Chapter Summaries

Gu Jinlai sold his spoils at Wind and Rain Commerce, traded for a thunder-attribute quasi-dao artifact, and exchanged the Sword of Thunder for the divine ability Starlight Kingdom. Yan Lie then warned him that Martial Saint Fang Yan had rejected mediation and expected Gu Jinlai to apologize, leaving Gu Jinlai facing continued conflict with Fang Yan.

• Gu Jinlai visited Wind and Rain Commerce and arranged to sell his Spirit Artifacts and exchange his quasi-dao artifact for one with thunder and Boundless traits.
• Yuhualou and Yu Shaoqin appraised Gu Jinlai's spoils at 930 million and exchanged a suitable quasi-dao artifact for him.
• Gu Jinlai spent the proceeds on 155 portions of Thunder-Magnetic Origin Gold and returned to the Martial Saint Academy two days later.
• Yan Lie gave Gu Jinlai the superior divine ability Starlight Kingdom in exchange for the Sword of Thunder.
• Yan Lie told Gu Jinlai that Martial Saint Fang Yan had rejected mediation and advised him to offer gifts and apologize, but Gu Jinlai insisted that he had only fought back against the Thunder Origin Sect's attempt to kill him.

Gu Jinlai learned that Martial Saint Fang Yan could threaten him, but resolved to hold to his convictions while Yan Lie arranged his transfer from the southeastern outer district. At the Purifier Squad, Gu Jinlai found the team depleted and discovered that Black Sword wanted him to help track down the demonic cultist Liu Zhenyuan.

• Gu Jinlai rejected Yan Lie’s suggestion that he apologize to Fang Yan and said he would face the pressure as part of his pursuit of his true self.
• Yan Lie agreed to arrange Gu Jinlai’s transfer and advised him to report to the Purifier Department while the transfer was pending.
• Gu Jinlai learned that Lan Yuxian’s squad had suffered heavy losses while pursuing out-of-control individuals and demonic cultists, and was now tracking Liu Zhenyuan.
• Black Sword and Zhong Ti returned to the squad station, where Gu Jinlai learned Lan Yuxian had injured Zhong Ti.
• Black Sword told Gu Jinlai the squad was short-handed and asked him to join the hunt for Liu Zhenyuan.

Gu Jinlai joined Lanyuyuan’s search for Liu Zhenyuan as she pursued one last chance to secure a grotto-heaven cultivation quota. At the Painting and Shadow Society, the team discovered Red Dragon, but an ambush by Thunder Realm interrupted their attack.

• Black Sword warned Gu Jinlai that Lanyuyuan’s position and quota were at stake, and suggested Gu Jinlai might become captain after she left office.
• Gu Jinlai arrived at the squad’s courtyard, where the martial kings welcomed him; Lanyuyuan led the group to search the Painting and Shadow Society.
• Lanyuyuan ordered the establishment surrounded and killed a martial grandmaster who tried to intervene.
• A fugitive martial king revealed himself as Red Dragon, and Lanyuyuan ordered the team to capture him alive so she could pursue his master, Tie Long Shang.
• Thunder Realm attacked Lanyuyuan, Black Sword, Lanyubai, and Dong Yuji with a chain-like Staff of Thunder, and Xia Ruyi identified him as ninth on the Extreme Danger List.

Lei Jie, a peak Celestial on the Purifiers’ extremely dangerous list, attacked Lan Yuxian and tried to seize her Dao Artifact while rescuing Chilong. Gu Jinlai helped subdue him when Martial Saint Zong Yan arrived, but Lan Yuxian left without honoring her promise to give Gu Jinlai the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Pagoda.

• Lei Jie struck Lan Yuxian, weakened her control of the Profound Yellow Mountain-Suppressing Pagoda, and attempted to take it while rescuing Chilong.
• Lan Bailin and Lan Yuxian urged Gu Jinlai to hold Lei Jie back, and Gu Jinlai agreed in exchange for Lan Yuxian’s Dao Artifact.
• As Martial Saint Zong Yan rushed toward the battlefield, Lei Jie fled with Chilong, but Gu Jinlai’s lightning sword and the others’ attacks stopped him.
• Zong Yan arrived and struck Lei Jie down, capturing him alive along with Chilong.
• Lan Yuxian escorted Lei Jie and Chilong away with Zong Yan and ignored Gu Jinlai’s reminder about her promise.

Gu Jinlai helped capture Lei Jie, giving Lan Yuxian enough contribution points to overtake Lan Yuhua in the contest for the Taihao Grotto-Heaven. After Lan Yuxian refused to honor her promise of the Lan Family’s Dao Artifact, Gu Jinlai met Lan Yuhua and suggested the contest could still take a new turn.

• Gu Jinlai’s intervention helped Martial Saint Zong Yan capture Lei Jie and Chi Long, earning Lan Yuxian 700 million contribution points and bringing her total to 1.3 billion.
• Lan Yuxian told Lan Bailin she had agreed under pressure to give Gu Jinlai the Profound Yellow Suppressing Mountain Pagoda, but planned to deny the promise and use her status to silence him.
• The Lan Family’s higher-ups and disciples flocked to congratulate Lan Yuxian, while Lan Yuhua’s courtyard was left deserted.
• Gu Jinlai watched Lan Yuhua leave the Lan Family with his supporters, then summoned him to Cloudjade Tower for a private conversation.
• Lan Yuhua arrived angry that Gu Jinlai had jeopardized his grotto-heaven spot, and Gu Jinlai hinted he could still help change the outcome.

Gu Jinlai agreed to help Lan Yuhua compete with Lan Yuxian for the Taihao Grotto-Heaven study slot in exchange for Eight Cloud Crystal and a top-tier divine ability. They planned to hunt a powerful Great Devil King, while Gu Jinlai looked ahead to Lan Yuxian’s expected downfall when Lan Yuxue arrived.

• Gu Jinlai offered to help Lan Yuhua earn more contribution points than Lan Yuxian, provided Lan Yuhua paid him suitably.
• Lan Yuhua offered Gu Jinlai Eight Cloud Crystal and a top-tier divine ability from Taihao Grotto-Heaven, and Gu Jinlai accepted on the condition that he receive them first.
• Lan Yuhua told Gu Jinlai about a Great Devil King with a perfected devil body whose defeat could yield nearly one billion contribution points.
• Lan Yuhua agreed to provide the promised items after nightfall at the northern city gate and swore Gu Jinlai to an oath with his martial dao will.
• After Lan Yuhua left, Gu Jinlai watched the crowds visiting Lan Yuxian and thought that Lan Yuxue’s arrival in three days could cost her the study slot.

Gu Jinlai joined Lan Yuhua and six other cultivators to hunt the Demon King Horned Dragon, learning that the Sacred Dynasty maintained a fragile truce with the Demonic Beasts. After locating Horned Dragon’s army, Gu Jinlai led a direct assault and began the attack on the Demon King.

• Gu Jinlai accepted the Eight-Cloud Crystal and the Sky Dragon Step divine ability from Lan Yuhua before joining the group’s mission.
• Lan Yuhua explained that their target, Horned Dragon, commanded sixty thousand Demonic Beasts, and revealed that the Sacred Dynasty avoided killing Demon Kings transformed from Spiritual Venerables to prevent retaliation.
• Gu Jinlai proposed attacking Horned Dragon directly, and the group agreed to rely on him to locate the Demon King and deliver the decisive blow.
• The eight cultivators flew into the mountain range, cleared the demonic fowl, and followed Gu Jinlai’s sense of the local qi to find Horned Dragon.
• Lan Yuhua drew Horned Dragon’s attention, and Gu Jinlai charged in with a thunderous sword strike.

Gu Jinlai killed the Demon Beast King Horned Dragon in a swift attack, then led Lan Yuhua and the others to escape the surrounding Demonic Beasts. Afterward, Lan Yuhua offered Gu Jinlai the group’s contribution points, and he asked to trade them for thunder-type Martial Saint inheritances and divine abilities.

• Gu Jinlai struck down Horned Dragon with his Thunderclap Sword, paralyzed it, and tore it apart with a storm of sword strikes.
• As other Demonic Beasts gathered to surround them, Gu Jinlai urged Lan Yuhua and the others to flee by air.
• After they escaped the mountain range, Lan Yuhua and the Martial Kings praised Gu Jinlai for making the beheading operation swift and easy.
• Lan Yuhua offered Gu Jinlai the contribution points earned from killing Horned Dragon, while the others agreed to give him their shares.
• Gu Jinlai asked Lan Yuhua to exchange the contribution points for thunder-type Martial Saint inheritances and divine abilities, and Lan Yuhua agreed.

Lan Yuxian resigned as Purger Squad captain and tried to turn Wu Tianya against Gu Jinlai by accusing him of seeking the Profound Yellow Suppressing Mountain Pagoda. After learning Gu Jinlai and Lan Yuhua had returned from an expedition, she discovered they had killed a Demon King, threatening her plans to leave for the Taihao Grotto-Heaven.

• Lan Yuxian returned her captain's token to Wu Tianya and recommended Deputy Captain Black Sword as her successor.
• Lan Yuxian warned Wu Tianya that Gu Jinlai had demanded the Profound Yellow Suppressing Mountain Pagoda and might become an uncontrolled threat like Longxiang Tian.
• Lan Bailin told Lan Yuxian that Gu Jinlai and Lan Yuhua had left the city with six others, apparently hoping to kill a Demon King.
• Lan Yuxian ordered observers to watch the Demon-Slaying Hall and the city gates while she prepared to leave for the Taihao Grotto-Heaven.
• Lan Bailin received word that Gu Jinlai and Lan Yuhua had returned and gone to the Demon-Slaying Hall.
• Lan Bailin told Lan Yuxian that Gu Jinlai, Lan Yuhua, and their companions had killed a Demon King with a perfected demon body.

Lan Yuhua overtook Lan Yuxian in the contest for a chance to study at Taihao Grotto-Heaven after earning 840 million contribution points for killing a perfected-body demon king. Gu Jinlai accepted Xia Ruyi’s sword manual and thunder-magnet primordial gold, then sensed a woman approaching and wondered if she was courting death.

• Lan Yuxian learned that Lan Yuhua had killed a perfected-body demon king and gained 840 million contribution points, pushing his total to 1.7 billion.
• Lan Yuxian suppressed her anger and congratulated Lan Yuhua at the Demon-Slaying Hall, where he taunted her about the dwindling chance to win the Taihao Grotto-Heaven opportunity.
• Lan Yuhua left with Gu Jinlai, Yuan Cuo, and the others, and they celebrated at Tianyun Tower.
• Xia Ruyi visited Gu Jinlai to apologize for helping lure Shang Tielong and offered him twenty portions of thunder-magnet primordial gold in exchange for swordsmanship guidance.
• Gu Jinlai accepted Xia Ruyi’s sword manual and gift, reflected on his growing strength, and sensed a woman nearby with a cold smile.

Lan Yuxian tried to bargain with Gu Jinlai to help her capture Shang Tielong and win a Taihao Grotto-Heaven study quota, but he refused and resolved to kill her after her powerful sister left. Lan Yuxian departed Wind and Rain City with Lan Yuxue and Lan Yuhua, while Gu Jinlai focused on new divine abilities and gathering more Purifying Light.

• Lan Yuxian secretly asked Gu Jinlai to help capture Shang Tielong, offering him whatever she could, but he rejected her advances and refused to help.
• Lan Yuxian left Wind and Rain City with Lan Yuxue and Lan Yuhua after Lan Yuhua won the Taihao Grotto-Heaven study quota.
• Yuan Cuo delivered two superior divine abilities and three Martial Saint inheritances to Gu Jinlai, who favored the fire-based Solarflame Burst.
• Gu Jinlai planned to become Purifier Squad captain and hunt out-of-control beings and Demonic Cultists to obtain more Purifying Light.

Gu Jinlai lost the Southeast Cleansers' Squad captaincy to Black Sword, but Wu Tianya privately appointed him Chief District Head of Wind and Rain City's Outer City. Gu Jinlai accepted the post and its demanding three-year targets, vowing to cleanse the Outer City.

• Wu Tianya appointed Black Sword captain of the Southeast Cleansers' Squad and made Gu Jinlai vice-captain instead.
• Wu Tianya told Gu Jinlai he had high hopes for his future and gave him documents appointing him Chief District Head of the Outer City.
• Wu Tianya set Gu Jinlai a three-year goal of reducing the Outer City's average casualty rate by thirty percent and increasing outsider absorption by ten percent.
• Gu Jinlai accepted the appointment and vowed to eradicate the Outer City's demons and monsters and restore order.

Gu Jinlai took control as Chief District Lord of the outer districts and began examining records that revealed how officials maintained stability by silencing and eliminating accusers. He set aside cases involving powerful lineages for now and ordered detailed evidence on four other forces.

• Gu Jinlai told Tang Zhengxiao and An Yu that he had been appointed Chief District Lord and ordered them to gather trusted Enforcement Court personnel.
• Gu Jinlai arrived at the Chief District Lord's Mansion, took over its administration, and convened a meeting of the District Lords.
• Tang Zhengxiao and An Yu brought Gu Jinlai files on major cases, showing that many accusers had died in attacks by Demonic Beasts, out-of-control people, and demonic cultists.
• Gu Jinlai set aside five cases involving the Jin Family, Cao Family, Zong Family, Hai Family, and Yue Family, then requested detailed intelligence and evidence on four other forces.

Gu Jinlai secured a new supply of Thunder-Magnet Origin Gold to advance his Chaos Starlight Body, pledging the Chengying Sword as collateral for the Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s remaining stock. He then asked Zhao Yushu to sell the Lan Family’s defensive quasi-Dao Artifact through the Blue Radiance Society.

• Gu Jinlai inspected the 155 portions of Thunder-Magnet Origin Gold delivered by Yuhua Lou and said he planned to buy another 700 or 800 portions.
• The Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce said it could provide 400 portions, while Yuhua Lou offered 180 portions from the Wind and Rain Chamber of Commerce at six million per portion.
• Gu Jinlai agreed to wait half a month for the Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s stock and offered the Chengying Sword as collateral.
• After the others left, Gu Jinlai kept Zhao Yushu behind and asked her to use the Blue Radiance Society to sell the Eight-Cloud Crystal.

Gu Jinlai refined thunder-magnetite gold to strengthen his Chaotic Astral Body, then led an assault on Moon-Getting Tower. He killed its guards and two celestial backers, leaving his subordinates to seal the tower while he seized their weapons and belongings.

• Gu Jinlai refined 155 shares of thunder-magnetite gold and estimated how much more he needed to perfect the Chaotic Astral Body.
• Gu Jinlai ordered his forces to raid Moon-Getting Tower and arrived ahead of the main group with Qiao Muqi and three Primordial Spirit true lords.
• Gu Jinlai killed Moon-Getting Tower's garrisoned martial king and ordered Qiao Muqi and the three true lords to seal the exits.
• Wu Zhaoyuan and Yue Manxian arrived, then tried to flee when they saw the dead martial king.
• Gu Jinlai struck down Yue Manxian with a thunder sword, stopped Wu Zhaoyuan's flying sword with Magnet-Magnetic Divine Light, and killed Wu Zhaoyuan as he fled.
• Gu Jinlai took the celestials' weapons and belongings and declared that the suspects had resisted and been executed.

Gu Jinlai led a sweeping purge of Wind and Rain City's outer-city factions, earning public praise while alarming the remaining powers. Jin Fantian rejected Cao Congyun's unsupported accusation that Gu Jinlai killed Jin Yuhai, then agreed with Han Feng that Gu Jinlai could keep serving as a blade until the city was purged enough to sacrifice him to appease the great clans.

• Gu Jinlai publicly tried the Moonview Tower's leaders, executed fourteen, and punished more than two hundred others before moving on to purge other major factions.
• Gu Jinlai used his network and Karma to find fleeing Red Names, prompting outer-city powers to hide, seek protection, or flee toward the inner city.
• Cao Congyun presented Jin Fantian with circumstantial claims that Gu Jinlai had killed Jin Yuhai and urged him to use the Heart-Inquiring Mirror.
• Jin Fantian dismissed Cao Congyun for bringing no concrete evidence, and Han Feng later remarked that Cao Congyun had tried to use Jin Fantian to kill Gu Jinlai.
• Jin Fantian and Han Feng agreed to let Gu Jinlai continue the purge, then potentially cast him out to appease the great clans and restore Wind and Rain City's stability.

Zhao Yushu became vice president of the Wind and Rain Chamber of Commerce and arranged to sell a defensive quasi-Dao-artifact to Qi Yunxiao in Haifeng City. Gu Jinlai agreed to oversee the meeting there, then traded thunder-magnetism prime gold for confiscated treasures with the Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce and Yuhua Pavilion.

• Zhao Yushu was appointed vice president and challenged Blue Light Society members who questioned her ability to sell a defensive quasi-Dao-artifact.
• Qi Yunxiao offered four billion for the treasure and requested that the transaction take place in Haifeng City.
• Gu Jinlai told Zhao Yushu he would arrive in Haifeng City in a week and advised her to stay close to Yuhua Pavilion while his purge of local forces continued.
• Gu Jinlai met Yuhua Pavilion and the Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce at the Wind and Rain Chamber of Commerce and confirmed they had gathered 590 portions of thunder-magnetism prime gold.
• Gu Jinlai offered confiscated spirit artifacts, quasi-Dao-artifacts, and treasures in exchange, and the Purple Thunder Chamber of Commerce selected goods worth 2.4 billion.

While Lingxiao Palace’s leaders worried over Gu Jinlai’s absence, they learned that Profound Heaven Venerable had gravely wounded Blood Demon Emperor Luo and threatened the True Immortal Palace. Gu Jinlai, unaware of events in Great Qian, finished refining his newly looted thunder-magnetic primordial gold and prepared to advance his Chaos Starlight Body.

• Xin Tianqi and Cheng Wanli worried that Gu Jinlai had been missing for three months, though they hoped he was accepting the Aries Star Lord’s inheritance.
• Tang Qing reported that Profound Heaven Venerable had foiled an ambush, shattered Blood Demon Emperor Luo’s Indestructible Golden Body, and attacked the True Immortal Palace.
• Xin Tianqi concluded that Imperial Preceptor Taiyuan and the Three Purities Palace’s Saints had halted their conflict because they feared Profound Heaven Venerable’s immense talent and future strength.
• Gu Jinlai returned to his residence with 590 portions of thunder-magnetic primordial gold seized from more than thirty factions, bringing his total plunder to 8.2 billion in materials.
• Gu Jinlai refined all 590 portions in less than two days and sensed that his Chaos Starlight Body was close to great accomplishment, which he could now reach by spending clear light.

Gu Jinlai spent his accumulated clear light perfecting several thunder-attribute divine abilities and fusing them into a new domain ability. The new domain let him extend the Eternal Furnace’s containment beyond his body, giving him a thousand-meter buffer, though he still could not control its power precisely.

• Gu Jinlai raised Magneto Divine Light and Astral Kingdom to perfection, then spent fifty-four wisps of clear light perfecting Thunder World.
• Gu Jinlai considered how divine abilities, Dao Artifacts, and divine weapons determined saints’ battle ranks, and wondered how multiple top-tier abilities would affect his own rank.
• Gu Jinlai fused Sword of Thunder, Magneto Divine Light, Astral Kingdom, and Thunder World, but stopped the fusion before it reached the golden tier because his Chaotic Astral Body was not yet strong enough to support it.
• Gu Jinlai used the remaining clear light to cultivate the new ability to Lesser Accomplishment, forming a thousand-meter domain that amplified his attacks and suppressed spiritual artifacts.
• Gu Jinlai drew a wisp of energy from the Eternal Furnace through the domain and shattered it within the domain, discovering that the ability could contain the furnace’s power beyond his body.

Gu Jinlai named his new support divine ability Thunderlight Domain and continued his campaign against the great clans of Wind and Rain City. After learning that the Ouyang family had fled to Haifeng City, he prepared to pursue them, then was confronted by cultist Ding Zhongyuan, who warned that Gu Jinlai faced a calamity and claimed he had come to save him.

• Gu Jinlai named the newly synthesized divine ability Thunderlight Domain and planned to gather Clear Light before traveling to Haifeng City.
• Gu Jinlai found that the Ouyang family’s core members had fled, leaving only a small amount of confiscated wealth, and learned they had gone to Haifeng City.
• Gu Jinlai vowed to pursue the Ouyang family and continued his campaign as civilians praised his efforts and Wind and Rain City’s leadership.
• Gu Jinlai reviewed evidence against suspected clan members but found that many had evaded prosecution by concealing their crimes and holding official positions.
• Ding Zhongyuan, a notorious cultist on the Purifiers’ Extremely Dangerous List, appeared in Gu Jinlai’s office and warned that Gu Jinlai faced a calamity, claiming he had come to save him.