Chapter Summaries

Black Tiger Demon Lord overwhelmed True Monarch Kuanglan in the first Nascent Soul fight, but Kuanglan escaped after taking the demon’s essence blood. With the Human Race camp shaken, Zhuge Xuan stepped onto the Life and Death Stage to face Black Tiger Demon Lord, and Shen Yun anticipated seeing Zhuge Xuan’s true strength.

• Black Tiger Demon Lord challenged the Human Race, and True Monarch Kuanglan stepped forward despite Zhuge Xuan’s warning.
• True Monarch Kuanglan unleashed his Kuanglan Sword Intent, but Black Tiger Demon Lord broke through his attacks and gravely wounded him.
• True Monarch Kuanglan used three drops of Black Tiger Demon Lord’s essence blood to open a crack in the Life and Death Stage, then escaped as the Heavenly Sword Sect Master saved him.
• Black Tiger Demon Lord demanded another opponent, and Fairy Xuan Yue offered to fight before Zhuge Xuan stopped her and entered the stage himself.
• The Demon Race celebrated Zhuge Xuan’s appearance, while Shen Yun watched calmly, expecting to see the Vice Sect Master’s true ability.

Zhuge Xuan used his Path of Divine Calculation and a seven-element formation to kill the Black Tiger Demon Lord, turning the battle’s momentum toward the Human Race. Qiongqi King then secretly crippled the Azure Flood Dragon King and sent him to fight next, leaving the Human Race alarmed.

• The Black Tiger Demon Lord unleashed the Azure Devouring Spirit Flame and attacked Zhuge Xuan, but Zhuge Xuan’s Jade Ruyi Scepter wounded him repeatedly while Zhuge Xuan demonstrated his Path of Divine Calculation to Shen Yun.
• Shen Yun realized the outcome had been decided as the Black Tiger Demon Lord fused the flame with his essence blood and charged Zhuge Xuan.
• Zhuge Xuan activated seven formations arranged in the Big Dipper, trapped the Black Tiger Demon Lord, and killed him with a seven-colored killing formation.
• Taotie Young Lord and the demons were shaken by the Black Tiger Demon Lord’s death, while the Human Race celebrated Zhuge Xuan’s victory.
• Qiongqi King struck the Azure Flood Dragon King with a demonic blade, reducing his cultivation from Deity Transformation to Core Formation Peak, then claimed he would help him rebuild his foundation.
• The Azure Flood Dragon King accepted Qiongqi King’s explanation for the moment, and Qiongqi King named him as the Demon Race’s next fighter.

Shen Qiu avenged Mo Feiyu by defeating Cang Ling and a white-furred Hou, but the exhausted fighter was challenged by a powerful Golden Fur Hou. Jin stepped forward to face the new opponent as the battle threatened to erupt.

• Zhuge Xuan yielded the Azure Flood Dragon King fight to Shen Yun, and the Qiongqi King's roulette selected Foundation Establishment Realm.
• Mo Feiyu fought Cang Ling for three hundred rounds before she pierced his brow; he survived through an external incarnation but lost his foundation.
• Shen Qiu confronted Cang Ling and killed her with the Tiger Soul Prison Soul Blade in a single slash.
• Shen Qiu defeated a white-furred Hou after a fierce battle, slaying his second demon in a row.
• The Golden Fur Hou emerged and overpowered Shen Qiu with its pressure, so Jin stepped forward to face it.

Jin defeated and annihilated the Golden Fur Hou with his Seven-Turn Mana and Judgment, bringing the battle to one win apiece. The final duel began as the demons turned their attention to the coming fight and the still-unrevealed threat.

• The Golden Fur Hou displayed its Sky-Splitting Great Strength Divine Ability, while Zhou Haocang identified it as a formidable bloodline body-refinement technique.
• Jin overwhelmed the Golden Fur Hou with his fists, revealed his Seven-Turn Mana, and cut through its body with a Dao platform’s immortal light.
• Feng Qisha and Zhang Zijian recognized Jin’s breakthroughs, and Shen Yun praised his potential as a late-blooming great vessel.
• Jin summoned a Spear of Judgment and pierced the Golden Fur Hou’s brow, annihilating its body and soul.
• The Taotie Young Lord vowed to kill the human cultivators, and the final duel began as the Qiongqi King declared that the Northern Wasteland would be stained with blood.

Shen Yun entered the battle against Cang Fei and killed her with a single finger, stunning both races. Taotie Young Lord then sent the Three-Headed Lion to test Shen Yun, but the demon immediately knelt and begged to serve him.

• Cang Fei challenged Zhou Haocang, and the Three-Headed Lion mocked the Human Race while displaying its demonic fire.
• Shen Yun stepped onto the Battle Platform despite Zhou Haocang's objection, and Lone Swan Sword Venerable urged Zhuge Xuan to trust him.
• Shen Yun killed Cang Fei with a finger strike, and the Human Race celebrated his victory.
• Taotie Young Lord ordered the Three-Headed Lion to test Shen Yun, but it knelt and begged Shen Yun to spare its life.

Shen Yun overwhelmed the Taotie Young Lord, breaking its Nascent Soul Battle Armor and driving it to the edge of defeat. The Taotie Young Lord then awakened the Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain, which erased Shen Yun’s Five Elements Sword Qi.

• The Three-Headed Lion surrendered to Shen Yun, exposed the Taotie Young Lord’s scandals, and joined the Human Race camp.
• The Taotie Young Lord entered the Battle Platform with its Nascent Soul Battle Armor and a powerful demonic dharma idol.
• Shen Yun evaded the Taotie Young Lord’s attacks, shattered its arm, and struck it with the Azure Cloud Sword Art.
• Shen Yun’s relentless attacks broke the Taotie Young Lord’s Nascent Soul Battle Armor, scattering its fragments.
• The Taotie Young Lord awakened the Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain, which dissolved Shen Yun’s Five Elements Sword Qi.

Shen Yun evaded Taotie Young Lord’s attacks from the Void Returning artifact and revealed overwhelming power, defeating him with a single punch. The crowd recognized Shen Yun’s True Immortal Potential.

• Taotie Young Lord summoned the Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain, terrifying both the Human Race camp and the other spectators.
• Shen Yun taunted Taotie Young Lord and dodged the chain’s attacks without leaving a three-zhang radius, using the Path of Divine Calculation.
• Three-Headed Lion mocked Taotie Young Lord, who lost control and unleashed the chain in a desperate assault.
• Shen Yun revealed a Nine-Revolutions Golden Core and Three-leaf Azure Lotus, then killed Taotie Young Lord with one punch.
• The Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain fell to the Battle Platform as the stunned crowd recognized Shen Yun’s True Immortal Potential.

Shen Yun defeated Taotie Young Lord and seized the Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain, while the Demon Race threatened to break its agreement. Taotie Ancestor’s attack was overcome by the Azure Dragon, and the defeated demons fled as the Human Race celebrated victory at Soul Severing Ridge.

• Shen Yun suppressed the Mysterious Underworld Soul Suppressing Chain after Taotie Young Lord fell, while Qiongqi King held back from attacking under Lone Swan Sword Venerable’s warning and the blood contract.
• Shen Yun stopped Azure Flood Dragon King and the demons from leaving, then learned from Zhuge Xuan that a Human Race expert would oppose Taotie Ancestor if he entered the Northern Wasteland.
• Qiongqi King unfurled a golden decree, summoning Taotie Ancestor’s will to attack Soul Severing Ridge with a sky-covering giant hand.
• The Azure Dragon killed Azure Flood Dragon King and several great demons, then used a Dragon Clan divine ability to destroy Taotie Ancestor’s descending attack.
• Qiongqi King led the defeated demons in retreat, and the Human Race cheered as the Azure Dragon carried Shen Yun back across Soul Severing Ridge.

After the war, Shen Qiu heard Divine Firmament Dao disciples belittle the Northern Wasteland and challenged Chen Aotian, while Senior Brother Linghu intervened and invited him to join as a lay disciple. The group set off to meet Jin and Shen Yun as the White-haired Storyteller warned that Divine Firmament Dao’s return would stir the Central Continent.

• Shen Qiu listened to storytellers praise the heroes of Soul Severing Ridge, then demanded harsher training after hearing Shen Yun hailed as the younger generation’s foremost figure.
• Chen Aotian and Ji Lengyue mocked the Northern Wasteland while praising Senior Brother Linghu, and the crowd recognized the Divine Firmament Dao disciples and their powerful followers.
• Shen Qiu confronted Chen Aotian, who revealed Five-Revolutions Golden Core cultivation and pressured the teahouse with his magic power.
• Senior Brother Linghu stopped the confrontation, offered Shen Qiu a place as a lay disciple, and said he was going to meet Jin and Shen Yun.
• Shen Qiu followed the group, and the White-haired Storyteller remarked that Divine Firmament Dao’s reopened Mountain Gate would stir the Central Continent and renew the struggle among Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.

Shen Yun was honored as the Lone Swan Sword Sect’s new Sword Elder, then arrived just as arrogant visitors from the Divine Firmament Dao challenged the sect. He left Chen Aotian crushed into the ground with a single blow, and Senior Brother Linghu recognized him.

• Zhuge Xuan announced Shen Yun’s appointment as Sword Elder, and the Lone Swan Sword Venerable gave him the golden sword talisman as the ancient swords rang out in tribute.
• The Divine Firmament Dao group broke through the sect’s Mountain Protecting Formation, and Zhao Tianhan confronted them before Chen Aotian forced him back with his pressure.
• Jue Wushen stepped in to defend the sect, but Chen Aotian overpowered his Divine Sense attack and drove him backward.
• Shen Yun appeared in time to seize Chen Aotian and slam him into the bluestone slabs, asking how he could be so unable to withstand a single blow.
• Senior Brother Linghu recognized the white-clad figure as Shen Yun.

Shen Yun subdued Chen Aotian and earned Senior Brother Linghu’s respect before learning about the Central Continent and the Divine Firmament Dao’s recruitment mission. He agreed to join the discussion of an operation concerning the weakening seal on the Qiongqi King, though the plan had not yet begun.

• Shen Yun defeated Chen Aotian and rebuked Ji Lengyue, prompting Senior Brother Linghu to apologize on his junior’s behalf.
• Shen Yun accepted the apology, and Senior Brother Linghu praised his cultivation as the group entered the council hall.
• Senior Brother Linghu explained the five regions, the Great Gan Immortal Dynasty, and the Three Great Sects that represented Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.
• Senior Brother Linghu invited Shen Yun to consider joining the Divine Firmament Dao while privately deciding he could not let such a powerful cultivator go.
• Senior Brother Linghu revealed that the Demon Court was moving around the weakening seal of the Qiongqi King and that the operation would begin after White Deer Academy and Great Thunderclap Sect arrived.
• Shen Yun asked whether he could join the operation concerning the Qiongqi King.

Qiongqi King reported the sealing array’s weakening to Taotie Ancestor, who ordered him to retrieve the person trapped in the forbidden land alongside Demon Lord Nanli. Meanwhile, Shen Yun and his companions reached the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range, where experts from White Deer Academy and Great Thunder Sound Temple arrived.

• Qiongqi King entered the Demon Court and told Taotie Ancestor that cracks had appeared in the sealing array after the Tiger Soul Prison Soul Blade was removed.
• Taotie Ancestor ordered Qiongqi King and Demon Lord Nanli to bring back the person from the sealed land.
• Demon Lord Nanli said the person had a deep connection to the Bi Fang Clan and assured Qiongqi King that the mission would not fail.
• Shen Yun traveled through the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range on the Three-Headed Lion with Chen Aotian and Senior Brother Linghu.
• Shen Yun sensed the arrival of the experts from White Deer Academy and Great Thunder Sound Temple.

Shen Yun joined Senior Brother Linghu, Bai Qian, Master Jing Yuan, and the others to locate and reinforce the weakening seal on a Phoenix-blooded demon. After Linghu’s compass identified the sealed land as the Death Gate, an unidentified clear voice corrected him, declaring that the true sealed land was the Life Gate.

• Senior Brother Linghu introduced Bai Qian and Master Jing Yuan to Shen Yun, then revealed that the seal contained a weakened Phoenix-blooded great demon.
• The group reached the ruined altar where Shen Qiu had broken the Qiongqi King’s seal, and Master Jing Yuan rescued Chen Aotian from deadly black runes.
• Senior Brother Linghu used his Eight Trigrams compass to map the valley and declared that the Phoenix-blooded demon was in the Death Gate.
• A clear voice contradicted Linghu, saying the Qiongqi King had been in the Death Gate and the true sealed land was the Life Gate.

Shen Yun led the group to Sun Radiance Lake after using the compass to deduce its location, then identified the weakening light power in the lake as the real problem. When he addressed someone concealed in the clouds, Demon Lord Nanli appeared, putting the group on guard.

• Shen Yun explained that sealing the Phoenix Clan with the Gate of Life would prevent its nirvana ability from breaking the seal.
• Shen Yun infused Senior Brother Linghu's compass with starlight, causing it to reveal the route to a spirit lake.
• Shen Yun led the group to the lake, where Chen Aotian recognized its vast quantity of Sun Radiance Spring.
• Shen Yun determined that the lake's power of light was weakening and that repairing the spirit array would not solve the real problem.
• Shen Yun called out someone hidden in the clouds, and Demon Lord Nanli emerged from the void, making the group tense for battle.

Dao Lord Nanli tried to stop Shen Yun from repairing the Spirit Array, but Shen Yun evaded him while restoring it and discovered how it sealed the great demon. Nanli unleashed the Freedom Sky Wings, but a black flame from the lake burned him, and You Huang emerged as the seal’s captive awakened.

• Dao Lord Nanli used Eight Steps to Catch Cicadas to evade the attacks of Master Jing Yuan, Senior Brother Linghu, and Bai Qian, while Shen Yun began repairing the Spirit Array.
• Shen Yun restored the array and realized it locked in the Sun Radiance Spring, with the Qiongqi King’s power sustaining the formation.
• Dao Lord Nanli used the Freedom Sky Wings to rush at Shen Yun, but Shen Yun slowed and outmaneuvered him with his Five Elements Domain of Law and Path of Divine Calculation.
• A jet of black fire erupted from the lake and burned Dao Lord Nanli, revealing that the demon beast’s consciousness had likely awakened.
• You Huang emerged from the lake in the form of a black-clad woman, and Dao Lord Nanli respectfully welcomed her.

You Huang broke free from the Spirit Array, but revealed that the Demon Court had sealed her and that she was its enemy. Azure Dragon appeared to restrain her, while Shen Yun learned she might possess a Five Elements Sacred Artifact.

• You Huang shattered the Spirit Array and escaped the seal as Shen Yun and the others watched.
• Demon Lord Nanli invited You Huang to return to the Demon Court, but she accused the Demon Court of sealing her and subdued him.
• You Huang spoke of the Golden Crow Demon Emperor, prompting Azure Dragon to appear and reveal his overwhelming power.
• You Huang recognized Azure Dragon as the Azure Dragon Ring, and Azure Dragon told Shen Yun that she might possess one of the Five Elements Sacred Artifacts.

Shen Yun learned why You Huang had been sealed and secured her agreement to seek the Phoenix Clan’s Five Elements Chaos Tower. After two years of cultivation, he reached the seventh level of the Golden Core, just as the Great Gan Immortal Dynasty announced a talent-based selection of immortal officials across the Five Regions.

• Azure Dragon erased memories of You Huang from those present, while Demon Lord Nanli was left for the Three Great Sects to interrogate.
• You Huang told Shen Yun that the Golden Crow Demon Emperor had joined with the Myriad Laws Virtual Immortal to seal her after she refused to become its empress.
• You Huang agreed to let Shen Yun seek the masterless Five Elements Chaos Tower, saying that those with karma could obtain it.
• Shen Yun prepared healing medicines and a Jade Talisman to conceal heavenly secrets for You Huang, then spent two years cultivating in Purple Cloud Grotto-Heaven.
• Shen Yun reached the seventh level of the Golden Core and began deducing the Nascent Soul chapter of his cultivation method.
• Shen Yun received an edict announcing that the Great Gan Immortal Dynasty would select immortal officials from the Five Regions based on talent.

The Great Gan Immortal Dynasty announced a selection for immortal officials, prompting Shen Yun to prepare for the journey to Central Continent and the martial examination. As the examinations approached, Marquis Guangcheng's heir Yang Xuanxiao traveled to Northern Wasteland as the scholarly tournament's chief examiner weighed the region's candidates.

• Emperor Qianyuan's edict opened selections for immortal officials across the Five Regions and promised the martial examination champion the post of Mirror Master.
• Shen Yun learned about the selection and considered Emperor Qianyuan's plan to build his own faction through the Mirror Division appointment.
• Zhuge Xuan told Shen Yun to seek a wider world and assured him the sect would protect the Shen Family, then revealed that the sect master's arrangement concerned Shen Yun's teacher.
• Lone Swan Sword Venerable silenced Zhuge Xuan, and Shen Yun anticipated meeting his teacher during his trip to Central Continent.
• Yang Xuanxiao arrived in Northern Wasteland aboard an imperial immortal boat, where his guards disparaged the region before he apologized to chief examiner Si Bojing.
• Yang Xuanxiao considered the commoner faction's candidates and examined an image recording stone showing a white-clad figure.

As the Immortal Dynasty Imperial Examination stirred rivalries and secret attacks in the Northern Wasteland, Shen Yun learned that powerful nobles were trying to seize the examination quotas. He reunited with Shen Qingruo, then learned the selection would be held at the Heartless Blade Tomb in Tianqing Prefecture.

• The Blood Kill Hall Master and Ni Yusheng hunted down those who targeted people around Shen Yun, then joined the Shen Family as guest elders.
• The Blood Kill Hall Master told Shen Yun that Emperor Qianyuan's broad recruitment threatened noble interests and that martial chief examiner Yang Xuanxiao belonged to Marquis Guangcheng's Estate.
• Shen Yun sensed Shen Qingruo's return and met her at Golden Peak Mountain after three years apart.
• Shen Qiu asked whether Shen Yun would take part in the selection, while Shen Yun saw a black pot of misfortune forming above Shen Qiu's head and left with Shen Qingruo.
• An immortal dynasty decree announced that the selection would take place at the Heartless Blade Tomb and ordered participants to reach Tianqing Prefecture within seven days.

At Thousand Peaks City, Shen Yun and the Sword Sect disciples gathered before the Immortal Dynasty’s selection, where other factions’ leaders and young talents took notice of Shen Yun’s strength. A white-haired storyteller then claimed that three selection participants might have Nascent Soul cultivation, leaving the crowded Dream Return Tower stunned.

• Shen Yun joined the Sword Sect’s elite disciples at Dream Return Tower, where they discussed the upcoming selection and drank Thousand Day Dream Return.
• Shen Yun found that the wine did not improve his comprehension, while Shen Wude eagerly drank the pot Shen Yun gave him.
• True Monarch Kuanglan and Fairy Xuan Yue greeted Shen Yun, and Mo Xuanji told Shui Qianluo that Shen Yun had slain the Taotie Young Lord and become a high-ranking Sword Sect figure.
• The White-haired Storyteller declared that three selection participants might be in the Nascent Soul Realm, silencing the Dream Return Tower.