Recaps

After the Human Hunting Case, Yunyang Sect settled into a more prosperous routine, while Wang Chen sought a way to earn Human Virtue points by learning to butcher demonic beasts. His visit to Second Master Tu ended with an unexpected proposal that sent him hurrying for the door.

• The Yunyang Sect’s reforms improved life for its lower-level cultivators, and Sect Leader Ji Guantao gained widespread praise as the sect’s anger toward the Guiyuan Sect faded.
• Wang Chen visited Guard Post Jia-5 to ask Second Master Tu to teach him the butchering trade, hoping to gain Human Virtue points and learn useful processing skills.
• Second Master Tu explained that his family passed the craft down to sons and suggested Wang Chen become his youngest aunt’s matrilocal son-in-law.
• The tiger-headed youth cheered at the thought of his little aunt getting married, and Wang Chen promptly took his leave.

Second Master Tu took Wang Chen to the slaughterhouse to show him the family trade, and Wang Chen proved skilled at killing pigs but gained no Human Virtue from it. He left disappointed in this plan but still had a backup plan.

• Second Master Tu told Wang Chen he could introduce him to butchering and took him to the slaughterhouse after lunch.
• Second Master Tu demonstrated how to kill a spotted pig with a single strike and explained the technique to Wang Chen.
• Wang Chen killed a spotted pig, sensed its fear, and received Human Virtue +0.
• Wang Chen killed three more pigs and received no Human Virtue from any of them.
• Second Master Tu grew increasingly impressed with Wang Chen, while Wang Chen gave up on farming points at the slaughterhouse and turned to his backup plan.

After abandoning his plan to earn Human Virtue by slaughtering Demonic Beasts, Wang Chen put his plan to farm weak Evil Spirits into action at the Chaos Burial Mound. He lured seven Night Roaming Souls toward an ambush and attacked them with Exorcism Talismans.

• Wang Chen performed rites for the four Spotted Pigs he had slaughtered, then declined Second Master Tu's offer to join the trade.
• Wang Chen returned home, cultivated, and later left the mountain gate for the Outer Region.
• Wang Chen chose the Chaos Burial Mound over a more dangerous Evil Nest, having found it held mainly Night Roaming Souls and Lantern Puppets.
• Wang Chen concealed his aura, used Cloud Rain Art to spread a drop of his yang-rich blood, and drew seven Night Roaming Souls toward him.
• Wang Chen sprang from hiding and launched ten Exorcism Talismans at the seven Night Roaming Souls.

Wang Chen farmed evil spirits on the outskirts of Chaos Burial Mound, earning Human Virtue points and breaking through Gengjin Finger to Grandmaster. After defeating a Lantern Puppet and obtaining a Yin Qi Bead, he was eager to continue hunting.

• Wang Chen used Grandmaster-level Exorcism Talismans to destroy seven Night Roaming Souls and gain 18 Human Virtue points.
• Wang Chen kept to the outskirts of Chaos Burial Mound, luring Night Roaming Souls with mixed blood and killing them with Exorcism Talismans.
• Wang Chen saw through a Lantern Puppet’s illusion with Spirit Eye Technique, then destroyed it with an Exorcism Talisman and Fire Crow Technique.
• Wang Chen gained enough Human Virtue points to advance Gengjin Finger to Grandmaster, enduring a brief surge of information in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Wang Chen retrieved a Yin Qi Bead dropped by the Lantern Puppet and grew more eager to keep hunting.

Wang Chen harvested Human Virtue and a Yin Qi Bead from the Chaos Burial Mound before cautiously returning to farm his fields and prepare for the rice harvest. When he returned to the Evil Nest the next night, a hidden attacker trapped him in fog and struck with shadowy vines and roots.

• Wang Chen withdrew from the Chaos Burial Mound after its Evil Spirits hid, unaware that black roots emerged from the ground after he left.
• Wang Chen counted 327 Human Virtue and one Yin Qi Bead among his gains, then resolved not to risk impulsive breakthroughs again.
• Wang Chen tended his farm, wove straw men, and looked forward to keeping more rice after the Sect Leader waived part of the Field Rent.
• Wang Chen returned to the Chaos Burial Mound and sensed a trap as mist surrounded him, so he cast Spirit Light Shield Armor and attacked looming shadows with Exorcism Talismans.
• A huge shadow shrieked as Wang Chen's talismans blasted it back, while black vines and roots wrapped around his legs.

Wang Chen escaped the Evil Monster in the Chaos Burial Mound and decided to return after increasing his strength. He advanced to the seventh level of Qi Condensation, then came home to find two cultivators waiting in his courtyard, accusing him of a crime.

• Wang Chen used the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Body and Vajra Wrath Fist to break free of the Evil Monster’s vines and wound it, then withdrew from the Chaos Burial Mound.
• Wang Chen rented a high-level Qi Condensation Cultivation Cave Mansion in Yunyang City and began advancing from the sixth to the seventh level.
• Wang Chen successfully broke through to the seventh level of Qi Condensation, raising his lifespan to 110 years, and spent two more days consolidating his cultivation.
• Wang Chen returned home and found his Spirit Field unharmed, but two cultivators were eating and drinking in his courtyard.
• One burly cultivator confronted Wang Chen and declared that his crime had been exposed.

Wang Chen evaded two Outer Sect Discipline Hall disciples who tried to intimidate him into an investigation, then suspected Lu Defang was behind the harassment. After returning to his home through a secret passage, he discovered the burly disciple had stolen all his hens and became furious.

• The burly cultivator identified himself and Xiao Wu as Discipline Hall disciples and ordered Wang Chen to accompany them, but Wang Chen refused and fled.
• After Wang Chen escaped, the burly cultivator admitted to Xiao Wu that they were doing private work and had only meant to scare him off.
• Wang Chen returned through his secret passage, checked that his underground fortress was secure, and confirmed the disciples had left.
• Wang Chen suspected Lu Defang had sent the disciples and resolved to face whatever came.
• Wang Chen found the chicken coop empty and erupted in anger as the thunder and rain intensified.

Wang Chen waited in an abandoned Taoist temple and offered incense to Empress Houtu before Lu Defang arrived, revealing his murderous intent. Lu Defang agreed to explain why he had targeted Wang Chen, leaving the two poised for a deadly confrontation.

• Wang Chen prepared dinner in the temple and offered three sticks of incense to Empress Houtu.
• Lu Defang arrived after Wang Chen sent him a Crane Message and admitted his malice toward his nephew.
• Lu Defang revealed that Old Sun had monitored Wang Chen for him and praised Wang Chen's unexpected cultivation.
• Wang Chen asked Lu Defang why he wanted him dead, and Lu Defang began telling the story while Wang Chen eyed the Crane-shaped Pot.

Lu Defang revealed that he planned to kill Wang Chen to resolve his obsession with the treasure he believed Wang Shaoyuan had found. When Lu Defang attacked, Wang Chen chose to fight him rather than flee, and unleashed ten Meteor Fire Talismans.

• Lu Defang recounted how Wang Shaoyuan had survived dangerous hunts and their secret-realm expedition, where eight of the nine cultivators died.
• Lu Defang explained that he suspected Wang Shaoyuan had found a treasure and wanted to kill Wang Chen to sever the resulting heart demon and clear the way for a breakthrough.
• Lu Defang revealed that Wang Shaoyuan had entrusted Wang Chen to him and arranged a contract granting Lu Defang the house in Yunyang City only if he cared for Wang Chen until he turned eighteen.
• Wang Chen asked whether Lu Defang had arranged his conscription into the Night Patrol Team and the Discipline Hall disciples' visit, but Lu Defang denied responsibility for the conscription and said he had hoped the disciples would save him trouble.
• Lu Defang attacked Wang Chen with a giant translucent palm, and Wang Chen countered by unleashing ten Meteor Fire Talismans instead of fleeing.

Wang Chen and Lu Defang fought fiercely in the Daoist temple, each revealing powerful hidden weapons and abilities. As Lu Defang pinned Wang Chen beneath his Yellow Jade Square Seal, a Rotten Silver Spear burst through the doors and struck at Lu Defang from behind.

• Wang Chen's poisoned Meteor Fire Talismans disrupted Lu Defang, while Wang Chen shattered Lu Defang's gigantic palm with a punch.
• Lu Defang realized Wang Chen had concealed his true cultivation and became convinced Wang Chen possessed the treasure Wang Shaoyuan had found.
• Wang Chen struck Lu Defang with Gengjin Finger and a Ruyi Golden Needle, destroying his left eye after Lu Defang's Jade Pendant blocked the fatal first attack.
• Lu Defang activated a protection talisman and used his Yellow Jade Square Seal to pin Wang Chen, who struggled to withstand its crushing force.
• A Rotten Silver Spear burst through the Daoist temple doors and thrust toward Lu Defang's back.

Wang Chen killed Lu Defang with help from Wei Xiong after luring him into a false sense of victory. Lu Defang returned Wang Chen’s family deed and died just as he resolved his inner demons and neared a breakthrough; Wang Chen and Wei Xiong celebrated the successful ambush.

• Wang Chen shattered Lu Defang’s Yellow Jade Seal after Wei Xiong’s Rotten Silver Spear pierced Lu Defang’s heart.
• Lu Defang realized Wang Chen had feigned weakness and coordinated the ambush with Wei Xiong, then asked to speak before dying.
• Lu Defang returned the deed to Wang Chen’s family home, resolving his obsession and briefly nearing a breakthrough before he died.
• Lu Defang revealed more than a dozen Gray-Eyed Bandit heads, which Wang Chen gathered before burning Lu Defang’s corpse.
• Wei Xiong entered the hall, returned the Duck Mirror to Wang Chen, and joined him for a celebratory meal and wine.

Wang Chen and Wei Xiong celebrated their victory over Lu Defang and cemented an alliance of mutual aid. After returning home, Wang Chen found Xiao Bai waiting in his secret chamber.

• Wang Chen accidentally knocked Wei Xiong unconscious with the Bewitching Smoke from the Misty Immortal Pots, then revived him with an Awakening Spirit Pill.
• Wang Chen explained that he had asked Wei Xiong to help defeat Lu Defang and wanted them to become allies who could support each other.
• Wang Chen and Wei Xiong drank and shared a meal, strengthening their bond after fighting together.
• Wang Chen gave Wei Xiong a storage pouch of spoils for Wei Lian, and Wei Xiong accepted it before leaving for Yunyang City.
• Wang Chen returned home through the tunnel and found Xiao Bai waiting on his desk in the secret chamber.

Wang Chen reunited with Xiao Bai, who returned with his mate and their triplets, and accepted the Golden Fox-looking pup the family chose for him. He named her Yuan Yuan and began making her a home after Xiao Bai and the Brocade Mouse promptly left her in his care.

• Wang Chen joyfully welcomed Xiao Bai and discovered that the Brocade Mouse had returned with their three pups.
• Xiao Bai presented the triplets to Wang Chen and let him choose one to raise.
• One pup jumped onto Wang Chen’s palm, and he chose her despite wondering why she looked like a hamster.
• Wang Chen used his essence blood to bond with the pup and named her Yuan Yuan.
• Xiao Bai and the Brocade Mouse picked up the other two pups and escaped through the ventilation duct, leaving Yuan Yuan with Wang Chen.
• Wang Chen started crafting a Pet House while Yuan Yuan climbed onto his shoulder to watch.

Wang Chen discovered that Lu Defang’s worthless-looking broken net was the sealed treasure Heavenly Net to Punish Evil, which needed only 524 more Human Virtue points to unseal. After testing the net and caring for Yuan Yuan, Wang Chen headed to Yunyang City to claim rewards for the Gray-Eyed Bandits and advance to the Inner Sect.

• Yuan Yuan devoured several pounds of beast meat before falling asleep in the handcrafted Pet House Wang Chen built.
• Wang Chen searched Lu Defang’s storage bag and found spirit stones, talismans, pills, and a small worn net.
• Wang Chen used his Cultivation Panel to identify the net as Heavenly Net to Punish Evil and learned it needed 524 Human Virtue points to unseal.
• Wang Chen tested the net with the Object Manipulation Technique and found he could wield it, though its tiny spread only suited catching small creatures.
• At dawn, Wang Chen left food and water for Yuan Yuan, then went to Yunyang City to exchange the Gray-Eyed Bandit heads for rewards and advance to the Inner Sect.

Wang Chen exchanged ten Gray-Eyed Bandit heads for eligibility to enter the Yunyang Sect’s Inner Sect and learned that only a formal registration at Sunset Peak would make him a full Inner Sect Disciple. He also traded extra heads through a broker for six hundred Merit Points, then left aware that his status had changed.

• Wang Chen presented ten Gray-Eyed Bandit heads at the Merit Affairs Hall, where Hall Master Lu appraised them and approved his Inner Sect eligibility.
• Hall Master Lu replaced Wang Chen’s black iron Identity Token with a white jade token and told him to register at Sunset Peak within half a month.
• Wang Chen held back his remaining three heads after learning that only eighty-nine of the one hundred Inner Sect tokens had been claimed.
• A white-robed cultivator offered to buy Wang Chen’s extra heads, then arranged for him to claim designated missions and earn six hundred Merit Points before handing them over.
• The white-robed cultivator gave Wang Chen a Message Crane, and Wang Chen recognized that others now treated him as an Inner Sect Disciple.

Wang Chen completed the transfer of his inherited residence and visited the home where his childhood memories resurfaced, then decided to prepare for a fight with the black wandering Evil Spirit in the Chaos Burial Mound. He left the house unsold for now and ordered five thousand jin of Mortal Transformation-stage Pure Yang Boy Water for that night.

• Wang Chen used his Inner Sect Disciple Jade Tablet to make the Household Affairs Hall steward complete the transfer of the residence Wang Shaoyuan had left him.
• Wang Chen entered the house and let the original owner's memories and remnant soul surface before inspecting the residence and its protective formation.
• Wang Chen considered selling the valuable residence but postponed the decision, then left after locking it up.
• Wang Chen ordered five thousand jin of Mortal Transformation-stage Pure Yang Boy Water from a general store and paid a deposit.
• Wang Chen planned to use the Pure Yang Boy Water against the black wandering Evil Spirit in the Chaos Burial Mound that night.

Wang Chen returned to Chaos Burial Mound for his third battle and discovered that the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil could destroy Evil Spirits and unseal itself by doing so. After clearing the outskirts, he encountered three Lantern Puppets and attacked them.

• Steward Chen refused to help the blue-robed cultivator reclaim his dead uncle’s property and told him to report the suspected murder to the Discipline Hall.
• Wang Chen returned home, fed Yuan Yuan, and prepared the Pure Yang Boy Water he had bought to use against the boss at Chaos Burial Mound.
• Wang Chen killed two Night Roaming Souls with Exorcism Talismans, then discovered that the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil could annihilate another soul and gain unsealing points.
• Wang Chen used the net to destroy more than a dozen Night Roaming Souls, raising its unsealing progress by over a hundred points.
• Three Lantern Puppets approached Wang Chen, who intercepted two with Exorcism Talismans and cast the net at the one in the middle.

Wang Chen unsealed the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil and returned to Chaos Burial Mound to attack Tree Granny. The battle began with Wang Chen breaking through her vines and striking her ancient tree body.

• Wang Chen destroyed three Lantern Puppets with the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil and the Soul-Swaying Bell, raising the net’s Unsealing Points to 99811.
• When Tree Granny tried to lure him into Chaos Burial Mound, Wang Chen resisted her call, withdrew, and used his Human Virtue to complete the net’s unsealing.
• Wang Chen refined the transformed dark-gold treasure, which could become either a capture net or a bracer, and restored his exhausted Mana with a Peiyuan Pill.
• Wang Chen returned to Chaos Burial Mound at midnight and charged straight toward Tree Granny’s ancient tree.
• Tree Granny sent thousands of vine roots after Wang Chen, who answered with twelve Meteor Fire Talismans and a Gengjin Finger strike against her trunk.

Wang Chen fought Tree Granny and its Evil Spirit swarm, using the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil to destroy enemies and convert their power into pure spiritual energy. As the swarm dwindled, Tree Granny attacked from beneath the ground, and Wang Chen crushed its roots with the Earth Stone Technique.

• Wang Chen pierced Tree Granny with his master-level Gengjin Finger, badly wounding it and forcing it to wrap itself in layers of branches.
• Tree Granny sent Wood Slave Puppets, Night Roaming Souls, and Lantern Puppets to overwhelm Wang Chen while it defended its trunk.
• Wang Chen unleashed the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil, destroying more than a hundred Evil Spirits and absorbing their power as spiritual energy.
• Wang Chen fought with his Autumn Water Longsword and the net, earning Human Virtue and collecting Yin Qi Beads as the Evil Spirit swarm dwindled.
• Wang Chen sensed roots rising beneath him and used the Earth Stone Technique to turn the ground to stone, crushing Tree Granny’s roots.

Wang Chen felled Tree Granny’s ancient tree, pursued the Evil Spirit underground with Pure Yang Boy Water, and destroyed it with his Vajra Fist. After digging up a Wood Essence, he heard a strange Buddhist chant behind him as the chapter ended.

• Wang Chen used the Autumn Water Sword and Fire Crow Technique to chop through Tree Granny’s defenses and bring down the ancient tree.
• Tree Granny fled into an underground hollow, so Wang Chen poured ten barrels of Pure Yang Boy Water into the opening.
• Wang Chen smashed Tree Granny’s emerging roots with ten Grandmaster-level Vajra Fist punches and received Human Virtue +105.
• Wang Chen dug beneath the tree and unearthed a jade-green Wood Essence crystal.
• As Wang Chen returned to the surface, an old Buddhist chant sounded behind him, and he clenched his fists in alarm.

Wang Chen met the powerful monk Wuxiang in Chaos Burial Mound, where Wuxiang retrieved a Lantern Puppet girl’s urn and gave Wang Chen Buddhist treasures. After Wuxiang departed, Wang Chen returned home resolved to lie low as he prepared to enter the Inner Sect.

• Wuxiang introduced himself to Wang Chen and borrowed his shovel to dig up an urn from the graves.
• A Lantern Puppet girl came to Wuxiang, entered the urn, and was placed in his Buddhist cage so he could take her home.
• Wuxiang recognized Wang Chen’s mastery of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma and gave him its middle three layers and a Dragon-Subduing Sarira in exchange for Wang Chen’s Wood Essence.
• A palace-robed woman questioned Wuxiang about his visit, then left after he said he had settled his karmic entanglement.
• Wuxiang walked through Chaos Burial Mound as ghostly souls bowed to him and vanished, while Wang Chen returned home and decided to lie low before entering the Inner Sect.

Wang Chen celebrated refining the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil and prepared to leave his outer-sect Spirit Fields after the harvest. When Lu Tailai accused him of murdering Lu Defang, Wang Chen revealed that he had become an Inner Sect Disciple, forcing the Discipline Hall’s Deputy Hall Master Cao to abandon the arrest and welcome him instead.

• Wang Chen refined the Heavenly Net to Punish Evil through the night and resolved to return his Spirit Fields and house after harvesting the rice.
• Wang Chen found Lu Tailai and several Discipline Hall cultivators waiting to arrest him over Lu Defang’s death and the transfer of Lu Defang’s house.
• Deputy Hall Master Cao explained that Lu Defang’s Soul Tablet had shattered and Lu Tailai accused Wang Chen of murder and theft.
• Wang Chen activated his Jade Tablet and revealed that he was an Inner Sect Disciple, leaving the outer-sect cultivators stunned.
• Deputy Hall Master Cao apologized, invited Wang Chen to dinner, and watched as Wang Chen accepted while the burly cultivator and Lu Tailai turned pale.

Cui Dayong was arrested after his brother-in-law exposed his crimes, and Wang Chen killed Lu Tailai, who had arranged Wang Chen’s conscription into the Night Patrol Team. Seeking the reason his souls had not fused, Wang Chen recalled a promise to seek a blessing from the Mystic Tortoise and planned to visit it the next morning.

• Cui Dayong entered the Discipline Hall, where Xiao Wu accused him of crimes, beat him, and handed him over to the Battle Cultivators.
• Wang Chen received news of Cui Dayong’s arrest and waited outside the mountain gate for Lu Tailai.
• Wang Chen confronted Lu Tailai about arranging his conscription into the Night Patrol Team and killed him when he tried to attack.
• Wang Chen burned Lu Tailai’s corpse, then returned to his city residence to investigate why the original owner’s soul had not fused with his.
• Wang Chen saw the prayer plaques and recalled Wang Shaoyuan’s instruction to seek a blessing from the Mystic Tortoise when he turned eighteen.
• Wang Chen decided to visit the Mystic Tortoise the next morning to investigate the remaining mystery.

Wang Chen retrieved Wang Shaoyuan’s letter from the Mystic Tortoise and learned how his father had used an ancient stele to try to save him. As Wang Chen’s lingering soul attachment faded, he recognized the artifact in his Sea of Consciousness as the Primordial Dao Stele.

• Wang Chen offered Spirit Peaches to the Mystic Tortoise, which gave him Wang Shaoyuan’s Storage Bag and then reclaimed it after he found only a letter inside.
• Wang Chen read Wang Shaoyuan’s letter and learned that his father had found an ancient stele in the Azure Heaven Secret Realm and implanted it in him using the Life-Entrusting Artifact technique.
• Wang Chen learned that Wang Shaoyuan had left to seek treasures to extend his son’s life, and that the letter was meant to reach him only if his father never returned and he survived to eighteen.
• Wang Chen wept as Wang Shaoyuan’s love dissolved the original owner’s final attachment, causing the remnant soul to merge with him and raising his Divine Soul to 15.
• Wang Chen saw the ancient stele in his Sea of Consciousness and realized it was the Primordial Dao Stele.

Wang Chen fully reconciled with the original owner’s memories, awakening his Dao heart and hiding his true origins from even powerful cultivators. After arranging equipment for Yuan Yuan and harvesting his Spirit Rice, he offered his ten mu of Spirit Field to Han Dashi and revealed that he was going to the Inner Sect.

• Wang Chen discovered that the Primordial Dao Stele controlled his secondary equipment, then accepted his life in this world and resolved the danger surrounding his origins.
• Wang Chen woke with Yuan Yuan on his chest and learned that it had opened his Storage Bag and eaten dried meat.
• Wang Chen ordered Yuan Yuan miniature spirit-pet vests with Storage Bags and bought it a Spirit Beast Bag at the tailor shop.
• Wang Chen harvested his Spirit Rice, and Han Dashi warned him that the purchase price had dropped sharply.
• Wang Chen offered his ten mu of Spirit Field to Han Dashi and said he was going to the Inner Sect.