Snow Empress’s strength, but Yu Tianling reassured them that the God of War had said she would understand what to do when she saw him.

Yu Tianling brought Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang to the Snow Empress’s palace in the Far North, where she recognized his connection to the God King of Equality. The Snow Empress asked urgently whether the God King was doing well, leaving Yu Tianling wondering what had happened between them.

• Yu Tianling flew Ye Lingling and Ye Mengyang into the Far North’s Core Circle, where they practiced enduring the cold and discovered cold Qi in their Soul Power.
• Yu Tianling found the Snow Empress’s palace, and the Snow Empress emerged to question why the three human Soul Masters had come.
• Yu Tianling asked to speak with the Snow Empress privately, and she agreed after recognizing his face.
• Outside the palace, Ye Lingling waited anxiously while Ye Mengyang resumed tempering his body.
• Inside the palace, the Snow Empress asked whether the God King of Equality was doing well, and Yu Tianling wondered how she knew him.

Yu Tianling met the Snow Empress and learned that the God King of Equality had saved her and left her waiting in the Far North. After Yu Tianling promised to try to bring the God King back, the Snow Empress agreed to help his friends and led him to a Nine-Stamen Ice Lotus.

• Yu Tianling showed the Snow Empress the God King of Equality's shattered divine core and told her he did not know the God King's current condition.
• The Snow Empress explained that the God King of Equality had rescued her on Snow Spirit Star and later sealed her in the Far North to wait for his return.
• The Snow Empress offered to help Yu Tianling find a Nine-Stamen Ice Lotus and assess his other friend's Martial Soul, on the condition that he try to bring the God King back.
• Yu Tianling swore on his Martial Soul that he would do everything he could to revive the God King of Equality, though he could not guarantee success.
• The Snow Empress explained the Nine-Stamen Ice Lotus's benefits and led Yu Tianling to a hundred-thousand-year-old specimen she had kept hidden near her five-hundred-thousand-year tribulation site.