Chapter Summaries

Liang Qu achieved Unity of Heaven and Man and learned from the Old Monk how it related to Yogacara consciousness, national artifacts, and the remaining steps toward Martial Saint. After studying how to sever the heaven and earth souls, he traveled west with the Dragonfolk and Fat Catfish, who startled the Sword Shrimp by claiming to be a turtle.

• Liang Qu broke through to Unity of Heaven and Man, and Scarface summoned him to Pingyang Temple at the Old Monk's request.
• Liang Qu learned that Unity of Heaven and Man was the sixth consciousness and discussed how national artifacts could perceive and interfere with the world.
• Liang Qu connected Favorability and Dominance Level to the seventh and eighth consciousnesses, while the Old Monk considered his analogy.
• Liang Qu studied a method for severing the heaven and earth souls, then visited the Yang Residence and agreed to dine at Long Pingjiang's home.
• Liang Qu and the Dragonfolk followed Wu Cangshou west, where Fat Catfish told the Sword Shrimp that he was a turtle, prompting Liang Qu to pull him forward.

Liang Qu secured the Western Turtle King's agreement to oppose the Flood Dragon next year, then traveled to the Giant Clam Tribe Grounds with Long E Ying and Old Giant Clam. After the tribe's Second Elder refused to let White Ape feel the Giant Clam Pearl, he overpowered her until she agreed.

• The Western Turtle King agreed to join the effort against the Flood Dragon after postponing the campaign until after the fifth month of next year.
• Liang Qu assigned Long Binglin to contact the Demon Kings, sent Long Yanrui home to oversee clan affairs, and prepared to visit the Giant Clam Tribe Grounds with Long E Ying.
• Liang Qu received Ke Wenbin's wedding invitation and promised to prepare a generous gift before setting out for the Eastern Sea.
• After searching for nearly half a month, Liang Qu, Long E Ying, and Old Giant Clam found the Giant Clam Tribe's grounds, where the Second Elder ordered them to leave.
• White Ape seized the Second Elder and squeezed her shell until she agreed to let him feel the Giant Clam Pearl.

Liang Qu overwhelmed the Giant Clam Tribe, collected Marsh Essence from its pearls, and left after proposing that the clams offer safekeeping services. Back in Pingyang, he met the returning Sea Expedition Fleet and planned a trip to the Great Snow Mountain in June.

• Liang Qu crushed Second Elder Clam with a bear hug, then collected Marsh Essence by touching the Giant Clam Tribe’s pearls.
• The First Elder returned and assembled the Giant Clams into their ancestral ritual, but Liang Qu shattered the formation and subdued the elders before collecting another 51,000 Marsh Essence.
• Liang Qu suggested that the Giant Clam Tribe become a provider of living safes and told them to contact him through the Sea Merchant if they pursued the idea.
• Liang Qu returned to Pingyang, where Ke Wenbin asked him to help obtain a rare Blood Clam Pearl and Liang Qu offered to ask Shou Lord.
• The Sea Expedition Fleet arrived at the docks, and Liang Qu decided to visit the Great Snow Mountain in June.

Liang Qu harvested Marsh Essence from a treasure coral, strengthened the Dragon Sturgeon Ao Cangyuan and Ao Miyun, and helped the Dragon Man Tribe celebrate its growing strength. He then persuaded Frog Duke to lease a pond on the Immortal Island Above the Clouds, leaving the deal poised for a three-year discount.

• Liang Qu took the treasure coral from a merchant fleet and paid the fleet chief with a silver ingot after draining its Marsh Essence.
• Liang Qu assigned Round Head to negotiate with the Jian River Demon Tribe and approved the Dragon Man Tribe’s plan to hold a grand banquet after Long Zongyin achieved True Image.
• Liang Qu brought Ao Cangyuan and Ao Miyun under his command and completed their bloodlines, triggering Ao Miyun’s Heaven-and-Earth Tribulation.
• Liang Qu promised Frog Duke a visit to the Immortal Island pond, then spent the Dragon Man Tribe’s banquet celebrating with the other clans.
• Liang Qu persuaded Frog Duke to lease the ruined lotus pond for five Top-Grade Treasure Fish per year, and then offered him a discount for booking three years.

Liang Qu secured Old Toad’s contract for the Immortal Island pond, received thirty-eight Top-Grade Treasure Fish, and gained a large amount of Marsh Essence. As flood season approached, Liang Qu strengthened his forces and prepared to visit the old Prefect, while Yi Chen’s faction planned to lure him into a trap at Blue Lake.

• Liang Qu persuaded Old Toad to sign a White Contract leasing the Immortal Island pond, and Li Shoufu drafted the agreement before Little Mirage Dragon carried them away.
• Old Toad delivered thirty-eight Top-Grade Treasure Fish, which gave Liang Qu 302,000 Marsh Essence after he ate them.
• At the River God Sacrifice, Liang Qu gained River Favor, while Yi Chen’s faction decided to create trouble near Blue Lake to draw Liang Qu out and target the White Ape.
• Liang Qu told Long Pingjiang and Long Ping He to reward exceptional Dragonfolk during flood season, then summoned two Dragon Sturgeon, including the newly transformed Great Demon Ao Miyun.
• Liang Qu sent Ao Cangyuan and Ao Miyun to persuade Ao Qing to merge the Dragon Sturgeon Tribe with the Dragon Man Tribe, then set out to see the old Prefect.

Ta Ta Kai delivered a message from Xingyi Marquis to Suo Yuqin, while Liang Qu learned of a suspected Ghost Mother Sect spy and prepared for possible trouble. After gathering more Martial Saint tokens, he met Ling Xuan and Huai Kong, learned they had found the Hidden Scripture, and asked to visit the Hidden Cave to meet Jian Zhongyi.

• Ta Ta Kai passed a sealed bamboo tube to Suo Yuqin, who identified it as a message from Xingyi Marquis.
• Liang Qu discussed the Ghost Mother Sect with his colleagues and learned that Sui Hongyan had begun secluded cultivation, while the sect's location remained unknown.
• Yi Zhiyu told Liang Qu that Zheng Laosan, a stable worker, was spying for the Ghost Mother Sect and had recently carried information into the Reed Marsh.
• Liang Qu used Lord Net to check on the Ghost Mother Sect, then acquired additional Golden Body Divine Power Tokens and a King of Yue Jade Tablet.
• Liang Qu met Ling Xuan and Huai Kong on June 19 and learned that they had found and copied the Hidden Scripture from the Hidden Cave.
• Liang Qu asked Ling Xuan to take him to the Hidden Cave so he could meet Jian Zhongyi.

Liang Qu and Ling Xuan traveled to the Great Snow Mountain to inspect the Lotus Sect’s Hidden Stake, where Liang Qu discovered a web of Calamity Qi and learned how dangerous the site was to dismantle. They found the Secret Chamber empty and realized Jian Zhongyi had concealed a divine ability and vanished, prompting Liang Qu to leap into the underground river after him.

• Huai Kong departed for Hantai Prefecture, and Liang Qu and Ling Xuan rode from Vast Terrace toward the grasslands while discussing Liang Qu’s intent to kill Jian Zhongyi.
• Ling Xuan revealed that he suspected Liang Qu’s connection to the Heretical Monk and offered to assist him, while Liang Qu acknowledged that others knew of the matter too.
• Liang Qu and Ling Xuan reached Jiese Renqin Gongbu, where Liang Qu used Golden Eye to see the dense Calamity Qi surrounding the Hidden Stake and tested how Drowning Karma accumulated and dispersed.
• Liang Qu ordered Chi Erlan to leave the cave and learned from Liu Jingxuan that Jian Zhongyi had gone alone to deal with the Hidden Stake.
• Liang Qu and Ling Xuan entered the Secret Chamber and found it empty; Liang Qu leaped into the underground river, while Liu Jingxuan realized Jian Zhongyi had concealed a divine ability.

Yi Chen and a Great Qian Martial Saint prepared to breach Xiao Tuo Dam, while Jian Zhongyi fled Liang Qu and was killed when he stumbled upon them. Liang Qu recognized Yi Chen and the White Ape, but the Martial Saint’s attack caught him in a deadly ambush.

• Yi Chen proposed breaching Xiao Tuo Dam to flood the downstream counties and draw Liang Qu out, while the Lord warned that killing Liang Qu could provoke Da Shun.
• Jian Zhongyi realized Liang Qu was hunting him and fled toward Hantai Prefecture, but Liang Qu tracked him through the rain clouds.
• Jian Zhongyi broke through to the Second Heavenly Palace and followed a point of light from his divine ability, only to encounter Yi Chen and the Lord at Xiao Tuo Dam.
• The Lord killed Jian Zhongyi with a finger, and Liang Qu’s counterattack failed to harm the dam.
• Liang Qu recognized Yi Chen and the White Ape as the Lord attacked him, then dodged the first strike before the black-clad Martial Saint appeared behind him.

Liang Qu, as the White Ape, fought King Chu of Ghost Mother Sect, a self-severed Martial Saint, and was nearly beaten to death. After spending 3.7 million Marsh Essence to accelerate his fusion with the Water Monkey Great Sage, he endured King Chu’s blows as his aura began to rise.

• King Chu’s sword strike wounded the White Ape, but Liang Qu escaped into Blue Lake before King Chu trapped him with a giant hand of gang qi.
• The White Ape used Vortex Palace’s refined water to strike King Chu, but King Chu broke free and battered him with repeated punches.
• Liang Qu contacted Little Mirage Dragon and Awei, then spent 3.7 million Marsh Essence to raise his Water Monkey Great Sage fusion rate.
• King Chu shattered the White Ape’s Golden Body and continued punching him, but the White Ape survived and his fusion rate rose with each blow.
• Yi Chen warned that the White Ape’s aura was increasing as a pair of Golden Eyes opened deep in Jiang Huai Great Marsh.

Liang Qu’s White Ape form endured King Chu’s attacks as its strength surged toward the Sixth Realm, then broke free and overwhelmed King Chu. As their battle split Blue Lake, the Flood Dragon sensed the White Ape’s rise and began moving upstream, prompting Martial Saints and rulers across Da Shun to respond.

• Yi Chen warned King Chu that the buried White Ape was growing stronger, but King Chu used the Grotto-Heaven Finger to crush it anyway.
• Liang Qu’s White Ape rose from the pit, held up the Grotto-Heaven Finger, and threw the giant back before striking King Chu with a devastating punch.
• The Flood Dragon sensed the White Ape’s rapid advance through the Star Fate Plate and suspected Liang Qu had been gathering favor for it through a ritual.
• The White Ape chased King Chu across Blue Lake, used Water Domain Traversal to evade his counterattack, and drove him through the lakebed.
• The battle split Blue Lake as witnesses identified the emerging fighter as a new Martial Saint and Demon King.
• The Sacred Emperor ordered the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to watch the Flood Dragon, which began traversing upstream, while seven Martial Saints and other powers prepared to act.

White Ape fought King Chu while the Flood Dragon split itself to escape the Emperor River Sword’s blockade, then pursued the wounded White Ape toward Southern Zhili. White Ape reached 400‰ fusion before the Flood Dragon swallowed him, leaving his fate uncertain as the new aura collapsed.

• The Flood Dragon raced toward Southern Zhili, and the Emperor River Sword blocked its passage across the Huai River.
• The Flood Dragon split off a Little Flood Dragon that escaped the blockade while the true Flood Dragon continued toward Blue Lake.
• White Ape overwhelmed King Chu and drove him out over the Huai River, but a Flood Dragon struck White Ape and tore off his right arm.
• The wounded White Ape fled through the river as the Little Flood Dragon pursued, while the Old Monk, King of Yue, and Sea Market Master gathered in Southern Zhili.
• The Flood Dragon swallowed White Ape, and the All Fields Celestial Instrument showed White Ape’s aura collapsing after his fusion reached 400‰.

Liang Qu’s plan to save the White Ape ended in apparent failure when the Flood Dragon killed and swallowed it, though the Sea Market Master secured its head for Liang Qu. Long E Ying discovered Liang Qu had secretly prepared for his own death and began reconstructing him, while Round Head brought the White Ape’s head to Liang Qu’s hidden refuge.

• Liang Qu considered ways to trick the fasting Flood Dragon into swallowing a Dew Seed, while the Flood Dragon’s attack and his own preparations flashed through his mind.
• Long E Ying froze the Xiao Tuo River’s collapsed dike as the Flood Dragon defeated the White Ape and faced seven Martial Saints of Da Shun.
• The Sea Market Master, Old Monk, King of Yue, and King Su pressed the Flood Dragon to give up the White Ape’s remains, and the Flood Dragon spat out its destroyed head in exchange for ten portions of Creation Great Medicine.
• King Su restored the Huai River’s flow, while the north and south resumed their conflict and wondered why Da Shun had let the Flood Dragon go.
• Long E Ying found Liang Qu’s prepared Blood Pool and learned from Little Mirage Dragon that he had repeatedly shed flesh and bone to prepare for resurrection; she began reassembling him.
• The Sea Market Master delivered the White Ape’s head to Round Head, and Liang Qu’s displayed cultivation status rose as he woke and asked where he was.

Liang Qu remained dead but conscious inside the Ze Cauldron while his allies rebuilt his body and waited for him to revive. As the Black Emperor’s image awakened in the cauldron, Liang Qu transformed into a fish and shot through the water.

• Liang Qu saw that refining the Water Monkey Great Sage had raised his fusion degree to 485‰ and granted him the Blood River talent, then recalled how he had prepared his body for revival by shedding his flesh.
• Long E Ying, Sea Market Master, and the water beasts stitched Liang Qu’s bones and flesh back together, and Sea Market Master used his divine power to fuse the wounds.
• Liang Qu discovered that his consciousness was inside the Ze Cauldron and called out to Awei and the others, reassuring Long E Ying and Fat Catfish that he was still present.
• The Black Emperor’s image brightened inside the Ze Cauldron, and the northern wind and rising water drowned Liang Qu before he transformed and found fins where his hands had been.

After Liang Qu died fighting the flood dragon, he emerged from the Ze Cauldron as a fish-like spirit and learned that his body would not revive until next spring. As he made plans with Long E Ying and the others, the Ze Cauldron revealed a new transformation, and Liang Qu crossed into a strange realm of crimson rivers and Lycoris Radiata.

• Liang Qu endured the Ze Cauldron’s north wind, escaped it as a fish, and discovered he could not merge with or affect his corpse in the ice cellar.
• Long E Ying and the Sea Market Master sensed Liang Qu’s presence, and he told them his body would revive in spring rather than within twelve hours.
• Liang Qu instructed the others to retrieve his belongings, handle his duties, investigate Jian Zhongyi’s death, and prepare for the disruption caused by his absence.
• Liang Qu considered his fish form and the Black Emperor’s possible connection to his death, then received a Ze Cauldron message about understanding yin-yang transformations.
• Following an aurora from a dying man, Liang Qu swam against a current into a crimson riverland, where he cut a Lycoris Radiata flower and realized he could interact with things there.

Liang Qu traveled between the living world and a Blood River underworld, where he met Xi Ziyu’s family and learned they were burdened by taxes and poverty. Meanwhile, officials shaped an accurate account of Jian Zhongyi’s death amid the White Ape’s battle and the wider political turmoil, while the Great Huai Army faced downsizing.

• Liang Qu explored the Blood River realm, met Xi Ziyu, and followed him to a village where Lycoris Radiata served as food and the Blood River Sect collected taxes.
• Liang Qu returned to the living world through a spatial node, told Long E Ying he suspected the realm was Grand Ancestor Da Li’s Dream Realm Dynasty, and went back to investigate as a River God.
• Suo Yuqin reported that the White Ape had advanced into a Demon King and died after clashing with King Chu, while the Flood Dragon’s movement stirred tensions between the north and south.
• Little Mirage Dragon and Hedgehog persuaded the officials to record that Jian Zhongyi died in the aftermath of the battle, without falsifying the account.
• Fat Catfish learned that the Great Huai Army was going to be downsized.

After the Great Huai Army was cut, Liang Qu returned to the Dream Realm Dynasty and used his River God identity to intervene in Xi Ziyu’s life, teaching him a powerful martial art and discovering the Blood River Sect’s customs. The chapter left Liang Qu installed as the sect’s new master, exempting Xi Ziyu’s family from head tax and asking who the sect paid taxes to.

• Fat Catfish silenced the panicked Great Huai Army, then Lantern Fish visited Black Whirlwind’s villa with Treasure Fish to learn why he would not be cut.
• Long E Ying reassured the flooded villagers that the Dragon King’s excursion was a joyous occasion, while Su Guishan reflected on the coming age of great contention.
• Liang Qu told Xi Ziyu that he had never received the girls offered as sacrifices, condemned the custom, and taught Xi Ziyu a new Stance Training he named Zi Yu Gong.
• Xi Yao tried Zi Yu Gong and recognized its extraordinary quality, then grew wary as Liang Qu questioned Xi Ziyu about Blood Treasures and the Blood River Sect.
• Liang Qu revealed that he had become Sect Master of the Blood River Sect, exempted Xi Ziyu’s family from head tax, and asked the assembled disciples whom their sect paid taxes to.

After Liang Qu died, Long E Ying handled his official duties and attended Ke Wenbin and Su Xiaoran’s wedding while Liang Qu built power in the Netherworld. He recovered Jian Zhongyi’s spirit, forced him into service, and ended the chapter leading his sect against increasingly powerful rivals.

• Long E Ying managed Liang Qu’s unfinished affairs, traveled to Ke Wenbin and Su Xiaoran’s wedding, and continued urging Liang Qu to stay safe in the Netherworld.
• Liang Qu learned that Jian Zhongyi’s body had been found in the Xiao Tuo River and discovered that Jian Zhongyi’s spirit had survived; Long E Ying destroyed his head, allowing Liang Qu to capture the spirit and rebuild his body in the Blood River.
• Liang Qu expanded the Blood River Sect by taking over five small sects, renamed it the River God Sect, and had Xi Ziyu repeatedly fry Jian Zhongyi until he submitted and agreed to serve as Liang Qu’s carriage driver.
• Liang Qu left Long E Ying at dawn and attacked a sixth-rank sect, then overwhelmed successive sects until the sixth-, fifth-, and fourth-rank middle sects bowed to the Blood River God.

Fat Catfish announced the Great Huai Army’s cuts while the Flood Dragon King questioned the value of its victory over the White Ape. Liang Qu used Blood Treasures to interfere with reality, then transformed into a Blood Ape in the Dream Realm Dynasty and challenged a powerful sect by going upstream against the current.

• Fat Catfish announced that the Pufferfish Tribe would remain in the Great Huai Army, while Black Huǐ learned it was the only Great Demon to be cut and blamed Black Whirlwind.
• The Flood Dragon King celebrated the White Ape’s defeat but suspected the White Ape’s strength had been misleading and remained wary of its survival.
• Liang Qu showed Long E Ying that Blood Treasures let him interfere with reality and promised to clear the Hidden Stake before the end of summer.
• Liang Qu had Jian Zhongyi write congratulatory poems for the Flood Dragon King and prepared to challenge a strong Third Grade Sect in the Dream Realm Dynasty.
• Liang Qu transformed into a Blood Ape, discovered a Blood River Stele offering a choice between going downstream and upstream, and chose a river leading to the Heaven Gate Sect.
• A Martial Saint of the Heaven Gate Sect emerged as Liang Qu approached it across the river in his thirty-foot Blood Ape form.

Liang Qu, as the Blood Ape of the newly formed River God Sect, challenged Chen Rongxuan of the Heaven Gate Sect for a Sub-top Tier River and defeated him after a day and night of battle. The River God Sect won recognition as a Second Grade Sect, while Liang Qu remained at the Blood River after Chen Rongxuan conceded.

• Heaven Gate Sect disciples gathered as the Blood Ape arrived to challenge them, and Chen Rongxuan came out to fight.
• Liang Qu and Chen Rongxuan exchanged powerful attacks, and Liang Qu forced Chen Rongxuan to use one Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell.
• Xi Yao and the River God Sect members learned that Liang Qu was challenging for a Sub-top Tier River, while Xi Ziyu pressed his grandfather to arrange his marriage.
• Liang Qu and Chen Rongxuan fought through the day and night, and Chen Rongxuan conceded when Liang Qu gained the advantage.
• The blood stone tablet changed to show the river Liang Qu had won, and Shen Zhongliang announced that the River God Sect had become a Second Grade Sect.

Liang Qu defeated the Heaven Gate Sect, claimed its Jiuyi River Basin blood treasures, and prepared the River God Sect to relocate there. After Second Grade blood treasures restored his connection to his qi sea and revealed its immense size, he resumed the Great Snow Mountain Hidden Stake work and learned that every First Grade Sect possessed a Rank Fruit issued by the Great Li Heavenly Fire Sect.

• Liang Qu defeated Cicada Great Power and the Heaven Gate Sect, then took the Jiuyi River Basin blood treasures and learned that the sect planned to relocate next month.
• Liang Qu ordered Shen Zhongliang to prepare the River God Sect for relocation and receive the Great Li Heavenly Fire Sect envoy arriving the day after tomorrow.
• Liang Qu swallowed Second Grade blood treasures, healed his injuries, and clearly sensed his qi sea, which measured 5,126 times its ordinary limit.
• Liang Qu found he could not bring Second or Third Grade blood treasures into the living world, then reunited with Long Yao and Long Li and discovered Awei could touch them.
• Long E Ying resumed the Great Snow Mountain Hidden Stake work with Liang Qu's help, but Liang Qu paused the effort to meet the Heavenly Fire Sect envoy.
• Shen Zhongliang told Liang Qu that every First Grade Sect held a Rank Fruit issued by the Great Li Heavenly Fire Sect, making a Second Grade Sect's rise to First Grade extraordinarily difficult.