Chapter Summaries

The three sects' battle spread from the skies into the imperial palace and across Sky City as the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect targeted the Haotian Sect. Gongyang Zhuang kept the Confucian Sect out of the fighting, preserving it while it missed the chance to claim spoils.

• Haotian Sect Grandmasters struggled to escape their battles and aid Duanmu Haotian, who was being overwhelmed by Flowing Cloud Matriarch, Gongsun Haoyue, and the Beast Emperor.
• Qi Shengyuan found the imperial palace guarded by the three sects and led his people away to search the Great Qian Imperial Family's residences; Kuang Qianzi also withdrew.
• A Haotian Sect Grandmaster attacked Jiang Liu in the palace but was killed, and Grandmasters from the three sects began ambushing one another throughout the palace.
• The disciples guarding the palace joined the melee, with the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect separately surrounding and attacking the Haotian Sect.
• Small factions and Sky City's families seized property as disorder spread, while Gongyang Zhuang restrained the Confucian Sect's disciples from joining the fighting.
• The Confucian Sect avoided being targeted by the three sects but lost its chance to claim Sky City's spoils.

Wounded and cornered by Flowing Cloud Matriarch, Gongsun Haoyue, and the Fire-Winged Monkey, Duanmu Haotian summoned the costly Haotian Phantom as his last resort. The phantom targeted Jiang Liu and the two women with beams of light while Duanmu Haotian took the monkey’s cudgel strike head-on.

• Duanmu Haotian struggled to withstand the combined attacks of Flowing Cloud Matriarch, Gongsun Haoyue, and the Fire-Winged Monkey as the monkey’s seven-colored attack disrupted his primal qi.
• Duanmu Haotian burned his essence, qi, and spirit to summon the Haotian Phantom, his most powerful manifestation.
• The Haotian Phantom raised its tower and sent three five-colored beams toward Jiang Liu, Flowing Cloud Matriarch, and Gongsun Haoyue.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey struck Duanmu Haotian with their cudgel as the three beams hit their targets.

Duanmu Haotian summoned the Haotian Phantom to unleash a devastating Five-Colored Light attack, then gathered his remaining strength for one final strike. As the phantom fired at Jiang Liu, the Fire-Winged Monkey, Flowing Cloud Matriarch, and Gongsun Haoyue, it dissipated, leaving the outcome of the attack unresolved.

• The Haotian Phantom's Five-Colored Light burned Jiang Liu and drained his primordial energy, while Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue managed to withstand it.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey struck Duanmu Haotian, worsening his injuries as he prepared another Haotian Phantom attack.
• Jiang Liu replenished his primordial energy with the Star Cloud Saint Art, recovered control of his body, and retreated from the battlefield.
• Duanmu Haotian gathered primordial energy and mental power despite his failing body, then plunged toward the ground as the Haotian Phantom fired Five-Colored Light at all three opponents.
• The Fire-Winged Monkey swung its staff to protect Jiang Liu, while Flowing Cloud Matriarch attacked the light with sword strikes and thunder, and Gongsun Haoyue met it with red flames.

Gongsun Haoyue and Flowing Cloud Matriarch killed Duanmu Haotian after his attack left him gravely wounded, while Jiang Liu survived with the Fire-Winged Monkey’s help. Duanmu Haotian’s death triggered a strange change in the sky, and his body’s final explosion wounded both women as they turned toward the remaining Haotian Sect Grandmaster.

• The Fire-Winged Monkey weakened the Haotian Phantom’s Five-Colored Light and caught Jiang Liu as he fell, while Duanmu Haotian crashed into the street unconscious.
• Gongsun Haoyue descended on Duanmu Haotian and engulfed him in Skyfire despite a Haotian Sect Grandmaster’s attempt to stop her; Flowing Cloud Matriarch then struck him with lightning.
• Duanmu Haotian’s death caused vital-energy turbulence and a brief darkening of the sky, and Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue sensed their Star Cloud Saint Art had advanced.
• A Flowing Cloud Sect Grandmaster killed the Haotian Sect Grandmaster who had attacked Gongsun Haoyue.
• Duanmu Haotian’s body exploded as Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue approached, covering them in blood; the two women angrily looked toward the Haotian Sect Grandmaster still fighting in the air.

Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue defeated the Haotian Sect forces in Sky City, capturing fourteen Grandmasters and securing the surrender of the disciples. They found Jiang Liu unconscious and gravely wounded by the Illusory Sky Palm, and the chapter ended with Flowing Cloud Matriarch’s attempt to treat him making his convulsions worse.

• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue intervened in the Grandmaster battles, sealing the dantians of two Haotian Sect Grandmasters.
• The Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect Grandmasters overwhelmed their Haotian Sect opponents, while the Haotian Sect fighters tried and failed to escape.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue captured the remaining Haotian Sect Grandmasters, leaving fourteen captured, two dead, and one escaped.
• The Haotian Sect disciples surrendered after seeing their elders captured.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue found Jiang Liu unconscious on the Fire-Winged Monkey’s back and discovered that strands of Five-Colored Light were attacking his body.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch sent primal qi into Jiang Liu to dissolve the attack, but his convulsions grew more violent.

Gongsun Haoyue discovered that the Five-Colored Light was destroying Jiang Liu’s meridians and carried him to the Star Moon Sect’s base to treat him. With Flowing Cloud Matriarch’s help, she began using her special constitution and Star Cloud Saint Art, ending the chapter by kissing Jiang Liu.

• Gongsun Haoyue examined Jiang Liu and found the Five-Colored Light spreading through his meridians toward his dantian.
• Gongsun Haoyue carried Jiang Liu to the Star Moon Sect’s base in Sky City, followed by Flowing Cloud Matriarch and the Fire-Winged Monkey.
• Gongsun Haoyue brought Jiang Liu into a room and explained to Flowing Cloud Matriarch that her special constitution could save him.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch helped sit Jiang Liu upright as Gongsun Haoyue circulated the Star Cloud Saint Art.
• Gongsun Haoyue took Jiang Liu’s hands, pressed herself against him, and kissed him.

Gongsun Haoyue used her special constitution to draw the Five-Colored Light from Jiang Liu and help him recover, while he suppressed the flames in his Sea of Consciousness with the Saintly Sky Art. Gongsun Haoyue and Flowing Cloud Matriarch waited outside as Jiang Liu continued healing in the room.

• Gongsun Haoyue drew the Five-Colored Light out of Jiang Liu, allowing his dantian to replenish its Essence Particles.
• Jiang Liu regained awareness and instinctively pulled Gongsun Haoyue onto him, then resumed circulating the Saintly Sky Art to suppress the flames in his Sea of Consciousness.
• Gongsun Haoyue released Jiang Liu and left him to heal himself as Flowing Cloud Matriarch watched her with a teasing expression.
• Gongsun Haoyue told Flowing Cloud Matriarch that Jiang Liu was recovering and that another stream of Essence Particles had begun healing his injuries.
• Gongsun Haoyue and Flowing Cloud Matriarch sat outside the room to guard Jiang Liu while he continued healing.

Jiang Liu recovered as the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect restored order across Tian Province and pursued the forces that had exploited the chaos. The Great Qian Imperial Family was wiped out, the Haotian Sect was crippled, and its surviving Grandmasters surrendered or fled as the two Sects moved to secure their rule.

• The Fire-Winged Monkey sat nearby and circulated its energy while Jiang Liu treated his injuries, astonishing Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue.
• The Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect took charge of Tian Province, arrested and executed those proven to have committed crimes during the chaos, and collected seized wealth from the allied forces.
• News spread that the Great Qian Imperial Family had been destroyed and the Haotian Sect crippled, marking the end of the three Sects' rule and the rise of the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect.
• Seven Grandmasters from the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect besieged the three Grandmasters remaining at the Haotian Sect headquarters, who surrendered after half an hour and were imprisoned.
• The two Sects called on Haotian Sect disciples and Grandmasters to surrender; most submitted, while the Grandmasters stationed in Li Province and Zhen Province fled.

Jiang Liu used the Saintly Sky Art to expel the Five-Colored Light and repair his damaged meridians, then resumed treatment after the two Sect Masters left. Meanwhile, Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue dealt with the aftermath in Tian Province and entered the secret passage Jiang Lan and Wei Jin had used to escape.

• Jiang Liu expelled the Five-Colored Light from his Divine Sense sea and meridians, then told Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue that he was stable enough for them to leave.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue learned from Chen Liyun that Jiang Lan and Wei Jin had escaped through a sealed secret passage, and Gongsun Haoyue ordered a nationwide wanted notice.
• Tang Xuanyan reported that Haotian Sect disciples and Great Qian Imperial Family members had been detained and that the forces behind the Sky City disturbance were being eliminated.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue inspected the secret passage in Jiang Lan's sleeping palace, where Gongsun Haoyue used Skyfire to melt the iron seal and collapse its supports.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue waited for the smoke to clear, then flew into the passage to pursue Jiang Lan and Wei Jin.

Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue pursued the Great Qian Imperial Family through a trapped secret passage but found their trail ended at a river. Back in the palace, they called a joint meeting of the two sects to decide how to govern the realm, where most elders supported ruling it directly.

• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue smashed their way through the secret passage’s traps as disciples from both sects followed behind.
• The two leaders found an iron chamber they could not safely open and summoned Tian Ling and Gong Mo to repair its mechanism.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue reached a cliff above a great river and realized the water had washed away their quarry’s tracks.
• The two leaders returned to the palace and decided to hold a joint meeting in Tian Province to discuss governing the realm.
• More than twenty Grandmaster elders gathered in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and most proposed that the two sects rule the realm directly, prompting the leaders to frown.

After the Great Qian Imperial Family fell, factions across the realm rushed to position themselves in Tian Province while wondering whether Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect would turn against each other. The Grandmaster elders of both Sects gathered in Sky City with Haotian Sect’s imprisoned Grandmasters as their joint meeting to decide how to govern the realm was about to begin.

• Major factions sent spies to assess the relationship and strength of Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect, while White Saint Society and Lotus Sect sought to strengthen their ties with them.
• Zheng Xueyi convened the Zheng Family to discuss returning to Tian Province, and Wang Family prepared to enter Tian Province after receiving Wang Dali’s secret letter.
• Ye Family, Li Family, and Liu Family sent people toward Tian Province, while Xiahou Yi chose not to involve Sun Moon Sect further.
• Tian Province descended into chaos as factions moved in, while Ghost School’s remnants stayed hidden from Dao Sect’s hunt.
• The Grandmaster elders of Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect arrived in Sky City with Haotian Sect’s imprisoned Grandmasters, preparing to decide how the realm would be governed.

Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect convened to review the turmoil in Sky City and decide how to handle Haotian Sect after its defeat. The sect masters agreed to keep Haotian’s Grandmasters under house arrest and proposed demoting its disciples, with former True Inheritors barred from the Star Cloud Saint Art.

• Jiang Liu attended the conference after recovering from his injuries, and Tang Wanyu and the other senior sisters expressed concern for him.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue opened the conference, and Nangong Yun and Yuchi Yue reported on the situation in Sky City.
• The sect leaders heard that Haotian Sect’s Grandmasters had mostly surrendered, while three had escaped and five elderly Grandmasters had been left undisturbed.
• Gongsun Haoyue proposed placing Haotian Sect’s Grandmasters under separate house arrest and holding their Haotian Art in custody; Flowing Cloud Matriarch agreed.
• Gongsun Haoyue recommended demoting Haotian Sect’s ordinary disciples and treating its True Inheritor Disciples as Core Disciples until they passed reexamination, barring them from the Star Cloud Saint Art.

Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue settled the fate of the defeated Haotian Sect disciples and led a debate over how to govern the world. The conference ended with the elders choosing to rule directly, following the model used in Qian Province.

• Gongsun Haoyue proposed dispersing Haotian Sect disciples among the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect, and Flowing Cloud Matriarch agreed.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch ordered a Jianghu decree demanding that Jiang Lan appear within a month or his family would die.
• Gongsun Haoyue opened discussion on how to govern the world, and the elders debated direct sect rule versus appointing another force.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue considered Jiang Liu's Yun Province model but did not present it to the elders.
• Most elders supported governing the territory themselves, and Flowing Cloud Matriarch approved following the Qian Province model.

The Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect agreed to govern the realm jointly, move the central imperial city back to Qian City, and establish a joint Hall of Governmental Affairs. They arranged deployments across eleven provinces while leaving Yun Province and Xun Province under their current arrangements, then turned to discussing rewards for the forces that joined the battle.

• Nangong Yun proposed moving the central imperial city from Tian Province back to Qian City, and the Flowing Cloud Matriarch agreed.
• Gongsun Haoyue asked whether the sects should divide the provinces or govern jointly, and the elders favored joint rule to prevent division and rivalry.
• Gongsun Haoyue and the Flowing Cloud Matriarch agreed to establish a joint Hall of Governmental Affairs staffed by both sects.
• The elders discussed the vast number of people needed to govern cities across the realm, and Jiang Liu considered the risks of direct administration.
• When the elders reached Yun Province and Xun Province, Gongsun Haoyue and the Flowing Cloud Matriarch agreed to leave them as they were, and the elders arranged deployments for the other eleven provinces.
• The meeting ended its initial personnel planning and moved on to discuss rewards for the forces that had participated in the battle.

Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect ended their conference on governing the conquered provinces, while Jiang Liu was allowed to retain control of Yun Province and Xun Province. Afterward, Tang Wanyu invited Jiang Liu and several Flowing Cloud Sect senior sisters to explore Sky City and dine together.

• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue ended the joint conference after a day of discussion, leaving the details for elders to negotiate.
• Tang Wanyu invited Jiang Liu to dine in Sky City, and several senior sisters joined them after Chen Xiaoyun teased her.
• Qiao Jiao led the group through Sky City’s busy streets to the restaurant called Number One Inn Under Heaven.
• Jiang Liu and the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples entered the restaurant and went to its top floor while other guests recognized their status.

Jiang Liu and the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples settled into a tavern while Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue opened the Great Qian Imperial Family's hidden treasury. As they discussed uniting their Sects through marriage, Flowing Cloud Matriarch teased Gongsun Haoyue by suggesting she marry Jiang Liu, then fled before Gongsun Haoyue could confront her.

• Jiang Liu stopped Qiao Jiao from ordering all of the tavern's Number One Brew and asked the shopkeeper to bring two jars first.
• Tian Ling and Gong Mo opened the hidden chamber, and Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue entered to inspect its many treasures.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch asked Tian Ling to arrange an inventory, while Nangong Yun and Yuchi Yue arrived with disciples from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to count the valuables.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch and Gongsun Haoyue discussed easing friction between their Sects and agreed that marriage could strengthen their alliance, with Jiang Liu as the best candidate.
• Flowing Cloud Matriarch suggested Gongsun Haoyue marry Jiang Liu, then fled as Gongsun Haoyue stood stunned and furious.

Jiang Liu took his twelve drunken senior sisters back to the Flowing Cloud Sect residence, where Tang Wanyu tried to draw him close while pretending to be asleep. He left without staying, and Qiao Jiao reassured Tang Wanyu that he had only been trying not to take advantage of her, leaving her hopeful for another chance.

• Jiang Liu sent for carriages and carried his twelve drunken senior sisters to the Flowing Cloud Sect residence.
• The senior sisters climbed out of the carriages, but Jiang Liu had to carry the still-sleeping Tang Wanyu to her room.
• Tang Wanyu pulled Jiang Liu onto the bed and pinned him, but Jiang Liu lifted her away with vital energy and left after she pretended to wake up.
• A guard disciple misunderstood Jiang Liu's request to collect the carriage fare as an invitation, then called him a blockhead when he sent her away.
• Qiao Jiao told Tang Wanyu that Jiang Liu had not stayed because he did not want to take advantage of her, and Tang Wanyu regained hope.

Flowing Cloud Matriarch sent the True Inheritor Disciples to inspect the provinces and gain experience, then allowed them to choose rewards from the Great Qian Imperial Family’s treasury. After selecting three enchanted accessories, Jiang Liu discovered he had no inspection assignment, while Tang Wanyu was sent to Tian Province.

• Flowing Cloud Matriarch announced the provincial inspections, reminded the disciples to keep cultivating, and allowed Jiang Liu to take three items from the treasury.
• Qiao Jiao offered to let Jiang Liu choose first, and the True Inheritor Disciples traveled to the imperial city to claim their rewards.
• Nangong Yun and Yuchi Yue opened the treasury for both sects’ disciples, who browsed the inventory and chose items.
• Jiang Liu selected a color-changing metal garment, a belt, and a hairpin, while Tang Wanyu noticed that his choices were for women.
• Jiang Liu found that he had no inspection assignment because he already supervised two provinces, while Tang Wanyu was assigned to Tian Province.

After the Flowing Cloud Sect and Star Moon Sect decided to govern the world themselves, Zheng Xueyi and other forces reckoned with losing their ambitions and territory. Jiang Liu recovered in Tian Province, said goodbye to his senior sisters, and left for Cloud Province, where he remained concerned about Blood Demon Island.

• Qi Shengyuan hurried back toward Feng Province after learning the two sects would govern the world themselves, while Zheng Xueyi felt frustrated that his efforts in Dui Province would have to be surrendered.
• Zheng Yunxiu confirmed to Zheng Xueyi that her sect would govern the world and warned her family to be careful, but she refused to go with him to Dui Province.
• After his injuries healed, Jiang Liu received permission from Flowing Cloud Matriarch to return to Cloud Province and said goodbye to Tang Wanyu and his other senior sisters.
• Jiang Liu left Sky City on the Fire-Winged Monkey, flying toward Cloud Province while wondering whether anything had happened on Blood Demon Island.

Jiang Liu traveled to the Mystic Gate’s mountain village and persuaded its members to relocate to Cloud City. After leading them across the mountains into Xia County, he flew ahead to Cloud City, where new courtyards had been built beside his mansion for them.

• Jiang Liu arrived at the Mystic Gate village, where Xuan Yi and the leaders of its four branches welcomed him.
• Xuan Yi, Xuan Liu, Xuan Tan, Xuan Fen, and Xuan Su agreed to relocate with the Mystic Gate to Cloud City.
• Jiang Liu and the Mystic Gate set out the next morning, and he persuaded the villagers to leave unnecessary belongings behind.
• Jiang Liu led the group through the mountains into Xia County, where he arranged for flying exotic beasts to carry them toward Cloud City.
• Jiang Liu flew ahead on the Fire-Winged Monkey and saw that several rows of new courtyards had been built beside his mansion.