Chapter Summaries

Qiu Tu received a Political Department squad as reinforcements and recognized that Yan Chen and Jia Shu had placed a test of his authority in his path. He established command over the squad and forced its captain, Cao Dabiao, to acknowledge him as Superior before assigning him a task.

• Qiu Tu returned to his courtyard and found Political Department investigators openly stationed there, drawing attention from servants in the Qin Family estate.
• Fang Ming introduced Investigator Cao Dabiao and Investigator Chen Feng, the captain and vice-captain of the reinforcement squad, to Qiu Tu.
• Qiu Tu assembled the squad, declared himself its commander and Superior, and ordered everyone to attention and salute.
• Qiu Tu ordered Cao Dabiao to address him as Superior and threatened him with a charge of defying orders when he resisted.
• Cao Dabiao yielded and addressed Qiu Tu as Superior, and Qiu Tu announced that he had a task for him.

Qiu Tu took charge of the Investigation Department as acting Director, while rumors about his beating Lin Ting spread under the cover of a gag order. After assigning Guan Xiao to find the Evil Gods who had infiltrated New Realm City, he prepared to refine the Area Center and become the Area Master.

• Mid-level officials uncovered the truth about Qiu Tu defeating Lin Ting, and rumors spread through the Investigation Department despite the gag order.
• Lin Ting heard theories that Qiu Tu had manipulated the rumors, smashed items in his office, and collapsed after coughing up blood.
• Qiu Tu prepared to move from the Political Department to the 12th Floor, where Guan Xiao visited him and confirmed that she had followed his instructions to spread the news.
• Qiu Tu told Guan Xiao that her appointment as Deputy Minister was finalized and tasked her with finding the Evil Gods who had infiltrated New Realm City.
• Qiu Tu moved into the Deputy Director's office and, after finishing work that evening, prepared to refine the Area Center and become the Area Master.

Qiu Tu bluffed Shen Ling Shuang and Li Feng with Zhao Ji’s aura and his Order Space, then began moving troops to pressure the rival factions. Shen Yuzhou learned that Qiu Tu had taken in the missing Shen Ling Er, failed to reach him privately, and prepared to attend the final three-party talks.

• Shen Yuzhou questioned Zhu Wu about Qiu Tu, and she explained that Qiu Tu had targeted Li Feng with a Calamity Ability before Shen Yuzhou insisted that Zhu Wu was his only daughter, Shen Ling Shuang.
• Li Feng told her adjutant that Qiu Tu had made her unable to move or resist, so she would wait and see rather than act against him.
• Qiu Tu revealed that he had used Zhao Ji’s God Seal to frighten Shen Ling Shuang and his Order Space to restrain Li Feng, then devised a second plan and summoned a petite evil god girl from his Soul Shackles Altar.
• Troops in the 7th Shelter and allied forces began moving, prompting Shen Yuzhou to urge Li Feng to keep pressuring Qiu Tu; Li Feng refused to attack but agreed to delay congratulating him on becoming Vice Chief.
• An intelligence report showed Shen Yuzhou that Qiu Tu had taken in the missing Shen Ling Er, whom he also called Shen Ling Shuang; Shen Yuzhou killed the messenger after Zhu Wu taunted him about it.
• After Qiu Tu ignored Shen Yuzhou’s attempts to contact him, Shen Yuzhou and Zhu Wu set out for the final three-party talks at ten that night.

Qiu Tu learned that Jia Shu’s dismissal would proceed despite Huang Shangzong’s influence, and resolved to act before Jia Shu left New Realm City. He then took a call with Director Liu to persuade him about Jia Wei’s account.

• Tang Feifei told Qiu Tu that Huang Shangzong had reduced Jia Shu’s charges, but the Supervisory Committee still approved dismissing him from his post and Shelter status.
• Tang Feifei explained that Jia Shu was expected to leave New Realm City by the following night, and Qiu Tu decided he had enough time to pursue his plan.
• Qiu Tu thanked Tang Feifei, agreed to visit her that night, and joked with Liu Fuping about fixing a broken water pipe.
• Liu Fuping told Qiu Tu that Director Liu had agreed to hear his thoughts on Jia Wei’s account, but would give him only three minutes.
• Qiu Tu entered the neighboring Interrogation Room and greeted Liu Xiongyuan over the communicator.

Qiu Tu became the Area Master of the New World Area by refining its Area Center, gaining control over its terrain and rules. Whale Shark and Evil Moon discovered that their efforts to refine the Earth Vein Nodes had been undone, and Evil Moon identified Tang Feifei as the apparent culprit.

• Qiu Tu entered the Boundless Mind Sea in his Third Order body and located Whale Shark and Evil Moon refining Earth Vein Nodes.
• Qiu Tu hid beneath a swamp and refined the final portion of the Area Center.
• Qiu Tu became the New World Area’s Area Master, changed its attribute from Life to Order, and erased several Earth Vein Nodes Whale Shark and Evil Moon had refined.
• Qiu Tu learned that owning nine areas qualified a Cataclysm Creature to enter the Boundless Mind Sea’s Core Area.
• Whale Shark raged over losing his progress, and Evil Moon said Tang Feifei had announced her advancement to Fourth Order after obtaining the Area Center.

Secretary Bai explained that Yan Chen’s advancement could secure him a powerful political position in the newly established East Industry State, then revealed that Yan Chen planned to devour La Riluo to reach Fourth Order. Qiu Tu realized Yan Chen had used his efforts against La Riluo’s followers to weaken her, just as a vast tree phantom appeared over New Realm City.

• Secretary Bai explained Tang Feifei’s powerful connections and why strength mattered in the coming selection of East Industry State’s Deputy Speakers.
• Qiu Tu realized Yan Chen could become a leading candidate by advancing to Fourth Order after the Investigation Department’s strongest contender was vetoed.
• Secretary Bai told Qiu Tu that Yan Chen’s Calamity Path was Life, matching La Riluo’s path.
• Qiu Tu deduced that Yan Chen intended to devour La Riluo, both advancing himself and erasing Secretary Bai’s status as her follower.
• A pillar of green light rose outside, and a giant tree phantom appeared above New Realm City.

Qiu Tu recruited Huang Shangzong to help Tang Feifei command the campaign against the 7th Shelter, while he arranged a political takeover plan with Kou Xuan and Consort Xi. Consort Xi spent the night expecting Qiu Tu to imprison or pursue her, but woke to find herself free as the 7th Shelter publicly denounced him.

• Huang Shangzong and Rao Shou judged Qiu Tu's plan to seize the 7th Shelter militarily risky because he lacked experienced commanders.
• Qiu Tu asked Tang Wanfeng to lend him a military commander, and Rao Shou agreed to send Huang Shangzong and Yan Chen to assist Tang Feifei.
• Qiu Tu outlined a plan for the Sixth Shelter to abolish its monarchy and for Consort Xi to reclaim Lin Family authority in the 7th Shelter, with invasion as a fallback.
• Qiu Tu told Consort Xi she could return to her own residence, and she found no guards, surveillance, or ambushes there.
• Consort Xi learned that the 7th Shelter had issued an official letter accusing Qiu Tu of extending his demonic claws into the northwest region.

Zhao Ji and La Riluo coordinated a plan to conceal Qiu Tu’s rapid progress by refining Boundless Mind Sea Areas alongside him, drawing the Northwest factions’ attention toward Zhao Ji. While Qiu Tu used the diversion to keep growing, White Robe revealed a Heavenly God Skill in Sangma City just as a group from Heaven's Punishment Alliance approached.

• La Riluo told Zhao Ji that Qiu Tu wanted her to refine nearby areas as a smokescreen, while Qing Lan and Zhu Wu remained hidden to protect him.
• Zhao Ji and La Riluo began alternating area refinements with Qiu Tu, but the factions noticed Zhao Ji’s involvement and shifted their attention from Qiu Tu to her.
• Qiu Tu used the diversion to refine more areas and arranged for Calamity Materials to be delivered to both his and Zhao Ji’s cities.
• In Sangma City, Zhi Yan questioned White Robe about his assignment, and he used Mending the Heavens to repair a crack in the world and stop overflowing Calamity Power.
• Four members of Heaven's Punishment Alliance arrived and began discussing whether to attack early.

Qiu Tu reached Fifth Order Peak and reasoned that the World Origin was suppressing him because it had not recognized him as an Earth Deity. Consort Xi offered cooperation, Luo Luo, and Mountain Root in exchange for help bringing down the Kou Family, while Guan Xiao uncovered that King Kang had received Mountain Root from an ally in the Third Shelter.

• Qiu Tu reached Fifth Order Peak and concluded that becoming an Earth Deity might let him wield power beyond the world's limits.
• Qiu Tu reflected on the Mist Veil Society's strength, the strategic value of Mountain Root, and his readiness to advance to Sixth Order.
• Guan Xiao brought Luo Luo to Qiu Tu with a letter from Consort Xi proposing cooperation, offering Luo Luo and Mountain Root in return for help bringing down the Kou Family.
• Qiu Tu recognized that Consort Xi's offer changed the terms he had proposed and said he would consider whether to cooperate.
• Guan Xiao reported that King Kang's rise had been backed by an important figure from the Third Shelter, who had supplied him with Mountain Root.

Qiu Tu used the Soul Shackles to subdue a Yellow Phantom, then brought it and two others to Shen Ling Shuang, who modified the artifact for him. As Old Tang traveled to East Industry State to investigate Yellow Phantoms and Area Masters, Huang Shangzong realized Qiu Tu’s latest major achievement was probably connected to them.

• Qiu Tu discovered that the Soul Shackles’ punishment crystal summoned lightning, then watched a Yellow Phantom mother and daughter beat the one he had struck.
• Qiu Tu decided to keep the mother and daughter for questioning and bring the other Yellow Phantom to Shen Ling Shuang, then arrived at her villa with a motorcade.
• Shen Ling Shuang modified Qiu Tu’s Soul Shackles overnight after he insisted she rest, and presented the finished artifact the next morning.
• Old Tang traveled toward New Realm City as his aide reported that Area Masters had suffered vision problems and loss of strength before reaching late Fourth Order.
• Old Tang credited Qiu Tu and Feifei for their contributions, while Huang Shangzong suspected Qiu Tu’s latest achievement involved Yellow Phantoms and Area Masters.

Qiu Tu’s scheme secured his path toward becoming Investigation Department Director and an East Industry State Councilor, while he used Yan Yan to persuade Ai Li that he could save her. The chapter ended with Huang Shangzong joining Ai Li’s call and Qiu Tu appearing before La Riluo as she absorbed Zhao Ji’s stolen treasures.

• Huang Shangzong agreed to give Qiu Tu the Investigation Department Director position, hoping Qiu Tu would fail in the role.
• Qiu Tu recalled how he had combined the Yellow Phantom Image intelligence and La Riluo’s release into a scheme to advance his standing and pursue a councilor seat.
• Yan Yan told the suspended Ai Li that Qiu Tu had offered to save her in exchange for either Huang Shangzong’s approval of his promotion or three days of Yan Yan’s company.
• Ai Li confirmed with Secretary Zheng that three Deputy Speakers had opposed Huang Shangzong and one had abstained, then learned Huang Shangzong wanted to speak with her.
• La Riluo absorbed the Boundless God Crystals she had taken from Zhao Ji’s treasure vault, and Qiu Tu appeared before her.

Qiu Tu reasoned that Zhao Ji would allow him to keep La Riluo safe while pursuing control of the New World Area, then used Emerald Shadow Dragon Yi Yi to map the area in the Boundless Mind Sea. When he revealed Zhao Ji’s aura through the Boundless God Crystal, three Evil Gods pursuing him fled, leaving Qiu Tu in a stronger position to continue his search.

• Qiu Tu concluded that Zhao Ji would not stop him as long as La Riluo survived, and set out for New Realm City with Tan Huimin and the Boundless God Crystal.
• Qiu Tu used the Dimensional Magic Ring to store the crystal, then entered the Boundless Mind Sea that night with the Charm Skull and Doppelganger Mirror.
• Qiu Tu rode Emerald Shadow Dragon Yi Yi through the Primeval Forest to map the New World Area while three Evil Gods secretly followed him.
• The three Evil Gods mistook Qiu Tu for a weak believer of La Riluo and discussed following him to find the Area Center.
• Qiu Tu pulled a divine corpse fragment from his Dimensional Space and activated the Boundless God Crystal, releasing Zhao Ji’s powerful aura across the area.
• The burly Evil God fled immediately, and the aged voice and child withdrew soon after.

The East Divine King planned to invite Qiu Tu to the Crimson Territory under threat of a joint attack by three God Kings. After Doris told Qiu Tu she would hand him over, he insisted she had never intended to betray him, leaving her curious about how he knew.

• The East Divine King told the Meteor City Lord that the East and West God Kings could support the North God King in taking the Crimson Territory, using their Heavenly God avatars and citing Qiu Tu as a reason to cooperate.
• The East Divine King ordered an invitation sent to Qiu Tu, while warning Doris that the God Kings could use force if she refused.
• Doris tried to regain control of her conversation with Qiu Tu, then received the East Divine King's letter and concluded that the Crimson Territory could not defeat three God Kings.
• At a lavish private banquet, Doris told Qiu Tu she planned to hand him over at noon the next day and offered to compensate him.
• After jokingly asking Doris to sleep with him, Qiu Tu said he knew she had never intended to betray him, and Doris asked why he believed that.

Qiu Tu convinced La Riluo that he had not betrayed her by inventing a date for Moonlight Lake’s condensation and explaining away his actions. After temporarily regaining her trust, he went to the Investigation Department and heard agents speculate about promotions in the Political Department.

• Qiu Tu told La Riluo that Moonlight Lake would condense in four days and claimed the Military Departments had surrounded it.
• Qiu Tu explained that he had sold Jia Wei out because of jealousy and that the Security Department had forced him to have La Riluo’s summoning mark removed.
• La Riluo accepted Qiu Tu’s explanation provisionally and decided to wait four days to judge whether his intelligence was true.
• Qiu Tu planned to locate La Riluo’s current body and kill her, or discard the ancient coin and cut off contact if he could not find her.
• Qiu Tu arrived at the Investigation Department and heard agents discuss candidates for the Political Department’s new Minister and Deputy Minister, while none considered him a contender.

Bai Ru revealed that Yin Caimei had been intimate with numerous City Hall officials, explaining why powerful people wanted the case suppressed. Qiu Tu chose to continue the investigation and, after sending Chen Feng the signal to proceed, joined the officials at a nightclub with Bai Ru.

• Bai Ru told Qiu Tu that she had repeatedly seen Yin Caimei attend banquets with men other than Vice President Tian and leave with them.
• Qiu Tu realized that many City Hall officials had shared Yin Caimei and understood why the case had brought danger and conflict between Yan Chen and Jia Shu.
• Bai Ru asked Qiu Tu to spare her husband, Qian Dafu, whom she said had been wrongly accused.
• Qiu Tu brought Bai Ru into the group of officials, who took their closeness as a sign that he would protect them from the investigation.
• At the Nightclub in Emerald City Fortress, Qiu Tu received Chen Feng's coded message and replied with the signal to make their move.

Qiu Tu rejected Shen Yuzhou’s demands that the 7th Shelter accept outside oversight, then bluffed his way through a confrontation with a Seventh Order Heavenly God Reincarnation and challenged Li Feng. After Qiu Tu left, Li Feng said she needed to reassess him, while Shen Yuzhou summoned the girl resembling Shen Ling Shuang to ask why Li Feng had acted strangely.

• Consort Xi defended the coup as lawful, but Shen Yuzhou dismissed her argument and demanded that Qiu Tu answer for it.
• Shen Yuzhou demanded a Special Envoy, outside approval for elder appointments, extraterritorial offices, and regular payments in exchange for recognizing the 6th and 7th Shelters.
• When Qiu Tu refused, the girl resembling Shen Ling Shuang revealed Seventh Order power, but fled after Qiu Tu invoked Zhao Ji and threatened the group.
• Li Feng challenged Qiu Tu, who approached her, pinched her cheek, and threatened her before giving the Shelters half a day to reconsider their relationship with the Northwest Region.
• Qiu Tu left the Reception Room, followed by Consort Xi; Li Feng then left after saying she needed to reassess him.
• Shen Yuzhou summoned the girl resembling Shen Ling Shuang and asked what she had seen and why Li Feng had acted strangely.

After Zhao Ji killed Nine-Headed Lion and captured Jackal Dog, Qiu Tu’s victory shook the Human Faction and gave him the momentum to invade the 7th Shelter. The allied forces occupied Phoenix Perch State, while the Han, Zhao, and Wei Families debated whether they could resist Qiu Tu or should surrender.

• Jackal Dog concluded that Qiu Tu’s political strategy and treatment of his subordinates made joining him more promising than serving the Mist Veil Society.
• Qiu Tu praised Zhao Ji after she killed Nine-Headed Lion, and Zhao Ji gave him a jade tablet containing a slowed recording of her Heaven-Sundering sword technique.
• News that Zhao Ji and Qiu Tu had killed Nine-Headed Lion and captured Jackal Dog spread through the Shelters, shocking their leaders and raising Qiu Tu’s profile.
• Qiu Tu ordered Tang Feifei, Huang Shangzong, and Yan Chen to send troops into the 7th Shelter, and the allied forces occupied Phoenix Perch State after Cheng Hong fled.
• Consort Xi demanded recognition as an elder of the 7th Shelter under the founding agreement, prompting Zhao Pan, Han Qidong, and Wei Zhengze to debate how to respond.
• Wei Zhengze urged surrender because the 7th Shelter could not stop Qiu Tu, while Zhao Pan and Han Qidong worried that he might remain and take control.

Old Pang intervened in the standoff between Huang Shangzong and Qiu Tu, and the investigation revealed that Qiu Tu had not spent the night with Xue Er. The Shelter dismissed Huang Shangzong, gave Qiu Tu a warning, and appointed Old Pang to oversee both states as Qiu Tu began examining the political maneuvers behind the incident.

• Ye Mingfeng relayed Qiu Tu’s order to block Huang Shangzong’s guards, and Huang Shangzong responded by blocking the roads into and out of East City.
• Old Pang arrived, ordered Huang Shangzong to open the roads, and summoned Qiu Tu to answer the accusation concerning Xue Er.
• Qiu Tu denied being intimate with Xue Er, and a female division chief confirmed that Xue Er was still a virgin.
• Huang Shangzong realized that Qiu Tu had been with Yan Yan instead, while Old Pang recognized that Huang Shangzong had acted on false intelligence.
• The Shelter removed Huang Shangzong as Speaker, gave Qiu Tu a warning, and appointed Old Pang Two States Garrison Commander.
• Qiu Tu sat in his office and began analyzing the political maneuvers behind the incident.

Qiu Tu exposed and defeated Scarlet Widow, who had impersonated Yan Chen’s daughter to assassinate him, then staged his own near-death to make the attack look convincing. Tang Feifei presented the scene to Investigation Department officials and demanded to know why the assassin had posed as Yan Yan.

• Qiu Tu revealed that the apparent victim was an Unscrupulous Dummy and let Tang Feifei defeat Scarlet Widow in her true form.
• Qiu Tu looted Scarlet Widow’s Doppelganger Mirage and Ten Thousand Waters Silk, then explained how he had noticed the impostor’s mismatched temperament and uncovered the assassination plot.
• Qiu Tu used Ten Thousand Waters Silk to wound himself and arranged the office to look like he had nearly been killed.
• Tang Feifei broke through the office wall, and Tan Huimin called for help to draw the Investigation Department officials to the scene.
• Yu Zhengyi questioned Tang Feifei, who identified Scarlet Widow as the assassin and asked why she had disguised herself as Director Yan’s daughter.

Qiu Tu survived Yan Chen’s assassination attempt and accepted Yan Chen’s offer to lead a strike against an Alliance stronghold, leaving Yan Chen uneasy about what Qiu Tu was planning. Qiu Tu’s Crisis Intuition had revealed the assassination plot and the stronghold Yan Chen meant to use as a cover, allowing Qiu Tu to turn Yan Chen’s plan to his advantage.

• Yan Chen claimed that the assassin had impersonated Yan Yan and blamed the attack on the Alliance, then offered Qiu Tu permission and troops to raid an Alliance stronghold.
• Qiu Tu accepted the offer and urged the raid to happen that night so the missing assassin would not alert the Alliance.
• Yan Chen agreed, and the officials left as the confrontation ended without further escalation.
• Tang Feifei remarked that accepting Yan Chen’s terms was unlike Qiu Tu, who explained that Crisis Intuition had warned him about Yan Chen and Scarlet Widow’s plan to kill him.
• Qiu Tu realized Yan Chen intended to blame the Alliance and reveal a hidden stronghold, then decided to use that plan to turn the assassination into a real attack on the Alliance.