Chapter Summaries

Gao Yunyi melted the Nation-Guarding Divine Sword to extract its Heavenly Meteorite Iron and complete his mission, then gave Xiao Zhaohuang an Azure Mystic Sword before departing. As the soldiers celebrated witnessing an immortal, Xiao Zhaohuang wondered whether the Immortal intended her to become the Liang Kingdom’s empress.

• Gao Yunyi used Maybach’s green flame to melt Xiao Zhaohuang’s Nation-Guarding Divine Sword and reveal the Heavenly Meteorite Iron inside.
• Gao Yunyi completed his mission, learned the Foundation Establishment Pill Formula, and planned to refine a pill so he could reach the Foundation Establishment Realm.
• Gao Yunyi tossed Xiao Zhaohuang a +1 Azure Mystic Sword, saying they were even for the Moonlight Silver Crystal, then flew away on Maybach.
• The soldiers erupted into excited discussion about the Immortal and his miraculous methods while Xiao Zhaohuang did not try to quiet them.
• Xiao Zhaohuang examined the immortal sword and wondered whether the Immortal had chosen her to wield the Xiao Household’s power and become the Liang Kingdom’s empress.

Gao Yunyi chose the depths of the Canglan River to establish his foundation, only to discover the ruins of Baijia Town before beginning his cultivation. Ten days into his meditation, a river sacrifice ceremony began in the living town above, where a young woman was to be offered as the River God’s bride.

• Gao Yunyi descended to the riverbed to establish his foundation and found the submerged ruins of Baijia Town.
• Gao Yunyi destroyed the town’s decayed memorial archway with heavenly lightning, then chose a courtyard in the ruins for his cultivation.
• Gao Yunyi swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pill and entered Meditative Samadhi as a progress bar appeared.
• Ten days later, Baijia Town held its annual ceremony to offer a beautiful unmarried woman to the Canglan River God as his bride.

Baijia Town carried out its annual ritual of sending a young woman and offerings into the Canglan River to appease the River God. As the boat neared the river’s center, the god followed it, expecting another feast.

• Baijia Town’s shaman led the grand sacrifice and prayed for the River God’s protection and good harvests.
• The townspeople sent Lady Baijia, dressed as a bride, aboard a pleasure boat with offerings.
• The current carried the boat toward the center of the Canglan River as the townspeople watched and beat the drum.
• A vast shadow followed beneath the water, and the River God prepared to overturn the boat and enjoy its feast.

The flower boat carrying Lady Baijia drifted away without the river god taking her, throwing Baijia Town into panic. The shaman blamed the bride’s parents, and the magistrate ordered them burned while demanding that another bride be chosen.

• The flower boat carrying Lady Baijia sailed down the river without overturning, and the townsfolk feared the river god had rejected her.
• The shaman blamed Lady Baijia’s supposed impurity when the town magistrate demanded an explanation.
• The shaman accused the bride’s parents of hiding their daughter’s lost chastity, turning the crowd against them despite neighbors defending Xianglian.
• The shaman bribed the town magistrate with a silver ingot, and he ordered the parents burned to appease the river god.
• The magistrate told the shaman to select another bride, and the shaman felt relieved that her position was secure.

The Maybach Crane tried to drive off the River God, but their fight sent the bridal boat into the river’s depths. The bride sank toward the riverbed and gave up hope of surviving.

• The River God followed the bridal boat underwater, hungry but afraid to reveal himself while the Maybach Crane watched from the sky.
• The Maybach Crane dove at the River God, whose presence frightened the fish into hiding, but the River God kept reappearing and evading his attacks.
• As the Maybach Crane and River God fought, their winds and waves drove the bridal boat toward the secluded part of the river.
• A towering wave overturned the boat, throwing the bride and the livestock into the water.
• The bride struggled against the current and the weight of her clothes, then stopped fighting and sank toward the ancient town at the bottom of the river.

Gao Yunyi completed Foundation Establishment at the bottom of the flooded Baijia Ancient Town while a bride mistook him for the River God and fell asleep against him. His breakthrough erupted through the river, scattering the River God and leaving Maybach Crane terrified of his master’s return.

• The bride woke inside Gao Yunyi’s protective circle and believed he was the River God amid the ruins of Baijia Ancient Town.
• The bride imagined marrying Gao Yunyi, then leaned on his shoulder and fell asleep while he struggled to maintain his focus on Foundation Establishment.
• Gao Yunyi completed Foundation Establishment, releasing azure light that blasted through the river and destroyed the surrounding ruins.
• The River God fled after sensing Gao Yunyi’s immense power, while Maybach Crane realized its master had emerged and panicked.

Gao Yunyi appeared at Baijia Town’s sacrificial plaza, rescued the bride, and killed the shaman who had arranged the sacrifice. He left the townspeople kneeling in terror and threw the bride onto the levee.

• As Baijia Town prepared to burn the bride’s parents, Gao Yunyi’s scarlet Sword Qi tore through the river and damaged the dock and levee.
• Gao Yunyi appeared atop the oxhide drum holding the soaked bride and demanded to know who had thrown her away.
• The townspeople identified the shaman, and Gao Yunyi struck her dead with heavenly lightning.
• The townspeople, including the town overseer, knelt in fear as Gao Yunyi said he hated hearing the words “River God.”
• Gao Yunyi tossed the bride onto the levee, deciding that killing a defenseless woman held little appeal.

The red-clad bride woke to find Gao Yunyi had saved her and stopped the townspeople from sacrificing her parents. A new sect mission sent Gao Yunyi after a Demon Beast in the Canglan River, and he discovered it was nearby.

• The red-clad bride woke in the ceremonial square and found the townspeople kneeling before Gao Yunyi.
• She freed her parents, who knelt toward Gao Yunyi along with the people of Baijia Town.
• Gao Yunyi realized the townspeople had mistaken him for the River God and suspected a hidden force had interfered with his plans.
• The mission panel assigned Gao Yunyi to slay a Demon Beast in the Canglan River for the Purple Firmament Sword.
• Gao Yunyi spotted the mission monster nearby and decided to test his new skill by adding points.

Gao Yunyi used Thousand Illusory Sword Shadow to trap and kill the River God, completing his sect mission and reaching level 22. Baijia Town’s people mistook the slaughter for the River God’s benevolent protection and grew more devoted to worshipping him.

• The River God returned to watch Gao Yunyi, tempted by the promise of a great opportunity but wary of danger.
• Gao Yunyi unleashed Thousand Illusory Sword Shadow, pinning the River God beneath a vast net of sword light.
• The sword barrage shredded the River God while Baijia Town’s people watched and believed he was slaying a Demon Beast for their sake.
• Gao Yunyi completed his sect mission and rose two levels, reaching level 22 with greatly increased attributes.

Gao Yunyi equipped the Purple Heavens Law Treasure and flew away from Baijia Town, leaving its people in awe. Lady Baijia became the town’s new Shaman Priest and abolished human sacrifices, though she worried the River God might blame her.

• Gao Yunyi read the Purple Heavens flying sword’s description, equipped it, and flew away from Baijia Town.
• The townspeople watched the River God depart, then Lady Baijia stood and the people followed her example.
• The town overseer handed Lady Baijia his bone staff, recognizing her as the new Shaman Priest.
• Lady Baijia announced that Baijia Town would no longer offer living people as sacrifices, and the townspeople cheered.
• Lady Baijia embraced the bone staff and wondered whether the River God would blame her for acting on her own.

Gao Yunyi found Maybach Crane hiding in the woods and whipped him for failing during the Foundation Establishment attempt. After storing the badly injured bird to heal, Gao Yunyi tried to enhance a level 20 Star-Pattern Sword, but the sword and Enhancement Stone exploded, leaving him to fly off with his level 10 weapon.

• Maybach Crane hid on a mountain, hoping Gao Yunyi would spare him, but Gao Yunyi found him riding a flying sword.
• Gao Yunyi ordered Maybach Crane to lie down and roll over, then beat him with a poisonous, barbed whip for his incompetence and arrogance.
• Gao Yunyi put the injured Maybach Crane in the Spirit Pet Slot so he could recover.
• Gao Yunyi examined the Demon Beast's drop and found a level 20 Star-Pattern Sword from the Azure Profound Sect.
• Gao Yunyi tried to enhance the Star-Pattern Sword with an Enhancement Stone, but both items exploded.
• Gao Yunyi decided to keep his level 10 weapon and flew away on his purple-qi-and-lightning-wreathed flying sword.

As refugees fleeing the war in Ji Province struggled toward Dingzhou City, an old woman collapsed while protecting her granddaughter, Niu Niu, from starving men. Heavenly lightning struck down three jackals who tried to eat the child, leaving the refugees stunned by the apparent intervention.

• Refugees fleeing Prince Ning’s rebellion endured hunger and thirst as they traveled toward the Immortal Church’s shelters in Dingzhou City.
• The old woman told Niu Niu to endure until they reached the city, knowing their food was gone and fearing that starving people might prey on her granddaughter.
• The old woman collapsed and died, and Niu Niu’s cries drew three jackals who surrounded her while the other refugees stayed back.
• A bolt of lightning struck one jackal into ash, and another bolt turned a second jackal into black smoke.
• The last jackal begged for mercy, but another lightning bolt obliterated him.

Gao Yunyi killed three men attempting to abduct a little girl, then used a pill to turn water in a wooden barrel into life-saving crimson water and revived her. He left as the desperate refugees rushed to drink from the barrel, trying not to think about the commotion behind him.

• Gao Yunyi struck three child abductors with heavenly lightning, killing them and drawing the refugees’ attention.
• The refugees begged Gao Yunyi for food and water, but he initially turned to leave because he had nothing useful to give them.
• Gao Yunyi stopped when the little girl collapsed beside her grandmother, then brought out a wooden barrel and dissolved a red pill in its water.
• Gao Yunyi fed the crimson water to the little girl, and she quickly regained her health.
• Gao Yunyi walked away as the refugees rushed to drink from the barrel, while he hurried off to avoid watching them.

Gao Yunyi accepted the emperor’s invitation to the Capital after the Pacification Investigation Office found him, then confronted its officers for failing to protect the displaced people. Lu Jianxing took the blame and begged Gao Yunyi to spare Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan.

• Lu Jianxing, Shen Lian, and Jin Yichuan revealed themselves as officers of the Pacification Investigation Office and invited Gao Yunyi to the Capital on the emperor’s orders.
• Gao Yunyi considered the Capital and silently accepted a quest to go there.
• Gao Yunyi asked the three officers whether they had watched the men threaten the little girl without intervening.
• Jin Yichuan tried to explain that they had been conducting a secret investigation under imperial orders.
• Lu Jianxing silenced Jin Yichuan, stabbed himself, and pleaded with Gao Yunyi to spare his two brothers; Shen Lian and Jin Yichuan wept with him.

Gao Yunyi learned that Prince Ning's rebellion had displaced the refugees and resolved to kill him for his connection to County Magistrate Zhang's death. Gao Yunyi sent a massive Purple Qi Divine Sword into the sky as the refugees watched.

• Lu Jianxing's self-inflicted injury appeased Gao Yunyi, while Jin Yichuan bandaged his wound.
• Shen Lian explained that Prince Ning's rebellion and seizures of supplies and labor had driven people from their homes.
• Shen Lian identified Prince Ning as Xiao Yuanheng and said the imperial army was besieging him in Zhenning City.
• Gao Yunyi connected Prince Ning to County Magistrate Zhang's death and resolved to kill him and reduce his corpse to ashes.
• Gao Yunyi formed a gigantic Purple Qi Divine Sword, frightening Lu Jianxing, Shen Lian, and Jin Yichuan into believing they were about to die.
• Gao Yunyi launched the sword into the sky, and the little girl watching wished for her grandmother to wake and for a chance to thank him.

The court’s hundred-thousand-strong army besieged Zhenning City, where Prince Ning’s rebels fought on because they feared the court would punish their families. Xiao Zhaohuang planned to use the battle to secure Ji Province’s loyalty, but a guard reported a strange phenomenon in the heavens, and she wondered whether the immortal had returned.

• The court’s forces surrounded Zhenning City, while the officials expected Prince Ning to be captured and spared with only his title and freedom taken.
• The rebels defended Zhenning City because Prince Ning held their families’ lives in his hands and surrender seemed no safer than defeat.
• Xiao Zhaohuang sat alone in her command tent, wiping the immortal-bestowed New Nation-Guarding Divine Sword instead of directing the siege.
• Xiao Zhaohuang resolved to let the Ji Province officials and soldiers earn merit in battle and win their complete loyalty.
• A guard reported a strange phenomenon in the heavens, and Xiao Zhaohuang hurried out, wondering whether the immortal had come to see her.

A vast purple storm halted the battle outside Zhenning City as Xiao Zhaohuang and hundreds of thousands of soldiers watched an enormous Immortal sword emerge from the clouds. The sword flew overhead, terrifying the armies and ravaging the imperial encampment, while Xiao Zhaohuang remained composed.

• Xiao Zhaohuang left the command tent and saw the battlefield fall silent as purple clouds, lightning, and a growing howl filled the eastern sky.
• Xiao Zhaohuang watched the spectacle with nervous anticipation, imagining that the hero from her childhood dream might appear to marry her.
• The purple clouds split open and revealed an immense sword of light that hurtled toward the battlefield.
• The sword passed overhead, unleashing violent wind and Sword Qi that wrecked the imperial encampment and left the soldiers terrified.
• The soldiers collapsed or struggled to catch their breath after the sword flew away, while Xiao Zhaohuang remained calm.

Prince Ning Xiao Yuanheng prepared to fight Xiao Zhaohuang’s besieging army rather than surrender, despite his officials seeing little hope of victory. A gigantic Purple Immortal Sword reached Prince Ning’s Residence and crashed down, shaking the entire residence in purple light.

• Xiao Yuanheng blamed his dead son for provoking the Immortal and the imperial court, then resolved to fight Xiao Zhaohuang instead of surrendering.
• The officials and generals in Zhenning City despaired because a hundred thousand imperial troops had surrounded them and no reinforcements or supplies could reach them.
• A tremendous rumble shook the Council Hall, and Xiao Yuanheng ordered everyone outside to find out what had happened.
• Xiao Yuanheng and the officials saw a gigantic purple immortal sword wreathed in lightning flying toward Prince Ning’s Residence.
• The Purple Immortal Sword reached the residence and crashed down, filling the area with surging purple light.

An Immortal's destruction of Prince Ning's Residence ended the fighting at Zhenning and convinced Xiao Zhaohuang to pursue the throne so she could draw closer to the Immortal. She entered the surrendered city and found the residence razed and everyone inside dead.

• An explosion at Prince Ning's Residence shook Zhenning and collapsed sections of its walls.
• Tens of thousands of rebels dropped their weapons and knelt to plead for the Immortal's forgiveness.
• The imperial army stopped fighting and withdrew after gongs signaled a ceasefire.
• Xiao Zhaohuang decided to seek the throne with the Immortal's support so she could remain closer to the Immortal.
• Xiao Zhaohuang led her army into Zhenning through the gates opened by the rebels.
• Xiao Zhaohuang and her Phoenix Plume Guards found Prince Ning's Residence destroyed and everyone inside reduced to dust.

Gao Yunyi reflected on his changing emotions and declining experience gains, then sorted the loot from his battle and left a fortune for the displaced people of Ji Province. He told the Pacification Investigation Office brothers to tell the emperor he would arrive in the Capital in five days, then flew away.

• Gao Yunyi worried that immortal cultivation and reduced experience gains might leave him emotionally numb and unable to keep leveling up.
• Gao Yunyi discarded worthless loot and filled the ground with gold, silver, and treasures while the three brothers from the Pacification Investigation Office watched.
• Gao Yunyi sorted level-two materials, equipment, and blueprints, planning to craft gear and pills before going to the Capital.
• Gao Yunyi told the brothers to tell the emperor to wait five days, then flew away on the Purple-Light Thunder Immortal Sword.
• Jin Yichuan suggested splitting the treasure, but Shen Lian said it was meant to help the displaced people of Ji Province, and Lu Jianxing ordered him to signal the imperial court.