Chapter Summaries

The Zhang, Sha, Gongsun, and Hua Families broke through the Liang Family Settlement’s protective formation and launched a bloody assault on its walls. The Liang Family forces retreated into the central manor, leaving the settlement’s defenses nearly broken.

• Gongsun Qiance used a formation to drain and disrupt Liang Family Settlement’s protective formation until it collapsed.
• Liang Youkuan ordered his soldiers to prepare for close combat as Zhao Wuji, Zhang Yu, and the allied forces stormed the walls.
• Zhao Wuji and Zhang Yu led the charge, while Bai Libow and Gu Xiaobing helped Zhang Yu break through the Liang Family’s battle line.
• Zhao Wuji pursued the retreating Liang Family soldiers into the settlement, so Zhang Yu sent Wu Sanchai, Zhu Mingting, Zhan Ying, Shi Xianghao, and Wu Xusong to bring him back.
• Han Gan took command of the main force as the allied armies advanced, secured the walls, and cleared Liang Family members from the settlement.

The Zhang Household captured Liang Family Settlement after Zhao Wuji killed Liang Youkuan, then began organizing its newly acquired territory. The Five Ghosts Sect arrived in Baishi Town to seek an audience with the Zhang Household, and Zhang Mingshu and Zhao Siqi met them cautiously.

• Han Gan's troops broke through Liang Family Settlement's walls while Zhao Wuji and his allies routed its defenders.
• Zhao Wuji struck down Liang Youkuan, and the Zhang Household's soldiers finished clearing the settlement.
• The Zhang Household began pacifying the residents, reorganizing records, and putting trained administrators to work in its new territories.
• Wan Qianjue led the Five Ghosts Sect to Huai Ren County and sent representatives to request entry into Zhang Household territory.
• Zhang Mingshu arranged an escort and prepared the Town Guard and Black Stone Squad while he and Zhao Siqi waited for the visitors.
• Wan Qianjue greeted Zhang Mingshu and his wife at Baishi Town, while Zhao Siqi examined the Ghost Spirits inhabiting the sect members.

The Zhang Household welcomed the Five Ghosts Sect, whose ancient transport technique and minor secret realm offered new logistical support. As winter began, supernatural events spread across Donghai Prefecture, and the chapter ended with ghostly figures attacking Zhao Wuji, Zhang Yu, and their patrol in the woods.

• Wan Qianjue told Zhang Mingshu that a mysterious figure had instructed the Five Ghosts Sect to emerge from seclusion and serve the rising Zhang Household.
• Zhang Mingshu welcomed the sect, assigned it North Gate Town as its base, and arranged for its minor secret realm to be moved there.
• Wan Qianjue demonstrated the Five Ghosts Transport Formation as the sect's spirits and techniques improved the Zhang Household's logistics.
• Ghost Spirit incidents spread across Donghai Prefecture, and the Zhang Household's intelligence organizations found that the spirits stopped pursuing people who crossed the prefecture's borders.
• Zhao Wuji and Zhang Yu encountered ghostly figures in the woods near Wenzhuang Town, and the spirits lunged at their patrol.

Zhao Wuji and Zhang Yu’s squad fought off a Ghost Spirit attack in Wenzhuang Town as Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting returned with news of widespread hauntings and gathering factions across Donghai Prefecture. Zhang Mingshu prepared to reorganize the defenses, while County Magistrate Fan Jin requested aid for Huai Ren County’s failing county seat.

• Zhao Wuji and Zhang Yu’s squad used their weapons and talismans to repel a Ghost Spirit attack that lasted nearly half an hour.
• Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting returned from the prefectural city with news that Ghost Spirits plagued Donghai Prefecture and factions were gathering around Tan City and other county seats.
• Zhang Mingshu concluded that an unknown force was behind the Ghost Spirits and decided the defenses at East Pass, Willow Pit, Stone Bridge, and Wenzhuang needed to be rearranged.
• Fan Jin requested aid after the county-seat Lineages suffered heavy losses and faced the prospect of abandoning Huai Ren County.
• Fan Jin judged that the county seat might become a dead city and said they could only seek help from the nearest Huai Ren Commandant.

After learning that Ghost Spirits were spreading and an ancient secret realm was drawing outsiders to Donghai Prefecture, Patriarch Zhang received Fan Jin’s urgent request for help in defending Huai Ren County. He agreed to send an elite squad after the county’s great households offered sufficient benefits, while preparing to protect his Household if the mission proved too dangerous.

• Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting reported that the prefectural city had been stabilized, but Ghost Spirits still threatened the wider prefecture and their source remained unknown.
• Patriarch Zhang learned that rumors of an emerging secret realm were attracting outsiders and considered Fan Jin’s request for aid despite his concerns about the Five Ghosts Sect and possible schemes.
• Mentor Tian Liangbi arrived with Fifth-tier Martial Artists and warned that Ghost Spirits were overwhelming the county seat’s guards, powerful spirits had appeared, and the Netherworld Cult might be approaching.
• Tian Liangbi explained that Fan Jin and the county’s great households would provide supplies and manpower in exchange for the Zhang Household’s help preserving the county seat.
• Patriarch Zhang and his core members planned an expedition, assembling an elite squad led by Zhang Xi, Zhang Yu, and Zhao Wuji while leaving Zhao Siqi to guard the Household.
• Patriarch Zhang prepared to meet the squad with Zhan Ning and others and ordered them to withdraw if the route became too dangerous.

Zhang Mingshu organized forces and supplies to travel toward Huai Ren County and counter the Netherworld Cult’s Ghost Spirits. As the teams advanced, reports said Zhang Xi’s group had cleared most of a village near the county seat and planned to continue at daybreak.

• Zhao Siqi, Zhao Wuji, and Zhang Mingshu planned their response, assigning the Five Ghosts Sect’s disciples to logistics and arranging joint drills on commands and ciphers.
• Zhang Mingshu led his party from Baishi Town toward Stone Bridge Town and secured support from several fifth-tier Martial Artists with Spirit Stones, Spirit Medicine, shops, and manors.
• Zhang Xi set out with the Starry Field Regiment while Zhang Mingshu stayed to guard Stone Bridge Town and coordinate ghost suppression across the region.
• Zhang Mingshu watched the surrounding area at night as reports described Ghost Spirits growing active in daylight and appearing in large numbers near the county seat.
• Wan Qianjue’s Ghost Spirits reported that Zhang Xi’s group had cleared most corpses and Ghost Spirits from a village and would resume its journey toward the county seat after daybreak.

Zhang Xi and the Starry Field Regiment defended a village against an overwhelming attack by Ghost Spirits and corpses, while the Zhang Household’s forces fought in the county town. After Zhu Mingting and Wu Sanchai recognized the corpse-control methods as resembling the Netherworld Cult’s, they searched for the hidden controller as the battle continued.

• Zhang Mingshu and the Starry Field Regiment’s elites watched over the village as Zhang Xi, Zhao Wuji, and Zhang Yu led the fight against the Ghost Spirits.
• Zhang Xi directed the village defense while Zhu Mingting and Wu Sanchai examined the controlled corpses and suspected the Netherworld Cult was involved.
• Zhang Xi used the Holy Grail Fragment’s power and arranged formations, traps, talismans, and ranged attacks to keep the corpses at bay.
• Zhao Wuji charged the corpses with his saber while Zhang Xi and the Starry Field Regiment held their positions and fought from behind cover.
• Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting searched for the Netherworld Cult disciple controlling the corpses.

Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting investigated the Netherworld Cult’s stronghold while the Zhang Family fought the corpses and Ghost Spirits attacking the village. Wu Sanchai was badly injured by a powerful enemy in the estate, but Zhu Mingting rescued him, and they returned to the others for treatment.

• Zhang Xi, Zhang Yu, Zhao Wuji, and their allies defended the compound as corpses and Ghost Spirits attacked, with Zhao Wuji cutting down the corpses and Wu Ergou supporting the fighters with Ghost Spirits.
• Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting tracked the Netherworld Cult’s activity to a grand estate where corpses were emerging.
• Wu Sanchai entered the estate alone to investigate, but a powerful black shadow struck and injured him.
• Zhu Mingting rushed in, drove back the attacker with the Phantom Cat, and carried Wu Sanchai out of the estate.
• Wu Sanchai took medicinal pills and returned with Zhu Mingting to the compound, where Zhang Yu treated him and told him to rest.

Wu Sanchai explained why he had risked himself to protect the Zhang Household and the people under its rule, while Zhang Xi learned that Netherworld Cult disciples were refining corpses inside the village estate. Zhang Xi’s group attacked the estate, where Zhao Wuji broke through the gate and fought the zombies as the cultists prepared a formation to resist them.

• Wu Sanchai told Zhang Xi that he had intervened because he feared the Netherworld Cult would endanger the Zhang Household and the common people, and he reaffirmed his loyalty to the Main Family.
• Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting reported that the estate held traps, and Zhang Xi sent news to Zhang Mingshu through Wan Qianjue’s people using the Five Ghost Technique.
• Zhang Xi and the others identified the hidden Netherworld Cult disciples and changed their plans to attack the estate rather than continue toward the county town.
• Zhao Wuji smashed open the estate gate and drove off the zombies that ambushed him.
• The four Netherworld Cult disciples prepared a formation around a massive coffin to strengthen their zombies, while Zhao Wuji cut through the corpses and zombies inside the estate.

The Zhang family's elite squad broke through the Netherworld Cult's defenses and disrupted a ritual, but the cultists' death sacrifice awakened a Golden Armored Zombie. Zhang Xi ordered a retreat and prepared the squad to fight as Zhang Yu searched for its weakness, while arrows failed to harm it.

• Zhao Wuji and Zhang Yu led the assault, while the squad and its allies cleared the courtyard of corpses and weakened the Bronze Armored Zombies.
• Zhang Xi led the squad through the Netherworld Cult's defensive line and ordered them to destroy the formation surrounding a massive coffin.
• Zhang Yu used [Phantom Wings] and [Heavy Strike Armor Break] to leap past the zombies and shatter several magical artifacts, weakening the formation.
• The four Netherworld Cult disciples stabbed themselves and sacrificed their blood to awaken the zombie inside the coffin.
• The Golden Armored Zombie emerged and completed its transformation as it drained the disciples' blood and strength.
• Zhang Xi ordered the squad to retreat and prepare its strongest attacks while Zhang Yu searched for a weakness; Gu Xiaobing and Bai Libow's arrows only sparked against the zombie's armor.

Zhang Xi led the Zhang family in a coordinated battle against the Golden Armored Zombie, using attacks and evasive tactics to contain it. As the fight continued, the zombie’s attack power and reaction speed began to decline.

• The Golden Armored Zombie charged the Zhang family’s formation, and Zhang Xi used lightning while Wu Ergou released his Ghost Spirits to slow it down.
• Zhu Mingting, Ren Yuan, Zhan Ying, and the others took up positions around the zombie and attacked while Gu Xiaobing and Bai Libow fired arrows from the wall.
• Ren Yuan fused with Optimus Prime and protected Zhang Xi, Zhang Yu, and the injured and exhausted fighters behind them.
• Wu Xusong used Sickly Physique and the Medicine of Chronic Illness to strengthen himself before joining the assault.
• Zhang Xi directed the formation as the fighters took turns attacking and dodging, gradually weakening the Golden Armored Zombie.

Zhang Xi, Han Yuan, and their allies wore down the Golden Armored Zombie before Zhang Yu’s coordinated attack let Gu Xiaobing and Bai Libow destroy its head with Explosive Arrows. The zombie fell, Ren Yuan was badly injured shielding the group, and the survivors regrouped as the Ghost Spirits retreated in the morning light.

• Han Yuan and Chen Aifan weakened the Golden Armored Zombie while Zhou Minglu kept it under pressure, and Zhang Xi held Bai Libow and Gu Xiaobing back until Zhang Yu was ready.
• Zhang Yu and his Shadow Spirit clone struck the zombie together, creating an opening for Gu Xiaobing and Bai Libow to fire Explosive Arrows into its eyes.
• The arrows detonated the Crystal Core in the zombie’s head, killing it as Ren Yuan shielded Zhang Xi and the others from the blast.
• Zhu Mingting and Zhan Ying pulled Zhang Yu and Zhou Minglu away from the explosion, and the four survived with no serious injuries.
• Chong Li treated the badly burned Ren Yuan while the exhausted survivors regrouped and the Ghost Spirits retreated as morning broke.

Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu arrived in Huai Ren County to support County Magistrate Fan Jin as the Ghost Spirits and walking corpses ravaged the city. Fan Jin described the worsening nightly attacks and the feuding lineages whose cooperation had barely kept the county standing.

• Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu met the exhausted Fan Jin and offered help through private ties rather than in the Huai Ren Commandant's name.
• The city’s lineages learned the Zhang Family had sent Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu, and they hoped the reinforcements would help them survive the next attack.
• Fan Jin heard how the Zhang Family had held off the Ghost Spirits and walking corpses and learned that Zhang Mingshu was redeploying additional forces.
• Fan Jin told Zhang Xi and the others that common people had suffered most, while the lineages had withdrawn behind walls and concentrated their forces.
• Fan Jin explained that more than a dozen lineages had barely resisted for over ten days, with infighting and broken cooperation causing needless losses.

Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu met with Huai Ren County’s lineages to organize defenses against the Ghost Spirits and corpses, while setting terms for the Zhang Family’s involvement. The factions prepared for the coming night’s attacks, and Zhang Xi’s group began assessing which families might become allies.

• Fan Jin summoned the lineage representatives and welcomed the Zhang Family’s help as a source of hope for Huai Ren County.
• Zhang Xi pledged that the Zhang Family would help the county survive the crisis, while keeping clear of the local families’ rivalries.
• Zhang Yu offered to handle Ghost Spirits inside the city but left the corpses and zombies outside to the lineages unless Netherworld Cult disciples appeared.
• Zhang Yu required the families to allow entry into their residences when needed and to mark any rooms they forbade the Zhang Family to enter before sunset.
• Fan Jin, Wang Baiyang, and the lineages divided up sections of the city walls and streets to defend, while Zhang Xi assigned his people to teams.
• Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu considered the Great Tian, Zhong, Middle Tian, and East Lin families as potential partners but chose to observe them before approaching.

As Huai Ren County fought off the Netherworld Cult’s corpse army and Ghost Spirits, Zhang Xi rushed to aid the Middle Tian Family, which was under attack by a Plague Ghost Spirit. He destroyed the spirit with a single grab, ending the threat to Tian Wenzhi and his family.

• Lin Zhendong led the West Lin Family’s defense of the western wall as the corpse army charged Huai Ren County.
• A plague-bearing Ghost Spirit attacked the Middle Tian Family, and Tian Wenzhi used his heirloom staff, talismans, and herbs to protect his clansmen.
• Zhang Xi left Zhao Wuji to patrol the walls and hurried toward the Middle Tian Family after noticing its distress signal.
• Zhao Wuji and Chong Li suppressed Ghost Spirits in an alley while Zhang Xi tore through others using the Holy Grail Fragment.
• Zhang Xi reached the Middle Tian Family’s residence and crushed the remaining Ghost Spirits with his folding fan.
• Protected by the Ice Fire Turtle’s Ice Fire Shield, Zhang Xi grabbed the Plague Ghost Spirit, which disintegrated into light in his palm.

As the battle for Huai Ren County intensified in the second half of the night, Netherworld Cult disciples directed the undead in coordinated assaults on the city walls. Zhang Yu and Zhang Xi continued clearing Ghost Spirits inside the city, while Wu Sanchai launched a risky strike against the enemy outside.

• The Mo Family supplied alchemical crossbows that helped the eastern defenders hold off waves of corpses and zombies.
• Three Netherworld Cult disciples appeared outside each side of the city, directing the undead and forcing the defenders to reinforce the walls.
• Tian Zhuanghao led the Yellow Turban Warriors against zombies breaching the eastern wall, while Wang Baiyang and Fan Jin organized their defenders elsewhere.
• Diwu Lan and Tantai Min'en ambushed three Netherworld Cult disciples trying to infiltrate the county and destroyed their bodies and souls.
• Zhang Yu hurried toward the northern wall as Wu Sanchai leaped down to attempt a decapitation strike, with Zhu Mingting following to cover his retreat.

Wu Sanchai and Zhu Mingting became trapped among the corpses while trying to reach the Netherworld Cult disciples, and Zhang Yu flew from the city wall to help them. The three reunited after Zhu Mingting blasted open a path, while Diwu Lan and Tantai Min'en only then learned of the danger.

• Wu Sanchai slipped through the tide of corpses, but Netherworld Cult disciples detected him and directed zombies to surround him.
• Zhu Mingting attacked the zombies to draw them away from Wu Sanchai, and the two spent their talismans fighting for a chance to escape.
• A Netherworld Cult disciple fired a black beam at Wu Sanchai, and later two more beams wounded his shoulder as the zombies closed in.
• Zhu Mingting unleashed a pillar of radiance that blasted the surrounding corpses and zombies away.
• Zhang Yu flew from the city wall and landed in the cleared space, reuniting with Zhu Mingting and Wu Sanchai.
• Diwu Lan and Tantai Min'en noticed the battle too late to arrive, while Gu Xiaobing and Bai Libow stayed on the wall and continued shooting zombies.

Wu Sanchai died after being wounded by corpse poison, and Zhang Yu led a counterattack against the Netherworld Cult disciples to avenge him. Zhang Yu and his companions fought through the corpse tide and reached the three enemies, with Zhang Yu thrusting his sword at one of them.

• Wu Sanchai was overwhelmed by his wound and the zombies, and the Five Ghosts Sect took his corpse underground after he died.
• Zhang Yu, Zhu Mingting, Zhou Minglu, Han Yuan, and Zhan Ying fought their way back to the city wall, where Zhang Xi and Chong Li received them.
• Zhang Yu asked Zhang Xi to let him avenge Wu Sanchai, then gathered Ren Yuan, Zhu Mingting, Gu Xiaobing, Bai Libow, Zhan Ying, Zhou Minglu, Chen Aifan, and Han Yuan for a counterattack.
• Zhang Yu led the nine fighters out through the city wall, and they coordinated their attacks to push through the corpse tide toward the Netherworld Cult disciples.
• The Netherworld Cult disciples sent more corpses and zombies to stop the advance, but Zhang Yu and his companions reached them, and Zhang Yu thrust his sword at one disciple.

Zhang Yu and his allies fought three Netherworld Cult disciples mounted on demon beast corpse puppets, coordinating their attacks to turn the battle in their favor. After one disciple was killed, his soul possessed the Tiger Beast Corpse Puppet, and the fight remained dangerous as the other two battles worsened for the Netherworld Cult.

• Zhang Yu attacked the Netherworld Cult disciples, but the Wolf Beast Corpse Puppet blocked his sword and counterattacked while the Tiger Beast and Crocodile Beast joined the fighting.
• Ren Yuan and Bai Libow fought the Wolf Beast Corpse Puppet as Zhu Mingting, Han Yuan, and Zhou Minglu attacked the Tiger Beast and killed its rider with a spear strike.
• The dead disciple's soul transferred into the Tiger Beast Corpse Puppet, which grew more ferocious, while Chen Aifan and Zhang Yu helped drive back the Crocodile Beast.
• Han Yuan, Zhu Mingting, and Zhou Minglu hacked apart the dead disciple's body to keep his soul from reusing it, while Zhan Ying joined Zhang Yu and Chen Aifan against the Crocodile Beast.
• The three Netherworld Cult disciples realized Zhang Yu's group had overwhelmed them, and all three battlefields continued to turn against them.

Zhang Yu and the defenders defeated three Netherworld Cult disciples and their Corpse Puppet Beasts, disrupting the corpse tide and easing Huai Ren County’s siege. As dawn arrived, the crisis had temporarily passed, and Zhang Yu recovered while the defenders prepared to search for nearby enemy strongholds.

• Zhang Yu, Zhan Ying, and Chen Aifan pressured the Crocodile Beast Corpse Puppet while the other fighters battered the Wolf and Tiger Beast Corpse Puppets.
• Ren Yuan, Bai Libow, Gu Xiaobing, Zhu Mingting, Zhou Minglu, and Han Yuan destroyed the Tiger Beast and Wolf Beast Corpse Puppets and killed the souls inside them.
• The fighters joined Zhang Yu’s group to kill the Netherworld Cult disciple controlling the Crocodile Beast Corpse Puppet, causing the surrounding corpses and zombies to lose coordination.
• Zhang Yu led his group through the disorganized corpse tide and returned safely to the city wall, where Huai Ren County’s defenders cheered.
• Zhang Xi said he had sent the Third Master’s corpse and a report to the Household, while Chong Li said she had collected the demon spirit inside him.
• After the Netherworld Cult retreated at daybreak, Zhang Xi and Zhang Yu sent people to search for enemy strongholds, and Zhang Yu sat down to recover.