Chapter Summaries

Wang Ping welcomed Liu Shuang home, received a Gold Vein, and learned that Zhang Xinghuai’s allies had stirred up a conflict in the northwest. After his disciples left, he resumed his cultivation and crafting while awaiting Zi Luan’s alliance visit.

• Zhao Wan brought Wang Ping a fist-sized Gold Vein, which reacted with Wang Ping’s Wood Spirit Spiritual Meridian, and Wang Ping ordered it buried at the Gold Courtyard’s formation core.
• Liu Shuang returned from Central Island, and Wang Ping encouraged her to attempt the Second Realm as she described the sights she had seen.
• Liu Huai reported that General Wang Lian had secured two prefectures and that friends of Zhang Xinghuai from the Jimin Association’s Balance Faction had stirred up the conflict among four Third Realm cultivators.
• Wang Ping dismissed his disciples after Zi Luan replied that he would bring Gan Xing and Wu Quan to Thousand Wood Temple within half a month to discuss an alliance.
• Wang Ping returned to his demanding cultivation and crafting routine, then listened as Yulian and Daoist Tongyu argued over Yulian calling him by the wrong name.

Wang Ping completed an alliance with Zi Luan, Wu Quan, and Gan Xing while preparing to travel to Capital City, and learned that Lord Xiaoshan had entered secluded cultivation. Just before Wang Ping was due to leave, Ruan Chunzi arrived to visit him, bringing a quarrelsome fire lizard.

• Wang Ping repaired Corpse Soldiers to study Puppet-making as spiritual qi strengthened around Thousand Wood Temple.
• Zi Luan, Wu Quan, Gan Xing, and Wang Ping agreed to mutual aid, shared responsibilities, and exchanges between their Disciples.
• Wang Ping explained that the alliance was a way for its leaders to protect their lives amid uncertainty about Lord Xiaoshan's advancement.
• As turmoil grew in Mozhou Road, Zi Luan stopped Wang Ping from visiting Lord Xiaoshan because he had entered secluded cultivation.
• Wang Ping welcomed Ruan Chunzi at the sect gate, where Yulian and Ruan Chunzi's fire lizard began to challenge each other.

Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi watched their spirit beasts, Yulian and Huo Jie, spar before sharing wine at Wang Ping’s dojo. Ruan Chunzi revealed that the Daoist Scripture Hall had asked about Wang Ping’s search for “First Day” and invited him to travel to Mozhou Road before heading to the Upper Capital region.

• Yulian and Huo Jie fought fiercely until Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi stopped the spar.
• Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi settled their spirit beasts and went to Wang Ping’s dojo for wine.
• Ruan Chunzi asked Wang Ping for a passage token and offered tokens for Houjiang Road and Qianjiang Road in return.
• Ruan Chunzi told Wang Ping that the Daoist Scripture Hall had asked him to inquire about the search for “First Day” in Nanlin Road.
• Ruan Chunzi invited Wang Ping to accompany him to Mozhou Road after they finished the wine, then travel with him to the Upper Capital region.

Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi watched violence erupt in Mozhou Road over a marrow-cleansing method and discussed the failing Human Way and the obscure history of the cultivation sects. After surveying Changwen Prefecture, Ruan Chunzi asked whether Wang Ping would travel north with him or wait longer.

• A Qi practitioner died after saber-wielding men ambushed him outside Ningyuan County, and the surviving attackers fled.
• Ruan Chunzi stabilized the spirituality above the county town and lamented that Mozhou Road would remain unstable while Lord Xiaoshan was in Secluded Cultivation.
• Ruan Chunzi told Wang Ping that the origin of the cultivation sects and their secret arts was unclear, recounting conflicting accounts of the Dao Ancestor and the Human Race's rise.
• Wang Ping suggested that Lord Xiaoshan might be seeking the True Lord realm to escape the limits of his world, and Ruan Chunzi praised his courage.
• Ruan Chunzi asked Wang Ping whether he would head north with him or wait longer.

Wang Ping traveled north with Ruan Chunzi, pausing at a wetland to play chess and discuss the True Sun Sect’s secrets. Ruan Chunzi revealed his suspicions about the sect and ended the conversation by considering a breakthrough to the Fourth Realm.

• Wang Ping accepted Ruan Chunzi’s invitation and flew north, receiving respectful greetings from cultivators and sect members along the way.
• At the border between Houjiang Road and Nanlin Road, Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi admired the wetland scenery while Yulian went to catch river shrimp and Huo Jie gathered firewood.
• Wang Ping and Ruan Chunzi played chess through the night as Yulian and Huo Jie bickered beside the fire.
• Ruan Chunzi asked about Wang Ping’s encounter with First Day and the Primordial Spirit he had released, then explained that the True Sun Sect’s many branches had differing aims.
• Ruan Chunzi described his doubts about advancement trials and disciples’ forgotten memories, and he said he might try to break through to the Fourth Realm.

Wang Ping left True Sun Mountain territory and disguised himself as an ordinary Daoist to travel north on foot toward the Upper Capital region. He continued along the road after stopping at a tea stall, where he learned it led toward Dalin Prefecture City.

• Wang Ping declined Ruan Chunzi's offer of hospitality and flew away from True Sun Mountain.
• Wang Ping sent his ID Badge projection ahead to distract Ruan Chunzi, changed his appearance, and began walking north while scattering seeds.
• Wang Ping stopped at a tea stall, drank tea, and listened as merchants and Cultivators went about their business.
• Wang Ping asked the waiter for directions and learned the road led north to Six Gorges County and onward to Dalin Prefecture City.
• Wang Ping filled his water canteen with tea and continued north along the road.

Wang Ping entered Dalin Prefecture City, observed its True Sun Sect customs and fire-themed construction, and traveled to an inn run by Thousand Wood Temple’s Internal Affairs. The chapter ended with him investigating a strangely festive funeral procession approaching from the north.

• Wang Ping offered incense at a ceremony for True Monarch Lieyang and discussed the local customs with Yulian.
• Wang Ping reflected on Divine Art, Xia Yao’s cultivation, and the political risks surrounding Lord Xiaoshan.
• Wang Ping entered Dalin Prefecture City and used scattered seeds to investigate its water formations, which stopped a worshipper from burning down his home.
• Wang Ping walked to an inn secretly operated by the Internal Affairs of Thousand Wood Temple and ordered sausages and yellow wine.
• Wang Ping heard suona music and used his Primordial Spirit to investigate a funeral procession dressed in an unusually festive manner.

Wang Ping watched a wealthy funeral procession before choosing the official road north to Upper Capital. As he crossed Yunjiang Road and saw its clan-run villages and enslaved people, he reached Guest Pass and witnessed soldiers sacrificing demons to the Emperor.

• Wang Ping learned about the Governor's Mansion funeral and the four routes to Upper Capital, then chose the official road.
• After leaving the inn, Wang Ping followed his seeds north and entered Yunjiang Road half a month later.
• Wang Ping discovered that clans organized the settlements in Yunjiang Road and that enslaved humans and demons had their spirituality trapped in Divine Art Arrays.
• More than ten days later, Wang Ping reached Guest Pass on the border with Pingzhou Road and saw soldiers sacrifice members of the Demon Race to the Emperor.

Wang Ping watched a ritual at Guest Pass sacrifice two fox Yao and feed a powerful sacrificial formation, then entered the pass and saw the remains and corruption left behind. He left the town without intervening and continued onward, where an ordinary person whipped a Serf pulling a grain cart.

• At Guest Pass, the officiant and gathered believers performed a ritual as two Captains beheaded two fox Yao, and golden light from the emperors’ statues absorbed the Power of Faith.
• Yulian told Wang Ping that the ritual had polluted people’s minds and that the region might need to be destroyed and rebuilt.
• Wang Ping passed inspection, entered the pass, and saw a willow grove filled with sacrificial remains and a military banner linked to an ancient formation.
• A wandering Daoist identified the formation as belonging to a Taiyin Evil Cultivator and bearing traces of 'First Day,' while Wang Ping continued through the town.
• Wang Ping ignored the distorted spiritual creatures feeding on people’s desires and left the pass, where he saw an ordinary person whip a Serf pulling a grain cart.

Wang Ping traveled through Yunjiang Road and saw how the Divine Path’s apparent prosperity depended on widespread slavery and worship of the emperor. Near the capital, after Xia Yao warned him of danger, an arrogant young Ministry of War official tried to buy his Puppet bird.

• Wang Ping entered an emperor’s temple, where Yulian sensed a powerful but unreal consciousness tied to the emperor’s Divine Art for overseeing the world.
• Wang Ping passed Qingyang Prefecture City and saw its depleted, decadent garrison, while Yulian questioned why demons tolerated their kind being sacrificed.
• After Yulian said the dynasty deserved to perish, Wang Ping asked what would happen if it fell and gave no answer.
• Half a month later, Wang Ping received a letter from Xia Yao warning that people in the capital might use underhanded methods against him.
• A young man wearing a Ministry of War assistant director’s ID Badge approached Wang Ping on a post horse and asked how much he wanted for his Puppet bird.

Wang Ping and Yulian killed a noble young master and his attendants after they tried to seize Wang Ping’s spirit bird, then evaded detection and continued toward Capital City. Wang Ping entered the capital with his Daoist Scripture Hall badge and realized an Imperial Guard convoy was carrying the young master’s corpse as he headed for the Internal Affairs inn.

• A noble young master and his attendants tried to force Wang Ping to sell his spirit bird, and Yulian froze them and shattered their bodies.
• Wang Ping cleared his traces, evaded a golden information-reading force, and returned to the official road with Yulian.
• Wang Ping traveled for two days and saw the incense-filled countryside and the golden spiritual currents surrounding Capital City.
• Wang Ping entered Capital City after soldiers verified his Daoist Scripture Hall badge and registered him for a stay of half a month.
• Wang Ping sensed Yulian’s magic power in an Imperial Guard convoy carrying the noble young master’s corpse, then followed the register’s directions to the Internal Affairs inn.

Wang Ping arranged a false identity and a stand-in at the inn, then disguised himself as a scholar and went into the Upper Capital. He met Puppet Zi Hong at a mutton shop and connected his consciousness to Zi Hong’s memories.

• Wang Ping watched two young Jianghu Guests spar and noticed the Inspiration World trying to awaken the loser’s desires.
• Wang Ping met a contact from Thousand Wood Temple and asked him to prepare an Upper Capital identity and a stand-in for one month.
• Wang Ping received an identity badge for Li Mincai, a xiucai from Upper Bridge Village, and gave the contact his own badge.
• Wang Ping changed into a scholar’s clothes, left the inn, and traveled deeper into the city under the Inspiration World’s golden glow.
• Wang Ping found Puppet Zi Hong eating mutton soup in a Prefectural Office runner’s uniform and connected his consciousness to Zi Hong’s memories.

Wang Ping visited the Capital City with Yulian and his Puppet Zi Hong, then tried to awaken a repaired spirit-body Puppet using his Enlightenment Technique. The Puppet gained a forming soul, but Wang Ping said its success would take a few days to confirm.

• Wang Ping and Yulian ate lamb soup and buns at Zi Hong’s courtyard while Wang Ping asked about the graves of Wang Kang and Liu Zixiu.
• Zi Hong said Wang Kang’s grave was guarded by the Wang Family, but he had not found a way to reach Liu Zixiu’s grave.
• Wang Ping concealed his aura and the Puppet’s with Wood Spirit Qi, then used his prepared true spirit consciousness and Enlightenment Technique to awaken the Puppet.
• Wang Ping activated the Puppet’s Qi Sea and guided its soul to form, suppressing its aura with Wood Spirit Qi and the city’s national fortune.
• Wang Ping placed three hollow talismans into the Puppet’s soul and told Yulian that they would know in a few days whether it had succeeded.

Wang Ping sent a disguised Puppet to worship at Junior Brother Wang Li’s grave on Yellow Sheep Mountain while he drew attention elsewhere. The worship went smoothly, but as the Puppet returned, an attacker struck and a barrier sealed the area.

• Wang Ping confirmed the Puppet was stable, taught it to conceal its presence, and sent it out disguised as himself.
• Wang Ping’s divination failed because National Destiny forbade it, and Yulian warned that someone was investigating her whereabouts.
• Wang Ping traveled to Yellow Sheep Mountain while the Puppet took a separate route with two Wang Family disciples to reach the mausoleum.
• The Puppet’s group completed the worship and returned to the mountain foot without incident.
• A flying sword attacked the Puppet, but a Golden Armored Soldier blocked it before a Heaven Connecting Talisman appeared and a barrier of alternating light and darkness covered the area.

Wang Ping’s Puppet was destroyed in an ambush, but its Blessing Talismans marked the attackers and brought Jiang Cun and Xia Ji to intervene. After the assailants escaped, Wang Ping considered the attack and left the manor, where he saw the slaves enduring the snow beside a bonfire.

• A Third Realm Artifact Cultivator and Le Xin destroyed Wang Ping’s Puppet and marked themselves with its Blessing Talismans.
• Jiang Cun blocked Le Xin and Leng Zhixing from escaping, while Xia Ji arrived to confront them.
• Le Xin and Leng Zhixing fled, and Xia Ji treated the unconscious Wang Family disciples and collected the Puppet’s remains.
• Jiang Cun and Xia Ji discussed protecting Wang Ping and the importance of Lord Xiaoshan’s advancement ceremony.
• Wang Ping told Yulian that the attack had revealed his allies and enemies, then left the manor and saw slaves huddled around a bonfire.

Wang Ping continued crafting Puppets in the Capital City and arranged to meet Jiang Cun through Yue Ziyu. On New Year's Eve, he traveled to Hundred Flavors Hall with Yue Ziyu's jade pendant and was led toward its backyard.

• Wang Ping sent two newly made Puppets to contact Thousand Wood Temple's internal affairs and Yue Ziyu, asking Yue Ziyu to arrange a meeting with Jiang Cun.
• One Puppet returned with Yue Ziyu's letter and a jade pendant, setting the meeting for noon on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month at Hundred Flavors Hall.
• Wang Ping completed another Puppet, named it Huang Qi, gave it cultivation techniques, and placed it under Zi Hong's tutelage.
• On New Year's Eve, Wang Ping traveled through the snowy Capital City to Hundred Flavors Hall in West City.
• After waiting in line, Wang Ping presented the jade pendant to the chief shopkeeper, who sent an assistant to lead him to the backyard.

Wang Ping met Yue Ziyu at Hundred Flavors Hall, where they discussed the dangers surrounding Wang Ping’s political position and Lord Xiaoshan’s advancement. Yue Ziyu gave him a red crystal containing a Third Realm True Spirit cultivated through the True Sun Inheritance, and Wang Ping asked to negotiate its price.

• Wang Ping waited in a side room at Hundred Flavors Hall until Yue Ziyu arrived and offered him tribute wine.
• Yue Ziyu congratulated Wang Ping on reaching the Third Realm and becoming the Third Seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall.
• Yue Ziyu explained that Wang Ping’s rise and influence made him a target in the struggle over whether Lord Xiaoshan would advance.
• Wang Ping said he had come for Yue Ziyu’s assistance, and Yue Ziyu warned that the recent assassination attempt was only a prelude to a larger clash.
• Yue Ziyu gave Wang Ping a red crystal containing a Third Realm True Spirit of the True Sun Inheritance, but Wang Ping refused it as a gift and asked for the terms of a transaction.

Wang Ping traded the Taiyin Demon Suppressing Seal imprint for a crystal containing a True Spirit and a Taiyin Spirit Control Array, then asked Yue Ziyu to arrange a safe place for his Daoist Scripture Hall registration. The chapter left Wang Ping unexposed after Imperial Guards searched Hundred Flavors Hall for clues about the Minister of Rites' murdered son.

• Yue Ziyu offered Wang Ping a True Spirit crystal and explained that he could exchange the Taiyin Demon Suppressing Seal imprint for an item from his Taiyin Sect friend.
• Wang Ping recorded the Taiyin Seal Demon Imprint on a bamboo slip, and Yue Ziyu gave him the crystal containing the True Spirit and control array.
• Wang Ping asked Yue Ziyu to arrange a safe location for his Daoist Scripture Hall registration and considered Yue Ziyu's suggestion that he might use himself as bait to draw out hidden enemies.
• Yue Ziyu spotted Imperial Guards entering the courtyard to investigate the Minister of Rites' son's death and warned Wang Ping to stay inside.
• The Imperial Guards searched the private rooms with a Human Way fortune artifact but found nothing, and Wang Ping left after they had departed.

Jiang Cun and Xia Ji prepared for an invitation involving the Second Prince while the Emperor's procession crossed the city amid a deadly attack by cultivators. After the procession continued and Xia Ji left, Jiang Cun remembered he needed to tell Second Brother something and hurried to his study.

• Jiang Cun received Xia Yao's message that the Second Prince was invited to Phoenix Tower West Courtyard on the tenth, and he discussed the danger with Xia Ji.
• Xia Ji arranged for Niu Man to stay within five zhang of Daoist Changqing to protect him from a possible attack.
• Cultivators repeatedly self-destructed their Qi Seas against the Emperor's procession, killing commoners and guards, while the procession continued through the street.
• The commoners cheered for the Emperor, and their golden spiritual power swept the blood and severed limbs from the street.
• Jiang Cun reflected on the dangers of using Divine Art to rule, then remembered he needed to tell Second Brother something and flew toward the study.

Wang Ping learned that the National Destiny had briefly stalled, then completed his registration as an official Third Seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall. After Jiang Cun warned that investigators were closing in, Wang Ping proposed attacking the assassins’ hideout directly.

• Wang Ping sensed that the National Destiny had briefly stalled after the violence in West City District.
• Yun Que recorded Wang Ping’s life and contributions in a jade slip, making him an official Third Seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall.
• Jiang Cun told Wang Ping that Leng Zhixing and another would-be assassin had been located, and that someone was investigating who had visited Yellow Sheep Mountain on the day of the attack.
• Jiang Cun urged Wang Ping to visit General Wang Kang in person, but Wang Ping proposed storming the assassins’ hideout instead.