Chapter Summaries

The other Shushan Holy Sons reacted to Chen Changqing’s plan to recruit followers, seeing it as a move toward competing for the next Sect Master’s position. On Changqing Peak, Willow Wood prepared the recruitment plan while Chen Changqing asked Little Black about the Heavenly Demon Clan, who said he wanted to return but that the time was not right.

• Luo Qingyi, Xiao Li, and Xuan Hao learned that Chen Changqing was recruiting followers and considered how to respond.
• Ji Changkong recalled his past conflicts with Chen Changqing and ordered a subordinate to watch Changqing Peak’s recruitment.
• The other Shushan Holy Sons watched the recruitment, which the sect permitted as part of its faction struggles.
• Willow Wood drafted a recruitment plan that considered disciples’ character and offered opportunities to ordinary disciples.
• Chen Changqing asked Little Black where the Heavenly Demon Clan lived and whether he wanted to return; Little Black said it was in the central Demon Domain and that the time was not right.

Rujie arrived at Changqing Peak seeking Chen Changqing’s help, surprising him with the news that he had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm. Rujie finally admitted he had a favor to ask, but Chen Changqing demanded that he get to the point.

• Ran Hua told Chen Changqing that Rujie from Tianyin Temple was waiting outside Changqing Peak and asked to see him.
• Black Bear and Xuan Snake guarded the mountain gate while Rujie waited and tried to charm Xuan Snake, who warned him to stop staring.
• Ran Hua brought Rujie to Chen Changqing, and Rujie was shocked to discover that Chen Changqing had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm.
• Chen Changqing asked why Rujie had come, and Rujie said he needed a favor and asked for help.
• Chen Changqing impatiently told Rujie to explain what he wanted.

Rujie asked Chen Changqing to help him defeat the Ghost Emperor in Yulan Village so he could earn merit in the Buddhist Holy Son contest, and Chen Changqing agreed. Before setting out, Chen Changqing brought Rujie to meet Xiaoqian, who explained that he had taken her in after Leiyin Temple monks slaughtered her town.

• Rujie told Chen Changqing that he was competing to become the Buddhist Holy Son and needed help defeating the Ghost Emperor in Yulan Village.
• Chen Changqing agreed to help Rujie, trusting him as a friend, and told Willow Wood to oversee Changqing Peak and recruit disciples while he was away.
• Chen Changqing and Rujie went to a valley on Changqing Peak, where Xiaoqian appeared.
• Xiaoqian told Rujie that Chen Changqing had brought her to Shushan Holy Land after Leiyin Temple monks slaughtered everyone in her town.

After Xiaoqian and Chen Changqing confirmed that Leiyin Temple monks had massacred a town, Rujie joined them in traveling to Yulan Village to hunt its ghost cultivators. Xiaoqian discovered that the Yulan Ghost Emperor’s wedding would bring three other Ghost Emperors to the village, but Chen Changqing remained undeterred.

• Rujie was horrified to learn from Xiaoqian and Chen Changqing that Leiyin Temple monks had slaughtered a town for cultivation.
• Chen Changqing asked Xiaoqian to accompany him and Rujie to Yulan Village, where they hoped to confront its ghost cultivators.
• After three days of travel, Chen Changqing sent Xiaoqian ahead to scout the village while he and Rujie concealed their auras.
• Xiaoqian returned and reported that the Yulan Ghost Emperor would marry a resentful Profound Yin female ghost in three days and had invited three other Ghost Emperors.
• Rujie urged Chen Changqing to retreat, but Chen Changqing asked whether he wanted to give up the merits from Yulan Village.

Chen Changqing persuaded Rujie to wait until the Yulan Ghost Emperor’s wedding and then attack all four Ghost Emperors together, promising to wipe out Yulan Village’s ghost cultivators. As the wedding began and the Ghost Emperors gathered, Chen Changqing, Rujie, and Xiaoqian hid nearby, with Rujie anxious about the coming fight and Chen Changqing confident.

• Xiaoqian pointed out that the Yulan Ghost Emperor’s wedding was three days away, and Rujie proposed attacking before it began.
• Chen Changqing suggested converting all four Ghost Emperors in one strike, and Rujie agreed to act with him three days later.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor welcomed the Blood Spring Ghost Emperor, the Withered Bone Ghost Emperor, and the Hundred Sons Ghost Mother to his wedding.
• Chen Changqing, Rujie, and Xiaoqian hid in Yulan Village while the wedding gathered many ghost cultivators.
• Rujie worried that they could not defeat the Ghost Emperors and their followers, but Chen Changqing told him to leave everything to him.

Chen Changqing, Rujie, and Xiaoqian waited in hiding as the Yulan Ghost Emperor’s wedding to the Profound Yin female ghost took place. Just as the Ghost Emperor prepared to take his bride to the bridal chamber, Daoist Sect cultivators arrived to attack the ghosts, infuriating Rujie, who feared they would take the merit he needed.

• Chen Changqing told Rujie and Xiaoqian to wait while he planned to wipe out the ghosts in one strike.
• The Profound Yin female ghost arrived at Yulan Village in a bone sedan chair carried by eight headless Ghost Generals.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor and the Profound Yin female ghost completed their wedding ceremony, and the ghosts celebrated with a banquet.
• As the Yulan Ghost Emperor prepared to take his bride to the bridal chamber, a Mid-stage Soul Transformation Daoist and six crimson-robed disciples arrived and declared they would destroy the ghosts.
• Rujie cursed the Daoists for arriving at that moment and potentially taking the merit he needed to compete for the Buddhist Sect Holy Son position.

Chen Changqing and his companions watched as the Daoist Sect party confronted the ghosts of Yulan Village, expecting the four Ghost Emperors to overwhelm them. The Yulan Ghost Emperor broke the Daoists’ array and fought their azure-robed leader, who was steadily driven back.

• Chen Changqing told Xiaoqian and Rujie to let the Daoist Sect make the first move because four Ghost Emperors were inside the main hall.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor and three other Ghost Emperors emerged with a host of ghosts, shocking the seven Daoist Sect cultivators who had expected to face only one Ghost Emperor.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor attacked the azure-robed Daoist leader, and the seven Daoists formed the Seven Stars Demon Subduing Array to block his saber strike.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor unleashed his Ghost Domain and shattered the array, sending the six Nascent Soul cultivators flying and spitting blood.
• The Yulan Ghost Emperor fought the azure-robed Daoist leader and kept him under pressure.

Daoist Qingxu and six Daoist Sect disciples strengthened their Seven Stars Demon Subduing Array and trapped Yulan Ghost Emperor in grinding sword-qi storms. As Rujie and Chen Changqing watched, Qingxu invoked the Five Thunders Orthodox Method: Palm Thunder, while three other Ghost Emperors remained ready nearby.

• Rujie and Xiaoqian watched Daoist Qingxu struggle against Yulan Ghost Emperor, and Rujie asked Chen Changqing when they should intervene.
• Chen Changqing told Rujie to wait as Qingxu and the six Nascent Soul disciples formed the Seven Stars Demon Subduing Array.
• Qingxu and the disciples reinforced the array, whose pillars of sword qi dissipated Yulan Ghost Emperor's attacks and compressed into deadly storms.
• Yulan Ghost Emperor panicked as the sword-qi storms ground down his ghostly spirits, while Chen Changqing warned Rujie that three other Ghost Emperors had yet to act.
• Qingxu chanted a true incantation and summoned the Five Thunders Orthodox Method: Palm Thunder.

Daoist Qingxu and the six Daoist Sect members were overwhelmed when three more ghost emperors joined Yulan Ghost Emperor’s attack, leaving Qingxu to face them alone. As Chen Changqing prepared to intervene, Qingxu invoked the Daoist Sect’s God Invocation Technique and his aura surged to the Tribulation Crossing Realm.

• Daoist Qingxu’s Palm Thunder clashed with Yulan Ghost Emperor’s ghost tide as the Sword Qi continued to close in.
• Blood Spring Ghost Emperor and Withered Bone Ghost Emperor attacked the Daoist Sect’s golden barrier with a sea of blood, bone spikes, and ghost fire.
• Hundred Sons Ghost Mother’s cries disrupted the six Daoist Sect disciples, the barrier shattered, and the sword formation collapsed, leaving the disciples injured and Daoist Qingxu badly wounded.
• Rujie urged Chen Changqing to help, and Chen Changqing prepared to move as the four ghost emperors gathered around Yulan Ghost Emperor.
• Daoist Qingxu chanted an invocation that transformed his aura and raised it to the Tribulation Crossing Realm, stunning the ghost emperors.

Daoist Qingxu used the God Invocation Technique to overwhelm the four Ghost Emperors, but his injuries made his power collapse before he could defeat them. Chen Changqing arrived in time to save him and challenged the Ghost Emperors, who mocked his cultivation.

• Rujie worried that Daoist Qingxu might kill the four Ghost Emperors and take the merit he needed.
• Daoist Qingxu summoned a massive Faxiang and struck through the Ghost Emperors’ combined defenses, pinning them beneath the sword’s pressure.
• Daoist Qingxu coughed up blood, lost control of the Faxiang, and fell as the four Ghost Emperors prepared to kill him.
• Chen Changqing’s sword strike blasted Yulan Ghost Emperor away, and Chen Changqing arrived with Rujie and Xiaoqian.
• Chen Changqing declared that he was a Shushan Disciple and would execute the Ghost Emperors, while Blood Spring Ghost Emperor mocked his Early Stage Soul Transformation cultivation.

Chen Changqing revealed the Immortal Artifact Heavenly Thunder Sword and wounded Blood Spring Ghost Emperor with a sudden strike, but the four Ghost Emperors surrounded him. He extracted the first four forms of the Eight Desolations Spear Art at Great Mastery and summoned a figure beside him.

• Chen Changqing brought out the Heavenly Thunder Sword, shocking Blood Spring Ghost Emperor, the other Ghost Emperors, Rujie, and Daoist Qingxu.
• Chen Changqing struck Blood Spring Ghost Emperor with the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, but Blood Spring Ghost Emperor survived with minor injuries.
• Blood Spring Ghost Emperor urged Yulan Ghost Emperor, Withered Bone Ghost Emperor, and Hundred Sons Ghost Mother to attack, and the four Ghost Emperors surrounded Chen Changqing.
• Xiaoqian tried to help Chen Changqing, but Rujie stopped her, while injured Daoist Qingxu could only watch.
• Chen Changqing extracted the first four forms of the Eight Desolations Spear Art at Great Mastery from the system and resumed its AFK Cultivation.
• Chen Changqing summoned a figure beside himself.

Chen Changqing summoned an avatar with the same Spirit Transformation aura and combat power as his own, and revealed that it wielded a second Immortal Artifact, the Dragon Pattern Sky-Splitting Spear. When the four Ghost Emperors attacked, Chen Changqing broke Yulan Ghost Emperor’s and Blood Spring Ghost Emperor’s assaults and badly wounded Blood Spring Ghost Emperor, leaving Yulan shaken.

• Chen Changqing summoned an avatar identical in aura and strength to his true body, shocking the Ghost Emperors and the Daoist Sect members watching.
• The avatar produced the High-grade Immortal Artifact Dragon Pattern Sky-Splitting Spear, making the Ghost Emperors even more eager to seize Chen Changqing’s treasures.
• The four Ghost Emperors attacked, with Yulan Ghost Emperor and Blood Spring Ghost Emperor targeting Chen Changqing while Withered Bone Ghost Emperor and Hundred Sons Ghost Mother faced his avatar.
• Chen Changqing used the first form of the Immortal Slaying Sword Technique to destroy Yulan Ghost Emperor’s ghost blades and Blood Spring Ghost Emperor’s blood skulls.
• Chen Changqing unleashed the second form of the Immortal Slaying Sword Technique, evaporating Blood Spring Ghost Emperor’s sea of blood and grievously wounding him.
• Yulan Ghost Emperor reeled in disbelief as Chen Changqing proved able to suppress him and Blood Spring Ghost Emperor together.

Chen Changqing and his avatar fought four ghost emperors at once, overcoming their attacks and killing several of them. The Blood Spring Ghost Emperor and the Hundred Sons Ghost Mother were pierced as they tried to flee.

• Chen Changqing's avatar defended against the Withered Bone Ghost Emperor and Hundred Sons Ghost Mother's combined assault with Black Tortoise Suppressing Abyss.
• The avatar wounded the Withered Bone Ghost Emperor and drove back the Hundred Sons Ghost Mother with the Azure Dragon Exploring the Sea and Vermilion Bird Burning the Heavens techniques.
• The avatar killed the Withered Bone Ghost Emperor with White Tiger Splitting the Earth, while Chen Changqing destroyed the Yulan Ghost Emperor's array and shredded him with God-Burying.
• The Blood Spring Ghost Emperor and Hundred Sons Ghost Mother turned to flee, but Chen Changqing's Heavenly Thunder Sword and his avatar's Dragon Pattern Sky-Splitting Spear pierced them.

Chen Changqing killed all four Ghost Sovereigns and wiped out the fleeing ghost cultivators around Yulan Village. Rujie gathered the battle merits from the fallen Ghost Sovereigns and prepared to return to Tianyin Temple to compete for the Buddhist Holy Son position.

• Chen Changqing slew the four Ghost Sovereigns, earning two hundred thousand AFK points and shocking Rujie, Xiaoqian, Daoist Qingxu, and the ghost cultivators.
• The ghost cultivators tried to flee, but Chen Changqing trapped them in his Invincible Sword Domain and killed every one with the Heavenly Thunder Sword and Dragon Pattern Sky-Splitting Spear.
• Rujie praised Chen Changqing’s strength and joked about taking on a Ghost Emperor, but Chen Changqing told him to get to work.
• Rujie collected the lights from the four Ghost Sovereigns’ remains in his Buddhist Dharma Artifact as battle merits for his bid to become Buddhist Holy Son.
• Rujie thanked Chen Changqing and said he had to return to Tianyin Temple, then prepared to part ways.

After defeating the Ghost Emperors at Yulan Village, Chen Changqing revealed his identity to Daoist Qingxu and left with Xiaoqian for the Shushan Holy Land. On the way, they discovered many cultivators gathered near a small town and learned they were heading to Tianyuan City.

• Rujie departed after helping Chen Changqing defeat the four Ghost Emperors, and the darkness over Yulan Village lifted.
• Daoist Qingxu and the remaining Daoist Sect disciples thanked Chen Changqing, then learned he was Shushan's Chen Changqing, the Azure Dragon Ranking's top cultivator who had reached Spirit Transformation.
• Chen Changqing collected the ghost cultivators' corpses and left with Xiaoqian, while Daoist Qingxu decided to report his astonishing progress to the Daoist Sect.
• On the way to Shushan, Chen Changqing noticed many cultivators in a small town and brought Xiaoqian to a tavern to investigate.
• The tavern waiter told Chen Changqing that the cultivators were heading to Tianyuan City, about a hundred li to the east.

Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian arrived in Tianyuan City and learned that a chessboard-like seal held Old Man Heavenly Inquiry’s inheritance. When the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game opened, they entered the seal with the other cultivators, finding a vast lake beneath a glowing sky.

• Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian arrived in Tianyuan City and noticed the many cultivators gathered around a chessboard-like seal.
• Chen Changqing listened to the tavern patrons explain that Old Man Heavenly Inquiry’s inheritance could be won by breaking the game when it opened.
• Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian waited three days in Tianyuan City for the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game to begin.
• An aged voice announced the game’s opening, and Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian entered the seal with the other cultivators.
• Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian found themselves in another world above a vast, tranquil lake.

Chen Changqing and Xiaoqian arrived at the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game, where a Titled True Monarch hosted a contest for Old Man Heavenly Inquiry's inheritance. After Lin Yiqiu challenged the host with his sword-based chess Dao, he was defeated and injured, leaving Chen Changqing to observe the game.

• Chen Changqing arrived with Xiaoqian and sensed that the Old Man in Green Robe was a Titled True Monarch.
• The Old Man in Green Robe explained that the winner of one chess game would receive his master's inheritance, while Chen Changqing learned that the contest tested a player's Dao heart, comprehension, and Great Dao.
• Lin Yiqiu of the Swordplay Pavilion stepped forward and began a game with the black pieces, turning each move into a display of Sword Intent.
• The Old Man in Green Robe calmly countered Lin Yiqiu's attacks until his white pieces trapped and broke the young man's Sword Momentum.
• Lin Yiqiu spat blood and was thrown backward, shocked that his sword and Dao had been so easily defeated.

Lin Yiqiu, Yin Jiuyou, Huiming, and True Person Xuanbing each challenged the old man in green robes at the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game, but none could defeat him. After Xuanbing left unharmed and other challengers were also beaten, the crowd was left silent and helpless.

• Lin Yiqiu crashed onto the lakeshore after losing, visibly battered and dazed.
• Yin Jiuyou of Hundred Ghosts Cliff used ghostly traps, but the old man broke his Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Array on the seventy-second move and blasted him away.
• Huiming of Leiyin Temple tried to purify the game with Buddhist Dharma, but the old man shattered his pure land, and Huiming left injured.
• True Person Xuanbing of the North Pole Palace played with icy moves, but the old man overcame his strategy, and Xuanbing admitted defeat without suffering backlash.
• More challengers played and lost, leaving the lakeside silent as they watched the old man remain calm.

Chen Changqing watched as Bai Wuya, the White-clothed Spear King and his martial uncle from Shushan, arrived to challenge the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game. The cultivators were awed by Bai Wuya’s power, but whether he could solve the game remained unknown.

• After no cultivators stepped forward to challenge the game, Xiaoqian asked Chen Changqing whether he would make a move.
• Bai Wuya appeared and declared that he would try the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game, startling everyone with his overwhelming aura.
• The cultivators recognized Bai Wuya as the Half-step Heavenly Monarch known as the White-clothed Spear King, one of the Jiuzhou Continent’s top experts.
• Chen Changqing recognized Bai Wuya as his martial uncle and recalled how he had saved him from hostile sect experts in the Immortal Mountain Secret Realm.
• Xiaoqian learned that Bai Wuya was from Shushan and belonged to the same generation as Chen Changqing’s master, while the crowd debated whether he could solve the game.

Bai Wuya challenged the Heavenly Inquiry Chess Game with his Spear Dao but lost on the 247th move. As the crowd despaired, Chen Changqing stepped forward to try, identifying himself as a Shushan Disciple and greeting Bai Wuya as his Martial Uncle.

• Bai Wuya formed black stones from his Spear Dao laws and played the Old Man in Green Robe, whose white stones wove a net that countered his spear intent.
• On the 247th move, the old man struck the core of Bai Wuya's killing formation and dispersed its power, so Bai Wuya conceded defeat.
• The crowd was shocked that even the Half-step Heavenly Monarch had lost, and the Old Man in Green Robe prepared to end the game when no one else volunteered.
• Chen Changqing stepped forward to challenge the game, drawing surprise and mockery from the crowd.
• Chen Changqing introduced himself as a Shushan Disciple and bowed to Bai Wuya, calling him Martial Uncle.