Chapter Summaries

Su Ruanruan received a new system and learned that the group was heading to the Green Wood Illusion Forest, where she planned to find Spirit-Cleansing Grass and recruit Xuanfeng before Feng Zhuo could. As the disciples departed, Feng Zhuo traveled under Yushang’s protection, while Yanba eagerly ate the provisions aboard the flying boat.

• System No. 005 went offline, and System No. 006 told Su Ruanruan that Feng Zhuo was expected to find Spirit-Cleansing Grass and win Xuanfeng over in the secret realm.
• System No. 006 warned Su Ruanruan that Feng Zhuo’s arrival at Carefree Peak had changed the plot and suggested another transmigrator, a Heavenly Dao adjustment, or a reborn cultivator might explain the changes.
• Su Ruanruan encouraged Xuanfeng by promising that he might find Spirit-Cleansing Grass and cleanse his Fire Spirit Root, while Xuan Mo reassured his younger clan brother.
• The gathered disciples noticed Feng Zhuo, and Su Ruanruan identified him as a disciple of Carefree Peak, prompting some sword cultivators to regard him with hostility.
• Yushang kept Chu Yunfei from confronting Feng Zhuo and escorted Feng Zhuo onto the flying boat bound for the Green Wood Illusion Forest.
• Yushang advised Feng Zhuo about dangers in the secret realm and left him in the rest cabin, where Yanba continued eating the boat’s food.

Feng Zhuo found the hidden cave in the Green Wood Illusion Forest and took its ten-thousand-year-old Spirit-Cleansing Grass and some Bell Spirit Milk. Su Ruanruan arrived to find the cave collapsed, while her system altered her memories and identified Feng Zhuo as an unknown plot factor.

• Chu Yunfei and Chu Hongxiao greeted each other before the disciples entered the Green Wood Illusion Forest, and Chu Yunfei warned his disciples against reckless behavior.
• Feng Zhuo rode Yanba south through the forest, found the hidden cave, and entered it; the cave collapsed behind him.
• Su Ruanruan found the ruined cave and panicked that another person knew the plot, so her system altered her memories and replaced itself with System No. 007.
• Feng Zhuo collected half the Bell Spirit Milk for himself and left the rest to Yanba, which drank it all.
• Feng Zhuo picked the ten-thousand-year-old Spirit-Cleansing Grass and several younger stalks, put Yanba in its spirit beast pouch, and turned around as he prepared to leave the cave.

Feng Zhuo broke through a formation that concealed the dying Divine Plant Yi Wood and encountered the blood vines feeding on it. The Yi Wood recognized his Everlasting Spring Scripture and Yi Wood Sacred Physique, then asked how his physique had been damaged.

• Feng Zhuo discovered that a hidden formation consumed Divine Sense and identified it as a variation of the Spirit-Devouring Soul-Bewildering Formation.
• Feng Zhuo overloaded the formation eye with compressed Divine Sense, breaking the formation and entering a strange realm beneath nine eclipsed moons.
• Feng Zhuo recognized the colossal tree as the Yi Wood, an ancient Divine Plant in the twilight of its years.
• Feng Zhuo saw blood vines pierce the Yi Wood and withdraw from its trunk blood burning with black flames.
• The Yi Wood spoke to Feng Zhuo, recognized his Everlasting Spring Scripture and Yi Wood Sacred Physique, and asked how his physique had been damaged.

Feng Zhuo learned that Yi Wood was dying and that the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine could be reborn and threaten the Profound Firmament Continent. He agreed to gamble on restraining the vicious plant, though the chapter left the means uncertain.

• Yanba advanced to the sixth tier and stood loyally beside Feng Zhuo as Feng Zhuo asked Yi Wood how to leave the ancient battlefield.
• Yi Wood revealed that it had spent ten thousand years suppressing the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine and would die when the vine died, while the vine could be reborn as a young shoot.
• Feng Zhuo accepted the possibility of dying when Yi Wood's space shattered and said he would take a gamble to protect his parents and sect.
• Yi Wood explained that Feng Zhuo's Phoenix Fire might gain the power to counter the vine by devouring Nirvana Divine Fire, and suggested a Law Treasure or spiritual object that countered blood resentment Qi as another restraint.
• Feng Zhuo agreed to risk his life against the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine, saying he and the existence despised by the Heavenly Dao were a perfect match.

Feng Zhuo broke through to Foundation Establishment by combining wood and fire spiritual power, surviving three tribulation bolts with Yanba's help. A month later, he tried to advance to the Middle Stage using Primordial Spirit Spring and Yi Wood's branch, leaving him struggling to control two dangerous forces at once.

• Feng Zhuo drank two bottles of thousand-year-old Bell Spirit Milk and fused his wood and fire spiritual power to form his Foundation Establishment foundation.
• Feng Zhuo and Yanba weathered three bolts of crimson tribulation lightning, and Yanba advanced again through their Life-Bound Contract.
• Feng Zhuo meditated for a month, then swallowed thirty-five drops of Primordial Spirit Spring to force a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.
• Feng Zhuo used the Spirit Control Instruction to divide the rampaging Spiritual Qi into thirty-six streams as Yi Wood gave Yanba a charred branch to carry to him.
• Feng Zhuo split his Divine Sense between controlling the breakthrough and restraining the Everlasting Spring Scripture, while Yanba sensed his master's agony.

Feng Zhuo survived the blood resentment Qi by sacrificing and regenerating his arm, then used Yanba’s fire to purge the remaining Evil Qi as his Divine Sense surged to Golden Core Middle Stage strength. He exposed the dying Yi Wood’s attempt to transfer his soul into the tree, leaving its deception revealed as black blood seeped from its trunk.

• Feng Zhuo reached Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, but blood resentment Qi tainted the Yi Wood Qi and began destroying his body.
• Feng Zhuo forced the blood resentment Qi into his left arm, severed it, and regenerated it with the Yi Wood essence, restoring thirty percent of his Yi Wood Sacred Physique.
• The spirit spring’s lingering power expanded Feng Zhuo’s sea of consciousness, while blood resentment Qi attacked his right eye and entered his sea of consciousness.
• Feng Zhuo’s scarlet spiritual fire and Yanba’s demonic fire destroyed the Evil Qi; Yanba swallowed its remains and kindled Soul-Scorching Flame.
• Feng Zhuo’s Divine Sense reached Golden Core Middle Stage strength, and he gave Yanba a drop of his Yi Wood Sacred Physique blood to guard against the blood resentment Qi.
• Feng Zhuo accused the Yi Wood of hiding a Soul-Transferring Incantation in the remnant branch to possess his body, and the Yi Wood’s trunk split open to reveal foul black blood and hollowed heartwood.

Feng Zhuo contracted the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine but emerged badly injured and struggled to suppress it. As his power failed, Su Ruanruan found him and approached with a poisoned needle hidden in her sleeve.

• Yi Wood revealed that the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine had corrupted it and that its spirit was near death.
• Feng Zhuo waited for Yi Wood and the vine to perish, then contracted the vine’s newborn seedling despite its blood resentment and the contract backlash.
• Feng Zhuo and Yanba emerged in the Green Wood Illusion Forest gravely injured, and Feng Zhuo struggled to control the vine as his spiritual power dwindled.
• Su Ruanruan arrived with a cultivator from the Purple Yang Pill Sect and sent him away by asking him to look for a Green Spirit Herb.
• Su Ruanruan offered Feng Zhuo Rejuvenation Pills, then quietly moved closer with a poisoned needle hidden in her sleeve.

Feng Zhuo was rescued by Nangong Tang after the Soul-Devouring Vine’s backlash disfigured Su Ruanruan, and he agreed to accompany her to an ancient cultivator’s cave abode that might cure him. Su Ruanruan learned that Spirit-Purifying Mystic Water could clear the Blood Resentment Qi and planned to seize Feng Zhuo’s vine for herself.

• The Soul-Devouring Vine’s Blood Resentment Qi attacked Su Ruanruan, damaging her face, before Feng Zhuo collapsed from his injuries.
• Nangong Tang suppressed the vine’s backlash, gave Feng Zhuo medicine, and carried him to a stone cave.
• Feng Zhuo woke and agreed to join Nangong Tang’s search for an ancient cultivator’s cave abode that might resolve the vine’s backlash.
• Su Ruanruan learned from her system that Spirit-Purifying Mystic Water could cleanse the Blood Resentment Qi and that Nangong Tang was connected to a similar vine in the original plot.
• Su Ruanruan contacted Senior Brother Chen with clues about the cave abode and resolved to obtain the water and take Feng Zhuo’s Soul-Devouring Vine.

Nangong Tang persuaded Feng Zhuo to cooperate in searching an ancient cave abode that could remove the Soul-Devouring Vine’s backlash, but Feng Zhuo exposed her omissions and forced her to reveal the truth. She admitted the cave held Spirit-Purifying Mystic Water, not the Spirit-Cleansing Pool she had described.

• Nangong Tang gave Feng Zhuo pills to suppress the Soul-Devouring Vine and restore his spiritual power, then proposed they seek a hidden ancient cave abode together.
• Nangong Tang claimed the cave contained a Spirit-Cleansing Pool and possibly the Spirit Taming Sect’s Symbiotic Contract, which could resolve the vine’s backlash.
• Feng Zhuo agreed to cooperate and introduced himself, while Nangong Tang revealed her name and avoided explaining the cave’s details.
• Feng Zhuo recovered his strength, and Nangong Tang realized he was not a Qi Refining Stage cultivator when his spiritual pressure briefly surged.
• Yanba restrained Nangong Tang and her Green-Eyed Golden Toad, prompting Nangong Tang to admit that only someone contracted to the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine could find the entrance.
• Nangong Tang confessed that Spirit-Purifying Mystic Water, not a Spirit-Cleansing Pool, was what could wash away the blood-resentment Qi.

Feng Zhuo questioned Nangong Tang about the Spirit-Purifying Mystic Water and her reasons for seeking the ancient cultivator’s cave abode, then rewarded her for their cooperation. Nangong Tang discovered the pills were valuable supreme-grade treasures and eagerly sought to stay on Feng Zhuo’s good side.

• Feng Zhuo learned that Nangong Tang had guessed the cave abode might hold the Spirit Taming Sect’s inheritance and wanted records about the Green-Eyed Golden Toad.
• Nangong Tang explained that the Green-Eyed Golden Toad had swallowed the Miasma-Glass Poison Flame, formed an indirect contract with her, and gained the ability to merge with the flame.
• Feng Zhuo thanked Nangong Tang for her help and gave her four bottles of pills, including supreme-grade Spirit-Restoring, Spirit-Feeding, and Foundation Establishment Pills.
• Nangong Tang recognized the pills’ quality, accepted them gladly, and asked Feng Zhuo for an additional apology gift.
• Feng Zhuo gave Nangong Tang a bottle of Rejuvenation Pills, and she became even more determined to follow the generous big spender.

Su Ruanruan manipulated Shen Mingxiao and Chen Yuanshan into believing Nangong Tang and her fellow sect senior had poisoned and disfigured her. She persuaded Shen Mingxiao to use his communication Law Artifact to gather his fellow disciples and pursue the ancient cultivator’s cave abode, leaving him intent on capturing Nangong Tang.

• Su Ruanruan flattered Shen Mingxiao by claiming Primordial Lord Chixiao praised Medicine King Peak’s alchemy inheritance, winning Shen’s favor while Chen Yuanshan grew skeptical.
• Chen Yuanshan asked Su Ruanruan about the ancient cultivator’s cave abode, and she tore off her veil to reveal her bloodied face and falsely accused Nangong Tang and her senior of poisoning her.
• Su Ruanruan claimed the poison had slowed her spiritual power and would leave her unable to cultivate unless she found a cure within three months.
• Shen Mingxiao recognized Nangong Tang as the likely culprit and promised to force her to provide an antidote and restore Su Ruanruan’s face.
• Su Ruanruan said Nangong Tang and her senior planned to explore the cave abode, prompting Shen Mingxiao to use his communication Law Artifact to gather his fellow disciples.
• Shen Mingxiao resolved to capture Nangong Tang, while Su Ruanruan promised to ask her master not to blame the Purple Yang Pill Sect.

Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang continued toward the cave abode with Ye Qingyu tagging along, until the Supreme One Divine Sect summoned its disciples. Ye Qingyu went to the sect’s assembly while Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang stayed behind, and the chapter left the assembly’s purpose unresolved.

• Nangong Tang and Ye Qingyu bickered and wrestled by the fire while Feng Zhuo meditated and stopped Yanba from stealing Spirit-Feeding Pills.
• Feng Zhuo asked Ye Qingyu to leave, and the Supreme One Divine Sect’s assembly signal appeared in the sky.
• Ye Qingyu agreed to attend the assembly, while Feng Zhuo asked him to conceal their whereabouts and Nangong Tang warned him not to tell Shen Mingxiao where she was.
• Ye Qingyu arrived late at the Supreme One Divine Sect’s camp, where Xuanfeng confronted him before Su Ruanruan’s gathering continued.

Su Ruanruan organized a search for Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang, while Ye Qingyu concealed what he knew and Yun Li tried to protect them. The group set a ten-day search followed by five days guarding the secret realm’s exit, though many disciples feared the consequences of targeting Feng Zhuo.

• Bai Wuxia asked Ye Qingyu whether he had seen Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang, but Ye Qingyu pretended not to know their whereabouts.
• Su Ruanruan considered using the search to find Nangong Tang and learn about an ancient cultivator’s cave abode, while Yun Li regretted being forced to hand over the assembly Law Artifact.
• Xuan Mo vowed to cripple Feng Zhuo and have him expelled, dismissing the power of the Feng Household despite Su Ruanruan’s warnings.
• The Western Region disciples realized Feng Zhuo might belong to the Feng Household’s main family and resolved to avoid the hunt or conceal their identities.
• Su Ruanruan joined the willing disciples with members of the Purple Yang Pill Sect, and they planned to search for ten days before guarding the secret realm’s exit for five days.

Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang found the ancient cultivator’s cave abode, but a teleportation array separated them as they entered. Feng Zhuo obtained the Spirit-Taming Instruction and other treasures, then left the secret realm cave ready to face the grand drama awaiting him.

• Nangong Tang identified a crooked dead tree as the cave abode’s entrance, and the Green-Eyed Golden Toad dug out the way in.
• Feng Zhuo used the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine to open the stone doors, and a teleportation array separated him from Nangong Tang.
• Feng Zhuo entered the palace with Yanba, where his Divine Sense was blocked and he found a skeleton, a Jade Slip, a porcelain bottle, and a meditation cushion.
• Feng Zhuo discovered that the Jade Slip held the Spirit-Taming Instruction, which could resolve the Soul-Devouring Vine’s backlash, and chose to leave the palace slabs untouched.
• Feng Zhuo was teleported out of the cave abode, counted his gains, and prepared to comprehend the instruction before facing the drama awaiting him.

Feng Zhuo used the Spirit-Taming Instruction to complete the first stage of a Symbiotic Contract with the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine, surviving its violent takeover and recovering through its wood Qi. With the vine now rooted in his Dantian, he prepared to absorb Yunxiaozi’s Green Vine Heart Flame and face Chu Yunfei after leaving the secret realm.

• Feng Zhuo discovered that the Spirit-Taming Instruction contained the method for forging a Symbiotic Contract with a Spirit Plant.
• Feng Zhuo drew the rampaging Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine into his Dantian and used three drops of heart’s blood and the method’s prohibitions to bind it to his life wheel.
• The Soul-Devouring Vine became docile and helped Feng Zhuo regenerate his damaged body, including his lost right eye, before he awoke.
• Feng Zhuo confirmed that the first stage of the contract was complete, while learning that he must awaken the vine’s spiritual awareness before cultivating the next stage.
• Feng Zhuo prepared to have his Life-Bound Spirit Fire devour Yunxiaozi’s Green Vine Heart Flame and considered how to confront Chu Yunfei outside the secret realm.

Feng Zhuo and Nangong Tang emerged from hiding on the secret realm’s final day to face nearly fifty disciples led by Su Ruanruan and Shen Mingxiao, who planned to seize Feng Zhuo’s treasures and punish him. Feng Zhuo confronted the ambush while the others accused him of poisoning Su Ruanruan, and the confrontation ended with Bai Wuxia deciding Feng Zhuo deserved to die.

• Su Ruanruan and Shen Mingxiao gathered nearly fifty disciples from two sects, armed them with arrays and borrowed weapons, and prepared to ambush Feng Zhuo at the secret realm’s exit.
• After Nangong Tang reached Foundation Establishment and her Green-Eyed Golden Toad reached the seventh tier, she and Feng Zhuo left their underground hideout on the realm’s final day.
• Feng Zhuo counted the ambushers with his Divine Sense and confronted the group, while Nangong Tang stayed hidden underground to avoid Shen Mingxiao.
• Shen Mingxiao demanded that Nangong Tang answer for allegedly poisoning Su Ruanruan, and Xuan Mo and Xuanfeng demanded Feng Zhuo hand over the antidote and Spirit-Cleansing Grass.
• Feng Zhuo mocked Su Ruanruan’s changing personas, prompting Bai Wuxia to recall her ruined face and conclude that Feng Zhuo should be killed.

Feng Zhuo trapped more than fifty disciples with the Green Vine Heart Flame after they joined Su Ruanruan in accusing him of poisoning her. As Nangong Tang recorded the confrontation and Feng Zhuo recovered the blood resentment Qi from Su Ruanruan, an unseen attack interrupted him.

• Su Ruanruan accused Feng Zhuo of poisoning her, and Xuanfeng led more than fifty disciples in calling for justice against him.
• Feng Zhuo used the Green Vine Heart Flame to ensnare the crowd, with Nangong Tang helping from underground.
• Feng Zhuo tightened the flames around Shen Mingxiao and tormented him, while the trapped disciples blamed Su Ruanruan for misleading them.
• Nangong Tang gave Feng Zhuo an image-recording jade, and the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Vine recovered the blood resentment Qi from Su Ruanruan.
• As Feng Zhuo turned to Nangong Tang, a sharp sound pierced the air and Yun Li warned him to look out.

Feng Zhuo and Yanba killed the White Tiger after it attacked, and Feng Zhuo took its corpse for its valuable materials. He offered Yun Li a way to regrow her severed right arm once she reached Foundation Establishment, leaving her tearfully grateful.

• Yanba stopped the White Tiger's attack on Feng Zhuo and trapped it with his tails and Heart-Scorching Flame.
• Yun Li remembered how the White Tiger had broken their contract, injured her, and become Su Ruanruan's life-bound spirit beast.
• Yanba killed the White Tiger without damaging its fur, and Feng Zhuo stored the corpse for its materials.
• Feng Zhuo gave Yun Li two bottles of pills and promised to help regrow her right arm once she reached Foundation Establishment.
• Yun Li thanked Feng Zhuo through tears and vowed she would do anything he asked.

Feng Zhuo emerged from the mystic realm at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, surprising the gathered sect disciples and provoking Chu Yunfei. Chu Yunfei accused him of poisoning Su Ruanruan and stealing the ten-thousand-year-old Spirit-Cleansing Grass, preparing to confront him.

• Yun Li told Nangong Tang that Ye Qingyu planned to take a long-term sect mission after reaching Foundation Establishment and would wait for her at their usual place.
• Feng Zhuo left the mystic realm ahead of the others, while Yun Li and Nangong Tang agreed to bring the remaining disciples out just before it closed.
• Outside the mystic realm, Yushang tried to stall Chu Yunfei while waiting for reinforcements, but Chu Yunfei dismissed her concerns and trusted Su Ruanruan's accusations against Feng Zhuo.
• Feng Zhuo emerged alone at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, startling Chu Hongxiao, Chu Yunfei, and the gathered disciples.
• Chu Yunfei mocked Feng Zhuo's rapid cultivation, then accused him of poisoning Su Ruanruan and seizing the ten-thousand-year-old Spirit-Cleansing Grass as he readied his sword.

Feng Zhuo confronted Chu Yunfei over Su Ruanruan’s accusation and used the dispute to expose rumors about the Dark Nether Sword Token. After Chu Yunfei attacked him with lightning sword techniques, Feng Zhuo’s Green Vine Heart Flame countered the strike, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Feng Zhuo challenged Chu Yunfei’s accusations and hinted that Chu Yunfei had spread rumors about the Dark Nether Sword Token.
• Chu Yunfei demanded Feng Zhuo’s storage ring and antidote, then attacked when Feng Zhuo produced a gilded auction receipt.
• Feng Zhuo threw five Thunderclap Bombs at Chu Yunfei, who destroyed them with his Heavenly Thunder Spirit Root.
• Chu Yunfei unleashed thirty-three lightning pythons at Feng Zhuo, while Yushang prepared to use her life-saving jade talisman.
• Feng Zhuo formed a vine barrier whose Green Vine Heart Flame became thirty-three spirit serpents and crushed Chu Yunfei’s lightning pythons.
• Chu Yunfei suppressed his dissatisfaction and called the exchange one sword strike.