Chapter Summaries

The Buddhist sect and forces aligned with the Xuan Yi King attacked the Martial Forest Alliance over the dragon fortune, bringing Zhao Yang face-to-face with his estranged former ally Zhao Yuncheng. As the battle erupted around Qu Zuo Mountain, Pu Yangying hinted that the barbarians had a much larger force waiting, and Zhao Yang and Zhao Yuncheng began a clash between fourth-rank Martial Venerables.

• Zhao Yang led the branch leaders to meet the attackers, while Fu Yao transformed into a giant and fought the golden Buddha body controlled by Qing Xiu and Qing Ning.
• Feng You arrived on behalf of the Xuan Yi King with Zhao Yuncheng, who demanded that Zhao Yang surrender the dragon fortune in exchange for sparing the alliance’s soldiers.
• Pu Yangying told Pu Yangjun that the barbarians’ forces were far greater than the small group they had seen.
• Feng You’s eight Blood Martial Saints attacked in formation as Zhao Yuncheng drew his Narrow Saber and targeted Zhao Yang.
• Zhao Yang and Zhao Yuncheng unleashed their fourth-rank Martial Venerable techniques, shaking Qu Zuo Mountain and forcing the others to retreat behind a barrier.

Fang Xuan and his companions watched as the Martial Forest Alliance fought the Xuan Yi King's Eight Secret Agents, whose formation let them wield upper-realm power. Zhao Yang defeated Zhao Yuncheng and left her stunned by his apparent Fifth Rank strength.

• Fang Xuan, Pu An Yu, and Chu Kuang watched the battle through an illusory mirror while discussing the Xuan Yi King's hidden plans.
• The Eight Secret Agents used a formation to circulate upper-realm combat power among themselves, and Liu Zhu urged the alliance fighters to split them apart.
• The branch leaders coordinated their attacks, with Fu Yao drawing the strongest blows while Qing Ning's Buddhist chant distracted their enemies.
• Zhao Yang and Zhao Yuncheng exchanged their signature techniques in a fierce duel that ended with both fighters thrown back.
• Zhao Yang landed unharmed, and Zhao Yuncheng cried out that he could not have advanced to Fifth Rank.

Zhao Yang revealed that he had reached the Fifth Rank Martial Venerable and turned the battle at the Martial Forest Alliance’s Mountain Gate. He killed Zhao Yuncheng with Sword River, but Feng You and other hostile forces remained, leaving the Alliance’s crisis unresolved.

• Zhao Yang revealed his Fifth Rank cultivation, giving the Martial Forest Alliance renewed confidence and alarming its attackers.
• Zhao Yang killed the eight spies with one sword strike and sent the thirty-six branch leaders to the Back Mountain.
• Sun Fu and Elder Xu recognized Zhao Yang’s strength, while they noticed two barbarians watching from the eastern mountains.
• Zhao Yang overpowered Zhao Yuncheng in their duel and pierced his chest with Sword River, killing the Fourth-Rank Martial Venerable.
• Feng You stood with Qing Xiu and Qing Ning, considered his next move, and continued forming hand seals inside his sleeve.

Feng You gave Qing Xiu and Qing Ning dragon fortune, allowing them to become Buddhist Vajras, and the two attacked the Martial Forest Alliance. Zhao Yang was overwhelmed and Qing Xiu advanced on the Alliance as Fang Xuan learned how the Buddhist sect forcibly converted people.

• Feng You gave Qing Xiu and Qing Ning a strand of dragon fortune each, and Qing Ning descended to confront Zhao Yang.
• Qing Ning stalled Zhao Yang by offering to teach him Great Vehicle Buddhism while Qing Xiu arrived as a Buddhist Vajra and fought Zhao Yang.
• Qing Ning became a second Vajra, helped defeat Zhao Yang, and ordered him to abandon his attachments to the Martial Forest Alliance.
• Zhao Yang told Liu Zhu and the others to activate the grand formation as Qing Xiu advanced on the Alliance.
• Pu An Yu explained to Fang Xuan that the Vajras used force to convert people, and Fang Xuan compared the practice to a cult.

Pei Qian of the Tai Xuan Sect arrived at Qu Zuo Mountain and used powerful arrays to protect the Mountain Gate and hold back the Buddhist Vajras. As he asked Zhao Yang about Fang Xuan, a monk descended from the clouds, broke through the barrier, and sent Pei Qian flying.

• Pei Qian stopped Qing Xiu from advancing and blasted his Vajra Dharma Body away with a palm strike.
• Qing Ning recognized that Pei Qian was using a vast array, while Liu Zhu and Fu Yao rescued the injured Zhao Yang.
• Pei Qian used the Eight Arrays Treasure Pagoda to slow Qing Ning and Qing Xiu and strengthen the defenses across Qu Zuo Mountain.
• Pei Qian introduced himself to Zhao Yang and asked where Fang Xuan was; Zhao Yang began to answer that Fang Xuan was in the Back Mountain.
• A Buddhist lotus appeared in the clouds, pierced Pei Qian's barrier with Buddhist light, and sent him flying as a monk descended and was greeted by Qing Ning and Qing Xiu as their master.

Fang Xuan intervened to save Pei Qian from Yun Xin, then prepared to defend the Martial Forest Alliance as a force led by Mister Wei arrived. Yun Xin rushed toward the Back Mountain to stop Zhao Chuanxiong’s breakthrough, while Feng You revealed himself as Li Yixuan and struck Fang Xuan with lightning.

• Yun Xin attacked the injured Pei Qian, but Fang Xuan blocked the Bodhisattva’s blow with Ink Abyss and reunited with Pei Qian.
• Fang Xuan gave Pei Qian medicine and told Zhao Yang he would defend the Martial Forest Alliance rather than contend for its dragon fortune.
• Mister Wei appeared with several hundred Bone Asuras and Blood Martial Saints, then warned Yun Xin that Zhao Chuanxiong was breaking through into the Transcendent Realm.
• Yun Xin lent Qing Xiu and Qing Ning one-tenth of his power and flew toward the Back Mountain, leaving them to attack Fang Xuan.
• Mister Wei reassured Feng You, who transformed into Li Yixuan and summoned a massive bolt of lightning that swallowed Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan struggled against Qing Xiu, Qing Ning, and Li Yixuan while the Martial Forest Alliance tried to buy time for Zhao Chuanxiong to leave seclusion. Chu Kuang used his Thousand Illusions Mystical Gate art to empower Fang Xuan, whose next exchange left Qing Xiu badly injured and Qing Ning’s attack missing.

• Qing Xiu and Qing Ning overwhelmed Fang Xuan with Li Yixuan’s support, while the Martial Forest Alliance watched helplessly.
• Zhao Jichun reassured the alliance, but Zhao Yang ordered its fighters to activate the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation and head to the Back Mountain to protect Zhao Chuanxiong’s breakthrough.
• Fang Xuan resolved to stall until Zhao Chuanxiong emerged, even as the three opponents wounded him and drove him into a disadvantage.
• Pei Qian tried to help Fang Xuan, but Chu Kuang stopped him and used his Thousand Illusions Mystical Gate art to empower Fang Xuan.
• Fang Xuan’s Dragon Emperor Seal struck Qing Xiu with unexpected force, while Qing Ning’s attack mysteriously missed and Fang Xuan remained unharmed.

Fang Xuan turned a three-against-one battle around, killing Qing Xiu and then Qing Ning Vajra with the Kunwu Sword Array. After gaining three strands of dragon fortune, he faced the terrified Li Yixuan and declared that he was next.

• Chu Kuang distracted Qing Xiu with a bronze cauldron, allowing Fang Xuan to wound him with Ink Abyss and destroy him with green divine fire.
• Li Yixuan gave Qing Ning Vajra dragon fortune, and Qing Ning devoured Qing Xiu’s remains to rise to Sixth Grade Martial Venerable.
• Fang Xuan transformed into a dragon and fought Qing Ning and Li Yixuan, enduring their attacks while landing sword wounds on both.
• As Qing Ning formed a killing move, his emotions faltered, giving Fang Xuan the chance to unleash the Kunwu Sword Array and slay him.
• Three strands of dragon fortune entered Fang Xuan, who then turned toward the frozen Li Yixuan and said it was his turn.

Fang Xuan fought Yun Xin to protect the Martial Forest Alliance, but the Buddhist Bodhisattva overwhelmed him until Fang unleashed the sixth transformation of the Divine Fire Profound Heaven Transformation. Though Fang injured Yun Xin, he still could not win and resolved to stall until Zhao Chuanxiong emerged from seclusion.

• Fang Xuan confronted Li Yixuan, but Yun Xin intervened, seized Ink Abyss, and attacked Fang with Brahma's Voice Heavenly Punishment.
• Pu An Yu prepared to help Fang, but Chu Kuang stopped her because he knew Fang still had a hidden move.
• Yun Xin formed a golden spear to kill Fang, who refined the Buddhist chants with divine fire and shattered the spear with his own sword intent.
• Yun Xin caught Fang's sword light but was injured, and he recognized Fang's sixth transformation of the Divine Fire Profound Heaven Transformation.
• Fang reclaimed Ink Abyss and prepared to hold off Yun Xin until Zhao Chuanxiong emerged from seclusion.

Fang Xuan was struck down by Yun Xin’s overwhelming Buddhist seal, but the Wood of Years power fused with Dragon Qi and revived him. He rose again as a Fifth Rank Martial Venerable and faced Yun Xin, thanking him for helping him break through.

• Yun Xin formed the Myriad Tribulations End Law Buddha Seal and slammed it down on Fang Xuan, destroying his opened Acupoints and seemingly killing him.
• Pu An Yu rushed to Fang Xuan and swore that the Day of the Subjugation of Ten Thousand Buddhas would come when the Azure Dragon Seven Constellations returned to their places.
• In the Northernmost Land, the man in the Thatched Hut sensed a great change in Nine Provinces’ Dragon Qi and wondered whether Fang Xuan could survive the burden placed upon him.
• The Wood of Years power within Fang Xuan fused with Dragon Qi, restoring his body after he had truly died.
• Fang Xuan woke, reassured Pu An Yu, and stood up as his aura surged to the Fifth Rank Martial Venerable realm.

Fang Xuan survived a seemingly fatal defeat, broke through to Fifth Rank Martial Venerable, and refused Yun Xin’s offer to join the Buddhist sect. He fought Yun Xin but was overwhelmed and called for help as Yun Xin demanded his submission.

• Fang Xuan returned from death through Withered Wood Encountering Spring and broke through, shocking the Martial Forest Alliance.
• Fang Xuan rejected Pu An Yu’s plea to leave and refused Yun Xin’s offer to join the Buddhist sect.
• Fang Xuan attacked Yun Xin with Whale Leap, Dragon Emperor Seal, and Divine Dragon Tail Swing, cracking Yun Xin’s golden body and drawing blood.
• Yun Xin struck back with golden petals and a massive hand, hurling Fang Xuan into a mountain and leaving him badly injured.
• Fang Xuan cursed Yun Xin and roared for someone to help before Yun Xin could force him to submit.

Zhao Chuanxiong emerged from seclusion and saved Fang Xuan from Yun Xin, forcing the Bodhi faction to retreat from the Martial Forest Alliance. As the alliance celebrated, Elder Xu revealed doubts about whether Zhao Chuanxiong had truly reached the Spirit Wandering Realm and hinted at Mister Wei’s hidden plan.

• Yun Xin attacked Fang Xuan, but Zhao Chuanxiong burst out of the Martial Forest Alliance’s Back Mountain and wounded Yun Xin with a tracking slash.
• Zhao Chuanxiong thanked Fang Xuan for keeping his promise, while Fang Xuan explained that he had fought to buy time for Zhao Chuanxiong to emerge from seclusion.
• Yun Xin tried to continue converting Fang Xuan with Mister Wei’s help, but Zhao Chuanxiong threatened them and made Li Yixuan collapse under his pressure.
• Mister Wei caught Li Yixuan with a phantom hand and persuaded Yun Xin to withdraw, after which the flying artifacts fled and the Martial Forest Alliance praised Fang Xuan.
• Sun Fu and his companions left the area, and Elder Xu warned them that Zhao Chuanxiong’s breakthrough remained uncertain because Mister Wei had not been idle.

Mister Wei rebuked Li Yixuan for pursuing Fang Xuan and created an Acupuncture Method for Gathering Luck. At the Martial Forest Alliance, Fang Xuan learned Zhao Chuanxiong had traded the dragon fortune for his advancement and protection of the alliance.

• Mister Wei told Li Yixuan to control his impatience and reassured him that he remained crucial to the plan to place the Nine Provinces in his hands.
• Yun Xin urged Mister Wei that Fang Xuan should have been killed, but Mister Wei warned that forcing the matter could bring unbearable consequences and then formed an Acupuncture Method for Gathering Luck.
• Zhao Chuanxiong ordered the Martial Forest Alliance to withdraw its formations and offered Fang Xuan the position of next Alliance Master.
• Fang Xuan proposed that the Martial Forest Alliance join his Dragon Whale Army, and Zhao Chuanxiong promised to help him if needed without agreeing to help conquer the Nine Provinces.
• Fang Xuan asked whether Mister Wei had done something to Zhao Chuanxiong, who confirmed that he had exchanged the dragon fortune for his advancement to the Spirit Wandering Realm and protection of the alliance.

Fang Xuan asked Zhao Chuanxiong for a way to obtain Central Province’s three hundred thousand Imperial Court Army troops and received a jade hairpin tied to the army’s commander. Elsewhere, Ruan Hong ambushed Yun Xin, beat him unconscious, and took a hundred years of his cultivation before leaving him with Mister Wei.

• Fang Xuan asked Zhao Chuanxiong about obtaining the three hundred thousand Imperial Court Army troops in Central Province.
• Zhao Chuanxiong explained that the army obeyed only the Imperial Jade Seal, then gave Fang Xuan a jade hairpin connected to its commander.
• Ruan Hong stopped Mister Wei’s group outside Qu Zuo Mountain and attacked Yun Xin after criticizing his Buddhist order.
• Ruan Hong shattered Yun Xin’s defenses, battered him through a mountain, and dismissed Yun Xin’s question about the cause of the attack.
• Ruan Hong stabbed toward Yun Xin’s Dantian Qi Sea, then spared his life and took a hundred years of his cultivation.
• Mister Wei carried away the unconscious Yun Xin and reflected that he was suffering the consequences of his actions.

Fang Xuan strengthened his body through secluded cultivation but remained wary of the Buddhist sect and the struggle for the Nine Provinces. Meanwhile, Martial Forest Alliance branch leaders debated whether to support him, and Mister Wei revealed more about fortune and the ancient Wall Guardians as Li Yixuan considered his own ambitions.

• Fang Xuan cultivated the Divine Fire Profound Heaven Transformation, greatly increasing his physical strength and discovering an unfamiliar power within himself.
• Xiao Yan and the other branch hall masters discussed whether the Martial Forest Alliance should join the struggle for the Nine Provinces, while affirming their debt to Fang Xuan.
• Liu Zhu reminded the hall masters that the Alliance Leader and Old Ancestor would decide the alliance’s future, then asked them to help cover Autumn Water Hall’s losses; they made excuses and left.
• Li Yixuan helped the badly injured Yun Xin reach a mountain ravine, where Mister Wei explained that Ruan Hong was one of the nine ancient Wall Guardians and had long been a Martial Soul expert.
• Mister Wei told Li Yixuan that his Blood Pill carried fortune and that fortune could be seized, then left to attend to other business.

At a banquet celebrating Zhao Chuanxiong’s emergence from seclusion, Fang Xuan and his companions grew suspicious of Chu Kuang’s secretive behavior. They used Pu An Yu’s mirror to watch him meet Zhao Ying, where Chu Kuang revealed that his father was dying and wanted to see her again.

• The Martial Forest Alliance held a grand banquet to celebrate Zhao Chuanxiong’s return and thank Fang Xuan for his help.
• After the banquet, Chu Kuang slipped away alone, prompting Fang Xuan, Pu An Yu, and Pei Qian to spy on him with Pu An Yu’s mirror.
• The three saw Chu Kuang change into scholar’s robes and meet Zhao Ying, whom Pei Qian identified as Zhao Yang’s cousin.
• Chu Kuang told Zhao Ying that his father had little time left and wished to see her, but she rejected the request because she felt he had abandoned her.
• Chu Kuang gave Zhao Ying a wooden comb from his father and left, while she stood holding it with tears in her eyes.

Fang Li responded to Ji Province’s refugee crisis by planning relief efforts and military recruitment while weighing Sea Province’s broader war preparations. Elsewhere, Chu Kuang was confronted about visiting Zhao Ying, and Mister Wei extracted a golden dragon of fortune from An Shang.

• Zhou Guwu and Sikong Jihuai warned Fang Li that Ji Province’s famine could send refugees and potential barbarian recruits into Sea Province.
• Fang Li ordered a passage opened into Sea Province, relief stations established, border roads toward Yue Province sealed, and willing refugees recruited into the Dragon Whale Army.
• Zhou Guwu reported that the Imperial Court Army remained uncontrolled and that the Red Eyebrow Army had clashed repeatedly with Sea Province forces; Fang Li deferred deciding how to respond.
• Fang Xuan, Pu An Yu, and Pei Qian confronted Chu Kuang after he returned from visiting Zhao Ying, and Pei Qian warned him that Zhao Ying was Alliance Leader Zhao’s cousin.
• Mister Wei summoned An Shang, extracted a golden dragon of fortune from his body, sealed it in a nine-colored barrier, and turned toward someone in the forest.

Mister Wei negotiated with Pu Yang Rongxuan’s group over the barbarian army’s coming invasion, then warned them to beware Sea Province and its young commander. Later, aboard a merchant ship nearing Central Province, Fang Xuan spotted an unusually large force of water bandits approaching.

• Pu Yangying revealed that she and her companions had held back from interfering because Mister Wei’s enemy had broken through, and Pu Yang Rongxuan asked Mister Wei to help the barbarian army’s march south.
• Mister Wei agreed to stay out of the way in exchange for command over the three provinces and warned the barbarians to beware Sea Province, especially its young commander.
• After Mister Wei left, a powerful old man threatened Pu Yang Rongxuan, and Pu Yangying carried the unconscious Pu Yangjun away toward Yue Province.
• On the merchant ship, Zhou Yi warned Fang Xuan and his companions that water bandits controlled the passage through Crouching Phoenix Bay and that the Martial Forest Alliance usually paid their toll.
• As the ship entered the bay, Fang Xuan saw at least a hundred water bandits approaching, far more than Zhou Yi expected.

Fang Xuan and his companions’ merchant ship was attacked by water bandits led by Liu Fan, who demanded silver and tried to seize Pei Qian and Pu An Yu. After Fang Xuan crushed the bandits and Pei Qian took Liu Fan away to deal with him, Fang Xuan learned that a heavenly disaster had driven refugees from Ji Province and worried that they might reach Sea Province.

• Zhou Yi explained that the Jing Province Governor’s backing had allowed water bandits to threaten Martial Forest Alliance ships, and the bandits demanded five thousand taels from the merchant vessel.
• Liu Fan revealed that he had killed Ten Thousand Gold Hammer, demanded money, and threatened to take Pei Qian and Pu An Yu as three Bone Asuras and two hundred bandits boarded the ship.
• Pei Qian repelled Liu Fan’s grab and summoned his Octagonal Pagoda, while Fang Xuan’s sword intent killed the three Bone Asuras and the bandits in three breaths.
• Fang Xuan questioned Liu Fan and learned that a heavenly disaster in Ji Province had driven refugees across the provinces and led Liu Fan to become a water bandit in Jing Province.
• Fang Xuan left Liu Fan to Pei Qian and worried that refugees from Ji Province might flood Sea Province and overwhelm Fang Li.

Li Yixuan returned to Yi Province and learned that Xuan Yi King planned to proclaim himself emperor in three days, after discussing a campaign to seize Lei Province. Meanwhile, Xiao Emperor Li Nan weighed Great Yang’s worsening crisis and chose to keep relying on Gu Chengxuan while secretly burning reports attacking him.

• Li Yixuan and Mister Wei returned to Hidden Abyss City, where Xuan Yi King asked how much dragon fortune remained and excused its loss.
• Xuan Yi King showed Li Yixuan a map and discussed seizing Lei Province before Gu Chengxuan took command of Central Province’s three hundred thousand Imperial Court Army soldiers.
• Li Yixuan admitted that Fang Xuan had defeated him and cost him three strands of dragon fortune, but Xuan Yi King reassured him and encouraged him as his future successor.
• Xuan Yi King told Li Yixuan that he would proclaim himself emperor in Yi Province in three days, and Li Yixuan agreed to prepare.
• Xiao Emperor Li Nan reviewed reports about the provinces’ unrest and concluded that Great Yang’s great tide would not return.
• Li Nan burned secret reports impeaching Gu Chengxuan and decided not to move against the general yet, since Great Yang still depended on him.