Chapter Summaries

Xie Feng annihilated Asura Island by killing Elder Ju Hua, a hidden Dao Lord, and an old woman with the Extreme Dao Sword, reaching the sixth stage of the Dao Venerable Realm. The Ghost Clan, Blaze Clan, and Spirit Clan leaders learned of the destruction and began planning how to deal with him.

• Xie Feng killed Elder Ju Hua with the Extreme Dao Sword after revealing himself as Asura Island's enemy.
• Xie Feng found a man hiding in a submerged cave and killed him with one sword strike, leaving him unaware of his killer's identity.
• Xie Feng killed the old woman waiting for him in a swamp, then advanced to the sixth stage of the Dao Venerable Realm and completed Asura Island's annihilation.
• Ghost Emperor, Yan Ming, and Gu Tao met secretly and discussed their losses and their orders to expand their forces across the Dao Realm.
• Ghost Emperor warned the others that Xie Feng was ruthless and wielded the Extreme Dao Sword, and the three leaders began devising a plan against him.

Xie Feng demonstrated his alchemy and agreed to teach Cheng Liu's sword students for a large fee before visiting the newly completed Pill Maple Academy. He met Lü Yan at the gates and learned that all ten invited Literary Dao grandmasters had arrived.

• Xie Feng used the Northern Nether Illusory Emperor Flame to perfect the students' pills and urged them to practice diligently.
• Cheng Liu raised his offer to ten million before Xie Feng agreed to give a lesson at his weapons class.
• Ten days later, Lü Yan told Xie Feng that Pill Maple Academy had been completed on Dark Ink Mountain.
• Xie Feng arrived at the academy, learned the ten Literary Dao grandmasters were waiting, and asked Lü Yan to take him to meet them.

Xie Feng challenged the ten Literary Dao grandmasters Lü Yan had brought to teach him, rejecting their expected deference and basic lecture. After he demanded a sparring match, he summoned Literary Qi, leaving the masters to face his challenge.

• Lü Yan introduced Xie Feng to the ten grandmasters, who doubted that he deserved their instruction because his Literary Dao realm was only late Literary Spirit Realm.
• Xie Feng demanded that the grandmasters introduce themselves and argued that they had to demonstrate their abilities before earning his respect.
• Grandmaster Zhang began explaining basic Literary Dao theory, but Xie Feng stopped him and demanded practical instruction instead.
• Xie Feng challenged the grandmasters to spar, and Grandmaster Ye questioned whether he had combat experience.
• Xie Feng summoned streams of Literary Qi around himself.

Xie Feng defeated the grandmasters with Vast as Wrath, drove three away, and learned that one of them had died from shame. After recognizing Han Yu and studying Grandmaster Ye’s Golden Mouth and Jade Words technique, Xie Feng claimed he had mastered it and challenged Ye to a fight.

• Xie Feng unleashed Vast as Wrath, destroying Pill Maple Academy and forcing the grandmasters into a fierce battle before Grandmaster Ye countered his attack with Golden Mouth and Jade Words.
• Xie Feng rebuilt the academy and ordered the three grandmasters who had retreated to leave; a servant reported that Grandmaster Mo had died after ramming his head into a wall in shame.
• Grandmaster Han recited ideas from “On Teachers,” and Xie Feng recognized him as Han Yu and greeted him respectfully.
• Xie Feng asked Grandmaster Ye to teach him Golden Mouth and Jade Words, then claimed he had mastered the technique after reading its scroll for a few seconds.
• Xie Feng challenged Grandmaster Ye to fight and told him to prepare his defenses; Ye confidently agreed to let Xie Feng strike first.

Xie Feng used Golden Mouth and Jade Words to overpower Grandmaster Ye, then forced the remaining grandmasters to demonstrate their skills. After learning Lip Spears and Tongue Swords almost instantly, Xie Feng insisted that Grandmaster Han Yu test him.

• Xie Feng made Grandmaster Ye kneel with one word and shattered his Literary Law Barrier with another.
• Grandmaster Ye admitted he had nothing to teach Xie Feng and left after insisting he would not bash his head against a wall.
• Xie Feng attacked the remaining grandmasters with lightning storms, and two fled after being knocked away.
• Grandmaster Han Yu used Return of Ten Thousand Swords to destroy the storms and explained Lip Spears and Tongue Swords to Xie Feng.
• Xie Feng read Han Yu's scroll and claimed he had learned the technique, shocking Han Yu and the other grandmasters.
• Xie Feng asked Han Yu to test his new skill, but Han Yu nervously refused.

Xie Feng learned that the legendary Military Confucian, Kong Qiusu, was his eldest senior brother and heard that Kong’s disciple Pei Jue led the Star Clan. He kept the four grandmasters at Pill Maple Academy to recruit students according to its principle of equal education for all.

• Han Yu and the other grandmasters praised Xie Feng’s Literary Dao talent, then told him about the legendary Kong Qiusu, who had vanished from the Dao Realm twenty years earlier.
• Xie Feng recognized Kong Qiusu as his eldest senior brother and asked where he had gone, but Han Yu and Lü Yan did not know.
• Han Yu advised Xie Feng to visit the Literary Clan to study the Literary Dao, while Xie Feng told the four grandmasters they could stay at Pill Maple Academy.
• The grandmasters tried to leave, then agreed to stay after learning the academy had no students and they would not be teaching Xie Feng.
• Xie Feng instructed the four grandmasters to recruit twenty students of any status, sex, class, or appearance, and Han Yu noted that Kong Qiusu had shared the same philosophy.

The Ghost Emperor, Yan Ming, Gu Tao, and nine Dao Lord elders attacked Xie Feng at Dark Ink Mountain. Xie Feng survived Gu Tao’s assault and unleashed the Extreme Dao Sword, killing Gu Tao and five elders, while the remaining attackers still faced him.

• The Ghost Emperor, Yan Ming, and Gu Tao arrived at Dark Ink Mountain with nine Dao Lord elders and prepared to kill Xie Feng.
• Xie Feng sensed their killing intent and confronted the three patriarchs, learning their cultivation levels from the Extreme Dao Sword.
• Gu Tao attacked Xie Feng with poison and a spear, but Xie Feng resisted the poison and countered with the Northern Nether Illusory Emperor Flame.
• Yan Ming urged the patriarchs and elders to attack together, and the group surrounded the alone Xie Feng.
• Gu Tao demanded to see the Extreme Dao Sword, and Xie Feng unleashed its Sword Qi, beheading Gu Tao and killing five Dao Lord elders.

Xie Feng fought off the Ghost Emperor and Yan Ming’s forces at Dark Ink Mountain, but his first strike had drained his strength and he was soon surrounded. Shui Yunjun, patriarch of the Literary Clan, arrived and claimed him as one of her own after recognizing his sword and learning that his master was the Marquis of Mo Yang.

• Xie Feng admitted he could not use the Extreme Dao Sword for a second strike, then drew the Emperor Sword, Cherished Wine Cup, and wounded an attacking elder.
• The Ghost Emperor and Yan Ming ordered their forces to surround Xie Feng, who considered using a voice transmission talisman as they closed in.
• Shui Yunjun arrived, asked about Cherished Wine Cup, and identified Xie Feng’s master as the Marquis of Mo Yang rather than Mu Bingxing.
• Shui Yunjun declared Xie Feng under her protection and killed an elder with one finger when he challenged her authority.

Shui Yunjun killed the Ghost Emperor to protect Xie Feng, forcing Yan Ming and the Blaze Clan elders to flee. She revealed that the Cherished Wine Cup Sword and its flame seed had once belonged to her and were a token of love she gave Xie Feng’s master, the Marquis of Mo Yang.

• Shui Yunjun declared that the Literary Clan would protect Xie Feng and killed the Ghost Emperor with the Cherished Wine Cup Sword.
• Yan Ming claimed the Blaze Clan had not harmed Xie Feng or joined the battle over Flame Island, then fled with three Blaze Clan elders.
• The Blaze Clan elders killed a Ghost Clan elder who tried to escape with them, then continued fleeing.
• Shui Yunjun confirmed Yan Ming had told the truth and observed that the Blaze Clan would likely stop attacking Xie Feng.
• Shui Yunjun explained that the Cherished Wine Cup Sword and its flame seed were hers, and recounted falling in love with Xie Feng’s master, the Marquis of Mo Yang.
• Shui Yunjun revealed that the sword had been the token of love she gave the Marquis of Mo Yang.

Xie Feng pieced together that Mu Bingxing had lived many lives, including as Taihua Jun and the Marquis of Mo Yang, and had accumulated numerous romances. After fleeing Shui Yunjun, Yan Ming encountered a terrifying man in white who questioned him about Xie Feng and killed three Blaze Clan elders before leaving.

• Xie Feng reflected on his master's many reincarnations and suspected Jing Yuan and Shui Yunjun were not his only romantic connections.
• Yan Ming fled with three Blaze Clan elders after Shui Yunjun's attack and complained that their clan had been dragged into trouble.
• A powerful man in white appeared and repeatedly asked Yan Ming whether he knew Xie Feng, killing an elder after each unsatisfactory answer.
• Yan Ming swore he had never harmed Xie Feng, and the man in white withdrew his Sword Intent and disappeared.
• Yan Ming suspected the man was the missing Marquis of Mo Yang and returned to the Blaze Clan shaken, resolving to avoid trouble.

Yan Ming recalled the Blaze Clan’s forces sent after Xie Feng and killed Yang Lin to prevent the Pill Clan from attacking Flame Island. On Dark Ink Mountain, Xie Feng read while his white-robed master watched from outside, admitting he felt too guilty to face his former disciple.

• Hao Feng told Yan Ming that he had sent two hundred Dao Master Realm elites to attack Xie Feng at Pill Maple Academy, so Yan Ming ordered their immediate recall and forbade anyone from approaching Dark Ink Mountain.
• Yang Lin told Yan Ming that the Pill Clan had joined the planned assault on Flame Island and that its army would arrive soon.
• Yan Ming canceled the alliance and demanded that the Pill Clan withdraw, then strangled Yang Lin and destroyed his soul when Yang Lin refused to stop talking about the attack.
• At Pill Maple Academy, Xie Feng read inside while his white-robed master watched silently from outside the window.
• The woman in the silver dress asked why the white-robed man would not go in, and he confessed that he regretted neglecting Xie Feng and did not know what to say when they met.

Shui Yunjun visited Xie Feng and gave him the Dao-Burying Sword Art, which could let the Cherished Wine Cup Sword devour other swords and grow stronger. When she revealed it could consume the Extreme Dao Sword avatar, Xie Feng considered the benefits while the sword panicked and pleaded with him.

• The man in white fled after recognizing Shui Yunjun and admitting that he owed her even more than he owed his disciples.
• Shui Yunjun visited Xie Feng, asked about his cultivation, and invited him to call her Shui Yunjun or Little Xie.
• Shui Yunjun presented Xie Feng with the Dao-Burying Sword Art as a first-meeting gift from his master's lady.
• Shui Yunjun explained that the art could make the Cherished Wine Cup Sword devour swords, including the Extreme Dao Sword avatar, and gain their power.
• Shui Yunjun drew the Extreme Dao Sword from Xie Feng's sleeve, while it begged him not to let it be devoured.
• Xie Feng chose to believe Shui Yunjun and told the Extreme Dao Sword that the art could strengthen it and let it appear openly as the Cherished Wine Cup Sword.

Xie Feng learned the Dao-Burying Sword Art and merged the Extreme Dao Sword with the Cherished Wine Cup Sword, gaining a new weapon and rising to the sixth tier of the Dao Master Realm. He then planned to recruit students from the Literary Clan, while Xiao Tian told Pei Jue that he was leaving the Star Clan by choice.

• Xie Feng mastered the Dao-Burying Sword Art almost immediately, astonishing Shui Yunjun.
• Shui Yunjun forced the Extreme Dao Sword to merge with the Cherished Wine Cup Sword, and Xie Feng took hold of the resulting weapon, advancing to the sixth tier of the Dao Master Realm.
• The Extreme Dao Sword survived as part of the new Cherished Wine Cup Dao Sword, and Xie Feng began calling it Little Sword.
• Xie Feng asked Shui Yunjun for permission to visit the Literary Clan and recruit students for Pill Maple Academy, and she agreed.
• At the Star Clan, Xiao Tian told Pei Jue he was leaving of his own accord, and Pei Jue demanded to know why.

Pei Jue watched Xiao Tian leave after secretly marking him, then resolved to enter the Nether Passage Secret Realm to gain power and change the Star Clan. At Pill Maple Academy, Xie Feng learned that rumors were thwarting recruitment and traveled to Aurora City, where Lü Yan explained the Star Clan’s rigid class divisions and the city lord presented ten talented youths.

• Xiao Tian declared that he was leaving so he would no longer be Pei Jue’s weakness, and Pei Jue secretly planted a tracking mark on him.
• Pei Jue told Xiao Tian to return in ten years, then resolved to seek the Nether Passage Secret Realm and visit a friend.
• Han Yu and the others told Xie Feng that students had refused to join Pill Maple Academy because of rumors portraying him as a bloodthirsty fiend.
• Xie Feng traveled to Aurora City after Lü Yan reported that the city lord was willing to send talented youths to the academy.
• Lü Yan explained the Star Clan’s rigid hereditary class system to Xie Feng, and the city lord introduced ten talented youths from Aurora City.

Xie Feng refused to accept the Star Clan’s exclusion of commoners from education and left Aurora City without recruiting three promising youths. He learned that Pei Jue was Kong Qiusu’s disciple and revealed that Kong was his eldest senior brother, while Pei Jue questioned whether Xie Feng was truly angry at the clan’s hierarchy.

• Xie Feng challenged the city lord for withholding three talented commoner youths, but left when the city lord insisted they were unworthy of education.
• Xie Feng and Lü Yan departed Aurora City, and Xie Feng said he had no reason to argue with someone whose principles differed so greatly from his own.
• Pei Jue appeared, and Lü Yan introduced him as the Star Clan chief and Kong Qiusu’s disciple; Xie Feng revealed that Kong was his eldest senior brother.
• Lü Yan explained that the city lord had barred the three commoner youths from joining Pill Maple Academy, and Pei Jue admitted he had no solution.
• As Xie Feng prepared to return to Dark Ink Mountain, Pei Jue observed that Xie Feng seemed angry at the hierarchy, and Xie Feng denied it.

Pei Jue learned that Xie Feng was his junior martial uncle, while Pill Maple Academy grew into a major institution over the following months. After Master Xiang gifted the academy three thousand Literary Dao cultivation techniques, Xie Feng agreed to buy two million more and asked to inspect a glowing Literary Dao Tower.

• Xie Feng left Pei Jue with Lü Yan, who revealed that Xie Feng was Pei Jue’s junior martial uncle and urged him to keep the identity secret.
• Pei Jue agreed to keep Xie Feng’s identity secret and to pay his respects when they met again.
• Aurora City sent ten students to Pill Maple Academy, while Sushang, Ge Kuangwo, Changying, Lü Yan, Zhou Jin, and Xie Feng’s allies helped expand the academy’s teaching staff, facilities, and resources.
• Shui Yunjun introduced Xie Feng to Master Xiang, who gifted Pill Maple Academy three thousand cultivation techniques from his lineage’s collection.
• Xie Feng agreed to buy two million cultivation techniques for two hundred billion Dao Crystals, then asked Master Xiang if he could inspect the Literary Dao Tower.

Xie Feng secured the Literary Dao Tower and sought funds for his purchases, accepting help from Lü Yan and Shui Yunjun before heading to the Floating World Bank. He arrived in Floating World City and asked to meet its boss, Xiao Tianzi.

• Master Xiang sold Xie Feng the Literary Dao Tower for six hundred billion Dao Crystals.
• Xie Feng asked Lü Yan for eight hundred billion, and she said she could provide only two hundred billion without selling the Jade Qilin Workshop.
• Shui Yunjun gave Xie Feng one hundred million Dao Crystals and offered further support, but he decided to seek the rest himself.
• Xie Feng asked Shui Yunjun about the Floating World Bank, learned it held vast reserves, and went there alone.
• An attendant escorted Xie Feng to meet the bank's boss, Xiao Tianzi.

Xie Feng visited Xiao Tianzi at the Floating World Bank and used Shui Yunjun’s insignia to convince him to lend money. After obtaining three amethyst cards, Xie Feng explained that he needed funds to support Pill Maple Academy, but his request was still unfolding.

• Xie Feng met Xiao Tianzi and asked to borrow eight hundred billion from the Floating World Bank.
• Xiao Tianzi doubted Xie Feng’s claims about his relationship with Shui Yunjun until Xie Feng showed him her clan leader’s insignia.
• Xiao Tianzi offered Xie Feng fifty million Dao Crystals, which Xie Feng accepted as a loan and used to persuade him to lend another fifty million.
• Xiao Tianzi handed Xie Feng a third amethyst card after Xie Feng argued that lending five hundred million was little different from lending one hundred million.
• Xie Feng told Xiao Tianzi that he was the head of the newly built Pill Maple Academy and needed money for its students, teachers, and facilities.

Xie Feng left the Floating World Bank after Xiao Tianzi refused to lend him eight hundred billion, and Xiao Tianzi warned his steward to keep the bank clear of Xie Feng’s dangerous connections. The next morning, Shui Yunjun visited Pill Maple Academy to find Xie Feng, whose familiar way of addressing her astonished Han Yu and the others.

• Xie Feng tried to persuade Xiao Tianzi to lend him fifty billion, but Xiao Tianzi refused and claimed the bank was struggling.
• Xie Feng left without asking for the money, and Xiao Tianzi offered to let him keep the six hundred million already lent to him as a gift to Pill Maple Academy.
• Xiao Tianzi told his head steward that Xie Feng brought trouble wherever he went and ordered him to keep the bank out of Xie Feng’s affairs.
• Xiao Tianzi told the head steward to prepare for an important banquet the next day.
• Shui Yunjun arrived at Pill Maple Academy and asked Han Yu where Xie Feng was, leaving the academy staff amazed at their apparent closeness.
• Xie Feng entered the courtyard and addressed Shui Yunjun by name, and Han Yu and the others were surprised that she showed no displeasure.

Shui Yunjun took Xie Feng to Yan Wuming’s banquet in North Sheng City, where his presence drew attention from the Literary Clan’s prominent guests. The banquet began with Xie Feng keeping to himself, while Xiao Tianzi nervously watched him from across the room.

• Shui Yunjun invited Xie Feng to a banquet celebrating Yan Wuming’s rebuilt pavilion, and Xie Feng agreed in hopes of finding patrons for Pill Maple Academy.
• Shui Yunjun introduced Xie Feng to Yan Wuming as the head of Pill Maple Academy, prompting Yan Wuming to recognize him as the Heavenly Ranking’s number one.
• The guests whispered about Xie Feng’s standing and his connection to Shui Yunjun as he ignored their gossip.
• Xie Feng spotted Xiao Tianzi among the guests, and Xiao Tianzi lowered his head and worried that Xie Feng intended to scam him again.
• More than a hundred prominent guests took their seats, the banquet began, and Xie Feng quietly drank tea instead of socializing.