Recaps

Ling Xuanxiao became suspicious of the amnesiac Fanyue and secretly investigated his identity after meeting him at Lin Wanqing’s side. His search found no records, so he set several precautions in motion and recruited Zhao Lu to learn how Fanyue had met Lin Wanqing.

• Ling Xuanxiao met Fanyue, learned that Lin Wanqing had found him by a river with lost memories and sealed meridians, and offered to help recover his memories.
• Ling Xuanxiao gave Fanyue a flying Wooden Eagle, then secretly kept two strands of his hair and searched Shu Mountain’s Grand Compendium of All Things for information about him.
• When the search found no records of Fanyue, Ling Xuanxiao made a wooden cicada to monitor him and sent anonymous warnings to the Law Enforcement Elder and Deputy Sect Leader.
• Ling Xuanxiao asked Zhao Lu to casually question Lin Wanqing about when and how she had found Fanyue, and Zhao Lu accepted the task.

Ling Xuanxiao investigated where Lin Wanqing and Fanyue had met, but found three Outer Dao Evil Cultivators searching for someone they called His Lordship. As Zhang Tianxin of the Golden Thunder Sect fought them, Ling Xuanxiao prepared to intervene, then sensed a powerful disturbance through the swords in his Sword Box.

• The Law Enforcement Elder overlooked Ling Xuanxiao’s anonymous report after becoming distracted by thoughts of Fanyue.
• Ling Xuanxiao gave Zhao Lu a Tiger Demon Pill, then left Shu Mountain to investigate the river where Lin Wanqing and Fanyue had met.
• Ling Xuanxiao found no River God or enlightened creatures at the river and sensed three concealed Outer Dao Evil Cultivators nearby.
• The three Evil Cultivators said they had followed a marker to the last place where His Lordship’s aura remained, and they captured Zhang Tianxin.
• Zhang Tianxin revealed his Golden Thunder Body Tempering Method and fought the three Evil Cultivators, while Ling Xuanxiao waited for a chance to attack.
• The swords in Ling Xuanxiao’s Sword Box began trembling violently, signaling a disturbance beyond the power of one Golden Core cultivator.

Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were captured by a Nascent Soul demon after they encountered a demonic sect party searching for their lord’s vanished aura. They were brought before the demonic sect leader, whom Li Xuanxiao recognized as Murong Mo, the woman he had once plotted against.

• Zhang Tianxin swallowed a pill to raise her cultivation, but the Nascent Soul Old Demon subdued her with a glance and exposed Li Xuanxiao hiding underground.
• Li Xuanxiao fled using a Paper Figure decoy, but the Nascent Soul Old Demon found and captured him and Zhang Tianxin.
• The Nascent Soul Old Demon ordered the pair taken to the Venerable Lord, explaining that their group should pass responsibility upward rather than risk losing the trail themselves.
• Zhang Tianxin told Li Xuanxiao that an old fortune-teller had predicted a heavenly tribulation and guided her to the demonic sect members.
• Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were tied to pillars in a palace, where Di Nüfeng appeared and Li Xuanxiao recognized her as Murong Mo.

Di Nüfeng captured Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin, mistook Zhang Tianxin’s silence for defiance, and whipped her while interrogating them about a missing lord. The two ended up in separate cells, where Zhang Tianxin realized Li Xuanxiao was being treated far better than she was.

• Di Nüfeng recognized Li Xuanxiao and accused him and Zhang Tianxin of being connected to her lord’s disappearance.
• Di Nüfeng whipped Zhang Tianxin while demanding answers, then ordered both captives locked in separate cells.
• Li Xuanxiao told Zhang Tianxin that their captor was Di Nüfeng of the Heavenly Fiend Hall, and Zhang Tianxin feared they had no way out.
• Zhang Tianxin saw that Li Xuanxiao’s cell was luxurious while hers held only a waste bucket, but Li Xuanxiao said it was a scheme to divide them.
• A demonic sect disciple gave Zhang Tianxin a meal and later returned with a dining cart for Li Xuanxiao.

Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin were interrogated by Di Nüfeng about her missing Lord, Fan Yue, whom Li Xuanxiao realized was at Shu Mountain. Di Nüfeng forced Li Xuanxiao to follow her, and he claimed he had infiltrated the demonic sect to help Zhang Tianxin escape.

• Li Xuanxiao ate the demonic sect's lavish meal, then meditated to absorb its carefully balanced ingredients while Zhang Tianxin watched in disbelief.
• Di Nüfeng questioned Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin about her missing Lord and revealed that he was Fan Yue, the first Hall Master of Heavenly Fiend Hall, who had recently reincarnated and disappeared.
• Di Nüfeng released Li Xuanxiao but ordered Zhang Tianxin beaten again, then told Li Xuanxiao he could either follow her or die.
• Li Xuanxiao swore to follow Di Nüfeng and appeared before Zhang Tianxin in demonic sect robes, claiming he had infiltrated the sect to help him escape.

Li Xuanxiao settled into his role as Di Nüfeng’s favored servant while secretly preparing to escape Heavenly Fiend Hall with Zhang Tianxin. He staged a failed escape that got Zhang Tianxin beaten and transferred to the Heaven-class cell, then told her their plan had already succeeded halfway.

• Li Xuanxiao served Di Nüfeng by entertaining her with stories and massaging her feet while witnessing her cruel treatment of her human dogs.
• Li Xuanxiao visited Zhang Tianxin in prison and claimed he had obtained a map of the demonic sect and could help her escape that night.
• At Three Geng, Li Xuanxiao used a Sound Recording Stone to distract Di Nüfeng, freed Zhang Tianxin, and led her into the sect’s passages.
• When demonic sect disciples caught up with them in a dead end, Li Xuanxiao kicked Zhang Tianxin and helped the guards beat her, pretending she had tried to escape.
• The disciples dragged Zhang Tianxin to the Heaven-class cell, where Li Xuanxiao later told her their plan had succeeded halfway.

Li Xuanxiao rescued Zhang Tianxin from the demonic sect and escaped with her across the Dead Sea on a flying sword. Di Nüfeng discovered his farewell letter and flew into a rage, blaming Liu Qiushui for his insult.

• Li Xuanxiao opened the secret passage through the Heaven-class cell entrance and gave Zhang Tianxin a spirit fruit to restore her strength.
• Li Xuanxiao led Zhang Tianxin through the dangerous passage to the Dead Sea and warned her about its mysterious pull.
• Li Xuanxiao summoned a flying sword from his Sword Box, was wounded by its Sword Qi, and seized Zhang Tianxin as it carried them away across the Dead Sea.
• Di Nüfeng learned that Li Xuanxiao had fled with Zhang Tianxin and read his letter declaring their parting and praising Liu Qiushui's looks.
• Di Nüfeng charged out in fury, vowing to kill Li Xuanxiao and fight Liu Qiushui.

After returning to Shu Mountain, Li Xuanxiao debated whether to tell the sect that Fanyue was the reincarnated founder of Heavenly Fiend Hall, but seeing Lin Wanqing's affection for Fanyue convinced him not to. He decided to seek a way to use Shu Mountain's inner sword formation against Fanyue and entered seclusion to prepare.

• Li Xuanxiao and Zhang Tianxin confirmed their location and parted ways, and Li Xuanxiao returned to Shu Mountain with serious injuries and knowledge of Fanyue's identity.
• Li Xuanxiao questioned Zhao Lu about Fanyue and Lin Wanqing, but kept his suspicions secret and went to Tongtian Peak to consider reporting them.
• Li Xuanxiao imagined the risks of exposing Fanyue and drew three copper coins that predicted great misfortune.
• The Water Qilin examined Fanyue, found no apparent threat, and settled down, easing Lin Wanqing's suspicion of him.
• Li Xuanxiao saw Lin Wanqing dote on Fanyue and abandoned the idea of reporting him, deciding instead to use the core of Shu Mountain's sword formation.
• Li Xuanxiao told Zhao Lu he would enter seclusion and ordered her to keep others from disturbing him.

Fanyue dreamed that he would destroy the Nine Provinces and kill countless people, then woke in tears and found comfort in Lin Wanqing’s promise to stand by him even if the whole world opposed him. While chasing a runaway mechanical puppy, he followed it into the fog-shrouded back mountain of Tongtian Peak and heard a flute guiding him onward.

• Fanyue dreamed of himself standing amid flames and ruins after killing countless people, then woke in terror and ran to Lin Wanqing.
• Fanyue asked whether Lin Wanqing would still love him if he killed innocent people, and she promised to protect him even if everyone turned against him.
• Lin Wanqing gave Fanyue a Mohist Mechanical Arts puppy, which suddenly ran away while he played with it on Silver Sword Peak.
• Fanyue rode an immortal crane after the flying puppy and leaped onto a mountain peak, where he found it unharmed.
• Fanyue realized he had entered the fog-covered back mountain of Tongtian Peak, then followed the sound of a flute through the mist.

Fanyue recovered his memories after following a wandering soul into Shu Mountain’s sword pool, where the Shushan Sword Formation trapped him and attacked. As Fanyue’s demonic power surged when he called out to Lin Wanqing, Li Xuanxiao invoked a talisman and began a strange ritual to strengthen the formation.

• A wandering soul lured Fanyue to the open Jade Gate, and he entered Shu Mountain’s sword pool.
• Fanyue remembered that a Shu Mountain Sword Cultivator had killed him after he left the demonic sect, and he recognized Lin Wanqing as someone he had sought across three lives and worlds.
• Li Xuanxiao activated the Shushan Sword Formation with a talisman, trapping Fanyue inside as the swords attacked him.
• Fanyue fought back with demonic energy and grew stronger as he called out to Lin Wanqing and spoke of their bond.
• Li Xuanxiao slapped the talisman onto his forehead and began chanting while performing circling steps.

Ling Xuanxiao used the Shushan Sword Formation to destroy Fanyue, then erased the evidence and left Shu Mountain unable to explain what had happened. When Lin Wanqing prepared to search for Fanyue, Li Xuanxiao urged her to accept his departure and remember that Shushan Disciples served the common people.

• Ling Xuanxiao invoked the Shushan Sect Leader's power and used the Shushan Sword Formation to kill Fanyue.
• Ling Xuanxiao erased the traces of the fight, swallowed a pill, and reviewed his plan for possible mistakes.
• Daoist Lingxu investigated the sword formation, but Shu Mountain found no useful clues and eventually ended its martial lockdown.
• Lin Wanqing decided to descend the mountain and search for Fanyue, fearing he would be tricked.
• Li Xuanxiao suggested that Fanyue had recovered his memories and reminded Lin Wanqing that Shushan Disciples acted for the common people, not one person.

Ling Xuanxiao followed the Twin-Life Gu Worm’s signal to find Lin Wanqing poisoned in a forest, where he discovered and killed a Gold-Silver Blood Snake. After checking her belongings, he found a map in Fanyue’s handwriting, recalling that Fanyue had once shown Lin Wanqing a place he could not remember; Lin Wanqing remained unconscious.

• Ling Xuanxiao sensed through the Twin-Life Gu Worm that something had happened to Lin Wanqing and left Shu Mountain to find her.
• Ling Xuanxiao found Lin Wanqing poisoned and used a puppet scorpion to identify the snake venom.
• A Gold-Silver Blood Snake attacked the puppet scorpion, and Ling Xuanxiao used his three puppets to capture it.
• Ling Xuanxiao swept the forest clear with wind, collected the snake’s venom, and burned the Gold-Silver Blood Snake to ash.
• Ling Xuanxiao found a crude map in Lin Wanqing’s Storage Ring and recognized it as Fanyue’s handwriting.
• Ling Xuanxiao recalled Fanyue drawing the map for Lin Wanqing and promising that he would be happy as long as he was with her.

Li Xuanxiao entered Fanyue’s hidden chamber and learned the tragic history of Fanyue and Lin Wanqing’s past lives. He took the three treasures prepared for Lin Wanqing, destroyed the chamber, and left her with no trace of what she had been meant to find.

• Li Xuanxiao entered the chamber with Lin Wanqing’s blood and recovered memories of Fanyue and Lin Wanqing’s three reincarnations.
• Li Xuanxiao learned that Lin Wanqing had twice loved Fanyue, and that both lives had ended in tragedy after she tried to save him.
• Li Xuanxiao found Fanyue’s Dragon Scale Armor, Wind Chariot, and Sky Mending Pill, all prepared for Lin Wanqing, and took them for himself.
• Li Xuanxiao destroyed and buried the chamber, carried the unconscious Lin Wanqing to safety, and left after erasing his aura.
• Lin Wanqing woke, recovered for several days, and followed Fanyue’s map to the site, but found nothing and departed alone.

Ling Xuanxiao left Shu Mountain to undergo tribulation, preparing a hidden cavern and deciding to attempt a first-grade Golden Core. As thunderclouds gathered, he faced the start of his breakthrough while Fanyue wandered as a disembodied soul, searching for a body.

• Ling Xuanxiao told Zhao Lu to cultivate and stay out of trouble while he went down the mountain to undergo tribulation.
• Ling Xuanxiao found Second Senior Brother drunk and heartbroken, then left without disturbing him.
• Di Nüfeng called for Fanyue, who severed their connection and struggled to understand who had sabotaged his third reincarnation.
• Ling Xuanxiao evaded anyone following him and entered a prepared underground cavern with traps, a Paper Figure, and formations to protect his tribulation.
• Ling Xuanxiao chose to attempt forming a first-grade Golden Core, and thunderclouds gathered above him.

Ling Xuanxiao faced the lightning tribulation to form a First-grade Golden Core while Fanyue attempted to possess his body. Ling Xuanxiao’s preparations trapped and killed Fanyue, and the resulting karmic return triggered a hidden variant of his tribulation.

• Ling Xuanxiao prepared to undergo the lightning tribulation and endured its first six bolts as he advanced toward forming a Golden Core.
• Fanyue spotted Ling Xuanxiao’s vulnerable state and charged through twelve Soul-Exterminating Formations, Shu Mountain True Fire, and ice lotuses to reach him.
• Fanyue possessed Ling Xuanxiao, but the body bound his soul and a Confucian Sage manifestation attacked him with golden rays.
• Ling Xuanxiao sensed an intruder but stayed focused on the tribulation, which seemed weaker than he had expected.
• After Ling Xuanxiao killed Fanyue, karma returned to him and the Heavenly Dao triggered a hidden variant.

Li Xuanxiao’s killing of Fanyue transformed his tribulation into a Six-Nine Great Heavenly Tribulation as he approached a Supreme-grade Golden Core. As the final bolt descended, he drew it away from the mountain to protect the beings there, leaving him vulnerable to the watching Evil Cultivators.

• After Li Xuanxiao killed Fanyue and gained immeasurable merit, his Four-Nine Minor Heavenly Tribulation changed into a Six-Nine Great Heavenly Tribulation.
• Li Xuanxiao prepared layers of protective clothing and magical items before the purple lightning struck him.
• Heavenly Cripple and Earthly Defect recognized that Li Xuanxiao was forming a Supreme-grade Golden Core and planned to kill him and take it after the tribulation.
• Li Xuanxiao endured the lightning with the Flood Dragon Armor and used a Dao character and medicinal silver needles to strengthen his Golden Core.
• When the final bolt threatened the mountain’s living beings, Li Xuanxiao flew away from his tribulation site and drew the lightning after him.
• Feng Sanniang and the lame old man watched Li Xuanxiao risk his life and prepared to take advantage of his compassion.

Ling Xuanxiao survived the tribulation and formed a Supreme-grade Golden Core, but his weakened state drew hostile cultivators who tried to exploit his compassion. He escaped their ambushes and killed the Lame Old Daoist, then continued fleeing as the Gold-Silver Blood Snake's poison began affecting him.

• Ling Xuanxiao emerged from the lightning tribulation with a Supreme-grade Golden Core and sensed numerous cultivators gathering nearby.
• Feng Sanniang threw a pair of Dao companions toward her pythons to force Ling Xuanxiao to choose whom to save, but he attacked and killed her while the pair died to the snakes.
• Ling Xuanxiao fled into the forest and used traps to kill the two one-armed brothers and the other pursuers following him.
• The Lame Old Daoist caught up and struck Ling Xuanxiao, but an Acquired Spirit Treasure absorbed the blow, and Gold-Silver Blood Snake venom killed the Daoist.
• Ling Xuanxiao finished off the Lame Old Daoist and kept fleeing, though his vision blurred and he needed a place to recuperate.

After recovering from his tribulation, Li Xuanxiao emerged from underground into Luoshui Town, where he could not use spiritual power and found a set of conflicting rules governing the town. As night approached, he entered a brightly lit inn to seek shelter.

• Li Xuanxiao spent three months recovering underground while his two puppets took turns digging.
• Li Xuanxiao emerged and discovered that he could neither circulate spiritual power nor use his earth-escape technique.
• Li Xuanxiao saw eleven rules for Luoshui Town appear, including restrictions on leaving, nighttime candles, and reporting to the Government Office.
• Li Xuanxiao reasoned that he had entered a rule-bound Blessed Land created by a deceased Integrated Body Realm Cultivator.
• As night neared, Li Xuanxiao walked through the quiet town and entered an inn, where the waiter asked if he wanted to stay.

Li Xuanxiao gathered with other trapped cultivators and confronted the rule requiring new residents to report to the Government Office, where they would lose their five senses. He found a way to satisfy both rules and left the Government Office with his senses restored.

• Li Xuanxiao explained the town's rules to Wen Qi and two other Qingmen Mountain Sect disciples, then went to his room to consider the reporting deadline and its penalty.
• Li Xuanxiao reunited with Zhang Tianxin and Han Yao, who had entered the town and delayed reporting to the Government Office.
• The next day, Li Xuanxiao and the others saw residents stripped of their senses and gathered with newcomers outside the Government Office.
• Li Xuanxiao deliberately removed his own five senses before entering the Government Office to report as a new resident.
• Li Xuanxiao emerged with all five senses restored, revealing that the office's penalty did not affect residents who had already lost them.

Liu Qiushui learned that Elder Sikong was about to be resurrected in Luoshui Town, while Li Xuanxiao tested the town’s rules and sought a way to escape the seven-day marriage requirement. The chapter ended as a constable ordered Li Mengyun to undress and sing.

• Liu Qiushui heard that Elder Sikong, a former Body Integration Realm elder of Heavenly Fiend Hall, was about to be resurrected in Luoshui Town and went to see him.
• After Ling Xuanxiao escaped a rule by severing and restoring his five senses, others copied him, while Lu Jing and Li Xuanxiao considered how to satisfy or circumvent the forced-wedding rule.
• Zhang Tianxin brought Li Mengyun to meet Li Xuanxiao as a possible marriage partner, though Li Xuanxiao remained focused on finding a way out of the Forbidden Zone.
• Two black-clad constables ordered the newcomers to kill one another, and one survivor remained after the group fought.
• Li Xuanxiao went downstairs to approach the constables, who ordered Li Mengyun to take off her clothes and sing.

Li Xuanxiao killed two constables, disguised himself in their black clothes, and entered the Mountain God Temple to test the town’s contradictory rules. Outside Luoshui Town, Liu Qiushui chose not to rescue him, while inside, Li Xuanxiao faced an azure dragon after his candle went out.

• Li Xuanxiao killed the skinny and fat constables, then gave Li Mengyun his clothes and took the constables’ black garments for himself.
• Li Xuanxiao discovered that constables could leave Luoshui Town and learned Rule Twelve, but suspected they still could not reveal the town’s secrets.
• Liu Qiushui recognized Li Xuanxiao as Murong Mo and decided not to risk destroying Elder Sikong’s restriction to save him.
• Li Xuanxiao entered the Mountain God Temple and confronted a massive azure dragon.
• The dragon lunged at Li Xuanxiao and extinguished his candle, but he stood firm under the rules that the temple was safe and the candle must not go out.

Ling Xuanxiao uncovered the truth behind the confinement of Luoshui Town and destroyed the Mountain God shrine to escape. The town vanished with the confinement, taking the countless people trapped there with it.

• Liu Qiushui left Ling Xuanxiao behind, expecting Elder Sikong to revive soon and everyone in the confinement to die.
• Zhang Tianxin killed the constables outside the Mountain God Temple, and Ling Xuanxiao put on blood-soaked clothes that triggered a new rule: he had to destroy the Mountain God to leave Luoshui Town.
• Zhang Haoran revealed that he had created the confinement to give his mayfly wife another life, despite the many innocent people who had died as a result.
• Ling Xuanxiao rejected Zhang Haoran's plea, beheaded the shrine, and condemned his obsession for the lives it had cost.
• The confinement faded and Luoshui Town vanished, along with the countless white bones within it.

Li Xuanxiao freed Luoshui Town, helped its survivors, and delivered the letters of the dead to their families before returning to Shu Mountain. Meanwhile, Liu Qiushui learned that the restriction had been broken and questioned her undercover agent about Murong Mo.

• Li Xuanxiao killed the Heavenly Fiend Hall disciples guarding Luoshui Town’s outskirts and burned their bodies.
• After the restriction vanished, Zhang Tianxin and Li Mengyun realized Li Xuanxiao had left; Zhang Tianxin led the people whose senses were sealed toward her sect.
• Li Xuanxiao performed the Rebirth Mantra, collected letters from the dead, and later delivered them with money to their families.
• Li Xuanxiao returned to Shu Mountain after delivering the last letter and reflected on the suffering caused by Zhang Haoran’s choices.
• Liu Qiushui learned that the restriction had been broken, Elder Sikong had died, and the guards had disappeared.
• Liu Qiushui confronted her undercover agent after discovering that Murong Mo was alive and hurt him for insisting Murong Mo had died.

Song Qize investigated Murong Mo’s disappearance at Liu Qiushui’s request, while Li Xuanxiao grew suspicious that the inquiry might expose his role in Murong Mo’s death. Song Qize learned that Li Xuanxiao had vanished alongside Murong Mo and went to find him at Silver Sword Peak.

• Liu Qiushui ordered Song Qize to find Murong Mo and lure him away from Shu Mountain, and Song Qize set off for the Murong Lineage.
• Li Xuanxiao overheard Song Qize mention Murong Mo and became alarmed, then returned to Silver Sword Peak and reunited with Zhao Lu.
• Li Xuanxiao investigated Song Qize’s ties to Murong Mo and worried that Song Qize might learn he had killed Murong Mo.
• Song Qize visited the Murong Lineage and questioned people who had worked with Murong Mo, but Su Wan was in seclusion and Jiang Luoshui barely remembered Murong Mo.
• Song Qize learned that Li Xuanxiao had disappeared alongside Murong Mo and went to Silver Sword Peak to seek him out.

Song Qize mistook Ling Xuanxiao for the Murong Mo Liu Qiushui sought, then lured him outside Shu Mountain so Liu Qiushui’s hidden Nascent Soul cultivators could capture him. Ling Xuanxiao ambushed Song Qize first and threatened him, leaving Song convinced that the Law Enforcement Hall had uncovered his undercover identity.

• Song Qize questioned Ling Xuanxiao about Murong Mo’s death and concluded that Liu Qiushui was actually looking for Ling Xuanxiao.
• Liu Qiushui punished Song Qize repeatedly for his mistakes, then confirmed Ling Xuanxiao’s identity from a portrait and ordered Song to lure him out of Shu Mountain.
• Song invited Ling Xuanxiao to search for a supposed Nascent Soul cultivator’s tomb, and Ling agreed while suspecting a trap.
• Song waited at their meeting place as two Nascent Soul cultivators hid nearby, unable to enter the Shushan Sword Formation’s range.
• Ling Xuanxiao, disguised and concealed beneath the ground, dragged Song into the earth, beat him, and held a Talisman Blade to his throat.
• Song mistook Ling Xuanxiao for a Law Enforcement Hall disciple and feared his undercover identity had been exposed.