Recaps

Jiang Liu returned to Azure Dragon City with the Three-Eyed Flying Tiger and learned that Xiahou Yi had been spreading damaging rumors about the Moonfall Sect. He then turned his attention to studying the Martial Arts Tournament of the Realm and its potential opponents.

• Jiang Liu tested his techniques on the Three-Eyed Flying Tiger, then marked it with the Beast Mastery Art and rode it toward Azure Dragon City.
• Jiang Liu landed the Three-Eyed Flying Tiger at Ascension Tower, where Luo Shiyuan welcomed him and gave him information about the upcoming tournament.
• Jiang Liu read that Xiahou Yi had held lavish banquets and encouraged young talents to spread rumors against the Moonfall Sect.
• Fu Yunyue investigated the rumors but found that the young talents of the various sects were spreading them, leaving her unable to retaliate against Xiahou Yi.
• Jiang Liu set aside the feud between Xiahou Yi and the Moonfall Sect and studied the tournament participants he might need to watch out for.

Jiang Liu arrived in Qian City and killed four Rank 9 Martial Practitioners sent after him by the five great families, learning that they were jointly capturing survivors of the secret realm. He took refuge at Ascension Tower, where Old Man Luo agreed to shelter him and guide him on the Grandmaster Realm.

• Jiang Liu left the Three-Eyed Flying Tiger with Ascension Tower and traveled alone to Qian City, where he lodged at an inn.
• Four Rank 9 Martial Practitioners entered Jiang Liu's room to capture him, but he subdued them, learned they had been sent by the five great families, and killed them.
• Jiang Liu realized the Ji, Wang, Liu, Li, and Ye Families were capturing Rank 9 survivors from the secret realm and suspected they might try to blame Corpse Valley.
• Jiang Liu left for Ascension Tower the next morning after agents questioned the innkeeper about him.
• Old Man Luo welcomed Jiang Liu, confirmed he knew about the four deaths, and told Jiang Liu to stay at Ascension Tower for the next few days.
• Jiang Liu and Old Man Luo drank tea and discussed the Grandmaster Realm.

Jiang Liu attended the Martial Arts Tournament of the Realm with Old Man Luo as the major forces of Great Qian gathered to watch. After the contestants drew lots and the tournament began, Jiang Liu waited at Small Arena Five, where a timed draw eliminated both fighters.

• Jiang Liu and Old Man Luo arrived at the tournament venue, where leaders from nearly every major force had gathered.
• Elder Nangong Yun called the contestants onto the central arena, explained the rules, and had them draw lots for their matches.
• Jiang Liu drew a place on Small Arena Five and noticed Li Qiaoyun, Buddha, Chen Yuke, Xiahou Yi, and Wang Yisheng among the contestants nearby.
• Elder Nangong Yun sent two exhausted fighters off Small Arena Five after their time limit expired, eliminating both and making the contestants fight more urgently.

Jiang Liu won his preliminary match and saw four other young martial artists reach Minor Grandmaster before the top one hundred drew lots for the next round. Deep in the mountains, provincial powers began competing to claim influence as the Three Sects relayed the Peak Grandmasters’ plan to overthrow Great Qian.

• Wang Yisheng and Xiahou Yi defeated their opponents, and Jiang Liu sensed Xiahou Yi had grown much stronger.
• Jiang Liu used Eight Steps of Trampling to knock his opponent off the ring, then spotted Buddha, Chen Yuke, and Zheng Yunxiu among the Minor Grandmasters.
• Elder Nangong awarded the hundred winners Demon Transformation Pills and had them draw lots for the top-fifty matches; Jiang Liu was assigned to Ring Ten.
• The Three Sects announced that the provincial powers should help replace Great Qian and destroy the Martial Prohibition Halls, prompting Qi Tianyuan and other leaders to stake claims to provinces.
• Wang Dali challenged Qi Tianyuan’s claim to Feng Province, while Kuang Qianzi, Feng, and Han Li faced disputes over claims to other provinces.

Jiang Liu advanced in the Martial Arts Tournament while Li Qiaoyun questioned him about representing the Murong Family and his engagement to Murong Yin. Meanwhile, provincial factions fought over spheres of influence, and Mo Han declared that Exotic Beast Valley would retain control of Qi Province.

• Jiang Liu defeated a peak Rank 9 Martial Practitioner with a single Extreme Fist and watched Wang Yisheng win on Arena Eight.
• Li Qiaoyun asked Jiang Liu why he represented the Murong Family rather than Exotic Beast Valley and whether he was Murong Yin’s fiancé; Jiang Liu confirmed the engagement, and Li Qiaoyun walked away in frustration.
• Qi Tianyuan and Kuang Qianzi sought permission to enter Qi Province, but Mo Han refused and said Exotic Beast Valley would handle the province itself.
• The Ye Family claimed authority over Zhen Province, angering Kuang Qianzi, while factions continued negotiations over the remaining provinces.
• The Li Family took charge of Li Province after Medicine King Valley declined to compete, and the Liu Family took charge of Gen Province after meeting Exotic Poison Valley’s conditions; no faction claimed Tian Province.

The major factions negotiated how to divide Great Qian’s provinces, often settling disputes by assigning commanderies to whoever defeated the local Martial Prohibition Hall first. Mo Province’s Ji Family and Vast Righteous Sect remained at odds and planned a showdown, while the Calligraphy Studio withdrew after securing a promise that its interests would be protected.

• Ji Xingfeng, Li Moran, and the Calligraphy Saint disputed which faction would take charge of Mo Province, and the Calligraphy Studio later withdrew after asking that its interests be protected.
• The Buddhist and Daoist factions divided Kun Province by agreeing that whichever side first defeated a commandery’s Martial Prohibition Hall would claim it.
• The Lotus Sect reached a compromise with the Ye Family in Zhen Province, but the Ghost School rejected its offer in Xun Province; the White Sword Manor and Hundred Fists Gate agreed to a showdown in Dui Province.
• The three sects mediated between Qi Tianyuan and Wang Dali, awarding the White Saint Society the commanderies it had captured and the next provincial capital to the Wang Family.
• The Deity Summoning Society, Sun Moon Sect, and Hundred Craft Hall agreed to claim Yun Province commanderies by defeating their Martial Prohibition Halls, while the Five Poisons Sect secured one commandery.
• The Ji Family and Vast Righteous Sect planned to settle their dispute over Mo Province in a showdown.

Jiang Liu defeated Zuo He and drew the first lot in the tournament’s next stage, where he swiftly knocked He Baiqi off the arena. The remaining martial artists watched in alarm as Jiang Liu began his sweep.

• Jiang Liu defeated Zuo He of the Hundred Fists Gate in the central arena.
• Wang Yisheng and Blade Fiend lost their matches, while Xiahou Yi defeated her opponent with a poisoned needle and handed Elder Nangong the antidote.
• Elder Nangong announced that the top twenty-five would compete for points and had them draw their battle order.
• Jiang Liu drew the first lot and faced He Baiqi of the White Saint Society.
• Jiang Liu overwhelmed He Baiqi with repeated Extreme Fists and punched him off the arena.

Jiang Liu continued his tournament streak, defeating four challengers with ease while the crowd realized he had been holding back. Elsewhere, an argument between Ji Xingfeng and Li Moran escalated into a confrontation between their Primal Qi giants, leaving their own fight on the verge of breaking out.

• Pan Yunyue challenged Jiang Liu, but he sent her out of the arena with one slash, and Elder Nangong checked her injuries.
• Li Fei attacked Jiang Liu with a sword and throwing knife, but Jiang Liu turned the knife back and Elder Nangong pulled Li Fei off the arena.
• Wang Bohe unleashed a saber technique, but Jiang Liu's Heaven and Earth One Blade Chop sent him flying and carved a deep scar into the arena.
• Ji Yun's sword broke against Jiang Liu's block, and Jiang Liu swept him out of the arena.
• Zhang Bailu of the Lotus Sect stepped onto the arena to face Jiang Liu.
• Ji Xingfeng and Li Moran argued on a mountain cliff, raised their auras, and sent their Primal Qi giants into battle as they prepared to fight themselves.

Li Moran and Ji Xingfeng fought to a standstill and temporarily agreed that whichever side destroyed the Martial Prohibition Hall would govern the commandery city. Jiang Liu continued the tournament, knocking Zhang Bailu and Mo Xiang from the arena, and was left waiting for his next opponent.

• Li Moran and Ji Xingfeng clashed with swordplay and manifested Primal Qi giants, damaging their mental seas before the sect elders persuaded them to stop.
• Ji Xingfeng and Li Moran agreed to settle control of the commandery city by seeing whose side wiped out the Martial Prohibition Hall.
• Jiang Liu used Eight Steps of Trampling to immobilize Zhang Bailu and swept her off the arena while the Grandmasters sent three people into the mountains.
• Mo Xiang of the Confucian Sect attacked Jiang Liu with a mental and Primal Qi assault, but Jiang Liu's Divine Sense overwhelmed her and his Extreme Fist knocked her unconscious off the arena.
• Nangong Yun examined Mo Xiang, found her mental sea damaged, and called for the next contestant to continue.

Jiang Liu defeated Pan Yue and Wu Xuan before beginning a serious contest with Qing Xuanzi in the tournament. Meanwhile, the factions finalized alliance pacts dividing control of most provinces, leaving Great Qian on the brink of rule by Jianghu factions.

• Jiang Liu defeated Pan Yue with Heaven and Earth One Blade Chop, and Pan Yue left the arena after bowing to him.
• Jiang Liu used Instant Thousand Miles and Control Heaven and Earth to send Wu Xuan flying from the arena.
• Jiang Liu and Qing Xuanzi exchanged probing attacks, then battled with their conjured weapons without risking their spiritual seas.
• The factions signed provincial alliance pacts, assigning or dividing control of Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui, Feng, Cloud, and Mo Provinces.
• The Three Sects continued to jointly govern Qian Province, while the remaining provinces moved toward rule by Jianghu factions.

Jiang Liu defeated Qing Xuanzi, Xiahou Yi, and Xiao Junyan in succession, choosing to remain in the arena and face every challenger. The chapter ended as Tie Sanqian of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion gathered primordial energy for his opening attack.

• Jiang Liu broke Qing Xuanzi's paired primordial energy talismans, and Qing Xuanzi conceded before the two could continue fighting.
• Jiang Liu immediately knocked Xiahou Yi off the arena, then faced Xiao Junyan of the Medical Saint Pavilion.
• Jiang Liu returned Xiao Junyan's fourteen silver needles along their needle-application paths, striking Xiao Junyan and forcing him to concede.
• Jiang Liu realized he could imitate the needle attacks with ice needles and stayed on the arena for the next challenger.
• Tie Sanqian introduced his special-grade Treasure Blade and began condensing primordial energy.

Jiang Liu defeated Buddha after an exhausting fight, then left the arena to recover as the tournament continued. Qing Xuanzi and Buddha later fought to a standstill, leaving both exhausted and without points.

• Jiang Liu used Annihilation by Thought to stun Buddha and blast him off the arena, then stepped down to rest.
• He Baiqi tried to impress Pan Yunyue, but she wounded him and kicked him off the arena.
• Li Fei quickly defeated Pan Yunyue, then Wang Bohe exchanged a few moves with Li Fei and conceded.
• Zhang Bailu defeated Ji Yun, but Mo Xiang countered Zhang Bailu and swept her off the arena.
• Pan Yue defeated Mo Xiang, Wu Xuan defeated Pan Yue, and Qing Xuanzi then swept Wu Xuan, Xiahou Yi, Xiao Junyan, and Tie Sanqian from the arena.
• Qing Xuanzi and Buddha fought until both collapsed, so Elder Nangong awarded neither of them points.

The tournament’s remaining matches saw Lian Baicao, Li Qiaoyun, Zheng Yunxiu, and Chen Yuke defeat their opponents before Jiang Liu took the arena. Jiang Liu’s overwhelming display forced two contestants to concede and knocked Liu Yunqi off, leaving the major forces’ leaders impressed by his strength.

• Lian Baicao defeated Liu Yunqi with his wooden stick and then left the arena without fighting consecutively.
• Li Qiaoyun overcame Gongyang Yi’s sheepskin scroll with Vast Righteous Qi Swordplay, and Gongyang Yi admitted defeat.
• Zheng Yunxiu defeated Xuan Lun, Qiu Fei, and Ghost Hand, while Chen Yuke beat Qing Hezi after their sword lights collided.
• Jiang Liu pinned Liu Yunqi with Eight Steps of Trampling and kicked him off the arena, while Lian Baicao, Li Qiaoyun, and Gongyang Yi conceded without fighting him.
• The leaders of the major forces took note of Jiang Liu’s ferocity.

Jiang Liu defeated Zheng Yunxiu, Chen Yuke, and Ghost Hand, while several other competitors admitted defeat, securing first place in the Martial Arts Tournament. The tournament continued despite Jiang Liu’s victory, and he returned to his seat to recover his spiritual energy.

• Zheng Yunxiu challenged Jiang Liu, but he overwhelmed her with Extreme Fist and Eight Steps of Trampling and knocked her off the arena.
• Xuan Lun and Qiu Fei admitted defeat, and Qiu Hai invited Jiang Liu to visit Medicine King Valley.
• Chen Yuke attacked Jiang Liu with Surging Wave Swordplay and wounded his arm, but Jiang Liu used Control Heaven and Earth and Extreme Fist to throw her off the arena.
• Jiang Liu blasted Ghost Hand off the arena with one Extreme Fist, and Qing Hezi admitted defeat without fighting.
• Elder Nangong announced Jiang Liu as the winner of all twenty-four bouts and first place in the tournament, after which Jiang Liu returned to his seat to recover.

The national Martial Arts Tournament concluded with Jiang Liu in first place and Chen Yuke and Zheng Yunxiu taking second and third. As Elder Nangong prepared to announce the rewards, a strangely dressed Grandmaster arrived with four people and challenged the competitors to a match.

• The top ten fought through the remaining matches, with Chen Yuke defeating Zheng Yunxiu and Zhang Bailu conceding to secure tenth place.
• Qing Xuanzi and Buddha withdrew from the top-three competition, and the final rankings placed Jiang Liu first, Chen Yuke second, and Zheng Yunxiu third.
• Elder Nangong was about to announce the rewards when a Grandmaster's aura approached and clashed with his.
• A strangely dressed Grandmaster arrived with four people and asked whether his disciple could exchange moves with the tournament participants.
• Several Grandmasters blocked the clash's aftershocks to protect the younger fighters.

Koinu Jun'ichirō and his disciples from East W Kingdom disrupted Da Qian’s Martial Arts Tournament and challenged its younger generation. Jiang Liu accepted Koinu Jiro’s challenge, nullified his hidden blade mechanism, and dodged his next attack as the duel continued.

• Old Man Luo and Elder Nangong confronted Koinu Jun'ichirō, who apologized for appearing without notice and introduced himself as the Preceptor of East W Kingdom.
• Koinu Jun'ichirō said he had brought his disciples to challenge Da Qian’s young martial artists, and Koinu Jiro claimed to be East W Kingdom’s champion and demanded a duel.
• Elder Nangong invited one of the tournament’s top ten contestants to fight Koinu Jiro, and Jiang Liu stepped onto the arena as the tournament winner.
• Koinu Jiro threw a short blade at Jiang Liu, who caught it with Control Heaven and Earth and disabled its concealed mechanism.
• Koinu Jiro attacked with his long blade, and Jiang Liu dodged with Instant Thousand Miles and appeared at Koinu Jiro’s left.

Jiang Liu killed Koinu Jiro and Abe Jinshan in the martial contest after Great Qian's Grandmasters stopped Koinu Jun'ichirō from interfering. Koinu Jun'ichirō collected the bodies and left with his attendants, while the Grandmasters prepared to return to their provinces.

• Jiang Liu killed Koinu Jiro with a punch, and the Grandmasters blocked Koinu Jun'ichirō's attempted ambush, injuring him.
• Elder Nangong and Tianming insisted the contest continue, so Koinu Jun'ichirō ordered Abe Jinshan to fight Jiang Liu.
• Abe Jinshan exposed his improper relationship with Koinu Jun'ichirō, then begged Jiang Liu to let him leave the arena.
• Abe Jinshan approached Jiang Liu flirtatiously, and Jiang Liu killed him with Heaven and Earth One Blade Chop.
• Koinu Jun'ichirō asked permission to leave, and the Grandmasters let him take both corpses and depart.

After winning the Martial Arts Tournament, Jiang Liu selected a set of three top-grade short blades and chose to join Flowing Cloud Sect after learning that the Thundercloud Art was its prerequisite art. The tournament ended with Jiang Liu heading to the Dried City outpost with Elder Nangong, while news of his victory spread across Great Qian.

• Elder Nangong revealed twenty-five top-grade weapons as rewards, and the top twenty-five chose them in order.
• Jiang Liu picked a set of three short blades, while Chen Yuke and Zheng Yunxiu selected longswords.
• The three Sects invited Jiang Liu to join, and he chose Flowing Cloud Sect after asking about the Thundercloud Art.
• Zheng Yunxiu chose Star Moon Sect, Chen Yuke chose Haotian Sect, and Jiang Liu chose Star Moon Sect for his ultimate technique.
• The tournament ended, and Jiang Liu left with Elder Nangong for the Dried City outpost after bidding farewell to Old Man Luo, Mo Han, and Qiu Tian.
• News spread across Great Qian that Jiang Liu had won the tournament after defeating twenty-four opponents by himself.

Jiang Liu officially joined Flowing Cloud Sect as its thirteenth Inheritor Disciple, then escaped the attention of its female disciples and returned to Ascension Tower. Old Man Luo revealed that the Martial Arts Tournament was meant to unite the sects and other powers to divide Great Qian, and Jiang Liu began planning how to take advantage of the coming chaos.

• Elder Nangong brought Jiang Liu to Flowing Cloud Sect, where he received an Identity Jade Token and became its thirteenth Inheritor Disciple among twelve powerful Senior Sisters.
• After Elder Nangong left him in the hall, Jiang Liu used Instant Thousand Miles to escape the women pursuing him and flew back to Ascension Tower.
• Old Man Luo told Jiang Liu that the three sects planned to join with other powers to divide Great Qian and that an age of chaos was about to begin.
• Old Man Luo explained the major powers' territories, and Jiang Liu resolved to build his strength while letting the powers in Yun Province fight among themselves.
• Jiang Liu decided to visit Star Moon Sect to obtain the ultimate technique he wanted to learn.

Jiang Liu visited the Star Moon Sect to seek permission to learn its Star Moon Flowing Fire Art, and the sect approved his request. He followed Elder Yuchi toward the Back Mountain to begin learning the art.

• Jiang Liu arrived at the Star Moon Sect and was escorted through its mountain compound to the Martial Arts Repository.
• Elder Gao told Jiang Liu that the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art was kept in the inner repository and required special approval.
• Elder Gao sought permission, and Sect Master Gongsun Haoyue and the Grandmaster elders decided to let Jiang Liu learn the art.
• Jiang Liu's request stirred interest among the Star Moon Sect's True Inheritor Disciples because he was a male disciple from another sect.
• Elder Yuchi informed Jiang Liu that the Elders' Council had approved his request and led him toward the Back Mountain.

Jiang Liu learned the Star Moon Sect’s Star Moon Flowing Fire Art and then returned to the Flowing Cloud Sect, where he was shown his new lodging. Gongsun Haoyue revealed her theory that the two rival sects had split from the ancient Star Cloud Saint Sect, and hoped Jiang Liu might prove it by merging their techniques.

• Jiang Liu recorded the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art, practiced it for an hour, and left the Star Moon Sect.
• Gongsun Haoyue told Elder Yuchi that she suspected the Star Moon Sect and Flowing Cloud Sect had split from the Star Cloud Saint Sect, and that Jiang Liu might be able to merge their techniques.
• Jiang Liu arrived at the Flowing Cloud Sect and asked affairs disciple Luo Qingxiao to guide him to his lodging.
• Luo Qingxiao led Jiang Liu to a newly built compound surrounded by the twelve True Inheritor Disciple compounds, and Jiang Liu entered it.

Jiang Liu settled into the Flowing Cloud Sect and went to the Technique Repository to cultivate the Flowing Cloud Art. The Flowing Cloud Matriarch learned about his background and ordered Nangong Yun to watch his movements while allowing him to remain for now.

• Jiang Liu moved into his courtyard, learned the Back Mountain layout from a patrol disciple, and arranged for meals to be delivered from the Dining Hall.
• Jiang Liu cultivated in his courtyard and planned to study the Flowing Cloud Art at the Technique Repository the next day.
• Elder He Yun verified Jiang Liu's identity token and led him into the Technique Repository, where he examined portraits of the sect's successive female Sect Masters.
• The Flowing Cloud Matriarch asked Nangong Yun about Jiang Liu's talent, background, and visit to the Star Moon Sect, then told him to monitor Jiang Liu without interfering unless he threatened the sect.
• Elder He Yun introduced herself and left Jiang Liu alone on the Technique Repository's second floor to cultivate the Flowing Cloud Art.

Jiang Liu synthesized the Flowing Cloud Art and the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art into the Saint Grade Nebula Art, drawing the attention of Flowing Cloud Matriarch and the sect elders. He told Flowing Cloud Matriarch he had discovered the two techniques could be cultivated together, and she asked him to demonstrate somewhere spacious.

• Jiang Liu merged the Flowing Cloud Art with the Thundercloud Art, then synthesized it with the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art to create the Saint Grade Nebula Art.
• The Nebula Art’s aura spread across the Technique Repository, alarming Flowing Cloud Matriarch and the elders.
• Elder He Yun told Flowing Cloud Matriarch that Jiang Liu had been cultivating when the unusual auras appeared.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch summoned Jiang Liu and questioned him about the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art’s aura.
• Jiang Liu claimed the two sect techniques could be cultivated together and might hold the secret to advancing to Saint Grade.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch asked Jiang Liu to demonstrate their combined cultivation and led him to find a spacious place.

Jiang Liu cultivated the combined Star Cloud Saint Art and discovered the Nebula Extinction techniques, while Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue discussed the two sects’ shared origins. The chapter left the two leaders conferring in a Divine Sense barrier about how to handle their discovery.

• Jiang Liu cultivated the Star Cloud Saint Art in a guarded plaza, astonishing Flowing Cloud Matriarch with its speed and efficiency.
• Jiang Liu studied Nebula Extinction and tested its movement technique, Nebula Shrunken Earth, and mental attack, Starfall, but found his reserves limited.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch flew to meet Gongsun Haoyue and questioned her about letting Jiang Liu cultivate the Star Moon Flowing Fire Art.
• Gongsun Haoyue revealed that the Star Moon Sect and Flowing Cloud Sect might once have been one sect, and that their combined arts formed the Star Cloud Saint Art.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue created a Divine Sense barrier and began discussing what to do next.

Jiang Liu settled into cultivation as rival powers across Great Qian attacked and divided the Martial Prohibition Halls. After one to two years of turmoil, Great Qian remained fragmented, with Tian Province’s Martial Prohibition Hall unable to restore order.

• Gongsun Haoyue and Flowing Cloud Matriarch met privately, then introduced new cultivation techniques that True Inheritor Disciples had to master to keep their status.
• Jiang Liu returned from Azure Dragon City with the Three-Eyed Flying Tiger, sent a letter to Wind City, and focused on comparing the Saintly Sky Art with the Nebula Art.
• The Lotus Sect, Ye Family, Wang Family, White Saint Society, Ghost School, and other powers seized territory across several provinces by attacking or winning the surrender of Martial Prohibition Halls.
• The Ji Family and Vast Righteous Sect contested Mo Province’s counties while leaving Mo City’s Martial Prohibition Hall intact, creating a prolonged standoff.
• After one to two years of upheaval, the provinces remained divided, and the Zheng Family, Confucian Sect, and Moonfall Sect also began exerting pressure in Tian Province.