Recaps

Zhong Ming pursued the Child of the Morning Star position, gained new powers, and secured support for Ji Qingyue by defeating his challengers. At Crescent Moon Lake, the gathered factions began testing him, while Zhong Ming’s hidden sword cultivation came to light.

• Hong Jing warned Zong Chengze that the coming conflict could destroy smaller sects, while Zong Chengze considered whether Zhong Ming could become a Child of the Morning Star.
• Zhong Ming’s Sword Seed transformed into a Dao Seed, granting him control over wind, rain, thunder, and light beneath dark clouds.
• Princess Qingyue gave Zhong Ming access to a body-tempering technique catalog after he agreed to avoid demons and protect the people under his rule.
• Zhong Ming mastered Starry Heaven Lord through a dream realm and Everlasting Kindling, then began tempering his body and opening its star apertures.
• Zhong Ming defeated Zhu Hao and Zhuo Feng, prompting Zhuo Feng to pledge allegiance to Princess Qingyue and persuading others that Zhong Ming’s strength was genuine.
• Zhong Ming accepted the title of Clear River Prefecture City’s number one and invited every prodigy to challenge him at Crescent Moon Lake.
• The major sects maneuvered to force the Empty Moon Sect to challenge Zhong Ming first, while Song Qingyan and other cultivators signed contracts to serve Ji Qingyue.
• Nangong Die and Lin Kong recognized Zhong Ming as a sword cultivator tempering his sword heart through battle, and Zhong Ming realized the Torchlight Heart-Eye had helped form it.

Zhong Ming defeated the challengers gathered against him and helped stop the cultists’ assault on Clear River Commandery. After recovering, he repaid his senior brothers and traveled with Ji Qingyue’s party to Immortal Martial City, where they set out for Luo Zhiwei’s residence.

• Ji Qinghui gathered Ji Chengping and Ji Qingkang to support the effort against Zhong Ming, and Ji Chengping gave him the Dragon Vein Jade Pendant while Ji Qingkang offered a Seven-Soul Blood-Burning Pill.
• Zhong Ming defeated Lin Kong with a single glance, then defeated Di Yun and Mingya as the assembled sects and cultists watched.
• Li Ye and the Youtan Heaven cultists launched their attack, but Zhong Ming killed Cheng Lü and many cultists before helping the surviving disciples fight back.
• Yuan Rong and the cultists summoned a Divine Child, who drained Liu Yu and Yuan Rong’s power and ordered them to sacrifice fifty thousand people within a year.
• After Liu Yu and Yuan Rong died, Meng You gave Zhong Ming a Youtan Flower Seed and warned him that the Five Prisons Divine Child’s true body still existed and hated him.
• Prince of Qinghe rewarded Zhong Ming and granted the Seven Mysteries Sect a valley, while Zhong Ming gave five drops of purple-gold essence blood to his senior brothers whose cultivation paths had been severed.
• Zhong Ming and his party arrived at the Qinghe Prince’s manor in Immortal Martial City, and Ji Qingque gave Ji Qingyue the True-Form Map of Mountains and Rivers Dragon Veins.
• Ji Qingyue and Ji Qinglian insisted on accompanying Zhong Ming to Luo Zhiwei’s residence, and Ji Qingque joined them as they set out by flying vessel.