Chapter Summaries

Dongfang Yueming saved his remaining points and met Shi Tao, Gao Feng, and Ye Yingying after they invited him to join their group traveling to the Central Continent. The group recruited Hong Bai and his granddaughter Hong Ling, who clung to Dongfang Yueming and proposed that he become her boyfriend, leaving him wary of her.

• Dongfang Yueming decided to save his 867 points until he knew what challenges awaited him aboard the ship.
• Shi Tao, Gao Feng, and Ye Yingying approached Dongfang Yueming and invited him to share a meal and travel with them; Gao Feng became jealous when he realized Dongfang Yueming was a Blood Replacement Realm expert.
• Shi Tao led the group to meet Hong Bai and Hong Ling, and Hong Ling immediately grabbed Dongfang Yueming and declared him her boyfriend.
• Hong Bai agreed to join Shi Tao's group after Hong Ling urged him, while Dongfang Yueming tactfully rejected Hong Ling's advance and remained suspicious of her aura.

Shi Tao recruited travelers to join the Cloud-Overturning Gate, while Dongfang Yueming declined and left the group. As the vessel continued its voyage, Hong Ling stayed close to Dongfang Yueming, and eighteen days later he checked his attribute panel and found he had accumulated 4467 points.

• Shi Tao explained the powerful factions in the Cloud Water Dynasty and invited the travelers to join the Cloud-Overturning Gate.
• Xi Zhenyue recognized Dongfang Yueming as the man who had killed Xi Lang and began to suspect he possessed a valuable treasure.
• Dongfang Yueming declined Shi Tao's invitation and left the dining hall; Hong Ling and Hong Bai followed him.
• Hong Ling said she wanted to follow Dongfang Yueming because he smelled sweet, and Hong Bai apologized for her remark.
• During the next eighteen days, Dongfang Yueming cultivated while Hong Ling often stayed by his side and Gao Feng mocked him for refusing to join the Cloud-Overturning Gate.
• Dongfang Yueming went onto the deck and summoned his attribute panel, which showed 4467 points.

Dongfang Yueming and the others faced a tide of sea beasts that overwhelmed the ship’s deck, while he, Hong Ling, and Hong Bai fought off powerful attackers with ease. Xi Zhenyue noticed Dongfang Yueming’s strength and secretly diverted a seahorse-like beast toward him and his companions.

• Dongfang Yueming decided not to use his points to improve his cultivation method, then a surge of sea beasts appeared on the horizon.
• Li Po warned the martial artists about the approaching beasts and ordered those below the Marrow Cleansing Realm to take shelter as Internal Force Realm experts emerged to fight.
• Sea-dwelling Mortal Beasts swarmed the deck, killing a veteran martial artist and turning the ship into a chaotic battlefield.
• Dongfang Yueming, Hong Ling, and Hong Bai fought powerful beasts, while Gao Feng was shocked to see them holding their own.
• Xi Zhenyue noticed Dongfang Yueming’s performance and steered a large seahorse-like Mortal Beast toward him and his companions.

Dongfang Yueming helped Hong Ling survive a sea-beast attack before the ship reached the Central Continent. In the Cloud Water Dynasty, he declined Shi Tao’s invitation, while Gao Long and the Xi family were received by an envoy of the Heaven-Surging Alliance.

• Dongfang Yueming killed the Sea Mortal Beast threatening Hong Ling, then fought alongside her against two advanced Sea Mortal Beasts until the battle ended.
• Dongfang Yueming, Hong Ling, and Hong Bai emerged unhurt while Shi Tao, Gao Feng, and their companions suffered injuries in the slaughter.
• After twelve days at sea, Dongfang Yueming and the others reached the Central Continent and disembarked at a harbor in the Cloud Water Dynasty.
• Dongfang Yueming declined Shi Tao’s renewed invitation to join the Cloud-Overturning Gate, and Gao Feng left with Shi Tao’s group.
• A Qi Refining Greater Success envoy from the Heaven-Surging Alliance welcomed Gao Long and led Xi Zhenyue and the invited martial artists away to make arrangements.

Dongfang Yueming learned about the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate and its powerful contestants and rewards while exploring the Cloud Water Dynasty. Hong Ling recited a new cultivation method for him, leaving the panel updated with the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method.

• Dongfang Yueming and Hong Ling encountered Xie Ning, a Qi Refining Realm Perfection genius from the Cloud-Overturning Gate, on the street.
• Dongfang Yueming learned that Xie Ning had condensed a mid-grade qi swirl phenomenon and that such phenomena were signs of exceptional talent.
• Hong Ling explained the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate’s age and cultivation requirements and said she believed Dongfang Yueming could compete.
• Dongfang Yueming asked Hong Ling for a powerful Qi Refining cultivation method, and she recited the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method to him.
• Dongfang Yueming saw the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method appear on his panel as a method he had not yet initiated.

Dongfang Yueming learned the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method from Hong Ling, then drew Xi Zhenyue into following him toward the outskirts. Meanwhile, Gao Feng, Ye Yingying, and the others were assigned to care for Crimson Flame Steeds at a Cloud-Overturning Gate stronghold, where Shi Tao was rewarded for bringing them there.

• Dongfang Yueming learned that the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method required three hundred points and teased Hong Ling, who ran off blushing.
• Hong Bai caught up with Hong Ling and teased her for leaving Dongfang Yueming alone to cultivate; Dongfang Yueming reflected on his debt to her.
• Dongfang Yueming noticed Xi Zhenyue watching him, pretended not to notice, and walked toward the city outskirts; Xi Zhenyue followed.
• Gao Long heard that Xi Zhenyue had not joined the other invited martial artists and privately dismissed him as a fool.
• Shi Tao brought Gao Feng, Ye Yingying, and five others to a Cloud-Overturning Gate stronghold, where a deacon ordered them to feed and clean up after the Crimson Flame Steeds.
• Xie Ning arrived on a Crimson Flame Steed and gave instructions for its feed and water; afterward, the deacon rewarded Shi Tao with Qi Refining Powder for recruiting the outsiders.

Dongfang Yueming killed Xi Zhenyue after rapidly advancing his cultivation, then used his remaining points to perfect the Crimson Swirl Qi Refining Method and strengthen the Crimson Flame Fist Technique. His new fist intent drew the attention of a master in Cloud Water City, who told Xie Ning to prepare for the approaching Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate.

• Dongfang Yueming raised the Crimson Swirl Qi Refining Method to Greater Success and turned to face Xi Zhenyue, who had followed him outside the city.
• Xi Zhenyue attacked Dongfang Yueming with the Billowing Waves Fist, but Dongfang Yueming overpowered him and killed him despite his threat to invoke the Heaven-Surging Alliance.
• Dongfang Yueming looted Xi Zhenyue's three spiritual-qi coins and martial arts manual, then spent points to perfect the Crimson Swirl Qi Refining Method and form a high-grade Qi Swirl Phenomenon.
• Dongfang Yueming advanced the Crimson Flame Fist Technique to Greater Success, causing its fist intent to resonate with his Qi Swirl Phenomenon.
• An old man at the Cloud-Overturning Gate sensed Dongfang Yueming's powerful fire-attribute Martial Dao True Intent and told Xie Ning to prepare for the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate.

Dongfang Yueming killed Gao Long after learning that he belonged to the Heaven-Surging Alliance, then returned to the city and gathered information about the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate. He learned that unaffiliated cultivators could qualify through trials held in the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty’s Trial Valley.

• Gao Long sensed Dongfang Yueming’s powerful fire-attribute True Intent and attacked him with a technique from the Heaven-Surging Alliance.
• Dongfang Yueming overpowered Gao Long and killed him with a punch through his protective true qi.
• Dongfang Yueming looted Gao Long’s corpse, finding thirty white coins and the Heaven-Surging Qi Refining Method, then destroyed the traces of both Gao Long and Xi Zhenyue.
• Three days later, Dongfang Yueming listened to martial artists at a teahouse discuss the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate and learned that unaffiliated cultivators could qualify by passing trials.
• A curly-bearded man said the three-stage selection trials would be held in the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty’s Trial Valley.

Dongfang Yueming left a teahouse after hearing about the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate, while the Heaven-Surging Alliance began hunting Gao Long’s killer. Qu Yutang learned of Gao Long’s death and concealed her hatred of the alliance leader as she prepared to pursue her own plans.

• A curly-bearded man invited martial artists to join his traveling team to the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty, but Dongfang Yueming declined and ignored the locals’ taunts as he headed for the teahouse exit.
• A Grandmaster elder learned that Gao Long had been killed by a Qi Refining Realm martial artist who used powerful fire-attribute True Intent, and ordered a search at Trial Valley.
• The elder told his subordinate to watch for young martial artists displaying powerful fire-attribute Martial Dao True Intent during the Battle of the Flood Dragon Gate.
• Qu Yutang arrived and agreed that Gao Long’s killer should be avenged, though she privately believed Gao Long deserved his fate.
• The elder congratulated Qu Yutang on reaching the Internal Force Realm, while she privately vowed to reclaim what the Heaven-Surging Alliance leader had taken from her Qu Family.

Dongfang Yueming left the teahouse after effortlessly defeating a local martial artist, then spent seven days cultivating before the Cloudwater Sect, Cloud-Overturning Gate, and Heaven-Surging Alliance gathered to travel to the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty. As the procession departed for Trial Valley, Dongfang Yueming asked an elderly stallholder for Qi Refining Realm movement techniques and decided to buy all three manuals.

• Dongfang Yueming slapped away a local martial artist who attacked him and walked out of the teahouse without looking back.
• Dongfang Yueming spent seven days cultivating at an inn and planned to perfect the Heaven-Surging Qi Refining Method after another day.
• Yun Han and Yun Qian led the Cloudwater Sect contingent into the central square, followed by Xie Ning and Gao Feng with the Cloud-Overturning Gate.
• Qu Yutang led the Heaven-Surging Alliance into the square, and Princess Yun Qian showed a trace of hostility toward her.
• The three powers and independent martial artists set out for the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty, while Dongfang Yueming asked an elderly stallholder about movement techniques.
• The elderly stallholder offered the Surging Waves Movement Technique, Cloud-Treading Steps, and Shadow-Chasing Movement Technique, and Dongfang Yueming said he would take all three.

Dongfang Yueming bought three manuals and improved Cloud-Treading Steps to minor mastery while traveling after the main party. The leading groups sped ahead, leaving the independent cultivators to face the dangers of the road, including Sand Snake Land, as Dongfang Yueming continued onward.

• Dongfang Yueming paid the old stallholder nine white coins for three manuals and left to catch up with the party.
• Dongfang Yueming spent 36 points to raise Cloud-Treading Steps to minor mastery and quickly caught up with the procession.
• Princess Yun Qian and Yun Han sped ahead, and Qu Yutang and Xie Ning followed with their groups, leaving the independent cultivators behind.
• The curly-bearded man warned the independent cultivators about Sand Snake Land and urged them to work together there.
• Dongfang Yueming wondered about the dangers of Sand Snake Land, while the local martial artist who had previously provoked him secretly wished him dead.

Dongfang Yueming slipped away from the procession and used his points to cultivate the Heaven-Surging Qi Refining Method to perfection. He fused it with the Crimson Swirl Qi Refining Method into a supreme-grade Water-Fire Yin-Yang Art, then planned to improve it further after his points recovered.

• Li Niu demonstrated Cloud-Treading Steps to the procession while Dongfang Yueming suspected he had an ulterior motive and left for a secluded grove.
• Li Niu sent Li Tie to follow Dongfang Yueming, but Dongfang Yueming accelerated through the forest and escaped him.
• Yunshan, using the alias Li Shan, learned that Li Tie had lost Dongfang Yueming and warned him not to reveal the factions' secrets.
• Dongfang Yueming raised the Heaven-Surging Qi Refining Method to perfection, forming a black cyclone that balanced the Crimson Swirl Qi Refining Method's flame cyclone.
• Dongfang Yueming fused the two perfected methods into a supreme-grade taiji cyclone and named the new method the Water-Fire Yin-Yang Art.

Dongfang Yueming joined Li Niu’s group across Sand Snake Land and suspected their journey was a scheme to feed travelers to the snakes. When he fled, a Heaven-Surging Alliance Inner Force martial artist pursued him to prevent any “accidents.”

• After three days of travel, Li Niu led the cultivators into Sand Snake Land, where sand snakes attacked and killed several people.
• Li Niu killed a mature sand snake while ignoring smaller snakes, winning the group’s gratitude as Dongfang Yueming noticed his selective targets.
• Three hidden Internal Force Realm experts guarded the group’s outskirts, and Dongfang Yueming suspected they were preventing anyone from escaping.
• As the group fought the snakes, Dongfang Yueming slipped away in the opposite direction from the travelers.
• Li Tie noticed Dongfang Yueming’s flight, and Yunshan and the other experts reacted; a Heaven-Surging Alliance Inner Force martial artist silently went after him.

Dongfang Yueming killed the Heaven-Surging Alliance expert who pursued him by combining his Crimson Flame Fist with his water-and-fire taiji cyclone. After upgrading Cloud-Treading Steps to perfection, he fled Sand Snake Land while Yunshan and another Cloud-Overturning Gate expert reconsidered pursuing him.

• Dongfang Yueming stopped and faced the Heaven-Surging Alliance expert, whose first palm attack was melted by his Crimson Flame Fist.
• The Heaven-Surging Alliance expert offered Dongfang Yueming a place in the alliance, then attacked again with Heaven-Overwhelming Palm when Dongfang refused to answer.
• Dongfang Yueming's taiji cyclone weakened the palm force, allowing his Crimson Flame Fist to strike the expert and kill him.
• Dongfang Yueming looted two jade slips and a pouch of white coins, then spent points to raise Cloud-Treading Steps to perfection.
• Yunshan and another Cloud-Overturning Gate expert sensed the clash, suspected Dongfang Yueming had defeated their ally, and chose not to pursue him.

Dongfang Yueming acquired the Heaven-Overwhelming Force Condensation Method and Heaven-Overwhelming Palm, then reached the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty and entered its border stronghold. There, he learned of Wei Yun’s exceptional strength and declined Wei Meng’s offer to travel to Trial Valley with her and Hou Liang.

• Dongfang Yueming inspected the two jade slips he had looted and found an Internal Force cultivation method and the Heaven-Overwhelming Palm.
• After traveling for fifteen days, Dongfang Yueming reached the Heavenly Splendor Dynasty, where Qi Refining Realm martial artists queued to enter the city and paid ten white crystal coins each.
• Wei Yun walked through the gate without queuing, and guards explained that the Qi Refining genius had killed a Vicious Beast called the Crimson-Spotted Tiger King.
• Dongfang Yueming paid the entry fee and entered the city, where Wei Meng invited him to travel with her and Hou Liang toward Trial Valley.
• Hou Liang disparaged Dongfang Yueming, who politely declined Wei Meng’s offer and continued into the city alone.

Dongfang Yueming perfected the Primordial Yin-Yang Art, entered the Internal Force Realm, and struggled with a clash between his cold Inner Force and Crimson Flame fist intent. After arriving in Tianhua City, he attended Grandmaster Yuye’s lecture and explained that prestigious disciples excel because their techniques form compatible lineages.

• Dongfang Yueming spent points to perfect the Nine-Turn Qi Refining Method, which merged with his other perfected methods into the Primordial Yin-Yang Art.
• Dongfang Yueming entered the Internal Force Realm using the Heaven-Overwhelming Force Condensation Method, but its yin-cold Inner Force clashed with his Crimson Flame fist intent.
• Dongfang Yueming learned the Heaven-Overwhelming Palm, which slightly eased the conflict between his powers.
• Dongfang Yueming arrived in Tianhua City and followed the crowd to Grandmaster Yuye’s free public lecture.
• Dongfang Yueming said that prestigious disciples benefited from compatible techniques inherited through a single lineage, and Grandmaster Yuye praised his answer.

Grandmaster Yuye demonstrated how mismatched cultivation methods and martial techniques could hinder independent cultivators, then examined Dongfang Yueming and found his arts had violently opposing attributes. Though he first declared the condition difficult to treat, he revealed that the Martial Sect might be able to solve it.

• Grandmaster Yuye explained that incompatible cultivation methods and martial techniques weakened independent cultivators, then described the matched sets in his Yuye Secret Manual Pavilion.
• Grandmaster Yuye invited Dongfang Yueming onto the platform to demonstrate how he diagnosed and matched cultivation methods and martial techniques.
• Dongfang Yueming circulated his Heaven-Overwhelming Force Condensation Method, Heaven-Overwhelming Palm, and Crimson Flame Fist, shocking Grandmaster Yuye with the conflicting martial true intents.
• Grandmaster Yuye said Dongfang Yueming’s condition was difficult to treat, prompting gloating from some onlookers and disappointment from Wei Meng.
• Grandmaster Yuye described restarting after crippling Dongfang Yueming’s cultivation as one possible remedy, then revealed that the Martial Sect might offer another solution.

Grandmaster Yuye told Dongfang Yueming that the Martial Sect might be the only place able to resolve the conflict between his cultivation methods, while failing to help him and leaving the selection slot open. Reflecting on the true meaning of his fused techniques, Dongfang Yueming sought out Body Tempering Realm manuals to investigate a new insight.

• Grandmaster Yuye explained that the Martial Sect’s profound martial heritage might help Dongfang Yueming resolve the conflict between his cultivation methods.
• Dongfang Yueming thanked Grandmaster Yuye and left, while Grandmaster Yuye confirmed that the unfilled slot remained open for another candidate.
• As he walked through Tianhua City, Dongfang Yueming considered whether his Extreme Body Tempering Method and fused techniques had reached the limits of their respective fields.
• Dongfang Yueming asked a passing martial artist where to buy Body Tempering Realm manuals and hurried to a manual shop.
• At the shop, Dongfang Yueming followed Xiaoyu to a room full of manuals and began choosing cultivation methods and martial arts.

Dongfang Yueming studied Skin Tempering methods, discovered their shared principles, and created a technique that used true qi to strengthen the skin. After quickly perfecting it, he absorbed its insights into the Extreme Body Tempering Method.

• Dongfang Yueming perfected the Flame Sand Skin Tempering Method and the Shaking Skin Tempering Method, learning how each strengthened the skin through a different kind of stimulation.
• Xiaoyu warned Dongfang Yueming that the Shaking Skin Tempering Method was ineffective and reminded him of the store's browsing hours, but he continued studying it.
• Dongfang Yueming combined insights from the manuals to create the True Qi Skin Tempering Method, then used his Primordial Yin-Yang True Qi to cultivate it directly.
• Dongfang Yueming quickly perfected the True Qi Skin Tempering Method, and its insights, along with those of the other two methods, flowed into the Extreme Body Tempering Method.

Dongfang Yueming completed his self-created Extreme Body Tempering Method after studying the repository’s Blood Replacement manuals, then used his insights to help Chi Xiaoyu overcome a cultivation bottleneck. He continued mastering Body Tempering martial arts as Chi Xiaoyu entered deep cultivation.

• Dongfang Yueming spent three days studying Body Tempering manuals and integrated their Blood Replacement methods into the Extreme Body Tempering Method.
• Chi Chunshui and Qiang Yao recruited candidates who could pass Trial Valley’s second stage, offering a gathering with the Chi Family or a guest-elder position with the Qiang Family.
• Dongfang Yueming reached a sense of perfect completion in Body Tempering, while Chi Xiaoyu returned disappointed that she had not yet perfected Blood Replacement.
• Dongfang Yueming advised Chi Xiaoyu to improve the quality and circulation of her qi and blood, and she entered deep cultivation with signs of a breakthrough.
• Dongfang Yueming mastered Black Wolf Claw and used point allocation to perfect dozens of other Body Tempering martial arts.