Chapter Summaries

Xue Qingluan’s enlightenment produced a powerful Jade Rabbit Spiritual Item, which Chen Yang named and helped her test. By fusing with the Jade Rabbit, she reached Essence Condensation Perfection and gained a major boost to her Moon Law techniques, leaving her newly qualified for the Heavenly Talent Ranking.

• Xue Qingluan returned from her enlightenment with a Jade Rabbit Spiritual Item that appeared through Chen Yang’s divine power and consciousness.
• Chen Yang recognized the creature as a Jade Rabbit, named it, and learned that its cultivation was at Essence Condensation Perfection.
• Xue Qingluan fused with the Jade Rabbit, rising from Second Layer Essence Condensation to Essence Condensation Perfection and strengthening her Moon Law techniques.
• Xue Qingluan tested her fused form against Yang Lingrui and proved stronger without him using his mastery of the Killing Dao.
• Xue Qingluan estimated that the fusion could last about two hours outside combat or one to two quarters of an hour in a fierce battle, while Chen Yang looked forward to the future battle of Dao Contention between the twin moons.

News of the Northwest’s victories led the Lingxiao Dao Academy to raise the borderlands’ heavenly talent rankings, adding Yang Lingrui as the Wind Butcher. A Fuyao Sect cultivator considered recruiting him, but warned that the sect would not tolerate him if he had cultivated an evil wind-path art.

• Chang Chengsheng fought the Jade Firmament Sect’s two True Persons, leaving them wounded, himself severely injured, and one Spiritual Incarnation lost; Yue Wuxiang later paid three Spirit Crystal veins to settle the supreme-treasure dispute.
• News that Xu Chen and Lin Hui had died on the Twilight Ancient Path shocked the Central Region, while the Northwest’s three heavenly talents had survived.
• After a Profound Insight cultivator visited the Jade Firmament Sect and Wind Thunder Temple, the Lingxiao Dao Academy updated its Heavenly Talent Ranking, raising borderland cultivators’ positions and listing Yang Lingrui as the Wind Butcher.
• A blue-skirted Junior Sister showed the updated ranking to her green-robed Senior Sister, who noted Shen Yue’s and Yang Lingrui’s high placements.
• The Senior Sister said she would mention Yang Lingrui to their Master, but declared that the Fuyao Sect would not tolerate him if he had cultivated an evil wind-path art.

Yang Guanfeng reported that the Dynasty and Northwest were stable, giving the Yang Family time to develop, and Chen Yang decided to act on several long-planned matters. He rewarded Ban Kuizhen with an intact Spiritual Connection body at Perfected Realm, leaving Ban Kuizhen ecstatic at the prospect of rapidly restoring and surpassing his former cultivation.

• Yang Guanfeng learned that He Shenglai had entered seclusion in the imperial palace and that the Dynasty’s investigation of Jingyun Peak had prompted other factions to confess their misdeeds.
• Yang Guanfeng told Chen Yang that the Dynasty and the wider Northwest were stable, and Chen Yang concluded that it was time for the Yang Family to act decisively.
• Chen Yang resumed his plans to help Yang Yuanhong cultivate an acquired special physique, create a second avatar, and use the King Insect to clear a path for the Blazing Spirit Mine branch into Tiger Chasing.
• Chen Yang summoned Ban Kuizhen and presented him with a coffin containing an intact Spiritual Connection body at Perfected Realm.
• Ban Kuizhen recognized the body’s exceptional quality and rejoiced that it could let him recover his cultivation quickly and raise his potential beyond his former limits.

Chen Yang gave Ban Kuizhen a new body, allowing him to rapidly rebuild his cultivation, and renamed him Chen Huaien. He tasked Chen Huaien with restoring his Spiritual Connection Realm cultivation and preparing to travel to Befeng City to seek alchemical inheritances.

• Chen Yang helped Ban Kuizhen enter the intact body and condense true essence, while Ban Kuizhen’s new Origin Core reached 288 strands and advanced to the Second Layer Essence Condensation.
• Ban Kuizhen reflected on his life and vowed to devote himself to Chen Yang and the Yang Sacred Clan.
• Chen Yang gave Ban Kuizhen the new name Chen Huaien, and Chen Huaien gratefully accepted it.
• Chen Yang instructed Chen Huaien to restore his Spiritual Connection Realm cultivation and later visit Befeng City as trade routes opened, where he could pursue alchemical inheritances.

After a year of cultivation and sparring, Yang Yuanhong reached the limit of what he could improve in Qi Gathering, and Chen Yang agreed to protect him through a breakthrough. The King Insect also returned to the underground cave abode, where its secret snacking on spirit ore was exposed.

• Yang Yuanhong asked Chen Huaien how his combat strength would rank in the Central Region, and Chen Huaien explained that he could place on the Heavenly Talent Ranking’s tenth page despite its covering cultivators up to Spiritual Connection Perfection.
• Yang Yuanhong reported that his cultivation and body had reached their limits, and Chen Yang agreed to guard him as he attempted a breakthrough after resting.
• Chen Yang arranged for Yang Yuanhong to break through that day, partly because the upcoming artifact refinement gathering made the timing suitable.
• The King Insect returned beneath the underground seal, and Yang Yuanhong and Chen Huaien noticed spirit ore scraps at its mouth after Chen Yang asked whether it had been sneaking bites.
• The King Insect swallowed the scraps and cowered by the stone door, while Chen Yang accepted that it occasionally sampled the ore it was clearing.

Yang Yuanhong began condensing his Origin Core while deliberately intensifying the true dragon calamity, and the King Insect started transforming under its influence. The Tiger Chasing Emperor sensed the breakthrough through the Dynasty’s dragon vein but could not identify who was causing it, leaving him suspicious that an outsider had taken the Dynasty’s True Dragon Breath and national fortune.

• Chen Yang allowed the King Insect into the cave dwelling and told it to seize the opportunity to observe Yang Yuanhong’s breakthrough; Chen Huaien stayed to watch.
• Yang Yuanhong used the Essence Condensation Technique to form his Origin Core, and Chen Yang concealed the resulting Dragon Roaming Sea of Clouds phenomenon.
• Yang Yuanhong accelerated his core formation to strengthen the calamity and temper his body, then activated the Spirit Pearl at his heart.
• The King Insect began developing armor and a crest as a three-colored insect-swarm calamity appeared above the cave dwelling.
• The Tiger Chasing Emperor sensed the dragon vein stir, attempted to deduce the source of the true dragon phenomenon, and suspected someone outside the Murong Clan had taken the Dynasty’s fortune.

The Tiger Chasing Emperor visited Osmanthus Garden and learned that He Shenglai was nearing a breakthrough and Xuan Zhou had safely passed his Spiritual Connection tribulation. He ordered Jia Huarai to prepare for seclusion at the Ascension Platform after Xuan Zhou succeeded, freeing him to pursue enlightenment at Heavenly Sword Mountain.

• The Tiger Chasing Emperor arrived at Osmanthus Garden and learned from Jia Huarai that He Shenglai was close to success in his tribulation.
• Jia Huarai reported that Xuan Zhou had safely crossed his Spiritual Connection tribulation with the aid of national fortune and needed only further accumulation.
• The Tiger Chasing Emperor explained that Jia Huarai should reach his peak within five to eight years and pursue enlightenment at Heavenly Sword Mountain rather than delay.
• The Tiger Chasing Emperor acknowledged Jia Huarai's years of service and said Jiuli and Ji Ci would take on more responsibility.
• The Tiger Chasing Emperor ordered Jia Huarai to enter seclusion at the Ascension Platform once Xuan Zhou succeeded, and Jia Huarai bowed in thanks.

Yang Yuanhong used the mutated True Dragon tribulation to temper his body, enduring successive waves that grew powerful enough to threaten him. As he resisted the final dragon claw, his flesh, blood, bones, and meridians were continually destroyed and reforged.

• Chen Huaien watched from a safe distance as the King Insect’s auspicious light merged with Yang Yuanhong’s True Dragon tribulation and greatly increased its power.
• The tribulation’s first wave failed to harm Yang Yuanhong because his Martial Qi blocked its calamities.
• A golden sun descended in the second wave, burned Yang Yuanhong’s flesh, and drew an eager smile from him as he gathered its light to temper his body.
• Yang Yuanhong rose, blasted apart the golden light, and urged the Black Flood Dragon phenomenon and True Dragon phantom to hold off the tribulation.
• The tribulation’s golden dragon claw seized Yang Yuanhong, and he resisted as his body was repeatedly broken down and reforged.

Yang Yuanhong endured a deadly tribulation, overcame its mental attack by unleashing his innate savage instinct, and defeated the tribulation dragon. After reaching Essence Condensation, he learned that his strength could earn him a place on the sixth page of the Heavenly Talent Ranking.

• Chen Yang added malicious force to Yang Yuanhong's tribulation, making him feel weighed down and disrupting his thoughts before the golden dragon claw crushed him again.
• Yang Yuanhong recognized the mental attack, sealed his spiritual sea, and let his instinct take over without losing control of himself.
• Yang Yuanhong forced open the golden dragon claw and tore it apart as his black evil dragon defeated and swallowed the tribulation golden dragon.
• The tribulation ended in gentle rain, and Yang Yuanhong withdrew his black dragon and asked Chen Huaien about his ranking prospects.
• Chen Huaien said Yang Yuanhong could be recorded on the sixth page of the Heavenly Talent Ranking and might reach the Gold Ranking if he completed his acquired special physique.

After Yang Yuanhong successfully condensed his essence, Chen Yang advanced to Late Essence Condensation, while Yang Lingqing and Wu Tong helped the exhausted boy finally rest. The chapter left Chen Yang receiving Wu Tong’s prayer power as she thanked the unseen figure who had protected the Yang Family.

• Yang Yuanhong’s successful breakthrough gave Chen Yang enough cultivation feedback to reach Late Essence Condensation, and Chen Yang calculated that further breakthroughs might carry him to Essence Condensation Perfection.
• Chen Yang summoned Yang Lingqing to the underground cave, where Chen Huaien welcomed her and Yang Yuanhong stabilized his cultivation at the Essence Condensation Third Layer.
• Yang Lingqing congratulated Yang Yuanhong, held him, and soothed him until he fell asleep from exhaustion.
• Wu Tong arrived, took her sleeping son into her arms, and spoke with Yang Lingqing about the burdens he had borne and the family’s support.
• Wu Tong recognized Chen Yang among the offerings, bowed in gratitude, and gave him pure prayer power.

Chen Yang oversaw preparations for the trade route, Yang Yuanhong’s recovery, and the King Insect’s transformation as events unfolded across the region. As Gao Hui’s Core Formation ceremony approached, an unnamed old friend from Feng Ling arrived at Pine Mountain and asked to enter.

• Yang Lingqing reported that the families had agreed on the main trade route and that Dynasty caravans were expected to gather at the border in less than a year, so Chen Yang left preparations to her and helped Chen Huaien recover.
• Chen Yang found the King Insect’s condition stable and later discovered that Yang Yuanhong’s dormant True Dragon Breath was merging with his body.
• Yang Lingrui and Xue Qingluan emerged from seclusion at Mid Essence Condensation, while Dynasty cultivators gathered at Pine Mountain ahead of Gao Hui’s Core Formation and White Stone Town’s elevation to a city.
• Zhao Qi told Yang Lingrui that a Twelfth Floor of Qi Gathering cultivator claiming to be a family old friend had requested entry to Pine Mountain but had identified himself only as a Bamboo Forest Rogue Cultivator from Feng Ling.

Zhuo Hanqing visited Yang Lingrui at Pine Mountain to request a viewing quota for Gao Hui’s Condensation Origin ceremony in Baishi City. Yang Lingrui accepted his payment and the Huang Family’s offer, granting him a place to travel with the Yang Family.

• Yang Lingrui recognized Zhuo Hanqing, a Feng Ling rogue cultivator he had known for many years, and invited him into his cave dwelling.
• Zhuo Hanqing explained that he hoped to witness Gao Hui’s breakthrough because the Way of Blazing Sun complemented his own Way of Cold Ice.
• Zhuo Hanqing presented a letter from the Feng Ling Huang Family and offered two thousand Spirit Crystals and Deep Well Cold Iron for a viewing quota.
• Yang Lingrui told Zhuo Hanqing that the Huang Family had also promised thirty percent of its annual tribute, making the offer sufficient for a quota.
• Yang Lingrui granted Zhuo Hanqing a place to travel with the Yang Family to Baishi City for the ceremony.

At Gao Hui’s Essence Condensation ceremony, Zhuo Hanqing gained the insight he needed to temper his ice cultivation and left to seek scorching earth veins in the Sea of Desert. Pine Mountain later celebrated Wei Xinqing’s pregnancy, while an eleven-year-old youth awoke and set out west, entering the conflict sweeping across Canglan Continent.

• Gao Hui agreed to let an additional guest attend his ceremony in White Stone, and Xue Qingluan returned to Pine Mountain with city-entry tokens.
• Wen Zishu presided over Gao Hui’s breakthrough as the Dynasty’s Dao Protectors safeguarded the ceremony.
• Zhuo Hanqing realized that the Way of Blazing Sun could temper his ice cultivation and resolved to seek hot earth veins in the Sea of Desert.
• Gao Hui successfully entered the Essence Condensation Realm, and Zhuo Hanqing thanked Yang Lingrui before leaving on his own path.
• Yang Lingshu learned that Wei Xinqing was pregnant, and Xiao Yize extended her family visit so she could remain until after the birth.
• An eleven-year-old youth awoke, cultivated his acquired Dragon-attributed variant body, and left the Yang Family’s fief carrying a smooth, round stone.

Yao Santu gave Dongfang Yingcai a crystal bouquet that imitated the fragrance of incense, impressing her with his talent beyond artifact forging. Ma Yongsheng summoned them to prepare for the Divine Weapon Convention in the Moliang Dynasty, ordering them to travel there on foot for experience.

• Dongfang Yingcai visited Yao Santu and complained that the flowers she had given him had died while he studied artifacts.
• Yao Santu presented Dongfang Yingcai with a bouquet of crystal flowers that released fragrances when infused with spiritual energy.
• Dongfang Yingcai recognized Yao Santu's talent and decided to have her family bring him to the Central Region after the Divine Weapon Convention.
• Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai went to meet Ma Yongsheng at the branch's main building.
• Ma Yongsheng told his disciples to prepare for the Divine Weapon Convention in the Moliang Dynasty and travel there without an immortal boat.

Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai set out for Moliang with Geng Zhi secretly protecting them, while Ma Yongsheng and Geng Zhi discussed the growing number of blessed lands turning baleful. On the journey, the disciples discovered a bandits’ den where an evil cultivator might be using abducted children to practice an evil art, and they began investigating after nightfall.

• Dongfang Yingcai eagerly agreed to travel to Moliang, and Yao Santu hoped the journey would let him meet Senior Immortal Stone again.
• Ma Yongsheng introduced Geng Zhi as the hidden Dao Protector who would watch over Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai on the road.
• Geng Zhi warned Ma Yongsheng that four blessed lands had turned baleful in half a year and worried the Divine Weapon Secret Realm might be affected, but Ma Yongsheng dismissed the concern.
• Three days later, Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai left the Hundred Artifacts Tower for Moliang with Geng Zhi concealed nearby; after twenty days of uneventful travel, Dongfang Yingcai complained that they had encountered no adventures.
• On the twenty-second day, Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai found a mountain stronghold where bandits had abducted children and suspected an evil cultivator was using them to practice an evil art.
• Dongfang Yingcai insisted on rescuing the children, so she and Yao Santu cautiously approached the stronghold at night to investigate.

Yao Santu reflected that Dongfang Yingcai had many hidden treasures and could defend herself against powerful opponents despite her low apparent cultivation. He recognized that his role on the journey was mainly to handle daily matters.

• Yao Santu understood that their master had left Dongfang Yingcai without visible guards because she had hidden means of protecting herself.
• Yao Santu estimated that even Core Formation Realm cultivators could not deal with Dongfang Yingcai if she became serious.
• Yao Santu concluded that he was responsible for the daily trifles of the journey rather than protecting Dongfang Yingcai from danger.

Dongfang Yingcai rescued Chen Shitou from a bandit stronghold and discovered his innate divine strength, while Yao Santu interpreted their meeting as a sign connected to Senior Immortal Stone. After the group dealt with the bandits and helped the rescued children, Chen Shitou began cultivating on the journey with Dongfang Yingcai and Yao Santu.

• Dongfang Yingcai found Chen Shitou alive in a hut, where he revealed that he had killed two bandits while awakening his innate divine strength.
• Dongfang Yingcai used her wooden puppets to kill the fleeing rogue cultivator, and Yao Santu arrived to praise her and examine Chen Shitou's exceptional physique.
• Dongfang Yingcai decided to take Chen Shitou along as a forging helper, while Yao Santu privately suspected that Senior Immortal Stone had arranged their meeting.
• Dongfang Yingcai and Yao Santu destroyed the stronghold, returned the rescued children to their villages or brought them to town, and reported the bandits to the Immortal Patrol Division.
• Chen Shitou opened three Qi Meridians, learned a basic stance-walking method, and impressed Dongfang Yingcai with his perseverance and comprehension.

Chen Yang maintained Yang Yuanhong’s disguise as Chen Shitou while the King Insect completed its advancement to Essence Condensation. Chen Huaien then began a breakthrough in seclusion, and Chen Yang gathered the radiance surrounding him but left the breakthrough and tribulation to Chen Huaien.

• Zheng Zhi left Chen Shitou behind at the inn and followed Yao Santu and Dongfang Yingcai to their meeting with an inspector.
• Yang Yuanhong continued practicing the Dongfang Family’s stance-walking method, and Chen Yang reflected on his talent and the illusion disguising his abilities.
• Chen Yang sensed a disturbance at his true body and found the King Insect transformed and guarding Chen Huaien’s secret chamber.
• Chen Yang opened the chamber and found Chen Huaien suspended in a radiance-filled breakthrough state.
• Chen Yang gathered the radiance around Chen Huaien but chose not to help him cross the tribulation with divine power.

Chen Huaien broke through to the Spiritual Connection Realm, and Chen Yang used the Blood Refining Technique with the Blood Sun Venerable God's aid to refine the resulting cultivation recompense. The Heavenly River Enters the Mortal World appeared across Canglan Continent, prompting powerful figures to warn their descendants that opportunities lay beyond their usual domains; the region's major forces then gathered at Lingxiao Dao Academy.

• Chen Huaien overcame his inner demons and reentered the Spiritual Connection Realm as Ban Kuizhen.
• Chen Yang's recompense sphere grew beyond what his body could contain, so he called on the Blood Sun Venerable God for blood energy and refined it with the Blood Refining Technique.
• Chen Huaien recognized the blood-refining fragrance's benefits and urged the King Insect to breathe it in.
• The Heavenly River Enters the Mortal World appeared across Canglan Continent as Chen Yang refined the recompense and advanced toward Spiritual Connection.
• Void Stepping Realm cultivators descended from the Void Realm and told their descendants that the times were changing and opportunities lay beyond.
• Canglan's major forces gathered at Lingxiao Dao Academy under Zhuang Xuanji to discuss the changing situation.

After breaking through to Spiritual Connection, Chen Yang awakened Spiritual Sense, empowered his clones, and discovered a staircase appearing in the Shattered Divine Palace. Ku Yun identified it as the Long Stairway to Godhood, which traditionally appeared when a Divine Path creature became a True God, though its return seemed impossible after the Divine Palace shattered and the Divine Court overturned.

• Chen Yang refined the rebounded cultivation, reached Spiritual Connection, and concealed his transformed appearance beneath black armor.
• His two clones gained independent consciousness connected to his own, and a silvery-white staircase appeared in Star Sea Space.
• Chen Yang thanked the Blood Sun infant for supporting his breakthrough and summoned Fu Yin, Wu Hua, and Ku Yun to investigate the staircase.
• Fu Yin and Wu Hua recalled that True Gods were recognized by an Upper Realm called the Divine Court, leading Chen Yang to suspect the staircase went there.
• Ku Yun remembered that the Divine Court sent the Long Stairway to Godhood whenever a Divine Path creature attained True God status, but said its return made no sense after the Divine Dao and Divine Court fell.