Chapter Summaries

Yang Zhen used the Earth Treasury Technique to reshape the Three Lives Coiled Dragon Formation, suppressing its poisonous miasma and revealing the Heavenly Secret Lock. As Death Shadow and Gong Sanhe rushed to him, the lock erupted with blinding radiance.

• Yang Zhen summoned torrents of Heaven and Earth Qi and shattered a bolt of heavenly lightning with the Great Deficiency Sword.
• Yang Zhen severed the head of one dragon formation, causing the Three Lives Flowers to bloom and the poisonous miasma to spread.
• Yang Zhen transformed the terrain into a tiger formation, disrupting the Three Lives Coiled Dragon Formation and stopping the flowers from releasing poison.
• Gong Sanhe identified Yang Zhen’s method as the Mountain-Moving Dao Technique, unaware that Yang Zhen was using the complete Earth Treasury Technique.
• Yang Zhen’s changes revealed the Heavenly Secret Lock, and the lock suddenly blazed with light as Yang Zhen and the others hurriedly shut their eyes.

Yang Zhen and his companions entered the Heavenly Secret Lock, which proved to be a vast maze-like hidden treasury. After choosing a path with a tossed stick, they encountered a strange crying, laughing sound deeper inside.

• The Heavenly Secret Lock erupted with light after Yang Zhen altered the terrain, then fell quiet as he and his companions approached.
• Yang Zhen, Gong Sanhe, Death Shadow, Ding Chun, and Wen Yuning entered the enormous structure and found a seemingly endless maze within.
• When no one knew which route to take, Yang Zhen tossed a stick and followed the path it pointed toward.
• Yang Zhen and the others walked deep into the twisting passage until an eerie sound like crying and laughter frightened them.

Yang Zhen recognized that the terrifying presence resembled the ancient aura of the Nine Realms Exquisite Pagoda and suspected a Great Saint was hidden nearby. After reasoning about the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth, his realm rose again, and the group continued toward the whimpering sound.

• Yang Zhen and the others advanced toward the frightening sound while Death Shadow eagerly offered to go first and subdue whatever they found.
• Yang Zhen remembered the Nine Realms Exquisite Pagoda and warned the group that a Great Saint might be in the area.
• Death Shadow revealed that everyone who knew why the Great Saints disappeared had died, and Yang Zhen connected their fate to the ancient upheaval and the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth.
• Yang Zhen laughed as his realm surged, then set off toward the sound to find the Great Saint buried there.
• Death Shadow stopped Yang Zhen and asked why his realm had risen again.

Yang Zhen and the others entered a vast chamber surrounded by stone doorways and discovered it was protected by a hidden restriction. After Death Shadow triggered it, Yang Zhen found the mechanism and began changing the chamber, leaving Death Shadow engulfed in eerie energy.

• Yang Zhen led Gong Sanhe, Death Shadow, Ding Chun, and Wen Yuning into an eerie, empty space where countless doorways opened into the same chamber.
• Yang Zhen and Gong Sanhe warned Death Shadow not to step forward, but Yang Zhen eventually encouraged him to test the space while hinting that it might contain Qi of One Purity.
• Death Shadow stepped into the chamber, triggering a restriction that sent waves of eerie green light surging from the stone doors and swallowed him.
• Yang Zhen focused his Divine Sense, spotted the restriction, and slammed his hands onto the ground, sending waves of Qi through the hall and transforming the situation.

Yang Zhen and the others survived the upheaval that revealed a huge coffin inside the Heavenly Secret Lock. Yang Zhen identified its strange patterns as a means of evading heaven, and Gong Sanhe calculated that they were sacrificial inscriptions from the Southern Frontier, leaving the group wary of what might be inside.

• Yang Zhen battered the ground until the hall settled, revealing Death Shadow sprawled on a huge coffin while Gong Sanhe, Ding Chun, and Wen Yuning recovered nearby.
• Death Shadow accused Yang Zhen of tricking him into entering the restricted area, but Yang Zhen pointed out that Death Shadow had gone in of his own accord.
• Yang Zhen studied the coffin's patterns despite Gong Sanhe's warning and realized they were meant to cross the sea under heaven's very nose.
• Gong Sanhe calculated that the patterns were sacrificial inscriptions used to refine a person's soul after death and said they came from the Southern Frontier.
• Death Shadow wondered whether the coffin contained bugs, making Wen Yuning and Ding Chun visibly wary.

Yang Zhen and the others tried to open a coffin in the Heavenly Secret Lock, but a flood of bugs brought the Mara Sect’s Twin Shadows of Yin and Yang to them. As Death Shadow prepared to face the pair, Yang Zhen stepped forward and challenged them for ignoring him.

• Yang Zhen, Gong Sanhe, Ding Chun, and Wen Yuning agreed to open the coffin despite the danger of bugs inside it.
• A vast swarm of bugs poured from a stone doorway, and Death Shadow recognized that they had found him.
• The bugs gathered into Yin Shadow, who revealed that he was one of the Mara Sect’s Twin Shadows of Yin and Yang and was joined by Yang Shadow.
• Death Shadow confronted the pair, who claimed the coffin concealed the Heavenly Secret Lock, one of the Nine Heavenly Secret Sites.
• Yin Shadow and Yang Shadow threatened Yang Zhen, but Death Shadow vowed to protect him and threatened to detonate his Technique Talisman.
• Yang Zhen stepped forward and rebuked the Twin Shadows for treating him as if he were not there.

Yang Zhen removed the Technique Talisman from Death Shadow, allowing him to turn the tables on Yin Shadow as the battle erupted in the Heavenly Secret Lock. Yang Zhen revealed Netherworld Karmic Fire to Yin Shadow, whose face changed in alarm.

• Yang Zhen stopped Death Shadow from sacrificing himself and secretly removed the Technique Talisman from his body.
• Death Shadow struck Yin Shadow with a slap, while Yin Shadow and Yang Shadow realized Yang Zhen had removed the talisman.
• Gong Sanhe and the other two fought the death warriors who rushed into the hall, and Yang Zhen faced Yin Shadow as Death Shadow engaged Yang Shadow.
• Yang Zhen and Yin Shadow exchanged threats and flames, and Yin Shadow recognized Yang Zhen's white fire as Netherworld Karmic Fire.

Yang Zhen used Netherworld Karmic Fire to fight Yin Shadow while Death Shadow and Gong Sanhe battled Yang Shadow. After Yang Shadow’s death triggered the awakening of the being inside the coffin, Yang Zhen fled as the Heavenly Secret Lock hall exploded, carrying off a mysterious bead.

• Yang Zhen wrapped himself in Netherworld Karmic Fire, grew fiery wings, and charged into Yin Shadow’s swarm of black insects.
• Death Shadow struck Yang Shadow, who crashed into the coffin and died, while Yin Shadow tried to absorb her True Essence to reach the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Yang Shadow’s True Essence flowed back through her body and into the coffin, and Gong Sanhe realized that the thing inside it was alive.
• Gong Sanhe, Yang Zhen, and Death Shadow ran for the exit as a transparent bead hit Yang Zhen, who picked it up and tucked it into his robes.
• The being inside the coffin erupted with overwhelming power, destroyed the hall, and chased Yang Zhen as he fled.

Yang Zhen and his companions fought an insect puppet made from a dead Great Saint, which chased Yang Zhen because he had taken its glass egg. The puppet pursued the glass bead containing Qi of One Purity, suffered heavenly punishment after absorbing it, and then came charging back at Yang Zhen nearly at the Ninth Heaven of the Spirit Transformation Realm.

• A swarm of white bugs controlled a corpse and chased Yang Zhen while Gong Sanhe and Death Shadow attacked it.
• Gong Sanhe identified the creature as a dead Great Saint controlled by Southern Frontier Insect Witchcraft, and the bugs spoke with the Great Saint’s lingering will.
• Yang Zhen realized the puppet wanted the transparent glass egg and threw it away, causing the puppet to chase it.
• Gong Sanhe sensed Qi of One Purity in the glass bead, and Death Shadow ran after the puppet as it pursued the bead.
• The puppet absorbed the Qi of One Purity, endured heavenly punishment, and returned nearly at the Ninth Heaven of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• The glass bead struck Yang Zhen on the head, and he grabbed it and fled as the stronger puppet charged after him.

Yang Zhen fled the insect puppet through the High Antiquity Ruins and found Hua Youyue and the others facing the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land. Seeing Hua Youyue injured, he attacked Li Cangxu and then charged Duan Sihai, leaving everyone stunned by his challenge to a Spirit Transformation Realm expert.

• Yang Zhen outran the pursuing insect puppet, while Gong Sanhe, Death Shadow, Ding Chun, and Wen Yuning followed behind.
• Ding Chun and Wen Yuning discussed Yang Decao's talent and the possibility that Senior Brother Gu would challenge him after reaching the Mahayana Realm Ninth Heaven.
• Yang Zhen spotted the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land and the Heavenly Snow Sacred Domain facing off, then rushed toward them, hoping to find his companions.
• Yang Zhen found Hua Youyue injured beside the people of the Heavenly Snow Sacred Domain and suspected Li Cangxu had wounded her.
• Yang Zhen erupted with power, threatened Li Cangxu, and charged him, prompting Duan Sihai to intercept.
• Yang Zhen ignored warnings from Gong Sanhe and attacked Duan Sihai with One Sword as Though Deficient.

Yang Zhen furiously attacked Duan Sihai with the Great Deficiency Sword, forcing the Spirit Transformation Realm expert back despite Yang Zhen remaining at Peak Mahayana Realm. As Li Cangxu fought the insect puppet and more companions arrived, Hua Youyue joined the battle against Duan Sihai.

• Yang Zhen drove Duan Sihai back with successive sword strikes, astonishing the onlookers with his strength.
• The crowd discussed Yang Zhen’s history with Li Cangxu, including how Li Cangxu had entered the Dao through him.
• The insect puppet charged into the fight, and Li Cangxu leaped forward to challenge it.
• Shameless Cat realized the insect puppet was not human, though he could not identify what it was.
• Ding Chun and Wen Yuning arrived and were stunned by Yang Zhen’s battle with Duan Sihai.
• Hua Youyue raised her Moon Shadow sword and leaped toward Duan Sihai.

Yang Zhen reunited with Hua Youyue and revealed himself to Death Shadow and Gong Sanhe as the famed cultivator who could unravel the Heavenly Secrets Bridge. As he prepared to leave and search for Han Yan'er and Flirtatious Chicken, Duan Sihai became trapped in a desperate fight with an insect puppet, and a tremendous boom shook the High Antiquity ruins.

• Hua Youyue charged Duan Sihai, while onlookers discussed her fight with Li Cangxu and her connection to Yang Zhen.
• Death Shadow and Gong Sanhe learned that Yang Zhen could unravel the Heavenly Secrets Bridge, then realized the Yang Decao who had been with them was Yang Zhen.
• Yang Zhen blasted Duan Sihai away, joined Hua Youyue, and warned Duan Sihai that Li Cangxu was in danger.
• The insect puppet engulfed Li Cangxu in a swarm, and Duan Sihai launched a fiery attack to save his disciple.
• Yang Zhen left with Hua Youyue and the others, asking where Han Yan'er and Flirtatious Chicken were and urging them to continue toward the Heavenly Secrets Bridge.
• A tremendous boom shook the High Antiquity ruins as the insect puppet kept Duan Sihai occupied.

Yang Zhen and his companions hurried toward the newly opened central restriction while Duan Sihai fought the insect puppet. After the battle’s shock wave struck the ruins, Death Shadow and Gong Sanhe confronted Yang Zhen about his identity, and the group continued toward the center.

• The insect puppet’s Great Saint will drove it to keep attacking Duan Sihai, and the two Spirit Transformation Realm fighters unleashed a fierce battle.
• Yang Zhen grabbed Hua Youyue and ran more than a thousand zhang ahead of the others to escape the fighters’ collision.
• Duan Sihai and the insect puppet collided, and their shock wave injured cultivators who had not fled the battlefield in time.
• Death Shadow recognized Yang Zhen, and Gong Sanhe joined him in teasing Yang Zhen for hiding his real name.
• Yang Zhen explained what had happened at the Heavenly Secret Lock, then led the group onward toward the center of the ancient ruin.

Yang Zhen examined the Heavenly Secrets Bridge, the only route across an abyss guarded by a devastating restriction, and declared he would try to break it. He valued the bridge’s alchemy techniques above the ruins’ other treasures and left Shameless Cat stunned by suggesting he might comprehend the Great Dao himself.

• Yang Zhen and the others reached the Heavenly Secrets Bridge, where pill fragrance and flowing Pill Markings sent weaker cultivators into a deep sleep.
• The Heavenly Snow Holy Lord explained that a Pill Saint had crafted the bridge and that it was the only way into the High Antiquity ruins.
• Elder Huo dropped a feather into the abyss, where a violent blast destroyed it and showed Yang Zhen how dangerous the restriction was.
• Yang Zhen walked toward the bridge and told the crowd he could break its restriction, while Shameless Cat questioned his confidence.
• Yang Zhen told Shameless Cat that the bridge’s alchemy techniques were more valuable to him than the Qi of One Purity and asked whether the Great Dao had only one path.
• Shameless Cat realized Yang Zhen might try to comprehend the Great Dao himself.

Yang Zhen stepped onto the Heavenly Secrets Bridge and endured its overwhelming flood of information to learn the techniques encoded within it. After the crowd pressured him to explain himself, he promised to finish in a cup of tea and activated the bridge, which burst into light and rang with the Heavenly Dao’s chanting.

• Yang Zhen stepped onto the Heavenly Secrets Bridge and discovered that it was a colossal treasure pouring vast amounts of information into his mind.
• Yang Zhen endured the bridge’s terrifying presence while Hua Youyue worried and Shameless Cat guessed that he meant to learn everything on it.
• The gathered cultivators argued that deciphering the bridge could take decades, while Yang Zhen ignored their demands for an explanation.
• The Heavenly Snow Holy Lord asked Yang Zhen how confident he was, and Yang Zhen said he needed only a cup of tea.
• Yang Zhen pressed both hands against the bridge, causing it to radiate light and resound with the Heavenly Dao’s chanting.

Yang Zhen absorbed the Heavenly Secrets Bridge’s terrifying runes and used the Marking Fusion Technique to refine them, astonishing the gathered cultivators. The chapter left the crowd believing he might survive and master the bridge’s alchemical methods, while Duan Sihai ordered the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land to befriend him.

• The crowd panicked as Yang Zhen activated the entire Heavenly Secrets Bridge, and Duan Sihai arrived with Li Cangxu and the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land group.
• Duan Sihai tried to pull Yang Zhen out with a giant hand of True Essence, but Yang Zhen’s roar and a storm of runes shattered it.
• Yang Zhen drew the bridge’s rune fluctuations into his body, leading the crowd to believe he had doomed himself.
• Hua Youyue worried about how Yang Zhen would face the Heavenly Secrets Technique, while the Shameless Cat announced that it was time for him to show off.
• An Alchemy Grandmaster identified Yang Zhen’s method as the Marking Fusion Technique and said he might survive and learn all the bridge’s alchemical methods.
• Duan Sihai told the Heavenly Spring Holy Lord that the Heavenly Spring Sacred Land should do everything it could to befriend Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen endured the Heavenly Secrets Bridge’s alchemy inheritance and accepted a strand of Heavenly Secrets, risking the destruction of his soul. As a terrifying pressure gathered over him, Hua Youyue tried to reach him and faced off against Duan Sihai.

• Yang Zhen used the Marking Fusion Technique and the Fifth Dragon Elephant to withstand the torrent of alchemy inheritance surging into his Divine Sense space.
• A strand of Heavenly Secrets entered Yang Zhen, and he dropped his mental defenses to accept it despite the danger.
• Duan Sihai warned Li Cangxu that his mind was at risk, but Li Cangxu began cultivating the Heart-Concealing Instruction and said Yang Zhen faced even greater danger.
• Yang Zhen opened his eyes in pain as a terrifying surge of Qi gathered above him and the pressure of heaven and earth bore down on him.
• Hua Youyue charged toward the Heavenly Secrets Bridge, but Duan Sihai blocked her; Yang Zhen warned her not to come closer, and she again demanded that Duan Sihai move aside as snowflakes fell around them.

Hua Youyue recognized Great Saint Lingdan’s Nine Transformations of Heavenly Secrets and stood guard as Yang Zhen faced the Heavenly Secrets Bridge. Yang Zhen mastered the bridge’s transformations and crossed with Hua Youyue, leaving the gathered cultivators envious as the pair returned together.

• Hua Youyue warned that Yang Zhen was in danger and identified the bridge’s trial as Great Saint Lingdan’s Nine Transformations of Heavenly Secrets.
• Yang Zhen revealed that he had mastered the Heavenly Secrets Technique and activated the bridge, beginning its first transformation.
• As the bridge’s transformations unfolded, Yang Zhen used the Heavenly Secrets Technique to bring Hua Youyue beside him and carried her across.
• Yang Zhen explained that the Nine Transformations would suit Hua Youyue and help conceal the changes in heavenly destiny caused by defying heaven and changing fate.
• Yang Zhen and Hua Youyue returned together, and Yang Zhen apologized to the waiting crowd for taking two cups of tea while they crossed.

Yang Zhen broke the restriction on the Heavenly Secrets Bridge, allowing the gathered cultivators to cross into the High Antiquity ruins. Hua Youyue and Shameless Cat warned that the ruins held a massive seal and Heaven and Earth Shackles, leaving Yang Zhen concerned that the two sacred lands intended to tamper with them.

• The Heavenly Snow Holy Lord and the others praised Yang Zhen after he broke the restriction on the Heavenly Secrets Bridge.
• Yang Zhen noticed Li Cangxu had advanced to Mahayana Realm Ninth Heaven and said the presence beyond the bridge felt strange.
• Duan Sihai and Li Cangxu crossed the bridge, followed by the two sacred lands and the rest of the crowd.
• Hua Youyue sensed that the other side felt like another world and suspected a massive seal lay within the ruins.
• Shameless Cat remembered that the ruins contained a Great Restriction of Heaven and Earth, called the Heaven and Earth Shackles, and warned that touching them meant death.
• Yang Zhen recalled destroying Heaven and Earth Shackles in the East Sea and wondered why the two sacred lands wanted to tamper with North Isle's shackles.

Yang Zhen entered a strange world beneath a blood moon and learned from Shameless Cat that it was an ancient battlefield where Great Emperors had left the Principles incomplete. As mist cleared to reveal a primordial mountain range, Yang Zhen wondered if this was a world that had once been destroyed.

• Yang Zhen gave Hua Youyue two paper balls and joked that he could outrun fate.
• After stepping off the stone bridge, Yang Zhen saw a blood moon hanging in the daytime sky.
• Shameless Cat remembered that the area was an ancient battlefield where several Great Emperors had fought and shattered heaven and earth.
• Shameless Cat warned Yang Zhen that the world’s reconstruction shielded his era from the dangers of High Antiquity, when slaughter could engulf the cultivation world.
• The mist dispersed and revealed a vast mountain range filled with dense Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, prompting Yang Zhen to wonder if the place had once been destroyed.