Chapter Summaries

Kafka and Silver Wolf contacted the Stargazer Train as the Trailblaze Crew prepared to choose their next destination. Kafka spoke with Stelle while Blade stayed behind to intercept the approaching Cloud Cavalry.

• Silver Wolf projected Kafka and herself onto the Stargazer Train while Blade went to confront the arriving Cloud Cavalry.
• The Trailblaze Crew reacted with surprise when Kafka and Silver Wolf appeared.
• Kafka asked Stelle whether she remembered her and whether she had been happy lately.
• Stelle cheerfully answered Kafka, prompting March 7th to accuse Kafka of doing something to her.
• Kafka was briefly unable to tell whether March 7th and Stelle had a good relationship.

Danshu advanced the Medicine King Sect’s plan to use the Stellaron to awaken the Jianmu and help Phantylia seize it, while Cheng Lingshuang refused Yan Qing’s request to become her apprentice. When Yan Qing went to answer a disturbance at the docks, Cheng Lingshuang followed to assess the sword-wielding Blade, who was already fighting Cloud Cavalry.

• Danshu decided to cooperate with the Annihilation’s envoy and prioritized sending the Stellaron into the Scale Abyss Realm, causing chaos on the Luofu, and possibly taking Bailu’s dragon marrow.
• Aon, disguised as Xiaoxuan, investigated Danshu and then left Cheng Lingshuang’s tile game without revealing her purpose.
• Cheng Lingshuang rejected Yan Qing’s request to become her apprentice despite Qingque’s attempts to persuade her.
• Yan Qing went to respond to reports of criminals at Port District Seven, and Cheng Lingshuang considered following because Blade might provide a suitable test of her martial arts.
• Blade fought Cloud Cavalry members at the port, shrugging off their attacks as Yan Qing headed toward the disturbance.

Blade rampaged through the Cloud Cavalry and defeated Yan Qing, but Cheng Lingshuang arrived and overwhelmed him. She left Blade's body intact and struck directly at his mind, with the result left unresolved.

• The wounded Cloud Cavalry remained alive as Blade waited for his injuries to heal, still unable to find relief from the Demonic Yin curse.
• Yan Qing attacked Blade with a storm of sword qi, but Blade endured the blows and defeated him.
• Cheng Lingshuang arrived carrying flowers and slipped past Blade's attack, then struck him down twice as he repeatedly rose again.
• Cheng Lingshuang said a sword that destroyed Blade's body could damage the Xianzhou, so she sent sword qi into his forehead to attack his mind instead.

Jing Yuan questioned Blade about his return to the Xianzhou, and Blade asked about Cheng Lingshuang, whose sword had left him longing for death. Jing Yuan let him go, while Blade resolved to seek another strike from her.

• Blade told Jing Yuan that Yingxing was dead and asked whether Cheng Lingshuang was the new Luofu Sword Master.
• Jing Yuan explained that Cheng Lingshuang was an outlander expert and praised her swordsmanship as possibly surpassing Jingliu’s.
• Blade asked whether Cheng Lingshuang’s sword could sever the soul, and Jing Yuan said she could not be forced to strike him again.
• Jing Yuan left Blade in the detention room, saying he trusted Blade would not bring disaster to the Xianzhou.
• Blade tried to return to the peace of darkness, but Mara-struck thoughts drove him to resolve to make Cheng Lingshuang strike him again.

Jing Yuan asked Ling Shuang to teach the Heart-Slaying Sword, hoping it could help the Xianzhou Alliance fight demonic yin and Mara-beasts. Ling Shuang weighed the request against her desire to avoid entanglement with the Xianzhou, then spotted Sushang and considered her as a potential disciple.

• Jing Yuan recognized the Heart-Slaying Sword's potential against demonic yin and immortal enemies and asked Ling Shuang to teach it to the Xianzhou.
• Ling Shuang explained that the sword was difficult to master and said she had no obligation to teach the Xianzhou.
• Jing Yuan offered the Alliance's utmost sincerity and nearly volunteered Yan Qing as a prospective disciple.
• Qingque overheard Jing Yuan's offer and worried that he was about to sever his master-disciple ties with Yan Qing.
• Ling Shuang considered teaching a few Xianzhou disciples to keep the Alliance on good terms, then saw Sushang learning from Amon and thought of her as a possible disciple.
• Ling Shuang hesitated between taking Sushang and choosing the more polite, talented Yan Qing instead.

The Astral Express crew split up after Violet failed to answer Himeko, with Welt taking Ninti to the Xianzhou while Himeko and Dan Heng investigated Violet’s disappearance. Ninti’s arrival prompted Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan to prepare for talks, as they feared her presence could disrupt the Xianzhou Alliance’s relationship with the Vidyadhara.

• Himeko failed to summon or contact Violet, so the crew split up to investigate her disappearance and respond to the Xianzhou crisis.
• Welt, Ninti, Stelle, and March 7th reached the Luofu and helped Tingyun’s Cloud Cavalry defeat monsters at the port.
• Yukong escorted the group to the Divine Might Palace to meet Jing Yuan, while Tingyun was told to assess the damage.
• Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan discussed Ninti’s possible ancestral-dragon lineage and the threat her arrival posed to the Xianzhou Alliance’s relationship with the Vidyadhara.

Ninti met with Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan at the Divine Might Palace, where the Xianzhou sought to learn her position on the Holders of Purity. She denied belonging to them and offered to cooperate with the Xianzhou, then sent Stelle and March 7th out while negotiations continued.

• Ninti and the Anqi Faction decided that she would not claim a connection to the Holders of Purity, though she would cooperate with the Xianzhou when asked.
• Yukong escorted Ninti and the Trailblaze Crew to the Divine Might Palace, where Jing Yuan hosted them alongside Fu Xuan.
• Welt warned Jing Yuan that the Trailblaze Crew had come only to report a plan to cause chaos on the Luofu with a Stellaron.
• Welt denied that Ninti had any connection to the Holders of Purity and prepared to defend her when Jing Yuan raised the question.
• Ninti calmed Welt and told Jing Yuan that she was not a Holder of Purity, would not interfere in the Xianzhou's internal power struggles, and was willing to cooperate.
• Ninti sent Stelle and March 7th outside to enjoy themselves at the Divine Might Palace's expense while the adults began further negotiations.

Cheng Lingshuang sent Yan Qing away after agreeing to teach him, then met March 7th and Stelle while Qingque tried to introduce them. Elsewhere, Phantylia asked Danshu to help lure the Envoy of Wisdom away from the Xianzhou Luofu.

• Cheng Lingshuang told Yan Qing to bring his tuition gift the next day, and he eagerly agreed before leaving.
• Cheng Lingshuang declined Amon's suggestion to take in Sushang before she had even met her, then left after putting away her woven fabric.
• Cheng Lingshuang encountered Qingque, March 7th, and Stelle, and Qingque hastily introduced them.
• Amon played around while Ninti sought sensitive intelligence, and Cheng Lingshuang enjoyed a luxury tour paid for by the Divine Might Palace.
• Phantylia spoke with Danshu in a quiet pavilion and proposed luring the Envoy of Wisdom out of the Xianzhou Luofu.

After escorting Ninti to her inn, Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan discussed her identity and the favor she had done for the Luofu. Yan Qing then announced that Ling Shuang had agreed to teach him, and Jing Yuan enlisted Fu Xuan to help choose his apprenticeship gifts.

• Jing Yuan escorted Ninti to the entrance of the Divine Might Palace and watched a foxian attendant lead her toward her inn.
• Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan discussed whether Ninti was an ancient beast or a dragon descendant and agreed that the Luofu owed her a great favor.
• Yan Qing excitedly told Jing Yuan that Ling Shuang had asked him to bring a tuition gift when he visited her the next day.
• Fu Xuan started to leave, but Jing Yuan stopped her and asked for advice on the six traditional tuition gifts.
• Jing Yuan persuaded Fu Xuan to return to the Divine Might Palace by warning that poor etiquette could jeopardize Yan Qing's chance to learn Ling Shuang's sword strike.

At Cheng Lingshuang’s apprenticeship ceremony, Jing Yuan saw her demonstrate control over a sword and concluded Luofu would be protected from future trouble. Qingque and Stelle brought gifts, while March 7th regretted arriving empty-handed.

• Cheng Lingshuang used her sword heart and Xianzhou guidance technology to make Jing Yuan’s sheathed sword fly to a pillar.
• Jing Yuan praised Cheng Lingshuang’s skill and decided the arrangement would deter outsiders from causing trouble on Luofu.
• Qingque gave Cheng Lingshuang a box of tea leaves as a celebratory gift.
• March 7th realized she and Stelle had not prepared a gift, but Stelle presented Cheng Lingshuang with 160 Stardust.
• March 7th could not offer herself as an Intertwined Fate, so she resolved to make up for it later and finished her red bean soup.

Dan Heng prepared to help Ninti deal with the Holders of Purity while Himeko offered the Stargazer Train’s support if matters worsened. On the Xianzhou Luofu, Cheng Lingshuang taught Yan Qing a new sword arts system and began considering how to find him a sparring partner.

• Dan Heng hesitated over whether to help Ninti, then agreed to watch the Holders of Purity closely with Mr. Welt.
• Himeko told Dan Heng to ask for help if the Holders of Purity caused serious trouble, then wondered what Violet had encountered.
• Cheng Lingshuang taught Yan Qing the Sword Heart Incantation and Basic Swordsmanship.
• Yan Qing thanked Cheng Lingshuang and left to practice, eager to learn more.
• Cheng Lingshuang concluded Yan Qing needed a worthy sparring partner and considered an idea from Amon.

Cheng Lingshuang recognized that Fu Xuan’s Mystic Eye caused her constant pain and disconnected it so she could sleep without suffering. Qingque later found Fu Xuan sleeping while cuddled against Cheng Lingshuang and stayed to share tea.

• Fu Xuan accepted Cheng Lingshuang’s invitation to her home, where Cheng Lingshuang examined the Mystic Eye embedded in her forehead.
• Cheng Lingshuang explained that the Mystic Eye’s constant pain could hasten Fu Xuan’s fall into the Demonic Yin, but Fu Xuan said she would keep bearing it for the Xianzhou’s sake.
• Cheng Lingshuang temporarily disconnected the Mystic Eye, soothing Fu Xuan and helping her fall asleep.
• Cheng Lingshuang stroked Fu Xuan’s hair and summoned a flying sword to remove her shoes.
• Qingque arrived, found Fu Xuan asleep while hugging Cheng Lingshuang, deleted a photo at Cheng Lingshuang’s warning, then brought tea and sat beside the bed.

Cheng Lingshuang helped Fu Xuan rest by suppressing the pain from her Mystic Eye, and Fu Xuan awoke refreshed. The next day, Fu Xuan ordered Qingque and Hui Xing to inspect the Qiong Guan Array and restore it to full activation within three days, while Hui Xing’s calm expression concealed a chilling glint.

• Cheng Lingshuang told Qingque she would not play cards, and Qingque left after Fu Xuan briefly accused her of skipping work in a dream.
• Fu Xuan woke after a long nap and learned Cheng Lingshuang had blocked her pain by cutting off her spiritual perception in that region.
• Cheng Lingshuang explained that Fu Xuan needed another night of sleep and physical contact to recover fully, so Fu Xuan bathed and slept with her.
• Fu Xuan arrived at the Divination Department refreshed and summoned Qingque to meet her at the Qiong Guan Array observation deck.
• Fu Xuan asked Hui Xing whether the array was functioning normally, then ordered Hui Xing and Qingque to inspect every foundation and make it capable of full activation within three days.
• Hui Xing accepted the assignment without showing dismay, though a dark, chilling light reflected in her monocle.

Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan assessed the Luofu’s political threats, including Ninti’s departure to the Fanghu and the suspected Stellaron route, while avoiding actions that might provoke the Holders of Purity. Meanwhile, Phantylia learned that the Stellaron’s path to the Jianmu had been cleared and prepared to act after Ninti left.

• Qingque told Hui Xing about Cheng Lingshuang, describing her as a calm, beautiful sword expert who had saved her life.
• Fu Xuan visited Jing Yuan, discussed her restorative sleep at Cheng Lingshuang’s home, and reviewed Ninti’s planned trip to the Fanghu.
• Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan considered whether the Stellaron might be sent to the Scale Abyss Realm and agreed to avoid provoking the Holders of Purity without evidence.
• Phantylia attended a secret gathering and learned that Ninti would leave the Luofu the next day and that the Stellaron’s path to the Jianmu had been cleared.
• Phantylia considered sharing classified intelligence with Amon and the Leader to secure their trust while her hoped-for immortal body drew near.

Amon discovered Jingliu in the restricted zone and recognized her as the swordsman Cheng Lingshuang needed. Meanwhile, Fu Xuan continued treatment with Cheng Lingshuang, who warned her about people wearing monocles as Danshu’s experiment approached.

• Amon directed Jingliu away from the restricted zone, then recognized her as a peerless swordsman and a potential partner for Cheng Lingshuang.
• Cheng Lingshuang persuaded Fu Xuan to continue her treatment despite her worries about becoming dependent on the relief and companionship.
• Fu Xuan stayed with Cheng Lingshuang, and the two bathed and slept together before Cheng Lingshuang examined Fu Xuan’s clothes the next morning.
• Cheng Lingshuang warned Fu Xuan to beware of people wearing monocles, explaining that Danshu’s experiment was about to begin and Amon would distract the Luofu’s leaders.
• Fu Xuan connected the warning to monocle-wearers in the Divine Might Palace and Divination Department, including Hui Xing, and turned pale.

Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan discovered that a fiend had infiltrated the Luofu by possessing people who wore monocles, and they moved to contain the threat. They left the Divination Department sealed and focused on purging the Divine Might Palace, while seeking the help of the one person who could solve the mystery.

• Fu Xuan questioned Hui Xing, who revealed that she had been maintaining the Qiong Guan Array and then collapsed asleep inside the illusion array.
• Fu Xuan ordered Qingque to keep Hui Xing restrained and secretly alerted Jing Yuan at the Divine Might Palace.
• Jing Yuan summoned the Divine Monarch, whose golden cages trapped everyone wearing a monocle in the Divine Might Palace, while Fu Xuan used the Mystic Eye to bind monocle wearers in the Divination Department.
• Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan discussed how to identify the fiend’s victims, noting that the monocle had become popular across the Luofu and that Fu Xuan could only inspect people herself.
• Jing Yuan told Fu Xuan that Tingyun had lost contact, and they agreed to purge the Divine Might Palace before launching a broader campaign against the infiltrators.
• Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan thought of the person they believed could help solve the crisis.

Jing Yuan lent his sword to help protect Divine Might Palace from Cheng Lingshuang. Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan’s visitors departed with renewed confidence that the remaining battle was Luofu’s to fight.

• Jing Yuan said he had already helped and ordered the others to go back.
• Jing Yuan said that as long as his sword remained in Divine Might Palace, Cheng Lingshuang would not dare approach.
• Jing Yuan cupped his fists in a bow, and Fu Xuan followed suit as they thanked him for lending the sword.
• The two swept away their gloom, believing Cheng Lingshuang had handled the crucial part and the remaining fight was between Luofu and the monsters and demons.

Stelle and March 7th tricked Bailu into posing as the captured leader of the Medicine King Sect, while Kafka and Silver Wolf discussed their mission and Blade’s pursuit of death. Ninti tried to approach the Stellaron Hunters, but they mistook her for a threat and fled.

• Stelle knocked out the Medicine King Sect leader, then took his phone and staged a message claiming Bailu had been captured.
• March 7th offered Bailu milk tea and skewers, and Bailu agreed to play along as the sect’s small-fry leader.
• Kafka and Silver Wolf discussed how their mission to foster friendship between the Stargazer Train and the Xianzhou Alliance was nearly complete.
• Blade left the others to seek out the swordsman he hoped would kill him again, and Kafka and Silver Wolf let him go.
• Ninti approached Kafka and Silver Wolf to ask about Aha, but they attacked her apparent projection and fled when they thought the Cloud Cavalry were chasing them.

Amon questioned Kafka about the source of Acheron’s abilities, but she could not explain them. Amon left without useful intelligence, satisfied that he had gotten to pet Silver Wolf.

• Amon asked whether the Anqi Faction’s abilities came from time, fate, or glimpsing the Imaginary Tree.
• Kafka said the Anqi Faction had learned such abilities from Su, Apponia, and Otto’s Key to Godhood, but had not mastered them.
• Kafka remarked that she and Silver Wolf could not escape Amon, who claimed it was a coincidence that he kept appearing wherever they went on the Luofu.
• Amon failed to learn the true nature of Acheron’s abilities, but enjoyed petting Silver Wolf.

Cheng Lingshuang and Jingliu fought an intense sword duel, and Jingliu’s wild heart and flawless swordsmanship challenged Cheng Lingshuang’s belief that sword and heart must be united through rationality. Cheng Lingshuang entered the Sword God State and prepared to show Jingliu her true power.

• Cheng Lingshuang parried Jingliu’s relentless ice-sword attacks with the Golden Hairpin, while both women wondered at the other’s swordsmanship.
• Cheng Lingshuang questioned how Jingliu could have a chaotic heart yet a steady sword, and Jingliu called her sword soulless.
• Jingliu unleashed frozen rivers that forced Cheng Lingshuang back, but Cheng Lingshuang remained calm and tried to understand the divide between Jingliu’s heart and sword.
• Cheng Lingshuang absorbed more Imaginary energy, her eyes turning gold as she entered the Sword God State.
• Cheng Lingshuang pointed the Golden Hairpin at Jingliu, who sensed her growing power and eagerly anticipated her next level.