# 01 -- Complete Plot Summary

## Overview

"A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality" (凡人修仙传) is a xianxia web novel by Wang Yu (忘语). It follows **Han Li** (韩立), a poor boy from a mountain village, whose mediocre spiritual root (伪灵根, the lowest-grade pseudo-spiritual root) should have doomed him to mediocrity. Instead, through a chance discovery of the **Heaven-Palm Bottle** (掌天瓶) -- a Chaos-level treasure that can accelerate plant growth by centuries overnight -- combined with extreme caution, meticulous planning, and relentless cultivation, Han Li rises from a mortal to the supreme existence of three realms.

The novel is divided into three major phases across three realms of existence: **Mortal World** (人界), **Spirit Realm** (灵界), and **True Immortal Realm** (仙界).

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## Phase 1: Mortal World (人界篇) -- Chapters 1-1260

### Early Years: Seven Mysteries Sect

Han Li is born in a poor mountain village in Mirror Province, State of Yue (越国镜州). At age 10, his third uncle recommends him to join the martial sect **Seven Mysteries Sect** (七玄门). Because he possesses a spiritual root, the mysterious **Doctor Mo** (墨大夫) takes him as a personal disciple, teaching him the **Eternal Spring Art** (长春功), a basic cultivation technique.

During this time, Han Li discovers a small green bottle (掌天瓶) in a mountain valley. Experimenting, he finds that liquid condensed by the bottle can accelerate plant growth by centuries overnight -- an ability that will become the foundation of his entire cultivation journey.

At 16, Han Li realizes Doctor Mo is secretly plotting to possess his body (夺舍). During the possession ritual, Han Li counter-kills both Doctor Mo and the cultivator **Yu Zitong** (余子童), learning of the wider cultivation world. At 18, during a Wild Wolf Gang ambush on Seven Mysteries Sect, Han Li kills the cultivator **Jin Guang Shangren** (金光上人), obtaining an "Ascension Token" (升仙令) and a mysterious sword talisman.

### Yellow Maple Valley and Foundation Establishment

Using the Ascension Token, Han Li joins **Yellow Maple Valley** (黄枫谷), one of the seven great cultivation sects of the State of Yue. To earn Foundation Establishment Pills, he enters the **Bloody Forbidden Land** (血色禁地) trial. There, he meets **Nangong Wan** (南宫婉) of the Veiled Moon Sect. Under the influence of an Ink Flood Dragon's aphrodisiac sac, the two have an intimate encounter that will bind their fates forever.

At age ~25, Han Li successfully establishes his Foundation (筑基). He becomes a formal disciple of **Li Huayuan** (李化元) and obtains the **Azure Origin Sword Art** (青元剑诀) and crafting methods for his life-bound flying swords. He also acquires the **Great Development Art** (大衍诀) from the Thousand Bamboo Sect, a technique that doubles his spiritual sense power.

### Demonic Dao Invasion and Flight to Scattered Star Seas

The **Demonic Dao Six Sects** (魔道六宗) invade the State of Yue. Yellow Maple Valley abandons Han Li and other low-level disciples as sacrificial pawns. Han Li, having obtained an ancient teleportation formation token, flees through a spatial formation to the **Scattered Star Seas** (乱星海) -- a vast oceanic realm far from the Tiannan continent.

### Scattered Star Seas: Core Formation and Void Heaven Hall

In the Scattered Star Seas, Han Li settles on Small Universe Island (小寰岛) and enters seclusion. Over approximately 100 years of cultivation, he forms his **Golden Core** (结丹) at age ~126. During this period, he obtains **Gold Devouring Beetles** (噬金虫) -- a swarm of insects that can devour anything -- and **Golden Thunder Bamboo** (金雷竹), a divine material for crafting his life-bound flying swords.

He meets **Fairy Violet Spirit** (紫灵/汪凝), the daughter of the Subtle Sound Sect leader and reputedly the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He also crafts his signature weapons: **72 Azure Bamboo Beecloud Swords** (青竹蜂云剑).

At age ~151, Han Li enters **Void Heaven Hall** (虚天殿), the legendary treasure palace that appears once every 300 years. Using his wits and caution, he navigates among multiple Nascent Soul old monsters -- Man Huzi (蛮胡子), Ji Yin (极阴祖师), Wan Tianming (万天明), Xuan Gu Shangren (玄骨上人) -- and ultimately emerges as the biggest winner, obtaining the **Void Heaven Cauldron** (虚天鼎), the number one treasure of the Scattered Star Seas.

Inside the cauldron, he finds the **Silvermoon Wolf** (银月), a wolf-demon princess named Xue Ling (雪玲) who had been sealed as an artifact spirit. She becomes his loyal companion, the only being who knows the secret of his Heaven-Palm Bottle.

Han Li also obtains the **Dry Blue Ice Flame** (乾蓝冰焰), **Nine Curved Spirit Ginseng** (九曲灵参), the **Heaven Mending Pill** (补天丹) that improves his spirit root quality, and other treasures. He gains the notorious title "Insect Demon" (虫魔) after his Gold Devouring Beetles terrorize the seas.

### Return to Tiannan: Nascent Soul

Transported by ghost fog to the **Land of Yin冥** (阴冥之地) and then across the Boundless Sea, Han Li returns to the Tiannan continent. He infiltrates **Falling Cloud Sect** (落云宗) and, at age ~217, successfully forms his **Nascent Soul** (元婴) -- breaking the Tiannan record for speed.

He rescues Nangong Wan from the Veiled Moon Sect, but she is ambushed by Yin Luo Sect (阴罗宗) and forced to self-seal for 100 years to survive. Han Li kills the Yin Luo Sect enforcement elder and obtains the **Yin Luo Banner** (阴罗蟠).

### Mulan War and Falling Demon Valley

The Mulan Spell Warriors (慕兰法士) invade Tiannan. Han Li participates in life-death duels, trapped in a Blood Gauze Shroud (血罗罩) before breaking free. He destroys the Bronze Corpse Army, captures the Mulan Ancient Lamp, and turns the tide of battle. After a ceasefire, he travels to the extreme west.

To save Nangong Wan, Han Li enters **Falling Demon Valley** (坠魔谷), the foremost凶地 (dangerous zone) of Tiannan. An ancient sealed demon, the **Blood Flame Ancient Demon**, is accidentally released. While fighting it, Han Li falls into a spatial rift leading to fragments of the **Spirit Remote Garden** (灵缈园). After **27 years** of secluded cultivation, he breaks through to **Nascent Soul mid-stage** (元婴中期).

### Great Jin Empire and Kunwu Mountain

Han Li travels to the vast **Great Jin Empire** (大晋), the most prosperous cultivation region of the mortal world. He seeks Buddhist techniques to suppress a murderous aura that threatens his cultivation. He meets the **Great Development Divine Lord** (大衍神君), a puppet-master genius whose residual soul teaches him advanced puppet techniques.

**Kunwu Mountain** (昆吾山) opens -- the site of an ancient war between the Spirit Realm and Demon Realm where the **Yuan Sha Sacred Ancestor's** (元刹圣祖) soul fragment was sealed. This dungeon becomes known as the "Nascent Soul Meat Grinder" (元婴绞肉机). Over **33 Nascent Soul cultivators** perish, including multiple Nascent Soul late-stage grandmasters.

Han Li fights the Yuan Sha Sacred Ancestor's soul fragment (which briefly reaches power rivaling early Void Refinement). In the climactic moment, Silvermoon's true identity is revealed: she is **Linglong** (玲珑), the Silvermoon Wolf Princess of the Spirit Realm, and one half of a split soul. Linglong awakens her memories and, using a Reverse Star Plate, returns to the Spirit Realm.

Han Li then travels to **Minor Extreme Palace** (小极宫) on Northern冥 Island, where three great demon cultivators lead ten thousand demons to besiege the palace. Han Li obtains the Dry Blue Ice Flame origin and, after over 80 years of cultivation, reaches **Nascent Soul late-stage** (元婴后期).

### Supreme in Tiannan and Deity Transformation

Han Li returns to the Scattered Star Seas, deals with the Star Palace Twin Saints, and witnesses the cosmic battle between **Luohou** (罗睺) and the **Roaming Heaven Kunpeng** (游天鲲鹏), obtaining a single feather -- the source material for his later transformation technique.

Back in Tiannan, he subdues his second Nascent Soul, defeats two late-Nascent Soul cultivators, and elevates Falling Cloud Sect to superpower status. He rescues Nangong Wan, and the two formally become cultivation partners (双修大典).

After helping the Tianlan Sacred Beast survive its Heavenly Tribulation, Han Li kills **Six Paths** (六道, who possessed Wan Tianming's body) for Star Palace. He spends an intimate night with Fairy Violet Spirit.

Han Li cultivates the **Primordial Magnetic Divine Light** (元磁神光) and, at approximately age 885, breaks through to **Deity Transformation** (化神). Together with the **Ice Phoenix** (冰凤), he traverses a space node at Five Dragon Sea, **ascending to the Spirit Realm**.

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## Phase 2: Spirit Realm (灵界篇) -- Chapters 1261-2446

### Arrival and Recovery

Han Li arrives in the Spirit Realm's Green Gauze Desert (青罗沙漠), but the space node backlash causes him to **lose all cultivation** -- dropping back to a powerless mortal. He experiences approximately 150 years as a body refiner, cultivating the **Vajra Art** (金刚诀) to survive.

Once recovered (at age ~1,149), he is conscripted into **Heavenly Abyss City** (天渊城), a massive fortress city that guards the human race against foreign races. His two-colored lightning tribulation marks him as an ascended cultivator -- a rarity that draws attention.

### Heavenly Abyss City and the Profound Heaven Sword Crisis

Han Li serves as an Azure Nether Guard (青冥卫) captain. He cultivates the **Brahmic Sacred Demon Art** (梵圣真魔功), obtains the **Hundred Meridians Treasure Refining Art** (百脉炼宝决), and matures his Gold Devouring Beetles to adult form.

When a **Profound Heaven Fruit** (玄天果实) he had been nurturing accidentally ripens and transforms into the **Profound Heaven Spirit-Slaying Sword** (玄天斩灵剑), it triggers a reaction on the **Chaos Myriad Spirits Ranking** (混沌万灵榜) -- ranking third among all Profound Heaven treasures. This sends the entire Spirit Realm into turmoil as all races seek to claim it.

To escape the ensuing chaos, Han Li accepts a dangerous information-gathering mission into Mu Clan territory. His team is ambushed; Han Li barely escapes from a Body Integration stage Night Yaksha King.

### Flying Spirit Tribe and Earth Abyss

Fleeing for his life, Han Li enters the territory of the Heavenly Roc Clan (天鹏族), part of the Flying Spirit Tribe (飞灵族). Under coercion from clan elders, he impersonates a Heavenly Roc Saint Son and participates in the **Earth Abyss Trial** (地渊试炼). There, he obtains the **Awakening from Hibernation Twelve Transformations** (惊蛰十二变) technique.

Captured by an Earth Abyss Demon King, Han Li uses his Golden Thunder Bamboo to enter the Nether River (冥河), where he reunites with **Yuan Yao** (元瑶) and her senior sister Yan Li (妍丽). They meet **Green Origin Master** (青元子), a legendary cultivator who helps Han Li escape; Yuan Yao stays behind as Green Origin Master's disciple.

### Vast Cold Realm

Han Li forces his way to Thunder Continent (雷鸣大陆) and obtains a Vast Cold Token (广寒令). Entering the **Vast Cold Realm** (广寒界) -- a special dimension with ten times the normal spiritual energy -- he teams up with Shi Kun and Liu Shuier.

The group battles silver-white dark beasts, breaks through forbidden areas, and enters an Immortal's mansion. Han Li obtains massive quantities of rare herbs, semi-finished spirit treasures, the Gold Gourd Sword, and Void Spirit Pills.

In the screen world (屏中洞天) within the mansion, a **Star Chart infusion** (星图灌体) causes both his original body and his second Nascent Soul to rocket to **Void Refinement peak** (炼虚巅峰). He nearly explodes from power overload; only the Profound Heaven Spirit-Slaying Sword saves him by absorbing the excess energy.

### Body Integration and the Demon Realm War

Returning to the human race, Han Li cultivates the **Refined Spirit Art** (炼神术) to its first layer, breaking through to **Body Integration** (合体) at approximately age 1,565.

"Demon spots" (魔斑) descend upon the Spirit Realm -- the precursor to full-scale **Demon Realm invasion** (魔劫). Han Li leads his disciples to defend Heavenly Abyss City. He supports Leaning Heaven City (倚天城), killing three Demon Venerables before being hunted by the **Blood Radiance Sacred Ancestor** (血光圣祖) and **Yuan Sha Sacred Ancestor** (元刹圣祖) for 1.5 years.

After escaping, Han Li kills the Azure Dragon Superior (青龙上人) who coveted Ice Phoenix, absorbs her primal yin energy, and breaks through to **Body Integration late-stage** (合体后期). In the final battle at Heavenly Abyss City, he destroys the **First Demon Venerable** and Blood Radiance's incarnation, securing a great victory.

### Demon Realm Journey

Han Li enters the Demon Realm (魔界) with other powerful experts to seek the Spirit Cleansing Pool (洗灵池) and Pure Spirit Lotus (净灵莲). The journey takes him through the Phantom Sand Desert (幻啸沙漠, 40 years), to Bitter Spirit Island where they encounter a catastrophic foe.

The Spirit King (灵王) controls a pseudo-immortal puppet, **Crab Daoist** (蟹道人), which self-destructs. Han Li uses **Heaven-Creation Dew** (参天造化露) from his bottle to reactivate Crab Daoist, earning his allegiance.

Han Li negotiates with **Baohua Sacred Ancestor** (宝花圣祖) and **Yuan She** (元魇) using Vast Cold Realm immortal herbs as bargaining chips. He reaches the Spirit Cleansing Pool, encounters Fairy Violet Spirit again, and obtains rare materials including **Blood Tooth Rice** (血牙米), **Great Five Elements True Light** (大五行真光), and **Demon Metal** (异魔金).

### Great Vehicle / Mahayana

Returning to the Spirit Realm, Han Li enters seclusion. He cultivates the Refined Spirit Art to its second layer and, at approximately age 2,468, breaks through to **Great Vehicle / Mahayana** (大乘) -- becoming one of the top-tier existences in the Spirit Realm.

He attends the Vast Spirit Dao Fruit Assembly, establishes connections with major forces, and discovers that the Refined Spirit Art is actually a forbidden technique from the Immortal Realm. He enters the Demon Realm's Origin Seal Land to rescue Ao Xiao and Mo Jianli.

### The Mother of Borers

In a major battle, Han Li joins forces with Baohua and other Mahayana experts to fight the **Mother of Borers** (螟虫之母) -- an apocalyptic insect entity. A fallen True Immortal named **He Kang** (何康) provides critical assistance, revealing that upheaval in the Immortal Realm has made refined spirit techniques forbidden. The Mother of Borers is destroyed.

### Minor Spirit Heaven and Nangong Wan's Return

Tragedy strikes: **Ao Xiao** (敖啸), the old wolf ancestor, dies under Heavenly Tribulation. Han Li establishes **Green Origin Palace** (青元宫) in the Boundless Sea for Silvermoon and her clan.

Han Li enters **Minor Spirit Heaven** (小灵天) and finally finds **Nangong Wan** (who had accidentally ascended there separately). They are reunited after thousands of years.

### The True Immortal Ma Liang Crisis

**True Immortal Ma Liang** (马良) descends from the Immortal Realm, performing blood sacrifices on the Blood Sky Continent (血天大陆) to gather power. His strength far exceeds anything in the Spirit Realm.

Three siege battles are mounted against him:
- **First siege**: 12 ordinary Mahayana + 1 top Mahayana + Heaven-Earth Duality Grand Formation + Profound Heaven Treasure Imperial Wind Diagram -- crushed by Ma Liang's "Spirit Domain" technique
- **Second siege**: 6 top Hornet Tribe Mahayana -- 4 dead, 2 wounded; Ma Liang summons three true spirits
- **Third siege** (climactic): 10+ top Mahayana (including Xuan Jiuling, who killed a nine-headed true spirit) + Nine Calamity Extinction Art + Two Polaris Dust Grand Formation + Four Suanni true spirits + Paradise Brahmic River Realm + Silver Hook Heaven Book and other Profound Heaven treasures

Han Li himself is nearly killed -- he was designed as the formation's sacrificial eye. Thanks to **Crab Daoist's** warning and the **Gold Devouring Beetle King's** (噬金虫王) assistance, he survives. The coalition **kills Ma Liang**, with Han Li obtaining the True Soul Pill (真魄丹), subduing Ma Liang's outer demon (外魔) **Huo Xuzi** (火须子), and gaining **Demon Light** (魔光) as a companion.

Han Li is now honored as the **foremost Mahayana of the Spirit Realm** (灵界第一大乘).

### The Final Ascent

Han Li obtains the complete Heaven-Palm Bottle (merging with the bottle spirit), the **Vast Spirit Dao Fruit** (广灵道果), and refines the **Primal Unity Five Peak Mountain** (元合五极山). After over **8,000 years** of cultivation, he undergoes the Ascension Tribulation and finally ascends to the True Immortal Realm.

The **original novel ends at chapter 2,446**.

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## Phase 3: True Immortal Realm (仙界篇, the Sequel)

The sequel, 《凡人修仙传之仙界篇》(Immortal World Arc), spans approximately 1,396 chapters.

### Crash Landing in Linghuan

Upon ascending to the Northern Cold Immortal Domain (北寒仙域), Han Li is immediately ambushed by **Golden Immortal Tao Yu** (陶羽) and others who detected the Heaven-Palm Bottle's origin power. His Nascent Soul is sealed, and he falls into the lower realm **Linghuan Realm** (灵寰界), losing his memory for 300 years.

Saved by **Liu Leer** (柳乐儿), Han Li slowly recovers. He cultivates the **Northern Dipper Star Origin Art** (北斗星元功) and forms the True Extreme Body (真极之躯), becoming a Mystic Immortal (玄仙) through body refinement alone. He then breaks through the realm wall using pure physical strength to return to the Immortal Realm.

### Candle Dragon Dao and the Time Law

Han Li joins **Candle Dragon Dao** (烛龙道) and obtains the **True Word Transformation Wheel Scripture** (真言化轮经), a time cultivation method. For the first time, he begins to comprehend the **Time Law** (时间法则) -- one of the three supreme laws of existence.

He recovers his lost treasures: Crab Daoist's core, the Azure Bamboo Beecloud Swords, the Wind-Thunder Wings. He advances through the True Immortal stages, eventually reaching **Golden Immortal** (金仙).

At **Mohan Immortal Mansion** (莫寒仙府), he enters a secret realm, cultivates the Great Circuit Heavenly Star Origin Art to completion, survives the "aperture-decay" tribulation, and achieves **Golden Immortal**.

### Through the Realms -- Grey Realm

Han Li travels across the Wild Orchid Continent toward the Black Earth Immortal Domain (黑土仙域). Pursued by a Taiyi late-stage Gold Devouring Immortal (噬金仙), he is saved by a Great Luo cultivator from the Heavenly Fox Clan.

Seeking clues about the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art (大五行幻世诀), Han Li enters the **True Word Sect ruins** (真言门遗迹). He is accidentally transported to the **Grey Realm** (灰界) -- a place between life and death. There, he seeks the Sha-Cleansing Pool (洗煞池) to wash away his煞-decay and survive the tribulation. He also helps a sealed Heavenly Fox Clan Dao Ancestor break free.

### Demon Domain and Accumulated Scale Empty Realm

Transported to the Demon Domain (魔域), Han Li achieves **Taiyi realm** (太乙玉仙). He learns that Fairy Violet Spirit has been exiled to the **Accumulated Scale Empty Realm** (积鳞空境) and goes to rescue her, killing Great Prince Shi Xinkong (石新空). Crab Daoist's original master is resurrected and advances to Dao Ancestor.

### The Great Revelation

The deepest truths emerge:
- The **Heaven-Palm Bottle** (掌天瓶) is the life-bound artifact of **Ancient Dao Spirit** (古道神), the previous Time Dao Ancestor. It is a Chaos supreme treasure, the first先天玄天之物, containing the complete Time Law.
- **Gu Huojin** (古或今), the current ruler of the Heavenly Court (天庭), is actually Ancient Dao Spirit's "self-corpse" (自我尸) -- one of the three corpses severed during the Great Luo stage. He usurped the Space Dao Ancestor position and controls both Space Law and Samsara Law.
- The **Samsara Hall Master** (轮回殿主), leader of the rebellion against the Heavenly Court, is revealed to be **another version of Han Li** -- one from a previous timeline who cultivated the Time Law to its peak, fought and lost to Gu Huojin, and used the Heaven-Palm Bottle to travel back in time to re-cultivate. He now masters the Samsara Law (轮回法则) instead.

### The Final Battle

Han Li advances through the Great Luo stages, severing his three corpses (evil, good, and self). He collects all five time law manuals and fuses them into the complete **Great Five Elements Illusory World Art** (大五行幻世诀).

The climactic battle brings together:
- **Han Li** (Time Law, newly ascended)
- **Samsara Hall Master** (Samsara Law)
- **Demon Lord / Mo Zhu** (魔主, Space-inclined)
- vs. **Gu Huojin** (Space Law + Samsara Law, attempting to fuse all three supreme laws)

As Gu Huojin attempts to fuse the Chaos Law (混沌法则) -- which would make him invincible -- he inadvertently vacates the Time Dao Ancestor position. In this critical moment, Han Li achieves full comprehension of the Time Law and **ascends to Time Dao Ancestor** (时间道祖).

Gu Huojin is defeated and killed. The three supreme laws -- Time, Space, Samsara -- are realigned.

### The Price of Power and Ending

Han Li, as Time Dao Ancestor, now faces the fatal weakness of all Dao Ancestors: overusing law power causes **Heavenly Dao assimilation** (天道同化) -- gradually losing one's self and merging with the fabric of reality.

Guided by the Heaven-Palm Bottle's spirit, Han Li makes the ultimate choice: he seals his Dao Ancestor origin into the bottle, causing it to dissipate into nothingness. His realm drops back to **Great Luo peak** (大罗巅峰). But even at this level, as a former Dao Ancestor who mastered the Time Law, he remains the mightiest existence in all three realms.

### The Final Scene

Han Li retires to a secluded valley in the **Black Earth Immortal Domain** (黑土仙域) with:
- **Nangong Wan** (南宫婉) -- his wife and only formal cultivation partner, now at Taiyi peak
- Their daughter **Han Qing** (韩青)
- A peaceful, secluded life, far from the conflicts of gods and immortals

**Fairy Violet Spirit** (紫灵) remains in the Demon Domain, at Great Luo mid-stage, having found her own path. **Silvermoon/Linglong** (银月/玲珑) stays in the Spirit Realm caring for the Silvermoon Wolf Clan.

The novel ends where it began: Han Li, the mortal boy who started with nothing, living simply -- having conquered the universe but choosing peace over power.

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## Themes

- **"凡人亦可逆天"** (Even a mortal can defy heaven): The core theme -- talent is not destiny
- **Caution and preparation**: Han Li's defining trait; he never fights without overwhelming preparation
- **Resourcefulness over raw power**: Han Li consistently defeats stronger opponents through intelligence and planning
- **The cost of immortality**: Time, separation from loved ones, and the gradual erosion of humanity
- **Freedom through power**: The ultimate goal -- not ruling, but being free to live as one chooses
