Chapter Summaries

Shen Yun received the Green Gourd Ring after ascending the Seven Xuan Tower, then inscribed “Origin” at the top of the Tower Stele. In the Purple Cloud Grotto-Heaven, Shangguan Dongjun learned of Shen Yun’s achievement and planned to destroy the Shen Family while seeking Mister Fang’s favor.

• Shen Yun discovered that the Green Gourd Ring could heal injuries and communicate with the Destiny Spirit Treasure, and learned it carried the legacy of the destroyed Medicine Immortal Valley.
• Shen Yun left the Seven Xuan Tower and was congratulated for making history; he inscribed “Origin” at the top of the Tower Stele.
• The Law Enforcement Elder watched the crowd react to Shen Yun’s name and anticipated that change was coming to Tianlan Prefecture.
• Granny Aramaki told Shangguan Dongjun that the Shangguan Family must befriend Mister Fang and avoid provoking him.
• Shangguan Dongjun and Granny Aramaki agreed to eliminate the Shen Family and use a Sword Sect advance-selection slot at Canglang Mountain to keep its members from rising.

As Shen Yun prepared to leave for the Sword Sect assessment, Fang Tianyi told him to return to Tianwei Mountain before reaching the Golden Core Realm and revealed that he planned to depart. Shen Yun achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment through a dangerous tribulation, and Fang Tianyi rode away into the night.

• Shen Pingsheng hosted Shen An's family at Bamboo Grove Lodge before Shen Yun, Shen Qingruo, and Shen Yun departed for the Sword Sect assessment.
• Shen Qingling asked Shen Yun to look after Shen Qingruo, and Shen Yun praised her talent and effort.
• Fang Tianyi gave Shen Yun a winter painting and told him to return to Tianwei Mountain before reaching the Golden Core Realm to receive something his master had left.
• Fang Tianyi revealed he would leave once Shen Yun established his foundation, and Shen Yun began his breakthrough under Fang Tianyi's protection.
• A mysterious Gray Mist cut Shen Yun off from heaven and earth and cracked his Dao Diagram, but Shen Yun broke through the tribulation and reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.
• Fang Tianyi toasted Shen Yun's breakthrough with green bamboo Spirit Wine, then rode the wind away as Shen Yun respectfully saw him off.

After Shen Yun reached Foundation Establishment, he studied Five Elements cultivation methods and traveled with the Shen Family to the Profound Ice Platform for the Sword Sect selection. Shen Qingruo broke through during the harsh journey, and the group arrived at the platform as Shen Yun watched for Shen Heng’s suspected scheme.

• Elder Ming told Shen Yun that Fang Tianyi had left him a Jade Token and advised him to seek the Lone Swan Sword Venerable if he encountered trouble.
• Shen Yun memorized the Five Elements Dao Methods and considered creating a cultivation method that cultivated all five elements together.
• Shen Wude won the Shen Family’s final selection slot, while Azure Venerable persuaded Shen Qiu to cultivate the Netherworld Demonic Art; Shen Qiu reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.
• The Shen Family traveled through a brutal storm toward the Profound Ice Platform, where Shen Yun kept watch on Shen Heng and Shen Qingruo struggled through the cold.
• Shen Qiu fell into Shen Feng and the two rolled through the snow before Shen Heng rescued them, while Shen Qingruo broke through to the seventh layer.
• The Shen Family reached the Profound Ice Platform, a vast icy platform floating above an abyss.

The Shen Family and the other great families gathered at the Profound Ice Platform for the Sword Sect selection, where rivalries and schemes began to surface. After the families discussed the envoys and their chances, three Sword Sect Envoys arrived on a flying magic sword.

• The Shen Family took the seats of honor as young talents from False Core Families, including He Guang, declared their intent to claim the Sword Sect Quota.
• Su Yu arrived with the Su Family, and Su Yu'er teased Shen Yun about their cultivation while Shen Qingruo watched them closely.
• Granny Aramaki brought Shangguan Mo and Shangguan Ya, urging them to win a place and condemning Shangguan Nian for rejecting the family.
• The gathered families discussed Elder Yaoguang and Deputy Envoys Murong Xue and Duanmu Tong, while Granny Aramaki secretly anticipated the Shen Family's defeat.
• A magic sword flew onto the Profound Ice Platform carrying three Sword Sect Envoys.

The Sword Sect began its character assessment on the Profound Ice Platform, where contestants had to endure an illusion of a freezing snowfield. Shen Qiu surged ahead, but Elder Yaoguang took special notice of a white-clad contestant whose calm progress revealed a clear and enlightened heart.

• Duanmu Tong explained that the Sword Sect selection tested character, comprehension, and cultivation, then activated the Profound Ice Platform’s three illusion realms.
• The contestants entered the first realm and struggled through a brutal snowstorm as the elders watched their resilience.
• Shen Feng used an Illusion Heart Stone supplied by Shangguan Dongjun’s arrangements to catch up with the leading group, while Duanmu Tong secretly considered how to suppress the Shen Family.
• Shen Qiu advanced far ahead by drawing on Azure Venerable’s words, attracting attention from the contestants, Murong Xue, and Duanmu Tong.
• Elder Yaoguang praised the white-clad contestant’s clear and enlightened heart, finding an unexpected talent in the assessment.

Shen Qiu led the contestants into the Heavy Water River of the Second Layer, while Shangguan Mo followed him with a hidden weapon and murderous intent. Shen Yun noticed that Shen Feng and Shangguan Ya seemed unusually unaffected by the Illusion Realm and began considering what to do about them.

• Shen Qiu entered the Second Layer first and forced his way through the dangerous Heavy Water River.
• Shangguan Mo and Shangguan Ya agreed that Shen Qiu had to be crippled before he joined the Sword Sect, while Shangguan Mo secretly prepared a Black Bee Needle.
• Shangguan Cheng used two Wood Element cultivators to restore his strength, then entered the Second Layer ahead of the struggling contestants.
• Shen Feng entered the Second Layer, and Shen Yun noticed that he faced less pressure than the others; Shen Yun, Shen Wude, Shen Qingruo, and Su Yu'er followed.
• He Guang entered the Second Layer, bringing the total number of contestants there to ten, including every member of the Shen Family.
• As Shen Qiu pressed through the river and Shangguan Mo stalked him, Shen Yun noticed that Shen Feng and Shangguan Ya were shielding their clenched hands from his Divine Sense and suspected they were hiding something.

Shen Yun secretly gave Shen Qingruo the Illusion Heart Stone, while Shen Qiu and Shangguan Mo’s reckless rivalry ended with both being injured and eliminated. Shen Yun took first place in the Illusion Trial, and Duanmu Tong began the rules for the second round, a cultivation-method comprehension test.

• Shen Yun knocked the Illusion Heart Stone from Shangguan Ya’s hand and later gave it to Shen Qingruo, who used it to endure the Heavy Water River.
• Su Yu’er and Shangguan Ya were eliminated, and Granny Aramaki scolded Shangguan Ya before demanding better results from the Shangguan Family disciples.
• Shen Qiu charged through the river as Shangguan Mo pursued him, and both were swept into whirlpools after their spiritual energy failed.
• Shen Qiu slapped Shangguan Mo, who stabbed him with a Black Bee Needle; Elder Yaoguang rescued them both from the illusion.
• Shen Yun quietly took first place as the remaining trial participants claimed the top four places, while Shen Qiu and Shangguan Mo tied for fifth.
• Duanmu Tong announced that the second round would test comprehension by having participants draw cultivation methods and demonstrate how quickly they could get started.

During the Sword Sect selection’s second round, Shen Yun drew the difficult True Form Phantom Technique but achieved Entry in less than an incense stick, while Shen Qiu struggled with the Yuan Chen Sword Art and fell behind. Duanmu Tong then announced a practical-combat final round, intending to destroy the Shen Family’s hopes himself.

• Shen Qiu drew the Yuan Chen Sword Art while suffering from the Black Bee Needle’s poison, and the crowd mocked his misfortune.
• Shen Yun drew the True Form Phantom Technique and suspected Duanmu Tong had tampered with the selection in collusion with the Shangguan Family.
• Shen Yun manifested a phantom matching his own aura and achieved Entry in less than an incense stick, stunning Duanmu Tong and delighting the First Elder.
• Shen Qiu failed to grasp the Yuan Chen Sword Art, spat blood, and regained his resolve after Azure Venerable encouraged him.
• Shangguan Ya achieved Entry after half an hour, while Shen Qiu managed only half a sword move after two hours.
• Duanmu Tong announced that the third round would be practical combat against him and Senior Sister Murong, and resolved to personally thwart the Shen Family.

Murong Xue and Duanmu Tong demonstrated their overwhelming strength by defeating their opponents in the assessment, while Shen Qiu learned how difficult it was to reach Qi Refining like Silk. The trial advanced to Shen Qiu’s match against Duanmu Tong, which was about to begin.

• Murong Xue froze Feng Zizai’s movement techniques and defeated him in five breaths.
• Duanmu Tong overwhelmed Su Fang, shattered her sword, and knocked her from the platform while limiting her injuries.
• Azure Venerable explained to Shen Qiu that Qi Refining like Silk required peak cultivation and extensive tempering of spiritual power.
• Shangguan Ya lasted thirty breaths against Duanmu Tong, the longest among the contestants so far.
• Duanmu Tong prepared to fight Shen Qiu as Granny Aramaki watched eagerly, and Shen Qiu stepped onto the platform.

Shen Qiu used the Four Directions Fire Dragon Pillars against Duanmu Tong, but Duanmu Tong defeated him and later forced Shen Wude to concede. Shen Yun then stepped onto the battlefield, prepared to face Duanmu Tong in a fight to the death.

• Shen Qiu summoned the Four Directions Fire Dragon Pillars, but Duanmu Tong overwhelmed him with his silver spear and buried him in a block of ice to win.
• Duanmu Tong fought Shen Wude with increasingly dangerous attacks, but Shen Wude dodged until he took a hit and conceded after lasting thirty breaths.
• Shen Wude warned Shen Yun that Duanmu Tong was targeting the Shen Family, and Shen Yun said Duanmu Tong would not get another chance.
• Shen Yun walked onto the stage as Shen Qingruo worried she had caused him trouble, and Shen Wude insisted Duanmu Tong was no match for him.
• Duanmu Tong prepared to defeat Shen Yun decisively as Elder Yaoguang watched, unaware that Shen Yun regarded the encounter as a fight to the death.

Shen Yun decisively defeated Duanmu Tong in the final trial match, securing Shen Qingruo’s place among the sword sect’s recruits. As Elder Yaoguang led the selected candidates toward the sect, Granny Aramaki and Shangguan Dongjun plotted to have Shen Yun killed.

• Shen Yun overwhelmed Duanmu Tong with Five Elements sword qi, shattered his spear and Black Gold Body, and pierced his qi sea.
• Elder Yaoguang treated Duanmu Tong and questioned Shen Yun’s excessive force, while the First Elder offered compensation to protect him; Elder Yaoguang let the matter go with a warning.
• Shen Qingruo secured admission, and Elder Yaoguang exceptionally selected both He Guang and Su Yu’er; six candidates, including Shangguan Ya, earned places.
• Elder Yaoguang promised Shen Qiu he could enter as an Outer Sect disciple, then led the selected candidates toward the Lone Swan Sword Sect on a flying sword.
• Granny Aramaki and Shangguan Dongjun decided Shen Yun was a threat, and Shangguan Dongjun planned to have the Yin Yang Gate’s Seven Kill Little True Person kill him during an Outer Sect mission.

The new disciples arrived at the Lone Swan Sword Sect, where Dugu Li demonstrated her strength and explained the outer sect’s rules and five great sword arts. After the newcomers chose their peaks, Elder Yaoguang summoned Shen Yun to Golden Five Platforms Peak with an offer of Top Ten Outer Sect Disciple treatment.

• Shen Yun and the other new disciples arrived at the Lone Swan Sword Sect and saw Tantai Jing, Zhou Xingyu, and the injured Ye Chen among the recruits.
• Elder Yaoguang announced that all the recruits had passed selection and would become Sword Sect Disciples after the induction ceremony.
• Dugu Li explained the outer sect’s five peaks and warned that disciples who failed to reach the Qi Refining Ninth Layer before age fifty would be expelled.
• Tantai Jing challenged Dugu Li with a question about the Sword Sect’s five great sword arts, and she wounded him with one strike of her Instant Kill Xin Jin Sword Art.
• Dugu Li named the Great Five Elements Sword Arts, and the new disciples chose their peaks; Tantai Jing joined Golden Five Platforms Peak, while Shen Qingruo chose Wood Fifth Peak.
• After receiving a Transmission Talisman, Dugu Li offered Shen Yun a place at Golden Five Platforms Peak with the treatment of a Top Ten Outer Sect Disciple.

Shen Yun joined Golden Five Platforms Peak, mastered Instant Kill Geng Metal Sword Qi, and agreed to help Dugu Li hunt an earth demon leader in exchange for contribution points. Shangguan Dongjun learned of his journey and sent Shangguan Ya to help the Seven Kill Little True Person kill Shen Yun.

• An old disciple explained that the top ten outer sect disciples received three thousand monthly contribution points and qualified for inner sect selection.
• Shen Yun joined the procession to Golden Five Platforms Peak, inspected Ye Chen, and noticed that Ye Chen’s fortune seemed to have diminished.
• Dugu Li gave Shen Yun a superior palace residence and explained how he could obtain Instant Kill Geng Metal Sword Qi.
• Shen Yun mastered the first layer of Instant Kill Geng Metal Sword Qi in half an hour and reached the Perfect Realm after a week of cultivation.
• Dugu Li offered Shen Yun ten thousand contribution points to help her obtain an earth demon leader’s blood essence, and he agreed to leave for the Great Tong Dynasty with her.
• Shangguan Dongjun learned of Shen Yun’s journey and ordered Shangguan Ya to assist the Seven Kill Little True Person in killing him.

Shen Yun, Dugu Li, Tantai Jing, and Wang Xingchuan traveled to Jiangbei Commandery to confront the Earth Demons ravaging the region. After Shen Yun and Dugu Li cleared a path through poisonous creatures, several Earth Demons emerged from the miasma and charged at the group.

• Dugu Li introduced Shen Yun to Wang Xingchuan and Tantai Jing, then led them by Spirit Boat toward Jiangbei Commandery.
• Seven Kill Little True Person rebuked Shangguan Ya, killed an Earth Demon with a demonic blade, and set out for the city.
• The group arrived in Jiangbei Commandery, saw residents fleeing, and followed the Earth Demons' trail south under Dugu Li's direction.
• Shen Yun and Dugu Li killed poisonous creatures along the route, and Dugu Li was astonished by Shen Yun's mastery and speed with Instant Kill Sword Qi.
• Dugu Li warned the group after hearing Earth Demons nearby, and five or six Demonic Shadows emerged from the mist and charged.

Shen Yun led Dugu Li, Wang Xingchuan, and Tantai Jing through the miasma after effortlessly killing the Earth Demons in their path. They found the Blood Demon behind the attacks on Jiangbei Commandery, and Shen Yun confronted it as it ordered more humans captured.

• Dugu Li, Wang Xingchuan, and Shen Yun killed the six Earth Demons while Tantai Jing watched Shen Yun’s swordsmanship with growing reverence.
• Dugu Li deferred to Shen Yun, who led the group toward the powerful demonic aura ahead.
• Shen Yun discovered a Blood Demon whose strength resembled the Tiger Whale from the Seven Xuan Tower, but continued toward it with confidence.
• Shen Yun and the others reached a Heavenly Pit and saw Earth Demons feeding human corpses into a Blood Pool where the Blood Demon was transforming.
• The Blood Demon ordered its followers to capture three thousand more people from Jiangbei Commandery, and Shen Yun confronted it with a threat.

Shen Yun killed the Blood Demon and returned to find Seven Kill Little True Person attacking Dugu Li, Wang Xingchuan, and Tantai Jing. After Seven Kill Little True Person badly wounded all three, Shen Yun arrived and struck him with Instant Kill Sword Qi.

• Shen Yun pursued the Blood Demon, destroyed its cloak, and killed it after rejecting its pleas for mercy.
• Dugu Li, Wang Xingchuan, and Tantai Jing struggled against the Earth Demons and began retreating.
• Shen Yun used a demonic blade to kill all thirty Earth Demons and then returned from the Heavenly Pit.
• Seven Kill Little True Person arrived, demanded Shen Yun, and attacked the three Sword Sect disciples when they tried to flee.
• Seven Kill Little True Person severely wounded Wang Xingchuan, Tantai Jing, and Dugu Li, then moved to kill Dugu Li.
• Shen Yun appeared and slashed Seven Kill Little True Person's arm with Instant Kill Sword Qi.

Shen Yun confronted Seven Kill Little True Person, a murderous Yin Yang Gate cultivator who had massacred the Li Family and raised corpses as puppets. Shen Yun overwhelmed him with sword qi and his Five Elements Primordial Chaos Body, but Seven Kill Little True Person unleashed a Forbidden Art, leaving their battle unresolved.

• Seven Kill Little True Person revealed two corpses from his Nether Furnace, and Dugu Li recognized one as a Li Family ancestor.
• Seven Kill Little True Person admitted that he had exterminated the Li Family because they obstructed his cultivation of the Southern Dipper Six Blades.
• Shen Yun attacked Seven Kill Little True Person with Instant Kill Sword Qi and killed the Earth Demon Leader blocking their way.
• The Gray-Robed Nun's whisk struck Shen Yun, but his Five Elements Primordial Chaos Body left him unharmed, and he punched her to the ground.
• Seven Kill Little True Person used the Nether Furnace to unleash a Forbidden Art, while Shen Yun declared that nothing could save him.

Shen Yun defeated and killed Seven Kill Little True Person after revealing his mastery of fire-wood sword techniques. He then captured Shangguan Ya, who had been waiting nearby, and demanded to know why she was there.

• Seven Kill Little True Person broke through to Foundation Establishment Sixth Layer and attacked Shen Yun with his demon blade.
• Shen Yun evaded the blade assault while Dugu Li urged him to retreat.
• Shen Yun used True Form Phantom Technique to counterattack, badly wounding Seven Kill Little True Person with fire-wood sword qi.
• Shen Yun disrupted Seven Kill Little True Person with Divine Sense and killed him with a powerful sword strike.
• Dugu Li checked on the injured Wang Xingchuan and the others, while Shen Yun explained he had other ways to learn why Seven Kill Little True Person came after him.
• Shen Yun captured Shangguan Ya from the forest and demanded to know what she was doing there.

Shen Yun interrogated Shangguan Ya, used the Nether Furnace to turn her into an undercover agent for him, and returned to the Sword Sect with Dugu Li and the others. After a month of cultivation, he reached the Foundation Establishment Second Layer and began looking for ways to earn Contribution Points, deciding to visit the Alchemy Hall.

• Shen Yun subdued Shangguan Ya and learned that Shangguan Dongjun was behind her alliance with Seven Kill Little True Person.
• Shen Yun used the Nether Furnace to control Shangguan Ya, ordering her to tell Shangguan Dongjun that Seven Kill Little True Person had died at the Blood Demon's hands and to report further developments to him.
• Shen Yun and Dugu Li told the recovering Wang Xingchuan and Tantai Jing that they had driven off Seven Kill Little True Person, then led the group back to the Sword Sect.
• After a month of seclusion, Shen Yun broke through to the Foundation Establishment Second Layer and cultivated the second layers of two sword arts using Contribution Points from Dugu Li.
• Shen Yun asked Shen Wude how to earn Contribution Points, heard that Alchemists profited from the shortage of pills, and decided to go to the Alchemy Hall.

Shen Yun visited the Pill Hall, learned about its assessments, and decided to begin studying alchemy. After quickly memorizing the Myriad Herbs Record and analyzing a basic pill recipe, he started his first attempt at refining a pill.

• Shen Yun and Shen Wude arrived at the Pill Hall, where Li Guangbai assessed candidates seeking to join.
• Li Guangbai passed a Wood Peak woman after the first examination and let Xiao Fan enter directly because he had passed the assessment several times before.
• Shen Yun considered becoming a Guest Elder but joined the queue and later bought alchemy books, an Azure Fire Cauldron, and medicinal ingredients for 5,500 Contribution Points.
• Shen Yun returned home and memorized the Myriad Herbs Record in half a day, noticing that its author was the Pill Cauldron Divine Lord of Medicine Immortal Valley.
• Shen Yun studied the Qi Replenishing Pill recipe, planned how to combine its ingredients, and began his first attempt at alchemy.