Recaps

Oda Marina recovered her confidence by deciding that Zhang Guangmu’s vanity was his fatal weakness and that time would let her technological martial way surpass him. At Longbei Cliff, Zhang Guangmu reclaimed the Martial Way Diary (Yang) from Jiang Jiuxiao and used its accumulated feedback to approach a breakthrough beyond the Innate Realm.

• Zhang Guangmu told Oda Marina he planned to end the war, kill the Country of Sakura’s high-ranking officials, and establish the Martial Way Alliance in pursuit of immortality.
• Zhang Guangmu and Oda Marina became hostile pen pals, while Oda Marina spent the night distressed by his threats.
• Oda Marina used the Script Hint to identify Zhang Guangmu’s vanity as his weakness and resolved to use her wealth and technology to defeat him over time.
• Jiang Jiuxiao returned the Martial Way Diary (Yang) to Zhang Guangmu at Longbei Cliff and wondered why Zhang Guangmu had shown him its new content.
• Zhang Guangmu absorbed feedback from Oda Marina and Jiang Jiuxiao, causing his internal force to surge as he neared a breakthrough beyond the Innate Realm.

Zhang Guangmu broke through to the Transcendent Fourth Realm without entrusting his Martial Way Will to anything, relying on his control and accumulated abilities to tame his surging internal force. He reached the martial ceiling of the world, and his Martial Way changed from Steel to Lead.

• Zhang Guangmu considered whether to entrust his Martial Way Will to Zhao's Steel Fist or to vanity as time stopped for the worldview narration.
• The narrator explained that choosing the world or humanity could cause severe flaws, while Zhang Guangmu recognized the dangers of relying on either Zhao's Steel Fist or vanity.
• Zhang Guangmu rejected both options and declared that he would break through without entrusting his Martial Way Will to anything.
• Zhang Guangmu's internal force surged more than tenfold, but he used his Control, Acting Skill, and Imperial Body Forging Technique to bring it under control.
• Zhang Guangmu reached the Transcendent Fourth Realm, absorbed energy from those around him, and saw his Martial Way change from Steel to Lead.

After reaching Heaven Meridian Connection, Zhang Guangmu discovered that his Innate Authority let him draw life force from weaker living beings, making him nearly inexhaustible. He delegated affairs at Longbei Cliff and traveled to the Country of Sakura, where its forces recognized him as the Great Demon of the Central Continent.

• Zhang Guangmu realized he could draw energy and life force from any living being whose realm was below his own.
• He concluded that Heaven Meridian Connection was the highest martial realm in the world and believed technology would be needed for further growth.
• Zhang Guangmu put Lu Mohan in charge of Lie Wu Battalion affairs and preparations at Longbei Cliff.
• Zhang Guangmu took Jiang Jiuxiao across the sea to Yingzhou aboard a flying boat, replenishing his energy from marine creatures along the way.
• Armed samurai, Onmyoji, and ninja on the Country of Sakura's coast recognized Zhang Guangmu and called him the Great Demon of the Central Continent.

Zhang Guangmu faced Miyajima Manshu and the assembled forces of the Country of Sakura at the start of the Great Battle of Zhongying. He ignored their attempts to lure him down from his airship and began cutting through the crowd with beams from his eyes.

• Jiang Jiuxiao identified Miyajima Manshu as the Country of Sakura’s strongest person on land and warned Zhang Guangmu about him.
• Miyajima Manshu challenged Zhang Guangmu and tried to provoke him into descending for a sword fight.
• A young relative of the Shiina family demanded revenge for his father and called on Zhang Guangmu to fight on the ground.
• Jiang Jiuxiao recognized the Shiina family members and urged Zhang Guangmu not to let them escape.
• Zhang Guangmu declared that everyone below had to die and swept the crowd with blood-red beams from his eyes.

Zhang Guangmu annihilated Shiina Hayate and continued cutting down the Country of Sakura’s forces with his Crimson Laser. Miyajima Manshu ordered the remaining Three Thousand Demon Tribulation Troops to shatter like jade.

• Zhang Guangmu sliced Shiina Hayate in half, and Shiina survived briefly underwater by using his strange crimson power to feed on sharks.
• Zhang Guangmu spotted Shiina Hayate in the sea and erased him with a thickened Crimson Laser beam.
• Zhang Guangmu continued firing his Crimson Laser across the coastline, killing many soldiers as Jiang Jiuxiao watched without intervening.
• Miyajima Manshu realized his plans had failed after three hundred of his three thousand elite troops died, then ordered the Three Thousand Demon Tribulation Troops to shatter like jade.

Zhang Guangmu effortlessly annihilated the Demon Tribulation Three Thousand, only to learn that Miyajima Manshu and the ambushers had been a decoy for the Oda Clan’s long-range weapons. The chapter ended as three thousand Super-Range Shockwave Martial Bombs raced toward him.

• Miyajima Manshu ordered the Demon Tribulation Three Thousand to attack Zhang Guangmu and distract him with a chaotic assault.
• Zhang Guangmu protected Jiang Jiuxiao and their floating boat, then used ice and fire to slaughter the attackers along the coastline.
• After the ambushers were wiped out, Miyajima Manshu revealed that they had served as a smokescreen while the long-range weapons were the real threat.
• Three thousand Super-Range Shockwave Martial Bombs appeared on the horizon and flew toward Zhang Guangmu.

Zhang Guangmu turned Miyajima Manshu’s Demon Tribulation Three Thousand missiles against him and killed him, destroying the Divine Artifact Takamagahara as well. A mysterious masked figure then appeared before Oda Marina at Azuchi Castle.

• Miyajima Manshu used the Divine Artifact Takamagahara to immobilize Zhang Guangmu and sent Demon Tribulation Three Thousand missiles toward him.
• Zhang Guangmu secretly damaged the missiles from within, disabling about half and redirecting the rest toward Miyajima Manshu.
• The missiles blasted Miyajima Manshu to ash and shattered the Takamagahara, leaving no intact trace of him.
• A mysterious figure wearing a strange mask appeared before Oda Marina at Azuchi Castle.

Oda Marina met the mysterious Jiang Shen, who claimed to be the Martial Ancestor and revealed that she and Jiang Jiuxiao were keys to a treasure vault. As Jiang Shen waited for Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Jiuxiao to arrive, Jiang Jiuxiao asked Zhang Guangmu whether he was the Martial Ancestor.

• Oda Marina learned that Miyajima Manshu had died and feared Zhang Guangmu, who had survived the attack.
• Jiang Shen appeared before Oda Marina, claimed he created the Martial Way Diary Yin Edition, and identified himself as Martial Ancestor Jiang Shen.
• Jiang Shen said Oda Marina and Jiang Jiuxiao were his two special descendants and keys to a treasure vault, and that he would keep them alive until the time was right.
• Oda Marina warned Jiang Shen about Zhang Guangmu, but Jiang Shen dismissed him as someone he wanted to test as a potential subordinate.
• Aboard the flying vessel, Jiang Jiuxiao asked Zhang Guangmu whether he was the Martial Ancestor.

Jiang Jiuxiao convinced himself that Zhang Guangmu was Jiang Tian Guang, the reincarnated Martial Ancestor, while Zhang Guangmu prepared for his next fight. Zhang Guangmu and Jiang Jiuxiao then flew toward the heart of Yingzhou.

• Jiang Jiuxiao concluded that Zhang Guangmu was the Martial Ancestor Jiang Tian Guang and regarded himself as Zhang Guangmu’s descendant.
• Zhang Guangmu denied Jiang Jiuxiao’s claim but left him to prepare for the final battle.
• Jiang Jiuxiao recorded that Zhang Guangmu had killed Miyajima Manshu with a snap of his fingers.
• Zhang Guangmu summoned the Golden Neck Bai Yue twin blades and set off with Jiang Jiuxiao toward the heart of Yingzhou.

Zhang Guangmu arrived at Azuchi Castle and began slaughtering its defenders, while Jiang Jiuxiao discovered that the Country of Sakura could mass-produce low-level warriors. The last remaining Fourth-Realm powerhouse, Matsudaira Motoharu, surrendered to Zhang Guangmu and offered to become his servant.

• Zhang Guangmu flew toward Azuchi Castle with Jiang Jiuxiao aboard the wooden boat as the Little White Balls criticized the Subconscious Actors and discussed the story.
• Jiang Jiuxiao saw that Azuchi Castle was filled with formidable First-Realm and Second-Realm warriors who seemed to have been ordinary civilians only months earlier.
• Zhang Guangmu abandoned the wooden boat and charged into Azuchi Castle, leaving Jiang Jiuxiao to crash-land outside as the city fell into flames and bloodshed.
• Jiang Jiuxiao entered the burning city and found the Dragon Slayer Matsudaira Motoharu blocking Zhang Guangmu's path.
• Matsudaira Motoharu set aside his great sword, bowed three times, and declared that he would acknowledge Zhang Guangmu as his master and serve him.

Zhang Guangmu rejected Oda Marina and Matsudaira Motoharu’s attempts to win his favor, killing Matsudaira and cornering Oda Marina at Azuchi Castle. A masked figure appeared, explained the origins of the Martial Way Diary and the Fruits of Martial Way, and declared that Zhang Guangmu was not an ancient survivor.

• Matsudaira Motoharu offered to serve Zhang Guangmu as a coachman if he spared Azuchi Castle’s people, and Oda Marina offered to become his maid to end the war.
• Zhang Guangmu dismissed their offers and killed Matsudaira Motoharu with White Moon and Golden Neck, breaking the defenders’ will to resist.
• Zhang Guangmu turned his killing intent on Oda Marina, who screamed for her ancestor to save her.
• A masked figure appeared between Zhang Guangmu and Oda Marina, holding Matsudaira Motoharu’s Fruit of Martial Way and calling it a Golden Elixir, Sarira, or Treasure Medicine.
• The masked figure revealed how the Martial Way Diary’s Yin and Yang Scrolls were made from Fruits of Martial Way and concluded that Zhang Guangmu was not an ancient survivor.

Jiang Shen revealed himself as the Martial Ancestor and tried to recruit Zhang Guangmu into his plan to rule humanity and harvest the Fruits of Martial Way. Zhang Guangmu refused, fought Jiang Shen, and identified his supposed fifth realm as a body-snatching technique.

• Jiang Shen removed his mask, unleashed an aura that killed the weaker people in Azuchi Castle, and revealed his plan to establish a Divine Dynasty that harvested martial artists' Fruits of Martial Way.
• The Director's Script Hint urged Zhang Guangmu to submit to Jiang Shen or join his cause, but Zhang Guangmu rejected both choices and refused.
• Jiang Shen claimed he had created the fifth realm, Will Infusion, and attacked Zhang Guangmu with natural forces and more than a hundred Divine Artifacts.
• Jiang Shen said that a drop of his blood could let him seize Zhang Guangmu's body, while Zhang Guangmu defended himself with the Bai Yue Demon Blade and Golden Neck Firm Blade.
• After they separated, Zhang Guangmu called Will Infusion a secret martial technique for body snatching rather than a true fifth realm.

Zhang Guangmu defeated Jiang Shen and Oda Marina, joined their halves of the key, and gained the power of World Modulation, which let him rewrite the world and send the story back to its beginning. After the film ended, he received an Excellent evaluation and learned he was one film away from becoming a Four-Star Subconscious Actor.

• Zhang Guangmu overwhelmed Jiang Shen with lightning, challenged his claim to be the Martial Ancestor, and blasted him into dust, leaving half of a key behind.
• Zhang Guangmu killed Oda Marina with lightning, joined the half-keys, and absorbed the complete key to gain World Modulation.
• Zhang Guangmu rewrote the world, and the narration showed Young Master Mu setting out with Jiang Jiuxiao for the first day of classes at Jixia Academy.
• The film froze and ended, and Zhang Guangmu received an Excellent evaluation and learned he was one film away from becoming a Four-Star Subconscious Actor.
• Li Xiaoxiao, Chu Fan, Tang Lanshan, Luo Zhuan, and Jiang Ling gathered around Zhang Guangmu after he exited the Infiltration Pod.

After filming, Zhang Guangmu celebrated with the Endless warship crew and learned that he was nearing four stars and would soon face the veterans competing for the Thirteen Dragon Generals. Magistrate Lian then offered to promote Liufeng County as Zhang Guangmu’s hometown or Tian Guang’s residence, making Zhang realize he had become a minor celebrity.

• Zhang Guangmu received his 498 Dragon Shield payment and joined his friends for a meal after Jiang Jiuxiao warned him about the coming Dragon General competition.
• The group picked up Mooncake and went to a restaurant, where Magistrate Lian paid for their meal and enthusiastically praised Zhang Guangmu.
• Magistrate Lian explained that his county’s Think Tank expected tourism revenue to rise sharply if Liufeng County promoted its connection to Zhang Guangmu or Tian Guang.
• Zhang Guangmu realized that his ten Subconscious Films had made him a minor celebrity with enough fame to attract local officials.

Zhang Guangmu negotiated a deal to become Liufeng County’s image ambassador, earning an annual subsidy for limited promotional work. As the group dinner aboard the Endless warship began, he sensed that his Usable Ability Points had arrived.

• Magistrate Lian invited Zhang Guangmu to become Liufeng County’s image ambassador and explained that the county had secured permission to approach him.
• Zhang Guangmu agreed to set aside up to two hours each year for promotional activities in exchange for 1,000 Dragon Shields.
• Zhang Guangmu and Magistrate Lian finalized their obligations and signed the contract with the Black jade bracelet.
• Magistrate Lian left the restaurant delighted, and the members of the Endless warship began their group dinner.
• While serving Mooncake some Small dried fish, Zhang Guangmu sensed that his Usable Ability Points had arrived.

Zhang Guangmu gained two ability points from an iconic scene in Martial Way Diary and spent them to improve his Imperial Body Tempering Technique and Acting. He left the meal stronger and eager to earn more points.

• Zhang Guangmu received an ability point from an iconic scene depicting his clash with missiles, accompanied by a warning against relying on one path alone.
• Zhang Guangmu noticed fans debating his title and spending his two available points, raising Imperial Body Tempering Technique to 17 and Acting to 6.
• Zhang Guangmu awakened Spiral Force, which could boost damage to internal organs and extend through weapons.
• Li Xiaoxiao sparred with Zhang Guangmu using chopsticks, but his chopsticks shattered under Zhang Guangmu's Spiral Force.
• Zhang Guangmu reviewed his updated ability list, which showed zero available points.

After a team dinner, Zhang Guangmu discussed his progress and the coming competition for the Thirteen Dragon Generals with his teammates, then added a line of poetry to a tribute image of Zhao Zhengrong. The next day, he joined Liufeng County’s image ambassador campaign and relished the attention his heavily guarded publicity tour attracted.

• Chu Ba Zong mistook Zhang Guangmu’s stunned silence for an epiphany after Li Xiaoxiao’s chopsticks broke during their exchange, and Zhang Guangmu played along by claiming he had gained insights.
• Li Xiaoxiao explained that his sword practice limited how many films he could complete, while Zhao Zhengrong reassured Zhang Guangmu that he could hold his own against contenders for the Dragon General titles.
• Tang Lanshan pointed the team to the group chat, where She Transforms into Wine Wine had posted an image of Zhao Zhengrong’s death at Longbei Cliff, and Zhang Guangmu added a line from Song of Righteousness.
• Magistrate Lian arranged Zhang Guangmu’s Liufeng County image ambassador campaign with more than a hundred bodyguards and two official order-maintenance squads.
• A young woman recording the publicity tour first mocked Zhang Guangmu’s grand entourage, then recognized him and excitedly called out his name.

After a month of local publicity and acting practice, Zhang Guangmu received a low-magic fantasy film assignment called 'Demon Hunting Academy.' Though he disliked its rough script and planned to reject it, he accepted after considering the cast list.

• Zhang Guangmu endured an enthusiastic publicity campaign in Liufeng County, including a hulking fan's bizarre declaration of love.
• A month later, Zhang Guangmu wore a mask and sunglasses to avoid fans, while passersby debated his roles and acting.
• Zhang Guangmu used Acting Skill 6 to recreate his previous roles in videos, impressing his companions and worrying Old Zhao and Chu Fan.
• Zhang Guangmu received his spokesperson stipend, bringing his savings to 4,950 Dragon Shields.
• Zhang Guangmu reviewed the script and world overview for 'Demon Hunting Academy' and decided to accept the film after considering its cast.

Zhang Guangmu joined Tang Lanshan and Jiang Ling on their way to begin work on Demon Hunting Academy, where he hoped to challenge strong co-stars and prepare for The Path of the Great Emperor. Tang Lanshan’s divination lifted her nerves, and at the Production Building they were greeted by a young man who praised Zhang Guangmu for arriving early.

• Zhang Guangmu reviewed Demon Hunting Academy’s cast and script, noted Bai Yongsheng and Sang Shenyou among the co-stars, and decided to take the role despite doubts about director Feng Chuang.
• The next day, Zhang Guangmu, Tang Lanshan, and Jiang Ling traveled to Tianhe Command’s Production Building with Mooncake.
• Zhang Guangmu joked about Jiang Ling’s blood-red hair, and Tang Lanshan explained that it had grown that color after Jiang Ling’s self-refined pills caused a genetic mutation.
• Tang Lanshan shared her auspicious Yu hexagram reading, which eased her worries about working with Zhang Guangmu.
• Jiang Ling said a hospital had confirmed her mutation was harmless and that she had chosen not to treat it so she could spend the money on alchemical research.
• At the Production Building, a tall young man greeted Zhang Guangmu and praised him for arriving fifteen minutes early.

Zhang Guangmu met veteran Subconscious Actor Bai Yongsheng, who praised his strength and warned him not to underestimate Jiang Shen. At the production building entrance, Zhang Guangmu sent Sang Shenyou flying after the senior deliberately rammed into him, and Sang Shenyou accused him of acting like a big shot.

• Zhang Guangmu recognized Bai Yongsheng, greeted him, and impressed him with his strong handshake.
• Bai Yongsheng praised Zhang Guangmu’s Imperial Body Forging Technique and warned him that Jiang Shen remained dangerous despite his poor performance in their earlier encounter.
• Zhang Guangmu assessed Bai Yongsheng’s strengths and weaknesses but reminded himself that Demon Hunting Academy was Bai Yongsheng’s home turf.
• Sang Shenyou rammed into Zhang Guangmu and was knocked backward when Zhang Guangmu instinctively used the Defend Chapter technique.
• Sang Shenyou landed in a showy pose and accused Zhang Guangmu of blocking the entrance and attacking a senior.

Zhang Guangmu faced down Sang Shenyou, then met Director Feng Chuang before entering the Infiltration Pod to begin filming “Demon Hunting Academy.” The film world’s opening message declared that Zhang Guangmu was already dead.

• Zhang Guangmu stood firm against Sang Shenyou, while Tang Lanshan, Jiang Ling, and Mooncake prepared to back him up; Sang Shenyou backed down and entered the Production Building.
• Bai Yongsheng explained that Sang Shenyou’s hostility came from Zhang Guangmu reminding him of a Bright Moon who had once disciplined him, then left for the world of “Demon Hunting Academy.”
• Zhang Guangmu met Director Feng Chuang, who praised him and offered to revise his script, but Zhang Guangmu declined.
• Zhang Guangmu entered the Infiltration Pod with Mooncake and successfully connected to the film world.
• A dark flame formed a message saying, “I’m Zhang Guangmu. By the time you see this message, I’ll already be dead.”

At the Demon Hunting Academy's entrance ceremony, Zhang Guangmu assessed the academy's harsh realities while acting out his role as Pitch Black Academy's aloof young dean. After noticing the Demon Forged Jade hesitate before assigning rising star Fang Yi to his academy, Zhang Guangmu suspected the Director was concealing Fang Yi's protagonist identity.

• The old dean welcomed the freshmen and explained that the Demon Forged Jade would assign them to one of the Four Great Academies.
• Zhang Guangmu studied the ceremony, questioned the dean's nature, and recalled a mysterious black-flame death proclamation.
• As the old dean assigned freshmen to their academies, Zhang Guangmu watched Fang Yi, a rising star ranked seventh on the provisional Seven Stars list.
• Zhang Guangmu stroked his black-cat companion Mooncake and maintained his aloof demeanor as freshmen recognized him as the Black Flame Demon Hunter and youngest dean of Pitch Black Academy.
• During the banquet, Zhang Guangmu reviewed his political and resource-related troubles and noticed the Demon Forged Jade hesitate before placing Fang Yi in Pitch Black Academy.
• Zhang Guangmu concluded that the Director had hidden Fang Yi's protagonist identity from the Actor list.

Zhang Guangmu accepted that vivid hair color signaled strength and began his first lesson by warning the Beginners not to be late. After his dramatic departure caused panic and confusion, the new students eventually reached the Demon Forging Theory Classroom.

• Zhang Guangmu noticed that the stronger Demon Forging Sorcerers had more vivid hair and considered how his own unusual appearance fit the setting.
• Zhang Guangmu received a Script Hint urging him to guide the new students and decided to use his strengths while addressing the Black Flame Death Declaration.
• Zhang Guangmu summoned terrifying Demonic Flame butterflies and announced that his Demon Forging Theory Class would begin in ten minutes, warning the Beginners against being late.
• Zhang Guangmu vanished into black-flame butterflies, leaving the students in confusion as academy staff tried to maintain order.
• The Beginners hurried through corridors, stairways, lakes, gardens, and a cemetery before reaching the Demon Forging Theory Classroom.

Zhang Guangmu lectured the novices on Demon Forging Staffs, demon corruption, and each academy’s corruption symptoms. He then appeared to succumb to backlash and declared that he had slaughtered the new students, prompting Fang Yi to warn everyone to flee.

• Zhang Guangmu arrived at the Demon Forging Theory classroom and asked where Demon Hunting Sorcerers gained their power.
• Fang Yi explained that the Hope Source Fire empowered Demon Forged Stone, earning five Academic Credits.
• Zhang Guangmu demonstrated that staffs were the source of a sorcerer’s magic power, suspended the students’ staffs, and awarded Fang Yi ten points while deducting one point from everyone else.
• Zhang Guangmu described how Demon Forged Stone could corrupt sorcerers and outlined the corruption of the four academies.
• Zhang Guangmu’s staff produced a vision of him slaughtering the new students before the academy principals killed him.
• Fang Yi shouted that Zhang Guangmu had been corrupted by his staff and urged everyone to run.

Zhang Guangmu suppressed the Black Flame Demon Corrupted that emerged from his staff, then used the incident to teach the novices about willpower and Demon Forged materials. He dismissed the class after just over ten minutes, while Director Feng Chuang watched from above and looked forward to the coming clash between the academies.

• The Black Flame Demon Corrupted pinned the novices down with black-flame butterflies and threatened to kill them all.
• Zhang Guangmu ordered the corrupted entity to be silent and suppressed it with his control over the staff.
• Zhang Guangmu explained that Demon Hunting Sorcery depended on desire and will, and described the ranks of Demon Forged materials.
• Zhang Guangmu crushed the Black Flame Demon Corrupted into sparks, and Fang Yi noticed his staff appeared to be made of Demon Forged Jade.
• Zhang Guangmu dismissed the class after a little over ten minutes, while Director Feng Chuang praised his performance and named several figures he expected to compete.