Chapter Summaries

Dao Qiongchang detained Zhu Yike and Xiang Yaoyao while revealing that he had sealed off her attempts to communicate, then confronted Mei Suren as he arrived with Cao Erzhu. Seeing Xu Xiaoshou’s ruined Heavenly Mechanism Puppet, Mei Suren unleashed his sword intent and demanded that Dao Qiongchang answer for injuring his student.

• Dao Qiongchang spared Zhu Yike at Jinren’s request, then ordered Xi to imprison him in the Dead Sea apart from Saint Slave Wuxiu.
• Dao Qiongchang took the Apricot Realm Jade Talisman from Xiang Yaoyao and ordered Xi to keep her safe in solitary confinement, even from self-harm.
• Xiang Yaoyao tried to mention names and tell stories to Xi, but Dao Qiongchang’s restrictions forced her words to become praise of him.
• Mei Suren arrived on Qingyuan Mountain with Cao Erzhu, recognized Xu Xiaoshou in the Heavenly Mechanism Puppet wreckage, and confronted Dao Qiongchang over his injury.
• Mei Suren summoned the Qingyuan Sword and Taicheng Sword, unleashed his Sword Manifestation, and demanded that Dao Qiongchang explain himself.

Mei Suren attacked Dao Qiongchang on Qingyuan Mountain to defend Xu Xiaoshou, while Cao Erzhu discovered the thrill of battle and was urged by Jinren to stop holding back. Cao Erzhu struck Dao Qiongchang down with his God-Punishing Execution Tribulation and roared that kings and generals were not born to their stations.

• Mei Suren unleashed his Sword Manifestation against Dao Qiongchang, who used the Qingyuan Mountain Grand Formation to block its blows.
• Cao Erzhu watched the battle and struggled to express his excitement until Jinren, hidden in the Heavenly Mechanism Puppet wreckage, pushed him to vent his feelings and challenge Dao Qiongchang.
• Cao Erzhu confronted Dao Qiongchang, attacked him with the God-Punishing Execution Tribulation, and smashed his head apart with Thunder God's Fist.
• Cao Erzhu roared and declared, "Are kings and generals born to their stations?!"

Cao Erzhu killed Dao Qiongchang with a lightning strike, then met Xu Xiaoshou through Jinren and learned that Kui Leihan had been beheaded. Jinren recognized Cao Erzhu as the unparalleled genius Ba Zunan had mentioned and began speaking to him about his father’s death.

• Yu Zhiwen watched Cao Erzhu blow apart Dao Qiongchang’s head and struggled to reconcile his bold words with the cautious man she had met before.
• Mei Suren asked Cao Erzhu who had taught him the words, and Cao Erzhu pointed to Jinren among the Heavenly Mechanism Puppet wreckage.
• Jinren proved his identity to Mei Suren, who carefully removed and secured Jinren’s array-disc head.
• Cao Erzhu showed Jinren a note bearing Xu Xiaoshou’s name, explaining that August had left it for him, and Mei Suren connected August and Cao Erzhu to You Tu.
• Jinren asked Cao Erzhu about Ba Zunan and learned that Kui Leihan had been beheaded and found by his son.
• Jinren recognized Cao Erzhu as the unparalleled genius Ba Zunan had described, asked Mei Suren to hand him over, and began telling Cao Erzhu that some people were alive but already dead.

Jinren urged Cao Erzhu to choose his own path and explained why he believed First Pavilion Under Heaven must confront the era’s chaos. Cao Erzhu rejected the Holy Spirit Hall and asked to join Jinren’s faction, while Mei Suren watched their newfound bond stir old memories.

• Jinren asked Cao Erzhu what he wanted after his father’s death and recommended that he join the Holy Spirit Hall’s White Robes.
• Cao Erzhu learned that Dao Qiongchang was the Holy Spirit Hall’s Hall Master and rejected the faction, while Jinren described the White Robes as a suitable path for him.
• Cao Erzhu questioned the difference between good and bad factions and the choices of his father and You Tu, prompting Jinren to call the age’s disorder an error that must be ended.
• Jinren declared that First Pavilion Under Heaven existed to end the error and rewrite the ages, then revealed that the organization was his.
• Cao Erzhu resolved to choose his own future and, at dawn, he and Jinren simultaneously asked for the other to join First Pavilion Under Heaven.
• Mei Suren watched Cao Erzhu and Jinren laugh together in the snow, then remembered two young men from his past as he touched the Taicheng Sword.

Dao Qiongchang challenged Xu Xiaoshou’s invitation to Cao Erzhu and accused Xu of deceit and past crimes, but Xu defended his actions and Cao reaffirmed his choice to join the First Pavilion Under Heaven. The chapter ended with Dao Qiongchang announcing that he would kill Xu Xiaoshou as Yu Zhiwen realized the danger.

• Dao Qiongchang addressed Cao Erzhu through Qingyuan Mountain’s formation, arguing that the Holy Spirit Hall had not killed Cao’s father and warning him about Xu Xiaoshou’s past.
• Xu Xiaoshou admitted to the accusations but defended his choices, and he and Dao Qiongchang traded accusations while Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu listened.
• Dao Qiongchang urged Cao Erzhu to reconsider, but Cao said he would still join the First Pavilion Under Heaven because he trusted Xu Xiaoshou and Mei Suren.
• Xu Xiaoshou sensed danger as the Saint Emperor Dragon Scale throbbed, while Yu Zhiwen divined calamity and rushed to warn him.
• Dao Qiongchang stopped Yu Zhiwen, revealed that Xu had not accepted the marriage proposal he had made on her behalf, and announced that he would draw in the net and kill Xu.

Dao Qiongchang used the Thirty-Three Heavens Star-Weaving Net Formation to trap Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu and prevent them from interfering. He revealed that Xu Xiaoshou was his true target and challenged him to understand despair.

• Mei Suren tried to escape Qingyuan Mountain with Cao Erzhu, but Dao Qiongchang trapped them in Illusory Spirit Heaven; Mei Suren broke the illusion with his Heart Sword Technique.
• Dao Qiongchang unleashed several Star-Net Array transformations that sealed Qingyuan Mountain, cut off spiritual energy and the Heavenly Dao, and began draining the life force of everyone inside.
• Yu Zhiwen took refuge in Spirit-Guarding Heaven and used her Pearl Star Pupil to study Dao Qiongchang's formation techniques, hoping to seize control of the grand formation.
• Dao Qiongchang used Spirit-Chaos Heaven to disorient Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu, then trapped the Taicheng Sword with the Eight-Gold Paperweights and a Qiongqi manifestation.
• Dao Qiongchang restrained Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu within protective starlight and told Xu Xiaoshou that he was the protagonist of the ordeal.

Dao Qiongchang revealed that his schemes had targeted Xu Xiaoshou all along and explained how his Great God Descent Technique worked through the Handshake Rune. Jinren realized the technique had marked Xu Xiaoshou’s body, and Dao Qiongchang sent him a chilling greeting from the Ran Ming Ruins.

• Dao Qiongchang recounted how he had arranged events to isolate Xu Xiaoshou and create a true clash of Great Dao.
• Dao Qiongchang showed Jinren Dongdong’s sacrifice and Xiao Qi’s injuries, hinting that they were connected to the Great God Descent Technique.
• Jinren recognized the Handshake Rune in Dao Qiongchang’s memories and understood that it allowed Dao Qiongchang to descend through another person.
• Jinren discovered Handshake Runes appearing across Xu Xiaoshou’s body, even after he tried to cut off his arm.
• Dao Qiongchang greeted Xu Xiaoshou by saying, “See you at the Ran Ming Ruins.”

Jinren self-destructed to keep Dao Qiongchang from uncovering his secrets, but Dao Qiongchang preserved his dying remnant thought and revealed that he had planned to eliminate every route to Xu Xiaoshou’s survival. As Jinren’s thought faded, Dao Qiongchang crushed the Apricot Realm Jade Talisman and insisted that he would show no mercy.

• Jinren ordered Mr. Siren to destroy the array disc, then detonated his energy, spiritual essence, body, soul, and will beneath the Ran Ming Ruins.
• The blast sent Zhou Tianshen sprawling, but he recovered the Divine Life Star and fled while hoping Xu Xiaoshou would arrive to take it.
• Mei Suren tried to destroy the array disc, but Dao Qiongchang used Xiao Qi’s self-destruction to disrupt his sword strike and seize it.
• Dao Qiongchang used Spirit-Protecting Heaven and the Great Blessing Technique to preserve Jinren’s collapsing remnant thought, while Mei Suren stopped attacking after Jinren urged him to spare Dao Qiongchang.
• Dao Qiongchang told Jinren he had anticipated the incarnation’s self-destruction and had devised a plan to leave Xu Xiaoshou with no chance to revive; Cao Erzhu woke from the vision and regretted his mistakes.
• As Jinren’s remnant thought faded, Dao Qiongchang released the Qingyuan Mountain Grand Formation and crushed the Apricot Realm Jade Talisman.

Yu Zhiwen and Mei Suren searched for a way to reach Xu Xiaoshou’s Origin Mansion after believing his incarnation had died. Cao Erzhu’s Recording Pearl revealed Xu Xiaoshou had called for Ye Xiaotian, but Five Declines of Heaven and Man appeared before help could arrive.

• Yu Zhiwen recovered control of the Qingyuan Mountain Grand Formation, realized Xu Xiaoshou’s incarnation had died, and hurried to join Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu.
• Yu Zhiwen told Mei Suren that the Dao Hall Master was pursuing Xu Xiaoshou’s true body inside the Origin Mansion, but she could not locate a way in.
• Yu Zhiwen offered to use the Great God Descent Technique to open a passage, but Mei Suren refused because the attempt could kill her.
• Cao Erzhu played a Recording Pearl, which carried Xu Xiaoshou’s desperate call for Ye Xiaotian to save him.
• Yu Zhiwen detected sinister laws instead of spatial laws, and Five Declines of Heaven and Man appeared in orange robes and mocked their hope of help.

After Xu Xiaoshou remained unconscious, the Dragon Apricot Spirit repeatedly tried to keep a smiling Zhu Yike from entering the Apricot Realm, only to discover the intruder had manipulated events to stage multiple crossings. The Dragon Apricot Spirit was left powerless as Zhu Yike emerged from an ancient Dragon Apricot and greeted it.

• The Dragon Apricot Spirit sensed a looming calamity and approved an entry request from Zhu Yike, but shattered the passage when it realized the smiling visitor was dangerous.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit saw through temporal turbulence that the real Zhu Yike had been chasing the impostor, who had stolen his Apricot Realm Jade Talisman.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit saved the real Zhu Yike from the impostor, then banished him and part of the Apricot Realm after sensing disaster around him.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit realized the two Zhu Yikes were one person staging a second clandestine crossing and swore never to trust another human.
• A Dragon Apricot lit up with Weaving Dao patterns, split open, and revealed Zhu Yike, who greeted the helpless Dragon Apricot Spirit.

Dao Qiongchang revealed himself to the Dragon Apricot Spirit and used their old wager to persuade it to leave the Apricot Realm for a banquet with Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus. With the Dragon Apricot Spirit gone, Dao Qiongchang entered the Crystal Palace and attacked Xu Xiaoshou, while Greed God guarded the pill cauldron.

• Dao Qiongchang revealed his identity to the Dragon Apricot Spirit, reminding it of their wager from decades earlier.
• Dao Qiongchang asked the Dragon Apricot Spirit to attend Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus's banquet, promising it could leave the Holy Mountain after one night.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit weighed Xu Xiaoshou's safety against the chance to join Nine-Sacrifice Osmanthus and agreed to attend the banquet.
• Dao Qiongchang swore an oath that the Holy Mountain would not imprison the Dragon Apricot Spirit, and it hurriedly left the Apricot Realm.
• Dao Qiongchang approached the Crystal Palace, where Greed God shielded the pill cauldron, then drew his sword and attacked Xu Xiaoshou.

Jinren devised a secret plan with Senior Long Xing and Greed God to survive Dao Qiongchang’s attack by hiding his intentions, splitting off a Second True Body, and arranging for his original body to leave the Apricot Realm. The chapter ended with Senior Long Xing swearing Dao Qiongchang could not enter and promising to defend the Apricot Realm to the death.

• Xu Xiaoshou persuaded Senior Long Xing to appear tempted by the Lecherous Old Daoist’s offer and leave the Apricot Realm with his true body, while secretly seeking Kui Leihan or another way to awaken him.
• Xu Xiaoshou arranged for Greed God to control Senior Long Xing, erase their memories of the plan, and refine a newly split Second True Body as before.
• Xu Xiaoshou told Greed God to stay behind with a jade talisman and seek Mr. Siren if forced to flee, while Li Fugui, Ye Xiaotian, and Five Declines of Heaven and Man threatened to arrive.
• Senior Long Xing agreed to erase Greed God’s and the Apricot Realm’s memories so Dao Qiongchang could not uncover the plan.
• Jinren prepared to take Dao Qiongchang’s attack with the Second True Body while his original body escaped, then asked Senior Long Xing not to betray him if tempted.
• Senior Long Xing rejected Jinren’s fears and vowed that Dao Qiongchang could not enter the Apricot Realm and that he would defend it to the death.

Xu Xiaoshou’s escape plan succeeded, but the Dragon Apricot Spirit unexpectedly brought the Apricot Realm’s treasures and Lei Xier out with him. While Xu Xiaoshou’s main body remained behind with Dao Qiongchang and Greed God, Dao tried to manipulate Greed God with food, and the chapter ended with Xu Xiaoshou furious at the Dragon Apricot Spirit for ruining his plan.

• Xu Xiaoshou slowly regained consciousness as Ash-Illuminating White Flame guided him back toward his body.
• Dao Qiongchang realized the Bloodworld Pearl’s Guidance Power had clouded his judgment and that Xu Xiaoshou had taken many valuable items from the Apricot Realm.
• Dao Qiongchang attacked Greed God, but Greed God swallowed his techniques, so he tried to tempt it with the taste of real food and offered it dragon meat.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit carried Xu Xiaoshou’s body out of the Apricot Realm, and the awakened Second True Body confirmed that the escape plan was underway.
• The Dragon Apricot Spirit revealed that it had also brought Lei Xier, the Bodhi Tree Root, the Half-Saint Godhood, and the Apricot Realm’s other treasures, prompting Xu Xiaoshou to angrily berate it.

Xu Xiaoshou and the Dragon Apricot Spirit realized the Bloodworld Pearl and Five Declines of Heaven and Man had thrown their plans into chaos, then rushed back toward the danger surrounding Greed God. At Qingyuan Mountain, Ye Xiaotian vanished after being confined, while Five Declines of Heaven and Man destroyed Yu Zhiwen’s passage and forced her to reveal her Lei family ancestry.

• The Second True Body and the Dragon Apricot Spirit argued over their failed evacuation plan, then recognized that Blood Tree guidance and the Celestial Man might be influencing events.
• The Second True Body ordered the Dragon Apricot Spirit to return, and they saw spatial nodes converge on Qingyuan Mountain before arriving near Changde Town.
• Ye Xiaotian defied Lou Yu’s orders to stay at Siling Mountain and was placed under guard, but he vanished before the guards could keep him confined.
• Yu Zhiwen opened a three-breath passage toward Xu Xiaoshou’s Apricot Realm, but Five Declines of Heaven and Man withdrew after sensing Ghost Beast aura.
• Five Declines of Heaven and Man struck Yu Zhiwen’s hand and collapsed the passage, then used his oppressive power to make her disclose that her ancestors had Lei family blood.

Ye Xiaotian and the others tried to reach Xu Xiaoshou but were blocked as a massive interdimensional rift opened over Qingyuan Mountain. In the Apricot Realm, Dao Qiongchang turned Greed God into a Ghost Beast, but Greed God suddenly attacked him instead, leaving Dao Qiongchang swallowed.

• Mei Suren and Cao Erzhu were blasted out of Xu Xiaoshou’s Origin Mansion World, and Five Declines of Heaven and Man identified the force as a Ghost Beast.
• Ye Xiaotian arrived, traced the events at Qingyuan Mountain, and failed to enter the Origin Mansion World even with his spatial powers.
• A vast interdimensional rift opened over Qingyuan Mountain, and Yu Zhiwen alerted the Red Robes while the Half-Saints prepared to hold off the descending Ghost Beast.
• Five Declines of Heaven and Man said he would help Xu Xiaoshou as the others confronted the Ghost Beast.
• In the Apricot Realm, Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body found Dao Qiongchang atop a mutated Greed God and learned that feeding it flesh had unleashed its bloodlust.
• Greed God ignored Xu Xiaoshou’s command to kill Dao Qiongchang, then abruptly seized and swallowed Dao Qiongchang.

Dao Qiongchang realized that his younger sister’s curse had trapped him in Holy Firmament Hall and left for a Holy Mountain Assembly where Dao Xuanji summoned him as a sinner. Meanwhile, Greed God appeared over Qingyuan Mountain, devoured Ye Xiaotian’s spatial techniques and half his body, then wrecked the mountain and attacked the gathered Saints until Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body arrived.

• Dao Qiongchang recovered from the curse’s effects, recognized his sister’s role in his predicament, and left Holy Firmament Hall.
• Dao Xuanji gathered Judgment Division members and numerous observers at Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain, where the Judgment Division called for Dao Qiongchang to be brought forth as a sinner.
• Greed God appeared over Qingyuan Mountain, swallowed Ye Xiaotian’s spatial lockdown, and bit away half his body.
• Greed God’s roar and claw shattered Qingyuan Mountain, injured Yu Zhiwen and Mei Suren, and blasted Cao Erzhu into the spatial torrent.
• Xu Xiaoshou’s Second True Body arrived and urged Greed God not to hurt anyone.

The Judgment Division stripped Dao Qiongchang of his position and sentenced him to imprisonment in the Dead Sea after reading out his many alleged crimes, while Dao Xuanji took command of the Holy Spirit Hall and the Heaven Group Operation. She then ordered Fang Wenxin, Fish Elder, and Zhong Yuanzi to investigate a Ghost Beast disturbance and find the suspected traitor within Holy Mountain.

• The Judgment Division publicly accused Dao Qiongchang of failures in the Sky City battle, the Heaven Group Operation, and collusion with Ghost Beasts, then ordered him to admit his guilt.
• Dao Qiongchang accepted the charges, and the Judges removed him as chief of the Holy Spirit Hall's main hall, severed one arm, and sentenced him to ten years in the Dead Sea.
• Dao Xuanji took over as Hall Master and command of the Heaven Group Operation as Fang Wenxin prepared to leave with Fish Elder and Zhong Yuanzi.
• Dao Xuanji tasked the three men with clearing out villains near Yujing City and investigating a suspected Ghost Beast collaborator within Holy Mountain, appointing Fang Wenxin to lead.
• Jiang Nayi and the other spectators approached Dao Xuanji to congratulate her.

Dao Qiongchang awakened after thirty years, escaped punishment by killing the Judgment Division judges, and went to the Dead Sea to meet Gou Wuyue. He offered Gou Wuyue a chance to join him on a journey to the Southern Domain.

• Dao Qiongchang emerged from the Great Evolution Grotto-Heaven, and his return caused Dao Qiongchang, the incarnation being escorted by the Judgment Division, to die.
• Dao Qiongchang killed the decree-holder and seal-holder, then forced the sword-bearing judge to repeatedly cut out his own tongue inside a hidden Heavenly Secrets World.
• Dao Qiongchang walked into the Dead Sea and found Gou Wuyue waiting there in prisoner robes.
• Dao Qiongchang offered Gou Wuyue Half-Saint Godhood, explained that Dao Xuanji would take over the Holy Spirit Hall, and said he had avenged Gou Wuyue against the Judgment Division.
• Dao Qiongchang asked Gou Wuyue to come with him to the Southern Domain.

Dao Qiongchang recruited Gou Wuyue and Wei Feng for a new venture in the Southern Domain, revealing his plans to split from the Holy Spirit Hall and recruit Nangong Youshu. Meanwhile, Greed God escaped toward Yujing City, where a Red Robes elder trapped it with a Blood Shadow Copper Coin and ordered the Red Robes to prepare an attack.

• Dao Qiongchang persuaded Gou Wuyue to consider joining him in the Southern Domain by presenting him as a new constraint against which to test his sword.
• Dao Qiongchang found Wei Feng sealed in a God-Sealing Coffin near Blackwater Ravine, woke him, and invited him to the Southern Domain; Wei Feng agreed.
• Dao Qiongchang told Gou Wuyue and Wei Feng that he was no longer Hall Master and named Nangong Youshu as the young man who had prepared the way in the Southern Domain.
• After Qingyuan Mountain shattered, Greed God fled through the turbulent space currents, and the Second True Body realized it was heading for Yujing City to feed.
• Ye Xiaotian and Mei Suren failed to stop Greed God, while Five Declines of Heaven and Man intercepted it at Yujing City's southern gate.
• A Red Robes elder trapped Greed God with a Blood Shadow Copper Coin and ordered Elder Zhong to hold the formation while the Red Robes assembled and contacted Hall Master Xuanji.

Dao Xuanji took control of Holy Firmament Hall and used her first orders to protect Xiang Yaoyao and assert authority over the divisions. After Xi reported Dao Qiongchang’s arrests and disappearance, Dao Xuanji protected Jiang Nayi from Xi and waived the hall’s entry rule, revealing that she was using Jiang Nayi to test the loyalties of Holy Mountain.

• Dao Xuanji entered Holy Firmament Hall as its new master and had Jiang Nayi replace the hall master's seat with a golden dragon throne.
• Xi reported that Dao Qiongchang had captured Xiang Yaoyao, Zhu Yike, Ghost Face, Quan Sanqing, and other suspected Saint Slave informants, while the Coachmen investigation continued.
• Dao Xuanji learned that the captives had refused to speak and ordered that no one on Holy Mountain touch Xiang Yaoyao.
• Xi reported that the Judgment Division's three Judges had vanished after taking Dao Qiongchang into the Dead Sea, and that Dao Qiongchang's whereabouts remained unknown.
• Xi attacked Jiang Nayi for his trespasses and insults, but Dao Xuanji teleported Xi away and waived the rule barring outsiders from Holy Firmament Hall.
• Xi realized Dao Xuanji had protected Jiang Nayi to use him to test the loyalties of people on Holy Mountain.