Chapter Summaries

The Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor and the Black Gold Ring fought over whether the Stillness Dao would be absorbed into the Source Dao. The Black Gold Ring shattered its own existence to escape being returned to the source, and a surviving point of its origin fell toward Hidden Source Ridge on the Great Yan Continent.

• The Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor attacked the Black Gold Ring, but Logicless Deconstruction erased the intent and validity of its techniques.
• The Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor used the Great Heavenly Cycle Source Return Formation, while the Black Gold Ring escaped its reach by casting off its name and form.
• The Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor suppressed the Black Gold Ring with True Realm Annihilation, erasing even the act of returning it to the source.
• The Black Gold Ring severed its own existence, shattered into points of light, and denied the Source Dao Supreme Return Emperor its origin.
• One surviving point of the Black Gold Ring's origin slipped beyond the Source Dao's pursuit and fell toward Hidden Source Ridge on the Great Yan Continent.

A nameless boy emerged from a mysterious impact at Hidden Source Ridge and wandered into Little Stone Village with no memories. Qin Yu took him in and named him Qin Yu, giving him a home and a new beginning.

• A golden rift opened above Hidden Source Ridge, where a black-and-gold radiance condensed into a frail boy with no memories or name.
• The boy walked barefoot into Little Stone Village, where villagers questioned and mocked him.
• Qin Yu brought the boy a robe and offered to care for him, and he accepted her offer.
• Qin Yu fed the boy millet porridge and gave him a safe place to sleep in her cottage.
• The next morning, Qin Yu named him Qin Yu and welcomed him into her life.

Qin Yu took the boy she had adopted through the village market, bought him food and clothes, and gathered books to teach him. As they headed home, she promised to make fish soup and teach him his first character.

• Qin Yu introduced the boy as her child and named him Qin Yu, standing up to villagers who questioned her decision.
• A flatbread seller gave the boy food, and Qin Yu taught him to say thank you.
• Qin Yu bought the boy a gray robe at the clothing shop, where the shopkeeper reduced the price to twenty-five copper spirit coins.
• Qin Yu bought copybooks and introductory books at the Literary Workshop so she could teach the boy to read.
• Qin Yu bought vegetables and fish, then led the boy home, promising him fish soup and his first character lesson.

Qin Yu discovered that Yu'er had an extraordinary memory and learning ability, and his village teacher urged her to send him to Cloud-Leveling Hall to cultivate the Dao. Yu'er agreed to pursue the path, leaving Qin Yu proud but aware that his life would soon reach beyond their village.

• Qin Yu welcomed Yu'er into her home, fed him, and taught him the characters for “person” and “Mother,” and Yu'er called her Mother for the first time.
• Qin Yu noticed Yu'er remembered everything she taught him after one lesson and decided to send him to the village school.
• At school, Yu'er learned ten characters in one lesson, impressing the teacher while some pupils mocked and rejected him.
• That night, Yu'er memorized his copybook and several books after reading them once, astonishing Qin Yu.
• The teacher tested Yu'er with the advanced Initial Explanation of the Great Evolution, and Yu'er recited the entire volume after reading it once.
• The teacher urged Qin Yu to send Yu'er to Cloud-Leveling Hall to cultivate the Dao, and Yu'er said he wanted to learn.

Qin Yu's mother decided to take him from their village to Cloud-Leveling Hall so his aptitude would not go to waste. After a difficult journey, they reached the sect and were told to wait three days for the entrance assessment, leaving Qin Yu determined to get in.

• Qin Yu's mother watched him sleep and resolved to take him to Cloud-Leveling Hall despite the pain of parting.
• Qin Yu and his mother left the village and endured a journey of dozens of days through hills, forests, and across a great river.
• Qin Yu and his mother reached Central State and marveled at the immense halls and spirit lake of Cloud-Leveling Hall.
• At the mountain gate, a gatekeeping disciple told Qin Yu and his mother to stay in the outer halls until the entrance assessment in three days.
• Qin Yu clutched his copybook and told his mother he had to enter Cloud-Leveling Hall, and she said she believed in him.

Qin Yu passed Cloud-Leveling Hall's spirit root test with the lowest-grade gray spirit root and was admitted despite the crowd's doubts. After his mother left, he settled into the outer courtyard and met fellow gray spirit root disciple Yang Zheng.

• Qin Yu entered Cloud-Leveling Hall's testing square after promising his mother he would do his best.
• The Spirit Root Testing Stone first showed no response, then produced a brief phenomenon and revealed Qin Yu's gray spirit root, qualifying him for admission.
• Qin Yu reunited with his mother, celebrated that he had passed, and promised to return after completing his studies.
• Cloud-Leveling Hall assigned Qin Yu to a modest bamboo house in the outer courtyard, where he resolved to keep studying and cultivating for his mother's sake.
• At the morning gathering, Qin Yu met Yang Zheng, another gray spirit root disciple, and the two became companions.

Qin Yu endured menial labor alongside Yang Zheng while studying the Breath-Nurturing Chapter and impressing the duty disciple with his memory and insight. While carrying Spirit Stone ore, he sensed its Qi and began drawing it into his body for the first time.

• Qin Yu and Yang Zheng worked together and encouraged each other despite their Gray Spirit Roots and exhausting assignments.
• Qin Yu stayed up studying, memorized the Breath-Nurturing Chapter, and used his work carrying water to explain its meaning to the duty disciple.
• Yang Zheng celebrated Qin Yu’s ability and pledged that they would work toward their goals together.
• Qin Yu touched a Spirit Stone while helping Yang Zheng carry it, sensed its Qi, and synchronized his breathing with its pulse.
• Qin Yu delivered the ore to the rear mountain’s spiritual pool feeling stronger, and realized he could sense the Spirit Stone’s Qi.

Qin Yu unexpectedly drew in Spiritual Qi at a tremendous rate while following the Breath-Nurturing Chapter, shocking the steward, who ordered him to keep the feat secret. He grew closer to Yang Zheng while enduring the disciples’ labor, and the chapter ends with the steward asking Qin Yu if he knows he is different from others.

• Qin Yu followed the Breath-Nurturing Chapter beside a Spirit Stone and drew in a flood of Spiritual Qi, stunning the nearby disciples.
• The steward tested Qin Yu’s Spiritual Qi, warned him not to reveal his cultivation, and told him to continue working cautiously.
• Yang Zheng visited Qin Yu that night, and the two pledged to cultivate together as brothers.
• When Yang Zheng struggled to carry a Spirit Stone, Qin Yu helped him finish the task despite the other disciples’ mockery.
• After dismissing the disciples, the steward kept Qin Yu behind and asked whether he knew he was different from others.

After witnessing Qin Yu draw in Spiritual Qi, the deacon gave him the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art and planned to help him enter the outer disciple competition. Qin Yu began cultivating, grew stronger, and promised to rise alongside Yang Zheng; the chapter ended with the deacon taking him out for a nighttime walk.

• Qin Yu drew in Spiritual Qi with a phenomenon that shocked the deacon, who decided to nurture him while warning him to hide his ability.
• The deacon gave Qin Yu the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art and said he would try to get him onto the outer disciple competition list in seven days.
• Qin Yu practiced the art in his hut and felt his body grow stronger after completing its breathing and movement forms.
• Qin Yu carried Spirit Stones with ease the next day, surprising Yang Zheng and the other disciples.
• Yang Zheng asked about Qin Yu's strength, and the two called each other brothers and promised to grow stronger together.
• The deacon visited Qin Yu at night and took him into the bamboo grove for a walk.

Zhang Hao encouraged Qin Yu to compete for a place among Cloud-Leveling Hall's outer sect disciples and arranged to help secure his eligibility. Qin Yu rapidly advanced to the second level of the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art, impressing the other gray Spirit Root disciples as the five-day competition approached.

• Zhang Hao explained the cultivation realms and told Qin Yu that the outer sect competition would begin in five days, promising to secure his eligibility.
• Qin Yu broke through to the first level, Draw Qi and Temper Bones, during a night of cultivation in his bamboo hut.
• Qin Yu trained through work and nightly practice, then attained the second level, Skin Tempering and Sinew Refining, on the fourth night.
• Qin Yu effortlessly carried heavy raw ore at the rear mountain, astonishing the other disciples and earning Yang Zheng's praise.
• Zhang Hao watched Qin Yu work and resolved to personally help him rise in the outer sect competition.

Qin Yu went to the Cloud-Leveling Hall’s outer sect assessment with Zhang Hao after receiving a secret cultivation method and encouragement from Yang Zheng. Though the crowd mocked his Gray Spirit Root, the spirit stone pillar revealed a powerful phenomenon spiritual root, leaving the elders and spectators stunned.

• Zhang Hao gave Qin Yu the Spiritual Breath Essence Condensation Method and urged him to prove himself in the assessment.
• Qin Yu told Yang Zheng that Zhang Hao would personally take him to the outer sect assessment, and Yang Zheng encouraged him.
• Zhang Hao escorted Qin Yu to the Cloud-Leveling Hall, where the grand elder announced the assessment rules.
• Qin Yu touched the spirit stone pillar, which first showed no response as the crowd mocked him.
• The pillar erupted with five-element light and formed a black-and-gold halo, prompting the grand elder to identify Qin Yu’s root as a legendary phenomenon spiritual root.

Qin Yu was recognized as Cloud-Leveling Hall’s first phenomenon spiritual root and admitted to the outer sect, though elders planned to confirm his aptitude before making him a direct disciple. After facing Luo Chuan’s scorn at his new residence, Qin Yu returned to share the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art with Yang Zheng, who vowed to join him in the outer sect.

• Qin Yu passed the Spirit Root test, and Zhang Hao defended him against deacons who doubted that he had a phenomenon spiritual root.
• The grand elder admitted Qin Yu to the outer sect pending several months of observation, promised to make him a direct disciple if his aptitude was confirmed, and rewarded Zhang Hao with cultivation methods and Spirit Stones.
• Cloud-Leveling Hall held a grand initiation ceremony, engraved Qin Yu’s name on its spiritual stele, and issued him an outer sect token and a private residence.
• Luo Chuan mocked Qin Yu’s claimed aptitude and objected to him sharing outer sect resources, while Zhang Hao urged Qin Yu to grow strong enough to answer his critics.
• Qin Yu visited Yang Zheng and gave him a copied version of the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art, and Yang Zheng vowed to become an outer sect disciple alongside him.

Qin Yu cultivated with the help of Zhang Hao’s Spirit Stones and broke through to the Mortal Fetus Realm, drawing attention across the outer disciples’ district. Luo Chuan renewed his threat to defeat him at the competition in seven days, and Qin Yu resolved to fight for his pride and his mother.

• Luo Chuan challenged Qin Yu to face him at the outer disciples’ competition in seven days and demanded Qin Yu’s resources as the prize.
• Zhang Hao warned Qin Yu that Luo Chuan’s powerful Luo Family had secretly sent him to Cloud-Leveling Hall for an unknown plan, then gave Qin Yu five high-grade Spirit Stones and urged him to reach the third layer of the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art.
• Qin Yu used the Spirit Stones to cultivate and broke through to the Mortal Fetus Realm, sending a pillar of light above his courtyard.
• Luo Chuan recognized Qin Yu’s rapid progress and threatened to make him kneel at the competition, while Qin Yu vowed not to back down.
• Qin Yu thought of his mother and promised to fight so that no one would look down on him.

Qin Yu received the Spirit Annihilation Sword from Zhang Hao and learned its first form as he prepared to face Luo Chuan. He chose the dangerous Extinction Spirit Light Art and, after repeated failures, developed a stable, powerful sword strike, leaving him ready to use it in the upcoming match.

• Zhang Hao gave Qin Yu the Spirit Annihilation Sword and taught him the Five Forms, telling him to master Spirit Light Slash before his match with Luo Chuan.
• Qin Yu successfully performed Spirit Light Slash, destroying a stone platform, while Luo Chuan failed to break through to the Spirit Awakening Realm and nearly suffered Qi Deviation.
• At the Cultivation Art Hall, Qin Yu chose the Extinction Spirit Light Art after its Jade Slip resonated with his sword and caused a powerful phenomenon.
• Qin Yu struggled through repeated attempts to compress Spiritual Qi into his sword, then produced his first short ray of annihilating spiritual light.
• Over the following days, Qin Yu made the sword light stable and learned to extend it to five feet with a forceful strike.

Qin Yu defeated Zhang Ling with the Extinction Spirit Light Art in the outer sect tournament, while Luo Chuan won his match against Han Yue and silently challenged him. The next morning, Qin Yu began his second-round match against Liu Feng, whose fire dragons collided with Qin Yu’s Spirit Light Slash.

• Luo Chuan secretly handled a black jade vial and vowed to make sure Qin Yu never rose again in the tournament.
• Qin Yu defeated Zhang Ling with a powerful strike of the Extinction Spirit Light Art, winning his first-round match and drawing Zhang Hao’s approval.
• Lin Hao defeated Zhou Lie, and Chen Wan defeated Zhao Qian in other first-round matches.
• Luo Chuan broke through Han Yue’s Earth Spirit Shield, defeated him, and fixed Qin Yu with a silent challenge.
• Qin Yu trained with the Spirit Annihilation Sword through the night, strengthening his resolve to face Luo Chuan.
• Qin Yu began his second-round match against Liu Feng, and his Spirit Light Slash collided with Liu Feng’s fire dragons.

Qin Yu defeated Liu Feng and Wu Qing with the Extinction Spirit Light Art before facing Luo Chuan in the fourth round. Their fierce duel continued without a decisive winner, leaving both fighters searching for an opening.

• Qin Yu unleashed the Extinction Spirit Light Art to defeat Liu Feng in the second round.
• Qin Yu saw through Wu Qing’s movement technique and won the third round with another Extinction Spirit Light Art strike.
• Zhang Hao warned Qin Yu that repeatedly using the sword art could exhaust his Spiritual Qi and urged him to fight with restraint.
• Qin Yu drew Luo Chuan as his opponent in the fourth round, and the crowd anticipated a clash between the tournament’s rising challenger and an outer sect top-ten fighter.
• Qin Yu and Luo Chuan traded increasingly powerful sword techniques, each resisting the other’s attacks as the battle wore on without a clear victor.

Qin Yu defeated Luo Chuan in a devastating sword battle, breaking through to the middle stage of the Mortal Fetus realm and unleashing a mysterious gray light that shattered Luo Chuan’s final attack. After the presiding elder declared Qin Yu the winner, Zhang Hao arranged for him to recuperate, and Qin Yu silently dedicated his victory to his mother.

• Luo Chuan unleashed his World Extinction and Realm Shattering sword moon, but Qin Yu endured it with the Spirit Protection Screen and broke through to the middle stage of the Mortal Fetus realm.
• Qin Yu counterattacked with Spirit Light Slash, shattered Luo Chuan’s sword moon, and blasted him into the ruined arena wall.
• Luo Chuan burned his blood and soul to launch a final Realm-Shattering Slash, but a mysterious gray light erupted from Qin Yu and shattered Luo Chuan’s sword, knocking him unconscious.
• The presiding elder declared Qin Yu the winner, while Zhang Hao wondered about the gray light and resolved to secure Qin Yu’s recovery.
• Zhang Hao caught the exhausted Qin Yu, ordered disciples to take him to a quiet chamber with pills and Spirit-Gathering Stones, and praised his perseverance before the crowd.
• As the disciples escorted him away, Qin Yu silently told his mother that he had done it.

Qin Yu received tournament rewards and a warning about Luo Chuan's Lineage, while Yang Zheng officially became an outer sect disciple. After examining the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art and questioning his mysterious gray power, Qin Yu went to the Weapons Hall to choose a battle spear and joined Yang Zheng there.

• Zhang Hao gave Qin Yu thirty high-grade spirit pills and the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art as rewards from the Hall Master for winning four consecutive tournament matches.
• Zhang Hao announced Yang Zheng's promotion and warned Qin Yu that Luo Chuan's powerful Lineage might retaliate after taking the injured Luo Chuan away.
• Zhang Hao escorted Yang Zheng to collect his outer sect robes and disciple token.
• Qin Yu reflected on the gray light that had defeated Luo Chuan, recognized its apparent power to negate other forces, and resolved to uncover and master it.
• Qin Yu studied the five forms of the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art and decided that he needed a battle spear to use it properly.
• Qin Yu arrived at the Weapons Hall and agreed to help Yang Zheng find a suitable weapon while choosing his own spear.

Qin Yu chose the Spear of Ashen Annihilation, mastered two moves of the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art, and consumed the hall master's high-grade spirit pills to cultivate in Cloud-Leveling Hall's rear mountain. He broke through the Mortal Embryo Realm and awakened his Spiritual Sense, reaching the Spirit Awakening Realm.

• Qin Yu attuned to an ancient battle spear in the weapons hall, named it the Spear of Ashen Annihilation, and pierced a trial wall with its power.
• Yang Zheng found a blue-green longsword that suited him, named it the Azure Balance Sword, and went to the cultivation methods hall to seek a sword art.
• Qin Yu went to the rear mountain and mastered the first move, Spiritual Light Thrust, then practiced the second move, Qi Cyclone Spear Dance.
• Qin Yu used the high-grade spirit pills to break through to Mortal Embryo Realm Greater Accomplishment.
• Qin Yu opened his Spiritual Sense, reached the Spirit Awakening Realm, and sensed the world across a hundred-zhang radius.

Qin Yu mastered the first two forms of the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art after reaching the spirit awakening realm, while learning that Heaven-Guiding Strike consumed nearly all his Spiritual Qi. After Deacon Zhang Hao announced the outer disciples’ trial, Qin Yu joined the assembly bound for the Shadow Woods, hoping its dangers might reveal the truth of the mysterious gray light within him.

• Qin Yu tested Heaven-Guiding Strike, cleaving a huge section from the cliff, then realized its immense Spiritual Qi cost and considered combining his spear art with the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art.
• Qin Yu spent several days training until he could wield Spiritual Light Thrust and Qi Cyclone Spear Dance smoothly and without exhausting his Spiritual Qi.
• Qin Yu returned to the outer disciples’ courtyard, where Yang Zheng showed him the Heng Mountain Sword Art he had chosen for his Azure Balance Sword.
• Deacon Zhang Hao discovered Qin Yu had reached the spirit awakening realm and warned him and Yang Zheng that the outer disciples’ trial could involve deadly beasts and struggles with other disciples.
• Qin Yu tried to understand the gray light that had appeared during his battle with Luo Chuan but could not summon or detect it again.
• An elder announced that the outer disciples would travel to the Shadow Woods to eliminate demonic beasts and gather spiritual herbs, and Qin Yu set out hoping the trial would help him uncover the gray light’s secret.