Chapter Summaries

Xu Yi traded resources for the Ruyi Pearl, completed his cultivation breakthrough, and returned to Kongming Prefecture, where he was ambushed by an army led by Xu Hongsheng. The chapter ended with Kongming Island’s defenses gone and more than ten thousand troops surrounding it.

• Wu Xinshan, Banerchan, and Chen Bingying agreed to conceal Xu Yi’s supposed death, swear an oath to secure resources from Jianlan Hội, and exchange them for the Ruyi Pearl.
• Chen Bingying and the others obtained five hundred Profound Yellow Beads and thirty thousand Profound Yellow Essence, then traded them to Xu Yi for the Ruyi Pearl at Reverse Star Palace.
• Xu Yi refined over two hundred Profound Yellow Beads, completed the two golden spheres in his life wheel, and practiced his divine abilities while nourishing the Five-Colored Bead.
• Xu Yi returned to Kongming Prefecture, reunited with Li Tieya, and shared a meal and conversation with Chen Fanghai at Fuling Palace.
• Xu Yi inspected and rewarded his personal guards, but thunder shook Kongming Island, its defensive array vanished, and Xu Hongsheng led over ten thousand troops to surround it.

Xu Yi faced Xu Hongsheng’s accusation that he had assassinated Chen Fanghai and refused to surrender to the Big Dipper Palace. After Xu Hongsheng’s forces attacked, Xu Yi used his abilities to capture Fang Zhongping, Xu Hongsheng’s strategist, revealing that Fang had been his true target.

• Li Tieya broke down when Xu Hongsheng announced Chen Fanghai’s death, while Xu Yi realized the accusation was a trap meant to force him into a deadly choice.
• Xu Yi blamed Xu Hongsheng for Chen Fanghai’s murder and rejected the demand to go to the Big Dipper Palace, instead sitting in midair before the assembled forces.
• Xu Hongsheng and Fang Zhongping privately agreed that they would kill Xu Yi once he was captured, regardless of how he responded.
• Xu Hongsheng sent soldiers with Dragon Binding Ropes toward Xu Yi, who attacked with his Thunder Roar and several fiery and transformed abilities.
• Xu Hongsheng’s Star Extermination Formation repeatedly destroyed Xu Yi’s summoned attackers, but the three armored soldiers reappeared and seized Fang Zhongping.

Xu Yi took Fang Zhongping hostage to secure the Starry Sky Pirates’ escape, then killed Fang Zhongping after forcing him to confess to plotting Xu Yi’s brother’s death. Xu Yi escaped the encirclement with the three magistrates, leaving Xu Hongsheng furious and promising to settle their score another day.

• Xu Yi seized Fang Zhongping and negotiated with Xu Hongsheng, who opened the formation and let Li Tieya and the Starry Sky Pirates escape.
• When Xu Hongsheng closed the gap, Xu Yi proposed exchanging the three magistrates for Fang Zhongping, and Xu Hongsheng agreed.
• After the three magistrates were taken hostage, Xu Yi made Fang Zhongping admit that he had plotted to kill Xu Yi’s Big Brother and frame Xu Yi, then burned him to nothing.
• Xu Yi loosened the magistrates’ restraints, using their threats to throw Xu Hongsheng’s soldiers into disarray, then broke through the encirclement with them.
• Xu Yi released the three magistrates and fled, saying he would remain a member of the Big Dipper Palace and settle his score with Xu Hongsheng another day.

Xu Hongsheng survived Palace Master Yuan Zhongwen’s warning and appointed Cao Hong to help stabilize Kongming Prefecture, but a staged border crisis let Xue Xiang save Kongming Island and recover his political standing. Xu Hongsheng realized Yuan Zhongwen would likely favor Xue Xiang and replace him.

• Yuan Zhongwen warned Xu Hongsheng not to disturb the palace’s peace, then allowed him to leave.
• Cao Hong advised Xu Hongsheng to reward his subordinates and stabilize Kongming Prefecture, and Xu Hongsheng approved his appointment as Middle Envoy and Prefectural Envoy.
• A report claimed Starry Sky Prefecture and Reverse Star Palace had attacked Kongming Island, prompting Xu Hongsheng to order the prefectures to mobilize.
• Another report revealed that Xue Xiang, Li Tieya, and the Titan Dragon Python had driven off the invaders and saved Kongming Island.
• Cao Hong questioned the strange battle, while Xu Hongsheng recognized that Xue Xiang had turned his political dead end around and expected Yuan Zhongwen to replace him.

Xu Hongsheng expected Yuan Zhongwen’s removal to clear the way for him to become Palace Master, while Xu Yi prepared Kongming Prefecture for the central government’s summons. The imperial edict named someone else, leaving Xu Hongsheng reaching to accept a decree that was not his.

• News confirmed that Yuan Zhongwen had cleared Xue Xiang and appointed him a fully empowered Prefectural Judge, prompting Xu Hongsheng to begin preparing a case against him.
• Xu Yi used Li Tieya and the Starry Sky Pirates to strengthen Kongming Prefecture and called its senior officials to the Big Dipper Palace after receiving a summons.
• Officials from across the prefectures gathered in the Hall of Radiant Light, where a heavenly envoy arrived with an edict from the two Sacred Emperors.
• Li Tieya suspected Xu Hongsheng had arranged Yuan Zhongwen’s removal and told Xu Yi he would leave if Xu Hongsheng became Palace Master.
• Xu Hongsheng imagined taking the Palace Master’s post and tormenting Xue Xiang, then hurried to accept the edict when the envoy finished reading.
• Xu Hongsheng noticed that the officials were looking at him with pity, mockery, or curiosity as he raised his hands for the decree.

Palace Master Ning took charge of the Big Dipper Palace, while Xu Hongsheng tried to regain favor after his embarrassing failure during the Heavenly Envoy’s decree. Xu Yi secured an audience for Xue Xiang, whom Palace Master Ning received in the Nine Heavens Hall.

• Palace Master Ning rescued Xu Hongsheng from his awkward silence during the decree, and the Heavenly Envoy left without completing the customary favor-collecting procedure.
• Cao Hong advised Xu Hongsheng to build a relationship with Saintess Ning, so Xu Hongsheng visited her and left believing he had earned her favor.
• Xu Hongsheng tried to block Xu Yi and insulted him, but Xu Yi mocked his disgrace and called for Xue Xiang to meet Palace Master Ning.
• A Middle Envoy rebuked Xu Yi for shouting, but Saintess Ning ordered that Xue Xiang be admitted.
• Saintess Ning received Xu Yi in the Nine Heavens Hall from behind a veil of mist.

Xu Yi, disguised as Xue Xiang, won Ning Wuyou’s trust by claiming to be an old friend of Xu Yi and sharing the supposed history between them. Xu Hongsheng later accused Xue Xiang of treason and presented footage of him meeting Xu Yi, leaving Ning Wuyou to judge the evidence.

• Xu Yi presented Ning Wuyou with a poem and claimed Xu Yi had given it to him during a night out in Qin Huai.
• Xu Yi told Ning Wuyou that Xu Yi valued her deeply and explained why he had joined the Big Dipper Palace; they talked for half an hour.
• Xu Hongsheng learned that Xue Xiang had grown closer to Ning Wuyou and ordered Cao Hong to watch him.
• Cao Hong brought Xu Hongsheng evidence that Xue Xiang had met a cloaked visitor at Kongming Island.
• Xu Hongsheng showed Ning Wuyou images of Xue Xiang admitting someone into Kongming Island and of Xu Yi, accusing Xue Xiang of colluding with outside enemies.

Xu Hongsheng and Cao Hong arranged to have Xue Xiang and Xu Yi arrested, believing the Central Authority would support their case. Instead, Luo Li arrived and arrested them for Xu Hongsheng’s murder of Chen Fanghai, a case Saintess Ning had secretly brought to light.

• Saintess Ning took the Ruyi Pearl from Xu Hongsheng and told him to watch Kongming Prefecture while the Central Authority’s Criminal Division investigated.
• Xu Hongsheng promised Cao Hong the position of acting Prefect Judge once Xue Xiang fell, and they waited for the Central Authority’s envoy.
• Luo Li arrived with men from the Criminal Division and arrested Xu Hongsheng and Cao Hong.
• Luo Li accused Xu Hongsheng of murdering Chen Fanghai and said the Criminal Division had evidence and witnesses.
• Xu Hongsheng realized Saintess Ning had turned against him, cursed her, and had his jaw ground away by Luo Li’s attendants.

Luo Li arrested Xu Hongsheng and Cao Hong, and Saintess Ning ordered him to carry out his duties impartially. When Xu Yi met Ning Wuyou, he recognized her as Xue Zihan and left, overwhelmed by the revelation.

• Xu Hongsheng realized Saintess Ning had taken the evidence against him, while Cao Hong tried to save himself by offering to testify; Luo Li had both men taken into custody.
• Luo Li reported to Saintess Ning, who ordered him to punish evildoers impartially, and he escorted Xu Hongsheng and Cao Hong to the central authorities.
• Li Tieya brought a cloaked visitor from Kongming Prefecture to the Big Dipper Palace, and Saintess Ning admitted him alone.
• Xu Yi revealed himself to Ning Wuyou and drew portraits of Yan Zi and Xue Zihan, prompting Ning Wuyou to recognize that he had seen her face.
• Xu Yi realized Ning Wuyou was Xue Zihan, then vanished from the Big Dipper Palace before his emotions overwhelmed him.

Ning Wuyou was left fuming after Xu Yi departed, while five Prefectural Judges plotted against her before a decree to select a Deputy Palace Master disrupted their scheme. After Xue Xiang’s prefecture achieved the best results, the senior judges proposed a cultivation contest that would force him to face all five at once.

• Ning Wuyou berated herself over Xu Yi’s liberties, then heard him ask her to entrust Big Dipper Palace’s affairs to Xue Xiang before he vanished.
• Jing Wangcheng, Lao De, Fan Pengyuan, Luo Ji, and Feng Anshi secretly agreed to slow the collection of Profound Yellow Fiend to undermine Ning Wuyou.
• The Big Dipper Palace announced that a Prefectural Judge would be selected as Deputy Palace Master based on merit and abolished the Palace Elder position.
• After every prefecture increased its collection, Ning Wuyou praised Xue Xiang’s Kongming Prefecture for achieving the best results.
• Jing Wangcheng and the other senior judges objected to Xue Xiang’s possible appointment, and Luo Ji proposed a contest in which Xue Xiang would have to break through all five judges’ defenses within three breaths.

Luo Ji and the other candidates forced Xue Xiang to accept a one-against-five challenge, but Xu Yi quickly defeated them with Wrath of Burning Heaven. Two days later, Xue Xiang was formally promoted to Deputy Palace Master.

• Jing Wangcheng and the others pressured Xue Xiang into signing an agreement to face all five candidates at once, while Ning Wuyou refused to intervene.
• Jing Wangcheng and the others formed the Five Luminaries Inverse Palace Formation on the training ground and ordered Xue Xiang to attack.
• Xu Yi shattered the formation in less than one breath with Wrath of Burning Heaven, leaving the five candidates stunned and defeated.
• The five candidates left for Xiong Gui Island, where they brooded over their humiliating loss and the agreement recorded by their Ruyi Pearls.
• Two days later, an official decree promoted Xue Xiang to Deputy Palace Master at the Big Dipper Palace.

After Xue Xiang became Deputy Palace Master, he used the New Policy to break the prefecture officials’ hold over their posts. Jing Wangcheng and the others abandoned plans to challenge him when the forced transfers threatened their positions.

• After Saintess Ning secured Xu Yi’s appointment as Deputy Palace Master, Xu Yi told Li Tieya he would send him to expand their territory, while he would guard Kongming Island himself.
• Jing Wangcheng gathered the prefecture judges to discuss resisting Xue Xiang, and they learned that Luo Ji had become Grand Censor and Li Tieya had replaced him as Prefecture Judge.
• Jing Wangcheng and the others agreed to strike back after deciding Luo Ji had betrayed them.
• After Saintess Ning entered seclusion and entrusted Xue Xiang with the New Policy, officials were ordered to exchange posts or be considered resigned.
• The transfer orders prompted officials to move quickly, and Jing Wangcheng and the others gave up their challenge rather than risk losing their official positions.

Xu Yi returned to Reverse Star Palace to meet the patrolling envoy Chen Tingjun, who announced that he would temporarily act as Palace Master. Chen Tingjun then discovered Xu Yi had left the seals and treasury key behind and departed without a word.

• After restoring order at Big Dipper Palace, Xu Yi returned to Reverse Star Palace and arranged a welcome banquet for Chen Tingjun.
• Xu Yi praised Chen Tingjun and asked the central authorities to appoint a new Palace Master, while Chen Tingjun treated the other leaders warmly and ignored him.
• Chen Tingjun announced that he would temporarily act as Palace Master until a successor was found.
• Xue Mingyuan advised Chen Tingjun to take over formally and win the three Saints' support, and Chen Tingjun sent him to summon Xu Yi.
• Xue Mingyuan returned and reported that Xu Yi had left the seals, treasury key, and a recorded image in the main hall before departing.

Chen Tingjun’s enthronement ceremony was ignored by nearly everyone, while Xu Yi avoided taking sides and left the prefectural lords anxious about the future of his New Policy. Chen Tingjun began reshaping Reverse Star Palace and asserting his authority, but the destruction of three Profound Yellow Towers immediately challenged his rule.

• Chen Tingjun ordered an enthronement ceremony for the next day, but only a few minor Censorate officials attended until Xu Yi arrived with Deep Space Prefecture’s officials.
• The prefectural lords and generals gathered at Deep Space Prefecture and asked the three Palace Saints to help them meet Xu Yi, who told them to serve Chen Tingjun and then vanished.
• Divine Fire Demon King rallied the lords and generals, who feared that Chen Tingjun would end Xu Yi’s profitable New Policy.
• After finding the public treasury nearly empty, Chen Tingjun ordered Xue Mingyuan to disband the Joint Council and rebuild the Censorate, then raised officials’ salaries and punished a Guard General and two Tower Masters.
• Three Profound Yellow Towers exploded after Chen Tingjun handled the cases, and he angrily received a flood of requests for funding to rebuild them.

Chen Tingjun's attempt to restore the central government's revenue exposed how Suijie's fixed-quota system had stripped the palace of authority and funds. Chen resigned and left Reverse Star Palace, while its leaders celebrated his departure but worried about who would become the next Palace Master.

• Chen Tingjun sent Middle Envoys to collect Profound Yellow Fiend, but they returned together without any revenue.
• Xue Mingyuan and Chen Tingjun realized that Suijie had weakened the central government by giving up its authority and revenue through the fixed-quota system.
• After clerks demanded central funding for the destruction of Profound Yellow Tower, Chen drafted his resignation and praised Suijie as his successor.
• Suijie offered funds from Deep Space Prefecture and urged Chen to stay, but Chen submitted repeated resignation requests until they were approved.
• Chen left Reverse Star Palace secretly, and its leaders gathered the next day to celebrate his departure and discuss the danger of a new Palace Master abolishing the fixed-quota system.

The Reverse Star Palace’s leaders agreed to support Suijie as Palace Master and persuaded him to accept the burden in exchange for increased payments from the Prefecture Lords. The central authorities summoned Suijie to the Primal Plains Gathering, where he would be formally recognized, and Xu Yi calmly accepted whatever might happen.

• Song Gongbo and Chen Tuanfeng warned that another Palace Master would try to seize power and provoke retaliation from the central authorities.
• The Divine Fire Demon King and Venerable Moyun backed making Suijie Palace Master, while Zheng Beidao explained that Suijie had the necessary seniority.
• Chen Tuanfeng demanded that the Prefecture Lords increase their annual payments to the central authorities by thirty percent in return for supporting Suijie.
• The three Saints visited Suijie in Deep Space Prefecture, then jointly petitioned the central authorities, which summoned him to the Primal Plains Gathering.
• Desolate Ancestor told Xu Yi the invitation signaled the central authorities were ready to recognize Suijie as the Reverse Star Palace’s leader, and Xu Yi said he would accept whatever fate brought.

Xu Yi traveled to Green Hill Plains for the Primal Plains Gathering and visited Chen Tingjun, who had recommended him. After Xu Yi offered Chen a generous gift, their conversation warmed, though the reason for Xu Yi’s visit remained to be revealed.

• Huang Mei accused Xu Yi of scheming to gain credit and benefits, while Xu Yi told him to return to the Starry Sky Ring.
• Xu Yi reorganized the personal guard and joint council, then promised Lu Zhongyi he would return to Xishan Road before the month ended.
• Xu Yi traveled to Green Hill Plains and asked Hu Qing to take him to visit Chen Tingjun.
• Chen Tingjun initially received Xu Yi coolly, but Xu Yi offered him two thousand pieces of Profound Yellow Essence in thanks for recommending him.
• Chen Tingjun returned the gift at first, then accepted Xu Yi’s explanation and served him First Rain Tea as their conversation grew warmer.

Xu Yi learned about the Evil Court’s central government from Chen Tingjun, then attended the Primal Plains Gathering as Suijie, Deputy Palace Master of Reverse Star Palace. When Zhu Quanwei provoked Xia Bingzhong over Suijie’s rise, Grand Imperial Minister Meng Gui declared that Suijie would sit among the gathering’s leaders.

• Chen Tingjun showed Suijie around the Western Imperial Mansion and Green Hill Plains, then secretly gave him a Ruyi Pearl containing information about officials and the central government.
• Xu Yi studied Chen Tingjun’s materials overnight and went to Green Grassland the next day for the Primal Plains Gathering.
• Xu Yi recognized the Eight Heavenly Kings and paid his respects to Xia Bingzhong, the Heavenly King of the Imperial Way.
• Zhu Quanwei taunted Xia Bingzhong about Suijie’s rise to Deputy Palace Master, stirring resentment over Suijie’s new status.
• Meng Gui arrived and invited Suijie to take a front seat as Reverse Star Palace’s leader, despite Suijie’s request to sit below Xia Bingzhong.

At the Primal Plains Gathering, Xu Yi proved his command of Yan Wuyi’s True Spirit Divine Art by defeating Zhu Quanwei’s wine soldiers. The gathering turned into a public challenge when Luo Jia and Cao Mengqi accused the Eight Heavenly Kings of undeserved status, leaving their reputations under attack.

• Xu Yi accepted Zhu Quanwei’s wine challenge and used a technique that made the wine soldiers bow and spell out their surrender.
• Zhu Quanwei recognized Xu Yi’s technique as Yan Wuyi’s True Spirit Divine Art, and Meng Gui praised Xu Yi as a worthy successor.
• Luo Jia confronted the Eight Heavenly Kings, blaming them for his father’s stalled career and death in battle, and demanded to test their abilities.
• Meng Gui rebuked Luo Jia for disrupting the gathering, but Cao Mengqi defended him and said he sought guidance from the Eight Heavenly Kings.
• Cao Mengqi declared that the Eight Heavenly Kings were not truly equal to the Six Heavenly Monarchs or Seven Saints and claimed the world would stop ranking them alongside those groups.

Xu Yi, acting as Suijie, stepped in when the Imperial Court's Heavenly Kings refused Luo Jia's challenge and fought him inside Meng Gui's array. After Luo Jia's golden mountain struck Xu Yi's Witch form, Xu Yi sent it flying and continued exchanging blows, leaving the crowd astonished by his strength.

• Luo Jia displayed the Six-Character Ancestor Buddha True Words and challenged the Heavenly Kings, but none of them would enter the arena.
• Xu Yi saw Meng Gui's frustration and offered to fight Luo Jia, identifying himself as the Deputy Palace Master of Reverse Star Palace.
• Xu Yi taunted Cao Mengqi by calling him Nephew Cao, winning Meng Gui's admiration and prompting Xia Bingzhong to take his rise seriously.
• Luo Jia accepted Xu Yi's challenge, and Meng Gui raised an array to seal the battlefield.
• Xu Yi transformed into a hundred-zhang Witch form and punched Luo Jia's golden mountain away, then kept colliding with it as the crowd marveled at his strength.