Chapter Summaries

At the Heavenly Monarch Tomb, Shen Mo delayed helping the Ghost Corpse Sect until the sect leaders settled their dispute over the tomb’s treasures. He then joined Zhao Lingyin outside the encampment as she gathered poisonous herbs, leaving them walking together through the mists.

• Li Chen reflected on Shen Mo’s rise and on the deaths of his master, the Beautiful Corpse Daoist, and fellow disciple Xun Tian.
• The Ghost Corpse Sect elders urged Shen Mo and the other sects to help crack the Heavenly Monarch Tomb’s remaining trials.
• Shen Mo refused to begin work while Yuan Qingshi and the other sect leaders negotiated control of the Heavenly Monarch’s Corpse Puppet and Blessed Land.
• Mingyu told Shen Mo that Zhao Lingyin had left the encampment array to gather poisonous flowers and herbs.
• Shen Mo found Zhao Lingyin, protected her with a Woman Earth Bat phantom, and walked with her as she continued gathering herbs.

Shen Mo and the other sect leaders entered the Heavenly Monarch Tomb after the Four Great Immortal Sects agreed to help the Ghost Corpse Sect refine the Heavenly Monarch Corpse Puppet under shared restrictions. Inside the tomb, Giant Corpse Daoist explained that they had to overcome the cultivation residence’s remaining challenges to reveal the Heavenly Monarch’s coffin, while Shen Mo sensed something was strange about the tomb.

• Shen Mo received Sect Master Yuan Qingshi’s message and invited Prison Heart Sword Master, Qiu Jiutian, and Chu Zhen to discuss the agreement with the Ghost Corpse Sect.
• The Four Great Immortal Sects agreed to each hold part of a restriction that could disable the Heavenly Monarch Corpse Puppet if three sects joined forces.
• Shen Mo and the assembled cultivators followed Ghost Corpse Sect guides through the passage they had excavated into the tomb.
• The cultivators emerged into a vast underground cavern with a star-filled ceiling and a landscape connected to spiritual veins outside.
• Giant Corpse Daoist explained that the remaining challenges inside the Heavenly Monarch’s cultivation residence had to be cleared to reveal the coffin, and Shen Mo felt that something about the tomb was strange.

Shen Mo considered why the Nameless Heavenly Monarch had designed his tomb with defenses and trials, then helped River-Facing Sect members choose challenges in the Heavenly Monarch Mansion. As the groups entered, Zhao Lingyin remained beside Shen Mo, and he asked why she had not joined her master in the alchemy room.

• Shen Mo concluded that the Nameless Heavenly Monarch had likely expected his tomb to be discovered and had deliberately slowed its excavation, though Shen Mo could not determine the purpose of the mansion’s trials.
• Wu Gong chose the alchemy room, and Liu Yuan and several other alchemists accompanied him.
• Guo Baige and Elder Xu led disciples to the Artifact Forging Room, while others from River-Facing Sect and the other immortal sects headed to trials throughout the mansion.
• Most of River-Facing Sect’s group entered the mansion, while Zhao Lingyin and Mingyu stayed with Shen Mo.
• Shen Mo encouraged Mingyu to try the Artifact Forging Room, and she flew into the mansion.
• Shen Mo asked Zhao Lingyin why she had not gone to the alchemy room with Wu Gong.

Shen Mo entered the Sword Washing Pool trial and faced a remnant of the Nameless Heavenly Monarch, whose swordsmanship effortlessly broke his attack. The remnant closed in with a lethal thrust poised, leaving Shen Mo in immediate danger.

• Zhao Lingyin chose to attempt the Flower Garden trial, and Shen Mo agreed before they entered the Heavenly Monarch Mansion.
• Zhao Lingyin went to the Flower Garden while Shen Mo headed to the Sword Washing Pool with the Demon Slayer Sword.
• Washing the sword transported Shen Mo into a mirrored space, where he saw the Nameless Heavenly Monarch's remnant reenact washing and honing a sword.
• The remnant challenged Shen Mo, who attacked with Star-Falling Sword Qi but watched it crumble after three precise strikes.
• The Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow advanced within striking distance and prepared to thrust at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo fought the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow in the Sword Washing Pool trial, where only sword-related abilities worked. He used the Big Dipper Seven-Star Sword Array to trap the remnant, but its swordsmanship exposed the formation’s weak point and broke it.

• Shen Mo found his non-sword abilities sealed and faced the remnant with only the Demon Slayer Sword.
• Shen Mo and the remnant exchanged rapid attacks, each adapting to the other’s changing sword moves.
• Shen Mo retreated with the Jinghong Sword Technique and summoned seven Big Dipper Dao Swords to form the Big Dipper Seven-Star Sword Array.
• Shen Mo unleashed the formation’s killing power, but the remnant multiplied its Iron Sword and countered the sword light.
• The remnant struck the seven Dao Swords at their next positions, disrupted the formation, and shattered it with a long dragon of Iron Swords.

Shen Mo defeated the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow in the Sword Washing Pool trial and emerged before the Heavenly Sword Sect cultivators. After receiving their praise, he flew off to explore another part of the Heavenly Monarch Mansion.

• Shen Mo cut through the illusions of the Samsara Sword Qi and defeated the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow in a sword duel.
• Meng Sanchi and the other Heavenly Sword Sect disciples and elders emerged from the trial without breaking the Sword Washing Pool restriction.
• Elder Fang explained why the Heavenly Monarch’s trials in swordsmanship and other strength-related pursuits were harder than the Ghost Corpse Sect’s earlier trials.
• The Prison Heart Sword Master emerged without breaking the restriction, prompting Elder Fang to suggest that the Sect Master or Supreme Elder try next.
• Shen Mo appeared beside the Sword Washing Pool and confirmed that he had beaten the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow by one move.
• After exchanging pleasantries with the Heavenly Sword Sect cultivators, Shen Mo flew toward another part of the Heavenly Monarch Mansion.

After defeating the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow at the Sword Washing Pool, Shen Mo discovered Zhao Lingyin had begun opening her Spirit Sea in the Poison Domain. He moved her toward safety, but the poisonous energy still threatened her breakthrough, so he began absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy himself.

• Shen Mo exploited a flaw in the Heavenly Monarch Remnant Shadow’s swordsmanship and defeated him, clearing the Sword Washing Pool trial and gaining swordsmanship insights and a Destiny Point.
• Shen Mo sensed a disturbance in the spiritual energy and discovered Zhao Lingyin breaking through in the Heavenly Monarch Mansion’s Flower Garden.
• Shen Mo summoned Mingyu and ordered her to use Mustard Seed Sumeru to take him and Zhao Lingyin back to their temporary base.
• Mingyu brought Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin into her Mustard Seed Space and hurried toward Coral Island, but its spiritual energy remained poisonous.
• Shen Mo reinforced Zhao Lingyin’s Dao Body with the Woman Great Hand Seal, then circulated the Primordial One Qi Art to seize the spiritual energy surging toward them.

Shen Mo supplied Zhao Lingyin with Pure Primordial Spirit to support her attempt to open her Spirit Sea, but their linked auras intensified their mutual desires and threatened her breakthrough. Shen Mo used the Great Heart Seal and his Carefree Sword Intent to suppress the desires, while Zhao Lingyin remained caught in them.

• Shen Mo relayed Pure Primordial Spirit to Zhao Lingyin after her supply of spiritual energy faltered, and continued doing so when Mingyu returned the Mustard Seed Space to camp.
• Shen Mo began smelling a potent spirit-medicine fragrance from Zhao Lingyin and found his desires for her growing beyond the reach of his sword intent.
• Shen Mo realized Zhao Lingyin’s feelings for him had become an obstacle to opening her Spirit Sea, and that their linked auras had inflamed both their desires.
• Zhao Lingyin nestled into Shen Mo’s arms and murmured to him as they struggled against the Six Desires during her breakthrough.
• Shen Mo formed the Great Heart Seal and used his Carefree Sword Intent to cut down his own stray thoughts, while Zhao Lingyin remained lost in desire.

Shen Mo condensed the Carefree Sword Heart and helped Zhao Lingyin open her Spirit Sea, while the Five Great Immortal Sects overcame most of the Heavenly Monarch Mansion’s trials. Shen Mo returned to the tomb and saw a white-haired elder being helped onto the still-unconquered Star Gazing Platform.

• Shen Mo condensed the Carefree Sword Heart and used its clarity to help Zhao Lingyin regain control of her thoughts and continue her breakthrough.
• Mingyu entered Mustard Seed Space, found Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin embracing, and blushed as she fled; outside, the sects conquered the mansion’s trials except the Star Gazing Platform.
• Zhao Lingyin opened her Spirit Sea, then told Shen Mo she did not plan to compete for Core Disciple status because she wanted to focus on alchemy.
• Shen Mo urged Zhao Lingyin to consolidate her cultivation, then headed for the tomb as Wu Gong hurried back to see his newly advanced disciple.
• Shen Mo reached the tomb and saw Qiu Jiutian and others supporting a white-haired old man as he stepped onto the Star Gazing Platform.

Shen Mo watched Xuanzhuzi break the Star Gazing Platform’s final restriction and concluded that divination arts cost too much lifespan and good fortune to be worthwhile. The Heavenly Monarch’s bedchamber then appeared, revealing a golden coffin whose painted scenes changed to depict the cultivators entering the tomb.

• Shen Mo learned that Xuanzhuzi of the Seven Star Altar had come to divine how to break the Star Gazing Platform, despite having little lifespan left and being plagued by bad luck.
• Shen Mo decided against practicing divination arts, reasoning that they would consume lifespan and good fortune, while his Cicada Sense could reveal danger without such a cost.
• Xuanzhuzi emerged from the Star Gazing Platform looking greatly aged, but his efforts broke the tomb’s final restriction.
• A palace appeared in the Heavenly Monarch Mansion, and Shen Mo, Prison Heart Sword Master, Giant Corpse Daoist, Qiu Jiutian, Chu Zhen, and the other experts entered its bedchamber.
• The cultivators found a golden coffin suspended by chains, and its painted account of the Nameless Heavenly Monarch’s life changed into a scene of them entering the mansion.

Giant Corpse Daoist opened the Golden Coffin and found it empty, but the missing Heavenly Monarch Remains appeared on the Star Gazing Platform and killed several cultivators. Shen Mo used [Insight into All Living Beings] to identify it as an Early Fourth Rank Heavenly Monarch Corpse Spirit, not the original Heavenly Monarch.

• Giant Corpse Daoist opened the Golden Coffin with his Corpse Puppet and found no remains inside.
• Shen Mo and the others rushed to the Star Gazing Platform after hearing cries of anguish.
• The Heavenly Monarch Corpse Spirit killed Xuanzhuzi and several other cultivators, then began devouring a female Moon-Deriving Sect cultivator.
• Prison Heart Sword Master charged the Corpse Spirit while Shen Mo used [Insight into All Living Beings] to examine it.
• Shen Mo learned that the Corpse Spirit had inherited some of the Heavenly Monarch's power and memories but was a separate being.

Shen Mo revealed that the Heavenly Monarch was a Corpse Spirit and joined the other Immortal Sect powerhouses in attacking it, then protected the weaker cultivators and ordered them to flee. As the remaining fighters faced the demon, Shen Mo inferred that the Nameless Heavenly Monarch had built the tomb to nurture the Corpse Spirit and provide it with victims.

• Shen Mo transformed into his Three-Heads Six-Arms form, attacked the Heavenly Monarch Corpse Spirit, and told Qiu Jiutian, the Giant Corpse Daoist, Chu Zhen, and the others what it was.
• The Corpse Spirit wielded the Heavenly Monarch's Iron Sword and traded sword beams with Shen Mo and the other powerhouses.
• Shen Mo used the Azure Cloud Umbrella to block most of the Corpse Spirit's attacks on the Immortal Sect cultivators, then ordered them to leave the tomb.
• Guo Baige, Wu Gong, Elder Xu, Mingyu, and the other disciples withdrew while Shen Mo and the top powerhouses stayed behind to fight.
• The Corpse Spirit declared its intention to devour the remaining fighters, and Shen Mo deduced that the Nameless Heavenly Monarch had built the tomb to nurture the demon and select its prey.

Shen Mo realized the Nameless Heavenly Monarch had designed his tomb to feed its Corpse Spirit with the knowledge and souls of the gathered cultivators. As the Corpse Spirit overwhelmed the assembled experts, Shen Mo fought to protect Qiu Jiutian while he prepared a teleportation altar to summon reinforcements.

• Shen Mo and the others concluded that the Corpse Spirit was using the tomb’s challenges to gather cultivators as nourishment for the Nameless Heavenly Monarch’s second life.
• The Prison Heart Sword Master, Giant Corpse Daoist, Chu Zhen, and Shen Mo attacked the Corpse Spirit while Qiu Jiutian retreated to prepare a teleportation Dharma Altar.
• The Corpse Spirit unleashed more than a hundred thousand sword phantoms and badly wounded the Prison Heart Sword Master, Giant Corpse Daoist, and Chu Zhen.
• Shen Mo used his Supreme Excellence Destiny trait, sword techniques, and Demon Soul Generals to withstand the Corpse Spirit’s attacks.
• After the experts sent for reinforcements from their sects, the Corpse Spirit targeted Qiu Jiutian, and Shen Mo unleashed a barrage to draw its attention away from him.

Shen Mo and the Immortal Sects' cultivators fought the Heavenly Monarch Corpse Spirit while Qiu Jiutian tried to complete a teleportation altar, but the Corpse Spirit killed Qiu Jiutian and destroyed the altar. With the Origin Core Realm ancestors delayed and the tomb exit blocked, Shen Mo and the others faced the Corpse Spirit together.

• Shen Mo and the Demon Soul Generals attacked the Corpse Spirit, but it redirected their attacks onto a False Body that burst apart.
• Qiu Jiutian used lightning talismans against the Corpse Spirit, which cut through them and struck him down before revealing his first escape had been a life-substituting artifact.
• The Corpse Spirit smashed Qiu Jiutian and the nearly completed Dharma Altar, leaving the Immortal Sects' cultivators without a way to summon the ancestors quickly.
• Shen Mo sent a mental message to Prison Heart Sword Master, Chu Zhen of Moon-Deriving Sect, and the others, then fled toward the tomb exit.
• The Corpse Spirit blocked the exit, and Shen Mo, Prison Heart Sword Master, and the others turned to attack it.

The Origin Core Realm Ancestors arrived through Qiu Jiutian’s teleportation altar and drove the Heavenly Monarch Corpse Spirit into a Blessed Land. Chu Zhen revealed that the Illusion Void Mirror had saved Qiu Jiutian by making the Corpse Spirit mistake an illusion for reality.

• The Corpse Spirit overwhelmed Shen Mo and the others, then attacked Chu Zhen to devour her.
• The Illusion Void Mirror shattered, and the Ghost Corpse Sect Ancestor’s Golden Armored Corpse Puppet emerged and punched the Corpse Spirit away.
• Qiu Jiutian brought five Origin Core Realm Ancestors to the tomb, and they joined the battle against the Corpse Spirit.
• The Corpse Spirit fled into a Blessed Land, so the Seven Star Altar Ancestor located it and the Heavenly Sword Sect Ancestor opened a passage for the Ancestors to pursue.
• Chu Zhen explained that she had used a ray of light from the Illusion Void Mirror to create a false image of Qiu Jiutian being killed and deceive the Corpse Spirit.

Shen Mo learned how the Five Great Immortal Sects had used the Illusion Void Mirror to deceive the Corpse Spirit and help Qiu Jiutian summon their ancestors. After returning to River-Facing Sect, he heard that the ancestors had subdued the Corpse Spirit and that the sect would reward him for his role in the expedition.

• Shen Mo realized the immortal sect ancestors had manipulated events, using Chu Zhen's Illusion Void Mirror light to fool the Corpse Spirit and let Qiu Jiutian bring reinforcements through the teleportation altar.
• Shen Mo and the others gathered their dead disciples' remains and belongings, then left the tomb to avoid risking an encounter with the Corpse Spirit.
• Shen Mo reunited with Zhao Lingyin, Clam Maiden Mingyu, Guo Baige, and the other cultivators, and they returned to Five Poisons City before teleporting back to River-Facing Sect.
• Shen Mo rested at Lake Heart Cottage with Zhao Lingyin, then attended a meeting at Longevity Hall three days later.
• A River-Facing Sect ancestor told Shen Mo that the five immortal sect ancestors had subdued the Corpse Spirit and that he deserved commendation and a reward.

Shen Mo learned the backgrounds and relationships of River-Facing Sect’s four Supreme Elders after the battle at the Nameless Heavenly Monarch’s tomb. He received sect rewards and chose a martial art to improve his control of several spirit artifacts.

• Shen Mo learned the full names and clan ties of Ancestors Feng Daogu, Yuan Heming, Zhou Zhiwei, and Gongsun Jiuru, along with their histories and roles in the sect.
• The chapter recounted how Zhou Shili’s hostility toward the Zhou Immortal Clan shaped the sect’s clan politics and explained why he supported Shen Mo against the Tian Immortal Clan.
• Ancestor Feng returned to his post injured, while Ancestor Gongsun entered the Heavenly Demon Realm with experts from other immortal sects.
• Shen Mo received spiritual treasures, merit points, and Spirit Stones for his contributions to the tomb expedition.
• Shen Mo redeemed Nine Turns of the Heavenly River to wield the Soul-Snatching Needle, Mountain Pearls, and Skull Spirit Artifact more effectively.

Shen Mo developed a blood-and-qi cultivation and combat system for the growing Blood-Baleful Sect Disciples, giving them a clearer path within the River-Facing Sect. After Zhao Lingyin stabilized her Spirit Sea Realm cultivation, they arranged to hold their Partner-Binding Ceremony four months later.

• Shen Mo adapted Immortal Arts and martial techniques into a broader advancement system based on the Dragon-Elephant Blood-Baleful Body.
• Blood-Baleful Sect Disciples and other sect members exchanged for the Blood-Baleful Technique, driving up demand for monster resources and blood-and-qi pills.
• The stronger Blood-Baleful Sect Disciples began taking Demon Slayer missions, while Shen Mo handled dangerous missions across the region.
• Zhao Lingyin stabilized her cultivation in the first level of the Spirit Sea Realm, and she and Shen Mo decided to combine her celebration with their Partner-Binding Ceremony.
• Ancestor Yuan Heming set Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin's Partner-Binding Ceremony for four months later, and the sect began preparing for the event.

Shen Mo cultivated Blood Origin Shield and refined a suite of blood-and-qi immortal arts to strengthen the Blood-Baleful lineage and Azure Cloud Peak’s influence. He also examined his newly acquired Pure Yang Fire Pupils, a divine power capable of burning living and dead foes, including Heavenly Demons.

• Lu Taorui and the disciples maintained Cloud-Viewing Mansion, where Shen Mo’s generous rewards helped them advance in cultivation.
• Shen Mo tested Blood Origin Shield, whose blood-and-qi defenses withstood a strike from the Demon Slayer Sword.
• Shen Mo reviewed the revised blood-based arts he had developed for Blood-Baleful disciples and noted that submitting them to the sect had brought him resources and goodwill.
• Shen Mo checked his Destiny Panel and confirmed that perfecting Divine Soul Visualization Scripture had granted him Pure Yang Fire Pupils.
• Shen Mo assessed Pure Yang Fire Pupils’ ability to create powerful, persistent Pure Yang True Fire that could burn fiends, spirits, and Heavenly Demons.

Shen Mo and the Red Flame Domain’s cultivators were shaken by a sudden, widespread sense of dread, and the sect leaders learned that the realm’s invisible barrier might have vanished. Shen Mo traveled to investigate a mysterious Tower Ship Dharma Boat that might belong to the Heaven-Patrolling Daoist Temple.

• Shen Mo cultivated the Samsara Sword Canon for three days before an inexplicable feeling of terror interrupted him.
• Shen Mo received messages showing that people throughout the Red Flame Domain had experienced the same dread, then hurried to Longevity Hall.
• The River-Facing Sect leaders learned that the invisible barrier around the Red Flame Domain seemed to have disappeared, possibly causing the upheaval.
• Shen Mo traveled through Dingbo City and flew east across Sea Province, where he found the region unusually peaceful.
• Shen Mo headed toward a Tower Ship Dharma Boat near the Near-Sea Demon Cave after learning it flew a blood-red-eye flag and might belong to the Heaven-Patrolling Daoist Temple.