Chapter Summaries

Shen Yun traveled to Qilin Cliff to visit his teacher, Fang Tianyi, while preparing for the multiple tribulations he expected to face when reaching He Dao. He was warmly welcomed by Lin Qingyue and the Qilin Clan, who then led him to Fang Tianyi’s residence.

• Shen Yun studied the Five Elements Tribulation Resolving Pill’s jade slip and planned to incorporate its principles into the Primordial Chaos Creation Scripture before facing his tribulations.
• Shen Yun traveled to Qilin Cliff, where Fang Tianyi had been invited by the Ancient Qilin Ancestor to discuss the Great Dao.
• Shen Yun arrived at Qilin Cliff after crossing the sea in three days and met Lin Qingyue and several spirit beasts.
• Shen Yun gave the Qilin Clan members precious pills as gifts, and they warmly welcomed him.
• Lin Qingyue led Shen Yun toward Fang Tianyi, who was at his residence.

Shen Yun visited Fang Tianyi at Qilin Cliff’s Scripture Pavilion, where the two casually drank precious Enlightenment Tea and discussed cultivation. Fang Tianyi then directed Jade Qilin to seek guidance from Shen Yun.

• Lin Qingyue led Shen Yun through Qilin Cliff, where he told the Spirit Beasts that he had come from a small clan and met Fang Tianyi by fate.
• Shen Yun recalled meeting Fang Tianyi in a Scripture Pavilion before entering the pavilion and reuniting with his teacher.
• Shen Yun offered Fang Tianyi a box of Enlightenment Tea, and the two steeped and drank handfuls of leaves without trying to comprehend the Dao.
• Fang Tianyi advised Shen Yun that sometimes slow is fast, and Shen Yun carefully remembered his words.
• Jade Qilin asked Fang Tianyi about a matter raised days earlier, and Fang Tianyi told him to seek guidance from Shen Yun.

The Jade Qilin challenged Shen Yun to examine his Five Elements Reincarnation Technique, hoping to see the talent Fang Tianyi praised. Shen Yun quickly identified the Jade Qilin’s flaws and demonstrated a profound mastery of five-element circulation, leaving him stunned.

• The Jade Qilin recalled how Fang Tianyi had helped him break through a cultivation bottleneck, then explained that he had long wanted to test Shen Yun’s talent.
• The Jade Qilin presented Shen Yun with part of the Five Elements Reincarnation Technique and asked him to examine it.
• Shen Yun recognized that the scripture was incomplete and said he already understood the Jade Qilin’s problem.
• Shen Yun demonstrated mana cycling through all five elements and produced the Forbidden Chapter of the Five Elements Reincarnation Technique.
• Shen Yun told the Jade Qilin that his mana was too loose and his understanding of the five elements remained superficial, leaving the Jade Qilin speechless with shock.

Shen Yun impressed the Jade Qilin with his mastery of the Five Elements Reincarnation Technique, then learned from Fang Tianyi that Godsfall Island held the passage threatened by the coming epochal calamity. After Shen Yun suspected the Immortal Lord of Heavenly Secrets was the Heart Demon Emperor, Fang Tianyi reversed the resulting celestial disturbance and revealed the Time Law; he remained ready to confront her if necessary.

• Shen Yun corrected the Jade Qilin’s uneven Five Elements Mana, earning his gratitude and an invitation to visit.
• After the Jade Qilin and Lin Qingyue left, Fang Tianyi told Shen Yun that Godsfall Island held the Two-Realm Passage and that the Heavenly Road faced destruction in the coming calamity.
• Fang Tianyi said he would set out for Godsfall Island in five years, and Shen Yun suspected the Immortal Lord of Heavenly Secrets was the Heart Demon Emperor.
• Shen Yun’s suspicion triggered a terrifying celestial disturbance, which Fang Tianyi reversed with the Time Law.
• Fang Tianyi explained that Shen Yun could use a compatible Secret Treasure to increase his cultivation speed, then said he would confront the Immortal Lord of Heavenly Secrets if she proved dangerous.

Shen Yun learned that the Nine Tribulation Tower would open its later levels the following month and resolved to seek the time artifact within it. As Qilin Cliff prepared for a grand gathering attended by Demon Race youths and the Primordial Chaos Dao Lord, Jade Qilin warned Shen Yun about Holy Son Golden Crow, and Shen Yun welcomed the prospect of testing himself against him.

• Lin Qingyue explained that the Nine Tribulation Tower was an Innate Magical Treasure whose later levels the Ancient Qilin Ancestor would open the following month, and confirmed Shen Yun could enter as an honored guest.
• Shen Yun settled into Qilin Cliff, studied the method of transforming tribulations, and spent peaceful days with Fang Tianyi and the Spirit Beasts.
• Jade Qilin invited Shen Yun to drink and warned that the Golden Crow Clan hated him and that Holy Son Golden Crow was advancing toward the Late Dao Integration Stage.
• Shen Yun said he would treat Holy Son Golden Crow as a whetstone for testing his Dao, and Jade Qilin toasted his confidence.
• A month later, Spirit Beasts discussed the coming grand gathering, and several Spirit Boats arrived at Qilin Cliff from every direction.

The Golden Peng Holy Son, Qiongqi Young Master, and Taotie Young Master arrived at Qilin Cliff and insulted the Spirit Beasts who came to greet them. When Taotie attacked Jiang Xueci, she stopped him with overwhelming strength, then asked whether Shen Yun was at Qilin Cliff before departing.

• The Golden Peng Holy Son arrived with two attendants and dismissed the Spirit Beasts sent to welcome him.
• Qiongqi Young Master and Taotie Young Master joined him, and the three discussed the Human Race and wondered why Kun Wuji had not appeared.
• Lin Qingyue arrived with Jiang Xueci, prompting Golden Peng Holy Son to challenge her for bringing a human guest.
• Taotie Young Master tried to tear away Jiang Xueci’s veil, but she blocked his attack with a Yin-Yang Dao Diagram and forced him back.
• Golden Peng Holy Son led the other two away, while Jiang Xueci asked Lin Qingyue whether Shen Yun was at Qilin Cliff and then departed.

Shen Yun arrived at Qilin Cliff alongside Jade Qilin, drawing the attention and hostility of the Three Young Masters. Jade Qilin enforced the cliff’s ban on fighting, forcing the demons to swallow their anger as everyone continued toward the summit.

• Qiongqi Young Master and Taotie Young Master discussed Jiang Xueci’s background and agreed to help Golden Crow pursue her, while Golden Peng Holy Son warned them that Shen Yun was their real enemy.
• Jiang Xueci asked the Jade Rabbit about Shen Yun and heard how kindly he had treated the spirit beasts.
• The Jade Rabbit spotted Shen Yun, and the Three Young Masters immediately watched him with suspicion and hostility.
• Shen Yun ignored the Three Young Masters and walked toward the peak with Jade Qilin, prompting the demons to angrily demand his attention.
• Jade Qilin warned the Three Young Masters that fighting was forbidden on Qilin Cliff, and they restrained themselves before hurrying toward the summit to recover their lost face.

Shen Yun arrived at the Nine Tribulation Tower and impressed the Ancient Qilin Ancestor and the Qilin Clan elders with his bearing and cultivation. After the other guests gathered and the Three Young Masters were treated coolly, the Ancient Qilin Ancestor announced that the proceedings would begin.

• Shen Yun saw the Nine Tribulation Tower and met the Ancient Qilin Ancestor, who stood with the Qilin Clan's nine great elders.
• Elder Qingqiong and the other elders praised Shen Yun, while the Jade Qilin introduced him and the elders to one another.
• The Three Young Masters arrived but received little attention from the elders, who warmly welcomed Jiang Xueci instead.
• The gathered Heavenly Talents took their seats, and the Ancient Qilin Ancestor announced that the event would begin.

Shen Yun humiliated Qiongqi Young Master and the Golden Peng Holy Son as the Nine Tribulation Tower opened. He entered the tower while the Golden Peng Holy Son was left enraged and disgraced.

• The Ancient Qilin Ancestor awakened the Nine Tribulation Tower, and its doors opened as the gathered experts rushed inside.
• Qiongqi Young Master bullied the other Spirit Beasts on his way to the tower, but Shen Yun struck him with a powerful blow and sent him flying.
• Taotie Young Master caught Qiongqi Young Master and endured Shen Yun’s hidden force while bringing him back from the cliff’s edge.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son dodged Shen Yun’s initial attack, then discovered that Shen Yun had shredded his clothes and that Spirit Beasts were recording his humiliation.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son screamed in rage as Shen Yun calmly entered the Nine Tribulation Tower.

Shen Yun entered the Nine Tribulation Tower and learned about the Thousandfold Heavenly Stairs, its trial and the legendary experts recorded on its stele. After seeing Fang Tianyi ranked second and hearing that his teacher had once competed with such figures, Shen Yun declared that he alone was enough.

• Shen Yun entered the tower with Jade Qilin, who warned him that the Three Young Masters might retaliate, while they held back because the tower’s trials were visible to the outside world.
• The Spirit Beasts began climbing the Thousandfold Heavenly Stairs, and they discussed the three-hundred-step requirement, the eight-hundred-step benchmark, and the difficulty of the ascent.
• Shen Yun examined the stele listing the ten fastest climbers and learned that Lone Swan Sword Immortal had taken twelve breaths for tenth place.
• Jade Qilin explained that Ling Jiuxiao, the four-breath record holder, had founded the Heavenly Road, while Fang Tianyi held second place with five breaths.
• After Jade Qilin and Lin Qingyue praised Fang Tianyi, Shen Yun declared that he alone was enough and that his teacher need not act.

The Three Young Masters, the Jade Qilin, Jiang Xueci, and Golden Peng Holy Son raced up the Heavenly Stairs while the elders watched and speculated about their abilities. Shen Yun finally unleashed his full power, knocked Golden Peng Holy Son down the steps, and reached the summit before anyone could react.

• The elders discussed the likely performances of the Jade Qilin and Jiang Xueci, while the First Elder admitted he could not predict how long Shen Yun would take to reach the summit.
• The Three Young Masters charged ahead and surpassed the other Trial Participants, but the Jade Qilin and Jiang Xueci raced past them.
• Golden Peng Holy Son spread his divine wings, surged to the nine-hundred-and-ninetieth step, and pulled away from the Jade Qilin and Jiang Xueci.
• Golden Peng Holy Son mocked Shen Yun for not appearing, then watched as Shen Yun unleashed his full power and rushed toward the summit.
• Shen Yun's blast wave sent Golden Peng Holy Son tumbling down the steps, and Shen Yun reached the summit as the entire world fell silent.

Shen Yun shattered the Heavenly Stairs record and carved his name atop the stele, then raced through the tower’s trials with overwhelming strength. As the Qilin elders watched in amazement, the Qilin Ancestor said the Eighth Floor might be Shen Yun’s true test.

• Shen Yun crossed all nine hundred and ninety-nine Heavenly Stairs in one stride and replaced Lone Swan Sword Immortal’s name with his own on the stele.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son threatened Shen Yun, while the Qiongqi Young Master and Taotie Young Master feared his talent.
• Fang Tianyi sensed Shen Yun’s feat from the Library Pavilion and calmly resumed reading, confident in his disciple.
• Shen Yun cleared the Second Floor’s puppet battle formation by destroying a hundred opponents with his Divine Sense.
• The Qilin elders watched Shen Yun tear through the lightning trial, clear the Fourth Floor without using laws, and pass the Seventh Floor Heart Demon Pass in one breath.
• The Qilin Ancestor said the Eighth Floor might be the true test for Shen Yun.

Shen Yun entered the eighth floor of the Nine Tribulation Tower and found himself powerless in the mundane world of Mengze City. While he settled into Li Guangming’s home and considered how to regain his cultivation, the Golden Peng Holy Son entered the same city in pursuit of him.

• Shen Yun lost his cultivation and spiritual senses upon entering the eighth floor, then found himself in a vivid ancient city.
• Shen Yun met Young Master Ouyang, who left to address the flooding and damaged embankment at Black Dragon River.
• Li Guangming invited Shen Yun to his home and revealed that he hoped Shen Yun could help him secure an official examination quota through Young Master Ouyang.
• Shen Yun accepted a room at Li Guangming’s home, learned about the mundane world, and began considering how to restore his cultivation.
• Taotie Young Master and Qiongqi Young Master gave up on the eighth floor, while the Golden Peng Holy Son entered it and arrived in Mengze City.

Shen Yun endured the Reincarnation Realm’s mortal life in Mengze City and resumed cultivation after eleven days, reaching Qi Refining First Layer. When Young Master Ouyang arrived to visit him, he mistook Shen Yun’s dawn-lit appearance for that of an immortal.

• The elders discussed the Reincarnation Realm’s time distortion and the Qilin Ancestor’s ability to shape it.
• Shen Yun earned his lodging by copying books, and Li Guangming brought his remarkable calligraphy to Young Master Ouyang.
• Young Master Ouyang planned to visit Shen Yun after welcoming the martial arts master Golden Peng, whom his father had recruited to help build flood-resistant dikes.
• On the eleventh day, Shen Yun absorbed the morning purple qi and opened his qi sea, reaching Qi Refining First Layer.
• Li Guangming and Young Master Ouyang visited Shen Yun, and Young Master Ouyang exclaimed that Shen Yun was an immortal.

Young Master Ouyang asked Shen Yun to help with the Black Dragon River flood, and Shen Yun agreed, hoping to gain access to cultivation resources. At the river, the prefect prepared to repair the embankment with help from the Golden Peng Holy Son, who recognized Shen Yun approaching and welcomed a chance for revenge.

• Young Master Ouyang presented Shen Yun with a jade bi and asked him to deal with the flood disaster on the Black Dragon River.
• Shen Yun agreed to inspect the river, and he, Young Master Ouyang, and Li Guangming rode out of the city.
• At the river, Ouyang Zhutong directed soldiers repairing the damaged embankment and planned to sink sluice stones into the river.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son agreed to help move the heavy stones in exchange for promised benefits and privately plotted to gather cultivation resources.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son spotted Shen Yun approaching, recognized him, and surged with killing intent.

Shen Yun warned that the dam would fail because deep riverbed silt would let the current sweep it apart, but the Golden Peng Holy Son lowered the sluice stone anyway. The dam collapsed beneath him, and the floodwaters swallowed him.

• Shen Yun and the Golden Peng Holy Son encountered each other and prepared to fight over their old grudge.
• Ouyang Zhutong tried to stop them from fighting, and Shen Yun explained the dam method and warned that the silted riverbed would make it fail.
• Ouyang Zhutong ordered the sluice stone lowered, and the Golden Peng Holy Son carried the massive rock into the river and threw it down.
• The water rose and the crowd celebrated, but the dam cracked and collapsed, sweeping the Golden Peng Holy Son away in the flood.

After the dam collapsed, Shen Yun proposed a Fish Scale Dam and directed the Huben Army in rebuilding it, saving the flood defenses. As the group prepared to reinforce the dam with heavy stones, Shen Yun stepped forward to take the dangerous task himself.

• Golden Peng Holy Son was swept away by the flood, and Ouyang Zhutong admitted that his order to throw stones had worsened the disaster.
• Ouyang Zimo apologized to Shen Yun and asked him to save the downstream people; Shen Yun proposed flood-diversion channels, a sloped dam, and a willow-and-straw Fish Scale Dam.
• Ouyang Zhutong recognized the value of Shen Yun's plan and ordered everyone to carry it out, while Ouyang Zimo explained that the Huben Army had been sent to help.
• The Huben Army built the Fish Scale Dam, which slowed the water, and Shen Yun warned that heavy stones were still needed to protect it from scouring.
• Golden Peng Holy Son was recovered from the flood, and a burly soldier volunteered to lift a huge stone; Shen Yun stopped him and said he would do it himself.

Shen Yun saved the dam by lifting and sinking heavy stones, then left without taking credit while Ouyang Zhutong praised him and planned to thank him. The Golden Peng Holy Son awoke chained up before Shen Yun, terrified of the man he had offended.

• Shen Yun lifted a massive boulder with one arm, astonishing Ouyang Zhutong, Young Master Ouyang, and the soldiers.
• Shen Yun sank two heavy stones into the riverbed and stabilized the dam, ending the flood crisis.
• Ouyang Zhutong credited Shen Yun and the soldiers, then ordered Young Master Ouyang to invite Shen Yun to a banquet.
• Shen Yun left before the troops withdrew, and the soldiers assumed the missing Golden Peng Holy Son had fled.
• The Golden Peng Holy Son woke bound in heavy chains and turned pale when he saw Shen Yun.

Shen Yun subdued the Golden Peng Holy Son and sealed him beneath the ice of the northern Glacier Continent, then returned to Mengze City after advancing to the mid-stage Qi Refining Realm. There, he learned that the Ouyang family was worried about the Princess Consort’s worsening illness, and the chapter ended with news of his return reaching them.

• Shen Yun immobilized the Golden Peng Holy Son with silver needles and took him north by carriage.
• Shen Yun sank the unconscious Golden Peng Holy Son into the ten-thousand-zhang ice river and began his journey back.
• Shen Yun traveled among ordinary people, understood the trial’s meaning, and advanced to the mid-stage Qi Refining Realm.
• Young Master Ouyang and the prefectural assistant worried over the Princess Consort’s recurring heart ailment and discussed the Five Hundred Year Ginseng.
• The Long-bearded Advisor announced that Shen Yun had returned to Mengze City, and the prefectural assistant set out to pay his respects.

Ouyang Zhutong welcomed Shen Yun back and asked him to examine the Princess Consort Yu, whose recurring heart illness had baffled the imperial physicians. After Shen Yun agreed to assess her, Prince Yu received the news and ordered his forces to set out for Mengze City.

• Ouyang Zhutong, Young Master Ouyang, and the adviser rode to the eastern district and found Shen Yun eating wontons.
• Ouyang Zhutong invited Shen Yun to the Ouyang Residence, where he explained that his younger sister, the Princess Consort Yu, had suffered recurring heart illness since a flower-viewing banquet.
• Shen Yun agreed to examine the Princess Consort Yu before deciding whether he could help, and Young Master Ouyang arranged a guest room for him.
• Prince Yu read a letter from the Ouyang Residence and ordered his generals to set out for Mengze City.