Chapter Summaries

Lin Chen witnessed the Soul Returning Tree revive Jiang City's dead, whose united cries helped the Azure Cloud and Profound Yin powers drive the Blood Shadow out of Lin Tianhang. The Blood Shadow counterattacked with a sea of blood and overwhelming killing intent, and Lin Chen suddenly found himself above Jiang City amid a storm.

• A comet split above Jiang City, and two figures of light emerged, embodying life and death, to attack Lin Tianhang in the Blood Lotus.
• The two powers merged into the Soul Returning Tree, whose fragrance restored the city's dead as ghosts and revealed Lin Tianhang's massacre of Jiang City.
• The ghosts called Lin Tianhang's name, helping the two figures force the Blood Shadow from his body and dim the Blood Lotus.
• A vast sea of blood engulfed Jiang City and its ghosts, turning their faces into Lin Tianhang's likeness and strengthening the Blood Lotus against the two figures.
• The Blood Lotus unleashed intense killing intent, and Lin Chen blacked out before reappearing above storm-wracked Jiang City.

Lin Chen met Lin Tianhang in the illusion above Jiang City and learned how betrayal drove his cousin to demonic cultivation. Lin Tianhang revealed his plan to turn everyone into Blood God Sons, then vanished after freeing Lin Chen and others from methods planted in their bodies by two Spirit Transformation cultivators.

• Lin Tianhang reformed from a blood sphere and told Lin Chen that his family had poisoned his mother, refined his father, and used him for profit.
• Lin Tianhang asked why sincerity and loyalty had brought him suffering, while Lin Chen told him to treat betrayers as enemies and destroy those who unsettled him.
• Lin Chen explained that Dao Seekers should follow their own hearts rather than be bound by morality or others' opinions, prompting Lin Tianhang to call him either an immortal or a demon.
• Lin Tianhang said he would refine everyone into Blood God Sons so they would act according to his wishes and bring about the Human Heart Towards Goodness.
• Lin Tianhang told Lin Chen that his fall to demonic cultivation had automatically dispelled methods planted in their bodies by two Spirit Transformation cultivators, then disappeared as the illusion shattered.

After the devastation near Jiang City, Lin Chen discovered that the Body Gods had transformed his body and accelerated his cultivation, then considered whether Lin Tianhang was tied to the plans of two reincarnated Spirit Transformation cultivators. As Lin Chen prepared to return to the sect, an Azure Cloud Flying Boat carrying Zhang Mengyao and True Person Jian Xuan headed toward Jiang City to investigate a suspected Mysterious Yin Gate conspiracy.

• Lin Chen woke on the barren sands, found himself unharmed but ravenously hungry, and fled a thousand li before examining his body.
• Lin Chen discovered that his marrow had been cleansed, his injuries healed, and his organs were refining spiritual qi under the influence of the Body Gods.
• Lin Chen reasoned that Lin Tianhang might be a reincarnated Spirit Transformation cultivator connected to a struggle over inherited power, though he remained uncertain about Zhang Hao’s role.
• Lin Chen decided to postpone investigating the matter and began preparing to return to the sect, but sensed an Azure Cloud Flying Boat approaching.
• Zhang Mengyao questioned why her master, True Person Jian Xuan, had come along, and he said the Jiang City incident might be part of a Mysterious Yin Gate conspiracy.
• The Azure Cloud Flying Boat descended toward Jiang City.

True Person Jian Xuan found Jiang City reduced to barren sand by a killing intent beyond Golden Core strength and ordered the Azure Cloud Sect to seal off the area rather than investigate. Meanwhile, True Person Taiyin questioned a Blood Shadow about the disturbance and agreed to attack the Azure Cloud Sect before it could uncover their undercover agent.

• True Person Jian Xuan arrived above Jiang City with the Azure Cloud Sect and found the city erased by a terrifying killing intent.
• True Person Jian Xuan tested the lingering force with spirit ginseng, confirmed that cultivators below Golden Core would die there, and ordered the area sealed off.
• True Person Jian Xuan examined the wasteland west of Jiang City, identified it as damage from the aftershock, and told Zhang Mengyao that the sect could not investigate safely.
• True Person Taiyin emerged from his grave in the Mysterious Yin Gate and used Blood Jade to summon a Blood Shadow.
• True Person Taiyin asked whether the Blood Shadow had been involved in the disturbance, then warned that the Azure Cloud Sect might discover their undercover agent.
• The Blood Shadow proposed attacking early and slaughtering the Azure Cloud Sect's outstanding disciples, and True Person Taiyin agreed to move ahead of schedule.

True Person Taiyin and Blood Shadow agreed to strike Azure Cloud Sect by exploiting its defenses and targeting its younger generation. They prepared to use a planted agent and Blood Shadow’s curse against Old Ghost Changqing, leaving Lin Chen among the disciples on their kill list.

• True Person Taiyin warned Blood Shadow that Azure Cloud Sect’s Golden Core Cultivators could uncover the parasitized disciples, but Blood Shadow argued the sect was vulnerable while its strongest cultivators were occupied or injured.
• True Person Taiyin rejected Blood Shadow’s suggestion that Mysterious Yin Gate lead a direct assault and explained how Azure Cloud Sect’s defenses could be sabotaged through the control nexus for its lower-ranking disciples.
• Blood Shadow revealed that he knew Mysterious Yin Gate had planted a dead soldier inside Azure Cloud Sect, and True Person Taiyin agreed to have the agent cooperate with him.
• True Person Taiyin gave Blood Shadow Old Ghost Changqing’s blood so Blood Shadow could curse him.
• True Person Taiyin revealed a list of Azure Cloud Sect’s promising young disciples, including Zhang Mengyao, Zhang Zhiming, Xu Mengyun, Zhang Hao, and Lin Chen, and declared that they would bury the sect’s younger generation.

Lin Chen examined the Body Gods in his organs and discovered they could coordinate his soul and True Qi, greatly improving his control over spiritual arts. He demonstrated their power with potent fire and water techniques, then concluded that the Body Gods acted like auxiliary brains as he considered how to use them.

• After the Azure Cloud Sect asked Lin Chen only whether he had seen Jiang City’s destruction, he reported that he had been outside the city and saw a comet, and the investigators left without pursuing the matter.
• Lin Chen anonymously warned the sect’s higher-ups that some disciples returning to the sect might be problematic, then inspected the Lin Family inheritance and found little of interest.
• Lin Chen studied the Body Gods within him and observed that their soul fluctuations gathered at his Purple Mansion and helped regulate his body.
• Lin Chen used the Body Gods to form fireballs more than ten times stronger than ordinary ones, then compressed pure water-attributed True Qi into a droplet that pierced a line of targets over a hundred meters away.
• Lin Chen concluded that the Body Gods gathered information and coordinated his main soul like auxiliary brains, and wondered how best to use them.

Lin Chen theorized that Body Gods could function as information-processing organs and began developing a Soul Computer and a network of avatars. He succeeded in linking a corpse to his Body God through a curse, creating a remotely controlled avatar that could share information and cast spells.

• Lin Chen compared Body Gods to independently conscious organs and imagined using them with the brain to build a Soul Computer and an information network.
• Lin Chen implanted a Blood Gu into a preserved corpse and found that injecting Soul Power and making it recite the Yellow Court Scripture did not create a Body God.
• Lin Chen used a Curse Method to connect the corpse's organs to his Body God, then infused them with Soul Power until Body Gods formed.
• Lin Chen awakened the corpse as an avatar and received sensory information from it through their curse connection.
• Lin Chen controlled the avatar to turn spirit blood into true qi and cast a fireball, then envisioned creating many networked avatars across the Lingnan Cultivation World.

Lin Chen considered the risks and costs of his Body God avatar technique, then developed several spiritual arts in preparation for reaching Foundation Establishment. He paused his research after learning that his platform was earning far fewer Spirit Stones than expected and decided to investigate.

• Lin Chen weighed the safety, soul-power, and Spirit Stone problems involved in developing his Body God avatar technique.
• Lin Chen began researching spiritual arts and improved his Invisibility Technique, Fireball Technique, and Water Blade Technique.
• Lin Chen developed the Condensing Spirit Technique, which concentrated water-attributed spiritual energy into a powerful penetrating attack or defense.
• Lin Chen created Pressure Light to induce an enemy's instinctive fear and disrupt their movements.
• After seven days in the Laboratory, Lin Chen received a message that platform construction had encountered problems and earnings were below expectations, so he decided to make a trip.

Lin Chen visited Moon Lake Mountain to meet Liu Qiqiang and Xu Mengyun, unaware that a faction of Blood Demon cultivators had prepared an ambush targeting Azure Cloud Sect disciples. The attackers tracked his arrival and ordered their forces to watch him as he reached Lin Yue Tower.

• Lin Chen toured Moon Lake Mountain and sensed that someone was watching him, then headed toward Lin Yue Tower.
• A monitoring cultivator identified Lin Chen as Target Number Twelve and reported his arrival to the faction's leaders.
• Black-robed cultivators completed the Blood Demon Altar, which could control parasitized disciples, create blood slaves, and restore their hosts.
• The blood-robed cultivator ordered the faction to focus on elite disciples and True Disciples, then learned that a Foundation Establishment Cultivator had appeared at Moon Lake Mountain.
• The blood-robed cultivator ordered everyone to track the newcomer and called for a sneak attack on the hub while Lin Chen arrived at Lin Yue Tower.

Lin Chen reviewed the book platform’s disappointing sales with Xu Mengyun and explained how to tailor books to four tiers of cultivators. He proposed using advertising and investment to earn from even the poorest readers and the sect’s upper echelons.

• Xu Mengyun told Lin Chen that the platform had fewer paying customers than expected, though she had already dealt with those producing pirated copies.
• Lin Chen inspected the account book and asked whether the books had been sorted to suit different customers.
• Lin Chen divided cultivators into four tiers and explained what kinds of books would appeal to each, identifying the middle tiers as the main paying customers.
• Xu Mengyun concluded that the platform should sell different goods to different customers and suggested ignoring the first and fourth tiers.
• Lin Chen said those tiers could still provide benefits through advertising and investment.

Situ Feng and his Mysterious Yin Gate allies infiltrated Azure Cloud Sect’s Qingxuan Mountain defense hub and seized control by ambushing its elders. They passed the hub’s identity checks and reached the point of issuing an execution command.

• Situ Feng arrived at Qingxuan Mountain with three companions and passed the patrol and forest inspections as he took over the watch.
• Patrol members discussed Situ Feng’s tragic past, including his wife’s death and his son’s execution after embezzling medicinal ingredients.
• Inside the ancient tree, Situ Feng’s disguised allies cursed Elder Tian and killed Elder Peng while another attacker blocked communications with Blood Mist.
• Situ Feng’s companions used the Blood God Parasite Great Method to impersonate the elders and pass the hub’s body, blood, and soul inspections.
• Situ Feng and the disguised elders requested execution authority, and the screen prompted them to issue the command.

Situ Feng and his allies used a false identity to trick Azure Cloud Sect’s formation spirit into disabling the sect’s defenses and communications. As the sect fell into isolation, the blood-shadow forces began their slaughter plan.

• Situ Feng ordered the formation spirit to shut down transportation, communications, inspections, and defenses, but the system rejected his authority and began reporting the command.
• A Golden Core Blood Shadow used True Ancestor Changqing’s aura to pass the formation spirit’s identity check and carry out Situ Feng’s order.
• The Blood Shadow’s allies turned the controlled elders and disciples into Blood Mist to delay the warning transmissions, buying three incense sticks for the slaughter plan.
• Azure Cloud Sect’s trade wind paths and Sound Transmission Flowers shut down, its Diwu Trees went dormant, and the peak defense formations activated.
• A patrol on Moon Lake Peak recognized that the sect was in danger and set out to rendezvous with other cultivators, unaware that Xiao Pang was secretly acting with the attackers.

Xiao Pang and other Blood Demon-parasitized cultivators secretly killed Azure Cloud Sect patrols and seized Moon Lake Mountain’s communication hubs and routes, cutting the mountain off from the outside. In a hidden cave, the blood-robed leader coordinated the coming assault, leaving the sect disciples unaware that squads were preparing to hunt them.

• Xiao Pang killed his patrol squad and deployed a Hundred Eyes Corpse Bead and an Earth Listening Corpse Ear to monitor the mountain.
• Attackers slaughtered disciples at Moon Lake Mountain’s transfer hubs and routes, while Blood Mist blocked communications and distress signals.
• The blood-robed leader received reports that the mountain’s exits and communications were sealed and that the hunting squads were equipped for battle.
• The leader ordered the squads to target Foundation Establishment Cultivators, True Disciples, and other Azure Cloud Sect cultivators, then use their life essence to strengthen the Blood Demon Altar and create a Blood Slave Army.

Lin Chen explained his plans for advertising and investing in promising cultivators to Xu Mengyun, then sensed a real threat and led her and Liu Qiqiang out of Lin Yue Tower. As they escaped, a blood-robed cultivator began a hunt across Moon Lake Mountain using a vast surveillance net.

• Lin Chen and Xu Mengyun discussed selling advertisements in books and building influence by sharing useful cultivation information with promising disciples.
• Lin Chen warned Xu Mengyun not to pursue risky business within the Azure Cloud Sect before they had enough strength.
• Lin Chen sensed killing intent twice and urged Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang to leave Lin Yue Tower immediately.
• A blood-robed cultivator activated a surveillance net across Moon Lake Mountain, and many cultivators' eyes turned scarlet as the hunt began.

A Blood Shadow-controlled Pockmarked Cultivator massacred Azure Cloud Sect disciples at Moon Lake Mountain before receiving orders to intercept two targets. Meanwhile, Lin Chen, Xu Mengyun, and Liu Qiqiang discovered that the Dandelion Grass Transit Hub had fallen, and an attacker appeared behind Lin Chen as they fled into the forest.

• The Pockmarked Cultivator killed and drained an Azure Cloud Sect disciple, then ordered skinless Blood Corpses into Lin Yue Tower to slaughter the survivors.
• Blood Shadow ordered the Pockmarked Cultivator to intercept targets twelve and fifteen after another squad failed to find them.
• Xu Mengyun realized the road to the Dandelion Grass Transit Hub was unnaturally empty, and Lin Chen suspected trouble at Moon Lake Mountain.
• Lin Chen used his Spiritual Sense and saw that the hub lay in ruins, its grounds covered with dried corpses and its Dandelion Grass dormant.
• Lin Chen led Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang into the forest, where an eerie figure raised a dagger and stabbed toward his back.

Lin Chen ambushed and repelled an assassin, then faced five black-clad cultivators while Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang escaped. He unleashed Pressure Light, terrifying the attackers and leaving them unable to move.

• A shadowy assassin attacked Lin Chen from behind, but Lin Chen blocked the dagger with an earthen shield and burned the attacker’s arm with pale flame.
• Four Poison Needles flew from the forest, and Lin Chen raised shields to protect Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang while the wounded assassin escaped.
• Four more black-clad cultivators emerged, joining the attack and surrounding Lin Chen, Xu Mengyun, and Liu Qiqiang.
• Lin Chen told Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang to leave, then unleashed a storm of Water Blades that injured the attackers and opened a path out of the encirclement.
• Lin Chen knocked down the hidden Hundred Eyes Corpse Bead and revealed that he had attacked to keep witnesses from seeing his true strength.
• Lin Chen released Pressure Light, making the five cultivators see him as a terrifying beast and freezing them with fear.

Lin Chen killed the five cultivators who had attacked him and Xu Mengyun, while the blood-robed cultivator received reports from across Moon Lake Mountain. The shattering of five statues revealed that Lin Chen’s squad had been wiped out.

• Lin Chen used a terrifying illusion to freeze the attackers, then formed a blazing scythe with his Condensing Spirit Technique.
• Lin Chen killed the first three black-robed cultivators, cutting through their defenses and burning their bodies to ashes.
• The Pockmarked Cultivator regained control of his body and reached for his Storage Bag, but Lin Chen split him apart before he could release the Foundation Establishment Zombie.
• Lin Chen killed the final black-robed cultivator, leaving five piles of ashes where the attackers had stood.
• Atop the Blood-colored High Platform, the blood-robed cultivator issued orders and learned that monitoring methods in Area Ding Seven had failed.
• Five blood-colored statues shattered, revealing to the blood-robed cultivator that the five cultivators sent after Lin Chen had died.

After Lin Chen annihilated an enemy squad, the blood-robed cultivator ordered a larger assault and created a Foundation Establishment monster from a corpse and the Blood Pool. Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang decided to alert the sect instead of returning to help Lin Chen, but an unexpected presence interrupted them.

• The blood-robed cultivator learned that Lin Chen had wiped out his squad and ordered nearby forces to converge on him.
• The blood-robed cultivator cast a corpse into the Blood Pool and transformed it into a blood-wreathed Foundation Establishment monster.
• Liu Qiqiang wanted to return to help Lin Chen, but Xu Mengyun refused, believing they would only put him in greater danger.
• Xu Mengyun concluded that Lin Chen had sent them to warn the sect that Moon Lake Mountain was under attack, and she prepared a Second-tier Talisman to break the communication interference.
• Xu Mengyun sensed someone nearby and shouted for them to reveal themselves.

Lin Chen discovered that the Blood Cultivators were tracking the group through fleshly eyes and ears, and found that a distress signal could not pass through the Blood Mist. He decided to find and destroy their control hub, using his avatar technique to search Moon Lake Mountain while keeping his main body safe.

• Lin Chen reunited with Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang, then revealed the monitoring eyes and ears hidden nearby.
• Lin Chen used a Second-tier Talisman to tear a hole in the Peak Protection Great Formation, but the Blood Mist stopped the signals from escaping.
• Lin Chen decided to destroy the Demonic Cultivators' control hub and use avatars to search for it while avoiding a direct fight.
• Lin Chen gave Xu Mengyun and Liu Qiqiang two avatars and explained that their shared information would let him locate the hub through his method, Online Search.

Lin Chen sent Liu Qiqiang and Xu Mengyun to expand surveillance blind spots while he advanced toward Lin Yue Tower to find and destroy the enemy command center. Near Reflecting Moon Lake, he encountered a Foundation Establishment Realm Blood Zombie.

• Lin Chen assigned Liu Qiqiang to clear surveillance near his previous route and Xu Mengyun to search remote areas, while he headed toward Lin Yue Tower.
• Lin Chen deployed more than a dozen clones to explore areas after their surveillance methods were destroyed.
• A clone of Lin Chen entered the ruined area around Reflecting Moon Lake and destroyed an Earth Listening Corpse Ear and a Corpse Eye.
• Lin Chen ignored cries for help and continued searching for the command center, planning to link his clones through their Body Gods.
• A Foundation Establishment Realm Blood Zombie appeared among the burning ruins, and Lin Chen sensed it.