Chapter Summaries

Zhou Tianmu, a hidden Core Formation Sword Cultivator of the Zhou Family, defended Jade Void Island against Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Purple Moon Fairy. After their assault forced him out of the island’s formation, both sides faced off, with Wang Changsheng offering to spare the Zhou clan if they surrendered their home.

• Zhou Tianmu learned from Zhou Debin that Jade Void Island was under attack by two Tier 3 Puppet Beasts and ordered the defenders to seek reinforcements from Jade Spring Island.
• Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Purple Moon Fairy attacked the island’s protective formation with a Yellow Seal, pipa music, and Puppet Beasts while more than two hundred cultivators supported them.
• Zhou Tianmu countered their attacks with powerful Green Sword Lights, knocking Wang Changsheng’s Yellow Seal away before Wang Changsheng used the Mountain-Sea Pearl to break through the green mist.
• Zhou Tianmu emerged from the formation with a Green Sword Box on his back, and Wang Changsheng recognized him as a Sword Cultivator who might possess a complete set of Flying Swords.
• Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Purple Moon Fairy spread out around Zhou Tianmu as Wang Changsheng offered to let the Zhou Family leave if they surrendered Jade Void Island.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan negotiated with Zhou Tianmu and agreed to withstand three of his attacks in exchange for seven stalks of Spirit Bamboo. Zhou Tianmu launched his first two attacks, leaving the battle unresolved as a wounded Cyan Flood Dragon bore down on Wang Changsheng.

• Zhou Tianmu refused to trust Wang Changsheng's offer and summoned thirty-six Flying Swords, prompting Wang Changsheng to propose an exchange of blows instead of a fight to the death.
• Wang Changsheng and Zhou Tianmu negotiated the terms and settled on seven stalks of Spirit Bamboo if Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan endured three attacks.
• Zhou Tianmu unleashed a sword strike and concealed his Spirit Evasion Severing Sword, but Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Purple Moon Fairy blocked and destroyed it.
• Zhou Tianmu formed a Cyan Flood Dragon from thousands of Azure Flying Swords, and Wang Changsheng's and Wang Ruyan's defenses failed to stop it.
• Wang Changsheng attacked the Cyan Flood Dragon with help from a Golden Light Pillar, but it continued lunging toward him as a huge Yellow Seal descended in his path.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan survived Zhou Tianmu’s attacks and left Jade Void Island with the Jade Void Bamboo. After learning that the Zhou Family’s defenses had inflicted heavy losses, Zhang Guangyang and the others abandoned their campaign against the family and chose the Emerald Cloud Sect as their next target.

• Zhou Tianmu attacked Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, but Wang Changsheng blocked the Cyan Flood Dragon and the couple survived; Zhou Tianmu then handed over seven stalks of Jade Void Bamboo.
• Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Purple Moon Fairy left with their plunder and later met Zhang Guangyang, who reported that Daoist Sun had died attacking Zi Yang Island.
• Wang Changsheng and the others urged Zhang Guangyang to stop attacking the Zhou Family, citing Zhou Tianmu’s strength, the family’s fierce resistance, and the risk of reinforcements.
• Zhang Guangyang agreed to target the Emerald Cloud Sect instead, and the group departed with several hundred cultivators.
• The Zhou Family gathered its clansmen, strengthened its defenses, and requested aid from allied forces.

Li Hongxiu grew suspicious of the Whale Ocean Sect cultivators arriving at Emerald Cloud Sect, but let the two Core Formation visitors enter Emerald Cloud Palace. Wang Changsheng recognized the setup and broke the hidden Restriction before the sect could trap them.

• After Emerald Cloud Sect’s cultivators died on Azure Carp Island, Li Hongxiu tightened security and discussed the growing war with two fellow Core Formation cultivators.
• Li Hongxiu learned her disciple Chen Feng had vouched for two Whale Ocean Sect visitors and ordered the guests admitted while keeping the rest of their group outside.
• Wang Changsheng warned Zhang Guangyang that the unusually easy entrance might conceal an ambush, but Chen Feng insisted that he had been forced to cooperate through a Zhang Family forbidden art.
• At Emerald Cloud Palace, Wang Changsheng noticed the suspicious lack of guards and destroyed the azure runes beginning to activate beneath the plaza.
• Zhang Guangyang burned the Emerald Cloud Sect guides to ashes, while Wang Changsheng and Zhang Guangyang prepared their defenses and sent a silver sword signal skyward.

Li Hongxiu and the Emerald Cloud Sect cultivators attacked Wang Changsheng and Zhang Guangyang while Wang Ruyan and her allies assaulted Emerald Cloud Island. Zhang Guangyang killed the sect’s Golden Cloud Eagle, but Li Hongxiu used an Ancient Treasure to seize his Golden Flying Blades, and Wang Changsheng faced an Azure Armored Man amid the battle.

• Li Hongxiu, a Blue-dressed Woman, and an azure-robed elder attacked Wang Changsheng and Zhang Guangyang with their Magic Treasures and wood-based spells.
• Wang Changsheng burned the elder’s branches and vines with the Mystic Nether Black Lotus Fire while Wang Ruyan and two others attacked Emerald Cloud Island.
• The Blue-dressed Woman took control of the Sect Protection Formation, and Zhang Guangyang used his Golden Demon-Slaying Disc and Golden Moon Spirit Suppression to kill the Golden Cloud Eagle.
• Li Hongxiu used an Azure Painting Scroll, an Ancient Treasure, to capture Zhang Guangyang’s Golden Flying Blades, leaving him to defend himself with a Blue Short Ruler.
• An Azure Armored Man appeared behind Wang Changsheng as he continued fighting the azure-robed elder.

Wang Changsheng defeated the Azure Armored Man and discovered that it was a Talisman Soldier, but Li Hongxiu and the Azure-robed Elder joined forces against him. With Zhang Guangyang immobilizing the elder and launching attacks, Wang Changsheng gained an opening to strike while Li Hongxiu tried to stop him.

• Wang Changsheng destroyed the Azure Armored Man with the Mountain-Sea Pearl and found an Azure Talisman that he recognized as a Talisman Soldier.
• Wang Changsheng restrained the Talisman Soldier with the Purple Cloud Mirror as it tried to return to the Azure-robed Elder, then faced attacks from Li Hongxiu and the elder.
• The Azure-robed Elder used the Azure Moon Spirit Severing Scythe while Li Hongxiu's Spirit Tremor Art disrupted Wang Changsheng, but Wang Changsheng blocked and shattered the scythe with his fist.
• Silver Sun attacks struck Li Hongxiu and the Azure-robed Elder, while Zhang Guangyang's Spiritual Art immobilized the elder and Wang Changsheng emerged unharmed from the flames.
• Wang Changsheng rushed toward the immobilized Azure-robed Elder, but Li Hongxiu tried to intercept him with the Golden Light Spirit Severing Blade and Crimson Thunderfire.

Wang Changsheng and Zhang Guangyang defeated the Emerald Cloud Sect’s defenders, but Li Hongxiu escaped with Zhang Guangyang’s Lifebound Treasure and the sect’s treasury. The group ended its campaign and returned to Red Lotus Island, where Wang Changsheng planned to equip Wang Qingshan with Flying Sword Magic Treasures and support Wang Qingqing’s cultivation.

• Wang Changsheng killed the azure-robed old man, while Li Hongxiu fled after battling Zhang Guangyang and Wang Changsheng.
• The Emerald Cloud Sect’s formation broke, its disciples surrendered, and the group discovered that Li Hongxiu had emptied the treasury.
• Wang Changsheng, Purple Moon Fairy, and Zhang Guangyang agreed to end their campaign; Zhang Guangyang ordered the sect’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators bound for ransom.
• More than a month later, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan returned to Red Lotus Island with their clansmen and the spoils, including five stalks of Jade Void Bamboo.
• Wang Changsheng told Wang Qingshan to take charge of Sea Cucumber Island and promised to refine a set of Flying Sword Magic Treasures for him.
• Wang Changsheng gave Wang Qingshan resources to help Wang Qingqing pursue Core Formation, then returned home and poured out the contents of a string of Storage Pearls.

Wang Changsheng discovered three Divine Weapon Compendium recipes among the spoils, including a powerful Talisman Soldier that could benefit Wang Ruyan. To replace clan members lost in battle, the Wang Family began absorbing smaller families, and Wang Qingjun confronted the Sun Family with a choice between merging with the Wangs or facing extermination.

• Wang Changsheng examined three Golden Shells and found recipes for the Mystic Ice Ruler, Ephemeral Veil Parasol, and Five Elements Talisman Soldier.
• Wang Ruyan worried that the Wang Family lacked manpower after fifteen clansmen died, and Wang Changsheng said Qingjun would recruit three small families.
• Wang Changsheng arranged for Zhang Guangyang to help the family rent a Third-Order Spirit Vein island away from the resentful Zhou Family.
• Wang Qingjun arrived at Spirit Clam Island with puppet beasts and offered Sun Jialiang the choice of merging the Sun Family into the Wang Family or being exterminated.
• Wang Qingjun promised the Wangs would not seize the Sun Family's women, while making clear that the family would eventually merge through intermarriage.

Wang Changsheng’s family expanded its forces amid the turmoil in the Red Moon Sea Region, then received three islands to choose from—each of which they would have to seize themselves. Wang Changsheng chose Silver Serpent Island as the family’s next target.

• Wang Qingjun forced the Sun Family and three other small families to join the Wang Family, while wiping out two families that refused.
• Wang Tianqi reported that three major powers had stopped fighting one another and allied against their rivals, and Wang Changsheng ordered fifty clansmen transferred from the Eastern Wasteland.
• Wang Tianqi told Wang Changsheng that the Hai Lan Sect’s headquarters had survived an attack, though both sides suffered casualties.
• Zhang Guangyang offered the Wang Family East Deer Island, Golden Gourd Island, or Silver Serpent Island, explaining that they would have to seize their chosen island from its current occupants.
• Wang Changsheng chose Silver Serpent Island because its frequent thunderstorms would suit a Thunder Attribute Formation centered on the Thunder Apricot Spirit Tree.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan seized Silver Serpent Island, planted the Thunder Apricot Spirit Tree, and established the Nine Palaces Lightning Guiding Formation. The Cloud Sea Sect revealed its ambush and attacked the island while Wang Ruyan remained inside to defend it.

• Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan chose Silver Serpent Island and brought Ye Lin and fifty cultivators to take it, finding that its occupants had apparently fled.
• Wang Qingling organized the rebuilding of the island while Ye Lin planted the Thunder Apricot Spirit Tree and set up the Nine Palaces Lightning Guiding Formation.
• Wang Changsheng sent Wang Qingjun to inform the Zhang Family, then left Silver Serpent Island with ten clansmen as the Cloud Sea Sect’s concealed Core Formation Cultivator watched.
• The Yellow-Robed Man led more than one hundred Cloud Sea Sect cultivators in an attack on Silver Serpent Island seven days later.
• Wang Ruyan defended the island with the formation, repelling the attackers’ spells and breaking the Cloud-Stepping Rhinoceros’s charge with a Blue Giant Hand.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan ambushed the Cloud Sea Sect’s attackers at Silver Serpent Island and killed their two Core Formation Cultivators. After the victory, Wang Changsheng left Wang Ruyan to guard the island while he went to bring clan members from the Eastern Wasteland.

• Wang Changsheng revealed himself from the seabed and attacked the Yellow-Robed Man and his group, who realized they had fallen into an ambush.
• Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, the Nine Palaces Lightning Guiding Formation, and a Talisman Soldier worked together to defeat the Yellow-Robed Man and the red-skirted young woman.
• Silver Serpent Island’s defenses killed the remaining Cloud Sea Sect disciples, while the Cloud-Stepping Rhinoceros escaped into the seabed.
• Wang Changsheng collected the two Core Formation Cultivators’ valuables and told Wang Ruyan to flee if defending the island became impossible.
• Wang Changsheng left to bring clan members from the Eastern Wasteland so the clan could develop Silver Serpent Island.

Wang Changsheng settled the Wang Family on Silver Serpent Island, negotiated a marriage alliance and tribute terms with the Zhang Family, and assigned a young clanswoman for a future engagement. The family organized its surrounding islands, while Ye Haitang finished setting up defenses and teleportation arrays on Golden Sheep Island before heading to Lotus Island.

• Zhang Zhiqin proposed a marriage alliance and tribute of five thousand Thunder Attribute spirit herbs every fifty years, and Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan negotiated more flexible terms.
• Wang Changsheng chose his ten-year-old great-granddaughter Wang Tianqing for the future engagement, and Zhang Zhiqin provided seeds for five kinds of Thunder Attribute spirit herbs.
• The Wang Family took control of three nearby islands and rented the remaining islands to smaller families in exchange for tribute.
• Ye Haitang set up defensive and warning formations and two Small Teleportation Arrays on Golden Sheep Island, explaining to Wang Qingjun why she chose an Earth Attribute defensive formation.
• Wang Qingjun left ten people to guard Golden Sheep Island, and he and Ye Haitang flew to Lotus Island to continue the work.

Wang Qiuli learned that Cheng Zhenyu was offering the Wang Family a rare Earth-Rank Technique in exchange for a Magic Treasure. Wang Changsheng traveled to Azure Carp Market to negotiate for it, leaving Wang Ruyan to guard Silver Serpent Island.

• Wang Qiuli arranged leases for the Wang Family’s islands and met Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan at Hundred Refinements Pavilion.
• Zheng Nan offered two Mystic Grade Cultivation Methods and the Earth-Rank Technique Purple Firmament Heavenly Lightning Art in exchange for a Fire-Attribute Magic Treasure.
• Wang Qiuli asked Cheng Zhenyu to reserve the Earth-Rank Technique while she sought approval from the Wang Family.
• After hearing the news, Wang Changsheng decided to obtain the technique and left Silver Serpent Island, asking Wang Ruyan to guard it.
• Wang Changsheng arrived at Azure Moon Pavilion and met Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan outside their guest room.

Wang Changsheng traded a Sun Rainbow Sword for Cheng Zhenyu’s Earth-Rank Technique and gifted him a Qianli Pearl to build a connection with the newly formed Core cultivator. After returning to Silver Serpent Island, Wang Changsheng put newly acquired seeds and techniques to use while Ye Haitang completed a formation meant to help a family member cultivate faster.

• Wang Changsheng examined Cheng Zhenyu’s Earth-Rank Technique and exchanged a Sun Rainbow Sword for it after confirming Cheng Zhenyu had not copied it.
• Wang Changsheng gifted Cheng Zhenyu a Qianli Pearl, and Cheng Zhenyu agreed to favor the Wang Family when he acquired valuable items.
• Wang Changsheng praised Wang Qiuli for collecting two Third-Order Pill Formulas and seeds for three Third-Order Spirit Fruits, then urged her to keep buying resources.
• Wang Changsheng returned to Silver Serpent Island and gave the Spirit Fruit seeds and techniques to Wang Qiuhong to put to use.
• Ye Haitang completed the Azure Wind Bamboo Sea Formation and told Little Brother to cultivate there to accelerate his progress.

After the Six Major Powers agreed to a ceasefire, Wang Changsheng assigned Wang Qingshan to strengthen the family’s foothold in the Coral Sea Region while Wang Ruyan entered secluded cultivation. Wang Changsheng began preparing for the Townsea Sect ruins expedition, and the chapter ended with him refining materials as Wang Ruyan cultivated.

• Ye Haitang accepted a Formation Tome from Ye Yutong and encouraged him to focus on cultivation before learning alchemy.
• Zhang Zhiwu visited with Zhang Sichun, confirmed the betrothal arrangements between the two families, and reported that the Six Major Powers had agreed to a ceasefire.
• Wang Changsheng sent Wang Qingshan to take charge of Sea Cucumber Island and gave him medicinal pills and two Core Formation Spiritual Objects.
• Wang Ruyan began secluded cultivation while Wang Changsheng planned to refine Mountain-Sea Pearls and Lifebound Treasures, raise his cultivation, and find a way to nurture another Core Formation Cultivator.
• Wang Changsheng fed the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada demon-beast souls and Nurturing Spirit Pills, then began refining silkworm thread with the Mystic Nether Black Lotus Fire.
• Wang Ruyan swallowed a Blue Pill and circulated her technique as mysterious Blue Notes appeared in her stone chamber.

Wang Qingshan returned to Sea Cucumber Island with resources from the Red Moon Sea Region and gave Wang Qingqing two Core Formation Spiritual Objects, prompting her to enter secluded cultivation and attempt Core Formation. Meanwhile, Wang Mingren agreed to a transfer to the Northern Frontier, but Chen Xiang'er suspected he wanted to seek out Ximen Feng.

• At the year-end accounting, Wang Qiuling reported the Wang Family's profit and shortage of Foundation Establishment Pills, and Wang Qiuyan admitted his attempts to refine them had failed.
• Wang Qingshan arrived with ten Foundation Establishment Pills and other resources, then told Wang Qingqing that Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan were safe in the Red Moon Sea Region.
• Wang Qingshan gave Wang Qingqing two Core Formation Spiritual Objects and two defensive Mystic Treasure Embryos, set up a Third-Order Defensive Formation for her, and she began secluded cultivation.
• Wang Qingshan returned to his residence and took a Sky Cloud Pill to cultivate with the help of its medicinal effects.
• Xu Zihua assigned Wang Mingren to the Northern Frontier, and Wang Mingren accepted because its environment suited his cultivation.
• When Wang Mingren told Chen Xiang'er about the transfer, she accused him of planning to look for Ximen Feng.

Wang Mingren and Chen Xiang'er argued about his mission to the Northern Frontier, then agreed she would accompany him. At Yingtian Academy, Wang Tianwen demonstrated his ideas for disaster relief and official accountability, leaving his teacher and fellow students considering his proposals.

• Wang Mingren told Chen Xiang'er he was going to the Northern Frontier to cultivate and rebuked her for distrusting him.
• Chen Xiang'er promised to question him less and said she would join his mission with Elders from the Hall of Law Enforcement; Wang Mingren agreed.
• At Yingtian Academy, Chen Qian asked his students how they would respond to a flood caused by the Black Dragon River embankment collapsing.
• Wang Tianwen proposed aiding victims, pursuing the Dongyang County Magistrate, reinforcing embankments, buying grain, and punishing price gougers.
• Wang Tianwen suggested rewarding voluntary merchant donations with public honors or academy recommendations, while investigating exceptionally wealthy donors for possible illegal wealth.

Chen Qian assigned his students to write policy essays after a three-month break, and Wang Tianwen traveled with Liu Xian to Liu Family Village. There, they learned that Liu Xian’s family had gained farmland and tenants, leaving him unsure whether he should still write about farming.

• Liu Xian argued that Yingtian Academy should not become a school reserved for the wealthy, and Chen Qian assigned the students essays on Qufu County policy.
• Wang Tianwen, Liu Xian, Sun Jiawen, and Fang Ziyi shared their essay topics: commerce, farming, official appointments, and water conservancy.
• Liu Xian invited Wang Tianwen to visit his home in Liu Family Village, and Wang Tianwen agreed to learn about the local wine business.
• Wang Tianwen rode his Azure Scale Horse with Liu Xian to the village, then put the spirit beast away before they entered.
• A villager told Liu Xian that Merchant Li had exempted his family from rent and given them over fifty mu of farmland, making their former neighbors tenants.
• Liu Xian wondered whether he could still write an essay criticizing wealthy landowners, while Wang Tianwen watched his reaction with curiosity.

Liu Xian returned to Liu Family Village with Wang Tianwen and discovered that his family had grown wealthy through gifts and favors sent because of his prospects as a student of Yingtian Academy. He struggled with the contradiction between his ideals and his family’s new life, and asked Wang Tianwen whether he was a hypocrite.

• Liu Xian led Wang Tianwen through impoverished Liu Family Village to a lavish manor that he barely recognized as his home.
• Liu Hu and his wife welcomed Liu Xian and explained that the family had divided its property and moved into the manor.
• Old Liu told Liu Xian that merchants and the county magistrate had sent land, money, food, furniture, and other gifts after he entered Yingtian Academy.
• Liu Xian objected to accepting the gifts, but Liu Hu and his wife argued that the family deserved to benefit after years of supporting his studies.
• Wang Tianwen introduced himself to Liu Xian’s parents, and the Liu family hosted three days of banquets as visitors came to celebrate Liu Xian’s return.
• Three days later, Liu Xian asked Wang Tianwen whether he was a hypocrite because his family’s wealth conflicted with the policy essay he had wanted to write criticizing landowners.

Wang Tianwen warned Liu Xian that his family's lavish gifts could entangle him in corruption, then declined to join Zhao Feng and Sun Jiawen on an expedition against Heretical Cultivators. When the expedition was ambushed and Zhao Feng and Sun Jiawen fled toward Liu Family Village, Wang Tianwen sensed them approaching and rushed out.

• Wang Tianwen told Liu Xian that his family’s wealth and gifts could leave him indebted to wealthy merchants, but said he could not provide the tens of thousands of taels needed to solve the problem.
• Liu Xian invited Wang Tianwen to stay with his family and promised to introduce him to his Third Uncle, who could explain commerce.
• Seven days later, Zhao Feng and Sun Jiawen arrived with other cultivators and invited Wang Tianwen to help exterminate Heretical Cultivators, but he refused.
• That night, Wang Tianwen sensed cultivators rushing toward Liu Family Village and hurried out of his quarters.
• Zhao Feng and Sun Jiawen fled on an Azure Shuttle after a county-government enshrined cultivator betrayal left one Foundation Establishment cultivator dead, while Zhao Feng suffered Corpse Poison.
• Three Skull Heads cast a Black Net over Zhao Feng and Sun Jiawen, and Zhao Feng accelerated the shuttle and sent two Crimson Fire Serpents against it.