Chapter Summaries

Jiang Liu destroyed the Yun Family and brought Cloud Province under the Five Poisons Sect and Exotic Weapon Valley, enforcing rules against martial artists who harmed ordinary people. As he resolved to pacify all of Great Qian, the Corpse King prepared to seize a small county town and grow his strength.

• Jiang Liu ordered Exotic Weapon Valley and the Five Poisons Sect to attack the Yun Family, and their forces defeated it after a fierce battle.
• He Chuyue reported the casualties, and Jiang Liu ordered treatment for the wounded, compensation for bereaved families, and the storage of the spoils.
• Feng Yue and Murong Yin oversaw recovery and the takeover of the Pang and Yun Families’ territories, while Cloud Province’s smaller factions became vassals of the Five Poisons Sect and Exotic Weapon Valley.
• Gentle Rain Pavilion enforced Jiang Liu’s rules against martial artists who oppressed ordinary people, and Jiang Liu’s cultivation of the Saintly Sky Art accelerated as he resolved to pacify Great Qian.
• The Corpse King, hiding in Cloud Province, prepared to use his Corpse Golems to capture a small county town and build his strength.

Jiang Liu traveled to Xiawei County to investigate disappearances linked to Corpse Valley and waited outside town for the culprit. The Corpse King attacked him while he cultivated, and Jiang Liu recognized him as Corpse Valley’s Valley Master and summoned the Fire-Winged Monkey.

• Jiang Liu decided to investigate the missing martial artists himself, then left Murong Yin and Feng Yue the next morning.
• Jiang Liu arrived in Xia County and asked Tang Rong for details about the disappearances before heading to Xiawei County.
• Jiang Liu camped in a forest outside Xiawei County and cultivated while the Fire-Winged Monkey searched for food.
• The Corpse King sensed Jiang Liu’s cultivation and approached, intending to turn him into a Corpse Golem.
• Jiang Liu evaded the Corpse King’s attack, recognized him as Corpse Valley’s Valley Master, and sent a message to the Fire-Winged Monkey.

Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey overwhelmed the Corpse King with attacks, exploiting his inability to escape and eventually weakening his formidable body. The Corpse King was left severely injured and trapped between fighting and fleeing.

• Jiang Liu used Nebula Shrunken Earth to dodge the Corpse King's Nine-Section Whip and knocked him off balance with repeated kicks.
• Jiang Liu's Divine Sense overwhelmed the Corpse King's, weakening his spirit and forcing him to rely on his whip.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey arrived and pounded the Corpse King into the ground with its staff while Jiang Liu watched and blocked his escape.
• The Corpse King broke free and tried to flee, but Jiang Liu kicked him back toward the Fire-Winged Monkey.
• Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey continued attacking until the Corpse King suffered severe internal injuries and his physical defenses began to fail.

Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey killed the Corpse King, and Jiang Liu destroyed the Corpse Golems he had hidden. Back in Cloud City, Jiang Liu ordered Qin Bailian and Yi Yue to lead a province-wide search for Corpse Valley remnants.

• Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey beat the Corpse King to death, and Jiang Liu destroyed his remains so Corpse Valley could not turn him into a Corpse Golem again.
• Jiang Liu found and burned more than twenty unfinished Corpse Golems, at least half of which had been made from living people.
• Jiang Liu returned to Cloud City and told Qin Bailian and Yi Yue that he had killed the Corpse King and ordered a careful search throughout Yun Province.
• Qin Bailian and Yi Yue praised Jiang Liu's strength, then personally led teams to search their assigned counties for Corpse Valley remnants.

Murong Yin attempted to advance to the Grandmaster Realm while Jiang Liu guarded her, and she overcame an inner demon centered on her fear of losing him. She became a Minor Grandmaster with Divine Sense extending over seven hundred meters and chose wind as her primary attack element, then decided to celebrate privately.

• Yun Province’s search for Corpse Valley remnants ended without finding its last Grandmaster, while Jiang Liu continued governing a peaceful province and sensing his cultivation improve.
• Murong Yin decided to advance after years at Rank 9 and gaining confidence from the Soul Art Jiang Liu had taught her.
• Jiang Liu guarded Murong Yin as she solidified her Essence and faced an inner demon that made her fear he would leave her.
• Murong Yin resolved to become strong enough to help Jiang Liu, overcame the tribulation, and advanced to Minor Grandmaster with more than seven hundred meters of Divine Sense.
• Jiang Liu caught and kissed the excited Murong Yin, who then offered to share her advancement experience with Feng Yue.
• Murong Yin declined a public Grandmaster banquet, and Jiang Liu arranged a private feast for them.

Jiang Liu cultivated until his Divine Sense exceeded four thousand meters, then learned from a new intelligence report that the Confucian Sect and the National Preceptor's Mansion were preparing to suppress Tian Province's martial artists. The Moonfall Sect and Zheng Family allied against them, leaving Tian Province on the brink of open conflict.

• Jiang Liu cultivated with the Saintly Sky Art, expanding his Divine Sense beyond four thousand meters without approaching a breakthrough to Peak Grandmaster.
• Jiang Liu received a seven-day intelligence report from the Ascension Tower and read that the Confucian Sect had revived its proposal to abolish martial artists' cultivation methods with the National Preceptor's Mansion's support.
• The Zheng Family and Moonfall Sect formed an alliance in response, and clashes with the Confucian Sect and National Preceptor's Mansion increased across Tian Province.
• The Martial Prohibition Hall remained divided after commander Lu Tianheng disappeared, while the Great Qian Imperial Family watched the growing crisis.

Jiang Liu considered the struggle between the National Preceptor's Mansion and the Martial Prohibition Hall, then focused on developing his forces in Yun Province and Xun Province. Murong Yin departed for Wind City to visit her grandfather, while the Listening Wind and Gentle Rain Pavilions prepared to expand and cultivate talent.

• Jiang Liu concluded that Tian Province's conflict would not immediately affect Yun Province and set aside thoughts of the Three Sects' response.
• Murong Yin and Feng Yue reported on their pavilions' growth, and Jiang Liu ordered the Listening Wind Pavilion to establish a branch in Xun Province and begin training talent for future provincial branches.
• Jiang Liu told Feng Yue to keep strengthening the Gentle Rain Pavilion and carefully screen recruits.
• Murong Yin told Jiang Liu she planned to visit her grandfather in Wind City, and Jiang Liu asked her to invite him to Cloud City.
• Jiang Liu summoned the Fire-Winged Monkey to carry Murong Yin and Cuier to Wind City, then returned to practice as Feng Yue began preparing assessments for the Gentle Rain Pavilion.

Facing pressure from the Vast Righteous Sect and the National Preceptor's Mansion, the Zheng Family decided to leave Tian Province and settle in Dui Province. As preparations began, Zheng Jing warned Zheng Xueyi to beware of the Imperial Family, and the relocation threatened to plunge Dui Province into turmoil.

• Zheng Xueyi told the clan elders that Star Moon Sect had agreed to shelter the Zheng Family but that the family could not withstand its enemies indefinitely.
• Zheng Xueyi and the clan elders considered nearby provinces and chose Dui Province as their destination.
• Zheng Xuan volunteered to lead the vanguard to seize a county in Dui Province before the main force arrived.
• Zheng Xueyi reported the decision to Zheng Jing, who warned him that the Imperial Family's strange behavior and Dao Fan's support for the Vast Righteous Sect were cause for suspicion.
• The Zheng Family began preparing to relocate, threatening renewed conflict with Sword Worship Villa and Hundred Fists Gate in Dui Province.

Xiahou Yi ordered the Sun Moon Sect to prepare to exploit the Moonfall Sect’s coming crisis while plotting revenge against Wei Wei and Wei Yi. Meanwhile, Li Moran weighed the Vast Righteous Sect’s choices against the Ji Family and went to ask Li Qiaoyun what she thought of a possible marriage alliance.

• Xiahou Yi told the Sun Moon Sect’s higher-ups that the Confucian school of Tian Province and the National Preceptor’s Mansion planned to move against the Moonfall Sect and the Zheng Family.
• Xiahou Yi ordered the sect to monitor the Moonfall Sect and prepare to seize an opportunity, with special attention to Wei Wei and Wei Yi.
• Xiahou Yi resolved to capture Wei Wei and Wei Yi alive, then went to meet young martial artists waiting in the rear hall.
• Li Moran considered the Vast Righteous Sect’s losses against the Ji Family and the possibility of strengthening its alliance with the Daoist sect through a marriage between Li Qiaoyun and Zheng Yunxiu.
• Li Moran and the sect higher-ups concluded that they must either leave Mo Province or fight the Ji Family, and he went to Li Qiaoyun’s courtyard to ask her opinion.

Emperor Jiang Lan planned to exploit the Confucian Sect and the National Preceptor’s Mansion’s campaign to destroy the Moonfall Sect, the Zheng Family, and the other Jianghu forces in Tian Province, while concealing the imperial family’s role. After revealing the plan to Jiang Zongquan, Jiang Lan secured his grand-uncle’s promise to personally watch over the operation.

• Jiang Lan told Wei Jin that Dao Fan and Gongyang Zhuang had begun the plan and ordered Jiang Heng to monitor the Moonfall Sect and the Zheng Family.
• Jiang Lan prepared to use Jiang Zongquan’s secret advancement to Peak Grandmaster to crush Tian Province’s Jianghu forces and later challenge the Three Sects.
• Jiang Lan entered the imperial palace’s forbidden grounds and explained his plan to Jiang Zongquan.
• Jiang Zongquan agreed to personally keep watch and felt hopeful that Jiang Lan could lead Great Qian to rise again.

Jiang Liu asked Murong Lie to investigate the strange Yin-Yang Fish patterns and vitality beads across the Great Qian, and Murong Lie agreed to begin searching the mountains. Later, a report linked suspected Dark Star Hall traces to Dui Province, but Jiang Liu decided to wait for more information before traveling there.

• Jiang Liu welcomed Murong Lie back from Wind City and waited for Feng Yue before explaining his plan.
• Jiang Liu described the strange patterns and vitality beads, and Murong Lie agreed to investigate unusual sites across the Great Qian.
• Jiang Liu, Murong Yin, and Feng Yue agreed Murong Lie should start searching the mountains while avoiding areas where a Beast Emperor might appear.
• A Listening Wind Pavilion messenger delivered a report that the Ascension Tower in Dui Province had found suspected traces of the Dark Star Hall.
• Jiang Liu decided to wait for further news before going to Dui Province, easing Murong Yin and Feng Yue's immediate concerns.

Jiang Liu learned that Ghost School controlled nine counties in Xun Province and that Dark Star Hall had appeared in Fei Prefecture, Dui Province. He decided to travel to Dui Province to investigate Dark Star Hall, leaving Murong Yin and Feng Yue to gather intelligence on Ghost School until he returned.

• Murong Lie left to wander the jianghu and search for the strange places Jiang Liu had described, and Jiang Liu took Murong Yin, Feng Yue, Cuier, and Xiao He to tour Yun City.
• Jiang Liu reviewed Listening Wind Pavilion's report on Ghost School's expansion across nine counties and resolved to grow strong enough to end the chaos, while telling the pavilion to prioritize its agents' safety.
• A report from Ascension Tower revealed Dark Star Hall's presence in Fei Prefecture, near Tian Province, and Jiang Liu resolved to destroy the faction.
• After dinner, Jiang Liu told Murong Yin and Feng Yue he would go to Dui Province, and they embraced him as he promised to return as soon as possible.

Jiang Liu traced a Dark Star Hall lead from Fei City to Rou City, uncovering a small gang that had delivered a letter to a mysterious contact in Rou County. He reached Rou City and learned that martial practitioners now had to register before entering, under the order of a Deputy Commander.

• Jiang Liu left Murong Yin and Feng Yue in Cloud City under the protection of the Frostwing Dragon and Three-Eyed Flying Tiger, then traveled through Qi Province toward Dui Province.
• In Fei City, Jiang Liu found the iron-roofed loft named in the intelligence and learned that it belonged to a small gang that had unknowingly delivered a letter for Dark Star Hall to Rou County.
• Jiang Liu killed the gang members, then flew with the Fire-Winged Monkey toward Rou County in Tian Province.
• Near Rou City, Jiang Liu dismissed the Fire-Winged Monkey and approached the city, where Martial Prohibition Hall guards told him to register under the Deputy Commander's order.

Jiang Liu infiltrated a Dark Star Hall stronghold in Rou City and interrogated its steward, Cong Buqi, and Yue Buqun’s wife, Ning Zhongze. He learned that Yue Buqun had left for Tian County to report to Dark Star Hall’s powerful backer.

• Jiang Liu avoided registering at Rou City and entered the city at night in disguise.
• Jiang Liu found an unremarkable residence in the western part of the city and discovered Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi inside.
• Jiang Liu subdued the pair and forced Cong Buqi to reveal that they belonged to Dark Star Hall and that he was its chief steward.
• Cong Buqi identified Ning Zhongze as Hall Master Yue Buqun’s wife and named Cheng Buyou as the person in charge of the Assassination List.
• Ning Zhongze said Yue Buqun would return within half a month to a month, while Cong Buqi guessed he had gone to Tian County to report to Dark Star Hall’s backer.

Jiang Liu captured Cheng Buyou and arranged with Cong Buqi and Ning Zhongze to make Dark Star Hall appear unchanged while he waited for Yue Buqun to return. While monitoring the hall, he learned the dangers of loyalty oaths and began worrying about the oaths Qin Bailian and Yi Yue had sworn.

• Jiang Liu found Cheng Buyou, knocked him unconscious, and disabled his true qi before Cong Buqi shackled and secretly confined him.
• Cong Buqi agreed to persuade Ning Zhongze to help make Dark Star Hall seem normal until Yue Buqun returned, and she agreed to cooperate.
• Jiang Liu settled in a nearby residence and watched Dark Star Hall as half a month passed without Yue Buqun returning.
• Cong Buqi gave Jiang Liu a booklet explaining that loyalty oaths could cause Heavenly Dao backlash if the recipient lacked sufficient mental strength.
• Jiang Liu worried about the oaths Qin Bailian and Yi Yue had sworn, recalled the Pan brothers' past attempt to deceive him, and resolved to find and eliminate them.

Yue Buqun returned to Dark Star Hall, unaware that Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi had deceived him, while Jiang Liu prepared an ambush. Lured into the forest west of Rou City, Yue Buqun was battered by Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey and ended the chapter injured on the ground after Jiang Liu devoured part of his Divine Sense.

• Yue Buqun returned to Dark Star Hall, and Ning Zhongze distracted him from a strange odor by sending him to wash.
• Cong Buqi reported Yue Buqun's return to Jiang Liu, who planned to lure Yue Buqun into the forest west of the city that night.
• Cong Buqi told Yue Buqun that Cheng Buyou might have run into trouble, and Yue Buqun set out with Cong Buqi and Ning Zhongze to investigate.
• Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey ambushed Yue Buqun in the forest, striking him back and forth and leaving him badly injured.
• Yue Buqun tried to track Jiang Liu with his Divine Sense, but Jiang Liu swallowed part of it and sent Yue Buqun crashing to the ground in agony.

Jiang Liu learned that Dao Fan Shangren had secretly supported Yue Buqun and the Dark Star Hall, then considered the risks of taking control of the Assassination List through Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi. He asked them what they planned to do next, and Cong Buqi begged him not to abandon them.

• The Fire-Winged Monkey struck Yue Buqun unconscious, and Jiang Liu severed the energy in his dantian.
• Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi interrogated Yue Buqun until he confessed that Dao Fan Shangren had helped establish and expand the Dark Star Hall.
• Jiang Liu considered the danger Dao Fan Shangren posed and weighed relying on Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi to control the Dark Star Hall and the Assassination List.
• Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi disposed of Yue Buqun's body, then Cong Buqi fell to his knees and pleaded with Jiang Liu not to abandon them.

Cong Buqi and Ning Zhongze agreed to relocate Dark Star Hall, while Jiang Liu secretly arranged to track them so he could take control of it. In Rou City, Jiang Liu and the Fire-Winged Monkey confronted Sun Yunlu over city registration, and Jiang Liu left after overwhelming him.

• Cong Buqi asked Jiang Liu to let him take control of Dark Star Hall, and Ning Zhongze explained that Yue Buqun would not need to report to Dao Fan Shangren for some time.
• Jiang Liu agreed to let Cong Buqi and Ning Zhongze relocate, then ordered Sheng Quanxin to secretly monitor their movements and report where they settled.
• Cong Buqi and Ning Zhongze returned to Rou City to pack, while Jiang Liu went to Ascension Tower and hired Sheng Quanxin to track them.
• Sun Yunlu blocked Jiang Liu and questioned whether he had registered at the city gate, then insulted the Fire-Winged Monkey.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey struck Sun Yunlu, and Jiang Liu crushed him with his aura before leaving the city.
• Sun Yunlu attacked a bystander and damaged nearby pavilions in a rage, while Sheng Quanxin avoided the destruction by retreating into Ascension Tower.

After returning to Cloud City, Jiang Liu learned that several provinces had fallen into conflict and that the Vast Righteous Sect had pleaded for aid. Murong Aotian urged him to support the upright sect, and Jiang Liu left to consider the decision before reuniting with Murong Yin and Feng Yue.

• Jiang Liu returned to Cloud City after inspecting several counties and went to Ascension Tower to meet Murong Aotian.
• Murong Aotian gave Jiang Liu reports describing escalating conflicts across several provinces and the Vast Righteous Sect's pleas for help.
• Jiang Liu learned that the Exotic Beast Valley had already sent Elder He to support the Vast Righteous Sect and struggled to decide whether to join them.
• Murong Aotian argued that Jiang Liu should aid the Vast Righteous Sect because it was upright and could become an ally.
• Jiang Liu left to think over the decision, then went to the Listening Wind Pavilion headquarters and embraced Murong Yin and Feng Yue.

Jiang Liu decided to answer Vast Righteous Sect’s request for aid and prepared to leave the next day with Yi Yue. Before departing, he arranged oversight of Dark Star Hall and the Assassination List and guided Murong Yin and Feng Yue in their cultivation.

• Jiang Liu told Murong Yin and Feng Yue what Ning Zhongze and Cong Buqi had done, then assigned Murong Yin to take over Dark Star Hall and Feng Yue to investigate the Assassination List’s operations.
• Jiang Liu told Murong Yin and Feng Yue about Vast Righteous Sect’s request for aid, and they realized he might leave soon.
• Jiang Liu cultivated the Saintly Sky Art and sensed that Special Essence Particles and Spirit Power Particles had become more abundant.
• Jiang Liu decided to aid Vast Righteous Sect, announced he would leave the next day with Yi Yue, and had Murong Yin summon him.
• Jiang Liu corrected flaws in Feng Yue’s sword technique, found no flaws in Murong Yin’s demonstration, and then waited with them for Yi Yue.