Chapter Summaries

Xiu Yu attacked Pingzhou Road, using poison, puppets, and a colossal bronze sword to devastate its cities and southern lands. Xia Yao allowed the destruction to continue and sent four people south, while Jiang Cun left for Capital City.

• Hundreds of green-lit swords struck Huangde Prefecture, spreading poisonous vines that killed its people and overwhelmed the nearby camp.
• Xia Imperial Family ritual officiants summoned fortune lightning against Guest Pass, but Xiu Yu used talismans, Golden Armored Puppets, and two Gold cultivators to fight the Imperial Court forces above the Clouds.
• An Imperial Court Prince accused Xiu Yu of turning Pingzhou Road into a land of death, and Xiu Yu answered by unleashing a colossal bronze sword that destroyed the southern lands of two prefectures and killed every living thing there.
• Jiang Cun told Xia Yao that Xiu Yu's humanity had been suppressed by the Taiyan Talisman, but Xia Yao said his actions benefited them and ordered four people to join the fighting.
• Jiang Cun flew toward Capital City with two Disciples as the four figures headed south.

After Xiu Yu’s assault shattered the land around Pingzhou Road, Qingjiang led cultivators to clear the contamination and assess the damage. Daoist Wanzhi arrived at Huangde Prefecture’s ruins and ordered Xiu Yu back to the Six Hearts Sect.

• Qingjiang watched the battle from the Chu Army camp as stray Earth Vein sand pierced the barrier, injuring her and threatening the soldiers.
• Daoist Ping Tian defended his role in urging Xiu Yu’s attack, while Qingjiang warned him that his Spirit Controlling Banner would bring disaster.
• Xiu Yu ended the battle and ordered the cultivators to clear contamination and repair the disordered spirituality.
• Qingjiang organized cultivators to repair Pingzhou Road and found sword scars, damaged waterways, and the ruins of Huangde Prefecture, where no bodies remained.
• Daoist Wanzhi appeared and ordered Qingjiang and the others to await instructions while Xiu Yu returned to the Six Hearts Sect.

The Prefect summoned Wang Ping back to the Six Hearts Sect, leaving Zhi Gong in charge of the front line. Meanwhile, Ke Yue sought Dong Can’s secret art and help for Daoist Changqing, but learned that Thousand Wood Temple’s scouts had already found him.

• A priest delivered the Prefect’s order for Wang Ping to return to the Six Hearts Sect, and Wang Ping put Zhi Gong in charge of urgent front-line affairs.
• Wang Ping flew south with Yulian, then let her carry him through the clouds as he reflected on the summons.
• Ke Yue visited Dong Can at his hunting lodge and shared a bowl of meat soup while they recalled their pasts.
• Ke Yue asked Dong Can for his secret art and help with a task for Daoist Changqing in exchange for a comfortable life.
• Dong Can revealed that Thousand Wood Temple’s scouts had tracked him down and challenged Ke Yue’s role in any deal with Changqing.

Wang Ping and Zi Luan met with Lord Xiaoshan after returning to the Six Hearts Sect, where Zi Luan was reprimanded for revealing the reason Xiu Yu had acted on Pingzhou Road. Daoist Wanzhi then imposed a severe punishment on Xiu Yu, requiring him to restore Pingzhou Road’s fortune within two months.

• Zi Luan told Wang Ping that Lord Xiaoshan was furious about Xiu Yu’s actions and had summoned them under the pretense of punishing them.
• Wang Ping and Zi Luan discussed the rumors about True Sun Mountain as they went to Lord Xiaoshan’s courtyard.
• Lord Xiaoshan ordered Zi Luan to handle the disciples who had overheard him at the sect gate, and Zi Luan arranged for them to serve at the main hall.
• Xiu Yu arrived, admitted fault, and heard Lord Xiaoshan condemn his failure to understand the consequences of his actions.
• Daoist Wanzhi told Xiu Yu that she had dealt with the Third Realm cultivators who followed him and ordered him to establish a sacrificial shrine on Pingzhou Road and kneel there until its fortune recovered, giving him two months.

Wang Ping received word that the Spirit Communication Stone had been recovered and learned that Dong Can might cooperate with them against Xiu Yu and Guan Mao. After discovering that Dong Can had information about the Xia Imperial Family’s assassination attempt, Wang Ping left the Dao Palace and headed toward Ningzhou Road while waiting for Ke Yue to contact him.

• Wang Ping read Liu Huaien’s message confirming that the Spirit Communication Stone had been recovered and would be returned to Thousand Wood Temple.
• Wang Ping and Zi Luan learned that Daoist Yuanzheng had confirmed Dong Can’s location and discussed keeping him alive for his connections to Daoist Wuma and the Southern Sea Daoist.
• Daoist Yuanzheng told Wang Ping that Dong Can had offered to cooperate against Xiu Yu and Guan Mao and had important information about the Xia Imperial Family’s assassination attempt.
• Zi Luan told Wang Ping to leave Nanlin Road to him and advised Wang Ping to wait for Ke Yue’s contact rather than act rashly.
• Hong Yuan reported fighting across the Southern Four Routes, and Wang Ping left with Yulian for Ningzhou Road while explaining the Pingzhou Road incident to her.

After the Chu Army captured Moon Mountain, Wang Ping planned a public ceremony to honor Lord Zhonghui and enjoyed a brief pause from cultivation and war. His leisure ended as the armies approached the Nong River and Ke Yue arrived with news of a plan to seal Moon Mountain’s spiritual energy.

• After the defenders of Moon Mountain surrendered, Wang Ping set an auspicious date to lead the army and others in paying respects to Lord Zhonghui.
• Wang Ping moved his Daoist grounds and began cultivating before Lord Xiaoshan’s golden-body divine statue, where he could refine the Heaven Connecting Talisman and Mysterious Jade Token more quickly.
• As the Chu Army reached the south bank of the Nong River, Zuo Xuan told Wang Ping that Pingzhou Road was in the hands of Daoist Wanzhi’s Disciples and that Daoist Xiu Yu’s prayers had brought little relief.
• Wang Ping summoned Yulian and asked Zuo Xuan to bring Ke Yue to him, then prepared tea as Ke Yue arrived with spring tea from the south.
• Ke Yue told Wang Ping that the Capital City planned to build a Divine Art Array at Moon Mountain to seal its spiritual energy when he went up the mountain.

Ke Yue warned Wang Ping that Capital City planned to trap him with a Divine Art and the Chaos Bead, then traded him a Fourth Realm Artifact Cultivator secret art for the Crimson Jade Ruler. Wang Ping prepared to investigate the trap near Moon Mountain and awaited more intelligence from Ke Yue.

• Ke Yue described Capital City's sacrificial captains and Chaos Bead, which could briefly suppress Mystic Sect spells at the cost of eighteen Second Realm cultivators' souls.
• Wang Ping gave Ke Yue the Crimson Jade Ruler in exchange for a Fourth Realm Artifact Cultivator secret art, and asked her to make Dong Can serve him and deal with Xiu Yu without informing Zi Luan.
• Ke Yue agreed to send intelligence about Capital City's Imperial Court within one day, while Liu Shuang suggested the Divine Art formation would most likely be beneath Yue Mountain.
• Wang Ping flew with Liu Shuang and Yulian to the highland dojo, where Wu Quan volunteered to search Moon Mountain for the trap.
• Wu Quan searched the mountain and its underground waterways for three hours but found no trace of the Divine Art, and Wang Ping decided to wait for the intelligence he expected the next day.

Liu Shuang delivered Ke Yue’s intelligence about an Imperial Court assassination plot targeting Wang Ping during the worship ceremony on Moon Mountain. Wang Ping arranged investigations and sought Lord Xiaoshan’s protection, while the group prepared for a wider struggle with Capital City.

• Liu Shuang delivered Ke Yue’s report that sacrificial captains and Chaos Bead escorts were scattered across Jianglin Road and planned to attack Wang Ping during the worship procession.
• Wu Quan and Zhi Gong argued over how to track the conspirators, while the group debated whether to change the ceremony plans.
• Huai Mo suggested asking Lord Xiaoshan to protect the ceremony, and Wang Ping sent him a communication token for instructions.
• Wang Ping assigned Zhi Gong to capture the conspirator in Shuanghe City and Wu Quan to capture two in Longtail County, while Liu Shuang followed them.
• Hu Yin and Shan Wei set out to investigate their clansmen and clear suspicious strongholds on Ningzhou Road.
• Wang Ping invited Zhang Xinghuai and Huai Mo to play Go and examined Ke Yue’s secret method for advancing Artifact Cultivators into the Fourth Realm.

Wang Ping read an Artifact Cultivator secret art outlining a difficult path to the Fourth Realm, with a success rate that could be below five percent without rare demonic weapons. He revealed the art to Zhang Xinghuai and Gan Xing and began arranging to share it with Sect Master Lu Shan, while offering to organize a copy for Gan Xing.

• Wang Ping read the secret art and learned the steps and risks of advancing an Artifact Cultivator to the Fourth Realm.
• Wang Ping recognized the Mask of Faces as a Jia Shang Ling Si demonic weapon and realized that advancement would usually have a success rate of at most five percent.
• Yulian asked Wang Ping whether the jade slip contained the secret art, drawing the attention of Zhang Xinghuai, Huai Mo, and Gan Xing.
• Wang Ping explained that Ke Yue had traded Moon Mountain intelligence and the jade slip for the Crimson Jade Ruler, then described the art's contents and low success rate.
• Zhang Xinghuai sent the information to Sect Master Lu Shan using a communication jade slip.
• Wang Ping offered to organize the disordered secret art for Gan Xing and planned to divide it into upper and lower parts for trade.

Wang Ping arranged for Gan Xing to guard Moon Mountain and directed Liu Shuang to continue investigating the ritual hosts while widening the search. Zhang Xinghuai reported that Lu Shan would arrive in five days, leaving Wang Ping to prepare for Moon Mountain’s worship ceremony.

• Wang Ping received Lord Xiaoshan’s reply, which said only that he understood.
• Wang Ping gave Gan Xing the secret art for condensing a Primordial Spirit and asked him to guard Moon Mountain.
• Huai Mo defeated Zhang Xinghuai at chess, and Zhang Xinghuai left to meet Lu Shan.
• Liu Shuang reported that the investigation had uncovered many suspects, including three confirmed ritual hosts and two lurking Second Realm cultivators.
• Wang Ping ordered Liu Shuang to continue catching suspects less frequently and to inspect those who had come to Moon Mountain.
• Zhang Xinghuai returned and told Wang Ping that Lu Shan would personally arrive in five days.

Wang Ping led a vast procession to Moon Mountain to honor Liu Zixiu at a public memorial rite. As Lord Xiaoshan’s Divine Art descended, Wang Ping saw the eastern sky turn pitch-black in the direction of Pingzhou Road.

• Wang Ping led cultivators, nobles, and hundreds of thousands of mourners through Moon Spring Town and up Moon Mountain toward Liu Zixiu’s grave.
• At the summit, Zhang Xinghuai presented Human Way and joined Wang Ping as he read a prayer honoring Liu Zixiu and the Way of Zhong Hui.
• Zhang Xinghuai declared that he had failed his Master’s trust and would follow the Way of All People, then bowed again before the rite continued.
• Lord Xiaoshan’s Divine Art consciousness descended and filled the mountain with golden light, consuming dozens of people who prayed within it.
• Wang Ping resisted the Divine Art’s erosion and spotted blackness spreading across the eastern sky toward Pingzhou Road.

Wang Ping kept Liu Zixiu’s memorial rites on Moon Mountain going after a powerful clash erupted on Pingzhou Road, then left without learning what had happened in the north. Zhang Xinghuai departed after a young scholar named Gong Zhi denounced him, and Gong Zhi injured himself against Liu Zixiu’s gravestone.

• A sudden force swept out from Pingzhou, destroying Lord Xiaoshan’s Divine Art Consciousness and throwing the spiritual energy around Moon Mountain into chaos.
• Wang Ping calmed the crowds with Golden Armored Soldiers while the cultivators guarded the mountain and the Dao Palace barrier arrays were activated.
• After the disturbance faded, Wang Ping confirmed that Lord Xiaoshan had destroyed the Upper Capital Imperial Court’s sacrificial captain, then ordered the memorial rites to continue.
• The ceremony continued without further incident, and Wang Ping still received no news about the clash on Pingzhou Road.
• Gong Zhi rebuked Zhang Xinghuai for kneeling at Liu Zixiu’s grave, but Zhang Xinghuai bowed to him and left without responding.
• After Wang Ping and the others departed, Gong Zhi struck his head against Liu Zixiu’s gravestone, and Zhang Xinghuai continued walking away.

Wang Ping learned that Xiu Yu had survived the Imperial Court’s attack in Pingzhou Road and discussed the region’s uncertain future with the other cultivators. In Capital City, Xia Yao dismissed the failed plot and ordered a purge while continuing to consolidate her control.

• Wang Ping received reports that an Imperial Court Fourth Realm Star God had attacked Xiu Yu in Pingzhou Road, while the Imperial Court’s army had not crossed the Nong River.
• Wang Ping read Zi Luan’s report that Xiu Yu was safe and that the figure in the ancestral hall had been Lord Xiaoshan’s Puppet, which had lured out Ao Bing.
• Wang Ping told the others that Xiu Yu had anticipated the situation and made arrangements, and they discussed who would oversee Pingzhou Road and the approaching succession ceremony.
• Xia Yao learned that the plan in Pingzhou Road had failed, declared that it did not matter, and ordered a cleanup of Capital City.
• Xia Yao reviewed and sent memorials for execution, then went to the heavily guarded Great Hua Hall, where Jiang Cun met her.

Xia Yao visited the dying Emperor Yuanding, set the enthronement ceremony for the sixteenth of next month, and entrusted Capital City’s affairs to Jiang Cun while she entered secluded cultivation. Jiang Cun took charge in the council hall and learned that the True Sun Sect and the Rebels might soon clash in the northwest.

• Xia Yao and Jiang Cun visited Emperor Yuanding, who was barely alive but nodded when she proposed the sixteenth of next month for the enthronement ceremony.
• Xia Yao told Ao Bing that Jiang Cun would oversee Capital City during her seclusion, and Ao Bing warned her to focus on strengthening herself for the final contest.
• Xia Yao collected the Heavenly Sword and sent it with her female disciple after confirming that the sacrificial preparations in the Cloud Sea, Beiyuan Road, and Qingpu Road were complete.
• Xia Yao entered secluded cultivation, and Jiang Cun took a seat among the Grand Secretariat ministers in the council hall.
• A palace eunuch reported to Jiang Cun that the True Sun Sect wanted to build a Daoist temple in the northwest and that the Rebels had refused.

Wang Ping negotiated with Lu Shan for the Nine Tripod Sect to help secure a retreat route from Capital City, while secretly arranging his real escape plans elsewhere. After setting the preparations in motion, he learned that one of Yue Ziyu’s disciples would soon come to find him.

• Lu Shan warned Wang Ping that the coming struggle in Capital City could devastate Central Continent, then asked what Wang Ping needed from him.
• Wang Ping asked Lu Shan to help protect one-use transfer arrays and offered him a share of the secret arts in his possession.
• Lu Shan agreed on the condition that Wang Ping not pass the Nine Tripod Sect’s secret arts to others, and offered five favors from the sect in exchange; Wang Ping agreed after disclosing that Gan Xing would also help guard Moon Mountain.
• After Lu Shan left, Wang Ping told Yulian that he planned to mislead him: the northwestern region would be his main retreat, and Yuan Zheng would secure the array in Ningzhou Road.
• Wang Ping sent messages to his contacts, dispatched puppets to scout array locations, and sent three Golden Armored Puppets beneath Moon Mountain.
• A puppet bird from Daoist Yucheng delivered Yue Ziyu’s message that one of Yue Ziyu’s disciples would soon visit Wang Ping.

Wang Ping and Yulian set up a concealed Spirit Gathering Array beneath Moon Mountain to interfere with Earth Vein cultivators’ investigations. With the array complete, Wang Ping began preparing a transfer formation that would use Transfer Talismans once the gathered energy became sufficient.

• Wang Ping sent Yue Ziyu a letter through Yulian, instructing Liu Shuang to receive Yue Ziyu's disciple, then investigated the underground river beneath Moon Mountain with Golden Armored Puppets.
• Wang Ping had three Puppets place talismans along the riverbed to disrupt Earth Vein cultivators’ Primordial Spirit investigations.
• Wang Ping gave Yulian formation diagrams and a map of the underground river, and she agreed to construct water-element concealment formations using a Spirit Gathering Array.
• Yulian and a Golden Armored Puppet entered the underground river, where Yulian built the Spirit Gathering Array and finished the concealment formations over three days.
• Yulian returned to Wang Ping, who began planning a transfer formation and determined that the array would gather enough energy to activate its Transfer Talismans in one month.

Wang Ping secretly arranged for a Transfer Talisman in the northern forest and delegated the crisis in Pingzhou Road to Qingjiang. After receiving the recovered Chaos Bead, he examined it, chose to keep it, and prepared for the army’s river crossing; Guangxuan was due at Moon Mountain the next day.

• Wang Ping gave Hu Qianqian a Transfer Talisman and formation diagram and directed her to secretly place it south of Cypress Mountain with Hu Xin’s help.
• After Prefect sent an envoy with Hong Yuan, Wen Hai, and Qingjiang, Wang Ping put Qingjiang in charge of stabilizing Pingzhou Road within half a month.
• When a distant battle erupted, Wang Ping stopped Yulian from investigating and guessed it concerned the Chaos Bead.
• Liu Shuang brought Zhao Yu'er and the recovered Chaos Bead to Wang Ping, who examined it and concluded he could not destroy it.
• Wang Ping ordered Liu Shuang and Zhao Yu'er to prepare to garrison Jianglin Road and told Yulian that a Spirit Calming Talisman would seal Zhao Yu'er if she showed abnormal behavior.
• A puppet bird delivered Guangxuan's letter saying he would arrive at Moon Mountain the next day.

Wang Ping received Yue Ziyu’s letter and learned that Wu Kuo had been sent south to preserve his master’s assets and legacy. After Guangxuan departed with secret instructions, Wang Ping returned to True Sun Mountain, where he noticed a change while trying to awaken the spiritual poison in the Purgatory Banner.

• Guangxuan introduced Yue Ziyu’s disciple Wu Kuo, who delivered Yue Ziyu’s letter and was assigned to follow Wang Ping’s instructions.
• Wang Ping told Wu Kuo to report to Liu Shuang, then warned Guangxuan that they should deal with Yue Ziyu if he had clearly chosen Linshui Prefecture.
• Wang Ping and Guangxuan played chess through the night before Wang Ping gave him a talisman and array diagram for a concealed project at Shangning Road.
• Guangxuan flew northwest, and Wang Ping, stirred by memories of their past, returned to True Sun Mountain to meditate.
• The next day, Wang Ping noticed something different while trying to awaken the spiritual poison within the Purgatory Banner.

Wang Ping helped Mingshui suppress and absorb the awakened Lizard Yao's soul, strengthening Mingshui's Spirit Toxin. He tested the toxin on Golden Armored Puppets and recorded how it disrupted their formations, leaving him with a clearer understanding of its use against cultivators.

• As the Lizard Yao's consciousness tried to seize Mingshui, Wang Ping restrained it with Spirit Calming Talismans while Mingshui swallowed and digested the soul.
• After digesting the Lizard Yao's soul, Mingshui told Wang Ping that his Spirit Toxin had become much stronger and could now be cast with a single thought.
• Mingshui independently cast Spirit Toxin on a Golden Armored Soldier, destroying its formations and reducing it to pieces.
• Wang Ping tested the toxin on another Golden Armored Puppet and recorded how it drained the Puppet's spirituality before destroying its formations after forty-two breaths.
• Wang Ping concluded that Spirit Toxin could hinder cultivators by contaminating their spirituality and forcing them to evade or dispel it.

Wang Ping completed the refinement of the Mysterious Jade Token and learned it contained a strange Outer Realm Object that could briefly form a protective barrier. As preparations around Capital City continued, Yuan Zheng arrived with Yuan Hu’s repaired body and explained that its furnace had been reignited, leaving Wang Ping to restore its Qi Sea and consciousness.

• Wang Ping infused the Mysterious Jade Token’s hidden creature with pills and briefly activated a purple isolation barrier.
• Wang Ping reviewed the region’s calm, confirmed most of his Transfer Talismans were reachable, and planned additional escape routes around Capital City.
• Yuan Zheng arrived at the front lines and told Wang Ping he had reignited the furnace in Yuan Hu’s body with help from Wang Ping’s Master.
• Yuan Zheng gave Wang Ping Yuan Hu’s body, whose meridians were repaired but whose Qi Sea and consciousness still needed Wang Ping’s attention.