Chapter Summaries

After more than twenty years of daily check-ins, Lu Changsheng triggered his first quest and was told to go to Heavenly Origin City to take Ye Qiubai as a disciple. He left the Hidden Dao Academy's recruitment gathering at once, surprising the elders who had just heard him insist that he did not want disciples.

• Lu Changsheng received another 500 years of cultivation from his daily check-in and complained that the system offered no other functions.
• After Lu Changsheng left his garden, a fiery little bird was nearly struck by Sword Qi from his painting, but a willow blocked the attack and warned it about the painting's power.
• Lu Changsheng went to the Hidden Dao Academy's student recruitment, where the elders explained that he belonged to the Cottage, a separate faction of which he was the only member.
• When the elders urged Lu Changsheng to take disciples and pass on the Dao, he said he did not understand cultivation well enough and found teaching too troublesome.
• The system assigned Lu Changsheng a quest to take Ye Qiubai, an SSS-rank talent with a Clear Sword Heart and Primordial Sword Physique, as a disciple in Heavenly Origin City.
• Lu Changsheng vanished for Heavenly Origin City, leaving the elders bewildered by his sudden decision.

After his cultivation was destroyed, Ye Qiubai left the Ye Lineage and was ambushed by three assassins in the forest. A blue-robed man saved him and asked whether he wanted to question the surviving attacker about who had ordered the hit.

• Ye Qiubai was tested at the Ye Lineage’s Heaven-Reaching Stone and was judged to have Qi Refining Third Level cultivation and low-grade talent.
• Ye Qiubai chose to leave the Ye Lineage, and his father, Ye Qing, reluctantly agreed.
• Three black-clad assassins confronted Ye Qiubai in the forest, and he prepared to use a jade pendant to defend himself.
• A blue-robed man stopped the lead assassin’s sword with one finger and killed two of the attackers.
• The blue-robed man left one assassin alive and asked Ye Qiubai whether he wanted to find out who had sent them.

Lu Changsheng used Soul Search to learn that Jiang Chan had ordered Ye Qiubai’s death, then took Ye Qiubai as his disciple and promised to restore his cultivation. At Hidden Dao Academy, Lu Changsheng brought Ye Qiubai to the Cottage, while Xin Hongyi vowed to prove herself after he refused to take her as a disciple.

• Lu Changsheng used Soul Search on the black-clad man and learned that Jiang Chan wanted Ye Qiubai dead.
• Ye Qiubai declined Lu Changsheng’s offer to handle Jiang Chan himself and accepted Lu Changsheng as his master after hearing he could restore his cultivation and improve his talent.
• Lu Changsheng completed his system mission and received a Supreme-Grade Saint Artifact-Azure Cloud Sword, the Primordial Sword Scripture, and a Fortune Pill.
• Lu Changsheng took Ye Qiubai to Hidden Dao Academy and explained that the Cottage was part of the academy but not under its jurisdiction.
• Xin Hongyi insisted on joining the Cottage, but Lu Changsheng refused her and entered the academy with Ye Qiubai.
• Xin Hongyi decided to cultivate on her own and vowed to prove herself to Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng gave Ye Qiubai the Azure Cloud Sword, the Primordial Sword Scripture, and pills, then pushed him through a three-day training regimen. Ye Qiubai reached the Golden Core Realm and comprehended Sword Intent, completing Lu Changsheng’s development mission and earning him rewards.

• Lu Changsheng gave Ye Qiubai the Azure Cloud Sword and a Fortune Pill, imparted the Primordial Sword Scripture, and activated a mission to have him comprehend Sword Intent and reach the Golden Core Realm within three days.
• Lu Changsheng used an array and pills to help Ye Qiubai cultivate to Peak Foundation Establishment Realm, and Ye Qiubai vowed to serve him after taking revenge.
• Ye Qiubai took more pills and cultivated, while the Willow Tree and Little Bird recognized his talent for the Primordial Sword Scripture.
• Ye Qiubai reached the Golden Core Realm, then studied Lu Changsheng’s painting of a Sword Immortal through the night.
• Lu Changsheng recited lines that prompted Ye Qiubai to awaken Sword Intent, alarming the Hidden Dao Academy and drawing the attention of a woman in red.
• Lu Changsheng received the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Grand Array, Sword Dao Principles, and one thousand years of cultivation for completing the mission.

Lu Changsheng sought crimson wood heavenly gold from the Hidden Dao Academy treasury to build the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Grand Array and agreed to have Ye Qiubai enter the academy competition in exchange. Ye Qiubai began preparing for the competition, while Ye Yan vowed to defeat him and restore the Ye Lineage’s standing.

• Ye Qiubai practiced with the Azure Cloud Sword as the Willow Tree reflected on his Primordial Sword Physique and growing Sword Intent.
• Lu Changsheng decided he needed crimson wood heavenly gold to complete the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Grand Array and went to request it from the academy treasury.
• Qin Tiannan agreed to give Lu Changsheng the scarce material on the condition that Ye Qiubai compete in the academy competition, and Lu Changsheng accepted.
• Lu Changsheng advised Ye Qiubai to contain his Sword Qi, then told him to compete in the academy competition in seven days; Ye Qiubai agreed.
• Ye Yan promised Ye Ling that he would earn a good ranking in the competition and regain the face Ye Qiubai had lost, while Ye Ling praised him before Ye Qing.

Ye Qiubai reached the peak of the Golden Core realm and entered Hidden Dao Academy’s martial arena to test his sword skills and earn contribution points. He defeated Li He of the Martial Hall, demonstrating the strength of the Cottage’s new disciple before the academy’s elders and spectators.

• Ye Qiubai gained another Sword Dao insight from the painting and advanced to the peak Golden Core realm.
• He went to the martial arena and staked 100 contribution points under the Cottage’s name.
• Ye Qiubai faced Li He of the Martial Hall while Headmaster Qin Tiannan and several elders watched.
• Ye Qiubai pierced Li He’s fist with his wooden sword and used a sword net to force him to reveal his Black-Gold Gauntlets and Mountain-Shaking Fist.
• Ye Qiubai’s sword strikes shattered Li He’s gauntlets and wounded his arms, sending him off the stage and winning the match.

Ye Qiubai continued challenging disciples at the Hidden Dao Academy, defeating Qiu Ming’s formation and revealing his Clear Sword Heart. He declined an invitation to join the Sword Hall and kept winning, while Qin Tiannan later told Lu Changsheng about his victories.

• After defeating Li He, Ye Qiubai accepted a challenge from Qiu Ming of the Formation Hall.
• Qiu Ming trapped Ye Qiubai in the Seven Illusions Bewildering Formation, but Ye Qiubai broke all seven illusions in ten breaths, causing the formation to collapse and Qiu Ming to suffer backlash.
• The Sword Hall elder recognized Ye Qiubai’s Clear Sword Heart and invited him to join the Sword Hall, but Ye Qiubai declined because he was already Lu Changsheng’s disciple.
• Ye Qiubai defeated challengers from every hall, and the Cottage’s name resounded throughout the Hidden Dao Academy again.
• Qin Tiannan visited Lu Changsheng and recounted Ye Qiubai’s victories, while Lu Changsheng insisted that Ye Qiubai’s talent was his own and complained that no one believed him.

Ye Qiubai trained in the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon after Lu Changsheng restored the incomplete technique, while Xin Hongyi and Ye Yan reacted to his rise. At the academy tournament, the contestants hesitated to claim the six platforms, and Lu Changsheng watched as the competition began.

• After hearing of Ye Qiubai’s strength, Xin Hongyi won ten matches and announced that she would challenge him at the academy tournament.
• Ye Yan feared Ye Qiubai’s recovery would shift the struggle between Ye Ling and Ye Qing, and resolved to prevent him from returning to the lineage alive.
• Ye Qiubai chose the incomplete Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon from the Martial Dao Pavilion, and Lu Changsheng restored the technique and taught him all nine swords.
• Ye Qiubai practiced for two days and learned to execute the fifth sword before the academy tournament began.
• Qin Tiannan announced that six contestants would win by remaining on the platforms until sunset, and the competitors held back to avoid being worn down.
• Qin Tiannan brought Lu Changsheng to watch Ye Qiubai compete, but no one had yet stepped onto a platform.

Xin Hongyi challenged Ye Qiubai to prove Lu Changsheng had been wrong to reject her, but Ye Qiubai defeated her with the second sword of the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon. The bout ended with Xin Hongyi injured and unable to continue, while Ye Yan enlisted Huo Qingming to cripple Ye Qiubai.

• Xin Hongyi called Ye Qiubai to fight because Lu Changsheng had rejected her during recruitment, and Ye Qiubai accepted with a wooden sword.
• Xin Hongyi put away her treasured sword and attacked Ye Qiubai with her family's flame Sword Qi, while Ye Qiubai countered with the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon.
• Huo Qingming and Lin Ce watched the fight, and Ye Yan asked Huo Qingming to cripple Ye Qiubai, citing an old debt to the Ye Lineage.
• Ye Qiubai revealed that he had mastered the second sword after only two days of practice, overwhelming Xin Hongyi's flame Sword Qi.
• Xin Hongyi used essence blood to strengthen her treasured sword, but Ye Qiubai's strike defeated her and left her unable to fight.

Ye Qiubai defeated Xin Hongyi and several challengers, including an early Purple Mansion Realm disciple, as the academy watched the Cottage’s reputation grow. Ye Yan urged Huo Qingming to act, and Huo Qingming stepped onto the platform to confront Ye Qiubai.

• Ye Qiubai defeated Xin Hongyi, who accepted her loss and vowed to challenge him again.
• Lu Changsheng dismissed Qin Tiannan’s teasing and worried Ye Qiubai’s success would draw too many prospective disciples to the Cottage.
• Ye Yan watched Ye Qiubai’s strength with growing fear while Huo Qingming and Lin Ce discussed their rivalry and Huo Qingming’s debt to the Ye Lineage’s grand elder.
• Ye Qiubai challenged the academy disciples, then defeated a half-step Purple Mansion Realm Martial Hall disciple with a wooden sword.
• Ye Qiubai used the first strike of the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon to defeat an early Purple Mansion Realm disciple.
• Ye Yan urged Huo Qingming to attack, and Huo Qingming stepped before Ye Qiubai as a middle-stage Violet Palace Realm Martial Hall cultivator.

Ye Qiubai fought Huo Qingming, who had been asked by someone to cripple him, and revealed the overwhelming power of the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon. The Martial Hall elder stopped Ye Qiubai’s third sword after it broke Huo Qingming’s defenses, and Ye Qiubai demanded to know who had hired him.

• Huo Qingming challenged Ye Qiubai, explaining that he owed someone a favor and would reveal who after the fight.
• Ye Qiubai used the first sword and then the second sword, forcing Huo Qingming back despite his formidable strength.
• Huo Qingming hardened his body and charged, while Ye Yan watched and hoped Ye Qiubai would be crippled.
• Ye Qiubai unleashed the third sword, whose black Sword Qi shattered Huo Qingming’s Profound Rank treasure artifact and wounded his arms.
• The Martial Hall elder dispersed the Sword Qi before it could do more harm, and Ye Qiubai asked Huo Qingming to identify the person who had sent him.

After learning that Ye Yan had tried to harm him, Ye Qiubai decided to return to the Ye Lineage despite the danger and broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm before leaving the Cottage. Lu Changsheng began building a powerful grand array to protect the mountain, while Jiang Chan left Heavenly Origin City with a prince of the Setting Sun Dynasty.

• Ye Qiubai won a place in the academy exchange and received two pills, then learned from Huo Qingming that Ye Yan had tried to harm him.
• Ye Qiubai told Lu Changsheng that he wanted to return to the Ye Lineage to see his father, and Lu Changsheng told him to reach the Purple Mansion Realm first.
• Lu Changsheng began setting up the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Grand Array and opened a rift to the Nine Nether Underworld to obtain water for its array spirit.
• Ye Qiubai broke through to the Purple Mansion Realm, left a letter, and descended the mountain toward Heavenly Origin City.
• Jiang Chan left Heavenly Origin City with a lavishly dressed man who promised she would become empress when he ascended the throne of the Setting Sun Dynasty.

Lu Changsheng entered the Nine Nether Underworld to borrow water from the Yellow Springs River and defeated its guardians with a strike carrying Sword Dao Law. He obtained the water after agreeing to find the Underworld a new Nether King, but as he left, an illusory spirit pursued him.

• Lu Changsheng asked the Yellow Springs Envoys for water from the Yellow Springs River, but they refused and attacked him together.
• Lu Changsheng's Sword Dao Law shattered the Underworld's space and severely damaged Rashomon, forcing the six Yellow Springs Envoys to stop fighting.
• The Yellow Springs Envoys brought Lu Changsheng to a young man, who agreed to lend him the river water if he found the Underworld a new Nether King.
• Lu Changsheng accepted the condition, received the Yellow Springs water as a yellow pearl, and departed through a rift in space.
• As Lu Changsheng left, an illusory spirit on the opposite bank of the Yellow Springs River pursued him.

Lu Changsheng completed the Nine Nether Yellow Springs Grand Array and learned that Hong Ying was the reincarnating founding empress of the Cloud Phoenix Empire, then asked her to become his disciple. Ye Qiubai returned to Heavenly Origin City and headed for the Ye Lineage, drawing the attention of both allies and enemies.

• Lu Changsheng activated the grand array with Yellow Springs River water while the Willow Tree concealed its presence.
• Lu Changsheng learned Hong Ying cultivated the Nine Revolutions of Reincarnation and received a mission to take her on as a disciple, but Hong Ying refused and settled into a cabin to recover.
• Lu Changsheng decided not to intervene in Ye Qiubai's struggle with his inner demon.
• Ye Qiubai returned to Heavenly Origin City and walked toward the Ye Lineage as residents recognized and followed him.
• Jiang Tianhan ordered the Jiang Lineage to accompany him to the Ye Lineage and protect Ye Qiubai.
• Qiu Siwu learned Ye Qiubai had returned, gathered his deathsworn, and set out for the Ye Lineage.

Ye Qiubai returned to the Ye Lineage and faced threats from Qiu Siwu, who came seeking revenge. Ye Qiubai killed him with a wooden sword and revealed that his strength had recovered, leaving the gathered lineages stunned.

• Ye Qiubai returned to the Ye Lineage, reassured Ye Qing, and fixed Ye Yan with a threatening stare.
• Qiu Siwu and Jiang Tianhan arrived, and Qiu Siwu threatened the Ye Lineage unless they handed Ye Qiubai over.
• Ye Qiubai challenged Qiu Siwu despite Ye Qing and Jiang Tianhan urging caution.
• Qiu Siwu attacked with his saber, but Ye Qiubai pierced the weapon and killed him with his wooden sword.
• Ye Qiubai told Ye Qing that his strength had recovered, and witnesses spread the news throughout Heavenly Origin City.

Ye Qiubai returned to the Ye Lineage after recovering his talent and killing Qiu Siwu, then learned that Jiang Chan had fled to the Sunset Dynasty. As the Qiu Lineage declared war and demanded Ye Qiubai, he challenged Ye Yan to fight to the death.

• Ye Qiubai told Ye Qing that his master from the Hidden Dao Academy had saved him and restored his talent.
• Ye Qiubai identified Jiang Chan as the person who had tried to kill him, and Ye Qing demanded that Jiang Tianhan hand her over.
• Jiang Tianhan apologized and offered three years of the Jiang Lineage's business proceeds, but Ye Qiubai asked where Jiang Chan had gone.
• Jiang Tianhan revealed that Jiang Chan had joined the Sunset Dynasty in the Northern Region, and then left with his people.
• The Qiu Lineage declared war on the Ye Lineage unless it surrendered Ye Qiubai, who instead challenged Ye Yan to fight to the death.

Ye Qiubai confronted Ye Yan over his past attempt to kill him and fought through the Ye Lineage’s resistance. Just as he moved to deliver the final blow, an old man appeared and stopped his sword, asking him to spare Ye Yan.

• Ye Qiubai demanded a fight to the death with Ye Yan, while Ye Qing blocked First Elder Ye Ling from intervening.
• Ye Ling attacked Ye Qiubai, and Ye Qing fought him as Ye Qiubai pressed Ye Yan with sword attacks.
• At Ye Ling’s order, the Sixth Elder attacked Ye Qiubai, but Ye Qiubai killed him with his demonic sword technique.
• Ye Qing wounded Ye Ling, and the other elders abandoned their plans to intervene.
• Ye Qiubai advanced on Ye Yan, but an old man caught his wooden sword between two fingers and asked him to spare Ye Yan.

The Ye Lineage ancestor intervened to stop Ye Qiubai from killing Ye Yan, then attacked when Ye Qiubai refused to back down. Ye Qiubai partially drew the Azure Cloud Sword to repel the ancestor’s strike and killed Ye Yan while the ancestor was occupied.

• The Ye Lineage ancestor stopped Ye Qiubai and said he had already vented his anger by killing an elder.
• Ye Qiubai challenged the ancestor’s decision to protect Ye Yan, and the ancestor attacked him when he refused to stop.
• Ye Qing shielded Ye Qiubai and urged him to return to the Hidden Dao Academy, but the ancestor moved to prevent his escape.
• Ye Qiubai partially drew the Azure Cloud Sword, and its Sword Intent shattered the ancestor’s palm strike and forced him to block it.
• While the ancestor held back the Sword Intent, Ye Qiubai appeared beside Ye Yan and pierced his brow, killing him.

Ye Qiubai killed Ye Yan and escaped, then broke through to sword master while heading back to the Hidden Dao Academy. At the Cottage, Hong Ying adjusted her state of mind and broke through to the Water Overflow Realm, then asked Lu Changsheng to accept her as his disciple, mistaking his demand for meals as deliberate guidance.

• The Ye Lineage ancestor named Ye Ling the new lineage head after Ye Qiubai killed Ye Yan and escaped.
• Ye Qiubai recovered in a cave, broke through to sword master, and left for the Hidden Dao Academy two days later.
• Hong Ying cooked fish soup for Lu Changsheng in exchange for guidance, then realized her impatience had disturbed her state of mind and began meditating.
• Hong Ying meditated for five days and broke through to the Water Overflow Realm.
• Hong Ying thanked Lu Changsheng for supposedly guiding her, then knelt and asked him to accept her as his disciple.

Ye Qiubai returned to the Cottage and met his new junior sister, Hong Ying, who was far stronger than he expected. Lu Changsheng gave Hong Ying a pill and the Samsara Spear Technique, then demonstrated his mastery of the spear before leaving her to cultivate.

• Ye Qiubai returned to Hidden Dao Academy and learned that Lu Changsheng had brought a new disciple to the Cottage.
• Ye Qiubai met Hong Ying, heard that she had reached the Water Overflow Realm, and went into seclusion after realizing how much stronger she was.
• Lu Changsheng gave Hong Ying a pill that could perfectly merge the cultivation and talents of her nine lifetimes.
• Lu Changsheng taught Hong Ying the Samsara Spear Technique and demonstrated it with a spear formed from Spiritual Qi.
• Hong Ying watched Lu Changsheng pierce a distant mountain with the technique and sensed his Spear Law before he went to take an afternoon nap.