Chapter Summaries

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.

Sang Ying challenged Rong Ji’s attempt to take her away by exposing suspicions about Chi Yan’s transformed spirit root and death. Rong Ji backed down and ended the accusation, while Su Fuyun’s hatred of Sang Ying deepened.

• Rong Ji threatened to take Sang Ying to the Mara Gate, but Jiulian refused to let him remove his disciple.
• Sang Ying pointed out that Chi Yan had changed from having three spirit roots to one and suggested a secret method had caused his death.
• Rong Ji realized Sang Ying had struck a nerve and decided not to risk exposing the Mara Gate’s secret, declaring that Chi Yan’s death had nothing to do with her.
• Su Fuyun objected to Sang Ying’s release, so Rong Ji slapped her and ordered the matter to end.
• Sang Ying silently told Su Fuyun that she had lost to her again, fueling Su Fuyun’s jealousy and hatred.

Jimo Xuan returned to the grand competition hall and challenged Mara Gate over Chi Yan, presenting evidence that Chi Yan had been tainted with Demonic Qi. A Buddhist elder also detected karmic sin on the evidence, leaving Sang Ying wondering whether it came from White Foothill City.

• Elder Rong Ji agreed to put Mara Gate’s dispute with Sang Ying behind them to protect his sect’s secrets.
• Sect Master Jimo and Elder Xu moved to settle the matter, but Jimo Xuan returned and declared that the Azure Feather Sect still had a score to settle.
• Jimo Xuan asked Mara Gate’s elders whether they knew Chi Yan was tainted with Demonic Qi.
• Jimo Xuan fitted a formation stone fragment into the damaged number four arena and showed that it carried Demonic Qi.
• A Buddhist elder examined the fragment and said it also bore karmic sin, startling the gathered sects and worrying Sang Ying.

Jimo Xuan presented evidence of Demonic Qi and brought in Jimo Qing to trace its owner, while the Mara Gate tried to shift suspicion onto Sang Ying. The test identified Sang Ying’s ice spiritual power and Chi Yan’s Demonic Qi, but Rong Ji destroyed the latter trace before it reached the soul stone, then admitted it belonged to Chi Yan.

• Elder Xu challenged Jimo Xuan’s claim, and Mara Gate disciples accused Sang Ying of killing Chi Yan and colluding with the Devil Race.
• Sang Ying confronted Rong Ji, who rebuked his disciples but insisted the Demonic Qi did not necessarily belong to Chi Yan.
• Jimo Xuan called in Jimo Qing and revealed that Chi Yan’s corpse had disappeared, leaving only foul-smelling black blood behind.
• Jimo Xuan used the soul stone and a cyan lotus to trace the spiritual power in the fragment, identifying Sang Ying’s ice power and Chi Yan’s Demonic Qi.
• Rong Ji dispersed the streak of Demonic Qi before it reached the soul stone, then admitted that it had certainly belonged to Chi Yan.

After Chi Yan was expelled from the Mara Gate, Sang Ying forced Rong Ji to compensate her and accept the loss of his sect’s competition ranking. As Ten Thousand Daos Born traveled home, Sang Ying noticed a strange reaction among the Beast Taming Sect’s caged beasts, hinting at trouble ahead.

• Rong Ji crushed Chi Yan’s soul stone, expelled him from the Mara Gate, and prepared to leave after declaring Chi Yan responsible for his own death.
• Sang Ying confronted Rong Ji over his attempt to kill her and demanded that Chi Yan’s points be erased, the Mara Gate lose its ranking, and Rong Ji apologize.
• Jiulian and the other sects backed Sang Ying, leaving the Mara Gate without a ranking and forcing Rong Ji to give her an Earth Spirit Pearl as compensation.
• Rong Ji left with a deepened desire to kill Sang Ying, and the Mara Gate departed before the awards ceremony ended.
• Ten Thousand Daos Born encountered the Beast Taming Sect while traveling home, and Sang Ying noticed a caged beast’s strange eyes as a lion-shaped Demon Beast woke inside the boat.

Su Fuyun dismissed the disappearance of Jing He and another disciple, unaware that Jing He had returned to the Azure Feather Sect to retrieve Chi Yan’s corpse. Unable to return to the Mara Gate or his family, Jing He set out for the Corpse Fiend Gate, hoping to regain his strength and take revenge.

• A Mara Gate cultivator told Su Fuyun that Jing He and another Foundation Establishment disciple were missing, and she ordered him to treat them as disloyal runaways.
• Jing He sneaked into the Azure Feather Sect and dug up Chi Yan’s corpse from beneath a dead willow by the abandoned pond.
• Jing He carried Chi Yan’s corpse out of the sect and recalled how he had overheard Su Fuyun and Medical Cultivator Chen planning to destroy it.
• Jing He revealed that he had killed a fellow disciple who discovered him stealing Chi Yan’s corpse, then disguised the body in Chi Yan’s clothes.
• Jing He decided to take Chi Yan’s body to the Corpse Fiend Gate, promising to regain his strength and avenge them both against the Mara Gate.

Sang Ying recalled Jingshui’s warning about the Mara Gate as the Beast Taming Sect’s flying boat came under attack by its abused Demon Beasts. Mu Ren was left surrounded, while a white-winged beast flew toward Ten Thousand Daos Born’s boat.

• Sang Ying told Dong Fuzhu that the Beast Taming Sect’s cruelty toward Demon Beasts would bring it trouble, remembering Jingshui’s warning about the Mara Gate and Su Fuyun.
• A caged creature stirred aboard the Beast Taming Sect’s boat, and the cage vanished as a patrolling disciple went to report to Mu Ren.
• Mu Ren awoke to the chaos, killed a canine Demon Beast that attacked him, and rushed onto a deck where Demon Beasts and cultivators were fighting.
• Mu Ren killed the Demon Beasts that attacked him, but the other cultivators disappeared and winged beasts surrounded him.
• The Demon Beasts trapped the boat and declared war on Mu Ren as a white-winged beast flew toward Ten Thousand Daos Born’s distant boat.

The Twin-Winged Snow Lion entrusted its cub to Ten Thousand Daos Born before fleeing, and Jiulian arranged for Sang Ying to leave the flying boat under a concealed identity. Sang Ying disappeared into Qing Zhou, while a disguised cultivator returned to the sect in her place.

• The injured adult Twin-Winged Snow Lion brought its cub to Ten Thousand Daos Born and pleaded for the cultivators to protect it.
• Elder Gu agreed to keep the Snow Lion cub as a guardian beast, and the adult Snow Lion fled into the night to escape the Beast Taming Sect.
• Jiulian realized the adult Snow Lion had chosen Sang Ying and told her that her Ice Lotuses might have drawn it to her.
• Jiulian gave Sang Ying the concealment artifact Thousand Faces and advised her to leave the flying boat and gain experience under a new identity.
• Sang Ying disembarked unnoticed in Qing Zhou, while a blue-dressed cultivator disguised as her returned to Ten Thousand Daos Born with Jiulian.

A teahouse tale about Ten Thousand Daos Born’s unexpected victory and Sang Ying sent two cultivators from the Twin Orchid Realm rushing to the Immortal Spirit Realm to find someone. In northern Qing Zhou, a mysterious woman rescued a child from a snow beast and left as the villagers began treating her as a guardian deity.

• A Golden Core Rogue Cultivator told teahouse patrons that Ten Thousand Daos Born had won the sect competition, with Sang Ying playing a crucial role in defeating the Mara Gate.
• A red-robed disciple of the Layered Heavens Palace and her male companion hurried to the passage to the Immortal Spirit Realm and booked places to search for someone.
• A mysterious woman ambushed a snow beast in northern Qing Zhou and rescued a small girl it had been carrying toward its den.
• The woman returned the girl to her parents, who thanked her, but she vanished before they could repay her.
• The villagers decided the mysterious woman was the Devil Beast hunter from local rumors and resolved to erect a longevity stele in her honor.

Sang Ying searched the snowfield for Cang Lian while hunting Snow Beasts and protecting locals, then used the Earth Spirit Pearl to help the sleeping Jiang Zhuoxue recover. Jiang Zhuoxue absorbed the pearl and was sealed inside an earthen cocoon, where great changes began.

• Sang Ying returned to her rented home, where Zhang Niang praised her for hunting Snow Beasts and saving people as the Snowfield Hunter.
• Sang Ying recalled traveling to northern Qing Zhou to find Cang Lian, whose secretive message about seeking seclusion and condensing a Dragon Pearl had left her worried.
• Sang Ying asked Gu Shu to help locate Cang Lian, but he could not identify where the dragon had gone into seclusion.
• Sang Ying took out the Earth Spirit Pearl and placed it beside the unconscious Jiang Zhuoxue after Gu Shu reminded her it could help him.
• Jiang Zhuoxue absorbed the Earth Spirit Pearl, and an earthen cocoon formed around him as he began undergoing changes inside.

Jiang Zhuoxue awoke from his long unconsciousness after Sang Ying’s Spiritual Qi pulled him from the darkness, then offered to help her find Cang Lian. After sensing Cang Lian hiding in Delusion-Breaking City, Jiang Zhuoxue proposed they go there to retrieve his eyes.

• Jiang Zhuoxue relived his past suffering and feared he would never wake, but Sang Ying’s voice and Spiritual Qi drew him back from the darkness.
• Jiang Zhuoxue emerged from the earth cocoon, coiled around Sang Ying’s wrist, and told her he had returned.
• Jiang Zhuoxue regained the ability to take human form and negotiated with Sang Ying, offering to help her before deciding what favor he wanted.
• Jiang Zhuoxue used his Divine Sense to search the northern snowfields and found Cang Lian hiding in Delusion-Breaking City.
• Jiang Zhuoxue told Sang Ying they should retrieve the eyes he had left in Delusion-Breaking City.