Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi investigated the sudden decline in wish power while the Household prepared to send officials who might use the shortfall against him. Suspecting illicit shrines and facing threats on multiple fronts, he went to Fengle City to meet Zhong Wu and Li Xin.

• A Black Lotus Cult gathering discussed Xu Yi’s investigators and ordered its followers to be cautious while completing the Black Lotus incarnation.
• Li Ping told Xu Yi that wish power collection across the three cities had sharply declined despite the population returning to normal.
• Zhong Wu reported that he had found no illicit shrines, though he believed powerful people were concealing them.
• Cheng Yan informed Xu Yi that Prefectural Judge Cao would arrive the next morning with a new Prefectural Judge and Prefectural Guard Captain.
• Li Ping warned Xu Yi that the Household might use the falling wish power to accuse him of mismanaging Dongshan Prefecture.
• Xu Yi traveled to Fengle City and asked Zhong Wu about the suspicious locations he had recorded, with Li Xin present.

Xu Yi used his tracking methods to help Li Xin capture a Black Lotus Cult member, then learned Prefectural Judge Cao had arrived with Gong Chao and two other officials. As Cao forced his way into the office, Xu Yi prepared to face the confrontation.

• Xu Yi marked a cluster of suspicious locations on a map and sent Li Xin to intercept a young man in green.
• Li Xin captured the young man without casualties and brought Xu Yi a Black Lotus Token and seven wish pearls.
• Xu Yi gave the wish pearls to Li Xin to distribute among the soldiers and learned that Prefectural Judge Cao had arrived with Gong Chao and two other officials.
• Xu Yi told Cheng Yan to receive Cao and ask him to wait while he finished with a distinguished guest.
• Cao rejected the request, and a purple-robed man struck Cheng Yan aside as Cao and his companions advanced toward the main hall.

Cao Neng fled after Xu Yi made it seem as though Huang Kai was inside the government hall, then weighed the danger of confronting Xu Yi. He left the matter to Gong Chao while Qi Huan and Long Yu stayed behind, with Long Yu realizing Qi Huan had understood Cao Neng’s fear.

• Cao Neng and Gong Chao heard a staged commotion suggesting Huang Kai was inside the hall, and both fled.
• Gong Chao admitted Huang Kai might not have been there, and Cao Neng realized Xu Yi could have tricked him.
• Qi Huan and Long Yu caught up, and Gong Chao urged Cao Neng to prioritize the Prefect’s summons.
• Cao Neng decided not to confront Xu Yi openly and left with Gong Chao, telling Qi Huan and Long Yu to wait.
• Long Yu questioned Qi Huan for not urging Cao Neng to stay, then realized Qi Huan had seen the danger more clearly than he had.
• Gong Chao returned through the night after leaving with Cao Neng.

Gong Chao returned to Xu Yi’s office after Huang Kai’s departure and tried to make amends, but the discussion was interrupted when Li Xin reported that Kui Yong had been taken. Niu Wudao arrived to explain the prefectural office’s claim on the prisoner, leaving Xu Yi to confront a powerful official.

• Gong Chao, Qi Huan, and Long Yu returned to the shattered prefectural office and learned from Cheng Yan that Huang Kai had left.
• Gong Chao tried to curry favor with Xu Yi and introduced Qi Huan and Long Yu as the newly appointed Prefectural Judge and Prefectural Guard Captain.
• Cheng Yan and Li Xin rushed into the hall, and Li Xin told Xu Yi that prefectural office personnel had taken Kui Yong.
• Niu Wudao arrived, and Xu Yi asked why he had taken the criminal arrested by Li Xin’s department.
• Niu Wudao claimed Kui Yong was wanted in several major cases and said he had come to ensure the prisoner’s capture went smoothly.

Xu Yi faced pressure from Niu Wudao and Gong Chao, then survived a Spirit Cannon attack that destroyed the Prefectural Office. He took shelter in a tent among the ruins and considered the powerful officials and cult now threatening his rule.

• Gong Chao ordered Long Yu to investigate the slow gathering of wish-clouds in Dongshan’s three cities and report his findings by noon the next day.
• Niu Wudao failed to provoke Xu Yi and left, while Gong Chao accused Xu Yi of disrespecting the Prefectural Office.
• A Spirit Cannon blast aimed at Xu Yi destroyed the Prefectural Office and wounded Gong Chao, Qi Huan, and Long Yu after Xu Yi dodged.
• Fireworks appeared in the western sky, threatening Xu Yi, and Gong Chao left Dongshan Prefecture with Qi Huan and Long Yu withdrawing separately.
• Xu Yi moved into a tent among the ruins and reflected on the officials and cult opposing him.

Xu Yi learned about the heretical sects’ methods for gathering wish power from Pan Meiren, the former leader of the Dongxiang Cult. He revived the cult in Dongshan Prefecture to challenge the Black Lotus Cult, and former followers began returning.

• Xu Yi asked Li Ping about other heretical sects and learned that Pan Meiren, the imprisoned founder of the Dongxiang Cult, might still be alive.
• Xu Yi ordered Li Ping to bring Pan Meiren from prison, where he had been left near death after years of torture.
• Pan Meiren agreed to help Xu Yi oppose the Black Lotus Cult, and he explained how sects gathered wish power, including through Wish Power Golden Bodies.
• Xu Yi hosted Pan Meiren and listened as he described the Dongxiang Cult’s doctrine and its former strength.
• The Dongxiang Cult quietly returned under Pan Meiren’s leadership, and many of its former followers rejoined.

The Black Lotus Cult's Dongshan Branch discussed how to deal with Xu Yi and the rising Dongxiang Cult, then sent Qin Shousheng to meet its negotiators. The chapter ended with Qin learning that the visitor's identity remained uncertain, even if he might be one of Xu Yi's men.

• Protector Zhang and Qin Shousheng urged action against the Dongxiang Cult, while Kui Yong warned that Xu Yi was dangerous and the Sixth Senior Brother called for caution.
• Kui Yong proposed eliminating Xu Yi, and Qin Shousheng suggested exaggerating the threat to persuade prefectural officials to intervene.
• The Black Lotus Cult received word that Dongxiang Cult representatives wanted to negotiate a division of territory, and the Sixth Senior Brother chose Qin Shousheng to meet them.
• Qin Shousheng learned that the visitor was Xue Xiang, a first-realm aide to Pan Meiren, but the intelligence agents could not confirm whether he was one of Xu Yi's men.

Xu Yi infiltrated the Black Lotus Cult’s underground chamber, defeated Dong Xinchang and three others, and captured them for the Dongxiang Cult. He left the prisoners with Li Xin to interrogate, while Pan Meiren broke down after seeing his revenge accomplished.

• Qin Shousheng dismissed the idea that Xu Yi would come in person and received a challenge from the Black Lotus Cult for Dong Xinchang to meet Pan Meiren at Naotou Mountain.
• Xu Yi followed Qin Shousheng into the underground chamber and transformed into a golden-furred ape as Dong Xinchang, Protector Zhang, Kui Yong, and Qin Shousheng attacked.
• Xu Yi broke through the attackers’ defenses, saw through Dong Xinchang’s invisibility talisman, and captured all four men before escaping the chamber.
• Xu Yi brought the unconscious captives to Li Xin, Zhong Wu, Cheng Yan, Li Ping, and Pan Meiren, who recognized the Black Lotus Cult leaders and collapsed in tears.
• Xu Yi ordered Li Xin to take the captives away and deliver results within an hour.

Xu Yi received the Black Lotus Cult leaders' confessions and resources, then forced Dong Xinchang and Qin Shousheng to record written denunciations of the cult. He left Pan Meiren and Dong Xinchang bound together as allies under his authority.

• Li Xin reported that Dong Xinchang and Qin Shousheng had confessed, while Kui Yong and Protector Zhang had died under Pan Meiren's torture, and he delivered more than two hundred Wish Pearls and Dong Xinchang's nearly mature Wish Power Golden Body to Xu Yi.
• Xu Yi summoned Dong Xinchang, Qin Shousheng, and Pan Meiren, and Pan Meiren realized Xu Yi might use Dong Xinchang rather than kill him.
• Pan Meiren challenged Dong Xinchang and Qin Shousheng to prove their loyalty by writing confessions denouncing the Black Lotus Cult and having Xu Yi record them with the Ruyi Pearl.
• Qin Shousheng and then Dong Xinchang wrote the confessions under pressure, and Xu Yi recorded both.
• Xu Yi brought Dong Xinchang and Pan Meiren's hands together and told them to cooperate in serving him.

Xu Yi secured Dong Xinchang and Qin Shousheng’s help in managing the Black Lotus Cult in Dongshan and completing the Wish Power Golden Body. Meanwhile, Cao Neng learned of the turmoil in Dongshan and prepared to use it against Xu Yi, leaving others to lead the charge.

• Xu Yi made Pan Meiren and Dong Xinchang cooperate, then asked Dong Xinchang to assess the Black Lotus Cult’s situation.
• Qin Shousheng proposed quietly taking control of the remaining cultists, while Dong Xinchang gave Xu Yi a list of people planted in the prefectural government.
• Dong Xinchang offered to turn in the Wish Power Golden Body, but Xu Yi chose to have him help complete it instead.
• Xu Yi dispatched men to gather the cultists, and the group infused the Wish Power Golden Body with faith until it turned pure gold by dawn.
• Gong Chao brought a young man’s suspicions about Xu Yi and the Dongxiang Cult to Cao Neng, who planned to exploit the troubles in Dongshan to strip Xu Yi of his position.
• Cao Neng hinted that someone else would be sent to Dongshan, and Gong Chao understood and smiled.

Niu Wudao arrived in Fengle City to use slow Wish Power gathering as grounds to undermine Xu Yi, but Dong Xinchang summoned him with news of a problem with the Wish Power Golden Body. The chapter ended with Niu Wudao meeting Dong Xinchang in a secret chamber and asking how he could help.

• Niu Wudao inspected Fengle City's Wish Clouds and prepared to submit a report accusing Xu Yi of failing to improve Wish Power gathering.
• Long Yu revealed through his thoughts that he had helped Cao Neng feed Niu Wudao intelligence in hopes of using him against Xu Yi.
• Dong Xinchang contacted Niu Wudao and said something had gone wrong with the Wish Power Golden Body.
• Niu Wudao ordered his men to wait and entered the city alone despite their warnings that Xu Yi might be setting a trap.
• Niu Wudao met Dong Xinchang underground, where Dong warned him that others might be manipulating him and urged caution around Xu Yi.
• Niu Wudao dismissed Cao Neng's motives and asked Dong Xinchang what had gone wrong with the Golden Body and how he could help.

Xu Yi arranged for Dong Xinchang to kill Niu Wudao, then used Niu Wudao’s death and the Black Lotus Cult’s rebellion to frame his actions as a belated rescue and victory. Cao Neng and Gong Chao recognized the danger to their influence and considered seeking Mr. Ge’s help.

• Dong Xinchang lured Niu Wudao into sealing his acupoints, then killed him with a lightning spear and a barrage of attacks.
• Xu Yi entered the chamber after Niu Wudao’s death, and Dong Xinchang realized the armies had already clashed outside.
• Gong Chao delivered Cao Neng a copied urgent report claiming Niu Wudao and his guards had died fighting the Black Lotus Cult.
• The report credited Xu Yi with killing cult leaders and capturing a banner, while asking the prefecture to punish him.
• Gong Chao warned Cao Neng that Xu Yi must not claim credit for destroying the cult, then suggested they approach Mr. Ge.

Cao Neng abandoned Gong Chao’s plan to block Xu Yi’s credit after the Black Lotus Cult’s banner made the achievement impossible to deny. Xu Yi rewarded his forces for destroying the cult and secured his position as Prefectural Commander, while Dong Xinchang faced the arrival of Pan Meiren and Qin Shousheng.

• Cao Neng slapped Gong Chao out of the hall and decided to stop opposing Xu Yi and think about retreating.
• Qi Huan read the Prefectural Commander’s order promoting and rewarding those who helped destroy the Black Lotus Cult in Dongshan Prefecture.
• Dong Xinchang reflected on how Xu Yi had used the battle to defeat Niu Wudao’s forces and capture the cult’s core forces.
• Xu Yi held the reward ceremony, spending the proceeds of the battle to raise morale and cement his authority in Dongshan Prefecture.
• Dong Xinchang requested an audience with Xu Yi, then turned ashen when Cheng Yan announced that Pan Meiren and Qin Shousheng had arrived.

Dong Xinchang warned Xu Yi that the Black Lotus Cult would retaliate for the destruction of its Dongshan branch and offered to take the blame on himself. After Xu Yi allowed him to leave, Dong Xinchang traveled to a secret meeting and told Mr. Ge that the branch’s destruction had resulted from an accidental clash.

• Dong Xinchang showed Xu Yi a message from the Black Lotus Cult’s higher-ups and proposed blaming Niu Wudao for the branch’s destruction.
• Pan Meiren and Qin Shousheng argued against Dong Xinchang, while Xu Yi told him to wait for a decision.
• Cheng Yan delivered Xu Yi’s order allowing Dong Xinchang to leave Dongshan the next day.
• Dong Xinchang traveled west to a secret meeting near Wufu City and entered a secluded mountain hall.
• Dong Xinchang told Mr. Ge that Qin Shousheng’s mishandling had sparked the clash that ended with Xu Yi’s forces destroying the Black Lotus branch.

Senior Brother and Mr. Ge confronted Dong Xinchang over the collapse of the Black Lotus Cult in East Mountain and exposed his lies. Dong Xinchang continued to plead for help, concealing that his remorse was an act and trying to win Mr. Ge over.

• Mr. Ge questioned Dong Xinchang about Qin Shousheng’s actions and the loss of his Wish Power Golden Body.
• Senior Brother revealed himself, and Dong Xinchang begged him for mercy.
• Mr. Ge used a dark jade tablet and a Ruyi Pearl image to show that Dong Xinchang had lied.
• The White-faced Middle-aged Man explained that Mr. Ge could detect lies, while Senior Brother threatened Dong Xinchang with the Ten Directions Fire Prison.
• Dong Xinchang claimed a restriction prevented him from betraying the person who had trapped him and begged Senior Brother to remove it.
• Dong Xinchang secretly appealed to Mr. Ge for help while pretending to accept punishment.

Senior Brother broke the restriction on the Origin Seal Bead and learned that Xu Yi had entered the Black Lotus Cult's hall alone. Xu Yi shattered Senior Brother's attacks, leaving the clash unresolved as five colored swords appeared.

• Senior Brother used his Wind Tomb True Spirit to break the restriction on the Origin Seal Bead and draw it from Dong Xinchang.
• Dong Xinchang and Mr. Ge praised Senior Brother, while Dong Xinchang offered to help kill Xu Yi.
• Xu Yi entered the hall alone, and Mr. Ge urged Senior Brother to stop him from escaping with knowledge of the cult's government ties.
• Senior Brother cast the Great Smoke Luo Net at Xu Yi, but Xu Yi shattered it, revealing power that Senior Brother mistook for Third-Realm cultivation.
• Senior Brother attacked Xu Yi with the Wind Tomb True Spirit, but the killing force was snuffed out and five colored little swords appeared.

Xu Yi revealed the True Spirit of Utmost Sorrow and fought Senior Brother’s Wind Tomb True Spirit and Red-browed Adamant to a stalemate. After Xu Yi began to gain the advantage, Senior Brother unleashed the power of a golden clay figurine, transforming his giant form into something even more formidable.

• Xu Yi’s five small swords revealed his True Spirit of Utmost Sorrow, and Senior Brother attacked with the full force of his Wind Tomb True Spirit.
• Xu Yi made sorrow tangible and strengthened the Three Hearts Two Minds Sword until it locked the Wind Tomb True Spirit in a stalemate.
• Senior Brother transformed into a two-headed, four-armed Red-browed Adamant and fought Xu Yi’s Wrathful Chi Ape in close combat.
• Xu Yi judged that his True Spirit and body could outlast Senior Brother, while Mr. Ge and Dong Xinchang could only defend themselves from the battle’s aftershocks.
• Senior Brother struck Xu Yi back toward the cliff, then absorbed the radiance of a golden clay figurine along with his Wind Tomb True Spirit.
• Senior Brother’s Red-browed Adamant transformed into a three-zhang giant with one head and one arm, its eyes flashing with tangible lightning.

Xu Yi defeated Senior Brother after the latter used a Wish Power Shikigami and Blood Escape Secret Method, then bound him, Mr. Ge, and Dong Xinchang. As Xu Yi recovered and began speaking with his captives, he recalled that he had allowed Dong Xinchang to leave after refining the Wish Power Golden Body.

• Senior Brother used his Wish Power Shikigami to fight Xu Yi, then changed tactics and escaped into a blood mist with the Blood Escape Secret Method.
• Xu Yi opened the Wrathful Chi Ape’s third eye, tracked Senior Brother through the blood mist, and seized him.
• Xu Yi returned to his original form and bound Senior Brother, Mr. Ge, and Dong Xinchang with Green Talisman Dragon Binding Ropes.
• Xu Yi drank spirit liquor to recover from the battle and invited the bound men to speak frankly.
• Dong Xinchang praised Xu Yi, who acknowledged his help and recalled that he had let him leave after refining the Wish Power Golden Body.

After refining the Wish Power Golden Body, Xu Yi advanced his strength and evolved his Three Hearts Two Minds Sword True Meaning into a True Spirit. He followed Dong Xinchang to Ge Fenghui’s mountain gate and captured Mr. Ge and Senior Brother, then asked Mr. Ge what he thought Xu Yi wanted.

• Xu Yi refined the Wish Power Golden Body, gaining the equivalent of more than thirteen hundred wish beads and completing the refinement of his body.
• Xu Yi tested his Third Realm Mana Yuan and practiced the Three Hearts Two Minds Sword until his True Meaning evolved into a True Spirit.
• Xu Yi followed Dong Xinchang after confirming that his destination was Mr. Ge’s mountain gate, then entered unnoticed.
• Xu Yi listened in as Dong Xinchang spoke with Senior Brother and Mr. Ge, revealing himself when Dong Xinchang was about to expose information about him.
• Senior Brother condemned Dong Xinchang for changing loyalties, and Dong Xinchang told Xu Yi who Senior Brother was.
• Xu Yi confronted Mr. Ge and asked what he thought Xu Yi wanted.

Xu Yi negotiated a truce with Senior Brother, agreeing to let the surviving Dongshan Black Lotus Cult members leave in exchange for ending their conflict. After Senior Brother departed under a Blood Oath, Xu Yi freed Mr. Ge and Dong Xinchang and used a small sword to send two lights into their eyes.

• Mr. Ge argued that Xu Yi had no deep grudge against the Black Lotus Cult and could make peace now that their interests no longer clashed.
• Xu Yi admitted that he could not withstand several fighters as strong as Senior Brother and asked whether Qin would allow him some leeway.
• Xu Yi offered to let the surviving Dongshan Black Lotus Cult members leave if the cult buried the hatchet, but refused Senior Brother's demand to kill Dong Xinchang.
• Senior Brother accepted the deal, swore a Blood Oath, and departed.
• Xu Yi released Mr. Ge and Dong Xinchang from the Dragon Binding Ropes, then sent two beads of light from a small sword into their eyes.