Chapter Summaries

Li Chengjie revealed the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword and used it to kill two of Wei Tong’s allies before their group could stop him. The old man escaped with a Blood Escape Talisman, while the remaining cultivators began fleeing.

• Li Chengjie concealed the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword while appearing to struggle against Wei Tong and the three attackers.
• Li Chengjie unleashed the sword’s Netherworld Soul-Tethering Kill, which pierced Zheng’s forehead, tore out his living soul, and devoured it.
• The Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword turned and killed the short, fat cultivator, while Li Chengjie evaded the poison needles with Flowing Flame Escape.
• The old man abandoned the fight and escaped toward the southern horizon with a Blood Escape Talisman.
• The three remaining early- and mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators lost their fighting spirit and began using escape talismans.

Li Chengjie killed Zhang Yuan despite Wei Tong’s attempt to shield him, while the other two cultivators escaped. Wei Tong recognized Li Chengjie’s Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword and, confident he could win, prepared to fight him for the artifact and his secrets.

• Li Chengjie used his flying sword to break through Wei Tong’s layered mountain barrier, allowing the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword to reach Zhang Yuan.
• The Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword killed Zhang Yuan and devoured his soul as the other two cultivators activated their talismans and fled.
• Li Chengjie let the two cultivators escape and turned his attention to Wei Tong.
• Wei Tong recognized the sword as Meng Tianran’s signature artifact and judged that he had the advantage.
• Wei Tong announced that he would defeat Li Chengjie and seize the sword and his secrets.

Li Chengjie fought Wei Tong, who tried to trap and crush him with the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Chart. Li Chengjie answered with a Vengeful Soul Bone Flood Dragon, leaving Wei Tong shocked by his sword art and artifact as the battle continued.

• Wei Tong mocked Li Chengjie over their past at Panshi Fortress and unleashed Mountain Prison Suppression to seal him inside a cage of mountain phantoms.
• Li Chengjie formed the Crimson Flame True Form with the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword and summoned a Vengeful Soul Bone Flood Dragon.
• The flood dragon corroded and shattered two mountain phantoms, shocking Wei Tong.
• Wei Tong recognized the Sky Burning Startling Swan Sword Art and suspected Li Chengjie had ties to the Hu Family and the Blood Fiend Cult.
• Li Chengjie refused to explain his origins and said Wei Tong would not need to know once he was dead.

Li Chengjie outmaneuvered Wei Tong’s mountain phantoms until Wei Tong sacrificed his Essence Blood to unleash the Immovable Revered Mountain. As the mountain pinned the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword, Li Chengjie ignited its souls and Blood Fiend power in a desperate counterattack.

• Wei Tong turned the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Chart’s phantoms into a frenzied assault, but Li Chengjie used his insight and sword control to evade and disrupt them.
• Alarmed by Li Chengjie’s skill, Wei Tong fed his Essence Blood into the chart and summoned the Immovable Revered Mountain.
• The Immovable Revered Mountain fixed the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword in place and began suppressing it.
• Li Chengjie used Soul Burning Mountain Splitting to ignite the sword’s vengeful souls and Blood Fiend Origin, sending a destructive blast toward Wei Tong’s artifact.

Li Chengjie shattered Wei Tong’s Immovable Revered Mountain and struck him down, but Wei Tong tried to escape with a Blood Escape Talisman. Li Chengjie’s Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword interrupted the escape and devoured Wei Tong’s remnant soul.

• Li Chengjie’s combined attack cracked Immovable Revered Mountain, leaving Wei Tong badly injured by the backlash.
• Li Chengjie used Flowing Flame Escape to close in and pierced Wei Tong through the mouth with Crimson Gold Sword Light.
• As Wei Tong lay dying, he realized Li Chengjie might have killed Meng Tianran and Hu Family Di Clan, then covertly prepared a Blood Escape Talisman.
• Wei Tong activated his hidden jade pendant to create concealing smoke and trigger the talisman’s escape.
• Li Chengjie directed the Blood Bone Soul Shattering Sword into the blood light, piercing Wei Tong’s heart and devouring his remnant soul before the escape could complete.

After killing Wei Tong and his three companions, Li Chengjie recovered the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Chart and hid in Rubbles Canyon to inspect their Storage Bags. He found evidence linking several cultivation families to the Blood Fiend Cult, but had not yet decided what to do with the discoveries.

• Li Chengjie took Wei Tong's Storage Bag and the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Chart, then burned the four corpses and obscured the traces of the battle.
• Li Chengjie reached a secluded hollow in Rubbles Canyon, concealed its entrance with barriers, and began examining the four Storage Bags.
• Li Chengjie found a ghost-marked token in Zhang Yuan's Storage Bag and records tying the Li Family's Black Mountain Branch to the Blood Fiend Cult in Wang's Storage Bag.
• Li Chengjie discovered a Blood Fiend Cult letter, a Nine Nether Gathering Yin Formation diagram, and evidence that the Li Family supplied children for a secret ritual in Zheng's Storage Bag.
• Li Chengjie found Mid-grade Spirit Stones, valuable supplies, and tokens and contracts linking the Hejian Zhao Family, Yunling Sun Family, and Funiu Mountain Bank to the Blood Fiend Cult in Wei Tong's Storage Bag.

Li Chengjie traveled north toward the Black Prison Spirit Stone Mine and intercepted Fan Zhiyong and four fellow cultivators as they fled. Fan Zhiyong mistook him for a Blood Fiend Cult pursuer, but recognized him before using his Blood Escape Talisman and began explaining their situation.

• Li Chengjie recharged the spirit stones from four Storage Bags and gained an unspecified number of Replication Points.
• Five days later, Li Chengjie headed north from Black Sand Bay toward the location marked as the Black Prison Spirit Stone Mine.
• Li Chengjie spotted Fan Zhiyong and four exhausted Foundation Establishment cultivators fleeing south and intercepted them with his sword flight and spiritual pressure.
• Fan Zhiyong mistook Li Chengjie for a powerful Blood Fiend Cult pursuer and prepared to activate his Blood Escape Talisman.
• Li Chengjie spoke to Fan Zhiyong, who recognized him, put away the talisman, and began explaining where the group had come from.

Fan Zhiyong told Li Chengjie that the Blood Fiend Cult had launched a counterattack after a disastrous battle at Ten Thousand Skeletons Mountain, and urged him to retreat south. Li Chengjie learned that Flowing Cloud Sect’s forces may have suffered heavy losses, including fallen Golden Core Ancestors, and the chapter left the main battle’s outcome uncertain.

• Fan Zhiyong reported that Blood Fiend Cult forces had attacked his group at Black Stone Valley, killing Senior Brother Liu and severely wounding Senior Brother Chen before the survivors escaped south.
• Fan Zhiyong and the four cultivators with him recognized Li Chengjie’s Foundation Establishment peak strength and bowed to him respectfully.
• Fan Zhiyong said that Meng Yaofan had trapped Ancestor Hu Haihan and the Flowing Cloud Sect forces at Ten Thousand Skeletons Mountain, where one or two Golden Core Ancestors may have fallen.
• Fan Zhiyong warned that the Blood Fiend Cult and its Affiliated Factions were counterattacking across the north and might be targeting the Flowing Cloud Sect’s homeland.
• Fan Zhiyong urged Li Chengjie to retreat south, arguing that they should preserve their strength, report the battle news, and regroup in safer territory.
• Li Chengjie listened without rebuking Fan Zhiyong and concluded that the Flowing Cloud Sect’s main force had likely been defeated and withdrawn south.

After learning that the Flowing Cloud Sect’s northern campaign had faltered, Li Chengjie decided that returning south was safer than pursuing further gains. Fan Zhiyong proposed taking refuge at his family’s estate in Chu Kingdom’s Royal Capital and tried to persuade Li Chengjie to accompany him.

• Li Chengjie weighed the danger of the Blood Fiend Cult’s counterattack against his already substantial gains and chose to retreat south.
• Fan Zhiyong agreed that the northern situation was beyond the Foundation Establishment disciples’ control and said they should preserve themselves and report accurate information.
• Fan Zhiyong revealed that he came from a long-established family in Chu Kingdom’s Royal Capital, where he had descendants and a rudimentary defensive formation.
• Fan Zhiyong said he would return to the capital to warn the royal family, prepare a refuge, and shelter people connected to the Flowing Cloud Sect.
• Li Chengjie recognized that Fan Zhiyong’s plan chiefly served as a way to hide in his family stronghold, while Fan Zhiyong invited him to provide protection there.

Li Chengjie rejected Fan Zhiyong’s plan to flee to the royal capital and chose to return alone to Black Cloud Market in the Black Cloud Mountain Range. He arrived to find the marketplace’s defenses strengthened and was stopped at its eastern entrance.

• Li Chengjie explained that the royal capital could not protect them if the Flowing Cloud Sect fell, but allowed Fan Zhiyong and the four disciples to choose their own path.
• Li Chengjie said he would return to Black Cloud Market, then flew south-southwest while Fan Zhiyong led the four disciples toward the royal capital.
• Li Chengjie hurried back toward the Black Cloud Mountain Range, seeking a safe place to use his Replication Points and prepare for the crisis.
• Li Chengjie concealed his aura, approached Black Cloud Market on an ordinary Crimson Flame Sword, and was ordered to show his Identity Token and state his purpose.

Li Chengjie returned to Black Cloud Market amid rumors that the northern front had collapsed and reported signs of a Blood Fiend Cult counterattack. He sought information about the sect’s leadership and plans, but the chapter ended as the registrar began to answer about the Supreme Ancestors.

• A Patrol Squad verified Li Chengjie’s identity and allowed him into Black Cloud Market under martial law.
• Li Chengjie heard rumors of a disaster at Ten Thousand Skeletons Mountain and returned to his courtyard to inspect it and consider where Ancestor Hu Haihan might be.
• Li Chengjie decided to report his intelligence at the Council Pavilion and assess whether a Golden Core Ancestor was stationed in the Marketplace.
• At the Council Pavilion, Li Chengjie reported the Blood Fiend Cult’s counterattack, his encounter with Fan Zhiyong, and the possible change in the main battlefield.
• Li Chengjie asked who was overseeing the pavilion and where the Supreme Ancestors were, and the registrar began to answer.

Li Chengjie met with Li Jiahui at Black Cloud Market and revealed a map identifying a major Blood Fiend Cult Spirit Stone Mine. Li Jiahui agreed to report the intelligence to Grand Elder Hu Qingling after he emerged from seclusion, leaving Li Chengjie without an immediate audience.

• Li Chengjie asked to meet Li Jiahui and learned that Hu Qingling was in seclusion at the Marketplace.
• Li Jiahui told Li Chengjie that Hu Qingling was attempting a breakthrough and that the Blood Fiend Cult was counterattacking across the north.
• Li Chengjie offered intelligence about a Blood Fiend Cult mid-grade Spirit Stone Mine in exchange for an audience with Hu Qingling.
• Li Chengjie showed Li Jiahui a map marking the Black Prison Spirit Stone Mine and described its location, resources, and guards.
• Li Jiahui recognized the intelligence's strategic importance and said she would report it to Hu Qingling after he left seclusion.

Li Chengjie sold a batch of Blood Fiend Cult Dharma Artifacts to Treasure Pavilion through Qian Mancang, negotiating a price of sixty-five percent of their estimated value. He then revealed a far more dangerous treasure, the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Artifact, and asked Qian Mancang to help make it disappear.

• Li Chengjie visited Treasure Pavilion in disguise and asked Qian Mancang to appraise and buy his surplus Dharma Artifacts.
• Qian Mancang recognized the items’ Blood Fiend and Yin auras and explained that wartime oversupply and risk had driven down their value.
• Li Chengjie negotiated the offer from fifty percent to sixty-five percent, and Qian Mancang recorded the artifacts for purchase.
• Li Chengjie revealed the Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Artifact, and Qian Mancang warned that the Blood Fiend Cult strictly tracked its missing magic treasures.
• Li Chengjie told Qian Mancang he wanted the treasure made untraceable, leaving its fate in Treasure Pavilion’s hands.

Li Chengjie completed the sale of his Dharma Artifacts and Profound Yellow Mountain Suppressing Artifact Treasure Map to Qian Mancang for 700,000 Spirit Stones. Qian warned him that Black Cloud Market could become a battlefield and urged him to consider escaping to Star Luo Kingdom, leaving Li Chengjie with a Treasure Pavilion jade talisman to consider.

• Qian Mancang offered Li Chengjie 700,000 Spirit Stones for the artifacts and treasure map, explaining the reduced price and the risks of transporting the Blood Fiend Cult-linked item.
• Li Chengjie and Qian Mancang signed a Golden Palace Spirit Contract, and Li Chengjie verified and accepted the full payment.
• Qian Mancang warned Li Chengjie that the Flowing Cloud Sect and Blood Fiend Cult were heading toward another major battle that could engulf Black Cloud Market.
• Qian Mancang urged Li Chengjie to leave for prosperous Star Luo Kingdom using Treasure Pavilion's safe trade routes.
• Qian Mancang gave Li Chengjie a Treasure Pavilion jade talisman and left him to consider the proposal.

Li Chengjie considered leaving Chu Kingdom for Star Luo Kingdom and learned from Qian Mancang that passage aboard the Cross-Domain Cloud Shuttle now cost two hundred thousand Spirit Stones. He left without committing, but began to think that it was time to go.

• Li Chengjie asked Qian Mancang about the arrangements and costs of traveling to Star Luo Kingdom.
• Qian Mancang described the dangers of crossing the Misty Marsh and recommended the Cross-Domain Cloud Shuttle.
• Qian Mancang quoted a price of two hundred thousand Spirit Stones for a scarce passenger ticket and justified the cost by citing increased demand, route risks, and the need for secrecy.
• Li Chengjie accepted Qian Mancang's Purple Ring Talisman and said he would consider the offer before making a decision.
• After leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Li Chengjie wondered if it was time to leave Chu Kingdom.

Li Chengjie prepared to leave Black Cloud Market for Star Luo Kingdom, but Hu Haihan appeared and demonstrated his mastery of Hu Guangjian’s Spiritual Pivot Suppressing Origin Sword. The display restored confidence in the Market’s defenses and made Li Chengjie postpone his escape plans while keeping his long-term goal unchanged.

• Li Chengjie decided that leaving Black Cloud Market was worth the 200,000 Spirit Stone fare and prepared to contact Qian Mancang through the Purple Ring Talisman.
• Hu Haihan appeared outside Black Cloud Market holding Hu Guangjian’s Spiritual Pivot Suppressing Origin Sword, and his immense pressure drew the attention of cultivators across the Market.
• Hu Haihan swung the sword and silently disintegrated a rocky peak, demonstrating his control of its power.
• Cultivators across Black Cloud Market celebrated Hu Haihan’s return and believed his presence had made the Market safe from the Blood Fiend Cult.
• Li Chengjie reconsidered leaving, put away the Purple Ring Talisman, and returned to cultivation while keeping his long-term plan to reach Star Luo Kingdom.

Li Chengjie attended a Foundation Establishment trade fair in Black Cloud Market and watched cultivators exchange rare goods. The gathering ended with a young Law Enforcement Hall cultivator presenting the Thousand Illusions Mask, a disguise treasure that immediately caught Li Chengjie's interest.

• After Ancestor Hu Haihan's sword strike restored calm in Black Cloud Market, Li Chengjie accepted an invitation to a private Foundation Establishment trade fair.
• Li Chengjie arrived at the Gathering of Heroes Tower, where Hu Jincheng explained the trading rules and the fair began.
• Zhao Qinghe traded his Gengjin Cloud Pattern Iron to a gray-robed elder in a private exchange.
• Hu Jincheng exchanged goods with a female cultivator for a three-hundred-year-old Purple Blood Ganoderma.
• A young Law Enforcement Hall cultivator surnamed Chen offered his family's Thousand Illusions Mask, and Li Chengjie recognized it as a treasure he wanted.

At Hu Jincheng’s trade fair, Li Chengjie exchanged the Blood Sea Netherworld River Art for Disciple Chen’s Thousand Illusions Mask. After the trade fair ended, Li Chengjie left with the disguise treasure and Disciple Chen began studying his new cultivation art.

• A Law Enforcement Hall steward, a Lineage head, and a Rogue Cultivator each offered Disciple Chen a different deal for his Thousand Illusions Mask.
• Li Chengjie offered Disciple Chen an outline of the Blood Sea Netherworld River Art and warned him that its cultivation methods were aggressive and required caution.
• Disciple Chen examined the outline, accepted Li Chengjie’s offer, and exchanged the mask for the complete cultivation art after they swore Heart Demon Oaths.
• Disciple Chen returned to his seat to study the Jade Slip while Li Chengjie checked the mask and put it away.
• Hu Jincheng ended the trade fair after several more exchanges, and the cultivators rose to take their leave.

After congratulating Deng Xintian on stabilizing his Foundation Establishment, Li Chengjie found him under arrest for allegedly trying to flee the sect during wartime. Deng begged Li for help and revealed that he had sought a flying boat ticket through the Treasure Pavilion, leaving Li to face the accusation and its implications.

• Li Chengjie congratulated Deng Xintian on establishing his foundation and urged him to honor Deng Wanghao through diligent cultivation.
• The Law Enforcement Hall arrested Deng Xintian, who cried out to Li Chengjie to save him.
• Steward Wang accused Deng Xintian of attempting to leave the sect without permission and said he could be punished by having his cultivation crippled or by execution.
• Deng Xintian insisted he only wanted to survive in the Star Luo Kingdom and said he had sought a flying boat ticket through the Treasure Pavilion's Qian Mancang.
• Steward Wang explained that the Treasure Pavilion was forbidden from helping cultivators leave without sect permission, and Li Chengjie understood why Deng had been arrested.

After Deng Xintian was caught trying to flee Flowing Cloud Sect, Li Chengjie asked Steward Wang to show mercy, but Deng was taken away for a formal trial. The incident convinced Li Chengjie that escaping to Star Luo Kingdom required careful planning, and he resolved to strengthen himself and wait for a chance to disappear quietly.

• Steward Wang explained that inter-region flying boats rarely passed near Black Cloud Market and that Treasure Pavilion would not risk its agreements to help Deng Xintian escape.
• Li Chengjie appealed for leniency, citing Deng Xintian’s inexperience and his grandfather Deng Wanghao’s service to the sect.
• Steward Wang said Deng Xintian would be investigated and jointly tried by the Grand Elder and Steward Elders, then Deng was escorted away.
• Watching Deng Xintian leave, Li Chengjie recognized how strictly Flowing Cloud Sect controlled its disciples and how dangerous an unplanned escape would be.
• Li Chengjie returned to his courtyard and resolved to build strength, gather resources, and use the Thousand Illusions Mask while waiting for a chance to disappear quietly.