Chapter Summaries

Liang Qu fought the Three Heroes of Xihe Prefecture, revealing overwhelming movement and body-tempering abilities while allowing them to display their techniques. After praising their moves, he defeated them with a two-stage spear attack, leaving them beaten in the ruined arena.

• Yin Yingbo used the Yin Yang Two Phases Scripture to make the Three Heroes’ attacks shift between illusion and reality, and Liang Qu recognized the technique.
• Peng Chuji struck Liang Qu with her Leaf Hammer, but his body resisted the blow and its rebound sent her flying.
• Liang Qu urged the Three Heroes to use all their moves, then parried their coordinated attacks with Fubo as the fight wrecked the arena.
• Liang Qu unleashed a diagonal spear cleave that the Three Heroes managed to block, then swept his spear again and sent all three crashing into the ground.
• Liang Qu stood over the defeated Three Heroes and called their moves not bad.

Liang Qu learned that villagers had built a small temple in his honor, then returned home after the relief operation ended. There, he received gifts from the Old Monk and the Mermaid Tribe, including three Profound Yellow Tokens in a dragon-patterned imperial box.

• Villagers in Xihe Prefecture discussed Liang Qu’s victory over the three families as their spirits recovered from the disaster.
• Liang Qu noticed that entering the Huai River had increased his River’s Favor, then learned through Little Mirage Dragon that hunters had built him a temple in Donghao County.
• A wealthy woman offered a hundred-tael silver note to become the temple keeper, and the hunter agreed after considering the payment.
• Liang Qu submerged the Treasure Ship to avoid the Iron Head Fish and returned home, where Oolong and the villagers welcomed him.
• Long Yao and Long Li told Liang Qu that the Old Monk and Quan Linghan had sent gifts, and Liang Qu found three Profound Yellow Tokens in the Old Monk’s dragon-patterned box.

Liang Qu received three Profound Yellow Tokens from the Old Monk and weighed whether to use them to upgrade River Chief's Favor or the Vortex Palace. He postponed the choice until the Imperial Capital and gave Long E Ying a specially made garment, leaving her to wonder how she could fight while wearing it.

• Liang Qu counted the three Carefree Gold pieces and decided to postpone choosing an upgrade until he reached the Imperial Capital.
• Liang Qu read the transfer document and letter from the Old Monk, confirming the tokens were transferred to him and learning about the accompanying small tokens and their precautions.
• Liang Qu considered the Old Monk's support and reflected on how the court's Profound Yellow Token system worked.
• Long E Ying discovered the specially prepared Mermaid Silk garment in her suitcase and asked Liang Qu why he had made it.
• Liang Qu promised to find Long E Ying a shape-changing spirit garment so she could bind the garment when she fought.

Liang Qu arranged leave, handled official and household matters, and prepared for a lengthy trip to the Imperial Capital. In late September, Sea Market Master arrived with news that Whale Emperor had agreed to fulfill their promises.

• Liang Qu showed Long E Ying a close-fitting spiritual garment made by the Merfolk, and Long Yao and Long Li asked to have garments made for themselves.
• Liang Qu secured six months of leave from Su Guishan, collected several months of salary, and asked Li Shoufu to help the Merfolk.
• Xu Shi told Liang Qu she planned to go to the Imperial Capital and urged him to register his marriage with Long E Ying at the Prefectural Office.
• Ta Ta Kai delivered Liang Qu's letters to the post station for dispatch to several prefectures.
• In late September, Sea Market Master arrived and told Liang Qu that Whale Emperor had agreed to fulfill their earlier promises.

The Sea Market Master consolidated her rule over the Octopus Clan, delivered Great Medicines and Creation Great Medicines to the imperial court, and reunited with Liang Qu. After building up his Marsh Essence, Liang Qu departed for the Imperial Capital under a powerful escort.

• The Sea Market Master paid tribute to the Whale Emperor, secured control of the Treasure Vault, and brought the imperial court its promised treasures.
• Su Guishan, Wei Lin, Xu Yuelong, and Liang Qu inspected the Great Medicines and arranged for the Treasure Ship to carry them safely north.
• The Sea Market Master reunited with Liang Qu, handed Jianghuai trade matters to Hai Yun, and asked Liang Qu to visit Sea Abyss Palace in winter.
• Liang Qu converted resources from the Dragon Man Tribe, the Great Beaver, the sea merchants, and Quan Linghan into Marsh Essence, raising his reserve to over five hundred thirty thousand.
• In mid-October, Liang Qu departed aboard the Treasure Ship for the Imperial Capital with ten True Images escorting the fleet.

Liang Qu’s fleet traveled safely toward the Imperial Capital while the Frog King began an unusual hibernation that Old Toad said would lead to greater strength. After arriving in the capital, Liang Qu arranged to exchange for Profound Yellow Tokens and rent a training room.

• Ta Ta Kai and Great Beaver used a monocular to watch the animals and crew aboard Liang Qu’s Treasure Ship as the fleet sailed toward the Imperial Capital.
• Fist and Fat Catfish continued working on the Frog King’s palace, then found the Frog King curled up and silent in his cave.
• Old Toad announced that the Frog King was hibernating, and Da Pang, Er Pang, and Frog Clan members gathered to guard him.
• Liang Qu heard about the Frog King’s hibernation and wondered whether the Sea Market Master’s treasure had helped trigger his advancement.
• After more than ten days at sea, Liang Qu’s fleet reached Accumulated Water Pond in the Imperial Capital, where he applied for two Profound Yellow Tokens and a three-month Moon Gazing Tower training room rental.

Liang Qu secured a cultivation room in Moon Gazing Tower for his upcoming breakthrough and obtained the Sacred Emperor’s permission to exchange his saved merits for spiritual robes for the Dragon Girl. Back at Liang Residence, he began his final preparations by investing essence in River Chief’s Favor.

• Liang Qu learned that Moon Gazing Tower’s cultivation rooms were fully booked, but Record Keeper Lou obtained special permission to hold room A3 on the twenty-fifth floor for him.
• Liang Qu registered Yang Dongxiong, Long E Ying, and Ta Ta Kai as authorized entrants to the cultivation room.
• After receiving two strands of Profound Yellow Energy, Liang Qu discovered that the Sacred Emperor had returned two great merits and asked to exchange them toward Phoenix Cry Rainbow Feather Wind.
• The Sacred Emperor approved the exchange for the spiritual robes, which Liang Qu intended as betrothal gifts for the Dragon Girl.
• Liang Qu sat in the Quiet Room of Liang Residence and invested thirty thousand essence to raise River Chief’s Favor.

Liang Qu chose to sublimate River Lord's Favor and endured its chilling transformation as he advanced to the third level of Martial Dao Divinity. As the experience left him facing the Divine General and suffering the spear's strike firsthand, Long E Ying discovered that the mysterious Spirit Clothes Liang Qu had sent her was hidden inside an apparently empty box.

• Liang Qu chose to sublimate River Lord's Favor rather than Vortex Palace, and the Favor's cold roots spread through his body before he merged with the towering spear-wielding Divine General.
• A eunuch delivered Long E Ying a Treasure Box containing Phoenix Cry Rainbow Feather Wind, and Xu Shi explained its rarity and unusual origins.
• Long E Ying opened the box and revealed the invisible Spirit Clothes by reaching inside and pinching it.
• Liang Qu endured the freezing tempering in seclusion and entered the vision of the fourth River Lord Slaying Flood Dragon.
• Liang Qu recognized that the visions alternated between River Lord and Flood Dragon, then felt the Divine General's spear cleave into his skull, causing unbearable pain.

Liang Qu fought a dragon-headed, fish-bodied Great Demon inside the fourth Slaying the Flood Dragon illusion and defeated it with Fubo. Outside the Quiet Room, Long E Ying and the others tested a spirit garment that transformed from wind into clothing.

• After the Flood Dragon died, Liang Qu absorbed the lingering Dao resonance as fish and beasts devoured one another and nine Great Demons emerged.
• The illusion narrowed to the smallest Great Demon, which saw Liang Qu and attacked him as he wielded Fubo.
• Long E Ying explained that the spirit garment was made of wind, and Long Li and Long Yao each drew it from the Treasure Box.
• Xu Shi observed that the garment took longer to vanish the longer someone touched it, and the group brought Ta Ta Kai over to test it.
• Liang Qu battled the dragon-headed, fish-bodied Great Demon in his Sea of Consciousness and struck it down with Fubo.

After gaining the fourth level of Martial Dao Divinity, Liang Qu discovered that his Golden Eye let him judge strength by the vividness of a person’s colors and use his will to sever an object’s essence. With new confidence, he prepared to enter seclusion and advance, but then noticed the treasure box containing his spirit garment.

• Liang Qu recovered from Slaying the Flood Dragon and discovered his River Master Emperor’s Favor had granted him the fourth level of Martial Dao Divinity and transformed his Golden Eye.
• Liang Qu used his Golden Eye and spear intent to sever the copper lamp, exhausting himself and bringing Long Yao and Long Li into the damaged quiet room.
• Liang Qu compared the colors of Long Yao, Long Li, Long E Ying, and Long Binglin, realizing that greater color vividness indicated greater strength.
• Liang Qu explained his gains to Long Binglin and said he had gained confidence; Long Yao and Long Li realized he planned to enter seclusion and advance.
• Xu Shi became emotional about Liang Qu’s growth, and Liang Qu teased her before noticing the treasure box holding his spirit garment.

Liang Qu received Phoenix Cry Rainbow Feather Wind and shared a lighthearted moment with Long E Ying, Little Mirage Dragon, and the River Otters. At Moon Gazing Tower, Huo Jinghui discovered that Earl Xingyi had received an exception to enter room A3 early so he could enter seclusion to advance into True Image.

• Liang Qu examined Phoenix Cry Rainbow Feather Wind, confirmed it could change among warm colors and tighten with qi and blood, then gave the Treasure Box to Long E Ying.
• Little Mirage Dragon arrived with a basket of snacks, and Long E Ying teased him by claiming that only good-looking people could retrieve a treasure from the box.
• At Moon Gazing Tower, Huo Jinghui finished his stay in room A3 and found a young man waiting outside as a River Otter prepared the room for him.
• Huo Jinghui learned that A3 had already been booked and accused Moon Gazing Tower of bypassing its rules, prompting the waiting youths to demand an explanation.
• The master of the first floor announced that Earl Xingyi was entering seclusion to advance into True Image and that this was the only exception in all the Jiazi Years of Da Shun.

News spread through the Imperial Capital that Liang Qu had entered Moon Gazing Tower to advance to True Image, prompting comparisons with Bai Guangyi. In seclusion, Liang Qu consumed a Spirit Fish made from Heavenly Dew, and three dragons began to coil around it.

• The Tower Lord ended objections to reserving cultivation rooms after no one claimed they could make Moon Gazing Tower break its rules for them.
• The Imperial Capital heard that Liang Qu had entered seclusion to advance to True Image, and two scholars discussed his prospects with Bai Guangyi.
• On November twenty-first, Ta Ta Kai delivered food to Liang Qu and learned that the imperial palace was distributing next year's calendar to commoners.
• Liang Qu told Ta Ta Kai to bring meals every two days, then resumed cultivating after his essence, qi, and spirit reached their peak.
• Liang Qu fused Heavenly Dew with Marsh Essence to create a great Spirit Fish and swallowed it, as three dragons coiled around it.

Liang Qu began breaking through to True Image by grinding down the Spirit Fish with his Azure Dragons, using his reserves and the Ze Cauldron to sustain the struggle. While his seclusion continued through winter, Ta Ta Kai collected a calendar, and the Loulan and Ba Kingdom envoys lamented missing their chance to seek help before reaching True Image.

• Liang Qu used his techniques and three Azure Dragons to wear down the Spirit Fish, but found its strength made the breakthrough a difficult deadlock.
• Liang Qu raised his Water King Ape fusion rate with sixty thousand Marsh Essence, replenishing his qi and blood so the Azure Dragons could bind the Spirit Fish again.
• Ta Ta Kai collected a calendar from the official outside the imperial palace, and Oolong obtained a second one.
• Ta Ta Kai marked November twenty-first on the calendar as autumn gave way to winter.
• Two months later, Liang Qu remained in seclusion, while the envoys of Loulan and Ba Kingdom regretted not consulting him before entering True Image.

Liang Qu continued cultivating in Moon Gazing Tower, wearing down the Spirit Fish and shaping his sea of clouds as rumors about his progress spread outside. By summer, Earl Xingyi told the Sacred Emperor that Liang Qu would emerge within three days.

• Liang Qu used Myriad Victory Embracing Oneness to wear down the Spirit Fish and began forming a white-jade foundation in his sea of clouds for the Azure Dragons.
• On February 6th, Xu Zishuai and the others arrived with gifts, learned Liang Qu remained in seclusion, and celebrated the New Year without him.
• Liang Qu ate his New Year's Eve meal in Moon Gazing Tower and continued his cultivation, where the whale had shrunk into a shark.
• As spring and summer passed, rumors about Liang Qu multiplied, while Ta Ta Kai continued delivering his meals and Frog King remained in hibernation.
• Earl Xingyi informed the Sacred Emperor that Liang Qu would emerge within three days.

As Liang Qu prepared to leave seclusion, he completed the Immortal Palace in his dantian during the Bing Fire Days. The palace’s completion sent dragon roars and a pillar of Qi through Moon Gazing Tower, parting the clouds and revealing the sun.

• Eunuchs opened the skylights on three floors of Moon Gazing Tower as officials prepared for Earl Xingyi to leave seclusion.
• On Accumulated Water Pond, Long Li, Long Yao, and the others noticed the open windows and discussed Liang Qu’s long retreat.
• Liang Qu examined the Red Qi he had obtained and shaped an Immortal Island and Dragon Court in his dantian, guided by his cultivation and intuition.
• After the Bing Fire Days ended, rain poured while Moon Gazing Tower’s windows remained open, and a mysterious aura stirred the officials.
• Liang Qu finished roofing the Immortal Palace, prompting Azure Dragons to roar as a pillar of Qi swept through the tower and parted the clouds.

Liang Qu emerged from a long seclusion as a twenty-two-year-old True Image Grandmaster, unleashing a spectacular omen that astonished the Imperial Capital. After transforming and strengthening his True Gangs and gaining new power from Long Qi, he opened his eyes to meet a cultivator from the tower’s thirtieth floor.

• Liang Qu’s breakthrough cleared the storm clouds above Moon Gazing Tower, and a pillar of Qi and other extraordinary signs drew attention across the Imperial Capital.
• Lan Jicai and the gathered witnesses recognized that Liang Qu had become a True Image Grandmaster at twenty-two, while the Sacred Emperor celebrated the auspicious omen.
• Liang Qu’s Azure Dragon True Gang grew wings and expanded, while his White Ape True Gang also grew dramatically before both beasts returned to his body.
• Liang Qu sensed the expanded reach of his perception, drew in Sunlight Radiance and Moonlight Radiance, and felt his strength surge through Long Qi and his Divine Power.
• Liang Qu opened his eyes as the crowd recoiled, then recognized the brocade-clad cultivator who had approached from the thirtieth floor.

Liang Qu reached True Image and was honored throughout Moon Gazing Tower before meeting the Sacred Emperor, who praised his achievements and showed him a report about Jian Zhongyi. The chapter ended with Liang Qu noticing a reference to the “Small Fruit of Position” in the booklet.

• A young expert escorted Liang Qu from his cultivation room as people throughout Moon Gazing Tower congratulated him on becoming Earl Xingyi.
• The young expert explained that Liang Qu’s True Image breakthrough had earned him respect as a strongman, beyond the admiration he had received for being young.
• Liang Qu continued to the top floor and met the Sacred Emperor, who had court painters record their meeting.
• The Sacred Emperor praised Liang Qu’s work with the Dragonfolk, Merfolk, and Sea Merchants, and credited his own judgment for promoting him.
• The Sacred Emperor gave Liang Qu a booklet about Jian Zhongyi, and Liang Qu noticed the phrase “Small Fruit of Position.”

The Sacred Emperor explained that Great Snow Mountain’s blood sacrifice at Blue Lake sought to create the Drought Demon Fruit, and tasked Liang Qu with stopping it and thwarting the Southern Border False Dragon. Liang Qu accepted the mission, received rewards for his breakthrough, and was given a painting of himself with the Sacred Emperor.

• The chief eunuch explained that Rank Fruits represented authority and that Great Snow Mountain was using a blood sacrifice to bring forth the drought-causing Drought Demon Fruit.
• The Sacred Emperor ordered Liang Qu to remove Hidden Stakes without alerting Great Snow Mountain, prevent the Drought Demon Fruit’s emergence, and seize or destroy it if it appeared.
• The Sacred Emperor revealed a plan to lure the Southern Border False Dragon into consuming the Drought Demon Fruit, then defeat it and claim the resulting Medium Rank Fruit, Lady Qing.
• Liang Qu asked whether he would act alone, and the Sacred Emperor said he was only one of many operatives and warned him to avoid giving others grounds to accuse him.
• The Sacred Emperor rewarded Liang Qu by promoting his Dragon Blood Horse, extending his use of Room A3, and presenting him with a painting of the two of them.

After the Sacred Emperor bestowed a painting on Liang Qu, he left Moon Gazing Tower and flew above the storm clouds on an Azure Dragon. He returned to his riverside residence in a display that scattered the storm, greeting his family in the sunlight.

• Liang Qu accepted the Sacred Emperor’s painting and reflected on the long-term burdens tied to the realm’s political dangers.
• Liang Qu leaped from Moon Gazing Tower and rode an Azure Dragon into the storm clouds, alarming people throughout the Imperial Capital.
• Liang Qu drew lightning to the metal Painting Tube as the Azure Dragon rose above the rainclouds into sunlight.
• Liang Qu plunged back through the storm, splitting the clouds and scattering the rain as he flew toward his riverside residence.
• Liang Qu landed by the Phoenix Tree and greeted his Master and Master’s Wife, declaring that he had returned.

Liang Qu returned from seclusion as the youngest True Image grandmaster in Da Shun, reunited with his master and family, and prepared to celebrate his achievement across several regions. After arranging a journey and promising to register his marriage with Long E Ying, he entered Moon Gazing Tower to consolidate his realm while the empire celebrated his breakthrough.

• An Azure Dragon appeared over Accumulated Water Pond, and Yang Dongxiong and Xu Shi learned that Liang Qu had become a grandmaster.
• Liang Qu kowtowed to Yang Dongxiong and asked Xu Shi to let him call her his mother; she agreed, then planned grandmaster feasts with him.
• News of Liang Qu's breakthrough spread across Da Shun, and he arranged for Ta Ta Kai to take his Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, and Wen Shiyun to the Imperial Capital for the celebration.
• Liang Qu promised Long E Ying they would register their marriage after he came out of seclusion, then headed to Moon Gazing Tower to consolidate his realm.
• The court proclaimed a two-day Grand Feast for the World to celebrate Liang Qu's achievement.