Chapter Summaries

Sang Ying returned to the Flowing Light Sword Sect and brought Su Fuyun and Lin Shu before the sect master to answer for framing and slandering her. The hearing began with Lin Shu faltering under Sang Ying’s account, while Su Fuyun insisted it was a misunderstanding.

• Sang Ying refused to settle the dispute privately and said she would ask the sect master to judge it.
• Elder Yanhua hurried the disciples onto the flying boat and shortened the return journey to a day and a half.
• Su Fuyun accused Sang Ying of trying to turn Gu Huaiwei against her, but Sang Ying said she only wanted the truth exposed.
• Sang Ying secured an audience with Zhou Chengyi, who summoned Su Fuyun and Lin Shu to the grand hall to answer her accusations.
• Lin Shu denied framing Sang Ying, but she recounted how he had smeared her after the ice flood dragon knocked her into a fissure, leaving him unable to respond.
• Su Fuyun told Zhou Chengyi that the accusations were a misunderstanding.

Sang Ying confronted Su Fuyun over the Ice Flood Dragon incident and challenged her to swear a Heart Demon Oath, but the sect master proposed a settlement that left Sang Ying disappointed. Before she could respond, Immortal Venerable Yanchen and the third elder arrived.

• Su Fuyun denied framing Sang Ying and claimed she had accidentally given her the Storage Bag containing the Raising Beast Ring.
• Sang Ying admitted she lacked evidence, then offered to swear a Heart Demon Oath and challenged Su Fuyun to do the same.
• Su Fuyun refused to swear, and Lin Shu tried to stop Sang Ying before the sect master restrained him with a trapping formation.
• The sect master dismissed the gathered disciples and proposed giving Sang Ying the Ice Lotus, sentencing Lin Shu to three months of reflection and Su Fuyun to six months in the meditation chamber.
• Sang Ying stayed silent as the sect master waited for her answer, and Immortal Venerable Yanchen and the third elder arrived.

Sang Ying accepted the sect master's arrangement after Gu Huaiwei sided with Su Fuyun, but gave the hard-won Ice Lotus to the sect instead of keeping it. After taking both disciples back to Crimson Snow Peak, Gu Huaiwei dismissed Su Fuyun and ordered Sang Ying to stay with him.

• Gu Huaiwei entered the hall with Su Fuyun and demanded an explanation, while the Third Elder challenged the punishment imposed on Lin Shu.
• The sect master and Gu Huaiwei defended Sang Ying, and the Third Elder accepted Lin Shu's punishment before leaving with him.
• The sect master asked Sang Ying to accept his resolution, and Gu Huaiwei told her to let the matter rest after she asked whether he believed her or Su Fuyun.
• Su Fuyun reluctantly produced the Ice Lotus, but Sang Ying gave it to the sect in exchange for money, leaving Su Fuyun angry.
• Gu Huaiwei took Sang Ying and Su Fuyun back to Crimson Snow Peak, then dismissed Su Fuyun and told Sang Ying to stay.

Sang Ying rejected Gu Huaiwei’s demand that she stop opposing Su Fuyun and asked to leave Crimson Snow Peak once she reached the Golden Core Realm. After Gu Huaiwei agreed, Sang Ying left and confronted Zhou Heng'an, who blamed her for Su Fuyun’s punishment and vowed to protect his senior sister.

• Gu Huaiwei told Sang Ying to put the conflict with Su Fuyun behind her, but Sang Ying denied targeting her and refused his offer of compensation.
• Sang Ying asked Gu Huaiwei to let her return to Settled Frost Peak after reaching the Golden Core Realm, and he eventually agreed.
• Sang Ying left Gu Huaiwei’s residence, determined not to regret her decision to leave Crimson Snow Peak.
• Zhou Heng'an blocked Sang Ying and demanded that she ask the sect master to revoke Su Fuyun’s six-month meditation-chamber punishment.
• Sang Ying refused and taunted Zhou Heng'an, who vowed to protect Su Fuyun once he reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Sang Ying discovered that Immortal Lord Fusheng’s Realm Pearl contained a pond floor covered in Ice Spirit Crystals and decided to leave the sect for training after absorbing one. Meanwhile, Su Fuyun subtly encouraged Zhou Heng'an to obtain an ice- or water-attribute treasure for her, and he remembered his father’s Water Spirit Crystals.

• Sang Ying sorted the treasures from the secret realm, stored the spirit medicines, and kept Immortal Lord Fusheng’s inheritance soul pearl for a future successor.
• Sang Ying entered the Realm Pearl and found its pond floor densely covered with Ice Spirit Crystals.
• After absorbing an Ice Spirit Crystal, Sang Ying decided to leave the sect for training and planned to tell Gu Huaiwei when she awoke from meditation.
• Zhou Heng'an visited Su Fuyun and vowed to ask the sect master to return her Ice Lotus or spare her punishment.
• Su Fuyun suggested that an ice- or water-attribute spiritual treasure could help her cultivate, and Zhou Heng'an remembered his father’s Water Spirit Crystals.

Su Fuyun entered the quiet chamber after Gu Huaiwei refused to spare her punishment, while Zhou Heng'an supplied her with spirit crystals. Sang Ying left the mountain to gain experience, determined to return as a Golden Core True Person and reclaim what belonged to her parents.

• Zhou Heng'an encountered Sang Ying and angrily accused her of scheming to win Immortal Venerable Yanchen's favor.
• Gu Huaiwei questioned whether Su Fuyun had deliberately pushed Sang Ying, then sent her to serve her half-year punishment in the quiet chamber.
• Zhou Heng'an gave Su Fuyun a box of spirit crystals, and she asked him to keep watch over Sang Ying while she was confined.
• The voice in Su Fuyun's jade pendant warned her not to use the crystals and urged her to practice its powerful Cultivation Method instead.
• Sang Ying packed her belongings and descended the mountain, intent on returning as a Golden Core True Person to reclaim her parents' property.

A demon had targeted the daughters of Listening Willow Village, and the Su family feared their bride would be taken. Lin Niansheng returned with Fairy Sang, who agreed to investigate, leaving the grieving families hoping she could save them.

• Ping'an tried to seek help from the immortals, but his parents and his sister urged him not to risk his life.
• Lin Niansheng returned to the village and told his mother that he had brought an immortal who could rescue his sister.
• Fairy Sang asked Auntie Lin where her daughter had been taken and whether other girls were targeted.
• The Su family arrived with their daughter still wearing her wedding dress and begged to meet the immortal.
• Auntie Lin brought the Su family inside, where they saw Fairy Sang and wondered whether she could truly save them.

Sang Ying learned how a demon had trapped the women of Listening Willow Village and abducted girls as brides. She took Miss Su’s place in a wedding dress and waited for the demon, intending to infiltrate his lair and free the village.

• Lin Niansheng and the Su family told Sang Ying that a demon abducted women from Listening Willow Village and kept them from leaving through a formation.
• Sang Ying inspected the village and discovered the formation trapping its women.
• Sang Ying refused to break the formation before finding the abducted girls, warning that the demon might escape with them.
• Sang Ying offered to take Miss Su’s place as the demon’s bride and investigate his lair.
• Sang Ying disguised herself to resemble Miss Su and waited on the bride’s bed for the demon to arrive.

Sang Ying let herself be taken in disguise to investigate the supposed monster that abducted brides and discovered a dungeon where young women were given medicine that scarred their faces. She found Lin Niansheng’s younger sister among the prisoners and continued pretending to be an ordinary captive while questioning her.

• The Su family waited for the monster to take Sang Ying, and Su Ping'an later found her room empty.
• Sang Ying allowed the black wind to carry her away in a bridal sedan while concealing her Spiritual Qi.
• After being taken to a dungeon, Sang Ying overheard an order to force medicine on her and saw imprisoned women with similar facial scars.
• Sang Ying suspected the abductions concealed tests of a medicine and decided to act cautiously to rescue the prisoners.
• Sang Ying met Miss Lin, who said the captives had been fed medicine that rotted their faces and were supposedly being treated.

Sang Ying escaped the dungeon with the Lin family girl, whom she suspected was actually a cultivator, while the girl returned to lead a rescue party from the Plain Robe Pavilion. Their escape was blocked by the Cold Crow Devil Lord, but a mysterious person blasted through the dungeon ceiling and offered them another way out.

• A guard tried to force Sang Ying to take a pill, but a disturbance drew him away and left her cell unlocked.
• Sang Ying and the Lin family girl escaped the cell and made their way out of the dungeon, then separated after the girl suggested they seek help.
• The Lin family girl returned as Nan Gurong, the Plain Robe Pavilion's eldest senior sister, and led her disciples in freeing the captive girls and subduing the guards.
• Nan Gurong learned that the guards were taking orders from a master who had defeated earlier rescuers, and hurried everyone toward the exit.
• The Cold Crow Devil Lord appeared at the dungeon gate, forcing Nan Gurong and the others to retreat into the dungeon.
• An opening was blasted through the ceiling, and a lovely-faced stranger called for everyone to follow her out.

Sang Ying helped Nan Gurong and the rescued young women escape the dungeon, but Cold Crow Devil Lord pursued them with swarms of venomous creatures. Remembering a cave that held a fallen great power’s Sword Qi, Sang Ying led the group there, and Cold Crow Devil Lord followed them inside.

• Sang Ying blew open the dungeon exit and helped Nan Gurong lead the young women out before the crow could bring Cold Crow Devil Lord to them.
• Nan Gurong sent most of the group ahead while she and a few others stayed to draw Cold Crow Devil Lord away, but one youth refused to leave her.
• Cold Crow Devil Lord’s venomous creatures overwhelmed the group, poisoning several Plain Robe Pavilion disciples.
• After Nan Gurong named their pursuer, Sang Ying recalled a cave containing a fallen great power’s Sword Qi and urged everyone to search for it.
• The youth found the concealed cave, and Sang Ying led the group inside, hoping its sword wind would delay Cold Crow Devil Lord.
• Cold Crow Devil Lord arrived at the cave and strode inside, dismissing its danger as a trifling trick.

Sang Ying sent Nan Gurong and the others away, then led the Cold Crow Devil Lord into a cave filled with Sword Qi, hoping the ancient sword force would injure him. She reached the chamber containing a phantom longsword, but the Devil Lord revealed he had known about their plan and wanted her as a human test subject before lunging at her.

• Sang Ying told Nan Gurong and her companions to find another exit while she lured the Cold Crow Devil Lord toward the Sword Qi.
• Nan Gurong gave Sang Ying the remaining insect-repelling powder and promised to return with help after the group escaped.
• The Cold Crow Devil Lord followed Sang Ying into the cave as she drew his attention and pressed deeper through the sword winds.
• Sang Ying reached a stone chamber and saw a phantom longsword formed from powerful Sword Qi.
• The Cold Crow Devil Lord admitted he had seen through the group's plan and said he needed a young female cultivator as a human test subject, then lunged at Sang Ying.

Sang Ying fought Cold Crow Devil Lord after he recognized her as a rare medicine person with a single Ice Spirit Root. Near the end of her strength, she prepared one final attack before hiding in the Realm Pearl, but an unfamiliar voice told her where to strike.

• Cold Crow Devil Lord examined Sang Ying's blood and discovered her exceptional Ice Spirit Root, deciding to make her his medicine person.
• Sang Ying used her mother's trapping array to hide in mist and attacked Cold Crow Devil Lord with the Flowing Light Sword Instruction.
• Cold Crow Devil Lord summoned a whip and repeatedly wounded Sang Ying, while she fought to buy Nan Gurong and the others time.
• With her sword cracked and her body badly injured, Sang Ying launched one last strike and heard a voice tell her to stab Cold Crow Devil Lord in the left side of his chest.

Sang Ying followed a mysterious voice’s guidance as she fought Cold Crow Devil Lord, but his black flag and relentless attacks left her badly wounded and without a sword. Taking the voice’s advice to wield a branch, she unleashed a freezing strike that blasted Cold Crow Devil Lord from the cave and left him unconscious.

• A mysterious voice guided Sang Ying’s attacks, and she wounded Cold Crow Devil Lord three times.
• Cold Crow Devil Lord summoned black smoke spirits with a flag, overcame the trapping array, and drove Sang Ying back until her spirit sword shattered and he wounded her shoulder.
• Sang Ying considered escaping inside the Realm Pearl, but the voice urged her to fight with a branch and rely on her sword cultivator’s resolve.
• Sang Ying poured her Spiritual Qi into the branch and unleashed a wave of frost and snow that swept Cold Crow Devil Lord out of the cave.
• Sang Ying approached the unconscious Cold Crow Devil Lord with the branch and named her strike Frost Chills Fourteen Provinces.

After driving off the Cold Crow Devil Lord, Sang Ying learned that the talking Sword Qi belonged to Gu Wangchuan, a legendary Sword Master from another realm. The Sword Qi chose Sang Ying as its successor and urged her to accept it before it dissipated.

• Sang Ying returned to the cave after the wounded Cold Crow Devil Lord escaped, then rested to recover her depleted Spiritual Qi.
• The Sword Qi praised Sang Ying’s comprehension and revealed itself when she asked its name.
• The Sword Qi condemned Gu Huaiwei’s claim to the title of Sword Master and named Gu Wangchuan as the true Sword Master.
• The Sword Qi explained that Gu Wangchuan had left it behind to find a disciple who could inherit his swordsmanship and sword intent.
• The Sword Qi told Sang Ying it might have found its disciple and urged her to accept it into her sword before it dissipated.

Sang Ying gravely injured Cold Crow Devil Lord, who was then killed by a group of young cultivators led by a Golden Core cultivator. As Sang Ying headed toward Nan Gurong and the others, she named the sentient Sword Qi Gu Shu and drew close to rejoining the group.

• Cold Crow Devil Lord stumbled toward White Foothill City, but a group of young cultivators found and killed him while he was badly injured.
• The leading male cultivator accepted some credit for killing Cold Crow Devil Lord, while a female cultivator dismissed the person who had injured him as likely dead.
• Sang Ying sealed Gu Wangchuan's sentient Sword Qi inside a tree branch and promised to find it a spirit sword.
• Sang Ying suggested naming the Sword Qi Gu Shu, and it happily accepted the name.
• Sang Ying followed Nan Gurong and the others' increasingly clear trail, expecting to meet them soon.

Sang Ying caught up with Nan Gurong’s party as masked attackers tried to kill them, and learned the Cold Crow Devil Lord had served a more powerful mastermind. She fought off the attackers with the Sword Master’s techniques, leaving Nan Gurong and the others alive and forging a lasting bond with her.

• The masked leader revealed that the Cold Crow Devil Lord had served him and ordered his followers to kill Nan Gurong and the Plain Robe Pavilion cultivators.
• Sang Ying arrived in time to block the attackers and reunited with Nan Gurong, who agreed to invite her to the Plain Robe Pavilion if they survived.
• The leader mocked Sang Ying’s tree branch and attacked her with vines, but she severed his arm with a strike.
• The leader ordered everyone to attack, and Sang Ying used the Sword Master’s techniques to fight them, impressing the Plain Robe Pavilion cultivators.

After receiving a new sword, Sang Ying struggled to practice until Gu Shu helped her realize that fear was holding her back from the sword’s free and unrestrained spirit. The insight triggered an epiphany that raised her cultivation to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, and Nan Gurong then told her someone had come to see her.

• Nan Gurong brought Sang Ying breakfast and told her where the waystation’s practice room was.
• Sang Ying recalled how Elder Chanyi had saved the group, treated her injuries, and given her a spirit sword to replace her shattered one.
• Sang Ying practiced swordsmanship but could not regain the feeling she had found in battle, so Gu Shu scolded her for letting fear govern her.
• Sang Ying remembered her wish to become a carefree, unrestrained sword cultivator and resolved to live by her own will.
• Spiritual Qi surged into the practice room as Sang Ying experienced an epiphany, and Elder Chanyi reassured Nan Gurong that the commotion was harmless.
• Sang Ying discovered that her cultivation had advanced to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, then Nan Gurong called her outside because someone was asking to see her.

Sang Ying gave Nan Gurong a medical inheritance that let her find a way to treat the rescued girls’ poisoned scars. Meanwhile, Su Fuyun reached Foundation Establishment and prepared to look for her junior sister.

• Lin Niansheng and the Su family brought gifts to thank Sang Ying and Nan Gurong for rescuing the girls from Listening Willow Village.
• Nan Gurong explained that Cold Crow Devil Lord’s experimental drugs had scarred the girls and that their condition was difficult to treat.
• Sang Ying asked Nan Gurong what she would do with a rare medical canon, then left a bead and Jade Slip containing an inheritance at her window.
• Nan Gurong received Immortal Lord Fusheng’s inheritance and found the Complexion Renewal Pill formula, giving her hope that the girls could be saved.
• Su Fuyun broke through to Foundation Establishment Early Stage on Discipline Peak and said she could now go looking for her junior sister.

Sang Ying helped the Plain Robe Pavilion use a medical canon to cure the abducted girls in Listening Willow Village, earning Merit for her role in saving them. As she reached White Foothill City, she heard that a young disciple of the Sound Killing Sect had killed the Cold Crow Devil Lord, bringing back memories of his threat against her.

• Sang Ying went with Nan Gurong and the Plain Robe Pavilion to treat the girls, and Nan Gurong explained their plan to use new pills from a medical canon.
• A severely scarred girl volunteered to test a pill, and her wounds healed until the scar vanished.
• The Plain Robe Pavilion cured the girls and left Listening Willow Village after Elder Chanyi broke the formation surrounding it.
• Sang Ying received a great deal of Merit for saving the medical cultivators, and Gu Shu told her the reward came from her good deeds.
• At White Foothill City's gates, Sang Ying heard that a young Sound Killing Sect disciple had killed the Cold Crow Devil Lord and recalled his threats against her.