Chapter Summaries

Jiang Liu and Old Man Tianhun concluded that Blood Demon Island was behind the disappearances of Ghost School and Soul Valley disciples, and Jiang Liu arranged a joint operation with Qin Bailian and Yi Yue. After two days of cultivation, Jiang Liu received news that Blood Demon Island's people had been spotted in Zhu County and decided to investigate personally.

• Old Man Tianhun told Jiang Liu and Qin Bailian about the earlier disappearance of Ghost School disciples in Xun Province, and Jiang Liu identified Blood Demon Island as the likely culprit behind both incidents.
• Jiang Liu asked Old Man Tianhun to cooperate with Qin Bailian and Yi Yue's operation, and Old Man Tianhun agreed before leaving with Qin Bailian.
• Jiang Liu cultivated the Saintly Sky Art and observed his Essence, bones, blood vessels, and dantian changing, though he estimated it would take at least four years to reach Peak Grandmaster.
• Two days later, Jiang Liu received a secret letter from Sect Master Yi reporting that Blood Demon Island's people had been spotted in Zhu County.
• Jiang Liu decided to go to Zhu County himself and find out what protection or confidence the Blood Demon Island group had.

Jiang Liu led a force of flying beasts from Yun City toward Zhu County to confront Blood Demon Island, whose members were tracking Soul Valley disciples to capture them. He spotted the Blood Demon Island group on a mountain road and hid nearby to wait for Qin Bailian and Yi Yue before attacking.

• Blood Demon Island's group traveled from Zhu County toward Yun County, following Soul Valley disciples’ traces to capture martial artists as gifts for their island master's daughter.
• Jiang Liu departed Yun City on the Fire-Winged Monkey, with Qin Bailian, Yi Yue, and martial artists from Five Poisons Sect and Exotic Weapon Valley following on Iron-Winged Eagles.
• Old Man Tianhun stayed in Yun City to guard the remaining Soul Valley disciples after Jiang Liu stopped him from joining the expedition.
• After flying for most of the day, Jiang Liu spotted Blood Demon Island members hurrying along a mountain road and ordered the Fire-Winged Monkey to conceal its aura and withdraw.
• Jiang Liu waited for Qin Bailian and Yi Yue to arrive so they could surround and eliminate the Blood Demon Island group.

Jiang Liu and his allies surrounded and captured a Blood Demon Island squad, then learned from its leader where the captured Soul Valley disciples had been taken. After confirming the information, Jiang Liu ordered the squad killed.

• Jiang Liu had Qin Bailian and Yi Yue lead their forces into an encirclement around the Blood Demon Island faction.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey struck down the squad’s Grandmaster leader, and Qin Bailian and Yi Yue’s forces captured the entire squad.
• Jiang Liu tried to question the prisoners but discovered they did not understand Great Qian language, and he killed two who could not provide answers.
• The Blood Demon Island Grandmaster awoke, explained the squad’s origins and mission, and revealed where the Soul Valley disciples had been taken.
• Jiang Liu had a Listening Wind Pavilion messenger verify the confession, then signaled Qin Bailian and Yi Yue to kill the remaining Blood Demon Island members.

Jiang Liu and his allies hunted down Blood Demon Island remnants in Sea Gazing City, rescuing five Soul Valley disciples and organizing a wider search across two provinces. Suspecting local complicity, Yi Yue moved to seize the city’s leader, Fang Kun, who was already fighting several Minor Grandmasters.

• The Fire-Winged Monkey killed the Blood Demon Island Grandmaster with its Primal Qi Cudgel, and Jiang Liu’s group set out for Qi County after cleaning up.
• A Listening Wind Pavilion messenger confirmed the Blood Demon Island intelligence, so Jiang Liu continued to Sea Gazing City, where the remnants had already abandoned their first station.
• Yi Yue arranged for the city’s gates to be sealed while Jiang Liu, Qin Bailian, and others searched the city, then Jiang Liu’s Divine Sense overwhelmed Blood Demon Island members hiding in another residence.
• Jiang Liu found five unconscious Soul Valley disciples and ordered the Listening Wind Pavilion to circulate intelligence about Blood Demon Island’s disguises and cultivation aura.
• Yi Yue went to confront local leader Fang Kun, whom he suspected of allowing the remnants to operate, and found him fighting a Minor Grandmaster from Cloud City as other Minor Grandmasters blocked his escape.

Jiang Liu uncovered a possible link between Blood Demon Island and the faction behind the King Chujiang statue, while Fang Kun revealed another Blood Demon Island contact point. Jiang Liu headed to Xun Province to hunt down the remaining members and learn whom they worshiped.

• Yi Yue captured Fang Kun, sealed his dantian, and ordered the Minor Grandmasters to inspect anyone leaving by sea for Blood Demon Island members.
• Jiang Liu arranged for the rescued Soul Valley disciples to return to Cloud City and found a portrait of King Wuguan in the Blood Demon Island courtyard.
• Yi Yue reported that Blood Demon Island had forced Fang Kun to betray the Five Poisons Sect by holding his family, and that Fang Kun had disclosed a nearby island contact point where they were held.
• Jiang Liu decided to postpone an expedition to the island, ordered Yi Yue to search Sea Gazing City, and sent the nautical chart to Listening Wind Pavilion for safekeeping.
• Jiang Liu flew toward Xun Province on the Fire-Winged Monkey to capture the remaining Blood Demon Island members, while Qin Bailian gathered reinforcements.

Jiang Liu and Chen Bo rushed to Tianyun City after Heaven One Sect discovered Blood Demon Island’s presence, but arrived to find the City Lord’s Mansion seized and Wang Yuan tortured. Jiang Liu’s interrogation of the defeated Blood Demon Island Grandmaster ended when the man uttered “Halls of Yama” and fell silent.

• Jiang Liu reached Xun City, and a Heaven One Sect disciple reported that Blood Demon Island members had been spotted in Yu County.
• Jiang Liu and Chen Bo flew to Tianyun City, where they found suspicious guards at the City Lord’s Mansion and concealed their auras as they approached.
• A Blood Demon Island Grandmaster released his aura, but Jiang Liu attacked him with his Divine Sense and left him incapacitated.
• Chen Bo found Wang Yuan and Heaven One Sect disciples badly injured in the courtyard, then killed every Blood Demon Island member there except their fallen Grandmaster.
• Jiang Liu entered the Grandmaster’s spiritual sea to search for secrets, and the man said “Halls of Yama” before his aura went silent.

Jiang Liu and Chen Bo interrogated Piao Han, a captured Blood Demon Islander, and learned about Sacred Blood Island, its connection to King Wuguan, and its seven major islands. The chapter left them with evidence that Sacred Blood Island was powerful and that its island master could likely be a Peak Grandmaster.

• Chen Bo brought two captured Blood Demon Islanders to Jiang Liu, but one offered to answer their questions in Great Qian speech.
• Piao Han revealed that sixty-two people had come to Great Qian, splitting between Yun Province and Xun Province, and that his people called their home Sacred Blood Island.
• Jiang Liu recognized Piao Han's statue of King Wuguan as one of the Halls of Yama's Yama Kings, though Piao Han said his people worshiped King Wuguan as their guardian deity.
• Piao Han explained that Sacred Blood Island had seven major islands, at least five Grandmasters, and that his group had come to capture Great Qian martial artists and offer a coming-of-age gift to their island master's daughter.
• Piao Han said his island master had defeated neither of the two leaders when they fought together, and that no captured Great Qian people remained alive on the islands.

Jiang Liu handed Piao Han over to the Listening Wind Pavilion and examined the King Wuguan statue, discovering that its Special Essence came from the Power of Faith. He considered ways to use faith to advance the Saintly Sky Art but chose not to pursue them for now, wary of the dangers that had driven Blood Demon Island’s people from Great Qian.

• Piao Han told Jiang Liu that more than a dozen Blood Demon Island personnel remained at a secret base in Tianyun City, and Chen Bo went to capture them.
• Jiang Liu questioned Piao Han until the Listening Wind Pavilion arrived, then handed him over to explain Blood Demon Island, its sea charts, and its language.
• Jiang Liu examined the King Wuguan statue and connected its Special Essence to the Essence he had found at the corpse-hiding grounds.
• Jiang Liu concluded that carrying and venerating the statue had caused it to gather the Power of Faith, which could produce Special Essence.
• Jiang Liu considered using statues to gather faith for the Saintly Sky Art but decided to wait, fearing the hidden consequences and the force that had kept Blood Demon Island’s people away from Great Qian.

After Blood Demon Island’s forces were wiped out, Jiang Liu arranged defenses across the sea entrances and headed back toward Yunzhou. The chapter then revealed the history of the Seven Stars Islands of the Big Dipper and the conflict between Dubhe Island and the other six island lords over their inherited cultivation arts.

• Jiang Liu decided to guard the sea entrances against further attacks from Blood Demon Island rather than take the fight to them.
• Chen Bo returned after killing the remaining Blood Demon Island fighters, and Jiang Liu rested before arranging Tianyun City’s defenses with him.
• Jiang Liu summoned Li Xuewu and Ming Chengyun to reinforce the coastal defenses, while Yi Yue remained in Sea Gazing City.
• Qin Bailian arrived in Tianyun City, learned that Blood Demon Island’s forces had been killed, and planned to rest before returning to defend Yunzhou.
• The chapter explained how seven outsiders seized the islands, enslaved the natives, and established the temples that powered the island lords’ cultivation.
• The six island lords discovered their cultivation arts were incomplete, but Dubhe Island deceived them with a matching version, leading the six islands to unite against it.

Jiang Liu returned to Cloud City, learned how severely war had devastated the provinces, and fortified Yun Province’s seaports against Blood Demon Island. After cultivating through intense pain, he received a sealed letter from Murong Lie.

• The history of the Fifth Judge Palace’s escape to Seven Stars Island and its failed attempts to reach the Saint Realm was recounted.
• Jiang Liu returned to Cloud City and resolved to root out the forces responsible for the devastation he had seen along the way.
• Jiang Liu reinforced Yun Province’s three seaports and stationed Quan Xing in Sea Gazing City to prepare for Blood Demon Island.
• Jiang Liu cultivated the Star Cloud Saint Art, enduring pain and bleeding as Star Power strengthened his blood vessels.
• A messenger from Listening Wind Pavilion delivered Jiang Liu a sealed letter from Murong Lie.

After receiving Murong Lie’s urgent but vague message, Jiang Liu arranged for Qin Bailian to oversee Cloud Province and rushed to Tian Province. Murong Lie waited in hiding in Di County, badly injured and pursued by Tian Province’s rulers.

• Jiang Liu read Murong Lie’s secret letter, reassured Murong Yin, and said he would leave at once.
• Jiang Liu instructed Qin Bailian to watch over Qi County, Feng County, and Rain County while he was away.
• Jiang Liu bid Murong Yin, Feng Yue, Cuier, and Xiao He farewell, then rode the Fire-Winged Monkey toward Tian Province.
• Murong Lie’s travels through Xun, Zhen, Kun, and Qian Provinces had yielded no discovery of the mysterious place Jiang Liu sought.
• Murong Lie entered Tian Province’s mountains, encountered something that enraged him, and suffered severe injuries while investigating.
• Murong Lie hid in an inn in Di County and secretly asked Jiang Liu for help because Tian Province’s rulers were hunting him.

Jiang Liu detoured to Tian Province and stopped at a mysterious mountain village he had visited years earlier. While resting there, he discovered that the village’s Special Essence Particles made the Saintly Sky Art cultivate on its own, and the village chief recognized him as a successor of the Saint Heaven Sect.

• Jiang Liu avoided the route near the three Beast Emperors and traveled by Fire-Winged Monkey through the borderlands toward Tian Province.
• Jiang Liu spotted smoke and recognized the place as the mysterious mountain village he had visited years ago.
• The village chief welcomed Jiang Liu after realizing how much his strength had grown, and Jiang Liu stayed to rest.
• Jiang Liu sensed Special Essence Particles gathering in the village and entering his dantian through the Saintly Sky Art.
• Jiang Liu cultivated in his room, drawing in the particles faster, while the village chief realized he had encountered a successor of the Saint Heaven Sect.

Jiang Liu cultivated in the mountain village before the village chief, Xuan Yi, recognized the Saintly Sky Art and explained the Mystic Gate’s ties to the fallen Saint Heaven Sect. The chapter ended with Jiang Liu and Xuan Yi exchanging names.

• Jiang Liu cultivated for more than two shichen, absorbing the village’s Special Essence Particles until they became scarce.
• Xuan Yi questioned Jiang Liu about the Saintly Sky Art, but Jiang Liu denied practicing it and tried to leave the village at dawn.
• Xuan Yi unleashed his aura, causing the Saintly Sky Art in Jiang Liu’s body to circulate against his will, and Jiang Liu admitted he had been wary of him.
• Xuan Yi explained that the Mystic Gate was a companion sect founded to aid the Saint Heaven Sect, and speculated that the main sect fell after problems with its successor and attacks from other sects.
• Jiang Liu described finding the Saintly Sky Art in the Saint Heaven Sect ruins and shared his theory about the sect hiding from its enemies; Xuan Yi agreed that the sect had likely been under pressure.
• Jiang Liu gave his name, and Xuan Yi introduced himself as a member of the Mystic Gate.

Xuan Yi led Jiang Liu to a hidden chamber behind the village wall, intending to give him the village’s Treasure Orb. The villagers seized the orb and challenged Xuan Yi, who revealed that he believed Jiang Liu might be the last successor of the Saint Heaven Sect, leaving the villagers staring at Jiang Liu with renewed hope.

• Xuan Yi explained that the villagers had secluded themselves to obey ancestral precepts and avoid the chaos of war, then offered to show Jiang Liu a benefit of cultivating the Saintly Sky Art.
• Xuan Yi opened a hidden entrance behind the village, and Jiang Liu summoned the Fire-Winged Monkey while hesitating to enter.
• The villagers gathered and accused Jiang Liu of coveting their treasure while Xuan Yi went inside to retrieve it.
• Xuan Feng snatched the ancient wooden box from Xuan Yi, and the villagers protested that giving their Treasure Orb to an outsider threatened the village.
• Xuan Yi defended his decision by saying Jiang Liu might be the only successor of the Saint Heaven Sect left in the world, and the villagers looked at Jiang Liu with hope.

Jiang Liu received the Saint Heaven Sect’s Cultivation Pearl from Xuan Yi and learned that the Mystic Gate had guarded it in seclusion. As he activated the pearl with the Saintly Sky Art, two other pearls emerged from his possession, and the gathered villagers helped him cultivate.

• Xuan Yi gave Jiang Liu the Treasure Orb after assuring the villagers that he could lead them out, and explained that it was the Saint Heaven Sect’s Cultivation Pearl.
• Xuan Yi said the Mystic Gate had stayed hidden to protect the pearl from the Saint Heaven Sect’s enemies, while Xuan Feng revealed that outsiders knew them as Longevity Valley.
• Xuan Yi taught Jiang Liu the hand seals and incantation for guiding the pearl, and Jiang Liu began circulating the Saintly Sky Art.
• Jiang Liu’s two other Cultivation Pearls shot out before the pearl from the box broke free, startling the Mystic Gate members.
• The Mystic Gate members shared their Special Essence Particles with Jiang Liu, accelerating his cultivation while they absorbed the ordinary Essence Particles around them.

After a night cultivating with Jiang Liu, the people of the Mystic Gate gained Essence Particles far faster than before, and Jiang Liu learned how their Cultivation Pearls worked. Xuan Yi let Jiang Liu consult the Mystic Gate’s chronicles while he went to discuss the sect’s future with its members.

• The Mystic Gate cultivated through the night with Jiang Liu and gained more Essence Particles than they normally would in five days.
• Jiang Liu put away the three Cultivation Pearls and asked Xuan Yi why the two pearls he had found earlier had unlocked their restrictions.
• Xuan Yi explained that the Mystic Gate’s pearl was unsealed, while the other two had been sealed using the Saintly Sky Art’s Essence Particles.
• Jiang Liu asked to read the Mystic Gate’s chronicles, and Xuan Yi led him to the ancestral shrine and opened the locked room containing the books.
• Jiang Liu began reading a chronicle as Xuan Yi left to discuss the Mystic Gate’s future with its members.

Xuan Yi and the branch leaders debated whether the Mystic Gate should leave the mountains with Jiang Liu, weighing the dangers against the benefits of seeing the outside world. After agreeing to discuss the matter with him, Xuan Yi asked about Jiang Liu’s plans, and Jiang Liu invited the Mystic Gate to live with him and explained his position in two provinces.

• Xuan Liu opposed following Jiang Liu, warning that enemies of the Saint Heaven Sect might endanger the Mystic Gate and that they knew little about his character.
• Xuan Tan supported going with Jiang Liu, arguing that no one had pursued the Saint Heaven Sect’s survivors and that Jiang Liu’s conduct and strength made him a reasonable choice.
• Xuan Su and Xuan Fen agreed with Xuan Tan, while Xuan Yi decided to speak with Jiang Liu before making a final decision.
• After Jiang Liu finished reading, Xuan Yi asked about his plans, and Jiang Liu guessed that the Mystic Gate was considering leaving with him.
• Jiang Liu invited the Mystic Gate to live with him and explained his circumstances, including that he had taken control of two provinces.

Jiang Liu arranged for the Mystic Gate to relocate to Cloud City, then traveled to Tian'an City to find Murong Lie. He located Murong Lie at Welcoming Guest Inn and realized imperial family watchers had recognized him.

• Jiang Liu offered to help the Mystic Gate relocate to Cloud City, and Xuan Yi agreed to send Xuan Liu, Xuan Tan, and Xuan Fen to Yun Province to investigate.
• Jiang Liu left the Mystic Gate and flew through Qi Province into Di County in Tian Province.
• Jiang Liu entered Tian'an City discreetly and found Welcoming Guest Inn, where Murong Lie was staying.
• Jiang Liu sensed martial artists watching the inn and concluded they were imperial family members monitoring Murong Lie.
• Jiang Liu sensed Murong Lie's aura on the third floor and knew he could take him away once he confirmed his presence.

Jiang Liu rescued the unconscious Murong Lie from an inn in Tianan City, killing the guards who tried to stop him and fighting past two imperial Grandmasters with help from the Fire-Winged Monkey. Outside the city, Jiang Liu used the Saintly Sky Art to expel a destructive energy from Murong Lie, who awoke in agony and began cooperating with him.

• Jiang Liu entered Room 302, found Murong Lie unconscious, and killed the five Ranked Martial Practitioners who blocked his escape.
• Jiang Liu carried Murong Lie out of the inn and flew toward Tianan City's wall, where two imperial Grandmasters tried to stop him.
• Jiang Liu summoned the Fire-Winged Monkey, which struck the Grandmasters and gave Jiang Liu an opening to escape over the wall with Murong Lie.
• Jiang Liu took Murong Lie into a forest and used the Saintly Sky Art to drive the mysterious destructive energy from his body.
• Murong Lie awoke in agony, recognized Jiang Liu, and sat cross-legged to cooperate with the treatment.

Jiang Liu rescued Murong Lie from two imperial eunuch Grandmasters and learned that the imperial family was capturing martial artists to practice an evil art. After sending Murong Lie to Qi Province for treatment, Jiang Liu infiltrated Tianan City and overheard officials discussing the eunuchs’ orders.

• Jiang Liu learned from the Fire-Winged Monkey that the two Grandmasters had escaped while Murong Lie recovered from his injuries.
• Murong Lie told Jiang Liu that imperial eunuchs had pursued him after he discovered them capturing martial artists in the Tian Province mountains to practice an evil art.
• Murong Lie drew Jiang Liu a map of the strange place he had found, and Jiang Liu sent him with the Fire-Winged Monkey to Qi Province for treatment.
• Jiang Liu flew into Tianan City and secretly entered the City Lord's Mansion to investigate the two Grandmasters.
• Jiang Liu overheard two men in the study lament that the eunuchs were recruiting martial artists and that the emperor trusted the palace eunuchs above the Tianwu Army.