Chapter Summaries

The Nether Lord of the Six Realms brought the group into his palace and explained that he had skipped the usual inheritance trials. He decided that everyone should fight, after which he would choose whoever seemed suitable to receive his inheritance.

• Ghosts dragged everyone into the palace, where darkness and the cries of wronged souls overwhelmed them before blue flames lit the room.
• The group met the Nether Lord of the Six Realms, who acknowledged Shi Guan’s strength and compared him to Di Huaxi and other Divine Realm elders.
• The Nether Lord criticized the elaborate trials used by other inheritance holders and dismissed a student’s story about surviving a fall from a cliff.
• The Nether Lord inspected the group, mocked Xu Luo’s looks, and promised Xiao Hei a reward.
• The Nether Lord returned to his bed and told everyone to fight so he could choose an inheritor.

The Nether Lord of the Six Realms assigned opponents and moved the group to a vast battlefield, where Xiao Hei faced Xu Luo. Their fight began after Xiao Hei revealed the Nine Heavens Devil Halberd, drawing the Nether Lord’s interest.

• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms arranged matches for the students, pairing Shi Guan with the White Tiger and Xiao Hei with Xu Luo.
• When Gu Sheng questioned the fairness of the matchups, the Nether Lord of the Six Realms overwhelmed his sea of consciousness with a hostile gaze before withdrawing it.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms transported everyone to a desolate land strewn with bones, and the assigned pairs began fighting.
• Xu Luo revealed a Divine Realm spear, but Xiao Hei drew the more powerful Nine Heavens Devil Halberd.
• Xu Luo attacked with the Law of the Spear, and Xiao Hei answered by unleashing Devil Qi that blended with the surrounding Nether Qi.

Xiao Hei fought Xu Luo, whose rigid spear could barely withstand the force of Xiao Hei’s Nine Heavens Devil Halberd and physical strength. The exchange left both fighters injured and Xu Luo’s god-level spear cracked, while the golden light protecting Xiao Hei’s bones and organs remained unexplained.

• Xiao Hei unleashed his Eternal Devil Body and Devil God phantom, making Xu Luo wary of his strength.
• Xiao Hei shattered Xu Luo’s spear thrust and bent the spear, but Spear Intent tore bloody holes through Xiao Hei and sent him flying.
• Xiao Hei charged back with his physical strength and clashed with Xu Luo’s azure dragon spear technique, driving Xu Luo back before being sent flying again.
• Hu Xinian recognized Xiao Hei’s bloodline power, while the Nether Lord of the Six Realms examined the golden light protecting Xiao Hei’s bones and organs.
• Xu Luo saw cracks across his god-level spear as the Nine Heavens Devil Halberd’s weapon suppression took effect.

Xiao Hei defeated Xu Luo in their battle, while the other contests ended in a draw, a narrow victory, and several casualties. The Nether Lord of the Six Realms praised the fighters but revealed that winning had never guaranteed his inheritance.

• Xu Luo acknowledged Xiao Hei as a formidable body cultivator, and Xiao Hei charged back into battle despite his severe wounds.
• Xu Luo used azure flames to control his spear and attack Xiao Hei from two directions, but Xiao Hei smashed through both strikes with the Devil God phantom's power.
• Xu Luo's spear shattered, and he was sent flying as Xiao Hei remained standing; with most of Xu Luo's Immortal Qi spent, Xiao Hei claimed victory.
• Gu Sheng and the Divine Miracle Academy fighter drew, Hu Xinian narrowly defeated Shi Guan, and Zong Yun conceded while other fighters were injured or killed.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms applauded the fighters and said that their victory had never meant they would receive his inheritance.

The Nether Lord of the Six Realms chose Xiao Hei as his successor and brought him to a town divided by status. After destroying the town, he challenged Xiao Hei to see its people as people first, regardless of their cultivation or talent.

• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms revealed that he had chosen his inheritor long before the trial ended and named Xiao Hei as his successor.
• The other contestants left for the Human Realm section, while the Nether Lord told Gu Sheng to stay outside and brought Xiao Hei through a spatial rift.
• The Nether Lord explained that he chose Xiao Hei because he was the Mortal Realm's Nether Lord's successor and had decent talent.
• The Nether Lord showed Xiao Hei a town separated into districts for mortals, cultivators, and powerful sects and clans.
• The Nether Lord destroyed the entire town, then told Xiao Hei that all its inhabitants had been people before they died and entered reincarnation.

The Nether Lord of the Six Realms sent Xiao Hei’s soul into samsara’s millstone so he could experience its agony and strengthen his soul. After Xiao Hei endured far longer than expected, a mysterious golden light protected him, leaving the Nether Lord shocked by the power behind him.

• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms explained how secret arts could preserve memories or talents through samsara, then struck Xiao Hei and sent his soul into the Nine Nether Underworld’s millstone.
• Xiao Hei realized he would remain conscious as samsara ground his soul apart and re-formed it, and he resolved to endure the pain.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms watched Xiao Hei survive beyond half a cup of tea and decided to let him endure longer to strengthen his soul.
• After a full cup of tea, the Nether Lord of the Six Realms prepared to pull Xiao Hei out, but a golden light burst from the millstone and restored Xiao Hei’s awareness.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms sensed that an unknown, immensely powerful being was protecting Xiao Hei’s soul.

Xiao Hei endured the Reincarnation Millstone’s trials, mastered reincarnation, and received the Nether Lord of the Six Realms’ inheritance. The Nether Lord also gave him a body-refining method called Nether King Baleful Shadow.

• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms watched as Lu Changsheng’s golden light helped Xiao Hei endure two hours of the Reincarnation Millstone’s soul-crushing trial.
• After three days, Xiao Hei regained consciousness, then comprehended reincarnation in seven days and mastered its power of origin.
• Xiao Hei embodied reincarnation, restored his shattered soul with green life-bearing light, controlled the Reincarnation Millstone, and raised his physical strength to the Demigod Realm.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms asked about Xiao Hei’s master, then gave Xiao Hei the Reincarnation Necklace and the Reincarnation Heavenly Art.
• Xiao Hei persuaded the Nether Lord to also give him the cultivation method for his senior sister, and the Nether Lord handed him a body-refining method called Nether King Baleful Shadow.

Gu Sheng tried to save the gravely wounded Xiao Hei from the Nether Lord of the Six Realms, who had declared that Xiao Hei must die after seeing the inheritance. After Gu Sheng took a blast of purple netherflame meant for Xiao Hei, the flames began repairing and strengthening his body.

• Gu Sheng spoke with Zong Yun about Xiao Hei and the others' standing in the Mortal Realm.
• Xiao Hei was thrown from a spatial rift, badly wounded, and the Nether Lord of the Six Realms said he would kill him for seeing the inheritance.
• Gu Sheng tried to send Xiao Hei and Zong Yun toward the passage to the Human Realm, but the Nether Lord trapped them with Nether Qi.
• When the Nether Lord fired purple netherflame at Xiao Hei, Gu Sheng rushed in front of him and was engulfed by the flames.
• The Nether Lord clapped, and the purple netherflame seeped into Gu Sheng, repairing and strengthening his body instead of hurting him.

Gu Sheng survived his Divine Realm lightning tribulation and accepted the role of Xiao Hei’s Nether Lord’s Attendant, forming a master-servant bond with him. The Nether Lord of the Six Realms departed, and Gu Sheng and Xiao Hei set out to continue their journey.

• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms healed Gu Sheng through his tribulation, and Gu Sheng emerged in the Divine Realm with greatly increased strength.
• The Nether Lord revived Xiao Hei and explained that Gu Sheng had been tested for the position of Nether Lord’s Attendant after standing up for him.
• Gu Sheng accepted the role, and Xiao Hei pierced his heart with a spear to create their master-servant bond and share some of his bloodline power.
• Three days later, the bond was complete, and Gu Sheng knelt to greet Xiao Hei as the Nether Lord’s heir.
• The Nether Lord of the Six Realms vanished, and Xiao Hei and Gu Sheng prepared to move on.

Xiao Shitou defeated An He in the Human Realm region, sealed him in a spatial cage, and claimed the damaged page from the secret realm. The page contained an image and information about a Devil Beast, along with the words “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” which Xiao Shitou thought Lu Changsheng had mentioned before.

• An He, wounded and unable to land a hit, watched Xiao Shitou emerge from a spatial vortex after An He severed his arm to escape its pull.
• Xiao Shitou confronted An He over his insults toward the Mortal Realm, Azure Firmament Academy, and Hong Ying, then dismissed the Cangxuan Ranking as unimpressive.
• An He attacked with a saber formation, but Xiao Shitou collapsed the surrounding space and swallowed the attack.
• Xiao Shitou sealed An He inside a spatial cage so he could not interfere with their progress, then went to the stone platform.
• Xiao Shitou picked up a damaged sheet depicting a Devil Beast and bearing the words “Classic of Mountains and Seas,” which he thought Lu Changsheng had mentioned.

Fragments of the Classic of Mountains and Seas appeared across several regions as powerful competitors headed toward the center. In the far south, Ye Qiubai challenged Ning Zhou over a mysterious divine treasure and was struck down by the Divine Realm demigod.

• Xiao Shitou collected a fragment depicting Dijiang and tore open space to follow its clue, while An He remained trapped in the Space Cage.
• A red-scaled man in the far west and a divine-light-wreathed man in the far north each took a fragment and headed toward the center; the latter defeated Shi Sheng and dismissed the Mortal Realm as weak.
• Ye Qiubai recognized the far-south plaza’s day-and-night dragon statues as Torch Dragons and noticed Ning Zhou’s interest in the paper on the stone platform.
• Ning Zhou claimed the paper for the Divine Realm, but Ye Qiubai continued toward it, followed by Tan Zongzhao and Mu Ziqing.
• Ning Zhou attacked Ye Qiubai from behind, and his strike sent Ye Qiubai flying.

Ye Qiubai challenged Ning Zhou, a Divine Realm sword cultivator, after deciding to fight for the divine object despite the gap in their cultivation. He revealed his Sword Domain and suppressed Ning Zhou’s Sword Intent, but Ning Zhou charged at him, forcing Ye Qiubai to meet his attack head-on.

• Ning Zhou attacked Ye Qiubai, and Tan Zongzhao and Mu Ziqing moved to defend him.
• Ye Qiubai refused to back down, while Mu Ziqing and Tan Zongzhao retreated so they would not hinder his fight.
• Ning Zhou formed a greatsword from divine light and unleashed domineering Sword Intent that forced weaker students to their knees.
• Ye Qiubai activated his Sword Domain, slowing Ning Zhou’s Sword Intent and movements.
• Ning Zhou charged at Ye Qiubai despite the suppression, and Ye Qiubai answered with Ashen Fire Pierces the Sun.

Ye Qiubai fought Ning Zhou despite the vast gap between their cultivation realms, using his sword intent and ashen fire to injure Ning Zhou and withstand his attacks. When Ning Zhou dismissed his other swords, Ye Qiubai revealed the Azure Cloud Sword, leaving Ning Zhou visibly shaken.

• Ye Qiubai clashed with Ning Zhou’s greatsword, nearly getting driven into the fractured ground before his ashen fire burned Ning Zhou’s hands.
• Ye Qiubai sent a torrent of sword intent at Ning Zhou, then used the clash to circle behind him and strike, but Ning Zhou blocked the attack with a finger.
• Ning Zhou offered to recommend Ye Qiubai to Divine Miracle Academy, but Ye Qiubai rejected the offer and retreated.
• Ye Qiubai opened the Geng Metal Sword Case and sent its swords flying at Ning Zhou, who easily fended them off.
• Ye Qiubai drew the sheathed Azure Cloud Sword, and Ning Zhou’s expression changed when he sensed the fundamental power of the Sword Dao around it.

Ye Qiubai defeated Ning Zhou by drawing two-thirds of the Azure Cloud Sword, though the effort left him badly weakened. After Ning Zhou’s divine light escaped to carry a warning, Ye Qiubai claimed the Torch Dragon fragment of the Classic of Mountains and Seas.

• Ning Zhou summoned a blood-colored giant with his blood essence and unleashed a powerful sword attack against Ye Qiubai.
• Ye Qiubai drew half of the Azure Cloud Sword and stopped the giant’s descending greatsword with his Sword Intent.
• Ye Qiubai drew two-thirds of the blade, shattering Ning Zhou’s weapon and destroying the blood-colored giant.
• Ning Zhou’s body and divine soul were destroyed, but a streak of divine light escaped to transmit his threat against the Mortal Realm.
• Weakened and supported by Mu Ziqing and Tan Zongzhao, Ye Qiubai picked up the fragment depicting the Torch Dragon.

Hong Ying learned that the God Ascension Ruins might contain a divine object from the Mortal Realm, while Ye Qiubai and his companions pursued the Classic of Mountains and Seas. The group reached a set of four stone pillars, where Shi Sheng revealed that a divine-lit opponent had taken a torn page.

• Vice Dean Lin explained that the God Ascension Ruins had been cut from the Mortal Realm, the Divine Realm, and the Underworld, leading Hong Ying and Ning Chenxin to suspect it held a threatened Mortal Realm treasure.
• Hong Ying warned Huang Qian that the group might clash with the Divine Realm, and Huang Qian agreed to prepare Mu Fusheng and Fang Qiong's teleportation array.
• Ye Qiubai concluded that Divine Miracle Academy would target anyone carrying a torn page of the Classic of Mountains and Seas and vowed not to let the pages fall into the Divine Realm's hands.
• Ye Qiubai's group followed clues to the center of the Human Realm and found four stone pillars surrounding an ice-crystal box containing a single scroll rod.
• Xiao Shitou and Shi Sheng met Ye Qiubai, and Shi Sheng said he had fought a divine-lit opponent who took a torn page.

At the Human Realm’s central region, Ye Qiubai and the others joined Zhan Qing and Qi Wu in opening the barrier around an ice-crystal box. After the heavenly rod was revealed as the prize, Zhan Qing attacked Ye Qiubai, but Xiao Shitou saved him and challenged Zhan Qing instead.

• Tan Zongzhao identified Zhan Qing as Divine Miracle Academy’s second-ranked cultivator, who had survived his first lightning tribulation, and Xiao Shitou tried to provoke him.
• Zhan Qing attacked Xiao Shitou with divine light, but Xiao Shitou used his Dao Body’s spatial power to absorb the strike.
• Qi Wu placed a fragment into a stone pillar, revealing Bifang, and Zhan Qing, Ye Qiubai, and Xiao Shitou placed the remaining fragments to summon Qiongqi, Torch Dragon, and Dijiang.
• The four beasts absorbed the pillars’ power, removing the barrier around the ice-crystal box; the group recognized the painting rod inside as the prize and agreed to settle the matter through combat.
• Zhan Qing attacked Ye Qiubai, but Xiao Shitou pulled him away through space and stepped forward to fight in his place.
• Zhan Qing drew a dagger and accepted Xiao Shitou’s challenge, declaring that he would kill him first.

Xiao Shitou faced Zhan Qing, whose dagger domain let him track anyone wounded inside it. Xiao Shitou overcame the domain with spatial turbulence and shattered Zhan Qing’s finger, leaving the battle continuing with Zhan Qing injured.

• Ye Qiubai and Shi Sheng observed that Xiao Shitou’s powerful control of spatial power was offset by his lack of life-and-death combat experience.
• Zhan Qing unleashed a domain of invisible daggers and revealed that he could track Xiao Shitou through the blood from his wounds.
• Xiao Shitou used a decoy behind Zhan Qing to create an opening on the opposite side, then struck through the gathered daggers with spatial turbulence.
• Xiao Shitou’s punch shattered Zhan Qing’s finger and forced him back four steps, surprising the spectators and impressing Qi Wu.
• Shi Sheng teased Ye Qiubai for doubting Xiao Shitou’s combat ability, and Ye Qiubai denied having said it.

Xiao Shitou’s unruly adventures had honed his combat skills, but Zhan Qing turned the fight against him by countering his spatial escape and wounding him. Zhan Qing trapped Xiao Shitou in a blood mist after locking onto his presence, while Qi Wu explained the move to Ye Qiubai.

• Lu Changsheng had repeatedly cleaned up after Xiao Shitou, whose mischief and evasions had also given him practical combat experience.
• Xiao Shitou broke one of Zhan Qing’s fingers, and Qi Wu mocked Zhan Qing and the Divine Realm.
• Zhan Qing made blood-red daggers cut through space, dragged Xiao Shitou out of hiding, and stabbed him in the chest.
• Zhan Qing used Xiao Shitou’s blood to lock onto his presence and filled the domain with blood mist, disappearing inside it.
• Qi Wu criticized Zhan Qing for using the move against a lower-realm opponent and told Ye Qiubai that Zhan Qing fought primarily as an assassin.

Xiao Shitou was driven into a desperate defense when Zhan Qing used his assassin techniques to track and attack him through space. Xiao Shitou hid his blood Qi by vibrating a deeper spatial layer, then realized he might be able to locate Zhan Qing by sensing disturbances in space.

• Xiao Shitou failed to sense Zhan Qing through the blood mist and was repeatedly attacked by daggers that pierced through space.
• Zhan Qing sealed Xiao Shitou's escape routes, wounded his leg and abdomen, and cornered him with a dagger at his neck.
• Xiao Shitou slipped into space faster than before and vibrated a deeper layer of space, destroying Zhan Qing's ability to sense his blood Qi.
• Ye Qiubai, Shi Sheng, and the others felt relieved as Xiao Shitou announced that it was his turn to find Zhan Qing.
• Xiao Shitou realized that movement could disturb space and considered sensing those disturbances to pinpoint Zhan Qing.

Xiao Shitou used the third layer of space to maim and kill Zhan Qing, who warned that the Divine Realm would investigate the Mortal Realm for a mysterious powerhouse. As the others considered the danger, an unidentified speaker reminded them that they had forgotten about someone.

• Xiao Shitou sensed Zhan Qing through subtle spatial vibrations and attacked him with the third layer of space.
• Zhan Qing's pressure held back the spatial attack briefly, but the vibrations shattered it and tore off several of his limbs.
• Zhan Qing detonated his domain to escape the spatial vibrations, then recognized Xiao Shitou's power as evidence of a Dao Body and suspected a mysterious powerhouse had appeared in the Mortal Realm.
• Ye Qiubai stopped Xiao Shitou from revealing that the suspected powerhouse was his master, but Zhan Qing said the Divine Realm would investigate and threaten the Mortal Realm.
• Xiao Shitou closed his hand and let the third layer of space tear Zhan Qing apart; Tan Zongzhao worried about the Mortal Realm, while Ye Qiubai and the others trusted their master to handle any threat.
• A powerful voice asked the group whether they had forgotten about him.