Chapter Summaries

Heng Hua recovered a Crimson Talisman Scripture and discovered more Essence of Wutu Earth beneath the volcano, along with a box of books containing forbidden arts. After sharing a secret art with Fu Xuanxing, he began investigating the books aboard the spirit ship.

• Heng Hua accepted the Crimson Talisman Scripture and learned that opening it required Cloudflame True Qi, while Zhou Xiao urged him to preach the scripture and revive the Immortal Palace lineage.
• Heng Hua examined the Essence of Wutu Earth, then secretly left the ship to search the volcano while Xiaoyu and Hengshou watched the outsiders.
• Fu Xuanxing joined Heng Hua at the volcanic crater, entered the lava to retrieve a mass of black mud, and revealed his fire-repelling constitution.
• Heng Hua and Fu Xuanxing opened the mud and found more Essence of Wutu Earth surrounding a redwood box filled with preserved mortal books.
• Heng Hua gave Fu Xuanxing the Spirit-Sensing Communion Mystic Art and discovered that the books contained forbidden arts, including instructions for refining the Evil Soul Cult's Mother-Child Yin-Yang Stele.

Heng Hua learned that the redwood box contained forbidden evil arts and might conceal the Eight Extremes Scripture, a Heavenly Book, while Zhou Xiao warned him about its dangers. After Zhou Xiao left, Li Nanxing arrived and asked Heng Hua whether he wanted to establish a sect.

• Zhou Xiao told Heng Hua that nine redwood boxes had hidden evil arts and the Eight Extremes Scripture, with the complete text in one box.
• Zhou Xiao identified Heng Hua's box as likely inherited from Cloudflame Immortal Palace and warned that reading its books could corrupt the soul.
• Zhou Xiao revealed that the Mysterious Subtle Sect had translated 351 evil techniques from its own box without finding the Heavenly Book.
• Heng Hua asked about the lost Golden Rain and Thunderclap redwood boxes, and Zhou Xiao told him not to seek them out or cultivate evil arts.
• After Zhou Xiao departed, Li Nanxing arrived and asked Heng Hua whether he wanted to establish a sect.

Heng Hua refused to found a sect but let Li Nanxing teach a few trusted friends his cultivation methods, explaining how virtue and transmission fortune could help cultivators avoid tribulations. At his first lecture on Earthflame Island, Zhou Xiao arrived just as Heng Hua was about to begin.

• Heng Hua explained to Li Nanxing that sects guarded their teachings partly to protect their fortune from the misdeeds of disciples and reduce the tribulations of their patriarchs.
• Heng Hua refused to found a sect or spread his teachings widely, but permitted Li Nanxing to pass them to a few close friends.
• Heng Hua taught Li Nanxing the preliminary cultivation method and named the combined cultivation system the Lesser Celestial Immortal Formula.
• At dawn, Li Nanxing prepared Earthflame Island for Heng Hua's lecture with rosy clouds, green grass, and a temporarily calmed volcano, while Fu Xiangfeng added flowers and cleared the smoke.
• Heng Hua took his seat to lecture on the Cloudflame Crimson Talisman Scripture as Rogue Cultivators and river porpoises gathered, and Zhou Xiao arrived asking to listen.

Heng Hua founded the Cloudflame lineage by teaching the gathered cultivators and appointing seven disciples to inherit its methods. Afterward, he confronted Ji Mingfeng, who revealed that he was a Golden Core spirit painter seeking rare pigments and offered to stop pursuing Zhou Xiao in exchange for help.

• Ji Mingfeng identified the Duality Stabilizing Talisman as the reason he had sought Li Nanxing, then joined Heng Hua's gathering to hear the Dao.
• Heng Hua expounded the Cloudflame Immortal Method, and Cheng Yuliang converted his cultivation to reach the fourth level of Foundation Establishment.
• Li Nanxing attacked Ji Mingfeng with the Crimson Origin Eight-Trigrams Furnace, but Ji Mingfeng blocked the strike with his landscape painting and promised to help Li Nanxing's younger sister.
• Heng Hua selected seven cultivators to inherit the Cloudflame Immortal Method, and the group swore to unite and establish the Cloudflame lineage.
• Heng Hua questioned Ji Mingfeng about his schemes against Zhou Xiao, and Ji Mingfeng admitted he wanted a Golden Core-grade pigment from the Mysterious Subtle Sect to advance his spirit painting.

Heng Hua helped Ji Mingfeng find a way to complete his Western Sea Chart without rare pigments, enabling Ji Mingfeng to advance his cultivation. As Heng Hua and the others sailed north, Ji Mingfeng stayed behind to confront pursuing enemies and promised to send Xu Wenyu after them with a protective object.

• Heng Hua learned that Ji Mingfeng needed rare pigments to finish the Western Sea Chart, and Zhou Xiao confirmed that the Mysterious Subtle Sect’s Nine-Hued Clear-Heaven Pigments had been used up.
• Ji Mingfeng told Heng Hua that Color Alchemists had nearly vanished and explained how the scarcity of Spirit Painters had caused Color Refinement to decline.
• Heng Hua suggested that Ji Mingfeng paint the Western Sea as seven separate scrolls and merge them with the Talisman Fusion Technique.
• Ji Mingfeng completed the composite painting, manifested the Western Sea over the waters, and rejoiced that his Dao was complete.
• When Wei Family ships and devilish qi approached, Ji Mingfeng sent Heng Hua, Zhou Xiao, Fu Xuanxing, Fu Xiangfeng, Fu Heyi, Xiaoyu, and Hengshou north aboard the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship.
• Ji Mingfeng held Xu Wenyu back and asked him to catch up the next day with an object to ward off tribulations, while Ji Mingfeng prepared to defend Earthflame Island and confront the newcomers.

Fu Henghua’s party evaded pursuers in Yanlong while Ji Mingfeng and Li Nanxing fought the Wei Family, demonic cultivators, and the Origin Fire altar master. When a black-clad warrior intercepted the ship, Fu Henghua recognized her as an Immortal Maiden cursed into a man’s form and offered three ways to restore her; meanwhile, another “Fu Henghua” in Yuanming Waters prepared to return to the Fu Family.

• Fu Heyi stabilized the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship, and Fu Henghua identified the pursuers as Wei Family members allied with demonic cultivators.
• Ji Mingfeng and Li Nanxing attacked the pursuers, but the Origin Fire altar master appeared, prompting Ji Mingfeng to send Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu toward Earthflame Island while he faced the demonic cultivator.
• Fu Henghua’s party sailed north to avoid further pursuers, but a black-clothed man intercepted them and struck Fu Xuanxing into the water.
• Fu Henghua recognized that the black-clothed man was an Immortal Maiden transformed by a curse and offered three ways to restore her maiden form.
• The Immortal Maiden asked Zhou Xiao about undoing the curse, and Zhou Xiao said it required either a Nascent Soul Cultivator or the Yin-Yang Heaven-Earth Mirror.
• In Yuanming Waters, a woman calling herself Fu Henghua told a tavernkeeper she planned to return to her hometown and visit the Fu Family.

Heng Hua examined Jin Xian'e and identified the curse that had changed her and her Dao partner’s sexes, then offered several ways to undo it. When a Lin Clan ship approached amid the hunt for Zhou Xiao, Heng Hua used spirit painting to restore Jin Xian'e’s female appearance for one day, and she turned to confront the newcomers.

• Heng Hua used the Immortal-Spirit Reflection Method to examine Jin Xian'e and learned that her Senior Brother had cursed her and her Dao partner after she rejected him.
• Heng Hua identified the Spirit-Transferring Yin-Restoring Curse and described three possible remedies, including purifying it with the Moon-Seizing Divine Invocation over three full moons.
• Jin Xian'e told Heng Hua that the Lin Clan of Watergate Island had arrived and that the Demon Palace had learned Zhou Xiao carried the Six Desires Pearl.
• Heng Hua painted Jin Xian'e’s original appearance and used spirit painting to transform her back into a beautiful woman for one day.
• Jin Xian'e saw the approaching ocean tower and swung her sword, ordering its occupants to get out.

Fu Henghua and the others learned that Turtle-Burial Reef held a way to extend Zhou Xiao’s life, but a careless mention of the Yansheng Dragon King’s title provoked the suppressed True Dragon across Yanlong. The Four-Gate Isles’ formation calmed the storm, and the chapter ended with the Fu Family reaffirming its duty to guard Yanlong until the dragon could be slain.

• Fu Henghua invited Fu Xiangfeng and Fu Xuanxing to take Zhou Xiao to Turtle-Burial Reef, where he could perform a rite to extend Zhou Xiao’s life by nine days.
• Fu Henghua told Fu Heyi that the Living Yama might force Zhou Xiao’s potential to erupt and help him form a Golden Core, though they did not know where to find him.
• Fu Xuanxing noticed the Four-Gate Isles’ formation layout and spoke the Yansheng Dragon King’s title, triggering a tremendous storm across Yanlong.
• At Earthflame Island, the Origin Fire Altar Master also taunted Yansheng, while Ji Mingfeng reinforced the island’s seal and the Wei Family cultivator feared the dragon’s awakening.
• The Four-Gate Isles activated their pillars and calmed the Dragon King’s fury; the Heavengate Island staff also ordered cultivators from beyond the domain to leave.
• Fu Danwei reflected on the losses his family had suffered and vowed that Yanlong’s younger generation would eventually slay the dragon, while Zhou Xiao acknowledged the Fu lineages’ burden of guarding it.

Fu Henghua traveled through the Northern Domain while considering his heart tribulations and dealing with the Yang and Xiao families over the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl. He revealed a secret formula that could suppress the Xiao Family’s cultivation methods, leaving Xiao Zhenghe and his clansmen stunned.

• Fu Xiangfeng drove off cultivators following the group, then went to greet the Yang Family’s triplet sisters, who competed over him.
• Fu Henghua realized Erlong Ravine was linked to one of his heart tribulations and chose to take the shortcut through it to Turtle-Burial Reef.
• Fu Henghua spotted the Xiao Family’s Yuming Mountain Ferry, disguised himself as Fu Maiyuan, and boarded with Fu Xuanxing and Jin Xian'e.
• Xiao Zhenghe told Fu Henghua that the Mysterious Subtle Sect, Demon Palace, and black market were pursuing the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl, and offered to share benefits if the Xiao Family obtained it.
• Fu Henghua recited a secret formula that Xiao Zhenghe recognized as a technique for suppressing the Xiao Family’s Eighteen-Story Pavilion Method and Heart-Burning Tribulation Method.

Fu Henghua used the Heart-Calming Formula and a false show of Fu Danwei’s presence to win the Xiao Family’s restraint, but the Lin Clan blocked the way and demanded a contest over the Heavenly Demon treasure. Heng Hua staged a bizarre beheading contest, then used the resulting delay to flee through Erlong Ravine at night, where the final enemies awaited.

• Fu Henghua demonstrated the Heart-Calming Formula to the Xiao Family, and Xiao Zhenghe agreed to negotiate for it rather than seize the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl.
• Xiao Zhenghe warned Jin Xian'e and Fu Henghua that the Lin Clan had invited a Great Golden Core Adept to target them.
• Fu Henghua revealed that Xiaoyu had impersonated Fu Danwei using a portrait and the Coiled Dragon Token to deter the Xiao Family.
• The Lin Clan challenged Fu Henghua’s party to seven contests for the right to keep the Heavenly Demon treasure, and Heng Hua began by cutting off his own head.
• After Lin Yuanchang left to summon contestants, Fu Henghua ordered his companions to escape, and Fu Heyi launched the ship while Fu Xiangfeng damaged the Lin Clan’s ships.
• Fu Henghua guided the ship through Erlong Ravine’s reefs and currents as Jin Xian'e cut away the mountain behind them.

As the spirit ship crossed Erlong Ravine, Fu Henghua rescued Xue Kai and used a Life-Saving Writ to persuade the poison cultivator to treat Zhou Xiao. Their journey was interrupted when the currents surged and a pillar of qi rose from Coiling Dragon Island, where Fu Henghua feared something had happened to his grandfather.

• Fu Henghua guided the spirit ship through Erlong Ravine while it passed eerie cries from Echo Talismans and Lin Yuanchang’s pursuing boats.
• Fu Henghua recognized Xue Kai trapped on the cliff, freed him, and Xue Kai used poisonous miasma to drive off the pursuers.
• Fu Henghua gave Xue Kai a Life-Saving Writ and asked him to save Zhou Xiao, so Xue Kai began treating Zhou Xiao with pill poison to stimulate his latent potential and reshape his Golden Core.
• As the ship drifted through the ravine, Fu Henghua and Xue Kai discussed Fu Danwei and the reasons Fu Henghua had used the writ on Zhou Xiao.
• Hengshou noticed the currents suddenly speeding up, and Zhou Xiao saw a pillar of qi rise from the direction of Coiling Dragon Island, making Fu Henghua fear for his grandfather.

Heng Hua divined that the Demon Palace was attacking Coiling Dragon Island, where Fu Danwei shattered the Demon Palace’s Desire Realm and routed its forces with a single sword strike. The ensuing clash awakened the Dragon King beneath the waters, and Xue Kai revealed that the Dragon King—not three flood-dragon kings—had forced Fu Danwei to sacrifice his life thirty years earlier.

• Heng Hua used the Nine Mysterious Heavenly One Divination Art to learn that the Demon Palace threatened Coiling Dragon Island, while Xue Kai and others helped him complete the calculation.
• The five Demon Palace altar masters and Liu Yuli summoned the Love-Stained World around Coiling Dragon Island, but Fu Danwei crushed the demon realm and its formation with the Wind Vault Hand.
• Fu Danwei struck with his jade ruler, killing the Mystic Illusion and Nimo Altar Masters and forcing the other altar masters and Liu Yuli to flee.
• Heng Hua and the others sensed Fu Danwei’s sword message warning that demons had entered Yanlong, then heard the Dragon King beneath the water roar in fury.
• Xue Kai told Fu Henghua, Fu Xiangfeng, and Fu Heyi that the Dragon King had truly forced Fu Danwei to sacrifice his life thirty years earlier.

Heng Hua learned that Fu Danwei had once wounded the Yansheng Dragon King and watched Fu Beidou kill the Demon Palace attackers. At Erlong Ravine, Heng Hua entered the demon path with Hengshou and realized the Heavenly Demon’s obstruction was his Foundation Establishment tribulation, then stepped forward to open the Heaven Gate and forge his Dao Foundation anew.

• Xue Kai explained that Fu Danwei had shattered a Dragon King’s scale and Divine Sense, while Fu Danwei’s later turn from sword to ruler reflected his ambition to unite Yanlong against the Dragon King.
• Fu Beidou slew the Profound Heart Altar Master and Origin Fire Altar Master after the Demon Palace forces fled, while Wei Zhilin and Ji Mingfeng sent people to intercept the Fu Family members at Turtle-Burial Reef.
• Fu Danwei sensed Heng Hua’s journey to Erlong Ravine and prepared the Seven-Star Dragonhide Whip, anticipating that his grandson would need a beating when he returned.
• At Erlong Ravine, Heng Hua recalled Kaiyang Zi’s warning and used three vermilion plumes to imbue Fu Xuanxing’s wooden sword with fire before sending Hengshou down the right-hand path.
• The Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl broke the seal, awakening the demon’s influence and causing Heng Hua’s Heart Ape to challenge his inner spiritual powers.
• Heng Hua understood that the seven trials were his Foundation Establishment tribulation and stepped forward to summon the Heavenly Demon evil thoughts, seeking to open the Heaven Gate and forge his Dao Foundation anew.

Heng Hua endured the Ignorance Delusion Tribulation as he established his foundation, overcoming nearly every fire through the lack of hatred toward him and the merit of his actions. After receiving two heaven-bestowed Dao methods and recovering his cultivation, he struck at Luo Shenkong with the Five Elements Mountain Method.

• Heng Hua triggered the Ignorance Delusion Tribulation while the Heavenly Demon's illusions distracted the others, and the fires of greed, wrath, delusion, and passion failed to harm him.
• Luo Shenkong realized that Heng Hua's firm Dao heart resisted temptation and prepared to attack him directly.
• The fires of hatred and desire largely dispersed because few people knew or resented Heng Hua, and Heng Hua extinguished the remaining weak flame.
• Luo Shenkong's pure malice engulfed Heng Hua in a final fire, but Heng Hua used merit, moral qi, and sacred virtue to survive and establish his foundation.
• Heng Hua received the Eight Trigrams Furnace Method and Five Elements Mountain Method from Heaven, recovered his cultivation, and summoned a five-colored mountain to strike Luo Shenkong.

Heng Hua trapped Luo Shenkong with Heaven-bestowed Dao arts as the group prepared to activate Kaiyang Zi’s demon-subduing formation. Luo Shenkong restored Golden Core strength, but the discovery of the Southern Bright Li Fire Sword and the formation left him fearing Kaiyang Zi’s plan had come to pass.

• Heng Hua’s Five Elements Mountain suppressed Luo Shenkong’s escapes, then his Eight Trigrams Furnace trapped and began refining the demon.
• Luo Shenkong escaped the furnace and tried to summon the Heavenly Demon Six-Desires Pearl, but Heng Hua pinned him beneath another Five Elements Mountain.
• Zhou Xiao concealed his suspicion that Heng Hua possessed a Heavenly Book by claiming he had created an Earth Codex immortal formula.
• As the group found Kaiyang Zi’s formation, Luo Shenkong restored Golden Core strength by using the Infant-Returning Core-Reversion Method.
• Heng Hua revealed that Fu Xuanxing’s peachwood sword was the Southern Bright Li Fire Sword, and fire patterns emerged across the ravine as Kaiyang Zi’s formation activated.

Fu Henghua and his companions activated the Separation-Flame Taiji Formation, trapping Luo Shenkong while the Heart Ape tormented his demonic incarnation. Heng Hua overcame the Ignorance Delusion Tribulation, returned to Foundation Establishment, and subdued the Heart Ape beneath Five Elements Mountain.

• Zhou Xiao and Heng Hua recognized Erlong Ravine's Taiji Formation and sent Fu Xuanxing along its golden path while they and the others held off Luo Shenkong.
• Fu Xuanxing used the Heart-Calming Formula to overcome the Six Thief Demon Heads, while Heng Hua trapped the Ignorance Flame inside his Eight Trigrams Furnace.
• Fu Xuanxing inserted his peachwood sword into the summit's groove, activating the Separation-Flame Taiji Formation and driving Luo Shenkong to a dead end.
• The Heart Ape repeatedly reenacted enlightenment against Luo Shenkong's demonic incarnation until Heng Hua intervened and refined the incarnation away.
• Heng Hua overcame the Ignorance Delusion Tribulation, returned to Foundation Establishment, and used Five Elements Mountain to subdue the Heart Ape.

The Separation-Flame Taiji Formation trapped Luo Shenkong and began refining him, while Zhou Xiao learned that Fu Henghua was the son of the formation’s arranger. As the formation’s power drew the Demon Palace, the Wei Family, and Lin Yuanchang’s group into battle, Song Chunqiu confronted Hall Master Zhu and learned that Zhu had planned attacks on both Coiling Dragon Island and Erlong Ravine.

• The Baleful Demon Altar Master arrived at Erlong Ravine, and Bai Yan urged the Demon Palace forces to seize the Six Desires Divine Pearl before the formation harmed it.
• The Separation-Flame Taiji Formation purified the ravine’s poison and trapped Luo Shenkong, while eight Vermilion Sparrows burned away his demonic power.
• Zhou Xiao recognized traces of a remade formation and learned from Heng Hua that his father had arranged it; Zhou Xiao then discovered Heng Hua’s borrowed name and reconsidered taking him into the Mysterious Subtle Sect.
• Lin Yuanchang’s group attacked Heng Hua’s party, prompting Jin Xian'e and the others to fight back; Bai Yan then led the Demon Palace into the battlefield, and Wei Chongwei joined them to pursue a Soul-Formation Pill.
• Fu Beidou fought Wei Zhilin as the Wei Family’s golden-armored divine man challenged him, while Song Chunqiu faced Hall Master Zhu, who revealed that he had planned attacks against the Fu Family on both fronts.

Heng Hua and the Fu Family fought the Lin Clan, Wei Family, and Heavenly Demon cultivators inside the Separation-Flame Taiji Formation as Luo Shenkong recovered and attacked them. Fu Liuhui used the Pure Wind Demon-Subduing Sword to turn the formation into a giant sword and sweep away the demonic forces.

• Heng Hua identified the enemy cultivators’ treasures and techniques, raised a Five Elements Mountain to block reinforcements, and fought off Bai Yan and Wei Chongwei.
• Fu Xuanxing struck the attackers with a formation-powered Separation Flame Fist, nearly wrecking the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship.
• Luo Shenkong consumed the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples’ vital essence, recovered his strength, and incapacitated several members of the Fu Family group with demonic mist.
• Heng Hua trapped Luo Shenkong in flames aboard the spirit ship, but Bai Yan pursued him toward the mountaintop while Fu Xuanxing tried to reach the Sword Altar.
• Li Nanxing and Xu Wenyu arrived with a Life-Substitution Painting from Ji Mingfeng, and Fu Liuhui joined Fu Xuanxing at the Sword Altar.
• Fu Liuhui combined the Pure Wind Demon-Subduing Sword with the Separation-Flame Taiji Formation, forming a giant crimson sword that swept away the demonic miasma and struck Luo Shenkong and the other demon leaders.

Fu Liuhui’s sword intent and Fu Xuanxing’s strike unleashed the full power of the Separation Flame Taiji Sword Formation, destroying Erlong Ravine and killing Luo Shenkong. After the survivors were scattered by the waves, Wei Chongwei confronted Fu Liuhui and prepared to kill her for her sword talent.

• Bai Yan, Luo Shenkong, and the other demons fought among themselves as the Taiji Sword Formation burned them, while starlight protected the immortal cultivators.
• Fu Liuhui wielded the Pure Wind Demon-Subduing Sword Intent, and Fu Henghua restrained Luo Shenkong with chains as the formation trapped him.
• Fu Xuanxing struck with his peachwood sword, releasing a surge of Separation Flame that overwhelmed the formation and forced the cultivators to flee.
• The flaming sword destroyed Erlong Ravine, killed Luo Shenkong, shattered the Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship, and raised enormous waves; Fu Henghua used the Eight Trigrams Furnace and Five Elements Mountain to refine the Mysterious Fire Fan.
• Fu Liuhui reunited with Fu Heyi and Fu Xiangfeng near the Jade Dragonfly Vessel, but Wei Chongwei attacked and called on his gathered Wei Family cultivators to kill her.
• Hengshou and Xiaoyu recovered part of the wrecked Colorful-Luan Spirit Ship and steered it toward Fu Liuhui’s group as she faced Wei Chongwei with the Yuanjun Sword.

Heng Hua completed Five Elements Mountain by absorbing the waters, flames, and ruins of Erlong Ravine, then used its power to capture Wei and Lin cultivators. As Golden Core cultivators from the Northern Domain arrived, he publicly accused the Lin Clan and Wei Family of conspiring to release the Heavenly Demon.

• Five Elements Mountain rose from Yanlong's waters, absorbed the Separation-Flame Formation and Erlong Ravine's remains, and completed its Five Elements cycle.
• Heng Hua drained and suppressed the Wei and Lin cultivators within Five Elements Mountain, while Lin Yuanchang escaped its range before Xue Kai and Jin Xian'e poisoned and subdued him.
• Xue Kai and Jin Xian'e recognized that Five Elements Mountain was developing into an immobile Five Elements Dao Domain, though they noted its lengthy preparation and weaknesses.
• Cultivators from the Lin, Xiao, and Yang families arrived, and Xiao Zhenghe blocked Lin Ziheng's attack on Fu Henghua's group.
• Heng Hua broadcast that the Lin Clan and Wei Family sought to release the Heavenly Demon and demanded that they answer for threatening the regions' peace.