Chapter Summaries

Qin Yang and Illusory Sea Setsuna used illusions and a forged Imperial Jade Seal to deepen divisions among Ye Jianzhong’s subordinates, while Jia Fude’s master steered him toward Duke Xian of State. The Three Departments Joint Trial was scheduled after news of the Great Emperor Princess’s expected return shifted attention onto Duke Xian of State.

• Jia Fude’s master brought him to Li Capital and had him cultivate while facing Duke Xian of State Residence, secretly hoping Jia Fude’s misfortune would affect Duke Xian of State.
• Illusory Sea Setsuna’s illusions helped provoke a fatal conflict between the sons of two Ministry of Justice officials, worsening tensions among Ye Jianzhong’s subordinates.
• Qin Yang forged an Imperial Jade Seal and sealed it inside an elaborate box, then gave the fake to Illusory Sea Setsuna to use against Ye Jianzhong.
• An illusion of Ma Langzhong’s dead son persuaded him that Ye Shangshu was deceiving him, and Ma Langzhong took the treasure box to test Ye Shangshu’s promises.
• Qin Yang learned that the Three Departments Joint Trial had been scheduled after news emerged that the Great Emperor Princess was expected to return, making Duke Xian of State the focus of blame.

Li Taixuan rescued the wounded Jiayi from demons pursuing her and brought her into the Great Ying Divine Dynasty, where he discussed the troubled situation awaiting her. Meanwhile, Ye Jianzhong set a scheme in motion involving the former dynasty’s Imperial Jade Seal, but Ruxin revealed his plans to Qin Yang, who secretly replaced the seal and left her alive.

• Jiayi faced a host of demons at the border until Li Taixuan arrived, invoked the Great Ying Divine Dynasty’s authority, and escorted her across the border.
• Li Taixuan warned the demons not to enter the dynasty, and the Peng Bird stopped Great Horn from pursuing Jiayi, fearing Li Taixuan’s provocation was a trap.
• After Jiayi’s return became known to a few powerful figures, Ma Langzhong delivered a treasure box to Ye Jianzhong, who examined the Imperial Jade Seal inside and arranged to frame Duke Xian of State with it.
• Ruxin received Ye Jianzhong’s instructions, the treasure box, Spirit Stones, and a marriage contract, but dismissed the promised marriage and summoned Qin Yang.
• Ruxin told Qin Yang about her past, Ye Jianzhong’s schemes, and the order to use the Imperial Jade Seal against Duke Xian of State.
• Qin Yang replaced the seal in the treasure box with the genuine Imperial Jade Seal, told Ruxin to follow Ye Jianzhong’s instructions for now, and left, conflicted by his different identities.

Qin Yang arranged for Ruxin to help Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong trap each other over the Imperial Jade Seal, while secretly preparing a way to save her from the death she expected. He left Hiding Fragrance Pavilion for Lowly Tian Xiao’s estate, where he asked Geliu to perform a death ritual for Ji Wudao and Mu Ruxin.

• Qin Yang decided that Ji Wudao would help Ruxin, despite Qin Youde’s desire for revenge, and gave her a fake Imperial Jade Seal and instructions for a scheme against Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong.
• Ruxin presented the real Imperial Jade Seal to Duke Xian of State’s confidant, and Duke Xian of State sent it through her to Ye Jianzhong, believing the plan would ruin his rival.
• Qin Yang gave Ruxin a poisonous-looking flower and secretly sealed her senses, then used Ugly Chicken’s Green Qi to prepare a pill and left a clone behind to conceal what happened in her room.
• Qin Yang and Lowly Tian Xiao went to Tian Xiao’s secluded estate, where Qin Yang summoned Geliu and asked him to perform a death ritual for Ji Wudao and Mu Ruxin.
• Geliu agreed to the ritual after warning Qin Yang that it could truly kill Ruxin, and Qin Yang accepted the risk as his way of repaying her favor.

At Duke Xian of State’s perfunctory Three Departments Joint Trial, Qin Yang refused Han Anming’s demand to reveal the Human Demon’s location and warned that he would not leave Li Capital alive. After Qin Yang secretly escaped the city, Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong discovered that they had both brought wooden boxes connected to Mu Ruxin, leaving them with no way to retreat.

• Duke Xian of State confessed to the charges, but Han Anming questioned Qin Yang about the Human Demon’s whereabouts.
• Qin Yang refused to reveal where the Human Demon was and argued that Duke Xian of State’s death would end the danger; Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong then left for the palace.
• The old Minister of Justice warned Qin Yang that the skies were about to change, and Qin Yang recognized that the old man had concealed his abilities.
• Qin Yang left an avatar behind at the Hiding Fragrance Pavilion and escaped Li Capital with a merchant caravan.
• The Great Emperor’s decree punished Duke Xian of State lightly and rewarded Ye Jianzhong, after which both men congratulated the Emperor and discovered they had each brought a wooden box connected to Mu Ruxin.

Mu Ruxin and Ji Wudao died after exposing how Ye Jianzhong and Duke Xian of State had used a fake Imperial Jade Seal to frame each other, while the Great Emperor punished both ministers and confined the Crown Prince and Zhao Wang. Qin Yang left Li Capital for the Black Forest Sea to check whether the little Human Demon's resentment had faded.

• The Great Emperor discovered two matching Imperial Jade Seals, summoned Wei Xingchao, and ordered an investigation into Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong.
• Wei Xingchao had Ye Jianzhong confess that Mu Ruxin was his spy and had arranged to use the fake seal to frame Duke Xian of State; he then ordered Han Anming to arrest Mu Ruxin and Ji Wudao.
• Han Anming's men found Mu Ruxin dead from Cadaverous Qi, while Ji Wudao revealed he was a dying clone and said that Yu Ziqing had sent the fake seal before it passed to Illusory Sea Setsuna.
• Ge Lou performed a death ritual that erased Mu Ruxin and Ji Wudao's true appearances, and Ji Wudao's clone vanished after telling Han Anming what he knew.
• The Great Emperor rejected both ministers' pleas and sentenced Duke Xian of State to lose his title and drink Poison Wine, ordered Ye Jianzhong's execution, and confined the Crown Prince and Zhao Wang for ten years.
• Qin Yang flew toward the Black Forest Sea with Ugly Chicken to check whether the little Human Demon's resentment had dissipated.

Duke Xian of State and Ye Jianzhong were executed, while Ruxin was reborn as Changxia and sent out of Li Capital. Qin Yang named the freed Human Demon Ji Tianxing and encountered Qingluan, who asked him to help find the missing Great Emperor Princess.

• Duke Xian of State drank poison wine and died, and Ye Jianzhong was sentenced to execution by Seal Nine Orifices followed by Dismemberment by Five Horses.
• Lowly Tian Xiao buried Ruxin with Ji Wudao's letter, and Ruxin later revived as Changxia and left Li Capital with Lowly Tian Xiao.
• Qin Yang celebrated the little Human Demon's freedom from obsession by naming him Ji Tianxing, with the courtesy name Xingdao.
• Qingluan intercepted Qin Yang as he entered Great Ying Divine Dynasty territory and offered to take Ji Tianxing to instruct him.
• Qingluan told Qin Yang that the Great Emperor Princess had vanished after fighting the Centipede Dragon Clan and that Lord Li was also missing, then asked him to help search for her.

Qin Yang brought Ji Tianxing to Five Elements Mountain, where Shan Qian welcomed the boy and warned Qin Yang about the Great Emperor’s influence over the Divine Dynasty’s upheavals. While searching with Qingluan for the missing Great Emperor Princess and Li Taixuan, Qin Yang realized they were trapped in a strange place where the moon did not change and familiar landmarks had vanished.

• Qingluan told Qin Yang that Five Elements Mountain had shown no reaction to Ji Wudao’s death, so Qin Yang brought Ji Tianxing there for safety.
• Shan Qian accepted Ji Tianxing as his disciple and released Qin Yang after learning that he had brought the boy to Five Elements Mountain rather than the South Barbarian Land.
• Chang Qiuyu warned Qin Yang that the Divine Dynasty’s national fortune was waning and advised him to grow stronger; Qin Yang suspected the Great Emperor was guiding events to achieve his aims.
• Qin Yang and Qingluan retraced Purple Phoenix’s route to find the missing Great Emperor Princess and Li Taixuan, but found no clues and noticed that the full moon had not changed for days.
• After finding traces of battle, Qin Yang and Qingluan flew back toward the western border and discovered that a city where two rivers met had disappeared, confirming that their surroundings were strange.

Qin Yang learned that the nightly mist was a Sea of Thoughts where tapir demons turned stray thoughts into real threats, and he survived by killing the monsters his mind produced. After finding Purple Phoenix’s trail, he encountered a vast, ancient landscape appearing in the mist, and Black Shadow urged him to explore it despite the danger.

• Qin Yang found traces of creatures in the Kui Mountain Range, but he and Qingluan still found no sign of Purple Phoenix.
• An Eater lured Qingluan away in the mist, while Qin Yang killed the creature masquerading as her.
• Black Shadow explained that the mist was unconscious thought inhabited by Eaters, and Qin Yang survived the monsters created from his stray thoughts by using the Buddha Bone Golden Body.
• Qin Yang and Black Shadow traveled beyond the stagnant pond, then found a patch of violet flying-phoenix light marking Purple Phoenix’s trail.
• When the mist rose again, Qin Yang saw three moons, divine lights, and a giant walking through the clouds, while Black Shadow urged him to explore the ancient Sea of Thoughts.

Qin Yang entered the true Sea of Thoughts, where he discovered Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and became trapped in the Nine Husbands Tomb. He escaped after persuading Dai Niang to intervene, receiving an Azure Jade Hairpin and continuing his journey.

• Qin Yang carefully mapped the place where he entered the Sea of Thoughts and learned that its spiritual herbs contained Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.
• Qin Yang discovered that nine men were fighting over Dai Niang and found himself unable to leave the Nine Husbands Tomb.
• Qin Yang tried to reason with the nine husbands, then urged them to let Dai Niang decide whom she wanted.
• Dai Niang emerged from her tomb, silenced the nine husbands, and gave Qin Yang an Azure Jade Hairpin after he resisted her bewitching gaze.
• Qin Yang accepted the husbands' apologies and left the Nine Husbands Tomb safely.

Qin Yang learned that the Great Ying Divine Dynasty might be tied to the ancient catastrophe and continued following Purple Phoenix’s clues. After surviving and subduing an intelligent cloud, he turned it into a loud mount and sent it east, shouting his name to draw the people he sought toward him.

• Qin Yang questioned Black Shadow about the spirits at Nine Husbands Tomb, then kept the Azure Jade Hairpin they gave him.
• Qin Yang entered a silent village and learned from an old man that the dynasty was called Great Ying, leading him to suspect the Great Emperor was trapped in this world and seeking eternal life.
• Qin Yang left the village at dawn and followed the clues Purple Phoenix had left behind, but an intelligent storm cloud trapped and attacked him.
• Qin Yang devoured most of the cloud qi, chased down the shrinking cloud, and made it acknowledge him as its master.
• Qin Yang rode the cloud east while it loudly cried, “Qin Youde is here,” hoping to make the people he sought find him.

Qin Yang survived a fierce battle with a cunning tapir by manipulating its transformations so that a ghostly woman defeated a three-tailed white fox Demon God. After looting the tapir’s lair, he found Purple Phoenix unconscious and woke her with a pill.

• Qin Yang followed the Flying Luan Token’s resonance to Purple Phoenix’s abandoned token, then killed a tapir that had disguised itself as a weak creature and a powerful giant.
• A three-tailed white fox Demon God attacked, but Qin Yang prompted the tapir to transform into a ghostly woman that killed the fox; Qin Yang then tricked the tapir into reverting and smashed its head.
• Qin Yang used Corpse Touching on the tapir and the fox, collected the fox’s corpse, and obtained Moon Escape from the fox’s purple Skill Book.
• After learning the tapir’s lair location from its white Skill Book, Qin Yang raided its underground cavern and found Purple Phoenix asleep from Bewitching God Flower pollen.
• Qin Yang prepared a pill to wake Purple Phoenix; she initially pinned him against the wall, then recognized him after he activated the Flying Luan Token.

Qin Yang and Purple Phoenix escaped the dangerous wilderness, settled in a major city, and began learning about the unfamiliar world. Elsewhere, a clean-shaven man arrived at the tapir’s nest and found it empty, wondering who had reached it before him.

• Purple Phoenix told Qin Yang how she had encountered a shapeshifting monster and shared an ancient Beast Hide account linking Kui Mountain to a fallen deity; Qin Yang showed her his own Beast Hide, which she identified as containing a Feng Shui secret art.
• Qin Yang scavenged the tapir’s underground caves, collected fragrant weeds, and found a sealed metal case that he refined but could not open.
• Qin Yang and Purple Phoenix traveled east to a walled city, where Qin Yang bribed a gate official to obtain Identity Tokens and arrange a residence for them.
• Qin Yang learned about the city and its dangerous surroundings, while Purple Phoenix studied ancient characters and books; both decided to remain in the city after hearing of powerful figures across the human world.
• A clean-shaven man entered the tapir’s nest using a painting and found the tapir gone, then wondered whether it had moved or been killed by someone who reached it first.

Qin Yang and Purple Phoenix were found by the Great Ying Divine Dynasty’s High Priest, who erased their memories of entering the Sea of Thoughts. Qin Yang realized the Great Emperor had deliberately trapped them there, so he planned to cooperate, study the world, and wait until their enemies lowered their guard.

• A mysterious man used a Mystic Turtle carapace to divine that a powerful, unusual person was somewhere to the east, then vanished to investigate.
• After spending a month learning about Weng City and the ancient world, Qin Yang received a signal from the Flying Luan Token and welcomed the High Priest and four armored soldiers.
• The High Priest said the newcomers’ memories of how they entered the realm had to be erased, and Qin Yang and Purple Phoenix complied while pretending to be ignorant.
• Qin Yang asked for books about the realm, and the High Priest generously left him stacks of books, Jade Slips, Beast Hides, and gold-leaf booklets.
• After the High Priest left, Qin Yang concluded that the Great Emperor had trapped them in the Sea of Thoughts to keep Wedding Dress from returning, and he told Purple Phoenix to study and avoid seeking her for ten years.
• Qin Yang asked the Black Shadow not to reveal anything about his door, then decided to stay indoors, cultivate, and study until the Great Emperor’s side lowered its guard.

Qin Yang studied the history of the Sea of Thoughts and realized the Emperor Ying was eliminating potential rivals while concealing the world's true nature. In a dream, Nanke Dream revealed that the world was a repeating wave in the River of Time, warned that Qin Yang had only a little over ten years to escape, and asked him to help secure his release from eternal reincarnation; Qin Yang tentatively agreed.

• Qin Yang read the records of the Emperor Ying and concluded that he had killed or imprisoned many powerful figures, including Demon Master, to clear his path toward the Sea of Thoughts.
• After a year of studying, Qin Yang briefly fell asleep and found himself in a dream at the Hiding Fragrance Pavilion, where he met Nanke Dream.
• Nanke Dream explained that he had watched Qin Yang for a year, recognized him as an outsider, and believed the Nan Ke Clan had survived into Qin Yang's era.
• Nanke Dream revealed that the Sea of Thoughts was a repeating stretch of time that would begin another cycle in a little over ten years, threatening Qin Yang with assimilation or erasure if he remained.
• Nanke Dream told Qin Yang that his door could not carry other people but that he knew a way to take outsiders away, and offered him his knowledge, treasures, and life in exchange for helping him die completely.
• Qin Yang tentatively accepted Nanke Dream's request and asked him to share everything he knew before they decided how to proceed.

Qin Yang prepared to infiltrate the Emperor Ying’s dream by continuing his training and scouting the route, while he released the consciousness hidden in the Blood Lama. The Blood Lama revived as a young monk and began gathering followers, leaving Qin Yang to head away from Emperor Ying City with a new force stirring in the Sea of Thoughts.

• Nanke Dream told Qin Yang that an Emperor Ying dream fragment could help erase the Emperor’s memories of the gate, and promised to create an opportunity for Qin Yang in the final year.
• After weighing the danger, Qin Yang chose to pursue Nanke Dream’s plan and spent the next three years practicing while the Emperor Ying destroyed powerful factions and moved toward unifying the world.
• Qin Yang left a clone in the city, traveled to Emperor Ying City, and used the Blood Lama to revive the consciousness suppressed within it.
• The Blood Lama absorbed vital energy, became a living being, and fled toward the distant city while Qin Yang escaped in the opposite direction.
• The revived young monk entered a village, subdued a mountain demon with golden light, and drew the villagers into his devout following.

Qin Yang’s efforts to steer the Blood Lama into challenging Emperor Ying led Nanke Dream to reveal the world’s cycle and the Blood Lama’s narrow chance to survive. On his way to the conflict, Qin Yang met the Puppet Master, who sought his help but ended up being refined into Qin Yang’s artifact.

• The Blood Lama questioned the strange world and Nanke Dream told him he had three years to defeat Emperor Ying or lose his chance to survive the next reset.
• The Blood Lama rapidly expanded his force, fought the Divine Court, and wounded Li Taixuan, prompting Qin Yang to head toward the conflict.
• A puppet carrying a coffin blocked Qin Yang, who destroyed it, buried it, and then watched it break through his sealing formation.
• The Puppet Master explained that he had awakened as a puppet and threatened to obstruct Qin Yang unless they cooperated, but Qin Yang refused to yield to threats.
• The Puppet Master agreed to let Qin Yang refine him as a magical artifact, and Qin Yang completed the refinement almost instantly.

Qin Yang recruited the Puppet Master and enlisted his help before secretly meeting Jiayi in a dream. After learning she would rather be Jiayi than the Great Emperor Princess, Qin Yang urged her to bring Azure Phoenix and Purple Phoenix to the westernmost city in three years, then set off with the Puppet Master to gamble everything on a mysterious mountain range.

• Qin Yang persuaded the Puppet Master to accept his refinement and promised to take him along if he escaped alive.
• Qin Yang learned that the Puppet Master had faked his death by leaving a puppet in his place, then traveled with the real Puppet Master toward the confrontation between Blood Lama and Jiayi's army.
• Qin Yang sent the Puppet Master into Jiayi's command tent with a crystal sphere, and Jiayi used it to enter a dream with Qin Yang.
• Qin Yang asked Jiayi whether she was Jiayi or the Great Emperor Princess, and she said she would never choose to be the Great Emperor Princess if she could choose.
• Qin Yang embraced Jiayi and told her to bring Azure Phoenix and Purple Phoenix to the westernmost city in three years and stay alive until then.
• More than two years early, Qin Yang reached the mountain range shown on his map and took out the metal box, ready to risk everything.

Qin Yang entered Emperor Ying’s severed memories to find the hidden door, but after searching the palace and probing Crown Prince Wu’s heart, he realized Su Qing Jin was the true core and the strongest defense. With time running out, he used the Dream Entering Art on her corpse, and his consciousness vanished into her mind.

• Qin Yang and the Puppet Master crossed from the metal-box dream into the Mountains and Rivers Painting, where Qin Yang found Li Capital and disguised himself as Su Mo Han.
• Qin Yang learned that Su Mo Han’s sister, Su Qing Jin, had entered the Eastern Palace and borne Crown Prince Wu a child, then gained permission to visit her and enter the palace.
• Over more than a year, Qin Yang mapped the palace and searched its deepest courtyard, but found only an empty grave and no hidden door.
• After Qing Jin died, Qin Yang entered Crown Prince Wu’s memories and discovered the late emperor had manipulated events that led to her death, while Wu’s deepest memory remained a tender moment with her.
• Qin Yang realized Qing Jin was the core of Emperor Ying’s memories and the true focus of the defenses, then ordered the Puppet Master to guard the room and used the Dream Entering Art on her corpse.

Qin Yang entered Qing Jin’s dream, found and erased the Emperor Ying’s door and hidden backup, while Nanke Dream trapped the Emperor Ying in his kaleidoscope world. Qin Yang escaped with the Puppet Master and erased his own memories of the door, but a note he left himself pointed them toward blowing up the Divine Court.

• Qin Yang searched the dream version of Li Capital and discovered a hidden pavilion that served as the Emperor Ying’s backup, then located the Emperor Ying’s door outside the city.
• Qin Yang used the Mind-Calming Incense to freeze the dream’s memories, linked the door and backup with a passage, and erased both with the Fisherman’s Slumber Calming Song.
• Nanke Dream confronted the Emperor Ying, lured him into the kaleidoscope world, and trapped him there after the Emperor Ying’s door and contingencies were erased.
• The Blood Lama continued expanding the Xiluo Treasure Temple’s territory as his forces overwhelmed the Divine Court.
• Qin Yang and the Puppet Master fought their way out of the collapsing dreamscape, then Qin Yang erased his memories of the Emperor Ying’s door and backup.
• Qin Yang found a note telling him to blow up the Divine Court, and the Puppet Master agreed to help.

Qin Yang helped the Blood Lama destroy the Divine Court, rescued Jiayi and Qingluan, and prepared to leave the Sea of Thoughts with his companions. After Nanke Dream revealed why he had chosen Qin Yang and asked him for death, the Emperor Ying confronted Qin Yang, who narrowly escaped after striking back with his hidden preparations.

• Qin Yang sent the Puppet Master to rescue Jiayi and Qingluan while his incarnation urged the Blood Lama to attack the Divine Court.
• The Blood Lama’s army captured the Divine Court, and Qin Yang’s incarnation planted Destruction Balls that leveled it.
• The High Priest tried to take Qin Yang and Purple Phoenix away, but the Puppet Master killed him, and Qin Yang escaped with Purple Phoenix.
• Qin Yang brought Jiayi, Qingluan, and Purple Phoenix through a dream door, then killed Nanke Dream and ferried him beyond after Nanke explained that Qin Yang reminded him of the Demon Master.
• The Blood Lama defeated the Emperor Ying’s manifestation, but the Emperor Ying appeared before Qin Yang and demanded that he take him away.
• Qin Yang resisted the Emperor Ying’s attack with the Tortoise Shell and black pot, then vanished to a misty forest and asked the Puppet Master to guard him.