Recaps

Wen Zhong learned that his son Wen Zhongyan had been killed by rebels in Eastern Prefecture, while the emperor and Song Wuya discussed using the death to deepen conflict between Wen Zhong and Li Xinge. At court, officials argued over accusations against Wen Zhongyan and began trading charges of corruption and conspiracy, leaving the assembly in bitter dispute.

• Wen Fu told Wen Zhong that rebels had killed Wen Zhongyan after Eastern Prefecture fell, and Wen Zhong dismissed him with outward calm.
• Song Wuya reported to the emperor that the operation had been handled cleanly, and the emperor directed the Imperial City Department to investigate the World-Cleansing Evil Cult and its Sacred Venerable.
• At the court assembly, the emperor presented Eastern Prefecture officials’ accusations against Wen Zhongyan and their request to appoint Li Xinge to quell the rebellion.
• Censor Zheng and Wen Zhong’s supporters defended Wen Zhongyan and accused Li Xinge of stirring the revolt to frame him.
• A vice minister of revenue challenged the defense, and officials from both factions exchanged accusations over Li Xinge’s influence and the failed appointment to govern Eastern Prefecture.

Huang Yuanzong and the Huang elders worried that the clan’s expenses would exhaust its savings, but Zheng Cangfeng arrived with a decree promoting Huang Yuanzong to Chief Clerk of Eastern Prefecture. Huang Yuanzong pledged the clan’s loyalty to its lord and saw the promotion as a chance to restore the Huang Family’s former glory.

• The Seventh Elder reported that the Huang Family was spending more than it earned and could only sustain itself for fifty years.
• Zheng Cangfeng arrived at the Huang mansion with a decree from the Governor, and Huang Yuanzong welcomed him respectfully.
• Zheng Cangfeng proclaimed Huang Yuanzong’s promotion to Chief Clerk of Eastern Prefecture for his loyalty and service.
• Huang Yuanzong accepted the decree and promised to govern Eastern Prefecture faithfully.
• After Zheng Cangfeng departed, Huang Yuanzong ordered the elders to stop complaining and led them in swearing loyalty to their lord.

Huang Yuanzong set out for Eastern Prefecture, and Zhao Wujiu returned to Green Maple Valley and entered seclusion to attempt a second breakthrough. At Myriad Bone Mountain, Sky-Eating Demon Venerable faced Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable, who challenged his Devil Master and demanded a test of strength.

• Huang Yuanzong led Innate Realm experts from the Huang Family toward Eastern Prefecture, while Zhao Wujiu returned to Green Maple Valley and began secluded cultivation.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable arrived at Myriad Bone Mountain and released their overwhelming demonic auras.
• Sky-Eating Demon Venerable appeared and dismissed the two Demon Venerables' mockery, insisting that they were unworthy of a personal greeting from his Devil Master.
• Sky-Eating Demon Venerable urged Blood Abyss and Azure Sky to unite under the Devil Master to restore the Demonic Path's glory, citing the death of Corpse Jade Demon Venerable as a warning about their division.
• Blood Abyss and Azure Sky rejected his appeal and demanded that the Devil Master come out and defeat them, threatening to take Tai Prefecture if he failed.

Li Xinge revealed himself as the Devil Master after Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable challenged Sky-Eating Demon Venerable over Tai Prefecture. He taunted both rivals into fighting him beyond the Nine Heavens, where they launched their attacks.

• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable demanded that Sky-Eating Demon Venerable bring out Snow Robe Demon Venerable, while Azure Sky summoned his Myriad Bones God-Slaying Art.
• Li Xinge emerged from a rift, and Sky-Eating Demon Venerable and the Snow Robe Demonic Cult cultivators paid him homage as their Devil Master.
• Li Xinge told the two Demon Venerables to attack him together and flew beyond the Nine Heavens.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable conjured a sea of blood and sent nine blood dragons at Li Xinge.
• Azure Sky Demon Venerable gathered his bone demon soldiers into a gigantic White Bone Demon God.

Li Xinge effortlessly broke Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable’s combined attack, but Blood Abyss revealed he had secretly reached Late-stage Divine Mansion and summoned a blood-colored demon god to challenge him. Li Xinge eagerly raised his hand to meet the demon god’s attack.

• Li Xinge shattered Blood Abyss Demon Venerable’s blood dragons and destroyed Azure Sky Demon Venerable’s White Bone Demon God with a single sword strike.
• Sky-Eating Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable realized how overwhelmingly powerful Li Xinge was.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable revealed his Late-stage Divine Mansion cultivation and explained he had hidden it while waiting to claim the Devil Master’s title.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable summoned a towering blood-and-bone demon god, which brought its palm down on Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge smiled and gathered Demonic Qi to face the demon god’s attack.

Li Xinge summoned the Three Sha Demon God, which overwhelmed and devoured most of Blood Abyss Demon Venerable's Blood Sea Demon God. Blood Abyss surrendered his Divine Soul True Fire to Li Xinge, who left him alive and halted the devouring.

• Li Xinge revealed the Three Sha Demon God, shocking Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable.
• The Three Sha Demon God shattered Blood Abyss Demon Venerable's attack and drained most of the Blood Sea Demon God's power.
• Azure Sky Demon Venerable refused Blood Abyss Demon Venerable's call for help and pledged not to oppose Li Xinge.
• Li Xinge demanded Blood Abyss Demon Venerable's Divine Soul True Fire in exchange for sparing him.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable surrendered his Divine Soul True Fire, and Li Xinge ordered the Three Sha Demon God to stop devouring the weakened Blood Sea Demon God.

Li Xinge forced Azure Sky Demon Venerable to surrender his Divine Soul True Fire and made both him and Blood Abyss Demon Venerable Guardian Dharma Kings of the Holy Church. After sending them back to consolidate their forces, Li Xinge learned that the Pure World Holy Church had demanded his sect submit and help overthrow Great Zhou.

• Li Xinge took Azure Sky Demon Venerable's Divine Soul True Fire and warned him and Blood Abyss Demon Venerable to serve faithfully as Guardian Dharma Kings.
• Li Xinge told Sky-Eating Demon Venerable to keep the two new allies' allegiance secret until the world descended into greater chaos.
• Blood Abyss Demon Venerable and Azure Sky Demon Venerable returned overseas to consolidate their forces at Li Xinge's command.
• Sky-Eating Demon Venerable told Li Xinge that Daoist Sanhua of the Pure World Holy Church had demanded the Holy Church submit and help overthrow Great Zhou.
• Li Xinge set aside the Pure World Holy Church for the moment and told Sky-Eating Demon Venerable to handle Six Eyes as he saw fit.

Li Wuyou sensed the bottleneck of the Divine Mansion Realm and went into seclusion in Green Maple Valley after Li Xinge guided her. Meanwhile, Li Yuran successfully refined eight Innate Spirit Pills, including one high-grade pill, and left Hundred Herbs Hall to congratulations from the gathered alchemists.

• Li Wuyou told Li Xinge she had sensed the bottleneck of the Divine Mansion Realm, and he took her to Green Maple Valley to prepare for her breakthrough.
• Li Xinge expounded the Dao to Li Wuyou for seven days, after which she went into seclusion.
• Li Yuran used a low Earth Rank Bronze Alchemy Furnace to successfully refine eight Innate Spirit Pills after seven days of work.
• Li Yuran inspected the pills and found one high-grade, two middle-grade, and five low-grade Innate Spirit Pills.
• Li Yuran presented the high-grade pill to Li Yanming, and the Hundred Herbs Hall alchemists congratulated her.

Li Yuran successfully refined eight Innate Spirit Pills, earning the Li Family’s praise and helping several young clan members break through. Half a year later, the family’s second grand competition reached its final bout between Li Qizheng and Li Qiyun, who revealed the elite Flowing Cloud Phantom Body while facing Qizheng’s Overturning Earth Palm.

• Li Yuran presented Third Elder Li Xuanyong with eight Innate Spirit Pills, including one high-grade pill, and he assigned them to clan members and allies.
• Half a year later, the Li Family held its second all-clan competition at the Training Ground in Green Maple Valley, drawing twelve thousand disciples and many guests.
• Li Qizheng and Li Qiyun, both newly in the Innate Realm, fought for first place as spectators and elders watched.
• After nearly a hundred exchanges, Li Qizheng unleashed the Overturning Earth Palm, but Li Qiyun answered by using the Flowing Cloud Phantom Body.

Li Qiyun defeated Li Qizheng in the final by turning Flowing Cloud Phantom Body’s afterimages into a surprise counterattack, then earned first place in the Li Family Grand Competition. The competition concluded with the Branch Family placing twenty-seven disciples in the top hundred, and Li Xinge urged the younger generation to support one another and cultivate diligently.

• Li Qiyun endured Li Qizheng’s Overturning Earth Palm and relentless Surging Waves Palm, then used Flowing Cloud Phantom Body’s afterimage attack to counter Li Qizheng’s final strike.
• Li Qiyun saluted Li Qizheng instead of knocking him off the arena, and Li Qizheng accepted his defeat and praised his opponent.
• Li Xinge declared Li Qiyun the Grand Competition’s first-place winner and praised Li Qizheng’s strength and gracious conduct.
• The ranking matches concluded the following day, with twenty-seven Branch Family disciples placing in the top hundred and Li Ye reaching forty-seventh place.
• Li Xinge delivered the closing address, and the Li Family disciples answered together as the Grand Competition ended.

During the six-month timeskip, the Li Family strengthened its ranks as several people broke through to the Innate Realm. In Ascending Dragon Prefecture, Gu Zhitíng’s newborn daughter, Gu Qingtong, showed signs of extraordinary talent, leaving him worried about how to protect her.

• Li Yanxiu and Jiang Dao broke through to the Innate Realm, while Li Yanxiu advanced to Fourth-tier Spirit Planter.
• Zheng Lingjun’s breakthrough failed, but Chen Shuyao reached the Innate Realm and was chosen to serve as the Li Family’s Prefect in Eastern Prefecture.
• Madam Yun gave birth to a daughter, and Gu Zhitíng named her Gu Qingtong after noticing a strange glow at her brow that absorbed his Qi and Blood power.
• Gu Zhitíng saw signs of Gu Qingtong’s unusual nature in her calm behavior and the thriving plants and birds around her courtyard, so he ordered the household to keep it secret.
• Wang Shi offered to help Gu Zhitíng with whatever was troubling him.

Gu Zhitíng and Wang Shi debated whether to send Qingtong away after realizing she might possess a Special Physique, which their family could not protect or support. Elsewhere, a shrewd middle-aged man learned of Qingtong’s unusual signs and began investigating Gu Zhitíng, intent on using the child to advance his own ambitions.

• Gu Zhitíng told Wang Shi that Qingtong’s strange signs suggested she possessed a Special Physique.
• Wang Shi urged Gu Zhitíng to send Qingtong away to protect her and the Gu Family, but he refused at first and then asked for time to think.
• Gu Zhitíng sat alone in his study through the night after Wang Shi left.
• A blue-robed man reported Qingtong’s unusual signs to a smiling middle-aged man, who suspected she had a Special Physique and hoped to use her to contend for a vacant position.
• The middle-aged man opened a hidden archive and examined a detailed dossier on Gu Zhitíng.

Gu Zhitíng decided to offer his newborn daughter Qingtong to the Li Family, hoping their protection would secure her future and improve his own standing. He went to tell Li Xingcong that Qingtong might have a Special Physique.

• A middle-aged Pavilion Master ordered a Man in Black to abduct Gu Zhitíng's newborn daughter and kill the family if discovered, while warning him to avoid provoking the Li Family.
• Gu Zhitíng agreed with Wang Shi that Qingtong should leave the Gu Family and decided to offer her to the Li Family.
• Gu Zhitíng recalled regretting that he had not befriended the Marquis of Chu earlier, and resolved to visit Commander Li Xingcong without delay.
• Gu Zhitíng waited until evening to meet Li Xingcong, then privately revealed that his newborn daughter might have a Special Physique.
• Li Xingcong sprang to his feet in shock at Gu Zhitíng's revelation.

Gu Zhitíng offered his newborn daughter, Gu Qingtong, to the Li Family for protection, and Li Xingcong agreed to take her to Green Maple Valley. As Li Xingcong’s forces moved to secure her, the Black Clad Man and his men attacked the Gu Manor but were met by Wang Shi and hidden defenders.

• Gu Zhitíng told Li Xingcong that Gu Qingtong had a Special Physique and asked the Li Family to raise and protect her.
• Li Xingcong accepted the offer, promised Gu Zhitíng the post of Prefectural Assistant, and ordered his guards and two Guest Officials to prepare to escort Gu Qingtong to Green Maple Valley.
• Madam Yun held Gu Qingtong in her room and grieved at the thought of parting from her daughter.
• The Black Clad Man and his companions sneaked into the Gu Manor to seize Gu Qingtong while avoiding alerting the Li Family.
• Wang Shi and the manor’s hidden experts confronted the intruders outside Madam Yun’s room.

A powerful Black Clad Man and his men attacked the Gu Family, seeking Gu Qingtong, but Wang Shi claimed the child belonged to the Yang Province Li Clan. Two Li Family Guest Officials arrived just in time to protect Wang Shi, and the Black Clad Man began threatening them.

• The Black Clad Man unleashed his Innate Pressure, badly injuring the Gu Family experts and revealing that he had come for Gu Qingtong.
• The Black Clad Man ordered his men to kill everyone while he headed for the Side Room, but Wang Shi warned him that Gu Qingtong belonged to the Yang Province Li Clan.
• One of the Black Clad Man's men claimed Wang Shi was bluffing, so the Black Clad Man attacked her with finger force.
• Two Li Family Guest Officials appeared and blocked the attack with a Spirit Qi Wall, then mocked the Black Clad Man by claiming they were the Heavenly King.
• The Black Clad Man threatened the Guest Officials and began to reveal the forces backing him.

Li Xingcong arrived at Gu Manor and stopped the Myriad Treasures Pavilion men from taking Gu Zhitíng’s daughter, Qingtong. He sent the men away after learning their orders came from Zhen Youde, then took Qingtong and Gu Zhitíng to Green Maple Valley.

• The Black Clad Man invoked the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, but the Li Family guest officials revealed their identity and challenged him.
• Li Xingcong arrived with armored soldiers and identified himself as the Commander of Military Affairs of Ascending Dragon Prefecture.
• After learning the Black Clad Man served Zhen Youde, Li Xingcong ordered the Li Family to demand an explanation from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion and let the men leave.
• Li Xingcong accepted Qingtong from Gu Zhitíng and ordered Yu Guest Official and Sun Guest Official to escort them to Green Maple Valley.
• Li Xingcong told Gu Zhitíng to come with them.

Li Xingcong brought Gu Qingtong and Gu Zhitíng to Green Maple Valley, where the Li Family Elders examined the baby and discovered she had a rare Special Physique. Family Head Li Xinge identified it as the Heavenly Heart Clear Mirror Body, while a hidden panel revealed its abilities to him.

• Li Xingcong escorted Gu Qingtong and Gu Zhitíng through a Teleportation Array to Green Maple Valley and sought an audience with Third Elder Li Xuanyong.
• Li Xingcong explained that Gu Qingtong was Gu Zhitíng's daughter, showed signs of a Special Physique, and had been targeted by the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.
• Li Xuanyong examined Gu Qingtong, found that she absorbed his Qi and Blood power, and summoned the Li Family Elders.
• The elders, including Li Xuanzong, failed to identify Gu Qingtong's physique after their spiritual power vanished inside her.
• Family Head Li Xinge appeared and identified Gu Qingtong's physique as the Heavenly Heart Clear Mirror Body.
• A hidden panel showed Li Xinge that Gu Qingtong had Fourth Grade talent and described her physique's abilities.

Li Xinge identified Gu Qingtong as possessing the Heavenly Heart Clear Mirror Body, a rare constitution that could benefit the Li Family’s cultivators. The Li Family adopted her into its clan, rewarded Gu Zhitíng and his family, and appointed Li Yuran to teach her.

• Li Xinge explained that Gu Qingtong’s Heavenly Heart Clear Mirror Body could purify spiritual energy and help cultivators overcome bottlenecks and inner demons.
• The Third Elder asked Gu Zhitíng to let his daughter take the Li surname, and Gu Zhitíng agreed to make her Li Qingtong.
• The Third Elder made the Gu Family an affiliated family of the Li Family, appointed Gu Zhitíng Prefectural Assistant of Ascending Dragon Prefecture, and granted him rewards.
• The Third Elder arranged for Gu Qingtong’s mother to move to Green Maple Valley to care for her.
• After the elders considered who should guide Gu Qingtong, Li Yuran volunteered and was chosen as her teacher.

Gu Zhitíng returned to Ascending Dragon with Li Xingcong after securing Li Qingtong’s future and the Gu Family’s protection through its vassalage to the Li Family. Meanwhile, Yun Bugui punished Zhen Youde for provoking the Li Family and warned him that Li Xingcong might become the Southern King.

• Li Xingcong told Gu Zhitíng to conceal Li Qingtong’s Special Physique, and Gu Zhitíng said the family would claim she had died young.
• Gu Zhitíng told Wang Shi that Li Qingtong had become Li Yuran’s disciple, the Gu Family had become a Li Family vassal, and he had been appointed Prefect of Ascending Dragon.
• Gu Zhitíng and Wang Shi agreed to conceal Qingtong’s identity as a member of the Gu Family and credited Wang Shi’s actions with helping save the family.
• Yun Bugui reprimanded Zhen Youde for targeting the Gu Family and removed him as Pavilion Master of the Ascending Dragon Prefecture Branch, sending him to a sinecure at the Southern General Pavilion.
• Yun Bugui warned Zhen Youde that the Li Family could cripple Myriad Treasures Pavilion’s regional business and might elevate Li Xingcong to become the Southern King.

Yun Bugui punished Zhen Youde and personally apologized to the Li Family for the Myriad Treasures Pavilion's offense. During his visit, a powerful breakthrough sign emerged from Green Maple Valley, leaving the Li Family and Yun Bugui watching as a Divine Mansion World began to form.

• Yun Bugui demoted Zhen Youde to an idle post at the Southern General Pavilion and ordered him to leave immediately.
• Yun Bugui brought lavish gifts to Green Maple Valley and apologized to Li Xuanyong, promising the Myriad Treasures Pavilion would respect the Li Family's laws in Yangzhou and Dongzhou.
• A vast pressure erupted from Green Maple Valley, and Yun Bugui recognized it as the herald of a breakthrough to the Divine Mansion Realm.
• Li Xuanyong told Yun Bugui that two members of the Li Family were attempting to reach the Divine Mansion Realm, while keeping Li Wuyou's seclusion secret.
• Purple qi surged across the sky as a Divine Mansion World began forming above Green Maple Valley, with the Divine Mansion Tribulation still to come.

Zhao Wujiu attempted the Divine Mansion Realm with the Li Family watching and support from Li Xinge. He survived the tribulations, overcame the Heart Demon Tribulation, and attained the Divine Mansion Realm, pledging to help the Li Family.

• Zhao Wujiu appeared above Green Maple Valley as the Divine Mansion Tribulation gathered, while Li Xinge and Yun Bugui watched.
• Zhao Wujiu endured the first seven tribulations, then met the eighth tribulation’s Divine Weapon blade with a desperate strike from his longtime saber.
• Zhao Wujiu’s blade-light shattered the Heavenly Blade, but he fell gravely wounded as Li Xinge warned that the Heart Demon Tribulation remained.
• After half an hour, Zhao Wujiu broke the Heart Demon Tribulation with his will, and heaven and earth restored his body and solidified his Divine Mansion World.
• Zhao Wujiu attained the Divine Mansion Realm, vowed to help the Li Family, and received congratulations from the Li Family disciples and elders.

Zhao Wujiu reached the Divine Mansion Realm and publicly pledged his life and soul to the Li Family, while news of his breakthrough made the Li Family’s influence and promise of advancement spread across the world. The chapter ended with Wei Pingsheng telling Wei Yiren that the Wei Family’s alliance with Li Xinge could bring them the same fortune.

• Zhao Wujiu knelt before Li Xinge, credited him and the Li Family for his breakthrough, and vowed lifelong loyalty.
• Li Xinge promoted Zhao Wujiu to Purple-Robed Attendant and announced a Divine Mansion ascension ceremony in three months.
• Zhao Wujiu offered Li Xinge his Divine Soul True Fire as a token of loyalty, and Li Xinge listened to his request.
• News of Zhao Wujiu’s seven-hundred-li Divine Mansion World spread throughout the world and inspired rogue cultivators to seek the Li Family’s support.
• Wei Yiren told Wei Pingsheng that Zhao Wujiu had become a Divine Mansion cultivator, and Wei Pingsheng attributed his success to following Li Xinge and reassured Wei Yiren about the Wei Family’s prospects.

Guhongzi heard that Zhao Wujiu, a rogue cultivator, had reached the Divine Mansion Realm after joining the Li Family. Inspired by the chance to escape his own dead end, he decided to seek the Li Family in Yang Province and flew there.

• Guhongzi overheard travelers in a teahouse describe Zhao Wujiu's breakthrough and the Li Family's support for him.
• Guhongzi recalled his own failed hopes of advancing after serving the Liang Province Ma Clan and struggling to obtain the materials he needed.
• Guhongzi decided to take one last chance and set out for Yang Province.
• Guhongzi paid the teahouse waiter for the table he had smashed, then revealed himself as an Innate True Person by flying away.

Guhongzi arrived in Baihe County and witnessed the Li Family enforcing its rules at the city gates. After the Black Mountain Three Fiends tried to cut in line, the Black-Robed Elder executed them and warned the crowd that everyone in Yangzhou must obey the Li Family.

• Guhongzi traveled from Liang Province to Baihe County and joined the orderly line entering the city.
• The Black Mountain Three Fiends shoved their way through the queue and claimed they had come to join the Li Family.
• The gate commandant ordered the soldiers to stop the trio, but the Black Mountain Three Fiends threatened them with their cultivation.
• The Black-Robed Elder appeared, condemned the trio for breaking the Li Family's rules, and struck them down.
• The Black-Robed Elder had the Black Mountain Three Fiends hanged from the city tower and warned the crowd that everyone in Yangzhou must obey the Li Family's rules.
• The Black-Robed Elder noticed Guhongzi among the crowd, though he could not see through his aura.

Guhongzi arrived at the Li Family's Hall of Peculiar Individuals and registered as an innately great perfection cultivator. Li Yanzhao came down to welcome him as the crowd recognized the renowned expert.

• After the Black-Robed Elder left the city gate, Guhongzi remarked on his late-stage innate cultivation.
• Li Yanzhao and Li Mo discussed the influx of rogue cultivators and the Li Family's efforts to maintain order and recruit talent.
• A steward turned away a middle-aged cultivator from attendant service but offered him a place in the Li Family's army, which he accepted.
• Guhongzi entered the Hall of Peculiar Individuals and wrote innately great perfection on his registration form.
• The steward recognized Guhongzi and announced his arrival, drawing the hall's attention.
• Li Yanzhao came to greet Guhongzi, while those in the hall bowed to the Li Family elder.