Chapter Summaries

Lin Sheng searched for information about the Clear Mind realm and learned from Xie Qingyun that it helped martial artists control the beast nature of their bloodlines. Meanwhile, Northern Yan rewarded Zhang Songbai for discovering a Divine Seed, and King Yan prepared to confront Southern Qi over a mineral deposit.

• Yuan Zhongfei urged the Seven Forms Sect to join the White Dragon Gang and Fang Family in opposing the Prefecture City, but Xie Qingyun warned that confrontation could give Zhang Songbai an excuse to target them.
• Ouyang Bing ordered the Seven Forms Sect to halve cultivation resources while keeping Great Cui Peak disciples’ rewards unchanged, then dismissed the courtyard heads.
• Lin Sheng confirmed his spirit beast purchases with Yang Niu and searched Wanhua City bookstores for information about the Clear Mind realm, but found no useful explanation.
• Emperor Jing approved King Yan Zhao Hongzhang’s proposal to reward Zhang Songbai with entry to the Dragon Blood Pool for finding the Divine Seed.
• Zhao Hongzhang learned that Southern Qi had sent troops to the border and declared that he would meet its general, Tang Chong.
• Lin Sheng asked Xie Qingyun about Clear Mind, and she explained that it helped Bone Transformation experts suppress dangerous bloodline beast nature before it overwhelmed their human nature.

Xie Qingyun explained the Clear Mind realm to Lin Sheng and lent him a token to consult the Seven Forms Sect’s records. After learning that his Spirit attribute met the realm’s basic requirement, Lin Sheng chose wood carving as a way to gather his spirit and will, and began practicing it.

• Xie Qingyun told Lin Sheng that Clear Mind helped suppress beast nature, resisted attacks on the mind, and was necessary for reaching the Divine Form realm, then lent him her archive token.
• Lin Sheng borrowed and read three volumes about Clear Mind, concluding that his Spirit attribute was strong enough but that he still needed a method to condense his spirit and will.
• Lin Sheng returned to Wanhua City and bought every wood carving from a skilled middle-aged street vendor, paying one hundred taels and taking the vendor’s carving knife.
• Lin Sheng decided to use wood carving to focus his spirit, brought the carvings home, and began copying a Two-headed Wolf Beast.

Lin Sheng acquired and assimilated an injured Black Armored Profound Ox, gaining powerful constitution and strength boosts, but remained short of the requirements to assimilate the Blazing-Eyed Flame Dragon. He sought suitable Spirit Beasts through Dark Star, then rejected Wanyan Bei’s invitation after recognizing the messenger as Earth-Drilling Rat Pei Er.

• Yang Niu sold Lin Sheng an injured Black Armored Profound Ox for thirty-five thousand taels of silver.
• Lin Sheng assimilated the Black Armored Profound Ox and tested its armor and Great Strength talent, which doubled his strength.
• Lin Sheng assimilated the Three-eyed Spirit Monkey and Blood Demon Centipede, but still lacked two constitution points to meet the Blazing-Eyed Flame Dragon’s requirements.
• Lin Sheng posted a Dark Star commission seeking defensive and recovery-focused Spirit Beasts, then noticed someone watching his residence.
• Earth-Drilling Rat Pei Er came to invite Lin Sheng to meet Wanyan Bei, but Lin Sheng recognized him and ordered him to leave.

Lin Sheng rejected Wanyan Bei’s invitation to join Reverse Ten Floors but agreed to consider trading two Bone Forging Treasure Pills for a defensive spirit beast. As the Seven Forms Sect and Wanhua City faced growing pressure from the Imperial Court, Lin Sheng resolved to strengthen himself and protect those he cared about.

• Lin Sheng finished carving a Green-eyed Fierce Eagle, and Wanyan Bei appeared to invite him to join Reverse Ten Floors.
• Wanyan Bei told Lin Sheng that he had killed the Phantom Demon Beast’s demonic seed and offered him a supreme true art and access to the organization’s resources.
• Lin Sheng refused to join, but Wanyan Bei offered to find him a defensive spirit beast within seven days in exchange for his two Bone Forging Treasure Pills; Lin Sheng accepted the possibility of the trade.
• After Lin Sheng refused, Pei Er suggested killing him, but Wanyan Bei decided to cultivate him as a potential shadow and ordered Elder Tong to find a defensive spirit beast.
• During the next seven days, Lin Sheng cultivated his Qingniao Chasing Star Finger and considered how the Imperial Court’s occupation of Great Cui Peak and controls over Wanhua City could bring the major powers into conflict.

Lin Sheng received and assimilated an Earthwalker Armored Beast, then learned that a new Divine Constable was tightening control over Wanhua City and that war between Northern Yan and Southern Qi might be near. The chapter ended in Nanli Prefecture, where a powerful middle-aged man rose to meet someone who had arrived.

• Pei Er delivered an Earthwalker Armored Beast to Lin Sheng on Wanyan Bei's orders and gave him a jade token from Reverse Ten Floors.
• Lin Sheng assimilated the weakened beast, fed it spirit beast jerky, and decided to sell it to Myriad Beasts Hall while limiting his contact with Reverse Ten Floors.
• Zhao Kongfang told Lin Sheng that the Prefectural Office's water transport restrictions had hurt the Fang Family and devastated the White Dragon Gang.
• Zhao Kongfang explained that Zhang Songbai had left for the capital and a new Divine Constable had arrived to oversee Wanhua City.
• Zhao Kongfang reported that King Zhao Hongzhang of Yan and Southern Qi's General Tang Chong had taken positions near the border, raising the prospect of war.
• In the Yuanqi Mountain Range, a middle-aged man with a black iron staff abruptly rose from his hall and vanished after asking whether they had arrived.

Lin Sheng took charge of the Seven Forms Sect’s Shui Guang Grass operation in Shui Guang Town and returned to secluded cultivation. In Wanhua City, Shi Yan and Shi Kai planned to plunder local businesses and flee, while Liu Tianci heard that negotiations had failed and war was coming.

• Lin Sheng arrived in Shui Guang Town, met Huang Feng, inspected the Shui Guang Grass operation, and delegated its daily management to other disciples before entering secluded cultivation.
• Shi Kai urged Shi Yan to recover the White Dragon Gang’s hidden savings from the seized flower boats, but Shi Yan forbade any action against the Imperial Court.
• Shi Yan proposed targeting wealthy merchants, the Seven Forms Sect, and the Fang Family, then leaving Linjiang Prefecture after securing a profit.
• Shi Yan revealed that he had secretly acquired businesses in Haichuan Prefecture and raised expert deathsworn to carry out the plan.
• At the Prefectural Office, Liu Tianci listened as the middle-aged officer read that negotiations had failed and declared that war would follow.

Wan Jianghai ordered Liu Tianci to pressure Wanhua City’s powers and demanded that Wei Bo seize control within two months, while a wave of brutal robberies spread across the region. When five masked attackers invaded Lin Sheng’s outpost in Shui Guang Town, Lin Sheng killed them all before he could question them.

• Wan Jianghai praised Liu Tianci’s progress, ordered him to demand supplies from three local powers, and gave Wei Bo two months to take control of Wanhua City.
• After attackers robbed the Seven Forms Sect’s holdings and wounded disciples at Ancient Spring Mountain, Xie Qingyun told Wei Yun to stay cautious and decided to send Bai Qing and capable disciples to support Lin Sheng.
• Xie Qingyun worried that Lin Sheng’s outpost in Shui Guang Town could be targeted, while Wei Yun offered to leave Spring Breeze River to help him.
• Five black-clad men entered Lin Sheng’s outpost during a storm, intending to seize him and loot its wealth.
• Lin Sheng appeared behind the attackers and killed all five with overwhelming force, accidentally leaving no one alive to interrogate.

Lin Sheng killed a group of black-clad attackers, learned they had targeted Seven Forms Sect properties, and continued cultivating while Myriad Beasts Hall delayed his plans. After breaking through to the sixth layer of Star Chasing Finger and reaching the mid Blood Circulation stage, he received five thousand taels as his share of Shui Guang Grass dividends and resumed condensing Qi force.

• Lin Sheng killed the black-clad men who ambushed him, and Huang Feng and the other disciples cleaned up their remains and marveled at his strength.
• Lin Sheng used high-aged Star Dew Grass with his Heart Ape talent to temper his spirit, then learned from Xie Qingyun that thieves were targeting Seven Forms Sect properties.
• Bai Qing took over management of Shui Guang Town, while Lin Sheng cultivated and learned from Yang Niu that an accident had delayed Myriad Beasts Hall's delivery by at least a month.
• Lin Sheng considered seeking Spirit Beasts in the Congyun Mountain Range, then continued cultivating as war broke out between Northern Yan and Southern Qi.
• After reaching the mid Blood Circulation stage, Lin Sheng received five thousand taels from Huang Feng as his share of the Shui Guang Grass dividends and resumed condensing Qi force.

As wartime requisitions threatened Wanhua City and the Zhao family, Lin Sheng considered the growing pressure on the Seven Forms Sect. At Yunshui Mountain, Wan Jianghai forced Duan Heng to rush the search for a second Divine Seed, and the mining blasts unleashed a vast underground disturbance that awakened something beneath Bai Peak.

• Bai Qing praised Lin Sheng's progress and urged him to reveal his talent so he could secure resources as the war strained the sect.
• Linjiang Prefecture imposed wartime taxes and requisitions, and Zhao Kongfang told Lin Sheng he was considering leaving Wanhua City as his family's fortunes worsened.
• Wan Jianghai learned from Duan Heng that the ore deposit might contain a second Divine Seed and gave him ten days to find it.
• Duan Heng halted mining on the other peaks and concentrated Divine Fire Bombs on Bai Peak, despite the risk of triggering an earth-dragon turning.
• The blasts shattered Bai Peak and disrupted the underground ore-pattern energy, and enormous green eyes opened deep beneath the mountain.

Wanyan Bei brought Lin Sheng a dead Crimson Iron Rock Rhino as a gift, and Lin Sheng integrated it alongside two other Spirit Beasts to raise his Constitution to fifteen. Meanwhile, Wei Bo demanded two million taels from Ouyang Bing, Shi Yan, and Fang Tiankui, giving them three days to pay.

• Lin Sheng refused Wanyan Bei's invitation to join Reverse Ten Floors, but agreed to owe him a favor for the Crimson Iron Rock Rhino.
• Lin Sheng examined the Rhino's attributes, integrated it, and then integrated the Earthwalker Armored Beast and Black Armored Profound Ox.
• Lin Sheng's Constitution reached fifteen, and he broke through a bodily bottleneck.
• At the yamen, Wei Bo demanded two million taels from Ouyang Bing, Shi Yan, and Fang Tiankui, refusing to reduce the amount.
• Wei Bo gave the three leaders three days to prepare the payment for Myriad God Constable.

Wei Bo used the wartime levy and rising robberies to pressure Wanhua City's factions, while Lin Sheng tested his Earth Vein Resonance and witnessed the Seven Forms Sect's finances and Qingniao Institute collapse under the authorities' recruitment drive. The chapter left Xie Qingyun with only a handful of disciples, including Lin Sheng, after most of the institute's members departed for the Prefectural Office.

• Wei Bo learned that the city robberies had grown severe and decided to use them to set a trap after forcing Fang Tiankui, Ouyang Bing, and Shi Yan to accept his demands.
• Lin Sheng tested Earth Vein Resonance, discovering that it could shake the ground and transfer about thirty percent of incoming damage into the earth.
• Xie Qingyun told the Qingniao Institute disciples that the wartime levy had forced the Seven Forms Sect to reduce their treatment, and Lin Sheng learned that the sect had sold properties at steep losses.
• The Prefectural Office announced generous terms for recruiting Blood Circulation Practitioners and Muscle Forging martial artists, prompting many Wanhua City disciples to leave their factions.
• Lin Sheng returned to find most Qingniao Institute disciples gone, including Xiao Yan, and Xie Qingyun welcomed the remaining disciples as equals and offered to guide their cultivation.

Shi Yan and Shi Kai fled Wanhua City but were ambushed by Wei Bo and three allied experts, leading to the White Dragon Gang’s destruction. Wei Bo then demanded that the Fang Family and Seven Forms Sect pay increased taxes, leaving their leaders confronting his threat of imperial authority.

• Shi Yan rejected Shi Kai’s proposal to rob the Zhao family and used a hidden tunnel to escape Wanhua City with him.
• Wei Bo and three Bone Transformation Seventh Layer experts intercepted the brothers outside the city, killed Shi Kai, and captured Shi Yan with the Soul Seizing Technique.
• Wei Bo negotiated with Shi Hui, Situ Yang, and Tian Sanye for their help against the Seven Forms Sect and Fang Family in exchange for copies of their supreme true arts.
• Constables announced that Shi Yan and Shi Kai had been executed, and authorities arrested the White Dragon Gang members and seized its properties.
• Fang Tiankui and Ouyang Bing paid three million taels each, but Wei Bo demanded another 1.5 million taels from each after the White Dragon Gang’s destruction.
• Fang Tiankui challenged Wei Bo’s demand, and Wei Bo invoked the imperial decree while resting his hand on his saber.

The Prefectural Office forced Ouyang Bing and Fang Tiankui to promise to pay their remaining taxes, while Lin Sheng worried that the Seven Forms Sect might eventually face the same pressure and resumed secluded cultivation. Two days later, Tianxiang Sword Sect Second Elder Shi Hui arrived with Ouyang Lengshui, demanding compensation from the Seven Forms Sect and proposing to inspect its treasury.

• Ouyang Bing backed down before Wei Bo and promised to make up the remaining tax silver within seven days, and Fang Tiankui made the same promise.
• Xie Qingyun reassured Wei Yun and the other disciples that the Seven Forms Sect’s history and the Myriad Sect Alliance offered protection, but Lin Sheng remained uneasy and focused on cultivating his spirit.
• The Seven Forms Sect’s leaders gathered to welcome Shi Hui and Ouyang Lengshui, whose unexpected visit left Lin Sheng wondering about their purpose.
• Shi Hui accused the Seven Forms Sect of taking a beast mine in Ping County from the Songya Sword Sect, and Yu Zhao insisted that the mine had been acquired legitimately.
• Ouyang Bing defended the Seven Forms Sect when Shi Hui threatened Yu Zhao, then asked what price Shi Hui wanted.
• Shi Hui demanded compensation of roughly one million taels and proposed that he and Ouyang Lengshui enter the Seven Forms Sect’s treasury instead of taking money.

The Tianxiang Sword Sect demanded access to the Seven Forms Sect treasury, and Ouyang Lengshui challenged its disciples to force the issue. After killing Wang Changhai and grievously injuring Lu Gang, Ouyang Lengshui faced the enraged Ouyang Bing as Shi Hui stepped in to confront him.

• Shi Hui demanded that the Seven Forms Sect open its treasury, and Ouyang Lengshui proposed that the demand be dropped if someone could withstand one sword strike.
• Ouyang Bing accepted the challenge, but Ouyang Lengshui defeated Sun Xuan with a shout that struck both his ears and mind.
• Wang Changhai charged Ouyang Lengshui, who killed him with a golden sword attack that pierced his defenses.
• Lu Gang fought Ouyang Lengshui with the famous sword Cold Frost, but Ouyang Lengshui used Formless Sword Qi to devastate Lu Gang's shoulder and neck, leaving him grievously injured.
• Ouyang Bing confronted Shi Hui, and Shi Hui appeared before him and offered to fight.

Lin Sheng learned that Ouyang Bing had died after sacrificing himself to protect Seven Forms Sect, and decided to stay and face the crisis rather than flee. As the sect’s survivors escaped toward Qingquan Mountain, Shi Hui and Tian Sanye recovered from the treasury’s deadly restrictions and ordered their forces to attack.

• Shi Hui summoned Tian Sanye and his high-level Spirit Beast to pressure Ouyang Bing into opening the treasury, and Ouyang Bing ordered the institute heads and disciples to leave before leading the intruders inside.
• Lin Sheng sent his parents toward Changhe County, killed men who blocked their carriage, and then received Xie Qingyun’s message that Ouyang Bing was dead; he chose to remain with Seven Forms Sect.
• The treasury’s hidden restrictions wounded Shi Hui, Tian Sanye, and the Giant Spirit Bear, while Ouyang Bing died; Shi Hui ordered the sect’s people slaughtered, and Tian Sanye signaled for the attack to begin.
• Xie Qingyun led her Qingniao Institute group toward Qingquan Mountain and joined Yu Zhao’s Spirit Snake Courtyard survivors, who reported that enemies were ambushing people at the foot of the mountain.
• Yuan Zhongfei led Golden Origin Courtyard’s surviving disciples through the forest, where dozens of black-clad figures appeared and challenged him.

The Seven Forms Sect’s fleeing courtyards were ambushed by black-clad forces, including former White Dragon Gang and Crimson Whale Hall fighters and Ouyang Lengshui. Yuan Zhongfei and Zhang Caihua were overwhelmed, while Yu Zhao, Xie Qingyun, Wei Yun, and Bai Qing fought to protect their disciples as the attacks continued.

• Wang Yi and Wang Biao surrounded Yuan Zhongfei’s group with black-clad fighters, forcing Yuan Zhongfei to fight them both after Wang Biao wounded one of his disciples.
• Zhang Caihua defeated the Bone Transformation fighter leading an ambush, but Ouyang Lengshui attacked her with his Sound Sword and Cold Frost Sword, killing her and ordering his men to pursue the survivors.
• Xie Qingyun worried about the other courtyards and the Seven Forms Sect’s future as she and Yu Zhao led their disciples through the forest.
• Zhou Quan and Song Changjiang, former Crimson Whale Hall experts, ambushed Yu Zhao and Xie Qingyun alongside dozens of fighters, leaving the two courtyards at a disadvantage.
• Wei Yun used Star Chaser to kill a black-clad attacker, then held off a stronger Bone Transformation fighter while Bai Qing fought two late Blood Circulation opponents.
• Bai Qing was struck after Little Cui’s scream distracted her, and her attackers ordered their men to cripple her.

Lin Sheng arrived in time to save Qingniao Institute and Spirit Snake Courtyard from Song Changjiang and Zhou Quan, revealing overwhelming strength as he slaughtered their attackers. He led the wounded away while keeping his new abilities vague, and Ouyang Lengshui later found the battlefield and took an interest in the headless corpses.

• Lin Sheng found slain Seven Forms Sect disciples, tracked Xie Qingyun and the others by scent, and hurried to their location.
• Song Changjiang wounded Xie Qingyun and his men attacked Bai Qing, but Lin Sheng arrived and began killing the black-clad attackers.
• Lin Sheng transformed into a crimson giant, killed Song Changjiang, and swiftly slew Zhou Quan and the remaining Bone Transformation Practitioners.
• Lin Sheng told the survivors to leave at once, then gave Wei Yun only a brief explanation of his improved realm and changed bloodline talent.
• Ouyang Lengshui arrived at the woodland, examined the corpses, and departed with a cold smile.

Lin Sheng stayed behind to confront Ouyang Lengshui while the injured Seven Forms Sect disciples continued toward Qingquan Mountain. After a fierce battle, Lin Sheng tore off Ouyang Lengshui’s sword arm, but Ouyang Lengshui unleashed a burst of sword radiance and escaped, leaving Lin Sheng wounded and chasing after him.

• Xie Qingyun stopped to have Yu Zhao remove the Bone Force ravaging her body, and the group rested before continuing toward Qingquan Mountain.
• Lin Sheng sensed a pursuer and ordered the others to go ahead while he stayed behind to face the newcomer.
• Ouyang Lengshui arrived by sword and attacked Lin Sheng, who survived his Sound Sword intimidation and nearly killed him with a surprise strike.
• Ouyang Lengshui wounded Lin Sheng with Formless Sword Qi, while Lin Sheng used his spirit-beast abilities and Earth Vein Resonance to seize him from underground.
• Lin Sheng tore off Ouyang Lengshui’s sword arm, but Ouyang Lengshui released sword radiance that pierced Lin Sheng and escaped.

Lin Sheng defeated Ouyang Lengshui and took the Cold Frost Sword, making his name famous across Linjiang Prefecture. As the battered survivors of the Seven Forms Sect gathered at Qingquan Mountain, the Tianxiang Sword Sect ordered Shi Hui to retrieve the sword and kill Lin Sheng if he refused to join them.

• Lin Sheng endured the Bone Force in his wounds, took Ouyang Lengshui's Cold Frost Sword, and escaped underground while Ouyang fled with a severed arm.
• Shi Hui found the unconscious Ouyang Lengshui and rushed him away, and news of Lin Sheng's victory spread across Linjiang Prefecture over the next three days.
• Song Changfeng ordered Shi Hui to recover the Cold Frost Sword and recruit Lin Sheng or kill him if he refused; he also allowed Ouyang Lengshui to wield the Zhuo Guang Sword if he wanted to act himself.
• The surviving members of the Seven Forms Sect gathered at Qingquan Mountain, where Yu Zhao questioned how they could survive and Yuan Zhongfei proposed hiding and rebuilding their strength.

Lin Sheng drove Yu Zhao and nearly twenty disciples from the Seven Forms Sect, then led the remaining group toward the Congyun Mountain Range. Elsewhere, Wan Jianghai pursued the possibility of finding several Divine Seeds at Bai Peak and sent Liu Tianci after Lin Sheng, while a young man named Chong'er left the Yuanyang Beast Sect to seek him out.

• Lin Sheng offered the Seven Forms Sect survivors the choice to follow him or leave, and Yu Zhao and nearly twenty disciples departed after copying down their sect arts.
• Lin Sheng took the remaining disciples, Xie Qingyun, and Yuan Zhongfei toward the Congyun Mountain Range to hide and rebuild.
• Duan Heng told Wan Jianghai that Bai Peak's ore deposit might contain at least five Divine Seeds, and Wan Jianghai ordered him to confirm the discovery.
• Liu Tianci reported that the search had not found Lin Sheng, so Wan Jianghai sent him and Wei Bo to capture or kill Lin Sheng.
• Chong'er left the Yuanyang Beast Sect's rear mountain and said he wanted to test Lin Sheng's abilities.