Chapter Summaries

Ye Zhen won Moonlight Hall’s Half-Year Grand Contest and learned that he could compete for a place in the Spirit Gathering Assembly. While drinking with Feng Qingyue, he heard of two mysterious deaths linked to Bai Zizai, leaving him to wonder whether the old courtyard guard was hiding his true strength.

• Ye Zhen took first place in the contest, while Zheng Ling placed second and Yan Jingshu placed third because he had not recovered from Ye Zhen’s attack.
• Tian Guizhang told Ye Zhen that his performance qualified him to compete for a place in the Spirit Gathering Assembly, whose participants received unknown but enticing rewards.
• Ye Zhen visited Feng Qingyue’s courtyard, where he explained that he had given his Eighteen Seed Spirit Brew to Bai Zizai in exchange for access to Bamboo Sea Spirit Courtyard.
• Feng Qingyue told Ye Zhen that Bai Zizai had guarded the courtyard for nearly a century and had been beaten by two men who later died mysteriously.
• Feng Qingyue recalled seeing Bai Zizai argue with and be beaten by a Fragrance Master who later died, prompting Ye Zhen to suspect Bai Zizai might have killed him and Yu Huaisong.

After an assassin killed Baicao, Ye Zhen chased the fleeing figure into the Sun Moon Divine Cult’s forbidden Sun Moon Divine Altar and realized the pursuit was a trap. Hidden from the guards, he heard a voice behind him.

• Ye Zhen returned to his courtyard after drinking with Feng Qingyue and began bathing while Baicao waited outside.
• A black-clad assassin knocked Baicao down and killed her with a hole blasted through her chest.
• Ye Zhen pursued the assassin, who matched his speed and led him through unfamiliar parts of the headquarters.
• The assassin vanished inside the Sun Moon Divine Altar, and Ye Zhen realized the target had been luring him into a forbidden area to exploit the cult’s rules.
• Four guards searched the altar after an alarm sounded but found no intruder, while Ye Zhen stayed hidden.
• A voice suddenly spoke behind Ye Zhen, startling him.

Ye Zhen hid from Yu Hanjing and Jiao Xi after their failed ambush, then overheard them discuss why they wanted him dead and the danger Feng Qingyue posed to them. As Jiao Xi began proposing another plan, he lowered his voice, leaving Ye Zhen unable to learn their scheme.

• Ye Zhen concealed himself with the Hundred Changes Thousand Shadows Garment as Jiao Xi questioned Liu Hong about the missing target.
• Yu Hanjing confirmed that she had seen Ye Zhen chase Liu Hong before he vanished near the Sun Moon Divine Altar.
• Yu Hanjing said she could not kill Ye Zhen discreetly because his strength could expose her, and Feng Qingyue and Tu De might retaliate.
• Yu Hanjing explained that Ye Zhen had become a candidate for the Spirit Gathering Assembly and needed to be eliminated before his status rose.
• Yu Hanjing demanded Ye Zhen's detailed information, and Jiao Xi began outlining a plan before lowering his voice.

Ye Zhen overheard Yu Hanjing and Jiao Xi arrange a secret plot against him and sent Little Cat to follow Liu Hong. While waiting to learn what Liu Hong was doing, Ye Zhen watched a mysterious old man enter the forbidden Sun Moon Divine Altar after suppressing its defensive formation, then slipped away to contact Little Cat.

• Yu Hanjing told Jiao Xi to have the disguised Liu Hong carry out their scheme against Ye Zhen that night.
• Ye Zhen sent the Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao, whom he called Little Cat, to follow Liu Hong while he stayed hidden.
• A phantom-like old man approached the Sun Moon Divine Altar, sensed Ye Zhen's gaze, and entered after extinguishing the formation's warning light.
• Ye Zhen decided not to follow the old man and instead moved away from the courtyard to contact Little Cat through their Soul Connection.

Ye Zhen pursued Liu Hong after realizing Jiao Xi and Yu Hanjing might be arranging for enemies from the Longevity Sect and Myriad Stars Tower to attack him. He disguised himself as Jiao Xi and struck Liu Hong with lightning, while Duan Yingnian set out to meet the mysterious sender of a Talisman Signal.

• Ye Zhen left the Sun Moon Divine Cult headquarters and pursued Liu Hong toward Longevity Sect territory, suspecting a plot to bring his enemies together against him.
• Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao told Ye Zhen that Liu Hong had sent a Talisman Signal and stopped, prompting Ye Zhen to hurry toward him.
• Duan Yingnian received an anonymous Talisman Signal promising him a great gift at Golden Water Pool and decided to go there.
• Ye Zhen chose to disguise himself as Jiao Xi so he could approach Liu Hong and attack quickly without using his Blood Shadow Spear.
• Liu Hong noticed that the approaching figure was not truly Jiao Xi, but Ye Zhen unleashed a bolt of lightning before Liu Hong could defend himself.

Ye Zhen killed Liu Hong after disguising himself as Jiao Xi, then escaped the Longevity Sect Protectors searching for him. While inspecting Liu Hong’s Storage Ring for clues about Yu Hanjing’s scheme, Ye Zhen found two newly inscribed azure Jade Talismans, and the contents of one left him deathly pale.

• Ye Zhen pierced Liu Hong’s Starlight Transformation with Floating Cloud Finger and killed him, then took his Storage Ring and corpse.
• Ye Zhen watched through Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao as Duan Yingnian and the Longevity Sect Protectors searched the pond but found no suspicious figures.
• Ye Zhen and Xiao Mao escaped the search, and Ye Zhen resolved to help Xiao Mao break through its bloodline limits after the Spirit Gathering Assembly.
• Ye Zhen inspected Liu Hong’s Storage Ring and found Spirit Crystals, supplies, and the top-grade treasure sword Flowing Gold.
• Ye Zhen read one of two newly inscribed azure Jade Talismans and turned deathly pale at its contents.

After discovering that Jiao Xi had leaked Moonlight Hall’s defenses to Ye Zhen’s enemies, Ye Zhen killed a robber and devised a plan to expose the breach without revealing his role. The Law Enforcement Hall raised its highest warning, drawing the Sun Moon Divine Cult’s leaders together as Ye Zhen watched his scheme take effect.

• Ye Zhen found identical defense maps in Liu Hong’s Jade Talismans, learned that Jiao Xi had leaked the cult’s security plans, and identified Yan Cong as another intended recipient.
• Ye Zhen killed a middle-aged robber who tried to steal his Storage Ring, then used the encounter as inspiration to counter Jiao Xi openly.
• Ye Zhen altered Liu Hong’s corpse, placed it on a secluded route using the Defense Map, and returned to Moonlight Hall while avoiding suspicion.
• Ye Zhen told Feng Qingyue that an assassin had killed Baicao and asked her to deliver one thousand Low-grade Spirit Crystals to Baicao’s family.
• Ye Zhen summoned Tian Guizhang and hinted that he could help bring Jiao Xi down, but a Blood Skull Warning Talisman summoned Tian to respond to the defense-map leak.
• More than a hundred high-ranking figures rushed toward the warning, and Ye Zhen watched as the crisis escalated.

After Liu Hong was found dead inside the Sun Moon Divine Cult headquarters, Law Enforcement Hall Elder Tu De revealed that a Defense Map had been discovered on his corpse and accused Third Guard Commander Jiao Xi of leaking the headquarters' defenses. Tu De ordered Jiao Xi and Chief Commander Ji Yuanxiu taken for investigation and assigned Chen Changxing to reorganize the defenses, but a woman's voice interrupted.

• Jiao Xi tried to inspect Liu Hong's corpse, but a Law Enforcement Hall steward blocked him with the Crescent Execution Talisman.
• Yao Sen suggested that an external enemy had invaded, while Tian Guizhang questioned that explanation; Jiao Xi prepared Talisman Signals to suggest an invasion.
• Tu De arrived and announced that no critical locations showed signs of an external attack, then distributed Jade Talismans containing half of the Sun Moon Divine Cult's Defense Map.
• Tu De said the Defense Map had been found on Liu Hong's corpse and accused Jiao Xi of leaking it; Jiao Xi denied the charge and was seized.
• Tu De ordered Ji Yuanxiu to accompany him so he could inspect the sealed Defense Map, and placed Chen Changxing in charge of the defenses and the Third Guard.
• As Tu De ordered Jiao Xi taken away, a woman's voice suddenly called for them to wait.

Yu Hanjing failed to keep Jiao Xi in command after Liu Hong’s death and the leak of the Defense Map, while Ye Zhen concealed his role in the affair from Tian Guizhang. Jiao Xi returned to Yu Hanjing, who planned another way to target Ye Zhen by exploiting human nature.

• Yu Hanjing argued that the partial Defense Map could have been memorized by anyone and warned Tu De against holding commanders responsible for their subordinates, but Tu De took Jiao Xi for questioning and ordered a wider investigation.
• Tu De’s investigation led to Jiao Xi’s removal as commander of the Third Guard and the transfer of its leaders, while Liu Hong’s death and the mysterious warning remained unresolved.
• Tian Guizhang told Ye Zhen that the Third Guard had been reorganized and asked whether Ye Zhen had killed Liu Hong or sent the warning, but Ye Zhen denied involvement.
• After Tian Guizhang left, Ye Zhen celebrated Jiao Xi’s downfall, then received a Talisman Signal announcing an unwelcome visitor.
• Jiao Xi returned to Yu Hanjing, who slapped and berated him before reviewing information on Ye Zhen and declaring that she had a plan to target him.

After Baicao’s murder, Ye Zhen evaded the Law Enforcement Hall’s questions and resumed cultivation, but found himself struggling without a maid to prepare Spirit Plants. The Internal Affairs Hall sent him the beautiful Miao Yu, whose unusual appointment and seductive behavior left him suspicious.

• The Law Enforcement Hall questioned Ye Zhen about Baicao’s violent death, and he claimed he had gone out to meet an old acquaintance before returning to find her dead.
• Feng Qingyue warned Ye Zhen that the Divine Sect had grown unsettled and that several unexplained deaths might signal trouble.
• Ye Zhen reflected on improving his strength through cultivation and martial-skill comprehension, then struggled to keep up with preparing Spirit Plants after Baicao’s burial.
• An Internal Affairs Hall steward brought Miao Yu to serve Ye Zhen and hinted that she was a virgin for him to enjoy.
• Ye Zhen accepted Miao Yu, who managed his chores and restored his cultivation routine, but he began to suspect something was wrong.
• Miao Yu served Ye Zhen Spirit Tea in a revealing manner, stirring his desire as he watched her.

Ye Zhen resisted Miao Yu’s repeated attempts to seduce him, suspecting that someone had arranged her assignment to his courtyard. After confronting her, he learned she had a painful reason for debasing herself, while Yu Hanjing told Jiao Xi that the grand show was about to begin.

• Ye Zhen remembered Tian Guizhang’s warning about Miao Yu’s unusually favorable assignment and dismissed her when she served him tea in revealing clothes.
• Ye Zhen refused Miao Yu’s repeated offers to attend his bath, then rushed up when she appeared to fall outside the bathhouse.
• Miao Yu’s fall sent hot water over her gauzy clothes, but Ye Zhen used his Clear Heart Sword Intent to suppress his desire and confronted her about trying to seduce him.
• Miao Yu admitted that she had been seducing Ye Zhen because she hated being powerless and forced to debase herself.
• Yu Hanjing arrived at Jiao Xi’s residence and told him to prepare because the grand show was about to begin.

Miao Yu begged Ye Zhen to save her younger sister from Zhu Jiutian, whose maids disappeared after serving him for nine days, and Ye Zhen realized her plea might be a trap aimed at him. He decided he could not ignore the alleged crimes and suspected Yu Hanjing had arranged the scheme.

• Miao Yu confessed that she had tried to seduce Ye Zhen because she hoped he would save her seventeen-year-old sister.
• Miao Yu said Zhu Jiutian replaced his maids every nine days, that nearly a thousand had vanished, and that the Law Enforcement Hall would not act because Zhu Jiutian was Zhu Ling's son.
• Ye Zhen agreed to make arrangements, but Miao Yu warned that her sister had already served Zhu Jiutian for seven days and urged him to act immediately.
• After Miao Yu left, Ye Zhen suspected that her unusual assignment and her story were part of a conspiracy designed to provoke him into confronting Zhu Jiutian.
• Ye Zhen reasoned that either confronting or secretly killing Zhu Jiutian could get him killed, but he decided he could not stand by and blamed Yu Hanjing for the scheme.

Ye Zhen uncovered Yu Hanjing’s likely plot to frame him through Zhu Jiutian and confirmed that Miao Yu was sending secret signals to Jiao Xi. He enlisted Tian Guizhang’s help with a plan involving Zhu Jiutian, leaving to carry it out that night.

• Ye Zhen asked Miao Yu for her sister Miao Zhu’s name and portrait, then promised to investigate whether she could be rescued.
• Ye Zhen used Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao to watch Miao Yu send a Talisman Signal and saw Jiao Xi arrive in the Spirit Courtyard.
• Ye Zhen deduced that Yu Hanjing intended to lure him into attacking Zhu Jiutian and frame him for crimes against the Divine Cult.
• Ye Zhen told Tian Guizhang that he had killed Liu Hong in two moves, demonstrating his value to the deputy cult master.
• Ye Zhen obtained Sun Radiance Hall clothing, a name card addressed to Zhu Jiutian and signed by Jiao Xi, and a map of Zhu Jiutian’s residence.
• Ye Zhen left Tian Guizhang’s residence to put his plan into action, asking him to pretend the meeting had never happened.

Ye Zhen disguised himself as Jiao Xi and entered Zhu Ling’s residence to meet Zhu Jiutian, while Yu Hanjing explained why she expected Ye Zhen to intervene against him. As Ye Zhen followed the steward toward Zhu Jiutian’s courtyard, he heard a woman screaming and froze upon seeing the guards.

• Ye Zhen used disguise techniques and Clear Heart Sword Intent to pass the Divine Cult’s sentries as Jiao Xi.
• Ye Zhen gave Zhu Fu Tian Guizhang’s calling card and was invited to wait in Zhu Ling’s guest hall.
• Yu Hanjing told Jiao Xi that Ye Zhen’s chivalrous nature made him likely to attack Zhu Jiutian, and ordered Jiao Xi to wait until Zhu Jiutian was seriously injured.
• Ye Zhen used his spiritual awareness to follow Zhu Fu toward Zhu Jiutian’s eastern courtyard.
• Ye Zhen heard a woman screaming in misery and froze when he reached the courtyard and saw its two guards.

Ye Zhen broke into the eastern courtyard and discovered Zhu Jiutian draining young women’s life essence through a secret art. He attacked Zhu Jiutian with his Heart Sword, and the chapter ended as the chief steward cried out in alarm.

• Ye Zhen tricked the two tongueless Soul Sea Realm guards, knocked them unconscious, and rushed into the eastern courtyard after hearing screams.
• Ye Zhen struck Steward Zhu Fu unconscious and entered the lit building, where he found Zhu Jiutian draining a woman’s life while another corpse lay nearby.
• Zhu Jiutian revealed eight imprisoned girls and began dragging one toward him, prompting Ye Zhen to attack.
• Ye Zhen stopped his assault when he sensed Steward Zhu Fu beginning to wake, then declared that he had come to seek justice for the murdered girls and Jiao Xi’s younger sister.
• Ye Zhen unleashed his Heart Sword, broke through Zhu Jiutian’s blood-colored defenses, and drew a horrified cry from the awakening chief steward.

Ye Zhen killed Zhu Jiutian, disguised the evidence of his attack, and escaped Zhu Ling’s residence as the Sun Moon Divine Cult raised an alarm. Zhu Ling ordered the sect sealed, while Ye Zhen was stopped by two Sun Moon Divine Guards.

• Ye Zhen killed Zhu Jiutian with his Heart Sword and used an illusion to make Zhu Fu believe Zhu Jiutian had been slain by fiery sword aura.
• Jiao Xi sent up a Warning Talisman, prompting Yu Hanjing to wait for the guards and the Sun Moon Divine Guards to rush toward Zhu Ling’s residence.
• Ye Zhen freed the imprisoned girls, burned Zhu Jiutian’s corpse, and escaped over the courtyard wall along his planned route.
• Zhu Ling arrived, discovered what had happened to Xu'er, and ordered the entire Divine Sect sealed off.
• Yu Hanjing headed to Zhu Ling’s residence, while Jiao Xi slipped away and blamed Ye Zhen for his misfortune.
• Two Sun Moon Divine Guards blocked Ye Zhen and ordered him to halt.

Ye Zhen escaped the Divine Hall area by impersonating Jiao Xi, then returned toward Moonlight Hall. At Zhu Mingxu’s murder investigation, Zhu Ling accused Jiao Xi of killing his son and Yu Hanjing of masterminding the crime, promising to reveal irrefutable evidence.

• Ye Zhen passed Sun Moon Divine Guard inspections while disguised as Jiao Xi, then restored his appearance after leaving the guarded Divine Hall area.
• Ye Zhen hurried back toward Moonlight Hall to deal with one final loose end.
• Zhu Fu told Zhu Ling and the assembled cult leaders that he had seen Jiao Xi attack and kill Zhu Mingxu.
• Zhu Ling accused Jiao Xi of the murder and claimed Yu Hanjing had ordered it, shocking the gathered leaders and leaving Yu Hanjing bewildered.
• Yu Hanjing demanded evidence and insisted Jiao Xi could not be the killer, so Zhu Ling vowed to present irrefutable proof.

Law Enforcement Hall Elder Tu De ordered a soul search of Zhu Ling’s Martial Slaves, and the evidence implicated Jiao Xi in the murders. Ye Zhen killed Miao Yu to eliminate a loose end, while Jiao Xi received Yu Hanjing’s warning and fled as the enforcement team arrived.

• Zhu Ling demanded a soul search of Zhu Fu and the two mute Martial Slaves, and Tu De, Tian Guizhang, and Yao Sen carried it out.
• After the search, Tu De ordered the Law Enforcement Hall to apprehend Jiao Xi and called for Sun Radiance Hall and Divine Cult guards to help.
• Yu Hanjing sent a Talisman Signal, prompting Zhu Ling to accuse her of warning Jiao Xi, while Tu De insisted the Law Enforcement Hall would judge the matter.
• Ye Zhen confronted Miao Yu, deduced she had been sent by Jiao Xi or Yu Hanjing, and killed her when she refused to confess.
• Jiao Xi read Yu Hanjing’s warning, realized he had been framed with supposedly irrefutable evidence, and fled as the Law Enforcement Hall Enforcement Team approached.

Jiao Xi escaped the Sun Moon Divine Cult after resisting arrest, and Zhu Ling announced a massive bounty for his capture. Ye Zhen set out to pursue Jiao Xi, while Yu Hanjing learned of his escape and was relieved.

• Ye Zhen sent Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao to observe the hunt for Jiao Xi as Warning Talismans appeared across the Divine Cult.
• Yu Hanjing attacked Ye Zhen at Moonlight Hall, but Feng Qingyue intercepted her before she could injure him.
• Yu Hanjing found Miao Yu's corpse in Ye Zhen's quiet room and accused him of murder, but Ye Zhen said Miao Yu had tried to harm him.
• Feng Qingyue told Ye Zhen that Jiao Xi had escaped after injuring two Sun Moon Divine Guards, and that Zhu Ling had offered a Low-grade Spirit Weapon for his capture alive.
• Ye Zhen decided to pursue Jiao Xi for the bounty and flew into the night, while Yu Hanjing received the news of his escape and sighed with relief.

Ye Zhen used Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao and Warning Talismans to help the Law Enforcement Hall pursue Jiao Xi, but Jiao Xi escaped Qinglan Martial Capital with a decoy. Ye Zhen followed him and called Feng Qingyue for help, until Jiao Xi spotted him in the clouds and attacked.

• Ye Zhen used Warning Talismans to repeatedly reveal Jiao Xi’s location and redirect the Law Enforcement Hall squad.
• Jiao Xi sent a decoy streak of light to draw the squad away, then escaped north while Ye Zhen pursued him with Cloud Winged Tiger King Xiao Mao.
• Ye Zhen used the Battle Soul Blood Banner to help Xiao Mao keep pace with Jiao Xi and sent Feng Qingyue a Talisman Signal asking for help.
• Ye Zhen followed Jiao Xi for hours as Feng Qingyue raced to catch up, until Jiao Xi suddenly turned back and attacked the clouds with Fire Shadow Meteor.
• Jiao Xi scattered the clouds, spotted Ye Zhen, and laughed as he prepared to fight him.