Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi negotiated the South Mountain Pact with Wang Rongrong, exchanged the restored Five Elements Spirit for two thousand Profound Yellow Essence, and left South Mountain. He then headed to Qiyu City to settle old scores, where Lu Yuan was waiting for him.

• Suijie convinced Wang Rongrong to hold firm, then returned with Xu Yi’s agreement to accept two thousand Profound Yellow Essence.
• Xu Yi arrived at South Mountain and had Wang Rongrong sign the pact barring the Heavenly King of the Imperial Way’s Mansion from crossing South Mountain’s southern foothills for ten years.
• Wang Rongrong paid Xu Yi two thousand pieces of Profound Yellow Essence, and Xu Yi returned the Five Elements Spirit for inspection.
• Shopkeeper Tong verified the Five Elements Spirit with the Source Spirit, while Wang Rongrong arranged to pay him within seven days.
• Xu Yi left South Mountain and traveled to Qiyu City, where Lu Yuan was waiting at Xifeng Wine Tower.

Xu Yi’s tip led to Lu Yuan’s capture, while Xu Yi escaped and earned major credit for signing the South Mountain Pact. The chapter ended with an imperial commendation granting Xu Yi a special promotion to Principal Sixth Rank once he met the requirements.

• Lu Yuan confronted Suijie over the South Mountain Pact, but armored soldiers arrived and accused him of colluding with Witches.
• Xu Yi used his Origin Fire to pin Lu Yuan down, then escaped the soldiers with the Shadow Clone Technique of Fire.
• Director Yu and Yi Bingwei discussed Xu Yi’s accurate tip and teased each other about their concern for him.
• Kuang Wenyuan accepted Lu Yuan’s absence calmly and prepared to greet an envoy arriving to reward Xu Yi.
• The Pacification Commissioner read a commendation that granted Xu Yi a direct promotion to Principal Sixth Rank once his cultivation and Dao Fruit qualified.

Xu Yi revealed that he had met the requirements to become a Principal Sixth Rank High Immortal, devastating Kuang Wenyuan. After Xu Yi exposed Lu Yuan’s capture, Kuang Wenyuan died, and Zhang Beiyue attacked Xu Yi.

• Kuang Wenyuan told Zhang Beiyue that Xu Yi’s provocations had helped him recognize the flaw in his cultivation.
• Xu Yi asked Lord Wei how to become a Principal Sixth Rank High Immortal, then revealed his Fourth Realm Divine Map and refined Fourth-Grade Dao Fruit.
• Zhang Beiyue realized Xu Yi qualified to become a High Immortal, while Kuang Wenyuan’s condition deteriorated.
• Xu Yi told Kuang Wenyuan and Zhang Beiyue that the Department of Governance had captured Lu Yuan, causing Kuang Wenyuan’s vital energy to collapse and killing him.
• Zhang Beiyue charged Xu Yi and struck him, prompting Lord Wei’s attendants to attack Zhang Beiyue.

Xu Yi received his formal appointment as Venerable Immortal Kongxu, along with a Daoist sanctuary and other rewards, after Zhang Beiyue’s attack and arrest. He Beiyi told Xu Yi that Hong Tianming might soon return to office and urged him to keep a low profile while preparing his sanctuary.

• Lord Wei left in anger after his attendants subdued Zhang Beiyue, while the officials feared Xu Yi’s strength and suspected he had pretended to be badly injured.
• An imperial envoy formally appointed Xu Yi Venerable Immortal Kongxu, granted him the rank of Principal Sixth Rank, named his island Empty Island, and bestowed other honors and resources.
• Zhang Beiyue was taken away to serve thirty years in the Criminal Department’s prison, and He Beiyi dismissed the assembled officials.
• He Beiyi thanked Xu Yi for taking down Kuang Wenyuan and said Hong Tianming was about to return to office.
• He Beiyi advised Xu Yi to keep the news secret, lie low, and prepare his Daoist sanctuary, then handed him a Sumeru Ring.

Xu Yi exploited the custom of congratulating someone who established a Daoist sanctuary, collecting Profound Yellow Essences from Vast Sea Northern Court colleagues. He Beiyi tried to stop his gift-harvesting spree, but Xu Yi finished with more than two thousand seven hundred essences and found that his celebrity made people view his greed as an amusing anecdote.

• He Beiyi gave Xu Yi eighty Profound Yellow Essences to celebrate his new Daoist sanctuary, and Xu Yi then pressured Jiang Yushu into giving thirty more.
• Xu Yi persuaded Jiang Yushu to accompany him around the Vast Sea Northern Court, where he solicited gifts from colleagues and threatened to publish a gift ledger for anyone who gave too little.
• Xu Yi hosted banquets for True Immortals and planned another for Senior Officials, prompting He Beiyi to intervene through the Criminal Division.
• He Beiyi asked Deputy Supervisor Zhang Cheng how people viewed Xu Yi's conduct, and Zhang said they treated it as a celebrity anecdote rather than ordinary greed.
• He Beiyi warned Xu Yi to be more careful, but Xu Yi revealed that he had collected more than two thousand seven hundred Profound Yellow Essences.

Xu Yi established his new Daoist ground on Empty Island and visited Wang Rongrong, whose authority had been weakened after the Heavenly King took away his military tally. Wang Rongrong and his allies feared further defections and asked Xu Yi for advice, leaving him to respond to their predicament.

• He Beiyi considered holding a belated ceremony with his Dao companion, but the prospect was abandoned as he worried about his official reputation.
• Xu Yi hired Shopkeeper Tong of Hesheng Studio to plan and set up his Daoist altar on Empty Island.
• Xu Yi visited Wang Rongrong's Shaoqing residence and learned that the Heavenly King had taken Wang Rongrong's military tally.
• Gu Beiting reported that Biao Cen and Gan Yong seemed to be switching allegiance to Xun Bingjun's side.
• Wang Rongrong reassured Xu Yi that he did not blame him and asked him to advise on how to handle the crisis.

Xu Yi persuaded Wang Rongrong to appoint him Wind Observer Envoy so he could draw Xun Bingjun and Biao Cen into a dispute with the Jin family. After reaching Wuji Hall, Xu Yi openly explained his and Wang Rongrong’s aims to Jin Xiu and Jin Xian, leaving the brothers uncertain how much to trust him.

• Xu Yi proposed that becoming Wind Observer Envoy would provoke Biao Cen and force Xun Bingjun to focus on the Jin family’s plans at Xiao Huan Mountain.
• Wang Rongrong agreed to the strategy and secured Xu Yi an appointment as Wind Observer Envoy.
• Xu Yi traveled to Wuji Cliff, where Jin Xiu and Jin Xian welcomed him while Jin Mang remained absent.
• Xu Yi invited the Jin brothers to a pavilion and revealed that Wang Rongrong hoped to use the Ancient Forbidden Area to win back the Heavenly King’s favor and retaliate against Xu Yanzhi.
• Jin Xian privately asked Jin Xiu how much of Xu Yi’s explanation was true.

Xu Yi secured a place for Suijie in Wuji Hall’s operation and brought Biao Cen in as a powerful ally, but the alliance quickly became tense when Suijie and Xiong Wan fought. Wang Rongrong warned Xu Yi to withdraw if the operation became too dangerous.

• Jin Xiu agreed to let Suijie join the operation in seven days, and Xu Yi promised to send Wuji Hall a powerful ally.
• Biao Cen was appointed Deputy Wind Observer Envoy and assigned to Wuji Hall, while Xun Bingjun escorted him to the welcoming banquet.
• Jin Xiu, Jin Xian, and Meng De discussed whether Biao Cen should join the operation and how to handle Suijie’s role.
• Jin Xiu’s men reported that Suijie and Xiong Wan had fought, and the two explained their clash to Jin Xiu and Biao Cen.
• Xiong Wan accepted Suijie’s participation after Jin Xiu intervened, while Wang Rongrong warned Xu Yi to withdraw if the mission became impossible.

Xu Yi joined Xiong Wan and Meng De’s force for the expedition to Xiao Huan Mountain, where they planned to kill Xu Yanzhi and break the Ancient Forbidden Formation. After challenging the group’s lack of a detailed plan, Xu Yi dismissed them as too arrogant to plot with, while Jin Xian privately worried that the Xiong clan’s dominance would leave their side unable to negotiate a good price.

• Xu Yi slept for six days to restore his strength while Biao Cen watched the quiet room and waited for him to emerge.
• On the day of the operation, Xu Yi mocked Biao Cen and Xiong Wan, then joined Meng De’s contingent aboard the Starry Sky Boat to Xiao Huan Mountain.
• Xiong Ling’s forces met the group at a cliff, where Xiong Ben showed them a map of the Ancient Forbidden Formation and described the plan to eliminate Xu Yanzhi.
• Xu Yi asked how they would counter Xu Yanzhi’s preparations, but Xiong Wan and his followers dismissed his concerns and mocked him.
• Xu Yi called the group arrogant fools and said there was no point plotting with them, while Jin Xian privately agreed with his concerns and worried about negotiating with the Xiong clan.

Xu Yanzhi used a Spirit Cannon array and a purported decree from Heavenly King Zheng Yi to turn Commander Xiong’s forces against him. Xu Yi exposed the decree as a possible bluff, but the accusation split Commander Xiong’s side, letting Meng De and Jin Xiu attack as the battle began.

• Xu Yanzhi’s Spirit Cannons trapped and battered the group, until Commander Xiong, Xiong Ben, and Biao Cen raised mountains to shield them.
• Xu Yanzhi presented an image of Heavenly King Zheng Yi ordering Commander Xiong back to headquarters and placing the others under Xu Shaoqing’s orders.
• Xu Yanzhi called on the Heavenly King’s followers to attack the Wuji Hall forces, but Xu Yi claimed she had forged the decree.
• Commander Xiong charged Xu Yanzhi and offered a reward for her head, while many of his subordinates hesitated.
• Meng De ordered his people to attack Commander Xiong’s divided forces, and Jin Xiu urged Jin Xian to join the fight.

Xu Yanzhi and the Six Friends of Plum Mountain fought the Xiong clan’s forces while Xu Yi watched and learned from Huang Mei about Domain Root power. The battle continued as Xu Yi objected to being called an exception.

• Xu Yanzhi held Commander Xiong at bay, and Biao Cen froze her blade with a wall of ice.
• The Golden and Silver Elders attacked Xu Yanzhi, but two cultivators intercepted them as a flute sounded.
• The Young Master in White and the other Six Friends of Plum Mountain joined the fight against Biao Cen and Xiong Ben.
• Xiong Wan berated Xu Yi, who refused to join the battle until Xiong Wan entered the fray himself.
• Xu Yi asked Huang Mei about Golden Witches and Domain Roots, and Huang Mei explained how Domain Root cultivators could control others’ spiritual power.
• Xu Yi watched the battle from a chair and complained when Huang Mei called him a freak and an exception.

Xu Yi and Xu Yanzhi were trapped in a spatial formation, where they joined forces to kill Xiong Ben. Afterward, Xu Yi explained that he had exposed Xu Yanzhi’s scheme to bring her to his side and help them work together.

• A forbidden formation transported Xu Yi into a mist-shrouded forest, where Xiong Ben attacked him on sight.
• Xu Yanzhi arrived and struck at Xu Yi and Xiong Ben, while Xiong Ben failed to escape through the fog barrier.
• Xu Yi and Xiong Ben fought Xu Yanzhi together, but Xiong Ben remained determined to kill Xu Yi once the danger passed.
• Xu Yi dropped his guard and hit Xiong Ben with three Palm Thunders, allowing Xu Yanzhi to behead him with her Asura Cold Flame Blade.
• Xu Yi collected Xiong Ben’s Witch Spirit and Blood Skin Jelly, then explained that he had exposed Xu Yanzhi’s scheme so she would come to help him.

Xu Yi and Xu Yanzhi secretly worked together to kill the Golden and Silver Elders, but their attempted escape was disrupted when their enemies converged. Xu Yanzhi took Xu Yi hostage, and Xu Yi sowed suspicion among the assembled factions, leaving Biao Cen to reconsider his attack.

• Xu Yi and Xu Yanzhi pretended to fight while the Golden and Silver Elders joined in, then Xu Yi killed the elders with Five Aggregates Palm Thunder.
• Xu Yanzhi warned Xu Yi how to escape through the formation, but the Jin Brothers, Meng De, Biao Cen, and Commander Xiong arrived and sealed off the exits.
• Xu Yanzhi unleashed thirteen strikes of the Asura Cold Flame Blade and grabbed Xu Yi as a hostage, but their enemies kept advancing.
• Xu Yi invoked his appointment as Wind Observer Envoy to make the Jin Brothers and Meng De stop, then warned Biao Cen that Wuji Hall might be using them both.
• Biao Cen halted after Xu Yi suggested that Wuji Hall intended to benefit from their conflict.

Xu Yi used threats and deception to keep Commander Xiong and Biao Cen from joining Wuji Hall against him and Xu Yanzhi. After seizing Jin Xian and exposing Wuji Hall’s suspected plan, he tried to delay the others, but Jin Xiu suddenly attacked him and Xu Yanzhi.

• Xu Yi persuaded Commander Xiong to halt by warning that the Jin brothers could avenge him and that the mountain’s spirit herbs would not all be his.
• The Jin brothers, Meng De, Biao Cen, and Commander Xiong negotiated over dividing the spoils, and Xu Yi realized they were preparing to act against him.
• Xu Yi struck Xu Yanzhi, used the apparent blood-spitting feint to seize Jin Xian, and restrained Xu Yanzhi again.
• Xu Yi accused Wuji Hall of planning to claim all the spirit herbs and kill the others, and Biao Cen and Commander Xiong grew suspicious.
• Meng De proposed swearing on the Seven-Inch Nail-Head Book, while Xu Yi suggested waiting for the Eight Sceneries Eight Depths Great Formation to collapse.
• Jin Xiu transformed into a streak of light and struck Xu Yi and Xu Yanzhi with a golden Buddha hand.

Xu Yi escaped Jin Xiu’s Māyā Seal attack and reclaimed the Four-Colored Seal after using it to turn the others against each other. He killed Jin Xian and fought Jin Xiu and Meng De, leaving Meng De to challenge him to a direct duel.

• Jin Xiu’s Māyā Seal struck Xu Yi, Xu Yanzhi, and Jin Xian, but Xu Yi escaped with Xu Yanzhi into the Four-Colored Seal Space.
• Xu Yi treated his injuries and arranged for Huang Mei to protect the unconscious Xu Yanzhi before leaving the Four-Colored Seal Space.
• Xu Yi summoned the Four-Colored Seal from the fighting crowd and placed it in his Starry Sky Ring.
• Jin Xiu, Meng De, and Jin Xian attacked Xu Yi, but Xu Yi burned Jin Xian to ashes with the Sui clan’s Origin Fire.
• Xu Yi evaded Jin Xiu’s Māyā Seal and battered Meng De with Five Aggregates Palm Thunder until Meng De called for a one-on-one fight.

Xu Yi defeated Jin Xiu and Meng De, then spared Biao Cen and Commander Xiong for the sake of the Witch Clan. When Jin Mang arrived and trapped them all in his domain, Biao Cen turned on Xu Yi as Xu Yi questioned Jin Mang about his power.

• Xu Yi used his Giant Witch Form to kill Jin Xiu and Meng De, then collected their life wheels and recovered.
• Xu Yi told Biao Cen and Commander Xiong he would spare them because Golden Witches were valuable to the Witch Clan, and the two began recovering.
• Commander Xiong warned that the Ancient Forbidden Formation was collapsing, and Jin Mang arrived.
• Xu Yi and the others accused one another over the deaths of Jin Mang's sons, but Jin Mang trapped all three in a silver-thread domain and declared that they would die.
• Commander Xiong begged Jin Mang for mercy, while Biao Cen abandoned his resistance and attacked Xu Yi.
• Xu Yi fought back against Biao Cen and asked Jin Mang whether he could rot a hundred li in an instant.

Xu Yi used the Five-Colored Bead to unleash a nuclear blast that destroyed Xiao Huan Mountain and the Ancient Forbidden Formation, then escaped with its remaining treasures. Back on Empty Island, he sent Xu Yanzhi away with a prepared explanation and began refining Biao Cen's and Commander Xiong's Witch body essence to attempt a breakthrough into the Golden Witch realm.

• Xu Yi used the Five-Colored Bead to create a mushroom-cloud explosion that flattened Xiao Huan Mountain and destroyed the Ancient Forbidden Formation's Formation Spirit.
• Xu Yi collected the Ancient Forbidden Area's spirit medicines and soil, then found two Blood Skin Jellies but no Profound Yellow Essence or other surviving resources from Golden Radiance, Commander Xiong, and Biao Cen.
• Xu Yi left before nearby cultivators arrived and speculated about the blast while lamenting that someone had dug up the mountain's remaining treasures.
• Xu Yi returned to Empty Island and gave Xu Yanzhi a Sumeru Ring and instructions for what to report before she departed.
• Xu Yi began seclusion to refine Biao Cen's and Commander Xiong's Witch body essence, hoping to break through into the Golden Witch realm.

Xu Yi endured the Golden Witch tribulation and, after Wang Rongrong brought him an Ancestor Witch Root, completed his breakthrough. He gave Wang Rongrong and the others a fabricated account of the Xiao Huan Mountain disaster, then left for Wuyuan.

• Xu Yi’s Witch Spirit turned gold, but the tribulation thunder continued because he lacked an Ancestor Witch Root, so he separated his Fate Wheel to stop it.
• Xu Yi contacted Wang Rongrong and asked him to find an Ancestor Witch Root; Wang Rongrong used a favor to secure one and rushed to Xu Yi’s location.
• Wang Rongrong threw Xu Yi a Sumeru Ring, and Xu Yi swallowed the Ancestor Witch Root, endured the final thunder, and refined Profound Yellow Essence to stabilize his cultivation.
• Xu Yi told Wang Rongrong, Gu Beiting, and Old Sui that Xu Yanzhi’s deception and a powerful man in black had caused the Xiao Huan Mountain explosion.
• Wang Rongrong told Xu Yi to return to Wuyuan and rest, and Xu Yi tossed him a Sumeru Ring before flying away.

Wang Rongrong rewarded Xu Yi for his service and sought the Heavenly King’s approval to grant him Dao Source, then discussed who should lead Wuji Hall. The chapter ended with Xu Yi asking whether a Pavilion Master could be promoted directly to Hall Master.

• Wang Rongrong and Gu Beiting discussed whether Suijie had told them everything, and Gu Beiting urged Wang Rongrong to recognize Suijie’s loyalty.
• Wang Rongrong held a ceremony honoring Xu Yi and announced that the Heavenly King had awarded him Dao Source for his achievements at Xiao Huan Mountain.
• Wang Rongrong praised Xu Yi’s spirit medicines and dismissed the idea of retaliating against Xu Yi, while Xun Bingjun’s accusation against Suijie had been rebuked by the Heavenly King.
• Wang Rongrong asked Gu Beiting and Old Sui who should replace Jin Mang as Hall Master of Wuji Hall, and Gu Beiting suggested Shen Lang.
• Xu Yi asked Wang Rongrong whether a Pavilion Master could be promoted directly to Hall Master of Wuji Hall.

Xu Yi urged Wang Rongrong to seek the vacant Deputy Hall Master position at Wuji Hall, but the Heavenly King of the Imperial Way rejected him because he wanted a Domain Realm cultivator. Wang Rongrong then received a message ending their friendship, leaving his plans and alliances in disarray.

• Xu Yi persuaded Wang Rongrong that he should compete for the Deputy Hall Master position and advised him to appeal to the Heavenly King of the Imperial Way with his past efforts and loyalty.
• Xu Yi, Gu Beiting, and Old Sui waited for Wang Rongrong to meet the Heavenly King of the Imperial Way after his seclusion ended.
• Wang Rongrong returned and said the Heavenly King had refused him, insisting that the Deputy Hall Master must be at the Domain Realm to keep the new hall master in check.
• Wang Rongrong blamed Xun Bingjun for influencing the Heavenly King before he could present his case.
• Wang Rongrong received a Ruyi Pearl message accusing him of scheming for advancement and declaring their friendship over.