Chapter Summaries

Chen Yan welcomed Zhang Yan and Hong Gu as Mount Mei and Mount Lü pledged allegiance and prepared to relocate to Changze Commandery. The next day, Qin Chong reported that Facai’s demon transformation had stirred, and Chen Yan rushed to the cave residence.

• Chen Yan cultivated and sparred with Wang Lingguan while Facai’s powerful black demon qi spread around his cave residence.
• Chen Yan oversaw work on the Bing Fire Thunder God Cannons as the Black Mountain Workshop expanded its smelting operations.
• Zhang Yan and Hong Gu came to Black Mountain and pledged Mount Mei Daoist Sect and Mount Lü Daoist Sect to Chen Yan.
• Zhang Yan and Hong Gu described their sects’ people and cultivators, and Chen Yan welcomed them at a banquet before they began arranging their relocation.
• Qin Chong told Chen Yan that something had happened at Facai’s cave residence, and Chen Yan immediately rushed there.

Facai completed its Demon Transformation amid a terrifying bloodline awakening and survived a lightning tribulation with Chen Yan watching from outside. Facai emerged as a colossal winged beast, and Chen Yan realized it had inherited the Qiongqi bloodline.

• Chen Yan arrived at Facai's cave and reassured Black Tiger and the others that he would keep Facai safe.
• Facai's expanding Demonic Mist produced deafening heartbeats and oppressive force, driving away the weaker demons and leaving Chen Yan to watch its transformation.
• A single-bolt lightning tribulation formed above the cave, and Chen Yan refrained from intervening after Facai's roar showed it had retained its own will.
• The scarlet lightning struck the cave, but Facai survived as its Demonic Mist contracted and new vitality emerged.
• Facai walked out as a massive black-and-red winged beast, and Chen Yan recognized its bloodline as Qiongqi.

Chen Yan discovered that Facai had transformed into a demon with a powerful Qiongqi bloodline, then hurried to Changze Commandery City to meet Yu Huatian, the Heavenly Supervision Department’s Chief Eunuch. Yu Huatian asked Chen Yan to take his seat, leaving Chen Yan shocked.

• Chen Yan realized the Qiongqi emerging from the cave was a phantom and saw Facai reveal its demonic form and return to its Black Cat shape.
• Chen Yan learned that Facai had a powerful but flawed Qiongqi bloodline, though Facai could not remember its origins or speak after transforming.
• Qing Yao reported that someone in Changze Commandery City wished to meet Chen Yan, so he left Black Mountain after assigning its defenses and workshop duties.
• Yu Huatian toured Changze Commandery City with Wu An and remarked on its prosperity and unusual public lavatories before Zhang Tianzheng escorted them to the Prefectural Office.
• After Wu An withdrew, Yu Huatian asked Chen Yan whether he was willing to take the seat of Chief Eunuch, shocking him.

Yu Huatian revealed that he had come from another world and offered Chen Yan the Grand Supervisor's seat, which Chen Yan refused. Before asking Chen Yan to deliver a ring to Peach Blossom Mountain, Yu Huatian warned him that the Divine Firmament Sect's enemy was Yellow Springs.

• Yu Huatian offered Chen Yan the Grand Supervisor's seat and the loyalty of the Heavenly Supervision Department's Flying Fish Guards, but Chen Yan refused because he valued his strength and would not preserve the Zhao family's realm.
• Yu Huatian told Chen Yan that he was also from another world, having crossed from the Azure Nether Realm and taken possession of the Grand Supervisor's body.
• Yu Huatian revealed that his body and soul were failing and asked Chen Yan to deliver his jade thumb ring to the current mountain master of Peach Blossom Mountain if Chen Yan ever reached the Azure Nether Realm.
• Chen Yan accepted the ring and asked what their world was called, and Yu Huatian identified it as the Netherworld Realm, where Yellow Springs had drained much of its world origin.
• Yu Huatian warned Chen Yan not to claim ties to the Divine Firmament Sect and revealed that the sect's enemy was Yellow Springs.

Yu Huatian explained that Yellow Springs had devastated the Netherworld Realm and destroyed the Divine Firmament Sect, whose main sect had fought Yellow Springs in the now-vanished Ziwei Great World. He warned Chen Yan to hide his connection to the sect and revealed that the Netherworld Realm’s revival would bring hidden forces to the surface within three to five years.

• Yu Huatian told Chen Yan that Yellow Springs was a terrifying organization whose weakest members were said to reach the Yang God realm and whose Three Souls might be immortals.
• Yu Huatian explained that Yellow Springs extracted the Netherworld Realm’s world origin and that its two envoys had overwhelmed the realm’s strongest forces.
• Yu Huatian revealed that the Divine Firmament Sect’s main sect had fought Yellow Springs in the Ziwei Great World, which was destroyed, and that Chou Fei had later wiped out the Netherworld Realm branch.
• Yu Huatian warned Chen Yan not to present himself as a Divine Firmament Sect successor, while Chen Yan kept secret that he possessed the sect’s Thunder Jade Scripture and Thunder Department Commander’s Great Seal.
• Yu Huatian said the Netherworld Realm was beginning to revive, that its native forces would emerge within three to five years, and that its current spiritual-energy limits would suppress even powerful outsiders.

Yu Huatian explained how the Blood Moons would open the Netherworld Realm’s inner world and urged Chen Yan to seize Xiang Prefecture before the coming upheaval. Before departing, he entrusted Chen Yan with authority and a request, then left him a manual that Chen Yan discovered was titled Damo’s Manual.

• Yu Huatian told Chen Yan that the second and third Blood Moons would revive the Netherworld Realm’s powers and open its inner world, making control of Xiang Prefecture crucial.
• Chen Yan resolved to take all of Xiang Prefecture before the second Blood Moon and promised to deliver Yu Huatian’s token to the Mountain Lord of Peach Blossom Mountain if he reached the Azure Nether Realm.
• Yu Huatian gave Chen Yan the Golden Dragon Authority Token and warned him that Zhao Longji had agreed to make the Rebirth Cult the state religion; he also said arrangements had been made for Wei Shanhe.
• Yu Huatian declined to stay, told Chen Yan that his soul’s flaw could not be cured and that he had only three to five years left, then departed with Wu An.
• Chen Yan told Zhang Tianzheng to keep Yu Huatian’s visit secret, then inspected the jade thumb ring and found a worn booklet titled Damo’s Manual.

Chen Yan studied Damo's Manual and learned that the realm beyond Innate was Embracing Dan, which required perfecting the body, blood qi, and divine soul. After gathering one hundred thousand merit, he used the Heavenly Official's Blessing for three days of enlightenment and brought Nine Breaths Qi Nourishment to major accomplishment.

• Chen Yan read Damo's Manual and learned about Embracing Dan and the three conditions needed to reach it.
• Chen Yan and Facai spent three months hunting ghosts and monsters across Changze Commandery and beyond, while Chen Yan continued improving his blood qi.
• Lu Da reported that the first Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon was nearly complete, while Wei Shanhe was transferred to Hulao Pass with his Flying Dragon Army.
• Chen Yan gathered one hundred thousand merit points and activated the Heavenly Official's Blessing, choosing Three Days of Enlightenment.
• Chen Yan used the enlightenment to study Nine Breaths Qi Nourishment and raised it to major accomplishment.

After reaching complete mastery of Nine Breaths Qi Nourishment, Chen Yan discovered that his cultivation and soul could advance at an extraordinary pace, potentially allowing him to form Daoist and martial cores together within a year. An urgent report brought him the newly forged Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon, and he ordered everyone to prepare for battle.

• Chen Yan reached complete mastery of Nine Breaths Qi Nourishment, creating a vast spiritual energy vortex above the Prefectural Office that cultivators across the city and beyond could sense.
• Chen Yan realized his Daoist cultivation could reach completion in about a year, which would also complete his soul and remove the obstacle to his martial breakthrough into Embracing Dan.
• Chen Yan anticipated forming cores through Daoist and martial cultivation simultaneously and wondered whether the Great Dao would grant him doubled feedback.
• Zhang Tianzheng and Qing Wen brought Chen Yan a report from Black Mountain and the newly forged Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon.
• Chen Yan examined the cannon, stored it away, and ordered Zhang Tianzheng to gather everyone and prepare for battle.

Chen Yan ordered Changze Commandery to prepare for war and launched a secret advance toward Qianzhong Commandery. Meanwhile, the Ghost Prefect and Mount Lao Daoist Sect agreed to attack Changze Commandery in seven days, unaware that Chen Yan's troops were already approaching.

• Chen Yan decided to strike Qianzhong Commandery before Mount Lao Daoist Sect could ally with it and ordered Changze Commandery to mobilize ten thousand troops and its Spirit Transformation-level combatants.
• The Ghost Prefect met Chu Yuan and Old Man Crow at Tongshui Mountain to discuss a joint attack on Changze Commandery.
• Old Man Crow negotiated a plan in which Qianzhong Commandery would send twenty thousand troops, Mount Lao Daoist Sect would send thirty thousand, and the factions would divide Changze Commandery at Black Mountain.
• The Ghost Prefect accepted the arrangement and agreed to attack Changze Commandery in seven days.
• Chen Yan's troops were already traveling secretly toward Qianzhong Commandery as the meeting concluded.

Chen Yan’s forces launched a surprise assault on Qianzhong Commandery City before Mount Lao Daoist Sect could respond. The Ghost Prefect raised the Myriad Ghosts Array of Yin Souls to defend the city, and Wang Lingguan prepared to break it with the Thunder Department Commander’s Great Seal.

• Chen Yan rested his army outside Qianzhong Commandery City, then ordered Enbatu and Zhang Tianzheng to attack the eastern gate while Xu Ji and Lang Xing attacked the western gate.
• The Ghost Prefect learned that Changze Commandery’s troops were attacking and sent a Yin soldier to request reinforcements from Mount Lao Daoist Sect.
• The Ghost Prefect saw Wang Lingguan’s mid-stage Spirit Transformation aura and activated the Myriad Ghosts Array of Yin Souls to protect the city and attack the besiegers.
• Chen Yan assigned Wang Lingguan to break the ghost formation and lent him the Thunder Department Commander’s Great Seal.

Wang Lingguan used the Thunder Department Commander's Great Seal to destroy the Myriad Ghosts Array of Yin Souls and kill the giant ghost it created. The Ghost Prefect fled, but Chen Yan caught up and killed him with one saber strike.

• Wang Lingguan summoned a vast sea of thunder over Qianzhong Commandery City and confronted the Ghost Prefect.
• The Ghost Prefect sacrificed the city's ghosts and Ghost Cultivators to strengthen the array and create a giant malicious ghost.
• Wang Lingguan struck the giant ghost with the Five Elements Divine Thunder until it was destroyed, shattering the array.
• The Ghost Prefect fled as the formation fell, while Chen Yan pursued him with Abyssal Shrinking Ground.
• Chen Yan killed the Ghost Prefect with a single strike of the Dragon Sparrow Saber.

After Chen Yan secured Qianzhong Commandery, he organized its purge and defenses while preparing for Mount Lao’s retaliation. Mount Lao’s leaders agreed to attack Changze Commandery in seven days, but Wu Changsong persuaded them to seek support from the Netherworld Realm when the second Blood Moon appeared.

• Chen Yan ordered the Flying Fish Guard and Daoist disciples to clear Qianzhong Commandery and reclaim surrounding towns, leaving Wang Lingguan to defend the city and the Wood Spirit Physique to hold Black Mountain.
• Chen Yan gained about fifty-five thousand merit points from the Ghost Prefect and other slain spirits.
• At Mount Lao, Chu Yuan urged the Seven Paths to launch a full assault on Changze Commandery in seven days, and the other spokesmen agreed.
• Wu Changsong argued that Mount Lao needed external support and proposed approaching powerful factions from the Netherworld Realm when the second Blood Moon appeared.
• Granny Ming and the other spokesmen accepted Wu Changsong’s proposal, while Chu Yuan fell silent.

Chen Yan guarded his expanding territories while Mount Lao and the cultivation world waited for the second Blood Moon, and he advanced rapidly in cultivation as Qianzhong Commandery was reclaimed. Emperor Wuxuan Zhao Longji then made the Rebirth Cult the Martial Dynasty’s state religion, prompting Spirit Prefecture and Xizhou to declare independence and stirring unrest across the Nine Provinces.

• Mount Lao’s Seven Paths agreed to wait for the second Blood Moon and seek support from the inner worlds before confronting Chen Yan, while their cultivators prepared for the coming conflict.
• Chen Yan returned to Changze Commandery City to guard against a surprise attack, directed recovery efforts in Qianzhong, and arranged for refugees to settle there.
• After a month of relative calm, Chen Yan reached the middle stage of Refining Essence into Qi, completed his qi and blood, and learned that the second Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon was nearing completion.
• Emperor Wuxuan Zhao Longji proclaimed the Rebirth Cult the Martial Dynasty’s state religion, causing widespread outrage.
• The Spiritual Mountain Dao Sect declared Spirit Prefecture independent and banned Rebirth Cult followers, and White Horse Temple soon declared Xizhou independent as other provincial forces began to stir.

As the Martial Dynasty fractured and the second Blood Moon approached, Chen Yan expanded his territory’s defenses and built Black Mountain Market into a major hub for cultivators. With the third Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon completed, Chen Yan prepared for the decisive battle against the Mount Lao Daoist Sect.

• The Spiritual Mountain Dao Sect, White Horse Temple, Luanchan Temple, and Jade Profound Sword Mountain declared four provinces independent, while Wei Shanhe crushed the Blood Saber Sect’s attempt to claim Youzhou.
• Chen Yan developed Changze and Central Qian Commanderies, established Black Mountain Market, and recruited Rogue Cultivators to clear demons in exchange for rewards.
• Chen Yan doubled the Dragon Sparrow Army to two thousand soldiers, expanded the commandery forces to ten thousand, and began producing Blood Thunder Curse Arquebuses at Changze Workshop.
• Chen Yan advanced to the late Refining Essence into Qi stage while his Spirit Striking neared the third grade.
• As the second Blood Moon drew near, the third Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon was completed, and Chen Yan prepared for the decisive battle.

After the third Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon was completed, Chen Yan gathered his forces and announced an expedition to destroy the Mount Lao Daoist Sect. As he prepared to march in three days, the second Blood Moon suddenly rose.

• Xu Ji informed Chen Yan that Black Mountain had forged the third Bing Fire Thunder God Cannon, so Chen Yan summoned his subordinates to Changze Commandery City.
• Chen Yan reviewed the strength of his growing army and revealed that Facai had reached Spirit Transformation-level combat power.
• Chen Yan announced that he would lead an expedition against Xiangxi Commandery and destroy the Mount Lao Daoist Sect in three days.
• Qin Chong brought two Bing Fire Thunder God Cannons, which Chen Yan assigned to Enbatu's Vanguard Camp and Xu Ji's Dragon Sparrow Army.
• Chen Yan ordered Enbatu, Zhang Yan, Hong Gu, Lang Xing, Zhang Tianzheng, Yuantong, and Xu Ji to lead their forces in the expedition.
• A deafening explosion shook the ground as the sky darkened and the second Blood Moon rose.

After the second Blood Moon revived the Netherworld Realm’s spiritual energy, Chen Yan sent a twenty-five-thousand-strong army toward Mount Lao, while the Seven Paths of Mount Lao sought support from the Ghost Cry Sect in the Endless Sea. The army marched for Xiangxi Commandery as messengers left Mount Lao to contact the Ghost Cry Sect.

• The second Blood Moon descended, causing an earthquake in Changze Commandery City, and Chen Yan’s prepared relief efforts began.
• Chen Yan ordered the attack on Mount Lao to proceed, reasoning that the Blood Moon’s increased spiritual energy could help Mount Lao’s leaders break through to Refining Qi into Spirit.
• More than twenty thousand troops assembled in Qianzhong Commandery City, and Chen Yan led twenty-five thousand soldiers toward Xiangxi Commandery.
• The Seven Paths of Mount Lao discussed the Blood Moon and agreed that they needed the protection of a Demonic Sect or Ghost Dao force to preserve their influence.
• Wu Changsong revealed that the hidden forces had retreated to the Endless Sea and recommended contacting the Ghost Cry Sect.
• The Mount Lao leaders approved Wu Changsong’s plan, and messengers departed for the Endless Sea.

A secret realm opened above the Endless Sea, allowing figures from the Netherworld Realm to return after a thousand years. After learning about the Martial Dynasty from an overseas Rogue Cultivator, the returning sect leaders planned their next moves and named Min Prefecture as the Chongming Sect’s target.

• A vast Wind and Cloud Vortex opened a gateway above the Endless Sea, and overseas Rogue Cultivators raced toward the secret realm entrance.
• The black-robed Rogue Cultivator reached the gateway first, but several powerful figures emerged and restrained him and the other cultivators.
• The gaunt young man searched the black-robed Rogue Cultivator’s soul and shared his memories of the Martial Dynasty with the returning figures.
• Ye Ming and the others discussed the Dao Alliance, Vajra Temple, and Rebirth Cult, deciding to avoid their strongholds for now.
• Ye Ming declared that the Chongming Sect would target Min Prefecture, where Luanchan Temple was based.

Wu Yuanying learned that the Mount Lao Daoist Sect had sought Ghost Cry Sect aid after a Gu Dao disciple revealed the turmoil in Xiang Prefecture. He flew to Mount Lao to investigate, while Chen Yan’s group arrived there intending to destroy the sect.

• Yin Mo caught a Mount Lao Daoist Sect disciple spying, and Wu Yuanying questioned him about why he had come seeking Ghost Cry Sect aid.
• Xue Pan’er bewitched the disciple and learned about the Mount Lao Daoist Sect, the Heavenly Supervision Department, and Chen Yan; she cleared Wu Yuanying of suspicions about a hidden alliance.
• Wu Yuanying had the ghost general devour the disciple, then ordered Junior Brother Zhao to wait for reinforcements and took Junior Brother Qi toward Mount Lao.
• Ye Ming, Yin Mo, and Xue Pan’er sent their followers to wait for reinforcements before heading toward their own target territories.
• Chen Yan and his companions traveled covertly through Xiang Prefecture and arrived at Mount Lao on the tenth day after the second Blood Moon erupted.

Chen Yan led a massive army in an assault on Mount Lao, while the Seven Paths of Mount Lao scrambled to defend their main peak. After the Wood Spirit Physique and Wang Lingguan weakened the Protector Array, Chen Yan shattered it with a single slash, leaving the leaders reeling as he and his allies charged in.

• Chen Yan ordered twenty thousand troops to advance on Mount Lao, with the Forest Giants and Black Mountain Demon Soldiers leading the attack.
• The Black Mountain army overwhelmed the defenders at the mountain gate, killing thousands before the Seven Paths of Mount Lao activated their Profound Yin Releasing Mountain Array.
• Wu Changsong, Granny Ming, Chu Yuan, and the other leaders used seven array disks to seal the main peak behind a black barrier.
• The Wood Spirit Physique and Wang Lingguan struck the barrier with a wooden dragon and crimson thunderfire, weakening it but failing to break through.
• Chen Yan invoked Emperor Guan's power and slashed the weakened barrier apart with the Dragon Sparrow Saber, causing the array's leaders to suffer backlash.
• Chen Yan, the Wood Spirit Physique, and Wang Lingguan charged toward the injured leaders of the Seven Paths of Mount Lao.

The Seven Paths of Mount Lao summoned their ancient guardians after Black Mountain shattered their mountain-guarding formation. As the Spirit Transformation fighters clashed, Chen Yan revealed that Facai was a fourth Spirit Transformation powerhouse, leaving the Seven Paths facing an even more desperate battle.

• The branch sects of Mount Lao chose not to aid the Seven Paths as Black Mountain's army pressed its attack.
• Wu Changsong summoned the Four-Winged Cold Cicada, while Granny Ming awakened the White Bone Spirit Snake, and Yan Xi released a Bronze Armored Corpse.
• The Wood Spirit Physique engaged the Four-Winged Cold Cicada, and Wang Lingguan met the White Bone Spirit Snake in battle.
• Chen Yan faced the Bronze Armored Corpse as Chu Yuan, Yan Xi, and the other Seven Paths leaders moved to attack him.
• Facai transformed into its true Qiongqi form, revealing a fourth Spirit Transformation powerhouse, then charged at Wu Changsong and the other leaders.