Chapter Summaries

Tong Chuchu’s forces ambushed Shang Kuo amid the sea beast battle, while the Hong Family hid their involvement and Eternal Joy City was distracted. Shang Kuo was killed, and Tong Chuchu used a mirror to capture his escaping divine soul.

• Tong Chuchu learned Shang Kuo was hiding nearby and led the Soaring Sky Commerce Guild’s fighters toward him under cover of the sea beast battle.
• Shang Kuo sensed danger, but Tong Chuchu’s forces attacked him and his subordinates while explosions elsewhere distracted Eternal Joy City.
• Hong Yuntian and the Hong Family amplified the battle noise and watched without helping Shang Kuo.
• Tong Chuchu’s fighters surrounded Shang Kuo, and one of them cleaved him in half with a sword strike.
• Tong Chuchu shone a mirror at Shang Kuo’s escaping divine soul, making it vanish into the mirror.

Long Wave Sword God and the combined forces wounded Red Radiance, forcing it to flee, and the sea beasts soon retreated as the battle turned against them. The survivors left for the Neutral Continent, while three powerful sea beasts arrived at the abandoned battlefield too late—or for an unknown purpose.

• Tong Chuchu ordered her subordinates to eliminate the remaining Nether River Commerce members, then joined the battle against the sea beasts with the Soaring Sky Commerce Guild.
• Long Wave Sword God severed one of Red Radiance’s tentacles, but the attack also left him seriously injured as sea beasts swarmed to feed on the fallen flesh and blood.
• Long Wave Sword God and his team continued attacking Red Radiance, while the warriors of Eternal Joy City and the other factions fought the scattered sea beasts.
• Red Radiance blocked the combined assault with a curtain of water and fled several miles away, so Long Wave Sword God’s team turned to killing the remaining sea beasts instead of pursuing it.
• The sea beasts fled as the battle turned, and the factions collected the corpses and departed for the Neutral Continent, with Long Wave Sword God’s team leaving last.
• Three powerful auras and a vast horde of sea beasts arrived after the others had left; three sea beasts surveyed the empty battlefield, then withdrew with their followers.

After Eternal Joy City suffered devastating losses while severely wounding Crimson Radiance, Long Wave Sword God refused to recall Jiang Liu and ordered Feng Changtian to spread news of the beast’s injuries. Snowpeak Honored One and Divine Wind Honored One moved to pursue Crimson Radiance, while Rì Yuè Honored One focused on the martial artists he had captured.

• The wounded from the battle recovered at Tranquil Border City, where Feng Changtian arranged physicians for them.
• Feng Changtian reported that more than half of Eternal Joy City’s forces had died and nearly all survivors were wounded.
• Long Wave Sword God refused Feng Changtian’s request to summon Jiang Liu, saying he would not disturb him during the time they had promised him.
• Long Wave Sword God ordered Feng Changtian to announce that Crimson Radiance had been severely wounded, hoping the Three Great Cities would kill it and ease the pressure on Eternal Joy City.
• After Feng Changtian left, Long Wave Sword God sat down to treat his own injuries, which he had sustained by fighting Crimson Radiance at the cost of one of its tentacles.
• Snowpeak Honored One and Divine Wind Honored One pursued Crimson Radiance, while Rì Yuè Honored One remained focused on the captured members of the Huang Family and Shang Family.

Jiang Liu reached the Yellow Springs Mountains seeking the secret of breaking through to the Third-Tier Divine Realm, but a gray mist and a Divine Realm insect clan ambushed him. As venomous insects attacked, he began to suspect the clan was connected to Insect Valley.

• Jiang Liu flew through the Nether Realm toward the Yellow Springs Mountains after learning that the Nether Demon Lord had reached the Third-Tier Divine Realm and been injured by God Realm Venerables.
• A gray mist engulfed Jiang Liu near the mountains, and he cut down a tiny insect that had attacked him.
• The Devouring Insects appeared with more than a dozen Divine Realm clansmen, including several Second-Order Divine Realm experts.
• The Devouring Insects ordered his subordinates to retreat, then surrounded Jiang Liu with a giant net of venomous insects that spewed corrosive saliva.
• Jiang Liu fought back with the Godslayer Blade and wondered whether the insect clan was connected to Insect Valley, but a dangerous presence approached from behind.

Jiang Liu fought off the Moon Devouring Clan as the Nether River erupted and hurried toward its waters. A powerful presence appeared behind him as he tried to inspect the river.

• Jiang Liu dodged the Devouring Insect and the Moon Devouring Clan’s nets and poisonous attacks, while his Blade Avatar fought the Devouring Insect.
• The Nether River erupted, and the Devouring Insect halted his attack and directed the Moon Devouring Clan members to take their positions.
• Jiang Liu withdrew his Blade Avatar and flew toward the river, unaware of the black shadow that appeared whenever it emerged.
• Jiang Liu dodged the surging Nether River water and noticed stone fragments piercing the pale-yellow terrain as the water splashed toward him.
• A powerful aura appeared behind Jiang Liu, and he retreated when its pressure shook his soul.

Jiang Liu found the Demon God absorbing Nether River Essence and tried to draw some into his own body, only to suffer severe damage to his meridians. As Jiang Liu struggled to contain the essence, the Demon God sensed something and suddenly fled, leaving the reason unclear.

• Jiang Liu spotted the Demon God absorbing Nether River Essence and judged that the Third-Tier Divine Realm cultivator was too powerful to confront directly.
• Jiang Liu tried to absorb Nether River Essence himself, and it resisted before entering his body through his meridians.
• The Nether River Essence badly injured Jiang Liu's meridians, so he used Saintly Sky Art origin energy to consume it and stop further damage.
• The Demon God focused on the unusually abundant Nether River Essence and anticipated a breakthrough that could help him deal with dangers in the darkness and capture his hidden avatar.
• The Demon God's aura trembled, and he abruptly used his movement technique to retreat and disappear.

Jiang Liu absorbed the Nether River Essence, strengthening his meridians and realizing his body needed further transformation to reach the Third-Tier Divine Realm. After the river vanished, he explored its hardened riverbed and unearthed a huge stone, releasing a cloud of corrosive gas.

• Jiang Liu absorbed the Nether River Essence, neutralized its corrosiveness with the Saintly Sky Art, and rapidly strengthened his meridians.
• Jiang Liu concluded that his body was not yet strong enough for the Third-Tier Divine Realm and continued cultivating until the Nether River disappeared.
• Jiang Liu found the riverbed empty and discovered that the Devil Race members had vanished, likely having retreated after collecting what they needed.
• Jiang Liu found pale-yellow soil hardened by the river and spotted glittering fragments embedded in it.
• Jiang Liu used the Godslayer Blade to dig out a massive stone, triggering a burst of highly corrosive gas.

Jiang Liu used increasingly potent corrosive gas from a pit to strengthen his meridians, despite the severe pain and damage it caused. After a day of recovery with the Saintly Sky Art, his meridians were restored and stronger, and he prepared to strengthen them again.

• Jiang Liu decided to dig out the remaining stones before entering the pit he suspected was the source of the Nether River water.
• Jiang Liu uncovered a stronger burst of corrosive gas, sensed danger, and stopped digging to guide some of it into his meridians.
• The black gas nearly dissolved all of Jiang Liu's meridians, but he remained conscious and waited for it to dissipate before using the Saintly Sky Art to heal.
• Jiang Liu spent a day restoring his meridians and found them stronger than before.
• Jiang Liu resolved to proceed with a second round of meridian strengthening.

Jiang Liu strengthened his meridians by drawing corrosive gas from the pits, discovering that it also improved his ability to purify Nether Realm Primal Qi. After two days, the pits were nearly depleted, so he began digging beneath another stone fragment to find a stronger source.

• Jiang Liu used the corrosive gas to strengthen his meridians and found that the Saintly Sky Art purified Primal Qi more efficiently.
• He endured a second round of strengthening and realized the gas damaged his meridians less as they grew stronger.
• Jiang Liu considered using the gas to strengthen his entire body to Third-Tier Divine Realm levels so he could face the Nether Demon Lord.
• After two days, the first two pits had stopped releasing gas, and Jiang Liu headed to another stone fragment.
• Jiang Liu summoned the Godslayer Blade and began digging down along the fragment's edge.

Jiang Liu used the black corrosive gas from the Nether River rubble to risk strengthening his body, and his first test showed that his flesh had become much tougher. He then began drawing gas from the third pit to erode and strengthen all of his internal organs, despite the danger of failing to recover.

• After storing the third piece of rubble, Jiang Liu circulated the Saintly Sky Art and decided he had to strengthen his body to investigate the Nether River's secrets.
• Jiang Liu let the black corrosive gas erode his meridians, muscles, flesh, and internal organs, then used the Saintly Sky Art to restore them.
• Jiang Liu found that his primal qi capacity had increased and tested his strengthened body with the Godslayer Blade, which barely marked his skin.
• Jiang Liu decided to risk further strengthening his internal organs rather than wait for a safer method.
• Jiang Liu began extracting the remaining black corrosive gas from the third pit and pouring it into his body.

Jiang Liu survived the Dark River’s corrosive gas after a hidden consciousness tried to seize his Divine Sea, and his body was strengthened again. He then prepared to explore the Dark River and uncover its origins and the consciousness’s identity.

• Jiang Liu absorbed the black corrosive gas, which overwhelmed his organs and pierced the Saintly Sky Art primal qi protecting his heart.
• The gas engulfed Jiang Liu, while a consciousness entered his Divine Sea and tried to take control.
• Jiang Liu’s divine soul repelled the consciousness, and the Data Panel destroyed it as white light spread from his heart and restored his body.
• After three hours, Jiang Liu rose with his body thoroughly strengthened and judged himself close to the Third-Tier Divine Realm.
• Jiang Liu decided to investigate the Dark River’s origins and the consciousness rather than only pursue the Shang Family Patriarch’s secret to breaking through.

Jiang Liu descended beneath the Nether River and discovered the Demon God Hall, a vast underground space, and a black river surging with Hate beneath an ancient bridge. After his Divine Sea warned him away from the hall, he suspected the bridge was suppressing the river and wondered whether he had found the true Nether River.

• Jiang Liu dug through the last rubble with his strengthened body and found that no black corrosive gas remained in the pit.
• Jiang Liu descended through the dark passage and reached a vast underground space, where he shattered a wall of gas with the Godslayer Blade.
• Jiang Liu saw the Palace Lantern and the plaque reading Demon God Hall, but his Divine Sea warned him to look away.
• Jiang Liu noticed empty gas channels and pondered the vanished consciousness he had encountered earlier.
• Jiang Liu saw an ancient arched bridge whose beast sculptures sent black light over a pitch-black river, calming its surging Hate.
• Jiang Liu suspected the bridge was suppressing the river and wondered whether it was the true Nether River.

Jiang Liu discovered that most of the underground landscape was an illusion and found himself before Demon God Hall. When the hall opened and dragged him toward it, he braced himself with the Godslayer Blade, but the Blackwater River began to churn.

• Jiang Liu noticed six empty gas passages instead of the four he had expected and concluded that others had entered the underground space before him.
• Jiang Liu approached the stone houses, realized they were an illusion, and suspected that the surrounding scenery was false.
• Jiang Liu destroyed the illusory mountains and houses, revealing that he had crossed the bridge and arrived before Demon God Hall.
• Jiang Liu tried to retreat when the hall's doors opened, but a powerful suction force dragged him toward them despite his blade strikes.
• Jiang Liu plunged the Godslayer Blade into the ground to slow himself, and the Blackwater River suddenly began to churn.

Jiang Liu escaped onto the arched bridge as the Blackwater River attacked the Demon God Hall with ranks of animated skeletons. After the skeletons broke through the pillars’ defenses, Jiang Liu realized the river was the true Nether River.

• Jiang Liu used Nebula Shrunken Earth to reach the arched bridge and escape the river’s suction and pressure.
• A huge head formed from the Blackwater River tried to flood the bank, but beams from the pillars blocked it with a black net.
• Skeletons of demons and beasts, each bearing a speck of black water in its skull, rose from the river and marched toward the bank.
• The river empowered a towering skeleton, which broke through the black net; several hundred skeletons eventually reached the bank despite being destroyed in the attempt.
• Jiang Liu sensed that the skeletons on the bank had reached the Divine Realm or higher and concluded that the Blackwater River was the true Nether River.

Jiang Liu watched the Nether River's White Bone army attack Demon God Hall and learned that their blows could weaken its Palace Lantern. As the hall destroyed the army and the bridge's beast sculptures attacked him, Jiang Liu escaped from the bridge, leaving the conflict unresolved.

• Jiang Liu watched several hundred White Bone march from the Nether River toward Demon God Hall while the bridge pillars allowed them to pass.
• The White Bone struck Demon God Hall's gates, and their blows weakened the Palace Lantern's deep-blue radiance.
• As the Palace Lantern shattered and the White Bone charged the gates, the exotic-beast sculptures on the bridge opened and pounced on Jiang Liu.
• Jiang Liu vanished from the bridge just before the beasts collided, and they returned to their places as sculptures.
• Demon God Hall released black radiance that pulverized the White Bone, swept their remains back into the Nether River, and restored the Palace Lantern.

Jiang Liu escaped the underground space and concluded that the Demon God Hall had lured him there to kill him, then fled the mountains. The Demon God, who had also escaped the Hall before, lost his fear and hurried toward the Yellow Springs Mountains.

• Jiang Liu returned to his backup transit point, recovered from the Dark Primal Qi, and found that the transit coordinates on the arched bridge had turned gray.
• Jiang Liu reasoned that the underground passage and Demon God Hall were part of a trap targeting him, and resolved to avoid the Hall.
• Jiang Liu flew toward the outskirts of the mountains after considering the Nether River's connection to the Demon God Hall.
• The Demon God trembled with fear as Jiang Liu entered the underground space, then calmed down when Jiang Liu landed on the arched bridge.
• The Demon God left his dark space and flew toward the Yellow Springs Mountains.

Jiang Liu infiltrated the Moon Devouring Clan’s territory to learn about its ties to Insect Valley and the Nether Realm. After soul-searching a clan member, he learned that the clan leader who had led the earlier attack was Devouring Insects and flew deeper into the territory.

• Jiang Liu descended into the mountains, suspecting that the Moon Devouring Clan lived there and intending to question its members.
• The Demon God saw Jiang Liu descend but left without approaching him.
• Several Moon Devouring Clan members confronted Jiang Liu at their sacred insect-breeding ground and attacked him with threads from their insects.
• Jiang Liu turned the threads and insects against the clan members, bound them, and soul-searched one of them.
• Jiang Liu learned the clan leader was Devouring Insects and that the clan members who had absorbed Nether River Essence had entered seclusion to cultivate their Tianming companion insects.
• Jiang Liu flew toward the depths of the Moon Devouring Clan’s territory.

Jiang Liu reached the Moon Devouring Clan’s territory and attacked its leader, Devouring Insects, as he cultivated his Soul-Devouring Insects. Devouring Insects’ insect interrupted Jiang Liu’s strike, and after his own clansmen accidentally battered him, he declared his submission to Jiang Liu.

• Jiang Liu arrived in the Moon Devouring Clan’s territory and vanished before its members could confront him.
• Devouring Insects fed yellow smoke from a bottle to a Soul-Devouring Insect, hoping to help it transform and eventually advance him to the Third-Tier Divine Realm.
• Devouring Insects sensed danger and emerged from his treehouse as his Soul-Devouring Insects entered his body.
• Jiang Liu attacked Devouring Insects with the Godslayer Blade while the Moon Devouring Clan members rushed in and attacked Jiang Liu.
• A Soul-Devouring Insect bit Jiang Liu’s wrist and forced him to retreat, while the clan members’ attacks struck Devouring Insects instead.
• Jiang Liu prepared to attack Devouring Insects again, and Devouring Insects shouted that he submitted.

Jiang Liu forced the Devouring Insects to submit and learned that the Moon Devouring Clan descended from Insect Valley survivors who fled the Human Realm for the Nether Realm. He then asked what the Devouring Insects had used to contain the Nether River essence, and the clan leader hesitated to give up his Refining Bottle.

• Jiang Liu crushed an approaching member of the Moon Devouring Clan with the aura of Phantom Stomp, stopping the others from advancing.
• The Devouring Insects first asked to talk, but submitted sincerely when Jiang Liu's aura surged again.
• Jiang Liu lowered the Godslayer Blade and ordered the Devouring Insects to explain the Moon Devouring Clan's origins.
• The Devouring Insects revealed that the Moon Devouring Clan consisted of Insect Valley survivors who had fled the Human Realm and settled in the Nether Realm.
• Jiang Liu asked what the Devouring Insects had used to contain the Nether River essence, and the Devouring Insects reluctantly considered parting with the Refining Bottle.

Jiang Liu examined Devouring Insects’ Refining Bottle, returned it, and learned from the Sacred Insect Compendium that a passage between the Nether Realm and the Human Realm lay in the Sky Beast Mountain Range. He set off for the Central Continent to investigate, while Devouring Insects plotted to take revenge and ordered Devourer Ye to check on the others’ cultivation.

• Devouring Insects reluctantly handed Jiang Liu the Refining Bottle, but Jiang Liu returned it after examining it.
• Jiang Liu asked how Insect Valley’s ancestors had reached the Nether Realm, and Devouring Insects brought him the Sacred Insect Compendium.
• Jiang Liu learned that the passage to the Human Realm was hidden in the Sky Beast Mountain Range and took the compendium with him.
• After Jiang Liu left, Devouring Insects secretly vowed revenge and sent Devourer Ye to check on Devourer Zhi and the others.
• Jiang Liu flew toward the Central Continent to investigate the passage.