Chapter Summaries

Jiang Jinyue defeated Chu Yungui, and the sect finalized the top ten rankings across the Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation Realms. As the ranking challenges began, Zhang Qiao found Chu Yungui directly below him and ready to fight.

• Jiang Jinyue overwhelmed Chu Yungui with five sword intents, pinned him in midair, and nearly froze him before he was removed from the trial grounds.
• Jiang Sheng and Ling Yu decided Chu Yungui should challenge Zhang Qiao to temper his combat temperament.
• The challengers reshaped the provisional rankings, and the final top tens of all three realms were announced.
• Sect Master Lingwei began the ranking battles, allowing each person to challenge only the person immediately above them and making the winner and loser exchange positions.
• Zhang Qiao discovered Chu Yungui was ranked directly below him, and Chu Yungui grinned as he prepared to challenge.

Zhang Qiao entered the top-ten tournament and faced Chu Yungui, revealing his Sea-Splitting Wave-Covering Ruler in their opening clash. Battles broke out across all three realms as the contenders fought for rank and the Yuchen Token.

• Zhang Qiao realized the top-ten positions were arranged to make the contestants fight for first place, and Master Chen explained that many of them could challenge those around them.
• Zhang Ao challenged Qian Yun, Lan Zhaoxu challenged Bai Lu, and Lin Qinghe chose to fight Jiang Zhaoxin.
• Chu Yungui challenged Zhang Qiao, and the fused platforms formed a vast arena for their battle.
• Zhang Qiao blocked Chu Yungui's greatsword with his Sea-Splitting Wave-Covering Ruler, a weapon weighing over ten thousand jun, and Chu Yungui eagerly pressed the attack.
• Fights began across the Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation Realms, while Gu Yuanhai and Liu Zonghe waited to see how the other Nascent Soul contenders fared.

During the Golden Core tournament, Qian Yun fought Zhang Ao for ninth place and revealed a powerful golden-and-silver technique after Zhang Ao’s thunder spear kept him on the defensive. Zhang Ao charged again, and Qian Yun answered with the Tongbao Trading House’s Chop-Hand Golden Light, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Lin Fan asked Jiang Sheng to predict the outcomes of Xiao Jingyue versus Xiao Zheng and Qian Yun versus Zhang Ao, but Jiang Sheng said both were hard to judge.
• Zhang Ao used his Purple Extremity Thunder Baleful Method to batter Qian Yun, who relied on three imitation Treasure-Dropping Silver Coins to defend himself.
• After Qian Yun complained that Zhang Ao was dragging out the fight, Zhang Ao admitted he had settled for fighting him for ninth place because he could not beat the contenders above them.
• Qian Yun unleashed a golden-and-silver sharp light that shattered Zhang Ao’s chest bones and scattered the thunderclouds, but Zhang Ao recovered and charged down with his spear.
• Determined not to yield, Qian Yun condensed the gold and silver energies into golden light and unleashed the secret technique Chop-Hand Golden Light.

Qian Yun defeated Zhang Ao with Chop-Hand Golden Light and secured a place in the Golden Core top ten, earning a promise from Sanfeng Xuanche Immortal Monarch if he rose one more rank. Xiao Jingyue then defeated Xiao Zheng with Dragon-Shocking Shadow Sweep, leaving Qian Yun to face the formidable remaining contenders.

• Qian Yun split Zhang Ao's descending thunder dragon with Chop-Hand Golden Light and won their match.
• True Lord Qian celebrated Qian Yun's top-ten finish, while Sanfeng Xuanche Immortal Monarch promised him a chance to hear a discourse if he advanced one more rank.
• Xiao Jingyue and Xiao Zheng exchanged sword strikes and mace blows, with Xiao Zheng's twin golden maces putting pressure on her dharma sword.
• Xiao Jingyue used the fifth sword of the Seven Tribulations Slaying Dragon Formula, Dragon-Shocking Shadow Sweep, to pierce Xiao Zheng's body and end the fight.

The sect competition reshaped the Golden Core and Nascent Soul rankings as Zhang Qiao defeated Chu Yungui and drew the attention of a True Lord. As new ranking battles began, Jiang Sheng received an urgent message that Ao Lian had disappeared in the Chengyue Sea Realm.

• Xiao Jingyue defeated Xiao Zheng, and the next Golden Core challenges began as Qian Yun, Zhou Huo, Wang Cunyang, and Xiao Jingyue pursued higher rankings.
• Jiang Jinyue defeated Shen Guanhe, Qin Shu defeated Zhong Qiuli, and Zhang Qiao defeated Chu Yungui with his Canghai Surging Waves Method.
• An unidentified Penglai True Lord praised Zhang Qiao and offered him the chance to listen to the Dao if he won two more battles; Master Chen urged him to keep winning.
• The Nascent Soul rankings shifted, and Qin Shu challenged Chu Yungui while Lin Qinghe and Jiang Jinyue challenged Shen Guanhe and Liu Zonghe.
• Jiang Sheng received a message from Duobao reporting that Ao Lian had disappeared from the Chengyue Sea Realm.

Jiang Sheng learned that Ao Lian had vanished from the Chengyue Sea Realm and sent Shen Yao to bring the Dragon Monarch to the Judicial Heavenly Lord Mansion. He then returned his attention to the Penglai grand tournament and wagered with Xuanche Immortal Monarch that Liu Zonghe and Jiang Jinyue would decide their spell-combat within thirty exchanges.

• Duobao reported that Ao Lian had disappeared from the Chengyue Dragon Palace and that Ao Tu had taken charge of the Chengyue Sea Realm.
• Jiang Sheng told Duobao to keep watch and ordered Shen Yao to lead heavenly soldiers to the Chengyue Sea Realm and bring its Dragon Monarch back.
• Jiang Sheng resumed watching Liu Zonghe and Jiang Jinyue's probing spell-combat at the Penglai grand tournament.
• Xuanche Immortal Monarch proposed a wager on how many exchanges the duel would take, with Dao instruction and a century of training disciples at stake.
• Jiang Sheng predicted that Liu Zonghe and Jiang Jinyue would decide victory and defeat within thirty exchanges, while Xuanche Immortal Monarch had predicted within a hundred.

Jiang Jinyue defeated Liu Zonghe in the Penglai Grand Competition and rose to second place, while Lin Qinghe prepared to challenge Liu for third. Meanwhile, Shen Yao organized a Heavenly Court force to capture Chengyue Sea Realm’s acting Dragon Monarch, Ao Tu, whose new authority was interrupted by the arrival of heavenly soldiers.

• Jiang Jinyue used the Taiyin Sword Force Form to shatter Liu Zonghe’s Dharma Image and freeze the hidden Haozheng Sword Qi he had planned to use against her.
• Liu Zonghe admitted defeat, moving Jiang Jinyue into second place and himself into third, while Lin Qinghe told him she intended to challenge him after he recovered.
• Jiang Sheng ordered Shen Yao to prepare to capture the Dragon Monarch of Chengyue Sea Realm, and Shen Yao gathered heavenly soldiers and binding equipment before coordinating with Duobao.
• Ao Tu fantasized about the riches and pleasures of ruling Chengyue Sea Realm until a soldier warned him that one hundred thousand heavenly soldiers had arrived.
• Heavenly soldiers surrounded Chengyue Dragon Palace with Heavenly Nets, Dragon-Binding Ropes, and Dragon-Trapping Stakes, then demanded that the Dragon Monarch come out.

Shen Yao led the Heavenly Court’s forces to surround the Chengyue Sea Dragon Palace and demand the Dragon Monarch’s surrender. Duobao entered the palace with Ji Hong, Anping, and eight thousand Heavenly Soldiers, while Ao Tu faced the invasion in panic.

• One hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers surrounded the Chengyue Sea Realm, driving merchants and cultivators to flee and local clans to seal their doors.
• Shen Yao called for the Chengyue Sea Dragon Monarch, then gave Duobao an official decree that could suppress the Dragon Monarch’s strength and authorized further measures if he resisted.
• Shen Yao sent Ji Hong and Anping with Duobao to keep watch over him as they led eight thousand Heavenly Soldiers into the Dragon Palace.
• Ao Tu, acting for the absent Dragon Monarch, watched the Heavenly Soldiers break into the palace hall and grew terrified.

Duobao’s party discovered that the Chengyue Sea Dragon Monarch had vanished, and Ao Tu revealed that his father had appointed him acting monarch while preparing Ao Lian to seek another sea realm’s garrison. After Duobao brought Ao Tu into custody, Shen Yao reported that Jiang Sheng was sending True Monarch Guanghan to take charge, leaving Duobao to wonder what would happen to him.

• Duobao questioned Ao Tu and learned that the Chengyue Sea Dragon Monarch had disappeared seven days earlier, after naming Ao Tu acting monarch and preparing Ao Lian to break through to Integration.
• Ji Hong bound Ao Tu and took him away to answer questions in the Heavenly Court, while Ao Tu eagerly offered to cooperate in hopes of gaining Jiang Sheng’s support.
• Duobao returned to the clouds and learned from Shen Yao that Jiang Sheng considered the mission mishandled and had summoned True Monarch Guanghan to oversee it.
• Duobao asked Shen Yao what would happen to him after hearing that True Monarch Guanghan was taking over.

Yuehui investigated the disappearance of Chengyue Sea Realm Dragon Monarch Ao Qian and the unregistered Ao Lian, prompting the South Sea Dragon King to verify his clan’s genealogy and track Ao Qian and his true eldest son, Ao Qie. Their traces led back to the Chengyue Sea Realm, where Yuehui summoned Shen Yao, Duobao, and three hundred thousand heavenly soldiers as the Dragon King feared they would find Ao Qian and Ao Qie in poor condition.

• The South Sea Dragon King welcomed Yuehui, who asked about Ao Qian and reported that Ao Qian and the unregistered Ao Lian had vanished.
• The South Sea Dragon King insisted all true dragons and their offspring had to be registered, then showed Yuehui the Golden Register, which listed Ao Qian’s sons as Ao Qie, Ao Tu, and Ao Qing but contained no Ao Lian.
• The South Sea Dragon King used the Golden Register and a Tracking Array Disk to locate Ao Qian and Ao Qie, whose traces pointed north toward the Chengyue Sea Realm.
• Yuehui ordered Shen Yao to bring Duobao and three hundred thousand heavenly soldiers back to the Chengyue Sea Realm, while warning the South Sea Dragon King that Ao Qian and Ao Qie might be in poor condition.

Yuehui led Heavenly Court forces to Chengyue Sea Realm and began searching the Dragon Palace for Ao Qian and Ao Qie. His Truth-Seeing Golden Pupils revealed the palace’s hidden structures, but no Integration Realm presence; the South Sea Dragon King insisted his Tracking Array Disk could locate any registered South Sea true dragon.

• Mighty Glory Divine Lord prepared a Teleportation Formation at South Heaven Gate after Shen Yao requested Heavenly Court’s forces.
• Shen Yao and Duobao led three hundred thousand heavenly soldiers to Chengyue Sea Realm, where Yuehui ordered the troops to seal the Dragon Palace and its skies.
• The South Sea Dragon King accompanied Yuehui into the Dragon Palace, and Yuehui spared the Dragon Princes and Princesses who had not known what was happening.
• Yuehui used the Truth-Seeing Golden Pupils to inspect the entire palace but found no Integration Realm presence and could not locate Ao Qian or Ao Qie.
• The South Sea Dragon King affirmed that the Tracking Array Disk could find registered South Sea true dragons, and Jiang Sheng realized Heavenly Court and the Eastern Heaven Daoist Sect could also use it to monitor the four sea dragon clans.

Yuehui and the South Sea Dragon King searched the Chengyue Sea Dragon Palace after the Dragon King's array disc indicated Ao Qian and Ao Qie were there, but Yuehui found no Upper Three Realms dragons besides the two guards. In the palace's rear garden, Yuehui revealed the Immortal Extinction Sword, one of the Four Dharma Swords forged by his true self.

• Yuehui used his Truth-Seeing Golden Pupils and told the South Sea Dragon King that no Upper Three Realms dragons were in the palace beyond the two guards.
• The South Sea Dragon King checked his array disc, prepared with Mahayana talismans and a defensive pendant, and led Yuehui through the palace.
• Yuehui and the South Sea Dragon King reached the lavish rear garden, where Yuehui admired its treasures and accepted the Dragon King's offer to send some to Little Penglai.
• The South Sea Dragon King voiced concern about Ao Qian and Ao Qie's disappearance and Ao Lian's control of the palace.
• Yuehui reassured the Dragon King that he had made preparations, then drew the Immortal Extinction Sword and explained that his true self had forged it as one of the Four Dharma Swords.

Yuehui and the South Sea Dragon King followed the Dragon King’s lead beneath a Greensteel Jade mountain to find Ao Qian and Ao Que. They discovered the dragons’ mutilated corpses and realized someone had made them appear alive in the Dragon Palace’s Golden Register, leaving the South Sea Dragon King to consider who could be responsible.

• Yuehui reassured the South Sea Dragon King that he had another move in reserve, then followed him to the Greensteel Jade mountain where Ao Qian and Ao Que were supposedly hidden.
• Yuehui used the Jue-Xian Sword to cut through the jade mountain and destroy the defenses concealed beneath it.
• Yuehui and the South Sea Dragon King entered a chamber where an illusion of Ao Qian vanished, revealing silver chains, blood, and the hollowed remains of two dragons.
• Yuehui concluded that Ao Qian and Ao Que had been kept alive and drained for centuries, while powerful magic maintained the appearance that they still lived in the Golden Register.
• Yuehui asked who could hate the South Sea Dragon Palace and deceive its greatest treasure, and the shaken South Sea Dragon King promised to investigate when he returned.

After Yuehui set aside the search for Ao Lian until after the competitions, the story shifted to the South Sea, where Wujue confronted the fallen Flame Dragon and urged him to join the coming Buddhist Calamity. The chapter ended with Wujue demonstrating that the Calamity Aura had made him immortal and tempting Flame Dragon with the chance to recover his strength.

• Yuehui told Shen Yao to secure Ao Qian and Ao Qie's corpses and explained to Duobao that Ao Lian's disappearance could wait until after the sect competitions.
• The South Sea Dragon King returned to his palace as White-Fat Monk and Old Beggar climbed Desolate Island Mountain.
• White-Fat Monk recounted Flame Dragon's fall and questioned whether he hoped to reclaim authority over the South Sea.
• Old Beggar, revealed as Flame Dragon, refused to join the Buddhist Calamity because his wounds had weakened his Pure Yang cultivation.
• Flame Dragon attacked Wujue, but Wujue blocked his strike with a Buddha Dharma Image.
• Wujue said the Great Calamity's aura and karmic force had made him immortal and asked Flame Dragon whether he wanted to heal his wounds and restore his cultivation.

Wujue offered the wounded Flame Dragon a pill made from South Sea dragons to restore his cultivation and asked him to contact the Azure Dragon at Great Lingyin Temple. The Flame Dragon doubted the plan until Wujue revealed that Amokeqi and a sheet of human skin would join him.

• The Flame Dragon explained that East Heaven's growing fortunes were eroding his wounds and threatening to make him fall from Pure Yang.
• Wujue gave the Flame Dragon a True Dragon Essence-Extracting Pill made from the blood, marrow, and flesh of two South Sea dragons, explaining that it could help restore his cultivation.
• Wujue revealed that Fulu had targeted the Chengyue Sea Realm Dragon Palace and obtained the materials for the pill, though his scheme had failed after attracting the attention of a Little Penglai cultivator.
• The Flame Dragon accepted the pill but asked what Wujue wanted from him, and Wujue requested that he contact the Azure Dragon.
• The Flame Dragon warned that visiting the Azure Dragon at Great Lingyin Temple would put him under the Buddha's notice, but Wujue said he would bring Amokeqi and a sheet of human skin.

Flame Dragon weighed the risks of joining Wujue, Profound Lord Zizai, and Zizai True Buddha against Jinjue Buddha, but agreed to help them. Wujue revealed they were waiting for Jinjue Buddha and the three Heavenly Venerables to leave the Three Realms, and Flame Dragon was tasked with contacting Azure Dragon.

• Flame Dragon considered the group’s formidable enemies and concluded that they were a band of failures unlikely to stand against Jinjue Buddha.
• After learning that Profound Lord Zizai and Buddha Emperor Zizai would join the plan, Flame Dragon agreed to cooperate so he could help rescue Azure Dragon.
• Wujue said Fulu was stirring up trouble and that they would wait for an opportunity rather than act immediately.
• Wujue revealed that the three Heavenly Venerables were absent from the Three Realms and that Jinjue Buddha would also leave, creating their chance.
• Wujue told Flame Dragon to contact Azure Dragon as a test of his loyalty and promised Fulu would supply pills to stabilize his cultivation.

Chu Yungui defeated Qin Shu as the Nascent Soul Realm tournament’s strongest contenders fought for the top places, while Zhang Qiao revealed an inheritance from the destroyed Abyssal Wave Sect. Jiang Sheng and Xuanche Immortal Monarch raised the stakes by promising a special reward in each realm, including a chance to become a True Disciple candidate.

• Chu Yungui defeated Qin Shu and predicted that Jiang Jinyue or Zhang Qiao would win first place in the Nascent Soul Realm.
• Zhang Qiao defeated Shen Guanhe with Myriad Abyss Underflow, and Jiang Sheng identified his techniques as the Abyssal Wave Sect’s foundational arts.
• Jiang Sheng and Xuanche Immortal Monarch recognized that Zhang Qiao’s remnant soul came from the Abyssal Wave Sect, whose destroyed lineage could bring him trouble from the Canglang Sacred Sect.
• Jiang Jinyue and Lin Qinghe won their matches, leaving Jiang Jinyue, Gu Yuanhai, Lin Qinghe, Liu Zonghe, and Zhang Qiao in the Nascent Soul Realm’s top five.
• Xuanche Immortal Monarch assessed the contenders in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms, while Jiang Sheng proposed increasing the tournament stakes.
• Jiang Sheng announced that one standout below the top three in each realm could receive a special reward, potentially including a place as a True Disciple candidate.

Jiang Sheng offered an extra True Disciple candidate slot in each cultivation realm, giving the tournament contenders another prize to fight for. Pei Jinglian remained an overwhelming favorite in the Spirit Transformation Realm as Xuanche Immortal Monarch asked Lingyuan what he thought of him.

• Jiang Sheng announced three additional True Disciple candidate slots, one each for the Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation Realms.
• The contenders grew more determined to conserve their strength and fight for the extra slot in their realm.
• Xuanche Immortal Monarch contrasted the unpredictable Golden Core and Nascent Soul battles with the Spirit Transformation contest, where cultivation depth gave Pei Jinglian a decisive advantage.
• Pei Jinglian continued to hold first place in the Spirit Transformation rankings, while Hua Nongying, Mu Xueyi, Lin Qingnong, Ye Ningchu, Lan Zhaoxu, Lu Xin, Ding Chan, Bai Lu, Ning Yuyao, and the others contended for the remaining places.
• Xuanche Immortal Monarch asked Lingyuan what he thought of Pei Jinglian.

Jinjue Buddha planned a Buddhist sect competition to strengthen Great Lingyin Temple before the coming Buddhist Calamity, while arranging negotiations and invitations across the heavens. After Jinjue Buddha left to visit Fahua Realm, Azure Dragon Great Sage agreed to join three former Demon Race figures in a discussion of Buddhist teachings.

• Mingxian Bodhisattva reported that the Heavenly Court had agreed to Great Lingyin Temple's terms, and Jinjue Buddha explained that the coming Buddhist Calamity would be an opportunity to build the temple's prestige and fortune.
• Jinjue Buddha decided to hold a Buddhist Sect Eleven Sects Grand Competition and later challenge East Heaven in an Immortal-Buddha Grand Competition.
• Jinjue Buddha sent Mingxian Bodhisattva to ask Juehua what East Heaven wanted and dispatched Lingding Arhat and Lingjue Bodhisattva to invite Buddhist sects from five realms.
• Jinjue Buddha decided to visit Fahua Realm and speak with Minghua Bodhisattva, then vanished from the hall.
• Chaste Lion Arhat, Zhenmi Arhat, and Zhenjiu Bodhisattva invited Azure Dragon Great Sage to discuss Buddhist teachings, and he accepted.

Azure Dragon joined Chaste Lion Arhat, Zhenmi Arhat, and Zhenjiu Bodhisattva at Zhenjiu’s temple, where they complained about life in the Great Lingyin Temple and explained Bodhisattva Zhenque’s privileged origins. After the three learned Azure Dragon’s past, they recognized how badly he had been deceived and asked what became of the other dragons.

• Azure Dragon followed Chaste Lion Arhat, Zhenmi Arhat, and Zhenjiu Bodhisattva to Zhenjiu’s temple, where they vented about their restricted lives and fading cultivation.
• Azure Dragon asked about Bodhisattva Zhenque, and the others explained that she had been a magpie who listened to the Buddha’s teachings and became one of his earliest followers.
• Zhenmi Arhat and Zhenjiu Bodhisattva described how Zhenque rose from Venerable to Bodhisattva and later served the Great Lingyin Temple in the Heavenly Court.
• Chaste Lion Arhat invited Azure Dragon to share his past, and Azure Dragon recounted how he joined a rebellion after being misled by the Panfeng World’s Divine Court.
• Azure Dragon said Scarlet Dragon had been killed, Flame Dragon had vanished, and he feared Flame Dragon was dead; Chaste Lion Arhat remarked that Azure Dragon might otherwise have become a leading power in the Heavenly Court.