Chapter Summaries

Chen Shuangbai received an A-plus merit rating for his work in Wind Howling County and left after three years to return home. He arranged for promising children of the White Water Chen Clan to study at the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy, leaving his family with a path to cultivate or learn useful skills.

• Cheng Jianshan assessed Chen Shuangbai’s record and awarded him an A-plus rating, giving him a jade token to present to the Abyss Suppression Hall.
• Chen Shuangbai watched Cheng Jianshan depart with his two disciples in a streak of watery escape light and reflected on Foundation Establishment.
• Chen Shuangbai left Wind Howling County, greeted the members of the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy, and returned to visit his grandfather.
• Chen Shuangbai gave Chen Moyan a token for the Spring-Venerating Daoist Academy and instructed him to send aspiring clan children to study under Zhuang Wen and Bi Sheng.

After completing his three-year assignment at Wind Howling Ford, Chen Shuangbai returned to Jade Spring Sect and reported his A-plus assessment to Deacon Feng. Deacon Feng discovered that Chen Shuangbai had reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining and was shocked by the strength and purity of his cultivation.

• Chen Shuangbai urged Chen Moyan to support the White Water Chen Clan and left home after nourishing the old patriarch and leaving him life-extending pills.
• On his way back, Chen Shuangbai sold unused spirit materials at Flowing Immortal Market and overheard Rogue Cultivators discussing materials seized from Heart-Eroding Stronghold branches.
• Chen Shuangbai passed the Jade Spring Sect's stricter gate inspection and noticed that fewer disciples were moving around the sect.
• At Abyss Suppression Hall, Chen Shuangbai presented his identity and A-plus assessment tokens to Deacon Feng and reported completing his Wind Howling Ford assignment.
• Deacon Feng sensed Chen Shuangbai's cultivation and exclaimed in disbelief when he found him at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.

After returning to the sect, Chen Shuangbai impressed Deacon Feng Yuan with his rapid cultivation and visited the Book Spirit Zhang Yin to catch up on sect affairs. He learned that the Jade Spring Sect was cautiously aiding the Empty Sword Sect as its war with the Heart-Eroding Stronghold threatened the sect’s provinces.

• Deacon Feng Yuan checked Chen Shuangbai’s records and was shocked that he had advanced from the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer to the Seventh Layer in three years.
• Deacon Feng Yuan praised Chen Shuangbai’s extraordinary potential and wished him success in the inner sect selection and future Foundation Establishment.
• While waiting for the remaining guardians to return before the selection results were announced, Chen Shuangbai visited the book cave and gave Zhang Yin a stack of storybooks.
• Chen Shuangbai asked Zhang Yin about the Evil Hunting Hall’s involvement in the conflict between the Empty Sword Sect and the Heart-Eroding Stronghold.
• Zhang Yin explained that the sect had sent some Evil Hunting Hall and Jade Guarding Hall disciples to aid the Empty Sword Sect, while holding back from fully entering the war.
• Zhang Yin told Chen Shuangbai that the Heart-Eroding Stronghold had encroached on the sect’s provinces and committed atrocities to gather Essence Blood and living souls for Devil Cultivator Law Artifacts.

Chen Shuangbai learned that war between the Jade Spring Sect and the Heart-Eroding Stronghold might soon disrupt inner sect selection, then reunited with Lu Zhiyuan and Huang Shanglan. He congratulated the two fellow disciples after they announced they had decided to become dao companions.

• The Book Spirit told Chen Shuangbai that the sect’s patrols and support for the Empty Sword Sect had intensified as conflict with the Heart-Eroding Stronghold loomed.
• The Book Spirit praised Chen Shuangbai’s garrison performance but hinted that the inner sect selection rules might change.
• Chen Shuangbai left the library cave and met Lu Zhiyuan, who was surprised to learn Chen Shuangbai had reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
• Huang Shanglan arrived and returned Lu Zhiyuan’s Storage Bag, revealing their closeness to Chen Shuangbai.
• Lu Zhiyuan announced that he and Huang Shanglan had decided to become dao companions, and Chen Shuangbai offered them his congratulations.

Chen Shuangbai returned to his cave abode on Lesser Yang Peak and smoothly broke through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Afterward, a red-crowned crane from White Reed Plain arrived with Feiguang, saying the eagle had used its cultivation to bully several young cranes.

• Chen Shuangbai learned that Lu Zhiyuan and Huang Shanglan had become dao companions and that Lu had kept his old cave abode available for him.
• Chen Shuangbai returned to Lesser Yang Peak, reactivated his cave abode's formation, and released Feiguang and Gray Ball.
• Chen Shuangbai cultivated with the Lord of the First Month Divine Aspect and moon soul true water, then advanced to the eighth layer of Qi Refining.
• Feiguang returned from flying outside with a red-crowned crane from White Reed Plain following it.
• The red-crowned crane told Chen Shuangbai that Feiguang had bullied several juniors of its clan, and Feiguang lowered its head in embarrassment.

Chen Shuangbai apologized to a White Jade Crane for Feiguang’s behavior and then visited Yi Chongyue, who noticed his rapid cultivation progress. After Chen Shuangbai disclosed his recent opportunities and said he trusted Yi Chongyue, the two sat in silence, facing each other’s gaze.

• Chen Shuangbai offered the White Jade Crane superior-quality Spirit-Feeding Pills as an apology, and the crane told him to register Feiguang at Jade Guarding Hall.
• Feiguang acknowledged his mistake, and Chen Shuangbai confined him to Lesser Yang Peak for three days; Gray Ball mocked him from the cave abode.
• Chen Shuangbai went to Fate-Seeking Valley, where Yi Chongyue noted that he had reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining.
• Chen Shuangbai recounted his experiences with Wei Chengfeng and Zhao Shiyong and his visit to the underwater abode beneath the Li River.
• Yi Chongyue asked whether Chen Shuangbai feared he would covet his treasures, and Chen Shuangbai said he trusted him; they then sat in silence as Yi Chongyue studied him.

Chen Shuangbai learned that the Jade Spring Sect would hold a Martial Edge Trial to assess his intake before its coming war with the Heart-Eroding Stronghold, with major rewards for the winners. He saw evidence at the Expenditure Hall that the sect was mobilizing supplies and preparing for conflict.

• Yi Chongyue offered to accept Chen Shuangbai as his disciple if he placed in the top five of the Martial Edge Trial.
• Yi Chongyue explained that the trial would test the combat abilities of Chen Shuangbai’s intake ahead of the sect’s coming clash with the Heart-Eroding Stronghold, while guard-duty evaluations would still determine inner-sect promotion eligibility.
• Yi Chongyue announced rewards including Foundation Establishment Pills for the top five and the chance for first place to become a disciple of one of the sect’s three True Persons.
• Yi Chongyue confirmed that the grade-A aptitude geniuses from Chen Shuangbai’s intake would also compete, though existing inner disciples would not.
• Chen Shuangbai visited the Expenditure Hall and saw flying boats unloading supplies as the hall posted assignments and displayed spiritual materials seized from a Heart-Eroding Stronghold branch.

Chen Shuangbai reunited with He Qi and Fu Qianlan after their three-year postings and learned how much each had grown. After they left, he wondered why he could not sense Fu Qianlan’s emotions, which seemed as unreadable as those of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

• He Qi and Fu Qianlan arrived at Chen Shuangbai’s cave abode, and the three shared tea, pastries, and spirit wine.
• He Qi described his work at Black Stone Mine and revealed that he had reached the fifth layer of Qi Refining.
• Fu Qianlan told Chen Shuangbai about fighting sea demons in White River Town, and he sensed that she had reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
• He Qi discovered that Chen Shuangbai had reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining, while an elderly woman privately remarked on his rapid progress to Fu Qianlan.
• Chen Shuangbai told He Qi and Fu Qianlan about the Martial Edge Trial, and both expressed interest in competing.
• After his friends left, Chen Shuangbai wondered why he could not sense Fu Qianlan’s emotions.

Chen Shuangbai visited Winter Storage Peak to register with the Jade Dew Hall, where Alchemist Yin recognized one of his unusually potent Azure Flower Pills and gathered fellow alchemists to question him. The chapter left Chen Shuangbai discovering that his reputation for refining pills had spread through the hall before he arrived.

• Chen Shuangbai traveled to Winter Storage Peak, where Huang Shanglan welcomed him and showed him around the Jade Dew Hall.
• Huang Shanglan introduced Chen Shuangbai to Alchemist Yin, who recognized an Azure Flower Pill Chen Shuangbai had refined and asked how it was made.
• Chen Shuangbai explained that his pills' stronger efficacy came from his pill-condensation liquid and his cultivation instruction, and he considered sharing some details.
• Alchemist Yin hurried off to fetch other alchemists, who eagerly came to meet Chen Shuangbai.
• Huang Shanglan told Chen Shuangbai that the pills he had refined over the past three years had already made his reputation spread among the hall's alchemists.

Chen Shuangbai shared his Azure Flower Pill insights with alchemists, including Yin Yuanjia, and received a three-month pass to the grade-C earthfire alchemy chambers. He registered as a member of the Jade Dew Hall, where A Heng recognized his alchemy talent, and left after completing the formalities.

• Chen Shuangbai shared his Azure Flower Pill refining insights with several alchemists, including Yin Yuanjia, who was a member of the Jing Kingdom's imperial family.
• Yin Yuanjia and the other alchemists gave Chen Shuangbai a pass that let him use grade-C earthfire alchemy chambers on the Three Yang Peaks for three months without spending merit points.
• Huang Shanglan brought Chen Shuangbai to A Heng, where he registered with the Jade Dew Hall and signed its magical contract.
• A Heng praised Chen Shuangbai's Azure Flower Pills and Jade Cliff Pills and invited him to share more alchemy insights in exchange for compensation.
• After Chen Shuangbai left, Huang Shanglan reminded A Heng that she had predicted his talent, and A Heng replied that she knew.

Chen Shuangbai attended the Expenditure Hall’s sale at Cloud Peak Small Market, where he bought Spirit Blood Pills and a strange incense burner. He met Wei Mingdang again, learned she had joined the Jade Spring Sect, and agreed to keep his remaining promise to help her in the future.

• Chen Shuangbai browsed the sale with He Qi and Fu Qianlan, then bought Spirit Blood Pills to study and several scarce spirit medicines.
• Chen Shuangbai bought an unusual pseudo-Law Artifact incense burner for five Merit Points and put it in his Storage Bag.
• While waiting for He Qi and Fu Qianlan, Chen Shuangbai met Wei Mingdang, who had entered the Jade Spring Sect under Martial Uncle Chi.
• Wei Mingdang explained that one of Chen Shuangbai’s promised occasions to help her remained, and he agreed to honor it if she needed him.
• Wei Mingdang gave Chen Shuangbai Silver Rosy Cloud Pills made from Silver Light Fish roe on her father’s behalf.

After returning from garrison duty, Chen Shuangbai experimented with incense cultivation before attending the Abyss Suppression Hall’s merit assessment. He ranked first with an upper A rating, and fellow disciples noticed that he had also reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

• Chen Shuangbai returned to Lesser Yang Peak and used incense he had made to cultivate, exploring how incense might complement the Dao of Alchemy.
• Five days later, Chen Shuangbai went to Morning Dew Peak for the merit assessment of the disciples who had returned from garrison duty.
• He Qi received a middle B rating, while Fu Qianlan earned a lower A and placed fourth.
• Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua each received a middle A rating, prompting disciples to speculate about the final top-ranked result.
• The ranking scroll named Chen Shuangbai first in garrison merit with an upper A for Wind Howling County, and disciples gathered to congratulate him.
• Fellow disciples noticed that Chen Shuangbai had reached the eighth layer of Qi Refining.

Chen Shuangbai and his fellow disciples learned that the Jade Spring Sect had established the Martial Edge Trial to select talent and prepare for war with the Heart-Eroding Stronghold. As the trial began, Chen Shuangbai gathered with the other contestants and spotted a figure radiant with divine light among the Foundation Establishment cultivators watching from above.

• After Chen Shuangbai's recent cultivation progress drew attention, Deacon Feng announced the Martial Edge Trial on True Person Bo's orders and said the sect would select outstanding talents for the inner sect and the coming war.
• Chen Shuangbai, He Qi, and Fu Qianlan discussed their unease about the prospect of war after leaving Morning Dew Peak.
• Alone in his meditation chamber, Chen Shuangbai reflected on his fear and excitement as he sensed that war was approaching.
• When the Martial Edge Trial began at Crouching Tiger Plateau, Chen Shuangbai joined the gathered contestants alongside He Qi and Fu Qianlan.
• Chen Shuangbai saw Lin Jingtao, Ji Ruohua, and several Foundation Establishment cultivators among the spectators, including a figure radiant with divine light.

True Person Bo opened the Martial Edge Trial with the sect’s Spirit Treasure, the [Sharp Mountains and Embracing Rivers Painting], and Exalted Cultivator Huo explained its battle royale rules. After entering the painting, Chen Shuangbai approached a fight and was attacked, but he surprised the disciples and eliminated one of them.

• True Person Bo appeared before the trial participants and summoned the Jade Spring Sect’s Spirit Treasure, the [Sharp Mountains and Embracing Rivers Painting].
• Exalted Cultivator Huo announced that disciples would earn points by eliminating opponents, gain merit by killing Demon Beasts, and be forced together as the boundaries shrank.
• Chen Shuangbai entered the painting, found no disciples nearby, and spotted several fighting in the distance.
• Chen Shuangbai flew toward the fight on the Flowing Cloud Flying Pouch, and one of the three disciples ordered the others to knock him down.
• The three disciples attacked Chen Shuangbai, but he appeared beside one of them and eliminated him.

Chen Shuangbai overwhelmed disciple after disciple in the Sharp Mountains and Embracing Rivers Painting with his practiced Green Shoots Break Through Snow sword move, drawing praise from the watching exalted cultivators and surprise from his acquaintances at his cultivation speed. When the shrinking map revealed nearby opponents, he drove a group of hidden disciples into the open, but they trapped him in a formation that forced his flying pouch toward the ground.

• Chen Shuangbai swiftly defeated three disciples, and the exalted cultivators recognized his Green Shoots Break Through Snow sword technique and praised his skill.
• Ding Chengyu and Lu Xin noticed Chen Shuangbai had advanced from the third to the eighth layer of Qi Refining in five years.
• Chen Shuangbai continued roaming the painting, defeating nearly every disciple who appeared within his spiritual sense and increasing the number on his jade token.
• As the map shrank, Chen Shuangbai used his jade token to locate nearby disciples and spotted one hidden in a hollow ancient tree.
• The hidden disciple charged Chen Shuangbai, who summoned a water serpent-flood dragon that knocked him away and exposed others concealed in the woods.
• The exposed disciples activated a formation that enveloped Chen Shuangbai and pressed his Flowing Cloud Flying Pouch close to the ground.

Chen Shuangbai broke a five-disciple ambush and swept through the Martial Edge Trial, sending many competitors out with his sword. As the observers praised his talent, Exalted Cultivator Huo changed the trial, turning attention to the battles ahead.

• Five disciples trapped Chen Shuangbai in the Five Mountains Spirit-Suppressing Formation and demanded his merit jade token, but he struck one disciple out of the trial and broke their formation.
• Chen Shuangbai defeated the remaining disciples, taking their merits and bringing his token’s total to thirty-six.
• Chen Shuangbai patrolled the shrinking trial territory and quickly sent out nearly every lower-cultivation disciple he encountered.
• Exalted Cultivator Huo and Exalted Cultivator Du praised Chen Shuangbai’s swordsmanship as the observers watched the trial.
• Exalted Cultivator Huo sent a streak of light into the painting, drawing the cultivators’ attention to the upcoming battles.

Chen Shuangbai was drawn into a confrontation with Lu Zhiyuan and Jiao Ming during the second stage of the Martial Edge Trial. He overwhelmed their group with his Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder and left his opponents with no will to continue fighting.

• The second stage began, and Chen Shuangbai saw that he ranked ninth on the merit list.
• Chen Shuangbai found Lu Zhiyuan and Jiao Ming waiting with a group of fellow disciples by a lake, hoping to ambush others.
• Jiao Ming told Chen Shuangbai to leave, but Chen Shuangbai refused and prepared to fight.
• Chen Shuangbai unleashed Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder, freezing and sending the gathered disciples out of the trial while blasting Jiao Ming into the lake and freezing Lu Zhiyuan.
• Jiao Ming and Lu Zhiyuan regrouped, but Lu Zhiyuan explained that Chen Shuangbai's Flower Bloom Incantation let him recover Law Power too quickly to defeat through attrition.
• Lu Zhiyuan put away his weapons and admitted that he had lost all will to fight.

Chen Shuangbai defeated Jiao Ming in the trial, using Sword Qi to break through his life-saving talisman and force his teleportation out. The Foundation Establishment cultivators recognized his Yin Thunder Method as an outside fortuitous inheritance, and Exalted Cultivator Li claimed the promising Sword Qi disciples for himself.

• Lu Zhiyuan gave Chen Shuangbai his merit jade token and teleported out rather than fight him.
• Jiao Ming attacked Chen Shuangbai with six chilling daggers, but Chen Shuangbai's Sword Qi knocked them away and froze Jiao Ming's arm.
• Chen Shuangbai struck Jiao Ming twice with Sword Qi, broke his life-saving talisman, and pierced his head, causing the artifact spirit to teleport him out.
• Outer and inner disciples discussed Chen Shuangbai's performance and his chances of taking first place.
• Exalted Cultivators Huo, Du, and Yan concluded that Chen Shuangbai's Midnight Month Cold Light Yin Thunder was a fortuitous inheritance rather than the sect's Clear Shadow Cold Water Thunder.
• Exalted Cultivator Li praised the two disciples who had cultivated Sword Qi and declared that no one could fight him for them.

Chen Shuangbai faced Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua after the third stage marked the remaining disciples and forced them toward battle. He swiftly cut down Ji Ruohua and struck Lin Jingtao with sword qi and lightning, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Chen Shuangbai recovered some Law Power and reflected on the strength of the sword Dao.
• The third stage began, and the Merit Jade Plaque marked Chen Shuangbai as sixth place while guiding disciples toward opponents.
• Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua attacked Chen Shuangbai together with spiritual arrows and flying needles.
• Chen Shuangbai dodged Ji Ruohua's ribbon artifact and cut her down with the Green Parasol Tree Sword.
• Chen Shuangbai rushed Lin Jingtao and unleashed sword qi and lightning, freezing the cliff around him.

Chen Shuangbai overwhelmed Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua with a barrage of Law Techniques and sword attacks, earning merit as other hidden disciples were caught in the storm. After defeating the pair, he faced Wei Zheng as Fu Qianlan arrived and offered to hold Ji Ruohua back, leaving Chen Shuangbai and Wei Zheng to fight.

• Chen Shuangbai battered Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua with freezing rain and icy blades, damaging Lin Jingtao's bow and injuring Ji Ruohua.
• Chen Shuangbai's Law Techniques swept up hidden disciples and their merit jade tokens, raising him to fourth place in the rankings.
• Lin Jingtao and Ji Ruohua charged out of the woods, but Chen Shuangbai's Emerald Flood Dragon Churns the Waves sent them flying and knocked away their Law Artifacts.
• Chen Shuangbai recognized Wei Zheng, who had come to investigate the battle from nearby.
• Fu Qianlan arrived and offered to hold Ji Ruohua back while Wei Zheng charged Chen Shuangbai, beginning their fight.