Recaps

Su Yingbo and Yan Jinghong defeated the Nether Master and destroyed his fleeing spirit, while Su Yingbo was badly wounded. At the North-Pacifying Fortress, Yuezheng Qiong, Wei Chunxi, and Lin Qingtong watched the Demon Race assault as they assessed the battle’s progress.

• Su Yingbo and Yan Jinghong combined their attacks against the Nether Master after Su Yingbo revealed he had freed his wife from the Nether Master’s threat.
• The Nether Master unleashed his ultimate technique, and Su Yingbo and Yan Jinghong countered with their strongest moves, piercing his defenses and destroying his body.
• Su Yingbo warned Yan Jinghong that the Nether Master’s spirit was escaping, and Yan Jinghong trapped it in the Heavenly Pivot Spiritual Fire Formation until it vanished.
• At the North-Pacifying Fortress, Yuezheng Qiong, Wei Chunxi, and Lin Qingtong observed the Demon Race army attacking the defenders.
• Wei Chunxi lamented losing the corpses he needed for poison experiments, while Lin Qingtong estimated the defenders could hold until reinforcements arrived.

Lin Qingxiang and Shi Yuan confronted Lin Qingtong, Yuezheng Qiong, and Wei Chunxi after the Heaven-Defying Society’s mission was exposed. Lin Qingtong refused to surrender or return to her former master, and the two sides fought as Mohist Knight Guards surrounded her group.

• Lin Qingxiang arrived and challenged Lin Qingtong over stabbing their master, then attacked her with the Xiaolian Sword.
• Shi Yuan ambushed Yuezheng Qiong with his Prison-Subduing Boulder, and they began a fierce exchange of hammer blows and defensive techniques.
• Lin Qingxiang pierced Lin Qingtong and her broad sword, but she forced back his attack and mocked his attempt to capture her.
• Lin Qingxiang revealed that their operation had been exposed, summoned eight Mohist Knight Guards, and said their agents in the North-Pacifying Fortress had been captured.
• Lin Qingtong identified Hero Yan as the one who had uncovered their plans, rejected Lin Qingxiang’s demand to surrender, and warned him she would kill him if he kept trying to bring her back.
• Lin Qingxiang said he would cut off Lin Qingtong’s hands and feet, then he and four Mohist Knight Guard experts attacked her group.

After the Remote Heaven Society’s plot to manifest a Divine Pillar was defeated, Si Ming and his allies reviewed the victories in France and the Nation of Valor. Si Ming claimed credit for the successful strategy, while Yan Jinghong watched his disciple’s confidence grow even further.

• Ba Shenhuang killed the Mountain-Treading Demonic Ape and confronted Diwen, Fuzang, and the Seal Talisman Master as they maintained the array beneath the Divine Pillar.
• The Remote Heaven Society suffered a crushing defeat, and the Divine Pillar remained standing.
• Si Ming and his allies received battle reports describing the victories in France and the Nation of Valor, including Wei Chunxi’s capture.
• Si Ming boasted that his foresight had secured the victories, but Murong Qing and He Qichang challenged his claims.
• Yan Jinghong reflected that the victory had only made Si Ming more conceited and concluded that the Remote Heaven Society had underestimated its opponents.

Yan Jinghong, Si Ming, and Su Yingbo parted ways after discussing Xia Guanxue’s future and the danger of the Remote Heaven Society. Su Yingbo left to live quietly with Ai Qing, while Yan Jinghong explained why he still chose to live by Yinglan’s final words.

• Yan Jinghong worried that Si Ming’s success would make him arrogant, but Si Ming misread his master’s criticism as praise.
• Su Yingbo urged Xia Guanxue to change, and Xia Guanxue reaffirmed his grudge against Yan Jinghong while promising to return for revenge after reaching Spirit Transformation.
• Xia Guanxue said he hoped Yan Jinghong would never make another person suffer the pain of losing someone they loved, then left.
• Si Ming warned Su Yingbo that the Remote Heaven Society might also have ties to the Barbarian Continent and offered to arrange refuge there.
• Su Yingbo chose to take Ai Qing to the land affected by the Evil Qi of the Five Turbidities, where he hoped they could live under assumed names and avoid further danger.
• Before departing, Su Yingbo told Yan Jinghong to stop living for others, but Yan Jinghong said Yinglan’s final words had become an indispensable part of his life.

Han Hao explained how he had used the chaos surrounding Su Yingbo to weaken the nobles and advance his reforms, then refused the Nether Lord’s invitation to join the Heaven-Defying Society. The Nether Lord departed after Han Hao ended their partnership and warned that he would have the Society declared wanted.

• Si Ming urged Su Yingbo to leave, but Su Yingbo accepted that he could not persuade him and encouraged him to survive.
• The Nether Lord visited Han Hao in Wuben Tower, where Han Hao defended his handling of the crisis and described his plans to reduce noble privileges and eventually become a figurehead.
• Han Hao argued that the Heaven-Defying Society’s failed operation and its sudden setback made its future too risky to support.
• The Nether Lord invited Han Hao to join the Heaven-Defying Society, but Han Hao refused and declared their partnership over.
• Han Hao warned that he would have the Heaven-Defying Society wanted and bounties placed on its members, then asked about the Nether Lord’s relationship with the Nether Master.
• The Nether Lord declined to reveal the secret and left.

On the voyage home from France, Si Ming discussed lessons from the mission and proposed using propaganda to turn public opinion against the Remote Heaven Society. Back at Linked Mountains University, he learned that a beautiful transfer student had introduced herself as his fiancée, setting up an unexpected romantic confrontation.

• Murong Qing urged Si Ming to keep developing his strategic abilities, but he said he would rather focus on fields he was better suited for.
• Si Ming proposed spreading stories that would make the Remote Heaven Society notorious among ordinary people, and Yan Jinghong agreed to try it.
• Si Ming and Murong Qing returned to classes at Linked Mountains University, while Si Ming decided to focus on cultivating the Vacuum Zero-Energy Furnace.
• Hao Shuai told Si Ming that a beautiful transfer student had arrived and introduced herself to the class as Si Ming's fiancée.
• Si Ming searched the classroom for the transfer student but could not find her.

Murong Qing confronted Si Ming about his rumored fiancée just as Hao Shuai revealed that the woman had arrived. In a Spring Festival special, Yu Shuying and the other women were recruited for a tournament whose prize was changed to a chance to grow stronger, and Murong Qing ended by questioning why her younger brother was there.

• Hao Shuai told Si Ming that his fiancée had rejected other admirers and said she would only ever love him.
• Murong Qing demanded to know about the fiancée, and Hao Shuai pointed out that the woman had arrived in the classroom.
• Yu Shuying awoke among familiar companions and learned they had been gathered for the first Sea Continent All-Round Race Tournament.
• After several women objected to competing for a place as Si Ming's first wife, the unfamiliar man announced that the winner would instead gain a chance to increase her strength, while the original prize would go to the winner of a popularity vote.
• Yu Shuying and Yuezheng Yao entered the competition, and Ling Huanxi said she also wanted to become stronger.
• Murong Qing questioned why her younger brother was among the contestants.

Narrator-kun explained the rules of a five-zone race, and the contestants set off to collect four checkpoint stamps without attacking one another outside the battle zone. Yu Shuying summoned Si Ming to take his Vermilion Bird Profound Armor and quickly overtook the others, while Ling Huanxi reached the first checkpoint and faced a question about Yan Jinghong.

• Murong Wu said he wanted to join the competition to become stronger, and Murong Qing agreed to support him.
• Narrator-kun announced the race rules, including five zones, four checkpoints, and one chance for each contestant to summon outside help.
• The contestants started, while Yu Shuying summoned Si Ming and took his bracelet to activate the Vermilion Bird Profound Armor.
• Yu Shuying flew low over the swamp and overtook the other racers as Ling Huanxi led the pack across an ice path.
• Ling Huanxi reached the first checkpoint, where Xiao Xuan asked her which part of Yan Jinghong's body he washed first; she answered, "His left arm."

Yuezheng Yao, Hongdou, and Yu Shuying faced Xiao Xuan’s checkpoint, where Yu Shuying failed a brutal test of strength. After entering the forest, Yuezheng Yao used her flute to unleash the beasts on the other contestants, and the Murong siblings and Si Huaruo fought through the onslaught as Narrator-kun intervened.

• Yuezheng Yao answered Xiao Xuan’s riddle incorrectly and had to wait three minutes, while Hongdou correctly solved a multiplication problem and passed.
• Xiao Xuan challenged Yu Shuying to smash five iron tiles with her forehead; she failed and was made to wait three minutes.
• Murong Qing, Murong Wu, and Si Huaruo passed their checkpoint questions and continued into the forest.
• Yuezheng Yao played the Guxi Shao Bone Xiao, driving the forest animals into attacking the contestants to slow them down.
• Murong Qing joined forces with Murong Wu to fight through the beasts, while Si Huaruo caught up and used the Water Moon Precious Mirror’s moves to repel them.
• Narrator-kun called out combat techniques, and his Frost Talisman blanketed the ground in snow, slowing and frightening the beasts.

Murong Qing and Si Huaruo allied to get through the beast tide, while Yuezheng Yao reached the second checkpoint and refused to touch Poop-kun. Hongdou and Yu Shuying passed the strange test easily, leaving Yuezheng Yao wondering whether Ling Huanxi had done the same.

• Murong Qing agreed to ally with Si Huaruo, who warned her not to let her clan sister win.
• Yuezheng Yao overtook the Murong siblings and Si Huaruo, then reached the second checkpoint ahead of Ling Huanxi.
• Clone Narrator-kun told Yuezheng Yao she had to touch Poop-kun to pass, but she refused and argued with him about the test.
• Hongdou caught up, touched Poop-kun without hesitation, and passed the checkpoint.
• Yu Shuying arrived in the Vermilion Bird Profound Armor, touched Poop-kun, and continued on.
• Yuezheng Yao began doubting her own resolve and wondered whether Ling Huanxi had touched Poop-kun.

Yuezheng Yao and the other contestants passed a checkpoint by touching Poop-kun, and the racers entered the trap zone before Ling Huanxi reached the martial-combat challenge in first place. She accepted a battle of consciousness and found herself facing Yan Jinghong.

• Yuezheng Yao overcame her disgust, touched Poop-kun, and continued the race.
• Murong Wu and Murong Qing touched Poop-kun, and Murong Qing made Si Huaruo pass by guiding her hand to touch him.
• Liu Qingqing passed after Narrator-kun could not tell whether she had touched Poop-kun, and Si Jingyu passed without hesitation.
• Ling Huanxi froze the traps in her path and reached the third checkpoint first.
• Ling Huanxi accepted the martial-combat challenge and discovered that Yan Jinghong was her opponent.

Ling Huanxi was eliminated after accepting a challenge at the third checkpoint, while Yu Shuying and Hongdou chose to give up or accept challenges based on their different instincts. The chapter left Hongdou entering a battle of consciousness after Yu Shuying encouraged her to fight.

• Ling Huanxi fought Yan Jinghong at the third checkpoint and was eliminated.
• Yu Shuying reached the checkpoint, learned of Ling Huanxi's elimination, and gave up rather than accept her own challenge.
• Yu Shuying questioned Narrator-kun No. 18 about her bad-luck character setting and discovered that Hongdou's luck supposedly outranked hers.
• Hongdou reached the checkpoint and initially wanted to give up, but Yu Shuying urged her to accept the challenge.
• Hongdou accepted the challenge and entered the battle of consciousness before Yu Shuying could correct her for calling her Xiao Ying.

Hongdou passed the third checkpoint after defeating Lian Buqi, while Yuezheng Yao was eliminated by Lin Qingluo. Si Jingyu reached the checkpoint and learned that the Murong siblings and Si Huaruo had withdrawn, while Yu Shuying set out to continue.

• Lian Buqi challenged Hongdou and vowed to take revenge on Si Ming, but Hongdou defeated him with Dark Mist World-Changing Level Wilderness Severance.
• Su Yingbo told Hongdou she had passed, and Yu Shuying urged her to move on.
• Yuezheng Yao entered the consciousness space, where Lin Qingluo appeared behind her and cut her neck, eliminating her.
• Si Jingyu hurried through the trap zone using her divine spirit and Mirror Reflection Technique, then reached the third checkpoint.
• Si Jingyu saw Yu Shuying depart after waiting ten minutes and concluded that the Murong siblings and Si Huaruo had withdrawn.

Si Jingyu revealed how she had used strategy to stay unnoticed, then passed her challenge by asking for help from Si Jingxi. She entered the next obstacle, a formation maze, and chose not to help Hongdou break through it.

• Si Jingyu admitted she had pretended to quarrel with Si Huaruo and fallen behind to avoid drawing attention.
• Si Jingyu summoned Si Jingxi as outside help, and Si Jingxi conceded so Si Jingyu could pass.
• Si Huaruo and Murong Qing waited out their remaining time before continuing, while Liu Qingqing reached the unattended checkpoint and stamped her pass.
• Si Jingyu identified the Sun-Moon Bizarre Transformation Formation and began calculating her way through it.
• Si Jingyu heard Hongdou blasting the rocks but decided not to help her.

Si Jingyu and Murong Qing’s group reached the fourth checkpoint, where competitors had to fight whoever was named on a card. After Murong Qing’s group escaped a formation with Shi Muyan’s help, Si Huaruo learned that Si Jingyu had already drawn her name and prepared to face her.

• Si Jingyu reached Jiang Zhengtai’s checkpoint, learned that competitors had to defeat someone named on a card, and drew a card that pleased her.
• Murong Qing, Si Huaruo, and Murong Wu discovered a formation blocking their route, so Si Huaruo summoned Shi Muyan for help.
• Shi Muyan identified the Sun-Moon Bizarre Transformation Formation, calculated its workings, and sent the group a paper crane that led them to the exit.
• Jiang Zhengtai explained that Si Jingyu had drawn Si Huaruo’s name, and Si Huaruo said she wanted to settle things with her.
• Murong Qing and Murong Wu prepared to draw cards, and Murong Wu began turning one over.

Liu Qingqing used her prophetic archery art to navigate the Sun-Moon Bizarre Transformation Formation and overheard Hongdou saying goodbye to her mother. Meanwhile, Murong Qing chose to face Si Jingyu so Si Huaruo could escort Murong Wu onward, and the two prepared to fight.

• Liu Qingqing repeatedly fired arrows to locate the formation nodes and thinned the fog.
• Liu Qingqing overheard Hongdou tell her mother that she was happy and that her mother could rest in peace.
• Murong Qing and Murong Wu discovered that they had drawn each other's cards, leaving only one sibling able to qualify for victory.
• Si Jingyu ambushed Murong Qing, Si Huaruo, and Murong Wu with ice arrows and flying swords, then fled to draw them after her.
• Murong Qing sent Si Huaruo and Murong Wu ahead and ran after Si Jingyu, insisting she was willing to trust Si Huaruo.
• Si Jingyu called Murong Qing a dangerous opponent and said she would rather have Si Huaruo as her sister-in-law than let Murong Qing become the principal wife.

Murong Qing and Si Jingyu fought fiercely over Si Ming, each revealing methods that let her counter the other's techniques. Elsewhere, Yu Shuying poisoned Liu Qingqing with a Gu insect and explained how she tracked her down at the checkpoint.

• Murong Qing and Si Jingyu exchanged blows, then escalated their duel with powerful techniques and hidden forces.
• Si Jingyu combined Divine Arts with martial techniques, but Murong Qing answered by using her Black Tortoise Martial Form to strengthen her Cultivation Body.
• Si Jingyu activated a silence barrier that stopped Murong Qing from calling for outside help, and they resumed their battle as Jiang Zhengtai watched from afar.
• Yu Shuying ambushed Liu Qingqing after Gu poison weakened her True Qi and revealed that a Qi-Eroding Heart-Refining Gu had attached itself to Liu Qingqing at the checkpoint.

Yu Shuying explained how her Gu worm let her track and weaken Liu Qingqing, but Hongdou intervened and helped Liu Qingqing leave. Yu Shuying forfeited, and Hongdou chose to forfeit too and stay with her.

• Yu Shuying revealed that the Qi-Eroding Heart-Refining Gu had weakened Liu Qingqing and guided her pursuit.
• Hongdou destroyed Yu Shuying's hornet swarm with a wave of palm Qi, allowing Liu Qingqing to leave.
• Yu Shuying realized Hongdou had received a fourth stamp without taking the checkpoint test and accepted that she had lost her chance to win.
• Yu Shuying forfeited and encouraged Hongdou to continue to the finish, since Hongdou already had four stamps.
• Hongdou forfeited as well, choosing to stay with Yu Shuying and comfort her.

Murong Wu and Si Huaruo raced toward the finish line after Murong Qing and Si Jingyu were eliminated, while Liu Qingqing chased them. Murong Wu chose to stay behind and hold Liu Qingqing off, summoned his father Murong Zhe for help, and continued toward the finish as Murong Zhe confronted her and was intercepted by another father.

• Narrator-kun announced that Yu Shuying and Hongdou had withdrawn, then announced the elimination of Murong Qing and Si Jingyu.
• Murong Wu and Si Huaruo realized they had collected all four stamps and hurried toward the finish line.
• Murong Wu sensed Liu Qingqing approaching and offered to stay behind so Si Huaruo could keep running.
• Murong Wu summoned Murong Zhe, who praised his son and then rushed toward Liu Qingqing while Murong Wu followed Si Huaruo.
• A man resembling Liu Qingqing appeared and attacked Murong Zhe with a short blade and a flurry of afterimages.

Si Jingyu arrived at the classroom and teased Si Ming about making her wait, prompting Murong Qing to demand an explanation. Si Ming passed her off as his sister, but Si Shuiyun struck Hao Shuai when he tried to call himself Si Jingyu’s brother-in-law.

• Si Jingyu appeared at the classroom door with Si Shuiyun and complained that she had waited half a year for Si Ming.
• Murong Qing pressed Si Ming to explain his relationship with Si Jingyu while standing on his foot.
• Si Ming called Si Jingyu his sister, and the crowd speculated that they were relatives.
• Si Jingyu played along, revealing a fan with a cryptic saying and admitting she had waited until New Year to tease Si Ming.
• Hao Shuai asked Si Jingyu to call him brother-in-law, and Si Shuiyun punched him in the stomach and threatened to chop up anyone who harassed her young lady.

Si Ming separated Si Jingyu and Murong Qing before their rivalry turned into a fight, then Si Huaruo arrived searching for Si Jingyu and learned more about Si Ming’s ties to the Si Clan. The chapter ended with Si Jingyu and Si Huaruo trading insults after Si Huaruo pressed her about whether Si Ming was truly Si Jingyu’s brother.

• Si Jingyu and Murong Qing sensed an unresolved rivalry and considered settling it with a serious fight, but Si Ming took Si Jingyu away to eat.
• Si Huaruo arrived at the classroom looking for Si Jingyu and learned from Murong Qing that Si Ming had once pretended to be Si Jingyu’s brother for a protection assignment.
• Si Huaruo explained that Si Ming had been secretly abandoned as Si Jingyu’s true younger brother and taken away through Yan Jinghong’s connections.
• Si Huaruo confronted Si Jingyu at Warm and Full about Si Ming’s identity, but Si Jingyu refused to reveal what the old ancestor had told her.
• Si Ming entered the private room and tried to calm Si Jingyu and Si Huaruo, but they resumed arguing and traded insults.

Si Ming reunited with Si Huaruo, Murong Qing, and Si Jingyu, then visited the Second Martial Arts Club after returning from his travels. He watched Liu Qingqing defeat Nie Wanzhi and learned that Liu had practiced her new martial arts in a dream.

• Si Huaruo threatened to find the Mohist Knight Guard who knew the truth about the past, then stayed for lunch with Si Ming, Si Jingyu, Murong Qing, and Si Shuiyun.
• Si Ming struggled to keep the tense lunch conversation from turning into an argument, and the group parted ways afterward.
• Si Ming went to the Second Martial Arts Club and found Liu Qingqing sparring with Nie Wanzhi at its new gymnasium practice ground.
• Nie Wanzhi gained the upper hand with her Buddhist martial arts, but Liu Qingqing used a divine art to create clones and defeated her.
• Si Ming asked Liu Qingqing where she had learned her new techniques, and she said she had practiced them in a dream.

Si Ming learned that Liu Qingqing’s vivid dreams and assassin skills began after she took an Inspiration Pill, then went to meet Yu Shuying’s master in hopes of obtaining one. He found that the elusive Heaven’s Will Palace elder was a childlike girl who demanded he call her senior.

• Yu Shuying told Si Ming that her master created the scarce Inspiration Pill and that Liu Qingqing had taken one while struggling to learn a divine art.
• Yu Shuying said Liu Qingqing had instead defeated her examiner with an assassination technique, and Si Ming suspected her dreams had given her the skill.
• Yu Shuying offered to introduce Si Ming to her master, who wanted to study his Mercury Alloy Body in exchange for an Inspiration Pill.
• Si Ming agreed and went with Yu Shuying to the Mohist Knight Guard base, where he encountered Jiang Zhengtai and knocked him down when he tried to embrace him.
• A child in a white coat revealed herself as Yu Shuying’s master and scolded Si Ming for failing to address her as senior.

Si Ming met Yu Shuying’s master, Wu Xiu, and learned about her controversial research with Jiang Zhengtai. When Si Ming asked for Inspiration Pills to help with a difficult Internal Cultivation method, Wu Xiu agreed in exchange for a trip to the Barbarian Continent.

• Si Ming learned that Wu Xiu was a century-old Heaven’s Will Palace senior known as God-Burying Coffin and Snake.
• Jiang Zhengtai explained that Wu Xiu had researched changing his sexuality, while he argued against her methods and refused to continue as her test subject.
• Si Ming avoided telling Wu Xiu about Liu Qingqing and asked whether she had any Inspiration Pills.
• Wu Xiu offered Si Ming an Inspiration Pill on the condition that he take her to the Barbarian Continent to search for unfamiliar plants.

Si Ming left Wu Xiu after discussing a costly formation to reach the Barbarian Continent, then encountered a drunk Yuezheng Yao at a teahouse. He learned the Yuezheng Lineage had been politically isolated after Yuezheng Qiong’s actions, leaving Yao to face mounting trouble.

• Wu Xiu told Yu Shuying to hide her interest in poison and offered to modify Si Ming’s formation if he provided its diagram.
• Si Ming learned Wu Xiu had not yet gotten information from Wei Chunxi, whose self-inflicted poisoning made him resistant to torture.
• Si Ming mistook Yuezheng Yao for Yuezheng Qiong from behind, then recognized Yao as she ordered wine at a teahouse.
• Si Ming forced sobering tea on Yuezheng Yao and told her she would have to face her troubles rather than flee from them.
• The proprietress explained that the government had withdrawn its support for the Yuezheng Lineage and that its business partners had cut ties to avoid suspicion.