Chapter Summaries

Wang Ping questioned Shan Jing, a captured old sheep who revealed First Day’s memory-distorting secret art and his connections to Wulang, the Crescent Mountain Blood Pills, and the Fourth Realm cultivator He Feng. Shan Jing also traced Wulang’s contacts to Guan Mao, Daoist Wuma’s eldest disciple, and the chapter ended with Yulian questioning whether Shan Jing had truly been loyal to Wulang.

• Wang Ping ordered Wang Ben and Niu Qi to free Shan Jing, then healed his ruined mouth so he could speak.
• Shan Jing explained that First Day’s secret art distorted memories after a person’s divine soul consciousness dissipated, making them difficult to retrieve clearly.
• Shan Jing described meeting Wulang two hundred years earlier and said Wulang later brought him to Crescent Mountain, where he had killed the Mountain God and arranged for Shan Jing to refine Blood Pills.
• Shan Jing recalled forging two Taiyin artifacts that could drain life energy and hearing the name He Feng at their delivery site, prompting Wang Ping to recognize the name of a rare active Fourth Realm cultivator.
• Shan Jing said Wulang had searched for advancement sites and that he traced Wulang’s contacts through Yang Liming to Guan Mao, Daoist Wuma’s eldest disciple.
• Yulian challenged Shan Jing’s praise of Wulang and asked whether Shan Jing himself had been among Wulang’s disloyal followers.

Wang Ping gathered intelligence about First Day and sent Daoist Wuma’s information to Zi Luan before returning to Thousand Wood Mountain to oversee Shen Xiaozhu’s Foundation Establishment. As her breakthrough continued, He Jiu reported that First Day’s Cultivators on Mozhou Road were active and connected to Qingjiang of Five Gods Mountain.

• Old Sheep admitted that he had obtained information from Wulang by flattering him, and Wang Ping assigned Hu Qianqian to manage the intelligence while removing First Day’s mark from the sheep demon.
• Wang Ping sent Daoist Wuma’s intelligence to Zi Luan and returned to Thousand Wood Mountain with Yulian to attend Shen Xiaozhu’s Foundation Establishment.
• Daoist Yucheng explained the Annotation of Heaven and Man to Xia Weny while they waited for Wang Ping to return.
• Wang Ping examined Shen Xiaozhu’s condition and Spirit Gathering Array, used Sacred Divination and a Luck Borrowing Talisman, then told her to begin Foundation Establishment.
• Shen Xiaozhu meditated, used the black spirit cat’s help to gather spiritual energy, and swallowed her Foundation Establishment Pill.
• He Jiu’s Puppet bird informed Wang Ping that First Day’s Cultivators on Mozhou Road were active and had ties to Qingjiang of Five Gods Mountain.

Wang Ping received Qingjiang, who retrieved Wulang’s remains and delivered Xiu Yu’s secret art while asking for travel permits to support the plan on Nanlin Road. After studying the art, Wang Ping tried to reshape a Wood Spirit creature in the Inspiration World, but it dispersed before he could do so.

• Wang Ping received Zi Luan’s support for monitoring Daoist Wuma and the Madmen of 'First Day' on Mozhou Road.
• Qingjiang arrived as Xiu Yu’s Personal Disciple and retrieved Wulang’s remains.
• Qingjiang gave Wang Ping an unnamed secret art and requested ten travel permits for Xiu Yu’s plan.
• Wang Ping agreed to leave the permits to Inspectors from the Daoist Scripture Hall.
• Wang Ping used his Primordial Spirit to subdue a Wood Spirit creature, but it dispersed when he tried to reshape its consciousness.

Wang Ping struggled to master the Primordial Spirit Separation Technique while Jiang Cun faced a vote for the Third Seat. He finally controlled a spirit-body creature and shaped a new consciousness, but his first puppet experiment failed, forcing him to destroy it.

• Wang Ping paused his attempts at the technique to attend the Dharma assembly, where Jiang Cun received forty-three votes after two hours of questioning, with six votes still uncast.
• Wang Ping tried the technique again and failed, then used a Luck Borrowing Talisman to capture a Wood Spirit spirit-body creature and drive out its frenzied consciousness.
• Wang Ping took control of the creature, discovered he could observe the world through it, and spent the night shaping a basic human consciousness for it.
• Wang Ping transferred the reshaped consciousness into an ordinary puppet, but its lack of senses caused it to panic and behave erratically.
• Wang Ping decided the failed puppet's consciousness was beyond saving and destroyed the puppet and the consciousness within it.

Yu An learned that Bian Gen had been confirmed as the person responsible for Zi Xun’s death and urged the gathered cultivators to seize opportunities amid the unrest on Mozhou Road. Wang Ping then received a warning from Daoist Wen Yang that First Day had become active in the region and that at least two Third Realm Cultivators had entered it secretly.

• Fei Jiang defeated a Fire Cultivator with concealed weapons and Taiyin techniques, then collected the opponent’s corpse as his spoils.
• Yu An discussed Zi Xun’s death with a visitor, learned that Bian Gen was responsible, and dismissed his disciple’s suggestion to seek their Martial Uncle’s guidance.
• Yu An told the gathered cultivators that whatever they seized on Mozhou Road would depend on their luck, and asked whether Nanlin Road would remain trouble-free.
• Wang Ping received Lin Chen, who delivered Daoist Wen Yang’s warning that First Day was active on Mozhou Road and at least two Third Realm Cultivators had secretly entered the region.

Wang Ping received reports suggesting Xiu Yu was using the name of “First Day” to make a move against Ren Kong, then met Zi Luan to discuss the plot and the requirements for reaching the Fourth Realm. Zi Luan urged Wang Ping to gather their forces and wait for a chance to intervene.

• The Daoist Scripture Hall concluded its ritual gathering, and its headquarters summoned Wang Ping to Capital City to update his ID Badge.
• He Jiu and Zuo Xuan sent Wang Ping reports linking “First Day,” Yu An, and a possible move against Ren Kong.
• Wang Ping left Shen Xiaozhu in Yulian’s care and went to the Daoist Scripture Hall to meet Zi Luan.
• Zi Luan explained that reaching the Fourth Realm required concealing oneself from Heaven and Earth while the main body and at least three Second Realm puppets drew the Sky-Veiling Talisman.
• Zi Luan judged that Xiu Yu was seeking Fourth Realm advancement prerequisites and proposed gathering their strength to strike at the right moment.

Wang Ping and Zi Luan prepared a coalition to target Ren Kong and White Crane Mountain, while Feng Miao learned that the unrest might involve her former home. The chapter left Wang Ping preparing for battle with two powerful Puppets from Zi Luan.

• Wang Ping agreed to gather allies, and he sent orders to Wu Quan and Gan Xing while asking Daoist Yucheng to contact Daoist Tianshan.
• Wu Quan, Gan Xing, and Daoist Tianshan arrived at the Daoist Scripture Hall and joined the preparations.
• Feng Miao told Wang Ping that Princess Xia Yao and the Ninth Prince would support him, then learned the unrest might involve White Crane Mountain and left to face her past.
• Zi Luan gave Wang Ping two Golden Armored Soldier Puppets and their construction diagrams, requiring him to repay their cost with two identical Puppets.

Wang Ping refined two battle Puppets, advanced his Heaven Connecting Talisman fusion, and learned that Xiao Zhu had reached Foundation Establishment. A deadly clash in southern Mozhou Road stirred Inspiration World and drew Third Realm cultivators into action as two powerful energies became active.

• Wang Ping refined two Puppets, implanted reshaped Spirit Body Consciousnesses into them, and stored them in Bing Talismans.
• Wang Ping’s Heaven Connecting Talisman fusion reached one percent, easing his worries about his cultivation progress.
• Yulian told Wang Ping that Xiao Zhu had reached Foundation Establishment and that Daoist Yucheng was hosting old friends.
• Wang Ping sensed a major disturbance after someone destroyed their Qi Sea and perished alongside another person, then sent Zuo Xuan and Hong Yuan to investigate.
• Wang Ping and Zi Luan joined Wu Quan, Gan Xing, Ming Xin, and Daoist Tianshan as they sensed at least two Third Realm energies become active in Mozhou Road.

A coordinated attack devastated Changwen Prefecture City and overwhelmed Ren Kong at the Daoist Scripture Hall. The attackers seized him and fled as a mysterious force descended, with Guan Mao leading the retreat.

• A Second Realm Fire Cultivator burned away a spell formation consuming citizens, while a corpse soldier and other attackers assaulted Changwen Prefecture City and its Daoist Scripture Hall.
• An Earth Vein cultivator raised a wall around the city’s core district as the attackers confronted Ren Kong.
• Guan Mao, a masked woman, and a Snake Demon attacked Ren Kong, who tried to escape by transforming into fire.
• The woman’s fierce flames disrupted Ren Kong’s transformation, and a poisonous Puppet helped her capture his unconscious Primordial Spirit.
• The Snake Demon stored Ren Kong’s spirit body, while Guan Mao collected three Second Realm cultivators and urged the group to flee.
• A milky-white pillar descended as twisted figures emerged from the Inspiration World, and Guan Mao led the group toward the clouds.

Wang Ping and his companions raced to stop First Day’s attack, but Shang Hong delayed them with a flame barrier while Changwen Prefecture’s spirituality spiraled out of control. Shang Hong escaped through a prepared spatial passage, and the group arrived to find Changwen Prefecture transformed into a living hell by three monstrous true spirits.

• Zi Luan sent Ming Xin to remain behind and guard the Daoist Scripture Hall while Wang Ping and the others flew toward Mozhou Road.
• Shang Hong confronted the five cultivators with a flame barrier powered by First Day’s False Spirits, but Daoist Tianshan used his gourd to help break it.
• The group abandoned their pursuit of Shang Hong after sensing that Changwen Prefecture’s spirituality had gone wrong, while Shang Hong fled south.
• Wen Yang and a Water cultivator cornered Shang Hong near the sea, but he escaped through a spatial passage opened by draining the spirituality of several thousand townspeople.
• Wang Ping and the others reached Changwen Prefecture and saw three monstrous true spirits whose blood-red eyes had formed from the flesh and blood of its living inhabitants.

Wang Ping and the others fought True Spirits and a Snake Demon amid a battle threatening Changwen Prefecture City. After suppressing one True Spirit, they watched the Snake Demon escape toward the sea using a dangerous blood-sacrifice technique, while another fighter remained wounded above the Clouds.

• The True Spirit magnified Wang Ping and the others’ desires until Zi Luan used Blessing Talismans to restore their composure.
• A fire-attributed True Spirit and a giant Snake Demon emerged, and Daoist Wu Quan blocked the Snake Demon’s escape.
• Wang Ping sent Golden Armored Soldiers to contain the tainted energy, while Zi Luan trapped the fire-attributed True Spirit with his bronze bell.
• Wen Yang and Yun Chunzi arrived, and Yun Chunzi took Wen Yang north to deal with the chaos in the mountain forest.
• The Snake Demon crushed a black crystal, swallowed its contents, and fled south with another figure after injuring someone above the Clouds.

Wang Ping and the Daoist Scripture Hall’s allies finished clearing the True Spirit’s pollution and gathered spoils from the ruins, while a mysterious Jimin Association cultivator escaped. Zi Luan’s divination stayed ominously fixed on a Yang Trigram, and Guan Xi appeared on a mist-shrouded southern island beside a destroyed Puppet.

• A Jimin Association cultivator descended through the Clouds, captured the True Spirit, and escaped after Gan Xing struck him, revealing a previously unknown cultivation system.
• Wang Ping cleared the polluted sky with the Heaven Connecting Talisman as the battle in the north ended, and the cultivators collected artifacts, treasures, and other spoils from the ruins.
• Wen Yang flew to White Crane Mountain, while Wang Ping sent word to headquarters and later helped Zi Luan restore the damaged region.
• After other cultivators arrived, Zi Luan used divination at the border of Mozhou Road and Nanlin Road, drew a Yang Trigram again, and worried about Daoist Xiu Yu.
• On a mist-shrouded island in the southern sea, lightning destroyed a Puppet as a Fire Cultivator and Guan Xi discussed the turmoil spreading across Central Province.

After the battle that devastated Changwen Prefecture City, Feng Miao recovered from her shock, captured the wounded First Day Cultivator’s Primordial Spirit, and headed toward Jinhuai Prefecture City. There, Wang Ping, Zi Luan, and the others divided the Daoist Scripture Hall’s spoils, but still had to decide who would get its barrier array.

• Qingjiang suppressed Feng Miao’s unstable spirit veins and urged her to value surviving, then flew to the temporary camp in Changwen Prefecture City.
• Feng Miao left the city and encountered the injured First Day Cultivator, who offered to help her advance to the Third Realm.
• Feng Miao cut down First Day’s lava-wrapped body, burned it, and sealed its Primordial Spirit in a water-element array.
• Feng Miao recognized the Primordial Spirit’s value and set her course toward Jinhuai Prefecture City.
• Wang Ping, Zi Luan, Wu Quan, Gan Xing, Ming Xin, and Tian Shan divided the Daoist Scripture Hall’s wealth, including its liquid silver, and then debated how to divide its barrier array.

Wang Ping and the others divided the spoils, and Wang Ping received a formation array and a communication artifact from Zi Luan. Zi Luan warned him that unseen schemes and strange beings might be involved, then gave him intelligence about the Daoist Scripture Hall of Mozhou Road.

• Wang Ping won the formation array by lot and agreed to pay the others eight million taels while providing the Daoist Scripture Hall with places for cultivators nearing the end of their lives.
• Zi Luan divided the Corpse Soldiers, spirit bodies, and rare treasures among the group, while Gan Xing kept the two Long Swords he had taken.
• Wu Quan and Ming Xin drew the two true spirit primordial souls and arranged for Wang Ping and Zi Luan to make their Puppets for one million taels each.
• After the others left, Zi Luan gave Wang Ping a communication artifact and said he could refine communication tokens after merging with the Heaven Connecting Talisman.
• Zi Luan cautioned Wang Ping that people could be scheming against one another and that some beings might not be human, then handed him intelligence about Ren Kong and the Daoist Scripture Hall of Mozhou Road.

Wang Ping and Zi Luan uncovered more about True Sun Mountain’s dealings with First Day, then learned Xiu Yu had injured his Primordial Spirit during an advancement attempt. As Mozhou Road descended into chaos and Daoist Scripture Hall headquarters failed to respond, Feng Miao returned to Wang Ping with a sealed artifact containing something he immediately recognized.

• Zi Luan told Wang Ping that True Sun Mountain had traded with First Day for mutated False Spirits, likely to sustain an ancient ancestor trapped in the Third Realm.
• Wang Ping and Zi Luan reviewed Ren Kong’s intelligence and found no further useful clues, while Zi Luan suspected Xiu Yu was preparing to advance to the Fourth Realm.
• A report revealed that Xiu Yu had damaged his Primordial Spirit during an advancement attempt, and Zi Luan warned Wang Ping that advancing to the Fourth Realm required both protection and recognition from the Prefects.
• After Zi Luan left, Wang Ping stayed in the Daoist Scripture Hall and sent three Second Realm cultivators to oversee Mozhou Road, but their inaction worsened the chaos and disrupted trade routes.
• Feng Miao arrived after her Great-Grandmaster had failed to recognize her, and she showed Wang Ping a blue water-element sealing artifact; Wang Ping sensed what it contained and took her to a pavilion.

Wang Ping examined the sealed Primordial Spirit inside Feng Miao’s blue crystal and learned that she was Ke Yue, a Fire Cultivator involved in the attack on the Daoist Scripture Hall. Ke Yue answered his questions and predicted that the Six Hearts Sect would demand her return, leaving Wang Ping to wait and see whether her bet came true.

• Feng Miao brought Wang Ping the blue crystal she had bought, and he asked how she had obtained the Primordial Spirit inside it.
• Wang Ping lifted the crystal’s Sealing Array, revealed Ke Yue’s fiery Primordial Spirit, and suppressed her with Wood Spirit Qi.
• Ke Yue asked Wang Ping to let her return, while Feng Miao accused her of killing innocents and Ke Yue challenged Feng Miao’s own innocence.
• Ke Yue proposed a bet that someone from the Six Hearts Sect would ask Wang Ping to hand her over after she answered his questions.
• Ke Yue said the attack on the Daoist Scripture Hall had targeted Ren Kong and sought a third-realm slot in the True Sun Inheritance.
• Wang Ping asked what Ren Kong had done, and Ke Yue asked whether he was sure he wanted to know.

Ke Yue revealed that the True Sun Sect controlled a portion of the Fire Spirit consciousness and explained why Ren Kong had been targeted. After weeks of waiting and preparation, Wang Ping sensed a Fourth Realm breakthrough as plants erupted across the city and the morning sun turned scorching.

• Ke Yue explained that the True Sun Sect used a portion of the Fire Spirit consciousness to observe Fire Cultivators' chances of advancing through the Second Realm.
• Ke Yue said Ren Kong had secretly absorbed part of the Fire Spirit consciousness, prompting the True Sun Sect and other forces to help defeat him and destroy White Crane Mountain's Dao Lineage.
• Wang Ping resealed Ke Yue, told Feng Miao to wait for the wager that might help her advance, and cast Sacred Divination.
• Daoist Scripture Hall officials questioned Wang Ping about the events in Mozhou Road, then left without a deeper investigation.
• Wang Ping spent half a month cultivating, studying the Puppetry Technique, and refining the Cave Heaven Mirror.
• Wang Ping sensed an imminent breakthrough as plants engulfed the city, activated its barrier, and recognized the onset of the Fourth Realm.

Wang Ping used Wood Spirit Qi to counter a Fourth Realm attack that devastated Mozhou Road and threatened several other regions. Two days later, a Fire Cultivator arrived to ask for Ke Yue’s release, and she appeared to ask Wang Ping whether she had won their wager.

• Wang Ping joined Zi Luan and Xiu Yu in spreading Wood Spirit Qi across Nanlin Road, where it burned away more than half the protective field.
• The heat and violent winds ravaged Mozhou Road, destroying buildings and killing coastal residents, while Ningzhou Road and Houjiang Road had protectors.
• Wang Ping recalled the Wood Spirit Qi and suppressed the spiritual vein’s awakened consciousness before sending Zuo Xuan, Yun Shan, and Hong Yuan away.
• Two days later, a Fire Cultivator sought Ke Yue’s release, explaining that she was his Martial Uncle.
• Wang Ping broke the seal on a blue crystal and released Ke Yue, who asked whether she had won their wager.

Wang Ping completed Thousand Wood Temple’s defenses and discussed the sect’s affairs and the growing chaos across the southern roads with Zhao Wan and Daoist Yucheng. He prepared to strengthen the temple before leaving for the Capital City, while Yucheng pledged the sect’s full support.

• Wang Ping and Zi Luan returned to Thousand Wood Temple after Feng Miao chose a temple in the north for his advancement.
• Wang Ping inspected the new river defenses, planted banyan seeds, and set up formations to conceal the temple from the mortal world.
• Zhao Wan reported that disciples wanted to travel to Mozhou Road and that a Daoist temple in Ningzhou Road was using Living Persons to research poisons; Wang Ping told him to make routine decisions himself and consult Hu Qianqian about the temple.
• Wang Ping gave Zhao Wan preliminary plans for a barrier formation and confirmed that the Fire Vein had been planted.
• Wang Ping and Yulian observed that Thousand Wood Mountain had doubled in size, and Wang Ping explained his plans to strengthen its defenses before going to the Capital City.
• Wang Ping told Daoist Yucheng about the Prefect’s intervention and the worsening disorder; Yucheng said the sect would support Wang Ping’s plans.

Wang Ping discussed his disciples’ cultivation and plans for Nanlin Road with Daoist Yucheng, then received news that Guan Mao had been spotted on Mozhou Road. The chapter ended with Wang Ping preparing to travel to Capital City while Hu Qianqian considered advancing her cultivation.

• Wang Ping gave Daoist Yucheng the first half of the third volume of the Taiyan Talisman cultivation method and a bottle of Sacred Heart Pills.
• Wang Ping, Daoist Yucheng, and Yulian discussed Shen Xiaozhu, Xia Weny, and whether Weny still wanted to contend for the imperial throne.
• Daoist Yucheng advised Wang Ping to seek Zi Luan’s support for an alliance against threats outside Nanlin Road, and Wang Ping agreed to write a letter.
• Hu Qianqian brought Niu Qi and Wang Ben to pay their respects, and Wang Ben reported that Guan Mao and a Great Demon were hiding in a forest on Mozhou Road.
• Wang Ping gave Wang Ben a Gold Ring-shaped magic artifact and ordered him to track Guan Mao’s movements and contacts around Nanlin Road.
• Wang Ping told Hu Qianqian to arrange protection for her breakthrough if she was confident, as he planned to travel to Capital City.