Chapter Summaries

After learning of a possible plague and the unresolved danger in Huanyou Nation, Lin Xiao organized a small meeting to decide how to investigate both threats. He chose to join Fang Tuantuan in investigating the illness and planned to use Liu Chun’s Source-Tracing Talisman Array to help track the escaped fugitives.

• Lin Xiao and Qin Jianghe discussed reports of a serious possible plague, and Lin Xiao sent word to the capital and summoned several sect members to a small meeting.
• Lin Xiao, Qin Jianghe, Liao Pantu, Liu Yunan, Sun Yigao, and Mo Yuanjiao agreed to send people to investigate the illness before deciding on further action.
• Sun Yigao recommended his disciple Fang Tuantuan for the investigation because she had learned healing methods and had experience among common people; Lin Xiao decided to go too.
• Qin Jianghe explained that Huanyou Nation’s sovereign and state preceptor had escaped, so the allied army remained there to protect the weakened former imperial family.
• Lin Xiao recalled Liu Chun’s Source-Tracing Talisman Array and considered using it to track down the fugitives.

Lin Xiao agreed to help investigate the missing people in Huanyou Nation and traveled there with Fang Tuantuan. Meanwhile, the fallen ruler and the State Preceptor gathered ten women in sacks at a remote lake, where the State Preceptor summoned the Annihilation Immortal and a dark array appeared beneath the group.

• Lin Xiao recalled learning Liu Chun’s Source-Tracing Talisman Array and believed he could use it to help locate the missing people.
• Sun Yigao brought Fang Tuantuan in, and Fang Tuantuan eagerly agreed to go investigate with Lin Xiao.
• Lin Xiao and Fang Tuantuan set out for Huanyou Nation that day.
• At a remote lake, the former ruler questioned whether the State Preceptor could summon the Annihilation Immortal’s clone using the ten women in sacks.
• The State Preceptor placed a black stone statue on the ground, chanted, and drew black Qi from the lake into it.
• The State Preceptor declared that the Annihilation Immortal had come to receive them, and a dark array lit up beneath the group.

The Imperial Preceptor led the cultivators through a formation to Execution Stone caves and offered them a way to survive there by abandoning their spiritual cultivation. Most of the cultivators began the dangerous change, while the former ruler of Huanyou Nation was left alone outside the group.

• The Imperial Preceptor activated the black stone carving, transporting the group past the defensive formations to the Execution Stone mines, where the carving crumbled to dust.
• He told the cultivators that Execution Stone caves were their safest refuge and offered them stones and a booklet explaining how to exchange their cultivation for a method that needed no spiritual power.
• The guard followed the booklet’s instructions, lost his cultivation, and endured four hours of changes as the Execution Stone drained his life force and darkened his skin.
• Fearing capture by the Alliance Army, the other cultivators agreed to change methods and began meditating with Execution Stones.
• The former ruler of Huanyou Nation was neither invited nor consulted and watched the group from apart.

Lin Xiao and Fang Tuantuan traveled to Euphrates Poplar Village, where the residents were reportedly afflicted by ghostly Evil Qi. After reaching the village, Lin Xiao sensed a strange presence resembling the one in the Execution Stone mines but found no visible source or Execution Stone.

• Lin Xiao and Fang Tuantuan entered war-damaged Xinyang County and asked a woman for directions to Euphrates Poplar Village.
• Lin Xiao followed the rough roads toward the village and sensed a familiar, unsettling presence that made Fang Tuantuan’s fur stand on end.
• A local doctor warned Lin Xiao that the village’s elderly had turned into ghosts and that its residents were tainted by ghostly Evil Qi.
• Lin Xiao pretended to leave, then concealed his presence and returned to Euphrates Poplar Village with Tuantuan.
• Lin Xiao circled the village, found no visible trace of the presence’s source, and decided the residents needed to be evacuated.

Lin Xiao disguised himself as Doctor Wang to persuade the people of Euphrates Poplar Village to move their sick relatives beyond the village, where their conditions began to improve. When he sensed trouble at the Execution Stone cave, he revealed himself as a cultivator and left the patients in Fang Tuantuan’s care.

• Lin Xiao disguised himself as Doctor Wang and told a young villager that Evil Qi was causing his father’s illness and that the sick man should be moved outside the village.
• The young man and other returning villagers carried their ill relatives beyond the village, where the patients’ hands grew warmer and their condition improved somewhat.
• As the villagers offered Lin Xiao food in gratitude, he sensed that the array at the entrance to the Execution Stone cave was in trouble.
• Lin Xiao revealed his true appearance, told the villagers he was a cultivator, and said Fang Tuantuan would treat their relatives.
• Lin Xiao set up protective arrays, gave Fang Tuantuan another Storage Bag, and left to deal with the danger at the cave.

Lin Xiao hurried to the grand array after sensing someone was trying to break it and found Third Brother Yuan trapped inside, searching for his kidnapped son. When Third Brother Yuan’s lord arrived, the array opened and revealed the Execution Stone mine, where Third Brother Yuan sensed his son Yingzi.

• Lin Xiao sent a Sound Transmission Talisman to the Pusi Kingdom's leader, requesting help to capture possible remnants involved in the Execution Stone incident.
• Lin Xiao entered the grand array and found Third Brother Yuan, a powerful Late Golden Core cultivator, trying to break out and demanding that his son be returned.
• A man Third Brother Yuan called his lord arrived and explained he had come alone after sensing something important.
• Third Brother Yuan told his lord that he had chased the people who took his son to the array, then became trapped while searching for them.
• The array opened by itself, and the lord recognized the desolate mines as the Execution Stone mine.
• Third Brother Yuan sensed that his son Yingzi was inside one of the mine entrances and rushed toward it.

Zhao Yunzhong, Yuan Jinsheng, and Lin Xiao reached the Execution Stone mine, where Yuan Jinsheng plunged inside to search for his son. As Lin Xiao and Zhao Yunzhong studied the mine’s layout, a distant explosion sounded and Zhao Yunzhong suddenly collapsed in pain.

• Zhao Yunzhong revealed that he was Huanyou Nation’s newly appointed ruler and called for the Pusi Kingdom cultivator who had opened the formation.
• Lin Xiao introduced himself as sect master of the Lingxian Sect, and Yuan Jinsheng identified himself as vice leader of the Empty Mountain Sect.
• Yuan Jinsheng ignored Zhao Yunzhong’s warning and rushed into the Execution Stone mine to search for his son, Yingzi.
• Lin Xiao used a Law Technique and the formation’s white-mist survey to show red lights in the central cavern and another signal fading as it approached.
• A tremendous rumble shook the area, and Zhao Yunzhong clutched his chest and collapsed as Lin Xiao tried to help him.

Lin Xiao found the former ruler of Huanyou Nation dying beside a descending object and learned that it was the nation’s imperial seal. After taking the seal, he felt a strange sensation enter his Sea of Consciousness, while Zhao Yunzhong remained recovering inside the array.

• Lin Xiao treated Zhao Yunzhong’s severe injuries and moved him into the great array to recover safely.
• Lin Xiao reached the explosion site and found a fat man critically wounded in a crater as a glowing object descended nearby.
• The dying man warned that the imperial seal must not fall into the hands of “Ex...” before he died, and a gray light from his body entered the glowing object.
• Lin Xiao identified the object as Huanyou Nation’s Imperial Seal and recognized the dead man as the former ruler who had cooperated with the Execution Stone.
• Lin Xiao picked up the imperial seal, intending to return it to Zhao Yunzhong, and felt a strange sensation pass into his Sea of Consciousness.

After hearing a mysterious message from the Huanyou Nation's national seal, Lin Xiao received a quest to establish diplomatic ties and an officially recognized sect outpost in its capital. While waiting for the Alliance Army near the sealed Execution Stone mine, he followed the message's clues and underwent a transformation that shattered and reforged his Golden Core.

• Lin Xiao heard a voice say that Origin could become a shield and that Source and Origin had to merge with yin and yang intertwined, then stored the Huanyou Nation's national seal.
• The system assigned Lin Xiao a quest to establish diplomatic ties with the Huanyou Nation and set up an officially recognized sect outpost in its capital.
• Lin Xiao stored the corpse of the man he suspected was the former ruler, then returned to Yuan Jinsheng's entrance to the Execution Stone mine and opened a hidden entrance for the approaching Alliance Army.
• Lin Xiao kept the sealing array intact and meditated on how Origin might counter Execution Stone.
• The Original Essence Heart Sutra helped Lin Xiao merge his consciousness, spiritual power, and soul power, producing a colorless drop that entered his Dantian and shattered his Golden Core.
• Lin Xiao's Golden Core revealed a tender white core that was tempered by waves of light until it gleamed with an immortal glaze.

Lin Xiao discovered that he had formed a supreme-grade Dao Core and transformed his spiritual power into powerful Origin Qi. As the Alliance Army gathered to enter the mine and confront the execution stone remnants, Jiang Sisi revealed that her sect possessed an heirloom that might counter them.

• The system announced that Lin Xiao’s Original Essence Heart Sutra had improved, he had formed a supreme-grade Dao Core, and his spiritual power had become Origin Qi.
• Lin Xiao reflected on his new strength and resolved to use his cultivation to help the weak and eventually change the world’s rules.
• Twenty Alliance Army cultivators entered the sealing formation and met Lin Xiao, who briefed them on Zhao Yunzhong, Yuan Jinsheng, and the mine.
• A Nascent Soul cultivator asked how they could counter the execution stone, but the group had no answer.
• Jiang Sisi said the Azure Lotus Sect’s sect master had given her an old heirloom that might be connected to the execution stone.

Jiang Sisi revealed an azure jade lotus that her sect master believed might help against the Execution Stone, and Lin Xiao volunteered to test it. The lotus activated inside the mine and protected a limited area, though its range shrank farther underground.

• Jiang Sisi explained that her sect master had entrusted her with the azure jade lotus in case the group encountered Execution Stone.
• Lin Xiao volunteered to test the lotus, and Li Yuanze recognized him as the Lingxian Sect's sect master but kept his identity secret.
• Lin Xiao entered the Execution Stone mine without using primordial Qi to shield himself.
• The azure jade lotus glowed brightly as soon as Lin Xiao crossed into the mine.
• Lin Xiao walked deeper and released spiritual Qi to measure the lotus's protection, finding that its range dwindled to enough space for ten people huddled together.

Lin Xiao let the others descend with the green jade lotus, then secretly entered a second mine route toward the central cavern. There, the State Preceptor prepared a formation with Execution Stones and summoned the former king’s soul, ordering ten unconscious women placed on altars as offerings.

• Lin Xiao reported that the green jade lotus could protect ten people, and the cultivators chose three Nascent Soul Cultivators and seven Golden Core Cultivators to descend while he and ten others waited outside.
• After the ten entered the mine safely, Lin Xiao left the group, concealed his presence, and entered another route leading to the central cavern.
• In the cavern, the State Preceptor arranged Execution Stones into a formation while his followers brought out ten unconscious women and one man was warned not to touch an offering.
• The State Preceptor summoned the former king’s soul, learned that someone had taken the king’s body and royal seal, and ordered the women placed on ten altars.

The Imperial Preceptor’s group captured Yuan Jinsheng and began a sacrificial refinement using ten unconscious women, the former sovereign’s soul, and Yuan Jinsheng as catalysts. As the ritual neared completion, ten healthy Alliance Army cultivators arrived and ordered them to stop.

• The Imperial Preceptor recognized Yuan Jinsheng as a formation catalyst, while Yuan Jinsheng demanded that he return Shen Yingzi.
• The execution cultivators overpowered and beat Yuan Jinsheng, then dragged him into the central pit beside the former sovereign’s soul.
• The Imperial Preceptor began the sacrificial refinement, drawing Essence Blood from the ten women and strange Qi from Yuan Jinsheng and the former sovereign.
• Ten Alliance Army cultivators appeared at the cavern entrance and shouted for the Imperial Preceptor to stop, prompting nearby execution cultivators to retreat behind the formation.

The Imperial Preceptor continued activating his grand formation while the cultivators inside the Green Jade Lotus failed to stop him with spells or Divine Sense attacks. A Golden Core cultivator entered the formation to hinder him, but the Imperial Preceptor evaded him and then launched a dark orb at him.

• The cultivators spotted Yuan Jinsheng in the great pit and attacked the Imperial Preceptor, but the Execution Stone absorbed most of their spells and their Divine Sense attacks could not affect him.
• The Imperial Preceptor resumed activating the formation, and the ten cultivators grew anxious as its red threads and streams of Qi neared joining.
• A Golden Core cultivator left the Green Jade Lotus barrier and rushed at the Imperial Preceptor while the other nine attacked to delay the formation.
• The Imperial Preceptor repeatedly evaded the Golden Core cultivator, draining his strength and delaying the formation's final step.
• The Imperial Preceptor gathered Execution Stone into a dark orb and hurled it at the exhausted Golden Core cultivator, whose spell could not stop it.

Lin Xiao rescued Yuan Jinsheng, nine mortal women, and the other captives from the Execution Stone mine, but the state preceptor escaped. After bringing the survivors to the surface, Lin Xiao promised the women they would be sent home.

• Lin Xiao shattered the state preceptor’s dark sphere and arrived at the cavern, where he found Yuan Jinsheng, ten mortal women, and the former ruler of Huanyou Nation’s soul.
• The state preceptor vanished after announcing he would spare the captives for now, and Lin Xiao destroyed the grand formation to free Yuan Jinsheng.
• The cultivators tied up the execution cultivators, woke the captives, and carried the injured Yuan Jinsheng and mortal women out of the mine.
• Shen Yingzi recognized Yuan Jinsheng as her father, and Lin Xiao carried him while the group hurried to the surface.
• At the surface, Lin Xiao warmed the nine surviving women with a miniature formation and promised to send them home; one woman said she was from Qianzhong County, Linxi City.

Lin Xiao gave the rescued women water containing an Origin-Nurturing Pill, then sat with Shen Yingzi while Jiang Sisi treated Yuan Jinsheng. Shen Yingzi explained why he was raised as a girl and shared his love of composing flute music with Lin Xiao.

• Lin Xiao promised the women he would take them home and gave them water infused with an Origin-Nurturing Pill.
• Lin Xiao watched Jiang Sisi treat Yuan Jinsheng and asked Shen Yingzi why he dressed as a woman.
• Shen Yingzi explained that his grandfather had said his yin and yang were unbalanced, and that his mother’s surname had been given to him by his grieving father.
• Shen Yingzi told Lin Xiao he had chosen not to cultivate because of his weak Spirit Roots and his wish to spend time on things he enjoyed.
• Shen Yingzi showed Lin Xiao his flute and music booklet, then described the pieces he had composed.

Lin Xiao helped Jiang Sisi stabilize Yuan Jinsheng, then brought Zhao Yunzhong out of his sealing formation for treatment. On the journey to the walled city, Lin Xiao invited Third Miss He to consider joining the Lingxian Sect, and she woke from the memory determined to cultivate.

• Shen Yingzi played his flute for Yuan Jinsheng and the others, and Yuan's condition stabilized after four hours of treatment.
• Lin Xiao brought Zhao Yunzhong to Jiang Sisi, and the Alliance Army cultivators agreed to care for him and return him home.
• The cultivators carried the nine mortal women toward their walled city aboard a flying Law Artifact.
• Third Miss He asked Lin Xiao about cultivating, and he told her the Lingxian Sect would recruit in the next few years.
• Third Miss He woke in her chamber and excitedly resolved to go to the Lingxian Sect and cultivate immortality.

Lin Xiao reported that the villagers of Euphrates Poplar Village were afflicted by an influence resembling Execution Stone and urged the Alliance Army to investigate. Venerables Zhiyu and Xunfang agreed to send people, while the Imperial Preceptor remained missing.

• Lin Xiao returned to the Alliance Army headquarters with the cultivators after searching unsuccessfully for the missing Imperial Preceptor.
• Jiang Sisi escorted Lin Xiao to the command tent, where he waited to meet the Alliance Army leaders.
• Venerables Zhiyu and Xunfang arrived, and Lin Xiao told them that Euphrates Poplar Village's illness might be connected to Execution Stone.
• Venerable Xunfang proposed sending idle Alliance Army cultivators to investigate the village, and Venerable Zhiyu tacitly agreed.
• Lin Xiao left the tent after securing the Alliance Army's attention to the matter.

Lin Xiao visited the injured Zhao Yunzhong and learned why he had gone to the Execution Stone mine: he had sensed Huanyou Nation’s missing national seal. Lin Xiao returned the seal to Zhao Yunzhong, who vowed to keep it from falling into another’s hands.

• Venerable Xunfang criticized the tea in Venerable Zhiyu’s tent, then left to feed his Yingying.
• Lin Xiao visited Zhao Yunzhong at the Azure Lotus Sect’s camp and asked the attendants to leave so they could speak privately.
• Zhao Yunzhong explained that a ruler could sense the national seal and that he had gone to the Execution Stone mine after sensing it there.
• Lin Xiao took out Huanyou Nation’s national seal, and Zhao Yunzhong recognized it when his sense of it returned.
• Zhao Yunzhong accepted the seal and vowed that the Zhao clan would not lose it again as its green light sank into his chest.

Lin Xiao recorded Zhao Yunzhong's explanations about Huanyou Nation's imperial seal and learned that Zhao Yunzhong had revealed several closely guarded imperial secrets. The chapter left Lin Xiao uneasy about knowing too much and suspecting Zhao Yunzhong had safeguards to keep him from exposing them.

• Zhao Yunzhong explained that the imperial seal was stored in his heart and could protect him from attacks, even from a Nascent Soul Cultivator.
• Lin Xiao unlocked the Sect Master's Observations Record function and documented what he had witnessed and learned.
• Zhao Yunzhong asked where Lin Xiao had recovered the seal, and Lin Xiao told him about the former ruler near the Execution Stone mine.
• Zhao Yunzhong explained that the former ruler may have tried to absorb the seal, despite the seal's conflict with Execution Stone and the danger of backlash.
• Lin Xiao realized Zhao Yunzhong had disclosed secrets that could endanger him if other imperial families learned he knew them.