Recaps

Jingshui learned that scarlet, corrupted fortune came from stealing another person's fortune, and he suspected it was connected to Sang Ying's escape from Su Fuyun. At the Mara Gate courtyard, Jing He was robbed of his pills and forced to submit to his fellow disciples, leaving him feeling that he had lost something vital.

• A Buddha Sound Temple elder told Jingshui that scarlet, malignant fortune was karmic corruption caused by stealing someone else's fortune, and warned him to avoid such schemes.
• Jingshui recalled seeing scarlet, Sha Qi-tainted wisps of fortune help Sang Ying escape after Su Fuyun trapped her in ice, then decided the grand competition would be troubled and resumed cultivating.
• Jing He found that his high-grade pills were missing and discovered the empty bottle under a roommate's bed.
• Jing He's fellow disciples mocked his damaged Spirit Root and declining cultivation, beat him, and admitted taking the pills, which they claimed were wasted on him.
• Jing He refused to report them to an elder, then obeyed when the leading disciple ordered him to tidy the room.

After the finalists were announced, Sang Ying learned that Mara Gate’s Chi Yan had injured Lan Fusheng with a fire formation that seemed to bewitch him, and she began to suspect the sect’s changing spirit roots. Meanwhile, the defeated Su Fuyun summoned Chi Yan to speak with her, leaving their connection unexplained.

• Chi Yan mocked Ten Thousand Daos Born and said it was no longer the greatest sect, prompting other cultivators to learn that he had transformed from three spirit roots to a single fire spirit root and reached the Golden Core Late Stage.
• Dong Fuzhu gave Lan Fusheng a high-grade spirit pill, and Sang Ying questioned him about his severe injuries.
• Lan Fusheng told Sang Ying that Chi Yan had used a bewitching fire formation to lure him into danger, and Sang Ying told him to keep the matter quiet while she informed the elders.
• Sang Ying recognized that Chi Yan’s hostility and fire spirit root might make him a threat to her as an ice spirit root cultivator, and resolved to investigate Mara Gate’s changing spirit roots.
• After losing to Sang Ying, Su Fuyun shut herself away in her courtyard, then asked a maidservant to bring Chi Yan to meet her.

Su Fuyun ordered Chi Yan to cripple the chief disciple of Ten Thousand Daos Born in the individual competition final, while Sang Ying warned her disciples not to risk injury. The arena-holding final began, with Sang Ying taking the third platform and starting a winning streak.

• Su Fuyun told Chi Yan to win first place for Mara Gate, and Chi Yan blamed her for Jing He's damaged Spirit Roots.
• Su Fuyun ordered Chi Yan to cripple Ten Thousand Daos Born's chief disciple, and he agreed.
• Sang Ying urged Ten Thousand Daos Born's finalists to avoid pushing themselves beyond their limits.
• An Azure Feather Sect elder announced that the Golden Core Realm final would use twenty arenas, with arena holders who lasted until the end taking the top ten places.
• Ten Thousand Daos Born disciples claimed three Golden Core Realm platforms, and Sang Ying took the familiar third platform.
• Sang Ying welcomed her first opponent as Su Fuyun watched with a gradually ashen face.

Sang Ying, Bai Kejin, and Dong Fuzhu claimed fighting platforms and built winning streaks, while Jiulian trapped Elder Xu into wagering two orange-grade Spirit Artifacts against Ten Thousand Daos Born. The chapter ended with Chi Yan leaving his platform to attack Bai Kejin, as Sang Ying exchanged a knowing look with Su Fuyun.

• Sang Ying, Bai Kejin, and Dong Fuzhu claimed platforms, and Chi Yan and other disciples from Mara Gate and the Azure Feather Sect took the remaining spots.
• Jiulian baited Elder Xu into wagering two orange-grade Spirit Artifacts against Ten Thousand Daos Born, and Elder Xu accepted.
• Sang Ying defeated seven opponents, while Bai Kejin and Dong Fuzhu each defeated five, making Elder Xu increasingly uneasy.
• Chi Yan defeated six opponents on the first platform, then leaped over to challenge Bai Kejin on the fourth platform.
• Sang Ying noticed Su Fuyun watching her and exchanged a provocative look with him.

Sang Ying watched Bai Kejin and Dong Fuzhu face Mara Gate opponents who used hidden power to injure them, then saw both juniors unleash powerful Spiritual Qi vortices. Bai Kejin was defeated by Chi Yan’s strange fire array, and Sang Ying headed to the fourth arena to avenge him.

• Sang Ying defeated a Mara Gate disciple, while Dong Fuzhu and Bai Kejin struggled against their opponents.
• Jiulian recognized Mara Gate’s strategy of matching stronger and weaker cultivators, but insisted that Ten Thousand Daos Born had sent its strongest fighters to the arenas.
• The Mara Gate cultivators suddenly unleashed powerful attacks, injuring Dong Fuzhu and Bai Kejin.
• Dong Fuzhu used her Spiritual Qi vortex to hurl weapons at her opponent and knock him off the arena.
• Bai Kejin and Chi Yan clashed inside a combined vortex, which exploded and left Bai Kejin badly injured while Chi Yan remained standing.
• Bai Kejin told Sang Ying that Chi Yan’s fire array had used someone else’s technique, and Sang Ying entrusted him to Jiang Qi before going to challenge Chi Yan.

Sang Ying challenged Chi Yan on the fourth fighting platform, while Jiulian accepted Elder Xu’s wager that put Ten Thousand Daos Born’s Golden Core cultivators at risk of visiting Mara Gate. The match began with Chi Yan declaring he would take Sang Ying’s Golden Core, and the two faced off with fire against frost.

• Sang Ying climbed to the fourth platform to challenge Chi Yan, while Bai Kejin refused to leave the stands and watched with Jiang Qi.
• Elder Xu proposed raising the wager: if Sang Ying won, Ten Thousand Daos Born would take the Spirit Artifacts; if she lost, its Golden Core cultivators would visit Mara Gate as guests.
• Jiulian accepted the wager, and Elder Xu gathered the other sect elders as witnesses.
• Chi Yan told Sang Ying he had expected to fight her after dealing with Bai Kejin, and Sang Ying replied that he did not know her well enough and that she held grudges.
• Chi Yan revealed his hostility and declared that Sang Ying’s Golden Core would be his, then the gong sounded and the match began with his flames facing her frost.

Sang Ying fought Chi Yan, who trapped her inside a fire array that absorbed her Spiritual Qi. She broke out by destroying much of the fighting platform, leaving Chi Yan down and herself standing amid the fading red mist.

• A spectator confirmed that Sang Ying ranked fifteenth on Heaven's Chosen Ranking, prompting a young Mara Gate cultivator to flee in shock.
• Sang Ying and Chi Yan clashed until Chi Yan's fire array trapped her and concealed her from the spectators.
• Bai Kejin recognized the fire array and struggled to intervene, while Jiang Qi restrained him and forced him to take medicine.
• Sang Ying tried to counter the flames with ice-attribute Spiritual Qi, then attacked the array with her sword as the red mist shrank.
• Elder Xu claimed Chi Yan had won, but an explosive crash destroyed much of the platform and left Chi Yan lying on the ground as Sang Ying stood revealed.

Sang Ying resisted Chi Yan’s fire array by rejecting its illusion of her parents and defeating the flames. She won the match for Ten Thousand Daos Born, while Chi Yan collapsed and the sect’s supporters celebrated.

• Sang Ying struggled against the fire array until it conjured figures resembling her parents and lured her toward them.
• Sang Ying recognized the illusion because her mother had never called her “Yingying,” then cut down both figures with the Floating River Sword.
• Sang Ying unleashed her full strength against the fire array, breaking its connection to Chi Yan and causing him to lose consciousness.
• The fighting platform burst apart, and the elder announced Sang Ying of Ten Thousand Daos Born as the winner.
• Jiulian thanked Elder Xu for the Mara Gate’s Spirit Artifacts, while the crowd cheered Sang Ying’s victory.

Sang Ying and the other top cultivators received rewards after the individual competition, including access to Azure Feather Sect’s spirit spring. Elsewhere, a mysterious man noticed that Sang Ying had disrupted his plans and told Yan Chen to send her back to the Twin Orchid Realm.

• Sang Ying finished first in the Golden Core Realm rankings, while Dong Fuzhu took third and Jingshui took second.
• Sect Master Jimo awarded the top twenty cultivators palace feathers and promised each of the top ten a chance to cultivate in the Azure Feather Sect’s spirit spring.
• Hua Yaoyu resented Elder Luo’s earlier refusal to grant the Seven Emotions Pavilion access to the spirit spring and reconsidered her sect’s ties to the Mara Gate.
• A fiery red glazed bead shattered beside a mysterious man, and its blood altered the game board he was studying.
• The mysterious man called Sang Ying an interesting variable, removed several failed pieces from the board, and told Yan Chen it was time to send her back to the Twin Orchid Realm.

After Chi Yan was knocked unconscious, Su Fuyun coerced the Mara Gate’s medical cultivator into using a pill that would let him fight at the cost of his life. Sang Ying and Dong Fuzhu celebrated their victory and prepared for the sect competition, unaware that the Mara Gate was setting a trap for them.

• Su Fuyun learned that Chi Yan’s internal injuries would keep him from the sect competition and pressured the medical cultivator to use a deadly pill on him.
• The medical cultivator warned that the pill would consume Chi Yan’s Essence Blood and kill him within ten days, but Su Fuyun threatened his family until he agreed.
• Su Fuyun had the medical cultivator give Chi Yan the pill and ordered him to conceal Chi Yan’s recovery until the sect competition.
• Elder Gu rewarded Sang Ying and Dong Fuzhu with Spirit Artifacts and warned them to keep the disciples prepared for the competition in five days.
• Sang Ying and her companions made plans for the sect competition without knowing that the Seven Emotions Pavilion and other sects had already begun plotting.

Hua Yaoyu ordered Shen Yu of the Seven Emotions Pavilion to make Sang Ying infatuated with him before the sect competition ended. Shen Yu encountered Sang Ying and Dong Fuzhu on the way back from the spiritual spring, but Sang Ying dismissed his advances and left him behind.

• Hua Yaoyu told Shen Yu that Sang Ying was his target and instructed him to win her over before the sect competition ended.
• Sang Ying set new cultivation plans for her junior brothers and sisters, then cultivated at the Azure Feather Sect's spiritual spring with Dong Fuzhu.
• Sang Ying and Dong Fuzhu encountered Shen Yu after he was shoved toward them while trying to break up a quarrel.
• Shen Yu offered to take responsibility for Sang Ying, but she said the incident was nothing and prepared to leave.
• Dong Fuzhu reacted coldly when Shen Yu identified himself as a disciple of the Seven Emotions Pavilion, and she pulled Sang Ying away without giving him her name.

The sects traveled to White Duckweed Island for the grand competition, where Sang Ying formed alliances with Buddha Sound Temple and the Taotie Gate before leading Ten Thousand Daos Born into the small world. The competition began, and Ten Thousand Daos Born immediately rose to the top of the rankings.

• The sects departed for White Duckweed Island, and Sang Ying welcomed the Taotie Gate and Buddha Sound Temple aboard Ten Thousand Daos Born's ship.
• Chi Yan and Su Fuyun discussed Ten Thousand Daos Born's alliances, while Su Fuyun privately anticipated Chi Yan's downfall.
• The elders opened White Duckweed Island, and Elder Gu reminded Ten Thousand Daos Born's disciples to prioritize their safety over winning.
• Jingshui asked to ally Buddha Sound Temple with Ten Thousand Daos Born, and the Taotie Gate's eldest senior brother agreed to follow Sang Ying's arrangements as well.
• Sang Ying led the disciples into the small world, and the sect rankings appeared with Ten Thousand Daos Born in first place.

Sang Ying and her companions fought Demon Beasts in the small world, then found shelter and cooked a hearty meal from Demon Beast meat and Demon Plants. Meanwhile, Su Fuyun and her companions faced danger, and Chi Yan threatened to report her to the gate master.

• A Gu cultivator wagered nearly half his fortune on Ten Thousand Daos Born after the Grand Sect Competition betting stalls opened.
• Sang Ying and her companions entered the small world, killed a Demon Beast for points, and fought off a horde drawn by its blood.
• Sang Ying suggested eating Demon Beasts, and Dong Fuzhu proposed Demon Plants for Jingshui; the group convinced Taotie Gate's eldest senior brother to cook.
• Sang Ying found a safe cave, where the cooking cultivators served Demon Beast meat soup and the Buddhist cultivators enjoyed Demon Plant dishes.
• Chi Yan fought through a Demon Beast horde with Su Fuyun's group and threatened to report her to the gate master, while Su Fuyun ignored him.

A Gu cultivator watched Ten Thousand Daos Born surge up the sect competition rankings, while a veiled senior brother restrained three Rogue Cultivators who mocked the sect. He expressed confidence in Sang Ying, the new chief disciple, as she continued fighting in the White Water-Clover Island Small World.

• A Gu cultivator overheard Rogue Cultivators dismiss Ten Thousand Daos Born and praise the Mara Gate’s lead in the rankings.
• Ten Thousand Daos Born’s score soared from fifth place to second, startling the Rogue Cultivators who had bet on the Mara Gate.
• A pink-clad female cultivator rebuked the three men for insulting Ten Thousand Daos Born, and they argued with her.
• The veiled senior brother used his pressure to subdue the three Rogue Cultivators, made them apologize, and forced them to stay and await the competition’s result.
• The female cultivator asked her senior brother about his confidence, and he praised the new disciples and said Sang Ying was a rare sword cultivator.
• Sang Ying sneezed in the White Water-Clover Island Small World, startling the low-tier Demon Beasts before her.

Sang Ying found Shen Yu wounded and separated from his sect, then agreed to bring him back to Ten Thousand Daos Born. Though Shen Yu secretly scattered tracking powder and planned to help eliminate the other sects, Sang Ying had already noticed his actions.

• Sang Ying hunted Demon Birds with Yun Tun and the Taotie Gate disciples, then followed a trail of human blood into the grass.
• Sang Ying found Shen Yu hiding there, listened to his account of being separated from the Seven Emotions Pavilion during a Demon Beast rampage, and agreed to take him in temporarily.
• Shen Yu followed Sang Ying back while secretly scattering tracking powder from his sleeve, but Sang Ying noticed his left hand.
• Shen Yu saw the crowded, comfortable camp inside the cave and resolved to help eliminate the other sects, unaware that Sang Ying was watching him.

Shen Yu infiltrated Sang Ying's group while secretly helping the Mara Gate prepare an attack on the cave. Su Fuyun and Chi Yan sent a herd of Demon Beasts toward the cave, and the chapter ended as the ground shook and Shen Yu realized their plan had begun.

• Sang Ying defended Shen Yu to Dong Fuzhu, who softened toward him after hearing he might help the Mara Gate defeat their enemies.
• Shen Yu joined Sang Ying's group but found Dong Fuzhu repeatedly thwarting his attempts to get close to Sang Ying.
• Shen Yu reported that the elite disciples of the three allied sects had left the cave, giving Su Fuyun and Chi Yan an opportunity to attack those left behind.
• Su Fuyun and Chi Yan agreed to drive a herd of beasts toward the cave and use a Primordial Azure Ox calf to provoke an attack.
• Shen Yu heard the ground tremble as the beasts approached and smiled, knowing the Mara Gate's plan had begun.

Bai Kejin led a scouting party out of the cave and discovered a rampaging herd of Primordial Azure Oxen, while Su Fuyun and Chi Yan plotted to use the beasts to attack the cultivators sheltering inside. As the cave’s occupants began to flee, Su Fuyun dropped a bag holding a young Primordial Azure Ox toward them.

• As tremors shook the cave, Bai Kejin offered to scout outside and gathered several chef cultivators to accompany him.
• Before leaving, Bai Kejin arranged for the remaining cultivators to find safer ground, while Buddha’s Son Jingshui’s junior brother collected their belongings to track them.
• Bai Kejin’s group found a herd of Primordial Azure Oxen tearing through the forest, and Bai Kejin gave the chef cultivators beast-repelling powder before sneaking off to investigate what had driven them into a frenzy.
• Su Fuyun told Chi Yan that the oxen would reach the cave, and she took the young ox in a Demon Beast Bag, planning to use its blood against the disciples of the three sects.
• The chef cultivators began leading the cave’s occupants out through a rear passage, but Su Fuyun and Chi Yan approached under concealment and Su Fuyun hurled the bag toward the fleeing cultivators.

Su Fuyun’s scheme to frame the three sects with a young Primordial Azure Ox failed when Bai Kejin stopped her arrow, but Shen Yu still took the calf and planned to kill it. Sang Ying appeared before Su Fuyun could escape, struck her down, and sent the others to save the cultivators and claim the herd for the rankings.

• Su Fuyun shot an arrow at the Demon Beast bag, but Bai Kejin blocked it and the cultivators caught the bag and rescued the young Primordial Azure Ox.
• Su Fuyun ordered Shen Yu to kill the calf, and he took it from the cultivators while pretending to protect it.
• Bai Kejin traced the arrow’s Spiritual Qi to the concealed Mara Gate group and confronted Chi Yan, who fought him while Su Fuyun and the others prepared to leave.
• As the Primordial Azure Ox herd approached, Shen Yu prepared to attack the calf, and the fleeing cultivators hurried away.
• Sang Ying stabbed Su Fuyun from behind, then told the others to rescue the cultivators and use the herd to reach the top of the rankings.

Su Fuyun woke at the Small World entrance and realized Sang Ying had ended her chance to compete, leaving her fearing the Mara Gate’s punishment. Inside the Small World, Sang Ying led Ten Thousand Daos Born and its allies against the Primordial Azure Oxen, and the final explosion expelled them before the results were clear.

• Su Fuyun woke among the eliminated cultivators and learned from Chi Yan that her defeat had cost the Mara Gate its chance to continue the competition.
• Dong Fuzhu reported that the allied cultivators had been rescued and Shen Yu had been expelled, so Sang Ying ordered them to attack the Primordial Azure Oxen.
• Sang Ying recalled how she had seen through Shen Yu’s scheme, used his tracking powder to find the Mara Gate, and turned beast-attracting powder against its encampment.
• Sang Ying and her allies cornered Su Fuyun’s group, and Sang Ying drove her sword into Su Fuyun, sending her out of the Small World.
• Sang Ying led the cultivators of Ten Thousand Daos Born, the Buddha Sound Temple, and the Taotie Gate into battle against the remaining Primordial Azure Oxen.
• Sang Ying threw one of Jimo Bai’s explosive bombs at the herd, and the blast knocked out the cultivators and expelled them from the Small World.

White Duckweed Island ended the sect competition early by spitting out the cultivators and banning Exploding Pellets from future trials. Sang Ying revealed that she had angered the island, while Ten Thousand Daos Born surged into first place as the rankings locked.

• White Duckweed Island shook, opened ahead of schedule, and hurled the cultivators out of its small world.
• Elder Gu and Jiulian caught the falling disciples and helped wake them aboard the sea ships.
• Sang Ying woke first, and Elder Gu explained that the island had spat everyone out.
• White Duckweed Island announced a three-month closure and forbade Exploding Pellets and related pellets from entering the small world.
• Sang Ying thanked Elder Gu for praising her, revealing she had caused the island's anger.
• The stele rankings changed dramatically, putting Ten Thousand Daos Born in first place before the competition ended early.

The sect competition rankings were revealed, and Ten Thousand Daos Born reclaimed first place while the Mara Gate fell behind. Elder Xu fainted after Jiulian pointed out that he had congratulated Elder Gu too soon.

• Rogue Cultivators admitted they had been wrong to bet against Ten Thousand Daos Born, and a teahouse proprietor revealed that the senior brother they had met was Ji Fucang.
• White Duckweed Island announced the final rankings after refusing to resume the competition.
• The Taotie Gate took fifth place, and the Buddha Sound Temple took fourth place.
• The Azure Feather Sect was revealed in third place as the crowd waited for the top two rankings.
• Ten Thousand Daos Born took first place, and Jiulian taunted Elder Xu, who fainted.

Jimo Xuan discovered Demonic Qi in a broken fighting-platform array stone and warned Sect Master Jimo, who ordered the Mara Gate watched. As the fleet reached Hidden Sparrow City, Chi Yan suddenly collapsed and died after arguing with Jing He, while Su Fuyun welcomed his death as part of her plan to frame Sang Ying.

• A Mara Gate disciple accused Jiulian of making Elder Xu faint, then fell onto him and caused him to faint again.
• Jimo Xuan told Sect Master Jimo that a broken fighting-platform stone contained Demonic Qi, and they suspected the Mara Gate while ruling out Sang Ying.
• Sect Master Jimo ordered the Jimo household informed and trustworthy people assigned to watch the Mara Gate's courtyard.
• Jimo Qing agreed to send capable people to Jimo Xuan and go to the Azure Feather Sect to protect Sang Ying.
• Chi Yan promised Jing He he would help restore his Spirit Root, but refused to explain the Mara Gate's secrets when Jing He pressed him.
• As the ship docked at Hidden Sparrow City, Chi Yan spat black blood and collapsed; Jing He found him dead, while Su Fuyun resolved to continue her plan and blame Sang Ying.

After Chi Yan was found dead aboard the Mara Gate’s vessel, Sang Ying connected his sudden change to a past scheme involving White Foothill City. Ten Thousand Daos Born won the competition, but as Sang Ying went to claim the prize, someone accused her of murdering Chi Yan.

• Elder Xu examined Chi Yan’s body, then took the Mara Gate disciples back to their courtyard while the other sects wondered how he had died.
• Dong Fuzhu told Sang Ying and the others that Chi Yan had once possessed three Spirit Roots before suddenly gaining a Single Spirit Root, and Sang Ying later asked Gu Shu how such a change could happen.
• Gu Shu explained that nothing could grant someone a Single Spirit Root but recalled that something could turn a mortal into a cultivator; Sang Ying remembered the vanished daughter of White Foothill City’s lord.
• Sect Master Jimo announced Ten Thousand Daos Born had won first place with 1.2 million points and presented its reward, an entire Spirit Vein.
• As Sang Ying stepped forward to claim the reward, an accuser declared that she had murdered Chi Yan and that Ten Thousand Daos Born did not deserve first place.

Su Fuyun accused Sang Ying of killing Chi Yan and presented Medical Cultivator Chen as a witness, turning the competition results into a dispute over Ten Thousand Daos Born’s first place. Sang Ying challenged the accusation and called for an examination of Chi Yan’s corpse, but before anyone could leave, a mysterious green-robed cultivator appeared and claimed Chi Yan’s injuries had been incurable eleven days earlier.

• Su Fuyun accused Sang Ying of killing Chi Yan, and Medical Cultivator Chen testified that Chi Yan had suffered severe injuries after their match.
• Su Fuyun claimed Sang Ying had arranged for Golden Core disciples to target Chi Yan and urged the other sects to strip Ten Thousand Daos Born of its first-place reward.
• Sang Ying questioned Chen’s credibility and asked Sect Master Jimo to let medical cultivators examine Chi Yan’s corpse.
• Elder Xu tried to prevent the examination, while Su Fuyun privately hoped the corpse she had disposed of would not be found.
• A green-robed middle-aged cultivator appeared in the hall and declared that Chi Yan’s injuries had already been beyond treatment eleven days earlier.

Rong Ji arrived at the Azure Feather Sect with Chi Yan’s cracked soul stone and accused Sang Ying of killing a Mara Gate disciple. After Jiulian and the others stopped his attack, Sang Ying recovered and resolved to become strong enough to defeat Rong Ji one day.

• Rong Ji arrived at the Azure Feather Sect, presented Chi Yan’s soul stone, and accused Sang Ying of being responsible for Chi Yan’s death.
• Rong Ji attacked Sang Ying, but Jiulian struck him with his life-bound Law Artifact and freed her from his grip.
• Jiulian, Elder Gu, and Sect Master Jimo blocked Rong Ji’s next attack and reminded him that he was in the Azure Feather Sect.
• Sang Ying recovered with Jiulian’s help and longed to become strong enough to trample Rong Ji underfoot.